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Post by Luke on Jul 6, 2010 23:57:43 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. [KUMOGAKURE NO SATO - KAMINARI NO KUNI] Footsteps were heard as a man burst into the Raikage's office, a terrified look on his face. He stood there for a moment, looking mortified before dropping to his knees in front of his leader. He bowed his head and sobbed at his feet uncontrollably. Just as the Raikage opened his mouth to ask what was going on, he was interrupted. The man lifted his head. "I tried to stop him, Raikage-sama....but he's got the too many of the others with him..." The Raikage stood there for a moment, before pulling the man to his feet. He placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled slightly. It put the sobbing man at ease, if only for a moment. The Raikage looked at the door and let out a small sigh. He knew that this day was going to come...he just hadn't hoped that it would have to be so soon. "...it's okay, Sojiro. This was bound to happen sooner or later." Sojiro's eyes widened--had he actually known about the Akisaka clan's plan? He stood up straight and exhaled loudly. He looked at the man for a moment or two, noticing the sad look in his eyes. He had to be hurting inside--he had been best friends with several of the clan's members for years...and it had come down to this display of betrayal. His own look of horror was replaced with a steely look of determination. "Raikage-sama...I am going to protect you." Sojiro smirked. "...even if it means fighting my own family..." A split second later, voices were heard outside the door. "Open up, Raikage! It's time for change! It's time for someone new at the seat of power!" someone shouted before the door was blown into a thousand splinters. dozens of people poured into the room, all bearing angry expressions and an assortment of weaponry. They stepped aside to let a single man through, he had long blonde hair pulled into a pony tail. He stared at the Raikage for a bit before he stepped toward him. "Get away!" Sojiro stepped in front of the Raikage, a look of determination plastered on his face. He held his arms out and stood resolutely. He was sure that nothing was going to move him from this spot. He had sworn to protect this man. And that was exactly what he was going to do. "You're not going to hurt Raikage-sama! I won't allow it!" The man rolled his eyes and sighed. "Just....step away, Sojiro. I have no need to spill your blood today." he said. After what seemed like minutes, Sojiro stood still--he was serious. Noticing that the man wasn't going to move, he drew his blade and sighed once more. "You've left me no choice." he said before he made to slash at the boy. Sojiro was thrown out of the way of the blade at the last second, and the Raikage was on the receiving end of the slash. He had a deep gash running along his chest that was bleeding rather badly. The young man looked on in horror as the Raikage knelt down. Then he looked to them all. "...it's unfortunate." The man raised an eyebrow. "...what is?" he asked. He waited for a second for an answer, but he started to grow impatient. "What is, old man!?" he shouted. "...that you couldn't have been more like him...." The man narrowed his eyes, knowing who he was speaking of. That runaway that had fled to Konoha all those years ago. The old man often talked about him and his fond memories of the Hidden Leaf Village. It made him sick--disgusted even...that their leader was filled with ideals such as love and peace. He spit at the Raikage's feet. "Your hopes of filling our heads with thoughts of love...and peace is utterly mind boggling." he said. "You speak of peace as if it can be attained. It is impossible. There's always going to be war, you old fool. That is why we Akisaka threw away those ideals long ago. We cannot simply hold hands and hug while our enemies knock at our gates." he added. He smacked the Raikage in the face, causing Sojiro to charge foward, only to be held back by several others. "We cannot afford to show mercy...to love. These things make us weak. And strength is all that matters." he stated. He paced back and forth in front of the Raikage, watching his blood drip onto the carpet. His expression was cold as ice--unfeeling and uncaring. He stopped pacing and knelt down to look him in the eyes. "That is why I'm taking over." His expression hadn't changed. "I'm going to bring Kumogakure back to it's former glory...and conquer the world...one Great Shinobi Village at a time." The Raikage knew that his days were up. He was being called to his grave...and there was nothing he could do to stop it. But...there was something that needed to be done before that. With his last bit of strength, he jumped up and brought his fist into the mans jaw and quickly made handsigns. He lifted both of his hands and pointed to the two men holding Sojiro back. "Raijin." With that, two beams of electricity pierced their heads and blasted them out the windows behind them, causing their bodies to fall three stories. The Raikage fell back to his knees and coughed up blood. Sojiro started to run toward him, but was stopped by the man. "Sojiro...go to Konoha...and warn your brother!" he said. He looked at him for a moment, growing increasingly more annoyed the longer he stood there. "GO!" he shouted. Sojiro