The pails of milk were set on one of the large tables and everyone had gathered around. The Daimyo said a few words, then allowed the festivities to begin. It was a feast to end all feasts, every type of food imaginable was presented on the tables. And every member of the village was gathered to partake in the yearly celebration of the Boar.
Oita was sitting alone; actually he was completely surrounded, but slightly apart from his team mates. He was enjoying a concocting his own food, stealing different pieces as he found them; so far he had gammon with eggs, boiled rice, a small collection of vegetables, soy sauce and a bit of Wasabi.
Akane was doing her best to ignore the laughter, music and food. She very disgruntled about her and Kami's spittle earlier...not to mention, very sore. Her eye watered, but she quickly wiped it away. Although she was a pretty strong fighter for her age, Akane primarily relied on her chakra. When things got too physical, she didn't stand a chance. Her bones were hollow after all and she could have been seriously hurt. Not that she would tell anyone that little fun fact willingly though. Her pride was too good for that. Leaning against a pillar of a local shop, she glanced around, wanting to sneak out of here.
Hinji walked over to Oita and sat down next to him. His plate had a few large mushrooms on it that were steaming gently. "Healthy appetite?" he asked seeing Oita's plate.
"I spent some chakara today defending the Daiymo, I am not ashamed to admit it has made me hungry. That and... I missed lunch"
Oita shrugged, cutting into his large meal "Why shun hospitality?"
Kami gathered a small plate of food and ate quietly. Her eyes would venture between Akane and Kano. When she looked on Akane she felt both ashamed of herself for their fight and a strong urge to snap her in two at the same time. Akane had jumped her first after all and she had a pretty good feeling that she'd proven that she was done letting Akane walk all over her. When her eyes ventured to Kano her cheeks flushed and she felt warm all over. Needless to say, she mostly stole glances at Akane.
El was having a rather fine time amidst all this foreign cuisine. He may be frightfully small for his age, but his plate was a small mountain of a little bit of everything. He still had plenty of rations hidden beneath his overly large poncho, but he'd defiantly remember to take some of this back with him.
Akane gently rubbed her brow where she was elbowed. It was already swelling over her eye a bit. This was so embarrassing..
.. mostly because Kami was the cause of it. Luckily for her, the only two people who knew this was Ishiaki and Oita. It would have been worse had the other team known.
"I found myself being rather useless during our mission today." Hinji said as he separated each mushroom into portions to allow it to cool sufficiently. "The boar's acute sense of smell alerted the beast to my attempt to summon the second I drew blood. I was reduced to holding a leaf over its eyes as it slept and then carrying milk." He was obviously thoroughly agitated about the situation.
"It is better to be a successful team than an unsuccessful show-off" Oita pointed out; he didn't mean this towards Hinji, he meant his other team mates, Akane and Kami's little spat... He didn't realize Hinji just might take it as a dig at him, since he hadn't seen the fight.
"I'm sorry that my skills are apparently nothing more then fancy parlor tricks." Hinji said as he stood from his seat with plate in hand. He walked off without saying another word and sat further down the banquet table and began to eat his food.
Kano had gathered himself a rather large plate of food, rivaling the mountain of food his teammate El had made for himself. He had not expended the chakra that El certainly had, but a great hunger he most certainly did have. He looked around for a place to sit, but could find no open seating beside his teammates. The only available seat for him appeared to be across the table from Kami. He smiled and set his plate down, looking across at her, she was definitely cute, if a little small. "Is this seat taken?"
Gathering a moderate amount of food for his own nourishment, Ishiaki took the honored seat beside the Daimyo, as the man had indicated was for him. The seat on the ruler's opposite side was for the other Jonin from the Coalition. "This is a truly wonderful spread, your excellency."
The Daimyo smiled and nodded. "It is well enough. We have been very well blessed this season." He explained quietly as he started in on his own plate of food. It appeared as though being Daimyo did nothing to stem his own appetite. Like most of his people, he ate very well, especially for someone so moderately built. They must have a high metabolism, seeing as their food wasn't converted into chakra, like a ninja's would have been.
Kami's pupils shrank when she saw who sat across from her. Suddenly the wedge of fruit she had taken a bite of got stuck in her throat and she couldn't breath. She was choking! A few pained sounds came from her throat and she hit herself in the stomach. The piece of fruit came loose but it hit Kano in the chest before falling into his lap. She was horrified and could only stare at what she'd just done.
