Let's Get Started Shall We

The Nazar found himself seated at the patio of a coffee shop at a table with four seats. Currently he was seated alone, but he had no doubt the three seats would be filled shortly. He had sent a notice to each one of the three Genin informing him to meet him here at noon. Noon was fast approaching. Placed on the table at each seat was an empty tea cup with a tea kettle resting in the middle of the table, a slow be steady stream of steam being released from it. His tea cup was already filled as he sipped on it while waiting. No doubt when each one arrived Kinzoku would offer them tea. If they accepted he would pour it for them, otherwise he would just wait for each one to arrive as they took their seats. Resting on the Nazar's lap with one leg over the other was a rather slim folder. The folder contained the general information of all three Genin on his team. The page was currently opened up on one Jason Senju. 

Kinzoku was familiar with him. The first time he met the Senju was when he had been the one to proctor his Genin exam. The second time was under more unfortunate circumstances as he had seen him join the fight against Kirigakure. By the end of the fight he remembered seeing Jason quite badly injured. Though it was good to see he was doing well now and Kinzoku was pleased to see Jason would be on his team. He knew Jason was battle tested and had experience. Flipping over the page, next came a Higuto Aburame. Upon seeing his clan name Kinzoku knew who this was as well. He had met him only a couple of days back when he returned from his trip. Higuto had been the one to let him back into the village as the gate guard. Both he and Jason were listed as active gate guards for the village which was good. It would serve to give the two some well needed experience. Kinzoku flipped over the page to reveal his final student. Allegro Uzumaki. He was the most recent graduate of the three Genin although it seems he has already completed a few missions on his own.

After reviewing the brief files on his students Kinzoku closed the folder and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket. Dressed in his usual all black attire draped in his black coat topped off with his black hat, the Nazar grabbed his tea cup with his metal hand to take a sip from it. He eagerly awaited the three Genin. He had high expectations for this team. Each one belonged to a well renowned clan of Konohagakure. They all brought amazing potential to the table. Not only would the pressure be on them to perform, but the pressure was also on Kinzoku to lead them. As their sensei Kinzoku had to prepare them for the future of the village. That was not going to be such an easy task. But he was looking forward to it.

Today was indeed a day of excitement for Higuto as it was the day he'd finally be able to sit down with the team of Genin he had met previously along with the one who would seemingly be the teams sensei in terms of leading them through whatever vanguards of missions came their way as well as teaching them the experiences that were necessary for when it came to being a ninja. After already having met the one who was going to be leading the team this allowed him the opportunity to be able to sit down and truly get to properly have a conversation under better circumstances. Not only that but it would be an actual official meeting of the entire team and they'd all have the chance to properly get introductions in and get to know one another. This was the main thing that was upon his mind as he walked along the streets towards the coffee shop that was mentioned on the notice he had received from Kinzoku earlier on in the day and he made certain he'd make haste without delay.

As he made it to the shop in question he could see the Jounin already sitting at one of the patio tables seemingly looking into a folder at something. What that was Higuto was unsure and frankly believed it was none of his business as he stepped up to the patio and pulled the chair that was to Kinzoku's left out from under the table before giving Kinzoku a polite nod. "Good to see you again, sir." He sat down in the chair in question and relaxed himself as he looked at the teapot that was steaming. He thought it impolite to ask for a cup of tea without the rest of the team being there so he decided that he'd wait patiently for the others to arrive as he focused on the sounds of the shop and the keepers at work inside.

The long awaited day had come. Today was the day that Jason and his team would be formally introduced with their Jounin leader present. There was no anxiousness to be found in the young Senju, only a tinge of excitement. He had already met both Higuto and Allegro after receiving the official notice that they were all to be made part of Konoha's team 7. Of course, what he hadn't mentioned to the other Genin, was that he had also already met Kinzoku Sensei. He was the ninja that had proctored Jason's Genin exam and he remembered seeing him during the battle at the gates as well. 

When he arrived at the teashop mentioned in the summons, Jason saw that Higuto was already there seated alongside Kinzoku sensei. Wasting no time, Jason made his way onto the patio and took the seat opposite the Jounin. It was the one that gave him the best view to see everyone entering and leaving the small shop. He always liked to know what was going in his surroundings. "It's been awhile, Kinzoku Sensei." he said with a smile on his face.

Finally!
 
The day had finally come where Allegro would officially be assigned to his genin squad and begin the intensive training that would eventually lead to him becoming a truly splendid shinobi. Allegro casually walked down the streets of the village with his arms over his head and headphones over his ears. If there was anything that was signature to this boy, it was his love of music. No matter where he was, he would not be caught dead without his tunes. Some say this was because Allegro had ambitions to be a world famous musician as well as a shinobi. Others say it was because he suffers from a persistent tinnitus from a terrible childhood accident that can only be drowned out with constant music. Today he was listening to something soothing, but high energy at the same time. He thought that would help him be more of a team player. He would need that positive attitude for what lies ahead. He had already made himself acquainted with the other genin members on the team: Jason Senju and Higuto Aburame. They were interesting in their own right, respectively, and Allegro was intrigued to see how their dynamic would develop. Then there was his team leader, Kinzoku Nazar. Allegro confessed that he knew nothing of the man or his power, or the reputation of his clan. All he knew about the mysterious shinobi was that he was one of the only shinobi still abroad after a village-wide recall of all Konoha shinobi to the village during a time of attack. He took a second to review the memo he had received from Kinzoku. No big deal, he guessed.
 
