Fandom The Village Hidden in the Leaves

[KageYuuki]

Yuuki Uchiha: Squad 4
Nobushige Toyotomi
The Uchiha compound… nothing had been left from the Mizukage’s attack outside of corpses and piles of rubble. None inside the compound at the time had survived the attack. The thick silence hanging over the ruins had only been broken by the scream that left the genin who’d discovered the destruction.

The days seemed to pass in a blur for Yuuki, he’d helped how he could to gather the bodies, hardly speaking a word to the other shinobi. It wasn’t long after that a crude shelter had been built from the rubble. He’d learned how to survive on missions before becoming a genin, though to have to use those skills in the ruins of his own home…

Word had finally reached him on his father’s condition and Yuuki had rushed across the village to see him. But even the Hokage’s own son could get past the ANBU guard stationed outside. He hadn’t been able to find Ayame as days passed, trying to bring what food survived the attack and maybe even hear how Gou was doing.

Even his sister had been so wrapped up in her duties he hadn’t seen even a glimpse of her. The boy even wondered if she survived…

Sitting still and waiting around was going to drive him mad, Yuuki had to find something to occupy himself with aside from the one night patrol he’d been assigned. In hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have hit the would-be looter as hard as he had. The rest of the free time he’d been left with was filled with the only thing he could think of.

To train.

Chakra control, jutsu exercises, hours of trying to adjust to the sight the Sharingan brought him… all attempts at focusing his mind on anything but the hell around him. Or the rage that had been building.

“You guys are lucky this time. We’re not done here, you hear me? We’ll pay you back! You, you killed our Lord Mizukage’s son, made us look like idiots, lied to us, and hurt sensei! This right here is nothing to what we will do!”

The Mist genin’s words kept playing in Yuuki’s mind over and over since that day. “You destroyed our village…” His hand trembled around the shuriken in his grasp, chakra too spent to continue with ninjutsu. “Slaughtered most of my family…” Blood seeped down the edges of the blade. “Might have… even killed my father… All because of one goddamned kid!?” The Uchiha all but screamed at the rudimentary target in front of him, held shuriken sinking deep into the wood.

Yuuki sank to his knees against the pavement as a bitter, dry laugh escaped his throat. “Nothing to what you’ll do, huh…?” Hot tears burned at his crimson eyes, “wonder if you’d talk so big if I did half of what you did…?”

“Those pretty lil’ eyes of yours aren't supposed to make you blinder you know?”

A large pile of rubble spoke to Yuuki, before poofing itself into Nobushige.

“Was curious how you were doing. It let me take a nice nap. Good. Seems like you’re being retarded. Not good.”

A kunai was pointed at Nobushige the moment he spoke up, “And you’ve all but vanished, what else is new?” Yuuki growled as he pushed himself back to his feet.

“Fairly easy to find me if you look. Just have to pull your head out. Well, I’m abducting you. On with it. If you’re going to go into a homicidal rage, who am I to stop you? I’d just like to point you in the right direction. Figure might as well walk and talk, not like I’m the fastest Jonin around. What are your plans now?”

“Fine, then let’s go. Not like I have anything to pack.” Yuuki returned the kunai to its holster, ignoring the complaints of his cut hand.

“Well, answer the question. You obviously are a rage ball right now. What are you going to do with it? Rage, as a shinobi ain’t a bad thing. Reminds us we’re human and gives us goals. Reminds us we’re tools, sharpens our blade. I ain’t gonna stop you. I want your answer. What.are.you.going.to.do.about.it?”

Nobushige started the march west, towards the Hokage monument. He walked leisurely, stepping around debris and the like. Honestly, there was an unnatural ease to him. Battlefields were nothing new to the man. He was rather hoping they’d be foreign to his three students for as long as possible.

“Get strong enough to pay back the bastard that did this,” Yuuki gestured to the leveled space that had been filled with building and activity just days ago. He had a good idea of the shinobi responsible, not that he had any idea how he’d have the strength to challenge a Kage of all people.

Nobushige walked casually. As he did, suddenly a kunai appeared in his hand and would fly backward, landing mere fractions of an inch away from Yuuki’s jugular.

“Like I said, being retarded. Why the hell would you want to be strong enough to beat him? Don’t you want to pay him back? That’s not the same thing. I’m a damn weak Shinobi, you are probably stronger than me. I’m a jonin for a reason. Dicing a tomato with a baseball bat yields poor results, doesn’t matter how ‘strong’ the bat is.”

He cracked his neck.

“So, how are you going to kill him?”

Yuuki winced, pressing his hand to the cut on his neck. What was it with Nobushige and throwing stuff at him? “I haven’t figured that out yet, he’s a fucking Kage. I can’t just waltz in there and do whatever like you could.”

“You couldn’t, or you haven’t thought about it? The more guarded a person is, the easier it is to approach them. They either trust their guard, or are in complete isolation. If they are in isolation, they get food from somewhere. But you’re right. You kinda suck at stealth. I mean, you could be Katsumi, but she’s got the luck of the gods, so it balances out I guess… Anyways. If you don’t have stealth, what do you have?”

Luck of the gods may have been one way to put it, not that Yuuki wanted to think about how things would have turned out had she not been with them. His gaze turned to the ground as they walked. “A sword, my sharingan, the seal you’d showed me…” The Uchiha’s repertoire didn’t feel all that impressive at the moment.

“Your sword is worse than Tsubaki, your sharingan worse than Gou, and your seals worse than me. He would crush you in each and every one. Which ONE would you kill him with? If you believe you can kill him, pick one. And we all know how his fight against Gou went.”

Yuuki grit his teeth, like he needed reminded how much he paled in comparison to the rest of his family members. “If dad’s sword couldn’t get through his jutsu, then seals.”

“It’s a good thought. Afterall, Gou’s sword couldn’t beat the seals of the man who beat him, Kurou Akechi of the Hidden Whirlpool.”

Nobushige motioned to the end of the road in front of them. All buildings started to cease, and a large crater was left, leading down to what was once the kage’s office…. And well a majority of the neighborhood around it.

“Reiji, the Mizukage never got the chance to fight your father. Do you know why they retreated? By all means, they were winning and had us against the ropes. The Hokage being defeated should have only made it easier. But the Bijuu attacked their village. To be specific, there IS no Hidden Mist village at the moment. Only their ninja. Granted, we’re not through with them ourselves. So, is your target still Reiji?”

Yuuki’s eyes tried and failed to take in the damage he was shown. This had to have been where the two blasts he’d seen had come from. So it wasn’t the Mizukage that’d done this? Someone from a village he’d never really heard of had?

On one hand, Reiji had still killed such a huge portion of his family. But the Mist’s village was now gone… a faint trace of satisfaction had come from that knowledge. On the other hand… a practically unknown ninja had done this.

“The Mist can’t just walk away from this, even with their village leveled,” Yuuki muttered, bitterness clinging to his words. “But this Kurou guy… even I can tell he’s a bigger problem.”

“Uh-huh. For example, reading recent reports, it was made very clear to the Mist the Mizukage’s child’s killer was an Uchiha. Then they were destroyed by Bijuu when the entire village was gone. Seems fishy to me. We still have to deal with the Mist, but, well, desperate times might make for strange bedfellows. Now, what are you going to do?”

“It… does sound like too much to be coincidence…” Yuuki trailed off, trying to get his thoughts straight. One, in particular, sent chills through him, “If Kurou is responsible for the Mist’s village being destroyed… what’s stopping him from coming back and doing that here too…?”

Nobushige raised an eyebrow and motioned around the destroyed village.

“See, this is why thinking is where I think all training should begin. Are you telling me your goal then is to protect the Leaf from another invasion? Well, we know he’s controlling the Bijuu, and you are wanting seals already, so…. There you go. Hope your hateboner goes well.”

 

[Ganryu]

Farewell to Squad 3
(i.e. the team's gone, so getting rid of the Sensei)​

It had been three days since the Invasion of the Leaf. Umichi already looked like a wreck, more after the fighting than before it. Her eyes were darkened, and she was missing a sake bottle, the one with actual sake in it. She stood in the hallway of the temporary hospital, opposite Ayame, leaning against the wall. She did crack a small smile at talking to Ayame, the pair had been like another set of parents for her since she was a genin. Gou Uchiha, the Hokage, had been her sensei.

“Well… I guess it's lucky he’s alive isn’t it. Is there any updates on Sensei? I’m sure you get asked hourly… sorry. ”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Ayame managed a weak smile. Dark circles hung under her eyes and her hair was barely held in a loose bun. “He’s still in and out of consciousness, used so much chakra in that battle.” She rubbed her eyes, leaning against the wall, “It’ll probably be a few more days before he’s awake longer than a few minutes at a time.”

Umichi nodded.

“And his eyes?”

Ayame was silent for a long moment, “Not… good from what little I’ve seen.”

Umichi took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Sleep called her, but she wasn’t going to greet it.

“You know, Ayame. I’m thinking of taking a bit of a trip. I-I’m not too good at the moment. I’m a horrible sensei, my squad’s gone, and now both of my teammates are gone too. I-If I do, do you think you can tell sensei I took Mako with me? Heh, maybe tell him I finally eloped or something. He’s going to have enough to deal with when he wakes up.”

Letting out a soft sigh, Ayame pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry…” Her low voice threatened to break at the words, “I’m so sorry… But I don’t think you should do that.”

Umichi just stood there, just breathing. She eventually returned the hug, her hands shaking.

“Thirty… I killed thirty…I-I just kept going, and going… in a stupid hotspring not worth protecting. If I’d just come back to look for my little brats… If I’d just came back to look for Mako. Or if I’d helped sensei, or if I’d held back the Mizukage… or not been wasted a few hours before…. If I’d done anything right, the village wouldn’t be in half the mess it is. I know I’m strong. I’m the student of the damned Hokage for Heaven’s sake… I didn’t do anything. I mean, you, you’ve saved so many lives since then as one of the few medic nin left you’ve basically become a legend. I’m just some idiot brat.”

“Enough, Umichi,” Ayame’s voice finally broke, shaky and uncertain. It wasn’t clear if she clung to Umichi to try and comfort the woman that had practically been her daughter, or try to find comfort herself. “This wasn’t your fault, none of this was… You’ve seen what war does to a village… You saved all those civilians at the spring, had you just left they’d been killed without a second thought…”

Umichi clung tighter.

“I know… I know. Still… it hurts. I need to heal, and I can’t do it here. It’s… Its not really a question. I’m doing it. I just wanted your advice first… I’ll see if I can’t help the Leaf while I’m out. Don’t think I’m just sodding off. It’s just, I can’t stay in the village, and I don’t think I could stomach to call myself a Leaf nin til I’ve earned it. And… well… We need information. The Mist got destroyed worse than we did. Not that I’ll forgive any I see. But… why did this have to happen? This Kurou guy’s behind it all. I just want someone to know where I went.”

Ayame was quiet for another long moment, she couldn’t force Umichi to stay in the village. She didn’t have the strength to even try arguing the issue any further. “I’ll tell Gou when he’s awake enough…”

Umichi finally broke free, and wiped her eyes.

“Good. I took Mako too. Make sure to tell him that too. I just hope he’s too busy to check… the MIA list… Sadao, Mako… Koutaku, Ao, Kaida… Anyways, I’ll be in the Hidden Whirlpool Village for a while. I’ll keep you updated as I travel. Thank you Ayame. You really do mean alot to me. Besides, no one else gives hugs like you do.”

 

[shadowdude505]

Misumi Sarutobi & Koma​

There was a lot of rebuilding to do after the Mist attack. A lot of property was damaged and loved ones were lost. Misumi was saddened by the deaths of her original squad. They had been kind enough to give her some alone time with her father before the surprise attack. She wished she could have protected them, but she realized she couldn’t be everywhere at once. Squad 5 needed a third person during the attack. She was grateful to Koma for getting her onto the squad; in a way the Mist attack had helped her transition to Squad 5 to be a little smoother. It would have been a bit awkward to join the squad out of the blue. Misumi was looking forward to becoming a stronger ninja while being a part of Squad 5 and was even more determined to protect her village in the aftermath of the attack.

For the time being, Misumi and her family were staying at her grandparent’s house while her own house was being rebuilt. Her father was kept busy with Anbu things and rarely showed up at the house. Her mother used her teaching position to help calm the young ones and continuing their training.

Misumi walked into the kitchen. She was looking for her mother and hoping she was free to start a personal training session with her. Instead she found a note from Koma, her new Sensei wanted to meet with her at the ruin in the market district. Training with her mother would have to wait.

Misumi left the house and made her way to the market district. The corpses of casualties were buried now, but Misumi couldn’t help imagining how bad the area looked during the attack. Misumi shook images of war from her mind, she didn’t want the image of death to intimidate her; she didn’t want to freeze up when the next time to protect the village came up.

Misumi continued to make her way down the street and spotted her sense beside a bent telephone pole making a strange arc. She began to wonder why he wanted to meet her here.

“You wanted to see me, Sensei?” she asked. During the attack she had called Koma her Sensei out of politeness, this time she really was referring to him as her teacher.

“Already to sensei status eh? Feels good, though honestly I’ve run through more students than anybody this year.” he sighed, shaking his head. “Two weren’t suitable so back to the academy, one transferred and thank goodness she was annoying and self righteous as all hell but those two just kept on trucking. Well, Sei did, she's the only one of the original students to stay through it all… maybe I should get her a present for that. Well, she has the mask...” he mumbled the last part, before looking back to the young lady before him.

“Now!” he clasped his hands together. “Misumi my dear new student. Tell me, what do you know about spirits?” he asked as he stood before the arching pole as if her were a guardian of a gateway barring her passage.

“Spirits?” Misumi asked, arching an eyebrow. “Only what I’ve heard from legends, but I thought those were more scary stories used to freak out kids. Are you saying they’re...real?” she asked.

“Jumping rather quickly to what I’m getting at but sure. Well, somewhat. The whole nature of reality and what is not reality is a debate that we can go on for years before reaching an impasse.” the man motioned a hand behind him. “You’re going to be introduced to a world beyond ours hold onto your hat- ...you get the picture.” he sighed and grasped the young lady’s shoulder.

“And here we gooooo~!”he pushed her inside the archway, following quickly after.

In mere moments, the world around Misumi changes drastically, it was as if the chaos from not a few days ago never ended. The sky was a dark bloody crimson, sounds of screams from countless mouths echoed across the landscape, sounds of chewing and gnawing upon flesh came from just out of sight.

Koma popped up next to the young woman, taking in a deep breath of fresh(?) air. “Ah, here we are, the yokai realm of Konoha. The absolute hell on earth that was made thanks to kirigakure, the world just beyond our sight.” he held up his arms as if he was inviting her into a land of beauty.

“Introductions aside, this is what your new teammates have been dealing with, and will be dealing with, moving forwards. Spirits are indeed real here, and indeed they are as deadly as you can imagine.” he stepped around the “gate” they passed under mere moments ago. “Today we will be taking a quick look at this place, get adjusted, god knows we’re going to be mopping this place up soon…”

The world around Misumi felt as if it was offending her body down to the core, as if every cell in her body didn’t WANT to be there, her stomach would turn and churn, an incessant itching feeling would crawl over her body.

“Wish I coulda introduced you to a easier place to deal with… but… Well, it works.”

Suddenly Misumi found herself in a hellish world and the sudden shift in scenery dropped her to her knees. Her body was tingly and itchy all over; she would have tried to scratch the itch away if she wasn’t propping herself with one hand and if her other one hadn’t been brought up to her mouth due to feeling like she was about to throw up.

At first she tried to rationalize what was going on. This was just an elaborate genjutsu, but that explanation left more questions than answers. Why would her new sensei use a genjutsu on her? Was this some kind of trust exercise? A trust exercise seemed rather pointless after Koma had rescued the genin from the Mist jonin. While she got the feeling that Koma wasn’t telling her everything, she didn’t think he’d lie to her. There was no way that this world was a part of a genjutsu.

Misumi forced herself to get to her feet. Her panicked expression became calmer, but she still looked a little uncomfortable. Her skin was still crawling and felt like she could lose her breakfast anytime soon.

“Let’s get this over with,” she said, not wanting to stay any longer than she had to. Her body sure didn’t seem like it wanted to stay. “What do you want to show me?”

“Well, lets see.. I’ll get to the thick of it. Even though we don’t see this world, it directly affects ours. Fires, kidnappings, possession, etc, all of these can occasionally, well on the later case all cases, be caused by this realm and the denizens within.

This world is also affected by our world, the thoughts, feelings and souls of the people are like building blocks to this land, a place where thoughts and dreams become reality. Atleast, somewhat, you’d have to effect the whole population for this realm to mess up, it’d have to be big, earth shattering, like a war for example.” he motioned towards the fires around them, perpetually burning but the landscape never truly turning to cinders.

“But don’t get me wrong, you can and likely will be affected negatively by this land, simply being in it first time around, and a few times after, causes the sickness you feel now. The worse it is, the more chaotic the realm is. And trust me, it can get MUCH worse than this.” the man took a few steps into the rubble filled streets, taking a look around.

Behind him, some of the stones began to move… and then bursting forth from it came a ghastly looking figure, looking as if a rotted, burned and sliced corpse came to live, and leapt upon Koma. The staff within his hands came to life, stretching around the creature and binding it’s horrific clawed arms to it, holding it in the air as it struggled.

“It is my job to return these places to order again, while it doesn’t fully fix the real world, it prevents catastrophe from occur from those that would mean us ill. One yokai in the wrong place can spell death for hundreds.” he tightened his hold upon his staff, causing the serpentine wood to tighten and crush the being in two. It fell to the ground and began to dissolve into a black mist.

“As horrifying as it is, there are good beings out there to. Much like humans, but yet not. I’ll bring you to Roku one of these days, she would be happy to have another friend. If you are to continue with this path of course, you are free to leave at any time you wish.” he looked to the young lady, a glint in his eyes as he expected either a stalwart acceptance or leaving immediately.

“Though, henceforth you will be able to see things as they truly are. Yukari’s little feline friend, maybe a really old staff.” he flick the one he carried, causing it to shiver in his grasp.

“Now then.. Any questions? Concerns? Insults?”

“I think it’s going to take me awhile to wrap my head around all this, but I’m not going to quit. I already lost one squad, I don’t want to lose another,” Misumi replied. “Sensei, please train me so that I can deal with this realm.” She bowed toward Koma and placed a hand on her stomach as she felt the contents inside churn.

“Can we start training back home though?” she asked.

Koma smirked. “This is good enough for a start, next time your body will adjust with more ease. I recommend taking a over the counter stomach medicine next time. Atleast for the first few times.” he made a mental note to tell the others this as well. “Chaotic yokai realms… What a place… Now then, let's get you back. Exit the exact way you came, and you’ll be back home.

Be mindful where you walk from now on, tori gates can be anywhere and any thing. Arches erie doorways. You’ll be able to tell where they are now that you’ve passed through one easy enough, your stomache will let you know.” he motioned to the arch way they passed under not to long ago.

“I will, Sensei,” Misumi replied. She walked through the bent telephone gate and let out a sign of relief as she breathed in the fresh Konoha hair. She took a seat on a nearby bench and reflected on current events as her stomach settled down. Being a part of Squad 5 was going to be interesting.

 

[AtlannianSpy]

Nagisa Kanazawa
&
Nobushige Toyotomi

Getting Back to Basics​

The streets of Konoha were in varying states of disrepair and destruction but they remained busy even so. Work crews, some professional some volunteer, swarmed over ruins, working together to clear away debris, repair what could be repaired and tear down what wasn’t worth salvaging.With all that going on it was trifling for one skinny girl to slip her way through the crowds unnoticed. Not that there was really anyone who was going to notice Nagisa, in the time since the attack she’d found herself increasingly at loose ends.

Almost everyone in the village had twice as much work as they had time in the day. With so many ninja out of commission the remained were working overtime to keep money coming into the village and civilians had their hands full with repair work, or in the case of the few businesses and services that had survived in tact, struggling to meet the increased demand on their own. The larger clans and smaller units were closing ranks, cleaving together to support their own members.

Meanwhile Nagisa was watching. She hadn’t had any missions since the attack, not that she exactly needed the money after the payout Nobushige has secured them, especially since there was so little to spend it on at the moment. The pace of her life had gone from breakneck adrenaline rush to molasses slow in an instant and the change had left her restless and uncertain. Nagisa didn’t have any repairs that needed to be made to the room she was renting and there wasn’t someone she needed to help either, it wasn’t exactly her style to but her nose into other people’s business.

Nagisa finally arrived at her destination, an out of the way and mercifully deserted training field. With nothing better to do, Nagisa had spent most of her time brooding on the fight. In retrospect it was fortunate that there explosive tags hadn’t attracted more mist ninja sooner, before the retreat. On the other hand it was plain their quieter options, shuriken and melee, hadn’t been enough to keep the pressure on. Han’yo Moto, the man’s smug attitude about his approach to combat was infuriating but maybe he was so annoying because he wasn’t necessarily wrong. There was a lot of fancy things Nagisa couldn’t do but in terms of stuff like taijutsu, shurikenjutsu and stealth, the ‘basics’ she had always figured she was pretty good. But clearly there was still room for refinement even in her strong areas.

