To be a Low Person (Exam)

[Ketsueki Satou]

A warm brimming sun was hanging overhead of Kumogakure village this day. A day a student was to become a Shinobi of rank, a Genin. And the Proctor himself, a giant aged creature, garments of colored robes that flowed as he walked by the academy. His long flowing mane of silver grayed hair tied back in a weak top knot that hangs loosely. The elderly man stood a giants height over six feet and four inches. His frame was wide as a youth and it carried on even to his ancient age.

He held a bit of a intimidation for his appearance and being known as one of the oldest teacher and proctor of Kumogakure. He has seen many student come and go. Many of which passed their exams, and many have failed. Today, he would test another student to become a low ninja of Kumogakure, hopefully the student was prepared well enough for the task. Given that Genin do not take on dangerous or health hazard missions, so the old sage had to formulate something similar to that of what Genin face.

Kotsurugi sat down with a deepened sigh of relief in the middle of the square by the fountain in the middle of the square. The town was lively today, people talking and laughing, the young running about with fervor and energy. It was a fine day indeed for the exam. Everything seemed well to have the exam here, the elders honey colored eyes scanned bout the area. Taking in everything as one hand rested upon a walking stick, the other stroking his long bushy beard. "I wonder if he got the message on time."

A carrier had delivered a letter to Akuro Kunashi, stating he had been given an opportunity to prove himself to raise to the rank of Genin. To meet with Rurou Kotsurugi at the Dawnbringer Plaza and given his description and where to find the Elder at an appointed time. Making the letter look all official, made the old man feel even more ancient. But the Exam today would be interesting, for what he arranged, the scenario should be interesting to see how the boy works things out.

 

[Akuro Kunashi]

Re: To be a Low Person (Exam:Akuro Kunashi)

A knock had come to his door. Kunashi was just beginning to eat his breakfast when he heard it. He rose and walked to the door, finding a mail carrier upon opening it. "Notice for Akuro Kunashi. Is that you?" Kunashi nodded quickly and accepted the letter. Being as young as he was, he wasn't quite used to accepting mail yet. This excited him, making him feel a bit older. He thanked the courier and looked at the letter as he closed the door. He opened it as he walked to his table and examined it. It looked very official, raising concern within the boy. He scanned it quickly, and realized just what it was. He hastily finished his breakfast and got dressed. He had grabbed his backpack and crammed it full. He brought everything he would when he normally trains, including a notebook and writing utensils. Anything he thought he could use, he made sure he grabbed it. Today was too important of a day to forget a pencil.

Upon arrival at the Dawnbringer's Plaza, the meeting place designated in the letter, he scanned the crowd. Pulling back out the letter, he reread the description of his instructor. 'Rurou Kotsurugi.. Elderly man.. long gray hair, colorful robes.. Honey eyes, and... six feet four inches?! This man is huge!' Kunashi began to worry a bit. His instructor was well-versed in the shinobi world, meaning his test was probably going to be difficult. Scanning the crowd again, he instantly saw the man matching the description. It was hard not to, the man was practically a giant. He approached his target, putting the letter back in his backpack.

"Rurou Kotsurugi-sama?"​

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

The elder was enjoying a nice cup of tea when Kunashi arrived on scene and with good timing. Kotsurugi was looking almost mindlessly at nothing for a few moments, as though lost in train of thought. Snapping too as he heard his name. "Oh?" He glanced down a bit to notice the young hopeful had arrived. "Ah hello lad, You must be..." He pulled out a small black notebook from his robe. "Akuro Kunashi? Glad to meet you lad. I am Rurou Kotsurugi and I'll be your proctor for days exam." He bow slightly to show some respect in greeting though felt rather awkward for him at his age. He laughed while stroking his wild beard. "I expect a certain level of dedication from students, I hope you've learned a lot through your days in school. For today we are going to use what you've gained to see if you deserve to join the ranks of Shinobi." He stood and took his tea, drinking it almost in a hurry, the hot steam bellowing up his face as he drank the scalding liquid as if a cool refreshing drink. Giving a refreshed sigh after finishing and setting it on the table with a few yen by the saucer. "Now then, before we begin the exam I will need a bit of information about you. As to ask, why do you wish to become a Ninja? To understand, what it means to be a Shinobi from your perspective? And to-" He was cut off when a bird perched on his shoulder, chirping rather loudly, tied around its leg was a small note. The old man did'nt appear alarmed or startled, but understanding as his large hand gently reached up, untied the note and read it in a mumble to himself. The bird took off after the elder fed it some bread he got from his table.

