[Closed] You can run...

[Willoria]

There were so many places she could have chosen, so many training grounds, she could have even chosen a restaurant to meet her new team for the first time. But Aina had always liked other methods of getting to know her teams. Sitting around talking about hopes and dreams was only a unique experience so many times before one heard the same things over and over again. As such Aina decided to change things up a bit, and while most newly made genin were probably meeting their sensei's in various places for a sit down conversation, Aina's was meeting up at training ground 13. It was in the middle of a forested area of the village, a single, old worn training post in the middle of the trees with the number '13' carved into it. Due to the stigma of the number, no one liked to train out here, which of course made it Aina's favorite place to be.

As the three arrived they would find a note on the post, held in place by a single kunai and the following message scrawled on it:

Dear Team,
Just a little evaluation before we talk. Show me you can hide.

By this I mean, hide from me. I'm already nearby and you have until the bell to conceal yourselves from me.

I hope you weren't late, you might have missed the bell already.

Good Luck.

~Hyuuga Aina, Bannin

[Kabu]

If there was one thing Shizuku never would have expected to happen in her life, it was to be personally instructed by a Bannin, much less one so very unique. Yet, she was absolutely thrilled by the news that she wouldn't be getting some boring same-old for a teacher.

She happily made her way towards the training grounds, dashing so as not to be late, only to find herself and a lone post with a note attached to it as the single inhabitants of the training ground, which in itself was located in a forested area of the forest. It was training ground 13, an interesting choice to say the least, though she didn't really mind it so much. In fact, she absolutely loved it. She had heard stories of Hyuuga Aina's own unique ways of doing things and so far it seemed they were true.

As she read the note's message, a wicked grin crossed her face. She had no idea yet who her new teammates would be, but their new teacher was a genius. They had to hide themselves, and even do so within a time limit. Deciding to pull a little prank she pulled the note off the post and jumped up into a nearby tree, hiding herself in the foliage for now, watching for her new teammates to arrive and seeing how they would react upon seeing nobody there.

She was however still planning on helping them out, and a few moments after the first arrived, once she had a good chuckle, would form a set of hand seals and send a piece of her consciousness out towards both of them in turn, inserting a single thought into his mind, repeating the process once the other arrived.

This is a test, she's coming, hide! Now!

Hopefully they weren't hotheads and would listen.

JutsuShow

~Thought Insertion
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the hand seals, the Yamanaka sends a portion of their consciousness out at a speed of 5 and a range of 10 meters. If it makes contact with the target, the Yamanaka can insert a single thought into the target's head. Things such as "this is a bad idea", "Don't go in there" and "attack this." The target will be unable to discern where the thought appeared from if they have a (Control+Instinct)/2 less than the user's (Control+Instinct)/2

[Izanagi]

To graduate the academy had been a monumental achievement for Yozei, he had started off at a massive disadvantage, thrown into a world he didn’t even know existed. He had been fortunate to receive tutelage from some of the best the village had to offer though in the end it was still him who had put in the effort and decided to persevere rather than give up the opportunity that had been provided to him. He knew now what he hadn’t before. He was good enough. He did belong. Being placed on a Genin team would hopefully allow him to feel like an equal with his peers and develop that bond of comradery that he craved. Nearly everyone from his own class had already been placed on a team and so the idea of being introduced to other fresh Genin who didn’t have any preconceptions about him was an alluring prospect, though perhaps a naïve one given his heritage.

He had left his mother’s home with ample time to get to the designated training ground though even having lived in Konoha for several years now there was still much of the village he was unfamiliar with. It wasn’t often that he went to training grounds, preferring to do his training in solitude and within the comforts of his own backyard and nearby woods. And so despite accounting for his walking pace and the distance from his home to the training grounds the boy found himself cutting it close for time. Moving into a jog with one hand steadying his katana the young shinobi finally found himself at the training ground, only getting himself turned around once or twice along the way as he double checked the crude map he had been given. Finally he saw the post engraved with the number 13. ‘Odd. I can’t be the first one here, can I?’ he considered as he noticed the vacancy of the area. Standing before the post he double checked his map and the notes written upon it, specifically the time and location he had been given. As he had thought he hadn’t made any mistake. Before he could further consider possibilities however he heard a sudden voice in his head.

Naturally the boy was rather taken aback, checking his surroundings and seeing nothing, perhaps a glimpse of the third teammate approaching but from what he could tell the kid was a boy which neither matched the feminine voice in his head nor the description of the person he was supposed to hide from. Yozei was torn, analyze the situation and waste time or comply and potentially fall into a trap? He only had a second to decide and opted to trust his instincts and that was to believe that the girls voice he heard was one of his teammates trying to warn him. He wasn’t sure whether it was genjutsu or some kind of mind link but either way all he could do was respond with a simple “Okay” before darting off to conceal himself in some nearby bushes. Once partially concealed he formed a set of hand seals, transforming himself into a moss covered stump not unlike the half dozen or so stumps he had seen throughout the forest on his way to this location.

Yozei knew he couldn’t maintain the transformation for too long though if the approach of this person was as imminent as it seemed then hopefully it would be enough and at least he still had the bushes and trees in the area to hide within if he was forced to drop the transformation. He too was still close enough to the post to take in the appearance of the approaching genin. No doubt whoever had warned him would do the same for this person. Already his heart was racing, he hadn’t expected the meeting to be like this, hiding from an unknown enemy, their Sensei, he realized. Likely she was somebody skilled in tracking like his father which meant he had little hope of actually staying hidden but he would be damned if he didn’t put in his best effort. Thinking on it longer he already had several other strategies coming to mind. If only he knew the entirety of the objective and could better coordinate with his teammates. Testing a theory he attempted to ‘speak out’ with his mind. ‘Can you hear me?’ he wondered, it was probably a foolish attempt but he had to try to see if there was some kind of connection.

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Basic Jutsu • Transformation Technique]
E-Ranked Ninjutsu
After completing the needed handseals, the user of this technique will be able to alter their physical appearance to match that of another person. By consistently emitting chakra throughout their body, the user is able to keep their appearance adjusted at the cost of their stamina draining over time. As this technique is quite strenuous to uphold, experienced shinobi may see more clearly through this delusive disguise. This technique lasts for a number of posts equal to that of the user's stamina.

[Jinan B]

It was an exciting day for Komatsu, Kazuhiko; an exciting day unlike anything that he would ever have experienced before. After so many years of watching and learning and slowly turning into someone worthy of the title of genin today was the day that he would finally begin to act as a fully-fledged shinobi. Frankly the whole thing seemed incredibly to the young boy. How long ago had it been that he was about to submit to the wishes of his parents and devote himself to the career of a boring merchant? How long ago had it been that his saving grace had arrived in the shape of his uncle? Finally, it's about time that I got the chance to have some real fun...

