Starring:
Date: Unknown (log received January 14, 2015)
Summary:
The wanderings of Jinchuuriki draw to an end upon an icy path upon which a Shirayuki rests…
"Meeting the Slug Prince"
Ice Path [Kirigakure]
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Pathway spreads towards the north growing colder and colder until the winds dominate over the heat. For some odd reason the green of the bushes and trees show hints of ice at patches, the further one wanders down this path the more hints of ice are noted until the area is totally enveloped by a thick combination of ice and snow, this strange occurrence can only mean that the entrance to the Shirayuki territory is not far from here.
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It's early in the morning. Far too early for anyone sane to be up, but who said the inhabitants of Kirigakure were sane? A young Shirayuki is standing off the path that leads from her home to the main village, lying down in the snow with little to no regard for her health. Apparently she doesn't mind the cold… The young girl hmms as she tries to summon her chakra to attempt the transformation technique again, grumbling when it only partly affects the stone that's in her hand.
"Even earlier today," Kazumi mutters to himself, emitting a sigh.
'Stop whining and I'll be more lenient.'
A groan comes from the young man as he wanders up the path. He was walking around randomly, not particularly paying attention to where he was going… but boy is it especially cold in this part of the village…
Looking up, he takes note of someone else on the path and blinks in surprise. Then he actually recognizes her and tilts his head slightly. She's still working on it, huh?
"Shirayuki-ch-chan," he emits, rather quiet.
Tsubaki blinks, sitting up to see Kazumi. He looks and sounds even more lame in the cold… Maybe he's not as lame in the field, though? Hopefully. Though as a student, /she's/ not really one to talk. "You're… Umm… Suzuki-san?" she asks, tilting her head. The name was escaping her. But that sounded right. "Are you cold?" is her next question. A lame one, at that… She dusts some of the snow from her hair, gripping the stone a bit tighter. She doesn't want to show off the fact that she still can't really do the 'Henge' technique.
The pink-haired teen nods his head. "H-Hai," he tells her. At least he wasn't /too/ forgettable. It didn't matter that it was his surname she recalled. Kazumi blinks at the other question and reaches up to scratch his cheek. "Y-yeah… I am, b-but it's n-not an issue." He opens his mouth, starting to ask what she's doing, but he thinks better of it and looks at his feet. "Am I i-interrupting?"
Kiyoshi barely suppressed a yawn in time to keep from being rude. 'Oh wait… I'm alone right now' He thought with his lips twisted into crooked and tired smile. Despite his fatigue Kiyoshi had every intention of fishing at Mist Lake if the fishing rod strapped to his back wasn't clear enough. But he was in need of a side-path to avoid heavier foot traffic, so the Ice Path it was.
Just as another tired yawn was ready to slip out, the Moto found himself muffling it upon seeing a familiar duo ahead. Vaguely familiar, in any case. The pink-haired one earned a rumbling in his skull that made the titan even more curious about him in particular. But it is the smallest one that gave him physical pause on the path some few meters away. "This… this isn't good." He murmurs.
"No, you're fine.." Tsubaki says. Yes, Kazumi is interrupting… "I was just relaxing," she continues. With all the snow freed from her hair, minus the flakes still falling, she looks up at the sky. "I thought it would be pretty to sit and watch the snow fall. They're like stars, but closer," she explains. She was also hoping the cold would help her focus.
Kiyoshi soon comes into view. As a blob in the distance, really, but… It was a familiar blob… Something that poked her memory of the recent past and sparked a hint of fear in her… But she shakes her head a bit to get rid of that feeling, focusing instead on Kazumi. "So… Why aren't you wearing warmer clothes if you're cold and knew you would be up here?" she asks the pink-haired man.
'Hmm…'
Kazumi's brows furrowed slightly at the mental distraction as the inner voice seemed curious about something… something entirely different. The boy ignored it, not noticing Kiyoshi as he focused his attention on the Shirayuki. He chooses to believe her words, but still murmurs, "S-sorry." When she asks about the clothing, he just looks at her in surprise before looking down at himself. "Um… I d-didn't actually p-plan to come here. I j-just… wandered."
'Genius…'
Kiyoshi managed to become a statue once Tsubaki's gaze seemed to fall on her. When nothing else seems to come of the look beyond a headshake, the Kirryu gulped, then proceeded closer. He owed her more than an apology, and yet he was uncertain how to repay the debt. Truthfully, it remained a possiblity that she mistook him for another. The thought brought with it the momentary hope that he had jumped to conclusions in thinking Tsubaki was the same little girl from before. As he drew closer however, the familiarity of her scent made it clear that he hoped in vain.
He fiddled with his overcoat during the last few feet, wondering in hindsight if he should've ditched the cleavers strapped to his side. "Uhm… He-…. Hello." He sayswith feigned confidence and a brief hand wave.
