Forming the future

[Maikeru]

Maikeru let out a sigh as he stood in front of Hyuuga Yuukio's office inside of the Hokage mansion. He wasn't expecting to have two meeting today, but, he guessed this was the price of securing himself a specialized team. In between his meeting with Takeshi and now, he had went home and grabbed his battle gear. His large great sword was strapped to his back, and his new light armor was spread around his body. He didn't think that Yuukio would test him today, but, it was better safe than sorry. Hesitating for a moment, he eventually knocked on the door.

"Hyuuga-sama." He said earnestly, crossing his arms behind his back again. "Requesting entry to your office. Lord Fourth informed me I should come see you about forming my swordsmen division. Said you will be in charge of us now, show us the ropes and all that."

With that said, he stood and waited. He had gotten use to doing a lot of that in the leaf military.

 

[Shirai Sadao]

The man hadn't had long to adjust to his new office before he was already receiving visitors sitting up in his chair and leaning onto the desk. "Enter." It was all that need be said a chair had already been prepared in advance of the young man's arrival and the Hyuuga was interested to hear what Maikeru had to say. He didn't know the Uchiha at least they hadn't had a meeting that was all too memorable if they had. The office itself was as one would expect, clean and rather in order, the only things really standing out being an old set of robes hanging off the door and the various ANBU masks hanging from the wall.

Yukio couldn't have parted with them, for all he was no longer a member of the ANBU branch the memories he had were pleasant ones giving the request before leaving the branch to keep all his masks from AiT and beyond. As for himself, the man wore a rather formal Kimono pen perched neatly behind his ear the sword he was most frequently seen with leaning beside him against the desk.

 

[Maikeru]

Entering the office, Maikeru was surprised how sparse it was compared to Takeshi's. Well, that was to be expected in a way. Hokage advisor was not the Hokage, he probably didn't have access to all the cool toys he did. Regardless, he was a higher up, and the person he needed to impress for this squad to get off the ground, so he did his utmost to show the Hyuuga, and honorary Uchiha, the respect befitting of his position. Standing at attention, with his hands behind his back, Maikeru gave a nod of confirmation as he stood in front of Yuukio's desk.

"Thank you for taking this responsibility up, Yuukio-sama. This opportunity will do great things for the leaf village in time, I know it." With the pleasantries out of the way, he moved onto business at hand. He removed several folders from his back pack, before laying them on the Hokage Advisors desk. "Inside of those folders is all of the pertinent information on the three others I have decided to recruit in this squad. They are all currently academy students, though to my knowledge two of them are currently taking their genin exams. I chose those at the bottom of the totem pole as it were for a reason. The fact alone that I am in this squad means it is going to be a growing operation. With that in mind, I decided that higher ranks would come into this with an ego, with a feeling of superiority to their subordinates. That is not what I wish with this squad."

He paused, thinking of how best to word this next bit. It would be a tricky sell, but, he was confident in his plan. It just needed the right.. push to get Yuukio on board with it.

"This squad will not be a typical squad, in that it will never change. The team will not be switched up, and it is unlikely for new members to be added without intense vetting. This squad will be more like a family. A unit built on trust and mutual respect, which is an advantage we will have over the others around us. Every member of this squad should, and will, be willing to die for each other. No questions asked. That is what will harden us into a terrifying weapon for the leaf to wield. At least, one of the many things. If you wish, I can go over these files with you. I memorized them all in preparation for this."

 

[Shirai Sadao]

Listening to his words Yukio took a moment to ponder on what he had to say, shaking his head slowly before a sigh escaped his lips. "It seems you have thought this through to some extent however some of your words show your opinion of those who stand at the top. We didn't get here through lack of effort or honeyed words and do not take things likely though I see where you are coming from however." There was a pause as his eyes glanced over each file, most of those within he knew leaning back in the chair his arms folded.

"With this squad being what it is we can expect frontline duty more frequently than most, to that end taking in those without sufficient training would be a hinderance and this war could be over by the time it sees completion or has its members trained to the extent we would need. If you can speak on their behalf and tell me to what level they find themselves at this moment in time we can narrow down who would be capable of becoming a part of this team ability walks arm in arm with comradeship." His words were blunt as was expected an attitude he had shown during his time in the academy all the way to Hokage Advisor.

