Within these familiar halls roamed the future of the village, the proud youth that would one say adorn the head band; one that signifies not only exceptional skill, but also loyalty towards their hidden village. It was a sight to behold really, loyalist at such a young age. One couldn’t really hope but question their integrity. Was it all for real, or just a facade to mask some grand scheme in the works. No, the many stern faces among the non graduates and graduates were too real to ignore. They knew what they were doing. They were simply doing their part.

Within the office of the Shinobi academy, Yosano stood. He stands erect with conviction that this time would be different. One could only hope with such a burden he was born with. The head instructor takes a few glances, shuffling back and forth between him and the application. The two knew each other, not on a friend accord, but simply just as familiar faces.

“I know that you are thinking, I thought the same thing shortly after I was dismissed from here before. How could someone like me return back here with such a disability? All I ask is for a second chance?”

The head instructor groan a bit in annoyance, glancing over at the date in which, Yosano last applied for the academy. “It took you a while didn’t? The last time you applied was back when you were a child, and know your basically an adult. But that’s not your real problem, the problem is you can’t pass the entrance exam. You got a real low score, as if you Christmas treed the whole damn thing.”

“I have a disability..., whenever I look a paper with too many words on it, I get headaches. The whole paper jumps out of place... My doctor said I hav-“

The instructor sighs

He pushes back from the desk, opening a few drawers as, Yosano felt a bit of hope. Perhaps he was reaching for a form, a waiver that would allow him in.

“So..., you can’t pass the test. Which means I have no choice but to deny your application. Please see your way out, thank you”, he pulls out a stamp and slams it down hard on, Yosano’s application. DENIED!

Shocked from the let down, his blood boiled from within. So many urges, however, this wasn’t the right moment. This wasn’t the way to carry on ones self. “If you could jus-“

“Like I said, you are not getting in. Unless you pass the test, or get a waiver from a high ranking officer. I believe they let chuunins sign the paper nowadays. In all honesty, I think you should just try serving the village in another way. I mean... in all seriousness garbage collecting is an honest job. Someone has to do it? Right?

“Garbage collecting?”, Yosano’s fist clenched after one another. His mouth developed a bad taste, the taste of metal, like copper. His blood boiled over.

Later on throughout the day, after leaving the academy. He traverse through the village. Observing the many platforms surrounding him, each one higher than the next. His thoughts scattered much like his chances of getting into the academy. What else was there to do? He knew no high ranking Shinobi, much less any to be exact. Despression was getting the best of him, which left him with only one other option. Continuing his path, he makes his way into an indoor gym. Working out always calmed his mind, his own therapeutic remedy.

Moments later, he changed into his workout attire, consisting of red shirt, grey gym shorts, and black shoes. He is seen sitting on the bench rack, preparing himself, while scanning his environment. There were quite a few people in the gym with Shinobi headbands.

[636/636]

The day had been going sort of slow. The clan’s mine work had slowed down a bit. It was just the season where there just wasn’t much to do. Plus, it was suggested that he do some weight training. Most of his training was done in actual combat, calisthenics, or by other various means. None of his usual routine included actual weight resistance. His father’s words echoed through him with the usual tone of disappointment. Tomo was getting too old for this. Even above the age of 20, he still had to deal with the constant reminder of how slow he progressed. There were s-rank shinobi that were younger than him. It was depressing, but he managed to find a way to compensate for his lack of his abilities. There was a great pressure that swelled within him. He was highly motivated to get stronger at whatever cost was necessary. If going to the gym would help, it would be at least fill the void in what he was searching for. This void would only be filled temporarily.

Tomohiro found himself at an indoor gym. Normally, he would be layered in clothes, but today he wore his clan’s usual jumpsuit. His jumpsuit was all black and his Kenmei and Ryuushi were draped over his left hip. He wore a dark red poncho over his jumpsuit to hide his physique. He would release a sigh from his lips as he stepped in. His forehead protector was tightened to his large forehead as he didn’t want it getting in the way. Tomohiro was a bit nervous, but he would need to get over his anxiousness. He tended to think of those who lifted weights as sort of brutish, but he could use a bit of muscle over his skinny yet chiseled frame.

