[Open!] Come forth!

[teachingpeace]

Where: The country of Ame
When: The entire month of April
Notes: Basically, Nagato's health has been improving lately so you'll be able to catch him out and about pretty much anywhere in the country, be it borders or around the city. He's always accompanied by his Deva path, and you might get said path first. In other words, hello, come get trolled.

Nagato had been restless lately. The months before this, it hadn't been such a worrying thing, just him consolidating his energy to reverse the damage he'd done to himself by overextending, but now... now he just wanted to be out. Out where he could interact more directly with the contact rain in his country, where he could watch his people without needing to send his paths out to do it for him...

This meant that people who had never really gotten to meet him before, in spite of having been in Ame since he'd taken control, were finally getting the chance to see him face to face, instead of simply being in contact with his paths.

Comments

[incubi_abel]

Abel easily ignored the rain that fell on him as he danced around the practice yard he had claimed for himself. Senbon, kunai and various other thrown weapons peppered a couple of practice dummies in between punches and kicks. Another practice dummy was singed where strategic bolts of lightning had struck it while a few bits of scrolls littered the ground as a silent testament to various tags Abel had used.

After a few hours of practice with his more common weapons and abilities, Abel moved off to one side with a small knife in his hand. He was going to have to be careful when he practiced with his blood weapons as he only had so much blood he could spare before he would have to seek out a medic for a transfusion. Yet he wanted, no needed to get better at his bloodline ability to best serve his lord.

Failure was not an option.

[teachingpeace]

He'd been watching from one of the rooftops for a while, his Deva path in another area of the village entirely as he, pale and so much away from his Paths in appearance, had stayed perched and easily tucked away. Still, he could see his shinobi was about to move onto a skill that needed... more than simply playing by oneself to get him anywhere.

He hopped down, more settling to earth as he absently adjusted gravity around himself, really, looking sideways at the man through the fringe of his crimson hair. "Abel-san, might I be of help to you in your practice?"

[incubi_abel]

Abel tensed when the person dropped down into his practice field, his grip tightening on the knife in his hand. It was only when the person's identity registered, that Abel's eyes widened.

"My lord," he said, kneeling in front of the God of Ame. A faint blush stained his cheeks at thought of sparring against his lord. "I would be honored to learn from you, my lord, but do you not have more important things to do?"

After all, Abel was only a shinobi, and this man was a God.

[teachingpeace]

He blinked, surprised, and then felt a small, pleased little smile come to his lips. "Up, Abel-san. No reason to get all muddy before we get tot hat stage of things, correct? You're a good shinobi, you are welcome to stand."

[incubi_abel]

Rising to his feet, Abel fidgeted with the knife in his hand. "I thank you for the honor of training, my lord. Um..."

He had never trained with his lord before, and he wasn't sure if he was suppose to go all out against him or not. He didn't want to hurt the God of Ame, but he was going to be fighting hard as he had to work on his bloodline ability.

[teachingpeace]

Nagato noted his reluctance, and laughed, completely amused as he realized the dear man was actually worried that he could hurt him. It was a concern he hadn't had directed at him from one of his shinobi in quite some time.

Perhaps there was merit to all the people telling him to get out more. "I assure you that you can relax and... fight properly."

[incubi_abel]

Abel blushed slightly at the laugh before bowing to his lord. "I do not doubt your skills, my lord, but it would only take one lucky - or unlucky - blow to spill your blood."

He bit off 'allowing me to absorb it' because the God of Ame knew what his abilities were, and it would be an insult to his intelligence for Abel to remind him. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt his lord. This was the man who gave Abel a new home and a new purpose in his life, and the thought of taking something that belonged to the God of Ame made Abel very nervous and uncomfortable.

17th April

[mikotouchiha]

Though Mikoto was the female head of one of the most prominent clans of the Leaf Village, she sometimes found the strength to request missions that allowed her to be 'let out' of her 'cage' that were her duties. Having taken the first chance she had in a mission, the raven haired Mother found herself smiling as she patrolled the borders of Ame and Konoha.

