Naruto: Path to Enlightment
While the recently awoken N.C.4 of the 11th corps was sent out on a mission, strangely enough for no apparent reason, and no questions asked from higher up as to why Chihiro Hyuga and Gin Kakiyama had both suddenly vanished with this person, almost as if this had been planned, the rest of the village was still in relative peace. Several jonin and chunin were also out on missions, but the largest part was in the village, waiting for a sudden surge in missions. It seemed to be something that occured frequently, you were waiting for a mission for a couple of days, and then when you finally thought you could relax, a guy showed up with a paper stating you had to go here and there and do this and that. It was the shinobi life, and you got used to it, but it never got out of the annoyance factors of many shinobi.
Today, it seemed like one of those days where nothing happened. Though the office area around the Hokage's office was busy, more busy than other days, the other areas were quiet. Even the financial district seemed a bit quiet, although traffic was still big there. However anyone paying attention would also notice the many ANBU on site at the Hokage's office, taking positions atop buildings and in the streets, patrolling like usual, but obviously also looking out or guarding a specific area.
Then, at precisely 11:45 the message came to every shinobi. The Hokage, Zeno Hakarasu, was going to have a small speech at 12:00 in front of the Hokage's office, the usual spot. That would explain the many ANBU preparing the site, making sure it was clear from any threats. The Hokage was still a very powerful man, but it was better to take precautions as there are always organisations and lone wolves that wanted rid of the Hokage, and with that, Konohagakure. The message would arrive at all shinobi's disposal through their cellphone, receiving a simplistic text message that would alert them to the event.
Greetings, all shinobi of Konohagakure,
today the Hokage, Zeno Hakarasu, will be giving a motivational speech followed rapidly by an explanation as to the policies for the coming five years at 12.00 precisely. Missions rated C-rank and below are canceled for the day, and will continue tomorrow instead.
Attendance is mandatory for all shinobi not currently on a B-rank mission or higher. That will be all.
Hope to see you there,
Ayame Choko.
This short message was enough to alert people about the time, as the location would be the same as always. Upon arrival to the scene the shinobi would find a large mass of shinobi concentrated in the square at the center, but there was enough room to get to the front anyway. That was because the shinobi were, indeed, shinobi and had enough decency to simply stand comfortably in their own clique's of friends, whilst maintaining a solid line formation. If one were to walk in, it'd be almost as if it was an army meeting that had just ended, as everyone was still in line but standing very informally.
At precisely 12:00 the Hokage walked outside, guided on one side by an ANBU member and on the other side by a woman who wore her hair up, and had a pair of glasses sitting on her nose. Anyone would recognise her as the woman sitting behind the front desk handling visitors in the office, but many would be lead to question where Ayame was at this point in time. Whispers said that she had been missing for a long time, and some even said that she had gotten pregnant. Fujitora was completely forgotten in this, as he was expected to simply arrive later. They knew better than to think he wasn't going to show up.
The Hokage soon silenced the crowd as he stepped up to the microphone that was on the wooden platform. With a slight grumble he started his speech. “Friends! Comrades! Brothers in arms.. today we meet here because I had a feeling you could all use a morale boost. I know that work has been tough on you, but that's the shinobi life. Never the less, I am grateful to you all.” His words echoed through the plaza as everyone stood in complete silence, only the off cough or whisper being audible to any listening.
“I am grateful because it isn't me that makes Konoha great, beautiful or big. It's all of you!” he said loudly, making a wide gesture with his hands. “And in a way, I owe you all my job as Hokage. One of the most honorable positions I can imagine. So thank you, for that too. Now.. I was instructed that you also needed to be updated on policy changes for the coming five years.”
He would pause for a moment as his secretary handed him the papers that detailed most of the changes, and there was a lot of them. The shinobi were going to be forced to sit through them and he wasn't finished just yet..
Yamato Minamoru, “Young Master”
“Watashi wa Kami, I am God.”
