[hirana kizumi]

After long months of planning, the Winter 1023 Chuunin Exams had finally begun. The day dawned bright and early, a golden sunrise sparkling over sheets of snow that had blanketed the village of Akazya overnight. Over fifty genin, their leaders, and their supporters had traveled over land and sea to arrive in Kaminari no Kuni in time for the debut of Kanashimi-Matsuri: the Grieving Festival. Despite the somber name the air of the village had been lighthearted and thrumming with excitement; tourists and contestants alike were flush with food and drink and vices galore, a true celebration of life in the face of ignoble death. The genin were gathered on the outskirts of the village. Elaborate camera setups enabled the entire proceedings to be filmed and broadcasted—albeit with fuzzy image quality—to Akazaya’s local inns and bars, allowing spectators to hang on to every breathtaking second of the genin’s progress out in the wilds. They were separated into fifteen groups of four with seemingly no heed paid to village relations: each group was a mix of individuals of wildly varying backgrounds and skill sets. Behind the genin stood spectators, team leaders and loving family members alike; in front of them stood the Hachidaime Raikage on a modest wooden platform. Beyond her, a vast forest, stretching out to the horizon where a towering mountain shrouded with thick storm clouds loomed. The heavy beat of drums began to thunder. As the beat reached its crescendo, Kizumi, clad in the pristine white formalwear of her station, stepped up to the microphone. "Loss,” Kizumi said, her voice crackling through the speakers for all gathered to hear, "is inevitable. It is one of the greatest burdens that we have to bear—not just as shinobi, but as people. Yet it is in the wake of loss that we find purpose and meaning in the lives we have yet to live. Grieving those who came before allows us to look ahead, to cast our eyes to those who will forge the future.” She paused, a solitary cherry-red eye raking over the assembled genin. "Each of you has the potential for a long, successful career ahead of you,” she said. "You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t. You will be tested on your teamwork, your creativity, your leadership—adaptability, decisiveness, efficiency, sportsmanship. The next two days will be arduous. You will be pushed to the very limit of what you think you’re capable of—thoughtful use of chakra will be essential to your success.” A warm smile, heartfelt and true. "I have great faith in your ability to succeed.” "For the first round, you have been split up into teams of four. Each group will be playing the part of an operations team, simulating a B-rank mission. Your mission objective is to retrieve scrolls from your designated target as they travel from Nagiso to Akazaya.” Kumogakure jounin handed out information cards to each of the participants: pictures of their targets, those individuals who would be carrying the scrolls the genin were tasked to retrieve. "Failure to retrieve the scrolls within the time limit will result in mission failure. All participants will proceed to the second round even without a scroll—but having one may grant you a special boon later in the exams.” Kizumi drew Shichiseiken from its place on her back, the faint blue sheen of the folded blade glittering in the pale winter morning sunlight. She held the treasured tool aloft: a starting signal for all gathered. "You have six hours. The world is ahead.” With a powerful swing she brought the sword down and cried: "Let the Exams begin!”

LAIKA OF THQ

[Gurē An]

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An stood among her fellow genins, her mist-blue eyes focused and determined. Clad in her usual attire, she felt a mix of anticipation and readiness for the challenges that lay ahead. The weight of her trusty blade and fan hung comfortably at her side, a silent reassurance in the face of the unknown. As the resonating beats of the drums filled the air, signaling the commencement of the Winter Chuunin Exams, An's attention shifted to the Hachidaime Raikage, Kizumi, who stood on the wooden platform, a symbol of authority against the backdrop of the sprawling winter landscape.
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Kizumi's words echoed through the gathering, emphasizing the inevitability of loss and the strength found in the face of adversity. An absorbed the wisdom, her mind reflecting on the sacrifices that had paved the way for her journey. The mention of the simulated B-rank mission stirred a sense of strategic excitement within her—a chance to showcase the skills she had honed in the mist-shrouded village.
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The jounin distributed the information cards, revealing the images of their targets. An's sharp eyes scanned the details, committing them to memory with precision. The objective was clear: retrieve the scrolls within the specified time limit. Failure was not an option, and success promised potential advantages in the subsequent rounds.
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As Kizumi raised Shichiseiken, signaling the start of the exams, An's muscles tensed with a surge of anticipation. The world lay ahead, and the next six hours would test not only her prowess but also her ability to collaborate with a diverse team. With a nod to her fellow genins, An moved forward, ready to embrace the challenges and prove the strength of Kirigakure in the heart of the Winter Chuunin Exams.
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SPOILER: Click to show

