FLYING BLIND: The Jounin pinched the top of her nose between her fingers and closed her eyes in irritation whilst working on calming her nerves.  Islands.  Islands everywhere.  Ocean everywhere.  -Water- everywhere.  If there was one thing Kirima would have to point out that she absolutely hated about the Water Country; it'd most definitely be the fact that this damn place was made out of nothing but islands which were surrounded by a shit ton of water.  And what did that mean?  It meant that she was forced to sail if she needed to travel for a mission that lay outside of the Kirigakure village.  And sailing was the one thing Kirima would love to NEVER do ever ever ever in her life again.  -Ever.-  But it wasn't likely that lady luck would be on her side, since for the mission to come, she would have to sail (albeit a short distance) to a tiny island that was almost invisible on the map which the female held in her hands.

She wasn't going to be sailing alone though.  (Thankfully.)  The female had already gotten a boat ready and a guy that would be sailing it and guarding it, whilst Kirima and the person whom was joining her for this mission would do their jobs.  Thinking back on the mission details, the young woman ran the name of her mission partner through her head once more.  Mushiki Seika.  Her mind took her back to a particular day a while back where Kirima had been training her endurance, and a young girl had come to offer her help.  A very sweet girl that made the slightly older female smile softly to herself at the memory of.  Truly they were probably but three or four years apart, yet Kirima was starting to feel that with each higher rank she got, the older and more mature she also got.  It was a bit weird to be honest, when you would look at some of the people who were your own age and you felt like there was a millennium between you in a matter of age and experience.  But that sweet girl whom she had met had had a rather frightening ability that really intrigued the red headed Jounin.  Kirima was curious to see where this girl was standing now with her abilities, and especially -that- ability, and if she had gained a few ranks and improved herself or if she had found herself at a bit of a stand-still in her life.  

I hope she has been doing well.  I look forward to seeing what she is capable of.  And from the looks of the mission details, I am going to be needing help with that old geezer.  The old records stated that he had been around S rank the last time he had been seen around Kirigakure.

The map got folded together and shoved into the pouch at her hip, before Kirima made sure once again that she had all her things ready. The scrolls were also fastened against her hip, so were her kits and pouch. She was wearing her standard boots, a thick material gray tank top and black sturdy shorts. Ever since she had mastered her command over Ninjutsu, and then especially the fire, the female had become very tolerant towards any sort of cold that came from the nature's hand. Even as the breeze picked up and carried fresh and slightly colder air from the ocean, she didn't even feel goosebumps appear on her smooth skin. If anyone were to touch her and expect to find her bluffing about this ability of hers; they'd be surprised with very warm skin underneath their palm. Just a bit warmer than that of a normal human being. The female rested her hand against her kit, and thought to herself if she would be forced to use any of the weapons within.

This was the first high rank mission the female had been entrusted with since the fateful mission where she had gotten herself kidnapped to Kirigakure.  She sighed softly to herself, as it felt like just yesterday that she had been eating ramen with her friends.  Laughing and training with Kaze, having a playful bickering with Gouka. I'm sorry you guys.  I miss you both.  She could only hope that Kaze had found peace in his death, and that Gouka would find happiness as he got older.  Many shadows loomed over that boy's past, and often it made Kirima worry and feel guilty that she had left him to fend for himself.  Yet, she also knew that there was the small chance she would look at him with accusation edged into her expression.  It wasn't that she truly blamed him for Kaze's death... but things could have just really gone better and differently.  Nothing had had to happen like that.  

Being a ninja is a cruel life.

The young red head had a heavy burden weighing on her shoulders, and often she found herself wishing she had someone to confide in.  But whom was there to trust?  Naturally, Atsu was on her side (or so it would seem) and she had already blurted a few important things out to the boy.  But Kirima still felt so distant from everyone and everything in Kirigakure.  Her heart was still weeping after the deaths of her loved ones and her betrayal of her own village.  Truly at times like these, the female was reminded of the harsh truth:  Her only true comrade and the one that was most likely to understand her, was the Tailed Beast within her.  Matatabi.  After Kirima had left Kumogakure, she had acquired a deep understanding with the Cat, and that both thrilled and frightened the female.  They had agreed on becoming as strong as they could, and they would stay in this village while they'd be safe.  If things would start turning ugly, neither one of them would feel particularly guilty over leaving.  And that truly stung.  To know that you were very capable of turning colours whenever it suited you and your will to keep yourself living.  

I feel despicable.  Do I even belong in a village?  Do I have the right to call myself a ninja?  I have no loyalty to anyone except us.

And exactly that is what will keep you alive.

Kirima grimaced but didn't comment any further on the matter.  She knew that Matatabi was right, no matter how much it bothered the young female.  For now at least, she could help protect this village and those whom lived within it.  For a little longer she could pretend to belong and try to stop being constantly afraid.

"Miss?"

"Huh?"

The Jounin blinked before turning her radiant sapphire orbs towards the man whom she had hired to take them to the island.  It was a young looking male, probably still in his mid-twenties, whom looked very fit for a non-ninja.  His lean body that reached the height of around 6 feet was obviously muscular, yet without being bulky.  Apparently the life of a sailor was a difficult and tasking one.  He had a messy nest of sand coloured hair and bright blue eyes which gave him a boy-ish and cute look.  His mouth seemed to look like it never stopped smiling, and his overall tanned and outdoors kind of appearance made the male rather attractive looking.  All this Kirima had noticed before, yet it did little to stir her.  Outer appearances after all never meant much to the female.  Yet now as those bright eyes were rested on her, she did offer him a smile whilst wondering what he wanted.

"Do you know when your friend is coming?  We should really start heading out soon if we want to be back before nightfall."

Nightfall....  Her eyes drifted towards the ocean, the deep blue colour seemed to be darkening with the hours that went past.  A small twinge of uneasiness made her swallow and tear her gaze away from the waves, before she glanced again at the man named Tora.  

"She should be here any minute now.  I had to come earlier than her to get a boat ready, she can still manage to be on time if she hurries. It's not even lunchtime yet."

The reasoning was accepted, yet he kept standing there whilst glancing at Kirima with a rather fidgety body-language.  The ninja looked with curiosity at the male, before she almost gulped down air from sudden stress.  Don't tell me that -he- feels uncomfortable about sailing?  Oh God I knew I should have gotten an older and more experienced sailor.  We are going to drown... I just know it.  This is so not a good -  

"Uh, so I was wondering."

