[h3]   [/h3][hr][h3][color=indianred]Natsuko Rinha[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Dusk  ||  Land of Fire Border[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent]
[color=indianred]“I’m just that much more likable,”[/color] Natsuko said with victorious grin as she prepared to drag her teammates off with Minoru’s blessing. A childish call of protest, however, stopped her short, and she immediately let go of her teammates, ducking behind Koharu.

[color=indianred]“Keep him away from me,”[/color] she hissed, eyes wide as Hachiro neared. When the boy continued walking over, Natsuko was forced to abandon ship and duck behind Kazuhiko.

[color=indianred]“I’m trying very hard not to!”[/color] she said when Koharu threw a jibe at her. 

[color=lightsteelblue]“I’m in charge of protecting him too, and that means against you if necessary,”[/color] Kazuhiko said in his deadpan way, and Natsuko was unable to tell whether or not he was joking.

[color=indianred]“Okay, okay, jeez!”[/color] she said, stepping away from him. [color=indianred]“I’ll walk over here, okay? But I swear, if that brat says one more thing—”[/color]

“Why’s she acting like a crazy person?” Hachiro asked, tugging on Koharu’s sleeve.

[color=indianred]“Oh, you are so—”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“Natsuko.”[/color]

[color=indianred]“Alright, fine,”[/color] Natsuko said, crossing her arms and pouting. She suffered the rest of the trek in silence as Hachiro remained attached to both her teammates, clearly favoring Koharu’s soft tone and not altogether put off by Kazuhiko’s flat one either. While Natsuko had to admit she was a bit jealous of the kid, she was glad to see her teammates cheering up after the long hike. She herself was exhausted, and being able to relax and dip her feet in the river—despite the cold—sounded like the perfect end to a long day.
[h3]   [/h3][hr][h3][color=lightsteelblue]Kazuhiko Taketori[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Dusk  ||  Land of Fire Border[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent]
Kazuhiko tagged along with his teammates, much like he’d always done. While he himself had no intention of soaking anything in the river, he could see the sense in Natsuko’s argument, and Koharu looked like she could use whatever home remedy Natsuko was suggesting. Their young charge tagging along, however, was a bit of a wild card. Though Minoru had trusted them enough to leave Hachiro in their care, Kazuhiko was still a bit perturbed—if not by the newfound responsibility, then by the boy’s presence.

Hachiro conducted himself as any young, spoiled, filterless child would, and while his honesty was refreshing—as was Natsuko and her reactions to it—Kazuhiko was struck by how differently he and Hachiro had turned out. Where he preferred silence and solitude, Hachiro seemed to gravitate towards the center of attention, intent on placing himself near it if not in it. As a son of a daimyo, Hachiro no doubt had expectations piled on his shoulders as well, yet the boy seemed to have little care for any mannerisms or codes of conduct he would no doubt have had drilled into him by numerous tutors. Kazuhiko had learned early on to watch what words left his mouth, since words held much more weight in formal settings where actions numbered few. Hachiro, on the other hand, seemed to have completely abandoned such lessons, suggesting either a lack of care for them or a desire to rebel against them. Both unsettled Kazuhiko, since he could never imagine himself going along with either of those thoughts.

Kazuhiko waited patiently on the riverbank as Hachiro and his teammates sat at the edge of the water and dipped their feet in. While he caught Koharu’s look of mischief, he trusted the her to conduct herself properly. A few moments later, when Hachiro jumped away from the water, screeching, Kazuhiko connected the dots and cracked a smile. 

[color=indianred]“Hah! Nice one, Koharu!”[/color] Natsuko shouted from her spot a few meters down the river bank. [color=indianred]“Kid, that’s what you get!”[/color]

Hachiro looked between the two girls, confused, then turned to Kazuhiko, who shrugged. “The water’s too cold,” Hachiro said finally, pouting and hugging his legs close to avoid the water, much to Natsuko’s delight.

[color=lightsteelblue]“What are you suggesting?”[/color] Kazuhiko asked, perking up at Koharu’s suggestion of a competition. While he was confident in his skills, he’d never gotten confirmation that he was better than Koharu, since Minoru was a master of non-committal answers. As such, a friendly contest to determine who was better was something he was keenly interested in.

Rustling from behind Kazuhiko diverted his attention, and he turned halfway, then turned back when the rustling ceased completely. They weren’t alone on the riverbank.

[color=lightsteelblue]“How about ‘who takes down more targets?’”[/color] he asked, activating his Sensaigan. 

Natsuko was quick on the uptake, quickly moving to Hachiro’s side. [color=indianred]“Go for it, you two. I’ll watch him,”[/color] she said, giving Hachiro’s cheek a pinch. [color=indianred]“Let’s call a truce until you’re safe again.”[/color]

Kazuhiko nodded, turning as a row of black-swathed figures emerged from the forest edge, katanas gleaming in the last rays of the setting sun. Taking up stance, he shared a glance at Koharu before they both rushed the swordsmen.

[hr][@Sunflower]