Shinobi Rp

Two military-esque boots planted themselves firmly down in front of the Bayonetta’s grand front entrance. Standing before a winding staircase, Riona was finally ready for class. She made sure to insert her earphones before checking how much time she had.

Current Day: Morning (Outside the Bayonetta Manor.)

“A few minutes never hurt anyone,” she told herself quietly: “It’s not like I’m missing much…”

She began her descent down the steps, however out the corner of her eye – she could see her younger “sisters” planting new wooden poles across the field. She looked down upon them preforming their appropriate duties tirelessly – a smirk appeared across her face. These two youngling were shaping up nicely.

“Man, Riona-sama is so skillful,” the first twin said aloud as she thrust the wooden pole into the ground. She motioned to her sister to throw her another…

“Aye, I hope we’re that strong soon. We should ask her if we can spar…” the other sister retorted, but after a pause: “Well... Maybe that wouldn’t be wise.”

The both laughed, however one of the sisters noticed Riona at the foot of the staircase. She froze in place; her sister turned and finally noticing as well, followed suit. Riona looked now upon them with an icy glare. Her fist tightened unexpectedly…

“Oye, sis… let’s move out of the way…” on the twin’s said quietly. She meekly shuffled off to the side.

As they both cleared out of the way, a new song had started on Riona’s music player. Gritting her teeth, she thought of Lizbeth’s return back to Lincere. For whatever reason, Lizbeth was now back in the picture – which was perfect for younger of the two siblings. Outdoing her sister has been Riona’s goal now for longer than she could remember – and the failure this morning barely showed any improvement.

Her fist now tightened to the point where she broke the skin in her palms. She held up the closest hand facing the recently placed pole… and flexed. A large burst of chakra erupted forth, mauling the wooden post into splinters. The twins who had to lunge for cover gasped in awe. Riona turned away triumphantly, waving to the two twins as she walked on.

“Take care, you two,” she shouted, gaining considerable distance: “Be sure to practice your kicks. Bayonetta don’t spit out weaklings.”

The sisters, somewhat shell-shocked from the explosion, nodded feverishly.

*Having stated his whim to welcome the new arrival, Kohaku scanned the room briefly. It was still early yet when the first bell chimed. By the time the second would toll surely the room would be filled with its previously allotted capacity. Of the selection that had signed up, only a handful had arrived to report already.

Though his conversation had already subsided, the last sound of his mechanical voice still lingered within his mind. That bittersweet familiarity of such a phrase, ‘being a medic is truly troublesome…so much so that it will get you in real trouble sooner of later.’ Though he had shortened his reiteration, the old lesson still plagued his mind. Rapidly spiraling downwards into the darker portion of his mind, ill thoughts soon consumed the foreboding lesson—

Medics were often subjected to unworldly horrors; some too nightmarish to even describe…Hurtled into the chaos they must charge forth regardless for their comrade’s lives are placed within their hands. They must not hesitate to leap into the maelstrom.


Closing his eyes and placing his hand upon his desk, Kohaku sent a small, subtle wave of chakra to scan the room. The pulse acted as a sensor, examining all that fell within range. Abruptly stopping his mind’s descent into its past cavern, the sounds of able-bodied pulses reached his ears. A slight smirk was brought to his face, noting the currently healthy vitals of those within, though it was uncertain who would be placed in a squad with him, it was best to make a mental note of how his comrades were prior to their long road ahead.

Occasions in which all were well would become increasingly seldom for the path ahead would be lined with casualties and suffering undeniably. The path of a shinobi is not one to be taken lightly. Opening his emerald eyes once again, Kohaku remove his extended palm from the desk only to reach into his pocket for his pen. Twirling it betwixt his fingers he sat back in his chair, casting his gaze towards the open window. *

*Rising with the early sun, and slipping quietly out of her bed to get ready for the coming day ahead, Ayumi pursed her lips slightly as she prepared herself. Though the air was cold at first, closing her eyes, she reminded herself that cold was merely a distraction, and that she must focus on rendering herself complete for what was to come. Control of the body and mind was essential, and, after breathing deeply for a few minutes, seating herself on the edge of her mattress, Ayumi flocked open one eye lazily. The sunlight streamed through the blinds, and now mentally prepared, she finished her regular morning routine without being prompted by her father.*

"Father..." Ayumi muttered, as she tightened her tie around her neck, "I'll show you that your investment was worth it. Just as you have taught me that we are born with nothing, I will remain humble in my studies. I promise."

