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[indent][sup][color=Firebrick][b]Location: Uragiri Clan Compound [Koi Breeding Pond] | Time: 9AM [9:12]  
Interaction: Team 7 Uragiri Sakana -- [@Odin] Sakamoto Isami -- [@Shizuochan], Shinjo Tsubasa -- [@McHaggis], [/b][/color][/sup][/indent]

[color=Firebrick][i]I'm finally here.[/i][/color]

As the kage anointed the newly minted Genin with the rains of Amegakure, Tatsuya's amber eyes turned skyward, a small smile tugging at his face as he let himself feel a sliver of accomplishment while tying his headband. The weight on his forehead was unfamiliar and strange, but far from unwelcome and something he'd grow to hardly notice as he grew into his own. Kaguya-dono's final words were faint and a little strange, but the meaning of them was clear. The road ahead was full of hardships that would serve as a crucible for everyone here today, and these challenges would no doubt change them down to their core.

[i][Color=firebrick]For better or for worse.[/color][/i]

His ponderings of the Amekage's words were cut short as a man suddenly called them all to attention. The kage's words were now strict and demanding, as was to be expected of a commander speaking to her soldiers. As she belted out the names of fellow classmates, Tatsuya couldn't help but wonder how some of these combinations of personalities would mix. While not really a fan of interacting with people, the Kajiya boi did make a habit of studying them from time to time. Sometimes for inspiration when stuck in a creative rut and other times for his own amusement when people clashed with one another.

His ears perked slightly at the mention of a Shiru, wondering what they'd be like considering the . . . [i]eccentric[/i] nature of their secretive clan. In the few times his father had brought him along to observe the (rather boring) business discussions about sealing paper deliveries and what not, he'd only ever seen a glimpse or two of any kids his age in the clan. While not really broken up about not having to be forced to play with others at the time, it never ceased to strike him as odd. What could the Shiru possibly be doing with their children that required so much secrecy?

Tatsuya let the thoughts stew for a moment more, but ultimately reached no answer that could really satisfy him and bin that train of thought in favor of listening to the kage once more. Soon enough, he heard his own name called amongst a group of others that sparked only a passing familiarity in his mind. Isami only really stood out because he was even taller than Tatsuya and, more importantly, he was the heir of the Sakamoto clan. Just the thought of getting a closer look at even one of their ancestral arms made the Kajiya feel restless with anticipation. What ideas could he glean from such storied artifacts?

As for the other one, Tsubasa, Tatsuya couldn't really recall anything about them aside that they practiced taijutsu and had always seemed to be in a rush to be elsewhere after they got out of the Academy. They seemed like a nice enough guy, however, so there shouldn't be too many problems between them. A thought did occur to him as he thought about the other boy's friendliness.

[i][color=Firebrick]I wonder, did they ever try talking to me before? I probably blew them off if they did so . . . hope they aren't one to carry a grudge. That'd be [i]really[/i] irritating to deal with at the start of my ninja career.[/color][/i]

Tatsuya was drawing a complete blank about their sensei, which mean that they were either A)they were no one special, B)they were a newbie sensei or C) both. Tatsuya wasn't sure which one he thought to be the most likely, in the end deciding he'd make his judgment when he met the guy rather than go in with an assumption already built into his mind. He glanced towards the area where the Jonin sensei arranged, wondering who in the crowd was going to be his teacher for the next few years.

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Getting to Tatsuya would be a bit more of a process than either of his two comrades to be had likely expected. After being led to the forge where Tatsuya was currently helping out with a Furaribi shipment, his father Hibiki would engage them in some light conversation in a waiting room locate near the entrance to the forge that, while significantly cooler than the inside of the forge proper, would no doubt feel almost stifling to the Tsubasa and Isami, especially given how Ame was a place the usually required one wear a fair amount of layers to remain comfortable. [url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/727542514777079811/]Another Kajiya[/url], who introduced herself as Tatsuya's aunt Saya, would go off to fetch the young heir, as any other attempts to gain his attention were unlikely to succeed while he was in the middle of a project.

[url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/761600986956906841/]Hibiki[/url] himself, dressed in the usual Kajiya smithing attire(with the addition of a light haori so as not to make the two teens feel awkward) proved to be a much more gentle and sociable man then most would expect if they'd interacted with any of the other Kajiya clan members, well known for being a group as loud and boisterous as they are honest and welcoming. He offered them some waters and discussed simple topics, wanting to get to know his son's teammates a bit, until the door to the waiting room suddenly burst open, with Saya dragging Tatsuya inside by the ear, much to the young heirs displeasure as he let loose a rather long chain of curses, talking about how he was almost finished with his work and how much the others needed him for those final finishing touches on the shipment.

Saya ignored all of his complaints, depositing the boy in front of his teammates with an irritated look on her face as if to say 'he's your problem now', before turning around and heading back into the forge. The doors would slam shut behind her. Hibiki would take this moment to excuse himself, giving his son a nod of encouragement before heading outside, mentioning something about having clan business to take care of and leaving the 4 teenagers to themselves.

