Unlikely Meeting

Kotetsu was out strolling through the land of fire on a beautiful, warm day. The sun was out with no cloud in site, as well as a cool and comforting breeze sweeping through the forest. It seems likes such a perfect day. He thought to himself as he weaved through the trees in the forest. This is just what he needed, after a long week of doing numerous low rank mission. Kotetsu wanted to relax and enjoy his free time but at the same time, felt like having a quick training session. "Well not many people out here to train with" he said to himself as he continued his walk.

Having returned from fighting at the front lines of the Kusa-Suna war, Mianyi has been patched up and seen to it that her teammate, Tonou, also received appropriate medical attention. Now that she has some time to herself, she is sitting under a tree not far from Konoha's front gates, apparently greatly enjoying the cool breeze and the feel of soft grass.

After a few more steps, Kotetsu couldn't help to feel that someone was around. Not looking or watching him but more of just nearby. At first he wanted to ignore the presence, until he determined that it to feel somewhat familiar to him. He glanced around a few times but didn't notice anything, so he decided to activate his sharingan briefly to see which way the person was. Once seeing the location, he deactivated his eyes and hopped up into a tree. From where he leaped from limb to limb until he was in the tree over the girl. "So it is," Kotetsu said to himself. Because with one look, his suspicions were confirmed. "I know you." Pausing momentarily he continued, "Your the suna shinobi that helped at the river."

Mianyi looks up into the tree where the Konoha-nin she fought with is and offers a shy smile. "I am. My name's Mianyi." She sets aside her canteen and runs her fingers through the grass. "Doing better?" By which she means if he's mostly recovered from the battle.

A genuine smile flashed across his face as he leaped down next to her. "Yea, for the most part," he replied. Then trying to show his humerous side, he stated, "The only issue is I am still pulling glass out of myself" Kotetsu's attention instantly reverted back to Mianyi after cracking his joke. "Now, what about you?"

Mianyi's smile broadens at the joke. "I'm doing quite well. Better now that my team mate is certain to be alright." She plucks a piece of grass and twists it between her fingers. "There's not much I can do right now, so I'm off duty and well, I'm enjoying the feel of the grass here," she says with a smile. "It's cool and soft. I wish we had grass like this in Suna."

"Well its good to see that you are alright." Kotetsu said. "You know, I don't think we could have finished the mission without you. You really saved us." He stated, referring back to the war event mission. Then responding to her last two statements he continued, "your right, there isn't much that we can do when off duty, except for train and prepare for the next." With little hesitation he switched topics, "and at times the grass can feel good and be great, yet loses its appeal over time. Especially when it is all you have under your feet your whole life." Kotetsu was referring to him to being to suna before.

Mianyi smiles shyly at the compliment, "Thanks," she replies in a voice barely a whisper, looking away slightly to avoid making direct eye contact with Kotetsu. "We all worked together. It was a good plan. Tonou always has good ideas," she finally says, trying to assign some credit to the other members of her team because she certainly couldn't have done it on her own. 

She looks back to the grass. "I guess it would be boring if grass were like sand to me, but right now it's different and I like it," she says with a brighter smile.

With a shake of his head he began to speak, "Your right, it was a good plan and we did all work together." With a slight hesitation in his words he continued, "yet we still wouldn't have been able to finish without you." The rays of the sun was now shimmering through the branches and leaves above. "But it is great that you are so accepting and liking of my village, and I thank you for laying your life on the line for it as well." Kotetsu now sounded serious and sincere with his gratitude.

Mianyi smiles a little at that. "Maybe. But if I hadn't been here, someone else would have been, and I'm sure someone would have come up with a plan."

"You're welcome," she replies, in response to his thanks for Suna's aid, of which she is part of. "I hope that Konoha never has to return the favor, and I'm glad the people of Konoha are safe."

The sun's rays persistently beat on the back of this hard worker ant. Yes, still an ant to the world, but an ant with great potential, so perhaps a caterpillar title for this bright burning spirit. "496, 497, 498, 499, ...500." His lunges complete for this set, the ebony haired Genin couldn't help but smile broadly as the salty sweat trailed into his mouth. "Gah!" He spat the salty moisture out and wiped his face with the sleeve of his weighted clothing. Next on the list of physical training was to practice his strikes, both punches and kicks. Walking to a tree, he first gave it a firm palm strike. Keeping his hand planted firmly against the oaken giant, he could feel it vibrate internally from the strike . . . It was sturdy. Nodding to himself, he slid his feet along the ground into a stance. Kicks were first. Blasting away at the tree, bits of bark were shattered off exposing the white center from the first kick alone; as he continued he was sure he could hear talking a small distance away. Nonetheless like the beating sun, Kauzu continued until he would reach 300, then to the other leg he would go.

By now kotetsu felt completely relaxed talking to the girl. He wasn't for sure why, yet thought it from her sincere, caring attitude and personality. So he decided that he would rest for a moment in the grass as well. Then referring to her last statement he said, "As do I, because the last time Sunagakure had war at its doorstep, you all nearly lost your kage" he was referring back to the time that the Akatsuki played a part in attacking Suns."

