Ties Stronger than Blood

[Okada Kaji]

The banner of the strong-blooded folk was waving in a pale night, hanging in pairs from rafters at a patio entrance. Hazy gray clouds painted the sky in swirls, illuminated by the rising moon in full. It was just after sunset, and Kaji Okada spent a moment in waiting and took in the view from a garden on the Chigokai clan’s illustrious compound. Of course, a man the likes of Kaji would have never been invited to such a place under normal pretenses, but as the ANBU’s Grand Commander there were occasional duties that required his presence. Even shinobi at the height of authority found themselves at the beck and call of the establishment, often paying respect to certain controlling forces within the village. With noble houses being a major contributor to the village’s military might, Kaji was expected to treat an invitation to meet with one for dinner as an honor. Only having commoner roots to his name, Kaji usually had a distaste for such a gathering, but when it came from one of his peers in the ANBU branch, he obliged without hesitation. Like many of the operatives in the organization, Kaji did not know Terumi personally, but her renown and accolades proceeded her. So, when the kunoichi famous for her blood-lance had something to discuss with Kaji, he came with intentions of seeing what he could do for someone who had done so much for their village.

After the aforementioned dinner and what must have been a couple of hours of discussions, Kaji asked for a moment to take a call on his headset and stepped out for some fresh air. Basking in the moonlight, Kaji took in deep breaths of the thin mountain air, invigorated by the night chill. A glass of dinner wine had his core feeling warm and he was in good spirits, albeit a bit contemplative and withdrawn. Standing there, he dressed sharply; the way you’d be expected to when the company at a noble’s dinner. His long obsidian strands were tamed and held back in a loose knot, revealing his angular facial features. Those emeraldine eyes were in a forty-yard stare, lost in thought. His posture said awakened, and his physique said top of his form. He was lithe yet strong beneath some designer linen suit getup that was picked out for him by an aide. The dress wear felt out of place on Kaji, but the surroundings in the yard brought him comfort. It was pruned to be a stone garden, beautiful and elegant, while perfect for casual training or meditation. It was an attractive setting, suitable for light sparring but not prepared for the extreme practices of shinobi like the Grand Commander or the Ladies of the House.

“I was just admiring the grounds,” said Kaji when he heard the sound of a sliding door sweep behind him. “Guess time just got away from me.” He spun around slowly to acknowledge the company who appeared in the door, seemingly surprised at who he found.

- Kaji Okada has entered the thread.
- Using ANBU Sennin Thread Slot
- Requesting Enatsu
- This is a private thread. I guess Chigokai might be in the vicinity though.
​

 

[Enatsu]

It wasn't very often that Enatsu saw his mother at their home since returning to the village, even less that he'd see her in the kitchen cooking with her grandmother. They were in the midst of preparing a dinner for a very special guest. They had an assortment of vegetables, rice, mountain hog, shrimp, and salmon. He was honestly quite jealous of their esteemed guest if nothing else for the food. Unfortunately Enatsu would not be allowed to be involved in this conversation, it was a matter of business with his mother's superior. For now he was tasked with cleaning the parlor, and fixing the table. The young boy placed two porcelain plates down on the table, each accompanied by a set of chopsticks, a fork, and a spoon. He placed 2 cups at the left of each plate, each with a coaster underneath. The cups varied in size, the taller one for juice or water and the shorter one for the sake he was about to set out. Next was the pitcher of water and the bottle of sake, they had a rotating wheel at the center of the table, he would place the beverages on the wheel leaving enough room for the entrees that his matriarchs were about to bring out. After another half an hour, he was called to kitchen tasked to bring out the food that his elders had worked hard to make. He was salivating at the sight of the food, his stomach instantly growling and jealousy setting in again. Luckily there was a plate set aside for him, his mother waiting for the boy to finish his tasks before giving it to him, truly this was love. "Make yourself scarce Enatsu, mommy has some business to discuss and you're not to be around for it. " He complied with her order, taking the plate and heading off with a sharp grin on his face, he was about to destroy this smack-attack! (The food)

