Amatsu doesn't often find herself fabric shopping on the weekend but when she does its hell. The outdoor marketplace was humid and hot today. The overabundance of people didn't help her feel better about being out either. In fact, the white haired shinobi was pretty vexed with herself for not forcing herself to come earlier in the week. She wasn't even certain she'd find the fabric she needed. She was looking for something smooth and easy on the eyes, she chose satin. Satin wasn't where the difficulty lies though it was in her shade selection. Amatsu needed a very particular shade of purple deeper than violet but vibrant and rich like mulberry. It'd be the focus color of her next pantsuit so the look and feel came down to deep precision.

As the sun rose higher in the sky Amatsu could no longer take forcing her way through the constantly growing crowd. She found herself in front of what seemed to be a children's toy shop at first glance. The colors were bright and almost hard to look at but upon closer inspection, it was a sort of store full of oddities and knick-knacks. Amatsu poked around the store her interest dying as soon as it peaked. She grabbed a well-priced crossword puzzle and looked out into the crowd dreading having to return to the noise and heat. Taking one last desperate glance around her eyes met a back alley. She hoped it would lead her out of the marketplace to a neighborhood or anything and that she'd be able to bounce on rooftops until she met the fabric store that was quite the walk up. Amatsu paid for her book and dashed into the back alley hoping to beat the crowd.

WC: 302

Was the air always this humid near the marketplace? That question echoed through Aozukin's mind as he walked at a nonchalant pace through the streets, seemingly absent from the world that rushed around him. It was actually super unfortunate for him that the weather was the way it was on this particular day, because as part of his Seiko biology, he would smell of iron unless he was able to mask it with something. The last thing he wanted was to outright repulse people, that would be such a nuisance.

His family had only just come to grips with his decision, and so he was still able to have contact with them. Initially they refused to speak with him, which ended up as a quick excuse to sign himself on with the Kumogakure shinobi forces to get his arranged housing setup. The positioning of the housing, which were all one bedroom, one bathroom apartments, placed him only a short walk from the market.

As a beholden prince of the Kemono no Haha, his pockets were always lined with money which he would sometimes flick off to the side for the homeless and beggars, if only to drag them on for another day, or perhaps the mental game of making internal bets on which would perish soon and which would turn their luck around before it was too late.

Aozukin was rather casual today, wearing standard athletic shoes, dark jeans, and a black button up with a grey undershirt. On his hands were his standard white gloves which he believed to be the ultimate protector in this environment. And even so, mentally noting his distaste for the germ-ridden people of the marketplace, his stomach grumbled, and the air smelled of something sweet and delicate. He trailed off toward an alleyway, the source of the smell. Toward him from the opposite end approached a woman, her white hair complimented her dark complexion well, and her quite intricate clothing lead Aozukin to assume some higher social status.

There was hardly enough room in the alleyway for both of them to pass without grazing one another. It was just as their shoulders came close that Aozukin realize she was the scent. And for that reason he  spoke to her.

"Deepest apologies, but in such a crowded marketplace with watchful eyes all about the place, what brings such a petite young woman down a dark and forlorn alley? There is no lack of crime in this city, and yet you bravely stumble down this one on your own?"

The light yellow of his sclera would be noticeable as he spoke, in the darker lighting of the alley.

WC: 444

Ämatsu looked up at the man who dared to ask her such a bold question. He was quite taller than her with hair that was longer than most men but styled well. Her eyes traveled his outfit quickly and almost immediately fell to his gloved hands. His hands must of been sweaty beneath them. She had thought heavily about today's weather predictions when she chose her outfit. An airy yellow top made of thin material that cut off above her navel. She wore tight but flexible light wash pants and to finish a pair of intricately woven sandals.