Kano couldn't help but stare down at his chest and then he picked up the piece of fruit and set it on the table. "Okkkk...I shall avoid the fruit." He told her with a smile, though clearly, he had already decided on that. There was not a single piece of fruit on his entire plate. There was a variety of meats and a couple vegetables, mainly potatoes, but no fruit. "Any other food I should be concerned about, Kaminari?"
Kami let out a small squeak of a "No." Then she cleared her throat and spoke properly. "Excuse me, I am very sorry." She bowed her head. "I do not know of any other you will not enjoy."
Feeling Ishiaki's mental glare, Akane sucked it up and approached the table. She wanted to be the farthest away from Kami as possible, which happened to be in a seat across from Hinji. She was quiet and her gaze was downward at the table, wishing she could leave already.
Hinji looked up as Akane sat down across from him. He noted the bruises on her face. "Tough fight?" he asked wondering if defending the Daimyo was tougher a bigger fight then he had heard.
Tsu, with her honorary booster seat beside the Daimyo, was positively hidden behind her pile of food. It didn't take much, so it was surprising how much there was to hide her; she had grabbed everything she could that past, including about half a chicken. The girl liked to eat...
Kano smirked and nodded. "So you guys ran into a little trouble I hear?" He asked as he dug into his food, taking a large spoonful of potatoes
Great....he was talking to her. Akane glanced away, "I suppose you could say that. Not too tough. Just got the better of the fact I was grounded." This was so degrading. She decided to take a long drink of water so that she didn't have to elaborate.
To give herself an extra moment to think before speaking to Kano, Kami swallowed a drink of whatever it was that had been sat in front of her. "It was not real trouble." She explained. "It was a rouse to demonstrate our ability." She ate slowly, taking small bites to prevent choking and spewing on Kano again. She was too flustered and red in the cheeks to bother meeting his eyes.
"At least you got to see some action though. We milked a monstrous animal...for no reason what so ever." Kano told her with a smirk
"I would have preferred the hunt I think." Kami told him quietly. Her eyes glanced down the table at a bruised face. Perhaps if she;d partaken in the hunt she could have avoided the incident with Akane.
"Grounded?" Hinji asked, not sure what she meant by this.
Akane did her best not to roll her eye. "A grounded bird is a dead one. I was caught off guard."
"You were escorting the Daimyo and you werent on guard?" Hinji said, astounded at the notion. "Did you want to be killed?"
Her golden eye shot knives at him. What gave him the nerve? Of course, Akane hadn't been talking about the attackers, but she still was angered. "I think it would be best if you stopped talking to me now."
"Dont want to get caught off guard again?" Hinji said, not taking to her attitude one bit.
"What is your problem? Can't you take a hint?" Akane asked, tension in her voice. The grip she had on her cup tightened. This is what she got when she socialized...nothing but insults.
Hinji stood, abandoning his plate. "No wonder you got beat up, your not open to anything around you unless it is revolving around you." With that he walked away from the table, finding a nice shady spot beside a building.
"Wuss." Akane scowled, lifting her head up as she ate some fruit from the table.
"So..." El said. He was sitting not exactly across from Oita, but he had no one else to talk to while the rest of his team was engaged with the rest of Oita's "Puppets... What's that like?"
"You put parts of yourself into inanimate objects, then guide them around as if you were controlling a person" Oita said simply, not eating while he spoke to El "You have to have perfect control, even more so in sparring matches. There is nothing to differentiate from a stunning blow to a killing blow apart from the amount of chakra you put behind the movement. Then again... it's kinda fun."
"Don't get me wrong, the hunt was wonderful." Kano told her with a smile. He did thoroughly enjoy that part of the mission. "You got to guard the Daimyo though, that's way better than what we had to do..."
Ishiaki looked over to Tsu, "So it appears they are finally starting to get along, yes?"
El smiled at Oita's mention that it was fun. In his observances of the other squad El had known Oita to be a quiet and reserved ninja. One who seemed quite focused, much like his team mate Hinji. It was nice to hear that Oita had fun when he worked with his puppets. "It sound much similar to how one works through an instrument." El replied. "While the guitar cannot fight for me physically, by focusing chakra into the strings it amplifies sound based on the level of focus. Our tactics seem quite similar when you think about it."
Akane placed an elbow on the table and leaned her head against her fist. She used her other hand to control the chopsticks so that she may eat something. Her stomach was still uneasy from earlier, but Akane knew she could go hungry later if she didn't eat something now.
"I think that there needs to be work done... but they're alright" Tsu admitted, chewing on a steak the size of her head.
