Saisei | IC [rebooted 5/12]

[Gowi]

Original Art © Neo Kyo Studio

ooc | ic | character index | wiki
​

 

[Gowi]

---

Hatake Toshiro
Shinobi Academy, Konohagakure — Present Day, Daybreak

---

Hatake Toshiro stood in silence outside of the Konohagakure Academy, preparing himself for the celebration that was to come. The celebration of the accomplishments of this generation of students and all of the hard work they had put into their ambition to be officially recognized as genin of the leaf and continue on their journey as kunoichi and shinobi. The only thing he wished would be different was the weather.

It had been raining for two strikes before dawn; a heavy torrent that was as unyielding as it was distressing. The more spiritual denizens of the leaf would've marked it as an ill omen, precedence that the new generation of shinobi were doomed, and that the ancestors themselves were making their voice known. These were things Toshiro did not believe. However, what Toshiro did believe was that it was a dour and unpleasant thing that would only dampen his student's morale, especially those who were already dealing with emotional troubles. He feared how they could be inspired by the promotion when all they could think about was the weather. But worst of all, his students were going to be wet. They were going to be wet and drag all of the rain in with them; rain and mud. The thought of it just made him feel anxious beyond all realm of sense, despite him very well knowing it was ridiculous to be so mincing given his line of work. It was a trait of his that had carried over from when he was an academy student, even with all of the hazing and jokes his friends and comrades-in-arms used to make.

It was like the incident with the Inuzuka genin's dog all over again.

If there was some silver lining to the graduation ceremony it was the fact that he no longer had to dread about Kimura's canine companion. Beyond light-hearted incidents like that, there wasn't much for Toshiro to grief over. The students had diverse personalities. There were some who had their troublesome traits, but overall they reminded him a lot of his day as an academy student himself. He just hoped that he had prepared them better than his class had been prepared. That was his nindo, after all; to prepare them for the future that was waiting in the shadows to strike.

As for the results themselves, they were better than anyone could imagine; even someone as meticulous and demanding as he. He was proud of their accomplishments of the entire class doing well and all graduating to genin. He was content that he was a contributing factor for their growth, though he knew their paths following this day were in another sensei's hands. He had read over the scroll handed over to him by the Hokage's right-hand agent more times than he could count. More than half the class had been remarked upon by the Hokage herself as 'exceptional', a feat that had earned them accolades among the inner circle of the leaf. Whether she would arrive to personally give a speech to the aspiring genin was something she had teased at in her private dissertation. But Toshiro wasn't good with things that weren't spelled out for him; so he wasn't sure if she was going to arrive later in the morning or not. Even as a child Tsugumi of the Hyuga Clan was an anomaly to him and it appeared that fact had not changed in the last twelve years.

He wondered if the jonin she had listed as her choice for team leaders had retained their personalities from their youth as well. Especially one specific individual on the list; an individual he didn't even realize had returned to Konohagakure. Kagetsu Kitanai. The Vagabond Doctor of the Leaf. A man who he was unaware had been ever promoted to the rank of jonin; a man who had never even led a chunin squad in his life. Toshiro didn't doubt his qualifications per ce, but it did certainly seem suspicious since Kitanai and Tsugumi were especially close in their youth. It was a curious decision that he didn't really wish to contest. The genin chosen to serve under him did indeed make some modicum of sense.

What would the elder council say though?

A wide smirk formed on Toshiro's face as the thought came into his mind as he began to head back into the building. As a member from the lesser clans of the village there was only one thoughtful reply he could give himself.

Who Cares?

However, as his hand reached for the door something stopped him: a sharp noise that filled him full of dread and panic. A noise that represented true fear for the Hatake instructor.

The sound of someone tumbling into the river.

As if a hungry dog hearing the rattle of a pile of bones, Toshiro turned on a dime; his widened eyes scanning specifically where the sound of weight hitting the river had occurred. It didn't take him long to see it — the opposite end of the wide lake on which the academy's main facilities had sat. A student had missed the Suiren bridge. A student who did not likely intend for it. Toshiro moved forward, his feet clapping against the water as he walked across it. Standing in front of the shambling student who stumbled back onshore.

"Tensai."​

 

[Sloth]

Uchiha Clan Compound, Konohagakure -- Present Day, Before Dawn​

It couldn't have been past dawn when Tensai roused himself out of bed to the sound of rain and faint thunder. For the past week he'd been trapped within the grounds of the Uchiha Clan's compound, and he couldn't help but feel as if he were being treated as an embarrassment; he'd heard the whispers when he was brought before his estranged grandmother and head of the clan, Chiaki. A prodigy of Tensai's caliber blind at age twelve? Rather than speak of the loss of one of their own, the influential group of Uchiha elders spoke only of how Tensai's condition brought shame to the clan as a whole, and only the most ancient amongst them whispered of the Mangekyō. For such a legendary eye to appear in such a young specimen was a preposterous notion to most, but even the most skeptical of the Uchiha's council had grown eerily silent when Tensai recollected the black flames that filled his last line of sight.

Tensai was shaken out of his thoughts when his appointed servant entered his chambers and almost immediately made to grab him as if he would fall over at any moment. He had only gotten up to go to the bathroom, apparently Akemi was sent especially early. Tensai inquired as such as his maid, or rather babysitter, began the process of bathing and clothing him, all he got for a response was some hackneyed speech about his "big day" and how he needed to look his best. Tensai certainly didn't feel comfortable with the new development of having a stranger clothe him, he supposed no child would, but no amount of stubborn outcry and attempts to do it himself would dissuade the woman from doing her job. In that she reminded him of his mother. After some time of standing still and obeying any order to raise an arm or other such trivialities of getting dressed, Tensai allowed himself a sarcastic "How do I look?" he didn't know what possessed him to ask such a meaningless question, perhaps he hadn't entirely lost his sense of humor, no matter how hard he tried to mask it.

"Like a proud scion of the Uchiha clan." the boy couldn't tell if his companion was sincere or joking, but whatever semblance of a smirk he felt on his face disappeared at that moment. Of course, that's all he was to his fellow Uchiha now, a trophy to be paraded around. Truthfully he wasn't even sure why his clanmates were allowing him to go through with remaining a shinobi, the prospect of transplantation was raised during his initial questioning, but he had almost hysterically refused, the technology of surgery was still a recent development of the shinobi world, and he had no desire to become the first case of a ninja getting his eyes ripped out of his head.

The rest of Tensai's monotonous preparation went by in relative silence, he had his breakfast of eggs over rice and within minutes, he was handed a parasol. He heard his newfound companion slide open the front door and reach for his hand. He pulled back from the physical contact and presumably pouted, judging by the audible sigh that he was met with.

