It had been three days since they had completed their graduation exams, and it was clear who had passed and who were told that they weren't ready to be genin yet. Some were noticeably less attentive in class, some were paying extremely close attention to the lessons, and some were simply bristling with the desire to find out their team, yet no announcement had come for their designations.
So on did the classes carry, reviewing basic subjects that needed to be covered for some and simply serving as a helpful reminder for others. Certain speakers had come as well for specific lessons perhaps as a fun reward for everyone who had taken the exam, regardless of if they had passed. Among them, the one that had caused the biggest stir was Sasuke Uchiha, the current head of the Uchiha Clan and the captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, teaching a lesson on bukijutsu and the importance of never forsaking even the smallest tools in one's arsenal.
Today, there was to be a class led by Ino Yamanaka after lunch was finished. As many children talked among themselves and enjoyed their meals with friends, there were just as many sitting by themselves on the outskirts of the outdoor eating area. One such soul was Mio Fuma, silently looking around at the various friend groups.
Underneath the shade of the trees, she idly kicked her legs as she reached for a piece of gyoza from her food tin. Her pallid skin was untouched by the sunlight as she watched everyone in the courtyard. Eating by himself in the center of the courtyard was Biteki Kosshi, but slowly making his way over was none other than Hosheki Setsuzoku. Mio watched carefully, eyes scanning the two.
'It's just as I suspected…the Puppet Master has to return to his puppet every now and then.' Mio's gray eyes narrowed as a minor verbal spat broke out between Biteki and Hosheki. Her ears perked up as she listened closer, noting that it was brought on by Hosheki noting that Biteki's father always made better mochi and that Biteki's was far too sweet. Biteki had retorted the statement by defending that if he was going to be making and having something sweet, he'd rather it be as sweet as possible.
Nodding to herself as the two continued arguing, Mio reassured her own thoughts. 'Of course, someone of his caliber would surely make up an elaborate lie to have his puppets lying in plain sight. Even if he had to make puppets that mimic parents, it all makes him so much more dangerous. Is there anything you won't do, Setsuzoku Hosheki?'
Still, even she could note how overboard he was going with the dramatics. Why did he need to have his puppet be that arrogant of their own actions and abilities? Constantly challenging people to sparring matches, boasting of his own abilities, always showing off when it came to class demonstrations. It's like Hosheki wanted everyone to know how powerful he was by making such a puppet like Biteki.
Still, there was such a contrast between them. Was puppeting Biteki his way of getting out all of his pent-up rage and hubris? That would explain how he was always so calm and collected with everything else.
She felt Biteki's eyes meet hers for the briefest moment, forcing her to immediately look away to another group of familiar faces. Ones that were far more terrifying. Zasshu Hibana, the white-haired chosen of the gods, Hitode Senju, either a goddess or simply an enlightened mortal granted audience with a god, and finally, Zennou Senju, a god walking amongst them.
How casual could everyone be about the fact that divinity had manifested to live along with them? Was this merely a pastime for Zennou to enjoy the little things of mortal life? He often spoke with the musings of an ancient sage, and his abilities were far beyond natural, they were divine.
She had seen him summon creatures bigger than buildings, and recently, she had seen him grow extra limbs and faces. She was used to Kidomaru-sensei having six arms, but he had those at all times. Zennou could grow them as he saw fit.
But even more telling of his divine status…was the ability to perform hand seals with them. Only a god should be able to perform those hellish things at such a speed with multiple arms.
She shuddered for a moment. Hand seals. Choji had told her all about his hopes that she wouldn't give up on her practicing with hand seals, even though it was clear that she couldn't get them down for the life of her. Of course, she could ask for help with them…but she didn't know who exactly to ask. She'd never risk being smited by Zennou for invading his holy space for the mere hope of receiving his guidance on something so trivial.
Her mind wandered as she continued to look over the trio. Zasshu could help her, after all, he possessed a similar chakra nature. More importantly, however, was the fact that he obviously must be blessed with celestial power as the Chosen of Zennou. His charismatic nature and close connections with so many people in the class was likely due to him playing his part as the envoy for the two gods.
Hitode did her job well enough on that front, but Zasshu constantly spread the word of Zennou, bringing him to interact with all of the mortalfolk such as herself as a means of acquainting him with this world.
She never could tell what Hitode's deific status was though. At times, she had to wonder if she was the twin goddess to Zennou, blessed with her empyrean strength and ability to cure wounds with ease, or if she was once a regular mortal like herself that had been ascended to such a status by Zennou.
'Surrounded by monsters and gods…I hope I don't end up in their teams, I'm not worthy of such a boon.' Mio huffed again, reaching for a piece of gyoza again from her tin, only to find a hand within it.
Her eyes followed the limb back to its source, looking to find the specter herself, Midori Ningyoushi. This had become a rather common occurrence that Mio had become all too used to. She locked eyes with the ever-unnoticed girl, shakily extending her hand towards her to allow her to pick her favorite piece of gyoza.
'She is the personal spirit of those two, this must be the toll I pay to continue existing among their protection. I can't risk her haunting me…' Mio felt a bead of sweat form on her forehead as Midori threw the entirety of the dumpling in her mouth, chewing slowly. "I…also have some manju, if you'd like."
Midori slowly nodded, signing a quick, "Thank you." as she swallowed the gyoza. She didn't know how the two of them had wound up in this situation, but the girl had let her have some of her food ever since she arrived from Otogakure. She had only jokingly taken a piece of manju from her overflowing picnic basket once, and since then, she seemed quick to offer up pieces of her lunch.
Reaching beside her, Midori pulled out a tray of rice balls and extended them towards Mio without a word.
'A test, surely. If I take the food from her, then I am ungrateful for merely being safe and allowed existence among them.' Mio shook her head as she offered a piece of anko manju in kind. "I'm okay, thank you though, Midori." Turning back to face the courtyard, the two ate in silence.
