Beginner's Luck [O|Mass]

[Lady Killa]

[Enter]

The thickened branches provided some cover from the pouring rain. The clouds were excessively dark in this area so it was impossible to determine the time. When Katharina had left the hot, dry country it was well into the afternoon as the sun had traveled more so to the west. Could it have gone down by now? Pulling her black hiker's jacket more snugly around her petite body, Katharina glanced back over her shoulder to see the etchings of the Kirigakure symbol weaved in white cotton into the black fabric and began to think of home.

Her attention then shifted down to her black cargo pants to find the same symbol on both sides by the ankles while she knew that the same would be located on the back of her tank top which was hidden beneath the jacket. Katharina was extremely proud of her village and often thought about it, but as she drew her knees into her chest and laid her head down, her long raven hair fanned around her body. Her Yatake Set was sitting between her legs on the floor of the forest in the driest section of the area which was accompanied by one multiuse brush, three medium ink bottles, nine painting scrolls, six ink cartridges and two water cartridges.

Not that much weaponry to keep her safe, in fact not that useful at all. Just what was Katharina doing out here with so little equipment and ideas of where she was going? Stupid fool! Small light sobs began emitting from her throat as Katharina ducked her head in to allow her hair to shield her porcelain white skin and rosewood red eyes. It will prove difficult for anyone to find her hidden this far deep into the forest, especially when it was as dark as it was now. But she needed some sleep first before trying to figure a way out of this mess.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

[Enter]


Lost. And wet.

He'd been strolling through Earth Country last he marked, his thoughts wandering. Plans, plots, and grave tidings had distracted him, his feet carrying him as though they had a will of their own out of his home country. He hadn't noticed the darkening sky, nor the beginning of the drenching shower. Only when the first drop had struck his head and rolled to drip from his chin did he snap to life, taking in his surroundings with a low and muttered curse.

Dulled eyes swept the area, noticing a forest looming to his left, the overhanging branches and leaves offering some protection, though not much. Pulling his black cloak about him, wrapping it around his night-grey shirt, he began a steady jog towards the treeline. Dark blue, arguably black, boots and smooth pants flashed as he ran for cover, the heaven's wrath souring his mood. What was worse, was that the edges of the forest provided him no cover at all. Gritting his teeth, and mentally loosing another curse, he dove deeper into the forest, cloak held up over his head to shield the rain that made it through the tree's cover.

Darkness swiftly began to wrap him, enveloping the man in its fearful embrace. A thought flickered to his doujutsu- dare he activate it here?- before he shook his head and continued on. Best to save it for when it was needed, he needed his strength.

It was a few minutes of crashing through undergrowth, and more then a few exclamations of pain and anger, when a sound caught his ears. Unable to place it, he shifted his travel, aiming for whatever it was making this noise. Thanks to the rain, his crashing about drew no predators, although it would likely catch the attention of the Mist Ninja. Still though, he'd quickly attempt to pinpoint the noise, moving with a dogged determination towards it.

A final resounding crash hailed the entrance of Masaaki; the man came tumbling through the treeline to the drier patch of ground Katharina rested in. Wincing, he slowly righted himself, his dull scarlet eyes sweeping the area before locking onto the huddled form, set behind a- what was that, a painting kit?- before he spoke. Curiousity stirred with slight pain from his arrival and previous blundering about the forest mixed with his tone, a naturally clipped voice that carried well, even in the drone of rain.

"'Ey there. Nice weather, yeah?"

[Lady Killa]

Sitting here alone seemed somewhat comforting. The rain echoed around the area which cast the small pitter patter rhythm, a dance coming from the heavens above. Katharina listened intently, the sobs dying slightly. Perhaps the ugliest of weathers can seem beautiful. However, at the sound of uneven grounds crushing beneath a heavier object, Kathy's small body jerked, all muscles tense now that she could hear something approaching. Without conscious thought, Katharina's fingers slid into a single handseal before opening her eyes gradually.

Life bloomed within the area, the darkness suddenly dissipating despite Katharina's gaze remained huddled between her knees. She searched the area thoroughly and spotted a lone figure approaching her, yet stumbling through the forest as if blind. However, as she studied the bone structure of the approaching figure, she realized that it was human and a male. Alarm pulsed through her at the thought of this man coming in her direction. Could he see her huddled figure in the darkness? Katharina raised her head a fraction and adjusted her eyes to see if this man possessed a different color like what that blonde woman back at that house did.

