Shinobi Story - Konohagakure [IC]

[Squrmy]

黒タカ守 (Kurotaka Mamoru)

"Lord Hokage, I do not mean to question your judgement, but I do not feel he is ready; Elite Jounin require skill of the highest calibre. I know he has great potential, but it is just that: potential. His exploits are met with as much disdain as they are praise," Kurotaka replied quickly with a hint of disapproval in his voice. Granted his company, a tone of disapproval would seem rather outrageous; he was speaking to none other than the Hokage. When he was summoned that morning -- only a day before he was to be assigned a team of Genin -- he had assumed it would be about his team, but instead was a personal request of the Hokage himself: to determine whether Ryo Sarutobi, the youthful cousin of Hiruzen himself, was worthy of being an Elite Jounin. Such a rank would put Ryo, over a decade junior to Kurotaka, on his same influential level -- a level he achieved by serving in two World Shinobi Wars and protecting two Hokage. Kurotaka had seen what inexperience and overconfidence had done on the battlefield, and he was not exactly willing to put someone he considered to have both of those qualities in a position were they could cost the lives of others.

"That, Kurotaka, is why I am asking you to personally determine if he is suitable for the rank. I know you would never allow someone you felt could not handle the position to be in it," Sarutobi said, meeting Kurotaka with a rather surprising reply. He then explained, "Most would see Ryo as merely the cousin of the Hokage, destined for greatness, and whose approval would grant them favor with me. You will not. I know you. I know your exploits with the Hokage; I saw firsthand some of them. You will bare down on him and you will make him consider the ramifications of the rank to which he is applying."

There was a moment of pause for Kurotaka. He had not considered this prospect. He did indeed have a reputation for being of the harshest Shinobi in the village; he knew from personal encounters that many viewed him as far too harsh, even on veterans of the Second Shinobi War. A thought did arise, however: to choose himself to test a Shinobi to be an Elite Jounin -- to be a Shinobi that he would put his life in the hands of -- is almost condemning them to failure; did Sarutobi not wish for Ryo to be an Elite Jounin? "I understand, Lord Hokage. I apologize for my previous forwardness. If I am to test him, it will be fair -- as fair was the Shinobi world is, I suppose. If you would, summon Ryo Sarutobi to Training Ground C and a witness at 1400. If he asks, the test will be simple: two questions, and combat."

Sarutobi merely nodded. Men of few words, especially Kurotaka. It was only to men such as Sarutobi Hiruzen, men he had fought for and with, that he truly spoke sincerely to. Kurotaka rose from the plush chair he sat in during his conference, and bowed to Sarutobi, who then bowed back. Kurotaka then left the office, which he considered far too decorative and glamorous for a Shinobi of any calibre. In fairness, much of a Hokage's job was not combat; it was diplomatic. Although the transition was drastic, during peace times such as this, the Hokage was less of a head for the military and more of an idol for his people. Kurotaka spent no time in leaving after he had left sight of the Hokage. Using his honed speed, he shot out of the Hokage's building and into the forest that surrounded the village. If he was to judge Ryo fairly, he felt the next three hours would be best used meditating and plotting out his upcoming choice. The village was indeed left weakened after the last war; more Elite Jounin would be a great prospect, but if he prematurely placed anyone into a rank they could not handle, it could cost lives. As he sat alone, in the shade of a great tree, feeling the breeze that blew on that sunny day, he sat contemplating. Although no one would've seen it, and no one did as he was miles away from the village at this point, he was weighing hundreds of values in his head, and attempting to eliminate personal prejudice. The warm wind that kissed his face was the only warmth Kurotaka felt at the moment.

猿飛亮 (Ryo Sarutobi)

"Tell the Lord Hokage I'll be there."

Ryo said, smiling softly at the sixteen year old Chuunin who stood on the step just below the doorway into his household. The teenager gave the Jounin a small nod, turning on his heel and disappearing off down the busy street. It was roughly midday, and Ryo had been halfway through his lunch when his door had been knocked. "Elite Jounin test, eh?" He mused, making his way through his house back to the kitchen, sitting down at the table and going back to his sushi.

He finished off his lunch, idly running his hand through his shoulder-length brown hair, rising to his feet, plate in hand. He made his way over to the sink, setting down the plate in the basin, turning on the faucet, watching with a slightly bemused expression as the hot water filled up the sink. He turned the tap off after a moment, washing up the plate, and setting it on the draining board. Ryo dried his hands off on a nearby kitchen towel, glancing at the clock that hung above his fridge. "Twelve forty-five." He murmured, leaving his kitchen behind him as he made the way to his bedroom.

Ryo sighed, shaking his head as he started to undress from his casual clothing. He was slightly annoyed about being summoned - today was his first rest day in weeks, and he'd needed a day to relax - what, with meeting his Genin team tomorrow, and having been patrolling the forest around Konohagakure for weeks on end - but, on the other hand, he was excited. If he passed the test, he would have a higher position in the village, and more of a say in important matters - he'd be able to serve his village not only with his body, but with his mind.

It took him about ten minutes to get fully dressed and equipped, but it seemed to be worth it - he looked like a Shinobi should; organized, well-groomed and proud to represent his village. He grinned, tying his hair back behind his head in its customary ponytail, and securing his village headband halfway up his left thigh, as was his custom.

Ryo exited his house at 13:30, having taken some time to relax and prepare himself mentally for the coming test - there could be Genjutsu, after all, and that was Ryo's weakness. He glanced down to his hands, smiling in satisfaction. The burns from using his Kurae Myaku Nagashi no Jutsu had healed completely, meaning he could use it perhaps more than twice - even if it wasn't recommended.

He made his way toward Training Ground C, looking through the people in the streets of Konoha until he found who he was looking for; one of his commanding officers from the Second Shinobi War, a now-retired Jounin, Hiroshi Akiyama. "Hiroshi-sama!" Ryo called, grinning as the grey-bearded man looked around from his stall; he'd opened a fruit stall when he'd retired from being a Shinobi. "Ryo-kun," Hiroshi said, smiling and looking the Jounin up and down. "What brings you to my stall? I thought you'd be busy - I heard you'd be having a team of Genin soon?"

Ryo nodded. "Yes, Hiroshi-sama, I'll be meeting the Genin tomorrow - it's my first team. I fear I won't be able to give them as much attention as they deserve, however, what with my other duties - the Lord Hokage still doesn't have quite enough manpower to patrol the borders effectively, so I have to help out." Ryo paused a moment, before speaking again, "I am here because I have been chosen to become an Elite-Jounin. Would you be my witness?" Ryo's chest threatened to swell with pride as he spoke, but he held down his excitement. Hiroshi nodded, giving a small smile. "Of course, Ryo, I will be glad to be your witness. Just let me close up my stall."

