Sero Moves out into the cold morning with his pack of supplies for his camping trip to the hills. He contemplates the cold to himself as he hikes away to the hills the village quickly disappearing behind him. He looks about him coldly as his shoes crush the frozen grass along his path. Leaving obvious foot prints leading to him. His breath rises from him like steam and he smiles to himself. He had informed no one he was going to be gone a couple of days except Kei. Either way he had arrived into the hills and for now he would simply pitch the tent. setting up his camp to prepare to settle while he trained in privacy.

He Finishes setting up camp and lights a fire in the middle allowing it to warm him to his bones. it was indeed cold out but he enjoyed the singularity of being out there alone. He waits until the fire is good and warm before settling on a stump cross legged and focusing out over one of the streams. He had a theory that if fire could be created from just chakra then why couldn’t it be done as an area of effect? He figures if he could summon a fire storm then it might work well enough to intimidate his opponents and even cause chaos and confusion on the battle field. hell it could even be his trade mark.

Sero starts off with combining a couple of hand seals for creating fire and then combining it with a couple of the old hand seals for hidden mist jutsu. By combining these he had hopes he could summon something much like rain but with fire instead. He focuses on the fire Chakra within himself and eyes the air above the water. nothing appeared to be happening and it was frustrating. he rises and moves closer away from his camp by just a short way. He was once again playing with fire so he didn’t want to get too close. after all if he got burned out here he was done for less someone saw the smoke. Or Kei got bored and came to investigate.

He settles onto yet another log closer to the water now and begins to slowly form the hand seals concentrating on what went wrong before. A middle finger in the wrong spot was what he discovered and fixed. Perhaps since the seal had been wrong the whole jutsu failed? it was possible. He would have to practice it more. He smiles to himself and shakes his head. This move would honestly have little use if he could perfect it damage wise. But as a signal or as a mass hysteria type move he had high hopes. The concept was to alter the air with his Kaiton style chakra and to create a downpour of rain made of fire.

Sero pauses with a thought about how rain was made. Moisture rose into the sky but when it had built up it dropped down in drops. he nods slowly at that thought. it was possible but he would have to try to be careful He pulls his hood up and concentrates higher above the stream on the air above them. His hand begin to Form the seals as he forms an image of Fire rising from him into the spot on the sky. Of course he couldn’t visibly see it but it was working now. Only instead of just one small spot over the stream. it was a cloud about 60 meters from end to end of his chakra spread thin. and it was straining to hold up there.

As it happens gravity applies to fire in much the same way it does water and rather suddenly droplets formed. It was cold out so the droplets where thin but still it began to rain out fire. Sero noticed the sudden color in the sky above him and rises quickly. it was falling in a much larger area then Sero had hoped for. this was good but still. He covers his face and begins to run back towards camp as the first droplet sizzled to the ground.

From afar the raining cloud of fire could be seen. And Sero was smack dab in the middle of it. all around him with the constant sizzle of fire being put out against the frozen ground. His clothes where not made of a very flammable substance so he was yet to be totally screwed. His legs carried him faster as the raining fire lit the frozen land around him up with the reflections of the falling Fire. Honestly the flame was barely a bother but to an onlooker it looked like hell was raining down outside of Konoha and An Omen of the end. And then just as suddenly as it began it was over. Sero stood at the edge of the now partially thawed out area. some patches of grass and dead flowers now burnt our as he lets out a breath. The Jutsu was a success but dangerous to use. He turns and heads back to camp tossing his hood back. He needed flame proof gear.

Spoiler:

Sero had relaxed for a while and eaten dinner until the moon lit the sky and the temperature dropped even further. It felt as if it might snow but he did not mind. To be honest he had waited till it was cold to practice these moves safely. He sighs to himself for a time and finishes the soup he had prepared his cold eyes Observing around the camp. It was exposed but he was fine with that. Sero rises from his seat and sets the pot down before putting on his coat and gloves. The camp fire was still burning bright but once more he was going to leave camp to train yet another jutsu. And so he tightens his shoe strings on his boots and he moves off down to the river just south of camp.

Repositioning himself was just a matter of preparation. If the jutsu went wrong he did not want his little camp site to burn down. indeed he contemplated moving even further out but the river was far enough. He lets his grey eyes scan the smooth surface of the icey water. It was cold enough to warrant using his new fire jutsu just to warm up a bit. He shakes his head and looks up the river first it appeared as if no one was in that direction but with Sero’s dark clothing it would not matter until they where either on top of him or he began. as seeing much of anything was unlikely in the dead of night. unless one was specialized like that.


He lets out a breath as the hot air rises like steam from him and he holds his left hand outwards. He concentrates fire chakra into his gloved palm as if trying to make something but at first nothing happens. he frowns and moves back and forth in a pace set to continue while thinking. what did he do differently with this version then with the water whip? was it just more complex? well that was always a possibility. after all the overall make up of the fire Whip was far more violent. if so then did he need to focus more for a deadlier weapon? again openly a possibility.

he pauses in his pacing and concentrates again. the palm of his hand grasping fire and lashing out towards the river. he pictures this in his mind and focuses on the element of fire. not just the element of destruction but the element of life. he shakes his head and tries again. how many times had he written up different possible ways to accomplish the jutsu only to watch it fail now. he frowns yet again and concentrates allowing the ninjutsu to move into his hand allowing for the fire to come to life. of course things rarely happen as intended.

for A moment a red light forms in his hand. a tiny flame conjured of the attempt at the fire whip. and then Chaos erupted. sparks began to fly from it as it got hotter and hotter. having the good sense of mind not to hold onto such a thing Sero tosses the failed attempt into the river. Shaking his head as it sizzle and goes out underwater as if it intended to boil the river instead. yet again a failure.

Sero paces silently along the cold muddy bank of the river and narrows his eyes. his fingers tapping his elbows with his arms crossed as he contemplates what went wrong? The jutsu had failed to take shape or be effective at all. still he nods slowly and moves back to the shore line and begins again. this time he had a slightly different method in mind. his feet planted apart he holds out his left hand and prepares yet another attempt.

he focuses on his hand and pictures the flame forming a whip in the cold crisp air. for a moment nothing happens and then steam begins to rise from his palm. it was happening and now it was time. in a brilliant flash the fire whip came to life and whipped out in a long coil. A nod of satisfaction plays onto his motions before he begins to move. one with the weapon and one with his chakra.

it was nearing completion now as he moved the fire cracking the cold night air and lighting up the night around him. it was glorious to wield such a weapon in the palm of his hand.. well a gloved hand anyways. he didn’t trust grasping fire even if it was his own chakra. finally he watches as the fire fades away like it was never there and he nods slowly. he was rapidly getting the hang of it. and now he would try practicing the whole intended jutsu.

he now stands on the bank of the river and holds out both hand to either side of him palms forward. Like a Death Omen He raises his head as the air around him begins to get warmer and finnaly to burning whips of raging flame rush out of his hands and coil out onto the ground. one in each hand. and just like that as the flames touch even the frozen grass it gets burned to nothing.

