The light of the sun fought to pierce through the foliage of the dense forest, casting spots of orange light amongst the shadows lightly illuminating the forest in dim light. A lone figured in a cloak that looked to be a size too big stood silent in the the shadows of the trees, listening to the sounds of nature around him as he watched the different insects of the forest. Most people did not understand how truly magnificent they were, the boy however did understand he knew the truth, he knew that these insects were some of the strongest creatures on the planet. Sure they were small but that only improve their chances for survival, they could spread into every nook and ever cranny, doing things that most others could not even fathom. There were so many different kinds of them, so many unique adaptations that made each insect different, yet connected at the same time. They have outlived species far higher on the food change then themselves supposedly higher evolutionaries, However they still survived, they still adapted, they still lived.

The boy looked out at the world through his tinted goggles admiring his surroundings, though anyone that happened upon him would not be able to tell due to the boy's mask he had a smile on his face. This was his happy place, this is where he had spent most of his life, when the boy was younger a month before he joined the academy his father brought him out here to observe nature. They spent the entire month out here in the forest training and watching the different insects and other animals of the forest as well as learning how to better understand the Kikaichu the inhabited his body. After his parents died he would often run away from the village coming out here to this spot, he did not know why but this place seemed to comfort him as if his father was still connected to him. Since his graduation the boy has spent the last several years living out here in the forest, away from those of the village whether they were kind or cruel he did not care he preferred the company of the insect of the forest opposed to those of the village.

Retsu looked with an admirable stare from behind his covered face as a single Kikaichu landed on his finger, he truly loved these tiny little beetles they have been the boy's only friend since his parents died. The thing that the boy admired most about these tiny creatures was how they related to himself, how something so small and insignificant to most, being able to have and hide such great strength. If he could accomplish by comparison even half the strength of these insects, he would make something of himself far beyond what everyone had believed him to be capable of. This particular Kikaichu was part of a small swarm that the boy had spread thinly out across the forest around him so much so that they would go unnoticed to most, alerting him of a chakra source that was that was approaching the area. The boy simply nodded and the tiny beetle fluttered off to rejoin it's swarm, this would be the first time since he left the village that someone had come to this part of the forest. 'This could be interesting' the boy thought to himself as he turned to face the direction the chakra source was coming from as he began to wonder who had stumbled upon his secret place.

---

~596

Wandering through the forest was hardly one of Tamago's habits. She could count several hobbies as favored pastimes, but this certainly wasn't one of them. She enjoyed sipping tea in her expansive backyard, drawing and painting, collecting priceless objects that her house was now full of - the normal things a young lady of her social stature enjoyed.

However, she was also a proud kunoichi of the Land of Fire, on top of being an heiress. There were several responsibilities that she had to attend to. She had to train and become strong so that she could bring her family name the honor it deserved. She had to garner a reputation of reliability by taking on missions. She had to keep track of her surroundings in order to ensure her survival.

The latter brought her to where she was now. The Yasuda property had been recently built in the outskirts of Konoha, on the edges of the dense forest. The mansion was definitely expansive and built to her and her father's specifications. Therefore, the surrounding trees were left untouched, so as to preserve the natural landscape. Still, Tamago felt she needed to explore and record the areas surrounding the mansion. She technically owned all of this space, after all.

That morning, she decided to venture forth and put her training to good use. So far, she had managed to navigate in between the trees without getting lost, while drawing out the trails she had walked through on a scroll. She had drawn basic maps before, but wanted this one to be as detailed as possible. It was a matter of safety, after all. The young heiress was a high profile person, daughter to one of the richest men in the country. No doubt there would be people who would try to take advantage of that fact, one way or another.

Little did she know that someone's eyes were already upon her. Not expecting someone to be trespassing on her property in broad daylight, she was much too absorbed in her current task to notice him perched up in a nearby tree.