Ten minutes later, Ryo and Hiroshi arrived at Training Ground C, Ryo looking around for who would test him.

[Enigmatique]

黒タカ守 (Kurotaka Mamoru)

The last few hours of silence had rewarded Kurotaka with what he felt was the clairvoyance to judge the young Sarutobi and determine if we was worthy of being among the Leaf Village's finest. He had weighed all the important factors that were required of an Elite Jounin, especially one that was to be leading a team of Genin. He even sorted out the factors that separated regular Jounin from Elite Jounin: Leadership, quick decisions, inner strength, responsibility, teamwork. All were important. Elite Jounin were not single, individual units. They worked as parts of a group, and had to use their abilities collaboratively. Elite Jounin had to function alone as well, but their true strength came from their synchronization with each other, even if they had never spoke before. Kurotaka knew that Sarutobi was also to lead three of the Rookie Nine, so they would share a pool of Genin. He felt if this test would have been done maybe months later, it would be easier to determine if his subject was truly ready. There had been a lot on his mind, and he spent ample time clearing it of prejudice in an attempt to judge Ryo Sarutobi on his ability."

. . .

Kurotaka stood silently upon a large, wooden practice target that had multiple wooden extensions for taijutsu routines. He had been familiar with them himself, as he had used hundreds during his time perfecting his fighting style with weapons. Kurotaka had spent much time in these exact fields practicing to become the Shinobi he was today. Even before him, there were many tests conducted here, none more so famous than the Bell Test. A test considered unfair: three Genin attempt to take two bells from a Jounin, and failure would send one Genin back home permanently -- all a rouse to test teamwork. On this day, it was time for Kurotaka's test for Ryo:

"Sarutobi Ryo, what is your Nindo? You have one minute, or you fail immediately." Kurotaka asked. Ryo had barely had time to even see Kurotaka, and furthermore Kurotaka had not even physically seen Ryo: he had been using his chakra sensory abilities to keep tabs on Ryo. He gave little time to think; he skipped all pleasantries and introductions. He did not want Ryo to think this through, nor did he want him to. This had to be instinctual. This had to be what Ryo felt, or it wouldn't matter. Kurotaka cared nor for how Ryo carried himself or presented himself; he only wanted words and sincerity at this point. If Ryo could make himself shine to he who had his eyes closed, he would indefinitely have the wit to be an Elite Jounin.

[Squrmy]

猿飛亮 (Ryo Sarutobi) + 黒タカ守 (Kurotaka Mamoru)

As he waited, Ryo thought back to that morning. He'd been told who would be testing him; Mamoru Kurotaka - one of Konoha's Elite. They had met on several occasions, and even exchanged pleasantries: although Ryo had done most of the talking. The Jounin frowned, wandering about the training ground as he tried to cobble together a battle plan. He had heard stories of Kurotaka's skill, and he was an extremely skilled Shinobi; likely too skilled for Ryo to best in combat. He huffed. Did cousin Hiruzen want him to fail?

Just as he was about to ask Hiroshi for a piece of advice, a voice rang out. "Sarutobi Ryo, what is your Nindo? You have one minute, or you fail immediately." Surprised as he was, Ryo answered the question confidently - his Nindo was something he knew by heart, and did his best to uphold. "My Nindo is this, Mamoru Kurotaka; To protect those I love. To serve my village on and off the battlefield, to make them proud, to serve as a worthy role model for those younger than I. And, most of all, to be an honorable, true and just Shinobi. This is my Nindo." He spoke strongly, and his voice wavered a little from the passion he felt. He cleared his throat slightly, bowing his head as he waited for a response; thinking about what he knew of his opponent.

Kurotaka would also be taking a Genin cell, as Ryo had been informed. They would likely be working closely alongside one another over the next year or two - or longer, depending on the skill of their students. Why, then, had Hiruzen pitted them against one another the day before they met their students? Ryo had been known as a hothead during his youth - almost as quick to take offense as he was to make friends. Was it a gesture of the Hokage's faith in Ryo's personality? Or did he just not care enough to consider such an outcome?

Sighing softly, Ryo looked around for Kurotaka, taking a few steps toward the direction from which his voice had come. He hoped Kurotaka had been impressed with his passionate words; he really wanted the title of Elite Jounin.

Kurotaka viewed a Nindo as a single sentence -- a phrase that encompassed a deep, moral value of the Shinobi life. What Ryo said was not what he expected, nor something he liked, but not because of its content. What Ryo said was amiable, what he meant was acceptable, however, its structure and eloquence were lacking. Kurotaka was not impressed. Nevertheless, in the split second of assessment Kurotaka allowed for the melodramatic speech passed it, but barely. "Almost all teaching methods use a root structural value and build upon it. You will be teaching a team soon, Ryo Sarutobi. What will be the root you teach your Genin?" Kurotaka asked Ryo with the same haste that he did before. He did not waste time, nor words; his quickness was met by his conciseness.

Ryo arched an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side somewhat as Kurotaka stated his next question. He frowned, taking a moment to collect his thoughts as he considered the question. "My 'root value' will be to teach my students the value of honour and camaraderie. From there, I will teach them the other values of the Shinobi way, but they will be my roots; my foundation, Kurotaka-san."

Kurotaka showed no signs of disapproval or impatience while waiting for Ryo. As a matter of fact, he expected it. Ryo was everything he expected: prepared in the wrong ways and unconvincing with his values. He didn't impress Kurotaka at all. At this point, all that was left was to test his skill, and Kurotaka didn't expect much from that field either. Kurotaka thus far had predicted nearly every step of young Ryo; he was predictable. A trait, among others, that was ill-suited for Shinobi, especially of his calibre and unacceptable for what he wanted to be.

Kurotaka stood silently for a moment. Never moving from his stance atop the wooden target, he seemed like a statue as even the wind was still -- most likely an effect created by Kurotaka. The statuesque silence was broken as Kurotaka said, "Make your move, young Sarutobi-san. You have only ten minutes to impress me in battle. You cannot beat me."

Ryo didn't reply after Kurotaka spoke; he gave a small nod of his head, taking in a deep breath through his nostrils to calm his nerves before disappearing in a flurry of green leaves, re-appearing in mid-air behind Kurotaka, fingers curled around his mouth. He let off a barrage of large, dragon-head shaped fireballs, the fire crackling as it soared through the air toward Kurotaka's back. As soon as the attack was finished, Ryo disappeared with another explosion of leaves, no sign of the Jounin left behind.

Ryo sighed softly, crouching against the back of a large tree - which he had moved to when he'd fled from the open ground in which Kurotaka was situated. He took in another deep breath only to have the breath knocked out of him. Before the dragon-headed flame bullets had reached Kurotaka, he body flickered away, reappearing in front of Ryo as Ryo himself did. His skilled chakra sensing allowed him to easily track Ryo without even keeping line of sight. Before Ryo could react to Kurotaka's appearance, a Wind Release: Gale Palm had been blasted into Ryo's sternum mid-air.