Her rapidly built up panic came to a halt as Kirima once again was interrupted by him speaking.  

"A-are you seeing someone?  Would you mind grabbing a bite with me after your mission?"

Hah?!  Her bewildered expression was most probably very comical.  He...what?  A date?  Already she felt a bit more calm, as it seemed like his uneasiness had only derived from that offer of his.  Yet at the same time the female felt a bit uncomfortable and awkward.  It wasn't often that people would actually invite her on a date.  Mostly people would look at her and attempt some flirting, and she would either threaten them or beat them up.  But this young man looked so sincere and he was actually looking at her with admiration instead of drooling into her boobs, that she couldn't help but smile gently at him.

"I'm sorry but we have to return straight away to the village after leaving the island again.  And I really don't have any interest in anyone at the moment."

"Ah I see, well alright!  My father told me to seize every good opportunity that came my way!  And you really are so pretty that I thought I should at least try my luck."

Her face turned about as red as her own hair at the random comment.  The female had -never- been good with taking compliments.  

"Ah yes well... ehm thanks.  Now, I wonder when she will be here!  As you said it is important to get going!"

Kirima turned on her heel while trying to let the wind cool her face.  God damnit it.  When will I stop blushing at the smallest of comments?

FLYING BLIND: Her gaze was distant as the young woman looked towards the horizon.  The clock kept ticking and there was no sign of Seika.  Perhaps I should go ahead and do the mission alone, maybe she didn't get the memo.  Kirima knew that the men at the small boat were waiting impatiently, the young captain who just recently asked her out on a date was watching her intently while waiting on the female to get on board.  Why were they so eager to go?  It wasn't lunch yet, although the time was nearing it, and the weather seemed fine.  With a scrutinizing gaze she looked back towards the horizon.  It was fine right?  Even if she was no weather expert, she could have sworn that the clouds had been lighter ten minutes ago.  The thick and previously white wads that crowded together on the sky had turned to a dark grey colour and it was getting difficult seeing any blueness between them.  I don't like this.

If indeed the weather was starting to turn to the worse, they really needed to go.  Right about now.  With a great deal of dislike the female made her way onto the boat, her feet were planted firmly on the hard wooden surface and her face had a grim expression on it.  Just the tiniest of movements from the boat sent her stomach and mind reeling, making Kirima have to fight the urge to cling to -anything- that was within reach.  I must keep calm and keep my dignity.  The earlier healthy tanned complexion of the Jounin was rapidly turning very white with a tint of green.  

"Are we ready to go now?"

Tora had tentatively approached the female, wanting to hear her command so that they could get going.  "Yeah I guess so-"  She stopped and listened, sniffed the air slightly.  If Kirima wasn't mistaken, there was someone in a bit of a hurry aiming straight towards them.  The hurried tip-tap of shoes hitting the ground slowed, and as the red headed Jounin turned her head to look in the direction of the sound she could make out the familiar girl with the very familiar red hair.  Ah good, she made it.  The young woman waited patiently until Seika was done jumping on-board, before she faced the younger female with a single eyebrow cocked up on her forehead.  The obvious expression of one whom had been left waiting and wanted a decent excuse or explanation to be made.

"Kirima it has been a while. I hope life has been treating you well. Forgive me for being late but...well...I will just be honest with you... I accidentally over slept due to all the training I have put myself through over the last few weeks. Please forgive me for my tardiness. I am ready to leave whenever you are."

If anyone else had made that same excuse, Kirima might have been tempted to throw them into the ocean.  Yet, she understood.  It happened.  People overslept.  Seika looked honest enough, and Kirima didn't get any 'vibe' from the girl that she might be dishonest, so the Jounin simply nodded with a small smile.  "It's good to see you Seika."  Her head was turned towards the young captain, and Kirima could now finally speak loudly the command the crew had been waiting for.  "Let's get going."  There was a bustle of activity instantly, but that activity had little to do with the two Shinobi who had not been trained to sail.  Once again Kirima's clear eyes looked towards the horizon, the radiant blue colour of them almost turning darker from worry as she noticed that the clouds kept gathering into heavy and dark groups.  

"Oh and also, I am not sure if you or the crew of this ship are aware of this, but while I was on my way here I overheard a couple talking about a thunderstorm lurking in the east. I'm not entirely sure of which direction we will be heading or how badly the storm will affect the sea but I figured I would alert everyone in case they had not received the memo."

Kirima stared with wide eyes at Seika as the younger female only confirmed the Jounin's fears.  Oh God why me.  Why do I always have to have bad luck with weather every damn time I step onto a damn boat.  Honestly for a second, she thought about leaping off the boat and just getting the heck away from there.  Her gaze rested with longing on the docks that were starting to move away from the boat.  The uneasiness caused her to swallow a few times, yet her mouth was as dry as a sandy desert.  

Don't panic.

The strong, rumbling voice enveloped the female in an attempt to calm her.  Kirima's eyes fluttered closed as she took a few calming breaths, before she opened them again and looked at Seika.  "I'm sorry, I'm very bad with sailing.  I absolutely hate it."  A nervous laughter followed the words before she waved her hand at Tora whom happened to walk by.  "Were you aware of the weather having the possibility of turning to the worse today?"  The young captain nodded, earning himself a scalding glare from the female before she waved him off.  If he had told me I would have postponed this damn mission.  A groan started deep within her throat as she looked with dismay over the ocean that surrounded the vulnerable boat.  Even if she knew how to swim, the mere thought of having to tread deep water/ocean caused her to almost blank out from fright.

Don't forget your purpose here.  And don't forget that the girl is also still here.

You are right.  It's just a bit difficult thinking clearly.

She could feel that Matatabi was also uneasy, as was to be expected of a cat.  No matter the size or abilities, a cat was always a cat.  This deep feeling of uneasiness however was muddled over with annoyance as well, causing a whirlpool of negative emotions to swirl around in the female's mind.  She knew that if anyone were to piss her off now, the Two Tailed Cat would gladly take that as an opportunity to let its frustration out.  Kirima forced out a smile, wondering if a light conversation might ease her taut nerves and therefore also work as a means of calming Matatabi.  "So Seika, what have you been up to lately?  It's been a while since I last saw you.  Have you trained that ability of yours more?"  

