Team Cybele: The Hare and the Snake

[ZeroNumerous]

Cybele

The purple-haired jounin smiles brightly at that. "That's good. A team should get along, and be happy together. I just hope they don't get hurt."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke easily sidesteps the clumsy kick and stands back with his arms crossed. "I will have you know that my white hair, my well-groomed white hair at that, is a sign of distinction in my clan." Who did she think she was, calling out the color of his hair like that. The traditionally white hair of the Konpaku clan could be traced back to ancient times, when according to legend, his predecessors had served the esteemed princess of the netherworld. Clearly, his teammate had no respect for history and tradition.

"It is not my fault that I am more pleasant looking than you. The lowly penguin cannot blame the mighty eagle for its own lack of wings. Do not allow your jealousy to blind you Penguin, it makes you appear even more unsightly."

[Princess Tracy]

"Yeah, if your stupid old-man hair is a sign of distinction, my blond hair gives me god damn superpowers." His last tant sends her into an indignant spiral of rage at the ignorance of it. "And penguins HAVE wings, you MORON - they're birds, are they not!? Found in polar environments, of low temperature - flightless birds whose primary good source is fish, travel in large groups, move by swimming and waddling. Do you just not know what a penguin is? How can you sound so certain when you're so obviously wrong, you dullard!"

Amon takes a deep breath, turning Yousuke's own rising above then taunt tactic back on him as she lays a hand upon his shoulder, shaking her head with a smile as she feigns being understanding. "Oh, but Konpaku-san, perhaps I am jealous. Why, even my hips aren't that wide or my eyelashes full. I'm sure you'll make your husband very happy one day." She turns away, releasing her hand as she fears making eye contact would force her to laugh. "I suppose that's the silver lining here for you - while you're clearly lacking in the use of that fancy sword of yours, at least you'll be able to retire as a successful housewife if you jsut stick it out a while longer, right? Don't worry Konpaku-san, one day if you stay as pretty as you insist you are, you won't have to pretend to be a swordsman anymore."

[Bad Situation]

He had quite frankly, heard enough. Insulting his appearance was one thing, perhaps even expected but his swordsmanship was not something to be trifled with. Snarling viciously, he plants his feet and makes to draw his blade but stops very suddenly. "Master yourself Yousuke..." He could almost hear his grandfather lecturing him now. "If you cannot master yourself, how will you hope to master the sword?" the disembodied voice seems to continues.

Grumbling, Yousuke loosens his guard and renews his breathing exercises. She had insulted him out of anger and only after he had initiated the exchange. She was not to blame, he silently repeats to himself.

[ZeroNumerous]

Cybele

Cybele decided to intervene when Yousuke almost drew his sword. "Alright, alright. Shall we continue on? I want a long shower before the sun rises."

[Princess Tracy]

At the sound of the jungle of a half-drawn blade, Amon whips around, striking a defensive stance. As he seems to relent and goes to breathing exercises, Amon eyes him oddly. "What, did you mature a hell of a lot in the past 20 seconds or do you always have to force yourself to not whip out your sword in a word-fight?" Amon grabs her things and arcs her arm around Cybele to help her to her feet, making to leave, intending to drag Cybele straight to the hospoital if she wasn't well enough to move herself. "If you want to tame yourself, it's going to take more than forcing yourself to not murder your teammates over words. You'll have to find a virtue in peace," she tells him, suddenly somber. "Perhaps you ought not to carry such a blade with your dainty hands if you don't yet grasp how NOT to use it. I certainly hope that murder was on your mind though." With a sudden inapprpriate smile she holds up her missing fingers like a trophy. "Lord knows you can't scare me with mere amputationl, Yousu-chan. I'll just put a much nicer sword in my replacement arm for the next time I want to compliment you on the slenderness of your eyebrows."

