[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 4:26 pm

Ookuri had barely slept the night before, working on only a small modicum of rest as he awoke to the claps of thunder and sweeping sheets of rain. How could he rest, considering the choice he was about to make?

In one hand, he held a tidy burlap sack wrapped around the scabbard of his katana, filled with neatly packed and arranged ninja tools. Every single weapon he had in his personal weapons closet at home had been cleaned and oiled in preparation for their return. If he was going to follow through with what he'd set his mind to, he wasn't going to disgrace the village by returning dirty equipment in dangerous states of disrepair. Someone else more worthy than him would use that equipment, and he'd at least make sure it worked as it should. If nothing else, he wouldn't allow himself to fail in that final task.

His hand loosely gripped the scabbard of his katana, the weight of the sword a lot heavier than he remembered. How many times had he pulled it from its sheath to admire its craftsmanship? How many times had he stared at himself in the reflection, making empty oaths to himself that he would amount to more than a failure as a shinobi? How many hours had he spent meticulously cleaning its keen steel, hands weary after the long, dedicated work? Ookuri couldn't remember anymore. Too many times, far too many to count. The sword had never failed him, in all its time that he used it.

No, it was he himself who had failed the sword. He was certain the village would find a superior owner to himself.

In his other hand, he held a thin scroll. Unlike the weapons, he had to force himself not to crush the slender document in his hand. Even as he walked towards the main administration office, drenched in water and pants spattered in mud the moment he stepped out into the open, he had to stay his hand. It was the idiotic, immature part of himself that still fought, even now. It fed him false hope, telling the Arashiyama to not give up, to not give in. It promised that through the darkness, there was new light to be discovered, a whole path on the road to becoming a shinobi all his own.

His hardened heart stifled that pointless dribble. Experience had taught him better. Reality had taught him better. Only the worthy could be come shinobi. And his path as a shinobi had been nothing but the basest sentimentality, a farcical dream, a child's prayer. Pathetic.

Tired eyes, a soft amber bordering on gold, glimmered with a dying light as Ookuri slowly approached the front of the administration office. The chilling rain soaked him to the bone, but his heart was so numb that he didn't even feel it. The final enemy, hope, stayed his steps in one last final attempt to stop him. Surrounded by the darkness of despair, the light was slowly dying out...
Last edited by ShinobiTruth on Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Mon Oct 14, 2019 7:28 am

It had been a stormy few days, a typhoon having just passed through the village. One advantage to living on the mountain was avoiding the risk of flood- that was the reason their ancestors had chosen the mountain tops. On the other hand, mud slides and other risks existed. For Kumogakure, a city off shinobi, technological, and architecture prowess, that was no issue. Hayate paused for a moment as a flash of light filled his office, followed by the rippling of thunder. Another bolt of lightning struck the Raikage tower. The tower itself acted as a lightning rod for the village, as it's highest point. The fact lightning eternally spun around inside the tower made it only cooler. In a way, it harvested the storm. That electricity would be distributed to the rest of the village when needed.

Closing a book Hayate sighed as he leaned back in his chair. There was a particularly troublesome group of "rebels" that had been stopping his building and infrastructure projects in the country. Many criticized Hayate- for whatever they possibly could. Anything a leader did was criticized after all. Particularly, many of these rebels were the men he willingly spared in the final battle. Hayate had been adamant not to kill or execute the opposition at the end of the war.

He couldn't help but chuckle- despite being thought of as some cold blooded, power crazy warlord by some, his latest problems had been as a result of his humanity and the exact opposite. Things had not been easy for the Raikage, and now the Emperor of Lightning Country.

The Raikage exited the tower and into the administration building, on his way to go get a bite. It was raining but his lightning cloak would vaporize any rain and keep him dry. He inhaled, as lightning surrounded his body. Like a massive flashlight, the Raikage left the building. As he crouched down, prepared to take off at full speed, he inhaled once more as every muscle in his body exploded and he lunge- from the corner of his eye he caught something.

A Child.

Shit- I'll vaporize that kid if we collide.

