Old Friends Make New Allies (p,nk)

Koga had had a decently boring day, with nothing to do he started to reminisce about his days at the ninja academy. He remembered how many friends he had back then, and how he never kept in touch with anyone. He felt kind of like a bad friend. Looking out of his window, he saw all the little students running to class, and he thought, he'd surprise them with a visit from a genin.

He raced out the window, sliding down the ramped pavillion just above the first floor, and landing on his feet. Koga took one long stretch, and let out a wild rawr. This commonly happens when koga is stretching, his neighbors weren't even alarmed. However, outsiders standing nearby , looked to be a little alarmed.

Koga got to the academy, and observed all the students running into their classes. Koga looked for his old teacher, but he didn't see her anywhere around. "She's on a mission, Koga, she'll be back soon" Another nearby teacher who recognized Koga from the good ol' days spoke. Koga was a bit disappointed, he put his hand on the back of his head, and thought now what could he do? He turned around and was getting ready to leave.

"I swear, that roar of yours is going to get you caught by a trapper."

Arashi said from the top of playground set for the kids.  He was dressed similiarly to his Academy days, with the exception of the forehead protector that was actually on his forehead for once.  He was crouched down, leaning forward in Koga's direction, and he had the classic closed eyes and sheepish grin on his face.

This was no chance meeting... at least not really.  With the village getting back to normal, they were in the process of checking out the loose ends that were thrown to the wayside after the recent attack.  One of those loose ends were the recent graduates.  On which Arashi and Koga were part of, and after meeting with the aid to the Raikage, Arashi had spend the better part of a week doing missions and looking for Koga.

Arashi stood up and jumped down to the ground next to Koga, hands in his pockets.  He had heard the conversation about their own teacher, and though disappointed, it beat her dying.

"You are a hard person to track down, Koga.  Been looking for you for about a week.  Shame sensei isn't here, but at least she's survived, right?" he said, not wanting to just jump into it like he did with Akihana-san.

Koga noticed Arashi as he jumped down next to him. Koga closed his eyes in relief to Arashi's voice as he smirked at Arashi's words. Koga chuckled in happiness, and agreed to Arashi. "I wouldn't say I'm hard to track down, I just prefer to not be around everyone else in public." Koga said as he turned to Arashi for a fist bump.

Koga was wearing a dark black combat jacket, which at the moment he was flapped the corner behind his back and ran one hand through his hair. Looking at Arashi brought back many memories of them at the academy where they used to be friends.

Koga at the time of the academy was sort of an awkward child. He was smaller than the other children but physically he was a brute. His inner muscles carrying tremendous strength, and durability. He was always competitive, and now that he had graduated to genin, he was a bit more mature. Well, in public anyway. 

"So you were looking for me, huh? Whatcha need man?" Koga said as his head nodded up to Arashi.

Arashi shook his head.  "I didn't mean by ANBU, I meant an animal trapper.  Someone is going to think you're a wild beast who would be perfect stuffed on a wall.  And then imagine how disappointed they would be when they get you." he said, in a perfectly joking manner, as he returned the fist bump.  With the students back in class, including the young boy Arashi found the other day, the two genin were alone in the playground/training area. 

Koga didn't waste anytime, so while Arashi started walking around, he went straight to the point.  "Well, you know how my bloodline is the merging of two natures?  Part of my family's rules is that I have to learn the second nature from outside the clan, and usually that means talking to our Team's Sensei.  And I don't have one, so I went to see the Raikage, and didn't exactly see him..." Arashi said with a sheepish smile.  The warning from Akihana was still in his head, about not losing eye contact with the Raikage, and how Arashi almost made a big mistake. 

Arashi put his hand behind his head and closed his eyes, giving a dry chuckle.  "Well, anyways, I talked to his assistant, Akihana Akari-san.  And she was trying to get things back to normal.  She wants the two of us to be on a team, so we can get back to where we were supposed to be." he said, looking to see the reaction he got.

Koga laughed at Arashi's first comments, he felt bad for whoever would have caught him. It'd be their nightmare. Koga knew if he was caught and killed, he'd make his last moments a damn sure crazy day for the other person. As Arashi mentioned the Raikage, he realized he has never seen the man. Koga spent most of his time in the night alone, so he never had the need to visit the kage. He did know that the man was a very important figure on the other hand, and needed to show respect if he ever came across him.

As Koga and Arashi talked alone privately, he calmly listened to his friend as he talked bout being on a team. Koga was the type to get excited really easily. He was totally stoked inside, but he didn't show his hyperness.  As Arashi then mentioned it he had to question some bits of the situation.

