Hikari’s arrow struck the knee cap of one of the Suna invaders camped outside the village, penetrating their leg and causing irreversible damage. The injured ninja would likely never work another mission again, the struggles they had endured to arrive where they were, their life’s story as a shinobi was cut short with a single projectile, however, they did not writhe in agony, in fact the pierced ninja had no reaction at all, they stood stoically with an arrow penetrating their leg. 

[colour=ee6262]Lin rambled alongside Shinya, obliviously intruding on the boy's walk home. Lin was seething with a confused, displaced anger that he didn’t understand. His feelings manifested in a monologue, able to vent in Shinya’s company.[/colour] 

"Yes, I am walking back to the Aburame Compound. I assume your destination is in the same general direction?” 

[colour=ee6262]“Why is he always smiling? What does he have to be so happy about?”[/colour]

“In regards to your question...I did see that, yes. However…”

[colour=ee6262]“His parents aren’t even Ninja, they’re woodcutters!”[/colour]

“I have to say that I could not perceive any merit from said actions. Why?” 

[colour=ee6262]“He shouldn’t be in the academy, he should be in the sawmill.”[/colour]

“Because doing so accomplishes nothing but risking enmity against you at best and retaliation at worst. “

[colour=ee6262][b]“I thought he was gonna cry - PAH!”[/b][/colour]

“If I am to be honest, were you to 'drop the joke' a few seconds later, “

[colour=ee6262]“I better not get teamed up with him, he’ll get his team killed.”[/colour]

“I would have incapacitated you.”

[colour=ee6262]Lin caught the last snippet of Shinya’s advice, to which he raised an eyebrow, “You - incapacitate… me? Bug Boy!” Lin burst into a hearty laughter and tried to give Shinya a hefty pat on the back. “Hey, you’re pretty funny. You know what, follow me! I buried something cool in the woods!” Lin was referring to a small bottle of sake he’d stolen from his parents and buried beneath a tree for safe-keeping, however, he was not aware that his burial spot was currently occupied by enemy shinobi. Lin leapt onto a roof, ushering Shinya to join him.[/colour]

[colour=965d27]While Kasumi and Ren chose a place to eat, Mu was feeling overwhelmed standing in the street despite his best attempts to put on a brave face. It was unlike him not to partake in a conversation but his ears were ringing, he was barely paying attention. He looked especially small stood behind his friends. Anxiety was pooling in his chest and around his eyes, he couldn’t hold it in any longer - a single tear fell down his cheek. He let it roll and mix with the rain, he was soaked again but this time with shame. Not everyone was destined to become a shinobi, Mu was suddenly questioning whether it was what he wanted. Lin’s game had rocked his stomach, he didn’t have an appetite anymore.[/colour]

… ”I mostly pay for myself, but I have had very few friends before and they always paid or my parents paid for them.”

[colour=965d27]Mu stepped back from his friends, observing them together. Ren and Kasumi would become ninja and he would be a woodcutter.[/colour]