Shirushi: Aburame extraordinaire Chapter 21: Damage Control: Crazy
I ended up waking up a lot earlier then I had plan the day Kazuki-sensei had set for our genin test. Considering my only clue about when we should meet was 'when the sun rise over the treetops' , I had but my bets to be there at 6:00 in the morning. Unfortunately for me I managed to wake up 4:00 in the morning.
Getting up two hours early was not in my plans for the day but for some reason I found myself unable to to go back to sleep. So as to pas the two hours I had before the test (or to the time I guessed would be the time of the test) I decided to do something productive, so I started a unnecessary long warm up and stretching routine.
Takai and Guy was already at training ground 4 when I arrived. Guy was doing push ups like his life depending on it while Takai was leaning against a tree looking like he would fall asleep at any moment. I wonder how long they had been there waiting. Then again, knowing Guy he probably woke up Takai and dragged him here around the same time I woke up. I should just count myself lucky being a member of the Measurable clan. Otherwise he would probably done the same to me, ah... the advantages of living in a clan compound.
"Good morning, Guy!" I greeted as cheerful as I could.
"A YOUTHFUL MORNING TO YOU, SHIRUSHI-CHAN!"
Guy's greeting made my eardrums tingle and I'm pretty sure it could be heard all the way back to the Aburame clan compound. It probably woke up a lot of people as well, at least it had woken up Takai. He looked a lot like a deer caught in by the lamps of a car (not that he could have understood that comparison himself), with wide eyes looking in a panic around him all the while he tried to keep a distance from Guy.
It seemed Takai had reached his tolerance level against Guy's brand of crazy had ran out. Either that or he had been of in his own thoughts when we saw Guy and Kakashi yesterday and just didn't notice them. From what I saw now, and his reaction to Aiko, it was likely that it was the later.
Poor Takai, with the incident yesterday and what had probably happened this morning he must be traumatized. I just hope he learn how to cope with it or he wont survive long being on the same team as Guy and I suppose me to a lesser degree, not to mention having Kazuki for a sensei. Best to not expose him to the crazy inclined of the team too much now in the beginning. Especially as the hint of smugness he had in the academy and when we first meet seems to have gone up in smoke rather fast.
Let's see if I can do some damage control, it would be best for all three of us if he was at least somewhat sane during the test. I would not have to worry to much about Guy interrupting me either, he was way to busy training kicks against a tree on the other side of the training ground as punishment for not reaching his impossible number of pushups.
"...32...33...34...34. YOSH! If I cant do 2000 kick, I'll do 3000 punches!"
'Yeah, Guy would not be interrupting my damage control efforts at all. I just hope he saves some of that energy for the test.'
"Good morning, Takai. I hope Aiko did not traumatized you too much yesterday" I would have smiled, but I was still practicing "or did Guy traumatized you this morning?" I really wanted to smile a wicked smile right then but that would have just contradicted with my main reason for starting the conversation to begin with.
Takai observed me with a look that could only be described as being filled by suspicion.
"They are both crazy. Our so called teammate jumped in trough my window this morning. Who does that?!" The corner of Takai's left eye twitched.
'Seems like Guy did more damage then I thought. Poor Takai.'
"Actually, I think the jumping trough windows thing is rather normal for shinobi. At least for the ones I know."
"How many crazy people do you know?"
"Let's see. There is Guy," I gestured towards out third teammate. "then there is Kazuki-sesei and his sister Aiko, both of who you met yesterday."
"You mean that lady that suffocated you while asking us if we were dating?" Takai's voice was completely flat as if stating the obvious, which it was.
"Obviously, and if you see her coming please warn me so I have a chance to escape or she will really kill me one of these days."
Takai rolled his eyes and seemed at least a bit amused at my expense. I was just grateful he chose not to bring up the whole 'Aiko thinks we are dating' thing.
"But beside those I guess you could call my friend Anko crazy, but that is more in the sadistic/bloodthirsty kind of way and I know this Uchiha lady that is crazy in the 'I believe in the supernatural' kind of way. At least she is from others point of view."
'I debated a bit with myself in my head about is I should mention Anathea or not since she was connected to my double life. But considering I was certain nobody could kill me in the other world even if the wrong people found out I decided to trow cation to the wind.'
"And lastly, I think the most crazy person I know is this lady called Anathea. I'm not really sure how to describe her brand of crazy though."
Takai looked at me as if he did not believe a single word I said. "How come you have not gone crazy yet?"
I shrugged my shoulders. Anathea had probably a small part in why I had not come insane yet with her magic mambo jumbo. Besides, I was currently living two separate lives at the same time in two different world, one of which was seen as fictional in the other. I have found that it is much easier to accept crazy things if you had already seen/experienced something completely crazy already.
'Not that I can tell him that.'
"I have learned to just accept the craziness at face value. It's the best way to keep yourself sane"
Takai clearly did not believe me and muttered. "Forget I asked, you are crazy as well."
I laughed, which from Takai's expression must have looked considering my inability to smile (I was working on it, I succeed sometimes).
"At least I'm sane enough to acknowledge the craziness of others. Besides it could come in handy."
"I don't see how it could be useful."
"Well... you could use them in genjutsu to drive your enemies insane with our craziness."
Takai consider the idea before admitting it was an interesting idea. The next thing I know he is scribbling notes in the ground and completely ignoring me.
At least he is more focused now, so there would hopefully not be any problems during Kazuki-sensei's test.
"I wonder when Kazuki-sensi will get here."
I heard my hive buzz in warning as the picked up another presence i the training ground. As I quickly turn my attention toward the presence I notice that Guy had stopped counting his kicks.
'Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear.'