[Graded]You Don't Know Me

[Willoria]

Karugata Asami lay sprawled out on her back on the grass of the training ground, looking up at the sky through the fog and letting the mist dampen her face. Her blue eyes sparkled with a content happiness that seemed rare in Kirigakure, and all because she had spent much of her morning as the Dread Wolf. She had run free through the grasses and few trees, she had hunted all morning and felt like a beast. In that form she felt truly free and away from any troubles that might have plagued her. She sincerely wished she could spend all her life in this form, but such a thing was whimsical at best and she knew in her village whimsical would only get her killed.

For the briefest of moments she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slow. In spite of the mist the pain on her face remained firmly in place, her hair wet in the grass beneath her as she stretched her arms out from either side of her and a smile briefly graced her lips. But if she had known the truth she never would have closed her eyes, if she had realized she wasn't entirely alone.

[Izanagi]

Karagata Shinjiro had only just returned to Kirigakure a few hours ago after having been away on a special assignment for a little over a month. The 16-year old Jounin and member of the infamous seven swordsmen of the mist had been intimidating enough as it was. But now, he felt different. He had taken his first life at the age of 9 but only recently had he had sex and with that much of the sliver of naivety he had left had been snuffed out. His confidence and aura of power had grown only stronger in his time in Iwagakure. Returning from the cold and barren rock country he had even grown out a slight bit of stubble on his formerly youthful face. Smelling strongly of the Ocean he had checked in briefly at the Mizukage tower and then set off to the woods to fully take in the scent of home and adjust to the warmer, more humid environment of Kirigakure.

Naturally, he had transformed into a hawk in order to fly over to one of the more heavily forested large training grounds on the other side of the lake that surrounded the island village. It seemed easier to embrace his home in the familiar form of an animal rather than stifling layers of clothing. As he flew in amongst the trees however, he noted a teenage girl lying in the grass. It wasn’t anyone he recognized but having been more acquainted with the female body he was more inclined to observe and interact with people he didn’t know. He wondered if Chisaki would have missed him while he had been gone, though it wasn’t as if he was desperate for any particular woman’s affections. He couldn’t afford the distraction of anything like a girlfriend even if he did have to admit that there were a handful of individuals, he could consider friends.

Swiftly and silently he landed in a tree no more than 10 meters away from the woman, positioned to look down at her head from an angle. Transforming into his human form his left arm would manifest into a jade green snake, extending nearly 15 meters though only about 3 inches thick, slithering swiftly down the tree it would move through the grass and approach her, nearing until its tongue tickled against her neck. Despite having matured in some ways the Jinchuuriki still enjoyed messing with others, especially attractive women. There was something satisfying about scaring them or grabbing them in various animal forms and seeing how they reacted. Up on the tree the man would remain hooded and masked ominously, the dual swords across his back presenting a threatening shaded figure though beneath the mask he was grinning in anticipation. Perhaps he would get to explore more of this woman or she might surprise him and prove a formidable opponent to play around with in the form of a spar.

[Willoria]

Asami groaned and wrinkled up her nose as she felt something tickle her nose. Thinking it a bug or small animal she reached over without opening her eyes to shoo it away. But contact of her fingers against scales gave her pause. She turned her head slowly and finally opened her eyes, staring at the snake before her for several moments. She blinked slow, but didn't jump. 'I don't know much about snakes but I can't move fast enough to keep from getting bit if I scare it...' she thought to herself, sighing as she stared at it. "I don't think I'm going to make a very good snack for you." she said quietly, her voice light and even a little breathy as she spoke.

Her eyes trailed along it's body, and soon her expression turned to confusion as she noticed the sheer length of the creature and how far it went. "You're awfully long for such a thin snake..." she muttered as her eyes followed the line of scales up the trunk of the tree and finally she noticed the figure in the shadows. She swallowed hard and sat up slow, her eyes fixed on the form in the tree. "Maybe it's because you're something else..." she added under her breath.

She had her senbon, but her swords she had set down against a rock a couple feet away and that she cursed herself for under her breath. Her mind went over what she thought this could be, but unsure and only known someone was staring at her she chose to act instead. In a swift move she drew two senbon from the holster on her right thigh and spun. First she moved to try and pin the snake with one as the other senbon she shifted to her left hand and threw for the figure in the tree.

[Izanagi]

Shinji observed the woman carefully. He hadn’t exuded any kind of killing intent, he was simply playing around a little though naturally he would expect a shinobi of Kirigakure to have a higher standard of self preservation instincts than most other villages. Her reaction was good for the most part, less entertaining than he had hoped and of course she would have been dead already if he had intended so but that wasn’t necessarily because of anything she had done wrong and more attributed to the fact that he was simply in a league of his own, among the most deadly shinobi in the village. The Jinchuuriki smirked as she spoke to the snake appendage, he was inclined to disagree. If he had been in the mood for it he was sure she would have made for quite the tasty snack.

