Open Tsk Tsk [Open]

[Keigo Oen]

Distant sounds came from the forest, as the sun beamed high in the sky during this hour of noon. Much of the her rays could not touch the floor as the sheer amount of vegetation in the above canopies prohibited her shine. It was a good time to be in the shade for any being, especially a shinobi such as Kangetsu. Typical of Kangetsu, found in the lush greenery, hidden deep within the Ancient Forest. However, what was he doing? Clanking his weaponry and working on a completely original style of fighting to his own. Something that would keep him alive unlike his father before him. Standing the young Mura boy was just finishing his training for the day as he had a shift at the gate for general duties, so he liked to keep himself limber in case something were to go down. One could never be too prepared for any situation.

"Heroes always get remembered~ But you know legends never die~" , His sing-song tone seemed to chime about, bouncing and echoing throughout the emptiness of his general surroundings. It was simply splendid, as Kang himself enjoyed the company of his loneliness at times. Though, it all did seem a bit much to be trapped in your own thoughts... bad things tended to happen most notably, to Shinobi. ANBU seemingly dealt with a ton of PTSD, which came with the territory. Hell, Kang had alot of anxiety with battling thinking about how his father passed away, but then again, he was already leaps and bounds better than his father and had a better grasp of chakra. So who knew how things would turn out...

At the very least Kang was finishing up his session, 'Maybe I'll get some food before I set out...' And this is where this day would begin.

[Talking]
[Thinking]

 

[Shinrya Kosuke]

Some unknown amount of days after the tutor session with Mirō that had left him covered in grime and exhausted to the point of (literally) passing out, Daisuke was, much like Kangetsu, working on his own fighting style. As patient as he was and as much as he adhered to the age-old idea of shinobi being silent and undetectable, he had slowly started becoming more accustomed to slinking in and out of the shadows and attacking when all was still and quiet. For his age and rank in the Academy, he was likely decently more versed in stealth than his peers, and he liked to try and play to that as much as he could, waiting and striking with a water balloon or a handful of whipped cream when they least expected it. He was gettin' good...

He was training in the forest, hiding in and around the treetops when he heard the singing from some unknown person. The voice was unfamiliar, but it was likely another Kumogakure Nin, so deep in the forests. He jumped through the trees, using his growing chakra control to stick to surfaces akin to a spider-monkey and to silence his movement as much as possible. He began descending down slowly as he moved, so that when he came above the green-haired shinobi, he was about to land on the branch above...

Until he lost control of his chakra and tumbled to the ground with a great crash of branches and leaves right in front of the man. "Gahhh.... My butt," the boy grumbled as he worked at picking leaves from his dark hair.

 

[Keigo Oen]

Unbeknownst to Kang, he would be in the presence of a newbie. Though, not so new that he was a completely green kid, but he was new enough for the tall emerald haired male to know upon recognition of him. Though, that would have been true if Kang had more awareness to the kid. He was silent. Too silent. So quiet, in fact that Kang still thought he was completely alone. Putting his things together in his satchel and throwing it over his back along with tightening his armor and greaves. It was astounding that Kang was this aloof to the boy..

The rustling above in the trees didnt startle the Mura man at all, 'Hm, birds likely.' until he heard a twitch form above, and a 'KER-PLUNK' as a raven-haired boy sat before him. "Huh, children are falling from the sky now... I didnt pray for this!" looking up to the sky he would shake a gloved hand. "DAMN YOU RAIDEN! WHY HATH THOUST FORSAKEN ME!" chuckling to himself he'd look down to the boy and he'd offer up a hand to help the kid up.

"...Huh, Why're you out here without supervision? It can get mighty dangerous out here especially with all those creatures that like to show up in random instances for plot development..." Kang would elude to as he would look around for something to make his point, but only the sounds of a howling wind would ensue. Sighing to himself if the boy took his hand and was now on his feet, 'Hm, had he been spyin on me?' Kang thought with an inquisitive eye before continuing. "You may call me Kangetsu. Whats your name kid?"

 

[Shinrya Kosuke]

Accepting the proffered hand, Daisuke got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his backside. Luckily, like any kid his age, he could brush off bumps like that with ease... What he couldn’t brush off was the embarrassment he felt at having fallen. He’d lost momentary control of his chakra, which could have ended with a blown mission. The embarrassment on his face was plain by the pink now gracing his cheeks at he looked up somewhat angrily at the branch he’d slipped from. If only he hadn’t lost control, he would’ve been up there with Kangetsu none the wiser, and Dais wouldn’t be the embarrassed one.

“Yamada Daisuke, but my friends call me ‘suke. I was just practicing my stealth and chakra control, but I slipped... But anyway, what’s a... plot development creature? They didn’t teach us about them yet, could we go find one and fight it?“ The boy looked around with his hands on his hips, as if indeed waiting for a creature to show up for plot development... but the forest just rustled silently at him, like it had at Kangetsu.

