Naruto - Squad Thirteen's Journey (In Character)

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"So you did lace them with something after all..." Atsuki murmured when their sensei admitted to his somewhat ineffectual ruse. Though his hunch had been proven right, his frigid countenance remained inert. For him, there was nothing to celebrate about; there was simply an expected result. Nothing more, nothing less. But while his expectations for the food had not been subverted, his expectations for his sensei had. Yes, this what a jonin sensei ought to be. Training through practical application. Atsuki could get behind that. 'He's somewhat wrong on one account though...' he thought, 'But I'll allow him to think that's why I didn't eat.' It was better than the alternative, at least. Besides, underneath the underneath and all that.

Atsuki fake coughed to get everyone's attention so he could make a statement. "It's true that our performance was inadequate despite its passability," he said in response to their sensei's critique, "but even completing something up to 1% is still better than leaving it at 0%. While it may not be as good as 100%, as they say, there's always room for improvement." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "But that's a comment, not a question. What I wish to know is who the black haired woman sitting beside you is. And, I suppose, how the other teams did in their tests, if you have that information."

A distinct red flush rose to Sayuri's face and, unconsciously, she placed a hand on her stomach. "Oh man I really messed up, didn't I?" she laughed as if she wasn't dying of embarrassment. As if to emphasize her point, she took another bite out of the drugged barbeque. "Well I've already failed so I might as well keep going, huh?" she asked rhetorically, pointing a skewer at their sensei, "How long did you say until that laxative sets in? Three to four hours?" There was a bit of worry in her tone. It was already pretty late, and a few more hours on top of that....
 
"Of course as I said 'don't trust what you see' or were you not listening to me Atsuki? It's simple you do or you don't go with your instincts. Sometimes they betray you sometimes they lead you along the right path. Sometimes...well sometimes they get you killed. Ai and I know first hand how death is like. We've both seen it so many times in our life. Remember this lesson all three of you. When someone or something you see is suspicious then look carefully at it and decide how to act before you do. Sometimes you need to react faster than others. This example was tame but I THINK I got my point across. Just because I admitted to my guilt doesn't mean others will. As for percentages...you're wrong. One percent is almost as bad as zero. You want at least a seventy percentage on a mission success. A one percent chance success means you just barely completed the mission and all of your guys died. A seventy means you lost a guy or maybe two or there were complications and things got side tracked. You want to go for broke. Don't be complacent go for the kill shot, go for your dreams. If you have no ambition of your own then you're not a true shinobi." Mitsunari said bluntly as he got up and moved his way past Atsuki. "Sir I get what you mean but....but what if we're not sure on what we want just yet. We're just starting out and dreams can change. Of course I'm just playing devil's advocate as I got a dream of my own to reach too but for the others I'm not all too sure." Mitsuhide asked as the blonde woman spoke up instead, "Then you need to find a dream and reach towards it with all your strength. That's all really. No one can tell you how to reach towards you dreams you follow your own path or walk along it temporarily with others. There is no singular path for everyone and that's the sad simple truth of life." Ai said to Mitsuhide as she stretched out her arms and asked Mitsuhide if he could please move out of the way along with Atsuki so she could get out. She had to go and train her own group of trainees later tonight. She was Shina's leader if Mitsuhide could remember what Hiyato had said earlier. That means she was in for one hell of a rude awakening. "Oh and one last thing...we're meeting together in two days near the hokage's palace. They assign missions there and that means we need to get our crap together and start working on missions as a team. So yeah good night kids and Sayuri....I recommend not stopping on the way home. Your bowels will hit you like a bullet." Mitsunari stated before he walked out the door his black coat flowing behind him.
 
"And if that's the case, then what makes one life worth more than another?" Atsuki snapped in a frighteningly out of character intensity in spite of his passive tone, "Why draw the line at 70%?" He just couldn't understand his sensei's logic, or at least the speciics of it. Maybe he was just inexperienced. Maybe he was as screwed up as his father said he was. Either way, the value of a life was not easily determined. Even Atsuki didn't know the answer to that question. Empathy was not his strong suit. Events were not his strong suit. Abstracts. Concepts. They worked better for him. He could understand them.

"Better success than failure in any situation," the Uchiha continued with equal uncompromising forthrighteousness, "And better if people die for a reason than for nothing at all." He crossed his arms though his face hadn't shifted in the least. "Of course, as you implied, it's best if nobody dies and the mission succeeds," he added, gazing down at the tainted food as if it was some important key to his speech, "but this isn't a perfect world. And I don't think I... I don't think anyone is strong enough to reach that 100%, 100% of the time." He stopped after that, but a thought remained unspoken:

'But that won't stop me.'

After a pregnant pause, Atsuki looked back up at Mitsunari. "But it's not that I disagree with you. No, I can respect your philosophy, Mitsunari-sensei," he said with a nod of acknowledgement and a reversion back to his usual nigh-emotionless formality, "In fact, I'd go as far and say mine is something similar, even if we have differences..." He trailed off as his gaze fell just above his steepled fingers.

Another pause.

"...My apologies for the outburst, everyone," he stated with his usual flatness, pushing his seat in to allow his sensei and Ai to go through, "It won't happen again any time soon."

"Hm. And now I notice that he never answered my questions," Atsuki muttered to nobody in particular as he watched the black clad form of their sensei and his blonde fellow sensei disappear out the door from the corner of his eye, "How completely, utterly expected." He took in a deep breath and relaxed his body. Then he turned to his two teammates, "I'll be seeing you all in the coming days then." He nodded curtly to both of them and quickly made his leave from the barbeque place.

