Oh. Oh shit. This was far from what he expected to happen from just trying to peacefully observe the creature. Even the less experienced genin could sense the intense killing intent rolling off of the creature, his chest tightening as the words echoed in his mind. Cowards? Was it cowardly to try and make peace before charging headfirst in to conflict? He certainly didn’t think so, but he knew that there would be plenty who disagreed. Whatever the case, he didn’t have much time to think about that. Instead his brain quickly switched into high gear, trying to figure out the best way to handle the approaching onslaught.[break][break]
But it seemed he would never get the chance, as an answer was instead provided for him. Wide eyes quickly flicked to Aiko as she gave her instructions, lips pressing together as he felt a bit of doubt about her instructions. If they just made an outcropping, the rhinos would just crash through it. And if it was an extension of the wall they would just run up it. So...Wait, he could make this work. The genin sucked in a deep breath, reaching up to pull the goggles from his forehead down over his eyes. ”On it.”[break][break]
His hands worked quickly to form the hand seals needed to mold his chakra, his eyes focused on the edge of the crater as he did. He had to make sure this was as sturdy as possible, just in case the design didn’t prevent any direct impacts. There was only so much he could do at his current skill level, but now was the time to try and push his limits. The moment his handseals were complete, a chunk of stone big enough for the platoon to stand on would extend out from the edge of the crater. Form their position it just looked like a normal outcropping, but from below it took on a different shape.[break][break]
As Daichi ran onto the platform and gestured for the others to follow, he would quickly lean over the edge to make sure it took the shape he wanted. And much to his relief, it actually looked pretty ok. The bottom of the ledge extended a ways down, gradually tapering down to a point from the much wider top where they stood. This created a wedge effect, which he hoped would encourage the hoard to simply move around the obstacle, since it wouldn’t have enough space for them to climb up it from below. Hopefully this would work and they wouldn’t just crash through. And if they did, they just had to hope Koma had them covered.[break][break]
”Alright guys, this is the best I can do. Hoshiko, do you think you can try and spot which one of these rhinos is the real deal? That’s the one we’ve gotta be on the lookout for.”
Lean on him, huh? That made sense, considering he would be the team leader. It was up to the team leader to call shots, and for those beneath him to follow along as ordered. So surely he wouldn’t get in trouble for doing anything so long as he said it, right? Maybe spending too much time with his father made him too paranoid of trick questions and misguiding words designed to catch him off balance. This guy seemed pretty straightforward, so hopefully that wouldn’t be an issue.[break][break]
The whistling took half a beat longer for the less experienced shinobi to catch, the distinct whistle of arrows tearing through the soft foliage to make their way toward the target. It was something he heard countless times over the years of watching Aiko’s handiwork. Everything was happening quickly, forcing him to make snap decisions without room for time consuming consideration.[break][break]
While the jonin came to a stop, the genin continued forward in order to keep pace with the pup. He didn’t have the speed advantage of his superior, and his top priority was keeping eyes on the dog. At the same time, his hands would work quickly, placing the paper bag between his teeth before forming a few hand seals while silently hoping he would be fast enough.[break][break]
Before the arrows could reach the target, the ground would suddenly rise by about a foot under the dog’s paws, the sudden shift possibly lifting it off its feet for a brief moment. But so long as the path continued forward, it would find itself moving on a descending slope. Assuming the arrows were what they seemed and not some manner of trick, they should’ve collided into the sides of the stone formation, allowing the hound to keep travelling without interruption.[break][break]
Eyes would remain trained on the dog, the sole objective of his task continually ringing in the back of his head. At least he had the presence of mind to remove the bag from his mouth before speaking again. ”Do we have a source on these arrows, Sensei? Should we grab the target and investigate?” Daichi knew what he wanted to do, but right now the coolest thing he could do was follow procedure. At least until he could find a slam dunk opportunity to really wow the guy.