"We do both reply on control a lot more than the others" Oita admitted, slicing his food finely before eating pieces of it "While at a sparring match it was better to place myself against Hinji, I believe the way that we fight is quite similar. In fact we might be able to learn from each other. I am not developed in the forms of sound manipulation that you are, and it would be a great method in a fight, and perhaps you could learn something from me."
Hinji sat in the shadow of a building, munching on a bit of trail ration that he had stashed in his pack. He watched the festivities with vague interest.
"I would be honored to learn from you." El told Oita. "Though honestly, you may learn much less from me."
"I think you'd be surprised" Oita said with a small nod to El "We should schedule some training time together to train." He would have to start with the basics of El's powers, but the basics were the best place to start. "Have you tried the food?" he asked the guitarist gently, looking over to see if there was a space next to him; he didn't like talking across people.
"Yes." El said. "I must admit it is different from what I am used to, but it is quite pleasing. How do you take it Oita... am I pronouncing that correctly? Oy-eta?"
"Oy-tah" Oita corrected him "And it is nice to have food cooked by someone other than Kami. She is a good cook, but I feel like we take advantage of her. As for when Akane or myself cook... well I have never fully grasped those fine neuances of cooking..."
"Kami seems the sort to enjoy it." El told him. "I enjoy it quite a bit myself. Why, before we left for out mission I took advantage of a parcel my mother sent me filled with Music village delights. I am still carrying much of it, would you like to try?"
Oita looked thoughtful for a moment, as if he was truly considering this. "Yes. Yes I believe so" he admitted, nodding to El "I would like to try one or two of the Music village delights."
El smiled widely and reached into one of the hundred different pockets of his poncho. He produced a paper wrapped burrito and passed it to Oita. "Beef with beans and spicy rice... though I did not prepare the rice with as much spice as I am used to. I have learned that not everyone is accustomed to chillies and jalapenos."
Akane was picking at her food more than anything else. She couldn't take her mind off losing to Kami like she had. The soreness on her face wouldn't let her think about anything else.
"They show promise." Ishiaki told her with a smile. It was true enough, he said it when they first met the students as well.
"Yes but you did not kill men who needed not being killed." Kami told Kano. "They died for nothing more than a demonstration and I do not like killing those who do not deserve it."
Oita looked thoughtful, then reached over to the parcel. He had thought that "delight" meant a sweet, something pleasing to the taste buds. This seemed to be promising to be painfully hot... But he would try it anyway. Social customs he had observed. He carefully unpeeled the paper, taking a large bite of the insides. He chewed, swallowed, coughed, then took a long drink of his water. "Hot" he said, coughing again, but taking another bite out of the burrito; he did not want to be rude... and it was rather interesting.
"They died for their Daimyo. It was his request for the demonstration." Kano explained to her coolly. "If my Kage asked me to, I would do the same."
"I do not think my father would ask that of me, or any of our village ninja." Kami said. "Not for something like a simple demonstration."
El smiled. "Here." He said pouring some milk in an empty glass and handing it to Oita. "Milk helps, it will sooth the burning... Perhaps I should cut back much more on the spices. I have something else, sweet, not hot, if you would like to try it."
"The Kage's or Daimyo's, in this case, word is law. Should he request for us to lay down our lives for him, whatever the reason, I would. Without hesitation." Kano told her sternly
"Yes please" Oita tried not to snatch the milk, but he needed this. He drank deeply, then kept eating his burrito; it was actually quite delicious after the burning went away.
Akane had been silent for quiet a long while now. Having no one to talk to, you would think she would be content, but it only aggravated her more. Seeing that Hinji left without anyone stopping him, Akane did the same, doubting anyone would take notice really. Pushing in her seat, she grabbed a rice ball and walked over to a lonely tree outside of more of the festivities. Sitting down with her back against the trunk, hidden from view, she started to eat her rice ball. Her eyes watered, but she quickly wiped them away before anyone saw.
"I am willing to lay down my life if the cause is just." Kami told him. "Not a meaningless demonstration of ability. That would be a waste of life and training." she couldn't believe that Kano, who seemed so complimentary, would do such a thing. "If the INC Village Kage asked me to place my life on the line to save a comrade or an innocent I would do it without hesitation."
"It became a bit squished." El told Oita, but produced a small box from inside his poncho. "It is called flan." And handed over the small crumbled box filled with honey glazed custard and cinema.