She smiles in an oddly motherly way if Yousuke manage sto avoid her final taunts, nodding knowingly in an odd holier-than -thou sort of way. She heads back to the village from then on.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke nods silently and wordlessly leaves Amon to follow after Cybele, standing back and to the right of her, ready to help her should she stumble.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Cybele moves just fine albeit a little slow. She doesn't accept Amon's offer of help, and still moves away if the other girl attempts to touch her. Nor does she allow Yousuke or Houshi to help, and remains at a safe untouchable distance from anyone. Cybele explains something during the trip. "When we arrive, the three of you will be debriefed then released to go about your business. Generally, a team is allowed two to five days to recover after a particularly hard mission."

The trip through Soragakure is thankfully short, and everyone arrives alive and well--for given definitions of well at least. The darkness has started to turn to light as sunrise marches ever onward. The trio of genin discover that their jounin has disappeared again the moment they cross the threshold into Soragakure. The crowd of ninja defenders would have made it quite hard to pick out wherever she'd gone off to, but without any crowds around at 3 am it's quite easy to see your jounin walking toward one of the train cars. She seems to be going toward Central, and the tenseness in her shoulders and stance seem to ward off any attempt to follow. She clearly does not want company, and whether that's because she's going to report or going to chew someone out is up in the air. Regardless, one of the chuunin gate guards stops you from going too far away from the gate.

"Excuse me. You'll need to come with me."

If you comply, he leads your group off toward Central via the rails system. Once you arrive, you discover Cybele standing at attention in front of an extremely tall older woman. The woman could be favorably compared with a brick wall, and likely would lose to the wall in a beauty contest. Her rugged looks are marred by a myriad web of cuts, scars, burns, and other ancient injuries. A massive stone-like sword easily as large as Houshi's rests on her back. Her 'uniform', if it could be called such, consists of a single poorly wrapped robe that covers little and leaves little to the imagination. It's tightly bound at the waist, sleeves, pant legs, and other easily grappled places. Clearly the woman's dress speaks of an experienced soldier who favors function and protection over form, but oddly she wears no armor over it or under it. Her gray matted shoulder-length hair juts out in many random directions, and she seems to have just woken up. But her pale slate gray eyes are sharp and focused. She glares down at the much smaller Cybele, and her presence seems to swallow up the stealth specialist's existence.

Cybele salutes, apparently having just finished her own report, then turns to head back to the train car. But she stops and waves when she sees her genin. Her eyes are still their deep vibrant blue.

The chuunin motions for the three of you to go over to the massive woman. She waits for your approach before speaking. Those who get closer recognize her scarred and haggard-looking face as that of Sonia the Deathless. She seems to be overseeing reports personally tonight. The jounin makes no effort to hide her disgust of you, and her stance feels openly hostile toward your group.

"You're Team 5 then? Feh. I hope you know protocol. Get on with it."

[Princess Tracy]

As they walk towards town and Cybele edges away, Amon can't help but lean closer in trial of her. "What's the matter, Cybele-chan?" she asks playfully, keeping a short distance between the tow of them, knowing she couldn't easily slip off with her chakra pool as depleted as it was. "Afraid of physical contact? I touched you enough when i patched you up, as did Houshi when he was hauling you, so I know your poison needs more than simple touch at least in your state. Could it be..." She suddenly dives in quite close to Cybele's side to better tease her, putting on the best impression of an airy, seductive voice that she cared to attempt as she came within an inch of poor young Cybele's ear, letting her feel her words - "Do I make you nervous, Cy-chan?"

Amon can't help it, cracking down as soon as that slightest taunt is finished. She cackles wildly as she backs away, not even able to go any further. Oh, she liked seeing Cybele's real face. It explained so much of the way she acted.

---

Amon pouts as Cybele somehow manages to slip away at the village limits. She'll be back. But damn is she good to put that much distance between us with no chakra pool. She's a good sensei though, I think - cares a lot for her team. I think she'll grow into that role. I wonder if the other teams have to deal with jounin younger than them? Nah, that would be silly - this has to be an exception to the rule. While not appreciating being told where to go, she gets over it quick as the urgency lets her know she might get an audience with someone who would care to hear of the night's events. She reaches for a blank scroll and her various inks. As soon as they step on the train, she sits herself down and her hands go into a mad flurry writing her report, in a way calligraphy should make impossible. Although while she can make her handwriting very exact, more than capable of drawing the straightest line you've ever seen, if she doesn't focus on such things it appears quite spidery. Only by some feat of effort does she manage to keep largely readable throughout. She hushes both her teammates as she writes away. Her Speculation section is a basic transcription of her thoughts throughout the night and one wonders if she truly has a photographic memory, something further evidenced by the exactness of her picture she SOMEHOW finds time to draw. No matter how long or short the train ride is, she manages to squeeze in all her thoughts by the end of it, contentedly sealing her scroll in time for her audience.

