Exploring the Library [OPEN]

[Samsara Saito]

The exchange student from Kumogakure entered the Konoha library happily, so unlike the first time he went to Kumo's Bibliotheca Conscientiae. That building seemed more imposing, for one... but for whatever reason, Saito's normally cautious nature found itself overridden by the sheer pleasure of being in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. His sense of adventure lent him a brightness and boldness he may have otherwise not possessed as he enters and, seeking an available librarian or help desk assistant, he asks for assistance on understanding the library's system of organization, what section could be found where, et cetera... Along with whatever handouts and/or maps of the building the boy could find, he would take some time to explore the library, seeking to understand the building itself and to become versed in how to navigate it. Saito had come to find, beginning from his experiences with his first library at the monastery, that learning where everything was first tended to help speed things along later. Coming to know the librarians and assistants, Saito would offer his help should they need an extra pair of hands for anything, from simple to relatively complex -- he loved library missions!

So many books on so many topics... the boy thought as he made his way through the floors, walking through the aisles of bookshelves and reading some of the titles. Of course, the sections Saito particularly wished to examine -- Konoha history, demographic information, and jutsu (of course) had a breadth and depth that could keep the child occupied throughout his entire time here if he allowed such. The village's storehouse of knowledge knew fame throughout the lands -- and now the young student could see why. The number of books seemed to border on the infinite. And all of this is just the PUBLIC knowledge... I wonder what languages they speak here?

The 4-6" 9-year old exchange student, clearly from Kumo with dark skin and shaggy white hair, black shorts and a white t-shirt with the Kumogakure symbol emblazoned on the back, wandered from section to section, silently reveling in his access to such a resource of learning and study. Quiet as a ninja, his broad smile remained the only sign of his happiness as he otherwise successfully contained himself while sifting through titles and topics.

 

[Nakamura Junichi]

Despite having graduated from the academy, Jun found himself returning to it's library more and more frequently as of late. It was as if the large halls and cases of books were a haven for him, a shelter from the coming storm that was his life as a Shinobi. When he was in the academy he didn't have to do much and his family would have been proud. "My son the Ninja" his father would say. it was just enough to make the family proud, now he was a Genin though, his father's word carried a little more weight. He was a real ninja now and that came with responsibilities, responsibilities he didn't have a student, responsibilities he wasn't ready for.

As he leafed through a book, he wasn't entirely sure which, as his mind was too focused on his family, he spotted out the corner of his eye, a peculiar looking child. This was no leaf student, dark skin, shaggy white hair and a most obviously a shirt bearing the Kumogakure symbol made it obvious this child was a Cloud student. "What was he doing in Konoha" Jun wondered as he continued aimlessly leafing through the book. For a moment his attention had been shifted from his new duties and what they might be, to the stranger in his town. He dared not make a move but he was intrigued, so he kept an eye on him, though subtly so as not to arouse suspicion.

 

[Samsara Saito]

"Shinobi Arts: A Basic Guide to Physical Chakra," "Shinobi Arts: An Advanced Guide to Physical Chakra," "The Five Elements: Basic Topics," "The Five Elements: Intermediate and Advanced Topics," "Jutsu: An In-Depth Review," and "Konohagakure: Ancient and Modern History." You have a whole year here, the young cloudie thought to himself as he fought a desperate struggle to restrain himself to just those six books. They stacked in his arms almost as high as himself as he struggled, burdened, to a nearly-unoccupied reading area, the only other person there a kid who looked about his age with dark hair and goggles. About to turn the corner from between the bookshelves, another book several rows above the young boy's head, simply... tips itself out of its place on the shelf and lands neatly on the top of Saito's stack. One more book in the 9-year old's arms blocked his vision forward, momentarily startling him and causing him to freeze in place. The book's binding facing him, a new title had suddenly fallen in his face, written in some strange language Saito did not immediately recognize.

The boy tried to speak any part of the words now squarely in his field of sight, his voice low as he tried, with zero success. Its alphabet seemed different than anything he'd seen in the past -- not like Kumo's ancient vulgar tongue, nor like the language written in the treasure of the Kumo Queen. It must be some secret Konoha language... he thought to himself, any sign of his whetted interest on his face blocked by the high stack of books.

With his sight blocked, the boy couldn't use his eyes to make his way to the table he chose in the reading area -- but even this can be considered training, his father's voice strongly echoed in his mind, in response to the unexpected situation. The young cloudie calmed whatever nerves remained frazzled after the shock of the unexpected dropping of a book on him robbed his vision, taking a deep, quiet inhalation and exhalation of breath. He then calmly utilized his memory and other senses to determine his path before walking again, the whole event from book dropping to subsequent movement occurring over a few mere seconds. Nor did the boy err; his carefully chosen route guided him to where he needed to be quickly and without mishap. Quietly unloading the books on the table, Saito inhaled and exhaled again, mentally concluding his focus on the impromptu exercise.

Sitting, he reaches for the two Shinobi Arts books and opens the Advanced edition first. It's not long before he's opened the Basic version as well, and compares what he reads between the two side-by-side as he progresses through both.

I wonder how long that kid has been watching me? Saito thinks to himself after a while as he continues reading.

 

[Naragaki Sora]

Wandering in from the grounds outside, Sora openly gawked at the size of the schools vast library of knowledge. Everything from basic core class skills like mathematics and history, to ninja implicated knowledge, like jutsus and diagrams on how to move silently, littered every corner of the room. The library was beyond impressive, and boasted the splendor and serenity that one would not expect from a school library. Several other kids seemed to wander thought the shelves, grabbing books and scrolls as they saw a need for the topic, a few sitting off to the side on what appeared to be computers meant for research, although whether that actually what they were using them for was a different matter entirely.

Sora was so busy wandering about admiring the building, he forgot to watch where he was going, and ran right into a book cart, toppling it over and causing a large crashing sound. If it was possible to make silence quieter, it happened. Sora felt his face flush, his stomach drop, and his ears get hot, as embarrassment overtook him, and he apologized to the library assistant working the cart in such a quiet tone that it almost looked like he was simply mouthing the word 'Sorry' over and over. Overcome with embarrassment, he grabbed a book from the cart, not even bothering to check the title, just simply trying to make it look like that was what he was trying to do, instead of moronically wandering without looking where he was going, and sat down at a table off to the side, directly across from a young boy with white hair, and an impressive stack of books, one written in the old language, like their family record was written in. This kid looks younger than me, Sora thought, a hint of awe striking his facial expressions, Was he taught to read that language, too?

 

[Naragaki Sora]

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