One Hell of a Bang [Yoru Slim]

Kirigakure was simply a wonderful place to be in. At least from her perspective, the architecture was new to her so Tsuki gets excited about how the buildings are shaped. Even more so if said buildings held history to them. To put it simply Tsuki was being utterly adorable full of smiles and curious golden eyes. It was like she is on a vacation rather than here for an important exam. Some might frown that she isn't taking any of this seriously, but in reality she wasn't worried.

Today was mildly humid, but compared to Kumogakure's usual cold climate. Today felt warm to her, but then again she's usually warm herself. Tsuki makes her way over to the training grounds and finds herself somewhere isolated. Devoid of people, for she didn't want to attract visitors right now. Also to be away from the sea since the sea will get in the way of Tsuki's results. Once she found a suitable spot that was basically a clearing from trees and mostly of vegetation. This spot has footprints and scrape marks all around the clearing. Which gave Tsuki the gist that this area is often used for physical training of sorts.

"This spot should do…" Tsuki spoke softly to herself with a nod of approval. She hopes that her actions won't cause a disturbance, but she'll probably draw the attention whether she likes it or not. So she does something a bit out of the ordinary considering she is training techniques. Tsuki simply lays down on her back pressed against the hard packed dirt. Letting her dark locks spread around her head like a pool of the night.

She ponders with her newfound intellect in what exactly she wants to train for. She doesn't wanna train some mundane technique that anyone worth their salt can also learn or just know about it. She wants something that'll surprise everyone and screams that is her. Something only she can do rather, but what that something is Tsuki has no idea. Sure she has her unique element of lava, and currently as far as Tsuki knows she is the only Tatsuda that can even use it. Of course, Tsuki is still learning about her clan, and still pondering on how to complete the Phoenix's wish. Tsuki's molten golden eyes scan at the white fluffy clouds above her. They weren't nearly as dense or dark as the clouds are in Kumogakure. However, to Tsuki they were still fun to look out. Even playing a guessing game of what shape each cloud was, and some of them were silly to find. A little something to keep her mind distracted as Morikawa introduced her.

Out of habit, Tsuki starts weaving one hand seal after another. Keeping a rhythmic pattern as it was a physical distraction. A distraction to allow her mind to meditate as Tsuki clears her mind and felt like she was submerged in water. Her mind became absolutely calm and clear like still water. Her eyes remain open, but didn't have that spark of life as Tsuki was deep in thoughts. To sort out what she needs to do, how to do it, and turning the bond noise down. She wants to make a name for herself in an foreign nation, but then again she wants go bigger. Not just to this nation, or to just Kumogakure. Tsuki wants to become that spark for hope, a hope that seems to be struggling to remain lit even in the smoldering embers. This wasn't just some test, this was her chapter in her life.

From fire comes warmth and life. From earth comes as body of the world. From lava is the source for all landmasses to form. Before life must grow, lava must give the world a shape to form. That is when Tsuki has her answer. If she really wants to become that spark, then that's exactly what she must do. The risk was pretty high though as Tsuki realized.

Snapping her attention back to the real world. Tsuki stands up to her feet and dusts herself off. High risk or low, Tsuki can't stop in life because of the fear over death. Her death for that matter. It felt like a spectral hand was guiding Tsuki along, but she weaves a total of four seals. Dragon, Tiger, Rat, and Ox. During the process Tsuki channels large amounts, almost too big amount, of lava chakra from her core through her feet. Normally this chakra remains invisible to the naked eye. However, in this instance glowing orange light emits from the core of her body as it travels down through her chakra network. When it reaches the earth, the ground beneath her trembles as orange veins spread out like casting a net. Over to a collected point about 15 meters away from Tsuki in front of her. The continued process of pouring more chakra into that point, watching as this point grew bigger until it covered a 10 meter radius.

