[Open] Coming of Age

[Texas]

Akino Peak. A beautiful Tourist spot that looked as if it was a product/symbol of the time. As the country aged and got progressively bigger, Akino Peak turned into a symbol. A sign, tourist location, but more importantly a historical monument.

The area itself had been rented out for the afternoon and into the night. It was outfitted with assorted flowers along the walls, lights all over, and the area around it was freshly landscaped. There were several outdoor tents set up, that all had a different theme and purpose. There was a drinking (mostly for the adults) that had sake, ale, and a bartender that had all sorts of recipes for both alcoholic drinks and virgin drinks. There was a dancing tent that had a built wooden floor and a small band of 3 that would jam once the speeches were over. There was another tent that contained different mini shops in it. There was a mini shop that sold Akihiko Dolls, a mini shop that sold unique toys, a shop that provided fun festival masks free of charge to any participants, and a treats shop that sold an assortment of both sweet and savory snacks. The last tent was a food tent, which contained two large pigs spinning on a fire. Around the perimeter of the inside of the tent was all assortments of different types of food. These tents were designed to not be closed, leaving 16’ tall tops that were held together by the corners, which were large metal beams.

The entirety of the situation was a combination of extravagant and Akihiko’s unique personality. Normally a Coming of Age party within the Ishiguro was a small intimate family/clan affair. However, due to Aki going against the grain, he demanded a massive festival for it. Due to pushback and disapproval from the higher ups, Aki actually had to pay for most of it. Paying for it wouldn’t stop Aki from taking tradition and forming it in his own way.

The pink haired Chuunin invited everyone. He invited everyone he knew in Kumo and his friends he’s had interactions with and considered close.

There were several people from the Ishiguro Clan that rejected his invitation. The Ishiguro Clan, although strong, are extremely reserved. Their traditions don’t leave past the clan, even their involvement in the village as a whole is minimal to none.

Who is going you may wonder?? Well only Aki’s immediate branch family and a couple of people from his clan. However, most of the clans and the elder/leader weren’t going to attend. Most of the clan didn’t approve of this, to the point where the leader considered it a mockery of their traditions. The important people of note from Aki’s branch were his parents and his brother Yoh. Yoh was almost the opposite of Aki. He was tall, black haired, and rather lowkey in personality. However, in close circles, he can be goofy too…. It’s just because of his goals, he doesn’t show it often. He was pursuing the clan leadership to attempt to make some changes in the future. A similar mentality as Aki, but he was doing it the “by the book” way.

There were Aki’s academy classmates of whom, he has actually grown close with after becoming a chuunin. There were his friends that owned shops in the trading district, although he bugged the shit out of them, he also established a bond with them. Aki always pays the store keepers a visit in between missions and promotes their shops as much as possible, which they greatly appreciate.

Then there were those who were invited who we will see in written for themselves. Amongst all of the people, there was extra security. A decent amount of ninja, not just because of the gathering, but because of the Host of a Genma hosting it.

At the current moment, the sun was slightly setting and people were gathered at main level area of Akino Peak. They had plenty of time to interact and take note of who’s who while they waited for Aki to show up. Based on the setting, there was a large podium where it was clear… Aki would at some point appear.

Standing up straight, Aki’s parents were located as far to the right as possible. In front of them was Yoh with his arms folded with a monotone look. Aki would wait hidden, until he felt as though enough people were gathered around for him to jump in and give his speach.

[Nick]

When Suzuko had received the invitation to Akihiko's 'coming of age' ceremony, she internally blanched. It seemed just as likely as not that this whole thing was a setup for some stupid prank that Aki was going to try and pull on as many people at once as he could manage. They hadn't discussed their birthdays, and so she didn't even know if it was his real birthday or not, and even if it was, birthdays weren't exactly something she was accustomed to celebrating. The Mizutane, whom she stayed with, often gave her some small gift on her birthday, but it was never a celebration, more of a quiet offering of a closed package left on her bed, or sometimes presented publicly over dinner.