"I'm supposed to escort you to the-"

"I've been going to the Academy for six years. I know how to get there."

A short argument ensued, mostly with Akemi pointing out that Tensai didn't know how to get there from the clan's compound and that the roads would be wet from the rain and so on, but Tensai refused to relent from his position, insisting that if he was supposed to be a shinobi he'd have to learn how to navigate without a personal chaperone. Seeing how he wasn't going to see reason, Akemi gave the young Uchiha what was quickly becoming a trademark sigh and moved away from the doorway, bowing her head as Tensai made his way out of the home with enough confidence to immediately lose his footing when stepping off the slightly elevated platform, though he caught himself and made a mental note to feel for railings whenever he came across a stairway.

Academy Grounds, Konohagakure -- Present Day, Daybreak​

It'd taken Tensai a noticeable amount of time to get from his home to the compound's entrance to the main road of the village to where he now stood on the outskirts of the academy grounds. He assumed it had been between an hour or two. Much longer than it'd take an ordinary student to get there considering just how close the clan's compound was to the location in question compared to anyone else's. No matter, he'd gotten there and, presumably, arrived before any of his classmates. Waking up at Sage knows what hour just so none of your friends see you fumbling around walking to school was going to be more annoying that he anticipated. Though he had gathered his stride the closer he got to the familiar setting, seeing as it became easier and easier to navigate when you knew the place like the back of your hand.

What was not easy to navigate, however, was when Tensai accidentally walked off the edge of a small hill where a bridge was supposed to be. What followed was a spewing of what counts as curse words to eleven year olds and a bunch of flailing as Tensai found himself going face first into one of the rivers that ran through the Hidden Leaf Village. He lost his parasol in the ensuing chaos and, like many people who find themselves shocked, forgot how to swim for roughly five seconds. When his senses returned to him he frantically propelled himself towards solid ground before the stream claimed him.

He was too busy coughing up water and muttering under his breath when he was shocked back to attention by the sound of the all too familiar voice of his academy instructor, who'd apparently walked upon him no doubt looking like an imbecile. Frickin' ninja stealth.

"Toshiro-Sensei!"

Tensai turned himself around fast enough to give an ordinary child whiplash and attempted a half hearted laugh before reaching his right arm outwards to probe for the end of the bridge he hoped he hadn't missed by a mile.

"Lost my footing. Dang wet ground, am I right?"

"You should probably get out of the storm." The elder shinobi commented, a small semblance of his own wariness leaving him in a sigh. "I was about to open up the academy and pin the results of the exams when I heard your... arrival. "

Tensai had taken the liberty of, thankfully, locating the bridge he'd just missed and began making his way across at an adequate pace before responding, thanking his stars that it hadn't been one of his classmates that found him.

"Well then it looks like I got here just in time!" Tensai hoped to himself that his sensei would end it there and they could just make their way back to the academy before he found a way to embarrass himself again.

"Need any help opening up?"

There was a hesitation in his sensei's voice, like he knew. "I believe opening the door is as simple as ever."

 

[Gowi]

---

Kohaku Sanae
Village Streets, Konohagakure — Present Day, Daybreak

---

"You're not going to be able to babysit me for much longer. You know that, right?"

Kohaku Sanae's voice was somber as she moved forward, her eyes directed on the path in front of her instead of the cousin who had decided to wake up even earlier than everyone else just to accompany her to the academy like he thought it was his duty to. It wasn't like it was a strange sentiment for the female academy student considering the fact that her maternal cousin had been doing such things since she recovered from an illness that almost took her life. It was admirable, she supposed, but on the day of their graduation from the shinobi academy, it was something that he couldn't do anymore.

"Aww, c'mon. Why do you have to say it like that?" Hatake Shunpei, her snow-haired, umbrella-toting cousin, pouted.

"Besides, 'course I know this is the last time, but just think — that's what makes it special, right?" With his right hand, he tapped the shaft of the umbrella against his temple cheekily, exposing the flank of his formal clothes to the elements without a care in the world. "I gotta do this because I won't be able to anymore!"

"I see. I suppose that makes sense."

Sanae continued walking, her grayed, dead eyes looking toward the direction of the academy. Ever since she had recovered from nearly dying she was different; like she was a whole different person. She could see and feel things that seemed alien to others and even seemed strange to sensor type shinobi. Perhaps it was a rare gift, but Sanae wasn't completely convinced. Sensing the truest emotions all around her? In everyone? It was like a different kind of death. She disliked it. But it was part of her now and she had long since accepted it; or at least, she had accepted it as good as someone of her age could.

She felt Shunpei's darkest emotions. Fear. Sadness. Pity. Worry.

She wasn't sure if it was about her situation or someone else's. Her curse didn't make her a mind reader, after all. Which is why she tended to ask for clarification; though she did so in her own way.

"You are full of fear and sadness. I hope you aren't worried about me."

In that instant, she perceived a new emotion: embarrassment.

"H-Hey now… Isn't- Isn't that comin' a bit outta nowhere!?"

Stammering, shuffling fabric, and the swift and sudden lowering of the umbrella. She didn't even need to have had that emotion register earlier to know what it was. The bigger issue was that it was still raining. Fortunately, Shunpei was busy trying to rectify that if the erratic swinging of something in and out of her peripheral vision was anything to go by.

A dry chuckle left Sanae's lips as she shifted her vision to her cousin. "Is it? I don't know."

"I, err... Probably?" He shrugged.

"It's kind of everywhere for me now. Since, well, you know." She replied, returning her view to the street, breaking eye contact.

Shunpei knew what she was talking about – he was present for when she passed out and when she nearly didn't wake back up in the end when whatever it was tried to kill her. A traumatic experience for some. She was sure it concerned him more than it did her.

"Yeah, but you gotta ease folks into it before you start askin' things like that; people might start thinkin' weird things, but to answer your question: of course I'm worried! Not about you, though." He paused. "Well, I mean, of course also about you but not about you specifically, y'know? It's just--"

He made a guttural noise, fidgeted a bit, and then yelled. "I haven't seen Tensai in ages! And if he skips out on graduation, I won't forgive him!"

Given this revelation, Sanae now could safely think with no margin of error that Shunpei's feelings were about Tensai. It was understandable given how tight-knit the two boys were, though Sanae personally had never really conversed with Tensai all that often. The joyful Uchiha who seemed to be excellent at anything ninjutsu was more of Shunpei's friend. Probably his closest friend. As far as what Sanae could figure is based on what observations she could make; though that wasn't very many considering as observant as she was Tensai didn't really seem to have a care in the world. She never felt darkness from him outside of the rare occasion where he felt pity for his direct rival – the purple-haired girl that had once told Sanae to "keep her distance or else".