“Coffee shop…..Noon…..Got it!”
 
Allegro tucked the piece of paper away into his pocket. His casual walk was suddenly interrupted as something caught the boy’s eye on the side of the road. A homeless man had posted up and was begging a group of people for some spare change to feed his family. Allegro sighed with nostalgia as he remembered his own days of poverty in the Earth country. He had lived amongst savages and often times fell short in the brutal fight against his own siblings in which only the victor would receive their dinner. Allegro wondered if the poor man begging for change had a story of his own to tell, and drew closer. He had a few minutes to spare before noon anyhow.
 
 
When he drew closer, Allegro noticed that the people gathered around the poor old man were bullying him. They laughed at the man’s unfortunate predicament and were messing with his large pile of trash – or well, to him, those were most likely his most valuable possessions. The man could not do much in retaliation, one of his legs had been amputated. One of the hecklers pulled something out of the pile of belongings and dangled it in front of the poor old man, like food in front of a hungry dog. The man struggled to reach for it; it was clear that it was dear to him. But, any time he got close, the others pushed him away, into the pile of junk. Pots and pans scattered about as they became increasingly rough with the man. At closer inspection, what was dangling was an old forehead protector. The Leaf emblem was all but worn away from the front. The old man was a veteran of the village. Allegro had to do something.
 
Allegro charged forward and snatched it out of the kid’s hand in order to return it to its rightful owner. The old man accepted his headband with both hands. The gratitude was visible in his eyes. Allegro exchanged the gaze with the old man and whispered, “Hey, old man. Play along, OK?” He gave a wink before turning around to face the bullies, who were still crowded around. They had half a mind to bully Allegro too, unaware of his status as a ninja. Allegro removed a ninja scroll from his back pouch and tossed it into the air, unraveling it. A brief second later, a unique looking acoustic guitar fell out of the sky and into Allegro’s right hand ever so gently. Allegro played a catchy tune that caught the attention of all who heard it. The old man sitting behind him quickly caught on and scrambled to find two wooden spoons and a large pot, forming a makeshift drum. The two of them played in such harmony, that villagers from all around began to join the party. They were clapping along as Allegro sang notes as high as his range would allow while his drummer carried the beat, swinging his spoon drumsticks frantically.  The bullies could not help but stare in bewilderment at how the tables had turned. Some of them could not help but tap their feet and smile at this unexpected outcome. Finally, Allegro and the old man were being showered with Ryo and small coins for the great performance that seemed to go out of nowhere.
 
Allegro and the drummer shared a laugh while trying to shield themselves from the money shower. They flipped over the pot the old man was using as a drum so that the money could collect there.  There was a smile on every face on that busy street, including an especially large one on the genin’s face. But soon, that smile would disappear.
 
“Oh crap! It’s 12:30, I’m late! Not groovy...”
 
Allegro dashed away, waving goodbye to the townspeople and his new friend. Now jumping on balconies, rooftops, and dangling clotheslines between buildings, Allegro was doing his best to take a shortcut to the meeting spot. Allegro finally landed in front of the shop in a matter of minutes. His headphones were off and he was slightly out of breath. He took his seat, the only seat left at the table, and collapsed into it. With a sight of relieve, Allegro would meet the gaze of each man at the table, Kinzoku’s lastly. Allegro had an awkward look on his face with his hand rustling his bright red dreadlocks.
 
   
“Sorry I’m late! There was this old man that needed by help. Anyway…Let’s get started, shall we?”

[WC 1031]

The first to arrive was Higuto who had arrived while Kinzoku was still looking through the folder. Luckily he had just finished reading through the files so when the Aburame took his seat Kinzoku slipped the folder back into the inside of his jacket. "Nice to see you too" Kinzoku would say with a friendly smile and a slight nod. He watched the Aburame take his seat and observe the tea in front of him, but refrained from taking any. Maybe he was shy? Or he was simply being polite and waiting for the others to arrive. "No need to wait" Kinzoku spoke as he leaned forward and grabbed the tea kettle. "It's better to have the tea while it's hot." He poured the herbal green tea into Higuto's cup for him as the steam lifted into the air. Just as he was about to put the tea kettle down he refrained from doing so, holding it a moment longer once he noticed Jason enter the patio. With a friendly smile he poured the tea for Jason as well as the Senju took the seat directly across from the Nazar. "It has been some time hasn't it, Jason" Kinzoku replied as he place the kettle back down onto the table. "Glad to see you're doing well".

"Please. enjoy some tea while we wait for the last member" Kinzoku would say, basically making small talk until everyone had arrived. "It is my understanding the three of you have already met one another. So I'm going to make this as short as possible" he informed the two seated with him. "This, more than anything else is for me. To get a better understanding of you guys. Who you are, your strengths, weaknesses, what you strive for, you know basic stuff" he added with a smile as he explained what this gathering would hold. It would also provide the three Genin an opportunity to learn a little about their Sensei. 