A shuriken flashed through the air and embedded itself in a wooden target with a satisfying thunk. From appearing in her hand, to flying through the air, to hitting the target, all of this had occurred in a mere instant. How much time could Nagisa shave off that instant? Ten percent? Twenty? Fifty? Was it possible to throw fast enough that no one could catch it?

Thunk. Another shuriken hit the target.

As Nagisa continued hitting the target, suddenly it rained shuriken which the target from various angles.

“You know, it’s amazing to me how many ninja stop practicing shuriken jutsu. Heh, they get so arrogant on knowing the basics they start to suck at it. Might want to try curving your wrist more. Puts more power in it. Unless you are going for speed, then use your fingers more. Or if you want a barrage, you’re going to have to give up both, you find a spread then hit the center of the spread.”

An old woman stood next to her, but by the woman’s voice, it was easy to guess who it was. It sounded like a man right now.

“What’s up kiddo? I mean, not like any of us are doing well, but, well, you don’t look it either..”

“Dying cause you screwed up something basic would be pretty lame,” Nagisa said without turning away from the target. She kept up her throwing, alternating between emphasizing her fingers and her wrists so that the dull thunk of metal on wood formed a slow drumbeat to their conversation.

For a while that was the only sound. Nagisa was reluctant to start talking, partly because she was annoyed at herself for not picking up on Nobushige’s presence before he started talking and partly because she wasn’t exactly sure how to answer him.

*Thunk

“I thought I would feel different,” she said finally.

*Thunk

“After risking my life and fighting someone who could definitely have killed me if I messed up I expected some kind of revelation about myself or what I should do. Or maybe worst case scenario I would get nightmares and stuff and realise I’m not cut out for this at all.”

*Thunk

“But I feel exactly the same as I did before. It’s almost like all that stuff happened to a different person and I just heard about it. She’s the one who got the revelation, everything was so clear and simple for her and I’m just me still.”

*Thunk

“I spent so much time and effort preparing for that exact moment and now it belongs to someone else."

*Thunk

“I hate the thought of going back out there, of taking another mission and having the same thing happen, having those moments I trained for snatched away.”

*Thunk

“But the thought of staying here and being this me forever is worse,”

*Thwish

Nagisa froze with her hand outstretched as her shuriken whizzed past the target, disappearing into bushes further back.

“Heh. I’ve read your profile kid. You’ve already seen a fair bit of action the other two haven’t yet. This was a wake up call for them. For you it was Wednesday. There’s one thing you’re probably forgetting. You aren’t becoming some legend or something. You’re just still you. Trust me, next mission, you’ll still be you. You can try to dull it, but whatever you do, it’s not going to change. Problem is ninjas suck at being tools. Some of the strongest ones out there are still emotional basketcases you wouldn’t take serious if you you knew them well. Take the Hokage. You could say he’s the strongest ninja in the entire village. You could also say he’s a hilariously overprotective Dad, and showing up at his compound in the wee hours is a bad idea… Okay, maybe a bad example.”

The old woman poofed back into Nobushige, sighing. He was sucking at giving examples. Screw it, he’d stick to what he was good at. Suddenly he pulled out a kunai, and held it to Nagisa’s throat, releasing a massive amount of killing intent. He wanted to see how she reacted. Was her feeling the same as the mission? Or was she scared now? Would she get violent?

“Alright, I suck at talking lessons. Object lesson, why did you survive, ‘other Nagisa’? You can hit the board later.”

“...Not funny,” Nagisa said, her heart hammering in her chest, her eyes, though Nobushige couldn't see them, were wide as plates.

Huh? when did I…

Nagisa’s arm was extended backwards towards Nobushige a straight blade extending out from her bandages ran past the inside of the jonin’s leg, its edge resting lightly on the cloth of his pants just above a prominent artery.

“We were able to avoid a lot of the fighting, when we did have to fight, we ran into someone who was weak enough for us to handle for a while but not weak enough that they decided to go for reinforcements instead of taking us on alone. By the time sounds of our fight alerted more enemies they were already in full retreat.”

Nagisa’s blade retracted with a soft hiss and her arm fell to her side as she closed her eyes.

“Basically we got incredibly lucky,”

Nobushige showed actual surprise at the blade, though he didn’t move away from it.

“Huh, ‘other Nagisa’ talks alot like you do. Geez, after a harrowing experience, here you are training at the basics. Seems to me your revelations is exactly what you should be doing. Also seems to me you aren’t an idiot. Which make sense. Its not like pure luck will help you any against a jonin. I hate fighters, I truly do, but when of that calibur shows up, I find luck has little to do with it. I’ll admit, I don't’ really have a report or anything on what went down. Ayame’s got enough on her plate, and I haven’t bothered asking you three for an answer, but, I know this. You snuck past the entire enemy main camp, rescued upwards of about 30 medic nin, and held off a jonin. Lucky my ass. If you’re worried about not finding anything world breaking, news flash, I’ve been in lots and lots of situations like that. I’m still the same ‘fun-loving’ guy I’ve always been. Tsubaki’s still the same teammate as back then. Hell, if anything her shuriken jutsu’s gotten worse. And the Hokage’s still the same man he was. So if you are the same woman you’ve always been, not shocking. Hell, if it makes you feel better, I hereby call you a chunin. Not like the village is running enough to call anyone anything anyways. Do you feel any different now than you did five seconds ago?”

“I… not really?” Nagisa lapsed into silence, processing Nobushige’s words and fighting off the strange, warm sensation that was rising in her chest. Did people really stay the same more than they changed? Nagisa didn’t really know the Hokage, or whoever Tsubaki was, but she tried to picture a younger Nobushige. In her mind’s eye he was exactly the same, same grey hair, same sly, lazy expression, still wrapped up like a mummy, all of that just shorter. Nobushige was one of those people that seemed like they had been born old and jaded, bursting out of the womb complaining about the younger generation these days.

Nagisa couldn’t help it, she let out a short, sudden laugh that was lighter and higher than her normal voice. “Sometimes you remind me of this guy I used to know,” she said, struggling to keep a smile from twisting up the corners of her mouth. “He was an annoying old man but from time to time he said stuff that made sense to me,”
​

Ganryu

 

[Kimiwriter]

Sei Teshima Squad 5

Sei sat in the ruins of her greenhouse. The Teshima compound was on the edge of the village so it hadn’t been damaged like many of the larger clan homes, but the shock waves and debris had shattered all of the glass panels, leaving sharp glass shards scattered over the plants. The more delicate plants were ruined. She’d have to get some new seedlings. The rest were doing alright. There was enough that she could make painkillers and medicines for her family to use, but it wouldn’t be enough to help everyone who’d been injured.

They didn’t really talk about it. The attack. Sei’d been lucky. An uncle and two cousins had died during the hospital attack but her mother had been on a house call. Her father had tried to help get the injured out of the streets and was hit by an explosion. He wasn’t doing so well. It was so strange. She knew civilians were often the casualties of war, but she never thought it could touch her like this.

Her grandmother had ordered the funerals to be private and quiet, all held shortly after the attack. Mourning the dead would not help the injured, she’d reminded everyone. So within just a few days, the entire clan was back to work, providing whatever medical attention they could to whoever they could. With most of their supplies gone, it was not an easy task.

“Sei?”

Quickly wiping her tears from her eyes, Sei went back to work harvesting what she could for the medicines.

Her grandmother stepped through the frame and stood on the stones that had made up the pathway through the greenhouse. “Sei, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Sei bent her head down over her work. “There’s a basket on the table with some white willow bark. I’ll be done with the hemlock soon.”

Her grandmother knelt beside her.

Sei turned away and carefully brushed the potting soil into a large basin. “Has Aunt Den been able to get the Cone Snails gathered up?”

“Yes. We’re having them processed now.” She put an arm around her granddaughter. “Sweet heart, if you need to talk about what happened. . .”

“I don’t. I’m fine,” she lied. She looked down at her hands. Every time she tried to sleep she saw it again. All of the bodies in the streets; her friends fighting a swordsman who always seemed to grow to an impossible size during the fight, and all she could do was watch. It wasn’t something she could share with her grandmother. She didn’t need another voice telling her to give up being a ninja after everything that happened.

“Well . . . if you decide you’re ready to talk . . .” Her grandmother gave her shoulder a reassuring pat standing. She went to the table and left with the basket.

Once she was back in the house, Sei pulled off her gloves and sat back, covering her mouth while she shook and cried. She couldn’t let anyone know. She couldn’t let them see her break like this.

A quiet rustle from one of the ruined yews warned her of Kuro’s presence. The little snake made his way down the plant and across the stones to her side. He stared up at her with unblinking eyes.

“Go ahead. Say it.” Sei wiped at her eyes again. “I’m too soft and too weak. Everyone else was fighting and all I could do was hide and throw a few knives at him. A gnat would have been better support. I couldn’t even get him with my genjutsu. Just completely useless!”

Kuro remained silent.

“And don’t give me that ‘you’re a genin and he was a jounin’ crap. I should have been able to do something. Yukari was fighting and all I could think of was how to get us out of there. I just . . . I can’t go through that again.”

There was a long moment of silence before Kuro finally spoke. “He wasn’t just a jounin. He was one of the swordsmen. That is a level above what most shinobi can handle; no one can blame you for not being to face him head on.” He lifted his head so he could look up at her. “The question is, what are you going to do now that you’ve seen exactly what you might face as a shinobi?”

Now it was Sei’s turn to be silent. She looked up at her house. The life as a doctor was comfortable but they were fools if they thought they were safe. The attack proved that. She didn’t want to be the civilian praying someone didn’t decide to destroy her house because the shinobi were going to war. Swallowing hard, she shoved her hands back into her work gloves. “After I finish up here, we’re going to the training grounds. And we’re stopping by the post office on the way.”

“Posst office?”

“I need to order some new plants. Have you ever heard of the Suicide Tree?”

Kuro flicked his tongue. “A bit aggressive for you, don’t you think?” It was hard to tell if he was pleased or worried.

“Those Mist ninja attacked my home and hurt my family. I’m not letting that happen again.”

 

[Ganryu]

Mai Sanada - Squad Six
The Sound of Silence​

A gutteral growl was heard near the forest atop the Hokage Monument. Sitting collapsed on the ground was none other than the Leaf's Devil, Mai Sanada. Infront of her was a training post that had long since been destroyed. It was more of a stick in the ground. Mai flickered, fading to shadow. Reappearing front of it, she barely stopped inches infront of it. She looked at her fist, and screamed.

"Any more than this, and I start destroying myself. But I can't sit around and be a pansy... Especially not if I'm going to show them... I'm not stopping, I ain't gunna cry! I am Mai of the Sanada clan, and damnit, my name means something."

Mai's fist hovered closer, and then they stopped.

"Both of them...."

Tears again started to form, but Mai wiped them aside.

"What the hell am I suppose to doooo!?"

"Well, you could try listening."

Mai did a double take looking behind her. Her father, Yukishide Sanada, stood watching her.

"Is there any news abou-"

"No."

Mai hung her head.

"Well, it'll all work out. I-I'm sure it will. But your missing something there my little dance*. You want to get stronger, right?"
(*what Mai means)

"Well, freakin' duh. No one else seems to want to. They keep laughing at me! They punch me, make fun of my goals... But I'm not stopping! None of them are going to stop me!"

"Then stop screwing around."

Mai stood trembling for a second, before fading to black. She threw a punch as hard as she could at her father. He feigned interest, catching it with a palm.

"See, that right there? That's screwing around. It's a weak punch. You're right handed. Punch me for real."

Mai snarled, but didn't make a move. Her father twisted her hand back, making her yelp.

"Come on, you want to hit me, do it!"

"I can't!"

He threw her hand to the side, and stood there looking at her.

"Didn't you say you were going to stop the Mist from doing any more damage? Come on, you have to at least be stronger than me if you want to do that. I know you can do that. You've got a fire in you. Punch me. Hit me as hard as you can. I can take it. Well, at least better than those posts."

Mai screamed and again went to punch her father with a left hook. He dodged easily. Mai started to crouch below him. He pressed his foot against her knee, preventing it from moving.

"Not yet. I said punch me. Besides, I thought you said that wasn't complete yet."

"Is too!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, by all means."

He released her, stepping back. Mai charged upwards in a massive bicycle kick. Dodging to the side, he watched her stumble in the air, and lose her balance, landing on her back.

"Why can't I get one freakin' taijutsu move right! I'm trying as bloody hard as I can! I work day in and day out, and I can't even win against Hideki!"

Her father watched her and sighed.

"Well, duh, that one's easy. It's the same reason you can't punch me with your right hand."

"You know I hurt it!"

"Yeah, and your mother's a doctor. You should be able to move it by now. Mai, you're strong. You just have to admit when you have a weakness."

"Damnit, I don't HAVE a weakness! HARD WORK WILL OVERCOME ALL OF THEM!"

She swung again at him with a left hook, which was also dodged. As was the next flurry of hooks and kicks. A missed kick dented a tree, causing Mai to flinch in pain.

"Mai, punch.me.with.your.right.hand."

Mai collapsed on the ground instead. It seemed the more reassuring option. Her father waited. Mai pushed herself up.

"Why do you care so much? I've been fine without it."

Her father didn't say anything. He just waited. Mai finally gave up, and took a deep breath, trying to focus to squeeze her right hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to sock you with a right hook like you said! Its hard, give me a second."

"No, I didn't say take your time. Hit me, Mai."

"I CAN'T!"

Her father started a series of handsigns. Flames started to wreath his hand.

"You have ten seconds."

"T-that's my jutsu!"

"Nope. Five."

Mai panicked, backing up as fast as she could. Her father faded to black. Mai knew what was coming, and suddenly saw his flicker on her right side. In a panic, Mai punched as hard as she could with her right hand, knocking him out of it, and sending him sprawling on the ground.

"Good job."

Mai look at her hand, and shook it.

"W-what?"

Standing up, her father cracked his neck, flinching.

"Ugh, just wish someone hadn't taught you how to hit that hard. Maybe I should have let your mother train you instead."

Mai was still shaking her hand, in a bit of disbelief.

"Aren't you always complaining her paralysis jutsu is no fun?"

"Yep, sure am. Don't know what we'd do without it. Clan head forbid us sparring one with another without it and her. Can you believe that? A whole clan stopped, just by your mother's sickness."

"Sickness? She hasn't woken up yet!"

Her father took a deep breath. "I know... But she, in her own way, is probably the strongest of any of us. I don't think that is enough to keep her down. Anyways, I can only leave her to the med nin and to the Gods. I'm here for you right now Mai. Why do you think I said you were screwing around?"

"I-I don't know? I was training! Minding my own business."

"Uh-huh. And you didn't use your right hand at all."

"I ca-couldn't."

"Uh-huh. You know why you couldn't? Your mother said it would have healed by now. So why couldn't you?"

"Cause it hurt!"

"Didn't say it wouldn't hurt. Why couldn't you use it?"

"I dunno. Nerve thingies? I ain't a med nin."

"Uh-huh. How about this? You wanted to prove you were strong enough you didn't need to admit you'd made a mistake. You wanted to be stronger only with your left hand, because then, even if you had done a mistake, you could say you were right. You could only punch me when it was to protect your pride about your own jutsu. By the way, never did figure it out, just did some lighting effects to make you think I did."

"I wasn't- "

Her father faded to black again, before flicking her in the head, sending her back a good foot.

"You want to be strong, right, Mai?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, then this is why I said you were screwing around. You weren't listening to your body. Your punches could be alot better. That kick of yours, if you listened to yourself, you'd be able to land."

"But I am-"

Another flick occurred.

"You want to be strong, right?"

A milder "uh-huh" sounded.

"Then how about this. Stop training like this for a week."

"But-"

Another flick.

"If you don't want to listen to your sensei, that's fine, I heard about it. But you'll at least listen to me. Come on Mai. I'm going to show you how you're going to train. Plus Nohime will sleep much better knowing you aren't hurting yourself doing it."

Mai sighed, and followed disparaged along, holding the bruise on her head. Granted, she eyed a larger one on her father's jaw. She smiled remembering the bigger one she'd left when she'd become a genin.... Was she weaker than she was graduating right now!? Mai followed much faster. It seemed to take forever climbing down the mountain, and into the Sanada quarry. Down a mineshaft they went, and the light was starting to get dark. She could hear running water in the distance.

"Where are we?"

"Well, a secret Sanada training area. Most members of the clan don't know about it. Also, tell anyone about it, it might lead to extreme punishment."

Mai tried looking around, but could hardly see anything. She did finally make out the sound of the roaring water. A large waterfall.

"Okay, so what's my training? Running up a waterfall?"

"Uh-uh. You're not going to like it."

"But it'll make me stronger, right? Bring it on!"

"Alright. Sit down, listen."

Mai looked dumbfounded. Grumbling, she sat atop a rock, and closed her eyes, though in a huff.

"Okay, what am I listening for?"

"Mai, it's been 15 seconds. Just do what I say, okay? Listen."

Mai grumbled, but did as she was asked. She wasn't sure what for. There was loud water. That was it. 10 minutes later, that was still it.

"Damnit, what am I suppose to be listening for!? I'm suppose to be getting stronger! Its just to keep me out of trouble, isn't it? This isn't even a secret area is it? There's nothing here! This is bullshit!"

Mai felt a punch to her gut, sending her across the room.

"I try not to hit my daughter too hard, but, well, for starters, you could listen to me coming at you. You could listen to your heartbeat. How fast is it? How can you calm it? You could listen to the other nine people in here training. Mai. When you can hear your own body, you'll be stronger. I promise you that. I'm going to go check on your mother. When I come back, I want a better report. What do you hear?"

Mai rubbed her stomach. Listen? How was she suppose to do that? And there were other people here? How was she suppose to tell? Still... Mai hated to be outdone.

She assumed the position one more time, and just listened. At first it was just loud water, but as Mai paid attention, she noticed her own heartbeat. She fistbumped the small victory, and went back to concentrating. Her breathing was next. As she listened harder, she noticed it calm, more, and more. She still couldn't hear the other nine people in the cave though.

An hour passed before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She'd actually heard the footsteps a step or two before.

"I knew I could believe in you Mai. You want to become some hero, go right on ahead."

 

[KageYuuki]

Hideki Ukita: Squad 6
Takara Himura
A young man stood over a stove, spatula in hand as he focused on his cooking, the sizzling sounds of the egg and bacon upon the frying pans echoed throughout the kitchen like a siren call of breakfast.

“Takara likes it with rice… Runny… Easy, I guess.” he flipped his own eggs as he kept an eye on the rice steamer. “Sunnyside down, rice coming along. Bacon is…” he sniffed the air. “...Getting crispy, still a bit soft.” he took off some for himself, letting the others cook just a bit more.

He wasn’t certain how much he should make himself, but considering their recent breakfasts have been.. Generous… he was going with what he had seen so far. Guess she had to eat a lot in the morning to keep up with her needs, considering techniques and what he imagined to be whatever she does to get the abs…

…

He tried getting that from his mind as he began preparing the plates and the food, pretty spartan as breakfasts go, but he was proud that he didn’t mess up. Or in the very least burn the place down.

It had been rather easy to transition to Takara’s place, though… He did have the occasional surprise some days when apparently she forgot he was here… he will admit to being a rather quiet tenant, but…

….

He placed the plates and cutlery down, hell even using that weird egg holder thingie that he found in the top shelf, unused, unloved.

“Is she still sleeping?’ He wondered, looking up from the table and down the hall.

“Seems you’ve been pretty busy this morning,” Takara offered a slight smile, sleep still lingering in her eyes. “Can’t believe I slept in so late… I guess Lady Ayame wasn’t kidding… should probably take her own advice though.” It was probably still strange, seeing the Jounin in anything outside of her shinobi gear. A simple t-shirt and shorts, nothing fancy but good for those precious few hours off work.

Ah, good, clothes this time, the young man throat as he sat down. “I said I’d make breakfast today, or... Did you forget?" he asked as he tentatively picked up a fork and knife, the knife in his injured hand, but still keeping a handle on it.

“You were pretty tired when I talked to you that night, but still. It’s ready.” he motioned to the food, taking a bite out of a slice of bacon.

Heaven…

Made of pig…

Who would’ve thought?

Takara chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “I kinda remember talking to you last night, was probably more focused on actually staying upright.” She pulled out a chair and sat down, “Thank you though, it really looks good.”

The pair ate in silence for a few moments, Takara trying to wake up more than anything. ”Any plans for today?”

“Ah? Well…” he swallowed a bit of rice, rubbing away a bit that had stuck to his mouth. “Umm, not really too much. I think I’ll clean around the house here, my arm is slowly coming back to me so I want to keep moving it.” he looked at the shaking hand, moving the knife in the fingers slowly.

“...I’ve also been doing those core workouts you’ve mentioned.” he patted his stomach, feeling only slightly embarrassed. “Never thought I’d care about how I look as a ninja. Turns out having a bum arm for a bit puts training to rest mostly.” he chuckled lightly, scratching his head.

“Keeping busy isn’t really a bad thing by any means.” She took a bit of rice and egg, “Might be worthwhile to pay Aiko a visit, might do you both some good.”