Then like the ground became sundered, a large geyser of liquid fire bursts from the earth and watched as this intensely hot chakra sped over to Tsuki. Fear was present on her mind, but despite her shaking hands Tsuki maintained focus. The instant the magma smacks her the Tatsuda expected pain. She expected to be reduced to fuel for the fire. Her mouth opened like she was about gasp, but she didn't melt. She certainly didn't melt any arms. Instead, Tsuki's body seems to be absorbing the liquid fire as it caresses her body. Her body temperature increased drastically to where heat waves could be seen distorting the air. Tsuki's form even develops skin-like volcanic rock with large portions of her body seems to appear like a body of lava. Constantly moving and shifting like a river. Her eyes no longer appear human, but rather appears like two glowing orbs with the occasional blink. Tsuki inspects herself, from the arms down to her toes. Everything seems to be in one piece, but now there is a 10 meter circle pool of magma and there is scorched marks everywhere. Wherever Tsuki walks, a puddle of lava cakes around her feet and only cooling when Tsuki lifts her feet.

[Learning Magma Release: Magma Chakra Mode - S rank 1075/350)

Yoru stood in the training area, deep in a forested grove far from the view of wandering eyes. He had been there since before dawn, putting all the materials he'd gathered for his puppet into a cart and pushing them away from his apartment and down the road. It took multiple trips. Between the wood, the metal, the weapons, and the other miscellaneous bits and bobs, he managed to get all the supplies in the designated spot by mid-morning. Already sweating, the man collapsed in a huff. He pulled a scroll containing his blue prints out of his pocket, splaying the thing out in front of him. He'd spent weeks getting the foundation for this thing right. The measurements, the engraving, the space dedicated for weaponry- all of it had to be perfect and precise. "Hmmm" He thought to himself, rubbing his chin as he looked between the materials and the blueprint. It was doable, he was confident in that, though he recognized it would take a while. Still, for all the labor he anticipated doing, he knew that to not do this would be ten times worse. He wasn't ready to enter the Chunin Exams, he was self-aware to recognize that, but if he couldn't even create a puppet to use then he might as well have handed over his Kiri headband right then and there!

"Right then, let's get you out of there, young lady. Shall we?" He asked the inaminate materials, picking up his tools and walking over. For the next several hours, Yoru would know nothing else but the monotonous process of cutting wood, measuring things, and carefully welding his pre-made carapace of metal onto the slowly emerging puppet. "Some black locks from the night, white skin from the day, faux eyes of twilight- ahh, yes, that's the way." He said in a rhyming sing-song voice, watching as the upper carapace of the puppet came together nicely. It was arguably the most simple, save for the arms and the interior holding its hidden weaponry. Once that was done though, well, then it was time for the more gruelling part: the lower half. Yoru went about sawing and sanding logs of wood into smaller sections kept together by loose skeletons of wire. Over time, they began to gradually turn into nine long tentacles of iron-reinforced wood, tipped with razor sharp metal that could cut and pierce. Yoru grinned as he latched the last tentacle in place, as well as aligned the string and senbon launchers together with the upper-half.

"Hello dear, you've been asleep for an awfully long time. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, so now is the time to get up on your feet- or lack thereof." Yoru said softly, using chakra strings to activate the puppet technique. The strings connected with the body of the puppet prompting it to gradually rise up off the ground, the tentacles beneath it acting as its primary mode of function as it walked and slithered along toward its creator. The bell it was equipped with jingled at its belt with each rhythmic movement. Yoru would smile, watching as Shrine maiden came to a stop in front of him. At last, he had his first puppet. It was a landmark moment, one that he knew he wouldn't forget for the rest of his life. "How long have you been sleeping, Jorogumo?" He asked, looking into the non-living eyes of his creation, knowing fully well that it was an inanimate object created to obey him. "Are you angry?" He asked, flicking his finger and watching as one of the 9 tentacles reached out to its full length of 15 feet, smashing through a tree like it was nothing, prompting its trunk to erupt into splinters and fall over. "Are you filled with regret?" He asked, tilting his head, watching the Shrine Maiden pick up the fallen tree and constrict it with its python-like tendrils, cracking the thick wood. "Are you prepared to kill?" He asked, clenching his fist and seeing the whole tree collapse inward into torn branches and splinters.