"You do know that what you're attending is nothing more than a simple meeting." Yet just like always, Kazuhiko's uncle was there to practically read his mind and bring him back down to earth. "In all likelihood you'll be asked about you goals and dreams and maybe do some training just like you were still in the academy, it's really not something worth getting too excited about. Heh, trust me on this one." The young boy supposed that Keiji meant well, after all that had been the intent behind the man's actions ever since the genin had first moved in with him. Of course, it didn't in the slightest mean that he wasn't killing his nephew’s mood.

"Ugh, come on Oji-san. Besides, it's not like this is some run of the mill Jounin sensei anyway." The child plastered a smile on his face as he turned towards his uncle; pompous certainly, but still not phasing the older man in the slightest. "You're looking at the student of Hyuuga, Aina herself. The strongest women in the village, you really think she'll want to suffer through something as dull as some old quiz?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to make sure that your expectations don't get ruined once you get there. Besides you better get a move on Kaz, or you'll be late in meeting your esteemed sensei." He was right; the note that Kazuhiko had received yesterday made specific note that the boy was to arrive not at all far from the current time. With hardly another word he grabbed his last few items and rushed out the door, his semi-argument all but forgotten already.

When he arrived at the training field, however, the lack of any other presence was more than enough to put a damper on his spirits. Had he gotten himself lost somewhere along the way? Surely not, the post right before him clearly said that this was ground 13. A quick peruse of the note that he had been given confirmed that he was in the right place at the right time, yet even though he had barely managed to avoid being late he still found himself as the only...

This is a test, she's coming, hide! Now!

A test? Wait, who said that? Who's coming? Aina? A million and one questions rebounded through Kazuhiko's head as he tried to get a grip on what was going on. Could he trust whatever the voice was that he had heard inside of his head? If he could, did that mean that it was too late anyway? If he had the privilege, there was no doubt that the young genin would have tried to find the source of his questions; but of course he didn't. He needed to act instead and that meant that he had to hide; quickly.

Without another moment's hesitation the boy did the only thing that he could think of and flew into a series of hand seals. Once he had finished, he slowly moved into a crouch before sprinting towards the nearest tree. Even if whoever was testing them had seen him (Aina-sama? It has to be, why else would she have wanted me here.), he still only had a short amount of time to find a place to hide. Channelling chakra to his feet, the boy scampered up the trunk of the tree before settling in one of the higher branches. Thankfully, the child's weight was on his side in a way that it never had been in all of those spars in the academy, and so he surely would've been able to reach further up the tree than all of the hulking muscle-maniacs that had worked their taijutsu into their primary fighting style. All the boy had left to do now was wait and see if what he had done was anything near enough to pass whatever test this might have been.

He had to say though; he definitely was right about the day ahead. It looked to be as exciting as he had anticipated.

Jutsu UsedShow

[Genjutsu • Consumption of Soul and Self]
D-Ranked Illusion Genjutsu
After forming the needed hand seals the user will slowly move into a crouch while holding the last hand seal. Seeing this will cast a genjutsu upon any viewers. They will see the user continue to sink into the ground, they have this time span to assume a hiding spot, after they are “fully submerged in the ground”, the users true location will be visible to the victims again. Meanwhile, the user of this jutsu can attack; he or she will look like a simple black shape, gliding in and out of the ground or boulders, so he or she is relatively well hidden. This lasts for a total of one post.

*[Basic Jutsu • Act of Tree Climbing]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
By focusing chakra into his/her feet, the user is able to walk up trees and other vertical surfaces in a similar fashion to walking along the ground. This chakra amount must be precise, and although all shinobi learn this technique, the user's control stat will determine how well this jutsu can be executed. Users with low control 2 or lower will often fall during the use of this technique, while users with average control 3 or higher will be able to use this technique functionally. It lasts for a number of posts equal to the user's stamina stat times 3.

[Willoria]

Truth be told, Aina herself wasn't all that far off. She was close enough to observe antics, though mostly through her Byakugan. The antics of both boys honestly left her proud. She knew very little of Kazuhiko aside from his file of course, but she watched his quick thinking and the way he used genjutsu to fuel his escape. Of course, Aina quickly kai'd to observe where he actually was but finding them was not the goal of this. She wanted to see what they would do when quick thinking was required, and if they'd be able to work together as a team.

Now Yozei of course Aina knew, and there was a serious bitterness there still. A child from the Hokage himself and her boyfriend, father of her own children, Natsuki Takeo. The day she learned of Yozei had certainly spurred some serious arguments between her and Takeo, fights that hadn't been resolved yet and still left a pain deep in the Hyuuga woman's gut. And though she wasn't ready to admit it to him just yet, she was proud of his use of ninjutsu to attempt to hide.

But then there was Shizuku. The only female member of the team and Aina had really hoped she'd take that as a reason to show a strength in herself. Aina had always suffered from certain prejudices herself, those of clan, of gender, and she had physically fought her way past all of them. Yet here was Shizuku acting in a way that Aina herself could only see as selfish. Frowning as she watched what happened she had the hunch that the girl was the reason overall the boys hid, considering she took the note, but it left a sour taste in her mouth that Suzuku had chosen to prank her fellow teammates without a thought to their own safety. Working together with them seemed to only be an after thought and as that was done through the mind Aina couldn't even be sure if that was why the boys had chosen to hide.

Aina touched her chin as she stared at the tree in which Shizuku was hiding, silently debating what action this prank deserved. And of course an evil smile crossed the woman's face as a terrible prank of her own came to mind. She walked over to the bottom of the tree, certain all three would see her as she approached its base and looked around, grinning as she knew they probably all wondered if she had seen them yet. But with only one inch of movement her fist slammed into the tree's trunk and her strength shattered it, causing it to almost immediately lean one direction and fall towards the ground.

Aina took a step back to watch and see what would happen now. How would all three react to this turn of events?

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Strong Fist Style • One Inch Punch]
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
When fighting in close quarters it becomes difficult to generate energy for full powered strikes. Practitioners have learned how to explode force from every muscle with minimal energy wasted and space needed. Every strike done by the practitioner has the potential to be at full strength, so long as they have at least one inch of movement.

[Kabu]

Of course Shizuku hadn't been thinking when she had made her little prank, she never would have intentionally let her teammates get hurt, but she had yet to learn that acting solely on impulse would have consequences of its own. She had been planning on helping them out the entire time but it had never really occured to her that others wouldn't see it that way. She had no idea that what she had been doing would have been seen as selfish or that she may had put the boys in danger.

So of course she was surprised as she felt the tree she was in being shaken by a sudden impact, causing her to stop watching the other two and clutch onto the branch she was on, hanging on for dear life and unable to help but scream in a panic as the tree came tumbling down. Luckily as it crashed down, she was for the most part protected by the foliage, though she did have a few scratches and bruises once she hit the ground. It was a bit painful, but not so much as what would happen once she saw who had caused her tree to come crashing to earth.

Upon impact, she poked her head up from between the leaves, looking around for a moment and freezing as she spotted Aina. Uh oh.. She knew that she was in trouble at this point, though she said nothing, feeling there was nothing that she could say as she silently hung her head, beginning to finally realize that maybe she had been wrong. More importantly though.. she had ruined her chances at a first impression and her new sensei probably hated her. Her teammates would probably hate her too once they found out what she had done.