Kotetsu paused for a moment, hoping that what he said, didn't come off as disrespectful or that suna couldn't hold their own. "I'm sorry, I meant to disrespect or harm in what I said." Then briefly thinking, he came up with a question to quickly change the subject, "So what made you want to become a shinobi? What made you want to willingly throw anything and everything away for your village as well for mine?"

Then hearing a mysterious, random, thudding noise. So he decided to have a look with his Sharingan-Tomoe2. Upon looking he noticed a young man training his taijutsu by striking a tree, "So someone else is out here training." He said to himself.

"None taken. I think we all hope there is no war because it never means anything good."

Hearing the sounds of another person striking a tree, she peers from where she's sitting to him and watches for a moment, considering the question that Kotetsu just asked her.

"My parents are both ninja," she replies. "So I knew a bit of what it was about. It's about protecting your village and actually helping people. Today I didn't protect Suna, but I did help people. I'd like to become a medical ninja so that I can keep doing more good and helping people." She scratches her head a little. "It seems funny to say, I became a ninja to learn how to fight to help, but it is how it works, right? You have to become a strong ninja if you want to protect your village and help the people in your country." She thinks back to some of the missions she's completed at the request of others.

His leg growing numb from striking at the tree which was leaking sap, he still had about 100 strikes to go. As much as he hated training he pushed himself to continue. In the end it'll pay off He told himself as he gritted his teeth and continued kicking at the tree with shallow breaths. It was true, perhaps not at the end of the day, or the end of the week, or event he end of the month, but with each training session, the Genin would grow stronger and become a shinobi to be respected. Kauzu lived by the words of a Taijutsu master of the past. "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks one time, but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." These words kept the Genin going until he finally reached his mark with one "all you got" kick. His foot flying off the ground into the leaking white timber, his kick left the tree splintered in the middle leaning to one side, a little more pressure and the beast would fall. "Ha! 500 kicks . . ." Hand on his knees catching his breath, when he came back up gasping for air, he decided to take a short break before switching sides. During this break he'd venture around to see if he could find where the voices were coming from and that didn't take long at all in fact. Startled at how close the other two were, Kauzu was a bit embarrassed imagining that they could hear him speaking to himself, grunting, panting, and probably looking silly kicking a tree. ". . . Hi there . . . I was probably a bit loud hehe." He scratched his head sheepishly as he gave a self-conscious smile.

"That's exactly right, though it does seem silly and weird that most people think we need to achieve victory and peace through fighting or being the strongest." Answered Kotetsu to Mianyi's question, he wasnt sure if it was a rhetorical one or not though.

Then the approaching genin caught his eye, he seen it was the one training just a minute before. "How are you?" He asks before replying to the unknown shinobi first words, "No your fine, I had no problems with it. Especially since it gave me a chance to briefly observe another genin"

"It does," Mianyi replies quietly.

She peers at Kauzu (Kumo?) and offers a slight smile and a shy wave back at him when he speaks up from his training. "Hello."

Kauzu's demeanor transitioned out of the sheepish mannerisms to a more casual behavior. Giving an acknowledging nod to female shinobi, the words of the ivory haired male more so raised his ears. Not that there was anything wrong with them, but they were unusual words. He squinted for a moment as if trying to see through a disguise the other ninja was wearing, but as his eyes returned to their normal proportions, his hands found themselves on his hips as he was still slightly catching his breath. The weapons the boy had were mighty interesting and Kauzu only figured it'd be fair if he got a peek back at this ninja's skills since such information was so valuable to him. "How about you return he favor and show me what those blades of yours can do?"

Kotetsu thought just for a brief moment before making up his mind, "If it is a spar you are looking for, then I will oblige you with one." As he said his words, he raised to his feet. It was one of the reasons he was out here, to train a little and relax. Then looking at Mianyi, "Would you like to join us?" Kotetsu asked curiously, already know some of the capabilities of the kunoichi.

Mianyi shakes her head. "No, I'm still low on chakra from earlier." She would be referring to that massive attack she was somehow able to unleash against their jounin opponent. "And I think I should go check on how Tonou is doing." With that she stands up from where she's been sitting on the grass and brushes some of the grass pieces and dirt from her butt.

"Maybe we'll see each other again before this war is over. Stay safe," she says to Kotetsu as a means of farewell. To Kauzu she nods as she heads past him and into the village where she she heads to the hospital to see how Tonou is recovering.

