Shaking out the cold and the rain, Hikari entered the tea house. He had reached Chahitsu with extreme celerity, using his natural shinobi speed and assuming that Akimi would be able to keep up. She is a special jounin, after all. No need to be that chivalrous. Like a wet dog, he shook the excess water off his clothes, but they remained significantly wet. It was uncomfortable, but he did not mind. He could handle it, and when he finally changed into fresh clothes, he could imagine just how good it was going to feel to be freed of his current, soggy garments.
He found a small, secluded table and took a seat, nonchalantly pulling Akimi's chair out from under the table as he passed it. Though he knew this was no sort of date, he hadn't realized how long it had been since he had truly socialized with a woman one on one. Certainly before his blindness. The last time I really talked to a woman, I probably invited her back to my place to do a couple lines. Boy, was I an asshole.
As he took his seat, the waiter appeared and asked for his order. He smiled and ordered green tea. He was beginning to realize how much he was craving tea; his very bones were shaking out the cold, and the warmth of the liquid, he hoped, would turn his insides into a melted mush.
He realized he did not know a good topic of conversation. So often, he kept to himself, only obliging those that wished to converse with him, that he didn't even know a good way to begin a conversation. He knew very little about Akimi, but decided to run through what he knew: Masuyo Akimi, high soprano voice, Special Jounin. He figured he could start on the Special Jounin part. Yeah, that'll work
"So you're a special jounin then? What's your specialty?"
[Graded]Blind Date?
[Graded]Blind Date?
An unintentional sigh of relief escaped Akimi's lips once she entered the teahouse. 'Finally, it's dry. No more little drips that feel like old piss falling onto my head.' It took her great effort not to allow her frustration with her soaked state to show on her face, but she managed to maintain a pleasant expression... Then she remembered that Hikari was blind, and her features snapped back to their usual pout of distate like a rubber band that was being stretched.
Then the waiter came over, and she contorted her facial muscles into an attempt at "amiable"... She looked like a fucking geisha who stubbed her toe with a lemon in her mouth. Her order of a cinnamon roll and a cup of ginger tea seemed like it was coming from a robot cheerleader, programmed to be upbeat.
When she took a bite of her pastry, it tasted bland in comparison to the excessive sweetness she was excreting from her tongue. "So you're a special jounin then? What's your speciality?"
'Oh, right. Mikadzuki-san.' Akimi swallowed her food and replied, "I'm a combat support specialist. I'm also one of Kumo's top genjutsu practitioners." Finally, she was back in her comfort zone. Her shinobi career was certainly something she didn't have to treat differently. "How about you, Mikadzuki-san? Honestly, I've only heard that you've overcome your blindness, but I've never really heard much about your actual career."
((I hope you get that she doesn't actually look or sound like that much of a freak. I'm just trying to emphasize that she's trying to be all positive and happy and stuff but she's just uncomfortable trying to be something she's not...))
Then the waiter came over, and she contorted her facial muscles into an attempt at "amiable"... She looked like a fucking geisha who stubbed her toe with a lemon in her mouth. Her order of a cinnamon roll and a cup of ginger tea seemed like it was coming from a robot cheerleader, programmed to be upbeat.
When she took a bite of her pastry, it tasted bland in comparison to the excessive sweetness she was excreting from her tongue. "So you're a special jounin then? What's your speciality?"
'Oh, right. Mikadzuki-san.' Akimi swallowed her food and replied, "I'm a combat support specialist. I'm also one of Kumo's top genjutsu practitioners." Finally, she was back in her comfort zone. Her shinobi career was certainly something she didn't have to treat differently. "How about you, Mikadzuki-san? Honestly, I've only heard that you've overcome your blindness, but I've never really heard much about your actual career."
((I hope you get that she doesn't actually look or sound like that much of a freak. I'm just trying to emphasize that she's trying to be all positive and happy and stuff but she's just uncomfortable trying to be something she's not...))
[Special Jounin • Kumogakure no Sato • Masuyo Akimi • Points Achieved: 17]
[Genin • Konohagakure no Sato • Takara Sayuri • Points Achieved: 18]
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Deleted User
[Graded]Blind Date?
