[Nōmu]

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[attr="class","koan"]Time was of little consequence for most Academy Students. For most, they were free to do as they pleased in between their lessons. For most, Noumu noticed that they spent little time actually training after the day had ended. He couldn’t really imagine doing something like that, however. It was a waste of time, right? There seemed to be so many things to learn and do before becoming a Genin, and there were times when he worried whether or not he would even be able to get them done in time. The thought itself was daunting.

His father would often tell him to settle down and enjoy his childhood, but it seemed easier said than done. Truth was, Noumu wasn’t quite sure what he even wanted to do or what direction he wanted to go. His abilities as a Kuronmeru weren’t exactly something to write home about, and his Kenjutsu was just slightly above others of his age. He found himself most interested in Fuuinjutsu, though it wasn’t exactly easily applicable to his other abilities and his heritage.

Regardless, finding a way around that or finding something that worked specifically for him was important to the boy, and it was a time-based thing that he knew would come naturally in the end. For now, the best he could do is just train in the hopes that it would come sooner than not. He and An had only just recently had their conversation about training, and now he had hopes that they could continue forward with those plans.

The class had ended, and he rose from his seat and faced the bright-eyed individual, "An…are you…available today to maybe go over some techniques together?”

His forwardness with the question was very different for the boy, made obvious by his shying eyes and quiet voice, though it was clear by a slightly red tent to his usually pale cheeks that he struggled to even gather the courage to ask. It would be his first-time training one-on-one after school with another peer if she even agreed.

Gurē An

[Gurē An]

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As An was scribbling down the main idea and notes for today's class, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day's class. In one instance, the classroom was filled with life, as chatter and movement filled the before silent space with laughter and energy. She wasn't in a rush as she finished copying what was written on the blackboard, feeling a lingering gaze on her as she lifted her head. Her face instantly shifted from the focused mode she was in while concentrating to a softer and friendlier expression.
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An thought Nōmu to be quite cute, as a light tint of red contrasting his pale skin adored his cheeks. As he inquired about the possibility of their collaboration, the black-haired boy's gaze met An's pair of blue eyes. They had previously discussed this but had not set a specific date for their idea. "Sure! I am available today," she replied with a bright smile. "Hm," she paused for a moment, "should we go to the training grounds, a nearby forest, or somewhere else?" She asked as she began to pack her notes and books into her backpack she was ready to follow the boy's choice while waiting for his response, as she was fine with any of the above-mentioned locations.
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SPOILER: Click to show

共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
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As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter.
[break]
[Everything is directly determined by the clan member's rank and skill.]

[attr="class","ooc-area"]WORD: 212
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Nōmu

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[Nōmu]

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[attr="class","koan"]The subtle change in her expression made him feel at ease as well, perhaps a bit more open in his posture he was usually quiet and reserved. Noumu found himself oddly happy that she was available. He would offer to help her gather her things and even offered to carry her books for her. Opposite his slim figure, his manners were still top-notch. His father would have no different.

He agreed with her first suggestion, carrying her books in his arms if she so allowed it. If not, he would offer to open the doors on their way as he’d been taught was the right thing to do. He didn’t have much experience with the other locations for training and didn’t recommend his clan’s training grounds. He’d not had much luck in the past with using them.

It was odd to Noumu. His father taught him all of these societal norms, but he’d never seen him actually performing them. Whether it was hypocrisy or a dying art was beyond him, but he kept the lessons close to heart. If it was something that earned him favor among his peers and among authority, then it was no skin off his back.

He would lead the way to the training grounds, discussing recent events though there wasn’t much to report. Noumu’s life was much as it was before, a single line of day and night between study and sleep. Something circled his mind that perhaps he would find hers much more interesting.

As they arrived, the grounds were quite filled with other shinobi of various ranks and abilities. Noumu’s eyes wandered around as he searched for an appropriate place for them to claim. A small section towards the back seemed appropriate, and he pointed to it with his black hues and a nod of his head. "That spot looks pretty quiet.”

There wasn’t really anywhere else to go where they would not risk being in the way of someone else’s training, so admittedly Noumu didn’t wait too long for a response. He took off his white jacket once they arrived, revealing a black t-shirt underneath that was tight to his skin. Although his outward appearance would state otherwise, the boy was actually quite toned perhaps due to his training in Kenjutsu. Despite this, his collarbones would stick out awkwardly and he was still quite skinny.