The boat was gaining quick speed, as the strong wind was at their back now.  They'd maybe take about 20 - 30 minutes to get there as the island really wasn't far off. If one would peer hard enough in the righ direction they might make out the outlines of the destination. As Kirima would be chatting and listening to Seika talk, she would work hard on ignoring the taunting waves that kept crashing against the boat. Honestly she felt like moving up to where the mast stood, wrap her arms around it and hiss at anyone whom would approach her. But instead she braved it out, trying not to look like too much of a wimp even when she knew that her expression and complexion kept changing with each new wave and movement of the boat.

Why couldn't you be a two tailed seal or something...

A deep growl was the only answer, almost causing a small smile to break loose on the female's face.

FLYING BLIND: While trying to comfort and calm herself, Kirima crossed her arms casually while listening to the response from Seika.  It was true that she might have asked the questions simply to have her mind taken off things, but she did feel interested and glad to hear more about this mysterious girl.  Upon hearing that Seika had reached the prestigious rank of Chuunin, Kirima smiled and ushered out a 'congratulation' in between the talking.  The red headed Jounin could only imagine that it was quite the ego boost to not only be able to reach a higher rank and therefore gaining the respect of the fellow Shinobi of Kirigakure, but to also have the opportunity to learn a new and powerful Jutsu of the clan.  Even if Kirima herself was not a member of any clan, she could still manage to put herself in Seika's shoes.  It was probably that same feeling of excitement and joy as when she herself managed to attain a new ability with her Jinchuuriki powers.  

"It's good to hear you've been doing good.  You never did contact me again and I had a moment the other day where I wondered if you were doing well.  I don't know that many people within Kirigakure as I'm not really that good of a 'people person', but I do feel interested in those few whom give me the opportunity to befriend them."

She turned her face up into the wind, while half closing her eyes and inhaling the rich fresh ocean breeze.  Already there was salt lingering against her lips and skin, making the teen poke out the tip of her tongue as she appreciated at least this one side of the ocean.  It wasn't all that bad after all, so long as she wasn't forced to actually sail on it.  There was not much she could say to Seika at this point in order to answer the polite question.  After all, Kirima didn't know this young Chuunin well enough to start chattering about her Jinchuuriki training.  I wish I had more freedom to speak out and talk without having to mind my tongue.  Her subconsciousness reached out for comfort towards the huge Beast which resided within her.  Calm and reassurance flooded through her thoughts and body, yet again making the small trembling stop and making her feel more at ease.  

"I don't have any big news really.  I've been mostly doing some mental training and sharpening my already existing abilities.  There's always some extra work needed, I don't think I will ever be able to really perfect any of my techniques."

She smiled once again gently at Seika, her voice taking on a lower and more calm tone than before.  Speaking about training and improving yourself was really working in taking her mind of the matter at hand.

"Also, I wanted to say this sooner." Kirima raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner.  "If it helps, I have sailed a few times before with my parents to Konoha or on a fishing boat with my uncle and I still get kind of nervous. I do have water jutsu though so perhaps that could help us if we were to sink. I highly doubt we will though. I actually think the likely hood of us getting ambushed in the middle of the ocean is greater than a ship sinking but that's just me."  

The older female chuckled.  It was a bit reassuring to know, and also sort of sweet of Seika to be trying to make Kirima feel better.  "Thank you, it's good to know that.  I'm sure this ship can manage to stay floating, even if my stomach and a small primal part of my brain tend to disagree with the logic."  Upon having finished saying that, she walked a bit closer to the edge of the ship and willed herself to peer down into the dark blue depths of the swirling waves.  It was a bit foolish to be scared of these kind of small things, when she was basically trained to be a killing machine.  She could look sharp objects and crazy Jutsu in the eyes and laugh, but stepping onto a boat seemed to scare the shit out of her?  The female rolled her eyes at her own irrational weakness before she turned on her heel and observed the busy work of the sailors.  They were being very successful with steering the ship to the right course, even as the rapidly growing wind was starting to pull at it.  

"I'm sure they know what they are doing anyway."

The words were mumbled out, mostly to herself, but a also for Seika to perhaps hear if she could make out the soft tone, and also for Matatabi to make a rumbling sound of agreement to.  This fear of water was a thing they were going to have to work on together, since if the two of them were going to be surviving in this world of war and death, they needed to make sure there was no weakness that could ever drag them down.  Even when it was in the nature of a feline creature to fear or loathe water, the ninja was sure that a being such as Matatabi and a determined Shinobi as herself would be able to defeat that feeling.  

The trip was about as quick to take end as it started, land was already in sight and Kirima was beaming a smile as she stared hard at it.  She was trying her best to will that island closer to the ship, since the sooner she'd feel dry land underneath the soles of her boots the sooner she'd start feeling better and be able to be more of a fun company for Seika to be around.  Honestly, Kirima could not imagine that traveling with a fidgety and nervous person could ever be nice.  With excitement and sparkling eyes she pointed Seika in the direction of the island, her young age showing through this moment of playfulness, as the female was basically jumping around on the deck as she waited for the permission to step on land.  It was a wonder she hadn't started helping the sailors out (or tried to) as they were doing their own thing with steering and commanding the ship closer to the safest part of the island.  There was a small dock quickly noticeable, and it seemed like they were heading swiftly that way.  

Even as the wind was picking up and the coldness of the open ocean bit at the exposed skin of the people on the ship, then Kirima was completely unaffected.  She did not bother for a second to even think about zipping up her jacket as she paced around while waiting for the ship to come to a halt.  As soon as they were up against the dock, and the first few men jumped ashore with the ropes to tie the ship up; so did Kirima literally fly off the ship and land graciously in a somewhat crouched position before she had sprung up on her feet and started walking a bit away from the docks.  When she was sure she was at a safe distance from the ocean, she waved towards the captain and yelled out that they wouldn't be taking too long.  After that, she would wait for Seika to join her before they'd start the trek.  After about twenty minutes of walking, Kirima decided to break the silence and share some more information.

"According to the map I looked over earlier, the guy's house shouldn't be too far away from here.  That hill over there could actually be a land mark I remember from the map."  Her hand pointed in the direction of a small hill that seemed to have been placed completely on a random whim in the middle of nowhere on that small island.  The two females would soon be making their way there, until they'd notice a small and cute looking house.  Both of the Shinobi would at that point start being more focused on the task at hand, looking around for possible traps and perhaps in hopes of seeing the man they were here to get.  There was no suck luck however, so they were forced to walk up to the house and stop in front of the door.  

