You never know who will show up

Maku was sitting around his camp fire.  His venture into the leaf had not gone as expected, and he was contemplating his next move.  He was still interested in entering the leaf village to get a look at their shinobi.  Maku knew that to further himself he needed to gain an understanding of each of the hidden villages abilities and ninja.  

   Maku currently appeared as a short blonde man with emerald eyes.  He had shoulder length hair and had made himself look thin.  He also had given himself several scars across his arms.  His clothes where standard black trousers and a black button up shirt.  He also had his chakra suppression active to eliminate his chakra signature.  He still had the habit of changing his appearance constantly to keep himself from being recognized. He still regretted showing his true self to the brat at the Leaf village gate, a mistake he would not make again.  Maku knew that he needed to do some training, but constantly doing it by himself had become such a drag.  He let himself just sit for awhile, enjoying the warm breeze that ruffled his hair.  

   You never know what might happen on a morning like this the possibilities were endless.

As Youka made his way to where Hika had told him Konoha's borders were he decided he would find a nice spot to relax and wait for his friend to catch up with him. As he made his way closer to the tree lines he noticed smoke rising up into the sky from a short distance away from himself which was quite odd for this time of day. He wondered if anyone was actually in the distance or if this was a rare forest fire, extending his chakra senses into the area he couldn't feel a presence which eased his mind as he neared the fire.

To his surprise he could see someone in the distance which felt odd to him because he couldn't feel their chakra. While moving in closer he began to make out that it was a boy at 20 meters away, at 15 meters he could tell the color of his hair and the style of the clothes he wore which reminded Youka of his own priest garbs he wore when he was younger. at 10 meters Youka picked up the boys frame which looked a tad bit skinnier than he would expect a childs frame to be. Youka knew not to judge a book by its cover though as Hika was young as well but twice as strong as he was which Youka kept at the back of his head.

As he made it 5 meters in ear shot of the young boy he would make his presence known to not infringe on the boys personal space although it was strange that a kid was in the woods by himself, it made a easy kill. "Excuse me my child" he would say slightly raising his voice "Might I join you as a weary traveler looking to rest his legs". If the boy looked in his direction he would see a older male standing to his right side 5 meters away wearing traditional priest wear all black in color with a blue sash adorning his waist and a gleaming golden cross that Youka would be holding up to signify he didn't mean any harm. Youka was the centerfold for giving off a false sense of security as he would also be showing his trademark smile that never faded from his face. He wouldn't move from this spot till the boy gave him permission to come closer, after all he did need to garner trust in some way from the child.

As Maku sat day dreaming, and looking towards the future in the flames, He heard a voice behind him.  Looking behind, he saw a red headed man, in what Maku assumed were priest robes.  The man was older, and had a warm welcoming smile, which Maku returned.  "Feel free friend, be a guest of my fire and rest. You can call me Kani."  If the man walked to the fire, then Maku would follow him with his eyes as he sat.  If he choose to sit at the fire, then Maku would offer him some fish.  He had gained it while training in the land of the crab summons, which he had just returned from, training a new partner summon.

"I can only assume your some kind of priest, from your clothes.  If I am wrong please feel free to correct me."  If the man stated that he was indeed a priest than Maku would ask him the following question.  "Father do you take confessions, because I have a heavy heart."

Maku would wait for his response.  Having not really developed any chakra sense Maku couldn't tell how strong this new comer was.  He couldn't even really be suspicious of his smile since he himself often smiled at strangers.  However Maku was still suspicious.  He knew the borders where a dangerous place, but anyone who would attack someone with no chakra, probably was nothing more than a bully that Maku could handle anyway.  Having just been acousted and verbally beaten down by a child, he sat thinking that life was funny, and you never knew a measure of a person until you shared a piece of yourself with them.  The boy at the Leaf gates had scoffed him for seeking new horizons.  He would now see what this stranger would do when he shared another piece, and he swore this would be the last piece he shared for a very long time.

Maku wasn't in the habit of sharing personal information, but he was at a cross roads in his life.  The next few days where going to shape what he would become in life.  This interaction would be the beginning.