He lay his jacket on the grass, placing his bookbag and other materials atop it to keep them from soaking up the wet dew. It was easy to bleach out any stains and was made perfect for situations like this.

His eyes would travel upward, "The weather should be great for this today, don’t you think?”

Gurē An

[Gurē An]

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An was caught off guard by Nōmu's offer to carry her books, though the other party was unlikely to notice because the changes in her expression were subtle and only lasted a split second before the blue-haired girl made sure to control it. This was done with no malice. For one thing, it reminded her of her older brother. Two, An had gotten a glimpse of the black-eyed boy's character since their actual full-on interaction and had come to the conclusion that while his outside appearance was on the shyer, quieter side, on the inside he was anything but, being very gentle, caring, and thoughtful, and perhaps slightly more fragile than some might think. As she didn't want to hurt or push the other away, An's natural instinct was to be slightly more mindful of her actions.
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Two thoughts raced through the girl's mind: if she agreed to have her books carried, wouldn't she appear arrogant because she was more than capable of carrying them herself, and on the other hand, wouldn't it be impolite to reject an offer that sounded so genuine? An began to feel bad for not responding as the two prominent thoughts battled inside her head for what seemed like an eternity for her, while in real life only a few seconds had passed. "Okay! Thank you for carrying them," she replied cheerfully, allowing the older boy to take her books as she walked alongside him to the training grounds. As they walked to the location, they made small talk about their daily lives. An's day was pretty mundane and the same as Nōmu's, with the exception of news that her grandparents were thinking about moving somewhere else and opening their own roadside restaurant/café. Although it was not a final decision, the young girl was overjoyed at the prospect.
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The training grounds were bustling with activity, as they always were. "Mhm!" said An as he followed Nōmu's gaze to the back section, "so let's go there". She followed the other as they made their way to their preferred location, trying not to disrupt the other's training and generally getting dragged into it, as some people were really going at it. Following the boy, An placed her belongings next to his, hoping that he had laid the jacket for both of them. It would be impolite to put one's own thing on the clothes of another.
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"Hopefully it stays like this," she replied, noting that because the Water country was surrounded by water, the weather could change quickly. "So, what were your ideas? Should we spar with our katanas, practice some basic katas, or do something more interesting?" An was very interested in training and improving herself, so her tone was upbeat. Plus, training together was always more fun and exciting because they could give each other feedback and create memories together.
[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
[break][break]
As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter.
[break]
[Everything is directly determined by the clan member's rank and skill.]

[attr="class","ooc-area"]WORD: 478
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Nōmu

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[Nōmu]

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[attr="class","koan"]The delay in her response did not pass Noumu’s thoughts. Quite frankly, he wasn’t very good in social situations. He would have accepted her answer regardless, though he would have admittedly found it off if she had refused his help. After all, wasn’t that something that was expected of him to do for a peer, especially a female, if they were headed in the same direction? The thought escaped him freely with the clacking of two pairs of feet against the hard floors of the now-empty hallways of the Academy as they had exited.

Their conversation as they made their way to the training grounds was casual. That was at least something Noumu was good at. He could handle discussing the weather and recent events. It was the more personal approach that he often had trouble with. He wasn’t good at telling others how he felt, so he appreciated that An had thus far avoided that kind of small talk. Eventually, he would be more comfortable around her, but even his father didn’t get much out of him on a good day.

He stared blankly at An’s belongings, glad he didn’t have to say anything. She seemed to understand his intentions better than most, even if he had remained silent about it. His cheeks turned rosy red once again, soft against the afternoon sun that hung overhead.

Her soft voice grabbed his attention, causing his gaze to lift upward and meet the blues of her own. Truthfully, he hadn’t really gotten that far. He knew only what she had told him during their afternoon meal together, and it was the same for what she knew about his own abilities.

Noumu would think for a moment, cusping his thumb and pointer finger around his chin as it lowered. "Well, it seems we both brought our gear with us. Why don’t we start from there? Maybe the best place to start is just learning how we both prefer to fight?” He grabbed at straws, but it seemed logical enough to him. Noumu didn’t have much knowledge of chakra or jutsu, and without a Chuunin or higher-rank Shinobi with them, they wouldn’t get too far on their own. "After that, maybe we could find a way to make our clan jutsu work together.”

