Team Chimera Zero (PM to Enter)

[Thunder Over the Falls]

Hiroki blinked, staring at the scar a little blankly for a minute. He had to admit, it looked cool. He wasn’t shy, that was for sure. Though, he glared back at his cousin when Shigure spoke. While what he said may have been true (the thing about the girl being the first he saw) but that didn’t excuse being rude. He crossed his arms, making a face toward the older boy.

”Shigure, you don’t have to be so rude to her!” he scolded, wanting to add something slightly more to it but chose not to since he didn’t want to be rude. Hiroki’s attention quickly returned to the girl still with that same goofy grin.

”But yeah, if you wanted. It’d be easier to do missions and get stronger and make money and stuff.” He nodded like he had just said the most profound thing ever, but went back to looking at her scar. ”Cool scar, too” he said, letting his arms at his sides.

[Image In the Falls]

Shigure squinted his eyes very slowly as his younger cousin got on to him. -Was this brat getting some spunk after our little emotional moment? No more of that then...- He'd think to himself, cutting his eyes away from Hiroki bad to the girl. She seemed a little weird, almost like she was mute. She's constantly open and close her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. -Yep... she belongs with us... A hyper-active prepubescent, a preteen pre-madona, and a mute crazy girl. This team should work out perfectly.-

Shigure would just watch both of them closely, letting Hiroki do the talking from now on, since his cousin didnt think what he was saying was the right way to say it.

[Lava Beneath the Falls]

Phy stood there listening intently to every word that boy (Hirkoki) said. 'Easier....money? Do I really have to talk to people...as much as I despise them?' she thought, but then it happened. 'Cool Scar you got there' 'Cool Scar?!' she thought, but when she thought of it again as her eye appeared to have a twitch, her expression turning to anything but a smile. She would start a brisk walk towards Hiroki her hand still gripping that left sai. As she finally spoke, dismissing the thoughts she might have been mute. "Cool scar?! Anything BUT a COOL Scar!?" she was furious, for that scar was the main reminder of that fateful day she lost her sister. Having received it in a boating accident, something of a story she wouldn't tell anyone. Such stories brought on sympathy acts, things she just didn't want as she wanted to be one of those badass ninjas.

As Phy would get closer yelling about the scar comment. She reached for Hiroki's head attempting to push him to the ground. The very thought of remembering her scar, brought forth sad memories, sad memories brought forth inner anger. Phyre hated the sad emotion, and should Shigure intervene she probably draw out her sai and smack him with it.

[Thunder Over the Falls]

”Owowowowow!” he whined as he was pushed down to the ground. He kind of flopped there, not really expecting to have to defend himself from someone he had just met. ”I was just saying that I thought it looked cool! Sorry!” He scooted back on the ground first, before finally getting up to his feet.

He brushed his butt off from the snow and looked at her with almost a glare. ”Not cool…” he muttered, huffing. He turned around and took several steps away from the girl. ”Fine, I won’t say anything else about it.” He crossed his arms and in that moment became more defensive that he had been.

”I still think that you should consider joining our team” he told her, like it had already become official or something. In his head it had, it just meant he’d work at it harder anyway.

[Image In the Falls]

Another smirk filled Shigure's face as the girl had become confrontational, as well as spoke. -So... instead of being mute and crazy, she's loud and feisty... interesting." Another look at the girls hands meant that her sai's were her favorite way to attack of defend, since she kept at least one hand on them at all times. "Close range, huh?" He'd finally speak, pointing to the girls sai that she had a hold of.

For whatever Hiroki got himself into, he could handle it himself. This time, Shigure wanted to learn the girls skill set. Hopefully she was, cause that would corner Hiroki's and Shigure's only weak point. Maybe this girl was destined to meet them, who knew?

[Lava Beneath the Falls]

Phyre didn't smirk or anything as she stood aside crossing her arms. Phy would then say "Oh come on what was it Hickory? That was hardly a hit. And after all that you still want me on your team? I'm not a people person, I have my reasons." she say as the other one would start to make a comment. Phy was finally speaking what she held back for so long.

