Hoshigaki Kisame 「干柿鬼鮫」 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
noboatbigenough) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sunshineverse2015-02-04 11:27 pm
noboatbigenough) wrote in sunshineverse2015-02-04 11:27 pm
Well, somebody's got to get stuck with the boring parts. [OPEN]
Who: Hoshigaki Kisame
Where: Various places around Kirigakure
When: First week of February
Notes: Mostly day in the life things, with a little bit of Chuunin exam fallout. Mingling, for Kiri-folks and visitors! Posting character toplevels and threadhopping encouraged, or respond to Kisame's prompts.
The problem with the Chuunin exams being held in Kiri was that there was always so much to do after they were done, and that was when he hadn't spent the whole time proctoring. Luckily, Kisame wasn't alone in cleaning up after the spectacle, but there was still a lot to do, and most of it was the dry, lifeless work that he hated, so Kisame made sure to spend ample time doing more interesting things, so he wouldn't take someone's head off out of frustration.
Pretty close to literally. These next few days were going to be long ones.
Cypher Headquarters and T&I:
The first several orders of business were to debrief all the Cypher members he'd had out all exam, watching the crowds and visitors and gathering information. Most of them had been posing as visitors themselves, to get at things visitors wouldn't say around Kiri-sympathetic ears, but there'd been more than a few out and about as civilians, or as their public faces, so Kisame would get a good look at everything that could be discovered.
He'd already put in his reports about his meeting with the Hokage, and the others he'd ran into or been pushed into escorting for the third portion, and his observations of candidates during the first portions of the exam, and that at least, saved him the tedious job of sorting through everything. Kisame already knew what was strictly necessary to report from his own observations.
Their jutsu made sure nothing was missed, but it also left the task of wading through it all and picking out what was gold and what was dross. He'd pared down about a quarter of the preliminary reports, and already he wanted to take a break.
Well, a break wouldn't hurt, and perhaps some of the more enjoyable company in T&I or Cypher would be taking a break too. If nothing else, comparing notes and findings with another person who hadn't turned themselves into a living recording device for the duration would break up the tedium a bit.
Kisame left his office, teapot in hand, and went out into the greater area that held most of Kiri's most sensitive information and secretive ninja.
Public training grounds:
At least training could combine two tasks into one. Keeping himself in fighting form, and doing a little bit of scouting for Seven Swordsmen potentials. How he always got this task put on him, Kisame didn't know, especially since he wasn't officially the leader anymore, but at least he didn't have to deal with the fallout if one of the members chose a controversial apprentice. That was on the official leader's head.
That aside, it was fun to put his sword skills to the test against all comers, and some of the kids actually made it easy to focus, and sometimes even pushed him a little.
Kisame knocked his current opponent back, and nodded. "Not bad, kid. Train more, and we'll make a decent swordsman out of you yet. Now, who's next?"
Eagerly Kisame looked through the crowd, hoping for someone with a different style, at least.
Mission office:
The mission office was the perfect place to work on improving his patience. At least, that was what Kisame kept reminding himself as he tried not to grind his teeth. There was almost as much paperwork here as down in Cypher, and for some reason, he'd been "recommended" for a shift handing out and filing missions.
Handing the missions out was easy enough, as most ninja didn't have any particular restrictions on the missions they could take, and it was usually as simple as handing out scrolls, but taking reports of completed missions and making sure everything was complete was dull.
But at least there was one benefit to working the desk. Kisame could look at the missions available at his leisure. None that he'd instantly jump on right now, but there were a few that would at least get him away from the village, once he was finished with all the extra work.
At least, if it was dull, there were opportunities to size up the ninja he rarely got to interact with, much less anything more. Kisame waved the next in line waiting for an assignment forward.
"Rank and clearance, please."
Hoshigaki training grounds:
The training grounds outside the clan compound were technically public, but so often used by Hoshigaki, that they might as well have been private. This was where Kisame worked on his more sensitive training, mastering new kata and jutsu.
