Norin's adventure begins

[Norin]

Norin made his way up to the academy, and upon entering the door was surprised at the lack of other shinobi in training that were supposed to be there. His mother back in Maruishi told him to find the academy and become a protector of his village but how was he supposed to if no one was around to teach him. He noticed the floor was filled with dust, so there must have been a considerable loss of activity in there for no one to clean it. He made his way to the headmaster’s office, and knocked on the door, hoping there would be someone inside. He gave a loud hollar "

HEELLOOO" Unfortunately, no answer, there was however an energy still lurking around the academy. Norin could feel a weird vertigo, an eerie but happy feeling of a left over presence. As he made his way back into the main entrance he kneeled down in front of the door.
He closed his eyes, and pictured what it must have been like for the shinobi of the time to have practiced here. Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and the one he wanted to learn and was excited most about Ninjutsu. He could almost see the burning desires of the hopeful students and the ferocity of the teachers, the smell of hard work still lingered in the air. He also wanted to become a great shinobi, but alas he was stuck. He sighed with doubt, “How does anyone become a proper Shinobi when they can’t even find a simple teacher?” He murmured to himself while shaking his head. That’s when he had a great idea, find a teacher! Norin clenched his fist with motivation, and realized his silliness at the fact that he had not noticed it before. The academy does not make the lesson, the teachers do, the academy is just a place.

He stood up with excitement, and let out a hardy laugh. “Yes I will find a grand master! Someone who will teach me not to become just a ninja, but to surpass all others. Then I’ll come back to this place, protect my people and make sure the younger generations will have someone to look up to!” He started to daydream of a man, large with brooding muscles watching him push his body to its sheer limits. He pictured himself standing on a mountain cliff doing a handstand with no fear, and him willing the elements to his ways as his fellow ninja do. “Just have to find a master now…” He started realizing that he knows no one in Iwagakure, since he spent his whole life in the shelter of Maruishi away from harsh combat. The first of his many trials, search for a master, will start.

 

[Seijin]

Sitting with his feet propped up on a desk and kicked back in a chair, Umashi was doing everything in his power to stay asleep. That is, until some kid came kicking and screaming into the place. Umashi rather liked to take naps in the Academy; there were so many unused rooms that it made for the perfect hiding place from the judgement eyes of others. Wrapped in a rather too large cloak, he opened his eyes and just barely remembered that there was a hood over his eyes in the not so well lit room.

He started to gain focus just in time to hear some kid talking about needing to find a master and being the best that there ever was. Bah, the first rule of being a great shinobi was knowing how to not be a great shinobi. Surely this kid had missed a few lessons from his elders. Muttering something as he rubbed his eyes and the feature hiding black cloak fell around him, his voice announced his presence to the misinformed. “You know, it’s not all flashing lights . . . being a shinobi and all. Most of the day to day stuff is quite boring.” It was the truth if a bit harsh. He had no intentions of messing up this kids day but somebody had to teach him the ropes.

 

[Norin]

Norin's ears perked up and he started looking around. He shivered at the voice, the surprise of thinking you're alone and finding out you are not can be a bit of a shock. Fortunately the voice came from a guy who appeared harmless and relaxed. "What do you mean boring?" Norin said with a questionable tone. "In my personal opinion, being a shinobi is the highest title one can attain, the protector of all life, yes there will be hardships but it's worth it in the end....I think..." Norin seemed to ramble on and on as he had no clue just how annoying he was being. There were many things Norin had to learn at the academy and many of the stuff he should of known, but one thing that set Norin apart from many is his great attunement to life. He meshed well with all ideas of childhood innocence, but in the gateway to becoming a shinobi, that was sure to change.

He stopped talking for a second long enough to notice the shinobi sitting in the chair, and began to ask more meaningful questions. "You said, "being a Shinobi", meaning you know what the life is like, are you a good one? Could you teach me?" He said as he started walking slower towards the shadowy figure. Peering his head to the side in enticement. Norin was so eager to learn anything and everything he didn't even realize, he could be walking straight up to a murdering psychopath. His eyes were so dark the light glimmered off them and looked to turn them white.

