STAY AWAKE!!!! [Team 5 Mission Topic]

Age : 34 Posts : 591

The overcast sky blacked out the stars and even hid the moon behind a sheet of black. With a night that dark in the mountains, accompanied with the occasional fog that rolled in this time of year, the paths around Kumo were made immediately treacherous for anyone who had not walked them their entire life. And even they often stumbled their way to safety on pure instinct rather than the knowledge that comes with knowing a place better than the back of your hand. Of course, nights like this seemed designed for boring shifts at the watch posts as the dreadful weather kept all but the bravest, or perhaps dumbest, from approaching the city stealthily or otherwise.

Etorufuu had been assigned to travel between the watch posts with his team in tow to keep the guards awake between their rounds. It was almost a guarantee for a boring night but there was always the chance for a surprise that might try to catch them off guard. Like the screams of a bandit as he rolled down the mountainside after a misstep on the path. Seriously? Who travelled in weather this bad? Regardless to his own opinions, the chuunin and his team had been assigned this mission and since it was for the village he could not turn it down. Even if he did find it unnecessary and superfluous for a time like this. Here they stood with too many curious circumstances and he had no idea why everything felt so off. Truthfully he would not be able to figure it all out with further research into the circumstances but with these missions being given to him so quickly it left little free time to do as he pleased. His eyes flicked back to his team, briefly observing them as they carried pots of coffee and stacks of cups with a midnight snack for the guard team at the first watch post.

"You'd think we had failed our last mission, being assigned grunt work right after capturing those bandits. Sorry, I know this isn't your idea of exciting or a worthwhile expenditure of energy, but just consider it a job that needs to be done and ha no one else to do it. Plus it gives you a chance to speak to your new teammate."

The words were a distraction to keep them on task instead of just realizing how asinine it really was. Truth be told they could probably all use the busy work to help cleanse their pallets after almost losing a teammate and suffering an injury. And this new kid did need to interact with Tenma and Kanji so that they might start meshing. A Hyuuga was the last thing a unit such as Team Five needed, but it did place them as the dominant close range tactical team of the village. Their hard hitting style backed with Medical support and Fuuinjutsu would leave the other teams hard pressed to match their potential ferocity on the front lines. Still, Etorufuu preferred balanced teams to specialty units but it was far from his choice. Even Jounin only occasionally got to hand select their own team.

Trudging through the darkness, a flickering light up ahead showed the doorway into the first watch post. With a sigh, Etorufuu tried to put on his best fake smile as he entered bearing gifts for the guards inside. Sure they would be grateful and polite and offer their thanks to the chuunin and his team, but if he was lucky they would not realize how boring and annoying this was for the Yuki personally. Oh well, a mission was a mission.

Age : 33 Posts : 35

A small yawn escaped the genin's mouth

He wasn't terribly tired personally. His sensei had warned him the previous day of a long all night mission that would probably be boring. To prepare Tenma did some running to get himself worn out and slept most of the day away. By the time evening came he was ready to go out like it was morning. Still it being this dark and this boring did make him want to sleep despite not feeling sleepy. It wore on the nerves after a while.

Tenma looked over the wall into the land that surrounded Kumo. Not much could be seen on a night like this. The clouds came in thick over the evening causing the sky to be completely dark. The lack of natural light made the surrounding mountains and forests fearsome this time of night. It didn't help that this time of year the warm air from the sea hits the cool mountain air and causes a thick fog to come up almost every night. You would have to be incredibly stupid to travel the paths at night this time of year.

The lack of excitement had the makings of a boring night. Still Tenma felt bad for the guards who were on night patrol who would have to deal with this multiple nights whereas Tenma would only be here once if he were lucky. Perhaps that was the point of this mission. They send fresh people up at night to give the guards a little bit of excitement to keep them awake. Hot coffee never hurt either. In one hand Tenma held a hot pot of coffee and a stack of cups in the other. He was tempted to indulge on a cup of coffee sometime soon to give him a small boost, but pushed the temptation aside. He could get a cup when they went to refill if he really wanted one.

His attention was drawn to his sensei as he spoke, "You'd think we had failed our last mission, being assigned grunt work right after capturing those bandits. Sorry, I know this isn't your idea of exciting or a worthwhile expenditure of energy, but just consider it a job that needs to be done and ha no one else to do it. Plus it gives you a chance to speak to your new teammate."

His sensei reminded him. They did have a new member on their team, and this would be his first mission with them. He was a Hyuuga, but had bright blond hair. Rather unusual in comparison to the Hyuuga's usually dark hair. His attire wasn't any odder than any other member of the team. His attitude thus far was upbeat which kept Tenma in high spirits. He wondered how Kanji felt about Satoshi. His Senju teammate kept many of his thoughts to himself like usual. Tenma didn't mind though, he knew Tenma was a really good guy.

As they entered another outpost tower Tenma sighed to rid himself of any harsh vibes he might be bringing in. He didn't want to look like he hated running around to help these guards out. No way that would make them feel any better about working the nights if those who came to check up on them hated doing so. As he followed Etorufuu-sensei into the building he began to carefully pour a cup of coffee to hand off to one of the men. The more cups he handed out the easier it became to pour the next one. The interaction was fairly standard. Cups were given out, thanks were given, words of good fortune followed. On occasion one of the guards would want to talk which interested Tenma. Anything to break routine was welcome to him.

When they left Tenma stacked close to Satoshi so he could begin to talk to him. "So Satoshi, what are some of your specialties? We went over a lot of this when we first met. I'm good at Fuinjutsu and Eijutsu, but not much else. Kanji's excellent at both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. You should have seen how he took out those bandits! Etorufuu-sensei seems like he's good at pretty much everything with how skilled he is. He's really good with a sword without even unsheathing it." Tenma summarized his thoughts about his team to Satoshi hoping he wouldn't mind talking about himself for a bit.

Posts : 1216

Kanji walked silently as he usually did with his team mates, they had a new one. A hyuuga according to Etorufuu, Kanji however ignored him as it was too early in the morning to socialize with others. Kanji definitely wasn't a morning person, he carried his cups and pot of coffee carefully not to spill any on himself or others. However his eyes were closed as if in deep though, but he wasn't thinking. He was trying to squeeze the last bit of sleep from his body, however it only resisted him further. He had to constantly be in motion so trying to sleep walk wasn't going to work, Kanji doubted it was even possible to force yourself to sleep walk in the first place. He opened his eyes slowly, he looked angrier than usual. His brow was furrowed and his normal frown was more apparent, his eyes looked at others harshly. Every time he looked at someone it seemed as if he hit them in the face, he definitely wasn't cut out for the morning.