"You're worried about him." Sanae spoke, in the most caring tone she could muster, though most may have thought it contrived.

"Yeah, I mean, even Ma's been askin' things like 'Have you seen Tensai or Auntie Narumi?' or 'Did they come back from their vacation yet?' and if she doesn't know, then who does?!" He breathed out a loud, long sigh and slumped forward like his spirit had left his body.

"You could always ask Ria."

Tensai's cousin, Ria, was as far as Sanae could imagine the only valuable source of information. She tended to be quite friendly and approachable as well as lacking common sense, so she could've told Shunpei anything he needed to know if she knew anything. Sanae could tell Shunpei wouldn't receive the suggestion well, though, given his personal experiences with the "eccentric" Uchiha in classroom encounters she could vaguely recall.

"I can't just ask her about it. You know how she gets when people start sayin' the T-word around her." He shivered visibly. "I learned that lesson the first time."

"I don't understand why you're so afraid of her. She's harmless."

"Ehh… let's just say she's a bit of a handful and leave it at that, heh..." He smiled sheepishly and scratched his cheek. "I'm probably just worryin' for no reason again."

"I'm sure he'll be at graduation. After all, it is likely he is at the top of the class."

It wouldn't be much longer until they arrived at the academy grounds.
​

 

[Gowi]

---

Namikaze Fukushu
Namikaze Compound, Konohagakure — Present Day, Daybreak

---

For most shinobi academy students, getting up before dawn seemed like something was unnecessary. The shinobi academy wasn't a far walk and generally, most students enjoyed getting a full rest. For Namikaze Fukushu it was a normal thing to wake up before the sun reared its head above the village. Also, it was kind of expected of her from her mother. Fukushu still remembered all the times when she was younger where her mother drilled it into her head that a shinobi should be ready for anything at anytime and as such should be prepared before even the sun itself. However, there was another reason why Fukushu was already ready to go.

She was excited.

But then again, what student of the shinobi academy of Konohagakure wouldn't be on their graduation day?

Fukushu stretched her legs before leaving her bedroom, a genuine smile upon her face as she did so. Not only did she get up bright and early, the day was already announcing itself to be a blessing – a good omen for her spirits and everything she deserved. A rainstorm that overtook the dawn was a sign, acknowledging Fukushu's prowess with elemental ninjutsu of the very chakra nature she possessed. As far as her perspective went, it was a good day.

Today's the day. The day everyone finally recognizes me. The day I finally beat Tensai and show him who the greatest shinobi of our generation is.

As she moved to grab an umbrella in the entrance hall she noticed the appearance of her mother doing her morning meditation. She was quick to not disturb her as she carefully opened the door, sliding it aside as she looked at the storm outside.

"Fukushu."

The purple-haired girl paused at the voice of her mother. She had been hoping to not disturb her, after all.

Fukushu's mother, Namikaze Ayano, was a particular woman. She had raised Fukushu by herself for eleven years in Konohagakure with little help from friends and family. She was a hard and strict parent, but she was the only parental figure Fukushu had. As a young girl she had found her mother's discipline tough and unfair, but as she grew into a shinobi she recognized what her mother did was in her best interests. The biggest surprise on this morning was the fact her mother was even awake, considering the fact that she had been generally absent for morning rituals for the last year or so. Her work as an ANBU agent took much of her time, after all. Perhaps this was her mother's way of recognizing Fukushu's graduation was important? To send her off with her respect? It was a strange thought, but Fukushu was unsure about what other possible reason her mother could have tasked herself with given the circumstances.

Fukushu turned face, looking to her mother. However, before she could respond she could hear her mother speak again.

"Do your best. Don't disappoint me."

Fukushu nodded, "Of course, mother. I won't."

Before deciding to leave the purple-haired girl decided to ask her mother if there was anything she needed of her in addition to the graduation ceremony. "Is there anything you need from the stores after I am done with my academics?"

"Hn. No, I don't think so, Fukushu. You may enjoy the afternoon to yourself."

"I'll see you later, then."

As Fukushu left there were no more words between the two shinobi. As was their way. Much like any other school day, Fukushu picked up her pace to meet her best friend, Mikoto, at the crossroads before the two pushed forward to the academy.​

 

[Al Sa-Her]

Uchiha Ria
Uchiha Compound, Konohagakure -- Daytime


​

I must not fall behind you, my flesh and blood, Tensai.
I must not fall behind her, my purple fiend, Fukushu
I must not fail Grandma, that unsatisfied old hag.
I must and I will gain my honor! And be acknowledged by everyone.
​

The aftermath of being wet from a bucket of water by her mother, Nora after a long night's sleep might as well be the rudest awakening in history. Ria knew that it was for the sake of being punctual for today's special occasion. Quickly, Ria executed all the basic things that a human being would do, in her case, it would be daily house chores and brief breathing exercises while dipping in hot water.

It may had been an unpleasant experience but it was also an eye opener in disguise -- Ria marveled at her reflection in the mirror, fully geared for the special occasion today -- the ascension to Genin which certifies those who succeed to serve the village.

"You foolish mortals. Today is the day that I become the leader of this clan, let this day be a reminder to Rikudo Sennin that even I will be greater than him, a God for I will surpass gods ." Ria made weird poses and while having said her silly speech, all done while looking at the mirror only to get lectured by Nora,who frankly told her that being a shinobi is not a game and it's a life and death situation all the time. Ria is at the age where one must be serious with life and those who don't see how life works are bound to fall.

"Please~ Even death cannot stop me. My destiny is to be the greatest Uchiha, indisputable to the past, present and future." She laughed but the look on her mother's face was different, the tension would usually ease whenever Ria jokes but this time it was different.

"You'll only achieve greatness if you humble yourself, my child. Tell me something. How does one become a shinobi by reading lewd books and not acting on it?" Nora frankly reminded Ria that she cannot ascend to the level she have her eyes set on unless she fixes her ill attitude. Further repeating what she just said earlier, to take life seriously and not fool around. Ria immediately felt shaken but quickly shrugged it off with her self righteous mentality, she even forgot to take her breakfast.

Immediately, she walked out of her room and shut the door aloud because of the discouragement she couldn't contain. It's actually the first time that her mother's serious with her and to recall, the past would simply imply that Nora had been lenient. Ria tried remember it clearly, and realizes her shortcomings as an Uchiha yet blissfully dismissed it. The tantrum inside her's just waiting to be released because it was the exact words that was said to her by someone she hates; Fukushu.

