Got these Crazy white boys screaming Cobain's back!!!

The scent of cherry blossoms carried along the mild breeze would announce the arrival of the white haired Uchiha. Slow, methodical steps laced with the prowess of a predator lead light wooden sandals across the beaten terrain of Otagakure. Soft brown orbs infused with a cold lifelessness would scan the area as a strong hand lead slender digits to knock away a rogue bang that fell from the traditional headwear of the Kage. 

The hat was tilted to an angle where it blocked the incoming rays of the son yet not quite low enough to impede his vision. His attire was a modified version of the garments worn of a man in his position. They were white accented by a soft blue streaming ribbon. In contrast was a sash of blood soaked red a single shade from a darkened crimson. Heavy cherry wood prayer beads hung from his neck to his torso marked with black Kanji representing the ways of the Shugendo.

His hair was ruffled and had an unkempt appearance that fell to the small of his back. He adorned two braided bangs that fell just short of his lower abdomen held by two iron clasps. His structured jawbones seemed to clench as he walked adding a hint of intimidation to otherwise soft features. His robes seemed to be a few sizes too big as they seemingly draped his entire body. 

The sleeves so pronounced that they covered the hands entirely. A slight parting of the lips to exhale revealed slightly elongated canines that tossed in a rather feral quality in the mix. As he released the stream of air from his lungs the condensation that only would come from a cold morning would spill from his mouth that greatly contrasted with the warm Otogakure atmosphere. He had announced himself as this villages Kage and thus far was uncontested in doing so.

A minor nation….to many they were just small fish among the sharks. Yet Qilin would prove the world wrong without lifting a finger. He knew that one of the major nations would try to assert themselves. It was inevitable….strategically sound was the perfect base or outpost for any village or organization.   The land was very secluded and had access to Konoha for trade and such. 

The food source was plentiful and there were hidden areas everywhere. So many that it took him years to learn them all himself including the ones he had made. As he walked each villager and shinobi alike gave a brief yet humbling bow to show respect for the Kage. He was a bit young but his capabilities both on and off the battlefield swayed the masses in his favor.  One of the children he had spoken to a few times while taking his daily walk in the village would give an underhand toss of one of Otagakure’s famous rice balls.

With a half-smile it would be caught and a simple nod would be given before the child burst into laughter again and scurried away. He nibbled on the firm rice ball savoring the taste yet kept true to his stride. It was not the norm for a Kage to parade about the village. However, having the leader walk through the village every so often not only made the common folk feel more secure it also gave the impression that their leader was more accessible. 

Such rudimentary routines were a necessity in maintaining balance and structure. Near the end of his route he would walk near the cemetery and lift his prayer beads to his lips uttering a few words before kissing them and moving forward. All was looking well so far but years of war had taught him…peace is merely an illusion.

The sunlight peered through the jade colored curtains that lit Ama's large room. He opened an eyelid that the sunlight happened to drift from. And promptly began to flail., falling from his single bed, and onto the ruby colored carpet floor, and groaned lightly. He had to admit, he was glad none of his classmates had seen him just them. After all, that would have been beyond all embarrassment just then. But today, he was alone in the house, as usual. So no one was around for his string of profanities when he slammed his noggin on the headboard of his bed. He slipped on a a plate of discarded rice he had set on the floor last night. It seemed he was his own worst enemy.

Finally, Ama managed to get a good balance, to discover the only thing he was wearing was a a pair of hakama, not fun for walking around in, but they were warm night wear. Ama slipped the Hakama off, and walked to his dresser, a horizontal styled dresser with no real design to it, it's color a light tannish color, three drawers on the left and right.. As he stood in front of the mirror that sat on top of it, he took a moment to admire his own body, flexing a bit, and laughing lightly. If there was anything he lacked, it certainly wasn't confidence. He reached to his top right drawer and pulled out a black sack that held his normal clothing in it. A habit his family had, was to simply put clothing sets in their sacks so they were easier to gather up when wanted for moving and the such, and despite the fact they had no intentions of leaving Otogakure, it was the first home that didn't completely shun them. 

Ama had a thought, after a quick sniff of his room, and realized it could use some jasmine. He closed the aforementioned drawer, and after, opened a small box from among the cluttered top of the dresser, producing a wrapped up set of what looked to be Herbs. He smiled, , picking up the sack he had placed down for only a moment, and carried the bundle of dried plants in the other hand, a light yawn leaving his mouth as he noted what all he wanted to wear today. Decidedly, he was going to wear the clothing that normally gave him looks, but made him feel oh so natural.

