Amara Hyuuga-Tsukino had never intended on taking a squad or a personal student, and this situation – if it played out how she wanted it to – would not exactly be like that given the individual in question was already an S rank Jounin. However, one did not simply do massive amounts of missions and then go un-noticed by the Raikage – at least, not when it came to Amara being the Raikage. And so, this individual had caught her attention and held it, so much so that she had hand written a message herself and sent it to Kuro Nara via a Chuunin who – if her calculations were correct – would be arriving within minutes with the message for the male in question.

Kuro Nara,
Your efforts around my village have not gone un-noticed and I wish to meet with you and have a chat. Please come by my office as soon as possible.

Raikage, Amara Hyuuga-Tsukino

The letter was short and simple but that was the way she liked to keep things: there was no point in going on further when she wanted to speak to him in person: she liked handling things personally when it came to matters such as this. So now all there was to do was sit there and wait for Kuro Nara’s arrival.

Amara shifted on the chair behind her desk; the Raikage robes were never comfortable or her to wear but given all of the meetings she had been in and out of all morning long the purple and blue haired Raikage had had little choice in the matter. Amara placed her elbows on the arm rests of her chair and looked around, taking stock of the large room that was her office. The desk in front of her was made out of a heavy oak with various seals carved into it that both kept the desk locked from prying eyes as well as accomplished a great deal of other feats. The desk at the moment was cleared of everything safe for a stack of papers off in the corner that were simply minor things she had already filled out and signed, and the file she had on Kuro Nara. The walls of her office were a dark gray in color and had various seals interworked into beautiful carvings of dragons, a brewing storm, and the many pictures her daughter Gemma had drawn and which had been taped to the wall in various places. The floor was covered in a thick ornate carpet that, if one were to look closely, they would see continued on with the overall dragon theme of the office. There were great deals of plush furniture, including couches along the walls and two chairs right in front of her desk with others along the walls that could be pulled over for the sake of a larger meeting. All in all it was a comfortable office: though, due to Amara’s natural gifts and the beast inside of her, it smelled very heavily of ozone – like lightning had just struck the office unseen.

A well deserved night's rest. Especially with everything he did yesterday, he deserved it. He even planned on sleeping in some, before getting up today and continuing on. Everyone would know his name and his feats, though this wasn't what he was intending. His parents and brothers kept giving him all kinds of praise as if he were some kind of superhero who'd just saved the day, and his mother was especially on him about shaking up with some girl, but Kuro didn't really listen to it all. He wasn't trying to be a hero, he wasn't trying to save the day. He wasn't trying to rescue the damsel in distress to go riding off into the sunset happily ever after. All Kuro wanted was an excuse to test out and further develop his abilities.

Atop realizing that he could use his chakra to lift himself from the ground, use it to turn himself invisible, and create a more destructive version of the Rasengan, Kuro, aside having a nose that could sniff out most anything, already had a moderate ability to sense people and things around him without looking. He couldn't use it for very long distances, so he aimed to expand upon this ability. So, waking up this morning, Kuro rummaged through his closet, found and tied a blindfold over his eyes. He figured the best way to expand his sensory was to rely on it totally. After an entire day of walking around without the use of his normal eyes, he'd be able to pick out anyone or anything with just the use of his sensory.

"Kuro! A message is here for you!" came his mother's voice from the other side of the house. With a sucker in his mouth on one side of his jaw, Kuro pushed his hands into his pants pockets and began to carefully make his way to her. It wasn't easy going at first, for he tripped and bumped into several walls. As time began to pass, it would become easier, he knew this. Kuro, with several bumps and collisions, eventually made his way to the other side of the house and to the living room where his mother stood with a note, a note that he couldn't see of course. He could feel someone outside leaving; someone who was above average in strength. This was the first sign that his self training was beginning to work. "Kuro what have I told you about eating candy in the morning before breakfast? And why are you blindfolded?...Let me guess, this is another one of your weird training methods, right?...Anyway here, take this, it's from the Raikage! You're finally starting to make a name for yourself!" Mother Nara handed Kuro the note. "All you need now is a nice girl to settle down with!"

Kuro made a grumbling noise as he took off the blindfold. "Don't you give me that! You know good and well our family's history, the blah blah blah, and blah blah blah blah to the blah blah..." She could go on for hours, and this is what it would sound like to Kuro everytime, especially now as he read the note that was addressed directly to him.