That is, until Zasshu looked over towards the two, quickly waving as he began to approach with his usual radiant smile. A smile broke Midori's face at the slight panic that Mio seemed to break into, evident only by her trembling feet, as she quickly finished chewing her mouthful of food.
"Midori, you have your own food, why are you always eating Mio's at lunch?!" Zasshu asked, reaching to steal one of Midori's rice balls as payback for Midori. However, before his fingers could even touch them, Midori's venomous glare stopped him in his tracks. "Alright, alright. You're too nice, Mio! You could always tell her to eat her own lunch."
Mio looked between the two without speaking for a few moments as she harshly swallowed the food in her mouth. "I'm willing to split my lunch with her. She offers her own food as well, but I like foods that are like dumplings most." She was terrified. Both the Chosen One and the Specter around her, making small talk with a mortal. Were they determining if she would be a suitable sacrifice? Were they going to inform her to make a shrine?
She would do it if it would prevent any smiting from occurring.
"You're scaring her, Zasshu. We were just fine by ourselves." Midori signed towards the excitable boy, who refused to sit still as he idly moved in various animations within his space.
With a look of disbelief, Zasshu examined the practically porcelain girl, who seemed wholly unbothered by anything. She always did. If there was anyone after Yasu who seemed unbothered by just about anything, it was Mio. "Scared?! You've got to be joking. She looks like she doesn't care if we exist!"
'I PROMISE THAT I CARE ABOUT YOUR EXISTENCE, PLEASE, HONOURED CHOSEN, DO NOT LET ALMIGHTY ZENNOU THINK THAT!' Mio practically bristled at his statement, her eyes widening for a moment as she took a sharp breath. "Of course not, I just wasn't expecting you to come over. You're always nice to have around, Zasshu, it seems like everyone in the class likes you."
"I dunno, Yasu and Biteki would probably pay money if it meant they never had to see my face again. Mirai can be pretty frustrated with me at times as well…" Zasshu placed a crooked finger to his lips as he became lost in thought. "Oh well! I try my best to be liked, and if that's not enough, that's their loss! I'll leave you to your lunch though, Mio, don't let Midori eat it all!"
Mio simply nodded as she watched Zasshu make his way back over to Zennou and Hitode. 'Perhaps the Chosen One will keep me in their graces…' She turned to look at Midori, who seemed amused by her expression and slowly relaxing body language. "I'm surprised you could see I was scared. Most people seem to think I'm emotionless."
With a shrug, Midori pointed to her feet before beginning to sign. "Your feet start trembling when you're scared. It seems like you always show how you're feeling through your body."
Mio felt panic rise in her chest again as she watched Midori sign. 'Spirit of the gods, please…forgive me…' As a hesitant finger was raised, Mio forced the words out of her throat. "I'm sorry, Midori…I don't quite know sign language yet." Giving a moment of silence, her eyes widened for a moment as she locked them with Midori's. "But I would be happy to learn, if you'd teach me! After all, it can't be harder than hand seals…it may even help me with them."
Midori's head rocked from side to side as she considered it before finally shrugging again, crossing her legs as she turned to fully face Mio. Pulling out a pad and pencil from her back pocket, she began to write the most basic signs.
The air was thick with humidity in the underground laboratory, the various sounds of misting systems and the bubbling of aquatic tanks filling the silence. Despite being in his basement, Shinwa was always happy to spend time in the subterranean menagerie due to how warm it often was with all of the heaters placed on the various reptiles and insects within the assorted enclosures.
Closing the doors on the enclosure in front of him, the pale-skinned man took a few steps back as he examined the white snake within. It had been years, but he remembered the first time that Orochimaru had ever shown him a white snake and told him of its significance. Rebirth. In some way, all things are reborn and recycled throughout the world.
Even his old master had been reborn through his disciples.
As if sensing his reminiscing, the massive snake conjoined to his lower back craned its head to rest on his shoulder. Flashing his fanged smile, Shinwa playfully flopped a fringe of curling purple hair onto the porcelain-coloured snake. "As majestic as ever, Mugen."
Flicking her tongue, Mugen slowly retracted back to her position trailing behind the man as he walked through the lab and ensured all inhabitants had been cared for. A heavy floral scent muddled with the earthy undertones that the tropical simulation produced, becoming stronger as Shinwa approached the growing station that held countless growing flowers, their colours boasting a spectrum vaster than the Yamanaka Flower Shop.
Picking through them, he selected a number of blooms based on their meanings before tying them together and wrapping them in the shed of a white snake.
Slowly ascending the stairs back to the upper levels of his home, Shinwa slowly felt Mugen retract into his back as his shirt fell loose on his body. As much as he would appreciate having her out in his day-to-day life, there were plenty of people that were scared of her. Plus, she didn't exactly like trailing behind him at all times when they were just doing things like shopping.
It only took her being stepped on once for her to prefer waiting until they were out of crowded areas to exit his body.
Grabbing the kimono carefully draped across the sofa, Shinwa quickly tied it with the large purple cord just as he had done since he was taken in as a young kid. Forming the intricate bow in the back now came as easily as breathing and reminded many of his Otogakure background. He quickly filled a bag with assorted offerings and items, slinging it over his shoulder.
Sliding his feet into the crimson geta next to the door, he began his journey with the bouquet cradled in his arms. It had been getting warmer, but it was clear that a storm was brewing. There was a certain static in the air, and he could feel the subtle barometric pressure changes. Likely from the northeast given that it felt stronger when he visited Otogakure, but he couldn't be sure.
It would take a lot for a typhoon to make it all the way to the village, but it wasn't necessarily unheard of. There was something more to it as well, he just couldn't quite place what. But he would cross that bridge when he came to it. Today was a day for celebration and remembrance, no point in getting concerned over things like the weather.