It didn't mean he wouldn't be interrupted, but fewer people passing through meant fewer accidents if a brand new jutsu slipped outside his control. It didn't happen often, not anymore, but if Kisame injured someone, he wanted to do it intentionally.
Right now he was working on a new Wind Release, and the training logs were taking quite the beating. It wasn't fine-tuned enough yet that he'd use it in a fight, but Kisame liked the feel of forming the air around him into blades. Kisame went through the seals again, and gathered chakra, and this time the training log toppled, cleanly sliced right in half. Better.
Where: Various places around Kirigakure
When: First week of February
Notes: Mostly day in the life things, with a little bit of Chuunin exam fallout. Mingling, for Kiri-folks and visitors! Posting character toplevels and threadhopping encouraged, or respond to Kisame's prompts.
The problem with the Chuunin exams being held in Kiri was that there was always so much to do after they were done, and that was when he hadn't spent the whole time proctoring. Luckily, Kisame wasn't alone in cleaning up after the spectacle, but there was still a lot to do, and most of it was the dry, lifeless work that he hated, so Kisame made sure to spend ample time doing more interesting things, so he wouldn't take someone's head off out of frustration.
Pretty close to literally. These next few days were going to be long ones.
Cypher Headquarters and T&I:
The first several orders of business were to debrief all the Cypher members he'd had out all exam, watching the crowds and visitors and gathering information. Most of them had been posing as visitors themselves, to get at things visitors wouldn't say around Kiri-sympathetic ears, but there'd been more than a few out and about as civilians, or as their public faces, so Kisame would get a good look at everything that could be discovered.
He'd already put in his reports about his meeting with the Hokage, and the others he'd ran into or been pushed into escorting for the third portion, and his observations of candidates during the first portions of the exam, and that at least, saved him the tedious job of sorting through everything. Kisame already knew what was strictly necessary to report from his own observations.
Their jutsu made sure nothing was missed, but it also left the task of wading through it all and picking out what was gold and what was dross. He'd pared down about a quarter of the preliminary reports, and already he wanted to take a break.
Well, a break wouldn't hurt, and perhaps some of the more enjoyable company in T&I or Cypher would be taking a break too. If nothing else, comparing notes and findings with another person who hadn't turned themselves into a living recording device for the duration would break up the tedium a bit.
Kisame left his office, teapot in hand, and went out into the greater area that held most of Kiri's most sensitive information and secretive ninja.
Public training grounds:
At least training could combine two tasks into one. Keeping himself in fighting form, and doing a little bit of scouting for Seven Swordsmen potentials. How he always got this task put on him, Kisame didn't know, especially since he wasn't officially the leader anymore, but at least he didn't have to deal with the fallout if one of the members chose a controversial apprentice. That was on the official leader's head.
That aside, it was fun to put his sword skills to the test against all comers, and some of the kids actually made it easy to focus, and sometimes even pushed him a little.
Kisame knocked his current opponent back, and nodded. "Not bad, kid. Train more, and we'll make a decent swordsman out of you yet. Now, who's next?"
Eagerly Kisame looked through the crowd, hoping for someone with a different style, at least.
Mission office:
The mission office was the perfect place to work on improving his patience. At least, that was what Kisame kept reminding himself as he tried not to grind his teeth. There was almost as much paperwork here as down in Cypher, and for some reason, he'd been "recommended" for a shift handing out and filing missions.
Handing the missions out was easy enough, as most ninja didn't have any particular restrictions on the missions they could take, and it was usually as simple as handing out scrolls, but taking reports of completed missions and making sure everything was complete was dull.
But at least there was one benefit to working the desk. Kisame could look at the missions available at his leisure. None that he'd instantly jump on right now, but there were a few that would at least get him away from the village, once he was finished with all the extra work.
At least, if it was dull, there were opportunities to size up the ninja he rarely got to interact with, much less anything more. Kisame waved the next in line waiting for an assignment forward.