”...The bear is a ninja?” Yeah, ok. Sure, the bear was a ninja. He wasn’t gonna think about that one too hard. Domesticated dogs, cats and birds? Totally feasible to be trained and used in combat and stuff. But a ninja bear? Daichi was skeptical, making a mental note to keep a distance from the creature despite her reassurances. ”Right...Well.” He turned in a circle to survey the tunel, always moving just a bit quicker whenever the bear wasn’t within his peripheral view.[break][break]
”I could’ve told you that was the wrong way, y’know. That tunnel heads north, faaaar away from where we’re stationed near the border.” Was that true? He had absolutely no idea. But it sounded smart, so he was just gonna roll with it. ”We wanna head-” He was just about to point in a random direction, only for another figure to come into view along with a flickering blue light. A hand immediately reached for his tool bag, gripping a kunai just to be safe. He recognized the crackle of raiton, and wasn’t about to be caught off guard by an enemy threat.[break][break]
But in the end it seemed to be another lost soul startled by the presence of a bear. Daichi let out a sigh, hand sliding out of his bag unarmed. ”Don’t worry about it too much. It’s just a bear.” He said as if he too wasn’t made deeply uncomfortable by the hulking creature. While Korogaru dealt with the new face, Daichi would take a moment to survey the area, examining the floor in hopes of spotting the most well worn path. If they could find that, then surely the would be able to identify a main road that would lead them most quickly to an exit. ”If you’re lost too, don’t worry about it. I’ll get you out of here safe and sound.”Hopefully.
Somehow, the game of dodgeball had eluded the young genin up until this point. But it sounded simple enough from what they were saying. Just throw balls while trying not to get hit, right? It wasn’t too different from the training she interrupted for this. In fact it actually sounded like a good exercise in general. It would train awareness, reflexes, accuracy, throwing power... His mind was already buzzing with applications for this as well as the various ways he could apply his skills to try and squeeze out a victory. Even if it was just a game, getting a win over a jonin would definitely make for a fine notch in his belt.[break][break]
And then she made a little extra clarification, one that made this both more exciting and more intimidating. This wasn’t just going to be throwing balls around, this was quickly turning into a full on drill. It seemed like nothing was off the table, which definitely gave their senior a bit of an edge. ”Ok...Yeah. This sounds simple enough. I think we’ve got a pretty good shot here, ey Aiko?” His smile grew a bit to hide his anxieties, giving her a bit of a nudge with his elbow. Thank goodness he had a chunin of Aiko’s caliber on his side definitely made things a bit less intimidating. Though the fact that Mai was just casually carrying the ball around with her made him wonder if this whole thing was a bit more than a spontaneous idea.[break][break]
At least they did right up until Mai summoned her ally, a swarm of insects that he hadn’t noticed gathering on his body until now. Right, she was an Aburame. That clan with the bugs and stuff. He heard plenty about them when Mai was first promoted to jonin, his father spending a whole week ranting in private about how those bugs were a ‘disgusting and unfair advantage’. Personally he thought they were kind of cool. Even if they did kinda...live in her bones or something? It wasn’t nearly as nasty in person as his father made it sound. ”Ok...Uh….” A hand slipped into the bag of tools hanging by his side, taking a quick tally of everything he had on him. Plenty of kunai and shuriken that...Well, she did say that tools were allowed, right? It wasn’t like she would let her get seriously hurt in all this...right? Right. Yeah, it’d be fine. Just no explosive tags, probably.[break][break]
”Alright. Ready? Ready.” He shot a glanced toward Aiko, giving her a nod of confirmation to make sure she was all set. And no sooner did they receive their confirmation did he spot the jonin winding up for a throw. The ball was quick, but not too quick for him to react. He widened his stance, holding his hands out to catch it before the sphere could connect with his body. A bit of a chuckle slipped out as he spun the ball in his hands, smile growing in confidence. ”I’d comment on the lack of warning, but that’d probably just get a ‘shinboi should be ready for anything’ lecture, right?”[break][break]
This quickly became an advantageous situation for Team Daiko. Now that the ball was in their hands, they could dictate the pace of the engagement. His gaze flicked to his partner as the various possibilities raced through his mind. At the end of the day, he knew she should be taking the lead on this. As cool as it would be for him to be the mastermind behind the win, he couldn’t disrespect Aiko like that. So he held the ball out to her, eyes focusing on the opposition. ”Long as we got the ball, we’ve got the advantage. Let’s make our shots count.”
