On the Wings of a Dream [Contract Search]

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

Tsukasa Mikasa gradually struts across the waters, chakra encasing her leather boots to provide her with the ability to create a pathway across the surface. This would be the second academy student she has taken from the village to explore the outer regions of Hi No Kuni, her oceanic gaze lifting upwards towards the looming statues of figures of a distant realm. "Fascinating, aren't they Shinzo-kun?" she turns about, walking backwards to speak directly to the chestnut hair lad, a grin widening. "I'm glad that someone from the academy answered the flyer request to wishing to learn of our villages history." Mikasa comments gingerly.

Halting underneath the shadow of left side figure, she thrusts her hand upwards to point against the carving, "This is the Valley of the End, this particular location is an ionic dueling location for shinobi and kunoichi of any age." she begins, pacing back and forth upon the water tops, "Legend has it that long before the samurai regime, the founders of Konohagakure feuded and dueled here to decide the leadership of the country. Although that is merely a legend." she summarizes before pressing sliding her digits along the jagged structure, the carving certainly artistic and MIkasa couldn't conclude who may have been the one to etch these particular marvels.

Shaking her platinum mane, she allows a wisp to escape her lips. "Why don't we stay here the remainder of the day and enjoy the sunset from the top?" she suggests with a thin smile, their trek had not been an easy one, certainly not for an academy student; however Shinzo did a marvelous job of keeping pace with the experienced Medical Chief. One may even wonder how she found the opportunity to leave the Konohagakure Byoin, fortunately Lady Yomi would have to have a watchful eye for a few days and giving her a much needed reprieve from Mikasa in a general sense.

Finding herself side tracked, she gestures towards a beaten pathway shaded in the valley, not wishing to have the duo suffer from heat stroke, the maiden leads the way upwards to find a crevice to act as shelter for the night. "We can rest on a wide ledge, I am sure there is one somewhere around here." she explains, removing a canteen from her backpack to indulge herself in refreshing waters. Turning about once more, she tosses the canteen towards the Seikon gifted lad, "You'll want to stay hydrated despite the shade." she comments in a concerned tone as she takes notice of the path becoming significantly thinner. Fortunately they were not the average mortal, being gifted with chakra had its advantages and thus walking at odd angles upon the cliff wasn't anything more than child's play. In the distance a flat surface under a water was in sight, instinctively she gestures for them to take camp, between the two looming carvings and allowing a naturally formed location for them to take rest for the evening - or so she would like to believe.​

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[Minamoto Daisuke]

It had been a pretty uneventful day for the young lad as he strolled out of the academy. He had shuriken throwing down to an artform now, at this point the drills were second nature to him boring as ever. He remembered back to when he was first allowed to use such a tool, his uncle had taken him out to some woods just outside of the village, not too far but further than the boy had been before. His cousin had demonstrated his ability as his uncle watched, their side of the family did seem to have a knack for the shinobi arts, whereas Shinzo’s had a knack for the literal arts. Of course, back then the younger Shinzo was nothing in comparison to his extended family but now he reckoned he would be able to give his cousin a run for his money, well that would be if he hadn’t improved much in the last four years…

Upon passing the notice board something caught the young boy’s eye. A new flyer stood, pinned up alongside the same old notifications of classes and other assorted academy information. His calloused hands reached up and took the flyer from the board, his chartreuse eyes scanned the sheet. Normally history wouldn’t be his sort of thing but leaving the confines of the village would be an experience that he didn’t want to miss. ‘Expedition of Hi No Kuni! Seeking those wishing to learn of our rich country history!’ The flyer was indeed of great interest and having read it, Shinzo sprinted home to ready himself for the next day.

***​

The day had started off bright and Shinzo had been out of the door as quickly as possible, he said goodbye to his family, grabbed a bite of a rice cake and slung his backpack on his back. It took the boy only a few minutes to meet with Mikasa and soon after they had set out.

The journey wasn’t easy but thankfully Shinzo was managing to keep up with the superior ninja. Occasionally he had been able to stride on the water but more often than not only a minute or so passed at a time before Shinzo took an unscheduled bath. Still though, each time he fell behind he was soon able to catch up, be it due to his physical speed or just Mikasa slowing down for him out of pity. The boy longed for the day that he could effortlessly tackle the terrain like the head medical ninja.

Finally they reached the two statues. “Wow.” His eyes grew wide upon actually inspecting the towering pieces of art. “They really are fascinating. And so is the history, well I hope so… I don’t know that much.” He blushed slightly and rubbed his right palm against the back of his head. He listened closely to the explanation that she gave for the location. His imagination fired up at the thought of the past, the legends truly captivated him. He was snapped back to reality as Mikasa spoke again.