His walk, led him out of an open green door, and down a skinny halway, to a shower room. Before walking in, he took the herbs, and placed them in a small bowl next to a door, and unwrapped them. He took a match from the table that one of his parents likely left there, and lit it before tossing it into the herbs. The smoke was strong, but not overly strong as he took a tool usually used to mash out the fire he had started by carelessly starting tossing the match into the bowl. He would likely get in trouble later for making the house smell the way it did, because he was pretty sure that was one of his mixes his parents didn't like much. Mint, Jasmine, Cumin, and Rose petals.

With this done, he walked into the shower room, dropping his sack on the floor, and walking under the open shower head, turning the left knob, then the right, balancing the heat and cold water just to were it would be a cool lukewarm feeling. He let the water rush through his hair, it's length falling not even to his shoulders, save for two locks of hair that hung from the sides of his bangs. These two bangs where a solid white color, that led to the next stripes next to them being a hot pink color, and in the center matching the inner section, just a tad wider in his hair than his lips, a blue color. These where dyes he kept in him hair, because it made him remember the fact that in this place, he was free.

After some contemplating, he turned off the water, his thoughts having trailed about what he wanted to do today, and he decided that playing for the spooks at the graveyard might make for some quiet time. It was rare for anyone to be there. Upon stepping out of the shower, he reach to the left on a small set of racks, grabbing a neon green colored towel and began wiping the excess what off his skin. After this, he reach down, grabbing his Sack of clothing, and walked to the living room whistling lightly.

He dropped the black sack on the floor and opened it up, pulling out a pair of blue shorts and raised an eyebrow. It was nice but he didn't feel like going commando. He reached back in, and bulled out a pair of boxers, and slipped them on quickly. Afterwards, he slipped on the Blue shorts that stopped just at the knee, his right knee a tad stiff as it usually was in the morning, granted it was his "hard" knee, he could hit it on anything and it didn't matter. He griined to himself, his even white teeth gleaming a bit as he reached back into the bag and brought out a white button down, and a blue jacket. This would be enough for today, he thought. He left the piercings and socks and pink with black stripes arm sleeve in the bag, and tossed it next to the table.

He walked over to the front door, and picked up his most treasured item. a Blue slim guitar. It's acoustics made no sense to anyone, but it worked all the same. His "Maria" as he called it. After picking it up by it's neck and purple strap, he turned it so it would hang on his back, and slipped on a pair of blue sandals , before opening the door, and smiling at the sunlight as he looked to the sky. He himself smelled strongly of herbs and spices, as he stepped from his home, which was only a few blocks away from the graveyard. He liked the quiet there, it let him break the silence with some somber tones, the "sound of a devil singing" as his teacher once said. He couldn't help but chuckle, his pink hues glimmering with excitement at the houses about the small town.

After a short time, he made it to the grave, and walked to his usual spot, it was a unmarked grave, but he knew whose it was. it belonged to his grandpa, but they couldn't afford to give him a real stone. He sat atop the stone, and drew his guitar from around him, plucking the chords lightly, and listening, adjusting the strings accordingly. This was routine for him, so he knew how it was supposed to sound. 

After the tuning was done, he slammed the strings, releasing a strong cringe worthy sound from it, and he nodded. Perfect. He plucked the strings lightly, the sound from the instrument unnaturally loud, for how lightly he played it, the sound seeming to echo with the wind itself. He closed his eyes, and took in the sound, whispering to himself as he played*" I don't wanna breath... Less you sit next to me.... You take... the pain I feel..." He played, closing his eyes, letting his emotion pour into the instrument as somber tones filled the air.

A single step would be taken forward before the melody smoothly made its way to his ears. Such a sound could only be nourished and appreciated in his village. Music….one of the few untainted pleasures in life he closed his eyes briefly letting the acoustics feel the air. The area was perfect for such a show. The graveyard was empty which gave the brilliant, longitudinal sound waves space keeping the energy intact. There were no surfaces that would absorb the sound and dilute the tones. He opened his eyes and what could have been mistaken for the remnants of a smile crossed his face. He had to get back to his office soon but he had to find out who had been playing the music. Before his mind could even register the thought his feet had guided him to where the music got louder.
 
Every note was like tangible silk against his ears. Each step was taken carefully whether by his own doing or instinctually he was uncertain. The purpose however was clear. He did not want to startle whoever it was playing. It was not only because the music was of good quality but it had an intrigue to it. The mids, highs, lows …they all were like an enigma that only one who was a true student of the art could even fathom to answer. Like the cobra dancing to the sound of the charmer Qilin weaved through the headstones effortlessly until the source of the music was revealed. It was ironic I guess…many Uchihas valued their eyes, yet Qilin could not be without this. The sound of the birds chirping, the breeze as it swam across the field, and this….an artist whether folk or fine painting the air with their song.
 
