"Class dismissed!" sensei Ono shouted, her loud and commanding voice booming through the air as the children sitting in front of her all simultaneously stood up to get their things. It had been a long day, they had spent almost three hours studying and trying to understand the intricacies of Fuuinjutsu, something that was practically gibberish for those in attendance. The scold lecturing about needing to 'be a well-rounded contributer to society' by Ono didn't help either, she always was a tough cookie who refused to crumble in even the warmest glass of milk. She stood there as the students gathered their belongings, briskly walking out the door of the classroom to the main hallway so that they could mix, mingle, and eventually head home.

Yoshihiro stood up from his desk in a huff, slinging the large backpack up and over his shoulder. It was heavy, filled to the brim with everything from jutsu scrolls to textbooks to a ham and cheese sandwhich. The wee lad steeled his resolve though, walking to the front of the class with the other students only to hear Ono call out over them, "Don't forget that this Thursday will be your parent-teacher conference! Make sure to tell your parents to come!" she yelped before her gaze fell steadily, eventually lingering on Yoshihiro. The boy knew that he was a bit of a teachers pet, something that his peers were always happy to make fun of him for along with his rather studious nature. Ono gave a small sympathetic smile, a crack in the armor of her role as special Jonin, before turning back to her desk, allowing the boy to be on his way.

His thoughts tumbled about his mind as his adolescent legs carried him in slow and steady steps to the front yard of the academy where other parents were picking their young shinobi-to-be up and walking them home. Yoshihiro's eyes narrowed. What a bunch of wimps. He didn't need anyone besides himself! Least of all some dumb stupid parent people. That little internal venting made him feel a tad better, even as that bitter taste lingered in the back of his throat. Who would come in for him and act as his guardian? He assumed it would be oba-chan, the kindly grandmother who ran the orphanage alongside her husband- but she was old and couldn't do much save for dealing with the younger orphans. He knew that while she supported him wanting to become a shinobi, she wouldn't be able to leave to be there for him. He gripped at the straps of his back pack more tightly, walking a bit faster down the long path along the academy yard.

"Stupid human people, I hate 'em" he said, kicking a small pebble on the ground as he reached the front gates of the campus grounds. He stopped to see the pebble soar through the air and come to a halt a ways away, heh, maybe he was getting stronger with all this training. It felt good to get some of that frustration out, especially since he'd never let himself do so in front of the grown-ups. His mood rising a tad, the boy resumed his steady walk, black hair peacocking up in the back a tad as the tired thoughts of the boy kept him too preoccupied to think much on anything around him.

576/576

“Yes!” The young Senju cheered as the lady dismissed the class and was one of the first to get up off of his seat and rush toward the doorway. Tonight was the night his mother was going to be back from a long strenuous escort mission from the Iwagakure. She had promised him that the night she got back she’d make him the tonkotsu he loved so much. As he rushed down the steps of the classroom and about to head out the door, Ono snapped at him, telling him to wait up. He was usually the first kid out the door, sparring any leftover words from his sensei. The boy sighed, anxious to leave but knowing that he had to respect his elders.

She reminded them all of the parent-teacher conference. Not really knowing what to think of it as the boy tended to be a well-mannered student. Neither his father nor his mother seemed to mind whether he wandered off after school with some of his classmates so long as his grades were catered to. Ono sensei’s eyes hovered over one of his classmates, expectantly, the teacher’s pet. Though he had never really interacted with the kid, he was always one to shut down any ill mentions of him behind his back. A sort of respect among peers was a habit he tried to practice amongst the class as his mother had taught him.

It was a rare thing, but having the teacher catch him just before heading out the door really gave him time to reflect on this black haired boy he had never talked to. He felt a little bad even. He was quite amicable amongst the rest of the students, cracking jokes and having a fun time overall virtually everyone knew his name and his lineage. He meditated on this a little more as the rest of the students walked past him, leaving Sachihiro as the last one to leave for once.

“Something on your mind Sachihiro?” Ono asked.

“No” the boy nodded, still thinking about the classmate he had yet the chance to meet.

He walked out, a few of his friends waiting for him at the door, making fun of him for being called out by the teacher. Cracking jokes, calling him “Sachi the Swift” and mockingly dashed around him as if his impatience was finally brought to fruition. He playfully smacked them around practically wrestling as they headed out the door. Some of his classmates filtered off past the gates of the school happily greeted by their parents or simply walking in a band as they made their ways back to their respective neighborhoods, a few of them inviting him to tag along.

He would’ve accepted the offer had he not seen the black haired classmate making his way out the gates alone. He seemed a little preoccupied but couldn’t help but feel the need to strike up a conversation. This seemed like the best chance for him as no one was going to pick him up anyway, he always made the walk home alone. Why not take the chance and find someone along the way?

He giddily jogged up to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder, being the social butterfly he couldn’t help but smile at meeting someone new.

“Hi! I’m Sachihiro Senju. Y’mind if I walk with ya?” he offered a warm handshake.

575

There he was, walking alone down the street like the eternal grump that he was. It was a long walk to the Konoha orphanige, but it was one that always helped him clear his mind. Gradually watching the suburban village give way to forest always had a somewhat soothing effect on him. He would never say that he enjoyed living as an orphan, after all, who would? Yet, he could not deny that he thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being immersed by nature. Presently though, he was still walking down the road away from the academy, mumbling to himself about who he'd present to be there for Ms. Ono to talk with on his behalf. Surely he'd just be passed over, this kind of thing was trivial in the long-view, he was there to be a shinobi, not hear his teacher tell his parents about how proud they should be!

That thought made his eyes narrow a bit further, his gaze drifting down to the ground ahead of him as he walked along... It might've felt good to have someone to pick him up after school, or to give him a hug after a long day, or to even tell him how proud they were. He couldn't help his mind from lingering on those warm feelings that he yearned to experience like other children, outwardly bitter towards them, yet secretly yearning to feel the embrace of another as he had seen them be embraced. Instead, like he had been all his life, he was alone. He was a self-made boy, and he would be a self-made man as well as a shinobi! He tried to steel his resolve with these thoughts, thinking on them to the point that he failed to hear the footsteps trailing after him along the road.

