[hirata isao]

despite countless battles, shinobi life bringing the threat of death with each passing moon and the ever growing pressure of one thousand pairs of eyes fixed on him, isao was somehow still nervous.

today he would meet one of the team members of squad two, the genin team he was assigned to lead. it had been recommended to him to bring the lot of them out to some field or to some dark enclave within the village to meet them together; to learn who they were and what it is they wanted to accomplish as shinobi but that all seemed so standard faire and impersonal, like a teacher asking your favorite flavor of ice cream on the first day of school. while these were indeed isao's students, they were his comrades first and he would entrust his life to them an innumerable amount of times in the coming years. he had no intention of handling them 'by the book'.

which is how isao found himself in a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant as the final moments of dusk disappeared, overtaken by the thick creeping pitch of night. he'd invited jun muramatsa to a casual meal with the idea that, before they went through the usual procedures; demonstrating abilities and discovering areas for potential growth, isao would be able to get familiar, and hopefully establish the beginnings of a lasting bond, with these three fresh genin.

he'd read a bit about her, looked at her grades and spoke with a few people about her strengths and weaknesses but it was all just data; none of it captured what he aimed to. it was all who she had been. stuff that didn't matter to isao. he wanted to know who she was and who she would, or even just could, become.

the place he'd picked out left no question to the intent of the meeting. while a relatively private establishment starved of any substantial number of guests, it was a family-run joint, one which didn't even serve alcohol, and, despite it being nestled in between two larger buildings, managed a large front window, just within which isao sat. he wore a thick wool sweater and his hair was damp from snow he'd collected on the walk over that had since melted in the warmth of the restaurant. beside him against the wall rested his sword, a massive beast of a blade that never left his side if he could help it, and his head leaned back against the plush booth, eyes shut as he waited.

isao was rarely anxious but he was also rarely pressed. while he kept his composure well, each time the bell above the door rang he would open one eye, just to peek and check who it was, always simultaneously hoping and fearing it would be his student.

468 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]It had been a short train ride and a short bit of walking, but after what felt like a journey the girl had finally made it. And as she stood inside the restaurant that she was told to go too, she waited for a brief moment not sure who she was expecting only knowing that she was told to meet him here. For the majority of the day her mind raced with a great many wonders about the man she'd soon be calling "sensei" and after having spending some of her training sessions under the care of one Raimaa Fuutago she wondered how he'd measure up to her.
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But, after waiting around for a good moment the silver haired purple parka wearing youth would be approached by a member of the restaurant staff. "Excuse me miss are you waiting for someone?” they’d ask. The girl would look up to the woman and would have a slightly nervous tone of voice. "I’m looking for my sensei, his name is Isao, Hirata.” the woman would hear the girls words and would point towards the large man sitting down by himself with a massive sword behind his back. "That’s him over there.” the girl would take a gander at him from a distance examining his features not wanting to make too many judgements.
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He sat seemingly in silence, she’d approach him and would present herself in a professional manner. "Excuse me, Hirata sensei. I’m Jun Muramatsa first cell member of genin team 2 a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” she’d move beside the table and would take her seat. She looked around at the locale it was rather homey very down to earth, she wondered if this was a reflection of the kind of man he was she looked over his features he looked hardened full of experience and wisdom. His eyes gave off a serious disposition just what kind of man was he after having waited nearly 2 weeks to find out she was quite curious.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]349 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

the bells above the entrance didn't stop ringing as jun entered, the high collected tone of her voice piercing through the relative quiet of the restaurant and catching isao's attention immediately. he took a peek to confirm it was her before settling back into his seat. jun approached, guided by the server whose attention she'd drawn, and the bells began again in her voice.

he opened his eyes and fixed his attention on her as she spoke, wordless, waiting for her to complete her thought before offering any acknowledgement. the first thing he could gather was a stark professionalism. she was clearly someone who took herself, or at least first impressions, seriously. in that case, thought isao, he'd better straighten up. he extended a hand to jun as he did, and as she took her seat across from him, in a gesture of welcoming.

