Find the Shoe:

---

In those moments at the Academy when Hisaki had imagined what her life would be like as a genin, she'd never really imagined this. She knew that genin missions were rarely glamorous, and had been prepared to do her fair share of fetching and carrying, finding lost cats and chasing away rats. This, however, was just a little...unorthodox.

"A...shoe..." she repeated, looking down at the mission scroll in her hand. It wasn't as if she hadn't read it before, in fact, she and her partner for the day had already finished speaking to the client and confirming the situation themselves. However, she was having a hard time wrapping her mind around it. How exactly did one lose their...shoe in downtown Konoha? And more importantly, how did one not notice that they had lost it?

She looked down at her own shoes, a pair of classic ninja sandals (she was working today) and tried to imagine losing one of them and walking home without it. Somehow, she couldn't quite picture it. Was this...a common occurrence? Probably not. And if she did lose her shoe, would she report it to the administration building and file a genin mission?

Hisaki looked from her shoe, to her scroll, to the person beside her, her head moving quickly as a thought occurred to her. Before her gaze could meet her companion's, she quickly returned it back to the scroll, gripping it with both hands and leaning in to read quickly.

150 ryo per genin...300 ryo total, and that's just what they're paying us! There has to be a filing fee, so...400 ryo? 500?

How much, exactly, did new shoes cost in Konoha?!

She turned towards her partner, about to say something to that effect, but the words died on her tongue, her grip faltering on the mission scroll. That was why Hisaki didn't like going on missions with people. She always found herself tongue-tied, not knowing what to say. And Minori was particularly...odd. She hadn't been with Hisaki at the academy; she was a transfer from Kirigakure. That meant that Hisaki knew her even less than she did her old classmates.

She stood there for a moment, blinking, trying to find the right words.

---

WC: 386

"Hmm?" Minori asked as she turned to the other girl, "What's up?" The other girl seemed nice. Quiet. So far, she didn't seem to mind Minori's presence, which was a relief. Her name was... Hisaki. A year younger than herself and very pretty, although her skill level remained to be seen. The very large burn mark that might have stretched from her hand to her neck could have be caused by a fight or some accident in her childhood. A mark of skill, or foolishness? Or was it something else?

Minori shifted her weight to her left and hummed. Ouch. A small sharp rock pressed into her foot, breaking her train of thought. Why?

Because she was standing around with only one shoe in downtown Konoha.

To get into character, of course. One must think like the victim in order understand their situation at the time. How did their client feel to lose a shoe? How long until they noticed that they were missing an integral part of themselves?

You just noticed. You can put your shoe back on now.

The voice that spoke was one that only Minori could hear, because it was Minoru, sitting somewhere in the recesses of her mind, commenting on her situation like some sort of... commentator.

---

WC: 215

There was something strange about Minori, although Hisaki couldn't quite put her finger on it. It wasn't the way the other girl sometimes seemed as if she was lost in thought, or as if she was hearing something Hisaki couldn't hear. She certainly wasn't one to comment on someone else's odd behavior, and perhaps that sort of thing was normal for Kirigakure. It was something else, something physical, something that had changed since earlier, because Hisaki hadn't picked up on anything when she was first introduced to the girl at the administration building. Something that had changed since they had met with the client.

Something...oh.

She had been avoiding looking at the other girl for so long that she hadn't noticed what Minori was doing. Until, of course, she stopped walking, and Hisaki realized that was...also only wearing one shoe.

Why?

Was this a new fashion trend she wasn't aware of? Or was it really that easy to lose one's shoes? No--wait, Minori hadn't lost her shoe. She was still holding it in her other hand. So she had removed it on purpose. Was this for the mission, somehow?

There was no helping it. She was going to have to ask Minori what this was about. Hisaki cleared her throat, hoping that she wouldn't accidentally say the wrong thing.

"Um...Minori..." she said, her voice carrying a calm composure that she certainly didn't feel. "Is there any reason why you're only wearing one shoe?"

Would she be expected to do the same thing? Hisaki really hoped not. It looked uncomfortable. As a kunoichi, she was supposed to be ready to accept discomfort, but she didn't see any point in making things harder for herself when it wasn't necessary.

---

WC: 315 + 386 = 701

Minori raised the shoe in question. "Oh this? I wanted to get into the mind of the client," she explained, matter-of-factly. As Minoru pointed out, it wasn't necessary to keep the shoe off anymore, so she put it back on. "Judging by the amount of time it took for me to realize I was missing the shoe, and given the client's whereabouts, I would say that the shoe in question may be located..."

There was a long pause as Minori scanned her surroundings, piecing together time and distance. It was no accident that they happened to walk by the place their client noticed they lost their shoe.

That seemed like the logical first step...

