Starring:
Date: January 2, 2012
Summary:
Snow has begun falling in Kumogakure and a group of Academy students, led by no single individual, decided that they would rather play outside for the day, than be locked up during the rare chance of snow. Unfortunately, some elders simply don't approve of them having fun.
"Snow Ditch Day"
Kumogakure, Village Center
SNOW DAY!
Well, sort of.
The snow was falling across the lands, not enough to stick mind you, but far more than enough to incite excitement in all the children in the village of Kumogakure, but not enough to close up shop. Which meant students still had to go to the Academy and do their lessons for the day, but by that time the snow might disappear. It didn't snow often, so the chance of it snowing on a school day was just unfair. Who could blame a few handful of students for wanting to ditch a class or two to have a little fun. How could you blame them?
Throughout the streets, many children played, all various ages. Some were a part of the Academy while others were simply normal children with no plans of ever becoming a Shinobi, so ditching class wasn't a worry for them. The others however had to be careful of being rounded up, reprimanded and thrown back into the confines of school. It was a risky gamble, but one they were all willing to take. Besides, telling the difference between one student and a normal kid wouldn't be the easiest of tasks, only the smartest and most skilled would be able to accomplish such a task.
Something Sanado was hoping for. Though he didn't account for the fact that he has made quite a name for himself. Bento, Daredevil, future Shinobi! All reverted right back to him, so mingling with the normal children wouldn't be an easy task, especially with him not trying to hide who he is. "It's snowing! I hope it never stops! There's so much of it!" Running around the with the rest of the kids, head tilted back and tongue sticking out to catch whatever snowflakes would land for him to taste.
Amani is among the smartest and most skilled! At least, she'd like to think. Considering she was an official shinobi, she had to take on missions. One such mission involved getting students back to class. This…was not going to be easy. She wanted to enjoy this snow day too, but alas, she couldn't. Stupid ninjahood.
She kicked at a small gathering of dust and sent some small pieces off onto the road. It was nothing that could present itself as a danger to anyone. Upon hearing some children, she decided to head on over and see if she could identify some. She thought she might have an advantage considering the time she spent at the academy.
Soon in Sanado's path a figure in black appears pulling back his hood and revealing a smile that stretched from ear to ear. "Having fun I see." he peers dead into Sanado's eyes. Jin would then glance around to note the other children out playing in the soft cold white blanket of frost. Jin kneels down and waves Sanado over. Sando could refuse and Jin was prepared for that. His mask was affixed to the left side of his head. "It's your lucky day. I could use your help…and you could use some clemency. I think we're perfect for each other right now." Jin's smile dwindles until it's nothing but a sinister looking sneer. "Don't worry. You can trust me, Seedling."
Quickly closing his mouth and coming to an abrupt hault, Sanado would peer at the black robed figure that blocks his path. "What you…Oh. Hey mister." He'd smile in response to seeing Jin smile as well, then tuck his thumbs into the straps of his tanktop. Despite the cold weather, he simply didn't mind or like most children, didn't have the sense to bundle up properly, regardless of mothers warnings of catching a cold. "My lucky day…my help…Clem what?" The boys face scrunching up as he tried to think what the word meant before giving up and shrugging, "How can I help? I hope this isn't some trick to get me to go back to school, because I WON'T GO!" Stomping his feet into the ground as he made his demand. "I don't know if I should trust you though, others tell me I need to stay away from you. I don't know why though, you let me keep that cool mask I made."
Amani didn't continue walking towards the gathering as she saw the other guy ahead of her who appears to have met with Sanado. She slinked away behind a trash can and decided to listen in on the conversation between the two. Seemed like the better option than just popping out and saying 'I'm here to take you back to school'. Besides, he's in the midst of his own kind. Those kids look like the types that'll work together, even if some of them aren't students.
Jin chuckles at Sanado "Well you don't try to impede a seed's growth. Of course I let you keep the mask." Jin looks away for a moment thinking he saw someone. He keeps his head turned in that direction "No you won't have to go back. That is if you help me." Jin states. He looks back to Sanado and raises a hand to rest on the boy's head. "You see…I'm supposed to help gather up the lot that are 'ditching'. But you all look alike to me. I'm sure I could take other more time consuming and meticulous acts but while I have this idea…" Jin grins and taps his midnight finger nail on the top of Sanado's head. "Sanado-kun…don't you want to help me round up the students?" he asks with a soft almost too good to be true voice.