He tried to calm down by looking at the sky but it made him angrier, the moon and it's stars were obscured by the clouds giving hardly any natural light. He felt like throwing the coffee on his face to wake up however that wouldn't work out to anyone's benefit if he did stupid things this early. As they kept walking towards the guards he felt as if ages pasted, he could examine everything and tell you what it was made of before they were even beside it. Of course that wasn't how it was at all, Kanji at best was stumbling over his thoughts of what a torch was made of. He wasn't functioning very coherently to others, but to him he was a super computer that had the thought process of a mile a minute.

"You'd think we had failed our last mission, being assigned grunt work right after capturing those bandits. Sorry, I know this isn't your idea of exciting or a worthwhile expenditure of energy, but just consider it a job that needs to be done and ha no one else to do it. Plus it gives you a chance to speak to your new teammate." Etorufuu tried to look on the bright side of things, it was good for someone to have that attitude just not in the morning. Kanji personally didn't hate people like that just the mornings made him much more cranky than usual, it would probably be best if he just kept his trap shut. He merely nodded while feeling the cool air of the mountain, any minute now he would feel its gentle. Kanji didn't feel anything, he felt warm air of the sea and hardly any cool air that he enjoyed more. Gritting his teeth that made him madder, he hated the warm air of the sea as it felt stuffy to him. He saw them approaching the guards he stopped just behind Tenma. Tenma was obviously trying to look happier but Kanji didn't feel like it. He set everything down on a small table and took in a deep breath.

"Calm down, it's not like they are happy they get to be here." Kanji reminded himself that they too were probably cranky from having to stare into a dark fog. He walked out there after picking up his cups and coffee. His normal expression made most avoid him and go for Etorufuu and Tenma from what he saw. The tougher ones, or rather the more tired ones came to him and seemed to perk up after realizing Kanji wasn't an angry prick to him. He tried to smile but it came out as more of a sympathy smile while handing them the coffee. Many laughed at it because of how worried Kanji looked after making that face, he smiled normally as they thanked him and went back to their post.

He had watched Tenma practically become glued to the hyuuga on their way back, Kanji sighed at this. He knew Tenma was very energetic and was dreading over how he must be torturing the poor boy. Kanji noted the hyuuga's appearance, he had blond hair instead of their natural dark hair. It made Kanji pause for a minute at such a sight, it was rare to see a hyuuga with blond hair if not impossible. Kanji then noted his appearance, he still looked more like a ninja than Tenma with his miner clothes. Kanji began to walk up behind them close enough to hear their conversation.

"So Satoshi, what are some of your specialties? We went over a lot of this when we first met. I'm good at Fuinjutsu and Eijutsu, but not much else. Kanji's excellent at both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. You should have seen how he took out those bandits! Etorufuu-sensei seems like he's good at pretty much everything with how skilled he is. He's really good with a sword without even unsheathing it." Kanji felt his left eye twitch at this, he didn't mind being complimented but did he have to tell him everything? Kanji raised up his right hand and gave a swift flick to the back of Tenma's head.

"Gah. What is wrong with you Tenma? You don't go out telling people our specialties. For one he may not stay on the team long and for two you should at least let us introduce ourselves. Don't mind him, he is very energetic and is probably the nicest person you will meet. Probably also the silliest as he tends to let things slip through his mouth before his mind." Kanji said, he wanted to scold Tenma but couldn't find the energy to do so. He didn't care anymore, he decided to change his tone at the end and simply talk to the hyuuga- Satoshi. He didn't know much about him but all he could do is listen, he slowed his pace down a little and navigated to the right of Satoshi effectively boxing him in between Tenma and Kanji.

Posts : 14

Between the unnecessary complaints offered by Team Five's sensei, the warm enthusiasm of the Uzumaki boy, and the measured reason distributed by Kanji..Satoshi felt right at home thus far. When he had learned of his newest assignment, he had issued no complaints in response. To the shinobi known as Satoshi Hyuuga, a mission was a mission, pure and simple. Even a seemingly tedious task like the one team five was to complete tonight was - in the long run - necessary. Satoshi recognized that even keeping the guards awake was a necessary task, and as a late-bloomer he cherished the opportunity to go on a mission period. It was perhaps to be expected; Sastoshi Hyuuga had unapologetically goofed around for two years at the ninja academy, which in turn had postponed his graduation to the genin level. So, he had a lot of work to do in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a "superhero." In short, Satohi recognized that these menial chores were but the first stepping stones across a wide and dangerous river.

"You'd think we had failed our last mission, being assigned grunt work right after capturing those bandits. Sorry, I know this isn't your idea of exciting or a worthwhile expenditure of energy, but just consider it a job that needs to be done and ha no one else to do it. Plus it gives you a chance to speak to your new teammate."

Hm, the teacher seems alright, I guess. He puts too much stress on himself...too much responsibility. He seems like a good guy, the kind of person who tries to see the best in any situation...or maybe he just complains a lot? Awell, I'll figure him out sooner or later.

Satoshi's seemingly critical thought process over the simplest of remarks was not something new to his personality. Owed to both his natural love of analysis and his enhanced perception as a Hyuuga, Satoshi held within him a fondness for analyzing everything. People, situations, possibilities, puzzles...he loved the mental exercise offered by one's own attempt to completely read into their surroundings. Even with Satoshi being regarded as a slacker, he always had enjoyed reading, and psychology was among his favorite subjects. So, perhaps to keep himself awake, he mentally mulled over the complaints of his new sensei. Satoshi was briefly lost in thought while stacking

"So Satoshi, what are some of your specialties?" Tenma inquired, earning the red-headed genin Satoshi's divided attention. "We went over a lot of this when we first met. I'm good at Fuinjutsu and Eijutsu, but not much else."

"Sealing jutsu, huh? I suppose that means in a spar I'll have to watch this one carefully. My clan's technique can't help us seal one's chakra if our own chakra is sealed. I'll be sure to practice a couple of my theories of chakra control." Satoshi thought to himself, relishing the thought of developing more techniques which would utilize the trademark control over one's chakra so often demonstrated by the Hyuuga clan. However, these thoughts did nothing to detract Satoshi's focus from Tenma...because his teammate was also feeding him information on the other member of their team.

"Kanji's excellent at both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. You should have seen how he took out those bandits! Etorufuu-sensei seems like he's good at pretty much everything with how skilled he is. He's really good with a sword without even unsheathing it."

"Ah, I see." Satoshi politely responded, not immediately offering an assessment of his own abilities. He continued to analyze the information given to him by Tenma...to a shinobi, information was often the key to one's success or failure of a mission.

Alright, another individual who excels at ninjutsu and taijutsu. I'll have to do some training if I'm going to catch up to these people. Inwardly, Satoshi reprimanded himself for missing the mission, but he also knew there wasn't really anything he could do about it now except train himself and hopefully earn more valuable experience both on an individual level and on the mission as a whole. As for sensei...I suppose it isn't out of the ordinary for a higher-ranked ninja to surpass mere genin. Even so, I'll need to evaluate his abilities myself... He decided that more of a pause would seem unnatural, and so Satoshi - after apparently taking a moment to think about the question - opened his mouth to reply.