真菌操作| Shinkin Sōsa [lit.Fungal Manipulation]
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An can grow, shape, and manipulate all forms of fungi, including but not limited to yeasts and mold, along with poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms, thanks to the Gurē clan's KKG. An has the ability to grow fungi on just about any surface. Because An’s genetic makeup is more similar to that of fungi than that of humans, she can use techniques based on Fungi anatomy, such as secretions or enzymes from various Fungi. She can easily generate or grow any part of a Fungi's anatomy from her own body by using chakra to further alter her own cells. Finally, because these techniques are made from her own cells or bodily fluids, such as converting her saliva into a specific Fungi secretion, An is immune to their effects.
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共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
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As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter up to 1 km before needing to emerge.
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蒼波| Sōha [lit.Blue Wave]
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An possesses significantly larger and more formidable chakra reserves compared to her peers. This advantage enables her to execute various jutsu without rapidly depleting her chakra, granting her a distinct advantage in combat situations and the capacity to maintain prolonged, intensive chakra utilization. Consequently, she can employ advanced techniques for extended durations surpassing the capabilities of most individuals within her rank.

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[Honō Kojirou]

He finally made it to Akazaya. And oh boy, what a journey that was.

It was likely the first time he traveled this far alone. He remembered daydreaming about traveling far and wide as a scouting ninja back when Azarea was taking him along to the Land of Lightning, and with the permission and papers granted to him by the new Lord-

Okay, well, he’d rather just continue calling him Ichī, but honorifics were honorable, and he couldn’t smear Ichī’s honor like that-

-He had the clearance required to visit Akazaya to spectate this year’s Chūnin Exams. Yes, spectate – why wasn’t he participating himself? Well, let’s answer that question another day…

… Okay, there she was. In the crowds of Genin, Jōnin, and other spectators of varying ranks, Kojirou finally caught sight of his clan’s client. Still clad in his very recognizable, dark-red haori and armor vest underneath, he figured he could at least wait until her speech was done. There were many Genins participating this year, and the sight of the large number sort of made him feel bad for staying out of this year’s Exams, but he’d tried it once already… and Ahma’s words still echoed in his head.

In the end, he really liked to prove himself, but he fell short of that last time. Maybe he was just a little insecure in himself after that experience, but… he made his choice.

"Kizumi-sama,” he sobbed at the country’s leading ninja, the Raikage herself, with a sheathed sword wrapped in bandages in his hands, his face pouting and tears clawing themselves out of his eyesockets. After her speech and the release of the Genin, he made all the way towards her just to see this… tragedy. This mess-up, this screw-up.

"You said you’d love to have a new sword from us, b-but you already got a new one – it’s not even a sharp sword, it looks blocky and flat! How could you do this to us, Kizumi-sama?! Mum spent so much time forging this new one for you, and then you just went and got another sword! *sob*”

Oh, what an emotional mess he was when it came to his impossible crush.

[Hyūga Raika]

549 words

Raika, giddy with the excitement of something new, is staring up at the stage as the Raikage approaches, then jumps a little at the sudden volume of the words echoing through the speakers, crackly though it was. Such a thing was still quite jarring for the Genin, but it was even more intense due to her excitement about the exams themselves. She wonders for a moment if Chisai is going to be cheering her on just as much as the Kusagakure Genin participating in the event, but she assumes not; after all, it would be a lot to ask of a foreign Jounin to cheer her on when so many Kusagakure ninja are also involved. It's not like Raika had an official sensei... She wonders how Kai is holding up, and she glances at him from the side to make sure he's okay. It was funny that they were on the same Genin team and were now on the same team for the Chuunin Exams.