*Turning, Ayumi turned to the mirror, and was greeted by the sight of a lithe girl with porcelain skin and a delicate heart-shaped face, almost fragile and doll like in appearance. Straight, shiny black hair fell around the image's face and partially covered slanted, nearly black eyes, long lashes flickering as the image blinked, its thin lips pursed tightly. For today, she dressed in what her father has instructed her to wear, the traditional uniform given to students, even though in her opinion, she thought it too childish for her. It was her first day at the Academy, however, and she could not afford to let dishonor and shame come to Father or her family at any costs. She held the weight of the Kokuei Clan on her shoulders as soon as she showed up at school.*

"The Academy..." Ayumi continued to mutter to herself, as she went to leave her room, "I wonder what it will be like. This is one of the first times a member of my clan has ever set foot in this school."

*Her gaze hardened, and her expression turned cold.*

"Whether or not they accept me, I won't let anything get in the way of my family's honor," Ayumi vowed to herself, "So it doesn't matter if they accept me or not. I will do well at the Academy. I will become a shinobi. I won't let anyone tell me otherwise."

*Leaving the house brusquely, Ayumi met her father outside, nodding towards him and giving him a quick bow. With curt nod, her father took Ayumi to the Academy in silence, occasionally speaking to remind her of what was at stake, and, after sailing by a series of questions, Ayumi felt nothing less than determined. Arriving at the Academy very early, she bid her father farewell and entered the halls of the Academy, her eyes sweeping across the unfamiliar surroundings as she tried to remember the numbers of the rooms she passed. Clutching a neatly folded piece of paper in her hand, Ayumi made her way to the classroom designated, the black ink contrasting against the white background starkly, like the darkness to the light.*

"Huh," Ayumi said lowly, "So that's where I'm supposed to be."

*Seeing the number of her classroom ahead, Ayumi slipped in, noticing with satisfaction that it was otherwise empty other than some signs of life that its sensei occupant had been filing papers on his or her desk. Taking a seat near the front of the class, she turned to look around her and absorb her environment, her poise upright and stiff as she reminded herself what she had been trained to do. Sit upright. Otherwise it would develop a bad habit, the wrong muscle development, and might help form a wrong angle of the spine, or, so her parents claimed. After several minutes, the other students trickled in, and as each one entered, Ayumi's head snapped around to look at them, taking in their faces, yet uttering not a word of welcome.*

"I wonder when class will start," Aumi mused, just as the bells tolled, warning students of the beginning of studies.

Current Day: Morning (Inside the one of the Academy Bathrooms.)

Luka looked up and into the mirror before him. As he washed his hands, he considered how much time had gone by since he first arrived at the academy…

“The sensei should be arriving at any moment now,” he said aloud, “…at least, I hope.”

He shook his hands dry, and walked towards the door. He had taken a quick bathroom break before things had gotten too busy in the classroom. As he walked out into the hallway – he felt a familiar presence. “Cal? No… This feels like…” He turned to look down the direction opposite of his classroom.

Blushing slightly, Luka stammered: “Li-Lizbeth? What are you doing here?”

Lizbeth Bayonette had halted directly in front of Luka. They were nearly eye level with one another. She smiled upon him bewitchingly as she admired his new found height. She had since changed after her brief talk with Riona back home. Her appearance was casual… far more casual than any other shinobi could muster within the academy. She moved some of the her wilder strands of hair behind her left ear before she spoke.

“Wow, Monkey – you’ve definitely grown since the last time I saw you,” she said chuckling as she placed one of her hands atop his head, “…so tall. It makes you look more handsome.”

Luka could not help but to blush, he looked away from her and towards the nearest wall…

“Yeah, well maybe you’re just getting shorter,” he replied awkwardly.

Of all the women in the world, Lizbeth was one of the few that could easily upset his natural charm. While in most instances, he could readily flatter the female in question – he had offended Lizbeth with his last statement. Luka came to this realization as he was suddenly yanked off of his feet! Only the tips of his toes now touched the floor as Lizbeth held him up by his collar.

“Da’ fuck you just say?” Lizbeth asked, smiling malevolently.

She drew Luka in close; so close in fact, that their noses were practically touching. Luka continued to flush in color…

“Was that some wisecrack on me getting old?” Lizbeth continued, “Hm?”

“N-n-no, of course not, you’re as gorgeous as ever – really…” Luka replied, holding his hands up to disarm the situation.

Although he feared for his life at the moment – he meant what he said earnestly. Lizbeth looked into his eyes, holding him in place as silence surrounded them both. After a minute or two, Luka was dropped to his feet.

“Always the charmer, Luka,” Lizbeth laughed as she placed her hand back onto her hip.

“Yeah…” Luka chuckled clumsily. He managed to look directly at her for a moment – before quickly turning away again.

At this point, facing the floor was all he could do.

“So… why are you here exactly?” he managed to spurt out.

However, as soon as he did his eyes widened in shock: “Wasn’t it about time for class to start? No, she couldn’t be…” He looked up snappishly, his jaw slightly slack in shock, but Lizbeth had already left. Hearing the softness of her steps behind him, he turned around hastily to see her walking down the corridor.

