[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Daichi was starting to feel like a creep, loitering outside the dormitories this way. Some of these genin were actually older than he was, he was pretty sure, but proportional experience and an inflated sense of his own ability always made him think of them collectively as kids, which in turn made him feel deeply uncomfortable to be waiting around hoping to meet one particular kid. Even if they were literally his own age. To make matters worse, Daichi had obviously read all of their dossiers, and he’d dug up all the information he could on their escorts, and their clans, and anything else he could get his hands on. He was exceptionally well-informed, and yes, that was in his job description, but when he started using it for personal gain like this—it just felt bad. But this was important, and he had no idea when he'd get an opportunity like this again, so he sucked it up. "C’mon, Mushi,” Daichi said. The scruffy white dog trotted happily at his side as they entered the dormitory’s wide front doors, the nails of her six paws clicking against shining clean tile. Together they ascended a flight of stairs, wound through some hallways, and eventually ended up outside the appropriate door. Hesitation would kill his gumption, so he just knocked, a polite three raps. "Excuse me, Ōorigami Asahi?” he called through the door. "I was hoping to speak with you, if you have a moment.” Mushi sat politely to Daichi’s side, her thick white tail thumping against the hallway carpet.

Ōorigami Asahi -- 264

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

Asahi sat on his bed, tinkering away at his seemingly porcelain mask. His roommate wasn't in at the moment, so he was shirtless and working at the equipment with all four arms out. Like usual, he was lost in his work, escaping in it, until he heard something that brought him back to reality. Three knocks at the door, and a voice the followed.

Whoever it was, knew his name...and apparently needed to speak with him? Maybe this was an exam thing? Maybe it was about the words exchanged between them and the Iwa and Kiri girls earlier near the bulletin board. The boy sighed, hoping it was the first rather than the second. Asahi deactivated his clan's hijutsu and opened the door to greet the person at the door, mask and tools still in hand.

"Asahi Ōorigami, Konoha Genin Team 2." he said as he opened the door, expecting one of the shinobi that appeared earlier. But this was someone else. Asahi's head titled to the side slightly like a confused dog, as his eyes went from the teenager in front of him, to the dog by the black haired boy's side.

Asahi didn't notice the extra legs on the dog at first, his eyes settling on the young man in front of him. "Is this a speak with you out here type of talk, or a come in type of talk? And what about?" Asahi asked while he opened the door more for the stranger to decide. Asahi seemed pretty casual about the situation, but he had no reason not to be. They couldn't fight before the exam, so whoever this was, if not a part of the exam, the threat level was probably low...probably...

Notes: 
Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Daichi didn’t know what he had expected when the door opened—someone with a bunch of arms, maybe—but it certainly wasn’t, uh. A shirtless boy. He was thin, shorter than Daichi, pale and washed-out in a way that reminded him suddenly of the Mizukage, and that was an association that he pushed out of his mind immediately. A faint tinge of pink rose up his neck and ears, and he maintained extremely firm eye contact as he introduced himself. "Yamaguchi D-daichi, chuunin,” he replied. "I, uh—” Internally he cursed himself for the stutter, and cleared his throat. Pull it together, D. "I was hoping for advice directly related to your clan’s area of expertise,” he tried again, much more smoothly this time. "I’m aware of the sensitive nature of discussing anything about your clan out in the open, so I’m sure you’d prefer privacy…” He glanced behind Asahi into the dorm room, and the flush creeped higher up his neck. "On the grounds, maybe?” Never mind that it would be awful optics for the Mizukage’s bodyguard to enter the bedroom of a shirtless Konoha genin, but he wasn’t exactly interested in revealing his position at the moment. "But, yeah,” he continued, and he looked down at Mushi, who was looking back at him with big eyes and a thumping tail. "It’s—here, I’ll show you, that’ll be easier. Mushi, stand.” The scruffy white dog obediently and cheerfully sat back on her hindmost legs, then lifted her front half into the air—revealing the legs grafted into her midsection as well as the tattoos that ringed the point of connection.

Ōorigami Asahi -- 270

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

The mention of his clan's "area of expertise" as Daichi put it, made the genin's attention perk up. Asahi seemed oblivious to Daichi's flustered self or why that would be. He listened and nodded when the black haired boy suggested the grounds.

As Daichi's attention went to the dog at his side, so did Asahi's. It took his brain a second to process the difference in the dog, but when Daichi held it up the difference was clear. "Oh, now you do not see that everyday," Asahi let escape his lips as he looked the dog with interest.