Things had become much less lively compared to a few days prior with the academy exams taking place. Businesses returned to usual, shinobi who were parents had left for missions yet again, and now he and the rest of the mentors waited for when they would be assigned a team.
Idly making his way to the cemetery, he couldn't help but smile at the various children he'd seen grow up and enter into the academy, become genin, or even the ones that had recently become chuunin. It was always something to be celebrated when they got back from their missions.
Unfortunately, he had seen just as many never come back. That was the reality of things, always had been. For the foreseeable future, children would have to war with other children and adults alike to defend their home. Some thought that the gradual increase in power between generations helped, but it meant little when every other village was also doing the same.
Not to mention, Konohagakure tended to have a greater target on its back compared to the other Five Great Countries. Their relations with Otogakure and Uzushiogakure alone were enough, but they continued to disrupt the so-called "power balance" as Kumogakure had put it during a recent summit.
Bold words coming from thieves that frequently attempted to steal whatever bloodlines they could from other countries. Even their daimyo was a crook who swindled anyone he could out of a deal.
As he became lost in thought, a ball suddenly rolled into his leg. Looking over at the source, he saw a group of children beckoning for him to kick it back. "Shina-san, Shina-san, over here!" They bickered amongst themselves at who he should send it to, earning a muffled chuckle from the adonic man.
Lightly kicking the ball over, he watched as a young girl sped in front of the boy in the front of the pack, intercepting the ball and kicking it into their goal. Giving her a round of applause, the girl shot a thumbs up back at Shinwa before their game continued as he carried on his way.
The idle chatterings and background noise of his neighborhood slowly dissipated as he approached the cemetery, the air holding a melancholic tone as though the thoughts and remembrances of his fellow visitors were carried through the atmosphere.
Coming to a stop at the grave of his old master, he carefully set down the bouquet before beginning to sort through his bag for the various offerings and incense. After setting up the offerings to Orochimaru, he began to place incense and offerings at the grave next to his, standing carefully between them.
"Orochimaru-sama, Jiraiya, the time has come for me to become a teacher as well. I wish you two could have been here to give me some pointers." Shinwa chuckled to himself, running his hands through his hair as he looked to the sky.
Slowly, Mugen began to emerge from his back and slither out from his kimono. "Although, I suppose I'll always have a piece of you, Orochimaru-sama. Besides, if I go by both of your teaching styles, surely I'll end up doing it right." Gently nuzzling his head to Mugen's, Shinwa let out an exaggerated sigh. "I wish Kabuto could have been here as well. Regardless of what he's been doing, he is still my brother and disciple under you."
Mugen's scales began to shift into a teal blue colouration, their shape becoming more jagged as her head began to morph into a more triangular shape. In turn, Shinwa's pale colouration began to take on a slightly more teal hue, the various scales on his arms and torso shifting to match the snake's. 'Always more in tune with myself than I seem to be, Mugen.'
"You'll be happy to know though that everything in Otogakure is still being led without issue. Kimimaro and Jugo really seem to have a handle on leading it. The academy there has been putting out some pretty great shinobi as well, Karin added some pretty great subjects to the curriculum if you ask me." Shinwa began to recount the recent events within the village. It had only been two years, but they had recovered rather quickly from Orochimaru's passing and continued in stride.
When Orochimaru had first passed, the leading position was immediately expected to be fulfilled by himself or Kabuto. He wasn't too ecstatic about leading an entire village, and Kabuto…had much he still needed to work out. Sometimes he wondered if he had been willing to take up the mantle, maybe Kabuto would've rushed to become the leader first.
There wasn't much use in debating with himself on what could have been, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't often wonder if there was some way he could've stopped Kabuto from defecting.
Still, when Kimimaro had offered to take up the position with Jugo by his side, it had come as no surprise. Kimimaro had been the jounin commander of the village for some time, and his diplomatic and level-headed nature made him well-suited for leadership. No one had contested his ascension to the position.
"All things considered; everything has been going quite well. Menma is taking a break from his role as advisor to finally take on some students of his own, Jiraiya. He's done well to atone for all he did, you'd be proud of the man he turned out to be." Shinwa looked at the Toad Sage's gravestone, a humorous grin on his face. He was only Menma's senior by a year, so even he found how he talked about the man as if he was a child compared to him ironic. "I believe Shizune is taking over in his stead, she'll do well to help lead Sakura."
For what felt like hours, Shinwa remained at the graves of his father figure and one of his former teachers, eventually sitting on the grass with his legs crossed as he continued to recount everything in recent times. All of the mundane and extraordinary, making sure to tell them all that was on his mind and going on with the world as the incense slowly burned.
When at last the incense had burned down completely, he stood to his feet and dusted off his kimono. "I can't thank you both enough. It is only with your teachings that I have gotten this far, and I can only hope to be half as good as you both were for me. I can't wait to pass some of it on to my students."
Bowing lightly, he began to make his exit from the cemetery. As he approached the street, Mugen retreated into his lower back. His skin and her appearance had long since returned to their usual pale colouration.
The sun had begun its descent in the sky, shrouded by greying clouds. Petrichor filled his nostrils as he idly walked through the streets, making various stops at stores to pick up groceries or supplies, even just stopping in to check on the storekeepers he had known for years.
Finally, he found himself back at home, arms laden with gifts he couldn't refuse and bags that he hadn't intended to fill. Carefully opening the door, he set them on the nearby table before moving to his desk. Gently setting a piece of paper down, he uncapped his pen and slid into his chair.
'Kabuto, wherever you may be, I hope that you are finding what you wanted on this journey of yours. I know I was a source of contention, and often stress, for you during our time under Orochimaru-sama, but I wished to write to you all the same on the anniversary of his passing.