“Yea, I could use some ice for my hand.” the young man chuckled, stuffing another piece of that bacon in his mouth, bacon had no business being this good.

“I’ll do that after I get the mail, if any. I’m sure she misses me by now.” his cheer was surprising if one saw his mood a few days past, but it seems living with one’s sensei is more fun than one might think… well.. For some people anyway.

The way Yukari talked about Koma… he shudders to think…

…

He should try and visit her again… Maybe after Aiko?

“You two should go have some fun, I’ve heard the arcade’s opened back up.” Takara offered, completely unaware of how poorly it had gone for them the last time around. “Anyway, I need to get going before I’m late. Breakfast was good, thank you.” With that, she left to get dressed and head out for another long day’s work.

“Alright, I’ll be heading out now too. Remember to eat this time alright? You can’t starve yourself again, no matter how much work you gotta do.” the young man began to put the plates in to be washed, feeling… Weird that he actually was saying that to his sensei…

…

What was he a maid now?

…

That.. cleaning was gonna need to come after he gets everything done… Especially figure out what that letter meant… It had been sitting in the back of his mind for awhile now, but he never acted on it until today.

Waiting for a bit of time, washing the dishes he watched as Takara left for work, after which he began to get ready himself. “Alright…. What are you up to dad..?” he examined the letter once again, it was brief, but mentioned that he should find a certain address and ask about a package?

Yea.. sure... Not vague at all.

Nonetheless, he had to see this through, he had been sitting on it for some time, so he needed to get it done now.

Slipping on his flak jacket, keeping his arm still underneath it, he set out into the city to figure out just what the hell was going on.


Looking up at the rundown building Hideki couldn’t help but feel that… Maybe he wasn’t at the right place… Well… he had to at least try right? The letter said to go down the alley next to it and enter through a side door.Totally not sketchy as all hell, was his father about to get him killed from beyond the grave?

Taking a deep breath he entered the alley, shuffling down the way, hoping to whatever god was watching that he wasn’t about to get mugged, stabbed or worse in the place… He made his way down, spotting the door he was to enter, old, rusted and much… more intimidating than it had any reason to be, the young man grasped the door’s handle and pulled it open with much more ease than he thought, as if the door had been only made to look like it was old as hell.

He pushed it aside and gazed into the darkness, taking a few steps in… and suddenly... The door slammed shut behind him on its own!

Now suddenly pressed into the darkness, the young man jumped and tried desperately to look for a light source, he patted upon his body and found in the pocket of the flak jacket was one small lighter. “..better than nothing.” he sighed, flicking on the small flame.

Not a few inches before him stood a man in a well-tailored suit, a bowler hat and a cigarette getting lit by the lit up lighter. The young man gasped, taking a step back.

“Thanks, kid, needed that.” the rough gravelly voice almost echoed through the claustrophobic dark room.

“Wh-wh-who are you!”

“Hah! It ain’t polite to ask someone’s name without giving yours kid, but I know who you are, so don’t worry about it kid. Known yea for a long time, though, haven’t seen you in awhile. Yea got your mother’s eyes, lucky boy. Hope you got her heart too. ” the man took another drag of the cigarette, most of his body hidden in the blackness of the room around him.

“You... What?” he would’ve definitely known this man had he seen him before, and he most DEFINITELY hasn’t.

“Ah, and yea don’t even remember me? Kids these days…” the man spat and began becoming hard to place in the meager light he had, it looked like he was trying to pick up something. “Your old man left something with me to give to yea, an inheritance aside from... Ya know... The place and whatever else that fool did with money and stuff. Those dogs will be coming for yea soon, so best yea get ready to sign a fuck ton of papers kiddo… lawyers.. Fucken vultures…”

Whoever this guy was, he certainly didn’t make his hatred for Lawyers subtle…

“Here kiddo, take it. You’ll handle this little lady much better than your daddy I tell yea that much.” the man turned back to him with a katana in his hand, in the light, he almost could swear the man’s fingers nails looked black and.. Clawlike.

“Go on kid, it won't bite.” he chuckled darkly, after which Hideki, hoping to get out of her faster, reached forwards, after a bit of fumbling with the lighter. After he had grasped the sword, he accidentally bumped the cap of the lighter, dousing the flame with a brief click, sending everything once again into darkness.

“Alright, see ya kid. If you need anything, come back here, prices are always fair. Unlike that damn monk, rob yea outta house and home.” the man had all but disappeared, but even in the darkness, Hideki couldn’t feel his presence any longer.

“What..? What the hell is going on-” he was interrupted again as light, burning sunlight came through the doorway once again as it opened. With more haste than he meant to truly give, he practically leapt out into the alleyway, the door closing behind him once more with a dull thud.

Panting heavily, prizes in hands he looked around himself and towards the evening sky…

…

“Wait.. evening!?” he gasped looking up at the red sky, completely baffled at what just happened and who he just met!

“Damn it... Dad, what the hell?’ he asked, looking back to the sword in his hand. He began to fumbled to put away the lighter and finally get to the sword… The sheath looked well worn, weathered but still sturdy, the sword’s handle was tied with white string with a square guard.

Carefully he placed the sheath in his injured hand and pulled out the… Bladeless sword…?

He stared at the oddity, a sword without a blade…

“What kind of fucking joke is this?” He spat, sighing and putting the sword back together, not even fully sure how it stays in the sheath at all without a blade.

Nonetheless, he had to head back to Takara’s place, he guessed he should at least keep it around if it was important enough for dad to give him, maybe it had some other effect?

Exiting the alley he sighed, exhausted and feeling as if he went through hell just to get this prize his father left him.

“...Man… I’m hungry as shit..”

 

[loyalwolf]

Kurēn Kinoko:
Daze, confused and unsure​

Kuren was sitting outside enjoying the sun on his skin and keeping an eye on some of the children from his clan. Ever since the attack, his clan has been really busy trying to help rebuild, but also working overtime on harvesting medical materials. So kuren took it upon himself to watch over a bunch of the children of the clan. Especially those who lost someone during the invasion. It gave kuren time to think, which was both a good and bad thing.

Lately kuren had been bogged down with feelings of jealousy, sadness and insecurity. He’d looked at how his two teammates preformed during the battle with Akira and compared it to his performance and couldn’t help but feel inadequate compared to them. Sadly, this feeling has been building up for a while, but kuren had been trying to ignore it. The main reason is because he doesn’t understand his feeling completely. He cares for his teammate very much, so it makes him feel horrible to be envious of them but even within his own team he feels out of place and relatively useless. He felt so out of place and like he couldn't express himself or let go.

Making the situation even more complex was the fact he had no one to talk to about these feelings and his current state of mind. His grandfather had been busy dealing with political affairs and helping out in the village as much as possible. That left his mother to deal with the internal clan duties. He’d normally doesn’t see or speak to them much, but the current situation of the village had made him feel more isolated at home. Not wanting to turn to his teammates and Currently down a sensei, kuren really didn’t know who to turn to about this.

He wasn’t even sure what was the status of team 7 currently. kuren has had little contact with either Ashi or Hotaru since his recovery. He looked out at the kids playing, screaming and laughing as they chase each other in his garden. “Alright guys! Start finishing up your game. I'm going to be heading out soon and another clan member agreed to come feed you guys!” kuren heard slight groans at the fact that they had to stop playing and that kuren was leaving soon.

One of the little boy he was watching came over and sat down next to kuren. The boy stared at his face closely and it slightly made kuren uncomfortable and a bit exposed. “You know it's very rude to stare at someone.” Kuren addressed the little boy intense gaze.

“What's the matter big bother kuren? You seem sad or something?” the little boy ignored kuren reprimanding him and surprised kuren with his questions. “What are you talking about? I'm not sad or anything. I'm perfectly fine.” The boy didn’t look convinced, but ran out to finish up playing with the rest of the kids. At that moment an elder clan member came by to take over watching the kids.

Kuren gathered his belongs and left the compound. He had planned to go visit the make shift medical area to deliver some more medical supplies and then looked around the village to see if he could help with anything. In all honestly, he just wanted a distraction from his own emotions and thoughts. So, he hoped he ran into something that would help with that.

 

[Hanarei]

Location: A short distance outside the Village
​

A harsh wind echoed through the tree lines. The sound of wood cracking could be heard as a tree came toppling down in the woods, its fall partially broken by the branches of other nearby trees being smashing into the ground. A heavily breath Ashi rested on all fours. Exhaustion seemed to fill the girl as she stood up, a bit beaten looking. A few cuts and scrapes were visible on her body, her clothing partially sliced and torn up. She got partially up, falling back onto her rear end gasping for breath.

"I'mma get this down... and show them all, specially our stupid sensei..." She spoke out loud to herself as her voice seemed to waver at the mentioning of her sensei. Her breathing was heavy, showing a bit of the exhaustion that filled her. Despite her words and the fact she was talking to herself, her tone seemed almost uncertain. Worry filled the girl's face as she turned her head up, looking out across the lush green before her. Her head turned a bit, glancing back in the direction of where the village was, a worried expression lingering on the normally fierce and resilient girl. Her mind drifted back to her own memories.

******************************************
Aftermath of the Invasion

Ashi jumped into what was left of the Inuyashi complex still partially scuffled up from her earlier encounter. A look of worry filled the girl's face as she quickly attempted to hide her expression. She clutched her hand into a fist as she passed a few members of the Inuzuka clan who were left injured. Her eyes couldn't help but glance upon those who laid likely dead on the ground as her mind simply blocked out such thoughts before they could take hold. She was looking for one person... someone she cared about immensely.

"My little Tsukiashi, you are alright! Thank goodness!" A rather soothing voice reached Ashi's ears as her head perked up in response. She turned to face the woman as she approached. Her long brown hair fell flowed behind her a bit ruffled though overall well kept. She appeared to be somewhere in her early to mid 30s. She was a somewhat short woman with a bit more pronounced curve to her frame being in quite decent shape. Even from a quick glance the Genin could tell she was limping. Her left arm was tattered and blood, covered by a bandage as she seemed to avoid moving it until it came to giving Ashi a tight hug. It was her mother Asami.

Ashi looked on, a light blush on her cheeks, her eyes looked as if they were about to burst into tears. She blinked quickly fighting off such a reaction simply glowing light red in response. Ashi had been worried about her mother despite her attempts to act otherwise. Her mother had been a Shinobi, having obtained the rank of Chuunin during her time. It was in large part Ashi's birth that ended up causing her to put down such a job and focusing on more supportive roles for her clan. She could tell her mother had fought, both the injuries as well as her old tool belt resting around her waist. It wasn't likely she could do much without a Ninken like most of the fighting force of her clan.

"Well duh I'm alright, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself just fine! What happened? Wh... where are the brats?" She spoke out a bit defiantly, pulling away from the hug as if coming to realize how 'soft' she was coming off in her worry about her family. The brats to Ashi was her way of refering to her two younger half brothers. She couldn't help but glance about looking more at the destruction left behind by the attackers. Everything looked devastated, the attack having served to cause as much damage as was possible to the clans.

"Joben and Sadao are safe with your father." She responded back. Ashi's expression showed a sense of relief, seeming to dismiss her mother calling her step-father her 'father for the moment. "The pups though... i did my best... though I'm rusty... and without Koga by myself I couldn't do much of anything... they took the pups..." She spoke seeming rather straightened, cringing a bit as it seemed as if the pain in her arm intensified as she clutched at it. A look of distress filled her face. While she had retired as a Shinobi, Asami remained as one of the caretakers of the little ones.

Ashi looked on in temporary horror, before turning her head in defiance. "I... I don't c... care about them. I'm... I'm going to go check on the brats and that guy..." She spoke as her hand shook a little bit clutching her arm acting as resilient as she could. She turned and dropped down to all fours. Ashi took off, dashed off heading towards where the shelter was suppose to be. She had to check on her bothers as much as she pretended to dislike them she was worried about them as their older sister. A look of uneasy filled the normally fierce Ashi's face as she traveled forward.

*******************************************
Present Day

Ashi shook her head, slowly standing up. Her body ached as she cringed a bit, touching her hand to a particularly harsh cut on her arm. She shook her head, her hair a bit more ruffled up then usual. "I don't care about any of that!" She spoke out as if to try and convince herself of such a thing as she went back to training, stretching her aching body out as she continued to push herself further. She wouldn't allow anyone to attack the village like they did or to take the pups. She would show them the next time she faced up against those fiends!

 

[AtlannianSpy]

Hotaru Hagano
&
Ago Aburame

Family Matters
​

In loving memory of Kaito Aburame​

​

He died in the shadows so that we can live in the light

This inscription decorated a simple, polished stone marker in the middle of a small cemetery, the greenery all around was carefully tended but quietly alive, very little that the Aburame clan held sway over was completely devoid of their little friends.

“I guess it’s been awhile since I was here,” Hotaru said quietly settling down next the head stone with her legs crossed, a small satchel in her lap. “You understand right, Dad? It’s sort of awkward to come out and I don’t really think there’s much to this sort of thing. Even if there’s something other than bones left of you, I don’t see why you couldn’t hear me at home or anywhere else for that matter,”

Hotaru opened her satchel and leaned over to place some flowers by the headstone before continuing.

“But lots of things have happened since then so it felt appropriate to give you an update. Maybe I just want someone to listen to me, Mom still isn’t back yet so…:

Hotaru leaned back on her palms, looking up at the lightly clouded sky. “Let’s see what happened… I became a genin! My teammates and sensei are really interesting! Makorama Sensei’s definitely a bit crazy though. Did you know any Senju? I wonder if they’re all like that or just him? Kuren thinks too much and Tsukiashi thinks too little but I think we’re a good team. We had one mission which went well and then, uh…”

The smile Hotaru had been wearing faded. “Well the village got attacked by the Kirigakure. I think a lot of people died but I did my best to do the right thing. I got Mom out of the village safely and me and my team evacuated a bunch of other civilians. We sorta got our butts kicked after that though eheh,”

Hotaru rubbed the back of her neck and paused to gather her thoughts.

“That was… frustrating but I guess I can learn from it. Do I… do I seem like I’m going in the right direction? I’m not sure what you had in mind for my future and Mom doesn’t like to talk about you that much. I can tell she thinks about you though, I’m sure she’d have visited by now but she’s too stubborn to patch things up with the clan elders so they won’t let her. You know how she is. Umm in saying that though I’m not much better, I sort of snuck in here. If anyone else comes by you won’t tell ‘em right?”

A short giggle came from abit behind the young lady, it appears she was indeed found out. “I’m certain he won't tell a soul Mothball.” the woman giggled abit more, coming out into view. “So, snuck in here eh? Can’t blame you for all thats gone on.” The woman was indeed the proctor of the first test, Ago Aburame. Well, at least what was left of her, the limp left sleeve of her jacket drooped emptily against her side, but her smile was not broken, though she did look like she also needed a new pair of sunglasses, judging from the crack in the leftmost lens.

“Eavesdropping, Beetlejuice?” Asked Hotaru, craning her neck backwards to flash an upside down smile at Ago “Not that I can blame you after everything that’s gone on,” Hotaru sprang upwards and brushed the grass from her shorts. “How is everyone by the way? I heard the major clans got hit pretty badly,”

“Ah yea know, could be better, could be worse.” she shrugged, well, half shrugged, and walked over to the young lady. “We we’re hit to badly, just monetary stuff stolen, considering our techniques are not exactly… easy to replicate we don’t think we were high on the list.” she placed her one hand upon her hip, looking down to the smaller woman with a smile. “But you missy moo, I heard you did some fine work during that little village wide skirmish hmm?

Enough that you pretty much have your promotion anyways. Glad to hear you evolved from newbie to journeyman, all while still being as cute as a bug in a rug.” her arm suddenly lashed out and pinched Hotaru’s cheek playfully.

“Nyargh,” Hotaru struggled feebly against Ago and eventually wriggled out of her grasp, shielding her cheeks with her hands. “You know the aesthetic I’m going for is outwardly cute but quietly unsettling right? The second part is really important.”

Hotaru joked and then sighed, thinking back on the events of the invasion. “I guess we did okay, until we actually had to fight. Hey, do you know anything about a bone manipulating jutsu? A kekkei genkai probably,”

“Other than the fact it's super creepy? Not very much kiddo.” she gave a slight shrug once again, before adjusting her sunglasses, causing them to sheen in the light, as they are wont to do. “That said, most definitely a kekkei genkai, sounds like something you’d have to be born into doing, and can’t exactly steal…

Much like some little beetles we know and love.. And I guess moths in your case.” she watched one of the tiny little black shelled nibblers crawl up and down her fingers. “How have your moths been hmm? Are they developing well?”

“Figures it wouldn’t be that easy,” grumbled Hotaru before brightening as one of her favourite topics was introduced. “Not so great at the moment actually. I lost most of my breeding population during the attack and had to replace them with wild specimens. Which means longer training times and some of the useful traits I was selecting for. I discovered this useful, flesh tearing instinct about thirty generations ago and was working on spreading it through the entire population. Completely wiped out now and I haven’t found anything comparable in the wild.” Hotaru held up her hands and shrugged

“But on the bright side Mom thought to bring back some specimens from the area she evacuated to so maybe there’ll be something useful in there, at minimum it should help with disease immunity. What about your beetles? Or can’t you say?”

“Mmm going well enough, I use quite a few of my drones in trying to keep the children safe… Though they did a good job as well keeping me from bleeding out. I doubt you could do so with your moths but those little nippers can certainly keep a vein closed.” she rubbed the area where her arm once lay, a much larger beetle than the rest skittering about on the back of her palm, it’s sizable mandibles opening and closing as it wandered about.

“...Actually… that gives me an idea… Since you’re rebuilding your population already. I’ve used some interesting little mixes in my new batches of beetles to make these babies. Drones, though they can’t breed on their own they are quite good at snapping at more than just chakra if you get me.” One might think she winked at Hotaru here.. If.. Hotaru could see the woman’s eyes.

“If you willing to give up a few of your little squishy friend’s ability to propagate… Perhaps you could have a few of your own? Of course, you’d have to be careful about your population, and since they are bigger.. Well.. You can guess the details.” she rummaged around in a pocket and took out a small bottle filled with a red dust.

“It’ll be a process getting it to work… And it tastes pretty damn terrible… But it should be able to propagate a few if you want it.” she eyed the small vial in her hand. “...And I mean it, it REALLY tastes terrible.” she wrapped a piece of paper, likely the recipe, around the vial as well.

“Like imagine really bitter medicine but then make it have a wet dog aftertaste.”

“Mmm, yep, pretty nasty” said Hotaru wrinkling her face. Her rabid curiosity had already seen her work the bottle open to take an experimental sniff, after that it seemed her caution had stopped her just short of actually tasting it.

“I can really have this?” Hotaru asked eagerly, her eyes shining. This was to some degree a purely academic question, Hotaru had already unfurled the recipe and burned it into her memory. “I always maintain a larger breeding population outside of the moths I take into combat, even before the attack we had some close calls... So once I build back up to my usual numbers it’ll be fairly easy to integrate… Larger moths could carry more larvae as well… Or act as screens…” Hotaru trailed off with a distant expression as she began calculating the possibilities.

“I.. I gotta go run some tests!” Hotaru said urgently, fidgeting and then suddenly lunging forward to hug Ago tightly around the waist. “Thanks and bye! And bye Dad! Take care of each other!”

“Good luck Hotaru, remember not to use too much of the stuff.” she patted the younger woman’s head gently, relishing in just how cute she was. Reminded her of her students actually, so eager to learn… When they want to at least…

“Alright, best you make trails, can’t tell when somebody will find you here.”

“Mmm!” Hotaru said, waving over her shoulder as she left for the gap in the fence she had worked her way in through. “Don’t worry, I’m a genius remember?”

Orikanyo​

 

[AtlannianSpy]

Nagisa Kanazawa
&
Yuuki Uchiha

House Call​

Nagisa usually didn’t come to this side of town. It was more upmarket, with nice houses and the compounds of some of the bigger clans, to Nagisa it was kind of stuffy and irritating. Or at least it had been. Those very same clans had obviously had big targets painted on them during the attack, they were all in various states of disrepair and the nice houses around them hadn’t fared much better. Nagisa felt bad for them on an intellectual level but some dormant, criminal instinct in her cheered at the site of fancy properties with their windows smashed in.

Maybe this was a bad idea… Nagisa amused as she neared her destination, the Uchiha clan compound. Suddenly she rounded a corner and came face to face with her goal, letting out a soft whistle as she did so. There was ‘damaged during the attack’ then there was this, it looked like the Mist had made a pretty concerted effort at wiping the compound completely off the map. There wasn’t much left except some rubble and some burned out remains, most of the clan seemed to be living out of hastily assembled shelters and tents.

“Uhh I’m looking for Yuuki,” Nagisa said, approaching a nearby adult who was positioned in the right area to be a guard of some sort, keeping her expression carefully neutral. “He around?”

The Uchiha studied her for a moment before pointing out the best place to look. Not that the boy would be too hard to find, one of the youngest survivors in the clan. Yuuki sat huddled under one of the numerous makeshift shelters poking at a small fire, a worn book on his lap.

