[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

Yuma was the youngest of Masahiko's fledgling team, and by far had the most room to grow.  He considered this as he perched upon a fallen log, long smoothed over by time and nature, the thick armored layers of his reinforced Nue-issued bodysuit protecting him from the cold and damp. This was his default meeting space for his genin: a large clearing in the forest beyond the borders of Yukigakure proper. He had set up training dummies, and the plentiful wildlife and dense thickets of flora in the surrounding miles made for ample opportunities for the genin to practice their various specialties.  It was possible, he supposed, that Kazu was further behind in his training than Yuma; he was older, after all, and Yuma had already mastered both tree climbing and water walking, neither of which Kazu could claim. Yet there was something that perplexed Masahiko about Yuma's development, and it was for that reason that he had summoned her for one-on-one training today.  That, and he felt a certain degree of responsibility for her. Beyond being her teacher, Masahiko was her kinsman, however distantly it may be; and while she was old enough to stand on her own, it felt correct to take her under his wing.  So he waited patiently, sitting cross-legged upon his log, watching snowdrifts swirl across the empty clearing as he contemplated the day's agenda.

Nue Yuma -- 230

LAIKA OF THQ