Semper Fidelis (Training, Open)

The sky cleared, small clouds puffing about and casting shadows all over the place. The academy was bustling with classes today, though, which gave the place an electric feel to it, a living organism teaching smaller organisms how to do things. Though Kirin had begun as one of the newest and less experienced students, she was no slouch. Herd work pays off in ninety  cases out of a hundred. The kunoichi adjusted the leather strap keeping her shuriken snug to her hips and took a step back to survey the area.

She took an initial step and used it to leap onto a trash can, then gave another great leap up to a secondary roof. She didn't want to disturb classes with her training, so she went up, though never leaving he academy grounds. Rules were rules. And her class wasn't for another half hour due to stray paper bombs from anonymous students practically scattering smoke and burnt papers everywhere. She ran up the secondary roof the incline straining her muscles and giving her good cardio workout in exchange. When she jumped to main roof and began sprinting down the length of the building, she picked up speed, trying to stretch and work every muscle involved in the action with every movement. Make the strain worthwhile, at least. Plus,s strength training worked better after the muscles were loosened up, and that was next on her list.

She bolted the roof and slid down, aiming for a high gate and landing softly enough. Every inhalation of breath was slow and deliberate, distributing the oxygen to her body's cells. She crouched then sprang, vaulting over a stray training dummy in the courtyard and continuing to let her momentum push her back to a full run. She treated the training courtyard like hr own personal track, gaining speed and finding inventive ways to take curves without losing that speed. She hopped over a fallen log and landed in a handspring, which she twisted and turned into a decent backspring back onto her feet. Her breathing was elevated, bt even, fueling her excersize, but too much at once would drain her reserves too quickly.

So she took a knee and allowed her breathing to steady to normal. Meanwhile, she eyed the training dummy she had vaulted, still swaying from the weight, and felt her fingers touch cold steel at her waist. sliding one set of four shuriken free, she monitored the sway of the dummy's head, painted target over the brown features and pot-marked with scratches, tears, and gashes from previous weapons training. Her arm came forward as she stood, flicking her wrist and sending a projectile flying. But she was also moving, switching two shuriken to her left hand and aiming them equally as deftly. Two.. three.. four. All four of the projectiles spun and landed in the dummy's chest and head seconds before Kirinai pounced up to it, landing a blow square to its jaw. The force of the blow sent it swaying back, giving the kunoichi time to reset her balance and twist.

She brought a foot up and around, landing a leg across the dummy's midsection. Kirin inhaled, turned more, then kicked again, two quick kicks to the same spot that were follower by a left hook to the ribs. Since she was essentially wasting time until her class, she felt no need to expend what little chakra she had to practice her ninjutsu, not when she had to practice later anyways for the teacher. So she kept up a steady rhythm of striking "vital" areas of the dummy, shifting her feet to kick or strike with her palm in the belly and nose.

[Word Count: 614]

Walking through Kumo casually as if everything was alright, Itami wondered around the village for his own reasons. Just waiting for any fool to try his patience, if they were really worthy enough to do so. He wouldn’t think twice to shed some blood on any foe. But with a lot going on in the village, there needs to be less casualties for future events approaching. Still trying to unlock the other half of his bloodline. He acquired his lava element not too long ago, which will become very useful in battle. As Itami looks around at all the rough looking buildings he passes by, he notices that the academy is near here. He’s not really interested in seeing any children, but it's been awhile since he has been around this part of the village. It wouldn’t hurt for him to take a little look. Running swiftly and quietly up a tree outside the academy, he jumps towards a long branch that hanged over the academy gate. Just standing there observing the scenery.


As he looks at the academy, he wonders why it is so empty. He never been to a ninja academy, so he expected to see a bunch of little kids doing some type of harsh training. Maybe classes didn’t start yet or maybe they are all just inside. Even walking passed normal training grounds, Itami doesn’t see the place crowded with people. It angers him how people take things like that for granted. If he was born and raised in this village, he would definitely be stronger than he already is right now. But he only been  a shinobi for three years and he has already reached Jounin level. Which is very high in shinobi ranks.


Taking another glance at the academy training grounds. Itami spotted someone training. It was a girl, she looked a little grown and around the same age as Itami. Must be a teacher or someone who works with the students. But judging from her form and attacks on the dummy. She doesn’t look pretty strong. Why would someone around her age train at the academy, aren’t there other places for older people to train. Itami jumps down into the ground, entering the academy, and begins to walk towards the training grounds. He begins to walk towards the girl. And he would walk until he is about 7 meters away from her.

“I thought this place was for kids..” Itami would say to the girl.