"From what I heard, he is a very crafty old guy and I am pretty sure he will be anything but happy to see us.  So keep a close watch out for anything surprising."

Her words of warning were whispered out, yet she felt like the only right thing to do in this situation was to simply knock on the door.  After all, what was the worst thing that could happen?  This was just an old guy right?  Kirima raised her hand, slowly closed it in a fist, and her knuckles had barely started brushing against the wood of the door when an explosion burst forth.  A yell of surprise was torn from Kirima's lips as she found herself flung backwards from the force of the explosion, large and small chips of the wood brushing against her face and arms.  A larger piece of wood, around 15 cm long and 1 cm thick, was quickly lodged deep within her right thigh as she sailed through the air before landing with a heavy thud on the ground.  

"Seika!"  Her voice was a hoarse croaking as she coughed and wiped blood off her face.  It appeared that there were multiple cuts in her soft skin from the splinters which had so aggressively been flung towards her in the explosion.  Her ears were ringing as Kirima desperately tried to locate the young Chuunin with all of her senses.  She could only hope that Seika had been far enough away from the door to escape the worst of the blast.  Perhaps Kirima's body had been able to be a bit of a cover, or so she could only hope.

"God damn it."

She stood shakily up and swiftly brushed dirt and wood off her clothes and out of her hair.  Despite the fact that she was half deaf, her ears were still sensitive enough to pick up the sound of something flying through the air, going straight towards the young woman.  Instantly she flew to the side, appearing to be but a blur as she moved so swiftly, and heard a loud clang as metal hit the ground where she had just stood.  Her right leg felt weird and numb, making it a bit difficult for the female to find her footing as she turned on her heel in order to view the rather brutish looking axe that had probably been meant to take off her head.  

"Damn you people, just go away and leave me alone!  I wont go easy on you if you wont leave now!"

An elderly yet very strong voice somewhere within the rubble of the house, or perhaps at the side of it, assaulted her still hurting ears.  Is that old geezer crazy?!  He could have easily killed us with this blast.  Man I don't even know if I am okay.  Blood slowly seeped out of her thigh around the wood that was lodged into the flesh.  Kirima was hesitant to pull it out just yet, deciding that she'd be fucked if she would bleed too heavily this early on in this rather risky encounter.  Where is Seika?  Her biggest fear right now was that her comrade had taken on damage as well, as Kirima knew that the other was not as tough as she herself was.  It was simply a matter of training that had been done, training which followed each new rank you gained.  

SC:

FLYING BLIND: You know, if you had been a bit more careful you could have avoided this injury.  I would have suggested sending that Chuunin first to knock on that door, as she seems of lesser value than we are.

You know very well that I would never do such a thing, and don't say egoistic things like that you damn cat.  Now stop yapping about useless things and let me concentrate.

Suit yourself.

The young woman could just imagine the feline creature as She would curl up inside of Her massive cave and wait patiently with a huff of smoke leaving Her nostrils.  As Kirima dug her hand into her explosive kit to get a smoke bomb ready for the use, she knew she was at a bit of a disadvantage.  She was out in the open, and from the looks of it the old man knew right where she was.  I am really not a person of strategy.  That was the cold hard truth.  Like a slap in the face with a wet rag.  Kirima was a person who charged ahead like a tank, or backed others up and -then- charged on like a tank.  She never faltered or turned back, and it was rare that she managed to think up some intelligent and complicated strategy in order to save her own ass.  Truthfully she had not been in that many situations which required much of strategy.  Perhaps it was a bit of a weakness along with a mixture of strength.  Right now however, it seemed more like a weakness as she was pretty much a sitting duck.  The old guy, Tetsuo was his name if she remembered correctly, had already lived at this island for a long time and for all she knew he could have rigged it with traps all over the place.  

"Obviously we aren't leaving you selfish bastard! Why can't you just face your problems rather than continue to run away like a crying baby!"

Her hand had grasped the smoke bomb inside of the kit, yet the female couldn't help but pause and look with wide eyes towards the location of Seika's voice.  Was that girl out of her mind?  I truly, really, reaaallyy hope she has some plan to go along with this taunt of hers.  Kirima felt a bit thankful though, as this was a good chance for her to start acting.  From the looks of it, this old guy was very temperamental, even more so than Kirima herself (and that was a tough challenge to overcome).  Surely enough, right after Seika's voice had spat out the insult, Kirima could spot with her sensitive hearing, footsteps travelling away from her own location and towards the other.  

That was the chance she had been needing and wanting, and thus the smoke bomb was pulled out and dropped to the ground.  Immediately after she was done dropping the smoke bomb and became impossible to spot with the naked eyes for a few seconds, she swiftly used the summoning Jutsu in order to bring her new partner into the fight.  A single hand was enough for using the hand signs, as she kept the other hand loose and ready for anything that might come her way.  The tiny spider appeared on Kirima's shoulder, and with ushered words and a low tone, the Jounin told the spider to hide underneath her clothing and wait for the opportune moment to back up her own techniques.  Not wanting to stay at the same spot for too long, the female started to move to the side as she started the signs for the second jutsu and at the same time pulled out a kunai with her right hand.  A replica of herself appeared at her side just as they were about to leave the cloud of smoke, and each one of the Kirima's jumped in separate ways.

She glanced to the side towards Seika's location, surprised to see that there had nothing happened yet.  Everything around them was eerily silent.  Kirima and her clone stopped, and listened.  What is he up to?Where is he?  Just as quickly as she had thought that, Kirima heard a rumbling underneath her feet.  It was very feint, yet she had detected it clearly enough to be sure of what it was.  

"Seika, he uses earth jutsu and is down below right now!"

She shouted out the warning just as she sprang forward, and barely managed to avoid having her foot impaled by a kunai that burst forth through the soil.  From the corner of her eyes, the Jounin saw movement heading towards Seika.  Her heart dropped a bit in her chest as she used all of her speed to advance towards them.  Even if Seika was strong and could handle herself well, their opponent still was a possible S rank Shinobi.  Retired or not, he still knew everything he had learned and seemed determined to get rid of these pests that had stepped onto his island.  Quickly hand signs were made with a single hand once again, as Kirima threw her kunai with the other hand.  The elderly man who had been approaching Seika stopped and turned towards Kirima with a sneer on his face.  His blue eyes were sharp as he looked at the female, before he lifted one hand with a release sign ready.  What?