Sayuri, who had remained silent, finally spoke once Atsuki had left. "...So..." she began in an attempt to fill the silence, "I'm just gonna leave now before I end up turning this chair even browner than it is. See you later, Mitsu!" She got out of her seat and exited the room with about as much celerity as a Flying Thunder God. And why wouldn't she? She had a busy night ahead of her, after all.
 
"Well I'm not one to talk but yeah I think seventy percent is acceptable because things can't always be done perfectly. Thinking about it would you prefer a mostly successful mission or would you prefer one that is merely acceptable. Nothing can be perfect Uchiha but I forgot you clan needs to have everything perfect." Mitsuhide said bluntly as he wondered why exactly he was taking this all so personally. They had learned a lesson from their sensei and he felt he would push towards the future with the hope that he'd do better regardless of the outcome. As long as the mission got complete and as many people as possible got through it in one piece wasn't that fine? Mitsuhide stretched his arms and legs as he made his own way out the door following Sayuri. "What you think I'm staying here? I'm going back home too broody over there cna head back to his own compound whenever he wants. I'll see you later Sayuri!" Mitsuhide said with a grin nodding as he left the restaurant finally happy to put the day behind him.
===
As Mitsuhide arrived at his house his mother greeted him with open arms and a gracious hug almost immediately. "Oh my dear little boy has become a man who was your sensei." Mitsuhide's mom asked him warmly as she kissed him on the cheek. His uncle stood next to her and smiled at his little nephew. "Come on let our little man respect and give him some space!" Akihisa Senju stated as he rubbed Mitsunari's hair, he had taken off his headband earlier around the time he had left the cave and tied it around his arm. "Mom...uncle...I...I had so much hardships today but I learned from it! I swear I'll do better than I did today though I promise you I will!." Mitsuhide said grabbing his mom and uncle close and cried onto their shoulders finally able to let loose all of this stress and all of his happiness at being able to conquer this challenge sent forward onto him! He'd have MANY more challenges in his life but there was one thing missing...Mitsuhide's house was ordained in all sorts of Senju artifacts including scrolls, weapons, and armors from past Senju members. The armor from the Great Ninjas Wars and even some of Hashirama Senju's older armor sets and Tobirama's as well.

Of course the two were buried in their usual armors but the armor that were outgrown were now used are relics to remember the two. There was also a replica of Tobirama's face mask as well placed on the entrance to the kitchen. But the one thing was missing...well two...was his father was missing and his armor was gone with him. Mitsuhide felt some tears form but he tried to brush them away. Mitsuhide's train of thought was interrupted by Akihisa bending down and smiling at him. "Hey big guy I know you miss your dad-" his uncle started but Mitsuhide wiped his eyes and grinned happily, "I can live with that. He's busy and he's a great ninja he'll-" Mitsuhide said as he suddenly turned around to a big hand on his shoulder. "Hey little man...don't think I'd miss this for the world." Mitsuhide's dad said to him as he turned around. He smiled widely and hugged his old man, Tashirama Senju, "Hey there son... you've taken a big step in life and I, as your dad, would have killed to see you sooner but for what it's worth I completed the mission I was on in record time just to get back here for you. Now that you're a actual ninja now in name, not just power you need to be careful Mitsuhide. But let's not get too serious let's go have some dinner huh?" Tashirama said as Akihisa took Mitsuhide to the dining room as his mother padded along behind the group. They had a rather large dinner with a lot of jovial laughs and jokes thrown in. Afterward the family retired to the Garden of the First Hokage and took a family photo with Tashirama and Akihisa in the back and Mitsuhide and his mother in the front. Afterward after some brief training practice between Mitsuhide and his uncle and dad they sent Mitsuhide to bed and he looked up into the night and pointed at the moon after doing so and going to the balcony, "I swear I will surpass my ancestors! I swear I will become the best ninja I can! I swear I will always keep my friends in my mind." Mitsuhide said holding his fist into the sky and promised to the moon.
 
After bidding her friends farewell and getting the hell out of dodge, Sayuri began to make her way across the rooftops and towards the Hatake household. Even though earlier she had opted for ground-based travel in order to better learn her village and its workings, this time she didn't have that luxury. She was, for quite obvious reasons, in a bit of a rush to get home. So sprinting across the rooftops it was. And sprint she did. From point A to point B, all she had done was sprint. After all, even if she didn't know the Body Flicker Technique, there were few things greater than the stamina of a jinchuriki. However, she stopped just across the street from her house. She dropped down and got closer. At her door, speaking to her father were...

"...ANBU?"
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For Atsuki, there were no words of praise, no oaths made on the name of ancestors, no embittered scolding by disappointed parents nor inquisitions made by excitable ones. There was only a cold, lonely wind and the sound of revelries that was nearby yet somehow also very distant. The Uchiha compound was not a somber place despite the stony countenance of most of its denizens, and today that fact was especially so. After all, many Uchiha shinobi were up and about, celebrating the graduation of this year's rookie genin from the Ninja Academy. But here at the training grounds, under a veil of night, there was no celebration. There was merely the furious grinding of teeth and the flash of crimson flame.

