Back To The Academy [Mitsu, Dana]

Patrol Training:

Poster Problem:

Pet Food Delivery:

'Knowledge v Wisdom:

The gathered genin sit in one of the academy's spacious rooms. They've been renovated within the past few years, and Shoko only dimly remembers the grey walls that had dominated before the building's facelift.

A few complain amongst themselves in mumbles as they wait for the instructor to return. Had they expected to never see the school again? Shoko can 'understand' that mindset, academically, though she finds it very silly. She'd seen genin and chuunin around for various reasons often enough. She sits straight in her chair and works on hand-formatting pages of her notebook in the meantime.

Their instructor, a haggard-looking Chuunin, returns, wheeling in a television on a cart. He slots a tape into it and gets the instructional video set up to play and then sets to handing out small bundles of papers to the gathered ninja. "You all have four missions to take care of today," he says as he moves through the room, voice a monotone wheeze. "Once the video's done, please read through the papers and arrange yourselves into squads. Once you're ready, you can all head out, and bring the forms back when you're done."

Shoko has been told it's common for the Academy to organize missions in such a way for recent graduates, as the independent mission system can be somewhat intimidating for those who are not prepared or do not pay attention. They are also fairly easy, so they tend to attract at least a few older genin or younger graduates who know what they are doing. In Shoko's case, she would like to find regular mission partners.

Once the mission instructions and completion forms are handed out, the instructor presses play and the instructional video springs to life. A handsome red-haired host appears on screen, guiding the bored gaggle of genin through the wonderful world of patrolling the village streets...

Halfway through, a paper airplane lands discretely on Mitsu Hyuuga's table. Unfolding it, he will find Shoko's neat handwriting. Would you like to team up for the missions? - Shoko, complete with a small caricature drawing of herself waving, which he will find Shoko deadpan mimicking if he looks in her direction.

(361)

Surprisingly, Dana was actually super happy to be back in the Academy. Her face was filled with pure glee as her green eyes took in the sight of the familiar walls of the Academy. It had changed a bit since she'd last been - appearing to have been beautified, or something - but the general layout seemed to be the same. She hadn't exactly had much of a positive experience in the Academy, being the weird girl older than everyone else will do that to you, but Dana wasn't the kind of person to be bogged down by stuff like that! She smiled and waved at the person to her right, who unfortunately didn't appear to notice her. Rude.

She began to hum a jaunty little tune that was definitely too loud for a classroom and brought her legs up so she could cross them underneath her on the chair. The person to her right - who she'd tried to wave at earlier - sent her an angry look and made a shushing motion with his hand. Dana gave no indication that she'd even heard him, except by increasing the volume of her hums. If there was a flicker of vindictive happiness on her face then it wouldn't be visible since Dana looked down for a moment to review her notebook. She wasn't happy with how her recent foray into abstract art had gone and she couldn't wait to try again. It didn't look like she'd have the time now, though, since some tired guy had just wheeled in a tv.

She watched the instructional video with thinly veiled disinterest, not acknowledging the forms as they were given out. Something caught her attention in the corner of her vision and she broke her gaze from the tv to watch the person right in front of her throwing an aeroplane and waving at Mitsu, the guy with cool eyes that she'd been on a mission with previously. Looked like people were trying to pair up for missions early. Well, Dana's lazy self didn't like the idea of having to trudge through missions by her lonesome so she reached forward over her desk to give the waving girl a poke on the back.

If the girl turned around, she would see Dana giving a small wave and an aloof grin. "Greetings! Want anyone else to accompany ye on the mission?"

WC: 395

Mitsu for his part did resent having to be here just a little bit. He was older than most of the genin even if he didnt look the part. Mentally he wasnt exactly here either. Someone else might see him as just being intently focused with the veins around his eyes but for his part he was just reading some books in the library. Admittedly he had to learn to read backwards but still, it was more interesting than listening to some nin talk about patrols.

Four missions today hrm? Well atleast itll be a good pay of Ryo. He was honestly soon ready to advance to chunin, just needed to get his training and such finished before taking on some higher missions. He didnt need to be here, not really. But helping out other genin was his duty as a ninja. Helping them advance and get better. As he finished reading something on armadillos in the school library he notices a paper plane had fallen on his desk in class. His veins fade away and he checks it out, unfolding it and seeing the little note and doodle. It gets a little smile out of him and he waves back. He writes down in a bit of a needlessly fancy script "Would love to" with a small doodle of himself before sending it back.