Ria slapped her face. "Calm down, me. This feeling is only temporary, the real deal is when I beat those above me and prove them wrong." She clenched her right fist, the left to wipe her tears away.

The images that flashed in Ria's minds were her classmates, the most detailed would be her cousin Tensai and her purple haired fiend, Fukushu, the latter being the number one obstacle to her supremacy against her cousin, Tensai.

Suddenly, Ria stumbled on her father, Kazuma, which puts her back to reality from her deep thoughts and is asked why she's crying and that she shouldn't even be crying because she is the pride and joy of the Uchiha and shedding a tear would be weakness as a shinobi never cries. Ria told her father to go back and train her younger brother, Yusuke.

The tone of her voice expressed anger, hate, resentment, and inferiority-- so much that her pride was hurt by her mother a while ago. "What's wrong Ria? Stop crying this insta---" Kazuma tried calming her daughter but it was futile because of her rapid tantrums. She ended up damaging the wooden floor too and dented walls due to her bare fists.

"From now on you don't tell me what I have to do, I'll do it myself. Whenever I think about it, you stopped paying attention to me when you finally have a son? Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT!" Ria stomped her feet on the ground, venting out her tantrums on Kazuma.

Kazuma is not surprised to see the state of his own daughter and to him, he knew that the day would come that Ria would realize her shortcomings. "You never listen and only now have you realized your inferiority.You always bark and not bite, my foolish daughter. You kept chasing the wind and you do not have the flame burning within you like Tensai, so how could I possibly continue imparting my gifts on someone who is emotionally unstable? That is the sole reason why I picked your brother over you. He is the one the one that will surpass my siblings' legacy and the one that will inherit this clan, not you. You can't even outperform your classmates. How could you possibly even be my child." Having witnessed and preempted the reaction and the eventual result with his own eyes, sharingan activated and staring right through Ria's soul. Kazuma added salt on Ria's injury because he barely had anymore expectations from his daughter, he even doubts that she'd become a shinobi today. Ria received a slap to her face by her own father, she didn't have time to react because she was intimidated by his sharingan.

"I ALREADY KNOW I CAN'T PERFORM WELL, SO I'M NOT GONNA BOTHER REAPING WHAT I SOWED, AT LEAST I'M NOT BEHIND THAT LOW LIFE FARMER. I ALREADY KNOW TENSAI IS THE PRIDE OF THIS CLAN, TENSAI THIS AND TENSAI THAT, EVEN HIS NAME STATES SO. DAMN IT."

Ria rebutted and grabbed her father's arm, tight. She had always been consistent on emphasizing her impulsive, self absorbed, inconsiderate and insecure nature, as she kept her own father shut from making any further reply. No one could tell what Kazuma had to say to Ria for she was so willing into having her emotions vented out. He probably just let his daughter cut some slack and have had enough of her daily tantrums.

"I don't care what happens today, I will become a true shinobi. I'm just getting started!" Ria punched her father and ran away from him. She dashed through the clan's compound. It wouldn't take much time before she reaches the academy.

​

 

[tsubasa]

---

Haruno Ren
Haruno Compound, Konohagakure—Present Day, Daybreak

​

---

[roleplay=teal]At the crack of dawn
Woken by the magpie's cry
A new beginning[/roleplay]

"Onii-sama… Onii-sama!"

Not quite the magpie's cry that Haruno Ren had envisioned in his dreams, but the young boy got up from his slumber all the same. Turning his head to the door, he couldn't help letting out a tired sigh at the ongoing ruckus outside. The sound of numerous footsteps constantly thumping on the wooden floors all around him was starting to give Ren a headache.

Frowning with suppressed annoyance, he kept away his futon before walking up to the door, then instantly regretted doing so when something—someone—pounced on him.

"Onii-sama!"

Another sigh escaped his lips at the mess of pink locks that tickled his cheeks uncomfortably. "Aoi. Just get off me already."

He was glad that the person complied, allowing Ren to give a proper look at his twin, Haruno Aoi. Fully dressed and geared up in her shinobi attire, he could easily tell how much effort his sister had put in to be on her best appearance—

Ah, of course. Today is the day.

The day they would graduate from the shinobi academy. The day they would be officially recognized as a genin to serve the village.

How time flies.

Stepping away from Ren, Aoi spun around once on her toes, giggling. "How do I look?"

Ren studied the freshly pressed red uwagi that brought out the blue in Aoi's eyes, to the cherry blossom-shaped hairpiece that accented her pink hair. "Yeah, great. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get changed, too."

His eyes then traveled to the door, signaling Aoi to leave his room.

The hopeful look on Aoi's face fell, replaced by a pout. "Can't I stay here? I don't mi—"

"I do mind," he cut her off curtly. "And I can wear the clothes on my own, thank you very much."

​

---

[roleplay=teal]A new beginning
Stepping into the unknown
On the horizon[/roleplay]

Ren never really liked to step into the clan's main hall. Each time he did he could feel the muscles in his limbs throbbing at the memories of the countless spartan training under his fearsome mother—who was now waiting for the twins with her arms spread wide, gesturing the twins to come closer.

Just like the daughter, Haruno Kazuha was wearing her favorite kimono that Ren knew was only reserved for special occasions. He had to admit that it really did look good on his mother—her tall figure and radiating presence seemed to make the plum flowers on the fabric to bloom before his eyes. However, it wasn't enough to enshroud Ren's sharp perception of his surroundings.

"Where's father?"

Kazuha's smile seemed to slip a little at the question. "Your father is still out on an assignment. He is unable to come back home to celebrate your graduation."

"Eh, father is still busy with his duties?" Next to Ren, Aoi spoke up, not bothering to hide the disappointment in her tone. "He's always not around. Can't he just take a break and pass the work to someone else? Why must it always be him—why us?"

Kazuha stopped smiling. "Aoi."

"It's always like this," Aoi went on, her voice becoming colder with each word. "Minor clans like us are just pitiable worker ants to those sitting at the top of the hierarchy. We sacrificed so much for this village and their idealistic nonsense, but what do we get in the end?"

"Aoi, stop—"

"We never got the respect we deserved. They still treat us like vermin—scapegoats to die for their despicable whims. Aunt Suisen is gone. Aunt Sakuya is also gone. If it wasn't for Matsu-nee, mother would've never been recognized for her true worth, forever seen as a cursed existence in Konoha for the things that weren't even her fault. So who among us will be the next one to kick the bucket?"

Something about Kazuha's darkening expression told Ren that he should step in before things become ugly. Real ugly.

