Due to the evolving politics of the village the Bell Tests of squads thirteen and fourteen were about to come to an abrupt end. A sudden halt in the hostilities of both squads was effected almost immediately by the presence of two messenger-nin who approached both Kyoko and Nagisa simultaneously. "A message from Godaime Hokage. Effective immediately all village Jonin are to be put on alert. Your being transferred to an A-rank squad, Mao will take over your instructor duties." The message was quick, simple, and practical, alerting the two female Jonin as to their new duties. For squads thirteen and fourteen the day ended on something of a low-note with the no doubt disappointing news of their so recently met former sensei's departure. As to their standing orders, the genin of those squads were also approached and given their instructions independently of their instructors. "As of now you'll be under the instruction of Mao-sensei, leader of squad fifteen. He and his squad are currently gathering at the Mikaboshi restaurant in Konoha. Your orders are to meet with them and receive further instructions then."

Never had Toko heard of a last minute change like this, but the village had probably been the subject of such before. Though, it did leave the boy in somewhat of a confused state. They had all been assigned to the same team which could only mean something grand. A single team of how many people? There were going to be somewhere between seven and nine Genin in a single squad. Could Mao Sensei handle that? True, Toko hadn't seen much of the man and the little he had witnessed was absolutely amazing but having the lives of nearly nine Genin in his hands, it seemed like a daunting task. Once the bell tests had been cancelled, Toko took a moment to calculate his situation. "You're overthinking it." A single sentence often found home in his mind and ultimately lead to a simple shake of his head. It was just a change of Sensei, and he'd be a part of a bigger group. Safety in numbers, right? Hopefully everyone could work together. He had after all been to the academy with all of them so no face was completely new.

Reaching his hand up, Toko gently ran his fingers through his thick, black hair and continued out of the training fields. His old teammates were already gone, heading for that restaurant. Speaking of which, the boy hadn't eaten all day, not even breakfast. That morning had started out with intense training supervised by the esteemed 'Chakra Knight' Ken Ling, Toko's father. The title had been granted after countless displays of strength and ability, however it had made him rather rough. Ken often pressured his son to constantly do better and grow, which Toko of course had no problems with, but waking up at five AM in the morning for training before another intense exercise, the bell test, did take quite a toll on his fatigue.

With soft steps, Toko moved deeper into the village, hearing the gentle sound of sand and stone against the soles of his sandals. His brown eyes would find home gazing into the distance, allowing his mind to soar in thought but little ever managed to find an important conclusion. "I hope we'll all be able to work together. A squad of so many Genin could end up as a masterpiece, but it could also be a disaster." The endless spiral of theories, thoughts and worries would eventually come to an abrupt end once the boy found himself in front of the restaurant. There were already a few people there, but some probably went off to get some things done before joining the rest. It was a good time to tend to unfinished business, after all.

"Hello." Toko spoke, offering a polite bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you." The small smile crossing his lips as he spoke would be a common sight, but many had said that the aura of tranquility surrounding him could at times be contagious. The soft rumbling in his belly would however add a comical twist to it. Blushing at the embarrassment, Toko lowered his head a bit with a silent apology and stepped into the restaurant, now awaiting the others. This was going to be the start of a very interesting journey.

Seichi walked leisurely with his hands stuffed in his pockets as his instructions echoed in his head. Not much information was given to him other then to meet up with other Genin and his Sensei at a restaurant. As the thought of restaurant clipped into his mind, his stomach growled violently. "Hopefully our this Sensei will be treating us." He jokingly thought to himself grinning satisfyingly. The wind blew across Seichi's wild black hair, making it move tail-like. He pulled his occupied hands out of his pockets to brush his hair back but quickly flinched half-way up, gripping his left shoulder as a sharp pain shot through it. As the pain quickly dispersed and eased, he remembered the training he went through with his dad which left him exhausted the other day. He respected his father deeply but disliked his training methods. As hard as rigorous as they were, he always felt his dad was holding back on him, always shrugging off whenever Seichi would ask him to teach him something advanced.

As Seichi turned another corner, he saw the restaurant in sight and started to pick up his pace. A feeling of anxiousness crept in a sense that he was nervous about meeting other Genin but, also excited to see all the different experience and people. As he near-entered the restaurant he heard the sound of a soft rumbling stomach. He then spotted another boy, about his age but appeared younger, blushing in embarrassment.

"That makes two of us." Seichi said patting his stomach with a closed fist. He approached the boy and grinned widely, showing off his cat-like mischievous features. "Were you told to come here to?" He asked hoping to get a conversation going.

"It is quite interesting, actually…"

As her sensei came and greeted her and newly acquainted Taibushi, Asuka let out a soft sigh. Late once again… Well, I shouldn't be complaining. I'm sure me and Taibushi will be experience similar events such as this in the near future.

Asuka continued with her small talk, trying to at least keep the conversation going before food the was placed in front of them. The girl was actually feeling a bit peckish herself… but she didn't think sushi would settle her hungry stomach. She wanted something sweet. Maybe something like…

Dango?

Ah, yes. Dango was always Asuka's childhood favourite, and it still was to this day. After school or after a few hours of rough training with her grandfather, the girl would often eat off a few sticks as she sat down at a park bench. She was hoping to do the same, especially since the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, but with the current arrangements, Asuka wasn't too sure anymore. However, it was always nice to get to know someone you'd never even met before. It made Asuka feel guilty to the core that she barely knew anything about her slightly smaller teammate, especially since she knew quite a few people outside her own classroom.

"I'm not one to talk either. I think I might just have taken the award for tardiness from you Mao-sensei~"

Soon after her teacher's appearance, another boy appeared, platinum blonde hair spiked and ruffled up like an unkept lion's mane. A very fluffy lion's mane to be exact. What caught Asuka's attention was the boy's eyes… Sharp, bright magenta eyes with a soft look to them. However, what caught her attention even more was this boy's punctuality. If this boy was indeed the missing member of her squad, then anyone could tell that he was late.

Very late.

