“You are going to be [i]late[/i].” 
 
Kirin Haranai flew out the front door of the book shop and banged into the grocer’s stall across the street. After a moment, she popped back up and started slapping dust out of her shirt. "Love you too, Grandma," Kirin called, briefly considering flipping the bird but deciding life was more important. She rolled her shoulders and shook back her choppy red hair, casting one last quick look at the shop before she started walking. It was already almost noon, and according to the message with the gold seal the group assignments would be getting underway. More than likely she would see her grandmother at the training grounds anyway, since Akane's idea of fun was trying to murder her to test her strength. 

So that wasn't strictly true-- Akane Haranai had for many years been one of the most feared and respected shinobi in the Land of Fire, possibly in the whole world. And she'd done it deaf.

Kirin had been raised on stories about Akane's missions, although Akane had been careful to leave out all mention of 'shinobi', 'ninja', or anything of that nature. Sai's minions had been thorough in their eradication, but they had missed Akane-- mainly because she had retired two years prior to Sai's coup. Even so, Kirin had to have been braindead not to have noticed her grandmother's prowess. 

Even at a sturdy fifty-seven, Akane Haranai was a sturdy, fierce woman with streaming red hair streaked with white and orange eyes that seemed to glow. She could also pick up and throw people three times her size. Kirin liked to think she took after her. 

With a brief peek over her shoulder, Kirin finally released the breath she was holding. She had been worried Akane would walk her to the training grounds, and, while she looked up to her, wanted to make an impression on her own merits. Two women with flaming red hair, one a lauded war hero, would probably cause a scene. 

The only scene Kirin wanted to make was her own. A good entrance could set up her relationship with her team for the rest of her life. And, from what she knew about her classmates, would be the only interesting thing happening at ground twenty-two. 

Everyone she could think of as possibly attending was either a top student or an older shinobi, neither of which would be entertaining. Kirin tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear. She knew at least two Chunin would be there-- a quiet one in full armor who would obviously not make a big entrance, and a really spacey kid with white hair that was easily transfixed by liquid. 

The genin were a little harder to place. There were the obvious ones, the high-achievers that would get into the best squads. They were the gifted ones, the prodigies who were shinobi practically out of the cradle. Then there were the eager kids, the ones who worked so hard they [i]had[/i] to get into good squads. 

Then there were the rejects, weirdos, sociopaths, and just downright losers. It was just like normal school, except with bladed weapons. Kirin belonged to this final group. 

In spite of being gifted in taijutsu, she had nearly failed the academy exam. Her Transformation had gone badly-- she had barely been able to hold it the required ten seconds, and it had looked more like an amorphous blob than their teacher. It had been embarrassing, but at the last second Kirin had exerted all of her chakra to fix the illusion. Granted she had puked in the bathroom afterwards, but she had passed. 

Stepping off the main road, Kirin read the signs directing her to the training area. The letter had mentioned number 22, one she was very familiar with, considering her specialty. The space chosen had a number of battle-scarred training dummies arrayed in formation, most of whom she had used at one time or another. While her grades weren't stellar, she worked hard on her own and was dilligent in her study of hand-to-hand combat. One day she was going to be the most powerful warrior to ever live. Until then, she just had to tough it out. 

In the distance she could make out the edge of the clearing. Kirin cracked her knuckles and shook out her fingers. [i]Showtime[/i]. 

Bounding up the trunk of a nearby tree, Kirin swung into the canopy and leapt through the branches, her hair flying. [i]Time to make an impression, time to be the star[/i], she thought, and she burst out of the trees with as much height as she could muster. "[i]SURPRISE, MUTHAFUCKAS![/i]"