[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Landing in the ports of Rice-Wine country and getting out of the immediate town was the first priority of the two sage apprentices. While disguises were not exactly necessary either Yakitsukeru had taken to one anyways. Looking much like you would expect a young farmer from one of the colder northern nations. Nothing as thick as what would be expected out of Yukigakure, but certainly something thicker. This was mostly to account for her large scrolls which had been hidden from the commoner's view as a large backpack that she wasn't actually carrying. They weren't exactly here to cause trouble, but being careful was still a part of the job description. Making the trip to spear country had been only a few days, and for them, a little under an hour or so out, the destination was being approached. The Golden Plum Sect, a sect that was said to have a unique set of weapon arts that were unlike most jutsu that currently existed in the shinobi world. Having filled Mairusu on the full details of the mission - Yaki had to ponder if this was just to fill some sort of weaponholic thing for the Raikage herself. Looking to her partner in crime, Yaki would raise a brow, "How do you sssee thisss sssurprissse meeting going Dasssai?" No honorific, a sign of closeness - another part of the disguise she was spinning. Obvious in part from the fact that Yakitsu never removed honorifics. Something of a cold, but respectful move of her own accord. It was a question she had asked roughly a dozen times. There was little to talk about outside of training and it was obvious she had no clue why she was being sent as a diplomat, if you could call it that. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

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[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Mairusu had never been happier to see solid ground in his life. He had never been on open water before his mission with Shigure and that had only taken them a bit away from the shore, but the journey he and Yaki had just completed made him miss terra firma more than anything else in the world and had they not had to near immediately be on their way the genin probably would have kissed the ground. Alas, they were here for a job so the party would have to wait for later.

The boy hadn't brought anything worthy enough to be called a disguise with him but similar to what he had done on his mission with Shosuke Mairusu removed his hitae-ate and tucked away in his pack. What good that would do in helping him blend in remained to be seen but it something. Their travel from the port to their destination was nothing spectacular yet it was cool to see another land and especially one that seemingly had no connection to shinobi. These people were as regular as they came, well, all except for the ones they had been tasked with meeting out. Apparently this sect had developed some kind of weapon techniques that the Raikage was very interested in and even though Mairusu had read through the mission details over and over it still didn't make sense why the lady herself didn't just come out here. No matter, they'd get things done and be on to the next thing.

Yaki's question was an interesting one and to be perfectly honest it was tough to answer. Mairusu was in no way a wordsmith and this seemed like it would involve a whole bunch of negotiating and diplomacy. Maybe they'd be able to get by if the girl did all the talking but chances were they wouldn't get that lucky. "Well once the initial shock wears off hopefully they'll be open to hearing what we have to say, that's a big 'if' though." He replied.

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

The actual answer was about as cut and dry as she expected from her companion. He was honest about his thoughts and Yaki enjoyed that, even if she found his antics to be ridiculous. Given that they had an hour to go she began checking her equipment. Any good set of tools had a need for good inventory management skills and Yaki was never one to really lose attachment to her inventory. Explosives had been her bread and butter up before the exams, and that mostly held true now. Ninjutsu, fuinjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, bukijutsu, and the rest were all skills she would eventually obtain and that she studied in great detail for the basics, but she had a strong comprehension of the fact that the world didn't value what she saw as necessity - a foundation for knowledge being the principle that allowed for one to go above and beyond. People had things they were naturally talented for, certainly, but did that not mean one could just train the missing areas? A good hypothesis she would test with her life. "Do you think that they will really go for it even though it holdsss no benefit for them? We are asssking for teachingsss to an organization. I sssee nothing but failure over thisss unlesss there isss a detail neither of usss were given here about them," Yaki would state matter-of-factly as they continued to walk. It was clear she was perplexed by the feasibility of such a task, though she hadn't turned it down which meant that Yakitsukeru was still willing to test this sect. Without much conversation starting from Mairasu though Yaki would either travel quietly with him or move to walk at her own pace. The heavy weight of her Haori comfortable on her body for what it was worth. It was just about the only thing that was keeping her from feeling ungrounded in this wacky turn of events. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

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[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Yaki had brought up a good point: why would any of the people they were about to meet give them the time of day when up front it served them no benefit? Mairusu had certainly come across those types before and in all honesty he held similar beliefs when it came to certain things but he hoped that these organizations would not be driven purely by self-interest. Granted, hopes and prayers were the last thing the genin would say aloud to the girl as she'd no doubt scoff at his response assuming she didn't hit him over the head for saying such foolish things.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't have all the facts. Deduction and investigation are two important aspects of any shinobi of worth and if I had to guess the higher ups want to use this as some kinda weird learning experience for us to figure out how to get this group to give us those teachings." Mairusu replied. It was his best guess considering how confused he had been at all of this from the jump and even after a ride across the sea with plenty of time to think things through the boy was no closer to knowing what the hell they were doing out here or how they'd achieve the desired results.