You often spoke of being whatever someone needed and becoming exactly what was needed to be the perfect fit for any role. When you no longer had the sway of our master, I feared what would become of you without that role you had long fitted yourself into. In truth, I don't entirely understand your talk of becoming perfect and your reasons of becoming who you were always meant to be when you left Otogakure, but perhaps that is not for me to understand.
You are, above all, a brother to me. But you have become dangerous. Every mention of your name now comes with the mention of something atrocious. This was not the path we were led on, even if we were encouraged to pursue our ambitions. There must be a limit, and you have far surpassed it. I can only hope that you know that as well, and seek to come back from this cliff you're approaching.
If not, then I will bring you back myself if it comes to that.
I expect no reply, but all the same, I wish you well and depart with you my hopes for a better future.'
Signing the letter, he gently rolled it up and sealed it with a wax emblem of a snake before tying it with another shed skin of a white snake. Walking to the balcony, Shinwa's sharp, systematic whistle prompted one of his messenger falcons to almost immediately descend upon his location from the rookery on his roof. Placing the rolled up letter into a harness on the falcon, he gently rubbed the bird's head before sending it off.
Letting out a solemn sigh in the quiet solitude, he turned to his home and began the process of unpacking the day's bounty.
It had been six days. Six arduous days. Gen Den could feel his blood boiling at how long they were taking to assign teams. Still, he couldn't deny the enjoyment in coming into class every day to various classmates telling him how much they hoped they were on his team.
Opening up the door to the classroom, things were almost as lively as the day of the graduation exams. Immediately, the one he often called his heart-stealing rival came to greet him. Zasshu Hibana, seemingly beloved by the majority of the class, aside from the usual culprits.
But if he couldn't win over sour sorts like Yasu, Biteki, or Mirai, then what chance was there for anyone else, even Zasshu?
Still, it had always been a fun form of rivalry to have, even if he wasn't sure that Zasshu knew it existed. When he first arrived from the capital city, everyone in class told him that they needed to meet.
"Gen, didja hear?! Apparently they are announcing the teams tomorrow!" Zasshu excitedly blurted out, the air practically charged with his excitement as he bounced about. "According to Youko, whose uncle is going to be one of the jounin, they are just checking over some stuff before finalizing them!"
Flipping one of his long, lavender braids behind his back, the noticeably shorter one on his left side to be exact, Gen took in a deep breath. His usual smile only grew as he shook his head. "It's about time, although I hope for everyone's sake that we aren't on the same team. I don't think our generation could handle that much charm in one place."
"Easy there, Mr. Capital City!" Zasshu jokingly punched the taller boy's shoulder, causing a faint numbness to emanate from the area. "Your charm alone is going to get you in some trouble!" Before Gen could respond, Zasshu was already off in his usual cadence to talk with every other member of their class.
Taking a look around, Gen tried to figure out where he'd sit today. Looking to the right side of the classroom, he immediately took note of the figure sitting by herself in the corner of the top of the classroom. Yasu Chinoike.
Biteki was one thing to deal with. He seemed to have something to prove, but he seemed to be human all the same. Yasu, on the other hand, seemed to be a projection. She was physically there, you could touch her, although he wouldn't in a million years out of the slightest bit of fear.
But she seemed to drift through the day without a care in the world. Every now and then, she would say something to someone that would make them break down in tears, and she'd merely look down at them with this look of…indifference. She and Biteki were everything that some members of the royal family tried to scare him and Kin about.
Having to choose between interacting with the two was like trying to choose a limb to saw off.
But he'd choose Biteki.
Not wishing to poke that bear, he turned his gaze towards the middle of the classroom. His eyes glanced over several of his classmates that he knew he could charm, but there was one specifically that he considered approaching. Sitting diligently at the front and center of the classroom, her supplies arranged neatly on the desk in front of her, was Mirai Watanabe. Class Representative, and fiercely loyal to every procedure and ruling.
If Biteki and Yasu were a danger based on unpredictability, she was the exact opposite. You could be sure that if you weren't following the rules, slacking off, or anything of the matter, she'd be on you like a shark to blood in the water.
Scrunching his nose up, Gen quickly sucked his teeth as he continued to search for the prime real estate in the classroom. Until his eyes fell upon the desk in the upper left corner of the room.
The Senju twins and Midori Ningyoushi. Specifically, he set his gaze on the spot next to Hitode Senju, always having his interest piqued by her heterochromic head of hair. Of course, he couldn't lie about the fact that he was more in awe (with the slightest twinge of jealousy) towards Zennou's wavy crimson hair.
But that wasn't his focus as he dragged the nearest chair to sit beside Hitode, blocking the stairs halfway in the process. Before she could say anything, he quickly crossed a leg over as he gave a flip of his braids, his face boasting a well-practiced smolder as he looked at the girl.
"Senju Hitode, the daughter of the former Hokage, meeting me, potential heir to the role as daimyo of the Land of Fire, on this day? It's almost as if it's fate." His smile only grew, their amber eyes locking as she slowly moved to respond.
Taking a deep breath, one could almost see the vein popping in Hitode's forehead. However, it slowly faded as her lips curled into a venomous smile. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"
Playfully leaning back in his chair with a hand to his chest, Gen's head snapped to the ceiling. "You wound me! Do you truly not recognize your classmate of three years, Den Gen?! Have I not warranted the space for a memory in that illustrious mind?"
"So, you acknowledge that you're my classmate? Doesn't seem much like fate then, seems like us being required to be in the same place almost every day for years now." Hitode scoffed, the roll of her amber eyes shooting daggers into his soul.
"So cold!" Gen winced, continuing to feign damage. For every single one of his charms, which seemed to work on the majority of the class, there were a handful like her that seemed completely immune. It only pushed him to win her over. "But perhaps you just need a charming prince such as myself to warm you up ~"
Hitode took a deep breath before emitting the slightest hints of a chuckle, immediately causing Gen's eyebrows to shoot up. Had he truly won her over so easily?!