The sudden presence that had previously gone unnoticed beside him may have startled the genin if not for the familiar soft tone. It wasn’t a voice he heard often, but it was still one he knew well. Daichi simply turned to look toward Koma, giving him a quick nod. ”Hey Koma. You know you can just call me ‘Daichi’, right?” As nice as it was to imagine Koma looked up to him, he knew the genin well enough to realize that it was less that and more just...general weirdness.[break][break]
He assumed that would be the end of it, focusing on his work and pouring through his book. Koma wasn’t one for chatting, so it was safe to assume he was just coming here to work on his seals or warm up by the fire or something. But when he spoke up Daichi would pause, pinching his brows together before looking up to the younger genin in mild confusion. ”...What? You…” Lips pressed together in thought as he looked down at his notes. Maybe...talking about it would help? He’d kept so much of it to himself for so long, and Koma was quiet enough that he must’ve been a pretty good listener, right? Not to mention the odds of him blabbing about any insecurities that revealed themselves here were pretty slim.[break][break]
”...Yeah. Yeah, why not? Take a seat, Koko.” Daichi pat the ground beside him, giving the other a friendly smile. ”Not that I’m troubled or anything. I just uh…” His smile faded a bit as he looked back to the book and notebook resting in his lap, a subtle sigh escaping his nostrils. ”Just trying to make sense of this book the Kazekage gave me before we left. I thought it’d have some practical stuff in it but… I gotta be honest, man. I’m not sure what I was supposed to get from this one.”
Shoulders visibly relaxed as the bandages were loosened, a hint of relief on his face as he watched her work. He would’ve never confessed that he was uncomfortable with them before, but goodness was he glad she decided to adjust. It already hurt enough without having bandages constantly squeezing the life out of him. He’d have to be careful with talk like that going forward, as he was sure someone like Koma would’ve taken his word and tightened them even further. Or maybe he just needed to make sure that if he got hurt that it was Aiko he turned to for help. She definitely had the healer’s touch, after all.[break][break]
With his newfound comfort, Daichi was free to fully enjoy the treat provided for him. He happily munched on the rice ball as he watched her, giving a quick nod of appreciation. His eyes lingered on his ankle, wiggling his leg a bit as if to test her work. ”Thanks a lot. Now that I think about it, even someone as tough as me shouldn’t leave an injury untreated. Might as well since we’re not in the heat of battle, right?” He turned toward the purple haired chunin with a pleased smile, only to find himself thrown off balance by what he saw.[break][break]
Was she taking her jacket off? Why was she doing that? No, no it was fine. She was just getting comfortable. He just had to pretend he didn’t notice. Keep his eyes on her face, plain and simple. Or better yet, look at her crossbow! Yeah, focus on her gear to acknowledge that she too is a super cool shinobi. His eyes busied themselves with examining her weapon, head tilting slightly as he actually found himself growing more curious in the weapon. So much power packed into a tiny package. Suddenly he found himself wishing he could take it apart and see how it worked…[break][break]
But the distraction was short lived, his gaze flicking back up to Aiko as she sat beside him. ”O-oh. You want me to...Uh… Yeah. That makes sense. Lemme just uh...” ...This wasn’t weird, right? It wasn’t like he was sitting in her lap. Yeah this was totally medical. Don’t think about it too hard. Daichi let out an amused chuckle to mask how flustered he was as he turned in his seat. The rest of his snack was crammed into his mouth, freeing his hands to help lift his leg and carefully lower it to rest on top of her jacket. ”Oh yeah. I can already feel the difference.”[break][break]
He reached for another treat without hesitation, only to be further knocked off balance by her choice of words. There was a moment of quiet as he looked at the treat for a moment as he contemplated how to reply. It didn’t take long at all to reach his conclusion. ”I mean...Yeah. Yeah I’d like to hang out with you. I’ll never say no to training snacks. Or just...you know. Grabbing a bite to eat together? Just to hang out? Sounds uh...Sounds fun.” He did his best to project his usual confidence as he spoke, but he could feel it wavering a bit, his eyes shifting away from her part way through as he felt the anxiety building. But surely she wouldn’t notice, right?