No, Minori had planned for them to come by this way. So that she could see realize she lost her shoe in the vicinity so as not to waste valuable time trekking back to this point.

I mean, you could just search around here or retrace the client's steps.

Indeed, retracing the client's steps was an integral part of this mission, and it could not be avoided. In fact, if she were to retrace the steps from that point it would land--

Hey, Minori.

"What?" she asked, out-loud. It was almost like a whisper.

You're mumbling.

Oh. Minori's face flushed slightly and she coughed, turning away from Hisaki. That... would explain how Minoru was able to respond to her "thoughts."

"Anyway, I think it's a five minute walk that way," she said and pointed down a street. She couldn't face Hisaki. Not after that. She began walking without turning back, hoping that the other girl didn't notice the red in her ears.

---

WC: 288 + 215 = 503

The mindset of the client? Hisaki...supposed that made sense. It wouldn't have been the sort of thing she would have thought of, but that might only have been because she wasn't cut out for this sort of work. In a way, she was a little impressed. Was this the kind of training Minori had gotten at Kirigakure, or was it just the kind of person she was?

She was a little less impressed when Minori started mumbling to herself, though. If she was going to give what she was feeling a name, she supposed she would have called it...mild concern. Yes. That was probably the best word for it. She was quite concerned.

She opened her mouth, about to ask Minori if she was alright, but the other girl abruptly declared that their client's shoe had to be about five minutes west of them. Hisaki was a little skeptical at that--she couldn't see how Minori had come up with that simply from losing her shoe--but since she had no leads, she was willing to try anything once. She nodded at the other girl. "Should we go that way, then?" she asked, inclining her head in that direction.

They started to walk. In spite of herself, Hisaki was skeptical. That wasn't the first time Minori had mumbled to herself.

What if...what if she was actually insane? Would they have paired her with a madwoman? Would it reflect badly on her if they ended up failing the mission because of that?

Hisaki shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. No! She couldn't be that way. She had to be professional and--and give Minori the benefit of the doubt! Yes, that was exactly what she should do!

Still, she was surprised when she opened her eyes and saw--exactly as Minori had described--a shoe. It had been shoved up against the wall of the alley, as if other people had kicked it aside while walking, but it was a man's shoe, and it matched the client's size (they hadn't been able to get a description out of him other than 'Oh, it was an old thing.'). Which meant that had to be it.

In her excitement, Hisaki forgot her reservations. "Minori, look!" she said, pointing. "It's the shoe! You were right! You were right!" Did she sound a little too surprised?

Hisaki ran towards the shoe. And it was at that exact moment that disaster struck.

A bird, a crow from the looks of it, swooped down from its perch on one of the nearby rooftops, picking the shoe up in its beak. And then, before Hisaki could reach it, the bird pulled up and began to fly away.

"No!" Hisaki yelled. "Not that!"

She took off at a run, dashing straight up the side of one of the buildings as she tried to keep pace with the bird. Hisaki dug her kunai out of her pouch, throwing it at the bird, but she missed spectacularly, her kunai bouncing off of the far wall and clattering down to the alley below. She ran until she reached the rooftop and quickly pulled herself up to it, scanning the sky.

There!

The bird was an unmistakable target, carrying the shoe. But it was also getting away!

---

WC: 560 + 701 = 1261
Chakra: 225 / 230
1/2 Warmed Up

"Of course it's the shoe," Minori said, smiling to herself. While she had the utmost confidence in her abilities, to see someone else take note of it made her feel... proud. She decided to relish in the feeling and explain some of her more intricate thought processes. "It's--a bird."

There went the bird, flying away with the shoe they were supposed to bring back. Minori's face visibly fell and she slumped. She didn't calculate for the bird.

Use your jutsu! The creepy one! Minoru yelled, and she could feel him tug on her soul.

"But... it's a bird."

Who CARES? It's not gonna DIE!

"But it's a bird!"

At this point, Hisaki was already above the rooftops, scanning for the bird. Maybe that was a blessing with how Minori seemed to be talking to the air.

Whatever, just switch with me before it gets away.

Minori frowned but nodded, allowing Minoru to take the reigns over their body. It took less than a second for his soul to settle in, the small mark on their neck swimming across their skin to the other side. It changed color as it did so, from a black fish to a white fish.

Minoru followed Hisaki's path up the side of the wall, pausing briefly at the top to cast Hisaki a glance. This was the first time he was physically seeing her after all. She didn't seem nervous anymore, now that there was a crisis. The observation made him smile. In a sense, the same could be said about him.

The bird was flying farther away, looking a bit comical carrying such a large shoe. While his jutsu could still reach, it wasn't suited to attacking birds. No use overthinking it. He turned to Hisaki, his hands already making the required signs.

"Throw me," he told her, before poofing into a giant shuriken.