“Yeah we can watch the sunset. I’d like that.” He beamed up towards her. “Oh I have my own water.” His hands fumbled around to his backpack but before he could free his bottle of water he was confronted with Mikasa’s canteen. He bowed to her in thanks before taking it and having a sip or two of the water. He motioned to hand it back to her, still smiling in the direction of the medical chief. “Yes, hydration is important!” His words chirped from his small figure as he gave a quick thumbs up.

The pair soon reached their goal, Shinzo had followed Mikasa as closely as he could on the way there. Aiming to show that he could navigate such terrain, maybe even beyond the level of his academy student title. “Will we be sleeping here overnight?” He said while simultaneously unfastening a bedroll from the top of his backpack and laying it down on the floor.

WC: 667
[Topic entered]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

The day was calm and the sky was beautfil. A few clouds filled the sky as the birds above flew with great pride upon the strong upward currents. The sun's heat wasn't intense as it had been during the apex of the day, but now coming to an end the beautiful Land of Fire would be blessed with a sky full of red, pink, and orange hues. Yes, the day seemed perfect for our two heros today as they would rest upon the peak of such a famous landmark to enjoy the winding down of the natural light, but little did they know that this beautiful land and view was to be changing very soon. The swift breeze pulled a few petals and leaves of the nearby flora as they danced through the breeze like ballerinas on a stage. Along with the beautiful petals came a small bird. Red crested and a throat of white this little black woodpecker was no larger than the average kunai.

Fluttering with the breeze she would sing out a soft little melody as her wings carried her through the sky and around the two Lean Ninjas. With much agile and grace she came to quick spin letting out what one could assume was the end of her song before she landed on a nearby rock. Her eyes shut she would fling a wing to bow to an invisible audience before turning slightly to bow again. This was when she realized that the two shinobi had been there, most likely watching her. With a panicked scream the small bird darted back into the cover of a nearby tree's foliage. Chirping from behind the leaves the soft voice would call out. "Please, don't eat me!"

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

Mikasa nods her head gingerly, gesturing towards the refuge between the looming statues, settling her pack upon the smooth terrain. Fortunately there was enough shade to allow the duo to cool down, "I doubt there is a better location than this." she concludes with a cheeky grin, "Protected from any sudden zephyrs for the most part and if it is to rain, the statues will provide a further natural shelter." she summarizes, wishing for the youngster to one day to observe to this particular degree.

In due time an oddity would begin to catch her immediate attention, flora swiftly swirls about in a symphonic manner, the air about them performing a private orchestral movement. Curiously her digits extend outwards to grasp upon the rogue petals, grazing them against her nostrils to inhale the heavenly scent, "Honeysuckle?" she inquires aloud, a crimson blur demands for total attention. This instance was not foreign, a similar experience occurred prior in her time in the out-lands and the medical chief motions for the young academy student to come closer, "Shhh..." she whispers in a soothing tone, not wishing to disturb the current harmony.

Landing before their very eyes a petite fowl, in a humanistic way the creature flutters a wing outwards before bowing. Softly the woman instinctively claps, the natural echoing of being between the statues enough to cause a loud eruption to take place. Shockingly the woodpecker streaks off at an alarming speed, grinning the kunoichi places her hand upon the shoulder of the lad, "Are you fast enough?" Mikasa's ocean gaze locking against the source of the vocals, or so she assumed. "Go, Shinzo-kun, but do be polite - introduce yourself properly." she chuckles lightly, wishing to watch the student develop on his own with her gentle guidance. "Let us see what surprises this one brings us." a light pause, "That was a beautiful melody! I envy those who can sing for I am not very skilled." Mikasa calls out, a bit embarrassed to admit such an item.​

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[Minamoto Daisuke]

Shizno listened intently to Mikasa as she spoke about how this specific area was probably the very best option to choose to camp in. He revelled in her explanation, it did seem as though every shinobi he met had a grasp on the more specific details in a situation but Mikasa definitely demonstrated an even greater understanding of the environment. Her observations struck the young boy as he sat next to his bedroll, she had picked up on things that he hadn’t even thought of… ever. “You have a great eye for detail Mikasa-sensei!” Shinzo beamed up towards the woman, his expression was one of awe but he tried his best to hide that. “Can you teach me how to pick up on things like that? I’d like to be aware of everything like you are sensei.” Shinzo wasn’t exactly embarrassed to admit such a thing but he did feel his face endure a slight hot flush, admitting that he wanted to be similar to someone wasn’t all to uncommon for the boy but he’d never said such a thing to the person in question.