Close range was what she heard. "Shitger right? Of course I'm close range. I fight with my sais and I like burning the hell out of things." she would say things since Phy really had only burned dummies and trees. She had yet to use anything in an actual combat situation which could claim another ninja's life. "What else do you want from me?" she would say not that she was ever gonna tell them much. She just didn't get how she got picked from these two she thought to pick pocket.

[Thunder Over the Falls]

”It’s Hiroki!” he yelled back at her, still pretty ticked off that she pushed him down. He had to think about what she told them for a moment but he still was persistent. ”I don’t care if you’re a people person or not! It’d be easier to work better as a team, I already said that!” At this point he was practically flailing about with each word that exited his mouth.

He stopped again to try and calm down; thinking about what she told them about her skill set. Wait…burning things? I hope that means you like fire jutsu or something.” He knew that’s what she meant, though he couldn’t help but try to make a joke. ”I like shooting and shocking things myself…” he muttered, glancing over toward his cousin. Shigure wouldn’t know about the lightning release training yet, though Hiro had basically been working his ass off since that mission.

[Image In the Falls]

Shigure's eyes widened when the girl said she liked burning things, hopefully it did mean she was adept in Katon. But what surprised Shigure the most was that Hiroki spoke of Shocking things. Did he learn Raiton? There was only one way to tell though. "So... you've learned how to produce Lightning then, Hickory?" He'd state, mocking the boy.

With or without his question being answered, Shigure finished his speech with his powers as well, using the same way they had done theirs. "I like to Scare people to death, then blow them away." While saying this, he smirked once more. Giving both Hiroki and Phyre an evil glare. The young genin wondered if they would understand the part about scaring people, since none of them have yet to see his prowess in Genjutsu.

[Lava Beneath the Falls]

Phyre smirked. "Look I don't care if its not Hickory, Dickory or Doc. People are like rodents....trying to be everywhere but love to betray to get ahead and survive." she took a deep breath trying to calm herself. "What if it aint fire jutsu? Hmm?" she would say with a smirk. "Though I must say looks like I struck a nerve and turned that big smile of yours upside down."

She listened to what the other one said. "So he likes shocking people maybe that explains the smile....and shooting people...so long range for the mouse, and you Shitger you can't scare me. Nothing scares me." she would say playing the tough act. Hopefully they wouldn't ask where her scar came from or her past, where she lived now, and if she had any family, all were sort of touchy subjects. Though if one looked carefully they would see dried blood on the ripped up cloak she wore. "So again what makes you think I'm someone for your team?" she said in a tough tone. Something in her really wanted to, but after how she was treated in the past it was truly hard to just say yes.

[Thunder Over the Falls]

Hiroki’s expression turned from the typical smile into a frown as the other two kept piling on the mocking. He crossed his arms for a moment, taking a moment to think about what Shigure meant about what he said. Blowing people away is simple enough - wind jutsu of course, but scaring people? What, did he mean by that…some genjutsu or something? His inner monologue kept going on while he only somewhat listened to Phyre talk even more. He didn’t like being called a mouse, though it was better than some other names they could be using.

The young genin shook his head. He turned to Shigure now and his hands moved into the Ox seal as Hiro molded chakra. A single spark would flicker, appearing just in front of Shigure’s face on the tip of his nose. If anything it would feel like a static shock, and be more of an annoyance than real attack. ”That answer your question?” he snapped, getting all worked up over getting picked on. In a way, he felt like Shigure had sort of betrayed him here. They had a good talk before the team situation came up…and now what? Throwing pointless insults back and forth at each other like immature brats.

Hiro turned back toward the redheaded girl and shrugged. ”Dunno. You looked strong, I guess.” He didn’t give her more answer than that. He made a mental note that talking about the scar to the girl bothered her, to use in the future should he need to. He took a few steps away from the other two genin toward the town. ”I just remember I had some things I wanted to get too. I’ll be back later.” His voice sounded a bit sullen as he started to walk away. He was only telling a half-truth. The other half was that he needed to calm down from being picked on. He’d adjust to the personalities of them if they did end up making a team eventually…but he couldn’t do it just in the few minutes that they had actually been talking.