Good, she was awake.

A new sound caught his ear, though. It was not that of his creation, but of something, or someone, else entirely. Yoru looked over his shoulder, eyeing the horizon and spying through a thicket of trees. He could catch glimpses of light, bright flashes of what looked like perhaps some sort of Katon jutsu. "Stay here, hun." Yoru ordered, talking to himself and releasing the puppet technique long enough to walk away and investigate the disturbance. He was quick to find the source of it all, a pillar of magma that had shot up out of the ground seemingly from nowhere like a geyser. The feat was so bright that it gave the puppeteer reason to pause, his eyes adjusting to the flash. Once it all died down a bit, he could make out the figure of a person standing in the middle of the chaos. It was a girl close to his age, a beautiful one to boot, though when she was covered with molten magma and lava- he wagered he wouldn't be able to make any comments about her being hot without him risking bodily harm to some degree.

"That's an impressive jutsu, sunflower stranger. Are you conspiring with the sun to destroy the earth? Is it whispering its secrets to you? even now?" He asked, looking from the stranger up to the sky, shaking his fist at it, seemingly believing that the great fiery ball of gas in the sky was a malevolent figure powering this woman in all her magmatic glory. "I am Yoru Slim, enemy of the sun. Who are you?" He asked, tilting his head, curious to learn more about the stranger who had come to cohabitate with him in this sprawling training wood.

[Training C-Rank Puppet, 'Shrine Maiden Jorogumo', 422/150 WC]

Things felt great as Tsuki didn't feel pain, albeit the intense heat did feel uncomfortable to her porcelain skin. It was something that she will have to learn how to deal with it. Whether that is today or some other day, Tsuki didn't plan on maintaining this form for longer than six seconds. Maybe twelve seconds at most. Especially when Tsuki catches sight of a red head man entering the scene.

"Hold on!" Tsuki calls out to him with a raised hand to warn him to stop. As she does so the magma drops from her body into the ground much like dropping a towel. Tsuki merely steps over it and proceeds to give him the thumbs up. Indicating that it was okay despite the fact there is a literal pool of magma close to them, or at least close to her.

Tsuki is garbed, despite the fact that she was cloaked in magma, in a short sleeved blue blouse with a steel mail shirt over her torso. It is slimmed to her form with a leather belt which hold one collapsed baton on each side and a hip pouch. On her left thigh is a navy blue holster that holds three Kunai. Over her arms is a pair of steel arm guards. Almost like she's anticipating to fight in close quarters. Her legs is covered in slacks and sandals. The Kumogakure headband can be found around her neck with the steel plate facing forward.

Flashing a smile at him, he cursed the sun and seems to confuse the source of Tsuki's strength.

"The sun could be hidden over the horizon and I would still be able to use my gifts. The land itself is the source of it, not the sun." Tsuki vaguely informs him, albeit she didn't think it requires much explanation. Considering what he just saw, yeah he probably would put two to two together quite easily. At least in her mind that is.

Yoru blinked as he saw the stranger raise her hand, prompting him to stop. He was glad he did, though, watching as the cloak of magma gradually disappeared. Sure there might have been more than a few pools of lava and the like scattered around, but it was safe to cross for the most part. This mystery woman seemed to disagree with his rambling thoughts. Yoru stepped in closer, rubbing his chin and letting a soft 'hmmm' ring through the air. He wasn't wearing anything beyond some simple clothes that were now dirty and drenched in sweat, a result of spending the day putting his puppet together. "The land is the source? Such a thing sounds strange, particularly for a shinobi of the sky- the sun's very own grandchild." Yoru hummed, noticing the band that the girl wore around her neck. She was likely in town for the Chunin Exams, that was the most reasonable explanation he could think of. "I am Yoru, Yoru Slim of Kirigakure. A pleasure to meet." He said, wiping his grease-covered palm onto his overalls before offering it for the stranger to shake.

