Witness! A Blazing Spirit! [Spectating Hoshi | Open]

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo couldn't hold his excitement in any longer, stirring up all of Team 11 awake. "It's fighting time!!!!" Tatsuo yelled as he pulled the blankets off all of them. He was super giddy for lack of a better term. Humming and jumping around the house as he got everything prepared for the day ahead. He hadn't seen Hoshi in nearly a year now and to see his best friend in the biggest fight in the world? There definitely was some hype around that type of event.

Quickly dressing into his typical shinobi gear, a pair of black ninja pants and shirt, with the Leaf Flak over it. His headband was tied tightly around his head, keeping some of the hair out of his eyes. After ensuring everyone was ready he would be quick to make his way to the stadium. Feeling like breaking out into a sprint but deciding against it, wouldn't want to cause a scene.

When they finally arrived at the arena, Tatsuo had managed to score some pretty nice seats after an intense match of rock-paper-scissors with some shinobi from Stone. Wiping his brow from such a draining endeavor he took a seat and waited for the rest of them to show up. Yaboi, Saito, and Ryo ended up going to grab some snacks while they waited for the fight to start. Tatsuo just hoped they didn't forget his hotdog. He also wondered if Kimishima would show up, she seemed pretty excited to see Hoshi fight as well. He couldn't help but hold his excitement, it'd be soon until the fight began and he was barely jumping out of his seat.

[Topic Entered]

[Requesting: Yaboi, Saito, Ryo, Kimishima, And anyone else is able to join!]

[This is starting a little late, so try to be quick so we can get caught up with the fight!]

 

[Suika]

It was a day after their spontaneous encounter that the gypsy girl made her way Tea's grand coliseum. Today was to be a big day - people crowded around the arena to get their chance to watch shinobi from different nations duke it out. Among them, and surprisingly to her, was Suika herself. She would be lying to herself if she said she had no desire to watch various ninja battle, but, before yesterday, it was at the bottom of her priority list. Heck, since coming to Tea, she sought nothing but a reflective solitude. Tatsuo changed that.

Subtly pushing through the masses of people, Suika caught sight a familiar face. She grinned. "Tatsuo-san," she called out as she neared the man. It appeared as scored some tickets for the fight. As she approached him, she completed her greeting with a small head bow. “Nice to see you again.” The Genin was decked out in casual street clothes, but still had her Kumo headband tied loosely around her neck. It was the perfect way to be comfortable for today's festivities and represent her shinobi ties. After her greeting, the 11-year old kunoichi then looked up at the man and revealed her fiery, magenta eyes. She was pumped. “Ready to see that blazing spirit?” Previous to this day, they had agreed to watch Hoshi's fight together alongside some of his pupils. Speaking of which, where were they? “Are your students out getting snacks?” It was in that moment her face glowed with faint, excited curiosity. Did they have pudding here?

Regardless, she was to accompany the man to their seats and prepare herself for a possibly intense fight. Hoshi, although only a few years older than herself, proved in their past duel to have an affinity for battle and lightning-fast reflexes. She was interested in seeing how the Hyuuga would perform today.

 

[Sand Council]

With a loping gait, a tall, thin man would approach. His arms and his legs were wrapped firmly yet neatly in clean white cloth that covered nearly every inch of his form less his golden eyes, his cracked mouth and tuffs of brown hair that would creep free from between the bandages. He wore an indigo kimono over the bandages that assumedly covered everything and a simple pair of black boots that covered his bandaged feet. He was obviously armed although he seemed indifferent to the long straight blade and sheath strapped to his back. "eleven-hundred yen for a bowl of ramen..." he complained. His voice betrayed his appearance as it was rather charming. He would lift the bowl to his parched lips and loudly slurp the contents. Their ramen was god-awful. How could they mess up noddles in broth? It was a dam national tragedy. He would take another lengthy slurp from his bowl of lukewarm noodles.

The fight was between Kumogakure and some buy-in by that new Merchant Lord, 'Abura-me?' He was not important enough to remember. The battle would prove to be an interesting one all the same because one would be able to boast that they could buy a shinobi's services just about anywhere. That a shinobi was nothing more than a glorified mercenary. A mass-produced tool. They were not wrong, but they did not understand the gravity of such a statement. Words had meaning, something he understood better than most.

A pair of sweethearts would take the seats next to him, a little girl and her paramour? His head would turn to the side, a cacophony of clicks and pops could be heard as his vertebrae rotated and he fixed his fiery gaze upon them. His chapped lips would peel away from his yellowed and crooked teeth into what could only be described as a leering smile. He placed his empty bowl onto his lap, his gaze never leaving the duo. "I can feel the concupiscence," he guffawed. "Delectable young paramours here to enjoy the spectacle of martial puissance." He was here to watch the spectacle, he had little faith in the Merchant Lord hopeful's alleged plan for dominance but the Diamyo's interest was piqued. That was enough of a reason for the schlemiel to send his best across the bay to do what... watch? It was insulting. It should have been him down there, not a pair of ignoramus cream puffs slapping each other silly for the masses entertainment.

