Mission Details:

The sky was a bright shade of blue and there was not a cloud in sight, letting the light from the sun shine brightly onto the wetlands of Kirigakure. Unlike Konoha or even Kumo, the training grounds or the areas around the village weren't surrounded by thick forests that hid them from sight. It was much like Sunagakure in that aspect. There were some areas with trees here and there, but the area was mostly a swamp. Under the sky's bright light, the pools of water reflected their surroundings with the happiest of gleams, displaying every detail and enhancing its natural beauty. It was a lovely day, really. Even the humidity that usually engulfed every location in the Hidden Mist had dissipated. The humming and singing of wild birds echoed around the area as sounds of peace and tranquility.

It pissed Kuroka Gin off. Royally.

The silver haired Sannin pressed a lit cigarette to her lips as she saw the group of academy students lined in front of her. There was supposed to be a genin aiding her in their training - to manage the group and make sure that they followed through with the given commands and tasks - but so far he or she was nowhere to be seen. That wasn't really the problem, though. In fact, Gin could hardly care. Having an assistant for this guest lecture of sorts was unnecessary, no matter how much the school insisted that there should be one. The fact that Gin was currently drunk only served to prove them right, however. There was a tint of red in her cheeks and a slight droopiness in her eyes that indicated that she was far from sober. The young woman exhaled the smoke, letting it rise into the air. The group of kids - ten of them, to be exact - had only arrived a few minutes prior, allowing Gin a half hour to get herself intoxicated. She took a drag from the cigarette once again before deciding to speak to them.

The kids were both nervous and excited. She could tell just by looking at the fact that most of them couldn't stay still. Some were suppressing smiles in an effort to appear serious or stoic. Were they trying to impress the Sannin? Well, she was a high ranking member of the village, most people knew that she had served as Kazekage and she wielded one of the Seven Legendary Swords. She had a reputation as a strong and skilled warrior, so yeah, maybe they were trying to leave a good impression. Some of them were probably even hoping to be liked enough that Gin would take them under her wing. Fat chance. Given her current mood, they were more likely to come out maimed, crying and doubting their dreams of becoming shinobi.

"You're all pathetic," Gin slurred. A couple of the kids visibly flinched at her words. "Start running. At maximum speed. I'll take nothing less than that. None of you get to stop until I tell you to." The kids looked at each other, confused as to why the instructions would be so simple and frankly, underwhelming. Gin could hear a few doubting whispers among them. She grabbed a windmill shuriken from her stack of weapons - conveniently sealed into her clothing - and launched it at them violently. "What are you fuckers waiting for?! I said run!" Some barely managed to dodge the weapon, but they all scattered and started running in a neat circle, heading her instruction. Gin spat to the side angrily and took a swing of the bottle of vodka that she held in her free hand. She was sitting atop a large rock, several meters away from the students. She put out the cigarette against the rock's hard surface and contorted her face into a displeased expression.

Now, the real question was, why was she in such a foul mood? Well, there was no simple answer. There were many things that fed into it. For one, there was the situation with her children, some of which she hadn't seen in over a year because of their confinement to Sunagakure. They acted as hostages, keeping her away from her former village, lest she return to seize power once again from the political puppet that was Suzume Koga. There was also the fact that she hadn't spoken to Sanosuke - her best friend and current object of romantic interest - in quite some time. He was the Raikage, he was busy, it was understandable. That didn't change the fact that she hated the situation, however. She was angry and pissed off. Gin had always had a habit of drinking heavily. And so one thing had lead to another and here she was. Drunk, pissed off and having to teach a bunch of kids the basics of survival. Let the show begin.

[816/500]

Late. Late! A snarl adorned his face beneath the half mask as it fastened about the back of his head, having alredy donned his father's coat. Despite a smell of ready breakfast his mother had made the insistance that he leave quickly, even condoning his poor habit of exiting through open windows. Gin must have been really something over the past few years. Casting it aside, he grasped the window and flung it open with a crack of brackets, grasping the edge firmly and launching himself feet first through the open portal. With the good luck of living near the edge of town it wasn't going to be difficult to exit the limits in any short time, launching from a haunched landing into an all out dash.

