The low clicking noise of the cicada's song buzzing about, the sun in all it's glory drifting above the very heaven itself as it beat's down illuminating the world below from the eternal darkness all around.

Within a luscious forest packed full of greenery and various herb's allowed to grow by the sun's gentle embrace was but a single figure, a tall slim man with slightly tanned skin abraded in a long sleeved black hoodie jacket with white fluffy outlining that lead down to his open fingered gloves, black pant's commonly worn by those engaged in constant conflict as suggested by the more than average strengthened polyester it was woven with, and opened toed shinobi sandle's that allowed ease of movement while providing basic footwear protection and their shinobi headband used as a belt centerpiece that displayed the symbol of Konohagakure.

His hair, a bi color split between light brown on the left side and holy white on the right made his presence within the forest floor all but obvious combined with the peaceful song of light snoring as hey layed against a tree in sleep. The sounds of wildlife echoed through it's domain, colliding with sounds of the birds singing to the insects calling, the leaves rustling on the trees almost whispering to one another, water flowing in a nearby river bank as the wind carried the sweet scent of pin cone's creating nature's harmony.

The large shadow would overcast the area the figure was sleeping in as a hawk passed through it letting out a shrieking cry, the noise was loud enough to wake them and as they opened their emerald pupil eye's the light reflected on them creating a shine similar to diamonds. The figure got up and stretched their leg's and arm as they let out a loud yawn that scared the nearby birds causing them to jump off from the tree as they begun to fly away, the Senju quickly cracking his neck and doing a few exercises to relieve the stiffness of sleep, Mokuzai looked onward in front of him as today was the day he was returning home after nearly two and half year's of  training in the village of Kirigakure.

Now fully rested the Senju begun the rest of his journey back to his home, while he walked he though of all the things he wanted to do once he got their, the first thing he wanted was to go see his mother as they had no contact in all this time and he had left without even saying a word, drop of sweat begun to fall from his forehead as he thought about how she was going to beat him half to death for leaving and not bothering to tell her, but he had to do it or else he wouldn't have had the conviction to leave.

But more so then that, he had personal business he had to take care of too, even after a year from it happening he still had dreams of the man in the mask and how he killed his father and his team in cold blood on snowy night, he wanted answers and he was going to get them one way or another.

WC:552

Getting turned around was an easy feat when roaming the wilderness, and despite his experience trekking the sun-toasted ragweeds, and knee-high grass, even Honnari still got lost sometimes. The Naka River was the perfect landmark however. One needed only to find a delta, a stream torn from the body of water, and move east. Heat warped the environment, unwavering illusions of puddles, and the shimmering distance to cover. 

A cry of a bird silenced the frenzy of cicadas, and Honnari swept his veil down his back. Sporting his classic off-white robe, sun helm, and gold ad-junctions, it was a great mystery how he never seemed to succumb to the heat. Even if he had been in the Land of Fire all his life.

Countryside bathed in brilliant spring sunlight, white and pink clover on the hills, cows graze contentedly, calves at their sides growing bigger by the day, grass grows taller in the meadows, swaying, rustling as crickets chirp.

Children hide in the tall grass plying hide 'n' seek. Picnics by the river, open sun-lit grass, hot and cloudless, lazy hazy days, quiche, sandwiches, apples, strawberries and sparkling water. Swans swimming on the canal, four grey signets in tow looking for bread. Boats rise and fall in the lock, wispy clouds scudding across an azure sky. The signs of a day in the Leaf, with just enough sunny hue to see, and not to burn.

Honnari neared a field of black-eye's susan. Weeds so beautiful that they were often spared; their blight was more then men would like to scourage. Among their ranks were dandelions. Also tenacious weeds, but they had such a transient beauty. Worn by gaudy belle's and elite alike.

