[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Slightly outside the confines of the village stood a boy, arms outstretched, head back, eyes closed and breathing stable. The chill of the cooler air filled his lungs while what sunlight there was gently washed over his skin as cool earth and grass lay beneath his bare feet teeming with unseen but ever present life. His role as a sage apprentice was to be behold to and protect nature at all costs even if that ideal came into conflict with those of his village, family, and friends. It was a tough pill to swallow and Mairusu had struggled with the idea since Kasumi imparted that knowledge to him all that time ago, and even though she was no longer his master and he no longer her student the words still stuck.

There was plenty of greenery in and around the village yet equal amounts of industrialization as well which made it tough for the boy to see his role beyond protecting Konoha. For every tree or bush there were a couple more buildings or some other man made structure that broke nature's stride, interrupted its flow. He needed a change of scenery.

Thankfully the lush lands of Hi no Kuni offered plenty of nature a stones throw from the village allowing the genin to embrace the gaia-form to its fullest extent. It was one thing to feel the breeze on his skin or the sun warming his face but so rarely did people take the time to experience the very earth beneath their feet which was why the boy had taken this excursion barefoot; another Kasumi-ism to be honest but Mairusu believed he could feel a difference so he'd run with it for now.

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Yaki owed nothing to the world as it moved around her. She owed nothing to the boy was partnered to learn along side. She owed Mitsuda only as much as she took from him, and how much he collected. If there was no selfish intention then was there truly nothing she owed payment towards. Her debts from the universe were steep as far as she was concerned and earning back the power to make life bend around her was something that she saw as a birthright. Today she was looking for that annoying pest she was partnered to anyways though. Meditation was an art that the two needed to learn and it was hard to learn and observe the true form of meditation if you were only doing it yourself. That also meant though that she needed to make sure the idiot didn't kill himself in the process... otherwise her hide would be nonexistant as well by the end of the week. Mitsuda was unlikely to overlook her pushing Mairusu into sage training outside supervision and letting him die because of it. If he could find her in a random country she was certain it would not be hard to find him the other way around and she had honestly been very wrong. Hiesin had managed to take her nearly an hour to find given that he seemed to have just wondered off. She did find him eventually though practically napping on the ground. It looked peaceful to a point it aggrivated her, but at the same time he seemed so... in tune. Perhaps she could join him? Maybe that was for a different tune. Choosing to just observe for now she grabbed one of her pens and a journal from her collection and began a new entry in the spiral labeled 'Sage'. Observing the boy silently from only a few feet away and writing down his position and habits to compare later against her cross-legged method. If he were to ever open his eyes and look around he would eventually spot the girl casually recording something in her journal while staring at him with, a surprisingly unhostile stare. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

It was tough to quantify the old saying that when one sense went out the others strengthened and perhaps that may not have been in the literal sense but Mairusu did feel that even with his eyes closed he was able to experience nature a bit better through his other senses. Not to say that he could hear a bird chirping from miles away or smell what a random shop owner was cooking back in the village, but he felt more connected to the immediate area around him.

This was a far cry from the sensation he had experienced when Kasumi had shared with him a bit of her power allowing Mairusu to see, feel, and hear the final moments of a former apprentice who had turned to stone. A terrifying experience and one the genin would do everything in his power to not recreate but that would only come with time and training. Mitsuda had a tough demeanor and equally no nonsense which came in handy when neither of his apprentices seemed to care for each other but needed one another to succeed more than they may have realized. Honestly, it wasn't even like Mairusu disliked Yaki but he was finding it tough to be anything more than amicable when she was just so... intense. They had yet to have a conversation long enough for him to figure out what her deal was or any motivations she may have had outside of a sneaking suspicion that she wanted to be the lone sage apprentice.

Just thinking about the girl threw Mairusu's breath out of balance and where there was once stillness fidgeting had begun to creep in. A ragged sigh escaped him as eyes fluttered open only to see the subject of his worries staring back at him. "Uh.. hey Yaki. How long have you.. no, I don't even want to know, what ya doing out here?" He'd ask before his eyes settled onto the notebook in her hands. The hell could she have been writing about?

