Her lone footsteps tapped the stone road's surface, kicking up tiny clouds of dust as she walked with singular focus, her arms swaying wide by her sides as she went. Her dark brown eyes shimmered with excitement, as the late morning sun began to rise above the distant dunes. Even the non-functional eye decorations on her hat almost seemed to glimmer with delight at the prospect of what adventures and successes that day might bring.

She waved her right sleeve in the direction of some of the villagers she could recognise on sight, but only a handful waved back. She hardly minded, after all, it would not be long before her skills and prestige would proceed her. Well, that was the way she believed the future would turn out for her. Wether this would actually be the case or not remained to be seen. She had graduated from the Academy but only accomplished a few odd job sort of missions so far, nothing particularly spectacular either in her own eyes or of those around her. She spent more time training in the city outskirts, in fact, rather than taking difficult missions. On this particular morning, she planned that very activity to span most of the remaining morning, through midday, into the afternoon. While not particularly focused, she had a drive few others could match with optimism and enthusiasm. This particular morning, however, would not go quite as planned.

Sumiko still remained blissfully ignorant, her light footsteps and wide swinging arms accenting each stride as she walked through the village. She scanned the narrow alleyway just as it wound about toward the north entrance, spotting someone unfamiliar standing there not far from her left. He stood exactly one inch taller than herself and wore a relaxed smile on his face. His complexion, rather pale compared to the usual desert dweller, drew her attention somewhat as her pace slowed to a stop.

"Hello, and good morning," Sumiko gave him a polite nod, abruptly aware that she had been staring at him for at least a minute before saying anything or in the very least greeting him. She slid her right leg up against her left in order to stand properly as she spoke, although the temptation to wander about while speaking built with each moment she remained still.

"I'm Sumiko, Sumiko Sabaku," she held her right hand out toward him, concealed by her long white sleeve until her arm was fully extended, "Pleasure to meet you!" She then turned and gestured toward the cloudless blue expance above them, "Looks like its going to be another scorcher out here, hm? Better pack your hat or an extra bottle of sunscreen if you're planning on staying outside much today..."

"I'm just on my way to train," she smiled brightly, "Nothing gets my blood flowing like some daily activity, plus I hardly mind the heat myself." She reached up with her left hand and tapped the edge of her own broad-brimmed hat. "You headed anywhere yourself, or just out to wander the city?" she shifted her weight from left to right slightly, gradually losing to the temptation to move about.

WC: 531

The sun was beating down again as if the large temporary star was hurdling towards Sunagakure with torturous intent. It was a mild observation at best, as this sense was the norm amongst most if not all denizens throughout the desert lands, but still it was never something he had quite become accustomed to. The ambience of numerous conversations flooded the mainstream thoroughfare as he casually swayed and slid past countless villagers like a visible ghost, seen but untouched. His hands were clasped behind the back of his head where his hair was shaved only a few levels from true baldness. The only semblance to his hairs full potential draped down from the top of his scalp before parting in sharp edges with favor unto the left side of his face.

The millions of black strands offered up no support as their hue only attracted the heat of the airborne enemy causing him to squint his light blue eyes in irritation. In spite of this constant elemental struggle he found his rather pale-ish complexion to be an oddity as he passed a majority of commoners with a significance of melanin that more than likely made their stay a tad bit more tolerable. The Sōseiji were a nomadic clan with roots all across the ninja world, and as bad as he would love to scorn his parents for his present contradiction, there was truly no telling where their immediately genetic roots actually stemmed from. With a heavy sighing exhale he shrugged his shoulders and moved passed the random topic of his mind as he rounded the streets towards the northern end. His boredom had begun to get the best of him and meandering about the village was a distraction that had long since run its course.

The shaded abyss of a narrow alleyway had called to him, offering up at the very least a moment of refuge from the harsh rays that had drawn and beaten him. Although partially his suffering had a lot to do with his choice in apparel from his black slim-fitted long sleeve shirt and black knee encompassing sweat shorts. His white shin length stirrups in place truly to only cover up his scrawny legs as well as match the white of his karate belt knotted sash, but ultimately the accessory adding more to the trapping of heat outside of battle. Before he could find the words to audibly curse his one-dimensional outfit a casual patter of light footsteps snared his attention.