It was safe to say that despite the Uchiha’s hardened exterior the chink in his armor was definitely music. If the boy had averted his attention up towards Qilin a simple hand would be raised serving a dual purpose. The first being that he came in peace and the second was for the boy to continue. Sitting upon one of the headstones that had belonged seemingly to one of the more veteran members of the afterlife. Qilin simply listened in silence, there were a few townsfolk and small animals rummaging about but he was able to tune them all out as the rhythm coursed through his body. Of course the Kage would not and could not dance he was appreciative of the mood that the song provided. For a moment he did all but bask in the moment but his sensibilities were awakened by a quick pause between notes.
 
It was the that his perception spanned outside of the music being played. He noticed the boy’s hands first. They were callused far too much for simply being a musician. The spots that held the thickest skin came from handling kunai and it’s training. The boy had an athletic build which suggested training yet not overly so. That combined with his lack of nimble movement when he played suggested his strongest suit was not physical combat or at least not Taijutsu. He closed his eyes as if to listen to the music again and slowly lifted the lids to reveal his sharingan. “I know every Shinobi under my command how is it that I do not know you…?” His voice was barely audible almost a whisper. Yet it held a undisputed authority that demanded an answer.

The Sharingan was more of a psychological bluff than an actual tool he planned to use. His deductive reasoning had led him to believe the boy was a young shinobi. Probably more skilled with the instrument he was playing than with his kunai…at least for now. He was probably a genin or newly appointed chuunin at best. Qilin was confident he could diffuse any threat the boy had to offer without his Sharingan but he did not want conflict he wanted answers. Was the boy a spy……no no music like that was only played in the sound village. Yet he would not  continue to deduce instead he would await answers from the boy. Qilin now stood erect to his true height and the softened features he held before were replaced by a more menacing stare spearheaded by a set of crimson eyes.

The music that came from the instrument began to increase in volume as people walked through the graveyard, the sound of his unique instrument ringing in the air, untainted by the sounds of a city. Untainted by the sounds of kids yelling or screaming. And today, he felt truly at peace with the music, feeling his fingers pluck at the strings faster now, his right hand strumming with more speed now. He didn't care about his surroundings today, he was in village limits, meaning the chance of attack was low, and even if he was attacked, he would sense the chakra release all the same. However, he was a tad curious about the mass of chakra coming his way at the current time.

He felt the chakra types, Fire and wind. High chakra amount, way beyond his grade of fighting. His best hope was to not get incinerated. This man.... who was he? Ama remained enveloped in the music as he began a series of lower notes, as more of a calming effect, to some inviting, and to others, frightening. He chose his tones as more of a way of musically saying " I don't mind company". But he wouldn't say it out loud, as his thought remained on the flow of the notes.  He just kept playing as the stranger delved deeper into the tones of the music, the reverberating sounds his "Maria" sand for him, as he touched her chords so firmly and quickly.

This music held a psychological effect on most, it drove the elders away most often, but brought the curious, the wander lust ones to him, as though it was like hypnotism. When the person with the large chakra stopped before him, his music began to raise in volume again, along with the pitch and speed, as though he was screaming through his music, and in truth, it was his way of releasing his frustration, the tones, where his way of expressing his very inner soul, as he felt the wind about him move, and the smell of cherry blossoms mixed with the strong scent of spices he himself carried wherever he went. The mixture of wind and smells, combined with the scream of "Maria" , sent chills down the young musician's spine. He opened a single eye to meet the eyes of the other. 

The man was the Kage, and his eyes, were brown. Curious. He closed his curious pink eye back, and continued to play, the tone getting more erratic and wild, as though he was attempting something different. The tones ripped the air high and low with something similar to a shriek for a moment, before he began a small series of repetitions, as if to get back into the swing of something. In truth, it was Ama trying to find a peculiar set of notes he had once heard, the notes changing ever so slightly every four or so speedy repitions. But through the sound of the guitar, he heard the faint, but strong whisper of the Kage's voice, and he slid his fingers down "Maria's neck, before resting them, his own pink eyes meeting the now surprisingly red eyes of the kage.*

Ama gave a smile in spite of the menacing man before him. He had nothing to fear from his kage, for he would tell the truth*" I am part of a gypsy family that only came here two years ago, I am one of the genin sir.... Grah can't remembah ye name"* The tone he took when speaking was happy going, as a sign he lacked the fear he likely should have had. His voice itself, now that it wasn't singing, carried a slight country accent to it, that he seemed to subconsciously correct when singing. He kicked off the stone a bit standing at his full 5'4" height, "Maria", hanging around him as he gave a two fingered salute to the man, his pink eyes gazing into the blood red Kage's*" The name is Ama sir, Ama Ire. I gotta say though sir, your eyes are as scary as that fire in your chakra"* He gave a light grin to him as he kept eyecontact, his hands lightly placed on "Maria". He didn't want to get on this man's bad side.

