The Birth of a Legacy: The Phoenix of Old Suna

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"By one's self, even the most skilled will perish. ."~ Shunji Shirogane

~ It was a few moments following the medical demonstration held by Lord Guren when the door opened to reveal Sumiko Yoshido. The kunoichi's mind was still soaking up the details of the oddly clean surgical procedure as she exited the room. Coming to the hospital, Sumiko wasn't entirely sure if Medical Ninjutsu would be of any real use to her besides the basic application that would be required for a squad on the field but it was that moment that changed her mind. Her grey eyes shifted from side to side as the medical ninja and their patients cycled past her and her mind began to wander once more. This field of study lacked the apparent gratification that ninjutsu specialists might experience with physical manifestations of chakra but Medical Ninjutsu required knowledge on many tiers that made it so capable of sustaining, ending, or even restoring life. . . This was a skill that a strategist such as herself must master as well to further promote the legacy of the Hidden Sand. The girl took a moment to walk back through the corridors to the main lobby where she had started but not before coming across a group of ninjas who mentioned Sebastian and the morgue. Sumiko found herself pausing in her stride before her eyes narrowed accompanied by a slight head tilt which made the dangling rose charms on her hairpins glisten in the fluorescent light.~

(thought) "Once again. . . Sebastian. I swear since that mission this man is everywhere at once."

~ For a moment, Sumiko's face registered a slight annoyance as if he were a pesky older sibling but then the echoes of Lord Guren's words rang once again in her ears as if he stood before her. The key to the Blessing of the Sand resided with Sebastian. . . and she simply had to have it no matter how many corny jokes he made. It was at that moment that she realized something that stood out to her like a rusty nail. Why did she feel so strongly about someone she had only met once??? Was her disdain for being judged as kunoichi as inferior to men really that strong so early??? Her grey eyes shifted to the slowly ticking clock as she attempted to push her very robust and strong pride into its cage. It was in this moment that she remembered Shunji Shirogane, the Master of 1,000 Puppets and her mother's ex-squad mate's words, "By one's self, even the most skilled will perish. .".~

(thought) "Uncle Shunji. . . you are right. We are all shinobi of a common goal and I can only learn so much on my own. . ."

~ Sumiko nodded to herself before gently lifting the elegant red silk of her kimono to allow her to move quicker but this time back to the receptionist. As before, the woman was extremely pleasant probably remembering both her mother and her interaction with Lord Guren, and was eager yet slightly skeptical about the girl's question on the location of the morgue. Thankfully for Sumiko, Mia didn't press the subject as Sumiko had spent time around before and she supposed that Mia trusted that she would do fine on her own. The kunoichi made her way through the various corridors and elevators before coming upon a row of privacy glass that would led up to bland and cold metal doors which were housed under a sign that read "Morgue" in Kanji. The girl could sense someone inside and she could only ponder that was Sebastian as she slowly made her way up towards the door but paused before them. The strong scent of formaldehyde and other forms of preservants singed her nose and she threatened to cough but managed to suppress it as a means of not alerting whoever was behind the door before she was ready.~

(thought) "This. . . is the scent of the dead? Packaged like cold meat that was stubborn to preservation."

~ The girl raised her hand shakily before it rested upon the cool metal doors before pushing them apart to reveal the morgue in all its' glory. Her grey eyes slowly scanned over whatever Sebastian might have had be working on and it was highly possible that the swinging of the door and now the jingling of her charms would cause the doctor to turn to face the young girl. Should this be the case he would find Sumiko Yoshido suddenly looking him in the eye and adorned in a traditional red silken kimono with glinting gold trim. Her long black hair was pinned up in a traditional fashion, supported by a single golden hairpiece and two protruding hairpins where rose charms dangled freely. The girl wouldn't say anything for a moment as the combination of being surrounded by dead people combined by her own struggle against her pride began to weigh on her.~

" Hi . . . you seem busy. . ."