She didn't notice if Seika had noticed him also, but just as quickly as she had thrown her kunai, so did that elderly man explode with the force of five explosive tags.  Rubble and dirt flew through the air, assaulting Kirima's senses as she stared ahead.  An explosive clone?  A whoosh through the air made her jump backwards, before she was forced to pull out a new kunai and use it to defend against the flying projectiles.

"Damn it, just come out here!"  

This hide and seek was getting really damn tiresome, and she noticed that her clone was under the same sort of assault.  With a grumble Kirima finished up a few hand signs.  In that instance she blew out multiple small tornadoes that quickly ate up and blew away any projectiles that had kept coming her way.  With a glance towards her clone, she gave it the silent command to go search for Seika, as she herself dashed towards the source of the thrown projectiles.  Kirima truly hoped that Seika was alright and wanted to go look for her instead of sending the clone, but she had to do something in order to stop this fight before it'd go too far.

Just as she had suspected, there was nothing to be seen anywhere, yet as she kept up the brisk pace, the ground suddenly caved in underneath her feet.  It was only be sheer luck and really fast reflexes that she managed to roll forward and land on her back just a few centimeters away from the hole instead of having been sucked down there.  As she lay still, she saw that same elderly man form out of the hole, with a double edged axe in each hand.  Clone or not a clone?  She didn't exactly wait around and ask, but instead rolled up onto her feet and muttered underneath her breath just as she swiftly did hand signs behind her back.  Immediately she spat out a fireball which swiftly burst forth into two jets.  From underneath her jacket, the spider summon used a Gale Wind Palm jutsu which sped up the technique as it surrounded the opponent.  Her beautiful blue flames lit up the area as they crashed around the opponent, and into that fray Kirima threw an explosive tag which swiftly enhanced the damage.  

If this guy was as good as he had seemed on the documents, he would survive that attack easily even if it might be good enough to bring him down.  Not that the female was especially worried about his life, because she knew that the man fought with a huge iron spear.  So far, she had yet to see that weapon, and had thus far decided to treat anyone else as a clone.

- - - - -

Meanwhile as Seika would be hiding behind the bush, she would quickly be able to realize that there was an enemy heading straight in her direction.  Whether it was underground or above the ground would be up to her to find out.  

(OOC:  Feel free to NPC the enemy as well.)

CP: 193/240

SC:

Jutsu:

Kit:

Summon:

FLYING BLIND: Her defensive stance was nowhere in the lacking as Kirima waited for the action to come.  She knew things would not be going any easier from here on, and therefore she had all of her senses at their highest alert.  She wished, really really wished, at this moment that she possessed the ability to sense other peoples Chakra so she would know where Seika was and if she was okay.  Already the Jounin had seen the fire pillar from where Seika's clone had exploded, but where was the real girl?  The worst possible thing to happen was for us to get separate.  She's my responsibility.  I wont forgive myself if she gets hurt.  The fear of that girl getting killed was starting to give Kirima a bit more of a frantic look as she turned her head from side to side and scanned the area.  Her feelings were at a turmoil inside of her, a hard knot of nervousness was torturing her stomach.  I can't stand losing anyone else.  I can't.  I can't see anyone else die.

She glanced in the direction of her clone which was also scanning the area.  Even if just a couple of seconds had passed since she had taken down that clone earlier in the explosion of flames, then Kirima felt like it was hours.  Suddenly a hand reached up from the ground and got a hold of her clone's feet.  The replica of herself was harshly pulled down into the ground, but at the last second she watched the mirrored image of herself use a fire jutsu to escape that potentially dangerous situation.  Just as Kirima was about to go and check out if the clone had managed to disperse of the opponent, she heard some ruckus at the other end of the house.  She was already on the move, running as fast as she could in order to find out what was going on.  A wire trap was activated as she ran, causing multiple kunai to fly her way.  I hate weaponry users.  A pair of kunai were pulled out of her kit and she used those to deflect the kunai that were charging her way.  A few of them barely scraped her skin whilst the rest was successfully neutralized.  

At that moment, she heard the piercing yell of Seika.  The fear sent icy needles down her spine.  No.  As she rounded the corner of the house, she saw the horrible scenery before her.  There Seika was laying down, helpless and from the looks of it knocked out and injured.  Above her stood the elderly male they had come here to capture.  This was the real guy, as the iron spear was held up in the air with every intention of piercing the young female and killing her.

"NO!"

The scream echoed through the air.  The elderly man hesitated at the sound and looked in the direction of the screaming, while wondering why that female was not still busy with his clones.  According to his calculations she should have had more troubles, unless she was higher ranked than he had guessed. As Kirima screamed again, now with a bit more of a rage in the screaming, it looked like a gust of wind flattened grass around her.  However, upon closer inspection; it was her immense Chakra level that was rising and starting to crush the grass and flatten it against the ground.  For Kirima it was as if time stood still as she ventured inside of herself.  She floated around in darkness within her own mind until she saw the faint blue glow, and headed in that direction.  She knew where she was and she knew what was about to happen.  She feared it, yet felt excited.  Her petite but strong form stood now before the huge iron bars of the prison which held Two Tails.  The two mismatched eyes of the feline beast looked down upon the human which was the host.  

Is this what you want?  Do you want to expose yourself for a person like her?

"I can't let her die.  I will never let anyone die again.  I am asking you nicely now, but if you refuse me then I will take this power against your will."

They stared at each other.  Weighed each other up.  Sapphire orbs met the mismatched green and white ones.  This was a small and short moment of a fierce battle between the two, before Matatabi decided that it might be best to let this silly little human do as she wanted to do.  It wasn't that big of a risk after all.  In best case scenario both the girl and the man would die.  In a little worse scenario the girl would remain knocked out and the guy was to either die now or be executed back at the village before he could say anything.  Matatabi closed her eyes, and the glorious beast started almost glowing with the power that started streaming out from her body.  And then Kirima felt that power again inside of her, filling her up and boosting her entire being.  This was the same power she had felt when she was training for the tails.  This strength and this frightful thirst for battle.  

Yes.  This is the feeling I love.  It scares me... yet.. this is what I live for.  