Ryo was startled by Kurotaka's sudden appearance, but his quick reflexes saved him. He managed to flicker away from the worse of the Gale Palm, appearing to the left of the Jounin. He formed his left hand into a loose fist, pouring chakra into the limb and sending it toward the Elite-Jounin's cheek in a quick, strong haymaker. As Ryo's fist made contact with Kurotaka's cheek, he found himself enveloped in the thin smoke from a Body Replacement technique; a log thudding down onto the branch on which Kurotaka had been standing moments before. Kurotaka was yet again standing atop the wooden practice target, which itself was scortched from Ryo's previous barrage of fire.

Ryo's right hand formed three simple handseals as he jumped from branch to branch until he had a clear shot on Kurotaka, his hand suddendly becoming engulfed in white fire. He pointed his index and middle finger toward Kurotaka's chest; a strong, narrow stream of white fire pulsing toward the man's sternum. Kurotaka watched this jutsu: the White Fire that Ryo was famous for. The White Fire that most likely made him a Jounin. This was only for a moment, however. Gawking too long at a white stream of fiery death wasn't high on Kurotaka's priority list. What was, however, was testing Ryo, and what Kurotaka did next was intended to.

Kurotaka clasped his hands together, which was rare for him to do. With his advanced chakra control, very few of his techniques required handseals, but this was one of them. Kurotaka was summoning the Great Wall of Vitality to block the jet of deadly fire. Kurotaka was initially confident in his ability. As the white stream of fire began burning through the enormous metal wall, he was surprised. Shocked, even, that Ryo could have penetrated the barrier. Granted, the jutsu was specifically designed to pierce such barriers, but for it to work so effectively on what had saved Kurotaka so many times was an intense surprise. The barrier lasted, however, but just barely, and Kurotaka had to pour his chakra into it to keep the jet stream from burning through.

Ryo arched an eyebrow in surprise as the barrier absorbed his Devouring Fire. 'No matter.' He thought to himself, jumping down from his perch on the tree-limb - performing a set of handseals, and essentially crashing -into- the ground; he disappeared beneath the surface, and the ground closed smoothly over his head.

A few moments later, all around Kurotaka, the ground suddendly exploded with Ryos; they errupted out of the ground, some weilding kunai, some weaponless, as they aimed to attack the Elite Jounin from all sides behind his wall. Kurotaka responded to this quickly and violently. He jumped atop the wall and summoned a full one-thousand senbon simultaneously. With each of them mid air aimed at the army of Ryos, he thrust out his hands to perform a Wind Release: Gale Palm again, this time using it to augment his senbon and hurl them forward at the Ryos. All the while, Kurotaka continued to use his sensory abilities, making sure Ryo was not able to sneak up behind or above him.

Ryo watched from afar; he had resurfaced a good distance away from the battle, and headed to the river behind the training ground. He watched with a slight frown, standing on the shifting, moving water (his ability to do so speaking of his high level of chakra control) as he saw Kurotaka summon the senbon. "Sure does love his summons, this one." Ryo murrmured, smirking.
'Right then.' He thought to himself, disappearing into midair as he flickered away, a number of green leaves drifting beneath the surface of the water. Ryo knew Kurotaka was a sensor, so there wasn't much use in a frontal attack. He decided, instead, to try to lure him away from his practice target - using bombartment.

He pulled a handful of explosive tags out of his pouch, attaching them to a number of kunai. Then, holding the kunai in his hands, he threw perhaps fifteen kunai, in sets of five, into the midst of the battle; which was currently concealed from his view, from the smoke of the Shadow Clones being destroyed by Kurotaka's attack. There was a number of loud 'booms', the ground shaking slightly as each of the kunai exploded.
"You're not the only one capable of making distractions," Kurotaka said to Ryo from behind him. Ryo had set up an obvious distraction, so Kurotaka had played into it. Kurotaka then summoned his bow and fired a Menacing Arrow Shot between Ryo's shoulderblades. Ryo's eyes widened in surprise, but, as soon as he heard Kurotaka's voice behind him, he had flickered away. It wasn't quite fast enough - as his shoulder was grazed ever-so-slightly - but he got away from the worst of the attack. He appeared behind Kurotaka, fingers curling around his mouth once more as he unleashed a long stream of hot, roaring fire toward the archer's back.

Kurotaka refused to dodge. He was growing bored with the constant Body Flickering between the two of them. He unsummoned his bow, then performed a quick set of handseals and inhaled deeply. As Ryo launched the stream of fire at Kurotaka, Kurotaka released a Vacuum Wave that slashed through the flame. Under normal circumstances, the fire would consume the wind and grow larger, but Kurotaka followed up by resummoning his bow and firing several Menacing Arrow Shots directly at Ryo through the fire and the flames.

Ryo was slightly surprised that the game of cat and mouse was coming to a close; and he refused to be the mouse. He knew that Kurotaka was using his bow, and that he was likely to fire arrows at him. So, he listened, and he waited. He was beginning to flag somewhat - the use of so much of his chakra was tiring him out.

When the arrows broke through the stream of fire - the only pre-warning a soft whistling sound - Ryo abruptly broke off his channeling of the fire, performing a backwards roll from his standing position, landing in a crouch. He pushed off from the ground, aiming to nullify the effectiveness of the bow by getting in close to the Elite-Jounin. He pushed off from the ground, jumping high into the air, and landing behind and to Kurotaka's right. His hands and feet were a blur as he performed a rapid barrage of punches and kicks toward the man's back - aiming for his pressure points.

Kurotaka may not have seen Ryo, but he still knew what he was doing; Kurotaka was among Konoha's best sensors, and, even at blinding speeds, could fight blindfolded. Kurotaka unsummoned his bow and activated Wind Release: Mobility Amplification. In a burst of mid-air speed, Kurotaka launched himself at the blurred Ryo, and in doing so met each of the young Jounin's punches and kicks with a block of his own. It took but a moment for Kurotaka to outspeed Ryo, and in doing so throwing him off balance. Kurotaka took no time in grabbing the exposed Ryo by the throat, and using a burst of wind to slam him into the ground, intending on ending the fight then and there.

Ryo let out a strangled grunt as he was grabbed, but he wasn't going to go down without a fight; oh no. He sent his right leg - reinforced with chakra - toward the right side of Kurotaka's stomach; something the Elite Jounin wouldn't be able to block without either letting go of Ryo or injuring himself. Kurotaka let go of Ryo, whom was still thrust downward by the momentum caused when Kurotaka grasped Ryo by the throat. Kurotaka then body flickered below Ryo. The fight had centered around their flickers before, so ending with one would only be fitting. Kurotaka thrust his leg upward at Ryo's midback using all of the force and speed his Wind Release: Mobility Amplification granted him.