“Not that I care or anything, but if you spend all day inside reading you’ll start growing mold.” Nagisa said from the entrance to the shelter, her arms folded over her chest. “I need to test something and Katsumi blows with tools so you don’t get a say in it anyway,”

Crimson eyes looked up at her in annoyance, “Not a lot of training options when trying to cook.” Yuuki used the kunai he’d pointed at her to gesture to a small pot of water that had only just started to boil. “Fine, so what’s this thing you want to try?”

“We’ll get something on the way,” said Nagisa impatiently, gesturing for Yuuki to follow and turning around. “I designed some new tools based on our fight with that Mist douchebag, I wanna see how well they work in somebody else’s hands and against moving targets.

As the pair of them passed out of the Uchiha compound and onto the streets Nagisa tapped the seal on the palm of her hand and summoned something into her hand, tossing it gently over her shoulder to Yuuki.

“It kind of pisses me off when someone catches my shuriken.” Nagisa explained as they walked “Those things aren’t free right? I didn’t buy ‘em to give out as presents. So this is supposed to be a shuriken that’s impossible to catch or at least significantly harder.”

If Yuuki were to study the shuriken he’d been given he would find a fairly conventional, three bladed design with a few subtle changes. There was a notch near the base of one side of each blade with a small pipe running from an opening at the notch to the center of the shuriken. There were also three similar pipes running up the center of the blades so that there were six openings in total. Like all shuriken this one had a hole in the center, the walls of which had three buttons built into it.

“Also be careful with that, they ignite pretty easily,” Nagisa said offhandedly.

Rolling his eyes, Yuuki set his book aside and doused the small fire with the pot of water. He let his eyes return to their usual dark brown as they started to walk, the boy making an effort not to look around at the surrounding damage. ”So you actually make weapons?” He mused as they walked. It made sense, considering her arm and all. Yuuki remembered the one time he’d actually tried to help the clan’s blacksmith and had tried to make a kunai. He still insists that it would have turned out better if Sumaru had actually helped.

Probably for the best that poor excuse for a blade was lost in the attack…

Yuuki caught the tossed shuriken, turning it over in his hands as he studied it. “At least it wasn’t a fuuma shuriken… damn things are expensive.” He said despite having found plans for one that was rigged to blow apart mid flight. The young Uchiha had to pause a moment at his teammate’s last comment, “Uh… come again?”

“I make some weapons,” shrugged Nagisa. “It’s not really worth the time to make my own kunai or whatever but if I want something unusual I make it, if you want something done right and all that,” Nagisa looked back over her shoulder at Yuuki’s more apprehensive question and sighed like a teacher explaining something to a slow child. “I said they ignite easily. When you push down on one of those buttons in the middle it’ll spark the reservoir of blasting powder inside, they need a very sensitive pull so that they can be activated without affecting their flight path. Don’t worry though there isn’t actually that much powder in them. You’re not likely to do more than burn your fingers a little and lose my shuriken.” Nagisa reassured Yuuki, sounding very much as though the second of those consequences was the one she was most concerned about.

"The idea is that you throw them with wire or chakra threads attached and then ignite them mid flight, the explosives vent out of those little openings and speed up the shuriken’s velocity and rotation speed. At that point you can even selectively control the vents with those three switches to steer it around or make it sharply change directions. At least… theoretically, I’m still getting the hang of that part.”

“Huh, neat…” Yuuki mused, pocketing the shuriken for the time being. “Bet these would be good for tying someone up, wouldn’t have to wrap around a tree first or anything. Once steering’s figured out anyway.” Probably a good reason to use them with wire strings. Though chakra threads… explained the glowing strings he’d seen Nagisa use that day and the glowing lines coiling around her one arm. On the other hand, the technique probably didn’t require nearly as much set up to use.

"I guess so," Mused Nagisa thoughtfully, who had conceived of the shuriken as more direct weapons. "Easiest way to do it would be to attach two together with wire beforehand, make a sort of bolas," Nagisa started to drift off in thought but then seemed to refocus herself as the pair of them passed a nearby foodstand, a tempting, savory odor wafting by. Since many of the more permanent stores had been damaged or completely destroyed during the attack hastily assembled foodstands had started popping up to meet the demand for quick and easy meals. Often run by the owners of the older restaurants using whatever equipment they could haul out of their original premises the stalls certainly gave the streets a lively atmosphere with the crowds of hungry workers and volunteers they attracted, even if they weren't aesthetically the most pleasing.

"One sec," said Nagisa, before tensing and then disappearing with a body flicker technique, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. When Nagisa returned she was holding two sticks of something deepfried, what exactly they were underneath the batter was difficult to say but they certainly smelled tasty.

Wordlessly Nagisa held one out to Yuuki.

“Maybe, but at that point it wouldn’t be much different than regular shuriken. Well, probably faster,” Yuuki’s train of thought was broken as she flickered into the crowd, reappearing moments later. “Oh, uh… thanks,” the snack definitely smelled good, but was going to need to cool a moment. Must have just been pulled out of the oil. “So, how much do I owe ya?”

“Eh,” Nagisa waved her stick at him, partly as a dismissive gesture and partly to cool it down. “You’re helping me out with my training so forget it, think of that as your fee I guess,” Judging her own snack was now cool enough Nagisa took a careful bite and chewed thoughtfully.

“Taking the time to try and tie someone up might neutralise the point of it anyway,” she said after swallowing. “The whole idea is to catch them off guard with a sudden burst of speed. When most people try to follow a fast object, they don’t actively track it the entire time, especially in a combat environment where there’s lots of other things they need to stay aware of. Instead they watch it for a while and then rely on experience and judgement to anticipate the rest of its course. Even if the projectile stays in your field of view your brain dismisses it as a known quantity and focuses on other things that it thinks are more unpredictable or important. Of course you can train yourself not to do that, or to reorient yourself back onto the projectile as soon you notice it doing something funny but my hope is that the acceleration and sharpness of course change will be enough to give even experienced fighters trouble reacting in time,” Nagisa took another bite and frowned. “Now that I think about it, that blindspot might not to apply to you anymore. Now that you have those eyes,”

Yuuki hummed in thought, eating while Nagisa explained the train of thought that led to her creating the shuriken in the first place. It made sense, given that was likely how Han’yo had been able to snag the shuriken from the air despite being blinded. “Best test will probably be to throw them at sensei once you get the kinks worked out.” He looked back at her midbite as she mentioned the Sharingan throwing a wrench in her plans. “Mmm,” Yuuki glanced around, they were still in a fairly crowded part of town. Too many people for his liking to explain how the Uchiha’s eyes worked. “Yes and no? Can’t really explain here.”

“Fair enough,” Nagisa shrugged, “Let’s cut through here then,” she said, diverting them down a nearby alley and effortlessly hopping over an old wooden fence. Once on the other side they found themselves with a straight path through to the edge of the training grounds. “I was planning on using Nobushige but he’s such a pain in the ass to find sometimes, I was hoping I could throw ‘em at you instead. To be clear these ones are blunt, as long as you keep your jacket on you’ll be fine...probably,”

Yuuki kept up with little trouble, discarding the little wooden skewer. “No kidding. He thinks he’s easy to find too. Ass.” At finding out her actual reasoning for asking him to help, the Uchiha couldn’t help but groan. “My arms haven’t really healed from fighting that Mist bastard… Ugh, whatever.”

“Well I won’t aim for your arms!” Nagisa said, sounding a little defensive. “If you dodge well enough it won’t even be an issue,” then she took a more conciliatory tone. “If you want to try ‘em out we can switch after a while,”

By this point they were well into the training grounds and Nagisa had produced a couple of the new shuriken from the seals on her palms.

“Stand wherever,” Nagisa called, backing off to put some distance between them. “And just move naturally,”

“...isn’t the whole point for me not to be able to dodge them?” He drew a kunai, letting it spin on him finger for a moment before catching it, “But yeah, they should be neat to try out.” Assuming they don’t explode, he added mentally. “Whenever you’re ready,” Yuuki’s eyes shifted to crimson once more, bathing the world around him in various hues.

“From your perspective just focus on dodging,” Nagisa said, narrowing her eyes and sending the the shuriken spinning out. The weapon arced around Yuuki’s position then suddenly lit up, its rotation turning it into a halo of light that seemed to float in place for an instant before abruptly changing directions, making a straight line right… past Yuuki’s left side.

Nagisa’s mouth twisted, The timing was relatively easy to get the hang of but controlling the angle precisely was going to take a bit longer to master. Nagisa readied another shuriken, her expression disinviting commentary on this setback.

Yuuki’s eyes followed the shuriken closely, kunai held at the ready. She’s probably going to try and make it turn sharply on me. The fact she’d said she couldn’t yet didn’t really matter. As the shuriken lit up he felt himself tensing, ready to at least try and react to it… completely… missing him… “Eh?” He blinked a few times before looking back at Nagisa. He held his kunai in front of him, deciding it was likely best not to say anything.

The second kunai was already in the air, lighting up and accelerating to cover the remaining distance at a faster rate. This one was closer, whizzing past Yuuki close enough to for him to feel a slight breeze on his cheek.

...................................................................

And so it went for about thirty minutes or so. Nagisa quickly adjusted enough to actually force her partner into either dodging or blocking but consistency remained a problem, far too often for her liking one of the shuriken would go wide, especially with deeper angles.

Eventually Nagisa ran out and held up her hands to signal for Yuuki to relax. “Go get a drink or something while I refill these,” she called, extending chakra threads from her fingertips to pick up the weapons scattered around the training ground. “Then we can swap,”

Yuuki nodded, glad for the moment of respite. It didn’t take long to cross the training field to the shade of an intact tree. It was getting hotter out, Summer would be on them before long. “So, how do you feel about them?”

“They’ll do what I want with some more practice,” Nagisa said, with a faint trace of satisfaction. she had moved to sit cross legged under the tree and was carefully pouring silvery powder out of a flask into the openings in the shuriken. “I think they’re only going to work once on most people though. How did it feel to deal with them? Hard? Easy? Did you have trouble adjusting?”

He hummed in thought a moment, leaning back against the solid trunk. “I think I only had an easier time with them since I knew what was coming. They’d probably be even better if hidden with shadow shuriken, don’t you think?”

“Yeah that’s what I’m planning,” Nagisa nodded before lapsing for a few seconds. From the look on her face she was thinking about about something other than the work in her hands and when she spoke again she sounded a little hesitant.“Hey listen… You know how you didn’t really want to talk about your eyes back there? Well I sorta need you to keep what you saw of my arm that night to yourself the same way,”

“Makes sense, no one will know.” He glanced over at her, “Though knowing what it can do will probably help us down the road.”

Nagisa exhaled tightly and for a moment it looked like she would clam up but finally she began speaking. “It’s based on the same techniques Sunagakure puppeteers use, so I control it with chakra threads and power most of the mechanisms by channeling chakra into them. I… lost my arm as a kid and the guy who took me in taught me how to do that stuff, I think he invented the original design for the arm as well. It has a crossbow which you saw and a sword blade which you also saw but there’s also small poisoned blades in the fingertips and a chain reel in the shoulder. The individual parts can split apart and be controlled independently. Overall it’s more durable and stronger than a regular arm, well my regular arm anyway.”

Nagisa fell silent again, she was finished refilling the shuriken so she put her arms on the ground and leaned against them, looking up at the sky. “Pretty useful right?” she asked with an odd tone.

“So this is a normal thing in Suna?” Yuuki rubbed the back of his neck. He’d never really gotten to see any shinobi from that village, though given the current circumstance, he’d prefer to keep it that way for awhile still. “It probably is pretty useful, sorry you had to lose an arm for it…”

“I don’t really like thinking of it that way,” said Nagisa firmly. “I lost my arm then got over it. Then later I got this one, that was progress from where I was at that time, not me getting back to how I used to be. I don’t wanna be… I’m NOT gonna be the girl with the fake arm. I’m me and this thing is just one more tool in my arsenal. Most don’t get that or can’t be bothered to understand it so I don’t bother telling them. It’s none of their business anyway,”

Abruptly Nagisa stood up, stretching out her natural arm. “I dunno why I bothered saying all that crap. We’re wasting time, let’s get back into it,”

A low chuckle left Yuuki’s lips, “guess it’s not too different from not wanting to only be seen as another Uchiha.” He murmured before standing as well, brushing some of the dust off himself. “Let’s just get back to work I guess.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of sweat and flying metal. Nagisa couldn’t speak for Yuuki but she was satisfied with the progress she’d made over the course of the session. Satisfied that her new weapon was more than a gimmick and satisfied that she had come to some kind of understanding with her teammate. This was a start at least.

KageYuuki

 

[KageYuuki]

Nobushige Toyotomi
Tsubaki Uchiha
Sitting in the tree line above the training field, Nobushige was comfortably spread out, a bottle of whiskey by his side, and binoculars in his lap. Being a sensei could be so annoying. He smiled.

“Heh, didn’t think they’d amount to anything, but they did hold off a jounin. Even injured him from what I hear. Maybe I should start taking them on higher missions. Not like anyone’s going to stop me at the moment. Wonder how Yuuki will react to an actual mission? Hehehe.”

Stretching, he took a swig, then called out.

“Also, watching others should only be done if you’re good at it, you know? What do you think of them?”

“I’m not trying to hide from you.” A woman in ANBU gear replied, finally moving over and sitting next to him. She pulled off her mask with a sigh. “That girl seems to have created some fine weapons. Nagisa, wasn’t it?”

Nobushige blinked and put down the bottle.

“By about the third one, even your folks would seem sneaky to me. And yeah, it’s rather interesting. Most genin don’t have too much interest in tools. Have to say, probably scariest thing about her is the fact she has half a brain in that head of hers. Yuuki’s still trying to figure out what he’s doing, but that ain’t bad. And the last one, Katsumi, probably going to be forced to be one hell of a medic coming up. Buuut, that doesn’t interest you too much, now does it? What’s up, Tsubaki?”

Nobushige turned to face her.

Tsubaki tossed a folder in his lap. “A report from one of the genin squads during the attack. They had… a more than interesting encounter. You should take a look.”

Nobushige mumbled as he looked through it. He’d read through so much already. Honestly, the drink was the only thing keeping him sane so far. Glancing at it, his eyes narrowed, and the bottle next to him fell from the tree as he accidentally knocked it. Looking completely sober, he did a few handsigns, and reread it.

Mind of Zhuge Liang.

Gripping his head slightly, he passed back the folder.

“Daisuke was seen during the attack… Well, there’s good news, he’s either stuck himself with the Mist or with this Yoake group. It means we finally have SOMETHING to go off of. Hmm. So what’s the plan, Tsubaki? You’re not the type to just bring me information. Keeps things interesting.”

“As much as I’d like to, with the way things are between the village and you being thrown into acting as a sensei, we can’t just tear off into the night. ANBU are already looking into Yoake more in depth and I have a few of my own contacts looking into this Kurou Akechi. Almost too much of a coincidence for him to be from Uzushio where those sealing chains were created.”

“Tsubaki… Are we going to bother with the formalities? I mean we could bicker back and forth for a bit, get mad, yell, or we could skip it and get productive. I’ll bring the brats. They need to know what we’re doing. You coming? Between the two, I’d take a bet and check Yoake. Their resources are bandits, and huge tailed beast anyone can see coming. Seems safest. Mist is… still rather large. Even without a village, their forces are rather strong. So…. yeah. That’s what I’m doing. You?”

Tsubaki lightly chuckled as she stood, “I have a few things to finish around here. Guess you have three brats to get packed and ready to leave tonight. Usual place after dark?”

“Careful, people might think it's an innuendo. See ya there.”

Nobushige stretched his neck and set after his genin to give them the surprise news

 

[Ganryu]

Nobushige Toyotomi​

Each of Nobushige's genin would find a note on their respective bed, individualized for them. His handwriting was far from pretty, but it was the thought that counted... he would hope if he cared.

Spoiler: Yuuki

Oi, Uchiha brat. Surprise mission, tonight, clocktower, 12:00 midnight. Remember that last one where I got in tons of trouble? Let's not do that. Officially I've grabbed a quick mission of securing some trade routes. Unofficially, pack for 2 weeks. I'm dragging your sister along as a scout. Seems like your personal training's going pretty good lately. Some advice on seals, they aren't straight applications of chakra, which makes them hard to use. Think of your katana. It's not made by hammering steel straight on either. Its folded several times. Seals are the same. Instead of becoming sharper, they tend to become more efficient and faster the better you get at folding chakra. You're alot more like your old man than you are me, thank goodness, but I have to say a bit worried you've been slipping lately. Only you get to decide what sort of ninja you are. If you are angry, you end up like me. If you are strong, you end up like the old fart. Sorry I've been so busy lately. Bright side, you'll see alot of me for the next 2 weeks for the "trade routes".

See you later,
Nobushige Toyotomi

Spoiler: Katsumi

Katsumi,
Well, if it isn't the richest genin in the village. Good job on saving those med nin. Heh, and you think I owe you something. You realize soon you'll be the most proficient, right? I'm sure all the work you've done lately has taught you more than training will, and I'm sure they're running you ragged. Sorry I haven't been able to sneak you out any. Well, I'm fairly horrible at advice on Taijutsu and medical jutsu, so you are on your own there. What I can say as a sensei is don't worry so much. It doesn't matter what kind of nin you are, a relaxed on is a good one. You'll make a damn good ninja yet.

Oh, was getting too sentimental. Old age I guess. Midnight, clocktower, get your ass there tonight. We're going on a 2 week mission. It's 'securing a trade route' (Yeah, these quotes means that's not the actual mission)

See you there,
Nobushige Toyotomi

Spoiler: Nagisa

Nagisa,
Meh, had wittier openers to the other two. Midnight, clocktower, we're going on a 2 week mission. Unlike the other two, you aren't a dumbass so might as well give you more details. The cover mission is protecting a trade route for a little while. I bribed some people to actually do that. What we're doing is visiting the Hidden Whirlpool village, we're hunting for records on the man who attacked the Hokage. ANBU hasn't found anything, but having been in ANBU, well... it's a lot of me's. Not a lot of confidence. I'll be needing that brain of yours.
The other two I gave as much advice as I could as apology for being pretty MIA for these last few weeks. One training session doesn't teaching make. I'll just take you to a meal or something. You're probably the most intelligent genin of your class, I don't think I have anything to add you haven't already figured out.

Good luck,
Nobushige Toyotomi

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Katsumi Nonoba

Gently, Katsumi lightly unwrapped the old blood stained bandages from a woman’s leg. Carefully placing the bandages off to the side, Katsumi inspected the freed skin, finding that the woman’s wound was fully closed.

“Looks like you’re doing a lot better, Miss. I-It’s gonna be as good as new in no time! Just d-don’t so much walking, and no heavy lifting!” Katsumi advised, giving the woman a nervous smile.

The medical area that had been set up was pretty basic. Patients were placed on anything soft beneath cloth held up by a helpful earth release ninja’s Jutsu. Soon, they’d be moving some patients into the buildings that were being reconstructed.

Having less and less patients needing her care, Katsumi took part in the reconstruction of the village. Her chakra enhanced strength cane in handy.

Each day, Katsumi would push her self to the limit, sometimes running out of chakra. She’d stumble her way to a temporary living space for those who lost their homes, only because her own home was lost in the enormous explosion that left a crater in the village.

The woman thanked Katsumi, leaving the young medical Nin to move on to check on another patient, before the more specialized medical Nin moved through. Another woman, the one that Katsumi has pulled out of a mess of corpses was lying down with a blank stare. The woman gazed upwards at the cloth above her, occasionally taking a deep breath.

Katsumi approached quietly, and spoke in a whisper. “H-hello? I’m just checking to make sure you’re doing ok...” Katsumi spoke carefully, an odd feeling coming about her while she was near the woman.

The woman turned her head, her gaze fixating on Katsumi.

“Come closer...” the woman rasped. Her voice sounded as if it hadn’t been used in decades.

Katsumi hesitated for a moment, before shuffling next to the woman, then kneeling down. “Y-y-yes?” Katsumi asked with worry.

The woman didn’t speak, as she lifted her hand and brushed Katsumi’s cheek. The woman’s hands were soft, yet were home to a few faint scars. Katsumi could feel a slight sensation on her cheek. She recognized the feeling, it was chakra!

But before Katsumi could respond with any thanks, a sudden sharp pain cut off the transfer of chakra. Katsumi brought her hand to her stinging cheek. The woman felt it too, her hand recoiling back.

“You have it! Get away from me! Get away! Get away get away get away!” The woman screamed, thrashing around on her makeshift bed as she fought off the imaginary assailant.

Katsumi squeaked, and fell backwards. Scooting away from the woman. What had she done wrong? Was this woman ok?

Several other medical Nin rushed over to take care of the situation. One went over to Katsumi. “Don’t worry, this woman’s insane. You didn’t do anything wrong. Go ahead and head home for the evening. You’ve earned yourself some rest,” the medic explained.

Katsumi nodded and hurried off, gathering her equipment before setting off to her home in shock.

