Get a Clue [ANBU/Guardian Exam]

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]As expected, Mizuno did not take the enote on her face very well. Her squirming worsened to a point where Chi started to worry that she might hurt herself. Her emotionless face did not falter, she gave the woman a moment to maybe give her something of use. Also as expected, she had something she was withholding from them, for obvious reasons. Chi couldn't be mad, though she didn't know what it felt like to love a sibling (since her brother almost killed her a couple of years prior) she figured it must be hard on her to love her so much and have her threatened.
"Mizuno.. Calm down." Her voice stayed steady, she had something of use now. She didn't need the uncharged enote anymore. She pulled it off her face and placed it back into the formation of the bow. "The e-note was never charged, you were in no danger. I knew you were holding something… Well I guess I didn't know, but I had a feeling." The young girl rummaged through the maid's apron for a second to search for the note. She found it and pulled it out to read. After reading it her hands began to shake. It wasn't fear that created the shakes, but anger. To think someone within her village was capable of doing such a thing. It was the world they lived in. This was why she needed to become a guardian, so she could protect people from people like those who did this horrible act.
"I'm sorry, Mizuno." She wanted to say more, but that's all that would come out. She had to take a breath and regain her composure, she couldn't burst out in anger. This was not the time. She'd get her chance to let out her emotions later, when they weren't trapped in this building for their exam. "Mizuno… Is there anything you can tell me about the person or people who did this?" She wasn't sure if the maid could answer her, but regardless she had something to report. For the time being she would head to where Megami and Souji were standing and hold out her hand with the note in it. She had ended up crumbling the note a bit, but it would still be legible.
"Mizuno had this on her, I'm not sure how much of that you heard but she claims she only put a sedative into the countess' drink. She claims she had no knowledge of the plot to kill her, she was just trying to save her sister." If they took the note she would place a finger on her bottom lip and look back at Mizuno. "But if it truly wasn't her who killed her, then who did? We need to find out before something bad falls upon Mizuno's sister. If it was someone in this room, then they might already know that she's spoken."[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 485[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kimi]

Kimi couldn’t understand any of it, at a base level. The habits and actions that Kyosa claimed were typical and expected of the noble class seemed completely foreign to her. That would be expected, of course, seeing as she was far from noble herself. The ‘higher’ castes seemed much dumber than the ‘lower’. Then again, at the core it was all the same. Who can use whom to the best advantage? That was a familiar mindset to her. And she knew what sort of thought process that could lead to. There was a lot of ways to take that sort of claim. Kimi paused for a moment in her interrogation, trying to collect herself to best proceed, when an unexpected, and slightly worrisome claim reached her ear. Misuno was involved in all this. Of course. Kimi sighed, shaking her head slightly. What sort of world did they live in that people would resort to such things to get what they desire from others. She thought over what the maid had claimed for a moment, yet didn’t let any indication of her having heard it show. She had a job to do. And Kyosa was still somewhat suspicious. If only because he talked strange and didn’t make much sense. And he insulted her. Nobody gets away with insulting her. She was going to get him back for that…it was just a matter of waiting for the proper time. And now wasn’t that.

So they knew Misuno had done something, put something in the Countess’s drink, but that didn’t mean she killed her. And the fact that someone had been blackmailing her into doing it meant that she wasn’t truly to blame in this. If her claim was true. And Chi was certain to find out one way or the other. If it did turn out to be true, the question then became, who is blackmailing her. From the sound of it, there were plenty of people who wanted the Countess dead, at least there could be. But, plenty of people were not around when the situation happened. No, only those in this room were there. So that is what Kimi had to work off of.
”And what do you stand to gain from all this?”

[mft]

 

[Keigo Oen]

"Eh...", Souji nodded and continued watching along as he would gaze from student to student, he would notice Mizuno flipping out even more but calming down Chi grabbed something from her pocket and brought it over to Lightning and himself he'd take the note before reading it over and his eyes would widen as he'd look over to Mizuno. Then handing the letter to Lightning, "This is serious...", his shadows would grip all of the people tighter before he'd look to Lightning, thinking to himself wondering what was going to happen and if she knew something they had to end this now before more lives would be taken.

[Short post be short]

 

[Mienai]

Sitting in her chair, practically in shambles, Mizuno cried and sniffled and coughed she was sobbing so hard. As the note was removed she felt the tension in her body release and she slumped back trying to calm her breathing. The relief she wasn't going to die making her feel at least somewhat better. Mizuno just nodded to Chi's apology. In some aspect she suppose she understood, but she had done all she could. Mizuno tried to keep as quiet as possible, with quiet sobs leaving her body. "I don't...know anything...more. That note...and the sedative...were sitting...on my dresser...this morning." She sniffled and looked up at Chi, sadness in all of her expression. "I just want my sister back, and to go home" Mizuno dropped her head again and remained silent. Chi left shortly after which allowed her some time to calm herself.