Yoshihiro stopped, turning around to look at the boy who had happily approached him. It was Sachihiro Senju, a boy a couple years younger than he, yet one influential in his charisma and clan. The two had never really spoken before, not that he could remember. Still, he had chased him down, so Yoshihiro couldn't bring himself to spurn him away. Cautiously, the boy reached out to the extended hand, shaking it once, then twice, then three times before breaking the hold and looking the other boy over. "I'm Yoshihiro Joe, good to meet ya" he replied in turn, blinking as the eager boy offered to walk home with him. That was certainly new, an offer that caught the boy off guard. "You wanna... walk with me?" he asked, a tinge of wariness to his gaze. This must surely be a trick, or a genjutsu, or a plot to embarrass him. Outgoing and nice people like him were a myth, at least so far as he knew growing up!

The boy let out a small 'harumph' as he exhaled from his nose, "Well, alright- but don't try anything funny, ya hear?" he stated, looking around to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping on them. He grabbed at the straps of his backpack and began walking home again, this time with the newfound acquaintence at his side. The one man 'Joe' clan was quiet at first, uncertain of what to make of Sachi's sudden gesture of kindness. He didn't have friends, let alone one who walked home with him after classes at the Academy. "So what ya think about Fuinjutsu? Are ya gonna work on it more?" he asked, offering a timid and innocent question as they continued their walk. "You're a Senju, so are ya already learning wood release from your pops?" he asked, looking over once in a while to Sachi as they kept moving along.

630/1206

The boy was more inviting than he had initially assumed. Happy at the welcoming but finding it a little comical at the boy’s warried gaze though he did have a right to this feeling. It was their first proper interaction after all and perhaps the boy would come to believe that Sachi would be wanting something from. Had the boy asked the Senju would rightfully deny it, there was no need for unwelcome greed especially in the academies and in fact saw the potential of a new lifelong friend.

“It’s nice to meet you Yoshihiro. Mind if I call you Yoshi?” and replied to the boy’s questioning of walking with him ”Of course!” the boy replied happily “No use in isolating each other right? We’re becoming ninja of the leaf aren’t we? We stand together!” he proudly pounded his chest, crudely quoting the words of his mother.

At this time in his life, the boy wasn’t too interested in the capabilities of Fuinjutsu, his naivety having him blow a raspberry at the practice of it “I don’t know. It can be a little boring y’know? Like, why would I want to put a sword some paper and take it out later when I can make a sword out of water, or better yet, LIGHTENING!” he excitedly waved his hands around as if he himself was wielding said sword “but I know it’s something I HAVE to work on” he groaned and turned back to the kid, not realizing he had taken a few stops forward in his excitement of wielding fire “What about you? You gonna be one of them weapon people? Making element weapons and such?”

He pursed his lips at the mention of learning wood release from his father and laughed “Actually, my mom’s the one that has wood release in the family. My dad’s the one that god married into the family, he’s not a ninja either. He’s a banker. It’s kinda funny too. I don’t know how they met and they’re such opposites of each other. Cuz they’re all so loud and social and my dad kinda keeps to himself. But yeah! My mother’s been planning on taking me out one these days to show me how to properly wield my elements”
He couldn’t but skip around the young lad, excited at the conversation taking place. Though he wasn’t so used to talking so extensively aobut himself he figured it would be rude to continue. Never wanting ot impede on someon else’s freedom to speak he proceeded to ask a question he wouldn’t know might be coming off as too personal.

“So what about your parents?” he hadn’t know the boy was an orphan, hence his innocent question “What elements do ya’ know? Since mine’s pretty obvious, having the Senju name and all”

491/1066

The other boy sure was talkative, Yoshihiro could sure give him that much! The quiet boy felt rather overwhelmed by the deluge of information that Sachi was giving him, though, ever the respectful young lad, he stayed silent to let him speak, only giving a small nod here or there where it was appropriate. The grip on the straps of his backpack loosened a tad as he walked. It was... nice to be able to talk with one of his peers so freely like this, it made the walk across Konoha feel shorter than normal.

It would take a bit to get used to being called Yoshi though, he wasn't used to being referred to in a shorthand version of his name. If anything, the kiddo was a tad surprised at not being asked what clan 'Joe' was since, admittedly, the boy had just made it up as a monicker to give himself in the absence of concrete familial ties. "Yeah, we'll be ninja of Konoha. That's why we're here after all, that's why we sit through all that stuff" he chirped in agreement as, truth be told, there were a number of classes which felt less than important to his education as a Genin-to-be.

Fuinjutsu was one of those things that never really interested Yoshi for the most part, it always seemed weird to him. He knew it to be useful, in fact, if he kept studying it, he was certain that sooner or later he'd find it invaluable- but as a wee lad with big ideas and big dreams starting off his career as a shinobi, it felt pretty distant to him. Ninjutsu was his bread and butter, it always had been. Sure, that meant he always got slapped pretty hard by any of the kids who were developing a talent for Taijutsu, but his style still held up on its own! "It never really appealed to me" he admitted as Sachi gave his own mindset for why he thought today's class was godawful boring.

Elemental sword seemed neat, maybe even something worth looking into, "A lightning sword? That sounds cool" Yoshi chimed in, raising his clenched fist in front of him as he walked, imagining what it might look and feel like to hold a sword of prime energy and use it in a crazy fight. Unfrotunately, the small amount of adolescent chakra he manifested then made little more than a small butter knife than a full on blade. The boy pouted a tad, "Yeah, well, maybe one day" he grumbled before focusing on the path ahead of them both once again. "I dunno about making weapons, I'm just working on my ninjutsu for now" he added, thinking on it a tad as he kicked a small rock ahead of them on the dirt path.

