Back in the classroom, Nōsei suddenly jumps up from his sleep as though it was a nightmare. After a moments thought he remembers that his sensei would be arriving soon, and that his life as an official shinobi was about to begin. As he looks around the room he notices another boy, about his age, sitting near him not saying a word. Unwilling to break his long time trend of not initiating a conversation, Nōsei remains silent creating quite the awkward situation in the classroom. Despite the fact that he was probably sitting next to one of his new teammates, Nōsei simply verifies that his sunglasses are still secure over his eyes. For some time the two genin sit alone without saying a word.
Ozume pulls out a small book, he starts to write in it after five or so minutes he closes the book and places it in a small pocket on the inside of his jacket. After another half an hour or so. No one else shows up. Outside the window Ozume can hear the other genin speaking with their sensei's and already starting their training. Ozume looks out the corner of his eye at Nōsei then out of character he says "I think... The others on our team are slackers. I wonder what would be taking them so long to show up" Ozume then turns and looks at the closed door that leads to the hall way.
"Uh...it would appear so," Nōsei responds quietly while somewhat curious about the rest of his team's whereabouts.
"I think I hear someone coming up the stairs" Ozume remembering that the stairs are 22 feet away, on the other side of the closed door. "I guess it is the rest of our team."
As the two genin watch the door to see who was about to arrive from the opposite side of the room catches there attention. "It is a sad state of affairs when a group of shinobi are distracted by a noise in the hall." Ozume and Nōsei turn their attention to the corner where what appears to be an ANBU member, "In the field, such a slow response will get you killed." The masked ninja moves forward a few steps before something about Ozume catches his eye. "Hey kid...what's with that tattoo?"
"I know nothing of my tattoos, they was put on me at birth." Ozume states, "May I ask why you are here and if you know where our team is?"
"They should be here soon," responds the ANBU ignoring Ozumes explanation of his tattoos, "You two are members of Team 14, correct?"
"That is Correct, sir" Ozume replies.
The ANBU merely leans back against a nearby wall and lowers his head a bit before speaking some more, "So what have you two learned so far...when it comes to nindo?"
"My way of the ninja is stratagem and Taijutsu. To overcome every challenge with my brain then my strength" Ozume tells the ANBU. "What about you Nōsei?" Ozume ask.
Surprised that his teammate already knew his name Nōsei nearly tells the truth about what he is trained in, "In addition to elemental natures...I utilize the Shar..." He suddenly stops short, remembering that he is suppose to keep those techniques secret. "Sorry...I uh...I'm afraid that I only use a handful of basic Wind and Water natured techniques." With that said Nōsei looks down at the table embarrassed that he nearly let on too much information.
As Tsurari pulled an all nighter, as usual, watching as the skies cried all the night, she standed up as she was previously in bed, faking sleep for no apparent reason. It was a foggy morning and after a cold shower and dressing up she took one last look at the Bright Falls, her birth place, now turned into a sinister village dominated by a dark presence. And she left, the door behind her closing. As she climbed down the multitude of stairs she observed white birds on the ground. And she walked down the streets of Kirigakure until she arrived at the designated building. She walked the corridor resonating because of her footsteps, reaching the final destination, a door with the number 14 on it. She entered and as she stepped in,so did some mist. An unexplainable phenomenon as the door was pretty far away from the building entrance. As she entered she saw an ANBU and 2 other boys, appearing to be on the same team as her.
As the ANBU glances of at Tsurari he merely comments on the developing situation, "Now that the third member of your team is here...we just have your jonin left."
Nōsei ponders the situation, "So this guy isn't our sensei...I wonder what is going on?"
"So your not our sensei, then why are you here? If i may ask?" Ozume asks the ANBU
The sound of the door of the classroom door opening interrupts Ozume's question. A tall women slowly walks through the door with a pack of cigarettes in her hand, with the other in her pocket. Turning herself toward the three young Genins, she observes each of their faces. She takes her cigarette lighter out of her pocket and lights her cigarette. Then taking a deep breath she started to choke on her own cigarette smoke to the point where she was on her knees holding her neck while gagging. After a few moments of catching her breath from her exaggerated near death experience, she finally speaks to the group. "Heh...I guess thats why smoking is bad for you..." After looking at the groups reactions she started to feel embarrassed. But she gained enough confidence to continue her speech, "Well Anyway! Im your awaited sensei Naomi Fuhen, you may also know me by the name of "The Sharked Skinned Guardian." Silence filled the room as she awaited for an answer.