Sipping his tea, Kinzoku's eyes drifted over to Allegro soaring through the sky and landing in front of the patio before collapsing into the final seat like a sack of potatoes. He met the gaze of the two Genin's before finally meeting Kinzoku's. He apologized for being late, explaining why and wanting to jump right into it. "Pleasure to meet you, Allegro. No need for an apology, how can I blame you for helping out someone in need." Kinzoku said as he placed his tea cup down and reached for the kettle once more. He would never scold anyone for helping someone out. Kinzoku himself was very big on volunteering and helping the community so he sympathized with Allegro's actions. "Sit back relax and have some tea, there's no need to rush" he would add as he poured tea for the final Genin. 

Placing the kettle down once more, the Nazar leaned back to get a good view of the three Genin. "Higuto, Jason, Allegro. Thank you for coming and welcome to Team 7 of Konohagakure. To begin, I would like to get to know each one of you better. It'll not only help me to better teach and prepare you guys, but it will also allow for the three of you to know one another better as well. From this moment forward, you guys are brothers." The Nazar reached for his tea cup once more and held it in his hands before leaning back against his seat. "To begin, i'd like you guys to talk a little bit about yourselves. You can start about your past if you'd like to get things moving. But you have to answer these questions. What are you strengths and weakness? What is your natural affinity? What would you like to learn or achieve as being apart of this team? What's the most important thing when it comes to a team? What are your goals as a ninja? And most importantly, why did you choose to become a ninja?" Those were the basic yet most important questions Kinzoku could think of at the moment. Of course the Genin did not have to simply answer the questions and be done with it. They could add in anything they please and elaborate as much as they wanted. "Let's start with you shall we" Kinzoku said with a smile as he looked over to Higuto and going clockwise from there. Eager to hear the Genin's responses, the Jounin sipped on his tea and listened closely.

Higuto nodded to Kinzoku kindly as he took the cup of tea and sipped it as they both waited for the rest of the team to pop in. He was in the middle of taking a second sip as he saw Jason sit beside him to whom he gave a nod to with a smile upon his arrival. After a brief interlude with Kinzoku on the purposes of the meeting he then noticed Allegro arrive to the scene as he took the seat across from Higuto in his usual grandiose manner. He also nodded politely to Allegro as he then sat forth and listened to what his new sensei had to say about the new team. The fact that he had referred to us as 'brothers' made Higuto wonder if he could ever truthfully see the people sitting at the table around him in such a light. He thought that more than likely what he had meant was that they'd all view each other as brothers in arms rather than family. However he then thought that thinking them in that light might actually help him become more in tune with the team and would help him get stronger.

He was then addressed directly to start the introductions as Kinzoku pointed to him and began answering questions. He leaned forth on the table and took a sip of tea before answering the first question. "Well I'm very happy to meet you all once again today. My name is Higuto Aburame, as I don't believe I introduced my clan origins to the whole team yet, and if it's ok with everyone I'd rather keep my past a secret as it's hard to talk about without bringing down the mood. As far as strengths and weaknesses go I would suppose the correct way of putting where my strengths are at currently would be that I have a natural attitude of kindness to even those I may have just met which I feel can help when it comes to understanding compassion to those who might not share such traits. I'm also a part of the Aburame clan which allows me to connect with the insects both within and outside of my body which can help with long range information gathering and combat. Weaknesses, however, I often feel I have much in the way of as I'm still quite young and inexperienced when it comes to combat, as I've only ever sparred rather than had myself placed in an actual combat situation. Also I feel that my strength of compassion may often lead me to be known to be too trusting as I've often gotten closer to people upon first meetings rather than taking things at a safe distance."

He then was asked by Kinzoku the affinity question as he smiled wide. "Well I actually happen to have three affinities within me. My natural affinity is water and I have trained that affinity to know a few jutsus utilizing that element. Not too long ago I was able to then train my body in order to take in a second affinity of lightning and thanks to that I was capable of learning a pretty powerful lightning jutsu which I have not had the chance to utilize in combat yet. And then, after that, I was able to train those two affinities within me in order to fuse them to make a new element that I'm currently in the works of training to be able to fully utilize known as the storm element. It's a work in progress but I should be have control over it shortly."

It was then that Kinzoku asked him the third question which led Higuto to really search within him for the answer as he really didn't have any real and easy answer to give. "Well I mainly wanted to be in a team as I've always been told that one of the basic yet most important aspect to every ninja's way of life is teamwork. Never having been a part of a team myself I feel that it's a weakness of inexperience that can be fixed if I found my place amongst other ninja. And not only that I think that it would be an even more better learning curve of an experience for me if I was able to join a team of Genin that also may or may not have that experience already. That way we'd all be able to learn together and be that much more efficient with strategies for when we are teamed up with other ninja."