"So you conspire with the heart of the earth... Do you intend to be its avatar? To destroy all things and sunder them to ash so that life can be born anew?" He asked plainly, his mind returning to the legends he learned of the Firebird, a legendary creature who was supposedly said to be the force that will destroy the world so that the next one can rise from the ashes. "You are a very beautiful woman. I would not want you to destroy the world I think. No, I would not want that at all." He continued with a small nod, his eyes looking the stranger over to read her a bit better. He placed his hands on his hips, having seen enough so far to get a feel for the woman's personality based off of body language and tone of voice. "Methinks you are here for the Chunin Exams. Am I correct?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, thinking that it alone could be the only good reason for a Kumo-nin to be found so deep within the heart of Kirigakure. "I hear many tales, but tell me, why did you choose to become a shinobi, young sunflower?" He asked, curious to see what a non-kiri native would think about ninja life, and how those motivations might differ from the ones that Yoru had grown up with.

The stranger, later introduced as Yoru Slim, seemed confused on Tsuki's explanation. While technically he isn't wrong about the sun being the primal source of fire and light. Tsuki's intellect and understanding of her clan is a major factor on why she disagrees. When Yoru introduced himself, he extends a hand in a gesture that Tsuki isn't familiar with. Usually the form of greeting she gets is a wave of the hand or sometimes a courtesy bow. So a handshake was foreign to her and she looks equally confused.

"My name is Tsuki Tatsuda. Um… what is that form? Am I giving you something or are you trying to hand me something?" Tsuki question as she was curious, but confused and didn't know if that's how Kirigakure greets other people. Her therapist never taught her this type of contact. Next was Yoru's question on if she conspires with the heart of the world. Now he was getting warmer to the truth. Although his follow-up comments made her giggle as she found it adorable.

"In a manner of speaking, yes I do conspire with the heart of the world. Through use of my clan's ability, I ask for the heart to hear me and so it does. Of course, I'm nothing dramatic as setting out to destroy the world." Tsuki explained as another voice whispered in her head.

Not yet anyways… The voice was familiar, but again Tsuki can't muster a memory of a face that belongs to it. At this point she doesn't let it bother her since it was a question she always had in her mind. Yoru assumes that Tsuki is here for the Chunin Exams, and she nods her head in agreement.

"That's a safe assumption. I am, after all, a Genin of Kumogakure. Oh, and don't worry I won't be using this during the exams." Tsuki gestures to the festering pool of lava that hiss and sometimes spits tiny pieces of magma. Nothing life threatening as long as neither of them get too close to it. Of course, if Yoru does seem to be too close for safety reasons or just on the border Tsuki will gesture with her hand for him to move a couple of meters away from the pool. Despite the tension Kirigakure has brought upon itself, Tsuki is pretty neutral towards it and the residents. Last, but not least, Yoru asks on what brought her to become a shinobi. Naturally the Phoenix comes to mind, but thinking back on it her reasoning is a bit selfish. It took her a moment to really form an answer.

"To… to find something that I have lost. I'm afraid I cannot speak further than that." Tsuki responded purposely to keep it vague. Not many understands her circumstances, if any really could. It was frustrating to learn everything when people shoots judgemental glares like she should have known them by now. So far, only Lady Raikage and Morikawa truly helped Tsuki recover whatever memory was left. A lot of them will even take pity on Tsuki, but she denies their pity. So she denies any pity she might have received from Yoru if she had told him what was really going on.

She didn't know he was giving her a handhsake? What a weirdo? Yoru let out a silent 'harumph' through a single exhale. "It's a handshake, a motion wherein two equals greet each other on friendly terms. It's a sign of respect... Although now that you mention it, I suppose that if I laced my fingertips with a corrosive poison it would be a good assasination method." The teen started, waiting to see if the strange girl would actually accept the offered hand or not. Hmm, how useful would a handshake be for assassinations, though? Thankfully, Tsuki wasn't here to destroy the world as Yoru had feared. However, she did confess to conspire with the earth- and, well, who knew what kind of secrets the two were sharing together, right? Very suspicious...