“Oh what, it's still only morning!” He exclaimed in an impartial reply that was more so directed at his own dismay. An exaggerated face palm ensued as he slowly ran his palm down his face, temporarily disfiguring his eye lid, cheek, and lips before dropping his arm back at his waist side. Turning his attention back over he took in for the first time the girl that was now before him. She seemed perhaps a bit older and was dressed interestingly enough herself. While she did not prove to adorn predominantly black colors like he did, she did sport humongous white sleeves that seemingly sprouted out of a sort of maidens outfit, a gourd roughly half her size, and a wide-brimmed hat with its own pair of eyes.

“Tsugumichi Sōseiji, happy to meet you, but not happy to hear about the forecast.” He replied after shaking Sumiko's outstretched hand and then subsequently gazing up at the cloudless sky she gestured towards with a crippling dismay.

“Well, I was just wandering the city out of boredom to be honest, I ducked off here to escape that yellow demon up there, but kudos to you for being a little sunshine warrior. I'd be inclined to train myself if I could find a toad to sit on my head as well.” He added with a stark point of his right index finger, singling out Sumiko's hat. Everything in him wanted to poke one if not both of the eyeballs just to see if they were actually real. In his mind they were, but he would refrain against his better judgement and leave them be, but if it made any sudden movements he could not guarantee any cooperation.

WC: 699

She looked over the young man before him with a bit more of an attentive eye. He certainly seemed younger, yet stood at least one inch taller than herself. His choice in hair style, while not outlandish, gave off a vibe of independance. His attire, completely counter to any guidelines either reason or common fashion would justify, only further reinforced her belief that the source of his suffering stemmed primarily from his choice in color rather than personal taste or comfort thresholds. She allowed herself the smallest of smiles, wondering where this chance encounter might lead her.

Sōseiji's exaggerated reply earned him a giggle, as Sumiko covered her lips with the edge of both her long white sleeves, "You speak as if you didn't expect long days and cloudless skies. Did you just move here last week?" The jest in her demeanor clearly rang out in her tone and pose, as she bent forward slightly, her friendly smile peeking out from behind her sleeves.

She pulled one leg up and hopped to the left, her eyes still focused on her new acquaintence, "I'm surprised you'd even go out at all if you find the sun so distasteful... Well, if you're like me, being a homebody is no solution at all to escape. I'm always up to something, something new and something exciting!" She turned herself around, spinning on the back heel of her right sandal before jumping up into the air, her arms spreading wide while airborne and her smile shining brightly for all to see, "Bathing in the sunlight of others is not enough for me! I'll carve my own path out of the rock, stir up the waters below the earth, and call upon the winds within my own heart!" She landed lightly upon the road, a small cloud of dust flying upward around her while she stood upon one foot, both her arms resting on her hips as she declared with reverberating gusto, "I call myself the Desert Storm!"

"I'm surprised you could tell he's a toad... Granted, most people can't seem to understand why I'd put him on my head at all," Sumiko stepped closer and reached up, grasping the edge of her wide-brimmed hat with her left hand and tipping it, offering it to Sōseiji, "Here, you can borrow him if you wanna train together. Just be careful, though, it takes a while for him to get used to new heads." The eyes on the hat didn't move, of course, but there was something unsettling about how they seemed to stare directly at Sōseiji rather intently, as if surveying him...

"Come on," Sumiko reached out, her soft hand grasping his arm as she attempted to tug him along, "I know a nice place between some big rocks that offer some shade. The wind there isn't too bad either, so we should be able to get some good training in before it gets hot enough to melt ya. Wouldn't want to become the lastest sacrifice to the yellow demon, right?" Her hatless head felt somewhat bare, but her offer carried the deepest of sincerity.

WC: 531 + 536 = 1036

Funny. He had to admit it was rather refreshing to find another who wasn't too up tight to trade wits. More often than not his personality would leave him isolated from most with his silly banter, either having its genius fly over head, or be brushed aside as simple rabid immaturity. It was interesting to say the least, being the one forced to smile outside of his own accord. Refreshing was the best word he could use to describe it, essentially joy without his own comedic efforts or exhaustion. Sumiko's brand of comedy, at least in this case, stemmed around a bit of sarcasm which was perfectly fine. Although personally, his tastes operated more so in the realm of shock value with stark remarks and abrupt actions to leave others to evaluate or re-evalute what had just taken place.

As he took in the upbeat girl once more he began to watch as she hopped to one leg, like some sort of optimistic ostrich as she went on about not being a homebody and doing new and exciting things to escape. Her angle on this topic, as far as he could tell, was her surprise at him being out and about given his public dismay of the hot sun that was native to the homelands of Sunagakure.

“The only thing I hate more than being worn out is being cooped up.”

