[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare had been told that her team finally had its third genin member, and the usually older genin had become at least a little curious in the fellow teammate that was around the same age as she was. She didn't tell Shizuka about her plan to meet with their teammate a little bit ahead of their sensei, so she was unlikely to know about this meeting, but it wouldn't have been out of character for her to somehow find out where they were meeting and show up on her own. Homare still occasionally got some weird looks, but with her weapons at her side, most didn't give her a weird look for long; it seems that the Mayonaka clan hadn't completely outlived their "cursed" reputation, particularly if they had the full manifestation of their clan's kekkei genkai. For the genin, it would probably take a very long time to work against that reputation and bring the Homare clan back together under a singular banner. But that was a goal in the far future, and for now, she had other things to worry about.

Like how she was supposed to address a teammate. She mostly referred to everyone as "Miss" or "Mister", but what if this Gomi woman felt that it was too formal to call a teammate that? What if it offended Gomi? Homare had to stop and take a deep breath to calm her nerves. It wasn't usually like her to actually be the one initiating a meeting with anyone, much less one of her peers. Of course, with her mostly staying out of the business of Kirigakure shinobi early in life thanks to her parents' restrictively protective nature and not knowing much about other genin while she was under the care of the two retired ninja that had taken her in after the Sanbi rampage, Homare had simply stared blankly when she'd been told that the newest genin teammate for Team 3 was the Joheki. The alias had meant absolutely nothing to Homare when she'd heard it, except that it usually referred to buttressed walls on some castles. That didn't make much sense to her at all. The messenger had taken pity on her and finally told her the genin's actual name and explained that she was called that because of her heavy armor, but that was all of the information that Homare had on their new genin other than her gender and her age.


Are they trying to be secretive about what she can do, or do they just not know? Maybe this Gomi person is just as awkward with talking to people as I am...

That was doubtful. It seems like introverts are rare, at least in Kirigakure. Everyone knows everyone else, and she's quite an outcast among them, not least of which is her odd physiology. Now, in a rare moment of nervousness, she's not sure what to do with her six arms; they're almost too fidgety to keep still. With some effort of thought, she has one pair behind her back, one set crossed over her arms, and her bottom right hand down at her side with the left one of the pair resting lazily on the sheathe of her katana. She's standing with her back towards the entrance of the training ground she'd designated as their meeting place, but really the location of this field was centralized in Kirigakure; from this location, they could honestly go nearly anywhere within the village, so if this Gomi person felt hungry, they could go out and grab a bite, instead of training; Homare had had enough of training for a week, anyways.

[Kaguya Gomi]

THREAD NAME HERE Gomi had been called out. She dreaded moments like this her entire life, it was like when her father would take her for "training". When she was called for it always entailed getting hurt. She was going to get hurt again this time. When she was called for missions she was always hurt. She was going to get hurt. The sheer rattle of her armor over-took the world as the Kaguya made her way to the training ground. A mechanical bounce to her motion that was unlike her normal jaunt pace even. The shaking far more pronounced. She knew the name was someone she was supposed to be meeting from her squad, another genin that wanted to 'meet and talk', Gomi understood what it meant. It was a challenge, an invitation in for someone new to use her as a punching bag, to establish the order, and it terrified her. Why her? Why not of all times, she really didn't want to be here... but on an off chance that their ego was so prideful that they would eagerly await the moment to lay into her? She couldn't ignore such a distasteful presence for that reason either right? Entering the training grounds Gomi would have been audible in her motion for nearly a minute out from the entrance, she was loud, the armor was loud as it quaked, and she made seemingly no attempt to mute the noise. Looking around with a blank expression as she froze in place. Fight or flight sounding more like a natural trigger for flight in the moment, not that she would be able to run. She had expressly given up her ability to run so that she could defend better.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare is quite surprised to hear her teammate approaching long before they're close enough to even say hi to each other, and she turns around to face the one they call "Rampart", to find a woman almost completely covered in exceedingly heavy armor that fills the air with a harsh clanging noise like an apprentice in a kitchen. When she approaches and they're finally close enough to be able to speak to one another, Homare stays silent and simply and blankly stares at the other genin, not really certain about what, if anything, she should even say to her teammate. A simple "hi" seems like it'd be more than a little lame after inviting her out to meet, and an introduction would be totally unnecessary... Instead of filling the empty air the way Shizuka often did for her when they were in the same place, the awkward silence as Homare had to deal with a form of social paralysis extended between them. Not that Homare could think much with the metallic cacophony every time Gomi seemed to move a limb even a hair's breadth.