looked startled, but nodded slightly before he jumped to the window, looking back only for a moment. "...goodbye...Raidon-sensei." With that, he jumped out the window and made his way out of the village. Raidon put a hand to his wound, watching the man close in on him, the stony expression having still not left his face. He lifted his sword and shook his head. "It's over, Shirohoshi Raidon." Raidon stood up...for he refused to die on his knees. "I just wish...I could have told you goodbye, Toshi-chan." That day, a great man died...but all was not lost for the shinobi world.... [Konohagakure no Sato :: Three Days Later]Akisaka Toshiro, Jonin of Konohagakure was sitting at his kitchen table, sipping on some ginseng tea. He looked around the room, wondering when the rest of his family would be up and about--though, he had been up since five that morning to train. He had gotten up quietly so he wouldn't wake his wife...for she was like a bear when she slept. Toshiro shuddered slightly. He stared up at the ceiling and yawned. Maybe he would take a nap later if he had nothing else to do. Yes...that was a great idea. Though, the chances that he would have nothing to do...were slim. He ended up sighing, realizing how busy of a day that he was likely to have. Sayuri was being put into her genin team today, after all. The thought of this made him smile slightly--at least the day would have at least one high point. But then the realization hit him again. His daughter was growing up. He pushed the thought back...because he didn't want to cry again. Especially if there was a chance that he would get caught. Instead, he smiled. "...I believe today is going to be a good day." Takashi walked through the front door, hearing his father. He smiled at the man and nodded. "That much is true! I find out who my genin team is today!" said. The two grinned at eachother like idiots for what seemed like minutes before they started laughing. "This is great!" he said. Toshiro nodded. "I couldn't have asked for better children." he said.
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Post by foxx on Jul 7, 2010 3:15:04 GMT -6
"The wind is picking up... I must be close to home."
A grin spread across his face, and he darted forward, hands grasping the straps of the bags weighing against his back. With swift, agile movements, he'd scaled the side of a tree, stopping only once he'd reached the top; his feet were pressed and adhered to the trunk, a single hand holding onto the tip of the tree. "Minamikaze Hiromi is on his way back!" he called, his tone elated. Beneath him, birds flew from their roosts, scattering around him in small flocks.
Hiromi looked up again, laughing at the flutter and shutting his eyes. He took a deep breath, taking in the familiar scent of the trees and dirt; it was a far bigger change from sand and dry air. "I am almost home..." he muttered, grey eyes opening again. With that said simply, he released his grip on the tree, then leapt forward, out into the open air. For a few seconds he sped forward, then gravity realized its lack of hold and grabbed at him, dragging him downward again.
"WHOO!"
Hiromi seemed unfazed as he raced toward the ground, air rushing loudly into his ears and whipping his red-brown hair back. Yards from the grass, he weaved rapid signs, then motioned downward; before he touched ground, a gust of wind swept beneath his feet, forming a slide under his shoes and breaking his fall. He slid off the current of air and landed, wasting no time in breaking into a full run, all the while grinning.
It took Hiromi mere minutes at the pace he was going, and gradually he began to slow down, feeling the grass turn to dirt beneath his feet; a road, and a wide one by the feel of it. It was the road that led into Konohagakure. There before him the gates stood wide open, as he knew they always were. Shuffling the bags across his back, Hiromi continued forward, the grin still painted on his face; it almost seemed permanent.
"Now... I suppose I should go let the Hokage know who's arrived." With a chuckle to himself, Hiromi made his way through the village, accurately dodging carts and bypassing people, all the while enjoying the sounds that surrounded him; the laughing children, the angry wives from second-story windows, merchants here and there loudly showing off their wares. This was it; he was home.
Hiromi stopped at the door, seeming to remember the tower's location. Turning his head, he 'looked' at one of the two ANBU on either side of the door. "May I?" he asked pleasantly, gesturing a hand toward the double doors; "I seek audience with Hokage-sama. I've just returned from a four-year absence of my own business. Ah, and...I'd need a verbal response please."
The ANBU had only nodded, but paused after being requested a verbal reply. "...Go ahead," he said, pulling open one of the two doors for the man. Hiromi dipped his head, and as he passed, the ANBU understood, glimpsing his grey eyes only briefly.
Up and up Hiromi ascended the spiraling stairs, pausing once he reached the top; he knew from memory that the door he sought was a few steps away. He removed the packs from his back, setting them aside in the hall and turning to knock on the door. He paused, however, grinning suddenly; his reappearance wouldn't come so boringly. Let's stir things up for just a few short seconds...