"I'm Reiji Saikumo, fourth member of Squad 15. That is if you'll have this poor time manager~"

Well, I definitely wouldn't if I was the sensei to your team. Honestly… First Mao-sensei and now the new teammate… At least our teacher actually arrived here in the end.

Of course, Asuka wasn't going to go slam this boy's face into the table for being late… yet. Of course, she was to greet her new teammate with politeness and respect, rather than brutal and hostile behaviour. That would be extremely inconvenient.

"Good afternoon, Saikumo-san," Asuka replied, her face an awkward mixture of sort-of kind smiles and serious looks. "My name is Asuka Koizumi and this here is Taibushi Modobo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

It felt downright awkward. Asuka just didn't know how to feel about this guy. She didn't even know who this person was for crying out loud! First Taibushi and now the currently introduced Reiji… Definitely a great end to the day for the young Koizumi.

"So, um…"

Just how could she get a conversation going again? Damn, everything was just moving way to fast: people arriving, talking, interrupting, what on earth was Asuka supposed to do about that?

Soon after, another figure stepped through. Asuka could feel the rage almost waiting to burst through her head, her face even beginning to redden a little. Her heart started to beat faster and her faster, her fist clenching. Why was everybody's time management so horrible it literally blew a fuse inside of Asuka's head?!

However, as soon as she made eye contact with the boy, her face softened, the racing of her heart slowly returning to a moderate pace.

"Hello," the familiar faced boy said, bowing before taking a few more steps forward. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
His small introduction was interrupted by the small grumble of his stomach, making the boy's face flush with embarrassment. Asuka let out a small giggle, smiling softly towards him.

"Ah, good afternoon, Toko-kun! Please, take a seat."

Asuka gestured to the empty space on her right, a mellow expression displayed on her face. The two knew each other quite a bit, so there weren't really any awkward feelings between them. Toko and Asuka had had various blade on blade battles in the past, but nevertheless, they still managed to keep a close bond with each other.

"So, Toko-kun, how have you been-"

Asuka's speech was interrupted yet again. Another boy, seemingly the same height as her, bumped into the short Toko, his wild head of black hair looking as if it had been brushed upwards consistently. Electric blue eyes stared back at Asuka, sparkling with enthusiasm.

"That makes two of us," the taller boy spoke, patting his hungry stomach. His wide grin reflected his personality perfectly, with a pinch of mischief sprinkled all over him. "Were you told to come here too?"

I think… a majority of these people need some sort of punctuality test rather than actual ninja training… We can't have people popping up late to every single mission now, right?

Turning to look at the newest arrival, Toko couldn't help but manage a soft laughter. Everyone seemed hungry and no one could probably wait for much longer before stuffing their faces, Toko included. Taking a set next to his old friend Asuka, he gently unbuckled his belt and rested the sword's length under his chair. It wasn't very proper to eat with weapons on your body, at least not visible ones. "I am well, Asuka-San. It is quite joyous to work with you." His soft voice would manage to reach the ears of everyone around him but would quickly be stifled by the restuarants atmospheric sounds. "I was hoping to see you again after the academy." There were two other males at the table as well, both of him Toko offered a respectful bow and polite greeting. "Taibushi-San, Reiji-San, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." While he hadn't spent much time with everyone back at the academy, Toko made an effort to know everyone's name. This was another perk his father had bashed into the boy's skull, to always formally know the names of those he frequented. 'Not knowing someone's name was like lying to them everyday', those were the words of Ken Ling, a man highly respected within Konoha. Though, while disciplined and proper, Toko was still young. It was as if his father often wished to completely remove the boy's youth before he even reached the age of sixteen.

"Taibushi-San." Toko began, turning his eyes to the larger male. "I have been wanting to compliment you on your art for a long time. I apologize for not having done so in the past. I believe everyone at this table is quite astounding in both skill and execution, however I would like to note that your puppet mastery intrigues me greatly." He would finish the sentence with a short nod and soft smile, gazing into Taibushi's eyes as he spoke. While quiet most of the time, Toko enjoyed conversations relating to something he found interesting and even more so if he had been walking around, thinking about it in the past. This was the best possible time to get to know his teammates before the heat of a mission, and to commune with them on a friendly level. There was nothing as effective as to strengthen one's bonds with allies and friends over dinner, after all.

Turning his attention to the newest arrival once more before turning to look at Reiji as well, Toko tilted his head slightly and moved some bangs from his eyes. "And you as well Seichi-San, Reiji-San, I am happy to finally get the chance to engage in meaningful conversation with you. All of you probably know this already, especially after my good friend Asuka-San's greeting. My name is Toko Ling, the boy who couldn't manage even the simplest of jutsu." He'd chuckle slightly. Many knew of the Ling clan and their specialities, along with their handicaps, but given the fact that Toko was often bullied or called out by others due to his lack of Ninjutsu skills, it was quite apparent that it wasn't common knowledge. Those who sparred against him in either taijutsu or kenjutsu would however see where he shone. Though the light only appeared in one corner of the ninja skill tree, it shone quite brightly where it lingered. Speaking of which, everyone at the table had their own specialities, something that would indeed make the team stronger if used together.

Deep golden eyes flashed with alarm at the ever increasing number of genin which seemed to all but flood the establishment. Sure, Mao had received his orders earlier as to the assignment of extra personel to his squad, but he hadn't been expecting nearly the entirety of the academy's graduating class to show up on his doorstep. For the Jonin the task represented a rather daunting challenge: how was he going to give each of these prospective ninja the personal time and training required when they outnumbered him so greatly?

"Oh. . . I didn't expect there to be so many of you."