---

As they enter the room, she waves back at Cybele appreciatively with a smile. She may have just been grilled harshly after all, she might need a happiness pick-up. As she goes however, she turns her attention to the warrior before her, recogsing her instantly. She bows her head respectfully, but forms a quick act of focus - she Senses Chakra in the room. "Excuse me, madam, but if the events of tonight have taught me anything it's to be cautious - especially of those my strength can't compare to. Accepting something as beyond your mere comprehension is the first step to misconstruing even its identity, after all."

Once content that the woman is who she appears to be and there are no hidden interlopers, she bows deeply, kneeling as she produces her scroll. "Amon Yamana, newest member of Team 5. I've drafted a report," she says, shaking it slightly in indication. Making a judgement that she seems a grizzled woman, she makes sure to use her mangld hand, the one with the missing fingers, a sort of exchange of battle wounds that she hopes will curry favour with the old kunoichi. "I kept my knowledge and Cybele's largely seperate so as to keep pure both perspectives and testimonies, so that they may be better cross-examined. In it, I think you'll find everything is in order, and with it my threat assessment of a powerful organisation. Please, I think you'll find it quite urgent."

Spoiler

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Ah, I'll just PM the report to ZN

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke rests listlessly on his feet, saying nothing to the intimidating woman. If Amon wanted to handle the mission report, he saw no reason to complain. The sooner this was over the sooner he could return home and ask Youki about his training. The further he got away from Amon, the better.

[zeone3000]

Houshi scratched his head in confusion, Protocol? There's rules for giving a report? He knew better then to voice his question but he couldn't but think why?

They failed their overall mission, yes but gained something much more valuable. At least, he thought so. Also, they were alive. A huge plus in everyone's book but the enemy's. Though, who cares about them? None the less, he knew Amon had experienced with this in her past and saw her maddeningly writing on the trip here. That and she just love the sound of her own voice. He wonder when she'll figure out that others don't at times.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The battle-scarred kunoichi is a roaring flame of chakra to Amon's eyes. Whereas Cybele's chakra was dangerous and wild it was also contained tightly within her shell. Sonia's chakra, on the other hand, is an unrestrained wildfire of fury and hatred that threatens to consume everything around it. Her eyes narrow, her muscles tighten, and she glares at Amon under the younger kunoichi's scrutiny. She takes the report with a half-hearted grunt.

"So you lost our prisoner, failed to capture another, allowed an enemy to escape, and for what? Speculation on the possibility of a traitor? The life of a sand ninja? This kind of weakness is not acceptable. Your mission comes before the lives of the enemy, and those sand ninja might be your enemy someday." Sonia tucks the scroll away for later archival, and glares at the three genin. "So far you've proven to be exactly as useful as your teacher. Whoever gave her a team will be reprimanded." She glares at Cybele before waving her hand dismissively. "Your next mission will be assigned in (1d4+1)[2] days. You're dismissed."

Her stance offers no possibility of refusal or argument, and she fully expects you to leave quite quickly.

---

Cybele leaves without comment, and heads toward the residential sectors of Soragakure. She addresses anyone who followed her before continuing on her own. "We'll meet again at noon in two days time. You have free reign to do as you wish until then. Good luck, and take care of yourself."

If she isn't followed, then Cybele just walks toward residential without comment. If she is followed, then she asks her follower why. "We don't have anything more to do, so shouldn't you be training?"