The silence only extends for longer and longer, and as it increases in length, only broken by the clanking of armor, it becomes harder to actually think up what to say to break that nonverbal silence. Homare seems to have to be the one to give up on staying quiet first, building up the courage to at least say something and start this wretched social call, even if she's only starting the conversation to end this meeting sooner.

"Hello, Miss Gomi."

So, it was the lame duck greeting she'd gone for, after all. Well, it had to be better than silence broken only by the air-shattering alarm that broke out every time Gomi took a step.

[Kaguya Gomi]

A TEAM COMES TOGETHER Gomi didn't actually know what was going on here, but one thing was clear. This was a very thinly veiled threat on her life, and absolutely no way in the world, did she have to take this from someone. No one called a person to the training grounds 'just to meet' this was an old fashioned and scheduled meeting of fists and weapon. Gomi wanted to deal with neither, but hiding never helped anyone. Running away did absolutely no favors to anyone weak or strong. Gomi rattled as she shivered from the constant buzzing numbness that came with her own fear. "You don't get to hurt me today..." Gomi would mutter as she formed a single handseal spread her arms wide before clapping with a thunderous boom and clapping twice more. Assuming Homare did not react to the situation the genjutsu would be cast upon her and the fight the young Mayonaka had not actually asked for would begin. Gomi pushing in to try and cover the last few feet before attempting to slam into the girl with all of her weight. A somewhat sloppy maneuver, but if Homare were to back away she would find an odd sensation hindering her movements every third step.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Warutsu o Shimashou [Let's Waltz]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Genjutsu
HANDSEALS: 1 - U/Hare
TRIGGER: Sound - Three consecutive claps from the user, the first of which is louder than the following two.
DESCRIPTION:
After the user forms the handseal and the target hears the trigger, for the next three rotations, the target will feel an unbearable weight on their feet every third step they take, essentially causing them to stomp their foot every third step.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare didn't know what she was expecting, but it didn't involve Gomi performing handseals. The first clap surprises her into taking a step backwards, but she's still careful not to reach for her weapons with her lower pair of hands, and instead tries to ready herself for whatever technique this strange new teammate is about to perform. Of course, Homare has no clue that she's actually been put under a genjutsu after those three claps, much less what the effects of that genjutsu would be.

"Hurt you? Miss Gomi, what do you me-"

Unfortunately, Homare doesn't get the chance to explain that she's not trying to hurt anyone, much less her own teammate, before the blonde woman launches herself at the other genin. Her eyes widen in surprise, having not expected to face a charging bull instead of having an awkward if necessary meeting with a fellow genin teammate. So now she was going to have to avoid being put in an early grave, and she didn't want to draw weapons on a fellow genin, even in self-defense. So she'd have to avoid being directly combative against her fellow ninja. So, although it's almost second nature for her to grab for one of her weapons, she manages to avoid doing so, and instead employs a tactic for dodging out of the way.

Homare waits for Gomi's approach, then does a quick cartwheel to the right side, her eyes watching Gomi the entire time, but as soon as she lands on her second foot, she feels as though the world is pulling down on her right foot, yanking her down hard and causing that foot to land on the ground with a slam that nearly sends her off-balance into another cartwheel before she steadies herself, blinking in surprise at the change in her balance.

