Evening had come to the Village Hidden in the Leaves in the Land of Fire, and with that came the closing of shops, the return home for many folks, and a relaxing evening with family before turning in for the night. But for one young Hattori jounin, it was far too early to turn in for the night. Nayoko Nozara was growing more and more restless as the days of his short vacation went on. Truth be told, he was not being forced to take the break, but it had been recommended to him considering the beating he had taken shortly before his return from the Land of Water. And so Nayoko had spent the past few days resting, reading, and meeting new people. But with all that rest came a restlessness that Nayoko was unfamiliar with.

It was that strange restlessness that had Nayoko up and leaving the city gates at the late hour. As he stepped through the gates, he glanced up at the sky to take in the stars and the moon, which was waxing eloquently alongside its cosmic companions. With that image in his mind, Nayoko closed his eyes for a moment and released a sigh of peace. He was going for a walk, and though he did not know where it would take him, he knew it would not be too far from his home. At least, that was his plan. And so his stroll began, with nothing more than his clothes on his back and far too much energy for an evening in his house.

His walk took him around to the south side of the village, and eventually Nayoko found himself wandering into the small south forest in the wilderness outside of the village proper. It had been a long time since Nayoko had set foot in this forest, and yet he could still remember it like it was only the day before. He had come into the forest with his friends Daiko and Shimada in response to a note that had been given to him by Tano Koyanagi, long before Nayoko knew that was, in fact, his name. It had asked him to go to the woods to meet him for an important mission. Luckily for the Hattori, he had decided that going alone would be foolish, because if it were not for his friends, the outcome of that day may have been very different. They had been assaulted by three men, all of which attacked with the intent to kill them. Between the three of them, they managed to deal with the attackers, and that is when Nayoko received the note telling him to go to the Land of water.

It all seemed like it had happened so long ago, but really, not evn a full year had passed since that moment in the woods in which he now walked. Nayoko chuckled to himself as he continued down a small path that winded its way through the woods. Perhaps his subconscious brought him here, or perhaps it was just a coincidence. Regardless, he was now stuck with a less than perfect memory that he did not feel like reliving at that moment. He walked for a little longer until he happened across a small stream that flowed through the forest. It was deep enough to swim in, and almost crystal clear. Smiling to himself, Nayoko stepped over to the water’s edge and removed his boots, lowering his feet into the chilly stream with a sigh of relief. Closing his eyes, he leaned back and just basked in the moment for a short time.

Now this was relaxing…

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Airi couldn't sleep tonight, and so had decided to go for a walk in the forest like she often did in such cases. Since the night had already fallen, the sun had been replaced by the moon and its countless little children seemed to dance in the skies above. The warmth of the day had been replaced with a cool, soothing wind that slowly drove away the day's warmth to a pleasant memory. Since most of the people had already gone to bed, leaving only but the few night owls around, the bustle of the village had made room for a serene quietude. Crickets chirped, adding another calming factor as their song carried far into the silence of the night.

Reaching the forest, Airi's thoughts were filled with her recent meetings. Poe, the book wurm, and Jamie, a kid carrying sadness like a mantle on his back. She felt sorry for the little guy. But there was also the approaching future of the travel. With every passing day, she grew more nervous for the whole trip. Soon she'd be able to leave Konoha and travel the world along side Daremo, teaching him about the plants and assisting him in whatever he was about to do in these 'Summon Lands' where the komodo would teach him senjutsu.

As the road from the village lead into a sea of verdant grass and then further into the forest, the soft mumble of the river caught Airi's attention and upon hearing it, she decided to wander off to there. It's joyful sound despite the night would certainly be able to distract her, and perhaps she'd even dip her feet in it. Or walk on its surface as if wading through a shallow coastline. Maybe she'd even train her jutsu some, as that was probably about the only thing she had yet to prepare for the trip - actual physical training that didn't involve gathering herbs and brewing lotions and syrups. She could use a few defensive techniques and suiton techniques, as hers seemed to end up mostly as mokuton and doton time and time again.

Eventually reaching the river, she spotted some movement. A shadow wandering around the river, the shape seemingly swaying in place as it did whatever it did. Airi made sure her Konoha forehead protector was well in place before advancing, as she couldn't tell who or what it was despite assuming it was just a late night fisher, perhaps a villager enjoying or a couple sharing a romantic moment. Alone, in the dark. Banning any future images from her mind, she strolled over to where the shadow was, until she was close enough to see it was a young man of about 5'11 or so. It seemed he, too, was enjoying a late night stroll, bathing his feet into the cold wash of the river.

"Good evening", she said cheerfully, hoping she hadn't startled the man this late an hour. "How's the water?"

She stopped at the edge, where the river and the land met, bare feet just outside the water's reach and resting her hands behind her back as she waited for a reply. Here was hoping he wasn't some water-crazed assassin taking a foot-bath before his murder spree. Probably not.