---

Seeing Chi head back over, Megami folded her arms, wondering what information Chi had, given her slightly harsh interrogation. She didn't completely agree with the methods, but if it got the job done and no one was ever in danger of being physically harmed then it was progress, and progress gets you placed. Chi handed her the note, and she read it over as Chi gave a synopsis of the information. "I see. Good work, Chi. We should be able to make something of this. But now we have another life in danger, which means one of the two Kimi and Kei are working on will need to have their arms twisted a little harder. You can remain here or assist one of them." Megami placed the note inside of a pouch and turned to Souji. "The Countess's drink should still be on the table. Analyze the contents and inform me when you have the information. We'll need to confirm her story." She gave the order to Souji, expecting him to be able to fulfill it efficiently. Megami looked over to the other students wondering how well they were doing at acquiring information.

---

The blonde noble shrugged his shoulders to Kimi, but a smirk remained on his face. It was almost like the man remained far too cheeky in light of the circumstances. He had the air of a noble and the behavior of a Cheshire cat. "My poor flower still has a male heir. You know what that means right? That means all of her estate and assets will go to him. The only thing I really had to benefit from is that my wife will receive more of my attention, which means she will be happy and then I will be happy. I am innocent in this whole situation." Kyoza continued to smirk the entire time, a small chuckle left him.

---

Ritsu lifted his head, staring at Kei. It was becoming tiresome that people seemed to be looking at the small parts of the bigger picture. "I had no reason to follow her. She's never paid attention to me, so why should I take an interest in what she does? But she did deserve to die, but you'd be wasting your time to press me for a confession when I've done nothing wrong." Ritsu's eyes noticeably shifted over to Kyoza, where the man sat smirking like the arrogant con he was. "Do you know what happens to me once you clear up the facts of this incident and place the blame? I inherit everything, but until I become of age in 10 years, I go into the custody of the person my mother arranged to be my guardian in case of her death. That person is that pompous man over there. And until I become of age, he is in control of the wealth. I'm sure all of this could be read in her will." Ritsu's expression still hadn't changed. He sat in his chair, still, like he had from the very beginning. A child that looked at the world as an observer.

 

[Keigo Oen]

"Alright.", nodding he'd wonder how he'd get the information he needed from the glass but there might have been alot more to go around with it. Thinking for a moment he could use a combination of things, but there was always a matter of spirituality that came to being a Guardian. Souji enjoyed it. It was the way he was raised. So it was something he'd grown accustomed to doing. The grips on the shadows were still ever tight, so he'd not worry as he walked closer to the table and to the glass. "Hmph.", holding his hand out to channel his chakra sense, he'd begin roaming a greenish light over the glass looking for any particles in the liquid that might have been charged to chakra. Then again, he might not have found anything.

In the case he didnt, he would form a few handseals to summon Kido the small black and white cobra, "Hello Shadow-san~ What can I do to be of service~", Souji only nodded and smirked, "Well, analyze this glass for any poisons, let me know what you find... but dont hurt yourself." nodding and if it would be so, Souji would watch the small poisonous snake go to work. If he found anything he'd point Souji to it and Souji would relay it to Lightning immediately. Otherwise... they'd continue looking. For something... anything...

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]It seemed that she was done with miss Mizuno. This was a good thing, Chi thought, as she was beginning to feel bad for the woman. Being threatened and having her sister kidnapped was an awful thing. Though that isn't to say Chi wouldn't have interrogated the poor girl some more if she felt there was more information to retrieve, so it's probably a good thing there seemed to be none. Now the question became what would she do next. Her part was done, she was glad about this. Though the option to remain there didn't suit her.
"Kimi," She chose to make her way to Kimi's interrogation, not because she liked her. She was still a little upset over her loss to the girl in the tournament, it seemed she was good at holding grudges for things that weren't that important. She made second place, she should be proud in that regard. There was just something about not being first that made her feel like she was last. "I know you have good hearing, due to your blindness. Have you heard anything of what's happened with mine and Kei's interrogation?" Her thought was sound, if she could hear everything that was going on around the room then she could use information from both interrogations still on going. If she already heard what happened with Mizuno then that would save some explaining of the situation.
"I'm not particularly interested in hearing anything from Kyoza just yet, I'm still trying to get over him groping me when the lights went out." She would shoot him a glare, wondering if he ever found out that it was in fact her that he grabbed and not the countess when this all began. It didn't matter, it was a simple mistake, but the way he talked and acted made it worse. "But we'll get to him for sure. One of these two is a murderer… Or maybe both. I'm not sure yet, either way I'm probably going to hurt this man by the end of this." She would sigh, wondering what crudeness would escape this man's lips.[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 353|MFT[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kei]

It was Kei's kob to be skeptical but Ritsu maintained his innocence regarding the murder of his mother. He also maintained his apparent utter lack of care about his mother's fate, not that Kei could blame him. Still as the boy finished speaking, he cast a noticeable sidelong glance. Kei followed his gaze as he began to speak, why was he looking over at Kyoza now? "It's my job to be thorough... to uncover the truth, many falsehoods have to be eliminated.