What bothered him the most was the fact that while this was supposedly a joint venture with Kumo all of that seemed to stop once they reached shore, and the fact that no shinobi from that village --disguised or otherwise-- was with them. Something felt off but he couldn't quite figure out what. No matter, between the two of them there was enough explosives to level a small village so safety wasn't too much a concern as just trying to stay on pace with the eventual happenings.

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Mairasu brought up an incredibly solid point, and Yakitsukeru had no way of refuting what was being stated at all. It didn't make sense though for Kizumi to not tell her about these people and their ways though, and that was certainly something that Yaki couldn't quite figure out for the life of her. What was a martial arts sect? Why did that matter at all to the Raikage? Why would they send her over here unprepared with her other sage apprentice. It was just all odd now that the two were speaking on it. Though they only had one option and that was to try. Approaching the gates of what looked like an incredibly well-kept monastery the height of the compound suddenly made the place far more daunting. The front gate a massive ornate wooden door that looked insanely sturdy. Three small children picked weeds from the earth around the compound while wearing what looking like wicker baskets that held rocks and another on their chest they were loading grass and dirt into as they worked. The children looked somewhat miserable as they worked, but were quiet. Two guards holding odd looking spears stood at the gate as the two approached and Yaki dropped her disguise as they were within reach of the place they were going. Taking readied stances the two armed guards called out, "Stop! Who approaches our Golden Plum Sect?" Hostility in caution, Yaki could appreciate the response of these two, "We come with a letter for your sssect leader from the leader of Kumogakure, the Shinobi Village of Lightning. The raikage sssent usss to deliver thisss in perssson. I wasss informed thisss would be ssssomething that wasss expected to arrive?" She would reply blunt and calm. Normal, though she was acting like this was all business which was only slightly different from her more casual self anyways. Straightening the spears the two looked at each other and turned back to lead them to the door. Readying their spears they struck two specific spots on the door and their spears spun rapidly, a loud latch sliding would be met with the gate opening, "He will be in the pagoda on our peak's garden. You need just climb the stairs. Don't keep her waiting too long, our sect leader isn't the most patient when she is excited." TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

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[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

The more he thought about it the less Mairusu actually wanted to be here and while that wasn't a possibility now he certainly was going to ask some questions to the people in charge once they got back. Where nature had surrounded them on their journey up to this point the unmistakable visual of human architecture soon came into view in the form of gigantic gates that served as the entryway to a monastery that looked to have been here for a long, long time. Even still at first glance it looked to be in really good shape and a place this large and good looking no doubt held something of interest within its walls; and it was up to the two of them to obtain it.

A couple guards would spot the pair and step forth to halt their approach. Mairusu stopped a step behind Yaki and was more than happy to let her do all the talking as his eyes wandered to the children who were picking weeds around the gate. They looked a bit rough which was interesting considering how well kept the place was and hopefully wasn't a sign of a larger problem they would see more of inside... assuming they were let in at all. The guards seemed to be accepting of Yaki's answer, expecting it even, and used their weird weapons to spin open the gate and allow them egress. With a solemn nod the boy would walk past the guards into the monastery proper and was greeted with a lengthy set of stairs that seemed to stretch on for a while. "That's a lot of stairs. Well, at least they let us in, hopefully this sect leader is super chill so we can keep things moving." Wishful thinking of course.