Ryo grunted, kicked in the back - hard - by the Elite Jounin as he flickered below him. He flew a few metres upward, before collapsing back down onto Kuro's form; sending the both of them crashing to the ground in a tangled heap. "Good fight." Ryo grunted, placing a hand on the grassy ground to push himself to his feet. He ran his fingers down his back, wincing as he touched the area where he'd been kicked by Kurotaka. That would hurt in the morning; he hoped he wouldn't have to walk around bent - it wouldn't do to meet his Genin with a hunch in his back.

"You'll have your results in a few days; whether it's a pass or a fail." Came Kurotaka's voice. Ryo nodded, starting to make his way back toward Hiroshi. He smiled at the Shinobi Commander, jerking his head in the direction of the village. "Sushi?" Hiroshi's worried face broke out into a grin. "Why, I'd love some."

[Hadrada]

Well, today was the day. Today was the day that his career proper would begin. Of course Umtari could not yet afford to think of himself as anything too grand, he knew that he was still little more than a glorified student. As such he would refuse to get carried away by things, but it was hard to keep his excitement and anticipation contained. He was all too aware that with these new adventures and new realms of possibility stretching before him, so too did a path of death, devastation and agony. He preferred not to dwell too much on the later. Instead he allowed his mind to dwell on the lighter side of things.

Walking now towards the academy Umtari continued to dwell on the future. Principally he was thinking about both his potential instructor and his potential comrades. Mentally he was creating wish lists, hoping that he would be assigned with some people and dreading sharing a team with others. He was not drawing up these lists based on ability or class room performance. He knew that what little data he had gathered about his comrades in this regard would rapidly become inaccurate and even misleading. Instead his dream teams were being drawn up on his assessment of people’s personalities and characters. He speculated that they were less likely to change as time went on, though this new cohort was by no means out of their formative years. Umtari was hoping to be assigned to men he believed to be pragmatic but loyal, men with good, clear and firm principles. Just not that many of them. He was dreading the possibility of sharing a team with the overly idealistic, the naïve or those without what he would term as ethical flexibility.

These musings kept him occupied on his way to the academy, once there he made his way to the main assembly hall where he believed the gathering would take place. He was careful not to enter the building by the front door, or by any door at all. Instead the boy jimmy opened a side window only after thoroughly checking it for traps. This was because he suspected that this first rendezvous would not just be a meet and greet but may also be a test of some description. He had no idea what form that test might take and so he was assuming that everything was a test all of the time and that everything was designed to trip him up. To that end Umtari had also arrived well over an hour early, before pretty much anyone else. He was using this time to move through the deserted corridors and class rooms with a speed that could best be described as glacial. Everything he approached which he believed could possibly be trapped he was checking ,the man’s prudent caution had now crossed into ridiculous paranoia. He had even taken one of the class room gesturing sticks, a six foot long pole used to gesture at targets, points on huge floor maps and so on. He was taping the floor in front of him with this stick, much as a blind man would but only further away. This was to prematurely set off any traps he had not spotted. Despite all of this though the man’s journey through the academy passed without incident.

When he eventually reached the main assembly hall Umtari cast his eye about and discovered he was the first to arrive. This was no surprise as he was still well ahead of time even taking into account his near crawl through the building. The man also checked this room thoroughly, if there was going to be an ambush it would be in the one room where everyone had to be. Having satisfied himself that all was well the man walked over to a corner of the room far away from the doors and windows, propping himself there in a seemingly casual manner. He looked almost entirely relaxed now, almost. A keen observer would notice that he was scanning the room, an incredibly keen observe might even be able to notice that he was scanning the room in a grid pattern to ensure he missed nothing.

Even without his shifting eyes the man presented a more than slightly odd sight. He was wearing heavy, hard wearing black boots that seemed to be in immaculate condition, not because they were seldom used but because they were religiously kept. After his crossbow, his boots were probably the single item of kit Umtari valued the most. The lad was also wearing matching camouflage trousers and smock. Both seemed slightly baggy and the smock reached halfway down to his knees, they were also poorly crafted with unity hems, crude stitching and the like, but at least they were not about to fall apart. The look would generally be topped off with a more professional gecko style hat but for now that was tucked away in some pocket or other. The man was also wearing a belt and fair amount of webbing, all in a medium brown. Judging by the size and shape of the attached pouches he was carrying an array of equipment, none of which could be accurately divined so long as they remained inside their containers. Finally, and perhaps most noticeably, he had his distinctive crossbow hanging off of his shoulder via an olive green strap. One gloved hand casually rested on the stock but the weapon was left to hang more or less freely for now. The man had finished the construction of this weapon late in his academy days but he had already grown attached to the thing, some would say unhealthily so. Truth be told Umtari valued this thing more than he valued some people.
Umtari, who appeared avian at the best of times, was looking particularly hawkish right now, his eyes slightly narrowed, his head slightly tilted forward. Not out of any desire to seem menacing, quite the contrary. Instead he was concentrating hard on the surrounding environment, listening for the sound of approaching voices, the creak of a floor board, alert for a flickering shadow or an unexplained movement. But should someone appear, and not attempt to surprise him or do him any harm, his demeanour would likely rapidly approve.

[Dominus]

"Inoru! Time to wake up!" A young woman's voice called out, easily reaching the upper bedrooms in the two story house the family of three occupied. Unfortunately, Inoru was way too damn tired to be awake right now. He hadn't been able to sleep last night, the excitement of finally being a ninja was overwhelming. He ended up making more exploding tags for his kit, and finally passed out around two in the morning. It was six now. Damn this suspense! Inoru groaned, rolling out of his hammock. Instead of a traditional bed and room, Inoru had opted for a more unique set up. He slept in a hammock, and his clothes were kept neatly folded on a rasp oak dresser under his bed. The hammock was held a good five feet above the floor, requiring a good jump to get into and a decent height to fall in the mornings. His toys and old gear were displayed alongside the wall facing out of the house, and a ceiling-to-floor closet occupied the other wall, it held his civilian attire and a few choice pieces of equipment. The walls and floor were light colored tan and beige, and a small window garden hung out of his two windows. It was a light-hearted room, easy to fall asleep in and easier still to wake up in.

As Inoru fished his consciousness from the murky depths of a dream, he hopped onto the floor and started to stretch that long and lazy stretch many of us have in our waking moments. He then headed straight for the shower his parents and he shared, washing his lean body and near white blonde hair. Inoru rarely slept with clothes on, instead opting for loose fitting striped boxers that seemed to hang from his hips, and possibly a sock. He had made it a habit to pick out his outfit for the next day before going to sleep each night, thus his clothes were right under the hammock where they always were, neatly folded and waiting for him to emerge from his shower. On a regular day Inoru wore a sleeveless dark blue dry-fit shirt and black baggy cargo pants, in addition to his forearm and shin protectors. Today would be the first day he donned his matte grey leaf headband, and he made sure to tie it tight.

