~Center the mind. Block out distraction. Quiet the spirit.~ Kana repeated to herself while she sat crosslegged in the training field outside of the Academy proper. She hadn't paid attention to the amount of time that'd passed since she went out there. Once she'd settled down and withdrew herself into her own spirit, seeking something important that she could only find in herself. Sure, the interior of the academy's common room was warm and comfortable; but the faint chill in the air always seemed to feel better to Kana especially when she wanted to meditate.
The method she was using was one of the major lessons her sensei had taught her; it was the best and possibly only way to control the abilities she was born with. The power that had already caused so much damage and things Kana believed was beyond forgiveness. She'd almost completed her day's meditation when she felt presences nearby. One would settle close to her, another was reasonably close but was keeping a polite distance. The familiar sensation of the others had alerted her senses and she knew she had nothing to fear.
In fact, their presences were becoming irritating after a short while. It always seemed to happen; just as she felt she was getting close to something- someone would distract her. Kana knew that her classmates meant well; but it was still annoying to be pulled out of a state of serenity like that.
"Uh...uhm... Kana-san... Lunch is ready... " Came a familiar voice.
"I don't think she's listening; she's got that, like, zoned out expression on her face..." Another came; closer to her.
A slight shuffle of feet and a step closer. "Please Kana-san, it's getting cold..." Yumi said from nearby, her posture that of someone that was unsure of what she was doing; and her words somewhat on the quiet side.
Kana sighed, rousing herself from her meditative state and looked up and around. She may've been fairly new to Gessen Academy but the students that were already there had quickly become her friends. Since they all shared common ground in that they'd all been recruited by Kurokage and the distance from large cities that the academy sat encouraged them to be more friendly. "Fine...Fine you two. I'm not napping." She finally said in a faintly annoyed tone.
Shiki, sitting beside her just smiled a bit as she began to stand and offered her a hand up. "Come on!" She said as she pulled Kana to her feet.
Kana shook her head a bit to clear her pinkish-red bangs out of her eyes and stretched out a bit from sitting so long. "mmmm!" she let out and jolted a bit as she felt something pop. The motion making her restrained bust bounce a bit in the Gessen Academy blazer. Then she heard the shutter of Shiki's camera go off. "Shiki!"
Shiki giggled a bit as Yumi headed off to lead the way back, with Murakumo and Yozakura catching up with her. "I've got to blog these pics." the blonde snickered as they walked along.
"N-NO! D-don't do that!" Kana said, lunging at her friend to try and grab the phone away from her.
"Uh uh! These are too cute not to share!" Shiki retorted, half turning away from Kana as she tried to grab at the phone.
"You took more than one!?" Kana said, embarrassed; her face starting to flush as she continued to try and get the item.
"Yup! You looked too cute just sitting there in the grass not to." Shiki laughed as she finished posting themn to her blog.
"Shiki, damn it.." Kana pouted and shoved Shiki a bit and hurried away from the blonde, her face stained red in embarrassement. She never liked posting pics of herself up anywhere on the net; especially since alot of people wanted to blame her after the incident.
Not wanting to see or hear any kind of response to those pics her friend had posted up; Kana picked up her pace into a jog to catch up with the others. Then it struck her out unusual it was, normally Minori went out with the group when they left the academy. The girl didn't seem to enjoy being alone at all without someone to play with. "Hey Yumi...where's Nori-chan?" Kana asked as she caught up.
"Oh. She wasn't feeling too well so she stayed behind." Yumi replied calmly. "You were out there for a long time."
"Hmm how long WAS I gone? I don't even know..." Kana mused.
"About 3 hours. We thought you'd fallen asleep or something out here." Yumi smiled a bit.
"Well it is a nice day for it. The faint chill in the air; the rustle of the leaves, it all seems so peaceful." Kana replied, her blue eyes shining a bit. "But no, I wasn't asleep."
"So why were you out here for so long huh?" Yozakura asked as she walked backward for a bit to look at them.
"Just meditating Yo-san." She smirked a bit. "You know, all that trying to find inner peace deal; I find it helps me find control."
"Hah. Control over what?" The blue haired girl asked.
"According to Master Kurokage, my chi. I feel it running through me like lava when I get agitated or something. And it's really dangerous when that happens." Kana explained.
"Oh. Well don't want accidents." Yozakura just let it go at at that.
