[Graded]The Moonlight Punks

[Serene Winter]

Uncomfortably inconsistent sleeping schedules are a specialty of Daggers, and tonight is no exception. While most shinobi that are up are only out there and about for patrols, she instead opted to ignore the need to sleep and go outside to read. A small hand lantern and manga in hand, she brought her way outside to take a stroll through the lamplit streets, enjoying the cool breeze brushing past her gorgeous, fluffy blonde hair, and basking in the invigorating glows of moonlight from above. Tonight had a full moon hanging in the grimdark skies, so even without the village's provided lights, it would have been easy to get to the park with no need for extra help. No one other than one patrolling ninja passed her on the way towards her destination, and when she does inevitably reach her desired end point, she enters its simply decorated entrance and smiles slyly to herself, anticipation building up to the favorite part of her night. No one around, a crisp, fresh air to breathe all by herself, a comfy book, a gentle stillness... all while hanging upside down on her favorite tree.

Yep, that's right. She gets to a tree tucked away in the corner of the park, and does a simple gymnastic styled backflip to hoist herself up on a suitably strong branch to hold herself up with, using her strong leg and thigh muscles to support her weight. Her hair dangles behind her head and to the sides, but since it isn't too long, it doesn't obscure her vision much, letting her easily hold her book in front of her face. The lantern she brought with her has just enough light to shine, and she hangs it on a stick that she herself had attached to the tree, made from her own Wood Release. Since this is a spot she frequents, she modified it in that way to make easier for herself for future visits. Settling in a cozy position, her toes wiggling and her plush thighs firmly squeezed around her branch, she begins reading her manga of the day to herself, happy to relax on such an amazing night. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

What she doesn't know is that she isn't going to be alone tonight. Or did she know? A bit of ways into her session, a bat she has come to know and love perches on the branch beside her lantern, and it greets her with a twitch of its ears before merely resting beside her, letting her pet them if she so wished. This was fine, and she reaches over to idly scritch the top of its head as she mumbles the words of her manga, as though acting out the character's lines in real time, and making her sound effects to go with it. It helped her pass the time in a more entertaining way, when all she has is the cricket chirps harmonizing in the area around her. "Mm, I should really get someone to read to me again... then I wouldn't have to do it..."

[Sia]

The kinslayer of the Ishiguro awoke frightfully early in her bed at the Inn. She rolled over, her long grey hair swishing about. Cros put her hair up in a bun as she stood by the mirror, then carefully selected her outfit for the day. She wondered what the third student she had been assigned would be like, and, truthfully, she still didn't know terribly much about Chiaki. Kirari she had worked with before, here and there, and grown quiet close over time, but, the addition of a proper Konoha ninja to the team was an interesting development. She was quite surprised, really, that she had been asked to lead a team of mixed shinobi. Some from Kumogakure, some from Konoha, it was an interesting development she supposed.

She went over her notes, reading over the little bingo book of sorts she had been given by an ANBU member that had encountered her before on the battlefield and was thankful they would no longer be enemies, though, Cros did not recognize them at all. Of course the mask did help with the anonymity of it all. One was a senju, one was a medic, and one was...a wildcard....Interesting...

Cros made her way around the town in the dark of the early, early morning. Or was it the late, late night? She walked with one hand on her sword's handle, discretely and silently making her way through the trees of the village as she honed in on Daggers' location. She would seek them out first, she had been informed they had a rather....unique sleeping schedule, and, was surprised to find them hanging upside down from a tree. She clasped her hands together and one of Kirari's moths landed on her hands. "This isn't a bad spot actually." She said and the moth shot out from her hands to go find Kirari and Chiaki.

"Hello there, we haven't met yet, but, I have been assigned to be your squad leader for a little while. We're going to be in a new unit, a mixture of Konoha and Kumogakure shinobi that comes together to form a fearsome strike team. Do you often hang upside from trees?" Cros said then thought on it and added. "Oh, my apologies, where are my manners....I am Ishiguro, Cros, the Kinslayer." Somewhere, further away, Kirari was likely receiving the moth back into the swarm and being alerted that Cros was calling her for the meeting. She figured Chiaki would be in her vicinity, but if not, she wouldn't exactly be surprised.