As the sounds of the city filtered away and the streaks of buildings ebbed to marshland the Genin made for the nearby training grounds, wind lashing against his skin to awaken dull senses. A bad taste in his mouth at the lack of time to brush his teeth and the sound of a heart eating frantically set out the tempo for his run. Closing on the dots they gained semblence of detail and colour. Gin was easily distinguishable, towering above the students, especially with hair like th- A weapon?! Feeling a tick inside, the Yuurei was reminded of his younger days as the windmill shuriken chewed into the marshland. Tearing down the path this Genin looking to make a name for himself came to a straining halt before the former Mizukage. Clutching his ribcage as illness seized him, the student drew a final clear breath to announce himself.

"Suzuki Ryota, reporting!" Came the first statement he managed to drive from his chest to this person. Choking on naught but air as fatigue set in, Ryota refused to waver through the burning, the blurred vision. Some aspect in his mind had begun to weave sunconscious assosciation with his handlers back on the Yuurei estate. Such a potent trauma coupled with a desire to outshine this drunkard? Forcing himself formally to attention with a grunt behind pearl grin, methodical breaths in through his nose and out through the mouth bit stitches through his ribcage, the taste twice as strong and the stink of his own sweat pervaded him. Hands behind his back, pale digits of left gripped right wrist, casually close enough to his kunai. Of course he knew beter than to challenge someone who so desperately outclassed him! It still didn't mean the voice in his head telling him to defend children would recede.

No, this was a far too important opportunity to waste. He would measure up to this demon and then some, as blurred eyse grew to focus on the diligently working children, resolve grew within, directionless between the two avenues.

[472]

Gin watched the kids with a distinct scowl on her features. Her elbow rested on her lap while her cheek lay on her palm. She looked both bored and unimpressed. She saw one of the kids hesitate, her stamina waning after a few minutes of running at her full speed. Gin shot a kunai at her feet with extreme precision. It landed in between two of her toes, tearing a small hole into her standard shinobi sandals. Needless to say she was startled and taken aback. "I said run," Gin said, her voice low and menacing. The girl sprinted in response, quickly catching up to the others and even passing a few along the way. The way Gin trained those beneath her tended to seem cruel and akin to torture - both psychological and physical. However, there was a reason as to why she did this. For instance, the girl that she had just shot a kunai at had he strength and potential to keep going and to go even faster. Would she have realized this if Gin hadn't scared her into it? Probably not. Right now, they would all likely hate this and consider it the worst day of their lives. In time, however, they would grow to learn from situations like these.

And what awaited them... this was only a warm up. Gin expected some sort of mutiny from the kids in a couple of hours, assuming that they were still standing at that point. Gin turned her head slightly towards another kid that had just appeared next to her. Odd that she didn't hear his footsteps coming. Whatever, she was probably just more intoxicated than she thought she was. "You're that one kid, yeah, that one kid that's supposed to help," she slurred, looking at his headband - an article of clothing that distinguished him from the others. Well, that and the fact that he looked much older than the eleven year olds that were currently cursing their fates. She looked at the boy before her, examining him. The expression on her face spoke of annoyance. She sighed, finally turning away from him and putting the palm of her hand on her forehead and throwing her head back slightly. "What this village has come to, poor Kashi-chan," she lamented, exaggerating.

The boy looked like the standard genin and there was obviously nothing wrong with that. Furthermore, she knew better than anyone that appearances could be very deceiving. But there was a tension in him that Gin read as fear. She was taunting him to see if he would act on it. The fact that she hadn't even introduced herself to him just added to the whole... facade, if one could call it that. She had an odd habit of testing people to see what their exact worth was, what their character was made of and how much they could tolerate before they hit their bursting point. Of course, there was her terrible mood and drunkenness which only aggravated the situation and got rid of her composure almost entirely, leaving behind what seemed to be a drunken fool of a woman. "Go make yourself useful and do something, I dunno, pick a few kids and try throwing them off a cliff or somethin' like that," she said dismissively.

[1370]

As his superior deigned a cursory examination in his direction the tension gripping his entire stature threatened an explosive climax, knuckles rendered white at his increasing grip. Was she to assail him too? Despite the heart that if asked Ryota would swear now resided in his throat the great winding stress within eased at her drunken statement. Was this some form of joke? Assign the adopted child to take care of the village drunk? Surely not. Even this lowly genin with the scent of tobacco compounded with alcohol assailing his senses found difficulty believing such a person to become Mizukage could fade into fallacy.

