Rigid, purposeful amber scanned the length of the park before her, searching every nook and cranny for her prey. When she found him, when her gaze briefly softened and her lips pursed, she proceeded to further examine his nooks and crannies. She was having a grand time of it, really, one leg powerfully crossed over the other as every languid sway of her form brushed her heel against the ground.

This was Mei-Mei's "everyday"; decked out in her fashion of bright red and furs around every collar and sleeve, silk draping her arms and shimmering in the daylight every time she made a movement. She was the picture of aggrandisement - the image of a movie star in the middle of the day, sitting self-assured on a park bench and scoping out anything with a pleasant smile. She couldn't think of a better hobby, save perhaps fiddling with her hair and her attire until she could reason that even she would fall in love with herself.

A nice breeze flowed through and tousled a few strands free from where she had sprayed them in place, causing an arm to instantly snap up and fit it back into place even as her stare didn't waver from the like-aged boy across the way. She could, and perhaps would, do this for hours, sit and wait and watch until he noticed her. A woman didn't make the first move, after all. That's why you made yourself noticeable. That's why you were loud and pretty and desirable enough to be approached first. That's how you knew you won.

And Mei-Mei always won.

Still, there were limits and bounds to her enjoyment of "waiting." She was disciplined enough to keep her attention locked on him, but not quite disciplined enough to keep her legs from twitching and her fingers from idling in light taps against the wood she sat on. She traced shapes, faces, words; perfectly red nails, glittering with each ray of sunlight that kiss them, glided across the wood without digging in. They were made for digging in, fairly, but she would never deface public property. Konohagakure was still her village, after all. She had its standards to uphold.

Every so often she'd flicker her chakra around her tracing digits, getting in the most minute of practice while she followed her actual goal. It would flow out and, without thinking, leave its trail in the wake of her fingers. Her shapes became real, her thoughts in a light blue scrawl upon the bench's surface -- and then she caught herself. She pulled her hand up without blinking, ending the current of her chakra and flicking it from her hands as if it was a bug. There was no reason to give anyone ideas; this whole "ninja" business was an inconsequential secondary to her place in life, and she wouldn't pay it the mind anyone else thought she should.

She had her own aspirations. She was going to sit here, and she was going to wait, and she was going to fulfill them.

[ 521 ]

Chiaki was out for a run today, and the park seemed like as good a place as any. She had chosen clothes that were comfortable, but also stylish. She wanted to dress herself in a way that she would be cute, even when dripping with sweat. It was every girl's dream to not look like a reheated pig dinner at the end of a run, and she was no exception. She had pinned her hair back with a couple of decorative senbon, the chains jingling with miniscule bells attached to them.

She wore her typical Kunoichi dress which she had tailor made. It wasn't anything special, but it breathed like a swimsuit, and moved like cotton. It felt to her like she was wearing silk, and hugged her frame. It had slitted sides, and was a floral pattern. Dark blue and trimmed in golden yellow, it accentuated her dark and fine hair. She decided that she would put on some waterproof mascara and eyeliner, just so that she didn't look so washed out, but forwent the rest of the makeup ensemble. Checking her fingernails, she found them still painted from last night, a dark teal color. She examined them for any cracks, and saw whether she wanted to get rid of them, as her nails grew rather rapidly, and she didn't want to look like a slob. Finding that they were, in fact, quite acceptable, she slipped herself into her ninja sandals, raced out the door and locked it behind her. Tossing the keys into a hidden pocket of her dress, she started to the rooftop. Clambering up there, she tucked herself into a corner as a Jounin went past. Weren't they slower than before? Shaking her head, she sped off towards the park, jumping over obstructions in her way.

Leaping from the last rooftop, she jumped through the trees, landing on the path with a huff. She set off for a good while, getting herself nice and tired after a good hour's run. Sweat beading on her person, she jumped into the trees again, this time trying to find someplace to cool off, to rest. Picking a place in her mind, she set off and distracted herself with thoughts of food. Perhaps Miso soup would be on the menu today, or dare she say, Lo Mein? She really enjoyed the taste of that, but a good roasted chicken sounded tasty too.

Lost in her thoughts, as she was, she jumped out of the trees, still musing over what to eat and almost landed right on top of a young man. Or that is, the young man barely avoided being crushed by the kunoichi, who, in her defense, was caught unawares and landed rather roughly, tumbling through the grass, and managed to right herself right before her momentum was lost.

Checking to see that everything was secure, she wondered if she had flashed him, or anyone else around for that matter. Scanning, she saw a young woman who was sitting on the bench, looking over this way. Perhaps she was resting too, and dernit, on the bench that Chiaki had picked out.

Wheeling back to the young man she giggled and put her hand behind her head, "I ah, I am sorry, I was going to come and rest a bit on that bench over there. I didn't see you." An easy, apologetic smile bloomed on her lips as she reddened in embarrassment.

WC: 580

A twitch.