He would lean towards the young girl. Close enough that she would learn his scent as he invaded her space, it was sandalwood. "The jouissance of combat. Fear not lovely, when he is enamored and has fallen into obliviscence... I will--" There was a blithe, errant glint in his eyes as he looked towards her date with a depraved grin before he looked away, towards the fight that was starting. he pat he seat next to him. Ever the gentlest of gentlemen.

!

Yes, this is a REAL, statted Soverign. If you are uncomfortable with this, I will simply walk away. I believe in full, stated (not implied or assumed) consent because I generally play monstrous characters and sometimes the threads get very dark. This thread does not have to devolve into combat but I will be upfront, he is looking to kidnap one of you. Again, if it goes in that direction and that happens again I would be seeking consent throughout the entire encounter. This will not devolve into combat unless you wish it so, I am fine roleplaying out the encounter and giving you both an unforgettable (or unforgivable) experience.

 

[Kenroujima]

Woken up again by Tatsuo the young shinobi was not pleased, surely he would regret waking up the sleeping Yaboi once he got around to pulling a fast one on him. Though that was neither here nor there. Yaboi got dressed lazily into his usual attire; white top, black shorts and his shinobi sandals. He prepared his utility belt and tightened the pouch strapped to his arm, if he was going to watch some shinobi fight he might as well look the part rather than showing up in his pajamas. The boy set off with the group and let out a quiet yawn 'Tatsuo says his friend is good, I hope so.' the boy thought to himself.

Upon arriving at the scene the group split off from one another to go and gather whatever snacks they wished for, Yaboi pawned off the responsibility to grab the hotdog requested by Tatsuo to one of the other boys. Taking his time with collecting all the goodies he wanted while of course placing the bill onto team leader Tatsuo as he was sure the other boys were going to do anyway, Yaboi managed to gather quite the amount of snacks. Popcorn, candy, chocolate and hotdogs; the works. With his bundle of snack supplies secured the young boy of ten made his way to the seats Tatsuo had picked out and upon noticing the stranger his mind got to work in an attempt to deduce why the individual was in the seat Ryo had picked out prior and who he even was. The boy shrugged and took the seat next to Tatsuo with a huff and leaned over his bundle of snacks, looking to Suika briefly before his gaze set on Tatsuo "What I miss?" he announced calmly "Hey Tatsuo-senpai, did you invite others to watch your friend?" he boy asked but without giving Tatsuo much time to answer his face turned to look over to Suika and the stranger. "Hey, I'm Yaboi. Part of Team 11 and stuff.. But uh.." the boy paused as he reassessed the situation "Whose the weirdo next to you?" the boy asked with a smirk, a clear bait. Yaboi pointed to the assortment of snacks he had brought with him and gestured to the open seat next to him with his head "Come sit next to me, I got snacks that Tatsuo-senpai paid for. He always tells me to be nice to the girls but I think its because the only girlfriend he's had was a tree!" the boy grinned widely and held back his laughter.

[Topic Entered]

 

[Uchiha Ryo]

Ryo sprung up from his bed and looked at Tatsuo, he looked at him with tired eyes, and nodded, “I’ll go get dressed.” Yawning he went about to getting dressed, placing on his headband, he turned to look at himself in the mirror and adjusted it, smiling he turned to Tatsuo, “I’m ready to go!” he was ready to watch his first fight between experienced shinobi. Packing up his things in his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and set off with Tatsuo.

Arriving to the Stadium, he made his way over to his seat, and looked out at the ongoing fight with awe, he turned to Tatsuo “Your friend is really strong, Sensei!” looking at the vendor he ordered a burger and a soda, setting his food to the side, he turned to watch the fight, he looked at the Hyuuga with interest, “Which one is your friend, Tatsuo?” The boy turned to Yaboi, “Are you enjoying the fight, Yaboi?” He was glad that he was able to see this fight with Yaboi, Saito and Tatsuo.

[Topic Entered]

 

[Akimitsu Doi]

Kumo's students were splitting up in groups to go on their own adventures in Tea Country. Many were out exploring the city and its tourist destinations, while others were heading for the battle arena to watch the tournament fights. Doi had found out that Hoshi's fight would be happening soon thanks to a battle schedule he'd been given and decided he would watch this fight. Hoshi was the only one of the fighters from Kumo that he'd actually met and trained under a couple of times. Doi was curious to see what Hoshi could do when the boy got serious. There would be plenty of time to explore later.

After making his way through the stadium's entrance and up to the spectator stands, Doi figured he'd sit down in an empty seat in one the middle rows. While walking up the steps that led to his seat, Doi spotted two people that he immediately recognized. One of them was the Tatsuo, the man he'd met while battling the kraken at the cliff. The other was Saito, a younger boy he'd met during the last portion of his tenure as an academy student. He would eventually approach them to say hello at some point during the fight.


[Topic Entered]

 

[Samsara Saito]

Up and ready before Tatsuo and the rest of the team, Saito was dressed, equipped, and reading a book in the main living space while everyone else got started. He read about the Tea country, how commerce formed the backbone of the region's economy, and how international he could expect the games to be. The 10 year old Cloud genin felt the excitement as keenly as any, and eagerly closed his book when the time finally arrived to depart.