Ritsu spoke again, asking if Kei knew what happened to him with his mother out of the picture. Kei had only just asked him about the custody arrangement, so he hoped this was the boy's way of answering the question. Of course Kei assumed that as his mother's sole heir the entire estate went to him, but he wasn't old enough to officially take control so someone would have to act as a steward and caretaker of sorts. It was the third suspect, Kyoza, according to Ritsu. Kei allowed himself a glance at the nobleman as his mind tried to piece things together. Kyoza, with his foolishness and "harmless" advances, had gained the Countess' confidence enough that she would name him legal guardian of her sole heir in the event of her untimely death. As Ritsu himself had said that put Kyoza in control of the Countess' fortune until the boy came of age at which point... No if this was truly all part of the noble's scheme he'd never allow the boy to come of age. He couldn't discount the possibility that Ritsu orchestrated it all to get rid of his uncaring mother, but that suspicion was not enough to risk the boy's life on.

"I think, what happens to you now Ritsu, is that I remove you from mortal peril. I promise I'll do everything in my power to make sure you end up with someone who will care for you properly. With that, Kei warped back to the Guardian of Lightning to report to her before confronting Kyoza himself. He knew there was a chance Kimi would hear what Ritsu had said, and it seemed Chi had joined Kimi in interrogating Kyoza. He wondered what she had learned so far as he addressed their proctor. "Guardian-sama, it seems that Kyoza is Ritsu's legal guardian and controls Lady Shisu's fortune until Ritsu comes of age, we should locate her will to verify. I wish to help Kimi in her interrogation of him, if he is the killer it puts Ritsu in danger as well. Also... I'd like to personally request that in such a situation that Kyoza is responsible and Ritsu is unconnected to the crime... He deserves to be taken care of by someone who will actually care about him..." Kei wouldn't say more on the subject and he turned to warp behind Kyoza if his proctor instructed that he not interfere he wouldn't but he still wanted to watch, and at least to make sure Kimi and Chi knew what he'd learned.

The boy's loosened tie fluttered a bit as he seemed to silently appear behind the sleazy noble, with a half smirk he gave a quick wink to his fellow examinees before his face set into a serious expression. Quite an exam this had turned out to be.

[MFT WC=555]

 

[Kimi]

Things just kept getting more and more interesting by the minute. Things seemed to be reaching a stand-still with Chi, the firey girl having gotten just about as much as she could of use from the nervous maid. Kyosa was giving away far more than he thought he was, but most interesting of all was what Kimi was hearing, not from Kyosa, but from the child instead. So. Kyosa wasn't telling the whole story. That was to be expected. Of course, Kyosa had absolutely no idea what the boy was saying, let alone that Kimi knew as well. And that put her at an advantage. She heard the steps of her companion Chi approaching, and purposefully stepped aside. She stood just outside Kyosa's earshot, and listened to what Chi was saying. "Oh. I've heard all I need to know." she spoke at a near-whisper, just loud enough for the companion to hear. "I've got him now." she nodded, before signaling for Chi to stay back. She walked back over to Kyosa, and gave the most fake, ditsy smile she could manage.

"And of course, the fact that you are the boy's guardian until he comes of age is of no consequence, yes?" she tilted her head, giving off a very innocent feel to her. She then turned to leave, before pausing. Keeping her back to the despicable male, she spoke again. "The game's over, Kyosa. You might as well give up trying. Nobody's falling for it." Now, of course, Kimi never completely brushed off the idea that Ritsu or Misuno were lying, but she'd only get everything she needed from Kyosa if she acted as though she did. With one ear focusing on what Megami was doing, she awaited Kyosa's response. Of course, Kimi wasn't exactly correct in speaking. The game wasn't over. No, it had just begun.
[mft]

 

[Mienai]

With everyone having lost interest in seeking information from him, Ritsu was relieved he could finally sit and find some peace of mind. The boy was quiet, and devoid of emotion. He played his role, but did not so as anything more than the obligations he had been born into. Perhaps in another lifetime the boy could have been normal. Had friends, selected his profession, laughed and played as any child would. But, he was a noble, and he was always poise and proper, setting an example. He lived with a mind of logic, and not one where emotions or greed clogged his mind with ways to underhand the lower caste. And so the quiet boy would sit and wait for the justice system to do it's work. For while he cared little for his mother's passing, he did not wish for more poison to remain in this world. Ritsu knew that in the end he would probably be taken in by yet another noble, as that's how that usually worked, or perhaps even under the guard of one hell of a butler but that was neither here nor there. Still, in some part of Ritsu's cold heart, there was a twinge of happiness within it because of the boy's words. And a faint smile appeared on his face, but it was gone right as it came, as if never having been there at all.