Interestingly her calm demeanor worked well to not provoke him to violence, much in the same way an actual animal might respond. He wondered for a moment if he was becoming more beast like even in his human form, just how much influence did Vorashu really have on him? The shadowy assassin’s bright green eyes stared back at the woman as she traced the snake back to him. He found himself curious of her and second-guessed his own intentions. If he couldn’t enjoy scaring her then just what did he hope to achieve in this encounter? Fortunately, she gave him a clear course of action as she threw a pair of senbon. The action was tactically sound but woefully ineffective against him. The snake retracted rapidly, absorbing back into Shinji’s arm and then shifting back into the form of his hand. The specifics of the transformation weren’t quite as simple as being a direct equivalent of his flesh though, even if she pierced the snake it was its own extension of his body, produced and directly controlled by Shinji but it wouldn’t actually cause any damage to his real body aside from physical sensation. Though he couldn’t use his left hand while the snake transformation had grown from it.

His hand had returned to form by the time the second senbon crossed about half the distance between them. Seeming to disappear in a sudden flash of speed the Jounin grabbed the projectile out of the air and swiftly and with the utmost silence landed to her right side, slightly behind her. One little prick on her neck with her own weapon would ensure she realized how easily he could have killed her. He would take several steps past her, not even looking at her as he made sure to keep just out of range and dod any further attacks she may have made. It wouldn’t be until a few seconds after he passed her that the tiny drops of blood would trickle down her neck with just a small amount on the tip of the senbon. Shinji turned slightly, sucking on the senbon delicately as one might do with a lollipop, “Hmm, sweeter than I expected” he mused playfully.

[Willoria]

Asami might have tried to react, if she'd had time to even think about it. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but the sheer speed of Shinjiro was more than she had anticipated. She stayed standing where she was, a quiet "Tch!" from her lips as her own senbon pricked her neck. Her body was still like a coiled spring, ready to act, but after his show of speed she hesitated far longer than norm. Her blue eyes narrowed as she watched him, the paints that adorned her face shifting with her expression as she watched him quietly. As he licked her blood from the senbon she didn't flinch, she merely seemed to watch him and at most raised an eyebrow.

Now that she could see him plainly she knew who he was of course. It wasn't just his reputation among the Seven Swordsmen, nor his reputation as a member of the Karagata family. The easiest way to recognize him of course was as the host to a genma spirit. But all his reputation and fame didn't stop her from being her usual self. A smartass.

"Oh look, a boring standard shinobi who thinks licking my blood is either going to scare me, anger me, or get me some weird kind of hot and bothered." she smirked as she stepped away and bent to retrieve her swords and quipped at him. "Just who are you supposed to be anyway? All the best posers are always trying to pretend they're someone important after all." She sheathed her weapons and looked at him, waiting to see if he was going to let her have her senbon back or not. 'Probably best not to even try to get it back...'

[Izanagi]

Shinjiro met her gaze as he tasted that one savory drop of blood. She certainly seemed fearless, perhaps she didn’t realize how difficult he could make her life. Of course, he didn’t even know who she was but that fact alone meant she likely wasn’t anyone of importance. Though certainly he respected conviction over cowardice, thus far she was actually making a rather good impression on him. He huffed lightly in surprise at her attitude, smirking as he began twirling around the senbon between his fingers and around his hand in a high speed dexterity exercise, steadily increasing in speed and fluidity until it seemed a circular blur, impossible to tell where the actual senbon was at any given time, whistling through the air. “Maybe I just like the taste of blood” he answered simply, his eyes a difficult to determine balance between dangerous and amused. “Is that really a turn on for some people?” he mumbled, speaking mostly to himself. He supposed it was for him but he figured that was a rather rare quality.

He couldn’t help but stare lecherously as she bent over to retrieve her weapons, it wasn’t the type of staring he was accustomed to though she had been the one had put the thought of arousal into his mind. His gaze narrowed, a slight bit of true irritation seeping in as she continued to feign ignorance to who he was. He didn’t care as much as some might expect whether or not he was recognized, fame was never something he had actively sought out and for the most part he avoided the attention and rarely exploited the perks he was awarded. However, he did greatly respect rank and his family reputation. “You’ve got quite the mouth on you, it’s been a long time since anyone has talked to me like that” his words seeped like venom. He recalled his days as a Chunin, even back then he had killed others for disrespecting the Karagata name and as a Genin he would often beat up groups of older boys for practice, ensuring they feared the Karagata main family.