((Absolutely good with me. I'm a fan of realistic characterization))
Hikari let out a hearty laugh upon hearing Akimi's 'specialty'. "Hahahahaha," he chortled, "Genjutsu is for the weak! Why do anything with such an inexact science when you have a perfectly fine one available?" He was not trying to belittle the jounin; he simply did not care for genjutsu. Maybe it was because he couldn't do it, or that his blindness had prevented him from experiencing the brunt of many forms of illusion, but he considered it useless. Trying to cover this up, he quickly added, "though I'm sure you're great at it."
"Me?" He shrugged, taking a long, hot sip of his newly arrived tea. The seething liquid scalded his insides, warming them like an oven. It was quite a refreshing feeling after having been in the rain for so long. He put down the cutesy saucer from which he was drinking and continued to answer Akimi's question. "Well, before my blindness, I was a medical-nin, but there's only so far you can go with that. So now, what I do is easier to show than tell."
He placed his right arm on the table, with the fingers of his right hand splayed across as if they were webbed. He then turned his head 180 degrees and turned off his Second Sight. Instead, he activated Nervous Extension around his hand, allowing him to pull back reflexively from an attack.
"Take the knife meant for cutting your pastry," he instructed Akimi, "and stab me in one of my five fingers. You pick the finger. I cannot see you, hear you, small you...but will be able to know which finger you have stabbed and dodge." This was partially a lie. He would not "know", per se, which finger she had chosen, but it did not matter. The dodge was reflexive; no input from the brain at all.
"Go on," he implored her, "stab me. If you can, that is."
Hikari let out a hearty laugh upon hearing Akimi's 'specialty'. "Hahahahaha," he chortled, "Genjutsu is for the weak! Why do anything with such an inexact science when you have a perfectly fine one available?" He was not trying to belittle the jounin; he simply did not care for genjutsu. Maybe it was because he couldn't do it, or that his blindness had prevented him from experiencing the brunt of many forms of illusion, but he considered it useless. Trying to cover this up, he quickly added, "though I'm sure you're great at it."
"Me?" He shrugged, taking a long, hot sip of his newly arrived tea. The seething liquid scalded his insides, warming them like an oven. It was quite a refreshing feeling after having been in the rain for so long. He put down the cutesy saucer from which he was drinking and continued to answer Akimi's question. "Well, before my blindness, I was a medical-nin, but there's only so far you can go with that. So now, what I do is easier to show than tell."
He placed his right arm on the table, with the fingers of his right hand splayed across as if they were webbed. He then turned his head 180 degrees and turned off his Second Sight. Instead, he activated Nervous Extension around his hand, allowing him to pull back reflexively from an attack.
"Take the knife meant for cutting your pastry," he instructed Akimi, "and stab me in one of my five fingers. You pick the finger. I cannot see you, hear you, small you...but will be able to know which finger you have stabbed and dodge." This was partially a lie. He would not "know", per se, which finger she had chosen, but it did not matter. The dodge was reflexive; no input from the brain at all.
"Go on," he implored her, "stab me. If you can, that is."
[Graded]Blind Date?
The breath that hissed through Akimi's clenched teeth sounded like it was hotter than the tea that was being served. Normally, she would have slung some sort of cruel illusion at the one who tried to belittle her practice, but no. That would be a very... mean thing to do. And it was unprofessional to be mean. So she just continued to breath, clenching her teeth. 'It probably would have been better off if I'd just known him as the blind ninja. He's arrogant as fuck.'
Then, he started going on about stabbing him and how he'd be able to dodge it and how he's invincible because he has some bullshit sense. Did he really expect Akimi to try to stab him, just to prove his point that he could dodge anything she did? 'Jesus Christ. Somebody's looking for an ego boost.' Instead of voicing her newfound hostility, she forced a chuckle. "I believe you, Mikadzuki-san. You don't need to prove your point," She squeaked, trying not to let her irritating leak into her voice. "For somebody who talks so poorly of genjutsu, though, it seems like your apparent ability to dodge techniques makes it the most effective tactic to use against you."
