[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

A deep breath in and out, cold filling her lungs as she stood outside a rather unfamiliar door… The Yuki Compound was a bit different than her own and one that she never had any true reason to tread within. Her clan was a mixture of any sorts of people, bloodline wasn’t something incredibly focused upon but the strength and applications of others. How hard they worked, how much they worked, all trying to give towards the greater name of Masahiro.

Yet here she was in a different compound with the best intentions at heart, or so she thought. Hand lifted and knocking firmly upon the door with gloved and metallic armor clanging lightly against the firm exterior. Maybe she wouldn’t be here… the woman was radiant and energetic so it was quite possible that she was anywhere within the village. A glance over her shoulder, the girl’s blue eyes looking to the escort of the clan. She requested to be shown to this very home, so it was only natural, but even that look revealed nothing as that guide seemed as clueless as to the whereabouts of the homeowner as she did herself.

Kaiya had a goal in mind, even if small. Her training with Master Kirei was fantastic and steady, he even encouraged her to some small degree to broaden her horizons. He was her true teacher, but this woman had taught her as well. From what she heard from her Master, they had even been on a recent mission together and he had positive things to say of her skills.

"Raimaa-sama, are you home?”

The call of the even voiced girl, though her knock may have been solid and sure, the voice of the lark was always much more subtle and cooing...

---

raimaa futago

Forgive me if I have details wrong about her homestead! I wasn't sure if they lived on clan grounds or not, but I assumed.

Also. I'm bad at Japanese, so idk if that's the right honorific. orz

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

Mei was certainly a lovely woman. If Raimaa wasn't so physically awesome, she might even be stiff after last night. But that was not on the cards today. Today, was the rest day. Everyone needed one, because you'd do yourself an injury without it. So she was going to sit in, drink tea, read a book and eat loads.

That was the plan at least. Though a cute knock on the door and Kaiya's muffled voice put a lovely end to that and saw Raimaa answering the door in a big dressing gown and pair of winter socks.

"I am not home, I am Raimaa. Though, mistaken identity aside, come in. Come in. Have a cup of tea" Raimaa offered, stepping out from the doorway to let Kaiya and maybe her guide as well come in. She was a gregarious host, after all.

[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

The sudden opening of the door was expected but the attire of the woman was not. Kaiya not budging for a moment as her mind processed the woman’s attire and then bits of hesitance wandering through. Not to mention the answer, one that Kaiya would have taken a moment to mull over and place before she understood. Before the girl could apologize she was already being invited in for tea, the little blonde following along with a soft nod in response. She… could do that much. Especially if she had already interrupted her.

"I apologize if I’ve come at an inopportune time, though do thank you for your hospitality.”

Into the woman’s house she’d go, her escort giving a bow to the lady Raimaa before turning on his way. The child had found her destination and the loyal Yuki set forth to watch his own rounds again. Kaiya in the woman’s house though, a few steps in and then turning slightly to behold the older woman and await to be lead or shown where she should go.

"I had meant to ask for your wisdom in training again, but I’d be glad to spend some time with you as well if you wouldn’t mind. It seems you planned a relaxing day.”

Soft words of the youth carried through, the gentle nature of the girl ever common even if a bit dull to many ears.

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

"Every time is an inoppitune time these days, so fu-....bugger it, I can play host" she replied, returning into the house with Kaiya and shutting the door. From there she shuffled into the kitchen and put the kettle on to make a cup of tea for the girl, fishing a pair of fruitcakes out of storage and handing one to Kaiya to have with her tea.

"No reason you can't have both. A swordswoman, or indeed anyone focused on physical aptitude and training, needs a relaxing day once a week. Push yourself too hard for too long and you'll do a serious injury. Medical Ninjas can heal the wound, but not the lost progress from the damage you've done.

Once a week is good, and it's always a good time to gorge as well. Your body adapts to your intake, so a diet that is best for your workout will slowly cause your body to enter a low energy state, and so you can't train as well anymore. Eating a lot once a week makes it go 'ohh, I'm just dumb, we have plenty of spare'. You don't need to do it on your off day, it's just working out on a full stomach is hard"

[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

The honesty of Raimaa brought the faintest of smiles to the girl’s face. The woman was rather eccentric and energetic, a very different person altogether than Kaiya herself. But the time they had spent together had been interesting and meaningful, the young girl learning much even in brief moments of time.