"Looks... interesting" Oita admitted, reaching forward with the last of the burrito in his mouth. He took the flan and placed it in front of himself, taking another deep draught of milk before taking a spoon to El's next gift. The boy was nice... kind.
"it is the perfect thing after a spicy meal." El told him, relishing in a few more creature village wonders.
Akane was by herself, pouting as usual. She didn't really care for all of this social time. Apparently Hinji didn't either...
Staring down at her rice ball, she wiped her eye a bit more with the back of her hand. Finally, she lifted the rice to her mouth and took a bite. Crewing slowly, Akane rested her back against the cold tree trunk behind her.
Ishiaki didn't see Akane leave the table, but he felt her chakra pressure weaken, which meant she either moved away from the group, or she had a sudden loss of chakra. With the squads being the only chakra empowered people in this Country, he doubted the sudden loss theory. He sighed quietly, was she being stubborn or did she have problems in social situations that he didn't know about? He'd have to try and have a talk with her...
"Is it not just to aid your country to join a Coalition of strong nations? That is what they died for. Because of their sacrifice, they will be joining the Coalition. These two missions were tests of our abilities and what we could offer this magnificent country. To see if it would be worth it for them to join us." Kano explained, he couldn't believe that she wasn't seeing the honor in their sacrifice. "I am certain that they will be held in places of honor in this country for what through their loss, the country as a whole has accomplished."
Hinji watched as Akane left the table as well and sought refuge under a nearby tree. He spotted her wiping her eye, but was unsure as to why. He stepped back into the solid shadow and vanished, reappearing a few seconds later over by Akane. "Dont like these situations either do you?"
Akane gasped, sending half chewed rice to the back of her throat. Coughing, she dropped her rice ball and eventually dislodged the mass in her neck. Catching her breath, she looked up at Hinji, "The hell do you want? Jeez... I thought you were still pouting over there."
"I decided to come and pout over here with the other pouters." Hinji said as he came around and sat down near her, leaning back against the tree. "You don't make friends easily do you?"
Akane exhaled through her nose. Great, he was sitting by her now. "I'm just not as naive as these dimwits."
"Which means that you have no social or people skills and feel uncomfortable in gatherings like this." Hinji said, trying to bludgeon her into admitting why she is so hostile towards everyone.
"Sorry- but your theory is off. Akane said, casting her gaze elsewhere. Who did this guy think he was anyway? "I do to have social skills." she said, leaving it at that.
"If you do have social skills, then why not employ them?" Hinji asked watching the feast.
"'Cause these people annoy the shit out of me." Akane said honestly. She wasn't about to mention how upset she had gotten over getting her ass kicked by Kami only about an hour ago. The area around her eye was still swollen up.
Kami looked at her food. Maybe in a small way he was right, but that didn't mean those men had to die. "Perhaps you would feel differently had you killed them." She said and he could see it in her face that it bothered her. Had they been real bandits she'd not thought have about it again. But they weren't. They'd been soldiers, probably had families and loved ones who were preparing their bodies for burial right now. bloodshed didn't bother her, but waste did.
"It seems that everyone you speak to annoys the shit out of you." Hinji said, quoting Akane in the process. "Have you ever met anyone that doesn't?"
Oita brushed his hands on his top after finishing his food, nodding to El "Quite delicious, I admit. The use of spices and blends of tastes in your village is something to note. My own traditional dishes are rather... bland in comparison I will admit."
Akane let out a rough exhale. "What is it that you want exactly?" she asked in a rather annoyed tone.
"I want to know why you are seemingly hostile towards everyone?" Hinji said simply.
"I'm just not having a very good day- please leave it at that." Akane said honestly. Lifting a finger, she adjusted the straps of her eyepatch for a moment. This guy sure was determined, wasn't he? Akane had to admit, she knew near to nothing about this guy.
"I would think that a person like you would be ecstatic about having been in a fight." Hinji said as he watched his shadow raven flutter about.
"A what?" Akane asked. How did he know about the fight with Kami? Taking a moment, she added, "Oh- right, it was fine. Heard you had to milk a pig or something, sounds...interesting." Akane lied, her golden eye scanning the shadow raven with interest.
Hinji knew that she was trying her hardest to change the subject, what he didn't know was why. "It was a very large boar that stood many feet tall, and yes, we had to subdue it and milk it." He said, deciding to let her succeed on the subject change. "I, however, felt as useless as you would during a diplomatic negotiation."
