V.1-C.45│Growth V│

For such a cold looking person, she sure does feel a bit more than cold when in the presence of the person known as Tobi. The mysterious person known as Tobi, the one that had saved her from the Gold and Silver brothers, saved her from dying right then and there at one of their blades.

Even so, right now she knew that she was probably not really that powerful in the grand scheme of things.

Having gotten Tobi to follow after them was one thing, but then what were they supposed to do after that? Samui was not stupid, and realized that A just wanted to keep Tobi around to keep an eye on him, and out of everyone here, he would certainly choose someone to 'spy' on him.

Samui is also sure that Tobi himself knows of this, which is why she was questioning why exactly he had decided to come along with them.

Being a tall girl for her age, or at least in comparison to her peers, Samui was someone that was looked at strangely. Yes, she wasn't ostracized or anything like that, but that didn't mean there hadn't been some strange looks sent her way.

She naturally had a cold and stoic look permanently attached to her resting face, and even when she felt something she had a hard time conveying emotions. Again, not because she doesn't feel, but simply because it is just something that has come natural to her.

That coldness that she used to have also went away, but instead of being cold looking, she remained stoic, and transformed that coldness into an aloof look as she grew. Fair skin, blue eyes and straight, shoulder-length blonde hair cut in an asymmetrical bob style.

That is the current looks attached to her, and she didn't really plan on changing this anytime soon, or even in the future. She thought that she has mastered the look she wants for herself, but of course she would also not stay within the outfit she currently has all of the time.

No one wore the same clothing straight for days, or even weeks on end, not unless there was some extenuating circumstances surrounding such behavior.

Right now, she has saw it fit that she would have her own designed outfit as well, since she needed to have something that would allow her movements to be fluid and executable. She is a natural kenjutsu user after all.

She has none of that fancy ninjutsu, or the more subtle genjutsu, and even her taijutsu can't be considered the best, but what Samui has confidence in is her ability to wield a sword. Yugito was the team member that focused on frontal assault, meaning she is a better taijutsu specialist with some level of ninjutsu to back her up.

Mabui was someone that acted as a support, meaning that she was someone that is meant to assist herself, or Yugito in their battles against opponents. Meaning that she was more of the strategic type.

Samui had to admit that Mabui is more intelligent than herself, and much more intelligent than Yugito as well. Not to say she is dumb, or Yugito, just that Mabui had that inherent talent in regards to stuff like that.

She lacked the leadership qualities however, and would mostly be someone that supports while someone else leads.

Samui herself could be considered a go in-between these two, in that she would be able to be Yugito's second in combat, but also take on the role of the main aggressor as well. Even with all of this, their team wasn't exactly a frontal assault type.

No, it was more like they were a team that was mixed, and while Samui wouldn't say incompatible, as they needed to develop more teamwork first to truly see the direction of their team, it was best to call them an undecided team.

Samui likes to also develop her skills in particular when it comes to information, as she is an avid supporter of the idea that knowledge is power. Sure, power may be power as well, but without a direction or source of knowledge to acquire said power, than it is kind of useless.

She may be a girl of the sword, a tanto in particular, but she is also a woman of words as well...

Well, as much as her personality and character would allow her to be, as she isn't really an avid talker. The best way to describe it, would be, she likes to read, but she doesn't like to write.

Despite all of this, her time as a kunoichi has mostly... been quiet? Other than that first occurrence with the Gold and Silver brothers, the things she and her team did was mostly things to do with things outside of the current war.

There were no big skirmishes. There is no big battle or any real conflict to note of that she had participated in. It was also the same for others at this side of the border in particular, and while there had been conflict before Team Hikari had arrived, that stopped once they did.

In a way, it was a relief, but that didn't mean she was completely off the hook along with her teammates.

While it is true that Konoha and Kumo are currently experiencing a strange lack of battle, that didn't mean that other things still don't happen.

Team Hikari was no stranger to taking on some missions as time passed in relation to things like bandits, maybe some escort missions, and even a very rare few missions that they were allowed to take Tobi along with them.

Slowly, it seemed that those within the encampment was lightening up around the boy known as Tobi, and Samui could see that. It was as if he had this aura that seemed to break down the initial barriers between himself and others.

It was strange, but also good. Good for who, one might ask.

Good for Samui, as she noticed that Tobi seemed to have a large skillset that seemed to be above her own level, and while it didn't seem like he had any experience with kenjutsu, she spent time with him.

Time with him that went into increasing his skills, and sure enough he is a quick learner. He had already gotten to a sufficient level that was on par with her own skills, and usually one would be jealous, but for Samui, she lacked that feeling when it came to Tobi.

How could she be jealous of him, when it has been made abundantly clear that he is strong enough, talented enough to reach a high level of power even if they are at similar ages.

Sure, he has two years on her, but she is sure that this difference would mean nothing the more time passed by.

The student had become the teacher, as she was now face to face with Tobi, his mask on and everything. He also seemed to have improved his clothing since the first time she had seen him.

"Come." Tobi said, gesturing for her to attack him with her own tanto, and so she did, not to surprised would she find herself thrown to the ground, tired. "Better luck next time." He said in a cheerful voice, and she wasn't mad.

In fact, she wanted him to get better, so she could use her inadequacies as leverage to make him stay longer. She noticed, no doubt like the other two, Yugito and Mabui, that he seemed to be approaching the time he would be leaving them.

After getting up, and sheathing her blade, she decided to come closer to him and ask him. "Tobi... Can I... Can I see you?"