The senbon stopped moving and Shinji advanced quickly, though slower than before, perhaps 30 speed this time. His left hand gripped her throat, his right pressing the senbon against her lips, the tip barely exposed past his thumb. This girl was no threat to him and he didn’t want to accidently poison her like he had Ume, that wouldn’t be much fun and so as he held her he neutralized the poison through his fluids, the small amount of saliva that had been on the senbon having already been flicked away from the previous twirling. “I could snap your neck if I wanted to, rip out your tongue…who the hell are you to speak to me like that? You damn well who I am don’t you?” he questioned, even he wasn’t sure what exactly he intended to do with her.

[Willoria]

As he seemed stunned, and perhaps angry judging by the venom in his words, at the way she spoke to him Asami herself simply let out a expulsion of breath with a smile in place of a laugh. "Maybe more people should. The ego on that statement... my my..." She turned and was again stunned by the way he moved. She could see him at least now, but still he moved twice as fast as she did. A light, nearly inaudible, gasp came from her as he took her by the throat. Instinctively her right hand came up and clapped over his wrist as he did so. Her left hand went to the hilt of of the sword on her left hip, holding it in a downward dagger grip though she didn't draw it.

Her breathing came and went slowly, almost as if she were relaxed in his grip but the muscles under his grip proved otherwise. As he threatened her, the girl dared to grin. "How typical." Her cerulean blue eyes sparkled mischievously at him, her voice still as quiet as before, not far above a whisper. "Yeah... snap my neck, a quick death. Rip out my tongue... torture. Whatever you want to visit on me I don't fear it." she added, chuckling lightly though with some difficulty considering where his hand was.

"Do I know you? I don't know. I think I know enough. Spoiled brat with every advantage, wielding the power thrown at you that you never had to truly work for. They fill your head with talks of destiny and fate and glory? Did you believe them? Idiot."

[Izanagi]

The desire to shut this girl up was growing by the second. Shinji had always been quick to violence though rarely did he actually get fully agitated, probably because he tended to snuff out any problem before it got to that point. He wasn’t quite there yet but he certainly wasn’t liking the way she was drawing annoyance out of him. It was so easy, to resort to violence, to dominate and overpower anyone that was an inconvenience to him. Yet he didn’t want to kill her, at least not yet. He wanted to play around a little, figure out why she was so confident or purely reckless with her words. He too remembered Aimi-sama’s scolding, that he wasn’t to kill those who had yet to reach their potential. An infuriating man but he had made a fair point and he was his superior as one of the handful of Kirigakure’s Bannin. He felt obligated to honor that command.

He found himself enjoying the way her breath escaped her, the feeling of blood pulsing through the veins and arteries of her neck. Shinjiro was caught between the desire to devour her or ravish her though he exhaled slowly and forced himself to remain in control. He knew those were the influences of Vorashu not the will he had been born and trained to develop. His own eyes, primal and powerful, vibrant green met hers. That was a dangerous statement to make, she was practically challenging him to give in to his baser nature. Her next words centered him, reminding him who he actually was, Karagata Shinjiro, not just the Jinchuuriki of Vorashu. He hailed from one of the 5 main families of Kirigakure, his father, Izune was a legendary shinobi, uncle to the Bannin Karagata Shiv and still one of the most skilled Jounin in the village despite being in his early 60’s now. It was him that many of the older generation thought of when they remembered to fear the Karagata name. Shinjiro scowled at her words, spitting in her face in disgust. “Is that what you think? You don’t know a damned thing about me” he growled, his voice raising slightly as his ire was fully realized. “I don’t need to explain myself to you, you worthless wench!” he had told parts of his upbringing to others before, people he trusted or those he felt some kind of kindred bond with but nobody knew the full extent of his background. Least of all this random foul-mouthed kunoichi.

[Willoria]

In spite of the hand around her throat, Asami outright laughed. It was probably the loudest sound that had come from her lips yet, and it was when Shinji spit in her face that she laughed. She didn't retaliate in kind, didn't even seem angered by the gesture. In fact she was amused by the insults he tried to hurl at her. "If it isn't true, why the childish tantrum and the spittle?" she asked, her voice the same calm and quiet as before, as it had been all along. "You really think it's just me? It's the entire village. You have that great pedigree, that great family, the special attention, special trainings. This life of shinobi has been thrown at you."

She grinned still, a dangerous glint in her eye. "Everyone worships you for it, Shinjiro. But those of us under your boot know better. A spoiled child playing at a game he's been chained to... at least I tried to escape my fate." she taunted.

It was a risky move, what she did next. Both of her hands closed on his wrists and she kicked her legs up. If it went as planned he'd keep her aloft by her neck long enough for her feet to both slam into his chest and hopefully force him to release her. If it went badly for him, her weight might pull him forward and put her on her ass, feet on his chest to try and kick him off of her. If it went badly for her? She was going to look incredibly silly wrapped around his arm in a strange way.