“I’ll catch you around, Monkey. You should stop by the house this week – you’re old enough now for me to slip a little something into your drink” she said as she rose her hand to say goodbye.

Luka stood frozen in place – she was certainly walking towards his class. Just then, an icy feeling shot up his spine. He turned around startled; his mouth still hung open… However, he had missed whatever gave him a sudden feeling of dread…

…Or, so he thought; until he heard sharp footsteps also walking away from him towards the classroom. He did not turn to see who it was – something in his gut was telling him to remain still. The figure walking behind Lizbeth was none other than, Ato Cantina. Luka had merely felt a taste of Ato’s suffocating presence.

“I thought you said, that this particular occasion was dress down,” Ato asked calmly.

“Hm, it isn’t?” Lizbeth sarcastically responded.

She turned her head slightly – revealing a devilish grin.

“Like I care what the rest of these losers have on. Don’t worry about it though, you look dashing…” she retorted pawing at the air, “…you look fierce.”

Ato frowned. What he wore was not necessarily casual according to society’s standards – but for him, his garments made him feel out of place. He was wearing black slacks, with faint lines of gray, with a matching vest; underneath was a plain white button up. His sheathed sword dangled against his hip…

“Like I give two shits about what everyone else wears in this dump,” Lizbeth bolstered aloud as she rebelliously rolled her eyes.

“Must you speak in that manner?” Ato asked rhetorically.

They had just arrived in front of a classroom door; and it was the same classroom that belonged to Luka. Before they could walk in however, Lizbeth felt obligated to teach Ato a lesson…

“No.” Lizbeth curtly responded…

“So then, you’ll refrain from speaking like that – at least for the time being? I’d like the younglings to at least think we’re competent enough to train them.” Ato countered.

Lizbeth’s hand was waiting idly against the classroom door. They were just mere moments from entering the classroom, but she had to look back at Ato due to his request. Her smile had vanished, causing Ato’s eyes to narrow in suspect. They had locked eyes from what seemed like an eternity…

“Of course,” She said coolly.

Lizbeth turned away, pushing the door open – Ato felt trepidation fall upon his shoulders like a guillotine.

Inhaling as she walked through the door, Lizbeth yelled: “Penis!!” Ato sighed quietly to himself, as Lizbeth’s outburst alarmed the classroom’s occupants.

The piercing sound of the alarm reached the young girl’s ears, its high pitched rhythm resonating throughout the empty room; seemingly filled only with essentials.

Listlessly, she outstretched her small arm turning it off. Gradually removing the covers from her petite body, she proceeded to shift herself towards the edge of the bed as she let out an abrupt yawn.

Her small feet touched the chilly floor, yet this didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest, being that she was from the Northern Tundra region, she was accustomed to frigid temperatures. Contrary, the cold room was uncomfortable in her opinion, far hotter than what she preferred normally.

After a quick shower, Oyuki Rin promptly dressed herself, and began tying her ponytail up in front of a fractured mirror, which reflected the distraught state of the apartment she was currently staying in. Despite this, she was happy with her current predicament. Today she would finally begin training in the academy, partaking in actual missions and possibly making new friends.

In mid-thought, her attention fell upon the ceiling above her bed, which once again, was ruined. Though she had received basic training in the art of shinobi, her chakra nature was unstable, and in fact quite difficult to control. The frozen ceiling began steadily dripping water when the deafening voice of the livid elderly man above echoed throughout the apartment complex.

She frowned, shifting her emerald green eyes towards the window, wondering if she should depart prior to the inevitable confrontation, being the third time this week. For a moment, she considered apologizing to the man, however, quickly dismissed the thought as the thunderous sound of footsteps descended down the stairs.

Rin swiftly opened the window, as warm spring air rushed past her, the breeze gently flowing through her navy-blue hair. Without hesitation, she leapt into the air.

Her body elegantly fluttered past a flock of small white dove. The young girl glided silently above a crown of oblivious citizens below. She attempted to maintain her concentration and composure while air-born, but couldn’t help but smile as a toddler below pointed her small finger at the shinobi, her mother remaining ignorant whilst on her cell phone.

As she began to descended, she adjusted her the position of her legs, bracing herself for the landing. Gracefully, she fell upon the very tip of a phone pole, remaining perched for a moment to take in the view.

The intense light from the early morning dawn reflected hues of red and violet, yet its sublime nature didn’t seem to impress her, as she was used to the far more beautiful northern lights, that filled the sky with every color imaginable during the winter.

Suddenly, she noticed the academy building not far in the distance, just beyond the perimeter in which normal citizens were allowed. Inhaling deeply, she jumped to a building adjacent to her; hastily she leapt through the air falling only briefly to the ground to powerfully launch herself back into the air, releasing concentrated burst of chakra each time.

