The Epic Begins 2.0 (Team Hinode)

[Mitsuko Subeki]

"Try to make a good impression, boy. You'll be with your teammates for quite a while." Ogichi's voice rung in Mitsuko's head as he sat in his bed, staring at his bandaged left hand. It was about time to remove it, he figured. The boy gingerly peeled back the bandaging, peeking meekly at the tattoo and surrounding area. Finding that everything looked okay, he unwrapped the stained bandages and placed them on a counter beside his bed. The ominous black ink on his wrist then became apparent, and reminded the boy of his duty. I guess I do actually have to make a good impression. And to be honest, that was not his forté. It simply wasn't natural for the boy to be comfortable around new people. Then again, most everything Mitsuko had been doing for most of his life was unnatural. So being unnatural was almost...natural to him.

Mitsuko briskly walked out of his house and towards the hill that Yuuyake-sensei had dedicated for the meeting. Halfway there, the genin remembered that he left the paper with his new teammates' names on it. While he could double back and go get it, that would likely make him run late. So he would just wing it. Not a good start to the day...the Subeki himself was pretty apprehensive about meeting Yuuyake-sensei. This time though, he wasn't so nervous. In fact, he probably knew his new teammates from before.

The boy also thought back to what his father had said when asked about the new sensei's background. "I don't know too much about him..." This meant that Hinode was probably successful as a ninja. "...but I know he's well respected and very driven. Kind of like myself." At this the Subeki elder laughed heartily, doing what he liked to do most-deny the fact that they are, in fact, a clan of failures. Still, Mitsuko respected and loved his father, whether it was deserved or not. Hinode Yuuyake...what do you have in store for me? His mind couldn't help but wonder just how much stronger this Jounin could, and hopefully would make him. Inferiority complex aside, he had to make sure to be as open to criticism and assistance as possible.

While the man would remain a mystery a little while longer, an image of the ideal sensei came to Mitsuko's mind. As his mind began to race, his feet also began to pick up pace. Well he's a man so that's good.. This sentiment was due to the fact that Mitsuko's household was a showcase for male dominance, of course. I just hope he's more even-keel and forgiving than my father. Even if I don't plan to fail, it'd be nice to know that I'm allowed to once in a while. And then, the boy stopped in his tracks as he hit the inevitable realization that he always does when meeting new people. Fuck, what if he realizes who I am...or rather, what clan I'm from. Even his teammates could hit that realization and then all his cool points and respect would be lost. Hell, he might even just lie about his last name. It was too painful, and he remembered very clearly the jeering he received in the academy to that extent...even the surprise that teachers expressed when he did anything well.

"NO. No matter how they treat you, you must be prideful of your family, Mitsuko. You MUST show them that the Subeki are not failures. You were chosen, given your talents for a reason. 'Hero, Harbinger, Guardian...you are all those things and more. You should not...CANNOT fail me. You're our last chance boy." Ogichi had said things like that to him time and time again, and was right. He was supposed to be all those things, and he did feel guilty that he was ashamed of his own family. And in a way, it was all his fault. Had he not shown the promise he did, then his father would not expect so much. But the past is the past, and it was time to move forward and prove himself, for his family.

And move forward he did...literally, after standing there for a full five minutes, he began to walk. The specified plain near the training grounds was close by, and hopefully he'd be able to put all this behind him once the action started. Mitsuko also hoped, strangely enough, that his teammates were terrible ninja. As terrifying as it would be to charge into battle without dependable allies, he had to hope that he was the headlining talent on the team, and that he wouldn't even have to say it. They would just know. He'd also have to set the tone and become team leader early on; couldn't have his teammates thinking they were better than him on any level.

Finally, the boy reached the plain, and looking around, was the first one there. He found a tree on the outskirts of the grassy area and leaned up against it, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. You can do it...you have to. One thing was for sure: Mitsuko would make sure that this was the beginning of a tale that no one would forget.

[Akemi Izayoi]

In a land...of rainbos and fluffy marshmallow clouds Akemi stood upon the the peak of ice cream mountain looking upon this magnificent land and all its splendor. Hot fudge chocolate rivers cascaded down the slopes beneath her, filled with sprinkles of every color and pieces of graham cracker. Nuts of various varieties as bit as boulders dotted the lands. Reaching out, the girl grabbed one of the nearby marshmallow clouds in thought. There was something off about this...strange even. Akemi just couldn't put her finger on it though. Some thing out of place. As if she was forgetting that one little detail right in front of her. She chewed thoughtfully on her fluffy morsel, but still the answer eluded her. Her gaze wandered to the vast land that stretched out before her as her thoughts continued to dig for that small elusive thought. It wouldn't be until her fluffy marshmallow spoke up that she realized what was going on. "Akemi, wake up!"[/i] The sound of her brother's voice coming from the marshmallow she was eating caused her to jump in surprise. Jump straight off the mountain, in fact. Worst, the lands turned dark and menacing, threatening to harm her. And instead of the cool ice cream breaking her fall with soft cushioning she was met with a hard surface of unyielding wood flooring.

Evil laughter rang out from seemingly every direction and Akemi did her best to counterattack the unseen foe. Unfortunately, her sheets betrayed her and tied to a leg, which dragged a toe into the path of her wooden bed post. In the contest of wood versus her sensitive fleshy pinky toe, the wood reigned supreme. Also, since she was very much blinded by the sudden light that hit her eyes and burned into her retinas, causing starts to dot a screen of white in her vision. With a yelp, she picked up her foot trying to nurse away the pain as she hopped on the other. With a true testament to her skills as a ninja, her balance suddenly shifted after landing and the back of her head slammed into what must have been a bookshelf. With a whimper she crumpled onto her butt as tears of pain leaking from her eyes. Finally, to add insult to the injury a book fell on top of her head. A thick book. At that point, she just gave up and stopped moving while her bleary eyes struggled to focus.