He’d pause again. "I’m probably going to end up needing to be a mid-range combatant,” he shied away a bit scratching the back of his neck. "I’m not the most…fit. What about you? I noticed the katana and fan…”

Gurē An

[Gurē An]

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Because the boy didn't say anything and his normally pale cheeks had a rosy glow to them, An assumed she had correctly deciphered his intentions, which made the young girl relieved and happy.
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An nodded as she listened to Nōmu, agreeing with his idea of just seeing what they could do with what they had. That appeared to be the most logical course of action in their situation. "Oh, the fan!" she paused for a moment, a bright smile appearing on her well-proportioned face. "For the time being, I only use it for my kunoichi dancing lessons,” a soft chuckle escaped her, as Nōmu was a male and didn't participate in extra classes for female shinobi, it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't have much interest in a subject like dancing. Even if Nōmu did not know much about the subject; An was just comforted that he had noticed this minor detail, as many people did not pay attention to a trivial thing as such.
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The katana was probably self-explanatory, but An preferred to answer all questions, "For now, I mostly use the katana only because it is my best weapon at the moment, I'm guessing the same goes for you?" She looked at his gear, which seemed the same as An's, "Though lately, I am interested in the tessen too. It appears to be a good fit for me, as I already know how to use the fan just not in combat situations," she tried to make a small joke there.
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"Mid-rage...," she pondered for a moment, her fingers playing with each other as she spoke. "I'm not sure about myself, I haven't really thought that far, but it's amazing that you've already considered it," she said to the older boy. "Well, as you may have noticed, I do use weapons quite a lot. Though I am much better at ninjutsu and my clan specializes in ninjutsu techniques, so maybe long to mid-rage?" She ended the sentence with a question, tilting her head to the side and bringing her finger up to her chin. As this answer was something she just came up with on the spot. "And yeah… I am not the fittest either," taijutsu, and her overall stamina was something she was still working on whenever she had some time.
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"Yeah, we can do that," she said, reaching for her wooden training katana and unwrapping the string that was wrapped around it, revealing the item. Of course, she didn't forget to bring back the cloth on the improvised mat Nōmu had made for them. An warmed up her body as she stabbed the wooden blade into the soft soil before beginning anything. It was always important to prepare one's body before any type of activity, as they did in almost all of her classes, though in real-life situations that would not always be possible, and at that time the girl would be at a level where it would not be necessary.
[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
[break][break]
As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter.
[break]
[Everything is directly determined by the clan member's rank and skill.]

[attr="class","ooc-area"]WORD: 496
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Nōmu

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[Nōmu]

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[attr="class","koan"]For a moment, Noumu noticed that she seemed surprised, though he wondered why. It was a beautiful fan and clearly not something that most others carried about with them. He had seen a few girls in the Academy here and there, but none seemed to carry it with the finesse that An did. She carried it naturally, as if it was a part of her which was in its own way stunning.

"I didn’t know dancing lessons were an option at the Academy,” he admitted with a tilted head. He mostly only participated in Kendo, but that was honestly expected of him.

He would nod to answer her question. "I have…plans…but it’s really the only thing I am capable of using at the moment. Once my skills in fuuinjutsu are better, I can start doing a lot more,” he shrugged lightly. "I have to wait until we’re Genin to be able to start practicing what I want though…we’re only allowed blunted weapons, you know?”

It was a bit hard to explain, but his interest in swords and fuuinjutsu greatly outweighed his interest in his clan’s abilities. However, he had a way to implement them both once the time came to it. It would take him a lot of practice, but it was certainly only something he’d be able to master. As far as he was aware, no one else used their Black Blood for Fuuinjutsu…and even more rare to use it with their swords involved.

"Sounds like we could back each other up pretty easily, then. Oh uhhh, thanks…” he said with another blush. His father had always talked about strategy, so it came natural for him to think ahead and plan out what he wanted to do with his abilities. "Right. Let’s get going then, yea?”

Noumu stretched and also warmed up his body, then stood several meters away from An. "Let me know when you’re ready!” He would say as he prepared his stance, his hands wrapped at the hilt of his sword. Oddly enough, he held it quite awkwardly, his hands loose as if the blade would teeter in his grasp. Some would view it as a weak grip, but…it was certainly on purpose.