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Subject seemed to be getting close to stirring. Breath had become uneven, thus throwing off equilibrium. Amateur. Yaki kept her gaze steady as she gingerly closed her journal and placed it into a pocket with the ink brush. Sitting back and leaning onto one knee she would hold eye contact unwaveringly. She wondered about what kind of reaction he would have when he came to but this certainly wasn't the one she had expected overall. She was expecting... more. Expectations exceeded she would sigh, "I came looking for you if that wasss not obviousss. Alssso, it isss Yakitsssukeru, not Yaki. Do not shorten my name without asssking would you? Honessstly, rude." Yaki would grab her scarf and pull it off to show her full face and neck in all of its scaled formation, her jaw was narrow and jutted ever so slightly in an unnatural way that made her face look like a snake more than a person. Setting the scarf down and then removing her Haori to follow she looked for any reaction from the boy as her arms and shoulders also entered view for the boy. "You and I are not the sssame, Mairusssu. But I have to deal with your exissstance either way. Your in my way, but you don't have to be. Ssso I have a proposssal, if you would be ssso kind asss to lisssten to me ssspeak for a moment," the girl would speak plainly. Her language polite in a way that you spoke bluntly more to family on a serious manner than it was the formality of co-workers. Her gaze held steady even as her snakes began to crawl back up onto her arms from inside of her haori. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Mairusu managed to hold back an eye roll as he could feel the calm aura he had spent so long achieving slipping away. What could have possibly been important enough that she would seek him out? Whatever the reason the genin was sure he would hear it soon enough and maybe, just maybe he'd be able to get back to practicing; though if he could manage keeping focused knowing Yaki was hovering about then maybe the other sage stuff wouldn't be too hard after all. "Ah, yeah my bad. Yakitsukeru from here on out." A veritable mouth full every time he needed to speak the girls name but things were already tense without him flubbing her name.

A brow raised at the sudden show of the girls scaled upper body and weird looking jawline and while Mairusu wasn't all that keen on the idea of fate if there was one person who looked the part of a snake sage apprentice it was her. Could her appearance have been sage related? Perhaps something passed down through her family or the sort? It was a tough call and not a question the boy was willing to risk his well being to ask about. Much as it was an odd sight and he wanted to look away or ask what the hell she was doing he figured that Yaki had a purpose for the display. In the little time they had spent together he noticed that she didn't really waste movements or behave all loosey goosey at times like others their age; so their had to be a reason for the spectacle.

Eventually the words would flow being equally part confusing, insulting, and leading to a proposition of sorts. It was clear just from looking at the two of them that they were not 'the same' though what Mairusu believed Yaki to be hinting at and what she was actually hinting at were surely on opposite ends of the spectrum, and hearing that he was in her way all but confirmed the suspicion the genin had about their coexistence as apprentices. "Well if it's gonna explain why you showed me..." He'd gesture with a hand to her exposed scales and jaw "... all of that, then sure go ahead." It wasn't like just getting up and leaving was really an option anyway and at the very least he would need to learn to tolerate her best he could so best to get acclimated to the weird stuff early.

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

"I will be forward then. Mitsssuda's posssition; hisss capabilitiesss. I want that, I care little that you exissst asss sssomeone on the path asss much asss I do the place it appearsss we both reach for. You can live a normal life Mairusssu if you wish, but I am a freak who only hasss one route in thisss world open to her. I have no family, no home, and I quite hate being forced to do anything, like when I wasss forced into the shinobi academy by the people I called parentsss," Yaki would speak immediately following Mairusu's response. His obvious notice to the show she was putting on was showing he had some observational talent and had paid attention to her to some degree at least. That was a good sign as made she made show of her own medical disorder as well as bluntly laying out the place she came from never would or could exist again. "Ssso I would like to correct our current predicament. It isss clear Mitsssuda will not leave either of to the dussst, ssso I will not either. I would like to work with you willingly, but there isss conflict if you are alssso after being thisss placesss true Sssnake Sssage. Ssso I propossse thisss; walk the path of nature and power with me asss a partner. In sssuccesssion I will take Mitsssuda's role and you will be free to act and do asss you wish. I will push you, and you will break ssssomewhat, but I expect that back from you. If you can not concede the posssition, then I can concede to a co-run of the show, but I doubt that will fly with the great white sssnake sssage. If you think we can get the sssnakesss to agree to that I am amiable," Yaki would continue her piece with a flat tone that had not show a hint of hesitation, remorse, or anything else in her tone. It was all business, and it would stay that way, "Ssso what do you sssay? Are you willing to work with a genetic freakshow? Or will I need to crush you like a fool when the time comesss? That choice isss now yoursss to make." TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

