Starring:
Date: December 4, 2011
Summary:
Naru is out and about, and runs into a mysterious stranger who surpisingly has all the answers she had been craving… Its here she starts a new destiny with the help of Ryoji.
"Learning the Name, New Adventure"
Konohagakure Lake
For Naru it was just another day of training, keeping to herself and away from her team for a few days, though not entirely too far away from home Naru decided to go on an exbhition of enlightenment to see how much stronger she could get on her own. For now she was dressed in rather light clothing, what seemed to be just a pair of pants and shirt, she remained barefooted and headbandless for the most part. Sitting next to the water with her toes poking along the surface of the water she let out a tired sigh keeping her eyes closed, remaining in a meditative state.
The day iitself was radiant and serene, the sun looming high in the air as a sweet zephyr lightly stroked the area.
"Tippy Toe, Nice'n easy, neh?", Ryoji whispered calmly as he slipped quietly through Miati Forest with a single minded purpose: Find the man responsible for last night's debacle. To that end, Ryoji made sure to slip away at daybreak with a but a note for his student. Along the way a peculiar scent gives him pause. The scent of an unknown human. "Hmmm… I trap perhaps?", Ryoji whispered as he changed course immediatly…
Five Minutes Later..
"Confident must you be, to stand alone admist these trees…. Who you be? And why need the stray so close to the greatest of dangers, Edo?~", The Iga singsongs airly as he walked out into the open. "… Koni.. no… Mornin to ya, neh? Edo"
Naru didnt say anything at first, she wasn't that alarmed by the other's presence, if anything it was enough for her to slowly slip her toes from out of the water to cross them neatly like a pretzel before turning the corner of her eye to him, taking in his form she couldn't help but let out a sigh.
" I'm looking for someone that likes to hang out in the wilderness, while at the same time train my abilities… The depths and edges of the forest are dangerous but also allow the best enviorment for training," Naru states while tilting her head as she watched him. " What about you? What are you doing out here?" she questioned back, her pumpkin hue'd eyes glistening slightly while brushing a few strains of raven black hair out of her eyes.
"So the rumor hasn't reached beyond Kodama? Edo…" Ryoji thinks aloud then shakes his head negatively before continuing on. "..No, that place was its death bed of course." The Iga nods lightly before his attention seems to focus back on Naru. "… I am merely a man of a people, and a traveler as well, Edo." Ryoji finally replies as he draws back the hood of his cloak and smiles brightly. "Being.. what I am. I wander the wilderness quite often so… am I the one you seek?", He inquires curiously as his hands are drawn behind and folded over one another.
"… Hmmm… Training in the forest… Ae you an apprentice to a hunter?"
Carefully Naru began to examine hime form afar though she knew very well that this person wasn't who she was looking for, right in his speech there would have been a different greeting if he was the one… Once more she began to shake her head, not out of spite but simply over the fact to explain that he wasn't the one she was looking for. " Unfortunately you seem to fit the description of him… He looks quite a bit different from you actually, wears shady clothing, doesn't seem to get a lot of sun.. Stuff like that," she says with alight grin, she didnt think he would be able to help much with who she was looking for…
"No not a hunters apprentice… I'm a kunoichi from Konoha… So being out here isn't too much of a problem for me you know?" She brings up with a smile before arching an eyebrow at him, he seemed to have a pretty warm and bubbling personality. " A wandering traveler? Do you hail from any place in particular? I bet you've been everywhere…"
Ryoji listens attentively and as still as a statue until Naru had spoken her peace. "A Kunoichi of, konoha?", He states more than questions with his head canted to the side. Then starts to rub his chin thoughtfully as he began to appraoch Naru casually. ".. Insufficient unless you be at least chunnin rank.. but then again, you've lucked out so far in here.", Ryoji states mysteriously. "… I hail from an abyss of pure white within the Land of Wind.. and you would be correct in a matter of speaking, I -have- been to quite a few places.. but not everywhere." He emits simply in passing, only to halt at the edge of the river. "… Similiar but pale… Is that all you have to go by in your search? Or do you dare not mention more out of fear?", Ryoji inquires.
Naru would keep her rank silent for now, then again this particular individual seemed to not be very aggressive, it would be enough to cause her to smile lightly and simply nod her head, though it seemed like he was curious just as much as she was, if this guy moved around a lot maybe she could possibly know more about him. "Well it seems like you may want to help me out a little bit so I might have a bit more information for you.. " Naru then slowly rises to her feet, taking light steps forward to move closer to the individual, she remained to have a least some sort of distance, mostly to protect herself if he was to try something, but she remained faithful. "he has medium length black hair… Eyes as black as obsidian… He is highly formidable with katana based techniques…And he knows a little bit of fire style jutsu as wel… What else… Do you know anything about tha takojin? Or was it takujin? Something that." She went on to say, seeing if her description would give her any sort of feed back.