The walk home gave Katsumi time to think about the odd woman. The woman had a familiar face, but very vaguely. Katsumi made up her mind to get more information about her when she had the time. Having finally reached her bed, Katsumi flopped down onto it, hardly noticing the letter until it poked the back of her head. Katsumi reached behind her head and grabbed the letter. She lifted it arms length above her face and opened it. She read the letter a couple of times, before setting it to the side. Katsumi was happy to able to get back to being a ninja, but she was nervous that the mission might be pretty dangerous. Sensei didn’t seem like he would take an easy mission at this point.

Katsumi yawned, and covered herself with her blanket. If she had to be somewhere at midnight, she’d may as well get her rest now. Hopefully the mission wouldn’t include any fighting...

 

[Ganryu]

Mai && Aiko
A Normal House Visit
​

Mai took a deep breath as she made her way over to Aiko’s house. On one hand, her other visits to her team had been less than appreciated. Between dropping Himura’s sensei title and punching Hideki through a wall, it might have been better not to visit them… But she didn’t want to make things unfair to Aiko. She was hurt, and a teammate, and deserved a visit!

Looking at the door, she realized she’d left the bobby pins behind at Hideki’s, so probable best just to use the front door.

She pounded it.

“Heya, Aiko, you there? It’s Mai. I brought presents!”

There was no response for awhile, until a soft shuffling near the door signaled Aiko was still alive.

“What do you want?” Aiko asked, her voice sounded slightly rough.

“Uh, to see a teammate after a big fight? Wanted to see if you were doing alright. Most people’d bring flowers, but, uh, don’t see the point in’em. So I brought something useful, a week’s worth of jerky!”

Mai held up a large sack to the window, on the off chance Aiko could see it.

“So, how ya doing Aiko?”

After another long moment of silence, Aiko opened the door. A gust of cold air swept out of the small home. Her eyes were a little red, and her hair was a mess.

“I’m fine… thanks for stopping by,” Aiko said. Of all the people that could’ve visited her, it had to be Mai. She had come at a bad time too… At least she hadn’t broken anything yet. Quite honestly, Aiko didnt want to remember the fighting.

Mai shivered in the cold. Her element was fire, cold and her didn’t quite agree. Still, most pleasant greeting she’d had. She plopped the sack of Jerky (about the size of a football), into Aiko’s hands. Mai tried her best at small talk as she made her way in. She was determined she was going to give this one her all.

“Huh, didn’t know your Kekkei Genkai could chill a house. That’s gotta be nice in the summer. So…. How’s things been, since, well, you know? I mean, I’m still unearthing my house. Made of stone. Great temperature, sure is a bitch to repair though. Thankfully I ain’t a mason, so they aren’t letting me touch much. Something about the ‘historical’ significance. Pretty sure that’s just my Dad not wanting me to get rid of the unicorns on the roof. What’chu been doing? Your house looks pretty good.”

Not too much talking, not too much talking…. Damnit I’m talking too much. Or is it not enough?

“I’m doing fine…”

Aiko led the way into the kitchen, where she set the bag of jerky down onto the small table in the center of the room. She then turned and observed Mai for a moment.

“You seem to be doing fine, after being slammed into a building by a hammer…”

“It was the ax actually. I could block that, so I did. Hammer would have been trickier, so I grabbed that first. Still hurt more than I thought it would, but well, here I am.”

Mai shrugged, and took a seat in the kitchen.

“I gotta say, you didn’t do too bad. I mean, we did all just fight a jonin, and the only real injury was a cut to the arm? Pretty dang good. Still, I don’t think I’m happy. I did get bashed into a building. And Ms. Himura and Hideki are both yelling at me.”

Mai then looked at the floor, a bit more worn down than she normally was.

“Hey, Aiko, can I ask ya something serious? I wanna know if you’re mad at me too. Well, if you would be if I said what I was doing. I wasn’t going to fight actually. I just wanted to block him to let the squad see how fast he was, cause I thought Hideki was smart. Figured he’d come up with something. Swordsman hit a little harder than I thought he would, did knock me out a second or two, but well…. When I woke up, I did just lay there a sec because I wanted to know if you had sharingan. I mean, I was hurting too much to join back in the fight, so I thought that was the best thing. I dunno. You mad too?”

“You’re damn right I’m mad, idiot.” Aiko said plainly. She didn’t sound mad in the slightest.

“You put me through a lot of emotional distress with your stupid plan. I thought you were done for… dead ya know? But I’m not mad about it anymore. I’m just mad that I couldn’t perform well enough when the time came. Any other Uchiha would have unlocked their sharingan during that fight.”

Aiko went and leaned against a wall, a slight snarl on her face.

Mai shrugged.

“Better than Hideki or Ms. Himura. Hideki went off on a rant. I kinda punched him through a door…. Ms. Himura broke my nose! Meh. We’ll both get better the way I look at it. I meant it when I said he was a stepping stone. That power, that’s what we’re aiming for. We never really got to see it today, but now that I’ve seen a real jonin in action, I know what I’m aiming for. So… what’cha training with. My Dad kinda of helped me figure out a few things.”

Mai clenched her right hand showing it off. It was still slow to move, but it moved.

“Oh, and I’ve learning some sensing jutsu. I realized I’ve been weaker than when I started as a genin. But that’s alright. I’m catching up to where I’m suppose to be. I promise ya next time I’m not going to mess up. So, what ‘bout’chu?”

“Once my dad gets back, we’re going to start training. So I guess I’m gonna be trying to catch up too.” Aiko glared at their jerky on the table. “I’m not going to train with you though, so don’t ask.” She had no intention of getting another concussion because of Mai.

“Meh, I got boring training at the moment. My dad’s training me. I mean, with my current training I could be doing it right now and you’d never know! Its a secret! ‘Sides that last time wasn’t that bad. The concussion wasn’t THAT bad. I mean, you were still talking afterwards. Anyways, just wanting to see how ya were. I haven’t been punched by, or punched you, so, guessing… better than the rest? Well, if we’re doing best, guess we’re going to have to hold up the squad. You with me for that? Let’s make sure the next mission goes great.”

Mai held out a hand to shake Aiko.

After a brief pause, Aiko reached out and grabbed Mai’s hand, giving her a nice chill. Aiko grinned. Mai’s confidence must be rubbing off on her.

“I-it’s not like I need you for a mission to go well… idiot.”

 

[AtlannianSpy]

Hotaru Hagano
-Squad Seven-

Study Session​

Hotaru was overall a pretty flexible person, but she did have a few personal rule she held to pretty strongly. Perhaps the most important of Hotaru’s rules was this: ‘If you don’t understand something, investigate it,” That had always been her approach in the post and it had never steered the young genin wrong in the past. Right now Hotaru had to admit she didn’t really understand the two individuals she had encountered, Daisuke and Kira. She didn’t understand their motives, their plan, in fact she couldn’t even be certain that those were their real names.

Ordinarily Hotaru preferred to investigate in a more hands on manner but that obviously wasn’t really viable right now with the objects of her curiosity so frustratingly far away. That being the case the next best thing was to utilize the existing body of research, which necessitated a trip to one of Hotaru’s favorite places in the village.

The Konoha Archive Library.

This unassuming but very secure little building housed a veritable treasure trove of knowledge pertaining to the village’s ninja and a wide variety of other subjects. Hotaru had visited the place a number of times, with her Mother when she was younger but later on she had mostly gone by herself in order to further study whatever happened to excite her curiosity. Of course the really juicy stuff was restricted to higher ups, but the information available to Hotaru as a simple genin was nothing to scoff at either.

Hotaru entered the archives, enjoying the wave of air-conditioned air that swept over her and smiling and waving at the librarian on duty who recognised her, and floated over to the section on accounts of foreign shinobi and jutsu. Hotaru had identified three leads, if they could even be called that.

Lead one: Names and physical appearances. Hotaru had to be careful here because these were trivial to change or disguise, but neither if the two had seemed particularly worried about concealing their identities so it was at least worth investigating iv only to rule it out as a possibility.

Lead two: Daisuke’s bizarre chakra signature. Thinking back on it Hotaru wasn’t even completely sure how to describe it which would make searching for similar examples difficult, at the best of times Hotaru had difficulty cross referencing the chakra she detected through her moths with accounts from more typical sensors but that strange chakra that seemed to somehow be multiple signatures at once or somehow occupying multiple spaces at once was definitely unique enough to maybe provide a leade.

Lead three: the techniques Hotaru had seen her targets use. Akira’s bone manipulation was apparently rare enough that Ago had never heard of it. That probably meant that the archives wouldn’t have any information on it either but it also meant if they did then there was a better chance any accounts it did have would actually be linked to her. Then there was Daisuke’s golden chains. Judging by the way they had shut down her and Kuren’s chakra on contact they were some kind of fuinjutsu but they had also been strong and versatile enough to use freely in combat which was pretty distinctive.

With these three possibilities in mind Hotaru enthusiastically began perusing the shelves, pulling off any title that seemed remotely relevant. Between the three potential leads Hotaru was fiarly optimistic she’d find something notable.


………………………………..


After a couple of hours of research Hotaru was starting to feel a bit less optimistic. Maybe frustration was the more correct word? So far she’d found nothing on the names or appearances of Daisuke or Akira, nothing on the techniques they’d used and nothing on Daisuke’s chakra. Hotaru stifled a yawn and flipped the page on her current book, a fairly dry tome on obscure fuinjutsu. It had seemed promising initially but she had flipped through most of it now and nothing had really seemed releva--

Adamantine Sealing Chains

Hotaru’s eyes widened and she backtracked to the passage she had been skimming through.

...This technique moulds the user's chakra into extremely durable chains which can be used for various purposes, such as directly combating or physically restraining their target…these chains can also be used to bind the chakra of a target, completely neutralizing them

Without being conscious of it, Hotaru smiled eagerly. This was definitely consistent with what she’d seen of Daisuke’s chains! Voraciously she returned to her reading, eager for any more details but all she found of immediate interest was a single sentence.

...used by members of the Uzumaki clan....

Hotaru stood up quickly enough to send her chair clattering to the floor, which earned her a fierce glare from the librarian that Hotaru ignored as she went back to the shelves for more books. After twenty more minutes of feverish reading Hotaru had gleaned a few more interesting tidbits.

The Uzumaki clan had been the most prominent members of a hidden village known as the Uzushiogakure. Both village and clan had been close friends of the hidden leaf at one point. But more interestingly they had been renowned for their potent fuinjutsu, to the point that eventually several other villages that felt threatened by their power banded together to to attack them. The Village itself had been destroyed and the few survivors of the clan had scattered and fled throughout the land.

Daisuke was connected in some way to this village and this clan, Hotaru was certain of it, he might not be a literal descendant but he had to have at least had contact with them or with someone who had. Hotaru felt a warm, restless energy coursing through her. It wasn’t much to go on yet but it was a definite thread with which she could start unraveling this tantalizing mystery. For Hotaru there was no better feeling in the world.

KageYuuki

 

[Orikanyo]

A squad 5 house call.
there is no squad 6, it was always 5, 6 does not exist.​

KageYuuki shadowdude505 Kimiwriter

Sei ran through the recently patched-- if not repaired-- streets towards the Hyuuga compound. Training with Kuro had been going well until she sprained her wrist. She’d convinced a cousin to bandage it and not tell her grandmother, but the time it took to convince them had been longer than she would have liked. Damn it. They’re going to think I can’t show up on time to anything.

Misumi was already at the Hyuuga compound. She knocked on the front door and habitually fanned herself as she waited for an answer. She wondered who would answer the door. Would it be Yukari or someone else from the house? Either way, she’d be glad to know that Yukari was beginning to feel better after the injuries she sustained from the Mist jonin.

Rounding a corner, Sei saw Misumi already at the door but no Yukari yet. Close enough. She slowed as she approached the door, giving her teammate a small wave while she tried to catch her breath. “Hey . . . Sorry I’m late. Been waiting long?”

Finally, the front gate opened, the white gaze of a servant peering out at them. He studied the pair for a long moment. While not hostile, his gaze made it clear they didn’t belong here. “May I help you?”

“Not long, I just got here a minute ago,” Misumi replied to Sei.

Misumi turned her attention to the servant after the door opened. “We’re here to pick up Yukari,” she explained.

“We’re her teammates,” Sei added.

“Wait here,” was all the man said before disappearing from sight once more. Even with the gate shut, the pair would likely feel as though they were being watched.

Misumi did still feel like she was being watched, but reasoned it must be due to the byakugan the household was known for (if it wasn’t Yukari’s yokai cat.)

“So...uh… how did your first trip into the Yokai world go?” she asked Sei out of the blue as they waited for Yukari.

Sei laughed and shook her head. “Well . . . my teammates at the time didn’t even make it inside. I met an oni; he threatened to kill me if i didn’t solve his riddle correctly. And then I was attacked by these shadow . . . voice . . . things.” Sei briefly wondered if those things had anything to do with Koma defeating the mist ninja. “Other than that, it wasn’t too terrible. It just gives you a weird feeling whenever you get close to a gate.” She shrugged. She wanted to seem tough but the truth would probably come out soon enough. “To be honest, it freaked me out the first few times.”

“It is a lot to wrap a mind around,” Misumi stated as she fanned herself. “Hopefully my stomach gets used to it sooner than later. Can’t rely on medicine forever.”

“It’ll take awhile,” Yukari stepped out from the gate, Momochi following close behind. She wore a yukata instead of her usual clothes, her arm still in a sling.

The woman behind Yukari looked over the two young women in front of the compound gate, she giggled slightly. “Oh my, your team members come to take us somewhere? I wish I had such considerate team members when i was your age.” the older hyuuga smiled warmly to the two, obviously here for Yukari’s sake.

“And their so cute as well~!”

“I mean if you really want to meet sensei, Aunt Momochi…”

“Well of course I do!” she chimed, not before placing her hands on her hips, looking suddenly very stern. “To give him a piece of my mind! Letting you all face a jonin, how very unprofessional.”

“Don’t. I’m sure father has caused more than enough problems over it. It was our decision, not his.” Yukari’s tone was rather blunt as she started walking - albeit slowly - down the road.

Sei glanced at the woman-- Momochi-- before following Yukari, matching her pace as they went. “How are you holding up?” She already had a guess; her teammate’s mood didn’t seem the greatest but she wasn’t sure if that was because of her injury or if it was just from being stuck inside for such a long time.

“I’m fine.”

After following the directions that led them to Sensei’s home, a set of directions that they knew by a certain fluffy nekomata, the four of them stood before a rather… Suspiciously normal looking antique store. In a glass showcase up front showed various plates, tea sets, one of which is strikingly familiar and an old helmet.

Within, past the various knick knacks, the window they could see somebody was leaning, or possibly draped themselves over a counter. The door before them was old, exhuming that mysterious quality that prevailed in just about anything their sensei had.

“Hmmmm….I was thinking sensei’s shop was going to be a little weirder,” Misumi said.

“The fact it isn’t weirder is what worries me.” Sei glanced at the tea set and told herself it was just a replica. Koma wouldn’t actually sell that thing, right? She stepped forward and pushed the door open. “Sensei?” Slowly, she stepped inside, holding the door for the others while she glanced around the shop.

“Not even inside yet and you’re already dismissing it as normal?” Yukari muttered, stepping inside.

The inside of the store was as one might expect of an antique shop, various objects lay upon shelves and in showcases around the room, from small figurines, to paintings, to foreign oddities, the store likely had anything to tickle the fancy of any who came inside.

The person who was draped haphazardly upon the counter did not move when they came inside, giving off a rather loud and abrasive snore that could be heard clear out of the store, a opening into the back was open behind her, giving off an odd feeling, a gate as the three could easily tell.

In truth, it was likely expected to at least have one in their sensei’s home.

The most interesting articles on display was a Lion-dog statue sitting in one corner, a odd looking tree-like plant, and a rack filled to the brim with hand made talismans.

“Hmm… So this is where he lives? Have you been here before?” the attendant asked the three chuunin, looking curiously at the oddities in the store, tossing a unhappy look at the snoring woman not far off.

Shaking her head,Sei moved towards the counter. Should they wake the woman or slip past her to find Koma? Taking Momochi through the gate could be a bad idea, regardless of her abilities as a Hyuga.

“First time here,” Misumi said to Momochi, responding to her question. She noticed the open doorway behind the snoring woman. Sensing that it was a gate, Misumi decided she would rather spare Momochi from knowledge of the Yokai realm. She walked up to the woman and tried to wake her up.

“Excuse me, miss?” she said, tapping the woman’s shoulder.

The young woman did not budge, snoring louder.

Misumi tried using a little more pressure as she kneaded her palm against the woman’s shoulder. She only did this for a couple seconds as a though suddenly popped into her head. She turned toward Sei.

“You don’t suppose this is the work of a yokai do you?” she asked her teammate in a hushed tone, using one of her fans like a hand cupped to one’s mouth when telling a secret.

Yukari rolled her eyes, “stay here, I’ll go look for him in the back.” She stepped past the snoring woman, through the gate.

Once inside the gate the house turned into a much nicer place, well lit and smelling with the scent of something cooking Yukari could hear voices down the hallway. “I’m trying but they damn well won’t listen. A good clubbing works but they’ve all gone crazy.” a loud brash voice echoed out from a nearby room.

“Perhaps simply destroying them is the correct path… Words definitely cannot placate the spirits, and even then they simply want sacrifices to keep them satiated. I’m not about to start bending to the demands of loathsome spirits.” a familiar voice spoke back to the other, one that belonged to their sensei.

“So you shall aid us in this fight?”

“I am however called away, I have to bring my students up into the mountains, we require information about the Bijuu.”

‘WHAT!? Bringing those brats up there? You expecting them to get slaughtered!?”

“Bah, they are skilled enough to follow me through hell, even then, they managed to hold of a jounin.”

“I’m not sure you could call what happened ‘holding off a jounin’,” Yukari called as she walked down the hallway. She willed her byakugan to search ahead for just where Koma and this visitor were.

Within the room sat an immense red skinned Oni, one triumphantly pointy horn jutting out of it’s forehead, across from the Oni, was Koma.

“Oh? Looks like one of my students are here. Well, somewhat students… Once this war is done I’ll be free again~!” the jonin stated as he stood up. “Yukari! About time you paid a visit, did Atsuko send you in?” the man pulled open the door to peer out to the young lady.

“Atsuko? You mean the dead asleep woman out there? Couldn’t get a response from her.” The Hyuuga let her byakugan relax once more.

“...Again?” the man sighed in what might’ve been the first hint of frustration she had heard from the man. “I was just out there and she fell asleep again? Is her hair under control?”

“I… mean it wasn’t doing anything weird when I left,” Yukari glanced back behind her. “Hopefully it stays that way for Misumi and Sei…”

“Bah, well, whatever they do don’t ring the bell or-” That's when they could hear it.

“...Well.. let's go see what's going on.”

-Outside of the gate-

As Yukari went past and into the gate the young lady continued to snore listlessly her hair draped upon the counter… but as she lay there, Misumi could feel a slight tap of something soft hitting her arm as if trying to get her attention.

A couple of strands of the woman’s hair were… tapping her arm. And not simply fluttering about in the breeze, but with intention to get her attention. Another lock of the woman’s hair pointed to a bell that lay upon the counter.

Sei watched Yukari disappear through the gate. Letting her go in alone could be dangerous, but if Koma was in there, she’d be alright. Right? She touched her earing, fiddling with it as she stepped closer to the counter, trying to decide between going after Yukari or keeping Momochi busy in the shop.

A movement on the counter caught her attention. Tapping hair? She frowned and glanced at Misumi to be sure she wasn’t seeing things. Was the hair . . . trying to get them to do something? Ring the bell? What would happen if they did? If Koma was keeping some kind of cursed bell out in the open for anyone to come up and ring . . .

“Do you want to or should I?” Sei whispered, nodding at the bell.

“You do it,” Misumi replied.

Sei stepped closer and slowly reached out her hand. If it was just a bell, then maybe the woman would wake up or Koma would come back through the gate. If it was cursed, ringing it might release some kind of monster in the shop and it would be a new disaster they’d have to deal with. She hesitated. Could she trust anything in here to be normal.

Glancing at the woman’s hair again, she wondered why it would want her to ring it. Was it bored? Did it have some kind of motive? Was it just telling her how to wake the woman up?

“This is ridiculous.” Sei rang the bell and flinched, waiting for the high note to die and something to jump out at them.

“Ah, I seemed to have forgotten my money, I’ll be right back girls!” Momochi called to the others as she stepped outside, closing the doors. It was the most perfect timing, for the tags upon the rack began to shuffle and move of their own accord.

The rack rumbled and shook, then paused for a moment…. Before the papers burst out of the rack, filling the room with hundreds of sheets of paper, the sounds of folding and fluttering of papers filled the room as the two were assaulted by numerous talismans, tags and what have you.

Swooping and fluttering about them like a bunch of paper bees.

“Sensei needs to start labeling these things,” Misumi sighed.

Kunai in hand, Sei took a defensive position. Poison and genjutsu wouldn’t work on paper so how to deal with this? “Or not have it out in the open at all.” She eyed the fluttering papers. “Is there something controlling them?”

All at once, the papers dispersed, and then began folding, folding and folding more… Until all around the shop, were little people made of paper, flat, still, but their forms became stable.