Yoshi looked to Sachi as he talked for a bit about how his mother was actually the one who would teach him wood release. It seemed she was the one who carried the blood of the Senju as opposed to the father, a surprising change of pace. "Does that mean you're technically related to the First and Second Hokage?" the boy asked, a small glimmer in his eye as he thought about the idea of being related to someone so famous and powerful. Maybe some of their strength would find its way into their descendant and make them super tough too!

The idea of having such a long-stretching lineage as the Senju is something that clearly intrigued the boy as he stared off into space ahead of him- what if he was actually a Uchiha? Could he use his red eye thing to blow up the universe or something cool like that? Yoshi realized he was being kind of rude though, and tried to turn his focus back to Sachi, "So how did your mom and pops meet then if your mom is such a cool kunoichi? Didn't her parents not like her marrying someone like a banker?" he asked, curious to know if there was more to the story than just what the boy had told him.

Finally it was Sachi's turn to poke at Yoshi and his past, something that made the enthusiasm the boy had been showing to falter a tad, his gaze hovering back to the dirt path ahead of them as they walked along. "Don't know, don't care" he stated bluntly, only a tinge of bitterness to his voice. "I never knew them. I got found one night in a basket at the Konohagakure orphanege- it's where I'm heading now that school is over for the day" he explained further, though at the second part of that query he was a bit more forthcoming, "I've always had a knack for Futon and Raiton, dunno why" he said with a shrug. He kicked his foot lightly ahead of him, knocking up a small puff of dust that began to spin around slowly ahead of them, a harmless dust devil formed by a small spark of Futon chakra. "I'm my own clan, the 'Joe' clan, and I'll beat up anybody who tries to pick fights with it!" he said with great determination and vigour, looking to the boy again, "Has anyone ever tried to pick a fight with ya just because they know who your clan is?" he asked, curious to know.

914/2,120

“Yeh!” he punched his fist to his palm at Yoshi’s agreement and patted his newfound ally in the back. That’s what they were after all. Allies. He had the fear however that he was being a little too comfortable around the newly met student, hoping he wasn’t too upset at Sachi’s approach to kinship. Though the boy didn’t seem to protest at his invitation in calling him by the nickname Yoshi, so he figured it’d be a safe to continue addressing him as so.

He nodded along at the boy’s answering. It was true after all, ninjtutsu was definitely something nearly every shinobi had. It was the essence of becoming a shinobi. To be able to properly wield ones chakra and properly transform it on a whim. Techniques only limited by the user’s imagination making the thought of mastering any other specialization quite boring the eyes of the youths. Even with all the Taijutsu training their teacher made them go through all the sparing it was never quite as fun as practicing the academy techniques. To him, simply transforming into someone else was a bigger joy than having to punch someone over and over again.

“Hey! We should make a jutsu together!” He jested, mocking up a few improvised hand signs as he playfully bumped elbows “all the legendary ninjas seem to do it.”

When the boy made the connection of his relation with the first hokages, he felt a bit of pride and some shame. Though he shrugged it off, being shown to downplay his own capabilities as they were no easy people to live up to “Haha… I surely am.” He had always been reminded of this and it did ensue some stress in his daily life. Whenever he brought up his name, the only other thing folks seemed to connect him to were the first Hokages. They tended to expect great things from him, something he himself wasn’t sure he was capable and preferred not to showcase his wood element as there had yet been any evidence that he was even able to create it.

He laughed at the idea of a Senju being unwelcoming to any newly met stranger “You’ve never really met a Senju, have you?” crossing his arms at the boy’s naivety. Thinking that he was joking for a moment, he narrowed his eyes at the boy curiously, not being able to hold back a quizzical smile. “We’re pretty hospitable. Especially to outsiders”

Upon finding out the absence of his parents, Sachi couldn’t refrain from feeling guilt at the assumption that he had to have them. He let out a solemn sigh and was about to apologize for his rudeness but the boy then proudly declared that he was of his own clan. An idea he can get behind as the boy showed great pride in his one-man unity. Nodding along at his declarations.
“Y’know… no one’s ever ACTUALLY fought with me. It’s probably because I talk my way out of it” he giggled “Plus I’m sure it helps that two of my ancestors were probably the most powerful shinobi in all of history.” As they continued walking to the boy’s orphanage, a thought struck him. He turned back to the boy and proceeded to ask.

“H-Hey… I know we just met, but would you like to come over fo-“ and just as the boy was about to finish his sentence, a swift gust of wind rose up just behind the pair.

“For dinner?” Behind them appeared a tall and well-build woman around her mid 30s. Accompanied by brilliant amber eyes and silver locks of hair she bore a wide and attractive smile. Her face was lit up, vibrant with energy that showcased a beautiful character.

“Mom!” Sachihiro yelled, and ran into the woman’s welcoming arms. She turned to Yoshi with a dimpled smile “and you might you be sweetie? Is this your friend?”

Sachi nodded, elated his mother had arrived early and just in the nick of time. “Yeah, this is my friend! Tell her your name!” He said happily, nearly jumping for joy.

703/1769

Yoshi blinked at Sachi's suggestion. They should make a jutsu together? How would that even work? The boy had only begun to master the academy jutsu let alone ventured out to attempt to craft his own custom ones. He fidgeted a tad as he kept walking down the dirt path, the more he thought about it, the more the idea kind of grew on him. The super strong Hokage could make their own jutsu right? So why couldn't he do so with Sachi so that they could be super strong one day? The logic held up, but in practice, Yoshi was apprehensive to say the least, "Yeah, that'd be neat" he simply said, not pushing the idea nay further than that for now.

It was strange to see Sachi react in a somewhat underwhelmed manner when Yoshi brought up him being related to the First and Second Hokage. Didn't he appreciate his lineage? Perhaps the other boy had grown up under such a heavy burden of their shadows that he now feared what he could do to even compare to their skills. Still, to a boy like Yoshihiro who had no lineage to speak of, he was envious of all that his newfound friend had.