"Well then, to also mention you will be partnered up in this examination. There will be another student, a boy named Sasaki Kotsuko. May know of him? He'll be your partner, and I think this will also do nicely to see how well you two act in a team. Now, as I was saying, just a nice brief explanation." The Elder tapped his cane as he paced about the boy, inquisitively scanning at the physical. "What jutsu do you favor? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Have you ever been in combat or dangerous situations? How do you feel about putting yourself in mortal danger? To become Genin, to become Shinobi, you are admitting yourself to a life of danger. Some may not want this life, but what of you lad?" He paused to look deep into the boys eyes while he talked. An examiner had to perceive all aspects.

 

[Akuro Kunashi]

As Kotsurugi introduced himself and began explaining his expectations, Kunashi was put a little bit at ease. The man wasn't as intimidating as he had seemed physically. That was, until he started asking questions. Kunashi tried to keep them straight mentally as the elder rattled them off, when suddenly a bird flew down and landed on the elder's shoulder. Without skipping a beat, he opened the attached note and read it, mumbling quitely to himself. Kunashi thought this was interesting. He would've jumped at the feeling of a bird landing on him, but this man was not fazed in the slightest. After the interruption, the elder continued on. Kunashi smiled and nodded as Kotsuko was suddenly appointed as his partner. They have had a few run-ins in the past, and Kunashi was excited to see such a competent student as his partner. Kotsurugi rambled off a few more questions and Kunashi began answering them, nervous as the huge man stared deep into Kunashi's eyes, as if perceiving his very soul.

"To your first couple questions, I wish to become a Shinobi to give myself to better Kumogakure. I would love to be able to take leadership within Kumogakure as I grow older, and I hope to become the Sennin of the Main Branch someday. Being a Shinobi means being a tool for Kumogakure, completing tasks superiors give you without question or hesitation. It also means helping others, both in and outside of Kumogakure, provided they aren't an enemy. I prefer using lightning jutsu, and have just recently been developing different jutsu, something that Aiko-sama calls an 'advanced element.' He also calls these Gravity and Kinesis, I see them as just moving forces around. I am a Seikon, which makes me naturally fast. My speed, my strength, and my wit are probably my strengths. Genjutsu and honestly my kind nature are probably my biggest weaknesses. I just like to see the best in people, and that probably isn't great. I have fought another student before, Kashino Yuu, and am proud to say that I won. Other than that, however, I have never been in combat or dangerous situations. If I become a shinobi, I know it is my duty to put myself in mortal danger, and since I am here, I would say that I am very willing to do so. A life of danger and adventure is definitely something I want. I hope that answered everything."

Kunashi stood nervously, waiting for the elder's response.​

 

[Kazu]

Kotsuko loved to feel the wind through his hair. He would sometimes close his eyes and imagine that the wind was whispering to him, telling him stories of long ago. The power of nature was something else. His gaze swept over the crystal clear waters that surrounded him. His hands brushed against the solid stone rock that supported him. Ko was enjoying a rare opportunity where, instead of sneaking around or trying to learn something new, he allowed himself a chance to breath. In, and out. Reflection, he felt, was the best way to sharpen one's mind. Physical training was useless if your mind was too dull to slice apart a problem. One needed both the physical and the mental in order to be effective. This almost meditative activity was just what the young boy needed, lest he become too absorbed with his plans and desires to not see their flaws. He simply needed to breath. He closed his eyes, and began. In. Out. In. Out. I-

"Hm?" He felt a presence. Not human, and not hostile, but a presence. He opened one of his eyes to see a small messenger bird flying right towards him. He sighed a little internally as he realized that he was being summoned for something. Getting up, the young boy began to walk towards the bird over the water, his chakra control keeping him from slipping down into the water. The bird landed on his arm, and the young boy unraveled the parchment tied to its leg before sending it off. It was a sort message, but held quite a bit of weight to it. Ko smiled a devilish grin. He'd been selected for an Exam, and with a certain old man whom he knew very well. This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Ko figured he could meditate later. For now, he would have to make it to this exam. He set off, eager to begin such an important task.

[...]