[354]

The source of the chakra that entered the boy's secluded area, was that of a girl who from what the boy could see was around his age or younger. It was odd to the boy as most young of Konohagakure knew of the dangers of the forest and did not venture out alone, when the boys beetle had reported the singular chakra source he assumed it was that of someone older. Then again this girl did not look like those from the village, unless a lot had changed in the past five years since he had first left the village and come to live here in the forest. The boy watched from his vantage point as the girl seemed to stop and began doing something, however the boy could not tell what it was as the girl had her back turned to him so that all he could see was the girl's long brown hair. He did not know why the girl had come here nor did he really cared he mostly just wished for her to continue on and leave him and his area in peace. The boy noticed that the girl would occasionally look up from whatever it was that she was doing and look around at the surrounds of the area, was she documenting this place or something? The good thing was that the boy had left no trace that he had been in the area learning long ago how to be within nature without disturbing it, so the girl would not know that he had been inhabiting the are she now stood. The boy only hoped that she was not making a map, the last thing the boy wanted was for his special spot to become some trafficked area that people came to visit because they have a map high traffic areas often killed off the nature of the forest whether those that were doing it knew it or not. As he continues to watch the girl as she continued to look up from her work he began hoping that the girl did not look up at the tree he was in and see him, the boy began slowly backing up further into the shadows when his foot hit something knocking it from the branch to the ground below. The boy was not sure what it was he had knocked down but it landed with a this when it hit the ground, 'well shit' the boy thought to himself as he looked from when the thing had fallen to the girl that stood on the ground 15 meters away from him.

---

~437

Tamago drew another stroke in the piece of paper that she held. The thin brush she was using let her add as much detail as she could to her representation of the grounds surrounding the estate where she now lived. She paused to review her work, comparing it to the forest she stood in. So far, it was good. Maybe later, she would sit down and think of strategic places where she could set up traps in case of home invaders.

Her line of thought was interrupted by a crashing sound. She turned around quickly and leaped backwards. Her posture was tense, ready to strike should she need to. The source of the noise was a man that had fallen from a tree overhead. His features were obscured by a mask and dark glasses. His age and any other telling factors were a mystery to her. Had he been watching her all this time?

It was at moments like these that Tamago damned her inability to speak. It would be so simple to ask who he was and what he was doing in her property. Instead, all she had was her ability to sign and the pen in her hand. Considering the person in front of her now, she had two options. She could either assume that he was an intruder and attack - risking the possibility of hurting an innocent person - or she could take the time and write out a question - risking the possibility of being attacked. Or rather... maybe there was a third choice. The young heiress could stand her ground and wait for the intruder to act first. His intentions would be made clear then. However, that would maybe be wasting the opportunity to attack first.

These were complicated choices all around, each with advantages and disadvantages. But which was the right one? Thoughts rushed through her head in a split second. If he had been watching her this whole time, why hadn't he attacked? Was he just someone from the village who had wandered too far? He certainly looked the part of a shinobi. The sight of a hitai-ate - similar to the one wrapped loosely around her neck - reassured her some and helped make her decision.

Taking the brush in her hand, she wrote in the air. "Who are you? What are you doing on Yasuda property?" She asked. She remained on guard, however, her free hand clasp around a flash bomb in case she needed to make an escape.

[770]

The girl did not make a sound, but she turned and jumped back when she heard whatever it was that the boy had knocked off the branch. Even from on the branch the boy could see that the girl was tense, yet she did not speak nor did she make a move. 'How odd' the boy thought to himself as he continued to watch from the branch to see what she would do. The slight breeze caused the over head foilage of the trees to sway in the wind, allowing the single day of the sun light to shine on the girl causing the Hitai-ate on her neck to reflect the light drawing the boy's attention to it. 'So she was a shinobi of the leaf' the boy thought to himself, that at least meant she was an ally of sorts but that still did not explain why she had wandered into his special area. The boy pushed his thoughts aside as the girl began waving some kind of brush in the air, 'is she attacking me?' The boy wondered as he prepared himself to avoid an attack, should the girl attack however when letters began forming in the air the boy realized she was writing a message. The boy wondered why the girl did not just ask as they were close enough to hear each other, but then again she could be like him and not like talking to strangers. As the boy read the girl's message a smile formed on his face behind his mask, 'Yasuda Property? What the hell is a Yasuda?' The boy wondered as he began calling his Kikaichu to him to form small platforms that he used to walk down from the tree branch, his walk down was slow and non threatening as he did not wish for the girl to think he was attacking her. The whole way down the boy was sizing the girl up making sure to watch out for any kind of sneak attack she might be hiding, however the boy would not say a word.