Taking a moment to ponder Yukio would be lying if he said he was fine with this turn of events for all those who trained in the academy together would find it easier to work in a team the fact of the matter was this would become an elite unit with time and not just a band of close friends playing Ninja. "This won't be something finalised here and now, however all who come into this unit must have a degree of combat experience whether that be through sparring with their peers or from missions given by the village."

Rising to his feet the man walked to a nearby bookshelf filled with files and information regarding those within the leaf village returning to stand beside the Uchiha throwing it down to where he was sitting prior. "I have some thoughts of my own on this matter, from this point onwards we would, in basic terms, be working for two areas of leaf considering how many individuals this will require it would be too much to ask them to leave their current branches. We will train together, Spar together, learn to synch our skills and progress however in times of need we shall fight as one, a Shinobi must be capable of working with anyone to some degree or another this I speak from experience."

He was interested to hear what Maikeru would have to say for all he was young a man had to be willing to see both sides of the coin to reach a resolution. "In terms of learning and experiencing how to improve your combat abilities I am proficient in slashing Taijutsu my sword, Shimofuri, has been a companion of mine since my younger days and what I want to know at the end of things is what are you capable of as of this moment Maikeru, if you were to rate your own skills as a Shinobi."

 

[Maikeru]

Maikeru sat in thoughtful silence at Yuukio's words. It wasn't anything he hadn't at least partially expected to be said. He shifted in his stance as he prepared to speak, his thoughts racing a thousand miles an hour. It was a constant reminder to himself not to be disrespectful. He wasn't Riku, he had to handle this in his way, which meant playing the game a bit. Give and take between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha.

"Well, sir, to address your first concern. This squad was not built with the effort of stopping the frost invasion in mind, that would be ludicrous for me to assume that we will be strong enough to do that given the progression of the event as it were. No, my idea behind this was for it to be a future deterrent. I am not planning for the present, I am planning for the future of the village. That is where my head is at now. We will continue to serve in our branches, and do our best there to end this event, and when it's over and the frost is naught but ash at our feet, this squad will come into it's own."

"If I were to rate our combat proficiency on a scale, say from E to S, there's a bit of variance in our abilities. I would say that myself, Reicheru, and Katsu fall on the low end of a B, while Danerisu falls into a mid to high C. That makes sense considering that Danerisu is the youngest of us, but, as a Nanjirou she has been training with a blade since before she could walk. With time, she will undoubtedly be one of, if not the most, proficient among this division. I can go to a bit more detail, if that is what you wish."

Maikeru walked to Yuukio's desk, and began to flip through the files he had organized. As he flipped through the manila folders, he spoke as each picture of the applicants were shown to both him and Yuukio.

The first is Nakiri Katsu. A boy with genjutsu skills that could rival any Uchiha, and I don't say that lightly as one from the clan. His unique style of genjutsu swordsmen-ship will tear at both the enemies mind and body, making him a potentially destructive force among us. He was my first choice, given these qualifiers. I also believe that a source of family outside of the so called 'academy crew' could give him a sense of belonging, and help him straighten out his behavior. This is just conjecture on my belief with what psychology we learned in the academy. I cannot confirm this to be true.”

“Next, are Saitou Reicheru and Nanjirou Danerisu, both have Nanjirou heritage inside of them. I think you and I can both agree than the Nanjirou breed some of the best swordsmen this world has ever seen, holding a blade is quite literally their birthright. That alone makes them opportune candidates for this squad. When you factor in the history that Danerisu and I have, being friends since before either of us wielded a Kunai and her being like a little sister to me, and the bond of friendship between Reicheru, Katsu, and myself, these are two individuals that will put their life on the line to protect their fellow swordsmen.”

He let the Hokage Advisor read the files, giving him a brief moment to absorb the information. Partly because he was proud of the filing system he had used in them, but mostly because he wanted Yuukio to have as much information as he needed to make an informed decision.

“Lastly, you have myself. I am probably the least qualified for this position I will admit. My swordsmen-ship revolves around using the burning intensity of the Uchiha’s will of fire to wear down and burn my enemies as they bleed out. Most importantly though, I love everyone of these people as family. I would do anything to protect them, which is the most important quality in a leader I believe.”

