[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Shoring Up & Showing Up

Azarea waited patiently beside Kusagakure no Sato's gates. The Kumogakure Shinobi dressed in her usual red, black, and maroon mission jumpsuit with her red jacket. Two weapon pouches strapped to either of her legs and a belt pouch strapped to the small of her back just below where her mission pack would sit lest the two wear against one another as she ran. The woman's forehead protector tied gleaming in the early morning sun to her upper left bicep as she took a moment to braid her long wild mane of red hair back with some razor wire. The wire undoubtedly a nasty surprise for anyone dumb enough to try and grab the woman's braid. The shinobi herself was pretty in the way paper bombs and the light glinting off the edge of a blade were pretty. Her face delicate, but severe with high cheekbones, a straight aristocratic nose, and sharp glinting scarlet eyes. Though she perhaps might have one been prettier before her right eye had marred by a large scar bisecting it and a second one sliced across her left cheek from her jaw to nearly her nose.

The woman held herself with the sort of calm confidence of someone used to the work that had been assigned. Her gaze flicking over the gate guards and then back to the gates themselves before glancing towards the sun as she estimated the time of her partners arrival. Hopefully they wouldn't be late. While the mission had specified working to establish the outpost the emphasis on shoring up its defenses was concerning. Typically such statements meant there were things that the outpost needed active defending from.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 276 | Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

Kojirou was well on his way – it took him a little time to receive his second katana, a replicate of the one he possessed already. He had also brought his katana backpack with him this time, thinking it imperative for defensive purposes – sucker was actually surprisingly sturdy, no doubt due to its metal outline. Other than that, he wore his haori – it was simple, didn’t impede his movements and was a staple to his sense of fashion. His pouch with a few items such as string reel, a couple scrolls, blank sealing tags and a wrapped-up sandwich was hidden underneath the crimson fabric of his, and his forehead protector was hanging proudly around his neck.

Another mission today – the task was to establish and defend an outpost at the mountainous pathway towards up north. Kojirou had experience defending an outpost, so he wasn’t nearly as anxious this time as he was back then. Confident in his skills, he quickly approached his colleague for the day – the Hidden Cloud shinobi with crimson hair, Azarea.

"Greetings, Azarea! Everything’s ready here…” Kojirou greeted out to them with a soft smile, his equipment readied, sheathed and prepared for usage, "Although, I wish I had more time to get a few more swords for my case holder… but it doesn’t matter that much.”

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Weather

"Hello Kojirou! And what two swords not enough for you?" The woman greets him as her stern resting expression cracks with a grin. Her face lighting up with amusement as she nods towards his pack and weapons. "Equipment aside do you have enough gear and food for the next couple of days? We can catch and cook some game along the way, but it can get awfully cold in the pass and fall is in full swing. It won't be long before we see now." She cautions not wanting the boy to be caught flat footed in the much colder and rockier weather. Nohara no Kuni was generally such a temperate and pleasant place that she images Kaminari no Kuni will be a bit of a shock to his system if Tsuchi no Kuni was anything to go by.

"Sides you can probably lighten your pack a bit. You don't have to worry about tents or sleeping bags with me around," She assures him with a rueful teasing grin. "But it does tend to rain and pour a lot and the water is cold. So you'll want things to shed the rain and warm clothes to change into." She adds.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 200 | Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

Kojirou had to think deeply for a moment… he had snacks, yes, and his outfit did help against the elements… then again, maybe he could summon his Honō heritage and warm his body up just like that. It rained, though…

Putting down his Katana Case Holder for a moment, Kojirou opened the case and checked. He didn’t actually have much, but… he could go get what he was missing. "… Give me a few minutes, I’ll be right back,” he spoke up before leaving his Katana Case Holder on the spot next to Azarea and running back into the village, off to buy something very useful that he didn’t have in his possession already.

…

Once he came back literal minutes later, he was wearing a long, dark cloak with a hood over his face. It covered almost his entire body, with the exception of the lower part of his face as well as his feet. It had no marks or symbols on it – completely monotone. He grinned proudly under his hood, knowing that this cloak would come in handy against the elements. "Okay, I’m ready now! I saw a bunch of Kijūngōtō on sale too, but… let’s go complete this mission, so I’ll have some yen to make use of that sale.” Kijūngōtō were standard-issued katanas, and Kojirou had only a few seconds to gaze upon them. He remembered back when he bought the Case Holder and the salesman ridiculed him for not buying more katanas to fill it up with-

How was he to know what the Case Holder was able to do? The salesman just told him something along the lines of ‘flying swords’, but it made no sense to the young swordsman. What sort of Jutsu would be able to do that? Also, he didn’t have enough yen to afford all those swords back then – he was adviced to buy, what, 20 swords?! Although, if this mission went well, then he could use his saved income to see what the Case Holder was able to do with 20 swords at the same time.

