Starring:
Michiko, Ryouji, Sado, Arisu (as Ayame)
Date: July 10, 2014
Summary:
The genin participating in the 4th promotional exams are waiting outside the testing area. Team Katonari meets Yoshida Ayame: Witch of Konoha before the exam and find themselves having an impromptu strategy session for the exam.
"Fourth Promotion Exams – Team Katonari's First Obstacle"
Raikage Administration Hall
The genin are assembled outside the raikage administration hall. It is the location of the first part of the chuunin exams. There's a sign outside the main doors listing the time everyone will be let inside. It's in about fifteen minutes. More than enough time to mingle and talk amongst themselves. There's even some vendors around to help the genin spend their money. A few are selling last minute cram scrolls and help selp books like 'Study in Two Minutes: For Dummies' and 'Yes, You Can!'
Reizei Ryouji is sitting, rocking back and forth slightly. He's nervous more than he ever has been. He's already snapped two pencils from chewing them up and he's on a third. His usual calm and upper crust demenor has been shaken from the stress of the test it seems. Who can really blame him, so many of the genin are much much older and look more skilled than he is. Or it could just be his bad perception of the situation.
Michiko pokes the nervous team member of Katonari. "Ryouji-kun, relax. It's just a test, after all." She is, of course, as calm as she usually is. A poker face, or is she actually confident when it comes to this test? Although if one considers her being a bookworm, it's not hard to figure out why she might be confident. "Take a deep breath. The other genin will look down on us if you don't relax."
Yoshida Ayame was sitting not too far away from Ryouji, eying a book in her lap with clear, and ever-present boredom etched onto her childlike features. Aside from the clear boredom however, she seemed to be far less nervous than the Kumogakure genin nearby. Every now and then, she glanced up from her book, looking between other genin in the area and occasionally toward Ryouji himself, raising a brow at all of the clear unease amongst the students… Well, it had been like this the first time she had done the exams too after all. And it helped that she knew what she was getting into this time!
With a sigh, she snaps her book shut, "Indeed." Comes her voice from across the way, "Just a test. It most likely wont even be that hard, if you've paid any attention to your basic shinobi training." She offers a small — if exceptionally creepy — smile toward the two younger shinobi.
"YOSHA! I'm going to ace this test so hard." Sado says, the third member of team Katonari speaking up as he looks around at all the 'festivities' and vendor stalls. It was a good thing Sado was always short on money, or he might actually buy some of those 'self help' books and read them this past week. Instead he had been practicing his combat, not even giving a second thought to this written test.
Ryouji looks up after getting poked. He rubs his shoulder and smiles, feeling a little better after looking up at Michiko. "I should, yes…" he closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. "…ok, I'm better. Sorry." He looks over at Ayame and smiles, "I guess it is, but my clan will shun me if I fail at this. So I can't…" he makes a fist, sounding a bit more determined, "…I won't. Thanks." He hears Sado show up and chuckles, feeling even better. "You think so huh? We should all pass if we studied the material. You 'did' study, right Sado-kun?"
Michiko glances curiously to Ayame when she speaks, her head tilting slightly. "Well, so long as it's a matter of knowing the basics…" she murmurs, mostly to herself. She offers a slight bow of greeting. "Have you taken the test before, then?" A small amused glance over in Sado's direction. "Yes, Sado-kun… /Did/ you study at all for the written portion? It'd be a shame if the team was down a member for any reason, I think…"
Ayame shakes her head, "Then you would just have to improve on your own and try again later. If your clan couldn't accept that, then you'd just have to become better than them." She glances at Michiko, "Mmn…?" She hesitates for a moment, then shakes her head, "No. I only joined Konoha a few months ago, so I've never had the opportunity to do it myself." She shrugs, "I'm Yoshida Ayame, by the way… Witch of Konoha~" She gives another smile, apparently trying to be pleasant at least.
"You're a team, mmn? I have to say, several of you seem quite… young for the exams. Not that it always makes a difference, but there is something to be said for practical experience."
"Study?" Sado says, looking at Ryouji and Michiko. "I am a Cloud ninja, Ryouji-kun. We don't need to study. We train hard daily and have the basics drilled into us early on. We are put in charge of missions as genin to learn knowledge above and beyond the basics! My friends, studying is not going to help me." he says before getting down off his imaginary soap box. "Literally, it won't." he adds in a normal tone with a sheepish grin as he looks over to the new face. "Hello. I'm Yotsuki Sado." he says, offering a cheery grin in introduction as she had, in kind, introduced herself..
