Izami had her face buried deep in her book. Her everchanging hair hung about her face, as her pale eyes scanned the page. She was vaguely aware of people walking, blundering about. Some bumped her, others made the effort to step around. Her large coat seemed to give her a surreal, superhero look as it billowed about her softly in the breeze.

"...At this point, Heaven and Earth were bright and fair; the yin had intercourse with the yang. In another 5,400 years, during the Yin epoch, humans, beasts, and fowls came into being, and thus the so-called three forces of Heaven, Earth, and Man were established. Hence it is said, man was born at Yin."

She turned the page then, her eye hungrily searching for the next page, the next part of this book. Her eye never found it. Because at that moment, the book came up to smack her in the face rather suddenly. No... No, it hadn't been that. Taking a step back in shock, she saw the source of the incident. Of course. She'd hit something hard. Solid. Towering above her, was an absolute monster of a man. Some distance taller, and immeasurably more broad, the man looked like a homeless one. His clothes were in tatters, his hair was greasy and unkempt, as if he hadn't had time to wash it in a while. Or hadn't bothered. Yet, even for all that, it wasn't what caught the young girl's eye.

His clothes were packed with dust, as if he'd just come travelling. He carried a number of great swords with him, and she didn't doubt he knew how to use them. Taking a step back, clutching the book to her chest and looking at the man, she spoke. "I... I'm sorry, I... wasn't looking where I was going... Please, forgive me" She bowed, trying to show she meant no offense.

Looking back at the man, she saw his scars. Legion, and telling, the scars seemed to cover every foot of exposed skin. She felt the strangest compulsion to reach out and touch one, her hand straying out in front of her. She snapped out of it suddenly, letting her hand drop back to her side.
"Are... You new to the Village?" she asked nervously, her eyes hunting his face behind her hair for any sign of... well, ANYTHING.

WC: 405

Izumi blinked at his response. She'd half expected the man to explode, to raise his voice, and perhaps even his hand. Yet, instead he crouched down to her level, and spoke firmly, but strangely soft and kind.

And then, he stood to walk away, catching Izumi off guard, and causing her to blurt her question. He stopped, and spoke again, asking her a question this time. She stuttered for a moment, before clearing her throat, wherein her voice became firmer and more confidant. She'd overcome the bluster that had knocked her off guard, and now she was back in some form of control.

"I... You have the appearance of a traveler. I... I want to leave the Village, see the world." She stood to her full height, which was still dwarfed by Daisuke, but gave a glimpse of the woman she may one day become. "Can... Can I come with you?" she asked suddenly, her white eyes searching his face.

405+162= 567 WC

Izumi bowed her head again, her book seemingly forgotten in her hand. Then Daisuke's hand appeared in her vision. and she looked at it with a slightly perplexed expression. She then took it, stunned for a moment about how big the man's hands were compared to her own small, strangely delicate hands.

She could feel the calluses in his palms, clearly a man who has lived a long, very physical life. Retrieving her hand from her new associates', she bowed her head as she introduced herself.
"Hyuga Izumi" she introduced herself, before returning her white eyes to Daisuke's face.
"There... There's a lovely park not far from here. The one surrounded by the cherry blossoms. She smiled, walking backward as she did so. "Come on, it's this way!"



Soon enough she led the tall Daisuke into a large courtyard, one surrounded on all sides by rows and rows of cherry blossom trees. Brilliant colour ringed the courtyard, which held a single massive tree in the center. Izumi danced among the falling blossoms, spinning and twirling as her eyes watched the sky in eager interest. She paused, looking toward Daisuke. "Is this place... okay?"

WC 198 + 567 = 765