"I'd rather be forced to hang out with Biteki every day for the next month than even entertain that thought. And I mean all the crap that comes with the bastard. Fights and all." Hitode spoke in a low tone, her eyes piercing into Gen's soul and ceasing their wandering. "If you think charming words and an-" She shrugged slightly as she inspected him. "-alright face will get you everywhere, you're sorely mistaken."
'Wow. That was next level.' Gen sat in stunned silence for a few moments as he looked into empty space for a few moments. For a split second, he considered commenting on her appraisal of himself with another charming phrase, but he dismissed it. "I didn't realize you felt so strongly, I meant no harm."
"See, that's how a normal person talks. So, if you wanna take it from the top another day, you can give it your best shot." Hitode remarked, lightly punching his shoulder which Zasshu had punched earlier. However, instead of numbing the area, the slightest bit of force caused him to completely fall back in his chair.
Ignoring the fact that all eyes settled on him for a moment, Gen quickly dusted himself off as he picked up the chair. Taking a second to recollect himself, his smug expression quickly returned as he moved towards the other side of the desk.
Setting his chair down beside Midori, he quickly sat down with his legs crossed again. He could've sworn he heard Hitode mutter, "I'm gonna kill him." to Zennou.
"Ningyoushi Midori," Once again, he flipped his braids and straightened out his now messy hair. His amber eyes held a certain light of hope as he looked into her eyes as black as the night sky. "Has your hair always seemed to hold the vibrancy of an endless forest? Such a beautiful minty hue, the fluffiness of it like the bustling greenery, and your bells always produce a gentle chime with every movement."
Midori looked at Hitode, who quickly signed to her, "If you want me to throw him out of here, just say the word." before looking back at him with a fairly blank expression.
"Is this a cry for help?" Midori's fingers moved in a blur, her gaze refusing to move from his. "You've barely spoken to any of us, why are you always here flirting?"
"Ah!" Gen quickly exclaimed, holding a finger up. "Forgive me, it would be better to speak to you in the only way you can."
Clearing his throat, Gen quickly delved into his mind for the lessons that Shuichi had taught him, including the different dialects between parts of the Land of Fire as well as the brief lessons on sign language. Slowly articulating the signs as he could remember them, he still carried his air of confidence as he signed. "It is a crime that we are unable to be blessed by what I am sure is the most angelic voice anyone has ever heard."
Midori's eyebrow shot up, her mouth slightly agape in confusion as she looked at the boy signing, "Purple ransom hundreds cherry blossom." before devolving into complete gibberish and made-up signs. She considered how to respond for a few moments before simply giving a quick thumbs up and patting him on the shoulder.
Gen watched as she stood up from her seat and walked down the stairs to the same row as Biteki and Hosheki. Smugly smiling to himself, he leaned back in his chair and looked to the ceiling.
How cute, she was so shy about her affections.
Suddenly, the air in the classroom became tense as the atmosphere seemed to become charged with a certain magnetism. The rings on his finger began to shuffle as if trying to escape from his body.
"He said what?! The last time I beat that dramatic royal wasn't enough for him, he's asking for it again?!" Biteki's harsh words suddenly cut through the classroom, causing Gen's eyes to instantly snap wide open.
'Ah. So that's why she went down there. Clever move, Midori.'
As his abyssal eyes slowly opened to the light pouring into the window, the several species of insects within Setsu's body seemed to revolt in response to the brightness. Quickly grabbing the diamond-shaped sunglasses on the nightstand beside his bed, the buzzing seemed to come to an end as he donned them.
It had been a late night. He had spent much of it with Kyuuki and Hametsu celebrating before they officially started being mentors tomorrow. His mouth was bone dry, and the faintest bit of ringing seemed to persist in his head. But the pleasant smell of various flowers filled his nostrils, bringing him and the colony of insects living within him peace.
Sitting up, his bandaged left hand shot towards the glass of water on the stand, immediately downing it as fast as he possibly could. Trying to outdrink Kyuuki or Hametsu was never a good idea, but he had a lapse of judgement that he'd be paying for that day. Judging by where the sun was in the sky, he had slept until midday.
With a harsh sniff, he slowly began to rise from his bed. His head made contact with several leaves as he began to move about his room, which was practically infested with plants. Some contained vibrant and extravagant blooms, some were simply trees from other countries, some were even hard at work bearing fruit. The barest hint of a walking path could be seen carved through the several pots and trays that filled the space.
But it kept everything living within him, as well as himself to a certain point, happy. It also provided him with a goal of acquiring a new plant every time he went on a mission to a foreign country.
As he slowly picked through his clothes and decided on what to wear, he considered not leaving the house for the day. He could tend to all of the plants, make sure everything was in order for his team tomorrow.
However, as he finished getting dressed and donning his gloves, it seemed as though his day was decided for him by the sound of a knocking at the door.
"Setsu! Wake up, we're going for coffee!" Kyuuki's sharp tone came clearly through the door. Setsu could also make out the yipping of her foxes, lightly groaning to himself as their piercing yips felt like hot nails behind his eyes. Ruffling his own shaggy black hair, the towering man gave another harsh sniff as he made his way through his dense jungle of an apartment.
Taking a deep breath before opening the door, Setsu slowly adjusted to the brightness outside. "You don't need to be so loud, I'm already awake."
"You weren't for the past few hours, I considered coming in there to wake you up." Kyuuki snapped, taking a quick sniff of the air before recoiling. The aroma of the plants was nearly overpowering to her. "Do you really need to have so many flowers in there? I swear, sometimes it seems like the smell manages to pass through the walls to my side."
"You should consider getting some for your own apartment. They can be very beneficial." Setsu continued to speak in a dull tone, having to occasionally block Aomaru and Midomaru from bolting into the apartment as he continued to linger in the doorway. "How are you alright after how much you drank?"
