Irony at Work (Attn: Team 6)

[Hiko]

Akemi was crouched upon a fairly large tree stump as she watched the afternoon sky. The day was clouding over fairly quickly, which meant for a unique training experience. More so today, she thought with a humorless grin. The official introduction of a new teammate into her squad never fared well, and it seemed as if she'd gone through more genin in the past six months than most had in six years. Letting out a sigh, she leaned back.

A shuriken whizzed past, missing her nose by inches.

“Ah! I almost had you, Akemi-neechan!” Ayana sounded triumphant. Akemi thoroughly disliked having to burst the child's hopeful bubble.
“I'm afraid not, Ayana-sama. I heard you scrambling for that scrap of metal as you were walking up. You must be more careful with the sounds you make – with your tools, and your feet.”
“You heard me?” The white-haired girl deflated.
“You stepped on a twig.”
“O-oh.”
“Just as well. I'd rather have you sparring with your teammates today than with me. You're beginning to learn my movements, and I don't wish for you to stagnate.”
“I have been trying to get help in the clan, but –”
“Taka-sama would kill me if I allowed another to train you.” Akemi wasn't quite certain if she meant what she'd just said literally. She shrugged it off, “Besides, it'll do you good to see other clans' fighting styles.”
“Mm,” Ayana agreed with a quick nod, “Oh! Uhm. You said teammates. We're finally getting someone new?”
“I'm afraid so. I was hoping Yumi might return, but... Well, I'm certain you'll get along with Shirio just fine. Koji, though...”
“Ah! Shirio?”
“Yes. Inuzuka boy. Why?”
“Oh, ah, uhm. N-no reason...”

[Sabaku]

Thanks to the departure of the Shinobu girl, it had been a while since Koji's team's last meeting. He wasn't sure what to expect, but privately doubted it would be anything of much importance; another of Akemi's training exercises, perhaps? But Ayana was little in the way of competition, and their sensei wasn't one to participate herself. He would've been able to do better on his own, he thought, but...skipping the meeting entirely didn't seem like a good idea.

So he arrived at the designated place to find the two Chidoku already in some sort of discussion, one that ended by the time he got within earshot. He stopped a short distance away from them, deciding that the noise made when he dropped to sit on the ground was enough in the way of alerting them to his presence, and pulled a kunai from his pouch, toying with the blade by flicking and twisting it between his fingers.

If Akemi had something for them to do, couldn't she get on with it?

[Toboe]

A drowsy eyed boy and his large silvery dog slowly, but steadily, made their way through the afternoon crowd of villagers as they headed towards the designated meeting place. Shirio still had a hard time believing that the Hokage had found him a team with such short notice. It had only seemed like a couple of days for her to find a place for him after his request. He glanced up towards the cloudy sky, shielding his eyes from a peeking sun. "It's this late already?"

He let out a long sigh as he looked over down towards his canine companion. "We gotta hurry up, or we'll be late. Come on!" Shirio jumped up onto a sign post, then hopped up onto a roof top and started to run towards his destination. Shiromaru soon followed, having to find a different way up onto the roof tops.

Shirio loved running across the roof tops of the Konoha, leaping from building to building was as close to flying as he could ever get, but that alone was enough for him.

SPLASH! The genin reached up and wiped his face with his sleeve, getting the newly acquired mud out of his eyes. "Hehe... hey... Shiromaru. I'll race ya through those woods over there. The meetin place is just on the other side." He glanced over as the dog landed beside him with a light pat of the feet.

Without waiting for a reply, Shirio took off, dashing towards the trees. He slammed into the foliage at full tilt, the leaves and branches smacking into him until he leaped up into the treetops. Minutes later he could see the light on the other side.

Shiromaru made it out first, choosing to take a premade trail that he had known about long before. He trotted up to the team and plopped his rear down in the grass and waited patiently for his rambunctious companion.

THUD! Shirio landed down onto the ground hard, having to kneel down to absorb the impact. Up until than no one would've heard him coming.

"Hey guys!" He greeted enthusiastically as he brushed himself off, plucking a few leaves and twigs out of his hair before looking up towards his new sensei, not yet noticing Koji who was out of his line of sight. "I'm Inuzuka Shirio." He walked towards his sensei and held out a dirty and leaf stained hand. "Nice to meetcha."

[Hiko]

Oh. Shit.
Ayana looked from Koji, sour expression as always, to Shirio, eager and carefree, and back again. Had the Inuzuka not noticed his other teammate? The sparring match days earlier had not ended on equal terms – what if one of the boys tried settling the matter now? Akemi-neechan's laughter broke her thoughts. No, no. Neechan would keep things calm.

