Swing, slash, stab, jump back, block, repeat.

Kuno Uciha, standing shirtless in the center of a wide open space of sand, had been repeating he same motions for the past thirty minutes at least. His scarred face and abdomen was on display for all to see as the intense heat of these this area had him nearly melting in his normal attire. He was currently in the village training grounds, the Tsumi Sand Grounds, trying to perfect his kenjutsu combination that he had decided was particularly effective against taijutsu users. His thought had been that a barrage of attacks that forced them into a defensive position would put them off guard if he finally gave them a moment to strike. Then, he would be able to move in with precision to end them. It was a simple strategy, but one he felt sure was sound in its reasoning. Once he had put his mind to it, he had lost himself in a regiment of training in order to perfect it. Such was Kuno’s way, and it would not change any time soon.

After a long time practicing he finally took a break to wipe the sweat from his brow and take a drink, but when he did so he glanced around the sand grounds, confused; nobody was around. It was then that the realization dawned on him. He looked up at the sky and noticed the sun’s position, and his eyes went wide with horror. He had promised his mother that he would help around the store this afternoon, but as he stared into the sky, he realized that the noon hour had long passed, as the sun indicated that the young Uchiha was probably at least two hours late. He rushed over to his pile of possessions and threw on his shirt while attaching his miao dao sheathe to his hip and driving the blade into it. Mom is going to kill me, or worse….my sister will.

As he ran through the streets of his home village of Sunagakure, he glanced around at all of the people that filled the streets, realizing with horror that he would have to pass through the Grand Bazaar if he was going to take the direct route to his family’s shop. Shaking his head at the idea, took a sharp turn into a nearby alley in an attempt to cut his travel time down. He had heard rumours about these alleys and how they sometimes housed the less reputable members of the Village Hidden in the Sands’ society, but in this moment Kuno did not have much of a choice, so he pushed onward. He had only been moving through the alley for less than five minutes when he turned a corner to find it was filled with three people conversing. He stopped quickly to avoid running into them, and when he did, he immediately regretted it. The three men stopped talking and turned to face him, one of them grinning as they did so. Kuno looked past them and could see the end of the alley and a way back onto a bustling street not thirty feet from him, but he knew it was too late for that option. Sighing, he looked up at the men in his path.

All three of the men seemed fairly well build, and were probably Kuno’s age if not slightly older. One of them had a perfectly shaved head and an eyepatch. He stood two inches taller than the young Uchiha, and was playing with a tanto while eyeing him up and down. The second of the group was short, about five feet six inches, and had a club attached to his hip. His hair was long and brown and he was missing a few of his teeth, which Kuno could only tell because of the wild grin he was being presented with. The last of the trio Stood about equal in height to Kuno but was much burlier. He was frowning, and his black mohawk was only adding to he absurdity of the group that faced him. “Well what do we have here?” The bald one sneered as he stepped forward, still brandishing his tanto. Kuno only grunted in response, trying to push through them. It was to no avail as the strong looking one with the mohawk extended his arm and help Kuno back. Kuno squinted, “Let me pass man, or you’ll regret it.” He uttered the words quietly, but seriously as his quick temper began to flare. “Nice try,” the small one screeched, “But it looks like your ryo is ours now. So hand it over.”

As he said this, he shoved his hand forward toward Kuno’s waist where he kept his ryo. Gritting his teeth, the young Uchiha responded almost immediately as he unsheathed his sword and cut across the theif’s arm, causing him to recoil in pain, Taking advantage of this, Kuno jumped back a few feet until he was up against the wall. He was a caged animal at this point, and so he was ready to fight like one. But as they stepped forward, blood dripping from the small one’s hand, the one with the mohawk spoke up. “You’re gonna regret that kid.”

Damn…I could really use some backup right about now.