The young boy’s lips parted to speak once again but before any sound left his mouth, the welcome sound of birdsong floated gently into his ears, pleasantly engulfing his senses in what could only be described as the audial representation of beauty. His green eyes found the source, a small red-crested woodpecker perched upon a rock that sat not so far from the pair of shinobi. The young boy stared, entranced by both the song and the presence of such a creature in such close proximity. ‘How can such a small creature make such sounds?’ His lips parted as he worked to form the most perfect analogy in the hopes of impressing Mikasa with improvised poetry, however just as he was about to the small bird screamed out and darted away. Shinzo scrambled back as the sudden movement from the creature jolted him into reality once more, no longer was he entranced by the song but instead his senses were focused once more.

The gentle pressure of a hand graced his shoulder, instinctively he turned to meet with the gaze of the kunoichi only to see her grinning. Her next question brought Shinzo a grin of his own. “Yes, I’m fast enough Mikasa-sensei! I’m the fastest student there is!” He chuckled to himself as his energetic words flowed from within. Instead of leaping off in that moment, however, Shinzo took a step backwards and reached into his backpack, withdrawing a small tightly sealed fabric pouch. He swiftly unwound the leather lacing which held the top shut, now that it was open Shinzo poured some of the contents into his left hand revealing that within the bag was actually a supply of sunflower seeds. With his left thumb, he flicked one up and into his mouth while holding several more loose in his palm. His teeth put just enough pressure on the seed to crack the shell and a moment later the boy moved to spit it out onto the floor, as he had always been told to do when eating such seeds.

The empty shell dropped towards the ground, falling for just around a single second. However, in this time, Shinzo had changed his posture, his eyes fixed on the tree he could have sworn the woodpecker disappeared into. The young Seikon leapt from his perch and appeared a moment later just before the tree. It was at that moment that the shell made contact with the ground, Shinzo smiled to himself. ‘New record.’ His eyes looked up towards the leaves, the smile upon his face now one of a welcome warmness. “We won’t eat you! I’m going to keep eating these sunflower seeds. You can have some if you’d like.” The boy only just on the fringe of a double digit age held out both his open left palm and the bag of seeds, his arms extended above his head and up towards the foliage above him. Hopefully the little bird would find the offer favourable, after all, Shinzo only wanted the creature to feel comfortable.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

The little bird peaked it's head through the leaves of the large oak tree as it would listen to the lady ask if the boy was fast enough. "I don't know what a Shinzo-Kun is but if it is fast then how am I supposed to run away when it tries to eat me?" The small woodpecker would jut out from the leaves slightly on a small branch hopping and puffing up it's feathers slightly. "Surprises? I don't like surprises!
The only ever happen before something tries to eat me!" The soft voice of the woodpecker was getting muffled as she tried to puff up her chest more to intimidate the two below. She hopped back and forth turning her head side to side to maintain a good view of the Ninjas observing her. When suddenly the petite singer stuck out a rather long blue tongue at the woman. "Your tricks won't work on me you.. you two legged dog! You may look funny but I can smell you!" Now hopping more frequently her attention was shifted to that of the boy. Before she could try and scare him off like she was with the woman the boy vanished. Reappearing just below her the small woodpecker would let out another terrified scream before launching out of the tree.

Flying about twenty feet above the camping area the little twittering bird would continue. "You say you won't eat me, but this is an eat or be eaten world, and here you are trying to sneak up on little ole me! I'm too precious to be eaten by you!" fluttering her wings quickly she did her best to stay in the same general spot, fluttering side to side, almost as if mimicking a hummingbird. Her attitude towards the two seemed to change as the boy offered up the seed. Almost as quickly as she was willing to run away the small avian would go to land on his hand, preferably perching on his pinky and ring fingers, but regardless she was coming in for the landing. As she approached the seeds she instantly started to peck at the collection. With a brisk rate she skillfully cracked each seed to expose the soft and delicious centers before attempting to fit as many as she could in her mouth. A shake of her feathers and she was once again airborne, but this time she was only in the air long enough to land on the boy's head. Using her feet to move his hair around she happily flopped down and began to much on her mouth full of seeds.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

Quirky, the initial the notion the medical chief holds towards the fluttering fowl. The crimson crescent creature lashes out in a childish manner, labeling her as a two legged canine, which in reality wasn't far off and Mikasa surprised that the woodpecker able to deduce her connection to the pack. Never the least, the maiden hadn't spoken of this topic towards Shinzo and had not planned on doing so, making the interaction between the student and fowl far more entertaining. Fortunately the allure of the sunflower seeds cause the avian to perch upon the locks of the young Seikon, the kunoichi gingerly skipping across the water tops through water-walking methods utilizing chakra. Shinzo truly was the quickest student she bore witness to, her eyes unable to keep up, admittedly.