"Hokage-sama!" he called, his knuckles rapping quickly on the red wood; "I've urgent business with you!"
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Into the room finally wandered Sakura, running her hands through the morning mess of pink that covered her head. She yawned, and a good few seconds passed before she noticed the two men in the room. "Oh... Good morning, Toshiro," she said toward her husband, her eyes falling to her son; "And you too, Takashi. You look like you're in a good mood."
She sighed lightly, turning to look at the kitchen doorway; it stood empty and quiet, the opposite of what she'd wanted. Her arms folded. "She needs to wake up," she said, seemingly to herself, "and get down here. Today is important, and she doesn't need to be late."
Sakura took a long pause, her expression lightening as she recalled an amusing memory. "Well..." she began, shrugging; "If she ends up with someone like Kakashi-sensei, then it won't matter if she's late; my squad was too early that day because of him--that's why Naruto dropped an eraser onto his head..."
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Post by Luke on Jul 7, 2010 4:18:26 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto had been sitting at his desk for, looking over paperwork for the past two hours. He was barely paying any attention to his surroundings he he tried to finish the last bit that he had to do. He yawned slightly as he moved another sheet of paper to the side and quickly stamped it. This was never going to end--NEVER. He cried out in frustration and layed his head down on the desk and sighed heavily. He heard a loud knocking at his door. "I've urgent business with you!"Naruto almost fell out of his seat as he sprung up and straightened the papers that he had knocked over. Looking slightly apprehensive, he glanced toward the door, wondering who this could be--the voice sounded familiar....though he couldn't place it. He thought for a few moments before realizing that this small problem could be remedied very quickly. All he needed to do was let this person in. He motioned for the ANBU to step out of the way of the door and cleared his throat. He shuffled his papers around before looking intently at the door. "Come on in." ---- Toshiro watched his wife enter the room and for a split second, pictured a mother grizzly. He looked slightly confused as he rubbed his eyes and looked over at her again--not surprisingly, she wasn't a grizzly. Toshiro grinned slightly to hide the fact that he had just been involved in one of the most disturbing moments of his life. With that, he waved slightly and took another sip of his ginseng tea. He let out a slightly nervous laugh. "Good morning, dear. Sleep well?" He paused slightly as he listened to her speak of how Sayuri shouldn't be late. He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it when she started reminiscing of her time in Kakashi's squad. He laughed as she talked about Naruto dropping an eraser on his head. He could definitely see Naruto doing that--even now. "Well, I'm sure she'll be up just in time." he said. Takashi scratched the back of his head as he watched his father during his little daydream. He couldn't help but feel that he should be laughing at that moment, but decided against it. He might look even stranger than his father. He yawned slightly and took a seat at the table before looking around the room. "Wonder who she's gonna end up with..."
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Post by foxx on Jul 7, 2010 19:29:16 GMT -6
Hiromi's rappings finally ceased after a bit, and he dropped his hand, listening intently for a reply. Finally, the awaited "come in" was announced, and a grin spread across his face. Doing his best to hide it, he put his hands to the doors, thinking only briefly before he literally burst through, a distressed look settled onto his face.
"Hokage-sama!" Hiromi said, doing his best to manage discreet exasperation; "It's happened!" One of the stationed ANBU became suddenly alert, glancing from this stranger to Naruto. Who was this man and what did he want?
Hiromi stopped, his distressed expression turning into one of amusement. His arms spread out at his sides, and he cocked his head.
"Minamikaze Hiromi has returned home."
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Sakura settled into one of the chairs, her eyes still steady on the kitchen door, as if she expected Sayuri to come through at any moment. "I'm not so sure," she said, sighing and finally tearing her gaze from the doorway; "You know how she is; most things ought to happen on her time."
Minutes later, footsteps sounded from outside the room, and a young girl came trotting downstairs, casually pulling her pinkwhite hair back with a small ribbon. "It's about time." Sayuri looked up into the face of her mother, who seemed moderately relieved.
"Mom, really," the girl replied, sitting across from Toshiro; "It's fine. Besides," she paused, leaning back in her chair and grinning; "They wouldn't want to miss out on this becoming a genin." Sakura's eyes rolled briefly, giving Toshiro one of her 'she doesn't get it from me' looks.