Tatsuya, still covered in soot from the forge, looked the two over with a passive glance as Tsubasa spoke up, his hands fiddling with his imprint hammer as he thought the offer over. 

[color=Firebrick]"Sure. 3 heads are better than one and all that."[/color] Tatsuya cracked his neck a little to sort out the stiffness in his spine from the last 2 hours spent going over and polishing the Furaribi's special weapon shipment. [color=Firebrick]"Got any ideas?"[/color]

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As the team made their way to Uragiri pond, Tatsuya couldn't help feeling both pleased and irritated by the events of the past week. While he was glad that they had managed to figure out the meeting place, and that his two teammates seemed at least tolerable, but the entire ordeal of asking around the village for the information had been a headache. He'd gotten the gist of the exercise, of course, but that didn't mean it didn't still piss him off a bit for having to spend so much time talking to people. Pulling useful information out of any of the villagers he'd talked to had been the most mentally exhausting thing he'd ever done, and often left him needing to sit down with his design book in order to cool off before he punched [i]another[/i] villager in the face.

[i][color=Firebrick]Ugh, I'm feeling tired just thinking about it. By kami, I hope our sensei isn't the chatterbox type. I don't think I'll be able to survive if they are.[/color][/i]

As he and the others arrived at the meeting place, the Kajiya heir's eyes narrowed as he looked at the guy who had forced him to participate in that week of hellish interactions. He . . . wasn't really much to look at, honestly. Looking not that much older than those he was assigned to teach, the Jonin only stand out tait to Tatsuya was that he looked kinda creepy and shady. Then again, from a clan whose name meant 'betrayal', that was probably to be expected. All in all, Tatsuya wasn't that impressed with the man yet, was even a little disappointed that they didn't get someone at least a little more. . . well, more than this. 

Tatsuya's lack of enthusiasm probably showed on his face as he walked up to the water's edge himself, curious to see if what the man was looking at was more interesting then the man himself. Amber eyes followed the circling motions of the koi fish in the pond, finding their behavior rather relaxing, all most to the point of being hypnotic. He paid the bare minimum attention to what was being said for the most part until he heard the young jonin call out a rather irritating mutation of his name. If he was trying to get the boy's attention, he had succeeded.

The irritated look in Tatsuya's eyes gave way to deep thought, however, as he thought over Sakana's question. Looking the man over a few times in contemplation, the apprentice smith would scratch at his chin a little before he came up with an answer he liked.

[color=Firebrick]"I'd make you two, actually. Matched set of Tanto or maybe some kind of short sword. Small blades, good at slashing and stabbing, but also rather plain. Unassuming, like you are Senpai. Maybe with a surprise or two hidden beneath the surface. Maybe just good, reliable blades. Guess that'd be up to you and the impression you make on me.[/color] Tatsuya finished his answer with a shrug, dipping his own hand into the water as well as he seemed to be trying to get the fish to come his way, to seemingly no avail.

Unfortunately for him, that also meant that he didn't see the mission scroll that Sakana tossed their way until it hit him in the head, causing him to cry out more in surprise than any real pain from the impact. However, due to the impact, the scroll was looking like it was about to fall into the pond. In a rare burst of motion, Tatsuya surged forward to smack the scroll behind him, hitting it with enough force to ensure it landed on the ground behind him. Tatsuya, unfortunately, lacked the balance required to avoid falling into the water in its place, having overextended himself in his dive to save it.

It was probably the most embarrassing moment he'd ever had to deal with, and part of him wanted to drown then resurface to the looks he was sure to receive from those present. He chose life in the end, however, surfacing after a moment or two, sputtering, coughing out stale fish water, and looking rather red in the face. 

Rather than try to excuse his lack of attention, he chose instead to not even acknowledge the incident, waiting for someone to open the scroll before he read the details of the mission. His face and mind quickly cleared as he did so, Sakana's explanation being unneeded as he quickly grasped the consequences of Kusa's sudden embargo and radio silence meant for him and his clan personally. He'd been wondering why his father had been looking so anxious as of late but had put it down to the usual political anxieties that often plagued him from time to time. When Sakana opened the floor for questions, Tatsuya simply shook his head, any questions he likely had been ones that he doubted the young jonin had the ability to answer. 

[i][color=Firebrick]Why would Kusa suddenly close itself off like this? I sit only doing it to Ame, or are other nations also being turned away as well? Did something happen to put them on edge?[/color][/i] These questions and others chased each other like huntings dogs in his brain, going round and round in circles but never reaching a satisfying set of conclusions. 

[color=Firebrick][i]Whatever the reason,[/i][/color] Tatsuya decided with a rather grim-look on his face, his father's words on the instability of the shinobi world coming to the fore. [color=firebrick][i]Something big is either about to happen or already happening. Hmph. . . what a time to start my ninja career.[/i][/color] A slight shiver ran through him at the thought of what was to come, though he could tell if it was fear, apprehension, or just plain old excitement. Honestly, it was probably some combination of all three.