Second Encounter [Tutor]

[Kiri]

The wilderness always had it differently. Out in the open, one needs to be guarded at all times, lest they get outwitted by the many dangers of the planes. But Kiri had long known that. His hunts would often take him to distant places and he would have to contend with whatever nature had in store for him. This journey with Junko was no different. With having to provide for himself and train and not be a burden to his adoptive father, Kiri was once again trying to better himself.

That said, as he worked his way into the tundra, he would begin his hunt. With his sword drawn out, he would keep himself low into the shadows of the long grasses. Stealthily, he would move with utmost care not to break the grasses as to leave a trail. It was difficult, but it was plausible. He would let his third eye open, though hidden behind the blonde fringes. It's not like it distracted him. He kept a good eye out while also feeling for anything in the air. Hunts were always about patience and sensing, and all his life he had known the importance of each. His brother had been keen to teach him the significance and he would learn the consequences of missing an opportunity to create such chances for himself. Some of the scars he had were the reminders of it, but some were also trophies of his triumphs. And the present situation was seemingly to his liking.

Just then, he thought he felt something not far off. He kept still at this point and would heighten his senses. When he could tell the direction of the unknown movement, he would concentrate on his chakra and let the energy flow towards the ground. Then, without so much of a warning, his chakra-infused shadow would race towards the direction of the disturbance, hoping to catch it by surprise. And just in case, he was also preparing to strike, bending forward to spring into a fast strike upon the target.

WC: 342
[MFT]

 

[Miraku]

It had been a long night. What started as a simple trip to get back to the wilderness turned into a crazy adventure that Raku could have never expected. As he walked through the lands of Lightning Country, he rubbed his arm on the side where he had been given his mark earlier, thinking back on the insane night and what it meant for him now. He certainly never expected his little camping trip to lead to him finding a creature which could communicate with him, let alone manage to go on an adventure with it, and manage to earn it's trust, enough so that he would be granted a contract with it's clan; the ability to summon others from it, now his with this contract.

Now only in a dark tank top and plain grey pants, he had taken off his shirt and put it inside his backpack to get rid of the layers on the walk home. Although it wasn't too warm out, he was a little worn out and enjoyed having the chill to keep him alert in such a state. Looking forward, he could see the plains of tall grass ahead, waiting for him to cross on his way back to Kumo. The chilled winds rolled through, rubbing against his exposed skin and face, causing him to feel the cold, as his hair was blown from his face, keeping his vision ahead nice and clear. Hands in his pockets, at a slow pace, he didn't expect to find anyone or anything out here.

As he came to the edge of the tall grass, Raku could have sworn he heard the sound of movement moments before, but as he stopped, there was silence. Continuing to walk forward, he wasn't sure if he was just hearing things due to being tired, or if he legitimately had heard movement. Either way, to be safe, he removed his left hand from his pocket, lifting it to rest on the hilt of one of his swords attached to that same side. If anything were there, he believed he would be able to react in time in order to avoid any danger he may incur from his distant mind currently.

[368 WC]
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[Kiri]

Launching his attack, marking the target, Kiri would then jump out from his hiding and raise his sword with certain intent. However, mid-air, the blonde would notice that the familiar presence that was the target was far more recognisable than what a creature would be. From the long red hair, the familiar face, the eye patch, the hand along the hilt, and the man’s general posture that was very telling of who he was. Thus, he would quickly pull back, stopping his movement mid-air and twisting. It was not easy but he would manage. And then he would drop down a few good distance from the latter.

When the wind settles after his attempt to attack the latter, Kiri would finally still himself and give the man a better look. He would let go of his killing intent, or at least his predatory aura, and in place, would put a more diplomatic air about himself. The latter may not easily recognise him from their last meeting, but Kiri had very much remembered how the other looked, as well as how his chakra felt like. Thus, with a polite smile and a nod, he would greet the other.

“I can’t believe we meet again like this. I almost attacked you once more,” said Kiri, finally easing out his stance and giving the other a chance to speak. “How are you, Raku-san? I hope I wasn’t intruding in a mission of yours. Though…” he paused for a moment as he remembered that the reason he had left the village with Junko was partly because it was a punishment for his rampage at the academy grounds. “I suppose you’ve heard what happened.”

WC: 282

 

[Miraku]

It was only a few moments later that the attack began. Out of the grass and leaping towards Raku was the figure of another person. Immediately, Raku's hand gripped and lifted the hilt of his sword, pulling it partially out of the sheath upwards to guard against the sword his eyes made out immediately before they wandered to the figure, getting a glimpse at a young man who he seemed to recognize. It had been a while, but he was sure this was the same boy he had met in the lowlands previously, Kiri. It seemed that he too had recognized Raku mid-attack and stopped himself, pulling off his attack and rerouting it in order to cancel the onslaught he had probably intended to ensue.