Kuro Nara,
Your efforts around my village have not gone un-noticed and I wish to meet with you and have a chat. Please come by my office as soon as possible.
Raikage, Amara Hyuuga-Tsukino

It would be only a matter of time, he knew it. He was honestly sort of surprised. Kuro thought it would take much more to gain the attention of the Kage, but apparently escorting whores, catching escaped prisoners, delivering precious documents to ANBU agents, among other things were quite important around here. No matter, he'd honor the request, and get more training in in the meantime. Kuro folded up the note and stuffed it into his back pocket before pulling the blindfold back down and stuffing his hands back into his pockets. His mother had stopped going on and on like she did and went to the kitchen. With a few more collisions and bumps, Kuro moved to the front door and headed outside, across the porch, down the stairs and down the front walk.

There were more stares that he couldn't see and wouldn't care about otherwise as he moved through the village and toward the administration complex. Some village bullies thought it be funny to try playing a prank on the blind folded mute kid, not knowing that his nose worked better than most folk's noses, and that his sensory was already beginning to expand. The first kid that tried to trip him found himself on the ground due to a Shadow Punch, on his back, staring up at the sky with a bloody nose. The second, a Shadow Kick to the groin which caused him to scream in a fashion that highly resembled a female in a horror movie. The rest of the kids, suddenly developing the use of their brains, put off this prank idea and decided to let that wierd mute kid go on about his business. All of the rest of them hurriedly got out of his way.

The Administration Complex wasn't very far away from his position, but Kuro was taking his time, letting himself get used to the use of sensory abilities to guide his way. He took each step up to the door and carefully opened it, letting himself inside and pulling it shut behind him. At this point he began to feel many others around him, and he could almost feel the stares. The guards and those that were above average could guess that Kuro was in some sort of training regimen, but ordinary everyday people coming going about their everyday lives, just like outside, gave the kid strange stares, wondering what in the world it was he was doing, and half amazed that he wasn't bumping into things or other people. Kuro began to step around things and people as if he weren't blindfolded. He was getting the hang of it, but figured he still had a way to go before he was a master at it. Then, with his nose, he knew nobody would be able to hide. Well, most nobody. There had to be experts out there that could hide totally just like he could with his camouflage. He'd deal with that whenever the time came though...

Kuro made his way to the office of the Raikage. He opened the door, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. The office smelled like lightning had struck. He knew the smell of it all too well; Raiton. This was The Land of Clouds after all. Kuro moved over near the desk of the Raikage and remained silent rolling the sucker around on the right side of his jaw. He could sense the massive amounts of chakra coming from her all to easily, and in his vision she was lit up like a light bulb. Kuro was never one to be intimidated by someone else's strength or power thought, for he was one that knew with enough effort even the strongest of individuals could be outsmarted by even the weakest of people. Kuro was sure she didn't call him here to fight though, so he wasn't worried about a confrontation. So, waiting to see what she had to say, the blindfolded Kuro remained silent.

Master Sensory Training = 1,237/2,500 Words

Amara could tell when Kuro Nara had entered into the building as one of the seals on her desk flared up for the briefest of seconds; something that would go un-noticed by anyone who didn’t have the most perfect sense of chakra and fuuinjutsu. Amara waited, her gaze resting on the door to of her office which was unlocked. After a short period of time she saw the doorknob turn and then the door open. A young man walked in, who from the file on her desk, she knew to be Kuro Nara. A polite and gentle smile formed across Amara’s face as the young man came to a stop near her desk.

“Hello, Kuro.” There truly was no point in beating around the bush, and she assumed he wanted to know why she had summoned him here as soon as possible. “My name is Amara Hyuuga-Tsukino. You may have a seat if you would like, I’ll get right to things as to not waste any of your time.”

Amara put a hand upon the top of Kuro Nara’s file and slide it in the center of her desk before taking her hand off of it. “First order of business is that I wish to thank you for the amount of work you’ve been putting in recently: it makes me happy to see people taking an interest in making our beautiful village a better place to be. I wanted you to know that your efforts are not going un-noticed.” She opened the file of his, flipping through several pages that detailed the missions he had gone on. “You’ve caught my interest a great deal, and I wish to help you further your skills. Now, I know it’s quite unorthodox for someone in your rank to have a sensei of any kind, but I would like you to know that if there’s anything, anything at all, that I can do to help you all you need do is ask.”