Ko hopped from one rooftop to the next, slowly zeroing in on the location he was told to meet them at. It was a public square, where the village had set up a memorial to some shinobi of the past. Ko would have to read up on this memorial later. As the shops thinned out, Ko hopped down onto the cobbled roads to approach the two. As he landed, his appearance would become more apparent by sight, and by sound. The young boy was dressed with a sort of metal plating armor, dark grey in color. It was loosely fitted, covering his arms, chest, and his upper thighs reasonably well, though it looked to be rather thin and bendable. Perhaps it was an odd question to ask why the young boy would need such thick armor, but perhaps that was also the wrong question to ask. Underneath the armor, the young boy wore a black skin tight shirt and well-fitted tan pants. On his feet were steel-toed boots, to protect them against any stray shuriken. Ko walked with a confidence that stated he knew what he was doing, and he kept a certain inquisitive look in his eye that let you know that the young boy was always watching to see what you would do next. Ko never missed anything.

Approaching the old man and his student, Ko realized very quickly that it was Kunashi, the boy from the Academy whom he had befriended. Ko hadn't expected to run into him again so soon, but he figured that it wouldn't be a big deal. Greeting them, the young boy smiled slightly while he introduced himself. "Good morning. I hope I'm not late." Ko stood next to Kunashi, facing their silver-haired teacher for the day. Ko would wait to see what they were going to do next — he did, after all, arrive late to the exam. He hoped that wouldn't be marked against him.

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

(Sorry for the wait, been dealing with a serious head cold. I promise my next few posts won't be as slow.)

The Elder stood patiently listening to the young students words. His large calloused hand stroking his roughened beard a bit. He somewhat let out a laugh after the boy finished, the nervousness always gave a chuckle to the Elder. "You're viewpoint is very similar to another I know of. But to be honest Kunashi, you're mind should not simply see yourself as a tool. You are a human being firstly, so it is natural that you care, for humans are caring creatures by nature. To be a tool used by this village to protect it and see to its safety is also noble but do not sway yourself as merely being a weapon. That is what Anbu wish to truly be. You have a mind and a heart, use them because they are your tools at you're disposal. To hesitate means that you can judge right from wrong. To ascertain any situation one must take even a few moments to grasp a situation to form a proper answer. It is good you have some combat experience, for danger and peril is always present but can be hidden. Do not fear or step with uncertainty, steel yourself and be ever knowing and you'll make it out fine." He kept his calm demeanor ever more as he talked. Getting a bit of words out before the elders honey colored eyes turned to spot the second participant in the exam.

The people of the square were many as the sound of people conversing children laughing and playing, the dogs barking and running about, birds crying out in the skies above as the Elder looked around him, spotting Kotsuko and waving him over. "Impeccable timing Kotsuko-kun. I was about to start the Exam without you!" The elder gave another chuckle. His humor was lacking lately, he gave a bit of a cough. "Well then. As for how things are going to play out will be up to you two and how you manage to complete this task. Today I managed to scout out ahead of time a few citizens who are in need of help. Now the tasks they have will be simple enough that most Genin will complete within the hour. So I'm going to give you two just that, an hour or so to complete these tasks. If failed to do so, you inevitably fail the exam. Nothing strenuous. There are three citizens in the square right now who will appear in distress, troubled or appear to cause an incident. I want you two to investigate, find the citizens and complete each task presented. That is all. Now, work together, keep cool heads between you two, should be fine.I'll be watching." The Elder smiled as the next second of blinks he vanished, not even a trace of him as he vanished. Like a ghost.

the skies held brightened color as it was still early enough in the day to perform certain tasks, the streets were filled with people,sounds and smells. One could spot people talking or conversing, buying food from vendors and children playing about, but on closer inspection people could see that some were not like others. A women sitting on the bench crying, a man pacing about looking at the vendors and their products, a group of people breaking out in arguments and shouting. The square was lively with many people walking about with so many objectives around the two boys, one wonders whom they turned to first. Would they venture further about the square or start their work where they stood?

 

[Akuro Kunashi]

Kunashi grinned when he heard the elder's response to his answers. It was reassuring to him that such an experienced and confident shinobi believed that emotions, humanity, and hesitations are good traits for a shinobi to have. As Kotsurugi was finishing up his response to Kunashi, Kotsuko walked up to the pair and joined them. He gave a polite wave to his friend, and turned his attention to the elderly man once more. Kotsurugi then explained to the pair what exactly this exam would be: a series of tasks around the square. Kotsurugi said that the people in need would be rather obvious. Once the elder finished his explanation, he vanished into thin air.