All along she had been so excited for a chance to train under someone of such high caliber, and being able to prove herself, but now she had blown it, all because of one very stupid impulsive decision.

[Izanagi]

Through his transformed state, while Yozei was unable to move without breaking the shroud of chakra he was able to observe the on goings before him. The dark haired boy approached and Yozei observed him, it wasn’t anybody he recognized which made this all the more exciting. Scanning the area he kept vigilant for their Sensei, whom as of yet was unknown to him. For some reason or another that information had been withheld from him. He was beginning to wonder whether or not there actually was reason to hide or if this was simply some prank. Either way it seemed the same instruction had been passed on to the other as he appeared to sink into the earth. ‘Hmm, a Doton user’ he assumed, nodding with approval. It was a handy element, if it suited his style he was sure he would have learned a technique for sinking into the earth by now, perhaps he still would for the tactical opportunities alone.

Suddenly he caught a glimpse of a shadow moving from the Genin’s former position and into the treeline. ‘Wait, is he from that clan that uses shadows?’ he wondered, reassessing the situation. And now that his mind was on clans he recalled overhearing a conversation about a clan that could read minds, could that have some connection to the girl whose voice appeared in his head? His father had mentioned that there were various clans with unique abilities in the village though he had refused to go into detail about each of their abilities, instead telling Yozei that it would be more fun to find out first hand. The boy hated lacking information but he also loved putting pieces of the puzzle together and developing strategies while having to account for possibilities that would be difficult to predict, it forced him to think outside the box and keep an open mind to the vast types of specialities that existed.

Certainly both of his teammates were quite intriguing, already the potential in their abilities was forming many combinations in his mind. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted however when he noticed an unmistakable figure emerging from the cover of the trees. His mind went completely blank for a moment, the strategy he had been working on temporarily lost. ‘Aina’ the name seemed to echo in his mind as he found himself engulfed in mixed feelings: Fear, Disappointment, and oddly optimism. He noted her active Byakugan and sighed heavily, so their efforts were futile after all. The Hyuuga were the one clan that Yozei was quite familiar with, having watched several of Hanako’s trainings sessions. She was his older adopted step-sister and had even helped him learn how to control chakra, among many others. Regaining his composure Yozei resolved to make a good impression on his new Sensei, whom also happened to be his step-mother. He was beginning to get used to having a complicated life, this was just one more obstacle to get used to.

His mind began racing once more. ‘Hiding is futile therefore the purpose of the test wa…’ his thought was cut short as the woman’s fist slammed into a tree. The boy was taken aback by the sudden power, he hadn’t even noticed her telegraph an attack, and it looked like she had barely even touched it. Gulping hard his eyes snapped up when he heard a scream. His other teammate! ‘I have to help her’ he realized as she hung from the branch. Dropping the transformation he stifled his urge to charge in. No, this was part of the test, he had to remain calm. While hiding was now pointless, rushing in would be foolish. Without any further hesitation he began forming seals and soon a Doton clone of himself emerged in front of him. If Aina wasn’t paying close attention to him even with her Byakugan it was unlikely she would catch the subtle motion of slapping on 3 explosive tags to the back of his clone.

In a practiced formation the clone began charging forward, drawing the eye to its presence as he mirrored its movements before slipping behind a tree and circling around from cover. “We’ve got to help her!” it shouted, hopefully rousing some action from his teammate while also furthering the ‘illusion’ that the clone was the original. After drawing attention to itself and travelling another 15 feet or so along the treeline the clone would dip back in behind cover, pressed against the trunk of a tree. By now Yozei had moved into a position to assist his downed teammate. Smoothly drawing his katana he lunged forward as a thin veil of flames surrounded his blade. But he wasn’t charging at Aina, rather with two quick and precise strikes he would cut his teammate free of the branches that pinned her down. With the technique of an apprentice Samurai he sheathed his blade and offered the girl a hand up, never taking his eyes off Aina. “Go now, fall back and regroup” he stated with all the authority and planning of someone that had military strategy and samurai code drilled into him since he was five. Of course he had never had a chance to test these teachings until he had entered the academy, finally finding the strength to bolster his resolve. What he did next would depend on how Aina responded to his actions thus far. If it wasn’t clear before the boy was definitely Takeo’s son; though afraid he simply couldn’t abandon a comrade in need.

Jutsu UsedShow

[Earth Element • Earth Clone]
D-Rank Ninjutsu
After forming the needed hand seals and flooding the ground around them with chakra, the user will cause a clone to materialize out of the ground. The clone is made of rock, and is quite strong and durable, but can only move within a quarter mile of the user. The clone is only able to use taijutsu attacks, and has the following stats: 2 Taijutsu, 4 Stamina, 5 Strength, and 1 Speed.

*Katon • Heated Blade
D-Rank Ninjutsu
By channeling katon chakra into a metal weapon or blade, the user will cause it to grow hotter and cover the blade in flames. The imbued weapon will be able to carve through defenses of 5 or less strength with ease.

Crescent Slash
D-Rank Kenjutsu
A swift and precise strike, the user will lunge forward, leading with their right foot. In a rotating arm motion they will deliver a diagonal upwards slash while rocking their body through the motion and then rotating their shoulders as they deliver a secondary slash in an downwards motion attacking from the other side before settling back into their ready stance.

[Jinan B]

It wasn't long at all before the child spotted Aina herself, eyes shining white just like those of the few Hyuuga with whom he had met in the Academy. He had to say that were it not for the eyes, the women known to be the most powerful women in the village didn't look like anything special. Sure she had the Byakugan, a hallmark of many great and powerful shinobi, but beyond that she just looked...Average. She wasn't particularly strong looking, nor did she carry anything that would have marked her as being out of the ordinary; she wasn't even particularly tall. Could she really be as powerful as everyone says she is?

Then the women punched the tree she was at over with naught but a single strike, and the genin realized just how she had earned her reputation.

The tree came tumbling down to the ground more quickly than Kazuhiko could've imagined, but it wasn't until another boy (his teammate? Surely it would've had to be) came running across towards the Hyuuga. "We’ve got to help her!" Did he really? Wasn't the point of the test to hide from the women, not run out and attack her? Of course against a shinobi with the Byakugan no amount of hiding was going to keep him from her, even with his Genjutsu. It seemed as if the only way forward was to do what the other genin had said. Then again, perhaps turning this from a high stakes game of hide and seek into a full on battle wasn't a bad idea in itself, was it?

He jumped down from his own hiding spot in a single bound, beginning to move towards his final teammate with the impression that the boy was drawing Aina away until he saw the same boy already with her. A clone, evidently, which meant that the boy's own job surely shifted to keeping Aina occupied while the boy got their final teammate out of there. Remembering the active byakugan that he had seen already, Kazuhiko took out a single kunai from his hip pouch before throwing it at the bannin. Before it reached her, however, he would kai the flash tag that was attached to him whilst he shielded his eyes. If what he guessed was correct the tag would blind Aina even if he didn't already have her attention, hopefully giving his new companions a chance to make their way out from the tangle of branches.

