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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:40 pm
Really Mitsu was just excited to be outside in the snow. It was still coming down in a slow haze to blanket the already covered ground. For once she was actually glad to have boots though they felt a little odd. She had gone bare foot for so long the confined feeling was a little hard to get used to but she had to admit that over the blistering cold against her feet this was an improvement. She could remember the trouble she had last year with her feet getting cold and numb in the show. While they weren't the cutest of boots at least they were practical and white so they went with pretty much anything Mitsu had.
Looking around Mitsu wondered if she had time to talk Shun into making a snowboil or perhaps a snowdemon. Those were always popular to make though convincing Shun was always the hardest part.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:50 pm
The snow was something Shun was a bit neutral on. He wasn't excited to see it, and it didn't bother him greatly. Though, it was a little chilly for his tastes, really. It wasn't going to deter him from his training, though. Not if he could help it. And he still wished to make sure Mitsu was ready for things (whatever they may be) as well.
He had managed to get her a nice pair of boots, which should at least help keep her feet warm from the frigid ground.
For now, he waited up in a tree. For once, he wasn't wearing his usual attire. He was actually wearing all white. He wanted to train Mitsu in combat, but today's lesson was one that didn't involve a straight up confrontation. Stealth would be needed. And it was a little hard for him to be stealthy when his black clothing stuck out in the snow like a sore thumb.
Once Mitsu was nearby, he dropped down next to her.
"I hope you're ready," he spoke. He even had a hood.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:00 pm
Stooping down Mitsu had just started to pat down a ball of snow hoping to start on a snowboil while she waited for Shun to arrive. This was where they were supposed to meet after all and she was here but it seemed like he had yet to arrive. She hadn't made it very far into her task, however, when she heard the thump behind her startling her to her feet. The snowball flew from her hands high into the sky though Mitsu didn't pay attention to where it went as she whipped around to find Shun.
"R-Read-" The snowball came back. It plopped down neatly on top of her head making her lay her ears down flat to keep snow from getting in them. This was probably not the answer Shun had been expecting. "Ready...." She mumbled.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:02 pm
Shun just sort of stared as Mitsu somehow managed to hit herself with a snowball. With a furrowed brow, he stepped back.
"Then we'll begin. Use the environment to your advantage. Use all your senses. Try to gain the upper hand over me. Hit and run. All those sorts of things," he stated.
He crouched down, then bolted off through the trees.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:14 pm
And thus concluded all the instruction Mitsu was going to get. Though she was pretty used to the learn as you go approach. As soon as Shun took off she wasn't far behind, digging her boots into the show and getting a fair amount of traction as she propelled herself forward into the trees.
Shun was really good at what he did and it was safe to say Mitsu was not. She could safely run and maneuver around the trees at fairly good speeds but in the blink of an eye Shun would be out of sight and she would have to rely on other means to find him. At least there weren't a whole lot of other scents to distract her out here but keeping him in sight was a challenge especially if she was supposed to be stealthy herself.
She finally slid to a stop behind a tree. Mitsu was fairly certain she knew where Shun was. (She wasn't really) It was just a matter of picking the perfect moment to strike.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:19 pm
Shun continued to run for some distance, keeping his ears sharp for footfalls and movement behind him. At one point, he ducked away behind some shrubbery, where he finally stopped. He drew out a slow breath and closed his eyes. His sense of smell was nowhere near Mitsu's. And his hearing wasn't as good either, but he was going to have to make due, one way or another.
And so he listened carefully, trying to pick up on the light crunching of snow, or perhaps the rustling of leaves or clothing.
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Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:29 pm
Okay, Mitsu had a plan. Shun wanted her to to prove to him that she could be stealthy. She could do this. It had been a while since she had seriously trained but it was just like riding a bicycle again after a long time, right? Your memories would just kick in again. At least that's what Mitsu was hoping.
She geared herself up, her ears perked forward as she crouched behind the tree listening for the faintest of sounds. Her hearing was her greatest advantage and she could catch the sound of breathing not far away. Pupil's narrowing in anticipation she got herself ready. Her legs tensed ready to pounce but in a very un-stealthy manner she leaped forward yelling loudly 'Gotcha!'
Unfortunately it wasn't Shun. As she came down on her unsuspecting victim her hands lifted up a rather round light colored dust bunny from behind the shrubs. It had been sitting there munching on whatever it could find in the cold weather.