That was when Kanji interrupted, reprimanding Tenma Uzumaki.

"Gah. What is wrong with you Tenma? You don't go out telling people our specialties. For one he may not stay on the team long and for two you should at least let us introduce ourselves."

Satoshi's thin lips gently curved upwards at the edges, creating a small smile. He found the chemistry of their team acceptable, at least in regards to personality. If Etorufuu-sensei and Kanji-san were the tightly wound strings filled with tension, then together Tenma and Satoshi were more relaxed and flexible in regards to temperament. Satoshi appreciated both the loose-lips of Tenma and the immediate reprimand from Kanji. In the end, Satoshi had gotten a little bit of information on his teammates, and that was the important thing.

"Don't mind him, he is very energetic and is probably the nicest person you will meet. Probably also the silliest as he tends to let things slip through his mouth before his mind."

"In moderation, there is nothing wrong with that." Satoshi calmly replied, without hesitation or allowing his thought process to show on his face. He continued along with the group to the next tower, and spoke confidently. "One's lack of ability to 'think before they speak' and one's lack of desire to do so are two different things. If Tenma-san doesn't believe that he has reason to remain stoic around me, your new teammate, then I can hardly allow him to feel obligated to do so. I admire his confidence in sharing information with his teammates..."

Satoshi paused briefly to advance ahead of both teammates and his sensei, opening the door to the tower and holding it for the three. He smiled as the light reflected off of his long, blond hair. He was a little more awake than before since the conversation had picked up just a little. When Tenma and Kanji approached, Satoshi would continue speaking. His voice held no contempt for Kanji's reprimand of their loose-lipped teammate, but merely a calmness which worked to soothe almost any actual frustration.

"However, I will choose to not say much about myself just yet," He began, his milky white eyes catching the light playfully as his lips twisted slightly into a wry smile."Instead, I'll take the opportunity to let you two assess my abilities personally during our next mission that calls for me to use them...assuming that takes too long, then I will readily spar with either or both of you." Satoshi offered in a genuinely friendly manner, allowing the three to enter the post before he would shift his position and let the door close behind them.

Age : 34 Posts : 591

Gentle thunder rumbled above as Etorufuu watched his team hand out coffee to the guards at this station. While Kanji looked exhausted, Tenma and Satoshi seemed to be pressing hard to maintain a facade of caring nature. Their conversation escaped the team leader for the most part, Etorufuu was far more interested in hearing the initial reports for night shift from the captain of the guard. As fate would have it, Shikano Nara and Etorufuu has graduated from the same class at the academy, though it had been a number of years since they last spoke as friends rather than teammates.

"The night has been quiet as you could expect it to be Eto. What are you doing with a team of genin, I didn't take you for the mentoring sort back in the academy. And your old team says you are a might prickly when it comes to social interactions."

All straight facts that Etorufuu would be a fool to deny, he decided to reply using the truth rather than a half-assed excuse in front of his old comrade. "Raikage's orders. Pulled me from outside the village to give me this team so I have to assume that the Madam Raikage has a plan of sort for me."

"Right, I forgot you had been out of the village for the past few months. Something about solitary training."

"Correct, but now I am here working for her once again and teaching genin no less. Strange happenings in the village these days."

"And stranger whispers. But that conversation is better offered over drinks rather than when on assignment. I have to go back to making my rounds and assuring my men aren't sleeping on the job. Thanks for the help in that."

A voice piqued both men's interest before Etorufuu could offer his own goodbyes to his friend. "However, I will choose to not say much about myself just yet," spoke the voice of Sato. It was enough to make Etorufuu nod to Shikano before moseying back towards his unit to ruin the secretive boy's day.

"Satoshi Hyuuga, noted slacker in the academy with a delayed graduation due to his laziness. High marks in Taijutsu, no surprise, and Ninjutsu. Gifted with the Doujutsu the Hyuuga are so famous for, his file has plenty of negative notes to balance our his positive ones." spoke Eto in an official and condescending tone. "On this team we trust each other and work together, and that means discussing our abilities so to better organize tactically and provide the best combination of ideas and theory to overcome potential obstacles down the road. Perhaps one should remember that student files are given to team leaders before playing coy, yeah?"

Etorufuu walked out of the guard shack leaving the boys to gather their supplies and hurry to catch up on the way to the next shack. As much as he enjoyed having the scouting abilities of a Hyuuga among his other students, denying them access to information that could affect their judgement of a situation was something that he would not stand for. Though Eto did not find the boy arrogant it was horrendously obvious he had a lot of work to do when it came to working in a team and allowing for those judgement calls to be made accurately. So onward he marched into the darkness, hoping they would catch up while he sought out a way in his mind to help the cohesive nature of his unit.

Age : 33 Posts : 35

One moment Tenma had been happily smiling and the next he was holding the back of his head.

"Tssssskkk"

Tenma hissed as a sudden sharp pain rose and faded against the back of his head. Next to him stood Kanji with a hand held up in a flicking position. It was fairly obvious who the culprit was, and by the look on his face he was not sorry for doing so. Tenma gave him a pouting glare while he rubbed the back of his head for a moment before putting his hands by his sides again. If he was so enthusiastic about introducing himself Kanji could have been the one to start the conversation. Plus there's plenty more to talk about he had just scratched the surface.

"Gah. What is wrong with you Tenma? You don't go out telling people our specialties. For one he may not stay on the team long and for two you should at least let us introduce ourselves. Don't mind him, he is very energetic and is probably the nicest person you will meet. Probably also the silliest as he tends to let things slip through his mouth before his mind."

"And don't you forget it." Tenma said this with his arms crossed and a small frown on his face. Unable to keep his facade up any longer he gave a small chuckle returning to his happy-go-lucky self. He used his index finger to adjust his glasses that sat upon his nose. The moisture in the air had begun to collect on the surface of his glasses causing lights to have rings around them. An annoyance, but nothing could be done about it on a night like tonight. Tenma's interest flicked back to his teammates as Satoshi spoke up.

"One's lack of ability to 'think before they speak' and one's lack of desire to do so are two different things. If Tenma-san doesn't believe that he has reason to remain stoic around me, your new teammate, then I can hardly allow him to feel obligated to do so. I admire his confidence in sharing information with his teammates..."

Tenma couldn't help, but chuckle to himself. A bright smile was plastered on his face as his amusement was as apparent as the lack of moonlight. "Satoshi totally gets me~" he said happily. He could tell that he would like Satoshi already. He spoke so formally and intellectually, but his kindhearted nature shown brightly through it. He hoped that they could be the less serious members of the team. The "Comic Relief" if you will. It balanced out the group dynamics when it came to personally nicely.

