[H1][Center][b][color=0072bc]SHINYA ABURAME[/color][/b][/CENTER][/H1]

Shinya liked the rain, especially gentle rain like today. The pitter-patter sounds of the rain along with the nice cool air it brought were very relaxing to Shinya, he couldn't wait to get home he could curl up in his bed and get some sleep while listening to the rainfalls. The parasitic insects inside him were also more dormant during rain, as was the case when it was winter, the cool, damp air had them slowing down their activity. More dormant insects mean less chakra drained, therefore, more energy recuperated after sleep. In short, rain and cold days were when an Aburame had the best sleep. Of course, it was also pragmatic, recovering more chakra meant more to use when needed. Judging from the status quo, that being prepared would be prudent. Things had been...tense lately, he had heard some murmurs in the clan, however, being but a regular member of the clan, not the head of the clan's or the elders' family—and a child at that—meant that he knew nothing of the issue plaguing the clan and Konoha. Still, despite being only an Academy Student, Shinya was a member of the Aburame clan training to be a shinobi, thus, he would do his duty should it be asked of him.

As he was walking home from the academy, he witnessed two of his classmates engaging in a conversation. Well, conversation, but perhaps it would be more accurate to define it as bullying or harassment. To be perfectly honest, he did understand why Lin ridiculed Mu. Talking as if the plants had feelings of 'happiness' was illogical, it served no purpose. When Shinya talked to his insects or an Inuzuka clan member to their dog, the creatures understood and could execute orders. But Mu did not have any bloodline limit that would allow him to do that with plants, nor was there any such bloodline limit to his knowledge. Ergo, it was an illogical meaningless act. However...thinking it ridiculous and mocking Mu was a different matter. Lin's action was also illogical and meaningless. Mocking one's comrade in that manner served no perceivable benefit except sowing disunity and potentially inflicting unnecessary psychological issues.

He then saw Kasumi attempting to cheer Mu up. Ah, yet another inefficient action. The harsh language at that instance was not necessary. Why? Because it had the chance of making the recipient possibly miss the subtext, depending on their denseness. A more effective language would be 'Are you all right? It would be wise if we get off the rain if we wish to eat'. That was how it should be done and the logical course of action as to how to take Mu up on his offer and cheer him up if needed. Therefore, Shinya approached Mu and Kasumi, opened his mouth to speak and—

"Hey, Hayashi; let me dry you up," he heard Ren say as the boy approached Mu and Kasumi.

Ah...never mind. Ren had done it. It was perhaps a bit more awkward than it needed to be, but understandable. He, himself was awkward at times, though for some reason, he had a feeling the cause of the awkwardness was different in this case, but he did not know what. Regardless that was a proper way to do it. So further actions from Shinya would not be needed. In his opinion, Ren was a good communicator, so further manpower on this endeavour was unnecessary. Especially when he could hurry home and take advantage of the rain to get a good sleep.

Shinya turned around and started to walk back to the Aburame Compound.

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[H1][Center][b][color=fff79a]HIKARI HYUGA[/color][/b][/CENTER][/H1]

Hikari watched the scene near the Academy's gate unfold with her Byakugan as she was doing her paperwork. She had to fight back a snort at the whole silliness. Had she not graduated early, would she had those sorts of moments with her peers, she wondered. Well, graduating early to prove her worth was the only choice back then, so she did not regret it. Indeed, she was originally slated to be branded with the Caged Bird Curse Seal and consigned to the Branch Member, until the elders saw that she exhibited great potential in the Gentle Fist. As such, graduating early to prove their 'investment' had been worth it was the right choice.

In any case...Hikari had watched the altercation from the start. Were this a civilian school, as a teacher, Hikari would have interfered when Lin made a mockery of Mu. But this is the Ninja Academy, students should not be coddled. If a small degree of harassment such as that bothered them too much, they had no business becoming a Shinobi. It was harsh, of course, but such was reality. Mental temperance was vital to a shinobi, and as such, the teachers generally would only interfere when it had a risk of permanent harm or altercations that would hamper teamwork. However for the former, the general policy was to have both students be at blame and punish them together, the hope being to create a camaraderie between them by seeing the instructors as the 'enemy'. Once more, harsh, but such was the reality of the shinobi world. 'Shinobi is one who endures,' she had heard it being described. While she cared little to answer the philosophical question of 'What is a shinobi', she couldn't fault the logic that hardships, more often than not, brought the best out of a shinobi. So such trifling altercations between Mu and Lin—well, most of Lin's antics, really—were not something to be interfered with.

Still, she should probably make a note for a consultation with a Yamanaka clan for Lin's psychological profile. His brash attitude might just hamper team relations in the future. An academy instructor who detested her job, she may be, but at this moment, she WAS an Academy Instructor, and she'd be damned if she didn't become the best Academy Instructor there was. And given the boiling tension between Konoha and Suna after our recent imprisonment of a Suna shinobi, any Academy Instructor who was not doing their utmost to prepare the Genin hopefuls was in dereliction of their duty. Certainly, they were not expected to know of the Suna's shinobi capture—she, herself, only knew because of her position in the clan as heiress—but there were instructions given to intensify practical lessons and cut back on theory a while back. So, as instructors serving the Hokage and the village, they SHOULD be taking it seriously. Unfortunately, many among her colleagues here—like most people, she supposed—were incompetent.

This was even the last year she'd be here, what were they going to do without her? Only a scant of the instructors here actually treat it with the degree of professionalism and competence that is up to Hikari's standard. Oh well, she'd make the report to the administration after she formally resigned from this post, hopefully, the report made it to the Hokage. She wondered which of these students she would get as a Jonin Instructor. Tokubetsu Jonin trusted with a genin team was rare, but not unheard of, and so she had applied to be one after working in the academy for a little more over two years. She would apply earlier, but that would cause her to be perceived negatively in the clan, as that would be seen as her contravening Elder Brother's 'well-wishes' by outsiders and that would go against the Hyuga clan's policy to always present a united front to the village, regardless of internal issues. Now that it had been two years, however, it would be easier to frame it as her 'having acquired valuable experience and seeking to broaden her horizon'. And since genin teams took the D and C ranks mission, it would still respect Elder Brother's 'wish'. Of course, she intended for them to make Chunin as fast as possible and tag along on higher-ranked missions as a 'Good Jonin Instructor who nurtures the Will of Fire'.

She didn't want to use her students as a tool to navigate the clan's political intrigue if she didn't have to, but alas, her Elder Brother forced her hands. Well, in return, she would just make sure that she'd be the best Jonin Instructor she could be.