 

[Shinobu]

Shinobu walked down the side street next to the Academy with a stack of papers in his hands, his focus was on reading the typeset text. With his eyes on the personal project in his hands he almost didn't notice the vendor carrying a large stack of boxes and almost caused a bungling mistake, but his quick reflexes allowed him to twist out of the mans way without harm. Looking around at his surroundings finally he saw the back entrance to the Academy nearby and thought to himself "That will work fine, no one is usually in the Academy at this hour, I can just find a small study room and work on this script"

Giving a quick look around to make sure no one was likely to bother him in his personal pursuit Shinobu slipped in the door to the Academy and started heading toward the study rooms hallway. His focus went back to the self written movie script in his hand and images of his hero fighting off zombie sasquatch's returned to his mind as he tried to think of the scene blocking on his current page. "Yes, three backflips forward into the hoard of monsters with his sword flipp.. wait can someone actually backflip forwards?", scratching his head as he pondered the imaginary battle scene Shinobu stepped around a corner to see the imposing Umashi and a skinny but tall beanpole of a kid speaking. Instantly regretting his choice to come in the Academy today Shinobu reflexively moved one foot slowly backwards.

"Hey fellas, don't mind me I was just heading to a study room" he said almost embarrassed, With the agility of a shinobi he quickly tucked the script into the front pocket of his bodysuit trying to be nonchalant about it as his eyes darted back and forth between the two figures. He used his right hand to scratch at the unkempt beard he hadn't even tried to trim up in months, his other hand started tapping the stacked row of kunai at his belt. "great, I hope Umashi doesn't recognize me, I've worked really hard to keep a low profile since coming here as a refugee from Leaf and I would like to keep my streak of non-responsibility up as long as possible" with a somewhat awkward smile Shinobu continued his slow back peddle, then a realization came over his face and he smiled even more awkwardly and motioned past the two figures as he started to walk toward them now.. 'Heh I guess the study rooms are that way aren't they?"

Thinking
Speaking

 

[Seijin]

Though the kid couldn’t tell it, Umashi smiled as he questioned how boring things could be. If only this kid knew just how often the Sennin found himself with nothing to do. His smiled faded though when the kid asked him if he could teach him the ways of the shinobi. Bah, obviously this kid was completely unaware of who it was that he was talking to. Fortunately Umashi wasn’t also loud talking and rude. “I’m no shinobi, lad. I’m a pirate . . . pretending to be a shinobi . . . although some would say that I’m pretty good at doing just that. Sadly, I can’t teach you how to be a true shinobi, that’s something that you learn all on your own.” Snapping his fingers with his right hand he turned his head to the side and tried to think of a certain something that was eluding him.

“What’s that thing that they call it? Nope, not teen spirit . . . not maximum effort . . . oh yeah!” Umashi got a kick out of that one, but soon his posture slouched back again and he moved his arms behind his head and leaned even further back in his chair. “Yeah, I can’t teach you your nindo but I gueeeeeeeeess that I could teach you how not to get beat up.” As if to show his enthusiasm, Umashi yawned and seemed to relax even more. It was as if he was purposefully trying to look extremely unappealing as a teacher. Some other kid walked in the room and Umashi heard his footsteps before he heard his voice. As soon as he spoke though, Umashi thought that the voice sounded familiar but he quickly dismissed the thought as he tried to pass the buck. Pointing a finger at the kid, he barked out a command. “You there, show this youngin’ how to shoot fireballs from his mouth.” Umashi completely ignored everything that the kid was saying and went back to resting his eyelids. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep . . . The best lessons started with a good nap.

 

[Norin]

Norin felt at ease at the thought that someone could help him out. He had a slight smile on his face and his eyes were widened. Norin was astonished by Umashi's confidence in his words, the way he talked about being a shinobi, it was like he’d seen and knew so much. Norin’s smile turned subtly into a sigh when Umashi said he couldn’t teach him. This is what Norin needed to learn, his nindo, his reason for being a shinobi.

Yet, all that changed when he said he could help him not to get beat up, Norin’s smile widened as he noticed a random guy walking through the room. A higher ranked ninja than him for sure, it was even easy to see by his posture. Once he said he was just going to the study room, it wasn’t a big deal, so Norin shook it off and returned his attention back to Umashi. Until Umashi told a kid to teach Norin how to shoot fire from his mouth. Then Norin reacted in a way most would at that opportunity.

A drop of sweat fell started falling on the left of his brow at his embarrassment. That a random person would teach him instead of the guy who just said he would. As Umashi returned to his lax ways, Norin dropped to his knees in front of Umashi. “Sensei, teach me all you can. All I want to do is learn.” So, if Umashi said thought this was the way Norin would learn so be it.