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The water felt simply wonderful on his feet. The cool flow cascading across and between his toes cooled him right down after the warm day in the sun. Once again, he could not help but let out a quiet sigh of relief. His relaxation, however, was interrupted by a sound he heard coming from the forest behind him. It was quiet enough that he knew a lesser ninja probably would not have been able to hear it, let alone the average person, but thanks to his heightened senses he could hear the quiet breathing of someone approaching. The individual came out of the woods and into the small clearing where Nayoko had sat down, clearly not threatening him at all. And if they were trying to, they were doing a terrible job at it. Not to mention the distinct scent that seemed to flood the area wherever this person moved. He thought he had been mistaking some flowers for this person at first, but as they moved closer, it became clear that it was radiating from them.

The walking eventually stopped, though Nayoko refused to look in the direction of the new presence, hoping to catch them off guard in case he had made a mistake about their intentions. His suspicious were shattered however by the cheerful way that he was addressed right after that. "Good evening, how’s the water?" Nayoko smiled, his eyes still closed as a soft, cool breeze blew past the pair by the river. The voice was female and young, though that was all he could glean from sound alone.  He replied without opening his eyes, “Good evening to you too. The water is a little on the colder side, but it feels great thanks. I was thinking of hopping in in a second, but I’m not sure yet.” With that, he finally opened his eyes to look over at the young woman who has been wandering through the woods at night.

She was certainly much younger than Nayoko, as was evidenced by not only her height, but her lean stature. Her skin was soft looking and seemed to glow in the moonlight, contrasting with her long, flowing green hair that feel down over most of her back. She wore no shoes and a simple dress that made her seem so innocent, yet the last part of her attire told Nayoko otherwise. Proudly displayed on her head was a Konoha forehead protector. As he tended to do, Nayoko nodded involuntarily his approval at her choice of occupation. He always loved meeting other shinobi and learning about what they could do, since his own clan’s Kekkei Genkai wasn’t overly impressive. In any case, Nayoko was just happy to meet someone new.

Reaching up his hand to the kunoichi, he introduced himself. “I’m Nayoko, and I think we’re both in the same line of work,” he said as he gestured with his other hand to the Konoha “forehead protector” that he preferred to wear on his belt. He wasn’t sure why, the girl seemed to be a comforting presence to him. Without thinking he just began to talk to her. “It always nice to see that I’m not the only ninja that likes to travel through these woods at night. It’s just so peaceful…you know? After what we have to deal with as shinobi, its just nice to be able to get away from it all sometimes.” He then reached down and began to roll up his pant legs as he glanced back up at his new companion. “But what about you? What brings you out into the forest at night?”

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The young man hadn't moved as she had approached, radiating a sense of confidence or blind trust upon his own prowess. Most people would have turned around, some even being startled despite her announcement, but this man didn't even needed that. He had simply replied to her without turning his head as he tested the waters. The water was a little on the cold side.

Taking note of that, it wouldn't stop Airi anyway. She was used to be outside, by day or night, and had been 'watered down' during training plenty of times enough to have some durability against cold or warm water. Nothing out of the extra-ordinary, but being a trained, healthy shinobi had its advantages. Some simply accounted it to her being a Senju, but she didn't believe much of that. Actions spoke louder than words, or names, for that matter.

As he turned around to face her, Airi could see he was quite a bit older than her, dressed for combat. Short sleeves, simple, powerful stomping boots that could rival the callous on her own bare feet - both of them would feel nothing when crushing something under their heels. As her eyes rested on the Konoha headband tied around his waist, he stated they were both in the same line of work. Flashing him a bright smile, she nodded at him in confirmation.

"You're a Konoha-nin. I like that.", she said simply, insta-branding him as one of the plenty other of 'brothers' and 'sisters' she had in Konohagakure even if she couldn't really remember having seen him before. "I know, right? There's no better place than being outdoors, day or night.".

Weren't it for her parents expecting her to be home more often than not, Airi would have been living within Konoha's woods.

"I couldn't sleep, so I snuck out of the house.", she giggled at her own mischief. "I guessed having a late night stroll would help me calm down a little, maybe tire me out enough to actually fall asleep. So far it's failing, but that's okay. I don't mind being here, in nature's world."

Airi approached Nayoko, ending at the edge where land met the water, so she could take a peek at the running water of the river. As always, it's playful mumbling didn't miss making her smile, and thus she proceeded to step into the water one foot at a time. The water felt quite cold, indeed, but not enough to make her pull away. Winter's cold was worse than this, and even that didn't stop her from trying to bathe her feet - she just couldn't hold it out as long.