He replied as Sumiko continued about on her singular leg, showing rather impressive balance as she spun around on her heel and took to the sky in a random leap of ample hang time. He raised a brow in utter curiosity as he observed her baggy white sleeved maiden attire flap through the winds as she attacked the blue expanse above. He listened in as she gave this unannounced monologue that probably belonged in a fantasy novel and not the real ninja world. Something about bathing in the light of others and carving rocks and such, Tsugumichi supposed he understood the metaphors enough to grasp her point. He continued to watch her descent as she stuck a perfect landing and introduced her unsolicited moniker of the “Desert Storm”.

“I don't know how you just flew through the air in slow-motion like that but you definitely get a ten for sticking the landing as well as for that shameless plug. You say Desert Storm, I say AKA Magic Ballerina Toad Maiden.”

He replied with what seemed to be a sarcastic slow clap if one were to consider the timing, but meant purely of positive intentions as he was truly impressed despite his goofy choice of words.

“It takes him a while to get used to new, ...heads?”

He responded with a sudden jitter in his voice as he accepted Sumiko's kind gesture with an obvious aura of uncertainty.

“What does she mean by new heads, and why are the eyes looking at me like that?”

He uttered between his ears as he forced a smile and gritted his teeth, wondering if the toad hat would eat his brain if it did not become “used” to his head in a timely fashion. With quivering hands he placed the eyeballed hat onto his head and chills began rolling up and down his spine. The interior was certainly cooler and rather ideal for the hot conditions, but all he could seem to anticipate was a tongue eager to wrap around his cranium and never let go. But before he could get to deep into his irrational fear, Sumiko's hand tugged him along as she proceeded to lead the way to some training area she had discovered.

“Not unless your hat decides to sacrifice me first!”

He exclaimed in all seriousness as he held its brim with his off hand in order to secure it during transit. He was afraid that if it jumped around too much on his head it might start thinking it was a real life toad. The implications of such an event made the yellow demon not seem like such a bad alternative if things went south.

WC: 677
Total WC: 1,376

"Magic Ballerina Toad Maiden?" Sumiko continued to tug him along with one hand, the other touching her forehead with two fingers while her eyes briefly shut and a smirky grin curved her lips, "Flattery will get you nowhere!" Obviously pleased with her choice to take him along with her, the jump in her step increasing tenfold as she hurried through the village. Some of the common folk stopped to survey the unusual scene as she rushed by, the fact that her unusal choice in headgear took up residence on someone else's head was enough of an oddity to cause just about anyone to pause. Sumiko cared little for their stares of bewilderment, as she had much more exciting thoughts captivating her mind at the moment.

The excitable young kunoichi dismissed Sōseiji's worried comments concerning her loaned headgear as she led him out of the village proper and out onto the scorching desert sands, convinced that once the two became better acquainted his fears would simply fade away on their own. The sun had hardly moved since the time they met, but already its intensity had begun to increase as the pair made their way out of the village. She felt thankful for once for her light-colored hair as it provided some protection from the intense rays, even in the absence of her hat. Fortunately, it was only a few minute's walk to their intended destination.

As they climbed to the top of a wide sand bank, a tall collection of sand-blasted stones stood huddled by themselves amid the burning desert sands, their peaks touching at the center while casting solitary shadows below themselves, forming a oddly lonely structure amid the barren landscape. Few villagers wandered out this way, so Sumiko found there was little risk of accidently harming overly curious passers-by. The rocks had likely been at one time a part of a much larger formation, but the intense desert winds had eroded them into their current size and shape, smooth yet continually shrinking from the abrasive sand brushed across their outer surfaces every day.

Transient though they may have been, Sumiko found them ideal for her purposes as a secret and isolated training location. She stepped around them, careful and soundless in her motion as if careful not to wake the slumbering stone monoliths, until she approached a small pathway leading toward their center. The rocks became more rough and less polished as they proceeded inward, their massive shadows blocking out the sun's intense beams as the narrow path suddenly opened up into a wide opening. Small piles of sand stood just inside each of the pathways leading into the central room, with tiny cracks of light peaking through the points where the massive stones touched each other. Sumiko released him and ran about, her arms held wide as she drew wide circles around him with her footsteps, "Pretty neat place, huh? I come here to practice a lot, but you can come here too even when I'm not around if you want."