OOC: Sorry I took so long to post

 

[Shinobu]

Shinobu froze as Umashai started speaking at him,"Oh, Sheesh, I knew I couldn't avoid this stuff forever, at least the pay ain't so bad for tutors. I could always use some extra yen for the Wonderland Cafe." he turned toward the former Hokage and the young student with a grimace on his face. The kid looked stunned as he reacted to Umashai's words, then he started bowing to the napping pirate, Shinobu reached up with his right hand and started scratching his messy beard. "What a suck up, geez this kid could use some backbone. Gah! What am I getting myself into? I've never taught shinobi before. Hmm but the pay is good, and this kid could really use some help. Yeah I will see if the he wants to do some training, might even be able to find another student or two to go with him."

Continuing to scratch at his tangled beard Shinobu spoke with a bit of haste and awkward reverence to the former commander of the Fire Country civil war. "Sure thing boss, you know me always willing to help!" With a cheesy smile he gave the two of the a big thumbs up with his left hand. "Well kid my name is Shinobu and if you like I could teach you a thing or two about Elemental Ninjutsu." keeping up the cheesy smile Shinobu put down his thumbs up and extended his right hand out to the student for a handshake.

 

[Norin]

Norin got up off his knees, brushing the dirt off of them. Then he gave himself a good stretch bending his back towards the back of his knees and then leaning side to side. Norin turned to the scruffy man talking to him and with an immediate response. He took a deep breath squinting his eyes, and asked the man "Excuse me, but what makes you better to teach me than him?" He said pointing at Umashi. Not that he did not want anyone to teach him, but to Norin's knowledge this man was not any better looking, or in any better shape than a homeless wayward traveler. For all he knew is the guy randomly walked in and was now stuck training him. Norin wondered if the guy even wanted to do this task. "I mean, what practice of being a shinobi do you have?" He asked barely murmuring curiously wondering the guy's story.

Any trainer would be better than no trainer and out of his motivation he should jump at any chance to learn anything he could even if from the lowest of the low. Still, he had to ask just to see the type of person he would be dealing with, since Norin was a bit of an oddball himself. Hyperactive with no experience of any real shinobi understanding. Even worse, he had no idea of any of the arts a shinobi practices, just the understanding that they are the world's top leaders and always first in line for politics, and war. The reason he wanted to become a shinobi had nothing to do with being strong or the best, but just doing what he needed to for his own satisfaction, protection of his friends, and loyalty to his land. "Elemental Ninjutsu? Ok, I'll bite, what's that?"

 

[Shinobu]

Still holding his hand out to greet the young student Shinobu's mouth dropped open as the kid questioned his shinobi skills. "What! He doesn't even think I can teach him, well maybe he is right, but the kid shouldn't be questioning his superiors, hmmm on second thought I guess this kid does have potential after all." with another awkward smile the older shinobi kept listening to the academy student and noticed the look of some important thinking on his face. As he spoke Shinobu took his hand away from the greeting he had intended and moved his right hand back up to scratch his beard absent mindedly while he listened, "Oh haha, I see now why the kid would think I might not be the best teacher in the city, I must look like I am homeless, come to think of it I am living in a tent on the edge of the city, so technically I am homeless, wow, today has not been very good for my self-esteem"

The kid seemed to come to some kind of internal decision and as he did he looked up at Shinobu with another question. "Whoa, he doesn't even know basic jutsu theory, this may be more work than I thought! Time to show this kid part of what I am made of." the realization that he was actually homeless had put a dour look on Shinobu's face, then once the kid asked about elemental ninjutsu his look changed to absolute astonishment. "What training do I have as a shinobi? and what is elemental ninjutsu? Those are both really good questions and I can answer both with a simple demonstration." Shinobu no sooner finished the words when he had a pair of kunai readied in his hands with his Quickdraw training, he then focused on his hands for a moment and held up the weapons in a defensive posture. Chakra moved through his body giving him that familiar tingle of energy, his will shaped it to surround the kunai and they began to glow with a faint red color. There he stood with two kunai surrounded in fire chakra(Minor Affinity move 'Elemental Channeling' found Here). Looking down at the academy student he winked with a bit of arrogance at him. Then he spoke up so the napping Umashai could hear. "Hey Umashai-san you sure you want me to teach this kid a thing or two, I can't even detect any chakra in him yet! And if I do y'all still pay tutors for this kinda stuff right?"

MFT
WC=419

 

[Seijin]

Umashi's eye's blinked open as he shook his head and focused on what was going on. Oh yeah, this one dude was going to train the new little dude on how to be a ninja dude. Catching the tail end of the question, Umashi shook his head and straightened himself up. "Yeah, you'll be paid. We've a pretty untapped budget. What's your asking price?" At this Umashi would stand up and stretch a bit as he yawned. It seemed that all the playing around was over for the moment and he'd have to actually do something Sennin worthy.