Sero begins to move then the two whips twirling around him in an all out defense like an orb of flame flying around him as he moves. slowly at first but then it moves more like a majestic dance and then he was whirling with his two whips cutting the cold night air and leaving black marks where they struck earth. It was beautiful how he lit up the night with the dance of flames and when it was done the night seemed darker then ever before.

Sero looks down at his hands once his eyes adjusted once he began heading back to camp. the gloves seemed a little melted but other then that it was fine. He would have to wear gloves from now on. if he had any hope of using it effectively as a useful weapon and less of a two sided sword. there was no point in wielding a weapon that hurt him more then the enemy. then again soon that would be impossible. he moves back into camp with that though and settles next to the fire with a tired sigh. Almost half way done maybe.

Spoiler:

Meditation was the key to Genjutsu. That was what Kei had been taught since she was a child. Learning about your own mind, what dewlls withing your own soul unlocks hidden potential. And from those long hours of meditating, new genjutsu are born, ways to torture the human mind to the brink of insanity. Thinking of what she could do to the human mind gave Kei chills. It wasn't in her nature to hurt people. But she couldn't stay weak as she was at the moment. She couldn't become a burden to Sero. She closed her eyes tightly as she sat on the ground. She had to concentrate, block out her surroundings. Slowly, she began to feel herself slipping into a loose state of unconciousness. She stopped hearing everything around her. All she could see and feel was darkness, silence.

For a brief moment, she was flooded with memories. Genjutsu, illusions and anything related to them would forever remind Kei of her mother. Everything she knew, she had learned from Utau, which was why the young girl specialized in using genjutsu that was based on water. She knew the basic jutsu of the Suiren clan, from which her moter hailed. Thus, she was doomed to be filled with anger and hatred whenever she used her techniques or attempted to train them. But there was still and underlying sense of sadness and hope that maybe, just maybe, Utau hadn't been at fault. Kei didn't want to believe that her mother was inherently cruel and merciless, that the woman felt nothing for the young girl that she had taken the time to raise. Tears began to well in her eyes, but Kei stopped them. If there was something she hated, it was crying. And in any case, meditation involved letting go of all that she felt. Slowly, she let go of her anger. The task was difficult, but she knew that she could manage it.

Kei concentrated on her own breath, her own state of being and unlocked the door to her mind. Once she opened her eyes, she saw darkness. All she could see in front of her was herself. She was different, however. Her expression was more confident, more secure. She seemed clever, smart, mysterious. The telltale symbol of the Niidashi clan was on her face, the black koi fish that identified her as Yin, the dark side of Kei; the other soul that inhabited and shared her body. "Hello," Yin said, smirking at Yang. "You triying to train that useless ability of yours again?" She asked. Yang only nodded hesitantly. Yin scoffed. Her other side was a useless wimp, an idiot that could never really stand up for herself. She shook her head slowly. "You're pathetic," Yin said. Yang lowered her gaze. "But I'll help you," Yin sighed. She was about to speak to her mute side once again, but Kei was shaken out of her state of meditation. A loud noise broke her state of concentration. She almost fell over, even though she was sitting. She heard someone, the noise of training by the looks of it. She was curious now. She stood up from the ground and headed towards the source of the noise. After walking for a while, she finally saw who it was. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment before her lips stretched into a wide smile. She broke into a short run and wrapped her arms around Sero from behind.

[578/6000]

Sero had been resting a moment between training and it had come to his attention that he was lacking in more then just Ninjutsu. Taijutsu was also an important part of combat. that and with his chakra feeling partially drained he doubted he could be of much further use in combat once it was depleted. his gaze looks out over the frozen grass as he closes his eyes and lets out a breath. his muscles flex as he begins to move into the dance that was kick boxing.

The way one moved had to be natural. no wasted movements was the goal for increased fighting ability. he lets out a breath as his foot slides to the right into a high kick. the grass flying up with the upwards thrust as his foot spins him coming down onto the next spot. Balance. it was another key when considering the need to kick something and practicing on frozen ground was ideal for it. he turns and straightens before jumping and doing a spinning kick at a branch planted into the ground. the target was key. other distractions where wasteful.

The kick lands and snaps the branch but just barely. the impact could be felt on the part of his foot he had hit. He lets out a slow breath even as his feet hit the ground. the slick surface however slips out from under him and he begins to fall. Taijutsu also had a defensive aspect. Mobility and flexibility. As he falls he spins and hits the frozen ground with both palms catching himself in the push up position. A rock just inches from his right eye. The issue with training out here was the terrain was dangerous. and one could easily get hurt. He shakes his head and pushes himself back to standing. his muscles already felt tired which indicated a lack of necessary muscle expansion within his body.

He moves over to the tree outside of camp and Begins to lift himself with both arms discovering how hard it was to hold a frozen branch and lift your weight. He takes a deep breath and slowly pulls himself up with a great deal of strain. his eyes focused on the task at hand as his muscles strain to get the objective accomplished. after only 5 he drops and his arms hang at his side like dead weights. he really didn’t know how he was going to accomplish building muscle in such a short time.

He turns then and begins to run. he let his feet carry him at the fastest pace he could handle and dodging over obstacles like a free style runner. It was difficult and he was getting some bruises and his side was cramping. but Cardio was an excellent alternative while his arms recovered . He stops running as he was nearing the village now and it was nearly sunrise. he breathes heavily as he tries to regain his breath and smiles. before standing up straight. he could no longer feel the cold as sweat was sticking his undershirt too him. His arms felt better now so he drops down to a flat area and begins to do push ups. He would put his hands parallel to his shoulders and slowly lower elbows outwards. Then he would try and push up on his finger tips. slowly raising himself that way.

Now his fingers hurt and his arms where tired again after only fifty two of those types of push ups. Damn being week and being one of the highest rank genin on the thread. he shakes his head yet again and this time he takes his break by searching out some heavy rocks. He lines all of his pockets with them and makes himself move with more weight now. it would be tiring but doable. Then it was time to find one more thing.

He moves off the path and finds himself A large rock off to the side and grins just a little. before taking the rope he had with him and tying the rock to his waist giving it some pull room. And then he begins running again. it was entirely too tiresome to consider that he was now almost twice his own usual weight and running the same distance.