He stepped back from the desk, returning to his attention pose, with his hands folder firmly behind his desk.

"The most important thing for you to understand sir, is that this squad will not show dividends immediately. It's an investment into the leaf's future. I understand your need as the appointed leader to be wary of recruits, but, I do ask just one things of you sir."

This was where Maikeru paused the longest, biting his lip in thought. It was completely possible this would back fire on him, and he would be outright denied. If that happened, he would have no option but to walk away from all of this. It was a last resort, but, it was really the only chip he held.

"You may wish to add more swordsmen than what I intended, and that is your choice. However, I ask one thing. The four of us, I believe us to be the core of what this squad represents. Give us final say on any new applicants. Allow the four of us to have a vote on anyone who joins our squad. If there is no trust between us, and the new addition, I believe this will crumble before it is given a chance to blossom. I may still be an Academy Student, and I do not have the experience you have, but there is something I have that you do not. Trust. Trust of the other members. That is why I believe the Hokage named me second in command. I believe this compromise will be the best for the squad, that is all."

 

[Shirai Sadao]

Nodding slowly it was interesting to see the vision Maikeru had for this squad however as he was the current leader of this group there were times he had to put his foot down and others where he had to give leeway and at this moment it would be a mix of the two. "Your words have merit I have had experience with this academy crew in the past and I would be lying if I said I found their activities to be in line with the will of the leaf village." Taking a moment of silence his hand came up to his chin.

"You are on the right trail of thought however given direction and purpose he could easily find greater direction in those around him. As for the others I have little to no issue with them being a member of this squad the old must sometimes give way for the new however your final request is one I unfortunately cannot abide at this moment in time, however, this does not mean I am dismissing the idea." Opening the file and sliding it across he showed the file of Soku an old student of his and one who could easily fit in with the rest of the squad. "We will be a small elite group that much can be said however bringing in some of us seasoned veterans will assist in the process of passing our skills on to you."

Picking up his sword and holding it by his side there was much to be done for all involved however a vision was being built of what this squad would entail. "At the end of the day I have been placed here to provide my own guidance to you all and this is what I provide, we all have to experience things we may not like however trust me when I say this will benefit all in the long run. We may get to a point in the future where this group has no need for a distinct leader and finds itself capable of making choices as a group rather than the final say of the individual."

With that a foundation was made however there was one more thing on the mans mind and that was the Uchiha's abilities with the blade. "in terms of yourself I extend an offer, I can tutor you to better yourself in both Taijutsu and Ninjutsu as my style of combat incorporates both in equal measure. To that end I can extend that knowledge to all of you with time though having you here and now makes things simpler. If I were to give my honest opinion this will do nothing but benefit you."

 

[Maikeru]

Maikeru grimaced as Yuukio spoke. It was clear he had the best intentions, but he didn't seem to be grasping at the concept of this forming. His insistence on bringing seasoned veterans into the mix as members spoke highly of this. He closed his eyes for a moment, every fiber of his being forcing him not to throw the Hyuuga into a genjutsu that he would likely be able to shrug off as if nothing had happened. When he opened them, he looked to Yuukio and spoke.

"I understand your thought process, however, I do not think you are seeing the intention behind this group of swordsmen. It is not intended to be a group for those who already are seasoned with the blade. It is not meant to be a bunch of genin being carried through it by higher ranks. As a unit, we will train. As a unit, we will grow. From this growth, and adversity, we will become a chain at the foundation of the leaf that cannot be broken. This is a shown method of soldier conditioning that has proven results of creating elite units that by themselves could weather entire nations. You can look at history for multitudes of examples of this in action."

He had to stop to take a calming breath. His youth and pride were beginning to show, which was not something that would help either party at this juncture. There was a time to be prideful, and there was a time to calmly talk out alternatives. He felt now was the time for the calm route. As he spoke, he did his best to keep his voice level. To keep inappropriate inflections and anger out of the equation.

"Would it not be more appropriate for these veterans as you call them, to train us? To pass on their skills without making them a part of the unit? We have no problem with learning from them, that is a great opportunity given the number of skilled shinobi this village possesses. However, I do not think adding them to our ranks will be better in the long run. We can't learn to become reliant on them. It will do nothing but hinder our growth. If you want them to follow us on missions, and offer us advice and training that is nothing I object to. However, adding them to our numbers feels like a mistake."

