A Lesson of Sunagakure

Asahi arrived at the training fields an hour before his meet with Zaine was to take place. He was newly assigned to the Uchiha's team and this would be one of his first private sessions with the man. The sun was slowly creeping overhead and when it reached that point it would be noon and their training session was to take place. The Genin had not had much sleep the night before and instead of waiting around he decided to just go to the grounds early. He would still be bored, but at least it was a change of scenery instead of staring at the ceiling of his room. There were already many other students gathered for training, and even what he assumed were Jounin sparring far off to one side. He found an empty portion of the grounds and walked over to claim it for him and his sensei. There was a bench long enough for a person to lay down and he decided to take it up on its offer. It was just wide and long enough that he wouldn't fall off it, though he had to keep his legs bent to fit along its length. Even beneath the dome the sun was still a force to be reckoned with and he draped an arm over his eyes to block it out.

Just a few minutes, he thought to himself, then maybe I'll do a light warm up.

As the sounds of training and exercise rang out around him on the field the Genin relaxed in his black jacket and pants. His green eyes enjoyed the rest and his brown hair rested over his face. While he laid there his mind drifted away and he began to ruminate as he often did. He wished he could be the type of person that just cleared their thoughts and found peace for a moment but he never could; always a victim to his obsessive thinking. He had gotten much stronger since returning to the lifestyle of a shinobi, but he still had hardly made any progress towards his goal. He desired to change Sunagakure and return it to the idealized version from his childhood. But he was still just a Genin, and he still knew hardly anything about the power structure within the village, or who the important players were behind the scenes. Asahi needed more knowledge, that more than anything else. He gave a sigh, how am I to make an impact if I don't even know who or what I'm competing against?

His ruminations turned into dreams and Asahi fell asleep on the bench while he awaited the arrival of his new sensei, Zaine Uchiha.

---

444 Asahi WC
444 Asahi Total WC

Following their first meeting Zaine was eager to get a better understanding of one of his new genin in particular, Asahi Igarashi- a young shinobi carrying an unfamiliar name and a striking resemblance to someone that had once been very close to him. His new student seemed unique in his own right and it was for this reason that a proper introduction with some one on one time was necessary- he needed to learn what drove this young man to become a shinobi and what he hoped to gain by following this path. The clock had just struck a quarter till noon as he entered the training field in hopes that Asahi would have beaten him there- punctuality was something he admired, especially in the youth as it showed motivation and eagerness and these traits were crucial for success. Off in the distance past the other shinobi that had come to the training grounds with their respective sensei, he could see his student lying on a bench and it appeared that he had fallen asleep. "Perhaps hes much more laid back than the other two? This could make for an interesting mix. They could use the balance for sure.." He thought to himself as he approached his student with an apple in each of his hands- he would toss one onto the stomach of Asahi in hopes that it would wake him up if his approach did not. "You're here early as expected, thanks for that Asahi." Taking a large bite of the apple he was still holding he would maintain a standing position as he looked on at the genin "Even though its noon, its not too late to have a quick bite for a late breakfast. Assuming you havent had anything to eat yet." He would finish chewing and take a seat next to the young shinobi- due to a lack of plans for combat, Zaine was sporting the more casual look of a long sleeve white shirt with the Uchiha crest symbol on his back along with black straight legged pants and shinobi sandals. He carried along with him his prized blade which was safely sheathed to his back and his eyes were activated to the matured three tomoe state of the sharingan. 

After allowing a few minutes of eating in silence to pass he would glance over at the genin to get a better look at him, this time focusing his vision on the boy in a more in depth manner- his chakra flow was extraordinary for his age and even the slightest movements he did showcased the potent strength tucked away behind each muscle fiber. To say he was in good physical shape would have been a severe understatement and with these simple observations thanks to his eyes he was able to deduce that the boy specialized in Taijutsu to some extent- this revelation would bring a soft smirk to his face as he thought of his long time friend and former sensei Raleth Sarutobi who was well known for his expertise in the field of hand to hand combat. "What a stroke of luck" He thought as he prepared to break the silence they were sharing alongside a couple of apples, "So, Asahi Igarashi. I have to tell you, i'm very excited to have you on the team and im hoping that I can find out a little more about what it is you want from being a shinobi. What type of shinobi do you wish to be and is there anything in particular you were hoping to find out by coming here and meeting with me today?" He had high hopes that he wasnt dealing with the stoic/stand offish type and that the boy would be open to conversation- it was clear that he would be a valuable asset to Team 2 but what exactly brought him on this path? 

[WC=648]

The Genin was oblivious as his teacher approached. His dreams took him to all sorts of places and he was happy to stay caught up in their illusion. The apple landed square in the center of his stomach and jolted him awake. His hand instinctively went to grab it and he looked around for the culprit. He spotted Zaine standing off to the side holding an apple of his own. Asahi slowly sat up and collected himself. He was still half asleep and in a bit of a daze. In his mind he was trying to remember the dreams he was having but they were starting to slip away from him. He could only remember a few sparse details, and he knew in a few moments he'd remember nothing of the fantasies. Funny how that works, he thought. Asahi slid down the bench so that Zaine could take a seat next to him. He nodded his thanks for the apple and started to bite into it. Nothing tasted quite so good as when it was free and the apple was no exception.