The boy turned man scratched his shoulder idly as he trekked through one of the many lightly forested yet still clearly farmed pathways formed by the people of his country. Dull rustic eyes glazed over the soft, serene rice paddies as a wistful smile crossed his face, a soft jaunty tune whistling out between the space of his lips as he navigated the dry maze like pathways of the terraces. Walking down these routes really brought back memories too him, back to how his life was before he entered the service, well no scratch that, after he was indoctrinated and then released, but still before he entered the service. The lifestyle was calm, and the people were almost family really, it was something that he knew he would probably end up doing once he retired from the life of a trained soldier, but for now he would just day dream, worried not about his future since he honestly didn’t know if he’d make it that far down the road, it’s not like the life expectancy of a Shinobi was high or anything. A shrill ending whistle and a breathful sigh later he had crossed the path of the rice paddies, entrenching upon the technical outskirts of his home base, or at least what he considered his home base considering it was the one the leader of his village stayed in.

Approaching the well hidden gates, he listened as the trees of the forest grew closer, producing consistent surfaces that could reflect and distort sound, creating a subtle muted ambience that not only disoriented those who walked through the forest, but also distracted those unaware of the subtle defenses of the village slash base that served as the central hub of the entirety of the village hidden in the sound. Walking through the humming enchantments that formed a rather soft sirens song the boy stepped up to the gates with his smile still intact. Producing proof of his identity in the form of his genuine sash of the Red Knights as well as his bracer that held his insignia of Otogakure. Getting his clearance he stepped into the veil, the boy let his smile mute itself as he adjusted to the sudden increase in volume due to entering the village itself. It always amazed him how they could disguise the sheer size and sound of one of the hidden bases with a simple genjutsu and some disorienting muted sound. Truly a Village Hidden in the Sound.

Deciding on reporting his findings and his return to the village he began to trek towards the offices of the Otokage. Hands deep in his pocket, he observed the village through distatched eyes, idly acknowledging those in the service of their village and country. He would wave and ruffle the heads of children and nod and bow out the way of female villagers to the benefit of their smiles and laughter. Attention returning to the village as a whole, he could feel the unique and rather intense power of his kage. Even without the ability to sense chakra levels, his Kage never truly felt the need to hide his power among his villagers, the man always seemed to have a rather warm and intense power inside of him, which drew his villagers to him in adoration and made him readily recognizable even from a distance. Disappearing from his spot in mid stride, he approached his leaders location quickly, bypassing the mans hidden guard without a moment's hesitation. While he may not be the mans right hand man, he was a trusted member of the village and a rather influential one if the sash across his waist was any indication. Fading into view behind and to the man with his hands clasped behind his back he stood at attention as was drilled into him by not only the organization, but also by his fellow Knight’s as was procedure when near a commanding officer.

While he was standing there, his leader and the boy he sat with would notice the boys rather fantastical attire, noticeably different from those of the area around them. All of his clothing was custom made due to his desire of emulating western styles and as such stood in a red military jacket under which was a white dress shirt and a black tie. The jacket itself was heavily decorated in black and white stripes with gold tassels and flares all about. It was clearly made of cotton and silk, showing the wealth of the material the person wearing it. Upon his shoulders rested his Epaulette showing his rank within the Knights to be of Captain status which meant he at least lead his own contingent of soldiers. He wore a pair of black dress pants with red flares around the pockets and stripes down the sides of the pants. Around his waist was a rather large belt which went over even his shirt and jacket. Hanging from the belt itself was his sash of the Knights which signified the branch of military he belonged to. He wore a pair of simple felt dress boots that had metallic supports to protect his feet in case of a surprise attack. Atop his head was a red military cap with a rather large black stripe running all the way around it with three gold stars inlaid in it showing that he had at some point become a commander of a garrison as well.

His messy red hair spiked up under the cap as he reached up with his black gloved right hand and removed it before clearing his throat to alert his Military Commander to his presence in case he did miss it as well as begin his report. His dull eyes gazed over the young boy sitting before his leader and gave the young man a rather normal wistful smile before speaking, “Jounin Marcus Saint returning from his tour of duty sir. I have successfully completed the two year stint as requested of me and have acquired the rank of Commander of the third garrison. I have returned home to request re-entry into the Shinobi forces of Oto to continue my career here as I have been released from service by the Daimyo of Rice.”