"Tch. Still not good enough," Atsuki growled, even though the collection of wood and straw training targets before him had been rendered into nothing more than smouldering charcoal, "Rate of fire and maximum heat is insufficient. I'll have to keep refining it once they repair the training dummies..." He placed a hand to his stomach, still as empty as it was at the barbeque. "No, I can eat later," he intoned, glancing back at the lights of the compound proper, "It's too early anyway." He rolled one shoulder, then the other before taking hold of a few kunai from his holster. Even if his targets were gone, he still had a lot more training left for tonight, and even more steam to blow off.
o-< >|< >-o​
With silenced steps and cat-like celerity, Atsuki descended from the rooftop of his household. The merriment from earlier had died down and most were now in there homes getting ready to rest or otherwise preparing for the events of the following day. Slowly, he slid open the sliding door and removed his sandals before entering deeper into the recesses of his home. He tread carefully, doing his best to make sure his presence wasn't - couldn't be acknowledged. Acknowledgment meant they knew he was here and knowing he was here would, in turn, lead to interaction, and that was something he'd prefer to avoid if it wasn't on his own terms.

Having managed to reach his destination - the kitchen - without incident, Atsuki looked for ingredients to make something filling, simple, and quick to make. In the end, he decided that throwing a few sushi rolls together would be a good idea, so he began putting together his dinner. Unsurprisingly, it was as methodically assembled as one could expect from the hygienically-minded Uchiha boy. He finished making his final roll and checked the time. He didn't linger for too long, which was good. He took a few more minutes to clean off the kitchen counter before actually consuming his dinner. Admittedly, he rushed a little bit when he heard footsteps on the tatami, but whoever was going to investigate ultimately decided against doing so. It was no skin off his back, but it reminded Atsuki that, though this was his home, he couldn't lower his guard. After finishing up, he dumped his plate in the sink, and headed off to his room to shower and get some sleep. He needed energy.

After all, even if he had two days before he had to meet with his sensei, that didn't mean he could shirk on training.
 
Three days later...

Chapter 1 - The Bandits of The Forest - A new ally comes

Time: 12:00

It was not the best of opening days for the two boys Mitsuhide and Atsuki. There had been a lot of buzz about the village regarding the disappearance of their teammate Sayuri however Mitsunari promised the two boys she was more than likely fine if not then the ANBU would handle it anyway. The two boys had began to train under Mitsunari Kohaku in the past couple days but due to the circumstances and the need for a third teammate to replace Sayuri, Mitsunari had chosen to put the squad on backwater simple missions and if they hungered for me Mitsunari would spar with them for a little to ease their need for violence. Young ninja should get it out of their system after all or otherwise they'd be in a worse spot than Mitsunari would like. A bottled up ninja with pent up anger or a need to fight was just as bad as a unruly child. Though Mitsuhide himself had not personally given much thought to it he still remembered touching Sayuri's hand the other day and sensing....something wrong. His clan had a strong sense around evil objects and things. Could Sayuri have had some sort of evil spirit inside of her? Maybe that was the cause of it.

Regardless of their missing teammate Mitsuhide and Atsuki had been informed the day before of a young genin who had been in need of a squad to be placed in for one reason or another. Mitsunari was annoyed that this girl wouldn't have gotten the same lesson he taught his current two but he figured he'd just teach her the lessons normally. He had sent the group away the previous day informing them to meet him at the Hokage's Office to meet their new teammate. They were to get ready and to prepare themselves for a tougher mission than the run of the mill crap missions he had put them through. Normally genin did basic missions but the way Mitsunari saw it was that the young ninja needed to see what the real world was like and how blunt it really was outside of their idealistic little village. Childish disillusions wouldn't do them any good in a world or eat or be eaten. They could still enjoy their childhood but it was still a hindrance in this occupation.
===

Mitsuhide had woke up early in the morning and had gone out to train with his mother whom, despite being a non-combat ninja, knew some pretty nasty moves of her own. She wasn't exactly a medical nin either despite knowing some healing Jutsu which had allowed Mitsuhide to recover vastly quicker over the past couple of days from the exertion of running around the whole village or so from his injuries from the previous day. He was in the middle of a fierce training regiment with his mom, his dad having left shortly after he fell asleep unfortunately since his rank prevented him from being home to much, and finally getting everything done was something Mitsuhide always felt proud of. "Oh mom what time is it?" Mitsuhide asked wiping sweat out of his slightly spiked hair and his brow as he got undressed upstairs into his normal clothes. He decided to wear his headband like it usually was meant to instead of bandana form because he didn't want sweat permeating into the dang thing. Mitsuhide's mom called to him telling him things were going a bit faster than expected and he should start out soon to make sure he didn't become late to the party so to speak. Mitsuhide called down that he needed a moment before grabbing his tools and filling them into his belt. He stuffed some smoke bombs into his jacket pocket for extra care and then quickly took them out and wrapped them into small clothes to make sure they wouldn't explode or if they did they wouldn't be as bad as they could be. Mitsuhide however as he was walking down the steps tripped and fell on his knee which hurt like hell but luckily for him nothing was cut thanks to a carpet nearby. His mother ran over to try and help him but regardless it would take a bit longer for him to arrive.
 
Dead. Silence.

There was no chirping of cicadas or trees rustling in the breeze to greet Atsuki upon his waking. It was strange, and even a bit surreal if he had to admit. No matter how early he'd woken up, there'd been something or other. As if afraid to break the veil of silence that had fallen upon his residence, Atsuki slowly and carefully got out of bed and began going through the motions of his morning routine. There was little change. After all, that was all it was: a routine. A routine done with the intent to preserve the utmost silence and stillness, but a routine nonetheless. Old clothes off. Cold, unforgiving military shower. New clothes on. Comb hair. Brush teeth. Grab clock. Leave.