Peering upwards towards the student, Mikasa rummages about to no avail, shrugging her shoulders the maiden keeps a distance between the pair, allowing the creature to grow a bit more comfortable with the youngster the fowl nestles upon. Cupping her hands together, dips them downwards to hold a temporary abode of water, offering a bath for the woodpecker - her own way of making conversation; however the avian would have to act swiftly as the waters trickle through downwards to the body of water she stands upon, "Dog lady, huh?" she muses aloud, "I rather you call me Mikasa, truth to be told." the kunoichi chuckles, not too fond of the name.

This particular moment was for Shinzo's benefit, the chief acting as a chaperone to ensure his success in understanding the world outside the village, a true sensei at heart. Eyeing the petite lad, she awaits for the fowl to introduce herself, Shinzo's offering finding success or so she thought. "Do you have a name?" she inquires in a gentle tone, "You have no need to worry, you hardly would be a fit meal for either of us." she jests with a grin.​

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[Minamoto Daisuke]

“I am a Shinzo-kun!” The boy paused for a second as he called out in response, noticing the error of his spoken language. “I mean, I am Shinzo!” It was as if Shinzo’s cheeks then suddenly grew closer to matching the shade of red that was present upon the woodpecker, in reality the young lad had simply allowed for his excitement to take over his thought pattern. It would be a clear misstep for any shinobi but the boy was only young and such flaws could be expected of him, either way the mistake was a huge embarrassment. His eyes moved to rest on the small bird as it stood perched in the foliage of the oak tree, “I don’t want to eat you though, I just want to be your friend. I’ve never met a bird that can talk before so you’re really cool!” In truth he wasn’t quite sure what to say, could these compliments sway the little creature into hopping down, only time would tell.

An audible gasp emanated from the small boy as he heard the woodpecker hurl the canine comparison towards Mikasa. This little feathered fowl was not someone to be messed with, not with charisma like that anyway! In all honesty he was thankful that his mother had suggested bringing the seeds along, considering it wouldn’t exactly be great for him to chew on anything else during the trip. By now the extension of his arms did begin to ache slightly but the offer towards the bird wasn’t something that would end any time soon, Shinzo was sure of that. He could not waste this opportunity to get to know the woodpecker.

To his dismay, the woodpecker shot out from the tree and decided to hover high in the air above camping ground could she be leaving so soon? But thankfully not even a moment later the bird had decided that the seeds were a better alternative to flying off. Shinzo stood motionless, only smiling towards the woodpecker as she landed to scoop up some seeds in her beak. It seemed this tactic had worked on earning her trust, now though it would be a matter of holding his arms in place for as long as the bird required them to be raised. To his surprise no sooner had she landed upon his hand she had found her way onto his head and decided to make herself at home in his brown locks. His green eyes bulged at the sudden turn of events, for the first time in his life, Shinzo was speechless. Having taken a moment to breathe, the student began to turn on the spot in order to face his instructor for the day. Now with one hand free of seeds, he used it to point towards his head while his mouth sat gaping in awe. ‘She’s on my head!’ He mouthed towards Mikasa, never before had the boy been so happy but also so nervous at the same time. He didn’t want to upset the bird, after all she was in a position that made Shinzo extremely vulnerable.

“Do you want to be my friend?” He spoke up after a few seconds passed, eyes rolling upwards to try and catch a glimpse of the woodpecker who now sat happily atop his head.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

((OoC:The post is short, I want to keep things going but real life has me super busy and I don't want this to sit too long))

The quirky little bird would ruffle around the boy's hair a little more in response to the two speaking at her. She didn't seem to want to respond but appeared to become agitated at the two as they kept speaking "Kiken..."<i></i> That's all she said, but it seemed like she wanted to speak some more. Becoming flustered herself she let out a little screech before holding onto the boy's hair and attempting to fly off, which would end in her just pulling his hair much like an infant would. "We have to go!"<i></i> She would say finally as she let go of the boy. Fluttering a few feet back towards the tree line she came from she would stop and turn around, while maintaining her spot in the air. "If you actually want to be my friend then prove it."<i></i> She would flutter up and down as well as side to side, seemingly eager to have them follow her. "If you won't eat me per..."<i></i> She stopped mid sentence causing her face to turn a slight red out of frustration. "Oh, nevermind. Just come on already!"<i></i> And with that last statement she turned around and would begin to flutter in the air before dancing back into the forest. "This way, this way!"<i></i>

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

Taking an unnecessary amount of mental fortitude, Mikasa holds back a fit of laughter at Shinzo's reaction - quite the treat. Thankfully, the petite fowl more than accommodating and revealing her name for Shinzi, "Kiken?" the chief questions aloud, taking notice of the sudden rising into the airwaves above. The crimson puff ball avian frolics to and fro demanding total attention, requiring for the duo to keep pace; however the maiden knew full in well the feat she could perform, the Seikon far more suited towards pursuit. Arriving at the side of the academy student, she places a hand calmly upon his shoulder and utilizes her free hand into the distance, "Well, what is that we are to do?" she inquires.