---

WC: 321 + 503 = 824 | Chakra: 240 / 250

Hisaki could feel herself start to panic as the bird started flying even farther away. This was definitely not how she expected this mission to go. Her fingers twitched as she raced to think of something she could do. Pinwheel? No, that would probably destroy the shoe. Radiant Pillar? Even worse, and they were still in the center of town too! Hollow Breath? Hisaki's hands jerked together, her fingers already twisting to make the familiar seals, but--

--she wasn't warmed up enough yet!

A thought towards the heart of herself revealed that her chakra was still cold. If she tried to use any of the natures of fire, she would only end up hurting herself. But if she stopped to wait, the bird would get away!

She was about to scream in frustration, and that was when Minori appeared, landing on the rooftop beside her. Hisaki had only a moment to wonder about her behavior--did she seem like a different person, somehow?--before Minori was transforming, leaving her only with the instruction to throw her.

Throw...?

Hisaki's eyes widened, seeing the giant shuriken that appeared in the air where Minori had been standing. Yes! That would probably give her the time she needed!

There was no time to stop and think about it. Hisaki grabbed for the handle in the center of the four-pointed star, holding it in both hands. Then, she spun around, gathering up enough momentum. She let out a loud shout of effort, letting the shuriken fly towards its target.

Then, as the shuriken flew through the air, Hisaki took off at a run, leaping over rooftops and moving as fast as she can as she fought to keep an eye on the bird. In the back of her mind, she kept close watch on her own inner fire.

Almost there...!

---

WC: 309 + 1261 = 1570
Chakra: 225 / 230
2/2 Warmed Up

Hisaki's throw was good, but she was trying to hit a moving target that was getting farther and farther away. The shuriken flew just above the bird, casting an ominous shadow on the unsuspecting fowl. The bird and the shuriken seemed to fly at the same speed for a moment and the bird, the oh-so-stupid bird, didn't think to turn away. Minoru poofed out of the shuriken and at this, the bird's dumb beady little eyes widened.

"Come here, you--" Minoru said as he reached for the bird. The bird, finally aware of the danger to its feathered self, dipped just out of his reach. Minoru swore and flipped in the air over his head to try and get in front of the bird. The bird turned around before it could collide with Minoru, deciding this was not the situation it would like to be in. For some reason, it didn't let go of the shoe.

Minoru cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hisaki!" he called out, "To you!" And then he just kind of... kept falling upside down. His reasoning? He might miss something if he takes the time to turn around. He wanted to see what Hisaki would do.

Ground's coming up fast...

"Eh, we've got time."

---

WC: 217 + 824 = 1041 | Chakra: 240 / 250

Hisaki hissed in disappointment as Minori missed the target. She had been really hoping that that would work. She leaped over the gap between two rooftops, her breaths coming hard and fast as she tried to keep pace with the bird. If she didn't do something fast, they wouldn't be able to keep up for long. But she wasn't done yet!

As she ran, she could feel her chakra grow warmer inside of her. She could feel it in her breaths, in her movements. She was ready.

Minori shouted at her. Hisaki skidded to a stop, turning to face the bird. She took a running leap off the side of the building, bringing herself closer, then raised both her hands in the Horse hand seal. "Devouring Flame!" she said. "Hollow Breath!"

Hisaki took a deep breath, turning the air to fire in her lungs. She pulled her head back, and then let it all out in a long breath. Her breath ignited, turning into a column of fire that stretched across the space between her and the bird. As the fire bloomed, it took on the nature of the Devouring Flame, absorbing all the light in the air around it. It didn't even look like fire. It looked like void, like darkness and nothingness, an impenetrable column that rushed from her towards the unsuspecting fowl.

The column washed over the bird just as Hisaki started to fall out of the air. She landed crouched on the ground below, startling a family of civilians that had been walking past, and looked up to see what had happened. As the plume of darkness cleared, the bird fell out of the sky in its wake, stunned, but unharmed. And carrying the shoe. It landed about a block from her, but it should be closer to Minori.

---

Chakra 210/230:

WC: 307 + 1570 = 1877

Minoru smiled as he caught sight of Hisaki unleash some crazy fire jutsu. It was an impressive display of power and he certainly did not envy the bird for being caught in the middle of it. If he was worried at all that she would end up destroying the shoe, he didn't show it. What worry that might have existed was quickly dispelled when he saw the bird and shoe begin to drop, unharmed.

He flipped over again, landing neatly next to bird and shoe. The bird recovered much faster than expected, but it seemed to have lost interest in the shoe. It flew away, looking way more stressed than it had probably ever in its life. The shoe was fine. Upon closer inspection, this was definitely the shoe they set out to find. A little worn, but still good. Probably not worth the mission reward money and fees, but who was he to judge the person paying them.