With that, Kunashi began searching around the square for people in distress. He walked into the crowd, merging into the bustle of life. Searching around, he looked for people with obvious problems. His eyes fell on the most apparent group, the people arguing and shouting. Kunashi turned to his partner, pointing at the group. "What do you think of them?"

Sorry I'm a bit delayed. Busy in real life.

 

[Kazu]

His late arrival hadn't seemed to get him into any sort of trouble with their proctor. Kotsuko also knew the man, so perhaps he was simply being lenient on the young boy? Whichever it was, it didn't matter much to the young Sasaki. Taking his place in front of Kotsurugi, Kotsuko listened to what the old man had to say. The young boy knew that today they'd be taking their Genin Exams, but exactly what their test would be depended a lot on what Kotsurugi had in mind for them. Ko's face turned from stoic acceptance to annoyance pretty quickly, though, when he heard what kind of task they were being assigned. He didn't dare open his mouth to speak out against their mission, but the young boy didn't like it all the same. It was the kind of busy work that was beneath the young boy. He couldn't be bothered to care about such an assignment. Regardless, he accepted the fact that he would simply have to do it. He gave Kotsurugi a nod of acknowledgement at his assignment before he vanished. He stayed tensed at attention for a moment or two after the old man left, at which point he allowed himself to relax. A slight scowl quickly worked its way onto his face as he took in the fact that he'd have to essentially go around helping people with all the little mundane tasks that they might have. Whatever, it would have to be done.

Kunashi had seemed to have embraced the idea wholeheartedly, searching for people in distress. Ko as well noticed the group of people arguing fairly quickly, and realized that they were probably the easiest to spot. They might have the hardest task to complete, though. It was probably better that the two stick together, so Ko didn't bother suggesting that they split up. When his partner asked him what he thought of the group in front of them, Ko wondered how he wanted to approach them. "They definitely fit the bill. Let's see what they need." Walking towards the group, Ko began to break down the metal suit he was wearing into his iron sands, preparing them in case the situation called for it. Getting right in the middle of the argument going on, Ko would gather up small clouds of sands that he could use to put between him and each side of the argument. He planned to diffuse this, immediately. He didn't have the patience, nor the time, to resolve this in a long-winded way. With a look of calm authority, the young boy made his voice loud and commanding as he spoke to the quarrelers. "Alright everyone, let's just calm down. What's the problem here?" They would act as mediators, depending on what kind of situation was occurring. Who knew what kind of argument they were having, so Ko could only guess as to how these events were going to play out. Hopefully, no matter what happened, Kunashi would be there to support him.

 

[Rega]

(Taking over for Satou due to request~)

Standing before the young duo, there were two young girls and an older gentleman arguing with a pair of tall individuals in robes, arguing somewhat close to an alleyway where a humble ramen stand was now empty. The voices of the robed duo were too low to hear very well, but the older gentleman's voice boomed over everyone else, occasionally matched by the concerned tones of apparently his grand children. "So what if that no-good son of mine went and fled the village?! It has nothing to do with me, and his 'debts' don't, either! I have a hard enough time making sure that his girls don't grow up following his example without thugs like you trying to bully me into complete hopelessness!"<i></i>

"G..Grandpa, you're retired now!"<i></i> The taller of the two curly haired kids spoke up, her face white as a sheet as she shuddered and tugged at her elder's arm. "If you keep provoking them, then... we won't have anybody left..."<i></i> The smaller sibling cried silently as she clung to her grandfather's leg, hiding her eyes away from the imposing figures leaning in over them. As the students drew closer, they could see that the one nearest to them was wearing a mask under his hood, but it was drawn back as they approached.

The mask of a serpent, done in a traditional style, with red like blood swirling within the eyes. His face almost looked like a porcelain sculpture as it was revealed, completely flawless and lacking in age or color. All except for those terrible eyes, which seemed to swirl without any actual movement at all, three peculiar dots around his pupils. "You should really listen to these adorable little creatures, friend. We've suffered heavy losses in the ANBU due to your punk son, and you brought him into this world and inherited everything he left behind as he fled it, so the person who has to pay can only be you!"