He could hear the sound of an unfamiliar voice as his mother greeted their guest. Enatsu himself was on the second floor of their two story house, he sat eating his food at the top of the stairs while his mother and her boss went to have their dinner and discuss their business. He wasn't going to eavesdrop like other children most likely would, instead he'd go read comics in his room, a chance to kill some time. The young boy would get lost in his stories for what seemed like hours, it was as if each page he flipped gave him a vision of a different world. Eventually he reached an end to his manga. It would be a long wait before next weeks issues hit the store so he had to exhibit patience. With a saddened sigh the young boy would leave his room, and make his way for the first floor where he saw his mother and grandmother speaking to one another, their voices low enough that he couldn't fully make out what they were saying, nor was he going to try to. Instead he would make his way into the kitchen, stealthily grabbing a bowl and advancing to the counter top where the leftovers lied in wait. He'd grab 3 large spoonfuls of rice, and then slap shrimp and salmon over the bed of grains. He'd dump an abnormal amount of spicy curry on the seafood before topping it off with potatoes and then veggies. At some point he forgot he was supposed to be doing this stealthily. His mother had caught onto him long ago, from her perspective he was bouncing around the kitchen with a smile on his face wiggling from dish to dish. When their eyes met, he only gulped before dashing away from the scene of the crime. He couldn't escape the woman on his best day but she just laughed letting him go on about his way.

The young boy made his way to an adjacent hall to the kitchen. He kept his body flat against the wall and watched the corner as he devoured the bowl. By his estimation he should've had a few kunai flying his way, at least a water whip coming from around the corner. However to his surprise there was nothing. He cocked his head to the side, partly confused but partly disappointed, deep down inside he wished for a little bit of play, he may have been a pre-teen but he felt so energetic after eating such good food. He came to the sliding door that led out to a rocky formation outside, a cliff of sorts. His mother chose a house at a higher point, she liked being secluded at times and their stone garden was large enough for a number of activities. However upon exit he was surprised to find someone already out there.

As soon as Enatsu opened the sliding door, he was met with the gaze of the older man. He was muttering something about admiring the grounds and that time must have escaped him. Enatsu stood there with the bowl of half eaten food, his mouth littered with crumbs. The man had a stale look on his face, a lack of emotion or maybe he was just so good at hiding them that Enatsu couldn't get a read on him. He was dressed very well, a professional of sorts. He wore an obsidian suit, it looked pretty expensive probably more yen than Enatsu could make in a year. Based on what he could gather, this man was most likely his mother's boss the man she had over for dinner earlier. It became apparent that he was just standing there staring at the man, and probably for an uncomfortable amount of time. When the realization set in, his body jolted like a quick shock ran through him, the boy immediately began to panic (outwardly) and fumbled to bow to the man. While doing this rushed bow, he dropped his bowl of salmon and rice.

"Ah! [bows haphazardly / drops salmon] hello my name is Chigokai Enatsu. Sorry to disturb you .... ah my food..", the last bit was a slip of the tongue but now he was foucsed on the food that just hit the floor.

Enatsu's sad face for reference

Spoiler

Ah... my food! Noooooooo of all things to possibly drop., he'd pout for a few seconds longer with his head down. After the brief greeting, he'd drop down on one knee and begin to clean his mess. It would be tough to pick up all this rice by hand so he'd begin to generate a bit of chakra into his left palm. He would immediately begin to focus the chakra's nature, warping it with his own. Little droplets of water began to drip from his hand, like his hand was coated in a light layer of water. He'd press down on the ground with this "Wet Hand" and collect the rice on his palm in clumps. It was a minuscule application of chakra, but Enatsu appreciated techniques like these, it was a lot easier to manage than trying to add pin point accuracy to a large jutsu. Enatsu just hadn't mastered controlling his jutsu, yet the smallest interaction with his skills had helped build him up this far, and he could only dream of how far he could really go. Once a weakling, and now he was among the strongest of his age group in the clan.