Mitsu actually huffed a staring at the little creature. "You are not Shun." In response the bunny merely wiggled its nose. It was fairly calm considering its situation.
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Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 9:24 pm
Shun remained where he was, listening. Eventually, he suddenly heard Mitsu shouting 'gotcha!' However, she wasn't....here.
He raised his brow and looked around carefully. She was definitely not here. But now, he had an idea of where she was going off of where he had heard her speak. The reaper waited a moment, then darted over to position himself behind a tree. He peeked just around the edge, trying to see if he could spot anything.
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 4:44 pm
Frowning Mitsu set the dust bunny back down and shooed it away, ducking behind the bush shortly after for cover. She flattened her ears down to keep them out of sight as she lifted her head, peeking out to get an idea of where Shun was. There was nothing but white and trees to see so she sniffed trying to follow any sort of a scent. It was hard to place anything beyond the smell of bark and the faint scent of earth buried deep beneath the snow but faintly she picked up something.
Turning where the smell got stronger Mitsu could see a glimpse of something behind a tree. From her position it was hard to tell if it was Shun or something else but she was determined to find out. In her crouched positioned she leaped to her feet and charged forward toward Shun's tree only half sure he was even there.
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 4:52 pm
While he was peeking out, he caught sight of Mitsu charging at him. He stared hard, then shook his head. Slipping back behind the tree, he closed his eyes and listened. When he heard her steps coming in closer to right about where he was, he popped back out low, making a sweep for any legs that might be there. Perhaps this would teach her to charge head on in a stealth exercise.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 5:50 pm
Anticipation was building up. Mitsu steeled herself ready to pounce as soon as she came around the tree. She drew closer with each step. Within seconds she was there but just as soon as she was about to come around the tree something caught her foot. There was a small yelp as she tripped at high speeds, nearly flying before tumbling end over end landing face first down in the snow. She grumbled quietly to herself, her ears flicking in frustration.
Stealth was obviously not her game.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 5:52 pm
Shun stared as she went flying into the snow. With a shake of his head, he lingered for just a moment, then bolted off to go back into hiding. He didn't go too far, ducking behind a boulder somewhat nearby. She was going to need to track him down and sneak up on him in a more proper manner.
Or perhaps faceplant into the snow once again.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Finally sitting up Mitsu shook her head to rid it of the snow narrowing her eyes as she looked around trying to find Shun again. As expected he was no where in sight. Pushing herself to her feet she made her way back to the tree to find what she had tripped over but found nothing in her path. What she did find however were a set of foot prints in the snow. Two and two put together with a few clues set in place and the obvious conclusion was she had been tripped.  At least there was one thing working against Shun with this stealth training. With all the snow there was a pretty obvious trail of where he had gone. Narrowed eyes followed that path to a boulder. Mitsu made her way toward it in a pretty quick march and without much hesitation she reached forward and hoisted the large rock up out of the frozen ground and tossed it aside without too much difficulty.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 7:01 pm
All of the sudden, the boulder was lifted up. He furrowed his brow and stared upwards at Mitsu. Well there went that hiding spot, but he didn't linger here. He wasn't going to wait to be smacked and so his gaze flicked off to the side and he shadowstepped.
With the bit of distance now, he shifted behind another tree. Crouching down, he packed up a snowball for future use. He wasn't entirely certain what he would be using it for just yet, but it was good to have that piece within his arsenal for the time being.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 7:12 pm
And just as soon as the boulder was out of her hands Shun was out of sight again. There was a small part of her that thought he needed to dial down the ninja skills for the day while she was still trying to get up to speed. Maybe if she struggled too much he would take pity...
No...no he likely wouldn't.
Looking to the snow again hoping to find foot prints it was obvious this time Shun had not just simply dashed off. That meant she was going to have to track him again using his scent. She started to lift her head to catch his scent but an idea crossed her mind. This entire time it had been a one sided game of hide and seek. She had been mostly looking for him and obviously proving that she couldn't simply sneak up but perhaps she could hide and wait.
Looking around the wooded area Mitsu dropped to all fours quickly morphing to her larger wolf form. In one large leap she took off leaving her steps few and far between so they would be hard to track. She took off for quite a distance this way, weaving in around trees and jumping over fallen logs before she transformed back in mid run and continued running in her student form before she slid her small frame behind a fallen tree and waited. Mitsu wondered how long it would take Shun to realize she had instead taken to hiding and found a new position.
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