His feet felt like lead for a time as time and time again his feet hit frozen ground and he drags the larger rock behind him. Already his body was feeling exhausted and his lungs burned as he gasped. Sweat matted his hair down as he pauses to wipe off his face from all the sweat. It was bothering him that he wan’t stronger then this. soon he would be responsible for a squad and no one, not even himself though he was entirely prepared. he shakes of the feeling of weariness and continues on the path he was following to get back to camp.

Entering the camp ground he finnaly stops running breathing in deep controlled breathes. he turns and unties the rock setting it to the side. it had the scratches and marks of everything it had hit. But to him it mattered very little as he could feels his muscles ache. he pauses in his musings and undresses removing the clothes with his weights in them. and putting on more relaxed clothes. Slipping into some white winter clothing he sighs and stands near the fire drying off his sweat and contemplating the feel of the cool air on his back.

It was then that he heard the sounds of running across the frozen ground and he lifts his head sniffing the air. He didnt have a strong sense of smell but he knew her perfume. she had a specific scent to her that he liked and it calmed him. Still he stiffens when she hugs him from behind and pats her hands gently. before speaking to her after feeling how cold she was.

“its cold out. you should come sit by the fire. I was just about to make some soup. good for warding off illness.”

Spoiler:

Kei breathed in Sero's scent as she wrapped her arms around him. He was warm, as always. The contrast between his temperature and the chill of winter made Kei shiver. She hadn't realized that she was cold up until now. The wool cloak that she wore around herself now didn't do too much to keep her warm. The young girls wasn't used to the winter and was therefore ill equipt. Truth be told, she had never even seen the snow. Kirigakure didn't go through winter, like some places north to it did. In fact, Kei had never seen snow in her entire life. The concept of winter was foreign to her altogether. Nevertheless, she liked it. She found snow - pure and white - to be beautiful. Yin, on the other hand, rather disliked the cold and found snow annoying. As always, the two of them were at odds with each other even concerning the smallest of details. And it was because of that that they would never really get along. They could only stand seeing each other for short periods of time before they became angry, frustrated or annoyed. Alienation had become the norm between the two warring halves. It was like that for almost every Niidashi. Rarely did both sides get along, never were they considered "friends".

Kei burried her face in Sero's back and only lifted it when he began to speak. Slowly, she would let go of him and approach the small fire. She sat down on the ground and extended her hands to feel the warmth of the small flame. She pulled out a pen and paper - the same that Sero had given her in the graveyard and so far her only accurate method of communication - and began to write. Are you training? She wrote down the first and most obvious question. She hadn't seen him since they had left the graveyard. She was therefore happy that she had happened to stumble onto his location. It was a coincidence that she was glad for. What for? Were you finally able to become a Chuunin? She continued to write and handed Sero the small piece of paper. This form of communication would likely get old quickly, but for now it was all they had until the young girl found a way to learn sign language. She took the note pad back and scribbled her next set of words onto it. She could only hope that Sero was able to keep on reading her messy and childish handwriting. I was meditating before I found you! I was working on my genjutsu! She said smiling, proud of herself that she was catching up on her training. Given her circumstances, she had hardly had the opportunity to work on her jutsu.

[1042/6000]

Sero watches her for a time as she moves to the fire and warms up. Plucking a rock out of his pocket he decides to continue his training while conversing and begins to bounce the rock off his palm and then the back of his hand and then his palm again. to be honest it was difficult to concentrate on an object that not only hurt the knuckles when it hit but also wanted to go any direction but straight up.

While bouncing the rock he watches her pull out the note pad and begin writing. It was the same note pad he had given her which meant she probably wasn’t talking much. He knew for a fact however that under his protection no one from Kiri would dare touch her. His tall form moves around the fire observing her as if assessing her current health as best he could. A strange urge to brush her hair out of her face caused him to miss bounce the rock. His other hand shot out and caught it and began to bounce it instead. A red spot on one of his knuckles fading quickly.

He settles next to her as his free hand continues to bounce the rock and nods as she hands him the paper with the writing on it and nods slowly. She was observant about his training he supposed. Still here training Genjutsu was an interesting combo with his abilities. The Idea of Genjutsu had always alarmed him. to be caught into one was dangerous. It left the target totally open for attack. The speed of the bouncing rock increases as he thinks on it. the weights in his arms wearing out his muscles quickly. it was then that he decides to speak quietly.

“Genjutsu is a very impressive thing to use if used effectively. be sure to time it right and not waste the opportunity for a deciding blow. No monologing alright?”

He reaches out bouncing the rock high into the air his hand reaching out snatching two pieces of wood and tossing them into the fire before catching the rock and switching it to his other hand. bouncing it there yet again. Increasing the pace as he gets used to the feel of the impact on his knuckles.

“As for ranking. It appears that I am A jounin now. I have secluded myself out in the winter to train up to that level of my piers. Inventing new jutsu and some Taijutsu.”

He takes the rock and sets it next to him onto a pile of rocks and begins to throw them at a thin stick practicing his hand eye coordination. all his movements where not to be wasted as he trains himself. some rocks peg the thin stick but others miss by up to inches away. it was frustrating and with it being so his lips twitch into a frown.

Along with that it appeared as if even though Kei had decided apparently to stick with him that her voice was yet to return. He had a couple of theories on that and he happened to know of just the person to run them by. Chances where though the person in mind would not be entirely happy to see him. She was usually kind of grumpy.

“Kei. I was wondering if at all possible I might be allowed to consult with your other half about a couple of things. I am yet to get to speak to her but at the same time I feel like a third level of input might be of value.”

Spoiler:

The opportunity to land a good blow... those words ringed in Kei's mind. She was weak, too weak. But it wasn't that she was physically weak. She could hold her own quite effectively in a fight. However, she never wanted to fight. She never wanted to hurt anyone. She sometimes wished that she could just be a medic, that she weren't licked to a single specialty. That way she could stay in the sidelines and heal people instead. She would be happy with that as long as it meant that she would never have to torture someone's mind with her abilities. Kei frowned and fixed her gaze on the snow that dusted the ground lightly. The full rage of winter had yet to hit Konoha. Kei shook her head. There had to be some way to get rid of her hesitance, a way that she could maybe forget that she was about to fight a person, another human being. But doing so would mean ridding herself of the innocence that was so deeply embedded into her soul. What could she honestly do? She was snapped out of her thoughts by what Sero said.