"That's so cool, I'd wanna be related to a Hokage. I always liked reading about Lord Sixth in the history books I found" he added, tilting his head a tad at Sachi's analysis of how he perceived the Senju clan. "I dunno, I just thought everyone that's super strong would be scary" he thought with a shrug. Bullies were usually pretty strong, and since he knew all about those as an orphan, they were often his litmus for what strong people tended to be like. Of course, now that he was on his way to becoming a Genin, nobody back home could pick on him anymore... Yet, being a Genin naturally had its own challenges.

The sudden rush of air from behind the two boys caught Yoshi off guard. Instinctively, he looked down at the same foot he had used to create that lil cantrip dust devil earlier- wow, he must've been really getting strong from all that training if he had been able to cause that! Unfortunately for the Genin, this phenomena was not of his doing, as just as Sachi had begun to invite him to have dinner at his family's home, the mother of said boy appeared using the mother-senses-no-jutsu. Alarmed at the appearance of the sudden figure, Yoshi stumbled back and away as Sachi ran forwards to give his momma a big ol hug. The matriarch certainly projected an aura of power, one that was tempered by her warm smile as she welcomed her son and his new friend.

Yoshi put his hands on his hips standing proudly, albeit very much nervous before such a strong woman. "I'm Yoshihiro Joe! I'm the one-man-clan of Konohagakure!" he declared loudly, only to stumble forwards slightly on accident as his backpack and puffed-out chest made him somewhat off balance. Relaxing to a more normal position, he looked up to the mom again, this time with a more reserved and respectful bow, "It's very nice to meet'cha miss" he said before looking up to meet her gaze.

562/2682

“Not everyone who’s super strong is scary” the boy made sure to make a point of that. Having met a few Jonin from the ranks including his mother, ninja’s of Konoha seemed to carry with them a powerful pride and love for their country. Strengths were secondary to them as much as kindness was first. Carrying with them the Will of Fire wherever they went.

The mother nuzzled her kid, showcasing her deep love for her own blood though a love that could have also been given to good friends. She happily nodded along at the boy’s declaration of his one man clan. Not even taking it as a joke but respecting his pride and forwardness in his youthful shout.

She smiled “Well it’s a pleasure to meet you too Yoshito Joe,” and bowed her head back at the boy. Even as an adult, she had great appreciation for those who bore strength in their words. No matter how young, in her eyes she saw the yet to graduate student as a fellow shinobi. No need to downplay the strength of youths.

“But please, you can just call me Mrs. Junko” she chuckled at his formalities. Never really liking being treated as a superior when not on the job.

“So how about it? Would you be wanting to join us for dinner? I can assure you I make a pretty mean Tonkotsu. Everyone will be over and I’ll be sure to serve it up any way you like. Take it as a declaration of kinship between the Senju and one-man Joe clan”

She stood up, Sachi at her side and placed her hand on her hips. Being sure not to evoke any sort of animosity as the boy might find her presence a bit intimidating. Though she reassured with him with a second nod and an outreached hand, offering a handshake at the boy. Had he accepted the offer, she would happily pull him in for hug under a tight but harmless squeeze.

Sachi stood alongside her, happy both that she had come early from her missions and that she was able to make it in time to come across his new friend. It wasn’t common for her to interact with them as she was usually on missions or catching up on long awaited sleeps. He giddily shook about, maintaining his energy as this was too exciting of a moment for him.

Once their introductions and invitations were out of the way, they would be sure to take the boy back to their clan’s neighborhood and introduce them to the rest of the bunch.

442/2211

NPC:

Yoshihiro was more than a bit surprised at seeing the strong Senju bow down in a small sign of respect towards him. He had never been given such a display before, even as he had worked towards it every day with his hard work and dedication to ninjutsu. Thus, the large smile that appeared on the boy's face was one of true victory, feeling quite pleased with himself at being able to be viewed as more than a sad, lonely orphan. He nodded up at Junko, "The pleasure is mine, miss!" the boy quipped, looking between her and the child whom was now clutching at her like a human koala.

The notion of coming home to have dinner with this family whom he barely knew was quite spooky to the often reserved young boy. What was it about these Senju folk that made them so easy to be around with? Were they using some kinda Genjutsu on him that was causing him to lower his defenses? Suddenly, the boi chopped at the air directly ahead of him, using the dispelling 'Kai' technique he had been honing on for that month's exam. At feeling rather normal, albeit somewhat silly for dispelling a nonexistent Genjutsu, the child sheepishly looked up at the powerful shinobi, collecting himself as he bowed down to a 45 degree angle.

"Yes Ms. Junko, I would like that very much" he accepted courteously, adjusting the straps on his backpack as he looked up at the much taller woman. Sachihiro seemed about to transcend to a higher plane of existence with the sheer level of excitement that he was hopping around happily at the prospect of having a good ol family dinner together along with Yoshi. For the orphan himself, he was merely grateful to not have to finish the long walk back to his home on the outskirts of the village. He knew what would await him when he appeared over the horizon, a gaggle of bullies waiting to taunt him and an empty room with nothing in it save for his school supplies and history books.

Yoshi reached to shake the woman's hand only to let out a sudden but cute 'eep' sound as he was pulled into a deep and loving hug by the motherly figure. The boy blinked, his mouth open in a mixture of surprise and awe at the sudden warmth that had enveloped him. N-nobody had ever held him like this, he couldn't remember a feeling of being this light on his feet as he was now being hugged by the mom. Certain that Sachi couldn't see him, the orphan closed his eyes for a sliver of a moment, humming lightly to himself as he secretly allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of being cared for in such a way, even in such a small motion. When Ms. Junko let go, Yoshihiro looked between the two, "Okay, let's go" he said with a small nod. He was hungry for some home made cooking for a change, he could only eat so many microwave meals before going stir crazy!