[EXIT]

The kid got straight to business, something Kauzu liked already. Paying his respects to the girl who decided on heading back to the village, Kauzu gave her a friendly smile as she walked passed him. Immediately afterwards, his eyes sharpened as they focused back not he snake eyed Genin. The air about his was a bit hard to read. Just from a glance Kauzu could tell he wasn't your typical Genin and apparently he too had fought in the war at some point int event time. "Guess it'll just be us two, I think I like it better this way however." The cloud shinobi whipped out a single kunai into his right hand, allowing it to dance into a firm grip. Just a small showcase of dexterity not meant to show off or an attempt to impress, simply something his subconscious lead him to do. Entering a grounded stance as if hunting a wild animal, Kauzu crouched down moderately, his eyes didn't dare leave the boy in front of him. "First move is on you."

"That is perfectly understandable," he replied to Mianyi as he gave her a bow of respect upon her departure. "Our paths may cross again and as well as you" Kotetsu stated with a smile as she vanished out of site.

Then with his attention now fully back on genin. Kotetsu's muscles began to tense up in preparation for the upcoming spar. As his right foot slid out in the motion of a semi circle, his left foot was placed squarely under him and most of his weight was leaned onto it. Kotetsu's right hand slid down and tightly gripped the hilt of his Iron Blood Wakizashi, as his left hand firmly had a hold of the scabbard of the blade.

Spoiler:

"As you wish," once his words were said, Kotetsu swiftly charged his new oppoenent in a zig zag pattern. "Just be ready," He joyously shouted. The smile he shown earlier, continued to flash across his face at the sheer enthusiasm from being able to spar another shinobi. Upon approaching Kauzu, he unsheathes the sword and swiped it diagonally from the bottom left towards the upper right in an attempt to strike the genin.

Spoiler:

Kauzu watched in eager anticipation as his foe slid into a typical kenjutsu stance. Typical and seen before or not, even the most common stances, strikes, weapons, etc could be deadly versatile tools in the hands of the right minds. That said, the young Cloud nin was on his guard and stood his ground as his opponent made his speedy and well placed approach. He advanced upon Kauzu's location in such a way that tossing his Kunai wasn't really a choice. The zig zagging making locking on for an accurate toss nigh impossible, Kauzu figured he'd make his move when his opponent struck. Eyes on the blade his target's hand was grasped upon, when the youth entered a striking range and was about to unleash his sword, Kauzu hopped back nearly 2m. Outside the range of the blade and then some, as he leaped back, but not too soon as to get his arm cut, but he threw his Kunaiforward at the sword user. As he would land on the ground from his hop which was only a few inches off the ground, his knees were well bent, but angled in such a way to prepare him to lunge or jump forward back towards the Uchiha.

Upon approaching for the attack Kotetsu activated his Sharingan-Tomoe2 For a genin, his opponent seemed competant and capable enough to hold his own, since he was easily able to dodge the first slash of Kotetsu's attack. Though using his sharingan, he is able to track his opponents movements to an extent and assumed a counter attack was imminent. So instead of continuing his charge after the first slash, which allowed him to be able to react to the incoming kunai. With little wasted movement and his left hand still gripped to the scabbard, Kotetsu swung the scabbard of his sword from his slash in order to deflect the blade. "You seem fairly good," Kotetsu complimented. "But your going to have to do better in order to fool my eyes"

Spoiler:

Sharingan?! Kauzu was startled at the sight of the red orbs and immediately his eyes were banned from locking onto his opponents. He was unsure exactly how the Doujutsu worked and what other abilities it allowed, such as movement prediction, but he knew they could cast nasty Genjutsu if one was caught looking into them. Along with that, Kauzu knew the Uchiha were said to be prodigious ninja naturally. Amazingly skilled, it was in their blood to be great shinobi and that boiled the blood of the Sarutobi even more. Not in rage, but in excitement. The be able to battle such an opponent was a blessing, for he still had plans on beating him. What better way to see how far you've come than to win against an Uchiha?

"And you're gonna have to shut up if you wanna win!" Since he tossed the kunai when he had hopped back, but he time it was deflected was right when Kauzu had landed from his short 2m hop. Both combatants were physical fighters, so one wasn't necessarily at more of a disadvantage at this range, but with the chauvinistic Sarutobi's next move, such things were negotiable."Ignite!" From underneath his feet and from his back flames of crimson red sprouted out hungrily devouring the air and also quickly propelling Kauzu forward to close in the measly 2m/6.5ft gap. Along with a push from his own legs, the speed boost would hopefully allow him to strike his foe with a strong jab to the face with reinforcement from his Iron Body Technique, that would coat the front of his body which was weary of the Uchiha's blades.

Jutsu:

Kotetsu's eyes were able read the body language and the muscle movements to predict his next move. Although he realized that with the added jutsu, he didn't have enough time to dodge or fully block the attack. Instead with his left hand he reached into his ninja pouch and retrieved an explosive tag and kunai. Which upon being struck, he dropped the kunai and tag and was sent bouncing and tumbling across the ground. After a few skips and tumbles across the ground, Kotetsu planted his left hand on the ground and spun to his feet. His jaw now throbbing and feeling as if it could have received a slight fracture. He then readied himself again with his wakizashi draw and his left hand appeared to be holding his jaw. Which he was doing but was also hiding two shuriken in his palm.