"See me? You see me here, don't you?" Tobi asked back, aware of what she meant, which was something else she noticed, as he is an avid fan of joking around and playing some pranks sometimes.

She didn't mind, but now she wanted a different answer. It was different this time. Shaking her head left to right, Samui says. "I want to see you, the real you." She reached forward towards his mask and touched it.

Tobi seemed stunned at her action, before he would place his hand on her own, and take her hand off of said area. "I can't." Tobi replied.

"Who are you?" Samui wanted to know, and it was at this point that she wanted to know so badly that she would not care if he truly is from another village. 'Or maybe his face is horrifically scared...' She didn't like to think so, but he has to have a reason behind keeping his identity secret.

"That's complicated..." Tobi replied, before Samui seemed to see something within his eyes. "I can show you this, but can you keep it secret?"

"What is it?" If it is something that can help her understand his identity, then she didn't care how small the clue is.

That is when she saw his black eyes, something that she had gotten used to looking into change, transform and be painted red, with three black tomoe that formed a wheel like motion. "There." Tobi said.

She reached towards his face again, and placed her hand on his mask, but didn't move to remove it. "Thank you. Thank you for your trust." She wouldn't betray it, and this was more than enough for her to piece together his identity herself.

[]

Long, straight, blonde, hair bound with taut bandages, and dark eyes. This girl with feline like attributes is Yugito Nii, and currently she is currently meditating.

She wore a short-sleeved black and purple blouse and black pants, both of which had a design similar to clouds on them, purple fingerless gloves and a chain of blue beads wound around her left hand.

She also wore the standard Kumogakure forehead protector, sandals and a kunai holster, which was strapped to her right thigh. Yugito also wore bandages around her arms and legs as well as a red belt around her waist.

She didn't want to meditate, but this was a part of the process she needs to go through to better control herself and control the Tailed Beast within herself.

After this was over, she would go out and do a little bit of physical exercise, as it was another day just like any other.

That is until she received some news that the boy she had come to know as Tobi had said that he would be leaving on this day.

Of course, he wouldn't' be leaving just yet, and the reason for his leaving just so happens to coincide with Kumo and Konoha deciding to not attack each other officially at this point, but that didn't really matter to her.

None of the mattered, even if it should, as right now she had immediately rushed towards the location she believed he would be at.

A grounds with which had been used by Team Hikari to train, and even more so now that has been used with Tobi helping them all together, or each on their own as well. Hikari, Yugito's jonin instructor seemed to trust Tobi enough to allow them to be with him in this capacity.

Yugito herself would sneak off to see him even if she wasn't allowed to anyway.

Soon enough, she would find that there was no one there, so she would go elsewhere, before going around in a whole manner that would have her a bit tired. She even at one point thought that he had managed to leave already, and without having said goodbye.

That is until she managed to track him down to another area, strangely enough from the outline of the woods, and he was walking back towards the Kumo encampment. 'Strange, but who cares! I found him.' Like a predator, Yugito found herself hunting him down, like he is the prey.

Now that she has found her prey, she must launch an attack to entrap him. Jumping forward, Yugito notices that he notices her and she thinks her plan has failed, that is until Tobi easily allows her to land on him.

Land within his arms, cradled like those cliché princess stories. "Um... Hi." She smiled shyly, before he placed her down on the ground, allowing her to stand face to face with him.

"Hi." Tobi replied, before adding. "And what brings you here to me, like this?"

"Well, I heard that you were leaving and I wanted to say, stay. Please." Yugito had found herself another person that she could call a friends, someone that she felt close to or connected within in a way, and she didn't know how to explain it.

"You came to me, just so that I could stay?" Tobi asked her in a questioning voice.

"Yes. Of course I did." She replied. "I want you to stay. Will you do that, for me?" She asked with what appeared to be the eyes of a sad cat.

"Unfortunately, I cannot." Of course he couldn't, and she knew at one point that he was going to leave as well, but that still didn't mean she liked it.

Her nails digging into the palms of her hands, she says. "Why?" She questions.

"... Because things are complicated, that's why. Life is complicated, that's why." Tobi replied, and he also seemed to feel a little distressed about leaving, or that is what Yugito wanted to believe. Whether it was an actual feeling of his or not, she wouldn't and couldn't know, all because of his mask.

"You... You have to show me your real face. I wont let you leave, not until you at least tell me who you are." Yugito got into a position that suggested she is going to do exactly as she said.

"Woah! Calm down there! No need to get like-" Tobi didn't finish before he had to dodge a strike from her, and sure, it may seem silly, but she was a little bit impulsive. Being a jinchuriki, and having so little people that she could call her close ones, of course she would get possessive in wanting him to stay around.

"Please..." She near had tears in her eyes as she continued to fight him for what seemed like a few hours, but was in actuality a few minutes, and it would even get to a point that her blows were weak and soft enough that he would allow her to hit him.

Finally, she would stop and proceed to lean herself against him, listening to his heartbeat. It was calm, not chaotic at all in contrast with her own feelings. "I'm sorry." Tobi said with what seemed to be genuine concern for her.

"I want you to stay... can you not?" She asked, hiding her face in his chest.

"I wont." He replied, and she felt herself be a hurt a little, but not physically. There was some silence as she just hugged him, before he would add something that would reignite some hope. "... I have already told Samui something that can help you, and her to find out who I am. Someday we can meet again. Maybe even someday soon."

"Really...?" She asked as she looked to him.

"Of course." She felt that he smiled as he said this, before she hugged him for a bit more.

'I will meet you again.'