Her mind focused as well as her eyes and she shot a glare at her brother, who only laughed harder. As much as she tried to be intimidating, she just could pull it off. Akemi would make him suffer when she had recovered. Only the words of reminder that made it passed his gawps of laughter and his stumbling off to try and regain his posture derailed thoughts of revenge. That's what she was forgetting. Today was the day she would to meet her team. A fresh start in the ninja world. A chance to make a name for herself. So what if she was placed with the two most talented prodigies of her class? So what if she had some jounin-sensei that barely had any information to his name. She loved challenges and stabbing them repeatedly with a rusty kunai, especially paper tests. The sudden beeping to her side caught her attention. "I'm going to be late!"

The small girl tore though her house like a hurricane; rushing though her morning ritual, grabbing her gear, and quickly scarfing down her food. Then with a slice of toast hanging out of her mouth (the only morsel she couldn't scarf down in five seconds flat), she rushed out bidding her family a hasty goodbye. Akemi bursted onto the misty streets and nearly crashed into a few people bustling about. The misty paths were already becoming slightly crowded as people were readying themselves and their stores for the day. She stalled for a moment before taking to the roof of a nearby shop. The girl grabbed hold of her sword to keep it from falling from its place as she broke out into a full sprint. She lunged from roof to roof, driving her body as fast as it would go to the meeting spot.

The sheer excitement was beginning to kick in. The first meeting with their sensei and teammates. How should she awe them? Which of her many throwing techniques should she keep up her sleeve? Maybe they'd even have a mission today. Kicking bandit butt or defeating a monster plaguing a lesser village nearby. The possibilities were endless! She hoped that she'd get along with the other two as well. "Hopefully, they aren't jerks or anything," Akemi thought to herself. She'd hate to be on bad terms with them since basically, well they were stuck together. Stuck together for hours on end considering training and how long missions might be able to take.

Akemi could make out the meeting area now, but nothing resembling a person was seen. She couldn't be that late. They hadn't left her had they? "Oh no, no, no..." It had to be the fog. they were just shaped like trees and the fog helped them blend in. Ah, who was she kidding that sounded dumb even to her. The houses were coming to an end now, short from the destination. Still, Akemi was much too spurred to track them down to loose time. So without thinking twice or even at all for that matter, she pushed her legs faster and pushed off from the end of the last roof like an arrow fired from a bow. The kunoichi soared through the air heading toward the middle of the plain. The girl even shifted her center of gravity to get the most hang time which made it seem as if she was doing a showy flip. She landed heavily on all fours in a crouch and looked around frantically only to find no one.

"ARG, WHERE IS EVERYONE?!" She shouted to the high heavens, letting her voice echo into the distance.

[Kyomu Kagami]

The courtyard resounded with the distinct crack of wood on wood inter spaced with huffing breath and grunts of exertion while Kazuki Kagami quite casually made a complete fool of his son. As he skilfully disarmed Kyomu again, catching the bokutou as it flew through the air before laying both on his son's shoulders as though he were about to sweep both aside and decapitate him, Kazuki looked to the rising sun. 'That's about enough for today, Mu. You should go get ready to meet your team.' Kyomu slumped down to his backside, clutching his shin where the wooden sword had previously found its mark.

'One more round...' he panted, pleaded really. Off the back of his fight with the renegade and on the cusp of meeting his new team he wanted to train longer, harder. He wanted to push further, until finally he could begin to really press his old man.

'Nope, we're done. Come sit on the porch with me.' Kyomu hung his head in disappointment but shuffled over to perch on the raised deck by his father as the sun continued its rise. 'You did well, you'll do well today too.' Kyomu shifted awkwardly, continuing to stare down between his feet. In response Kazuki tussled his hair and continued. 'Ah, c'mon, you're gonna do great.'

'But what if I don't? What if my sensei says I'm no good? What if I embarrass you.' He waas interrupted as his father clunked him less gently than he could have with one of the bokkenin his possession.

'Don't be stupid, you've already proved you're plenty brave. The rest will come.' Kazuki was not at all patronising or condescending in this suggestion, he sounded as though he genuinely believed that given a little time things would just fall into place as regards his sons trainings. He probably did believe so and he was probably right, after all he'd trained him personally since being a little boy. Whatever the case, his determination and confidence seemed to set an iron rod in place of his son's wavering backbone.

So it was that after a speedy change into his working clothes Kyomu exited the Kagami compound and began making his way to the field where he was to meet his team. He glanced again at the paper in his hand as he walked. Mitsuko Subeki, supposed to be some kind of proto-genius from a Clan of... well a Clan not like us. Akemi Izayoi, well, I'm familiar with her already so that should ease things by some small margin. That just leaves Hinode-sensei... It seemed whoever he asked they seemed to know hardly anything about that particular individual, even his father extensive as his knowledge of Kirigakure's happenings was had only heard of him a few times and could tell him little.

Glancing up he found himself now standing beneath a tree out in the swirling mist as he had been so lost in thought, there seemed to be no other sign of life around... save for a frustrated yell in the distance. In response he paced a little way out from the tree, cupped his off hand to his mouth and shouted back. 'Hey! Over this way!'

[Hinode Yuuyake]

Hinode continued his leisurely pace along the winding road leading away from the Mizukage's building, heading toward a clearing, upon the edge of a small forest on the outskirts of the village. He clutched in his hands the dossier that contained the detailed analysis of the Genin team he'd been assigned. Two male, one female. One skilled in genjutsu, Kyomu Kagami, another a weapon technician, Akemi Izayoi, the third a well-rounded prodigy, Mitsuko Subeki. The file contained headshots and rough physical descriptions, but he'd be able to figure it out well enough by that little information. Akemi would be the girl, and anyone from Kirigakure would recognize that vivid blue hair of the Kagami clan a mile away.