Feeling a pang of pain at her next comment, this experiment simply adjusted the knot securing his forehead protector about his neck. Was that a past love? Some dearly departed team member? Well, he would show her! As far as this ghost made flesh was concerned life so far had not provided hardship for this senior to deter him now. The flame within no longer flickered between two air currents, instead dimming amongst the waters. So, his task was to babysit both child and adult. Readily done. The methodology was simple and easy to execute as breath returned now to a steady flow, the burning sensation receding

An order came. Smiling behind his mask, the shinobi obediently chimed, "Yes ma'am." A temptation arose to coax a grin. "Is there a particular cliff you would prefer I demonstrate from, ma'am?" Came rich sarcasm. It seemed old habits died hard. Taking a few quick steps toward the swirling crowd he hoped it would provide difficulty at least if she wished to retaliate as such.

"Children!" Called out the teenager in a tone authoritarian yet with a softer curve than his regular voice. He had intended to allow them to run a touch longer but a recourse of events may draw the drunkard to lighter straits than planting her fist in his head. Raising a hand Ryota waved, "My name is Ryota and today I'll be helping Miss Gin teach you all. I understand you all worked very hard just now but I need you to try something else with me. Now..." On the spot. He kneaded his hands pensively, they'd need to be pushed if they were to satisfy this woman. "...I want you to pay close attention because we're going to play a game. First," In true teacher's fashion the Genin raised a finger to present the visual aspect to their students. "I need to give you all an activity. We're all going to infuse our chakra,  I want you to all really show your best work! When I stop or Miss Gin says to stop, we will move on." Glancing this way and that with some slight worry, he had hoped emulation of his mother had been enough to coax young minds into trust enough to liste  after Gin's display. "Ok, let's begin!" Came the declaration.

With that the aspiring assassin turned assistant formed the seal of confrontation, beginning the process of slowly focusing his chakra. Being subject to so much training and all else in his past it came easily, the shining blue fires soon growing in pools upon his skin and clothing. Due to his disposition the children if even apt as such would be unable to sense his chakra let alone his presence, with any luck this materialisation would set them to ease. Looking between them all Ryota watched for any particular individual on the verge of passing out or more ideally an exceptional student. Infusing their chakra in this manner would ideally promote a healthy flow for their 'game'.

Full mind returning, Ryota took the cautionary step to form a full ram seal, ready to move into a genjutsu if only for a moment of defence. He certainly had no intention of making it that easy for the senior, even legendary ninja had luck that could run out. Turning eyes back to the children the fact sweat had found purchase on his brow and lip, now turned cold had set in. Such a thing had always annoyed him. Still, it would have to be tolerated for now, at least he knew his nerves had steadied.

[712]

The boy returned a defiant stare at Gin after showing momentary wonder as to who Gin was referring to. Turns out "Kashi-chan" was simply the nickname that Gin used to refer to the Mizukage herself, Ayakashi. It was that blue eyed devil that had to deal with this village's next generations personally. Gin was only there as a sort of... spectator? No, that wasn't exactly what she was. She owed Ayakashi for letting her take refuge in Kirigakure, despite her "wanted" status in Sunagakure. Therefore, she served her friend through her village, dedicating her body and soul to every request made on the Mizukage's behalf. Such was the life of those that had fallen from grace. She was a dog, a mongrel to be set on her friends enemies when need be. And Gin was fine with that. She knew that under Ayakashi, she would find all of the challenges that she wanted and needed, no matter how many tedious tasks she had to face in the meantime. This was a primary example of the shit she had to put up with, not to mention the fact that she had to lead a team of her own. Okay, so maybe having three genin brats to guide wasn't that terrible. But this... her talents were better suited to other things.

"There's one about a half hour away that drops into the sea - rocks at the bottom and everything. Also has a nice view," she responded to his sarcasm, taking another swing of the vodka in her hand. The fact that she no longer grimaced at the foul taste spoke volumes of how used to it she was. The silver haired woman rolled her eyes at the game that the kid proposed to the bunch of academy students. She wasn't here to teach them chakra control. They could learn that during any other class. She was there to teach them much more than that. She was there to make them realize the hardships of becoming a shinobi and what it meant to realize their full potential. The life that lay ahead of them wasn't for everyone. It wasn't true to the romanticized version that was in their hearts and dreams. Being a shinobi meant being able to kill, to survive in the harshest of conditions and, in a way, to give up their humanity. In other words, it wasn't a life that would suit all of them. The sooner they realized that, the better it would be for them.