"I don't remember having seen you in Konoha though, and you don't seem exactly green with all that confidence about you. Were you out on a long-term mission for the kage?", she wondered. Perhaps he had stories to tell much like her grandfather did. About werewolves and wrestling bears bare-handed.

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The young woman’s bright smile was a welcome sight in the moonlight. She seemed genuinely happy to see him, and proved just that when she told him straight up that she liked that he was a Konoha ninja like her. He felt much the same, always one to be glad to meet a new ninja in his day to day life. He knew how dangerous the life of a shinobi could be, and he knew that it for sure was not for everybody; so, when he did meet someone who had chosen the same path as him, he was always sure to make them feel as welcome in his presence as possible. To choose the life as a weapon for your village was no small choice at all.

The girl giggled to herself as she answered his question, causing Nayoko to smirk as he continued to roll up his pant legs as high up as possible. "I couldn't sleep, so I snuck out of the house.", the mischief in her voice was reminiscent of the tone that Shimada had taken with him to many times when they teased one another. He had not seen her since their return from the Land of Water, and missed her a great deal. But she had been recently promoted, and was probably very busy with all of the responsibilities that came with her new rank. Regardless, that brief memory caused him a twinge of regret for not seeking her out sooner. "I guessed having a late night stroll would help me calm down a little, maybe tire me out enough to actually fall asleep. So far it's failing, but that's okay. I don't mind being here, in nature's world."

The girl’s voice snapped Nayoko back from his memories once again as she stood at the edge of the water. She was staring down at the softly flowing steam, her smile persistent throughout the entirety of the moment. And then she slowly began to inch her way into the water one foot at a time. Nayoko shivered himself just watching, but something about it made him want to jump in as well. Resisting the urge, he merely continued to sit on the bank of the river and have his legs float in the current. "I don't remember having seen you in Konoha though, and you don't seem exactly green with all that confidence about you. Were you out on a long-term mission for the kage?" Nayoko smiled at that, as it seemed that the young Hattori wasn’t the only one who liked to keep track of the ninja around the village. “You’re partially right,” he said with a smile. “I have been away for some time, a few months actually. I was off in the Land of Water in the Village Hidden in the Mists as part of the Kiri-Konoha Ninja Exchange program. Plus, I had some personal business to take care of over there, so I got to kill two birds with one stone, as it were. But yes, you’re right, I’m not exactly green. I was actually recently promoted to jounin upon my return home.”

He smiled proudly, and rightly so in his mind. For a long time he had wondered if he would ever make it out of the slump of being a genin, but all of his hard work and tenacity had paid off in the end, and he had the rank to prove it. “But now it seems like you have me at a disadvantage. I never saw you around before I left for my trip, and I still don’t know your name! So, are you a secret jounin as well, oh nameless kunoichi?” He chuckled, as he stood out and waded into the water a little bit further, being careful not to get his pants wet but moving in enough to allow the cool river water to give him a brief chill that felt amazing after the heat of the day.

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Eyes full of admiration when she heard Nayoko speak about the Land of Water, her mind flooded immediately with all the herbs and plants her grandfather had found over there. There was plenty of flora to be found there, going from moss to mushroom, to herbs, to leaves, to flowers, even bark. If one thought the Land of Fire was a good place for plants to thrive, the water rich lands around Kirigakure were a natural source of life just as much. The very thought...

Her herbal dream popped when the shinobi next to her mentioned some exchange program between Konoha and Kiri. She remembered vaguely having heard about this in the Academy, but since she was either dreaming or ditching school to wander in the forest, she couldn't recall much of its details. If she had remembered this detail a little earlier, rather than to be waiting for Daremo to travel abroad, she could already have been gone to Kirigakure. A pity.

Once more, her eyes enlarged in amazement as she heard the young man was recently promoted to a Jounin, and promptly she congratulated him with a cheer. Even if she couldn't sleep, this evening was just getting better. As he asked in turn about her, she eyed the water for a moment, stepping a little deeper in the river, hands holding her dress to avoid it from getting wet - mostly.

"You don't?", she asked, a bit perplexed that he had never seen her or even heard about her. She often had the feeling everyone knew who she was when walking in Konogakagure. If it wasn't for the flowers she brought, it was for the mail, or for being a Senju, or for smelling good, or... yet some other reason. "I'm Airi Senju. Some call me Hanahime, flowergirl, since I usually grow flowers in people's hair. I'm also a herbalist and budding medical-nin. Oh, and ah... I'm obviously the youngest jounin of the Village with a secret specialisation is stone-skipping."

She wasn't quite a jounin, but the stone-skipping part was probably a truth. She had developed her personal jutsu just so she could get the best at this, actually, though without losing on combat efficiency, which she had proven once by 'stone-skipping' some thug right against his thick head. Not that it had done him much harm, but Hanbei had been able to finish it off with the moments of respite it offered. Airi had remembered the thrill of combat. Of life. Small prey fending off the big predators...