"I would feel remorse for them, as you do, but still. They died serving their Daimyo, a more honorable death could not be asked for." Kano told her with a gentle smile. He would very much like to die with such an honor. "Do you wish to change the subject?" He asked her softly, looking across the table at her with a sudden gentleness in his eyes. "I would dislike it very much for you to be unhappy."
"What? Like with all that fancy talk? Yea.. I would rather not....still, I could probably fake it." Akane confessed, not realizing she might actually be having a conversation with this guy. "Is that- a real bird?"
Hinji was astounded at the subject changing ability this girl had and was starting to wonder if it wasn't some form of secret genjitsu. "No, he is a solid manifestation of shadow. It does "live" the way a bird of its kind would, but it does not eat nor sleep or anything like that. So the word live is not the proper word to use to explain its existence."
Akane let out a small, "Hm-" and sat back against the tree trunk. "What's the point?"
"What's the point of what?" Hinji asked, not entirely sure what she was getting at. "It imitates a real bird, thus fooling only the most cunning of observers. I have it to act as a second set of eyes, and as a multiple use tool that can accomplish a number of tasks for me."
"Ahh..." Akane mused after he explained the fake bird's purpose. She was an avian lover and preferred the real thing. Instead of breaking into another conversation, she left it at that and went quiet again.
Hinji let the conversation die as his bird hopped up onto his shoulder. He was amazed that he was able to get that much out of Akane.
Akane glanced to the side where Hinji was sitting. Yea, he was still there. Her gold colored eye stared off towards the festivities for a moment. People were singing, dancing and binging on food. She really had no interest in being here.
"Would you like to spar?" Hinji said, the question coming from no where.
"What?" Akane asked, giving him an odd look. Did he think she looked like she was ready to get up and fight? Her arms had bruises down them and her eyebrow was swollen and tender. There was also a cut on her lip that had just finished bleeding about an hour ago.
El smiled. "All villages have their delicacies. Perhaps you have not found your's yet?"
Kami opened her mouth and then closed it again. Kano's eyes made her heart skip a beat and she found the slice of melon she was eating very interesting. Her ears turned red and she lowered her eyes. She wanted to change the subject, but couldn't summon the courage to speak again.
"I can help you train in expecting the unexpected." Hinji said with a sigh, like she should have known this. "Do you think the unexpected will wait till you are healed from a minor beating?"
"Train me..? TRAIN ME!? Are you out of your damn mind?!" Akane asked, her voice raising ten fold. How dare he suggest something like that to her so nonchalantly? The nerve of this guy... "There is nothing you can TRAIN me on, Hinji." she said, her voice sending knives at him. "I suggest you get some respect and back the fuck away from me RIGHT NOW." she warned.
Hinji didn't respond because he was no longer there. In the middle of Akane's rant he had vanished into the shadow of the tree. After a few seconds a reply finally came, from above her in the tree. "You misunderstand me. I did not say that I would train you. I said that I could help you train in expecting the unexpected."
At the sound of Akane's raised voice Kami raised her eyes from her plate. There was Akane, blowing off again... hadn't she learned her lesson once today?
"Keh." Akane scoffed at the suggestion, forcing herself to not look up at him. "I think your ego is a bit too fat for your own good. I don't need your help, nor do I want it." she said stubbornly.
"Before you go insulting anyone's ego, perhaps you should deflate your own so there is room for the other one to fit." Hinji said as he hopped down from the tree. "You will eventually learn that you should take what offers of help you get." With that he walked away, to go on a stroll of the village.
Akane rolled her eye. This guy was a total asshole. She was at least glad he wasn't on her team. Kami she could put up with and Oita rarely talked to her. Having this guy on her team would drive her nuts.
"I have found it, it's rather bland" Oita pointed out to El "Not the most inventive in flavor are my village." He gave a weak smile, then reached over and plucked something cheesy from a passing plate "Still, I sample other people's food and learn from them..."
Kano shook his head lightly. "Does she do that often, then?" he asked Kami about her teammate.
"Do you like to cook then?" El asked. Since Oita had chosen to try the cheesy thing El took one also.
"More often than not." Kami said quietly. "She is..." She didn't want to speak ill of her teammate in front of someone she hardly knew, so she chose the diplomatic response. "On occasion... opinionated." Though even as she said it she felt her ankle and wrist twinge. She was fairly sure she'd fractured them beating the crap out of Akane.
"No.... not like, I attempt however. And if I learn from others then I learn how to improve when I attempt to cook. I like to learn." Oita nodded to El as he cut into the cheesy... what was it? Nevermind, the taste was important.