"A team, huh? We would need a third person, and a sensei" Koga scratched his chin while thinking of how great that would be. He hadn't worked with anyone before, and he wondered if he'd make a good team mate. Koga let out a small questionable grunt. He then whipped his hair back, ran his fingers through it, then he spoke to Arashi "Let's do it! Make sure if you're with me, you go all out! Full on beast mode." As Koga spoke he jumped to the top of the playground and screamed real loud "We are the monsters of Kumo, Arashi! The alphas! The predators! We'll be amazing, yet"

This time it was Arashi's turn to laugh.  If there was something about Koga, it was that the boy certainly knew how to blow something out of proportions, and was easily exacitable.  Arashi shook his head and responded.

"You're the beast, I'm the storm.  That's how it will go, buddy.  The only monster I can be is the most powerful cloud user of all time." he said, through then his smile dropped a bit.  "Well, if i can ever learn Wind nature, at least." he said, sighing a bit.

"Akihana-san said she wanted us paired with someone named Fenris Akari, but I have no idea who that guy is.  All I know is that he is also a genin.  Unfortunately, she didn't have someone to lead the team yet, but she said she was looking for one.  Who knows, it may end up being her." he said, shrugging at that last statement. 

"If anything, it does round out our team a bit.  With my nin, and your tai, I assume this Fenris guy has to be gen.  Or at least something similiar.  But enough about that.. what have you been up to since graduation?"

"Well, hold on just a second, Fenris....? I never heard of that person before. I mean I trust Akihana-san's judgement but is it really okay to start a team with someone we don't even know? What trouble we can get into..." Koga stopped for a second hesitating on the thought of many things that can go wrong with miscommunication among unfamiliar teammates.

"Nevermind, just forget that....I'm sure if Aki-san says it's a good idea, it must be" Koga said smiling at Arashi in approval. "Do you know if she'll be our sensei? I recall her always being pretty busy" Koga started scratching his chin trying to remember. He felt like it had been a while since the last time he kept tabs on anyone around. In koga's old days he used to love to know about people, however, he's been off those habits for awhile. 

"So yea, since graduation you asked? Well the usual...training, and eating a lot....not sure really, I guess I slacked off a lot, how about you?"

"Well, Koga, can you honestly say that you remember everyone in our graduating class?  He could have just been someone in the background, maybe with some hidden talent.  I don't think Aki-san would have pushed him with us unless she knew there would be some sort of connection.  Perhaps his own abilites will round out our team nicely." Arashi said, trying to defend the boy not there.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I would much rather have one of the girls on our team, but at this point, we should be lucky to get what we can." Arashi argued, before walking over and sitting in a swing.  Koga mentioned the missing sensei, to which Arashi could only really shrug.

"She said she would make sure we had one.  She's probably one of those who will lead us if she can't find someone else." he said, then listening to Koga describing his own recent actions.

Eating, training, and slacking off?  Interesting choice of words considering that one of those terms didn't really fit.  It reminded Arashi of his first couple of months following graduation, when he was just enjoying the fact that he earned his headband, even if he had no team.  That is what hurt the absolute most.  Because it was just about then that tensions escalated and caused the village to pool its resources.

"I passed my clan's test to learn my bloodline, and I have gotten 2 of the 3 parts I need... expanded stamina and chakra, and water nature chakra.  But since I don't have someone who can teach me wind nature, I've been stuck.  Instead I've started doing small missions on Aki-san's orders."

Koga listened to Arashi's recent accomplishments, to which he nodded in impressment. "I see, I see, I guess you really got something going for ya. If I knew wind nature, I'd help but alas I don't. Heck I'm not even on par with my taijutsu." 
Koga threw a punch demonstrating his lack of power. 

I feel like I have something inside of me, koga thought to himself, I just have to harness that feeling, and let it out. Koga looked up at Arashi, smiled and his eyes fully closed as he said "We got this man, we'll grow together as a team."He made a fist and raised it to the sky.

"Listen, Arashi, if a mission is ever to hard to do, and you need back up...Let me know! I live nearby" Koga wrote down his address so Arashi could get him whenever he needed him. "I always got your back." Koga turned away thinking of how he had to train to catch up."For now, I got some things I gotta do, see you soon man." koga said as he walked away waving without turning around.

(Sorry I'm so busy with school, it took me awhile to reply)

Arashi smiled at his friend and so far only teammate.  "I have no doubt we will, Koga.  Just picture, the legendary team!  The Storm, the Beast... and whatever Fenris is." he said, offering a chuckle.  Just like that, Koga offered his services and turned away to head off.

"Hey, I'm looking for higher missions if I'm gonna run with you.  Get stronger, I won't allow us to have some weak mission because we are took weak.  Take care!" he said, watching Koga walking off.  Arashi couldn't help but grin.  This was the start of something magical.

(end)