The boy was very welcoming to strangers and Youka didn't know if it was beacuse he was naive to the dangers of the borders or if he was a wolf in sheep clothing waiting to pounce, just as Youka was. As he moved in closer he made sure to keep a positive atmosphere about him as to not raise any alarms."Thank you my son,I've been traveling a while now and rest is much needed". They boy had given him his name which he would cataloge in his mind "You may call me Youka, and yes I am a priest".

As he sat down on a log opposite of the young boy he was offered a piece of fish to which he took merely as a sign of good faith rather than actually eating it, after all he had just met the lad. "Of course I take confessions child, I am a man of the lord and virgin mary speak unto me freely, I cast no blame" he would say through a genuine smile that he had practiced for years.

Youka would intently look into the boys eyes through his slit eyes that never truly opened and wait for the young boy to continue talking. It was strange to hear of someone that actually wanted to confess, most of the people that he met typically shied away from that sort of thing. Also Youka was sizing the boy up to see if he would either make a valuable assest for a future time or if he would be a sacrificial lamb who would become one with Youka through the taking of his heart.

Maku was pleased that the man had sat and was willing to listen.  He was still a little nervous though.  He had worked so hard and how ironic would it be to die now to a stranger in priest garbs.  It would also be more ironic since, Maku had made the priest his guest at his fire, and killing a host or harming a guest was as dirty as sin.

"I have traveled from the Waterfall village, my home in search of new horizons.  I have been alone nearly all my life, only once have I had a sensei, who I have surpassed fully due to his own laziness.  My father died while I was still a student, and while I should feel sad, I am glad of it.  He was a pitiful man of no impact, he could make no difference in the world so perhaps it is a mercy he died young."  Maku didn't know why he was going through all this, but Maku felt that this priest, though he made him nervous, could be what he was looking for, Maku did not believe in chance, he saw all meetings and decisions as roads to ones final destiny.  "My aspiration in life is to gain more power, and make an impact on the world."  At this Maku looked into the other mans mostly closed eyes, and released his chakra suppression jutsu, his eyes showed his desire, they seemed older than the boys face and body.  "Fate is a dangerous friend, like the chance of two strangers meeting.  I desire more power, but no man can become great on his own.  I am looking for a companion or group, someone of like interests who is willing to do whatever it takes to become great."  At this Maku broke eye contact and let out a laugh.  Sitting back on his hands and gazing at the sky he said one last thing.  "Isn't that awful father, probably a terrible ideology to live by, but there it is."  Maku had spilled out his soul, he hoped that if this stranger was more than just a priest, he would appreciate all that Maku had just said and not try to attack him for it.  But instead see an oppurtunity for two people to work together to achieve their goals.  Maku also made one last contemplation, he had to inwardly laugh at himself, most of the time he was so happy go lucky.  But when he looked towards the futre and how he wanted to build his own empire, he could feel his personality change to one of dead seriousness, and one willing to do whatever it took.  He had lied and said his name was Kani, perhaps with his crab summons and hard alter personality that was a fitting name to build his empire with.

The world was a dangerous place, as Maku knew.  All shinobi knew that, it was the nature of their lives.  But by like minded individuals banding together, that was how shinobi stopped being just names, but instead became legends.

Youka sat and listened intently to what the boy had to say, taking in every word and syllable as if he had uttered it himself. He could see the pain in the boys eyes which showed that he indeed want to grow stronger. The boy talked of his home village in the waterfalls and how he had left to become stronger on his own, it indeed was a foolish thing to do in this day and age where anyone could be your enemy. Yet it also showed a determination to go out and make your own path, which was what Youka would be looking for in anyone if he wanted to take a partner with him in his travels.

After Kani had spoken ill of his father in regards to him being a sorry man, Youka would loving interject, yet still hold a firm voice as if he were scolding the boy "You shouldn't be glad of such things my child, every person plays a part in life, your fathers part might have been to only conceive a child and not to be great on his own, therefore cherish that bond and respect it" he would say still showing the boy a smile.

As the boy released the jutsu that had been suppressing his chakra Youka's senses picked up on it right away for how big it was. This boy indeed might be useful to him for his plans in the future. the boys features alo matured and changed as he mentioned fate and their meeting."Indeed I might be able to help you in your search for power and a fitting group to share in those whims, don't think negatively of yourself for having your own morals and code, it is after all what makes each one of us different" he would say in a affirming manner while standing up from the fire and walking into the open field that lay before them. "Follow me...I wish to test something" he would say to the boy without turning around as he walked noticing that the open area would be perfect as it was about 20 meters long and 15 meters wide in space with trees on all sides.