Looking up at his new instructor Nōsei thinks the situation over. "That title sounds vaguely familiar...but I would rather not be the first to speak out," he thinks seemingly ignoring the theatrics of Naomi Fuhen choking on her own cigarette. He bows his head in approval and awaits the responses of the others.
Ozume bows his head as well. "That title sounds familiar..." Ozume pulls his small book out of his inside pocket. "because of her amazing shinobi skills and has protected Kirigakure and her fellow shinobi from multiple threats on her own. " He thinks as he writes something in his book.
Tsurari bows slightly in front of her new sensei. " I heard of that monicker...she certainly is not as dumb as she looks,or as she wants us to believe. She was entitled a hero by this village." She thought.
Looking down on her short new students, her mouth widened into a smile as she was surprised that the Genin accepted her as a Sensei and maybe as a new friend. "GROUP HUG!" She yells with excitement before spreading her arms wide and holding each of them into a large hug. "Im so happy!"
Nōsei ponders the oddity of his Jonin's behavior since this was the first time he can remember being hugged. At the same time Ozume attempts to take note of the situation upon his notebook, "This could be most curious."
Tsurari weights all her facial traits. Some part of her seemed to be forced to act in this manner, through it was still an assumption, she was pretty sure something was hidden in her new sensei's soul. She expressed this in a low voice "Interesting..."And apathethically looked to the floor.
After a few moments of a grouping hugging, she quickly remembered the other unknown figure in the room. Turning her attention to the ANBU, she speaks. "And who are you?!" Naomi yelled with a mixture of uneasiness and happiness.
Nearly startled by the sudden outburst the ANBU quickly reveals a scroll from a pouch on his side and hands it towards the jonin, "Just a messenger." The scroll has the noticeable seal of Mizukage inscribed upon it. At the same time takes this chance to lean up against the nearby window wondering why this group was receiving a message so early in their career. Ozume takes a seat back in one of the desks and starts trying to guess what the scroll is concealing.
Kneeling over towards the scroll in the Anbu's hand, Naomi observes it extremely. "Oooh." The more she observed it, the more she was curious what was in the scroll. This urge showed to be uncontrollable, as she quickly snatched the it from his hand and opened. She rapidly turned her head left and right, carefully reading the information given.
Amongst the labyrinth of formal writing the only information that was of any importance was a set of coordinates that appeared to be near the border of the Water Country. Curious enough, the instructions merely requested that Team 14 was to report to this location immediately and to arrive prepared for further instructions.
An Unexpected Visitor[]
"Darn it, I'm late again." thought Yūmono as she continued towards the classroom where she was to meet her genin students. Despite this fact, she didn't rush or fastened her pace, her students would have to be patient. She pushed aside the door, a recently lightened cigarette in her mouth. The situation going on in the classroom made her raise her eyebrow, which indicated amazement in her case. Not because all of her genin students were already standing and ready to go, but rather due the presence of another jounin. "Naomi.. Out of all goddamned jounin in this village, it had to be you... Stupid paperworks" She didn't pay attention to the ANBU. Not yet. Pushing out her cigarette on one of the benches, she asked the unspoken question. "Naomi... What the hell are you doing here?"
Turning her attention away from the assignment on the scroll, she looks to see her old teammate and rival, Yumono in the front door. "Oh...great...its you" Her normal hyperactive mood lowered and her wide smile nearly diminished. Though Naomi felt that her and Yumono were truly friends at heart, they really couldn't stand to be near each other. Placing her hand elegantly acting as a gentlemen, she spoke. "Well if you must know, I have been chosen to become the sensei of these genin, and the leader of Team 14." Slowly opening her eyes she noticed she had already contributed to her nasty habit, disgusted she lectured Yumono. "Ugh! Don't you know smoking is bad for you? You could die from heart failure, your teeth will turn yellow like yours are developing now, and you could cause a fire with just one cigarette!" Naomi had her hands on her waist and her right foot taping the ground giving the look that she was disappointed in her rival. On the floor she also notices her own cigarette next to her feet. At first Naomi she was surprised she forgot to get rid of the poisoned stick, she then whistled while using her foot to it back into the corner, as if it never happened.
Yūmono sighed, and looked Naomi straight in the eyes. "Do you think I'm here because I was in the mood to?" She grabbed an official looking document from her pouch, and held it so Naomi could see it. "I've received orders as well to take care of these little kids." Seeing Naomi's hasty action to remove her own cigarette from sight once she had lectured her about her own, she sighed. "It's not because you can't smoke a proper cigarette that I have to quit with it." She grabbed the package and lighted up another, ignoring Naomi's expression. Blowing out the smoke, she asked. "So, what are we gonna do now? Fight and the winner gets the genin?"