Night had fallen on the road to Otogakure, and thus the group of shinobi would be forced to camp out for the night. Even out in the wilderness, Daichi felt perfectly safe and secure being surrounded by so many experienced shinobi. Of course he knew better than to let his guard down entirely, it was nice to know that there were always people on the watch and ready to strike at the first sign of danger. And since it wasn't his turn to take watch just yet, he had enough time to carve through this strange book of his. Again.[break][break]
Not too long before his departure, the Kazekage gave him this book. A strange story that definitely wasn't what he expected to receive during that meeting. He hoped that maybe she would give him some kind of hint, a little clue as to how she became so powerful. Or maybe a story of how she started as nothing and became something great. Or if he was lucky, something that would help him to optimize his training or set him on the path to discover a new technique. But no, instead he got this storybook. And it was...difficult to parse what she was trying to tell him.[break][break]
Daichi sat by the light of the fire, legs crossed with the book in his lap. He didn't dare make any notes in the book itself, as it was without a doubt a treasure to be cherished regardless of whether or not it was what he was expecting. This was a symbol of the kage's hope in him, proof that she was willing to part with something to help him grow. Or...maybe not? The genin had read through the story multiple times, and the notepad in his hand made that quite obvious. He flipped through page after page of detailed notes, occasionally jotting something new down or editing something previously written. He was determined to figure out what exactly she was trying to teach him with this. Because so far the message wasn't sounding nearly as positive as he initially expected. If one looked closely, they may even not the hints of fear and anxiety in his eyes as he frantically scoured the book in search of the true meaning it was meant to carry.
Daichi always loved this place. No one back home ever seemed to have time or willingness to cook, which mean the closest thing to a 'homecooked meal' he ever got was in a warm cozy family diner like this one. He had been coming here with his family for as long as he could remember, and had become more familiar with the staff since he was old enough to be sent to pick up orders to bring home to the family. But today he was on his own. He needed someplace to study this weird book the kazekage had gifted him the other day, and this seemed like the perfect place to do so while enjoying a good meal. Carefully. Very very carefully. The last thing he needed was to get anything on this priceless gift of his. It was just a shame he couldn't study at home without worrying about his father finding out about his little chat with the kage...[break][break]
So that was the plan. Get a nice bowl of spicy beef and rice, cozy up in the corner and see what kind of notes he could get from the book. He was all set up, pages open before him with his trusty notepad at the ready to document any and all important details he could glean from the story. But things quickly became derailed, as he found himself distracted before he could even start on the first page. He watched from a safe distance as a vaguely familiar green haired girl inhaled plate after plate, bowl after bowl, destroying any and all food that dared cross her path. It was fascinating to watch, and definitely an impressive sight to see! The book was set aside for a moment as he instead took in this once in a lifetime show, slowly picking at his own meal as he silently rooted for her to keep defying the laws of time and space with that infinite belly of hers.[break][break]
But then it seemed that the hero had reached an opponent she couldn't conquer with sheer determination or hunger alone. He could see the tensions rising as she frantically searched her pockets, the threatening aura of impending doom reaching all the way across the diner. If he knew anything about the people who ran this place, she would be stuck washing dishes, scrubbing floors and cleaning tables until her hands were raw after trying to skip out on a meal like that. A tinge of pity tugged at his heart as he watched her genuine panic starting to grow, his investment in this story refusing to let him leave this story with such an unhappy ending.[break][break]
His things were quickly gathered into his bag as he abandoned his seat and half eaten meal to intervene. His chest was puffed out with confidence, stride even and self assured as he approached the situation. A comforting hand would quickly find itself on Ichigo's back, lips curling into a familiar smile as he turned to the owner. "Heeeey Mrs. Kanda. Food's been great today. But I guess that goes without saying, huh?" He let out a soft laugh, effortlessly inserting himself into the situation without hesitation. All he had to do was do and say what a cool guy would in this situation and everything would be just fine. "Look, I think we both know she's not trying to cheat ya. How about you just put it on my family's tab and we'll get it sorted out. Come on, you know we're good for it. Never let you down before, right?" There was a very good chance his dad was gonna kill him for pulling a stunt like this. But surely he'd understand if it was to help out a cute kunoichi...Right?