A dandelion looked as if it had freshly bloomed, and Honnari inwardly smiled, he was in no hurry to pluck it. It was as yellow as his morning butter. Then one evening, as the days waned and the temperature cooled, it probably became a fluffy sphere. Finally it was a dandelion clock. He picked it and took in a deep breath. With each puff from his lungs he counted forwards by an hour. By "five o'clock" the stalk was empty and the seeds were in the wind, delicately carried away in the late summer air.

He plucked another. Whistling at it, each seedling carrying a wish away.

Honnari walked through the meadow, and as he did a breeze ushered in and raised their stems. With ravenous delight, hands on his chest in a tender bearing, he gasped. The flowers lay scattered on the grass like frozen flames, bringing their cool blaze to the late spring morning.

Honnari took it as a sign of god's heavenly gaze and kept on. Sometime between finally getting his bearings, he heard crab-grass crunch one-hundred or so, yards away. When he looked in the direction of the sound, his eyes grew large.

"Mokuzai-san? --" He said, perhaps a little loudly. Not long ago, had he been sent to Suna to aid in the relief efforts, when he found himself paired with him. A tall, towering man. With hair like autumn in the snow. A man of artifice; he used all his guile and guts to free himself from the muddle they were in.  Even from where he stood, those same emerald-eyes burned with fortitude. The same way they did against the marauders. "--what could he be doing here?"

WC: 578/578

Unfortunately, all that negative thinking cause Mokuzai to expand some mental energy and now he felt hungry, as he recalled his home he remembered Ichiraku ramen, not only was it a great place to eat but it had a long history that started all the way from the 3rd hokage and his students up to the 7th hokage being frequent visitors, it was known as a place where legends were born, and for his first meal back after three years of training he wanted to eat there so much that he was willing to stop until then.

As he walked he begun to hear the sound of a river flow, it's sound was intoxicating and peaceful, as he made it's way to it's sound he started to encounter a mango tree and then a bush with grape's, they were artificial planted but the fruit was real. Since he wasn't going to eat a full meal yet he figured a couple of grape's would delude his craving's for now,  he quickly plucked a few piece's and started eating, the taste was absolutely define as each bite provided savory juice's.

just as he finished eating the pieces, he saw children running and he watched them as they pasted, if they were there that means he was close to the village and decided to tail them down the path. " As he was closing in he heard a small whisper, Mokuzai-san? --" The noise caused him to stop as he looked around until he heard it again and was able to pinpoint it's location, he then walked over pushing the greenery aside until he saw a familiar face, it was Honnari a shinobi he was assigned with during a Sungakure peace treaty that ended in failure.

He then waved towards the boy, "Ohh Honnari right? nice too meet you again. I never asked but if your here i guess you live in the leaf village?" With a loud grumble his stomach would roar and he would hold it as if he was in pain while making a scary face, "Honnari..." He then looked at him with a desperate face, "Im hungry..!!? Can you take me to this place called Ichiraku ramen please, im so hungry..!"

WC:403

Total WC:955

Out of the foilage and overgrown, grass came his tall, frame. Nothing like a less than emotional, up-close and personal reunion to freshen tails and faces. A cheerful bronzed face was shadowed by the peak of his hair and two very keen grey eyes peered out into the foilage. Despite his weakly, cheerful countenance, Honnari was excited to see such a familiar face. His wounds seemed to have healed, as did his bravado, and he wasn't scarred. 

No where he could see at least.

Mokuzai came unceremoniously in, smiling gaily and benevolently, with his bright, optimistic face under his fair brown hair. He had large and good teeth."Ohh Honnari right? nice too meet you again. I never asked but if your here i guess you live in the leaf village?" 

He didn't remember telling him either. Imagine that. Honnari grew wide-eyed. He hadn't known that he was also from the Leaf. The adulation that had served as his verbal blight throughout their first encounter was gone. Honnari did not think he stood anywhere near him, in terms raw strength. But perhaps valiance.

The speaker was a man of about plus twenty years, a little above the medium height, of well-knit frame, of a sanguine complexion. His bushy brows, shaded pensive eyes, that one would look for in a poet or a dreamer rather than in a warrior yet a warrior.