"and to you." he'd offer, quiet and curt. his voice was a perfect contrast to hers. where jun's was high, charming and refined, isao's was low and a bit uneven; rough along the edge like a sword after battle. she was a lyre, plucked with delicate and noble fingers, and he was a cello, played dark and rhythmic with a worn bow.

so this was jun muramatsa. isao had done his homework; she was an older academy graduate who lacked any real specialty save for a budding knack for sealing techniques. but then, isao could learn something from that, his being a perennial idiot savant. but he wanted her thoughts on that matter, what she could do or offer. in the end, that's the only opinion that mattered on the subject.

isao offered a warm smile, hopefully breaking some tension in the air as two future colleagues met and exchanged introductions. "thanks for coming here by the way. i know it might not be the usual way of doing things... oh, and sorry for the wait." he rubbed the back of his neck, releasing some of his own tension. he continued calmly, "took some settling in with the paperwork and all."

he waved a limp hand at the mention of 'paperwork'. it wasn't his forte, to say the absolute least, and the last thing he wanted to do was discuss the bureaucracy of positions and promotions. "but anyway, i brought you here with the hope of getting to know my future student. there's no pretense here, speak freely and tell me about yourself." while still rough, a second layer began to envelop isao's voice as he settled in and got rolling, coating those edges with warmth.

430 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]As the two sat down the snow would begin to lightly fall outside as she sat across from her instructor. His tone was very curt and short but not fully firm. And was much more casual than she expected. After a moment he mentioned superfluous things like paperwork and how she could speak freely and tell him about herself. But where had he been for so long was the village lacking in instructors it seemed a tad odd. After making herself comfortable she’d relay the information she’d begin.
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"Well for starters, I’ve been a genin for roughly a few weeks and don’t have too much experience with active combat which is something I’m looking to improve upon. I'm from the Muramatsa clan and I've been living in Yukigakure for the past six years. My hobbies should you care to hear them include calligraphy and reading.” the girl relayed for information calmly and clearly she wanted to make sure that her sensei knew everything he needed and it was clear she thought this out.
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"Currently, I’m seeking to expand on my knowledge of projectiles and later plan to specialize in tactics that increase my affinity with traps and wires which will in turn allow me to better support my teammates in combat. I’m someone who values information and always want to make sure I have as much knowledge as I can be for any given situation.” she pushed out her words and then ended with a smile, her demeanor almost as if she were giving a presentation, very professional, but not enough to be too much. It was clear she took her work and her job seriously hopefully the information she relayed was enough to satisfy his curiosity. She felt confident in her delivery but now awaited his reply.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]303 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

isao wasn't particularly impressed. the young woman's delivery belonged more in a sales report in some board room meeting as opposed to the casual atmosphere of the restaurant, full of hushed voices, the dull sound of distant steel on ceramic and the pop of a fireplace on the other side of the space. still, it was hard not to give her credit; she knew how to present herself. if this was a job interview she'd be doing great.

isao watched her as she spoke, her posture and gestures perfectly in line with her formal behavior. well, it wasn't the first time the man had met someone like her, and in yukigakure it wasn't even the first time today. the fact she'd come from an outsider clan and come here a bit later was something that struck a bit of a cord with isao, for obvious reasons, and he filed that upstairs for later.

it seemed like what she wanted to learn would go along with isao's skillset as well, his being proficient in bukijutsu and the use of all manner of weapon. the tactics might require a bit of outsourcing but at the very least isao could help her grow as a battlefield tactician. anyone could devise grand strategy given enough time. but on the front lines, time was the resource most sorely lacked.

"those are great things to value; tactics, planning and supporting your comrades. you'll be a good asset in the field if we can get those things battle ready." he alluded to a path for them to start growing toward. isao didn't know her background but he knew that of thousands of others, young up-and-comers that valued tactics and planning. when it worked it really worked but that was the exception to the rule. more often than not, people were dying long before any battlefield tactics could come to light. "but we can discuss those things in a moment." that wasn't important to start with.

what had really struck isao's interest was jun's hobbies. reading wasn't anything to write home about but calligraphy was interesting, a topic the man had a fundamental lack of knowledge on. "what i'd really like to know is more about your calligraphy. do you have any of your work on you? i'd love to see it." he offered a small smile and warm eyes, a stark contrast to the cold of the darkening night and steadily growing snowfall.

406 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]As the conversation had continued he had mentioned that her traits were admirable and that he was eager to get them combat ready however he also showed distinct interest in her hobby calligraphy. "Why yes actually.” the girl would say surprised that he’d take an interest in it she wasn't sure why it mattered. "I wonder why he wants to see my work?" After a short moment would remove a small book from the straps on her jacket and would pass it along to her future sensei.
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Inside what he’d find would be a litany of fuin seals all drawn with a more artistic feel than normal and even a few that veered off into something entirely different a few experimental pieces where the handwriting didn’t even resemble words themselves but in reality were small drawings of people’s faces outlined by the kanji that made up her name. Inside were two distinct pieces a man and a father who both looked a great deal like Jun with the eyes in the center looking very distinct but were the same in both images.
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There was even a self portrait in there as well with the first letter of kanji that made up her name being the base for the piece. "Do you like it! My parents taught me when I was little, it started out as a way to get me to learn fuin seals since calligraphy practice was something standard within the clan. But it eventually developed into a passion of mine. I started out with just the kanji but then I decided to get experimental after drawing them so many times.” his warm disposition had caused her to soften just a tad in her delivery.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]268 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

the pages were thick, as if soaked in ink, and as isao opened the book up proper, revealing jun's work, he understood why. each page was decorated by intricate designs, some delicate patterns akin to seals and others of a much more experimental nature. he ran a calloused thumb across a page, dancing across the very slight warping of the page where the ink had taken especially deep.