"Instead of that, you should try to use it more; bottling up yourself like that is just harmful." Yumi added.
"I suppose I'll have to try that...after lunch. I'm starving." Kana laughed a little as the group continued forth.
She was the sixth student brought to Gessen Academy by Master Kurokage after an unfortunate incident that resulted in Kana being arrested by civilian police and held for a several days. On the accusation of arson, double homocide and destruction of property; but thanks to the master's intervention- she'd found herself enrolled as a student at a shinobi academy instead. Kana didn't know much about what she was in for, so initially she largely followed the others' lead. It took a few days to adjust to the training and the way things were there but she did manage to get some kin dof hold on it.
The mix of personalities and the shared bond of all of them effectively being orphans helped them to see past their differences and get along. Every girl had their own little quirk that Kana had to get used to though- with Shiki's "valley-girl" persona covering a forte in espionage and information control. Murakumo's duality between her masked and unmasked selves and her exceptionally offensive fighting style. Minori's insistent childishness (which caused Kana the most frustration and panic at times) which added to her confusingly absurd combat tactics. Yozakura's big-sister, brash and blunt personality plus her front-loaded damage in a fight. And Yumi being the 'leader' of the group with her abilities and "sugar and ice" personality, though Kana sometimes thought Yumi could stand to be a little more assertive.
The young redhead felt out of place without a place to fit in since it seemed they have everything covered. It wasn't until she discovered her own unique skill that allowed her to serve in a complimentary way to everyone else's talents. She found herself thinking about that as they sat eating lunch with Yozakura, Shiki and Murakumo bantering back and forth about their day or intentions for the afternoon. Kana couldn't help but smile a little at the seemingly carefree attitude they all had.
Just as lunch was wrapping up, Minori would bound over and tried to pull Kana to her feet, wanting to 'play', an activity that most of the others just humored her with if they had the time; but Kana tended to freak. For one, simple reason- the redhead didn't like to be touched so suddenly. Her immediate reaction was to go slightly pale and try to pull her arm away from Minori; whom just held on more and tried to pull her to her feet insistently.
"Come on! Let's play!" Minori smiled energetically.
"No Nori-chan, lemme go!" Kana snapped, trying to resist her friend's tugging.
Minori just continued to tug at her, ignoring her resistance; thinking it was just Kana playing right back to some degree. She hadn't gotten the picture that Kana didn't like to be touched in that way. "You're being boring! You never play with anyone!" Minori complained, as if she wanted to fix that.
They continued back and forth for a few seconds with the others just looking on trying not to openly chuckle a bit. That was until Shiki noticed a telltale sign of trouble in the way the area was starting to grow warmer than usual. That and the streams of what looked like molten lava streaking toward and converging at the point Minori was holding Kana's arm. "Uh oh. Minori, let her go." Shiki said, standing up.
Minori didn't relent; feeling stubborn about it. "Noooo I wanna play with her!"
Yumi noticed it too and reached over with a bit of an icy mist forming in her hand and laid it on Kana's arm and shook her head.
"Let her go Minori and I'll play with you." Shiki pitched out there, thinking quickly; prompting the childish girl to let her go and drag the blonde off to play.
Kana wasn't able to say anything and looked like she was trying to hold something back and was sweating a bit but look very relieved when Minori released her. Her blue eyes had a haunted look to them like she was telling herself something or reliving something. When she felt the icy touch of Yumi's hand on her forearm she looked up and flushed a bit as the streams subsided. "Yumi~ can't you make her stop that?" Kana whined a bit once she got herself back together.
"I can try, but she doesn't always listen to anyone..." Yumi hedged a bit but nodded.
"Uhm...thanks..." Kana muttered, embarrassed at herself for her reaction. She knew that Minori didn't mean anything offensive by it but her own reflex arcs might've triggered something in retaliation to being touched that would've hurt the girl.
"That's why you should train with it more." Yozakura quipped. "You don't want to hurt anyone on accident."
"Y-yeah..." Kana muttered and got up. "I'll go ahead and do that now.."
Meanwhile- at an unknown location
"Master. Are you really sure this is the best course of action?" A figure asked, kneeling before a partition with a silhouette on it. After a moment and some form of quiet reply; the hooded figure nodded. "I don't agree with what that girl wants; but if those are your orders I'll see to it. I know she'll want some sort of test what do you want me to do?" The figure asked in the same conspirator's tone.