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

It was not a super long walk up the steps despite the building seeming quite large. It was simply steep, but the steps were few for a shinobi, most could have just climbed the walls in just a few steps and flips if they were trying, but Yakitsukeru and Mairasu weren't exactly here to slaughter people and even if they were that was certainly beyond her at least. The garden that had been spoken of at the gate came into view as a large octagonal zen garden with little to it other then the otherwise almost hypnotic sort of spiralling shape that the sand seemed to move in. The pagoda in the center was far larger then a simple outdoor-indoor seating area, and functioned more as what looked like an open air sparring ground. A gorgeous woman with flowing green hair sat amidst twelve of those spears they had seen all in varying hues of metallics. As the two approached Yaki would cough as she went to announce herself, "Pardon the intrusssion from usss, we were sssent to deliver you thisss letter from the Lady Hachidaime Raikage of Kumogakure? I wasss told you were waiting for thisss." The young vipress's blood ran cold as the woman looked to her. It wasn't that it was an angry or upset expression, counter to that, it was a smile. It was just that there was suddenly a very different atmosphere as the woman approached, her eyes a deep emerald to match her hair. It was unnerving in a way the teen wouldn't be able to explain, but there was precense to this sect leader - like a weight upon the world was settled onto the two genin. "I'll check that letter, go ahead and head onto the pagoda will you? If this is what I am looking for we are about to have a very fun time you two and I. Let us hope that it is yes?" The woman would state in the warmest of tones, and yet Yaki felt like shuttering. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

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SPOILER: Click to show

[Presence of a Master] - Yari's sheer presence is like a weight. Despite the fact that they are a seemingly gentle individual by nature that does not stop the pure bone-chilling pressure she compels into the world from not being felt. Whether someone is truly afraid or not, it is taxing mentally and physically to be in her presence as if you were being pushed down to the floor slowly and surely.
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[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Maybe it was the feeling of being in a new place that had Mairusu thinking the area was larger than it really was, or that he still couldn't believe that a compound this nice was just existing in the middle of the woods on the other side of the world and it made him wonder what other cool stuff was just sitting out there in places that weren't connected to the hidden villages? There'd be time to ponder life's mysteries later as for now he needed to focus on the task at hand.

The steps would lead up to a large garden with the fancy raked sand, it was always cool to see stuff like that but it seemed tedious to maintain as a bit of wind or rain could easily mess up the whole thing and put you back at square one. The genin's focus would shift to a woman sitting in the middle, blazing green eyes and hair to match radiating an intensity that made the boy feel a bit uneasy. She didn't look mean by any standard, but the vibe she was giving off was weird. Thankfully Yaki had once again taken the reigns and did all the talking and as the emerald haired woman spoke to them that same intense aura tinged every word in her response, and what did she mean by fun time?

She instructed the two to make their way to the pagoda and that was exactly what Mairusu intended to do, what he was going to do once he got there was anyone's guess and while he did have so many questions he felt that this was not the right time to ask them. When the two had finally turned away from the woman and were out of earshot the genin would lean over to Yaki. "Please tell me I wasn't the only one weirded out."

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Yaki watched the woman like a cobra watched a mongoose while it attempted to strike at the creature that was often the predator and not the prey. She opened the letter the two had brought and took her time to read it as the two sage apprentices waited in the pagoda. Some pagoda it was though, instead of a table the massive stone structure looked more like a combat arena and the two had stood there in waiting. It felt like forever and no time at all in the same eon of a second that it took for the woman to adopt a grand looking smile - which did not at all calm Yakitsukeru's nerves. "Really not growing that fond of what isss happening here no..." Yaki would reply to her companion as the woman began to approach the due, the spears rising to float from what the two would be able to recognize as chains that attached to the rings on the woman's fingers. A detail initially easy to overlook given the genuine pressure she seemed to emit outward. A presence that seemed to almost warp the world around her. "It would seem that you too are in luck. Kizumi-San sent you about that little contest of hers, something I assume you two were unaware of by the unsettled way you move. Allow me to put you at ease children, I will accept the proposal if you prove as interesting to spar as the Raikage makes you both out to be. Sages here are people of wisdom and not power, but she mentions you two as fledglings of a unique kind. I will go easy on you both, but please demonstrate - if you can not do so consider this matter a failure to learn from? Acceptable terms I would hope? Also please call me Elder Spear or Komi, I care little for honorifics myself," The woman, Komi as she revealed her name to be, waited for any level of approval from a neutral position as she stared at the two. Yaki in turn looked over to Mairasu as if to raise an eyebrow, but she really didn't think it proper to back out at this point, not when they had travelled so far to get this sent. "I at leassst accept Elder Ssspear," Yaki would say shortly, not wanting to say that she could barely use anything resembling sage mode. However she had little choice other then try no? She and Mairasu would just need to watch eachother's backs... as usual. A nod of acknowledgement would be all she got before a single spear came forward to poise as if ready to strike at the girl. A look in emerald eyes gleaming as they peered over to the young man. Awaiting his answer. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Waiting in the pagoda felt like an eternity mainly because Mairusu had little idea what they were actually waiting on. He had no idea what the contents of that scroll contained though and given the circumstances it was hard to tell just how important it was as obviously it was important enough to warrant being hand delivered yet was entrusted to a pair of shinobi from a different village. Perhaps it was a sign of trust between Konoha and Kumo, maybe it was an opportunity to pawn some lesser tasks off without expending their own work force, but either way they had journeyed all the way out here and hopefully would get some answers soon.