He looked to the file shown to him, and he had to hide the contempt in his eyes. He had met Soku before. Someone who had stolen eyes from the Uchiha clan, and used their power to make up for her own lack thereof. Regardless, that was not the reason he had an issue with her.

"As for your recommendation, I can already see issues with Santaru-san joining the group. Katsu would have no trust for her. She has been one of the biggest opponents of the 'crew', and with him being one of the founding members, bringing in Santaru-san would do the exact opposite of what we wish to accomplish with him. I feel it would only push him further back towards them. Negative feelings are a powerful motivator. Hate, rage, pride, I'm sure you can agree with that. Having the person you are suppose to trust with your life being one of the few people who doesn't wish you to succeed, would that not make you angry?"

 

[Shirai Sadao]

They seemed to have found common ground however he could understand where the Uchiha was coming from the last thing they needed was people butting heads when they were trying to form a functioning unit, there was one more idea the man had in mind however if two veterans wouldn't work there was another method however there was one more thing to address beforehand. "Please remain calm Maikeru, I know this isn't the easiest thing to create however this is no small matter I'm sure you understand. There will always be a bit of give and take and to that end I may have found the solution."

Pushing himself off the desk he returned to his seat pushing chakra through his system in preparation for what would be done next. "All of you are to reach the rank of Gennin with your respective teachers, that way you are no longer students but have responsibilities of your own to attend to. After you have all graduated from the academy I will take you under my wing, all of you, if we are to work as a unit then we shall act as such and since I have been given the leader roll I will ensure to complete that to the best of my ability for the better of all."

It was a request that was logical, considering he would be with this group for the foreseeable future it made sense to take up the mantle in one way or another. "Through this manner you can ease yourself into the role if we have not achieved equal footing by the time you have all come to maturity you can take up the mantle in my place. You show promise, intelligence and talent this is not something to be snuffed at." Finishing gathering his chakra the man formed a series of handseals a large burst of smoke forming beside him before a creature stepped out glass like wings glinting against the sun coming through the windows as it tilted it's head between the two.

Spoiler

"This is not the battlefield you better have a damn good reason for summoning me here Hyuuga, I am not your pet to be given trivial tasks." It's voice was like the creature was chewing gravel a grinding that could make anyone shiver as it stepped towards the man. "We have no time for this Kānibō I need you to find some individuals for me and bring them here in a moment, do not be concerned about your summoning we shall spar later if your feeling that bloodthirsty." It's teeth chattered in annoyance but it submitted giving a tsk in response to the Sennin's words.

 

[Maikeru]

Maikeru didn't tell Takeshi that this was something that had already been promised by the Hokage, that eventually leadership would be given to the young Uchiha. The man was trying, and honestly, that counted as something in his mind. He took another deep breath before nodding to show his acceptance of the proposal. Worst come to worse, he would just purge the swordsmen when he came into the leadership role. Though, he had hoped Yukio had enough sense to bring in people who would at least mesh with them. Morale and mental status were important bits for this unit, it was the metric on whether they would succeed and fail.

"As you wish, commander." He said, giving a small bow. "As long as you keep what is best for this squad, and nothing else as your top priority then we should have no issues. Though, I would like to believe you are the type of leader who can listen to the concerns of his second, and heed them. As adviser to the Hokage, I'm sure you can relate heavily to that sentiment."

With that said, there were still some reserves about this formation. At the least, he would see how it played out. He still had options open to him, though, they would greatly disrespect Yukio if he was forced to use them. He hoped his comrades would hold the same optimism about this. He had little concerns about Danni and Reicheru, one viewed him as an older brother type figure, and the other was very level headed. Katsu, however.. he was a wild card. Some of these decisions could push him away, he had high hopes for him though.

"I suppose we shall wait for the remainder of the squad, then. Though, there is another matter. Passports. I was told to speak to the sennin in charge for this matter. I wish to travel, learn sword and blacksmithing styles from other lands. Ideally starting with the Samurai of the land of snow, I feel we can learn a great deal from the originators of bladed combat."