[Kaguya Gomi]

a team coming together She was still trying to play her as a fool, Gomi was not a fool. No she refused to take this sort of thing laying down, indignant towards this clear attempt to try and use her as a training dummy or at the very least a form of venting physically. Gomi would not stand for this percieved cruelty, the rattling from her armor increasing in volume as she swivelled on her step and sped up to reach Homare. Still trying to land the opening blow as she pushed her way into melee with the girl. An incredibly ugly expression twisted between panicked beyond comprehension and unyeilding taking over Gomi's face as she faced her teammate in close range again. Thundering forward Gomi would mimic the teachings of her clan if in incredibly rudimentary fashion, striking out with a gaunleted forward palm before ducking low in expectation of a strike and attempting to sweep the Mayonaka's legs from beneath her to lock her to the ground. Assuming she could succeed Gomi was certain she could use her weight to keep the girl pinned until she apologized and promised to not try and hurt her again. After all, those that hid their meanings needed to be conditioned. Just like she they needed to know not to mess with her. Yeah that was it... she needed to make sure that Homare was aware

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare is quite surprised by the suddenly very combative teammate, and she feels she has little choice in not drawing her own weapons now, if only to keep the other Genin from causing herself any further harm. She draws her shinobi axe quickly with her lower left arm, extending the haft to be able to give herself as much handle to work with as possible. While it would be quite difficult to use her sword in a purely defensive manner, the axe might be a bit easier, since its one sharp edge was wide but stout. As the arm comes towards her, Homare tries to deflect it by tugging with her lower left arm directly upwards with the axe head hanging downwards; in such a movement, if Gomi continues with the palm-forward strike, the bottom of the axe-head could catch the armored forearm and drag it upwards; in this way, Homare might only be dealt a glancing blow, should the axe head catch and control the arm.

Homare has five other arms, of course, so instead of simply letting herself be attacked without a response, she uses all three of her right arms to try and shove Gomi away, with the upper arm aimed at shoving her head back, one trying to push back on her shoulder, and her lower right arm pushing off her hip. Of course, with Gomi's armored weight likely keeping her planted, should such a push connect, Homare is likely only shoving herself back by using Gomi as an object to push off of. With all three arms involved in the movement and an attempt to deflect and control Gomi's other arm using the axe, it's a lot for Gomi to have to deal with, but Homare is totally focused on her upper body, missing the sweep entirely. Homare falls, but quickly turns her body to swiftly roll in order to get some distance that would allow her to get back onto her feet, panting a bit from the exertion.

"Miss Gomi! Continued aggression will require me to fight back!"

With this statement made, she requires an additional implied threat, so she switches the axe from her lower left hand to the lower right, pointing the axe head in Gomi's direction while taking hold of her katana's grip with the lower right hand, prepared to draw it in an instant.

[Kaguya Gomi]

THREAD NAME HERE It was a rarity for something to truly aggravate Gomi, she was not exactly the type to really go off on someone without a strong pride backing them. That need to break someone's ego was a fuel for her to continue what she did usually. Homare was not displaying that at all, in fact quite the opposite. Gomi, however, was not so convinced of her teammate being kind. Calling self-defense fighting like she was the aggressor? Ridiculous honestly, maybe this Homare was as delusional as some of the bullies had been before she had beaten them in the academy? As Homare moved to push her Gomi's bones would slam from the soles of her boots into the ground and plant her firmly to the ground. Leaving the girls in a stand-off. Breathing inwardly at a sharp pace Gomi would place her arms up in a guard, a loud quivering as the girl shook in such apparent fear. A leaf quivering in a storm, "Why would you call me if it was not to hurt me today... is that not the point of a challenge letter?" The words were quiet, almost inaudible above her rattling form of bone, not metal, armor. A quiet attempt to parley, Homare's continued unwillingness to show her true colors something Gomi would incite from her if nothing else.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare is quite confused by the answer from Gomi when she brings her hands up in a guarded stance, and the Mayonaka drops the axe from where it was previously being used to point directly at Gomi, her head tilted and her face visibly confused at her teammate calling it a "challenge letter". She certainly understands what the misunderstanding is now, although the reasoning behind that interpretation of the letter she'd sent suggesting that they meet up was definitely strange for the Genin. She can only barely hear the explanation anyways, as the rattling of bones is rather loud, and she realizes it's coming from Gomi.

Homare gives her teammate's face a careful look and realizes that the expression on her face is pure terror, not anger. At that moment, Homare closes up her shinobi axe, causing it to become shorter again before simply placing it back in its usual resting place at her hip, though she keeps her lower left in a tight grip on her scabbard for her katana, just in case Gomi attempts to do some kind of rushing attack in a surprise strike on her.