"I haven't ate yet," he replied as he chewed. "Thank you."

They sat together in silence for a few minutes as they finished their breakfast. Asahi looked over at his teacher at one point and caught a glimpse of those scarlet eyes of his. He had encountered them before during a mission beyond Sunagakure a few weeks prior. It was strange for him to see them again under such different circumstances; one that didn't hold his life in the balance. He knew he had little to worry about with Zaine but it was hard for him not to feel on guard around them. Asahi wondered what sort of powers or strength his sensei had. He noted the sword sheathed to his back and it was easy to assume he was well-versed in its use. The Genin still had not achieved a great mastery of chakra sensory and it was difficult for him to ascertain just how strong Zaine was, but his gut told him he was outmatched. Of course I am, he's a Jounin, I've got a long way to go. Still, he wondered how he would fair against him if they put everything on the line fighting for a cause they believed in. It'll never happen. The silence was broken and Asahi gulped down the last of his apple and prepared to answer the Uchiha.

"Happy to be on a team. I've been working hard since my time back in the village and I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere." The questions Zaine asked of him were tough ones and he had to think for a few moments before answering. He stared out into the training field and then without looking he spoke: "I want to be... a just shinobi. If that's even possible." He looked at Zaine then. "But I don't want to be a shinobi for its own sake. I used to, back when I was a child in the old village. I've come back here to change things. I moved out of the old Suna well before it was destroyed to stay with family on the borders of the Land of Wind. We farmed for years and everything was fine. But then I heard there was a new village. Shortly after that came... the stories. The infamous Kenshin Uzumaki, the market for transplants and the bloodworks. Maybe I'm naive, maybe the new Sunagakure isn't any different than the other villages, maybe it's not even different from the old Sunagakure. But it's not the place I remember. That's why I'm a shinobi and that's my goal: to enact change."

"I need to know more about this place," Asahi looked at Zaine as if he was the only person who could help him. "I've been away for so long and I know little about how it works. I've trained all I can yet I'm still no further towards my goal. I know you might think I'm dangerous for saying all of this but my intentions are good, I swear." Asahi still wasn't quite sure how far he would need to go to see his goals accomplished. It might not even be possible with words. He thought it was best not to say anything to Zaine about that. "Who do I need to talk to make these changes happen? How did they get to where they are in the village? What are the obstacles standing in my path?"

"I desperately need a history lesson, sensei. I would be forever grateful for anything you could tell me." He had no idea how the Uchiha would take everything he had told him, but he knew he would get nowhere if he didn't take that first step into the unknown.

---

795 Asahi WC
1239 Asahi Total WC

If nothing else the boy had true conviction behind his words and there was no denying that he intended to carry out his goal no matter the cost- one couldnt help but wonder what was truly driving him forward to 'change' the world around him. Even Zaine had to admit that the customs of their village were a lot to get adjusted to, as he was from another village once upon a time as well- still, Sunagakure was home and he had changed much because of it. The idea of wanting to be a 'just' shinobi was a goal that had been carried by the red eyed Jounin his entire life and was a constant motivation for him to improve and better himself- though he felt that this path was less of a decision and more of a groomed conclusion, considering the path his older brother had taken and the end that he met at the hands of a rather famous shinobi. "A just shinobi you say? I believe that in order to become that which you define as just, you need to give the word meaning. More than that, you need to focus on becoming a just person. Becoming a full fledged shinobi takes time and it goes without saying that you could never hope to become a just or honored shinobi if you arent such as a person." He would smile and place his hand on the shoulder of the young shinobi "I have the upmost faith that you can achieve this goal though. You just need the time and resources to reach it and ill help you every step of the way." He would return his gaze to the sky above as he leaned back and thought more on the boy's words and his desire to learn about the history that preceded him. Zaine couldnt help but smirk as he found his interest in the past both admirable and mature- he clearly wanted a full picture from start to finish so that he could justify his wants and desires and go about his form of change in the appropriate way. 


A large sigh would escape from him as he closed his eyes, "Well, the greatest advantage of Sunagakure is the sheer number of differing experiences that make up its military force and leadership. You might struggle to find someone in the higher ranks of our village that was actually born here to be honest but theres a beauty in that Asahi. I could send you to a few people so tat they could tell you their stories and as a matter of fact I believe Ill do you this favor so that you can achieve your goal, on one condition." Opening his eyes the young uchiha would grin, his focus still forward as he spoke, "You'll enter the chuunin exams and place in the first 4 spots. If you manage that then youll gain access to the knowledge from all the officials I can gather, which would be just about all you need and a bit more I would say. Also, ill sweeten the deal and teach you a secret technique of mine. So, what do you say?" He would await an answer from his new student and regardless of his response, he would respect his decision and move on to his more pressing question before he explained the history of Sunagakure. "I dont find you to be particularly dangerous Asahi although you have peaked my interest. What is it exactly that you want to change about our home? What about the current system troubles you?" This question would be the deciding factor on how not only this situation would pan out but perhaps the entirety of their student/sensei relationship. 


Time would pass as the two conversed and it was agreed upon that they would find time later on to continue their conversation and possibly get some training done. Zaine would exit the training grounds soon after their conversation finished. 





[Total WC=1,312]

EXIT


Using double AP max stat bonus


Claims

• Claiming 26 AP from full WC in topic
  

Approved