[Exit]

[Image In the Falls]

Getting caught in the moment, it seemed Shigure was likely picking on his smaller cousin. It was intentional, because hell, the young genin had never really liked his cousin, but the little guy was growing on him. Seeing the two, well mostly Hiroki, ponder on his abilities, he'd smile even wider. He wouldn't show them now but in time perhaps.

Phyre on the other hand spoke very clearly that Shigure couldn't scare her at all, even if she tried. His cockiness got the better of him and instead of holding his tongue, he'd shoot back at her: "That's a lie... I could make you cry if I wished. But I don't want to cause any problems... we need you for the team." It wasnt like Shigure to become hostile, but his brow was furrowed when he spoke to the girl. "Well... we don't necessarily need you, we could have asked anyone, but you seem to fit the role perfectly, if you don't want to join, then fine. I'm not going to push it any further... but you look like you need food, and working as a team, we can get money and improve ourselves all at the same time." With this, he'd back away, calmly waiting for her response.

As Hiroki left the seen in a hurry, Shigure looked a little confused. The boy was elected the leader of the team by Shigure, and he just bolted. Did Hiroki just leave him to get this girl on the team by himself? Well... this might turn out bad.

[Lava Beneath the Falls]

Phyre watched as it would seem Hiroki was gettting irritated. She seemed good at that lately pissing people off. She only smiled as it would seem Hiroki went to go shock his cousin. She was starting to think what they we're saying was legit and not a pick on herself type of thing, now she was contemplating on if she truly wanted to say yes or not. 'I looked strong?' she thought. She may become that but in some cases deep down she didn't feel strong enough yet, after all she was feels she wasn't and could have done something to prevent her sister from dying.

Then it was Shigure talking about he could make her cry if he wanted to. "Pfft please. What kind of girl you think I am here? Ninjas don't cry." she would say course she only did to make herself look tough. As she would be lying for she would cry at night if any fateful memory came to be or the sheer fact of being alone up in the tree during these cold days in the village came to be. 'I could get food on my own...' she thought, then again at that moment her stomach rumbled. 'Damnit...' She then decided to nod her head. "FINE, I'll join this team of randomness....but don't expect me to be all buddy buddy with you all. Got it?" she would say just keeping up her tough act. She thought she would have to get her own respect that girl ninjas kick ass better.

[Image In the Falls]

Shigure smiled at the moment that the girl finally answered him with a yes. Maybe his wording of the argument finally got to her. "I'm glad you said yes, now we can start acting like a team, maybe get a few missions out of the way." It was the boy intention to get the ball rolling right away, but of course, the team is finally completed, but 1/3 of it just ran away. Hopefully Shigure and Phyre didnt scare Hiroki off to go cry somewhere, that would just add more problems that they didnt need.

Deciding it was best for the team to assemble together, Shigure made a gesture for Phyre to follow him. It looked like they would have to go searching for his younger cousin. To be honest, the only place's Shigure thought Hiroki would go was his mothers house... or to the place where Hiroki seemed to always like to go, the weapons shop. Maybe they should try the latter. "Lets get going Phyre, we gotta go get Hiroki."

[Exit]

[Lava Beneath the Falls]

Phyre didn't say anything to Shigure's smile and his saying of finally acting like a team. She thought they just started so it wasn't like they had exactly hated each other for awhile. Course aint like Phy's first impression was that great of one. When Shigure mentioned to go find Hiroki she only wondered one thing. 'I don't ever remember saying my name...' she thought, as she really didn't make much protest or any type of excitement for finding the other team member. Course somewhere deep down inside Phyre felt bad for how she treated the mouse. Though by acting tough it usually killed a lot of her emotions that she was finally starting to kill off.

Phyre would follow Shigure slowly at first but stay behind him. As to not get stabbed in the back should she run in front. Course it was his cousin anyway so he should know best as to where Hiroki would go in this town. Least that is what she thought.

{Exit}

[Thunder Over the Falls]

[Enter]

It had been some time since the mission to rescue the daimyo’s son. During that time, Hiroki had managed to at least start to get over what had happened. He also did a bit more training, even some on rather shaky terms with his cousin. The boy made his way through the forest of Takigakure to clean the place that they’d found to use a meeting place. The old family house was run down, but by some miracle things still worked. All it needed was a bit of elbow grease.