Satoshi began to speak again about himself, "However, I will choose to not say much about myself just yet. Instead, I'll take the opportunity to let you two assess my abilities personally during our next mission that calls for me to use them...assuming that takes too long, then I will readily spar with either or both of you." Tenma's head tilted somewhat with a confused frown on his face. He hadn't thought Satoshi would keep his abilities secret from the group. As a Hyuuga he more than likely had his clan's famous doujutsu and excelled in taijutsu. Perhaps he was an oddity when it came to clan traditions and preferred to show his skills to avoid being judged just by how unusual it was.

Etorufuu-sensei, however, didn't like the idea of secrecy apparently as he spilled Satoshi's story to the group when he returned to them. "Satoshi Hyuuga, noted slacker in the academy with a delayed graduation due to his laziness. High marks in Taijutsu, no surprise, and Ninjutsu. Gifted with the Doujutsu the Hyuuga are so famous for, his file has plenty of negative notes to balance our his positive ones. On this team we trust each other and work together, and that means discussing our abilities so to better organize tactically and provide the best combination of ideas and theory to overcome potential obstacles down the road. Perhaps one should remember that student files are given to team leaders before playing coy, yeah?" His tone suggested he wasn't going to play games about this.

"I'm sure Satoshi meant no ill-will by keeping it to himself Sensei," Tenma said in Satoshi's defense. He gathered the coffee and cups quickly as to keep with Etorufuu-sensei. His sensei was rough around the edges, but Tenma knew following him meant that he would develop as a quality shinobi. He hoped that Satoshi would maintain a positive opinion about him as Tenma and himself had. If he could look at sensei's intentions rather than his attitude he would find this team to be a great place for him to be.

His eyes drifted skyward watching the clouds float on by. The dark clouds has small amounts of shading giving them shape instead of appearing as a solid sheet across the sky. A new conversation needed to be struck up to keep things going and remove them from an awkward silence that often accompanied these odd jobs. "So what are some of your aspirations for the future?" he asked addressing everyone, "My family only wants me to be a decent shinobi creating very little pressure in deciding what to do. I've been thinking about pursuing the path of the medic to develop my eijutsu. Though I haven't thought any further ahead than that." Tenma's tone was oddly more serious then it normally was.

Posts : 1216

"However, I will choose to not say much about myself just yet. Instead, I'll take the opportunity to let you two assess my abilities personally during our next mission that calls for me to use them...assuming that takes too long, then I will readily spar with either or both of you." The hyuuga didn't want to tell them anything about himself. Kanji frowned at that not enjoying the hyuuga already knowing their main specialties yet he wanted to keep his a secret. He was positive he had taijutsu as one of them however the other one was a mystery. Kanji frown worsened as he wished someone would just tell him what the hyuuga knew.

"Satoshi Hyuuga, noted slacker in the academy with a delayed graduation due to his laziness. High marks in Taijutsu, no surprise, and Ninjutsu. Gifted with the Doujutsu the Hyuuga are so famous for, his file has plenty of negative notes to balance our his positive ones. On this team we trust each other and work together, and that means discussing our abilities so to better organize tactically and provide the best combination of ideas and theory to overcome potential obstacles down the road. Perhaps one should remember that student files are given to team leaders before playing coy, yeah?"

Etorufuu answered Kanji's prayers, smiling to himself Kanji enjoyed that Etorufuu got on Satoshi's case. "I'm sure Satoshi meant no ill-will by keeping it to himself Sensei," Tenma was quick to defend the hyuuga as expected of him, he gathered the cups he needed and looked for the coffee. Etorufuu was a particularly rough fellow however he had just what this team needed. He was the strong hand to help keep the team on track as they breezed through missions. Kanji felt a smile on his lips once more at this thought, his sensei wasn't all that bad. He knew stuff that they didn't, so he must be looking out for them the best he could.

He looked up at the sky as he was finish gathering everything needed, he proceeded to hand out the coffee as usual. But the sky was his main focus, it was covered in clouds but that wasn't what caught his attention. The moon wasn't visible through the clouds which it normally was. Kanji shrugged it off as he felt himself more awake now. He had found that they lapsed into an awkward silence, well it wasn't very awkward just extremely quiet. Kanji enjoyed it as he liked it quiet and peaceful with no noise but the sound nature around them. "So what are some of your aspirations for the future?" Tenma asked Satoshi, Kanji inwardly sighed at this. He didn't want to hear about this and decided to tune it out for the most part.

"My family only wants me to be a decent shinobi creating very little pressure in deciding what to do. I've been thinking about pursuing the path of the medic to develop my eijutsu. Though I haven't thought any further ahead than that." Kanji was caught off guard by Tenma's tone. He sounded much more serious than his usual silly tone. Kanji decided that he should probably listen to whatever had to be said. Tenma never spoke of his dreams like this before, Kanji cleared his throat as he decided to speak to help enforce Tenma's question.

"Yeah, if we know your dreams or rather goals we can help you reach them faster. I don't have a goal myself. But it is always good to have one so you know how to get there." Kanji spoke openly about this subject, he had no real goal. Nothing that really drove him to do anything other than to live life to his fullest extent. He looked over to Satoshi for his response.

Posts : 14

"Satoshi Hyuuga,"

If the voice of Etorufuu-sensei wasn't enough to catch the attention of Satoshi Hyuuga, then the fact their team leader had called out his name especially was. The faint violet of Satoshi's pupils shifted to one side, as he silently regarded the man. Almost straight away, Satoshi was able to read into the man's tone of voice. Through simple experience, Satoshi concluded that his sensei was about to provide more information than he had wanted his teammates to know just now. Even so, Satoshi made no attempt to interrupt his sensei...if his whiny teacher wanted to give the Uzumaki or Kanji a fighting chance against him, then Satoshi wasn't prepared to silence his teacher. Satoshi's reason for not attempting to stop Etorufuu from continuing on, though, was simple: If he showed any desperation to do so, it would also show vulnerability. So, while Etorufuu-sensei continued on with his rather rehearsed assessment of Satoshi's dossier, the Hyuuga remained stoic and silent.

"Noted slacker in the academy with a delayed graduation due to his laziness. High marks in Taijutsu, no surprise, and Ninjutsu. Gifted with the Doujutsu the Hyuuga are so famous for, his file has plenty of negative notes to balance our his positive ones."

Satoshi remained impossible to read to either of his teammates or his instructor while the latter spoke. It was an honest and objective assessment, after all, and Satoshi wasn't prepared to argue with his teacher. In all honesty, the brief expression of personal acceptance regarding Satoshi's taijutsu skills was flattering. Of course, Etorufuu mentioned the Byakugan, and Satoshi was only thankful for the fact he hadn't discussed any of its workings. At the very least, it seemed his sensei either wasn't interested in getting on his bad side, or simply wanted to balance out the playing field and provide Sato's teammates with as much information about him as the Uzumaki boy had given Satoshi. Up until this point, Satoshi had remained silent and accepted his sensei's personal judgment and course of action. But Etorufuu-sensei's next point would have to be addressed.