And thus, Atsuki was now outside. All was still as calm as it was when he had awoken, save for the burgeoning noise of early-waking busybodies now more clearly heard outside of the isolation of his house, and the crumpling of vegetation under foot as he pushed on into the woodland in and around the Uchiha compound. Although 12:00 may have been an odd starting time, it allowed for plenty of pre-mission training and that was something he intended to take full advantage of. Irregardless, just because one could wake up later, didn't mean they should; waking up early was a good habit to keep up, after all.

It didn't take long for Atsuki to reach a familiar clearing in the woods. Charred trees with patches of regrowing bark and branches with missing leaves greeted him. Scars of targets carved into assorted surfaces littered his surroundings, with matching punctures dotting the inside of their boundaries. It wasn't exactly an unusual appearance for a place an Uchiha used for training. Most of the other he had seen and trained in looked like this, albeit more well-funded and - as much as he hated to admit it - cleaner and more well organized than his own. Oh the price he paid for privacy!

Atsuki glanced down at the clock he had brought with him. It wasn't anywhere close to 12:00 yet. Yes, he had plenty of time...

o-< >|< >-o​

And now for some math. Atsuki finished training at 10:30 to allow himself ample time to shower again and prepare a proper luncheon. If he finished all that at roughly 11:40 and it takes him 7 minutes to arrive at the designated meeting point, what time did he arrive?

If you answered 11:47, you are incorrect. The answer is 11:30. After all, just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, Atsuki always arrives far earlier than necessary. And so, with his food eaten, his disposable bento tossed into a suitable waste receptacle, and hands freshly washed, Atsuki sat on a bench directly outside of the Hokage's office building. All that was left to do was wait.
 
"Guh.."

Morning, and another day of training. She still laid in bed, staring blankly at her ceiling. If she wasn't mistaken, she'd be under another teacher today. It was quite an unfortunate event that happened, so she wasn't really surprised she and the others would be redistributed to other teachers. "Just my luck," she sighed. Sarutobi Haruko had gotten used, if not friendly, to the others by now. Well, it can't be helped, since what happened was way out of her abilities to prevent. Who could have seen that coming? The teacher certainly didn't.

She snorted at her own joke, and shifted a little on her bed, aware of a weight on her belly. The culprit was her younger sister, fast asleep. Smiling a little, she patted Arumi's head, wondering if she had fallen asleep trying to wake her big sister up. Well, if her little sister was here then...

Does that mean she's late for the meeting?

Panicking, she nonetheless gently laid aside her sister on the bed, before hurrying about the room getting herself ready.

***
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"Geh, I'm early."

There was but a young genin there, and no one else. The place was relatively empty save for a few pedestrian passing by every now and then. And she even skipped her breakfast too. Sighing, she planted the long sword she carried into the ground upright, and leaned on a wall. The sword itself was longer than she was tall, and was very durable from what her father told her, though it looked rather plain. It was something she was quite taken with.

Haruko glanced at the boy. He looked quite... serious. She felt quite an urge to pull a trick on him just to see how he'd react. If she only knew who the teacher was, she could try mimicking the teacher for some hilarity. Not that she could do that when he already saw her though.

"Ah...." She gave a slightly awkward smile at the boy. "Good morning. Are you waiting for someone as well?"​
 
Atsuki looked over at the strange girl who had suddenly addressed him. 'Stranger. Female. Odachi. Pink hair. Green eyes.' An instinctive thought triggered by his first proper sight of the offending speaker. It wasn't absurdly early in the morning, so he shouldn't have been surprised somebody wanted to strike up a lunch-time conversation. However, Atsuki didn't particularly want to talk to anyone right now; he just wanted his sensei and his teammates to show up so they could get going with whatever it was they were going to do. He turned his head back and continued to stare at the particularly interesting bench across the pathway.

"Yes," Atsuki answered, still not looking up at the girl standing to his side. Unfortunately, it would be rude if he completely brushed off this newcomer, and would reflect badly on himself. So now he had to go through the troublesome experience of making polite conversation. "I'm waiting for my teammates as well," he explained, "Knowing them, I'm earlier than I probably should be." He shrugged. "Nice sword you have there."
 
"Nice pick up line hot shot. Complimenting a lady's hair, eyes, or clothes? Nah let's focus on her freaking sword." Mitsunari said showing up out of nowhere behind Atsuki. He was wearing his vest but still wore his black overcoat that he had been wearing the past two missions. He had his headband on however and there were noticable dents and scrapes on it as well. "Still missing woody the wood maker aren't we? Well I suppose i can wait but just so you know casonova that's your new teammate right there. Or at least that's who I think she is. It'd be odd if we met someone who had all the same looks as the girl I was told was joining us. You know I don't like odd things like that happening and it becomes a pain in the ass...and yes I am rambling for the sake of rambling because I feel like it. What never just feel like talking?" Mitsunari said as he rubbed his head with his hand. He spit off into the far corner of the courtyard as he looked up at the houses nearby. "I don't see Mitsuhide but I'm sure he'll be here soon enough. So kid feel like talking about your former squad and introducing yourself officially to your new teacher and bro?"
 
"Ahaha, you have a good eye!"

She had puffed up with pride immediately when he mentioned the sword, and was moments away from bragging about its qualities when the sensei arrived. It would seem she had met one of the members of her new squad, though she knows not his name. The other one seemed to be late as well.

"Oh, I'm Sarutobi Haruko. Haru is fine. Er... about my last team..." She started off with how they got a routine mission, grab someone's lost pet and return it to them, which eventually lead to their teacher wrestling with a crocodile and meeting an old enemy who greeted, or more accurately, pelted them with stale bread. "After that, Arihiko sensei simply disappeared after getting himself drunk and singing loudly to the pigeons in the morning. I don't know what happened to him afterwards, everyone I asked was tight-lipped about it. Our team was disbanded and all of us was separated and distributed to other teams."