Honnari categorized men like him in their own caste. A race of hillmen perhaps, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility. His only garment was a short, dark coat, dark trousers, and his sandals were standard, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger. The man was powerfully built, supple as a panther. His skin was bronzed by the sun, his square-cut black mane confined by a silver band about his temples.

 "Honnari..." 

"...Yes?" He froze under his petrifying gaze. Upclose, for a moment, he looked mildly depraved. "Im hungry..!!? Can you take me to this place called Ichiraku Ramen please; I'm so hungry..!"

"I guess--I can." Honnari could breath in his scent which was nothing not all like his father’s, who always had a hint of tobacco smoke and malt lingering about his person. Nor was it a musk from the days of trekking near the border. In fact, his scent was so much more exotic; he could possibly recognize the brand of cologne he used – intermingling with the outlandish aroma of a campfire; charcoal flames and cinnamon.

WC: 430/1008

"I guess--I can." With those words Mokuzai beamed with happiness as he casually put his arm around Honnari's shoulder's like they were best friends while showing a wide grin, "That's great, i always wanted to go eat their with a fellow shinobi! i guess your my "first" The Senju would say the last part jokingly before removing his arm from around the small shinobi's shoulder's. "It's been a long time since i been in the village or out here in the wilderness, if you don't mind can you lea-" Mokuzai suddenly stopped talking as his face became a little pale, "Actually..do you mind if we go to somewhere else first? There's someone very important to me that i would like to visit, it's been year's since i left them and would like to see them again, ill even pay for anything you want."

Without waiting for a reply back Mokuzai begun to walk casually thinking that Honnari would follow him either way, as they walked he would stare into the air in deep thought reflecting on his training, he wondered if his father would be proud of the man he was becoming or would he spite him for following in his footsteps to become a weaponry master, Come to think of it..Mokuzai begun to wonder if he actually knew his father at all. Even after a year or two of the same occurring dream's he was still mystified by what it all meant but there was still two facts that rung true, 1. He remembered his father telling him he was preparing for a very important mission before he left. 2. His father and his squad had attacked but one single man in the place that had heavy snowfall.

As the two continued to walk towards the location he couldn't help thinking about the connection between the two fact's and why he had been there, could there have been something he missed? was there a clue somewhere in all of this? The more he thought about it, the more questions seemed to pop out, but for now he would dismiss the inner struggle. Mokuzai now turned to Honnari and gave a smile before talking noticing that he hadn't been talking for awhile, "So Honnari-san, i notice your clothing is very unique, are you in some type of specialized group or is that just how you like to present yourself?" Mokuzai then closed his eye's before stepping in front of Honnari and looking at him with pure excitement in both his eyes and voice, "And i have to also ask..how did you not even get hot when we were in the desert!? Did you do some specialized training that only you knew about?!!"

Once his questions were answered he would step back and walk beside Honnari once again as they continued to walk, and then struggle with himself before asking one more big question. "So, what do you think..of family?"

WC: 536

Total WC:1,491

Honnari shadowed behind him. Studying him for a moment

No one feature made Mokuzai so handsome, though his eyes come close. Honnari imagined that people must often speak of the colour of eyes, as if that were of importance, yet his would be beautiful in any shade. From them comes an intensity, an honesty, a gentleness. Perhaps this is what is meant by a gentleman, not one of weakness or trite politeness, but one of great spirit and noble ways. What he is, what is beautiful about him, comes from deep within; as each year passes the lines will deepen upon his face, he will be more handsome still, as if his soul shines through his skin.

He had the kind of face that stopped you in your tracks. He must get used to that, the sudden pause in a person's natural expression when they looked his way followed by overcompensating with a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile. Of course the blush that accompanied it was a dead give-away. It didn't help that he was so modest with it, it must make the girls fall for him all the more. Despite all the opportunity that came his way he looked like family man, a one-woman-man who prized genuineness and thoughtful conversation above lipstick and high-heels. He was handsome alright, but inside he was beautiful.