"Opinionated, nice way of putting it I suppose." Kano told her with a smirk. "Does your team work well together? Mine is a pretty balanced one and we seem to get along well enough."
Akane relaxed a bit when Hinji left her alone. There was a hint of guilt that she yelled at him like that, but she felt what he asked was completely uncalled for considering they didn't even really know one another. Expect the unexpected...pfffft. Akane sighed and brought her knees up to her chest, making her body seem oval shaped.
"I like to learn as well." El said, then he took a moment to enjoy the taste and texture of four different cheeses.
"Not as well as I might like." Kami said poking her food with her fork. "We are all ranged users and sometimes I believe the distance of our attacks keeps us apart. Oita and I are friendly, he has opened his private home to us and that is a very friendly gesture. Akane remains distant and I fear... she will grow further apart from us now..." Kami felt bad about the fight between them. Earlier she'd felt glad that she'd finally shown Akane that she would not let her push her around any longer, but what would that do to their team?
Oita nodded, maybe he had found a kindred spirit in this boy? He was glad that El was being friendly, because he had certainly not found a real friend in his team. "We should find a time to train after this mission."
"I agree." El said. "When I have a free moment I shall stop by your residence and see if you are in." And perhaps get a few moments to speak with Akane. He admitted that her attitude as of late was not very ninja like, but he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her every few moments.
"El and Hinji seem best at the ranged attacks as well, though Hinji's summoning thing is rather interesting." Kano explained, pausing a bit. "I think he could summon anything he'd need, so he may not be necessarily strictly ranged attack. We get along nicely enough though."
"I only summon squirrels." Kami said absently. "I've a blood contract with their clan."
"You have a blood contract???" Kano asked her, almost dropping his fork as he stared across the table at her
"I usually am. But it might be difficult for me to hear, I am almost always in my workshop you see" Oita nodded to El, wiping his nose as if the dust had followed him out here. He looked around for the others, the feast seemed to be still going strong "So... tell me about your team mates? What are they... like? How was the mission?"
Akane leaned against the back of the tree and brought her knees up to her chest. She slowed her breathing, somewhat meditating to calm herself from the little spat she just had with Hinji. Maybe he was right? Maybe she did fail in social sitations? But it wasn't always like that...but the others wouldn't understand. Akane had her reasons to be tough on Kami and it was for her own good. Letting out a sigh, she rested her chin on her arms and closed her eyes for a while. She didn't want to see the festival. There was nothing for her to celebrate.
"Yes." Kami said sounding as if it wasn't such a very rare thing. Many ninjas of her homeland bind themselves with certain animals. "The contract is with the Kage of the Hidden Acorn Village, but he somehow knows when I need more than only him and he will bring ninja with him from his village. Would you like to meet him?"
"It went well." El said. "Hinji remains a mystery but Kano is a bright and lively sort. I believe we worked well together our first time out."
"Blood contracts are rare in my village. So rare, in fact, that nobody currently has one, though a previous Kage did. She did not share that knowledge with her replacement though and it seems to be lost." Kano explained to her. He looked back and forth, as if trying to see if others were paying attention to them. "But I have seen the creatures that She used to summon. At least, some minor version of them. They didn't speak or seem to have enhanced intelligence that most summoned creatures have. I think I'm on the right track though, hopefully in time I will achieve what no one has done in years in my village." The smile that was on his face was also written into his voice as he spoke of his plan to her. It was clear from this statement, that his dream was to become as famous as that female Kage was, at the very least.
Oita nodded sagely at El "I see... I am glad you worked so well together." He didn't comment about himself, mostly because if you didn't have anything nice to say don't say it, and his comments about his team wouldn't be very nice.
Hinji was far enough away from the festivities that it was nothing more then a faint murmur behind him. He currently sat on top of the wall, staring out into the darkness of the forest and watching whatever animals he could see.
Ishiaki was glad to see that the teams were blending somewhat, even Akane was socialising now. He nodded thankfully and looked at Tsu. "They are finally making some progress. I wonder just how long we'll have to keep them in a feast environment before they finally get along."
"Perhaps Master Risu may be able to offer you some advice?" Kami suggested. "He is sentient and recently earned the wisdom of Sage Status."
"The smoke ninja seems the kindly sort." El said. "But the Lady of the Quills seems to be a touch... independent."