A fruitcake handed to the girl without so much as asking, though no offense taken in the least by the smaller blonde. A small bow of her head and whisper of gentle words "Thank you.” , she’d take a small bite of the food while Raimaa would respond in exchange to her earlier words.

Nodding would come once again, slow and soft movements in agreement. Kaiya worked hard and often wondered how hard was too hard. But so far the amount of success she had gained pushed her to continue rather than back off. Though the wealth of information kept coming, the nods of agreement turning to a soft cant of her head to the side.

So specific! Once a week rest. Gorge once a week as well? It seemed the older woman had it down to a pattern that worked for her and assuming she was telling Kaiya, it would work for everyone?

"I assume this is from experience? Did you study this pattern or come to know it over time?”

The questions flowing smoothly to try and gain a better understanding, a pause taken for another bite of the food as she realized she was rude.

"Ah.. I apologize. This cake is pleasant to eat, do you bake often?”

A shift of tone that felt natural with her not having commented right away, though not exactly where she wanted to focus her attention either.

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

Finishing the kettle and pouring some tea, she'd carry them both over to the table and hand one to Kaiya.

"Experience, yea. The Futago are very much a physically active clan, so it is drilled into your head from the day you can understand words. You are deceptively fragile, so look after your body. If you do any damage, you will lose weeks or months of progress, so you will be overtaken by your friends and almost never be able to catch up.

If you are negligent with training, the Hijutsu will end your Shinobi career, and if you try to push past that resulting heart attack, you will die. That second bit, isn't just something you are told. It's like, at least one person a generation cripples themself with overuse of the Hijutsu. Small price to pay for mastery, but it happens. You look at someone like me, or Raisetsu, and well...one day as a Wolf"

she'd sip her tea at that and let the words hover in the air for a moment before the conversation turned, and Raimaa would give a smile.
"Quite often, yea. Easiest route to a good diet that you can stand without going face-stabbingly insane is to cook for yourself"

[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

This woman was always a little strange to be with. Very different than someone like Master Kirei but.. Not unpleasant. She had her own look and way of going about things that had every ounce of truth as others would present to the young girl, but with a flare that Kaiya never quite expected or knew how to deal with. It was brutal honesty mixed with an almost joking and flamboyant manner, but it was always both confusing and refreshing. Raimaa was truly different and for Kaiya it was nice to experience now and then. Maybe it was a reason she liked Akio so much too… People so different from her helped her a lot.

"That’s right, you aren’t originally from Yukigakure. It seems you know your clan heritage well, I’m sure you’re proud of all you’ve accomplished.”

The lady was pretty amazing, assuming all she spoke and knew were true, which Kaiya had generally assumed to be the case. She never really found fault with the woman other than her odd demeanor, but even that wasn’t fault as much as shock and awe from a much more meek youth.

The conversation shifting towards food though, something Kaiya didn’t quite expect her to be so good at and admit she had bought it somewhere. So there’d be the faintest notes of surprise when it was the opposite, looking to the cake again with a little more want. Another bite was expected, no? With another taste to her tongue and chewing silently, there’d be one moment where she’d practically choke on it. A small shock and move, but choking on a bit of surprised laughter. Smile teased at her lips as Raimaa’s wording once again caught her off guard.

Face-stabbingly insane.

"Ah… haha~ I guess that’s one way to look at it. How… do you find time to accomplish so much? I am sure you work tirelessly but sometimes it feels overwhelming and excessive with the abundance you have to offer.”

SOmetimes it felt a little awkward, honestly. Any slight expectation that Kaiya thought the woman might not know what she was talking about would be swiped as untrue. Like the cake. Another example of Raimaa having experienced and mastered far more than the blonde would have thought she could scrape through to get.

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

"Any clan head that doesn't know their heritage doesn't deserve to be a clan head" Raimaa replied. She chose not to comment on being proud of her accomplishments. Kaiya was too cute a kitten to burden with the despair of what could happen later in life.

