Re: Visiting a Friend

Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:23 pm

Komori saw Max rolling but was not hating.
“I’m not a Hyuuga. My eyes aren’t half as freaky,” Komori would say regarding his brother. Our mother was a Hyuuga but our father was a Hozuki. We just inherited different bloodlines and chose a surname based on the bloodlines we received upon birth. You know, in order to respect our roots and all.” He then laughed before answering Max’s question about his brother, “Yes, the two of us have cleaned ourselves thoroughly since that day.” Komori thought back to their fortuitous meeting, before growing rather sad. “Max, that was quite some time ago. Quite a bit has happened since then. For instance, did you know Senshi and Komon are chuunin now? And I’m not sure if you’ve seen Reizo lately, but he and I are close to becoming chuunin ourselves.” He was sorry that the boy had lagged behind the rest of their progress due to receiving terrible injuries. The young puppeteer would have a literal handicap in his exams, whenever he decided to take them. It was a good feeling to hear the kid laugh though. Despite being so young and already experiencing so much grief, the boy still had a brightness about his face. It was like somehow he managed to keep his innocence, despite playing with corpses and losing half of his appendages.

WC: 1146

Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:48 pm

Sora smiled, they finally initiated a conversation. It seemed Max wasn't depressed about his missing body parts, it just strived him to get stronger. As Komori revealed more of his past and bloodline his grin widened.

"Oh, that makes sense. I am an Uzumaki, but I don't know which side of the family it comes from at all, it's just something that I want to know more about when I get older, and searching up more things," Sora said with a concentrated look on his face, before he looked towards the Hozuki and continued, "I'm an orphan if you didn't know."

Sora's concentrated face turned to one of relief as he continued to talk, "You know, guys, sometimes it is nice to just talk and hang out with friends instead of training all the time. Even if I don't know you two that well I'm glad we get to see each other, and I consider everyone in Kumogakure a friend." The boy's face warmed up as blood ran to his cheeks, "I'm sorry. I know I talk too much and I'm abrasive."

Shaking his head to clear such thoughts and emotions he turned to Max, "Glitter all over, and possibly 'in' Komon? How'd that happen?" Sora would question with a chuckle. He'd wait for his response. Then he'd turn back to Komori.

"So, not to touch on a sensitive subject, but I notice how you use past tense for your parents..." He trailed off once again signaling to what he meant. Once again Sora would wait for his responses and more questions as they went down the gravel road filled with snow.

WC: 288

TWC: 1253

Sun Feb 26, 2017 11:46 pm

Max would look in amazement as Komori had broken the news to him. Senshi had been a Chuunin, as had Komori. Both Reizo and Komori had been close to rank ups as well. How long had he been out for? Could it have really been that long? Max looks a bit puzzled, as this news strikes him a bit harder. He was the last remaining member of his team that hadn’t basically been a Chuunin. Once he was out of this hospital, he would have to immediately begin work on some… modifications. He couldn’t really be a shinobi without his limbs, now could he? “Well congratulations are in order. Good job on nearly making Chuunin, Komori. One step closer to being one of the ‘powerful shinobi’ of these lands, huh?”

Sora had been an orphan of Kumogakure, and seeing Max like this only showed one of the orphans that their champion was just as fragile as any of them. “Sora, would you be so kind as to not say anything to the other orphans about my condition? If asked, just say that I’m doing well.” He didn’t want the kids at the orphanage to see him like this, nor did he want them to think any less of him.

Max would nod and agree with Sora when he mentioned not just training all the time. “Just a peaceful day without the fuss of combat or missions can be nice. Almost takes you away from this place, to somewhere less…” Max trails off, not wanting to continue. He had barely known these two, and wouldn’t want to say anything that they would take offense to, “Well, somewhere a little more peaceful.”

When asked about the glitter, Max would smile from ear to ear. “Senshi ran us through an obstacle course that he had booby trapped beforehand. There were a bunch of kunai and sparkly ‘glitter bombs’. You should have seen us walking out of there. It was quite the sight to see.”

Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:14 am

Komori was touched that Max remembered him saying he was going to become one of the most powerful shinobi around. He had almost forgotten that his original intention was to become powerful. His newfound purpose was simply to protect those that he cared about. He would only need power if it meant that others would be saved. The Hozuki found it a tad odd that the Uzumaki would just flat out say that he was an orphan. Usually, people kept that sort of knowledge to themselves, or at least to close friends and not to people they had just met. He then cringed at the mention of the word glitter, “Let’s not, shall we. It was a terrible, sparkly pink experience.” He could not help but say it with a laugh. His laugh faltered once Sora had asked him about his parents. He did not even realize that he spoke of them in the past tense, as he rarely spoke about them at all. It always seemed to be brought up in regards to his shared origin with Komon in order to clear up confusion. “Yeah, they uh,” he cleared his throat, obviously not enjoying the topic of discussion. “My father died when I was young. I was around six or so. Then my mother also… died,” he said leaving out the details of her brutal murder. “I was maybe eight at that point. It’s all kind of a blur sometimes you know, it seems so much has happened these past few months.” Komori would then immediately laugh in order to hide any discomfort that he had.

WC: 1413

Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:15 am

Sora solemnly looked towards the ground, "Yeah, I know what you mean. Well, kind of. I've never known my parents, but I think having your parents and losing them is worse than never knowing them. If you ever want to talk I'm here. I'm pretty sure Max would be able to talk to you as well."

Komori's laugh was obviously fake, but he didn't mention it. Sora just laughed a bit too, trying to ease the thick tension of course. The chocolate-brown haired boy turned to the small blonde.