Trying his hardest to change his course he spun around on his foot, slipping, and falling over on to the pavement, putting a body sized whole in it as his electricity fizzled out and the Raikage tried to catch his step.

"Sorry kid- wait, why are you out in the middle of a storm?"

For a moment he completely dismissed how abnormal a kid out at this time in a storm was.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:47 am

Hope's waning light struggled in futility as the shadows of despair crept into the last bastion the light held in his heart. Undeniably outmatched, the glow in his eyes faded with each passing second. He felt the muscles in his leg tightened to take the first step forward. Once he took that step, it was over. There was no going back. Ookuri's feet would move on their own from that point forward, he was certain. He leaned forward-

A flash of light and a powerful wave of force broke him from his trance and sent him flying back from the staircase. It was by some grace that he managed to not completely fall on his back, sparing himself from looking like a more sorry mess than he already did. The arrival of an unexpected bystander shocking him to his core. It was that sudden jolt that gave the darkness in his heart pause, the meager glow of hope granted a slight reprieve as it bolstered itself for its inevitable final stand. Ookuri's eyes quickly scanned the point of impact and-

What. No. This couldn't be real. He was going insane. That wasn't the Raikage. That was just an illusion. Yeah. That was it. He was delirious from his lack of sleep.

"Sorry kid- wait, why are you out in the middle of a storm?"

...Illusions didn't talk. At least, none of the hallucinations he'd experienced up until now had talked.

That was Nakajima Hayate, Raikage of Kumogakure no Sato and newly established Emperor of the Lightning Country. And he was now in front of said man, every part of his body drenched and being pointedly asked what he was doing here.

Ookuri found that as soon as he asked the question, he could no longer meet the man's gaze though, in his state of profound depression, he couldn't understand it was due to shame. Instead, he looked towards the door to the administration building. Yes. He couldn't forget what he came here to do. He came to end pointless wishing and futile struggles. He came to leave the remnants of this life he was no longer worthy of and fade into the shadows of history as no one of note.

He came to find grim acceptance for what he was: a failure, through and through. Surely he of all people, an Emperor who needed strong and capable soldiers, would see the wisdom in a weakling admitting he was weak.

"...I've one last task to complete, Raikage-sama... before I leave," Ookuri finally responded, his voice just barely perceptible above the roar of the mountain storm. He took a few steps back towards the staircase...

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:08 am

The Raikage rose back to his feet, patting himself off, while all the while his eyes remained fixed on the boy. It was as if the boy was in some glazed over state, oblivious to the world and completely stuck on something likely as sour as the weather. He smelled of defeat. The Raikage's posture loosened as gusts of wind releases off his body, his hand flicking around rapidly as it slowly rose above his head and the wind calmed into a sort of giant umbrella, lifting upwards from the pairs feet and up into the air, drying them in the process, and then finally stopping above them like some sort of an umbrella. Even with wind- this was the might of the 9th Raikage, Nakajima Hayate.

He cleared his throat. In the years since his own graduation he had been on a team with so many different young shinobi. As a special Jounin, he trained class after class in the academy, and as a Jounin he lead teams and eventually, his own genin squad. Hayate had led thousands of men into battle, and if he had not noticed that face and mood on the boy, worse than wasting his experience as a leader, he would not be able to call himself a good father... though perhaps his daughters would refute that point anyhow. This boy had given into some kind of despair.

As the boy continued onward to the staircase, the Raikage called out.

"I am afraid you won't find much help in there today." the Raikage said as his finger still twirled above his head, his kinesis keeping the wind moving and keeping the pair dry. "Likewise, what do you mean, leave, child?" the Raikage said inquisitively as his green eyes cut right into the boy. For now, his food would have to wait. Or maybe not.

"How about we go eat, boy? Whatever you aimed to do today, as your Raikage I can tend to it."

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:47 am

Yet again, his progress into the dark mists of forgotten history was halted by unseen hands. Strong winds flared up around Ookuri, the water seeming to fly off of his clothes as glass beads tossed around in a cyclone. Before he could fully understand what was happening, he was dry. His hair was a little crazy, but considering his intentions for the day, such a vanity hardly mattered. However powerful the winds that encircled him were, though, Hayate's words were stronger, like powerful chains pulling him up, saving him from a fatal freefall. The ludicrous nature of everything that had transpired in the last sixty seconds was enough to stun the young man, his mouth slightly agape in shock. What message was fate giving him now? Ookuri had thought its direction had been loud and clear. What was he supposed to do?