522/3204

Junko nodded at the boy’s attempt at the genjutsu dissipation. Almost shrugging as if to say there was no need for deception. A little saddened at the thought of what would’ve possibly made this interaction difficult for the boy to believe. She felt a responsibility for him now as she was the adult in the situation. “Sweetie, there’s no need for that” she playfully jested, tussling his hair at his performance “Though it would’ve definitely worked had there been one” she winked reassuring him of its success.

Following the warm hug, she pushed her palms to her knees as to help her get up. Placing her arms back onto her hips and looking in the direction the boys were originally heading. “Well, what are we waiting for!” she lead the boys on her way, holding her son’s every minute. Letting Yoshi know he was more than welcome in the hand holding though perhaps believing he wouldn’t feel very comfortable with it she didn’t linger on the invitation. Simply having them in her company was enough to bring her some joy no mission ever could. The feeling of community.

The walk was no longer that fifteen minutes from their neighborhood as Sachi and his mother happily invited the boy to step in first. There he would be presented with a large living room, properly furnished to fit that of a modern family Japanese household. Junko would properly head over to the kitchen area just next to the living room setting up the ingredients needed for her meal.

“Make yourself at home Yoshihiro. Sachi, you should go and show him the garden out back!” she exclaimed as she rummaged through the refrigerator, taking out previously prepared broth.

The two boy’s walked past the living, quite sizable in fact that it was obvious it was meant to acquaint far more than the family of three Yoshi had been told of. This was a social room and it was well to assume that this was where the many Senju family member would come to gather and have a small feast.

“Oh yeah! Hey Yoshi, come with me. I’ll show the plants I’m growing so far!” he motioned to the boy to him now walking past the kitchen and past a sliding door leading them into a small and quaint garden. Now bigger than their academy classrooms, the hovel was beautifully adorned with health green shrubbery and vibrant flowers. The garden shining with life it was obvious it was very well looked after by the young Senju before him.
“Over here we got the lotus. Oh! Over there we’ve got some jasmine’s and some jasmine leaves we can make some tea from.” The boy pointed at a miniature greenhouse near one of the corners “It’s where we keep all the tea plants too. You want to try some?”

It was obvious the family was well off within’ when inside the household, but the beauty of the garden was not something that came from wealth, but from careful understanding and a genuine love for the practice. He walked over to a small table next to the assorted tea plants and set up a small tea kettle for two.

“Take your pick!” he said happily, in no way showing. He was more than happy to share the joys that came with embracing the love for his hobby “We can make green, jasmine, chamomile or mint right now.”

Hoping to pass some time whilst the two waited for his mother to prep the broth and perhaps some of his cousins to come by before dinner was served.

612/2823

Locking onto target, analyzing... Hand locked onto, prepare to fire. Three...two...one-

Yoshihiro reached out and took the nice lady's hand as she held her son's with the other one. The boy grinned lightly as Junko guided them off of the road out of town and towards the more residential districts of Konoha. The black haired boy stuck next to the mom like glue, the memories of her warm and loving hug still fresh in his mind. He remained fairly quiet during their walk, merely savoring the feeling of not walking home to the orphanage for a change. The way that Junko ruffled his black hair, how she had shown him such unbridled motherly affection, it warmed him in ways that he couldn't quite fully explain.

At last, the trio came to the place. The Senju estate certainly was fairly well off and furnished, a far cry from the bare minimum that Yoshi was used to living off of. "Waggh!" he said, kicking his shoes off hastily to step into the living room only to fall over with a loud, "Oof!" that left him sprawled on the wooden floor of the building. Slowly stumbling up to his feet, the child wandered into the living room, letting his backpack slump to the ground. "Whoaaaa, you guys got a sofa..." he started, flopping down on one on the opposite side of the room, "-next to another sofa!" the child exclaimed. Truly, this was the pinnacle of modern living.

Junko had disappeared into the kitchen whilst the boys were left to their own devices- always a recipe for disaster. The offer to see the garden was a bit strange at first to Yoshi as he overheard the mom chirp her lil order to Sachi, "You mean like plants and stuff?" the boy started, very much okay with the idea of just loafing about on the couch like an oversized cat. Still, being a dutiful guest, the boy plopped up from his perch and hustled over to follow the Senju child through the hallway into the backyard garden. Even if he thought plants were for sissies, Yoshi couldn't contain the fact that he was impressed if by just the sheer size and scope of the garden alone. His eyes grew wide, his mouth making an 'o' shape as he looked around. This place was bigger than every singles dorm room in the orphanage combined!

"I like tea" Yoshi simply said, following the other child over to the greenhouse to sample whatever herbs were ready to be harvested and used. Once inside, the duo faced the predicament of figuring out what kind of tea they should make. Humming in thought, Yoshi pointed at a familiar blend, "I always liked Mint tea!" he stated with a firm nod of self-approval. He would sit down at the lil table whilst Sachi poured them their respective cups to sip on. Alone together once again for the time being, Yoshi looked around the greenhouse before taking a small sip of his warm cup.

"So are ya an only child?" he asked, tilting his head a tad as he watched the gray haired boy sip his own dram. "I don't know if I have siblings, I always wanted an older brother though that I could fight with all the time and get stronger through" he said with a nod, truly good-natured combat was always the solution for any form of loneliness.

579/3783

The boy patiently waiting for the kettle to come to a boil, eagerly pouring him his hot water and placing a few dried mint leaves. He himself preferred green tea expectedly prepared himself his own cup. He habitually blew a puff of cool air as he often did whenever preparing one for his mother. Knowing it wouldn’t make a difference in temperature, it was just a nice gesture to let the others know to be careful of the heat. He walked over to the seated boy and handed him his respective cup.

“Careful. It’s hot” he chuckled at the obvious observation and nodded at the boy’s question “Mhhmm. I remember my mom talking to my father about wanting another one, but they’re both very busy people I don’t think they’d have the time to take care of another kid. I mean, they barely have time for me. Although I’ve never felt lonely. Honestly, my cousins are the ones that make up for it” he giggled “I’m sure they’d like you!”