There was a new rigidness to Mei-Mei's posture, her back straight and her fingers curled tightly into themselves. She was no longer tracing the bench, no longer languid and dreamy-eyed as she watched the boy across the park. Her eyes were now solely and specifically centered on the kunoichi who had very much stumbled into her picture frame. Her nails were now digging into her palm, one eye twitching, a smoldering gaze flared in pure annoyance.

This new girl got a smile from the guy she had spent the last fifteen minutes fantasizing about a future with -- waiting for just a glance her way, any indication or notice that would validate what she was doing -- and it took her barely a second. That wasn't fair. That wasn't how this game was played. Mei-Mei always got the high score.

She was also not one for subtleties. There was always a time to act - a chance, a twist of fate - and this was hers.

It was a flare of her attire, a fan of her dress that sent silk and furs flowing in every direction and fluttering across the ground as she stood in one powerful step. Her heels dug into the dirt and grass, tearing up a small mound from the forcefulness of her movements. A toss off her arm moved any lingering cloth out of her way and sent it in a billow behind her, the epitome of a grand gesture and an even grander entrance into the scene as she stepped forward into it -- much more gracefully than the girl before her, she'd add.

Her fingers unfurled to progress through the tresses of her hair-on-fire, wavy red mused and splayed out like shifting flames with every advance she made towards the two. She wasn't so much making noise as she walked as she was the noise, the sight and the sound of her making a move entirely hers and very loud in concept. In execution. In how she dominated the space around her with every step, shaped and molded her air and her presence to be as overwhelming as she possibly could. She wasn't powerful because she was a good ninja - she was barely one, never cared to be - she was powerful because she told the world she was and that's what she presented.

It was one final swing down of her feel that planted her in place just before the clumsy girl and the very handsome boy; and it was a toss back of her hair in a similar motion to her dress before that punctuated her sashaying her way directly into the conversation.

"What a trip, darling. Are you sure you're alright? No bruises, no broken bones? Really? Good. I'm glad. You really should be more careful, bless your heart." Her attention glided easily over her fellow kunoichi after her absent assessment, settling the full force of that overbearing gaze on her real target. She hadn't even waited for an answer, speaking in quick succession through a tone that was sing-song yet assertive. "And you, sweetheart? I am sooo sorry for this. You'll have to forgive her, really, she didn't know what she was doing. I hope it didn't dirty you at all. Here, you have a smidge. Would you like me to clean it for you? I'll take care of you.

It's so nice to finally meet you. Mei-Mei Kimura, at your service. Anything you need, just ask. Let me get that for you. It's no problem.

No problem at all."

A lick to a finger she reached out to wipe lightly at the front of his shirt, a tightness to her lips when she met the firmness of his chest underneath. If she could purr, she would be right now. The other girl barely registered to her universe in this moment. There was nothing here, nothing but her, nothing but him, nothing but the glittering light in her eyes;

and the sheepish nervousness in his. A ha ha ha ...

[ 689 | 1,210 ]

The youth that she had almost bowled over smiled apologetically, and Chiaki admitted, quite prettily. She would, if she hadn't had Akaneya, probably have found him more attractive and asked for his number. He was about three years younger than Chiaki, as she knew, and upon further inspection, she turned to face him, a curious look in her eyes. Perhaps she should ask if he was alright, perhaps just to get to talk to the eye-candy.

Chiaki felt the shock wave of the take off of the woman on the bench more than saw it, and as she turned to face the girl, as girl she would call her, probably about four to five years her junior, she stopped on her heels, digging them in and making a display, fantastic and colorful. The girl had been lounging and had taken off, getting to Chiaki in, well it wasn’t good time, but it was good time for most people. Coming to a dead stop and whipping back her coat and head, Chiaki blinked and wondered what the girl was doing.

Then the fiery redhead, which is the first impression Chiaki got of her, asked if Chiaki was alright. She looked down at herself, wondering if, again, she had exposed too much, if there was a tear in her clothing, or if she looked ragged or something.

Certainly, she didn’t look too great, sweat glistening off of her body, she had clearly been running, the girl made a quick once over of Chiaki, and Chiaki was inclined to do the same. Unnaturally flowing gown, not at all suited to be out in the park, and a flair for the theatrical. Was this girl an actress?

Chiaki’s face didn’t do a pretty thing then, it scrunched up in confusion as she tried to gain recognition, perhaps she had seen her in some sort of commercial before? Some movie? Nope.

No bells rang and she shrugged, looking back to the other party, who was being bombarded by sweet tones and amber eyes. Opening her mouth, she shut it again and gave him an apologetic stare. She had been completely passed up, but a bit of annoyance ran through her features as this girl looked him up and down and started a rapid fire series of looking him over, seeing if he was alright, seeing if he was dirty.

Certainly the girl next to her was not, and Chiaki looked her up and down once more, letting her senjutsu trickle out to examine the girl. She was average sized, she supposed, for an eighteen year old, or around there at least. She opened her mouth to protest this girl stepping in on them, but closed it again, wondering if she had better not interfere, since this girl might actually know this fine young man. And the young man seemed very smitten with her indeed, as well.

Perhaps this was his girlfriend? She said ‘sweetheart’ so Chiaki could only assume as much. She looked on the girl’s left hand, then the boy’s perhaps they were married? How was she supposed to know.