Right?
–

Akemi was all grins as the boy introduced himself. She grasped the lad's hand in a firm reciprocation of the handshake.
“Chidoku Akemi. It seems no one can fault you for being late – if not a little unkempt! Take a seat and we can get the rest of the introductions out of the way. I,” she paused and glanced toward Ayana, frowning.
“Ayana-sama, is there a reason you're making that face?”
“Ah! Oh, ah. No. N-not really. Uhm. Hello. Again.” Ayana lifted her hand in a shaky wave, clearly unsettled at the idea that she'd be confined to a team of two stubborn boys.
“Again?” Akemi asked, curiosity coloring her tone, “Perhaps introductions aren't in order, then...?”

[Sabaku]

Koji ceased his movement of the kunai as the sound of someone approaching through the trees reached his ears, slipping it back into its pocket and glancing in the direction of the noise with mild curiosity. So Akemi had been waiting for someone?

It wasn't a dog he expected, however, and he stared at the beast with confusion as it took a seat. An Inuzuka dog? Was one of their clan on the way, then? He recalled with some annoyance the last Inuzuka he'd run into, frowning at the memory. Perhaps all of their bloodline were equally irritating; if the dog had arrived already, where was its companion?

With an unnecessarily loud crash, the question was answered, and the very Inuzuka he'd least expected to see stood in front of the group, his cheerful attitude setting off a spark of shock and anger in Koji. The boy jumped to his feet, taking the words exchanged between the others almost as blows as he realized what was happening.

"This is who we're expected to have on our team!? He'll only slow us down! This won't work, Akemi-sensei, the Hokage needs to find someone else!"

He made no effort to mask his rage, either in his voice or in his expression. His eyes were fixed on the new arrival in an irate glare, and he realized that he'd reached, instinctively, for his shuriken case.

If they refused to find their team a different member, Koji would be the one to find a new team himself.

[Toboe]

"Oh hi there!" Shirio gave Ayana a quick wave before taking a few steps back in order to take a seat as instructed; that was until the other spoke up. Both Shirio and Shiromaru turned their heads towards Koji at the same time, Shirio's face going from happy to grimly shocked in an instant. It was him.

"What do you mean that I will just slow you down!?!" He yelled as he started towards the Hyuuga, stomping along the way. Shiromaru quickly ran around the others and clamped onto his companion's jacket, holding him in place.

"Shirio, calm down!" Said the muffled dog as he tugged back, speaking for the rare instance to deescalate the situation before it got out of hand. When Shirio showed no sign of calming, the dog jerked his head back and slammed the boy down onto his back. "I said calm down!" The dog glanced towards Koji, a glare almost visible. "He isn't as weak as he first appeared, boy. Lets see how you fight after we tear out one of your eyes and ear."

Did that mean that Shirio was missing those body parts? No, Shiromaru used it as an example of Shirio's handicap.

"Enough, Shiromaru.... I'm calm." The genin stood up and gave Shiromaru a quick pat on the head. "I'm not leaving... Koji, and if you're immature enough to leave, I wont stop you; but I can promise you that the Hokage won't take 'I am too pissy and intolerant enough to work with them' as an excuse to change teams."

[Hiko]

Hmm, yes. Introductions weren't needed. Okay.
Right.
So.
As both boys played the irate child, Akemi had half the mind to bind both of them and leave them for the rain. She was grateful for the canine's interruption – his anger worked against Shirio's, it seemed, and the Inuzuka took control of his own emotions. Koji, though...

Well, one never knew what to expect with Koji - and that included hearing "sensei" in a serious tone.
“Koji-kun, you may feel free to find a new squad that will work with you. However, you might recall the trouble you had finding a team to begin with. I requested you. I'm afraid I can't say there were many others as willing.” And it was, in a sense, true enough. The Uchiha clan consisted of a hidden hero, a psychopath, and an damaged old man. When once the name Uchiha inspired a village, it now inspired disgust. And it wasn't as if the boy's Hyuuga side were willing to help Koji's situation. That, added to the scent of war prevailing the air made it difficult for any genin to find work, let alone one who refused teamwork.
“But, go ahead, if that's your wish. Find another squad that's short a man – and then try to convince them to take the chuunin exams with a boy whose greatest field experience involved carrying kimono to an okiya.

"When you've pulled your head out of your ass, let me know. I'd like to get things started soon, so.”
–

Ayana fidgeted where she sat, uneasy with Akemi-neechan's reprimand. If she only ended up fueling Koji's fire, they'd have to wait for yet another new genin to join the squad – and be hampered even more by a complete upheaval of the team. It was bad enough to lose Yumi, but if they lost Koji as well, she'd have no sense of familiarity.