He took a quick sip of his green tea, just enough to not have hat annoying burning sensation on ones tongue. A mistake he made all too often and listened to the boy’s thoughts on siblings.

“Y’know, just because they’re not of your blood doesn’t mean they can’t be brothers” he punched Yoshi’s shoulder “I mean sure, I have cousins but I would say that we’re closer than most siblings I’ve seen. Though I don’t think I’ve ever trained with them. I think I’m the only one looking to be a shinobi actually. Though you and I could always train!” he welcomed the idea of the newfound friend becoming one of his sparring partners, gesturing his fist forward, inviting Yoshi to a fist bump.

Back in the kitchen, the fumes of Mrs. Junko’s cooking were smelled from a mile away as members of the Senju family slowly started trickling in. First to arrive were a few of the mother’s close relatives, her sibblings of course, Aunt Aina and Uncle Riku a rather dynamic couple always telling jokes and jesting over each other’s looks. Their kids Rosh and Sora would soon come in, Sachi’s cousins and make themselves at home in the living room finding time in playing some board games. Soon, Junko’s extended family would find their ways into the house, complimenting on her broth and assisting in preparations for the ramen that was to be served.

It wasn’t long before she mentioned her son’s new acquaintance just outside the garden, describing his and “small, sweet and just too adorable” as a mother would. Gathering up the member as some innocent gossip was flung around the house, a few of the adults taking a peek outside the sliding doors to get a good look at the new guest. Though they were social people, they knew their limitations, coming up to this boy would come off as too welcoming and a little intimidating. Biding their time and waiting anxiously for Sachihiro to walk right in and present him to the rest of the ensemble.

540/3363

Yoshi nodded with all the combined wisdom that a barely 11 year old boy could claim to have. He hummed as Sachi talked about kiddos and the topic of family. "I mean, it can't be too hard right? Just tell your mom you want a younger brother and then she'll use her summoning jutsu to bring one to you. That's where I thought babies come form" he explained, looking at the other boy as if he had three heads. Why did the dad need to be told about it or need Junko's permission about? From what he knew the banker wasn't a shinobi and therefore wouldn't be able to do summoning! The match checked out, and even though Yoshi was pretty godawful terrible at math, he was pretty sure he had that equation nailed down.

He wasn't sure how to feel about the notion of Sachi's cousins and bonding with them. Yoshi had thought that all Senju children would become ninja honestly, though the more he thought about it, the more he could see that there were people from great clans who wanted to only live in peace and be left alone. "I guess we can fight, yeah!" Yoshi agreed, awkwardly striking out with an open palm against Sachi's fist, obviously having intended to do a high-five. Still, it worked, kind of. "I don't think any of ya can be related to me, but we can still try and be friends though" he nodded, though thinking too much about blood ties was a road in itself that would lead to a more melancholic mood that Yoshihiro did not wish to partake in.

Yoshi sipped the last of his mint tea, licking his lips as the organic herbs left their taste upon his mouth. They sure tasted good! He felt all warm and relaxed all over. With this state of calm, he looked to the other student and asked him thenext big boy question, "What's your dream? Why do'ya wanna be a ninja?" he asked, deciding to answer his own question so as to not put Sachi off. "I was born into nothing. No fancy clan powers or parents, everything I got I made or earned by myself. I wanna be strong so I can help others, as well as prove you don't need any of that stuff to be strong" he said, closing his eyes in thought as he reflected upon his own words. Truly, the clairvoyant nature of herbal tea held no bounds.

Finally, once the two were done, they could stand up and return to the main house. Their boyish adventures done for now, they could eat some well deserved dinner in the warmth of the lodge. Having taken his newfound friend's plight into account, Yoshihiro walked through the sliding doors of the home and pointed at Ms. Junko, "Sachihiro wants a little brother so you gotta give him one as soon as possible! I dunno what summoning jutsu you'll need but you gotta do it!" he announced, only noticing the other people in the dining room as he finished talking.

"Oh... Hi" he said meekly, looking around at the strangers as he stood sheepishly aloof behind Sachi. Where did all these people come from???

553/4,336

The boy giggled at Yoshi’s little retort. Though he was around the same age, he knew that kids weren’t ‘summoned’ into the world much like he had thought. His mother had shown him that at least, simply saying that he was made when both his mom and dad wanted. As she had many times over discussed with his father over the thought of having another one. It wasn’t as simple as the young shinobi had put though he as curious as to how exactly children were made.
“I don’t think that’s how they’re made. But they’re already too busy as it is. The village needs my mother and my dad has a big responsibility to this job. Maybe when I’m older they can try!”

“My dream? I guess it would be to be like my mother. She always talks to me about the missions that she goes own and how rewarding it is to help out those in need. She really gives it her all and although she may have inherited our Clan’s ability to make nature, it means nothing if you don’t act on what you believe in” the boy looked around at his garden, a result of his close study and understanding of plants.

The boy nodded at his partner’s declaration of independence and lifted his cup of tea to that “To protecting others!” he chuckled “We’re going to become great ninja someday!” Though he did feel a little attacked at the boy’s mention of ‘fancy clan powers’ he figured it was more as a self-indulgence. He didn’t mean to offend the boy or ‘show off’ his privileges into the clan and he understood not to take offense at it.

As the boy’s went in, Sachi was the first to notice the array of family members just passing through the sliding door. However his little partner had taken notice of Mrs. Junko and brought up his mention of ‘summoning’ a child into existence. To which she held her hands up to her face and blushed at the child’s innocent notion and began to laugh.

At that, the rest of the fifteen family members; aunts, uncles and cousins alike all watched the little boy as he meekly turned to the crowd before him. Standing near and around the kitchen as some of the younger family members strayed in the living room finding time in a few leisure activities like board games. A few of the female members held their faces and “aww’d” at the boy while the rest of the family members happily embraced the new guest. Tussling his hair, hugging him and giving him the most motherly of kisses as the ladies barraged him with their love.