"You'll refer to me as Lady Gin or Gin-sama, brat," she mumbled under her breath, though loud enough for the boy to hear. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked on at the scene before her. She supposed she could shape this to fit her goals. She lay back on the rock and closed her eyes. She didn't need to look at the kids to enact her newly found plan. She could just feel the way their chakra filled the air. "Stop" she commanded as she felt most of them reach their peak. She gave them five seconds before saying "Resume," she said. This time, she would tell them to stop only ten seconds afterwards. Her command to resume came two seconds later. Like this, she mixed the intervals, making them let go of their chakra in small bursts and giving them very little time to recover in between.

Most of the kids were on the verge of passing out, panting and covered in sweat. Gin wondered if they hated her yet. Some of them were still determined to keep going. She could tell simply by paying attention to how they were breathing. This last time, she made them keep holding their release of chakra for a longer period of time. The change of pace would help them learn how to control their energy more efficiently and it was a good precursor to what battles were like. Using jutsu meant using up chakra in bursts and in quick succession, while other jutsu required the constant release of chakra to maintain their function. It was exhausting to the untrained body and drained the mind greatly. She opened her eyes, looking at the boy for a moment with a smirk on her features.

[2093]

Ryota felt the corner of his lips curl into a smirk to the retort, it was a fair one if he really considered what Miss Gin was willing to do to children for whatever reason existed in her head. Being a touch more honest with himself he could ascertain it was likely a method to push them harder but it was the root reason beyond that which truly eluded him.

As a few precious seconds passed this unkempt approximation of a regiment by the Genin dared fantasise he'd gotten away with a smooth talk. Excellent! He might just stand a chance intellectually against the lady yet, the black haired one supposed. Alas, reality set in and this was all hewn away as a very direct, gruff statement reached his ears. Not being one to leave an instruction unresponded to out of old habits more than anything, Ryota loyally barked, "Yes, Gin-sama!" Against the backdrop of the marshland driving a prompt for a few children to look on in curiosity. The ashamedly invited tension delivered it's own prompt to the classroom assistant, bringing a renewed focus to his molding of chakra in his most recent attempt to block out the goading of madam superior. As Gin gave her orders even the helped obeyed, struggling notably less than the children yet still with some level of difficulty if only minor.

With her whimsy setting back and forth the sweat soon warmed once more upon his brow and set upon it's own escape from this perceived tyrant with this vigilant student persevering in his quest to show no sign, no hint of weakness. Reciting a bastardised mantra of sorts internally Ryota stood stoic against her gaze, eyes darting this way and that over exasperated and exhausted children. To falter is to show weakness, we must never falter before those who would hunt such a weakness lest we greet death. To falter is to show weakness...

... After a few moments more of rigidly forcing his mind back into shape the shinobi calmly enquired of his present master of sorts, "What would you have us do next, Gin-sama?" The very words induced worry in himself. They were children, if they had not been here how would her training of Genin fare on his form? Admittedly, a thrill leapt through his system at the idea alongside a sensation of peril at the notion. That kind of training would not be easily undone if he managed to acquire it, supposed the more sober of the leading two.

[1609]

Gin scoffed when the boy corrected himself and added the honorific to her name. He seemed intimidated and yet somehow balsy enough to contest her both at the same time. The kid should make up his mind on the kind of attitude that he wanted to have. He went on to follow Gin's orders, channeling his chakra like the other kids around him. She hadn't expected him to join in on the exercise but if he insisted, she wouldn't deny him that. She simply shrugged to herself in response and kept issuing her orders until she had had enough of it. She stood up from where she had been lying down and took another swing from her bottle of liquor, wiping her mouth clean on her sleeve and letting out a heavy sigh of relief afterwards. She looked at the kids once again. Some were slumped on the ground, others bending over their knees and panting heavily - one of them was even dry heaving while another kid pat his back. Gin almost felt sorry for them. Almost.