Kei's eyes widened after Sero spoke. He was... he was a... He was a Jounin! He was full fledged Jounin! Kei was ecstatic. She honestly couldn't believe it. An overwhelming feeling of joy rushed through her vey being. That was probably the best news he could have given her. She couldn't help but smile widely. She wrapped her arms tightly around Sero, squeezing him almost. For a brief moment, she thought of pressing her lips to his like she had done in the graveyard. But that had ended somewhat badly. She hadn't even had a chance to explain to him what a kiss meant. Should she try to do so now? She had the feeling that giving such an explanation would take time and he seemed to be busy. "Quit being a whiney little bitch and just do it," She heard the frustrated voice of her other half speak. She mentally stuck her tongue out at her. "If you like that emotionally retarded twat so much, just fuking do it," She scoffed. Yang was slightly offended by the agressive language, but decided to follow her other half's orders anyways. Hesitating slightly and blushing madly, she pressed her lips lightly against Sero's. She quickly withdrew from the small peck and looked to the side, avoiding his gaze entirely. She would only look at him again when he mentioned wanting to speak to her other half. Kei's face showed a slight bit of fear. Her eyes went wide. She wanted to say no, to shake her head and tell him that her other side was unwilling to see him. But she knew Yin and knew that her darker personality had a score to settle with Sero. She wouldn't quite care that he was a Jounin. She knew that he would hold back, that he wouldn't dare hurt her. And she would use that to her advantage. Knowing that made Kei unwilling to change. But it was what Sero wanted, wasn't it? And hadn't she promised herself that she would devote herself completely to what he wanted?

Kei nodded at him, once again avoiding his gaze. She took several steps away from Sero, knowing that her other half would likely attack Sero on sight either physically or verbally. She hesitated before performing a single handsign. She clenched her eyes shut and felt herself slip into a state of unconciousness, as if she was withdrawing from her own body, like her soul was being pulled out of her and being replaced by another. But then again, that was exactly what this jutsu did. Yin and Yang: Exchanging Souls. It had that name for a reason. She would never get used to the feeling of having another sould bein violently thrusted into her body. It felt strange. It was a feeling that she couldn't quite explain. There was a burning feeling in her face as she felt the telltale tattoo disappear from one side and reappear in the other. She had changed and there was no going back now. As if Yin would ever surrender control without a fair reason. Pfft. Such a thing was unfathomable. "You," She began, looking at Sero straight in the eye. "What the hell makes you thing that I'd give you any information that you wanted willingly?" Her tone was dangerously low and menacing. Her posture was hostile, as if she were ready to start a fight with the Jounin. She was enraged by the mere sight of Sero. He had left her alone when she needed him most. He had abandoned her without looking back. He thought of her as worthless, so why should she care for him? That was what she constantly repeated to herself. But she knew that she cared and that deep down, what hurt her the most was that he didn't care for her as much as she did for him. "What makes you think that I even want to see you?"She growled.

[2087/6000]

Sero Stands there the feeling of the kiss on his lips lingering even as brief as a feather. He stands there the cold breeze blowing his cold as silver eyes watch her back away. He could hear his heart beating as he watched her. a pounding drum in his ears. He frowns as she begins to speak in an insulting tone to him and shakes his head slowly. He moves then and his speed was increased from that night long ago. one moment he was standing on the other side of the fire and then the other he was right in front of her.

He had watched how it was done and grabbed the hand that had made the hand seals gently intertwining his fingers with hers slipping around her with a grace that was beyond him before. He seemed taller and a little more built now. His other hand slips over her mouth from behind. He remembered her mother had used sound before. effectively he was giving himself a good position while eliminating sound and hand seals. He prepared his hand to get bitten as he speaks.

“I have come to a realization and merely require your silence for the moment.”

He waits until she finishes struggling to release her entirely and step back. Now pacing in a circle around her. His technique left an opening or two. he would fix that in time.

“You are a part of Kei. Originally I thought of you as a curse but in time I have thought differently. Now I see you more as perhaps a power yet to be tapped. That and you are a part of Kei. My heart does not just beat when the tattoo is on the other side. For I do not see you as separate people.”

he Stops and settles onto a stump and looks to her with the silver eyes watching. Observing everything about her and taking note of it. prepared to launch into evasive maneuvers if she acted violently.

He tilts his head watching her a moment and crossing his arms. The woman was angry with him and something more

“You will help me because we have the same goal. your survival. To be near me will become dangerous after we get back to Kiri. And I will no longer let you leave my side. Last time it ended badly. I will not tie you down like a dog though. Free to choose your friends and lovers. free to spend your time when not training with me as you wish. As I will be training you both. any questions?”

Spoiler:

Kei watched Sero move, her eyes narrowed in on him as he closed the distance between the two. He had certainly gotten fast, so much so that he was easily able to get behind her in an instant. He wrapped his warm hand gently around her own and covered her mouth. She couldn't help but feel a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach when his skin touched hers. And she hated herself for it. She hated herself for feeling like that despite the fact that she was trying her best to hate him, to keep him away from her. But her attempts were in vain. She briefly closed her eyes and let go of the tension in her body to accept Sero's embrace. That, however, only lasted until he pressed his hand over her mouth. Her eyes went wide. What the hell was wrong with him?! What gave him the right to treat her like that?! She narrowed her eyes as he spoke. He wanted her silence? Pfft, like that was ever going to happen. She bit his finger hard enough to draw blood from it. She could taste it in her mouth, but even so he didn't let go. She grabbed one of the fingers that held her hand and twisted it, trying to break it so that Sero would let her be free. She struggled in his grasp until he finally let go. She leaped away from him, now standing about 1 meter away. She was still close to him, but that amount of space was enough for her at the moment. Her stance was hostile and she was ready to begin a fight. But first, she would give him a chance. She would hear what he had to say.

So he had seen her as a monster at first. That reminded Kei of her mother, who had always looked down upon her with disdain. It reminded her of her father, who had been her only guide and friend throughout her entire life. And now he pressed the ridiculous notion that his heart beat for her. As if she would believe him. "So your heart beats for Kei Niidashi," She began, sarcasm dripped from her voice like poison. Her tone was mocking and cruel, but she was only trying to gauge a reaction from him, though she knew that there was little hope for that. Sero had no emotions. "How do you expect me to believe you after you simply up and disappeared, leaving me to deal with nothing short of emotional trauma. The again, I'm not surprised. You don't know how the hell it feels to lose so much in so little time. You don't know what misery is. You feel nothing, you know nothing. Stop trying to look at me like I'm just part of an equation, like I'm just some number or some statistic!" She yelled. She was panting now. She paused for a moment before scoffing. "I'm asking too much of you. You’ll never understand. You have no empathy. You know nothing of loss," She said, mostly to herself. Her voice had gone dangerously quiet.