"I don't suppose you know what happened to him?" She tilted her head slightly, looking questioningly towards her new sensei.
 
"Can't say I do specifically. I heard rumors of him being deemed unfit for duty and suspended from his duties but I'm not all too positive. Now look though Miss Sarutobi, I can make you great. As powerful as any member of your dynasty. I respect your clan and I can understand you have some expectations. However unlike the Uchiha over here you haven't seen my teaching method. I'm indirect yet direct. I'll lead you to water but it's your choice to see and check if it is poisonous or not. I am here to help you and show you the way not to hold your hand. If you want help I will help you but I won't do the work for you. Now that's out of the way I'd like to officially welcome you to the rag tag team of Squad 13. Unlucky number I know but I don't believe in superstitious nonsense. I believe in a cold hard basis and fact. Now where's Mitsuhide? He should be here by now." Mitsunari said as he looked about his sunglasses tipped up revealing his dark brown eyes as he scanned the horizon. Sure enough Mitsuhide was running up to them in a controlled jog as he came up to the group he chuckled. "Sorry 'bout not coming here on time. I was training this morning and my mom put me through some tough stuff. I'm a bit worn out but I'm still ready to go. Oh who's the new girl? She the new teammate or is she just the latest girl of the week attracted to the overly emotional clan boys of the Uchiha?" Mitsuhide said none to serious or polite as he spit on the ground and rolled his arms around to get the blood flowing. He wanted to get straight to the action and he wanted to prove to his sensei that he could handle the workload he had planned for him and his team today. "Chill out guys I'm just kidding...sort of. Anyways sensei you got that harder mission planned for us today right? It won't take too long will it?" Mitsuhide asked as Mitsunari looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow and the expression that was flat out indifferent towards the way he was acting. "Yeah I got it kid don't worry. I don't raise slackers, though I will admit I do like to rest as much as the next guy..."
 
"Ahaha, you have a good eye!"

She had puffed up with pride immediately when he mentioned the sword, and was moments away from bragging about its qualities when the sensei arrived. It would seem she had met one of the members of her new squad, though she knows not his name. The other one seemed to be late as well.
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"Nice pick up line hot shot. Complimenting a lady's hair, eyes, or clothes? Nah let's focus on her freaking sword." Mitsunari said showing up out of nowhere behind Atsuki. He was wearing his vest but still wore his black overcoat that he had been wearing the past two missions. "Still missing woody the wood maker aren't we? Well I suppose i can wait but just so you know casonova that's your new teammate right there."
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"Good afternoon to you too, sensei," Atsuki quipped, his words accompanied by a slight roll of the eyes and no change on his eternal deadpan. He then shrugged indifferently. "It's a nice sword," he repeated, this time not in a manner meant to compliment Haruko but more to assert a point to Mitsunari, "There's nothing wrong with saying it. In any case, I've neither the want nor need to do something as base as seduce someone right before a mission." A pause as Atsuki placed his hands on his thighs and leaned back on the bench. He murmured, "Although whether or not it'll actually start soon is up to debate considering our Senju friend's current degree of punctuality..."

Or at least that's who I think she is. It'd be odd if we met someone who had all the same looks as the girl I was told was joining us. You know I don't like odd things like that happening and it becomes a pain in the ass...and yes I am rambling for the sake of rambling because I feel like it. What never just feel like talking?" Mitsunari said as he rubbed his head with his hand.
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Atsuki gave his sensei an abstruse look. There was no need to answer that question; the answer was obvious even to someone who didn't have a few days worth of experience interacting with Atsuki. It certainly was a good thing Mitsuhide had been part of the team, or else their missions would have been very, very quiet. His eyes flicked over to the pink-haired girl.

He spit off into the far corner of the courtyard as he looked up at the houses nearby. "I don't see Mitsuhide but I'm sure he'll be here soon enough. So kid feel like talking about your former squad and introducing yourself officially to your new teacher and bro?"
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"Oh, I'm Sarutobi Haruko. Haru is fine. Er... about my last team..." She started off with how they got a routine mission, grab someone's lost pet and return it to them, which eventually lead to their teacher wrestling with a crocodile and meeting an old enemy who greeted, or more accurately, pelted them with stale bread. "After that, Arihiko sensei simply disappeared after getting himself drunk and singing loudly to the pigeons in the morning. I don't know what happened to him afterwards, everyone I asked was tight-lipped about it. Our team was disbanded and all of us was separated and distributed to other teams."
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From how she had spoken, it appeared that their squad had another lively sort. After hearing the end of the tale, Atsuki raised an eyebrow. What a peculiar sensei. Truly a shameful display. For the sake of the man's reputation, he hoped those actions were induced by hallucinogenic. How someone that foolish was entrusted with the important duty of raising up Konoha's next generation was something that the Uchiha could hardly understand. He almost pitied their new teammate. Almost. Pity just wasn't Atsuki's thing. Either way, the Sarutobi girl had made her introduction. Now it was time for his. It was only the proper thing to do, after all. "I am Uchiha Atsuki," he introduced before going silent. It seemed like there should've been something... more to the introduction, but there wasn't.