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Post by Luke on Jul 7, 2010 22:36:27 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto jumped to his feet as the man burst into the room looking like he had just witnessed a murder. Then he shouted something about 'it' happening. Naruto blinked a few times, having an odd feeling that he knew who this was. He looked so familiar that it almost annoyed the Hokage that he wasn't sure of who it was. He raised his eyebrows, unsure of what exactly 'it' was. He hadn't been expecting anything to happen out of the ordinary for some time....so how was he to know what this was? He looked terribly confused. His expression changed quickly after the man's next statement. "Minamikaze Hiromi has returned home."Naruto hopped over his desk and ran over to the man, pulling him into a bear hug. He let go of the embrace after a second or two before he stepped back a foot or two to better examine him. He seemed slightly different, though Naruto had no idea what exactly it could have been...other than the added years. Finally shrugging it off, he placed a hand on Hiromi's shoulders and grinned widely. "Welcome home, Hiromi!" --- Toshiro continued to sip on his tea, attempting not to say anything stupid. He looked over at his wife and listened to her speak of their daughter. What she said was very true, though Toshiro wouldn't bother to tell her...she already knew--women always knew...always. He sighed slightly as he looked down into his tea cup and realized that it was all gone. He looked back up after setting the cup down to see Sayuri coming down the stairs. It never ceased to amaze him how fast that his children grew up. He sighed. "It seems like yesterday that I was carting her around on my back." he thought. He put on a smile as the girl made her way toward the table, and put her mother at ease for the moment. He watched as she leaned back in her chair and grinned. It was almost scary how much she acted like him. He wasn't exactly sure if it was a good or bad thing--Toshiro did have a knack for acting slightly stupid. And then came the statement to Sakura, which he chuckled at. He noticed the look from his wife and nearly fell out of his chair laughing. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and looked over at his daughter. "Are you ready to become a full fledged ninja today, Hime-chan?" Takashi grinned as he watched his family. They were the goofiest people that he had ever laid eyes on...but it didn't matter. He listened to the back and forth between the three of them for a moment or two before deciding to get up and pour himself a cup of tea. He made his way back to the table and sat down before taking a drink. He looked over at his sister and grinned. "Yeah! Think you'll be able to handle all the missions they'll be sending you on?"
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Post by foxx on Jul 7, 2010 23:12:42 GMT -6
Hiromi grinned at the sound of awkward silence as he burst into the room, then at the tumult of feet scrambling over the desk. Naruto hadn't changed at all, and Hiromi returned the giant hug of welcome to his friend. Once the embrace ended, he stepped back, folding his arms and feigning a hurt look. "Gee, you forgot about me already?" he asked jokingly; "Perhaps I was gone a little too long..."
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"Course I'm ready," Sayuri replied, sitting up straight in her chair again and turning her green eyes on her father; "If I wasn't I'd probably be in tears, and you don't see me do that very often." She paused, seeming to consider something. "I guess that means I'm always ready for anything, right?"
"Time doesn't wait for anyone, though," Sakura pointed out yet again, though there was a smile on her face; "Get some breakfast and get going." Sayuri heaved a heavy sigh, pushing herself and her chair away from the table and standing, scooting the chair back to the table again. "I'll eat on the way," she said, stepping toward the counter and grabbing a single slice of toast. She turned on a heel with a smile and a wave, and she was out the door.
Minutes later, the front door reopened, and Sayuri was seen dashing past the kitchen doorway and back up the stairs. "I forgot my headband!" she called. Sakura buried her face in her hands.