"On this team we trust each other and work together, and that means discussing our abilities so to better organize tactically and provide the best combination of ideas and theory to overcome potential obstacles down the road. Perhaps one should remember that student files are given to team leaders before playing coy, yeah?"

"I'm sure Satoshi meant no ill-will by keeping it to himself Sensei." Tenma said, as if in his defense. Before Tenma could say much else and as Etorufuu-sensei prepared to take his leave, Satoshi spoke up in a clear voice.

"He's right, you misunderstand, sensei~" Satoshi concluded, simply and without a moment's hesitation."My desire to keep my basic abilities a secret does not stem from distrust, you see." As he spoke, he adopted a sincere tone of voice, and softened his expression enough to show that he still reserved himself even as he spoke his mind."Seriously, sensei. I just wanted to surprise them when he sparred next. Part of being a shinobi is using the element of surprise to your advantage, right?" a rhetorical question, and he continued on. "I don't care about secrecy from my teammates, sensei...and honestly, I'm almost insulted you think I'd forget such a simple thing~" His voice was playful, his words completely genuine, and his eyes smiling with as much kindness as the small but sincere curl to his lips. He had wanted to withhold that information for no other reason than to surprise his allies in an eventual sparring match. But he added one last part to his response, to be sure his sensei didn't think he was upset.

"But I understand, instructor. I'll remember this team's approach to teamwork next time the chance presents itself!" Again, completely genuine words with no trace of deceit or doubt. It wasn't that Satoshi was using his calculating mind...it was the opposite: he was saying exactly how he felt, something Etorufuu would likely know to expect from the lazy genius. Even so, Etorufuu had Satoshi's personality down pat: the boy wasn't used to working with others, and did not seem to grasp what should have been - least of all to a "genius" like him - the simplest of team-based psychology. The reason for this was simple, though, to any instructor who had heard testimony from his academy instructors: Satoshi Inoue, despite his affable demeanor, was desensitized in social situations despite a proclamation that he rejected the shinobi ideal of detachment. With this team, Etorufuu-sensei was guaranteed to have his hands full. And Satoshi, on the other hand, had a lot to learn indeed.

As Etorufuu-sensei walked ahead of the team, Satoshi began to help gather the supplies. When he had an armful of cups and filters - any supplies aside from the unnecessarily heavy coffee-bean bags - he began to follow his instructor. However, Satoshi kept a closer distance to his teammates, and if Tenma paid close attention, he would observe a rare sight: a compromise within the sometimes fortified walls of Satoshi's eyes. He was deep in thought now, though about what one could only guess. In truth, he was reflecting on the words of his instructor already. Even when replying to Etorufuu-sensei, Satoshi had been respectful and truthful. And the discipline of the Hyuuga-clan - as often as Satoshi tried to reject it - subconsciously influenced him to listen to the words spoken by his superiors. However, after being "lost in thought" for about five minutes, he returned his attention to Tenma.

"Thank you, Tenma Uzumaki. It seems you have some talent for saying what you think. I like that in a person. I try to do it as well. Don't let certain ninja convince you to keep to yourself more than you, personally, feel is necessary. Otherwise, I'd be alone in my willingness to speak up when the time comes. I appreciate you coming to my defense like that, and am glad you understood my intentions were not ill." Satoshi spoke these words to him before he and Tenma had actually stepped foot outside, and Satoshi focused on the back of his instructor. Honestly, Satoshi held no contempt for the slightly abrasive guy. In Satoshi opinion, it was the candor of leaders - that ability to say what needed to be said, when it needed to be said, whether or not others wanted to hear it - that would shape genin like himself into model shinobi. For a moment, there was silence as the trio of genin left the station and continued onward into the dimly-lit night.

"So what are some of your aspirations for the future?" Tenma inquired, catching Satoshi Hyuuga's attention once more. He had been caught off-guard by such a question coming from Tenma. Already, Hyuuga had assumed the redhead to be talkative, so it hadn't been too terribly surprising when the one to break the awkward silence was Tenma. But the words he spoke...the thoughtful question he asked...that was what caught Satoshi unawares. So, now was Satoshi's chance to amend his mistake. He listened intently to his teammate's own answer, and decided to wait for someone else to answer the question before he would do so himself. In truth, Satoshi felt a little embarrassed about the sincere answer he was contemplating giving.

Kanji was next in line to speak, although now it was Satoshi's turn to feel disappointed in response to a deliberate lack of information.

"Yeah, if we know your dreams or rather goals we can help you reach them faster. I don't have a goal myself. But it is always good to have one so you know how to get there." Kanji said, somewhat hypocritically to his teammates. This flip-flopping stance regarding dreams and goals and candy unicorns frustrated Satoshi, though he ultimately decided that this time he would provide information freely to his allies. If nothing else, it would show them a willingness to try and tip the scales once more in his favor...in his own way, he only revealed the next bit of information in order to show them both there were no hard feelings.

"Hm...if I have any aspiration for the future." Sato paused, thinking about how he wanted to put the next portion of his statement. "I want to be a superhero..." He said, simply...and without further explanation.

Age : 34 Posts : 591

"I want to be superhero..."

The word was a tad unfamiliar with Etorufuu but the concept did not elude him for long. A fantastic hero, probably similar to the heroics of legend described for generations about the generations past: A lone soldier charging an army alone, an amazing act of sacrifice if only to save the life of a pregnant woman, etc. These legends were of the most popular to tell around the fire and often provided even shinobi with entertainment as they sat on guard duty keeping each other entertained with the tale. Guard duty, much akin to the soldiers they were assisting now with their coffee and various treats.

Entering the second guard post, Etorufuu knocked briefly on the door frame to keep others from being surprised as he and his team entered. Sliding a box of donuts onto the nearest table, the Yuki nodded to the men inside the guard house waiting to take their rounds on the perimeter. Nodding to the captain, he turned and watched his boys who were chattering amongst themselves only moments before. Chattering not unlike those who shared their stories or the stories of others and create these ‘superheroes’ who would live on in story for the rest of time.

It was good though, to have a goal, especially a goal with such a noble background. While some sought power, some sought to prove themselves, and others sought out a life of fame and fortune with their exploits but here was a guy who wanted to be the most basic of things: A good man. A smile could not be helped and Etorufuu spoke briefly with the guard captain ”Raikage’s compliments. Morning is only a couple hours off and you are the last delivery we have for the day. Enjoy yourselves gentlemen.”

The words were brief, but this entire mission had been more of an excuse to allow his genin to speak to each other and gain a familiarity before he placed them on a true challenge. Soon they would face others from their village in open combat and he would be allowed to evaluate the skills of both teams he worked with the most frequently and decipher their weaknesses. Once weaknesses were analyzed solutions to the weaknesses could be found and weakness would become strength and success would drive his teams into greatness.

