Shinobi Seminar [Tutor]

[Nanami]

Nanami was wrapped up in a deep thought musing the nature of the quote on the board. As others had shared, it made a lot of sense when she thought of it as meaning that these small matters are the things that create these larger problems. The ANBU sennins arrest, whatever made that happened caused all of this other awful stuff to fall into place. Maybe whatever made -that- happen was also another smaller thing. She puffed up her cheeks for a moment and exhaled sharp. It didn't really help solve this any better, but it felt important, it had to be right? Sides, it wasn't like she could actually do the investigation. She gave the Raikage her thoughts and he seemed to be warm to them, although her implication about 'finding him innocent' seemed to go missed, she decided not to be any more overt about it.

That's when he entered. That ridiculous boy she'd met with before, and she realized quickly that he first impression was shockingly on point. Was he supposed to be here? She looked swiftly over to her teacher for some kind of reassurance that this was a derail of sorts but their sensei didn't even seem phased! Everything according to plan, everything normal! While Ikko bounced around played the clown. Nanami buried her face in one of the books to avoid his gaze and potential intention for now. Kept quiet. She was really getting into it too! Ugh! Why him?

The scenario was still on though, right? Their teacher explained this ridiculous thing between Eishi and Ikko was somehow apart of the game. She hemmed and hawwed quietly behind her book and weighed her options. This didn't...-really- change anything right? "Uurgh...." she grumbled quietly behind her book as everything continued to apparently devolve around her. A big dumb joke! That's all it was, well, the fate of Kumgakure hung in the balance! The lives of innocent people! Nanami had, perhaps, leaned a bit too hard into the role but wasn't that the point.

Nanami stood up and slammed her book shut, followed up by slamming both her hands down on her desk. "This isn't a joke!" she exclaimed hotly to both Ikko and Eishi. "Some of us actually care, and it'd be cool if you could both act like it!" She took a breath and regained her composure some and return to the scenario. "Hmph. The ANBU Senin's ridiculousness is well known, but no matter how silly he acts, he has never done anything to hurt Kumograkure. Certainly, nothing to match the crimes in which he's charged! Their childish fighting is also well known, so I think it's fair we can quickly ignore any of these dumb diagnoses and return to things that actually matter."

"Killing the ANBU Senin would be a loss that Kumogakure would not recover from quickly, if at all. I'm pretty sure about that." Even if that person was now Ikko.

476 wc

 

[Kiri]

Kiri looked around for a moment. He tried to observe every student and genin in class. Things were beginning to pick up. Others were starting to act. Slowly, they were filling up the roles and acting accordingly. But it shouldn't just be an act. They have to believe it was real in order for them to truly gauge their capabilities. They cannot hide behind the walls of the academy any longer. They must forge a way in their own choice.

"It's almost time. You still have a few minutes. We'll begin the presentation shortly. Or maybe, it's a trial," he would say before looking out the window once more.

[OOC: last round for planning]

 

[Honnou]

The information given to him by the ANBU Sennin proved surprising; he found himself guilty of all charges and even declared this an attack to the skeleton of the Hidden Cloud from both external and internal forces, his internal example most likely being pointed out to be the Medical Sennin as he had the grudge and all. Moving his thoughts back, the Raikage would most likely deal with the core of the issues first, right? He found his action sufficient to find a way, just some kind of way…

Eishi jumped in to reject Ikko’s words as he was already declared with a good-darn case of ‘screw-all’ mentality. It sounded utterly sudden, though, and with a few suspicious verbal hits on the ANBU Sennin too, so what was the Raikage going to decide? All this confusion over a single girl… a sister of… that was it!!!

His eyes almost looked as if a Visual Prowess was about to awaken as he found a solution to the tensions between the Medical Sennin and the ANBU Sennin as well as stuff to seal the ANBU Sennin’s fate. Throwing a bewildered and grinning gaze of indication towards both Ikko and Eishi, he wanted to make sure that he had decided based on thoughts and both of their inputs. After he also threw a more assuring gaze towards Nanami, who had helped him truly realize the duties and, did he dare say, powers of the Raikage, he suddenly pulled up a pen and began writing on his sheet on the empty spaces whilst moving towards Doi. He hadn’t talked to the other Main Branch Sennin yet, so he decided to get a word with him.

“Okay… I think that I got things covered, except what you have to inform me,” he spoke encouragingly, “Main Branch Sennin, aid me in this time of need...!”

WC: 309 + 1613 = 1922

 

[Akimitsu Doi]

It appeared that Honnou, the group's 'Raikage', was now available to speak. The younger child asked Doi to present his case, and the whitehaired boy looked up from his paper ready to respond. "Alright... so, basically what we have here are two problems that need immediate attention." He briefly paused before continuing with his explanation."There are troubles in the outer regions of the Land of Lightning due to an increase in criminal activity. They appear to be developing from the remnants of cases that weren't yet solved by the ANBU Sennin. On the other hand, we have a potential deal with Suna that could affect relations if not accepted. The emissary explained to me that they want our cooperation in dealing with the wave of piracy and smuggling that's been affecting both of our ports. We can't really help them and fix our own issues at the same time due to our current internal problems." After having thought it over, Doi believes he'd come up with an adequate suggestion. It wasn't the best course of action, but it was one that held the fewest consequences for the village in his eyes. "I suggest we hold off on the deal with Suna and prioritize our crime problem. Not taking care of that would lead to even more problems for us down the line."