It had been a while since she felt so free. She supposed she shouldn't feel so free, seeing as she was still on a job. Either way, she keeps a hand on the sword at her side for caution and safety's sake, looking around with a veiled yet curious expression at her surroundings. The rain didn't seem as bad as she expected, or as Kushina had warned her.

I have no Deva Path icons yet plz to be pretending.

[teachingpeace]

It was amusing, that was for certain, seeing the woman so close to Ame's border with Fire. Usually Kooha shinobi didn't come this far from their village for such obvious patrols, but then, perhaps this stretch had been gifted by way of vacation. His Path moved closer first, the deeper voice curious as the orange haired figure touched down before the woman. "Do you intend to enter Ame?"

Valiantly pretending, seeing as I can't really tell the Path's...

[mikotouchiha]

Being sure to wipe away and any and all remaining alarm from her face, Mikoto smiles, partially from politeness and partially because she was even more curious at the strange appearance of the nin. Tilting her head, she answers straightforwardly, "Ah, unless there is trouble in Amegakure, I should hope not." She didn't exactly have to enter Ame to do her job, as far as she was concerned.

It's the short haired one that looks like Yahiko.

[teachingpeace]

He studied her for a moment, then inclined his head, his Rinnegan studying her thoughtfully even as they spoke. "No, We have things more than well in hand. However, I hope you aren't disturbed by being... paced."

Ohh, that cutie, I see!

[mikotouchiha]

Mikoto arches a delicate eyebrow at his choice of words before she smiles once more, her countenance being a little more sincere as she loosens her grip on the weapon by her side, "Mm, I suppose not. It was to be expected, really."

Yes Indeedy, I just have no icons -facepalm-

[teachingpeace]

He dipped his head once, pleased to see she was settling. "Along our border? Very much so. There have been many Konoha shinobi around our lands lately."

He then gestured to the side to urge her to resume her patrol, clearly intending to do just as he'd said on the other side of the 'fence' so to speak.

[dangodragon]

After so long undercover, Itachi always felt ridiculously exposed back in his Konoha uniform. There was no reason, really, for him to be in danger as he passed through Ame in the friendly colors of Konoha, but he couldn't shake the feeling of paranoia for days afterwards. Sometimes he even got the feeling while he was in Konoha.

One day you really are going to go crazy, Itachi.

Itachi has paused for a breather on his courier mission, needing a drink and to rest his feet.

[teachingpeace]

While his Path was off in another area... Nagato was in this one, peering over rooftops from his perch on one of the taller buildings, where he'd been tracking the lone running figure. He didn't hesitate to approach once his curiosity was pricked, and he ghosted in that direction, slipping through the rain until he was in easy speaking distance, peeking from under the brim of his hat. "Ame mud is better for a fast walk than a true run you know."

[dangodragon]

All the hair on the back of Itachi's neck stood on end. He slowly turned his head towards the noise, resisting the impulse to duck for cover. Ame was friendly, and it wouldn't show a good front to have one of Konoha's ninja ducking for cover at a friendly comment. The man's red hair put him immediately in mind of Kushina.

"I'm have started to come to that conclusion, thank you." Itachi lifted his tone to be almost cheerful and smiled a little.

[teachingpeace]

He'd noticed the twitch, and his smile was rather dry. The instinct was correct, even if the timing of it was not. He could only presume this one was rather active in the field. He'd know such reflexes after all.

He came to a halt out of easy grabbing, but not throwing, distance, peeking at him through his hair. "You're welcome. Cutting through on your way to somewhere else, or were you headed to the main city?"

[dangodragon]

"Unfortunately I'm just passing through on my way from here to there," Itachi apologized. Itachi noted the man was standing withing striking range, but not too close. Interactions with ninja had different rules than civilian interactions, and it was almost soothing to shift back into these rules of conduct.

It was hard to feel threatened by someone who peered through their hair like that. Itachi wondered what he was trying to hide. "I'm heading back to Konoha," Itachi admitted, which carried the subtle message that he was going home and people would miss him if he didn't show up. It wasn't needed here, Itachi was sure.