They couldn’t help it, the boy was too cute.

“Aren’t you a cute!” One the aunts declared.

“Look at him!” another one of his aunts mentioned.

“I’m Sawano Senju I’m Junko’s second elder brother, this is my wife Fukui and my kids Kawaguchi and Kuse. I’m Sachi’s uncle”

“I’m Hashi, I’m the cool aunt! Junko’s elder sister sister. This is my husband Tahara and my three kids Seta, Kondo and Morine!”

“I’m Asari, Junko’s eldest brother. My wife Kai is over there in the living room. These are my kids Uozumi, Otsuka, Kabuto and Yukawa!”

It was a lot of information for the boy to ponder on and both Sachi and his mother understood as they quickly went over the boy to provide some kind of comfort as to not feel overwhelmed. Giddily offering him a seat as some of the family took theirs and found any topical conversation to bring up. Practically making Yoshi the center of attention as Junko began finishing up the broth, asking her siblings for any assistance and the kids finding proper seats right by Yoshi.

“Where’re you from?”

“What Clan do you belong to?”

“How do you know Sachi?”

“Do you know any Jutsu?”

“What’s your name?”

“How old are you?”

Questions after question. The younger cousins barraged him, genuinely wanting to know who the newfound friend was. They were extroverts by nature and happily expressed their curiosity and genuine interest to the boy.

721/4084

There were so many people, and they were all loud! Yoshi stifled a sheepish smile as he stood behind Sachihiro, using the other child as a human shield to mediate between the usually reserved boy and the extroverted family. The child could see Ms. Junko blushing and giggling at Yoshi's very serious command, an act that he still couldn't really fathom all that much, why was she laughing at his words? He could feel the looks of all the people in the large living room looking at him and giving him those big goo goo eyes that people get when looking at a cute pet- or in this case, a cute lil orphan boy who had been brought home for dinner. No amount of hiding behind Sachihiro could prevent the clan from surging forwards, something that caused the youth to yelp a tad as he felt himself being embraced by the large family, "Waagh!" he cried as he was tussled around and fussed over.

Yoshi felt someone ruffle his black hair, pull him in for a hug, all while introductions were being made by everyone all at once. All that the boy could do to keep track of them all was nod vicariously as he heard the strangers list off their names and the names of their children. Did this entire family live in one house? The thought boggled his mind, that so many people could stay under the same roof. "I-I'm not cute!" he replied in vein as the various doting women of the house called him such. No meager protest he could afford would do much of anything though, as he was at the mercy of these affectionate relatives.

It it weren't for Ms. Junko sliding over once the food for dinner was set he would've been overwhelmed by the barrage of grabby hands and the like. Yoshi was whisked towards the dining room, sitting down to the spot that had been set out for him, his eyes going wide with awe. This was a really big table! He had never seen such a large one in his whole life! Usually he only had his desk to eat meals at in private since he never sat with the other kids over at the orphanage. That specific scenario was inverted here, as the teen found himself surrounded by the other Senju children who had all inherited that extroverted trait that rand wildly throughout their whole family.

"I'm from here, I live in the orphana- no I don't have a clan, I'm by my- well I know Sachi through the ninja academ- yes I'm actually good at some futon jut- I'm Yoshihio Joe, I'm 12!" the boy said, cutting himself off as the questions came in like a torrential downpour from the mouths of his newfound acquaintences. "It is very nice to meet you all! Thank you for letting me have dinner with you and for welcoming me into your home!" the child said, bowing down a tad again in thanks before dinner could at last be served. He wasn't certain if he would even be able to come back here like he had tonight, but if that would be the case, he would be certain to savor this moment for the future.

The child looked around up and down the table, "Do you really all live in the same building? I didn't realize this estate was so big!" the child exclaimed, making a small 'o' shape with his mouth as he took in the scenery of it all. As the food was laid out before him, he inspected it with his nose and his utensils before plopping some into his mouth. While the food at his home was good, it was never crafted with the same care that an abode like this could provide. He couldn't fault his caretakers for that, they had a lot of other children to take care of, Yoshi knew it was nothing personal against him, the two old folks just had a lot of responsability!

"I was telling Sachihiro about the Parent-Teacher meeting stuff that ol' Ms Ono has us doing in a couple days and how I don't got a parent to show up for me. I just can't believe how many of you there are!" he said looking up and down the table, were all families this size?

744/5080

The boy answered these questions to the best of his ability as the children continued with their questioning. In no means looking like an interrogation but more like a herd of overexcited puppies looking for someone to play with. Though the adults catching on to the rudeness of their arguably intrusive personalities they were quick to nod their heads in apologies and sit the children down back into their seats as to communicated that they were being a little too much for this boy.

At the boy’s questioning if everyone had lived under the same roof, Sachihiro giggled and replied “No, only my parents and I live here. Although the rest of my family don’t live too far. My uncle Asari’s our neighbor. We just like to host these little get togethers from time to time.”

Mrs. Junko was quick to communicate and intervened so sweetly before they could continue “Now kids, we have a new guest and he might not want to be too open about himself. Don’t make him feel uncomfortable. You don’t have to answer all these questions if you don’t feel like it, okay sweetie? And thank you. We’re very happy to have you eating with us tonight. I’m glad to have met you.” she gently placed one of her hands on his shoulder. Hiding the immense strength her own fists held through a gentle pat.

The kids nodded and took to their own in understanding. They didn’t want to come off as rude but upon her mention, they realized the mistake. Sachi nodding along and taking his mother’s words into consideration, much like the many lessons she had taught him.

“Now, who’s ready for some ramen!” she cheered on as the rest of the adults began serving up bowls for their little guest first and proceeding to distribute them among the family members who gladly took their serving and proceeded to stuff their faces.
Junko was the last to serve herself and took a seat just beside the young boy and her son. Slurps and sips were heard cross the table as the porky and flavorful ramen made their way into everyone’s mouth. The delicious mixture of pork broth and noodles along with some signature spices would have anyone quickly ask for a second serving. As the boy brought mention of the teacher student conference, Mrs. Junko turned to the young member of the Joe clan.