"Akane is... unhappy that she is asked to depend on others" Oita said, trying not to be too cruel to about his own team mates "She prefers to like work alone, and when approaching the idea of having a weakness she came become quite hostile." He sighed and pushed at his food with a utensil "Kami is... friendly, yes, but her enmity with Akane worries me. I believe it may end the team."
"I think it would be best though if I did it on my own. I know I'm getting closer, I'd be even closer if I wasn't stuck here." Kano told her, it was the first time he spoke any resentment for being selected as representative. "I'm hoping eventually we'll be given free time and I can return home to try again."
Akane seemed to have nodded off in her curled up position against a tree trunk. She stirred a little as the music picked up and people started dancing nearer to her. Opening her eyes slowly, she rubbed some sleep out of them and turned her head to the side to watch people dance around. She snickered a bit at the foolishness of some of the inexperienced dancers.
"That is a dark realization." El said thoughtfully. He looked down the table and glanced at Akane. "I sincerely hope that does not happen."
"Are you sure you do not want to meet him?" Kami asked. "It is not as if he will outright help you and there is no shame in learning from one;s experience."
"I am quite used to dark realization" Oita said softly, shaking his head at El "It is the sad habit of those who think logically. I sincerely hope that it does not come down to that myself, but unless something happens soon it seems inevitable."
"I thank you for your wish to assist, Kami. But I must decline." Kano told her rather formerly. He smiled softly though, showing that he meant the statement. "In my village, if one wishes to succeed, they must do it themselves. To accept help is an unfortunate sign of weakness." He shrugged and chuckled. "I don't really believe in that one myself, plenty of my fellow ninjas have shown that they do in fact get assistance from time to time. Though I do believe there are some things that one simply must do alone." He couldn't believe how stoic he was sounding, usually he was simply brash and bold; talking to her seemed to bring out a deeper part of himself
"Perhaps a team building exercise?" El offered. "A trap or configuration that would take all of your talents to escape."
"It is much the same way in my own village." Kami said understandingly. "If one aspires to achieve they have the ability to seek guidance from a learned ninja, but that is not a long term tutelage. One often only gets a single demonstration to learn a jutsu and if you cant get it on your own after that, you are considered a failure."
"I'm afraid that things like that inevitably end up with them both arguing that they didn't need each other. Then starting a fight" Oita sighed, stabbing into a spring roll before starting to eat it slowly. It wasn't looking good for his team... It was the sort of thing a boy could get depressed about.
"I already know the how of the jutsu. It's just a matter of finding the what or who, I suppose." Kano explained, then grabbed his drink and took a long swig. "What I want to get a contract with live in the base of the volcano in my village. No one since the previous Kage has gotten a contract with them. They've not even revealed themselves to anyone since really. But I've seen some basic forms of them, non-intelligent ones, that is."
As Hinji sat on the edge of the wall looking out into the forest, his mind raced. He was shown a massive flaw in his summoning today by that large brute of boar. Any creature with a powerful sense of smell can detect the smell of his blood before he could even release the summon card. There must be another way, a way to bypass that weakness.
"Have they fought before?" El asked. He didn't want to be a snoop, but he was curious, especially if it meant he may never seen Akane again.
"What are they?" Kami asked wondering what could possibly live within a volcano.
"Salamanders." Kano whispered across the table, wonder filled his voice at the word, and a smile lit his eyes aflame.
Kami leaned forward to whisper with him. "I thought they lived in water?"
Kano couldn't help but grin. "Traditional, mundane, salamanders live in water. I'm not talking about those. My salamanders are like this country's sacred boar. Magical. They're fire-breathing and live in the hearts of volcanoes."
"Incredible." Kami whispered. "I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. It sounds astonishing."
"Just you wait. I'll show you what they look like. I promise." Kano told her, holding a hand over his heart in a ritual oath.
Kami smiled. "I will not tell anyone." She said placing her hand over her heart. "I promise."
Kano smiled and saw that some of the local villagers had taken to dancing. He looked across the table at the smoke ninja and suddenly became a bit more cautious of his words. "Do you dance?"
Kami's expression froze... dance? "Um... I am not accustomed to this city dancing..." She confessed looking at the dancers. "They do not dance like that in my village."
"Nor in mine." Kano stated as he watched the dancers. He shrugged, "But that's not answering my question."
"Only orally until lately... they only just finished having a fist fight moments before you arrived" Oita sighed softly and stabbed at his food a little bit more violently than normal "I am starting to lose my temper with them."
