Survival Training

[zory_alechiv]

There was a woman talking, but Ko failed to get her name. Instead, he focused on keeping his eyes forward to look like he was paying attention while trying not to freak out that there were so many unpleasant scents. Someone definitely didn't bathe or something because he smelled the distinct scent of onions, which he wasn't a fan of. Ko blinked and his blue eyes shifted to the right, focusing on the group around him.

No one really stuck out to him. He assumed they were all genin judging by the useful faces, but he didn't recognize anyone either. Miki might have, but Miki wasn't here and Ko was going to have to learn to do stuff on his own. Eventually. Like today. He couldn't hide behind his twin always. He shoved his hands into his pockets and ran his thumb over the smooth stone that he knew was red.

"You will be assigned partners for this training," the woman said.

How long was he here for again? He hoped he didn't get paired with the one who smelled like onions. It was bound to get worse over the next few days. Maybe a girl would be nice? They smelled flowery. And liked to be clean. But he'd hate for one of them to get paired with onion boy.

He inhaled through his mouth instead.

Oh gods, that's worse. I can taste it. Panic bubbled up. Not onion boy, not onion boy. He'd definitely fail. Upwind. He needed to be upwind. He reached up and tugged at his hair, a method to help him focus and pull him out of his head. Bad, bad, bad. He tugged harder.

"Takamori Kanako and Inuzuka Mitsuko, get your kit and move to the side."

Ko lunged forward, nearly tripping over his own feet before he managed to catch himself. Clearing his throat, he looked around to see who Kanako was.

[Tsedas]

The gathering of young folks had the pale blue eyes of a silvery haired girl looking around excitedly. She loved chances like this, to learn new skills through a field trip for first hand experience. Kanako felt like she learned through doing more than just pure textbook reading. While she learned a good deal from books and such, she used what she read as a springboard for practical application more than anything. Reaching a hand up, she tucked a few errant locks of hair behind her left ear before a voice was calling out that they would be assigned partners for the exercise.

Takamori Kanako smiled as she enjoyed the idea of being paired up with other people even more. Learning by herself was entirely possible, but spending time learning with someone else always made it more memorable and fun. It allowed people to bounce things off one another or perhaps one person knew the answer to a question someone else might have had. When names started getting called out, she heard her name and the name of an Inuzuka being instructed to get a kit and move to the side.

Shifting out from the crowd, Kanako watched some kid plunge forward and managed to catch himself. Walking over to the person that held the kit, she took it while keeping her eye on the boy who'd stumbled before giving a wave with her free hand. As she moved to one side where some other people were already paired up, she waited until they'd join her before speaking up with a smile. "Heya! You must by Inuzuka Mitsuko I assume? I'm Takamori Kanako! Please take care of me!"

She smiled with unbridled pleasantness and if there was a sent to be found off it the Inuzuka would smell it as they approached. Hints of orange blossom and some kind of fruit, maybe an apricot? However lingering on the edges beneath it was the faint smell of disinfectant. It wasn't strong or overpowering but it was there, playful adding a bold scent with the sweet and subtle scents she seemed to prefer her body smell like.

[zory_alechiv]

Mitsuko managed to refrain from embarrassing himself more as he made his way over to where Kanako was. His sapphire gaze watched as she waved happily at him, the smell of apricot and orange blossom wafting around her in the breeze. Oh good, not the onion person, he thought gleefully, his eyes taking in her features.

She was taller than him, but he seemed more broader. He also remembered her from the year ahead of him in the academy. Silver hair and pale, azure eyes, she looked ethereal to him, especially when she smiled. He stared for who knows how long before his jacket started wiggling and a small, black furry head poked out and nipped at his jaw. Ko startled and waved back, even as his dognin yipped at the teenager in greeting.

"OH, yea, you can call me Ko, or even Mitsu if you like," he says, waving back. Another yip had him glaring at his companion. "And this is Yuki. He says hi." His tone is dry, but absent of any other emotion, unlike her who was bubbly and excitable.

"Take care of you? I will certainly try. Should be safe here, I doubt our teachers will let us die, you know?" He grinned, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. "So what's in the kit?"

Before they can divulge those items though, the teacher speaks up again. "Now that all of the groups have been sorted, find a place to pitch your tent. Stay away from other groups, this is meant to test you on your own survivability with your partner. I'll be by to check on you soon."

He looks back at the kit and grimaces. "Have you ever set up a tent before?"

[Tsedas]

As he approached, Kanako noted he was only a wee bit shorter than her. She pondered if she was tall for a girl her age, having never paid it much thought before this moment. With a mental shrug, the though tumbled into the void of obscurity in her mind like many other thoughts that would often linger and nag in people's minds, creating an insecurity later in life. Then she saw movement and her blue eyes shifted from the Inuzuka's features to the movement before almost squealing in delight, the sound instead was a little noise of joy that left her at the sight of the dog. With her noise made, Ko introduced himself and Yuki and she made a little wave towards the dog poking it's head up.