No words could properly communicate the limits of Ookuri's frustration, like destiny had been beating down on his shoulders since his birth. He'd already come this far, anyways. Slowly walking over to the Raikage, he bowed and offered the scroll. It was a remarkably small scroll, perhaps only an inch thick. Perhaps Hayate had seen such scrolls before, but perhaps not from one so young. Should he choose to unfurl it, it would read:

To Whom It May Concern,

All I've ever wanted in my career as a shinobi was to serve the greater good of the village and, by extension, this country. For the past five years, I've sweat, bled, and cried in pursuit of that simple dream. It has been a privilege to wear the symbol of Kumogakure no Sato... and it has now become apparent that, after this long struggle, it is a privilege that I no longer deserve due to my repeated failures in the line of duty. In light of my lack of progress in shouldering more responsibilities as a shinobi, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to needlessly drain the village's time and resources for what I now understand to be a lost cause. I thank the village for everything it has done for my family and I, and effective immediately, I tender my resignation as a Shinobi of Kumogakure no Sato.

Best Regards,
Arashiyama Ookurikara, Former Genin


Even the act of handing the scroll to the Raikage seemed to take a weight off his shoulders, though Ookuri didn't recognize it himself, not right away at least. If Hayate spirited him away to a restaurant or a more private place to talk, it was clear that the boy would not or could not resist. The glow that had been fading had begun to manifest once more, hope and despair violently clashing behind his eyes.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Mon Oct 21, 2019 6:33 pm

Hayate's finger continued to twirl above his head, the winds moving faster as the dome-like structure around them grew in size. The way he moved and this motion was so natural to him, it was as if he was not even doing it. Breathing a deep sigh, the Raikage crouched down a little receiving the letter from the boy. He had known exactly what the letter was, because he had seen far too many a young man or woman come to the administration building for the exact same purpose. Sometimes their reasons were valid... The Raikage paused deep in thought for a moment, searching for the right words and the right actions. Instead, he simply placed the letter back into the boys pocket, without even giving it a glance. He had now recognized him to be of the village's prestigious Arashiyama clan- and given the letter he now knew this was Ookuri.

Like the first character of his namesake, the boys eyes were filled with a storm of his own. There was great conflict, and Hayate could guess why.

He had heard about the boy a plenty in passing, though never met him or seen him personally. Rumors, heresay, things about perhaps the worst genin in the history of the village. Some blamed the academy for somehow letting him pass. Others said he just was not growing like his peers. Hayate seemed to agree with the later. No one was ever not good enough to be shinobi and his experience, failed Genin meant poor teachers.

Whatever block existed for the boy, Hayate decided he would take a crack at clearing it.

"Young Arashiyama, you won't need this letter. Walk with me, okay?"

The Raikage was preparing for the lecture of a life time.

"Do you know I was one of the weakest Genin in the village, from a disgraced family?" he said as he began to proceed forward, not looking back to see if the boy followed. "I could barely muster a jutsu or two before feinting. My peers were able to easily abuse that with ninjutsu and genjutsu, and in those days I physically lacked the prowess to overcome that."

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 21, 2019 7:11 pm

Ookuri had expected some sort of disappointed or condescending recognition of his resignation from the Raikage. There were likely plenty others like him with lesser reasons for ending their shinobi careers at their earliest stages like he intended. He'd prepared to hear it from administrative staff, though, not the Raikage. That unsettled him, and though he was certain he would be able to shoulder that disapproving tone, he hardly relished the notion. The decision had been hard enough to make. Additional emotional weight would only add to his bitterness and depression.