"Whoa!" Sanado exclaimed while rubbing his hand through his hair where the finger tapped away. "You want me to snitch out my classmates, my friends, my future teammates?" The boy was a bit offended that Jin would even consider asking him such, but considering the man was an official shinobi of Kumogakure, he couldn't exactly say no, but he didn't have to officially say yes either. Besides, ditching class was his idea anyways, he just didn't think so many would follow behind him.
Crossing his arms over his chest, "Well, what's in it for me if I do help you? I have to get something out of this deal besides the other students planning and plotting to beat me up between periods." His eyes would move about the field as he looked toward each one, the thought of being pummeled didn't sound appealing so the rewards needed to be equally sweet or GREATER!
So, he's trying to round up students… Amani is not sure she should jump out yet, but then again, she thinks this is her time to leave hiding and just out herself. So, she pops up from behind the trash can and walks over to Sanado and Jin with a bored expression upon her face. "Hey!" She called out…and paused. "I need to get you back to class too. So, how can we make this work out so that you and some of your friends will return?" She tried to think. It wasn't that long ago that she was a student. "Oh, I got it. There's snow around here and…I think we can work out something reasonable. A snowball fight. If you guys win, you get to stay out. If I win, you guys go back to class. Deal?"
Jin grins at Sanado "Well let's just say that unless you're a glutton for…" Jin over Sanado "Something other than snacks you'll do it out of charity or good will…and self preservatio-" Jin is cut short before looking towards Amani when she makes herself known. Jin blinks distinctly twice before coming to a stand. He rests his hand on his hip and glares at her as she speaks. Jin lets her go on and sighs heavily at this suggestion. "A silly game? As if they'd honor such a wager…" Jin comments before looking towards Sanado. He wasn't too fond of this idea. Mostly because he had no idea what a snow ball fight was.
WHOOSH!
A crudely made snowball would go whizzing past Jin's head the moment he finished, almost knocking the mask off the mans head were it to hit. An act that might incur the wrath of the man, but seeing as how it didn't, the world may never know and as such, the snowballs simply continued to fly.
This was in no way Sanado's doing, he had no hand in directing the rest of the students or the other children of the village, even if Amani and Jin might have thought him capable of such. No one had elected him leader of the others, at least not yet.
No, the reason for the cascade of snowballs were sent flying through the air in all directions was caused only by Amani uttering the words 'snowball fight'. When snow was involved, you didn't ask a child if they might be interested in such, all they were waiting for was the idea that it would be ok to do so and Amani had practically given the go ahead.
Now whether or not they were going to go back to class if they were to lose the snowball fight was unseen, but one thing was for certain, they definitely weren't going back anytime soon. Not now that they were armed with ammunition to spare. Enough so that a few snowballs came flying at both Amani and Jin, not planning on missing so much this time.
Sanado watched with amusement, wanting to join in and it appeared as if he might as he bent down and scooped up a handful of the soft, powdered snow. Between two hands he began to tighted and compress the snow until it formed into a perfect ball. Then, without any warning or notice! He took a bite out of it, pleased with his creation.
There was a certain spark in Amani's eyes when she saw the snowballs flying around. This was the chance of a lifetime to eliminate boredome /and/ get some kids back into the academy! "Harr! This is what I've been waiting for!" She chimed as she threw up a shield of sound to block herself from any snowballs that may have come her way. She couldn't risk getting hit by any initial balls that she'd have to make up for later.
She took a dive behind a bench and proceeded to gather up some snowballs of which to utilize against the kids. "Hey! You're supposed to throw it, not eat it bento box!" She pointed out to him. "You better hide, by the way. They're going to pelt you mercilessly," she cackled as she pointed out the reality to Jin.
Jin folds his arms after the snowball whizzes past his head and groans. IT seems the young lady had sparked up some entertainment and chaos. Normally Jin was all for mischief and chaos but in this case he was a bit annoyed. Jin grumbles after Sanado takes a bite out of his 'frosted flake' and moves out of the crossfire. Any stray snowballs that came his way would be caught and dyed black. Jin takes a set behind a table turned on its side. "This is ridiculous." he states. He glances at the snowy ground with curious eyes. Try as he might to fight it a hand scoops up a portion of snow and begins packing it. Jin looks to actually take an interest in forming his first snowball. He peers at it for a second and then like a plague or infestation the snowball begins to fade to black, and Jin smiles.