He listened as the young boy with the instrument introduced himself and told Qilin of his background. He still never answered exactly why he was in the area but for several reasons the Uchiha knew him not to be a spy. Primarily because the first thing he would have been briefed on was to not let Qilin establish eye contact nevertheless the boy seemingly maintained it with Qilin. If he were the wiser he would have known Qilin could have pulled any secrets he had out at any moment. Assured the boy was genuine in his intentions whatever they were, the white haired male responded to the smile with a rather feint one of his own and a nod. He would then take up his seat again upon the cold brimstone and with a blink those intense red hues returned to their soft brown state. A hand slid across the rough etchings of the stone that had seemingly eroded away with time.

As he did so his lips would part to spill forth words of the same low, monotone nature as before. “You have a gift…” With that said his head canted to the side awaiting the young boy to continue his melody while mulling over what to do with him among the other shinobi personnel. He was sure the boy could handle himself and the standard trials of the lesser ranks within the village. But socially he was a bit…. different. His accent, his dress, his demeanor …one did not need a dojutsu to see the social barriers that lay ahead on this one. Students had a hard enough time getting along with each other as it was, being a minor nation and looked down upon as inferior from the major nations made them more competitive. This drive was good in most instances but was a hindrance to teamwork and comradery.

He would have a hard time finding the boy a team and he didn’t know any Jounin level shinobi Craz….well you know how they say god works in mysterious ways. Well it would be that moment that one of his more –cultured-  shinobi would appear.  He gave the man a once over as he spoke. He could definitely tell the boy had matured into a man; war had a way of doing that.

If he remembered correctly this one was quite a character …preferring the western traditions over the more customary. While many were offended by this Qilin was not, yet this did present a rather unique opportunity that could not be passed up. Saint’s obsession with the western culture marked him as an odd ball as well. Though he was always talented as a shinobi and had spent two years traveling the world. He had a lot to offer to the young musician.

He let the young man finish his report. Raising a hand to suppress a chuckle at how the man preferred to stand erect at attention rather than the traditional bow. However, in proper respect he stood erect himself and held a solute versus the opposing bow that would have put him in an awkward position. The Uchiha was not polished on western traditions and philosophies but he had heard a few things in his own travels. In that moment he mentally collected every bit of data he knew of that pert of the world and applied it’s use. Breaking his usual soft spoken nature his tone was rough or rather as much as it could be and he mustered every bit of base his vocal cords could offer. “Captain your mission is to whip this here Private into shape. I want him combat ready …locked and loaded”
 
Hoping he got that right and did not just make a complete idiot of himself in front of the new genin, his Jounin and the dead. He maintained his posture and his bearing. Keeping his eyes open to make sure no one else saw him perform that little stunt. He tried with all his might to hold in the laughter himself as he could only imagine how ridiculous he looked. But the man was one of his Shinobi and part of earning their trust was respecting their traditions and beliefs, no matter how radical they may be. The words he spoke to the Joinin were said tactfully it was in a direct tone of respect, but also laced with enough authority that it assured the two they had very little choice in the matter.

He kept eye contact with the man, staring into what he knew was a Sharingan. Or rather, he realized it, and he was all the more glad he looked, because it was one of the few times he would get the chance to star into them without it being a dangerous situation. and he had to say, they were impressive all the same. His own pink hues focused on the man who seemed more at ease with him, but still seemed concerned, as he began to sit down on one of the graves himself. To Ama, this was a welcome site, because it meant he could sit down now too. Upon another glance, he noted that the Kage had blinked off those entrancing red eyes of his. He honestly was glad that this man didn't find him as a threat, he always appreciated an audience, what musician didn't after all? 

Ama Smiled in spite of himself, but out of excitement, not nervousness, and he gave a slight mutter*" Who'da thunk it..."* Ama sat back down on the large stone that was used as a grave marker for his grandpa, and held "Maria" Ready to play, and heard the Kage speak again, and the comment gave him a grin, and provoked a more well spoken response as Ama played the guitar, his personality seeming to get a bit more straight forward as he played*"I would hope so, I was given "Maria" when I was young. She is a Magnificent instrument. She was given to me by a westerner in our travels as a family. But when my parents discovered that I could channel my chakra through this instrument, and the music, they decided I could put it to better use in the Land of Sound.... so Here I am...."* Through his speaking he played a calming set of tones, the kind of sound that seemed to lull those who listened to it into a sense of security.

It was then when a newcomer arrived on the scene. He wore clothing similar to the military styles he saw in of the countries they had traveled to, and he blinked. a bit at the man, his Pink hues locking with the newcomers for just a moment before he decided to mind his own business and just keep playing for the Kage. The tones remaining calm as he listened lightly to the man before them. His style of speech was very peculiar. Not many people in this part of the world would be mightily accustomed to it, granted Ama was, but he doubted his Kage was. But all the same, as long as the Kage didn't try to say anything that messed with the Western style, this would be ok.