---

As Chi ran off, Kei approached Megami, gaining her attention. Souji had ran off to do the check on her drink, hopefully having discovered that the drink was positive in the results of the sedative placed there. It would make Mizuno's statements check out, and most likely proving her innocence. Listening over what Kei had to say, she nodded. "I see you've also made good progress. Let's check this then, shall we, and I'll make arrangements after." From a bag, Megami removed a manila envelope, sealed. She unraveled the ties, and bent back the metal clips. "Every good investigator knows that in the case of an unexplained death, the Will should be the first to check. Taking note of any noted parties that could have been involved. I sought it out already, but have yet to see it's contents." Megami opened the envelope, and removed the slip of formal parchment. It wasn't excessively long, as clearly the Countess was keeping her wealth within the family. The clause about her untimely death before her son reached the age of inheritance mention the important bits. Her eyes scanned over it. "Formal statement, written, authorized, and signed by the late Countess Shizu, says "In the matter of my estate and fortune, all of my earthly possessions will go into the custody of my first born son, Ritsu. Should I die, before I can transfer the affairs, I place him under the care of my dear friend, Kyoza and his wife, whom will raise him and help him manage his inheritance before he is considered an independent." Seems he has more incentive than the rest." Kyoza would obviously be unaware of any of this that was said. But Kei would probably hear it, though it was only physical proof of what Ritsu had already explained. She waited for the students finished. All 3 were managing their focus.

---

Kyoza wasn't feeling any pressure in the least bit. He had this in the bag. No one would ever suspect him. Right? Well, seems the dude was in for a rude awakening. He looked between Kimi and Chi. They were kids, and the adults? A Cotton Candy Haired bimbo and her emo kink happy sidekick? So scary! Kyoza grinned. Nah, this would be easy. He should have done this sooner. Though the way Ritsu was looking at him made him wonder what to do about the boy. As he turned back, charm in place, Kyoza hummed to himself. "My dears, thank you for you dedication but you're talking to the wrong pers---" Kyoza stopped in his sentence. His face fell and he looked utterly shocked. But how! His face morphed into one of blinding rage, and disgust. "How did you find out about that. He doesn't even deserve her money. She was perfect. PERFECT. And she should have been with me, but she refused. For HIM. To take care of that piece of shit she calls a son. I could have had everything. Her. Her money. Her reputation. This should be my life, not that statue sitting in the chair. And the maid is no better. What did she say?!? I told her if she said a word her sister would be dead. I ought to break these binds and remove her from the hall closet to do just that." Kyoza suddenly threw himself forward, aiming to take out Kimi, but the binds restricted him and his face hit the floor. The hit suddenly made him realize what had came out of his mouth and it went blank. Kyoza tilted his head and gave a weak smile. "What I meant was...I have no idea what you're talking about?" A few minutes later, most likely after the students had reacted to the news, Megami approached the group. The kids had all done well. She crossed her arms and looked down at Kyoza, a disapproving scowl on her face. "You're going away, for a long time. Book him." From the sidelines, two guardians stepped in and cuffed him. As he was forcefully dragged from the room, kicking, screaming, and yelling profanities, Megami motioned for Souji to release Ritsu and Mizuno, and then follow up on her sister who Kyoza admitted was in the closet.

She stepped up and addressed the students now. "The exam has come to a completion. From here, everything will be handled by the higher authorities. However, you all managed to surpass my expectations, and I think that calls for an unexpected adjustment in the results. You performed with different tactics, level heads, and got results from it. You have proven yourselves worthy to carry the title of Guardian, with pride. As a Guardian, you are to swear by an oath, and participate in the ritual. Give me a moment to acquire a few items, as we will have to improvise the representation of the elements." Leaving the room, Megami returned a few moments later. On the floor, she placed a vase with flowers, a glass of water, a still hot coal from the fireplace, a fan, and her blessed sword that was illuminated with resonated light. For the representation of lightning, she decided to summon a lightning beast, that sat in it's place in the circle. It may have been a last minute improvisation, but it would suffice. Megami looked at the students and would gesture to the circle. "If you are ready to begin the oath, please step into the circle." It was rare that Megami saw the same kind of promise within these students as opposed to others. She knew they were ready. She would wait for them to react before proceeding.



[Yeah, I know, a lot is happening in this post, but I just decided to do all of it in this post since it's just a lot of little quick stuff. You can obviously pick and choose how much you react to in your post to what's going on.]

WC: 1172

 

[Keigo Oen]

Shaking his head as he watched Kyoza go on and on Souji would find the contents... shaking his head even more, what could this be... other than what he had thought. This guy had almost gotten away with completel murder and was almost able to pin it on someone completely different. "Aye, good job guys.", nodding he would leave his clone behind and release the bindings on Ritsu and Mizuno, before the Guardians cuffed Kyoza. Then Lightning would begin the ceremony to Candi-... No wait... They were becoming Guardians full fledged? Wow, Souji's mouth would drop a bit for a moment before catching himself. He was proud of them all, and this was going to be the turning point for them all. From Student to Chuunin. It was great.

"Congrats guys. You all deserve it.", nodding he would make sure it would be quite the scene if he was needed he would allow himself to be used, if not he would simply watch from the sidelines hidden in the shadows as he always seemed to do.

[Short post.]