WC:894

"Have a good day!" Lillith said as she waved and smiled to the lady who ran what Lillith presumed was probably the only flower shop in all of sunagakure. It's not that flowers weren't needed in Sungakure, no quite the contrary. It's just the desert flowers aren't exactly the prettiest things in the world. There are a few that work, but not really any that are excessively pretty. And if they are pretty then they are almost certainly very very rare. Which leads to most of the flowers, much like most other goods in Sunagakure, needing to come from other country and be imported in. However Flowers are incredibly hard to import, and keeping them preserved long enough to even sell once they get here is a whole other challenge. Making it an incredibly hard business to get into, and not a very rewarding one, if a lot of the flowers that you have imported die before you can sell them. However form what Lillith, could tell. The owner to this flower was doing very well, and from what she had gathered, the reasoning behind this was that because that the shop owner had several connections to the Senju of Konohagakure, and they help keep the flowers preserved near-perfectly upon travel, and somehow manage to keep them preserved for a while once they leave them here. However Lillith also suspects that the shop owner herself may be a Senju. She doesn't have an concrete evidence for this, it's just a suspicion on a few things, like how the shop keep has fresh flowers almost every day, but Lillith never sees any delivery carts, or any boxes to be found anywhere, and how she's pretty sure that she's seen some flowers in there for weeks on end without even looking the tiniest bit worse for wear. Not that any of this is really Lillith's business, these where just her thoughts as she exited the flower shop and began heading towards that oh so familiar direction.

Lillith turned and began walking towards a completely different area of town, almost absent minded. She had walked this same path so many times before, she could almost do it without even thinking about it. Where is she going you might ask? Well, Lillith with the flowers she had recently purchased, was heading towards her old home. Towards the old Karisuma clan compound, which was now just ruins and remnants of what it used to be. She had heard that some people have moved into the buildings that had once inhabited the old Karisuma clan compound. But she didn't really care that much. Lillith's only goal was to pay respects to her father, and the elders that died when that vile Mitsuo attack her home and her family. Lillith looked down with an almost sad and angry look on her face as she recalled the day. However this didn't last very long, as something caught the girls eye as she was walking.

Lillith whenever she would go to places she was familiar with, and more importantly places that was familiar with her, would take the alleys ways, as most people strayed away from her and the horrifying presence her chakra released as well as her ability to strike fear into the hearts of anyone whom her eyes met. It was for these reasons Lillith felt comfortable walking the shadier parts of town, and some of the alleys in which some low lives lurked. However she was quickly snapped from her train of thought as she realized that something stood in her path.

Upon really focusing on what was in front of the girl, the scene became clear to her. Someone had wandered into an area they shouldn't be and the low lives that were here had come to pick on their pray. Lillith set her flowers on the ground, as they began to speak. "Well what do we have here?" Lillith pulled up her hood as a dark sly grin began to take hold on her face. Victims. Victims is what she had before her. People who were about to experience what fear was like. "Let me pass man, or you’ll regret it." The man on the other side of the three brute spoke confidently. Lillith couldn't really see him all the well, but her confidence in the face of odds stacked against him was delightful. Of course the men chuckled in response to his demand. However they were all too focused on each other to began to feel the dark and unnatural presence growing behind them, and Lillith slowly moved herself forwards. She watched as the short one reached for what she assumed was the man's ryo purse, and was quickly giving the sign to fuck off with a quick sword slash to the arm. The reflection of the blade was impossible to miss. And so was the subsequent scatter of blood. Lillith's eyes light up, delighted in the display of pain being presented before her. As the man backed off, and the short one's anger grew.

Suddenly the air between the two parties would fill up with an unnatural presence, nothing could be seen. But the air its self felt wrong. It was but a moment later that a wispy unnatural sounding voice of a women broke the silence. As Lillith used her Empty Cicada Shell technique.


The shin of the bald one would then snap, as Lillith kicked the back of it as hard as she could. She would then reach around in front of him and grab his tanto out of his hand, spinning and jamming his blade into the temple of his head, allowing easy access into his skull, kill the man as he fell forwards. A single spat of came back and hit Lillith on her left check, which only served to further the horrifying display the girl put on. Her eyes not glowing an unnaturally bright red, as she turned to face the one with the Mohawk that had turned to face her. His swing coming towards her stopped. Partially because she caught his wrist, partially because they were starring each other in the eyes, and the man before her was experiencing a fear he hadn't felt in a long time, as his body fought to freeze himself in hope it would make the terror go away. Lillith grabbed and twisted the mans wrist, snapping it, and dragging him him down a bit as she placed a hand on his chest, and once more the air filled with an unnatural feeling as black smokey like substance began to rise out of each of Lillith's fingers, then lightning, twisted and corrupt looking, and tainted black, but still bearing it's bright and bluish color began to twist out of her hands as Lillith activated her Surging Offensive technique. Then violently ripping out of her hands the lightning came, and began tearing apart and sizzling the man's chest as she pressed it forwards and forced it on him for awhile, as the smell of burnt flesh began to fill the air. It was only when the man's eyes rolled back and he collapsed did she stop. Once that was done, Lillith would look up to find her next opponent, or to find the man that had been attacked. A part of her hoped he would come to assist, but she was unsure. Either way way, when she looked up, she would disable the effects of her eyes so she didn't intentionally fill the man she was attempting to assist with fear.