His outfit was typical and comfortable on the cool spring morning. He’d grown taller since he first started as a shinobi, but he’d also gotten stronger. That said his wardrobe hadn’t changed. His sleeveless shirt was a pale shade of blue, different from his normal shades of green. In fact, the blue matched the shade of some of his raiton jutsu. His shorts were black, held in place by drawstring, and not the belt around his waist that was for equipment and such. His calf-high sandals were black as well. Last but not least the Takigakure headband was wrapped around his forehead, glimmering in the morning sun.

He carried all of his equipment with him today, six weapon scrolls in total tucked away in his butt-bag. Four of them 2 C-Rank and 2 D-Rank each carried 14 knives. Three of them contained 45 hira-shuriken while the fourth contained 60. His quiver full of arrows was clipped to the right side of his belt. One of the remaining scrolls contained his 30lb draw bow, and the other the bo staff that he had not yet been able to train with.

When he approached the walkway up to the house, he skirted the pond out front and stepped through the sliding door onto the wood paneled floor. He removed his sandals as he stepped in and sat them by the door. Room by room, he looked around the small house. There was the entryway, a few bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom. There was a spare room that at one point looked like it might have even held tatami mats for training and exercise. There were no pictures or anything left behind that gave a hint about the previous inhabitants of this place.

It was quiet in the house, every footstep echoed off of the wooden floors and walls. Quiet enough that the thing that Hiro heard the loudest were his own thoughts. Every day since, he’d been replaying the events of the mission over and over in his head. It was in one sense of the word, haunting him. He just couldn’t get the image of the bandit that died by his hand out of his head.

I didn’t mean to…

He stopped in one of the bedrooms and sat down in the corner with his side to the still open door. It was, for the moment, one of the most private places he could think to be. He pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them as tears started to fall from the corners of his eyes. He trembled and buried his face in his knees, trying to come to terms with what happened.

He likely couldn’t do it on his own.

[Image In the Falls]

Creak... Creak... Creak....

Footsteps could be heard emitting from the lower level of the Team's Headquarters. It wasn't that grand of a building, but the view was amazing from the second story. Shigure would be seen sitting on th windowsill, munching down a bag of onion rings. Even though the house was barren, it was Shigure's only place of refuge, for the young boy didnt care about his apartment in Takigakure anymore. The only thing he used it for was for a place to sleep when he had business in the Village.

Creak... ....... ....... Silence.

Whoever it was had stopped for some reason. Could it be Phyre? More than likely not, that crazy girl seemed to prefer staying in that weird tree in the back, and when she did enter the house, she surely didnt stop anywhere. It couldn't have been Hiroki either, that crazy kid seemed to always at least find Shigure wherever he was to tell him about his day, how many birds he saw, how a turtle lost his life battling with an army of fire ants, you know, psychotic preteen stuff.

Deciding to make it his mission to investigate, the young Genin left his lofty perch, gliding through the house as he so arrogantly walked. "Ey! Oo ez Dat?" Shigure would attempt to speak through a wad of deep fried onions that lodged themselves into his mouth as he made his way down the stairs.

As he neared the bottom, Shigure began taking heavy steps, making them echo through the house. Like hell if any monster was going to surprise attack him. Sure he was a Shinobi, but he was still a young kid, who still believed in monsters. "ARRRRRAAAARRR" He make a sound that was so stupid, that would make anyone who was going to kill him cry out in laughter.

Making his way around the kitchen the young boy grabbed the broom, holding it like a katana. As he heard rustling from one of the bedrooms, Shigure crept up toward the door via the hallway. Shigure stopped at the bedroom he heard sobbing from. Swallowing the onion-y goodness, the boy rushed into the room "GET THE FUCK OUTA MY HOUSE YOU MONSTER! AHHHH"

The young boy began trashing the broom around violently, though not getting anywhere near Hiroki. Stopping to catch his breath, the boy finally accessed the room, noticing Hiroki in the feeble position. "Oy... What are you doing?" He'd state, catching his breath from the workout made entirely from the insanity that was his imagination.

