[Hase Hoshi]

I will shine

ICE CREAM!

Hoshi hummed happily as he waited patiently for his sensei and the rest of those invited to arrive in the ice cream shop. The best ice cream in Arashi no Kuni was from Ichimaru's in the city of Samani, but for the sake of convenience it was decided that this celebratory party would have to take place in Amegakure. Hoshi didn't mind at all, who was he to deny free ice cream? Plus, he had PASSED THE CHUUNIN EXAMS! He wasn't quite a chuunin just yet, there was still paperwork to be done and his sensei said he should get a bit more experience first, but passing the exams was still very much a big deal to the dancer.

He looked out the window of the ice cream shop at the busy, bustling streets of Ichiba, Ame's marketplace district. Hoshi typically didn't bother with an umbrella, but today was different, he didn't want to be soaked for this. Hoshi had invited all the people he knew to this joyous occasion, heck he even invited some random strangers along the way, including a few random academy students?! It didn't matter. Squeakers had promised to pay for it all and so Hoshi was going to throw out any and all inhibition for today. On top of it all, Hoshi was sneakily prepared to summon a few of his raccoon friends to the party as well, extremely eager to take any opportunity to contribute to his deal with the raccoon overlord without taking a hit to his wallet.

[Habiki Susanō]

Normally, Habiki wouldn't go to a stranger's party. However, there was ice cream. Ice cream was one of Habiki's favorite treats, and his sister enjoyed it too. The boy wasn't sure if his sister was planning to attend or not, but if she didn't, he'd bring her back some ice cream. Apparently, the reason for the party was someone named Hoshi returning from the Chuunin exams. He passed, but Habiki didn't know the guy, so he had no reason to care.

It was raining, as it normally did in Amegakure, which prompted Habiki to grad an umbrella before leaving. He didn't want to show up to someone's party soaked from the rain! Habiki went straight to the destination that was written on the invitation, arriving a few minutes prior to the time it was supposed to start. "Why did that kid invite us anyways?" He mumbled to himself, wondering what could've possessed Hoshi to invite complete strangers. Then again, he couldn't complain. He was about to get free ice cream! Who cares if he knows the guy or not? Plus, maybe they'd have a chance to properly meet at this party.

Hase Hoshi and notes and fancy links



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[attr="id","credits"]Quixotic of THQ

[Mikazuki Aikawa]

[googlefont="Playfair Display"][googlefont="Alice"]

I really can't remember if I'm insane or insomniac

Squeakers didn't even own an umbrella, and he didn't really want to think about the last time he'd used one. Perhaps a certain bias, Squeakers felt any true child of the rain should be happy to embrace the water fully, and occupying your hands with an umbrella seemed foolish. Not when raincoats existed! He wouldn't be caught dead with an umbrella! Never!
    But today wasn't about umbrellas and bullying children for using them. No, no, it was about celebrating his student! Who (somehow) had passed the Chūnin Exams! And was he surprised? Certainly! But he was happy for his student, nonetheless! Even if he was a harsh sensei, he knew how important encouragement and praise was (after all, he rarely received it, himself)!
    Arriving to the scene in as flashy an appearance as usual, the raincoat-donned sensei waved a hand enthusiastically upon seeing his student at the ice cream shop. "Heyo kiddo! Congrats on passing the exam!" He held out a wrist in front of him to look at an imaginary wrist watch. "Am I late...?" He didn't like to be late, and was usually quite punctual, but hey! There was a first for everything! And as much as he hated to admit it, he was a busy man! Person! A busy jinchūriki!
    Squeakers sighed.
    Now that the enemy knows my face, I wonder if there's even any point in keeping up this charade. I know my face doesn't mean anything to Konoha, and they wouldn't have a name to place with it anyway so it doesn't really matter, and so long as the citizens of Amegakure don't know, why should I care? But damn, it kind of sucks. I guess I knew I'd have to share that eventually, but is it even worth it? Those who know my past I'm sure would resent me for my new position, but I'm also not really afraid of being attacked, here, so what's the point in hiding my identity anymore? Should I keep it up? Maybe I should ask Sanosuke what to do...
    And ignore your most-trusted advisor, yours truly?
    Squeakers held back a scoff.
    "Anyway!" Squeakers slapped his hands together like a prayer. "I'm sorry I couldn't attend the exams to watch! I unfortunately couldn't leave the country! You know how things are!" Hoshi, certainly, did not understand Squeakers's predicament. But the senior shinobi brushed it off and continued anyway. "But I'm sure you did great! I mean, you did pass after all! Why don't you tell me all about it over a nice frozen treat, hm?"
    Was this considered student-teacher bonding??