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]Chi wouldn't get a chance to speak to Kyoza after all, which was good both for her sanity and his face. Chi had to admit, she was impressed by Kimi. Her super intense hearing could be useful indeed, but what happened next was nothing but a shock. Sure, Kyoza didn't seem like the strong willed type, but to blurt out everything like he did was a surprise. It was no surprise that after he did all that he tried to play dumb, but unfortunately he was already actually dumb so there was no chance of it working. Chi just stood there dumbfounded, wondering how someone so ridiculous could have done all those things.
"You are absolutely a ridiculous man, if a man you truly can be called, and to think you did this makes me that much more disgusted by you." Her fist would clinch, her rage fueling a fire in her heart. Luckily for anyone at risk for heat stroke, Chi did not actually burst into flames. She hurt though, and that is said in a literal sense. Like an older person suffering from pain caused by their veins, Chi felt a sudden heat rush through her system. Her chakra was burning her on the inside, and at the moment she chocked it up to her raging mind. Her desire to crush him was intense, but she stood there in silent anger without so much as an eyebrow shift or body shake. She was completely still and her face was hauntingly emotionless as she bent down to whisper into the ear of the fallen man bound on the floor.
"If this weren't an exam, I would hurt you for what you did. I would hurt you badly, potato-man." Still no emotion, not in her face or her voice. How much she had changed since the tournament would be apparent to anyone, even if they never met her before then. Just her general attitude and expression during her fights was enough to see that she was a normal kid before that. This thought crossed her mind as she looked at Kimi. As Lightning did her thing Chi couldn't help but wonder where she went wrong, or if she went wrong at all. All this training she was putting in would be put to the test someday, so maybe she should thank Kimi for beating her for first place. She wouldn't, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't.
"Kimi, it would seem this case is wrapped up… Good… Job." It was a start, in a way. She had no real reason for distain towards this girl but they were females and that's just the way it had to be until Chi curb stomped her teeth in with gigantic combat boots, +10 to crush attacks bitch. She gave a faint grin but Kimi wouldn't see it, but it wasn't for her. Chi didn't even realize it had happened, and it left almost as quickly as her admiration for Kimi came and left. No matter how Kimi responded, Chi would not get in anymore words before Megami spoke. Her words were sweeter than any gruel Chi would end up spitting out.
She told them the examination was over. Finally. However, Chi would find there was more than she thought she'd receive. It appeared as though they would be inducted straight into the ranks of guardians. They would swear by the oath as guardians did, and soon they would become what she felt was the next step towards Tsuchikage. No longer would she be a student, going to classes and performing potato ranked missions. She would be out there with the big dogs, howling at the moon and chasing criminals. Her future was coming quicker than she expected, but the rush was what she needed. The burning sensation seemingly caused by her chakra died down and now she felt a chill. A strange occurrence for the phoenix girl.
"What could my parents say about this, about this exam. I passed with flying colors, and yet I still feel like they will show nothing. Oh well…" Her thoughts were flooded with the thoughts of her parents for some reason. Her father, her "mother", and Kyoi. She hadn't seen Kyoi in a while, but she felt she would be proud. She looked over at the others and wondered about their relationships with their parents, and how they would react to the news that they were coming home guardians instead of just candidates for their new positions. No use thinking about it, her thoughts were crossed as Megami returned to the room with the items she sought. It seemed it was time for the ritual.
"I'm ready." She mumbled, never faltering in her newly developed lack of mannerisms. She would enter the circle. She wasn't nervous, no but she was indeed excited. She looked at Souji, but only for a moment, and wondered what he was thinking about all this. She didn't care what her parents thought, her mother wasn't even her real mother as far as she knew and her father didn't care about her, but for some reason she cared what he thought. He was an enigma in the back of her mind, and apparently also a butler on occasion. She didn't know how her future would play out, but she hoped it included him in it… Also a position as the Tsuchikage one day, but also him. Maybe as a mentor or a companion of sorts, she couldn't be sure yet. What she was sure of was that this was it, yo.[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 927|MFT[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kimi]

Huh. Kimi blinked a few times. That actually worked. Of course, she was hoping she would catch him off guard, force him into accidentally saying something that would reveal the plan. But this, this was more than she could ever have hoped for. He flat out admitted to it. Of course Megami also verified Ritsu's word by checking the will, something that soon became unnecessary as Kyosa admitted to it all. Kimi couldn't help but grin at it. Looks like she did well after...woah there! She stepped backwards as the bound murderer attempted to lunge at her. Souji's bindings held true, of course, so she was in no real danger. She simply didn't want to ruin her nice dress. She did, however, lean down to address him. "Not bad for one as 'uncultured' as myself, huh." was all she said before standing up and brushing off her dress.

With that taken care of, she turned to her companions. "Couldn't have done it without you, Chi. I was about ready to give up when you found that note. And you, Kei! If you hadn't gotten Ritsu to talk to you, I never would have known what to say to push him over the edge. This was a team effort." she nodded to the two of them, truly grateful to have them by her side. It was a comfort to have two friends like them beside her as they continued their path towards becoming Guardi-wait what? They were going to be elevated straight to Guardian? That never happens. Kimi's eyes widened in surprise. She turned towards Souji, listening for some sort of verification that she hadn't misheard. Apparently she hadn't. With a smile, she nodded, following the other female towards the circle. "Ready." she took a deep breath.

Guardian.
Wow.
Things were really starting to look up.