The Jonin kept his tone neutral, though the surprise showed clearly on his face. "I must say this is a bit troublesome, but I suppose Lady Tsunade knows what she's doing." The hapless instructor allowed himself a small, somewhat embarrassed smile, the sort that betrayed resignation rather than confidence. "I'm not sure if everyone's arrived yet but I suppose I'll go ahead with introductions. I'm sure most of you must know each other from the academy, but from this day forth I'll be your instructor. My name is Mao-Sensei and I was formerly part of the interrogation unit." As the Jonin was speaking the waitress approached from the distance carrying a tray of dango for the group. As the woman set about placing the tray, which fortuitously was quite close to Asuka, Mao reached out, grabbing the tray's contents of three sticks, claiming the three sweets with an obliviousness that seemed to overshadow the hunger that lay in his subordinate's eyes.

Taking a bite from the end of each dango stick Mao continued as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "Since you've all been assigned to squad thirteen I'll go ahead and lay out my expectations: Everyone is to train there hardest, cover their partners, and most of all try to have fun." Had the last topic been uttered by anyone other than the infamously lazy ninja it would have seemed out of place, but for Mao it was just part of his character. "Oh, by the way, I seem to have forgotten my wallet. . . I hope my squad doesn't mind paying?" The Jonin's eyes seemed to glisten with genuine humor.

Kanon Nakamura

"Hu-Huh? Last minute team assignment? But that scroll that was delivered this morning… So, you're saying I was put through a last minute squad change this morning with some other kid and now they're just smashing all the teams together with me included? Damn, this is all just too confusing!"

Sitting up straight in her large bed, Kanon ran her fingers through her hair, knotting them in between the tangled strands. "I mean, I'm all better already, but seriously, all of this happening in one day–ACHOO!"

A few coughs followed after that before she took a sip of tea, trying to hold in any further and unwanted interruptions. Although the girl was feeling more lively and awake at this time, her sudden rise in body temperature during the morning hours had prevented her from going outside at all. Kanon had been waiting for this day for an entire week now, counting down the days until the final one where she would finally be put into a squad with a few other classmates. Now, it seemed like she had missed out on all the excitement, from the infamous bell test to the reveal of who her squad mates and new sensei would be. Being stuck in her spacious, stuffed-toy filled room was most likely enough to make the girl go insane. Literally.

"Maybe you should just settle down for today, Kanon," her father advised, looking across at Kanon with bright green eyes. He sat in a small wooden chair beside the girl's bed, hunching over a little. "It's only the first day, and besides, you should probably let your sickness subside first-"

"Hey, slow down, Dad!" Kanon interrupted, folding her arms and frowning. "You're speaking too fast. How can I work out what you're saying if all I can see is your lips flapping up and down like that?"

Sighing, the man raised his hands, resorting to simple sign language instead. The man turned his head away slightly as he 'said' his last few words.

It's only the first day, so just rest for now. Let your sickness subside first. Also, that isn't how you should be talking to your dad, okay?

"Heh, c'mon, I was just trying to give an example Dad, not trying to insult you, y'know? And seriously, I don't want you using sign language so often anymore… I know I'm still getting used to the whole 'reading lips' thing, but how can I learn when you're just babying me all the time? I really do appreciate you taking time off work just to practise and memorise sign language, but I'm the one who needs to take some time off looking away from people's hands and learning as well."

The two sat in silence for a moment, Kanon's eyebrow raised. It wasn't often that she would get this flustered about something like this, but, when she did, the serious side to her was noticeably more dominant. It wasn't the fact that she didn't want her father to be there for her, she just wanted to learn this new 'thing' to make everybody's lives easier, hers included. Swinging her legs over her bed, Kanon walked towards her wardrobe, grabbing clothes and sniffling her sneezes away.

"Are you sure about going out, Kanon?"

Kanon turned her head towards her father. "Oh, sorry, didn't catch that. Say that again?"

"Are you sure you're okay to go out to that place, Kanon?"

"Oh, yeah, totally! It's not that far from here, so travelling isn't much of a problem. I'll be fine, Dad. I'm mostly better anyways, so I won't be too much trouble. Don't worry about little ol' me."

Before the man had exited completely from her bedroom, he peeked his head through the door, just as Kanon was about to start changing from her current attire. In response, the girl gave him a rather pissed off, 'what is it that you want?' type of look.

"What is it that you want?"

"Just be careful out there, Kanon. I don't want anyone else in the village suffering from hearing loss, okay?"

Kanon stopped and stared at him for a moment, both of their green eyes making direct contact. Her eyes then narrowed, her mouth curving up into a mischievous smirk.

"Say that again?"

Sighing in defeat, her father left, shutting the door behind him.

---

"All right, now where is this restaurant at?"

Skipping down the dirt paths of Konoha, Kanon examined her surroundings, looking out for a certain place known as Mikaboshi. Kanon had definitely heard of it before, especially since it was famous for its traditional and delicious sushi menu. Of course, Kanon stuffed her purse into her large black hoodie at the last minute. Who knew whether she was going to have to pay for herself or not? Sure, Kanon was known for her carefree personality, but of course, there were many things that Kanon couldn't take as lightly.

"So, this must be it, huh…"

As expected of most restaurants in the afternoon, the place was loud, crowded, and totally packed. Of course, Kanon couldn't hear a peep out of anyone around her. All she needed was her eyes to figure out the best way to maneuver herself through the crowd and into the actual building.

Minutes passed and Kanon was finally able to push through. Looking around again, the girl seemed a bit lost. She didn't recognise anyone at all, and besides, everyone inside the restaurant looked pretty much the same. Face after face passed by her line of sight, and she still wasn't able to catch a glance of anyone familiar. However, as she looked closely, Kanon noticed something to her right: long, coal black hair coupled with a white kimono-style top and ankle-length skirt… It was her, no doubt about it.

And if Kanon was wrong… Well, she was bound to think of something if her greeting somehow went a bit wrong.

"Hey, long time no see, Asu-chan!" Kanon called out, rushing over to Asuka and slamming her hand into the girl's back. This 'friendly' gesture was followed by a few more light pats and an arm slung around the girl's neck, a wide, cheerful grin spreading across Kanon's face.

"Say, how've ya been Asu-chan, I haven't seen you in ages! Woah, look at all these guys you're sitting around with… Looks like you got yourself caught in your own harem, Asuka! Well, I guess that's to be expected coming from a girl like you, you know what I'm saying?"