Finally, as if to break the stalemate, the taller of the two robed figures reached out with an inhumanly sized arm and grabbed the younger girl by her jaw, lifting her up by it and holding her a few feet in the air. Tilting its head, the cloaked figure's hood fell, revealing a solid stone block for a head, no facial features recognizable whatsoever upon it. "You swear you don't have any coin from your business, but I wonder if we could get anything from this touch of gold... Granted, her breeding is shit. Probably should just dispose of her and help keep our streets clean."<i></i>

 

[Akuro Kunashi]

Kunashi approached the group with Kotsuko, and waited for his partner to be answered. However, it seems they were blatantly ignored by both parties. The robed pair were going on about a debt they were owed, as the old man was telling them that those were his son's debts and not his own. "Money.. One of the few things cold-hearted killers care about.. This could get bad." Kunashi whispered quietly to his partner, more as a reminder to keep their wits about them. This could go south quickly. He watched the situation devolve quickly as Kunashi caught a glimpse of a mask from under one of the robed figure's hoods. Fear shot throughout the student. These men were ANBU? This situation just got much more dangerous, as they were trained killers. The second robed figure spoke out after the first, as his huge arm reached out and grabbed one of the little girls by the jaw. This situation was going south quickly. They needed to intervene somehow, or the civilians were going to get hurt.

"Ahem.. So what's going on here exactly? His son owes you money, right? Wouldn't it be better to talk about this in a calmer fashion, nothing but violence is going to come from provocation and threats. Could you put her down, sir? Maybe we could talk this out like adults?" He stepped between the two groups, making his presence known. It was then that he turned to the robed man and noticed his hood had fallen. In the place of his head was a solid stone block. He was very nervous about this situation, which he was now literally in the middle of. He looked to Kotsuko and gave him a worried look.​

 

[Rega]

(I've waited as long as I think I can, Tehl will just have to wait for the next exam. Sorry ;.; Also, just for the sake of clarity... Red is the ANBU, Green is the Grandfather, and Blue is the girl that doesn't have her jaw on the verge of snapping)

The normal looking fellow laughed as the boy walked between them, before brandishing a dagger and licking its edge while looking at him... or perhaps through him. The monolith, however, was harder to peg. It didn't really have eyes, and its gaze could have been anywhere, but it most definitely didn't loosen its grip at the request of the young lad. "Hmm... I thought you might be one of those rugrat main branchers for a second, but you don't seem to be a ninja at all! Too bad, I thought you might want to play hero for a moment!"<i></i>

With a flick of his wrist, the dagger left his hand and embedded itself in the ground in front of the gennin-to-be. Or so it would seem at first glance. As the sun poked out from behind some clouds, a reflected shimmer from dozens of similar daggers behind Kunashi brought the attention of the group to the skill this supposed ANBU had displayed. And yet, despite the terrible intimidating nature of the sadist, the giant acted next and made the other girl and the grandfather both shudder in terror, as the top of its head seemed to dislocate itself just under the "eyes" prior to creating a giant maw of earthen teeth. He drew the girl up, but just before he could chomp down, as the victims were all about to scream, the smaller shinobi slapped him in the back of the head. "No, bad! We do not eat people! Jeez, I let you do it ONE time and now everywhere we go, you gotta attempt to snack on human flesh!.. Well, if the old man doesn't want to pay us, I suppose he could feed you instead?<i></i>

The grandfather reluctantly reached into his robe to pull out a coin purse, the cackling ANBU man grinning from ear to ear, before looking back at the student and rubbing the back of his head. "And as for you, mister negotiator... what should we do with you? Can't have you squealing to the cops, hmm? Maybe we should take something of yours as collateral? Your life, perhaps? You know, in our line of work, violence is how adults talk, so I'd be happy to give a 'young whippersnapper' a long lecture about how stupid it is to approach men of our caliber with such brazen disrespect!"<i></i>

 

[Akuro Kunashi]

Kunashi tensed. With the dagger at his feet, he felt the presence of more behind him. He stared at the man with a false bravado, knowing he could be attacked at any second. He clenched his fist slightly, and took a deep breath as this man threatened him. If any of the daggers moved, he would Quicksilver Step to the other side of the man, to bring himself out of harms way. However, it seemed that the dagger-wielder was the least of his worries. The stone man lifted the girl further in the air and brought her close, as his face transformed. Watching a rocky maw appear, Kunashi's eyes widened in horror. The jaw grew in size and closed around the girl. Just as Kunashi thought he had failed, the sadist disciplined his 'companion.'