As she spoke, Akimi performed the necessary hand seals to activate a genjutsu. Hikari's next breath would put the illusion into effect, and his enhanced sense of smell would make it all the more brutal. And there really wasn't any reflexive nature in countering a genjutsu. "People always try to shrug off the illusionary arts as fallacies and pointless trickery, but it's really one of the most effective forms of attack--certainly not 'for the weak', hm?"
Then, he started going on about stabbing him and how he'd be able to dodge it and how he's invincible because he has some bullshit sense. Did he really expect Akimi to try to stab him, just to prove his point that he could dodge anything she did? 'Jesus Christ. Somebody's looking for an ego boost.' Instead of voicing her newfound hostility, she forced a chuckle. "I believe you, Mikadzuki-san. You don't need to prove your point," She squeaked, trying not to let her irritating leak into her voice. "For somebody who talks so poorly of genjutsu, though, it seems like your apparent ability to dodge techniques makes it the most effective tactic to use against you."
As she spoke, Akimi performed the necessary hand seals to activate a genjutsu. Hikari's next breath would put the illusion into effect, and his enhanced sense of smell would make it all the more brutal. And there really wasn't any reflexive nature in countering a genjutsu. "People always try to shrug off the illusionary arts as fallacies and pointless trickery, but it's really one of the most effective forms of attack--certainly not 'for the weak', hm?"
Jutsu:*Shisha Nonioi no Jutsu [Smell Of The Deceased Jutsu]
D-Ranked Genjutsu
An illusionary jutsu that, after performing the necessary hand signs, causes the target to begin to smell rotting flesh and decaying bodies. The jutsu can cause nausea and vomiting from the target, depending on how sensitive their scent is. The smell of the dead can also cause some mental stress on the target.
[Special Jounin • Kumogakure no Sato • Masuyo Akimi • Points Achieved: 17]
[Genin • Konohagakure no Sato • Takara Sayuri • Points Achieved: 18]
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Deleted User
[Graded]Blind Date?
Hikari turned his head around at Akimi's words. His heightened ears detected a hint of poison in Akimi's voice, but he thought nothing of it. She's just a little miffed at my lack of genjutsu appreciation. Nothing to get too concerned about. Soon, however, he would find out that it was something to be concerned about after all.
He took another sip of tea, but what he didn't know was that the sip would not reach his stomach. As it reached his throat, he was overcome by a foul stench, worsened by his own sensitive nose. He sputtered and spat out the tea, resulting in a coughing fit. During this fit, he managed to use Nervous Control to numb any stimuli coming from his nose. His bout of coughs had drawn stares, so he acted like he had choked on his tea.
"Nothing to worry about here," he noted through slightly teary eyes. He turned his attention to Akimi. "Come on," he mocked softly with a condescending tone, "Am I supposed to believe that the nice owner of this fine establishment has hauled a dead body onto the premises?" He shook a reproachful finger. "You'll notice I have yet to release your genjutsu. Perhaps it is not as effective as you thought?"
Though his outward tone was nice enough, he was beginning to formulate an opinion on Masuyo Akimi, and it was safe to say it was less than positive. Who attacks a fellow shinobi simply because of a simple opinion? Talk about being touchy. He considered using Airorai underneath the table, causing Akimi to spill her tea all over her shirt. Not unless she escalates things.
"So, Akimi," he said, still not bothering to release the genjutsu he had nullified, "Was that necessary?"
He took another sip of tea, but what he didn't know was that the sip would not reach his stomach. As it reached his throat, he was overcome by a foul stench, worsened by his own sensitive nose. He sputtered and spat out the tea, resulting in a coughing fit. During this fit, he managed to use Nervous Control to numb any stimuli coming from his nose. His bout of coughs had drawn stares, so he acted like he had choked on his tea.
"Nothing to worry about here," he noted through slightly teary eyes. He turned his attention to Akimi. "Come on," he mocked softly with a condescending tone, "Am I supposed to believe that the nice owner of this fine establishment has hauled a dead body onto the premises?" He shook a reproachful finger. "You'll notice I have yet to release your genjutsu. Perhaps it is not as effective as you thought?"