Kyuuki dismissed the question with a wave of her hand, looking at the trio of foxes with a stern gaze to make them behave. "Because it's all a state of mind. Don't go making any excuses either, you can be just fine if you try. Like I said, let's go get you some coffee, and then you'll feel better in no time."
Setsu couldn't help the groan that escaped him as he stepped out of the door finally, closing and locking it behind himself. "Where are we going anyways?"
"Shushu-ya! They have some great amazake that should fix you right up!" Kyuuki exclaimed as she quickly bolted towards her door only a short distance from his own. "I've got to grab something real quick, I didn't know if you'd actually wake up this time."
Setsu nodded without a word as she disappeared into her side of the building. The two shared a duplex-style house they had bought a few years ago, figuring it would be cheaper than the both of them constantly paying rent in one of the apartment complexes that continued to spring up.
Wait. Did she say Shushu-ya?! They had just spent all night there and now they were going back?! And to have amazake at that?! How could she even think about drinking again?!
Pinching his brow, he heard the door open and lock as Kyuuki now donned a thick green jacket over her mesh shirt. "C'mon, if we're lucky, they still have the lunch special going on!"
Before he could respond, she grabbed for his left hand, which he quickly swapped out with his right hand as she proceeded to drag him towards the restaurant still fresh in his mind. It seemed as if the insects roiled in response to this course of events. It was going to be okay though. She could have all the amazake she wanted, he'd just get straight coffee and some good food.
As the pair ran, Muramaru closely kept to Kyuuki's side, the burgundy fox easily reaching her upper thigh, while Aomaru and Midomaru constantly switched between nipping at each other and nipping at Setsu's legs to make sure he kept up.
He definitely had a love-hate relationship with the ninkitsune. Muramaru was never an issue, but the smaller pair would sometimes scream at each other in the middle of the night and wake him up through the walls. He also remembered the first time they had accidentally gotten into his apartment and marked countless pots and plants.
The cleaning had taken forever, but he could safely say that they had no longer been anywhere in his apartment again because of that.
What was always strange to him though was the absolute lack of marking in Kyuuki's side of their house. Not a single odor at all. Perhaps it was due to the trio seeing Kyuuki as the leader and most dominant between them.
As the pair whipped through the streets, Setsu steeled his empty stomach as the desire to expunge the thrashing stomach acid became stronger with every step. Taking a deep breath, he quickly began to force his chakra through his body, feeling the hangover subside for the moment.
Using chakra to sober up was always a fun idea until the next day when he couldn't fix the hangover the same way.
Finally, the two jounin arrived at the entrance to Shushu-ya, with Kyuuki barrelling through the doors without a care in the world before coming to a screeching halt and sending Setsu directly into her back. However, with the size difference between the two, it was more akin to her being swallowed by his imposing frame.
"Kusabi, we're baaaack!" Kyuuki called out in a singsong voice to the hostess, her manic smile stretching across her face.
Kusabi chuckled to herself at the sight of the two returning. "Back so soon? With the state you all left in, I was wondering if they were going to find you in the bushes somewhere."
"I'm surprised myself." Setsu stated, dusting off his coat as his eyes readjusted to the dim light within the restaurant. "We'll take a table."
"Huh?! I thought we were just getting some drinks?" The Inuzuka turned around in disbelief, harsh yellow eyes piercing Setsu. She had been the one to offer the amazake, she was going to be the one paying for it.
Setsu waved her off. "I'll pay for the food, you pay for the drinks. I need something on my stomach."
Kusabi nodded as she led them to a booth, her ringed brunette hair bouncing with every step. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but you two are a cute couple. I hope I find someone to spend time with like you all did yesterday."
"I'd rather die." The pair spoke in unison, an amused smirk on their faces as they looked at each other.
Setsu was the first to continue the thought, rolling his heavily covered left hand. He had gotten used to this considering how frequently he was seen around Kyuuki or Hametsu. At this rate, half of the village probably thought he was in an affair with one of them while dating the other. "We've just known each other for a long time, we were in the same class in the academy."
"Plus, sometimes I think Hametsu and I are the only friends you have." Kyuuki lightly nudged him in the side. "Probably from you always smelling like an entire flower shop."
"I just enjoy having a fragrant aroma. And it's not just you two, but I prefer a small inner circle." Setsu fired back, the two beginning to descend into small matches of bickering and digs at each other as they sat and placed orders. Kyuuki couldn't help but laugh at him for ordering plain coffee, calling him a lightweight.
However, they slowly settled down as the drinks arrived and food shortly thereafter. Their conversation jumped from topic to topic as Kyuuki's pack nestled at their feet, seeming to calm down for once.
The two descended into idle chatter about their upcoming bills, what new plants Setsu had brought back from his trip to the Land of Trees, new toys and treats Kyuuki had gotten for the pack. Despite sharing a house, the two sometimes neglected talking to each other about little things here and there.
Kyuuki still wondered when exactly he had returned from Takigakure, finding it unbelievable that he had been back for a few days without her knowing. Though, she had been busy on the days that he had returned, so it wasn't too farfetched. Her mother's clan had been performing a sacred rite that she had to be present for, so she hadn't been home. Still, she felt bad for not smelling when he got back.
Wait, her mother's clan, that's right!
"Setsu, I've got some great news!" Kyuuki quickly slammed her palms to the table, drawing the eyes of the few other customers of Shushu-ya.
Setsu, slightly bewildered, curled his eyebrows before taking a sip of his coffee. "Well, don't leave me in suspense."
"I made a case with the rest of the Inari elders to allow you to use some of our medic-"
"No." Setsu bluntly stated, letting out a deep breath. "I don't need or want that. Thank you though, Kyuuki."
Kyuuki groaned, rolling her eyes before throwing her hands up. "But it could finally help you to where you don't have to have this whole get-up!" She gestured to his heavily bandaged and gloved left hand. "Isn't it worth a shot?"