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~ WC: 808 ~

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~ Sumiko's anxiety about being in the human refrigerator began to decrease as Sebastian's responding comments invoked overpowering feelings. At first, the kunoichi fought back an eye roll as her senior asked if her attire had something to do with him. Such formalities were only given to the Kazekage and only high-rank officials. However, her comfortable emotion of annoyance took a bit of a turn as he actually complimented her? Sumiko had to admit that she had specifically chosen red silk as a means to symbolize the union of blood that she felt in the village so, it was nice that he seemed to pick up on at least part of the message. The teen nodded towards Sebastian as he tucked away his work while the raven-haired kunoichi made her way towards the desk before literally hopping into one of the chairs opposite of him. She'd frown.~

(thought) "Curse these adult-sized chairs. . . One would think that they would acknowledge that power comes in ALL heights?!"

~ As she settled, Sebastian just about killed the growing tenderness that was replacing her cold resolve by calling her a fan which made one of her eyebrows twitch slightly.~

(thought) "A Fan?! I have a fan for you! It's large and is hard as steel. . . You two should MEET!"

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~ The thought of a game of "Wack-a-Mole" with Sebastian was soothing to her agitation as the thought cause a small smirk to form on her face but her mind was quickly returned to reality. Her grey eyes watched as he poured them each a cup of water and like a person with manners, he made sure that his guest received some first. She would nod and offer her thanks before gently sliding back the billowing silk sleeve to reveal her dainty hand in its' entirety before reaching for the glass. Sumiko had just about brought it to her lips when Sebastian essentially asked why she was here and its' relation to the Chuunin Exams and upon closer inspection of him she realized that he wore a usual cloak. . . one that was said to only be in possession of the most elite ninja force in the village, consisting of anonymous shinobi. The Anbu Corps.~

(thought) "Hm? Was my random appearance that obvious to him. . .  my like of social distance has betrayed me. Could Jokester Sebastian actually be a member of the infamous ANBU?!  Very unexpected."

~ The girl then took a sip of the water as he spoke his warning. "It won't be easy, love." was a statement that stuck out to her the most. Knowing that this advice wasn't of condescending origin, Sumiko's metaphorical fangs remained hidden in her formal nature but that certainly didn't keep the girl's mind from cycling through the words she wanted to say.~

(thought) "Easy? Does my history of academic and strategic domination over my peers register as looking for a road most traveled?!"


~ Externally, Sumiko smiled and nodded to him before placing her cup on the table once more. The more she sat that there, the adrenaline and underlying aggression festered in her body like cultivating magma. While she did right to not underestimate her opponents by making sure she analyzed as much as she could about each one of her notable peers over the course of a few weeks; Sumiko hoped that all of this work would finally allow her to be rid of such statements when she rips through the competition with just her logic and her bare hands. She noticed him opening a drawer before reaching inside which materialized was looked to be a pouch of some sort.~

~ Sumiko took another sip of her water as his statement that followed gave wind to what was inside but also his comment on spending perplexed her. Part of her wondered what would possess him to want to share such wealth with a mere genin especially one as distant and sarcastic as she was. On the other hand with the upcoming Chuunin Exams, this sponsorship would ensure that she had the tools capable to clear house. She wouldn't move for a moment as her grey eyes peered into Sebastian's yet this time her intentions wouldn't be hidden behind the poker face that she frequented; Sumiko wanted him to know that even he wouldn't safe from the fine metaphorical magnifying glass that allowed her to see into souls. Sumiko eventually decided to take the pouch before nodding and speaking.~

"Very well, I shall spend it on Ramen and dumplings. There's never a bad time for those."

~ Releasing some of her building sarcasm was a relief to the girl but the tone would register as a joke though dry due to her lack of familiarity with them. Not really sure what to say next, Sebastian's last question helped her re-establish why she was there in the first place and despite the compliments from before. . . the idea of asking to be a student seemed odd and borderline beggerish to her. Sumiko cleared her throat and her face got serious suddenly.~

"I am seeking to obtain the Blessing of the Sands. . . or how everyone seems to put it plainly, Magnet Release. Lord Guren said that you are the only person who he knows that has connections to it so, I would like you to teach me so that I can bury my enemies in shallow graves."