If there were ever a time Mairusu needed to listen more intently than ever before it was now. The words were blunt and one might even construe them as harsh or mean but there was a purpose to the information Yaki was telling him. For starters it seemed that she didn't hold disdain for him as a person but instead the fact that he was striving for the same goal as her: to eventually take Mitsuda's place as the lone Snake Sage. In honesty the boy had not thought that far ahead and wasn't under the tutelage of someone long enough to even get around to asking about the logistics of successorship. There had been another apprentice under Kasumi just like there was under Mitsuda yet only a single Sage guiding them, so at some point along the line some kind of decision had to be made; but wouldn't it make sense to have as many protectors of nature as possible? In theory multiple sages meant increasing the number of apprentices which seemed only a good thing, though with the whole nature motif perhaps too much of a good thing would throw off the balance they were beholden to keep?

The boy also now understood what Yaki meant by the two of them being different, or in her words not the same, considering her upbringing and the void of any kind of family. If things didn't pan out for Mairusu he could always return home and pick up with a shinobi team like nothing had happened. Sure, it would suck for a bit to have a dream deferred but the support system was there to help him move on with life. Yaki, it seemed, felt like this path was hers to own. Not be handed, but there was no other that could fulfill the legacy of the position in her mind; at least it sounded that way to the genin.

Finally, the proposal. She would tolerate his continued tutelage under Mitsuda and they would work to better each other under the condition that when the time came Mairusu would cede any desire to take Mitsuda's spot, or if he didn't then they'd let their abilities decide who took up the mantle. Trying to hide the look of discontent from his features proved nigh impossible as the boy juggled two less than stellar options. Playing for second place wasn't his style and what would their sensei think if he heard wind that Mairusu had made such a decision? Besides, they were still so early in their training that it was impossible to make a decision on what would maybe transpire years and years down the line; though perhaps the worst part of all of this was having to fight Yaki should he not concede. He knew the girl was competent and the will to fight wasn't absent because Mairusu thought he would lose but because they'd be losing a by-then trained Sage. It just seemed counter intuitive to forcibly decrease the numbers if they didn't have to.

"I'mma keep it real with you, trying to plan out steps years in advance is a good way to have everything blow up in our faces. I don't know how I feel about the mantle of Snake Sage now and there's no guarantee I'll know down the line, and possibly jeopardizing this opportunity with a haphazard decision isn't really my style and I can only imagine what Mitsuda would think about one of his apprentices taking the easy route out. I understand that you feel strongly about all this sage stuff, no, there's probably a more intense word than that, but going forward there's always going to be a feeling of only needing to try so hard because we've made this choice in both of us, and that's doing a disservice to the work we've put in and going to put in."

A moment to breathe before finally answering the woman's proposal. "So I say all that to say, the only way either of us can ever think of taking Mitsuda's spot is by feeling that even a single misstep gives each other that much an advantage. If we gotta fight it out or try and swallow each other whole or whatever the Great White Snake wants then so be it, but we'll be doing so knowing that we've put our absolute best foot forward. So no, I won't concede the spot but I'll gladly work with you to make sure we're the best damn Sages in the world." Confident? Yep. Possibly signed a death wish? Very likely. But Mairusu had waited so long for this opportunity that he wasn't going to voluntarily relegate himself to playing for silver. No way in hell.