In the looming distance the echos of the woodpecker can be heard, there wasn't going to be a significant amount of time to ponder on the decision to keep pace or let the opportunity slip through their hands. Encouragingly she presses forward the shoulders of the Konohagakure child, the generation that would ignite the passion of the next, "Snap some twigs along the way, so that I may follow." one final tap on the shoulders would be enough to make the message clear, "Let us see what is down the rabbit hole." a grin appears on her features as she secretly places the Seikon under the effects of Wind Release, surely not even a trace of his movement would be noticed; at least in the eyes of the platinum mane woman.

The technique would provide a momentary burst of speed, the kunoichi sure that the student capable of utilizing it properly with his natural gifts. Awaiting for his departure, Mikasa streams a thread of chakra across to the small cove their belongings remained. At the very least, their belongings and resources would provide for them, or so she thought. With a flick of the wrist the two items slam against her, "Let me not get too far behind." she murmurs aloud.​

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[Minamoto Daisuke]

“Well hello Kiken!” Shinzo chirped up upon learning the name of the small bird that had made a temporary home amongst the layers of his almond hair. As the young Seikon moved so speak up, he felt his mess of hair grow lighter to a point at which it seemed to be looking to free itself from his scalp. The downdraft from the red crested woodpecker told Shinzo that it wasn’t actually his hair gaining a mind of it’s own but rather the efforts of the small bird to take off while still grasping locks. His eyes squinted together as the boy made an unprecedented effort to keep his composure while enduring the pain of having his scalp pulled at. Just as he reached up to try and calm the bird, she was gone, having returned to the treeline just moments before.

Shinzo massaged the top of his head for a brief moment, his mind wandering to the potential follicle victims. “Okay, I’ll come with you!” The boy called out to the creature as it’s form became less and less visible. ’Is something wrong? She seems really stressed but I’m sure that Mikasa-sensei and I can deal with it! We are shinobi after all… well I will be soon anyway…’ Without hesitation Shinzo began to sprint after the fowl. He turned on the balls of his feet upon hearing the words of Mikasa, instead of calling out in response the boy flashed a smile as well as an extremely enthusiastic nod in her general direction. As his figure turned to face the trees again, he felt himself gain a sudden burst of speed which caught the boy off guard. However, he soon adjusted his balance as his form disappeared into the woodland.

The boy darted between the tree trunks that sprouted from the forest floor, weaving left and right in order to avoid the obstacles. The words of Mikasa rung in his ears as he followed the woodpecker up ahead. “Where are we going?” Without waiting for a response, Shinzo leapt up into the trees, slightly below the canopy in order to maintain a similar altitude to his feathered friend. On occasion he would grasp a few twigs from scattered branches, and as instructed the boy broke them as an indicator for Mikasa to find her way towards both he and the bird.

MFT

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

As the bird was flutering through the trees should could sense that he boy was catching up and keeping pace with her. A slight smile came on her face, even if just for a split second. "There is... ugh" A frustrated grunt came from her mouth again, but this time the sound of her voice had hints of fear. Her flight pattern was slowly shifting to more of a haphazard trajectory instead of the delicate dancing like motion in which she first met the boy. Seeing the two shinobi obviously brought something to her mind that caused her great distress. Tucking her wings in tight and diving down from the canopy and down to the midstory of the forest her small body would weave through the tree trunks. If the boy would once again be able to keep up with the small bird he would see a small tear bead up in her eye.

That was until the small woodpecker would take a turn around a tree, wings fully extended to help her glide. Her right wing caught a branch and due to her speed an audible thud could be heard as her small body would almost instantly fall to the ground. Landing on the grassy forest floor below the small bird would let out painful chirps as she would kick her feet in the air and visibly struggle on her back to trying to once again stand upright. Tears were now visible as her right wing seemed to be bent in the wrong direction and her once beautiful feathers would disturbed and pointing in multiple directions. The screeching that came from her mouth slowly began to sound more and more like words. "No, no, no... We have to get her back!

Rolling onto her left wing it became more obvious that she was injured as the interior white feathers of her right wing would slowly become sullened in a reddish cast. Her small wing quivered in pain as the tears would continue down her ducts and out of her eyes. A frustrated scream would once again chime out. "No, not now... please.. not now..."

 

[Minamoto Daisuke]

Springing from tree to tree, Shinzo kept in close proximity to the woodpecker as the pair made their way through the forest. Occasionally the boy would drop broken twigs behind him in order to create a path for Mikasa to follow. Thankfully for the Seikon, he was able to stay reasonably close to the small bird that he was to follow. A smile began to spread across the boy’s face, ’Finally, an adventure! Something definitely more exciting than regular lessons!’ This was the first time he had something to do which held meaning, the first time he could actually do something impactful.