The maintenance of relations with other villages was important, but they had too much to lose if they focused on that. It didn't make their piracy problem any less of an issue, nonetheless. In the end, some sacrifices needed to be made either way. "Do you think we should tell the Suna emissary that we have more pressing matters to attend to? or might there be a way for us tackle both issues together?"

[WC: 288]
[WC Total: 1,640/1,500 (Complete)]
[Post(s): 4/5]

 

[Saotome Asami]

Asami found herself no closer to a conclusion than she had been ten minutes prior. Despite listening in on the conversations of her peers (mostly Ikko, since anybody else was difficult to hear from the other side of the room), she was no closer to understanding how the Sennin’s reappearance factored into her dilemma. At best, regaining a handle on the ANBU faction could give them the men they needed to solve the issue, but that was only if the Raikage pardoned him. From the sounds of it, that wasn’t going to happen. It felt like none of her peers knew how she fit into the scenario either. Perhaps it was intentional - she was unaccounted for on the register, so perhaps she was purposely left aside.

The little lady muttered mild curses under her breath, turning the sheet over to a blank page. She began to write up her final proposal, as best one could with only half a clue of what to do. As was often the case, she understood more than she thought, but that missing piece was a blow to her confidence. Her only solace was that it was something of a team exercise, right – in the end, somebody else had to make the final call. Hopefully, they would have a better understanding of the problem than she did.

A heavy sigh escaped her, though she wasn’t expecting anybody to pick up on it. Hopefully, something would click soon.

Word Count: 243 + 1310 = 1553 (4/5)​

 

[Funai Ikko]

Ikko, bewildered, stared at the sight of the first outburst of protest against what Eishi and Ikko considered a conversation. He wasn't expecting that. Not that he might possibly annoy someone, no, he had been informed of just how annoying he was on a frequent enough basis by quite literally everyone. Instead of retorting to Eishi that Suika would make good use of a smaller weapon as they were far more effective of slipping through armor and hitting all of those wonderful sensitive spots, nor could he profess his telepathic ability and/or direct thought bubble connection to a higher power and point out how Honnou apparently misheard everything he said as his first words were professing his innocence. No, instead he was relegated to staring blankly at Nanami with an expression of bemused bewilderment. For some reason, Ikko found that anger strangely familiar. His eyes narrowed at her as these thoughts rifled through his head. Yeah, that pissed off look was faaaaar more familiar than the docile persona she had on previously. The narrowed eyes flared violently open as a familiar look of childish excitement took its place.

"Nanami!? See Eishi, I told you I was great with the ladies, this one and I already have a sordid past."

Of course, Ikko and Nanami's relationship was not remotely close to being cordial, much less friendly or more so, but Ikko wasn't exactly the type to let reality get in his way. Before Eishi could offer a retort or a blood vessel could pop in Nanami's forehead however, Ikko had hopped off of Eishi's desk, knocking his papers off the surface in the process as Honnou and Doi, the only one in the class Ikko did not know ahead of time come to think of it, engage in a discussion on the pros and cons of...something, Ikko wasn't sure. It wasn't what his focus was on.

Ikko had crossed the room and dropped down in front of Asami's desk, resting his chin on the surface and, despite showing a little more respect for her personal space than he had for Eishi's, did not seem to notice or care if this gesture were to make her uncomfortable. Ikko donned a warm smile, a smile that was distinctly different than the playful, mischievous, and outright blood pressure spike inducing ones he had worn since he showed up in the classroom.

"Even if you're not sure what to say, you're still important. You're the shaper of the next generation of the village, the standard bearer of tomorrow. Even if you're not sure of all the facts, your opinion carries weight. Don't be afraid to speak your mind, tell them what you think should be done, what you think is best for the village. Is it best to be united from within and fight an external threat, or placate the external threat and deal with the troublesome elements within? They need you to work out the answer to Kiri's problem, dunno if you noticed but we aren't that smart. You can do it."

[WC: 509+516+740=1765]

 

[Nanami]

God, she hated boys, and this one, in particular, the most. Mostly. By comparison, he made her look ridiculously high-strung, which was dumb because she was the one who leaped across cafeteria tables to challenge people to high-stakes fights on a whim. She made a face, rolled her eyes when Ikko spoke and stuck out her tongue for a moment. "Yeah, sordid," she said dismissively not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her reaction being anything else.

Still, he was kind, she could tell even if she wasn't totally clear on his motives being pure. He had his moments, to be sure, but she wouldn't mention that at all, definitely not now.

She turned her attention from Doi, who made a good point but she disagreed in one area. "We have many capable Nin here, right? Each problem could be handled by each. Make a list and assign us, that's what I recommend. Maybe there's some worth ignoring, but I wouldn't count on it."

With that she grabbed and seat, and resumed her reading, going quiet once more.

178 wc

 

[Eishi]

I ignored any protest to our antics. Ikko decided to hit on yet another girl, forgetting his own pace in seemingly the same breath, anyway. I couldn't blame him for his forwardness, but his long game sure was garbage. I, however, was quick to point out Ikko's decision to stop staring at the board.