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Post by Luke on Jul 8, 2010 0:18:26 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto laughed and patted the man on the shoulder before nodding. 'It's definitely been too long." he replied. He thought for a moment before he came to the realization that since he had been gone for so long, Hiromi had no idea of all the things that had gone on. He proceeded to fill the man in on some of the things that had happened in the past four years--paying close attention to the story of Keiji leaving. He started with the troubles at home, and then finally to Orochimaru basically scooping him up and taking off. He continued the story, telling Kazuo's rendition of the fight that the two had--though he was much more elaborate about it. "The two fought fiercely! Each one doing their best to get the upper hand! But eventually, Keiji realized that he didn't have it in him to kill Kazuo." he said. "So...that's when Takashi found the two of them a little ways off from the Valley of the End. Apparently Kazuo had tried to drag Keiji back to the village." he added. He took a momentary pause. "The elders didn't take too kindly to Keiji's return of course--you know how they are. So, Keiji was under surveillance a great deal of the time....until..." he started. He then led into the story of how Keiji had his curse mark sealed and how Sasuke and Keiji had ran into Orochimaru a few days later. "Apparently it was quite the epic battle. I don't know the whole story about it, though." he said. He fought back laughter. "And then Sasuke came running into my office with Orochimaru's body and told me that Keiji had done it." After a brief fit of laughter, Naruto sighed in relief. "We were all really surprised when it happened...but it all turned out great in the end. It was for the best..." He laughed as he took a seat on his desk. "Oh!" he said as he suddenly thought of something. "How did things go? I know you were off training...but did it go as planned?" he asked. The man was excited to hear just how far that his training had taken him. He sat and stared intently at the man, waiting for a reply. --- Toshiro watched as his daughter rushed out the door, grabbing a slice of toast on her way out. He sighed slightly as he looked around the room, wondering where the years had gone. He turned his gaze to the ceiling and stared for a while, wishing that he had enough motivation to get up and get another cup of tea. Something clicked inside his head and he looked just past Takashi and pointed out the window. "What's that!?" Just as Takashi turned around, Toshiro quickly grabbed his tea and took a large sip--mission accomplished. Takashi stared out the window for a few moments before he turned back around slowly. "I didn't even see anythi-HEY!" he looked over, noticing that his tea was in the hands of another person--that crafty old man had gotten him again. He paused for a moment, eying his father for a good bit before he decided to get up for another cup of tea. "You win this round....old man." Toshiro rolled his eyes and took a large gulp of tea before the door opened suddenly and Sayuri came barreling through the kitchen. Toshiro, surprised, spit some of the contents of his mouth onto Takashi. The Jonin wiped his face off and sighed. "This...family is so strange." he said. Toshiro laughed nervously before he waved slightly. "Try to make it there on time, Hime-chan!"
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Post by foxx on Jul 8, 2010 1:36:04 GMT -6
Hiromi's face fell a little as Naruto dove into an explanation of the happenings since he'd been gone. It was as if he could have read the man's mind; he was just about to ask what had transpired in his absence. However, he hadn't expected this sort of news. More and more Naruto talked on the matters within the Uchiha family, and with it fell Hiromi's face. Keiji? That sweet and quiet nephew he remembered? It was difficult for the man to picture, but he managed it, all the while remembering days long past.
"...That... Really? Whoa, whoa... First things first..." He waved his hands at the question of his training, postponing the answer to such for later. Hiromi paused for a good few moments, struggling with his tongue and mind to choose his words carefully, and his next words were laced with sarcasm: "...Why oh why does that sound so very familiar?" He let out a single laugh, though it was but a hollow chuckle, as the situation wasn't all that humorous. "Now that you bring it up, I did notice Sasuke was a little grouchy toward Keiji for a while there..." Once more he paused, considering something.
"Well... I guess karma finally bit him in the rear."
Now, Hiromi. Be nice.
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Sakura watched her husband and son, her expression amused yet settled, as if she were used to such behavior. She leaned back in her chair, her mouth remaining a shut smile while her eyes followed Takashi's teacup as it slipped from his possession to his father's.
As Sayuri ran past the kitchen, her face fell into her hands, and she shook her head, sighing lightly. "She'll make it," she said; again Sayuri ran by, her Leaf band dangling from her hand, the door shut again; "She just needs to not dawdle anymore. Takashi..." Sakura paused, looking up at her son. "Shouldn't you be going as well?"
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Post by Luke on Jul 8, 2010 2:10:17 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto agreed to drop the questioning of his training for the time being while he tried to grasp the concept of the whole situation. He scratched his cheek and looked over at him, noticing that the man was more than likely about to come up with something sarcastic. Mere moments later, Naruto was right! Who would have guessed it!? "Why oh why does that sound so very familiar?"Naruto sighed inaudibly as the man let out a hollow laugh and mentioned something about karma. "...yeah. And it nearly cost him his son." The man stood up from his desk and made his way toward Hiromi. "Sasuke...has changed quite a bit since you've been gone." he said. He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "So...you should at least try to tolerate him." he added. He almost laughed, knowing how hard it would be for him to do that. "And before you tell me how impossible that is...remember that he and Toshiro aren't best friends either...but they manage." he said. His expression changed somewhat. "Besides...he's trying his best to not be so....harsh." ---- Takashi nodded slightly as he realized that he should be going as well. He thought for a split second how embarrassing it would be to be late on his first day and sighed. He stood up from his seat and waved to his parents before heading toward the door. Upon reaching the door, he stopped for a moment and turned around, his hand still on the door knob. He grinned like an idiot. "Wanna walk me to the academy, dad?" Toshiro nearly fell off his chair. He feigned an annoyed look and threw a boot at the Jonin, hitting him in the head. Takashi laughed hysterically as he hurried out the door and took off toward his destination. Toshiro rolled his eyes as he went back to enjoying his tea--at least his tea wouldn't betray him... SPLASHToshiro's eyes watered as his tea spilled onto his lap, burning his legs (among other places), thoroughly. He stood up made and made his way to the bedroom for a change of pants without saying a word. A moment or two later, after Toshiro had made it to his room...there was a loud exclamation that rang throughout the house and the surrounding area. "OOOOOUCH!" Toshiro walked back into the kitchen, smiling as though nothing had happened. It was just too embarrassing to speak of...it really was. He sat down at his regular spot, wearing new pants. He glanced around the room for a moment, as if attempting to find something interesting to look at. He continued with that for a bit before his gaze fell on Sakura. He grinned. "Did you sleep well, dear?"