Honnari assumed that he was a private guy, so you can’t tell you much. He’s got that bronzed skin look going on. He has the heart of a lion and the soul of an angel. He’s a fair few inches taller than most... He’s slim, muscular, with an almost perfectly symmetrical face. He has Senju heritage that shows in his features and body type. Everyone must love him, they’re drawn to him.

Where his eyes were the green of fresh dew glinting in the sunlight off a leaf of green emerald. His lips were pale and thin and his nose slender and rounded. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around and the strength of his neck showed in the twining cords of muscle that shaped his entire body; strong arms, bold thighs and calves, a firm chest and abdomen. He was an titan among the other men who each pale in comparison. One look and both women and men swooned at the sight of him.

He put his arm around Honnari fro a mere moment, and that sent him from charmed, to divined. "So Honnari-san, I notice your clothing is very unique, are you in some type of specialized group or is that just how you like to present yourself?" 


"No special groups per say," Honnari smiled lightly, plucking debri off of his robes. "I just never change out of my Sunday best." 


 Mokuzai then closed his eye's before stepping in front of Honnari and looking at him with pure excitement in both his eyes and voice, "And i have to also ask..how did you not even get hot when we were in the desert!? Did you do some specialized training that only you knew about?!!"

Trilling laughter erupted from Honnari's chest. "If only. No, I was definitely dressed quite inappropriately. It was my first time in a desert climate. But, I know better for next time."

Honnari looked at himself after that reamark. Perhaps he did appear gaudy.

A boy who wore a loose white silk robe with laced cuffs and a white gown. However, it got better the more one looked. His translucent hair that had tousled griminess which promised finesse. He had astrong arched helm, metal so thick, it could be illegal. And then his eyes - they were an airy luminescent  and catastrophic, a vivid baby pink. Herald to to his albinism.

"So, what do you think..of family?" Honnari registered that for a moment. It seemed rather spontaneous. Like his mind had been elsewhere and he was looking for a second opinion.

Honnari despised his late father, hating practically. But a bit of love still made its way through. Like a ragweed through cracked cement. His mother was the complete opposite. The apple of his eye. "I don't know, Mokuzai-san. Maybe it's a little world of people whom you can share your thoughts your ideas, who increase your hopes for tomorrow?"

WC: 727/1735

"No special groups per say," Honnari would say to the first question he asked while shyly picking off something that may have been on his clothing with a smile before continuing. "I just never change out of my Sunday best." To his second question Honnari suddenly erupted into laughter which made Mokuzai tilt his head before he got his answer, "If only. No, I was definitely dressed quite inappropriately. It was my first time in a desert climate. But, I know better for next time." And finally to his third question there would be a hang of silence before he received his answer, "I don't know, Mokuzai-san. Maybe it's a little world of people whom you can share your thoughts your ideas, who increase your hopes for tomorrow?"

Upon hearing Honnari's words Mokuzai stopped and slightly turned his body to look the boy in the eye, his ear's slightly red from heat bearing down on them, his eye's were wide with surprise while one could find a faint smile on his face before a soothing whistle followed by his words, "Wow Honnari, despite your pretty clothing and young build you actually seem to have deep thought's hidden within you. I like that" As he said the last part his faint smile widened into a happy grin before he kept walking, as they continued to make their way towards the place Mokuzai was taking them he would start to talk about his time in Kirigakure, he would tell Honnari how he meant his rival Chigetsu doing the chunin exams after he had just graduated from the academy and how they fought for a full round before Mokuzai quickly became overpowered, he would even get a little angry as he recalled how Chigetsu left him their to bleed without so much as calling medical attention but also made sure to tell Honnari that he was actually a good guy when you got to know him although he shows a lack of trust to new people.

