Pink Cherry Blossoms

[Cloud-chan]

The boy's fingers graced the delicate pink flowers of the sakura tree he sat in.

"Sorry. But we're out of jounins currently. If one comes back, we'll notify you." the teacher had said. "You're a wonderful student, Seryou. I really am sad that there's no openings."

Seryou had just nodded, and walked away. Why hadn't he been chosen first for a team, then, if he was so good? Why was he last on the list? From the way the teacher had said it, she highly doubted that any jounin would be made a sensei in time for Seryou to become a genin.

His twin flaming swords were strapped soundly to his back, and they seemed to draw away his sadness, comforting him with their blades, which were always warm. He drew out one, examining it. His face, only the top half showing because of the red cloth drawn around the lower half, was reflected. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, red like dried blood.

A blossom fell off the tree, landing on his nose. He brushed it off, watching the small pink spot drift to the ground.

[Tenko]

‘Holy crap. His swords are on fire.’
Yeah, yeah, she knew. That was un-lady-like.
Please. She invented the term.

A flash of Barbie-blonde bangs were shoved unceremoniously out of widened eyes, and Yamanaka Ino took a moment to stare incredulously at the boy (so she figured) lounging calmly in the sakura trees. A fine, crystal vase was clutched absently in her arms, and she lingered amidst the blur of petals, wishing that there were less interesting people in the area that day.

She’d strode in that afternoon, intent to drag home some of the petals and a few snapped branches (it wasn’t a public park, after all) to place at her night-table; after all, cherry blossoms were seasonal and effeminate, lovely arranged in the right ways. It had taken several hours of the morning to convince herself that no, it had nothing to do with one Haruno Sakura, and the fact that she missed the Hanami parties with her former best friend, but that she was actually there as a professional at ikebana. Unfortunately, the guy in the tree was quickly distracting her from her work.

Considering him a moment, unable to see his bound face, Ino decided to do something that was quite effective but not altogether wise. “Hey!” She called out, eying him suspiciously. “Who the hell are you?"

[Cloud-chan]

Not utterly expecting someone to start yelling at him, Saryou nearly fell out of the tree.

Scrambling back onto the branch, he eyed the blond girl for a second. She was carrying a vase. Now that he thought about it, didn't she own a flower shop?

Ahh, yes, Ino Yamanaka.

"Seryou Mitsami." he awnsered, adjusting the cloth around his mouth slightly.

[Tenko]

"Mitsami?" She repeated, blinking slightly; wasn't the name familiar somehow? She certainly didn't remember the flaming swords. Eying those apprehensively as the other genin attempted to readjust his footing, Ino leaned absently against an opposing sakura tree, quirking a brow at his actions.

"You certainly aren't very graceful," the girl stated flatly; tucking the vase neatly back with an arm, she extended a finger to point, scowling, at his apparently clumsy form. “But you’re going to ruin the flowers with those… those… what are those, anyway?! Seriously,” she added in a demanding tone. “You’re going to give a few innocents seizures, damnit!”

[Cloud-chan]

He frowned.

"Sorry." he said, hopping down from the tree. "They always do that..."

He frowned, glancing the girl up and down. "You're Ino?"

[Tenko]

Wrinkling her nose and pulling off the tree in response, the kunoichi tilted her head to the side as though to look around Seryou for a better look at his weapons; at the question she shifted her bright teal eyes to stare at him, wholly unamused.

"I would think so," She responded sarcastically before pausing to amend herself. "Yamanaka Ino, that's right. Weren't you at the Academy...? What're you doing here?"

Trailing off Ino attempted to place him, but decided he must've been under another Chuunin sensei if she only just recognized him.

[Cloud-chan]

Seryou didn't seem to take offense at Ino's rude behavior, but then again, he was rather forgiving of most people.

"Not enough senseis." Seryou explained, shrugging. "Next year."

[Tenko]

The words seemed to catch her off guard; stilling for a moment, Ino's face seemed to clear slightly as she straightened, blinking.

"Oh," was her response. "That. I thought you looked depressed for a stunningly shocking nin parading with flaming cutlery on his back."