The real Kirima opened her eyes, not a single second had been wasted on the outside.  Suddenly, like an explosion, she was enveloped with dark blue Chakra that licked at the air and ground.  Her clone was immediately dispersed and so was the summon underneath her clothing.  The elderly man gaped as he stared at her, he had almost forgotten about the unconscious girl before him as he wondered just what was going on in front of him.  A single, proud, big tail sprouted from behind Kirima.  The sight of her engulfed within the Chakra, like she was engulfed by wild flames, was extraordinary.  And frightful.  The female looked with dangerous eyes towards the male, before she pushed herself off the ground.  This time, she completely disappeared from sight before she reappeared right in front of the man.  With a roar, she kicked.  A loud grunt escaped the male as he raised up the iron spear and defended against the kick, but got flung upwards into the air and crashed into the ground below.  

"Don't you dare touch her."

Her lengthened fangs flashed as she spoke.  The voice of the female was like a low growl as she sprung into action once again.  The roof crackled underneath her feet as she pushed off it and blasted towards the man like a rocket.  He raised up his spear, pushing against her kicks and punches as Kirima went at him like a wild alley cat.  With a powerful thrust, he knocked the female backwards, only to have to jump away himself when a very sudden and surprising arm of Chakra raised up into the air and smashed the ground where the man had just been standing.  They traveled over the ground at such fierce speed that only the well trained eye could follow close behind.  Kirima's Chakra arm grabbed onto boulders and ground and threw at the man, whilst she attacked him with her kicking and punching.  It showed quickly that even if he was still skilled, then he was getting older and was out of shape.  His chest was working rapidly up and down as he danced backwards, trying to stay out of range as he jabbed at the ferocious beast/human in front of him.

"Just what the heck are you?!"

The rage was pulsing within her chest, the power was seeping into her flesh and bones.  The Chakra was overcoming her own, and Kirima knew that soon the second tail would sprout if she would not calm down.  However, this was a very good practice run.  She hadn't even known that she could use a Chakra arm like that, and the more she attacked and defended; the more she got used to her new speed and agility.  It was also to Kirima's disadvantage however how little she knew her own power and how little she knew about controlling it.  Her thigh, even with her endurance, was starting to throb and she knew that the wood had long been lost.  Blood was streaming down her thigh, and just as she sidestepped a kunai thrown her way, her leg also gave a bit in and caused the female to loose her balance for just a second.  

That second gave the man the opportunity to jab his iron spear into her right side, scraping the tip against her ribs as he ripped open the flesh.  The female howled out in rage as she grabbed onto the spear and held tightly to it.  As the elderly ninja started pulling again, her mouth suddenly fell open and a large sphere of Fire started spiraling within her maw.  Her anger and hurt was making the power start spilling out of control, and that also made her unable to control the size of her techniques.  Honestly she was only going by her guts right now, and just as the elderly man decided that he was not going to be getting that spear of his back and let go, intending to flee, so did Kirima release the huge sphere of blue fire.  The fireball was 30 meters in diameter, giving little to no chance for anyone to flee.  The destruction of the land was absolute.  A large canyon formed where once had been grass and trees, and in the midst of that lay the man she had been sent there to capture.  

He was still alive.  Barely, but he was breathing.  Somehow he had managed to use up his last strength in order to avoid being killed, yet there were bad burns here and there and he had no way of moving nor even speaking.  The young woman who was covered in wild blue flames stepped slowly and gracefully closer to him.  Her slightly slanted eyes stared at him with fire burning within her gaze.  He had hurt her, he had tried to erase her existence from this world.  He had stood in her way.  He had tried to kill her new friend.  She was upon him now, her expression frozen as she reached down and grabbed the limp man by the throat.  Kirima was unaware that her side was gaping open with an ugly wound, her ribs almost in plain view as she lifted the man up by his throat and stared at him with murder in her eyes.  

No...I have to stop... I have to.... stop..

A low groan was ripped from her lips as she started trembling.  Her own mind was battling with the power that wanted to take over.  Her wounded body was protesting every single second she stood there half choking the man.  

"I ... will not.. become... a killer."  

Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper as Kirima let the man drop down onto the ground.  She turned on her heel and grabbed her face, the trembling only getting greater as her eyes filled with tears. I almost killed him.  And he almost killed Seika.  Why am I so weak?

You are young.  Inexperienced.  It's to be expected.  You are also missing the point here.  Neither of them died.  You haven't killed anyone.

The rumbling voice of Matatabi was like a soothing salve on the wounds of Kirima's soul and mind.  She let out a soft breath, and instantly the Chakra coating started to fade away into nothingness.  Her canines returned back to normal teeth and the tail disappeared along with the coat.  I must go check.. how Seika is doing..  The young female walked like a drunk person, one foot barely managed to go before the other as she slowly stepped closer to the house.  Her entire body was trembling violently from the earlier strain and blood loss.  Her face was as pale as snow, yet she was walking and she was alive.  The pain didn't bother her much, the endurance training took care of that; but there was still some discomfort to be had.  And the dizziness was not something the endurance could take away.  She glanced up to see if Seika was still there, a bit scared that maybe the other female had seen everything and would now look with fright and hatred at Kirima.  The Jounin was pretty sure the other would not want to have a monster for a friend.  But that didn't matter, so long as Seika would live.  


CP: 133/240

Tailed Form:

SC:

Jutsu:

Kit:

FLYING BLIND: "Kirima, you can sit back down I am right here,"

Kirima's head turned to the side and she found herself staring at Seika as if the presence of the Chuunin was something completely surprising to her.  Obviously she had been expecting and somewhat hoping that the other was still knocked out at the roof top, for various reasons.  Oh well, there she is.  The rather dumbfound thought burst through her mind before the female promptly sat/fell down onto the ground and blinked slowly as she tried to get out of the stupor that the blood loss and tiredness brought on.  Wait if she was standing over there right now, then just when did she wake up?  The Jounin kept blinking slowly as she shook her head, trying to get rid of this drowsy feeling so that she might be able to make at least one coherent thought appear.  Her tongue felt stuck to her gum, and there was a persistent headache starting to pound on her head, which was quite the feat for a headache considering her training.  Seika was apparently asking her something, forcing Kirima to pay close attention in order to hear just what she was asking.  Heal me?  Oh yeah that guy stabbed me or something.  Maybe that's why I'm so strange in the head.  Blood loss could explain everything at this moment, so yes healing would be a good idea.  It was always nice to go on missions with a medic at your side.

"Yeah of course, go ahead."