He also spoke of his mysterious detective friend Di, first he explained that their original meeting was when Mokuzai was a more experienced gennin and he happened to find a job posting for guard duty and he was hired to protect Di's client, Mokuzai didn't bother telling Honnari about the spirits of the afterlife he encountered that day because even now that day seemed like a dream and instead told him that he had to fight a giant summoned frog nearly eight feet tall before Di's client ultimately fainted from distress and they had to escape. The Senju's face would go sour as he recalled how he spent a night at a bar with Di and a girl by the name of Nova when he was still under aged, he told Honnari that he had fallen in love with a girl that actually turned out to be a guy and how it surprised him, but also how the experience broke down the wall between male and female and now he was able to look at both as potential lover's depending on the person.

Now after he finished talking he would listen to any stories Honnari had for him and would do so carefully with a smile on his face as they neared the destination. Once Honnari was done speaking they would just arrive at a graveyard site and Mokuzai would look back to his friend and grab him by the hand and lead him to one specific grave that read "Kizoa Senju" which was lined up along with four others before slowly shifting onto his knee's and making a prayer while speaking, "Earlier i asked you about family, well this is the grave of my father and his squad mate's that perished while on a mission. When my dad was alive and up until a certain point as a genin i had loved and cherished my dad, he was the reason i took up learning the art of the blade in the first place, but now as i get older and some things about his death don't make sense i now ask myself, "did i really know him in the first place?" Family is a tricky thing..but yet i still find myself grasping onto the memory of when i was young simply tugging on his clothing as he walked around so proudly. Honnari-kun, if both your parent's are still alive i suggest you treasure them greatly no matter what they have done, after all you never know how much time somebody has left in this world." Now that he was done talking he would enter into silence as he sat their praying that his dad was happy in the afterlife.


WC:813


Total WC:2,304

"Wow Honnari, despite your pretty clothing and young build you actually seem to have deep thought's hidden within you. I like that."  The firm line on Honnari's face, born of shrewdness, softened to a faint grin. If Mokuzai could see Honnari's eyes, they would look absolutely delighted. Rosy cheeks in vein of his lips, peeled away, and revealed just a peak of white.


Honnari was all ears, as his friend recalled fond memories of courage and gallantry. He mused on his experience in the Chuunin exams. A program set to sift through a village's top tier, and upcoming genin. The potential herald, and legacy to the warriors of old respectively. He went on about his graduation, bushy tailed and full of light. In the vain of losing to another Shinobi by the name of Chigetsu. There was a sting in his heart as he eloped over this, like his emotions were running high. Honnari frowned, but reminded him that experience was sometimes better than gain. And there was nothing sweeter than not!


Musing through more memories, Mokuzai recalled an event that sounded like it was ripped right out of a storybook. A tale of slaying some wondrous beast against impeccable odds, to landing in a bar scene. Rusing over a case where a girl was actually a boy, made Honnari--flustered to say the least. Honnari did not say anything-- he did not know what to say. He was peculiarly conscious of the man walking next to him, hand holding his.

Honnari pulled his hand away, and brung it tenderly to his chest.  

Mokuzai was a man of experience and perpetual connections. Honnari loathed that. He felt as if he was the exact opposite. Mokuzai had people orbiting around him; some were so close it burned them, some were so far they were the coldest they could be because they wanted to be closer. The lucky ones were in the perfect distance to feel his warmness and live with him peacefully. In one way or another all the people that met him probably felt attracted to him. He was the brightest person you could ever meet.

And Honnari Well, in his little System, he was Pluto: a strange, little cold planet that no one wanted around the Sun.

The weak grin on Honnari's face grew weaker, reclaiming it's unbothered line. "That's very--open minded of yourself. I suppose."

Enraptured by his own feelings of increduity and inadequacy, Honnari did not noticed the grave site Mokuzai had led him to. The boughs of the cemetery twist like contorted bones, writhing in a silent scream. Beneath them lie the cold stones, each marking a dwelling place in which no-one is home. Honnari, despite being extremely superstitious, is never bothered by the howl of the wind until he must traverse this place, then it's all he can hear.

