First Session

Before the sun rose in the sky over the village of Hoshigakure Kayori would awaken and begin her morning routine. One of her favorite things about waking up early is that she got to see the sun rise over her beloved village. As normal she would start her day off with a two mile jog around the village, then immediately hop into a cold shower to cool her body down. Afterwards she’d happily assist her mother in making breakfast for the rest of the family, then once everyone was finished she’d help clean up.

Today she didn’t have any church duties to attend to so she was unsure of what to do with her spare time. Though she could spend her time attending to the various shrines of Amaterasu that could be found throughout the village, she knew she needed to work on her personal growth. Her parents recently had been pushing her to focus more on her training so she decided that she’d focus on that for the time being. Climbing through the ranks of the village had been a dream of hers since she was young so she was excited that her parents were finally pushing her to do so.

After discussing her plans for the day with her parents, she’d head off to the Dojo Yard in hopes to get some proper training in. Before leaving, her father would give her a handful of scrolls filled with various techniques that he had collected over the years, along with a rapier that she could use to practice. Soon she’d find herself at the training grounds, though without any direction she’d wander around for a few moments before deciding on a spot to practice. Luckily she was able to find an open, flat area with a table nearby.

Kayori would place her things on the table, and then begin warming up. She’d stretch for a few minutes before turning her attention to the scrolls she had been given. After flipping through a few of them, she’d finally decide on one and unroll it out on the table. This one wasn’t about any specific technique, but instead was about general sword training. Admittedly she knew nothing about swordplay, so she was a bit hesitant to start there. With a sigh she’d pick up the rapier and attempt to follow the instructions on the scroll.

To an onlooker they’d see a young woman with long, platinum blond hair that was pulled up into a high ponytail. Her piercing blue eyes held a bit of intensity behind them as she was seemingly focused on her training. A golden necklace with a sun pendant laid proudly across her chest, and a few other pieces of jewelry could be seen decorating her body. Covering her torso, she wore a black, snugly fitting sports bra that exposed her midriff. For bottoms she looked to be wearing gray sweatpants with the waistband rolled down around her hip bones. A few beads of sweat could be seen pooling on her forehead as she went through the movements described in the scroll.

It was obvious she didn’t know her way around a blade by her sloppy stance and awkward grip on the rapier. After a few minutes she’d grow frustrated with herself, and look a bit defeated as she looked over the scrolls. She’d let out a defeated sigh as she quietly chastised herself for not starting her training sooner.

WC: 572

The strokes of his pen were far more gentle than the ones made with his sword, the ink scribbled down comparable to the spilled blood. Different, yet similar. The top floor of the White Clock Tower was home to the Nova Commander, a place where Akaboshi found peace to collect his thoughts. And this time would be no different. It hadn't been that long since he cut down Isaribi, a former member of the Jaws of Grimma who tried to gain control of the village through whatever means necessary. Dealing with the aftermath was now his main priority, running an investigation to find out whether or not others were involved.

Having written down his notes and findings, the Red Nova closed the book and stood up, spending so long inside leaving him in need of fresh air. Akaboshi put on the white cloak over his Shōzoku no Nakamaro armor and made his way down the White Clock Tower before heading out. Closing the door behind him, he soon felt the gentle touch of the sun softly blessing his skin. "A beautiful day, as many before". Taking a deep breath, in and out, the Commander looked forward to whatever would cross his path. Minutes passed, the streets filled with people greeting him as their eyes met.

After walking for quite some time, Akaboshi decided to take a look at the village's training grounds, making his way to the Dojo Yard. Upon arriving, the Nova Captain scanned the surrounding area, noticing a couple of people had gathered around, each and every single one of them aiming to hone their skills and improve through rigorous training. One individual however, seemed to be struggling a bit as her frustrations started to take over. Witnessing this, the Commander approached the young woman with long, platinum blond hair before speaking up. "What seems to be troubling you on this beautiful day?". Doing so, he inquired with a gentle smile, showing that his intentions were only pure.

(WC: 330)

Enraptured with her frustration she wouldn’t notice Akaboshi’s approach until she heard his voice behind her. Startled slightly she turned around to face the source and was a bit taken aback by who was standing before her. Immediately she recognized him as the current Nova Captain, Akaboshi. Though she hadn’t met him before she held a deep respect for the man. As a child, she had always seen the Nova Corps members as heroes who saved the village and protected those within its walls. Though she knew they were people like everyone else, she couldn’t help but feel a bit star-stuck in the moment.

A light blush covered her face as she respectfully bowed to him, she admittedly felt a bit embarrassed by her current state. She hated that she was so behind on her growth as a shinobi and believed herself to be a disappointment in that regard. Standing to her full height once more she offered him a soft smile as she spoke. Her voice was warm and full of enthusiasm, though due to her somewhat flustered state, she stumbled over her words occasionally.

”Oh, good morning! I.. well I’m trying to figure out how to wield this thing properly.” She’d gesture to the rapier that was now lying on the table beside the scrolls before wiping some sweat from her forehead and placing a hand gently on her hip. ”I’m not quite skilled enough to use it efficiently, but my father requested I give it a shot so here I am. It’s lovely to meet you, my name is Kayori”

Though she had always been drawn to the science behind manipulating space and time, her parents urged her to take on a more “practical” expertise. Not wanting to disappoint them, she’d of course listen as any good daughter would, but she knew it couldn’t hurt to pursue both as an option. Her eyes would briefly drift to the others in the area who seemingly were having a far easier time than she was before then returning her gaze to Akaboshi as she awaited his response.

WC: 354
Total WC: 926