While scooping the rice and fish he would speak out to man. "My apologies for interrupting you. I just wanted to come out and look over the land. Is there anything I can get you?" He hoped he wasn't being a bother. This was his mother's boss after all and he didn't want to embarrass her. He looked up to meet the man in his eyes, as a respectful young man should do for their elders. As he met the man's eyes he noticed that his eyes were an emerald glaze, and when one stared into them, they could get lost in the depth of the man before him not like Enatsu's beady gray eyes, that resembled a fish more than man, and still had their childlike naivety.

[Topic Entered]
[MFT]

 

[Okada Kaji]

</FONTFACE>

<FONTFACE fontface="georgia">Kaji’s eyes swept over the boy, deliberating a motive as he watched Enatsu lose the grip on his bowl. He was a clumsy one— a passing realization made by Kaji as he tried to consider more relevant ideas. The two hours of talking at the dinner table covered a myriad of subjects— the state of their organization, their village, lives, and more often than those, their families. This boy, the clumsy one losing cuts of salmon— he was his mother’s treasure and the sum of all her hopes and fears alike. With only a glance Kaji saw the reasons for her inspiration and concern; her son, truly unique by design. The moonlight reflected off of his cool blue skin tones, revealing Enatsu to be as Terumi described him. A decade ago, Kaji Okada might have seen a potential shinobi standing before him, but through gained wisdom and the compassion of his own parenthood, he saw a child, innocent and without the scarring of apprentices on the path to being a ninja.

“Disturb me? You could do no such thing” Kaji countered. “I’m a guest in your home, young man.” Those words came with an inviting, sweeping hand gesture. “My presence startled you— I’m sorry.” Scrutinizing eyes watched the boy as he hurried to pick up the mess, likely enacting a five-second rule if he could manage it. He continued, “Your mother has been raving about you all evening Enatsu. But when you never came to the table I was beginning to think you’d be cooped up in your room until I left… I see my exit bought you some time to raid the spread, but fate would have us meet anyway. You see, I’m a colleague of hers’— call me Kaji if you’d like.” He cracked a small smile with a curl at the edges of his lips, considering whether this was a ploy by Terumi to urge Kaji’s considerations. Indeed, many topics were shared at the table, ranging from the mundane talk of the ANBU’s tutelage practices and memories of the vastly different upbringings of the two shinobi in their own times. Enatsu was at the forefront of a new era, one draped in mystery and the potential of both greatness and disaster.
“You overfilled the bowl and ended up wasting more when it all spilled,” said Kaji, deriving some wisdom from the innocent accident. “It is a lesson in the temperance of your ambitions: to not get big-eyed and take more than you can handle.” He hadn’t even decided on whether to pursue inducting the boy into the organization and was dispensing idioms. “Lady Terumi has said that you have an interest in becoming a ninja… is that true of you? Or should I say, is that what you want?” There was a curiosity in his tone, rising with some excitement. The dim emeralds glowing in his eyes began to brighten like his passion for the ninja’s path: talk of a life of adventure. “Sure, you probably want to get down with that bowl right now, but humor me… is Enatsu the name of ninja?”
​

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[Enatsu]

The older man's reply put Enatsu at ease. He coolly replied that he was a guest in the genin's home and that he was of no disturbance. It was a refreshing feeling to meet a superior with such a down to earth personality. He wasn't slighting the other superiors of the village, he barely knew any well enough to do that, however this man was essentially his first direct experience with a Kumogakure elite and one so high up at that. The man then went on to apologize for startling Enatsu. To that point he'd laugh, "You're perfectly fine ... I may have been startled but that's my fault for being off-guard." his voice gentle, and his shy demeanor slightly showing. He was embarrassed butt he'd continue picking up the bits until the man before him spoke once more. The veteran was a bit more talkative about why he was there.

The elder shinobi said that Enatsu's mother had been raving about him all evening. He couldn't even begin to think of all the embarrassing things she probably talked about, if he already wasn't embarressed from the food droppings, he was sure to die of embarrassment from whatever she could have said. For some reason Kaji thought he'd be meeting Enatsu at the dinner based on how much Terumi spoke of him, however the young boy was told to stay in his room. His mother likely didn't want to make any presumptuous actions such as assuming Enatsu would be automatically accepted by this man. This boss, was known as Kaji, it was a strong name somewhat imposing to the young boy. He didn't respond to this portion, he wasn't really sure what to say just yet and he wanted to give the man his focus as a sign of respect. As he scooped up the last bits, Kaji made an observation.

