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Eri looked over her students, some much more battered than others, and folded her arms. This had been a rough first day for Rina, but she didn’t think Kimi came out unscathed either. Eri’s first day exercise was meant to lay insecurities bare, to force one to confront the issues that would weaken them both on and off the battlefield. However it might feel a little different doing that as an adult soldier, than as a teenage girl. It was harsh, but was it too harsh? To some degree you had to shelter children from the realities of the world, and to lead them gently when it was time… but when was right?
However Eri reasoned she’d never been the fragile or sheltered type. No, she’d practically raised herself as a kid, as well as… well, she supposed her adopted family. And she’d turned out alright! She was a strong, capable, beautiful woman, who didn’t need to rely on other people to get by. She could handle herself, unlike some. This genin team was an opportunity and a responsibility, and she wouldn’t let her genin grow up to be unreliable adults no matter what their parents were like.
She caught a bit of movement in the distance and looked sharply at the would-be intruders. Someone was approaching her group and interrupting her lesson. In the distance it appeared to be another Jounin and genin team, judging by the heights alone. Was there a scheduling error? Didn’t they know she’d reserved the training ground?
The identity of the team's leader at least, became apparent as the new group edged its way ever closer. It was Kenji Yamanaka, a student of the legendary ninja Kamoji from another generation, and as ever he sauntered and strutted with the grace and decor one would expect of a model, not a fully fledged shinobi and instructor of Konoha's academy. The warm breeze of the land of fire had begun to pick up, and his almost magnolia blonde hair began to flutter in the wind alongside his scarf. His arms stretched out as he drew close enough that he knew Eri Takeda would be able to recognise him. With a hop, skip and jump towards the larger genin team and a wide grin across his face; his arms still outstretched Kenji began to shout.
"TAKEDA-SANNNN! It has been far too long!" He proclaimed, a kind of boyish allure and infatuation present in his tonality as he spoke. Kenji's particular fancy for Eri was fairly common knowledge among the tutors of the academy and even ordinary jonin (if such a thing existed) of the leaf, having become somewhat of a running joke among them. There were scores of women, particularly among the Yamanaka and Hyuga of whom were highly suitable and found him desirable. But Kenji had eyes for only one, and every time he had received a boot or fist to his face after each and every one of his attempts at romantic escapades.
However today no such thing would occur, because if there was one thing that Kenji desired more than Eric's affection; it was her respect, and the respect of others as a peer in the arts of the shinobi. Above all else, despite his fleeting youth and romantic side. The Yamanaka valued professionalism. What kind of teachings would he inadvertently impart on his own students if he was unable to control himself?
He snapped to possibly the loosest and most casual salute the world had ever seen shortly after completing his brief initiation of reminiscence. Flicking his open palm towards Eri as he did so, giving a quick wink that was so fast that if one didn't know it was about to happen, they'd have been entirely unaware that it had occurred at all. Eri had responded to the salute seemingly almost on instinct, and with that the Tokubetsu-Jōnin had continued to speak.
"Alas, I come before you today on matters of great importance to the leaf. So I'm afraid we won't have a bunch of time to catch up. I've received direct orders from Lord Fourth himself to begin an investigation in the Uchiha sector. The details are…sensitive, but I thought given the makeup of your team that it may be pertinent for us to co-operate. I took the idea to Kamoji-Sensei, and he agreed wholeheartedly. You know what he's like."
Eri held back an exasperated sigh. Yes, she did know what Kamoji was like. Of course he would send his student to work alongside her on their first mission. How old was Kenji anyway? There was no way *she* was so old that... no, Kenji couldn't have been even 20 yet. He had to be a Tokubetsu. Had to. He still needed someone to show him the ropes. A responsibility Kamoji had abdicated to her, of course.
A joint mission could be a way she could help round out his training and mature a little into adulthood, thought Eri. But then again, that was the good-for-nothing's idiot's plan. Send his responsibilities and failures at her, knowing she'd take care of them while he lazed around. She may as well have been Kenji's jounin, considering how much time the boy spent in her presence over the years.
She was plenty used to Kenji repeating Kamoji's dumbest pick up lines and pranking her with romantic gifts, and it seemed now was no exception. She knew Kamoji found it the height of comedy to put a spotlight on her perpetual inability to get a boyfriend. It bothered her most not because of the jokes, no, that was just her lot in life by knowing Kamoji at all… but because Kenji suffered for it! It was a shame, as Kenji was no doubt talented enough to make Tokubetsu. He had a better teacher in life, one who wouldn’t enlist young, impressionable students to play dumb pranks and instead molded them into model ninja… well, who knows what he could have accomplished!
Well, Kamoji was right. She would take care of the responsibilities thrown at her. Because she was a good person.
Eri straightened her posture to military stance.
"It is good to see you, Kenji-san. Does the Lord Fourth know you are involving other people on this sensitive mission?" She asked firmly, but kindly.
"Kamoji-Sensei told me that he would inform the Hokage, as my orders also granted me a little bit of leeway when it comes to the composition of the team. Provided I chose an appropriate Jonin to assist me, I was told it would be fine, I guess this kinda thing is how they're plannin' on gauging my judgement? I think I've made the right call, there aren't many shinobi in the leaf more respected than you, Eri-swaaaaaan." He replied, his voice tailing off to a boyish flirt as he finished speaking. Leaning slightly towards the Takeda Jōnin before feeling himself back in with a smile, unbeknownst to him however, the youngest of his charges, Akira Senju, had been almost clinging to his legs and hiding behind the Tokubetsu-Jōnin. Kenji would have been lying if he said he wasn't slightly startled by his bumping into the boy.
Akira let out a sound vaguely akin to a squeal as his new sensei bumped into him, upon Team 2's arrival to the training ground he had instantly noticed the presence of Kimi and Rina, two Uchiha genin whom absolutely terrified him during their time together in the wonderful Hana-sensei's lessons. He had never quite been sure if they used to intentionally bully him in class, be it because he was a Senju or because he was younger and smaller than them, or if their natures were just so much different to his own that it made him uncomfortable and they didn't actually mean any ill will towards him; but neither option altered the extent of his fear of the two girls, who were his elder. The darkly dressed, ebony haired girls stood almost in stark contrast to the Senju boy, who wore natural colours and a brazen azure cloak. In fact the only thing they had in common were the colour of their eyes, once that devilish Sharingan of theirs was activated.
He kept tight behind Kenji's legs, peeking out at the imposing figure of Eri Takeda, before shuffling back behind his sensei, only to peek out once again to assess the other team. This continued for a few seconds as the rest of the two teams gathered around them. As Rashiku drew closer, Akira somewhat felt the tension in his body ease, their prior experience at Takayuki's home allowed the youngest of the present shinobi a degree of comfort around his teammates, especially given how well they had coordinated themselves without any form of communication.
Everything he knew about being a shinobi, and what was required of a three man cell, lead Akira to believe that he was quite safe when his friends were close. And for some reason, he had an unshaking faith in Kenji. Perhaps it was because he too, like Akira, was a younger man in the presence of peers whom were his elder.
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