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Travel

Eying Kojirou's new cloak Azarea gave it a nod of approval and a thumbs up, "Much better! You'll be able to keep the rain and wet off with that. Hopefully if we're lucky we won't get snow, but the weather can be unpredictable." She quips gesturing for Kojirou to follow as the two head off through the tall Nohara no Kuni grasses making their way back to Azarea's own homeland in Kaminari no Kuni. The first day passing with relative monotony as they ran, paused to eat, then continued running. Managing to make good time entering Hi no Kuni where Azarea would lead them to a rest stop many traveling allied shinobi used. The place not much more then a barrack. Minimal, but at least capable of keeping the fall rains off the two of them while they slept.

"We'll probably hit one more of these before we cross into Hot Springs then it'll be roughing it from there till we get into Kaminari and can use theirs." Azarea explains as she shucks off her pack claiming a pair of bunks for them and makes ready for the night. "So is this your first time traveling besides the Chuunin exams?" The woman inquires tilting her head to glance towards her partner with open curiousity.

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Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 214| Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

Snow… Kojirou kind of wanted to see deeper snow. The snow that fell here in the Land of Fields was rather light – while easier to deal with, he felt that the deep, knee-high snow floors up north could prove a worthy challenge for his ability to maneuver through harsh terrains. Yup, that was how it felt to the Honō clan member; a challenge, as many others, that begged to be completed by him. And he was eager to accept this challenge for the sake of strengthening himself as well as the relations between the Grass and the Cloud.

And thus, both of them were on their way – towards the colder regions with a pass through the Land of Fire. At first, grass, bamboo and woods met their way, growing less greener and slightly warmer as they entered the Land of Fire’s territory – just in time for the rainclouds to meet their acquaintances.

Kojirou decided to drop his Katana Case Holder next to one of the bunks and then rejoined Azarea, gaining the knowledge that Hot Springs were the last stop on their way to the Land of Lightning. A place that Kojirou had never visited before… and he’d let Azarea know. "Not… exactly. I’ve travelled to Hi no Kuni once before, helping out with building an outpost. Otherwise… mhm, yup. Just stuck to Nohara no Kuni,” he explained to her as he took a seat, "I couldn’t move too far away from my clan… not until I’d been taught all of their Yōton techniques, just like Chisai-neechan. S-Still trying to master most of them.”

Truth be told, he was kind of exhausted from the travel. He’d thoroughly enjoy digging under some covers and sleep the night through, but there was tension in the air. He was in another country, after all… even if the Land of Fire was allied to the Land of Fields, Kojirou had learned a few things from the previous missions.

Be observant.

Be prepared.

And be alert.

"… Wait, you must’ve traveled a lot, then!” Kojirou suddenly spoke up, realizing that Azarea’s question might’ve been a case of comparing the two, "I bet this isn’t your first time here. Where else have you been? I believe that the Land of Snow is neighboring your country…”

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Talks & Travel

"I haven't been to Snow Country yet, but I would like to visit sometime." Azarea admitted with a low thoughtful hum. Yukigakure was certainly on her lists of places she'd enjoy seeing, but alas diplomacy needed to come further into play before that could be allowed. "As for where I've been..." The woman trails off making herself comfortable in her own bunk.

"I've visited Hi no Kuni, Nohara no Kuni, Tsuchi no Kuni with the exams, I've run through Hot Springs country and Frost countless times, and hunted pirates on the coasts of wave. I'll be taking you through Frost and Hot Springs on the way to the pass, but we won't want to stop there long. We're on decent enough terms these days, but best to never overstay your welcome." She explains as the red head tugged the covers up and over her head and settled in for a good nights rest. While she had more experience running long boring distances then Kojirou she lacked the boys natural athleticism and she wasn't going to turn her nose up at a bed. Within seconds she was out like a light.

Dawn breaking over the two bright and early and with the hustle and bustle of those who'd been stopped over at the station like courier nin hopping to their daily tasks. Azarea herself rolling out of her bunk and using the communal showers to swiftly bathe and change grabbing a portion of the oatmeal these sorts of outposts kept on hand for breakfast for her and Kojirou both. The breakfast rather tasteless though Azarea does them both the favor of pulling out a few honey sticks and sharing one half and half between them to flavor the food to something more palatable.