The smile quickly faded from his face as he watched on to see the bird’s movements become erratic, the expression began to grow ever more concerned and the boy dashed forwards at an increasingly faster rate. “Are you okay?” His eyes widened to see a teardrop become visible just a second before the petite fowl impacted an extended branch. Her form descended towards the grassy floor, unable to stabilise and recover her flight. “No!” Shinzo cried out as he watched on to see the fowl impact the ground. He had to do something. Both of his feet planted onto the side of a nearby tree, his green eyes flaming with spirit as his form disappeared as he stepped out of reality, only to reappear the moment after the bird hit the floor. He continued his sprint, catching up to her as she skid across the ground. The young shinobi-in-training could see that she was struggling and indeed such circumstances would bring stress to any being, but he had to do something. The boy bent down, catching up to the bird before leaning over her form and scooping the small creature up into his arms in one smooth motion.

“Are you alright?” He aimed to speak softly while he cradled the bird in his arms as gently as he could. “What happened just then? You seemed distracted, who have you been talking about?” His eyes held sorrow for Kiken but burned with purpose. “Just tell me where to go and I’ll carry you the rest of the way to wherever we are going!” The boy quickly moved to fetch the bag of sunflower seeds and place it next to the bird. “Here, if you drop some of these as we go then Mikasa-sensei will be able to keep track of where we are.” Despite this, Shinzo slowed his pace as he continued to run with the small bird in his arms, with any luck Mikasa would be able to catch up with them sooner rather than later.

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

Fortunately Shinzo took the words of the kunoichi to heart and prepared an adequate trail to follow. Flinging the bags upon her shoulder the maiden streaks through the thickets, identifying a majority of the debris left behind, Mikasa utilizing fuuton techniques to lighten her feet considerably. Grasping upon a branch, the maiden rotates her frame to pivot through the air, landing upon the forest floor and glancing around for another sign - spotting sunflower seeds. Whizzing off into the direct of the Seikon in due time his slow pace would allow her to catch a glimpse of the lads silhouette.

Taking notice of the crimson stain, the medical kunoichi is unsure of the events that occur prior, "Shinzo-kun, are you alright?" she inquires, reading the surface emotions of the pair. Instinctively the woman's left hand hovers over the creature to pour teal chakra, as if rain drops, upon the fowl. Infusing her own chakra would begin the natural, or unnatural, healing process at frightening speeds. While creatures of petite sizes were a bit easier to mend, it was also difficult in the sense that one could quite easily flood there chakra systems.

Delicately Mikasa applies a lesser version of Angelic Blessing<i></i>, requiring a sufficient amount of conversation she remains silent throughout the process. The technique capable of fortifying the structure of most and lessening bleeding; however she were unsure of what were to occur for the avian. Swiftly she snaps a few twigs, handing them over to youngster, "You have to remain calm in these situations, Shinzo-kun, even if one is full of panic. If you allow yourself to lose your senses, on the battlefield it may prove dangerous. When healing others, you have to be strong in their stead." she explains, "Place these under the wings of the Kiken, we don't have any items to have them wrapped to the wings. Unless you have something I don't know about?"

A pause as she locks her gaze upon the creature, "What is the situation?"​

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[Chikamatsu Shin]

As the boy would scoop up the small woodpecker she winced in pain as her white feathers became sullened with a small amount of blood. It wasn't a lot due to her small stature but it was a good amount for her. Getting flustered while still exhibiting pain the small bird would chirp out her frustrations. There was clearly something she wanted to tell the boy but she just couldn't get herself to say it. Either she was too stubborn, didn't trust the boy, or some combination of the two, regardless she would continue to lay on her back as he lifted her up into his arms. "I-I.... I just can't.... not now."

Just as she spoke it would seem that the Mednin named Mikasa would arrive at the scene and instantly begin administering her medical ninjutsu. Droplets of water would fall down upon Kiken washing away the redness of her feathers and healed her with much haste. Kiken watched the lady orchestrate the situation and demand the attention of the small boy as they tended to her needs. turning away with a huff the bird was clearly forcing herself to stay silent, well that was until Mikasa directly gazed upon her. For some reason the female dog intimidated the small avian and she had to tell them what was happening. "They have him okay!" She got silent and her face and voice softened. "They have my father... I need to save him but I'm not brave enough... They say being brave is overcoming your fears, and I try and do that.... but... I just..." Tears began to tear up in her eyes as her wing was splinted to help the bone heal. Now she was in no status to attempt to heal anyone, but here she was trying to be brave but overcome by fear. She couldn't help that she was weak and that she was small, but she thought that because she found these shinobi she would finally be able to get the help that she had been needing all this time.