Not seeing anything, she shook her head and then smiled, “I didn’t mean to intrude, I ah.” She put her pinkies together and locked them, playing on the old, ‘red thread’ myth. “I didn’t know you two were an item.”

Her smile was soft, gentle, and she eyed the bench that was now unoccupied, but for how long? She wanted to get the pleasantries over and go and sit down on the bench, the sweat that was on her forehead beaded, and one strand of it slid down her face. She was completely aware of how she looked right now. Her hair was tied back, she was wearing makeup, but perspiration? Never pretty.

She looked between the two, looking to see if she would receive any acknowledgement of her apology, and perhaps a sanction to get out of this triply awkward situation.

WC: 1248

"Akimaru", the boy would introduce himself as. While Chiaki might have assumed he was interested in Mei-Mei - and Mei-Mei might have assumed he wouldn't be able to help himself but fall in love with her now that they had met - the truth was that he felt mostly ... awkward, and put-on now that the two had invaded his space in two very different ways. He had moved to assure and check on Chiaki, both to make sure she was alright and easily accept her apology -- and then the girl in red had made her big-headedness a showstopper. Her grand entrance had thrown him off, and while he couldn't say she wasn't pretty he wasn't exactly ... comfortable, unable to get out words as she preened at him and focused such a personal amount of attention on him alone.

Bless him, he had a kind and nervous heart and wasn't sure how to break away from this contact and her eyes on him without hurting her feelings. Mei-Mei, in her own graces, had already melted the world away and immediately transitioned into her "boy zone"; this was her life, after all, her Modus Operandi. She was in both a full swoon and full seduction mindset, inching closer every second she was allowed and unabashedly dominating the scene. She was as ... vivacious as the clothing she wore and she wasted no time in proving this to both strangers, consciously or not.

It was only when Chiaki spoke up that the two were freed from Mei-Mei's delusion, in a rather sudden and rubberband snap fashion. It took a blink or two from the seventeen year old academy drop out before she was able to swivel her head away and zero in on the other girl - the Genin, with a hint of her own power about her. Mei-Mei clicked her tongue, broken away from Akimaru when he took his chance to step back and wave his hands gently. "This is the first time we've met, actually--", he tries to assure Chiaki, not distressed as much as he was socially out of place. And that showed, it did, at least to everyone in the world save Mei-Mei.

A manicured hand fell to her hip and jutted it out, planting her foot down and performing another imposing gesture of taking up both space & noise. She surveyed the -- well, no, 'woman' was more apt than girl. She wasn't yet elderly or even middle-aged, but despite Mei-Mei's aesthetic stature she could tell this woman was older than her, even by a smidge. That almost seemed to bother her; that or any other number of things about having her here, with her nose wrinkling and a purse to those red, red lips. "We aren't. Not yet. And who are you, anyway?"

Any electricity between the two, or even the three, was likely and logically entirely on Mei-Mei's end. She was the one who found competition in everything, after all, especially when there was not only a girl in the picture but a boy "between" them. The poor soul of Akimaru could only stand there and laugh nervously, rubbing the back of his head. He might have blushed in any other situation, but the current one unfolding before him was a bit too outlandish to feel anything romantic in.

Mei-Mei didn't make it easy, in that way she never did.

[ 582 | 1792 ]

Chiaki looked back to the boy as, unfortunately, he didn't let her go to the bench in time, and it was taken. Annoyance ran up and down her spine as an old woman took to the bench and looked over at the three, eyeing the young man with an unabashed grin on her face. Looking back to the two, the girl had already crept in, a more predatory movement about her than anything. This young man was her prey, willing or unwilling, and Chiaki was in the middle of the mess. Oh great.

Rolling her eyes minutely, she was snapped back to reality as he said that he was not in any way, shape or form, related to her in a lover sort of way. Which meant... that he was back on the menu? Her head swam. No bad, Chiaki, she had Akaneya, dernit. She mentally slapped herself, grounding her for the next queue that he gave, a big white flag. It was that he was socially awkward, bless him, and that he had a girl like that after him. She wondered if he knew that she was in it for the fun. Or at least that's what Mei-mei, this girl, was in it for Chiaki guessed.

Then as suddenly as Chiaki had tried to slip out of the ring of the trio, she was sucked back in by the under tow that she had forgotten to look for in the social setting. See? She berated herself mentally, This is why you don't go around, waving your feminine charms. You could have had a lovely bench, and now you have a lovely mess.

Looking the other girl up and down, she knew that she was, indeed lovely, and didn't need to drape herself in fineries to pull off a lovely look. They were a good match, other than the boy looked like this situation was going to kill him out of embarrassment.

"Guanyin, Chiaki," She bowed her head slightly, her eyes focused on the other girl, feeling the tension and waves of annoyance rolling off of her, "A pleasure to meet you miss-" She fished for the name of the woman standing before her. While she sought her answer she built a mental profile. This girl had approached rather quickly for a normal person, and had potential, Chiaki could feel it. She didn't scream ninja though, nor did her attire and lack of headband. She was perhaps inclined to use chakra, but hadn't been formally taught.