The Hyuuga takes a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, then glances at the other two members of her Chuunin Exam squad; Katsuo was some blonde kid from Kumogakure, so he would probably be very useful, likely knowing the layout of the areas they'd be traveling through. Jun was someone from Yukigakure, a village that was on the opposite end of diplomatic relations compared to Kumogakure and Konoha, so she wonders if she should keep a close eye on the white-haired woman. It made her even more nervous. She very nearly drops the information card that gets handed to her by a Kumogakure jounin because of her layered excitement and worry.

Raika double-checks what she's got on her; the headband loosely hanging from her neck signifying that she's a member of Konoha, with her straight black hair tied back into a ponytail, and she knows her purple eyes are darting all around, but she refuses to activate her Byakugan when she doesn't have to. Her dark blue coveralls are zipped all the way up, but she's wearing her classic black cropped tank top underneath them. Her Hung Gar rings are stashed away for now as well, kept in the weapon pouch with the rest of her tools. Standing at 6'3", she was probably the most conspicuous woman there, but while she rarely minded being the center of attention, now was a bad time to be a giant walking oak. She taps her black combat boots on the ground a little, a nervous gesture among many nervous gestures.

"It's gonna be okay girl. Just keep your eyes up and your head on a swivel."

She speaks mostly to herself, focused straight ahead at the Raikage as she draws her blade, then brings it down to signal the beginning of the Chuunin Exams. She turns to the other three, nodding once to each in turn. They'd need to come up with a planned route to get their target and reach Akazaya without using too much chakra. The Raikage had mentioned that thoughtful use of chakra was particularly useful for these exams, so she wanted to use as little as possible in the first round. With any luck, she'll end up with plenty of energy to reach the final stage of the exams.

SPOILER: Click to show

Hyuga Clan Member - Main Family
As a member of the main family of the Hyuga clan, (even as a subversive member of the main branch) Raika has been permitted to learn to use her Byakugan, as well as the clan's signature and carefully guarded Taijutsu style of Juken.

Enhanced Chakra Control
With an intense focus on learning to use the main family's Taijutsu, Raika has developed a great deal of chakra control naturally, having spent a great deal of time learning to use her chakra with skill. She's also learned to channel this ability to control her chakra into precise medical ninjutsu, which aids her in the use of taijutsu, and in particular with her Hyuga Taijutsu techniques.

Stronger Fist | Strength SA
A great deal of training with weights has caused Raika's strength to improve dramatically over a relatively short period of time. Utilizing the Hung Gar rings to improve her physical strength, she is capable of punching and kicking with much more power, and carrying a much more impressive amount of weight, even for a woman of her height.

”

by Pinn @ THQ

[Oborozuki Yuri]

Kumogakure's heavy ascention of rolling drumbeats alone makes Yuri's own heart quiver in her chest. She had not anticipated participating in the exams, let alone without her teammate - but she was determined, and the rising heartbeat in her throat was a mix of many things. Knowing that Midori and Etsuko are here somewhere, watching from afar as she stands with her small group amidst half a hundred other genin, is a small relief. On top of them, Yuri's family had made the occasion, and though she wouldn't admit it, the genin adored the time they'd spent together in the last week. It made it all worth it. Akari made it worth it.

A beautifully strong woman takes to the microphone. Yuri admires her the moment she opens her mouth. She listens, but the words do not really reach the girl; she surveys the other participants, her group, herself. She looks no different from normal, and even in the fresh snow she wears nothing but her school style sweater, shorts, and her muddy black boots. She rolls her shoulders, sighing. The bat fastened to her back is readjusted, and she kicks at the ground a little. Ready as she'd ever be, she redirects her attention to the Raikage as she begins describing their first task.

