[Graded][Plotboard] Assessment

[Willoria]

[Plotboard] Chunin Exam Ume had felt nervous going into her fight, but honestly that was nothing compared to the nervousness she felt now. Before she'd had Tatsuo in the audience, and even Koyama. She had heard them cheering her on and even laughing at the way she had ended her fight. Koyama especially, she had heard him even over the announcer and it had left her with a blush on her cheeks. But today she was alone. She had dressed as she always did, wrapped in her cloak as she made her way to the office of a village official for her interview. She had no idea what to expect, or even who. She had simply been given a location and office number. For all she knew this could be a clan elder of the Akari she was meeting, she truly didn't have a clue.

The fact that Koyama had been so uncomfortable about her going alone hadn't made her feel any better. He had talked about what a perfect ruse to trap her or ambush her for her astrashiin. She had exuded confidence, even reminded him that she hadn't shown off her astrashiin in that fight for a reason. But it was a confidence she hardly felt.

Upon arrival she was led to the office and the girl found herself holding her breath as the doors swung open and she was ushered inside.

[Niro]

Hibiki sat within his office with his fingers steeped in front of his face per usual and his arms resting upon his desk top in one of the many administration buildings of Iwagakure. His office was plainly decorated: his desk, a chair behind it on his side, two chairs on the opposite side, a bookshelf on the left side of the office and the right side wall was decorated with his own achievements as a shinobi. Yesterday he had been tasked with being one of three jounin on the council for a chuunin exam and today would be the interview date.

The shinobi in question was one Akari, Ume.

The jounins hair was black with specks of silver throughout it. His sideburns were also graying at this point in his life and his face was separated into different planes with hard lines. His ice blue eyes were sharp and focused as they focused on the door to his office, awaiting the incoming interview with bated breath. The intercom on his desk finally beeped, a long drawn out noise which annoyed him to no end.

The secretary of the other end eventually talked. "One Akari, Ume is here to see you, sir." She drawled through in a bored tone as Hibiki pressed the button down on his side to speak. "Send her in." He ordered in a gruff tone. It took a few minutes but eventually a knock sounded on the other side of his door and Hibiki was glad to answer, ready to get this over with. "Come in."

"Sit." Hibiki motioned for the girl to sit in either of the chairs in front of his desk. The desk itself was littered with various papers and folders, some stamped with his approval and others just reports on various things ongoing within the village that he was responsible for. "I was one of the three watching your exam yesterday, as you can already tell." He started as he picked up a manila folder from his desk and opened it, Ume's name plastered across the front of it. Hibiki began to peer through the report before looking up at Ume.

"In all honesty, there's not much on you here. No bad behavior within the village, nothing reported on your missions. The only thing mentioned here is the fact your father recently passed away due to a genetic disease which you yourself have been able to turn into a weapon." Hibiki began.

"The work load of a chuunin is primarily focused around team work and working in groups, being able to use your head and think logically rather than emotionally. Would you say you're able to do that? As a chuunin you'd be expected to work with a variety of different ninja in different teams while getting along on the mission, even if you have personal reasons for not liking them. And without your bodyguard. Is this something you'd be able to do?" Hibiki asked, eyes locked onto Ume's as he awaited the girls answer.

[Willoria]

Ume entered as indicated, glancing at the chairs as they were offered to her. She moved to sit in one carefully. Her posture was proper, even her ankles crossed under her chair as she listened to what the man before her had to say. She wasn't all that familiar with him but already she kinda liked the man. He was straight to the point, so far no attempts to be all that cordial or even kind. Ume liked it, feeling immediately like the man had a distaste for nonsense. "I do believe I can." the girl answered simply as he spoke of missions and the duties of a chunin. Her mind immediately went to the mission she had undertaken with Kotaru. At the time they had begun, she had detested him. Yet on the mission one of her own shiin was damaged to keep him safe.

"The mission and my personal feelings of teammates have always been separate issues. I have no problem with working with those I dislike... or even distrtust.
Such is life in my clan." She hoped he wouldn't find the last remark disrespectful, if only because it was accurate. In her clan allies quickly became enemies in the pursuit for power. "As for my bodyguard
He may not like it. But I have never had trouble slipping him when necessary for mission or otherwise. He has his own workload to see to as well." She wasn't sure she was comfortable with this man knowing she had a bodyguard, but it was a fact that clearly was no secret. Koyama might have been upset with her for not avoiding the question, but this man was right. She might soon have duties that required her to be without Koyama's aid.

[Niro]

Hibiki looked around his desk for a moment before he picked up a writing utensil and took it to the file, scribbling down several notes to be added to the soon-to-be chuunin's profile. They'd be useful in future interviews and when she would apply for promotions in the future as well.

'Willing to follow orders'

'Already resolved any issues of personal feelings and how they affect the mission'

'Bodyguard is not required on missions, seems to be a precautionary measure against other Akari within the clan compound only.'

He placed the pen back on his desk and refocused himself on Ume before moving onto the next set of questions he had for the girl.

"In addition to following orders, you may be tasked with leading a team. This may be a team of chuunin or it may even be a small squad of genin. Do you think you'd be able to do this if called upon by the village?" Hibiki asked and waited for the response before he shifted into the next question. "My last question is...the last jutsu you used in the fight was one developed from the disease, correct? How far have you taken this jutsu line? Is it negatively affecting your body or mind? The sensor alongside me within the stands noticed how the chakra was much different than anything else he had seen before within the village." Hibiki explained as he stared down the younger shinobi.

[Willoria]

Ume paused a moment, visibly, as she was asked about leading a team. She knew Kotaru had been given this task when he promoted but honestly she hadn't thought about it in regards to herself. After a moment of thought the girl nodded however. "I do." She answered. "And I think I could lead off mission as well." She admitted. She had been through hell in her clan, and her family. The thought of leading teams made her realize she could help others come through similar conditions. It made her nervous, but also exhilerated her.

But a moment later she found a new reason to be nervous. His question about her Ekirei style, and the way he stared her down. "I have so far only managed D rank techniques, though I have notes for many more." She began, debating momentarily how much to tell him. "When I first started there were nose bleeds, and bouts of dizziness. No mental effects. But it did improve the more I used it."

After a moment of debate, Ume reached up and undid her cloak, sliding it off her left shoulder. The once-black veins were back to normal, but pale marks remained like scars and it was these the girl motioned to. "When I started the disease was progressing fast. But over time as I became more practiced with the jutsu the disease itself receded entirely. Medics I have spoken to think it will remain gone so long as I keep in practice this line of Jutsu."

[Niro]

Hibiki took another moment to pick up his pen and jot more notes down onto the profile pages he had for Ume.

'Willing to lead teams both in missions and outside of them.'

'Able to turn her own weakness into a strength.'

'Smarter than she appears. Be on the look out for another promotion soon.'

The soft scraping of his pen against the paper was the only noise in the room for a moment before Hibiki placed it down and closed the file. He re-steeped his fingers in front of his face and stared down Ume hard for a moment, his eyes wandering over the girl's person before he gave a slight nod. "Alright then, we're done here. Keep training with that jutsu line. Congratulations on your promotion to chuunin." Hibiki told her, a hand moving swiftly to grab a stamp on his desk which he used to quickly mark Ume's profile. "Now get out of my office."