WC: 1036 + 513 = 1549

Moments passed and he had yet to be devoured by his imagination regarding a toad spirit bound to a small maiden girls hat. Although it was a bit farfetched, even in his own mind, the prospects of what was possible were innumerable when it came to ninja and their creativity. Certainly there had to be a jutsu for just about anything if one cared to scour deep enough for their own self-interests. The two raced along like gleeful school children free from the bondage of studies, Sumiko's grip ever persistent on the base of his forearm as they made their way back towards the main thoroughfare. The ambient chatter that had immersed him once before on his mindless meander now parted in his wake as if he were now a master of ceremony as opposed to a common guest.

The observation of course had nothing to do with any increase in his bravado or overall power, it was more so in regards to the texture of his quirkiness being amplified by the scene. He was being towed by an energetic girl with an amphibian on his head whilst barely keeping up. If one could imagine a gaudy chariot being whisked at god-speed by an overzealous thoroughbred through a main public ventricle then they had the scene taking place. He did not mind the pausing stares and glances as other opinions were extraneous with regards to his purpose, which was what truly mattered. If anything all there was to see was an impressive vigor towards the mechanics of productivity and an opportunity to ascend in ability by rushing to a location for training. If anything the two of them were the most free out of all that they passed.

After several minutes of running Sumiko's energy remained vigilant, as even after they had navigated their way through obstacles and civilians alike she still pulled his arm without relent. They were on the open sands now, where the heat and conditions of their dusty homeland was without restriction. The heat was undoubtedly sapping, but all things considered, he was rather comfortable with Sumiko's toad remaining steadfast in its functionality of keeping him shaded in the midst of the yellow demon. The top of the sand bank provided a clear view into the distance, detailing a cluster of large rock stones that matched the young maidens relative description.

This makeshift dome of stones seemed to be dropped smack dab in the middle of nowhere seemingly without context or any real particular reason if one were to observe the barren surroundings that would remain consistent for miles. The narrow pathway they had taken towards the center made it feel more like they were entering a cave than seeking refuge under a pile of rocks. His first instinct snatched his curiosity to the potential luminosity of the place as the sun slowly disappeared in their wake to the final destination. But before he could bring up the comment, tendrils of komorebi graced the wide opening and Sumiko finally released him as she ran about in full circles as if he wasn't already surrounded by petrified golems of curious cohesion.

“Yeah, nice digs! I'll definitely be coming back. I doubt I've seen this much shade in one place out of the whole village.”

He replied as he grinned in wonder while scanning the area with great intrigue. His sleek jet black drape of hair breathed a cooling climate as the young Soseji removed the amphibious hat from his head. Shaking his cranium thusly the strands of his hair scattered about in the passing moments before his right hand repaired its cohesion with a few styling downward strokes.

“Here is your toad hat back Sumiko, I'm still skeptical it might reanimate if I keep it too long. Thanks.” He said with a halfway facetious grin as he extended his arm out to return it by the brim to the circling kunoichi.

“So what kind of ninja are you, Sumiko? I mean, what type of training did you have planned. Yeah, ... I think that's a better question.”

He inquired as he scrunched his eyes in a brief reflection, making sure he had worded his thoughts correctly the second time. By his assumptions she was probably a genin like him, but anything was possible. He could not gauge her exact talents off the cuff but considering the gourd strapped to her back it probably played a role on a ninjutsu basis more than likely. Of course, ninjutsu alone was a broad subject, and would reveal nothing particular about her style or prowess as it's application could be adapted for just about any situation. He hoped the question wasn't too invasive as some shinobi are highly guarded about revealing their talents and expertise, but he had a feeling they had established a level of comfortability now that would give him a pass if she declined to answer.

WC: 818
Total WC: 2,194

"That's right," Sumiko nodded proudly, tucking her hands under her arms as she continued to encircle her new companion, "Aside from some of the larger buildings in the village, its one of the largest areas I've been able to find that isn't constantly pounded by the sun. I mean, I hardly mind it but sometimes regulating the correct amount of moisture for a technique is easier when the sun isn't constantly drying it out, right?" Granted, Sumiko made no effort to really explain what she was talking about, and quickly passed the topic over as Soseiji extended her hat back toward her.

"He doesn't have to reanimate," Sumiko puffed her cheeks out in mild annoyance, pausing briefly to cast her disapproving gaze in his direction, "He didn't die in the first place!" She accepted her hat back with both hands, and despite the fact that the large central room was only dimly lit, she once again placed it atop her head, "Just remember, if you want him to trust you, you need to treat him properly." She smiled then, her previous sourness vanishing instantly, "You're very welcome."