Taking her information cards, Yuri leans into her team to gauge their reactions as well, looking together for that brief moment before her highness begins again.

Failure.

Yuri's eyes dart back up to the stage and suddenly she's really wanting a smoke. Failure wasn't an option. Suddenly, Yuri wonders if Hotarubi is watching - she doesn't bother scanning for him though, even as the Raikage raises her stunning blade over her head and ushers in the start of the exams. Yuri first feels a swell of dread, but it is replaced quickly by resolution. Even if her face is dead still through the whole ordeal.

---

[exit to exams]

[Muramatsa Jun]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]王手

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]Checkmate!

[attr="class","skullbody"]The girl would listen to the parameters of the exams carefully as she stood amongst the Yukigakurian delegation, awaiting the exams the camera landing on her for a brief moment, no one she knew outside of Nashida was watching the exams take place, she'd look for her in the crowd for the briefest of moments, shooting her a confident smile of acknowledgement.
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But otherwise she was all business, she wore her hair down and kept herself hidden away behind a few crowds of Shinobi not wanting to be seen too much to keep as little of herself known to the others unless absolutely necessary, very covert.
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Beneath her long sleeved gi she wore her concealed blade strapped to her arm giving a quick cursory check before she came into the building, to make sure it was functioning as intended. And while her heart was racing as the exam began she partially thought back to the first time she took her entrance exam and consider her arsenal of abilities, was she ready for this?
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Even if she wasn't she was still going to do what she could and use as much ingenuity as she could in order to properly pass these exams, teamwork, leadership, creativity and adaptability things Jun did her best to pride herself in somewhat. Strangely her last thought was on her parents who had left her a heartfelt letter, whose last words were.
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"So long as you do your best and learn from your experience you could never let us down." she kept that close to her heart and used it as motivation to perform to the best of her abilities, steeling her mind excited for the prospect of the exams but trying her best not to worry herself of have a great deal of doubts.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]298 WORDS /

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Humor spread to a girl's lips from behind the stage, the back of the girl to the Raikage as she listened to what the muscle-bound leader had to say. It was not like Yakitsukeru stalked the Raikage, but when you learned from one for long enough you tended to watch their back even if you didn't see a particular value to your addition - in fact Yaki was almost certain she really should not have been where she was, but the meteor hammer sitting wrapped around her arm idly being swung at the ready in a semi-circle fashion was a sign of readiness in case someone did try something stupid - completely discounting the existence of the various shadows to the leader of the nation she was training within. Listening with somewhat rapped attention at the speech given, almost guarenteed that the speech was pre-written given Kizumi's disposition for the physical rather then the mind. However, Yaki respected that draw to the heart and soul rather then the cold and logical mind and earth. It was a show of balance to be able to rely on the external world and mind while maintaining a great heart and soul, something that had left the usually spitefully-tongued girl to look up to Kizumi to a degree, even if the woman was so deeply flawed she wondered what was keeping the one-eye'd valor-bound would-be pirate queen in office sometimes. Her alcohol bill alone a tribute to this, all the same the tired crimson eyes of the sage apprentice continued to scan the horizon. To mourn. To look forward to the next two days events for the knowledge she would be able to gain. TAGGED | Here NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Hibana]

Dec 28, 2023 11:02:00 GMT -5 Hyūga Raika said:

SPOILER: Click to show

549 words

Raika, giddy with the excitement of something new, is staring up at the stage as the Raikage approaches, then jumps a little at the sudden volume of the words echoing through the speakers, crackly though it was. Such a thing was still quite jarring for the Genin, but it was even more intense due to her excitement about the exams themselves. She wonders for a moment if Chisai is going to be cheering her on just as much as the Kusagakure Genin participating in the event, but she assumes not; after all, it would be a lot to ask of a foreign Jounin to cheer her on when so many Kusagakure ninja are also involved. It's not like Raika had an official sensei... She wonders how Kai is holding up, and she glances at him from the side to make sure he's okay. It was funny that they were on the same Genin team and were now on the same team for the Chuunin Exams.

