Defining Encounter

[Ninnanna]

Hana was scowling. For the last few days, Hana had been running through the streets between the administration buildings. Her mother had pushed her into being joined up with a new team that was forming up. It hadn't been very long since she proved herself at the academy and because of this, she felt unprepared. She hadn't actually seen her mother since her graduation because of her Jounin duties. Hana's mother didn't like spending time at home anyway. Her father on the other hand had been home, since he didn't really have a job. He was there for Hana, but he knew that she would needed to do what her ninja path required of her. "Just be happy, my little spring blossom," her father had said to her before she went to go have her meeting, "that's all I ever want for you."

Unconciously, Hana was scowling. She did that when she was anxious or worried. Thereby she always looked like she wasn't a very happy person, when in fact she was very content (all except for these last few moments). The now blossomed young girl had just finished handing in her confirmation papers and then had recieved from another branch of the Iwagakure bureaucracy which Chuunin would most likely be at the head of her all female group. Hana had just finished moving to the meeting location, which was an interesting place in of itself. Hoping to make a good impression, she had managed to make some cupcakes to present to her new team leader. They were inside of a small white paper box and were wrapped with a red bow. First impressions were pivotal when creating a relationship. She was holding them out in her arms, awaiting to present them to her new sensei. Still unknowingly scowling, the young kunoichi waited for the arrival of Hiraku Yagi.

[Kao]

For the second time in less than two months, his grandmother was sick again. And for the second time in less than two months, Hiraku was unable to stay home and care for her. He was worried, and nervous. She had barely gotten over her previous sickness before she came down with another. Had he not needed more money, and had she not requested that he do more for his country, the young shinobi would not have even considered heading a genin team.

But, orders were orders. The chuunin sat in a small courtyard that was scattered with small trees and shrubs. Iwagakure obviously wasn't known for its greenery, but Hiraku liked the landscape either way. The land made up for the lack of trees with its abundance of high mountains and shallow valleys. A few clouds drifted overhead, white smears against a largely blue sky. Home was home.

Perched atop a small boulder, he was busy sharpening a new kunai. He hated how dull standard shinobi weapons were when he first got them, and he usually spent several hours honing the weapon to a more acceptable point.

He was putting off meeting the first of his new team. He was in no hurry. What was the girl going to do? Hit him? He'd like to see her try. Thinking he'd kept her waiting long enough, he hopped down and began to walk towards the meeting place across the courtyard. Dirt and rocks crunched beneath his boots while he shoved the kunai into his jacket pocket, along with the sharpening board.

He didn't have to walk far to find the genin girl. She was standing a little bit away with some sort of package in her hands. Sighing slightly, Hiraku stopped short of a few feet in front of her. "Right. You must be....?" Just like him to not know her name.

[Ninnanna]

Hearing the gravel stones crunch underneath his feet, she stood erect when the Chuunin came over to her. Hirauku was a very handsome looking man. His skin was very pale like hers, but with a much softer complexion. He looked at her with soft eyes and his voice was very smooth when he asked the question. He looked annoyed or something, probably because he had to talk to a younger and less prettier girl. While quickly examining the older guy, her facial expressions were contorting under the weight of her awkwardness. Her mouth was shaped like something in the middle of a frown and a forced smile. Hana was blushing heavily as well.

Arms extended horizontally, she bowed deeply at the same time. "I am Hana Genkouyoushi. These are for you," she said quickly while the box opened mysteriously by itself revealing the blue frosted sesame-seed cupcakes with yellow sprinkles. While gripping the box, Hana also had the registration poking out from her hand. She maintained her position, even thought it was very uncomfortable looking down at his steel-toed boots.

[Kao]

The shinobi raised an eyebrow at her name. "Genkouyoushi, was it? Hmm..." He took the little box from her, holding up to his face. He reached into the box and grabbed a sweet, then put it into his mouth. He chewed silently as he looked down at her. She's a polite one... Hiraku valued her manners, earning her a few extra points on first impression.