When the former Kazekage didn't say anything else for a while, the kid piped up again to ask her what it was that she wanted them to do now. For a moment, it almost seemed like she was ignoring the boy. She looked away from the group, pursing her lips together. She took a few steps back to lean on the trunk of one of the few trees in the area. She was remarkably calm for a few minutes, which the kids were grateful for as they caught their breaths. She examined the children for a second before her eyes snapped open completely. "You! she said, pointing at a small girl who instantly began to tremble. "You're to fend off the rest of your classmates until I point to someone else!" Gin half yelled and half slurred. Once again, the children looked confused and unsure as to whether or not they should follow the order.

At the bequest of Gin's stern gaze and unfaltering posture, they understood that she was serious. In response, they began the terribly outnumbered fight. "Fight like you mean it!" She instructed before turning her gaze to the teenage boy that was supposed to be her assistant in all of this. "And you. Don't interfere, got that?" She said, in a way that made it clear that this was some sort of challenge or test for the boy, as if asking him if he would challenge her. The little girl was clearly struggling and on the verge of having this turn into a beat down rather than an actual fight. The Sannin looked at him, taunting him with her drunken gaze.

If one were to judge by her demeanor alone, one would say that she didn't give a single fuck about the safety and well-being of these children. It was as if she wanted to bring back the traditions of the Bloody Mist. She wondered how the genin was perceiving her. What kind of image was he building in his head of her? Was she a cruel and heartless being to him? Most likely. Gin smirked at him. Maybe all of those things were true, in one way or another. After all, she had earned the name "The Angel of Death" for a reason. Nevertheless, she was also fiercely overprotective of those who earned her respect and affection. As for the kids... they were never really in any danger. There was a medic that Gin was instructed to signal if need be, who would be there in a matter of seconds. Of course, none of the people there knew that other than her. It would defeat the purpose of this entire exercise in survival. These kids had to learn that orders could be challenged and that teamwork was necessary to do so. She trusted that they would realize this soon enough.

[2754]

What Gin had perceived as inconsistency ws perhaps not so far flung from the truth, though Ryota would have begged a different term. As the children began to wilt in their perseverence before their training once more did the quiet tides roll. As their small frames and figures fell exhausted as their bodies strained hard against limits untested memories a lifetime away stirred beneath the surface.

As visions assailed his mind's eye of grim test rooms and blinding lightls cured with the same strained children's bodies driven to silence or anguish with their handler's dear rigour, lack of response from dear Gin simply curdled his feelings, driving them sour as a sparking neuron drew recollection that she was in pursuit of ale. As the seconds turned to minutes the proclaimed bitterness felt it's roots levened away, a sinkhole opened instead wrought of pity and sympathy. Releasing his own seal the soft glistening of tears threatened to alight to his eyes. Ultimately he was still a young man, struggling with a past he was projecting onto these children, his trauma. This senior partaking in the sieving of silt in return for likely habrosian life struck chords across his heart as the next ordered was uttered. Kumite for a child not yet properly trained? His former teachers had applied four to one but never yet a whole class and even then the odds were haggaring at best. Even her speech was slurred.

Turning head and body, pivoting on the spot to make measure of the teacher in true the genin pondered the nature of the future. Was this cruelty the end result for all great shinobi in this land? A mind driven to consume the weak with the will of the strong? A scowl made it's home behind mask, furrowed brow planting roots in his skin. Turning away from her unwavering posture the firm instruction fired the starting pistol in his mind, the waters of his soul toiling furiously to the luring call of his baying heart, suspended like a moon abive this pit of rushing fire. More words came, a veritable narcotic as alcohol for the mind.

Ryota's mind set quick and fast with venom imbibed. As the child faltered in her steps and her parries lost their timing the Shinobi considered his options before the poisonous defiance grew to rage and obscured all sense. To openly assault the woman would be suicide both political and practical yet it had a definite allure. Knuckles wrought white in painful clench this Suzuki teen turned to face her time again. "Gin-sama." A flawless tone chiseled out of all rage, tension lingering in the back of his throat the only traitor in minorly stifled pronunciation. "I would ask that you belay this particular order." The spur of the urge kicked into him, mind rushing through a snap reaction. "I feel that this is not the best way to train. Perhaps grouping the children into groups of three would be a more proficient method of educating them in the art of combating multiple enemies in a confrontation?" Ryota was satisfied with his answer, admitted even a touch amazed at the skillful reply. It was an assassin's tongue after all, a swift word may buy a handful of seconds to dispatch the target after all.

