The boy with an Empire on his mind

Ketsueki awoke early in the morning, sitting up and panting softly in his assigned home. His gossamer skin covered in sweat as usual, hands gripping his sheets, his long black hair, matted in the back and wet he had suffered from night terrors at a young age and usually didn't upset him anymore, he had accepted his fate of short, nap-like rests long ago, aside from being out of breath they didn't trouble him anymore. He stood up and got dressed, looking through his window just as the sun rose, narrowing his eyes. He slipped on his black jacket buttoning it up to his mouth and pulling his arms to his center through the sleeves.


He left the building and made his way to the academy, being there once before to train something and explore while the teachers were out with the other students, He walked down the hall and into a classroom, taking a seat in one of the desks closest to the door, getting accustomed to it, he thought of leaving his jacket there but he didn't want to give anyone an eye on his movements up top, breathing included. He waited for a few moments, looking at the sign by the door. "Tsubasa Sensei" He muttered softly, watching the board and desk in front of him. "Am I too early?" He asked absolutely no one dryly

(WC: 228)

Ren gave a sigh, putting his book down as a boy walked in the door. The boy was just in time, as he'd been just about to begin his lesson anyway. "Ah the new kid, Ketsueki Suzumebachi if I remember correctly? Come have a seat and I'll begin. Now your all relatively new, so normally one of the other instructors would take this class however some of you scored unusually high on the entrance test, so I've decided to make a habit of taking a handful of your classes. Now I expect since you've all studied for the entrance exam you all know the basic concepts of ninjutsu, however just to be certain I'm going to give you all a quick refresher... However before that there is something that your all entitled too as students of the academy. Ren would say, opening the door at the other end of the room to reveal a number of puppies playfully yapping and playing with each other. "Now then each of you come and pick a puppy, you'll raise and train with him just as you will be raised and trained by us here at the accademy" Ren said a smile on his face as he gestured for Ketsueki to come forward and have first pick.

Ketsueki nodded, standing up and walking over to the puppies, they all immediately surrounded him as puppies do, yapping and tugging at his pants, he pushed his arms back through the sleeves of the jacket. Out of all of the pups surrounding him he picked out a stocky white short haired puppy with spotted brown and black markings all over him, he smiled and held the little puppy close, turning and parting the puppy sea to return to his desk. "What would be a fitting name?" He asked himself as he stopped in front of Ren, unsure if there was to be some sort of evaluation, he hoped he didn't have to make up a name on the spot.

(WC: 228 + 119 = 347)

Ren wasn't sure at first if the boy was simply talking to himself or to Ren, either way the answer was the same. Kneeling down to the boy's level Ren placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before speaking "Thats for you too decide, whilst your at the academy this little guy" Ren said, ruffling the pup's head playfully "will be your partner." With that Ren would stand up and return to leaning on the front of his desk as he gestured for the rest of the students to pick a pup to raise.

Once everyone had taken their pup and returned to their seats, now with a companion in tow Ren would commence the lesson proper. "Now then as I was saying before I have high hopes for all of you, but I am going to begin by teaching you the basic foundations. Can anyone here explain why we use hand seals?" Ren said, scanning the class before calling out a boy in the front row. "I-If I remember correctly it's to focus our chakra Sensei" The boy stuttered out, clearly not prepared to have a question asked off him. "Hmm, not bad but your only fifty percent right, we use hand seals to focus our chakra yes, but it is not impossible to perform a technique without any hand seals, what you must all remember is that it is the chakra, not the hand seals that allow you to perform a technique. For example..." Ren said, quickly forming the hand seals for the basic clone technique before a copy of Ren appeared next to him in a puff of smoke. "A technique like this can be performed quickly and effectively with the hand seals because the hand seals allow your mind to better control your chakra, however once you've had enough practice with the technique you will find that it is possible to simply cause your chakra to flow as if you were forming the hand seals simply by mentally visualising the desired results." Ren said before dismissing the clone next to him. "Now this isn't the only example of how hand seals are only a crutch to help you learn chakra, however I'll teach you about the other examples in a later lesson; for now Let's see if anyone here can perform the technique I just performed." Ren said, glancing around the class room before his eyes settled on the boy and his white haired pup. "Ketsueki, how about you come down and try your hand at it?" Ren said, gesturing for the boy to come down to the front of the class."

