Visitors, how unexpected [Private]

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

To those familiar with it, the smell of roasted squirrel and rabbit was not all that hard to small, for Yoroi had gotten quite some lucky hits with his snares and traps. Living on whatever he could get his hands on, he had been spending a couple of minutes with his bone dagger, skinning several squirrels and a couple of rabbits. Once they had been cleaned out and rid of their organs, he made pikes of bone grow from his wrists, sticking the woodland critters on and hanging them above a camp fire. The fire would roast the meat while Yoroi waited, using the bones he picked out for one of his other hobbies. From the skulls and bones he removed he would engrave sigils and other markings he made up, turning the remains of animals into small totems and other items. For years he had been living in the forests of the fire country, living in the most convenient and well hidden parts that were not visited much. He had learned which berries and nuts were edible, as well as the ones he should not be eating, learning through experience above all else. When one lived as Yoroi did, chances of losing ones humanity were always quite large, which was why he had been working on a great deal of hobbies such as his bone carving and totem crafting.

Creating entire totems and even a small wooden space in which he slept out of the materials he got his hands on, everything around him was provided by nature. In case of wild animals, he had set up a parameter around his living grounds using the totems he made, setting them straight up into the ground so as to scare both people and animals away, for there was nothing more frightening to a beast then the scent of death, especially the death of ones own kind. Hanging dream-catchers made out of string, twigs and bone on the branches of trees, he turned the place into a gallery of his art, as well as a place of his own that would not welcome others. The totems had been set in a fifty meter radius around his camp, making it hard for people to see the one living in the center, using the foliage to hide his camp as well as possible. Some people did not wish to be found, Yoroi was one of them, because people always had a nasty habit of bringing problems with them wherever they went. No, he would prefer to keep them as far away from him as possible, and as for that reason, he placed the totems of larger animals too, large wooden poles adorned with the skulls and bones of bears, wolves and wild boars. Most people knew to fear bears and wolves, while those that could kill them with their bare hands would be that much more worthy of being feared then a mere animal.

Yoroi was not one that would believe in false gods, nor did he believe the whole story of godly weapons and powers. The only thing he believed in were the gods of nature, as well as mother nature itself, for those were the only ones that showed themselves to him. Wind, Water, Earth, the elements one would encounter most in nature, plants and animals being born and growing every day, those were all forms of proof he needed. Still, he did not consider these “gods” to be all powerful creatures, just spirits that lived around each and every one of the inhabitants of the forest, as well as all other regions of the world that were filled with natural life and beauty. Yoroi’s way of life kept him in sync with nature, feeding on those that fed on smaller animals, eating nuts and berries that grew in abundance, as well as drinking from a clear creek that came down from the mountainous regions. Those living in the cities and villages had no such connection to nature, being men and women of modern times, the ones feeding the war machine with their own flesh and blood whenever another senseless war broke out between nations. He would not have any part in all of that, for he could protect his home with his bloodline, the Shikotsumyaku.

The density of the Kaguya’s bones was unmatched even by most metallic objects, which was why they were quite fearsome in close combat, capable of spawning blades from their body at will, most without warning. With his own bones, he would usually fill up the missing parts of his totems, or just to make them more frightening. Checking to see if the meat was getting cooked well, he figured that in a few more minutes, dinner would be ready. He did not want to get an infection from eating raw meat, because stuff like that could quickly be the end of someone who spent his life in a forest, surrounded by wolves, mountain lions and even the occasional bear. Hearing a rustling of leaves up in the distance, his ears pitched while blood started rushing through his body with a blast of adrenaline. Dashing behind a large tree, he hid among its roots, peaking through them in order to see what kind of trespasser was moving into his domain. Inside of his body, his bones were itching, almost as if they were ready to protect his home.

Age : 28 Posts : 2538

Shikaruto woke with a start, as birds sung in the arrival of dawn. The sun was just rising above the trees, granting him with enough warmth not to start shivering. Pulling himself out of his sleeping bag, Shikaruto crouched on the branch of the tree he had slept on, rolling his bag back up and into it’s cover, before shoving it hastily into his backpack. His own back ached from the rough night's sleep and the dew from the night had dampened his body, giving him a horrible cramped feeling. Untying his ninja wire from around the tree and shoving it, still detached, back into his Genin Kit, Shikaruto channelled chakra to his feet again as he ran down the trunk of the tree to the ground. He always kept hold of whatever ninja wire he could, because it had proven most useful in the past.

As he levelled with the floor, Shikaruto's nose was greeted with the smell of cooking meat. The smell was familiar, and Shikaruto knew he had smelt it before in his lifetime, but it had been a long time since he had eaten meat, so he couldn’t tell exactly what animal carcass had been slaughtered and was roasting slowly on what he assumed would be an open fire in a dense forest. The idiocy of such an action annoyed Shikaruto and he found himself approaching the smell thoughtlessly. As he did so, Shikaruto came face to face with a large wooden pole, stopping him in his tracks. It looked like a totem pole, adorned with the skulls and bones of what looked like they used to be very large animals. He wanted to reach out and run his fingertips along the smooth bone, but he didn't dare.

The sight sickened Shikaruto, and as an animal lover, he found himself outraged at such an act. But he couldn’t deny the fear that he swallowed down his throat in a lump. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the totem pole signified danger. The size of the animal bones showed that whoever had slaughtered them was obviously capable, and it was obviously a warning to attackers. But Shikaruto wasn’t an attacker. He just hoped whoever had made the totem pole would understand that, before attacking him. Either way, he would have to pass the totem pole. The Mountain’s Graveyard was in that direction and he needed to get there for his mission.