The Raikage didn't look much older than he was, from what he could tell from his ever expanding sensory. As far as he could tell, this was his first time ever meeting her. Honestly he expected someone older, but it wasn't that he was disappointed or surprised. She said hello, and Kuro nodded his head while adjusting his blindfold.

“My name is Amara Hyuuga-Tsukino. You may have a seat if you would like, I’ll get right to things as to not waste any of your time.”

A Hyuuga. He'd heard stories of the clan, of the famed Gentle Fist fighting style, of the ocular Dojutsu known as the Byakugan. Kuro didn't know all of the details, just the hearsay. he'd have loved to see one in action, but much like the Nara, there weren't many bonafide Hyuuga left around nowadays, and the only way he'd see her in action is if the shit REALLY hit the fan, the likes of a ninja war. No matter though. Kuro for the moment took a seat nearby the desk, resting his forearms on his knees.

“First order of business is that I wish to thank you for the amount of work you’ve been putting in recently: it makes me happy to see people taking an interest in making our beautiful village a better place to be. I wanted you to know that your efforts are not going un-noticed.”

Kuro gave a nod of his head again, rolling the sucker over to the other cheek. Escorting whores, delivering secret documents to agents, tracking down escaped prisoners, it was actually no problem. Anything to give him a reason to use and develop his skills. Had she not sent for him he'd probably be right back at it, and when this was over he'd probably head toward the mission station to find something else to get into.

“You’ve caught my interest a great deal, and I wish to help you further your skills. Now, I know it’s quite unorthodox for someone in your rank to have a sensei of any kind, but I would like you to know that if there’s anything, anything at all, that I can do to help you all you need do is ask.”

A free request from the Kage? One probably couldn't tell it from looking at Kuro's blank face, but that actually sounded interesting. Help furthering his skills...Rumor had it that beasts were roaming the lands. Beasts that could be sealed into people, with their powers being added to the hosts. Rumor also had it that there were wise animals and beasts that would teach others how to harness nature energies and enter a state known as Sage Mode...He'd heard of such sages in the form of Gorillas, in the forests around Niwa.

Here was another one of those rare instances where Kuro would actually open his mouth and talk. "...Rumor has it that Gorillas live in the forests around Niwa...Sage Gorillas that lend their strength to those that prove themselves worthy...I'm not exactly a physical fighter, but the aid of Sage Apes would come in handy...just in case."

It was also an excuse to go somewhere he'd never been before. Besides, bandits were known to wander the wilds, ambushing kidnapping and robbing travelers. Also an excuse to use his abilities. Gaining the favor of Gorillas shouldn't be very hard, he just hoped he didn't have to spend a significant amount of time doing so. If she was fine with this, he'd head out immediately. Kuro wasn't exactly power hungry, but this was something that had been on his mind a while, something he was going to attempt with or without the kage's blessing. With though, that just made things better.

Master Sensory Training: 628 + 1,237 = 1,865/2,500 words

Amara listened closely when Kuro began to speak, telling about a rumor of some ape sages in the lands of Niwaurushigakure. She too had heard such rumors, and it didn’t surprise her that someone like Kuro, who had been busting their ass left and right, would be interested in meeting these rumored apes. Amara took a moment to mull it over in her mind: Kumogakure and Niwaurushigakure were friendly – more so than other villages given how well she knew Hiroyuki, the Hakage, and so she didn’t think it would be any trouble for one of her people to go for a visit: still, she would ensure that a letter was sent to inform Hiroyuki of Kuro’s intentions. It was always best to be as polite as possible…

So, with her mind made up Amara nodded with a smile. “That sounds like a very interesting adventure to go on. You have my permission to leave as soon as you’re prepared. You can warp over there free of charge if you’d like, or travel above ground. I’ll send ahead a letter to the Hakage to ensure he knows you’re there.”

With that said Amara pulled out a pen and a piece of paper, making quick work of the letter she was going to be sending ahead of Kuro Nara. “Is there anything else you might need from me?”, she asked curiously while she wrote; her hand moving over the paper but her gaze remaining situated on Kuro Nara. If there was nothing else he wanted, at least at the moment, then he was free to go of course and prepare for this new adventure he was about to go on. She wished him all of the best; as she wished all of her people. It was her personal policy to allow her people to advance themselves as far as they could even if that meant they had to do so outside of the village. Sometimes the best thing to do if you wanted people to blossom and flourish was to allow them to gain experience elsewhere: there was only so much a village could teach someone after all and she wasn’t blinded to that fact.