"Now then..." He pulled out a small scroll hidden in his sleeve. "It seems that, for now, you are the only genin assigned to me. So, this is private instruction...?" He was mostly talking to himself, but the didn't care that she could hear him. Hiraku replaced the scroll and took another cupcake. "Hmm..." He circled around her, quickly finishing the box of cupcakes. Then...

He was gone.

He was back at his perch on the boulder, several dozen feet away. Hiraku stood with his hands across his chest, staring down at Hana. "I'll tell you a few things about me. Ready?" He held up a finger. "You will refer to me as 'sensei.' I may not be a jounin, but you will respect me, as I will you. That is, I will respect you if I feel like you deserve it."

He held up another finger. "Two: I am not good with people. I'm just not. So sorry. Case in point:" With a fluid motion, he tossed a kunai at her. It went straight by her head, sniping off a few hairs. "I just sharpened that; you can have it." He wouldn't normally give away a kunai that he worked so hard to sharpen to his liking, but he figured this was an exception. He crouched down, resting his arms on his knees. "So tell me about yourself, Little Flower."

[Ninnanna]

As the Chuunin said her last name, she raised her body up a bit. He was already into the cupcake, apparently enjoying the cupcakes out of the box that he now held in his hand. The handsome young man then began multitasking, pulling out a scroll with his other hand and reading it to himself. He seemed filled with a sense of duty and importance. Even though he was being a bit aloof at this time, she could understand it with him being a much older and probably more sophisticated shinobi.

He was talking as he circled around behind her. Hana turned only a slight bit, as she was now back standing at attention, only to have him disappear! Hiraku didn't go too far and just continued talking. Hana hadn't been around such interesting people. All of her interactions for the last couple of months had been with much younger individuals who weren't as mature. The Chuunin was still some distance away so she subtlety skipped up to listen. Hiraku said to refer to him as 'sensei'. That wouldn't be hard for Hana, it was only proper respect to be showed to him. As for respecting Hana, she didn't really care if he did. She was just excited to be around him. Her hands were held up together at her chest as she listened carefully to everything that he said.

As he explained how he was with other people, he threw a kunai at her with his finger! She knew it wasn't straight on, so she decided to trust him this one time. It just snipped off a few hairs and landed in the ground. A little shocked, she slowly bent down to pick it up as he kept talking. She was still looking at him as she grasped around for the weapon, slightly because she was scared that he'd throw another one at her and also because she was fairly entranced with him. Hiraku then became more relaxed and the two words that stuck out in her mind that he said was at the end: "So tell me about yourself, Little Flower."


She stood there for a moment, quizzically holding the kunai between both her hands held up near her chin with it pointed down. Staring at him she felt herself slur out the words, "Little Flower?" She was puzzled as to how the Chuunin knew what her father had said to her before she left. How could he know that he called her something like that? She gave the Chuunin as few moments to respond to her question and then decided on answering his question.

"Well, sensei, my father and sometimes mother raised me. I grew up in a small household just inside the village, although I think my father would rather have a larger place with more servants," Hana reflected as she told him about her home life. "I just graduated from the Academy only a month ago. I'm good enough to be a genin but I think I need more help to be a valuable member of a team." Her hands were figeting over the kunai as she talked softly but with purpose to her new sensei. As she was talking she realized that she didn't even manage to get herself a kunai because of her focus on her paper training. It was really nice of Hiraku to give her the kunai and she was both embarrassed to not have proper equipment as well as that he would be so thoughtful to give her that gift. Her eyes shifted away from the now comfortable looking man as she continued on with her explanation of herself.

"I am not good with people either, sensei, so you don't have to show off or anything in front of me," she bashfully said to him, knowing it might be a bit soon to be talking this candidly with the Chuunin, "I am just wanting for you to teach me and I want to help you too." She was thinking that she would need to be very nice to her sensei. He was only assigned to her at this moment, which put a lot of pressure on the Genin. Hana expected to be put into a team that wasn't full yet to fill it but that wasn't the case. The girl shifted her weight, very anxiously as to how the Chuunin viewed her at his moment. She needed to make sure that he knew that she wasn't being insolent towards him. Eyes till on the ground, she breathed out heavily, "I will do anything you ask of me, sensei."