When life surged through this man, his blood and aura surfacing powerfully with each nearing step he took. His coloring, to her horror, was the exact same as Kathy's! At this she jerked her head up just in time to see him in full view. Kathy's pulsing red eyes scanned his face as he spoke to her, the trembling of her arms visible as she stayed, locked in her seated position. He's exactly like me! “Nice weather alright..” She said softly, a hint of a smile in her voice. As she observed him more closely, this man seemed much older than she was judging from his bone structure, perhaps in his early twenties?

His attire seemed similar to hers: black cloak, dark shirt and smooth pants, boots included. Katharina smiled to herself, the man was handsome. But when she spotted the headband on him and realized that he wasn't a Kirigakure Shinobi her body froze a second time. Those markings were from Iwagakure. What was a Stone Ninja doing out here? “Would you know where we are by any chance?” Kathy asked gently, smiling the smallest of smiles.

Jutsu:

SPOILER: Click to show

Tasukeru (Seeing Life)
Rank: C, B, A, S
Skill: Doujutsu
Effect: Allows a full three hundred and sixty (360) degree field of vision and some predictability to physical attacks. Unlike Byakugan, the user sees life in its normal colors during this tech, no details spared. Signs of life, thermal readings and X Ray vision is near perfect. Can also read a determine the difference of a regular shinobi to that of one with a bloodline or if they house any foreign presence by the different chakra waves displayed when observed through Tasukeru. This does not mean one knows the BL right away. Must have encountered the BL before in order to know exactly who they are. The ‘C’ ranked version grants the user up to 50 meters of observing. Each new rank for the Jutsu will add 50 more meters. This can be trained multiple times after all the ranks are achieved in order to add 50 meters onto one’s total. Each extra training is worth an S ranked training.
Special: Although one is born with this jutsu, one must activate the eyes through training.
Drawback: Heavy chakra drain over time, especially when multiple phases of the Tasukeru are accessed. While Taijutsu can be predicted, the Onigami are not designed to have fast twitch muscles. As such, perfect blocking simply won’t happen all the time.
Description: Summoned through will, the scarlet eyes of the Onigami will grow a very vibrant neon red and all life becomes theirs to fully observe. Once activated, the user has a three hundred and sixty (360) degree field of vision, as well as the ability to see into other people’s bloods. For those allied to an Onigami, this jutsu is revered for making the Onigami known as the ultimate scouts.
Limit: Must be part of the Onigami BL.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Another curse, not the first of today and likely not the last, rebounded in his head. The huddled figure raised its head, glowing eyes of scarlet meeting him. Dark hair framing her face, Masaaki's gaze grew slightly more wary, not relaxing despite the gentleness of the woman's tone.

The dark setting left the small marks of Kirigakure hidden to him, Iwa Shinobi blissfully unaware the girl belonged to a rival village. His eyes remained dull, for now, although he suspected she was of his blood- and knew full well he was as well. She looked young- a smaller frame and expression causing him to place her in her later teens. Unaware, forgetting briefly his headband tied to his wrist, he noted her stiffening again with some curiosity. He kept his distance- he couldn't gauge the woman's power without activating his eyes, but he didn't wish to provoke her.

Ears straining to hear her gentle tone, his shoulders raised briefly in a silent response, followed shortly by a verbal one. "Tsuchi no Kuni was my last known location. I've been walking though, I might've strayed off. You lost?"

A slight tug of the lips returned her small smile, although his eyes soon darted to the right and left of the woman, looking for a path. Surely, he reasoned, she didn't live in the forest- why would she be huddled in the rain if she did. The return of his thoughts to the downpour sparked an idea within him, and he slowly raised his hands. A cautionary voice now, warning the woman of his approaching actions. While the branches provided some cover, some rain still got through. From the looks of it, the woman needed a shelter of some kind.

"'Ey. Nothing violent here. Just makin' a shelter."

A flurry of handseals, and a crackling sound made itself known. With her Tsakeru, Katharina would likely notice the crystalline structure forming quickly- a translucent dark-blue in color, it was a large pyramid in shape, surrounding the two and shielding them from the rain. The outside rain and sounds became muted slightly, the drops that once fell through stopping. It was a little over 8' tall, and wide enough to give them some berth to move around. Once created, Masaaki would drop his hands, watching her carefully. Hopefully, she was appreciative. If not.. Well. That would be another problem.