Kunashi was still unsure of the power dynamic between the two. It could be a summon of some sort or some strange contract that he had learned about from Junko's class. Regardless, it seemed subordinate to the smaller man. Though subordinate, the thing had a hankering for human flesh, which was deeply concerning to Kunashi. The small man threatened the older grandfather with the life of his granddaughter, and just as Kunashi was about to interject, the old man pulled out his coinpurse. He looked at the man in bewilderment. He had risked the life of his granddaughter for a few coins?

Up until now, he was under the impression that the old man couldn't pay, not that he was strictly unwilling to. Kunashi was still looking at the old man when the self-proclaimed ANBU's attention was turned to the him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his heart beat hard when his life was threatened. He hadn't meant to provoke the men, simply try to reason with them. A cold sweat came over him and his adrenaline began coursing through his veins. He began stammering out his response. "Uh.. I-I would be m-more than happy to listen to your lecture, and I m-meant no disrespect.. It just didn't seem worth it to fight over, and I tried to help. Now, honestly I couldn't even rat you out if I wanted to due to your mask.. so what is it that you want from me?"

Edit: MFT - WC 384

 

[Kazu]

Kotsuko had been quiet. He was waiting. Watching. Observing. He was assessing the situation in its entirety before he decided that now was the time to speak. That was the kind of person that Kotsuko was. So far, he'd been rather curious as to what exactly was going on in this situation. Blackmail, mixed with corruption, mixed with extortion — it was certainly quite the scene. Kunashi, the young Sasaki knew, was a child of honor and justice. He was a good kid, and he had his morals to uphold. Against opponents like this, though, he might have been outclassed. These men were elites, and they didn't seem to have a shred of dignity in their bodies. These were the kind of men that Kotsuko could relate with. They fed off of fear and manipulation, doing whatever they needed to to get what they wanted. As far as the young boy could tell, their goal was the money. It might have been a little early to end the analysis there, so Ko made sure to keep his senses on full alert still. He decided to begin a technique of his, which would allow him to record the transgressions happening for later review. He had a feeling he might need these records later. Having noticed the throng of daggers that had been pelted at them, Kotsuko thought it best to keep his abilities of magnetism a secret for now. He could use the element of surprise to his advantage. Should they try to launch more daggers at them, Kotsuko would be able to use his control of magnetic fields to halt the daggers before they ever reached the two. The stone man though...the young metal manipulator might have a little more to deal with there. Perhaps he'd be able to dissolve him into sand? He'd have to see. Feeling confident in his analysis of the two's abilities and position, the young boy made his move.

Approaching his partner, Kotsuko clapped a hand onto his shoulder while still looking ahead at their opponents. His look was as steely as his element of choice, full of determination and unshakable confidence. His voice was calm. "Kunashi, relax. Don't let fear rule you." Stepping forward, towards the two men, Kotsuko cocked his head and looked them both up and down. He was sizing them up. Taking a moment before speaking, Kotsuko spoke with a knowing voice — he knew something they didn't. "Gentlemen, what fear do you have of us? Surely Akira Saito authorized this mission of yours? This man here," the young boy gestured towards the older man as he spoke, "must be wanted by your leader himself for you to attack him, correct? I mean, what would an ANBU have to fear from the police?" He cocked his head to the other side. "Or should I take your fear of the police and general misconduct to mean that is not the case? But that would make you rogue ANBU, which surely isn't the case..." Everyone knew where Kotsuko was getting at. These men were not ANBU under the command of the Sennin, which meant they had their own agenda to serve at this point. Kotsuko was walking on ice here, and every step he took had to be careful not to break the ground behind him. He would have to tread lightly, yet boldly, through this situation.

"Let's say, though, that you were rogue...what do you think we should do with that information? If you were me, what would you do?" Kotsuko could feel a fight coming. He wanted to be ready in case anything happened. To him, he didn't really care all that much about what happened to these people. The village, however, did. Kunashi did. He couldn't always do things the way he wanted. As soon as he found a good opportunity to get them out of here, he would. For now, though, they were still in the way. How annoying.

 

[Rega]

The golem's mouth fluctuated as the extortionist laughed almost maniacally at the pair of children attempting to play hero. "Oh goodness, you two do-gooders are so adorable! I could just eat you both up... Non-confrontational diplomacy and countering extortion with blackmail? You two are quite a pair of ninja cadets!" As his laughter continued to echo through the alleyway, the girl and the grandfather began to laugh as well. The golem expanded and became a brick wall to isolate the grouping from the rest of the outside world, and then even the little girl in the now disembodied floating hand began echoing with the same laughter, coming out of what seemed like a hole in the back of her head. Before long, the jutsu was dispelled, and the numerous bodies fell to the ground, dead. All save the floating head and hand of the golem, which hung inside the robe before the two students.