The Hyuuga takes a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, then glances at the other two members of her Chuunin Exam squad; Katsuo was some blonde kid from Kumogakure, so he would probably be very useful, likely knowing the layout of the areas they'd be traveling through. Jun was someone from Yukigakure, a village that was on the opposite end of diplomatic relations compared to Kumogakure and Konoha, so she wonders if she should keep a close eye on the white-haired woman. It made her even more nervous. She very nearly drops the information card that gets handed to her by a Kumogakure jounin because of her layered excitement and worry.

Raika double-checks what she's got on her; the headband loosely hanging from her neck signifying that she's a member of Konoha, with her straight black hair tied back into a ponytail, and she knows her purple eyes are darting all around, but she refuses to activate her Byakugan when she doesn't have to. Her dark blue coveralls are zipped all the way up, but she's wearing her classic black cropped tank top underneath them. Her Hung Gar rings are stashed away for now as well, kept in the weapon pouch with the rest of her tools. Standing at 6'3", she was probably the most conspicuous woman there, but while she rarely minded being the center of attention, now was a bad time to be a giant walking oak. She taps her black combat boots on the ground a little, a nervous gesture among many nervous gestures.

"It's gonna be okay girl. Just keep your eyes up and your head on a swivel."

She speaks mostly to herself, focused straight ahead at the Raikage as she draws her blade, then brings it down to signal the beginning of the Chuunin Exams. She turns to the other three, nodding once to each in turn. They'd need to come up with a planned route to get their target and reach Akazaya without using too much chakra. The Raikage had mentioned that thoughtful use of chakra was particularly useful for these exams, so she wanted to use as little as possible in the first round. With any luck, she'll end up with plenty of energy to reach the final stage of the exams.

SPOILER: Click to show

Hyuga Clan Member - Main Family
As a member of the main family of the Hyuga clan, (even as a subversive member of the main branch) Raika has been permitted to learn to use her Byakugan, as well as the clan's signature and carefully guarded Taijutsu style of Juken.

Enhanced Chakra Control
With an intense focus on learning to use the main family's Taijutsu, Raika has developed a great deal of chakra control naturally, having spent a great deal of time learning to use her chakra with skill. She's also learned to channel this ability to control her chakra into precise medical ninjutsu, which aids her in the use of taijutsu, and in particular with her Hyuga Taijutsu techniques.

Stronger Fist | Strength SA
A great deal of training with weights has caused Raika's strength to improve dramatically over a relatively short period of time. Utilizing the Hung Gar rings to improve her physical strength, she is capable of punching and kicking with much more power, and carrying a much more impressive amount of weight, even for a woman of her height.

”

by Pinn @ THQ

The Pink Blur

Hibana chose to wait outside knowing she would be to excited for Raika and Tokaku. She did not want to disrupt the ceremony and cause a scene. She adjusted the cloth over her right eye, her left darting from the doorway to the area around her. She had more than one reason keep her head down here in Kumogakure. Her leg shook as she tried to keep herself from pacing back and forth. She needed to keep her composure as best she could for her sake and that of Konoha. Finally she caught the sight of Raika walking with a small group, it must have been her squad for the exams. Raika was easy to pick out with her height and build however she had yet to see Tokaku. Hopefully they would all be able to catch up at some point before returning home. With a wide smile she jogged over to her "friend" waving erratically. "Raika! Im so proud of you! I'll be cheering for you as loud as i can." She ran and jumped wrapping her arms around her close friend.

--

LAIKA OF THQ

[Hyūga Raika]

212 words Hibana

Raika is certainly surprised when her girlfriend shows up, waving her arms at her, but the surprise makes way for happiness as she moves closer in order to be able to wrap her own arms around Hibana's waist without getting interrupted by any of the other exam participants. She gives the other woman a little squeeze, flexing her muscles a little and then giggling with a quick whispered response to the blonde woman.