The response that Ookurikara instead heard from Hayate utterly baffled him. He... Had he just refused to accept his resignation? Wait, could he do that?! More importantly, why would he do that?! He didn't even ask any questions about it, either. He took it all without context. Did... Did Hayate already know of him? The thought of such made the already taut pit in his stomach even more so, if only for a split moment. The next, it vanished as the most powerful man in the Lightning Country asked him to take a walk with him. Utterly dumbfounded, he could only nod in compliance. Hey, this was the Raikage we were talking about. Even if there was only a three-inch difference in height, Hayate could literally fling him across the mountains with a single gust of wind if he wanted.

His despair now held at bay by morbid curiosity, Ookurikara simply shook his head, remaining silent as Hayate divulged his story. This was not the time to talk. This was the time to listen, and listen Ookuri would. Somehow, the Raikage saw something in him, something worth salvaging... and for as worthless as he saw himself to be, he had to know what that was. He simply had to.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Mon Oct 21, 2019 7:34 pm

He did not have to look back to know the boy was following him. He could feel it- and he knew that his words would be like honey to a bear. What was before him was someone who was failing but not because of his lack of hard work, but failing because he had not received guidance, and was weighed down by his name. The corners of Hayate's lips tightened, a sly grin at the thought that this boy was much like him. Tossed aside by many and though the circumstances given, wrecked with guilt by the name of a traitor, Nakajima. With no response from the boy, Hayate decided to continue his lecture as they walked across the bridge that led out of Akino peak and back towards the commerce portion of Kumogakure.

"When I was in the academy my father attempted a coup, and that scarred me. I managed to get through the academy but I was never the top dog and even as a genin I struggled to achieve much of anything, often being a drag on my teammates." He remembered just how pitiful he was, but it just went to show that it was possible to become better, always. He was now arguably one of the, if not strongest men in the world both in physical strength and political power. The Raikage continued- his finger still twirling in the air above them, almost comedically in the lack of effort or focus it required.

"My stamina was too low to be of any use. It wasn't until I had a specific teacher who noticed something peculiar- perhaps others had noticed, but he had put it to the test. I leaked massive amounts of chakra- radiated it as if a jutsu was going off at all times." The Raikage said as he motioned with his hand, moving from his body outward like a wave.

"It turned out my performance was not for lack of trying, but due to an ailment. A curse. My chakra was always on and leaking out, wasting. I now know it to be a new bloodline, my generation of Nakajima being the first with cousin Kyo possessing it but..." the Raikage paused once more, now turning to face the boy. Once more lightning lit up around his body in a magnificent coat. He did not need to do seals or channel- it just happened instantly.

This was the legendary cloak of the 9th Raikage, something he was particularly famous for and what allowed him to fight toe to toe with even Genma.

"What was a curse, became my greatest ability. It turned out there was just one small block, and with the right help, I got rid of it and became one of the strongest shinobi in the village." Hayate said as he grinned, giving a thumbs up to the boy.

He was gunna help this kid.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:15 pm

Ookuri was utterly astounded and fascinated by Hayate’s history. There was so much to unpack. His father’s coup, his family’s disgrace, his struggles against his own body, the derision of his classmates and comrades. In almost all ways, his early life seemed to be a near-perfect reflection of his own. It was uncanny, truly. His eyes burned intensely, drinking every word in as he looked upon the Raikage. The serendipitous nature of his tale was enough to send shivers down his spine.

As Hayate demonstrated how he’d learned to convert his limitation into a skill nigh unrivaled by any other shinobi, the raw energy of the lightning cloak nearly blinding in its intensity, even though it was pure Raiton. Was this it? Was this the answer the universe had given him? And yet... his doubts hadn’t abated, not as much as they should have. There was something that didn’t connect, something that still lingered, that anchored his pessimism in his heart in spite of these momentous revelations by his leader and Emperor. His eyes narrowed, trying to snip this rebellious strand that now held his almost renewed hope at bay.

”One-hundred fifty medical exams. Nearly a thousand hours of extra tutoring by academy instructors. Another five-hundred fifty hours of additional tutoring by my family and clan. I’ve never been denied help when I asked for it, and no one ever gave me anything but their best, even if it tried their patience,” Ookurikara replied after a long pause. ”In all that time, no one’s been able to figure out what’s wrong with me. All of these people, all of these resources, all of these opportunities I know I’ve been beyond privileged to have, and still I fall short while so many others that haven’t had any of that have thrived...”