as jun explained, isao continued to dive into the pages, examining each equally and with a focused look. he wasn't just glancing at each page, the way you do when someone hands you a sketchbook full of just-fine-enough portraits, but rather deeply, treating each page as an individual piece of art to be admired. as he flipped through he couldn't help but allow a small smile to creep across his face. 'this girl may be bettered suited as an artist', he mused.

as he came to the most experimental designs, those of the people made of characters, or at least started from such, his eyes narrowed. these were, truly amazing. in this line of work there wasn't much room for this type of skill, most warriors completely forsaking creative pursuits like this in lieu of more training. but as far as isao was concerned, this counted as both. his gaze rose to meet jun's. "these are gorgeous." his tone was flat yet genuine; serious yet warm.

with all the gentleness one affords an infant, isao shut the book and placed it down back in front of jun. "i'd like to see you continue this hobby." the smile returned as he spoke, encouraging the young student to pursue the hobby further. "sometimes our hobbies grow into our work. sometimes it's the other way around, as you described. and sometimes they're one and the same."

isao leaned back, his expression and posture one of comfort as he folded his arms across his chest and revealed a strong profile, favoring the snowfall over the going-ons of the restaurant interior. his eyes lingered on a streetlamp across the street. "i hope i can help you accomplish that, if you'd like." he was, of course, referring to her creativity with her calligraphy. naturally, he wanted to see jun continue the more artistic pursuit, as she had already been doing, but there was more potential there and if there was a chance this kunoichi could create fuinjutsu of her own... well, that would just be splendid, wouldn't it?

410 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]As her instructor looked over her art pieces he seemed pleased, smiling as he looked over the pages the girl was proud of her work and was glad that he seemed to be enjoying it. "I’m glad you like it.” he’d then remark that he thinks she should continue.
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"I don’t see why I wouldn’t keep going sir…it’s practice and a passion sir.” the girl would remark with a smile. "I’m happy you’re willing to help, but how do you plan to do that?” she’d examine more of his features as he spoke his words reminiscent of a conversation she had with the Yuki lady some time ago. About finding her way.
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"Currently I’m training towards getting myself ready for the chunin exams. But I’m sure you’re already aware of that.” the girl would then shift her tone a tad. "My biggest problem currently however is figuring out what I'm going to do after the exams are over. The Yuki Lady told me I should try going on missions that would help me learn more about where my strengths lie and see what I enjoy. But I'm not sure where to start." the girl however was getting a bit ahead of herself and realized that and would dial the conversation back just a touch.
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"But, before that Isao sensei tell me about yourself, you know about me but now I’d like to learn about you if we're going to be working together I'll need to know all that I can, for starters tell me about your sword.” the girls usual enthusiasm could be felt in her words once more she honed in on the large weapon wondering why he was even allowed to carry it inside but there was no doubt it fascinated her.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]218 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

one thing isao had learned through many a similar first meeting was that pushing a conversation any which way would typically lead to a stall or strange hiccups in the flow of dialogue. while jun had brought up a few things that piqued isao's interest, namely what to do with herself after the exams, she's specifically directed the topic of conversation toward him. it only seemed natural to acquiesce and follow her train of thought. she was the reason they were here after all and there would be time to address everything else.

talking about himself, however, was one of isao's great weaknesses. and, while the object in question was not in fact himself, his sword was so closely linked with the man's past that it was hard not to ramble and stray into pages of parentheticals. he weighed the topic a bit before deciding what he could, at least for comfort's sake, say about his trusty companion.

"it was originally my dad's. though i imagine he'd have trouble recognizing it at this point considering how many times it's been reforged." he didn't look at the blade but turned his body a bit to acknowledge it all the same, keeping his gaze shared between jun and the dark lacquered tabletop. "i take it just about everywhere. i'm not crazy though." he spoke with a chuckle and the smallest of smiles, just a curve at the corners of his mouth. "if they wouldn't let me bring it in, i would've let them take it behind the counter or something. they just know me here."

with the end of his brief description he straightened his form and looked over past jun's shoulder, a telltale sign their server was approaching. a handsome young man stood at the end of the table, looking at jun expectantly with a casual smile, his purpose clear. from across the table isao waited wordlessly, his eyes falling to the surface before him so as not to press jun's order.