Stepping cautiously past the totem pole, Shikaruto hesitated for a moment, half expecting someone or something to jump out at him. When it didn’t, he carried onwards, albeit at a slower rate. After a while, he noticed what looked like hanging dream-catchers made out of string, twigs and bone on the branches of trees. Using Kinobori no Waza to climb a tree for a second time that day, Shikaruto landed on a branch and pulled a dreamcatcher into his hand to inspect it. The materials were intricately woven together in a beautiful yet shocking way, given the use of bone. Stroking his hand along it, Shikaruto let it go and it swung gently from side to side underneath the branch. He wondered who on earth had made such things.

Returning back to the ground, Shikaruto carried onwards, feeling like somebody was watching him. If possible, the trees were even closer together and the ground was covered in shadow. Normally Shikaruto felt comfortable in the shadows, but not today. The trees were so cramped together that Shikaruto wondered how they all survived. The must have had to constantly fight for sunlight. He was in awe of them for a moment; that nature would fight that hard to survive. He could empathise with the trees, understanding that they wanted to exist so much, they would spend every second of said existance battling their own kind to do so. Little rays of light fought their way through the trees, abysmally illuminating Shikaruto’s path ahead of him.

The use of bone got more frequent as Shikaruto continued to walk deeper into the forest. Earlier, he had felt elated to be this far away from home. Now, all he wanted to do was return. The foliage on the ground also got thicker and Shikaruto's path got more narrow with each step. He stopped, looking around, but he still couldn't see anybody. He contemplated for a moment whether to call out into the darkness, but he knew that was stupid and it wouldn’t work. Instead, he stood frozen for a moment, unsure what exactly to do next.

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Age : 32 Posts : 1912

Placing his eyes on the person that had so rudely barged into his camp, the thought of treating him like he treated those who were out to steal his food or hurt him crossed his mind. He did not really know for sure, though the guy did not look much like a killer, which was really a good thing. Yoroi really did not like it when people pushed themselves into his territory, liking it even less when another Shinobi just walked right in. Still his hands twitched, his instincts telling him he should attack while he was still unseen, making short work of the guy while he could still do so without a struggle. Then again, the signs stated that this guy was a member of Konoha, the hidden leaf village, meaning he could not just kill him for tresspassing. Dropping his cover, he stood up straight on the branch he had been leaning on, taking a couple of steps out of the shadow. By the time the Shinobi would have spotted him, he had already gathered enough intel on the guy to memorize him, just in case they were to meet again in the future.

“You should know better then to storm right into my home. Those totems and markers you passed are meant to keep people and animals out, it’s not a welcome sign for everyone to just be allowed to walk on in. As a Shinobi, you should have been able to figure this much out” Yoroi said, his eyes still scanning the kid for any notable features. With his strange pattern of hair that ended in a spiky ponytail, he was sure he would remember the way in which this guy had chosen to wear his hair. He did not meet a whole lot of people, so there was not a whole lot to go by, because for all he knew this was some kind of thing everyone in the village was into. Still, he figured the lightning pattern fitted more with people from the Lightning country, his reasoning speaking for itself. He had his forehead protector around his waist, so he was now at least certain that this guy was a Konoha Shinobi after all. With a slight hop, he allowed himself to drop down from the branch in order to look the guy in the eyes from the same height.

As he landed on the ground below, he landed with a gentle tap, being pretty used to doing this kind of thing, not to mention the fact that practice made perfect. Landing in the soft dirt did it’s fair share in weakening the blow caused by the drop, making it so that there was no hurt whatsoever. Standing up straight, he looked the guy in the eyes, wondering what kind of skills this guy had going for him. Then again, he also wondered if the guy had any kind of skills that he had gained from his family like he had been born with the Shikotsumyaku, or at least that was what the people of the village called it. Yoroi had never given his power a name, simply because he did not name his fingers and toes either, seeing as the entirity was a part of his body just like the other. Names mattered little to him, which was the exact same thing with people, not being at all interested in names as much as he enjoyed figuring out their level of skill.

From what he could see, this guy was not much of a physical fighter, not really showing a whole lot of bulk or other physique that showed that he was used to fighting with Taijutsu or other kinds of weapons. Then again, it might have been a result of the guy’s clothing, not showing a whole lot of skin. Depending on his answer, things could be headed in a couple of directions, a couple of them being fairly aggressive and ultimately leading to a fight, though the Shinobi had all the cards to making things go either one way, or the other.

Age : 28 Posts : 2538

Shikaruto heard movement from above him and his head snapped up at the noise. His neck cracked from the sudden jolt, as he saw someone stepping out of the shadows of the trees.

“You should know better than to storm right into my home. Those totems and markers you passed are meant to keep people and animals out; it’s not a welcome sign for everyone to just be allowed to walk on in. As a Shinobi, you should have been able to figure this much out.”

From his voice, Shikaruto immediately deduced that the person was male. His body was still disfigured in shadow, so Shikaruto couldn’t make him out, only his slender frame. He could tell the male was quite tall, and his hair seemed to be parted to one side. He seemed quite thin and the outline of his clothing was tatty and ragged, clinging tightly to his skinny body. Shikaruto stared in the direction of the male’s form, willing his eyes to focus, but the darkness was too thick for his human eyes to muster. The male’s voice was threatening, leaving Shikaruto unsure on how to respond.