Watching his teacher, Ketsueki held the pup gently, watching and listening to his instructor, though he started to wonder if his ninja teacher was a kunoichi. But he had more tact than that to even ask. He looked down for a moment, the first thought popping into his head for a name, he whispered. "Mitsukatta" He heard his name and his head lifted once more, hearing the instructions Ketsueki nodded, leaving his pup on top of his desk, it curled up, watching him as he stepped toward the center of the class, he had memorized the seal Tsubasa-sensei had used. Or so he thought. So This technique shouldn't have been an issue, once he turned to face the class he pulled his arms back into the sleeves, hiding his hands under the jacket. "It was...This sign." He said softly, knowing that it was only for self-reference and that most people didn't see his hands so it wouldn't make much sense. He quickly wove the sign under his jacket and in a puff of smoke directly in front of him appeared a clone. He walked around it, examining the clone on every little detail before turning to Tsubasa. "Did I pass?" He asked, his arms returning to their sleeves as he already felt the drain of energy from the sustained clone.
 

(WC: 347 + 220 = 567)

Ren watched the boy put his arms under his sleeves before performing the technique, before in a puff of smoke a copy of the boy appeared. "Well you could have done better, but I would prefer if in future you kept your hand seals visible when you demonstrate a technique for the class Ketsuki. All the same it was very well preformed." Ren said before he gestured for the boy to go retake his seat. "Now then, the rest of you, I'll expect you all to be able to perform that technique by tomorrow; I'll be here after class if you need extra instruction or help. Now moving on..." Ren performed another flurry of hand signs before he transformed into a perfect copy of one of the boy's dogs. Jumping up onto the boy's desk Ren barked at the dog and the little guy scuttled away in fear and confusion. Ren's voice came from the dogs mouth "And you fail! A ninja should be watching after his comrades at all times" Ren would say before leaping down from the desk and transforming back into his human form. "Now I want you all to try and turn into a copy of your pup with the technique I just showed you" Ren said to the rest of the class as he went to lean against his desk again and observe their efforts.

Ketsueki nodded, walking back to his desk. Thinking to himself 'definitely a kunoichi, did anyone develop feelings for her yet?' he pondered before sitting in his desk, the puppy was already napping. He then watched as the teacher turned into a copy of a fellow student's pup and began to bark at it. He smirked as the boy shrunk away from the copy, it hit the uncanny valley once Tsubasa-sensei started speaking with that form, he understood the instructions and shed his jacket, revealing that he had several pouches and satchels around his torso as well as his black shirt. He then got up and walked to the front of his desk. "Alright, Mitsukatta, time to wake up." He began weaving sign and in a puff of smoke he became his dog, well, a copy anyway, and unlike his teacher he didn't quite have the skill to just leap onto the desk, he went from the chair to the desk behind his puppy and thought about barking, but then he realized it would be best to mimic his spotted friend, he curled up beside the pup. Waiting for evaluation.


(WC: 567 + 119 = 686)

Ren surveyed the class, they were doing surprisingly well for first timers, in fact apart from one child up in the corner, Sebastian was his name if Ren remembered correctly, who had managed to turn into a horribly deformed version of his pup, fortunately apart from a startled Yip from the boy's partner no one else was forced too look at the monstrosity before the technique failed, meanwhile at the front of the class Ketsueki had performed the technique flawlessly. 'Hmm perhaps I should offer him some special training' Ren thought glancing at the clock. "All right all of you, thats all the time we have for today, I expect you all to be able to maintain that technique for a half an hour by the next class; Ketsueki, Sebastian, I want you two to come see me after class" Ren said in a serious voice. Once the class had emptied out Sebastian was the first too come see him. "Now Sebastian, I think your going to have too transfer to class 3-B Ren said looking the boy in the eye, "from what I can see the tutor there will be able to help you better than I can" The boy looked upset of course but he left the class without an argument.

Ketsueki walked to his teacher slowly, arms cradling his awake, but still very relaxed dog. Evidently Ketsueki had caught him while his attitude was vibrant. That, or this pup was very situational about his energy. He stood in front of the teacher. Not really worried about what...They, had to say. All he thought was 'Don't ask if it's a kunoichi, don't ask if it's a kunoichi, don't ask if it's a kunoichi.' "You needed to see me, Tsubasa-sensei?" He let out a breath, realizing he didn't mess up yet, he could only pray to keep it up long enough, that meant eye contact, a plain expression, etc.

(WC: 686 + 110 = 796)

"Yes, Ketsueki you seem too be the top of your class so I thought you might benefit from some private tutoring." Ren said, standing up and walked out of the class room, beckoning for Ketsueki too follow. As they walked Ren asked the boy a few questions, trying too figure out what field of techniques it would be best too teach him. "So tell me Ketsueki, what sort of techniques interest you? Ninjutsu, Medicine, or perhaps something else?"