By the time he had finished dressing and showering, his mother had begun cooking breakfast, the aroma of sizzling bacon and cooking pancake batter wafted throughout the house like perfume hung perpetually in the air of a Bath and Body Store. The promise of delicious banana pancakes and bacon were more than enough incentive for the boy to get downstairs pronto. His father was rarely present for breakfast, and today of all days was no exception.

"Good morning! Where's Dad?" He asked as his mother returned his kiss and gracefully sat a plate of pancakes and bacon down in front of him. She sighed, and went back to the stove, pouring the remainder of the batter into three more cakes. She had spent a great deal of her life raising her boy, and she was young. Inoru didn't like thinking about how much his mother had to give up to raise him, and was more than happy to he mad at his father for his seeming lack of interest in either of their lives. Protecting the village was one thing, but leaving your family at every chance was another. Inoru didn't spend anymore time thinking about the man, and dug in to his plate.
"I think he was assigned a mission that started last night, you know how he is." She started cleaning the bowl used for mixing the batter as Inoru ate. She watched her son eat while she cleaned. He was a good looking young man, blonde and blue eyed, strong and kind...like his father, though she doubted he recognized it. How wonderful...this person in front of her was her best piece of art yet, for all it's chinks and cracks. Silence pervaded the room, until she had finished drying the bowl and put it back on the rack.
"Today's a big day for you, isn't it? You get assigned to your genin team, right?" She asked, facing him. She produced a small red book and pencil from her apron, clutching them in both hands close to her chest. Inoru was halfway through a bite of pancake when she spoke; he managed a choked affirmative before swallowing and nodding. She held the book and pencil out to him, trying to keep tears out of her eyes.

"I got something for you...it's just a little sketchbook, but I couldn't bear to get you anything violent. I hope you like it!" Although she was teary eyed, her smile was infectious, and wide. Inoru jumped up and hugged the woman, who shakily returned his embrace.
"Mom, it's great! Don't worry about getting me anything dangerous, I've got plenty of that stuff covered!" He said gently, wiping away her tears. She could be such a woman sometimes...but he cared for her. A lot. "Anyways, it's time for me to go! Bye Mom, love you!" Inoru squeezed the woman tight before sprinting out of the house and onto the street. "Be safe, Inoru..." She whispered, waving after him. She turned back around and placed his dishes in the sink, then reached for the pancakes. When her fingers brushed the pancakes surface, the entire stack disappeared save one that had been eaten into a small heart. "That boy...INORU!!!" She yelled before giggling to herself. Her boy would be fine.

Inoru grinned as he heard his mother yell after him, and sped up a bit. He was running through the streets of Konoha, deftly avoiding running into other pedestrians through careful acrobatics and momentum control. It was like dancing, almost. Everyone had their part, at least for the next thirty seconds when they mattered to the young boy. On a whim he directed chakra into his feet and ran up the side of a building, before somersaulting onto the peak and landing precisely on the edge of the roof. Konoha was a nice little town, and it was his duty to step up and defend it! He gave out a yell and started back down the building and onto the next rooftop. He would be at the academy shortly.

[AlbertWesker541]

Darkness. Pure, unchanging darkness is what greeted Kenryu as he awoke. The usual time frame, exactly 4:57 in the morning, a short timeframe before the crack of dawn. This was the usual, and expected time from his parents, that Kenryu was supposed to be awake. If he was not awake at such time, his parents would think something amiss with the young one. Obviously, something was not amiss with him, as he awoke quite easily, blinking a few times to break the dust that collected between his eyes as he slept. 'Annoying, and unavoidable objects.' Those were the first thoughts of the day, for Aburame Kenryu.

With practiced efficiency, his hand reached out into the darkness, and tweaked a small lamp that sat on the dresser next to his bed. It let in a minor amount of light, casting shadows out among the small room. The room had only the bare basics that a room should have. His bed, a dresser to store his outfit(s), a mirror to check if he was in presentable shape, and a door leading to a small restroom. The young Aburame did not require much to be efficient nor did he require much in the way of comfort. The more extravagantly decorated rooms were for the Aburame who had drifted away from the clan, but still had strong ties. The ones who had left the hive... Kenryu was not averse to them, nor were the many others in the clan that were still as anti-social as Ken.They accepted them, and nurtured them yet, there was a slight distrust among the ranks. Kenryu shook those thoughts, and feelings, from his head, as he sat up in bed, finally getting the crust from his eyes. With precision, he reached over and snatched his glasses from the dresser, and placed them upon his face. Today was the day he would be assigned his Sensei, as well as his teammates. If Kenryu could place what he was feeling now, he would place it under the term 'excited.'

Slowly, he pulled the covers away from him, revealing his rather plain night shirt, as well as pants. They were white, with no markings or designs. Simply plain, with nothing added on. With the timing a of a practiced mind, Kenryu pulled open his dresser, revealing at the very least, ten more pairs of the same shirt and pants. Tossing off the shirt he was wearing, folding it, and placing it next to his dresser;Kenryu reached into said dresser and pulled out a shirt. This was his nice one. He put it on, and repeated the exact same motion, except for his pants. Now, for the final piece. He crouched down, and pulled out the last drawer which revealing his over-sized grey cloak.

He reached down, and gabbed it, quietly picking it up and slipping it over his head. The young Shinobi poked an arm through the sleeve, before doing it again. Kenryu was now fully dressed. Calculating timeframe, it should be 5:25 in the morning. Breakfast would start at 5:30 sharp. With a quick check in the mirror, Kenryu managed to affirm that he was indeed presentable, and began personal grooming in the bathroom. It all took exactly three minutes, setting the time at 5:28, by his best estimates. With quick steps, Kenryu exitted his room, locked the door, and headed off to the dining room. He arrived at exactly 5:30, right as his mother, Mizuki, was setting the food on the table. Tea, and a small helping of rice. She set the same helping for his father, Han, and for herself. They sat down, and began eating in silence. About half-way through the meal, Han spoke up, in the same monotone voice as usual. "So. Ken. Finding your teammates and your sensei today?" He glanced up at Ken, before going back to his meal. With a swallow of his food, Ken nodded an affirmative and kept on eating.