"The ANBU Sennin has escaped his cell!" I yelled quickly drawing and pointing my spear at Ikko in a dramatic fashion, I was not about to let this momentum slide away from disrupting the class.

"Any last words, you treacherous fiend!?" I questioned Ikko before raising my spear and sweeping the blade down from above at his current position on top of the girl's desk. Regardless of what his smart ass remark was, it was time to spice this class up a bit by having the two of us duke it out in the middle of group discussion. The downward attack only lead into a series of jabs and sweeps at an ever-accelerating rate. I didn't plan to cast any Ninjutsus or the likes while we were doing this. I was just going through a simple set of basic attacks. Though I wasn't holding back, it was nothing Ikko couldn't handle as long as he wasn't careless. Maybe he'd even bring out a hidden weapon and fight back. If not, Ikko better hope he's quick on his feet.

 

[Kiri]

“SOKO MADE.” (Hold it up right there) said Kiri as he intervened. This was going nowhere now. Despite his best attempts to make these kids work, they were still playing around. The sense of urgency of the real world was all but lost, save a few who were truly trying their best. It would be punishment for them to be held up like this any longer. As such, the moment Kiri stared at the two boys who were about to enter combat, a sudden chill in the air would catch up to them and force them to seemingly bend down onto their knees for their will would have broken and they would feel the breaking of the bones of their legs. Then, a swirl from Kiri’s shadow underneath would run along the surface of the floor before encasing both Ikko and Eishi in what seemed like a ball of black blob with only their heads poking out. The said balls of blob, a formation of shadows under his control would have normally eaten away at their strength and suffocate them, but for now, it relieved the sense of pain along the nerves of their legs as they were now simply caught.

“It appears as though the Mednin Sennin was throwing a ruse to fabricate more lies in pinning down the blame on the ANBU Sennin, alone. It would be too dangerous to leave them alone,” said Kiri as he stepped to the middle of the classroom. “At this juncture, we are left with one choice. A trial. Raikage-sama, other Sennins and Advisors, it is important that we establish a concrete decision now. The emissaries may not be too forgiving, and if we let alone, these two will continue to create chaos and distortions. My technique is enough to hold them for a while as you all may discern the truth with your own investigation. But we mustn’t take our time. Should you find them both guilty, I’ll bring them both to Tarterian Specus where I shall have them locked at the abyss where not even light can escape.” Then, there was another surge of chakra coming from Kiri as it loomed towards the opposite side. A black silhouette of a tall warrior would be seen, just as a long pitch-black blade would emerge and raised just on top of Ikko’s head. “And should you feel it is necessary to execute them both, it is best to do it at once.”

Glancing back at the two, Kiri gave a sigh, “All actions have repercussion. You may speak for your defense or continue to play the fools. Just remember, all that happens in this class is carefully recorded and will be assess by the different jounins of all branches.” At that point, Kiri would point to the class at the end of the classroom, where on top of it seemed like a small camera lens. “Now, with this new revelation, a time constraint, and pressure of death or expulsion, please… continue and make your final judgment”

[TCW: 2,933]

[OOC:] Crippled (M) at Ikko and Eishi's legs before Underworld Prison (M) at both, cancel Crippled and not wanting to suffocate them but just keep them isolated and humiliated inside a black blob with just their heads peaking out, and Abysmal Harbinger as executioner waiting for command. This is how Harby looks like

 

[Honnou]

The criminal activity that had raised appeared to have been an aftereffect to the ANBU Sennin’s case. Doi was fairly certain of that, and Honnou showed his agreement by a quick nod. About the dilemma of solving one’s own problems and addressing external matters, it felt more natural to take care of your own problems first. It could turn out that sudden actions with outer villages would leave them vulnerable on the core. “Perhaps trying to deal with both problems together is possible if we accordinate… now, that’s a functioning village,” he answered. It was quickly elaborated by Nanami’s input, and thus he had decided:

“We should address Suna and our problems at once. I believe that Nanami thought this through, so it should be possible,” he cleared out. That was because that he had a little revelation to tell Eishi and Ikko… but as Ikko was found absent from his previous position, now chatting with Asami, Honnou felt that time was running out. Shockingly, Eishi put icing on the cake of today with a sudden emergence; the ANBU Sennin had escaped the cell, and he was quick to proceed action. It was like straight out of a prison movie where the warden would pull up their batons when the alarm rang. A rather large spear was suddenly unsheathed, pointing straight at the ANBU Sennin.

The battle had started… and it ended just as quickly as it ignited. Honnou barely had time to let out a reaction, heck, the tutor’s next action was too sudden and absolute. A breath, and the two individuals, Ikko and Eishi, were suddenly locked in a black bubble of darkness… what in the hidden hell happened? Why did Eishi- wait, he didn’t have to go that far, but why would- …

Things turned out to get more clear when his lovely teacher bound them both in some kind of Jutsu. He began explaining that the Mednin Sennin here had thrown a ruse and fabricated lots of falsehood against the ANBU Sennin. It concluded that, despite Honnou’s earlier thoughts, that not only the jailed ANBU Sennin showed signs of enmity. It all led down to a trial, a choice left in the Raikage-sama and the rest of the Sennin.

Because of Nanami’s earlier words, Honnou felt that getting rid of both of them through execution would be a loss, no matter their intentions. Perhaps he should choose otherwise, and show that they truly take care of each other and don’t belittle any shinobi of the Hidden Cloud. It would, most likely, be the Raikage’s response if that choice would result badly.