Her foot pushed around some gravel as she awaited his response. Sweaty palms gripped her gifted kunai as she nervously moved her hands across it. She hoped that she wasn't coming across as a weirdo as she usually did because that is how she usually alienated people. Plus, she hoped that the Chuunin would be able to understand that she needed him a lot right now as she knew very little about the shinobi lifestyle. After he had a chance to say something, she asked, "What about you, sensei? I mean ... um ... "

[Kao]

Hiraku listened with only a vague interest. He was moreso observing her. The first thing he noticed was the way she hesitated when she talked. She had a slight reaction when he called her "Little Flower." He took a note of that. I need more help to be a valuable member of a team. A need to belong? That wasn't uncommon for a girl her age. Hiraku found the way she clutched the kunai a bit odd.

He snapped back to attention when she suddenly trailed off. He hopped down, using his speed to position himself behind her. He swung his arm back, placing a kunai at her neck. The point pricked her, causing the tiniest bead of blood to swell at the point of contact. "You're too timid. Or am I getting the wrong impression?" He held the weapon loosely between two of his fingers, sliding the metal against the thin skin of her neck. "Stay on your guard. Else someone will pluck your petals." His tone never changed. He spoke as if he was having a normal conversation, as if he did not have a weapon lethally aimed for the thin skin of her throat.

"Hmm...." He moved the kunai, flicking the bit of blood from it. He may have seemed a bit odd, but this was typical behavior for of the shinobi. On his back was a single large scroll, strapped to two leather straps that crossed over his chest. He unlatched the straps, letting the scroll fall to the ground. "That is a good kunai I gave you. But can you use it?" He also removed the pouches from his waist and leg. "I am unarmed. Somewhat helpless. This could be an advantage for you, but," he shrugged, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "if you can't use the weapons you are given, facing even an unarmed enemy can be disadvantageous."

He moved away from his small pile of weapons, cracking his neck in preparation. "Are you able to cut me?"

[Ninnanna]

After Hiraku had swiped the blood from her neck, she was worried about what he might do to her. Hana rubbed her neck, feeling the annoying sting of what the Chuunin had done to her weak skin. She was barely ready to be part of a team, but now he had challenged her to a one-on-one duel. She had hoped that he was going to give her advantage and it seemed like he did. Still, Hana knew that even a Chuunin unarmed is not to be taken likely compared to the skills of a Genin just out of the academy.

She shifted her weight when he moved back, feeling the weight of the kunai in her hand. Not being used to using such a heavy weapon, it would prove to be a difficult challenge. Still, he could have given her a windmill shuriken; then he would have seen how horrible she was. Either way, Hana wanted to use the weapon that he gave her. Hana was pretty sure that's what he wanted.

Hana knew her strengths and weaknesses. Now, all she needed to figure out were her strange Chuunin sensei's. She didn't want to hurt him but if she didn't, then it would be like she was giving up on the team. She couldn't do that. "I can cut you, sensei!"

Hana charged forward slightly, shifting her body's weight more toward the ground. Focusing her chakra like she was good at, she launched herself fairly high up into the air above the Chuunin. Hana's lithe body twisted until she was facing the Chuunin upside down with her head pointed in the direction of Hiraku. From there, she had her one hand holding the kunai and her other hand on her side pouch, ready to unclasp it. Depending on what the Chuunin did would determine her next move.

[Kao]

He watched her, every motion, every movement. She moved well in, and she had decent speed. While he watched her move, he kept that kunai within sight. Once she was in the air, Hiraku crouched down. He liked her style, but he could tell her taijutsu needed a lot of work. His grin widened when he saw her reach for In one sinuous move, he was on the ground beneath her, one hand planted on the ground behind him. He kicked upward, twisting his body until his foot snapped towards her body.

