The Naka river, its waters softly flowing south, was laid out in front of Issei. It was the most peaceful thing he'd seen in weeks. Out in Sunagakure, the weather was too hot and harsh to be considered "peaceful" by any means, and it certainly felt like an exotic and strange place. Kirigakure was similar; even though that was what Issei considered his "home", it was engulfed in biting cold and crashing waves, its streets bustling with civilians and shinobi and merchants and businessmen. There in the Land of Fire, though, the feeling was different entirely. The constant cover of trees provided a sense of security and the all-consuming greenery turned the world into a paradise, full of forest creatures and beautiful flowers and woodland sounds and smells.  He couldn't help but wonder why he had never lived there. Of all five nations major nations, its atmosphere and scenery was what fit his tastes the most out of any. Maybe sometime in the future...there was always plenty of time.

Issei hadn't been to Konoha since he was much younger, and he didn't remember much about it, other than the fact that it was one of his father's favorite places. He understood why, then, and he wanted to bring his father back since he was only growing older and it was important to experience the things that he wanted to while he still could. Issei had missed that opportunity with his mother, and so he wasn't about to repeat that mistake again. Before anything, though, were more pressing matters, and the thing that had brought him to Konoha in the first place; his duty as a shinobi, and as founder of Ninshiki. The Naka river was but a distraction, a detour on his schedule with the purpose to keep him sane, to remind him why he loved travelling and trying new things so much.

The Chuunin, outfitted in his pale blue Ninshiki robe with white undergarments beneath it, removed his sandles and stepped to the edge of the river, staring down at the translucent water. He dipped a toe in, testing the temperature, and when he felt comfortable, he sat down in the dewy grass and put both of his feet in. He leaned back on both of his palms and looked up at the sky only to find a singular cloud in the center of the blue that looked just like a face, staring back down at him. Things like that always gave Issei chills, made him feel like something important was going to happen soon, but he knew that it was just pareidolia and paranoia playing tricks with his mind. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes when he let it out, releasing all of his inhibitions and worries with it, surrendering himself to the river, to nature, to Hi no Kuni.

He was tired, so very tired. The young male had been power chaining missions for several days at this point; as soon as one was done, he would pick up another at the administration building and go from there. It was something to keep himself distracted; these nightmares that he had began suffering from as of late were starting to get the better of him. Keeping on task and distracted with a mission to occupy his time and thoughts seemed like the best way to keep them at bay, and it was proving to be very useful to the young man. But unfortunately, Kayn was very much human -- his status as a shinobi notwithstanding -- and there was still a time limit as to how long the young man could go without sleep. When the male decided that he was finally done with his mission chaining and needed to rest, he had attempted to stop, only to find himself lost in the grip of the beast that was the administration building. This beast was not one to trifle with; once it had you, it was reluctant to release you. Despite him no longer showing up to volunteer and take missions, he was continuously being assigned to them, even though he was still simply a hired sword, and only being notified that he had a new mission once he reported back with the old one. It went on for days, the better part of two week really, until he somehow convinced a random recently graduated genin to assume his appearance via the Transformation Technique and turn in his latest mission just so Kayn could slip away to get some respite.

Kayn could imagine that the administration supervisors would not be too happy that their favorite ninja lately had skipped out on them assigning him a new mission. But in Kayn's mind, if they could not find him, they could not assign him anything. Kayn could trust that young nin not to give him up, as he only gave him the barest information, and the promise of the mission pay should the child cooperate. He did not tell the boy where he was going; it would be too easy for the child to be 'convinced' to inform his superiors as to where thier favorite little errand boy had stolen away to. Hell, Kayn barely knew about the place where he was headed to. A cozy little branch of the Naka tucked away in the forest of the village, a place that Kayn had found on his first arrival to the village where he came to relax and get away from civilization when it became too crazy. While he loved being in the village of Konohagakure no Sato amidst the hustle and bustle of a large and busy village -- more so than his small one outside of Sunagakure -- peace and quiet was a must at times, like now.

And so, the young male trudged through the forest, eyes almost half closed with exhaustion. Ever since the male decided to change his name to distance himself from his past, he had taken the liberty to begin dressing differently; a sleeveless black shirt with a funnel-like collar, with white trousers that are black from the knee down and just a little short of being full length jeans.  Rivets can be seen on his pockets and on the ends of his trousers. Around his waist, Kayn wears a white sash similar to an obi, into which he kept tucked a sword. His feet are wrapped in bandages up to his ankles and his hands and arms are also wrapped in bandages up to the elbow.  The young male was sans his shinobi identification papers, but was carrying his civilian ones; not that it mattered to him. This was a rarely patrolled area, given how far out of the way it was from the main roads, and anything useful. He had little chance of running into someone he knew, let alone a shinobi from Konohagakure no Sato.