Instead, brighter times with Kaiya snort-choking on the cake in laughter at Raimaa's choice of words.
"A strong schedule helps for accomplishing much. My general one is;

Morning training, shop for today's food. Then three hours free. Those three hours free are very important because they give your schedule flexibility and allow you to break the flow of your schedule and not be thrown off. If training runs on, or I meet someone to talk to on the way home from shopping, I've already got time to burn. Free time is not break time, or at least not exclusively. It is time you have to do anything you want, and it is time to cushion you in case one thing goes wrong. It is also not something you have to take all at once. Just that you have three hours in the day that have nothing scheduled for.

After shopping, I tidy the house up, prep and cook lunch, then offer aid around the estate for an hour to settle lunch in. Then afternoon training. Morning training warms the body and prepares for activity, afternoon training sharpens techniques and ensures proper form posture is retained.

Then we look at the mission board if we don't have a part time job, and that fills the time until dinner. Then an hour to relax, take a bath, and go to bed. The most important part of a schedule is to know when and where to break it. If you break it every day, it has no use, but if you switch positions or do something new then it reduces monotony and ensures that you can stick to it.

And then once a week is the rest day where you have no schedule and just do what you want. A strong sense of whimsy helps here"

[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

A bit of a smile would come to the girl’s expression at that… A calm and fond little expression that wasn’t often shared across her features. She’d have to agree though. The Clan Head must know much about their heritage. Master Kirei was fantastic… As was Raimaa.

"You must have been great. I do not know the full story of how you’ve come to be here in Yukigakure, but I hope you’re happy and I’m glad you’ve taken moments to teach me.”

The small cooing of the girl holding her compliments even as if they were facts of life. The little smile had faded as easily as it had came, but her praise towards the woman would have remained.

Little did the girl know her rare smiles would find a new outlet in a laugh… The wording of the woman was always different but sometimes they just kicked a little differently. It was funny~ But serious things behind it even as Raimaa continued. A schedule for her day, well thought out, and explained in detail.

"I never thought about things like that… even scheduling in time for things not scheduled. "

Quiet thoughtfulness and mulling it over, time taken in the treats provided by the same woman that continued to give advice. It was nice… Almost like an odd sort of motherly figure. And amusingly that made Kirei the fatherly figure~ An inward smile kept, otherwise her face straight and calm as normal.

"You have a strong sense of whimsy, I’m sure. I don’t know if I could come up with a day full of things to do to ‘rest.’”

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

Raimaa would exhale and look away from Kaiya. How to explain it without being too rough...

"Hmm...greatness is debated. But - and this is going to sound morbid and depressing, so try to take it pragmatically - never rely on another person. Have friends and comrades, have teamwork and parties and weddings, and whatever. But never make a plan that you can not pull off yourself. If you rely on another person, then that person has the chance to let you down and collapse all the plans ontop of itself.

If you really feel you can't do that, then be explicit in your instructions. Make sure they know exactly where you are coming from and exactly what you are doing. Never expect a friend to know you well enough to see past a needed deception, they can get it wrong and blame you for it, ruining everything"

Shaking out her hair at the end of that, she'd take a cake and eat in silence for that bit to settle into Kaiya. A ruin to the happy times, but safeguarding the future, perhaps.

And then, after the pregnant silence, she would speak again.
"But yes, I do. Usually, I eat, sleep, and wander around the town. Activity on a full stomach is hard, but a light walk is always nice. Sometimes, Shineko would take me out for a walk, but I've no chakra so I can't summon him these days"

[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

Life was full of rather depressing and morbid ideals… Kaiya wasn’t one who had experienced the harshest hardships in life, but there were plenty of things to be seen within Yukigakure and a shinobi’s life that made it relatively common to know life wasn’t sunshine and rainbows…

Though she in no way expected what the Lady Raimaa was about to say. Not to trust someone? It was impossible to not seem the faintest bit surprised, the innocent girl tilting her head softly to the side as she listened to all the woman had to say. It sounded like an odd balance… It didn’t sound like Raimaa didn’t trust people completely, but that for things that had any value she’d rather do them herself?

It was odd to hear… didn’t people usually preach to not trust easily yet it was an important bond? Or to trust tasks to underlings so they can learn to be productive? Raimaa was more knowledgeable than her though and while odd, Kaiya often found truth in the woman’s words.