In some ways she felt bitter about it, knowing that other kids her age received pomp and ceremony, especially when they were of nobility as she was. With the time she'd spent in Kumo previously, she'd begun to understand that Akihiko's family, the Ishiguro, were of nobility status as well, and she felt jealousy creep into her at the idea that Akihiko, the most childish and peasant-like person that she'd ever met was receiving a celebration that she felt like she deserved? The world was... unfair. She was starting to realize this more and more as time went on, her experiences showed her that the strong determined things for the weak, and that cruelty and a lack of emotion were rewarded within this world she found herself in. She wondered if she needed to change who she was to get what she wanted as well, to become that cruel monster was to see success.

Internal musings aside, she had decided to accept the invitation, casting her feelings aside this once for the benefit of someone who she supposed could be considered a friend if you squinted a bit.

She didn't know what was traditional for ninja, Kumo, or Ishiguro, but she brought a gift regardless, a small box wrapped in a fine cloth of green with gold colored streaks throughout, and wrapped tight on four sides with a a bright pink bow that Suzuko had spent far, far too long getting even and perfect. She'd never really given gifts before either, and the very idea that she'd be outdone or made to look a fool because her gift was subpar in some way grated on her nerves before anyone could even think it might be the case. She'd picked it all out herself, from the color of the cloth wrapping it to the ribbon that made the bow, and it was going to be so great that nobody else's gift would compare!

And so she walked from the rooms she was staying to the place the invitation had mentioned, box carried carefully in both arms, dressed in relatively casual fineries, nicer than her usual adventuring outfit, but not something you'd wear to high court, either. She was nearing the location, when she passed by a pair of older women with their children talking.

"-Coming of age?" She heard, coming in on the back half of a sentence, her ear perking up even though she didn't want to be eavesdropping.
"Ugh, don't remind me, what a black mark on our clan." The second woman replied with an eyeroll and folding her arms.
"His parents never raised him right, maybe they should be postponing his ceremony for another, oh, five years?" They both laughed.
"It's one thing to be a failure and be quiet about it, but does he have to be so loud?"
"Well if he wasn't loud, how would we know he was coming to get out of the way?" Another laugh.

Suzuko had walked past them at this point, but she was grinding her teeth rather loudly, and stopped in place as they laughed the second time, turning on her heel and tucking the gift under one arm to point at the pair of women obtusely. "You don't know anything about Akihiko!" She yelled rather loudly. "He may be loud, but he's got a stronger warrior spirit than any other ninja I've met! I bet he's the best the Lightning Empire has to offer!" She continued, huffing, before heel-turning again without waiting for a response, and walking away.

It wasn't much longer before she arrived, letting herself inside, and looking around. "Now, where is that stupid brat?" She said out loud.

[Taiga]

A smidgen older than most of the others who were in attendance, Mariya leaned against a wall as her eyes moved methodically up-and-down, left-and-right through each and every attendant. She'd been ordered by her father, who had heard rumor of the "the party of the century" to keep an eye on the Ishiguro brat along with several other high-ranking officials. For Mariya, to some degree, her attendance went beyond simply just a job or an order, even if she didn't want to admit it. She'd known Aki for several years now and the two had grown up together to some degree; her training the boy to better deal with sensors much like an elder sister would her little brother.

From flowers to lights to even little special edition Aki dolls the entire place had been extra. The corners of Mariya's otherwise dead mouth curled as her lips perked into the subtlest of smiles. She was much better at the whole emotion things these days perhaps because of people like Aki.

Her red eyes continued to flick through the crowds as they passed through the doors- until her ears caught something rather loud and her eyes were drawn from their methodical scan instead to the center of attention.

Her hand gripped at her kunai holster as she lept up into the air, a quick blur, and re-stationed herself upon a roof-top. A girl who looked, smelled, and dripped foreign was chastising some older betties and their kids. Her grip loosening as she relaxed her stance she realized it wasn't much of anything as the girl, finished defending what seemed like Aki's honor, continued off on her way into the building and main hall where the event would take place.

This must of been the Heart brat- Suzuko.

What a rag tag group of brats she had formed up with. Clearing her throat, Mariya returned back to her post against a wall somewhere to the side of the event doors. Her eyes looked up to the eaves of a nearby building to confirm that one of the Skyguard Sensors was in place, and with an exchange of nods, she walked into the room, deactivating her Sharingan but not before seeing the traces and residual chakras of Aki who was moving about in Limbo.