As Kiri appeared to relax and change his attitude from that of a killer to that of a friendly face as a smile seemed to cross his face as Raku looked towards where he had landed after changing his trajectory. Lowering his hand, he pushed his sword back into the sheath, putting it away now that he could tell that they weren't going to be fighting in this moment. It was then that the young man began to speak to him, explaining his disbelief in their second meeting being so similar to the first. He even remembered Raku's name, though that wasn't such an odd thing. Also bringing up the incident that had spread throughout the village of his rampage, which Raku didn't really know too much about.

"What a surprise finding you out here Kiri." he started, "No mission myself. Was just out for some 'me' time, on a little adventure and was making my way back." he explained, telling Kiri about his own reasons for being out here. "I did hear a bit, but that's in the past. I'm sure you wouldn't still be alive and out here freely if it wasn't rectified or able to be handled by the village properly now, right?" He asked, slightly rhetorically since he wasn't sure he wanted to know what had happened to the young man after such an event. "But what about you? What are you doing all the way outside the village again?" he asked, this time curious for an answer, as he stood there in his regular posture once more, curious as to what he could be up to on his own, looking to attack random people out here.


[406 WC]
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[Kiri]

Indeed, it was quite a surprising turn of events when Raku had appeared there. Kiri didn’t mind it though. The days have gone by and turned into weeks and though he was still in the middle of training with Junko, sometimes doing self-reflection and personal training took a toll on him. Sometimes, he would even tell himself that it was better to be told what to do than to be left to figure it out himself. As such, he had gone into hunting, but alas, meeting Raku twice during his hunts was definitely a work of the universe. He mused at the thought of it, especially when Raku responded with the “little me time”.

“Ah, well, I wish I could have that too, but then the thought also scares me,” he said before he nodded at the other’s comment on his current position with the village. True. If it weren’t for Ayumu’s forgiveness, or even for Osu and Junko’s hand in it to help him change for the better, Kiri would probably be dead by now. Another statistics added to the threats neutralised. But as the other seemed to be more open for a conversation, one that was particularly related to his current situation, Kiri couldn’t help but be frank.

“To be honest, at this very moment, I’m just trying to hunt. Junks-Sensei brought me for his travel but we’re currently training here in the outskirts of the country. We’ll move on to the next village soon, but on exactly when, I don’t know. For now, I just know I need to be certain that my skills are haven’t gotten rusty and that I’m still capable of controlling myself. That said, perhaps, if you’re free at the moment, you’d like to teach me a few tips as senpai?”

WC: 300

 

[Miraku]

Listening to Kiri talk, Raku took in all that he was saying. He hadn't done much hunting himself, other than the simple times he needed food when he had no access to other sources of it. It seemed that he was out traveling with Junko as well, though off on his own for now. Raku didn't know very much about Junko, only having seen him the one time in his life at the gates so far, wondering what he was like. Kiri was lucky to be able to travel with a Sennin from the village and learn under him. He never really had someone like that when he was younger to help him improve and grow, having to figure it out on his own, especially when having to leave his homeland and find a new home.

"I'm sure in time you'll be fine, and able to have full control of yourself and be able to have adventures on your own soon enough." he replied to Kiri's first statement, glad to see that the village didn't have to take more extreme measures to deal with the rampage that Kiri undertook when he had lost control. There's no reason for the village to lose their capable shinobi when they could help them control their power and use it to the villages advantage. Not that Kiri was some tool for the village, but having that power in on their side was better than someone who wanted to hurt Kumo having it.

Kiri also questioned if Raku had a bit of time in order to teach him something while he was here. "Hmmm..I suppose I have a bit." Raku replied, curious what Kiri thought he could learn from him. The young man before him was apparently a medic, but he used a sword, so maybe something to do with swordplay or taijutsu involving swords. Raku loved using swords in combat. The clashing of cold steel and the feeling of slicing into flesh and bone in battle was satisfying for some reason, though that wouldn't be something happening between the two of them, since they had no reason to fight seriously. Moving his hand up to his chin to think, he looked towards Kiri unsure what kind of tips he was looking for. "What kinda stuff did you have in mind? I'm not sure what I could teach you."


[394 WC]
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[Kiri]

He almost smiled like an eager child at the other's words. Though Kiri had been mentored by a different personages, he didn't mind finding new friends and teachers. In fact, if anything, it would help him further understand his situation. As with what Yuuto had said before, he had potential but it would not be realised unless he took it upon himself to further his trainings. And as promised to Osu, he would take this opportunity to increase his experience, not just as a shinobi, but as a person.