Not that it seemed he could resist. He heard the shuffling of robes, as the heard the Kage stand, and begin speaking. The sentence was going smoothly for a moment, till the end when he decided to add "locked and loaded" at the end. The sound of those words escaping his Kage's lips cause him to miss his strings a moment and let out a light chuckle. Until it hit him what the Kage had said. Did he just set him up with this militaristic man? Not that he could complain, it gave him a chance to study that western style of clothing more. But still. 

Ama stood among the two older, taller shinobi and gave a bit of a sour look for a moment, before letting his eyes light back up, his hands resting on "Maria" as they had earlier, his country accent appeared again as he spoke, not in objection, but as a hello. There was no reason to escape it, so he held out a hand in greeting to the "Officer"*"Nice the meecha. Name's Ama, Ama Ire. I hope to learn much from ya Mr. Saint! Hope ya attitude is as fluctuated as the elements in that there chakra pool ya got!"* He wasn't an objective person. This person before him would certainly show him how to fight on more physical grounds if he needed to learn as such after all. Plus one day, he would have to deal with one of these more Military types, so seemed like today was that day. He would let his hand linger in the air a bit seeing if the other man would shake the lightly calloused hand. The only truly hardened part of the young Genin's hand, was the tips, due to how much he played his Guitar.

Having his Kage acknowledge his presence brought a sense of... what pride? Yeah sure pride, to his heart. Watching as the man rose to face him he immediately went to salute, boots clicking as he stood at attention. A small ghost of a smile graced his face as his leader acknowledged his motion with a salute of his own before beginning to brief the young man on his orders. Light breeze ghosting the clearing, the young soldier turned and faced the boy in question, the vibrant young man that was sitting with his leader was to be his student? Hm, he could have asked for a worse station honestly but this wasn’t too bad. Giving the boy his full observant attention, he turned a critical eye to his rather... off procedure attire. That would have to go... most definitely have to go if he was going to whip this boy into shape. And was that a guitar...?

A slight clench of the hand behind his back that was disguised not only by his clothing but the sound by the breeze was the only show of his actual irritation. It wasn’t like he was against freedom of self and all of that jazz, but such a violation to proper on-job conduct rather grated his nerves a bit. Returning his gaze to his leader, his facial expression not having changed a bit during his observation of his apparent future student he only gave a nod before addressing the man calmly, “Understood sir, I will have him combat ready by time the upcoming Chuunin Exams, or I will take his place in his stead”. Certain that his leader knew what he meant by that, he returned his attention to the younger male just as the boy was stood up to hold his hand out for him to shake.

Looking down at the hand, he looked back up at the boy as he introduced himself, rather rural dialect made apparent the minute he opened his mouth. He couldn’t pin a direct location to the origin however, it certainly wasn’t Rice country however, that was for sure. Reaching out he gripped the boys hand and gave him a firm handshake, not bothering to give his name or credentials since the boy was obviously here for the introduction. Deciding to get straight to the point of the matter he gazed up for a moment, estimating the current time of the day through the tip of his hat and the branches on the trees, he figured he’d give the young boy the rest of the day considering he would still probably need to be introduced to the rest of his team. Or at least that’s how these things worked right...?

“Is he the only one sir?” most likely blowing off the second part of the boys statement. It’s not as if he were really trying to, but he was a direct person, he didn’t socialize, he optimized. And right now, he needed to know how much one on one time he would have with the boy, because if he had to tutor two other students, that time would severely be cut down obviously.

Beyond glad the awkward moment was over with he once again settled into his normal posture. He felt his efforts to accommodate the Jounin had sufficed and he could shed his newly found western alter ego. He had heard the youngest of the bunch miss his cord and attempt to stifle a chuckle but he didn’t mind. He had tried to contain his own laughter the entire time. But the moment was gone now and they could move on to more important matters. Qilin listened as Ama told them the background behind his instrument and how he came upon the land of sound. It was not uncommon for many shinobi in their land to be able to channel and manipulate sound via chakra or vice versa. Many sound shinobi had been taught this way of ninjutsu since birth.

What was peculiar however, is someone learning to do so outside of the village with very little shinobi training. Maybe they had found a diamond in the rough, a future genius shinobi to be molded. The Uchiha dismissed such thoughts as it was too early to speculate. For now he would place the man under the tutelage of Marcus and see where this would take him. The two seemed like they would get along well. The military Jargon Marcus spat out on a whim and Ama’s southern prosody seemed like a match made in heaven. Upon completion of the young musicians explanation Qilin would simply nod and give a brief yet sufficient welcome “We are happy to have you…” he was never big on words or drawing out a conversation. He preferred to be a man of action and let the politicians do the talking. The Daimyo of the land spoke enough for the entire village, he had no intentions of compounding it.