Staring dead on at their educator, he watched for any odd movements that might yet betray a violent outburst. Admittedly Gin had proven not to be quite that tyrant, more a puppeteer. Abandoning the stray thought to float away on the wind, Ryota resumed his brief vigil.

[2210]

Gin watched the scene unfold before her eyes. So far, it seemed to go as she had expected it to. Gin wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not, however. She pursed her lips into a small frown. She only tore her eyes from the ongoing ordeal when the genin kid addressed her. Now this was something more interesting, something that she couldn't entirely predict. She could tell by his posture and by the small changes in his tone that he was angry, that he was trying to hold back from turning this into something violent. But why? That was the real question. What did he stand to lose if he stood up for the children? Furthermore, what did he stand to lose if he didn't? Decisions, decisions. For now, he seemed to have taken a more diplomatic approach to the situation, asking for a change in command or a modification of sorts. At this, Gin turned her eyes on the boy, now giving him her complete attention. The expression on her face had changed. All traces of intoxication were gone, making it seem like she had been faking her state before.

"Tell me, boy," she began, placing some emphasis on the last word. "If you asked an enemy team to do that for you - to split up so that the odds become fair to you - would they do that?" She asked. Her voice was clear and her tone was firm, low and tense. She held her gaze steadily on Ryota. There was something in her eyes, something that spoke of past experience, of having lost the bright and joyous outlook that they used to have on life. She moved for a second - her arm slowly lifting towards her face until the palm of her hand rested over one eye. She moved her wrist as if wiping something off with little care or concern. When she lifted her hand from her face, she turned her palm to face the young genin. "Switch to the boy with the black hair and blue eyes," she instructed, her gaze still holding that of Ryota's.

Her face... where her eye was supposed to be, there was a mechanical contraption. The bone and skin around it and extending towards her hairline were replaced by a plate of steel. The palm of her hand revealed something similar. There was a smudge, as if parts of paint or makeup had been carelessly wiped off. Underneath was the steel that made up a false limb. "Let me tell you what happens, boy. You pay the consequences." On Further inspection, the boy would be able to see multiple gruesome looking scars along her visible skin, all of which had been formerly covered by the sort of plaster that Gin always placed atop her skin. She set it with her own chakra, making it so that only she could remove it if she was willing to do so. Her scars and implants were something that she liked to keep to herself. They were linked to her abilities in combat, after all. She didn't want potential enemies to see this as something they could exploit or maybe something that they should fear. No, she would rather they not know at all.

This situation, however... there was a point to prove and a lesson to be learned. She could make an exception for this boy for the sake of that. If these children - Ryota included - wanted to survive in this world, they would have to learn not to make the same mistakes that she had. The only reason she was alive was due to sheer luck and nothing more. She wanted to teach them the value of pushing limits, of self-preservation, of instincts and of teamwork in a way that they were sure not to forget. To Gin, these cruel and unusual methods were the quickest and surest way to accomplish that.

[3412]

Evisceration of her apparent intoxication set Ryota alert, easing back a touch and steeling himself for confrontation, hand hovering about the kunai concealed in the box-styled pouch at the rear of his coat. He almost flinched at the firm indication at their age difference. The gravitas of her tone felt as if it alone would hold him place let alone the question cut from it. This traditionalist wasn't exactly wrong, simply misguided.

"There is no need to teach children to become such enemies!" He found himself shouting, breathing departing from a warrior's calm. It was a strange thing to observe a Yuurei clansman breathing as such, it was akin to a mime experiencing the early stage of a panic attack. Their eyes locked, the Genin gritted his teeth in pained response as they were directed towards who he could only assume was no other than himself lest a child with his own features slipped by his eyes. Another insult. An internal fire crawled up his throat, peeking out to ignite what remained of him. Political suicide? Who cared. Still being the teenager that all come to pass, a degree of hubris sank into his skin. What really made a Kage anyway? A will of fire? A ruthlessness unmatched? They could all throw themselves against the shinobi and surely die one by one but to the hormone addled minds of boys this was worth a plunge.