---

WC: 1300
Total WC: 1300
Chakra: 120/150

Jutsu Used:

Kuno’s eyes were darting between the three assailants, his gaze repeatedly falling on the tanto that the one held, which Kuno knew to be the biggest issue. He could take a few punches for sure, but a stab to the gut from a weapon like that would not be healthy in any way, shape, or form. He dropped into a stance, preparing to defend himself further when all of the sudden, the air around him….shifted. Now, it was not a physical shift. No, it was more metaphysical than that. It was hard to describe exactly what the feeling was, but Kuno knew that the others felt it as well. They seemed off balance for a moment, until a beat passed and filling the space around all of them was a wispy, unnatural sounding voice of a woman. It broke the silence so suddenly and in such a strange way that Kuno could not know what to expect when the words rang through.


The moment of confusion and fear was broken nearly instantly by the snapping of the bald man’s shin. He barely had a moment to shout in pain before an agile had wrenched the tanto from his grip and slammed it through the side of his head, killing him instantly. Kuno’s eyes followed the spray of blood as it splashed up onto the face of a young woman who could only be described as one thing; beautiful. She was striking to say the least. Kuno’s quick eye scanned her to take in her features. She was probably young than him, thought not by much. She was fairly small, and despite the actions she had just taken seemed rather unimposing. She had beautiful long blond hair that flowed over her shoulders and down her back. But the most striking think about her was her eyes. They glowed a crimson that reminded the young Uchiha of the tales of his own bloodline’s dojutsu. He watched on for a moment longer as she grabbed the swinging fist of the man with the mohawk who had nearly stopped in the middle of his swing when he stared at the woman. His wrist was subsequently snapped as well, before the stranger emitted ration chakra that seemed to be corrupted in some way. She blasted it into the chest of the thug, tearing him open before Kuno’s eyes. As he watched on, he could not decide whether he was horrified of the girl, or if he was attracted to her.

Taking advantage of the sudden backup, Kuno stepped over to the last remaining thug who’s attention had turned to the woman. Rolling up behind him, his miao dao in hand, he grabbed the short guy from behind and whispered in his ear. “I told you that you would regret it.” He then wasted no time dragging his blade across the throat of the attempted theif, allowing him to bleed out on the ground at his feet. He bent down and wiped his blade on the body before standing again, and addressing the young woman in front of him, her eyes no longer a glowing crimson, but bright yellow. He smirked at her, “Hey, nice work with those two. I appreciate the assist.” He glanced down at the corpses around him, sheathing his blade as he did so. Now that he was out of the heat of battle, he took a moment to further examine the young woman before him. She was wearing a black hoodie with three holes that dotted the sides of the hood as well as yellow-ish brown top, white shorts, and black sandals. He also noticed an important piece of equipment that set his mind at ease about the potential allegiances of this terrifying yet gorgeous woman. She wore a Sunagakure forehead protector loosely around her neck, to which he nodded. “I’m always glad to find another ninja of the village willing to help each other out.”

He suddenly found himself forgetting abut the rush he had been in, now instead focused on learning more about the stranger in the alley with him. He extended his hand to introduce himself. “I’m Kuno Uchiha, Genin of the village. I don’t believe we’ve ever met. I would have remembered meeting someone who could do…well, that!” He gestured to the two men she had obliterated so hastily. “I mean seriously, that was some impressive stuff.” Even as he stood, chatting with the woman who had come to his aid, he found his mind wondering back to the moment she had arrived. Her voice has echoed through the alley out of the ether, and if the young Uchiha was honest with himself, he would admit that he was slightly scared in that moment. It had all happened like a moment from a horror novel of some sort, and the entire experience had left him intrigued. Who is this girl? And was that a dojutsu? Is she an Uchiha as well?

WC: 852+894=1746

After the one Lillith had just electrocuted slumped to the ground, his chest still smoking and sizzling. Lillith's sinister smile, and otherwise rather blank expression, as she looked over him, might have horrified some as blood dripping from her right hand.  Lillith then turned around and looked over to where the third one should be, just in time to find the man who was being assaulted slitting his throat off guard. This pleased Lillith. It showed a sense of doing whatever means necessary. The men hadn't even harmed him only expressed intent to do so, and he was merciless in their murder. Lillith's smiled widened a bit, just before her expression softened up a little bit, as she bent down to the man she had just torn open the chest off and wiped off the blood from her hand on the back of his shirt, and then licking her thumb and wiping it a crossed her cheek to get the blood off of her face as well. Once she stood up she looked at the man once more. "I’m always glad to find another ninja of the village willing to help each other out." Lillith just stood up and give him an eye smile. "Oh it's not a problem. These guys usually leave me a lone, but you looked like you could use the help." she would say. Her voice was rather cheery, and while similar to the voice the had echo'd just before Lillith's attack, it wasn't quite the same, for her voice sounded a lot more natural, and wasn't wispy. An effect that was caused by the young girl's corrupt chakra, which tended to make everything she did beyond horrifying for those witnessing.