”I’d like to thank you for your cooperation and professionalism tonight gentlemen and I’d also like to let you know what our next experience as a team together will be. You will be facing another team I’ve been working with so I can evaluate your combat abilities as a group and determine what needs to be improved and what your strengths are.”

He paused, nodding to his team as he trusted them enough to let them in on the information that he had been working with a secondary team. It was not unusual but nor was it very tasteful to just drop such information onto a team that was supposed to trust each other. Hence why he told them now, at the beginning of his association with another team, rather than let it leak out in the future and cause a true disruption of his team cohesion.

”There will be spoils for the victor and punishments for those who fail to succeed. But I’m sure that doesn’t scare you lot off. So I’ll see you in the Stalagmite Fields the day after tomorrow. I myself have some personal things I must manage before pitting you against these opponents and I’d rather you not drop in on other groups potentially training there. Else we may have a battle of egos as well as abilities. So I’ll see you then, yeah? Bright and early just before sunrise.”

Etorufuu waved, nodding again to the guard captain and his team, before setting off once more towards the village proper. It had been a long night and his goals had been achieved and they had even assisted the night shift guards in staying awake with their delivered goodies. What was better was the future held the possibilities of genin getting to know each other’s abilities intimately and provide a cohesive force for which Kumogakure could wield and destroy their opponents or fend off their invaders. This test would be hard for the boys but a necessary step in their evolution as shinobi and individuals seeking their own goals. Time would tell whether his personal team would be up to snuff, but then again he would not be throwing them to the wolves if he did not have great faith in their unit dynamics and individual skills.

[Etorufuu exits topic]

Age : 33 Posts : 35

Tenma had been watching his sensei walked away hoping he would turn around to join the conversation again. It seemed that this hope was misplaced as his sensei chose to keep moving ahead. A small frown appeared on the young man's face. This was quickly changed as his attention was brought back upon his peers, Satoshi in particular. He praised Tenma on his openness and willingness to speak his mind in most situations. His cheeks flushed a bit from being praised so suddenly. It was unusual to say the least. He let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his head attempting to play it cool. The awkwardness passed quickly as Tenma adapted a more serious tone.

He listened closely to his teammate's responses to his inquiry. Kanji spoke of how he had no goals himself, but wanted to help his teammates meet theirs. Tenma smiled softly at Kanji's willingness to help them before himself. It was admirable to be so willing to help others while searching for something yourself. Tenma mentally vowed to do the same for his teammate and help Kanji whenever he figured out what his goal was. Perhaps while working toward each of their own goals he would find what he wanted to do himself. Satoshi chimed in soon after with his own reply. It took Tenma by surprise at first. He had to listen to it a few times over in his head. He wasn't sure if he had caught what his new friend had said right.

"I want to be superhero..."

Tenma's eyes lite up once he was sure that he had heard him correctly, "That's so cool~!" The words were full of admiration for the blond Hyuuga. "I could never be a super hero. I'm not cut out for the responsibility. I would be a sidekick at best. That's so amazing that you got what it takes! If you need anyone to back you up just call on me!" Tenma attempted to give Satoshi a thumbs up as best he could while holding all of the coffee supplies. They were beginning to run low, but there was still enough to limit their hand's activity.

His attention returned to the mission as they entered another guard post. He poured cups of coffee and distributed it amongst the inhabitants of the post. He was surprised to notice that most of his rations were gone. After scanning his teammates and leader they too appeared to be out of supplies. A small glimmer of hope spawned a childlike excitement within him. He unconsciously turned an ear to his sensei hoping to hear the one phrase that meant everything.

”Raikage’s compliments. Morning is only a couple hours off and you are the last delivery we have for the day. Enjoy yourselves gentlemen.”

Tenma did a backflip in his imagination upon hearing his sensei vocalize their completion of their rounds. The nights were long when one had to work during them. He didn't mind, but his response would be similar if they had done this during the day. He followed his sensei's lead in placing the remaining supplies and followed him to conclude their night together. He turned to his team as he did when he had something important he wanted to say. It seemed that he had prepared something to end the night on.

”I’d like to thank you for your cooperation and professionalism tonight gentlemen and I’d also like to let you know what our next experience as a team together will be. You will be facing another team I’ve been working with so I can evaluate your combat abilities as a group and determine what needs to be improved and what your strengths are.” Tenma stood dumbfounded for a moment. He wasn't sure if he was just too tired to hear his sensei correctly or if he had heard correctly that they would be pitted against another team. ”There will be spoils for the victor and punishments for those who fail to succeed. But I’m sure that doesn’t scare you lot off. So I’ll see you in the Stalagmite Fields the day after tomorrow. I myself have some personal things I must manage before pitting you against these opponents and I’d rather you not drop in on other groups potentially training there. Else we may have a battle of egos as well as abilities. So I’ll see you then, yeah? Bright and early just before sunrise.”

With that said Etorufuu-sensei took off in the night, or early morning as it were now, and left them to go home in whatever fashion pleased them. Tenma mulled over what his sensei had told them. He wasn't confident enough in himself to actually be an asset to the team in simple combat. His skill set was far more suited to a survival situation where wounds needed to be healed and support needed to be given. He feared that he would hold his team back and be the reason that they would have a punishment. He turned to face his teammates with an anxious expression. He already had butterflies in his stomach. He knew that he would have to improve himself to be able to keep up with his two teammates.

"I don't want to be a burden to you guys," his tone at first was timid and fearful, but his expression changed. His eyes showed resolve and his body was tensed. He held a fist toward his teammates. "When you see me that morning I will be an asset to our team besides being the medic! I will train my hardest until the match." He held his pose for a moment before collapsing down. He gave a sigh as he did so. Even though he got plenty of sleep before he was tired by this point. He wanted to go home, take a short nap, and begin training immediately for their exhibition match.

"Do you guys wanna walk home together? I have nothing better to do at this time of day~" he offered to his teammates. If they declined he would simply go home on his own and prepare for the coming day. If they accepted he would follow them until they split paths and do the same. He wanted to spend more casual time with his teammates before becoming all business for the next day or so.

Posts : 1216

"Thank you, Tenma Uzumaki. It seems you have some talent for saying what you think. I like that in a person. I try to do it as well. Don't let certain ninja convince you to keep to yourself more than you, personally, feel is necessary. Otherwise, I'd be alone in my willingness to speak up when the time comes. I appreciate you coming to my defense like that, and am glad you understood my intentions were not ill." Even a half asleep Kanji could tell that was a jab at him. He furrowed his brow towards the hyuuga already getting a negative feel for him. He didn't like people that tried to be clever with their words and insult others. It was disgraceful and distasteful. Kanji kept this feeling to himself not wanting to cause conflict with the team and to not have to fight the hyuuga. Kanji snapped himself awake after remembering the comment, he was still thinking about it despite trying to forget it. He found himself in the middle of the hyuuga's comment.

