Day, the first - [Open]

[Hasaharu Seizan]

Sore from the classes of the day, more sore than he wanted to let on, the young man pressed a hand to his much abused abdomen and realized that there was nothing in it. He wasn't made of money and didn't have a face that drew people to buy him meals, so he shouldered up and started the long walk to the other end of the road. Some of the local eateries liked to slum, to try to bring expensive down to the masses. The masses liked noodles, street food, and things that were on the ends of sticks. All of it sounded delightful now.

The hood of his hoodie drew up over his head, trying to keep some warmth as the sun went down. His sandals scuffed in the dust and left little scrapes where he passed, obviously already doing poorly at what shinobi did best: leave no trace. He was hungry, and battered, and with every sunset? The dour student believed that all the light was going out of the world.

As he passed through the gatherings of humanity, he couldn't help but wonder where a shinobi had to fit. Did they deserve society, as they had? His father had often spoken of such matters over meals, and when the young man grew hungry? It was easy to associate eating with overthought. He shook his head and rapped a knuckle sharp against his own brow in hopes of returning to reality.

"Maybe some dumplings." he mused before pausing in front of one of the many shops.

 

[Keiji Akuma]

Akuma awoke, sitting up in an instant, gritting his teeth and growling before he looked around and relaxed, falling back into his bed. Askuma placed his hand on his forehead, letting out a light sigh as he whispered to himself; He slowly sat up, placing his legs over the side of the bed, getting up. He held is arms out, stretching, performing several types of stretches before finally getting dressed in his normal white v neck. He put on his black pants and threw on his old pair of steed toes sandals, before heading out.


The front door to his house opened with Akuma stepping out onto the porch, a slight smile appeared on the boy’s face as he played with the necklace across his neck. Akuma closed the door behind him, a gentle breeze flowing by, gently blowing his spiky crimson hair and his white shirt. He slowly closed his crimson eyes and took a breath of the cool air in, feeling the thrill of a new day course through his blood. Akuma’s eyes slowly opened again. He then decided to go to the market to buy something sweet to eat before training.

"I hope something interesting happens. My life has been quite dull ever since I left the orphanage. ” He said quietly to himself, as he walked towards the market place. Akuma walked along on the side walk, looking around as he passed by the villagers, smiling as he wave to those who recognized him. Out of boredom he would occasionally kick the rock in his path. So focused on the game he was playing that he was not paying attention to his surroundings and accidently crashed into a strange hooded boy.

“My bad, Let me help you up”Akuma said sheepishly as he held out his hand for the boy to grab.

 

[Hasaharu Seizan]

"Maybe something with bean paste." he was musing, starting to think far beyond his own means when he found that the world was tipping fully aside. Something had bumped into his shoulder and taken him off balance, but somehow? He knew it wasn't something intentional. He didn't feel the sense that someone was trying to do him harm, and somewhere between his eyes? He trusted that sense. It was the first thing they had talked about in class. Sensing the killing intent was an artform, and Seizan? Well, he was a fingerpainter.

Thudding with an "...oof." onto the dusty ground, he looked up at the boy who had knocked him over. His brow furrowed before he saw the extended hand, and then all was right in the world. Well. Mostly. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Gonna get hit by a cart or something." he offered in return, but took the offered hand so that he could get a little help returning to his feet.

Dusting off his backside, he paused and looked at the red-haired boy that had upended him. "I think I know you? You're in the academy. I saw you in the hall." he advised, keeping the grip on Akuma's hand with a little shake. Thoughts of a meal were still sticking in his mind, but the newfound classmate seemed to be clean. Unworn. As if he hadn't done any training yet that day. Seizan frowned, realizing that he could have gone harder. He could always go harder, and often opted for a softer way out.