“… Please don’t kill them,” he decided softly as if his authority was suddenly gone for an instant in his voice, then turned his gaze towards them both. His facial expression was pure confusion, but his mind wasn’t as fogged as he appeared to be. If something like this was to happen in the Hidden Cloud… over a single sister of… someone? Now, he had remembered that the ANBU Sennin right here had referred to this sister being related to the previous Raikage, and the tutor had stated that she was the ANBU Sennin’s sister. They were both called Suika…

“What I believe is that our Mednin Sennin here must’ve been too jealous of the ANBU Sennin for a while…” he spoke, “I mean, having such a cute girlfriend and a sister must’ve been tough to ignore. And being the ex-lover took its toll too, am I right? And even here, before any decisions had been made… you still tried to end his life and shut him for good when your errored report couldn’t.” At this point, Honnou had bowed closer to Eishi as if he was fully into the interrogator role, even though that he barely knew if a Raikage acted like this. Then, his gaze turned over to Ikko: “’Matters of great concern should be treated lightly, matters of small concern should be treated seriously’… what is the meaning behind those words?”

He hoped deeply that the other Sennin would add to the trial, whether if the two of them should be jailed or executed, because Honnou found himself too curious to decide on his own.

WC: 700 + 1922 = 2622

 

[Saotome Asami]

Ikko’s arrival was quite the surprise. A normal person would have noticed him coming from a fair distance away, but Asami had allowed herself to be absorbed by her thoughts – and putting said thoughts to paper. The boy’s head suddenly appeared in her vision, prompting a slight jolt unbefitting of a young shinobi, with a look of surprise to match. Thankfully it faded just as quickly, replaced by a gentle smile.

She assumed the boy meant to throw her into the verbal fray, but his words were just as strange as the look he gave her. Even in her mild state of confusion, the difference was hard for her to miss. Stranger still were his words. She hadn’t been speaking aloud, and yet the most oblivious boy in the room had come to her, for no reason other than to try and lift her spirits. The smile faded as he continued. Why? What did he have to gain from such an act? Was it part of the exercise? Did he hope convincing the undecided advisor might sway his fate? No, that didn’t sound right. Perhaps she was letting her guard down, but his words seemed a bit more genuine than that.

It was simple, then. The boy noticed something the rest of the class didn’t care to act on, and tried to help. Her lips slowly curled upwards again. It wasn’t ideal, knowing that somebody had caught onto her weakness, but it was comforting. More than she could say at that moment, especially with the chaos that was about to ensue.

“Oh…” There was a slight edge to her voice; a careful listener could notice it was embarrassment. “W-well… Thank you. That’s really nice of you. Honestly, it-“ Yelling. A blade was drawn. Cheer became concern, and it showed on her face. “Eh?” A blade arced through the air and two her desk. A girl arced through the air, but before it met its mark, she acted! Her decisive action was to… spring out of her seat, forgetting to hide her alarm. Before she could even think to get out of harm’s way, the boys were restrained, and she could’ve sworn she heard something snap. Several things. What they were, she didn’t care to find out, as long as she was unharmed. As the teacher attempted to restore order, Asami remained on her feet, looking as if she had been the victim. Deep breaths, she reminded herself. Slow, steady breaths. Wide eyes darted between her bound classmates, the teacher, and said teacher’s shadow creature. The thought of the academy’s ninety-percent mortality rate passed through her mind.

“I’ll give my report!” The hint of embarrassment was gone, and in its place, a newfound fear for one’s life. With any luck, if she could say her piece earlier, she could be released earlier, and get herself out of harm’s way. A cautious hand reached for her paper as she brought on her confident face. Fortunately, public speaking was one of her strengths. Having written her notes moments before, she didn’t need to look at them much. Instead, she focused on her classmates – those that still had two functional legs, at least.

“We’ve been having trouble inside the village itself lately. Lots of tension and disruptions between shinobi, which was probably caused by the trouble higher up. The problem might not sound relevant to the bigger picture, but the fighting is making it a lot harder to train the next generation of shinobi.” That didn’t make it relevant, in her mind, but perhaps a persuasive tone could mask that. “We obviously can’t handle the situation with our own forces right now, or we would have already done it. An emissary of the Daimyo claims they’d like to offer their support with it, in exchange to helping them in the future.” She paused, allowing the ‘council’ to mull over the idea themselves, and for her to collect her thoughts. Finally, she was in her zone.

“Under normal circumstances, that would be great. Seeing as we aren’t on good terms with the Daimyo now, however… And it sounds like he plans to create his own army separate from Kumo’s shinobi forces… There’s no doubt in my mind that he would want me to return the favour by sending him the best of the academy’s graduates at some point soon. In other words, accepting his help would not only show that we need to rely on him, but it would also weaken Kumo’s forces once we held up our end of the bargain. It would mean putting us one step closer to civil war…” Dramatic pause.