"Well, I suppose I've gotten enough of an idea about your motivations and resolve to render a verdict on your grading... I'll cut to the chase and tell you both that when you return home, there will be headbands waiting for you." Stepping down from the cloak was a small young woman, working to unravel what seemed to be a summoning scroll before using a jutsu to suck all the bodies inside. While the golem was made up of her own chakra and earth using a combination of sand and wood, the corpses were sucked back into the lovely void of ninja hammer space. With another snap of her fingers, the golem crumbled into dust and flew off into the wind, leaving behind only her robe which she caught before it fluttered off into the wind. Donning her own ANBU mask of an octopi, she stuck her face right up into the more timid of the duo's grills before speaking in a very deadpan and monotone voice.

"You are willing to take action to save people, but you're hesitant to face an obviously stronger enemy. Even if you aren't clearly going to win, you should never allow innocents to be sacrificed to inaction and fear. Had that been a real little girl, I would have broken her jaw by grabbing her like that, and even if you'd drawn blood after that point... You need to decide on what you can sleep with at night. Still, I can't say it'll hurt your chances at making it to a ripe old age!" Without missing a beat, the girl poked at his tummy rather sharply, before disappearing into a flock of shadows and reappearing behind the back of his companion.

"And as for you... You are clever. I like that, well met... but you must have realized that even a snapshot wouldn't have done you much good if a duo of ANBU merely slaughtered you and destroyed your body. There are as many ways to dispose of a corpse as there are stars in the sky, and if you believe in the propagation myths of the man-deity Shinbatsu, he makes more children in the heavens than we do on earth. It is almost better to play your hand discretely, although the urgency did require you to rush a play, I suppose..." Performing a few handseals, she began to tense up her body, her strong muscles flexing only centimeters away from the young lad, before whispering "Boo" into his ear and jumping out of the alleyway and into the public eye once more.

"You both displayed the will of a child of the village that is ready to tackle the challenges of adulthood, but you have much to learn! Keep in mind the consequences of failure you both would have dealt with if things had gone sour, and remember that death comes to us all! What makes legends out of humble ninja, however, is ignoring that fact and fighting for your beliefs without hesitation!" And with that, the woman spread her arms, and mockingly pretended to fly as she ran away from the plaza.

Topic Left, Exam passed for both students, and Marked for training
Word Count :: 1059

 

[Akuro Kunashi]

His nerves were about to get the best of him, as his diplomatic approach seemed to not go over well with the cloaked figures. However, he was relieved when his partner chimed in. He seemed much more pragmatic in his approach, and a little more than manipulative. However, his method seemed to make a better plan than Kunashi's own. Going over their heads to the sennin was a smart plan. However, the rogue ANBU seemed less than fazed. The man laughed in their face, and Kunashi began to tense up once more. Though, something unexpected began to occur. The grandfather and young girl began to laugh and the golem shifted into a wall. Kunashi lowered his guard, as he began to pick up on this all being part of the exam. Suddenly, the jutsu causing all of this was dispelled, and all of the humans in the group dropped, all lifeless forms laying atop of one another. Kunashi glanced down at the bodies to try to understand what was happening, but was interrupted by speech coming from the golem's form.

A small woman appeared, and sucked the bodies into a scroll. She disintegrated the golem, and let the robe fly off in the wind. The woman wore her own ANBU mask and approached Kunashi unnervingly close. She mentioned that he was too hesitant and that shinobi should take action for the innocents, something that he agreed with wholeheartedly. She disappeared from in front of him and he heard the voice speak again from behind Kotsuko. She commended him on his wit, but stated that it should be used with caution. Angering the wrong person would wind up bad for him. She appeared once more in front of the duo and said that the pair was ready for the next step, but had much to learn. She ran off, her arm spread out as a bird, pretending to fly.

Kunashi's mouth widened into a grin and his eyes lit up. He was still reeling in disbelief. It seemed like such a grim situation. He took mental notes on the woman's critique, and began to walk home to claim his headband. He turned to Kotsuko, his heavy nerves replaced with a lightweight melancholy smile. "Well, we did it I suppose. Good job, thanks for having my back."

Topic Left. Thanks Daki