[Izanagi]

He thought about it for a second, killing her just then. But that would just be proving her point, a tantrum that’s what she called his anger and her words, and that damn laugh would add to the memories that already haunted him. She didn’t deserve to know what he had really been through to claim his power. And yet he felt that might be the only way to shut her up in any meaningful way. “Spoiled” he chortled, he had never heard such an absurd notion. “Yeah, this life was thrown at me all right and sure I had a choice, of course I did. I could die, I could become strong or I could be thrown back into the slums to grow up in a damn brothel." He didn’t want to escape his fate, he had embraced it, felt grateful even but that didn’t mean that his pain wasn’t real, that it wasn’t hard.

She made a move to get free and he stepped backward to stabilize himself as she tried to kick him backward and then she aimed to drag him down. He held her for a moment, her full bodyweight and the strength of her pulling against him, effortlessly held with one hand around her throat. And then he went with her, forcefully, slamming her back hard on the ground and landing on top of her, shifting his body slightly so that her legs would slide up over his right shoulder before pinning her in place as he kept his weight on her. His right hand flickered outward throwing the senbon back at the tree he had previously held her against, it pierced straight through the trunk like paper and with a loud crack embedded itself over a foot deep into a boulder several meters behind it. “You’re god damn right I’d rather be a shinobi than die on the streets a nobody, even if it means I suffer, even if I have to see my siblings drowned, electrocuted or poisoned to death, even if I have to kill my friends. Nothing in my life has come easy, not a single day. I trained while my organs failed, while my body was broken and poisoned. You can't begin to imagine the agony I've felt. Every day I had to fight for the right to live. You think that’s a game? That that’s spoiled? What the fuck would you know of true suffering?” he fumed with nigh unparalleled intensity, yet despite this his grip actually relaxed slightly, he had to or else he would kill her. It was taking everything he had not to give in to violence, not to allow the Genma’s chakra to seep forth and poison his mind further.

[Willoria]

If she'd been left in the awkward position of struggling for too long her face might have turned colors with embarrassment. As it was she only had so long to suffer the humiliation of it before he slammed her into the ground. That knocked the wind out of her, forced her to cough, her grip removed from his wrists momentarily as her arms flailed back and hit the ground as well with the strike. She felt something crack, and couldn't even be sure if it was her or the ground beneath her. A moment later her hands were back on his wrists, though her coughing continued for a few moments, breaths taken in sharp gasps as she tried to get her breath back.

Yet her calm wasn't entirely damaged. Instinct certainly kicked in, tears momentarily clouding her vision as her body fought to breathe after that hit against the ground, but she didn't panic. It certainly wasn't her first time getting beat, not even by someone higher ranking than her. "I know enough I would've traded with you any day." she said between coughs, laughing wryly and without mirth at the thought.

"Asami." she managed to get out. "Karugata." she added, emphasizing her name as she knew that alone might prove some kind of point. "You rant and rave that I don't know you. You don't know me either, shithead." As her breathing slowly returned to normal, as normal as it could, she finally released his wrist. She let her arms fall back, hands on the ground on either side of her face and palms up. She tilted her head back slightly, no longer trying to struggle against the grip on her neck but if anything seeming to give into it.

"You decided yet if you're just going to keep kicking my ass or kill me yet?"

[Izanagi]

He didn’t have the clarity to enjoy her pain, too focused on his own words and his grasping for control. Though when she didn’t immediately dispute his suffering or taunt him for loved ones lost it helped him let go of those feelings, at least for the moment. He didn’t care what she thought of him, not really but he couldn’t stand to have the lives of his younger brother and sister, nor his first true friend tarnished, being minimized as some easy path. No, they had died, their memories lived on in him and that pain helped shape who he was, give him something to live for. He had to reach his potential, serve his purpose in this fucked up world, whatever that was, or their deaths would truly mean nothing. The teenage assassin exhaled slowly, feeling a little more himself.

Her claim washed over him, that she would have traded her circumstances with his. That was some claim, though in the end he had become incredibly powerful. One of the most esteemed shinobi in Kirigakure. He understood the desire to reach such a pinnacle. “Is that so?” he sneered, barely believing her. Maybe he should give her a taste of the pain he endured on an average day, see if she really meant that. His face contorted to one of disgust again as she stated her full name, “A fucking Karugata” he scoffed, she might as well be a slave though she had some training he could tell that much, she was definitely a shinobi. Of course she was right, he had never bothered to get to know someone from the lowest branch of his family, even his own household slaves he regarded as more valuable than Karugata, they were trained and well disciplined, some of the finest slaves in the village that had been in his family for years, some for generations. The Karugata on the other hand were an assortment of trash, the lowest and weakest offshoots of the Karagata family with many degrees of separation from any direct relation to any living members of the main, true noble households. She asked what he planned to do with her and truthfully, he was inclined to beat on her a little longer, especially after her boasting that she would have wished to be raised as he had. “Where’s your symbol of the Kraken?” he realized suddenly, even lowly Karugata were expected to show honor to the Karagata family by wearing the house symbol somewhere on their person, many in various branches of the family and main household alike even went as far as to have it tattooed on them directly. Lifting her shirt slightly with his free hand he looked for any sign of markings, there wasn’t all that much of her that was covered really, considering her current position even her layered skirt had fallen back partially to reveal a good portion of her legs.