"Aoi, people die in wars," he began, putting himself between his mother and sister to break their eye contact with each other. "It's impossible to save everyone."

"But—"

"Look, we are here now because of their sacrifice," Ren continued, not giving his sister a chance to refute. "Do you think we'd be able to grow up peacefully and even get to graduate from the academy alive if the war went on till today? It's not just for Konoha's sake—it's also for our sake."

Ren knew he didn't actually believe in what he had said to Aoi, but now wasn't the time to angst over things beyond their control. Today was supposed to be a joyous day… at least to Kazuha, who hadn't made a single move so far behind the boy, much to his relief. Kazuha's temper was the last thing he needed to turn this day from bad to worst.

Taking in a deep breath, he recollected his composure before turning around to face Kazuha. He had to suppress the urge to raise an eyebrow at his mother's stony expression, though her features began to soften and she swooped down at the twins with a crushing hug.

"Be good," Kazuha said, her shaking voice muffled when she buried her face into the Ren's back. "Graduating from the academy means that you two are no longer mere children of the village, but a genin who will grow and mature to shoulder the responsibilities of protecting Konoha and its people."

"Mo—"

"Listen to your sensei, and work together with your teammates." Ren could feel his breath being squeezed out of his lungs as Kazuha tightened her arms around the twins. "Never forget that you cannot accomplish everything on your own—you need to do that as a team. They will be your family once you are out on missions."

"Mother," Ren had to gasp out the words, or else he was going to pass out from the lack of air. "We - can't - breathe."

Soreness began to spread through Ren's tiny frame after the twins were released from Kazuha's crushing embrace, but at least the little spots before his eyes were clearing up. Aoi was rubbing her ribs, and he caught the quick look of gratitude on her face before it became something else that only served to irk him.

Ignoring his sister, Ren turned his attention back to Kazuha.

"We will take heed of your advice, mother." He gave her a short bow. "By the way, what about Uncle Naoki and Sumire-nee-sama?"

"Naoki had already left the house early to lead his genin team, and Sumire is only coming back from her mission tomorrow."

Ah, too bad. Ren had something he wished to talk to those two, but he'd have to save that for another time. "I see. I think it's time that we should go."

"Of course, of course," Kazuha murmured and straightened up. "But before you leave, I need to give you two something."

"Oh?" Aoi piped up, the anger from before dissipating to curiosity and excitement. "Graduation gifts?"

"Yes." From somewhere deep within her kimono sleeves, Kazuha pulled out two boxes, each wrapped in a different colored paper. She passed the red one to Aoi, and the green to Ren.

"This is our well wishes—both your father's and mine—for graduating from the shinobi academy."

With one last bow at their mother, the twins turned to leave the hall, but not without Ren catching a small tear at the corner of Kazuha's smiling eyes.

​

---

En-route to the Shinobi Academy—Present Day, Daybreak

​

---

[roleplay=teal]Breezing through the woods—
It's a game of hide-and-seek!
Never found, and gone.[/roleplay]

Once the twins were out of their mother's eyesight and far away enough from the perimeter of their house, the first thing that Ren knew he had to do was to get rid of Aoi quickly. Situated closer to the borders of Konoha to better facilitate the clan's trading affairs, the Haruno's residence was quite a long way from the shinobi academy compared to most other clans. Though, distance was the least of Ren's concern—rather, his sister was the one who always made the journey a torture.

The young shinobi flitted through the woods, the trees whizzing past him in a blur of green. Unlike the eye-catching scarlet attire that Aoi wore, Ren's was black like his own hair—perfect for blending in with the shadows around him and eluding Aoi's sight, who was still hot at his heels. He gritted his teeth when he heard Aoi's annoying, chirpy voice haunting him from behind.

"Onii-sama, slow down! I'm not as fast as you! Why are you running away from me?"

Rather than responding back and giving away his position like most hot-blooded idiots he knew from the academy, Ren simply concentrated on the environment around him, looking for opportunities that would help him to throw Aoi off his tracks. He might have lacked the physical prowess that most of his peers had at the shinobi school, but Ren had long understood the value of using brains to outwit even in the most hopeless situations where everyone expected him to lose and give up, subjecting himself as a convenient target for bullying because of his small size.

Not like he had to be wary of bullies, anyway. With Aoi around, she would have taken care of them with broken noses and missing teeth without having him to lift a finger.

Sunlight had yet to pierce through the darkness of the thick forest, and Ren knew what he had to do to make good use of the shadowy covers against his twin. He dropped himself into a bush below and pulled out a stone from his pouch, which he had picked up when he left the house. His brows furrowed as he formed a piece of chakra string from the tip of his finger, which he willed it to loop around the stone. He permitted himself a smirk at his handiwork.

"Onii-sama!" Aoi's voice wasn't far off from his hiding place, and the boy knew that he was running out of time. He only had one shot, but that was all he needed.

He poked his head out of the bush carefully, thankful for the breeze blowing through the woods that masked the rustling noise he made as he slowly got to his feet. He could see the bright red uwagi that Aoi wore from afar, with the back facing the boy. Taking a calculated aim, he launched the stone towards his twin, but tugged at the chakra thread to change the trajectory before the stone could hit Aoi's head and snapped the string. He watched as Aoi, who was too distracted by the stone that landed not too far from her, missed the trail of a thin, light blue thread that faded into the wind above her head.

One of the oldest and simplest distraction tricks, still effective as long as one knew how to time it right.

"Onii-sama, I know you're there! I'll definitely get you this time!"

It was a hilarious sight to see Aoi pointing in the very direction that Ren wanted her to think he had run off to, but the urge to laugh was gone just like how Aoi had disappeared deeper into the forest, and then the red devil was no more. With a sigh of relief that went inaudible in the chorus of rustling leaves around him, Ren continued his own way towards the academy.​

 

[Xiro Zean]

---

Inuzuka Kimura
Village Streets, Konohagakure — Present Day, Daybreak

---

"Gūre? Status report?"

Pressed up against the wall of an indiscriminate building, the young Inuzuka surveyed the streets from her hidden place within a darkened alleyway, hand placed just above the kunai pouch strapped to her thigh while her eyes twitched towards every movement it could track. A hint of the sea green breeze touched the corners of her gaze as she scrutinized every face that walked along the dirt roads, fern green scuffles of the beaten earth lightly occupying her periphery. The soft banana yellow of the early birds chirping momentarily flickered into her vision, replaced by the currant red of their flapping wings as the avians departed.

Her partner, of course, was perched upon her head, eyes pointed out towards the street beneath a half-lidded gaze while his paws rested on the edge of her hairline. A yawn rose as he opened his maw, followed by a lazy, chocolate brown bark.

