Giri huffs out a breath of air. She is facing off against an opponent for her graduation exams. Diving under the pool of water Giri partially transforms into a shark tail. She can see her opponent trying to look for her; or, perhaps, hoping they get a cop out for 'drowning'. The thing is, everyone knows never to underestimate the Henshin Clan of Kirigakure, especially since they can shapeshift. A fact her opponent seems to have forgotten.
Giri wishes to speakout to her opponent. But, a voice deep inside her tells her that won't be a good idea. It never has been. Not when she's around water. However, she is in her exams, and that means doing anything she can to pass. Blowing out a breathe Giri starts a low hum before letting a small low 'oooooo-uh-ooo' sound. Footsteps hesitate but start kicking the water, trying to find the source. Eventually her opponent is half way into the water. Giri stops her song, swimming as fast as she can.
Jumping out of the water, Giri does a quick spin in the air before kicking her opponent dead in the face. She brings out a kunai and lifts it under his chin. It wouldn't be the chunin exams without any blood. Pressing the weapon under his chin, Giri causes a little nick causing some blood to trickle down.
"Time!" Giri looks up to see Mei having been the one to call the time. It's then that Giri really looks at her opponent. His face is swollen, a black eye, some scractes here and there adorning his arms and legs. Realistically she did not have to do the nick under his chin, that feels like a rub in. Giri looks up and sees Yagura, he seems to be watching her. It's no surprise. The Henshin's have always been exceptional warriors, always one in every Seven Swordsmen generation. Not that Giri even has the interst for it.
None of the other villages have anything similar to the Seven Swordsmen, so why do they? Not only that, but Giri wonders why in the hell are five nations all at war with each other. It's like a five-way tug-o-war until two or so decide that they want more then the major shinobi wars happen. When will the fighting end?
Some medics come and take her opponent away on a stretcher. Giri has never been to any other village so she assumes Kirigakure's medics are average at best, they have to be. After all, they are days away from the mainland to ask for any sort of help from others. And Kiri would have to be careful. The first country they would land in would be the Land of Fire, they would try and actively avoid any shinobi from the Hidden Leaf to even attempt to get to Kumogakure, Iwagakure, or Sunagakure. And to be honest, she isn't sure how much the Hidden Wind village can do in terms of medicine.
The most they would have to do, aside from the standard shinobi injuries, would be deciding if an animal is venmous or poisonous before going about cures for it.
Giri's match was the last one for the day. She's about to leave the standium when she hears Mei call out for her. "Giri, that was an excellent fight."
"Thank you, Mei Sensei." Giri bows.
"I will note, though, that it seemed once you got into the water you may have done a bit of overkill."
Giri lifts her head, glaring at Mei. Giri does not need the reminder. She knows what she did under the water was a risk, she more than likely would not have beat this stupid exam if she did not. She is not wanting to spend an extra six months at the Academy before attempting to graduate again. Giri's parents have always warned her about her voice. Her harmonious voice.
Giri steps foot into the main house of her clan. Despite several candles going, the place still brings goosebumps with a harsh coldness. The roofs are all curved up, a myth in her family in keeping dark spirits out. Columns scattering about. However, unlike every other column that can be found in all shrines, homes, etc all over the Shinobi world, the columns decorating the estate of the Henshin clan, these colums have fillets. For the main family, the pillars are flat on top with what Giri has always thought of a tiny flower then below it opening petals to a flowers, leaves following the petals just below those before meeting the circular top on the pillar. For the second branch - siblings to those of the first, first cousins etc., - the columns spread out a bit before doing little curl ins on themselves. Like waves would if they curled in all the way. Finally, for all distant relatives - distant uncles and aunts, grandparents, generations of cousins - their pillars are the most simple. In the middle parts where the rectangular that's attached to the ceiling and the actual pillar not attached to anything is like a very stretched out fan design.
Giri has loved all the designs as a child. Always wondering as to why there were three different columns for the entire clan. Especially ones that are unique to most of the world they live in.
"I had seen them once. When I used to travel all over. That was the furthest west my family has ever gone." Giri's mother, Oza would tell her. "We were there for several months, so I took an interest. Eventually when your father and I met and were only friends at the time, I showed him my drawings. He then showed them to his family. Next thing I know, when I come back to Kiri," her mother laughs. "The columns were changed. I suppose your father did it as a way to show that it doesn't matter how far you go, where you're from we're all the same."
Giri scowls at the memory.
We're all the same.
What a lie.
Letting out a breath Giri walks into the what used to be the family room of the house. Giri, Chojuro, and their parents all used to have fun playing games, reading stories, anything. The room has not been touched in eight years. Years in which, Giri comes to realize, she has not felt like herself. No, not felt, literally has not been herself.
Since the day she has become the temporary head of the clan. Having to do things that she knows her parents would not approve of. But she had to do everything for the best of Chojuro. Trying to give him some stability since the death of their parents at all costs.
As long as Chojuro is happy and content then so is she.