(Words: 413)

Kirin stopped training as she noticed someone coming into the courtyard, since he made no motion to hide as far as she could see. She straightened up out of her combat stance and took in the newcomer, forgetting her thrown weapons for the moment and trying to simultaneously decide if he was being sarcastic with what he said and if he was, well.. a threat. But they were well within the village, and she didn't think someone would attack a lone person in the academy. Perhaps take out an entire group, but not cause panic just for one. She finished her look over and decided to respond to him in the most truthful manner possibly, "It's for students, whether children or not. I just happen to be a bit older is all." She turned towards him fully and gave him an experimental smile, Are you looking for someone in particular, sir? Classes are about to start back, and I'm afraid you might have to wait a while."


Kirin turned and pulled her shuriken free, checking each one for nicks and then stowing them away right back where they came from, possibly for safety or, just because she took really good care of her weapons, even if she couldn't craft them. The kunoichi turned back to present company though, before she started reminiscing.


[Word Count: 222]




[Total Word Count: 836]

As the girl spoke, Itami just got even more confused. So this girl is actually a student in the academy. Itami would've  never guessed, though he didn't think about it for long. What took her so long for her to become a shinobi? And why would she want to become one now. She asked if he was looking for someone in particular because classes are about to start soon. Itami was just wondering around and checking up on the place since he had no duties at the moment.


"No, just came to look at the newcomers of the academy... Besides what made you become a shinobi now, what took you so long?" Itami would say in an arrogant type of tone. He doesn't like people who take being a shinobi as a game. He wasn't saying that's what she is doing. But he was just curious to know what drove her to wanna become a shinobi. 

"Could you take a life on the spot with no questions asked or even a second thought. If any higher up told you to kill a family that might be a threat to the village. Kill the children of that family even if they had nothing to do with it. And you had no choice but to fulfill the duties under his orders. Could you follow through the orders no matter how crooked the situation was?" Itami would say to the girl. He wanted her to realize this wasn't a game or joke. Especially not after all the blood Itami shed his lifetime. Being a jounin, he kinda had his own views of what it meant to be a shinobi and the things you must give up to be strong. He would stand there to hear what the girl would say in response.

As the first questions came up, Kirin cocked her head. So direct, but she supposed it always looked odd to an outsider that she was so old and stlll a student. After all, she was training on the coattails of a major village event, one her family was just recovering from. It made sense that, perhaps, people who didn't instantly sign up to the academy at the youngest age possible might be seen as suspect. clearing her throat, she began to answer, "Well, I wasn't always going to-"

But she was halted mid-sentence by the next outburst from the guy. He sounded so.. anal about it too, like she was offending his pride by being older and still a student. Kirin couldn't tell if he was just being an asshole, or if he was really that serious about the duties of a shinobi. Taking another, slower look at him as he spoke, she figured him for no older than her, yet he seemed experienced, or at least spoke like he knew a lot. Two different things. But who was she to assume.

When he stopped, finally, she pursed her lips and crossed her arms under her chest defiantly, trying her best to be unaffected by the man's arrogance, but it was being laid on thick, "Well.. yeah. I mean, that's what being a ninja means, or part of it. Protect your village, defeat your enemies, and live by your own code, with the means of accomplishing that code." she retorted, brushing hair from her eyes as she surveyed him. Honestly, if anything she was very good at listening to the teachers, "I'm here because I wasn't satisfied being a weaponsmith like my family. I didn't like having to hide and hope we wouldn't be made an example, back before the wedding. I wanted to be someone who could defend the people of this village, and yes.. kill if I must. I have no reservations about that. It was a decision I made coming into the academy."


[Word count: 336]




[Total Word Count: 1,172]

As he heard the words that the girl spoke, it seemed she already knew the risk of becoming a shinobi before she entered the academy. Maybe she was ready, maybe she wasn't. Whether she would get herself killed didn't wasn't his problem. If she were to die in battle, it was probably because she wasn't strong enough. That's how Itami saw life. The strong live and the weak died. It was that simple to him.

"I presume that is a reasonable enough answer. Whether you are ready or not will be put to the test eventually. If you live, you obviously made the right choice. If your killed, it was obviously the wrong choice... What are the requirements to becoming a genin anyway. I'm guessing taking some sort of test such as performing jutsu." Itami would ask. He's never really looked into the requirements of the academy since his main focus was training since he has been here. He never attened an academy nor became a genin. When he was brought to this village, he was given chunin. And then trained under the Kage's underlings, he was turned into a Jounin.

(Words: 903)

Good, maybe she had convinced him of whatever he had been searching for. Kirin relaxed just enough to take stock of the time, then re-affixed her gaze on the man as he spoke again. So, was he not a native Kumo ninja? Most knew how school worked, even if they've never attended. The thought made her pause to consider her response, but she answered all the same. She had no reason to be hostile or untruthful to this guy, "Yeah, both of those things. It's a formality for me at this point, really but.." she stopped, thinking on it, "I didn't grow up in a shinobi family, so ninjutsu comes a little difficult for me. The simple jutsu they teach here are easy enough to perform and learn, but for some reason they tire me out."