Once the video is over and people start teaming up Mitsu gets up, stretches a bit, and heads over with next to Shoko, he wondered who she might be. Hadnt really caught his attention before. "Mitsu Hyuuga, and you?" He introduced himself. Seemed dana would be coming along too, she was pretty nice already, Had already done a mission with her before adn she even taught him something useful during it.

[293]

Shoko peeks back at Dana in response to the poke. The older girl is melted languidly against her chair. From her posture, and the fact that she's here in the first place, Shoko mentally places her into the 'here for the easy missions' category. That's fine. Shoko gives Dana a polite nod and returns her attention to the video.

A tiny grin tugs at the corner of Shoko's mouth at Mitsu's doodled response. They've got themselves a team.

---

After introductions, the team sets out. They have four missions on the docket.

Patrol training. That was the instructional video. They got paid for sitting around and watching a tape. Easy.

Dealing with the posters and the pet food shipment will take up the bulk of their day. Shoko wheels the refrigerated cart of meat through the halls of the penitentiary and intelligence agency, looking curiously around the stark white walls. It's such a mysterious place with such interesting stories coming out of it, she hadn't expected to see it so soon. A tall woman in a white coat leads them to where they will be completing their delivery, opening  a large door that reveals a spacious, clean kennel.

Shoko gulps. These are the biggest dogs she's ever seen. The first Mizukage's enormous hounds peer quietly from their housing, ears perking and tails wagging as they recognize the cart, but only one resounding woof! fills the air. Shoko feels the need to explain herself to her companions, explain that she does not really like dogs, but it feels inappropriate - almost treasonous - given the pedigree of these specific beasts.

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TWC: 627

Whew, it felt like that instructional video had lasted for far longer than it ought to. Dana got up to stretch once it was over and even managed to crack a few of her joints in a satisfactory way. She was super happy that she'd managed to catch the attention of the other girl who had been trying to team up with the weird-eye guy. Doing missions together with a team was, quite literally, a third of the total effort it otherwise would be. Dana was no genius but even she could see that was a net gain. Was she rambling? Yeah, she was definitely rambling. With her head in the clouds, Dana followed her team to the first - or was it second? - of the missions they had today.

They arrived at the penitentiary and Dana found herself soaking it all in, just like Shoko was. There was so much left to explore in Kiri, even after all this time she'd spent living in it. Dana couldn't care less about the people who lived in it, but the architecture was a thing to behold. It was a weird style that Dana had only really ever seen in the Advanced Training Facility. Dana would've helped Shoko out with the meat cart, but with her small frame, she'd sooner get dragged along the floor than actually doing anything of value. She just skipped along in silence, simply happy to be among people.

"Awww, the puppies!" Dana's face lit up with immense joy, displaying an uncharacteristic level of enthusiasm. Shoko seemed to be showing some apprehension, as evidenced by her gulp of fear, so Dana decided to step up. Once again showing absolutely zero regards for her continued existance, Dana would attempt to take the meat from the trolley. If successful, she would then enter the kennel propper to start to feed the doggies. There was a brief moment where things got a bit hairy, but Dana managed to distract the puppers by throwing the meat at them. She sat down next to them whilst they ate to get them gentle pets and scritches. "Do ye think they've ever eaten anyone?" She wondered aloud, not clarifying if the question was directed towards her teammates or not.

Eventually, it was time to leave and Dana got ready to go to the next mission.

WC: 391
TWC: 786

Mitsu giggled a bit seeing the stark difference between his companions attitudes towards the dogs though he erred on the cautious side. A bland looking sword in hand and using it like an impromptu skewer to poke into the meat in the cart before using it to toss food into the kennels for the dogs. Fully expecting any beasts to be rabid or dangerous. So seeing dana be cuddly and happy with them was a bit of a point of confusion... none the less he helped get the rest of the food out for them. Even if he thought dana was a fucking nut and trying to get herself hurt.

"My dad says the old Mizukage would feed deserters and traitors to them." Of course it was only a rumor and his dad probably made it up to scare him. The new mizukage obviously wouldn't be that cruel."Buuuut I doubt itll happen now adays. I mean look at them. Big puppies" That didnt mean he'd go right in like dana did to be all lovey dovey and pet them.

When it did get hairy mitsu was busy using the butt of his sheathe as a stick to poke and bonk any dogs that got too close to the group. Though he wasn't too concerned. He knew dana was pretty strong and had high assumptions about Shoko. Once the feeding ended he'd wipe down his sword with a small rag, cleaning off any meat juice before it disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Soooo next up was the posters correct?"