Ookuri sighed. ”I simply believed that others more deserving should be given was seemed to be wasted on me. That I should be left to suffer with the visions and nightmares I’ve suffered since my birth for the sake of the village... Now, I don’t even know what I should believe.”

The two even shared misplaced guilt... but true nature of that guilt could not have been more different.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Sun Oct 27, 2019 6:04 am

Poor Ookuri. The boy's spirit had been crushed, crushed enough to give up. Though Hayate could tell there was a small spark, something still hanging on just looking for a reason. The Raikage heaved and let out a very long, withdrawn breadth as the edges of his mouth pulled tightly until he was slightly smiling. While a lot of his results had been sub-par, Hayate had seen the boys files. Checked them himself. He put his hand on the boys shoulder, his other hand still waving around in the air to keep their "umbrella" going. His free hand gently braced his chin as the two continued to pace forward, the Raikage quietly pondering how best to respond to the boy.

Hope would only go so far. Sometimes, people had to be shown the way.

"You have the weight of the world on your shoulders, boy." he said as he stopped and pushed down onto Ookuri's shoulder, exerting enough force to likely make the boy drop to his knee. "You're supposed to be from a noble household- a pure bloodline. You're supposed to be the top and yet you writhe in the filth of the bottom." Hayate applied more pressure, pushing down with more strength.

"So many people have spent hours on you and you failed them all." he said pushing down even harder. "All those tests, everything. It found nothing, perhaps you are truly worthless." The 's' of his last word hissed like a venomous snake.

No amount of medical checks could see the problem the boy had. No amount of tutoring would either- no... all of that had only confounded the problem. Hayate had no doubt there was perhaps an underlying issue similar to his own, but he also could not lie and say that the boy's performance record did not match at all what, even given any possible ailments, he should be capable.

Hayate was certain now what the issue was.

"Push back boy. Stand." he demanded as he continued,

"All that tutoring, show something for it."

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sun Oct 27, 2019 7:46 am

Ookuri awaited the counsel, the reprimand perhaps, that he expected from Hayate. It wasn’t like the country’s ruler wasn’t taking time out of his day for nothing. Ookuri was expecting the typical fare: encouragement, a different perspective, perhaps a little bit of a rebuke. All things he’d heard from his family many, many times before.

A powerful force compelled Ookuri to bend the knee, and he did so violently, pure shock written on his face. ”R-Raikage-sama?” he asked, strain clear in his voice as the weight continued to press down on him. Harder and harder still the force became to resist.

Toxic words spilled forth from his leader’s mouth, a stark contrast to the encouraging tale he’d just woven moments before. Had the tale been a deception? Was the generous visage of Nakajima Hayate a farce to conceal the iron fist of the Counqueror of the Lightning Country? It was plausible, to be certain... but was it true?

Had Hayate done this just a few minutes prior, Ookuriwould have given in. Despair would have won out. Yet, the small space hope had been given it his heart had given the stubborn emotion time to fortify. When despair pushed in again, it was not so swiftly overtaken this time. It pushed back, fought back, and gained ground. No. No. He hadn’t failed those instructors. He hadn’t failed his family. He’d put every ounce of strength and willpower he had into the training he’d partaken of up until now, and despite having a body that rebelled against his will, he’d managed to become a genin. He... he hadn’t failed. His path as a shinobi was simply more arduous than his fellow man’s. How could he give up on a dream he’d only just begun to realize?

Slowly, Ookuri pushed up against the force of the Raikage’s grasp. It was not easy, to be certain. A single breath from Hayate’s lungs was stronger than anything Ookuri could muster up to this point. Still, he pushed up with his legs, gritting his teeth as he struggled against the powerful force that compelled his submission. Over the course of a long two minutes, Ookuri eventually managed to stand, albeit with shaky legs, much like a fawn learning to walk. But he was standing, after kneeling in his heart for so long.

