Private The Developing Bud [Req. Asuka]

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin chuckled, Kasa sure been through a lot. ”Okay, then let me ask…“

He paused for a moment before looking at Kasa with an intense glare. ”Former Hokage of Konohagakure, do you eat babies as an appetizer and toddlers as a a main dish with some fava beans and a nice Chianti?“

The gaze quickly broke as he began to laugh, rosiness to the cheeks. ”I would like to believe people are good until proven otherwise.“

He looked away and his voiced calmed. ”That’s where you’re wrong. You may be a Shinobi first and foremost, but I am not…“

A slight pause.

”…I am a father before anything else. I am a doctor before a Shinobi. I am a teacher before a Shinobi. I am many things, and the fact that I know Ninjutsu is just a small facet of who I am. I’ve been teaching and healing since I was eight years old. A child placed in the halls of the Omni Prime Medical Facility before he understood the way the rest of the world view each other. Before a friend was made I was healing wounds and contacting families about their departed loved ones. I started my life seeing the results of hatred and conflict.“

He looked back at Kasa. ”Thats why I refuse to allow it to be the first thing I am radiating when I meet others. You can choose to not believe me, but until you show me something to find horrible I will continue to choose to see the light in this world.“

His gaze went back towards the arboretum. ”Taking the time to acknowledge the moments of beauty and peace in this world without first hampering it with the muck of the past is what makes life worth living. Yes, I do plan on learning more about you, if you so choose to allow me, but it is not my place to rush you to open up to me. I will learn what it is you want me to learn.“

Shin was a grandeur phantom, he saw the darkness and evil in every soul he meets, every stranger that walked alongside the streets. He sees it all. The hate and the fear everyone carries within them. Between the Omni Prime Medical Facility and the visions he has, all he sees is the worst in world, and he refuses to allow that to change who he was.

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

His intense glare and those words didn't match up at all. She couldn't help but crack up at his serious expression. When was the last time she had genuinely laughed at someone else's stupidity. Taking her idiotic statements to prove how idiotic he was as a joke to prove to her that it didn't matter anyway. She covered her mouth as she laughed. Seeing her expression her smile vanished. "Oh shut up." She said shaking her head. God this kid had some ways.

She kept shaking her head as he talked. The righteous talk. All people are kind deep inside. "People only think about themselves. Thinking anything different is just idiotic." Hope was a sure moment to get killed in this world.

His next words took her off guard. He wasn’t actually thinking about others as a whole but how he interacted with this broken world. How being a Shinobi a tool of destruction. Someone people could count on. Someone that could protect them if need be but doesnt neccesarily go looking for a fight. It was interesting to say the least. In this depressing, lifeless world. When you’re down. His the one who picks you up.

Well… shit…. He had her there.“You sound like one of those preachers in the streets talking to us about the impending doom.” She chuckled with a bright smile on her face. Okay, maybe he was actually genuinely nice. ”You can learn anything. I’m an open book. Ask away my friend.”

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin would look back towards Kasa as she said he sounded like a preacher on the street.

”Oh believe me, when I weave my Natural Energy I look even more self righteous than I sound.“

He chuckled a little bit and took a few steps back.

”See?“

As he said that word Shin would begin to enter his Sage Mode, his blond hair would begin to shimmer like gold and his blue eyes almost emitted faint light, but the most noticeable feature to his appearance was the developing wings that would extend out ten feet to each side of his frame. Large glowing soft red wings with the down of a Phoenix would curl up behind him as he pulled his wings closer to his back.

”Its a talent my friend Tetsuya taught me, I am sure he is fluttering somewhere through these trees.“

He extended a hand with a soft smile.

”My first question then, would you like to see how the Arboretum looks from the skies?“

His voice was soft and genuine. The man with the angelic appearance was offering to take Kasa to the sky to explore the wonders of this artificial forest. While he was sure she could easily perform the Chakra Jump Jutsu, which allowed anyone to climb into the sky on invisible platforms, it wouldn’t be the same as truly soaring through the air like a bird in the sky.

Though, if she declined, as this presentation may be too much for her, Shin would simple stop weaving his natural energy to make his Sage Mode dissipate.

((OoC:

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[Uchiha Asuka]

“No need.” She shook her head with a chuckle. Finding the notion of the him being more divine than he already acts like it. “Don‘t need a pretend glow to add with the whole persona thank you very much. I‘d rather not go blind.“ She was definitely not expectIng what came next. She had seen sage mode before. Even dabbled on it a few times, experimented and studied but never went as far as actually attain the acclaimed sage mode.

She would never admit it. Her face even more annoyed than before. Hiding the actual amazement of his new form. The phoenix wrings alone were beautiful. Even though the design might not necessarily be of legend she could tell why the stories always depicted them as beautiful. They certainly were. She gave a cough.