Dangerous.

Best to move this in a non-combatant way towards somewhere where the young male could escape.

"So what brings you to the park?" She had years of acting practice, she had, after all been working in the hospital with dementia patients. She had bought into their delusions, if she was a young princess come to check up on a dignitary, that was who she was until she left the room. Sometimes she was a long lost daughter, sometimes she was a sworn enemy, but always she put on a different hat and molded into the role of the person in the room. So if this girl wanted an adversary, a rival, perhaps she should play the part.

But, before that, she reminded herself, courtesy first. The smile that came to her face was easy, it was kind, it was gentle. Her eyes sparkled, and held no ill intent, and she thought of perhaps, the boy slinking away, rather than the girl in front of her. She thought of the tender moments with Akaneya. Maybe... when the boy was away the two standing here could still be friends.

Maybe.

Or it could all be a fevered dream of Chiaki's.

WC: 1826

"Kimura."

The look of annoyance on Mei-Mei's face shouldn't be taken personally - this is just how she was, with everyone that couldn't fill the role of an object of her affection. Not that Chiaki wasn't pretty, someone had to note, but Mei-Mei's tastes aligned conventionally with everything she sees on billboards or reads in stories. She was meant to fall in love with a handsome, wealthy man who would treat her like the princess they told her she was while she took care of his every need: and he, hers. That's what her fulfillment would be. That's why she was here, after all, with the nervous boy teetering away at her side.

Not that she could deny she enjoyed the thrill of the game.

"I introduced myself already," granted, she hadn't been talking to Chiaki at the time, "but I suppose someone like me can never have too many introductions. Kimura, Mei-Mei. The only one of my name -- at least, the only one you're ever going to hear about. And you have heard of me, haven't you? There's no way people aren't talking. I mean, have you seen me? You have. You're standing right there. As you can see, I'm pretty fantastic." In some universes, this might have been facetious of her. A bout of tongue-in-cheek humor. In this one, at this moment, however, it was pure, driven honesty. She was, exactly, this full of herself. And in some ways, maybe she earned it. With all the effort she put in to her glitz and glamour, a little recognition never hurt.

Still, she could do to tone it down a little bit. Maybe starting with the way she now stood tall, a hand on her hip and her neck craned up, looking downat Chiaki from the corner of her downcast eyes. She had a flare for this dramatic, it had to be given. "Enchanted, Guanyin Chiaki." Her tone did no convey that predilection. Mei-Mei was not one for forced saccharine; she had a very short fuse and an even shorter flicker of patience, only managing pleasantries at the start of a meeting if the rest didn't call for more. She had already ruled out Chiaki as a threat -- she wasn't going to start being her buddy now.

Still, returning the body-check that Chiaki gave her in kind did reveal a glimmer of the other girl's own strength; she didn't have Mei-Mei's force of personality, or auspicious aesthetic, but there was ... something there. Something even passably notable, for someone like Mei-Mei. A click of her tongue at the girl's question, settling her heel into the ground as if to punctuate her assumption they'd be here for awhile. "Oh, you know." Her gaze flickered to Akimaru, a smile dotting the edges of her lips. "Sightseeing."

Akimaru had a hint of what Chiaki was up to, having followed her eyes and met her gaze once or twice. He wasn't sure himself how to act, because while he was uncomfortable he didn't harbor any negative feelings -- it was just a matter of how to politely detach himself. He almost took this opportunity, when the two started their conversation and Mei-Mei didn't seem like she planned to go anywhere soon; but the moment he lifted an arm to excuse himself with a smile towards the two was the moment Mei-Mei looked over. She caught his eyes and he was paralyzed. From what, really, was hard to tell. There was something piercing to his core in the way she looked at him. "Don't you just love people-watching? You can never be too sure what ♡ you'll ♡ find."

Still, she was able to pivot on one foot to catch both in her field of vision. "But you, Guanyin Chiaki? What had you crashing in here like a wrecking ball?"

[ 669 | 2462 ]

Right, the reiteration of who she was was enough to get her attention, now if she jutted her own hip out, tried to play off the look that she had going on, the athletic type, one with something to prove. She wasn't sweating she was glistening, glistening and standing there for all the world to admire her. Now, planting her feet rather firmly in the ground she gave a small, and relaxed smile to the fiery girl, her cool waters weren't shaken by the flame's torrent before her.

Instead, the coolness of her waters was warmed a bit by the spark of defiance before her, a bit of extra flavor in the day. This wasn't a hindrance, and now that her seat was gone, it wasn't like she had anything else to do besides just stand here, and make polite and light conversation while the woman... Chiaki looked over Kimura's shoulder. Of course, she was feeding the kami be damned pidgeons. The rats with wings. Why did all older adults have to have that stereotype? It wasn't like the pidgeons were even beautiful, they were stupid, annoying, pooped everywhere, and flew around making a terrible racket while doing so.

Back to the trill of the game.