After that Lillith moved a bit closer so they weren't talking a crossed an alley way from each other, this occurred just as the man reached out his hand. Lillith took it and give it a very light squeeze, only shaking it a bit. Not really indicating anything, that's just how females shook hands. The man then spoke again.  “I’m Kuno Uchiha, Genin of the village. I don’t believe we’ve ever met. I would have remembered meeting someone who could do…well, that!” Kuno then gestured to the two men Lillith had taken out. “I mean seriously, that was some impressive stuff.” Lillith blushes a bit as pulled down her hood. "Oh that wasn't that impressive." she said slightly coy. She wasn't used to being complimented on her murdering techniques. "I'm sure you, a mighty Uchiha could so nothing short of better." she said giggling a bit to indicated it was a joke. of sorts. It was almost meant to be enduring and a compliment, in that she truly believed he could accomplish much of the same effects, but she was also teasing at his heritage. "As for me..." Lillith paused for a moment. "My Name is Karisuma, Lillith. Also a Genin, and no. We haven't met. Most people who met me, at least when I release chakra, tend to remember me. Sorry you had to bare witness to such an unfortunate event." she would just letting her eyes pass over the man, taking in his features. The scars on his face where the most interesting and the first thing that Lillith noticed, that of course after their height differential, which was oddly exaggerated by the fact the man had neigh on perfect posture. That specific piece of information puzzled Lillith, and made her curious to see if the man was a practitioner of Taijutsu or not. Either way, the scars certainly indicated that the man had a history, something that intrigued Lillith a little bit, as she found most people to be just boring stereotypes, without any real depth. Then her eyes wandered to he black messy hair that was standard to those who were Uchiha. It was like a clan style, so used it's ingrained in their genes. Lillith's eyes then went down. His black outfit was questionable, though not any more than Lillith's black hoodie was. Although her hoodie was thin enough that it didn't serve any purpose other than visuals. Apart of his clothing he was also decent built. Something Lillith took into note, and maybe another possible suggestion of Taijutsu. Though maybe not necessarily, because the girl herself was a practitioner of Taijutsu, and while her posture and walk was graceful, she wasn't near as built as the man before her. Sure she had defined muscles, and not that anyone could see it, but her abs were defined enough you could notice they were there, especially if she flexed. Either way, needless to say her interest in the man was peaked.

After that brief conversation Lillith turned around, and began walking towards the spot she'd come from, seeing if the man was going to follow her, however Lillith wasn't really looking to leave, more-so just wanted to gather her flowers, however when she got to the end of the alley, Lillith's face went from one of general cheeriness to one of disappointment, as she scrunched up her nose, as she muttered the words ''Damn it" under her breath. The flowers had dried and shriveled up in the sun, leaving them just dead in the entrance of the alley way. If Kuno had walked with her she would turn to him, slightly dissapointed in that she would have to wait another day to pay respects to her family, and ask, "So where are you off too.. I guess what I was doing just freed up."

---

WC: 952
Total WC: 2252

Kuno smirked as the young woman blushed at his compliment, displaying a completely contrary expression to the personality he had seen just moments earlier when she had practically torn apart the chest of one of the thugs. The woman then steped closer and pulled down her hood, revealing the rest of her beautiful, pale face and freeing her long blonde hair that cascaded softly down her back. "Oh that wasn't that impressive." Sounding like she was playing coy more than anything else. "I'm sure you, a mighty Uchiha could so nothing short of better." Kuno chuckled a little but at that, her voice sounding similar to the one that had threatened the gangsters earlier, but less demonic and more…well…normal. She seemed like she was making a but of a joke which would normally upset Kuno if it was done sarcastically, but she seemed to be complimenting him as well. She was not completely serious, but judging by the smile that had grown on her face after he dispatched the last of the thugs, he figured that she at least appreciated his talents. In a moment that was uncommon for the young Uchiha, he played along with the jokes toward his clan, voicing something that was more of a confession than anything else. “Yes well, we are Uchiha are in fact mighty, though I understand that the strongest of us have unlocked our Sharingan.” Sighing for a moment, and realizing the truth behind his next words, he wished he could pull them back so as to not wish anything ill toward his family. “I, unfortunately, have not had a terrible enough life to awaken such power. But I’m glad you realize that I’m capable regardless.”