As he continued to near his destination, his fingers flipped through the files, vaguely aware of the passing world around him. His gaze rested on a section marked Weaknesses. Akemi had listed "Short-tempered, overly aggressive," Kyomu's included "Difficulty with practical scenarios," and for Mitsuko there was, "Overconfident, arrogant." Nothing too troubling, at least, he didn't anticipate any problems.

He'd stayed up the last night going over his plan. How he would make an impression on the three to make them respect him, without making them hate him. Well, then again, the latter part wasn't imperitave. Afterall they say fear is stronger than loyalty, and strength equals life in the ninja world. Hinode had learned that lesson all too well.

No, he would try his best to not control the Genin with intimidation tactics. Perhaps he could impress them into wanting to do what he said, as an effort to be more like him? An audible laugh escaped his lips at the thought of three fresh graduates hanging on his every word like a celebrity or something. Well, he'd read all he needed from the dossier, and proceeded to press his fingers to a seal on the last page, igniting the document the same way an explosive tag would be ignited. Afterall, the Mist Village wouldn't be gaining anything by letting detailed information on its ninja get out to the wrong sort of people.

Once the document had been disposed of, the Jounin found himself nearing the spot that they were designated to meet. He walked along the tree line until he found a the two young men near each other, and the third was the female, who appeared to be approaching from the middle of the mist covered plain. Once the four were together, Hinode cleared his throat before beginning his well-thought out and carefully planned speech.

"Good morning newly graduated Genin. I'm Hinode Yuuyake, a Jounin of the Village Hidden in the Mist, and I'll be your new Sensei. You can call me Yuuyake-sensei, and I'll be callling you by your first names, unless anyone objects." Hinode inserted a pause where none could have really objected before he continued, perhaps even cutting one of them off, "Now, many Jounin like to give some sort of test to their new teams, and I'm no exception. I'll be testing you both physically and mentally, so give yourselves a moment to prepare and introduce yourselves before we get on with it."

His tone was nothing but authoritative, all business. It may have come off as cold, but if there was one thing that these Genin would learn before he was through with them, it's that the world will be cold.

[Mitsuko Subeki]

As Mitsuko continued to prep himself to remain composed during what would likely be a roller coaster of emotions, he began to wonder where everyone was. Sure, he was early, but he also figured everyone else would be just as early. Soon enough, he heard a rapid tapping coming from the right, the inner village area. Well, here comes... And suddenly, he opened his eyes and saw what must have been a ten year-old soaring through the air like a flying squirrel, and then landing in the very middle of the plain, followed a similarly squirrel-like yell that he could't quite make out.

Maybe not. But then again, Mitsuko was fairly large for a boy his age, so maybe she was just normal and he was the freak. There also wasn't much reason for a girl-flying squirrel hybrid to jump into the middle of the field like that. Either way, he'd have to investigate. But as he prepared to, another appeared, this one a much more convincing ninja. Unfortunately, this wasn't the genin he wanted to see. Kyomu Kagami...looks like I've got some competition. Already, this was taking a turn for the worse. Trying to one-up two genin is tough enough, but dealing with a genius? Not fun.

Kyomu called out to the girl, but his yell was drowned out by Mitsuko's own thoughts. How was he to handle this? Someone being better than him was one thing, but to play second fiddle on his own team would be humiliating for his family. The Kagami prodigy wasn't just any product of a renowned clan, he had set the record for highest genjutsu score. "Remember, boy, set the tone. If anyone thinks you are better than them, crush them. No mercy. You're not here to make friends or play nice, you're here to make up for all of our previous failures." That's right, set the tone, as his father said. Whatever that means...

When it rained it poured, as Yuuyake-sensei entered the field. Mitsuko slowly made his way to his new sensei with a calm, confident strut as the genin converged. Even from a long ways away, the jounin seemed to have the sort of grizzled war hero look that sobered a person and demanded respect at the same time. The same couldn't be said for the other two, however. The girl was so small, and seeing as Mitsuko had spent all his academy time analyzing his threats, she was either too incompetent to matter or too small to see. Kyomu, despite his reputation, looked about as soft as they come. Maybe this won't be that bad.

Mitsuko stood there, hands in his pockets and trying to look as nonchalant as possible while avoiding eye contact with all three of his new team members. His eyes often betrayed him by revealing his real emotions, so it was always best to hide them. As Yuuyake-sensei told them they were about to be tested, Mitsuko lit up and became nervous all at once. It was a grand opportunity to make it known that he was the best around, but it was also a chance for the others to show him. No doubt, that was what was on their mind. For now, he'd settle for an introduction.

Looking up at Hinode-sensei, then at his new teammates. "I'm Mitsuko..." He stopped himself just before saying his last name, just for a second. It would be rude not to say it but...they would all know, they would all judge him and think he was weak. But he had to. "Subeki." He finished, and nodded his head at all three of them. Nervous as he was, it was all so exciting. This was where his story would begin, the story of a hopeful legend.

[Akemi Izayoi]

Standing shortly after her outburst, Akemi did her best to calm down. Honestly, she thought she was doing pretty well. Besides the cold sweat that had broken out on the back of her neck and the shaking in her hands. Then there was the thrumming in her chest as well as the hyperventilation the girl seemed to be going through. Totally fine, she was just early. This wasn't the wrong spot, she had double checked every bit of information that came with getting assigned to a team. Hell, she'd read it so many times she'd lost count because she had been that ecstatic to simply have passed and put on a team. This was the right place. She was going to find them or they were going to find her. She was going to...

Going to...