"I'll be looking out for you in the crowd when I reach the finish line.~"

Although the words are whispered, they're delivered with a bit more firmness, making her audible even among the crowd as she holds one of her lovers tight. She actually hadn't seen Tokaku either, and she's a little paranoid as far as using her Byakugan in a crowd like this, especially when some of her own teammates in the exams are from rival nations. Speaking of doujutsu, her excitement turns to worry suddenly, and her arms squeeze around Hibana in a more protective manner, rather than in a purely romantic way, and she whispers to her again, though this time her voice isn't so happy and more anxious.

"Are you sure it's safe for you here? I know they don't exactly know your face, but..."

”

by Pinn @ THQ

[risi]

♔

Risi was practically giddy with excitement, actual real excitement, which is a rarity for the normally quite emotionless spy. He just couldn't help it; he wanted to see Yamatsu win, although he was also worried that his boyfriend might get hurt. It was a strange mix, made even stranger by the fact that Risi was actually experiencing these emotions, not just aping them in order to keep up social appearances and not draw attention to himself. He was dressed quite differently compared to his normal mode of dress. While he'd always been dapper in his appearance, now he was quite elegantly dressed. Some blonde girl rushed past him to hug up some huge lady, and he felt that was quite rude, but when he sees Yamatsu, he rushes out just like she had, though a bit less quickly. The dress he wore didn't exactly make moving around easy, and the thigh-length shoes with their tall heels didn't really help, either.

"Yamatsuuuu!~ You're gonna do great, I know it! I'll be cheering for you!~"

Dressed as he is in a veil and dress, one might expect him to be carrying a bouquet, but he doesn't even have his scythe with him. He wraps his arms around the back of the tan young man's neck, pulling him in close and smiling down at him with a precious rare look of genuine care in his red eyes.

coded by pinn @ thq

Yamatsu

SPOILER: Click to show

[Yamatsu]

Dec 30, 2023 11:40:33 GMT -5 risi said:

SPOILER: Click to show

♔

Risi was practically giddy with excitement, actual real excitement, which is a rarity for the normally quite emotionless spy. He just couldn't help it; he wanted to see Yamatsu win, although he was also worried that his boyfriend might get hurt. It was a strange mix, made even stranger by the fact that Risi was actually experiencing these emotions, not just aping them in order to keep up social appearances and not draw attention to himself. He was dressed quite differently compared to his normal mode of dress. While he'd always been dapper in his appearance, now he was quite elegantly dressed. Some blonde girl rushed past him to hug up some huge lady, and he felt that was quite rude, but when he sees Yamatsu, he rushes out just like she had, though a bit less quickly. The dress he wore didn't exactly make moving around easy, and the thigh-length shoes with their tall heels didn't really help, either.

"Yamatsuuuu!~ You're gonna do great, I know it! I'll be cheering for you!~"

Dressed as he is in a veil and dress, one might expect him to be carrying a bouquet, but he doesn't even have his scythe with him. He wraps his arms around the back of the tan young man's neck, pulling him in close and smiling down at him with a precious rare look of genuine care in his red eyes.

coded by pinn @ thq

Yamatsu

SPOILER: Click to show

The Young Pup

The nerves were building inside Yamatsu as he listened to the Raikage's speech. At the sound of the drum his visibly jumped. He could see Raika off to the side with a group of genin probably planning. He needed to meet up with his group as well before they ventured in to the forest. He looked around trying to find the three Konoha genin he was matched up with. His eyes however caught onto the slender form of Risi in an elegant black dress. The Kyuumu was beautiful but that was no secret even a blind man could see it. He felt his cheeks turned red as he walked toward his new boyfriend. It was weird for him to think about after being alone for so long. The tall young man wrapped his arms around his neck giving him words of encouragment. It took a second for him to return the hug, his arms curling around Risi's waist. "I'm scared... I don't think I'll be good enough to help or pass." His fear was fully apparent in his voice.

risi --

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kuronmeru Enyo]

blood as black as the ocean

Enyo stood at attention unflinchingly, with the view of all the cameras pointed towards the participants he felt compelled to act a certain way. A way that was more distinguished for a young man of his clan. It would give the viewers no indication of what his real desires were. It was just well-calculated manipulation.