When the presented his question, she tilted her head to the left slightly, blinking twice in confusion before nodding and tapping her right fist onto her open palm, "Oh, you must be asking what I specialize in, right?" Her smile once again returned as she widened her stance slightly, closing her eyes and holding her arms wide for a moment before she swiftly brought her hands together to form hand seals, each seal performed swiftly as she channeled her chakra through her feet into the sand all around them.

"Sand Control Justu!" Sumiko's eyes snapped open as a thin layer of sand began to rise up, forming a long, thin trail which encircled the kunoichi as she grinned proudly. She placed her hands onto her hips and rocked back and forth, "My personal take on the Sabaku style of ninjutsu combines long-range sand release jutsu with close-range defensive barriers. Its the ultimate form of offense and defense!" She waved her hands back and forth, the sand following her movements, "I was planning on training my elemental control... Its pretty hard, even for someone like me, to channel all three elements at the same time, and they are all very necessary for my sand-element techniques."

"What do you think?" Sumiko waved her hands up and down, "Pretty neat, huh?"

WC: 1549 + 416 = 1965

Chakra: 145/150

Sand Control Jutsu:

His suspicions had been somewhat laid to rest by his new blonde haired acquaintance with regards to the ongoing personification of her hat. It was stated that it did not have to reanimate because it never died, as in it was never real to begin with. He had to admit that of course was his first guess, but the way those eyes followed him like a hired spy tailing his every movement, he could not help but wonder. As inanimate as its roots were, it was still not impossible for it to be a conduit for the conditions of a jutsu that would make his worst fears so, or perhaps even possessed with an agenda of a supernatural. Time would tell, as he could sense that this probably would not be their last encounter, until then her adorable toad wouldn't be off the hook so easily.

A brow raised in uncertainty as he watched Sumiko tap her fist into her palm after discerning the nature of his inquiry. It was hard to tell if the gesture's meaning was in the traditional sense, foreshadowing an itch for combat, or just a simple sign of her excitement. His heart fluttered just a bit as he watched the maiden kunoichi widen her stance and begin her systematic row of hand seals. Tightening his fists he readied himself for whatever might be coming his way, for all the young Soseji knew her idea of an answer might be to experience rather than to explain.

“Sand Control?”

He uttered between his ears, repeating the announcement of the technique in his head as if to better understand what was taking place. Sumiko's large brown eyes swiftly re-opened as a trail of sand began to levitate and orbit around the young kunoichi like a swarm of uniform bee's in a tame submission to the will of their queen.

“The Sabaku style. I suppose I didn't realize her clan name was associated with a kekkei genkai. At least that explains why she carries that gourd around. Interesting.”

He added in thought as he relaxed his fist and removed the tension from his posture. The display had appeared to be just that, a display, and nothing intently volatile or offensive. However his judgements were out of the perception of his lying eyes as a consolation to his ignorance of the Sabaku kekkei genkai. What seemed to be before him and what actually was could be two completely different things for all he knew.

“So this is why you called yourself the 'Desert Storm', you can control the sands! I certainly wasn't expecting such a creative ability, I really thought you had no context to your self-proclaimed title.”

He exclaimed with excitement as he outstretched his arm with his index finger, pointing at the kunoichi's ability with genuine astonishment. The additive description of her claims towards the ultimate combination of offense and defense stuck in the back of his mind as it stirred up the possibilities of what she could potentially be capable of.

“Whoa, you have three elements!? What are you a Chūnin or something?” He added as he casually retracted his arm and sheathed his index finger. Wondering on top of this fact exactly which elements one would need to control sand besides the obvious.

WC: 547
Total: WC: 2,741

"Yes, that's right!" Sumiko rocked her hips back and forth in a pleased manner, "Anything made of sand is within my power to manipulate at will. I can make it harden or soften, molded or flattened, sharpened or rounded! Its so easy to move about, but larger amounts of sand is still hard for me to handle. Its just one of the things I'll have to work on while I train." She completely ignored the possible offense she might have taken from his words concerning her title having no context at all behind it.

"Chunin?" Sumiko's cheeks flushed somewhat as she turned her shoulder toward him, hiding her face in mild emberassment, "No, no, no... Members of the Sabaku clan have a stronger affinity to Earth, Wind, and Water elements than most other ninja. It lets me use all three of them earlier, but it also takes a bit longer for me to master higher-ranked jutsu since sand release uses all three at the same time. I'm still just a Genin, same as you I assume." She smiled and waved her hands in the air a bit more as she recovered her composure, the levitating sand molding as her hands brushed past it.