That had to be worth something.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:33 am

The Raikage watched as the boy was helpless to resist him at first, falling to his knees instantly and in shock. Gradually though something began to tick- as if gears inside the boy ground away as the went to full power. He began to resist, pushing himself up. Hayate weakened his grip and let the boy gradually fight back until he was standing- his legs shaking even against the minimal force the Raikage applied. Chuckling he removed his hand from the boy's shoulder and slapped him on the back in a friendly way. As he thought, there was a spark- and while he did not understand what it was, something had turned it's current to the thousands.

Hayate continued to twirl his finger as he began to stride forward once again, not looking back. Sometimes the biggest weight was one that could not be seen. Though the reasons were different, he had dealt with that enough in his life.

"My apologies for being rough- but I wanted to show you what all that weight you're mentally carrying on your shoulders physically feels like, Ookuri." The Raikage said as the would round a corner, getting close to some restaurants. The smell of dumplings would fill the air. Recently it had been his favourite food, and perhaps the slowly fading lines that once formed tightly helped device and mark his abs was proof of that.

[b"Sometimes it is what we can't see... It's easy to get weighed down by all the pressure, guilt... but I want you to see clearly. You have something inside of you that fights back."[/b] The Raikage said as he stopped in front of a door, and beneath an awning. He stopped spinning his finger and the air above them ceased to exist.

"And there is chuunin in this village with stats worse than you- I read everyones files you know." he said with a chuckle before entering into the shop.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:15 pm

The solemnity of the moment was interrupted by the friendly slap on the back from the Raikage, which caused Ookuri to stumble forward. At first, the boy had no words. The gesture itself was quite simple, but the effect it had on the boy's psyche was profound. Without even telling his body to, Ookuri followed his leader as they neared the restaruants closest to his office. "I... I had never really thought about it until now. It's always been there. It never occurred to me what it would be like to be free from it," he said, his voice soft as if he'd just stumbled upon a holy revelation.

Ookuri nodded at the Raikage's continued exposition, a long-dried sponge eager to soak in the refreshing waters of his words. Such simple truths had since long been lost to the boy's ears, and rediscovering them was like breaking chains. The part that particularly shocked him was the notion that there were chuunin with worse track records than him. He stopped himself, however, and pondered that point further. "But their missions are much harder than anything I've experienced, Hayate-sama. Surely, having a lower success rate as a chuunin would be expected," he contested, not with an air of self-pity, but one of pure intrigue and reasoning. It was not a self-beatdown session. This was now a discussion, one in which Ookuri could harness his sharp mind unfettered by the burdens of emotional baggage.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Sat Nov 02, 2019 5:29 am

As the Raikage made his way to a seat he let out an ush sound, expelling air as he lowered himself down onto the chair. It seemed his talk had some effect, and the boy was beginning to rethink his situation. That in of itself was a success for the Raikage. He grinned ear to ear. It was interactions like this that he missed- camaraderie. His years in the academy, as a team leader, as a teacher at the academy had brought him fond memories of the friendships and bonds he had made. A waitress soon came to the Raikage, and after some mutterings she took an order and went off.

Hayate looked back at the boy. He still had doubts, however, but the block that was preventing any real progress had been lifted. Hayate had often found that superiors had many jobs, but the most important was to look after their juniors. Humans were social beings and the trans-formative power of a senior's advice was never to be ignored.

"Ookuri, I mean your numbers on you. Missions are complex and there are many things that lead to failure or success. Failure can be as simple as a superior assigning the wrong guy for a job- but you see Ookuri, regardless of all that you have the innate power and skill..." he paused. "We are starting a new academy in the North, and it also marks a heavy change in the way Genin in this village have operated. How bout you head north to that academy?"{/b] the Raikage said getting right down to the point.

"The right environment will bring about great growth, and we need it. I need a successor." The Raikage said with a grin as he placed his hat onto the bar-table in front of them. "So, let me prove to you my theory is right, how bout it?" he said as the waitress returned back with salad, the first course.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Nov 02, 2019 11:11 am

Ookuri absorbed Hayate's every word like a sponge. He sincerely could not remember the last time he was so engrossed by a conversation with another shinobi. He'd spent so much time listening to the derisive sneers of classmates, compatriots, and siblings alike that he'd almost learned to tune out everything that wasn't necessary. "Right... not everyone is well suited for every job. Sometimes you need the right tool for the right task," he acknowledged.