But of course, the topic in question was something he didn't really think much about. For the past few mentors he had, he didn't have to take the initiative and simply followed the course they wanted to improve him on. Raku was different, however. Firstly, this would just be their second meeting and he wasn't sure if what the other could impart on him, in terms of specialisation. Secondly, he wasn't even sure which branch he belonged to, though he can be certain he wasn't from the medical branch, otherwise Kiri would have been neglecting his duties to know all personnel of his branch at the least. And thirdly, well... being asked what to learn was simply unexpected.

"That's a good question," Kiri said as he put a hand to his chin and began to think. "Normally, it's up to my mentor to decide but in this case, I'm asking you a favor to teach me. Then, if I were to look back on how much I know, I guess I can say that perhaps you could teach me how you go about doing solo missions and traveling? I mean, you did once do a solo mission when we last met. Perhaps you can impart some life lessons on those?"

WC: 299

 

[Miraku]

It seemed like a strange situation for Kiri, but it made sense to Raku. He hardly knew the boy, didn't know his strength, weaknesses or what kind of knowledge he would have, nor was he prepared in the slightest to teach anything, as he was only with his basic travel gear, and had no plans in mind for topics to teach someone about. But it seemed as though Kiri found something he was interested in, at least from the little they knew about each other that he was willing to ask information on. Doing missions on ones own and what that entailed for a Shinobi.

It was a complicated subject, because mostly it depended on the type of missions one was taking, but Raku could generalize it for the young man and try to explain the basics, and see where he wanted to expand upon once he got further details. "Solo missions and traveling huh?" he said, as he thought to himself a moment. "It definitely depends on the level of mission that you're taking. I'm assuming you're not that worried about lower ranked missions, and more about B to S Ranked solo missions." he said, making the leap in logic, as he removed his hand from his face, moving it back down to his pocket to relax again before continuing. "Obviously you wanna take missions that are suited to your skills as it makes things way easier, or at least missions that lend themselves to the kind of Shinobi you want to be. For example. I usually take missions that involve defending villages from attacks, or catching/killing bandits or rogue shinobi causing issues in the country. I'm very proficient in Taijutsu and using my swords to fight, although I'm a bit reckless as I'm sure you figured by my injuries last time, I'm able to get the job done." he explained, trying to get the basic points across in order to possibly lead Kiri towards thoughts of his own on such situations or further questions.

"As for travel. You generally want to know the lay of the land if you can. Sometimes you have to go to unfamiliar territory, and you probably at least want a map if you can get one, otherwise you might have to use your own instincts which might not always be right. You definitely need to make sure you bring proper equipment for the job, as well as supplies for traveling like food and water, incase you're unable to find somewhere to eat or safely drink. " he continued to explain to the boy, hoping to get the basics of solo travel across to him. "The most important thing is trying to only take what you can handle. Things can sometimes get out of control, and you have to know your own limits. Especially since there's no one else with you to tell you when you're going to deep, or in over your head." Raku realized he was talking a lot. Way more than he was used to, so he went quiet now, letting it sink in for Kiri and waiting to see what he would say next.

[524 WC]
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[Kiri]

Seeing how the other was now up to the task to give him a few pointers, Kiri seemingly opened his mental notebook and began to jot down the words of this veteran. No matter how others may argue over Raku’s standing in the ranks, for Kiri, he was certain that he was someone worth looking up to. Not that he wanted to stroke the other’s ego, but there was always something about people that Kiri could sense. In the same way that he could sense how others had evil intentions, or when he could easily read how Hoshi was always rearing to have a go at him. But it wasn’t as easy as reading a book. Raku was simply someone who felt like he knew by instinct who could definitely aid him.

He would chuckle at the other’s response about being reckless. Indeed, Kiri wouldn’t deny that, though perhaps Kiri ought to think twice about his own words. After all, Kiri was also tended to get all banged up during missions and hunts. All the more reason he felt almost akin to older male. But of course, he’ll have to keep in mind that it would, indeed, be best to stick to missions that better suit him and his style. And as for his tips on traveling, well, it did sound almost common sense, but if he had a little common sense, he might have asked Junko exactly where they were heading instead of simply relying on the latter. But just as the other said, he does rely on his instincts to get through it, so perhaps he wasn’t doing that badly.

But of course, traveling on his own was different and everything made sense. He nodded a few times before he thought really into it. Did he really travel alone? Would it be considered on his own? After all, the beast inside him– his brother– had pretty much been the navigator throughout his life, especially with his memory of the landscape and all. Still, Kiri would want to think he did survive all those years on his own, physically at least, to have a bit of experience traveling on his own.