[Kanade]

Chiaki was asleep, in a fitful, shallow sleep when the moth flitted around her ear and then landed on Kirari, blinking blue and green. She groaned and placed a hand over Kirari's arm, pulling it tighter over her, "What does the little bug say?" she mumbled aloud to Kirari, keeping her eyes firmly shut and stretching, her toes curling as her back arched, then snuggled back into Kirari. She was enjoying a bit of a snooze, fully clothed, after spending the evening with Kirari. Chiaki had enjoyed lounging with the darker, more colourful kunoichi in a room they had found.

"Is it Cros at this hour?" She grumbled, pouting and then let out a boneshaking sigh with another long and languid stretch, "What does she want at this hour?" Chiaki wasn't ready for a mission, nor was she ready to do anything but lounge. She had chosen a too-big sleeveless tee that was hanging loosely over some shorts, and was sans any other clothing. She snuggled in a bit closer to Kirari, "I know she's our team lead and all but-" She was cut off by an ear-splitting yawn and a rub to one of her eyes, "I was just enjoying winding down with you. Is it urgent?"

[Serene Winter]

Daggers was getting onto a particularly good part of her choice of manga, until the bat she's been hanging out with pretty much got the hell out of dodge in response to the approach of Cros. She wasn't exactly trying to hide after all, so the keen senses of the flying mammal kicked in, got it scared, and sent them fluttering away into the night. Startled by such an event occurring, the young woman puts away her book to start scanning the surrounding area with confusion etched into her features, wondering who'd possibly be around at this time of night. It wasn't entirely unexpected for a person to have the same idea as her, but she hasn't ran into anyone for about a year or so in the park at night, or at least no one that she's noticed. The guards that patrol at night were always much more quiet when they roamed, in order not to scare off potential enemies and friends alike. So when her eyes finally meet with the Kinslayer themselves, she could only tilt her head and cross her arms, her chest puffed out slightly to combine well with her pout. They did just scare off her little bat friend, after all.

Squad leader? Kumogakure? Kinslayer? The woman felt bombarded by the amount of information this supposed leader expedited, and she had to take a moment to consider the implications. Now, not only did she get forced into a job by headquarters to be under the Hokage himself, but also she's getting put into a team? With people that weren't even a part of her village, no less? Outrageous is more like she'd call it. She was tired of being shoved into all this crazy, effort inducing work. This wasn't great, nor was it kosher, and she wasn't going to have it. Not that she has a choice... but that didn't mean she had to take it lying down. Hanging indignantly on her branch, like a lazing sloth or maybe even a koala bear, she glares quietly at Cros as she examines her, not really giving a single iota of the title that Cros has. What matters is where Daggers came into the situation.

"Yes, I hang from trees a lot. It helps me think and relax. Do you often have visits here? Since I've never seen you in my entire life, that's for sure. Anyway, do you have documents that prove you're my leader now? 'Cause I'd rather not have to be hustled into even more pointless bull, thank you. Headquarters really needs to get better at telling me what the hell is going on with my schedules, for the love of the Gods..." From there she grumbles uselessly, but at least she isn't being outright hostile, and only asking for proof. That's actually quite sensible, given the girl's reputation for being lazy, according to the small reports Cros may or may not have, or perhaps she got rumors instead. Regardless, she waits for an answer.

[Sia]

The Kinslayer chuckled to herself heartily and visibly relaxed. "No, no documentation I'm afraid. I am not a Konoha shinobi, so we're putting together a little joint Kumo & Konoha team to see how it goes. Truthfully...I didn't particularly want to be assigned a team but I have a vested interest in protecting one of the erm... younger members." Cros said casually and took a few steps closer. "As for whether I come here often, no, no, I can't say that I do, as I said, I am not from around here." She gestured around. "Who better than to teach me all the nooks and crannies of the village than the aspiring youth."