"What about you, Tsugumichi-kun?" she turned back toward him, bending forward slightly and tilting her head to the side, "I'm sure you've got some cool tricks hiding in your sleeves as well... I mean, they do assign teams based on similar skill levels and such, so you gotta put your best foot forward if you want to have a good standing."

Of course, Sumiko had no actual way of knowing for certain how the powers that be assigned teams. For all she knew they had drawn names out of a hat or simply grouped them together arbitrarily. In her mind at least, proper team members had to be equals, such that none of the three would feel out of place or left behind. She hoped her new teammates would feel the same way, too, when she found out who they would be.

"Come on, show me what you can do," Sumiko prodded him verbally, fluttering her eyelids in a pleading manner as she allowed the sand to once again drop to the desert floor.

WC: 1965 + 387 = 2352

It was rather frightening really, listening to all of the things he imagined to the greatest proportion being described as sure fire potential. The Soseji took a deep breath as Sumiko explained her clan ability with greater detail, leaving nothing out in terms of manipulation and range of expanse. From what he could gather, her Sabaku Style seemed to have virtually no limitations in terms of possibilities, the only buffer would be the depths of her own imagination. The mastery she was working towards would eventually come with time, but the pale skinned ninja had an inkling that being constantly surrounded by sand would speed her learning curve greatly.

“If everything she is saying about her Sabaku Style is true, then her power could be limitless. That's scary to think about.”

He thought with great seriousness as tingles went down his spine with the potency of a surprise splash of ice-water. It might have been a blessing running into the quirky up-beat kunoichi early in her ninja career while still learning the ropes of her own ability. Which of them was to say how the ninja world would cause them to be down the line? Both of their innocence could be compromised and cause them to be vastly different people. It would be a bad day if he were to run into a battle hardened Sumiko who was less free and optimistic for the first time with the complete will of the sand at her disposal. Their meeting might have gone much differently, especially if her intentions were not seemingly as pure as they are now.

“There I go with the what if's again...”

He added in thought with a scolding tone of inner monologue. He had a bad habit of dwelling on hypotheticals and fueling concerns that weren't even real. With a slight shake of his head he brought himself back into the moment, catching more information with regards to her trio of elements. It seemed her immediate affinities were apart of the Sabaku Style, the elements of earth, water, and wind the necessary amalgamation to harness sand. It made perfect sense once explained, but not everything proved to be to her advantage. The con, as Sumiko explained it, was essentially the difficulty in focusing such a complex combination of elements to where it made higher ranking jutsu rather troublesome.

“Her transparency is admirable. Perhaps that is because her ability has no real weaknesses, only a stipulation that might take her a little longer to develop stronger jutsu. Now she's asking about my abilities. The Eizō no Kiryoku is a resourceful technique, but it has a heavy trade off with no ultimate offense or defense to speak of. I'd be a fool to reveal it unless absolutely necessary, I'd be the only one with anything to loose.”

He deducted between his ears with a seriousness only ever exposed in times of duress. On the outside his face and related mannerisms gave nothing away as he appeared continually as joyous and intrigued as when they first began.

“I'm afraid I am not quite as gifted as you Sumiko, I have no super ultimate offense or defense to boast about no matter how well you bat your eyelids. I do however specialize in taijutsu, and ninjutsu thereafter to compliment. I would show you my favorite jutsu that combines both but it's rather destructive. I'd hate to accidentally cause any harm or make a mess of one of these large stones.”

He replied with a sincere shrug of his shoulders as he surveyed the surrounding area seemingly with mathematical precision in his pearly blue eyes. While he was confident with the jutsu he had in mind, he was relatively uncertain if he could actually bring down one of the surrounding stones, it was hard to eyeball and the chances were more than likely fifty-fifty give or take. He did not tell a complete lie, only a half truth, at least that was the way the young Soseji looked at it. His specialization with taijutsu and secondary with ninjutsu were proof positive, but his omission of a kekkei genkai was a personal choice. The maiden kunoichi seemed kind and trustworthy, especially after revealing her own ability, but the difference between their starting potential was highly slanted, and that was something he wanted to remain a secret for now.

WC: 725
Total WC: 3,466

"Eh..." Sumiko's shoulders sloped downward in evident disappointment at hearing his words, not at all perceiving his inner monologue. She looked over him once again, stepping forward all the while. Her broad-brimmed hat hid her eyes, concealing her expression from him as she rapidly closed the space between the two, reaching her hands out, then laying both of them onto his shoulders as her hat tipped back.