 

[Shirai Sadao]

Sliding the files of the team over to Kānibō before nodding to him the summon simply nodded before exiting out the window with a flicker of his wings before the Sennin turned his attention back to Maikeru. "You need not concern yourself with my intentions this squad is a good chance for you all that is not something to turn down lightly, If any of you have anything to say regarding what we do I will be more than happy to hear it." Sighing slightly the man's mind wandered to the individuals arriving moving to the door and calling down the hall.

"A few more chairs for the room, I will be having more visitors." With that Yukio kicked the door closed with his heel, hearing Maikeru's request about passports there was a moment of pause crossing his arms and thinking for a moment before nodding slowly. "Once we have shown we can function as a unit without issue I would be willing to grant this request, being given a passport to travel is no small thing as when you are out there your actions reflect the village. Though you seem to be the kind of person who wouldn't give us cause for concern I'm sure you know who out of this squad I am referring too, do not get me wrong with time we will come to gain the trust we need but first I would like the peace of mind knowing non will act out in a manner reflecting poorly on the village."

With that he retook his seat pondering for a moment what the first steps should be and what they should do in the future being the Hokage advisor it would be a matter of time, how long could he leave the village or should he wait and see the growth of each member before making decisions. "In terms of who I recommend the Nanjiro clan are masters of the sword however if you truly wish to broaden your horizon's speak to those with talent in the art of Taijutsu as most use more than you would expect. For example, before you came here I suspect it never occurred to you that i am as proficient with the sword as i am with my fists"

He sought to expand the young man's horizons for all he had many good ideas and was not afraid to put them forward at the end of the day he was still young and had a long way to go before he'd even seen a small portion of what the world had to offer. Each step would be taken with care but not so much any of those who joined them would be hindered by the act of joining this squad.

[Summoning Saitou Reicheru]
[Summoning Nanjirou Danerisu]
[Summoning Nakiri Katsu]

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Not her usually cheerful self, Daenerisu nervously walks down the large hall towards Yukio’s office. As an academy student, it's not everyday that she gets summoned to someone as important as the Hokage’s advisor, let alone by some type of monstrous insect that looked like it could swallow her whole. Luckily, the creature relayed the summons and immediately left, so she didn't have to deal with it long. She had quickly changed in a simple, but clean dress. Her hair is pulled back into as neat as a bun as she ever managed; it is still pretty messy. Her father's long sword hangs over her shoulder on the back. As she walked up to the door, she stopped and stared at it. Straightening herself up, she flattens her clothes and slides her hand across the hilt of the sword. Feeling a rush of confidence, Danii knocks on the door, waits a moment, and enters.

“Nanjirou Daenerisu. I was summoned.”

She gives a polite bow to Yukio and glances around the room. First noticing the simple decorations and the masks on the wall. When she spots Maikeru, she gives a confused look followed by a big grin as she relaxes a bit knowing her friend was here.

 

[Saitou Rei]

"Well that was unusual," Reicheru said with eyebrows raised and lips tight as she spotted her friends. Reicheru had been training at home when the… whatever it was arrived, demanding her presence at the Hokage mansion. She had gone immediately since her home was a hike from the mansion, and her mop of dark hair stuck to the nape of her neck from perspiration. Certainly not an ideal situation, especially considering she was totally in the dark as to why she had been summoned.

Realizing her manners had failed her in the midst of her confusion surrounding the situation, Reicheru threw her hands to her sides and gave a deep bow. "Saitou Reicheru, sir. Reporting as instructed." Straightening back up, she resisted the urge to request a reason for the meeting, trusting it would be explained to her in due time.

 

[Imaya Kuza]

If he were to be honest, Katsu had enough of being summoned through this or that means. Why can’t people just send it down the grapevine, or go themselves? He understood, fundamentally, that things were more efficient this way for most things, but it was all so… impersonal. He disliked it. Everything, to him, was personal. The very idea of not taking things personally seemed strange to Katsu. Why shouldn’t he take something that’s happening to him personally? Perhaps he won’t be offended by every little thing, but there’s no reason he shouldn’t be if it is indeed offensive.

