Starring:
Date: September 13, 2011
Summary:
Taiki once again appears in Konoha, along with his unique description why he disappeared in the first place
"He's back…"
Genin Training Grounds
It's late afternoon, and most of the genin teams are out on missions, the infamous D rank or otherwise, or are with their clans or senseis doing whatever they normally do. Most that is, but not all. One genin in particular finally managed to escape his clan's holdings after what seemed to him like forever. In fact, those that knew him thought he had vanished without a trace, which he very nearly did. But now for the first time in a long time the unconventional Inuzuka is out in the common training areas, practicing on his clan's style. "Okay Shinobu, let's see if we can get this right!" he calls out as he gets down on all fours. The nin-dog joins them and together they attack a training dummy with a series of strikes, working together as Inuzuka and the nin-dogs are want to do.
It had been a couple days since Eremi had been back to this training area due to being hospitalized after the incident with a Jounin. He still wasn't sure why it happened or what he did to deserve it, but one thing was for certain, he was more nervous and cautious of his surroundings then ever before.
Currently, the boy held a kunai in his hands while he pushed his way through the trees and shrubs of the outlying area. He was hoping to train here alone, though that was never the case and upon spotting another genin and their puppy here, the boy simply sat and watched the two. As he did, he noticed something familiar about them.
Reading. What a pain. Nao is reading a book, something about scroll seals and the like. She's holding it up as she walks, not really watching where she's going as she walks right into the training area. She appears to be mostly oblivious to her surroundings as she walks right into the clearing, unaware of the training others might be doing here, potentially walking into the way unawares.
Both nin-dog and partner spring back into position, though Taiki wobbles slightly. "Stupid Elders… they could at least have let me train enough on the clan's grounds. Ah well, now it's time to get serious again. Come on Shinobu!" With this he gets ready to jump again, but a couple of barks just as Taiki is about to jump catches the genin by surprise. He sees the unknown female genin walk right in front of where he was going to strike just barely in time. Even then, he can't do much more than twist to land directly at her feet, causing the nin-dog to yip wildly, as if he were laughing at Taiki!
Eremi kept his position as he watched and listened intently to the boy and his pup. Hearing him call out the name, Shinobu, it all came back to him in a flood of memories. That boy out there was Taiki. Someone he had trained with a few times and even did a mission with. Very skilled if he remembered correctly. Yet here he is again, still training as hard as ever.
His attention however, would suddenly be drawn to the newcomer, Nao. Looking confused as she so easily walks into a training area, oblivious to her surroundings. Something Eremi could never do, going anywhere without checking his surroundings. He was almost envious, that is until Taiki almost takes her out.
Nao blinks as she realizes she walked right into the genin training area. She looks up from her book and peers around, then looks at Taiki, "Ah… opps? How did I get here?" She stammers. "S… sorry!" She offers a small bow, "I didn't realize where I was. I'm supposed to be some where else!" She says as she looks around and looks rather confused and lost. It is rather comical actually. She closes her book and offers another appology to Taiki and… his dog apparently and starts to make a quick exit back the way she came.
Taiki can't do much more than lay there for a moment and blink at the sudden departure of the woman. At first he doesn't even notice his partner laughing at him until she's gone and he shakes his head clear. "Yeah, yeah, I suppose it was kinda funny… from an outsider's perspective, but that hurt Shinobu!" He says as he starts to stand up. But he only gets as far as sitting before he puts his hands on his hips in what to an outsider would look more funny than serious. "Yeah, laugh it up fuzzball…" he tries to say seriously, only to fail miserably.
Eremi watched Nao quickly turn and run, causing him to grip his kunai tighter in the off chance he needed to defend himself. But she wasn't running toward him, she was simply leaving. Realizing it was just the three of them left, he tucked the kunai back into his pouch behind his cloak and made his way out of the bushes. At first he thought this might be a bad idea, coming out so quickly, but it was already too late. The boy would offer a smile and raise his hand in greeting, "Hey Taiki, it's been a while." He'd pause only for a brief moment, "It's me Eremi. How have you been?"
Taiki looks toward the voice and sees the cloaked person approaching. After a few moments, and the introduction, the young Inuzuka finally realizes who it is. "Hey there Eremi, long time no see. I've been… busy. My clan called me in for a bit to handle some stuff. I thought I'd never escape." Indeed, it had been a while so he is not so rash in that thought. "I'm also slightly out of shape. Couldn't practice as much as I'd like, but a couple of days should get me back into prime condition again. How's things been going with you?"