"Hmm, well that is a relief. I'm not sure how I would feel during the survival phase if the entire area was turned into magma. I think it'd be a tad much." Yoru said with a wave of his hand, thankful that such a scary technique would not have to be a factor for him in the exams- at least so far as she had told him. He'd have to check his science books on the physics of magma before he thought about what kind of scenario he'd have to deal with if it came to facing such fiery fury. "Hmm, I've been to Kumogakure a few times growing up. I was part of a circus troop before returning to Kirigakure to become a genin. I enjoyed the mountainous countryside quite a lot." He started, reminiscing a tad about his wandering days as a traveler and kabuki maestro with his puppets. "Hopefully I will have the chance to perform for you sometime. One can hear the most interesting of folk stories if you travel enough and listen to enough wizened elders." He hummed with a small smile tugging a bit at his lips.

"To find something... that is lost?" He asked, a look of puzzlement spreading across his face. Yoru rubbed his chin. He could tell pretty quick that going further against that conversational wall would only break the amicable mood. "Well, whatever it is, I do hope that you find it, young sunflower." He said with a small nod, letting the matter drop. Goodness gracious, he knew that he wouldn't have wanted any random shinobi poking about in his emotional closet. "They say that times grow tense in Kumogakure, are the rumors as true as the ones that merchants afford through loosened lips?" He asked, wondering aloud if all the stories he'd been hearing while on his many missions around the Kiri markets were true or not.

"Hmm, this has gotten sad. We should do something to fix that. I would offer to fight you but, ehh, you've caught me while my puppets are back at the workshop save for one, fufufu. What kind of interests do you have?" He asked, giving a small shrug. Sure he had finished Shrine Maiden, but the baby was still in a prototype mode, heck, he still had to craft more jutsu to optimize her! At the end of the day, though, he'd do what he could to entertain his newfound acquaintence and keep her spirits high.

Yoru explained what the gesture was, and what it meant. A sign of respect, for mutual trust as it were. She tilted her head in curiosity as her eyes shifted from his hand to his face. Yoru added that he could've laced his hand with poison, but she finds that unlikely. A smile can be seen on her lips as she reaches over and grabs his hand. Her touch is quite soft yet her grip is quite firm.

"I doubt that's the case. Either your hand will dissolve in the process antidotes be damned. Or you're bluffing." Tsuki stated as she could think of a couple ways to get around that tragic result. However, worst case scenario she'll throw him in the pool of lava.

Yoru continued to explain his story including statements on the occasion. Apparently he performed at Kumogakure no Sato. She never heard of anyone performing, but then again she never pays attention to that side of civilization. Perhaps she will later, but that is for later.

"What sort of rumors have you been hearing?" Tsuki inquired as she genuinely appears to be confused. While she is aware of there being tension, but as to what kind of rumors was the real question. Also if Kirigakure has been hearing rumors of political tension, then it's possible other nations has heard of the issue as well. A bit troubling as internal matters should be kept internal. Including political issues.

"Well I can do other things that isn't my bloodline. Whether it is just basic earth, fire, illusions, or good old close quarters combat. Although i admit that i prefer not to get in close quarters since I'm not physically strong." Tsuki remarked before taking a moment to think of what her interests were. Previous question suggests that interest regarding combat of sorts. However because it was just interests that category expanded and due to her brilliant mind there was a lot of information to consider. So to help narrow it down, Tsuki inquired clarification.

"Can you narrow that down for me? What kind of interests are you seeking?"