Finally, she had reached her destination, landing with a soft ‘thud’ on the buildings outer frame. She found the copper-tile quite awkward to walk on and quickly made her way towards a nearby open window. As she approached it, she paused abruptly; pondering whether entering in through the window would draw unneeded attention.

Figuring she’d just get lost otherwise, she opened the window, stepping forth into the unknown. Rin’s expression remained calm and collected as she quietly made her way for an open seat in the back of the room, to her dismay; everyone seemed to have noticed her, however, fortunately remained silent.

Her gaze fell upon the faces of the fellow shinobi, she wondered what they were like, unfamiliar with other’s her own age. She felt consumed by a single insecurity. Her thoughts plagued her mind.

“Is it really alright for me to be here? For what purpose do I want to become a shinobi?"

She remembered the teachings of her country, and closed her heart from her mind, disregarding unnecessary thoughts.

Suddenly, a rather crude voice across the room jolted her back into reality.

A cerulean shadow grew larger and began to darken as the figure of a woman took it’s place. The world itself started to shimmer as an impossible weight settled down on the gathered. It didn’t just weight them down, didn’t just make them feel like their clothes were lined with lead…it stifled them, made it feel like the world was closing in on them, chocking them.

Even the precious oxygen in their lungs felt dense, almost liquid. The pressure eased up for a moment, yet, its effects barely lessened. Rin could feel her head pounding as an aftermath of the woman’s ominous amount of chakra. Her breathing remained dense, never before had she faced someone with such a vast amount of chakra. As the woman spoke, a single, odd phrase met her ears.

“Penis!!”

Rin’s expression contorted into a rather confused frown, she couldn’t help but stare as the sensei proceeded into the room.

Ripples form on the waters surface
The bow has been draw
Yet the arrow already flies
Casting its slender shadow onto the reflecting pool
Assured of its flight
It dare not wavier
For it can never be recast

Having walked the entire grounds, assuring himself that their layout had matched perfectly the blueprints he can acquired weeks previous, Shen gravitated towards his destination. Arms crossed within his billowing sleeves, his long garbs cloaked his frame. A slight metallic clink akin to either chains or an extensive collection of keys chimed almost silently as he continued onwards.

Yet, their sound was soon masked by the noise coming from the edge of the corridor, before he even rounded the corner he could feel the chakra of the beings before him. Though their presence was duly noted, the sounds of their voices attracted far more attention than the previous-

“So then, you’ll refrain from speaking like that – at least for the time being? I’d like the younglings to at least think we’re competent enough to train them.” Ato countered.

The low warning of a calm male reflected his youthful age and even without laying eyes upon him, Shen could already envision his dubious nature. An amusing gesture that students must be fooled into submission…such a comment did not inspire confidence in the capabilities of these “instructors.” For if they were actually worth their merit, such a farce would not be necessary in the first place.

Perhaps it was mere hesitation on the behalf of a new teacher, thus Shen sought to overlook it. However, the moment he approached, all potential was dashed immediately when the excessively boisterous woman bellowed a single word of introduction. Alone it was merely a term of a body part, however, through the manner in which she summoned it, it mustered any and all sense of vulgarity possible.

Understanding immediately that sinking sense of desperation some are remarked to experience, Shen looked on at the specimen of unrefinement… 'to think that you are all I have to learn from. How insultingly preposterous...may they all not be as thus.' Immense chakra alone would not suffice in actual combat; tact, skill and preparation were all additional ingredients that this woman clearly either lacked or simply was too incompetent to muster effectively. If fate had any semblance of dignity it would render this passing as merely so and thus dissever any and all contact with the two loathsome displays of ignorance and cowardice; who unfortunately would have be to address due to their blockade of the door.

With the slightest of nods, Shen bowed his head to momentarily bisect the murk as he elegantly entered the doorway, sticking to a diagonal in order to grace past the wide stance of a woman and her partner who had hung back with the boy conveniently named monkey. In a voice that was almost devoid of life and clearly reflective of its owner’s unamused state, a simple word was all Shen offered to excuse himself from their company.

“Pardon.”

Brushing past the pillar standing near the door, Shen discreetly took a seat towards the back of the room, whilst all eyes fell upon the woman, he used her diversion to slip in effortlessly.


(Edited to add Quote)

The night air was crisp; a symphony of crickets and cicada orchestrated their nightly song beneath the waxing moon that hung in the black sky. The pale white light reflected in the young boy’s violet eyes, his thoughts completely extinguished, entranced by its magnificence. He seemed temporarily lost in nostalgia, remembering days of the past, long since gone.

Abruptly a man’s voice startled him, he quickly shook is head and continued on with his work. The young teen’s boss simply shook his head, speaking in a harsh distinctive tone,

“Kazehiro! Stop spacing out on me, we’ve got customers!”