[Princess Tracy]

Having felt the wild woman's chakra, Amon knows better than to bother debating her. Someone of that distinction would hardly want to hear it. She resolves to add her to the ever-growing 'list of people to humble when I'm a Jounin' (remembering to cross of Hinami's name while she's at it), and instead bows and leaves without a further word. Ah, nothing like someone pointing out all your concerns and putting them in the worst possible light, to signal the start of a new day. The thing about saving Yukiko being a penalty due to her being a potential enemy is bizarre though - she took a deathblow for Housi, if she's an enemy she could have certainly fooled me. One could say that's a poor way to approach international politics, but being ignored is probably the best result that could come from that. Still though, we made it out alive and that's more than what some genin can say.

Once out of earshot, she comments "Well, at least I wrote my report down, so perhaps the information may get passed along to someone who cares."

She follows behind Cybele for a while, lost in thought until told to disband. She hesitates for a bit as Cybele makes her way down the path, before breaking off from the group and following her all the same, catching up before she tries to slip away. Amon actually looks a little sad as she eyes up her sensei, trying to be quiet for some privacy. "I can hardly leave you though. There's much I would ask you, now that I've handed in my report. And after last night when you left taht scroll in my hands... it feels like if I take my eyes off you again, I won't see you again."

"What is this organisation we face and how do you know them? You knew two of their members by full name and ability, after all - if they knew you were on the case and they were the only two you knew, it seems having them assigned to the case would be a liability, no? To have you know their moves and goals seems like a major flaw unless... What happened in the inn back in town? And..." She looks suddenly a little sick, hiding so poorly. "...And why did you leave Hinami like that?" She knows she should feel foolish for asking such a detail, but from the look on her face, Cybele's ferocity had weighed on her mind some.

[ZeroNumerous]

Cybele

Cybele looks a bit cross with Amon when she mentions the scroll. She's clearly not read it yet, or likely ever would given that she has no reason to suspect it has been altered. "I am not a dream that will disappear when you wake. Don't worry about me leaving, and just focus on your own advancement."

Cybele shakes her head at the question of an organization. "I knew two of them by name and ability, but not because there's some kind of organization behind them. Suzunabu only has one Mistress, and Hinami always chaffed under authority. No, if someone could possibly get them under his or her thumb, then that person wouldn't need them."

Her eyes close as Cybele talks about her own personal theory. "Suzunabu was likely acting on the orders of her Mistress, but Hinami wouldn't have gotten involved unless there was a way to get revenge on me. So likely: Someone has been suborned by a dangerous third party with his or her own agenda, and that agenda included Yusa. Hinami got herself killed, but I think the controller behind it intended for that to happen. Her death, and the appearance of an organization, is likely a cover-up."

She nods, then looks at Amon when she asks her questions: Why she did what she did to Hinami, and what happened at the inn. "What happened at the inn? We fought. Suzunabu hurt me pretty bad, and they set the place on fire when I disappeared. As for why... I won't talk about that. It's not my place. If you want to know more, then you'd have to ask Kaede-sama about her."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke nods and breaks away from the group shortly after their debriefing, eager to return to home to begin his training anew. Tonight he would confront his grandfather and ask for additional sword training. With only two days left in Soragakure, he would need to make the most of his time, something that Youki could probably appreciate.

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

A dark shadow jogs down the street toward Yousuke as he heads into the residential area where the young genin lives. It's wearing a thin shirt that bounces up with each step, a pair of dark short-cut track pants, and long flowing hair marks its passage through the early morning. As she gets closer Yousuke can pick out the details of a young woman with light blond hair and an absent look on her face. Her measured stride seems calculated to use the most of her toned muscle, and the track uniform she's wearing tells Yousuke that she's a member of the normal school's track team. She doesn't seem to have noticed Yousuke yet, but he does recognize her as the Tsumaki's older daughter: Satsuki.