[Willoria]

Surprisingly she didn't fight him as he searched her person. The girl had spent exactly no time in her life getting intimate with anyone, even just looking for a particular tattoo or piece of jewelry caused seemingly innocent touches that were all new to her. But if anything, they only made her skin crawl. She remained how she was, lying back and waiting for what he might eventually do, hardly saying anything until he seemed to near the end of his search and she finally answered the question. "Fuck the Kraken." she said quietly.

It might have been the worst thing she had said yet, but the girl had her reasons. "You can guess why I'd bet, unless you're going to try and act like your disgust at my name was some facade." she continued, shifting her head a bit to get a look at him once more. "Why should I take on that symbol? Your family didn't just curse mine with a name and nothing for ourselves. They cursed me with nothing, murdered every kin I had. Even sending me to the academy was a joke, a set up to see me die." She couldn't help a new grin then as she looked at him. "So fuck the Kraken. I've already spit on it simply by surviving this long, why the hell should I mark myself with it when all its ever wanted for me is erasure from existence?"

[Izanagi]

Shinji noticed the way her skin bristled as he touched her stomach and then her legs with his scarred, blackened hands, was she as inexperienced as he had been just a few weeks ago? Or did she simply detest him that much that she couldn’t stand to be touched by him? His own body was reacting to their closeness though in a distinctly more favorable way. His gaze hardened at her words, his left-hand tightening around her throat enough to bruise though he relaxed just in time that she wouldn’t pass out, allowing her to keep talking. Shinjiro made no effort to deny her claim that he disdained her branch of the family. And her next words proved precisely why, “Ungrateful, weak” he stated simply. He hoped it was his turn to get a rise out of her, get under her skin.

The predatory assassin released his grip from her throat slowly as she finished speaking, before suddenly slapping her across the face, a blow of 20 strength, a hard hit to her but still weak by his own standards. “Don’t you dare disrespect the Karagata, not around me. That’s what we do. The weak are snuffed out, only the strong survive. Be grateful that you’ve become a shinobi, that you have a chance to become strong. The lower you start in life the more you have to gain, use that and don’t spit on the name that gave you that opportunity, that forced you to realize your own strength.” He chastised in an almost motivational scolding if looked at from a certain light. He had come to acknowledge the potential of others, no matter their upbringing but that didn’t mean that they didn’t have to prove themselves first, that he would treat them as an equal or respect them until they had earned that right through the shinobi ranking system.

[Willoria]

Yet his insults didn't get a rise out of her. She might have shaken her head instead but she was still taking deep gasping breaths briefly as she tried to get her breath back again, this time from the moments his grip had tightened. When the slap came she knew it would hurt, though she had expected worse. She grunted rather than whimpered, tasting copper briefly but not enough to be spitting blood. "If you haven't noticed yet, I don't tend to give a damn who or what I disrespect." she said, grimacing as she turned her gaze forward again. She could almost feel the bruising that would be forming on her neck, the burning on her cheek. "To quote you... you don't know a damned thing about me." she told him, taking a second to enjoy her own freedom to breathe.

She wasn't sure how long it would last.

"Make you a deal though." she said suddenly, shifting and pushing herself up on her elbows to look at him a moment. "The day I decide its finally time to take that symbol, I'll let you pick the how, design, and where." she added, chuckling as she shook her head a moment, and grimaced again as she felt the soreness in her neck around.

"And for the record, if you're going to try and put rules on what I can and can't say, you should rethink tickling me with your snake next time. I don't listen to anyone if you haven't noticed."

[Izanagi]

Shinji stared her down as she remained defiant. She certainly had a strong will, as much as she irritated him, he could respect that and in fact he found her defiance rather attractive. “That’s a dangerous mentality to have, you’ll get yourself killed before you ever get strong if you keep that up” he warned, his demeanor was still hostile though he found himself fighting back growing arousal. His left hand moved to her shoulder, keeping her firmly pinned while his right arm hugged her legs tight against his shoulder. “Yeah, maybe I don’t, but why should I?” he questioned. This girl meant nothing to him, simply a Karugata lowlife that was angry at her situation. She was still weak, maybe a Genin or Chunin though he could tell that she did have some potential, at least based off her strength of will, though she would likely die because of that attitude far before she could ever get strong enough to afford it.