Shrugging absently, the kunoichi lifted her gaze to examine the tree blossoms with meticulous care, seeming to dismiss him but speaking a moment later. "Don't worry about it; Sandaime-sama is rearranging the jounin shifts for some weird reason. I volunteered to train independently this year, but he found three new ninja and I got shoved beneath Tabito-sensei." Turning back, she offered him a cheerful smile, as though she hadn't spent the last few minutes of their brief introduction shrieking like a banshee. "Someone'll free up soon."

[Cloud-chan]

ooC: Flaming cutlery. I'm putting that in my siggy. XD

biC:

"Maybe..." Seryou said, wondering what her strange obsession with his swords was about. Perhaps there was nothing else interesting about him?

He shoved his hands in his pockets, following her gaze to the pink blossoms.

"Beautiful." he remarked.

[Tenko]

OoC//; xD Was it that good? +amusement+

IC//; "Of course they are," Ino reprimanded bluntly, as though his observation was another 'Captain Obvious'. Planting a hand on her hip she studied his masked face with growing curiousity; it was excessively difficult to pay attention to him with live embers on his back, but hey - she was trying. "I wouldn't be here if they weren't."

Tugging what looked like a shuriken from her holster, the kunoichi took a moment of careful aim, then sniffed and put it away. "Problem is the best branches are where people don't touch them; I'm bloody going to have to climb, I guess."

After a moment's pause, she added boldly, "So is this what you do when things don't go away? Watch the flowers? That's a new one, considering the guys at the Academy seem to prefer blowing things up." In fact, what she really wanted to ask was why he wore a mask at the young age of twelve or thirteen, but she supposed it wasn't the right moment.

[Cloud-chan]

He nodded.

"I like the scent." he said, simply.

Then, he drew one of the swords, and tossed it. It cut off the branch she had been aiming at, then swerved around like a boomerang, returning to his hand.

"Here." he said, handing the branch to her. It was a little bit seared at the end, but otherwise unharmed.

[Tenko]

"The scent?" Ino quizzed, looking confused. "So you're a-" However, his next movements, while gentlemanly, made her freeze the stem of words flooding her mouth.

Seryou's actions caused the defensive kunoichi to jump and start back, getting into a ready stance while fumbling to keep her precious vase intact; the fact that the other boy threw the thing made her expression look comically incredulous, and Ino backed out of the way skittishly as it continued its course. It was a flaming death hazard, by God, and how the hell was it coming back to him instead of dropping?!

For a moment, Ino was speechless, completely mute as he handed the branch she'd been targeting almost nonchalently to her. Glancing at the thing, then once more appraisingly at the sword, she snatched the branch from his hand as though her fire had returned all at once. "The hell was that?!" She roared, cheeks reddening, shaking her head to shove her bangs from her eyes. "You could've...could've... Kami-sama."

Flushing from the daze of what he'd just done, it seemed like Ino was quickly running out of words. "That was... amazing." She informed him blankly, before looking back at the branch and seeming to realize what she'd done; turning an even worse shade of scarlett, she added, "Sorry - no, wait, I mean... I mean, thanks, Mitsami-san."

Damn. Nearly had a heart-attack, that time.

[Cloud-chan]

Saryou blinked. His head was quickly flooding with questions, but he supressed them.

"You're welcome, Ino-san." he said, and gave a small smile.

"Another?" he said, pointing his sword at the tree.

[Tenko]

Examining his expression tentively, as though still wary that he might be trying to harm her (because really, it was fire, and that stuff hurt), Ino shook slightly with her nerves then attempted to shove them away.

He's just a kid, she chided herself inwardly, breaking out a nervous smile in response to his own. A genin, doll, so stop being so damn jumpy.

Twisting the scorched end of the branch off but not tossing it away, she played with the cutting before hesitantly pointing to another portion she was eying, looking back at Seryou with cautious eyes. "Th-that - oh, I mean, well... sorry." With a nervous laugh and still red with embarassment, she shifted the vase in her arms and looked back at the tree more confidently, straightening her arm and asking promptly, "That one? And that one over there?"

[Cloud-chan]

Seryou threw both of his blades, both of them returning with the branches falling easily.

He passed the two branches to her.

"You're nervous?" he asked, pinkish eyes glancing over her face.