[Willoria]

Truth be told, Aina was keeping a close eye on Yozei and not just because she expected the quickest reaction out of him. She was the boy's step-mother of course and though the circumstances of his birth were no fault of his own, there was a bitterness there. She watched him like a hawk, some part of her that she tried to bury in the back of her mind expecting him to slip up. But instead she found an emotion she wasn't accustomed to feeling in connection with Yozei... there was pride. He was showing a cautious nature she had begged his father to take time and time again, and even Aina had to admit in her own mind that she was both proud and impressed, but of course she did not give away that she knew at all what was going on. In the Hyuuga woman's mind this test had nothing to do with them actually beating her, but rather she wanted to see how their minds worked.

Granted the prank Shizuku had pulled messed with her original plan, she was happy to see she was already getting results. As Yozei's clone took off as if looking for a better vantage point to help the teammate, Aina turned and disappeared behind another tree to appear as if pursuing it. Of course, behind that tree she formed a few seals and out from it stepped a clone of her own. The clone walked out from behind the tree and seemed to follow Yozei's clone, though it purposely did not touch anything it passed and simply went towards the other clone as if it had not a care in the world, and as if its guard was done.

Meanwhile leaving the real Aina behind the tree with her active Byakugan to observe what was still transpiring. She saw the last member of the team draw a kunai as he came to the side of his teammates and she couldn't help a grin as he threw it. For a moment she closed her eyes, and deactivated her byakugan briefly as he heard the explosion, only opening her eyes and reactivating the doujutsu after it had happened. Regardless of whether it was throne at her clone or herself, she would do this. But once done she would start a slow clap from behind her tree and stepping out from it to take a few steps towards the trio. "Quite a bit of quick thinking from all three of you." she remarked. "I'm impressed." she added, looking pointedly at Yozei briefly as she knew the particular impact those last two words might have on him... even as they likely heard the explosion of both clones in the distance.

The woman grinned, her snakebite piercings shifting at the movement. "I am Hyuuga Aina, and I will be your sensei." she said as she looked down on the trio. "I hope you don't mind, I thought perhaps this would be a more exciting way to being introductions rather than the norm."

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Corrosion Clone]
D-Ranked Sankaton Ninjutsu
After doing the needed hand seals, the ninja creates a clone up to 5 feet away from the user. This clone is unable to interact with the environment. However, whenever it comes in contact with any type of weapon, attack, or person, it 'explodes' into a mass of Sankaton chakra, that attaches itself to any metallic objects, that creates a thin mist. The mist covered a 5x5x5m area, but is widely distributed, which lessens the damage it does, but causes light burns to anyone who passes through it.
Taijutsu: 3
Speed: 3
Strength: 3
Stamina: 3

[Kabu]

Shizuku couldn't help but blink as she looked up and both of her teammates seemed to be.. helping her? Normally she would have been pouting at the sight but right now, even as Yozei and Kazuhiko helped her up and out of the collapsed tree, she felt some kind of relief that her teammates were so willing to protect her, and she needed to do the same for them. She still felt kind of disappointed in herself for what she had done but it was more important that she still had a chance at being a part of the team, and she was never going to do anything quite that stupid again, or at least she was going to try.

Anyways, now safely out of the foliage and prepared to fight, she put her hands together for a set of hand seals, only for there to be nothing that she could really do as it all soon came to a close, to which a frown came to her face. Now how was she going to prove herself? Oh well, she would just have to wait until next time.

She rapidly turned around as Aina stepped out from behind the tree and spoke, the woman's words causing her to freeze up a moment. "All three of us? But I.." she was about to say that she hadn't really done much aside from pulling mischief, but she couldn't bring herself to say it, instead falling silent as she listened to their sensei introduce herself. Of course they knew who she was, everybody knew who she was, so Shizuku had to admit to being a bit confused at the introduction. Though at the same time, introducing oneself was the polite thing to do and so she would follow suit.

Taking a deep breath, she took a few steps back and formally bowed towards her teammates and sensei. "I am Yamanaka Shizuku, it's a pleasure to meet you all, and I hope that we can get along well together." she said with trained politeness before turning back towards Aina specifically. Sensei, I must say, that was very exciting." she added with a small smile, meaning every word of it. Despite having likely messed with Aina's plans, and the subsequent almost pants wetting that had happened afterwards, it had been very exhilirating.

[Izanagi]

Yozei smiled as he noticed the other boy’s presence, emerging from the other side of the clearing, behind Yozei and to the right. Aina had seemed to be heading towards his clone, moving just within the treeline at a slow and deliberate pace. This was good, it gave the original time to get the squad to safety and into a better formation. Suddenly a flash tag went off behind him, the positioning was perfect, it would force Aina to close her eyes though the majority of the brightness would be to his back with his body partially shielding Shizuki as well as he helped her to her feet. Not one to waste an opportunity the young Genin backpedaled towards the clearing, squinting slightly to protect his eyes against light shining in from his peripherals.

Luckily the young Yamanaka girl naturally moved into position, hands at the ready as she fell in behind him and to his left while the other boy was still behind and to the right. While this was happening Yozei’s clone shielded its eyes with its right arm while strafing to the right, moving towards the group and into the clearing. Switching positions with his clone as the light died down Yozei would charge forward. “I’ll draw her out, cover me!” he stated. He knew they would be far more easily ambushed by Aina if the group moved within cover, rather it was better to get her in the open. But first he would utilize his little surprise before his slight was discovered and potentially used against him. Forming a set of seals the boy would draw his Katana even as he channeled a separate jutsu. His chest and throat would glow with chakra and covering his charge would be an array of embers, spreading out before him and hopefully focusing Aina’s attention solely on him. Feinting an attacking slash he knew that he would be countered and the second contact was made he would disappear in a cloud of smoke, replaced by his earth clone whom would promptly explode as the original formed a single half seal.

Reappearing in front of his comrades the handsome young shinobi would find himself breathing rather deeply as he eagerly awaited the results of his combination. It had been a rush of adrenaline unlike anything he had experienced. Having to work so hard for even the slightest result. He had to prove himself. Earn her respect and that of his comrades. His eyes narrowed in confusion as a secondary explosion rang out, hardly any mud had spattered out of the area at all; instead there was a fine, almost burgundy mist mixed in with some flames and smoke from the explosive tag. That certainly wasn’t his doing though his allies might think it was. As the original Aina stepped out from behind the tree she had started near, Yozei put the pieces together. ‘She used a clone too…must have been when I was busy helping the blonde girl’ he realized. He hadn’t expected a Bannin to be so cautious even when sparring with simple Genin. Any time he had sparred with his father Takeo had simply shrugged off his attacks or effortlessly avoided or redirected anything Yozei threw at him. In a way it made Yozei realize that he and Aina might have more in common than they realized. Even though he was still a Genin Yozei never underestimated anyone and always planned carefully. He hoped that he would retain such fundamentals regardless of how strong he eventually became.