Dropping the jokes before Nayoko might actually believe she was a jounin, she continued, "I'm a genin, really. Considering my interest goes mostly to discovering Gaia's world, I'm a little slow on the whole shinobi growth though. Plants and animals just catch my attention much faster than fists and jutsu, I guess."

She wondered if Nayoko, too, would start an explanation on the expectations of Senju, one of the more prominent clans of Konoha. Would he too start telling her she had to put effort in it? That she shouldn't tarnish the good standing? Would he be a real civilian type, or more of a feral type that considered growth shouldn't be bound by social expectations? She couldn't tell.

"What are your goals now that you're a jounin? Aim higher still?", she asked with genuine curiosity. Where she still had a whole road to go, he seemed to be almost at his end. What more was there than Sannin or Kage, ANBU or Hunter-nin? The road of ranks seemed so dull and limited to her. It probably wasn't for Nayoko, however.

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The young Hattori’s smile remained as he watched the green haired kunoichi cheer for him regarding his promotion. It was cute, plain and simple. He hadn’t had much of an opportunity to celebrate with anyone other than his family simply due to how busy everybody he knew had been since his return. So to have one brief moment where this stranger was just happy for him was nice to experience. She stepped deeper into the water as well, holding the edges of her dress to try to keep it dry, though it was not a perfect attempt; something told Nayoko tat this particular girl did not really mind. In answer to his question, the girl seemed even more confused that Nayoko. Apparently he was the only one around who didn’t know who she was, though that did not last much longer as she finally introduced herself.

"I'm Airi Senju. Some call me Hanahime, flowergirl, since I usually grow flowers in people's hair. I'm also a herbalist and budding medical-nin. Oh, and ah... I'm obviously the youngest jounin of the Village with a secret specialisation is stone-skipping." Nayoko raised an eyebrow, unsure of whether or not she was joking or telling the truth, but not wanting to assume either way. After all, she was a Senju, and the Senju clan was legendary. Being one that had always enjoyed research and history, Nayoko knew a fair amount about the clan that was responsible for the creation of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Their Kekkei Genkai was renowned around the whole world as one of the most powerful to ever exist, and though Nayoko had never seen it in action, he had heard tales of more recent members of the clan using it to create giant golems that could level small towns, or move the earth around them so much that enemies could not hope to escape their wrath. They were stories that Nayoko could not even imagine to be true before that point due to the incredibly foreign nature of manipulating advanced elements like that. He had fought alongside the Mizukage, wo could wield ice like any other element, but wood seemed like such a strange concept to the new jounin that finally meeting someone who said that they were a Senju was cause enough to be excited and intrigued.

Despite being lost in his thoughts about the legendary clan, Nayoko continued to listen to Airi when she spoke again. "I'm a genin, really. Considering my interest goes mostly to discovering Gaia's world, I'm a little slow on the whole shinobi growth though. Plants and animals just catch my attention much faster than fists and jutsu, I guess." Nayoko shrugged in response, not sure that he could relate to such sentiments, but understanding that everyone had their own passions. “To each his own right? Being a shinobi has been so important to me since entering the academy, so its kind of all I’ve focused on in the last little while. I regret it sometimes for sure, considering its not the easiest life in the world. But hey, if you’re in no hurry to make jounin, I wouldn’t worry too much. Besides, you’ve got nowhere to go but up as a genin! And as long as you’re doing your part to help the village, which it sounds like you are, then you’re good in my books.”

He would wait for a response, if any came, before addressing her other question about his own future plans. He could not help but chuckle quietly in response. “Well like I said, you have nowhere to go but up, whereas I’ve hit a bit of a glass ceiling as it were. I would love to keep going up, but there isn’t much else to go to.” He then took of his jacket and threw it toward the short, letting a stream of air shoot out from his mouth to blow it back to the bank without landing in the water. “Sure, I guess I could join the ANBU, but that would be…problematic for me. You have to give up so much for that life, and I just…I’m happy with people knowing who I am, you know? I don’t care about glory and fame or anything like that, but I do care about my family knowing what I’m doing, and being able to know who I am working to protect. Connections make us stronger, not weaker in my opinion.”

He paused again, thinking over his words and wondering if he really did have a goal at this point. Unable to come to a conclusion that he was happy with, he simply turned back to Airi. “But what about you? Do you have any big goals in mind for your future? I’m sure a member of the Senju clan could do whatever they wanted to, considering the stories that we are all told about you. Oh, and do you mind of I jump into the river while we chat? Standing in it like this has made me want to go for a quick swim.”