With the tattoos the ringed the extra legs, it was clear why Daichi had approached him. "I see...Yeah, I'm due for a walk. You lead and I'll follow," Asahi said, making a play on the situation. Before turning around to walk back into his room and find a shirt. Once he turned his back to the boy at his door, the Oorigami tattoo on his back was revealed with two ports currently. He decided on a gold tank top that matched the color of his eyes. He would let Daichi begin to lead their walk on the grounds.

"If you're looking for a way to reverse it, I'm sorry, but I have no idea. My mom does my tattoo, and even then I don't know all that goes into it. I just know how to use them." Asahi would start as they walked.

He traded his attention between Daichi and his dog, analyzing the dog as they moved. If it walked, he would see how it managed walking with the extra legs. Asahi had never even thought of their clan's hijutsu being used on an animal. It seemed cheerful enough, like the unnatural legs didn't really disturb it. But still, how was this even possible?

Notes: 
Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Asahi hadn’t seemed to notice his momentary lapse in brain function, thankfully. He vowed to not let it happen again. As he’d thought, Mushi’s little display made the situation pretty-self explanatory, and the genin agreed to talk to him. That in itself was a relief; he’d half-expected to get shut down off the bat. He was keenly aware of how secretive clans could be about their abilities and techniques. He went to turn his back as Asahi re-entered his bedroom, but his brain stuttered, and he found that instead of turning around to give the guy some privacy he was stuck just staring at his back. It was the tattoo, he told himself, black ink winding through lean muscle— Asahi put on a gold tank top. Daichi cleared his throat and looked politely away. Once the Konoha genin rejoined him, he led the way towards the building’s main entrance. "I’m not too concerned about reversing it,” he said as they walked, looking down at the dog trotting by his side. You’d think the extra feet would trip her up, but she was perfectly agile, walking along without a care in the world. "I mean, she gets around just fine, she seems pretty used to it. She’s only a year old, and from our best estimations the graft happened when she was around… eight weeks? Just a baby, really, so I don’t think she knows any other way to be. Trying to make her normal, or whatever, would probably do more damage than it’s worth.” Daichi led them out of the building and into the courtyard, where there was a well-tended grassy area—out in the open and visually obvious, but far enough away from the building that they wouldn’t be overheard through open windows. Not many people were around; Daichi suspected that most were training or studying or exploring the town. "Mostly I’m worried about her health,” he said, sitting down cross-legged in the grass. Mushi laid down next to him, then promptly flopped onto her back, exposing her belly and legs. He gave her a scritch on the tummy. "Like I said, she’s been fine so far, but she’s pretty young still. I don’t know how it’s going to impact her body or her cognitive development as she gets older, you know? And it’s not like I’m gonna get another opportunity to have an actual conversation with someone from your clan.” He heaved a breath, and shook his head. "Sorry, I’m talking a lot. Thank you for coming with me.”

Ōorigami Asahi -- 422

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

Asahi followed and listened to Daichi as they walked. He nodded in agreement. Trying to make her "normal" would probably do more harm than good, especially if the legs were...created?, at eight weeks. They got to a courtyard and found their spot. Daichi sat down and explained his concern about his dog's health. Asahi could tell that Daichi cared for the dog a lot. Asahi laid on his back next to Mushi, his hair colored pants blending with the grass. Asahi gave his stomach a couple of pats and made a kissing noise to invite the dog to him for some pets.

If Mushi accepted, Asahi caught the dog and gave her some scratches before holding her up gently, similarly to how Daichi had held her up to show him at the door. The hold would be brief, wanting to get a good look at the legs and the seal again. Then he would bring her back to the grass and let her move on her own again. But regardless of if Mushi came to him or not, he would begin to answer Daichi's concerns.

"No need to apologize, or thank me." Asahi said, truly not understanding why the boy had done either. The way Asahi saw it, he was going to talk his fair share here in a moment, and there was no need to thank him for spending his time with this. What else was he going to be doing? In fact, this unexpected encounter could help him understand their hijutsu even deeper. If anything, he should be thanking Daichi. But he didn't. Instead, he addressed the concern.

"I'm not going to lie to you, or sugarcoat it. There is a chance it impacts her physically and cognitively, just as much as there is a chance that it doesn't. Her getting the arms at an early age will definitely help on the cognitive side...but physically, if it works like my arms do, she may be expending more energy than the average dog. Constantly." Asahi finished and paused to collect his thoughts, before continuing.

