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[COLOR=silver][sup][b]Empire of Stone | Jonin | Squad Three[/b][/sup][/COLOR][/center][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=silver][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present Day - 7:00AM[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Amegakure - Hotel Room[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [i]None[/i][/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT]
Jinzo remained silent as he stared at his own reflection in the mirror, droplets of water still trickling down his face until they inevitably dripped from his chin and splashed into the basin, filling the bathroom with several echoing [i]plop, plop, plop[/i] sounds. He stayed that way for some time, though he wasn't really sure of the reason why, before plunging his cupped hands into the luke-warm water that he'd filled the sink with and brought them up to meet his face once again. He resumed staring at himself soon after, looking intensely as the water trickled down his face once more. [color=black][b]"I am Jinzo Kurogama."[/b][/color] He finally said to himself.

The statement seemed to satisfy him, as he grabbed a nearby handtowel and proceeded to wipe his face dry. He felt refreshed from his morning stretches, followed by a light workout and a wash which was a relief given that he hadn't been able to sleep much during the night due to his excitement. Quickly discarding the towel after he was done, Jinzo walked out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom/living area of the hotel suite he'd been sent to stay in. It wasn't much but it was fine for the few days he'd been staying in the Land of Rain. Besides, the Empire wouldn't very well fork out for a top-of-the-line room just to suit his tastes. Not that Jinzo had much in the way of taste, the room was perfect for all of his needs.

Quickly, and silently, he changed into his new Tiger Division attire. His old garments had finally worn out their welcome and his superiors had gifted him with a new set. Again, they weren't anything too flashy but they looked smart and efficient, exactly how Jinzo had intended to present himself. After all, he was acting as a representative of the Empire now, alongside several of his countrymen. He couldn't exactly turn up wearing half-bloodied clothing to such a momentous occasion. Jinzo had tried not to think too much about it up until that point. This would be the first time in history where the Five Great Nations would be working together in tandem towards the same goal, or so they said. His mind drifted back to days spent cleaning bodies off of battlefields. The gravity of today's briefing was not lost on him.

Turning to face a full-length mirror that hung on the wall next to the door, Jinzo inspected his appearance for a few moments. Satisfied with his efforts, he let out a near-silent [i]hmph[/i] accompanied by a nod. Which left only one final thing; his mask. Retrieving it from its stand atop his bedside cabinet, Jinzo gave the face a once-over for any knicks or scratches. He'd polished it the night before, but he was always very particular about it. Flipping it over in his hands, Jinzo carefully brought it up to cover his face, adjusting it slightly for comfort, before raising his hood over his head. He glanced at himself in the mirror once again. He was Jinzo Kurogama no longer. Now, he was simply [i]Homuru[/i].

[hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=silver][b]TIME:[/b] [i]Present Day - 8:48AM[/i] | [b]LOCATION:[/b] [i]Amegakure - The Great Hall[/i] | [b]INTERACTION:[/b] [i]None[/i][/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT]
For one of the very few times in his life, Jinzo felt nervous. Good or bad, he couldn't quite tell. But the sheer buzz of energy that filled the large hall put him on edge. Several people were still filing in when he finally took his seat, allocated to him by some random coordinator after ascertaining who he was. [color=black][b]"Homuru, of the Empire of Stone."[/b][/color] He'd told them, which seemed sufficient enough. The girl probably wasn't expecting anyone to be wearing a mask to an event such as this, which explained her confused expression and the subsequent turn towards her supervisor for help. The man, several years her senior, simply nodded, no doubt having been informed beforehand.

As he sat waiting, Jinzo bounced his knee repeatedly. A clear sign of his uneasiness. He looked at the several seats gradually filling up around him, although the three to his right remained empty. They were reserved for his future squadmates, none of whom had turned up just yet. Not that he was aware of the appearances of two of them anyway, given that he was only familiar with one member of his team. Boshu's inclusion as his squadmate eased him slightly. She was a fellow Tiger Division Agent and his senior in both age and experience, though not by much. It gave him a point of trust, someone he could rely on to have his back if things went sideways, as they often did.

The other two he was unsure of. From what he'd been told, they were each shinobi from Kirigakure and Kumogakure, respectively, which gave him and Boshu the upper-hand when it came to group dynamics. Jinzo thought it only natural that they'd stick together, whereas the other two would effectively be on their own. He shook his head before he continued with this thought-process. This wasn't the time to be drawing lines in the sand. Countryman or not, they would be a part of his team, and he would simply have to treat them as such. After all, it was the mission that came first.