Nanami should have paused, maybe gone back to her room and taken a nap, rested up, enjoyed her moment of triumph in quiet reflection, but she didn't she was far too excited.
She finally did it, Nanami Hideaki, Genin of the proud Kumogakure tradition. Every night she spent in training, fists flying, quiet meditation, attaining her chakra, learning techniques. She did it all for this day, and the days to come. She was Genin.
She clutched the headband tight, not yet ready to put it away, or to tie it on her just left it in her hand, stole glances at it as she made her way out of the Aurora Eruditio, well past her dorm and away. She had to share this with someone, tell someone she had finally achieved her goals but who?
There was only one person who came to mind.
The only question was how to find her. She could potentially be anywhere, but Nanami was certain if she was close she would be able to tell. Kano was the type of person whose presence was hard to miss.
She tore her way across the city core searching every nook and cranny, across rooftops and stalls until at last, she spotted a familiar face. It wasn't Kano, but someone unmistakably associated. A young boy in a dark cloak, chasing around a gaggle of other kids. Not much younger than Nanami, but definitely younger.
"Behold a power great enough to challenge even the Queen herself!" he declared, jumping on top of a box. He then dove after another nearby child who squealed and leapt desperately out of the way followed by a peal of laughter. Nanami stepped in and grabbed his swaying cape, nearly yanking him off his feet.
"Hey! Leggo! Who do you- no cape grabbing! That's against the rules!" he declared.
Nanami released the cloak as he flailed around trying to free himself, nearly sending him sprawling for the second time. She winced briefly and stood up tall as he turned to face her. "Hey. You know Kano, right?" she asked.
His eyes narrowed immediately, eyes flicking up and down Nanami as he stepped back and he gave her a conspiratorial look. "Who's asking?"
Nanami folded her arms. "Listen, it's important, okay? I just need to know where she is."
"Nuhuh! Top secret, no way. I don't know who you are-"
"Nanami."
"Well, I don't know any Nanami, and even if I did know where she was I wouldn't tell you! An enemy!"
"An enemy!?" Nanami responded indignantly. "Okay! Forget this, I'm not playing around, tell me where she is it's important, I'm not her enemy!"
"No way!" he sneered and did his best to stand tall.
Nanami stepped forward abruptly, fists balled.
"Okay! Okay okay okay! She left to go to the firework's shop on the edge of Susukino!" He flinched back, protecting himself. She almost scoffed. She didn't even get to do anything!
Nanami beamed a toothy grin and turned to leave. "Thanks!"
"Don't tell her I told you, okay!" he called after her.
The sound of children playing resumed moments after she stepped away.
Nanami closed on the shop quickly. With any luck, she'd be able to catch Kano before she entered. Her mind raced with possibilities, fireworks? Stealing them? Maybe without an audience, Kano might just...pay for them? It was a soon dashed hope, Nanami had a pretty good hunch that Kano was just Kano, audience or no. She smiled at the thought as the shop came into view. Whatever the fireworks were for, she was excited to find out.
She took a few minutes to scan the exterior, making a slow orbit as she checked for signs of Kano. The unmistakable sight of a white-haired girl slipping in through the back delivery door. Nanami almost cursed and immediately moved to follow after making sure the coast was clear. The last thing she wanted was to follow Kano here only to get her into trouble. Let alone the embarrassment of failing to pull off something like this quietly, they were Ninja, after all.
A few minutes after Kano, Nanami pushed the door open gently and stepped in, keen to catch her quarry off guard, she gruffly whispered.
"Hey, you there, what do you think you're doing...!"
She finally did it, Nanami Hideaki, Genin of the proud Kumogakure tradition. Every night she spent in training, fists flying, quiet meditation, attaining her chakra, learning techniques. She did it all for this day, and the days to come. She was Genin.
She clutched the headband tight, not yet ready to put it away, or to tie it on her just left it in her hand, stole glances at it as she made her way out of the Aurora Eruditio, well past her dorm and away. She had to share this with someone, tell someone she had finally achieved her goals but who?
There was only one person who came to mind.
The only question was how to find her. She could potentially be anywhere, but Nanami was certain if she was close she would be able to tell. Kano was the type of person whose presence was hard to miss.
She tore her way across the city core searching every nook and cranny, across rooftops and stalls until at last, she spotted a familiar face. It wasn't Kano, but someone unmistakably associated. A young boy in a dark cloak, chasing around a gaggle of other kids. Not much younger than Nanami, but definitely younger.
"Behold a power great enough to challenge even the Queen herself!" he declared, jumping on top of a box. He then dove after another nearby child who squealed and leapt desperately out of the way followed by a peal of laughter. Nanami stepped in and grabbed his swaying cape, nearly yanking him off his feet.
"Hey! Leggo! Who do you- no cape grabbing! That's against the rules!" he declared.
Nanami released the cloak as he flailed around trying to free himself, nearly sending him sprawling for the second time. She winced briefly and stood up tall as he turned to face her. "Hey. You know Kano, right?" she asked.
His eyes narrowed immediately, eyes flicking up and down Nanami as he stepped back and he gave her a conspiratorial look. "Who's asking?"
Nanami folded her arms. "Listen, it's important, okay? I just need to know where she is."
"Nuhuh! Top secret, no way. I don't know who you are-"
"Nanami."
"Well, I don't know any Nanami, and even if I did know where she was I wouldn't tell you! An enemy!"
"An enemy!?" Nanami responded indignantly. "Okay! Forget this, I'm not playing around, tell me where she is it's important, I'm not her enemy!"
"No way!" he sneered and did his best to stand tall.
Nanami stepped forward abruptly, fists balled.
"Okay! Okay okay okay! She left to go to the firework's shop on the edge of Susukino!" He flinched back, protecting himself. She almost scoffed. She didn't even get to do anything!
Nanami beamed a toothy grin and turned to leave. "Thanks!"
"Don't tell her I told you, okay!" he called after her.
The sound of children playing resumed moments after she stepped away.
Nanami closed on the shop quickly. With any luck, she'd be able to catch Kano before she entered. Her mind raced with possibilities, fireworks? Stealing them? Maybe without an audience, Kano might just...pay for them? It was a soon dashed hope, Nanami had a pretty good hunch that Kano was just Kano, audience or no. She smiled at the thought as the shop came into view. Whatever the fireworks were for, she was excited to find out.
She took a few minutes to scan the exterior, making a slow orbit as she checked for signs of Kano. The unmistakable sight of a white-haired girl slipping in through the back delivery door. Nanami almost cursed and immediately moved to follow after making sure the coast was clear. The last thing she wanted was to follow Kano here only to get her into trouble. Let alone the embarrassment of failing to pull off something like this quietly, they were Ninja, after all.
A few minutes after Kano, Nanami pushed the door open gently and stepped in, keen to catch her quarry off guard, she gruffly whispered.
"Hey, you there, what do you think you're doing...!"