"I want to be superhero..." Satoshi said, Kanji felt himself inwardly stumble forward. Satoshi wanted to be a superhero of all things. Kanji sighed and shook his head at this, it was a useless goal for him to have. Kanji didn't say it out loud but he found this to be a useless thing to devote your life towards even though he himself had no goal. "That's so cool~!" The words were full of admiration for the blond Hyuuga, Kanji figured Tenma would like it. "I could never be a super hero. I'm not cut out for the responsibility. I would be a sidekick at best. That's so amazing that you got what it takes! If you need anyone to back you up just call on me!" As usual Tenma didn't let himself have the spotlight and decided he was best fit for a side kick.

Kanji found himself in the guard post handing out supplies to the guards as they had eagerly gone towards the genin. Each one gotten a coffee and something to snack on, apparently when sleep deprived you drink coffee like water. Kanji smiled at this little fact he saw, they were almost done since they had visited a lot of the guard post. Soon he looked towards Etorufuu seeing him talking with one of the guards, he couldn't hear him. Kanji got closer to better hear what he was saying to the guard, he secretly hoped it was him telling the guard that they were leaving.

”Raikage’s compliments. Morning is only a couple hours off and you are the last delivery we have for the day. Enjoy yourselves gentlemen.” Kanji sighed in relief at this, Etorufuu said they were done. All they had to do now was go home and sleep. Sleep sounded nice, extremely nice, it was practically an understatement for how amazing that sounded. Kanji already had imagined himself sleeping in his bed and being able to not have to get up like this again. He was ready to celebrate with a party, he would've even kissed the raikage despite his grudge towards her. He felt himself get light headed, he was getting too excited for him keep stay awake. He had to calm down so he didn't pass out. Then Etorufuu started to speak again, this time towards the team.

”I’d like to thank you for your cooperation and professionalism tonight gentlemen and I’d also like to let you know what our next experience as a team together will be. You will be facing another team I’ve been working with so I can evaluate your combat abilities as a group and determine what needs to be improved and what your strengths are.” Kanji gritted his teeth, they had to fight fellow genin. He wouldn't let them rest, they couldn't ever get a break. He nodded his head silently while trying to not show his anger, he didn't like this. ”There will be spoils for the victor and punishments for those who fail to succeed. But I’m sure that doesn’t scare you lot off. So I’ll see you in the Stalagmite Fields the day after tomorrow. I myself have some personal things I must manage before pitting you against these opponents and I’d rather you not drop in on other groups potentially training there. Else we may have a battle of egos as well as abilities. So I’ll see you then, yeah? Bright and early just before sunrise.” Kanji felt his anger break past its limit. Early in the morning was the time, it was already late at night. He didn't want to spend tomorrow preparing to wake up at three in the morning. He didn't like this idea at all.

He left, Kanji thought he could trust this man but he was too eager. He wanted to test out their abilities despite the mission Tenma and Kanji had been on. Then he looked at Satoshi, he felt his anger get directed towards the poor hyuuga. If he wasn't here they wouldn't have to fight, but now that he showed up Etorufuu didn't want to have any dead weight. If only that stupid hyuuga wasn't here, if only someone could get rid of him. Then I could relax, I could relax all I want. Someone needs to kill him. Kanji slapped himself on his cheeks, he snapped out of his twisted mindset. He was only tired so such thoughts were harmless. Kanji definitely wasn't a morning person. He heard a noise coming from Tenma as he turned to face him.

"I don't want to be a burden to you guys," He was weak and frail, he would break easily on the battlefield. Well, he would've if that resolve hadn't just shown in his eyes. Tenma's eyes showed a resolve that the Uzumaki's were famous for. Kanji felt himself be at rest knowing Tenma had conquered his own weakness by himself with such a resolve. "When you see me that morning I will be an asset to our team besides being the medic! I will train my hardest until the match." Tenma had proclaimed so strongly. Kanji smiled at this little declaration. Tenma definitely had grown up, now from field medic to battle medic. He was going to be the best medical ninja in all of kumogakure if he kept this pace up. "Do you guys wanna walk home together? I have nothing better to do at this time of day~" Almost as a switch he changed his mind to a fresh topic. Kanji shook his head no and mumbled something incoherent. He cleared his throat and spoke once more. "No, I'm good. Going to go home and sleep. It's too early for anything. Much less to talk with people. I am not a morning person so I mean no offense by this." Kanji said bluntly, his tone wasn't hostile but it wasn't friendly either. He started to walk away from the two back towards the village at his own pace.

He waved goodbye to them as he kept up his pace towards his house. He wasn't in the mood to talk much less do anything else. He was going to make sure that he had gotten enough sleep before trying to talk with anyone else.

[Exit]

Posts : 14

"I want to be a superhero..."

That had been Satoshi's answer to Tenma's question, which had only been given after Tenma's own reply and Kanji's rather unsatisfactory answer. And it seemed that Etorufuu-sensei truly had a grasp on what it meant to be a superhero. To Satoshi Hyuuga, who had grown up in Kumogakure being told tales of both Konoha and Kumo by his father and mother respectively, the concept of heroes had always fascinated him...ever since he was a young boy. Being told the tales of selfless sacrifice for others had always given the young boy hope for the future...and eventually, a purpose to live with. His was a borrowed ideal, but an ideal nonetheless. And the ideal of becoming a superhero...of saving those destined to die, and of fighting to protect those too weak or incapable to protect themselves...that was the ideal embraced by the genin Satoshi Inoue. He had given quite a simple answer to Tenma's question, but not out of any sense of quiet dignity; he simply didn't know how to properly explain the meaning behind his words right off the bat...and the subtle red tint painted on his cheeks would reflect the embarrassment he felt at his confession. And Tenma would show Satoshi that such embarrassment was unnecessary.

"That's so cool~!" Tenma replied, taking Satoshi by surprise even as the Hyuuga watched his team leader knock upon the wooden door to the next guard station. Tenma filled the potentially awkward silence as he continued verbalizing his opinion of Satoshi's self-proclaimed goal to become a "superhero." "I could never be a super hero. I'm not cut out for the responsibility. I would be a sidekick at best. That's so amazing that you got what it takes! If you need anyone to back you up just call on me!"

Suddenly, Satoshi noticed that the coffee-making and serving supplies he carried felt light, and he briefly wondered if that was due to his training or the rising spirits he felt upon interacting with his team. Satoshi set the last of the supplies down on a nearby table, allowing various guards to help themselves in preparing the coffee. As he did so, he decided on his reply to Tenma Uzumaki, facing his redheaded teammate with an expression of quiet contentment on his face. His lips were turned upwards in a gentle smile, and his voice was even and lacked the wavering tone it had held when Sato admitted his goal to his new comrades.