Elsewhere, Kirari was mumbling and muttering to herself about having been woken up too early and had little patience for Cros' early morning antics, but, she stumbled out of bed anyway. "We're having a meeting today apparently," Kirari had said in regards to the message from her moth. "Well...A gathering, I suppose. They don't quite use the word meeting, really." A chuckle escaped her lips and she eyed Chiaki up and down in their room together. Butterflies had been a recent addition to all of the things that had already made Chiaki beautiful but now... Now she had become more akin to Kirari herself. She wondered just how much she had to do with that, what with her moths and all, but, she supposed she should be flattered either way.

After all, it wasn't often that someone took a liking to a monster such as herself, how could she not be flattered that Chiaki didn't find her repulsive, that Chiaki didn't think she was a monster? How perfectly, perfectly sound of the world to bring the two of them together in the way that it had. Still, the day was young and Kirari wouldn't have time in the morning for giving in to her primal and carnal desires. Though her eyes lingered against Chiaki's flesh, she shook the thoughts from her mind. "Better see what Cros wants then, I'd rather not keep her waiting dear." Kirari said finally. "You about ready to head out?"

When Chiaki was ready, the two of them would set out and track the moth back to Cros' location.

Cros, meanwhile, had taken to sitting in the grass across from Daggers and drawing in her notebook. "What type of things have you been thinking about up there?" Cros asked Daggers up in the tree.

[Kanade]

“Meeting today my arse.” Chiaki grumbled, “Why the heck are we doing a meeting this late.” She looked at the clock and amended, “This early, I mean.”

“Gathering, meeting whatever.” Chiaki climbed out of her clothes and into her Gi, then Kirari chuckled at her, “Hmm? Do I have my shirt on backwards?” She looked down, and then looked at her rump, and then shrugged, “What?”

“Alright, alright, why are we meeting at this hour I wonder.” She grumbled at the prodding from Kirari, “Certainly don’t want to keep her waiting, she is the one that warned me about Maido after all. I have learned to listen to her, but still.” She made a rather annoyed look to finish the sentence.

Away and across the rooftops they flew, well, they ran. Chiaki hadn’t been able to get the hang of flying with her butterflies yet, and they weren’t strong enough to let her fly with them either, but that was something that she was going to remedy soon, should the little buggers actually want to work once, rather than flitting about hither and thither and just playing around.

Chiaki and Kirari landed a couple minutes after the moth had reached them, Chiaki giving a rather ‘resting bitch-face’ look to the two women. “I’m up, what?” Was how she decided to greet Cros.

[Serene Winter]

So this 'Cros' person - who admittedly had a very scary self-proclaimed title - not only had to gall to go up to her and tell her she was part of a team of mismatched shinobi, but that she didn't even have the documentation to prove it? At this point, she could feel herself getting quite furious, and yet when she felt her arms shaking, she winced in pain from the nerves in her right arm. That was a subtle reminder that she needed to be more careful. She's alone, and there was no one in the village that would help her, save her parents at least, but they're on the other side of town as far as she knows. Regardless of the legitimacy stemming from the Kumogakure kunoichi's claims, she had to follow along until she figured out a way to detach from the group that's supposedly forming. Closing her book with a small but somewhat adorable scowl, she puts the manga in her backpack and crosses her arms, shooting a glare and a pout at the 'Kinslayer'. "Fine, sure, whatever. I'm not showing you squat unless it's important, though. As for your jurisdiction over me... you aren't allowed to take me outside of Fire Country's borders, got it? My new job needs me to be available at any moment's notice, and I don't even have an abundance of experience out on the field."

