My life had never been easy, as it is littered with many difficulties and lost oppurtunities. Being a chuunin, is an oppurtunity I don't wish the let it slide, and I didn't. Yet being a chuunin now awakens more of my fears, as I am not fond of being a warrior, risking my life and limb for the sake of the nation. Nay. I won't risk my life to save my country, as it has done little to alleviate my life. So, let the nation be damned, and let me be. Morning came, and I am now forced indirectly to meet up with my new teammates, whoever they may be.
Traversing the city is by far a task that I had found easy since I was but a child, though a new city often requires a certain period of time of familiarization. A quality I believe I will gain, soon enough.
Anyhow, I had arrived at a vast field covered in patches of grass, weeds and mostly, rock. The sun, high in the sky, burned the skin when I tried to embrace it's heat. So, I waited under a tree, but soon I took a nap, out of exhaustion that never seems to leave the body, and the wear that never seems to vanish from my mind.
Soon, I was woken up by the slight nudge in the stomach, and my tired eyes opened up to see Nara Shikamaru, the so-called leader of the team. He had a visibly irritated look on his face, represented by the annoyed squint in his dark eyes. What a wonderful first impression I have made, isn't it? I've just fallen asleep, while waiting for the rest of my team and I'm here, woken up by my team leader.
"If you can let someone like me sneak up on you, I don't think you'd last really long in the battlefield?" I sighed, in sorrow. His words had it's logic, and no doubt, my negligence might someday jeopardize the mission, and my own life. "Anyway, get up. The rest of them are also here already." He walked over to the two other teammates, whom I know only by name, and appearence, as of now. I took a momentary glance at all three teammates, and I sighed. 'Well, it seems my road to damnation has began.' I stood up, and joined the three.
"Introduce yourself, then." Shikamaru began. He's 15 years old, and already set to become a jounin. It's plain ridiculus that this is the way the world is.
Still, he is my superior, and so, I complied without complaints. "I'm Kobayashi Ryu, or Ryu, to be simple." I stared into the eyes of my teammates. 'Ryu, huh... Some originality in naming me, my dreaded parents. Dragon? I'm more of a cowardly lizard than a dragon.'
"Well, tell us what you specialize in." Shikamaru said, with the intention of uncovering my future uses for the team.
I gulped, for I knew I had no specialty skills. "Erm... I don't specialize in anything. I just use what I can." No doubt in the past, I have always preferred simple techniques repeated over and over. I could sense slight suspicion in my two teammates right after I said it, and I knew they are starting to look down on me. With no specialty, how would I help them? I would be nothing more than a foot soldier. No. They can't say I didn't try. I just do not have that talent or skill within me to be good. I just don't.
"Oh. Well, what do you usually do every day?"
"I usually take D-ranked missions for some money to spend." This reply evoke a glint of surprise, arrogance and perhaps, sorrow from my comrades. Shikamaru quickly sensed this, and I knew he would want to keep the team united, and so, he changed the topic.
"So, Okazaki Emiko, tell me of yourself."
She smiled nicely at Shikamaru, but her smile was for no one else. "I'm 15, and a specialist in healing, ranged, genjutsu and fire ninjitsu. My daily schedule is training, reading, and playing the piano at home. Though, I won't be playing the piano anymore." My impression on her method of speech, is of the seemingly shallow personality. She doesn't seem different from any other female ninja next door. Even so, she'd beat me up in a one on one match without problems. Then, I noticed her eyes strayed and locked onto the dark glasses of the Aburame member. She seeks his acceptence and acknowledgement, not mine. A blatant sign of arrogance, I would say. Yet, it is deserved.
"Well, Aburame Hitoshi. I think it is your turn?"
His voice was deep, and he spoke with a certain aura of authority and dominance around him, even though the subject of speech doesn't directly relate to power. "I'm 16, loves catching bugs with my cousin, Shino during the holidays. Specialist in stealth and poison weapons."
"My turn... Just troublesome." Shikamaru looked at all of us, scrolling past our eyes before he began his own introduction. "I'm 15... and watching clouds is my hobby. Specializing in shadow manipulation." 'Watching clouds? Oh my god, this person only stares at clouds all the time, and still he gets to be a chuunin at 12? What is this?'
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This story is slightly before Naruto's return in the manga.