[Princess Tracy]

Kaeda-san? The name from the scroll. Is that part of the grudge between them? Amon stumbles back when Cybele theorises a cover up. "Of course... I'm so sorry I couldn't capture her alive. I didn't even know if my medical techniques would work on her with that curse.in effect. And I guess I was afraid of her, even in that situation, that she might pose a threat. Knowing what I know now, if I captured her we might not be in this mess. I let both of them slip away out of fear. Out of weakness." She gives a sigh, slinging her arms behind her head as she looks to the sky. "A wise man once told me 'killing is a tool of the weak, to deal with those they are too afraid of in life. If I become stronger, then perhaps I'll be able to resolve conflict without bloodshed; that is my ideal, to be powerul enough to spare my enemies'."

Spoiler

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Knowledge check (pop culture) DC 10 (+4 bonus to check if at least casual reader of publication - if beat by 5 or more, identify exact passage and person referred to) to realise Amon is quoting an early iconic passage from NinJump, her favourite adventure publication.

"Why didn't I think of that though? A cover up - the organisations theatrics are a sort of double bluff, meant to through us off their trail. Humans see purpose and organisation in things, the basis of conspiracy theory is that we think factors being united as simpler and more plausible than them being independant, and satisfaction is a major component of eduction. This I was so wrapped up in patting myself on the back I ended up losing my perception to such a bluff. Such an organisation may not exist at all in an official capacity. It's possible those two would never have led back to Yusa at all." She might be misleading me. She whistles, amused, finally tearing her eyes from the sky. "I'm sorry I doubted you sensei. I guess in a way, I just hoped you were more related to the organisation I perceived as existing. My failure to capture them alive, my loss of our only leads... I guess I was hoping there would be some safety net for my failure, that if we got out of there alive, things would work themselves out. Although that doesn't change the fact that I'm glad with the outcome."

Amon tilts her head, smiling widely, her eyes half closed. "I believe if one lives long enough, things will work themselves out. Our mission may have been unsuccessful, but as long as we keep going we'll set things right. Never forget that, okay, Cybele-chan?" With a reverant sigh, she leans against a nearby wall. "I don't have much of anywhere to go now. I missed my last appointed session with Other Sensei, so I don't know when next he'll turn up. You have to teach me that cloning technique you used sometime, you know." Amon leans forward, extending a hand to shake. "But first, you need your rest. You said your sister could heal you, so have her tend to you - with that curse, I could only handle the fundamentals of your care as it stands. I will have to meet such a girl sometime." She gives one last beaming smile. "And don't be a stranger, Cybele-chan. You don't have to wait until duty calls to come visit me if you need anything. Now off with you, and bedrest, before a light breeze should happen across your bloodied and broken body and leave you at my mercy!" I hope one day i can earn a laugh from Cybele.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke can barely contain himself at the sight of Satuki. He could stare at her for hours without tiring of her heavenly appearance. "She is probably practicing for her school activities. It must be some kind of running club..."

She was probably off work right now, which meant that Yuri was currently tending the shop. Breathing in short panicked breaths, Yousuke reassumes his stoicism and squeezes his hands together, wincing when he feels them blister. He mentally curses when he realizes that he had forgotten to wrap his hands before his training the other day. "She will think of me as a savage if I appear to her like this..."

Looking down at his bruised palms he hurriedly wipes them on his clothing in vain, groaning when he realizes that his otherwise clean shirt was now stained with blood and grime. "Civilians probably aren't used to seeing this much blood. What if I scare her off? Damnit..." He resists the urge to slap himself in the face, lest the noise alert her to his presence. Thinking quickly, Yousuke peels the shirt off his sweat covered body and stuffs it into his bag. Civilians went shirtless all the time he reasoned. By going shirtless he was bridging the gap between their two respective cultures. It was like a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Or something like that. That was a story with a happy ending, wasn't it?

He fiddles with his sidebraids a little before striding toward Satsuki, sans shirt, doing his best to appear confident. "S-Satsuki-san, what a pleasant surprise this is."

[ZeroNumerous]

Amon

Cybele looks at her genin with an unreadable mask over her emotions. She sighs, then begins speaking. "I do not beleive there is such strength in this ninja world. If you were to defeat your enemies, but leave them alive, then you would only succeed in growing the number of enemies you have. In time, whether because of your mercy or their own cowardice, these enemies will gather together and destroy you. Even if you have the strength to spare one enemy, would you have the strength to spare two? Three? Ten? How long will it be before the weight of your enemies crush you?"