"I see. Miss Gomi, I've sent you no challenge letter at all. My purpose in suggesting that we meet is simply to become more acquainted with my other teammates. That was my only intention with suggesting that we meet. I don't want to hurt you, and before you tried to attack me, I never even knew you."

It's just as rare for Homare to speak more than a few sentences as it is for her to want to meet up with anyone else in the first place. A lot of rare occurrences for Homare, but this was clearly necessary. The Mayonaka starts to try and walk towards Gomi to show that she means no harm, but the very first step she takes, she feels her foot get pulled down hard, forcing her to stamp again and nearly pulling her off-balance. It was similar to the previous time that her foot had been yanked downwards, and now she was even more confused by such a sudden reaction to just taking a step. She stops instantly, blinking in surprise at the unintentional action.

[Kaguya Gomi]

a team comes together Gomi did not get it, but even as she narrowed her eyes the stance of her companion did not seem to change in the slightest. Something that Gomi caught on to quite easily, after all she was being as attentive as possible. The shivering rattle of bone making up the grand majority of the noise that permeated the air between the two as one girl comprehended what she was being told while the other was attempting to de-escalate the situation that they were in. Taking a step back out of knee jerk reaction at Homare's sudden stomp before Gomi released the girl from her Genjutsu. "I do not understand why you would be attempting such a thing earnestly. Genin teams do not stay structured for long. I have been through many of them, and that has been the constant that I noticed," Gomi would speak again never stopping in her quaking, her voice just audible over the excess noise that she was making. The Kaguya would look around before stepping over to a training dummy and standing on the far side of its bulk to use as an interposing device. The noise amplifying in the process of her moving from a buzzing clatter to a cacophony that seemed to sound out down the streets. "What did you need to know?" The girl asked, confident that the additional deterrent would act as collateral damage before relying again on her armor to stop damage to her self.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare feels somewhat different suddenly after that second strange stomp, but she's not sure if she's just imagining things. It's still a very odd thing to suddenly have happened to her, but at least Gomi seems to have stopped actively attacking her, especially after Homare had put away her weapons. Now Gomi still seems a bit scared, but is only acting more pessimistic, something that Homare can at least deal with. She'd heard that Genin teams didn't usually last very long, but she shrugs off this statement as even worse than pessimistic, perhaps even defeatist in nature.

"Regardless of how long we're a team, Miss Gomi, we'll all have to work with others eventually, and doing so means we have to learn how to work with the team we have right now."

This was already one of the longest actual conversations Homare has ever had, but she seems to be handling it pretty well for someone who was normally so introverted. It really was a struggle, though. At least Homare was able to convince herself to be more outgoing, since this would be part of her future in trying to make the Mayonaka into a singular clan instead of one scattered to the winds like so many migrating spiders on string parachutes. Gomi is something of a test case, though she wouldn't think of her that way.

"Besides, if we don't work together, we might not make it past the rank of Genin. So it's better for us all to graduate together, wouldn't you say, teammate?"

She follows Gomi, though staying several feet away, and she braces herself for the third step almost by reflex, but nothing happens this time around, making her pause with her foot in the air for a long moment before she gingerly puts it back down. Maybe she had only been imagining things.

[Kaguya Gomi]

A TEAM COMING TOGETHER Gomi actually wasn't sure about this anymore. Was she being gaslit into thinking that Homare was geniunely trying to make contact? She couldn't tell. Hidden as she was with the dummy between them. An almost comical sight for the girl wearing what was most certainly the heaviest armor inside of the entire village that wasn't all natural, like the Sourei's full density. Regardless, here was a full-grown teenager in heavy armor quaking behind the dummy, and her expression steely in its gaze - was very clearly mixed between confusion and unease. A bad test of social skills from one socially inept to one that was socially scarred into a state of pure comprehensive mutilation of anything resembling a proper life outside of work, or in it to be honest. "I suppose," Gomi would state just audible over her rattling, the rapping of her hand to the post an additional sets of clacking as she tried to not fidget from her very poor defense from Homare's potential offense. A moment of nothing before continuing, "Are you saying you'd make sure I don't get hurt? I can lend you my figments if you can make that promise to me." Gomi would look surprised, potentially with herself more then anything, at the words that escaped her lips in response after her pause. Was that what she wanted? Just a promise not to not be allowed to see harm? Could she trust Homare to help her achieve that end goal? Gomi had no way to know that and she was terrified with the very prospect that she had openly offered to find out.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare feels like she's actually making some social progress, not just for herself but with her teammate as well. She's not actively attacking her or retreating, so that's an automatic improvement from where the two of them were as teammates prior to this meeting, albeit she'd originally wanted to take part in some training, rather than take part in an outright assault against herself. Homare also had to recognize that she was lucky that Gomi had been open to the idea that the blue-haired shinobi wasn't actually looking for a fight, and was willing to be at the very least cordial.