SHE WAS GONNA DIE! The girl had just become a kunoichi and she'd already failed her mission! Akemi could already feel their looks of disbelief (She's a ninja? She can't even find her team), of pity (Wow, she can't really be that dumb, right? She'll get her team killed), and worst of all disappointment (Maybe she wasn't ready...). Akemi almost fell back to her knees, but kept herself upright. That didn't spot the girl from ruffling her hair roughly. "Okay, think. They couldn't have gotten far if they did leave. Think, Akemi! Foc-"

'Hey! Over this way!'[/i]

"Huh," was the most intelligent response she could come up with. A voice! A possible teammate. Her head snapped to the side so fast it was a wonder how the girl didn't get whiplash. The mist had eased up a little and the sight nearly made her cry in relief. Shadows, the blurry images of people. Two she could make out clearly now. Then there was a third further off she would have missed if her eyes were any less trained. The world had meaning again! The girl let out an explosive sigh that helped her regain her composure quite quickly. With a smile, she began to walk over to the two.

"Just like practice," she murmured to herself still way off. A good portion of her time before bed had gone to prep talks in front of her mirror. What she'd say, how she'd carry herself, and even various victory poses had been critically inspected by her own eye. Akemi would play it cool, walk up calmly and in control. If anyone pointed out what just happened, they'd be pointedly ignored and think it a mistake. The girl knew she could still save face. All she had to do is stay cool. Icy cool. Smooth ninja icy cool~ Akemi found herself walking the walk for a moment. Then...

Well.

All of that was promptly thrown to the side when she realized that she may not reach her teammates before their jounin-sensei. So she lost all that well gathered awesome and hastily jogged to them. She must have sounded like a stampede with her sword knocking against her back and all the weapons within multiple pouches clattering loudly. It was worth it, the kunoichi made it a few moments before her new sensei and shook in her spot in excitement. This was it, this was her team. But why did it feel so uncomfortable?

Her excited jitters gradually died down during their sensei's words. What the fuck? Okay, honestly, Akemi had been a bit disappointed when she found out that she'd be the only girl on her team, specifically when she discovered that she wouldn't be trained by a super respected kunoichi, but it was a team nonetheless. However, this sensei didn't even look like he had a personality! Where was the life? The eccentric zeal of an experienced shinobi? All the ninja that went to her family's restaurant had it so what made him immune and why was she unluckly enough to get stuck with him?

Sneaking glances, her teammates were about as lackluster as their sensei. Where was the life? It only became more apparent with Mitsuko Subeki's introduction. It had been a surprise that she hadn't recognized him earlier, but she shrugged it off. So what if he was top of their class? He couldn't be that special and she'd prove it given the chance. But first this place need life! So after waiting the minimum to make sure Mitsuko had finished his introduction, which was like two seconds to her, she spoke up.

"My name is one that shall be written in books to come," she started off slowly to build tension. "My name is one that shall be told in stories to awe a crowd," she continued building. "My name is one that will be make a mark upon history along with yours as we strike terror into our enemies!" Then she struck her trusted "Dynamic Awesome Pose #18", legs set on the ground as she pointed toward the heavens. Fires of will erupted behind her eyes and her finger somehow caught enough stray sunlight to let off a resounding blinding 'ping' of light.

"My name is Akemi Izayoi of Kiri, future weapon mistress and swordmaster!" She proclaimed with the conviction of sharpened steel before lowering her hand. After that, she felt much better. It was enough to shake off all the funk these other three seemed to drown in.

[Kyomu Kagami]

Watching the figure approaching in the fog, Kyomu was pleased to see it resolve into the familiar form of Akemi Izayoi, the girl who had helped him to fight against the renegade ninja not long after their graduation. And to think they had never properly met before then despite being in the same class all those years, but then again the same could have been said of his other team mate Mitsuko Subeki. Speaking of which, where exactly was he? Glancing about, Kyomu's eyes found another figure in the mist, but this was not the figure of a boy, but of a man. This must be him then... Hinode Yuuyake... Swallowing hard Kyomu watched his approach, even his stride seemed to emanate an aura of the authoritarian. As they were joined by another Genin, whom Kyomu assumed to be Mitsuko Subeki their sensei introduced himself.

The manner in which he spoke was strictly matter of fact and even it was enough to cause Kyomu to unconsciously snap his stance to one of attention. Though not particularly intimidated by the man himself who at least didn't seem to be a raving blood and guts type if not particularly friendly right of the mark, the prospect of the trials to come filled him with deep dread. Not only was he to be tested by his sensei, a man he would likely be working with for some years to come, but he'd be undergoing this rigour in front of or even with his direct peers. His left hand tightened unconsciously about the sheath of his sword and all of a sudden he found himself avoiding the eyes of his new team. But no, he had to keep a level head, just get it over and done with and where possible perform at his best. Sounded simple enough at least. Straightening up he listened to his team mates introductions, giving each a respectful nod and cracking a small smile at Akmi's.

He offered his sensei a polite bow before his own introduction, brimming with faux confidence. 'Kyomu, of the Kagami Clan, it's an honour and a pleasure to finally meet you all.' His grip again tightening on his sword he gritted his teeth in preparation for hearing what this test would entail. Presumably it would take the form of a practice mission or something, but then again different teachers had different ways of doing things. Some might have starved their students half to death in order to test their resolve and trust in each other, others might have talen them out into the desert to die of dehydration, if they were lucky Hinode would just beat the hell out of them. Kyomu of course neither knew any of this, nor did he feel particularly lucky.

[Hinode Yuuyake]

Hinode surveyed the three. Mitsuko Subeki was short, sweet, and to the point. Whether it was nerves, or a certain desire for the simplistic, Hinode couldn't tell, but he could sense a hesitiation before the boy uttered his last name. Clearly he was shamed by his clan's... reputation, and if the Jounin had to figure why he joined, it was probably to "prove the honor of his clan," or something along those lines. Never been a fan of that kind of kid. Cares too much about things that hold no tangible value. A reputation wont stop an enemy's blades. Frankly, it attracts them.

Now while Mitsuko was simple and perhaps even humble, Akemi Izayoi was downright vocal about her confidence. For a moment she seemed to be putting on a show, her own introduction, as it were. Nothing wrong with a bit of confidence, but it would need to be maintained lest it become arrogance. There's a sure way to get killed, charge in headlong with not a thought in the head.