331 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]As their conversation continued Jun would ask about her teachers weapon and he would give rather simple answers but would note that the weapon had been reforged a great many times which intrigued the young woman. "Re-forged?” the girl would wonder looking to it. "That sword has been passed down, how far back does it go.” these questions are what truly intrigued the girl these are the things she really wanted the answers too.
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But before her teacher could answer the server at the restaurant would approach them, asking the two of them what they’d like to eat. "Oh ummm…” the girl hadn’t exactly taken the time to look at the menu but upon opening it up would see a small section filled with an assortment of grilled meats.
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Licking her chops at the thought of it the girl would point to the item she wanted, and when asked about a drink she’d select water. She had a soft spot for coffee but figured it was too late in the night to stay awake for hours at a time and that a nice thick cut of meat would already leave her feeling rather full. "I’ll take the Yakiniku and a glass of water please, extra beef.” Yakiniku was the girls favorite dish and was something she always enjoyed when it was made whilst her family was out on their journeys.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]230 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

isao was granted the time to consider his own menu as jun ordered. he'd eaten little today so far, so some of the heavier dishes stuck out to him; the question was always whether or not to pig out when 'entertaining guests'. isao considered something light to simply snack on but as his companion ordered a beef plate he smiled, pleased she'd made the decision for the both of them.

the server turned to isao. "and you, sir?" he readied a pen, eyes darting between isao's and the menu where the man began to point out items.

"kitsune udon." he paused with each phrase to allow the server to write the order down. "an extra aburaage to the side. two inari and more tea, thank you." he spoke assuredly, indicating the familiarity of a regular order, as he moved his empty cup from one side of the table to the other.

with that his attention was back to jun. "as for your other question, i don't know how old it is. but it's seen more battle than most kage." while that may have been an exaggeration, or at the very least an unverifiable claim, it was true the sword had been through countless conflicts over several generations and wore the battle scars to prove it. he leaned back and studied jun from across the table. it made sense she'd be interested in him, he was to be her sensei for years to come after all, but he was never one to prattle on about himself without end. it might be best to get it out of her system now though.

"anything else you'd like to know?" he waved loosely with his hand, indicating the vastness of his story; a gesture somehow both genuine and in jest. "i'm an open book."

300 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]With the girl having ordered her food her mind was fixated now on her meal she was eager to taste it’s exotic flavor it was a pure treat, but during their discussion he had mentioned that his sword had been through many great battles more so than a Kage. "Oh really? Tell me about them? What was your greatest challenge as a shinobi and how did you manage to overcome it?” she’d say posing an intriguing question she wanted to know the kind of mind her sensei had.
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Jun loved deep conversation and this far his minimalistic answers were not really satisfying her thirst for knowledge. She wanted to hear a story, to be regaled with a tale that showed all of the cunning and power that she expected of a shinobi. His scruffy visage held and air of mystique to it but thus far his words were not matching the anticipated demeanor given off by his appearance.
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Jun wasn’t one to judge but she had expected more and so far he was by no means bad but not entirely what she was hoping for. But perhaps if he could connect with the girl on a more intellectual level and truly stimulate her mind, he could really strike the right chord and change the young girls tune which thus far was falling a little flat. He was an Sp. Jounin after all sure he had something of note to share.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]207 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

the way jun spoke, her tone and posture, lead isao to believe he was losing her already. whether to the fickle attention of youth or some great imagining of what it meant to be a shinobi, she seemed disappointed in isao's dialogue thus far. in all fairness, he more or less said his sword was really old. a young kunoichi couldn't be expected to care about the antique isao lugged around enough to fan the flames of her passion.

isao considered her question for a moment. there was plenty he could share that was more action and high stakes, especially the life he lead before becoming a shinobi, as a mercenary traveling the land of lightning and then snow. but then, her question was clear. perhaps she wanted to learn something herself vicariously through isao's experience. "i suppose i could talk about one of the missions i went on when i was a member of team two myself." he made it sound like it was ages ago but really the mission in question only occurred three years ago.

he leaned back, folding his arms over his chest as he began to recount the events of when he and his teammates went to the land of lightning. "it was after the quarantine had been lifted and we were to take on a B rank reconnaissance mission." he spoke of the reasons why it was ranked so, chief among them being the opposition they expected to encounter in the region of kaminari no kuni they were headed to.