He couldn’t help but smile in relief and satisfaction as Aina looked at him with a hint of pride in her eyes. All he desired was recognition for his talents and to earn his way as a shinobi rather than be given hand-outs or special treatment because of his heritage. Already he felt a warmth growing within him, the first sign that this team might grant him that sense of belonging and community that he craved. Slowly he sheathed his sword as his stance relaxed. He gave the woman a polite nod of recognition, still smiling softly. Shifting to the side he turned to look at his two teammates. The girl introduced herself first, ‘Yamanaka Shizuki’ he repeated the name in his head, testing the sound of it and finding that the family name was one he had heard before after all. “My name is Yozei” he offered simply, extending a hand to shake. His instinct was to bow formally though he had been learning to grow out of it. Moreover he simply wanted an excuse to establish contact with the girl, she was rather cute after all. After making brief eye contact with Shizuki and smiling warmly he would then turn his attention to the other boy on the team, taking note of his name as well. “That was a good move with the flash tag” he noted respectfully before remembering something else. “I’ve been meaning to ask, what was that jutsu you used earlier?” his curiosity got the better of him and in order to plan accordingly he simply had to know. Of course he had his own series of questions for Shizuki as well but he would play it casual for now and not press too hard for information.

Jutsu UsedShow

Katon • Flickering Embers
D-Rank Ninjutsu
After channeling Katon chakra through his chest and into his mouth the user will exhale, producing a breath of hundreds of minuscule Katon embers. These embers while only capable of minor first degree burns can easily set aflame combustible materials. The maximum range of this technique is 5 meters and they travel at a speed of 5 and explode with a cumulative D-rank force upon impact.

*[Basic Jutsu • Change of Body Stance Technique]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After completing the necessary handseals, the user is able to quickly substitute his/her body with a nearby object that is at least 2/3rds his/her size, but no bigger than their body. This substitution allows the object to take the force of the attack that was meant for the user, additionally allowing the user to create distance between him/her and the opponent. The object used in this jutsu may not be objects that are imbued with chakra or controlled by it, and they may also only be single, solid objects within a 20 yard radius of the user. This technique may only be used a total of one time in a single thread, give or take how many times Shunshin no Jutsu has already been used.

*[Basic Jutsu • Chakra Kai]
E-Ranked Ninjutsu
A jutsu used with the purpose of activating seals and a range of devices and weapons, this technique begins with a single handseal. Once this has been performed, the user will focus a dollop of their chakra into what they are looking to activate in order to complete the task. Seals activated with this technique must be within 20 + (Control/2) meters of the user's position.

[Jinan B]

Kazuhiko covered his eyes from the blinding light of his attack, before turning his attention back to the situation at hand. His two teammates looked to be back from the tree where Aina had made her first attack, and already the boy was going to make his next move. Without even having much time to think he would run after his companion despite inevitably falling behind soon enough. The redhead had said to cover him, but had all too quickly drawn to close to Aina for him to make use of any of his skills effectively. He definitely couldn't use his sound based genjutsu when everyone involved was equally likely to hear it, and seeing how little of an affect the flash tag had had Kazuhiko frankly doubted that sight based genjutsu would do much either. Drawing back to his first attack, the child took 3 shuriken out from his equipment and threw them at the Bannin.

Just as he let fly, however, a puff of smoke emanated from his teammate before he exploded right after. The tools found nothing as they travelled into the smoke, and it took until Kazuhiko heard the sound of clapping for him to understand what had just transpired. If this was what true battles were going to be like then there was one thing he knew for sure though. He needed to step his game up.

Quickly the boy made his way back to where the group was assembled, glancing at each of the other shinobi in turn now that there was enough time for him to do so. His two teammates seemed ordinary enough for the most part, he supposed. Even Aina had quickly gone back to being nothing more than a normal shinobi with some unusual eyes. If thoughts about all the great deeds that he knew of Aina hadn't immediately come to mind at the sight of her he was sure that his legs wouldn't even be quivering with anticipation. Ok come on... Keep it together, no one is gonna take you seriously if you don't. First impression, solemn, no personal talk in the first hour. His parent's oft-repeated words came jumbled to his mind even as he greeted the 3 of them; for evidently business advice held true even outside of the industry. "I... Komatsu, Kazuhiko. It is an honour to make your acquaintance." The formality came automatically from a mind too focussed on self-control to do much, and no sooner had he spoken them and offered his bow had he withdrawn back into himself; waiting for one of the others to make the next move.

Evidently it would come from the redhead, Yozei. A boy with no family name? Is that common amongst shinobi? His complement and question, however, came as unexpectedly as his earlier detonation. "...Your pardon? Oh the uh, sorry. The jutsu was just a basic illusion. I can uh... Show you later if you'd like, Yozai-san." Truly, the merchant's son was a mess as he simultaneously tried to contain his eagerness and put on a professional face before such clearly professional people. A moment later he realized how strange it was that he was the one being complimented. It was clear, more than clear in fact, that Yozai himself was the one who had carried the team through the confrontation and led the other two to at least partial success. "You were remarkable yourself, of course." He added quickly.

Either way, despite everything Kazuhiko was still aware that Aina was to be the true focus of the moment as the sensei of the team. So it was that he would turn his attention back to her as soon as could be permitted.

[Willoria]

Aina leaned against another tree, crossing her arms over her chest, as she listened to the trio introduce themselves. She didn't seem to have a physical reaction to anything any of them said, even though she had noticed something about ever single one of them. "You all have secrets." The woman stated bluntly once they had made their introductions and fallen quiet, turning their eyes to the woman before them as they waited for their next instruction. Pushing herself off the tree she dropped her arms from her chest and let them rest with her thumbs hooked into the pockets at her hips. "Let me teach you your first real lesson as a team... no secrets." she said, looking at each of them in turn. "Keeping secrets from one another will only cause strife later on down the road, no matter how small, when you find out the other is keeping a secret down the road, there will be a hurt there."

First she turned her eyes to Kazuhiko, the one who was probably the more difficult to pinpoint just what he kept from the group. "I'd say yours is the least obvious of the three." she said as she looked at him, smirking slightly. "You're scared." She added, taking a moment to let that sink in before she continued. "You want to make just the right first impression and not just on your team, but on me as well. But you don't need to be so formal here. This is your team, in the coming months we will come to be like a second family to you, and those two are your siblings." she said, motioning to Yozei and Shizuku as she spoke of them. "If you keep fearing what kind of impression you leave, you'll only leave yourself vulnerable to the enemy... and even to yourself."

Next she turned her eyes onto Yozei, and she could almost see how badly he didn't want her to say it. "You want to be your own man and so you separate yourself from your family, Natsuki Yozei. You don't want people to automatically put you together with your father, either because you're worried they'll hold you at too high a standard, or simply because they would treat you differently." She sighed as she looked at him a moment, silently hoping this wasn't going to bite her in the ass later, for all she knew this was a move Takeo had told him to make. "But these are the people who are going to come to know your strengths and weaknesses, they will come to know the real you. there's no reason to worry that they might treat you differently... after all, they never will."