What was he up to? Was he going to prank the entire room?

Probably the best prank would be never showing up to his own party or something like that. But Aki was more likely to cover everyone in pink paint or something silly like that.

[HotelBravo]

A coming of age ceremony? Of course she was invited. Ishiguro Asuka had been invited along with a majority of the clan, although the venue and the setting certainly had raised an eyebrow, Asuka didn’t disapprove. The Ishiguro were too set in their ways and didn’t understand how to leverage their clan properly. Asuka did. She hadn’t been a jounin or even a shinobi for very long, this was because instead of going through the academy and developing herself as a shinobi she had strived to start her own business with art and antiques, and thanks to her keen eye she had been able to introduce several unknown artists into the culture of Kumogakure no Sato. It had cost her virtually nothing, but their success had meant her success, and this meant that she was now an extremely wealthy woman. She was well known among the elite in the Art world. That is why when she received this invite, she applauded the boldness of the young Akihiko and decided that she would attend. She remembered hearing about the little prankster. It was hard to forget the Pink haired Ishiguro. His bloodline with the clan was certainly mixed to get that pink hair. There surely was a red head somewhere in Akihiko’s lineage to dilute the Ishiguro white hair trait enough to make a pink color for his hair.

Asuka arrived at the venue in her own carriage. A servant opened the door for her and she took his hand allowing him to help her step out of it. She was dressed in a formal kimono with her white hair pinned up into a bun by a hair clip decorated with gold flowers. Her kimono was black, serious and was mostly free from art save for the bottom near her feet where a pattern of white and gold flowers swept down to the hem. Kimonos were not her preferred choice of clothing, but she would put up with it for the sake of the ceremony. What went unseen was that Asuka was practicing her chakra control using the method her father had devised before he had passed away this year. She was focusing chakra on the bottom of her feet to stick her to the ground, and was doing so nearly constantly. She had been trained a lot by her father, but she knew in her new position as a Jounin she would need to be stronger to survive. She knew that her father had been the strongest man in the world, or at least she had thought he was. Look what had happened to him? She hadn’t even obtained his body yet. As she arrived she overheard the shouting, and frowned at the developing chaos. She would nip this all in the bud.

The Ishiguro’s had been riled up by the retort from the young Suzuko fell silent and withdrew with just a glance from Asuka. Her father had recently been killed on an S rank mission, and they knew that. They knew also that she was incredibly wealthy and powerful and that she had just recently decided to become a shinobi of her own accord. ”Don’t embarrass the clan.” She would state to them. There were guests here - it would not save any kind of face to be disparaging the other members of the clan when in front of guests. The Ishiguro had spent too much time out of the affairs of the Empire. That is why they lacked manners. They were all just country hicks.

”The Elders are backwards fools who still think like nomads. I think it's about time someone brought them to the modern world.” she thought to herself. Yes, she had been complacent for far too long. She had been much too happy to let the clan dwindle and wallow and die while she pursued her business. It hadn’t occurred to her that their negligence might affect her directly - that being the death of her own father. If she had been involved in the ranks of the shinobi, she could have gone with her father and supported him. She could have provided him back up - or even done a better job at scouting the danger levels of the mission. There were a thousand things she could have done, but she didn’t do any of them on account of not being in the shinobi forces. Who was to blame for it? It was something that had been passed around to the point of obscurity. The who and the why had been hidden, but a mistake had clearly been made and everyone was too incompetent to take responsibility. Responsibility. It seemed like that was a burden that only she was able to carry, and so she had determined the she would be the one. She would take responsibility for Kumogakure no Sato. Everyone wanted to hide from the very concept - but Asuka wasn’t afraid, and she knew that she had been prepared for this her entire life.