By the time Retsu had made it to the ground be was approximately five meters from the girl, her message still hanging in the air in front of her. The boy would not speak aloud but rather in sign language, something else he had learned from his parents before their deaths. The boy did not know if the girl knew sign language or not, however his Kikaichu seemed to, the boy did not know whether it was simply the symbiotic bond that they shared or if it was because they actually understood his hand gestures but they always knew what he was saying. As the boy signed his Kikaichu began hovering in front of him to form words, similar to the girl. "I don't know what a Yasuda is, but I have lived here for the last 5 years. So how about you explain yourself, why are you here and who are you?" Unlike the girls message the insects would only stay in position for a few seconds before moving along to another letters, making it so that it was like a scrolling message three words at a time. The boy completely ignored the girls question of who he was it was a complete power play as he asserted himself to defend his territory, in his eyes this was his land and he did not need to explain anything to anyone. This was a normal thing for him and his Kikaichu as it had been the way he communicated with those of the village after his parents died, the communication was but one of the simple tasks that the boy could perform without any strain to himself. His only hope was that this did not escalate into a fight, as he was sorely out of practice and was not looking forward to a fight with this girl.

---

~658

Tamago relaxed while viewing his descent. The bugs accumulated under his feet as if they were completely under his control, showing off his abilities in the process. The young heiress was used to such displays of power. At this point, she found them quaint. As usual, she stood tall, chin raised high as the man approached her. As he came closer, the nature of his technique became more evident. Ah. An Aburame. Interesting. She had yet to meet someone of such a reputable clan. It still begged the question as to why he was there.

At his following movements, Tamago was taken aback. He knew how to sign? This was rare, albeit welcome. Hardly anyone knew how to speak that way. The staff at the house knew as a requirement and her parents had learned for her sake. This man, he hadn't spoken. Was he like her? Was he unable to? She didn't think so. She didn't know why, exactly, but she did't think that was the case. She paid no mind to the curtain of bugs spelling in the air. She was far more interested in his ability to sign.

The young girl twirled the ink brush between her fingers before placing it in a small pocket in her belt."I can hear just fine. You may speak if you so wish," she signed at him. Her way of speaking was always proper and polite, though sometimes condescending. "As for your question, I am glad to provide you with the information you ask for. The people of Konoha are unfamiliar with the workings of the capital, so it does not surprise me that you do not recognize my family name. I will not get into detail, but it is suffice to say that I own all surrounding property within a two mile radius," she explained. Her hands moved gracefully and elegantly as she signed her words.

She looked around the forest, examining her surroundings for a moment. She turned back to the man in front of her. "I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Yasuda Tamago. You may call me Yasuda-sama or Yasuda-san if you must,"she began once again."And when you say that you have been living here, do you mean in a cottage of some sort in the area?" She asked.

[1164]

The boy was shocked to see that the girl knew how to sign, he had not met another person that could sign since his parents had died. Though the girl's way of signing was far different from the boy's, she seemed to be more proper and elegant with her hands moving more graceful as if she was someone of regal descent, where as the boy's hand flow could fall under something akin to commoner speak in the comparison. Though the girl would not be able to tell due to his mask, the boy smiled when the girl signed that she owned this land and the surrounding area. Retsu had a very strong belief that nature belonged to no one except the creatures that inhabit it, however he would let the girl finish with what she had to say before he interjected. Now that the boy knew that the girl could understand his signing retsu would dismiss the Kikaichu that were hovering awaiting his command, returning them to their posts of his web of sensory around the area should anyone else happen by.

"Well Yasuda-sama, I prefer signing opposed to speaking whenever it is possible, my name is Retsu of the Aburame Clan of the Hidden Leaf. The answer to your question is no I do not mean a cottage, when I say I have lived here for the past five years I mean just that. This spot of the forest was shown to me by my father when I was just a boy, he brought me here and taught me the importance of nature and how to move thoughout it without disturbing it." The boy would stop signing briefly as his thoughts of his father made his eyes water, luckily the girl would not be able to see this moment of weakness thanks to his face cover. "After my parents were killed I came out here mostly because it lets me feel close to them, I have lived in this very area for the past five years since I graduated from the academy." The boy finish signing before looking around the area, he did not know why he told the girl everything he just had. Normally the boy would not speak to people he did not know even in sign language, may be it was the fact that the girl signed as well that caused him to open up to her. After a few seconds Retsu looked back to the girl and began signing again, "what makes you think that you own this land? The last time I checked this forest belonged to the creatures, and it was open to all that wish to traverse it."

---

~450

Calmly, Tamago saw the boy's hands move. Compared to hers, it was rustic and brusque, but sign language all the same. In all honesty, it was refreshing. Curious that he would rather communicate this way than by voice. While there were some tactical advantages to it, sure, but there was hardly a reason to prefer it over normal speech in such a situation. Curious indeed.