"Which is still a better alternative than the civil war we would be getting anyway, if the chaos is allowed to grow out of hand. As advisor to the Raikage, I believe our troubles within the village are too great to ignore! We won’t be able to fight and protect our borders if we’re fighting with each other, right? So we need organised forces to stop it… But they don’t have to be the Daimyo’s.” Her gaze finally met the two before her desk, bound and broken. A slight look of pity showed itself, though it was mostly directed at Ikko. “At the moment, there’s no absolute proof that the ANBU Sennin meant to overthrow our leaders. In fact, we’ve just seen that there are higher-ups willing to frame the man. For that reason, I think we should consider his release as an option. Maybe the other Sennin and advisors know something I don’t, and he might truly be a threat… But if he is innocent, he could restore order to one of our village’s major forces, and then to the rest of the village. The Daimyo might be upset that we rejected his offer, but rejecting because we can handle things ourselves is much better than rejecting to be stubborn or out of fear. Of course, if somebody does know a reason why we shouldn’t trust the Sennin, then the Daimyo’s offer still stands. Either way, once our internal issues are handled, we can look to fixing our trade routes.”

Phew. Asami gave a deep nod to her audience and finally took her seat. She’d even managed to convince herself a little that her problem played into everybody else. She could only hope everybody else would see things the same way.

Word Count: 1062 + 1553 = 2615 (5/5)​

 

[Akimitsu Doi]

The distributing of responsilities among their more capable shinobi was indeed a good concept, but it still stretched their resources a great deal. It'd be very inconvenient for Kumogakure if another problem arose while all of their assets were spread-out in such a way. This was something he had to take into careful consideration as the advisor of domestic affairs. Nonetheless, Nanami's point was still very valid. Doi leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms together. Perhaps he was thinking about this too hard?

With two of the other class participants making such a scene, the whitehaired Genin found it difficult to concentrate on his task. He honestly thought he might be one of the few participants taking this class seriously. Doi would've loved to partake in such behavior if it weren't for the seriousness of the class. He was here to prepare for the exams, not act up. Admittedly, he did grin in amusement when he saw Kiri imobilize the two despite himself.

It appeared that the time to issue a final judgement for both the ANBU Sennin and the Medical Sennin had arrived. In all, the idea of this all starting because of a single person made the situation a bit weird. Death seemed like too big of a punishment for the ANBU Sennin when was still a chance he was indeed innocent. Despite the outburst, death seemed like too big of a punishment for the Medical Sennin as well. The removal of both their statuses as Sennin seemed like the best solution. "Let's take their status as Sennin and let them be. We'll handle them with extreme prejudice if they cause another fiasco like this again, Mr. Raikage."

With that said, Doi still couldn't help but notice how much more elaborate Asami's report was than his. She'd probably be the one that got the best grade in this class.

WC: 280 - WC Total: 1,920/1,500 - Post 5/5

 

[Eishi]

Before I even had a chance to really get into the swing of things, Kiri decided to take a hot steamy dump right on my plans. I guess he had finally gotten fed up with our antics, but I hadn't expected him to attack the two of us. It didn't take long before I felt a sharp pain in my legs and the cold viper grip surrounding my body. I could only let out a dull laughter. Kiri had finally bared his fangs at me and it was quick and brutal.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha... You broke my legs and bound me in darkness~," I said in a low hum, a smile plastered on my face that didn't quite reach my eyes. I was calmly staring daggers at Kiri as I continued,

"The pain is excruciating, but you know, this isn't the first time I've had my legs broken in an attempt of enforcing my compliance". I commented in the same tone before the smile vanishing from my face. I wasn't willing to say anything more, be it about this class or towards Kiri himself. My eyes and will were hardened at this point. I wasn't willing to show any sign that the pain or discomfort I was currently feeling was bothering me in the slightest. This was a battle of wills between Kiri and myself and I was not so easily broken.

There was no longer a desire to play at this point. My mind was now set on downright murder. This silly fucking game had gotten my legs broken. My rage only feeding my bloodlust with every throbbing leg pain that coursed through me. My focus solely working on every angle of how to strategize Kiri's death. It was only in self-reflection later on that it had been a good thing he was holding me down. I might have actually attacked him and got myself killed. It didn't change the fact that at this very moment, I really just wanted his blood on the walls.

 

[Funai Ikko]

Ikko maintained his warm smile as the girl responded, nodding appreciatively as she began to speak. She had been remarkably quiet the whole time, so getting her to start speaking carried a sense of accomplishment for Ikko. It was more important to him than whatever lesson Kiri was trying to teach here since Ikko's objective wasn't really to solve whatever dilemma they were encountering but far more to play a character. As a result he felt like he was doing a pretty decent job, he was getting the others to talk and think. He was feeling quite accomplished when Eishi took it a little too far, but not so far that Ikko wasn't prepared to enjoy it. However, he was never going to get to that point. Ikko had heard him move off his seat toward him and had already extracted himself from the table and was in the process of turning toward Eishi when a sharp pain shot through his legs and up his whole body. A familiar pain.

Kiri had done this to him before and Ikko knew what he was dealing with and within moments, had already adapted to the genjutsu, letting himself fall back a bit on to Asami's desk to take the weight off of his "broken" legs. Rationally, he knew they weren't broken, the bastard had already done this once before and as dumb as most people seemed to think Ikko was, he was actually remarkably perceptive and clever. Within moments he had recalibrated his body to subconsciously keep from exacerbating the pair from the genjutsu. He wasn't quite sure how to throw it off yet, but he certainly wasn't going to give Kiri any extra satisfaction. Before he could really attempt to do anything about his situation however, he quickly felt himself trapped in a bubble of darkness.