"Of course, Kimura Mei-mei, how rude of me. I just wanted to hear your pretty name again." She purred, giving her voice a strong and warm undercurrent. "Ah, yes I have heard of you. The fire of the hidden leaf, buried deep within the park. Anyone straying too close either ends up burned or charmed. I had to see you for myself." She gave a small smirk, and out of her periphery, she wondered if stoking the fire would have the desired effect. Certainly sugar-coating everything that she said would probably irritate the young woman. She wanted to push her just as far away from the young male as possible, but as soon as she tried, the young Kimura wait... wait Kimura?

As in Takao Kimura?

Chiaki didn't have to feign the look of horror that took over her as she stepped back a pace, then stumbled back one more. She wasn't in the park anymore, she was in the battlefield. The oozing mask of the dragon king was over Takao's face, his eyes filled with hate, the mask twisted in the shape of a true dragon. He was all fire, all rage, and the earth cracked and bled around him. The blood of the earth killed all that it touched. He was power, he was might, he was unrelenting fury and rage.

She saw the men and women burned by him, by his shinobi and kunoichi that were defending him from the back. She saw the aftermath of the scars on the earth, couldn't do a thing to help the people. Couldn't do a thing to help the land. She could hear the cries and the screams of the people all around her, dying, fighting for the man named Kimura. Through the ordeal her eyes would mist over, clearly not looking at Kimura, Mei-mei, but elsewhere, but the horror that was there was real. It was not feigned, it didn't have to be. It could easily be mistaken for awe, perhaps, if the person looked deep enough. She was a Kimura too?

Chiaki snapped back to reality, and as she was still talking, answering her question really. Chiaki just gave a dumb look, trying to get a hold of the situation again. She didn't want to let this young girl... wait, why was she standing in the way of this girl. What right did she have to not let her seek out and claim whichever young man she wanted? She had none, no claim to the attention that she was seeking from this young girl. Ah, yes, back to- back to the coolness of before. She settled herself, her natural chakra of her practiced, tried and true, senjutsu budding out to the world around her. She had practiced long and hard for it, after all, and it was best to keep it up at all times, not that she had a choice sometimes.

The otter's chakra enveloped the area once more, granting her sight, sound, sensing around her. A small smile as she looked back to the youth next to her. "I can see why one would come to the park. Sight seeing is quite a good pass time here. And yes, I think you found the idyllic spot. Though it's been taken." She leveled her gaze at the old woman on the bench and gave a small shrug.

"Me?" She placed her hand, fingers splayed on her chest, trying to accentuate what little breasts she had, and puffed out her chest to do so in a theatrical way. Over-theatrics she could do. "I was merely taking a mid morning, or rather afternoon?" She looked up, interrupting herself and trying to gauge the time now, "Afternoon run." The eyes came back down to settle like a warm rain on Kimura, mirth there, laughter, and a kindness. Perhaps she could entrap the girl like the girl had entrapped the youth with her own gaze.

"Truly, it is a lovely day, but I also wanted to see if it was true, if this was indeed your favorite haunt." She nodded, "And to see if the rumors were true, that you are strong. That you are beautiful." She shook her head and sighed, lifting both hands in a shrug, "I can speak to the latter but cannot to the former. And you are not dressed for such an occasion. I mean, I am a genin, and wanted to see if perhaps the great Kimura Mei mei wanted to spar. But perhaps another time." Her eyes opened and she gave a small wink, "Perhaps another time I'll see the fire of the hidden leaf village in a more convenient place and attire to see what she's capable of."

Her voice sounded like the patter of rain on a windowsill after a hot day, a relief, but also a regretful thing. Rain always ended outdoor activities, frivolities, and Chiaki certainly meant to rain on Kimura's hot temper. Simmer it down. Chiaki's voice was, after all, laden with regret that she hadn't been able to gauge the 'great kimura's' abilities.

Of course, it was all a bluff, but Chiaki tried her hardest to make it a good one.

WC: 2920

The click of Mei-Mei's tongue against the roof of her mouth was audible from between her parted lips, a slight huff of air following the signal as the wayward student shifted from one foot to the other. Even that small movement sent a ripple through her attire, jewels twinkling and silk slipping in an incline to match her change in position. A heel scuffed the dirt, marking Mei-Mei standing her ground against the other woman's onslaught of ... placation.

It very much almost worked. If the Kimura redhead had anything, it was ego. It was bred and cultivated by her parents, her family, her lineage -- and further stoked when she had her heel-face turn into the pompous heiress personality she had taken up. It was funny, really, how putting on a mask actually worked to fake it 'til you make it. She had only ever wanted to attract a boy, and then she got addicted to the feeling of want and affecition. Now the skin reflected the "her" it was made to pretend to be. Rude, loud, bright and always here to be the star of the show. That's why it almost worked; Chiaki's thick, honeyed words and the way she stared back directly into Mei-Mei's leveled amber gaze.