Asuka moved over to Suzuko. ”Thank you for defending my young Cousins honor. I really didn’t expect a foreigner to appreciate my own clansman more than my own clan did. I apologize sincerely on their behalf. If you ever need anything please let me know, won’t you?” Asuka gave Suzuko a polite bow. ”I hope you will excuse my intrusion. I am Ishiguro Asuka. I thought I heard that you were going to look for him? Perhaps we could look together? Those are his parents over there, we could start by asking them?” Asuka gestured towards Aki’s parents. ”Would you mind escorting me?” Asuka offered her arm to Suzuko. It was clear and apparent that Asuka had servants - as they were standing a polite distance away waiting on the call of their mistress. Perhaps at another time they would escort her instead - but it was better for business to make connections than to rely on those that were already made long ago.

She was still channeling chakra into her feet - it was difficult to do while talking and walking, but that is exactly why she did it.
1000 +1 chakra control

[Davak]

Damon's face broke into a genuine smile, a rare occurrence for someone with his typically somber demeanor. But that troublesome youth had given him reason to, more than once by now. The Ishiguro boy didn't particularly care for most people, and he harbored a wrathful disdain for the clan into which he was born. Yet, somehow, that pink-haired rascall had managed to get under his skin. What frustrated Damon even more was his inability to pinpoint exactly what it was about the boy. He hadn't encountered anyone like him before, and he hoped he wouldent again.

Defeated before the battle had even begun, he folded the letter in his hand and placed it on his desk, accepting his fate.

Why am I cheering for this nonsense?

Akihiko had sparked great outrage in the clan. Instead of celebrating his coming-of-age ceremony as proper etiquette demanded, he had decided to throw a grand festival on Akino Peak of all places—a celebration of passing on his beads and stepping into adulthood. This had ignited debates throughout the tower, whether to attend or not, a stark testament to the rigidity of these reserved people.

Damon knew he would be in attendance from the moment he skimmed the invitation. Even if it was just to witness the disgrace it would bring to the clan and Akihiko’s delight in doing exactly that.

How free must one be once you’ve broken the chains of blood and tradition that bind most?

On the day of the event, Damon dressed lavishly, needing to maintain appearances within the clan, even if he attended mostly to witness the loss of face unfold before his own eyes. He adorned his hair with the few beads he had earned in his life and even kempt his normally untamed mane of long grey hair into order and style. He donned a colorful kimono with intricate floral patterns that fell below his ankles and hid his hands in the sleeves of folded arms.

Making his way up the peak, he greeted fellow Ishiguros and listened to their taunts, especially the more senior members of the clan who seemed to strongly disapprove of the child and his actions. Damon nodded in approval; there was no arguing with people stuck in time. To his surprise, but further pleasure, the invitations had apparently also gone out to those outside the clan, an absolute no-go concerning this tradition. Once he had climbed the many stairs leading to the top, he skimmed the various tents and their offerings.

To hide his growing satisfaction and schadenfreude, he stopped by one of the vendors to pick up a fox mask that he would wear for the remainder of the ceremony. He couldn’t help but also grab one of the Akihiko dolls, the pink-haired chibis head bobbing back and forth as he stepped through the crowd. He didn’t need Akihiko to recognize and know he had attended, although he had the unsettling prediction that he’d somehow be identified even under the mask anyway.

From there, he swiftly proceeded to find a comfortable spot towards the back of the crowd but with a sufficient view of the center stage. He had no intention to chat with fellow participants, nor did he plan on indulging in the foods and drinks the ceremony had to offer.

He was here to witness the boy taunt an age-old tradition.

Even so, he couldn’t help but overhear a feverish girl's outburst over some apparent gossip that some of his fellow Ishiguro had whispered about.

Yeah, figures he’d befriend someone like that…

As the spectacle unfolded in the corner of his eyes, he recognized movement, nothing but a flicker, but movement nonetheless. Movement at a speed that set about a thought. He went on to scan the crowd and came to the conclusion that among the clan members and outsiders in attendance, there was also a heightened presence of security, shinobi in gear standing about menacingly.

There’s no way Akihiko is planning something dangerous, is there?

He decided to cast the thought aside and instead went on to watch as an unknown Ishiguro, at least that’s what he assumed by the colour of her hair, stepped in to rectify and chastise his other relatives for their behavior.

Ah, this is already worth the climb.

Damon was amused, giving off a slight chuckle under his feline mask, as he went on to wait for Akihikos entrance.