"I'm able to put my arms away just as easily as I can bring them out, but it looks like her extra legs are permanent, no? If so, then that would be like my arms constantly being out. Doable, but just more stress on the body. That additional stress adds up and could lead to a shorter life for her. There is a reason dogs only have four legs. Animal bodies are, mostly, carefully balanced by what they can support, so introducing two new legs, let alone special legs like those..." Asahi said, looking at Mushi with the eyes of a medical examiner, and delivering the news with the tone of one.

He sat up from his laying position and crossed his legs to match Daichi, and meeting the black haired boy's eyes. "But I don't think it will impact her happiness. At least not for a while, so that's something good..." Asahi finished. That may not have been the particularly good news the black haired boy was looking for...but it was the knowledge that Asahi had. "I'm sorry." Asahi said, his delivery coming off as not sure whether or not to apologize, but knowing that was what people did in situations like this.

Notes: 
Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Mushi had never been especially shy, and since taking her in Daichi was careful to socialize her well, so when Asahi laid back in the grass he barely had time to beckon her over before she wiggled into his space. Daichi looked on, chewing worriedly on his lip, as she easily acquiesced to Asahi’s gentle handling, her tail wagging furiously as he examined her legs and seals. Once released, she made good use of her freedom of movement to stay in Asahi’s space, standing over him to sniff at his face and hair. Asahi’s evaluation is… not promising. "The implants seem permanent to me,” Daichi confirmed, sighing heavily. Definitely adding extra stress to her little doggy body, then. He was visibly troubled, but he waved off Asahi’s apology. "Honestly, it’s about what I expected to hear,” he said. "I don’t know if the implants were intended to be permanent, since I got her when she was pretty young, and I don’t know if there were more, uh, experiments planned out, but there’s no way for me to know now.” After a moment of gloomy staring at his dog, who was now sniffing at Asahi’s armpits, Daichi flipped a switch and made a patently obvious effort to cheer up. He gave Mushi a hearty pat on her putt, grinning widely as she paid him no mind and continued her inspection of the other boy. "Well, that’s it then,” he said brightly. "Any advice on, like, exercises or something? Stuff I can have her do to make sure she stays comfortable as she gets older?”

Ōorigami Asahi -- 267

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

Even though Daichi waved away his apology, Asahi could tell that the information troubled the black haired boy. That was only natural though. This was his dog. Asahi let Mushi wander around and sniff him freely, but Asahi's attention was mostly on Daichi. With a pat that his dog didn't pay much mind to, Daichi's gloomy face put on a grin.

"Hmmm." escaped Asahi's lips as he thought about the advice to give. He had never really had to take care of a dog before, and especially not a dog with extra legs. Add to that, these type of extra legs. Sure he had interacted with other peoples pets, but never had a pet of his own. Asahi continued to trade his attention between Daichi and Mushi as he thought. "Well..." Asahi said as a placeholder as he continued to gather his thoughts from his laid out position.

"Honestly, I don't know," Asahi began, settling his attention on Daichi again. "I think that's a question you're going to have to answer over and over again as Mushi gets older. What makes her comfortable and uncomfortable will change as time goes on, just like us, no?" Asahi asked rhetorically with a casual shrug.

"But she seems pretty happy and comfortable now." Asahi added to his somewhat unhelpful answer.

"So I'd say just keep doing what you're doing already, and don't let it worry you too much. Especially if it isn't worrying her. Keep her on a solid diet, make sure she gets exercise. The same things you would do for a dog with a normal amount of legs. And if she struggles somewhere, support her then however it calls for it. But so far, she's telling me you've done a great job already." Asahi finished his advice with a small smile to the other boy, and gave Mushi a head rub from where he laid. It was like he was back the hospital, addressing a concerned father about their child.

Then he sat up to sit in the common crisscross position. "I could do some more research on the subject if you want me to? Maybe I could talk to my mom about it? Maybe she would know something about how this was possible with the clan's technique and then I may have some better answers for you. Do you know who did this experiment? If it was an Oorigami, maybe it was someone my mom knew of."