[teachingpeace]

He felt an amused smile come to his lips at the way the man seemed calmed. It was rather fascinating, it was true. "Ahh, of course. Might I walk you to the border? There's no need to exhaust yourself when you have to lose the time stopping anyway."

[strengthofmybow]

Some days, it seemed like he was too busy to spend time around his little sister. She was reaching that age now, too, where he himself recalled being either really rebellious or really driven. And frankly, they may as well have been the same person when it came to that.

When he was home, it was often tasked to him to care for her, either by his parents or by he himself. Such was today, and such was another day where she had run off into the rain like a terror, shrieking in her laughter. "Oi, oi, chibi-chama, get back here! I'm going to catch you~!" His voice was quite sing-song, and he'd stood at the door for some time to give her a head start. "I'll have her back by dinner!" That, of course, had been called back into the house.

So it came that he did finally catch her, hefting the slender six-year-old over his shoulder despite her protests. "Aa, but chibi-chama, now we have to get you home and washed before dinner! You'll have to let your valiant knight carry you, unless you make a promise to go straight home." He grinned more broadly as she squirmed, lowering her into a princess-carry position. "Can't have your mother worrying about her little princess, ne?"

[teachingpeace]

He hadn't expected to have a child breeze right past him like that, but it made him smile when he saw one of his jounin picking the girl up. Ah. One of the ones with a protective spirit. He shook his head slightly and adjusted his cloak before slipping forward into the rain, looking from the man to the little one thoughtfully.

"I get the sense the young lady rather liked her game." His tone was light though, quietly pleased that his people, any of his people, could fell relaxed enough to play.

[strengthofmybow]

He had turned at the sound of a voice, and any tenseness that had formed in him melted almost immediately when he realised who it was. His sister, who had been playfully struggling to climb out of his arms, turned her attention to Nagato and grinned broadly. All spitfire and excitement at the age of six, she was. 'Yeah! Nii-san never lets me win, though... but I'll be faster than him soon! AND a better ninja!'

"Oi, now. You're going to make me look bad in front of kami-sama." With a laugh, he shifted her in his arms. "Now, there's still a bit of time before dinner, so why don't you see if mother needs any help? I'll be along soon, promise." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before setting her down. "We can play again later."

'Ooooi! I don't wanna!' Puffing out her cheeks, the little girl crossed her arms. 'Ne, ne, why don't we all play?!' Orile paused, glancing to Nagato briefly and then back to his sister.

"Well, that's not up to me, now is it?" he mused. It felt... strange, feeling this light and non-serious around Nagato. Up til now, his every action near his leader had been done with that unerring seriousness of a man on a mission. "If he says no, then you'll have to go back home and we'll play later." His voice was stern enough, though a smile played at his lips.

'But--' Huffing, she turned her attention from her brother to the cloaked man. 'Pleeeeeeeeease?' Ah. There she went, with the puppy-dog eyes.

[teachingpeace]

Nagato gave the girl a look of utmost seriousness then, not even attempting to lower himself to her level and instead just giving a rather even stare from above. It was purely practical though as he had no intention of hopping down into the mud.

Nope.

He made a mental note to get the streets rebricked as soon as possible to cut down on that.

"I have no idea how your game is even played. You only just crossed my path after all."

[strengthofmybow]

She looked crushed, momentarily, staring up at Nagato before turning her head to Orile himself. It lasted about as long as most anything lasted to a six year old - perhaps fifteen second or so.

"... Awww. Fiiiiiiine, but I wanna play RIGHT after dinner!" Seeming quite insistent on this point, she nodded fervently.

"Of course. Right after." Orile smiled as he set her on her feet again. "Go on, I'll be along soon enough." He promised, watching her retreating form as it splashed up water and mud until it was completely gone into the distance. Clearing his throat, he bowed lightly to Nagato. "My apologies, Kami-sama. You appear well."

[teachingpeace]

"Nothing to apologize for." He shook his head slightly, glancing after the girl, then looked back to the man's face, his own expression a bit wry. "It seems your sibling has no patience for explaining her game however."