The fourth question was easy as Higuto chuckled with a soft smile. "Teamwork. A team is supposed to act as a well oiled machine of plans and strategies that coalesce to bring missions or even competitions success rates higher. Teamwork is also a way to cover a weakness a teammate may have with one's own strength so that no one winds up being left behind. Even though we may all come out of this not being the best of friends, even though I hope that won't be the case, with teamwork we could not only be able to accomplish literally anything but it'll help bring about the knowledge for if we ever need to work amongst those we don't know at all. Even possibly with those of other villages."

Kinzoku asked the questions about what Higuto's goals as a ninja ultimately were which caused him to lean back in his chair. "Well... You could say that my ultimate goal in becoming a ninja is to be able to grow in strength and experience to where I can be able to protect those that are important to me. I wish to, one day, become a ninja worthy of the headband I carry and lead those who would have me lead them through to their own goals and desires. What I desire to grow up to be... is Hokage. A common goal, I know, and one that most ninja in my position are usually called naïve for pursuing. But if there's one thing I've always known when it came to looking forward in the future it's that you never get discouraged by the amount of walls and barriers you have to break through to achieve your dreams. It's about taking in as much knowledge and growth as you can get at each wall so that when you do achieve your goal you will never have to second guess anything you do. I wish to become a Hokage who perseveres through the most trying of times as well as one who can lead those with my same dreams down such dangerous roads."

And then came the last question from Kinzoku which Higuto sat back up in his chair and leaned his head on his hands as he thought of how to answer. "I guess the best way to answer your question would be to say that I wish to be able to achieve the strength to protect my 'village.' My 'home' if you will. This was actually something similar that I had said to the Mizukage when he proctored my Genin exams but my answer ultimately has not changed from what it was back then. To me my 'home' is not just the Leaf village. To me 'home' is the very ground that I walk upon, the people you meet on the streets of villages as well as the roads that connect them, the trees and the beauty of nature in general. To me the world is my home and I want to attain the strength to be able to protect all of it. Do I plan to achieve such strength alone? No. I plan to one day develop friendships and trust among all the villages of the world so that we can all work towards such a dream together rather than on our own. Only with the unity of all ninja of all villages can true peace be brought forth. I can understand if it's a goal that people would consider too much to even try to pursue... But after most of the things that I bore witness to growing up it's a goal I have every intention of achieving no matter how long it may take."

With all that he had to say said he leaned back in his chair and looked over to the tea pot as he reached over and poured some more tea into his cup to take a sip. He sat back after and waited for the next person to speak as he relaxed and listened quietly.

Kinzoku sensei had offered Jason tea when he was finally seated, which he happily accepted. It wasn't long after that when Allegro arrived in his normal grandiose fashion. If that kid was anything, he was definitely eccentric. Jason couldn't help but smile at the thought. That, and the fact Kinzoku sensei also referred to the trio as brothers the same way Allegro had at their first meeting. They may not be very close now, but Jason had a feeling that before long they truly would be brothers in every way except blood. It was something he was certainly looking forward to. 

As Team 7's Jounin leader continued to speak, telling them the purpose of this meeting and what he planned to get out of it, the young Senju sipped on his tea and listened carefully. There were several questions Kinzoku sensei wanted the Genin to answer about themselves, all of which Jason thought were good ways to not only get to know each other personally, but to begin thinking about combat strategies and such in order to complete missions quickly and efficiently. There was a reason this man was a Jounin of Konohagakure no Sato.

It was Higuto's turn to go first, and Jason made sure to pay attention to everything his friend said. Even though they had known each other since their days at the academy, there wasn't much they had known about each other personally, especially after not seeing much of each other since graduation. He didn't want to talk about his past, which was alright. He did have plenty of other interesting things to say including his working on utilizing an advanced element and the goal he had of becoming Hokage one day that was shared with Jason. Before long, it was Jason's turn to speak. He took one more sip of his tea before putting it down and folding his hands on the table in front of him, resting his chin on top. 


"I'm Jason Senju, but I think you all knew that already," he began, smiling as he spoke. "As for my strengths and weaknesses, well, I specialize in ninjutsu and have more resiliency than most thanks to my clan's heritage. I'm faster than most other Genin I've met, and can think quickly on my feet. I'd like to think I'm charismatic and open up to people quickly. Or at least I used to be. After the battle at the gates and everything since then with Kirigakure, it's been harder for me to be as happy and energetic as I used to be, and its harder for me to trust those around me. Especially members of the Mist Village."

He paused for a moment then, collecting his thoughts to move on before he went off on a tangent about things that didn't need to come up just yet. "Water is my natural elemental affinity, but I'm also able to use Earth Style as well as my clan's famed Wood Style, though I haven't exactly mastered it yet. Oh, and I can use shadow clones. What I would like to gain from being part of this team is.." The last few words trailed off as he began to really think about this particular question. What exactly did he want to get out of being a member of Team 7? More combat experience, for sure, but he also looked forward to experiencing what it's like to be a part of a team and learn what it means to lead one from Kinzoku sensei. A few other things went a long with that, but he thought he finally had an answer. "What I want to gain from being a part of this team is the combat experience I will eventually need to accomplish my goals. That, and to learn what it means to truly lead others who trust you with their lives. I want to know what being someone that others look up to and willingly follow with trust and loyalty is like. Kinzoku-sensei, I'm hoping that you can teach me these things as we move forward." 