[555]

"Be careful!" Shoko says to Dana, fear turning to slight indignation at the older girl's recklessness. She wheels the cart around so that it stands between her and the dogs, sure to stay behind the gate of the kennel. "If they eat you, I'm not helping!"

Shoko wavers as the pair navigate the pack of hounds, leaning forward as it starts to appear that she may have to step in, but thankfully it is not necessary. Dana appears to make fast friends with the beasts.

"They definitely have," Shoko says in reply to her partners' musings, the trepidation in her posture mirrored in her voice. "My mom saw it once." Just the description had given Shoko nightmares for weeks.

"Yeah, let's get to the posters..."

---

The group walks along one of Kirigakure's new neighborhoods, not far from the penitentiary. In addition to the posters, they all have a brief essay to write about the village, and in between tearing down various fliers Shoko looks around in attempt to find something interesting to write about. In spite of her distraction, one of the posters catches her eye.

"This one's new," she says, looking at the poster. It's an advertisement for an upcoming tournament, bearing an image of a couple of young ninja fighting in a bold illustrated style, with contact information on the bottom. "Hunter Games Fourteen. I watched the one that was held last year."

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"He sounds like a real nice guy," Dana said whilst giving one of the doggos a head scratch. Her tone didn't convey what she actually thought of the previous Mizukage beyond the contents of her words, and it was entirely possible to either assume she was being sarcastic or completely honest. Her vacant smile didn't reveal much of the truth either. Shoko's comment about her mum sent a brief twinge of... Something through Dana, her expression faltering for a second. There was more to it than that, but Dana didn't really feel like delving deep into her psyche in the morning with two people present.

"Goodbye puppies! We'll meet again!" She then proceeded to somehow wrap her tiny arms around all the dog's necks and give them a big hug. With her face pushed up so tightly against their bodies, Dana could hear a nasty growl beginning to build up within their bodies. A normal person would probably run away, but Dana just remained guffinf them for long enough that their growls began to get more audible. She finally released them from the hug, not in a hurry in the slightest, and gave them one more pat on the top of the head. Her smile intensified when Shoko confirmed that the poster mission would be next. The girl took to being a leader like a natural, Dana noted.

The trio made their way to another part of Kirigakure, and a poster caught Shoko's eye as they walked past it. Dana spoke up after Shoko had finished, "Oh yeah, I think I'm fighting in that." She said nonchalantly. Had she signed up for it? Dana was, like, 90% positive she had.

WC: 283
TWC: 1069

"Hunter games?" Mitsu had never really been out of the hyuuga complex all that much. So he had never seen these games beforehand. Maybe it would be a good opportunity to test himself, see how much he's learned and all that.

Looking down the street however as shoko began writing her own Essay Mitsu could see that... well practically the whole street was practically blanketed! Whoever was advertising this competition had surely done it in an annoying way. Posters on the poles the windows the sidewalk the walls. He sighs realizing how much time the assignment would take them. Still he gets to work. Idly making conversation with the two team mates during it. As he mused on what to write a paper about. "Wonder if we could write about our own clans histories in Kiri? Don't know much about the others in Kiri aside from my family's movement from Konoha to here."

"You're Senju right Dana? And shoko youre..." Maybe she was clanless? He couldn't recall if Shoko had descended from any notable clans. "Either way, the senju came from Konoha right?"  He knew of the Senju only really from knowing they could utilize wood release. He could recall some stories he had heard in history class. The mythology of the fire nation and some Senju able to conjure massive sculptures of wood and earth to fight for him, even able to take on the tailed beasts that had once roamed the world. But seeing the young woman with him he could hardly believe the stories, even with Saya and the stories he'd heard heard about her he wouldnt expect something like that.


[829]

Impressed by Dana's nonchalant attitude, Shoko immediately tries to catch up with the older girl's cool factor. "I'll sign up if you do," Shoko says to Mitsu, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Bet I kick your butt, Dana!"

It's playfully rude in a perhaps too-familiar way. Shoko's loosened up a little in the time she's spent with the other two, and she maaay be trying to impress them. It's been fun. Besides the ravenous hounds.

"I'm an Uchiha!" Shoko retorts in response to Mitsu's thinking aloud, as though it would be obvious. She's visibly cringing a little at the mention of Konohagakure, obvious defensiveness entering her tone at the suggestion of affiliation between them and their village's vassal state. "You can't really say any of our clans came from there. They were around before that sad old village and they'll be around after it's gone. More gone than it already is."

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TWC: 1017