Kanon let her wild laughs out for a minute, everyone sitting at the table currently staring directly at her. It was when she stopped to look back at Asuka that she held in her giggles, literally swallowing them down into the pits of her stomach.

Asuka did not look impressed.

Shingetsu took her time heading back from the bell test.

We almost had it. Just a moment more, and we would have succeeded.

Nagisa-sensei... Well, I suppose she's not my teacher anymore. Nagisa-san was polite about the whole fiasco, but I could tell she was disappointed in us. I'm disappointed in myself.

And now we get thrown together into one oversized team... I will have to work twice as hard to pull my weight here. I won't let another team down.

She slipped into the restaurant without a word, looking over the assembled genin.

It seems not everyone has been assigned to this team... Perhaps the mission truly is as important as the message made it seem.

She took a seat at the edge of the room, ignoring the tray of food.

For now, I'll just have to wait and see.

Seiji Onoda

Seiji was crouched behind a large boulder when the messenger-nin came to Squad 13's Bell Test. At first the boy was not sure if this was part of the test or an actual emergency. It seemed that Kyoko-sensei had been relieved of her duties as leader of his squad. The second tidbit of information was quite interesting. The village was on high alert, which peaked his curiosity, was Kohona in danger. Obviously, something was wrong because never before had there been only one, combined squad of genin. This somewhat irritated him, he was going to have to deal with even more annoying people, what a pain.

Later that day

Seiji arrived a little late to the new squad dinner. He had been training with his father and discussing the state of the village. Then genin arrived at the restaurant in a white tank top and black joggers and his new forehead protector hanging around his neck. Seiji took in his new sensei, Mao, and tried to recall if he knew him. The Onoda had heard of him but never met him. Word around the village was that he was highly skilled but had a lazy nature. Unfortunately, Seiji disliked people who had no drive to do the best they could. He believed that if you didn't have determination then you couldn't succeed. It seemed that he was the last to arrive, oh well. Seiji didn't feel up to introducing himself. So when he entered he just nodded in acknowledgment to his sensei and took a seat. Boy, was he hungry. He was always ready to chow down after a long day of hard work.

Seichi, realizing he was still standing up, sat down in a seat nearest to him. He slouched down slighty in his seat still trying to keep a good posture (his mom's lectures flashing through his mind). Seichi silently scanned the Genins making many mental notes in his head about the ones he has seen so far. His eyes shot up when what appeared to be his Sensei finally arrived. Seichi let out internal giggle at the sight of his Sensei. He had an obvious look of laziness but had an aura of confidence you could feel, Seichi found that funny for some reason. He was extra curious as to what he would teach a group so big and diverse.

Seichi listened to his Sensei go talk until a waitress came with a tray of Dango that was quickly subtracted with his Sensei's quick claim of three sticks. Seichi also unable to hold in his hunger grabbed two sticks and gulped down the two simultaneously. He left the sticks protruding from his mouth trying to savor the flavor.

Minutes later more people would arrive, a thin pale girl came who seemed to be familiar with another black haired girl. Seichi scanned the girl noticing her height and making note of it.

Another female had arrived, frail and had a much tanner skin color with dark blonde hair. Seichi smiled slightly just in case he was caught staring at her. He always did have a staring problem which many disliked.

A little later, another scarlet-haired boy had arrived. Seichi nodded back the boys previous acknowledgment.

"What a colorful bunch." Seichi said to himself.

"Say, how've ya been Asu-chan, I haven't seen you in ages! Woah, look at all these guys you're sitting around with… Looks like you got yourself caught in your own harem, Asuka! Well, I guess that's to be expected coming from a girl like you, you know what I'm saying?" The arrival of the new girl involved quite an entrance and just like Toko, she knew Asuka well. Ironic how the disciplined, quiet and somewhat reserved girl was the centre of the party.

"H-harem...?" Toko blinked a few time and looked around. There was in fact several males there and not nearly as many females, that was an interesting twist. Toko was never one to lay any weight or even notice on a person's gender, but now that that the new girl, Kanon, pointed it out, he could clearly see the picture. Kanon was no new face but she was certainly a new acquaintance. "Uhm, hello, Kanon-San." The boy spoke softly, looking at her with a minimal smile. She was incredibly light hearted and it was rather refreshing, given the incredibly serious atmosphere of a ninja's life, however at times it was hard to follow her jokes.

Toko's circle of thoughts was cut short soon after another person entered the restaurant, Mao-Sensei. Seeing him immediately made the boy's heart drop into a pit in his stomach, eyeing the man who would now be his new teacher. Mao was incredibly different, someone who stuck out from the masses but only when he wanted to. His incredible skill spoke volumes all on its own and it was an honour to be trained by such an amazing ninja. Catching himself blushing with a set of hot cheeks, Toko quickly looked down and remained silent. "What's wrong with me...?" He shook his head slightly, turning his eyes to Mao-Sensei once more as the man continued to speak and ate the sweets. Toko himself had never been much of a fan when it came to sweets, a rather odd and uncommon norm for a boy his age.

Maybe it was just an idolised crush on someone he aspired to surpass one day, someone he truly looked up to, but either way it would cloud the boy's judgement and actions unless he was able to get it under control. "It...is a pleasure to meet you, Mao-Sensei..." He managed, his voice quiet as it usually was but sounded slightly uncertain as well.

Reiji gave a nod of acknowledgement as Asuka introduced herself and their other teammate, Taibushi. She seemed she was actively trying to be polite. Given the way the kunoichi held herself she wasn't too thrilled with his late arrival. He couldn't blame her when he'd been more than so. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Reiji smiled. "Likewise. And I promise, this isn't a habit of mine." Suddenly, more people started to show up. It seemed everyone else was as oblivious to this change of pace as he was, including Mao-sensei.