On to the third, Kyomu Kagami. He'd been quite silent and motionless, standing alertly, and once it was his turn to speak he recited the most polite and proper response he could surely think of. Hinode could sense the practiced nature of that kind of statement. Surely he'd learned to speak like that at all times in order not to shame his clan. I almost pity the boy, being forced into a life of proper behavior and the responbilities that come with a weighty clan name.

"Well! Now that we have that in order, I'll explain the details of the test I have planned for you. I am going to pursue you three in an attempt to capture you. I will not kill you, this I promise, but it's likely you will suffer bodily harm. Once two of you have been caught, whoever remains will pass. The fate of the other two will be decided then. If, somehow, you three manage to subdue me you all pass automatically."

Then, for just a moment, Hinode let out a grin, "May the odds be ever in your favor."

And he was gone. Flickered into nothingness, what the Genin didn't know was that he had actually retreated to the treetops on the edge of the forest. He knew that there would be at least a moment of hesitation before they would begin seeking him. Part of him wondered whether they would run and hide in an attempt to be the last person caught, or if they would stand and fight as a team, or perhaps even betray each other, but he didn't have too much time to ponder. He'd have to take this somewhat seriously, afterall it IS three versus one, and he had to admit there was a good amount of potential in this group.

His hands formed the seal single seal, and he focused his breath, taking a large inhale and then silently proclaiming to himself Kirigakure no Jutsu! Then out from his mouth spewed a stream of mist which quickly rolled over the whole plain, the thick kind of mist that prevents you from seeing your fingers in front of your own face. Let's just see what they do first...

[Mitsuko Subeki]

....Huh? That was all Mitsuko could think of as Akemi exploded with a level of confidence and obnoxiousness that even he had never seen before, forcing Mitsuko to raise an eyebrow. What made this girl, who wasn't the height of an academy student much less had the scores of one, think that she of all people would be a legend, a historically great ninja? In fact, she was probably the least talented even just among the three of them. Kyomu was an elite genjutsu talent and Mitsuko was one of the most highly touted ninja coming out of the academy. What did she have going for her?

Still...becoming legends together, that'd be nice. But there's no room for that. These two aren't my friends, even if they aren't my enemies. They're rivals who are competed for glory like I am. And there isn't enough room for the three of us. The path of the hero, the legend...is walked alone. And even if that wasn't the easiest way to do it, that's how it had to be done. His key rival, Kyomu, announced himself much as anyone would have expected the seed of the Kagami clan to, softly and formally. Like a predator does, Mitsuko noticed that Kyomu was much more nervous than he let on. The Subeki couldn't help but think just how powerful the combination of Akemi's confidence and Kyomu's talent would really be. Fortunately, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

As Yuuyake-sensei proceeded to explain the test, Mitsuko's brow fell. He can't be serious. Even Mitsuko knew this was a bit ridiculous. There's no way even 10 genin could handle this guy, never mind the three of them. What would this even prove? There wouldn't be a chance of any of them to make an impression on their new sensei. How are we supposed to handle this? There's way too many options. Plus, this guy's a jounin and is so much stronger and faster than all of us combined. There's just no way for us to run away or to beat him... There was something so mind-numbingly terrifying about a Jounin being invisible, with the intent to attack. A high-pressure situation like this would have to become a norm for Mitsuko, however, and he knew it was best not to think too much about these things. But he couldn't help it.

And then it dawned on him. But before Mitsuko could prepare his course of action, Hinode disappeared and the battlefield was covered with a dense mist. Shit, of course this is the go to move. Quickly scanning his surroundings before the mist rendered them blind, he located both his teammates and made sure not to give away his plan. Yeah...if we can't beat him, and we can't run away...only one passes the test, so that renders team work useless. If I can't win...they have to lose. He gathered himself quickly and shut his mind off to prevent overthinking, and let all of his father's teachings take over. It was time to act.

"Game on." Quickly, Mitsuko ejumped up and back, giving him the angle on where he assumed Akemi would stay. "Suiton: Mizurappa!" A tight jet of water rushed forth, hoping to push Akemi into a tree and do some damage from the get go, since the two of them were likely in shock from the events that passed. As Mitsuko landed, he darted towards Kyomu and lunged forward, throwing a punch as strong as he possibly could towards Kyomu's head.

And while the boy had surely gotten the first move off, Mitsuko couldn't know how effective his Mizurappa was. Likewise, if knowing that Yuuyake-sensei was stalking the three of them was scary, he now had three enemies and no allies. He had no way of knowing who would attack him or how or when, but he knew there was no safety net. Not to mention, Yuuyake-sensei probably wouldn't be able to see his moves in action. While he kept these emotions out long enough to perform a pretty solid move, they began to seep in as he had time to think about it.Damn it damn it....should have even done that? He had to win. Neither of these kids could think they were better than him.

[Akemi Izayoi]

Her piece said, Akemi took the time to look over her teammates a bit more critically. The kunoichi knew who they were, that was a given. In fact, it would have been impossible to not know who they were. Mitsuko Subeki, the number one of the academy and the praised prodigy. Akemi knew next to nothing about him aside from his reputation at the academy and that he seemed to have a stick permanently lodged up his butt. "So much for not being teamed with a jerk," she thought bitterly. Hopefully, that wasn't really the case because she wasn't taking a 'I'm better than you' act from anyone.

However, Kyomu was a pleasant deviation from Mitsuko. He was prodigy in his own right, having a talent in genjutsu that outshone both hers and Kyomu's combined, but at least he was a bearable one. His tone was that of politeness instead of jerkitude. Akemi even remembered bailing him out of something that would've been much worse. So she knew that they could work together without too much trouble. Unless he decided to have a change of personality, then she'd have to smack him along with Mitsuko around a bit till they came to respect her status as not a pushover. But judging by that small smile he gave her, which she returned gratefully, the blue haired boy wasn't taking a level in asshole any time soon.