He would wait for An to ready herself and announce it as well before he would charge forward for an attempt at the first strike. His arm would wip backward, and he would arch the blade forward in a sweeping motion towards her knees. The motion at which he slung the blade almost looked as though it gave it fluid motion as opposed to the rigidity of a typical swordsman. It was a fighting style he knew he needed to perfect over time. It would be inefficient for blocking, but certain strikes, specifically with liquids involved, would be powerful later on.

Gurē An

[Gurē An]

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An was surprised to learn that Nomu was skilled or even interested in fuuinjutsu. Though it made some sense because An remembered seeing him carry a kit of fuuinjutsu brushes. That was correct; until they became genins, their options were quite limited, especially when it came to weapons, with only blunted katanas, kunais, and shurikens being the most dangerous.
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A strike came as soon as An announced her readiness, holding her katana with both hands in front of her. It was clean and fluid, like water, and aimed at her knees. Though An was not one to succumb easily, as she changed the way she held the sword, stabbing it almost into the ground to protect her knees, which she did. Only the physical difference caused her to stumble back. Nomu's body appeared frail, but one should not judge a shinobi solely on their appearance.
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Without wasting a second, the light-haired girl gathered herself and dashed back to the boy for an exchange of strikes, some of which most likely landed on the boy and some of which missed. An, similarly, decided to play a faint as they exchanged blows back and forth. She appears to strike head-on, sword steady in both hands, only to switch it to one of her hands and move her body sideways, aiming at the left ribcage of the other.
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If the hit landed, it would almost certainly leave a bruise, as she had put quite a bit of strange into it, despite holding the sword in one hand, the sudden change of direction plus the speed at which they were going, boosted the attack power. The black-haired boy, if he moved quickly enough, would have enough time to block the hit, as it seemed that he was physically superior to An.
[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
[break][break]
As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter.
[break]
[Everything is directly determined by the clan member's rank and skill.]

[attr="class","ooc-area"]WORD: 299
[break]
Nōmu

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[Nōmu]

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[attr="class","koan"]He found the pace in his step as something akin to a dance, and smiled in kind to it, though weakly as if to hide the excitement behind some veil of shame. Their wooden swords resonated, clacking and echoing throughout the training grounds with a surprising finesse given that they both had little to no training outside of what seemed to be their own personal passions.

An moved with a grace Noumu couldn’t before fathom. A dream stepping before him in some tribal motion that only a bird could manage to create as it would whisk through a low cloud. Where had he seen something like it before? A diving finch? A jay taking off with morning dew? No…perhaps something larger, like a heron floating through the low-hanging fog. Yes. That was it. Slender, elegant, and in control. She knew precisely where she was going and how she was going to do it.

How exciting.

His cheeks were red and a smile much brighter than usual would appear on his face, and for a moment he faltered, feeling the pang of the wood slide against his ribcage. Had it been a real sword, much more damage would have been done, but instead, Noumu managed to jump back, clutching at it for a moment with a huff in his breath. "Good one!” he encouraged, the smile still managing to show itself underneath black beady eyes.

The young boy charged forward again, performing a similar strike as his first, but instead of leaving it there, he would instantly curve the blade around and back again, performing an infinity-like strike back up through her torso area. It was, again, an odd mechanic that wasn’t quite useful with a normal blade, but with his Kekkei Genkai involved, it would later become the downfall of others. That was the thought, at least.

Noumu and his friend would continue to shatter blows with their wooden katanas. Unfortunately for the boy, his stamina was much to be desired, and easily his body would begin to catch up with him. He already found himself panting, and a drop of black appeared from his nose, sliding down which he momentarily ignored until wiping it away with his wrist as if it were nothing. It wasn’t the first time, and it would never be the last. His body was a ruined temple, but it only needed to be built back up. That was something that took time and effort.

Gurē An

[Gurē An]