She keeps that constant mask as she looks toward the ground. "Everyone in this ninja world can be your enemy. Even those closest to you. Even me. I have little love for Soragakure, but if it ever becomes a threat to Kaede-sama, then I would not hesitate to destroy it." Cybele discloses a little more about herself. Amon's analytic mind can easily deduce the kind of damage a cursed specialist in the art of silent killing such as Cybele would do to an unprepared village. Some of her blood in the water supply, violently dismembering highly skilled ninja in their sleep, and even something as simple as requesting to be healed. How many medical ninja would throw their lives away trying to "save" her from the mysterious "illness" she suffers? How many of them would pass the "illness" on to others they heal?

"It's fine. You were right to doubt me. This world does not abide fools and idealists, and you must always be prepared. Because it might be your friend, teacher, or lover to betray you next. The only faith you should have is faith in yourself." Cybele sighs, and closes her pale blue eyes as Amon goes on about teaching her things. The heavy stuff can be left aside for now.

"I can't teach that to you", Cybele says with a slight shrug, "because it requires earth-natured chakra. It's called Stone Replication, and it allows you to create a single clone that has physical weight and form. It can replicate everything I can do, including techniques up to genin-level of strength. It gels well with my skill in silent killing, as it allows me to be in two places at once."

"As for Sune-chan", she continues with a less somber tone than before, "she's only able to heal me because she suffers from the same curse--albeit at a lower level than myself. She can actually control her eyes, whereas I'm only able to look at you without my glasses because I have no chakra left. I've learned some basic medical abilities to heal myself, but it agitates my condition and takes time." When Amon's hand goes out, the older jounin simply looks at it. She then re-establishes eye contact then shakes her head. "Sorry, but I am a stranger. It's better this way. Take care, Yamana-san."

Unless Amon bothers her for anything else, Cybele keeps walking.

Yousuke

Satsuki stops and turns toward the source of the sound. Her flowing ponytail gently whips around and curls around its owners' neck. The girl wearing it seems to take a moment as her eyes attempt to penetrate the darkness surrounding Yousuke. Then she notices he's shirtless, and immediately turns redder than a beat. "Ah!" A light cute gasp escapes from Satsuki's lips as she turns around. She had a strong sense of decency, and wanted to give Yousuke a chance to put on something.

"G-Good morning K-Konpaku-san. W-what--I mean. H-How have you been?" She's rather flustered, and it shows through her words. She keeps her back to Yousuke, but her politeness clearly demands she ask about his day. Yousuke can clearly see the high school name, Misaki High, that Satsuki goes to. "D-do you need some h-help? D-did so-something happen to your s-shirt?"

[Princess Tracy]

"One day perhaps, Cybele, there will be no need for assassins or war. I'm not wise enough or strong enough to go about attaining such a day, but I think you're wrong. I think idealism is a powerful force - it's the only thing that elevates me to being even a low level ninja. I don't think idealism has slowed down my thoughts any." She pauses. "Death, the loss of being is a thing in an ideal world there would be little of. I realise the reality of it being needed in our time, but I think it takes it's toll on us. Not just on the victims - the victims are incapable of feeling the sadness of loss that comes with death. But of those who grant it, we must give up a part of ourselves, our ability of idealism, of oneness with others. It takes its toll on the human condition to have granting death be an accepted part of ourselves." Another pause. Amon looks off to the side for once, as if ashamed. "When I saw the scene you left in the cave, Hinami run through and left to die horribly and all those men kill I couldn't help it. I felt... worried for you. And I still do. But I won't look upon you as an enemy." She looks dead into Cybele's eyes, something she is perhaps not used to with the lack of her glasses. "I think there is humanity in you, I think there idealism, I think there is good. Your love for this Kaede speaks volumes to that effect."