It only didn't because Mei-Mei had come to distrust anyone that she hadn't fallen in love with. She took blind love to the extreme and would never doubt a man who welcomed her enough to give her even an ounce of affection, but anyone else was fair game and as far as she was concerned it was always hunting season. Everybody had a pistol locked and loaded, ready to level at her breast the moment she let her guard down. So she didn't. Her muscles were tense, her nose wrinkling, lips twisted in a half-sneer and half-emotionless base. It infuriated her, really. It fuckin' pissed her off. Did this Chiaki really think she could fool her?

She built herself up to a bit of a roar, angling to step a step forward and practically bullrush this anger into Chiaki if she so much as said another word of her condescension. The bright flames that were fed to life within Mei-Mei's piercing sight, boring into Chiaki with a deeper, hotter intensity every time she spoke -- smoldered with an instant, dying out to a light flicker. The cause was the way Chiaki seemed to be knocked from this plane of existence, stepping back and staring at Mei-Mei with which she at first thought was horror but she might eventually construe as awe or reverence. This reaction was so genuine - and scary, really - that it made the passionate hot-heiress forget why she had gotten mad in the first place. She could only stand and observe, a lilting tilt of her head after a few seconds before she would slowly right herself as Chiaki did, cocking an eyebrow. Something was rather certain to her, after that 'exchange.'

Chiaki was obviously no threat to her on any level, much less in personality or romance.

It had to be admitted that Mei-Mei had barely paid attention to Akimaru from the moment Chiaki opened her mouth, and less so with this new revelation & the mixed feelings she was trying to process it with. This gave the boy his chance to take his leave, apologizing quietly so as to barely be heard while he stepped away, and despite the game being over it took far too long for Mei-Mei to notice that she had missed "Go" and not collected any amount. This was met by a sincere, but not terribly plussed, huff, listening to Chiaki drone on her pleasantries in a way that was met with a notable more amount of inconsequentialism than her first attempt. Whatever had gone through Chiaki's head that caused her to react so suddenly and with such turmoil was enough to knock her out of the ring in Mei-Mei's perspective.

That made it ... oddly easier for her to be around, sighing and arching languidly. She didn't trust or particularly like the girl, but the Genin was now a rabbit before a hound. Fun, maybe, to bat around, but nothing to blink twice over. "Okay, okay, I get it. I get it. Guanyin Chiaki, you've been spared the wrath of your idol today." That was easy enough. The girl definitely made it seem like that dynamic applied, and Mei-Mei was more than happy to buy into it. Give the little people what they want, wasn't it?

A roll of her tongue along the inside of her cheek, disinterested annoyance but not anger tinging the tone of her words as they ate at Chiaki's. "A spar? Really? Is that still something anyone finds worth anything? Of course I could win," she added, maybe a bit too hurriedly, "but what does it prove, really, other than what we all already know?" A pause. "I mean ... like, okay, whatever. Maybe, someday. I don't really care about all that shinobi stuff, though. Isn't it obvious that I don't need to? I'm already making it."

A tilt of her head. "As you so colorfully stated already." Another wrinkle of her nose, tapping her fingers in a rise-and-fall rhythm against the side of her hips. "Now, you've interrupted my lovely day enough with your incessant chattering. Are we done here? You lost me my chance at true love, so you better feel pleased with yourself for being a rather clumsy obstacle." A shake of her head, sending tresses of red flickering like lost flames in every direction. She took a second afterward to straighten them out, nails glinting redder among red.

"If you really need to soak in my glamour more - and really, who could blame you? - then I'm obviously easy to find. All you have to do is look around. There's bound to be someone with their jaw on the ground as they watch me exist."

'The Fire of the Hidden Leaf Village." It almost sounded ... acceptable. She did manage a small, personal grin.

[ 1041 | 3503 ]

Mei mei’s attire flowed down the smaller kunoichi as she dug her heel into the ground and the way that she carried herself was very flattering and moving, it was a good thing that the boy was making a retreat, lest he get caught up in the fire of the hidden leaf. Chiaki was a stark contrast to it, her clothing fit her very tightly, and she wasn’t at all in the kind of shape to move around as fluidly as the girl. Exhaustion had just set into her muscles and she wanted to relax, but seeing that Mei mei’s quarry had slipped out, the pretenses could be dropped and Chiaki could speak her mind.

Chiaki caught the half sneer and raised her eyebrow, perhaps a sparring session was just what the doctor ordered for this kunoichi, who, much the same age as Akaneya, thought that she was really hot stuff. Well, who was she to judge the younger generation, even if they were taller than her by a good seven inches. Chiaki, herself, was only five foot, and looking up to the other kunoichi she hatched a plan to perhaps get this girl to reconsider how into herself she was. She stretched, her hands falling high above her, and the sweat having dried on her skin gave it a glisten in the daylight all around them as she made a happy groan before listening to Mei mei, nodding all the while. She looked particularly plain, which was fine with Chiaki, as she didn’t want to stand out too much for what was to come.

“Well, thank goodness that’s a good thing.” She said to being spared the wrath of her… of her idol? Whatever, roll with it. Chiaki nodded once more, “And spars can actually help with working off some of the chub…” she pulled at her own stomach in minor annoyance, though there was hardly any there, she wanted a flat tummy, even a six pack. The frown that came to her face was that of disappointment. “So you’re um… you’re going to spar with me later on then?” A hint of expectance in her voice, along with a sprinkling of trepidation. Nice.