The figure was indeterminate- wearing a set of what looked like a hooded version of a longcoat with full sleeves and apparently a set of boots. The voice was muffled a bit as well as of indeterminate gender. "Fine. I can do that. Is there anything else?"
Another moment of what seemed like quiet communication passed. "I can do that as well if that's what you want.." the figure stood up and then just seemed to fade into the shadowy flickering of the candlelight on the other side of the partition. The figure on that side stood up and a flutter of purple hair caught the light of the candle before it was snuffed out.
A couple days later.
Back at the new Hebijo Academy, Syra looked up at the newly rebuilt academy; though it was in a different location rather than the ruins of the castle it was previously. She looked up at it and adjusted her grip on the dufflebag of stuff she brought with her. "Wow, they rebuilt this in a surprisingly short amount of time." She said, raising a hand to act as a visor against the sunlight overhead. "It's only been what, two...three months? Since that damn Yoma leveled the place?" she muttered, shrugged and continued forth through the gates as she pushed the open.
It'd changed in alot of ways; there were far less students than the maximum from before but their ranks of lesser shinobi had quickly refilled once the academy had been rebuilt; but as far as she knew- there were no elites just yet. Which would make her the first one to return to there since the last group of them disappeared. Syra shrugged that factor off and continued on toward the main building; wearing the traditional Hebijo uniform; but with some customizations like a pair of black leather bracers as well as matching leg coverings that wrapped all the way around her shins and calves and along the outside of her thighs.
She'd learned the benefit of some kind of protection during the chaos that'd erupted when Orochi's aura had driven all but the elite class berserk. Syra had found herself ass-deep in students wanting to fight and had a tough time fending off the most crazed of them. The wounds she sustained from that fighting had vanished but the lessons learned had stuck with her. Including the use of an area-effect shinobi art passed down in her family that had 'defeated' a couple handfulls of berserk lessers through repeated uses.
Unfortunately it'd used up all of her chi and she had to be rescued by an unknown party before she'd been overwhelmed and dogpiled. Syra never found out who it was but had strong suspicions when she woke up a few days later in a hospital room with an IV stuck in her arm and aches all over.
Once the time in the hospital was up; she'd heard someone was rebuilding Hebijo academy and felt that it was just her duty to report back to the school. Who'd rebuilt it; she didn't know but she did know that the academy had a wealth of private sponsers that had probably put up the monetary assets to do something like that so quickly.
"I guess this is still home for me. Better than a jail cell, she was right; this is a better use of my talents. Even if it is alot harder than lifting someone's coin." she chuckled as she looked about the renovated building. "Way more open that before..."
It did take her a little time to find the appropriate elevator to reach the top floors where the elites normally made their homes. Without anyone else there; she was the first to arrive by default and would select one of the rooms as her own private one- a right given to the elites afterall. She'd be met up there by a familiar face that made her surprised to see that they were still around after the incident a few months ago.
"Suzune-sensei." Syra said by way of greeting. "I see you've been ...as well as can be expected." She said in a formal sort of way. Though to her, she sounded outrageous and out of character. "It's good to see you again."
"I see you're the first to arrive." Suzune replied, acknowledging the greeting. "I trust you've recovered fully from what happened?"
"Of course. I'm fast to recover and I wasn't seriously injured; just worn out." Syra replied with an absent glance about. "I'm surprised there aren't any other elites up here yet."
"The previous elite group hasn't returned to Hebijo and are considered renegade now. It's good to see at least one of you returned and know where your loyalties lie." The instructor said with a grave tone to her voice- the earmark of disappointment. "So now we're having to promote a new group." Suzune said with a slightly weary tone to it; like part of her was starting to get a little tired of it. "I've sent Imu to go see if the newly appointed leader Miyabi is up and ready to return."
"Miyabi? I don't remember her." Syra furrowed her brow; trying to remember but couldn't recall the name.
"She's been in a coma for over a year now after an unfortunate incident. She's only just awoken according to reports." Suzune answered the question that was hanging there. "Before you ask, I'm assigning you to the elite squad as well. Given the fact Hanzo academy still retains six students; we need to even out the numbers."
~That's what she said she'd do before what happened. It's good to see she didn't forget.~ Syra thought to herself as she mutely nodded in response. "So...Miyabi, Imu and myself. That's three, who's the other three?" she asked.