He was intrigued when she offered to let him have authority over choosing the specifics of her family symbol should she decide to have it tattooed. It was perhaps enough incentive to want to see her again and encourage her to respect the Karagata. Shinji smirked as he considered why that appealed to him so much, ultimately it came down to dominance and respect. “Yeah, sure” he agreed, softening slightly as he looked at her curiously, she seemed to be good at getting under his skin and surprising him. He scoffed at her words, finding some amusement in them, “You really should learn to listen to me, and I could do a lot more than just tickle you with it” he warned, pressing himself against her, “You’ll be lucky if I don’t kill you or keep you as a plaything for when I’m bored. I doubt anyone would object” he considered. Despite being a shinobi she was still a Karugata after all and by the sounds of it she had no living family, nobody in any position to protect her, least of all from someone of Shinjiro’s fame and power.

[Willoria]

She almost smirked at him again as he made it clear he had no reason to know anything about her. "Finally, something we have in common." she replied, snorting to herself quietly. "You insist I give you respect. That I not speak to you without it? You're nothing but a rumor and a name to me. The same reason you know nothing about me, I know next to nothing about you. You don't give a damn about me and who I am, well the feeling is mutual." she said, shaking her head finally.

She found herself uncomfortable with the way he kept her pinned, the way he held her in place. The way his comments seemed to take a turn in response to her own words only caused her discomfort to grow. She raised an eyebrow at him, the first moment that a trickle of fear glinted in her eyes when he pressed against her. "Try it and I'll swallow my tongue." she said almost darkly. There was only one thing in the world she truly feared, and it wasn't death. It was the feeling of being completely powerless, and as a new possible danger rose in her mind she found that feeling creeping into her mind. 'I'd rather he beat me senseless or kill me... to be that kind of toy, no say over my body though...' She swallowed hard, fighting to bury the fear she felt for a brief moment.

[Izanagi]

Shinji glared at the young woman, though he considered her words. He supposed that was fair, despite his forthcoming insight into his past she still didn’t really know him, it could have all been lies for all she knew and that still didn’t really embody what kind of person he was now, only some of what he had undergone in the past. The animalistic Jounin snarled, begrudgingly accepting that she wasn’t entirely wrong. “Fine, honestly I don’t give a damn what you think of me personally. Ultimately my life is as worthless as yours, but my rank I earned that, and my name, the reputation of my family, that is something that will always live on, something worth respecting. The Karagata have no clans sworn to us, we rose to our position through bloodshed, fear of our name, respect for our power, that is not something I will allow be taken lightly.” He insisted, his left hand growing two-inch-long claws as he spoke, stronger and sharper than any kunai. He didn’t expect her to be scared by the gesture, this was entirely for him, as he drew a thin cut against her throat, just enough to trickle with blood, intersecting with the previous prick from the senbon.

As he pressed himself against her, exploiting her trapped and vulnerable position he smirked as he finally saw a weakness in this bravado that she wore as armor. So that was it? She had no fear of death or pain but being violated sexually, that meant something to her. It was a concept that was difficult to understand. He had never been through anything like that before personally though he figured the pain would be minimal compared to what he had been through. If anything his pride would be the only thing to take a blow, a feeling of weakness and vulnerability that strongly opposed his own self-image and desire to remain a predator, dominant and powerful. “So, you have some fears after all?” he realized smugly. The temptation to exploit that weakness was strong though for now, he was content to let her remain afraid for a little while longer, perhaps it would be enough to convince her to change her attitude, at least around him. Leaning in he would lick up the blood that trickled from her neck before biting firmly around the wound.

[Willoria]

She saw him grow the claws, turning her head slightly away as he did so. Clearly avoiding them wasn't going to be a choice she got however though, as she felt the pressure and the cut he pressed into her skin. She grimaced, letting out her breath slow as she felt the pain of it. In truth what really bothered her was the moment he realized that she did have a fear. In truth it wasn't as simple as a fear of being raped. Sex held no real value to her and neither did her virginity, she only knew instinctively it was something she was supposed to protect, to be given to someone of her choice when she made the choice. However the feeling of being utterly powerless that came with such a thing, that was what struck fear into her eyes.

As he grew smug and she began to wonder how much danger she was really in, and if she was about to have to make good on her own threat to herself. She winced visibly as he licked the blood from her neck, whimpering as she felt his teeth. "Fear?" she managed to ask, her voice unsteady as she tried to force herself into bravado once more. "Please, no girl wants a filthy animal for her first." she added, jerking hard with her legs. She was trying to get them back from him, and hoping she could at least bring her knees back sharply enough to perhaps smack him in the back of the head. If she gained movement of them at all she'd try to kick him as hard as she could manage, and wherever she could manage, even certain sensitive bits if it meant a chance to try and get away.