“I didn’t realise this was your home. Those totems and markers are barbaric and whilst I figured out their purpose, I found them too interesting to simply walk away. Besides, this is the quickest path to my destination.”

Shikaruto spoke calmly, but assertively. He wanted to let this guy know that he would not be intimidated. The figure hopped slightly, down from the branch he had been standing on and his body fell through the air in a mass of black clothing and bright turquoise hair.
He landed on the ground with a gentle tap, which suggested to Shikaruto he had a certain level of expertise with living in the forest. After a moment, he stood up straight level with Shikaruto.

Shikaruto’s eyes locked with the male’s and he noticed they were a shade of shocking green, contrasted with red liner around them, which reminded Shikaruto of blood. He felt a familiar tingle of fear, but was able to repress any outward emotion, as he knew this guy would pick up on it immediately. Shikaruto’s watched as those eyes glanced over him, obviously analysing him, suggesting to Shikaruto that he would not be far wrong if he predicted the possibility of a fight. His body tensed up at the thought, and he had to stop himself from taking a step back.

Now that the male was out of the trees, the light washed over him, illuminating his features to Shikaruto’s eyes. Shikaruto was taken aback by his hair, but once he had gotten over its shock value, he noticed the boy’s skin. It was incredibly pale and Shikaruto assumed this way because of his lifestyle in this forest, where there was little sunlight to tan from. Even so, his skin was almost white. On closer inspection, Shikaruto noticed his canine teeth were sticking out from behind his upper and lower lips, resting on them. Shikaruto wondered what kind of body modification had allowed to such teeth, or if it was even a body modification at all.

The boy’s dark clothing was composed of a black shirt with long, tight sleeves which clung to his slender arms. It seemed to have lots of stitches in it and Shikaruto wondered how these had been sewn on and why the boy didn’t just bother with buying a new shirt. He lives in the forest, he probably doesn’t get to the shops much, Shikaruto thought to himself, rationalising. Around his waist, Shikaruto noticed the boy was wearing a belt. More importantly, on the belt Shikaruto noticed a steel plate with the symbol of Konohagakure no Sato on it. Upon seeing this, Shikaruto felt a wave of relief wash over him. Whilst this by no means meant Shikaruto was safe, he could conclude that he was allies with this man, and they were officially bound to one another by the code of shinobi. The sense of mystery surrounding the man lessened, calming Shikaruto’s nerves. However, the band meant that the man was a shinobi, which made him more dangerous.

His pants were padded in the knee area and also covered in stitches, just like his shirt. Overall, this guy’s outfit was not in good condition, but that was to be expected if he did indeed live in the forest. Being detached from society in such a way could do horrendous things to people, and Shikaruto wondered if the longer canines were an evolutionary factor for hunting with. His clothes were covered in dirt and what looked like old blood stains. I almost feel sorry for this guy, Shikaruto thought to himself. Almost.

Once he had finished analysing the man, Shikaruto stood quietly, waiting for his response. He began to wonder what living life in the forest was like, and how it would have effected this man’s personality. He seemed hostile and unwelcoming at the presence of another human being, and Shikaruto wondered how long it had been since he had had human contact. Shikaruto knew that isolated people were unpredictable, and he wondered how his fellow shinobi would react. Obviously he must have some sense of civilisation about him, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to become a shinobi. Whilst Shikaruto didn’t exactly feel a sense of attachment to his village, he knew that if this man was a fellow shinobi from it, there was some consolation in that.

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

The guy did not really seem to be aggressive towards him at all, though he was speaking in a quite assertive tone of voice. He said something about how the totems he had made were quite interesting and that his camp was the quickest route to his next destination, meaning the guy was just passing through. In a way, he was slightly annoyed by the lax way in which the guy was talking about tresspassing on his bit of land, equal to him as if someone barged through his house with dirty boots, claiming it would be faster to climb through the bedroom window then moving through the streets. As a Kaguya, he was used to acting solely on instinct, though he was not just a berserker like the other members of his family were said to be, he was a hunter, a predator, meaning he would not act before he knew what he was up against. It was often the prey that would make the first move, believing they had what it took to turn the hunter into the hunted, though this part of the mountain’s was not littered with bone and fur because he was easily beaten.

“So you are a person who can appreciate art, that’s good to know. These bones and other materials came from the land and it’s creatures, most of them gathered from the hunt, though some came to me. That’s the thing about life, you never know when a mountain lion or a pack of wolves might move into your territory, or another Shinobi at that” he said, making a reference to the guy that stood in front of him. Yoroi was going to return the assertive manner of speech and continue along the line they had been going since the start. Cracking his neck, he was preparing himself for a possible rumble taking place, a thing he welcomed with open arms if it came to it. He had not fought a human in a very, very long time, so if it was to go down, it would be interesting to him to see how this guy would fight back against a Kaguya. What made things even more fun was the fact that the guy probably had something up his sleeve if he still acted tough in a semi-hostile situation, so it was either that, or he was just plain stupid.

“My name is Yoroi, and it’s common for someone who rushes into another’s home by accident to at least share their name”. Funny enough, he had read that in a book a few years back, though he never got to apply things like that in a conversation, because there was never any conversation to be found in a place such as this one. The guy liked his art, so that was a good thing to keep in mind, even though the way he acted ticked him off a bit. In Yoroi’s world, all life was equal, and he had taken many lives for a lot less then tresspassing, though it seemed different because the guy was a human just like him, causing him to be more lenient towards him. Even though this was happening at a pretty fast rate, it seemed like the guy had something on his mind, something he did not want to say or maybe wanted to say but kept behind closed lips. It bothered him, though if such a thing was really present, he would most likely say so soon enough.