Oh no not the a true shinobi stuff already. Who would expect a meet and greet to turn into a mission!? Usually if he was going on a mission he would be given a briefing or something, right? Or if there was a random attack on the village there would be something that made it obvious it was time to spring to action. But a random dog running around? How was he supposed to know? He had to keep himself from letting out a groan of frustration as he lamented his situation and forming more excuses for his lack of an immediate reaction to his sensei telling him to jump. He had a task to focus on, so it was vital that he shift his mindset into shinobi mode. This guy wanted to make this into a test? Fine. He was gonna show him just how much of a badass-[break][break]
"Woah! Where'd you come from?" Thoughts were cut off by the older shinobi suddenly appearing beside him, the burst of speed catching him by surprise. Fortunately his steps didn't falter, his eyes quickly turning back ahead to try and pick up the trail of the hound. But a moment later, the jonin was gone. Silver eyes flicked up to where he now stood, legs bending before he kicked off the ground to follow after the other. While his movements weren't quite as precise, this was something he was quite familiar with. he couldn't count how many hours he spent jumping and maneuvering his way through the trees that surrounded the wind country. And so he did just that, moving from branch to branch while keeping his eyes on the hound below and his ears turned toward his teacher.[break][break]
So that was why this little guy was so quick. At least he didn't have to feel too bad that the pup was so tough to keep up with. This would've been pretty humiliating if it was a normal dog. His head bobbed along with Anotsu's instruction, doing his best to be attentive to the information being given. "So it's a tracker? Do we have any idea what it's tracking right now?" If they knew where the little guy was going they may be able to to predict its path, cut it off at the pass or at the very least have an easier time following it. Considering how small the little guy was, he wasn't quite sure he was comfortable letting him out of his sight.[break][break]
Lips pressed together as Anotsu went on with his lesson, pushing out a soft sigh of frustration through his nostrils. He didn't quite understand this whole 'keep your guard up' mentality when in the comfort of his own home village. Did being a shinobi mean never being able to relax? Never being able to unwind and have fun because that would mean letting your guard down a little? Whatever the case, he didn't have much time to contemplate the words too deeply at the moment. He was too busy trying to focus on the job at hand, which meant those words would have to be stashed away for later consideration. Instead he would just reply with a quick "Yes sensei." and continue with his pursuit.
Man, she was so different from Anotsu sensei. His posture immediately relaxed as she insisted upon informality, smile easing up into his usual show of confidence. Yeah, there was nothing to be worried about! She literally told them to address her by her first name. Not to mention her body language was so relaxed and carefree. What did he have to worry about? Sure, she was a jonin and could easily wipe the floor with him as well as the authority to do so on a whim. But none of that mattered if she was gonna be so down to earth.[break][break]
”Ok…Mai.” Saying that made him feel a bit giddy, a soft chuckle slipping out as he spoke. It was kind of exciting to be on friendly terms with a jonin. Though it made sense, considering everyone around here was about the same age. As Aiko spoke Daichi would nod along, casually twirling a kunai on his finger. ”Yeah, I’d say I just about mastered my quickdraw technique, so I think we’re good to move on to something else.” His smile grew into an amused smirk as he gave her a casual shrug. Just gonna pretend she didn’t see him mess up that throw when she came up and startled him.[break][break]
But there was an obvious bit of excitement to his voice at the prospect of training with Mai. It was good to see Aiko was ok with breaking off from their plans. He knew she could be a bit stiff sometimes, but it would’ve been a shame to pass up an opportunity like this! As much as he pretended he didn’t need the help, Daichi was always eager to learn whatever he could from the more experienced shinobi. And a teamwork exercise sounded perfect. After all, teamwork was something that you could only get better at with an actual team. No amount of solo training in the wilderness would give him that. So he nodded eagerly, leaning over to give Aiko a gentle nudge. ”Sounds great, Mai! Don’t you think, Aiko?” It was hard to hide his excitement, nor the hint of sheepishness to his usually so confident smile. ”So...What’s dodgeball, exactly?