Surrounded by some fifty or sixty other genin he was not as intimidated as some, instead there was a bordering on delusional amount of confidence as the Raikage took her stand his lips pursed pressing down together into a thin white line. A cold breeze brushed up along his exposed cheeks and he squinted slightly. Well, at least it was not blisteringly hot.

The blade was swung, the announcement for the exams start was made and cheering would come from everywhere. Enyo would not hear cheering for him. His father and mother, would never make themselves known in such a lowly way. Though in truth Enyo was not certain they had come at all. His and Shiu's family, they were not ones to outwardly show affection in this manner. The way some of the cheers sounded for loved ones.

It did nothing for Enyo's heart or his persuasion to not have them here. Being far away had meant more freedom anyway. If they were here there would have been a lot more pressure.

"Lame," The boy huffed under his breath a burst of warm air escaped him colliding with the cold creating steam, dissipating in the sunny chill against the rose of his cheeks.

It started now, and whatever happened after would be what he wore on his shoulders.

Would he be a permanent disgrace when he returned home?

aeron at thq

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

The morning sun beamed down on the young Kusa-nin as she stood alongside various genin from multiple villages, her eyes scanning in awe as she excitedly observed the many faces around her. The heat from her breaths floated up into the air and mingled with the smoke from the kiseru pipe she held daintily, her usual yukata engulfed in a haori for some warmth, twin tails neatly tied in two. It was time. With a bright smile on her face, the kunoichi held her head high, as today was the start of the Chunin Exams. The years seemed short in the grand scheme of things, passing by in the blink of an eye. While she didn’t feel fully prepared for what was about to come, she knew that she did her best and would continue to do so in the coming trials.

Even then, Sachi couldn’t believe she was finally here. Three years prior, it seemed like a long road ahead considering her lack of experience and her late start. The need to catch up was always present, her lack of physical skills a constant challenge. Yet, here she was, qualified to take the exams, and that alone made her proud of her accomplishments thus far.

"Quite exciting, isn’t it~” Sachi cooed, leaning her head up towards the taller Uchiha who stood beside her, the festivities adding to her energy. "Many walks of life from all over, it seems.” Taking in the present, her blue eyes scanned around, noticing some familiar faces and some she hadn’t ever come across. Surprisingly, she was not as nervous about the exams as she thought she would be, too focused on the people within the crowd, some she recognized and others she had never seen before.

As the Kumokage’s speech reached its conclusion, the flowery kunoichi delicately stowed away her kiseru pipe. Her focus shifted to the Leaf-nin, and with an inviting wave, she signaled for him to descend to her level. A glint of mischief sparkled in her eyes as she observed him complying. "I have a little proposition to make.”

Cupping her hands, the Kusa-nin whispered into his ear with a soft voice. "If you manage to pass the exams, I’ll let you have my first kiss.” Then, with a giggle and a playful wave, she winked at him before darting off to join her assigned group.

–🌸-

Attempt by Necro
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[Uchiha Kai]

Kai was standing firmly and calmly next to Sachi. In truth? He was nervous. Of course he was nervous, he lost the last time he went to the Chuunins. He hadn't really realized it before, or thought about it, but now that he was standing here, listening to all of it go down? Listening to the speech in front of him.

But outwards? He was calm, collected- He was good at that sort of thing, after all. Hiding how he felt. It came with the PTSD- A sort of... Benefit, almost. You were able to hide your feelings better.

When Sachi spoke to him, he glanced over at her, a little startled, before relaxing. Right. Sachi was there with him. He felt safe with Sachi. She could get him out of any problem, as long as they were together, right?