[mft]

 

[Kei]

So Lightning had already collected the will? She really was good, as could be expected from such a powerful Guardian. It seemed like everything Ritsu said checked out, Kei hoped things worked out for the kid. Every time Kei looked at Ritsu he saw another little white-haired boy sitting there ignored by people who should have cared for him, doing his duty and nothing more. Kei wanted to make his own path, he hoped Ritsu would have that chance too.

Looked like Kimi wouldn't need Kei's backup after all. As soon as she dropped the information Kei had gotten from Ritsu, the man lost it and confessed. Kei was taken aback by Kyoza's words, the pure venom and evil in his voice were things Kei hadn't been confronted with before. He'd even gone so far as to kidnap Misuno's sister? He lunged at Kimi but before Kei could react Kimi stepped lightly out of the way, sending the restrained Kyoza crashing to the floor. Kei realized that he wanted to kill the man where he lay, it would have been easy to do it. His shoulder twinged as if in response to his emotions as he felt his heart rate rise. His shoulder ached and burned, urging him to give into his violent desire. The burning sensation receded as he brought himself in control of his thoughts. It wouldn't be right to kill him. If Kyoza was sentenced to death then so be it but revenge wasn't the same as justice. Kyoza wasn't worth it anyway. Kei wondered where those urges had come from he looked over at Souji again, did that mark have anything to do with it? Kei hadn't forgotten Souji's promise of answers.

Kimi thanked Kei for his part in solving the investigation, he shrugged modestly, unsure of what to say. "It was nothing special, anyway... He's a good kid."

With the initial shock and fury past, it dawned on Kei that Kyoza had, in fact, confessed. The case was solved and, with that, the three of them had completed the parameters of their exam. All that was left now was to wait for the results of their evaluation. Kei remembered that he still had to talk to Chi but before he got a chance to approach her he noticed the Guardian of Lightning walking towards them. Kei watched with a bemused expression as Lightning had the trash Kyoza dragged from the room. He deserved nothing less than prison, it was rather fitting too. After all, his "nobility" certainly wouldn't get him anywhere in the prison showers.

With that business out of the way, Lightning turned to address the students. For some reason Kei was suddenly very nervous. He felt like his molecules were about to vibrate apart to the point he had to take a breath to steady himself. He'd performed to the best of his ability and now all there was left to do was to wait and see if he had the makings of a Guardian initiate.

Kei's eyes widened slightly as Lightning spoke. They were to be elevated directly to fully fledged Guardians? It was almost too good to be true. Still, this was an unparalleled opportunity. Beyond that it was undeniable proof of how far he had come in just the last few months. Lightning finished preparations for the ritual that would make them into real guardians and gestured to the circle telling them to enter once they were ready. He looked at Chi and Kimi, this morning they were mere students and now they were going to be Guardians. With a nod he stepped forward as well. "Ready"

 

[Mienai]

One by one, each of the students entered the circle. Megami withdrew an ancient tome from a bag and started flipping through the pages. She stopped when she came to the one she had been searching for. Holding the book open, she looked up and met the gaze of each student one by one. "Now that you have all proven yourselves, it is on my honor that I induct you into the league of Guardians, that stand against Earth Countries enemies, and serve as vigilant protectors of our citizens. We are some of the many elite that go above and beyond our line of duty, even giving our lives, to make sure that those of the innocents are safe. Though our methods may vary, we stand strong, united by our cause. And it is with this oath, that we are blessed by the Old Gods, granted with their permission, to serve their people. Please repeat these next lines after me." Megami paused, flipping to another section. She allowed a large enough pause, for the students not to become overwhelmed, but also for them to not be rushed in the feelings of pride that surely filled them. Today, they are achieving something that only few ever step up to do. Clearing her throat, she began reading from the text. "I vow, to serve as a Guardian, a protector of the innocent. In the name of the Old Gods, I am their warrior, who will watch over their people with honor, integrity, and fair justice. If need be, I will give my life, if it means saving another's. Though I am human, with my own struggles, I will never falter in my duties, and I will realize that my burden is shared with many. Today I swear this oath, to stand among the many that have sworn it before. Starting today, I fight for a better future." Megami finished by closing the tome. Once the students were finished, if they were all to have repeated her, she would say the final part of the ritual, a simple phrase. "Můžete být požehnáni." After the words were spoken. A bright white light, would start to string together the items, forming a complete circle. The light would move inward, wrapping around each student like a warm veil. After a few moments, the light would fade away. The ritual would be complete.

Smiling, Megami would return the book to her bag, and withdraw three silver badges. She handed them to each student, and gave them some time to adjust to the newness of everything. "These are your badges, which identify you among the ranks as a Guardian. You must always carry this when you are on duty, and may be asked to display it from time to time. You are not to give it to anyone. Just as I am the Guardian of Lightning, and he is the Guardian of Shadows, you three, too, will find a title to be known by. Over time, you will learn more and do more. But for now, enjoy your success." Stepping back to give the students their time, and also knowing that pretty much everything was finished, Megami remembered something she had almost forgotten. Reaching into her bag one more time, she withdrew something else. Turning to Souji, she nonchalantly threw it at him. He had reflexes, right? "Shadow, catch." Maybe he would hear her in time. Or maybe it would hit his face? Who knew. But either way, Souji would most definitely take note of the platinum badge that was just given to him. With a slight smirk, Megami peered at him with the corner of her eye. "Congratulations, all of you." This would be said, obviously, to the students and Souji. He had earned his own promotion as well. And with that, she would wait for any questions, before simply taking off. But this was finished as far as she was aware.