Something was off about the man apart from his bold question there was something about him that didn't quite fit. Ämatsu could've sworn she saw his sclera flash a shade of yellow at her in the dimness of the alleyway. She'd heard of a clan like that but she'd heard nothing solid about them. Only rumors were told of them but one detail stayed consistent, cannibalism. The short Raiu tensed as the realization hit her. She wasn't exactly prepared for a fight but she wasn't about to start any physical confrontation with the cannibal unless he attacked first.

"You shouldn't worry for my safety too much stranger. I'm more adept for conflict than you think but if you must know I couldn't bear heading back into a crowd of sweaty people again. I was hoping to find something of a shortcut to the fabric booth if I got to the other end of this alley. If not I can always just try the roofs."

Ämatsu gestured to the building tops as she finished her sentence with a faint smile. She tried not to assume the worst of people but she was still on guard about this man and his yellow eyes. She passed by him carefully but still bumped his shoulder. She looked outwards towards the end of the pass and then back at the man one more time.

"It's interesting you'd ask me why I'd be traversing back alleys in a city with a less than perfect crime record but why are you here?"

She looked at the man warily after voicing her question. Ämatsu didn't want to think he had ill intentions but he was in the alleyway too. She looked to the sky and then to her simple wrist watch. The evening was nearing and she hoped she would catch the fabric shop before dark and possibly have time to get some drinks later at a bar in a safer area. She wanted a peaceful weekend free from her responsibilities as a shinobi and that meant avoiding conflict. She met eyes with the man once more imploring him to answer her question quickly.

WC: 468

She was a brave woman, not easily scared or made to panic by the odd situation placed before her, but beneath the surface Aozukin had to assume his yellow eyes in the dark alleyway had to be a frightening sight. It was inconvenient that she knew of the Dark Children, it was even more inconvenient that she had such confidence. She had to be a shinobi. He could not easily subdue and kill a full-fledged shinobi in the alley without risking it all. Being caught in that act would have been such a major violation of the treaty established long ago between Kumogakure and the Seiko majority. They'd likely have his head for it, literally.

As the woman knocked shoulders with Aozukin on her way by he grinned just as she could no longer see his mouth. Things were so much more fun and interesting when they did not go to plan. That is why he had decided to become a shinobi in the first place. He began to speak as she left his immediate range, turning to her as she reached the end of the alleyway.

"Even criminals are afraid of some things. And there are things more frightening than pickpockets and lepers in this village. Your fabric comes to you at such a lower cost today than you ever could have imagined. My name is Aozukin. What's yours?"

From the dark his eyes would glare a faint yellow, more ominous now that she was further away from him. Would she give her name to someone she was so uneasy around to evade potential negative connotations, or would she keep her wits about her and withhold the information anyway?

It was these situations in particular that gave Aozukin the greatest entertainment. He loved playing with the fears and emotions of others, and his ghastly aura gave him the greatest standpoint to do so in these spooky crevices of Kumogakure no Sato.

"If your confidence maintains itself after you finish your shopping, find me at the training grounds. I want to see how adept you really are."

WC: 350
TWC: 794

Amatsu laughed at the man behind her hand. She didn't find what he said humorous just the idea of following some strange man she met in some back alley to the training grounds.

"I apologize Aozukin was it? I didn't mean to come off rude by laughing but I assume you'd be smart enough to know I'm not going to follow you to the training grounds from a back alley. This is my day off essentially and I'll be damned if I spend it doing anything less than relaxing."

Amatsu made her way into the evening light looking back at the man who was still hidden in the dark of the alleyway. His yellow eyes flashing out at her. She didn't dislike the stranger. He came off a bit cocky and proud but he wasn't mean. She thought for a moment before speaking again.

"I'll tell you what I was going for drinks after I finished fabric shopping and I'm sure you're a capable shinobi right? So let's make this interesting. If I win our friendly spar you'll buy my dinner for me and if I lose then I'll see to it you get something special? Maybe gloves that are better suited for this weather."