He aimed with the side of his boot. The last thing he wanted was a genin with a broken nose. He landed to the side, a few feet away from where he started.

[OOC: sorry for the short postttt]

[Ninnanna]

If Hana was to engage in unarmed combat with him, she would lose. Hana knew she couldn't beat anyone in a taijutsu battle, let alone a Chuunin. As she came downwards and Hiraku's foot came up, she would manage to time the controlled release of her technique just well enough to go off so her body floated behind the Chuunin. The chakra from the bottom of her feet propelled her perpendicular to the vertical-downward path she was on. Her leg just skimmed Hiraku's (which was kinda' weird) and she landed into a barrel roll several fet from his last position. At an advantageous spot, she decided to set up her next attack by releasing the clasp on her pouch, touching a few dozen pieces of A4 paper, and announcing "Chirasu!"

JutsuShow

*Bai Chouyaku [Doubled Leap]
D-ranked Ninjutsu
By channeling chakra into her feet and releasing it in a short burst in the middle of a jump, Hana is able to, "jump again", increasing the range and height of their leaps. They can also use this to change direction in mid-air.

~Ninpou: Chirasu Shikifu [Ninja Art: Scattered Sheets]
E-ranked Ninjutsu
Using a single hand sign, Genkouyoushi clan members are able to separate and scatter any Hakushiijin within 10 meters of their body in a totally random manner. This is commonly used to dispel already active techniques, or to set up another attack.

[Kao]

Hiraku blinked and stood upright. He was mildly impressed that she dodged, but.... His thought went incomplete once the papers started flying towards him. He didn't move, but instead watched the sheets fly around them. He jumped backward, forming a short string of hand seals. "Always dodge completely. You don't want to give your opponent any chance to pull anything from a touch."

He darted forward, being sure to avoid touching too many of the papers. They flew around her wildly, so a few of them hit his face. Within seconds, he was in front of her, his heavy palm pressed against her face. His hand covered the bottom half of her face, covering her mouth and nose completely. Hiraku forcefully lifted her head and glared into her eyes. "Sometimes a touch is all it takes."

JutsuShow

*Itazuki [Pain]
C-Ranked Genjutsu
The user does the needed hand seals, and then locks eyes with the target to trap the target in the genjutsu. For the next four posts, the target will have a desire to get hurt. The will do this in ways that would normally be odd for them, but, since the genjutsu makes them feel like it is normal, they will normally be okay with the self-induced pain. However, this jutsu will make not let someone kill themselves, but rather stabbing their hand or such not cutting off their head.

[Ninnanna]

How'd he get to me so fast? she thought as she stared into his eyes. Her head felt a bit ... funny when he said those last words. She wasn't drowzy, but she felt inebriated somehow. She didn't even bother about tryingto swipe at him with her kunai; he was too fast even this close. She needed an attack from every direction.

With the hand still over her mouth, she formed three hand seals in her right hand while keeping the kunai steady in her left. She mumbled through the hand, "Nonpoo: Kommi Sheriku." The papers on the ground and the ones in the air instantly folded up into little paper shurikens. With the last hand seal she shouted through his hand, "Seesem!" and dozens of the shurken came twirling towards where his arm was, cutting through Hana's clothes and drawing blood as they passed her by. Hana grunted with the pain but didn't mind it for some reason.

JutsuShow

Ninpou: Seizen Shikifu [Ninja Art: Orderly Sheets]
E-ranked Ninjutsu
Using the same hand seal as Chirasu Shikifu, Hana can bunch up together any Hakushijin within 10 meters of her body and move them all towards a single spot. This is typically used in conjunction with Ninpou: Teishoku to create a hiding spot or with other improvised uses of her bloodline powers.

~Ninpou: Kami Shuriken [Ninja Art: Paper Shuriken]
D-ranked Ninjutsu
Requires Origami: Kanbai
Using the Kanbai technique, the user will add in an extra hand seal. This then allows them to fold an A4 piece of paper into a shuriken that it is the same size and shape of a normal one. It is capable of travelling just as fast as its metal counterpart and doing almost as much damage if it hits a target but a single Katon technique would destroy it.