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Post by foxx on Jul 8, 2010 21:58:59 GMT -6
Hiromi seemed unimpressed, and hardly ashamed of himself. He never did much like Sasuke, simply that; he only tolerated the man because of his sister, since for some otherworldly reason Sasuke made her happy.
A heavy sigh escaped him, and he leaned against part of the wall and folded his arms, his "gaze" falling to the floor. "My bad," he said, though his tone wasn't all that sincere; "It's just really hard to like someone that made my sister so miserable so many times. ...I know I should probably get over that, but it's easier said than done." He paused, recalling the bit about Toshiro that Naruto had brought up; it was a good point, but Toshiro was a different story.
"Ah... He gets along with everyone, or "manages", like you said. Besides, he has no bone to pick. I do."
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Sayuri handled her Leaf band carefully as she went along the dirt paths in the village, examining it often and running her fingers across the swirled print emblazoned on the metal. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and she pulled at the cloth of the band absently. After a minute or so of this, she reached up with one hand, pulling the ribbon loose from her hair and tucking it into a pocket; no more of that. In its place she tied the hitai-ate, pulling the strips of cloth tight before knotting them behind her head. Satisfied at how well it fit, Sayuri continued down the path, a strange bounce in her step.
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Sakura merely lifted a hand as she watched Toshiro; her eyes caught sight of the hot liquid threatening to spill from the cup. Her mouth opened, but as it did, the tea spilled over the side and onto Toshiro's lap, and her mouth shut again, her hand covering it. She was silent as he was as he stood and left the room. As the yell resounded through the house, Sakura fought her amusement, though at the same time it was more of a mixture of pity and hilarity.
Sakura was silent still as Toshiro entered into the kitchen again, now in a fresh pair of tea-free pants. Once he settled, he'd asked her a casual question, and her laughter burst forth from its chains. "I'm sorry..." she said through her fit; "Are you okay...?"
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Post by Luke on Jul 8, 2010 22:52:05 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto nodded slightly, understanding how the man felt. Sasuke had been a bit of a pain in the past for lots of people--including him. He sighed slightly as he took a seat back on his desk and thought for a moment. He let out a small laugh as he thought of something. "...yeah. It's not like anyone else would have a reason to be mad." he said. He paused for a moment. "It's not like he tried to me or anything." he said. "Oh that's right! He did!" added the man. He sighed slightly and propped his feet up on a chair near his desk. "...I understand what Sasuke did. I know that he hurt a lot of people...but that's no reason to go on hating and belittling your own comrade. People deserve second chances, Hiromi." he said after a moment. With a small sigh he decided to drop the subject for there wasn't much else that could be said. --- Takashi walked behind his sister, wondering how she expected to make it to the Academy on time at such a slow pace. He soon sped up and passed her, turning his head slightly to look back at her. "Hurry up or you're gonna be late! Wouldn't want to miss your own graduation, would you?" He grinned slightly before he quickened his pace and continued on toward his destination. ---- Toshiro looked at his wife for a moment, pretending to not know what she was talking about. After a few moments of failing, he decided to give it up. He scratched the back of his head and shrugged slightly. "Eh. It's not the most painful thing I've ever dealt with." he said. With a small yawn he glanced up at the ceiling before he decided to nod. "Yeah, I guess I'm alright. My prides just beaten all to heck." He laughed. "But oh well. I think I can manage without." He yawned yet again before looking back over at her. "Soooooo...you never answered my question. How did you sleep?"