Looking at the green-haired man, Daisuke nodded at the weapons. “What kind of gear d’ya got? Anything good for sneaking up on people?”

 

[Keigo Oen]

'Yamada Daisuke... Eh? Will this be the protagonist I'll be the driving force for in this ploy? Will I succumb to a powerful villan and be slain right before his eyes in a character changing narrative to push him into the lime-light of this non fiction? WIll my story be remembered as a man-', shaking his head of those thoughts, Kang would nod as the boy finished. Knowing that those beasts only had the ability to show up completely unannounced and one could not simply go 'looking for them'.

Though, and alas, there was a simple notion to be heeded from this. "We can certainly try to find a creature. No doubt. However, we maynot be successful. They tend not to come out when 'yer lookin' for 'hm." Nodding once again he would chuckle as the boy oogled his weaponry. Many chains and Kunai holsters found themselves attached to him. If he knew proper chakra techniques he would probably know metal jutsu so he could make them himself without going to that damned smith. Oh well, "Yeah, there are a ton of weapons used for that precise thing. Yakno? However, the best of the best find something that is not typical and use it with a wit and skill unlike none other." Kang would state proudly as he looked and flicked at different metals attached to him.

"However, I've not quite grasped that aptitude myself. I do know how to use just about any weapon I put my hands to... Wait a sec.." looking up into the trees and then looking back down to the boy, "You little! You were gonna try and assassinate me werent ya?!" Kang would frown and clench a fist at the boy. He didnt truly believe this but the reaction would tell him everything he needed to know about this kid? What would his fight or flight be? Was he in a position to fight a man taller and more physically fit than he? Or at least by the looks of it. Who knew what kids were being fed these days anyways.

 

[Shinrya Kosuke]

Daisuke nodded his head in agreement. It always seemed like something cool happened when you least expected it, when you were least prepared for it... And usually, around here, things that were 'cool' in Daisuke's eyes often had the ability to kill him outright. It was both an unfortunate twist on how long he could feasibly live, but fortunate in that he wouldn't be quickly bored after finding something that was cool.

"Yeah, that's true," he verbally agreed, looking around the forests. "Maybe there's a trick to it. Like, some method of... Reverse looking? I think that's called 'drawing attention to yourself'." It was, actually, called drawing attention to yourself... But being raised a shinobi, the idea of wanting attention was foreign to Daisuke, and likely to many of his peers. He shrugged, before listening to Kangetsu's apparent expertise.

"Not typical... Probably have to make something yourself, then, or find someone who's a genius at crafting," he thought about it for a second, before looking at the green-haired man with narrowed eyes at the accusation. They weren't narrowed because of any sort of suspicion... In a way, at least. He might have suspected the guy to be... Well, not the sharpest tool in an arsenal.

"Why would I try to assassinate you without a weapon? Do I look like I have a death wish?" He shook his head, sticking out his tongue with a small 'pbblt'. "Plus, if I wanted to assassinate ya, you'd be dead already," he claimed almost matter-of-factly, as if he wasn't just barely above his academy peers.

 

[Keigo Oen]

"Hm, Guess ya right. Drawing attention to yourself, in this instance would be what exactly? Falling from a tree and Plunking your way down on ya boot boot?" smirking a bit, Kang fell into himself thinking about the situation. Maybe the assassin was behind the boy, and the boy was the thing to get his attention away from the true assassin? No. There was no assassin. There was only a kid in the woods who needed more training with chakra. Hell, he might be better than Kangetsu at molding and utilizing chakra. Who would know... at this rate did it at all matter?

"Aye.. I make things all the time... Just no good with forging metals." nodding again he would wonder if this kid had something wrong with his eyes. The way he was looking to a superior like that? Maybe someone else would be offended but Kang never underestimated anything nor anyone these days. Why would he? There were demon born children riding angelic deer in this world. Nothing could be taken for granted in times like these. At any pace, Kangetsu chuckled as the kid said he would have already killed Kang. And maybe he was right, but then again there was a huge flaw in that notion.

"Indeed, you have no weapons, but maybe your attempt failed as you fell on your bottom? Hm? Anyways! I dont have time 'Suke! I have fish to fry!" he did have to go to work here soon, but he would oblige the kid as he would begin walkin, "Tell me somethin' What makes you think you could kill me? I'm obviously a higher ranking shinobi than you, unless you're the Raikage's Kid or somethin! For which this topic never happened and my name is not Kangetsu." He'd look down to the boy as his armor clinked from even his subtle movements.