She smiles a little with wisdom beyond her years as Cybele makes to leave at last. "Cybele-kun. Keep those you love close. You are not a stranger to me. I won't let you be." Her smiles seems to have a giggling, sinister air to it all of a sudden. "So. You're just going to have to deal with the fact taht you can't get rid of me just by acting distant. Because I like a challenge. Now, bedrest, go. And I'll track you down if you don't visit sometime - no lock you have on your kitchen is shield enough against Amon Yamana and her will to share a meal sometime!" She cackles again as Cybele vanishes, finally sighing contentedly as she collapses in teh street. While the soldier pills ar still in effect, she still feels like lying her for just a while as she wonders if she can somehow force herself to sleep.

[Princess Tracy]

Amon peels herself off the street, standing as she decides to look for Houshi. He seemed like an agreeable chap, maybe he would get on with her outside teh field. She scans around the streets where she last saw him, looking around for an absurdly tall gentleman. "Hey, Houshi? Want to go drinking? Want to go eating? Want me to use a technique on you so you can sleep? It's mostly just an experiment to see if I could use it on myself - worst case scenario you're left awake but vomit-prone for a few hours, what say you?" she asks, perhaps to just the air and quite loudly as she looks around. "Here, Houshi, Houshi, Houshi."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke flushes in kind, now ashamed of his lack of a shirt. This was the difference between the two sisters. Yuri would have laughed at him had he arrived at the store without a shirt, Satsuki on the other hand had the decency to look away. She was such a sweet girl, far more deserving of the sweet's shop than her pugnacious younger sister. But he couldn't just tell her that he had taken it off because it had gotten bloody, what would she think of him? "I-I was in the m-middle of training and my shirt was...getting in the way?" he offers lamely, providing his sword to her to help prove his point.

Deciding to change the subjects he asks, "A-are you practicing for your running club?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

"O-oh. Well, that makes sense, I suppose. A-and yes. I'm captain of the track team, so I have to keep fit or they'll look down on me." She seems to relax a bit now that they're talking about track, school, and other "normal" things. Her guarded stance drops, though she doesn't turn around out of her own sense of decency. "We have a track meet tomorrow. If you want to come, then I'm sure Yuri still has a spare ticket. Sorry, but I gave my spare away already."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke immediately freezes as he considers the implications of Satsuki's words. "Who did she give that ticket to? Was it another boy? Another girl? I could not have been the only person interested in her..." Regardless of the circumstances, he needed to get down to the bottom of this.

"I-Is that so? If you do not mind me asking, w-who did give your ticket to?" he asks calmly.

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

"A-ah, uh..." Satsuki seems a bit perturbed by being put on the spot like that. "W-well, you know, just a friend. I-It's not important. Ah, look at the time, I need to get back on track for my training." Satsuki inelegantly attempts to end the conversation, and starts jogging back the way she came. Possibly because she was running away from Yousuke, but maybe she just didn't want to see him shirtless again.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke quietly seethes as he watches her retreating form, her vague answer telling him all that he needed to know about the situation. He waits for her to exit his vision before taking off like a blur toward Tsumaki Sweets. According to the eldest sister, Yuri had yet to give away her own ticket. If he played his cards right he could get a ticket to the running club activity and scout out Satsuki's 'friend'. He briefly considered just asking Yuri for the information but dispelled that thought before long. Nothing was ever easy with Yuri and experience told him that they would be fighting before the night was through. And for some reason he could not quite divine, the prospect of making her angry made his happy. That was normal wasn't it?

[zeone3000]

Houshi immideatly land hopped away when Cybele annouced their next metting.

He gathered his thoughts as he soared over the town. He had little time to enjoy the view as he mocked the manliness women he had ever seen in his head, You're dismissed... Man, she said they could be our enemy someday. They could just as easily be our allies too. Ha, all life is something to cherioused as long as isn't threatening yours. Shisou taught me that and I won't stop living by it." He sighs deeply, Growing up is rough but that's good I guess. It means I'm not weak, I just haven't realised my full potential yet... hopefully. He shook his head furiously, No, can't think like that now. My only friends are relying on me to be strong.

He landed infont of his house before realising what he must look like, "Well, they gonna have get use to it sooner or later." He slid open the door, shouting, "I'm home!"