"I think you sell yourself short, Uzumaki-san." Satoshi conceded, closing his eyes as if in reflection upon his own words. "You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. I've already come to understand you have high levels of energy and drive...so don't underestimate yourself. But if you need to have a purpose before finding your own, then know that I am honored to fight alongside someone as kindhearted as you. I don't think I have what it takes to be a superhero..." Satoshi trailed off briefly, opening his eyes thoughtfully and peering at the floor. After only a moment of silence, he again met Tenma's gaze...and a new resolve burned within his eyes. "Not yet. But I am honored to have you as a comrade, and if you'd fight alongside me until we can achieve our goals, I think we can help each other along the way, you know?"

By this point, the team had already entered the guardhouse. While Etorufuu-sensei had placed the donuts upon the table, Satoshi had emptied his arms of coffee supplies and set to work brewing and distributing the warm beverages. In his opinion, these guards and their actions were just as important - if not more so - than the actions of team five tonight...and vice-versa. Quite honestly, for someone so young, Satoshi had a semi-mature understanding of the world. But he certainly had a lot of growing up to do, and his own childish hopes of being done with tonight's work visibly shone through his gradually rising optimism. When the last of the coffee had been distributed, Sato had turned his rapt attention upon Etorufuu-sensei. And thankfully, it seemed their instructor was ready to conclude the mission.

"Raikage’s compliments. Morning is only a couple hours off and you are the last delivery we have for the day. Enjoy yourselves gentlemen."

"Yes!!!" Satoshi quietly cheered, loud enough for Tenma and Kanji to easily hear. He even pumped an arm into the air, grinning. He wasn't exactly fulfilled upon the completion of such a seemingly-meager mission, but he was happy to be done. No, to say Satoshi was happy would be a bit of an understatement. He simply knew that the "work" for tonight was over, and soon the team would probably be able to either go their separate ways for the night or at least do something more interesting. Honestly, either outcome was good for the energetic, blond-haired Hyuuga. And regardless of which course of action tonight promised, the near-future apparently held even more excitement. Sato thought this much to himself upon hearing his instructors next words, once Etorufuu's attention was again upon his disciples.

"I’d like to thank you for your cooperation and professionalism tonight gentlemen and I’d also like to let you know what our next experience as a team together will be. You will be facing another team I’ve been working with so I can evaluate your combat abilities as a group and determine what needs to be improved and what your strengths are." Satoshi's grin widened, threatening to split his face ear-to-ear. He brought his arm down to his side, though, to at least show Etorufuu-sensei that the team captain had his full attention. Even so, the light within Sato's eyes seemed to brighten as Etorufuu continued on. Finally, team five would get to spar, and they would each be assessed by their chuunin instructor. "There will be spoils for the victor and punishments for those who fail to succeed. But I’m sure that doesn’t scare you lot off. So I’ll see you in the Stalagmite Fields the day after tomorrow. I myself have some personal things I must manage before pitting you against these opponents and I’d rather you not drop in on other groups potentially training there. Else we may have a battle of egos as well as abilities. So I’ll see you then, yeah? Bright and early just before sunrise."

The promises of reward and punishment meant nothing to Satoshi Hyuuga, who had operated on such principles since his early childhood as a member of the Hyuuga clan. Hard work and success were praised and reinforced, while laziness and carelessness were punished and deterred. For a ninja, such basic behavioral conditioning was only natural, and Sato had no complaints about such promises now either. Etorufuu informed team five about where they would next meet, and when. Before first light, in the Stalagmite Fields, the day after tomorrow. That would give Satoshi plenty of time to both train and rest. Satoshi offered his instructor an enthusiastic nod, along with some parting words spoken in just as enthusiastic a tone.

"Yes, sensei! I look forward to our upcoming practice!" And within Sato's words, there was absolutely no artificiality. He was completely genuine, as usual, and spoke his mind without reserve. Satoshi turned to speak to Tenma, but noticed the latter was deep in thought, apparently. Satoshi frowned, unsure what could possibly be wrong with anything Etorufuu-sensei had just told them. To Satoshi, all of it had been good news...but Tenma seemed slightly bothered by it, and because of Tenma's earlier kindness, Satoshi felt concern for the Uzumaki boy.

"I don't want to be a burden to you guys," Tenma stated, seemingly out of the blue. Satoshi smiled, finally realizing exactly what the young Uzumaki was concerned about. But Satoshi personally felt that such feelings were needless. In the Hyuuga's opinion, they were now a team. No, they were the team. Team Five. And Team Five would stick together...they would enjoy success together, and failure together...and when one of them was feeling weighed down by some burden, then the others would surely be there to lighten the load. At the very least, Satoshi intended such a relationship with his newfound friends. "When you see me that morning I will be an asset to our team besides being the medic! I will train my hardest until the match."

"I know you will, Uzumaki-san." Satoshi said, without a hint of sarcasm or threatening intent. "And if you feel you need to talk about anything, just come find me. I'm usually available to hang out, even if we aren't working. You too, Kanji-san~" Satoshi offered, not hesitating to use Kanji's first name. Satoshi didn't do this out of a lack of respect...he simply had forgotten Kanji's last name, as so slapped on an honorific to the boy's surname. Then, Tenma seemed to collapse from tiredness, and Satoshi smiled when he suggested they all walk home together. "Sure, why not? I assume you two know where my house is anyway...most people do, due to its size." Satoshi conceded, unable to deny his family's prestige. His estate was one of the largest in the village...the wealth of the Hyuuga wasn't something that evaporated when such a famed clan heir ran away from a village. His mother and father had built the estate from scratch, but it was now quite large and developed.

The answer from their teammate, however, was very different.

"No, I'm good." Kanji stated, in what Satoshi Hyuuga interpreted as a negative tone of voice. This caused Satoshi to shoot a rather confused look to their teammate, the blond-haired young man oblivious to the needless animosity and unwarranted sense of self-importance felt by their more stoic teammate. [color=red"Going to go home and sleep. It's too early for anything. Much less to talk with people. I am not a morning person so I mean no offense by this."[/color] With those words, Kanji began to skulk away, clearly too tired and irritable to hold a civilized conversation with. Still, even though Kanji didn't seem to inwardly much care for Satoshi, whose words had only been harmlessly barbed towards instructor, not teammate, the Hyuuga smiled gently. He found Kanji's irritable nature funny, and would later amuse himself with it. But even Satoshi with his own slight mischievous streak wasn't stupid: he liked to "troll" and irritate people, not genuinely piss them off, so he said nothing to his teammate which required a response.

"Take care, Kanji-san. I hope you sleep well!" Satoshi stated, waving to his teammate's back and then turning to regard Tenma. "Uzumaki-san, shall we depart?" Satoshi asked, his smile lingering upon his lips. He was ready to head home, even if only half the team felt like it would be beneficial to further their own relationship as brothers-in-arms.

Age : 34 Posts : 591

[Mission End]