[WC = 311]

 

[Shinrya Kosuke]

“No, obviously that was an accident...” Daisuke scoffed as his cheeks grew pinker with some embarrassment. Drawing attention was the last thing he wanted to do, if he had had it his way, he would still be up in the tree, stealthy as can be. But at least he knew he was getting it more, as it had seemed like Kangetsu was not aware of him until he fell on his bottom. He just had to keep up his training at the academy; he was on his way to mastering traps, poisons, and creation Jutsu, which was all that he needed to be a good assassin.

“I think a failed attempt would be inevitable if I was this unprepared. I don’t even have my traps or poisons,“ he said sadly. Maybe he’d have to start carrying all his things around, like Kangetsu here did. He shrugged, before looking at the green-haired man at fish fry comment. “Are you actually going to fry fish? Because that sounds like a good lunch and I’ve got ten for fried fish.” Daisuke wasn’t sure if the frying fish was literal or metaphorical, but he hoped it was literal.

He began walking alongside the man, though, before he shrugged at the question. He didn’t actually think he’d win in a fight, but he figured he could do more damage than anyone else would think, and he’d tell Kangetsu that. “Nah, I was just jokin’. I don’t think I could kill you, but I think I could mess you up a good bit more than you’d think. Not with any flashy jutsu or any sort of prodigy-type skill, but just smart strategy and making my strengths even stronger by using my other strengths well, y’know. I’ve been practicing a lot.”

He’d look up at the man at that point, curious himself now. “What kinda fighting do you do? I mean, you’ve got all those weapons, so I’m sure you use all of them, right? Are you in the ANBU? Are you any good with traps and poisons?“ Like usual, it was easy for Daisuke to spout off at the mouth when it came to asking his superiors questions.

 

[Keigo Oen]

Kids tended to get embarrassed from things like this... Kang remembered things back from the days he was this kids age, 'How old was he? Ten? Twelve? Secretly Thirty?' at any pace, he remembered how when he went to learn chakra control and sucked so badly at it that he would get made fun of. However, no one wanted to see him on the hand to hand combat field. Even with Kang not liking to get involved in those scuffles, he did like getting back at those people who bullied others. The biggest thing Kang hated in this world was a bully. It often conflicted with his loyalist attitude. He would do anything for this village, he would stand up to any superior that took things a bit too far. He hadnt run into someone like that though, just people he went to school with.

"Oh man the apothecary in the main part of the village is amazin' but If ya wanna go for some fried fish, After my gate duty I'll treat ya to some. Soung good?", he'd wait for that response before nodding again whether or not he wanted to mattered not. He wouldnt force himself on anyone that didnt want his courtesy. Though, he would find out more about this kid. He was a hard worker like him? No prodigy skills? No innate family line that gave him poisonous golden blood that was sought after from all the great nations? No eyes that could see the future but could only change the past? It was astonishing, but then again there were a vast amount of people in this village and being amongst those who had the honor of fighting alongside prodigies and getting the better of them, felt damn good.

"Aye, thats whatcha gotta do my man. Practice. It wouldnt matter how much of a prodigy you were if you didnt hone your skills. Or even work on the things you were terrible at. Like myself. I have never molded Chakra the best, but I became a Chuunin because of my dedication to my craft in various physical Taijutsu styles. Some of which I've mastered." nodding proudly as he would make a note to comment on the Traps and poisons.

"I do use Poisons and Traps, But the first I dont use on shinobi of this village unless I'm looking to detain them for whatever reason. Traps are apart of my niche though, I mix them in with my Taijutus style. From there I close the distance and make keep the pressure until you fold. Or I tire. All while leading you to my traps and suffocating you with a frontal assault. The strategy takes ideals from mid to close range fighting. So I mix alittle bit of baseline Muay Thai with Alittle Kendo." It was a mouthful but he didnt mind telling Daisuke, hell he wouldnt mind telling anyone that wasnt his enemy. "Hm, what about you? What do you aspire to learn compared to what you already know?", an even more inquisitive eye was marked onto Daisuke's visage now. How would the kid respond? Also, Kang was walking now, did I mention he was walking? He was starting to get behind... He still needed to go do that gate duty. Something told him that there was something important gonna happen today...

 

[Shinrya Kosuke]

You did mention he was walking, and I had thusly mentioned that Daisuke was walking beside the green-haired Taijutsu specialist. It may have been difficult to notice, how short Daisuke was compared to the full-grown adult, but he was there, taking about a step and a half to two steps for each one of Kangetsu's strides. He had had his hands clasped behind his head as he looked up at the trees as they walked, mentally visualizing how he'd move among the branches to stay as quiet as possible . Some of the branches looked weak, or had too many leaves. He'd avoid those, of course.

"Yeah, I'd love some fried fish. I love seafood, I think mussels are my favorite. Baked mussels, my mother makes the best baked mussels in Kumo, honestly," he nodded. He knew not many people liked mussels as much as he did, but thankfully, his mother did and had perfected her craft - just as he wanted to perfect his craft, because he was not born with the skill like the extremely rare few of his peers. He could tell that Kangetsu worked hard, as well, he wasn't cocky or anything like some of the other prodigies he knew. That's probably why Daisuke felt they could be friends, they were similar in that regard.