'This isn't happening without some kind of fight...!'

[Izanagi]

Each of her small noises, the grimaces and whimpers brought a sense of satisfaction to him. Too have this kind of power over someone else, to control both their pleasure and their pain, it was one of the few joys Shinjiro had in life. All the more rewarding when it was someone that openly disrespected Kirigakure’s ranking system and the Karagata family. Clearly Asami was used to being treated with disdain, to getting in fights, though she had to learn the full consequences that could occur from having such an attitude without enough strength or status to protect her. If anything he was doing her a favor so long as he didn’t kill her and allowed her to reach her potential, though that wasn’t to say that somebody else wouldn’t snuff out her life instead.

He met her eyes as she called him a filthy animal, he was torn between hurting her for his own enjoyment or continuing to advance sexually to get under her skin. It seemed she would remain defiant regardless and while he respected the will to fight and grow stronger through adversity it seemed she wouldn’t become complacent enough to learn the lesson of respect and self-preservation that he intended to leave her with. “You might be surprised. The last girl I fucked certainly seemed to enjoy herself” he gloated, leaving out the part of course that she had been his first, though his appetite had grown quickly and it had become a strong craving for more. His lust was nearly as potent as his thirst for murder and his hunger for flesh. These small pleasures were his only true reprieve from an otherwise empty life, even his friendships, few as they were, he was prepared to sever at a moments notice should he be ordered to. He had become all too aware of that reality when he had been ordered to kill one of his first friends, severing the boys head as he held him and watched the light fade from his eyes. Such a thing lingered with a person, stained any future relationships of any kind.

When she moved to pull her legs free, he let her, seemingly unphased even as she struck a clean kick to his face. Whatever she did she wouldn’t be able to hurt him to any meaningful extent and anything she landed was by his own choice. “You know it’s pointless right? Nobody is coming to your rescue, hardly anyone could fight off someone like me. Still, I do have some standards” he insisted, standing as she scrambled backward before dashing forward, stepping to the side slightly as he kicked her in the ribs hard enough to launch her off the ground and spinning through the air. She would be his plaything one way or another, even if it just meant kicking her around for a while until he got bored. In the end whether she lived or died was of no real consequence to him, it was apparent he couldn’t change her mindset so in his opinion it was just a matter of time before someone else killed her.

[Willoria]

Asami scoffed at him as he referred to his last conquest, rolling her eyes as she tried to wrench herself free of his grip. She was surprised when she was able to, all the more surprised when she was able to kick him in the face. It was clear early on that he was allowing this to happen, but it didn't much matter to her. All her life, Asami had never been one to give up, and that didn't seem to be changing now. She tried to scramble away, only to receive a kick to the ribs for her efforts. When she hit the ground she went rolling and skidding through the dirt and the mud. She grunted and whimpered as she tried to roll over to her hands and knees before trying to stand. She had heard an audible 'crack' when he'd kicked her and knew her ribs had paid a serious price already.

"No one has ever rescued me..." she panted, grimacing through the pain as blood trickled off her lip from between her teeth. "Why should that change now?" she added, glaring at him as she barely managed to stand. "You brag about rank, about strength, about all of it... but what do you do to prove it? You beat on someone you could kill as easily as snapping a twig. You might be physically strong but emotionally you're a weak and pathetic child."

She couldn't help the grin and the words that she knew might bury her. "I guess I actually have one up on you after all." she managed. "I actually know what love felt like. My parents actually gave a damn before they were murdered."

[Izanagi]

Shinji watched as Asami struggled to her feet, his hands slipped into his pockets as he stood, looming over her from a distance of about 5 meters. He was only vaguely interested in her and his patience was thin. At most she was a mild form of entertainment. He glared down at her; she really did have a death wish. She knew she had no allies, no claim to strength and yet she insisted on provoking her superiors, shinobi that had also struggled and earned their power. It seemed foolish, Shinji was prideful himself, but he had always been dutiful and respectful of those above him. He scoffed again at her words, “Proof of my strength? I could pick any random hundred shinobi and toss them around as easily as you. I won the Taijutsu tournament in Star Country, I train with Bannin, I constantly test myself and strive to improve. My emotions? You think I could be a Jinchuuriki if I couldn’t control my feelings? The slightest slip and the Genma can take hold, I can’t afford any mistakes, any weakness.” He asserted, he could always feel Vorashu’s presence, even when he could keep his thoughts at bay, supressing it as much as he could manage as a daily challenge, only allowing him forth when he chose to embrace its power. That was the kind of mental fortitude Shinjiro had, and that was precisely why he had shut off his emotions to attachments, to love, at least to the best of his ability.