But then chaos once against reigned as they charged forward like a little army of paper soldiers, armed with nothing but painful paper cuts in their arsenal as they clung to whatever they could on the compairitive giants.

Misumi used chakra flow to light her bladed fans on fire and started to slash as the papermen swarming her. “Get behind me,” she said to Sei. She wanted to unleash some fire ninjutsu but didn’t want her teammate to be caught in it.

Spinning around, Sei slipped past her partner. She eyed the slips of paper. If they burned, Misumi could take care of it. If not, they’d need to find whoever was controlling them. “All yours.”

Misumi quickly formed hand signs. Snake, dragon, rabbit, tiger. Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique. Misumi sprayed a stream of fire from her mouth. Not wanting to cause a bunch of collateral damage, it was a much smaller stream of flames than normal and she focused it on the papermen.

More and more papermen fell to their deaths, but they kept coming, rushing over their burning allies, some getting burnt themselves, they continued their rush. The main mass of paper rose up and was about to cover the two in the tidal wave of incoming papercuts…

When Their sensei came out from the back.

He stared at the frozen mass of paper shikigami, his two students, one of which using a fire technique, and finally his sleeping daughter.

“...Not the way I envisioned your first visit.” he grasped the bell that started the problem and rang it twice, signalling the time to return home for the little paper beings, the mass receding away from the two.

“Now, I am certain you both have many questions, but first.” he grabbed his daughter by the scruff of her clothes and got a very unhappy groan. “Ugh…. What?” “I leave you for three seconds and you fall asleep again? The shikigami went out of control.”

“Well… They’re going back now right?”

“That's not the point!”

“...Wait who are these people?” the sleepy eyed woman turned to the two, rubbing her eyes in a in vain attempt to remove the sleepiness from her.

“...Don’t tell me your here to buy something?”

Sei eyed the woman as she returned her kunai to her pouch. “We’re here to see Sensei.” She wondered if the woman was narcoleptic or just sleep deprived. Or did she work long hours elsewhere?

She turned her attention to Koma. “Maybe you should put all of the dangerous items in a case or something so people don’t accidentally release something else on the village, Sensei.”

“I would love to, because it seems no matter what I do SOMEBODY doesn’t watch over them as she should.”

“Hey, I try.” the young woman grumbled, she looked over the two others before eyeing Misumi’s fans. “...Not bad, pretty fashionable for a ninja.” she looked to Sei, looking her over. “...Pretty plain… Nice hair though.” her unsolicited fashion advice only sparking yet another annoyed sigh from her father.

“...I’m sorry girls, had I known you were coming I’d have laid out the welcome mat!’ he chuckled.

“Had you known? You invited us!” Yukari snapped, standing by the gate.

The jonin flinched. “Ah… Why yes of course I did! Haha, just a little joke~!”

“...Dad’s kind of a dumbass if you haven’t guessed yet..” the half awake young woman smirked.

“Oh believe me, this isn’t the first time he’s been an airhead.” The Hyuuga grumbled.

The man scratched behind his head, obviously cornered in logic by them. Nothing left to do but try and weasel his way out by actually acting like a damn host. “Well then… How about some tea? I have a pot in the making just inside.”

“Sounds great right now actually.” Atsuko stretched. “You have a job to do.. And paper to clean.”

“Slavedriver.” the young lady hissed.

 

[KageYuuki]

Takara Himura
Takara quietly cursed as she made her way through the darkened streets. A trio of clones scattered behind her, seeking out her wayward students. Of all the missions they could have been given... Those kids weren't going to be ready. Aiko was still shaken, Hideki hadn't completely recovered. And Mai... just wasn't ready. But the village was already stretched thin - she was stretched thin. All she could really do was hope the reports were wrong.

As the clones found each of the students, they'd be given the same message. "We have a mission, an important one. Gather all your gear and meet me at the village gate. We need to leave the moment you're ready so I'll explain on the way." The clone hesitated, "And be prepared for combat."

Orikanyo InsaneAsylum Ganryu

 

[Ganryu]

Mai Sanada - Squad Six
​

Mai sat at the table at her house, a notepad in her hand, yet her eyes closed. She just listened to the footsteps of everyone around.

"Dad's checking up on Mom... Uncle Toshiba is upstairs.... Those footsteps, are they Aunt Inahime or Orihime? Hmmm..."

Takara's voice startled her out of her chair, Mai very literally falling out of it.

"Ms. Himura!? Shit. Sucks on this, I don't know new footsteps. Alright, alright. I'll be there."

Mai stood back up, and immediately wrote in her notepad: Takara Himura's footsteps.

Mai didn't even seem that excited about 'combat'. It was Takara, what was she going to have them do? Punch a bunch of academy graduates, or bandits? The kind of fighting Mai was looking forward to was leagues above that. What Mai wanted was something she was sure Takara wouldn't allow in the first place. Suddenly as the clone left, Mai simultaneous became much more excited and disappointed at the same. She shook as she walked.

"Just once, I want a fight like that... Hit for hit, exciting! An opponent hitting me square in the gut, hard as they can! Me, punching til my hands are sore. Fighting til we both collapse at the end. Oh, and how slow it would be.... Every moment, slower and slower...."

Mai suddenly realized she missed that feeling so much. She'd not had time to feel adrenaline... Still, she'd have to set the pleasure aside for something more important today. Dark cave everyday was worth it for the chance to know she was getting stronger. She was a bit sad she didn't get to test out if her Dad's promise about it making her stronger true, but she trusted him. She couldn't set aside the training for a second. She was going for a dream.

"I'm going to be hero. I just have to put up with boring missions til then. I'm going to show up both Ms. Himura and Hideki! Aiko's alright, I'll work with her as much as she wants. But everyone who put me down I'll stand above! I am Mai, of the Sanada!"

Picking up her notepad, she quickly packed. For once, Mai took a minute or two packing. She changed into something fresh, and binded her clothing tighter. She felt a sense of pride as she changed out the cloth on her headband, and tied it tight. Looking in the mirror, she gave a quick pose.

"The Hero the village needs. Hmm... Maybe I should try on makeup next time? Never paid much attention to it... Nah. Next time. Maybe Mom will be up by then, and can help me with it. 'sides, I look damn good! I'm Mai, the sexy one on team six. Wait... can a hero be sexy, or is that a villain's job? Grrah... Whatever, good enough, these clothes look good, they are tight, and I'm a whole new Mai today forward!"

With a body flicker, Mai hurried to the gate as fast as she could, grabbing her notepad as she did so. Each leap across the rooftops, Mai noticed something. She could feel how she moved. She was paying attention to how she moved. Looking at her feet, Mai tapped her chin.

"Awkward a bit... bet I can shave off some movement off of that!"

Mai corrected her movements, surprised at how much good posture added to her speed. She made it in no time. If she was going to be a hero, she'd better work on her entrance.

Mai landed infront of Ms. Himura superhero landing style. Her knees bent, one hand touching down on the ground, and the other splayed behind her.



"Ready for the mission Ms. Himura. Let's get this over with."

Brushing off the dust, Mai pulled out her notepad, and started reviewing it.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Aiko Uchiha
Squad 6​

Aiko was sitting idly in her home when Takara’s Clone arrived, telling her to get ready for a mission, and to be ready for combat.

Aiko felt a lump form in her throat, before she hurried off to get her ninja gear. She fumbled with her headband, unsure is she was ready for a fight. She knew she had recovered from her head injury, but quite frankly, Aiko was concerned if she was going to be anymore useful than last time her squad was in a bind.

Aiko brought her headband to her forehead, and tied it tightly. She then reached for her katana, but hesitated.

“I don’t need it. I’m not really an Uchiha anyway...”

Aiko headed to front door, sticking a piece of jerky in her mouth as she took a final look at her empty home.

“You’d better be home when I get back,” Aiko said quietly.

Aiko turned and began hustling towards the main gate, arriving just in time to see Mai striking a idiotic pose as she landed. Aiko approached her and Takara silently, giving her usual judgmental look to Mai.

“I didn’t know we were supposed to bring stupidity with us for the mission.”

 

[Kimiwriter]

Sei Teshima, Squad 5

She was at the meeting place early for once. Kuro lounged on her shoulders like a odd necklace. He flicked his tongue at her. "A mountain mission. . . at the very leasst, you may find ssome wild plantss to add to your collection."

"Maybe on the way back. Koma-sensei doesn't like giving us all the mission details beforehand. I have a feeling he'll pull something on us." Sei snapped the branch in her hand and threw one piece into the dirt by her feet. It stuck.

"Remember to call on my brotherss if you need to."

The second half of the stick was thrown into the ground. it quivered and fell over.

"Darn it." She picked up another stick and repeated the process. Her grandmother hadn't been pleased when she announced her mission, but she managed to placate her by telling her team was going out to collect supplies for the village. Sei had a feeling her grandmother knew she was lying but at this moment, she didn't really care as long as she didn't show up to talk to Koma.

Kuro lifted his head and looked back towards the village. "Where are they, anyway?"

"I wanted to be on time for once." Sei searched around for more small sticks to throw while she waited.

 

[Ganryu]

A Store of Wonder
* A Mai and Koma collab

Mai trudged her way through the Hidden Leaf. Her pride had been a wee lil’ bit hurt by having to ask Hideki where exactly the sensei for Squad 5 could be found (Or who he was.) Mai’s memory and people’s skills were fairly atrocious. Despite being loud, she wasn’t exactly a people’s person. Infact, she had to be reminded that Squad 5 had been in the same academy class. Still, today, she had the looks of a someone on a mission. She rechecked the address, and looked around her. The place was definitely antiquated…. Meh, she literally lived under a rock, who was she to judge?

Finding one of even the older building, she took a deep breath and knocked.

An eerie silence prevailed over the store, the whole street looked almost long abandoned and quite empty as the young lady waited for aan answer from inside. A brisk breeze blew down the way, spraying up a small bit of dust into the young lady’s eyes.

Once clear, she would see the door was open to her, sliding soundlessly to greet the customer inside. Within, the store was lit up by several candles, not a soul within.

A cold shiver ran up her spine as she watched the door open.

“Heeeello?”

She was a little disturbed by the silence following. That couldn’t be right. Mai wasn’t afraid of anything! Well time to charge! Mai moved into the house, looking around with her hands raised in self protection. This was a sensei, and people HAD described Kom….What was his name again? Either way, squad 5 sensei was supposed to be weird. But weird how? Did he ambush people? A slight grin came to her face, but was quickly extinguished by the cold air inside.

“Uh… anyone there? I just want to meet with Squad 5 Sensei. Door was open…”

The room was filled with nothing but the faint flickering of candles, with the light from the outside mixed with them, the place had at least a bearable level of light. The shop had many different things for sale, odd antiques, tea pots, knick knacks, little paper men strewn about in various places with no real price tag upon them.

Mai’s attention was drawn to the teapot.

“Cool! I didn’t know he had a shop? Well, the door was open, and there are products…”

She picked it up, hands crawling over it incessantly.

“Huh, maybe I should try being more girly… not that I’m not perfect already. Making tea might be more ‘culturally refined’. Heh. Maybe I can give Hideki a heart attack.”

She opened the pot to look inside.

By lifting the lid off the tea pot, Mai had unknowingly brought about something horrible, a absolutely catastrophic event that one cannot begin to describe in words. Her eyes peered inside to see…

A small note, which read.

Please ask before handling the merchandise.

The absolute horror of a social faux pas!!

“Yeah, I’d LOVE to, but no one’s answering!? Where’s the customer service? Meh. Guess I’ll get this too while I’m here.”

Cracking her neck, Mai decided to at least train a bit if she was going to be stuck there. Sitting on the ground, with the teapot in her lap, she took up a meditative stance, listening for new and interesting sounds. Quietly she took out the notepad and pen. The pad was getting full.

“Tch, who knew the world had so many sounds I didn’t know. At least getting better.”

What sound would she find?

Within the shop the faint rhythm of burning candles flickered all around her, the faint shifting of paper upon the small breeze that hurried it’s way inside. The silence in the room prevailed over all else.

But suddenly…

With a loud clack the door outside slammed shut behind her, rattling the store slightly in its entirety. But as soon as the door slammed, silence returned, and the light grew all but dimmer within…

Mai took a deep breath, trying to listen further and further. Her breathing deepened as well, before suddenly returning to normal. She didn’t give heed to the shop around her. It was training, so, might as well take every advantage of it. She was getting a little impatient though with herself.

“Come oooon, girl. Get into a trance, shouldn’t be that hard! RELAX DAMNIT!”

The sounds of papers floating and shuffling did not cease within the shop, softly, sliding across the floor in front of the meditating, or at least attempting to meditate young lady was one of the said piece of paper.

The piece of paper continued to slide across the floor, making noise in it’s attempts to gain the young lady’s attention.

Mai’s eyebrows furrowed at the paper. Did she knock something over? She hadn’t even moved that much. Shrugging, she was trying a little TOO hard to meditate, but soon her knee was thumping the floor.

“Paper’s shufflings, flickering candles, nothing new worth writing down. Come on shopkeep, it’s been like, 90 seconds….”

The sounds of a ink brush upon paper now began to fill the air, then more hurried shuffling of paper. The sounds of a brush tapping the floor also became present, the entity attempting to mess with her seemingly becoming more and more annoyed that it was failing.

“Oh good, ink brushes! Shopkeep, are you there? I’d like to buy this if possible. That, or I’m just hearing things.”

She held up the teapot and waited for an answer or some form of greeting.

The ink brush, now thoroughly annoyed, began to poke Mai’s knees to try and force her to open her eyes! If only she could hear the words of the being, who now set to work drawing something else.

“What are you, mute!?”

Mai tucked the teapot under her arm, went to grab the arm holding the brush, and opened her eyes midlunge.

“What!?”

Before Mai’s eyes stood… Nothing but open air… Open air that was scribbling down the words. “That’ll be 1000 ryo for that pot.” With a tiny little heart shaped fox head making up the period in the sentence. Before, it was a happy fox! But now, it was one with large furrowed eyebrows… making it still rather cute, but still angry looking… Kinda…

Mai inquisitively put 1000 Ryo onto the paper.

“Great, so, uh… is someone invisible AND mute? Is this automated paper? Is someone watching long distance and writing? I-is it sometttthing e-else? Uh… whatever, invisipaper, I’m looking for sensei guy of Squad 5. Do ya know where he is while I’m here, or can I meditate in peace waiting.”

The scribbling upon the paper began once more in due haste, quite happy to finally have her attention.

“Oh! You want uncle Koko! Hes in the back! And I’m right here in front of you!” A big smily face accentuated the last few words.

Mai had never held back the reaction to punch infront of her so much. If she wasn’t already about to ask a helluva a favor, she probably would have said screw it and done it anyways. Sighing, she guessed the sensei’s name was Koko?

“Uh, who are you then? I’m Mai, of the Sanada clan, member of Squad 6. Was hoping to ask the price of something from the leader of Squad 5.”

“Oh? My name is Nono! I’m a…. Spirit! If you want you can go on back to ask himself yourself! I have to keep looking for-” the moment the letters finished forming the paper was dropped once more and the sentence lay unfinished, the being before Mai appeared to be gone, as the ink brush clattered to the ground.

Mai look confused. What just happened? She didn’t believe in spirits! Rejecting the notion, she stood up annoyed and made her way to the back. She guessed the 1000 Ryo was good? Whatever. She’d give the place 2 out of 5. What kind of shop didn’t have a VISIBLE shop keeper, and made you go in back to find someone? Whatever, not like she was here for shopping. She made her way to back.

“Yo, is Koko-sensei here? I’m Mai of the Sanada clan. Also a member of Squad 6.”

Pushing past the beads the young lady came to a much nicer looking back room, or rather, hallway. The hallway stretched on for some time, beyond what one really would imagine for the house truly. And oddly… the pit of her stomache seemed to churn slightly, like she had just spun around for a rather long time before stepping inside.

Her voice echoed throughout the place as a door opened down the way. “Eh? Nono is that you? When did you start sounding so…” he paused, peering out of the doorway, down towards the young lady whom was now within his home… Yep.. this was going to cause trouble.

The man fully walked out into the hall, looking as he always did, did he really have any other clothes? A good question.

“...So.. what brings you here today Mai Sanada of squad 6?” the man tried to act somewhat like he wasn’t being blindsided by the young lady currently having entered his home unannounced in a place that likely would be the source of a great deal of trouble for her in the future.

Mai gave a curtsy to the man, and couldn’t help but give a large smile! FINALLY! Still, she was one a mission, couldn’t relax until she’d finished it. She somewhat recognized him. Though she swore he’d looked different. Different clothing?

“Weeell, I have a request that is probably unreasonable, but it means alot to me. You know the Mist invasion a few months ago? Alot of people got hurt. A few members of my family too. I honestly want to wield a memory from it. I saw you fight the swordsman of the Mist. I’d like to wield his blade… and hammer… Why do they call him a swordsman again? Meh, anyways, what would be the cost of buying it? That’s my first order of business. I doubt I can afford it immediately, and ain’t asking for free, but I swear I will buy it from you.”

“The kabutowari?” he rose an eyebrow, admirably surprised she would want such a thing. It was clunky, heavy, hell even he agreed it was really stupid to call it a sword. “Well Ms.Sanada, the first thing you should know is that this is an exceedingly rare article, and at that it is very storied and perfectly functional.” he began speaking of the qualities of the weapon in question.

“The weapon itself it worth a fortune, to not go into numbers yet. But not only that you’ll be painting a target a mile wide upon your back for having it.” he continued to explain as a young lady slowly drifted out into the hall behind him, looking as if she had not slept in months.

“No doubt you know of this already, hell anybody could tell you that from simply you telling them you want it. So lets consider that a moot point-” “Dad, wheres the takoyaki?” “....Could you have waited until I was done?” the young lady stared blankly at the man, who sighed. “Where we always keep it. Now let me continue… Where was…. Ah yes… Wait…” he paused.. Unsure of where he left off…

“...Long and short of it, really expensive, you certain you want this thing? You likely won't meet the same fate of the wielder, but you gotta learn how to use it as well. Do you REALLY want this sword?”

Mai listened intently. It was perhaps the most attentions she’d given anything.

Gotta debate well, gotta debate well…

She couldn’t think of anything formal to say… eventually she just gave out a long breath.

“Screw it. Was going to go into some large formal list of arguments. Can’t think of any. Just gunna speak my mind. Do I REALLY WANT the blade? No. Thing’s ugly as sin. What I want is the target on my back. What I want is to wield the weapon of the first enemy I couldn’t really fight. What I want is the symbology. The mist attacked my family. I will attack them with their own weapon. And I believe weapons have memories, and souls. I’m going to make this little guy learn what its like to be used by an honorable ninja. So yeah. I’d pay a small fortune for it. Oh, and learning to use it ain’t a problem. I Mai-ight not look it, but I’m pretty strong. Girl’s gotta take care of herself.”

Mai looked at the woman, and offered same curtsy she'd offered earlier.

“Yo, I’m Mai of the Sanada, nice to meet you.”

The sleepy looking woman peered over to the bright, shining young woman who looked like she had near 16 times the drive she had. “...Sup…”

Koma ignored the uncaring nature of his daughter, staring down the young lady who bared her will towards him. She wanted that weapon, for all the RIGHT reasons and by god he wished he had snagged this one… The eyes cracked open slightly as a gleamed appeared in them.

“Alright kid, if you want it that badly, I sure as hell ain’t gonna keep it from you.” the man stated as he looked back to the room they both came out of, calling to somebody within. “Hey could you pass me the sword… No not the sword sword the “sword” sword.” quiet mumbling came from behind the screen. “Yes I know it’s stupid. Just give me the thing alright?”

A resigned sigh came from inside as a massive red skinned arm reached out and handed the weapon to the man. An arm bigger than any true human could get.

“There we are. Now, I’m giving you this in good faith. Just don’t get yourself killed, world need more heroic souls like you. Just make certain that soul stays with you, no matter what… in the literal sense and figuratively.” he held out the chained weapon towards Mai, the strange weapon dangling and waiting for her touch.

Mai stared at disbelief at the offer infront of her. He was just going to give it to her? Really? Really really?

And the oddness that was Mai being snapped, as she grabbed the weapon and gave the man an uncharacteristic hug while still holding it.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Letting go of him, she realized the thing weighed a ton… maybe literally. Holding it up was a challenge in and of itself. A challenge she was going to take. She wiped her cheeks, not admitting to any tears. Honestly, whether or not the man knew it, those were the exact words she needed to hear. Finally, some faith.

“I promise you. Afterall, a dead hero’s worth less than a live one! Or heroine! This soul of mine shines brightest when it’s with my body. I’m not sure what you sell here, but consider me a regular!”

Peeking in from behind Mai, popped up a small kitsune, looking lik she was having a tough time with all the paper people stacked in her hands. “Uncle Koko! I got them all!” she waddled past Mai, her little 9 fluffy tails dragged upon the floor behind her as she walked into the opened door not to far down the hall.