This was turning into a slightly dangerous situation. The more and more fellow shinobi that arrived the more and more rivals presented themselves. Reiji found himself looking forward to the coming days. One of the new arrivals seemed to be familiar with Asuka as well as some of the others to an extent. To be honest when he came to Konoha he didn't bother keeping track of the other students at the academy. He had a lot to keep his thoughts occupied to say the least. Asuka greeted him happily and with enthusiasm--a stark contrast to Reiji's reception--while he introduced himself. "And you as well Seichi-San, Reiji-San, I am happy to finally get the chance to engage in meaningful conversation with you. All of you probably know this already, especially after my good friend Asuka-San's greeting. My name is Toko Ling, the boy who couldn't manage even the simplest of jutsu." Reiji looked over Toko. The boy was small and hardly looked very powerful but considering his familiarity with Asuka he could guess they've trained together several times. After watching her, Toko would have to be quite agile to keep up with her speed. Not to mention... "Couldn't manage the simplest jutsu, huh? If that's the case then you must have some impressive skill to have made it through the academy~" A compliment tinged with Reiji's desire to see what kind of fight Toko could offer but a compliment nonetheless.

As the pattern followed through another new arrival appeared. This time a girl who entered with an abundance of energy and lack of personal space as she clung to the ever-frustrated looking Asuka. Reiji had to admit she was a breath of fresh air. The calm atmosphere was starting to make him restless. "Looks like you got yourself caught in your own harem, Asuka!" The brown haired girl seemed to be enjoying herself greatly as she teased Miss Koizumi. And really Reiji was too. In fact... "A harem? I wouldn't lend myself to such a thing, especially for a girl I've just met..." Placing his hands in his pockets Reiji turned away from the group, going along with the new girl's joke and playing the role of the cold and distant character type within the usual harem. "That's not to say I don't find her a little interesting." He said looking at Asuka from the corner of his eye and with a slight husk to his voice. Probably not the best idea considering he was probably already on the kunoichi's bad side by being late...Reiji just couldn't pass up a good teasing~

"Whats a harem?" Seichi asked obliviously. He reached for two more sticks of Dango and added on to the collection of sticks that still stuck presently out of his mouth. Seichi knew he was not always the brightest and quickest when it came to scenarios like such but he was always one to ask questions. He tried to fit the context clues together but came up blank.

"Harem...its a jutsu right?"

"Since you've all been assigned to squad thirteen I'll go ahead and lay out my expectations: Everyone is to train there hardest, cover their partners, and most of all try to have fun. Oh, by the way, I seem to have forgotten my wallet. . . I hope my squad doesn't mind paying?"

As expected of Mao-sensei…

Taking a stick of dango from the tray in front of her, Asuka took a moment to examine the rest of the people at her table. From the corner of her eye, she had noticed Seiji, the red haired boy she had heard so little from, and Shingetsu, the dastardly tall kunoichi with still room left to grow, arriving shortly after the others from before. She decided to let them pass this time, though. Asuka wasn't exactly in the mood for scolding anyone else or giving them 'the look' for not being punctual. This was a time of relaxation and joy, not harshness and witty comments. The young Koizumi wasn't really keen on lecturing Shingetsu for being late, however. Although not proper friends, the two seemed to get along quite well. It would have been upsetting to drive the blonde off because of one minor incident. Plus, the dango Asuka had in her hand was just waiting to be eaten…

"Itadakimasu-"

"Hey, long time no see, Asu-chan!" a familiar voice yelled, ringing inside Asuka's ears like a giant bell. She felt a heavy pat on her back, the impact of it sending her stick flying. The girl watched in horror as it fell to the floor on the opposite side, rolling under the table and towards her teammates' feet. Her face dropped, the sight of her favourite snack being coated in germs overwhelming her with sadness.

"M-My dango…"

"Say, how've ya been Asu-chan, I haven't seen you in ages!" Kanon greeted, wrapping one thin arm around Asuka's neck. Indeed, it had been a while since the two had had a proper chat. Asuka wasn't really sure if it was because she herself had been busy or Kanon was also caught up in some work; either way, the definitely hadn't been this 'casual' with each other in a long time. The two had been friends for many years now, so it wasn't unusual, especially with a girl like Kanon, to experience this type of greeting.

"Woah, look at all these guys you're sitting around with… Looks like you got yourself caught in your own harem, Asuka!" Kanon exclaimed, her smile widening with excitement. Her bright green eyes flickered in the light, a humorous sparkle residing inside of them. Unbeknownst to her though, a dark, terrifying aura cloaked her friend, the ominous and ghostly feel reaching the rest of her new teammates. A tint of pink could be seen glowing in Asuka's cheeks, but the aura that surrounded her was much more overpowering.

"Well, I guess that's to be expected coming from a girl like you, you know what I'm saying?"

It was then when Asuka gave her 'the look'.

Immediately, Kanon hushed herself, swallowing her laughter and replacing it with frightened stutters. Asuka had just given her 'that' look… A look that Asuka was renown for in the Academy. When someone wasn't eating their food properly, Asuka would give them 'the look'. If someone wasn't speaking respectfully to their elders in Asuka's presence, she would give them 'the look'. If someone happened to stroll up to her, slap her back as if she was a dusty blanket, dropped a stick of dango out of her hands, and embarrass her in front of the majority of the boys that were currently sitting around her, Asuka would give them 'the I'm-going-to-slice-off-your-head-and-dump-it-in-the-garbage-even-though-you're-my-best-friend look.'

"U-Um, are you gonna eat that dango or-"

Suddenly, Kanon felt a painful pinch in her right leg, one that went unnoticed by the others. Holding back her shriek, Kanon looked back down at Asuka, her face ridden with pain and a totally visible 'what the heck was that for?' expression.

"Sit down. Now."

Of course, knowing Kanon couldn't hear that well anymore, Asuka pointed towards her, then to the seat, and then to the other Genin in front of them. Following her orders accordingly, Kanon sat down in a flash, her face going even whiter with fright.

"M-My name is Ka-Kanon Nakamura. I-It's a pleasure to meet you."