Indeed, Yoshida noticed a few customers seating themselves in front of the small hole in the wall restaurant, which was akin to a noodle stand, bearing an open faced front.
Yoshida glanced up at his boss, who was much taller and older than himself, politely bowing in apology, he spoke in an equally formal tongue,

“My apologies Sir, it won’t happen again. Shall I take their order?”

The man’s expression twisted, raising his eyebrow and frowning, he quickly cut the boy off mid-sentence, rather crudely he responded,

“Hell no boy! With that sorta talent, you’ll draw in all sorts of new customers! Get back in that kitchen and whip up some more of that…whatever it is”

Yoshida chuckled to himself, stepping into the kitchen; his grandfather’s teachings seem to have paid off once again, escaping the mindless duties of a server, he had just earned himself the task of chef, which he preferred anyways. Cooking had been the only way to pass the time when not focused on his training as a shinobi, one could almost call it his hobby – at least that’s how Yoshida figured it anyways.

Whilst he prepared the grill, steam rose up in heavy bellows; he proceeded with the orders, cooking the food at a steady pace, he paid careful attention, cooking the food thoroughly, to each of the customer’s liking.

Upon finishing he added a garnishing of spices, lightly of course, not overdo it. As he cleaned up, his boss suddenly poked his head through the small window, his beaming expression catching Yoshida off guard, unsure what had sparked such an oddity.

“Yoshida!! Come out here! Our customers wanna meet ya boy!”

The man spoke in a jolly manner, contrasting his previous attitude he had displayed throughout the course of the day. Obviously Yoshida’s cooking prowess had won him over, Yoshida thought to himself;

“Thankfully I’ll be able to keep this job, I’ll need a source of income to pay for my lessons and aparment"

Relieved, he exhaled deeply, stepping out to greet the customers who wished to praise him. And praise them they did. Yoshida felt rather embarrassed by all the attention he was getting, but a single comment managed to catch his attention, the customer fondly mentioned,

“That’s god-given talent you’ve got there!”

Yoshida unexpectedly shook his head in disapproval; he corrected the elderly woman, explaining,

“No, not talent, it’s simply practice. Anyone with enough willpower and determination can strive for greatness, god does not determine this.”

The elderly woman burst into laughter, as well as the rest of her company. Her old slanted eyes met with Yoshida’s as she promptly agreed with him,

“Your wisdom is far beyond my years! That’s for sure! *Winks*”

Yoshida smiled briefly before playfully responding,

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find wisdom when you’re older, a young woman such as yourself has other things to worry about.”

The elderly woman once again burst into a fit of laughter, she leaned in close to the boy’s boss, whispering into his ear teasingly,

“Can I have a to-go box? I’d like to take him home~”


The townsfolk slowly began to snuff out the light within their homes, sending gentle ripples of waning light filtering out their open windows. In the increasing dark of the evening, Yoshida walked idly down the empty street, as the hood of his jacket billowed in the breeze. He took notice of the numerous stars above, oddly enough, they were far more numerous, compared to the amount in Coranova, whose city lights drowned out the majority of them.

“I never thought there were so many of them…”

As he stared into the sky, his mind seemed to wander, he was suddenly reminded of his classes the following morning, and the first time he would fall under the tutelage of someone other than his Grandfather, a bitter-sweet feeling washed over him. It had felt like only yesterday that his Grandfather began his teachings, and now here he was, standing in the capital city of shinobi.

He finally reached the door to his apartment and leisurely stepped through, not bothering to lock the door when he left earlier. Only the light emanating from the screen of his computer illuminated the room. After undressing, the boy’s brilliant purple eyes rolled toward the clock on the farthest wall just above his desk, to his dismay, he would only acquire but a few hours of sleep.

He hastily went to bed, yet as he lay there drifting of to sleep…he couldn’t help but think that he was forgetting something important.

Current Day: Morning (In the classroom.)

Lizbeth walked towards the front of the class smugly, looking over the class as she did… they had all fallen deathly quietly. She smiled as her eyes darted from face to face. Ato loomed behind her, his face as stern as ice – “Why… of all things to do…”

“Well, now that I have all of your attention…” Lizbeth said, with a tang of glee in her voice.

If anything, she was really excited to see a new crop of students. She halted accordingly after reaching the front of the class. Her arms poised against her hips, and her chin slightly in the air, Lizbeth looked upon class with her usual level of confidence; Ato stood next to her, not as boastful, but clearly demanding his own form of attention. While Lizbeth leaked of fun and joyful persona – Ato was rigidly serious, and quite intimidating if you were not on his “level.”

“Well my little rugrats, it seems as if we’re the first to instructors to arrive,” Lizbeth said aloud, “…so while we wait for the slackers to arrive, I’ll introduce myself.”