"Yeah, go ahead and show him the ropes. If he can't shoot fireballs out of his mouth then teach him how to punch a hundred guys a second or something. We need him ready for the coming storm, and you too for that matter." It dawned on Umashi that he didn't exactly know much about this Shinobu guy either and for that fact he probably didn't know much about a lot of people that he gave orders to. That was certainly a problem that he'd better start fixing now. Moving to stand in front of his desk instead of behind it, he continued his stretches as he spoke. "So what sort of lesson are you going to be teaching today, eh Shinobu?" The best way to get to know somebody was to spend time with them and Umashi had a lot of time on his hands today.

 

[Norin]

Norin listened to Umashi talk and then nodded quickly when Umashi said they needed him. After hearing Umashi-sensei say Shinobu's name, Norin had learned it to answer back the same question. Norin thought to himself, these guys must be so strong if they are talking about different training techniques. All Norin could talk to anyone is that he would like to start training. Still everyone has to start somewhere, and Norin would start right here, right now. He ran his fingers back through his hair, tightening it into a ponytail. His small lock of hair right above his widow's peak slightly jetted out, hovering over his face, between his eyes.

"Yea, what are you going to teach me scruffy-faced-sensei?" He said joking around as he knew the guy had skill but he felt his masters should know his personality on a more personal level. It was the only way to make true comrades after all. He squinted one eye looking at Shinobu and closed his face in on him a little more "hmmmhmm?" He had no idea what training these two would set him up with. Still, as long as he stayed alive and endured it, he was sure to become a great ninja. He awaited Shinobu's response.

 

[Shinobu]

Shinobu released the elemental channeling around his kunai and re-sheathed them in the blink of an eye. Looking at Umashi and the kid his face turned sour when the former Hokage mentioned a coming storm. The words weighed heavily upon Shinobu, he still had bad dreams about the storm that came to Konoha all those years ago, then he remembered what a coward he had been in the face of it. "No, you are not that person anymore Shinobu, you can endure the flaws of the past and help with a better tomorrow. There is still a chance for the younger generation to be better than you ever were and you can teach them how. It felt like such a mistake getting caught up with these two at first, but now, now I think it may be the best thing that could have happened." The sour look faded from his face as he drew out one of his oversized kunai and walked over toward the desk Umashi had been napping at.

"HaHa, scruffy faced sensei, I like that one kid, I usually don't like titles but as long as you keep them a good bit irreverent Ill accept them. So you two wanna see a bit of training, okay I can show you some training. We start by remembering safety first." with a large overhand swing Shinobu started hammering the oversized kunai against the hard topped desk, BANG, CLINK, CHING, with forceful blows he turned the kunai to each edge and dulled it. Then walking over to the student he held the oversized kunai out handle first toward him. "Take this and feel how it weighs in your hand, hold it up, swing it a little bit and try to get used to it being there, then start flipping it like so." with a flash the shinobi had one of his other oversized kunai in his hand and began tossing it just a few inches up, allowing it to go for one rotation then gripping the handle with force. A good half dozen times he showed the student how to toss the weapon and catch it in several different grips. "Good good, now slowly speed up the tosses, remember to visualize each rotation before it happens. Okay, lets head to the gym down the hall, we are going to need a little more room for the actual training to begin. Keep tossing that weapon kid, even as you walk, make it feel like a part of you that you don't even have to think about. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, what is your name by the way?" with a slow gait Shinobu started walking down the hallway and into the large gymnasium in the academy.

 

[Seijin]

Following close behind, Umashi would make it a point to do as Shinobu requested. He wasn't the type for kunai tossing but he was not going to be the one unruly student to call the teacher out for being biased towards shinobi and not pirates. Tossing the kunai up and down, he continued to play with the thing as he thought about just how well he could be at trying to be a shinobi if he tried. Could he give up his muskets and swashbucklers, the gaudy hats and boots, his parrot . . . possibly, but the love of the sea was in him. Coming back to the current subject though, he was a little surprised to see that they even had a gymnasium. There probably hadn't been a decent game of dodgeball in the village in ages. Shinobu had started off talking about safety first but there could never be a safe game of dodgeball while Umashi was around. He came to smash in faces!

 

[Shinobu]

Shinobu watched as the student tried to follow instructions, "Well I gotta say kid, I can't really comment on your training, why dont we try this again some other time?" turning to the more skilled shinobi "Umashai-sama, it was a pleasure to meet you in person, I look forward to working with you again someday." Shinobu waved good bye to both of them.

[Topic Left]