"An actual confrentation?" El asked. His eyes traveled down the table to Kami. She was leaning on the table whispering with Kano. He admitted, they looked quite cute together, but he could not picture Kami engaging in a fight with Akane. That's where his eyes traveled next. "Is that how she obtained those bruises?"
Kami's heart fluttered. Her ankle was still sore from having kicked Akane the way she had. "I um... I would love to... but I received an injury in the fight with the samurai." Lies did not taste good on her tongue, but she did not have the heart to disgrace herself or Akane by telling him what had happened.
"Are you alright?" Kano asked her, shifting his attention from the dancers back to her with worry. "Should you not be in the infirmary, if this place has one?"
"Yes... and Kami's too... They actually got out of the assignment mostly unharmed, but when they returned here they began to fight." Oita shook his head sadly, gazing down at his food "I was half tempted to just... try and end it myself."
"I will be fine." Kami told him. "A sprained wrist and ankle" She hoped "Nothing more. I am afraid I was cursed with weak joints as a child..." Still, she didn't want to refuse his invitation to dance. "I would like to dance with you though." Her face felt warm, hot even. She wondered if she were blushing.
El couldn't help but ask. "Who won?"
Kano smiled, "Have you gotten your ankle in a splint?" He looked down at her wrist and saw that it wasn't, so he hoped she had taken the precaution of splinting her ankle at least
"Kami I believe... it certainly wasn't society" Oita grumbled towards his plate "Akane probably could have put up more of a fight if she had taken off from the floor. At a direct fist fight however she isn't that good."
"No..." Kami said lowering her eyes. "I didn't want to appear weak in front of the Daimyo." Another lie and she felt it lay thick on her tongue. She was being proud, not wanting to reveal to Akane that she'd hurt herself.
"In the air she is most formidable." El said in agreement, though he liked Kami as well, as a person, he did not like the sound that she had beaten his lovely Akane.
Kano stood up abruptly, looking across the table at her. "Well come on then. We've gotten get them in splints before they get worse." He held his hand out to her. The table was far too long for him to go around it, he intended to just take her over the top. "Then we can dance." He said quietly to her
Tentatively, Kami reached for his hand. In her ears her heart sounded like a stampede of thunder buffalo.
Carefully and aptly, Kano pulled her over the table and into his arms. He wasn't about to let her walk on an injured ankle. He couldn't believe that she hadn't put it in a splint. She must have had her reasons, but that was foolishness
Kami squeaked when Kano suddenly pulled her up. Oh great spirit... he was going to carry her!? "I can walk..." She said abruptly. "You don't have to carry me."
"You have a sprain ankle, said so yourself." Kano told her sternly. "Putting weight on that is not a wise thing to do. I shall carry you to the doctor and let them decide how to treat you."
There was nothing Kami could do but just lay here in his warm arms. She hoped he could not hear the thundering of her heart. What had she told Akane about him? That he was... complimentary to her.
"I have... lost my appetite" Oita said, putting his cutlery down "I don't suppose you're up for a training session right now? Just the basics I mean... Nothing too strenuous at the moment."
"Oh absolutely." El said happily. "We can test the strength of your puppets against my sound. How about it?"
Oita stood up slowly, looking around at his backpack which was laying on the floor. "Give me a second" he said to El, disappearing from his spot. He came back a few minutes later, his pack carefully perched on his back, the lights of the fire behind him almost made him invisible beneath the pack. "Now... if you would lead the way El?" this would be interesting.
Akane, still keeping to herself, glanced over at Kami and Kano. What in the hell were they doing? Then she saw how stupid Kami's face looked, all red and sweaty. Stifling a snicker, she placed a gentle hand in front of her face, feeling the tender spot on her brow where she had been elbowed. Fuck, that still was tender...and even more swollen than earlier. She would be lucky if it didn't swell up around her eye completely. Damn her hallow bones. Her mind wandered off to the lesson she had with Ishiaki only just last week. He had spoken to her about training to be a medical ninja and taught her how to control her chakra into a healing process. Even though Akane wanted nothing to do with being a medic, she wondered if she would be able to perhaps heal her own wounds. Not wanting to be gawked at, Akane stood and winced at the soreness in her stomach. Kami had jabbed her a good three times during their brawl. Taking a deep breath, Akane jumped up into the tree and perched herself on a thick branch, hidden from view. Closing her eye, she began to control her thoughts and breath, meditating a bit as she gathered chakra slowly.
El led Oita away from the feast table and to an area off the main square where the party was being held. Between the houses the alley was wide, giving them plenty of room.
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