Koma pursed his lips slightly. “...Ah yea.. That… Well best yea run along then Mai, get used to that weapon’s weight and you’ll be swinging it like nothing.” he added before guiding her out, hoping she wouldn’t accidentally enter another realm so easily…

 

[Ganryu]

Dreams and Headbutts to the Teeth
*A Mai and Hideki collab​

Mai sat on a treebranch looking down at the training field. Mostly Hideki. Oddly, she hadn’t tried hitting him yet. Or, really, doing anything too violent. It was weird. She seemed just to be thinking. Their was something a bit different about Mai, she wore a large object on her back, about as large as she was, and probably several times heavier. It was completely encased in bandages. Whatever it was, Mai had been fairly secretive of it. Swaying her legs, she finally sighed, and broke out with her question.

“Yo, Hideki, mind if I ask ya a question?”

“Yea, shoot.” the young man stated looking more interested in the scroll in front of him.

“I know we got to kill sometimes as Shinobi, but why’d ya kill that star genin? I mean, a bit worried ya might be enjoying it.”

The young man’s eyes narrowed, face coming to a very unamused expression. “Are you setting me up for a joke or something? I killed him because he was shooting at you, Aiko, myself and Sensei. With the expressed intent of killing us.”

His answer was simple, but he knew somehow Mai was gonna wiggle her way out of the logic and say something that will make him mad.

“Yeah, but he wasn’t that good at it. I mean, I just can’t seem to win a spar against you, but I held back plenty, and thrashed the one I had. I mean, Shiki probably hates me for it, but I dunno, didn’t feel right. You’re smarter than me. I just don’t get it. Why stab him through the chest, and not through the arms, or legs, or even stomach? I just don’t get it.”

He thought upon her question for a moment… Huh, an interesting train of thought. “Well, it was easier for me to do that and get him out of the fight completely. A dead threat s a threat no more. Had he only been wounded he still could fire the crossbow, depending on the injury, or much worse with that weird glowing beast thing.” he gave the best answer he could.

“...But at the time it… Just seemed like the correct course of action.”

Mai stayed silent for a moment, for a second thinking.

“I mean, I guess that’s right, and not like I hate you or anything for it. Still, bugs me. Like, the Mizukage tried to murder all the medic nin. I hate him for it. Alot of people hate him. Who says I gets to be the one to fight him. So many. And if I do fight him, and I do kill him, does that mean I have to fight all the people who now hate me? I dunno. I guess just not sure what I should be doing.”

Mai spoke about her little dream of fighting the Mizukage in absolutes. She WAS going to be strong enough to give him a fight. Sighing she slowly stood up from the tree stump.

“I dunno. Just, I know I need to get stronger if I’m going to be able to do anything, but where do I even begin. Should we just start?”

“Its for the best, we’re starting to question why we’re doing the normal path for ninja.” Hideki stood up from his kneeling position and wrapped up the scroll. “Alright. Lets start with that weird thing on your back? May as well get that question outta the way.”

He stood facing the young lady, definitely looking at the weird bundle on her back. And totally nothing else, he was a good boy.

Very good.

“A-a paperweight? A very heavy paperweight… I mean its kinda old fashioned, but hey, if I’m going to be dumb enough to do everything I need to, need all the help I can get! Next step is a blindfold.”

Mai let out a deep breath.

“Damnit, you’re probably too smart anyways. ‘Sides, always suck at lying to ya anyways. I can keep it a secret from Aiko, and Miss Himura doesn’t care. Its too heavy for me to use yet, so I don’t want to bring it out, but its Kabutowari. I maaay have acquired it recently. Think I can get away telling the other two its training weights? All I’m going to be using it for anyways. Anyways, just hit me!”

...In truth he was somewhat going to believe the weights thing. It seemed like a Mai thing to do. But the Kabutowari, THE KABUTOWARI!?!?!? Just who in their bright mind would think that weapon would be a good thing to hand out? And to Mai of all people? It takes a purely insane person to come up thinking giving her that damn “sword”is a good idea.

“I… the… I…” Hideki stared at the young woman in pure disbelief. “...Do… Do what you want…” he sighed before taking out his shield and walking forwards. “...I do kinda want to see it though…” he admitted, a slightly childish side coming out as the sword WAS pretty cool, weird classification aside.

“Uh… maybe somewhere less public? My house? Wait… haven’t told my folks. I can show ya it in ya house! Oh wait. You’re shacked up with Miss Himura now. Shit.”

Screw it. Mai grabbed her wheels and started to fade to black. Unlike normal, however, a shadow could be seen darting towards Hideki. She was much, much slower today. She lead with a right hook with the wheel, aiming at his non-shield side.

The young man spun to face the incoming direction, meeting the wheel with the crystalline shield with a practiced block. “That thing IS heavy. There wasn’t enough speed in that attack.” the young man noted. “Have you worked on that before this?”

“Oh sure! Let me try and hand you a bow and see if you can handle it first day! ‘Sides, even if there is enough speed, ya always manage to block it anyways, I just gotta outsmart you! Lets see you stop my new strongest attack.”

Mai crouched, her legs building up chakra. Her right hand make a quick jab at Hideki’s knee.

The young man lowered himself in response, lowering the shield to deflect the strike as he kept up his defense. His other hand was behind the shield as well, forming a sign. “I have a trick of my own.”

Mai grunted as her legs pressed against the ground, launching herself against the shield with both legs at an amazing speed, and more importantly, with alot of power behind them. It was generally enough to produce a small tornado. It also would cause Mai to be upside down in the air from it.

Tenrin: Heavenly Wheel Kick

The strain was alot greater with the added force needed to lift herself off the ground. However, Mai struggled to keep focus, and followed it up with a powerful cross cut with both wheels.

Cross strike

Mai’s vision slightly darkened at the sides, she wasn’t used to her taijutsu taking such a burst out of her. And that swordsman, Shosuke, or whatever the heck his name was, used it halfheartedly? Mai inwardly cursed at how much farther she had to go. Still, today had to be the day! She couldn’t lose EVERY match with Hideki. A small handicap was nothing to the heir to the Sanada clan!

Well this was definitely new!

With the kick the shield with forced from it’s position, opening up the young man’s guard unexpectedly as it brought his arm out from a position that he was quickly able to recover. The cross strike also was very impressive, and well timed as it happened while he was recovering from his guard.

Naturally, the strike hit, he got over confident and didn’t expect this new trick from Mai, another deadly misstake. He really should stop not expecting these things. The Wheels bit deep into him, shredding his clothes off his torso and removing the gambeson was the blades bit into the skin, showering the area with a array of sparks.

[Earth release: Earth Spear]

The young man’s body had become hard as stone, and black in appearance. “Ah, you nearly got me pretty bad.” the declothed young man stated removing the shedded gambeson as much as he could now that he had some space.

Connecting with Hideki, Mai was initially worried she’d gotten too into it. Didn’t seem that way as Hideki was covered in a shower of sparks from the blow. She landed with a huge thud, sinking a bit into the ground. Her knees kinda hurt. Looking at Hideki, Mai couldn’t help but stare.

“Y-your abs! What did you do to them? Uh…. anyways, uh, fix that shirt!”

She made the motion to look away (she didn’t).

“Isn’t that a bit boring though? I mean, guess its pretty safe, but I’d be BOOORED if I was invincible. I want them to try and hit! The rush of battle, the slowing down as they come close, the PROOF THAT I’M ALIVE! HAHAHA! Anyways, yeah… seems really boring.”

She hadn’t looked away except for the few seconds of her made laugh. Now she was more concerned about her weapon than she was about Hideki.

“Eh? I’ll get a new shirt afterwards.” the young man stated as he patted his stomache. “And what's wrong with Earth Spear? I mean, look at me? I’m hard as stone. And it enhances my strength to.” he looked over his chakra infused body, feeling the power from the earth seeping into him.

“I mean, I ain’t invincible but this certainly helps, see? Come closer and punch me.” the young man walked forwards, dropping his shield and holding out his arms to show off the “jutsu.”

“See? Hard as stone!”

Mai blinked, still staring at the abs.

“I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

She then noticed his posture. It was like he WANTED her to him. Mai stroked her chin, then took off the wrappings around her shoulder that covered Kabutowari. She shrugged, knowing she was about to get yelled at.

“So I can hit you… and not get yelled at? A-are you sure?”

“Sure, hit me as hard as you want.”

Mai faded to black at her normal speeds, appearing infront of Hideki with her fist flying at him. It curved flying and grabbing his wrist. Mai then turned away from him grabbing his shoulder, and throwing him over her back with a classic shoulder throw. Without giving a reprieve, she then stomped his ‘stones’ as hard as she could. Wasn’t everyday he said ‘hit him with everything!’

“Do I win?”

Hideki’s world turned into a dizzy mess of fists, twists, and stomps. But there was one thing, one thing he would not allow even if he was practically made of stone. A hand came down and grabbed the leg just short of the “family Jewels” down below. There are some places you just don’t hit when you fight with friends, you just don’t.

“I didn’t say kick there! That’s just plain cheating!” the young man stated, looking no worse for wear… If exasperated. “What would you say if I hit you somewhere like that!?”

And at that moment, he asked the question he really didn’t want an answer to.

“R-r-really?”

She sounded far too excited. She held her hands out in a similar pose, then realized it was a rhetorical question.

“Well, you didn’t say not to. You said hit you as hard as I could, and that would be preeeetty hard, don’t ya think? Sides, that’s what I meant by boring. Ya don’t take minor damage that makes you cautious, you just take, really, really, big damage. I mean, if I didn’t like ya, I’d do an elbow throw instead. So, does this mean I win today!?”

Hideki stared up at the young woman who looked like a kid in a candy store, just beaming. He sighed, damn it, why did she have to be so cute and crazy at the same time. Tightening his grip on the leg he swung her into the ground nearby before sliding over to pin.

“Not yet, you can’t honestly think I’d give up after you threw me?” he smirked, skins till black as stone.

Mai was standing, and then she wasn’t.

“H-hey! We were talking damnit!”

Mai thrashed against the stone atop her. It didn’t do much, and didn’t take long for the pin to hold her. She still bucked under him.

“C-come on! Dang it!”

Finally she stopped, almost pouting.

“Fine. Well, if I’m going to be the person who beats the Mizukage, and Head of the Sanada clan, what are you going to be? Hokage? I mean, I gueeeess I can excuse the wins if you’re doing something with them. Even if you are cheating.”

Hideki… wasn’t certain what to say really. The hokage? Him? “I… Don’t think I’m on the level to become Hokage… I’m not a member of any of those noble houses, those people have some crazy power.” the young man sighed.

“Calling me weak?”

“Eh? Hell no your strong as hell.

“Then shut the hell up and tell me what’cha gunna do with it!”

Hideki thought about it for a moment, even as the young lady still tried to buck him off. “...What do I want… I… I want to... “ he paused… wondering in the depths of his mind what he wants. He never really thought of an end goal, a thing that he wanted to strive for. It’s always been the next hurdle, as opposed to looking at whats at the end of the track.

But what did he wanted there?

“...I want to become more than just the Hokage.” he admitted, the silent, little spark popping up in his midst. “...Its… hard to imagine… But we’re just one village. Why can’t we all band together you know?”

He wasn’t doing a good job of explaining this odd feeling, he didn’t fully understand it, it was odd, new… and confusing… Maybe he just didn’t have the words yet.

Mai cocked her head it while under him.

“Damnit that’s good. Maybe I’ve been thinking too small! Still, kinda hard to follow a guy who impales ninja weaker than he is… maaaybe tone down on that… unless of course you want to be feared, then that’s cool. If that’s the case, ya should be more brutal. Hmm…”

Mai honestly seemed to be thinking on it.

“Also, ya got 5 seconds to get off me before we BOTH end up in the hospital. My Mom’ll be back there next week!”

“Eh? And what? What do you think you can do to me that’ll put me in the hospital.” he laughed, though suddenly had this weird feeling something… Bad was going to happen.

“Let’s count this a draw then!”

With Hideki laughing, Mai could clearly see his pearly white, and more importantly, NOT black teeth. With a sudden movement, she reared her head back and….

 

[Ganryu]

Mai Sanada && Nohime Sanada
Master of Cookies ​

"Son of a bitch, Mai. I'm not even back to the #%#$3$@ hospital and you have me patching you back up. What would you do without me?"

"I'd probably be alot more scarred. Your medical jutsu just keeps getting better, doesn't it?"

"*sigh*... lots of practice, hun, lots of practice. I developed this one mostly for you, you know? Most Sanada won't shut up about their scars."

Mai sat quietly in a chair while her mother focused a blue light on her forehead, where a wound that would probably be a scar was. Apparently it had still had tooth shards in it. The wound, however, disappeared, leaving only the thinnest of lines behind.

"Do you want me to use Scar Removal Method on your hand too?"

"Nah, need a good reminder once in a while."

"Suit yourself. There we go, looking pretty as ever. So, if that hand's a reminder of you #$#@'ing up training, I take it that monstrosity in that cloth there is from the Mist invasion?"

"Uh...."

"Mai, alot of people say the Sanada are crazy, but I married into them. We're really just really simple. That's the Kabutowari, isn't it?"

"Is everyone going to figure that out?"

Nohime raised her eyebrow.

"Mai, I love you, but you're terrible with secrets. That, and there's been a few clues around."

"Like?"

"You talking to it, I've seen the axehead slip out the cloth, you buying a ton of oil for a blade, and I'm just now catching up with reports."

"...shit."

"Mai Sanada! No @#$#'ing cursing!"

Both let out a hearty laugh.

"So, what are you doing with it? Going after the swordsmen of the mist?"

"Uh..."

"Come on, not like I could stop you doing something if I tried. Just try to not get yourself killed. I can patch up just about anything else. I just want to see what we need to get ready for this time. So be honest. Are you after the rest of the swordsmen of the mist. Beat them because one of them beat you?"

"Heck no! I could block the one we fought! I did even! No one believes me though... And Ms. Himura won't genjutsu me a fight against him."

"Ms Himura? Shouldn't it be Takara-sensei?"

"Not if she's not going to teach me anything! I mean, I get I fight differently, but last time I sparred, my hand blew up, and when I asked her a favor of genjutsu she sucker punched me! If she doesn't want to be a sensei, fine with me. I mean, Ms. Himura's still respectful to call her. 'Sides, dad's been training me lately."

"Is that why you ran into a telephone pole yesterday?"

"Blindfold training's hard!"

"I still say give her a chance. Jonin's nothing to laugh at."

"She hasn't taught me ANYTHING!"

"Have you listened?"

"I asked and got sucker punched and chewed out. For what? Wanting to get stronger?"

"You want to be the clanhead, right?"

"Right!"

"Then be the bigger person."

"Tch. I just want to say I made it to Jonin without owing her anything."

"Hmm. Thought you wanted to be clanhead."

"I do!"

"Then why reinvent the wheel and make it harder on yourself?"

"Mom! I ain't going to her and that's final!"

"Huh, hate her that much. You could ask for a squad transfer. Who am I kidding. Alright, other question, I know you too well, you're waiting for someone to pull that Kabutowari on. Who is it?"

"Promise me you won't get mad?"

"I'm in a crazy clan, and have a crazy daughter, and I love her anyways. Shoot."

"The Mizukage. I'm mad at him for hurting you. You almost died!"

Her mother just sighed, and tapped the chair she sat on.

"You don't aim low, do you. Do you know even know what you are fighting?"

"The strongest ninja in all the Mist! I just gotta be stronger than that."

"Mai. Spar me."

"B-but you just got better!"

"Just come with me. Your father taught you something, only fair I get a turn. Let's make bets. If you can land a single hit on me, I'll treat you to an exclusive day of healing, you can do whatever the hell you want and I'll follow you and your teammates around.

"And if I can't?"

"Then you owe me a free favor."

"That's vague! You're on! I've got alot stronger thanks to Dad!"

Mai set the heavy load of cloth off to the side, and followed her mother to the training area. The sea of Sanada's parted as they saw Nohime. Initially they looked for who was injured. Not finding any, they all stared. Her fighting was a rare thing. A few of them considered her a candidate for next head, and a few more were worried about her health.

Mai set up in a stance, and pointed to a bystander.

"Hey, Uncle Toshiro, give us the signal to start. Mom, good luck! Hehehe, free day of full healing, one hell of a training day!"

"Uh...okay. 3...2...1...Start!"

Mai faded to black, reappearing infront of her mother with a punch ready. When fighting someone alot stronger than you were, there was only two options. Either become hyper aggressive and catch them off guard, or become extremely defensive and fluster them. Flying in at her mother, Mai could practically feel the awesome day of training ahead.

Nohime made a single hand sign, and Mai barrelled past her, falling to the ground, unable to move.

Paralysis Jutsu.

"And that's Nohime, the Black Widow for you. Pity, hear young Mai was getting pretty good."

And it was at that moment Mai felt stupid. Of course, her Mom was one of the most proficient users of the Paralysis jutsu. Mai buckled against it. Was it genjutsu? She bit her lip during one of the spasms, it refused to let up. If it was just ninjutsu, than surely force of will would let her stand. And no one had Mai's willpower, her mother had told her that. The more she struggled, the more her muscles locked up. Her mom walked over and bent over her.

"Would you like to know the secret? If you forfeit and stop struggling, I'll let you know."

Mai reacted with a gurgle.

"I can wait."

About ten minutes went by before Mai gave up struggling. Her muscles hurt from the struggle. How did that work? As she lay there, she found a bit of relief.

"I-I give..."

"Good. Now, here's the secret, this jutsu locks your muscles up. The more you tighten them, the stronger it gets, making it perfect against the Sanada. If you relax, you'd be able to move better in it."

"Fine...what favor do I owe you?"

"Come on Mai, I'm still recovering myself. I only sparred with you as a lesson."

"That I'm still weak..."

"#$@#$ no. You blocked a Swordsman of the Mist? I believe you. You're strong. The damn crowd watching shows that. But some people you need to prepare against. The Mizukage is known as the Stingray, and he's extremely proficient in poisons, summons, range, and paralyzing jutsu. You know, all the things you're pretty shitty against. What's your dream Mai?"

"I want to be the Sanada head, AND I want to beat the Mizukage!"

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing else."

"Good. You know who could help you with all those things you're weak against?"

"You?"

"Me? #$@# no. I got like one jutsu. It's a nifty one, but I'm a medical ninja. I know of a ninja supremely good at range and paralyzing genjutsu though. Her name's Takara Himura."

"No....nononono!"

A ding was heard from the kitchen.

"So, the favor I'd like you to do is take those cookies that just finished over to her, and try again. You agreed infront of the whole clan. And please call her Takara-sensei."

"Ha! I agreed to one favor!"

"Did you want to fight the Mizukage?"

"...yes."

"Then deliver those damn cookies to Takara-SENSEI. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am..."

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Hideki Ukita
Aiko Uchiha

Fishy Business​

Well… it was time to face the music… it was about time that he came to do this, he had been putting it off for some time. Well, not really, but Aiko most certainly made him feel bad about it like he was putting it off.

The girl really knew how to make him feel like he just kicked a puppy, must be the eyes. Or how cute she was when she pouts. At times he wishes he could hug the girl, but he’d likely get frozen solid more than anything.

But now, now that he was standing outside her home, staring at the door, he wondered if this was a good time to even show up…. No real way to know of course, he just had to open that door and ask if Aiko was there, maybe get abit of slack from her dad like “Asking my daughter on a date eh?’ Or something dad like.

He sighed and reached for the door and pulled it open. “Aiko! You in?”

If Hideki was listening closely, he’d hear the slam of something hitting the floor, and a loud female voice curse. After a few quiet moments, Aiko opened the door, and a cold air washed over Hideki

“... Oh it’s you. What do you want?”

She didn’t have her ninja gear on, nor did she appear to be quite ready for the day, as her hair was a bit of a mess, and there were heavy bags under her eyes.

Hideki blinked a few times before collecting himself… Aiko looked like a mess… He cleared his throat before speaking. “Uhh… Well, I came to see if you wanted to do something.. We haven’t hung out in awhile so…” he trailed off, looking her over.

“Maybe a bad time… Do you need help around here?”

Aiko was silent for a moment, and stared intently at Hideki, as if trying to prove his mind for his real motive for being here.

“Well I was just about to head to the river to do some fishing. Need to restock. You can help if you want.”

She walked deeper into her little home, and pointed at a kitchen table. “Sit over here and wait for me to get ready. Don’t touch anything,” she commanded before heading into her room. In truth, she had planned to go fishing later in the day, or even at night, but with Hideki showing up, she may as well have an extra pair of hands to help fish.

Hideki remembered why he doesn’t like to come around already. As cute as she was…. She was most certainly bossy, even more so these days. The young man obeyed and went over to sit on the kitchen table, he sighed, feeling unsure if this was a good idea already… last time they hung out he got banned from the arcade, and unbanned after the owner decided bygones should be bygones… With the whole war thing and all.

He looked around the room for a moment, taking everything in… Fishing… hes.. Never really done that before. He can do it, no doubt, but…. It’s… weird to imagine doing it to restock a shop. Don’t they order fish in? Fresh fish is best he heard…

After a short five minutes, Aiko walked into the kitchen with her ninja outfit on, but without all the ninja tools.her hair was fixed up, and the bags were no longer visible, thanks to some quick makeup. She held two fishing poles over her shoulder, and carried a bucket filled with some sort of aquatic bugs and smaller fish

“Are ya ready? It won’t be too long of a walk. I know the exact spot.” Aiko paused, then asked, “Do you even know how to fish?”