Amatsu leaped up onto the roof of the building nearest the alleyway and waved goodbye to the possible cannibal she agreed to fight. Realization set in heavy and she wasn't quite sure why she contradicted herself so quickly. It wasn't like her to go back on something she'd plan especially for the likes of someone she barely knew. Something about his person made her want to learn more. See if he truly was capable of beating her. It might've also been her stomach aching for something to eat as she may very well be broke after fabric shopping.

Amatsu was able to find the fabric shop with ease and to her delight, the crowd had begun to fade as it was one of the last few shops on the market's street. She lept off of the building and hit the ground feet first with a solid thump. Amatsu practically skipped into the shop, smiling at the owner brightly. Every color, material, and length that she could dream of were right in front of her. The color she'd been looking for was one of sangria. A purple a bit warmer than wine but still rich enough to seem luxurious. She'd moved from satin to silk since the fabric type brought out more the vibrancy of the color.

Amatsu didn't think herself a bad shinobi but maybe this Aozukin character would bring something surprising to the table. She grabbed a few feet of cotton in a burgundy color for his gloves just in case. She preferred it over linen for its absorption properties and price. She brought her products to the owner and counted out her Ryo for the total. Just as she thought she was almost out of money. She'd maybe be able to buy some cheap ramen. She secured her fabric in a bag so they wouldn't get ruined so easily and head off to her apartment to quickly drop them off ad change.

She switched into her normal training attire of flexible shorts and a sleeveless top made of sturdy material. She brought her headband and weapons pouch in case things got messy. Slipping on a different pair of shoes better for combat Amatsu slipped out of the door locking it and heading for the training grounds.

WC: 612
TWC: 1,382

She had not given him her name, which was a cut above in terms of intelligent decisions. She also initially declined his offer just after letting out a laugh. That brought a smile to his face. She was getting it. She understood the peril, and she laughed at the idea of chasing it. This didn't much bother Aozukin at all, in fact, he loved the added personality of this one. The ones who usually accepted such easy trickery didn't taste nearly as good.

It was only when she turned back to him and turned the offer around into her terms that Aozukin began to question things. She sought a friendly spar, and the loser owed the other something in return. For her it would be a meal, for him...something different. But why wouldn't she offer Aozukin a meal? Was she aware of something he didn't want her to be yet aware of? Either way, he wanted to spar because training was necessary in order to advance as a ninja, and all of the most fun and dramatic adventures took place at much higher ranks.

Aozukin chanted playfully back at her as he turned to walk toward the darker end of the alley.

"I accept your little bet, Bright-eyes. I'll see you at the training grounds in two hours."

He would walk off at an incredibly slow pace. Absolutely unaffected by the timeline he had set for himself. His little apartment was close by and he truly wasn't in any sort of rush to reach it. He would be waiting around bored for some time before the spar anyway.

When he did arrive home, he suited up in the standard genin attire for his spar. A sleeveless, black shirt with a one-strap-over-one-shoulder white jacket, black forehead protector, characteristic black, elbow-length arm-guards, and the red and white Kumogakure shin-guards along with a pair of sandals. This had been the standard combat attire in Kumogakure for centuries, and Aozukin wasn't going to miss out on even one aspect of the shinobi experience by wearing anything different. Lastly, he put on a pair of more durable, breatheable gloves.

Two hours would come and go in such a slow, dragging manner as the young Seiko sat at the training grounds, looking at his basic ninja tools he had been given upon starting out as a ninja. He practiced his Muay Thai boxing on the small cloth dummy, vigorously punching it before doing a roundhouse kick, all very fluid and quick. He would be waiting for his opponent with anticipation.

WC: 440
TWC: 1234

Amatsu walked to the training grounds feeling energized and almost playful. She was still on a high from finding such beautiful fabric even if it was a bit on the pricey side. The spar was friendly in nature so the white-haired Raiu didn't worry much about stressing herself. Her thoughts lingered to his clan often though and if they truly were cannibals. Rumors could very well be rumors but that fact stays consistent through every retelling she hears. She didn't want to believe it really. He didn't seem malicious or mean really, only strange and a tad arrogant.