Then she turned her gaze to Shizuku. "Your secret is far more immediate isn't it?" she asked, smiling in almost an understanding manner. Aina herself had been a bit of a prankster at one point in time, and there had certainly been moments where she paid for it dearly. "When you came here you removed my note from the post, wanting to prank your companions here. I can only assume by the way they hid that you gave them instructions using your clan techniques, so you tried to watch out for them, but still your first thought was to prank them... to work against them. The entire point of this exercise was for the three of you to work together. That succeeded, but if I had been an enemy, that could have gone very differently."

She looked between the three of them as all the information sunk in, before turning to Yozei once more. "Yozei. Tell them a secret you know about me." She was certain that by now he had certainly seen something of her that others did not know, or heard something from his father even. But that wasn't even the reason she had turned to him, she wanted to keep them all on even playing fields, and that meant her as well. She had revealed something about each of them, she felt it was only fair that she wasn't able to choose what was revealed about herself either.

[Kabu]

Shizuku smiled at her two teammates as they introduced themselves, shaking Yozei's offered hand, and taking particular note of their names and their mannerisms as they made their introductions. Yozei was well mannered and respectful along with honestly being pretty cute, but she couldn't help but feel as if he was hiding something. Why did he not give them his last name? Surely he had one right? Maybe he was ashamed of his family? Maybe she was overthinking it but she felt as if just maybe there was some deeper meaning behind it. She could have easily found out using her clan techniques but even as curious as she was, she wasn't nearly about to use her clan's techniques for something so cruel. She would have her curiosity settled and suspicions confirmed in time, she would just have to be patient.

As for her other teammate, Kazuhiko seemed somehow nervous, though why? She had never understood the feeling herself, and so couldn't even begin to understand what may have been going through his head. He had most certainly been brought up to be well mannered but in a way it seemed like he was being delibaretely formal and unimpressionable, and it was just... odd. Even the way that he had responded to Yozei's compliments of his skills seemed meticulously planned out and unnaturally formal. She had been raised to be polite too, but there was something very odd about the way that he had gone about it.

She was broken out of her thoughts concerning her teammates as Aina spoke once more, turning her full attention towards the woman as she spoke, head tilted slightly to the side as she processed the woman's words, and how they almost seemed to confirm her earlier thoughts towards her teammates. Of course she herself had things that she was hiding too, though in her case it was much different. And yet, she had a feeling that it was all about to come out to the open, though how? Well, it turned out that she would soon find out.

It seemed that Kazuhiko had been nervous, just as she had thought, though she still couldn't entirely understand it, though at the same time she did understand the feeling of wanting to give a good first impression at any cost. Regardless, she turned towards him, silently nodding in agreement with everything that Aina had said, as well as giving him a small smile. They would be like a family huh? She actually liked the sound of that.

Next was Yozei, and to say that the answer she got had been expected would be the farthest thing from a lie. EHHHH?!" she shouted internally, having somehow resisted the urge to vocalize it. Even still, she wouldn't have been surprised if her surprise still showed on her face. Natsuki.. Like... the hokage Natsuki Takeo? She couldn't believe it.. Yet, rather than making her nervous or regretting the way that she had been treating him so far, instead she was very excited. Being taught by one of the village's very best and learning alongside the son of their village leader? It was so cool.

Yet she had no intention of treating him any differently from anyone else, though she remained silent, for now simply settling with giving him a small smile, just as she had shown towards Kazuhiko.

And then it was finally her turn. She had known it was coming and she had been fully prepared for a verbal thrashing but Aina was.. smiling? She didn't fully understand but still it made her feel a bit better. She knew though that she had to own up to her actions. "Yes, that's right. I had fully intended on helping from the beginning, but I didn't think about the consequences or how it could have gone wrong at all. Yozei, Kazuhiko, I'm truly sorry." she spoke, turning towards her teammates in turn and giving each a light, apologetic bow.

Finally when she thought it was over Aina spoke once more, causing her to blink in surprise at the request the woman ha made of Yozei. That was.. odd. She had thought that they seemed familiar with each other already but at the time she had thought it had been her imagination. Could there really be some kind of connection though? If so.. then what?

[Izanagi]

Interestingly enough, Kazuhiko’s excessive formality seemed to trigger some repressed habits and memories within Yozei. Instead of finding the mannerisms odd to him they were quite comforting. Before he could even recognize what he was doing Yozei found himself meeting the bow of the other boy, all of a sudden his own demeanor became far more reserved, posture straightened and facial expression guarded. A light blush set about his face as he realized he had accidentally slipped into old habits and just like that he was back to his ‘normal’ self, posture relaxed and tone casual as he inquired about his comrades jutsu. With any luck nobody would think anything odd of his little blunder. Some part of him wondered if Kazuhiko had ties to nobility as well though he certainly didn’t hail from either of the two ruling families of Fire Country, his last name was not one that he recognized. Perhaps then his family was one that had worked within the royal courts; that seemed more likely. From what he could tell since moving to Konoha it was exceptionally rare for citizens of the village to speak with such precision and act so formal.

The seemed more at ease or at least caught off guard in regards to the compliment. This further reinforced the idea that he was someone who had been raised in the presence of the upper class without necessarily being so himself. Ultimately however it made little difference to Yozei though it was common for him to analyze people and work out their backstories, learning to read hidden intentions had become second nature to him growing up around those who hid resentment behind a smile. “Genjutsu then, yes I’d like that” he answered in a thoughtful manner, he was still feeling a lingering sense of formality calling to him and had to actively shake the habit to fall back into his old self. It was actually quite a startling realization to notice how much he had changed in just four years. From a formal and timid young boy to an aloof and confident leader. Moving to Konoha, meeting his father and becoming a shinobi had helped him grow immensely as a person. Exhaling deeply at this realization he let his memories slip away, giving way to the person he had become. He chuckled at the returned compliment, rubbing the back of his neck as he stretched. “Thanks, I’m just glad it was a short fight, I don’t think I could have kept that up for long” he admitted though in reality he was mostly just being humble. Though he had used a notable amount of chakra he still had enough in reserve to remain a formidable threat.

By now Aina had approached and Yozei’s demeanor grew somewhat less carefree as he turned his attention to their Sensei, hands back down at his sides again. Her words sent a chill down his spine and immediately he averted his eyes from hers as a pit set into his gut. Instead he glanced between his teammates, wondering if they were as nervous as he was. He could feel her gaze on him and sheepishly he met her eyes even for just a moment and in that moment he knew that she meant to out him. ‘Dammit’ his hand clenched with frustration, the weight of sadness and unease pressed down on him. He wanted to tell his teammates on his own terms about his background not bombard them with everything before they even got to know one another and certainly not start off with them thinking he was dishonest. Still, Aina’s words did make sense, he would have to trust that they would understand and forgive him for the deceit even as subtle as it was.