"The same as ten seconds ago? Gūre, telling me that 'everything is fine' doesn't tell anything at all! You're supposed to be my look, Gūre!" Kimura hissed quietly towards her clearly out-of-it partner, his lack of enthusiasm in his assigned job upsetting the brunette as she momentarily rose her gaze to meet his, eye to eye. "Papa got the jump on us today because I couldn't smell him out. We almost didn't have enough time to clean up and leave for the graduation."

Gūre's short, lethargic reply of a few choice barks had her expression morph into the hints of a pout, and his visible relaxation of his form onto her noggin only served to increase her distress. "Wait, don't just go to sleep! I'm trying to talk with you, partner! And keep it down, you could… Gūre? You're already asleep?!"

The girl kept a glare pointed towards her dowsing partner for the span of three seconds before she eventually lowered her gaze to the ground, a sigh erupting from her lips as she thought about the circumstances of her partner.

Gūre had always been her best friend. The bestest of best friends, really. He was always been there for her, no matter what, and helped her out of situations that she could have never escaped from by herself. He had done a lot for her, more than she could have ever expected, and she could never thank him enough for that, but he still shouldn't fall asleep on the job! Maybe he'd been plagued with nightmares? About all the things that could happen to them since they were finally going to become shinobi?

That's definitely it! That would explain why he was so sleepy today, at least. She would definitely be adding a few more layers of traps to his bedding so he could sleep easier, knowing that he would at least be mostly safe within the village walls. She couldn't account for everything, after all, and a massive village-ending jutsu was a bit out of her ability of stopping. Though, at that point, she should have already started Escape Plan Number 28 to get them out of the village before it could hi-

"Ugh, how could I've been so stupid to let him deceive me with that trick? I should've known better that onii-sama is also a formidable opponent…"

The familiar hue of rosewood pink startled Kimura out of her musings, gaze snapping upwards from the ground. Recognizing the voice, and the color related to it, she shuffled over to peer around the corner, her excitement subdued in case of a misunderstanding. She's done it before with other colors, and she wouldn't be surprised if she messed up again. Thankfully, lo and behold, the visage of Haruno Aoi stood alone within the street, her shoulders slumped over and her expression fuming with annoyance. Seeing that the pinkette's usual company was absent, she was probably irritated that her brother, Haruno Ren, had disappeared on her again, leaving her alone to do his own thing. If she was in her friend's place, Kimura was sure she would be annoyed as well. How could she possibly protect her brother and his dangerous secret from the hidden spies in the village if he was always going off on his own?

Shaking off the thought, she subtly cleared her throat and took one last cursory glance around the environment, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Of course, her hand never moved from her kunai pouch despite that, and as she popped her head out fully from the corner.

"Hey there, Aoi-chan!" Kimura cried, waving her free hand towards her pink-haired friend. Somehow, despite how loudly she yelled, the puppy on her head did not stir in the slightest.

As the yell reached the ears of her friend, her clouded expression cleared up as her gaze met Kimura's own, greeting back with a small smile. "Kimu-chan!" And she began to jog towards Kimura.

The brunette had begun to approach as well, mid-way through revealing herself from behind the corner until she suddenly froze. Before she could take the first step, the Inuzuka retreated back until Aoi couldn't see anything but the tips of her hair. "W-Wait just a moment! How do I know you're not just a spy hidden under a genjutsu? Sure, an enemy ninja would have trouble copying your color, and being as you are have difficulty even kidnapping the real Aoi-chan and tricking Ren-kun in the first place… Wait, I had just told a possible spy about Ren-kun- You heard nothing about Ren-kun, miss maybe-spy!"

Kimura had somehow rambled all of this in less than a few seconds, the last sentence called out as a yell towards Aoi as the Inuzuka readied herself for the possibility at hand. "How do I know you're Aoi-chan? What's your most favorite thing in the world?"

Aoi not only didn't stop as she was told, she was now standing right before Kimura with a solemn look on her face. "I love my onii-sama more than anything else in the world," she began. "But… But..."

Without warning, Kimura found herself with a teary Haruno clinging to her chest, the sudden tackle jolting the brunette enough that Gūre was unceremoniously awoken with a surprised bark.
"But onii-sama is a meanie to Aoi! Onii-sama ran away without me!"

Stunned by the sudden development that she had not prepared for in the slightest, the paranoid girl couldn't do much aside from gaze down at the shock of pink hair pushed into her face, the usually bright rosewood of Aoi's voice tinged with a murky indigo. Well, at least she could tell that this definitely was Aoi, or a really good actor. Her friend, as nice as she was, took her job of protecting her brother super seriously, to the point that it was somewhat creepy. But that wasn't important right now. While Aoi's been upset about Ren ditching her before, she had never actually cried like this. She must have really wanted to go with him to the academy to keep him safe, especially on such an important day as their graduation.

Pretty much on autopilot, Kimura merely did what she felt was best at that moment in time, and wrapped her arms around her crying friend. Her expression, unseen by the shorter girl, dangled upon the borderline between uncomfortable and concerned for the younger girl. "H-Hey, it'll be okay, Aoi-chan," the brunette started, her gaze turned upwards to the awakened puppy on her head, similarly torn with varying expressions from his perch.

Aoi only cried harder in her embrace; tears were soaking through the the front of Kimura's kimono. Grunge grey mixed with fern green streaks flashed faintly in Kimura's vision as a few droplets sprinkled the ground below, her expression as confused as it had ever been, pleading with her eyes for her partner to help her out. But the puppy was no better, and gave the Inuzuka the best impression of a shrug that he could give. The brunette lowered her gaze once more, her next words as cheery as she could make them as she tried to raise her friend's spirits.

"Me and Gūre will help you find Ren-kun. Right, partner?" the grey puppy barked out a somewhat confused reply, having been asleep for a good portion of what had been said. "See? We can get you two back together, alright? Then Ren-kun'll be safe again. I'll explain later, Gūre," Kimura consoled the girl in her arms, whispering the last part to her canine partner.

Thankfully, it seemed that her words had reached her friend, and Aoi finally began to calm down. The younger girl wiped the last teardrop away with the back of her hand, the rest having stained the front of Kimura's kimono. "Thank you, Kimu-chan… Thank you." Then, as sudden as her bawling tantrum just a moment previous, the pinkette straightened up with a frown, before the expression changed to realization.

"Wait a minute… Is onii-sama trying to race me to the academy? He should've just told me directly in the first place! That meanie!" Aoi exclaimed, all the while shaking her fists at some enemy that was invisible to Kimura's eyes. A hidden ninja? Probably not, but the Inuzuka quickly noted the idea in her head so she could prepare a counter to an enemy that could use an ability like that.