Ato’s lips reluctantly broke into a slight – a very slight and miniscule smirk: “Lizbeth… is Lizbeth, as usual” he thought. He removed his hands from his pocket, and placed them behind his back; unintentionally, he had struck a pose that appeared quite regal.

Before Lizbeth continued, she noticed a few empty seats in the class… most notably, her sister’s. She did not bother to learn all of the classroom’s occupants - but Riona Bayonette, was certainly notable. "Really? Oh Riona, always the diva..."

“I… am Bayonette Lizbeth, you lot can call me…” Lizbeth struck a pondering pose mockingly, “Goddess-sensei, or something else just as flattering.”

Ato resisted the sudden urge to facepalm. He blinked, happily prolonging his solitude in the dark… as he opened his eyes, he saw Luka walking into the classroom.

“Roggero, take a seat,” Lizbeth said sternly – the sudden change in her temperament jarring. Luka startled, grabbed for the nearest chair. He folded his hands; sitting unbendingly upright… fearing a repeat from earlier.

“Erhem…,” Ato cleared his throat – to the amusement of his partner, “My name is Cantina Ato, and you may refer to me as you should. Cantina-sensei or any other variation is fine.”

“Should” was emphasized for effect, once again bringing a smile to Lizbeth’s face. The class was now witnessing their age long chemistry.

“At the moment, as my partner said, we are the first sensei to arrive… We can wait a little while longer for their sake,” Ato calmly continued, “However, if you have any questions about the events for today – feel free to ask.”

"Yes, please speak now - and freely," Lizbeth followed, "...as you are all quite boring at the moment."

Current Day: Morning (In the classroom)

Whilst the woman spoke, Kohaku found himself examining the unique aspects of her genetic make up, such as the stunning rare coloring of her iris. However, he quickly fell into his old habits as he began to closely observe their behavior, picking up on the tiny details most tended to overlook.

Bayonette Lizbeth, a being outwardly akin to an antirrhinum, whose vibrant nature captivated all who beheld it. Her tall yet well-proportioned frame lined with her particular muscle structure betrayed her skill in combat, at a glance she appeared to favor close combat and was more than likely very agile regarding it. She possessed a luminous personality marked by cheer and an excessive sense of childish like playfulness that seemed useful to intentionally mask her intellect and prowess. Rather than be consumed by the dismal and at times dark aspects of her profession, she had chosen to laugh and be merry while all the while maintaining her guard.

Shifting his gaze once more, Cantina Ato fell underneath the metaphorical microscope. In sheer contrast to his company, he seemed to her opposite yet was her opposite in a complementary way. Based upon their subtle physical reactions to one another, years had passed between the two, so many that it was possible that they were teammates since the academy. Maintaining his calm demeanor, in spite of his partner’s childish display, a slight grimace upon his face indicated that she had resorted to such an unorthodox introduction not on behalf of the students but rather for the sheer pleasure of annoying him—a common reaction between friends.

Steadfast and contemplating, Ato seemed like the more typical of a shinobi. Collected due to his body language he was clearly the conjuror of the duo, preferring to keep silent and ponder whilst Bayonetta conversed. Although he wore refined clothes, they didn't seem to suit one with the title of a shinobi or rather they didn’t seem to suit Ato himself for a sense of discomfort or displeasure regarding them was hinted by his posture. The sword latched onto his hip better suited his character; it seemed to act as a device of security, as if it is a prized possession based on how well it was cared for. It was a reliable object, unwavering in the hand of its wielder, yet another attribute Kohaku could see within the man himself.

So these are two of the instructors…

Withholding a grin, Kohaku stopped the motion of his pen between his fingers, choosing instead to lay it to rest upon the desk before him. Based on what he gathered from them, it was relieving to see that at least these two examples were that of human qualities. Though it seemed absurd to think otherwise, there still remained the old idea that people with abilities like his own had forgone their humanity in exchange. He had never thought of such nonsense to carry any merit personally, he merely knew many others that had questioned so. He had grown accustomed to the stares of bewilderment or fear whenever he had manipulated his own talents amongst those that did not possess such things like chakra.

After all, chakra was not the lone contributing factor to one’s character, like any other, it was how one acted and their choices that defined them. Yet, these characteristics too were merely based on the observations of others…

His particular ability still remained as an anomaly out of those he had encountered; he had yet to cross one that was like himself. However, amongst other shinobi there existed a vast myriad of abilities…that is not what defined them. Though they were shinobi, they still were humans, beyond the necessary physical constructions that made them so; they were someone’s friend, someone’s loved one and they possessed the same quirks and faults as any other.

Only their burdens were heavier than the average person for they had to live two connected yet separate lives— one cast in the light, where they walk amongst the world and tend to “normal affairs” and the other, forged in shadow, in which their mortality is the gamble upon an unyielding field of battle.

Upon that field morality is merely an illusion, for regardless of the side you choose, to another you will always be in the wrong.