Age : 28 Posts : 2538

“So you are a person who can appreciate art. That’s good to know. These bones and other materials came from the land and it’s creatures, most of them gathered from the hunt, though some came to me. That’s the thing about life, you never know when a mountain lion or a pack of wolves might move into your territory, or another Shinobi at that.” The shinobi cracked his neck, before continuing. Shikaruto couldn’t help but feel the act was an attempt to assert dominance. The shinobi probably didn't take too kindly to fellow humans in his domain. Isolated people often exhibited a sense of ownership over the land they had claimed for themselves. Shikaruto assumed that this shinobi had done such a thing, considering he appeared to live entirely off of the itself. The forests of Hi no Kuni were a public place, yet this shinobi was acting like he owned a portion of them. Shikaruto had done no wrong by stepping past the totem poles. Whilst they may have signified ownership of said land, there was no law prohibiting Shikaruto from passing through. “My name is Yoroi, and it’s common for someone who rushes into another’s home by accident to at least share their name.”

The guy was obviously annoyed at Shikaruto, considering the assertive tone he had taken with him. He spoke to Shikaruto like he was telling off a child and his body language screamed annoyance. Shikaruto had been right to pick up on the hostility bouncing off Yoroi in waves. Now he knew Yoroi’s name, Shikaruto had established a sense of power over the shinobi. Shikaruto knew Yoroi’s name, but Yoroi didn’t know his. It was such a simple thing and Shikaruto toyed with the possibility of withholding his name just to annoy the shinobi. Yoroi was expecting Shikaruto to respond with his own name, and Shikaruto didn’t like living up to peoples’ expectations. He knew doing such a thing would only antagonise the shinobi, and the possibility of a fight was still imminent, despite establishing they were from the same village. He could tell the shinobi didn’t like him, from what little interaction they had engaged him so far. At this point, the feeling was mutual, but Shikaruto knew that damaged people were dangerous. They knew how to survive. Why else would this boy be living in the wild? Shikaruto saved his judgement, but he couldn’t help but allow some of his sarcasm to slip through. He wasn’t going to sacrifice who he was for fear of violence.

The atmosphere was tense as Shikaruto responded. “You said that the totem poles you designed were to keep shinobi out, but now you’re implying it’s common for someone to rush into your home by accident? Seems like a contradiction to me.” Shikaruto smirked as he let the taunt in his words set in. “Seems to me like your totem poles aren’t working.” Shikaruto had thought about insulting the poles, but soon realised this wouldn’t make sense, as he had already vocalised his awe of them and he didn’t want to lie simply to aggravate this guy. He was simply presenting him with the truth. If he was going to be so hostile to Shikaruto, he would respond in kind. Whilst he was annoyed, Shikaruto didn’t want to be outright rude to Yoroi, so he eventually presented him with his name. “I’m Shikaruto,” he finished simply. He didn’t mention that he was of the Nara clan. He wanted to see if the shinobi could deduce that for himself, given he was wearing the logo of the clan on his shirt. If he knew the symbol of the Nara clan, Shikaruto would be able to deduce just how much time he spent in Konoha and how much time he spent in the forests. This man seemed to be the epitome of dichotomy, balancing the line between human and animal perfectly. Additionally, Yoroi hadn’t told Shikaruto his family name, which could be considered rude by many people. Shikaruto wasn’t too bothered about such formalities, but if Yoroi wasn’t going to tell him his family name, Shikaruto wouldn’t reveal his either. Their encounter so far had been a verbal struggle for power over one another. Shikaruto had quite a way with words, so he knew that he would be able to adapt to whatever situation would present itself, which at this point, could be anything. When the time comes, I will always analyse the situation and apply myself accordingly, Shikaruto thought, nodding his head as a sign of reassurance to himself.

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

Yoroi Kaguya

Tilting his head to the side a bit, it seemed that beneath his wits and his cocky exterior, there was a dim-witted boy. He had probably considered himself to be quite smart by speaking to him about what he had told him about the totems he had made, claiming that he had contradicted himself, even though Shikaruto had only taken his words out of context. Most living beings that walked into his territory ended up killed and eaten, their bones used as toothpicks and other useful materials. When he said it was common for one to state their name, he meant in the general scheme of things, like someone stepping into the wrong house by accident. Yoroi did not understand sarcasm and as such had mistaken it for sheer stupidity, only further adding to the negative view he had about this kid. Yoroi had no intention of explaining himself to the guy at all, allowing him to take his words however he wanted to, simply shrugging his throat and spitting on the floor instead.

As a stalker in his own rights, he had learned to profile animals quite well, knowing when they were on guard, scared, angered or simply enraged, capable of reading them like a book. In the process, he had also been able to do a similar thing with humans, as he knew that the Shinobi was analyzing him just the same as Yoroi did. He did not like it when people did that to him, in fact, he truly hated it when people did such a thing. They did not understand what he had done to survive, what he would do again if it meant survival. Picking up one of the bone swords he had discarded after using it for engraving his totems, he firmly gripped it by it’s handle before turning his focus back at the other Shinobi that had been waiting a while before he reluctantly shared his name with him. It was a long name, something he was not quite used to, the few people he knew having simplistic and short names such as himself.