Letting out a sigh she would hide her face from the two Leaf Shinobi. "I'm just a stupid little bird that can't help anyone."

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

With the avian being mended, would hopefully be a load off the mind of Shinzo. Mikasa would continue to scan the distant thickets in search of a potential goal in mind, the words spoke by Kiken didn't bode well. A familiar sensation washes over the canine pact woman, felines were naturally predators of fowls and it wouldn't be too surprising if the case were in fact the very same. Knowing the potential danger, in this moment would the maiden be placed between a rock and a hard place; the unknown threat before them and placing an academy student at risk wasn't an item she was comfortable with.

Placing her hand upon the shoulder of the Seikon lad, the expression upon the maiden became serious, "Shinzo-kun, we will proceed forward, but depending on the situation you will return to the village when I say so, understood?" she murmurs, scooping up the fowl and nestling the woodpecker upon the nest-like almond hair of the academy student, "Please explain the situation, who took your father?" the medical chief inquires in a stoic tone. The temptation to summon forth her own companion was difficult temptation to ignore, yet in this moment she didn't wish to bother Jerfu.

"If you can not be brave, Shinzo-kun and I will do so for you. I am sure that this particular young man will not ignore your plead for aid." Mikasa comments in a brisk tone. In that moment it was decided that she would allow the youngster to spread his wings, so to speak, however the maiden would keep a close eye on the Seikon to prevent any unnecessary harm to befall upon him. A sort of motherly love for her student.​

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[Minamoto Daisuke]

It was a relief when Mikasa arrived on the scene, her medical ninjutsu swiftly coming to the aid of the small avian that was cradled in Shinzo’s arms. He listened carefully to his superior as she explained how best to deal with such negative situations in the life of a shinobi, this would indeed be a lesson that he would take with him through his journey in life. This valuable instruction would indeed be a turning point for that lad. “I always have a small medical pack in my pouch, it has some bandages and gauze I think.” He took his free hand and reached into his pouch to withdraw a small roll of bandages. With both twigs placed on either side of the woodpecker’s wing, the young seikon proceeded to wrap the bandage to keep the makeshift splints as they were.

From that point on it was Kiken’s turn to speak. Indeed, it seemed like the bird was increasingly flustered as seconds passed. But the news that her father was in trouble immediately brought Shinzo’s focus back to current events. Surely they would have to do something to help, that’s what they could do, as shinobi. His eyes drifted to Mikasa, looking to gage her response to the sudden news. He tried to hold the bird so that she would feel as secure as possible, adjusting his arms in an effort to comfort the creature further. His emerald eyes lowered, aiming to make contact with the avian’s. A warm smile became ever more present upon his face as Shinzo looked down caringly at the red-crested bird. “You’ve already shown us that you can be brave, you’ve told us so much after knowing us for so little. But you’re not on your own now. Like Mikasa-sensei said, we will be brave for you, but I don’t doubt that you have courage. We’re in this together now.” In his mind he was hoping that he would gain approval from his teacher as she watched over, but he did not take his eyes from Kiken, he needed to show that she could trust both he and Mikasa. For Shinzo had faith but he knew that if things were to turn negative, the orders given by his instructor were to be followed.

 

[Senju Gaki]

The small bird looked up to the two weird dogs that it had met just a while ago but its eyes didnt really focus on the faces above. "I cant even... i cant even fly properly.. not anymore... And my father..."<i></i> Tears welled up in the small birds face, big droplets that seemed to drown the bead-like eyes. "You dont understand it... its... its not the same...."<i></i> Only now did Kiken seem to realize it had been staring in the eyes of the smaller one of the two dogs, the one called Shinzo-kun, for the whole time. "But... maybe... maybe it doesnt have to be?... "<i></i> A sudden smile flashed in the teary face, and for a moment all seemed well as the bird spoke. "You... you two would... would help Kiken? Maybe.. i maybe i can be brave... with you?"<i></i> its healthy wing wiped over its face and cleared the tears from its eyes. It chirped lightly, a weird sound that could have expressed anything between sadness, happiness and firmness. "Yes... maybe... maybe... YES!"<i></i> As if invigorated by the sudden rush of emotions the bird jumped into the air and immediately tried to take off into the skies but its one wounded wing folded almost at the same time, dropping the bird down once more. "Ouchie! No.. i cant fly... "<i></i>
The small head looked at the female dog, and for a second the bird seemed to be looking for the right words to use. "How can i even be of help... if i cant fly?... We will never get there in time..."<i></i> The question the older person had directed at Kiken only now seeped into the small birds head and like the young chick that it was it started jumping up and down on the spot, excitement washing away the sorrow of being earthbound for the moment. "Yes, yes! Quick, you need to carry me Shinzo-kun! If the Shinzo-kun carries me we can maybe make it before they.... they... eat him?! Quick, take me and i will point the way! Ill tell you everything you want to know, but on the way, on the way!"<i></i>