"Earlier I asked you about family, well this is the grave of my father and his squad mate's that perished while on a mission. When my dad was alive, and up until a certain point as a genin, I loved and cherished my dad. He was the reason I took up learning the art of the blade in the first place; but now as I get older and some things about his death don't make sense I now ask myself, 'Did I really know him in the first place?'"


Honnari also felt a disconnect from his own father, but it was estranged and a result of toxicity that ensued before his passing. Mokuzai and his father were a tragic case on their own. A conjugation of pure love and aspiration. That left a sting in Honnari's heart. If one could see his eyes, they'd be the very picture of despair. Enough to send a wave of emotion through a crowd.


"Perhaps you did not. Somethings, we'll just have to take to the grave with ourselves. Only God knows our heart's true intent. And all we can do is trust that our loved ones have been sincere." 


Honnari judged his tone. Digressing for bit.


"But still, if you believe your words, believe your worth, and believe his choices to made him strong, than there is nothing to mourn but the passing of time."


"Family is a tricky thing..but yet I still find myself grasping onto the memory of when I was young simply tugging on his clothing as he walked around so proudly. Honnari-kun, if both your parent's are still alive I suggest you treasure them greatly no matter what they have done, after all you never know how much time somebody has left in this world."

Honnari thought that was a bit warped, but also he understood the words from his mourning.

Yet, his father was the bane of his existence, for as long as he'd been alive, and now, in death he was a saint?

Nonsense! But he was still due respect. And he'd come months in between, bleeding heart forbid.

Honnari always liked being in the cemetery, its quiet, peaceful. Like his Shrine. The dead laid to rest in grave stones in promise of not being forgotten, but a promise which is always broken. He liked to visit the old crooked, crumbling grave stones; the people who have had no one visit or care in a long time, he'd leave a single flower upon each headstone. He liked the way time seems to stand still, the wind unmoving, the birds always quiet like they know. He liked to hide behind the tall leafless oaks and watch the tears trail down the face of grief stricken widows, to hear them cry and scream begging for longer time with their love. He didn't like that they're sad, He liked watching the raw emotion, it is beautiful. And for a second, it makes him believe the dead wont be forgotten, although to be forgotten is inevitable.

Honnari watched Mokuzai brook his eyes closed and pray, hoping an airy hand on the shoulder, the minor touch of another person, could quell the brewing emotion.

WC: 1030/2765

Mokuzai was mourning, for the better part of three years he kept his emotion's hidden but for even longer than that he refused to visit his father's grave, it seemed after all this time no matter how much the fact's changed he couldn't let go of the fact that he cared about his father. Honnari spoke up as if to ease the Senju's grief, "Perhaps you did not. Somethings, we'll just have to take to the grave with ourselves. Only God knows our heart's true intent. And all we can do is trust that our loved ones have been sincere. But still, if you believe your words, believe your worth, and believe his choices to made him strong, than there is nothing to mourn but the passing of time."

Mokuzai took in a deep breath of air as Honnari's words seemed to soothe him a bit and he then started praying, his friend would place a hand on his shoulder joining him in prayer and mentally he wished that his father and all those that passed before him in the family were safe and enjoying the afterlife, he spent four minutes like this before opening his eye's and begun standing up feeling back to his usual self. He then turned around to look at Honnari and gave a smile, "Thanks Honnari, you helped me out a lot today, now let's go get that bowl of ra-!!?" Before he could even finish talking Mokuzai fell to his knee's coughing up blood, even to him the sudden pain that coursed through his body put him in a state of shock as he felt like his body was shrinking from within for the first few seconds he layed there but then things started to happen.