Though his outward tone was nice enough, he was beginning to formulate an opinion on Masuyo Akimi, and it was safe to say it was less than positive. Who attacks a fellow shinobi simply because of a simple opinion? Talk about being touchy. He considered using Airorai underneath the table, causing Akimi to spill her tea all over her shirt. Not unless she escalates things.
"So, Akimi," he said, still not bothering to release the genjutsu he had nullified, "Was that necessary?"
SpoilerShow
Nervous Control
Rank: B
Range: -
Hikari is adept at using his chakra to control the stimuli experienced by his nerves, and, transitively, his senses. He will feed his chakra wherever in his body he wishes to affect the nerves and can strength or weaken impulses along these nerves. This allows him to control pain impulses or other sensual stimuli. When combined with Hikari’s naturally heightened senses, this jutsu makes him more aware than many other shinobi despite his lack of sight. It also prevents him from experiencing severe pain when he uses his Nervous Extension jutsu
Rank: B
Range: -
Hikari is adept at using his chakra to control the stimuli experienced by his nerves, and, transitively, his senses. He will feed his chakra wherever in his body he wishes to affect the nerves and can strength or weaken impulses along these nerves. This allows him to control pain impulses or other sensual stimuli. When combined with Hikari’s naturally heightened senses, this jutsu makes him more aware than many other shinobi despite his lack of sight. It also prevents him from experiencing severe pain when he uses his Nervous Extension jutsu
[Graded]Blind Date?
((It's not a battle, so I won't really pursue it, but Nervous Control wouldn't work for a genjutsu. It's not actual stimuli that the nose is reacting to; it's imbalances in the brain that make the person believe they are smelling something. So numbing sensitivity to stimuli wouldn't do anything. Just hope you understand that! ^-^))
"Yes, Mikadzuki-san, I believe it was necessary," Akimi said cordially. It was about time for her to stop her little attempt at "cordial" and "amiable" and "polite" and "encouraging" though. "I have tried to stomach you and be polite to you, but you are among the least qualified men I have seen as a Jounin. You may think that you've overcome your blindness, but I hope you realize that you are little more than a cripple who can use some easily fooled ninjutsu as a way to salvage what you once were."
She reached into her pocket casually, plucking out money to pay for her food and drink. Her tone was also perfectly stable; she was just stating facts, not personally attacking Hikari. "And your arrogance will most likely kill you one day, Mikadzuki-san. You are unprofessional, conceited, and quite overly confident in your deficient perception of reality." The money made a light tink when she placed it on the table.
"I regret coming out here today. I hope we don't run into each other any time soon, because I'll probably make a fool of myself trying to resist the urge to slap you across the face," Akimi spat her words out. In all honesty, she really wouldn't be the type to be worked up so easily, but when combined with the previous night's events, her sleepless night, her doubts about the basis of her identity, and her misguided attempts to be "socially acceptable", she wasn't exactly stable.
Then, of course, Akimi realized what she was doing. In her effort to be more collected and accepting and rational, she was allowing herself to be completely dominated by her emotions, she was losing control over her actions, she was insulting and attacking a fellow shinobi, she was being exactly what she was trying not to be, she was being overcome by a headache from clenching her teeth, she was tasting blood in her mouth from clenching them around the inside of her lip, she was--
She was a mess. A confused whimper and payment for her breakfast were the only things Masuyo Akimi left in the Chahitsu House of Tea on that rainy morning.
In her apartment, for the first time in years, Masuyo Akimi's pillow was smattered with tears.
"Yes, Mikadzuki-san, I believe it was necessary," Akimi said cordially. It was about time for her to stop her little attempt at "cordial" and "amiable" and "polite" and "encouraging" though. "I have tried to stomach you and be polite to you, but you are among the least qualified men I have seen as a Jounin. You may think that you've overcome your blindness, but I hope you realize that you are little more than a cripple who can use some easily fooled ninjutsu as a way to salvage what you once were."
She reached into her pocket casually, plucking out money to pay for her food and drink. Her tone was also perfectly stable; she was just stating facts, not personally attacking Hikari. "And your arrogance will most likely kill you one day, Mikadzuki-san. You are unprofessional, conceited, and quite overly confident in your deficient perception of reality." The money made a light tink when she placed it on the table.