And now he spoke about her about how she now had to train under him. How they both wanted her survival. How he would protect her and keep her by his side. That angered Kei even more. He was such a hypocrite, such a liar. Did he take her for a fool? Did he except her to just accept what he was saying without any complaints? Yang would gladly do so. She would likely follow him to the end of the world, enjoy his protection and do whatever he asked of her. But Yin was different. She wasn’t a pushover like her other half was. She hated feeling protected; she hated feeling like she had to rely on someone to achieve what she wanted. She didn’t want to owe Sero anything, even if he claimed that he didn’t want anything in return. Kei began to laugh. It started off as a slow chuckle before building up. In a few seconds, she was laughing hysterically at the irony of it all. Now her pretended to care, after she had suffered, after she had been broken by the site of her father, nailed to the ceiling of her house with her mother’s swords, blood dripping from him and towards her face, mixing with Kei’s tears.

Once her laughter died down, Kei finally spoke. “You… What the hell do you think you are to me? Why the hell should I follow what you say? Why the hell should I cower behind you while I remain weak and defenseless?” She began. Her voice was once again menacing, slowly getting louder. “You say you won’t let it happen again… as if that would fix anything! You think that by just coming back into my life you’ll make everything OK again!” She yelled. “I’ve had enough of this…” She said, finally getting into a proper fighting stance. “Fire Style: Honing Flame!” She called the name of the jutsu, one that would be practically harmless if not for her Kekkei Genkai, which made her power with ninjutsu grow considerably. Two spheres of fire appeared in her hands, larger than could fit in her hands. She launched them towards Sero. They would follow his movements over a longer range than the original version of the jutsu could. She aimed one of the spheres towards his chest and the other towards his head. If they actually hit, they would cause 1st or 2nd degree burns on his skin.

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Spoiler:

Sero watches her quietly as she rants and shakes his head. His silver hair shaking like it where but an illusion. He watches her as she talks of his lack of knowledge about loss and his inhuman amount of emotionless activities. He had left her before because the Kage was dealing with it and at the time he had no idea what the feeling he had was. It was in his nature to analyze things before acting on them. Even now she enters a fighting stance and throw fire at him. and Some tactics go through his mind.

A water whip would give him the ability to cancel out her jutsu with ease and he would have time to summon it too. Or kicking up dirt to put the fire out. He also contemplating using his Kenkai Genkai to put them out or many more things. But for now he calmly rises and with a grunt takes both hits to his padded chest where the standard armor was for his rank. Still hurt like hell but he watches her while brushing the parts still burning off.

" You think I dont know? Everyone I could call family, our Kage aside is dead. When the day is done I go into my dark dwelling alone. No friends. No family. Just you. To be honest I grew up with this cold mask that only grew colder as time went on. I had only enemies growing up and thus never understood affection. I will not say pain was my only companion because cold hard knowledge was what kept the day moving. Until you Kei. I ran that day because my Mind had no answer. I ran because my instincts said to. But it wasn't the combat I ran from Kei. It was me running and looking for answers to why I wanted to be near you. Looking for answers for why it hurt to leave you.

He lets out a breath and adds more wood to the fire ignoring her fighting stance. for now he would let her do as she saw fit. He was confident he could repel most of her moves.

"Kei I will not harm you. I assume you will take advantage of that and use it to kill me. but a death at your hand is a death of the sweetest sort. Regardless I will train you when I can. So one day you can kill me at your whim. without any tricks."

Kei's eyes went wide as she saw each sphere of fire connect with Sero's skin. He hadn't even tried to avoid them. He had just stood there and decided to take the hit. She saw him wince as the fire burn through his clothes and skin. "W-why didn't you dodge that?" She asked, her surprise evident in her voice, in her uncharacteristic stutter. She let her guard down. She didn't know whether she should be frustrated that he wasn't taking her seriously or if she should just accept the fact that he was not going to hurt her. But it was difficult. She had a great amount of anger pent up inside of her. She needed an outlet, a way to let it go. And Sero seemed to be the only person that she coudl target, the only person who would not reject her, despite her cruel words. But that only angered her more. The fact that he refused to fight her made Kei mad. It turned into a vicious cycle that she had no idea how to break free from. But the young girl was tired. She collapsed on the ground, on her knees. Her eyes were still fixed on Sero's wound before dropping her gaze. She listened to what he had to say without protesting. She was silent and bit her lower lip nervously.

But Sero's words reminded her of the fact that she was alone, that she had to face her reality on her own, that she had lost everything and everyone that she had ever cared for... except- No, she wouldn't admit that to herself, not now. "You don't know how to interpret what you're feeling." She stated. That was the only thing she could help him with, she supposed. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't either," She added. And it was true, of course. Kei had trouble interpreting what Sero was to her, exactly. They weren't a couple, but they weren't exactly friends either. She could see him as her guardian, her protector, but that would imply that she was weak and was going to forever remain under his shadow in terms of strength. She refused to stay behind and become a burden.

Kei scoffed at what Sero said. So he wouldn't mind dying by her hand, would he? The idea was ludicrous. She got up from the ground slowly. The look in her eyes was blank. She appeared as tired as she was. "You and I both know that I won't kill you," She said, a little above a whisper. "I'm not a masochist. As much as I may despise you right now, as much as I resent you, deep down I know you're not at fault. I'm projecting my anger towards you because I need someone to blame. It's selfish of me, I know. But I can't think of anything else to do. It would be so much easier if I could control how I feel. But I know that there isn't anyone who can help me." She said, taking a seat on the ground next to Sero before deciding to lie down on the snow. It was cold and it made her shiver, but Kei didn't care. She closed her eyes and tried to continue her meditation, as she had been doing before she ran into Sero. It always started by blocking her mind, ignoring anything that surrounded her and making it disappear from her existence. Slowly she would lose her senses; slowly she would begin to be surrounded by nothing more than silence and darkness. That was the way she was used to training, strengthening her mind. She would begin to feel light, as if she were floating on air, all so that she could speak with her other side directly. However, such a state of concentration could be easily broken by any sudden movement. It was eerie, really. It was difficult to get used to seeing herself in front of her, standing in such a different way. It was as if they were both completely different people – two souls that inhabited the same body. Such was the life of a Niidashi, bound to share their existence with someone else. It was a half-life.

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Sero watches her a while with his head tilted. the way she moved when she spoke seemed like forced hostility. So an automatic defense against what she did not seem to understand herself? that was interesting. One chose silence as her best defense and the other chose anger and hostility. Nearly opposites except for some very key resemblances.