His beration of the team's dynamic only served to keep Ayana downtrodden – she knew she was included in that verbal attack. She couldn't even climb a tree on her own, let alone handle herself in the same sort of sparring match her peers had endured the days before.
“Mm,” she added softly, “We can get better. That's what training is for, right? We won't slow you down for long, Koji-kun.”

[Sabaku]

The boy tensed as the other began to approach, and he reacted by slipping his fingers into the case until they felt the cold metal of the hidden weaponry. The dog interfered before the confrontation could escalate to violence, however, and though he didn't stop glaring, Koji took his hand off of the weapon.

But not off of the case that held it.

"I can tolerate people who aren't weak," he replied through gritted teeth, expression scathing. The words encompassed Ayana as well, though it was clear that his anger was directed primarily toward Shirio. Akemi spoke up before he could say any more, and though he tensed further and turned the same look toward her, he didn't reply.

The woman was right, as much as he hated to admit it. Talent was nothing in the face of his damnable blood; he didn't speak of his Uchiha heritage, but enough of the village's older shinobi knew, and it seemed that alone had become enough to turn more than a few of them against him. The name had become synonymous with betrayal, and he was only a genin, a boy who was in their eyes nothing beyond that label.

Swallowing bitter words, he dropped hard onto the ground, glaring at the grass as though it had committed some awful offense to him. It seemed he didn't have any choice as to his team, regardless of what he may have said. And she had said chuunin exams - it was finally time for them?

Perhaps that would be enough for now.

He uttered what sounded like a bitter "Tch." under his breath in response to Ayana. No, they wouldn't slow him down for long, but not because they'd be getting stronger.

[Hiko]

“Now,” Akemi splayed her legs out along the tree stump, dangling them above the ground, “Chuunin exams are fast approaching. Normally, I wouldn't have dreamed of nominating you – you're all too green for my tastes, and we have a reputation of being a revolving door for genin to come and go for months now. You're hardly at east with eachother, let alone capable of watching eachother's backs in a fight.” The woman frowned and set her gaze onto Ayana, forcing the girl to think carefully over the next words the jounin spoke:
“However, it was not my decision, in the end. My hands are tied. But,” she added hastily, “I'm going to do everything I can to prove you unprepared. I'd prefer you to miss out on the exams this year, rather than find you've died on the way to a new rank.”

Akemi glanced at the boys, then up to the sky.
“Perfect. Now, prepare yourselves. I don't plan on making today easy on you – and if you're still capable of reasoning before evening, then we'll finish introductions.”

The violet-haired woman continued to dangle her feet against the tree stump, but as she moved, her body slowly disintegrated into nothing more than dirt.

Rain broke above them.

[Toboe]

Taking in a deep sigh, Shirio backed away further from Koji and plopped himself down onto the cool grass, Shiromaru trotted over to sit beside him. What an interesting team. Shirio normally could easily see the light at the end of the darkest of tunnels, but this was a tough one. Glancing towards his new sensei, he frowned slightly.

The chuunin exams? That was rather unexpected. While he believed that he himself was ready, she did make a good point about their ability to work together. He was sure that Koji wouldn't want anything to do with him, and he has so far seen nothing of what Ayana can do.

Shirio was about to speak when Akemi suddenly fell apart into a pile of dirt. He quickly stood up as the rain started to fall upon his head, taking almost not time to soak his thick hair. "Shiromaru, this could be a test, keep your eyes and ears open." He glanced towards Koji. "And.... " He was about to order him to do the same.

Ordering his team around was a habit left over from his time with his previous team. He was to act as team leader in the absence of their sensei.

The Inuzuka looked away from Koji and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "You...." He motioned towards Ayana. "What's your name?"

[Hiko]

Ayana blinked away raindrops as Shirio directed his attention onto her. He was actually interested in what she had to say? That was a first. She glanced to the sulking Koji, and then back to her new teammate.
“Ah, Chidoku. Ayana,” the white-haired girl involuntarily flinched as rain struck her cheek, “Sorry about the other day. I'd thought you and Koji-kun were just sparring, and... Mm. I should've paid more attention. If I had, he might not be as agitated today. I – ah!”

Ayana jerked her arm back in pain as the bite of sharp metal sliced through the skin near her shoulder. She looked around in panic for the source and found a kunai lodged into the ground. They were under attack!
A dim chuckle from behind in the trees, pieced the situation together for the girl: Akemi-neechan was going hunting, and they were the prey. She fumbled in the sleeves of her haori and gathered thin wires – she wouldn't be caught again!
–

The assaulting figure sat on a tree branch, grinning a cheshire grin.
“Squad! You're in the rain, on grasslands. Things will be slippery, and you will have to defend against weaponry. Find a way to take my headband from me before sundown,” she touched her neck, tapping against the metal of the Konoha protector, “or go home and find a new path in life.”