Going against her earlier decision to wait for chakra taining, she took a breath and molded the required chakra anyways, going from memory and carefully completing three handseals. The seals made it immensely easier to direct her chakra to its task, but even the time spent using them seemed to take a lot out of her, even if it seems easy for her to do. "Clone.." she began, a puff of smoke exploding beside her from nowhere, then dissipating to reveal an exact copy of herself. She released the Tiger seal and exhaled, smiling at her own work. Had to be proud of it, because she was effectively the weakest in the academy at it, even so close to graduating.

[Word Count: 257]
[Total Word Count: 1429]
[Learning Clone Jutsu]

As he listen to the girl speak, it seemed both of Itami's assumptions were correct. He listened to the girl as she stated she did not grow up from a family that revolved around shinobi. Itami could kind of assume that, considering how late she joined the academy. She also stated that learning simple techniques tires her out. As he looks at her build up chakra and performs the jutsu. Judging by the hand seals, he could tell she was performing the clone technique. Not as useful as the shadow clone jutsu, but maybe a good start. Itami noticed something was a bit off when she performed the technique. She was calm but still looks like she is thinking too much. The jutsu came turned out to be successful regardless. Itami would begin to walk towards one of the training dummies.


"You probably think to much when performing jutsu." Itami said as he puts his hand on the hand of his sword. He then puts himself in a ready to attack position. With his right leg forward and his left leg back. And both knees are also slightly bent. "If you think too much, you'll never strike with your full power. Once your calm and your mind is clear..." Itami said as he slashed his sword through the dummies chest and slicing right through it. Cutting it into two piece and leaving the top half on the ground. Swinging at such high speed and power. 

"Your strike become a lot more easier and delivers much better results." Itami would say to the girl.

(Words: 1166)

Kirin took a deep breath, steadying her breathing slowly, then watched the guy as he approached a training dummy. Was he trying to lecture her? She felt like taking a cloud from his book and making an arrogant remark, but the way he cleaved the dummy was actually quite impressive, "But strategy requires thought. You can't just go in swinging. Plus, nonlethal methods can lead to intel." she tried to explain herself, unsure if she wanted to stroke his ego or not. Her clone self just stood there, as she hadn't taken the time to concentrate on it.

But she wasn't so arrogant herself that she didn't hear what he was saying. she examined the dummy, then looked to another in thought, trying to decide if she should follow his example or not. But she wasn't in class yes, though the time was now slipping away from her. She refused to merely assume she was having fun, but company was better than nothing, even if she did't even know the guy's name. She took a breath again, held it, then performed three more seals ending with the Ram. The smoke enveloped her this time, dissipating to reveal a female dressed in a green and gold dress adorned with lions, long black hair coming to her waist, and bright gold jewelry adorning her fingers. She held it for a moment, but it was clear that a simple technique was enough for her to waste a lot of chakra. Probably enough to have performed both techniques she just demonstrated three times. The air was thick with expended energy gone to waste, and the instability made the clone she had made before vanish.

She released the jutsu and returned to normal, panting, exhausted but successful in her technique at least, "That's.. the other one. I can do them fine, but I seem to have.. a lower reserve or something. I can't do more than one or two techniques before having to rest."

[Word Count: 329]
[Total Word Count: 1758]
[Learning Transformation Jutsu]

After slicing through the dummy effortlessly. The words the girl spoke weren't wrong either. Of course there needs to be thinking in combat. Without thinking, you could easily get your self killed. But what Itami was mainly talking about was the technique and the strike. That shouldn't be something to think about, you should be able to strike effortlessly without giving it a second thought. 

"That's correct, but I'm talking about when performing your strike. After you have a strategy and your ready to attack. You shouldn't be thinking about how to perform your attack or hoping your attack is successful. Little things like that slow you down and can even get you killed." Itami said as he puts his sword back in his sheath. He never been the type to speak like this, but there is always a first time for everything.

Itami then looks at the girl and watches as she performs some hand seals. Judging by the hand seals she is using, he could easily assume she is getting ready to use the transformation technique. Maybe this is another jutsu she will be tested on. He can still see that she thinks a little too much when performing her jutsu. But eventually people grow out of that. Lets just hope she grows out of that in time before she starts getting in real combat.

"You are still new to this, like anything you do. It won't come easy the first time, if being a shinobi is something you really want to be. Then I should tell you, practice is just only the first step." Itami would say to the girl. She looked a bit exhausted from performing those two techniques. But coming from a family that really didn't revolve around shinobi. He guessed it was okay for now.

(Words: 1467)