Shinrin-sensei made a mistake... the boy thought immediately upon Tatsuo sending them off to spend his money on food. Even Saito's unending appetite aside, Yaboi and Ryo could also eat more than their weight. Plus prices are so EXPENSIVE... In the end, Saito didn't do too much damage, coming back to their amazing seats with only enough chow to last him until a late lunch at last.

Cloud headband shining brightly in the sun, the boy got back to their seats, blue-green eyes quickly roving over the well-bandaged fellow -- I always guessed one could take the ninja tape wrapping too far -- before sitting with Ryo, Yaboi, and Suika. Catching Yaboi's comment about Tatsuo's only girlfriend being a tree, Saito pointed at Tatsuo with a wide grin and a loud "AHA! I KNEW you were a Tree Spirit!" He introduces himself to Suika too with a charming smile. "Hey I'm Saito! We didn't meet while I was in Kumo, so good to meet you now!" the young Kumo exchange student greeted. "Any friend of my favorite tree spirit is a friend of Team 11!"

Seeing Doi, the young cloudie nudges Yaboi. "Hey that's Doi, he's from Cloud... older than us by a couple years. Super cool guy! HEY DOI!" Saito shouts, waving the boy over.

[topic entered]

 

[Tatsuo]

When Suika showed up, Tatuso raised an arm to her and waved her over. "Oh hey, Suika, how are you today?" He motioned to the seats around them, "Any of them are free." When she referenced Hoshi's Blazing Spirit he could only help but smirk. "Yeah i'm sure Hoshi will put on a good show. He's a real great fighter, but you know that already huh?" He looked down to the empty arena and tapped on his leg a few times. He really was looking forward to this fight.

"Oh yeah, the Genin are running off grabbing food." he sighed as he just realized just how much this whole adventure would cost him. He patted his wallet and hung his head low, looks like he was eating ice for breakfast. Oh well, it's worth it. "I just hope they don't forget to grab me something." he laughed a bit and around that time was the first time he noticed the approaching man. Truly a weird character, Tatsuo could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. While he tried to ignore him for the most part, when he decided to bother Suika personally he stood up. While he was only sixteen he managed to reach 6'1. The smile never leaving his face as he looked to the Sovereign. "I can't say I understood every word you just said, but I did think that was a bit uncalled for. We're all just trying to have some fun and watch a fight, that alright with you?" he said asking, but not really asking. Intimidation wasn't exactly his strong point, but he was excited to see this fight and wasn't looking forward to any last minute mishaps putting a wrench in it.

After staring the man down for a few moments, the smile still never fading. He turned back to sit down just as Yaboi arrived first. The fight had still not started as the young Nara approached him with enough food to feed a village. Tatsuo's heart sank as he realized just how much money they spent. Next time he said the bill was on him, he needed to set an upper limit. "Fight hasn't started yet, I think it's starting soon. Did you get my popcorn?" Tatsuo crossed his arms, really hoping they'd have his popcorn. What was a good fight without any?

"Oh yeah, my bad." He stood up and motioned to the both of them. "Yaboi, meet Suika. Suika, meet Yaboi. He's a Genin of Hidden Leaf and she's a Genin of Kumogakure. I ended up sparring with her a little bit in the Countryside. She's real good Yaboi, might wanna watch out. Could end up with more than just a few bruises." He laughed but realized that Yaboi took nothing without returning some damage. Rolling his eyes he smirked as he said his only girlfriend was a tree. "Well yeah, she was a pretty tree at least. Tree's are better than people anyway, don't annoy me as much." Obviously just messing with Yaboi, he leaned over and grabbed one of the candy bar's he had purchased and began to peel the wrapper back. "Thanks, by the way." As he took one bite of the chocolate candy. Hoping it was Yaboi's favorite.

Yaboi was really a clever one, when he asked Suika to sit near him he practically rolled his eyes but how could he be a good sensei if he didn't at least attempt to help. "Yeah Suika, go sit by Yaboi might be able to actually eat something before he stuffs his face." Overall, despite the presence of the Sovereign, Tatsuo seemed to be on cloud nine. Even more than usual. There really wasn't anything that could ruin his mood currently and he knew it. Except maybe an L from Hoshi.

As Ryo asked which one is Hoshi, he pointed over to the side where he would come from. "They're not out yet, but it's starting soon. Try and keep an eye on him, he's faster than lightning and hits harder than the ocean." he said giving a firm nod. He was definitely confident in the abilities of his friend, there would be no way Tatsuo would've grown so quickly without the assistance of one of his closest friends. "He trains all day and he fights just as much. He's definitely the coolest member of the Blazing Spirit."

When Tatsuo noticed Doi out of the corner of his eye he waved him over and invited him to stay with them, "How's it going Kraken Slayer?" he shouted across the arena, confusing most of the people around them but Doi understood what he meant. "Want to come sit with us? We're about to watch Hoshi fight."