To that end, when Katsu did arrive to the office of the Hokage’s not-really son, he was fairly annoyed. He saw Mai and Rei, and Daeni whom he only recently had met, though not to any reasonable depth to even call them properly acquainted. Still, it meant he wasn’t about to be shanked out of nowhere, like Nitish was.

“What’s this about?” Katsu asked matter-of-factly. As much as he disliked the current Hokage’s whole regime, he wasn’t like Riku to simply blatantly and openly insult the high ranks to their face, especially after Nitish. He was some semblance of smart, unless they acted cocky or high-and-might or some sort of self-righteous, the sort of fellow that makes an underdog’s heart roar. All the same, he had nothing against subtly and secretly insulting high ranks to their face, so that’s what he did.

‘Why’s this tool summoning me like this?’ Katsu telepathically communicated to both Maikeru and Reicheru, linking their senses and minds to his own with little effort at all. Indeed, it could be said that such acts have become easier, almost natural to Katsu such that he found little use for physical exertion at all when his mind could easily pick up the slack. ‘And please don’t tell me we’re part of his harem now. One of them is enough.’

 

[Maikeru]

"Relax, Katsu." Maikeru said, responding to the link that had been formed between them. It was a surreal experience, speaking with ones mind rather than with his mouth, but, one that was quickly able to be adapted to. "We're not in trouble, and it was more that I summoned you than he did. I have a proposition for the three of you."

"Well, with all of us here, I think it's time we got to the point of this meeting." Maikeru said, this time aloud. He stepped forward, standing at the side of the Sennin's desk so that he could address the room as well as Yukio. "You were brought here for the purpose of starting a new squad within the leaf. This squad will focus on swordsmen skills and building a name for ourselves. The main reason behind my forming this group was to foster an elite squad within the leaf village that will act as a deterrent for future events like the frost invasion we're currently dealing with."

As he spoke, he looked between the three of his friends that were present. He had high hopes for this group, and if it killed him he would see it succeed. He paused for a moment, giving all of them time to ingest the information, to take it in and really process it before he continued.

"We will train together, we will grow together, and we will form a bond that will be unbreakable. We will live by the motto live as one, die as one, and that is to be taken quite literally. We will go where other squads cannot, because there will be no fear of working together. Now, of course, you can decline if you so choose, this is an optional task force. On top of your swordsmen responsibilities, you will be expected to continue your jobs in your branches. For the time being, Yukio will act as our liason and leader until we are able to stand on our own, and I will act as second in command. Is this acceptable to the three of you?"

Maikeru turned to look at Yukio, bowing his head slightly as if indicating that the room was now his.

"Apologies, Yukio-sensei. I may have given the whole speech you intended. Is there anything you would wish to add?"

 

[Shirai Sadao]

It seemed they had all arrived Kānibō returning to the room before standing by Yukio his vision drifting slowly between all those present. Even though they had only been in the room for a few moments their introductions were the first glimpse into their overall character the first two realizing where they were and showing the same respect they wished for in return Katsu on the other hand being very much himself showing nothing but contempt for his betters. As Maikeru spoke the Hyuuga had expected as much from him his sense of character being one that was straight to the point and willing to stand his ground in order to support his own views, never a bad trait in a Shinobi.

"It is as Maikeru says, you have all been brought here in the attempt to form this special squad a for of quick response unit you might say. Though i am currently in command of the unit should you all show good progress and prove you have the ability to govern yourselves this may not be the case in the near future." It would be interesting to see how each would react to this prospect though this early in development there was much to go over given what they would be doing.

There was a few things the Hyuuga wished to go over before anything else however though they would most likely have a few questions regarding this matter some things were better spoken sooner rather than later. "Though this is the state of things right now should there be a change of circumstances within the village then expect your own structure to change this can be anything from a change in the chain to command or the outcome of your own behaviors so please bear such things in mind whenever you seek to act as a unit."

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Danii listens as Maikeru and Yukio explain the purpose of the group. She grows excited at the mention of working on their sword skills together and begins to think about the potential learning opportunities that such a group would have. Danii turns to Maikeru and decides to get a little more teasing in before henis officially made her supervisor.

“You sure jumped into this sword thing since you made that blade! You better put in some training if you don't want to be passed up by me and Rei.”

She turns her attention back to the group as a whole.