...Uh oh. He could already tell the jonin wasn’t too fond of the approach he chose. The smile quickly vanished from his face, eyes widening slightly as his lips pressed together. Maaaaaybe the ‘too cool for school’ act wasn’t the best play when dealing with a teacher. And maybe his dad was right and Uchiha were born with a stick up their asses. Whatever the case, he couldn’t go trying to play it casual if this guy was gonna be a professional. Being cool was important and all, but it was even more important that the head of his platoon thinks he’s capable. But if everything went to plan, he’d manage both.[break][break]
Daichi took a moment to straighten himself out a bit, clutching the paper bag in his hand a bit more tightly. A quick glance was shot toward the civilian Anotsu was speaking with, only to double take when the manw as referred to as his first assignment. Wait, was he gonna beat up this old man!? In his moment of shock and confusion the hound would buzz past them, catching him completely off guard. Eyes widen as he’s nearly knocked off his feet, forcing him to take a step back to stablize himself. ”What the hell was that?” His eyes focused on the speedy pup as it ran off, brows furrowing a bit as it went off into the wilderness. If he wasn’t trying to establish a good first impression at the moment he would’vebolted off on instinct to try and keep the dog from getting lost in the woods. But unfortunately he couldn’t do much about it right now.[break][break]
Wait…Was? Attention turned back to the two men, brows pinching together as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on. Things quickly started making a lot more sense as the instructions came out. ”A-assignment? I thought we were just gonna...Talk or something?” The boy was clearly caught off guard by this whole thing, attention rapidly flicking between the two adults. This was it? Straight to business? He was about to question it, but it seemed like there wasn’t much time to talk. The moment he opened his mouth, his superior made it very clear what he was supposed to do next.[break][break]
There was a moment of hesitation as Daichi watched the Uchiha with wide eyes, the gears still turning in his head for a beat before he started after the dog as fast as he could. Daichi may not have been the strongest genin in the village, but he was at least above average in terms of speed. Though he wasn’t sure how he would compare against that bullet of a dog. But maybe speed wasn’t the only solution. He brought his fingers to his lips, blowing out a sharp whistle to try and capture the pup’s attention. ”Hey buddy! Wanna treat? I got a treat for ya! C’mere!” He kept his voice light and friendly as he ran, doing his best to sound welcoming to the pup. He may have been a bit frustrated at the unexpected situation, but that wasn’t the poor dog’s fault. Little guy was just having fun.
She really couldn’t help but fuss over him, could she? It was weird to watch a girl who was usually so cold and stoic be so obviously concerned about his injuries. Most people would’ve probably expected her to have a much colder response to this, telling him to shape up or scolding him for getting himself hurt when he knew he had training coming. But Daichi was coming to realize that this girl had a softer heart than she let on. It was actually really sweet. Definitely not something that he was used to.[break][break]
A soft snort slipped out as she gently scolded him, simply taking her suggestion for now. He knew it was probably better not to push it too much. The last thing he needed is for this to turn into a more serious injury down the line. He already had enough things holding him back, he didn’t need a bad ankle on top of it all. Fortunately he didn’t have much time ot think about that, as his eyes were focused on the rice balls that were so graciously provided by his partner.[break][break]
”Better be quick. I might just eat these all up before you’re finished.” His lips curled into a teasing smile as he set the box aside for the moment, happily biting in to the rice ball. A soft hum of satisfaction slipped out as he nodded in approval, taking a moment to chew and swallow it down before speaking. ”These are perfect. Rice balls really are the perfect training food, if you think about it. We should do this more often.” Yup. Definitely not just because he wanted more free food. Strictly for training purposes.[break][break]
His face would contort just a bit as he felt the pressure on his ankle, lips pursing tightly to keep a soft hiss of pain from slipping out. He had to keep the tough front up. Daichi Konishi had an incredible pain tolerance! A simply injury like this wasn’t enough to slow him down. ”This? Naaaah. That’s as tight as you’re going? I could handle way more than that. Yup. Don’t worry about me.” He nodded slowly to himself before taking another bite from the rice ball, hoping to distract himself from the discomfort he was feeling in the moment. Even with all the numbing and whatnot it was becoming obvious to him that he pushed this thing too far. Hopefully it would still recover quickly with Aiko’s assistance.