OUTFIT

Hase Hoshi waruichi hibiki

###

NOTES: SORRY FOR BEING A LATE SENSEI!!! ;-;

ⒶⓀⒾ of Adoxography and of GS

[Tenjikubotan Sakurayashiki]

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[attr="class","vgroup"] [attr="class","vogue"][break][break] [attr="class","mainv"]SAKURA [break][break] [attr="class","vlyrics"] You try everything[break] You can to escape[break] The pain of life[break] That you know[break][break][break] [attr="class","vcred"]Hase Hoshi[break] Clear weather all around brightens the heart. [break][break]

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[attr="class","vpostbg"]He was being weird. Was he being weird? Probably.
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Sneaking around on the edges of a party he had technically been invited to was probably considered weird by most people, but Sakura had never been the best in crowds. He preferred the open spaces of the outdoors and would very much rather be out riding.
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It didn’t help his nerves that Kaede wasn’t around to provide moral support. He had to leave the horse in the stables at the Tenchi compound. Ice cream parties were no place for horses. He would have tried to get snacks, and then probably gotten sick if someone had indulged his begging.
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But Sakura had to be a good teammate. Even if the teammate he was being nice to might be leaving for a chūnin team before too long. Sakura may be a bit impatient that he wasn’t able to push ahead quite yet, but he figured it would be better for him and Kaede to take things at their own pace, so it was all right.
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So here he was, on the edge of a crowd of people he really wasn’t familiar with, with a cone of pink ice cream in his hand. He really wasn’t a fan of sweets and had let the shop owner know as such, so they had given him this. He had been informed it was sakura flavored, and Sakura was pretty sure the universe was laughing at him.
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Tentatively licking at the treat before it melted, he moved along the edges of the party until he heard the familiar enthusiasm of Hoshi. Familiarity was better than whatever he was currently doing, so Sakura moved closer, giving the other boy a small smile once he was in eyesight.
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"Congratulations, Hase-kun," he said, politely. "Completing the chūnin exams is quite a feat."
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"Hello, sensei," he added to Squeakers as he ate more of the pink ice cream, pleasantly surprised with the light sweetness of it.
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SPOILER: Click to show

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[Hase Hoshi]

I will shine

It was awhile before Squeakers finally showed up. For a few moments, it did almost seem as if though his promised mentor wouldn't arrive when suddenly all that worry was blown away. It helped that one of his teammates was here, Sakurayashiki, but that rascal had somehow already gotten ahold of some ice cream before everyone else.

"Thanks Sakura! It would've been wayyy better if you were there though- Sensei! You are late, but... I super forgive you since you're definitely paying, right, right?!"

Hoshi hastily waved away Squeakers' apology as he got up and gestured for Habiki, and whoever didn't have ice cream yet, towards the counter to order.

"It's okay, I understand. Besides, you not being there does give me the opportunity to tell you guys all about it! I'll have... two scoops on a cone! One mint chocolate chip and one pistachio!"

Hoshi patiently waited for the nice ice cream man to give him his sweet treat, turning to Habiki for a moment and tilting his head.

"What'd you say your name was again? Oh- Oh thank you sir!"

He gratefully accepted his prepared cone without really waiting to see what the strange academy student would say, instead hurrying back to Sakura and Squeakers so he could begin his epic retelling of his time in Mizu no Kuni.

"So! Sensei, Sakura. The first thing that was crazy was the boat ride to Mizu no Kuni. I thought that our lake was big, but the ocean... It felt like it stretched out foreeeevverrrr in all directions."

Hoshi narrated his tale in between small licks of ice cream, sometimes precariously swinging the cone around as he flourished for dramatic effect.

[Habiki Susanō]

Habiki felt very out of place with all the Genin and higher-level shinobi around. He was just an Academy Student, why was he even invited? Sure, free ice cream was great but was it worth feeling out of place? Just as he was about to turn away and leave, the guy had asked him his name. "Oh, It's Habiki Susano, nice to meet you." He would respond as he walked up to get ice cream, though the guy seemed like his mind raced too fast to really hear his introduction. Now that someone had noticed him though, he couldn't just leave!

"Just a scoop of cookie dough and moose tracks." He would request from the ice cream man. He was promptly given his cone, giving it a taste before going to sit down. Of course, he overheard the conversation between the other three. The sensei was called squeakers, Hoshi was the one who had passed, and the teammate was Sakura. They all seemed kind of... strange. Though, that wasn't his business. He simply continued to eat his ice cream, content with the taste. His sister, Yua, was definitely missing out. Maybe he'd be able to get her some ice cream before leaving.

@tag and notes and fancy links



[attr="id","puzzletag"][googlefont="Open Sans Condensed:300"][newclass="#puzzletag a"]font-size:10px !important;color:#7f7f7f !important;font-family:arial !important;text-transform:lowercase !important;transition:all .6 linear;[/newclass][newclass="#puzzletag a:hover"]color:#7f7f7f;[/newclass][newclass="#credits a"]font-family:open sans condensed;font-size:11px !important;color:#7f7f7f !important;[/newclass]

[attr="id","credits"]Quixotic of THQ

[Mikazuki Aikawa]

[googlefont="Playfair Display"][googlefont="Alice"]