The young girl's demeanor changed the moment he mentioned that he lived outdoors. Her brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. "Unacceptable," she signed and flipped her hair. "If someone is to live on my property for whatever reason, I cannot allow them to do so in such an unfavorable way. It would bring shame upon my family name to have someone that appears to be under my service to live so poorly," she stated. She knew that the boy was in no way beholden to her, but knew that from the outside, it would either seem that he was a constant intruder or he was an unattended servant. Neither would do. She had a reputation to uphold

After his explanation, it didn't even cross her mind to have him expelled from the grounds she owned.

She considered for a moment, letting silence linger. During this time, he asked his next question. Ah, so he was an avid fan of nature. Knowing the type, he probably fancied himself this forest's protector. Tamago would answer him honestly. While she didn't see the forest through the same eyes he did, she had a certain amount of respect for nature. "Yes, my family legally owns this land. It is a matter of security. I must be allowed to patrol the surroundings of my house and place surveillance if necessary. Because of the nature of my family, I am a high profile target," she explained. There had been attempts to kidnap her more than once throughout her childhood. While she had moved to a shinobi village - presumably a secure location - she still lived in the outskirts and without a security detail like the one she had had in the city.

"We have no use for the grounds other than that. As you can see, the construction purposely avoided damaging this area," she continued. "If you insist on staying here, I have a proposal," she began once again. Her face was impassive - a habit she had developed during negotiations over the years. "You will stay here and a small cottage will be built for you, to your specifications. The natural landscape will remain undisturbed and you will be provided a wage. In exchange," she paused, reorganizing her thoughts properly. "Well, I have heard wonders of what the Kikaichu can do. You will survey the area and warn of any incoming danger to me or any member of my household," she finished. It was clear from her expression that she wouldn't take no for an answer.

[1653]

The girl's proposal was more than a little surprising to the boy if not also a little forward as well considering the fact that they had just met, to begin with he would have no use for a cottage he had survived just fine out here the way it was. The fact that the girl wished to use him as her own personal security did not sit well with the boy, he had no idea who this girl was or if what she was telling him was true. For all the boy knew she could of been a spy from another village trying to set up some kind of undermarket or planning to attack the village and wanted his help keeping people from finding her out. The boy would shake both of his hands before beginning to sign, "I mean no disrespect to you Yasuda-sama, but I do not know you and I have no interest in being the personal security for someone that I just met and know nothing about. Also as long as I am being honest with you, I have no need for your money nor a cottage, I am not a charity case that requires a hand out. I have survived this long on my own out here, foraging for my own food and water and sleeping under the stars." The boy did his best to keep his hands moving calmly as he signed, fast or aggressive looking signs would obviously display anger and that was not what the boy was doing. Retsu was simply and respectfully declining the girl's offer, of course no matter how he signed it the girl would take it however she wished. Judging by the look of the girl she seemed to be one of those spoiled types, the kind of person that threw a fit over not getting their way or argue until they get their way. Retsu was curious how she would take his rejection and whether he was right about her, or if she would prove him wrong and a fool for judging the girl by her appearance. In reality he was not completely opposed to the girl's idea with some minor changes on things, but before the boy would be willing to discuss the matter he would first find out just what kind of person this girl really is.

---

~396

His hands moved differently, as if purposely restrained. Maybe her wording had been off and made him tense. The answer became clear with two words: charity case. At the insinuation, Tamago herself was insulted. She put a hand on her chest and then used it to flip her hair. Her motions gave the impression that if she could have accompanied them with a 'hmph' she would have.

"You have mistaken my intentions. This is no charity, simply a matter of reputation. Whether or not you live on the streets or up in the trees is none of my concern. However, if you are to do so on my land, I cannot allow the assumption that I have an intruder or that I do not take care of my household members to be made," she explained. "Besides, if charity were what I wanted, I would be speaking to one of the refugees from Sunagakure, not to someone who is technically an intruder."

Tamago's expression remained impassive even as the man declined her offer. Brown eyes lingered over him, scanning the clothes stained by light exposure. She wondered for a brief moment what Retsu did during the winter months. Just as quickly though, her mind was back on track  and on to the business at hand. Was this rejection? Hardly. People often said no to her initial offer but wound up agreeing in the end. If it took time to get there, it was time well spent. After all, his reasoning wasn't illogical. She would be skeptical of such a situation as well.