As soon as the trio would be on the way Kiken would start chattering, excitement taking away most of the breaks anyone else would need to breath. "We were just flying around and my father, he was showing me tricks and all that he is such a good flier, you know, and we, and we, we were flying up and down and loopings and singing and i thought i could maybe outfly him but... but... he was faster and then... i kinda bumped into him and..."<i></i> Tears would once more begin to well up in the birds face. "He fell to the ground near... their nest... its all cold there, dark and cold and wet! Its over at the small hills, we need to get there fast!"<i></i> Following this Kiken would continue to point the way to the duo, keeping the path focused on a small range of hills.

WC: 506​

 

[Minamoto Daisuke]

Shinzo looked down to the bird in his arms, he held her gaze with a warm look of his own as the breeze gentle lifted his hair. “It’s alright.” He said with a smile upon his young face. He slowly moved his thumb forward to wipe away a single tear from the woodpecker’s cheek. “There’s no need to cry.” His voice was soft now as he spoke to the red crested avian. “Things are going to be alright.” The boy’s smile continued as he watched the face of the bird light up slightly, ’There we are, that’s the hope you needed.’ It seemed as though Kiken gained a large burst of energy as she readied herself for take-off, Shinzo knew this wouldn’t end well but before he could get the words out the bird had already attempted flight and sadly failed. He extended his hands forwards in an attempt to cushion the fowl’s descent as much as possible.

“Hey, hey. It’s alright, try not to get too excited. You’re still hurt y’know.” He listened as tentatively as possible, it was clear that his and Mikasa’s new bird friend was unhappy with the situation at hand and who could blame her. One thing the boy did know was that he needed to try and calm her down as quickly as possible in order to obtain the information required to provide the help desired. “You don’t have to be able to fly to help, I can’t fly and I’m not sure that Mikasa-sensei can either. But what we can do is work together, as a team.” He beamed towards Kiken before continuing to speak. “You see, one of the most important aids that a shinobi can have is information and it sounds to me like you can tell us a lot. In fact, providing information is one of the most important and helpful jobs anyone can have! I’m pretty sure that out of all of us here, you are the key to helping your father. We are here to help you now, so by guiding us to your dad you become a huge help.” Out of the corner of his eye, Shinzo looked up towards Mikasa, searching for some sort of indication that he was right in what he was saying.

No sooner had he said this, did the bird begin speaking once more. The smile still sat calmly on the boy’s face. ’There we are, I think we’re getting through to her now. This means we’re about to start the most challenging part!’ A spark of determination flashed across the boy’s eyes while he held the woodpecker. “Yes! I will carry you and we will run together as quickly as possible!”

As the trio set off, Shinzo turned to look towards Mikasa. “Is there a plan, Sensei? What should we do in a situation like this where we don’t properly know the terrain or potential hazards ahead?” His attention quickly returned to the avian who seemed to be struggling emotionally once more. “It’s alright,” again his voice was soft. “We will sort this out as quickly as possible, but we have toe listen to Mikasa-sensei in order to make the best choices possible!” The boy gently patted the bird on the top of her head before looking back to his teacher, waiting patiently for her instructions.

WC: 555

 

[Tsukasa Mikasa]

The avian's situation dire, unsure of the potential creatures lurking on the alleged hills made the trio's journey difficult to determine. Unintentionally the medical chief chews on the inside of her left lip, weighing the pros and cons. The foremost and obvious pro were rescuing the fowls father, but they may already be too late. Imagery of the happy go lucky canine, known as Shida, replays on an endless loop and his beheading from a felines single action fresh on her mind. Mikasa was not reckless enough to allow a similar indecent to unfold and to mentally scar the academy student, not another item the kunoich could live with.

Shinzo's Seikon abilities made him a speedster, able to leave the vicinity with relative ease. In the heat of the moment, the palm of her gloved hand rests against the underside of the cupped hands, a thin veil of chakra adheres against the ivory flesh, "Puppet string, all you have to do is yank upon it to retract." she explains in a vague tone, "The moment we have eyes on the target I wish for you to throw me, understood?" Mikasa inquires looking directly at the pair, before forming hand seals.

The very same kunai Shinzo practiced with earlier her target, Combination Transformation<i></i>, fusing with the shinobi tool she dangles idly from the puppet string created prior. "If what is said truthful, I do not wish for you to get close enough to draw attention. Slinging me forward I can act as a guide and in the best case scenario safely retrieve Kiken's father." the medical chief explains, Mikasa's vocals echoing outwards. The only downfall to the combination was the different perspective of the world, swaying back and forth fairly nauseating.​

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