Her initial interpretation of his words was met with a fresh wave of panic, his hands rising up in front of him as he quickly shook his head. He wanted to speak, to defend himself and try to clarify further. To reassure her that he was just looking for some direction or some fo the study material that helped her get where she was today. But it was too late. The words were caught in his throat as she moved past him, eyes following after her as he waited for her to pass judgement on him. It seemed like she was getting a book, which was strange since it sounded like she didn’t want to help him. So…[break][break]
His eyes widened a bit as a book was selected and handed to him, a sparkle of hope flashing in his features. Lips peeled back into a smile of excitement and relief, tears starting to bud in his eyes as for a brief moment his fears were put aside. Maybe she did understand after all. Maybe she was just trying to test his mettle and see if he was worthy of her aid! But all of that was washed away when he looked down at what had been offered to him. ”Is this...A novel?”[break][break]
He was expecting some study material. Something he could read to learn how to more efficiently train himself into something like her. But instead it was a...Story. And an unfamiliar one at that. The joy washed from his features, instead being replaced with a complex expression of confusion with a tiny little glimpse of pain. Though the rollercoaster of emotion was not over, as the Kage had yet more to day.[break][break]
”Don’t come back until you are ready. Become useful to me and you’ll be here more often.”[break][break]
Daichi sucked in a sharp breath at that, quickly holding the book tightly to his chest as he stared at her for a moment. Those words...There were so many layers to them. They served as a warning not to bother her so freely in the future. And yet at the same time served as an invitation to return one day when he was ready to face her. Not as a cowering boy hoping to squeeze out a drop of wisdom, but as a man ready to serve his Kage. He wasn’t born useful, with any sort of privilege or potential that made him worthy of her attention, but had to become useful.[break][break]
Or perhaps that was simply his attempts at receiving some sort of positive message from a woman who wanted to be rid of a pestering child. Whatever the case, the genin would stand straight once more. Shoulders squared, lips pressed into a taught line and eyes doing their best to reflect seriousness despite the buzzing energy and emotions running through in in the moment. ”Y-yes ma’am! I promise I won’t let you down! I’ll-” Oh. Oh she was ringing a buzzer and...Oh there’s another person here now.[break][break]
...Was that it? Were they done here? The boy stood awkwardly for a few moments, glancing around as he stood unsure of what he was supposed to do next. Would it be rude for him to leave without being dismissed? Wait, travel files on the Hidden Sound? Maybe she was trying to give him a hint. Yes! The Hidden Sound! He was to be dispatched there with his platoon soon. This must have been her way of telling him that this trip would be his chance to prove himself. That she would be watching those who were participating in the mission![break][break]
”T-thank you for your time, ma’am! I won’t let you down!” Daichi bowed deeply to his Kage, holding it for a few moments before spinning on his heels and power walking out of the building. The moment he was out the door he would stare down at the book in his hands, the anticipation building with each step. He knew what he would be reading during this trip, that was for sure.[break][break]
Alright. Today was the day he was meeting his new platoon leader. It was an intimidating thing, to be sure. This guy held his future in his hands more than almost anyone else in the village. He was gonna lead, teach and be the one who might bring him to the Kazekage's attention for better or worse. If this guy didn't like him, it was all over as far as his Konishi Senior was concerned. Which was why they spent all night figuring out how to make the best first impression. After his dad finished ranting about how it just had to be an Uchiha. Daichi understood why his father was always so prejudiced, but so long as this guy would be a good teacher Daichi didn't care too much where he was from. But those words still lingered in his heart...[break][break]
The shinobi clenched the bag in his hand tightly as he approached his destination where they had arranged to meet for their one on one. It was a at the entrance to the city, but he wasn't quite sure where they would end up after the initial meeting. Even if it was just a quick 'how do you do' handshake sort of affair, he came equipped to make it something more than that. Something that would hopefully endear him to his instructor and put him in the man's good graces.[break][break]
It couldn't be too hard, right? After all, the guy was lucky to have him as a student! Yeah, he just had to keep telling himself that. So long as he was confident in himself and his abilities there was nothing to worry about. Hell, he might even be so impressed that he offers a couple of private lessons to help explore his true potential! Not even a prodigy such as himself could turn down such an offer from his senior! By the time he reached the meeting point the boy was walking with confidence in his stride, looking rather self assured of himself and the paper bag he held in his hand.[break][break]
This was no time for nerves, Daichi! It was time to show this guy that he was working with a proper professional. Wait, no! He should be cool and casual, keep it real aloof. Yeah, that'd be more impressive. Show that he wasn't scared just because of the gap in their position. And so with a hint of swagger in his step he approached the man he assumed to be Anotsu Uchiha. The guy fit the description and was in the right place so hopefully he wasn't about to make a fool of himself. "Hey there, Chief. You're Anotsu, right? Name's Daichi." He nodded his head in acknowledgement to the older man, head tilting a bit to comfortably meet the gaze of the taller shinobi. "Guess we'll be workin' together, huh?"