All he wanted to was settle his aching body into the water, and relax. Was that too much to ask? Perhaps, but frick it, he was no longer asking; he was demanding. He was going to get some goddamn peace and quiet, with no one bothering him about running a mission for a few hours, so help him --...

Gold eyes were cast through locks of blue hair to gaze upon the scene of his lovely little oasis to find it already occupied; another person was sitting with their feet in the water, appearing to relax. A silent scream welled up inside the male; who was this, and why were they invading his heaven? He was almost tempted to run this person out, but at the moment, the male was just too damn tired to do so.

Fucking hell. Perhaps he could come back another time, find another place to relax and hide...? No. Everywhere else he knew of had someone else who used it. At the very least, this place only had one person... Besides, it might be a good experience for him to get to know someone else. After all, the male knew no one in the village really -- the staff of the administration building did not really count.

A quiet cough was released, though loud enough to be heard properly across the spring to alert this man to his presence. "Hello." Hands were lifted into the air as a gesture of non-aggression; Kayn had now way of knowing if this strange dressed individual was hostile or not, a shinobi or civilian. He did not want to find himself in a fight that could be avoided if he could help it -- but if it came down to it, he was willing to throw down.

Mama aint raise no punk ninja. A fucking psycho maybe, but no punk. If it came down to it, he would do what needed to be done to defend himself.

---

1001

And then there was a cough, a slightly pointed one that came from just behind Issei, and he knew it was likely because someone was there and that they were trying to make their arrival known, so as not to startle Issei. Thus, he opened his eyes, turning slightly to the left so that his hair fell forward and he could see the figure through his peripheral vision. It was a man, fairly tall, wearing black and white clothing that seemed unusual, at least compared to what he usually saw from other villagers. The man spoke first, offering a plain "Hello." and looking back at Issei quietly. He slowly started to lift his hands, which confused Issei. Was he afraid of Issei, who was relatively harmless? No, probably just being cautious. Issei looked down at his Kirigakure headband, around his neck as it always was, and wondered if the man had somehow caught sight of it, which would explain the surrendering gesture. Issei turned all the way around so that he was facing this new person, but he didn't bother standing up, for that was too much effort.

"Hello to you, too. No need to put your hands up, I'm no enemy." His line of sight was partly obscured by white strands hanging in front of his pale green eyes, signaling that he apparently needed a haircut. It had been nearly a month since his last, so he took a mental note of this as he pushed his hair back and over his head, revealing his forehead and eyebrows. He took a hair tie from his pocket and tied the mess back into a bun before continuing to speak to this new arrival. "I'm Issei Momochi, a shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Mist. I'm staying in Konoha on 'business', so to speak, but I came to this river to relax a bit. By the looks of it, you did too, so if you don't mind me being here, come sit with me." Now, Issei was hardly the extroverted sociable type; in fact, nine times out of ten, he went far out of his way just to try and avoid interacting with people he didn't know. It wasn't necessarily that talking to people was difficult, or that he had some kind of social anxiety, but it was simply that he felt it wasn't worth the effort and he preferred quiet and solitude. Considering the fact that he was trying to be the spearhead of a now-international group of shinobi, he had to make some 'sacrifices' in order to make acquaintances and stay in peoples' good graces. Whether or not the man would sit with him, he couldn't quite tell, but he was ready for either outcome. He waited for a response, dipping his hand back into the river from behind to feel the currents.

It would seem that the persona sitting with his feet in the stream did indeed hear him speak.

"Hello to you, too. No need to put your hands up, I'm no enemy."

The response made was simple enough, one that would cause him to place down his hands at his sides, though his left hand rested on the hilt of the sword strapped to his left side.

Mama raised a psycho, not a punk or a fool. Caution would still be exercised; spoken words were often lies, after all. Even still, he would give this persona the chance to prove his intentions through interactions. Kayn merely nodded for the moment, golden eyes picking up on the other male raising his hands and moving his hair out from his eyes and face to tie it back. Something strange glinted in the sunlight as the male did so; was that a metal band around his neck? Upon closer inspection, it would seem that it indeed was, but Kayn could not recognize the symbol upon it.

"I'm Issei Momochi, a shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Mist. I'm staying in Konoha on 'business', so to speak, but I came to this river to relax a bit. By the looks of it, you did too, so if you don't mind me being here, come sit with me."

