[indent] [/indent][hr][h3][color=Thistle]Azumi “Ami” Taketori[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Early Morning  ||  Konoha[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent]
Azumi balanced precariously on her toes, craning her neck as she scanned the team lists on the bulletin. 

[i]There![/i] she thought, spotting her name at last. It was listed under a “Maruyama Ai” alongside “Rinha Masumi” and “Takahashi Minori.”

[i]Who’s ‘Maruyama Ai’?[/i] she wondered as she retreated from the board. That the name failed to ring bells was disappointing; she’d been looking forward to her first day as a Genin because of what it promised, and though she knew she shouldn’t assume anything before she met her team captain, she still felt a bit let down. Why couldn’t she have gotten flashy and funny Takama Hiroki as her sensei, or even the strict and respected Sugawara Ruchiko? 

But, her lots had been drawn, and dwelling on could have’s and might have’s would get her nowhere. Her team captain would be the mysterious “Maruyama Ai,” and her teammates would be Minori and Masumi.

[i]Well, at least Masumi I kind of know,[/i] Azumi thought, the brown-haired boy coming to mind. Masumi Rinha had been one of the leading voices in her year—both inside and outside the classroom. He possessed the wit and talent she would never have, and he’d clearly be the lead student of the team. While Azumi would hesitate to say that she disliked Masumi, she certainly held no fond feelings for him; he’d snubbed her a few times back in the day, and though he’d never done so directly, she’d felt the disdainful animosity whenever she was on his team during competitive events like the annual kunai throwing contest among the Genin. Hopefully he’d turn out to be nicer than he’d seemed in the past.

Minori, on the other hand, was the quiet, white-haired boy in the class. Like most of the silent students, he seemed to do well enough in his studies, and beside his silence and relative anonymity, he seemed like a teammate Azumi could see herself getting along with—more so than Masumi, at least. 

[i]Well, there’s Masumi,[/i] she thought, spotting Masumi through the crowd. The boy was leaning back against a tree on the fringe of the courtyard, his brows furrowed as he kicked at the dirt under him. 

[i]Bad mood already?[/i] Azumi thought, frowning as she walked over. Her hope that he was nicer than she thought was beginning to fade.
[indent] [/indent][hr][h3][color=darkgray]Masumi “Sumi” Rinha[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Early Morning  ||  Konoha[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent]
[color=thistle]“Masumi?”[/color]

Masumi looked up to see the Taketori girl, Azumi, who continued on now that she had his attention. 

[color=thistle]“I just saw the bulletin. We’re teammates!”[/color]

Masumi gave one final kick at the ground before letting up and nodding. [color=darkgray]“Yeah,”[/color] he said flatly. Having arrived early to see the listings, he’d been disappointed to find that his team was all mediocre—no stand-outs whatsoever, captain or teammate. Maruyama Ai was a mystery, Minori a loner, and Azumi… 

[color=thistle]“So, are you excited?”[/color] Azumi was asking, a friendly smile on her face. Masumi stared at her blankly, trying to fathom a reply other than the instinctual one.

[color=darkgray]“I’m alright,”[/color] he said after a pause. Minori was better than Azumi, at least, but his real hopes went to his team captain. Her anonymity meant either that she was very strong or very weak, and Masumi hoped it was the former.

[color=thistle]“Oh, there’s Minori!”[/color] Azumi said, waving to the white-haired boy in the crowd. [color=thistle]“Minori! Over here!”[/color]

Masumi focused his attention on Minori, trying to gauge him. Maybe he was hiding talent that he didn’t let on? That would be ideal, considering that they were grouped with Azumi, who struggled to test averagely.