Notes: 
Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Asahi’s reassurance was an oddly comforting thing. Sure, Mushi has always seemed pretty happy and healthy, at least for as long as Daichi’s been her caretaker, but since that first day when he took her in he’s had a lingering fear in the back of his mind that he was somehow doing some irreparable damage to her. What the alternative was, he didn’t know, but the fact that this total stranger seemed wholly confident that he was doing a perfectly fine job was more reassuring than he realized. "Thank you,” was all he said, but it was earnest and grateful. Some of the tension that still knotted up his shoulders leaked away, and Daichi let his hands fall back into his own lap. As Asahi sat up, Mushi did the slow, awkward reverse walk of a dog who hadn’t yet thought to simply turn around, and once she wasn’t standing in Asahi’s lap anymore, she flopped into a sun puddle and huffed. He pondered Asahi’s question for a moment, frowning. It was closed mission information, technically, so he shouldn’t share it, but—just the name was relatively harmless, and it wasn’t like it was information that Asahi wouldn’t otherwise have access to with a bit more effort, given his clan access. "Oorigami Hideo,” he said. Then, after a brief pause, he continued hesitantly, "but—and, don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate the offer, but—I don’t know if it would be, uh, appropriate for us to necessarily correspond once the exams are over, given, ah…” Daichi gestured vaguely to the space between them, as if that were a sufficient enough explanation. Obviously it wasn’t, so he went on: "The strained nature of the relationship between Kiri and… Konoha…” He trailed off, scratching the back of his head. "And I’m one of Lord Mizukage’s bodyguards,” he mumbled, glancing to the side, "so the optics are especially bad for me…”

Ōorigami Asahi -- 320

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

He watched Daichi after he delivered his suggestion, and was confused initially when Daichi's face gave a frown. Asahi thought it was a decent enough idea. He could learn more about those in his clan and the hijutsu, while helping rectify something one of his own had done. He expected Daichi to be a little more excited, or at least interested in the idea...But after a pause, Daichi gave him the name.

Asahi took out a small book from his jacket pocket, his personal journal. This was where he took notes throughout the day, on any and everything he deemed worthy to commit to writing. This name, was one of them. Oorigami Hideo.

As he wrote the name down, he didn't really hear Daichi concerns he raised afterward. Daichi gesture brought his eyes up from his journal, and Asahi titled his head like a confused dog. When Daichi spelled it out, Asahi's face put on an expression of "Oh yeah! Of course! Duh!", without him saying it.

Then Daichi revealed that he was one of the Mizukage's bodyguards. Asahi's eyes widened. He had figured this was another genin in the chuunin exams...Well that assumption was wrong. "Y-you're the Mizukage's bodyguard? That must mean you're really strong." He let the statement slip out, and it gave away his new admiration. Daichi couldn't be too much older than he was, so in Asahi's eyes, Daichi was a pretty awe worthy carrying that title. Especially when Asahi felt so weak...

"I...see what you mean..." Asahi started, collecting his own thoughts with a neutral expression. "T-think we're being watched right now?" Asahi asked, some concern slipping from his voice before he also voiced his opinion.

"But still, why does that have to impact how we handle this? It's not like we're trading village secrets or anything. My clan exists all over the world from what my mom says, so can't they look at it outside of village to village. It's more...global clan member corresponding to individual interested." Asahi rationalized it. His words were true. Although the villages had tension between each other, why did that have to impact their individual relationships?

Was it because they could become enemies? Sure they could. But if one wanted to use that, they could also use the counter argument that, that wasn't guaranteed. They could also end up as friendly toward each other, or at least go back to a neutrality.

With that train of thought, the village's attitudes toward each other could be put the side right? It was about how they felt about each other. And from first impression, Daichi didn't feel like an enemy, or threat to Asahi.

"Even more," Asahi addded as his brain continued to work at the concern. "One could say your correspondence with me would be advantageous to your village. You'd learn a little more about a rare hijutsu if I even am able to find anything out worthy of telling," Asahi continued. The boy's leaning toward logic showed itself.

Finally the Konoha genin capped it off, "You don't seem like an enemy to me, and you aren't treating me with the hostility they say we have for each other."

Notes: 

Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

There was something kind of nice, Daichi thought, about the fact that it took Asahi a moment to understand what he was saying—that he was a Konoha shinobi who wasn’t dripping with hostility for Daichi’s homeland. It was refreshing. ’That must mean you’re really strong,’ Asahi said, to which Daichi just laughed a little awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. He didn’t feel particularly strong, especially compared to some of the other people on Mizukage’s security detail, but he wasn’t about to say that. "I do work out a lot,” he joked, deflecting by raising his other arm and flexing his biceps. He had decent muscle definition, and not just in his biceps; the motion of his flexing also revealed fairly well-toned triceps, deltoids, and obliques exposed by his one-shouldered tunic. "But, yeah, I think it’s pretty safe to assume we’re being watched.” It was why he had wanted the conversation to be outside in the first place; nothing clandestine, easily observable, not too hard to listen in. A normal conversation with the optics of national security in mind. But Asahi wasn’t content with Daichi’s uncertainty, or that it might be a bad idea. And Daichi had to admit that he was making some good points; he came from a similarly structured clan, after all, and it wasn’t like he was prohibited from making contact with the Hi no Kuni branch of the clan. It was still fundamentally different, but… "Neither are you,” Daichi admitted, "but, I mean. For one thing, you’re a guest here, and participating in the exams is a big deal. It would exactly be hospitable of me to be hostile to you. And I came to you for help, I’m not gonna be rude while I do that.” He wrinkled his nose, reaching out to scratch Mushi’s exposed belly while he thought. "I could ask Lord Mizukage for approval,” he ventured. "No guarantee my lord’ll say yes, and there’s a strong chance that any correspondence we have would have to be pre-read and vetted—optics—but I can ask.”

Ōorigami Asahi -- 354

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

Daichi told him that he didn't see him as an enemy either, and that brought a smile too the boy's face. Again and again, the Kiri shinobi he met were proving that what he was told was wrong. Were these people really the enemy? And if anything, from what Kazuto had told him, this was more Konoha's fault then Kiri's... Asahi's smile grew even fuller when Daichi agreed to at least propose it. For Asahi, that was enough.

"That's to be expected. And I guess and if someone is listening in, you kind of already have, no?" he said casually. He truly wasn't concerned about pre-reads. It wasn't like either of them would be sending anything concerning to either village.

"Now that you bring that up, I'm sure my village will pre-read it as well. Who knows. Maybe I'll even get a knock on my door about it." Asahi said jokingly. The consequences he stated were potentially real, but how he felt about it was a joke. Whoever the village sent would knock on his door, he would explain it, and they would both laugh at the waste of time over something so small and let it continue.

Asahi wrote down his address on the next page of his notebook and ripped it out. He extended the paper with his right hand, and if Daichi grabbed it, he would meet the other boy's hand in a handshake.

Asahi held it for a moment longer than usual with a small but warm smile, met Daichi's eyes and said, "Don't think I got to say this earlier, but nice to meet you. And your physical strength was never in question, that was the first thing I noticed at my door." He commented with a playful increase in grip and a light tone.

He took in this moment, and the task he had agreed to. A personal mission of sorts.

Once Daichi went to pull his hand away, Asahi would let go of it and the note, going back to sitting back with both arms out behind him in a lean. He looked up at the sky, and the clouds passing by. These exams had presented so many interesting people and situations so far. How many more interesting people, places, and things were out there in the world?

He sat there, silent for a moment, seemingly lost in his thoughts, before he turned his attention back to Daichi with a friendly smile. He waited for Daichi to speak. If they were being listened in on, Asahi figured he should let Daichi take the lead on what they talked about. At least for now. Plus, if Daichi needed to go, he wanted to present that opportunity as well.

But the Konoha boy's smile would let Daichi know that he didn't want him to leave. He wanted him to stay, and for them to talk more about the differences and similarities in their two worlds that now potentially intertwined. Asahi's golden eyes expressed that without the need for words. Either way, those bridges could be explored through their future letters.

Notes: 

Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Asahi had something of a point—it wasn’t like the people who kept an eye on these kinds of things wouldn’t be aware of what he was doing if they went through with this. On the other hand, it still felt deceitful to not go through all the proper channels, and the last thing Daichi wanted was to give anyone any kind of reason to think him untrustworthy; he never wanted to let the Mizukage down like that. Toru had faith in him, and that deserved to be repaid with faithfulness. He shuddered at the thought of a knock on the door. "Gods, I hope not,” he said, clearly taking the prospect far more seriously than Asahi was. He didn’t know what kind of police force Konoha had, but the Butai were scary, and that was if it was the Butai that came and not the Hunter-Nin, which was an even more terrifying prospect. Regardless, there was potential for something fruitful here—so Daichi reached out to take the offered piece of paper. He startled just slightly when Asahi took his hand for a shake, and looked up from the paper to meet his eyes. Asahi’s gaze was intense, his smile warm, the moment prolonged. That was the first thing I noticed. Light, playful, complimentary. Daichi flushed. Asahi’s eyes were a striking golden color, incredibly vivid; he had slender, delicate features, a charming mop of hair, a pink-tinged mouth— He cleared his throat, an awkward, self-conscious little smile rising to his lips, and after two beats too long he pulled his hand away. "It’s, uh—it’s nice to meet you too,” he said tentatively. "I—hope this works out.” In a vain attempt to get his thoughts back in order, will the flush away from his skin, he clicked his tongue to beckon Mushi over, who accommodatingly wiggled over to place herself solidly in Daichi’s lap. He tucked Asahi's address away in one of his pouches before he scratched Mushi's neck, cooing over her softly while he pulled himself together. It was intense, having someone’s focus on you like that; he felt a bit like he did when Toru did the prolonged-eye-contact thing, as direct as if he were staring right down into the meat of Daichi’s soul. A similar kind of electric feeling, like something buzzing along his skin. After a long moment of Asahi being lost in thought and Daichi giving his dog a good thorough bout of scritches, Daichi looked up to find Asahi’s attention back on him, and he found himself again smiling back at the other boy. There was more he had to do today, a lot on the docket to finish preparing for the first round—but he’d completed all of his more urgent duties for the day prior to coming to the dorms in the first place, and dallying a little bit longer wouldn’t hurt, he thought. He didn’t really want to leave just yet. "So, uh—” he fished around for something more neutral to discuss, away from the topic of villages and secrecy. "How are you feeling about the first round? This is your first exam, right?”