He made a comment to Enatsu that he overfilled the bowl and ended up wasting more via the spillage. While it was an accident, Kaji saw this as a teaching moment. A time where he could pique his own curiosity and see how Enatsu's mind worked. “It is a lesson in the temperance of your ambitions: to not get big-eyed and take more than you can handle”, these were the next words that Kaji spoke and the ones that dug the deepest for the blue skinned boy. It was as true as it was simplistic, if he had taken care to grab an appropriate amount he would not be in this predicament. He shouldn't get so ahead of himself in any moment, again he was reminded that he wasn't just a boy anymore, he was now a soldier. "Thank you for the lesson Kaji-sama. I was too rash, I'll take this lesson to heart." With the cleaning having been done for some time now, Enatsu would place the bowl to the side (on the ground still) and deactivate the aura of water on his hands. His hand would retain it's normal shape while the water seemed to recoil back into his body. He'd bow deeply to Kaji while clasping his right hand over his left fist, it was a sign of respect to the veteran. Even the smallest lessons could improve Enatsu's success rate as a shinobi of Kumogakure.

Kaji gave pause before speaking again; he mentioned that Enatsu's mother spoke of his interest to become a ninja. He nodded, not wanting to interrupt Kaji but wanting to validate his mother's claim. He continued his statement with a question, inquiring if this path of a shinobi was what Enatsu truly wanted. The boy was asked to humor the big boss, so he would do just that. He started with a low voice, one of uncertainty like he was finding his words. "I'm not sure if my name is the one of a ninja, I'm still young and I don't know who I'm supposed to be... I could make a million mistakes down this path but there's something I just can't explain..." he took a moment to pause, he was getting cotton mouth, nervousness setting in. He began to walk away from the door and move closer to the hillside. His silver eyes peered over the skies of the village, his eyes painting over the scenery. The night sky, and the beautiful stars above overtaking his mind. He breathed a little easier, it wasn't like looking at water but the vastness of the skies had the same effect. "This house and land are home to my clan, and beyond this is the village home to hundreds of people who are different but co-existing. Beyond our walls are thousands, no millions of people who all come from different places bearing different dreams and aspirations . I just want to look on the same skies with purpose." He got way more talkaltive and as he spoke his words became weighted. They may have sounded confusing but he spoke with conviction behind them. Confidence that he lacked had now slowly reared its head to the surface. He was uncertain, but grounded in the belief that if he pursued a dream that he couldn't see, he would find his true purpose in the world.

"As silly as I probably sound, I just think that if I take my eyes off this path for a second, if I even waver in myself a little, I'll lose something valuable. So while I'm not sure who I am now, I know that this is the most right thing I've done in my life so far, and I'm willing to see where it takes me." He slightly tensed at his words, a memory flooding in from a time where he said these exact words to his mother. Five years ago before she took him to train exclusively, he would stare at the waters in this same manner. He uttered something similar to her and she ended up telling him what his name meant. A child sent from god, her spring time miracle, well it was a rough translation.

 

[Okada Kaji]

More important than ones' ability to expend wisdom is their capacity for listening. Attempting to break the mold of his predecessors was important to the new grandmaster, so he was paying close attention to Enatsu’s responses. They were not some scripted response; no theory passed onto him reflecting the cloud’s desire to create loyal ninja. The boy’s intentions rang as true belief, albeit naive to Kaji, who understood the politics of shinobi to the nth degree. Protecting the ones they love is often at the core of the shinobi’s vision, however, how it is accomplished is where many ninja become tools in the schemes of lesser men. Many times, Kaji and many of his peers over the years had begun much like Enatsu, full of hope, only to become the faces of despicable acts— often murder with a supposed purpose. It was disappointing for Kaji to consider the future likely ahead of Enatsu; he could see the potential for power in the child easily, even without real analysis. The lesser, bloodthirsty masters of shinobi within the cloud would likely rush to get their hands on Enatsu. Kaji’s own sensei would have surely taken Enatsu on, give him an incredible weapon, and quickly tear away the youthful hope and naivety which seemed to define Enatsu.