"We should go catch up with him, then. The academy isn't that far away, is it?" Kimura noted, as she peered out from the corner they hid behind and surveyed the streets and rooftops around them. No change, aside from the three children playing across the street and the golden ring of the nearby shop bells as a civilian entered the establishment.

"Hmph!" Aoi nodded profusely, crossing her arms before her red uwagi. "This time I will definitely catch up to him. Just you wait, onii-sama!"

At this point, she realized that her arms were still wrapped around her friend, and allowed them to drop back down to the pouches of her weapons. Aoi-chan was fine now, so she could prepare for the trek to the academy. An assassin could easily take them out or subdue them by hiding in the shadows as they approached the building, so she'd have to be on her guard at all times.

"I'll take the lead, Aoi-chan. Me and Gūre can scout out the area with our noses as we move to the academy," Kimura started, reviewing her mental map of Konoha and charting the safest, yet relatively quick path towards the academy while her partner watched her ruminate on her thoughts with a resigned expression on his face. "Just keep behind us, okay? I'll get you to the academy and Ren-kun safe and sound."

"Then what are we waiting for?" The idea of going to look for Ren seemed to have cheered up her friend considerably, but as they began to move Aoi seemed to be staring intensely at the front of Kimura's kimono. The brunette was about to open her mouth to ask why her clothes were so interesting, until her friend had already begun to answer her unsaid question with a low bow.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Aoi sniffed. "So, so sorry! I didn't mean to ruin your best clothes for today's graduation ceremony!"

Kimura glanced down towards the dark stain on the front of her kimono, still wet from the tears that had sprung from Aoi's hysterical bawling. Her gaze rose towards the still bowing visage of her friend, and she moved over to raise Aoi from her bow, a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"It's alright, Aoi-chan. You're feeling better now, and that's worth more than looking nice, right?" Kimura sent the pinkette a grin as she left the hidden corner and began to lead the way towards the Academy, her gaze darting from side to side as she surveyed the open streets with a hint of suspicion. "Now let's go. I want to get you two back together as soon as possible. Ren-kun isn't safe without you around to watch his back."

"Mhm!" Aoi was back to her cheery self - though eyes were a little red from the crying - and she followed behind Kimura obediently. If it wasn't for their contrasting hair colors, one may have mistaken them for a little girl following her big sister.​

 

[Al Sa-Her]

[Collab with Tsubasa]

---

Uchiha Ria

In a Forest En-route to the Academy -- Present Day, Daybreak
​

---

It had only been a while since Ria left the Uchiha compound; instead of heading straight to the academy, she chose to vent out her sorrows in the thick forest. For a moment she was lost in thought about the failure after her brief skirmish with her parents. Thinking about them and the way she had been didn't stop her from crying aloud, then kicking and punching the trunk of a tree to vent her anger.

After some time, her sorrow subsided, though short-lived because of the pain she felt from tackling the tree. She then yelled at the tree and called it an idiot for causing her pain, but the shouting soon turned into an apology. Ria noticed the difference on the once perfect trunk of the tree that was now dented with imperfection.

"Sorry for involving you with my demons, I didn't mean to make you feel broken, Mr. Tree… hmm… Mrs. Tree, or whatever your gender is. I am glad you gave me comfort, so thank you very much, Forest-sama." Ria spoke to the tree whom she now considers a friend. She was even giving names to them now!

"Tree-san, I hope you don't mind me reading Icha Icha to you." She leaned on the tree and took out the book from her bag -- it was not just one but multiple! Ria figured that maybe the forest would also like to read along and feel productive too.

"Icha Icha: Two Become One."Ria read the title of the first book aloud, which featured a couple showing intimate love to one another. She paused for a while on a word she couldn't understand, then continued on. She would stop every now and then as she stumbled across more words too difficult for her to comprehend, but it still gave her a peculiar feeling of excitement.

"And they lived happily ever after, and have fleshes of their own. Wait WHAT?!"

'Fleshes of their own?' What did it mean? An adult would probably know what that was, but Ria was still a child, too young and pure for such content.

Ria simply assumed that it meant the couple were married and had children. Curiosity got the better of her, but she couldn't help feeling frustrated because she had to skip quite a fair bit. There were so many words she didn't understand, and she wished that she had a wider array of vocabulary.

Questions rose in her mind and she asked the tree randomly, "Forest-sama, Tree-san is dumb too comprehend all this, so does the great Mother Nature-sama." She laughed. "Please tell me what 'fleshes of their own' means? Do you even make babies? How do you become so many? Hey, answer me please? Pretty please? OI!!! I want answers! Do you even have a voice? I thought we understood each other…"

Ria sulked and tried not to cry, but tears were already running down from her face. She thought that the forest was her friend… But wait, she did all the talking, and she realized that her feelings were not reciprocated.

"I HATE YOU ALL!"

With a heavy sigh from the sadness she just felt, Ria stopped cursing at the tree (and to an extent, the forest). She stopped her tantrums. She continued reading her Icha Icha book to relieve her stress. Suddenly, she heard a noise from the bush not far in front of her, wondering what was supposed to come out from there -- maybe it was a human, or maybe not. Whatever it was, she couldn't help feeling nervous about it. Ria grabbed one of her books and threw it right into the bush.

To her surprise, it was Ren who emerged from the bush, with the book she had thrown at him in his hand. He seemed equally surprised to see Ria -- at least that was what she assumed.

"What was that for?" Mild annoyance laced his cold voice as he threw the book back to Ria, which she caught it easily with one hand. "And you're still reading that, huh?" She shuffled awkwardly at the look Ren gave her when he glanced at the craters in the tree trunk and then back to her. He knows that I'm the cause.

More thoughts started overflowing in Ria's mind by just seeing the raven-haired Haruno and how he was actually engaging a conversation with her. She blushed at Ren briefly and nearly mumbled how good he looked in the black shinobi attire. "Tch… I'm not reading it, lazy face. I'm just killing time. It's not like I have a choice or anything. I'm just skimming through it because… I'm writing my own book." Ria denied reading the lewd book and sounded defensive, thinking that Ren might say something that would fluster her.

"Yeah… right," was all Ren offered at her rambling, but the disbelief on his face clearly said something more.

"Since you're here… Let's…" The longer Ria had eye contact with Ren, the more her emotions were running wild. She was already stammering, struggling to say the words she wanted to convey. "I-I could… would… could… ehh… HMM!" Ria merely wanted to ask him if they could walk to the academy together, but she didn't know how to say it without sounding pompous. She had a million other questions she wanted to ask too, but going to the academy together was the first thing that came to her mind.