"Hopefully Imu's sister Murasaki will finally decide to attend the academy and join. We could use her." Suzune replied. "And there's two transfers that would make good additions as well though I don't know much about them right now." She added, obviously a lie; Suzune knew most of what the students that were candidates for elite status were capable of.
Syra sighed some, with one hand covering her left eye and fingers in her hair - a sign of exasperation, most likely with the changes. "Ok so what're Miyabi and Imu like?"
Seeing no harm in answering a question like that; hopefully knowing a little ahead of time would make some things in teh future run more smoothly. "Miyabi's strongwilled and quite stubborn about things; but she's quite serious about the notion of strength and is likely to want to test you regardless of the fact I'm assigning you." She said. "Imu's obviously going to stay close to Miyabi for...personal reasons. The girl will likely do whatever Miyabi wants and will side with her no matter what happens." Suzune replied, flipping to the appropriate dossier on her desk.
"If Murasaki is Imu's sister then they're going to be similar personalities." Syra groaned some, the notion of dealing with two strongwilled girls was going to be a problem. If Miyabi's the alpha female type and Imu's the Beta; then what the hell were the rest of them?
"There isn't much on her; she's been very reclusive and doesn't attend the academy despite being enrolled in it. I anticipate she's probably a shut-in and doesn't possess much in the way of social skills." Suzune added.
"That makes her easy to deal with." Syra mused. "I guess I'll simply wait for them to arrive and familiarize myself with the new building."
Suzune smirked faintly; the new designs were confusing to alot of the students the first time they arrived. Part of the test for them was to find their way around in a reasonable amount of time. There had been several secret passages that connected parts of the building and could be used as shortcuts. "I see you've changed your look, it's not exactly the standard uniform." Suzune said by way of smalltalk, as she didn't have anything pressing.
"After that crazy melee when the Yoma drove everyone nuts I found out that having some sort of covering on the more exposed parts of the body was a good idea." Syra replied. "it's not perfect but it's better than nothing obviously. That and I think it makes me look more professional to some degree."
"Maybe a little." Suzune smirked again. "But go, familiarize yourself with the layout and wait for Miyabi and Imu." She ordered subtly.
"Of course master Suzune." Syra said and turned to exit the room; her bluish-purple eyes narrowing a little as she walked out like she was having wicked thoughts, and not in a good way.
It'd take her the rest of the afternoon to get the layout of the new Hebijo firmly in her mind before she'd return to her room to just lay on the bed that was already in there and sighed. She'd unpack he small amount of stuff she had brought with her later. Without realizing it Syra fell asleep dreaming of the times before she'd gone to the Original Hebijo academy.
Syra shouted from behind the bars of a holding cell in the local police precinct. Having been arrested on larceny and destruction of property. "This is bullshit. You have no proof I did what you accuse me of!" She kicked the bars of the cell, making them rattle loudly. "You corrupt bastards let me out of here!" Syra added, kicking the bars a few more times; in an attempt to loosen the door or something.
Luckily for her, she'd concealed the loot from her heist in a secure location where the police wouldn't think to look for it; and where she'd destroyed the evidence of her involvement. She'd been caught as she tried to flee the area and was arrested based on her suspicious behavior and the account of some witness that'd seen her going into the store that was robbed.
A few minutes later, a young woman in a casual seeming outfit- that of an old school Hebijo Academy uniform with a stylized beanie as she was escorted in by the police officer on duty. The officer telling Syra to shut up or she'll be tossed in somewhere alot worse than a holding cell. The young woman just sighed loudly when she saw the girl in the cell.
Syra huffed a bit, crossing her arms under her tits, lifting them up slightly. which made the open state of her jacket more apparent. "Lemme guess, they called you up first huh?" She asked as she stood more calmly behind the door of the cell as if expecting to be released; using the fact that the locking mechanism blocked direct line of sight from her hips down for a moment. She'd somehow produce ...something that she'd insert in the lock and very subtly began to move them without the officer seeing.
Given the fact that the older looking young woman with the beanie had turned her back to Syra and was addressing the officer and convienently blockin his line of sight as well.
"How much is her bail?" She asked.
"25,000Y" he replied
Syra bit back a cynical laugh at that. "Only because they don't have proof." She said. "he's just asking for a bribe." She said, displaying just what she thought of the police force- assuming they could all be bought.