Ryouji says, "I heard a rumor that if one member of a team fails the test, the other two team members fail as well." He shrugs, "Maybe it's just that though, I don't know." He laughs as Sado boasts, "Oh really? I'm not going to be dragged down by you Sado." He sighs, "Look, if I can, I'll help you out, ok?" He looks over at Ayame as she announces her name and says with a cocked eyebrow, "A witch? A real witch? Wow, I've never met a witch before. I'm Reizei Ryouji." He bows politely, "Pleased to meet you, Ayame-san. We might be young, but I've been training with a sword since I could pick one up. 4 years old, I think." He might have to ask uncle Ogo again soon.
Michiko nods to Ayame. "Iwata Michiko. Operating under several nicknames, I believe… Glass Canon of Kumogakure being one of the more popular ones as per some of my teammates," she smiles. "Though I've also been referred to as the Inferno Sorceress." She glances again to Sado. "Well, I suppose… I agree with Ryouji-kun, though. We'll try and help each other during this test. Any of us fail, and that would be… An unpleasant experience for the future, I believe. Especially if that rumor is true, Ryouji-kun."
Ayame chuckled, "Indeed, a real witch…" She considers for a moment, "I don't believe such a rule… truly makes any sense. There are genin here who are not on a team. I myself prefer to operate solo for instance. And since my particular talents don't really mix well with the skills of my peers, that seems to be for the best. I don't know if that IS a rule for actual teams though. It could be."
She eyes Michiko for a moment, "Sorceress mmn? Well… That might be interesting to see when and if the time comes." She smiles again.
"Don't worry, guys. If all else fails, Ryouji can use his blur and be so fast that he can pass me the answers. I will just have to sit beside him." Sado says with a nod and a thumbs up. "Have some confidence." he says before he listens to Ayame tell them about being a real witch. "So back to being a witch." he says as she brings up the exam again, really just wanting to talk about something else. "What is it that you do that people consider naming you as such? I mean there are probably a lot of things shinobi can do that would seem magical."
Ryouji says, "I hope I earn a title for myself someday. I can't just call myself something and hope it sticks." He nods to Sado, "That's actually a good idea. I just have to make sure I don't move in such a way I'd catch air and make a current. I've done it before so it's not impossible. I just need to find someone who'd have the answers. But wait, that's cheating. No, choice. You're on our team Sado-kun, I won't let anyone on this team fail this exam. We all make it or no one does."
"My 'Ninjutsu' is done without seals, for one. Though, ninjutsu is a terrible term, I prefer to refer to it as magic… Ninjutsu can't do what my magic can. At least, not directly. Perhaps indirectly it could achieve the same results." She nods slightly, "There's also the commanding spirits thing…" she says offhandedly, then moves to crack her book open again, "Perhaps you'll see me in action later on in the exams."
She eyes Ryouji and smirks, "…You do realize that by declaring openly that you're going to cheat… you're just asking for people to watch out for your cheating." She raises a brow, "Perhaps if you're going to cheat, I'll have to do something to stop you."
"All for one, and all that." Sado says with a nod of his head towards Ryouji before his attention focuses back on Ayame. She explains her ninjutsu, which certainly sounds interesting to the young Yotsuki. "Well, I can't wait to see such a thing." he says to the girl before she gets a little confrontational with Ryouji. Sado looks up at the clock, "Only a few minutes left."
Ryouji glares at the older woman, now that he's a bit fired up. "Hey, we'll do what we have to do to pass. A ninja completes the mission, no matter what." He nods to Sado in agreeance, then looks at the clock as well. Then back at her, "I agree with Sado-kun. Magic I haven't seen before and the bit about spirits. If it's flashy, it'll be neat to see." He stands up and says, "Common Sado-kun, Michiko-chan, let's get first in and get the good seats in the middle. They'll expect us to try something in the back and we'll be too close to do anything in the front. Besides, it'll put on a good appearance with cloud ninja in the front of the line."
Ayame nods a little, "Suit yourself… I suppose I'll see you in the testing area then." Her smirk finally fades… In fact, all of her fades, disappearing rapidly from view while simultaenously fading into view in the testing area. Once the transfer is complete, the book in her lap flops onto the seat where she had once been, having lost the surface it had been resting on all of a sudden!
Sado nods his head to Ryouji, figuring seating was key in this exam if things were going to go down. He would try his best to not need to cheat, obviously, though he wasn't picked for missions for his smarts when his physical strength was so much more useful. "Lets get a move on!"
