These Old Bones (Io)

Jun's tiny old body sat criss crossed on a tree stump as he awaited his instructor to approach him. He was hunched overslightly. His back provided a canopy for a a notebook the was slowly scrawling through. It was one in a long histroy of journal that Jun had writen and develpoped over the course of his life. He loved taking notes, and drawing pictures of everything he studied. His ninja expedition would be no diffrent. Today he was jotting down notes he'd taken on the jutsu that he needed to pass the genin entrance exam. He'd been assigned his own personal trainer, because they didn't want to emberass him by sending him to the academy. Which he very much appreciated. In all his days on this earth he knew a person could never overestimate the cruelty of young children. 

In his book that had the words Clone, and transformation written down. Along with a long series of notes on how he supposed the ninjas managed to do it. Clone was easy enough, obviously they had a second ninja come in a dress up like the original. The transformation however had them stumped. He supposed that they could be very skilled in make up, and when they throw down the smoke screen, they change costumes under cover. He'd see how close he got, when his tutor got here!

Coming out of seemingly nowhere, almost like a ninja one might say was the Might CoRin! Dispenser of Justice! Chief of police! Trainer of over aged Academy Students, and a darn good kisser if you believed the legends.

She grabbed the book out from the old man's hands and threw it over her shoulder, letting the binding sink into the mud behind her. "I must be in the wrong place!" She howled getting all up in Jun's face. "I was told this was going to be Ninja training, not a book club at the retirement home!" She pulled out a rolled up newspaper and whacked the old man on his back. "Now get up old man! Stand over, there and assumed the chakra gathering position!"

"Now Clone 101! Take your inner chakra, and put it on the outside! That's all there is to it. You don't even have to make it solid. You simply project your own image outside of you. Now Focus! Find your inner image, and let it out! Take your time! But do it now!"

Jun could only blink in disbelief briefly as he felt the book being torn from his hands and thrown into the muck. He looked up in shocked at the strangely dressed woman before him. She wore pale face paint, and flimsy looking body armor. Also a mean looking scowl on her face as she looked down on Jun. He himself wanted to put her over his knee, and giver her a lesson in respect. However at the moment she was his superior and he couldn't do anything about it. Still... couldn't they have sent someone a little nicer to train him? At least someone more understanding of his positon. Throwing all of these hesitations aside, he jumped to his feet and ran to where she pointed. He formed his hands into the confrontation seal, and began to gather up chakra. He'd done enough private sessions before to know at least the basics of chakra, and elements and all, so this was no problem. It was the whole sending it out of his body idea that really threw him for a loop. Take his image of himself, and put it on the outside. He supposed that made sense. He was bringing his chakra in, now he just had to let it flow out. from every pour of his body, creating an image of himself out of nothing but chakra. He didn't have to worry about making it a living breathing thing, it just had to be there.

And what do you know?

Jun opened up his squinty little eyes, and saw an exact image of himself standing right next to him. He'd done it!

Corin crossed her arms with a cat like smile lining her face. Dang she was a genius. Turning old geezers into ninja in the blink of an eye. But much liker her father had never shown her any pride in her accomplishments, she couldn't either. "Yeah that was pretty good, if our seven years old weren't able to do it, that is!"  She didn't have anything else to add onto that so there were a few heavy moments of silence as she thought about what she wanted to say. "Oh well! We'll just move onto the next move. Now you use the same type of projection technique that you used to make that clone, but you'll surround a log with it! While at the same time, switching positions with the log, creating the Illusion, that you were hit! Get me?"

"Clone, Then Switch. Clone, Then Switch. Get me?" She rolled up her newspaper again, and started wailing it around frantically. "Let's see what you've got!"