Xinyue— the name came to mind quickly: she was a young Kaji’s friend and rival, who fought with such a reckless force, hungry for blood. She was an orphan from a land far across the frozen seas, adept in many of the martial arts. Kaji’s sensei’s inhibitions and affinity for mind control with his pinwheel eyes turned the child into a monster bent to his every whim. “I won’t let that happen to this one” thought Kaji, “for your sake, Xin.”

“Nothing about what you’ve said sounds silly” Kaji answered, hiding his deep reflections and concern behind a slight smile. “Your intentions are placed well, young Enatsu. What you have now is a spirit that makes for an ideal shinobi. Never lose sight of the vision— your dream, as that defines you. Stick to this path— or as some of the old-heads call it; your shinobi way.” It seemed as if the intentions of Sennin Okada were also settled then, as he would comply with the conversation had at dinner that evening. “Enatsu, we are on the edge of a new era here in our village… that was the subject of a lot of the talk had at dinner tonight— a lot of mature stuff to be honest, but it's not something you won’t be able to understand in time. But, that said, shinobi like your mother and I have seen and done a lot to reach this point.” He paused and saw a vision: enough blood spilled that only Enatsu could swim without drowning in the product of their deeds. “Lady Terumi has done well to prepare you for this point, and I would like to join her efforts if you would have that. Shinobi like you are what this village— what the ANBU need to protect its future: we are not weapons, but symbols— symbols of peace, hope, and protection.”
​

<i></i>

 

[Enatsu]

Enatsu's left arm casually raised upward and grasped his right bicep. The young boy was touched by embarressment. He felt as though he was just rambling but he truly didn't know what to make of the world yet. There was so little that he truly knew about. Kaji began to speak starting off by affirming that what Enatsu had said was not looked down on. Kaji would go on to explain that Enatsu's intentions reflect a spirit that is befitting of a shinobi. He advised him to never lose sight of his vision, the goal he was pursuing. Continuing down this path would provide him with the answers he was seeking. This was a comforting thought for the Gening thought that he sounded childish as ever. It was normal for children to be so selfish with their words, it was a refreshing experience that Kaji indulged him.

Enatsu's eyes widened as the veteran shinobi spoke, his words ringing through the fledgling's mind. With time a new era would always occur, each generation bringing in fresh individuals. It would seem that Kaji and his mother discussed many things about this coming of age, if Enatsu had to guess it would strengthen the village at its core. Regardless this was not his focus, and the elder made it known that he need not worry at this time. Kaji made a comment that himself and Terumi had seen and done much in their time. The boy could imagine how much his mother had done, how much blood she had spilled. Enatsu was inexperienced but he was not dumb, and he was not ignorant to the danger that this line of work posed. His clan was stricter than others, and his mother exclusively trained him for 5 years. Now in that time she had done much to prepare him for being a shinobi, and not just with skills, the mental fortitude it took as well. However she always said at some point he will have to forge his own way and she won't continue to coddle him. This was that moment, where he would have to leave the nest in a sense. She said she would be away for a while with work, and now he could get a glimpse of that. Kaji was extending an invitation to the Anbu division.

Enatsu instantly straightened up, clasped his right hand over his left fist, and bowed deeply. "It would be my honor if you would have me. I cannot turn down this chance to go further in my path. Thank you for the opportunity Kaji-sama." Enatsu would raise himself up and release his hands. Then he'd clench his fist by his waist and respond with an excited tone. "I won't let you down!" He was cheesing now, his toothy smile showing his shark-like appearance and a gleam in his eyes. He'd bring his excitement down a bit before speaking again. "Kaji-sama, what does it mean to be an Anbu? If you don't mind me asking, how did your shinobi way bring you to the Anbu?" He felt like it was an appropriate time to try and get to know Kaji a little better if he had the time for it.