Eremi stopped short of the other boy, resting his arms at his sides, while slowly clenching his fists. As Taiki spoke, he simply nodded while listening about the Inuzuka clan affairs, making him wish his own clan would recognize him once in a while. Though as he was asked how things were going, his head lowered a bit and a shrug would be given, "It could be better. I've done a few more missions. If you could call them that. Cleaning up the academy P.E. room and rounding up some cattle."
Taiki chuckles ruefully as he shakes his head and stands up. Shinobu trots up and sits down by Taiki's side, offering a big doggy grin to his partner's friend. A couple of barks sound from the small pooch, to which Taiki nods emphatically. "I agree, I would almost prefer that to sitting there listening to old geezers drone on and on all day about tradition, the founding principles of clan and Konoha, and why their view should be the one we adopt. I swear, if I had one more person butter up to me, I'd be using my claws and kunai…"
The young genin shrugs after that in an "what can you do" kind of gesture, which Shinobu mirrors with a nod of his doggy head. "Still, it's part of my duties as part of my clan, so I'll do what I need to. Even if it is boring as heck."
Eremi quickly smiled as he watched the close relationship between Taiki and Shinobu, making him a little jealous. "Well, I'd say your clan business finished just in time." Nodding while shifting his weight to get a better balance and his hands no longer clenched as he seemed more relax. "Konoha's been really busy lately. New teams have been trying to form, several genin had came out of the academy and there have been quite a few missions for us lower levels."
The young Inuzuka simply nods and gives a smile. "Yeah, it's what got Dad to finally get them to release me. They want me to be able to do what they want, I have to get some experience in, you know?" Slowly Taiki folds himself into a seated position and motions for Eremi to do the same. "I've heard a few things, but only a very few things that impacted the clan. Is there any big changes I should know about? Are you on a team yet?"
Eremi stood still for a moment, as the offer to sit was given, wondering if it would be a good idea to do so. He'd give a glance around the area, checking on the surroundings before facing Taiki once again and finally sitting down. "I haven't heard of anything big happening. At least not big enough that I got concerned with and as for the joining a team. Not yet, they seem to fill up fast…I did hear that Hashi, the hokage might be looking for genin to train."
Taiki considers that comment for a few moments as Shinobu climbs up into his lap. The dog whimpers a little as he looks up to his master before turning to Eremi and barking. "While having the Hokage be our jounin sensei would be an honor, I have to wonder just how much time he'd have to work with a team. He's a busy, busy man after all. That… and there'd be a lot of politics surrounding the members of that team. Can't really help it." He pauses a moment only to be barked at by Shinobu. "Oh, and Shinobu thinks you'll find a team soon. He reminded me we're in the same boat, you and I. I got pulled into clan business for so long I missed the team assignments after the war. So who knows, maybe we'll wind up on the same team."
Eremi nodded, "Shinobu is very smart then." He'd offer with a smile, "I think it'd be funny that after so long, we both just finally end up on the same team. I'd like that. Being teamed with someone that I already know a little bit how they operate and work. Makes everything more…comfortable." He leaned back and rested on his hands, "So, have you and Shinobu been able to come up with anything new or did the clan meetings take all of your free time?"
Both man and nin-dog wear identical expressions of chagrin. "Come up with something new? Listening to those old blow-hards talk? Even dad had to admit that they kept on beating the poor horse well past the point of burial. I have an idea. Next war we have, we send them out to the field and let them argue with the enemy's commanders. They'd either bore them to death or delay the army until the war was over! My dad was not a happy man when the last person said they still needed to hash out the finer points. I swear, he and Nozomi nearly tore the old man to shreds right there. Then he told them neither one of us, nor any others from our specialty, would be available. We're supposed to serve Konoha, and we can't do it spending sixteen of twenty four hours a day in chambers. And all for a decision that the finer points are not worked out of yet? What a waste…"
Eremi began to laugh as he listend to Taiki and his frustrations, but quieted down as the conversation seemed to get more serious. "Then I guess you got a lot of catching up to do. Which is actually great, because I haven't gotten that far by myself since you left." He'd shrug, "Life of the genin I guess. Don't really get to make your own choices really."