If he remembered correctly, the next question was what he thought the most important part of a team was. If he was being honest, Higuto pretty much hit the nail on the head with his answer, but Jason did have one or two things to add. "I have to agree with Higuto about the most important thing for a team. The answer is obviously good teamwork. Of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg. Anyone can have good teamwork with another person if they work hard at it. It just takes time. Luckily for us, I think having members from three of the Leaf's most notable clans with personalities that mesh well will help to bring that about quicker. The real issue, the thing that will determine whether we blossom or flop, is trust. If we can't trust each other, then there won't be any teamwork to work on in the first place. Trust is fundamental." 

With most of the questions answered, the only ones left were why he decided to be a ninja in the first place and the goals he wanted to accomplish. He had already hinted at the later earlier, and the former was basically the same, only slightly different now. "I decided to become a ninja because I view all of Konohagakure no Sato as family, and wanted to do everything in my power to protect them. That being said, I've also had the goal of becoming Hokage for a long time now. However, after recent events, I also want to become strong enough so that nothing like the tragedy at the gates ever has to happen again." His fists were clenched tight on the table now, no longer laced together holding up his chin. His eyes burned with a fiery passion, his gaze centered on nothing in particular as memories of that day flashed through his mind. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he seemed to relax, remembering where he was and who he was with. "I, I'm sorry about that. It's just...it's just difficult to think about everything that happened. I can still see his face sometimes when I close my eyes....Salzem, the one who....." his word trailed off, tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away and smiled meekly at the group before motioning for Allegro to take his turn.

(1,072)

Allegro’s teammates looked happy to see him, which in turn, made him happy. He saw that everyone at the table had a somewhat serious and yet laid back attitude, which encouraged Allegro to adopt the same. He fixed his posture in the chair as best as he could. It proved a somewhat difficult task at first, with his guitar still on his back. He removed the instrument and let it rest against the back of his chair. By the time he looked back up, a cup of hot tea was waiting for him.
 
“Thank you, sensei!”
 
The boy’s skin was almost as dark in color as the tea he was blowing air from his mouth over. He was not used to drinking tea in the slightest. Since as early as he could remember before coming to Konoha, his only options for beverages were water from a nearby stream, or booze, his mother’s family’s favorite. In fact, the genin could probably list every sake, ale, and cognac in town, thanks to his local part time job outside of being a shinobi. But that was a story for a different topic thread.  Allegro’s eyes began to widen as Kinzoku got down to the nitty gritty of the meeting. Allegro’s head nodded the hardest in confirmation when Kinzoku spoke on the implied brotherhood between the members of Team 7. It was something Allegro would hold dear to his heart, from the time he first met each of them. Allegro also hoped that Kinzoku sensei knew that this also applies to him. He was trusting Kinzoku to guide his way to the light. Kinzoku reached for his tea cup and took a sip. Allegro did the same. While he was sipping, Kinzoku unleashed a number of questions that would be appropriate for a talk show with the Hokage as the guest star. It was so many questions that Allegro had not noticed that his tea was still piping hot. He was forced to spit up the hot liquid in his mouth. How embarrassing.
 
“Ahhhk! Hot Hot Hot!” The boy would fan his tongue, which seemed to be steaming. After realizing he had almost interrupted Higuto as he answered the questions sensei had asked.
“ehh sorry. Please, continue.” Higuto would then go on to answer every question in detail, and Allegro did his best to listen. By the time he was done speaking, Allegro’s head was spinning while he tried to digest all that was said. He was impressed with Higuto’s self awareness as he assessed his strengths and weaknesses. ‘So…Higuto can use Suiton, and Raiton ninjutsu. And he combines those two elements to create Ranton. How cool. Usually advanced elements are exclusive to certain clans as kekkei gennkai, but somehow Higuto has managed mastering such a technique outside his own clan’s hidden jutsu.’ Allegro thought to himself about how he would have to work hard to prove himself a respectable shinobi among the other members of team 7. He also agreed with his idea of teamwork. He would animate Higuto’s words with head nods and chin scratches, indicating his agreement with what was being said. Allegro’s eyes would grow narrow and sharp in response to what Higuto said next. Higuto, though he wasn’t as sure last time the three genin were together, now was clearly declaring his intention to become Hokage. Allegro silently acknowledged his feelings, and then slowly shifted his eyes to Jason. How would he respond? Would this turn into a rivalry? A brotherhood was no fun without a little rivalry, after all.
 
Jason seemed to keep calm and collected after hearing all Higutto had to say. He sipped his tea before speaking. Allegro took a mental note of Jason’s  confidence in ninjutsu, physical speed and endurance. ‘And, Jason’s specialty is Mokuton, a combination of Suiton and Doton. He inherited it from his ancestors of the Senju clan. Jason is capable of using Advanced Elements too.’ Allegro took a gulp. Was he intimidated by the fact that his compadres were more skilled than he was at ninjutsu? They were his seniors in terms of graduating the academy, after all. Allegro shook the thought away from him. There was no way he would fall behind! Even if it meant learning to master an Advanced Element of his own. Allegro allowed Jason to wrap up before it would be his turn. It would seem these questions were beginning to pry a little too deep for Jason’s liking. Allegro understood his feelings totally. Becoming a ninja means being exposed to all the bloody truths about the world they lived in. He wondered how soon it would be before his own hands had blood on them. Now was not the time to think about that. Jason gestured for Allegro to take his turn. With both eyes closed and a half smile on his face, the last genin spoke.
 