The grounds weren't much. It was a sizeable area that could be reached by a trail that ran through a heavily wooded area. The training grounds had some of the trees surrounding marked with a bullseye for throwing weapon practice. Farther away from those trees were logs sat upright with training dummies strapped to them for taijutsu practice. Not too much past the training grounds was a pond that teemed with many different forms a wildlife making it a popular fishing location. In fact, on her way up Amatsu met a group of young adults that was headed that way for night fishing.

Aside from the people passing briefly to head to the pond, it was fairly calm and quiet. there was a younger shinobi practicing using throwing stars far away from where Amatsu spotted Aozukin practicing with a taijutsu dummy. The kid was smart to stay away from Aozukin as he was vigorously punching and kicking the dummy. He looked deeply focused on his training. Amatsu took a second to admire the way the grounds looked in the evening sun. The night was on its way quickly so she hoped they'd be finished in time for her to get food. She hopped onto a branch slightly above where Aozukin practiced. She crouched into a versatile position. One where she could dash to the side as easily as she could attack and smiled at the young man before calling out to him.

"Hey stranger, ready to spar?"

WC: 351
TWC: 1,733

She had actually come. Aozukin turned to face her with little urgency in his movement. It was only then that he noticed the younger shinobi practicing shuriken a little ways away. A witness or a snack? Perhaps now wasn't the time, this area was teeming with life, and Aozukin had sort of lost interest in eating the delightfully scented white-haired woman. It was not a game of much more fun to form some sort of bond and see where it leads with this one.

She announced herself while already in position to begin, either out of distrust or eagerness. Aozukin would smile at her and bow gently with both hands pressed together before bounding forward with his left elbow aimed for his opponents collarbone, meanwhile lightly stomping toward her right ankle with his right foot. Neither attack would be too difficult to dodge if she was truly on par with him, and neither would be very damaging if she allowed them to connect. He had no idea what style she used, nor her rank as a shinobi. She could very likely have completely floored him after this attempted assault, he did not take much precaution, likely because he wasn't a very cautious or caring person to begin with. He would smile all through his attempted attacks, enjoying the adrenaline release of combat.

The young academy student off to the side appeared to take great interest in the spar, as Aozukin took notice out of the corner of his eye.

"Just remember you get no dinner if you kill me!"

WC: 262
TWC: 1496

Amatsu noticed Aozukin's surprise as he looked up at her. She didn't stray from her position though she was pumped and ready to go. It was a complete turnaround from how she had felt earlier that day. Her strange new acquaintance was clothed in a very typical kumo training attire. Well, except for his gloves. The ones he wore now looked of heavier material.

As Aozukin launched himself at her Amatsu was impressed by his speed. She switched her footing so that he wouldn't catch her ankle, however, his elbow landed connecting with her collarbone. Amatsu would try and grab Aozukin by his elbow and throw him onto the ground behind the tree she was perched on. If that were to land she jump down and deliver a heavy punch to his body. Amatsu felt she had something to prove by fighting the man she called a stranger. Even though they weren't really strangers anymore he was still an oddball. She found him quite amusing and hoped he'd stick around for more adventures.

The boy who was training throwing stars from earlier had stopped completely to watch them now. Amatsu caught him staring wide eyed at them just before Aozukin went in to hit her. The sun set an orange glow over the woods as it began its descent and the air began to chill to a more acceptable temperature.

WC: 235
TWC: 1,968

His elbow had that satisfying impact as it connected with her collarbone, but the damage he had dealt to her was nothing major when he considered the fact that her hand had firmly grasped his elbow and he suddenly lost husband positioning on his feet, rolling violently across the ground behind the nearby tree as he recognized his opponents strength was superior.