"Rank and clearance, please."
Hoshigaki training grounds:
The training grounds outside the clan compound were technically public, but so often used by Hoshigaki, that they might as well have been private. This was where Kisame worked on his more sensitive training, mastering new kata and jutsu.
It didn't mean he wouldn't be interrupted, but fewer people passing through meant fewer accidents if a brand new jutsu slipped outside his control. It didn't happen often, not anymore, but if Kisame injured someone, he wanted to do it intentionally.
Right now he was working on a new Wind Release, and the training logs were taking quite the beating. It wasn't fine-tuned enough yet that he'd use it in a fight, but Kisame liked the feel of forming the air around him into blades. Kisame went through the seals again, and gathered chakra, and this time the training log toppled, cleanly sliced right in half. Better.
Public training grounds
A knife flicked through his fingers, but Nori caught sight of the kid's opponent and palmed it back into his sleeve just as quickly.
Shark-Face don't need a reason.
"Watch where you're goin', eh?" he said instead, and endured a truly impressive glower for a few moments before the kid stormed off, mood ruined.
Nori shrugged, all too aware of the attention drawn by the encounter. "Kids these days."
no subject
"They learn, or they get themselves killed. Fun to watch, whichever way it goes, eh?" He didn't make any attempts to hide his appraising look, taking the small man in from the top of his distinctive hair to the bottoms of his booted feet. He let his stare linger on the hand that had drawn that knife in a very pointed, and his smile was full of natural knives.
"Come for a spar, visitor? I enjoy facing new opponents."
no subject
He knew better than to disagree, and decided Shark-Face didn't have any younger siblings.
Prolly ate 'em.
And okay, that's unsettling. But Nori sauntered forward, all swaggered confidence as if he'd planned the whole thing. He hadn't, but he'd talked his way out of worse.
"Don't fink I'd be much of a fight. I'm just one o' them mercenary types. Not up to snuff against legendary shinobi like yerself."
And maybe legendary was laying it on a bit thick, but he's not stupid and knew what the Seven Swordsmen were, thank you very much.
no subject
He was still obviously looking, interested and assessing every movement. Just an average mercenary? Kisame doubted it, and that meant this would be much more fun.
"Legend ruins so many good fights," Kisame tossed out, mock disappointed, but he bowed all the same. "Still, it'd be rude not to introduce myself. Hoshigaki Kisame."
no subject
I spent thirty years perfecting that smile. Guess he has a natural advantage though.
And now he had an actual name to go with the bloody grin and he knew it was his turn.
"Nagata Kin," he said without hesitation or flourish. He was of a mind to pick his nails if he didn't want to keep both eyes on this particular challenger. Most of him wanted out, knew that Shark-Face-- Kisame-- didn't believe him and was in no hurry to prove him right. But he didn't want to be caught hiding anything by refusing either. His back story was solid enough.
"Alright," he said, feeling fairly suicidal, but the crowd was restless and they'd spent too long posturing. And as he stepped closer, their difference in height made itself readily apparent.
Perfect knee-cappin' height. He'd take his axe out for that, but this was a spar- at least for now. Knives flicked between his fingers.
"Don' blame me if you get bored though."
no subject
"Been a while since I've fought an expert with knives. This will be good practice."
That was all Kisame gave before moving forward, a little quicker than his bulk suggested was possible, and slicing the blade around in a tight arc. It was a normal sword, but killing-sharp, and obviously well cared-for and loved. The blow was potentially deadly, but more than that, it was the kind of blow a skilled fighter used to test and prod at an opponents' defenses.
no subject
Sword: bad.
Nori threw himself into a roll and danced out of arm's reach. He made no move to go on the offensive, keeping his knives tight between his fingers as he assessed his opponent and searched for openings.
He's not goin' easy on me. A bit of a surprise, given most usually looked at his height and underestimated him. He's been taking advantage of that for years. Wonder if he's as strong as Dori.