Sighing Asuka took another stick of dango from the tray, chewing on the first ball. Kanon looked like she was about to melt in that hoodie, trails of sweat pouring from her face. Whether it was from the comedic fright Asuka gave or being enveloped in a large black hood, Kanon's face seemed to be taking a similar appearance to the time she had a rise in temperature in the morning. Red painted Kanon's entire face, her light brown fringe sticking to her forehead like glue.

Asuka yanked Kanon's hood off and unzipped her hoodie, dropping it beside her. At least the girl seemed to have calmed down a bit, now that the hoodie was off and the tension between Asuka and her had settled. Kanon also took a stick from the tray, savouring the dango's sweet taste.

"A harem? I wouldn't lend myself to such a thing, especially for a girl I've just met..." Reiji spoke up, shoving his hands into his pockets. Asuka almost choked on her dango, having to take a glass of water before she literally killed herself. Damn, it seemed the reverse harem joke hadn't been forgotten right of the bat. Just great.

"That's not to say I don't find her a little interesting."

Heat rose to Asuka's cheeks like an erupting volcano, all off the embarrassment she had kept contained in her body suddenly shooting up into one heavy blush. Reiji looked towards Asuka from the corner of her eye, only making her face redden even more.

This… This is how it ends… Such an inappropriate thing to say too!

"Heh, looks like they're coming to like you, Asu-chan!" Kanon whispered, her usual, cheerful personality beginning to surface once again. "He's a cute one too! That's some wild ass hair he's got there. Hey, why don't you come sit over here with Asu-chan, hm? She may be a little scary at first, but she's real sweet, don't worry!"

At this moment, Asuka was just way to embarrassed to speak. Everyone was staring at her again… How bad could this day get?

"H-Harem…?"

Oh no, not you too, Toko! I know you don't feel that way towards me, but please, don't react to her! I find that even more shaming than having her pull Reiji over next to me!

"What's a harem? Harem… it's a jutsu, right?" the crow haired Seichi questioned, eyes wide with innocence and an oblivious mind. Kanon was way too busy trying to pull Reiji over like some woman who had one too many bottles of sake, and of course, with her busted ears, couldn't even hear the question being asked. Asuka shook her head towards the boy, waving her hands in front of her face.

"C'mon, Asu-chan, don't be a killjoy! Just come over here and-"

"Just shut the hell up, Kanon!"

After that, everything went silent. Unfortunately, Kanon hadn't exactly caught what Asuka shouted out, remaining oblivious to the squad's silence. "Hey... How come everyone's like… stopped moving? Asu-chan, I was just teasing..."

Standing up from the table with her hands held firm on it, Asuka looked down, her long hair hiding her tomato coloured face. She seriously needed to calm down. This embarrassment overload was becoming a bit too much now. Taking a deep breath, she rose up.

"Please, excuse me, everyone… I'll be going outside for a moment."

Shingetsu sighed as Asuka stood up and excused herself.

Well, it could've been more awkward, I suppose... I can't believe Seichi really didn't know what Kanon-chan was getting at. Ah well.

She rose from her seat quietly and followed Asuka out, giving Kanon a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she passed.

Shingetsu stepped back out into the night air and leaned against the restaurant's outside wall, looking off into the middle distance. Asuka didn't need her staring, at least not until her face lost its red tint.

"Kanon-san seems to be back at one hundred and ten percent, eh? She really must want to be at the center of the group if she's drawing that much attention."

She stole a glance at her new teammate and sighed, smiling behind her jacket's collar.

"She didn't mean anything by it, Asuka-san. You know how she is, always speaking before she thinks it through."

Toko was just about to follow Asuka out of the restaurant in an attempt to comfort her through her flustered state. It would however appear that the girl, Shingetsu, beat him to it. After Mao-Sensei had appeared, the boy returned to his originally quiet demeanor, though broke it when Reiji spoke. "Couldn't manage the simplest jutsu, huh? If that's the case then you must have some impressive skill to have made it through the academy~" Toko returned a small smile in response and lowered his eyes to the table for a moment as he thought it over.

"I have my area of focus, Reiji-San." He'd finally nod to the other boy. Getting through the academy for Toko was a chore, actually. While the teachers did give him some special treatment due to this bloodline limit's handicaps, his skills didn't always get a chance to shine. Oddly enough, they tried to force ninjutsu abilities out of him more often than he would deem it acceptable. They should have had all the information on him, which included information on the Ling bloodline. Sometimes he wondered if the teachers back at the academy even bothered to learn everything there was to know about each student's personal development. After all, a school was a highly individual place for everyone attending. "I am happy I managed to get through, it was rather difficult to manage." Instead of training him in his field of expertise and further helping him specialise in the only form of combat available to him, they put him in the same group as everyone else and called it a day. Needless to say, the academy needed an overhaul, starting with better teachers.

Luckily, due to his skills in kenjutsu and taijutsu, his worthless grades in every other jutsu class were evened out. On paper however, Toko would appear to be a below average student. Hopefully Mao-Sensei would see Toko's limitations as a strength rather than a weakness and help him develop accordingly. "I hope I will be useful to the squad." He continued, the faint smile ever present across his lips as he spoke to Reiji, still waiting for the food to be served. It probably wouldn't until everyone else had arrived, though.

"I hope I will be useful to the squad."

"Of course you will" Seichi replied confidently as he removed the four sticks from his mouth and put them in his jacket pocket. An inspirational hero-like sequence then started to play out in Seichi's mind. "It's key that as we bond together to form this team, we not only grow in experience, but also grow together, supporting each other physically and mentally every step of the way." he said staring blankly off into the distance. His sequence was abruptly broken by his own sudden hiccup. The unconventional hiccup left Seichi giggling at himself.

Seichi internally was much more excited than usual but he did his best to try and keep his composure until necessary. Seichi shook his head letting his hair relax from its former brushed back state then flinched at a sharp pain. The pain in his left shoulder came back reminding him of the sharp sting he felt earlier. He gripped at the spot, subtly trying not to make it look obvious that he was in some sort of pain. Seichi hoped the pain would not become an issue if Mao-sensei were to put them through some sort of activity.