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Post by foxx on Jul 9, 2010 1:48:56 GMT -6
Hiromi was silent for some time, his blank gaze still on the floor. His arms remained folded, and he seemed almost childishly stubborn as he stayed leaned against the wall, Naruto explaining "second chances" to him. Finally, though, as Naruto came to a close, he let out a hefty sigh, his head lifting with his grey eyes.
"...I guess you're right," Hiromi concluded, though he seemed less than pleased at being in the wrong about such a thing; "I guess if people can give my nephew a second chance..." he paused, swallowing his pride, "...Sasuke should get one as well." Hiromi grimaced, as if saying it left a bad taste in his mouth. Shaking his head, he smiled a bit. "But that doesn't mean I can't still pester him."
Moving along, Hiromi went back to the question from earlier, of his training. "As for what you asked," he began, tilting his head back as though he were watching the ceiling; "Things went pretty well. I know it seems like I was gone a good while, but it was well worth it." He lifted a hand and made a fist; the air almost shimmered around his fingers. "I'm almost one with the air, and it's amazing." His face came down again, and he was bearing a smile. "And... I can 'see' now."
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Sayuri was a bit startled as her brother suddenly approached from behind, speaking and bringing her off her cloud with his prodding for her to be on time. She rolled her green eyes, shaking her head and picking up her pace to a jog. "Fiiiiine," she replied, her voice lifted so Takashi could hear as he darted ahead of her; "It's not like I'm the only one not there!"
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Sakura nodded, leaned back in her chair. "Mhm..." she replied, her arms folding across her chest as she looked out the window; "In a way, yes."
In truth, she had appeared to be asleep throughout the night, but if one looked closely, her eyes carried a somewhat tired gleam, and there were light rings beneath them. Sayuri's graduation had weighed heavily on the woman's mind, causing her both enjoyment and nostalgia, and wiping away any chance of sleep.
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Post by Luke on Jul 9, 2010 2:36:19 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto smiled as his little speech had done it's job. He listened to the man talk about how he'd tolerate Sasuke...but he'd still pick on him. Naruto had to laugh at that. "I'm sure Sasuke expects that. It would be too weird if you didn't." he said with a small nod. He grinned. "And besides....most of the stuff you say to him is pretty funny." he added. He paused to listen to Hiromi's explanation of how his training went and was impressed. But then he caught the last bit of it... "And... I can 'see' now."Naruto's eyes widened. "How did you manage that!?" he asked. That was a confusing thing to comprehend! Hiromi had been blind for quite sometime--how did one cure that? He scratched the back of his head and waited for a response. Though Hiromi may not have been able to see the look of confusion on his face, the tone of his voice would probably say it all. ---- Takashi laughed. "That may be true...but why would you want to be one of them?" he asked as he continued on. He looked back at her for a moment before he sped up, noticing that the Academy wasn't far from where he was. He smiled as he grew closer to the old building, reminiscing of his own days in the academy. With a content sigh, he turned around and started walking backwards. "You know...maybe now that you're a shinobi, dad'll teach you one of the clan's jutsu!" --- Toshiro, stupid as he was sometimes, wasn't fooled in the least by her display. He looked at her for a few moments with a slightly worried expression on his face. He drummed his fingertips on the table for a moment, wondering what the problem was. The best solution was to just....ask, right? "I don't believe that. I know when you're faking it!" he paused for a second, realizing what he had just said. He scooted back in his chair and walked over to make another cup of tea to avoid a pummeling. After a moment, he made his way back over to the table and sat down. "You know, back when I was little, when I had a bad nights sleep....or something was troubling me..." he started. He smiled lightly. "I would get a cup of Ginseng tea. It's supposed to make you feel better--give you energy." He pushed the cup of tea over to her and smiled. "Now...won't you tell me what's wrong?"
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Post by foxx on Jul 9, 2010 3:46:43 GMT -6
The smile on Hiromi's face only grew as Naruto's tone reached his ears; it was amusing how startled the man was, though it was expected--Hiromi was always one to drag out things like this. Amusement at the expense of others was good fun at certain limits.
"Well... Sort of," he said, lifting a finger and stepping away from the wall; "Watch." Hiromi made a single handsign, then shut his eyes, taking a deep breath and concentrating. Moments later, his eyes snapped open again, but rather than their usual greyed appearance, they'd become a noticeably gleaming silver, and swiveled around as they took in their surroundings--something they didn't do too often. Hiromi relaxed himself a bit, his head turning toward Naruto with another grin on his face, this one a bit smug.