Jun would frown slightly at her rapid pace teaching. He didn't really feel like he was getting her full attention, but he couldn't complain. She'd gotten one jutsu drilled into his head, so he supposed he couldn't complain. He guessed if he got the same results as he would if she took a long time. He guessed he'd rather take the short route. Still he would have like to get to know the young lady who was teaching him. Who was she. Where did she come from. How did she become a teacher at the academy? Jun had been away from the village for so long that he didn't have a clue what was going on with the structure of his home town any more. He supposed that was to be expected when a person goes away for years. People die, people are born, and fill in the lost spots. Villages die, and live again, and the only constant that a person can count on is themselves, and their story. He'd like to hear her story one day, when she was in more of a hearing mood. Right now she was in a doing mood, and Jun had no choice but to go along with it. She came down at him with a big old swing of her newspaper. Which by the way is very insulting for such a distinguished elder such as himself. The newspaper made contact with his skin and in a poof of smoke he was gone, a soggy log took his place. That was amazing. It seemed to him that he'd been overthinking this whole ninja thing. It seemed more like it was about feeling out the move, then figuring out. You just had to have the right idea and the chakra would take care of the rest. Man he wished that farming had been that easy. "Well well well, looks like I'm not a half bad study after all teach! Do you think I'm ready for the big leagues now? I'd like to show the proctors what I've got ,as soon as possible. Before I forget everything you've drilled into me. I'm afraid that without me being so scared of you, I'll go ahead and forget everything!" He let out a laugh and rubbed the back of his head guiltily.

Alright old man, alright. Ya done good. CoRin coudln't stop the proud smile from crossing over her face. She looked up to the sky, and tried to see if she could spot any angels flying over their city, and to see if she could flag one of them down. "Now don't get cocky. your proctor isn't going to be as nice as I am." She let out a long sigh, then presented the old geezer with a bright smile. Thought compared to her make up, it wasn't that bright. 

"You're actually a pretty quick study. Thanks for not wasting my time." She scratched her nose for a second. 

"So I guess if you ever want to learn anything else from me.... that'd be cool."

Of course the waving down wasn't necessary. Wit hthe rains of Ame Li Dian kept eyes on everyone in the village. The [patriot act didn't have nothing on him. In a few short minutes he came flying in on one of his angel puppets. The ivorty wings flapping gracefully admits the down pour. "Hail friends!"

He landed feet first in the mud with a splat. What can your leader do for you today... Wait a Second! Jun? Jun Watarase? You.... I went traveling with you a few years back!" He wrapped the elder up in a hug. "Ah man, I can't believe it's you! How ya been man? Did you ever finish that book?"

Back when Li Was traveling the world with his master he'd met plenty of people. Including the Ninja before him. Of course he was just a little kid when they first met, but still this was a great Coincidence! 

He'd give his old friend a chance to catch up on old times before getting back down to business. "Well Sir, all fun aside. I Assume you wish to show me your skills as a Ninja? Please demonstrate you're worthy to protect the Leaf Village from Those who would do it harm. Show me the Clone Technique, and well as the substitution."