"Right. If we run hard we'll hit the last outpost on the border by nightfall. Then if the weather holds we'll make it through Hot Springs and into Frost the next day." She muses as the woman checks their map while rapidly spooning oatmeal into her mouth. Clearly used to navigating and eating at the same time. Though she found herself missing Shigures riceballs.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 356 | Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

Aww, the Land of Snow wasn’t visited by Azarea yet. Kojirou, too, would like to visit that country one day – snow reached one up to their navels up there… as far as he knew. However, Azarea’s life path had taken her to far more places than Kojirou’s had the opportunity to. The Land of Fire and the Land of Fields were relatable to him, and so was the Land of Storms (according to his father), but the Land of Hot Springs? And the Land of Frost? And she’d been overseas to the Land of Waves too!?

Nah, this was outlandish to the swordsman. He hadn’t had the delight of travelling that far yet – he was definitely going to travel far and wide now. He had the means and the strength to deal with further international requests as the pride of the clan, the runner-up to the genius that was Chisai-neechan who probably hid away all her stories of travelling from him. That damn tease…

"Aww damn, I’d love to take a look around Hot Springs though…” Kojirou groaned sadly, leaning back on his bump in defeat. The Land of Snow sounded cold, so he could wait on that, but hot springs were luxurious! Daft it!

"Huh… wait, they got issues against our Lands? Both?” Kojirou asked briefly, noticing that he hadn’t caught up on the Land of Hot Springs’ politics at all. However, Azarea was out in the dreamscape when he spoke, and he got no response back. "… O-Oh, sorryyyyyy… I’ll go to bed, too,” he promised before swiping under his own covers. His cloak got thrown off along with his haori, and after a while, he too was out of commission…

…

The bright break of dawn. A new day began. Kojirou was a slightly heavier sleeper than Azarea, so he was still in bed by the time she had taken a bath. Only then did his eyes open, suddenly panicking a little. "W-Wha, where-"

… Oh, wait, that was right, he was on the mission. A sudden case of jetlag, perhaps. Or was it paranoia? How un-used he was to traveling, that poor shinobi…

He quickly took a bath himself, shooing off some peeping toms and getting himself all clean and his scars in top form before joining Azarea with breakfast. He gladly took the other half of the honey stick and flavored his oatmeal before shoveling it into his mouth. Kojirou ended up munching the rest of the honey stick after flavoring the oatmeal as if that was meant to be the common turn of events.

"… Sooooo… does that mean we get to see Shimo no Kuni? I’ve never seen any land covered completely in snow before… hopefully, we can move without water-walking too much *crunch*”

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Hotsprings

Azarea felt, genuinely, a little bad for Kojirou. The boy clearly wanted to get out and see the world and admittedly this mission while a chance to do so wasn't the best for sight seeing. "Frost won't have snow just yet, but if we're lucky or unlucky the first snows will hit while we're crossing it." Azarea explains voice patient as they finish up their breakfast, tug on their boots and headout. The morning bright crisp, and clear with the first real bite of winter on the wind.

"We're not on bad terms with either Hotsprings or Frost, but unless you are paying for a vacation they don't like shinobi that aren't their own just lingering around. However..." Azarea trailed off doing a few quick calculations. "We can stop off a bit early tonight at a little onsen I know of in Hotsprings. If it's just for a night they won't mind. We'll need to run hard the next day though to reach the pass in time, but this a way you get to see some of hotsprings famous hotsprings." The red head offered her smile kind. The itch to travel one she'd inherited from her own Sensei, but unlike the Tengu Azarea tended to always gravitate back home.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 209 | Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

No snow, huh? At least, snowflakes flowing in the air were pretty a sight enough to behold. Kojirou kept that in mind to motivate him as they went out again, leaving the inn in good time for the morning rays of the sun to coat their sides. Here in the Land of Fire, the temperature wasn’t that bad – despite winter times heading in on them in the near future, there were still soft, warm breezes sticking to Kojirou’s cloak. A knack for telling things by the atmosphere alone… was something he didn’t really have that much experience in. However, it could prove a useful skill…

"For real? Can we do that?!” Kojirou spoke up enthusiastically, for he had just heard a plan from Azarea to spend a night at an onsen of her knowing in the Land of Hot Springs. Obviously, he wasn’t going to turn down such an opportunity; he hadn’t been to a proper onsen in forever! The Honō were ruthless and made their onsens outright safety hazards due to the incredibly high temperatures that the patrons and elders were used to… like boiling their own skin, except they appeared to enjoy it. After living in heat for decades, perhaps they really needed to reach such boiling temperatures to feel some of the warm comfort of steaming waters.