[Exam Finished.]
[Kei, Kimi, and Chi promoted to Guardian Rank (Chuunin Equivalent)]
[Souji promoted to Elite Guardian (ANBU Captain Equivalent)]
[You all can go request your banners and stuff.]

 

[Keigo Oen]

Souji would watch on as the ceremony would continue it was amazing. He was proud of them all for their efforts and staying actively involved with all the twists anf turns they had to endure with one another with Lightning, and himself. They showed themselves and they would show the village what it was like to be true guardians. True to their grace and words. Once Megami was done he would nod and then turn away before heading out himself. He didnt want to get emotional right now but he'd definitely plan a celebration with them In the future. They would be moving up in the world. Souji was happy for them more so than himself. They had done something he'd never seen. And they would be the generation that took the ranks after people like Himself and Lightning were gone.

Then the silver badges all handed out, and it was time to make haste because the village still needed protecting. And with Souji and Lightning were gone for lord knows how long, but he would manage to catch Lightning's phrase as she said it coincidentally turning around and allowing one of his shadow tendrils to up and catch the item before it hit him. However, thats how it would've been if he had turned around moments before it clunked his head. Roleplay-ception. . . now with a huge bruise on his head he'd rub his head after a slight 'Ack~' leaving his lips, but the device was ultimately caught by his shadow lifting it to his face he'd examine it for a moment.

His eyes brightened, and he looked to her for a moment, before letting a huge breath out from his lungs. . . like a huge weight was lifted from him. "Děkuji Nokuzu ... Děkuji." muttering to himself before he'd nod to Lightning mouthing, 'You wont regret this.' giving a smile awkwardly but a smile nonetheless. With that he would not change what he did... it was time to work. He'd rest when he had an off moment. "Aint no rest for the wicked... Till we close our eyes for good...", nodding to himself he'd shift into his shadows before heading out of the area but helping out with clean up around the parameter. This was the dawn of a new day... The Elite Guardian Yukata Souji... Guardian of Shadows. . .

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]What Kimi said got to Chi, she was correct. It was a team effort between the three of them. They made a good team it seemed, but she wasn't sure what to make of that information. For now there were more important events taking place: The induction of three kids into the fantastic world of Guardianship. The very thought of it made her heart skip. As the ceremony began Chi felt another rush of heat flow through her body. It wasn’t any worse or any better than the last surge, but it worried her. She wasn't sure what was happening to her, but she kept her mouth shut and her eyes and ears open as Lightning went through the ceremony.
She repeated what she needed to repeat, and when it was all done she took her badge and held it in her hand. She would place it in her hair (yeah, that's right, deal with it she has no pockets). Then she couldn't help but wonder what her guardian title will become. Guardian of fire? Too obvious. Guardian of flames? Quite possibly. She was a phoenix through and through, though she wasn't sure on how much of the Kogane blood she actually had, she raised as one and she has a responsibility to hold true to the name. Perhaps now, with this badge, things would change with her place in the family.
Chi watched as Lightning tossed something at Souji, who caught it with one of his shadows. He looked at it for a moment and the way he did made Chi extremely curious as to what exactly it was. A strange urge to place her finger on her bottom lip overwhelmed her, making her look almost like a normal kid for a second. Sometimes her old habits bleed through when her emotions start to get touched. The look he gave Lightning, no matter what it actually meant or what it actually looked like, made Chi… Jealous? Though she wasn't able to process this emotion, she didn't understand it like the emotions she had for Souji. Though he seemed happy, and that was a good feeling. Unlike the flooding heat coursing through her body, which died down.
"Kei," As everything was over she remembered that Kei had told her he needed to talk to her earlier that night. "What did you need to talk about?" She had no emotions showing on her face, she left behind any thought of Souji behind. She knew if Kei, for whatever reason, had to talk to her it must be important. It wasn't like they conversed very often, in fact she had barely said anything to him since the tournament if anything at all. She truly hoped he didn't want to ask her out to a date, that'd be awkward. Sabaku might have a problem with that…[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 473|MFT[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kimi]

Kimi followed along with the ceremony, taking in everything that was going on. She took the badge in her hand, feeling the contours of it with her fingers. It was interesting, a new sort of thing that she wasn't all-together used to. "Thank you." she bowed slightly, her face bright with pride. She nodded to her companions as well, her own silent congratulations. then, her thoughts shifted. Oh yeah. She was a Guardian now. But...Guardian of what? Souji was the Guardian of Shadows. That made sense. It fit him so well, it was unthinkable that he could be anything else. But, what would she be? Guardian of Sound made sense, but at the same time, it didn't have quite the right ring to it. Guardian of Silence sounded much more...appropriate, at the same time it was filled with a certain irony. She'd have to remember to talk to Souji about that. For now, she was just going to enjoy the fact that she was a Guardian...