“I get that you’re already making it… but wouldn’t it be fun to do it in front of a bunch of boys?” She giggled, putting her hand over her mouth and eyeing another youth, hopefully not putting him in the crosshairs of the girl, but such were the casualties of war. She had enough fun for today, and really needed to shower and get back home anyhow.

“T-true love?” She couldn’t help but grin at that, it wasn’t a fairy tale, and while Mei mei did look like a princess, she wasn’t going to find her prince charming in a park, on a sunny and lazy afternoon. Chiaki moved like a river to look at the young man that was the next target of Chiaki’s attention, she sighed, the echo of it almost melancholy like the song of a creek. She shrugged, not a jerky shrug like the rest of the world, no, this was a regal shrug, a fluid one, one that pitied all other shrugs.

She was a good actress, but she wanted to see if perhaps she poked enough, she would get the girl to agree to a sparring match, where Chiaki would show her the true power of a ninja. Not that Mei mei needed to be a ninja, but insulting her line of profession… especially when she worked so hard to get there?

Nope, wasn’t going to fly.

WC: 3518

Some men liked strong, powerful, demanding women -- and others still liked soft, meek, delicate types, the difference between a flytrap that could crush them with her love and a flower that would bend and sway beneath their might. It was always a matter of playing up either side to either type, and that was the tempestuous middle ground Mei-Mei so often found herself between. This was why she'd be forthcoming and colorful, but read a boy when she looped through his arm to determined whether or not she'd tell him what she wanted or politely listen to fulfill his desires, instead. It was a ... difficult, but practical way of living, in her mind. If she wanted the novel romance, she had to work for it, and fit herself to any number of scenes. It widened her chances.

This is also the cause to why she paused, uncharacteristically frozen in the moment that Chiaki asked her whether or not she'd prefer to fight in front of ♡ boys. ♡ The easy answer was yes, of course; any chance to show off, to preen her feathers and glide before so many possible mates. Her eyes scanned the other girl's, a scrutinizing gold peering into the depths of calm blue as if to ripple the water around her irides. To gleam her intentions, her thoughts, any leg up that would guide her to the perfect answer.

She relented, as women had never been her forte and she wasn't sure what any of them wanted from her half the time. A frustrated sigh, barely a breath between her lips while a hand once more tugged through the orderly stands of her hair. It calmed her, the motion. "Of course." She answered in a way that was boorishly definitive, yet hiding a flurry of thoughts beneath. It was only now, at the prospect of fighting for a crowd, that she entertained the idea: what if I scared someone off? What if a boy didn't like it, if I was better than them, stronger? It bothered her, deeply.

It passed. Sentimentalities usually did. If she stuck to her script and approached everything with the confidence she surely did it would always find a way to work out in the end. After all, nothing had laid her flat to this point. She was practically unstoppable; a force of nature, a blazing soul within the Hidden Leaf.

A forest fire. "It's a date, Guanyin Chiaki." A teasing leer, the hint of canines beneath the graceful red of her lips. "You would only be so lucky." Her eyes followed Chiaki's gaze and indications a moment later, leveling her sights on one new boy in particular and zero'ing in to the next path of her rampage. She didn't even hear the genin's final inquisition about her "true love," though she likely would have hand-waved it despite. Of course that's what Mei-Mei was looking for, and of course she would find it. No one could deny her ... persistence, on the matter.

"... Are you really still here? You can leave, now. I have much more important things to get back to, as you can see."

[ 536 | 4039 ]

"Well, whenever you want, set a time and we'll spar." Chiaki smiled in an ingratiating way and then moved at her breakneck speed of 90 m/s towards home, speeding across the landscape in a blur, she bounded up and over the first rooftop, landing on the second only to catapult into the fifth one on her way home. As she landed, she felt refreshed, invigorated, and yet... and yet she felt irritated. Growling, she jumped off of her own rooftop and sped away even further, off into the forest. Why was she letting this girl get to her? She hadn't run off, she hadn't run away, she had even said that she would spar with her. Why did it feel like Chiaki had lost something then? She had a short fuse, and had tried her best to conceal it, but it all came bursting out as she somersaulted off of the next roof and careened into the forest, landing a good 90 meters away and, weaving the hand seals, dragon, horse, ram, she opened her mouth and let out a shriek, her shrill cry turning into a bolt of lightning in her mouth, which blew through three trees and made the other one groan and fall over.

Lightning crackled around her as she heaved great sighs and growled again. She had lost her temper, and now she was going to have to get it back under control. A red chakra, blood red seeped from her pores as she smashed her fist into a nearby tree, shattering it and sending splinters all around. Better the tree than the small girl. Why was she so threatened by her? She was obviously weaker than Chiaki was, but the burning in her gut told her that she had not only lost the battle that day, but the respect of the younger girl. She swore that she would show the girl what it meant to be a ninja, that it meant power, respect, dignity. Overall it meant... it meant. She wove the hand seals again and let out another screeching bolt in the forest, devastating the trees in the area. They were chakra infused by the great first Hokage, so they would be back in a matter of a few months, but she still liked seeing them crackle and sizzle under her lightning chakra.