---

Severing himself from his thoughts, the sound of Ato’s sedated tone summoned him back to reality. However, it was Bayonette’s last remark that brought an amused yet slight smirk to his face.

"Yes, please speak now - and freely," Lizbeth followed, "...as you are all quite boring at the moment."

To one such as yourself, how could we appear anything else...

Bowing his head, to reveal his acknowledgement of them and to express a twinge of his humility before speaking. Despite the small degree of protest from his mechanical voice, he spoke with clarity in order to be heard from where he sat, nearly on the opposite side of the room;

“It's a pleasure, Ato Sensei, Bayonetta Sensei.”
*Nodding his head respectfully to each of them, only breaking eye contact momentarily to bow.*

Current Day: Morning (In the classroom)

Caleb could feel the porous grittiness of city building bricks against his feet; as he scaled the walls just outside of his family’s business – rushing towards the rooftop.

He was already late for class, but the distance to cover was minuscule with his level of speed. Currently, Caleb was barefoot, as he preferred to feel texture beneath his feet when he wasn’t gliding about.

After a few leaps between the alleyway’s looming walls, he finally managed to hop onto the rooftop. Following a brief stretch and a deep inhale of the crisp morning air, Caleb reached towards his ankles – drawing up his pants’ legs to reveal two tattooed seals.

He grazed his finger against them, donning his skates in a billow of smoke. His eyes sharpened, as the usual rush of adrenaline saturated his blood. “There’s nothing more satisfying…”

He stood upright, erect with a sudden brazenness in his stature… and began. A blur; A flick of dust; a slight breeze was all that were remotely comparable. Unluckily, his lovely experience was suddenly palled – he came to a screeching halt 20 rooftops away, the Academy just in sight.

He walked over the rooftop’s parapet, peering over to look into the alleyway bellow. Caleb had heard a scream – and to his dismay, found the source: a young lady was aggressively being forced against a wall. His fist tightened as they rested against the rooftop’s edge. He looked around for the nearest populated street, only to find it some ways off.

“As fucking usual… a robbery,” Caleb thought to himself, “…another lovely sign of a functioning society.”

“You know what else I want…” the deviant said in response to some unheard question below.

Her screams stifled by the robber’s massive forearm, the girl squirmed as much as she could – but the robber was only amused from her efforts. He twirled a shiv in his other hand, and he was dying to use it. Fortunately for her sake, he heard something move behind him.

The robber spun around to see a hooded Caleb, his crimson eyes glowing ominously under his cowl.

“What the hell do you want?!” the robber questioned aloud.

Caleb said nothing, he merely raised his hand – and pointed at the young girl. The robber dimwittedly followed the finger’s path, only to grit his teeth in anger.

“Piss off,” the robber dismissively said, pressing the girl harder against the wall.

Caleb sighed, and swung his hand towards a nearby wall – striking his hand against a loose brick, a kunai materialized in a wisp of smoke. The summoning was audible enough for the robber to turn in alarm – but it was far too late. The cold pointed steel ruptured his esophagus, spraying blood across the dank alleyway.

Dropping to the floor, the robber motioned uselessly towards his throat as he drowned in his own blood. The girl looked on… horrified.

“You should be going,” Caleb said calmly.

The girl looked from Caleb and back onto her dying assailant, deciding that her unnamed hero was right. She ran hurriedly out of the alleyway.

Caleb watched on, only deciding to move when he was certain she was gone. He slowly walked over to the fiendishly desperate robber, only to watch the robber gargle his last few breathes.

“It’s a shame I can’t take credit for this one either…” Caleb began, “…but in due time.”

He reached down to tap the kunai – transforming it back into a brick, and effectively tearing the man’s throat into pieces. Caleb turned away defiantly – quickly reaching the nearby rooftop and continuing on his way…


“It's a pleasure, Ato Sensei, Bayonetta Sensei.” Kohaku said, nodding his head respectfully to each of them; and only breaking eye contact momentarily to bow. 

Lizbeth, smiling, nodded to acknowledge this young man’s words. Her lips motioned as if to reply – but then the classroom door had swung ajar. Caleb had arrived finally…

As he looked around the room, he noticed everything had become deathly quiet – but not because of his sudden intrusion: For whatever reason, Lizbeth’s eyes had widened – and out of the corner of her eyes sought reassurance from Ato. He merely slowed his blink in response. Caleb instinctively knew to look down, feigning submissiveness…

“My apologizes…” he said softly, “I’ll just take my seat…”

After listening to the other man talk, Kenji feels more relaxed. Not really on his guard, Kenji decides to ask Shi another question. For some, the awkward pause would make more words awkward, yet Kenji felt nothing but ease. "So, I hope I'm not intruding too much, but what brought you to this line of work? Lemme guess. You must really like the kids."