.
"Takokujin." Ryoji states bluntly and abruptly after a few moments of silent chin rubbing. "How interesting… I truly would not have suspected that Uchiha Tessen, the bodyguard and if need be, the hunter for the leader of /that/ particular orginization, would…." He continues at first in that same nonchalant tone of voice without so much of a glance towards Naru; but just as abruptly as he spoke up, Ryoji trailed off into silence once more. "… Ah, I see.", He whispers before doing a quick heel turn and face the girl. "… You pursue him to right a wrong most likely yes? Or better yet.. *chuckles*.. in the pursuit of more power, neh?", Ryoji inquires, offering a small smile afterwards.
"So very worrying, so interesting indeed, Edo.."
"Uchiha Tessen? Is that who he is? What exactly is the Takokujin? Who is Uchha Tessen?" Naru quickly began to perk up in the search for answes, her eyes lit up as Ryoji spoke, it would come quite apparent that she was heavily interested in what he had to say. she kept a serious look on her face as she motioned just a little bit closer. " I'm not here to proof him right or wrong or search for power… I want to know of his story so I can finally talk to him on the same level…" Naru spoke softly, crossing her arms along one another. " I want to know what it is that has caused this man to shy away from society…"
Ryoji was caught off guard by Naru's sudden change in mood. But her questions… Her questions caused pain to flare up in the Iga's chest, evident visibly by a hand pressed over his heart after pitching sharply forward. His breathing to for a few moments became labored and his legs almost gave out under him. HOwever just as quickly as the strange symptoms began to flare up within the Iga, all of it disappated…
"….. Aah.. I, see… Hmmm… The Takokujin, as their name implies, are a loose band of… travelers. As for who Tessen himself is.." Ryoji merely shrugged after slowly pulling himself up into a more stable standing position. "… *eye narrows*… You are curious about him.. for you have a crush on him?", Ryoji asks, but by tone it seemed more like a statement.
"Are you okay?" Naru questioned, she seemed to quickly move for his side to keep him upright if need be, though Naru kept her eyes on him, giving them a good staring as she sought his information…She finally had a lead she couldn't have the guy dying on her at the mention of the name… Though as he regained his composure and spoke once more her cheeks quickly became that of swollen red, shaking her head quickly. " What a crush on him? No no no.." She quickly adverted, though it did cause her to think on things… She ahd seen him once in a rather…exposed condition
. " Have you ever had a time in your life when you would see someone one to many times to not know there name? And you think that perhaps you should know of this person?" she questioned him curiously, trying to give him the reason. " I'm impressed with his powers and finnese and his blade… I had no idea he would be an Uchiha also though… He didnt even use his sharingan in our fight…" She spoke softly under her breath… Curiosity began to swell within her…Wondering just how capable he might be…
"Deep in my heart I feel like I should know him, meeting him wasn't just chance…thats why I wish to persue him…"
Ryoji needed no eyes to 'sense' that his teasing had got the best of Naru even if only for a moment. A Useful bit of information best left for later…
"Me thinks the lady protest too little?", Ryoji says in mock confusion, then quickly shakes head negatively before folding his hands behind him. Once more content to listen quietly as a statue as Naru explians herself. At the same time the Iga's focus becomes splintered for a few minutes thanks to a few of his 'sentries' being manipulated to fringes of underbrush. "…. If he did not use it then should it not be obvious why?", He asks, headcanted once more to the side before with a shrug, he turns away. "….. Nonetheless… I understand.. *sighs*… How far are you willing to go to pursue him?", Ryoji asks blandly, his expression completely devoid of any emotion..
Naru blinked for the moment, tilting her head to head to the side she actualy began to grown a little curious also… Why was it that Tessen didn't use his sharingan on her? What need would he have to give her any sort of mercy? For now she simply just shrugged her shoulders. "He didnt need to use his sharingan on me… he was able to defeat me with the butt of his sword.." Naru explained, almost hesitantly… She was a bit disgusted with her weakness… But she was making up for it, all she needed was time. " I'm out here all alone in the wilderness looking for him… I'm willing to push the envelope to find him again…"
G
Ryoji merely nodded in silent agreement, and almost let out a cackle if not for the more sensible part of his mind 'request' that no such action being taken. Bothersome thing it was… but a side of himself wouldn't trade in for the world and a pocket knife if offered. "I see… If that is the case..", Ryoji, folds his hands behind his head and started to walk along the river. "I can only recommend following in my shadow for a time since.. *headshakes negatively*… Let's just say, your chances of finding him would be easier that way…. Unless you prefer leaving the search to luck once again? Or *snickers*.. should I say, you prefer the 'challenge' of hunting him down alone, neh?"