"Hmph for one thing I only smoked it to look...cool." Naomi says while crossing her arms and completely looking the other way. She then chuckles at her previous question, followed by an utter burst of laughter. "We would already know who would win!" Naomi replies sticking her tongue out.
It is then that the yet to be unnamed ANBU in the room decides to speak up. "My apologies for the interruptions Hima-san...Fuhen-san, but this mission I have delivered is supposed to addressed immediately by team 14 and their Jonin," he begins directing attention to the scroll in Naomi's hands, "While under normal circumstances this team formation would be addressed before the advent of the mission, my superiors have stressed the urgency of this particular operation. As such, perhaps this matter can be dealt with upon arrival at the intended destination."
"Two Jonin...and they seem to be incompatible in personality. Also this sudden mission being prepared before we even meet our team....is it normal to propose missions like this? I just feel like...somethings off," Nōsei thinks to himself slightly ignoring the conversation around him. Simultaneously Ozume begins to observe the situation in great detail his eyes shifting between the characters in play.
Naomi exhales heavily and walks a few steps away from the group. She slowly turns around with a smile on her face. "Ok lets all go together, this could be very interesting." Looking toward Yumono she speaks, "Lets not fight Yumono...Hugs? She asks holding her arms out.
Yūmono took out her cigarette, and crushed it under the tip of her shoe. She gave Naomi a serious look. "You know how I feel about personal space, Naomi" she said as she turned away from her disappointed fellow jounin. She observed the ANBU quietly. "Strange, I don't recognize this one. Must be a newbie who joined after my departure. I'll send Arui a message, maybe he knows who that guy is". She shook a strain of hair out of her face. "And if I might ask, dear masked friend, who are these superiors of yours?"
"I apologize for how irregular this mission appears, but I assure you that it originates with the Mizukage," The ANBU begins, "Due to the sensitivity of the mission information is being handled on a need to know basis. As such I've been further instructed to inform you that your team will be explained the details upon arriving at the location inscribed upon the scroll."
After reviving from Naomi's disappointed state, she agrees to go along with the group. "So...should we bring anything specific? Oh...wait...I forgot the scroll to my sword at home!!!" Naomi cried.
Yumono sighed. "You go and take your scroll. We'll be waiting for you at the southern gate." She grabbed yet another cigarette and lighted it, before turning her attention to the ANBU. "Is there anything else you have to do?"
"I'm just the delivery boy Hima-san, is there something you would like me to do?" The ANBU responds calmly.
The young Fuyutama stands and after putting on a backpack which had been sitting next to his desk he turns toward Yumono. "I'm really getting sick of being the first one to talk in this group," Ozume thinks to himself, "Sensei...I suppose we will be accompanying you to the South Gate then."
Nōsei snaps out of his daze of thought and notices everyone around him getting ready to depart. "We're leaving right away? And why is it this guy already has a backpack ready to go? At this rate I'm going to draw unnecessary attention towards myself," he thinks to himself wondering how he is going to explain his need to collect his gear. For a moment he even considers leaving his stuff behind just to avoid shining light on his lack of preparedness.
"No, you can go now." Yumono said in response to the ANBU. She turned around and looked at Ozume. "If you can keep up with me, that is." She walked to door, but suddenly stopped. "You," she pointed at Nōsei after having turned around, "go with Naomi and get your stuff." Now she set her gaze on the girl, whom had been quiet the whole time. "What about you?"
Disappearing without another word the ANBU member leaves only the members of team 14 in the room. Nōsei stands up after receiving his orders, "Very well sensei." He then expressly walks over towards Naomi and waits for further instruction while keeping his head lowered. At the same time Ozume prepares to follow Yumono to the south gate. "So...this will be my first mission," the young Fuyutama thinks to himself.
Tsurari,preparing herself mentally for the mission,as she had no goods to retrieve from home thought "Heh,another mission after all this time.Why do I have a feeling of deja vu?"As her mind spoke these words. She took off with Ozume and Yumono to the south gate.Where another "beginning" will ensue,one that no soul in that village was able to predict where it would lead in the end.
Village Promenade[]
As Nōsei follows one of his sensei Naomi Fuhen out of the classroom and down the street the young Kirigakure shinobi wonders what it's going to be like having to take direction from multiple leaders in the field. After thinking about it he wondered what it would be like to take any orders in the field, or to even be in the field. Unsure of what awaited him in the future Nōsei nearly walks into this sensei who had slowed down to accommodate the quickly crowding street.
To the Gate[]
*This section is to take place chronologically parallel to the previous section "Village Promenade"*