The entire meal took about 30 minutes, setting the time frame at 6:00. Nearly dawn, and time for Kenryu to head to the academy. Mizuki began clearing the table, and Han set out for a mission. With a nod and a word of thanks to his mother, he went out the door. He would need to arrive at the Academy by 6:30, but the exact amount of time he would require to arrive at the Academy would only be about ten minutes if he hurried, twenty if he took a leisurely pace. Kenryu hurried on, arriving inside the classroom at exactly 6:10. Hopefully, he was ahead of his other classmates, and he took his usual seat. Unfortunately, as his eyes scanned the classroom, he found that he was not the first to arrive. Bothersome. Annoying. Many other terms came to his mind, but he quickly suppressed those thoughts, and nodded in acknowledgment to his classmate. The name of said shinobi escaped him, as he nodded. "Hello." This was quite simply only word Umtari was going to receive from Kenryu, as Kenryu grew quiet, and stared straight ahead.

[Squrmy]

日向樹呂 (Hyuuga Juro)

Juro threw back his blankets, sitting up in his futon and rubbing sleep from his eyes. The Hyuuga rose to his feet without the aid of his hands, smiling to himself as he looked around his room. It was mostly empty, save for a full-length mirror leaning against the back wall, next to which a large wooden wardrobe - which had a clock riveted into the door. 7:50. Wonderful. I'll have time for some training before I head to the Academy.

The Shinobi went about the task of preparing himself for the day. First, he pushed his long black hair out of his face, tying it in position with the use of his Konohagakure headband. Juro then pulled off his pajamas, tugging on a pair of full-leg length black trousers and a long-sleeved grey t-shirt. Finally, he tugged his black gloves onto his hands, wiggling his fingers through the cutouts made for them. He made his way toward his bedroom door, fingertips curling around one of the pieces of wood that held the thin, relatively flimsy rice door together.

He pushed the thin, sliding rice door to the side, stepping through it and into a large, brightly lit hallway. Pulling his door shut, he noted that the wooden flooring was cold on his bare feet. He yawned softly, making his way into his dining room. Juro looked around the medium-sized room with an arched eyebrow, white eyes narrowing as they settled upon the other person in the room. A member of the Branch Family, the curse seal clearly printed on her forehead, the young woman quickly went about her duties, laying the table for the Main Branch member.

Juro looked upon her with contempt, his upper lip curling in distaste - he fixed her with a look that just oozed I'm better than you. The woman had been his servant ever since his parents had died, though, and she knew not to provoke the young Hyuuga. She went about her tasks quickly and efficiently, avoiding eye contact with Juro. After a few more moments, she left the room, returning a minute later with his breakfast - a nutritious - and large - breakfast, made up of a variety of traditional and more modern food.

"Breakfast!" She squeaked, voice quavering slightly. She kept her head down, waiting for a response. Juro snorted in disgust, nodding his head and dismissing her with a contemptuous flick of his wrist. "You can go." The Branch Member quickly hurried from the room, Juro sighing softly and walking over to the low, traditional Japanese table his food was laid out on top of. He lowered himself to the ground, kneeling and closing his eyes for a moment, meditating silently before opening his eyes again and digging into his breakfast.

Ten minutes later, Juro left the Hyuuga compound behind him, his stomach full and his mood a good one as he headed out into the forest surrounding Konoha - heading to the training ground he'd been using for the last three years. He smiled softly as he entered the clearing, the old, familiar tree stumps coming into his sight. His white eyes scanned the clearing for possible threats, and, after a moment, satisfied that he was alone, he began his rigorous training. Two-hundred one-armed push-ups on each arm, followed by five-hundred sit-ups and thirty suicide sprints the length of the clearing. When he'd finished his warm up, he was breathing fairly heavily, beads of sweat rolling down his brow. That was just a reflex of his body, however - Juro ignored the aches he felt, moving on to the part of his training he enjoyed the most - practicing his Gentle Fist taijutsu.

At 8:50, Juro left the training ground, making his way back toward the village of Konoha. He nodded to those on sentry duty as he entered through the archway, shoving his hands into his pockets as he made his way toward the Academy, holding his head high - his Konohagakure headband clearly visible, tied to his forehead. Today is an important day he thought to himself, a small smirk on his lips. I'm finally a Genin! He made a bee-line for the familiar sight of the Academy in the distance, his sandals clacking quietly on the ground as he moved.

Juro looked up, hearing the sound of yelling and wooping - it was one of his classmates, Inoru. His eyes narrowed in distaste, a soft 'tsk' of disapproval coming from his mouth. "Hardly a way for a Shinobi to behave." He murmured, putting his head down and hurrying to the Academy. He entered through the familiar double doors, nodding to those who were already present in the classroom where they would be assigned their teams. He made a bee-line for a desk halfway up the room, sitting down behind it - settling down to wait patiently.

[Terminal]

The Shīru family estate was located near the base of the mountain that bordered Konoha, near the Jōnin Standby Station, and was only a short walk away from the Archive library - aside from convenience (the family was contracted to place most of the security seals used in the books of the archive), it also allowed the village Shinobi and Kunoichi to keep a close eye on the family. They were still new to Konoha, having come from a recently decimated country, and they wielded poorly understood jutsu with immense potential. Their insistence of training their own clan-members outside of Konoha only made everyone more suspicious. Regardless, everyone agreed that the exotic aesthetic sense of a family originally from Uzushiogakure lent the estate a touch of modest grandeur and beauty - and, as the Shīru clan's youngest member became a genin, they actually began to hire assistants locally when before they had refused to do so.

...Alethea Shīru, the youngest member of the family at twelve years of age, lived in a one-hundred and ten square foot apartment in the downtown district. Utterly devoid of any furnishings (all currently stowed in the cramped oshiire closet). The transition had occurred very abruptly when her father, after congratulating her on becoming a genin, handed her two letters (one sealed with fuinjutsu, the other with simple wax) and had patted her on the back. Any kind of physical contact in the Shīru family meant that you were about to be sealed in any number of equally horrible ways. This particular seal had transported Alethea directly to a second, pre-prepared seal inside the apartment.

Her nine years of training under the vigil of her parents immediately kicked in - Alethea could immediately tell that the door was locked - unlocking it would probably activate a seal affixed to the other side of the door. There was a single, small window leading to a three-story drop. Not impossible, but still intimidating for a freshly enstated genin. Somebody (most likely mother) could be sitting in the closet, watching how Alethea would act. It wasn't unusual for her to wake up in the morning to an impromptu set of instructions (Door has been trap-sealed. Watching from closet, ignore.).

After carefully surveying the contents of the room, Alethea turned her attention to the two letters in hand. One sealed with fuinjutsu, the other with wax. She immediately lay the latter on the ground - opening the first was more important. Breaking a seal you did not recognize was not something done lightly - it could do any number of things if she tried to open the letter incorrectly, possibly destroying the message in the process. Alethea placed the letter on the ground as though it were a bomb, and sat before it, thinking hard.