[Thunder Over the Falls]

Even with the ridiculous sounds coming from the other parts of the house Hiroki remained curled up in the corner. If it was another person it was probably Shigure. Either way it didn’t matter to Hiro, he just sat there with that bandit’s dying cry ringing in his ears. It was a remarkable thing to be able to shut out that sort of racket.

The bandit had died because of shuriken that he had thrown. He’d aimed carefully though, and was still trying to figure out what had happened to cause the weapon to veer off course like that. No matter how many times he went over it in his head he couldn’t figure it out. Perhaps what he wasn’t realizing was that things like this happened. He was a ninja. He needed to be strong. To block out his feelings, like Shigure had always tried to do.

It was then, while Hiro was still crying that his older cousin burst into the room swinging a broom around and acting like a nincompoop. However, one word echoed endlessly through the room and right to Hiroki’s core.

Monster…

Hiro’s eyes slowly rose from looking at his knees to Shigure’s face. He ignored the simple question of what he was doing there; in fact it didn’t even register. Slowly, almost as if entranced Hiro stood placing one foot down, then the other before he was standing tall. His arms were hanging limply at his sides and his eyes were lacking the luster that Hiro always seemed to have.

Monster?

He questioned this mentally and closed his eyes, shaking his head from side to side. Without warning both of his fists clenched and Hiroki launched himself forward and to the side of the broom in Shigure's hands. His brow was furrowed into the nastiest glare the 11 year old could muster, all of his pent up depression and anger at himself pushed into that one expression. His left arm pulled back and launched toward Shigure’s cheek in a punch while he moved at his full speed.

”I am NOT a monster!”

[Image In the Falls]

The House shook.

It seemed the punch had collided with its target, and at Hiroki's full speed, Shigure was sent flying into the wall behind him, falling down to the floor. Shigure wasn't built for physical combat, and his strength shown true. The young boy stood with fragility, his knees buckling just a little, his left hand holding his cheek where the punch collided.

"What the hell was that for?!?"

Shigure's face turned red as he thought ab out what happened. His little cousin just punched the heck out of him. Why? Because apparently he thought Shigure meant that he was a monster. As of right now, Shigure know really did think so. "I don't know what the fuck your problem is, but you definitely need to apologize, cause you know whats going to happen if you don't."

Even though Shigure had left most of his weaponry up in his room, the boy still went into an offensive position, his fists clenched tight, his left foot bracing the rest of his body by resting it a few inches behind him, ready to kick off if needed. Suddenly he noticed a few tear marks on Hiroki's face. He was crying? How odd... for what? Shigure held firm in his position nonetheless, but his mind wanted to find out the source of Hiroki's pain.

[Thunder Over the Falls]

Hiro froze as he watched Shigure hit the wall behind him and his demeanor shifted. Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes and started to fall again. He’d attacked his cousin at the mention of that one word when it wasn’t even completely directed at him in that manner. His arms fell limply to his sides and he took a shaky step backward before stumbling and falling on his rump with a thud. He yelped more out of surprise and pain than anything.

He returned to the position that Shigure had found him in, with his legs hugged close to his chest. ”Shigure…I…” the words caught in his throat and he buried his face in his knees. Hiro’s body was shaking from the sheer force of emotion trying to get out of his relatively small frame. ”I’m sorry!” His words were muddled by sniffling and cries.

Maybe I am a monster… he thought, still not quite sure what came over him that brought him to do that. He wasn’t sure what or how to express what he was going through. The girl from their team apparently had been able to kill someone without even blinking, and in a horrible way. His biggest fear right now was that he would end up like that. No remorse, even having fun with it in a morbid way. If anything he was just really confused.

[Image In the Falls]

Shigure continued his angered look at the boy, that is, until Hiroki crawled back into the feeble position. Shigure dropped his fists to his sides, unclenching them with worry. Taking a few small steps towards his cousin, Shigure stopped at the edge of the bed. "Hey... umm.." Shigure hated to be emotional, especially taking care of Hiroki. "Wh- ... well... Whats wrong?"

Deciding to take a seat on the edge of the bed, Shigure massaged the reddened cheek where the hit had collided. He honestly didnt know what to do in this situation, so he continued to just sit there and stare at his teammate, unsure what to do.