As he layed there first his sun touched skin would start to become a slightly green hue color, his hair became a even darker shade of green and started to grow while flowers started to bloom, two pairs of wooden-like antlers would also grow from the side of his head, his cloth's started to feel restricting as his body felt like it was expanding and he quickly tore open his shirt while at the same time a thin layer of smooth wood to grow from his neck and he felt it going all the way down to his genital section only to stop short of it, he then felt it start back up again near his thigh area until it reached the very sole's of his feet with the same smooth like wood covering his upper body. Mokuzai could now breath again but he no longer felt like himself, as he thought about why this suddenly happened he remembered shortly before leaving Kirigakure he had experimented on himself using his clan's cells, "H-Honnari..i think the ramen is going to have to wait.. I think one of my medical experiments just made a break through. Mind helping me to the hospital?" As he waited for his friends response so many thought's rushed to his head but right now he felt truly indecent which was a feeling he never had before.

Transformation:

WC:548

Total WC:2,852

In the grip of silent panic, wild eyes, pupils dilated, heart racing, brain synapses firing like a hyped up internal aurora borealis.  His eyes said that his brain had been pickled in brine. Then, the possessed convulsions. Like a seizing child, or a dying animal. Honnari tripped over his gown from taking a few, unconscious steps back. His heart was in his mouth, and all the warmth in his body had all but fled. What was he to do? How was he to react when someone seemed to be drawing their last breathe before him?


Honnari struggled to legs like a limp fawn. Eyes still holding that same fear, but also mixed with curiosity. Mokuzai bent over as sharply as if she'd been punched in the stomach, and drops of blood spattered his lap and knees and the dust at his feet. Honnari watched helplessly as the fit tore the seemingly dying man apart. By slow, torturous degrees, the coughs eased in intensity and then slowly, slowly passed. Then, like some blight, a green hue began to overtake his sun-kissed skin. Hair taking on a green even darker than his skin. Greener than the foliage. Than crab-grass. Than the weeds. Than any green he'd ever seen. Bark began encroaching on his skin in even, glossy layers. Antlers grew on either side of his head, they too were made of bark. Here and there on the surface of his body, wild flowers spurted and bloomed.

Without even thinking, Honnari started to mess with the arrows in his quiver. Yet, too entranced to actually take one out and nock it to his fast. His body had seemed to settle. Feminine curves were in places where there had been none. Afterall of that, his--or her first words were: " "H-Honnari..i think the ramen is going to have to wait.. I think one of my medical experiments just made a break through. Mind helping me to the hospital?"

Honnari's heart twisted and sunk with nerves as he stood in front of this new being. The new, feminine voice enveloped him as he stood there coldly, very firghtened. 
Slowly, the panic and anxiety attack flowed away, and yet he still sat frozen in fear. His eyes, closed and aimed towards his clasped hands, slowly opened. Trepidation swelled through him as he slowly raised his eyes yet again to the steadily eager woman. His slender fingers pressed into the skin of his forearms, nails biting in the layer of fine dust, drawing beads of blood on his sleeves. His whole body shook, bones rattling in the constant fear of this alien being that loomed before him. Heart pounding so hard against his ribcage as his pulse pressed outward, jerking the veins within.



Fear and perhaps tears blind him and he turns, running as quickly as his legs can carry him, bolting through the forest like a competitor whose hears  the start gun; quickening his pace to an all out sprint. The pounding noise of his shoes resonating off the walls of the taproots with a clanging echo that matched his heart throbbing inside his chest with the thick grief and fear he felt as he ran. The warm humidity of the jungle made him feel sticky and suffocated. His clothes and hair, slick with perspiration, clung to his skin. He swatted another pesky insect. Sweat rolled down his skin in thick, salty beads. He could feel his heart throbbing inside his chest. His skin felt like it was roasting. Chakra under his feet gave him the power to take the trees. Ricocheting off of large branches, each strides out-measuring the other.

After his temperament began to settle, and Honnari lost some of the adrenaline he had from earlier, he land on the ground less-than-gracefully. And stared in the direction where'd left Mokuzai. His heart stung. He might feel abandoned, or betrayed. Or worse. He looked up at the sky as dark puffs began to quagulate. The plants were wilting in their. The grey, scraggy clouds were rolling in. This is a day of melancholy. 