“Well, your friend certainly has some knowledge to teach. This type of form isn’t exactly easy to attain.” She gave a couple of claps In response. Wanting to Let him know that it was impressive.

The clapping stopped once he extended his hand. She had never been extended like this. What looked like a new experience, with no strings attached. This type of kindness seemed to good to be true. She shouldn’t. Every nerve in her buddy screamed that she shouldn’t. That this was a ploy. But, this man for some reason gave her peace. Maybe… maybe she should take the chance…. “S-Sure…” She said with a slight blush as she took his hand. Simply letting what happen happen. Of course, a seal nearby for a weapon in case anything happened.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

"It wasn't but good things can come to those who wait and keep trying..."

With a flutter of feathers that scattered across their line of sight, Shin's joking response about being persistant about flirting with Asuka would hopefully be missed. Grabbing onto her hand the feeling of the ground would vanish from beneath her. Shin would pull her close, to securely hold her of course, he would ascend multiple stories into the air. Bursting his wings out would allow the man to begin to glide, catching a non-existant updraft created from chakra would allow Shin to soar across the open air above the tree tops.

The Arboretum would be strategically laid out to those looking from above. The northern most region held the highest amounts of humidity, as the southern edge, near the public entrance, was more arid. The eastern side seemed to have more high heat dependent plants as the western side would support growth of more tundra like vegetation. Nearly all ecelogical biomes could be seen from above, heaths, marshes, prairies, and even tropicals.

"My dream is to have this Arboretum to be a المنزل بعيدا عن المنزل, a home away from home for anyone who travels to see it. I aspire to show that there is beauty and wonder at ever corner of our world, and all you have to do to see it is simply look, be kind, and ask."

He would grin before catching another updraft causing them to do a loop in the air before ascending once again to get a clearer vantage point. At any point, if Asuka or Kaza would make any indicaton that they wanted to be let go or to be put down, Shin would agree with no struggle or delay, setting them softly on the ground. But, if they chose to fly, Shin would give them a full tour, but this time from the sky.

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

Asuka wouldn't notice as her feet left the ground. Her strong grip from countless hours of training making it seem as if she was slowly floating. She couldn't deny that she was a bit star struck from the man. But once that feeling left, she looked down. Noticing how they were quite high. With a sudden motion she wrapped her arms around his neck in a panic. "Sh-shit!" She said giving a slight giggle as they started to glide. She couldn't deny that at least the feeling was nice.... she was never a fan of heights though.

She didn't dare look down. SImply enjoying the site. The Arboretum was indeed a very interesting place to be at. He was right, she noticed some of the common plants native to fire country. Even some of the uncommon ones. This, was amazing. She hadn't noticed the extent of it from the ground. It stretched a lot further than most would think. It even gave the impression that it was bigger from the inside. Quite the architectural marvel.

Her head screamed that he wasn't genuine. But... she couldn't help but believe him when he spoke. She couldn't help saying that maybe he wasn't so bad and was indeed what he said he was. "I can see that. I can also see you have gone to great lengths to have quite the collection. You got specimens I've failed to cultivate in the past so that also calls upon your knowledge. How I would like the world to have such an optimistic worldview, the reality is quite the opposite unfortunately."

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

"That may be true, the world is filled with darkness and despair, hatred and revenge, but I believe that even if my light is a single match in the sea of night that I may be able to spark the kindling of another and who knows, maybe overtime the light will spread causing the future generations to live in an era of acceptance and love."

A soft smile took to his mouth has he held onto Asuka as to not let her feel as though she would fall. As they spoke Shin would slowly lower their altitude to bring them to the ground below softly, as if descending on a cloud. As they landed Shin would take a step back, still holding onto Asuka's hand if Kaza would allow it.

"I know that you've come to this village for official means, but I have enjoyed spending this time with you, Kaza. We may view the world differently, but I do think our paths in life may be closer than they initially seemed. I haven't told many yet, but I have been offered the position of Sennin of Sunagakure. If there is anything I can do while you're here in Suna please let me know."

If he still had her hand, he would hold it a little firmer. Something about her resonated with him differently. No one else that he had met made him feel like this. So calm yet so crass, so much peace in her eyes yet a storm still brewed beneath. Shin would want to navigate the rains and gales that caused her turmoil to explore what it meant to be both Kaza and Asuka.

A goofy grin came to his face.

"Do you like fishing? Perhaps once you've met with Lord Raizo I could take you to see the Undersea and we could spend time on the beach together before taking a trip out onto it's crystal waters and see what sort of leviathans we can find. Could make for a fun first date, don't you think?"

Shin's heart fluttered slightly, he was officially asking her out on a date outside of just 'swing by sometime'. He was curious as to how she would respond or if she would even accept the invite.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

[Topic Left; discussed in DMs how to go forwards!]