[center][b]A Pale Imitation[/b][/center]

[u]Summary[/u]
Kirugetsu takes Shisen and Maruki to the hospital after their fight and introduces Kino as their new teammate.

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Holy hell, his students were wimps. A single scuffle like that and they were both down for the count? A voice in his head told him he was a total moron for passing them, but the fact was that the village needed more shinobi. [B]"Yeah, that's right. You both pass. Now here's another shock. Kid, get the hell over here and help the Hyuga to his feet."[/B] Kirugetsu's attention went from Maruki and Shisen, to a moderately-sized grouping of shrubs, ferns, and small trees. [B]"Now, not later."[/B]

Kino darted out of the bushes, only for his blur to shift in direction and for him to immediately appear beside Maruki. It was no Body Flicker, but considernig both genin had the Hell beat ouf of them, it was close. [i]"Are we sure they passed the academy, sir?[/i] Kino asked, as he wasn't exactly impressed by their fight. Kirugetsu retorted by saying: [B]"And you're one to talk? Kid... back in my day, in Kirigakure, you'd have looked just as bad when compared to the guys in my graduating class. We were put through hell. Why do you think I was able to survive the war? Tough as nails, thanks to that hell."[/B]

Kino slid his arm under the shoulder of Maruki and lifted him to his feet. [i]"I was forced to be a shinobi out of a clan of merchants. You came into the world during an era of real war. Of course we don't compare, sir. Sai changed everything."[/i] Kino replied to him, as the words of Kirugetsu echoed in him like a shot to his pride. He felt so far above those two, only to be told he really wasn't.

Shisen seemed like she was able to walk, and her dog probably wouldn't let the Hozuki help her anyways... so instead Kirugetsu simple followed the newly completed Team Moon rather than be forced to murder a dog for trying to bite him. The look on the new member's face belied his wounded pride. [B]"Kid. I wasn't just born into war. I was forged in it. Same as my sword here. I'm but a weapon, I can't control who my forgemaster is. You'll get used to it."[/B] Not the most polite or direct way to apologize... but it DID contain a very real truth that revealed a bit of insight into the mind of the boy's new teacher.

With Shisen likely trailing behind them, Kino followed Kirugetsu blindingly while helping Maruki to follow along. [i]"You heard what happened to all of Division B, sir. War is coming. A whole new generation of weapons will be forged in it, or they'll die in it before ever even getting an edge. I don't intend on being a dull blade, sir."[/i] Kino replied to Kirugetsu, as he was one of the few shinobi in the village whose renown demanded respect.

Ah, yes... Division B. Accident his watery ass. Civilians had been told something went terribly wrong and most of the division was unaccounted for... but Kirugetsu knew a ploy like that when he saw it. They'd been wiped out by someone... something. But that wasn't his problem. HIS problem was teaching these kids to be the best fighters they could be. [B]"Say, kid. What's your elemental nature? I haven't read your file yet, as my squad went down a member and you immediately were sent to replace that which was lost."[/B]

Kino was, as always, quick to retort. [i]"I've never been tested, sir. I don't use an elemental release yet. I only know my archery techniques, shadow clone and body flicker, as well as everything taught in the academy. I saw all of my peers learning to use an elemental release early, and I feel it only made them weak. Few of us are truly strong enough to utilize them properly."[/i] Kino answered him in such a way that he shed his own insightfulness as a genin onto Kirugetsu.

As true as that may have been, even a Genin needed to be able to use something other than basic techniques. Though the kid's admittance to knowing the Shadow Clone technique was a bit of a surprise. [B]"Get yourself tested, kid. I want to know what I'm dealing with here. Can't know what to teach you if I don't know what element you have an affinity for."[/B] Sure, there were many non-elemental attacks, too. But in times such as these, one needed every weapon they could get... elemental jutsu included.

Kino stopped for just a brief moment so that he could curl his fingers and stroke the air, as if there was an arrow there. From it, a white shaft appear, looking similar to that of an arrow. It was the Ten-no-Ya without a bow. Kino grabbed the arrow and literally through it at one of the rocks in the training grounds, causing it to explode and rain pebbles down on the area. [i]"I believe, sir, I have an affinity for chakra flow. I can make those at will, and fire them faster than any projectile I've ever seen."[/i]

That certainly was a flashy technique... but then the kid commented on the speed of his projectiles. Making a gun shape with his right hand, Kirugetsu fired off a sizable volley of his Acidic Pulse shots. Each peppered a nearby tree, melting small holes in the wood where they impacted. shot after shot struck, cratering the bark until it was no more, melting into the meatiest part of the tree, and leaving a pockmarked hellscape that carved over 10cm deep into a square meter of the tree. [B]"Keep working at it, kid. But for now, I'd really like you to learn at least one elemental attack. I give you one week. Consider that your impromptu test for admittance into Team Moon."[/B] 

Just as Kirugetsu was answering him, Kino had imitated the gun shape of his hand. Kino then fired off a single chakra blast from his finger tip, leaving it singed, but also causing a small crater, only about 2cm in radius, in one of the trees left adjacent to the one Kirugetsu hit. The more important part, however, was that the speed of the bullet, which was just as fast, if only slightly slower. The jutsu, when used by Kino, obviously had a bit of backfire and couldn't be used in succession, but regardless it was an imitation of his sensei's jutsu. [i]"I'll head to the library tomorrow and request some chakra paper from the Nara. How did you like the jutsu?[[i]

The nerve of this smug little... [I]"Calm the fuck down, man... he's just an arrogant little kid."[/I] he told himself. The Genin then stated he would get the chakra testing papers from the few remaining Nara Clan members, and asked what Kirugetsu thought of his imitation. The Jounin had to resist the urge to backhand the little bastard and send him flying... and managed to say something polite. [B]"Not too terrible, for a kid. Pale imitation of the real thing, but don't get too cocky."[/B] 

He was pretty pissed off, what with Hayato taking his sword earlier and now this kid casually copying his clan's technique... but if he snapped and beat the hell out of a kid, he'd have to have words with that asshole of a Hokage. Unless... unless it was a 'training accident'... perhaps this kid could have a 3-part test after all. If he kept this up, that is. And, Kino did; he went to fire off another shot, only to have his arm grasped firmly by his new sensei. [B]"Time and a place for everything. And now is not the time. Trust me on that."[/B]

Kino lowered his arm and returned to his silent sulk behind Kirugetsu, assisting Maruki in walking. Kino already knew what this team had; a Hyuuga and an Inuzuka. Both were quick taijutsu users, so Kino stood out. Regardless, after being reassigned to Kirugetsu, Kino's uncle requested to talk to him, most likely to 'reward' him for what he obviously saw as a promotion. Ever since Kino became the shinobi he was, his uncle used his image to sell goods, going into weaponry. Being near the top of his class never truly helped. All he could hope for now was that Kirugetsu took a positive note from his file.

They walked along for some time, heading ever closer to the medical center. Soon enough, Shisen and Maruki would be patched up. While they were there, Kirugetsu figured he should get checked out, too. Hayato DID get a good shot in, despite the Hozuki Clan's general immunity to physical damage. Yeah, he'd het looked at. That was settled. And just in time, too. The foursome was nearly at their destination.
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