“This sounds like a great opportunity! What kinda training would we be doing? Would we have the opportunity to travel and learn other styles and techniques?”

Danii looks at Rei with a big grin. This might provide the opportunity to travel to their birthplace like they had talked about.

“I would love a chance to visit the Nanjirou homeland. It would definitely help us if we learned more about where our family techniques came from. And I'm sure Rei would agree with me on this.”

Danii finally turns to Yukio and acknowledges the leader of their fledgling group. She notices the warm glow his byakugan eyes give that stand out from the rest of his features.

“I look forward to working with you, but may I ask one question? I assume if you are taking on this role that you are trained with the sword, but I thought the Hyuuga were known for their unarmed combat. Did you seek out another path of your own?”

She gives Yukio a look of curiosity while she waits for his answer.

 

[Saitou Rei]

It took all of Reicheru's composure not to shake her head at Katsu as he complained over their mental link. Similarly, it was hard not to look at him and Maikeru as they talked - thought? - privately, not wanting to be rude toward those who weren't linked up. Thankfully when Maikeru addressed the group he got straight to the point, as usual. The topic was certainly intriguing to the young Nanjirou, and suddenly the odd assortment of people in the room made more sense. Well, at least until Maikeru used the word 'elite'. She took a glance around at their group; all young and all still academy students. As she listened, the concept made sense - she'd heard of it being used in the past to create similar groups. The idea that she would be invited into one had never crossed her mind, and so she stood quiet for a few moments as the information settled in.

Reicheru smiled at Danii as she mentioned the possibility of traveling together, nodding to confirm that she thought it was a good idea. She looked between the members of the room again before her eyes came to settle in the space between Yukio and Maikeru. A mixture of excitement and uncertainty welled up inside of her as she considered the weightiness of being asked to come into something like this at such a young age, something that would certainly forever define the shinobi path she walked. Finally she lifted her gray eyes to meet Maikeru's. "I think it's a wonderful idea for the village to develop something like this, and I'm honored to be asked to join and will certainly do everything in my power to live up to the expectation. In the little bit I've worked and talked with everyone here, I expect us to work well together and be able to make this a reality." She paused for a moment, considering Maikeru's comment on leadership of the group. It was interesting to her, that someone who only recently had begun developing his craft would lead in this way. But of the four of them, he did seem the most natural leader - she considered their fight in the forest, and remembered his resilience and kindness and charisma. She and Danii may be more naturally gifted, and Katsu more strategic, but Maikeru had the personality for it with the adaptiveness to back it up.

"Having said that, at this point there are still some of us that don't know each other very well. Assuming that we will be working together in some of the missions that are coming down the pike in relation to the growing conflict with Frost, we would need to know that we're all on board and begin developing this thing now. So where do we start?" Reicheru asked, eyes now flitting between Maikeru and Yukio, though at some point giving a sideways glance at Katsu awaiting his answer. He would certainly be a valuable asset, but remembering their punishment class with Kenshin she anticipated he may be on a slightly different page than the rest of them, though she hoped he would see this for the great opportunity that it was.

 

[Imaya Kuza]

All this time, Katsu was thinking. Thinking about the situation as a whole, and the components to it. It didn’t make sense that he was invited to the Hokage’s boy’s club, though that’s solved by the fact that it was Maikeru who was actually forming it, and thus who chose the members. The idea itself also made sense, from a tactical perspective. Something to show off strength. Strength was for fighting wars, of course, but it was a better use of strength if it could accomplish preventing wars instead. However...

“How about ‘no’?” Katsu asked flat-out. Everyone was accepting like it was nothing, like this commitment was a field trip. But such generosity, the altruistic attitude which the others approached the idea with, Katsu had none of it. They were doing what good shinobi would do, seeing an honorable or glorious position offered to them and jumping at it. But glory and honor were worth nothing on their own. “Sorry if turning this down isn’t what a good lil’ soldier would do, but what would I- what would we get out of joining this group? Where are our benefits? Other than having the ‘honor’ of serving under you, of course, Hokage junior.”

Katsu sat down and leaned back, balancing his chair off its hind legs. The boy, rude and small, hid his grin beneath a hand, watching Yukio closely now as he pressed a thumb against his hilt, ready to draw it on the drop of a yen. He wasn't one for pleasantries and was rather eager to cut to the chase of any conversation, wherever that may be.