“...Shikaruto...” Yoroi muttered, letting the name sink in for a while. He did not have anything in mind that he wanted to talk to this guy about, though he would not mind asking him to leave. By now, it was clear that things would escalate soon, either as a result of what he would say or as a result of what Shikaruto would say. Regardless of who did what, the Shinobi was in the wrong for entering his terrain and making the stupid mistake of questioning Yoroi’s intellect, something he would regret soon enough. “Tell me, why would you stay here if all you want to do is question my intelligence and make fun of how I set up my territory. Perhaps you are afraid that I might bury this blade between your ribs when you turn your back and walk away. It seems about right, the wildling killing the civilized out in the wilderness” Yoroi continued, wondering just how accurate his question was.

For pulling his intelligence into question, he had gotten annoyed by the kid. When he made fun of the purpose his totems served and thus made fun of his art, he had put him out there as a person he would not much care for. That was how he generally thought, though this guy had done all of that while trespassing on his land, thus adding further insult to injury, and for that the guy would be on his blacklist. It was a common case of receiving three strikes, and as of now, he was out. If Shikaruto wanted to make the first move, he would be more then welcome to, because there were only two possibilities now. One was apologizing to Yoroi, the other was to fight it out like men.

Age : 28 Posts : 2538

Yoroi tilted his head to the side slightly, before shrugging and spitting on the floor. Shikaruto was partially disgusted by the action, not seeing the point in it, but he kept quiet, knowing he had annoyed Yoroi enough, considering this was their first meeting. The two boys stood looking each other up and down, analysing one another silently, the animosity thick in the air. Shikaruto didn’t want to fight, he just wanted to get on with his mission. However, it was a matter of principle. He wouldn’t back down just to avoid a fight. Sometimes, the right thing to do was also the hardest. Yoroi picked up a sword from the ground, which seemed to be made of bone, like the dreamcatchers. He firmly gripped the sword by its handle, before turning his focus back to Shikaruto.

What is this guy’s fixation with bone? Shikaruto thought, refusing to flinch. He didn’t want to show any signs of fear. He had come up with two theories. Firstly, this boy was constantly living out in the forests of Hi no Kuni, so bone was one of the few materials readily available to him and he had become a master of wielding it to his needs. Secondly, this boy was a Kaguya. The bones looked too polished to have been obtained by natural causes. They were still milky white, despite however long they had remained outside of a living body. This was a telltale sign of a Kaguya, as they were known for infusing calcium with their chakra to manipulate their bones, which would cause the whiteness. However, the Kaguya clan were thought to be extinct. Shikaruto knew this wasn’t always the case with extinct clans, as it was hard to keep tracks on where every member was, but he was skeptical that any Kaguya actually existed anymore.

Shikaruto had read about them when he had been researching Konoha’s clans in the library one late afternoon. It was around the time his uncle had started teaching him the Nara clan’s hijutsu and Shikaruto had been fascinated by the idea of hijutsu and kekkai genkai. Not being the naive type, Shikaruto wouldn’t believe this boy was a Kaguya until he was presented with hard evidence, such as their renown kekkai genkai; Shikotsumyaku. This kekkai genkai gave select members of the Kaguya clan to mold their unique skeletal structure through their osteoblasts and osteoclasts to manipulate the growth and properties of their bones to their liking. The kekkai genkai was one of the most revered Shikaruto had read about. He prided himself on his research and intelligence, so Yoroi was indeed a Kaguya, Shikaruto knew he would need to approach the situation with caution. However, Shikaruto disliked the stigma that came with certain bloodlines. He hated how just because he was a Nara, everybody treated him like a genius, even if there was a degree of truth to it. If this boy was indeed a Kaguya, he wasn’t getting any special treatment from Shikaruto, and he would expect the same in return, should Yoroi actually decipher that Shikaruto was a Nara.

“Shikaruto...” Yoroi muttered, then fell silent for a while, the word brandishing itself in the air between them like a sword. “Tell me, why would you stay here if all you want to do is question my intelligence and make fun of how I setup my territory? Perhaps you are afraid that I might bury this blade between your ribs when you turn your back and walk away? It seems about right, the wildling killing the civilized out in the wilderness.” Shikaruto inhaled sharply at the deadly threat involved in Yoroi’s words. He had known he was badgering him, but he hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly. He felt the urge to back down and apologise, but he knew that this was simply his fight or flight response telling him to appease to Yoroi and get the hell out of there. This was something he simply wouldn’t do. He wasn’t the son of a coward. Shikaruto was balancing on a tightrope between defusing the situation and starting a battle of pride between shinobi. He decided to balance for a little longer.

“I didn’t question your intelligence, only pointed out a contradiction you created. If you feel your intelligence is questioned, maybe you’re insecure about it? You can’t be too intelligent, what with raising yourself in these forests. You probably don’t have much time for books, or anything else civilised. You may be a wildling and I may be civilised; but please don’t underestimate me. Damaged people are dangerous; they know how to survive. And I’m probably one of the most damaged people you’ve ever met.”

Shikaruto eyed the bone sword that was pointing at him and thought about grabbing a kunai to hold in front of him in a defensive stance. In the end, he decided against it. He was sure Yoroi would consider this an act of violence and if they were going to fight, Yoroi would have to make the first move. Besides, the first move’s always a feint, Shikaruto thought to himself, his body tensing slightly as he waited for Yoroi’s response.