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Honestly she was expecting more of an answer from the boy, or rather for him to even take the route where they both got to win... at least to some degree, but it seemed he also had selfish desire somewhere in that dull way of speech he called a personality. Rubbing her temples more and more aggressively as her stare slowly transformed into a seething glare as the boy refused to back down; she would need to ruin him then one day. To leave nothing of this young man that was before her. Yakitsukeru would sigh, "A real imbecile, Mairusssu. Preparation and caussse are key in all problemsss and thossse hapen to be my ssspecialtiesss. If you wish to sssee who devoursss the other when the time comesss I will indulge you then, but I will be ready. I will be more than ready. I am greedy, I am aware of that greed, but it pushesss me and I can only pray that it will forcibly push you too, or you will be crushed." The girl would pause as she pulled out a different journal listed 'Sealing' and opened it to a bookmarked page, "I sssuppossse not giving you the sssame place of beginningsss would be an unfair ssstart then. Thisss is the Molten Ssscalesss Ssseal, I wear one upon my back. It ssstopsss meditation and natural energy gathering from turning you to ssstone once... asssuming that you peel the ssstone off fassst enough. I will be placing one on you like I put mine on myssself, ssso remove your shirt and show me your back." Pulling out her softer brushes meant for the ink used for the seal, she would take account of all of her supplies. Turning back to Mairusu and waiting for him to do as she said, "Jussst ssso your aware, I will not be ssstoping you if you turn yourssself into ssstone. One lesss problem for me to deal with later." Yakitsukeru's voice still held no malice, but it was clear she was not pleased with his answer from her speech. He had spit in her face practically, and while it was in a fashion that was acceptable, she would be damned if she did not stab him verbally now without remorse for hurt feelings. She was not a nice person, and she was aware of that. She did not need to be nice though to be a sage. She did not need Mairusu's friendship to have his cooperation and assistance when she needed it and vice versa. They would work together and she would keep the intention clear of making sure she consumed him whole. She would devour any progress he made and double it. She was assured. A shared trait between the two it seemed was the confidence to match arrogance. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Well she wasn't pleased but that was to be expected and after what little the boy had seen in his time as an apprentice there had plenty of time to just back out all together and that hadn't happened so to think he'd accept a lesser role as some kind of safety net was disrespectful. Mairusu didn't take the declarations lightly, nor did he see them as threats but words from a girl who was true to her core. If they ended up having to fight one another then so be it, but he'd be ready.

He'd listen as Yaki offered --or more aptly told him-- that she would be gifting a tool to help with meditation and preventing the petrification process
in the form of a... tattoo? Strange. Apparently it did wonders absorbing excess natural chakra and the flower would simply turn to stone and be harmlessly plucked off. Flashbacks of witnessing a former apprentices last moments raced through the boys mind and he had decided then that a similar fate would not befall him, so any help with that matter was appreciated.

"Huh, that's a neat little trick, and probably a life saver, too.... Thanks." Mairusu would reply before removing his jacket and shirt, his back now open to do whatever Yaki needed to affix the seal. "I wouldn't expect you to pass up the opportunity." He replied with a slight chuckle. They had begrudgingly agreed to sharpen one another's skills but it was neither of their responsibility to help the other pick up slack. Well, perhaps not for Yaki but the teachings and ideals of Konoha were still instilled in the boy to a degree and he wasn't really on board with leaving a comrade behind, even if they were a pain in his ass.

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Yakitsukeru would begin her drawing with the larger forms of the snakes in sold ink, needing only to add color after the initial layer, and setting the kanji of the center along with the seals outer ends as well as she could generally. It would seem the agreement was made so she would begin her interrigation into other matters. It was not the deal that she wanted and the pained look she was making from behind Mairusu was just a clear view of the fact that she was not happy. It would seem the boy was too stupid to realize when an olive branch was being extended, even if that meant war of the great snake sage later he could have chosen for both of them to succeed... or was she missing the point of consuming the other... she highly doubted that she was so that only left a different option; Mairusu wanted conflict. Idiot. "Tell me, do you alwaysss meditate ssso openly without keeping track of the world you try to attune with? I have tried many timesss to meditate so far, but I fail to sssee your method asss anything except recklesss. Or were you sssimply napping when I found you? Ah, thisss will sssting," The girl would ask as she purposefully jabbed in a little with her pen brush to draw a prick of blood in the center of the Kanji for nature where she would begin to spread and mix it into the ink. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