"Max, what do you want to do with your life?" It would sound weird coming out of nowhere, but Sora just needed to know, "You can retire from being a shinobi, you've gotten really hurt, so why do you still choose to tread on? Sometimes I wonder why I'm even a shinobi, why don't I just revert to a citizen and live a less hardy life than the one of a ninja."

He'd then turn to Komori, "You too, Komori. What strives you to pursue this career? What makes you so confident to continue forward in this hard job of being a Shinobi?"

WC: 204

TWC: 1457

Tue Feb 28, 2017 1:51 am

Hearing the pain in Komori’s voice, Max doesn’t touch the subject at all. He knew what it had been like to go through that feeling of loss. It wasn’t fun. No, it could break a person down to their very core and twist them up in knots.

When Sora asked what Max had wanted to get out of life, the question made him think for a moment. There were several things that immediately sprang to mind, but one thing that had truly driven him. The acquisition of power. Not power just for the sake of power, but power enough to vanquish those that have wronged him, his village, and his family. Staring off into the distance, Max would merely say, “Kumo is my home, and I care about its well being a great deal. I must defend it like all members of the Yamaguchi clan…” The boys voice cuts out before continuing, “… were expected to. I must grow capable enough to vanquish all foes of Kumogakure.” His voice grows stern as he speaks, a fierceness to the tone.

“Plus, Napa would kill me if I tried to quit, so that is a pretty strong motivation as well.” Max would say, trying to shake off the feeling he gets every time he thinks about what truly causes him to wake up each and every day.

Wed Mar 01, 2017 12:33 am

The Hozuki genin waited to hear Max’s answer before continuing with his own thoughts. He gave a morbid chuckle at the mention of Napa, although he was still not entirely sure of what Napa was. It seemed to be an imaginary friend of sorts, at least to the unaware boy. Luckily, Komori had just gone through an entire endeavor that showed him why he pursued the life of a shinobi. “My goal is to protect my loved ones and my village. The area itself does not matter to me as long as lives are saved in the process. If Kumo fell under attack and was evacuated, I would stay behind and give my life so that others may leave. As long as the citizens continue to persevere through the trials they face, the idea of a village cannot be destroyed.” He paused to dramatically watch a light snow begin to fall from the heavens above. “Ideas are immortal.”

WC: 1571

Wed Mar 01, 2017 12:38 am

The boy would chuckle quietly to himself, he didn't know if that thing about Napa killing Max was a joke or not, and Sora wouldn't be surprised if the blonde-haired boy was being serious. The chocolate-brown haired boy would listen to Komori before responding.

"That is actually really noble, Komori, my dream is like yours as well. The village and the people I love are all that matter to me to continue a lifestyle of pain and regret," The Genin said. This was the first time Sora was being sentimental with someone else than Roxas or his pseudo-parents, these guys seemed to know exactly how to make him feel better.

Sora would then smile a bit as he told them why he wanted to be a shinobi for Kumogakure, "Well, I've never known my parents. Roxas, my little brother, was the only one I'm related too. Sadly, he hasn't inherited my Uzumaki traits, or maybe that is a good thing, I don't even know if he wants to become a ninja. Sorry, I'm getting a bit off track, I want to become a shinobi to learn more and to protect Roxas, and my friends, and anyone I love."

The boy would take in a huge breath before continuing with a saddened voice, "We haven't known each other for long Maximillian, but I don't like seeing you like this at all, and if I was there I would have sacrificed myself for you just so you could be better. I want to live my life protecting and serving the people I love." The boy would then finish off with a smile towards the two.

Sora cleared his throat before asking his next question, "So, Max, are you excited about the Chuunin Exams? I've been thinking of joining them, and I probably am since my sensei, Senshi taught me Chakra Sensory and Chakra Suppression." The boy would grin, "I'm so ready to pass this! I'll get way more experience as Shinobi and gain more rights."

He'd look at Komori to see if had anything to say before turning back to Max, "How do you feel about the Chuunin Exams?"

WC: 375

TWC: 1832

Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:19 pm

Komori's response was fitting, and exactly what Max would expect from a Kumo shinobi. Protecting the village is the most important thing a shinobi can do, though Max kept note of the way he phrased it. Maybe the twins would prove to be staunch allies in the challenges ahead. He would have to wait and see to be sure.

Max would scratch his head a bit, wondering if this Sora kid that he barely knew just said in a roundabout way that he loved him. Well, dodging some of the weirdness that would likely come up from that conversation. Of course, Sora had been one of Kumo’s orphans and Max would likely be seen as their protector so it is within reason…

“Ugh, thanks? I appreciate your wanting me to be better, but if you had been there you would have been in just as bad of a condition or maybe worse. Plus, that still might not have prevented me from losing my limbs. I’ll be fine, I’m sure. I’ll be back at it in no time and resume my training.” Max would say as he lifted his hand up to catch a drifting snowflake from the sky.

“I honestly don’t know how I feel about the exams,” Max would say thinking to himself about what they would entail. “I can say that I don’t want to be responsible for the lives of a team.” It may be surprising hearing those words form from his mouth, but you could tell he had been serious, “That is a lot of weight to put on someone’s shoulders. I dunno if I really want that added hassle…”

Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:32 pm

“Well, I’m inclined to say that I look forward to my exams.” At this point in time, Komori had just recently taken the genjutsu exam, or the first official chuunin exam. The following exams, which were leagues harder than what he had had to face so far, remained a mystery to him. “I’m looking forward to my promotion. If anything, I hope to grow from the experience of these rather demanding trials and let them shape me into a person suited for leading a team.” This last part was directed more towards Max based upon what the orphan had just said. “You can’t think of responsibility as something extra and unnecessary. It’s the standard to which we hold ourselves.” He smiled. “We can only be called shinobi based on things we take responsibility for, you know.”

WC: 1549