Ikko heard Eishi's retort, apparently this was not something he had endured before or at least he didn't care about the actual nuance between his limb actually being broken and Kiri tricking their minds into thinking they were, but he was considerably more outwardly ambivalent than Ikko, even if internally they were of quite the same mind. As the other participants rattled off what Ikko assumed was their actual assignment, Ikko glared at Kiri with an expression that did not seem to, in any way, belong on the boys face. The perpetually happy, jubilant, excitable visage was now stony, nigh expressionless. The only thing that betrayed this impromptu stoic mask was the look in Ikko's eye, the gaze of absolute and utter loathing and murderous intent...things that definitely didn't belong with Ikko. When he spoke, it wasn't cheerful, it wasn't energetic, it wasn't bursting with his typical life and excitement...it was cold, direct, and very much sounded like a threat.

"Kiri...release me."

[WC: 467+509+516+740=2232]

 

[Kiri]

Kiri’s eyes grew sharp as the class was coming to the climax. He could see the tension swirling in the air, and the eyes of defiance from one of them. He almost chuckled as he could feel the radiating hatred from a certain genin, but he’ll have to ignore him for now as the others spoke. Considering each of their statement, Kiri was nodding though inwardly he was already making notes.

“There will come a time when you will have to choose to sacrifice for the greater good. In fact, it may not be for the greater good. You will simply choose between two evils and pick out the lesser one. If there’s one thing you all need to learn about the real world, far beyond the borders of Kumogakure, it’s that there is no such thing as good or evil, no black and white. We are both right and wrong, and it is in our duty to serve the village that we are only redeemed. You may think that’s absurd but you have to think. As young as you all are, we are preparing you to survive and in that sense, you learn to kill. You may end up killing an enemy for a mission, but that means snuffing the life out of another person. It’s easy in exercises. It’s all fun and games in competitions, but once you’re put to the spot, you will only have a nanosecond to think and comprehend the gravity of your action. The moment you decide that a person’s life is no longer worth it and must be killed, is the moment you finally step out from your shell. Yes, in a way, we are training you all to be murderers. We are not saints. Again, our only redemption is to use our strengths to protect and serve the village. That way, in the deepest recesses of our minds, we feel slightly grateful to have at least protected one person.”

After that speech, Kiri would walk towards Asami in particularly and pat her on the head. “You did good. Don’t ever show your fear when you have such a strong spirit inside. Let your Will come alive.”

Then he looked at Doi and crossed his arms, standing idly to make a point, “If every situation we give such mediocre response, especially since they are Sennins, it would mean that you have no resolve to solve the case. You are merely running away. Take it to consideration as you leave this seminar. Think how much you’re willing to sacrifice and how much you’re willing to be ruthless. Apologising and forgiving can be done by anyone. But what is it that sets us shinobi apart? What makes Kumogakure to what it is?”

He proceed to walk towards Honnou and gave him a pat on the head. “The Raikage’s job isn’t as simple as it seemed. It isn’t about having all the power, nor is it having all the loyalty. It can be daunting and it can crush your life in an instant without even drawing blood. But that doesn’t mean that the Raikage is not human. That is why, in whatever we do, whatever we choose, we have to consider who we are all a part of. The Raikage may be one man, but he is responsible for many. And we must not make his burden too heavy, or we’ll just be greedy little bastards who want to see the world burn down. Good job, though. It takes a lot for one of power to ask for help.”

Not forgetting, Kiri stepped up to Nanami and gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Keep a calm and collected head. You seem to work better in that regard. Being a shinobi is all about enduring, so no matter what challenges is shoved at you, and no matter how distressing your allies can be, you need to be self-aware. But you also mustn’t be frugal. You need to set a balance with what you desire and what you logically determine is right.”

Now, he would go back to the middle of the class before flicking both Ikko and Eishi on the head. “And just like I said earlier, Having a calm and collected head is important. You work better in that regard. However, I’m one of the few exceptions, and the academy and the Raikage knows it best. I’m much better if my chains are set loose and don’t think this would have been the first time should I had completely killed you off. That’s why, you both, no, everyone in class, should also consider the strengths and weaknesses of your allies or enemies alike. One thing can appease them, and another can flip the button and turn them into murderous fools. Good if they are merely murderous fools, but what if they aren’t. What if they are wolves in sheep’s clothing? What if they are people who hide their true intents in false cheerfulness and childish banter? What if they are very much like yourself?” He let his voice ring throughout the class before he smiled. “But that said, you both did good to try and compromise the situation. Too gaudy and basic, almost childish, but I’ll commend you on your efforts. And please, if that’s all the killing intent you have right now, it’s not going to be enough to scare off enemies.” He raised his hand and everything disappeared, the genjutsu that wracked pain along their legs, the shadow bubble that imprisoned them and the abysmal harbinger. But his eyes remained serious as he looked at both of them even though his words would be applicable for everyone. “If you want to truly defeat someone, it’s not about wanting to kill them, it’s about killing yourself that’s hindering your growth. Inhibitions. Past. Glory. Pride. Throw all of those away. Because if you can’t, you’re not worthy to become a shinobi for a village.”