That left only their sensei, who could technically be considered a teammate as well as teacher. Was he always so serious or would he start being a bit nicer when he saw Akemi's determination? What could she learn from him that would make her better? The man wasn't well known, but he must have some kind of achievements if he made it to his current rank. She'd show him too. Her first priority would be to pass his test with flying colors. A test that was beginning to look more and more difficult to pass at all as the rules were specified. Finished speaking, the man disappeared.

So the kunoichi was left with three options: run and hide, team up and go for broke against Yuuyake, or try to take him down herself. None of those were the least bit appealing. She barely passed the academy so going after Yuuyake was downright impossible herself. She could team up, but Akemi was well aware of her status at "dead last" which probably wouldn't escape Mitsuko and Kyomu either. Would the two prodigies even listen if she suggested to team up to go after their sensei? Running was simply not an option. Tactical retreat and finding a stationary position for ambushes were fine, but running and being hunted like animals? No way in hell.

The girl tensed, preparing herself mentally for a full on charge against her sensei. A bead of sweat made its way down her forehead when the mist drifted in, making her stall a bit more. Maybe she would get lucky? If all was lost then she'd run, which would be a retreat so it wouldn't be as bad as hiding from the start. Afterward, she could say that she'd tried. However, before she could move the kunoichi heard a familiar voice and was suddenly blindsided by a blast of water. Getting caught full on, she had little choice in the matter as the torrent swept her feet from under her and threw her into and passed the treeline.

After crashing into a tree, she took a moment to shake off the daze and get to her feet. Shaking like a wet animal, her brain struggled to process what just happened. Had Mitsuko just attacked her? "That sneaky, no good, two timing bastard!" Fine!? He wanted to cheat and cut her out? Then she would use everything within her grasp to make it as difficult as she could for him to accomplish it.

Raging internally, she took to the trees and pulled a scroll out. Thankful that the seals were almost unaffected, she unsealed something that would give Mitsuko the message that she was not happy with him. Akemi took a bow and quiver from the clouds of smoke and set herself on a tree. The mist was as much a hindrance as a good tactical cover. Eyes and ears open, she grinned and tried to judge the distance that she'd flew. Akemi thought she caught the sound of footfalls and her eyes narrowed in that direction despite not being able to see into the mist. She stuck out her tongue in concentration and knocked an arrow before taking aim.

Bows were long ranged so not many people used them or even liked to carry them when close range confrontation was expected. Akemi still like them, especially this one. It was strong, sturdy, and the string set was taunt enough that a full grown man would strain to pull it back. An arrow's speed outstripped a thrown weapon's drastically with enough recoil. The bastard wouldn't know what hit him and she would be certain to get him. If the arrow missed the explosive tag would take no prisoners, mist be damned. As she drew back with all her might, the muscles in her back straining, Akemi fed chakra to it.

It flew with a vengeance and others would follow, spreading and seeking out anything in that clearing. If Akemi would have taken the time to think, she realize that she had just unleashed a dangerous technique. Still, she was too giddy at the chance to actually use this combination and too angry at Mitsuko to think her actions through. Five arrows had been let loose before she stopped. The girl needed time to changed position and to ease the burning in her arm. It took alot of effort to fire those and she didn't have many, but they didn't know that. Keep them guessing, flush out their location, and last but not least make them scared. With the mist, they'd probably wouldn't even know what was happening let alone how to defend against it. "Let's play," she whispered with excitement.

Note: Accurate shots are impossible in the mist, the arrows will miss completely.

[Kyomu Kagami]

Honestly, Kyomu shared Mitsuko's misgivings about fighting against a Jounin, no matter how many times he ran it through his head he could envisage no scenario in which three Genin would be able to bring down such a high class of ninja. Worse still it wasn't as if they were a previously tested unit, they had gleaned nothing of each others abilities save for snippets communicated through academic scores and would likely be lacking in the synergy which was fundamentally essential for collaborative techniques. Though he had seen some of Akemi's expertise with her array of armaments he had been somewhat distracted at the time by a mix of adrenaline and (some might say foolish) idealism. Then there was the matter of the other passing condition, which to him seemed far too convenient, but he thought that he saw the logic behind it. Divide and conquer was the play of the day, exposing them to threats internal and external, exactly why he chose to do this remained obscure but Kyomu could hazard a guess or two. Yuuyake-sensei was true to his promise of testing their bodies and minds.

May the odds be ever in your favour? Sensei sure has a sense of humour alright. Kyomu was taken aback by the speed of his new Sensei's movement, he hadn't expected he'd be able to keep anything like pace with him, but he was just so... S-so...fast... That was that, the individual road meant suicide, they had to band together, form a plan, adopt a formation and go into a defensive curl. As the mist rolled in, easily discernible as Kirigakure no Jutsu, Kyomu was about to speak up. Mitsuko however had come to a completely different conclusion. He instead instantly turned on his team mates. Luckily for him Kyomu wasn't the first to be hit and so had time enough to get his guard up. One hand on his sheath, the other on the hilt of his blade he listened for Mitsuko's approach. The mist was so thick he didn't see his 'opponent' until he was almost on top of him, luckily Mitsuko had committed to a strike to the head and as a swordsman Kyomu was trained chiefly to guard his vitals. As long as he adopted that kind of straightforward posture the danger would be minimal, but from a prodigy like what Mitsuko was reputed to be minimal threat was a broad enough term. To top it off he could not effectively weave Genjutsu in the dense fog.

He was left with little choice then.

'You fool! Don't you know when you've been tricked!?' Kyomu ducked under Mitsuko's blow as he tried to get through to him, thrusting the end of his sword's sheath towards the larger boy's abdomen as he did. He was under no illusions that he'd be able to overpower or even outfight Mitsuko, but using his oncoming momentum against him he might be able to stall or subdue him long enough to reason with him.