“Right. My turn. You all can call me Allegro. I had no interest in becoming a ninja at first. But I was recommended because of my knack for seals and fuinjutsu.” Allegro began to show his teammates a demonstration. Without removing his headphones from the nape of his neck, Allegro showed the group the inner components of the headphones he was wearing. A close look would reveal a kanji seal scribed on the inside of either ear cover. Allegro went on to explain how the seal binds audio and allows him to play the same sound back whenever he pleases. He uses this to record and replay his favorite songs, especially when his favorite bands were playing. Though somewhat trivial at this stage, Allegro wanted to demonstrate the potential for his seals to be used in combat someday. “I guess you could say it is one of my specialties. My other combat skills revolve around the manipulation of sound. I’d like to think of myself as a musical ninja.” Allegro pointed to his guitar with his thumb as he spoke. He thought hard about what he had to say next about his weak points. “I still have to train and become much stronger. I want to learn more about Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Come to think of it, I’m actually not too sure what my Chakra affinity is. But I think it would be useful to learn some awesome Fuuton ninjutsu to use for my musical ninjutsu, so I guess you can say these are all on my list of things to accomplish while on this team.” Up until now, Allegro’s mood was light hearted and easy going. However, that would soon change as the number of questions he had left to answer dropped to the final three. A few strands of his dreadlocks in front of his face, covering his left eye as he rested his chin on his closed left fist.
 
“Teamwork. Trust. Both are very important, so I agree with Jason and Higuto. But, I would add that the ‘Vibe’ has to be just right if a team is going to be successful. If the Vibe ain’t Groovy, our team’s song will never be as great as it could be. But if it is, we could sound like a symphony on every mission.” Allegro spoke with confidence, knowing he might raise an eyebrow or two with his response. Allegro believed passionately in the song that was within each person, and believed that he could hear it clearly. Usually that translated into whether or not that person was of good moral character or not. But in the situation of teamwork, Allegro could already see that the men at this very table had songs within them that he did not mind playing along to.  “As for my goal…well that is somewhat complicated. I am walking the path of ninja so that I may have access to Konoha’s shinob resources. I am looking for a certain man, a once legendary shinobi in this village and esteemed CEO. He has knowledge of the tools I will need to one day become a musician that everyone in the world listens to. I’ll become the grooviest ninja in Konoha!”
 
   
In Allegro mind, sparks were flying behind him as he said this. His ambitions were noble ones, but they came to be out of the depths of his past. He flashed back to a time shortly after he came to Konohagakure. A ninja had arrived at the doorstep of the his father's estate, the Uzumaki residence. The ninja had come to inform his father that a group of rogue ninja had been killed off scene in the battle with Kirigakure. They were presumed to be Allegro's family members on his mothers side, but it had never been confirmed. It also could not be proven that the death had any relation to the attack on Konoha by Kirigakure directly. Allegro remembered feeling immense grief, but made sure he heard every detail and did not miss anything. After listening further, he learned that the assailant was a mysterious woman with a flute who's song killed her enemies. That was all that could be said about the matter. From that day, Allegro had vowed to find this woman. Not to avenge his mother or anything like that. Allegro's mom was a psychotic bitch whom had no business at all raising kids at all. On the contrary, Allegro had to find out more about that lengendary flute. Of course this would attract the attention of someone who claimed to be a musical ninja. 

This had been his dream for a long time just like becoming the Hokage had been Jason’s and Higuto’s. And like them, Allegro would stop at nothing to get there, even if it meant training every night for the rest of his life. He shared the spirit of wanting to become strong and dependable so that he could protect the village if it ever came under attack again. Allegro tried to imagine the day fate brings him to the mysterious kunoichi with the deadly flute. He had to be ready to face her. How that the last genin had spoken, all eyes would soon be on Kinzoku sensei. Allegro tried to take another sip of his tea, but it had run cold. He had the worst luck. He wanted nothing more than to order a bottle of sake, but the drinking age in Konoha was ridiculously low. What kind of place is this, anyway?

[TWC 2685]

Kinzoku sat there silently and listened with his tea in hand as Higuto went over all the questions Kinzoku had asked, followed by Jason and lastly Allegro. The entire time Kinzoku remained silent as the three Genin spoke. He did not want to interrupt them midway into their answers of his questions. So instead he sipped his tea and retained everything the three Genin spoke about. At least he tried his best to retain everything. Once they were done, Kinzoku leaned forward to put his tea down before resting back against the chair rest. He had a smile on his face, happy to see they had answered his questions accordingly. It was time for his input on their answers as they were probably waiting for it. So, he started with Higuto.