His attention turned to the now veteran shinobi and he watched as he examined his subordinate. He didn’t see a direct look of disdain nor did he expect one even if it were so, as Marcus kept his military bearing intact at all times. Needless to say that any problems he had with the genin were sure to be ironed out in a more private matter. He had already assigned them and he would not voice any more decisions upon them as Kage. The bond between sensei and student was sacred and its ties often ran deeper than family. Marcus confirmed that he would have him ready by the chuunin exams, which was another matter that needed his attention. However, he knew he was going to have the event soon. Would the newly appointed genin be ready by then? If so it truly be a testament of both the genins prowess and Marcus’s ability to instruct.

Then came the question he knew was coming. Was Ama to be his only student? Qilin’s answer again was short and simple “For now…” It was all based on the student to capable sensei ratio of the village. As of now the shinobi force in the land of sound was a small contingent and could be easily managed and maintained. He didn’t expect this to last long …their village and popularity was growing and he was getting more and more shinobi daily. There would be a day where Otogakure would be able to match the major villages in power and numbers. But for now he would merely play his position and see to the wellbeing of his village.

The odd haired boy listened to the both of them, but paid only minor attention to his soon to be sensei, his eyes focused on the Kage. This was the man that he held respect for out of the two, not because of the obvious difference in chakras, but because the Kage, had an air about him, along with something only a few people exhibited, and that was a likeness for the heavy tones that sprung to life from "Maria" Even thinking about his Guitar made him back up a bit, and place his hands on the instrument, the metal strings beginning to bend as he pressed them, a light but soft scratching sound emanating from the instrument, as he took two more steps back to sit upon the unmarked stone. His Grandpa was the only person in his family who would listen to him for hours. A light smile coming onto his face as he began muttering a light song to himself, so as not to be too distracting as the older ninja spoke. The sound of the music itself however, seemed to echo out further than previously, as almost on instinct he poured a light amount of chakra into the small instrument, but not enough for it to strain him in anyway, but it was enough to be noticed by some of the others in the graveyard who had come to pay their respects. Although they did not come near him, seeing the Kage, and a oddly dressed man speaking in front of him.

He tuned out the world for now, his head concentrated on the sound, as his mind entered a relaxed state. That Jounin was so stiff it had began to put him on end, so a requiem would do nicely for now. Something chilling, and cold. The music itself his work of art that left in the same instance it had decided to be there. He let his requiem, a series of cold tones, wirred by him shaking his strings dance in the air as he waited. For some this may seem a distraction, but this wasn't a thought that would even begin to cross his mind. After all, to him, music was breathing. Without it, without the sounds of nature and his "Maria" he would be in a rut to himself. This guitar, put him at ease.

Nodding at his leader’s answer the soldier relaxed slightly, just enough to exhale a rather pent up breath and enjoy the sounds and sights. Not one to really care for smells because who really took the time out of their day to sniff at random things. Listening as the boys soft tunes caressed the inner portion of his ear, he almost grinned. It was going to be a pain to separate the boy from his instrument but if this was his attention to finesse and detail, the moment he could and would place a proper weapon in his hand, he’d have a solid future soldier in his hands. Nodding his own head mentally he stopped forward towards his leader, standing beside him so that his mouth was near the same level as the man’s ear but didn’t move any closer to alert anyone he was trying to speak to the man. Mouth moving but the words coming out soft enough that only the man beside him would hear due to the dull overplay of the music in the clearing the soldier began to relay and detail the extra information that came with his stint as a soldier at the Capitol.

“Beware my Liege, while I and the fellow Knights believe in the whole of Oto as a protector of this land from outside forces, our esteemed King is finding himself not such much a follower of faith. Many would have it that he replaces our mercenary group with one more suited to his orders, and if the order comes through would have the Knights at the Capitol carry out the plan to remove us from these lands leaving us homeless for the most part.” Eye shifting down to the young man playing the guitar, if he could relay just how bad of a situation that would be to his leader, this would be one of the most pure examples. Children not even younger than this boy right here who at least had the fortune of learning how to defend himself, would suddenly be thrust into the cold uncaring bosom of war, and they would be forced to make harsh realistic choices or face destruction before they could even decide more normal things, like what they wanted to be when they grow up, or what clothes to wear to their friends tenth birthday party.

Lips turning down just a little bit he continued his report, “Also there seems to be a few... foreign operatives in the village, there have been whispers and such of people who are not from here and as far as I know, only those who belong to the village are allowed in the base, we get all of our supplies from the nearby villages if I last recall so it wouldn’t be traders. I suggest keeping a watchful eye on them if you feel the need to disrupt their plans sir.” Message relayed, he prepared to give one last notice before collecting his student, however it was the most important and costly message, for it’s bell toll could be heard all throughout the land.