Had he not been sitting out in the elements for the past however long the chill of ink hitting skin may have phased him, and though the hairs of the brush gliding against his back did tickle a little there wasn't much in the way of discomfort, though Mairusu hoped that Yaki wasn't taking this opportunity to draw something that would get him in trouble, or worse, laughed at. He was surprised that even after refuting her offer the girl was still willing to help him out, not like it was really all that bad to say 'no' to what she proposed anyway. The genin was still so very early in all of this sage stuff that there was no way he'd be able to make a decision on his future right now. Maybe after getting the hang of things he'd want to pursue taking up the mantle and having to tell Mitsuda or the Great White Snake that he couldn't because of a haphazard decision made when he was a kid would have been the dumbest thing in the world. On the other hand there was very much the possibility that Mairusu wouldn't want that responsibility or he wouldn't get picked, or better yet there was some plan or something for the two of them to coexist as Sages.

The boy would listen to the question about what Yaki felt was a haphazard meditating procedure which definitely made sense considering they were in the middle of a forest. Granted, it wasn't like Mairusu had plopped down in the middle of a road or enemy territory or something so it wasn't all that dangerous. "Not always. I started in my room or the training fields, somewhere I was comfortable with and knew I'd be able to pick up something out of the ordinary, but we won't always ha-OUCH!.. uh, have that luxury when needing to gather natural chakra so I needed to become comfortable with what nature sounded like normally to easier spot when something was off, and the more level-headed I can be when everything around me is chaotic the less chance I have of losing my concentration when needing to sit still and gather chakra."

Mairusu wasn't sure if the answer would suffice, knowing Yaki she'd still think him stupid, and truth be told if the boy had some method of keeping track of his immediate surroundings then he no doubt would have been doing so, but if being a Sage was all it was cracked up to be then nature would tell him all he needed to know, right?

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

So this wasn't anything new for him. That was good for him, but it made Yaki all the more antsy to be done with what absolutely patient work. Taking a breath she would just focus on the coil and the conductor of the seal. They were important and it was necessary to use this sort of knowledge wisely when placing a seal on someone's body. She was thankful at least to have a chance to actually practice this, even if she was growing increasingly made with every word that she processed from Mairusu's reply to her. "It ssseemsss I wasss not clear enough in my word choice. Have you even sssigned the contract? Have you attempted every natural energy gathering meditation sssesssion alone? I might asss well kill you for you. Do you not know how dangerousss that isss?! Ssstupid, ssso stupid," Yaki would berate him and before she realized her body had moved she had used the seal needed to put the weight back into her haori and she was slapping Mairusu in the back of the head with the far heavier arm. Assuming he was caught off-guard he would at worst fall on his side since the two were sitting. "Get your shit together Mairusssu. I didn't think you were actually trying to gather the energy! Wasss I sssupposssed to jussst watch you turn to ssstone if you went to deep? I can't call on anyone that can get you sssafely out of the ssstone if you had ssstarted!" Yakitsukeru would continue to lay into the boy with increasing volume, perhaps it was misconception, but if he was truly gathering before... he had done something foolish and she had just... watched. Watched like an impassive and cold-blooded sociopath or something. Taking a breath, she would sigh again. "Sssit up pleassse. I'll finish the ssseal and you can get back to meditation, but don't you dare gather natural energy without sssomeone with you Mairusssu, essspecially if you want to have a chance for what I am after too. If your going to die I'll be the one to bury you firssst. Got it!" Yaki hissed the last words as a declaration of anger, but the hint of challenge was there. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

He couldn't be sure of the girl's level of practice with meditation but he assumed from her questioning that either the sitting still part or losing a sense to the world was something she struggled with. Mairusu couldn't blame her and he still felt a pit in his stomach at the thought of having to focus completely on gathering natural chakra in a situation where enemies were in the area, but unless there was some kind of work around then that was going to be their reality and the boy had to work on being as completely chill as possible. What the genin would soon realize, however, was that there had been a grave misunderstanding.