He then proceeded towards the desk near the door as he picked up Eishi’s homework. “That should be it for today’s seminar. You’re all to turn it a reflection paper and send it to the academy’s principal. If you have complaints on my way of teaching, you’re free to do so. I won’t come after you. And whatever you think you learned in this class, I hope you take it to heart. And if you didn’t, well, let’s just hope you won’t have to be put into something dangerous until that day when you do finally learn the meaning behind those words on the blackboard. Or maybe, there really was no other meaning beside it. And next time you come into a class I’ll be having, make sure you’re prepared to bleed and break, because from then on, I won’t be looking at you as a child anymore.”

At that point, a black flame would burst from his hand and instantly turn the Eishi’s homework into cinders before a soft breeze that came in from the door blew it all aways into ashes. “Half of it was wrong. Don’t take shortcuts. Do it again.”

Without another word, Kiri would step out from the room and into the corridor. He walked a few meters before stopping and sighing. He reached into his pocket and took out one of the herbal cigarettes he had received from Junko. He needed one– to pacify the growing chakra inside him. His new power was almost as volatile as his old, and it was only a matter of time of when he could truly control it. He lights the cig as he then proceeds to exit the building, but not before handing the clip folder with all the notes and markings of the class to the principal’s office. A quick reprimand of “no smoking in the building” but other than that, he was done for the day.

Despite his words, they all passed. Barely for some, but their tenacity was just starting. He smiled as he stood at the academy grounds. “Those kids… they’re going to be monsters one day. And they will truly shock the world. Guess I’ll have to get even more better to make sure no slayer is out there to get them.”

[WC: 1,370 + 2,933 = 4,303]

[Tutor Finished. Topic Left Unless Stopped]

 

[Honnou]

Huh… it appeared that Ikko and Eishi had added a key to the lesson today. He could fathom that given by Kiri’s next words, explaining how things could go outside the village’s walls. Things that one couldn’t simply learn like learning how to walk, but something that one knew to do already but refrained from doing. Killing. He knew that he was going to experience that someday… he would hope that when the day came, it wouldn’t be in vain nor regretted.

The tutor suddenly commented everyone’s work, and his hand began patting Honnou’s head. Yeah, the job of a Raikage was complicated, but he never had any other thoughts on how it was to be a Raikage, because it all appeared in such a hurry. And obviously, the head of a ninja village was given a lot of responsibility, something that he just had to endure for the sake of them. That was why he smiled a little when he was complimented on his good job. “… Neat,” he commented briefly.

And thus, after his comments were finished, today’s seminar had ended. The Hyuuga kid looked at his sheet one more time when Kiri told them to turn in a reflection paper, in which a blank piece was spotted. Oh, and the last thing that Kiri kind of warned them about was that next time, they wouldn’t be considered kids… Honnou had never considered himself a kid in the first place, had he? Maybe he had… he barely knew anymore…

He would then begin writing with a troubled smile, not capable of waiting for the next day…

WC: 268 + 2622 = 2890

[Topic Left Unless INTERRUPtED BY dISRESpECfUL doOoODs >;3]

 

[Akimitsu Doi]

Doi made sure he took note of what Kiri had told him. He would think about it later. For now, he was just happy the class was over. With a parting goodbye, Doi prepared to leave the classroom. He grabbed all of his belongings and proceeded to move towards the exit.

The class hadn't taken too long, so he still had plenty of time to go out and engage in other activities before it got dark. His regular training ground would probably be empty around this time, so he would most likely make his way there for some solo training.

[WC: 100] [WC Total: 2,020/1,500] [Post(s): 6/5]

[Topic left]

 

[Funai Ikko]

Ikko, didn't respond to much of anything Kiri said, even his parting jab about how feeble the pair's killing intent was. None of it deserved a response. Whether Kiri realized or accepted it, he had made a mistake with Ikko. The boy knew what he was and he knew that he could be grating, but quite literally nothing he had done today merited the violent response from Kiri. Ikko had not attacked Eishi, he had not thrown the class completely off course, he had not even made anything explode or freeze over. He needed to be "restrained" purely to satisfy Kiri's sense of pointless cruelty and to exert some form of ego-boosting control over the situation. He didn't injure and bind Ikko because he needed to, he did it because he wanted to and that kind of pointless cruelty was not something Ikko could abide. As a result, everything that Kiri said was met with nothing but a cold glare from Ikko that followed the elder man out the door and given Ikko's background, any insinuation that he lacked the desire and/or the experiencing with killing people was entirely a delusion of Kiri's making.

A few moments of troubled silence followed before Honnou, not without his share of awkwardness, got up and left the room. Ikko's eyes flitted to him and tracked his movement toward the door. It was probably the wisest thing to do, to leave quickly. There was not much more to gain from standing in an instructor-less classroom, but Ikko still felt glued to the spot as if he was still bound, his anger keeping him still. With some effort, Ikko pushed himself off of the desk and fully onto his once "broken" legs, testing their integrity for a few moments to just make sure he had been fully released. Using this time to compose himself ever so slightly, Ikko turned back to Asami and forced a notably strained smile, a very un-Ikko expression.

"Good job, you did well. Keep it up."