He looked up only just a few milliseconds soon enough to roll to the side and avoid a crushing fist. His body was already a little sore from the toss, and his opponent hardly seemed phased by the elbow she took earlier. She was on par with him in most ways, but her strength and durability seemed to be pushing over his.

Regaining his footwork and jumping back to his feet after dodging the punch to the ground very narrowly, Aozukin would attempt to use his speed advantage to deliver a rather nasty kick to the side of the young woman's head during her second of recovery. Should that land he would proceed to try and get his arms wrapped around her neck to begin a chokehold. If that attack missed somehow he would create some distance between them by leaping backwards, then he would draw two of his senbon and launch them in her direction.

The fading sun would make battling with ranged weaponry a difficult task, so he had decided to get those tricks out now, before it was too late. The fight was still thrilling, and the even exchange of blows that were being delivered made it such an even match, nobody could have possibly selected a clear winner, or even accurately bet on one or another.

WC: 283
TWC: 1779

Just as planned Ämatsu's throw worked perfectly and her opponent landed on the ground with an audible thump. She twisted her body quickly in the air and brought her fist down to deliver a blow to his chest but Aozukin rolled away swiftly enough to narrowly avoid her hit. As she spun to face him she hit immediately with a kick to the head. Dizzy from the blow Ämatsu spun only to be grabbed again by her black haired opponent. She wouldn't be captive for long though, Ämatsu would attempt to pry Aozukin's hands off and shove him into off of her. She would before he could comprehend direct a punch to his gut. If Aozukin were to dodge in time Ämatsu would throw her weight into a kick aimed at his legs hoping to get him to fall.

Amatsu had no intent of using her weapons during their spar. She was content having someone quicker than her to practice with. She hoped they'd wind down soon though. Her stomach was begging for food as she had quite the day. Only then, thinking of her day, did Ämatsu realized her stranger didn't know her name. Who was the strange one now?

WC: 206
TWC: 2,174

Aozukin wouldn't have much time to gather what was going on after wrestling with his opponent for a few moments, attempting to end the spar with a chokehold. Her strength was simply a bit too much for him, and he tossed him away with a strong motion. As he seemingly fell in slow motion, a trained fist would make its way hard into the bend of his body, slamming against his stomach and sending him even harder into the ground. This was of course a very unfortunate event and the soreness that was beginning to envelope him was worrisome. That being said, he wanted to try and end the fight in his next actions. Catching himself on the ground, he would grab hold of the fist which had slammed into him, and from that point he would lunge forward with his most deadly physical weapon: his powerful jaws.

If the attack were successful, Aozukin would sink his teeth into his opponent's wrist and he would hold on extremely tightly, his teeth sinking approximately 3/4 of an inch into her. From here he would sweep with his legs in an effort to knock her to the ground and attempt to elicit a forfeit. He had invested his entirety into that move, so if it failed, he would be fully receptive to any punishment his opponent had to offer, likely ending up with her taking the spar from him.

WC: 240
TWC: 2019

Her shove was hard enough to get Aozukin off of her. He caught himself on the ground which was perfect. Her punch connected hard with his gut and Ämatsu felt a bit remorseful for her friend. She hoped she hadn't hit him too hard.

Her remorse went out the window when Aozukin quite literally hit her. Hard. The pain was sharp and she didn't have much time to process her shock or bleeding before she was on the training ground grass. Aozukin had swept her feet from under her in one quick move fully taking advantage of her surprise. She met Aozukin's eyes with irritation and defeat. She hadn't exactly expected this for a turn of events but she should've.

The flustered woman pushed herself off of the ground with her uninjured arm. Her thoughts swirled quickly. His teeth shouldn't have hurt that much. No normal person's does and the fact she lost like this vexed her further. Apparently the two had a different idea of a friendly spar. Resolving to be much rougher next time, Ämatsu looked at her friend eyebrow raised.

"Well fair is fair Aozukin you won this one and damn are you fast. I didn't expect the bite though.. you've got particularly sharp teeth. I didn't expect this to her as much as it did."