[Hinode Yuuyake]

Hinode settled upon his heels in the treetops, finding a branch high enough to be above the mist, and making his observation a little easier. Since the mist wasn't very thick toward the top, he could vaguely make out two figured in the mist below. He wasn't able to tell exactly what had happened, but he could tell that one of the Genin had attacked the other two. Eventually, Hinode figured it to be Mitsuko, the one he had pegged to be chomping at the bit to prove himself.

But why did he only see two figures in the mist below? Perhaps Mitsuko had used that water jutsu he'd heard earlier to distance himself from two potential enemies. A smart tactic, though it seemed it wasn't about to pay off for him. The jounin glanced down to the treetops below, and a few dozen yards down and to his right, Akemi was perched, holding a bow and firing explosive arrows into the mist.

Hinode raised an eyebrow, that technique was actually a rather good idea, considering the limited visibility. At least, it would have been in a real combat situation, but the unpredictability of the explosions in the mist worried the Yuuyake shinobi. If any of these Genin got seriously injured during this test, it would come down to his shoulders, and ever since the repeal of the Bloody Mist, they didn't take lightly to killing off what small military potential Kirigakure actually had.

So, Hinode took a split second while Akemi was firing to analyze the situation and then act accordingly. The unmistakable hiss of the igniting Exploding Tags could be heard flying toward the two who were fighting below. Once he heard the arrow stick among them, Hinode removed a kunai and let it fly in the direction of the tag. If his aim was right, and with all the practice he'd had learning to target with his ears, it should be. Sure enough, the Kunai met the tag, splitting the seal in two, neutralizing the explosion, just in the nick of time.

It took but another split second for Hinode to get to where Akemi was in the tree, just behind her. Surely she'd feel the shift of weight in the tree and quickly retalliate in the form of some sort of taijutsu, so in the small amount of time he had, Hinode quickly let out a small quip. "Impressively dangerous, but remember we're not trying to kill anyone here." Then, before she could react, he was gone again, amongst the trees, which, by this point, weren't nearly as masked by the mist.

Thankfully the noise of his quick exit was masked by the sounds of explosions in the field, a quick glance proved Hinode's plan had worked. The tag that was nearest to the two blurred figures had not detonated, but some nearby definetly had. They wouldn't be getting out of this one without a few scrapes, that was for sure...

[Mitsuko Subeki]

One down. The sound of the water burst's impact let Mitsuko know that it had in fact connected with the girl and had, in all likelihood, sent her flying considering the girl's weight and Mitsuko's proficiency with Mizurappa. It was his favorite, after all. Alright, that's great. If she was still around then I'm sure she would have tried to jump in on the fight, with the way she seeks attention. With her out of the way all I have to worry about is the Kagami kid. Not that Kyomu was someone to be taken lightly but...it was just too perfect a chance to prove how superior he was to the premier genjutsu user of their class.

Speaking of, Mitsuko watched his punch as it continued towards Kyomu, who ducked under it just in time. Interestingly enough, that wasn't the most frustrating thing that happened in that same second. Tricked? REALLY? Ridiculous...this is the only course of action that makes sense. Perhaps it's in his nature, like his clan, but....inexcusable. Whether Kyomu's words were out of rage or some other nonsensical emotion, he may not have realized just how insulting his comment was. He was already atop Mitsuko's hit list, but now he was the sole member of Mitsuko's shit list.

Fool? That's what they all called the Subeki for generations. That's what they all called his father. That's what they would NEVER have the right to call Mitsuko. The boy, usually slow to rage, had had the right buttons pushed...or rather, the wrong ones. Like his father said: if they mock his family, they are not just to be defeated, they need to be crushed, and even as his teammate, that sort of condescension wasn't going to go unpunished. "You bastard... The boy hissed, as he saw Kyomu's sheath headed for his midsection. Planting his foot solidly, Mitsuko spun to avoid the hit, and as his body turned to face Kyomu, he seethed with rage. "I'll show you what happens when you talk down to a Subeki...Kagami!" It was only appropriate to use their family names, because his rage had turned the fight into more than a fight between two genin. Mitsuko raised his arm, seemingly to throw a punch, but opened his hand as chakra filled it.

"Suiton..." As he prepared for the Water Prison technique, an arrow flew by the two and struck the ground a few feet away, followed by another kunai that nearly hit the arrow. Huh? Several more of these thuds were heard, followed by a hissing noise...and then a boom. Realizing that the two boys were being assaulted by a slew of explosions, Mitsuko used a body flicker to dash away from the explosion he'd heard to the right of them, only to end up next to another one. If he was gonna keep using body flickers then he'd run out of chakra far too quickly. The Subeki child grunted as he held up his arms and was then sent flying by the explosion.

Luckily, he hadn't been too far in its explosion radius, but he wasn't lucky enough to be on the outskirts either. He tumbled several yards away, rolling across the ground and skidding towards the end of his flight path. Damn it... While his injuries weren't severe or limiting, they all stung pretty badly, and he was bleeding a bit from his right side, hip, and arm and was definitely gonna have a few bruises to show for it. Was that Akemi? It could've been Yuuyake-sensei.

It was a clever move, even more impressive if it had been Akemi. It was becoming clear that none of these genin were messing around. And it wasn't becoming clear that Mitsuko was the best of them. In fact, he was being sort of a...fool. Definitely not in the way Kyomu had said it, but in that he wasn't thinking things through. Sending Akemi flying meant he couldn't keep tabs on her, and while he was more talented than her, Mitsuko needn't underestimate her that severely. While a genjutsu user, Kyomu had a sword and therefore had to be somewhat adept at close range combat to wield it, and a straightforward punch wouldn't cut it. He had to be more observant.