There had still not been any mentioning towards what had happened earlier with the whole tail and Chakra bomb made out of fire, making Kirima wonder if Seika had seen anything at all.  Because she was pretty sure that if Seika had seen the Jounin in her Tailed Form, then she would have for sure rather ran away screaming for help than offering to heal Kirima's wounds.  Hosts for the tailed beasts weren‘t exactly the most popular people ever.  So am I safe?  Is my secret safe?  Did she really not notice anything?  I‘m really lucky if that‘s the case.  

"You....you saved my life, I cannot believe I allowed myself to be so easily subdued but....thank god you were came. You saved my life. Thank you so much Kirima."  Alright it's for sure, she absolutely did not see anything.  I mean, who would be thanking me if they saw just what I was capable of doing.  Who'd want to thank someone ... someone like me.  I almost killed that guy for Heaven‘s sake.  A small sigh of relief escaped her lips, but she felt a little bit awkward when Seika was thanking her.  Of course she had saved her, it wasn't really like she had had any second thoughts about it.  It wasn‘t like she had had any other option in that situation.  

"Don't worry about it.  I would never let you die."  Her gaze was lowered in awkwardness as Kirima tried to get a bit more comfortable on the ground.  Everything seemed to be throbbing and stinging, making her regret not having trained the endurance even more.  However, some pain was necessary to remind you that you were alive.  And to also remind you when there was something seriously wrong.  Seika had apparently taken charge of the situation, and like an obedient and good patient, Kirima took the pills offered to her and didn't have any protests against having a shot.  As she quickly pointed out to Seika, then the small stabbing of a needle wasn't exactly something she would fear as she couldn't even feel it.  And besides, she trusted the young medic not to give her anything poisonous.  

However as Seika continued talking, so did Kirima notice the Senbon that were sticking out of the younger female.  "You're hurt."  It was quite the obvious statement.  "You should probably heal yourself first, rather than wasting energy on me.  I'll be fine.  I already feel much better."  She felt guilty over letting Seika get hurt, but tried to mask that feeling and hide it from plain view.  At least Seika wasn't angry or anything.  Slowly, Kirima closed her eyes and leaned her head a bit back.  Seika's healing had really done wonders, and so had the pills.  A lot of energy had been renewed, and by now there was hardly any discomfort left to really complain about.  The Chuunin's next question however caused Kirima to stiffen up and open her eyes with obvious shock.  Slowly she turned her gaze towards Seika as she processed the question that had been posed.  

"So...before I ask...would you care to explain what just happened. You're a Jinchūriki aren't you?"

The young Jounin grimaced as she looked down at the ground, evading the eyes of Seika.  She wasn‘t quite ready to talk about this, but there was no helping it now.  "So you did see me."  Her voice was very soft as she whispered the words out, but Seika would be able to hear what Kirima had said.  There was a slight pause as Kirima tried to calm down the fluttering nervousness deep within her stomach.  "Yes, I'm a Jinchūriki."  There.  The words were out.  She had just admitted to it, finally.  It felt like such a huge relief to be able to say the words out, yet at the same time it felt a bit dreadful as well.  She steeled herself to look back at the Chuunin, wondering if Seika‘s eyes would be filled with hatred, disgust or fear.  

An awkward and nervous smile fluttered across the red head's lips.  "It wouldn't take you much research to figure out the rest of my story, so I can tell you more now.  I'm the host for the Two Tailed Cat beast, the Nibi.  And.."  Kirima paused as her eyes darkened a bit with the suppressed feelings of sadness and despair.  This was where she should stop talking, but now as the truth had come out... she felt like she simply had to lay it all out.  Let Seika know every dirty detail there was.   "..I'm a former Kumogakure Shinobi whom was kidnapped by the order of the Mizukage and brought here to Kirigakure just a few weeks back."  She slowly glanced towards Seika, unsure just how she was going to be responding.

 "He struck a deal with me.  Gave me promises.  He said I'd be safe here, that I'd never be hunted down and I'd be able to live on and become stronger.  I... before I was kidnapped I had lost everything and everyone I loved.  My parents died when I was a child and my grandfather passed away shortly before I went on the mission where I got kidnapped.  And ... my best friend.. Kaze, he..." The female choked up on the words as her sapphire eyes filled with tears.  She would never forget that day when Kaze had killed himself before her eyes.  When he had told her he loved her, just before he had taken that away from her forever.  She would never forget the darkness, despair or fear she experienced inside of that cave.

Angrily the female swept her arm across her eyes and cleared her throat.  It annoyed her to have to show such a weak side to anyone, yet it had been so long since she had had anyone to really talk to.  She was truly so lonely, that sometimes she felt like she might just choke on the feelings that were buried up inside of her chest and mind.  "I'm sorry.  It's not your problem.  As you've heard now then you don't have to feel like you are bound to safe me.  I don't even know if I've been made an official Shinobi of Kirigakure yet.  I'm just a person who allowed herself to betray her own village because the nightmares and fear were haunting me.  I'm a betrayer, and.. I'm a monster.  A host for a power great enough to wipe out an entire village."  She paused, then looked hard at Seika.

"You are now the one person to know this.  Only the Mizukage and me know.  The Kumogakure officials probably think I'm dead, but with one word from you they will know the truth and send for me.  I wont ask you to keep my secret if that goes against your will.  And you don't have to fear me, I meant what I said about wanting to be your friend.  Even if you think I might be dangerous, then you can feel free to get up and walk away right now.  I wont follow you."

She was already forming the plan of escaping Kirigakure if Seika would tell on her.  Heck, she might just use this opportunity to leave before Seika could get to anyone.  However the Jounin did speak the truth, for she could never hurt that young Chuunin.  She had already promised herself to never kill anyone, and she was far from being cruel enough to hurt anyone as gentle as that Shinobi whom was healing her.

I'm sorry Matatabi, but I just can't.

Don't fret.  Let's wait and see what she says.  Watch her closely for signs of lying, and if you have any cause to believe we are in danger then we will leave.

FLYING BLIND: There was no problem with Kirima complying to Seika's gentle orders as the medic had to do what she was trained to do. A little shot here and there had never killed Kirima before, and as she had pointed out earlier then a little jab of a needle was hardly going to overcome her endurance training. So she would obediently do as asked, while waiting for the reaction from Seika. A reaction that was not long in the coming.