[Kao]

Those jutsu you said are not what you put in the spoiler...

The shinobi winced as the paper sliced into his skin. His face contorted into an annoyed scowl. "Looks like you cut me, though I don't think little papercuts count." Even so, the shuriken left stinging slashes on his arm; most were very shallow, but they hurt almost as badly as normal shuriken. The man smirked, glancing at the kunai still in her hand. So that's it.... She substitutes normal shinobi weapons for her paper. Her style made sense to him. The paper was just as effective as regular shuriken. Even so...

He quickly dropped his hand from her face and looked her over. She seemed to be able to tell something had changed, but she did not yet have the skills to tell that it was a genjutsu. Slightly disappointed, he clenched his fist. His expression was vaguely apologetic when he slammed it into her gut, hard. He nodded towards the kunai still in her hand. "You didn't use the kunai. Looks like you can only use your paper techniques. I don't care what the game says: fist beats paper."

[Ninnanna]

Lol, seriously? Your hand was over my mouth, -_- ... think about it.

The world went white as his fist slammed into Hana. Her body doubled over as she gasped for air. He was right about what he said though; she wanted to get him with the kunai and not rely on her ninjutsu. Hana was wise enough to recognize that as the purpose of this 'exercise'. Still, for a first meeting, this was beginning to become a bit much for her.

The pain was easing up for some unknown reason and she felt like this fight was going okay. Hana did have a strangely high threshold for pain, probably due to getting hit more on average than any of the other kids. Her resolve strengthening, she got up, wincing in pain. She wasn't mad at the Chuunin, but she was getting a bit frustrated as to how far he was taking it. Although, she did cut both of them a bunch of times with her shuriken, albeit at a low strength and velocity.

Hana looked the Chuunin square in the eye with an almost neutral look on her face stated, "I'm sorry, sensei. I'll play better." She gripped her kunai tightly in her hand and looked around. Squinting in pain shcouldn't think of anything to do, so she just held her arm in front of her and kept her other hand ready in case she needed to improvise some more. The last thought that came into her mind was, I hope this will make us friends in the end.

[Kao]

OH! Hahahaha.... >__>

As amiable as Hiraku was, he loved this jutsu; he had never used it on a comrade, nor one so young, so he was on the tip of his toes waiting to see her response. By now, she would start to feel as though she -needed- pain, any kind of pain. Of course, he wouldn't let her seriously hurt herself.

For now, he was a little disappointed that she did not yet have the skills to recognize and dispel genjutsu of that level. "Your duty as a shinobi isn't a game." He watched with detached interest as she prepared herself for his next move. "These?" he gestured towards the cuts from her shuriken. "These won't do. You have to cut me, genin." He walked forward, placing a hand on her head. "My first impression of you: you're polite, timid, and more than a bit naïve. You want to prove yourself, but you're not sure how."

He folded his arms across his chest. "A gentle soul like yourself. You're not suited for the life of a shinobi." The corners of his mouth twitched, as if he was suppressing a smile. "It seems you don't have the will to kill." He signhed, moving his hand away. "Not much can be done. You're with me, for now. He reached over and grabbed the kunai from her held it near her face. "You haven't earned this yet." The kunai was lazily placed into his pouch.

"Sou da naaaa...." He inconspicuously dispelled the genjutsu. He thought about it, and he didn't really want to deal with a genin running around trying to injure herself. Not now, anyway.

[Ninnanna]

When Hiraku came over, she was to cut off his arm. However, his movements were very slow and fluid. The Chuunin spoke to her and she was stunned at what she heard. Her entire being was already put into a state of anxiety and anger due to the subtle use of the genjutsu coupled with the fight. The man was using hers and his words against her, but even so, his description was spot on. All of her fears and misgivings about herself were basically summed up in his short collection of thoughts. When he mentioned it, she mumbled to herself, "I could ... kill," which turned out to be more of a question for herself.