"As proof... You're standing about three feet away from me, at about...5'8" in height? Just an estimation. You're a little taller than me at any rate." He paused, though before allowing the man to react, he folded his arms again. "I can't really see colors and details, but...right now, I can see a distinct shape that's supposedly you. And there are..." he paused, glancing around; "Three other men in here; ANBU I'm guessing." He sighed lightly, shutting his eyes again and releasing the jutsu. As they opened, he was back into his darkened world, and his eyes returned grey. "It's something I came up with about a year ago... But I still haven't perfected it; it eats at my chakra too quickly to keep it up for very long. See, the air," he said, pausing to wave his hand in front of him, "is constantly moving; anything it hits it has to either move around, over, or bounce off--you guys count as obstructions, so I can see you as...a blur, I guess you could call it, because of the airwaves becoming disturbed. All I do is focus my chakra into my eyes, and into the air around me--and there you have it, instant temporary sight granted. I call it Washi no Me, 'eagle eyes'."
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Sayuri shrugged, though in the back of her mind, she relished the idea. She'd never really stopped to learn anything much from her father, though Takashi she was certain had all the knowledge of their clan's abilities. "Maybe so," she said, still hiding the enjoyment at such an idea. With that said, she continued forward, bypassing her brother with a wave and darting through the doors of the Academy. Her feet hardly made a sound as she ran down the hall, slowing to a jog and then to a walk as she entered into her designated room. Surprisingly, it was generally full, and she settled into a seat near the windows across the room, amidst a few other girls her age.
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Sakura's face paled a bit as Toshiro spoke and fell silent and went to get another cup of tea. She fought amusement and surprise at once, and magnificently so she did, though with the help of her face falling into her hands.
As Toshiro slid back into his seat, however, she looked up again, managing a small smile as he slid the cup of tea toward her in an attempt to coax her into talking. She accepted it, but rather than take a sip, she wrapped her hands around the cup, staring into the liquid with a fading smile. "Nothing, I promise," she said; "Just thinking is all. Sayuri's not going to be around the house all that much anymore; it's going to be really quiet..." She shrugged. "But it's not like it matters. I mean...we have our own missions, and now that she's older, I can probably do a little more..."
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Post by Luke on Jul 9, 2010 4:33:29 GMT -6
on this night... LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE. Naruto looked absolutely awestruck as Hiromi used his jutsu. He looked at the man's eyes as they seemed to be surveying the area--it was surprising. His eyes widened as Hiromi started naming off things about the room--like Naruto's stature or the three ANBU in the room. It was a good thing that the man was sitting down. Finally, his look of surprise turned into a grin as he started to clap loudly. "That's awesome!" he shouted. He paused to listen to him speak about how consuming it was when it came to chakra. He nodded slightly. "Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out in the end. It's your jutsu after all." he added. He smiled, "Eagle Eyes, huh? Well....I'm impressed!" he said. --- A man stood at the front of the classroom, watching as Sayuri came into the room and sat down with her friends. "Aaaaah....Akisaka, so glad that you decided to join us!" he said with a smirk. He looked over at Takashi, who was leaning against the wall in a corner of the room. With a small nod of acknowledgment, he continued. "Today is a special day. It's the day you all are recognized as full fledged ninja." He gestured around the room. "Congratulations. All that's left to do...is to place you all into your genin teams." he said. After a moment, he picked up a scroll and unrolled it, reading the contents inside. Halfway through the reading, it was finally time to figure out who would Sayuri's teammates. "Akisaka Sayuri. Takeru Lee, and Nara Shikakazu. You will be under the leadership of...." Konohamaru chuckled. "Akisaka Takashi." The Akisaka looked to the instructor with a surprised expression. He hadn't been expecting that one--not at all. He looked around the room and spotted Sayuri before looking around the room for his other new students. "Akisaka-sensei!" he heard a loud shout from across the room. He looked over to see a boy in green spandex waving wildly. "That does not surprise me." He waved back to the boy discreetly and looked around for the Nara boy. "I hope this one isn't as lazy as the other Nara dad told me about..." he thought. --- Toshiro sighed in relief when he realized he wasn't going to get punched in the face. Too many times had he accidentally been punched across the room--he didn't want that to happen again. Putting his relief aside, he looked at her for a few moments, listening to her speak of the house being quiet. He smiled slightly. "Everything's going to be fine. Sayuri's not completely gone! And Takashi still comes over all the time--hell, he practically lives here!" he said. He shrugged. "Anyway, you've still got me to listen to. I'm plenty loud..." he said, smiling like an idiot.
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