“Yea, of course I can fish.” he lied, he figured it was just like how you imagine. Put bait on the hook, toss line into the water and wait. Not like it was rocket science… Whatever that was. The young man hopped back to his feet and walked over to the girl. “Have you been… Okay? You looked like you’re being run ragged.” She looked fine now, kinda, but he couldn’t quite feel like shes under some hellish amount of pressure.

Aiko chuckled softly. “Yes I guess you could say that. I’ll be fine though, this should be pretty relaxing,” Aiko responded with false positivity. Fishing was relaxing, but she knew she wasn’t as fine as she tried to play off.

“Let’s get going.” Aiko handed Hideki a fishing pole, and started out the door.

It wasn’t a long walk to the fishing spot. It was along the river that ran through Konoha, there were a few large rocks on the riverside, perfect to sit on. “Here it is. Nice and relaxing.” Aiko took a seat on one of them, reaching the bucket to retrieve one of the bugs. She stuck it on her fishpole’s hook, before looking at Hideki to make sure he actually knew what he was doing.

Hideki, looking totally, absolutely, confident in his fishing skills, took up a seat next to Aiko. “Yea, this place looks pretty good…” he essentially copied what she had to say about the spot in his own words.

He began to start his first test of fishing, having watched what Aiko did, he figured he should do the same and put one of the little bugs onto the hook as well. Fumbling with the worm he held the hook in one hand and the wiggling squirming bug in another. Putting the hook to the skin of the worm, he pushed the need like hook into it until it was firmly upon the hook and the point was poking out the other end.

“There, should be good.” he looked towards Aiko, wondering why she was staring.

Aiko looked away without a word, and cast her line into the river. She was pretty sure Hideki wasn’t very good at fishing, even if he had done it before. She wasn’t entirely sure what to say to him to make conversation, so Aiko just remained silent. It had been a day or two since she had actually spoken to anyone. She had hoped thing would be better by this point. Aiko stared blankly into the water, waiting for a fish to bite.

Copying her once again the young man sat silent and still… staring at the small fishing bob on his string as it floated up and down. Relaxing huh…? All he felt was awkwardness.

“...Are you… Sure your okay? I know you're supposed to be the cool and collected one, calling me and Mai idiots but...” he trailed off, scratching behind his head and letting out a sigh. Man.. he was just no good with words today.

“I’m just tired. It’s kinda hard to do stuff around the house alone and keep my dad’s shop tidy. I try to train when I can.” Suddenly, Aiko started pulling on her fishing pole, struggling with a fish. Aiko grunted, pointing her fishing pole at the sky and leaning back.

Before long Aiko had a fish with a sharp looking tail fin in her hands. With a simple jutsu, Aiko froze the fish in an ice block, and set it beside her. She took a breath, and grinned at Hideki.

“Your turn, if you can.”

The young man smirked and sighed. “It’s a contest now huh? Thought this was supposed to be relaxing.” he joked, until he felt something tug sharply on his line. Struggling to figure it out for a second he began to reel the fish in, pulling, spinning the line, and with little to no finesse he managed to pull out a wiggling and struggling fish, moderate in size but nonetheless was his first true catch.

“There, one for one.” he smirked and handed the unhooked fish her way to freeze, he grabbed another bug with his other hand.

“Ya know, I think that fish just felt bad for you. I’ve never seen anyone catch a fish with technique looking like that.”

Aiko froze Hideki’s fish, and set it next to the first. Repeating her prior process, she then cast her line again, waiting for a fish.

“Also, try to catch edible fish would ya? People need to eat these things, idiot.”

“Sorry, not everyone can influence which fish takes the bait.” he sighed, moving to put the hook in the bait and- “Oww!” he yelped waving his finger abit, a small drop of blood coming from his finger. “Gaah… Damn it.” he sighed looking at the slowly seeping prick. The worm was now upon the hook, atleast, so he tossed the line into the water and nursed his throbbing finger.

“Don’t lose too much boy~! That all belongs to me you know~!” the voice echoed in his brain again, that haughty snarck filled laugh that just didn’t want to leave your in a better mood. Damn this sword…

Shaking his head, he glanced to Aiko, looking now abit embarrassed.

Aiko couldn’t contain her laughter, giggling uncontrollably. She couldn’t believe he’d actually poked his own finger with the hook. Even children were smarter than that. He looked a little weird afterwards though, and Aiko struggled to stop laughing. Even when a fish started tugging on her line, and as she fought against the fish, she was giggling.

She managed to snag the fish, reeling in the same kind as before. She froze it and set it stop the other two. “You really are an idiot Hideki. Do I need to go get a medic, or are ya gonna rub some dirt on it?” Aiko asked, having recovered from her laughing bout.

“Oh shut up…” he grumbled, staring down at the bobber. The sudden memory that he wasn’t alone in his own head making him tad grumpier than he normally would be. “...Hows… your dad doing?”

Aiko didn’t respond for a few moments. Why did he have to ask about him? “I’m not sure honestly. He’s been in captivity for awhile. They’re making sure he didn’t have anything to do with the Mist’s attack. Which he didn’t, obviously…” Aiko trailed off, staring down at the three frozen fish.

“I see… have you tried asking when he will be let go? I’ve seen him fight one of the swordsman myself, even Takara showed up with him. Has she backed him up? If he wanted to prove he wasn’t a spy or something any random nin can be fought.. A swordsman kinda goes above and beyond acting yea know.” he said his thoughts on the matter, it was kinda stupid that they’d hold him for so long… Just how long did it take to actually get the fact he's innocent down?

“I’ve tried to go see him, and ask when he’ll be let out, but they always just tell me it’s classified information, and to go home.” Aiko muttered something under her breath, and let out a puff of frost. “Takara Sensei is always so busy, so I don’t want to bother her. They’ll let him out soon though, I can feel it. Don’t worry about me... idiot...”

Aiko didn’t want Hideki to stress out over her. Ninja had more important things to worry about. “What about you, how’re you doing? Not scarred from the mission right?” Aiko quickly changed the subject, happy to no longer be talking about her father.

“Still.. I’ll talk with Takara… After I talk to her about not eating breakfast again.” he huffed, before following Aiko’s conversation switch. “I’m doing alright, no real big changes. Not fully certain why the village of the star attacked us but… Well, that Isn’t for me to figure out.”

“We have to be more careful moving forwards, spot ambushes like that before they happen. Likely we’ll both have to work on that… As Mai does her own thing…” he sighed, scratching his head in abit of frustration. “By the way… Good work in that fight, Mai took to much of a gamble for my liking but you handled your opponent quickly. No need for flashiness, when an ice sword works.”

“Thanks, it’s a useful technique. When my dad gets back I’m gonna try and get him to teach me some new ice technique.” Aiko se let her fishing pole down, and stared into the water. She spotted a fish, and formed a shuriken in her hand. She threw it at the fish, and missed by a mile. “Also, what’s with the katana? I didn’t know you knew how to fight with one. I was hoping to see you put it to use during the mission.”

He tried not to laugh at Aiko’s piss poor aim, but didn’t need to try anymore as she brought up the katana… Great…. “Well… my Wakizashi was better to use then…” he made up a lie on the spot, the young man trying to avoid too much talk about using it. “..Got it from my dad abit ago after he.. Disappeared… So…”

Aiko was looked at Hideki with a hint of disbelief, before quickly looking away. She hadn’t known his dad had disappeared, or at least she had forgotten. Sometimes Aiko forgot she wasn’t the only person in the world who went through struggles, and lost people they cared about. “Well, I could show you a few good moves with the katana sometime. But if your as good with a katana as you are at fishing, I’m not sure you’ll get much out of the training,” Aiko said, trying to lighten the mood a bit. She had forgotten about catching fish.

“...Right…” he nodded, looked to be a tad bit… unhappy as he thought of trying to train with the thing, though likely it could be thought of as him being sad about his father from onlooker. He was… But that wasn’t his prime concern… Using that thing against Aiko was… Unthinkable…

Against an enemy?

Could he really use such a horrible weapon?

“Horrible weapon? At least try to not paint me as some monster.”

He flashed back to the fishing rod ashe he suddenly felt a huge jerk coming from the line, standing up he grabbed the rod tighter and began reeling it in. Whatever this was at the end of it, it felt huge!!

“Aiko! This thing is trying to pull me in!” he fought with the rod, the fish pulling this way and that, the water thrashing and spraying all around from the fighting of this fish.

Aiko acted fast, having gone through fishing situations like this before. She formed a hand sign, and a water clone appeared next to her. They both took hold of the fishing rod, and started pulling with all their might.”What the hell did you use as bait?” Aiko asked, shocked that a fish like this would take some of her bait.

“Just a worm!” he gasped as another hard tug pulled him nearly off his feet, but he hunkered down once more, forming a handsign in one hand as his legs turned black as soot. “I’m not going in for a swim today fish, your coming out!” And with the help of his friend… Well.. two of them they wrenched the rod back, pulling the fish straight out of the water. It was a massive thing, roughly 3 feet in length and very heavy!

They could tell the weight easily as the fish came flying towards the duo/trio and collided with them, sending them all back in a fishy bundle as the fish flopped and flapped in its attempts to be free.

Aiko grunted as she hit the ground. Her clone fell as well, but broke into water as it hit the ground. Seeing the giant fish flopping around, she quickly lunged onto it, grunting as she pinned it beneath her and slid the hook out of the fish’s mouth. She formed a handsign, and began freezing the fish from the tail up. It was a big fish, so she couldn’t freeze it all at once. As she froze the fish however, it started flailing wildly, making the freezing process far more difficult. “Hold it down so I can freeze it!”

Hideki wasn’t sure what to do, hold it down? She was going to damn well freeze him to! What should he do!? Kneeling back down near the fishes head he did what any sane person would do and decked the fish right in it’s fishy face, properly stunning the fish and making it stay still, long enough for Aiko to finish her work.

“...I’ll admit, I panicked… Can’t say I’ve ever punched a fish though.” he snickered, looking down at the monstrous thing.

Aiko chuckled, setting the big frozen fish next to the smaller ones. “Well at least it worked.”

She wiped her hands on her pants and groaned.

A lot more time had passed than Aiko had thought, and the sun was heading towards the horizon.

“I’ll help you get these back. No sense only helping half way huh?” he looked quite proud of the big fish he caught, not really certain what type of fish but it was more definitely heavy! And in no way did he get beginner’s luck.

All skill.

The young man picked up the larger fish and waited for Aiko to take the lead.

Aiko put the three smaller frozen fish in the bucket, and held the fishing pole’s over her shoulder. “Alright, let’s get moving then.” She started walking towards her home, not slowing down for Hideki and his heavy fish.

When they arrived at her little house, Aiko stopped and frowned. She swore she noticed movement in her home. Instantly assuming the worst, Aiko gently set down the bucket and the fishing poles. She turned to Hideki, holding a finger to her lips so he wouldn’t start being loud and stupid.

Slowly, Aiko shuffled towards the front window and peeled inside. Her eyes lit up, and she rushed to her front door and swung it open, hurrying inside.

The young man rose an eyebrow towards the young woman, was… Somebody inside the place? Hideki watched as she rushed inside, figuring he couldn’t just let her fight an invader alone he rushed inside to help, large frozen fish at the ready to clobber the intruder!

However, Aiko wasn’t fighting an intruder. It was quite the opposite! The Uchiha girl was hanging from a man’s neck, burying her face in his shoulder as they embraced each other in a tight hug. The man looked a lot like her too. “A-Aiko! Don’t hug me so tightly! I can’t breathe!” The man was her father, who had finally been released by Konoha officials. He was suspected of having something to do with the Mist’s surprise attack, but no evidence was found.

Hideki slowly lowered the big fish, trying his best to look completely like he wasn’t ready to clobber a man’s face in with a frozen fish. “Well, I’ll… grab the stuff and bring it in.” he laid the fish on a nearby table and went off to grab the rest of the equipment.

Upon hearing Hideki’s voice Aiko remembered that he was here too. She quickly released her father and regained her composure. She could feel the smug look from her father glaring down at her, ready to say something stupid.

“That’s the boy in your squad isn’t it? Were you guys out fishing together?” A broad toothy smile stretched across Aisu’s face as he spoke. “That’s wonderful! What else did you guys do while I was gone? Nothing too heated I hope, hehehe. How’s Taka-“

“You can be quiet now. Welcome home,” Aiko interrupted. First thing he does is try to embarrass her, but at least Hideki didn’t hear any of it.

Hoisting the rest of the equipment inside the young man looked at the two. “Yea know your gonna choke the guy to death if you keep hugging that hard.” he joked, plopping the rest of the stuff down. “Guess i don’t need to ask sensei about you then, you know Aiko wouldn’t stop talking about how much she missed you while you were gone.” he smirked abit, trying to tease the girl abit.

Of course, this was a wonderful scene, but he couldn’t feel a bit… jealous… Would he be as happy to see his dad when the time comes? If it does?

Or would… things just go back to normal?

“I wouldn’t worry about him boy, you have me now~!”

The young man shivered slightly as the voice raked his brain again, he looked at the two once more.

Aiko flashed Hideki a cold look before looking away in embarrassment. It was as if both them wanted to embarrass her as much as they could! Idiots, the both of them.

Aiko’s Dad let out a hardy laugh, that quickly stopped when he spotted the huge frozen fish. “Oh man! You guys really caught a big one out there!” He rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. “I’ve been dying for something good to eat, you wanna stay for dinner young lad? I’m sure Aiko would be happy to have you!”

Aiko rolled her eyes, before rubbing them gently. “Whatever, I’m gonna go get all this fish grease off of me,” Aiko stated, stomping off out of sight.

Aisu shrugged. “Bring that fish into the kitchen would you lad? Uh, what was your name again?” Aisu asked as he strolled into the kitchen. He began looking through different cupboards and drawers, picking out different ingredients he may or may not actually use. “You like spice?”

“I’m sure whatever you make will be good, feel free to go wild.” Hideki let the man have free reign, even if he had his preference, the man had just been let out of the worst place in the city. He figured it was best he did his thing and got used to freedom again.

“And it’s Hideki, i was one of the people you saved back then. The swordsman’s axe certainly hurt.” he rubbed the arm where the axe bit into before he began to drag the fish to the kitchen.

“I’ll be sure to let sensei know you're out when I get back, I’m sure she’s looking forward to eating here again.”

Aisu smiled, and retrieved his usual cooking tools. “Ah yes! You’re that boy aren’t you. I do hope the arm is better now. That swordsman was lucky I didn’t get my hands on him! I’m glad you’re not dead, Hickey!” Aisu grabbed the huge fish, and set it on the cooking pan. Most of the fish was hanging off the pan. Aisu rubbed his head, thinking of a solution. A light bulb lit in his head, and he opened another drawer, this time pulling out a long metal sheet. He instead put the fish on this metal sheet and started using a basic fire jutsu to start defrosting the fish. Just as he began Aiko returned, wearing regular clothes, a blue shirt and black pants.

She sat down at the kitchen table before asking, “What kind of fish is this anyway?”

“..Hickey…?” Hideki felt blood rush to his face, before realizing Aiko had come back, seeing her in civilian clothing he couldn’t help but smile. “You should wear normal stuff more often.” She was most certainly cute, in comparison to Mai she actually looked nice to be around. Or maybe he had just trained himself to keep ready for a surprise punch to the face when the girl was near… he damn well near lost teeth the last stunt she pulled during that spar.

...Though he shouldn’t be comparing the two, business must stay out of person stuff, or so he hears.

Kinda hard when your a growing boy.

And your surrounded by cute girls.

…

He REALLY needs more guy friends.

The question clued into Hideki as well, he wasn’t quite certain what type of fish it was either. “Yea, not sure myself. It’s big, looks like it has lots of meat.”

Holding back a grin, Aiko put her head down in her arms on the table. She appreciated the compliment, but that would only encourage more foolishness from her father! Was he trying to spur the man on? Nonetheless, she was already happy to have her dad back. The smell of fish being cooked by him was irreplaceable. Oddly enough, ever since she hugged her dad, everything was looking odd. Blue mist was floating up from Hideki and her dad. She assumed her fatigue was catching up to her.

“I hope you guys like it spicy, because this is going to be one torching fish!” Aisu exclaimed as he worked his magic in the fish. “Next time yall’s sensei comes to my stand I’ll be sure to make her something special! Tell her it’ll be on the house too!”

“Heh, that will certainly get her here. She’ll need something big too, she's been working non-stop .” he frowned, worrying for his sensei and temporary roommate. “Can’t say I’m not used to spice though, been spending most of my time eating healthy stuff, it’ll be great to finally have something good to bite into…”

The pain he must go through to look good… Best he get started early since it’s easier to keep up such things if he's already at it. Soon, soon he will be as buff as sensei!! Now if only he could stop eating so much steak… He’s been on a binge of it lately, sure protein is good for building muscle but he can’t have too much….

…

Wait… Was this the sword’s doing? He has started taking his steak redder and redder….

“Oh, we actually went on a mission not to long ago, Aiko did exceedingly well. Makes me jealous of that ice jutsu stuff I’ll admit.” he chuckled, feeling like praising her a bit more.

Aisu laughed again, before accidentally burning his finger with his ownl jutsu. “I’m glad! She needs to get out and use those jutsu on someone anyway! Nothing beats on duty experience!”

Aiko sat up straight. “I took out one of those uh... sound ninja. They ambushed us. I could’ve done better though. I just couldn’t locate them fast enough.” She looked over at Hideki, seeing his sword glow a bright blue. “Why’s your sword glowing, Hideki?” She asked, rubbing her eyes again.

“Uhh… they were village of the star ninja.” he sighed, unsure why she would have gotten that wrong. Hell the headband had a star on it. He chuckled a bit before raising an eyebrow. “...Why is my… Sword…?” he glanced at the sword at his side, the thing looked as it always did, the little bane of his existence that it was.

“It… Isn’t glowing…” he rose an eyebrow at her, not totally certain if she was right in the head… “It’s how it’s always been… Why would it be glowing?”

Aiko rubbed her eyes again. “Right right, star ninja…” she trailed off. “Sorry, I think I’m just really tired.” Oddly enough, Aiko was feeling pretty happy, despite feeling a little woozy at the all the color emanating from Hideki and her dad.

“Ya know, you had me worried pa- I mean Dad. I thought that since they kept you in there for so long, you weren’t going to be let out. Or maybe even something worse. Why did they have to keep you for so long?” Aiko asked, pushing a stray hair from in front of her face.

Aisu didn’t answer for a moment. He himself was unsure. He turned to face Aiko as he answered. “Well, I think they were so busy with the village’s safety they just put me off for la-” he suddenly stopped, nearly dropping the knife he held onto his own foot. “A-Aiko! Your eyes!”

Hideki looked towards Aisu at first, but once he mentioned it the young man had fully realized what had just happened. There before him, plain as day and passing over his head like a obvious joke he just wouldn’t get was Aiko, her eyes full on bloody red. Just like the eyes of the Uchiha he knew, she stood before him, oblivious to the fact that she had, in fact, grown into her own.

“Aiko… You…. You’ve...” he looked around for something. “Do you have a mirror or something?’ he asked her father, looking around the room for something reflective. He managed to find a particularly shiny metal bowl and handed it to the young lady. “Look! Your eyes, they’ve..”

Aiko gave them both a confused look, taking the bowl and looking at her reflection. She gasped, bringing it closer to her face. “Wha-what?! How?” She looked up at her dad first, who was smiling like an idiot. Then she looked at Hideki, and gave him a genuine smile. “So I actually had it the whole time. And here I was thinking I wasn’t actually an Uchiha!” She was excited, and expressed far more emotion than she ever had before in front of anyone.

Aisu bent down and picked up the knife. “It activates when you get a strong burst of emotion! You must really love your papa huh!” He smiled broadly, before dodging an ice shuriken. “Well let’s eat up then!” Aisu sat a plate in front of Hideki. It was the fish’s head! The eye stared up at him. “You get the best part for hooking the sucker!” He then sat a plate in front of Aiko, who was gazing around the room in awe, and then back at the bowl again. “Eat up kiddos! Ninjas need lots of energy! Especially when you Hideki! Men need to be strong so they can protect beautiful maidens! Maidens like Aiko!”

Aiko frowned at her dad, her sharingan staring into her dad’s soul. He grimaced, and gave her a nervous smile.

Hideki stared down at the fish’s head and his expression went from joy to… Well… He wasn’t… fully certain about eating a fish’s head… He was a meat person. “Uhh… thanks..” he couldn’t help but feel like he was getting the short end of the stick here.

After they finished eating, and bidding Hideki a farewell, Aiko headed off to bed, her sharingan still running strong. Aisu ate the rest of the fish on his own, and slept like a baby in his bed.

On the walk home Hideki sighed, the… head was better than it looked, given the fact it was an ugly as sin fish head, it wasn’t hard. He managed to sneak a fillet or two from the major body of it afterwards but all was well in the end.

Though it still concerned him… That his sword had a chakra flow of it’s very own even without him putting chakra into it… He needed to figure out what was going on with this thing, and quickly.