"....." For a moment, Kayn contemplated if this would be worth doing; should he get in, or should he just turn around and leave this place? He was still almost tempted to run this person out, but at the moment, the male was just too damn tired to do so. Grunting in response, the male saw that the other male went back to resting in the river -- meh, fuck it. He was tired, and just could not care anymore. The male made his way over to the river bank, taking the time to adjust the sword on his side so that it would not prevent from sitting comfortably. Stopping some two meters away from the male known as Issei, Kayn would plop down onto the ground unceremoniously and begin to remove his shoes. As he did, the male would nod towards Issei, and offer him a small smile before introducing himself.

"Yusuke, Kayn. Shinobi by training, mercenary by trade. I am in Konoha looking for work, to be honest." The male trailed off for a moment, finishing his task of removing his shoes and bandages, then rolling up his pants somewhat so that he could sink his feet into the healing waters of the Naka River. A deep sigh left his body and his own frame relaxed a bit. The cool waters felt good moving across his skin. The young male sat there for a moment in silence, contemplating this situation before curiosity got the better of his mind.

Turning his attention to Issei, he spoke again, head tipping somewhat to the side. "You say you are in the village for business, hm? What kind, if you do not mind me inquiring?" Normally, the male was one to keep to himself, and not pry into other people's affairs. But, this male took the time to say hello and be friendly, and so Kayn would be polite and offer conversation. Issei, based on looks alone, seemed intelligent, and so perhaps this would be something interesting...

---

557 | 1558

The blue haired mystery man introduced himself as Kayn Yusuke. He was a trained shinobi and mercenary, or so he said, looking for work in Konoha. Issei couldn't help but wonder if he meant that he was a sword for hire or if he was looking for more conventional work, but regardless, he did have the body type and look of a shinobi, so that much was true. He put his feet in the Naka, too, and they together sat there peacefully. Predictably enough, he asked Issei what kind of "business" he was in Konoha for, and Issei took this opportunity for what it was; a chance to convince a mercenary to join his organization. 'Well, I started a group called Ninshiki in order to rebuild minor villages. Most of them are war-torn, abandoned, or have fallen to ruin otherwise, which is a shame. Currently, we have four members, internationally, and I don't have any plans in motion just yet. We're just kind of doing missions to gain reputation in the five nations, and trying to recruit more people before we go on any serious adventures or expeditions." Looking back at that explanation, Issei realized that it didn't seem to appealing to a mercenary type, who was likely more interested in money and thrills than historical reflection and restoration. He added the things that he had neglected to mention, as an afterthought.

"As a part of this little project, I've also been recreating protoypes of old inventions, and studying ancient jutsu. Here, look..." He opened his left palm, revealing a fuuinjutsu seal over his bandages. He released the seal, materializing a few articles of clothing and a mechanical device. "I made some robes, just like the ones I'm wearing, but ignore that. This mask lets the person who wears it breathe underwater, and it was first popularized in Amegakure no Sato. This device is a type of Chakra Armor, invented in Yukigakure no Sato, and it defends its wearer by absorbing the chakra of incoming jutsu. These are the first of many things I plan on recreating. But, alas. I have no idea if I'm talking your ear off and boring you to death or if you're interested in any of this stuff." He set all of his supplies down in the grass between himself and Kayn. He wanted to make one final comment, just to try and assure Kayn that he could use the help. "You know, since you're a mercenary and a shinobi, we could use your help. I can't offer you direct payment in the form of ryo, but I can provide you with armor and a rebreather and robes, and you're allowed to keep any money you make doing missions for us. The offer's on the table, if you're interested."

185/190:

'Well, I started a group called Ninshiki in order to rebuild minor villages. Most of them are war-torn, abandoned, or have fallen to ruin otherwise, which is a shame. Currently, we have four members, internationally, and I don't have any plans in motion just yet. We're just kind of doing missions to gain reputation in the five nations, and trying to recruit more people before we go on any serious adventures or expeditions."

So, he was head of some organization called the Ninshiki, one that wished to rebuild the old war-torn and abandoned villages? That was certainly interesting to hear. While he might not look like it, Kayn was fond of history and that of the villages. He could not help but wonder what villages in particular that Issei had in mind for restoration; many of them were long since abandoned and no more than ruins of their former selves, hulking concrete and steel graveyards, home to nothing more than flora, fauna, and the occasional rouge ninja. Nevertheless, it had to be hard work.

"As a part of this little project, I've also been recreating prototypes of old inventions, and studying ancient jutsu. Here, look..."

Golden eyes were focused to watch the scene unfold before him in curiosity; the other male's left palm was opened, revealing a fuuinjutsu seal over his bandages. He then released the seal, materializing what appeared to be a few articles of clothing and a strange mechanical device. It was at this point that Kayn shifted slightly, leaning in a bit closer to get a better look at the items. He was careful not to lean in too far; while he was unsure of the, he himself liked his personal space to not be invaded, and he did not need this persona thinking that he was going to attempt to snatch one of the artifacts from him and run off with it. Kayn was no thief, and so his hands were kept to himself...