CRUNCH.

Kuro bit down into the sucker. The sound of his teeth biting into the candy echoed throughout the Raikage's office. She'd told him some good news, and even said that she'd send ahead to let Niwa know of his coming, not that he would spend long there. With his nose and his soon to be newly mastered form of sensory, finding these apes wouldn't take long, he figured. He didn't think impressing them so that they would lend him their strength would take long either. There was always the chance that they would refuse him. If that were the case, well. At least he got the chance to leave the village and travel somewhere new.

Kuro stood up, swallowing the chewed up candy substance and moving the sucker stick between his teeth as if it were a toothpick. He'd head back home and inform his parents of his intentions, pack a small bag of things, and head out as soon as possible. The Raikage said that he could warp there, or travel above ground. Warping there sounded like an even faster idea, and he would consider that while heading back to the house. When she asked if there were anything else he needed, Kuro shook his head no. He then bowed to the Raikage; his way of saying thanks, since he wasn't really much for words. What he'd already said to her was much more than what he normally said to anyone.

His sensory was much, much better at this point. He was no longer tripping over things or bumping into walls. He could almost see everything clearly within his mind's eye, and as time passed, things only began to become clearer, but still, Kuro took his time. He walked to the door of the office, opened the door and stepped out, pulling the office door closed behind him. Shoving his hands into his pants pockets, Kuro slowly made his way back through the Administration Complex, with more strange and confused stares from the Raikage's people and civilians that happened to see him moving along. After another stroll through the head building of the village, Kuro was walking out of the entrance and down the front stairs.

Within the mainstream village area was where he again encountered pranksters. Some of them didn't take lightly to being beaten by a blindfolded mute, so like all cowards, they went and got help, thinking that strength in numbers would make a difference. Kuro wasn't surprised, and found that he could feel and see all of them even more clearly than before he went to visit the Raikage. He didn't mind teaching these kids a lesson and welcomed them to bring it on. The first mistake they made was standing there and bragging about how they were going to stomp Kuro's guts out, giving him more than enough time and opportunity to use the shadows to take control of them. When one of them began attacking others in their group is when the confusion began. As always, it was too late when they finally caught on to what Kuro had done, and it didn't take long to have all of them beating each other senseless, and then to have the last one standing knock himself silly by running into a brick wall full speed.

Civilians and pedestrians seemed entertained and confused themselves while Kuro put his hands back into his pockets and continued on walking toward home. He reached his yard, walking up the front walk, up the stairs and to the front door. Opening it, he stepped inside and pulled it shut behind him. it seemed like his mother had been waiting there the entire time he was gone, anxious to see what the Raikage had summoned him for. "Well? Why did the Raikage call you? Was she satisfied with what you've been doing? Oh! I know! She wants to go out on a date with you, right? Right?"

Kuro snorted. "Please. As if she really had eyes for me like that, it's nothing like that at all. I'm going to Niwa," was his response as he stepped past her and headed toward his room on the other side of the house. Mother Nara took a disappointed look and began to follow him.

"Going to Niwa why? And how do you know i'm alright with this? You don't even ask anymore, you just tell me?" Kuro snorted again as she was really trying to pull the parent card. That was how he could tell that she seemed mad that he wasn't going out on a date with the Raikage. As if she had time for that type of stuff anyways.

"Training." Kuro began to put things into a black bookbag that had the Nara Clan symbol on it. He didn't pack too much, because he didn't plan on being gone very long. "I don't know why you're leaning on me so hard to keep up that stupid family story, i'm not the only kid you have."

"It's not stupid! It's how you came to be!"

Kuro grumbled as he put his bag on and stepped past his mother to head toward the front door. "Well, just make sure you be careful, and come home as soon as you're done with this so-called training!" Kuro gave a wave behind him as he opened the front door again, stepped out, and pulled it shut. He walked across the porch and down the steps, down the front walk and began heading toward one of the warp zones that the Raikage told him about. Once he'd arrived, transporting himself across the countries to Niwa was child's play and took only seconds.

-Exit-

Master Sensory Training: 928 + 1,865 = 2,793/2,500 words