"Now look though Miss Sarutobi, I can make you great. As powerful as any member of your dynasty. I respect your clan and I can understand you have some expectations. However unlike the Uchiha over here you haven't seen my teaching method. I'm indirect yet direct. I'll lead you to water but it's your choice to see and check if it is poisonous or not. I am here to help you and show you the way not to hold your hand. If you want help I will help you but I won't do the work for you."
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"He's not lying," Atsuki agreed, glancing around the area in hopes of catching sight of the last man, "Just ask our last teammate." A pregnant pause filled the air. "...She's not dead," he clarified upon quickly realizing the unfortunately implications of what he'd said, "...Probably. She just ended up with a stomach full of laxatives."

"Now that's out of the way I'd like to officially welcome you to the rag tag team of Squad 13. Unlucky number I know but I don't believe in superstitious nonsense. I believe in a cold hard basis and fact. Now where's Mitsuhide? He should be here by now." Mitsunari said as he looked about his sunglasses tipped up revealing his dark brown eyes as he scanned the horizon. Sure enough Mitsuhide was running up to them in a controlled jog as he came up to the group he chuckled. "Sorry 'bout not coming here on time. I was training this morning and my mom put me through some tough stuff. I'm a bit worn out but I'm still ready to go. Oh who's the new girl? She the new teammate or is she just the latest girl of the week attracted to the overly emotional clan boys of the Uchiha?" Mitsuhide said none to serious or polite as he spit on the ground and rolled his arms around to get the blood flowing. He wanted to get straight to the action and he wanted to prove to his sensei that he could handle the workload he had planned for him and his team today.
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Atsuki moved his hand up to his head, almost as if he about to put his hand to his forehead in exasperation. Instead though, he cupped his mouth. "...'Good afternoon, Uchiha-san'. Is that so much to ask for...?" he mumbled underneath his breath before lowering his hand and speaking up to address the recent arrival, "Good afternoon to you too, Senju-san." He didn't correct his statement regarding the peculiar phenomena of Uchiha clansmen attracting all kinds of suitors; arguing against that would be like trying to drain the ocean with a pail.

"Chill out guys I'm just kidding...sort of. Anyways sensei you got that harder mission planned for us today right? It won't take too long will it?" Mitsuhide asked as Mitsunari looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow and the expression that was flat out indifferent towards the way he was acting. "Yeah I got it kid don't worry. I don't raise slackers, though I will admit I do like to rest as much as the next guy..."
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"Wonderful, let's not dally then," Atsuki intoned as he got up from the bench, intertwined his fingers, and cracked his knuckles with a simple extension of his arms, "Our rest can come once we finish this."
 
"'Let's not dally'? What are you eighty? What happened to just 'Hey guy's lets go!' or something? Whatever come on sensei let's move you know the way so why don't you lead?" Mitsuhide said as he looked up at their sensei who was looking at his group of children with indifference as he scratched his nose idly. "Oh uh yeah sure I'll lead I guess. But just one more thing alright? Try not to make yourselves look like jokes in front of our oh so mighty Lord Hokage ok? I won't apologize for you. As a ninja you need to accept yourselves and your actions" Mitsunari entered the building, hopefully with his kids in tow, and said hi to the desk hand with a dismissive hand wave as the woman nodded at him. The building was rather busy today as ninja of all ranks ran around the halls some carrying papers and others talking to each other about various things. Mitsuhide even heard some comments regarding the Land of Ice and Lightning. He didn't hear what specifically but it was odd hearing about them.

Mitsunari commented idly about the place being filled with busy bodies and the like as he led the group down the hall way to the left. He went up a stair case and past a odd group of ninja in black robes with Hidden Leaf symbols on them. He could only assume they were elites. After going up two floors they finally came to their destination. It was the door in the middle of the hallway that he stopped in front of and he opened the door slowly. Mitsuhide breathed in deeply and moved his fingers nervously. He'd never seen the Hokage much around the village and he was nervous. It didn't help that he was tired. When Mitsunari opened the door he insisted on going in first. Mitsunari however was forced to move out of the way as two squads of ninja needed to get out. The room was almost empty other than a few squads and chunin handing out assignments. Lord Hokage sat in the middle of the room. His grey hair was obscured by the hat worn by the Hokage. He also wore the traditional robes but he also wore a small necklace as well.

His brown hair rested upon Mitsunari as he entered. However it quickly then fell upon the other members of their group, "So this is the infamous Squad Thirteen. When I saw a Senju, a Kohaku, a Sarutobi, and a Uchiha all formed one squad I believed that this village was entering a new age. I expect great things from your team Kohaku." the lord hokage said his words flowing out of his mouth like calm water. There was a sense of serenity around the lord hokage but it was also clear the man had seen many things in his life. He was younger than most hokage but at the same time he was still as wise as any of the previous ones...at least according to most of the villagers. "Lord Hokage! Thank you for the praise. I've come to officially receive the mission I requested of you." Mitsunari commented bowing with his hands coming together in a simple bow. Mitsuhide quickly followed. "Indeed I have it right here. You are to go north of here, two miles or so I'd say, and your mission will be to find some bandits and eliminate them. Small time thugs unworthy of praise but they're bothering a small town as of recent. You are too meet the village elder, he is here I will call him in a moment, and he will inform you of the bandits location and he will brief you on all he knows about them. The bandits are rather large in terms of size but in numbers they are small. A group like yours should be able to handle them easy. They shouldn't be much of a threat especially with you Kohaku. You are to either kill the bandits or capture them at your leisure. You are not to let them flee. It sounds simple enough no? Any questions?" Lord Hokage Yu asked as Mitsuhide looked at the man and shook his head, "Not from me sir. I want to thank you for giving us a chance to prove our metal though. After that embarrassment with the cat I think we all want to prove ourselves again." Mitsuhide said as The Lord Hokage nodded at him, "We've all had our blunders Boy of the Wood Style. Don't let one failed part of a mission weigh hard on your mind unless it is particularly something to note to prevent future blunders."
 