When Saito arrived he was quick to call him a Tree Spirit once again, Tatsuo couldn't help but laugh he shook his head. "No, no, I swear i'm not a tree spirit. Just a ninja, is all." He knew it wouldn't convince the hardheaded cloudie anyway but he always had to put that up there. Couldn't not deny it once and have him use that as an admittance of guilt now could he. "Did you grab my popcorn, Saito?" he asked the boy, quite serious about the food item he wished for like nothing else.

As soon as the fanfare began Tatsuo's full attention was at the center of the arena, while he may have been talking to everyone just moments before it was clear what he was here for. Akkuma was the first to enter and Tatsuo furrowed his brows and said for anyone to hear. "He kinda looks weird, hope he doesn't do anything tricky." Already beginning to worry for his friend despite the confidence he had in his abilities. "Hope Hoshi makes this quick, a long fight might be bad for him." He stated idly, mostly commenting to himself.

It wasn't long before Hoshi came out however, Tatsuo stood up and cupped his hands against his mouth letting out a roar. "Kick some a--" Tatsuo looked to his students and didn't want to be a bad example so he quickly stopped himself and replaced it with "Butt." "Yeah! Kick his butt!" Tatsuo yelled again, turning and giving them all a cheeky smile as it was painfully obvious what he had just done.

Tatsuo failed to hear what they were discussing, but that wasn't to say someone a bit more observant couldn't but his eyes were glued onto the combatants. Any attempts to speak to him probably would've gotten at most a quick glance and a nod. It was easy to tell just how invested he was in this fight. Tatsuo smirked as he saw the ninja wire release from his weapon, "Seems like he's still doing that old trick." Grunting as the clones were formed it was obvious just how important this fight was to Tatsuo. "C'mon hit him!" Tatsuo shouted as Hoshi missed his first few attacks. He grew worried for his friend but realized that this was only the beginning. Hoshi wasn't going down any time soon. Tatsuo recognized instantly that Hoshi was bound, he stood up from his chair and slammed his hands down on the edge barrier! "HOSHI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"

 

[Honnou]

The seats were getting rather crowded now, especially at the few minutes that lead up to the promised fight between Akkuma and Hoshi. Having travelled to Tea for the purpose of experiencing the outcome of this battle from the sidelines, why should Honnou miss out? It was his own master down there who was going to fight, and beyond the spars and training sessions back at Kumo, he never got to see just how far Hoshi could push himself. However, being a round in such a huge and prominent tournament such as this one, the younger Hyuuga was assured that his mentor would break a barrier or two in order to ensure a win. That just felt most rational to think if he put himself in Hoshi’s shoes.

Now, about the seats; he wasn’t exactly sitting on one. No, from further up on the colosseum, Honnou found himself sitting on a pillar - more precisely one of the heads of the four statues that made up the four edges of the round monument - and watching the fight with the entire arena in his field of vision. He did see a couple of familiar faces further below, but alas, the battle had suddenly started with the exclamation, and his eyes just barely managed to fathom the next actions. It started with… well, blitzes. The amount of colors that burst out confused him for a brief moment, and in that very moment, he found Hoshi assaulting his opponent who seemed to have manifested a few clones around. Most likely to outnumber his Jyuuken, it appeared… and it also seemed to put a pain on Hoshi, or at least from his point of view.

“Hmh… I wonder how I’d do in a battle here…”

 

[Suika]

“Hmm?”

As Suika and Tatsuo were about to take their seats, an interesting figure propelled himself into the scene and neared the girl a few inches too close. Strangely enough, he smelled of sandalwood, but that wasn't his most noticeable oddity. On top of his wacky, bandaged appearance, his speech seemed like straight out of some rejected faux-Shakespearean play. All in all, he gave Suika the creeps. Her sharpened spiritual senses warned her to keep a distance. Being a master of face, her expression remained as if unperturbed by the chill-inducing man. Not that she had to hold it too long; it was almost instant that her new ally, Tatsuo, interceded. Although she didn't know the Leaf shinobi too well aside from her encounter with him the previous day, his presence brought her a sense of safety. This was fortified by his protective, yet calmed actions. Soon after, another much younger (and a lot less weird) character joined the group. He was introduced as Yaboi. “Well that's a fun name...”

The kid was straightforward, yet smooth in his approach. Suika allowed him to lead the situation and followed along with his cue. “Nice to meet you, Yaboi. As Tatsuo-san said, I'm Suika. Let's sit.” She pulled away from the near grasp of the weird man and sat in-between Yaboi and Tatsuo. She felt better now. As the two continued their banter, Suika grinned in amusement. It was endearing to witness such a tight-knit bond. “Tree girlfriend? That's neat. Did it take a while for her to grow on you, Tatsuo-san?” She added to the ongoing jest. When in Rome, right? After Yaboi's introduction, more Genin began to trickle in one-by-one. Surprisingly, two of them, from the sight of their headbands, were from her village. She had never seen either before, but one enthusiastically greeted himself to Suika. She shot a quick, friendly nod of acknowledgement. “Pleasure, Saito. I'm Suika.” His following words did strike a curious bone in her body. Team 11? How was a Cloud shinobi part of a Leaf shinobi team? She almost asked, but her attention was soon taken by the tournament before her. Crowds cheered as the fighters entered the arena and readied themselves for the big fight. The kunoichi's eyes gleamed with subtle excitement. Hoshi's fight was about to begin.