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As she soaked her feet in the cold water of the river, Airi listened to Nayoko's explanation of each person's shinobi way. He had a point. It was to each his own, but since she was a Senju a lot of people seemed to think differently about that. She was glad to hear he didn't focus on her clan's reputation as much as as others did, considering her an individual rather than 'someone of the clan'. Since she could only go up, as Nayoko stated, it mattered little how fast she grew since she was already being productive for the Village in her own way.

On his own growth, he talked about the ANBU in particular. She didn't know much about them that was anything else than 'they are around', and considered them some sort of boogeyman of the Village. Always lurking in the shadows, and when you did see them, it was generally not to bring good news. While she wondered what their actual task consisted of, they creeped her out a little bit. To hear Nayoko say that one had to sacrifice a lot to join them, made her tilt her head in curiosity for a brief moment, until he emphasised on the connections he had with friends and family.

"A solitary life... No, I understand you. I would hate to drop all my friends and family just as much."

It was more than that, really. As a herbalist, she felt not only connected with the land, but also with all the people she tried to help up building a healthier lifestyle, or those she made various oils and concoctions to improve their health and looks. She could exactly relate to Nayoko and his statement that connections made one stronger, and smiled for it.

"Perhaps you'd make a fine mentor. As a teacher, you'd make plenty of connections with people in and outside the Village. You'd see them grow, achieve their aspirations, and perhaps you'd learn a thing or two in return.", she mused somewhat. She wasn't sure if it was something Nayoko could relate to, but she found it to be a noble goal. Or he could be a quiet protector of Konoha... a superhero shinobi, or something in that trend.

She shook her head as he asked if she minded if he'd go swim, thinking in the meantime about the question he had asked her. What did she want to achieve if shinobi ranks weren't quite what she was looking for? She wanted to be like her grandfather, in a sense. Exploring the world, discovering Gaia. But that was more her interest than a real help to the Village.

"I have dreams... but they aren't much of use to the Village...", she replied with a little hesitation. "Like my grandfather once did, I'd love to see the world and discover its many secrets. Animals, plants, herbs, flowers... the lay of the land, its beauties and its dangers... things like that. But while I'm out and about, I'm not here to help the Village. And upon my return, I'm not sure how that knowledge could help out the Village either."

She pursed her lip somewhat. The best thing she could and would do, was to prevent people from getting lost in the deeper parts of the forest like she had already done before. Maybe she'd be able to cull the sickness in the natural world, hunt down dangerous animals and swoop down on poachers, but was that even of any help to the Village and the shinobi world? She couldn't say for sure.

"I guess the best I can be in a shinobi world is to become a ranger. A wildlife protector, a huntress and a medical-nin with an expertise in survival in the wild yonder."

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Taking advantage of the nod of approval, the Hattori blew his shirt to the shore in a similar fashion as he did his jacket, and after taking a moment to look at the enormous scar on his abdomen, dove below the surface of the water for a moment, letting the last words that the flower girl had said to him sink in as he simultaneously did in the calm flow of the river. The cool cascade of water flowing through his hair and over the skin on his face felt incredible after a day in the sun. He briefly thought to his travels and realized that if he ever decided to go to the Land of Wind, he would have to get a whole new wardrobe to accommodate for the extreme heat of the desert out there. It was only a fleeting thought though, as his mind soon returned to the words that Airi had said to him before he took his dunk.

"Perhaps you'd make a fine mentor. As a teacher, you'd make plenty of connections with people in and outside the Village. You'd see them grow, achieve their aspirations, and perhaps you'd learn a thing or two in return." It was certainly something that Nayoko was interested in. In fact, he had taken a squad of chuunin on a mission back in the Land of Water, and he had enjoyed every moment of helping those young men and woman grow in just the short time that he knew them. Perhaps that was the right course for him to take after all. Leading a squad could be very rewarding in its own way, and it would definitely be a way to make the village stronger. He smiled at the thought of a team of his own genin growing into jounin like himself…it was a good idea.

He emerged from the water with a splashed and shook his hair to try and dry it out a bit before pushing his bangs back over his head. He hated when his hair got wet for the simple fact that it always fell into his eyes. But today it was worth the small annoyance to simple in the crystal clear water of Konoha. As he turned back to Airi he saw that she had been waiting for him before answering his question. "I have dreams... but they aren't much of use to the Village...", she replied with a little hesitation. "Like my grandfather once did, I'd love to see the world and discover its many secrets. Animals, plants, herbs, flowers... the lay of the land, its beauties and its dangers... things like that. But while I'm out and about, I'm not here to help the Village. And upon my return, I'm not sure how that knowledge could help out the Village either."

She pursed her lips a little bit and Nayoko frowned slightly, worried that he may have crushed her dreams inadvertently by telling her that she always needed to be focused on the village. In theory, what he had said was true. A shinobi’s duty was to his or her village, and whatever they could do to further protect or advance their nation. But at the same time, a ninja had to have his or her own goals. Nayoko certainly did. Hell, his whole mission to the Land of Water had been far more than to strengthen the relationship between the two ninja villages. He had gone their on a quest for his own, personal answers that had nothing to do with the protection of his home.