Yoru had shaken many hands in his life, he liked to think of himself as something close to a judge of character based solely off of how one felt. Based on that, he had no idea whatsoever what kind of woman this Tsuki was. A touch that was soft and inviting, seemingly free of rough callous, yet with a firm and strong grip. She was a shinobi, yet still had some strange flair to her that he found... interesting- enough for him to want to keep talking for a while. He doubted anything he had atm in his arsenal could resist magma, save for raw speed and coordination, so sparring wasn't something he was too eager to do.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm a bad liar- though if I were a good liar and a bad thing, I think I'd have let my hand dissolve since logic would not have been my prison." He hummed, gently enough to not betray the cautious goodwill they had fostered as two strangers coming together by pure chance. He was a tad dismayed she hadn't heard of him nor his troop, especially since it was a source of pride for him. However, she at least believed the fact that he had visited Kumogakure before in the past. It didn't take much for him to answer, "Mhm, I saw the cult of Jashin when I visited there. Scary people, they spook me. I've been hearing that they've been growing stronger- more than that, aaa, I couldn't say. Kumogakure is a long way from these lazy islands, after all." He hummed, looking up briefly, "I bet the sun conspires with jashin too..." He thought softly to himself before coming back to his senses somewhat.

Her rundown of her strengths and abilities was interesting, but it was her inability to say what interested her that surprised him visibly. "Ehhhhh?" He asked, rubbing his chin in thought. "Kabuki theater, researching science and jutsu, dacning in the night when no one is looking, eating more food than is acceptable, walking around in the nude in my home since clothing is a lie that society seeks to keep me down with- take your pick really. They are only things that speak to the soul. So, then, what speaks to you?" He asked, clarifying his points rather vividly before turning them around on his newfound acquaintence.

"Come now, life is short and in our line of work we'll be dead in a ditch before 30 probably- there must be some thing besides combat that fills your heart?" He asked, pausing for a moment, "Someone perhaps?" He wondered aloud, holding her gaze with his own, wondering more and more about this interesting girl who conspired with the very heart of the earth.

It would seem like some unfortunate rumors of Kumogakure's state is leaking out into the other nations. Of course, Tsuki gathered that tension was taut between Kumogakure and Kirigakure. Tsuki won't let the prejudice or the tension affect how she treats people, but she has to be really careful not to leak false information that'll jeopardize Kumogakure in the future.

"The Orthodox Church of Jashin you mean. Of course they have been getting more influence than the other religions. However they do not rule Kumogakure. Just like all of us here with our respective Kage, the Orthodox is only possible because Lady Raikage allowed to be." Tsuki spoke with honest as she attempts to dissuade ill rumors and bad perspective. She won't deny that Jashin's practice is considered to be profane and perhaps even diabolic. The public has many perspective on things, and trying to correct that with the Church's history will be nigh impossible in short of killing all who oppose them. Which considering how fanatics lose all sense of reasoning, Tsuki wouldn't put it out if question. She really wished that she could speak with the Raikage. In truth Tsuki hasn't really seen nor spoken to the Raikage in months since Tsuki has been training and completing missions.

"Hm… hobbies then. Well I like painting. It was something that I did to understand what the Phoenix was. What my clan stood for. And that just evolved into painting beautiful scenery. Although I wouldn't mind sketching either as sometimes it's hard to carry around paints when you're traveling." Tsuki answered, and perhaps she was weird. Still her memory hasn't recovered from the amnesia, and there was a lot of things that she still needs to know.

The next question, or rather the purpose behind it, rewarded with a smile on her face.

"And spoil all of my secrets so soon? How about we leave that question for next we meet. Preferably after the Chunin Exams, whether we win or lose." Which implied that they can talk later. Right now, Tsuki has to get to preparing for the Chunin Exams. With that Tsuki bowed with courtesy.

"On that note, i must be going. The Chunin Exams isn't going to wait on me." As far as Tsuki knew, if these proctors were really strict which would be recommended. They will start with or without her as she was expendable as everyone else. So with that being said, Tsuki will turn on her heel and leaves the area. The pool of lava hisses from the saturated atmosphere, and it'll be a while before it hardens naturally.

[Exit]