This was the side of Chiaki that no one else got to see, this was the side of Chiaki that was fierce, competitive, and above all else, had power to spare. She didn't want for anyone to see this side of her. She was also gentle, kind, and loving. She cared for others, and even volunteered at the hospital because she liked the patients.

Another bolt of lightning screamed from her mouth as her chakra boiled out from her, dropping on the ground and killing the grass around her, it ate at her clothes, ate at the ground ate at everything alive around her. She was dripping, drowning in rage. Why was this? Why did she want to spar with that red headed girl so much? Why was a beast awakened in her?

She was rage, she was anger, she was... afraid.

Chiaki trembled in the early afternoon sun, her guanyin necrotic chakra still cloaked around her, not bothering her in the slightest, but still dripping on the ground as she held her head and yelled at the top of her lungs. Not another Kimura. Not another flame wielder that could destroy villages, that could level playing fields in one fell swoop. Not another volcanic beast of destruction. No, she had to save the village from that.

Nails dragged along flesh, flesh came off under the meticulously preened nails as she yelled again, tears streaming from her eyes as her clothes burned off, releasing a wave of her Guanyin chakra, the trees and grass, the bushes and bugs around her all halted, turned brown, then black and died. Never again. She had promised herself. No, never again. She would never be helpless again. She would never allow that to happen again.

Aiming her fist at a nearby tree, it splintered easily, all of the moisture gone from it, leaving it a dry and empty husk. It groaned and fell to ashes around her fist.

No, she was splitting, she was falling. No. She needed help. Looking back and forth, she covered herself with her hands, not out of embarrassment or out of some sense of propriety. Not out of decency or any human thought. It was to comfort herself, to keep herself from slipping back into that day. To the day that the man screamed at her, to the day that the child told his parents about her. To the day that she had lost all sense of control, and had begun the down ward spiral into becoming a full fledged medical kunoichi.

She had developed a dark side, a side that she didn't let others see. A side that was animalistic, raw, and full of hate and fear. Fear was the presiding factor as she ran through the forest, caring little at the branches that tore at her soft skin, the rough ground on her bare feet, the tangling of leaves in her now, unkempt, hair.

No, she was no longer Chiaki, she was only a vessel for that fear, that fear that she had to escape. The kimura clan was going to burn another village in the future. She came to a pool, hardly knowing how she got there, but her presence alone, covered in sweat, blood, and mud scared all the wildlife around her away. She panted for breath, gasped for it, drank from it and it burned her lungs with each breath. Her eyes were wide with panic and as she stepped into the clearing her own breath reached her ears.

"No, this isn't where it begins." She heard her voice say, it was hoarse, raspy, not her own, but she recognized it as such. "No, this isn't where the paranoia wins." She stepped out onto the pool of water, using her supernatural walking technique to do so, and felt that she had burned off a considerable amount of her chakra in just a raw display of power, fear, and rage. Settling down onto that pool, she felt the water on her bare and torn skin, felt the pool calm and cleanse the wounds that were all over her legs, all over her body, and sat there, her hands on the pool, and let the chakra flow out of her, let it envelop her, let the Guanyin healing take its course and pool around her skin, flowing out of every pore, she let herself sink into the way that the otters had trained her to think.

She heard the voice of the otter queen, Let your emotions go, let them flow off of you like water off of your skin, don't let it cling to you, you are not attached to the water, as you are not attached to your emotions. They are a powerful tool, and can even harm others, but you can use them to give life, to nurture, to be a force for good as well. Water is both life, and death, it is both construction and destruction. It has no hold on you if you don't let it, and yet you need it to survive. Your emotions must be the same.

The nude girl breathed in a long sigh, her body now flawless, as it was when she had first begun her rampage, and then she let out the sigh, sinking slowly, willingly into the water. The water had no hold on her, and neither did her emotions. She formed a seal, pressed it to her throat and sat at the bottom of the surprisingly deep and clear pool. Fish swam around her, one even stared at her for a long time, all was seen through her senjutsu. She, however, didn't let the water influence her. She was one with it, and yet seperate. She didn't let the current sweep her away, nor did she fight it when it was strong.

Opening her eyes, she released an enormous amount of chakra around her, and it coalesced into a tail, an otter's tail. Blue eye shadow and blue lipstick. She shot out of the water like a bullet, the water raining down in the area, and collecting back into the pool. She disturbed the water, but nothing in it, and as it rained down, the pool remained serene, not splashing like it should, but remaining calm, each droplet creating a serene small and ever widening ring in the pool.

The answer to her dilemma had come to her. She would just have to make sure that Mei-mei didn't follow the path of vengeance. She would be a guardian, and a guide to the girl. She had potential, power, and a strong ego. Chiaki would temper it.

|Exit thread|

WC: 5029

Using WC to get A-2 dexterity.
(-5000 wc)

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