Just wandered… "Umm… Wandering up here with no coat is a bad idea," states Tsubaki. Of course, she wasn't one to talk, but she was used to the cold. It was her nature, even (literally?). Then Kiyoshi comes over. She has no scent to tell him from now or then, nor can she figure out why she is unsettled by his approach. But he's a completely normal person, isn't he? The girl frowns thoughtfully, though it may seem she's frowning at Kiyoshi… "Hello," she says back, probably sounding a bit rude unintentionally.
"Wandering a-anywhere in K-Kiri is a bad idea," Kazumi both agrees and argues. When he hears the voice of someone else… and a male voice at that, the pink-haired boy actually jumps. Perfect Kiri nin! Showing a bit of panic with a droplet of sweat and cheeks tinging pink, he looks over at Kiyoshi with wide eyes. "H-h-hello," he responds.
Again, a soft hum from within him makes his brows furrow slightly as he looks at the other male.
The Jinchuuriki cringes at the greeting, but doesn't fault her for it. Frankly, it was more than he could hope for, though admittedly not at all what he expected to happen after there first meeting. Perhaps there was hope for them yet?
The nervous air about the Kirryu seems to abruptly dissipate after Kazumi's greeting. Something about the girl's (boy's?) greeting had resonated with him, prompting Kiyoshi to perk up and regard the pink-haired one more closely. "… I… I wanted to apologize about the day before." He says, gradually lowering his gaze back to Tsubaki. "What happened before… I would like to pay you back for what happened." He finishes, regarding Tsubaki pointedly now with a determined look.
Well, that confirmed something that will likely make Kiyoshi's life a bit more difficult… Tsubaki, while she had a feeling, didn't realizing that the Kirryu was, in fact, the monster she had seen in the gardens. "Wait, what? You- … The other day…" She furrows her brow, thinking back to that encounter. In fact, she's so focused on puzzling this mystery out that she ends up ignoring poor nervous Kazumi! "So… What exactly are you, then, if you were able to turn into…" She struggles to find the words, then gives up. "Whatever that was?"
It was okay, really. Kazumi doesn't even seem to realize he was ignored. He just listens to this exchange and then blinks. What's this about… turning into something? There's a look of concern more than worry or tension as he gazes at Kiyoshi.
'Fascinating… Hey… I think it's about time you took a break,' the voice in Kazumi's head suggests, causing a confused noise to escape the boy's mouth. "Uh, sorry," he emits, standing there and seeming… much less nervous for some reason.
Kiyoshi could feel another cringe coming along. Thankfully, the urge is restrained, if albeit only just. The question that followed on the other hand elicited such surprise out of the Moto that he is struck silent. "You… don't know?"
It is only after he asked the question that he felt silly for having done so. While it was clear that a great deal of villagers either suspected or knew what he was now thanks to his previous antics, it did not mean that /all/ knew; especially children. At most they may have been told just to stay away from the Kirryu, not actual information that could lead to their 'removal' by the arm of the Mizukage. Speaking of which, telling Tsubaki anything put her at risk as well. But he owed her…
"If I explain, know that you'll never be able to breathe a word about it." He regards Kazumi briefly. At least that was intended, though Kiyoshi had to do a double-take. Something had changed in the pink-haired one. "The… the same goes for you too." After a brief moment is given to let news sink in Kiyoshi folds his arms across his chest and asks, "So, Do you still want to know?"
Kiyoshi could feel another cringe coming along. Thankfully, the urge is restrained, if albeit only just. The question that followed on the otherhand elicited such surprise out of the Moto that he is struck silent. "You… don't know?"
It is only after he asked the question that he felt silly for having done so. While it was clear that a great deal of villagers either suspected or knew what he was now thanks to his previous antics, it did not mean that /all/ knew; especially children. At most they may have been told just to stay away from the Kirryu, not actual information that could lead to their 'removal' by the arm of the Mizukage. Speaking of which, telling Tsubaki anything put her at risk as well. But he owed her…
"If I explain, know that you'll never be able to breathe a word about it." He regards Kazumi briefly. At least that was intended, though Kiyoshi had to do a double-take. Something had changed in the pink-haired one. "The… the same goes for you too." After a brief moment is given to let news sink in Kiyoshi folds his arms across his chest and asks, "So, Do you still want to know?"
Tsubaki doesn't notice the change in Kazumi. In fact, he's all but faded into the background for her. All her attention in on Kiyoshi. What's he talking about? A secret? Her family had kept her sheltered for all her life, so everything has been a new experience. "If you explain, I can't tell anyone…" she murmurs, green eyes focusing to the ground for a bit as she considers. Then her gaze goes back to Kiyoshi, determination in them. "I do," she affirms, standing attentive as any eight year old can.