 

[Maikeru]

Well, there it was. Maikeru let out an internal sigh as the moment he had anticipated came to light. He had always known that Katsu would be the one most opposed to this group, but, he didn't think that it would be this soon. Still, it wasn't like he could blame the younger boy. This group was dangerous, and there really wasn't a huge positive to it outside of serving the village. There was the recognition, and the weight being in a successful group like this would bring, but, that most likely didn't matter to someone like Katsu. He wasn't Maikeru, they didn't have the same goals.

"Katsu." He said aloud, turning to face the boy. "We're not serving Yukio, we're serving the village. This group is a way to protect the people we care about from having to go through another frost invasion, you're looking at this through the wrong lens. There are accolades, and promotions that can come along with being in a group like this, but I know those don't matter to you."

Maikeru paused again, thinking of the best way to address this. In the end, it would be the rest of the group to convince Katsu, and not Yukio. In fact, Maikeru anticipated Yukio's response to just anger Katsu further. This would need to be handled delicately, though the Uchiha wasn't sure exactly how to go about it. What mattered most to Katsu? He didn't think that was a question anyone could really answer, the young Yamanaka was quite the mystery.

"Look, you're not required to join this group. In fact, you can walk out of the door behind you and we will never ask you to join again. However, that's not what I want." He took a few steps closer to Katsu, looking down into the eyes of the younger shinobi. "I picked you specifically for this group because I trust you. I trust you to watch my back, I trust you to watch the backs of Danni and Reicheru. There's no one else in the village I would choose to take your spot. If you don't want to do this for the glory that it will bring to your career, then do it for this very simple reason. Your friends need you."

 

[Shirai Sadao]

It seemed each of them would have questions on what would be the next few steps and he would answer them in order his head tilting to Daenerisu and speaking in a calm and collected tone. "Training wise your main training would focus around you teamplay and blade work after all these would be the signatures of a sword based squad however we would also look at covering each of your own weaknesses giving you something unexpected that an enemy might not see coming." Leaning forward in his chair to lean on the desk it made sense the young Nanjiro would wish to visit the place the clan was born, to find out more about the culture and experiences that could be gained by doing such a thing.

"Such opportunities will come however bear in mind that crossing from village to village will be harder than it seems, the roads can be treacherous and we would do well to improve your base skills before moving out on such an en devour." Her next words made the Sennin chuckle slightly it was always interesting to see the reactions to his appointment to squad leader given the general understanding of his clan. "That I am, one of the greatest skills in a Ninja's arsenal is deception though most would assume I simply focus on Unarmed Taijutsu I am just as capable with Ninjutsu and Genjutsu even going so far as to take on the sage arts once upon a time."

It would set a good example going forward the fact that even though the base abilities of a clan can seem limiting expanding past those limitations to master things people might not expect was a threat all on it's own. Turning to Reicheru she seemed eager to begin but understood the implications of going out unprepared without knowing one another nodding slowly as she spoke before pondering on his response. "First off is getting you all working together, even if it should be time outside of missions and work the deeper the bond between you all the more trust you can have going forward after all the basis of teamwork is knowing those at your side can watch your back when the time should come."

Katsu on the other hand had other ideas though this was to be expected given his history in the village. "Ah the rebel always quick to jump to conclusions on how things will work though i thought you more understanding when someone who i assume you consider friend attempts to form this squad but apparently you would throw that back in his face just to spite me. At the end of the day you have nothing to lose from this, growing stronger, becoming a team, earning the trust and respect of the village as a whole tell me what negative do you see in that."

The man became silent for a moment as Maikeru spoke it seemed they had similar thought processes though very different ways of expressing it with the sole exception of the final statement. "It is as Maikeru says." Rising once more the man slowly paced round the desk to stand before Katsu piercing eyes staring down at the academy student. "You can take this offer and see what happens, or if you intend to act like this for the rest of your life simply walk out that door and do now waste anymore of our time with these childish actions, safe to say i have better things to think on than your antics though from you own actions you see a third option however i can assure you that would be a poor choice given where you are and do not misunderstand I have no problems stepping up a level should that be the path you choose."