Naru blinked for a moment at his offer, was he really going to be able to get in touch with Tessen? She peered around for the moment taking a look at her form for the moment… All she really had was the clothes on her back, was she really going to go off and wander with Ryoji for now? While he began to walk along the river Naru jumped to the occasion and began to follow after him, " So just shadow over you and I can find him? How do you know so much anyways?" She questions him curiously, crossing her arms aong one another it seemed like she would be gone for awhile… It was a good thing she didnt have any missions lined up…
While Ryoji was able to keep his expression blank throughout most of Naru's 'interrogation'. The last one brings out a small so wide out of the Iga that his face literally looks liked it had been parted in half. "As a shadow and not my true companion, all I can is this to the last one dear… Hmm… We never truly exchanged names did we now?", Ryoji asked offhandily, stroking his chin a few times before shrugging lamely and returning his hand behind his back. "So I'll start then, I am Ryoji no Wakahisa… and as for how I know so much?… *snorts*… It is in my blood to know so much yet so little." He answers in a matter-of-fact kinda tone before half-turning his head back towards the younger girl. "And yes, you are to shadow me. Rather or not you choose to do so openly or not though is… of little concern to me."
"Ah. In which case, I shall call you Naru-hime then!", Ryoji said cheerful as he turned back to 'watch' where he was going. "Hn.. I wouldn't have even suggested 'openly' shadowing me if it was gonna be a problem now would I?", He adds curiously before begining to whistle lowly off-tune as he awaited Naru's reply to his first question. Just as soon as she does or enough time had passed in silence, then and only then would the Iga stop whistling long enough to toss out another statement that had begun to scratch the back of his brain relentlessly. "…. Your parents… They must honestly really trust you or… not care all that much for you to be so 'quick' in trying to hunt this guy down."
"My family understands that im a shinobi now, and I don't need to be home all the time.. I can take care of my self, there are some things I have to do," She replied back to him, allowing her arms to flow down along her sides while letting out a soft yawn. "You can leave that worrying to me, after all Im just a shadow right?" She replied to him, a little be winced that he decidd to call her Naru-hime…Either way it would work for now until she figured things out. " I will try to stay out of your way…"
Ryoji narrowed his eyes as he opened his mouth to interject when Naru first started to speak; but quickly shut it again, shaking his head negatively. As soon as Naru finishes however, Ryoji is quick to do an about face without breaking pace. "You need not worry on my account about getting in the way Naru-hime… *chin rubs*… In fact, I encourage it! That way over the course of our little journey for after your dark knight in shining black clothes won't seem so boring at times, neh?……. By the way, do you happen to know something about a woman by the name of Moriko? Or perhaps, Ei, though she be a young lass much like yourself." He asks, chuckling lightly soon afterwards albiet with very actually little mirth in it.
"Ei…That name sounds familiar… Though unfortunately thats the only name that seems to cross my mind… I met with Ei only briefly.." Naru states with a smile, though she is quite interested in the fact that Ryoji doesnt seem to mind her getting in the way with whatever he was probably going to get himself into… it was a change of pace… Tessen himself was very distant while this guy… was just interesting… " Why do you ask anyways? Are you here for something also?"
"Honestly?", Ryoji asked as he folded his hands behind his head and looked up to the sky. "… Well, the former is more out of.. curiosity." He snickers, drawing his eyes back down on Naru. "As for the later well… I suppose I should be frank about that as well. She will also be traveling along with us as my… student..hmm.. yes, student. Which is in fact part of the reason why /we/ are here in the first place.. *chuckles*.. Though things did kinda went awry last night… Very much so….", Ryoji explains. His tone gradually changing from light and carefree to heavy and… weary?
"Another person following huh?" She questioned while crossing her arms along one another, it didnt bother her much.. As long as she got what she wanted in the end everything was fine. For now she smiled and nodded her head once more while following along. " Im pretty sure finding her won't be a hard thing to do… I will follow along with you until I find… Uchiha Tessen…Theres no harm in that…" She says with a smile, they seemed to have their mission set for now….
