Up by dawn, Kaya prepared his spot in the murky morning light, filtered through the clouds obscuring the mountaintop. Since having arrived the previous evening, the preacher made use of his time to wander the city, taking in the pomp and fanfare of the Chunin Exams with distant judgment. He had set up in front of the southern entrance to one of the exam grounds and sat atop a pile of newspapers carefully liberated to serve as his podium. At this time of the day, the event organizers were the only ones arriving. Kaya hoped he mark somebody as a competitor and convince them to boycott the event but so far the village ninja just wandered back and forth performing their morning duties.
Preacher or not, Kaya knew when to pick his battles. He could stand now and yell into the abyss, condemn their obsession with death; but these people weren't his audience, there would be no convincing them here. So instead he sat, arms resting on his knees, chin in hand, daydreaming.
"Genin!" the voice shocked Kaya from his stupor, head snapping to the face of an instructor; one of several leading groups of local Genin into the exam grounds.
"Whu-?"
"Genin who have not signed up for the exams are required to assist with preparations," breaking away from his group, the instructor came towards the boy, hand urging Kaya from his seat.
"Oh, uhh you don-"
"This is class time; the exams are a privilege for our homeland, pay attention and learn now, then, when you compete next time, you'll make yourself and your country proud. Now come on."
With a slight protest, Kaya stood and shuffled towards the group. Surrounded by Kumogakure Jonin and increased security, it didn't seem in his best interest to make a scene. In truth, he blamed the clean mountain streams on the way to the city for his predicament. Typically the boy was an unmistakable tramp, filthy and ragged, but the days traveling through Lightning Country provided some pristine water with which to wash his clothes and face. Bare feet and lack of Hitai-ate aside, he didn't look much out of place all things considered.
The high ranking shinobi led them through a series of rooms and corridors before opening a large door into a central chamber. The obstacle course provided all sorts of terrain, and each run was varied; purpose-built to offer a unique challenge for the competitors. He could see a few groups entering the crucible through different doors, and their leaders began to bark orders. Somewhere in the middle of his huddle, Kaya only found himself called upon after observing for a few moments.
"You!" The instructor pointed to Kaya, who signals to his chest in response "Course one!" his finger leaves the boy and trails towards the middle of a nearby course where another ninja deftly leaps from a roof to await assistance.
"I guess.." shrug.
Jogging, Kaya set off towards the course, leaping at it diagonally to bypass the cumbersome obstacles the Kumo student had already set up. He would land unceremoniously on the side wall of the long shack, bare feet sticking quickly to the wooden surface allowing him to run horizontally along to avoid triggering any of the rooftop dummies. With lacking enthusiasm, the speed at which he runs marks his wall running as a blatant use of spiritual walking practice and not severe momentum. Landing next to his companion, Kaya would offer a nod then peer towards the next section of the course.
Before the pair lay a series of mechanized weapons traps and several baskets of shuriken, kunai, and arrows. A set of wooden structures provide cover and obstacles for the competitors. Kaya looks to the boy at his side, speaking low and tired.
"You set the triggers on the course I'll load the weapons," half-hearted smile.
Kaya would take off again jogging and scoop up the three weapon-filled baskets in his hands, collecting them one on top of another and placing them on his head, steadying with one arm. With the payload secured, Kaya would set to work on the outside of the structures, loading weapons into slots and pulling back the mechanisms. At the end of the first station, Kaya takes a kunai from the stash, looping its tip through the end of his sleeve to unravel a thread. At the end of each firing mechanism, Kaya ties a thread with a loose knot; enough to delay the firing by a fraction of a second, effectively reducing the danger to none in the world of a trained ninja. Kaya repeats this subtle sabotage at each station.
Even when shanghaied into preparing for a festival that honors death and violence, Kaya would be remiss if he didn't do his part to reduce harm to his brothers in arms.
816