Shi shifted his gaze at the man. “Actually, kids were never really my thing. The only one I’ve managed to like was my little girl.” Shi smiled. “After her mother left…well, that’s too much to speak of already. How about yourself?”

"How old is your daughter? Is she at the Academy?" Kenji wondered what could have happened to Shi's wife, but for now decided not to push the conversation into hostile waters.

“She’s sixteen, and coming along pretty well. The kid has a real knack for the jutsu of the Aurora clan.” Shi scanned Kenji for a moment. “So is that your shadow moving or are you excited?”

"Wow, she's sixteen? Must be pretty exciting for you. Watch out for those guys, though," he added jokingly, "What kind of jutsu is she good at?" Pausing, it took Kenji a moment to process Shi's question. "My shadow?" Kenji replied, "Well, to tell the truth, I do feel raring to go. I can't wait to see what kind of fresh blood trickles in this year."

Shi laughed. “Yeah, the new ones are always an interesting sight to see. In fact…” He looked at the clock above the bar. “Seems the squads will be round up soon.”

Every now and again, Kenji glanced away from meeting Shi's gaze and looked towards different places in the shop. Every look was different as he slowly scanned the structure, occasionally focusing on standout features amid the uniform background. Meanwhile, he listened and nodded as Shi spoke, briefly moving his eyes to look at him while he talked, with a simple smile.
Talking was always easy for him, but he took careful note not to seem too friendly, or nosy. He didn't want Shi to think he was annoying. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot," he admitted sheepishly, "We'd better quit yapping and head over, then. Or, at least talk on the way over. Gotta admit, sometimes I just get too wrapped up in conversation."

Shi placed his hand on the bar. “See you later, Samir.” He made his way for the door. “So, what’s your specialty? You must have something up your sleeve.”

"Well, to tell the truth, I don't think of myself as part of any clan. I was born in Lincere, and to most, clans were something of nobility. Or even of the past. To me, it just doesn't matter where I came from. What matters is the person I want myself to be. I don't like the idea of my ancestors' paths deciding my own fate." Pausing, Kenji thanked Samir and got up from his stool. "As for tricks," Kenji added with a sly grin, "A magician never gives away his secrets. Or a shinobi, for that matter. I guess you could say I specialize in Earth chakra, however."

“Is that so?” Shi said as they exited the shop. “Well then, I’ll race you to the academy.” Shi slapped his hands together and made a throwing motion towards the ground. His body was suddenly launched high into the air. “See you there!”

For a split second, Kenji witnessed Shi perform his justsu as the older man flew through the air. His mind turning it's cogs into motion, however, it only took another second for Kenji to perform his own technique. "A race, eh? We'll see just how cocky you are, old man, when I beat you," Kenji said with a lopsided grin, clasping his palms. The ground erupted underneath him.

The next thing the market shoppers knew, there was chaos. At a good speed, Kenji turned and twisted through the crowd, propelled forward by tectonic energy. "Excuse me, pardon me!" Kenji shouted as he travelled not only above the earth, but through it. Wincing as he heard a few angry yells, he muttered, "Hope I didn't cause too much damage...nothing they can't fix with a shovel."

Shi looked down as he surfed along currents. He twisted the vibrations under him, creating a path to follow. “Ah, so that’s how he gets around. Well, you just gave me a great idea.” Shi cracked a grin as he disappeared. With a flash, he blew apart the ground beneath Kenji. “Surprise!” The vibrations flew into the air, causing a sphere of distortion.

"Holy Hell!" The ground under Kenji suddenly erupted as his opponent blasted it. Hurled into the air, Kenji fumbled for a moment, rolled, and then regained his balance. "So if that's how you want to play it, let the game begin." Feeling the roughness of his hands, Kenji decided to try something different. He couldn't cause too much damage, but he could try something else.

Flipping through the air, Shi laughed as Kenji was repelled. He landed among a tall column and looked around. “Hmm, guess I lost him. Oh well, that was fun.” Shi ran down the side of the column and then slapped it. The vibration propelled him forward at a high-speed. He had aimed right for the academy.

"I've really gotten rusty," Kenji muttered to himself, maneuvering from underground, "Fun and games aside, that's unacceptable. I need to polish up." Protected by the earth, Kenji moved steadily, but felt the drain on his chakra, the growing fatigue his body experienced. He couldn't keep this up for very long. Reaching what he knew was the academy, he thrust his hands and was lifted into the air.
The soil under his feet sealed the makeshift tunnel. Before he could even realize his surroundings, however, he felt a huge pressure. A loud pop sounded in both ears as he winced, then regained his composure. Looked like he and Shi got there around the same time. Opening his mouth, Kenji sneezed once, then twice, as he dusted himself off.

Shi opened the door. “Let’s go.” The two of them walked down the hallway and stopped in front of a door. “Here we are.”