"I have it under control, Kyuuki. Besides, it also helps to serve as a reminder. It wouldn't feel right getting rid of it." Setsu took another swallow of his coffee. "Besides, I wouldn't feel okay with using some of the famous Inari clan medicine while being an outsider…and I doubt consuming any fraction of a tailed beast's body would go too well when I already have to control my chakra with my insects."
Kyuuki leaned back into her booth, letting out an exaggerated sigh as she looked all around. "I know you're right, but the option is still there if you ever want to try it." She paused as she pounded down the half-full mug of amazake she still had. After wincing slightly, she looked back to Setsu. "And you don't have to feel bad for using it either, that's the whole point, I made the case for you, it is on my behalf. Besides, seeing the look on your face when you taste it would be more than enough to make up for it."
"Is it really that bad? I thought it would just taste…chalky. Ground up nails and teeth shouldn't have too much to them." Setsu was slightly surprised, but intrigued all the same.
"You'd think, but once they also shove in all the herbs and extracts and such, it definitely turns into a…unique taste." She grimaced, although finding herself stifling laughter at the thought of Setsu imbibing the acrid medicine.
As the two continued their meal, Kyuuki slowly began to drink heavier despite Setsu's recommendations against it. True to her vitality though, even though she seemed to drink enough to thoroughly intoxicate three people, she only seemed slightly buzzed.
Finally finished eating and departing the restaurant, Kyuuki supported herself against the towering Aburame as they walked back to their house. In a tone that was almost imperceptible, she mumbled, "I still miss Garyou sometimes. I know why she did it, but I wish she was here to drink with us as well."
Setsu could only take a deep breath, feeling a burning pain radiate through his left hand as memories resurfaced.
"I know. I miss her too."
So, tomorrow was the big day, huh?
Tomorrow, she'd be assigned to some useless team with some teacher that she bet wasn't even much better than herself and be told to work together on useless tasks. Considering her class, there were very few people she truly considered capable of not being a weight that would drag her down.
But they would still be a useless chain nonetheless.
The unruly black hair of Yasu Chinoike seemed to sway from side to side with every step, giving glimpses at her piercing crimson eyes that seemed to shine in the dark of the night that she wandered through. Streetlights illuminated her as she walked through the districts where shops slowly closed up.
Reaching into the pocket of the decorative cloak draped around her shoulders, she pulled out a cigarette and placed it between her lips before also grabbing out a lighter. Struggling to ignite it a few times, she finally brought the flame to life and held it close to the cigarette, its warm glow radiating off of her pale skin.
However, just as she pulled her hand away, a nearby shopkeeper quickly reached out and snuffed the burning end of the cigarette. "Young girls shouldn't be smoking, it'll ruin your skin!" She cried out as Yasu continued to walk without hesitation.
The people here were so uptight compared to Ketsugakure. Heavens forbid a girl simply indulge in some vices. In Ketsugakure, they didn't care if she smoked. They didn't care about much there, which was especially different from here.
Here, people got their feelings hurt so easily over the slightest things. You point out a person's flaws that they should work on so as to not be a hindrance to others or to themselves and they start crying or getting upset about it. Back home, they'd just get to work on fixing it or tell you what your own flaws were. It worked. In her opinion, it made everyone a better person.
Shaking her head with a half-smile still upon her vacant face, she continued to walk through the district. Every time she attempted to light her cigarette again, another adult nearby would quickly put it out and scold her despite her lack of stopping to listen.
As her thoughts grew idle, it returned to the thoughts of tomorrow. No Uchihas. That was the only thing she truly cared about. If she had to be put on the team of some insufferable Uchiha with their weakness of volatile emotions, she'd consider packing up and heading back to Ketsugakure.
But even she knew that they wouldn't let her back. She was meant to be their little token piece to form relations with the village. After all, Ketsugakure was like a barely held together tapestry. Everyone had trust and loyalty to the village itself ‒ Well, mostly everyone ‒ but they often were wary of their trust and loyalty amongst each other. It made sense that they'd reach out to the political powerhouse known for their relations to other villages in order to attempt to build some form of diplomatic union.
She didn't care about what Ketsugakure truly wanted though. The way she saw it, this place was perfect to use to continue getting stronger and testing herself. More than that though, this place was full of bohemian individuals that intrigued her and gave her a view into the discordant reality so many of them lived.
Slowly stalking through the dark, her feet moving lazily and without a sound as she continued through the shutting down district, her eyes moved to the stars above. The village was steadily becoming quiet, it would soon be just the right atmosphere for her walk. The night sky was dotted with clouds that occasionally darkened the area and took away the luminous moon, but that only made its return all the more appreciated.
She hoped that the buildup of clouds and storm systems lately would finally culminate in a truly disastrous tempest, if only for the nights spent listening to the raging weather. It seemed unusual though. It was normal back home for there to be particularly wicked storms due to being so close to the Land of Lightning, but they were far from that here. She couldn't help but feel there was something more going on with it.
Eventually her feet had carried her far from the stores and restaurants, leaving her on an empty path near one of the many parks in the village. Aside from the light from the night sky, she was accompanied by the occasional street lamp that provided a dull citrine glow.
Finally, she was in the environment she preferred. No one was around, it was just herself and her thoughts. Pulling out her lighter, she rapidly attempted to spark it to no avail. Had it really been so low on fluid? She was normally better about paying attention to those sorts of things. What a shame.
Oh well, she was no stranger to carrying around half-smoked cigarettes in her mouth after being here for the past two years.
Continuing down the path, she watched as moths flocked to the lights and to the various nocturnal-blooming flowers that relied upon them for pollination. Such simple creatures. It was absurd to her that there was a clan here that relied upon them as their primary form of combat.