The young Koizumi stood outside the building, leaning against the wall as she gazed up at the darkening sky. She inhaled and exhaled, her face finally returning to it's usual colour; pale and ghost-like.

Just… Just how did it end up like that? This whole day has just been an entire mess…

"Kanon-san seems to be back at one hundred and ten percent, eh? She really must want to be at the center of the group if she's drawing that much attention."

Looking to her left, the blonde haired Shingetsu appeared, standing tall amongst the other coming and going customers. The two made eye contact with each other for a moment, until the blonde decided to hide herself behind her jacket's collar, sighing.

"She didn't mean anything by it, Asuka-san. You know how she is, always speaking before she thinks it through."

Asuka remained silent. Of course Kanon didn't mean it. They had been friends for as long as she could remember, so why had she gotten so flustered and frustrated that time? Not that she didn't usually get flustered and frustrated during those type of moments, but yelling at her to shut up when she was merely teasing was something pretty old and unheard of. Kanon was definitely one of those people, and Asuka had already learned how to cope with her at times. This event, however, was an abnormal exception.

"I know that fully well, Shingetsu-san. It's just that… I'm not exactly in good shape today, " Asuka responded, clutching her injured arm. "I don't want to go back inside either just yet… I'm actually extremely embarrassed right now. Not because of Kanon, rather my own reactions towards her… Jeez, what sort of person am I to just walk out on my teammates like that?"

Mumbling the last few words so Shingetsu wouldn't hear, Asuka shuffled away a bit, concealing herself with her curtain of hair. This wasn't a side Asuka would show very often; she would go from a 'scary sister' type of girl to a girl that can't handle her own social awkwardness. Of course, talking to people wasn't a big problem for Asuka, but after what had just happened, her paranoia levels shot up way over nine thousand.

If I keep letting my embarrassment get the better of me, what could happen on future missions? Or when I'm talking to everyone else and something slips from Kanon's mouth? Why is it that I wasn't able to control myself then? A Koizumi shouldn't – no – I shouldn't be acting like this. It was a joke. I know it was.

"Asu-chan? Asu-chan, c'mere!"

Out of nowhere, Kanon shot towards Asuka, half of her face shadowed by her oversized hoodie. Grasping the smaller girl's shoulders, Kanon stared into Asuka's bright amber eyes, breathing heavily.

"Asuka, can I… talk to you in private for a sec?"

---

"I'm fine, Kanon, just let me calm down for a bit, please."

"Seriously, Asu-chan, what's gotten into you lately?"

The two were now arguing with each other face to face at the back of the restaurant, hiding in the darkness of the alleyway. Asuka stood there silently, taking her eyes off her red faced friend.

"Asuka Koizumi! You're not the kid I gave hearing problems all those years ago, right? Quit ignoring me!"

Realising that her friend might not be as talkative with her at the moment, Kanon silenced her self for bit, actually thinking over what she was going to say next. She didn't want to anger Asuka, nor sadden her, so a revision of suitable word choices was a definite yes.

"Look... I'm sorry. I just thought that… you know… you wouldn't take it as seriously. But then you just went and apparently screamed at me to shut up. Is there anything wrong at all? I'm your friend, Asuka, I don't want to see you all sad like this! This isn't like you!"

"Kanon… I'm very sorry as well, especially for shouting at you earlier on. Please, don't let yourself get dragged into my own problems."

"Asuka, quit mumbling! You know I can't hear properly and that you don't know sign language, so at least make it visible to me whilst you're talking. I'm trying to speak with you properly, you know?"

Asuka repeated her sentence, this time a bit slower, and much clearer. Kanon shook her head.

"That's not what I want to hear! I don't want a sorry, I just want to know why you're acting all grumpy all if a sudden! Does it look like I'm joking around here?"

"Kanon, please… I've just been a bit stressed lately, all right? I've been training nonstop for the past week, and I barely got any sleep today too-"

"This is why I've been telling you over and over again to give yourself a break! I bet you there isn't anyone out there who can train nonstop for hours on end without resting. Just look at yourself, Asuka. You're only fifteen years old. You've still got your whole life ahead of you before things actually get really, really serious. I don't know what's been going on with your clan, but I don't want you working yourself to death. I'm supposed to be your friend, Asuka. I'm supposed to be there for you. No one's going to get all pissy at you for not letting yourself slowly deteriorate."

The two were drowned in their own silence once again, staring each other down. With a big wide smile plastered on her face, Kanon tugged on Asuka's arm, pulling her out into the moonlight. Face blank and oblivious, the young Koizumi stared at Kanon. Those words had likely sparked Asuka with thought and relief.

"Well, looks like we better get back in! Can't miss the famous Mikaboshi sushi I've been dying to eat for ages! C'mon, don't want to miss it while the others start gobbling it all down, right?"

Asuka smiled. A simple, gentle smile. This was why they were friends in the first place. They were each other's everything. One with a strict and firm personality and another with a playful and big heart. Although they seemed vastly different from one another, there was now doubt Asuka and Kanon were the best of friends. Sure, they had their ups and downs, but in the end, everything was guaranteed to work out.

"Kanon?" Asuka whispered, tapping the girl on the shoulder as she was dragged back to the entrance.

"Hm? Is there something wrong, Asu-chan?"

"Thank you… very much."

Giggling, the girl beamed at Asuka, eyes glittering with joy. "Heh, no problem. At least I know never to use the word 'harem' in your presence ever again."

"Hmph, I sure do hope you better remember that."

And just like that, the negativity that had cloaked them previously was completely gone. Now wasn't the time to get all sulky and mad. This was a time for smiles of joy, a time to finally let out bursts of laughter and random jokes about random things. This was a time to finally relax.

Of course… It's not like I'll get a final result in only a few weeks. This technique takes a while to perfect… But still, I must get stronger. Not just for the squad, but for my clan's sake as well.

After all, it's only going to get tougher from here.