Ren shrugged; he didn't seem eager to wait for her to spill the words out of her mouth. "Well then, I really need to be on my way. See you later in school." And he turned to leave.

Ria couldn't help but feel exasperated at the way Ren was leaving her behind. She remembered the brief squabble with her family at home -- Ren's actions were awfully similar, and she didn't like being dismissed easily just because of her weaknesses. She didn't want that to happen again right here, right now.

"Wait for me!" she called out to him; the desperation in her tone seemed to make the boy stop in his tracks and turned around to face her, a confused look on his face. She breathed heavily from her anxiety, gathering all her courage to talk to him directly. "Let's go together… Hahahaha… I wanted to ask you something important after all." Or was it? Ria felt embarrassed for making such move -- she felt like it wasn't her character at all, but there was no turning back.

She recalled her words to her father, Kazuma; she would become a true shinobi and not walk in the Uchiha's shadow. Ria smiled and felt no regret at the decision she had made, to evolve in every aspect of her wholebeing from here on out. She would become a proud individual with no labels.

Ria was glad that Ren did wait for her to catch up to him, although he didn't seem pleased at the idea of walking to school with her. "Whatever, suit yourself." Then he narrowed his eyes at her. "And what is this 'important thing' that you want to ask me?"

"S-E-C-R-E-T. I'll tell you once we reach the academy; or better yet, once we graduate," Ria held back and teased him instead. At the same time, she felt bad for not telling Ren what she actually meant by secret as she watched him giving her another shrug and ignored her once more.

"Eh… just for now… let me savor this moment because I will....," she mumbled. I wish everyday was like this.​

 

[Raijinslayer]

---

TsumeTsume's Secret Training Space -----> Academy, Early Morning

---

A chill permeated the morning air, the barest hints of sunlight peaking through the gathered clouds overhead, the downpour that came with it being heavy enough to drive most inside if they had no business to take care of.

Most, but not all.

In a lone section of Konoha, a young girl was training, beating at a wooden striking dummy with as much might as her small body could muster. A punch to the chest, followed by a kick to the side, then a feint before starting the combo over again with her other side. Each strike was punctuated with a shout, each shout an act of defiance against the elements. Even as her drenched gi began to cling to her, the water soaked in it weighing down her movements, she continued her set of exercises. It would be another half an hour before she suddenly fell to the ground in a heap, her breath coming out in ragged gasps, struggling to get a proper flow of air into her lungs. She grit her teeth against the burning tightness in her chest, rolling over to the side and curling in on herself. For a little while, she'd lay there, waiting for the attack to go away, for her breathing to stabilize. Once it had, she slowly got to her feet, a yawn sneaking it's way past her lips as she tried to rub the mud off her clothes.

"Uggh. . . Sawako-san is going to kill me." Tsume muttered as she walked over to a nearby tree, where a towel, an umbrella, and some the clothes that Sawako-san had picked out for her the previous night. It was a very pretty kimono, with a fiery red main coat that was covered with a number of white flower petals, all culminating in a phoenix-like design that ended over the left side of the chest. Yet as she picked it up and looked it over, Tsume couldn't help the slight look of distaste that crossed her features. She would stand there for a moment, looking over the pretty garment in hand, foot tapping against the ground until she let out a heavy sigh. Putting the Kimono in a safe and clean space, the girl would quickly strip down and dry herself off as best as she could with the towel she had brought. Once that was done, she would put on the restrictive bit of beautiful cloth with more than a little difficulty, especially with no one to help her secure the obi for her. Forget it. . . I'll just ask Aoi or Kimura to help me fix it when I see them.

With a huff, Tsume opened her umbrella and made her way to the school, which wasn't *too* far from her current position. She always liked to sneak out early to get some training done in this little hidden alcove ever since she had found it while exploring one day. It was a secluded little grove of trees somewhere between the Uchiha district and the rest of the city. It was a secret that she hadn't shared with anyone, not even Fukushu, though she had thought about it. But then where would i go to get away from Fukushu when she's being. . . well, herself.

Tsume let out a sigh as she approached the academy grounds, thoughts turning not only towards her purple haired friend, but the future in general. Who would her sensei be? Her Teammates? Would she get along with them? Would they like her? But more than anything, she wondered:

Should I be doing this? Do I really have what it takes to be a Kunoichi?

Her footsteps slowed to a stop shortly before the bridge that would lead her to the academy gates, her kimon o a spot of brilliant red against the dreary backdrop of brown and grey that surrounded her. Red eyes started at the gates in the distance with a sense of longing, yet she found herself frozen. Instead, fingers gripped tightly at her umbrella's handle, a slight shiver making it's way through her body that wasn't just from the cold damp that still clung to her. Thoughts of Sawako-san fluttered through her head, of her words. . . her worries. . .

"You shouldn't be a shinobi!"

"You can barely run a mile without your medicine!"

"Why do you want this!?!?"

The shivers grew ever more violent with every thought, the chill spreading through her veins as she started to turn away from the school. But then, another voice spoke out, drowning out everything else, not with volume, but with a quiet strength.

"Do you want to be strong, Tsume?"

The shivers stopped and the intensity of her chills lessened as she felt a surge of emotions rise in the pit of her stomach. Images of a figure, large, commanding, but vague, filled her head, and with snarl, she turned back toward the academy. Her eyes shone as she faced this specter from her memories, the flash of her teeth being the only answer she needed. However, so focused had the girl been in her internal struggle, she didn't notice that she wasn't as alone as she had initially thought until she heard the sound of a yelp and a splash. Coming to her senses quickly, Tsume looked up from where she was to see Toshiro-sensei and . . .

"Tensai?" The redhead wondered out loud, scratching at the side of her head a little before giving a shrug and a shake. Smacking her self on a cheeks a bit to get rid of the last of the chills from before out of her system, as well to wake herself up a bit more, Tsume ran across the bridge with all the energy and spunk she was known for as she waved to her teacher and fellow student.

"Good Morning Toshiro-Sensei! Good Morning Tensai! Going for an early morning swim, i see?" She stopped at Toshiro's with a little hope, looking over at Tensai with a smirk and a slight chuckle. "A bit unorthodox to swim with your kimono on, don't you think, Mr. Prodigy?" She walked ove rto give tensai a pat on the back so that he knew she was only messing with him, before moving to stand between the two with a slight twirl.

"So, Tensai, what do you think of the Yukata that Sawako-san bought for me? I wanted something a bit less formal, but she wasn't having any of it. Bleh, Did your mom fuss over you like that too when you got yours?"