The gym was occupied with other shinobi. None of those that he recognized. He seemed to be one of the smallest framed people here. Tomohiro wasn’t sure what to expect. It would have been easy enough for him to workout on his own, but he did enjoy training with other people. Tomo would remove his poncho and his words and lay them on a side wall out of anyone’s way. A brief look around the gym and he noticed a man at the bench rack. He figured that he may be able to gain a spotter or help the man with his workout. It would kill two birds with one stone. What’s the worst that could happen. If the man didn’t want his company, he would find someone else or workout alone. It really didn’t bother him that much or he didn’t want it to. The uneasy breaths that he took said otherwise.

He walked over to the man and waited to get his thoughts together. The last thing he wanted to do was speak out of term. He attempted to gather the motivation say something as it came out sort of rushed from his lips as he approached the man

“Excuse me. Need a spotter?”

Tomohiro was more than willing to help someone else get stronger. He wasn’t sure who the man was and he wasn’t too keen on meeting new people. Maybe the encounter may have been good for the both of them. You never knew what fate had in store for you. Though, Tomo was a firm believer in making things happen for yourself regardless of what fate had decided.

“I’m Tomohiro Nakir. I was looking for a training partner if you wouldn’t mind.”

603

Perhaps, fate did favor, Yosano more than he knew. Amount the loud sounds of the weights smashing against the rank handles around the gym, Yosano is approached by a fellow villager. He cracks his thumbs and index fingers with each other, in both hands while watching the individual approach. His ice blue eyes gives of a stare, questioning who he was without words. The body language was clear, but soon after he nods. The tension between them becoming less then what it was, for Yosano atleast. His previous thoughts of the head instructor still buzzed within, putting him in somewhat of a mood. But, it eventually subsided, as quick as it came actually. The friendly greeting put him at ease, but, what really caught his eye was the headband.

*Yosano notices the Shinobi headband worn by, Tomohiro*

He was a Shinobi! He couldn’t help but think back to the head instructor, of the academy. The two ways for someone to enter into the academy. The exam, or the waiver. What rank was he, he wondered? His eyes shifted more upwards towards the headband, which in turn gave him more than enough hope to not completely give up. He responds shortly after, Tomohiro, gave his name.

“You’re a Shinobi! What rank are you?” He said while getting up, he plans to offer the first reps to, Tomohiro. A thank you in his own way for restoring hope. Yosano couldn’t see himself going up to random Shinobi throughout the village, literally begging for help. His pride wouldn’t allow it. “Here, you can first if you want? I put a 45 on each end, just for warm ups. It’s Yosano by the way.” He makes his way to the other side of the rack to where the bar was, ready to spot, Tomohiro if he wanted. If not, he’d simply sit back down and take the first reps with a control motion to work out his muscles properly. What he learned throughout his time in the gym is that form is the most important thing. It’s what helps the mind and muscles connection establish each other.

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“Hmm…? I’m classified as a chunin, but my paperwork hasn’t quite been updated. I’ve gone on numerous B-rank missions alone if that helps.”

Tomohiro wasn’t expecting a question like that right of the gate. Though, he wasn’t going to deny the man an answer. Between the regime changes, his paperwork had been mixed up. Lord Hastur had promoted him to chunin, but a lot of things have transpired since then. It was no surprise that the administrative work would be convoluted to a point of mass confusion. He wasn’t quite sure how everything would get in proper working order. Well, it really wasn’t his problem at the moment. It was nothing to truly give him concern. All he could do was support his village any way he could. Though, he was curious about how his rank was important. Tomohiro knew that he was on the verge of getting stronger he just had to continue to push himself.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Yosano.”