So to see Airi changing her own dreams and goals for the village’s sake…well he wasn’t sure if it was admirable or sad. "I guess the best I can be in a shinobi world is to become a ranger. A wildlife protector, a huntress and a medical-nin with an expertise in survival in the wild yonder." Nayoko lowered himself back into the water, keeping his head above as he swam around, contemplating a response. After a moment of silence, the Hattori spoke up. “Well all I can really say is…you’ll never know unless you try. You say you don’t know whether or not the knowledge you gain travelling the world would help the Village, but you can’t know for sure! Not only that, but the experiences you have when you are exploring the world will be invaluable for a shinibi. Even if you don’t try to, I think you will grow stronger. I mean look at me! When I left for the Land of Water, I was barely a chuunin level of a ninja. But through the people I met and the experiences I had while but in the Village Hidden in the Mists and the wilderness surrounding it made me stronger. Strong enough to a point where the village sees me a jounin now. So sure, become a huntress, a wildlife protector, a medical-nin, and a survival expert. But don’t sacrifice that drive to see the world to do so. Becuase another experience young ninja is benefit enough to our village.”

He stopped and smiled at the green haired genin, hoping that he had inspired her to at least think about pursing what she loved. That was all that kept Nayoko going when he was in the heat of battle out in the Swamp of Sorrow, and he knew that the drive that comes from a true passion could do incredible things. After waiting a moment he would dunk his head once more, and then head back toward the shore line to sit in the moonlight. “I must admit, I did not come out expecting to meet someone as interesting as you Airi, or anyone at all for that matter. But I’m glad I did! Meeting thr flower girl of Konoha has been a great way to sped the evening. Sorry that I’m not quite as interesting,” he said with a slight chuckle.

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To be fair, she wasn't sure she felt a connection with Konohagakure. The people were nice, that was certain, but under that layer of social acceptance, it was the desire to see Gaia being maintained within the Village that mostly kept her here. The gardens, the parks, the forest around it. She felt more like an intermediary between nature's world and that of civilisation. Yet, to hear Nayoko support her thoughts this enthusiastically made her feel... home.

Perhaps Nayoko was right. Konoha was strong enough that one shinobi could easily walk off the beaten path. She could be the shinobi that skimmed the outskirts and watched over the deeper sections of the forest, while the other Konoha-nin maintained the protection of the Village within. A pathfinder. A scout, whom could relay information of incoming movement. Preemptive protection. She smiled at the thought that there was a viable option for her dreams...

As she was left with her thoughts, Nayoko took a dive in the river. Upon surfacing again, it reminded her of a jutsu she had created. Snake becoming the river. Even if Nayoko didn't quite look like a snake, his movements were fluid enough to be one as the water rolled off him. Looking back at her, he proceeded to tell him she'd been an interesting person to meet.

"Thank you.", she said with a faint blush. "Your words made me see that I shouldn't give up on being myself just yet. I'll protect Konoha from the outside. I'd grow a flower in your hair as a gift, but I guess that might not quite fit a man as you. Would you mind if I shared a ninjutsu technique instead? It's a useful one when you find yourself submerged, but it would require you to have at least suiton or doton chakra. Preferably both, even."

Nature's beauty was meant to be shared. And while a flower might not fit a man, perhaps a jutsu might fit the warrior shinobi Nayoko seemed to be.

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OOC: Sorry for the late reply D;

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Looking back at the flower girl, Nayoko could tell that his words had…taken root so to speak. She was blushing, though if it weren’t for the moonlight shining down on the pair he would not have known. It made him smile to know that he had changed her mind, even if it was only slightly and for that moment. Making a mental note to ask for an update on her shinobi way the next time they met, he listened to the proposal that she presented.  ""Your words made me see that I shouldn't give up on being myself just yet. I'll protect Konoha from the outside. I'd grow a flower in your hair as a gift, but I guess that might not quite fit a man as you. Would you mind if I shared a ninjutsu technique instead? It's a useful one when you find yourself submerged, but it would require you to have at least suiton or doton chakra. Preferably both, even."

If there was one thing that Nayoko liked more than training his own abilities, it was learning new ones. His expression visibly brightened at the thought of learning a new technique, even if it was from a genin. Nayoko knew that there was always going to be new things for him to learn, and the best of teachers could come in the most unexpected places. He swam over to the shallower waters and stood, still beaming form ear to ear. “Well it looks like we are in luck! I’ve always been very adept at manipulating suiton chakra, and a friend of mine from Kirigakure no Sato recently started teaching me about how to use doton chakra! So my answer is yes, I would love to learn a new technique.” He did his best not to look ridiculous in his excitement, but he had always been one to crave knowledge, and anything that could help him get stronger, even if it was a simple jutsu, was more than worth it in his book.