He rises like a phantom As she lays in the snow And moves over to his tent. It was light enough to lift with ease and move over to her . the bottom was open as was the front but the back and sides where closed from the wind and the bottom was heavy enough to keep the light winds from carrying it away. It was also big enough to move freely in so he places it over her with the front to the fire. It would act like a heated home. with the only entrance being in front of the raging fire.

Sero then adds the last of the logs to the fire and watches the flames engulf the wood. Already he could see the thin snow melting in the tent as he moves back by her side and settles near her in silence. Wrapping some torn cloth around his chest. as if to bandage the two wounds.

It didn't take Kei long for her mind to go blank. Her state was timeless. She could spend what felt like hours meditating, locked inside her own mind while the outside world only went through minutes at a time. Or it could go vice versa. Meditation was strange in that sense. She floated around in the darkness, trying to find the small, cowering figure that was her other half, that small and pathetic child that inhabited within her own body. She knew how to navigate her own mind, though she could often get lost in it every once in a while. There were many sides of her that she had yet to explore, I suppose. They were the sides that she shies away from. They were the ones that brought back memories that Kei would rather forget. Brief flashes ran through her head, images of her father's corpse, the house she grew up in covered in blood, half of her clan dead. And all of it had been at the hands of her mother, the woman who had basically raised her; the woman who had trained her and had basically taught her all of the genjutsu she knew. The mere sight of those images made Kei's head want to burst open. She clutched her head between her hands and screamed. She closed her eyes shut and simply blacked out. When she opened them, she saw her other side - Yang - in front of her. But there was something odd. Something in her eyes screamed desperation and terror. She did a double take. Yang was about to cry. Her face was red, she was sweating. All that she was letting out were suffocated noises as she weakly struggled. Kei lowered her gaze slightly, only slightly... Oh God... She let go suddenly, taking several steps back. She had been chocking herself, her other side. How did she... she didn't want to even think of what could have happened if she had actually managed to kill her other side. Would that resort in her own death? Was this just some nightmare? An illusion, maybe? She didn't even want to think about it.

Kei woke up with a scream, breaking her state if unconsciousness. She was panting, sweating. She was shaking. She looked at her own hands, slowly clenching and unclenching them. She shook her head, as if trying to clear her mind. Meditation was out of the question for her, apparently. Kei looked around her. She hadn't noticed that there were walls surrounding her. She rubbed her temples. When had she moved? She knew she hadn't slipped into unconsciousness inside the tent. It must have been Sero. She smiled slightly, but soon chastised herself for doing so. She was supposed to be mad at him. She walked out of the tent. It was dark outside. Stars now littered the sky and the full moon shone brightly overhead. However, that also meant that the temperatures had dropped. Chills ran up Kei's spine as a light breeze blew past her. She shivered.

The young girl turned her head to the side, only to see Sero still huddling over the fire. She slowly walked towards him. His silver hair shone brightly, reflecting the light from the flames. She didn't quite know what to say, so she decided to stay silent for now. She sighed and sat on a log next to him. They would remain in silence, unless Sero decided to ask her why she had screamed. She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't, actually. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes before deciding to scoot closer to him. She placed her hand over his and looked away. Kei intertwined her fingers with Sero, deciding to stay close to him for warmth. "I.. I'm still mad at you," She mumbled halfheartedly. Another wave of silence passed. "If you’re up for it, I would still like to train," She said, still speaking in a tone a little above a whisper.

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Sero had gone and fetched more wood as she slept. Now as she exited the tent silver eyes take note of her before adding more wood to the fire. He watches the flames a moment and lets the silence go on as she settles next to him. He had heard her scream but knew that nightmares came with the territory of being cursed like them.

The temperature had dropped even further but here by the fire it didnt mean much. instead the fire seemed even more welcomed by the nights biting air. It lit the night up and the stars seemed to shine brightly in between the now thin clouds. though the snow still drizzled.

Her hand slipped over his and her fingers slipped between his and he allowed it as a gentle reminder he was there with her. Her words brought a smile to his face as the silence continued until finally she whispered and he nodded still holding her hands as a breeze blew his silver hair in the wind.

"You may be angry if you wish. but with Genjutsu there is more power in peace."

He stirs the hot flames with A stick and watches the sparks fly. He looks to her and then indicates the sky by looking up.

"the mind is an infinite resource. But a tool used to hard will still break even if there is an infinite amount of uses. Thus if there is strain on the tool already it limits what one could do. You have trauma in your past and you try and shove it down and forget it. But many things remind you of it and then part of your thoughts are taken to it. If you are to clear your mind you must first embrace and accept the tragedy. There is no anger. only peace. there are no lies. Only facts. Embrace this and your mind will be either a weapon or a tool for education."

Kei kept her eyes fixed on the fire in front of her. The flames danced with the wind, which sent chills up Kei's spine. She unconsciously moved closer to Sero, seeking his natural warmth. She thought she might as well give in and lean her head against his shoulder. Who was she fooling? Despite how mad she wanted to be at Sero, she would never be able to hold a grudge against him for long. She closed her eyes and sighed, placing her free hand on his chest lightly. Her fingertips touched the ragged cloth that covered his burn wound. Kei's hand automatically flinched. She withdrew her hand and looked down. She kept her eyes fixed on the snow, away from Sero. "I..." She began, but her pride made her words catch in her throat. She wasn't quite sure how to apologize. She disliked admitting to fault. "I'm sorry," She whispered, in a hardly audible voice. She wasn't eve unsure if Sero heard her, but she wouldn't repeat what she had said. Once was more than enough. She heard him speak and remained silent. "You forget that I can't perform genjutsu," She said, sounding somewhat distant and empty. She was tired, after all. So many sleepless nights had taken her toll on her. She hardly remembered the last time she had slept well. It was her other half - Yang, which had decided to repress everything that had happened - that was able to execute illusionary techniques. Yin was restricted to Ninjutsu. But as much as it hurt her to admit it, Sero was right. "I-I can't do that," She said. Her voice was almost shaking. She hid her expression from him, knowing how weak she probably looked right now. "The pain is too much," She said through gritted teeth, trying to hold back the tears caused by these memories that had turned her life into a living nightmare. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to cry. She wouldn't let herself cry. Kei shut her eyes tightly in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. But Sero had brought up the subject already. It was too late to erase the images from her head.