Kunai brought to wield blade upwards before him, other hand raised and ready for close combat maneuvers, his mind switching off as it travelled the pathway of rage, anger. Then, he saw the truth. As cold steel greeted his eyes and the leathered discolouration of scar tissue seemed to appear, sweeping across her skin the ice bucket of his life washed over him. His stance faltered, lips parting yet mouth not quite falling agape. The sensation wrenched at his heart as the make up was blemished and her sentence uttered. A degree of understanding registered in a clouded mind as the tears came back, the ghost's arms falling to his sides, rising to his full height from the slight crouch of a combat stance. It was as if a plug had been pulled from his spine.

Thoughts rushed his mind, Ryota wished he could only embrace such a person as his family had done for him and wash that suffering away, restore what had been lost and let them know that this was not the end, that he could bare his own scars in return like some mutual truth of a tragic fate in this world. Alas, the genin was not ready for this yet, his eyes told him Gin had clearly not seen this as an end to herself but an end to innocence. Something wet dripped from his mask, wetting his neck. As sense of his situation returned the genin realised  emotional barriers had done little in the face of such a show with tears spilling over his brim. His off-hand rose to his stomach, tracing a line over the fabric of his largest scar absent mindedly. Whispering an apology from in the corners of his mind the boy wishing to be a man simply turned, prepared to face the class that could yet be rushing his way if not for their exhaustion in half-hearted stance.

[2769]

As Ryota's resolve faltered, Gin kept her gaze fixed forward. She gestured so that Ryota would do the same The children kept fighting against the boy, kicking him as he fell. Some of them had become completely consumed by the task - maybe not mentally, but physically, some of their bodies seemed to move on their own. Everything would make sense soon enough. Patience was key, however, Gin trusted that the children would come to the same conclusions that she had when she was their age. The young girl that had just been subjected to the same thing was covered in wounds. She seemed like she was barely able to stand. However, her small fist was clenched tightly and determination shone brightly in her eyes. Gin certainly hoped that Ryota's eyes were as transfixed with the scene as hers were. The former Kazekage leaned forward, her chin resting on he palm of her hand as her eyes narrowed.

The girl from before shifted sides. She stood in front of the current target - the boy with dark hair and blue eyes - her arms spread out widely as if to act as his shield. The other children were confused for a moment, but soon resumed their attack against both children. The small girl helped the boy stand and now wielded a kunai in the shaking palm of her hand. "I won't let you hurt him like you hurt me!" She yelled. Her voice didn't waver. Inspired by her confidence, the other boy stood beside her. They braced themselves together, an unspoken vow to protect each other lingered in the air. Gin smiled as she saw the fight continue, the odds bettering in their favor, even if only slightly. She didn't intervene to tell them that they couldn't side together. Quite the contrary, this is where she had wanted them to get. Slowly, the other children began to falter in what they were doing, some refusing entirely to fight anymore.

She addressed Ryota now, her voice only loud enough so that he could hear. "You see, it's only when you've felt the very pain that others feel that you can truly understand them. I assure you that the bond those two children have formed today won't be something that'll break any time soon," she said almost absentmindedly. She clapped her hands together. The sound rang loudly, even in the open clearing of the training grounds whre they were now. The children instantly stopped. For the first time since the entire training session had started, Gin smiled approvingly towards the children. She motioned so that they would finally sit down. Most of them did so skeptically while the other few were glad to finally be able to catch their breaths.

The former Kazekage waited until they were all seated close by before speaking. "I hope you all understand the purpose behind this now," she began, her voice once again clear and stern. "Unnecessary suffering and pain - wars and conflicts - all start because of an order, it's true. But they keep going when soldiers such as yourselves don't stop to think whether the person fighting against you should be your enemy. At the same time, you know that you shouldn't fully trust them. So what do you do?" Gin asked. The small girl from before raised her hand confidently. Gin motioned to her, giving her permission to speak.

"You listen to your heart and you trust that you're doing what's right... but you also have to be ready to fail."

Gin nodded. It was such a simple answer. "You're classmate is right. That isn't to say that you shouldn't follow orders, however. But you should know that giving proper consideration to your superiors' orders can prevent a great deal of suffering and that you should never let anyone divide you. You are a team. Always remember that, right, Ryota-kun?" She said, using his proper name for the first time. A few moments later, Gin sent a signal flare into the sky. The medic that was nearby soon came to tend to the wounds that the children had. As she watched the kids wait in line while being healed, she turned to face Ryota as if waiting for him to say or do something.