"It is..." Characteristic to how he usually was, but uncharacteristic to his personality around Sachi, he was quiet, short sentences. An easier way to tell... He was nervous underneath it all.

Still, he moved his hand to the left, gently grabbing hers as she seemed to want to whisper something into her ear. He leaned down to listen, and...

Ah. His face grew red. Bright as a tomato. His eyes glanced to the right, then to the left, before he cleared his throat. So much for the calm activity. His eyes would take a look over her form, make sure she wasn't fibbing or something- Before he gripped her hand a bit tighter and gulped.

"I..." He stood up tall as he glanced down at her, smirking a bit.

"I won't let you down." He felt a sense of pride in his chest. Now he had to win. His mind went one tracked, he knew what he had to do. He had to win, at any cost. It was about more then the kiss, more than his friends deaths- It was a matter of honor.

He just hoped, dearly, that there was nothing that would complicate such matters for him in the near future. Surely not, right...?

[hirana kizumi]

SPOILER: Click to show

Dec 28, 2023 8:29:05 GMT -5 Honō Kojirou said:

He finally made it to Akazaya. And oh boy, what a journey that was.

It was likely the first time he traveled this far alone. He remembered daydreaming about traveling far and wide as a scouting ninja back when Azarea was taking him along to the Land of Lightning, and with the permission and papers granted to him by the new Lord-

Okay, well, he’d rather just continue calling him Ichī, but honorifics were honorable, and he couldn’t smear Ichī’s honor like that-

-He had the clearance required to visit Akazaya to spectate this year’s Chūnin Exams. Yes, spectate – why wasn’t he participating himself? Well, let’s answer that question another day…

… Okay, there she was. In the crowds of Genin, Jōnin, and other spectators of varying ranks, Kojirou finally caught sight of his clan’s client. Still clad in his very recognizable, dark-red haori and armor vest underneath, he figured he could at least wait until her speech was done. There were many Genins participating this year, and the sight of the large number sort of made him feel bad for staying out of this year’s Exams, but he’d tried it once already… and Ahma’s words still echoed in his head.

In the end, he really liked to prove himself, but he fell short of that last time. Maybe he was just a little insecure in himself after that experience, but… he made his choice.

"Kizumi-sama,” he sobbed at the country’s leading ninja, the Raikage herself, with a sheathed sword wrapped in bandages in his hands, his face pouting and tears clawing themselves out of his eyesockets. After her speech and the release of the Genin, he made all the way towards her just to see this… tragedy. This mess-up, this screw-up.

"You said you’d love to have a new sword from us, b-but you already got a new one – it’s not even a sharp sword, it looks blocky and flat! How could you do this to us, Kizumi-sama?! Mum spent so much time forging this new one for you, and then you just went and got another sword! *sob*”

Oh, what an emotional mess he was when it came to his impossible crush.

Oh, Kojirou. Such a sweet, sweet boy.

He was taller than her, somehow--when had that happened? Had that always been the case?--so when she stepped down from the wooden platform and took off the tipped white Kage hat to tuck under her arm, it was a simple thing to pat him gently on the shoulder, use the sleeve of her pure white robes to wipe the bubbling tears from his eyes.

A greedy gleam shone in her cherry-red eye when she caught a glimpse of Hono-forged steel through the wrappings, but she focused--poor sweet Koji's poor sweet feelings were the priority, here.

"Check this out," she said, holding Shichiseiken out at her side. "It's not really a sword, see?" With a twist of her wrist she flicked the folded edge of the blade out, forcing it to unfold into its full, flat, gunbai-esque shape.

"It's a war fan! Kind of. It's called Shichiseiken, but it's a bit of a misnomer--more of a sword in spirit than in practice. It's one of Kumogakure's precious relics, so it's a huge honor for me to carry it... but it's not really for everyday use." She re-folded the blade and sheathed it to her back, grinning. "Trust me, Koji-kun, I wouldn't turn down Hono steel for anything."