Hearing Yaki's displeasure with the situation wasn't anything new but the nervousness in her tone certainly was. Annoyed, definitely, but the girl was still stoic and collected in most scenarios so if whatever this was had her feeling jumpy then it certainly wasn't a good sign. "Yeah this is kinda givin' me the creeps." The genin replied just as the woman began to approach them, a terribly devious smile etched across her features as long spears floated about her sides.

She began to speak of a contest that the Raikage was putting together and apparently the scroll was an invitation towards it. Why that required sending people all the way out here by sea and land instead of a messenger hawk was beyond him. The woman, now wanting to be addressed as Elder Spear, would only agree if they were to spar with her and Mairusu couldn't decide if being thrust into a fight or their identity as sages was the worst part. Did the Raikage really need to add that tid bit in there to make the invitation compelling?

Looking over to Yaki the boy was giving a face that screamed that they should have high tailed it out of there. Being presented as pawns for some weird spar offering just to entice some random woman in the middle of nowhere was a whole problem, but failing this assignment would surely land them in more trouble. Besides, after all they endured to get here Mairusu wanted to leave with something beneficial from the experience.

"...Fine, I accept, Elder Spear." The genin replied. He had a bit of experience fighting against ranged weapons and... it hadn't gone so well, but surely history wouldn't repeat itself.

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

This was already rough enough without the need to get their hind ends handed to them by some bored powerhouse in a strange martial arts dojo that practiced unique bukijutsu. Yet here they were having to likely get themselves beat for little to no reason at all. Yaki would inhale and exhale before taking a seat on the ground, "Mairasssu-Kun. We may asss well sssit and comply, let usss begin meditation. Elder Ssspear you will need but give usss a few momentsss if you wish to sssee what we are capable of." Yaki would state only to get a handwave from the now lounging sect leader in front of them. Yaki settled herself so that she could drown the world away and focus purely on the flow of nature around her. A calm breath inhaling and exhaling as she began to pull at the natural order of things around her. The duo having been able to transform and still themselves before they had turned to stone on the ship, she was certain they could do it now. Focusing in on the act of absorbing she just needed enough to attempt inacting some amount of change. A change that she did get as her body started to become more snake like, strange scale-like structures growing around her eyes in an odd pattern that had not been there before. Hopefully, Mairasu was doing the same so they could get this over with... TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

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[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Truth be told the boy had no idea what was going to happen next. Were they supposed to fight this woman together? Alone? Could they use jutsu or was it only hands and weapons? There was so much going on and yet very little at the same time. But since he had already accepted there wasn't much he could about the confusion now except get through it. Hell, even Yaki sounded more perturbed than she usually was which wasn't a good sign at all considering out of the two of them she had known what was going on.

Out of all the possibilities the last Mairusu was expecting to hear was his fellow apprentice prompted them to gather natural energy for the upcoming bout. A brow raised in confusion as the boy looked at the girl wondering if she was truly serious about taking such a step. Sure, they had tried it a couple times on the boat ride over with only a rogue waving keeping them from being able to maintain the transformation, but that was completely different than trying to fight in such a state. Did they still need to concentrate while transformed? Would they even be able to concentrate while transformed?

Alas, they did have the seals to help them out should things turn out for the worse so it wasn't the worst idea, and this woman did look pretty strong so they'd definitely need all the help they could get. "Alrighty, here goes nothing..."