At first Yozei was staring at the ground in nervous anticipation while Aina spoke of Kazuhiko but then he looked up when Aina spoke of the team as a family, the boy smiled hoping that was true as he glanced to the pair of them. Shizuku’s warm and reassuring smile in particular filled him with a sense of comfort and suddenly he wasn’t nearly as nervous anymore. Taking a deep breath he accepted the truth that was about to come out and looked to Aina again but this time with confidence even nodding subtly indicating that he had come to terms with her decision. Even so he couldn’t help but cringe slightly when she revealed his last name. Honestly he knew it shouldn’t have been a big deal, he wasn’t ashamed of his last name, quite proud of it in fact though he was simply too afraid of being treated differently to be able to think clearly. He could practically feel the surprise of his teammates though he couldn’t bring himself to look at them just yet. He was actually rather surprised that Aina understood his reasons so well, hitting the nail right on the head. He nodded again in understanding to what she said, again hoping that what she said was true. This was actually the first time he had felt any real connection to the woman, the first time he realized that she actually did understand him and even seemed to care.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Shizuku again smiling warmly to which he returned in kind. He had a feeling that she would become a close friend in the coming months and he hoped to develop a strong bond with Kazuhiko as well. If the boy truly did have a past living outside of Konoha then the two could certainly bond over some shared experiences. The explanation to Shizuku’s situation made sense, filling in the blanks as to why the girl acted like she was guilty of something or hadn’t contributed much when the fight had come to an end. Still there was no reason to be upset with her, it was a harmless joke and she had more than made up for the mistake and clearly regretted it. “Don’t worry about it” he reassured, turning to the girl with a warm smile. She had accepted him for who he was, the least he could do was let her off easy.

He was rather surprised to be put on the spot when Aina asked him to reveal a secret about her. Thinking for a moment he had to consider how to answer such a thing. “Well first of all, you and my dad…the Hokage are together. The Hyuuga clan doesn’t like it much but you even have twin children, my half-siblings Takeshi who takes after you and Kaori who takes more after my dad. As strong as you appear to most people you are a good mother to them and Hanako too…I think you kind of hate me though, or at least resent me. Hard not to I guess, you’re my Step-mom after all and my real mom even lives in the village almost half the year so I usually stay with her whenever she’s home.” It was hard for him to say these things aloud. There were a lot of un-aired feelings between the two of them and in the four years he had lived in Konoha he had never actually had an honest conversation with Aina about the situation or their opinions of one another. Turning to the others he decided to add one more thing about himself, “Oh, just so you know my mother is Harukatsu Megami” he paused wondering if the family name had any meaning to the two of them. “My Grandfather is the Current Daimyo of Fire Country, if my father had married my mother instead of choosing Aina I would be eligible for the position myself one day” he explained, there was a hint of bitterness there. For most of his life he had dreamed of being accepted as a Harukatsu one day and being recognized and to one day take part in governing the country. When he had heard his mother propose the idea of marrying his father he had been foolish enough to consider the possibility of being legitimized. Instead however fate had another path in store for him, the path of the shinobi, instead taking on his father’s name.

[Willoria]

Aina watched the three interact, happy to see the way they were communicating now. It may have been after the fact, but they had worked decently well together in the fight, but seeing them accept her words and admit them to one another felt even better to the woman. But as Yozei did as he was asked, it was hard for Aina to keep the smile on her face. She wanted to correct him, but kept her mouth shut as she let him speak, her expression darkening as he went even further to explain who his mother was. As much as he had done as she asked though, she also knew there were words she couldn't leave unsaid. "I don't hate you, Yozei, and I want to make sure you know that." she said, looking at the boy a moment. "I suspect you've already put two and two together given what else you said... but I don't hate you. I just worry at times... I may be a Bannin but I am not invincible, and putting my heart in your father's hands is probably the scariest thing I've ever done." It was something she normally wouldn't admit out loud, certainly not in front of a couple of other genin, but she had just told them to bring out their greatest secrets, and she knew this was hers.

Her greatest fear was that one day the Hokage would leave her for Yozei's mother. And the worst part of that fear was she knew as hurt as she would be, she couldn't hate him for it. Not when it would mean an improvement for Yozei's future... and she wanted the boy to have everything he wanted. No matter who his biological mother was, Aina was started to see him as one of her own children too.

With a sigh Aina allowed the serious moment to pass and looked between the team. "So now we all know something about one another, something that perhaps no one else does. Tell me honestly, is there anything else you all think the team should know about you?" Looking at Kazuhiko she could see the boy was going to remain silent, and instead turned her eyes to the next genin on the team. Shizuku.

Since Jinan isn't active we're skipping right past him, we'll rp as if his character has simply gone quiet from embarrassment or something or other.

[Kabu]

Shizuku fell silent at the exchange between Aina and Yozei, listening closely to every word spoken. It was probably rude to be so intently listening to, and taking to memory, such a conversation, but it was important to remember everything about her teammates. Though as Aina herself spoke, the girl couldn't help but blink in surprise, though she quickly shook it off. She had never thought before that a Bannin could have fears and weaknesses, but of course they did, even if they were incredibly strong, they were still only human after all. She knew though that there were some shinobi that cast aside every trace of emotion, and though frankly Aina had never seemed like the type to do such from the start, she was glad for the indirect confirmation. Still though, she was more than a little shocked that Aina was in a relationship with the Hokage himself, and even more that that meant that she and Yozei were related. Really it was all pretty cool, even as shocking as it was. Maybe it meant that one day.. she would get to directly meet the Hokage himself in a casual setting. It was unlikely of course, but nonetheless it was a dream that she hoped would one day come true.

Regardless, she couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh, some part of her feeling guilty about getting to hear such personal information, especially when it hadn't really been meant for her. As such she was glad as the serious moment passed, though she couldn't help but look over at Kazuhiko, a bit confused at how quiet he had gotten. Maybe he was embarrassed or something? Oh well, he would speak up when he felt ready to. In the meantime, their sensei had addressed them as a group once more, looking directly towards her as she did.

"Umm.. there's just one thing that you all need to know, so that we can better work together." she spoke, pausing a moment to take a deep breath. "My clan is known more for playing support roles in the back, but that's not me. I'm skilled in Ninjutsu, but I prefer to use Taijutsu, though I'm not very fast or strong." she continued, falling silent once more as she debated telling them something that she didn't even want to admit to herself, much less others. No.. it was best to get it out in the open. "As much respect as I have for my elders, I want to find some way to differentiate myself from the others in my clan. That's why I act out and play pranks, that's why I feel that I've developed a love for Taijutsu, at least in part. I want to be known as more than a Yamanaka." she finished speaking, feeling deeply embarrassed at the information that she had just spilled. She had known it all for a long time, she just hadn't wanted to admit it. And what would happen now that she had? Would they think she was crazy? Would they laugh? Only time would tell.