Her tutor, decked out in Kumo ninja gear, started the match with no punches held back. It kind of reminded her of her previous encounter with him. He had a very aggressive approach, and it seemed to work in his favor as the battle ensued. The other man, Akkuma, was strangely dressed. His fighting style, from her observations, was very different than Hoshi's approach. His moves were less forceful, but they were very purposeful and tricky. She had to keep a close eye on both to fully comprehend what was going on. She reached over to Yaboi's lap and scooped a chunk of popcorn into her mouth. The girl had forgotten her manners, but her focus was completely invested in the duel. She munched as her ears twitched with Tatsuo's shouting.

Looking up at the Jounin, she smiled. At that point, she wasn't sure if she wanted Hoshi to win for his own sake, or for Tatsuo's. He was very invested in his friend's fight. Suika decided to cheery alongside him. “You got this, Hoshi! Kick his ass!” Her eyes darted to her side as she grinned devilishly. The man filtered himself, but she undid that purposefully. Perhaps the mischievous spirit of her deceased cat, Blackberry, accompanied her to this fight. Her expression soon wore to a more casual one as she continued. “Show off that blazing spirit!” She returned to eating Yaboi's snacks and as she kept her eyes intently on that stage.

Though, a part of her remained wary. The creepy man from earlier carried a strange aura that didn't sit well with her. She wondered if that was the last she'd see of him.

 

[Michi]

Ichi​

He listened to the interactions. People rarely chose their words carefully enough. Meaning was lost because of this and secrets sometimes learned. He was a master of the common tongue. There was a lot to learn from this simple interaction. He, like the rest of the Sovereign was an experienced interrogator. Often people misconstrue interrogation with a line of questioning. With painfully removing facts from an unwilling source. Brutal and almost always effective, but not always accurate in his experience. In the throes of anguish one would say anything to make the pain stop -- be it through death or a cessation of a session. He knew that first hand, after all that was how he got this beautiful face.

The tallest, likely oldest being 'Tatsuo' according to 'Yeah-Boy.' A teacher? Potentially a leader, several mentioned Team 11. He appeared to have a paternal, or at the very least 'older brother' relationship with his students. They addressed him somewhat casually. More casually than most would. He lacked regimented order. He lacked strict hierarchical definitions and relationships. He emptied his wallet so that they could get snacks. Charitable to a fault, a difficult time saying no, fails to plan ahead. Confrontation was not easy for him, however he seemed capable of mustering a thread of courage to say something to him.

"I can't say I understood every word you just said, but I did think that was a bit uncalled for. We're all just trying to have some fun and watch a fight, that alright with you?"

His golden eyes flickered and he sneered. "I was suggesting that you have a romantic relationship with the pretty young girl," yes he called her 'pretty.' He wanted her to hear that, it would be important later. "Teenage romance, one of the few times in your life you will actually believe it when you say you are in love before you unfurl." Ichi commented. Tatsuo seemed somewhat testy. Offended by his vernacular. Most react with fear, revulsion or anger when faced against something that they do not understand. Ichi was most certainly an enigma and 'a strong offense is the greatest defense' some would say. Tatsuo was protective of her, 'Suika' that is. They gave her name freely. There was something intimate and important about a name. People failed to protect what was important. Failed to understand where there heart truly was, what was important to them really. That was what he was checking of course. If the girl had value. If TATSUO had value. Everyone was worth something, but some value weighed less than sunlight.

"I will endeavor to speak artlessly," Ichi conceded, his tone fringing on deridement. Yes, he admitted that he was going to dumb it down, in reality this was not much lower than his pedestrian vernacular. He was trying to get under Tatsuo's skin, not enough to start a fight but to keep the shinobi on edge. Why? One, he might be useful. A man who mold's the minds of future youth, often overlooked, rarely reviewed. Second, the man was an asshole and a sociopath. "I am enthralled by how these participants fight so earnestly." He was changing the subject away from her for now. He had already found Tatsuo's potential weakness.

One of the other kids asked him already: which one is your friend? A statement that piqued his interest as well. "You came to cheer your friend on," he smiled as he heard the name. Hoshi, the Hyuuga brawler. "How convenient, I am also here to cheer this tournament's hero on." Yes, those words were carefully chosen. In reality he was there for the demon, Aburabuta hired three men to fill the ranks of an unknown village. They were allegedly 'powerful mercenaries' here to fulfill a singular goal. He doubted Aburabuta's skill in discerning fighting prowess, he was nothing more than an indulgent brat in an expensive suit. Their job was simple, be seen. They were doing a fine job at that if nothing else. of course he was not referring to the demon as the hero in this story, he was intended canon fodder truly. An attempt to elevate the winner or to demonstrate to the weaker villages that they simply lack the power and martial skill to win in a fair competition. An effort to learn all he... well they could about the strongest fighters in the world in a place where their skill would be put on display. A village's hubris is a dangerous thing. None would be willing to lose or to send a mediocre example and they would freely display their greatest assets. Assets they would learn how to counter.