[Training Reaction Time S to S-1: 1750/1750]
[Training Reaction Time S-1 to S-2: 2388/2000]

She didn't even budge, not even once. Gritting his teeth the boy who wished to be a man burned white hot with his own perception of a righteous flame. With clenched fists he resigned himself to continue a streak of servitude to Kirigakure and obeyed her gesture to maintain observation, dropping his stance back to the facade of stern onlooking despite the tears trailing from his eyes as he tucked away the weapon. Later, he would reflect on this and suppose a respect for this tutor'sfirm etiquette. As the small crowd assaulted a boy who against their bodies massed about his, lashing at him with limbs blow after blow seemed smaller still Ryota felt a deep pity and disappointment. How could he feel so strongly and yet arrive at a conclusion of still doing nothing at all? The outcome was a certainty. They would beat each other bloody until nobody remained standing or if her will permitted it, one of these children would die.

Before further memories could coalesce about his mind the previous target stepped forward - his heart skipped a beat and a gasp caught in his throat as he restrained the urge to reach out. Eyes fixed on her he found himself incapable of moving as if some genjutsu had ensnared every aspect of his being. Focusing on her as if the only important point in the world the teenager rooted on the spot contemplated, was she an idiot? Disobedience like this in his memories were always punished. Somewhere on his back an old scar itched. At her pronounced declaration his eyes widened and eyebrows raised, fingers finding their way to his own kunai again. Perhaps Gin might be a touch too close to his old mentors and masters, if so it would be worth throwing himself in the way to spare a child punishment. Unable to look away the tension of anticipation took him again, riddled with emotional exhaustion as behind those blue eyes the cold feeling inside grew. Ragtag formation falling apart as one by one they denied this exercise in the face of a comrade turning arms on them. This was remarkable! Clearly his judgement was severely misplaced.

Gin's voice reached his ears with the sentence hammering a stake into his heart like some kind of marking down for being so foolish as to believe she'd actual allow them to come to any serious harm. Resigning himself to pondering the situation in front of him by comparison it seemed the outside world was vastly different from that shadowed lab that formed his existence for so long. In that dark pit of times past, a disobedient child would simply be punished in one way or another. Such experiments would not end quite this easily but for that he was more than thankful. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief the boy brushed away tears with almost a chuckle at his own ignorance, wiping away the cold sweat of such anxieties. Listening to her conversation with the children he could easily see why she had formerly been Kage despite her unorthodox techniques as such. Ah, but were they really so strange? Ryota brought some degree of comfort to his mind by telling himself he was simply overly sensitive about such things, as his mother so often reminded him when these conversations arose. Fully returning from his heightened state of tension once more did he take in the cool breeze against how warm his face had become, appreciating the gentle scent of grass upon it. Following the final part of her conversation after the girl's reply he grasped the gist of what the student had answered. Gin spoke to him directly? What? With a suffix, too? Raising a solitary eyebrow in confusion the classroom assistant was puzzled as to why she would have this change of attitude. As far as he was concerned he'd been useless! Still, he managed to catch up with a stammer, "A-ah, yes! It's always important to keep hold of both your sense of humanity and your loyalty in these situations. Especially in times of conflict!" Reaffirmed the child slighty-more-so-children.

As the flare called in a medic he felt even more abashed, light pink dusting his cheeks. Of course she would take extra steps of precaution. Shaking his head at himself, the ninja offered up to Gin as her stare settled on him, flaring his cheeks further with embarrasment in a much clearer less conflicted tone, "I'm sorry for doubting you and losing control of myself, Gin-sama." A bow immediately punctuated his sentence, eyes never leaving hers as he came back up. "It was irresponsible on my part and I should have known better as a Genin." He could make the excuse of being in the village a comparatively short time but it felt like trash, a garbage excuse as would be dredging up his past. "And I thank you for the lesson, Gin-sama! I hope you'll be able to teach me again some time." Another fervent bow followed his conclusion, rising back up with a nervous smile creeping into his features at his own idiocy. It seemed the perilous paranoia of being shut away from the world was already beginning to melt away in the face of a historic person teaching momentous lessons to the masses, little by little.

[3669]

[Thread Ended - Waited from 03 May to 05 August. I'm sorry, I simply couldn't wait longer and want to maximise my experience in Kumogakure. I hope we can do this again!]

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