Kojirou’s scars and burn marks on his skin came from more than just lava.

"T-That’d be great! Hot springs are painful back in my clan – they say I’m building endurance bathing in them, but… it just hurts all the time,” he groaned, "Chisai-neechan doesn’t seem to be bothered by it as much… but she’s also, like, a living legend. Can’t believe it took me that long to know her.”

All in all, his eyes sparkling with glee and joy, Kojirou was more than in agreement with Azarea’s plan – onsen, it was!

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Hotsprings

"That sounds pretty awful not gonna lie. I love hotsprings and not being able to soak without it being painful just sounds like misery," She agrees with a nod as the two of them head out. The woman reaching over to ruffle the boys hair with a laugh at his enthusiasm. "Don't worry these hotsprings are standard temperature, but don't quite thank me yet. The next day will be a slog of a run. You might change your mind by then." Azarea teases as they eat up the distance. Kojirou's enthusiasm somewhat infectious as the leaves slowly turn to the colors of fall as the ascend up out of fire country and cross the borders into the rockier hotspring coutry. There's a nip to the air. High and cold and clear. A sort of almost static that has Azarea clicking her tongue a bit in worry as they stop early for the night outside a little old fashioned onsen. An elderly woman blinking up at them from behind thick spectacles until she spots Azarea's bright red hair

"Ah Aza-chan. Welcome welcome. The usual room for two with bath access?" The old woman creaks out as Azarea dips her head and places down the coins needed to pay. "Yes Obaasan. Thank you for always accommodating me." The woman murmured her tone respectful and polite.

"You might get your wish for snow." She adds glancing towards Kojirou as the two follow the little old woman back to their room to change and head out to the natural stone hotspring bathes to soak.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 260 | Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

Misery? That must’ve made Kojirou, like, one of the sturdiest shinobi around! Definitely! He just thought t was a bit ouchy, not exactly excruciating… okay, back when he was younger, yes, it was a living hell, but he had grown stronger from it, right? Right?!

… That was usually what he thought to himself in order to find the motivation to keep going. Results. Strength. Development. Signs of improving… that kept him going. He wasn’t particularly let down by the fact that they’d have to speed it up on their way to the Land of Lightning afterwards, so a dip in the hot springs – sign him up! "As if! Watch me reach the border before you! Then we’ll see whose mind changes…!”

The terrain slowly changed into spikes and rocky tops in the distance, paired with a cold in the air that let his breath escape in steams. The atmosphere was… clearer and dryer than in Kusagakure. Azarea appeared to know the place well, for they reached the onsen in no time – even the elder owner knew her by name… luckyyyyyyyyyyyy. She must’ve been here a dozen times.

He was already raised on his toes in excitement, like a kid who wanted to slide down the amusement at the local swimming pool. He did not see anything wrong in any of this; the fact that this pair of shinobi were entering this onsen on a late, cold evening in a land far away from home, or that the scenery had changed to an idyllic place.

Smooth rocks formed by flowing waters surrounded a pool with lots of steam rising up in the air. The sky had grown darker, but rather ambient lighting from nearby lanterns gave the spring a glistening blitz that illuminated all of its details. It was a damn paradise here… Kojirou could already feel it deep down to his bones. This wasn’t training.

This was pleasure!

Almost scared of the delight he’d be feeling, he stepped out of the balcony only clad in a towel tied around his waist. All of his skin, with the blemishes from old burn marks, was exposed as dots, blocks, huge marks that covered about 40% of him. He had been… exceptionally reckless in mastering Lava Release. It had cost him the beauty of clear skin, but that was no sacrifice he thought too much about.