Not the best idea to test, but if he couldn't slip in close, he'd have to match Kisame's sword with his favored weapon. He was decently strong himself, but had nothing of his brother's strength. No, for now he'd play this careful, test Kisame's speed and reaction times.
He threw two of his knives, whipped out from between his fingers and new ones materializing in their place as though he'd never loosed them to begin with. Both were aimed at different vital points, targeting Kisame's neck and knee.
no subject
In this case, it was economy of motion. A tip of the sword had the edge intercepting the knife for the knee and knocking it spinning away, and a fraction of a shift moved his neck out of the way. Even so, the knife nearly sliced him open and Kisame felt its passing. He would have let it cut him, the better to make his opponent underestimate his ability, but this man was much better than most civilians, and with that small stature, Kisame was sure he'd worked out ways to make himself more deadly. Kisame wasn't going to risk poison, just in case. He'd have to wait and see if one of the knives hit an onlooker and what happened. They were still too close, stupid kids.
"How fast you are, Kin-san! I'm impressed."
Kisame pressed the attack, using his longer reach to his advantage as the blade arced in beautiful and deadly paths. A thrust, a feint, a diagonal cut all coming in without even a moment between, and faster than the first strike had been, as that one had been dodged.
no subject
Guess that title's not jus' for show.
He was hard-pressed to keep up, using every bit of his compact size and reflexes just to keep from losing an arm. His knives were exchanged for a traditional kunai and a scroll, and Nori just barely managed to stop the motion of Kisame's angled strike with his kunai.
The edges wore at one another, and Nori was very concerned about the safety of his fingers if his strength faltered or the blades slipped the wrong way.
"If you're gonna play it that way.." The scroll flew open in an arching ribbon of parchment, and fingers touched the seal markings within. His hand closed around the shaft of a battlestaff, and he swung the maced head toward his opponent in a wide arc with the sole intent of disengaging him.
no subject
Instead of disengaging completely, though, Kisame switched to a two-handed grip and angled the blade so the curve caught against the place where the head of the mace was attached to the staff. For a flicker of a second, he held still, and then pushed. Strength was one thing everyone expected from a Hoshigaki, and Kisame was stepping up in intensity. It was so rare he got to stretch his skills!
"Now this is a fight! Watch and learn, kids. This is what all of you are missing in battle."
The fact that there were all ages represented, many of them with the look of seasoned ninja, didn't seem to deter Kisame from making that comment. It got grumbles, but no one spoke up to argue.
Kisame held his position, defensive for once, and waited to see what other surprises were in store.
no subject
"Givin' me.. a lot o' credit, aren't you?" Maybe it was his age or that Shark-Face just hadn't had a half-decent opponent today.
Nori loosed his grip, let Kisame's sword push his staff to the side and stepped to follow it. He disengaged, then swiftly brought it back up, jabbing the blunt, pointed end towards Kisame's midsection.
no subject
Kisame said that casually as he smoothly intercepted the jab, moving out of the way and aiming a carefully controlled slice at Nori's head.
Just one, this time, and his stance and movements were still mostly defensive. That he would eventually be the victor was never truly in doubt, but a spar was to learn and if he ended things quickly, where was the lesson for either of them there?
"Practical, too, in the way you've changed to a weapon with more reach to match my blade better."
starting to gloss a bit- feel free to do the same
"Ain't got much choice when you're my height." And when he was trapped into an honest fight. No, he relied more on ambush attacks and dirty tricks most of the time. He led most of his pursuers on merry chases because that was where he excelled.
Guess it's time to get serious.
Nori swung forward, weaving his staff between them in maneuvers both offensive and defensive in nature, a solid power and surprising flexibility behind each swing.
o/
Offense and defense in one; good style, and Kisame found himself relishing the challenge of finding ways to break through the smaller man's guard. His strikes were carefully planned, and his moves balanced between offense and defense as the situation called for it. He could end it, but the challenge was too tempting to just go for an overpowering strike to send his opponent sprawling.