Jun swelled with pride as he finally broke down the Armor of CoRin. She looked at him with pride and he couldn't hide the smile that was overcoming him. She'd been so tough to get to know, and she had this sort of rancid personality she held up in front of people. But even with that he'd managed to break through her armor, and earn her respect. Even if she didnt' want to admit it he'd earned her respect, and he wasn't going to waste it. So the kage was even more brutal than her? Well that was just fine! He was going to impress them too. He'd show everyone in this soggy village that experience more than made up for youth, and talent. He'd seen more in his life then any one else in this village, and darnit if he didn't have more to see. So Bring the Amekage on, Jun wasn't afraid he had people to impress, and advance to Genin. He may be the oldest Genin in the village, but that wasn't going to stop him in the least. With a Teacher like CoRin he was going to blow all the young people out of the water. After all she did manage to pound two jutsu into his skull with no effort at all. And who said you couldn't teach an old dog new tricks.
To his suprise no sooner had they been talking about getting to kage over here, had he landed in front of them, an angel carrying him around. Jun gasped for a brief moment. He couldn't believe it at first. He saw the heavenly being desend from the sky, carrying the one who would lead their village. Descending upon them on the wings of angels, it was a sight to behold to say the least.
His brief was short lived when he heard the boy say his name with a familiar tone. He must be a pretty thorough kage if he already knew his name! Wait a second. As the boy explained his situation he immediately recognized those eyes, and that hair styel. "Li Dian?" He gasped in surprise. He had been gone a while if this young man had before the leader of their village. Though he wasn't disappointing at all. He'd certainly grown into a might warrior to hold such a position. "Ah yes I recall you! Young man who hung around with a traveling puppet show if I recall. Always talked about how puppets were used to inspire hope, and what not in people's hearts." He looked over towards the angel hovering a few feet from him. "I suppose this is actually one of those puppets isn't it? Mighty impressive job my boy. It seems that the student has become the master. I'm sure your old freind would be proud to see what's become of you, and your craft. You've certainly elevated yourself quite a lot since we met. No long a bright eyed little boy traveling the world eh?"
He shook his old manliness away and got down to business. "Of course my lord. I had an excellent teacher so It would be my honor to show you what I've learned from her." First the clone technique. HE squatted down slightly and gathered up some chakra like he had not to long ago. Take your inner image and put in on the outside. CoRin's words rung in his head. It was easy as pie, he was just so nervous. He had a sort of stage fright, and wasn't too good at being in the spot light. He steeled himself though, he had to perform well. The whole ninja thing wasn't just fun and games to him. He wanted to stay in shape in his advanced age. He couldn't just let himself fall apart, and force him to rely on others just to get around. He wanted to be independent all his life. He form the confrontation seal, and let out a burst of chakra from his body. Expelling an exact copy of himself out from his body, and into the world. He looked at the clone, and nodded. He'd gotten that one down no problem.
He bent down gingerly and threw a rock at CoRin, instructing her to throw it at him.
When she threw the rock, it smacked him right in the head and it seemed that he had failed to perform the jutsu. That wasn't the case though. In a poof of smoke out boy Jun disspered and in his place was a log which had been just lying around here somewhere. It had been a success. He appeared behind his two superiors a wide and giddy smile on his face. "How was that Cheif? Think I'm worthy to join your band of merry men?" He was absolutely glowing with pride.

Wait... this guy actually knew Li? Before she knew li? No one knew li before she knew li. She was his oldest and dearest friend. Now this guy was coming along and taking him from her? Oh this was tragic! What foul fate had befallen her.

"You know I was just kidding when I called you old right? Just some playful teasing we do around the village. Like when people call me crazy! It's all in jest you know. Playful negging of companions." She contine talking wither foot in her mouth for several moments, before the two men moved on with their exam.

She sighed, and swept the sweat from her brow. That was a bullet narrowly dogged. Who knew what sort of pull Jun had with Li now.

Fear swept assigned she watched as her student performed the jutsu she'd just taught him. It was a good show, a tad sloppy but what do you expect he'd only just learned the moves half an hour ago. She threw the rock dutifully and gave a proud smirk when he poofed away into a log. 'That's my boy.' he thought.

It seemed that Jun was a fast learner, and she would enjoy having him on her team. Especially when it came time to executing Justice!

Li Dian Beamed at the old man's skilled, not bad... for an old timer. "Excellent Work Sir! Excellent work. I'd say you've got what it takes to become a protector of my village."

He pulled a Rain Headband out from his pocket and held it in his hand, like a precious treasure. "Do you swear by the nurtuing Rain of Ame to bring peace to this land, and it's people?"

He'd wait for Jun's answer.

"Do you swear by the might storms of Ame to sweep away all those that would do Evil in our land?"

He'd wait for that answer too.

"And do you swear to give your all in the protection of the next generation, and become a ninja of Ame no naka de hatsuga-mura: The Village Sprouting in the Rain?"