"...you looking to get some time in out on the training yard? I never see you training with anyone."<i></i>

 

[Keiji Akuma]

“Well it looks like my request has been answered. Things are about to get interesting” Akuma thought as he shook Sezian’s hand.
"I think I know you? You're in the academy. I saw you in the hall." Sezian said while shaking Akuma's hand a little. Akuma chuckled at that, there were not a lot of people that had crimson hair and eyes like he did. It gave him a sense of pride to be one of the few people to have traits such as his. “Probably I stick out like a sore thumb doubt there are a lot of kids with red eyes and red hair like mine” Akuma Said. Before letting go of Sezian’s hand to place them in his pocket. After a few seconds between the boys Sezian said"...you looking to get some time in out on the training yard? I never see you training with anyone.”
“Actually yes I was going to go there and train for a bit after I got something to eat from one of the vendors.” He replied while taking out his right hands and pointed to several food vendors before placing them back in his pocket.
The smell of all the delicious food around him caused his mouth to water slightly and he started to walk over towards one of the vendors behind him.Before stopping remembering he was talking to someone, and it was rude to suddenly just walk away from someone while your having a conversation. If he learned anything from the orphanage it was to be respectful especially towards woman. Now more focused on the task at hand Akuma turned back towards Sezian “And I do not really know a lot of people to train with them so I usually train alone. I’m just too much of a beast for anyone to keep up with” Akuma joked.
“So what brings you to this neck of the slums ”

 

[Hasaharu Seizan]

When they parted hands, Seizan tucked his own into his back pockets and stepped aside from the doorway so he could spend a minute talking to his fellow student. "You're pretty memorable." he affirmed, nodding his head. For all that Seizan appreciated the ability to blend in and fade away, there was something to be said for the person who didn't have that option. Those people had to be a bit more "in your face" than others, and it was a skill that the bolder shinobi always seemed to have.

"Training by yourself sounds like you're the baddest kid on the block. Mostly because there's no one there to make you sharper. Everyone's the best singer in the world in the shower, you know." he offered, but nodded his head. He'd been right in that the red-haired boy was on his way to become a better ninja. That irked him, stuck in his throat. If Akuma could be doing it, why not him? He nodded, as if affirming that he wouldn't let it pass unremarked. But when he looked up to comment? There was no one there. Akuma had taken a few steps toward the nearest vendor and while some might have taken that as a dismissal of the conversation? Seizan simply fell in stride and walked the short distance beside the other student.

"You aren't training alone today. I came down for something to eat, and look at me. I found someone to train with." he said with a rare grin. "Eat fast, so your stomach hurts and you aren't as much of a beast today."<i></i>

 

[Keiji Akuma]

"You aren't training alone today. I came down for something to eat, and look at me. I found someone to train with.” Sezian said. "Eat fast, so your stomach hurts and you aren't as much of a beast today."
Akuma Chuckled at his new friend’s Joke " I will try, but I have a stomach of steel. It takes a lot for this baby to go down,” Akuma said while patting his stomach. He then turned back to the vendor he was heading towards before. The beautiful scents of junk food crammed into his nostrils and lead him to a small dango bar. The Owner of the stand was a bald old man wearing a stained apron. The old Man smiled when Akuma sat down.
“ How are you doing young man? Can I get you anything?” He said with a kind smile.
“Sure may I have one plate of dango please?” Akuma asked politely.
“Coming right up” the man said before disappearing behind the doors to Akuma Presumed to be the kitchen. A few minutes later the old man reappeared with a plate of dango in his hand. “That will be 75 yen.”
“Alright give me a second,” Akuma said before putting his hands in his back pocket looking for his wallet except to find nothing but air. Akuma frantically searched all of his other pockets for his wallet, but with no luck.
“Dang it” He moaned “ I probably left it back at the house” Akuma then turned towards Sezian “ Umm Do you any spare yen on you? You could have some of my dango and I will pay you back eventually. ”

 

[Hasaharu Seizan]

"You're a talker." he said with a knowing smile, but followed the boy into the dango bar. Dumplings were always in his interest, though sweets before training always made his stomach raw. It wasn't that he didn't like them. They just didn't like him overmuch. When the order was given and the man came with the requested plate, Seizan watched as Akuma fumbled for his money and found none. Part of him considered telling the kid to roll up his sleeves and get ready to do dishes. But, that was bad hospitality. Miha would never have approved.

"Sure. Don't worry about paying me back if you're sharing. Just don't hog it." he warned without heat or edge. A small pouch was drawn from his pocket and a few coins, most of the coins that were in there, came out and were set in a neat little stack for the man to take. Something about being polite told Seizan that handing money over directly was a no-no.