"Hey Yuki!" She gushed happily before he made a comment on the teachers most likely not letting them die then asking about the kit. Realizing she was holding the bag, she started to go to open it before the voice of the instructor called out to them all. Hearing their instructions, Kanako hummed in thought as to where they could put up a tent for themselves. Ko throw out a question that made Kanako smile a bit sheepishly as she averted her eyes at it. "I mean, kind of? My brother wouldn't let me help but I watched him do it. But this is a learning experience, right? I'm sure we can figure it out together."

Looking around, the Takamori girl saw people starting to drift apart. "Maybe we should find a spot before all the good ones are taken, then we can look through the kit. " She stated, looking to Ko to see if the idea was amiable or not.

[zory_alechiv]

Ko scratched at his red hair with his free hand as Yuki wallowed around in his jacket, trying to reach out towards Kanako. “Behave,” he murmurs into the black fur before turning back towards the teacher. Kanako seemed really nice, even energetic, he only hoped he could keep up.

“I don’t think I’ve ever put up a tent either but who knows! Maybe it will be easy,” he chuckled with a shrug and as the other groups started drifting apart, he sat Yuki down in the leaves. “How about a place near water? We technically can’t survive without water so maybe we should find a place…near it,” he shrugged, finding himself rambling before jerking his chin at Yuki. He could find it, but Yuki would find it quicker and after a silent conversation, the dog jumped into the underbrush, expecting the other two to follow.

“He can find us some water.” Ko paused and ran another hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. “So you have a brother? I have one too. He’s better at this than I am. Stronger too. He seemed to understand things better than I did, but we do a lot of things together. Or did. Once we became genin, we’ve been busy. I don’t think we’ve spent more than a few hours together since graduation.” The Inuzuka found himself rambling but couldn’t stop. Instead, he was saved by Yuki who bounded up to them.

“C’mon, I think he found us some water.”

[Tsedas]

Neither of them possessed experience putting up a tent, at least she wasn't alone in that fact. But still, this was the point of this training after all. Give them some experience they can use when they do wind up becoming big bad shinobi who can fight all the bad guys and save the day. Ko's suggestion of making camp near water made her perk up before giving a few nods. "That sounds like a great idea, if anything getting water will also be easy and if we're lucky there might even be fish if we have to forage for food!" She agreed excitedly before watching Ko give some kind of silent commands to the small black dog he set on the ground. Pale blue eyes watched the creature vanish into the underbrush before she looked back to Ko with a slight hint of confusion that was quickly cleared away by their explanation.

"Jubei has done this kind of thing a few times I think. He's a bit of a solo act though and completely opposite form how my dad or I act. He's always so serious and constantly training with a sword like he's gonna become some big shot samurai or something despite the fact he's a ninja. Hard to understand what he thinks sometimes." She sighed before Ko lamented not spending much time with his own brother since graduating. She gave a little frown at that as she could relate. She used to spend a decent amount of time with her brother before graduating and since he'd become a Chuunin he always seems to be amping up his training or learning new things. It's almost like he was trying to keep his distance from his family and other sometimes. Or maybe he was just socially awkward? It would explain a few things.

"Kind of know what you mean by not spending time together anymore. Still,Wwe can always put forth our best effort to correct that, then it becomes a matter of them being just as willing to try." She smiled once more, chipping in with a positive outlook that seemed so simple in it's execution but held an underlying amount of effort and willpower to see to completion. When Yuki returned, Kanako almost wanted to pet the dog when Ko said they'd found water. "Lead the way!"

[zory_alechiv]

Her excitement brought a smile to his face, despite not feeling his own excitement. Instead, e felt accomplished, like he was doing something right. His focus had been on fresh water for them, and perhaps a defensive position even if they were't fighting. He hadn't even thought of fish! He was grateful she was there.

He pursed his lips in thought as they made their way through the brush to follow Yuki. If they both put in the effort, they should be able to see each other. But Kanako had said her brother was a solo act and very different.

"If you want, we could tie your brother up and force him to spend time with you." He deadpanned as they emerged from a bush next to a stream. He saw nothing wrong with forcing Jubei to spend time with her. They were family, they were pack. It wouldn't be a burden so why was he making it so difficult?

Kneeling down near the stream, Ko ran a congratulatory pet down Yuki's flank before grabbing the pieces for the tent. "How long do you think we have before nightfall? If you want to gather some fire wood, I can figure this out? Then we can see about food."