It was probably empty, given the general tone in the room, most notably emanating off of Ikko and Eishi, but the boy felt Asami still deserved that small kindness and recognition for contributing to the class. Ikko aimed toward the door, throwing a casual wave to both Nanami and Eishi and followed out the door in Honnou's wake. He didn't think Kiri accomplished his goal with Ikko. He didn't really know his student. Ikko did not lack hardship and atrocity in his life, he just actively chose to not let it taint his personality and actions. If Kiri was so intent on "proving" to Ikko what the real world was like, all that was going to happen was that Ikko would stop trying, he'd drop the mask. He...didn't think Kiri would like what he found under it, or maybe he would. Then Kiri would have someone just as twisted and violent as he was. However, Ikko knew he wouldn't like it, that wasn't strength. Pointless inefficiency in the name of satisfying a desire for cruelty was a weakness, a weakness that had already been exemplified throughout history and it was a lesson Ikko was desperate not to repeat.

[WC: 534+467+509+516+740=2766 / Posts: 5/5]

 

[Saotome Asami]

The young girl did her best despite the circumstances. Only in a shinobi classroom was such malice found amongst children, though she could understand their frustration. Somewhat. She wasn’t brave enough to show such a face to her superiors yet, and for that, she gained an odd sense of admiration for them... Outwardly, she only offered them a sympathetic smile – which meant nothing, since neither of them were paying her mind while Kiri spoke. She couldn’t say she appreciated his talk. The harsh reality was that every shinobi ended up with blood on their hands. In the back of her mind, however, there was still some way out of her predicament. If she continued to keep her head down, perhaps she would be able to retire as a student! If she showed no potential as a fighter, the teachers might write her off as a loss and throw her out. …Not a chance. She already knew she was more likely to die trying than escape that easily, but accepting that was another matter entirely. Her thoughts slipped through her mask; a contemplative frown revealed itself. One could assume that she was merely in deep thought about the teacher’s words, but seeing as one classmate had already grasped her true feelings…

Movement snapped her back to reality. Why was the teacher coming towards her? Did he ask a question? How could she have allowed herself to stop paying attention?! There was a black blob waiting for her too, wasn’t there? She managed to steel herself somewhat as the man approached her, hoping that at the very least, she wouldn’t show more weakness in front of the class. It was all for naught. Kiri didn’t have any unpleasant surprises for her – yet. The head pat was met with a look of utter confusion, a pause, and then a “Yes, sir!” that may have been a little too loud. Not only was she in the clear, but the man… had good things to say about her? Asami would have to chalk that one up as a victory.

The man spoke to the other classmates, and just like that, their time was up. Nobody had bled and nobody had died. Another victory for the day. His warning for the next class was a little too foreboding for her liking, and she made a mental note to approach with caution, if at all. Only Ikko had parting words to give her, but it was much harder for her to see them as genuine. There was a boy that had lost his temper, and she had half a brain to think she would suffer if she managed to set him off again. In return, she offered a meek smile – one that only slightly betrayed her concern. “Thank you. You too… Sort of.” She withheld from asking him not to annoy the teacher next time around.

Still! So many questions had gone unanswered! Was her plan viable? Did the others agree with it? How did her problems relate to the ANBU Sennin? Was she the only student that still cared about any of that? Probably, judging by how quick the rest were to leave. A moment later, she realised she was among the last to leave, thanks to her spending too much time in her own thoughts. With a wave to any left behind, she went about her business.

[Topic left unless interrupted.]

Word Count: 2615 + 562 = 3177 (6/5)​

 

[Nanami]

Nanami nodded at Honnou. Some problems may be worth dropping, but ultimately she was sure each task could be handled in turn.

Then the violence began. She was quick to her foot quick to step back and edge away but she froze the moment she rose paralyzed by the sudden intensity in the air. She didn't dare breath for fear of attracting any of the attention to herself.

She exhaled only when Honnou broke the silence with his plea and looked at him, was this in character? She nodded with him anyway, content to put the seriousness of this moment into the role and not reality. She was stunned into silence for long enough, she knew her answer but didn't speak.

Asami's approach was good, Nanami had to admit she was envious of her classmate's analysis. Sometimes a bad situation has bad answers, Nanami's feelings on trying to go for everything could disastrous instead of minimizing the bad results would make them so much worse. She would vote too for the release of the Senin as well, as annoying as Ikko could be, she couldn't help but feel that it was Eishi who was taking things too far. His response to their teacher's scolding was...scary. He didn't even seem to care.

Ikko was also pretty dark, she spent most of the time just staring at that scary face. There was something familiar about, something she didn't fully realize in their last meeting, or even now. Still, making demands of the teacher felt like such a bonehead move.

Their teacher summed things up well, as she realized from Asami's explanation, sometimes the bad move was the only real move. To kill. To kill to survive. To make your life mean more than the life you take. To weigh and assess a life's value, to make it less than your own. A cold chill ran through her cut, the kind a hundred layers and a roaring fireplace couldn't clear up. All of it to protect a place of misery and death, that was okay, right? She was still good right? She nodded, frozen still to her spot until Kiri approached her, placed a hand on her shoulder. She met his gaze firmly, a fire lit in her expression and nodded. "I will. Thank you." Her outburst was necessary but ineffective, emotional. She took that from the lesson as well.

He departed after his summation and Nanami let out a huffed stored breath, she spared a glance at the classmates, though about saying something but thought better of it and left.

[Exit]

426 wc
2462 total (5 posts)