Memories of her father flooded her mind. He had always been strict on her, but Kei understood that it was only because he saw that she had potential. He had always believed in her and her strength. He had always looked out for her, especially when her birth mother had died. He had raised her on his own until she had turned around five years old. He married Utau then. The mere thought of that woman who had called herself Kei’s mother drove the young girl insane. How… how could she have betrayed the Niidashi clan? How could she have deliberately slaughtered everyone without a single shred of remorse? After all they had done for her… they had given her a home, a family. And she had simply decided to repay them by taking away their lives. It was at this point the Kei finally broke down. She let out a single sob and hated herself for it. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold back from crying now. She buried her face in Sero’s shoulder and held his hand tightly, finding support in his embrace. She needed him now more than ever, despite the fact that she would never openly ask for his help. Her tears stained his shoulder as she kept on sobbing.

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Sero felt her get closer and watched the flames dance. He heard her words and remained in silence as she cried. Utau. He had sworn to kill her and he could almost feel her out there. She had mocked him before for his rank but now he had risen in a very quick amount of time. He was a match for her and He would hunt her when it was time. For now this was more important.

For the first time in his life he knew what he needed to do in a situation like this. He removed his hand from her tight grasp and pulled her into him to hold her in both arms. He remains silent as she cries. He had chosen to have this conversation with this half because he needed the loyalty of both halves. That and this half was the one bottling up the rage. Better he be attacked then some poor sap.

He holds her tightly a moment before nodding slowly and leaning back to wipe away her tears. Before he leans down and softly presses his lips to hers a moment. It was a motion she had taught him and he was going to use it on her. Still though he had more to instruct her on. The moment felt wrong though so he would hold her with one arm for a moment ignoring the burning sensation in his chest, well on his chest too.

After some time had passed he finnaly speaks aloud. She needed to be prepared.

"At the moment you feel your skill sets are split but switching personalities in the midst of battle is a dangerous thing. If you are avoiding a blade and you switch to your other side will she be as good at avoiding that blow? She does not enjoy combat and would prefer to stay back. You on the other hand seek strength to destroy your attackers. I intend to instruct you as best I can so you can use all the techniques available to you. And I hope you share my instructions with your other half too."

Kei was taken aback, to be honest. Sero had always been the type of person to keep his distance. He had always been the type of person to keep his distance. He was kind, of course. He had always fought for Kei, had always tried to be there fore her. But he didn't understand what a relationship meant. Physical proximity made him uncomfortable, or at least he usually didn't know what to make of it. She thought he saw no real point to an embrace. But he was doing so now, to comfort her. That only made his actions more special. His embrace meant support, it meant that he refused to leave her again. She kept on crying into his shoulder. She let him wipe her tears and looked him in the eye. His face was slowly inching closer to her own. Was he...? Kei didn't even have time to finish that thought before Sero pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was firm but gentle and comforting. She had stopped sobbing for a moment, despite the fact that tears still streamed down her face. For once, Kei smiled. This was the first time that this side of her shared a kiss with Sero. She smirked halfheartedly once they broke away from the kiss. "Do you even know what that means? Kissing someone, I mean," She said. Her voice still sounded broken. Her eyes were red and her face was somewhat swollen. But she still managed to smile for him. She knew he probably didn't know what it meant, but she hardly cared. He had kissed her, it was more than she could ask for. She listened carefully to his explenation and nodded. "She'll only fight if she believes she has a good reason to," Kei paused for a moment, biting her lower lip. "She would fight for you," She said, keeping her face fixed on the ground. She didn't want Sero to see her like this. "But I would like you to help me get stronger. I need it. I need to learn more, otherwise I won't be anything more than a burden to you." She whispere. She knew now that she would follow Sero wherever he went. She would devote herself to him.

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Sero nods slowly and listens before he leans forward his elbows on his knee's as he stares into the fire. He seemed like he might be taller now and A new sort of power seemed to be about him but it also felt like he was suppressing a part of himself. There where times for calm and times to kill your prey. But kei wasnt prey so that side was dormant.

He tilts his head his silver hair reflecting the light of the fire as darkness and fog rolled in around them. His eyes study her as if curios about how her mind worked as he responded to her question.

"A kiss is how you comfort someone you like."\

He rises then and moves to lay down in his tent. the hour was late and he intended to rise early sunrise for training. He lays down and sighs in relief at the comfort there. Before he speaks again.

" get some sleep. Tonight we rest and at Sunrise we train."

Kei shook her head as she stared blankly at the flames. She was still huddled closely to Sero. She found warmth and comfort in his natural body heat. The flames, she supposed, would normally be enough, but she wanted an excuse to be near him. She kept her hands on her knees, rubbing them together to keep her blood flowing. Tears still streamed down her face every once in a while, but she couldn't quite help it, now, could she? It would be useless to pretend that she was fine, that this didn't affect her. She didn't fool herself nor would she fool Sero, despite his lack of understanding of the human condition. She smiled slightly when he spoke. "You're half right," She began, rubbing her temples. Crying so much had given her a headache. "A kiss can mean much more than that. It's a silent way to tell someone that you like them or even that you love them. It can also mean that you just find someone attractive. It all depends," She said, getting up and stretching her arms over her head.

She was tired. All of this was taxing, to say the least. She needed rest, but she was afraid that the nightmares would come back, that she would once again be terrorized by her own memories. But at least she knew that this time she had someone that would help her if she woke up screaming in the middle of the night. She looked at Sero and blushed. "In any case, I can settle for like and comfort," She said as she followed Sero towards the small tent. "Training at dawn, got it," She said with a loud yawn. She crawled into the small space. It was barely enough for the two of them to fit, but Kei didn't quite care. She knew that she would finally get a good night's rest. She lied down on the ground next to Sero and fell asleep with her head against his chest.

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Sero would awaken an hour before sunrise and reignite the fire by normal means. No waste of chakra just yet.. He let Kei sleep for a time As he moved out to the tree line with all his speed to test out how his muscles where developing. His speed was increasing which was good. He moves back and forth before jumping between two tree's till he found a birds nest.

By the time he got back to camp he had a flat flab of rock and a Nest full of eggs and a bird prepped for food. Do not suffer the mother the loss of her children. But instead gather nutrients.

He settles outside the tent and sets the slab of rock over the fire. He made sure the rock was no where near a source of water. Stream rocks actually explode when heated. He waits for a bit before setting the bird in the center to cook and cracking the eggs around it. It was odd for a bird to lay eggs so late in the winter and the bird would not have survived the cold regardless. it appeared to have had an injured wing. truly the quick death was merciful. He lets the meat and eggs cook and angles it so the smells drift into the tent to wake Kei.