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"You, Nōmu, your moves are incredible!" she complimented the boy as their wooden swords clashed back and forth at breakneck speed. If another person looked at them, they could see that despite their young age, both of them had quite a talent for kenjutsu, as they demonstrated abilities beyond what was expected of children their age and status.
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Unexpectedly for An, Nōmu appeared to try the same move he did at the start of their battle, hehe it won't work the second time... was what the girl thought, but then a seemingly infinite number of strikes, mostly focusing on her torso area, appeared out of nowhere, and at an incredible speed. The light-blue-haired girl tried her best to block them, but as she was pushed back by the sheer strength of the attack, she was unable to defend against all of the strikes, as such a large number had struck her, causing her grimace to change slightly as the stinging pain spread little by little in the areas where the others katana, regardless of how blunt, had come into contact with the girl's torso.
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An couldn't keep up with the strikes, which felt slower and less powerful as she pushed herself and Nōmu apart with the help of their blades for a quick break. I was exhausted and grateful that the other had slowed down, as her stamina wasn't her strongest suit. Her clear eyes met the others and noticed what appeared to be blood. The liquid is completely black. The boy was true of Kuronmeru's heritage. "Blood! Nōmu, are you all right?" she asked as she moved towards the other, dropping her sword on the ground, not a wise move in a fight, but An was more than just concerned, despite the fact that the black-haired adolescent had wiped it away with his wrist as if it were nothing. "Did I hit you on the nose? Should we visit the nurse?" Bleeding was not uncommon for shinobi, but it was also not common in spars between academy students. She quickly reached into her pocket for a handkerchief, which she always carried with her, and offered it to the other.
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"I think we should call it a day," she said, her voice concerned. "It appears that neither of us has the greatest stamina," she joked, trying to lighten the mood, "let's go to the nurse. Just in case, she might be able to provide you with some medical pills." The already pale boy appeared even paler in An's eyes. Perhaps some stamina pills or something similar could restore the boy's color.
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SPOILER: Click to show

共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
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As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter.
[break]
[Everything is directly determined by the clan member's rank and skill.]

[attr="class","ooc-area"]WORD: 431
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Nōmu

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[Nōmu]

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[attr="class","noumupost"]There wasn’t another feeling quite like this one–at least not that Noumu could remember. Their movements were less like battle and more akin to a dance–fluid in motion, choreographed by something the boy could only chalk up to fate. There was a relief as they pranced, their swords clashing in the stillness around them, echoing across the training fields like an encore of claps and praises. Her moves flowed like water in front of him. He couldn’t read them, but he could feel himself responding to them like a word hanging on a whisper–a secret about to be spoken.

The blood did not bother him, and as he wiped it away it seemed it did not pass his classmate. Her worry made Noumu lower his sword. What was common for him was understandably new to her. "I-uh…Yes. I’m fine,” he said with an awkward nod.

Noumu’s blood was thicker than most, causing a slew of health issues that others of his clan didn’t need to often worry about. Nosebleeds seemed to be one of the few issues, though it was often accompanied by chest pains and headaches. The boy found himself lucky that neither of the latter two was an issue at the moment, or he would find that he’d need to end his training earlier than he would have liked.

The boy shook his head vehemently, his hands parroting the same motion, "No! You didn’t hit me. Honest! It just happens from time to time. Something to do with my blood being thicker than the others in my clan…” He shrugged off the annoyance of it all. "Maybe you’re right, though. I won’t need a nurse though, trust me.” Noumu sounded rather convincing, or at least he tried to. It was true he had dealt with this more times than he cared to admit, though a part of him also didn’t feel like having to explain this to more than one person in a day.

He was embarrassed by it all. His cousin, Yosei, often made fun of him for being a ‘failure’. Noumu assumed this was partially due to the fact that his Kekkei Genkai seemed to be defective with the thickness of his blood causing so many issues.

"I appreciate you coming out here today, An…I had…fun,” a bright smile colored his face.

Gurē An

[Gurē An]

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Nōmu did his best to reassure the young Gure girl that everything was fine and that this was not unusual. With his firm and confident answers, unlike many times when the young boy spoke, An felt reassured but still slightly concerned, but the boy was so adamant in his speech that the light-blue-haired girl did not want to press the issue further. Maybe they'll talk about it more in-depth in the future.
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As they talked, the young, black-haired boy's color began to return. Making An's heart and mind certain that he was fine. Validating the points he had previously made.
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"Okay, if you say so, I am sure you know your body better than me," she replied with a slight pause, knowing that the young boy knew his condition better than she did. "It was a lot of fun for me as well!" An exclaimed cheerfully as she moved to pick up her staff from the pile on the ground. Dressing her wooden katana in the cloth it was originally wrapped in and put her backpack on. "Bye, be careful on your way back, and see you in the class!" she waved as she exited the outdoor training grounds slowly and carefully, avoiding getting caught up in anyone else's practice.
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- EXIT -
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SPOILER: Click to show

共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
[break][break]
As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter.
[break]
[Everything is directly determined by the clan member's rank and skill.]

[attr="class","ooc-area"]WORD: 212
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Nōmu

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