"I cannot fathom the thought of being taken away from Kirigakure so it's hard for me to truly think of what to say but I do know that I would feel just as distraught, if not worse. I know many being get annoyed when others try to sympathize but if it helps, I too actually lost a best friend of mine not to long ago. He had asked me out on a date and the night before the day we were supposed to go out, he went to a bar with his friends and was murdered by a drunken man. To think, he was only trying to make sure his older friends were okay as they drank. Innocent bystander who did not start anything.....but anyway, this is not about me. Sorry."

Kirima stared at Seika.  This was not really going where she had been expecting it to go.  Honestly she had expected ... well.. that Seika would storm off.  Or try to take her head off.  Even yell or curse the Jounin out.  But no, it seemed like the young girl was really sympathizing with Kirima and actually letting the Jounin know that she was not alone with her sorrow.  Seika had also lost a dear friend.  And it seemed like he had also recently confessed his feelings to her. I can't believe she'd be this nice to me.  I can't believe she's actually opening up to me as well. Maybe ... maybe I can talk to her some day about Kaze and everything that happened. Maybe I will feel better if I can have someone like her to lean towards. Atsu is also here for me, but I honestly feel rather confused towards him so often.  Her gratitude couldn't be very well explained within simple words at this point.  Yet her warm smile probably said it all. Again her eyes glistened a bit over, yet this time it was because of the happiness of being accepted by someone. Seika could probably not have found better words to comfort and calm the female down with.

"I honestly don't see why I should be afraid of you. I mean...I don't think you're a monster. I don't see why you should call yourself that either. After all, you look pretty human to man."

Kirima couldn't help but smile a bit at that.  True, she didn't exactly have six heads and eight eyes.  She didn't have claws or wings.  A 'monster' might be a bit of a dramatic exaggeration.  After all, she did only sprout a tail or two from time to time. As Seika continued to talk, so did the smile on Kirima's face grow bigger.  This was turning out to be way more wonderful than she had ever dared to hope for.   "It's just an over grown cat! I could just use a water jutsu to dump a load of water on it."  And that was the point where the Jounin burst out laughing, just as she heard the sniffle of rage from the Nibi within her head.  Obviously the tailed beast was not exactly fond of being talked about like that, but Kirima figured that Matatabi would give them a break for now.  As she tried to calm her laughter, in order to not test the beast too much, Kirima sent a few gentle words towards Matatabi. Calm down, too big of a pride can be too much to swallow. And I'm sure she doesn't mean anything but respect towards you, she only means to make the situation easier and lighter.  There was no response, but at least Kirima hadn't felt any murderous intentions.  That could only indicate that even if the cat had gotten a bit offended, then it did still possess a small amount of humor.  Or maybe She was just waiting for a better opportunity to rip the head off of Seika.  

"Do not fear Kirima, I will not exploit your secrets even if I was forced to do so. After all, friends just don't tell other people secrets without permission to do so anyway. That would be inconsiderate."

"Thank you Seika.  I'm really happy that I met someone like you.  I was afraid when I first decided to join ranks with Kirigakure that I'd always be alone, and I was also afraid that I'd get hurt once again if I opened up, but... you are showing me that it is really worth it to open up again and gain new friends. I hope we can continue doing missions together, and meet also outside of the job. I bet there are tons of things we could chat about."

There was no sadness, anger or despair left inside of Kirima, and already she was feeling filled with energy again. Her good mood was reaching its peak, despite everything that had happened previously.  Most of her injuries had gotten healed up, and even when her clothing was a bit torn and her hair was ruffled up; then she felt like this was a very successful mission all in all.  They were at least both alive and well for the most part.  A good power nap was probably needed once she was home, but after that she'd be good for the next mission. The red head glanced towards Seika as she spoke again, before nodding with agreement to what she had to say.

"Yes I'm more than ready to go.  I feel much better, thank you a lot for the help.  Now try to focus a bit on yourself, because you do sort of look like a cactus." A small chuckle followed the words, even when Kirima grimaced a bit since she could just imagine the discomfort for Seika.  After all, it didn't seem like the other female had trained endurance at all, and the Senbon were very prickly and bitchy to get out.  After making sure that the Chuunin had her own injuries covered, Kirima started walking towards the destruction she had so successfully made.  Even if she felt a bit like an egoist, she couldn't help but smile broadly while viewing the devastation of the surroundings and the deep slash in the ground.  Truly her techniques were far more powerful than she had imagined.

How did I make that Chakra arm appear?  And I can't even remember asking for that fire ball to be formed.  It's really weird to be in the tailed state.  It's like the Chakra has a mind of its own. I can't wait to be able to experiment some more, even if it might be best that I do so without fighting people. Even if this guy was a jerk, I would have never been able to forgive myself if I had accidentally killed him.  As she neared the still knocked out man whom was laying on his back on the scorched ground, Kirima pulled out a rope from her kit and swiftly tied him up.  Even if he didn't exactly look like he would be up and running anytime soon then she didn't want to take any chances.  That old fart had been a tricky opponent.  

As she felt almost back to her normal self, the female hoisted the un-moving body onto her back like it was a bag of potatoes.  No matter how much she tried, she simply could not feel sorry for him as she adjusted the weight and heard a low groan coming from the bound up body.  She rather enjoyed knowing that she had taken him down, and she hoped that she had made sure he'd regret ever trying to kill the two females that stepped upon his island.  The burden on her back wasn't too heavy, but her steps were a bit slower than before as she made her way back towards Seika.  Upon observing the younger female, and noticing that she was looking much better without the Senbon sticking out from her flesh; Kirima would look towards the road where they had come from.

"I bet you are just as ready as I am to leave this damn island.  I must say though, I don't feel excited at all to step a foot on that boat again."  Just the mere thought caused Kirima to grimace and her left eyebrow to twitch furiously.  Her stomach seemed to agree with the dislike, as it churned and tossed causing her to feel a bit nauseous.  That darned boat was however the only transportation available, so the Jounin cut back any more grumbling and groaning as she waited for Seika to get ready before they started making their way back. The two would have some mindless, small chit chattering as they'd walk at a steady pace; until the boat would be in sight. At that point, Kirima would call for some help to carry the guy onto the boat and they would leave as soon as everybody were ready.

As the boat started sailing away from the dock, Kirima stood rooted to the deck and stared at the island. It was a beautiful place, and now it held new memories. Especially did it hold some value now to the young woman who had discovered yet a new side to her abilities.

[Exit - Mission complete.]