Certainly something had changed. The teen just watches Kiyoshi curiously, seeming honestly much too interested. "Oh, yes," he asserts. Yup, not the same Kazumi. In fact, as he's standing there, he's straightening up a bit, his posture getting better and overall demeanor showing more and more that he's changed. He grins brightly when Tsubaki agrees too and looks expectantly at Kiyoshi.
The hairs on the back of Kiyoshi's neck were standing on end. Something was /definitely/ up with Kazumi. He tried inquirying Kokuo for once, but the beast was oddly silent for once. Not even a rumble is offered in answer…
Kiyoshi forces his gaze back fully upon Tsubaki as soon as she answers. He sighs silently and bows his head, then takes a deep fortifying breath and straightens out. Immediatly after, the Kirryu starts to sniff at the air pointedly in search of any who might be looking in. Of course he had to be being watched but…. It did not matter. "I am Moto Kirryu Kiyoshi, the host of one of the legendary bijuu, five-tailed beast."
The five-tailed beast. A bijuu. The words knock around Tsubaki's brain as she recalls the stories her parents had told her. Well, her dad, but still. She had thought they were just that, stories. So when Kiyoshi tells her that he /is/ a bijuu, it surprises her. The emotion, though, doesn't show on her face. There's only a flash of it in her greens eyes. "You… are… the five-tailed beast…" she repeats slowly as she wraps her mind around the very idea. And then she finally notices Kazumi's strange behavior. And posture. So was this his real side? Or does he have some sort of condition?
The teen oddly doesn't seem at all phased by the fact he's clearly making the other male a bit nervous. When Kiyoshi finally gets out what he wants to say, he'd find that Kazumi would grin widely. "Kokuo-kun! Hah! This is where you've been?!"
'Just kill me now, please…'
Standing now with good posture, the pink-haired individual is actually nearly as tall as Kiyoshi and he makes this even more obvious by getting right up close to poor Kiyoshi and even attempting to throw an arm over his shoulders with a haughty wink. "Seems neither of us did very well on hosts, eh…?"
Kiyoshi has nevr once been openly accused of being the Bijuu, so he was unprepared to cut Tsubaki off before the mistake could be made. His Bijuu was a proud one, and would not look kindly upon a slight like being mistaken for a barely tolerable flesh bag. Kiyoshi's interpetation, not Kokuo's actual perception. Truthfully, there remained some things about the creature that Kiyoshi simply was not aware of.
"What? No! I'm his Jinchuuri—" Kiyoshi starts, then he focuses his gaze back on Kazumi. "How do you-…" But the rest dies in his throat. For a few moments there it is as if the lights went out in the Jinchuuriki's eyes. When he rocvers it is on after Kazumi has an arm wrapped around him, startling the Kirryu to the point he practically shoves Kazumi off as he stepped away. "Just.. hold on… You're Kazumi's partner, right? The six tails?" Kiyoshi asks warily, eliciting a deresive snort from the mindscape.
"Oh…" says Tsubaki. Jinchuuriki. She had heard that term before, perhaps once. She watches as Kazumi begins to interact with Kiyoshi, acting like he was overly familiar with the Kirryu. Six tails? "Wait, you're both Jinchuuriki?" asks Tsubaki, her voice incredulous. She's not one to show emotion, but getting hit by this fact is… Well, it's mind-numbing to say the least. She quickly regains her control over her emotions, though, taking a breath to calm herself down as well.
Saiken actually appears surprised to be shoved off and he raises his hands up in front of his chest in a half-apologetic and attempted calming way. "Name's Saiken," he offers with less enthusiasm. "It's not like I'm going to eat you or something so you can stop looking at me with horror." It may or may not be an entirely correct assessment of Kiyoshi's expression, but it's how he took it. With a frown, he reaches up to thread his fingers through the mess that Kazumi calls hair. "It's been forever since I saw another of us… Ah, though I think we came across one of them… It was a Suna-nin. Whoever that was made out really well with his host. So much stronger than me… Pretty cute, too, actually, if I recall…" He looks thoughtful at that before he turns his attention to Tsubaki. "Technically, you're spot on, my girl, but in my case… you're talking straight to the real deal currently." He leans down a bit and smiles at her before reaching out and attempting to lightly pinch her cheek.
The only response Tsubaki gets is an absent-minded nod while the Kirryu continued to stare at the Saikan possed Kazumi. It wasn't horror written in Kiyoshi's expression, but wariness. Calling it such elicited an indignant look out of Kiyoshi, followed closely by his seemingly relax his guard in hopes of dispelling any other misconceptions. Surprise lights up Kiyoshi's eyes at the remark about the Suna-nin. As curious as he was about finding out more about the other Jinchuuriki, seeing Kazumi-Saiken reach out for Tsubaki made him a little… jumpy. So, he decided to kill two birds with one stone. "Excuse me, Saiken-sama, but about the Suna-nin… Did you get a name? And do you know which one of your… brothers inhabited that host?"