Shoe in hand, Minoru made his way over to Hisaki. "That was some crazy ninjutsu," he said as he approached, "It didn't look like normal fire. You got some special secret abilities or something?" They probably had a lot to talk about in terms of abilities and quirks if they were going to work together in the future. Minoru still had to explain the whole two souls thing they had going on, but he was sure it would be fine. Hisaki seemed nice and competent, and he knew Minori was looking for friends. Aah, and who was he kidding? It would be nice for him to have some friends too.

"I'm Minoru," he told her, sticking a hand out in greeting, "It's a long story but I'm not the same person you met earlier. How about we turn this in and I can explain over ramen or something?"

---

WC: 312 + 1041 = 1353

It took Hisaki a moment to climb over the building between her and Minori, so by the time she arrived, landing on the street beside them, Minori was picking up the shoe and the bird was flying away, looking a little stressed but none the worse for wear. Hisaki was glad for that. She didn't want to kill the poor thing if she could help it, but even though the Devouring Flame couldn't actually inflict wounds, it could be quite painful. Hopefully the bird would make a full recovery.

She was looking up at the sky, so she didn't notice Minori was approaching her until she started talking. Hisaki blinked, turning to look at her.

She wasn't imagining things, was she? Minori was acting completely different. She had seemed a little distracted earlier, but polite and focused in her own way. The person in front of her now was more relaxed, and almost...masculine? Hisaki flushed at the thought. No, no, she was probably just imagining things.

"Ah...it's not really a secret," she said, smiling nervously at Minori's question. She lifted her right hand without thinking, turning it over so that the scarred back was visible. "It's my clan--the Hibana Clan's--ability. We can manipulate the nature of fire." Through careful study and meditation, anyway. And they couldn't do it too quickly, not without burning themselves terribly.

Speaking of which...it seemed as though there wouldn't be any need to use her techniques. She released her hold on her inner fire, letting it begin to calm down.

Hisaki's eyes widened, brows raising a little at Minori--er, Minoru's words. A different person? She was tempted to dismiss it, to think it was a prank, but...well, she had just been talking about her clan's abilities. And some clans could have strange powers. But still...

Minoru really did seem like a different person.

"Is that because of...your clan's ability?" Hisaki asked, head tilted slightly to the side, as if she was trying really hard to understand. Regardless, they should probably turn the shoe in quickly. And then after that...well, she had to admit that ramen did sound good.

---

WC: 375 + 1877 = 2252

Minoru snapped his fingers and pointed at Hisaki. "You're sharp!" he said, grinning. This girl may look princessy and ditsy, but she was hiding some major brains and firepower. Hehe. Fire power. No doubt she'd go far in life. Maybe even as far as Mi--Hokage. Minoru hoped he'd still be around to see that if it happened.

He decided to take the conversation with them as they walked back to the administration building. "Yeah, so our clan's kinda weird, but in a cool way. I think so, at least," he explained, "Some of us are born with two souls and we share a body. But the souls are opposites." He paused as he considered how to explain it. Sure he could go into the finer details of the lore the Niidashi Clan had discovered of themselves through the years, but that would be really, really boring. But he also didn't want to oversimplify and risk sounding fake.

In all honesty, Minoru wasn't used to having to explain his clan to someone. Usually they knew.

"You know Yin Energy and Yang Energy? Our souls are aligned to those and we have natures that reflect them. It's a real thing, I promise. Uh... Kinda like your fire. Except with souls? But that has nothing to do with the nature of our chakra. Am I making sense?" He went on to explain the difference between himself and Minori, and what that meant as ninja.

She seems nice, Minori commented after being silent for so long. She didn't say much, but Minoru could tell what she meant. It was a fresh start. A new person. Minoru smiled as they continued.

---

WC: 285 + 1353 = 1638

Exit.

In a way, what Minoru was saying could have been seen as insane, but on the other hand, it wasn't that much stranger than some of the other clan abilities she had read about. Given what she had seen, she was inclined to believe him. No, she realized, as she listened. She wanted to believe him, because it was fascinating. She knew the basics of what the other Konoha-aligned clans could do, but she had never given much thought to clans outside of her village. She had never had the time.

Now, she found herself wishing that was different. "That's really interesting," she said, forgetting her earlier self-consciousness as she walked with Minoru toward the administration building. "So can you and Minori use the same jutsu? Can you control when you switch? Are you aware of the transition? Is that why Minori was talking to herself? Is Minori listening to this right now...?"

It was looking like the start of a wonderful friendship.

---

WC: 167 + 2252 = 2419
Mission Completion: 750/750
+ 100 words = 100/100

Training Speed to D-1: 750/750
Training Endurance to D-1: 750/750

69 words remaining

Exit Thread