The dilemna now was that he was separated from his main target and every other possible target. That was the worst case scenario: he made enemies with everyone and could no longer keep track of any of them. The boy cut his sleeves and pants into short sleeves and shorts, and used the material to bandage his arm and side. Mitusko then took cover in the woods, which was better than being out in the open and a sitting duck. I need to get back into the fray...I can't lose to an academy failure and that prideful Kagami...I have to put on a dominating performance from here on out, I have to make the Subeki proud. I'm better than this...hopefully sensei didn't see. Unfortunately, all he could do was wait and listen for any oncoming attackers. He had to stay on guard, because Yuuyake-sensei could probably find him very easily.

[Akemi Izayoi]

Akemi stopped to take a breath, glancing about before settling once more. Bow slung on her back, a twinge of pain from her shoulder was enough for her distracted for a moment. She quickly tried to massage out the pain, intent on firing at least two more arrows as she focused intently back into the mist. So far so good, but it was still a little too quiet for her taste. The tags were bound to go off any second now and the girl waited with baited breath whilst watching the mist intently. She'd need to pay close attention in order to catch any movements if the kunoichi was to pin down the other two genin.

Odd, she noticed that the mist seemed less potent. Was it because the justu had been localized to a certain area or was there a possibility that it was weakening? Time went on forever in her mind and she used it to mull over what she'd do if she did manage to trap the others. Sure, Mitsuko seemed like an idiot (and she was pretty sore about the cheap shot he'd gotten in) and she'd be sure to repay him in kind. After that though, the kunoichi wasn't too sure. There was the possibility that he could be reasoned with. So maybe she could just beat some sense into him.

Thoughts of Mitsuko led her to ponder on the other male of the genin. And with a thought of the blue haired boy came a twinge of guilt. Maybe she shouldn't have used the explosive arrows he was sure to get caught since he was probably fighting with-"Impressively dangerous, but remember we're not trying to kill anyone here."

Akemi started out of her musings, and lurched away from the voice. Not even bothering to touch down on the ground she already pulled her ninjato free of its sheath and lashed out with a spinning slash. Only to cut through air. The kunoichi's own heartbeat thrummed in her ears. The hair's on the back of her neck stood on end. The sudden sound had rattled her fiercely. So much so that the girl could find it in herself to care about paying attention to the explosions behind her. How close had she come to being captured? Why didn't he catch her? She felt like a cornered animal now instead of the predator. He was still watching. He had to be...

Then a thought more terrifying than any other came to mind. "He probably never lost track of us in the first place..." The girl wanted to excuse herself in not noticing the man because of his skill, but she couldn't. Akemi kicked herself mentally. She had made a rookie mistake and stopped paying attention. The same mistake couldn't and wouldn't be made a second time. She couldn't afford it.

The warning still ringing in her mind made her take out a scroll to reseal the bow, but thought better of it. Instead she dropped to the ground and unsealed a dummy around her size and set it up carefully. Straw, a kimono similar to hers, and bow carefully place to give the illusion of being held. In the mist, there was a chance nothing odd would be noticed unless on top of it. She did reseal the arrows, they were hers and had cost an allowance. Last but not least she picked out the bells on it, removing the tab she set to keep it from ringing. Then she lept back atop a branch and as a second thought scattered a few makibishi around the area for show.

She crouched tensely in a tree a few meters away. Close enough to hear the faintest tingle without being too close. She made sure touch her back to the trunk, behind a overhanging of leaves. She'd already lost the initiative. No reason to running blindly into anyone. With more patience than one would give her credit for, she waited. One hand on the hilt of the sword while the other wrapped tightly around a kunai. Her eyes scanned around her constantly, trying to catch anything, and her ears strained to hear something other than the foreboding silence.

[Kyomu Kagami]

Kyomu's hand was on his weapon as soon as Mitsuko had weaved away from it, his intention had been to wait for the Subeki's inevitable rush (he seemed brash like that) and perform a lightning fast counter-draw to put him down in one as he opened up to attack. That was what he planned to do anyway, whether or not he would've been able to do so, whether by Mitsuko's intervention or his own hesitance was left up in the air as something parted the air between them, Kyomu's immediate reaction was to back pedal before checking what it was. By the time he did a kunai was slicing the tag off of the arrow. Woah, that's a serious attack, especially in this Mist! Why would se-- And then it dawned on him that the kunai belonged to Yuuyake-sensei while the arrow no doubt had been fired by Akemi. It was all he could do to not drag a hand down his face. Unlike Mitsuko, Kyomu elected to stand his ground amidst the explosions occurring all around them. He'd swiftly reasoned that since it was impossible for Akemi to achieve any level of accuracy she would have opted for an even spread, that being the case he was safest where he was seeing as how the nearest tag was defunct. The tactic seemed to work as he was not buffeted about by explosions... right up until the point he was blind sided by a flying stone on his left side.

The impact, which he at first thought to be Mitsuko, knocked him clean off his feet and as he rose with his sword half drawn he could already feel a trickle of warm blood descending from just over the left side of his eyebrow. Upon seeing no sign of either the other Genin nor of his Sensei, Kyomu's eyes fell his feet where the bloodstained little rock lay. The realisation was like a splash of cold water over him, he had almost given in to frenzy when Mitsuko had come at him, but he had remembered now that they'd get nowhere that way.

He sighed, realising that even if it didn't cause his team mates to descend on and assault what he intended would undoubtedly call his Sensei's vengeful fist down against him. Tipping his head back he yelled out at the top of his lungs, as he had no way of knowing how far either of his compatriots had been blown what with each other's respective attacks. 'Akemi-san! Mitsuko-san! Follow the sound of my voice and fall in on my position! We're going to put this childish fight aside and take Yuuyake-sensei together!' Foolish, brash, suicidal some would say in his current situation and considering the mixed bag of loyalties they'd each of them displayed, but there was no other way to proceed. A Jounin was someone who thrived in Nin, Gen and Taijutsu, though between them they seemed to harbour the respective specialisations (far below their Sensei of course) they had no chance of taking him solo and no choice but to combine their efforts from there on in.

This, THIS is where it starts.