"Why are you not fighting in the tournament, Tatsuo?" Yes, is was a prod and he injected the given name he had heard. "I have heard the prize would make a lovely ornament." He was of course referring to the grand prize, a ring. The Cabal had similar rings. he was certain that Nao was the ageless devil himself. "The winner, as far as I am aware will win an amazing ornament." Was he simply not good enough. The kind to take a back seat. A man who lacks ambition. Is full of fear?

He would cock his head to the side almost like a curious, cocky bird as he looked past Tatsuo and at his 'kids.' "Suika," yes he used her name as he had heard it. "Would you be terribly bothered, as I have gathered that I might have offended your teacher, the white knight..." Yes, he was focusing on her, the likely focus of these hormonal adolescents and possibly even the teenage instructor. "if you would show me such kindness and--"[/b][/color] He purposefully stopped there, mid sentence, a completionist's nightmare!

 

[Sand Council]

Ichi​

He listened to the interactions. People rarely chose their words carefully enough. Meaning was lost because of this and secrets sometimes learned. He was a master of the common tongue. There was a lot to learn from this simple interaction. He, like the rest of the Sovereign was an experienced interrogator. Often people misconstrue interrogation with a line of questioning. With painfully removing facts from an unwilling source. Brutal and almost always effective, but not always accurate in his experience. In the throes of anguish one would say anything to make the pain stop -- be it through death or a cessation of a session. He knew that first hand, after all that was how he got this beautiful face.

The tallest, likely oldest being 'Tatsuo' according to 'Yeah-Boy.' A teacher? Potentially a leader, several mentioned Team 11. He appeared to have a paternal, or at the very least 'older brother' relationship with his students. They addressed him somewhat casually. More casually than most would. He lacked regimented order. He lacked strict hierarchical definitions and relationships. He emptied his wallet so that they could get snacks. Charitable to a fault, a difficult time saying no, fails to plan ahead. Confrontation was not easy for him, however he seemed capable of mustering a thread of courage to say something to him.

"I can't say I understood every word you just said, but I did think that was a bit uncalled for. We're all just trying to have some fun and watch a fight, that alright with you?"

His golden eyes flickered and he sneered. "I was suggesting that you have a romantic relationship with the pretty young girl," yes he called her 'pretty.' He wanted her to hear that, it would be important later. "Teenage romance, one of the few times in your life you will actually believe it when you say you are in love before you unfurl." Ichi commented. Tatsuo seemed somewhat testy. Offended by his vernacular. Most react with fear, revulsion or anger when faced against something that they do not understand. Ichi was most certainly an enigma and 'a strong offense is the greatest defense' some would say. Tatsuo was protective of her, 'Suika' that is. They gave her name freely. There was something intimate and important about a name. People failed to protect what was important. Failed to understand where there heart truly was, what was important to them really. That was what he was checking of course. If the girl had value. If TATSUO had value. Everyone was worth something, but some value weighed less than sunlight.

"I will endeavor to speak artlessly," Ichi conceded, his tone fringing on deridement. Yes, he admitted that he was going to dumb it down, in reality this was not much lower than his pedestrian vernacular. He was trying to get under Tatsuo's skin, not enough to start a fight but to keep the shinobi on edge. Why? One, he might be useful. A man who mold's the minds of future youth, often overlooked, rarely reviewed. Second, the man was an asshole and a sociopath. "I am enthralled by how these participants fight so earnestly." He was changing the subject away from her for now. He had already found Tatsuo's potential weakness.

One of the other kids asked him already: which one is your friend? A statement that piqued his interest as well. "You came to cheer your friend on," he smiled as he heard the name. Hoshi, the Hyuuga brawler. "How convenient, I am also here to cheer this tournament's hero on." Yes, those words were carefully chosen. In reality he was there for the demon, Aburabuta hired three men to fill the ranks of an unknown village. They were allegedly 'powerful mercenaries' here to fulfill a singular goal. He doubted Aburabuta's skill in discerning fighting prowess, he was nothing more than an indulgent brat in an expensive suit. Their job was simple, be seen. They were doing a fine job at that if nothing else. of course he was not referring to the demon as the hero in this story, he was intended canon fodder truly. An attempt to elevate the winner or to demonstrate to the weaker villages that they simply lack the power and martial skill to win in a fair competition. An effort to learn all he... well they could about the strongest fighters in the world in a place where their skill would be put on display. A village's hubris is a dangerous thing. None would be willing to lose or to send a mediocre example and they would freely display their greatest assets. Assets they would learn how to counter.

"Why are you not fighting in the tournament, Tatsuo?" Yes, is was a prod and he injected the given name he had heard. "I have heard the prize would make a lovely ornament." He was of course referring to the grand prize, a ring. The Cabal had similar rings. he was certain that Nao was the ageless devil himself. Was he simply not good enough. The kind to take a back seat. A man who lacks ambition. Is full of fear?