“There comes talk of a war with our neighbors. I believe our esteemed Daimyo plans on using us in a last ditch effort to remove us from the game so to speak by having us assault our neighbors in a half assed attempt to expand our own borders. Even if we succeed the man most likely has no intentions of keeping us and would more than likely swoop down on us once we were weakened. If I may, when you get the order I suggest a full war council before we choose any course of action as we may have to flee during the operation to avoid complete destruction. I for one am not scared of death, but my allegiance is to the village first, and the Knights second, and I know that there are those who do not have the same mindset as I do. To prevent cowardly actions during our most trying time it would be beneficial for all of those in high courses of power to be in the know.”.

Message relayed, he gave a tiny almost unnoticeable nod of respect before stepping up to his student. “Come, we have preparation to do, and I must find you a more... proper weapon...” eyes drifting down to the guitar in the boys hands, he almost shook his head but settled for walking off past the hidden guards and out of the graveyard, the boy would fall into step soon enough and he would be shaped and moulded into the proper soldier he was meant to be, or February would die trying to accomplish it.

[Exit]

He saw the Jounin lax as they spoke and he had almost forgotten who he was dealing with. Now …what was that command. He was siphoning through his thoughts to procure. Ah yes that’s it….this time in his usual tone he would simply mutter the tone “At ease soldier” he listened to the melodies of the young newly acquired genin and whistled a note or two to himself before he would again turn his attention to the elder of the two. It was ironic that hands used to create such a glorious sound would now be used to bring death. This world was a cruel one indeed. Yet every man had his role to play and they lived in the world of shinobi , a world of violence and sacrifice. A world where men, women, and children were forged into weapons.

He chuckled to himself at the thought as Mr. Saint caught his attention by once again speaking. He listened to the man closely nodding when needed and waited for him to finish before countering with his own plan of action. As far as the country and the Knights were concerned his answer was simple. “Let them come…” Qilin would not run from any opponent. Instead he would prepare for the worst possible outcome. He placed his hand on the soldiers shoulder and his lips once again released words. “Expect nothing…prepare for everything. His tone was dry and low yet reassuring.

It was his subordinates next few sentences that caught his attention. There was mention of intruders in or near the village. A single brow peeked in curiosity. Had that time come already….had a major nation dared to rear their head in his village. Or was this some group coming to get intel on his village to report to some higher authority. Whatever the case was it would not stand. The hand that rested on the Jounin’s shoulder turned into a pat before returning from which it came. The next sentence the Kage spoke was that of eagerness and anticipation. His eyes had not dawned the sharingan yet were red with lust of blood. “How about we politely ask our unwelcome guest to be on their way…. Bring the genin, he should see first hand what life awaits for him. With that said the Kage would take his leave.

Exit-

Listening to the conversation, Ama didn't miss his notes this time, though he gave a slight chuckle at the "at ease soldier" bit. His Kage was interesting, that was for certain. But as Ama listened, he may have kept his opinions to himself for the most part, but it showed on his face, he was concerned about the news as well. To think the Daimayo.... He was a tad shocked to hear such news, but his playing didn't stutter. He was used to odd news nowadays after all. With his family as spread as it was, there was no telling what news he would get over the next few days. He also felt their eyes shift to him as he played, and he would only open one calm pink eye to meet their gaze if only for a moment. They seemed worried about him, but what for? This was the world of ninja after all, not as if he was a stranger to the ways of death.... although he never needed to kill, save to put an animal out of it's misery...not something he enjoyed.

At the sound of "foreign" operatives, Ama certainly hoped that the other part of his family's old troup didn't try to come here. After all, this place wasn't the most forgiving of places to showed up uninvited. But if they had, they would have shown up as traders, so it was unlikely that they would have shown up in the Hidden Village of all places, but he eyes the side of his guitar just in case, making sure the small etching he made on it were ready. If they had intruders he should be helping right? Then again, he shouldn't put himself as a liability to the other jounin, and more importantly he would never let himself live it down if he inconvenienced the kage, the concentrated look on his face showing as his mind wandered during the final part of them talking, his mind going over the music he could play, all of which he had never field tested.

He then snapped to when he heard the Kage speak again, his ears having seemed to already become more attuned to listening to him, and his slowed his playing to open his eyes, seeing the red in his Kage';s eyes, but... the red was not Sharingan... no this was different, it was more...Ama didn't even know how to describe it, but the vibe he felt from his superior was truly something overwhelming. He listened, and heard his que to join in the following. So He stood up, making a slight bow to the grave of his grandfather that he had spent more time than intended sitting on this day. And proceeded to follow the Red soldier and the Cherry blossom Kage.

[exit]