“If you’d like, I can show up as your guardian. I’d be happy to hear what Ms. Ono would have to say about you. I knew her quite fondly growing up, I’m sure she could make the exception for one day.” She chuckled “And Yoshi, sweeties you’re welcome to come back anytime! Our house is always open to you. If you’d like we can let Ms. Oba-chan know that you came for dinner tonight. I’m sure the old lady’s worried”

The night continued on as the family happily invited the boy to partake in some games in the living room. Charades, twenty questions and a Konoha-themed monopoly board. The family was so welcoming in bringing the boy into their little circle that it didn’t bother them one bit however long the boy decided to stay. The adults treating him like one of their children and the children treating him like one of their siblings.

From here on out, Sachi would be sure to greet his new friend as a dear brother. Inviting him over any chance he got and striking up a conversation both in and out of school. Proud to have found a new bond amongst the academy and if the boy ever found himself walking into their household uninvited, they would greet him as their own bearing no mind and never treating him like a stranger ever again.

658/4742


TWC: 4742
Training Stats:
Strength from D-1 to D-3 (850)
Speed from D to D-3 (1175)
Perception from D to D-3 (1175)
Reaction Time from D-1 to D-3 (850)

Training Jutsu: 10% from Quicklearner

Ninja Art: Countervail (625wc)

Discarded 4742 - 4050 - 625 = 67wc discarded

Yoshi nodded furiously to all those in attendance who were asking him so many questions. The children he was surrounded by were all like a gaggle of excited puppies, wagging their tails with their enthusiasm and inspecting their newfound friend ine very way possible save for sniffing and nuzzling him. The Genin looked around as he felt so many eyes on him. So they didn't all live in the same house? That made a fair amount of sense to the boy, it seemed impractical to have such a large extended family all sleeping under the same roof, even if the Senju were by all accounts a very stalwart and nigh indestructable people- they were the first Hokage's of the village after all!

The child looked up to see Ms Junko reach down and place a hand on his shoulder, comforting him and letting him know that she was there. He very much liked this woman. He may not have viewed her as his mom, but by all accounts she was a very motherly figure still. The power and strength she wielded was hinted in that small movement she made to rest her palm upon his back, causing Yoshi to stiffen a bit. This lady could crush him like a toothpick if she wanted to! She must've been really strong! Yoshi looked up from the other children to see the Senju matriarch, making a small 'o' shape as he witnessed the way she carried herself and held such high respect. He wondered how it was that she had grown to be like this.

The ramen that was poured for the child smelled delicious, enough for him to close his eyes and lower his head to really get a goof wiff of it. It might not've been as legendary as the ramen place he always stopped by for dumplings, but it had a home made quality to it that he could pick up straight away! Yoshi grinned as he slowly used his chopsticks to pull up on a glob of noodles before plopping them into his mouth. He grinned, his mouth full with ramen and small strands of noodle hanging from his pursed lips. Slurping the rest of it in, he took somewhat smaller bites as he continued to eat with the rest of the group. It was only when Ms Junko piped up at the child's mentioning of the upcoming conference that Yoshi felt his heart race. S-she would show up for him? L-like a real mom would? His eyes went wide at the idea, a wide grin appearing on his face that was filled with a hearty mouthful of ramen and chicken broth.

"Really? mama-san!" the boy said before freezing a tad, realizing what he had called the Senju woman. Sitting up a bit more straight and with a bit more composure the child gave another nod as he spoke, "I mean, that would be very nice Ms Junko" he said, though still with the same amount of enthusiasm and energy that he had before. Ms Ono was still up in her thirties, he never considered the idea that she might've known Ms Junko when they were both younger, it would've felt good to have someone show up for him as they had for their other children. "That'll be fine, I can walk home from here. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome, I know Oba-chan will be okay" he added, slurping down some more ramen inbetween sips of his cold tea. The temperature of the ramen was juuuust right, nice and warm but not hot enough to scald the mouth, it warmed the stomach and warmed the soul! Such was the power of good food!

Yoshi would go on to finish up dinner and play with the other children in the living room whilst the adults talked and mingled. The boy got to play a game of konoha monopoly even. He had tried to buy and upgrade all the Blue-square ones since they took the most money from people, but nobody ever seemed to land on it so nothing ever really happened. He was pretty terrible at it all things considered. As the night continued to begin to die down, the boy would begin to grow sleepy, these people just never seemed to run out of energy it felt like! Even as he began to pack his things and start his long walk home, he knew he had made a new friend today. He and Sachihiro might not have been related by blood, but now, following this night of revelry they had shared together, and the many nights after, he safely considered the boy his brother. 'My kid brother' was the honorific that Yoshi would call him from that night onwards, remaining one of his few true friends, spending many a night with the Senju clan as an honored guest.

As he finally made it back home that night to the Konohagakure Orphanage, tucking himself into bed and turning on his little kyuubei nightlight, he did something he would deny to his dying day. Cuddling up against the sheets and pillows, for a split moment, he imagined Ms Junko kissing him on the forehead and wishing him sweet dreams, giving him that motherly love he had yearned for all his life. That though, though it was merely a fantasy, gave him some semblence of happiness, and even though he may have tried to deny otherwise... He would always think of her secretly as his 'mama-san'...

[EXIT THREAD.... look man, Sachi ended it so good lol]

Total WC: 6011

• Training 'Wind Release: Anticipation': 1000/1000
  
• Training 'Wind Release: Playful Trickster': 1000/1000
  
• Training 'Wind Release: Sky Burial': 1000/1000
  
• Training 'Wind Release: Aerial Prison': 1000/1000
  
• Training 'Lightning Release: Thunder Break': 1000/1000
  
• Training 'Wind Release: Laughing Crows': 1000/1000

Left over with 11 WC, letting them go to waste