"I know, I practice like all the time. I've mad a lot of progress lately because I don't want to fall behind this one guy in my class. It's like he doesn't even have to try, he just nails all of the jutsu immediately, it's so annoying. I asked him when he practices and for how long and he's all like, 'Ohh, I dunno. I guess during da class tests would count, ya?'" It was obvious Daisuke found this other lad more than annoying, but he hadn't given up, he was going to be better than him when they became Jounin, that was for sure.

When Kangetsu spoke about his using traps and poisons, however, Daisuke was completely quiet. They were perhaps his favorite things to use, just because of how often people had no idea they had been set. It's like they were stumbling into their demise because of 'Suke's genius planning.

"That sounds pretty sick, how'd you come up with it? Is there a weapon and poison combo that you use the most? What trap's your favorite? I like the hidden launcher the most, probably, once they get caught in it it's like, 'aaah!', y'know? And we learned a little bit of Kendo in the academy but I think Muy Thai's reserved for the real Taijutsu nuts, I think. But it always looked cool, really brutal though. Like it'd hurt a lot. Probably why it's reserved." He thought about it for a moment, before shrugging. "Well for me, I'm sort of similar, actually, just not with me doing the up-front fighting. I kind of like to sneak around and set up poisoned traps for my opponents to fall into... But I think my favorite is making clones and creations, and attaching traps to them. No one ever knows what hits them."

 

[Keigo Oen]

Oh, I'd forgotten Thank you sir. At any pace! Kang found himself obliging the conversation with the boy alittle bit more, "Oioi... I do like some good mussels." little did Daisuke know. There were two things that Kang would give it all up for... Some damn good seafood. And an Akimichi woman. The latter was harder to find than a unicorn goth puppy. What even -was- that? Nevertheless, Kang would continue trotting through the forest randomly tripping but catching himself with his foot work.

"Kids like that when I was in the academy, really pissed me off. Hah. Somethings never change, but that just means to the normies like you and me... we have to find out niche. Cling to it. And perfect it. Once we perfect the things we're good at... the things we're not so good at will be easier to spot. At the very least, our niche will give us a clear position of interest in the village.", nodding he seemingly would bring this all to a head once Daisuke would finish his soliloquy.

"Eh, How about I show you so its easier to understand. The ideas that I employ are none different from what you may see, just mixed together alittle better than most..." they had reached the forest clearing by this point and the edge of the trees seemed to kiss the sky and hug themselves around the outskirts of the main portions of Kumogakure. "So, How about this 'Suke... You bring some of your mother's Mussels to the arena in one week. And I'll take ya out two a seafood splurge. But I'll setup a match with a strong opponent and we'll team up? How's that sound?". The Armored man would tilt his head before giving a gloved hand to Daisuke. If he accepted it Kang would bow before rushing off to the gate. If not... Kang would... rush off to the gate... but saddened alittle.

[Topic Left]

[mft]

 

[Shinrya Kosuke]

While Kangetsu moved with little grace and found himself tripping randomly, Daisuke moved with an almost perfect quietness, either finding completely bare but tiny patches of ground with ease or using strong roots and branches to keep from stepping on fallen leaves. “Yeah, you can never go wrong with some good mussels... My favorite dinner.” Daisuke didn’t know much about Akimichi women, so it was a good thing Kangetsu kept that bit to himself, or he’d find himself continually questioned about that subject, no matter how awkward. And it would’ve been awkward.

Daisuke nodded at the man’s response to Daisuke’s prodigy-born rival. The boy had thankfully realized that by now and was dedicating days, weeks, months to perfecting his best techniques, and had even began to show superiority over the prodigy in some areas. It was a source of pride for him, being so damned good (barely), but he kept quiet and offered just a grunt in response before listening as Kangetsu continued.

His mom would probably love to cook more mussels for Daisuke’s friends, no matter how old, so it wouldn’t be difficult, which he relayed back. “She’ll probably make a lot if I ask her... I’ll bring a box of ‘em. Just so that we have something tasty to eat after we beat up whoever our opponent is!” And back was Daisuke’s confidence, with a mischievous grin and devious eyes to boot. He’d only sparred other students with varying degrees of success. He figured he wouldn’t be a crazy amount of help if the other guy was too strong, but it’d be good to see a new goal to reach.

He reached out and, with surprising strength, shook Kangetsu’s hand. “You’ve got a deal. See ya next week!” He’d bow in return, before waving as Kangetsu took off. Now, to continue practicing, as he walked back into the forest.

[ Topic left ]
[ MFT, 308 WC ]