Taibushi Modobo

Not but a moment after their Sensei had entered, the fourth member of their team entered the building. He introduced himself as a Reiji Saikumo. Taibushi turned to get a look at his new squad mate. The tallest of the four, if only barely, and a dark skin tone that stood in stark contrast with the rest of the squad. His eyes and hair however were quite peculiar, platinum blond and magenta respectively. It was quite the combination, and he assumed his squad mate had to be a kekkigenkai possessor. Their unique lineage often lead to the unique looks they had. Fortunately for him, Asuka handled the introductions, which Taibushi added to by simply giving a small wave when she introduced him.

However, the whole squad was in for quite the surprise, as two more genin walked in, announcing they were also part of the squad now. The first was Toko Ling, someone Taibushi had never met before, but had heard of his inability to use jutsu. Though those ninja that can't perform jutsu rarely pass the academy, they are quite powerful in their own respects. The other was, well, Taibushi didn't know, he wasn't overtly unique enough to be a talk of the academy, nor did he take the time to introduce himself.

"Oh well," he thought, "we'll have plenty of time for proper introductions later."

Asuka invited Toko to sit beside her, even used the kun honorific when referring to him. So he had her respect, at least their wouldn't be bad blood between those two. They began a little small talk before Toko greeted both Taibushi and Reiji, then addressed Taibushi directly.

"Taibushi-San, I have been wanting to compliment you on your art for a long time. I apologize for not having done so in the past. I believe everyone at this table is quite astounding in both skill and execution, however I would like to note that your puppet mastery intrigues me greatly," He said with a light smile. Taibushi simply nodded and smiled his acknowledgment of the compliment. The small boy was likeable, and he would like to continue the conversation with him. However, he had just met him, and doubted his ability to do so.

Mao-sensei began speaking once more, it was similar to his introduction back at the classroom that morning, meant for the new arrivals. However, one last little tidbit he said quite annoyed Taibushi. Mao-sensei, on top of being late to the dinner that he wanted them all to attend, had forgotten his wallet, and was requesting them to pay for his plan. With a light sigh, Taibushi raised his hand in acknowledgment to what had been said, and pulled his own wallet out from the inside of his overcoat. Though he didn't like to flaunt it, he and his father were both quite successful entertainers, and profited from it. He looked around the room to get a headcount and estimate of how much this was gonna cost him.

And more just kept coming, This next one however simply beelined for Asuka, hugging her and being quite loud and boisterous. She referred to the rest of the squad as Asuka's "Harem", something that made Taibushi go from ghost white to almost grape purple. Taibushi's head sank down into the collar od his overcoat to hide his embarrassment as he simply stopped caring about the cost. He simply grabbed a wad of bills out, roughly 20000 ryo. He handed it to one of the staff across the counter, "Thisisforhisquadkeepthechangethankyoubye!" He said in a borderline panic, pointing over his shoulder at Mao-sensei. He wished he could be outside, breathing cool fresh air. He got out of his chair, and slid thought the crowd to the door with relative ease, his small scrawny frame slipping between the other patrons.

Standing outside he collected himself he breathed deep and felt the blood begin to leave his face. It was nice, he was relatively alone. he didn't need to worry about his lack of social graces like this, he took a moment to duck into an ally besides the restaurant. With some quick jumps he leapt atop the dumpster, to the roof of the building next store, and finally to the top of the restaurant itself. He sat atop it, legs dangling off the edge. The moon was rising now, it's soft glow filling the village. Taibushi smiled a little, before the general audio ambiance of the restaurant beneath him was interrupted.

"Just shut the hell up, Kanon!"

Then silence. Than voice was definitely Asuka's, no mistake about that, but anger, that wasn't something he heard out of her yet. It was slightly startling actually, she was very composed and in control of herself, why such a sudden outburst? He looked down to see Asuka followed by another, wearing a coat similar to his. The exchanged quite words to one another, he caught the name Kanon. Must have been the girl who seemed overtly exited earlier. After this brief exchange, the girl he now knew as Kanon walked out and approached Asuka. They spoke for a moment before heading around to the back ally of the restaurant, Taibushi following along the rooftop in muted interest.

Listening to their argument, Taibushi quickly picked up on a quirk of this Kanon individual she was deaf, and still a shinobi. How in the hell was that going to work, she had better have been a sensory nin at the very least. It meant that even Taibushi, with all his lack of grace could simply sneak around her by hiding out of sight. The two went back and forth, apparently arguing over Asuka over doing it with her training. Taibushi had lost interest with the conversation, or at least the meaning of the words, he was enraptured by the way they reacted to one another though. The way that Kanon brought Asuka out of her mood and reassured her. To Taibushi it was beautiful, he was watching with his own eyes what he often tried to replicate through art. The love that ties people together, he smiled as they headed back in, and allowed their actions to be his muse.

He began extending chakra threads from his fingertips, with a whipping motion of his hands, the threw the ends to the far building, attaching them to the other ledge across the street. He began waving his hands, every motion thought out, everything had to be precise or it would be ruined, as threads overlapped, they attached to one another. He was slowly and delicately weaving the image in his mind. After about 5 minutes, the image was complete, though no very visible due to the nature of the threads. he affixed his end to the roof of the restaurant and began channeling his elemental nature into the treads, they began to drip with water, making it seem like the very beginning of a light rain shower on this cloudless night. He focus more, slowly and carefully freezing the water, making some sections transparent, and others opaque. And as a finishing touch, he tugged on certain sections, applying light fractures to the ice in certain spots. The end result was a portrait of ice, refracting the light of the moon. It was of Asuka and Kanon hugging, the light fractures in the ice distorting the light being refracted thought it, focusing intense moonlight into a focal point in their eyes, making them shine. The light filtering though was giving the street below a beautiful appearance, with beams of moon light shooting down, giving it a small light show.

People going to and from the reasturaunt were looking up in amazement, as Taibushi sat back, remaining out of sight and sighing contently, "Perhaps, friendship is worth pursuing, I suppose I should try to overcome my social ineptitude."