"I respect your choice not to speak about your past, Higuto" Kinzoku began, "Although I want you to know that you can tell us whenever you like. Knowing the past of someone is another doorway into understand them. The better we understand one another the more effective we'll be as a team. Just keep that in mind. Also your inexperience is not a true weakness. You are only a Genin and are not expected to have experienced much in combat. Same goes for you, Allegro." Although Kinzoku was planning on changing that a later on today. He could understand why he sees his inexperience as a weakness considering how his teammate Jason had experienced the battle at the Konoha Gates. But there would be time enough for all of them to gain some experience. His two affinities were water and lightning, both affinities Kinzoku did not have himself which meant he wouldn't be able him learn jutsu with those elements. The storm element interested Kinzoku as he had never seen it in action before. "I look forward to seeing what that looks like" Kinzoku told Higuto. One thing that really caught Kinzoku's attention was the fact the Mizukage had proctored his Genin Exam. It was strange indeed for the Mizukage to perform such a task when he likely had more important matters to attend to. Although it was probably a good way to see what the younger generations of Konoha were looking like and to get a feel for them. 

Their answers for the next two questions were pretty similar. They all wanted to be apart of a team because it would help them gain experience and make them stronger. For the next question they all answered true, stating teamwork was the most important aspect. But this was a smart bunch and they knew that it wasn't as simple as just having teamwork. As stated by Jace, you needed to trust one another. And as Allegro put it, the vibe needed to be just right. In other words, their chemistry needed to be on point. Kinzoku couldn't help but be happy with their answers. In earnest those had been the most important question and they answered them better than anticipated. 

Higuto's reasons for wanting to be a ninja were because he wanted to protect his home and family, which to him was the entirety of the village. As a result he wanted to one day become Hokage. Ironically enough, so did Jace. "Two students wanting to become Hokage, this should be interesting" Kinzoku thought to himself. Jace specialized in ninjutsu and his elements were water, earth and wood. "I'll be able to help you out with ninjutsu, including earth jutsu" Kinzoku spoke as he looked at Jace. "Although I can't use water style jutsu, I can still help you with the process of learning jutsu if you need. That applies to you all" he added. Jace spoke about how he use to open up to people easily but due to recent events that was no longer the case. Kinzoku knew exactly how he felt. It would be his job to help bring Jace back to his former self, to have trust in people once more. "I don't expect you to have to trust the shinobi of Kiri. But I would suggest giving them a chance. They're not all bad. They were merely following their orders. The orders of their Mizukage, what else could they have done?" 

Kinzoku remembered Jace mention how he wanted to learn to lead and he was hoping Kinzoku would help with that. From the way Jace carried himself the Nazar believed Jace would have no problem leading. "You have already shown signs of what a leader needs, but I'll help you without a doubt. After all it's why I'm here" he said tipping his hat ever so slightly. "Jace, don't apologize" Kinzoku spoke after the Senju showed clear signs of his anger towards what happened to the village and Salzem. "Learn to accept what happened and to tame it. Anger will only lead you down a dark and dangerous path. Come to terms with what happened and use it to push forward. You are not alone in this. I too see him, nearly everyday. It why I'm here today. To prepare the next generation and make sure such events will never happen again. And that start's with the three of you."

Finally, Kinzoku would look over to Allegro to address his answers. He had a knack for fuinjutsu, something Kinzoku was always interested in but never skilled at. "Manipulation of sound. That's interesting" Kinzoku replied. "I can see how mixing sound in with genjutsu can be a lethal weapon, I actually had a similar idea along those lines", which was convenient since the Uzumaki wanted to specialize in genjutsu as well. "I can help you out with both Fuuton and Genjutsu. I've just started with the former but have quite a bit of practice with the latter." The Uzumaki's goal was to essentially become the best musical ninja in Konoha. It was definitely a goal Kinzoku had never heard of before, but the genin's charisma and enthusiasm was too be admired. "Music isn't my forte, but I'll help you get to your destination" Kinzoku added.

Now it was time for Kinzoku to answer his own questions, scratching as his neatly cut beard before going. "You all answered my questions wonderfully and I thank you for that. Now I suppose it's my turn. I'm Kinzoku Nazar. I was born and raised in Suna and lived there up until the village was taken over by Kumogakure. As a result I took refuge here in Konoha and joined their ranks as a Jounin. I haven't even been here for longer than a year. I'm basically a foreigner" he said, jokingly. "We Nazar are a very spiritual bunch. We pride ourselves on maintaining a strong mind and body. As a result we meditate and train everyday to maintain our strength both physically and mentally. I specialize in Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, and Genjutsu. The, let's go with my less-developed aspect, would have to be taijutsu and close quarters combat. I excel in long ranged combat however. This here, is Peacemaker" he said as he pulled his crossbow out from behind his chair and showed it to the three of them. "It's my most prized possession. Make sure to treat her nicely" as he placed it down beside him. "My affinities are Earth, Fire, Wind, and Steel. Nazar specialize in manipulation of steel which is one of the reasons I have this arm" as he pulled of his jacket sleeve showing his left metal arm up to its elbow. "I lost it in a mission a long time ago. Instead of having it replaced, I decided to get a metal arm. You know, for tactical advantages" he said with a slight grin. "As to why I became a ninja. Well, because I kinda had to. We Nazar live in a community of other Nazar. Everyone in that community is your family, not just your blood relatives. I was the first born of my generation so I had high expectations placed on me. One was becoming a Shinobi. So I did. However, growing up with the community mentality has lead me to cherish family. As a result, my goal as a shinobi is essentially to help those in need. Unfortunately they're not as grand as becoming Hokage" he added with a slight chuckle. 