Oh? It seemed this sensei had a penchant for tricks. A bellyful of laxatives seemed a bit excessive though. Its lethal if taken too much after all. Well, if they say whoever it was was still alive, then they probably didn't die.

"Well nice to meet you two." Haruko grinned widely, giving a sort of a salute. This wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. She'd miss the hyper motivated guy and the odd gloomy girl making odd jokes on her last team, but it wasn't as if she couldn't meet them again any time soon. Maybe not the gloomy girl's laugh. That haunted her dreams for quite a while.

"Oh uh yeah sure I'll lead I guess. But just one more thing alright? Try not to make yourselves look like jokes in front of our oh so mighty Lord Hokage ok? I won't apologize for you. As a ninja you need to accept yourselves and your actions"

Taking up the rear as they followed the sensei into the building, she glanced over her new teammates. First was an Uchiha that was as serious as she had heard of other Uchiha clan members. It was almost as if the serious was a part of their genes. Then there was a Senju. There wasn't really that much she knew about them; she wasn't the studious or the reading type so that wasn't really surprising.

The choice was obvious. Silently using the transformation technique, she turned into the Uchiha. Following him from behind, she started mimicking his gait, his walk, almost perfectly, if not for the odachi she was carrying. Whatever one might say of her sloth or lazy attitute, she was quite good if she ever had reason to put her mind into something. As they lined up infront of the Hokage though, it was obvious there was something different about her mimicry of the Uchiha. She had a barely suppressed smile on, in contrast to the more somber one beside her.

"Don't worry old man." A passable imitation of the Uchiha's voice. She brushed away her hair to emphasize her words. "With my skills, those bandits won't be trouble."
 
"'Let's not dally'? What are you eighty? What happened to just 'Hey guy's lets go!' or something? Whatever come on sensei let's move you know the way so why don't you lead?" Mitsuhide said as he looked up at their sensei who was looking at his group of children with indifference as he scratched his nose idly. "Oh uh yeah sure I'll lead I guess. But just one more thing alright? Try not to make yourselves look like jokes in front of our oh so mighty Lord Hokage ok? I won't apologize for you. As a ninja you need to accept yourselves and your actions"
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"'Hey guys let's go' has one more syllable than 'let's not dally'," Atsuki deadpanned. There was a chance that might have been a joke, but you could never know when it came to his sort. "Not that it's too relevant to the situation at hand," he shrugged, turning now to Mitsunari, "You just lead the way sensei, and we'll see about not making fools of ourselves when it comes to it." And with that statement of reassurance said, he followed after their sensei into the busy building.

There was nothing much of note. Idle chatter about current events and other ninja going about their business, mostly. And it was all like that for the next two floors until they came to their destination: the Hokage's office.

"So this is the infamous Squad Thirteen. When I saw a Senju, a Kohaku, a Sarutobi, and a Uchiha all formed one squad I believed that this village was entering a new age. I expect great things from your team Kohaku." the lord hokage said his words flowing out of his mouth like calm water. There was a sense of serenity around the lord hokage but it was also clear the man had seen many things in his life. He was younger than most hokage but at the same time he was still as wise as any of the previous ones...at least according to most of the villagers. "Lord Hokage! Thank you for the praise. I've come to officially receive the mission I requested of you." Mitsunari commented bowing with his hands coming together in a simple bow.
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Hn. So much for that sarcastic quip about 'our oh so might Lord Hokage'; it seemed that their sensei actually was humbling himself before the man. How anticlimactic. Nevertheless, Atsuki also followed suit in deferral to his betters. A perfectly executed bow immediately after Mitsuhide's, like a wave at a concert. And with that change in angle, he saw what his new teammate had done...

Mitsuhide looked at the man and shook his head, "Not from me sir. I want to thank you for giving us a chance to prove our metal though. After that embarrassment with the cat I think we all want to prove ourselves again." Mitsuhide said as The Lord Hokage nodded at him, "We've all had our blunders Boy of the Wood Style. Don't let one failed part of a mission weigh hard on your mind unless it is particularly something to note to prevent future blunders."
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"Don't worry old man." A passable imitation of the Uchiha's voice. She brushed away her hair to emphasize her words. "With my skills, those bandits won't be trouble."
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...and a moment later, he had heard it. Oh well, not much he could do about it. "Indeed. 'I' do have a point, if I say so myself," he said straightfaced, rising from his bow, "We'll get the job done properly." 'Through skill or motivation to get out of drudge work' was left unsaid.
 
"It would seem the two Uchiha 'twins' are excited to get things done then. Confidence is something to be prized. And I am hardly old you know. I'll have you know I'm only forty years old right now." Yu said to the children as he looked at Haruko with a twitch in his eye as the man next to him chuckled. "Don't worry sir you're still young in spirit!" said the man as Mitsunari groaned and shook his head as the Hokage and his assistant locked eyes with each other for a brief moment. "You remember who pays your bills right Kenshiro?" Yu asked his assistant as the man nodded but folded his arms behind his head, "Yeah but my willing personality and the fact that I do half your paper work let's me do what I want." the man called Kenshiro countered and Mitsunari rolled his eyes sarcastically and took off his sunglasses. "Sir can you please focus?" Mitsunari said as Mitsuhide tried to hold back his smile but he couldn't so he resorted to hiding it with his arm while trying to maintain a credible....who was he kidding he wasn't credible! "You were saying something about the bandits sir." Mitsuhide said to Yu who popped out of his eyelock with Kenshiro and chuckled. "Yeah I suppose you're right. I'll bring in the man who is paying you for this mission so he can help explain. Please bring in the guest." Yu said as the door opened shortly after and an elderly gentleman with balding hair walked in and smiled at the group and bowed. "Hello young ninja an thank you for taking my request." the elder said to the group as Mitsunari bowed back forming a fist in his left hand and covering it with his right. "Don't worry We'll take care of the problem. Well I will of the rugrats over there can't." Mitsunari said with a not so sly smack at his team. "Hey what's that suppose to mean!? We took down Nekojima what the heck does those bandits have on a ninja cat!?"
 