He would cock his head to the side almost like a curious, cocky bird as he looked past Tatsuo and at his 'kids.' "Suika," yes he used her name as he had heard it. "Would you be terribly bothered, as I have gathered that I might have offended your teacher, the white knight..." Yes, he was focusing on her, the likely focus of these hormonal adolescents and possibly even the teenage instructor. "if you would show me such kindness and--" He purposefully stopped there, mid sentence, a completionist's nightmare!

 

[Kenroujima]

"Huh?" the young shinobi said in response to Ryo, it seemed his thoughts were elsewhere as he was looking down towards the fight below. His hand moved on its own as it clutched a small handful of popcorn and brought it to his mouth to eat, Yaboi heard Ryo but the amount of thoughts pouring into his mind was a bit of distraction. He blinked a few times as if to get back into focus and he shook his head briefly "Oh! Yup, the fight is cool Ryo." the boy finally said aloud to his friend, flashing him his usual smile. Yaboi didn't pay much attention to the newcomers at first though he knew they were there, his gaze was simply fixated on the match below. Though his attention was once again pulled from the fight once he had heard Saito's voice, looking over his shoulder with a snicker as Saito joined in on the joke at Tatsuo's expense. As Saito introduced himself to Sukia the young shinobi looked over with a bit of curiosity 'Hard to know everyone in a big village I guess.' the boy thought idly. As his head turned back to face the arena the nudge by Saito caught his attention once more as he named one of the newcomers "Doi?" the boy enunciated quietly before bringing his hand up for a friendly wave "Hey Doi! Here to watch the fight too, huh?" Yaboi asked.

Tatsuo introduced Suika as a Genin of Kumogakure and explained to him that they had sparred and praised her for her ability, immediately sparking an interest for Yaboi. He was warned to watch out for her by Tatsuo but that wouldn't exactly click for Yaboi "OOooo, you sparred with Tatsuo?" the boy began with a big smile and a glint in his eye "If Tatsuo is praising you that means you must be a tough cookie. I kinda like that." he said with a smirk, watching Tatsuo reach over and take one of the candy bars. Tatsuo had hoped that it was his favorite but alas all the treats he had gotten were his favorites since they were on Tatsuo's tab "No problem Sensei." the boy said before sticking his tongue out at him playfully as he upped his game with the statement of the tree being pretty. Tatsuo came in with the unusual assist and called Suika over to come sit by them and as happy as Yaboi was something in the air felt off. As if there was tension forming that could be cut with a knife, the boy's eyes drifted towards the bandaged man to gauge his reaction to Yaboi's play. All in all it wasn't too big of a deal, after all Yaboi had wanted to meet new people his age anyway. The joke against Tatsuo had been picked up by Suika and Yaboi brought his hand up to his mouth in a poor attempt to stifle a laugh 'Grow on you! Haha, good thing Tatsuo loves tree jokes!' the boy thought to himself.

Once more the fight below had caught his attention and he watched intently, idly grabbing small handfuls of popcorn before deciding to unwrap a lollipop and holding it in his mouth. He knew Hoshi was Tatsuo's favored to win but Yaboi was more interested to see all the different techniques the two battling used, his mind drifting off with thoughts of strategy as his interest in the fight had piqued his inner tactician. 'Plenty of things to look out for in this fight.' he thought to himself quietly, passing an idle glance to Suika as she scooped up a handful of popcorn to her mouth. He smirked and returned his attention to arena, the boy was content with sharing the snacks he had with him. Tatsuo had cheered loudly for his friend while doing his best to not use 'bad language', maybe it was an adult thing that Yaboi never really understood. Though it was when Suika had cheered without holding back any filters that Yaboi grinned from ear to ear and if it were not for the lollipop in his mouth he might have just laughed a bit too loudly. It was amusing to the young shinobi to see the two so fired up "Hey Suika, you must know Hoshi right? Or you followin' Tatsuo along?" the boy asked curiously, trying to distract himself from the looming creepy bandaged man. "He looks plenty strong." the boy stated as his eyes looked back to the arena briefly before turning his head to Suika "You a Taijutsu user too?" he asked with a small smile.

Yaboi picked up on what the Cabal was saying but chose not to get involved and speak 'Weirdos like him are just lookin' for a fight to get their rocks off or somethin'.. Fight must be too boring for him I guess.' the boy thought to himself, though if that were the case and the fight below was boring to him then Yaboi believed the bandaged man to be quite strong himself or at the least very experienced one way or another. The Cabal continued his speech to try and stir something up and Yaboi continued to listen as the man had clearly been weaving his words fluently to insult Tatsuo's pride as a shinobi or just flat out bother him, and for the most part it didn't get under Yaboi's skin until the man decided to involve more people. He let out an annoyed sigh and hung his back "Hey weirdo, how come you aren't taking part yourself? You seem a bit bored since you're trying so hard to stir Tatsuo up." the boy grinned as now he was interested in taking part of petty verbal battle. His eyes looked over to Tatsuo, all of Team 11 was assembled but there were a few others that didn't need to get involved in the squabble 'What a pain..' the boy thought to himself "Tatsuo, why you attracting people like this guy? Thought we were here to watch Hoshi fight." the boy said plainly. His head turned back to the arena and as his hand went to shovel a bunch of popcorn into his mouth he whispered to Tatsuo and Suika 'No fighting.'