~ Sumiko spoke very plainly save the last statement that revealed an inkling of her true intentions. Of course, this dire need to be overwhelmingly strong stems from the horrible realities that she had to learn from the Suna Massacre, what had initially started off as a highly misfortunate historical moment became personal and even a bit of mourning once she came to realize that her long lost native bloodline had been savagely eradicated and now stood as martyrs. This thought alone caused her hand to visibly tighten around the glass while a flame gathered in her chest and the heat radiated across her rounded face thus redding it slightly.~

" This is beyond the Chuunin Exams. . . I must be as strong as stone and as unrelenting as the desert sun for the prosperity of the Hidden Sand. . . That is my Nindō."

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~ WC: 1,056 ~

~ TWC: 1,864 ~

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~ To say that the girl was bewildered by Sebastian's responses to her apparent sarcasm would be an understatement. She refused to believe that it could have gone over his head yet, his demeanor hadn't changed in the slightest. Sumiko didn't expect any form of fear as even if she found him to be overly playful there was no debating the fact that he could easily crush her with a hand but at least the slightest sign of acknowledgment would satiate her. When he offered ramen and dumplings on her dime, Sumiko merely nodded her head. The Ryo pouch seemed to be noticeably heavy so Sumiko had no doubts that it would cover this lunch and what she required whether it was a joke or not. All of this was overlooked as she spoke of her reasoning for being there and her previous thought about Sebastian taking the hierarchy to his head. The girl reached for her water again and took a sip as to distract herself from the brewing retort that stewed in her head.~

(thought) "Tch! How about Sebastian the Jester? Perhaps a few of the clowns from the Spring Festival are still around. . ."

~ Sumiko thought to herself and smiled before continuing with what she said and the serious mood was restored. Expecting a routine joking tone, the girl was prepared to take his words with a grain of salt but he actually surprised her with his own story. It would seem that they both had so much in person as they both had once or has, in her case, a need for power. She could see how such a power would be initially directed toward the individual but to her, maybe her close-knit upbringing made this decision much too easy to her. She began to think about her own motivations and goals before noticing her senior sitting back in his chair and making direct eye contact with her. The fierce determination softened a bit and her face flushed again before she frowned, broke the eye contact, and took another sip of the water. ~

~ The water cooled her nerves and prepared her to answer the question that she was presented with. How well did she know herself? That was an odd question for her to consider having not even reached her upper teens and her experiences being so filtered and only being extended outside of her and her family's influence. Sumiko looked at him again and didn't say anything. The silence was slightly filled with the sounds of the a/c and her own adjusting in her seat before her lips parted to give him an answer.~

" I- can't say for sure, Sebastian. . . my life has been isolated for the most part, most of which is from my own doing. With a mother who serves her village with pride and dignity and a father who almost gave his last breath; all I know is how to be a kunoichi of honor."

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~ Sumiko paused for a moment to gather her quickly moving thoughts into words before continuing.~

" I can't tell the future nor can put a definition on the woman I will become but I do know that my service extends beyond my own personal gain and into those, I'm learning to cherish to the newest baby that is brought into the world. I know that I am here to be their shield and sword so I intend to be the most sturdy and the sharpest. . . sir."

~ Sumiko's voice held a tone whose definite emotion was intangible. It cycled from her typical careful manner to a more determined tone and even danced delicately upon a sense of sadness and acceptance. She'd clear her throat before taking a final sip of her water.~

" I want you to be my teacher. . . though you are immensely carefree even when the situation may not call for it. You and I aren't that much different. . . in terms of wanting what is best for the Hidden Sand not to mention that even without me trying; I can sense the notable strength that resides within you. "

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~ WC: 678 ~

~ TWC: 2,542 ~

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~ The conversation was tender and pleasant to Sumiko as it was nice to see what Sebastian was really like outside of his goofy nature. There appeared to be warmth and selflessness that was deep within the senior shinobi. She found herself a bit confused as to how a person's homeland could be so low of importance when it was the very essence of the village that crafted its shinobi and villagers. Rogue shinobi. . . some of the souring and spineless people to scurry across the world as traitors. Sumiko was aware that all villages had their share of rogues but the fact that the Hidden Sand had these people brought a sour taste to her mouth which washed away with her sipping of the cool water.~