A finger pushed the plate toward Akuma, as the smaller boy put away his money pouch. "So... tell me the goal. Tell me where you're going after the academy. Out in the field? Gonna aim to be a doctor? Spill it."<i></i>

 

[Keiji Akuma]

"Sure. Don't worry about paying me back if you're sharing. Just don't hog it." Akuma frowned when he hear Seizan Said that, but said nothing. “I am goanna pay you back eventually,” he muttered to himself. He then grabbed three pieces of dango for himself making sure that there were some let for his friend. For a few minutes the two ate in silence, the only sound that was heard was the sound of Akuma munching on his Dango happily and the people walking around them buying thier goods.

"So... tell me the goal. Tell me where you're going after the academy. Out in the field? Gonne aim to be a doctor? Spill it." Sezian said.

Akuma took a few bites of his last dango before swallowing and setting the bare stick down. “I am going to become the greatest shinboi in the world . So great that people will know my name beyond the great nations. I am going to train my butt off until I become the best there is. Then maybe my parents will come back,” he mumbled sadly. “ And I am going to become amazing swords man to and after that I’m going to have a beautiful wife and awesome kids to pass on my legacy to!” He said happily. The old man smirked a little when he heard Akuma’s dreams for the future.
“Be careful what you wish for kid” the old man said to him self before going back to cleaning the bar.
“So what about you what are you going to be once you leave the academy?”

 

[Hasaharu Seizan]

"If you insist." Seizan said mildly, knowing a determined voice when he heard one. His new friend wasn't comfortable in debt to another? That was the sign of an upstanding man. It made him smile, even as he picked one of the round starchy dumplings off of the skewer and bit it in half. Listening to Akuma talk about his dreams and his ambitions, something about it hurt his heart. Cut him deep, though it wouldn't show so strongly on his face.

He'd lost his parents. Orphans always ended up in the academy as fodder, people that cruel and cunning men would send out to die in the field during the wars. No part of him wanted to see that for his fellow student, and he nodded faintly. "I hope you get all of that. I hope it all comes to your doorstep." he affirmed, finishing the one dumpling he held in his fingers and sucking the syrup from the tips.

"I don't know what I'm going to be. I wish I had ambitions like you, to be the best or the greatest. To have kids to pass on wisdom and renown to. I don't think that's going to be me." he said with a sour sort of realism. "Know what I want? I want the Kage to know my name. I want something to come up, some mission or situation, where the Kage looks to his associates and says "Bring me Seizan. He'll take care of it." or something like that. That's what I want."

Glancing up at the old man, he chuckled and waved a hand. "Don't go listening to all this talk, Oya-ji. It's young kids getting all wrong."<i></i>

 

[Keiji Akuma]

Akuma nodded as he listened to his friend’s dreams and hopes for the future. After Seizan was finished speaking Akuma began to clap slightly with a smirk plastered on his face. “ I have a gut feeling that we are both going to achieve our goals. Or I’m still hungry, but I am going to with the first one option. Now with out further ado lets get some training done before night falls”
With that Akuma stuffed his hands in his pocket and began to whistle a tune he heard Granny sing to him when he had nightmares about his parents leaving him. The tune soothed him whenever he was in deep though or when he excited. He did it so many times he did not even realize when he was doing it some times. With out a care in the world Akuma imagined his time back at the orphanage and all the adventures he had there.
Akuma suddenly snapped out of the trance and stopped whistling. He then turned his attention back to Seizan with a sheepish smile on his face.
“ Sorry about that. I guess old habits really do die hard” He said with a sad smile “any ways lets go train our butss off" He then turn his attention to the old man “sayonara ojii-san I might visit your shop again soon. Your ability to make dango this good is impressive.” The boy said with a wave before turning and causally jogging to his destination. The old man Chuckled and waved at the red head kid.
"Those two are going to go far in life" He thought before he resumed cleaning.

 

[Hasaharu Seizan]

The empty skewer jabbed lightly into Akuma's shoulder as Seizan reached across the table to prod him with it. It was becoming clearer that his newfound friend was going to be spending hours lost to the chain of memories, and if all he did in his life was stick the red-haired boy back to reality? Maybe they would all yet survive the coming months.

"Don't think twice about it. But your old habit might give us away to the enemy, if we're in the field. Keep your eyes on me, huh? And don't let me drift off either. I think we were both happier when we were young." he mused, a strange phrase to come out of such a youth. But the shinobi life? That's what it did to children. It aged them long before their time.