Äs much as she wanted to asking wasn't what Amatsu would do. Her suspicions were confirmed in his bite though. His clan was a group of cannibals but it was none of her business. She'd let him tell her if he ever felt the need to. The night has crept in and the area was dark around them. The younger shinobi was no longer in sight. He probably hadn't left too long ago. The pong nearby though was noisy. Most likely it was filled with teenagers fishing and dancing. She smiled at her new ally before she spoke.

"My name is Ämatsu by the way, I've known yours the whole day and I hadn't told you mine. I'll make you a nicer pair of gloves for warmer weather. The ones you wore earlier didn't look quite fit for the humidity."

WC: 376
TWC: 2,550

It was only by whatever luck Aozukin had been able to amass in his time on this earth that the spar had finished in his favor. Nonetheless, his body ached. He had the opportunity to taste his opponent though. Amatsu, is what she called herself. He finally had a mental idea of what to refer to her as. The bite must have been a scary thing to have happen, as it seemed to shock her into an immediate forfeiture of the spar. Maybe that was too far for her conceptualization of a simple spar. Aozukin had only acted on instinct, he had always been taught to use his jaws as an accessory to combat, as they were a weapon all on their own.

"Oh dear, I may have overdone that last bit, Miss Amatsu. Allow me to undo this st once."

He would reach out and grasp her arm above and below the wounded area, careful not to pain her in any way, and from that point a green aura would surround his hands and he would gently hold them over the wound, slowly but surely it would begin to heal itself over as he continued to speak to his newfound friend.

"Being of the medical sort, I have lost some of my restraint when it comes to these sorts of friendly training exercises. Why worry when you can simply undo the damage? But truly, I am sorry for the wound. It will be gone in only a few moments."

Aozukin could still taste the blood in his mouth, fresh and warm. That familiar iron coating his tongue. It was rare that he had the taste of fresh meat to enjoy, as he was a vegetarian in all ways except for his cannibal tendencies. And those had become more rare than what he liked to admit. She was a flavorful one, though. It was a shame she had too much personality now for him to eat shamelessly. No, at this point it might have hurt his feelings a bit to see her go, so she was not part of that menu any longer.

WC: 353
TWC: 2372

Amatsu was pleasantly surprised that Aozukin had healed her wound and thanked him enthusiastically. She didn't take him as the type to be that kind to her but his attitude had taken a definite turn since their earlier venture through the alleyway in the market place.

What a strange way to meet

There was no regret in Amatsu's head though. She felt like maybe today was one of the more successful in a while.

"I'll have your gloves next time I see you. I'm certain we'll cross paths sometime again so until then Aozukin."

Ämatsu waved goodbye before leaping into the trees and heading off to her apartment dreading the thought of having to actually cook food.
[Exit Thread]
WC:129
TWC:2,679
Strength E ~> E-3[450/450]
Speed E ~> E-3 [450/450]
Perception E ~> E-3 [450/450]
Reaction Time E ~> D [750/750]
Endurance E ~> E-3 [450/450]
Remaining Words: 129

It would be marked down as the very first bout of training and experience the young maneater would have as a shinobi and it was ever so invigorating. The shinobi life was shaping up to be everything he had hoped it would be, and that was so welcome.

It was only the first experience and he was already bridging some gaps in his previously impersonal persona. He was getting somewhat of a hang of this "human suit" one could say.

"Im just glad we didn't rip these ones. Take your time on the gloves. Also..please take note and be weary of these alleyways. Not everyone like me deals in fair spars at the training grounds."

He would walk off slowly, a smile on his face, feeling as accomplished as ever.

[Exit Thread]

WC: 132
TWC: 2,504

Str E -> E-3 [450/450]
Spd E -> E-3 [450/450]
End E -> E-3 [450/450]
Per E -> E-3 [450/450]
RT E -> E-3 [450/450]

2,504 - 2,250 = 254 remaining