~ After a detailed conversation it was time to ask the question that had brought her to the morgue. Sebastian's reaction was all of what she expected and Sumiko wasn't entirely sure how to feel about the return of his joking mannerisms and the excitement in his eyes. On one hand, he could truly see some notable potential to mold, or perhaps he just liked having a subordinate. The last thought caused the girl to roll her grey eyes before sitting back and folding her arms across her chest as he contemplated her request. Her potential sensei played around for a bit more on his chair before presenting an interesting question about what exactly she wanted to gain. Her first thought was the Blessing of the Sand but such a coveted and possibly mythological thing simply couldn't be requested. . . it had to be earned with blood and sweat. Sumiko pondered her thoughts so that her response would naturally push Sebastian toward what she truly wanted so that when the time came she wouldn't have to work so hard.~

" My support skills are uncanny and I could smell an enemy from meters away. . . however, my offense is immensely weak so I want you to teach me Ninjutsu and how to master Fuuinjutsu. . . I can sense that you have an affinity for Medical Ninjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Fuuinjutsu so it would seem that I'm in good company."

~ Sumiko spoke calmly and allowed her quickly developing Chakra Insight skill to flex how deep her sensory capabilities were before tucking back a few stray hairs that had gotten into her eyes.~

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~ WC: 390 ~

~ TWC: 2,932 ~

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(thought) I swear. . . if Sebastian's head got any larger I'd have to pop it with a senbon. . .

~ As the conversation continued, Sumiko found the anxiety that she had previously experienced changed into the typical slightly unapproving yet intrigued energy that she had given the man since she had met him. The kunoichi didn't say anything regarding his self-complimenting as such was expected at this point but when he posed her a question about fuuinjutsu the kunoichi couldn't help smirking a bit. While it was obvious that her physical stature lacked notable power; there was no doubt that her mind and well of knowledge far surpassed the average genin. It took Sumiko a few moments to process the question and attach it to words that were saturated in philosophy and her own theories. Dressed as a dainty traditional princess made her appear as if she had been transported from the past but what would come out of her mouth would prove that she was in fact born of this era.~

" In my opinion, Fuuinjutsu is a complicated art to truly understand just as it said that the art itself is highly difficult; only reserved for individuals of high aptitude. In the Academy, Fuuinjutsu is merely the sealing arts that allows a user to hold items into seals through chakra. . . but I think that there is more to what meets the eye. This is all theory from my own reading but I believe that Fuuinjutsu is a basic from of time and space ninjutsu. . . "

~ Sumiko spoke carefully as she attempted to gauge Sebastian's expressions. The kunoichi was no master to any form of technique by any means but her ability to generate the "Bigger Picture"  from isolated dots was something that she found to be her best tool regardless if it wasn't directly noted as a form of combat. Provided that she wasn't interrupted, Sumiko continued.~

" In the Academy, we are taught how to seal small tools into scrolls and then retrieve them but that raises a question as to how that is possible. . . where does this item go? Things can't just disappear. There is a form of chakra known as Yin that is said to allow things to exist out of nothing so what if Fuuinjutsu is merely the manipulation of items using yin chakra which allows them to rest in alternate dimensions? "

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~ With her ideas out on the table, there was nothing else to do but watch and listen to what her new sensei would say. While she waited her eyes scanned over the eerie morgue until she noticed a clock on the way and suddenly her eyes widened. She had promised to meet her father at the dumpling shop for their weekly father-daughter date and she was running extremely late. Without thinking Sumiko shot up to her feet and her eyes returned to Sebastian as it would appear that his response would have to wait until next time which bothered the girl who hated to wait.~

" I am sorry. ..  but I must go. . . I hope to hear what you think when we meet again."

~ Sumiko bowed to him before quickly turning to slightly raise her kimono so that she could properly run as she took off out of the morgue; only the sounds of her formal jewelry echoed in her wake before fading into silence.~

{Exit}

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~ WC: 539 ~

~ TWC: 3,471 ~

Claims:

(1,000 WC) - Untrain 10 strength
(1,000 WC) - Train 10 Vigor
(1,000 WC) - Rembering Sebastian Tau's Chakra Signature (50% WC req due to Chakra insight skill)
(471 WC) - forfeited