… He gently slid his leg down the spring’s delicately heated waters. He just melted down at the touch, and once his torso reached the surface, his face was completely red. Eyes widened in awe, shot to the heavens in praise and salutations to the angels who surrounded him. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh… hehe… heeeeehehehe… I’m melting…”

It was worth stopping here. Definitely. "Azareaaaaaaaaaaa… t-thank you, this is… hmmmh… I can actually breathe… and it’s sooooooo warm, but it’s sooooo goooooooooood…” He had trouble bringing the right words out of his mouth to describe the experience, but steam began escaping his ears again. A characteristic that Azarea was already familiar with…

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Hotspring

Covered in her own towel Azarea heads for the woman's section of the pool and slides in carefully folding the cloth atop her head as she rolls her eyes in amused, but fond exasperation at Koji. "Kid you can't say that sorta stuff. It makes you sound lewd." Azarea cautions with a laugh. Thankfully the place was mostly abandoned this time of year and the owner familiar enough with shinobi to not think much on such things, but she doesn't want the younger boy who was becoming a bit like a bouncy little brother to her to get himself into an awkward situation due to a misunderstanding in the future.

Still Koji wasn't wrong. Azarea herself felt so relaxed soaking in the hot steaming water. The woman allowing herself to lean back against the warmed stones with a sigh. She'd need to take Shigure here next time they came through hotsprings on a mission. The Hyuuga had mostly recovered from his injuries, but the water did wonders for all those lingering little aches and pains you grow too numb to even feeling until they fade away and the man like herself had lived a bit of a hard life. Half dozing in the water Azarea stretched. "Get some good sleep tonight and remember we still have to do some work when we get to the location tomorrow before we can sleep for the night. So don't try to race me. We'll need our energy, but maybe if we ask nicely Obaasan will make us some lunches we can eat on the run." Azarea joked as she eventually clambored out of the hotsprings to turn in for the night leaving Koji to enjoy the water for as long as he liked. Being a Hono the boy might sleep there for all she knows. The steam pouring from his ears leaving her chuckling.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 311 | Honō Kojirou

[Honō Kojirou]

Wha- he wasn’t even trying to be lewd! How dared she imply that whatever gasps he let out were gasps of erotic content?! "W-What’s so lewd about a nice, lukey onsen?! Huh?! If that’s what you think it is, then maybe it’s you who’s the lewd one, Azarea…!” He didn’t mean anything he said, but she sure had the nerves to put him in an awkward spot like that, didn’t she?! Well, two could play that game!

Thankfully, the pleasant waters tamed the young lion in no time. His skin felt smoother than ever… the burn marks yet apparent, he could slide his fingers across his arms and feel a smoothness new to him. After a bit, Azarea did remind him to get some sleep – it’d be bad if he fell asleep underwater – due to the work awaiting them tomorrow. They needed energy, so Azarea backed down from the potential race of theirs… which meant that Kojirou, technically, won by default.

What a dishonorable victory… it made the swordsman dip half his face under the warm waters and blurb out bubbles from his mouth. Although, the notion of lunches from Obaa-san cheered him up again. "Ooooh! I should remember to thank her – she must be a guardian deity or some sort…” he dreamed out loud, hands stretched up in the dark air.

He wasn’t allowed to sleep in the spring, sadly. Obaa-san warned him against that, as it could cause his skin to turn to mush… and that was a nasty image to think about, hence he heeded her warning. Dried up and dressed in the local garments handed to him by the onsen’s owner, Kojirou was led to the room where Azarea had already resigned herself to. The bath had done its trick and washed him up nice and good, but it had also drained him of energy… he fell flat on the futon, sleeping soundly. Barely had time to say ‘goodnight’ or any other words of reassurance to the redhead companion. Just blegh.

"Zzzz... Zzzzzzzz..."

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Merchants

Claiming the bed near the door Azarea settles down for the night with an amused snort, "All right Kojirou... but don't blame me when some merchant girl you're escorting in the future demands you marry her for impugning her honor!" Azarea calls back with a laugh knowing the boy would learn now or learn later the hard way by having to flee his angry would be in-laws. After all while most civilians weren't interested in a shinobi son-in-law merchants could be different. Shinobi made good money and a son who could act as a free caravan escort was something to be valued. She'd heard of more then one shinobi or kunoichi who'd had the moves put on them in an attempt to secure a marriage with a merchant family.

Chuckling Azarea closed her eyes and settled in for a good nights rest. Kojirou would find the beds firm, but pleasantly cushy how most shinobi tended to like them. With clean sheets and warm covers to ward off the chill that crept in despite the radiant heat of the onsen. Morning dawned bright and early with a thick layer of frost on the ground. A cold nip to the wind and the smell of snow on the air as Azarea fetched them breakfast and put in their request for some easy to eat food on the road. The old Obaasan packing them both some hearty meatbuns and onigiri to snack on while they ran. As the two shinobi departed their boots crunching over the frost as they made their way across the border.

Then came the snow.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justu Goes Here

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: 266 | @kjirou