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

Yoroi Kaguya

Next to denying his claims about him being unintelligent, he also put in more of his self proclaimed smarts, saying that Yoroi probably questioned his own intelligence. How very annoying this guy was, still not having left and still upholding his previous claims while adding more insults along the way. Slowly walking closer to the guy, he wondered if the guy was just acting big as a result of being intimidated or if he was really just this stupid. Staring down into Shikaruto’s eyes with his own emerald orbs, the haunting expression on his face being overly present. He truly hated it when people talked down on him like this guy did with such ease, almost as if he believed he had a chance if things would really turn into a fight here and now. Yoroi knew the terrain and had been fighting since he was a child, things he did when Shikaruto still went to school and was busy reading from his precious books. He could tell that the kid was thinking about the current situation, wondering whether he should be the one to strike first or if he should wait for Yoroi to make the first move.

Next to that, he could tell that he was eyeing his sword several times, wondering if it was an actual bone sword or if it was just a piece of crap he had simple picked up off of the ground. If he wanted to, he could probably strike the kid down right now before he could even attempt to draw a weapon, though he did not seem dumb enough to make his move against him just yet. If he would as much as reach for a weapon, Yoroi would strike without warning with the accuracy and speed of a black mouthed mamba. Yoroi might not have been as book smart, though he had a knowledge about combat and reading people’s mood like no other, allowing him to be an accurate and deadly killer when need be. He had stood eye to eye with brown bears, mountain lions and even a pack of wolves when on a bad day, his sheer strength and durability allowing him to either scare them back where they came from, or to dispatch them if they chose to attack. There was no difference to him, striking this Shinobi down with the same precision and speed without remorse, just like an animal.

“So you are trying to tell me that just because I do not read a book every now and then that I am not an intelligent person like you believe you are. Just because you might be book smart and have the time to sit in your safe little house to read does not mean that others have that luxury. Do not fool yourself into thinking that being able to read a book every now and then means that you’re smart, because a smart person would not just walk in here and look down on the owner of this piece of land”

Even though he was amused by the thought of getting into a fight with someone who seemed to be roughly his age, what almost made him grin was what the boy said to him about his personality, how it would not matter whether he was a wildling or a civilized person. He told Yoroi that he was not to be underestimated, how “damaged people were dangerous, for they knew how to survive”, and that he was perhaps the most damaged person Yoroi would ever meet. It was a laughable attempt of returning some of the fear back to Yoroi, an attempt that had failed miserable, him only being able to contain his laughter by addressing the situation as fast as possible. Between the two there were only several centimeters, standing so close to one another that they could feel each others breath and almost being capable to count each other’s heartbeat. Yoroi had only so much left to say before he would push the guy out of his home in a very different and much less kind way then by asking him to get out.

“If you are the most dangerous and broken person I will ever meet, that must mean that the entire village you hail from is made up from weaklings and loud mouths, because you do not strike me as a dangerous or broken person. All I see in you is someone who claims to be bright and smart while also clinging to the fact that he is dangerous. You should get out of here now, or you will become my next project...”

His patience had ran out, though he was kind enough to allow the guy to make his way out before a fight would start, which was going to be very beneficial for his training, though it could possibly leave Shikaruto as food for the wolves if he was not careful. He had told Yoroi not to underestimate him, even though it was Yoroi that was not to be underestimated. He was not like the others from his clan, not like the raging berserkers and fools that charged into battle without thinking. No, Yoroi was a predator, a beast among beasts in the forest, a blight upon those who made the mistake of angering him enough to crush the life out of their still beating hearts. Shikaruto would soon find out just how dangerous the wildling could be...

Age : 28 Posts : 2538

Yoroi slowly walked towards Shikaruto, obviously trying to attain a threatening look. Of course it was working, but Shikaruto would never let him know that. Yoroi closed the distance between the two boys, stopping a step in front of Shikaruto. He attempted to look down on Shikaruto, but he was roughly four inches shorter than him, so his attempt failed miserably. Rather than being scared by the haunting look Yoroi was giving him, he had to stifle a laugh, despite how unfunny the situation he was in was. He succeeded, knowing Yoroi would have attacked him by this point had he noticed his internal struggle. In this close proximity, Shikaruto noticed just how emerald Yoroi’s eyes were. They were deep, and glinted with an unknown darkness.

“So you are trying to tell me that just because I do not read a book every now and then that I am not an intelligent person like you believe you are? Just because you might be book smart and have the time to sit in your safe little house to read, does not mean that others have that luxury. Do not fool yourself into thinking that being able to read a book every now and then means that you’re smart, because a smart person would not just walk in here and look down on the owner of this piece of land.”

Shikaruto could feel his anger growing inside of him. This had started off as only a little fun, and now this guy was really starting to piss him off. He knew it was his own fault, but his frustration spiralled nevertheless. There was only a few centimetres between the two boys. They were standing so close to one another, they could hear each other’s breathing, and Shikaruto could swear he could feel Yoroi’s heartbeat, despite the fact they hadn’t even made contact yet. He had to resist the urge to shove his chest into Yoroi’s, being the physically dominant of the two. He knew how childish and caveman-like such an action would be, no matter how much it seemed to fit in with and respond to Yoroi’s personality. Shikaruto wanted nothing more than to validate himself, to tell Yoroi he was wrong, but he was managing to keep a rational mind and contain his anger, ensuring Yoroi was finished before talking.

“If you are the most dangerous and broken person I will ever meet, that must mean that the entire village you hail from is made up from weaklings and loud mouths, because you do not strike me as a dangerous or broken person. All I see in you is someone who claims to be bright and smart while also clinging to the fact that he is dangerous. You should get out of here now, or you will become my next project...”