SPOILER: Click to show

Crystallization And Color. Techs likely aren't needed.

[Lady Killa]

So this man had just come from Tsuki no Kuni? Katharina frowned slightly, what direction was that from? He seemed relatively friendly but she wasn't about to judge so quickly. Her Tsakeru told her he was of her blood, but that didn't mean that his intentions were to help her. He spoke about straying off and that his village was nearby. Kathy's smile dropped slightly as she nodded. “Yes, I had left my village in search of more scenery. But I got lost since I was silly enough not to buy a compass of a map before leaving.” She said, releasing a nervous, yet embarrassed chuckle.

Her pale cheeks bloomed a bright red before she dropped her gaze to the ground around her. Such a silly thing to tell a total stranger. The rain had left her hair soaking wet to the point when it appeared flat and strands cluttered around her cheeks. Warily, Katharina shoved at it with a hand and tugged on the jacket before dropping her legs and crossing them. But at the sound of his jacket rustling, her gaze shot back up to his before her Tsakeru spotted his power amplifying to the point when a dark structure supporting a dark blue color shot out from around his hands to form a hard substance around the pair of them.

A slight gasp escaped from her lips as he spoke of creating a shelter and nothing more. But without replying to him, Katharina simply gazed around them at the large crystal pyramid and felt her smile growing. The echoing of the rain diminished significantly until only a slight tapping-of-glass noise could be heard. But nevertheless, the crystal glistened and provided such a beautiful sight. “This is beautiful! Thank you very much!” She exclaimed raising both her hands to place against the cool structure. It felt smooth to the touch and it towered over both of them. “Shoton, you have knowledge in forming objects out of crystal?”

Katharina's interest in this man grew rapidly as her posture began to drop down. But not once did her full attention fail to recognize his presence. "My name is Katharina, and as you can see, I am from Kirigakure no sato." Kathy found herself saying. Too bad if this man was an enemy to the village. But she decided that she was going to like him because if he meant her harm, he wouldn't have created a shelter for them now would he?

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

A confused look washed of Masaaki's face. She'd left her village simply.. because? Strange- although the confusion swiftly vanished, replaced with his gentle smile. Perhaps it was a small village- a fishing one or such. Still strange, but he couldn't fault her. After all- he was far from home as well. A chuckle of his own, though unrelated to hers, barely escaped his throat.

After her statement, however, the noise bloomed. Losing her way on a sight-seeing journey? Amusing. Still though- his amusement caught in his throat at her blush, dying slowly out. Usually he held no reserves on mocking- but he'd not met another of his kind before. His thoughts drifted to his mother- but he couldn't recall much about his lineage. Was there something he should've known?

His hesitation faded at her response to his shelter. She seemed almost overly surprised at it- although he could've easily constructed the same thing from Doton. Her thanks was met with a small nod, and a flash of a smile.

"No problem- easy enough."

Her question was met with a pause, the man hesitating before answering. He'd wondered if he was giving overly much away, but then the realization he'd already shown Shoton loosened his tongue.

"I-uh, yeah. Make swords and kunai an' such. Different colors too."

From here she introduced herself, and Masaaki had already begun a short bow when her village tagged along- an unwanted puppy following her name to him. It was now the marks became obvious- the short tags of the Mist Village. His mouth set momentarily, his mind racing. She was an enemy- although not a threat. His mind shifted again, various ways to kill the woman flashing through his brain. However, Sairo's response to the Hokage sprang to his mind- a hated enemy simply.. released.

It was with no small amount of hesitation he replied, his mind working against itself. He'd founded a dislike of other villages long ago- although neither was on a mission. There was no contest here- both because of a lack of objective, but also because he highly believed he'd win a contest of strength. Perhaps, then, there was no harm in conversing with this woman.


"Masaaki Oniguya- Iwagakure Shinobi. Ninjutsu Master and a, uh.. Demon Brother."

The title his brother had given them both sprang out of his mouth before he could stop it, immediately regretting the decision. It was foolish, this phrase they had. But, alas, it was done. Best to simply carry on.

"A pleasure, Katharina."