'...There's only two symbols...one for the envelope flap, and the other for the body. Radial style seal, not spiral. One supplementary point for both symbols in neutral ground...' She hesitated. It was the classic setup: The layout of the seal was such that trying to physically open the letter would be impossible as long as the seal was intact. Alethea could have attempted to create an imbalance - however, this seal was so simple that by adding a solitary symbol she would just turn the entire envelope rigid. She could attempt to alter the seal, adding additional supplementary points to counteract the one currently in place. That was the most logical solution, but if the supplementary point had a trigger condition then it might activate a potential secondary effect of the seal. She could attempt to isolate either the supplementary points or one of the two symbols, which was dangerous for the same reason as alteration since that might trigger the supplementary point. Finally, she could attempt to break the seal by disrupting it's limit. Which would probably activate any secondary effects the seal might have.

This sort of seal was a classic setup, because it was simple bordering on flat-out boring, but lured you into using complex, overcomplicated solutions to work around it and then probably blew up in your face.

'...Physical binding seal, primary effect already activated, secondary effect implemented through use of radial indicators...Wait...' Alethea frowned and peered closer at the seal. The radial design had no indicators on it, which meant that after initial activation none of the symbols or supplementary points could achieve any other effect.

"Well now I feel stupid." Alethea said, bringing her palm to her temple. "Never forget the first rule...check the style of the seal first." She brought her palms together in a clapping motion, with her fingers and thumbs splayed out as far back as she could bend them. Separating them, her right index finger became alit with condensed chakra as part of the Seal Carving Finger technique, now visible to the naked eye. Alethea dragged the finger through the radial design of the seal, breaking it and releasing the envelope from its effects. Alethea carefully held the envelope up by it's corners, and tipped it to allow the letter inside to fall out without disturbing it - you never knew when somebody would apply TWO seals, one outside and one on the letter itself.

After a cursory examination, Alethea was satisfied that the letter did not have any seals on it (at least not any that weren't invisible - generally, as a rule of thumb, it was safe to assume that unless you saw a seal with your eyes, there probably wasn't one. Rendering seals using invisible ink was a delicate and complex process that only A-Ranked Shinobi or higher would ever bother with for numerous reasons). She picked up the letter, unfolded it, and began to read.

Alethea, dearest child of mine, you are now officially a Kunoichi. Once more, your mother and I are proud of how far you have come so far. We know the training we put you through was not gentle, particularly for one so young - but our efforts have rewarded us. You are a strong young woman now, and will bring much honor to our family. In generations time, hopefully the Shīru clan will be as renowned as either the Hyuga or Uchiha clans - thanks to your efforts.

We can teach you nothing more - you now know all there is to learn about basic sealing arts, the foundation and base of all fuinjutsu, from the mundane sealing technique up to those that the Kages make use of. To teach you more would be foolhardy - creating seals is largely dependent on individual style, like painting or poetry. If we were to teach you, we would only be teaching you how to use fuinjutsu as we do - and that would hinder your growth.

You must expand your horizons on your own from here, dearest child. In time, I know you will make a great Kunoichi, and everyone shall speak your name in reverence for your skill.

In the meantime, we decided it would be best if you moved out of the house. We went ahead and bought you an apartment downtown, and have paid the first few months of rent, and left you some money. Soon, you shall embark on missions with your assigned team (see the other envelope I handed you), and you will be able to pay for everything yourself.

With great love,

-Ayumu Shīru

Alethea put the letter down, unsure of what to think. She wasn't particularly used to her parents showing affection of any kind. On one hand, she was somewhat relieved that she was free of them and independent now. On the other, she was very slightly mortified at the prospect of doing anything without the careful guiding she had received from her family. And she barely even knew much of Konoha, only having four days to herself in the village every two and a half weeks. She decided to reserve judgment - it wasn't as if she couldn't visit them.

Alethea turned her attention to the second letter, the wax-seal on it being a great oddity to her. Her father and mother received numerous letters like these, and it had always seemed horrifying to her that they could so casually tear the things open without taking all the proper precautions required of opening fuinjutsu-sealed letters.

And then she narrowed her eyes. Her FATHER had given her this letter...How did she know there wasn't one last sneaky seal in place...?

888888888888 Twenty Minutes Later... 888888888888

...After having put the fire out from her unsuccessful experimental Super-Subtle Wax Seal Countering Removal Concentric Style Seal Jutsu, Alethea managed to pick up the half-incinerated envelope and pull the thankfully slightly singed letter out from it. She read the short contents.

Report to the main assembly hall of the academy for team assignment before noon.

Alethea frowned. It was only 0620, but she had no idea where the academy was. She had visited it earlier in order to take the graduation exams, but she only vaguely knew the layout of the building. She decided to forgo tidying up for the moment since nothing was out in the actual room yet in favor of trying to reach the meeting hall on time. She tucked the letter into one of the inner pockets of her happi coat and approached the front door to unlock it. Right before her hand closed on the latch though, her eyes narrowed and she retracted her arm. She stared at the door with intense concentration. It had already been locked - from the OUTSIDE. What if somebody had a seal affixed to the other side that would activate on-

888888888888 Forty Minutes Later... 888888888888

Having found her way to the academy with her coat only slightly burnt at the fringes, Alethea blankly looked down several halls trying to determine where the main assembly hall was. Not thinking to check the directory, she decided the best approach would be to check every room until she found somebody who could tell her where to go.

Most of the rooms had either open-frame or sliding doorways. Eventually, however, she came across a locked door.

888888888888 Three Minutes Later... 888888888888

"Well, that was easy." Alethea said as she completed the counter-seal she had carved on the outside of the door, breaking the security seal on the inside and opening it. Either this was a low-priority area or whoever had put the seal in place wasn't too skilled with fuinjutsu. She warily looked around the room, which looked to be full of filing cabinets but otherwise empty. Shrugging, she closed the door and resumed her search for the assembly hall.

888888888888 Seven Minutes Later... 888888888888

Alethea finally turned a corner and found a plaque sticking out above a doorway that read "Assembly Hall" and stepped inside. There were a few students already there, and more importantly, they had forehead protectors. They were graduates, so this wasn't a group of of children waiting for class to begin. Alethea was then struck by the realization that she had left her own forehead protector back at the family estate on top of her dresser, having completely forgotten about it when she woke up. She knew, of course, that wearing your forehead protector was both showing pride for your village as well as a sign of fealty - having not spent much time in the village herself, this had not seemed terribly important until right now. Presumably, her father had made the same mistake, since he hadn't been wearing his forehead protector either when he had used fuinjutsu to send her clear across the village. She had to resist the urge to bring her hand up to her face in self-admonishment, choosing to instead walk into the room as though nothing were wrong to sit down in the first open seat of the first row.