At the same time, she couldn't exactly knock it considering they were immune to genjutsu, which gave their users an edge against her. But that hadn't been enough yet to beat her. That honor was bestowed to only one kid in her class. Arrogant and consumed with some social hierarchy that she still didn't fully understand, but at least he wasn't some falsely modest faker.
On the very first day she showed up, he told her exactly what his deal was, and why he was challenging her. It didn't make sense to her that there was some social dynamic here that differed based on if you were born to a clan or to a civilian family, but what she did understand were his points that seemed to frequently fall on deaf ears to others. Those from a clan had countless teachers, scripts, people that could teach them how to use their abilities, unlike someone like him.
She understood that all too well, considering Ketsugakure was nothing but the Chinoike. Knowledge and skills were shared and added into teachings to better utilize their power. Even if they didn't outright share it, through observation one could learn a lot back home.
It had been the first fight she had ever engaged in that excited her to that caliber, to the point where she couldn't even be disappointed in herself for losing.
Despite delving into her thoughts, she became aware of another presence nearby. Focusing her eyes in the dark, Yasu immediately knew who it was.
The crimson geta clacking underneath him, that cropped opalescent jacket made of a material that resembled the scales of the creature he frequently summoned, and most importantly…
That ringed gaze that seemed to penetrate her soul.
Zennou Senju. Something about the boy truly set off her fight or flight response, yet her instincts always told her that neither were the correct option to do.
Unfortunately, he had spotted her before she had seen him, so there was no escaping this conversation.
"Ah, Chinoike Yasu, are you also stargazing at the vast endlessness of the universe?" Zennou spoke in a soft voice as he came to a halt in front of her. "It is a perfect night for it. The presence of the clouds helps to remind us of our tether to the earth. Our souls can soar but are still kept close by."
Yasu stared blankly at the ever-musing boy. "Something like that, yeah. I like going out when it's nice and quiet."
"I understand all too well." Zennou smiled warmly, gesturing to continue walking as he joined her. "I've always enjoyed the primal nature of night. Perhaps it is due to it being the natural state of existence, with the stars being an oddity that provides light so that we may live."
"Or maybe you just like the quiet too." Yasu spoke dryly as they walked. "Why do you talk like that, anyway? I mean, you have to know it isn't normal."
Zennou slowly nodded as he looked over to the slightly taller girl. "You're correct. However, it is how my thoughts are worded and sound in my brain, so that is how they come out. I do try to sound normal, but it is often more futile than not. I hope being placed in a team will provide the buds of my dialect to bloom into a more understandable flower."
A scoff escaped Yasu as she rolled her eyes. "Tch, you don't need a team for that. You can learn that for yourself without having to shackle yourself to someone else."
"Perhaps, but a diverse root system works best with differing depths from multiple species." Zennou shrugged. "You have a cigarette, but it is unlit. Why?"
"Because my lighter is empty, and everyone kept putting it out when I had it lit." Yasu let out a deep breath of annoyance as she once again chastised herself for being stuck without an active cigarette, especially in a situation like this. "Before you say something about, "The ashes of such a thing will cloud my youth and vitality," I don't care. It gives me a temporary calm and clarity."
Zennou once again nodded, his smile still present on his face as he held up his hand. "I could light it if you'd like."
"Oh." A genuine sense of surprise washed over her. She truly hadn't expected that, but it was a welcome surprise all the same. "Sure, if you want."
As she cupped her hand over the cigarette to protect it from the breeze, Zennou brought his thumb up to it as well. Exerting just the slightest bit of chakra, he caused a spout of fire to ignite from the digit.
Pulling her hand away, Zennou also stopped expelling the thin flame, the both of them satisfied as she took a drag. Letting out a cloud of smoke after holding it for a moment, she cast a glance at the strange boy, a half-smile present on her face. "Thanks."
She couldn't lie, it was still amusing to her that he was here in the first place and actively helping her to smoke when most others considered it such a heathenish activity for someone her age. Even though he was a child of one of the former leaders of the village, he wasn't uptight, which was a plus in her book. The children of the elders back in Ketsugakure were a pain to interact with.
"It's no problem." Zennou stated, his hand still in the position of a thumbs-up as they idly wandered.
Unexpectedly though, Yasu slowly reached over and bumped her fist into his. When she did, however, neither of them quite understood the flash of imagery and feelings that seemed to rush through them.
A message to "live free of chains," a sheer detachment from the world in response. A community of loyalty yet never feeling any loyalty from them. Eyes watching, whispered words, worries festering. A rebellion against the uniformity of the clan and village, being one's own being and identity.
But how lonely it all seemed to him. How enchained it felt to the very ideal to stay away from chains.
Yasu, on the other hand, felt something far more uncanny. Whatever she felt from him in that moment felt ancient, far past their time. Then darkness. A never-ending darkness. A desire for closeness. A desire to help in every way possible. A heavy weight upon the shoulders, but a feeling of purpose.
Yasu reeled back as if stung, her face one of disgust as she tried to comprehend what had happened from something so miniscule. "What the fuck was that?"
"I'm…not quite sure. Perhaps it was an exchange of our chakra, allowing us to better understand and see into the aspects of one anot-"
"Don't ever do that again." Yasu's voice was sharp and laced with venom. "I don't know what you saw, but you don't understand. You're going to try to assign some meaning to something, and let me tell you, it's not there."
Before Zennou could respond, Yasu had already continued walking ahead without him. She took rapid puffs of her cigarette, letting the smoke out of the side of her mouth without removing the dart.
Just what had he done? And more importantly, she could only dread that he'd try and make something of what he had seen.
Even more, she dreaded thinking of just what had he seen?
Thank you all for reading the newest chapter! This is just a nice little introduction to some of the characters that have already been accepted, but are not all of the characters that have been accepted! To those of you still creating characters, reach out to me please so I know you're still planning to submit!
I hope you all enjoyed the newest chapter, and hope I left you with a burning desire to learn more about this bizarre world and departure from the canon world!