Ōorigami Asahi -- 515

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ōorigami Asahi]

SOMEDAY WE WILL CONNECT THE DOTS AND UNVEIL THE WORLD

Daichi popped the common question between genin participants and those above them who were here at the exams. "Yep, it's my first," he answered and Asahi's smile returned to a more neutral face as he thought about the question. "It's weird, most people I've talked to feel worried, or excited, and I don't feel either really..." Asahi said tentatively, trailing off as he thought more about his answer.

"Hmm, or maybe I feel a little bit of both, but it's nothing overwhelming or clear like some others. Worry doesn't make sense to me, because whether I'm ready or not, I'm here and have to go through it to get to the other side. But excitement doesn't make sense either, since I don't know what's coming." Asahi continued, trying his best to explain how he felt, but like most other times when he did, one could probably tell that it didn't come easy.

"Hmmmm. I guess what I'm trying to say is. I'm as ready as I can be, and I think I'm in a pretty good spot, but only time will tell I guess. I've got a couple useful tricks up my sleeve...But the upcoming round aside, I've been having a good enough time so far! Seeing and meeting shinobi from all across the world has been fascinating!" Asahi genuinely answered concluding his long winded explanation. There was a desire for adventure in his eyes. The freedom of travel that came with being a chuunin, was one of the things that the genin looked forward to the most. Seeing the different shinobi and the culture of the lands they brought with him, was one of Asahi's favorite parts about the trip so far.

"What were your Chuunin Exams like, assuming you've already been through this? Did it take you one try, or more?" Asahi asked with curiosity. There wasn't much Asahi could know about the future ahead of him, but maybe he could learn from the past.

Notes: 

Tag: yamaguchi daichi

MADE BY MINNIE OF FTS & GS

[yamaguchi daichi]

I COULD EAT THE WORLD RAW

Daichi just listened as Asahi tried to explain his mentality, idly scratching at Mushi’s neck all the while. There was some kind of pun tucked into his comment on having a couple useful tricks up his sleeve—there was absolutely something there about extra limbs, Daichi just knew it—but overall Asahi seemed like he was approaching the whole thing pretty well. His enthusiasm for the whole worldly aspect of the whole event was really something, though. Daichi got so caught up in worrying about allies and enemies and potential incidents and optics that he hadn’t really thought about how unique it was, having so many villages represented in one place. For someone less anxiety-prone, it was probably even fun. Maybe he could spare a couple of hours of downtime before the third round. There was a festival planned; it might be nice to wander. Maybe he could... invite Asahi, even? Gods, the thought knotted his stomach. Moving on. "I only did the exams once,” Daichi said, but he didn’t sound especially proud of that fact. "In Yukigakure, like a year and a half ago. I got really lucky, honestly, I was able to support my team really well in the first two rounds, so—I passed.” He shrugged. "I was really nervous, honestly, I felt super underqualified at the time. You seem really well prepared, though, I think you’re gonna do well, but like—failing is fine, you know? I kinda wish I had been able to do the exams one more time.” He chewed thoughtfully on his lip for a moment. "It’s a good assessment, and if you don’t score well on certain rounds, then you know what you have to work on. Take the exams at least twice, and you can see how much you’ve improved, and where you need to go from there. If that makes sense.”

Ōorigami Asahi -- 302

LAIKA OF THQ