The questioning quickly went down the path of assuming Mairusu was attempting to gather natural chakra without someone watching over him to ensure that he didn't turn into a stone statue and, rightfully so, the Yaki was perturbed at such an idiotic idea. "Wait wha--" Before he could even begin to correct the misunderstanding the heavy thump of a weighted arm knocked him to the ground. Had the girl taken out a bat behind his back?! Equal parts confusion and a little fuzziness combined with the girl still berating him left the boy wondering how they had even reached this point, or better yet why Yaki even cared? If Mairusu was foolish enough to do what the girl had assumed then it would have only been a matter of time until something tragic happened allowing Yaki to achieve her goal unimpeded.

Rubbing the back of his head as he sat back up to a seated position the boy would do his best not to lash back out at the girl for striking him because of her misunderstanding. He'd experience much worse than this in his time as a shinobi and a sage so getting bent out of shape now was not a good look. "To answer your first question: no I haven't signed any contracts or anything. Suppose I should ask Mitsuda-san about that at some point. As for your second question no I'm not gathering natural chakra by myself, JUST meditating. I know exactly what would happen if someone wasn't around to knock me out of the transformation and I have no intention of becoming a life sized lawn ornament."

A moment of brief peace followed by threats or yelling seemed to be the duo's dynamic and it was none too fun a prospect to deal with long term, but Mairusu knew that every situation or person he came across in life wouldn't be full of rainbows and flowers so he'd have to adapt and move accordingly.

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

"Good, be more careful with your wordsss then, idiot," Yakitsu would mutter as she gently applied the rest of the seal to Mairusu's back. Blowing of the center before she would form a string of handseals and press both of her hands to Mairusu's back over the kanji for Nature. The ink could shift as the seal was applied, the snakes of the seal moving to twine around the seal and then to raise their heads to strike at the cornders of the boy's back. "There, now were on even ground. Before you run your brain over whysss though, underssstand that I may be rude, but I'm not underhanded got it. If a fight comesss I will prepare, but you should underssstand that when we ssspar in the future asss to my meaning," Yaki would state plainly, "If I have advantage over you sssomehow itsss becaussse I worked for it, not becausse the resssource wasss not available. If you need help meditating, or when we begin reaching for sssage mode... I am a resssource you have accesss to asss well. Sssame to if I am to bug you for anything asss well." Patting his shoulders with heavy hands in what was probably a slightly rough manner Yaki would grip down for a moment to hold him in place as she moved her face to the side of his where her eyes would be just far enough that Mairusu could make her out from the corner of his eye. Whispering in a humored tone of voice into his ear, "Ssso I hope you prepared to ussse and be usssed to progresss usss both, Mairusssu-Kun." TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hiesin Mairusu]

TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME

The boy may have laughed at the misunderstanding had the two of them been on amicable terms, no that wasn't fair, had they been friendly towards one another but it was becoming increasingly clear that their relationship would be a working one through and through; though even that could be called a stretch considering Yaki saw him as an obstacle to her overall goal. No matter, they'd just have to make due with each other considering there were perhaps only a handful of people in the world who had the ability to harness the power they could.

Yaki's words would not fall on deaf ears and while there were many words to describe her unfair was not one of them. In her eyes the two of them were now on even ground with the application of this seal and any gap in their respective skills would be of their own doing. Mairusu realized that his fellow apprentice didn't have to share this technique with him and he was thankful to get some extra help with what he knew would be a long and arduous process. However, her sharing what she knew would bring with it a toll of reciprocity and it sounded like she expected him to help her out as well which was only fair, but did she have to sound so nefarious about it?

The feeling of weight being pressed upon his shoulders as the visage of Yaki came into his peripheral vision only served to ensure that the girls next words were as awkward as humanly possible. "Just had to ask it like that, huh? But sure, I'll help in what ways I can to make sure we both can someday call ourselves Sages. Speaking of top form though..." Mairusu would tilt his head to the side as he decided if opening this can of worms was a good idea or not. "...earlier it kinda sounded like you aren't all that comfortable with meditating. Let me see your form." A potentially bold request but outside perspectives were sometimes able to find areas of improvement that normally would be lost during self-reflection.

▲

WORDS ● Tateyama Yakitsukeru ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style