“If there is anything you want to learn form me, I’d be happy to teach you! I know a lot of suiton based jutsu, some of which are my own creation! In fact, if you ever want to train with me just drop by the village. I’m usually around the training fields anyway, so I’d happy to show you some stuff if you would like!” With that out of the way, he rubbed his hands together and then clenched his fists. “So, how about this ninjutsu technique of yours?”

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OOC:

Glad to see a jounin so excited at the offer, Airi giggled. She was happy she'd be able to share one of her techniques with someone who has so much higher in rank than her, even if she felt it was, perhaps, a little redundant as a shinobi at that rank could use far better and more powerful. Still, he had accepted, so now she had to show him.

"Right... There's two ways of using this jutsu. The initial idea was made with doton, where one invokes durable scales.", she explained, before calling the jutsu by its name. "Art of Gaia, Snake becoming the River."

Forming the Snake and Dragon hand seal, the doton infused chakra settled around Airi's skin, taking on the shape of dusky snake scales. As the doton chakra solidified, while remaining supple enough not to hamper movement, the scales seemed to gain a resistant glance.

"The doton version is a protective layer. The jutsu's been considered a C rank jutsu, so it's an ideal protective jutsu for starting shinobi as myself.", Airi explained. "From this form, one can switch to the suiton form to become 'the River'. You could also start right away at the suiton form, but there's no going back to the doton version. The suiton version allows free movement in all forms of water, which makes it ideal for underwater combat or to escape suiton techniques."

She demonstrated what she meant by infusing the active jutsu with suiton, turning the solidified more liquid. As she did so, the durable scales almost became translucent. Since she had her feet in the water already, she dashed a short distance to demonstrate once more what she meant, not bothering to remove her feet out the water since the jutsu removed all its resistance against her. It was a strange sight, to see her move within water as if there were none, but as she dashed back to her original position, it was clear she hadn't been joking.

"Your turn now~", she said joyfully. "You already went swimming, so you could try it out submerged once more. You'll feel the difference quickly."

She'd wait for Nayoko's reaction about the jutsu before proceeding, and see how well he was faring with the technique. She guessed that, as a jounin, a C rank shouldn't be too hard, but since she never really had taught anyone else any techniques, she had no experience or idea how easy or hard it was to learn new techniques from someone else. All she knew was that she picked up jutsu quickly, seemingly much faster than most of her rank.

In meantime, she wondered what jutsu she could ask from Nayoko. It was hard to decide what jutsu to choose when she had no idea what sort of low rank jutsu a jounin knew. Did he stick to traditional jutsu  like Water clone and Water Prison, or was he more of a creative mind working his own magic? She couldn't say, so she opted instead to let him pick one.

"Hmm... I have no idea what jutsu you know, so let's... pick... suiton. A ninjutsu or medic jutsu suiton technique. Do you have any of those?"

She only knew the Hidden Mist technique, but in all honesty, she wasn't quite sure if she'd ever use it. She had learned by now she wasn't quick to choose the escapist path. The thrill of the hunt, to stand eye in eye with a predator, a rival, an opponent... the last time she had faced some brutes, she had suffered 2nd degree burns just for opposing them. She had come to understand that day that the only reason she'd ever use the Hidden Mist was to give her the time to adapt and adjust her hunting style.

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Smiling at the kunoichi’s giggle, Nayoko prepared himself for the lesson. She wasted little time after that, jumping right into how the jutsu worked, and the name itself. "Right... There's two ways of using this jutsu. The initial idea was made with doton, where one invokes durable scales.", she explained, before calling the jutsu by its name. "Art of Gaia, Snake becoming the River." Nayoko nodded as he watched her use the doton application of the jutsu. She first formed the Snake hand seal, followed by the Dragon seal. After that the Hattori watched as her doton infused chakra settled all over her body, forming a protective layer of snake scale like shapes on her skin. He nodded slowly as he watched, thinking about how to manipulate his own chakra to achieve the same result. It would not be very complicated, but it would be new nevertheless, so he figured that he should at least try to think it through.

As he mulled over how he would use the technique himself, he listen to Airi as she continued to explain the second application of the jutsu. "From this form, one can switch to the suiton form to become 'the River'. You could also start right away at the suiton form, but there's no going back to the doton version. The suiton version allows free movement in all forms of water, which makes it ideal for underwater combat or to escape suiton techniques." Raising his eyebrows at the implication of such a technique, Nayoko could not help but voice his thoughts on it. “That sounds very handy to be honest. There was a mission that I took back in the Land of Water where I had to go under the ocean and look for lost relics and scrolls from some ruins on the sea floor. I wish I had known this jutsu then!”