[Lady Killa]

So creating crystallized objects came easy for him. And many shapes and sizes? Very interesting. Shiro could form crystal, but his creations were only used to help support the house and kitchenware so we could eat and have a roof over our heads. But when he mentioned colors, Kathy's head snapped in his direction, the neon hue disappearing from her eyes. Kathy was exhausted and had little to no chakra left, but she managed to hide her exhaustion well considering the circumstances. “Different colors, hmm? Like what?” She then asked, flicking her gaze toward the crystal wall of the shelter.

The rain's pitter-patter was soothing despite the pair of them were in a dark confinement. Katharina began to wonder if this gentleman felt uneasy being alone in a dark shelter with another person. As she looked up at him, Kathy knew that should this result in a fight, she would not come out the victor. He looked far too experienced in this than she did. But as thoughts raced through her mind, the man before her called himself Masaaki Oniguya and stated a few other things. But the word Demon Brother?

Deciding not to press the raising question, Katharina smiled and offered her hand in response. “The pleasure, I can assure you, is all mine.” She said softly, awaiting to see if Masaaki would accept her outstretched hand. But her thoughts kept drifting toward the aura he conjured. Was he truly a member of her clan, the Onigami? No, that cannot be true, his last name is Oniguya. But that could also mean that his mother could have remarried. At these thoughts, Katharina frowned slightly and dropped her hand wither he had taken it or not.

“So what brings you out here, Masaaki-san?” She then asked, curious as to why he was out here, or if he had been tracking her within this country. Was Iwagakure enemies with Kirigakure? She didn't know. Oh how stupid of her to come out knowing so little!

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Curiosity finally overcame Masaaki, his desire to find out just what exactly made this woman so special overriding his normal trepidation about revealing his skills. Channeling energy to his eyes was a simple, honed art from childhood, and before she even formed the initial question his eyes flared. Dull red sparked to life, becoming a burning scarlet that locked on to the woman for but a second before dying, extinguished as easily as it was birthed. His curiosity, instead of being sated, was fed even more. She shared his power, or at least his potential. And yet, she was greatly different from the precious few Onigami of his village- in both attitude and extent of skill.

Blinking once, hard, he snapped himself out of his reverie. A distracted half-grin curled upwards from his face as he answered, mind returning to the conversation as he did.

"A-uh... Any color, I suppose. Haven't tested what ones I can't make.."

His mind stumbled over answering, he'd truthfully not fully explored the limits of the coloration. Still though, he had little time to ponder this fact, the woman extending a hand in greeting. He reached out automatically in response, his slender hand barely larger then hers. A sarcastic grin stretched wider over his teeth, a dry reply echoing inside their dome.

"No doubt."

A frown replaced her smile then, Masaaki's face mirroring hers. Had he erred? His worry lasted up until her question, where it was replaced with slight annoyance. Not at her, but his situation.

"Nothing in particular. Just out for a walk- clearing my head.. Yourself?"

A soothing smile replaced his annoyance, as his hand dropped to his side.

[Lady Killa]

For a moment, Katharina's gaze lingered upon Masaaki's features, wondering who his parents were, and if they were blood relatives. Say, cousin maybe? But the moment his eyes shone the powerful neon red due to the activation of his Tasukeru, Kathy tensed a little. “Your a Onigami.” She said it matter-of-factually, the tone in her voice holding absolute conviction. But nevertheless, he had accepted her outstretched hand. But once his grin disappeared, he began explaining why he was out of the village.

A midnight stroll so it seemed. Katharina gave out a short laugh. “Well, originally I was just traveling around areas, searching for some landscapes to sketch or perhaps build a home or a place to visit to while out of the village. You know, for a break away.” Katharina began explaining, her tone suddenly dropping octaves as she began to relay the memories of meeting another two people in another country.

“I already come across two other people fighting around in another country. But I never got the chance to ask what the place was. But I kind of got lost on the way back to Kirigakure.” Her voice was somewhat quiet now, her gaze dropped low to gaze at Masaaki's feet. “I grew exhausted and decided to stay here for the night before heading back home tomorrow. I haven't eaten in a day and a half, so it's time to head back.” Why was she telling a total stranger her business? For all she knew, Iwagakure could be an enemy to Kirigakure.