"As for me..." the stranger continued. "My Name is Karisuma, Lillith. Also a Genin, and no. We haven't met. Most people who met me, at least when I release chakra, tend to remember me. Sorry you had to bare witness to such an unfortunate event." Kuno nodded and took a moment to process the information. Ah, so she is a Karisuma. That explains a great deal. Kuno knew of the history surrounding the fabled users of the Stunning Eyes, and knew it to be a dark history. It was filled with corruption and the thirst for endless beautify, finally ending with the Sword Saint of Konoha, Mitsuo Sarutobi, raiding the clan compounds and slaughtering the leadership of the Karisuma clan. It was an event that reminded Kuno much of his own clan’s history. Betrayed by the ninja of Konoha and slaughtered like animals, the Uchiha and Karisuma were not that different in some senses. That being said, Kuno was also aware that there was something different about the woman that he was speaking to. Her beauty was normal for people of her clan, and her dojutsu was found in nearly every member from a young age, but the power she wielded was different somehow. It was said that those who see the Stunning Eyes of that Karisuma would be paralyzed in awe of the beauty that they beheld, but the men that she had killed had not appeared to be admiring Lillith. No, they were terrified of her. Kuno found himself even more grateful that he had not locked eyes with her while she was wielding such a weapon. Finally, he continued, “Ah, don’t be sorry. Like I said before, I was more impressed than anything. But I must say, your chakra was very…different. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’m glad I was on your side of the fight.”

Making a mental note of the interesting characteristics of this kunoichi, Kuno watched as she turned around and started walking away toward the end of the alley. He was far too interested in her to just watch her go, but unable to find a reason for asking her to stay, he had to do just that. Her steps were graceful and her movements were fluid, suggesting to the young Uchiha that she probably specialized in Taijutsu, which was further cemented in his mind when he remembered how easy it had seemed for her to snap the shin of the bald assailant. Kuno found himself staring as she walked away, thinking about how much he could learn from someone who’s chakra was so different, and who seemed unafraid to do what needed to be done. His thoughts were interrupted by the young woman’s voice muttering something in the distance from the end of the alley. Walking up behind her, he glanced down at what she was looking at to find a bouquet of dried up flowers, shriveled from the intense heat of the Land of Wind’s sun. She turned to him eventually and said, "So where are you off too.. I guess what I was doing just freed up."

“I’m sorry to see that,” Kuno said, bending down and picking up what remained of the flowers and slowly turning the dried up petals over in his hands while he thought of how to respond. He debated shirking his duties to spend all afternoon with the young woman back at the training grounds, desperate to understand what she was capable of with her twisted chakra and stunning eyes, but eventually let out a grunt and stood, leaving the husk of the bouquet in the dirt. He turned to the young woman, a half smile on his face. “Actually, I was just heading over to my mother’s shop. I have to take over this afternoon and I’m already late. Though I would be happy for the company on the walk over if you would like to walk with me. It will at least some time today, and who knows? Maybe you’ll find something you want at the store.”

With that, the young shinobi stepped out of the alley and into the street that Lillith had supposedly come from and glanced left and right, taking in his surroundings. He would wait for a moment to see if Lillith would join him, but regardless of her choice he would then proceed to his right, toward the outskirts of the Grand Bazaar where his family store was located.

WC:1046+1746=2792

“I’m sorry to see that,” The young uchiha said bending over the dead flowers on the ground. Lillith watched him look the flowers over and turn them in his hand. This gave time to let lillith ponder a bit about the shop from which she bought the flowers. And if the girl that she had bought the flowers from was really a senju would the flowers have died so easily. Though they had been sitting in the blazing hot desert sun,
for a bit time, and so that might have over come what little bit of nature chakra the shop owner may have put on the flowers in the first place. Lillith really couldn't say for certain. Though what she could saw was that she was at least slightly disappointing about the outcome of the flowers. Not only was it a bit of ryo down the drain,
but the girl had also bought them to pay respects to her family, and her clan. For all those that had died when the Konoha ninja known by the name of Mitsuo killed their clan elders and destroyed their clan compound, leaving the clan in shambles and scattered. Just as she began thinking about her clan, her thoughts were cut short by the young uchiha speaking. “Actually, I was just heading over to my mother’s shop. I have to take over this afternoon and I’m already late. Though I would be happy for the company on the walk over if you would like to walk with me. It will at least some time today, and who knows? Maybe you’ll find something you want at the store.”