A few more bites of his treat and the snow was gone, leaving only a satisfied look upon Sanado's face. "That would be debatable!" He'd shout in reply to what one is to do with snow. He was hungry, food was at his feet, problem solved. "Oh yes, you're right! I should hide…" Twisting left and taking a few steps only to turn about and move the other direction. This went on for a few more times as if he was unable to decide on what to do as the snowballs flew by, though not a single one managed to hit him. They came close or so it might have seemed that way. Would the Academy students actually hit one of their classmates, the one that got them to ditch in the first place? Who knew, but how were the rest of the village children involved in the act. "Resistance is futile!" He'd shout before falling to the snow covered ground, sprawling out onto his back, then began to move his arms and legs in and out.
"Yes, yes, resistance is futile!" Amani shouted while she built up extra defense behind the bench she took cover under. "Put down your weapons now and heed my words. Return to class!" She had a small stockpile of snowballs that she'd gathered up to start throwing at the kids. She thinks she may even have to activate her eyes in order to 'see' better. It'd be easier to deck kids by seeing their movements simply by looking at how waves of sound travel versus trying to pop up and use her normal sight.
Jin stared at the blackened ball for sometime while Amani and Sanado had their fun. As the others gathered snowballs Jin thought to turn the game in a different direction. "Resistance?" Jin rises forming a few handseals. "Nonsense. Fight, squirm about, lash out in rebellion. After all that's what you want right!? To be free? To do as you please?" Jin begins to laugh. A wave begins to accumulate behind Jin and it was infinitely black. "Take up your arms and turn them and those who would transgress and forestall your freedom. Even if doom threatens to wipe you out, defy it! Defy it and you will truly have your freedom." Jin smiles as the black wave gets even bigger. "Fight til the cold, bitter, painful, bloody and brutal….END!" Jin extends a hand forward and the wave starts to flow in their adversaries' direction.
As the few students gathered had no intention of returning back to the Academy during a snow fall, they continued to fling snowballs as fast as they could make them with the other children that were also present in hopes that if they were lucky, they could simply outlast them. At least until the next group tried their hand at forcing them back where they belong. Though as the snowball fight continued, it was obvious the children were prepared for the long haul. A few of them even splitting off from the main attack line to pack the snow into larger balls that would then be rolled out as a barricade to protect them from any retaliation, while a few others worked only on creating snowballs to keep those with the best arms well stocked and supplied with ammunition. They were definitely prepared for anything.
Anything, except Jin.
The long winded and a bit confusing, yet terrifying speech was enough to get Sanado to flip over onto his stomach to see what the masked man was talking about only for his bright, green eyes to instantly focus on the large wave of black goo coming his way and leaving the a trail of blackened snow behind it. "Oh…" He'd offer while rolling out of the way of the black goo that continued toward the children. Their hurled snowballs coming into contact with the wall only to compress into a blackened mess and fall to the ground.
"RETREAT!" The children shouted without waiting to see if their barricades of snow would hold off the attack. Which it didn't. The goo pushing through only to die a few yards after passing through it. Enough that if the children were to stay they'd be swept up and beaten down by Jin's black wave. Those that were already gathered ran back home, while the academy students made their way back to the Academy. "Sorry Sanado, maybe some other time!" Offering as they disappeared into the distance.
Sanado could only blink a few times in disbelief as he stood up from the cold snow, looked at the children that fled before turning back to Amani and Jin. "What was that all about? I wonder why they said something like that as they left." Shrugging, "I sure don't know. Well, I should be off myself. Doctor lady and Masked man, it's been nice seeing you as always." And with that, Sanado would walk off, but not in the direction of the other students.
Amani did do battle and held her own quite well against all the kids around here, students or otherwise. She felt that she could win this with cunning, smartness and pure willpower to continue on than the lot of them! She was still a kid too and that meant she had a whole heck of a lot of energy to burn, but then you get to someone like Jin who Amani is now almost certain that he's some sort of mass murderer. She's never seen anyone take a snowball fight and turn it into death seeking…liquid fun time.
"Hey! You idiot! You're ruining the fun!" She shouted at Jin. "What is wrong with you? We could've taken them all on with nothing but the element at our disposal and you had to go all crazy like your brain went to sh—""Shitake mushrooms for sale! Inquire at this booth right here!"
Amani grumped and lobbed a number of snowballs at Jin's head.