The smile he paid the old man was sunny and winning, and he rapped a knuckle on the table for emphasis. "What he said. Gochisou-sama."

---

With his hand wrapped firm in Akuma's sleeve, he veritably dragged the larger boy out onto the training field. Which was, of course, just a field. Pock-marked by errant destructive jutsu remains, scorched of grass in some places and muddy with suiton techniques? It was the place they deserved.

"So what's the method? What are you learning to do?"<i></i>

 

[Keiji Akuma]

“We are practicing basic level academy style taijutsu and doing some strength exercises” Akuma replied in a board tone. He then began to unzip his leather coat; after he was done he threw it off to the side.
“Yo Seizan I am going to warm up, It will only take a couple minutes” Akuma smirked playfully “then we can get down to business.” Akuma then clenched his fist and began to practices some taijutsu katas on a wooden training dummy. Akuma stood with his hands held above his temples, his feet parallel to his shoulder and his back slightly hunched. The fighting style was called Muay Thai. To use the style to its fullest potential Akuma has to not only punch and kick, but use knee strikes and elbow strikes as well.
A young shinboi named Daichi that used to live at the orphanage when he was younger, but left to pursue his dreams of becoming strong taught it to him. At first Daichi denied all of Akuma’s attempts of training him, but he eventually relented and taught him the basics stances and a few attack. So far Akuma was not able to use knee strikes or elbow strikes, because when ever he did he would ruin his stance and when his stance was messed up he got beat up.

Akuma narrowed his eyes and yelled a battle cry, he then charged foward and fired a powerful right hook at the dumies face. Akuma lightly danced around the dummy throwing punches,quick jabs, and a occasional roundhouse kick to the head. Five minutes later of punching and kicking the dummy Akuma stopped and looked towards his partner.
“ Okay I am all warmed up lets go”

 

[Hasaharu Seizan]

"Fair enough. Take your time." Seizan said, and sank down to his knees for a moment of rest. He had, after all, warmed up more than a little during the earlier session. His fingers brushed over his knuckles, feeling the bare scrapes there. Not from overuse or attacks, but a clumsy recovery after a stumble. Nevertheless, he watched Akuma in his warmup and clearly appreciated the display of the art. It was a specific way to fight, up close and personal. Everyone respected a front-line fighter.

In his chest, he felt a low ache. It was the sort of sensation a person could experience the day after a long series of workouts. Delayed onset, his ass. He knew what it felt like to mold a bit of chakra and, in this case, what it felt like to be depleted. Empty. Without a trace of that fire that real shinobi had in spades. His hands folded and he closed his eyes, remembering the stressors of training and the easy serenity that could be found in quiet moments. Someday, the deed would become natural. But for now? It was anything but.

Five minutes, and Seizan would recover his feet at the announcement from his partner. "Promise you're not gonna cry?" he teased in good nature. His hands came up but not in a strong sort of defensive stance. No, they came up in a more delicate way, palms facing out. The way his shoulders rolled indicated that he was softening himself up. The better to soak a punch, or to evade a blow. <i></i>

 

[Keiji Akuma]

Akuma returned to his previous stance and began to analyze his friend’s battle stance. Akuma watched as Seizan lifted his hands up. Not in an offensive manor, but a defensive one. Seizan’s palms were facing out towards him. Akuma also saw Sezian rolling his shoulders indicating that he was softening himself for any upcoming blows. "Judging by his stance he is expecting to get hit, so he probably has some counter technique or something that I have to look out for." Akuma said to himself as he prepared himself for battle mentally and physically. The two were quite as an abreeze passed by them, making their clothes and hair wave around a little.
“ Get ready because here I come Seizan” Akuma yelled before he started to clear the distance between Seizan and himself.

Akuma stated the battle with a sweeping leg fake from the left. Akuma then immediately fired a full power sucker punch from the right at Seizan’s cheek. Akuma continued his assault with a barrage of straight punches at Seizan’s abdomen. After Akuma finished his assault he retreated back a couple a feet. “ You had enough yet" Akuma said in a cocky tone “ or are you ready for some more.” Akuma then got into a defencive stance and got ready for his sparing partners retaliation.