Now that the basic introductions were over, a more important matter came up. "As you are all probably aware of, Konohagakure is now under the rule of Kirigakure. What that means is we will still run as a regular village would and retain our independence to some extent. But if Kirigakure tells us to do something, we listen. What this means is we can't look at them as our enemies anymore. Some of them are even living with us now. We have to see them as allies. I am not telling you to let your guard down around them. We are still in the process of learning who they are. All I'm saying is give them a chance. As I stated before, they were following orders." Kinzoku could only hope his message got through to his students. "Now, before we proceed with the rest of the day. I think it's fair to ask if any of you have questions for me, or something you want to say?"

Higuto listened to what his sensei had to say down to the letter as he nodded his head upon his words and leaned back in his chair to get more comfortable. He couldn't help but feel guilt and doubt cross his mind as he was told that letting them in on his past would indeed cause a level of trust to show itself amongst everyone. While he agreed with that thought he simply couldn't bring himself to talk about it as he closed his eyes and bottled the emotions that tried to spill forth out of him before opening his eyes again and nodding. "I'll talk about my past another day. I'm very sorry that I can't today but I feel that talking about it now would make things awkward even though I am well aware that I am technically among family now. I wouldn't want to add more grief to whatever some of us might already be feeling." He addressed Jason as he said this as he had seen many a glimpse of some kind of terrible past come from Jason. The fact that he now had a name to remember along those lines kept his attention. Salzem... That name he'd etch into his memories.

He had taken into account Allegro's own style as he could always tell that he seemed to have a bit of a knack in Fuinjutsu. Showing them all his headphones with the seal etched inside confirmed that he would be an excellent addition to the fold. But this also brought alarm to Higuto as he took notice of what Jason could do. Allegro was an Uzumaki, a clan well known for their Fuinjutsu capabilities, and Jason was a Senju who could use wood style which was known to be the power that the first ever Hokage had. There was no doubt that Jason would most likely be the more adept in terms of ninjutsu usage among the three while Allegro would be able to follow suit with sealing and bring any battles the Genin had to worry about to very quick ends. This led a twinge of sadness to sink into Higuto as he could no longer see himself as a huge part of the team since he couldn't think of any major things he could do that could make the team any stronger. He shook his head to get these thoughts out of his head as he tried to set his attention back to his sensei's words.

The revelation of Kinzoku's crossbow made Higuto smile as he remembered seeing it on Kinzoku's back among their first meeting at the gate. He had also wondered about what had happened to his arm that made him get it replaced in steel but was shocked to learn that his sensei was capable of using steel release jutsu. This led him to wonder to himself which two jutsus proved to be stronger if they ever were to clash with each other: Wood or Steel. He nodded upon hearing his sensei explain that Kiri was a part of the village now and that they would all need to learn to accept them. "Don't worry, sensei. I haven't allowed my emotions to get the better of me when meeting the Kiri ninja. I've already had a meeting with the Mizukage and I actually had a sparring session with a Genin from there as well. It... didn't go so good but he didn't seem to host any monstrous tendencies that would make me hate him or his village." Higuto looked to Jason after saying that and smiled softly. "If you want I can help you with your water style if you'd like to sometime. Maybe spending more time with teammates will help you suppress your memories of Kiri."

He chuckled after saying this as he turned back to Jason. "And I hope the fact that we are both after the position of Hokage won't make things hostile between us. All I can say on the matter is may the better ninja win." He then turned to Allegro as he thought of what he had said about his current capabilities. "That includes you, Allegro. If you ever wish for help in ninjutsu or the like I'm more than happy to oblige. I'm actually pretty jealous of how good at fuinjutsu you seem to be. It'd be cool if I could possibly train with you in learning a thing or two about it? It'd really help me out." His eyes fell back to the crossbow that laid on the table as he thought of the name his sensei had given it: Peacemaker. He found the name to be ironic.

The opportunity of asking questions finally was put on the table as he nodded to him and thought of how best to ask this next question. "Well, sensei, I was actually thinking about this some time ago when it came to the team. I think with the addition of you in the mix as Team 7's leader is really going to make us stand out among other teams and I can't really begin to describe how lucky the team is that we were able to get you. However I feel that sometimes we might be put in situations where we won't have you there to guide us at all times. We may be placed in tough times where we will need to rely on each other's decisions to guide us through whatever and wherever we may end up. That why I wanted to ask if you think it a good strategy if one of us was to be named a side leader for when you're not around. Someone who can make the tough decisions and guide the team to victory?" He took another sip of tea as he hoped that his question wouldn't appear awkward or rude in any way. After taking his sip he laid back in his chair and waited for the next person to chime in.