[center][h1][color=39b54a]Toko Ling[/color] and [color=00aeef]Seichi Hino[/color][/h1][/center]

Leaning against the tile wall, Toko breathed out as a stream of warm water softly covered his skin on its way to the drenched floor beneath his feet. [i][color=39b54a]"They really managed..."[/color][/i] He would be lying if he said that he never doubted them. They were after all going up against a jounin and that could have gone either way, though luckily they made enough smart decisions to eventually win the battle. [i][color=39b54a]"They're all so colourful, heh...almost makes me feel dull."[/color][/i] With a soft, minimal smile, the boy's eyes traveled down, now hidden beneath his wet bangs. After a moment in silent thoughts, he slid to the floor and hugged himself softly, pulling his knees closer to his chest as his teeth clenched. [color=39b54a][i]"Why were they so quick to fight for me...? They could all have been destroyed but yet..."[/i][/color] As an immediate response to the images circling the boy's head, a scene where Seichi nearly blew himself to pieces would play itself out over and over again as if a looped movie. Nearly digging his fingers into his skin, Toko's embrace tightened as his eyes shut. [color=39b54a][i]"A ninja needs to keep his emotions in check...If you can't do that, you need to get off the battlefield..."[/i][/color] Speaking to himself beneath a stream of water did little to rebuild his devastated spirit. Asuka and Seichi, they were essentially his life. Throughout his childhood and the academy, throughout his training and even the everyday walks back and from school he would always see those two next to him. After seeing Seichi staring death in the face like that, the boy was unable to stop the trembling  throughout his frame. No one was watching now, he didn't need to keep it all inside anymore. 

Parting his lips for a brief moment merely to take a breath, he found himself crying out as the water soon mixed with his tears. [i][color=39b54a]"So fucking pathetic..."[/color][/i] Always calm, always collected, always smiling and barely ever rocked off of his feet, Toko's spirit had been shattered more than once and he needed to get it out [i]somewhere[/i]. He couldn't handle the thought of losing Seichi, nor Asuka, especially not to a fate like [i]that.[/i] What about Reiji? He seemed like the first guy to abandon his allies if it meant the success of a mission. [color=39b54a][i]"If those two ever face death because of him, I'll rip him the fuck apart..."[/i][/color] The pain aching through his skin in response to his fingertips pushing themselves against his biceps was enough to finally snap him out of the darkness as Toko slowly stood back up and washed his face. This was enough, if he was going to stay beneath the stream any longer he'd end up as a raisin. 

He finished and reached for a towel before drying up and slipped into a new pair of clothes he'd consider more suitable for the life he was going to meet soon. One could call it a complete overhaul, in fact. He slid into a pair of black cargo pants reaching down to his ankles where they hugged his skin softly with stretch bands. Pockets were easily seen stretched out across their length but they didn't seem to be in use. A simple t-shirt found home on his torso along with a pair of fingerless leather gloves reaching unto his forearm where he wore a pair of thin protectors fitting his small frame. Attaching a belt to his pants, he continued with another which held his elegant sword and finally finished up by putting on his ninja slippers. Wearing all black wasn't exactly considered creative but he enjoyed black, it was simple and it simply worked. [color=39b54a]"I'm leaving, father."[/color] The boy would exit his room and looked towards the yard where Ken was practicing his sword swings. 

[b]"Be well, son.[/b] Aborting his training session, the man would approach his son and gave him a soft hug. [b]"You've made me incredibly proud, Toko. Your mother is surely smiling on you from the beyond."[/b]

[color=39b54a]"Thank you."[/color] The young swordsman would offer his father a smile followed by a soft nod and returned the hug. It was time to go and meet up with Seichi and the others. If he was late, their incredibly unstable and insane sensei would probably have his head. She hadn't even seen him do anything yet so she probably thought him useless as it was already. He couldn't really afford to slack off. 

With a quick farewell, the boy left the Ling household. He was going to meet up with Seichi, and it was nice with some rest and relaxation before their first mission eventually started in two days. 

Seichi would sit on the edge of his bed, shaking off his wet hair from his shower. He'd get up and slip on his fishnet shirt. He would take a minute and glance over to his scorched jacket which had been damaged in the explosion. [color=00aeef]"Aww...man."[/color] Seichi would say in disappointment as he tossed the battle-damaged jacket into a nearby trash bucket. He would run into parent's room, specfically searching in his father's closet for a jacket. He found a dark-blue jacket similar to his, the sleeves and length although being sligthly larger than him. The boy would adjust the sleves to see his burned right hand. Luckily, upon the explosion Seichi acted quick enough to cover himself from most of the explosion's heat, he still altough had to sarafice something for it. [color=00aeef][i]Boy! did that hurt. [/i][/color] The scene would run through his mind again. Seichi was confident enough to know his plan had a high success rate. Even so he knew his action were rash and dangerous, his burn being the outcome. He would later disengaing in the though, proceed to put on his pants and slippers, lastly wrapping his hand in bandages down to his wrists then finish by tying his headband to his left arm.

Fortunately for him, The boy's parents were still sleeping allowing him to grab his equipment and head out quickly. 

He would later running through the village as usual catch up to Toko, greeting him with his smile. [color=00aeef]"Good afternoon!"[/color] He would say walking backwards keeping up with Toko's pace.

Turning to look at Seichi's bright smile and jolly greetings, Toko couldn't help but chuckle and gladely returned the smile. [i][color=39b54a]"After all that...he's still so positive...I'm glad.[/color][/i] Giving Seichi a gentle pat to his arm, Toko continued to walk towards the meeting place alongside his friend. [color=39b54a]"You were great yesterday, Seichi. How are you feeling?"[/color] If it wasn't for Seichi's explosive decision, the rest of the group would never have been given a chance to deliver the finishing blow. They all worked so well together. Hopefully Toko would be able to add to that, somehow. He didn't possess any flashy moves, but he was good at what he did. [color=39b54a]"I am certain Sensei and the others are incredibly satesfied with you."[/color]

[color=00aeef]"Waaayyy better!"[/color] He would say jokingly lifting and revealing his bandaged arm. [color=00aeef]"Also you know you helped too. I wouldn't have thought of a plan if you didn't give that hint."[/color] The genin would add before giving Toko a wink. [color=00aeef]"I can't wait for our first mission though"[/color] Seichi would say excitedly rubbing Toko's hair. [color=00aeef]"Our team is gonna be unstoppable!"[/color]

[color=39b54a]"Heh, I'm happy you caught the hint..."[/color] If he hadn't, things could have ended very differently. They were all doing well enough but that explosion was rather effective. [color=39b54a]"According to what Sensei keeps saying..."[/color] Toko thought it over for a moment, his hands finding home in his pockets as they walked. [color=39b54a]...we're cut from sturdier cloth the most genin but...there will always be people stronger than us."[/color] The gentle smile on his lips never wavered, and as he looked up at Seichi, it would only grow brighter. [color=39b54a]"We've got each other's backs though, right?"[/color] There was no question about it. Dicipline, professionalism, the mission, the reward...none of it mattered when it came to being there for his friends. A ninja would call it a weakness, an enemy would try to exploit it...a comrade would cherish it. [color=39b54a]"Let's go and get some ramen. I'm starving..."[/color] 

[@SayZun]