He scowled as she spoke of love, he didn’t want to admit the part of him that wondered what it felt like, that craved some sense of normalcy and deeper meaning to life. It angered him that he seemed destined to live an empty shell, only able to enjoy surface level pleasures and guess at what true connections felt like. “Why should I care about love? I don’t even remember what my mother looks like, she’s probably dead already, just another faceless whore. My dad, he made me strong, he saved me from a life of poverty and an early death in the slums. Who needs love when you have power? Love is a luxury for the weak, it’s a delusion, a vulnerability.” He argued callously. Now he could feel the teachings of the Karagata flowing through him, overpowering the animalistic nature that Vorashu had subtly imbued into him.

[Willoria]

Asami reached out for a nearby tree, resting her hand against it to lean her weight on it as she smirked at Shinjiro. "Control? Is that what this is?" she snorted, shaking her head. "Control... you're nothing more than an animal and I bet it's that thing inside you." The girl laughed mirthlessly and shook her head again. "You know, I used to think if I ever ran into you I'd be impressed. You have a reputation for control, but I gotta say, I've had my ass beat by lower ranked shinobi with more sense and more control than you."

The last thing she wanted was to walk away, but she could taste the blood in her mouth. She spit on the ground to try and get rid of some of the taste, but what she saw simply confirmed what she already knew. She needed a medic. "Good thing no one would ever think to try and put us on the same mission. I don't think either of us could stand the sight of one another." she added jokingly, pushing off the tree and turning away. It was the first time in a long time she'd tried to walk away from a situation like this, but even she had to admit she was well past beaten, and sticking around any longer was going to end with her six feet under, she was sure of it.

[Izanagi]

The young Jinchuuriki clenched his fists, the claws of his left hand digging into his palm and drawing blood. He felt rage welling within him, bubbling to the surface. “An animal…that’s really all you see?” he growled, his voice deepening as faint green chakra began to wisp from his skin. “I’ll show you an animal!” he vowed, his aura suddenly intensifying tenfold as true killing intent seeped forth and chakra formed a full layer. To no surprise he dashed forward, leaving a burst of air that ruffled trees and caused them to creak in his wake. ‘Break her, bend her to your will, ravish her body and leave her bloody’ Vorashu encouraged, the Genma’s haunting voice echoing in Shinji’s mind. The cloaked assassin grabbed her by the throat once again, his claws pricking into her neck as his right hand grew similar claws, his eyes wild as he ripped open her shirt, leaving claw marks across her chest before grabbing her as he suddenly kissed her forcefully, biting at her lip and growling lowly.

He kept this up for several long seconds before pulling back suddenly, ‘Fuck off Vorashu, go back to your cage!’ he demanded, taking a deep purposeful breath as the chakra cloak receded. But that didn’t diminish his ire for this woman who insisted on getting under his skin time and time again. He grabbed her by the hair and tossed her to the ground, lightly all things considered. “You better hope you never see me again, if I really gave in, relinquished control, you’d be raped, broken to near death and devoured piece by piece.” He warned lowly. Damn that girl, pushing him like that, drawing out the darkest parts of him. With that he would walk away before she could tempt him further, he needed to find something to kill or fuck, preferably both and he hoped he would never have to see that damn Karugata ever again.

[Willoria]

What came next was a horrific blur. For a moment she thought herself lost and the girl didn't even have the right mind to make good on her threat. She wanted to feel lucky when he tossed her aside, but the feeling didn't come. She rolled across the ground, forcing herself one more roll so she could lay face down and cover her now bare and bleeding chest. She buried her face in the cold and damp grass, silently praying he'd just kill her outright. She heard every word, as tears ran down her face and into the damp earth though she never sobbed. The instinct to do so had been buried years ago.

How long after he left that she lay there, she wasn't sure. But eventually the girl retrieved her things and covered herself with her arms, making her way home as the mist gathered around her. She had to take a moment to form the seals of course, but she found some comfort in the ability to hide herself in the mists and begin her journey home where she was certainly about to kill a bottle of peach bourbon.

Jutsu UsedShow

*Hidden Mist Technique
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: Kiri-nin
Kirigakure no Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by Hidden Mist Ninja. After forming the required hand seals, the ninja creates a blanket of mist which covers the area around them. The mist covers 10x10x10m area. The mist limits the visibility of those inside to 4 meters in any direction. This technique lasts a number of posts equal to 1/2 the user's Chakra Pool.

*Moving Mist Technique
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals, the user will cause the mist to shift and move in whatever direction they please. This mist moves at [Control] speed, and while casting this technique the user cannot move or cast other techniques.