"I made some robes, just like the ones I'm wearing, but ignore that. This mask lets the person who wears it breathe underwater, and it was first popularized in Amegakure no Sato. This device is a type of Chakra Armor, invented in Yukigakure no Sato, and it defends its wearer by absorbing the chakra of incoming jutsu. These are the first of many things I plan on recreating. But, alas. I have no idea if I'm talking your ear off and boring you to death or if you're interested in any of this stuff."

As the Kirigakure male explained the items and their functions, Kayn watched closer, taking note of each. The rebreather seemed useful in water-filled places, and the chakra armor seemed to be just flat out useful no matter what. At the comment of his interest, Kayn paused for a moment, considering something. Was his facial expression not showing interest? He must have had one hell of a poker face, then.

"You know, since you're a mercenary and a shinobi, we could use your help. I can't offer you direct payment in the form of ryo, but I can provide you with armor and a rebreather and robes, and you're allowed to keep any money you make doing missions for us. The offer's on the table, if you're interested."

....was.. was this a job offer? Was this guy offering Kayn a job to be apart of his organization? Leaning back somewhat, Kayn reached up and scratched at his own chin in contemplation. While there was no direct payment involved, he would essentially be doing work on behalf of this organization, and any money he made would go directly to him, with no cut going to anyone else. It was essentially the same as he was doing now, but he would have the benefit of traveling companions apparently, and this Issei guy was throwing in a rebreather and a set of that sweet as hell armor. Plus, there was the benefits of learning and being there first hand to rediscover the secrets of the older villages and such, which was delighting his historical cravings to no end.

Finally nodding his head, Kayn turned his eyes back to his new companion and smiled. "IT would seem that you have convinced me, Issei. I would like to join your organization, if you will have me be a part of it."

It was definitely interesting to think that this was not how he saw his day starting out: he had very much been intending on heading home and going to sleep – having finally given up despite the nightmares that had been plaguing him and having decided to give chaining missions a break. Yet, now here he was officially apart of an organization whose purpose was to rebuild the war torn minor villages, most of which were abandoned. Yeah, it definitely wasn’t how he had saw his day going. To boot he was getting free armor, so that was a plus. Still… he should probably head home and get some sleep though, preferably before he crashed somewhere or on someone without meaning to.

---

875 | 2433

[Thread Exit]

1200/2433 = Futon Unlearned || Katon Learned to D Rank. [20% WC reduction]

1200/1233 = Katon D to C Rank

Kayn was an attentive listener, and as Issei showed him everything he had to offer, he looked on at each item with genuine interest. This was always a good sign, because that interest was all Issei had as an anchor to secure a deal. When all was said and done and Issei's offer was on the table, there was a long pause and Kayn scratched at his chin contemplatively. Issei didn't break eye contact, instead hoping that some metaphysical focus strategy would somehow coerce Kayn into saying yes. He hadn't even realized that he had started holding his breath in anticipation, up until the point when he got the answer he wanted. "I would like to join your organization," Issei let out the breath he had been holding and his mouth bent into a smile that was rather uncharacteristic of him. This brought the running total of Ninshiki members to five, and now they had a stake in Konohagakure no Sato, which would only prove useful in the long run, depending on what Issei needed to do and where. With "phase one" out of the way, so to speak, he began "phase two", which was essentially a game plan in progress. He had been thinking about doing something while he was in Konoha, but he didn't exactly have any back up there...until then, that was.

"I'm happy to have you, Kayn. Welcome to Ninshiki. Here, you can keep the outfit and the armor, they're officially yours." He handed over the items, grateful to his newest member for bolstering his forces but ready to move onto the next order of business. "While I'm in Hi no Kuni, I want to go to a nearby land to find a new target: Hoshigakure no Sato. According to my research, the village was destroyed by the Iki clan a number of years ago, but since far before even the village's creation, there has been incredible extraterrestrial activity in the area, ranging from fallen meteorites to strange, alien chakra and energies. My first visit to the location isn't primarily to restore the village, at least not yet; I would just like to study the location and maybe collect some meteorites, if I can. Since you're now the first and currently the only member of Ninshiki in Konoha available to help me, you are welcome to join me on the journey to the ruins of Hoshigakure, if you would like." He spoke with a formal tone, explaining the mission almost like a business proposal in a meeting. "Of course, if you have other obligations you have to attend to or if you simply do not wish to accompany me, that is fine, and it won't affect your membership in the organization either way. It is merely an opportunity that I figured I would extend to you."

[Leaving this thread. The items are yours, don't forget to add them to your locker.]

1,928