"I regret coming out here today. I hope we don't run into each other any time soon, because I'll probably make a fool of myself trying to resist the urge to slap you across the face," Akimi spat her words out. In all honesty, she really wouldn't be the type to be worked up so easily, but when combined with the previous night's events, her sleepless night, her doubts about the basis of her identity, and her misguided attempts to be "socially acceptable", she wasn't exactly stable.
Then, of course, Akimi realized what she was doing. In her effort to be more collected and accepting and rational, she was allowing herself to be completely dominated by her emotions, she was losing control over her actions, she was insulting and attacking a fellow shinobi, she was being exactly what she was trying not to be, she was being overcome by a headache from clenching her teeth, she was tasting blood in her mouth from clenching them around the inside of her lip, she was--
She was a mess. A confused whimper and payment for her breakfast were the only things Masuyo Akimi left in the Chahitsu House of Tea on that rainy morning.
In her apartment, for the first time in years, Masuyo Akimi's pillow was smattered with tears.
[Special Jounin • Kumogakure no Sato • Masuyo Akimi • Points Achieved: 17]
[Genin • Konohagakure no Sato • Takara Sayuri • Points Achieved: 18]
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Deleted User
[Graded]Blind Date?
((You are right of course, my RP rust is showing =P It's not like he couldn't have released it though, even though he's bad against genjutsu doesn't make him an idiot. No biggie. Anyways, let's wrap this up.))
Hikari only sat there as Akimi unleashed a wave of verbal assault upon him. He could take it, he knew that, even though it upset him a little. He had endured worse, yes, but at the same time he had been hoping to make a positive impression on one of the village's younger elites, and that much had failed. He sighed. You are different then you used to be, Hikari, but maybe there's a little bit of the old you still alive, that reviled misanthrope just waiting to see the light of day.
Akimi rose and stormed out of the tea house. Hikari did not say a word, bat a deformed eye, or move a muscle not involved in the mechanical process of tea-to-mouth. I guess this closes the book on Masuyo Akimi. An over-emotional, self-centered prima donna. He could envision a time and place in which their meeting could have gone much smoother, and he hoped that one day he would see her in a better light. She'll have to earn that, he thought silently to himself, She already had her chance to come off positively, and she failed.
The clock in Chahitsu struck 7:30. Hikari had to get a move on. He needed to go home, change, and prepare for the day's work. He finished off his tea, leaving only the dirty, green tea leaves at the bottom like a pile of rotting corpses. He sighed to himself. Women. Who needs 'em? He knew that what he had done in his past life meant he could never truly have the network of friends some people had. Personally, he was fine with peace, but he hoped that other encounters didn't go as bad as this one. He nodded to the waiter, paid, tipped generously to make up for his "friend", and left the tea house without a word.
Hikari only sat there as Akimi unleashed a wave of verbal assault upon him. He could take it, he knew that, even though it upset him a little. He had endured worse, yes, but at the same time he had been hoping to make a positive impression on one of the village's younger elites, and that much had failed. He sighed. You are different then you used to be, Hikari, but maybe there's a little bit of the old you still alive, that reviled misanthrope just waiting to see the light of day.
Akimi rose and stormed out of the tea house. Hikari did not say a word, bat a deformed eye, or move a muscle not involved in the mechanical process of tea-to-mouth. I guess this closes the book on Masuyo Akimi. An over-emotional, self-centered prima donna. He could envision a time and place in which their meeting could have gone much smoother, and he hoped that one day he would see her in a better light. She'll have to earn that, he thought silently to himself, She already had her chance to come off positively, and she failed.
The clock in Chahitsu struck 7:30. Hikari had to get a move on. He needed to go home, change, and prepare for the day's work. He finished off his tea, leaving only the dirty, green tea leaves at the bottom like a pile of rotting corpses. He sighed to himself. Women. Who needs 'em? He knew that what he had done in his past life meant he could never truly have the network of friends some people had. Personally, he was fine with peace, but he hoped that other encounters didn't go as bad as this one. He nodded to the waiter, paid, tipped generously to make up for his "friend", and left the tea house without a word.