Kei had rolled away from Sero during the night. She had tossed and turned as she slept. She kept constantly moving. But strangely enough, she had a dremless sleep. She had managed to rest properly for once after several months of constant nightmares. The young girl didn't even noticed when Sero had left their tent. She only wokr up when she smelled the food he was cooking just right outside. It smelled wonderful. He was cooking eggs, as far as she could tell, maybe even meat. Kei felt her stomach grumbling. She needed food. It had been a while since she had last eaten a decent meal. God, she felt horrible. She had taken very little care of herself lately. Why was she just noticing now? She shook her head and yawned. No matter, she could fix that. She could just go back to eating and sleeping as she normally did.

Kei slowly got up from the makeshift bed and stepped outside. She smiled at Sero, though his back was turned to her. She shrugged to herself. She might as well approach him. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso and let her chin rest on his shoulder. She smiled peacefully and kissed his cheek. "Good morning," She greeted him, leaning her head against his. She kissed the top of his head before settling down beside him. As soon as the food was ready, she would take her own plate full and eat it in under five minutes without barely taking a break between bites. Once she would finish, she would smile brightly at him. Needless to say, she was in a far better mood, now. Apparently, she just needed the basics: food and sleep. "So," She began, rubbing her arms together for warmth. "What's this training you have planned out?" She asked him. The young girl was rather curious. She knew that Sero had a rather sadistic side when it came to fighting and anything related to it. She wondered how that would play out with her. Would he leave that part of him aside and treat her like he did everyone else or would he act differently?

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Sero would slowly eat his portion measured to be only the necessities to keep his strength at full. His grey eyes look out across the hills as he contemplates the next move. He was gradually gaining and understanding of her abilities but time was indeed limited. He frowns at the realization before she speaks and a smile returns to his face. He sets his plate aside and rises with a look of confidence about him as his holds his hand out towards the hills. Before speaking.

"So far you have been training under less then extreme conditions. I am going to provide you with experience in the field. We will move to the hill at which point you will attempt to concentrate while evading my light attacks. Also we will be practicing solo targeting. meaning no area of effect moves. If you are on a team it doesn't help you to trap your team too."

He turns and waits. Once she was ready they would walk away from the camp to the cold barren hill. the frozen grass crunching underfoot. It was when they reached the summit that he looks back to her. and speaks once more assuming a light speed stance.

"I am going to come at you now. I will not harm you but you must gain your focus and lock only me in whatever way you intend to stop my movements."

He would wait until she was ready and then he was moving. A rapid jagged running pattern heading for her at a speed that was almost hard to follow with the eyes.

Kei stretched her arms and back and sighed happily. She was satisfied with the meal. Now it was time to get serious. She had had enough rest already. She needed to train her abilities in ninjutsu, possibly even genjutsu while she was at it and Sero was just the right person to help. She knew that she could rely on him now. She listened to his explanation. She was going to have to fight him. "You know, I'm not made out of glass," She said, sounding slightly annoyed. "I can take a hit from you, believe it or not. I'm not as weak as you make me out to be," She mumbled under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest. She understood that Sero didn't want to hurt her, but still. It could hardly be called training if there was no risk involved in it. How was she meant to earn more experience if it was all just fake? It made no sense, really. Besides, she disliked being patronized or feeling protected, unlike her other half, who would have likely enjoyed being babied by Sero. This side of her only found that annoying. Kei shuddered at the thought of being treated like a frail doll. She had always been more independent and she wouldn’t give that up now. She aimed to be Sero’s equal, not just someone that he felt he had to protect. She wouldn’t let herself lag behind him, lest she become nothing but a weakness to him.

However, Kei still followed closely behind him, towards the hill that he had pointed to earlier. The snow crunched lightly underneath her feet, but she hardly paid any attention to that or to her surroundings. She failed to notice the soft breeze blowing in between the trees, making their branches sway slowly as the sun was shining overhead. It was a beautiful day, all in all. But Kei hardly cared. Her mind was focused on something else entirely. The young girl kept her eyes fixed on the ground beneath her feet. She pursed her lips together. She needed to get stronger, she knew that much. Her techniques were lacking, at best. Yes, she was still young and had managed to get to the rank of Chuunin at a younger age than several shinobi within Kirigakure, but that was barely enough. Sero had managed to get all the way up to Jounin, only a few weeks after passing the Chuunin Exams. The feeling of lagging behind was rather frustrating, not to mention the fact that she felt somewhat jealous. Well, at least he was offering to train her. She supposed it was a start. Kei hardly noticed when Sero stopped walking. She almost bumped into his chest.

She shook her head as if aiming to shake herself out of her state of deep thought. She took several steps back as she listened to Sero speak. There was a good amount of distance between them, enough to let her react, despite the difference in speed between them. She wanted him to actually fight seriously. She wanted a challenge; it was the only way that she could really surpass her current level. If he actually hurt her, she could always just go to a medic later, before they travelled back to Kirigakure to start rebuilding the village. Kei sank into a stance and narrowed her eyes. She needed to be careful. The young girl braced herself as she saw Sero coming towards her. His speed was impeccable, but the distance between the two gave her a short window of opportunity to work with. For a moment, she considered changing to her other personality and using genjutsu to stop him. But then again, her other side would likely hesitate before attacking. She didn’t have time for that. “Fire Style: Honing Flame,” She said. Two spheres of fire formed, one in each hand. She directed one at each of his arms, attempting to hinder his taijutsu abilities. Whether or not he dodged would give her enough time to get out of his way. Kei leaped to the side, creating a large distance between the two. “Yin and Yang: Exchanging Souls,” She said, trading one personality for the other as quickly as she could. It was time to shroud herself in a genjutsu. A steady mist came from Kei’s mouth, quickly enveloping the area around her. The mist itself was only a trigger for the illusion. Once Sero breathed it in, he would no longer be able to see Kei. She would hear her voice ringing in his head, mostly giggling. The sound was almost impossible to trace. The area smelled heavily of sulfur, hiding Kei’s scent in it. For now, that would be enough to keep Sero at bay, should he be engulfed in the genjutsu. And even if he managed to avoid it, the cloud of mist would still keep Kei hidden from him. He had to either enter it or wait for it to dissipate in order to get close to her.

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Chakra: 85/120

Spoiler:

Sero notes the fireballs coming at him again and remembers how well those burn. She was actively fighting back which meant he needed to be prepared for this. However they where surrounded by the opposite element. With all his power he drops down and does a leg sweep through the snow throwing up a snow screen to put out both fire balls and in the same motion of spinning he reaches out with both hands and collects two lumps of snow.

He smiles standing there looking at the Strange Mist several feet away hiding her. He slowly makes the snow ball and then another until he had five snow balls. He couldn't pinpoint her but it was a small target area. He scoops up the 5 snow balls into the crook of his arm and begins throwing them into the mist hoping to hit something.