"It does sound depressing… If I don’t give them a chance to let me down, don’t I equally not give them the chance to prove their capability…?”

Thinking through it, questioning soft and slow in those gentle words, the question merely pressing for more of the woman’s thoughts rather than directly questioning the idea. It was a lot to take in and try to compare to her own thought processes…

The topic to shift though, the whimsical woman and her antics on her days off. It sounded rather simple, Kaiya almost thought to laugh. Almost. No real break in her natural neutrality listening even as the name Shineko came up. One that hinted towards the origins to such a name and… the explanation of a summoning. All back around to Raimaa’s questionable way of entering the village, something that Kaiya didn’t know to any official capacity, but rumors ran through the words of those in the village regardless.

She was happily married though? Found someone in yukigakure to share her life with? Kaiya had a hard time believing circumstances were all bad, though the lack of chakra usage was still as pressing.

"Perhaps sometime we could walk together? I am no replacement for your summon but I enjoy your company and wisdom.”

An gentle offering by the girl, left as it may for the woman to take and after a short pause, a followup.

"What is Shineko like?”

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

"If they need your direct oversight to showcase their capabilities, then they don't really have any to begin with. If they can off their own back then that is good for both of you. And if they can't, then that is good for neither of you"

And then the cute little thing offered her company on a light walk. Which meant Raimaa would probably have to make it a light walk since after nearly thirty years, she was kind of stuck in third gear at most and if she had nobody to measure against, she was practically running even on a casual meander.

"I would very much enjoy that, yes. As for Shineko, he is...imagine a Cat. But five foot tall, wide enough to lay down on the back of, and not quite so much of an arsehole as most cats tend to be. He feels somewhat like a Grandfather, who had mischief in his youth but now in old age he is matured and above such frivolity"

[Masahiro Kaiya]

With Life There Is Always Another Chance

In The Light There Is Always Darkness

For all the times she learned from and listened to Raimaa, there were still plenty of things Kaiya didn’t quite understand. The inability to prove capability was something she wasn’t sure she got… Squirming just faintly with discomfort, she tried to piece together what the woman was saying but it was true that it did indeed sound rather negative and depressing…

Which made the turn of conversation a little brighter, perhaps. The summon of Raimaa’s and loss of chakra was no small detriment to her life, but maybe the blonde could provide some sort of relief? Raimaa had her wife and her schedules and expectations, but if she needed a walking partner Kaiya thought she could at least offer that much.

A little grin to slip across the young girl’s face as it was accepted, never knowing that Raimaa pondered the significant speed difference. Kaiya feeling at least a little better that the woman might enjoy something the girl could offer. But the summon? A cat? A faint tilt of the girl’s head came as she tried to picture a feline, though automatically it was that of a small housecat…

A vision that quickly shifted with the girl’s blue eyes widening just slightly. Five feet? Could carry a person? And the explanation of his personality. It had the girl smile a little more easily, a laugh very softly breathed through.

"You’ve met such a wide variety of individuals. A Grandfather cat bigger than a horse… I suppose that’s why summons are so revered. His size, I mean. I’m sure he is quite powerful as well.”

The thought of some large cat with a white beard lazing about stayed in her mind, a powerful grandpa with watchful eyes… Attention to remain on Raimaa though, the lady that always seemed happy go lucky often had her own trials as well.

"You’re very complicated… I might feel a little guilty for intruding on your time so much, so I hope that I don’t prove too heavy a burden. I appreciate the time you give me.”

Masahiro Kaiya

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[raimaa futago]

"Don't worry so much about the burden. I'll just take you to the bedroom and extract every hour you think you are taking from me. It'll be a fair, equivalent exchange" Raimaa would say, her sultry voice like a gentle stroke down Kaiya's back. Clearly the woman knew exactly how to make a person feel all hot and tingling down there. A Shinobi should use all their tools, after all. And it was Raimaa's curse that she no longer knew how to turn off and relax.

"But, when you are thirty years old and have lived through a war, I'd hope you to would be complicated and having met a wide variety of people. War is highly unlikely given the indolence of people these days, but there is nothing worse than a boring life. If the world won't provide, go and find something interesting of yourself"