He then watched as she demonstrated the change from the doton based jutsu to the suiton based one. As she did so, the scales on her body seemed to shift into a more translucent state. From there, she began to run back and forth in the water, dashing through it as though there was no resistance whatsoever. In all honestly, it looked more strange than anything, but the jounin certainly saw the use of it. "Your turn now~", she said joyfully. "You already went swimming, so you could try it out submerged once more. You'll feel the difference quickly." Nayoko nodded before stepping deeper into the water so that it was up to his waist. “Alright, first, the doton scales.” He in the same way that his teacher had done, Nayoko formed the Snake and Dragon hand seals before manipulating his chakra into the scales that Airi had formed. Though it was not instantaneous like hers had been, he was able to form the scales fairly quickly, smiling to himself as she looked over them. “Perfect, I needed to learn some more defensive techniques. Even ones that are only C-Rank.”

“Now, for the suiton part…” concentrating for a moment as he infued his suiton chakra with the already formed doton base. Before too long, the stone scales had been replaced by greenish translucent scales. He could already feel the difference as he moved deeper into the water. “This is awesome,” was all he could think to say before he leaped back into the river, moving way faster than before around the small area that the pair were wading in. After doing so for a minute or so, getting the feel for the new way to swim, he them swam back over to Airi and stood up. As he released the jutsu he could not help but thank her again. “Thanks Airi! This is great. I have no doubt that I’ll be able to use both of those applications in the future. But now, what would you like to learn!”

Instead of choosing one for herself, the young woman choise to let him pick a jutsu for her to learn. He certainly knew quite a few suiton techniques that were all ninjutsu based, though many of them were far beyond her level. There were a few C-Rank techniques that he knew, one of his own making in fact. But considering how Airi seemed to prefer preserving nature and by extension, people rather than harming them, he opted for a more basic but extremely useful jutsu. “I think I know the one just for you. It’s pretty basic, so I have no doubt that you’ll be able to catch on easily enough, but I think it is very useful, especially considering your personality.” He then walked over to stand beside the kunoichi so as to not hit her with the jutsu he was going to show her. “It’s called Water Release: Wild Water Wave, another C-Rank jutsu. Though it won’t hurt anything you are fighting besides a few minor bruses, it is very useful for pushing enemies back from you, giving you a chance to escape or follow up with other ranged techniques. Not only that, but it is great for interrupting people who are making hand seals for jutsu, as well as putting out fires and stopping more basic Katon jutsu from taking effect.”

“First thing’s first, you’re going to want to concentrate our suiton chakra into your mouth, conjuring up as much as you possibly can hand holding it for a moment. Then, you simply release it into a great waterfall like wave. The more chakra the better.” He then demonstrated, inhaling for a moment and gathering the chakra in his mouth before releasing it. The water gushed from his mouth like a waterfall and shot out across the river fairly quickly. He kept spraying it for some time, showing how it could be used to pin opponents underwater as well before finally stopping. “That’s all there is to it! Now you give it a try!”

[Exit Thread]

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Training:

Water Release: Wild Water Wave. Airi believed she had heard about it before, but she had never seen it in action. When Nayoko explained it was a simple technique that allowed a benefit to gain some time, she nodded. She liked useful jutsu, and there certainly would be moments where washing something away to gain some distance could had been useful - like that one time when she had this missions concerning boars. Handling five of them, she wished she had something like this jutsu to keep them at a distance for a brief moment.

The additional benefit this jutsu gave by being able to put out small fires was something she could certainly appreciate just as much. Forest fires posed a danger at all times for Konohagakure and its surroundings, so knowing a jutsu that could deal with that to some degree was a welcome gift.

Nayoko instructed her in how the jutsu was to be formed, and so Airi followed up his words. Chakra in the mouth, and let it flow like a waterfall. It didn't take long for her to pick up the jutsu, as he had said. The technique was simple, the execution of it just as well. Allowing the water to gush out of her mouth, it flowed quite rapidly into the river nearby. She hadn't been able to achieve the same strength of release as Nayoko, but the idea behind it had been a success.

"Thanks! I think I'll be able to put this jutsu to good use.", she said with a beaming smile.

While she hadn't need to use a lot of chakra for this, the impact came heavier than anticipated. Airi suddenly felt exhausted, feeling the desire to crawl into bed and turn in for the night. It was late and she had snuck out because she couldn't sleep, but now... fatigue hit her like a truck.

"Heh, that chakra release somehow tired me out more than it should have. I think I'll go to bed now. Thanks for showing me, brother. This was a fun evening."

She gave Nayoko a hug, thanked him once more and walked back home, leaving behind the river's refreshing feeling. Her bare feet dragged over the tickling grass, feeling heavier than before she had arrived. Suddenly the road back home felt so much longer.

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[EXIT]

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