Lillith would give a quick eye smile, and a small reply. " Sure, I don't mind at all." Lillith would then follow him as he stepped out of the alley way and taking a right turn towards the grand bazaar. Along the way Lillith would remain fairly silent though slightly bubbly. She would awnser mostly whatever questions the young boy would ask of her on the spot, and she'd attempt to keep the conversation going if he did indeed try to converse without. If not, she'd just silently walk next to him. However if things began to get awkward she'd ask him some things to allow him to talk and fill up the space. Things like "So where did you learn how to use a sword?" or "So, how long have you been a shinobi for sunagakure? Did you train in the academy?", and "So you're mom, what's she like?"... This was of course assuming, the man didn't ask too personal questions. Mostly questions pertaining to her family, or where she was planning on going before this came up. If those topics did come up, she'd do her best to play off the topic as casually as possible without really talking about her past at all.

Once Lillith would reach the shop that Kuno was headed too, before he could speak, or his mother could even scold him for being late. Lillith would run up to her and give her a bow, and tell her a tale of how Kuno was so incredibly brave, and how he saved her from being mugged in a alley way, and how she's so sorry that she kept up her son, so that he was late, but that she was also really grateful to him for saving her. After she was done spinning the tale, she would then turn away from the mother, and give Kuno a wink. Then walk up to him. "With that out of the way, I'm gonna have to apologize. I think I'm going to see if the shop I bought the flowers is still open." She'd look away with a bit of a sullen look on her face, disappointed she couldn't hang around the uchiha a bit more. "Sorry.... Though to make it up to you, How about we get some training in tommorow?" She would then wait for Kuno's response before she would give him a quick bow before running back off to the store. God she hoped they were still open.

---

WC: 705
Total WC: 2957
[Exit thread]
Training:
-1925 words, Reaction to D-3
-750 words, Perception to D-rank
-225 words, Strength to E-2

Kuno smiled as the young woman opted to walk with him down the streets toward his mother’s shop. He truly was happy for the company, and it definitely did not hurt that she was as pretty as she was. Her personally had completed transformed from the woman he had seen a few moments earlier though; she was quiet mostly but when she did speak she seemed bubbly and cheerful, not slightly terrifying like she had been in the fray.

Their conversation was very casual for the journey back to the store, with Lillith asking about where he was from and how he trained. Kuno happily told her about his life in the Land of Fire and how his family had to move to Sunagakure no Sato because of some family issues, though he did not divulge that it was due to his father mercilessly throwing them out of their home at the threat of death. He continued to regale her with stories of home and his younger years in the academy. He had not been allowed to start his training until he arrived in Suna, which meant that he had spent some of his teen years still at the academy. It was a little but embarrassing, but considering how adept he had become with a blade in that short time, he was not afraid to share it. He also told her about his mother and how wonderful she was. Kuno admired her more than any other woman in the worlds because of what she had done for him and his sister. She was a hero, even if she didn’t think so.

As they arrived at the shop, Kuno watched in horror as his mother stepped out of the building, her brow already furrowed and her finger raised, ready to assist in the scolding that was to come. But before she could utter a word, Lillith ran up and bowed, before spinning a tale of Kuno’s heroics and how he would have been on time if it wasn’t for her being in distress. When she finally finished, Kuno’s mother merely sighed and nodded, accepting the story and telling him to meet her inside when he was ready. With that, Lillith turned back toward him and winked. Kuno could only chuckle and thank her.

Aftere the brief exchange, the young Karisuma regretfully informed him that she would have to continue on her way, back to where she bought the flowers earlier. Understanding completely, Kuno nodded and smiled, taking her suggestion for training to heart. “That sounds like a good plan, though I think I’ve got some missions to do tomorrow. We’ll catch up soon enough, don’t worry. I think training would be perfect; I really do want to see if I can stand up to the power of those eyes.” He winked after saying that, and then bowed in return to her before she turned and ran off. Smiling to himself and stepping into the store, Kuno began to unstrap his sword and get to work. What an interesting friend I’ve made today…

[Exit Thread]

WC:520+2792=3312

Training

Bukijutsu from C-Rank to B-Rank (2000/2000)

Unused WC:1312