[hr]
[h3][color=7ea7d8]Minori 'Ao' Takahashi[/color][/h3]
[hr] 

Minori woke up that morning only when the sun hit his eyes. He had taken his sweet time to lazily gather his stuff around his room and get ready - he knew what day it was. His class had done their academy exams last week and today was the day they would officially be assigned a squad leader and form a team under him or her. Most would feel happy or, at least, proud. Not Minori, though.

As he got closer to the Academy - the meeting place - he was lacking behind more and more until he finally arrived in front of the great board with all their names and their assigned leader. [i]Maruyama Ai...Just who's that supposed to be?[/i]

Not that it would make any difference in the long run. The white-haired boy walked up a flight of stairs leading to a higher vantage point form where he could see the whole court. He perched himself on the railings, legs hanging from it. From here, he saw it all. The students, most of them his ancient classmates, were gathering in small groups of friends. Friends - he did not have any. Not really. Not that he had many enemies so to say either, but he knew of a few kids who's parents told them not to talk to him just because he was originated from the Land of Water. 

[i]Masumi and Azumi, uh?[/i] his eyes landed on them as Azumi walked up to the boy. He knew not much about either of them, but Masumi was a talented student and had some of the highest grades of his class. He also knew very well that chances were he would give the cold shoulder to both his partners, but Minori was prepared, and used, to that. As the young Genin jumped off the railing and landed, Azumi called him over and he walked up to them. Slowly. 

[color=7ea7d8]'Hey...So...Partners, uh...?'[/color] he said, scratching the back of his head and immediately looking down, hands to his pockets. 

[hr]
[h3][color=6ecff6]Ai Maruyama[/color][/h3]
[hr]

[i]thwack thwack thwack[/i]

After nailing the landing, Ai looked up to see all three kunais she had thrown while in mid air right in bulls eye. [i]Not bad[/i], she thought to herself. The practice range was, in fact, an obstacle course comprised of multiple sections with targets to aim at while evading  obstacles with increasing difficulty. 

Walking out of the training complex, she was hailed by the man at the desk. 

'Got them all I hope?' he said while not looking up from his book, sitting back and feet on the desk. 

'[color=6ecff6]To the last.[/color]' she said with small laugh and a smile. 

The man shook his head and finally brought his book down. 'I don't get you. Why do you still come here, huh? This facility is aimed at Chunins. At best.'

'[color=6ecff6]The basics, Junten. Never forget the basics. See you next week, old man.[/color]' Then she left through the door before she could hear Junten's answer to her calling him out on his age. Walking in the street, she brought out a folded sheet from her belt. It must've been at least a hundred times she looked at that sheet, yet it bore only three names and three photos on it. Azumi Taketori, Masumi Rinha and Minori Takahashi. Three newly appointed Genins. [i]Her[/i] Genins. 

By the time she arrived at the gates of the Academy, a few Jonins had already arrived and gathered their team. She passed the gates and almost immediately spotted her group. How could she not after staring at their photos so often? Two of them, the boys, didn't seem too pleased. Azumi, on the other hand, seemed to do her best to stay positive. Ai decided to stay by the gates, against the wall, and look on. They'll notice and come to her eventually. Right?