[Izanagi]

Yozei’s body felt somewhat flush as he sheepishly avoided direct eye contact with Aina. He wasn’t used to speaking so plainly to his elders, it was his place only to obey, excel in his studies and remain quiet and well behaved. The way of Konoha however was different from the royal palace though not entirely, there was still a chain of command and a degree of respect expected towards one’s superiors though punishment for crossing the line tended to be far less severe. Odd that a military focused settlement would have less disciplined youth than a large household of politicians. There was however something certainly refreshing about the warmth and openness of leaf shinobi. It caught him by surprise when Aina assured him that there was no hate or animosity towards him in her heart. This simple communication lifted a burden in him, often he had felt an outsider whenever he saw Aina with his father and siblings though perhaps he didn’t have to be.

He smiled and met her eyes again, realizing how human and genuine she was being. Many times he had seen first hand the love Aina and Takeo had for one another. To feel like a wedge between that suffocated him with guilt though maybe he had been overthinking everything instead of taking the situation at face value. “I know that now” he admitted, exhaling as the awkwardness began to lift. “For what it’s worth I think you two are good for each other. You’re both fighters, and too stubborn to do anything the easy way” Some would argue that such strong and similar personalities would clash and certainly they did at times but the pair always seemed to come to an understanding and work through their disagreements. It was the type of understanding that came with experience from the life of a shinobi and Yozei knew that his mother would never be able to provide the same understanding or even possess a fraction of the strength required to shoulder the weight of Takeo’s burdens.

It had begun to feel like the team meeting had turned into a counselling session with each of Yozei’s new teammates falling quiet for the most part. He was worried it might have been all too much to process, Kazuhiko seemed to be lost in thought though luckily Shizuku had a little more to say. Yozei took a strong interest in what the Yamanaka had to say, his confidence had returned as he directed his attention solely on her. “Different is good. Even if you’re not that great at Taijutsu yet you can accomplish a lot by acting in a way that others wouldn’t expect or anticipate. I look forward to training with you and seeing what we can come up with” It was beginning to seem like each of them were well suited to being part of Aina’s team. Certainly she would be a strong mentor that could push Kazuhiko out of his shell, guide Shizuko into making her own path and providing the strong foundation that Yozei craved.

[Willoria]

Aina couldn't help a smile as Yozei spoke of her and his father. It was a comfort knowing that the boy was okay with the two of them. Aina had a long list of things on her mind that bugged her, and while Yozei's approval was pretty far down it, it was still there. There were days where all she could think about was what he meant for her relationship with Takeo, and there were days where she wasn't sure how to be a mother to him at all. He had a mother of his own and split his time between her and Takeo, leaving Aina in this awkward place off to the side with no idea what she was supposed to be doing. But being his sensei she could already see that might be a role she could step into far more easily.

As Shizuku spoke the woman couldn't help a chuckle as she was reminded of herself. She had done everything she could to set herself apart growing up, despite being dedicated to the same taijutsu her clan was so dedicated to. "Well if you both want taijutsu, guess I was given the right team." she remarked with a bit of a chuckle. She looked between the three who were to be her team and couldn't help a smile. Though the introductions hadn't gone exactly as planned, it had gone well enough.

"Alright." she stated, sighing and crossing her arms. "Tomorrow we'll start. We'll meet here again, and you come here with a goal in mind on what you want to learn."

[Kabu]

Shizuku couldn't help a smile as Yozei and Aina seemed to approve of her, Kazuhiko meanwhile remaining as awkward and silent as ever. It was sort of like a moment of illumination for the young girl. Her whole life she had wanted to set herself apart from others and it seemed that with teammates like them.. that goal wasn't nearly as crazy as everyone around her, and even she herself to some extent, had seemed to believe. "Yeah, with a team such as this I'm guaranteed to become as strong as I can really be. I'm really looking forward to working with everyone here myself." she said, still smiling as she looked back and forth between Aina and Yozei, even sparing a quick glance towards Kazuhiko.

Soon though their sensei spoke once more, Shizuku turning towards the woman to give her her full attention, a grin crossing her face at the words. That was what she had been waiting to hear. "I'll be here bright and early, ready to take whatever it is that you have to throw our way! she proudly exclaimed, eyes seeming to sparkle with excitement as she spoke.

There was really no telling what awaited them but she did know one thing, she was ready to face it.

[Izanagi]

Yozei smiled brightly at the prospect of learning Taijutsu under Aina, he had proven to be exceptionally talented in ninjutsu, practically a prodigy given how quickly he had taken to it but his kenjutsu studies had been stripped of him since leaving the palace. He had learned some basic hand to hand techniques as well as shuriken and kunai throwing techniques yet he still felt like there was much he could do to improve on his overall effectiveness. He was also curious about the realm of genjutsu and hoped that he could continue to learn about the skill through kazuhiko. Aina, his Sensei now, gave the team their instructions and immediately he answered, “We’ll be ready!” he declared confidently. He had faith in his team already and looked forward to learning with them and growing to become powerful and influential shinobi.

He would look between his two teammates and smile, already he felt like they could become close friends in the months and years to come. Shizuku’s words encouraged him and he hoped that she would work hard and stick to the path of the shinobi. Yozei knew his own potential, he would rise through the ranks and join the elite one day, there was no stopping that but right now he only hoped that he would have friends to challenge him and stay by his side through that process. If there was one thing he had learned about the Will of Fire and the life of a Konoha shinobi it was that nobody could go it completely alone, teamwork and friendship was the key to everything.

[Jinan B]

There was no denying it; when Aina spoke so directly about his fear of making the wrong impression on his team it left him shocked. He had spent years poised in front of his tutors as they taught him how to maintain the professional front required in the life of a merchant; year spent reciting the basic pleasantries and carrying on a conversation with the intent of driving it wherever he needed it to go. Even after his arrival in Konoha, his uncle made sure that he continued those same lessons for the sake of his career as a shinobi. He even thought that he was good at it; when he put his mind to it at least. Was Aina just that good at reading people, or had his excitement allowed his mask to slip far more eaily than he should ever have allowed? Either way, the boy was certainly more than shut up by the ease with which she called him out on his falseness, and what she said next would hardly help him find his voice.

As it was, the combination of his being called out, as well as the reveal of Yozai's heritage and the complicated dynamic between him and Aina; Kazuhiko would hardly respond to anything spoken of by the group for a long while. Perhaps he would have said something in response to Yozai explaining just who his mother was (he recognised her family name, of course) were it not for the fact that he couldn't get passed how this boy; his supposed equal; was not only the son of the Hokage, but a member of Fire Country's ruling dynasty as well.

It took until the seeming end of the meeting itself for the child to finally speak up once more. "yes, he said, speaking in more of a squeak than any kind of regular tone. He cleared his throat, cheeks flushing even more than they already more as he tried again. "Yes, I'm -- I'm looking forward to it." There he was, going right back to his attempt at professionalism. At this point he was frankly just too embarrassed to even heed his new sensei's advice.

If nothing more was to be said, and with their next meeting already laid out, the genin would turn and head back home. By the time he reached it, his thoughts of shame and embarrassment would be replaced by only one thing.

Keiji was so wrong.

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#I'masham