He would stand in the middle of the field and wait for the boy to come along, this is where he would test if the boy had what it took to do the things he wanted and how far he would go to ensure that his life was the only thing that mattered, If he passed he would more than likely take the boy with him and when Hika caught up the would talk. Yet if the boy failed the test this would be his grave and the boys ambitions would die here.

While Maku disagreed with what Youka said about his father, he let it go.  No need to debate cosmic purpose, after all each man knows what he feels and what he believes, and can not be persuaded otherwise if they truly believed these items in the first place.  The next item that peaked Maku's interest was that this priest seemed to understand him.  Instead of finding it wrong he seemed to approve.  Perhaps this was the chance meeting that he had been waiting for all his life.  At least a better meeting than his original sensei who had turned out to be weak.

The man in priest garbs told him he wanted to test something, and walked into the clearing that stood nearby.  It was a large open clearing with more than enough room to test whatever Youka wanted to do.  Standing Maku walked slowly over to stand about 12 meters from Youka.  "I am prepared for any test you might have, let me know when you are ready."  Maku smiled while he said this.  He stood with his right hand in his pocket gripping his harmonica.  His other hand was at his mouth as if he was about to bite his nail.  Maku was interested to see what was about to happen, and he was confident he could handle it.

As he figured the boy would do he followed him into the open field and kept what he assumed the boy thought was a safe distance between them in order for him to be able to counteract anything that would be thrown at him. The boy had said that he was ready for anything the Youka could throw at him. The boy obviously didn't know what was about to happen to him. He wanted to test the boys durability and ability to think on the fly when things didn't go his way.

He noticed the boy was taking a peculiar fighting stance that didn't befit a battle it was more of like he was hiding something and Youka intended to make the boy reveal his cards straight out of the gate."You are too obvious my son" he would say before performing the necessary hand sign for the body flicker technique. He would vanish completely moving at his full speed of (200) before appearing in front of the boy. He would try to grab both of Maku's arms at a speed of (100) and force him to bring his hand out of his pocket with whatever he was holding if he didn't let it go while it was still in his pocket, he would also attempt to hold the boys other hand from doing whatever it was he was trying to do by keeping it so close to his mouth. He would use his full strength of (24 lol) to hold the boys arms outstretched from his body is this all worked.

If it all went as planned he would be holding the boys arms in the cross formation and ask the boy "what will you do now?"

The priest moved incredibly fast.  Maku had not prepared for the body flicker technique, so it was a surprise to see that face right in front of him.  This man was slightly faster than he was, but not so fast that Maku could not follow his movements once he was standing in front of him.  His mind raced as the man grabbed his arms.  Maku made sure to let go of his harmonica so as it would remain in his pocket.  Both hands being held, Maku could feel that this priest was also slightly stronger than him, which wasn't a surprise since Maku was under no delusions, he knew that he had little to no strength.

He heard the priest ask him what he intended to do and he started moving before he finished the sentence.  With his hands tied up and his opponent so close Maku did the most natural thing he could think of.  Throwing his head forward at maximum speed (80) he would attempt to head butt Youka square in the nose.  (health of 20 since I am using my head as a weapon). 

If this tactic worked, then Maku would attempt to slip his hands free and perform a quick hand sign to create a mist that covered the immediate area with his mastered Hidden in the Mist jutsu.  From there he would jump backwards and regroup now that he was hiding in the mist, and plan his next move on what Youka would do.

The boy was indeed ready to do anything to escape and keep his life and Youka liked someone that would use their entire body as a weapon no matter the damage that would befall themselves. It was rather close so Youka didn't have time to fully plot out what he would do, his body just moved naturally to avoid being head butted. He let go of the hand that was in Naki's pocket and quickly side stepped to the left side of his body allowing the motion of the head butt to carry his opponent forward. As he was still holding on to his left arm he would also bring it around to the boys back performing a hammerlock on the arm.

If this went well he would have the boys arm behind his back and would slowly apply pressure to it encouraging the boy to tap out. If he did tap out he would let go of the boys arm and slightly push him forward before saying That's one time you could have died, want to go again?