[MFT]

 

[Okada Kaji]

</FONTFACE>

<FONTFACE fontface="georgia">Sennin Okada had a solemn yet accepting expression as Enatsu willfully accepted his proposal. There was a feeling within Kaji that this moment would mean something, both now and far into the future, however, the uncertainty of the future matter was a familiar thing. Kaji had experienced success and failure in the past with the tutelage of ANBU proteges— it was as challenging and unpredictable as parenting, with the results of a pupil’s development more their own than a product of the sensei’s teachings. This Enatsu child was far different from the crumb-snatching urchin Kaji was as a kid, only time could tell just how far he would go.

“My shinobi way” Kaji repeated, picking out the significance of the nindo in Enatsu’s question. It made him silent for a moment and he made half a turn shyly, shading half of his visage from the moonlight. “I haven’t been the Sennin for very long, but I have developed a vision in this short tenure. We as people first are meant to strive towards the change we wish to see in the world, but as ninja, we understand that peace does not come without sacrifice. The latter is a principle drilled into the ANBU from the time boys like you find their first masters.” In brief flashes his mind took him back to the place of his indoctrination as a young apprentice, panting and kneeling at the sides of his childhood teammates. They were being hardened and honed by the fiercest of mentors. He remembered the image of his master looking down upon them in the darkness like omnipotence in the flesh. There stood a master of wielding power to create fear, and with pinwheel eyes spinning, he created effects that both drove and haunted Kaji to this very day.

“My vision— desire, is to make the ANBU into the protectors we are meant to be. To be strong and courageous, and the first to fight when hope seems lost. To go forth using our minds as the most skilled warriors, while having the heart to put this land and her people first no matter the cost.” As he spoke a soft breeze was sweeping and the shadow over him expanded with a veil of overcast grabbing the moon. In this shadow, Kaji’s form was like a silhouette with the exception of the emeraldine eyes which glowed more literally in the night. “There are powers that be who’ve seen us as their weapons for far too long,” said Kaji, changing his to tune slightly. “At the start of my path as an ANBU I was taught to have discipline over everything and to never question the mission. When I was found I was like nothing to him, a lost child with other lost children. We were easy to take in and not missed— and down we went into the isolation of a grove where phosphorescent mushrooms grew like trees. There, we were molded into disciples. First I learned to follow his orders and live, then I learned how to fight. My master said he chose me because I was quiet and quick on my feet, so he taught me the ways of the blade and I was his assassin. Under the tutelage of my master, there was no talk about the village, no will to protect, only the missions he fed us like the stalks of fungi and stale cave water. We were tools of destruction taught to hunt down whoever needed murdering, and leashed, trusting that those missions brought our master and by proxy the village, glory.”

Then the clouds shifted and the soft moonlight returned, revealing the ANBU Sennin unmoved. “I did not walk this path I ran— and somehow, I survived.” He shut his eyes in a long blink, remembering the deaths of his peers: for his sister, it was a fall into lava, and for his brother, he was first slain by her hand. Kaji was certain that this was done by her all to appease their master, for that seemed to be the key to life those days.
“It is a path I will not allow the younglings of our ANBU to ever walk again.”
​

​

 

[Enatsu]

Enatsu eagerly awaited Kaji’s response to his question. The young boy wanted to know what pushed the man before him to become a shinobi. He fell silent for a moment, as if the question gave him pause. When he did speak it’d be the young boy’s time to be all ears. Kaji made statements that in order to change the world, one must change themselves. It was a common saying packaged in different ways, “be the change you want to see in the world” among many others. The Genin could sympathize with that line of thinking, and appreciate the encouragement it could foster in people. The Sennin’s vision was to make the Anbu into the protectors he thought they should be. From this perspective it seemed like Kaji wanted his Anbu to be the shining light in the darkness. Not only would they be strong shinobi, they would be warriors of humility, and heart.