...but what would come next?

She really hadn't been prepared for this. Her big goal going through school was to one day earn her place among the ranks of the Guardians. But now what? What would she aim for? She could always try to get higher in the branch, eventually setting her sighs on Sennin, but was she really cut out for that sort of thing? Was she really that ambitious? She didn't think she could do that sort of thing. Be in the spotlight like that? Besides, she was only 13. She was far too young to be thinking about that sort of thing. She should just focus on the here and now. Focus on being the best Guardian she could be. To be any less would be a dishonor to both Lightning and Souji.

[mft]

 

[Mienai]

[Topic Left]

 

[Kei]

It was almost too much to take in. Kei’s mind whirled with emotions but, above all, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. After doubting himself for so long, he’d proven to himself that he could do it. He’d been training so hard that some nights he went to sleep feeling dead. But this was the test to see if all that paid off and he’d surpassed even his wildest imaginings. Lightning began the ritual, asking the students to repeat after her. Kei did as he was instructed, swearing his life to the service of Iwagakure. He tried to ingrain every moment of the short ceremony in his memory so that, when the light show began, he nearly jumped in surprise. Still as he stood there, joined with his fellow guardians, he felt a strong sense of unity and duty that stayed with him even as he received his badge.

Now they were officially guardians. It struck Kei that he had no idea what his guardian moniker and that such worries seemed incredibly silly at that moment. He looked to the other graduates, wondering if similar thoughts were going through their minds at that moment. Lightning congratulated them again and Kei nodded his silent thanks, lightly squeezing the badge in his hand as if to assure himself of its presence. He realized then that he had no idea what to do next. The challenge had been to be worthy of joining the Guardians. He’d thought that, even if he passed, he’d just have to start training to become a full fledged Guardian. That step, as it so happened, he’d managed to skip in its entirety. So the question was what to do next? It was obvious he’d have new duties to perform as a Guardian and he’d have to train hard to keep up with the strength and skill of his new peers but he wasn't sure what came next. Attempt to climb further up in the ranks of Guardian? All he knew was that he had to continue to challenge himself, the rest he could think about later.

Before Lightning left she tossed something that looked like the badge Kei held to Souji, only this one looked to be platinum in color. Had Souji been promoted as well? Kei was glad for him. After all, he didn't dislike Souji, just thought it was bad form to go around leaving tattoos on young boy’s backs without any explanation. But Souji had promised answers if he came to the exam, Kei just hoped he made good on that promise soon. Speaking of unfinished business, Kei still needed to talk to Chi about those monks.

As if on cue, Chi approached him to ask what he needed to talk about which was nice because Kei wasn’t exactly skilled at starting conversations. He looked around the room, there was a chance they’d be overheard by Kimi or Souji but he hoped they’d be too distracted to really pay attention. ”Hey, congratulations. It’s crazy isn't it, getting a double promotion? You did great, guardian today Tsuchikage tomorrow right?” He meant the compliment too, Chi was strong and driven, She’d make a good Guardian. ”We should spar sometime, give me a chance at settling the score from the student tournament.” Kei paused before lowering his voice. ”Speaking of the student tournament, before I passed out it looked like you were wielding golden flames. Well, I ran into a group of men the other day who said they were monks. They also said they were looking for someone with golden chakra. I think they might be here looking for you. Kei paused to judge Chi’s reaction before continuing. I told them to be at the temple next week. You can meet them if you want and if you want backup just say the word, I’ll be there. Kei finished, his expression serious. He wasn't going to let a comrade endanger themselves without at least offering some assistance.

[MFT]

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]The Order Comes[/size]"]Chi wasn't sure of what to make of Kei's topic of discussion. She knew she had golden chakra, but she didn't think anyone would come searching for her. She wondered if they knew the story about her family's ancestors and thought the legends were true. Perhaps they were true, and maybe the golden chakra did signify something of importance. She didn't know the story behind the golden chakra, all she knew about in this moment was her ancestor. So to her it was about him and her lineage.
"Men who say they're monks?" She thought for a moment, she remembered helping a few monks on a mission. She showed them around town but never got their names. Could it be them? "If they're interested in my golden chakra then I will meet with them. You may come as backup but I don't feel I'll need it." She wasn't scared of some monks, she didn't want to pass on this opportunity to learn more about her history. She knew there was more to this golden chakra than the color change in her flames. Perhaps these people knew the truth about her fire, and possibly why she felt the strange burning sensation through her body.
"I will meet them at the temple at that time, and Kei…" She would start to walk away should Kei tell her the exact time. "I would actually like it… if you came." She wouldn't look at him, she didn't want to admit she thought she might need help. She didn't have fear in her brain anymore, it was just fight, fight, protect the village. She couldn't afford to be afraid, or to show any kind of fear. She was worried, even if she wouldn't admit it. The heat that coursed through her seemed to be painful at times. She couldn't let whatever this was take her out before she could become the Tsuchikage. Perhaps she could learn… She held her fist to her chest and took a deep breath before continuing to leave.[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; WC:337|MFT|Topic Left[/size]"][/legend]