Still, she was pretty hurt and angry, but after he said some sort of weird soothing chant, she instantly felt better. Unfortunately, she became more aware of the pain she was in. It wasn't actually that bad, it was ironically like feeling a bunch of paper-cuts all over her back and shoulders. Her sensei must be in a fair amount of pain too. She wandered over to what was an understocked medkit and took out all of the bandage. She walked back over to where Hiraku was, stepping conveniently on her registration paper at the same time and began ripping off pieces of bandages and knotting them together. Sheepishly, she started mumbling as she struggled for the right question to ask him, but all that came out as tears welled up in her eyes was, "What do I need to do?"

[Kao]

My badsies.

Hiraku yawned, stretching his hand downward to pick up his scroll. He let her do whatever with the bandages, but he didn't seem like he wanted her to touch him with them. He usually let small wounds like these heal on their own. "Well, one, you can stop crying." He lifted the scroll with one hand, using the other to latch the straps back onto it. Once the scroll was securely on his back, he placed a hand on her head. "You did fine. You just need training, that's all."

He walked around her and picked up her registration paper, smoothing it out before handing it to her. "Keep up with that. Put it on your refrigerator or something. Hmm..." He crossed his arms, turning his gaze towards the distant mountains. Now, he was unsure what to do. He found out some of what he wanted to know about the girl. He had an idea of her personality, and her fighting style. "Her taijutsu needs so much work..." He was talking to himself again; the girl could probably hear him, but the chuunin didn't particularly care. "I'd like to go on missions right away, but you need work. Probably need to improve your paper jutsu, too."

He had started walking, still mumbling to himself about training and methods and missions and the like. "Come! Your cupcakes made me hungry." He flashed a smile in her direction, pausing so she could catch up. He didn't feel like training right this moment, nor did he want to make her feel badly.

He removed his jacket, frowning at the dozens of cuts ripping through the fabric. His face was near expressionless as he turned it over in his hands, counting the number of slices. Well...damn... It was his favorite jacket. But no matter; he'd sew it up later. Hiraku slung it over his arm. He wasn't wearing his usual shirt; instead, he wore a black shirt with fishnets on the sleeves and around the collar. His purple tattoo rippled as he beckoned for her to hurry up. "Come, come, Little Flower. Don't have all day."

[Ninnanna]

He was fairly straightforward about what he wanted from her. Still, it seemed like he had some confidence in her after all. She wiped the forming tears from her face. Walking near the Chuunin, she extended her arm for the crumbled and blood spattered registration paper that he was giving back to her. She did a quick seal to fold it super-tight so that it could fit into her pockets with ease.

Hana could hear him mumbling about her horrible taijutsu, which was a good place to start if she was have training. Mentioning her paper jutsu made her feel a bit unique and she hoped that it would eventual be her saving grace rather than all of those sessions about strengthening her chakra pathways just to fold some special paper.

Hiraku was a very strange man. It seemed like he was always trying over think or to provide a lesson to her for each thing she did. Maybe that was the best kind of person she needed for a teacher. When he flashed the smile about her cupcakes, that made her glow. Even if he was just saying to be nice, it was nice just to get her to go out with him for a meal. Hana wanted to make sure he was filled up if they went out, so hopefully she could lead them subtlety to a nice place; she had enough money (due to her parents). Hopefully it would be a good night.

---

Taking off his jacket made him look much different. Underneath that huge overcoat he had on was a body with a strong physique and slender frame. Normally, the timid and reserved Genin would never have had such feelings but she found herself staring at the mature young man. Her face was flushing up as Hiraku looked over the damage done to his coat. When he said, "Come, come, Little Flower. Don't have all day." she responded with an overly enthusiastc and breathless "Yes, sir!" and shuffled on over beside him, still fiddling around with the bandages in her hands, as they started walking off through the village commons. Turning her head slightly in his direction and looking at him in the eyes, she asked with her lips partially pursed together "Have you ever done this before, sensei?"