The other woman subtly felt a vein throb in her forehead and handed him her card. Then turned to Syra. "What the hell did they catch you doing THIS time?"
"Let's get out of here and I'll tell you." She said just as the lock clicked again, the mechanism opening for her, causing Syra to quickly reconceal the lockpicks she had with a red blush crossing her face for a second before it faded.
Once the two of them were outside of the building and free to go about their business again. They were walking away from the precinct when the young woman with the beanie spoke up again. This time she was sounding rather irritated at the whole situation. "God damn it Syra, seriously! This has to stop you know!" thumping her on the head lightly but hard enough to get the point across.
"The last time I got caught was when I was 10." Syra retorted quickly, and as they walked out; her hand in her pocket as if counting something she was keeping in there. Little did the holding cell officer realize that the thief had lifted the cash from his wallet when she 'accidentally' bumped into the guy on the way out. She didn't take the wallet itself, just the money in it.
"This time the fire I started seemed to get out of control.."she sighed, explaining why she'd gotten caught this particular time. When she'd robbed the store; she'd heard the sirens of the police and started a fire in a trash can hoping that the smoke and obvious flames would cause them to hold back and call the fire department in. She didn't expect it to expand as rapidly as it had and nearly burn the entire shop out.
The woman in the beanie just reached for Syra from behind and stopped her in her tracks. "Well I'm gonna stop that today." She had the firmest tone Syra had ever heard.
Syra had taken the lead though leading her along a back alley path to a broken down old shack and lifted a hidden trapdoor and lifted out a box of unpersonalized jewelry and cash. She'd put it away hidden in a pocket in her clothing and smirked. "What? Why?" she asked, surprised.
"I'm taking you to Hebijo Clandestine Academy for Girls." going in the reverse direction from originally and pulling on her collar.
"Oh THAT place? They've been chasing me for a couple years now." Syra said. "Can we at least wait so I can launder this stuff into more cash?" she asked "I know a good, quiet fence nearby..."
"Nnnnnnnnope. I'm not having you create any more tracks so I'd have to bail you out AGAIN." not having any of it and just quickening her pace.
"I guess I can hang onto it then" Syra grumbled and continued on.
They reached the academy about thirty-five or so minutes later with the woman in the beanie in the lead, Oddly with all the Hebijo students melting out of her path allowing her to pass unobstructed. She looked at the registration papers. "Good...and this stamp NOW says that you're a student. Now.." She thwapped Syra on the head again. "Don't let me hear about you getting into trouble with the superiors, or the Elite Hebijo Girls."
"Or what? You'll spank me?" She taunted. "As I recall YOU were the one that enjoyed that."
"Yes, I will, and I'll do it until you can't sit comfortably for a couple days." she quips.
Syra just sighed none too enthusiastic about it. "I guess it's better than jail time. Just less to steal, which is boring. But the money's not the goal it's just the cream on top." Syra laughed.
"Exactly, but you'll still make money here from taking missions once you graduate from a puny mook, a Genin, to a higher rank. Just don't die on me ok?"
"I'll get a higher rank within the year." Syra replied to that.
Syra woke up about an hour and a half later; the dream fresh in her mind as well as the last words she recalled from it. "Ok so it took me longer than that..." She sighed. "But I still did it. I was so dumb back then; I wonder what she'd think of me now..." Syra said as she sat up and stretched out. "Ahhh it doesn't matter, not like she'll just show up to grade me or something." The newest Hebijo Elite muttered as she got up out of the bed and went to the door and looked out; half expecting she'd missed Miyabi and Imu's arrival.
She hadn't but Syra knew that she'd probably need to hurry lest she did miss them completely. Raking her hands through her raven-black hair to straighten out the slight bedhead she had; she hurried down the corridor to the elevator to take it down the ground level to go meet the two at the hospital Miyabi had been held for the last year.
It was a good twenty minutes or so away with her taking every shortcut she knew to get there quickly. Meeting the two of them just as they exited the doors of the hospital; Miyabi still leaning on Imu a bit since she'd been in a coma for the last year and her legs still a little on the weak side. Syra's uniform and manner told them all they needed to know about who she was and why she was there.
"Welcome back to the land of the living Miyabi." She smirked with a faintly evil cast to it. "My name's Syra, I'm one of the new Hebijo elites." she introduced herself quietly but her tone carrying a veiled sense of menace to it. "I'll guide the two of you back to the new academy."