Shikaruto couldn’t take Yoroi seriously at this point. “First of all, I didn’t mean to say you weren’t intelligent, I was simply analysing your insecurities. You seem to be insecure about your mental prowess. Secondly, I never stated that I believe I am intelligent. You were making assumptions. I hate assumptions. You might think you know me, but you don’t. Just as I don’t know you. I was only making inferences into your lifestyle, whereas you are openly mocking mine, despite the fact you are a fellow shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato. Thirdly, I am not looking down on you, nor are you the owner of this place. It is public land of Hi no Kuni, which I am passing through on a mission, which you are holding me up for. Fourthly, I never said I was the most broken or damaged person you will meet. I wasn’t that declarative. I said I was probably the most damaged person you had met so far, which is a valid assumption. You don’t seem to have met many people in your lifetime, and given how you’re interacting with me, I can see why. I never claimed to be bright or smart and I hardly cling to the fact I am dangerous, I simply stated it. Finally, don’t threaten me. Even if you managed to kill me and disfigure my body for the purpose of one of your totem poles, my absence from the village would be noticed and your crime would be discovered. Is this really worth it to you?” Shikaruto spoke quickly, keeping his tone calm and even, showing Yoroi that he wasn’t going to resort to boyish tactics and threats. He never lost eye contact with him as he spoke. “Now that I’ve made my point, I’d like nothing more than to get out of here, which I think would be beneficial for the both of us.”

Not wanting to show any weakness, Shikaruto walked around Yoroi, orbiting his body so closely he could still feel the warmth emanating from him. He walked dead ahead, knowing that even though he had implied his desire not to fight, some things were unavoidable. He hoped that Yoroi just let him pass, but he was unsure what the outcome of their meeting would be. Either way, it had been interesting. Shikaruto didn’t look back as he carried on walking, instead relying on his ears to alert him to any movements Yoroi might make. Having trained vigorously with weaponry, Shikaruto was confident he could launch a kunai at Yoroi before the boy could even reach him, and with every step he put between them, the stronger Shikaruto’s chances got. Of course, he didn’t want to do such a thing, but he needed to have a plan, just in case. Part of being a shinobi meant being prepared for every possible outcome. The way Shikaruto saw it, there were three paths ahead of him. Firstl, Yoroi would let Shikaruto leave without a word. Second, Yoroi would input more to their conversation, but ultimately let Shikaruto leave. Thirdly, Yoroi would attempt to attack Shikaruto and a fight would ensue. Shikaruto hoped with everything in him that it was one of the first two options. He had only come through these parts because he was on a mission, not because he wanted to fight a fellow shinobi, no matter how obnoxious they might be.

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

Yoroi Kaguya

Allowing Shikaruto to finish his entire rant, he was not really making anything a whole lot better for himself, not even being sure if he even intended to do such a thing. The way he spoke was calm, though the words coming out of his mouth did not have the desired effect on Yoroi at all. The way he had spoken to him earlier just reeked with a bad sense of self accomplishment that was most likely not earned at all, though it was his choice to act like that. He would probably annoy a lot more people then just him if he wanted to go about his conversations like that, just like how he had managed to anger Yoroi. When Shikaruto said something along the lines of how he knew why Yoroi did not meet a lot of people, he could either be referring to his personality or to his way of life, either way speaking about something he did not understand or know about. Truly, it seemed that there was no end to the things this guy thought he knew about Yoroi.

He could not care less if people would come to look for Shikaruto, no one would ever find him once he was done with him anyway. That was only if he was forced to kill him in battle, though he probably would not do such a thing to him. It was just sad that he believed to have a chance against Yoroi if he really wanted to kill him, because there would be no “even” about it. Yoroi was a killer that had gotten used to killing his targets without remorse, skinning and gutting their bodies in little to no time, putting the meat on spikes before it got a chance to rot. There were many ways of making someone disappear, especially when they had claimed to be on a mission, because anything could happen outside of the village walls. It was a funny way of looking at it, at least it was for Yoroi. When Shikaruto was finished and planned to leave, Yoroi wondered if the guy was out of excuses to make. In an attempt to place his hand upon Shikaruto’s shoulder when he passed him, he would not bother looking at him or even turning his body to face him even a little.

“In life, there is such a thing as honor, a thing as pride. You may speak with a calm tone, though I am certain that on the inside, you are just as much looking to reshape the pride you lost just now. If you can walk away without a single doubt in your mind, then by all means, you know how to get out of here”

Yoroi knew that deep inside of Shikaruto there was a part that was more then eager to fight him, a part that felt as Yoroi had described just now, even though chances were that he would not show any of this to him. He had held an entire rant as to why Yoroi would get in trouble if he would do such a thing as killing the Shinobi, though none of that would work to frighten him in the slightest. If anything, it made him want to try it, just to see how much he had improved his skills since his caretaker left. On the other hand, he did not really want to kill another human unless they would make an attempt to kill him, especially when they had their backs turned at him. Still, if the guy was as broken and dangerous as he had claimed, he would most likely take the challenge rather then just walking away like a coward. Being a coward or being a man, both ways, he had to live with it for the rest of his life, so it was entirely up to him.

“However, if you do not wish to walk out of here like a frightened woman that would rather live with the shame then to do something about it here and now, then you know what you need to do, or do I need to spell that out for you too..”