"Then I was right!" Sumiko's bright smile slipped into view, her eyes shimmering with excitement, "You really are amazing! You're far too modest, you know that? If you can bring down one of these huge rocks, then you really must be something special!" She let him go almost as abruptly as she had grabbed onto him, crossing her arms and turning away from him for a moment as she tapped her right foot on the sand, "Yep, I think this will work out nicely... I sure know how to pick out good training partners."

"Say, tell you what," Sumiko turned back around, placing her hands onto her hips, "Let's promise to train extra hard, and when we are both feeling strong enough, we'll meet up here once again and have a sparring match. Nothing serious, but we can really see how much we've grown and how far we can go... Its like an event we can use to give ourselves a short-term goal to look forward to."

She nodded twice, "Alright then, since you're a taijutsu specialist, why don't we go over a few basic routines together? I'm sure you can't punch straight through rocks with your bare fists yet, at least not at this distance." She gestured over her shoulder at the rock which stood several meters behind her. She widened her stance, holding her hands slightly cupped as she positioned her left shoulder and foot in front of her, bending forward a bit to lower her center of gravity. Naturally, being a ninjutsu specialist herself she had only a basic knowledge of taijutsu, but she could feel a little tension in his movements that she hoped to relax if she suggested something he would find more natural.

WC: 2352 + 370 = 2722

With eyebrows raised and mouth ajar his expression was that of flattery and of a shock that had the young genin taken back as if witnessing a miraculous feat. He was able to make out his own reflection in Sumiko's sincere brown eyes as she clasped him by the shoulders with a friendliness he had never before experienced. She had referred to him as simply amazing, and positively scolded him for his modesty. For a brief moment he was concerned that Sumiko was already somehow aware of the Soseji clan ability, and had planned to call him out with her brand of kind innocence to perhaps add an additional tinge of guilt for his omissions. With a hardly satisfying sigh of relief he gathered himself upon being released and surmising his facade was still in the clear.

“Heh, I suppose I'm only as amazing as you insist.”

He replied with a continued modesty in his voice despite the grandeur of Sumiko's pep talk. It was foreign for him to boast, as the blue eyed genin was more realistic than anything else. He'd be more firm and confident with absolutes, bringing down one the rocks of these statures might have been possible for him currently, but he was uncertain to what degree. Perhaps one strike, maybe two, three, or even ten with the jutsu he had in mind. All in all he supposed the potential of being able to was what Sumiko was getting at, not necessarily how well he could accomplish the feat, and in that frame of reference he surrendered.

“A short-term goal. Hmm, I guess, I've never actually set one before if you can believe that. Regardless, you've got yourself a promise! Just try not to kill me if you quickly get good with that Sabaku Style, Alright?”

He added half-way facetiously despite his encouraging grin. He didn't think their exchange at any point would ever get that serious, but considering the power of Sumiko's ability it wasn't too farfetched for her to potentially get carried away in the future and not realize her own strength. The last thing the pale genin needed was a sand burial.

“To be honest, I've never tried punching through rock, just doesn't seem smart ya know.”

He replied with a light comedic chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head in amusement.

“But I'm definitely familiar with some routines!

He exclaimed with excitement as the joy he found in the freedom of training was about to commence, even if it was less than serious. Pattering his feet alternatively with light lift from the ground in each step, he established a rhythm that seemed similar to a slow jog in place. Positioning his arms in a mid-high cross guard favoring his left fist near his chin, and his right fist below his left elbow, he completed his marital stance.

“First routine I usually go through is strike form, which is basically throwing strikes true to your proper form. In battle it is easy to become fatigued and get lazy, but you never want to throw sloppy strikes. Trusting and adhering to the process will always keep you consistent. Now, come and try to hit me, I will only defend so don't worry about retaliation. But remember, do so in proper form based on whatever style of taijutsu it is you use. Feel free to hit as hard as you like.”

He explained as he gestured the maiden kunoichi with an approving nod of his head. This exercise was nostalgic one for him as it was a common exercise his mother Toko used to implement when teaching him taijutsu. He of course could never manage to land a blow on her, but that was never the point, trueness to form over everything else was what made a good taijutsu practitioner.

WC: 637
Total WC: 4,103

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on ya," Sumiko waved her hand in the air, a confident giggle escaping her as she did so, "Wouldn't want to loose a good training partner that easily anyway. They aren't easy to come by, you know!" She followed along with his half-serious tone, very much aware of the lethality of the more powerful Sabaku style techniques. She understood well enough the history of her clan and the dangerous if not outright terrifying potential that she possessed. Still, she believed that even in the future she would be able to keep her true purpose in mind, protecting those important to her. Everything else held only secondary importance.