Being told that he had any level of talent and skill by someone as prominent as the Raikage was practically like a medal of honor. Receiving all of this positive reinforcement at once made it difficult for the nascent adult to know what to do with himself. He simply opted to nod in thanks to his leader, not sure how else to express his gratitude. This was a lot to take in. He'd been expecting today to be the beginning of the rest of a terrible life, and now, he was sitting here discussing an actual future that wasn't filled with misery and despair. Go figure, right?

Ookuri was already at attention even before the mention of the academy. Now that Hayate brought the option forward, however, Ookuri met the Raikage squarely in the eyes, his gaze intense. Let alone the fact that it practically felt like an invitation to a prestigious school to a middling student, Hayate presenting the necessity for a successor, especially directing that statement to Ookuri, was simply mindblowing. For a moment, he didn't even know how to respond. "I would be honored to attend, Hayate-sama... though it will be difficult to find someone to replace someone as great as you," he replied, not yet making the connection to whom Hayate was referring.

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Taiga
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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:38 am

"I know someone will be able to replace me, as I Akino. Lightning never strikes once." he said before changing the topic. He did not wish to dwell too long on his own inner fears.

"Whatever your path is, I promise you will find it in the north, as my eyes and ears at the academy." The Raikage said calmly as he poured soy sauce into a dish then dipped a dumpling into it, scarfing it down and letting out a content noise. Sometimes all a man needed was purpose. Purpose to keep them fighting long enough to find their real purpose.

With a sigh, Hayate patted the boy on the back again and motioned to the steaming food. The two had talked enough and the boy's spark was no becoming a lightning bolt. The homely aroma of pork and dough filled the entire air of the shop. By now the boy was probably just as hungry as he was, hopefully. "Well, for now how bout you eat up? It's a long trip north." He said as he took an entire dumpling and ate it whole. His response was as if it was already decided that the boy would go there, but in Hayate's mind it was.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:36 pm

Ookuri kept his eyes and ears sharply focused on the Raikage’s words. They were a commission, practically a sacred charge for him to fulfill. In that moment, his hope exploded and bounded forth, crystallizing into one powerful, driving conviction:

’I will honor the gift this man has given me. I will prove myself worthy to succeed his legacy.’

In his focus, he’d not paid any mind to the food brought before them, at least not until the Raikage drew his attention to it. Almost as if on point, his stomach loudly grumbled, having been granted only the bare minimum in his previous despair. Now, however, his senses came alive, and Ookuri could not deny his hunger. With a bow of thanks, he reached for a bao, a large doughy variant of the dumpling. Has he bit down into it, the gelatinous cartilage and tender meat and fat of the pork melted into his mouth. His eyes widened as he looked at the bao in disbelief. ”This is better than my mother makes,” he sighed in wonder, not noting exactly how much shade he’d thrown at his own mother with such a statement.

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[Plotboard] At Dream’s End

Post by Taiga » Sat Nov 09, 2019 4:32 am

"It's going to be your generation some day leading the village- the country, so I need you and everyone grow up big and strong. Eat as much as you want tonight." They Raikage said gleefully as he returned to his dumplings.

Hayate continued to wolf down his share of dumplings, the waitress bringing a few more plates in anticipation of the Raikage's hunger. Things having been said he was quite tired after all and having worked all day, it was time to eat his food. In the back of his mind he was slightly worried that the boy had mistaken his talk given the sudden vigor his words seemed to carry, but he was not going to look to far into it. Finishing a dumpling he chugged down a glass of water and picking up a napkin cleaned the sides of his mouth before speaking again.

"They are quire incredible- I wouldn't be lying if I said the exact same thing you know."

He took a deep breath and nodded his head. With that, the two would finish meals, and go about their lives. While Hayate knew he was helping the boy and his words mattered, perhaps he did not truly understand the profound impact he had had on the boy.

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