Tsubaki leans back a bit when he tries to pinch her cheek. She wasn't fond of people touching her. "Saiken…" she echoes. "I suppose it's good to meet you?" she then says, frowning again. She'll get wrinkles at this rate… "Though…" Her comment is left unfinished as she listens further. "Sunagakure has jinchuuriki too?" And apparently someone strong. She quiets for now, just listening while the pair converse.
Saiken emits an exaggerated sigh when she leans away, but he doesn't press the issue and just rights himself before looking over at Kiyoshi. "Like I said, I /think/. I got a weird feeling about the person… but I wasn't in any sort of control. Not like I could just ask 'Hey, do you have a bijuu residing in you right now?' anyway. That's probably considered rude." He considers that for a moment before nodding to Tsubaki. "I imagine all the villages have at least one of us caged inside one of their shinobi. It was probably Shukaku-kun… I think I saw some sand manipulation techniques." He's not too sure. It was a while ago…
Kiyoshi breathes a little easier seeing Kazumi retreat instead of forcing the issue. The action had also given him hope that the Bijuu's presence in the forefront had been a matter of choice on the host's part, instead of something forced. Which… he probably should've realized earlier when no tail had manifested as a result of the switch. Silly Jinchuuriki.
"Shukaku-sama… huh…" Kiyoshi shakes his head, then narrows his eyes at Saiken. He had to be sure. "Saiken-sama… What is your relationship with Kazumi-san?" He asks, feigning nonchalance in tone.
Tsubaki nods to Saiken. All these names are going a bit over her head, though. "Umm… Which one is Shukaku?" she wonders. Getting information from the tailed beasts themselves! This was turning out to be a very very nice morning. At least, provided the information is accurate. She hopes that Saiken stays out a bit longer so he can answer, "What are the names of the other Bijuu?"
Saiken just stood there lazily until that last question and then he blinked at the questioner. A raise of his brow is his initial response. "I never considered labeling it," he murmurs, his tone somewhere between truthful and amused. "If your concern is that Kazumi is too weak… and I'm a danger, taking control like this, then stop. I have no desire to cause problems for Kazumi and causing a ruckus here would do just that. We are… companions, I'd say." When Tsubaki shows particular interest, he turns his attention to her and his lips twitch into an amused smile. "Curious thing, ain't you? Shukaku-kun is the single-tailed. Matatabi-kun is the two. Isobu-kun, Son Goku-kun, then us! The seven is Chomei-kun and eight is Gyuki-kun. Then there's Kurama-chan, but I wouldn't talk about that one.
Kiyoshi wasn't fully convinced, but he nods just the same in a somewhat hesitant fashion. A mental note is made to keep an eye out for Kazumi in the future, because from the sounds of it, Saiken was still forcing control for its own sake. "Why is that, Saiken-sama? I'm… aware with the exception of my own beast, the rest of you have some sort of special talents. So… Does Kurama-sama have some sort of mind reading abilities or.. something?"
Tsubaki, like the writer she is, has a way to write things down. "Shukaku. Matatabi… Isobu. Son Goku. Kokuo. Saiken. Chomei. Gyuki. Kurama." All that is written down and the girl nods a bit. She also marks 'sand' next to the one-tail. "Ummm…. Saiken-san, if you don't mind, could we talk more about this another time? I have to go to class soon." She offers a small bow, staying to wait for the answer and reply before bowing again to head off.
Saiken just furrows his brows at Kiyoshi and hums thoughtfully at him. "No. Why don't you ask Kokuo?" He looks expectant before he looks entirely shocked and turns his attention to Tsubaki. Besides Ishino, no one that he showed himself to like this wanted to see him again… He stares at her for a moment as if expect her to be kidding or suspecting her of just never showing up near Kazumi ever again and thus avoiding him altogether. After a moment, though, he just smirks in a mildly self-assured way and murmurs, "Sure. I'll be around."
Kiyoshi sighs so heavily that his shoulders sag as well in defeat. "I've tried before, but… you know Kokuo. Talking to him sometime is like trying to convince a tree to speak." Kiyoshi says gloomily. He cracks open an eye and regards Tsubaki, and yes, there is shocked as well. Before that moment he had not truly given how Tsubaki was taking the peculiar situation any real thought. He was concerned earlier, sure, but until that moment he hand't fully appreciated the girl's… fortitude? Adaptability? Bravery? Regardless of what the case may be, Kiyoshi found himself smiling wirely at the girl as he waved her off.
"Hmm… Oh! Don't forget, Tsubaki-san. I still owe ya one!" He calls out to her, smiling more brightly this time. Once the girl is virtually out of sight Kiyoshi lets out a yawn before turning to Saiken/Kazumi, offering the duo to accompany him to the Lake for some good fishing!