As the other was done, Kiri nodded once more and said, “Thank you. I knew for a fact that being on one’s own will be difficult, but I thought that the way I have done things in the past were not enough, let alone, not the case that one should do. But hearing your words, I’m confident that I’m at least moving towards the correct path, though I must admit I’m still not certain about my own limits. And I may have bitten more than I could chew at some point.” He paused and sighed. Then he would continue, “Though you sure know a lot. Frankly, I appreciate it more than theories taught back in the academy. I always believed that experiences are far better teachers.”

He then slipped a hand into his bag and pulled out something before reaching it over to Raku. “Here, a little something for thanks. It’s a few of the berries I found in the forest before I got here. Tastes really good.”

WC: 530

 

[Miraku]

After finishing his little speech on solo missions and travel, Raku listened closely as Kiri responded, speaking of his own thoughts on the matter, and his own difficulties he had faced so far in his life. The life of a shinobi was not an easy one, that was for sure. But he was sure Kiri had the chops to make it as one, having made it this far, especially with that power he seemingly had inside of him which could aid him in the future if he reigned in control over it, either through friendship or pure force.

Raku was glad that the young man appreciated his words of his knowledge and experience from his time in the field more than what they taught in the academy. Though the stuff they taught was true, it could never truly prepare you for what was out there. But it's probably why Raku never really became a teacher at the academy. He would much rather experience the true being of a shinobi, and teach those below him through experience and knowledge he would gain after they had graduated so that they could had both the theory and the practical knowledge, combining them to reveal the truth.

It was then that Kiri began to search in his bag for a moment, and pull something out, reaching his hand out towards Raku. He offered him some berries as a sign of thanks for the words he had imparted on him. Raku looked down for a moment before reaching out to take them, trusting the boys intentions as he seemed like a good guy, at least from the interactions they had previously. Looking at the berries in in his hand for a moment, he popped one into his mouth and began to eat it. "Thanks. It's been a long night, and I haven't eaten since last night." he told the boy, as he gave a slight single chuckle, thinking back to the night he had.

"So what are your plans now then?" he asked, curious what he would get up to out here with Junko, since he said they were out here training, and then planning to head to the next village. Traveling between villages would definitely be a unique experience for Kiri if he had yet to do so.

[Tutor Finished]
[384 WC;2076 Total WC]
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[Kiri]

He was glad that the other appreciated his offered berries. As pitiful as they were only a few, he hoped it was perceived out of goodwill and not out of arrogance. Besides, if had anything better, he would definitely had offered it as well. For now, though, it was the most that he could. And listening to the other talk about future plans, Kiri couldn't help but wonder with a deep sigh.

"Ah... That's a very good question. As far as I can see, there is barely anything I could think of that's very concrete. The idea or wish to become stronger, better, is so abstract that figuring out exactly how to achieve it makes it rather difficult. And if I make a wrong choice, I could end up doing something I'd regret later." He pauses again.

"What about you, Raku-san? Got any thoughts? I mean, even if you think you're not cut out to be a down right teacher in the academy, you cab instead have small discussions like what you just did now. It can help other shinobis."

 

[Miraku]

Kiri was certainly interesting. He wanted to get stronger, but wasn't sure how to do it. Giving pause to the fact that he could end up making a poor decision that he'd end up regretting. It was true that such a chance always existed, but Raku wasn't sure if he believed such a thing was worth spending too much time thinking about. Watching as the boy stood there, Raku felt like things were coming to a close for the moment, as he was still pretty tired and the young man seemed to appreciate his previous words. But Kiri began to question Raku, wondering about his thoughts, or possibly his future as well. Stopping himself from turning to take a step away, he turned his body back towards Kiri further.

"Well...I definitely think you should follow your heart. If you do, you never really make a wrong choice, do you? At least not a wrong choice for yourself. That's how you truly live. If you try to play it safe and worry too much, you'll just stand in place watching others take risks and move ahead." He smirked a little bit, thinking Kiri may be right about him being decent at small discussions like this. Or maybe he was just bullshitting stuff that came out sounding better than he thought it would? He figured both could be true as well, mixing together to produce something interesting.

"It's definitely felt like that's something I've been doing lately. Helping out some of the younger shinobi from Cloud this past year. It feels good to pass on my knowledge, though I still prefer to be out doing my own thing when I can, like last night." he told the boy, as he turned his head in the direction of the village from here. "I think I need to head out now though. It's been a long night, and I need to get back to the village and get some sleep. And you should really get to finding Junko since you should be traveling with him wherever you're going. It's certainly safer that way." he told the boy, as his body began to turn in the direction he was facing as well, beginning to head off. "It was nice to talk to you again. I hope I'll see you around again in the future. Be safe out there." he finished, as he raised a hand while he walked off; a sign of goodbye.

[Topic Left, Unless Stopped]
[408 WC]
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