"You mean you've never seen any of those old Samurai films where they cut right through rock and thought to yourself, 'Gee, that really would be something if I could punch right through that rock!' You expect me to believe that your aspirations aren't even that high?" Sumiko verbally nudged him, "Sure, I can't claim to do that yet either, but I'm aiming to crash right through stone pillars as basic warmups before long! Set your goals high, so when you reach up toward them you can truly see how far you can go." Sumiko's enthusiasm truly knew no bounds. As soon as she found an impediment, she began looking for a way to overcome it. No trial proved too taxing, and no endeavor proved too fruitless. She would go up against the worst the world could throw at her and come out with a smile. At least, she believed this to be the case.

When he agreed to match up against her with some routines, she nodded and returned to her stance, stepping closer with her cupped hands held at the ready. She had a basic knowledge of a few different taijutsu styles, but she did not adopt any of them directly as her personal style. She took what she needed and moved on her way, taking bits and pieces of defensive blocks and parrying techniques as necessary, as truth be told she was indeed aware of a particular weakness in her Sabaton release. While its ranged prowess and adaptability was second to none, and defending against jutsu releases other than fire often proved a simple matter, defending against taijutsu was another matter entirely. The direct application of force against the hardened sand destabilized it, allowing attackers to punch through with greater ease. While it was not a well-known weakness of the style, it was a weakness nonetheless that she hoped to someday overcome. For the time being, however, she would have to rely on her far less attuned agility to avoid and taijutsu to block or deflect melee attacks when they came.

"Alright..." Sumiko quickly tightened her hands into fists and threw a straight forward punch followed by left uppercut, pulling her left fist back to block possible counter-strikes with her elbow. While her motions were fluid, she lacked the raw strength of a highly-attuned taijutsu user.

WC: 2722 + 514 = 3236

He arched his narrow brow and hunched his shoulders after hearing Sumiko's compliance to begin with a low difficulty rating. If she wanted to go easy on him that was perfectly fine, they could start slow and move at their own pace until they got comfortable moving against one another. Although considering her personality thus far, he would have been remissed to expect anything less than the polite and caring nature he had been introduced to. Of course, there was always that exception to the rule where one's guiding demeanor was subject to change under certain circumstance. Using himself as an example, his easy going wit and charm could fade to a near cold seriousness if his hand was ever forced into actually having to fight outside of intense training. For him such a situation had only happened once and only for a few brief moments at that, but all encompassing, he believed anyone could be subject to some sort of change.

“I've always been passionate about being a shinobi, that's what makes me happy. In that, my aspirations are already fulfilled, whether I learn to punch through rock or not. The only thing I wish to achieve is to successfully bear the pain and burden that comes with being a shinobi, and in turn, protect others from it. Should that path ever lead me to punch through rock, just know that not even adamant would stop fist!”

He exclaimed with a tone of seriousness and a staunch certainty that he had yet to display up until now. His icy blue eyes were slated with a self-duty that seemed to supersede the depths of his natural demeanor. Goals were great markers for determining growth and plateau's of success, but the young Soseji believed his determination at a moments notice could propel him further than any goal he could ever set when the time came. He watched staunchly as Sumiko etched forward in a left lead stance with her hands cupped in a style unfamiliar to him. It seemed a bit free-form as there were traces of a few different concepts seemingly all wrapped into one adoption.

The straight right came with a speed that took him little effort  in terms of reaction, and could have casually been dodged if needed, but that would have been beside the point of the exercise. Instead he performed a block as he glanced the blow with a rolling left shoulder, the force behind the strike had about as much as its speed and trajectory dictated, leaving him mostly unmoved and unphased. The left uppercut was a nice touch as Sumiko shifted her weight in order to progressively continue her assault, however, the Soseji's right forearm was stylistically in place for low guard effectively blocking the uppercut in mid-ascent. He furrowed his brow in confusion as she pulled back in a defensive retreat, wondering if she had forgotten his words.

“Nice one two! You had good balance and a nice change in level with the uppercut, but may I ask why you retreated back? I was honest when I said I wouldn't retaliate, this is just for you to practice your offensive from while I suppose I get some defensive repetitions in myself.” He said with his resurfaced free-spirited tone of voice, almost as if his prior seriousness had never taken place.

WC: 557
Total WC: 4,660

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