Taking his usual cross legged seat, the genin would would close his eyes as he worked to block out the world around him along with his own doubts about what they about to do. Meditation was getting a lot easier for him and it didn't take long for things to still around him as the flow of natural energy began to direct towards him. It was a similar feeling to that he had on the boat only this time there was no rocking to throw off his concentration. As he had achieved before a transformation occurred, black scales covering his extremities as as a hooded flap extended out from his neck; eyes opening to reveal orbs of emerald green with a sinister split down the middle. "Thiss--" A forked tongue, that was new. "Thisss isss... different."

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Yaki had not set the seals she had been studying before this, but she also doubted she would be given that much time. Moving having felt the changes settle in her body she would move her eyes open and look over to Mairasu to see the changes that were taking hold on her companion as a clap would sound from across from the both of them. "Marvelous, that is truly interesting. How does it do you in combat though, that is a good question," Came the words of the Elder Spear as she smiled from where she laid on her side. Her hands moving to idle on the spears around her as she lifted one and struck forward as Yakitsukeru stood. The sage-in-training having to quickly hop backwards from the strike which looked like it had been made with a practiced slow thrusting. The motion had come reasonably fast, yet looked so incredibly slow. With the warning shot given the Elder looked to Mairasu and raised a brow, a lazy motion and the spear in hand would slide forward on a chain at the end and sweep at the other apprentice. Retaliating in the easiest fashion possible Yaki would reach and grab a single round bomb from her pouch and look to her teammate with a silent glance that said what he was likely to worry about. As she threw the flash bomb towards their opponent in an attempt to blind the sect leader. If only for a moment to let Mairasu catch his bearings. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

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[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

What should have been but a simple clap sounded like someone had blown a horn right next to his head. All of the boy's senses were on eleven and he could see, hear, and feel everything on a much more exponential scale than before; it was a disorienting feeling to say the least but Mairusu would get to his feet nonetheless and focus on the spear-toting woman who looked a lot more intrigued than when the two of them first arrived. He'd listen to her muse over how their new forms would help them in combat before throwing an attack at Yaki.

So it began...

A weapon that long should have been more cumbersome to wield than the woman was making it look, no doubt a product of her skill, and in another motion she had focused an attack on him aiming to sweep him away with the spear. The genin's eyes shifted momentarily to Yaki who, to no one's surprise but Mairusu's had pulled out a bomb from her pouch. Was she planning to try and blow the woman up?! Sure that was cool against giant snakes and rabid bears but weren't they trying to make some kind of deal for the Raikage?

Thankfully the look from his fellow apprentice was one of understanding their situation and the light being emitted from the munition was a welcomed sight. The momentary blinding gave Mairusu just enough time to jump out of the way of the spear, the boost to his reflexes and strength allowing him to create more space than he normal. If it was a fight they wanted then so be it and while common sense told him to think of a plan the genin had no idea how long this transformation of his would last so he had to make every second count.

With an inhale the boy would speed back in towards their opponent trying his best to avoid any incoming strikes from the spear before loosing a few jabs at the woman's midsection.

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WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

It wasn't like she had a lot of tools in her kit for a situation like this. Her lack of a proper weapon, or a vast majority of jutsu coming to bite her in the back for what she was doing. Who knew three elemental releases and had no techniques for any of them? Tateyama Yakistukeru. Cursing her own lack of a toolkit due to her own attachment to the ideal of fundamental foundations, Yaki would perform a single handseal as she weighed herself back down. Her own experience with sage mode, unlike Mairasu, did not make her feel different, just fuller. Like there was a part of her that was missing that had been filled in. This did leave her with a lack of new tools to try and utilize as well, but that was likely safer for her and Mairasu as well. Natural Energy was a dangerous thing to try and manipulate so blindly, it was why she was attempting simply not pull upon it. Running forward after her teammate Yaki would leap high into the air before bringing herself crashing back down from above, trusting Mairasu's assualt. She likely shouldn't have done that though. Sitting up as the boy had run at her, Komi would sit up and snatch back on the chain of the one spear as a second was quickly grabbed and thrust in that odd slow-fast motion towards Mairasu before the second came swinging up in an arc towards Yaki. The spear catching the vipress on her side just below the ribs sending her tumbling into the wood with a crack. If the thrust caught Mairasu off-guard the tip would impact him with its strangely blunted end knocking him back. Otherwise seeing the chain whipped out as to slam into his legs to strike him instead with enough force to send him stumbling at least. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