The sound of a promise to make sure she doesn't get hurt doesn't sound possible, much less plausible, and she's hesitant to make a promise that she knows she can't keep, to say the least. Even if it would rapidly improve their relationship in the short term, she knows it would hurt their camaraderie in the long term, because Gomi would eventually be hurt and Homare either wouldn't be able to stop her from experiencing harm, or would be working hard to keep Gomi from outright dying, which could still cause Gomi harm. She sighs a little at the conundrum she has to make, but she hopes Gomi recognizes her slight hesitation to make the promise to mean that she's fully considering it and not just giving an empty promise.

"I can't make that kind of promise. Even now, I can't keep myself from harm completely. But I'll give you a compromise!"

Homare holds out all six arms, outstretched on either side of her to show her teammate just how much arm she has for the job as she finally does give a promise that she thinks is more tenable.

"With all six of these arms, I promise to do what I can to keep you from harm!"

[Kaguya Gomi]

A Team Comes Together Gomi was certain that she was going to be able to take this out that was handed to her as soon as the option was given to her. The idea of Homare offering her a verbal out the horrible blunder of bartering in exchange for her cooperation was like a saint offering a light that led outside of the tunnel that she had started to get trapped inside of. It was something that she was hoping wasn't the trap that she expected in these sorts of verbal exchanges that she would have rather avoided. "I can accept those terms, as long as you can try to honor them. I in turn can promise my cooperation, assuming it is something that I can capable of..." the girl would trail off as she made direct eye contract as her brow lowered and the rattle became the only noise. A steady rattle like the drumming of rain in the midst of a storm, "I do not believe you ever gave me your name. I do not remember it from the letter I was given either considering I was preoccupied with the other content that was inside of the letter." Was this the trap that had been set for her to fall into inside this verbal confrontation they were having? Gomi was sure of her survival, but it would only temporarily solve the ire that she was expecting back in return.

[Mayonaka Homare]

Homare is only a little disappointed that her own teammate doesn't remember her name, especially after it had been signed on the request to meet with her for some training and team building, but she's careful not to show it too blatantly, since she'd only just earned some level of camaraderie with Gomi, and this only after she'd been attacked first. It was much more important for her to make sure Gomi was comfortable so that she wouldn't immediately lose this progress in helping to bring Gomi out of her bony shell just a bit. The strange rattling noise from her teammate is a bit unnerving if she was honest, and she had to wonder if other people felt the same way about her having six arms as opposed to the normal two.

"Do not worry, Miss Gomi. My name is Homare, Mayonaka Homare."

It was rare indeed for a member of her clan to actually use the Mayonaka clan name, and she was certain she might be the first of those with their specific kekkei genkai to use the name to refer to themselves. Her kind were often cast off as monsters, and she found it a little ironic that she'd found acceptance from a woman that seems actually terrified of her before she'd found acceptance from her own scattered clan. Perhaps it was a sign that she was on the right track in terms of bringing the Mayonaka together once more and uniting them under her; if she could make a friend in Gomi, perhaps it bode well for her making friends with the rest of her clan. It was a ray of sunshine in what started off as a very dark day indeed.

Homare brings her six arms back down, since she's made her promise already, with her upper pair clasped behind her back, the middle pair crossed in front of her chest, and her lowest pair of arms standing akimbo on her hips.

"Hmmm. I had originally been trying to get us to train together, Miss Gomi, but this is a kind of training in itself, I think. Not training for combat, but of a different sort."

With this, Homare gives her teammate one of her rare smiles, hoping she sees it the same way.