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

The door to Tsumaki Sweets seems firmly closed, and doesn't open even to the firmest of tugs. The lights are on inside, and Yousuke can see a thin young lady dancing to and fro with a well-used broom. Her dance partner's bristles seem to be falling apart, but the handle has been lovingly cared for. It's aged dark wood peels paint in every direction, but several spots have been delicately repainted in a close-to-exact match of its old color. The young girl's tight fitting shirt belies her age, as she doesn't quite fill out as well as her older sister. Even so, Yousuke's treated to several flashes from her short skirt as she hops and spins around energetically. Yuri seems to have heard nothing from the outside, and Yousuke can't hear any music coming from inside the sweetshop. The shop opens at 6 AM, which is two hours away.

Amon

The young girl doesn't find her giant companion anywhere. He seems to have left on his own to places unknown. The darkness does provide her with something though. As she's searching she happens across a tall dark-haired man wearing the Soragakure headband across his forehead. A ninja vest--dark blue in color--plus a pair of bright white slacks and a long sleeved red shirt make up his uniform. Pale green eyes stare off toward the rising sun as he seems to take no notice of Amon's approach. If the ninja gets closer, then he turns his head ever so slightly and remarks loudly.

"I know Sonia. My team is useless, my teaching method needs work, and no one will ever be my friend. Blah-blah-blah. I'm off-duty, so I'd rather not hear another lecture." He raises his right hand and waves off Amon without turning around. "I bet you're real upset, right. Now shoo, I don't need to hear it."

Houshi

The lights are all off when Houshi returns home. Predictable, given that it's four in the morning. Regardless, his shout does rouse someone within the house. His mother dashes out from his parent's room wearing her favorite bright blue nightgown. Her puffy blue hat, matching gown, and the matching blindfold resting on top of her forehead makes the mature woman look more like someone's grandmother than Houshi's mother. Even so she immediately hugs her boy and starts raining kisses onto his forehead. "Oh my boy, I was so worried about you. Why didn't you tell us you weren't coming home? Where were you? Are you covered in bloood?! Whose is it? What happened? Where's your teacher? I'll give that stupid bastard a piece of my mind!"

She goes on and on with Houshi's safety, his teacher's location, and her worry being forefront in the barrage of words firing out of her mouth. Houshi's father just smiles at his son as he leans against the wall and watches Mom go crazy.

[Princess Tracy]

Giving up her search, Amon looks around, finding an odd looking man. Though, the village has no shortage of those. Thinking for a moment, she decides someoen of Houshi's size, even in this light, should have been plainly seen by any casual observer and decides to ask the man if he's seen a giant with a sword running around town, getting a confounding earful, that she has to replay a few times in her head to grasp, for her trouble.

Amon eyes the man oddly. "Excuse me? No, not upset, just a tad confused. If I had to guess, I'd say you'd been casually spying on my team and/or attempted to cold read me, doing a lack lustre job at it - that or you think I'm someone who I am not. Which would make sense, as a man who truly wishes to be left alone wouldn't start such an extensive and odd dialogue with strangers in the street." She folds her arms, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "It really is rude to not look at someone as you speak. Unless you were talking to the sun, that is."

[zeone3000]

He forces his mom off his forehead, "Mom! Cut it out. I know I'll always be your little man but I'm a ninja now. First off, my sensei is actually a girl now. She went home. She had a way rougher time then we did."

Facing your past can do that, he thought while got his breath back. "Mine mainly and a clones." He turns to his dad, "I got that one real good! As you can see." He stretches out his shirt for emphasis, "We were escorting a prisoner to Sungakure in a gesture of good will. Uh, now that I think about it, they are not gonna be happy."

Damn, we really screw the pooch on that one. I can see why she was pissed now. He shakes his head and returns to reality, "Honestly, I thought they would tell you. Still getting use to 'proper protocol'. Anyway, we went to the Land of Rivers, stopped at a small village and things got nuts."

He proceeds to go over yesterday's event in detail. After that, he knew that future could be bad but no way could they match up to this in terms of sheer craziness.