it was clearer still when isao's team leader was knocked unconscious and the three squad members had been split up. "there may come a time when you need to defend your comrades in the same way. i'll be a target on our more dangerous missions and if i go down i expect you to cover the slack."

his voice, while warm, carried a deadly seriousness. in this field your teammates were separated from you or, worse, died. if jun couldn't do what isao did, what was expected of any shinobi, then she'd meet the same fate. "our opposition was rogue members of the ryujin clan." he raised his hand and turned up his palm. after a few seconds strange glowing chakra began to form in his palm in the shape of a small ball. it was almost like lightning but held the fluidity and smoothness of a stream of water. "masters of the storm release."

with a quick motion he snapped his hand closed, dissipating the chakra around his fingertips and into the air. he offered a wry grin before setting his hands on his utensils. "all right, that's enough for story time. it's my turn to eat!" he raised his chopsticks and set them against the edge of the bowl. "while i do, you can share with me what skill you most want to learn as a kunoichi. that way i can better understand what path you aim to take. you mentioned projectiles? i'm more of a melee fighter myself but general bukijutsu is one of my areas of expertise. i'm sure i could impart some wisdom."

524 words | Muramatsa Jun

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]As the two spoke the instructor would go on to explain a tale of when there was a pandemic in the land of clouds an areas she’d never seen before. She hung onto every word constantly asking when there was a pause with "and then what did you do?”
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Afterwards he said that he wanted Jun to be ready if that time came where she would need to act in the same way, "My preparation as a kunoichi is of the utmost priority, for the well being of myself but most of all my family and my teammates. I will do my best to live up to my expectations sir.” a very militant response but it was how she felt she cared deeply about her job and wanted to make sure she was the best at it, even if she didn’t consider herself much of a frontliner. As the tale ended her sensei would craft a ball of pure energy into his hands the girl’s eyes grew wide she’d look up to him. "What is that…?” she’d say enthralled, but as quickly as she saw it…it was gone. "Storm Release, Is that a form of kekkai genkai?" Now'd he done it.
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Her mind was still stuck on the ball of what looked to be plasma, even as their food would arrive at the table and even as the succulent meats touched down on the table and girls stomach and chops moistened with delight the hunger for knowledge was equally as powerful as the hunger for a hot plate. She was nearly able to contain her excitement which was only temporarily distracted as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks and began indulging in her meal. Before she had a chance to answer her follow up questions her sensei would ask what other skills she'd like to learn to which the girl almost wanted to say. "Whatever that technique was you just showed me." but would say her questions for later and attempt to give him a proper response.
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"To answer your question in regards to what I would like to learn…” the girl had to think on it. "Everything I possibly can, I absolutely love to learn it’s a passion of mine really, my focus on accuracy is to help improve my affinity with bukijutsu as well as my clan's Dojutsu which I'm sure you are quite aware of. And now that you've made me aware of this new element you seem to call Ranton I'd hope to add it's knowledge to my repertoire if at all possible.” as she finished her sentence she'd take a small pair of chopsticks and dig into her meal, the food was tasty, salty and succulent three of her favorite things. "I'm sure you'll indulge me?" she'd say as she popped a piece meat into her mouth slowly.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]488 WORDS / hirata isao

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[hirata isao]

jun wasn't the first to grow enamoured with the storm release of ryujin clan, its storied history had been the man's meal ticket for years, but as she spoke about adding it to her own repetroire isao could only feel disappointed. not because he disapproved but rather because the ability wasn't something a shinobi simply learned. tha didn't mean, however that he couldn't incorporate it into their training.

isao turned his attention to his meal as jun spoke, eating each savory bite slowly, so as to enjoy it longer. the food was cooked to perfection and isao was never disappointed at this restaurant. he took his time eating before offering any response, not keen on talking with his mouth full; his more mercenary table manners tended to pop up when he mixed food with talk. when he was finished he slid his bowl to the side and replaced its position in front of him with his tea.

"i can teach you all about ranton and other techniques like it. the knowledge of techniques like it should prove useful to you if you come to face a user down the road." he hoped it was clear that while he had every intention of teaching her whatever she wanted to know, he hadn't mentioned teaching her how to do the technique proper. there were plenty of other areas they could pursue and hopefully the knowledge would suffice.

"in general, as you mentioned the exams coming up, we should really get you up to speed on all manner of technique you don't find being practiced much here in the land of snow." he began to consider his plan for teaching her, what he would start her with and how to prepare her for the diverse array of opponents that showed up for the chuunin exams each year. "and we should get you battle tested. maybe a c rank mission if we can swing it."

--- words | Muramatsa Jun