However, Kathy did feel silly for leaving without food, a map or any sense of direction. But she knew not to do it again. For a moment she remain silent, wondering how to formalize her next question. A bright red blush crept up her neck and flooded her cheeks at the surfacing thought, but she had to ask it. “Masaaki-san, would you be happy to help me find my way back to Kirigakure, please?” She said, gaze averted, voice but a thread of a whisper.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

A short chuckle graced his features, a small grin stretching over his teeth. He nodded slightly at the girls statement of his bloodline, and he was sure now that they shared the eyes of the divine. Assuaging his earlier doubts about other shinobi, replacing the inherent distrust with a cautious friendliness and even appreciation of a fellow member of their fairly rare clan.

Her story spilled out of her, Masaaki listening with an uncharacteristic amount of attention. In truth, the woman fascinated him- just by the way she acted, a sharp difference from the Onigami of his village. They may share power, but they react vastly differently.

Her story was brief, although he was left with a short furrow in his forehead at the end of it. She'd certainly had an interesting trip, to say the least, although his confusion had appeared at her mention of a fight. As she continued, gaze dropping to his feet, a slight touch of sympathy slid across his face- the man assuming she was either embarrassed or nervous, and understanding the logic behind both easily.

In her moment of silence, Masaaki drew a small breath, preparing to offer her a dinner at whatever was nearby, when her face flushed. Where he'd at first been taken aback by her pale appearance and burning eyes, his impression of her had reversed. Her voice crept across the space between them, and althuogh he was forced to strain to hear them, his reply came broken, the man unsure quite what to say. His usually crisp manner of speech, veritably littered with vocabulary intended to sound condescending to others, was broken down into a stumbled-over reply.

"I, uh, I mean, I suppose. I don't have any idea where, uh, it actually is though. I mean, if you want me to just join you on the trip, I can, but I don't actually know where kirigakure.. is.."

Trailing off, he looked rightly embarrassed, although in truth it'd be more surprising if he knew where it was right off the bat.

[Lady Killa]

Ah there we go, a grin from the newly found stranger. Kathy just realized that Masaaki was the first actual Shinobi that she had met. Sure he was not of her village, but he was still a Ninja. Shifting on to her knees, Katharina dropped both her hands onto her thighs and looked up at her distant relative and listened to him respond to her final question. But Masaaki's answer was not what she had wanted. How on earth was she going to get home?

“Oh dear, well that is a bit of a bummer isn't it.” She said softly, standing now within the small make-shift shelter. Rubbing her arms briskly against the dampness of her clothes, Kathy glanced further out into the distance to see if the rain was going to ease off. “Well no worries, we can always search together. But in the meantime, while we wait for the rain to ease down, would you like to tell me a bit about your side of the family? For all we know, we could be blood relatives or distant relatives.”

The way Katharina was speaking, one would think she had never met another one of her clan before. Although this was untrue, she lived with a friend who was a Onigami, but Shiro was not a relative of any kind, they just shared the same traits and heritage. But Masaaki could possibly be a relative from another village, and Kathy wanted to know more about him.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Something was off. The unsurity he'd had at the beginning returned as she asked him about his family, and his mind began to race, connecting dots that truly didn't exist except to him.

What are the chances he'd meet another Onigami? And of that, one from Mist. And of that, in a rainstorm such that he'd take pity on her.

His eyes narrowed, blood-red orbs flaring in hostility. She'd tricked him, playing him for the fool he was. Lips curled back in a slight snarl as he pivoted, striding angrily from the dome. Only the smallest of doubts kept him from attacking, although the dome began to crack before tinkling down in smell, pebble-like shards as he dismissed it.

Purposefully forcing his way through the underbrush, crushing small amounts of crystal beneath his feet, his quiet voice reached back, a warning.

"Don't find me again."

[/exit]

[Lady Killa]

Staring blankly at how rude Masaaki had just turned upon my question had left Kathy flabbergasted. As the crystal dome shattered and crumbled down around her, all those memories of people putting her down all came flooding back. What had she said that make his turn so suddenly? Tears began to swell up before she batted them away with a few quick blinks. Guess she will have to find a way home on her own?

Glancing down at the crystals, Katharina lowered herself down to the ground and picked up one of the broken shards before walking out of the bush and into the rain again. It was heavier than before and the re-drenching of her clothes increased her already lowered mood. What a horrible man to treat her like that. “Don't worry, I won't.” She breathed as she shoved the crystal shard into her pocket and drove herself head first into the rain. She will have to find her own way home.

[Exit]