She briefly looked at some of the other students present - the one in the back stuck out like a sore thumb with his rough-shod camo gear, though his outfit struck her as rather prudent nonetheless. He was also adorned with several pouches, presumably for holding equipment in, and she wondered why he didn't simply use sealing scrolls - she supposed everyone had their own way of doing things. There was also a boy wearing glasses with opaque and dark lens and a baggy, grey overcoat that covered most of his body. She'd seen other Shinobi around Konaha dressed similarly in her brief breaks between training, and she distinctly remembered them.

She supposed she'd be introduced to them properly later, if at all, so she turned to look at the door to await new arrivals while idly and invisibly drawing out the shapes of memorized seals on the top of the long desk with a stray finger.

[Antonkun]

Kioshi gazed up at the ceiling, blinking several times before he rolled to the other side of the bed. It was still quite dark in his room, and he had been told by his mother to get a good night's sleep since it was an important day that was coming. He had been thinking too much, however, only sleeping for a few hours this night. Still, he wasn't sleepy at all, and realized that there were better things to do than glaring at the ceiling and thinking about how his team could be. It was still before dawn when he carefully got up, trying to be as quiet as possible. "This is going to be a really good day."

He walked to the sliding door, grabbing his Konohagakure forehead protector and clothes as he silently left the room. The wooden planks beneath him made cracking sounds as he stepped on them, so he decided to walk faster instead, since taking it slower would probably produce even more sound. When he reached the kitchen, he changed into his normal clothes, much faster than usual. When he had finished tying his headband around his arm, he smiled in content and began making his breakfast. His hands moved across the table, his right hand holding a small knife. He handled the knife with precision and cut the vegetables both nimbly and mostly without any sound. When he had finished cutting and cooking the vegetables, he sat down by the round table and ate under silence. Occasionally, he thought of how this day could change his life, and how many new things about life he would encounter now. After a small while, his thoughts turned toward another direction and he began thinking about how the other Genin would comment about him being short. Shaking off that thought, Kioshi finished eating his breakfast.

The sun was rising slowly and the first rays shone down onto Kioshi as he left the house and walked in a slow pace towards the academy. He focused his chakra in his right hand, to see if he had awakened properly yet. It seemed like his control wasn't at its peak right now, probably a punishment for his decision to stay awake for the most part of the night before. Only the sound of his footsteps and some birds singing could be heard when he walked on the road. The breeze gently hitting his face, making his hair float slightly, felt refreshing and made him wake up completely. His eyes scouted the surroundings, and he happily smiled as he was met by the sight of the endless sea of lush greenery - trees, grass, plants and flowers. Soon, he would arrive at the Academy and meet up with his team.

It was hard for him to hide how excited he was, and it was a little embarrassing for him too - normally, he was known for being the patient person. To show such a impatient, excited side of him was beyond normal for him. He increased his speed, almost jogging up the last part of the road towards the Academy. "Soon, the proper, real life of a ninja will begin." He arrived before the building he had waited the whole night to see with a small smile on his face and slightly red cheeks. It was also exciting for him to meet up with these new people, but he could bet that he would be too shy to say anything big.

He took a deep breath as he entered the Academy. This was a special moment for him - he had entered through this place many times before, of course, but this time he would come out beginning his life as a ninja with his newly assigned team. He would prove to his brother that he understood the hardships of life. When he finally arrived at the classroom, he closed his eyes for a moment, and stepped inside. Hiding his excitement for a moment, he took a seat and tried to wait patiently for any remaining students to arrive.

[Talarion]

Seiya opened his eyes, blearily blinking a few times. He rolled out of bed, grumbling slightly as he heard his mother calling something to him. Sounded something like "Bye, breakfast is on the table.", before he heard the door slam. He dragged himself off of his hands and knees... his arms and torso were still sore from the other day, and started to stretch. 'Kaa-san has a mission today, doesn't she? Tou-san has been on a mission for a couple of days now... so I'm on my own for a few days now. Great.' He thought as he slowly dressed himself in his usual attire. Finally fumbling around on a side-table in his room, he tightened the hitai-ate onto his head. He probably was meant to feel excited, but he was still too tired to bother. With a quick shake of his head, he slapped himself lightly. "Okay! Let's do this." Briskly walking out to the kitchen, before dropping onto a chair. His home was rather western in style, rather than the more classic eastern look of most houses in Konoha. On the table in front of him sat a small mean of rice and a small serving of broiled fish, alongside natto and nori. He began eating, stifling a yawn mid-way through chewing. Gradually, throughout the meal, he began to feel more energetic, slowly but surely feeling the veil of sleep slip away fully. Soon enough he was gulping down what was left of his breakfast, before stacking his empty dishes in the kitchen. Jumping up, he grinned. Today was a good day. He glanced at the clock hung on the wall.

... He was late. For a moment, he stared, uncomprehending, before his brain galvanised his body to action. He mentally checked himself: Good, he had everything. He turned on his heel, bolting straight to the door, yanking it open with barely-restrained haste. Brushing past the edge of the door, he slammed it shut behind him out of necessity in the name of speed. He then took to the streets, sprinting, leaping, ducking and weaving through the masses of people already on the streets of Konoha at this time of day. 'Of course, the one day I need to be early I'm even later than normal!' Seiya thought darkly, as he deftly twisted his body to avoid collision with an old lady carrying groceries down the street.

Deciding that he would take a shortcut, Seiya skidded to a near-halt before taking off on a tangential course leading straight down an alley-way. Dead end, but the wall was relatively low. Seiya coiled his legs and kicked off, leaping straight up with the ease of all trained Shinobi, sailing over the stone wall. He landed on the edge of a roof, having to pause slightly to balance himself precariously, before pivoting and running lightly across the rooftops. Generally, travelling like this was frowned upon when unneccesary, but Seiya enjoyed the method of movement employed by Shinobi, he in fact revelled in it. Dropping back down into another alley-way, he set a slightly slower pace, reigning in his breathing. He had been going full-speed since he left, and his breathing was starting to grow harder and heavier. He made efforts to control this to some degree, even as he continued at his top speed.

Soon enough, the Academy came into view. If it was possible, that would've spurred Seiya to an even faster pace. He jumped down from the fence he was currently running on, landing with ragged breaths. Gulping in a few mouthfuls of air, he began to stretch, a wide grin plastering itself to his face as he stood there, feeling the breeze blow past his face. 'Ah, that was a nice morning excersize. Made good time, too!' He glanced up at the sky before he brought his gaze back to earth, and strode into the halls of the place of his education for the past few years, red in the face from the run, though his breathing calmed quickly. He opened the door, seeing near every one of his classmates already assembled. He wasn't too late, it seemed. "Sorry 'bout that..." He said evenly, moving in to take his place up the back of the room. One of the corners was already taken, but he took the other one. Proceeding to make himself comfortable, he barely resisted the urge to place his feet up on the desk, as he stared absentmindedly out the window, waiting now, for the team announcements.