He agreed with Yosano that it was good to start with a warm up. Tomohiro nodded to him as he would attempt to make his way to the bench. His right wrist crossed over his left shoulder and vice versa as he stretched his arms a bit. Slightly sweaty hands gripped the bar as he would force up the weights to unrack it. It was good to keep a neutral grip as he flexed a few of his fingers to find the right position. His arms then relaxed as he would let the weight of the bar down in a controlled motion. Then he would push it up. Tomohiro proceeded to execute this movement eight times before racking the weight. A controlled breath emerged from his lips as he stood up.

“That was a good warm up. You’re up next,” he said as he removed himself from the bench in a stretch, “So, do you come here often?”

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Remains silent while spotting, Tomohiro. His hands at the ready in case he would need to assist him, but he doubts he would. Especially given the fact that he was a, Chuunin. This was exactly the type of Shinobi needed, the one that could help him. After the set was completed, he makes his way towards the middle of the bench after, Tomohiro gets up. After a few stretches, he once again sits down. Readying himself for his own set. Now looking towards him with a not so stern face as before, he nods towards him.”Yeah, almost everyone loves the bench press. For as long as I’ve been coming here for what, ten years now? Yeah. Before it was a problem, I don’t know if you’ve been coming here for a while, but they only used to have one bench press”, he said with a displeasing smile. One machine to accommodate an entire gym, ridiculous. “Then recently they got smart and added in a few extra, after a few complaints from the Shinobi. All lined up over there, and here too”, he gestures back and for towards the indicated directions.

Focusing back on track, he adjusts himself to place his body in the correct position to perform the work out. He applied his titan grip on the bar.

“You, it’s a good thing you’re a Chuunin, I could use your help with something. You see, I’ve always wanted to be a Shinobi, but that hardass of an instructor, who runs the academy, denied me. You remember anything  from the entrance exam that you could tell me out? I mean, it’s all the same test right?”

Yosano finally lifts the iron bar from the rack and performs the same steady moments just like, Tomohiro did. Except, he allowed the bar to touch his chest after each rep, for all ten reps.

[310/1299]

“I see. I’ve only walked by this place a few times. It’s actually my second time coming here.”

Tomohiro found it interesting that at one point in time the gym didn’t have a lot of bench presses. Now that he thought about, the gym was more condensed than it was before. More equipment than people that he currently could see. The atmosphere of the gym seemed really laid back compared to what he was expecting. It pleased him that he was able to have a lifting partner. Things seemed to go faster when you trained with other people. It also brought him some relief that his partner didn’t seem like the bullying type. Not that Tomo couldn’t handle himself if he was.

He would mull over Yosano’s concerns about the academy as the man did his warm up. Tomohiro didn’t want to ruin someone’s dream of becoming a shinobi. The man seemed to have a good heart. Tomohiro had a good feeling about Yosano. It was courageous of him to want to enter the academy this late in the game. Though, Tomohiro would do what he could to assist him. A few questions came to his mind, but some of them weren’t entirely appropriate for the time being.

“Well, I know for a fact that things have changed since I was in the academy. Ten years have passed since I last graduated. Back when I was coming through, they just wanted us to see how much we knew on a single specialization. I choose ninjutsu and during a demonstration I used a bukijutsu technique by focusing fire chakra into a bokken. I can write you a letter of recommendation to at least get you into classes. If that doesn’t work, I’ll even train you myself. How about it?”

It was the best he could think of for the time being. Plus, it wasn’t like Tomohiro had much else to do with his time. It may have even given him a chance to train his ninneko. He sort of hated that the tiger was being neglected by him, but Tomo had been selfish in his endeavors to get stronger. With all those things aside, he wondered what choice the man would choose. Tomohiro felt somewhat weird about training someone. It had been a long time since he even taught a class at the academy. Tomohiro was determined to put as much as he was able to into Kumo’s future. If it required him to train someone to get there, the time allocated would be worth it. Tomohiro enjoyed seeing others succeed. It didn’t matter if they were a member of his clan or an ally. There was something within him enjoyed helping others get stronger. Maybe he was going about this whole shinobi thing the wrong way. He wondered if teaching was his true calling.

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