He paced back in forth, rain started to pepper him from the sky. Robes and veil drenched, he dithered. Should he go back, or should he keep going? Perhaps in guilt, in the penance of not taking it back, he headed back to the villiage. Thinking that the time to reconsider had passed some time ago. 

Perhaps more would develop from this in the near future. But for now, he needed to create distance. Such a strange, spontaneous happening couldn't possibly leave the pot unstirred. Part of him was mourning, but the other half was too frightened to even acknowledge that.

809/3574

[Thread Exit]

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As Mokuzais transformation seemingly finished and asked his dear friend Honnari for some assistance as he felt weary most likely due to the transformation taking most of his energy he would realize that Honnari was far from being calm, despite Mokuzai's more calmer attitude towards the new situation he found himself in Honnari face was visibly traumatized as it looked as pale as a ghost while he had one of his hands drifting around his bow and arrow as if he was about to shoot him. Luckily for newly transformed Mokuzai, his transformation was so shocking that it seemed Honnari was stuck in an entranced to actually take one out and nock it. As Mokuzai tried to calm his friend down it seemed to have the complete adverse effect as with every step he neared the expression Honnari's face had would twist further into that of nerves and utter fear as in that moment Mokuzai could have sworn he, or rather she could feel his heart twist and sunk.

After a few seconds had passed Honnari seemed to calm down somewhat as his face no longer looked like he was about to be killed or eaten alive but more of one who was riddled with the confusion of the situation before them, an acceptable reaction to Mokuais new situation. Despite being calmer, however, it seemed his legs would not listen to him still as he didn't move nor make a sound, eventually, he closed his eyes while opening and clasping his hands before he slowly raised his eyes yet again to the new Senju form. His slender fingers pressed into the skin of his forearms, nails biting in the layer of fine dust, drawing beads of blood on his sleeves. His whole body shook, bones rattling in what she sure was still fear.

Suddenly and without warning, Mokuzai would watch as Honnari started to tear up before running away at a speed she had never seen him move at before, Mokuzai would hold out a hand as if trying to stop him but the transformation had taken a lot more energy then he...or rather she had previously thought combined with slight numb aching pain coursing throughout her body. She didn't blame Honnari for his reaction, hell, if she watched a male friend literally transform before her into some type of green female tree lifeform she would probably be freaking out too, but either way, Honnari would have to wait for another time as she needed to go to the hospital.

With that said Mokuzai begun his slow and aching walk towards Konoha's medical hospital to seek the help of his mother who now was working a full time job as a medical ninja, if anyone was going to help him it would be the love of a family member, hopefully, it would be rather simple to convince her that it was him. The walk to the hospital was more awkward than Mokuzai would have expected, set aside the fact that her new form was grabbing major attention after making her way out of the graveyard into the streets causing children and their parents to stare alike, but she found that her new body was quite a deal more sensitive than her male one and that every ripple and jiggle of her skin could now be felt with every step she took. As she walked she lightly held up her hand in front of her face that was now a mixture of green skin and wooden bark, despite bark being usual hard Mokuzai didn't feel the roughness of the bark was like regular wood as it felt more like a second thicker layer of skin upon the usual, and as she shifted her hair slightly in front of her face she could see that it was now longer and held a green much healthier then her skin but also flowers seemed to bloom in it. She prayed her mother could see it was still her child and help her out in her time of need.

-Exit-

WC:616

Total WC:3,517

Combining 1,144 words from Keeping Tabs for 4,661 WC


Specialization:

Medical Ninjutsu- D-rank:  1500/1500 (3,161 Words Left)

Stats:

Strength -
B ~> B-1, 700 words and 175 Ryo. (2,461 Words Left)
B-1 ~> B-2, 800 words and 200 Ryo. (1,661 Words Left)
B-2 ~> B-3, 900 words and 225 Ryo. (761 Words Left)

Perception -
B ~> B-1, 700 words and 175 Ryo. (61 Words Wasted)