"It would seem the two Uchiha 'twins' are excited to get things done then. Confidence is something to be prized. And I am hardly old you know. I'll have you know I'm only forty years old right now." Yu said to the children as he looked at Haruko with a twitch in his eye as the man next to him chuckled. "Don't worry sir you're still young in spirit!" said the man as Mitsunari groaned and shook his head as the Hokage and his assistant locked eyes with each other for a brief moment. "You remember who pays your bills right Kenshiro?" Yu asked his assistant as the man nodded but folded his arms behind his head, "Yeah but my willing personality and the fact that I do half your paper work let's me do what I want."
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There were words spoken, but nothing Atsuki particularly cared to listen to. It was neither useful for the mission nor of any personal interest, so he just ignored it in favor of using the distraction to get the attention of his transformed teammate via knocking on the laminated scabbard of her odachi. "I request that you dispel that transformation," he said in his usual to-the-point monotonous tone. While it would've been much simpler to dispel the illusion personally through brutish methods like punching her in the face or throwing a kunai at her, that would be what some would call a 'social faux pas'. It also would have made a bad impression. Oh, and be rude. That too.
"Sir can you please focus?" Mitsunari said as Mitsuhide tried to hold back his smile but he couldn't so he resorted to hiding it with his arm while trying to maintain a credible....who was he kidding he wasn't credible! "You were saying something about the bandits sir." Mitsuhide said to Yu who popped out of his eyelock with Kenshiro and chuckled. "Yeah I suppose you're right. I'll bring in the man who is paying you for this mission so he can help explain. Please bring in the guest." Yu said as the door opened shortly after and an elderly gentleman with balding hair walked in and smiled at the group and bowed. "Hello young ninja an thank you for taking my request." the elder said to the group as Mitsunari bowed back forming a fist in his left hand and covering it with his right.
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Atsuki turned towards the door upon hearing that their client was to enter the room. Naturally being the very conscientious person he was, he greeted the village elder with a bow just as his sensei had. "No, it's our pleasure," he clarified, completely sincere in the meaning of his words. The missions they had been doing so far were so utterly menial that Academy drop outs could have done them, and the only 'fighting' they had done recently was 'fighting for control over a dog leash', which was not at all as blood-boiling as the word 'fight' made it out to be. Atsuki knew he needed a change of scenery, and suspected that at least Mitsuhide did as well.
"Don't worry We'll take care of the problem. Well I will of the rugrats over there can't." Mitsunari said with a not so sly smack at his team. "Hey what's that suppose to mean!? We took down Nekojima what the heck does those bandits have on a ninja cat!?"
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"Who knows? They could be ninja bandits," Atsuki suggested offhandedly, making another joke in his own completely serious way. "Either way, unless this mission is grossly under-ranked, I'm sure you'll be putting in about as much work as you did during our encounter with Nekojima, Mitsunari-sensei." That is to say, none at all.
 
"Now see here you little shit if you didn't fight that cat would you have learned anything from it? And use your brain there's no way even if they have jutsu that they'd be on a genin level. These guys must just be somewhat skilled dregs from some slum. If they prove more than that there's no way they can take me so don't piss your pants." Mitsunari quietly grumbled to Atsuki as he grabbed the top of his head and turned him towards him. He said it quietly simply so the hokage and the old man couldn't hear it. "You really are a foul mouthed man sensei." Mitsuhide said too the two of them as he turned towards the old man and smiled and reached out his hand to the elder. "My name's Mitsuhide nice to meet you sir. Well just point the way and I'll do my best to solve your problem. I may not look like much but I'm pretty competent if I get to brag." Mitsuhide said to the old man who nodded and shook his hand and smiled at him. "Well aren't you confident? I'll be sure to let you get a crack at those dirty bandits young man don't you worry."
 
"I request that you dispel that transformation,"

Oh, it seemed she did manage to get a rise out of him after all. Here she thought it was all for naught trying to get something out of him. Haruko took in more of his tells, adjusting herself to match.

"Hmph. Normally I'd refuse," she spoke, her imitation of his voice now almost similar to the original. Cracking a wide grin, she dispelled the transformation, returning to her usual looks. "But you're kinda boring anyways."

Like the others, she turned to the door as soon as the client entered. "Hello young ninja and thank you for taking my request."

Unlike the others however, she was content to hang back, simply standing there leisurely. She didn't really feel like bragging or anything, like the other two was doing. There was an uneasy feeling in her stomach at realizing this would be her first real mission, though her carefree attitude and expression showed none of her fears. That being said, she was watching her teammates for their tells, as well as their teacher. It was a habit of hers she had developed in ninja school. By now she could do a convincing copy of any of the teachers there, as well as some of her classmates and her previous two teammates. She still spooked herself when she copies the gloomy girl's laugh though.
 
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