Silence most likely falls upon the two for a while, and she takes this time to analyze Cros' appearance and special features as much as she possibly can. This is so obvious to spot, but she makes no attempts to hide her sizing up, and she seems to be skilled at doing so while upside down. From what Daggers can see, her new leader was downed in long silver hair, which perfectly contrasts her fair skin. Though smaller than her in height, it's clear she made up for it in terms of muscle, which she at least found quite appealing to say the least. Her weapon of choice was presumably a katana, which looked simple from the scabbard's design, though she'd have to see it in action to know anything more about it. Finally, she notices the stud piercing on her bottom lip, which she definitely gave points to for fashion sense. At the very least, the woman seemed to take great care in her appearance.

Their last question rouses Daggers from her thoughts, and she grumbles slightly as she responds in kind, bluntly and to the point. Might as well not lie. "You're pretty. That's what I was thinking of. If I weren't so annoyed with you right now, I'd consider asking you out on a date, since that's something I'd rather do right now then talk about some stupid Genin squad. No offense, of course, I'm sure whoever followed you here is like, competent and stuff... I just don't want to have to deal with it. I'm finally getting closer to having a more consistent life, then all of a sudden, this turns up, you know? Kinda fucks with you." Unintentionally opening up, she turns her gaze to the side and shrugs to herself, a light growl leaving her trembling lips. "I won't be very helpful anyway. Even if I tried."

[Sia]

Cros listened intently to Daggers for a while and validated some of their concerns. "No worries. We're just going to be doing some simple training excercises, we won't even need to leave the village anytime soon, or perhaps even ever, realistically." The Realm Wrecker smiled at Daggers. "Well, if it makes you feel any better you're not too bad on the eyes yourself." And left it at that. Kirari and Chiaki had joined them then finally and Cros waved towards the two of them. "Hello you two, it is good to see you again." Cros said gingerly before she sat down cross-legged in the grass before them.

For a moment she was silent, simply examining the three of them as her hand rested on the handle of her sword tucked away in its sheath. She let down her silver hair and swished it a bit and breathed in deeply, listening to the sounds of the three of them. She listened to their breathing, she listened to the flutter of their moths and butterflies, she listened to the bugs of the forest that were still rampant and lively at any given time of the day and though it were still quite dark she found it calming and peaceful.

"I have been ordered to prepare you for war." Cros said finally and quite bluntly. "So, we are going to go through a few training simulations and I doubt you will like all of them, but they are for your benefit after all...But, that being said, I'm not going to just throw you to the wolves, so, let's start by getting to know each other a little better, hmmm?" Her expression became less grim as the neared the end of the sentence. "Tell me your names, a little of what you're capable of, what type of things you like to do for fun, that type of things scare or annoy you, and how much you don't want to be awake right now."

Kirari stared at Cros in bewilderment. "I'd rather be asleep I think actually. I thought it was supposed to rain today."

"Oh it is, its definitely going to rain on us once we start the first training."

Kirari groaned.

[Kanade]

Chiaki jumped out the window, deciding to make the other two wait just a while as she lazily hopped from rooftop to rooftop. She had wanted to make sure that she wasn’t unkind nor rude to her squad leader but it was not her first choice of what to do tonight. Snuggling with Kirari on a warm couch was oodles better than training, always had been always would be. She gave a brief smile to her lover as she continued on towards the pre-determined meeting point, landing just as a peal of thunder crashed overhead punctuated by a flash of lightning, turning the place where the four were supposed to rendezvous darker for a split moment as Chiaki’s eyes readjusted.

She smoothed out her skirt and bit down on a hair tie that she had been messing with on the way there, looking up with her eyes at the couple of people in the tree as she tucked her neck and ran her fingers four or five times through her tangled mess she called hair. She had obviously dressed in a hurry, and as she worked the hair-tie with her hands she let her newly made ponytail flick out to the side with the movement her hand made from dislodging itself from the now tamed tangled mess of red to her hip. She looked the petulant mid-twenty year old, her orange eyes rather frustrated with being brought out in what soon would be-

And just as Kirari had thought it would it started raining. She opened her mouth to say something but then shut it, feeling rather like a feline caught out of doors in the rain, she sulked, and the huffy facade melted into pure grump.