In fact, the only reason why she wasn't more wary of the man in front of her was the hitai-ate on his forehead. Verifying his records - whether they were confidential or otherwise didn't matter to her - was a simple matter. All she had to do was speak to the Hokage himself and ask for a file. Simply put, he was an imposter, there was a simple way to find out. Still, having seen his Kikaichu with her own eyes, she found the possibility unlikely.

"If the issue is that you do not know me well enough, then that can be easily fixed," she signed. If that was his problem, it was an easy fix. "You are invited to have lunch with me at my estate - by which I mean the mansion itself." Before getting and answer, she pulled out a small device - a modified two way communication device. While the normal version had a microphone, this one had a button in it's place.

Tamago began to press it rhythmically press it. To the trained ear, it was easy to tell that she was sending a message in Morse code. Simply, "We have a guest for lunch, prepare an extra plate." Any further explanation could be provided later. "Now, shall we get going, Aburame-san?" She said to the man.

[2048]

From the look on the girl's face the young Aburame could hear the hmph despite the lack of sound from the girl, before she made it clear that he misunderstood her intention and spoke of refugees from Suna. Retsu did not know what she meant by refugees but assumed that something must of happened, however he would not try to further gain information on that subject for the time being and simply made a mental note to find out more about it later. A smile formed on the boy's mask covered face as the girl said he was "technically" an intruder, despite him having been there first before the girl invited him to her mansion. Before Retsu could decline the girls offer she pulled out a little box device with a button on it, after tapping on the button a few times the girl asked if he was ready to go. In all honesty the young Aburame would of rather the girl would of just left, leaving him alone in his solidarity again but after looking at the girl he knew that was no longer an option. The boy's shoulders would drop slightly as if admitting defeat, before nodding his head and moving to follow the girl. Retsu did not know what to expect from this girl, but he was willing to give her a chance. The boy would still be weary of the girl and so he would not drop his guard fully, as he called his Kikaichu that were in the area back to him he had them memorize the girl's chakra signature so that when they encountered it again they would recognize it. This was yet another trait the the Kikaichu posses that fascinated the young Aburame, due to their hive mind, genetics, and multiplication all of the Kikaichu currently in the boy's hive as well as all of their descendants would now be able to recognize the chakra signature of the girl.

[Exit Thread]

---

~331

Total WC: 2868

Training Stats:
Strength E-Rank ~ E-3 (-450)
Speed E-Rank ~ E-3 (-450)
Endurance E-Rank ~ D-Rank (-750)
Perception E-Rank ~ E-3 (-450)
Reaction Time E-Rank ~ D-Rank (-750)

Total Words Used: 2850
Words Left Over: 18

Tamago would turn around as soon as she received confirmation from her butler. He had received the message and would surely go about setting an extra space and preparing one more plate of food fairly quickly. The man was nothing if not efficient. If the young heiress assigned him a task, he would complete it regardless of the short notice. She didn't confirm whether Retsu followed her. In her mind, there was no doubt that he would. While Tamago walked, she failed to notice the Kikaichu marking her chakra signature. Even if she had noticed, she wouldn't have thought much of it. She would have found it quaint rather than invasive.

The brown haired girl looked into the general direction where the mansion was. This would be a good opportunity to test the accuracy of her map. She grabbed the piece of cartography paper and set off to her home. She had only been living there for a month or so, having moved to Konoha fairly recently. She wasn't quite yet used to the place, but it suited her needs just fine. It was spacious and ornate, with marble columns modeled after a more modern style of architecture. The vaulted ceilings and high windows let in plenty of light, thus making the halls bright and lively. The surrounding forest was kept in pristine condition and blended wonderfully into the landscape of her backyard. They would both come to see the Yasuda mansion in all of its glory soon enough.

Shiro would be there to greet them both and would guide Retsu to a part of the house where he could comfortably shower and get ready for lunch while Tamago did the same in her own room. She realized now that today's events would throw off her schedule somewhat, but it couldn't be helped. While her responsibilities to the Yasuda Conglomerate were important, she couldn't help but feel intrigued about the Aburame boy. He would prove to be quite useful when she managed to convince him to take her up on her deal. Of course, it was a matter of when, not if. The young girl always got her way eventually.


[2414]

Reaction Time: E to D (750)
Perception: E to D (750)
Strength: E to D (750)
Endurance: E to E1 (75)
Speed: E to E1 (75)

Left Over Words: 14