Yamato had, just like Aoi and Daiki, received the message a bit earlier, and they'd also received a slightly different message. He was told to come to the academy at 11.55 and help guide the academy students to the square. That was a boring task, more fit for people like Haruka, who enjoyed doing the mundane and unnessecary twenty times over. But Yamato didn't grumble or moan about it, he simply accepted it as a task of a jonin, just like Aoi and Daiki should.
He headed out in full battle-ornate, in his battle armor of metal as he always did. It was about 11.45 at that time, only moments after receiving the text. It was lucky that he'd been up earlier since he'd still have stuff to do now that he lived alone. It was barely a five minute walk, too, since he could really only afford a Downtown appartment. He'd never realized what a shithole Downtown was until he lived there. The fact that he lived on the outskirts of Konoha had been a blessing and a curse and he only realized it now. Such a sheltered life, simply by living there. In Downtown he was confronted with the harsh reality of the poor people living there. And it didn't change his vision of them. They were still scum. It just made him realize that they were supposed to be treated like it too.
With a sigh he opened the gate to the academy, looking around quickly to see if Aoi or Daiki was already there. He did see them in the recipients list for that special text they received.. there was no sight of them yet anyway. He headed inside for that reason, as there was nobody to talk to about what was going on precisely. He quickly found sensei Chuboku, in classroom 1D as he'd always been. The kids there weren't that young, they were all around the age of 12 really. Probably preparing heavily for their genin exams, if anything.. “Do they really need guidance? Most of these kids could kick the hokages' ass any day.” he said, with his remarkable discontent with the current hokage. What were the jonin thinking when they accepted that lazy shit as hokage.. atleast now that he was jonin he could influence these kind of things. “Shh, Yamato-kun. Don't say such things in front of the children.. and I agree, they don't need guidance. They're not 8 anymore.. but orders are orders, you know that.” sensei Chuboku answered Yamato. “I know.” the answer was.
Yamato clapped in his hands and got the attention of all the students in the room at once. “Good morning. I am Yamato Minamoru. I will be your glorified tour guide for the day..” Yamato didn't see it, but behind him sensei Chuboku sighed heavily and put his head in his palm. There was simply no getting rid of Yamato's attitude was there? Ever since he was a kid, Yamato had had this attitude.. “You will follow me. No running, no dancing, no jumping, no laughing, no crying. Nothing. You will follow me and you will talk with eachother.”
“Hai, Yamato!” the class sang in unison, and they got ready to get out. “Let me add to that. You will also refer to me as Yamato sensei. Show respect to those that deserve it. That includes anyone with a higher rank. Understood?” Yamato added, a particular authoritarian choice of words, but a semi-friendly voice to say it. Semi friendly, because it was hard for Yamato to sound friendly even if he tried. “Hai, Yamato-sensei!”
With that bussiness finally handled, Yamato and the class made their way to the square. He guided them all the way, even talking with a few of the students on the way. It wasn't a full blown conversation, but he wasn't picky about answering questions. He was brutally honest with them though, that much was to be expected. “Did you ever kill someone?!” “Yes. More than once.” “Was he a bad guy?!” “No. He was just a guy. He did what he thought was right.” “Nanda?! Why did you kill him then!?” “Because he tried to kill me. And he failed.” The boy gulped and drooped off to the back where he'd whisper to his friends about how cool Yamato was. If only they knew the whole story. A girl now approached, looking giddy and giggly. “Y-Yamato-sensei! D-Do you have a girlfriend?!” “No.” “C-can I be it?!” “I am engaged. Sorry.”
The entire trip went something like that, until they got to the square. Yamato lined the children up nicely and made sure they stood at attention, though he realized they were kids and he did cut them some slack. That was rare for Yamato. Perhaps he did have something resembling a heart. And so he stood next to then, keeping an eye out, until the hokage appeared. That was when he started paying attention himself, to listen what this glorified moron had to say for himself.