Kaji’s next statement hung on the boy’s mind. He made the claim that people such as himself and Enatsu would be rather seen as someone’s weapon, and that it’s been going on for too long. When the Sennin first became an Anbu he was taught discipline over everything, a form of total obedience. He would go on to describe a man who took the Sennin and countless other children in. He spoke of an isolated grove where mushrooms grew to the height of trees, it sounded like a place even more mysterious than the Ancient Forest. It was there that these children were molded into shinobi. His tale pulled on Enatsu’s heart strings, he could only imagine the pain the young children had to experience growing up in the wild as disposable tools. Kaji’s master didn’t give him much of a choice to be anyone other than a deadly blade to be wielded. He never had a choice in this matter, nor did any of the other children. They were fed next to nothing, and sculpted into merciless killers. Is this how people become shinobi? Is this how my mom was raised up too? He pondered on that thought for a moment before turning his attention back. After all, this kind of upbringing that Kaji was describing was a foreign reality to Enatsu.

The veteran shinobi exclaimed that he did not walk down this path, he ran down it. It was sad that his life had unfolded in this manner, but it was probably due to this reason, he was in a position to actually make a change in the system. Enatsu could understand more than ever why Kaji was fighting for the future, why he was intent on making a change. He had no desire to create soulless machines out of people. While the Sennin closed his eyes to reminisce, the young Genin’s mouth broke into a sharp toothed grin. He was smiling because the man before him became larger than life, and much cooler in a matter of seconds. ”Kaji-sama, I don’t know if it means much, but I think your words have been some of the most important I’ve heard in my life. I may not know my reason in this world yet, but I think if I follow outstanding men like you, I’ll get closer to my dreams than I could on my own. I want to learn what it means to protect the things you believe in, and the people you love. I will become what your ANBU are supposed to embody. I promise this on my name, Chigokai Enatsu!”

The young boy was fired up now, brimming with excitement for he was about to head down his very own Shinobi path and as an Anbu of Kumogakure no less. It wouldn’t be an easy road, and there were bound to be times when his will would be tempted but the young boy would hold strong and persevere no matter what came before him.

------

Terumi stood in the hall a few steps from the screen door. She didn’t want to interrupt this meeting, not that she had intended for it to happen so soon. The woman was slightly distraught with her son gravitating to the Anbu field, but this is exactly what she trained him for and hearing that this is what he wanted to pursue made her even happier. A sense of relief washed over her as she realized that her baby boy, was a baby no more. A few tears would fall from her cheek as she held her heart and made her way back to another part of the house. It was clear she wasn't needed here.

Spoiler

- Terumi was eavesdropping, feel free to sense for her presence or not, if you do she will be auto-detected by you

[MFT]

 

[Okada Kaji]

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<FONTFACE fontface="georgia">And so the time had come for Enatsu Chigokai to take another trailblazing step on his path as a shinobi. At the request of Kaji, Enatsu was veering off of the beaten path so many shinobi tread. Instead, the boy was wandering into a mire of the unknown, where true shinobi were forged and test as ANBU. His heritage was as strong in him as the products of his mother’s tutelage, making Enatsu as ready as he might ever be for the next step. Though Kaji was there with him at the start of this road, the aging shinobi knew that it was seldom a journey where others guided you through for long. But as he forged that bond Kaji had to hold some hope in seeing it through, and felt obligated to see Enatsu realize his own dreams and true potential as a ninja. Too wise to enjoy the moment as much as he could have, Kaji cracked a slight smile in response to the boy’s excitement. There was a pang of guilt, as it was more dangerous to arm a ninja with hope than it was a weapon.

“Alright then, it’s settled,” said Kaji in an accepting tone. “Matters of your transfer and indoctrination will begin in the morning, but not until you get to see what you’ll be working with in the Sileo Tempestas. Though, first things first, a tour is in order.” As he said this his attention looked elsewhere, making only the slightest glance acknowledging a vigilant presence watching their chat. While it may not have been for the entire discussion, Kaji was certain that Terumi wouldn’t have missed such a crucial interview of sorts. The evening hadn’t been a scouting visit— yet, it must have meant a lot to see years of love and care coalesce in one moment and her son’s decision.
“It doesn’t make you a momma’s boy if you let your Mother do the honors of showing you around, does it?” He then began a lazy shuffle towards the house, taking his time and patting Enatsu’s shoulder as he swept by. “Come, let’s go tell her the good news.”


-- TLUS​

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