Age : 28 Posts : 2538

As Shikaruto passed Yoroi, he felt a hand placed upon his shoulder, stilling him. He had half expected a movement of some sort, so Shikaruto was proud that he didn’t flinch under Yoroi’s hand. He looked down at the dirty hand on his shoulder, with grime underneath the fingernails, then shrugged it off. He listened to Yoroi’s words without turning to face him, but he could still smell the stench of his breath as he spoke. “In life, there is such a thing as honor, a thing as pride. You may speak with a calm tone, though I am certain that on the inside, you are just as much looking to reshape the pride you lost just now. If you can walk away without a single doubt in your mind, then by all means, you know how to get out of here.” Shikaruto saw from his peripheral vision that Yoroi wasn’t looking at him either, and to a passerby this conversation must look peculiar, as both boys stood so close to one another and refused to look at each other. It was a matter of respect, and neither boy seemed to have much for the other.

Yoroi continued despite the lack of response, “However, if you do not wish to walk out of here like a frightened woman that would rather live with the shame than to do something about it here and now, then you know what you need to do, or do I need to spell that out for you too..” Shikaruto stood motionless for a few moments, letting the weight of Yoroi’s words sink in and formulating a response. The only sound he could hear was that of their breathing, as if the whole forest had gone silent to watch their encounter. Shikaruto could imagine the birds and other animals of the forest watching with wide eyes as two humans faced off. There were plenty of things Shikaruto could think of to say, but words just didn’t seem to be getting through to Yoroi. He obviously wasn’t much of a verbal communicator, preferring to use his body and nature to learn. In life, some people simply just didn't translate to one another. It was if Yoroi and Shikaruto were speaking a different language to one another. Shikaruto knew his words simply couldn't help him much anymore. He didn't want to fight. He would, if he had to, but that was not his intention. His only option now was to be the bigger man and walk away, no matter what Yoroi thought.

Before speaking, Shikaruto stared dead ahead, refusing to even acknowledge the mass of another human being right beside him. He finished their confrontation with one final sentence. “Nobody can make me feel inferior without my consent, Yoroi-san.” With that, Shikaruto pushed gently passed Yoroi. It wasn't a shove, he was merely weaning Yoroi out of his path. He would have avoided contact with him out of respect, like he had attempted to last time, but if Yoroi thought he was within his rights to grab Shikaruto’s shoulder without permission, then he would return the favour. Shikaruto felt Yoroi’s slender frame brush against his shoulder as he made his way past him and deeper into the forest. He held his kunai tactic from earlier rooted in his mind, should he need to use it. He wondered what the chances of Yoroi attacking him was. He was very hard to analyze, as Shikaruto hadn’t met anyone like him. Shikaruto’s feelings towards a possible upcoming battle were ambivalent. Deciding to be honest with Yoroi, Shikaruto spoke as he carried on walking away. “I enjoyed our encounter today. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thank you.”

Shikaruto wondered if these parting words would help to calm Yoroi’s mind at all, but that wasn’t their purpose. He had just been honest with the shinobi. He wanted to express how he wasn’t looking for a fight, and if they were to battle, all they would be doing it for was clashing their pride and honour. It seemed ridiculous to Shikaruto, but that was the way of a shinobi. He understood that, but he didn't share such ideals. Maybe in that way, he wasn't fitting to be a shinobi. Either way, Yoroi had given Shikaruto a lot to contemplate as he made his way towards the Mountain's Graveyard. He just hoped Yoroi realised their meeting had run its course and didn't try to prolong it.

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

Yoroi Kaguya

Allowing Shikaruto to pass, he would not bother holding him down if he had set his mind upon leaving. He probably wanted to go back home, something that only seemed to be the best thing for him to do right now, especially if his earlier claims about having to fulfill a mission were correct. Yoroi knew nothing of what it was like to be on a mission, or what it was even like to be a part of a group of Shinobi. All he knew was what Hani had been able to teach him, the things he used in order to make his hunts all the more succesful, something he was truly grateful for. In a way, this guy must have had someone importart in his life too. With a slight push, Shikaruto walked past him, claiming that it was not possible to make him feel inferior without his consent, something that made little sense in and of itself. The brain was a tricky thing, often doing the kind of things people did not really want it to do, causing them to feel things they wished they never knew. Pain, love, hate, anger, even inferiority were things no one gave the brain consent to, though they would still feel it just as hard.

He wanted to say something about it, though he felt like it would not do any good for either of them, seeing as the moment of possible combat had passed. Yoroi had lost interest in fighting with the guy, even though the conversation had been quite interesting to say the least. What happened next was more peculiar, seeing as Shikaruto said something he had not been counting on at all. He told him that he had enjoyed their encounter, and that Yoroi had given him a lot to think about. He could see how he might have gotten things to think about, though the enjoyable aspect of the encounter seemed hard to find. For the first time in over a year, a grin appeared on Yoroi’s face, even though Shikaruto would not be able to see it as he walked away. In a way, it had been interesting to meet someone of his age, especially one that did not cower in fear too much. This guy might have been slightly afraid of him, though he had at least had the guts to stand up to him. He had managed to avoid fighting him and even brought himself a false belief that he would not be hurt by Yoroi’s words, knowing full well that they would stick with him for at least the rest of the day.

“Likewise”

That said, he let the kid walk out through the forest as he would head back down the mountain, likely heading back to the village. Yoroi still had a lot to do, leather to tan and new traps to finish. A lot of animals lately had figured out ways to move around his traps while taking out the food he placed as bait. It was a drag to deal with, though he could not let things continue like this, or he would surely be without fresh meat in very little time. Now that Shikaruto had left, he could focus his attention on getting his traps and other daily chores done before it would be too dark to see what he was doing and had to leave it for the night. Sitting down in a carved out log that acted as a make-shift chair, he figured now would be as good a time as any to get things done.

[End of Topic]