[Sabaku]

Koji hadn't been looking at Akemi, but the sound of shifting earth caught his attention, and he turned sharply toward her, watching as what was still visible of her body disappeared. He jumped to his feet, pulling out a kunai for each hand as he did so, and began to glance around, alert for any indication of where their sensei had gone.

He shot Shirio a look that indicated he hadn't let go of his previous anger when the boy spoke, realizing what he had been about to say. At least he had the sense to stop himself.

"If you can talk," he said in a soft voice that nonetheless held an edge to it, "then you can listen. Shut up and pay attention."

He didn't care about Shirio's performance, or Ayana's, but he did care if they interfered with his own. The moment the kunai cut the girl, Koji turned in the direction that the weapon had come from, seeking their sensei among the trees. It was impossible to tell where she was at his current distance with the leaves obscuring her, but...Byakugan.

Focusing his enhanced vision, he quickly found the woman. One kunai, and then the other, flew from his hands before she had even finished speaking, replaced immediately by two more.

Against a jounin, it was a difficult challenge, but he would have that headband. He wouldn't lose the chance to become a chuunin.

[Toboe]

Shirio was about to ask Ayana about Akemi's abilities when she was suddenly struck by the kunai. So it was a test. Luckily he came prepared for such a thing

"Shiromaru! We need her to be easily found, even if we cannot see or hear her. When the time comes, you know what to do." Marking the 'target' was going to be difficult, and he was pretty sure that wasn't the best way to deal with his new sensei, but what had to be done had to be done. She did make herself out to be their target after all.

Shirio watched Koji carefully while he used his Byakugan. If Koji wasn't going to work with him, he'll just have to work with Koji. He watched as the Hyuuga found his target and attacked, throwing kunai after kunai towards their sensei. Shirio quickly acted and dashed off towards the forest, following the kunai but making sure to stay out of Koji's line of fire.

"Just need her to speak... one more time..." He thought as he closed in on the trees, Shiromaru in toe. Basing a target's position off of kunai trajectory and sound was risky at best, but he had to work with what he was given.

[Hiko]

The kunai Koji had thrown struck their target with nearly perfect lethality. Akemi grunted in pain as blade met flesh. One of the weapons lodged itself within the woman's breast, while the other landed in her stomach. She fell, crashing to the ground in a bloody heap.

Akemi promptly crumbled apart into the wet earth.

In the trees, an amused chuckle formed. Byakugan would be useless against the bunshin; with chakra even throughout each copy, the Hyuuga's doujutsu would be virtually incapable of finding the real jounin on its own. From where the chuckle had sounded, reddened kunai flew out toward Koji.
–

Ayana, now vigilant against her sensei's attacks, gripped the thin metal in her hands until it bit into flesh from the pressure. The kunai thrown had been red. She'd endured enough of the older Chidoku's attacks over the last few weeks to be aware of what Dokunochi's affects held – Akemi-neechan might not use the lethal sort, but it wasn't as if Genkaku were a walk in the park, either.
Seeing the intended target, she pulled hard on the wires at her hands. Heavyset senbon flew toward the pair of kunai, knocking them away (or at least enough for the Hyuuga to have an easier time dodging the blades). Without bothering to look at the boy for gratitude (for she knew well that she'd received none – ever), Ayana immediately formed handseals. She sunk into the earth as a clone appeared beside her, the bunshin itself giving a quick warning to Koji before heading into the trees.
“She's throwing poisoned weapons, Koji-kun. I've been hit with them before. They – you don't want to get hit with one.”

Fully falling in with the landscape, Ayana hoped she'd have time to give the same warning to Shirio.

[Sabaku]

Koji began looking around with renewed alertness the moment his weapons struck. Akemi wasn't such an easy target. She was using bunshin, then - it wasn't surprising, but it made things considerably more difficult. At her level, distributing her chakra was a simple thing, making byakugan useless for discerning which was real. They'd have to take them all out, one by one.

As he began to look for a new target, the location of one was revealed, throwing her weapons at him. He crouched low to the ground, then jumped as far to the side as his legs could take him, landing in time to see the kunai hit the ground, knocked astray by Ayana. He glanced at them, noting that one had come closer to him thanks to her "help", but said nothing about it as her bunshin approached him.

Poison? So she was being more serious than he'd expected. Realizing that she wouldn't so willingly give her position away and, as a result, the one who had thrown the kunai at him would be a bunshin as well, he ignored it, instead beginning to run across the wet ground, focusing chakra to his feet so that he wouldn't slip. Let Shirio charge headlong into the trees where she was undoubtedly waiting; he would find as many of her bunshin as possible before beginning an attack of his own.