I really can't remember if I'm insane or insomniac

Squeakers chuckled lightly at Hoshi's words. He'd forgive him so long as he paid for their treats? "Well, if that's the price to repent for my shortcomings, then I suppose I have no other options! You drive a hard bargain!" Of course, it was spoken all in light fun. Squeakers had no issue paying for the kids' ice creams, nor did he feel particularly guilty over having not attended the Chūnin Exams. He'd had quite serious reasons to not leave Arashi no Kuni, and the risks were, frankly, not worth the reward in this instance.
    As much as he would have loved to go.
    Missing out on the Chūnin Exams, easily, was one of the things he missed most about his pre-jinchūriki days. His friends had been alive, back then. He could still see his partner. He didn't have to worry about his child getting a target painted on his back, and being denied his rightful place by his father's side. He didn't have to worry about how a single misstep could land him in the hands of the enemy, and in turn cause the entirety of his village to be destroyed.
    Things were just... so much simpler, back then.
    He was honored to have the role that he did, now. And he'd have it no other way--it wasn't a burden he hoped for any other to have to wield.
    But, still, he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss the old days.
    I suppose if I were to reveal my actual identity, it could still cause problems. Mikazuki is, after all, connected to Yuuyake and Azami. And Azami and Yuuyake are connected to Botan. Someone would really have to dig to find all of that out, and since mind-reading is no longer apparently off the table, I'm uncertain if anything is safe, anymore. But, perhaps, this is still my best option... I don't think that Leaf shinobi was able to see any sensitive information outside of just what I actually look like, but I'll have to be more on-guard when it comes to the psyche, I suppose.
    "Hello Sakurayashiki!" Squeakers greeted cheerfully with a wave. "So good to see you, too! How have things been? Have you been studying, much?" The masked man turned slightly to see the light-haired child, who introduced himself as "Habiki". How cute! "Aw, is this a friend of yours, too? Is little Hoshi playing 'sensei' with the academy students and teaching them lots of new tricks, hm? How cute! Well, I know we're all grown-ups, but you're still welcome to hang out and have some ice cream, too, if you want! I'm treating!"
    The chūnin walked up to the counter to pay for the childrens' tasty snacks, ordering a milkshake for himself--the straw a perfect fit for the hole in his mask, after all! And he continued to listen as his student rambled on excitedly about the ocean. Ah, yeah, I suppose the little squirt wouldn't have known about The Big Blue. Oceans are a whole different playing field than our grand old lake. And I suppose there are many shinobi who will never have any reason to be on a boat in the ocean.

OUTFIT

Hase Hoshi Tenjikubotan Sakurayashiki Habiki Susanō

536

NOTES: notes here

ⒶⓀⒾ of Adoxography and of GS

[Hase Hoshi]

I will shine

Hoshi was glad to see that his story was getting the attention of a few of the people present. As long as at least one person was paying attention to him he could and would blabber on and on! Though he did feel the need to interrupt his own story to clarify something.

"Nope! I'm not teaching nobody nothing right now, that kid is just some random person I ran into along the way here. Never met him before in my life!"

Hoshi took a moment to forgo biting his ice cream to instead take a nice big chomp of it, licking his lips and continuing with his story.

"Anywayyy. Once we got to Mizu no Kuni we were taken to the center of the biggest island to a city called Kagamino no Shi. It was huuuge and honestly a lot better looking than the port city we landed in. We were assigned to dorms though I didn't really get around to getting to know my roommate, I was too busy exploring the village!"

Hoshi turned to Sakura, planting a hand on his teammates shoulder.

"It's a real shame you didn't go, I really think you would've enjoyed the scenery and architecture. I didn't really see many horses though sooo maybe not... I'm sure your exams will be in a exciting place too though!"

[Tenjikubotan Sakurayashiki]

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[attr="class","vgroup"] [attr="class","vogue"][break][break] [attr="class","mainv"]SAKURA [break][break] [attr="class","vlyrics"] [attr="class","vcred"]Hase Hoshi | Habiki Susanō | Mikazuki Aikawa[break] Clear weather all around brightens the heart. [break][break]

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Sakura nodded slightly at the question posed to him by his Sensei. He and Kaede had been working on their teamwork during the lull while the Exams had been going on. They were getting better at reading each other's movements and predicting where they needed to be to optimize strategies. But it still felt like they had a ways to go before he could consider himself a true master at mounted combat.
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But this wasn't a time to think about training. This was technically a party and Hoshi was excited to share the story of his experience. Another boy, Habiki, approached the group. He tilted his head slightly and gave him a small wave, though he did internally cringe in sympathy as Squeakers began to act weird and somewhat patronizing towards Habiki because of his age. But he kept his words to himself, focusing back onto Hoshi's story about his journey to Kirigakure.
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A boat sounded interesting. He had no idea how he would react to being around all that water. He had no idea how Kaede would react to it. The horse got antsy being contained in one place for too long, a boat probably would have driven him crazy. "How long did they make you stay on the boat?" he asked, licking up any melting ice cream. "What was Mizu no Kuni like? Were there any fields?"
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What little Sakura had heard of the place, it was in the middle of the ocean. Didn't sound exactly like the best place for a horse.


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[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

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