 

[Uchiha Ryo]

“Wow, this fight intense.” He turned to look at Tatsuo, “Is your friend Hoshi stronger than you, Tatsuo?” he sat the edge of his seat watching the fight with great interest, he had never seen a Hyuuga fight before. He took a bite out of his hot dog and kept his eyes on the ongoing fight, keeping his eyes on the ongoing fight, he nudged Yaboi, “Who do you think is going to win?” he took another bite of his burger, wiping his mouth with a napkin, “He’s the one in your little Blazing spirit thing? Wow. He looks cooler than you.” He nodded, as he took another bite of his burger, Tatsuo was his sensei but the cloud ninja in the fight didn’t look as goofy as Tatsuo.

He turned to Saito, “Hey Saito how you are doing! By the way who do you think is going to win? I got my money on the Hyuuga.” He took a sip of his soda, watching the fight he watched how quick Hoshi moved and how strong his hits were. He would turn to his opponent he turned to Tatsuo “Who’s your friend fighting, Tatsuo?” but caught a glimpse of the man covered in bandages and turned to look back at the fight to avoid looking at him again, the strange man brought a chill to run up along his spine and turned back to watch the fight.

 

[Honnou]

During the battle, Honnou had begun regretting his choice of seat. From up here, yes, he had a large field of vision, but so many details could be seen rather easily from a lower terrain. Eve though he had his Byakugan, though… perhaps he should seek the seats down below. Having decided so, he pulled up his soda and took a quick slurp, suddenly noticing a few familiar figures quite transparent in shelter of everyone’s heads at the spectator’s seats. “… Huh,” he let out in relief, “Perhaps I should join her,” he mumbled, before his feet were midair and darting downwards, leaving the statue’s head alone as he would seek another place to watch the fierce battle.

The last thing that he saw was a distinguish, blue aura leaking out of Hoshi, a couple exchanges in flames and a very odd behavior surging around Hoshi’s state. As he reappeared in the middle of the group beneath – totally in the true ninja style – he wiped dust off his jacket and smiled. “Hey, Suika, Doi..!” he greeted his fellow Genin and classmate before turning his gaze around to notice other faces, “I think that I’ve seen you before… you too, although I’m not so sure about you… and you… uhh… nice bandages.”

 

[Akimitsu Doi]

"Hey!" Doi waved back at Saito and Tatsuo. It seems they did notice him after all. The 'Kraken Slayer' moniker was a bit farfetched — considering they only scared the beast away — but Doi didn't mind. In fact, he kind of liked it. It made him sound courageous and powerful.

With Saito physically calling him over and Tatsuo inviting him verbally, Doi figured he would watch the fight alongside them and the other kids in their group.Walking up the stadium steps, Doi sat down in the seat directly in front of Saito's. Turning around in his chair, he responded to the inquiry made by the boy who sat next to Saito. "Yeah, I know the guy from Kumogakure. Figured I would at least watch his fight before leaving to explore some more." He held his hand out to the boy as if to initiate a handshake."I'm Doi as you already know, nice to meet you." He then turned to Saito. "So what've you been up to lately? Heard there was a kid that left to train in Konoha. I'm guessing that was you?" As he gave Saito time to respond, Doi heard his name called. It was Honnou, a boy he'd met back in Kumo during a chunin preparation class.

"Ah, I didn't know you were here too, Honnou. Don't remember seeing you on the boat..." Doi was a bit distracted on the boat ride, so it was probable he had seen Honnou and just didn't remember."Anyway, come to see how Hoshi fairs against a tough opponent?"


[WC: 256] MFT

 

[Samsara Saito]

"Here you go, Shinrin-sensei," Saito replies to Tatsuo, handing the Jounin the popcorn he asked for without even flinching. Saito had completely forgotten about Tatsuo and was going to eat that popcorn himself, actually, but whenever Saito could do something nice for Tatsuo the boy did his best to try at least. He himself switched to devouring one of the several squid on sticks he bought, still crackling from the grill and dripping with juices, as he watched Hoshi and Akkuma fight. The battle seemed to go back and forth, advantage swinging from the fox to Hoshi and back to the fox. I wonder if it's really a demon? Are demons even real?

"C'MON, HOSHI-SENPAI! DO THE BLAZING SPIRIT PROUD!" Shouting the words -- claiming rank under the Saito clan fighter, looking up to him as a senior and example -- almost felt strange, but it was also right and true. The genin's seniors in the Blazing Spirit could all teach him something important today, he knew. Between Hoshi doing his very best against ever-diminishing odds, to Tatsuo managing his own sort of battle against the provocative mummified man, Saito saw all sorts of opportunities to learn what it meant to be a member of their organization. Saito cheered Hoshi on as loudly as he cheered Tatsuo on quietly, glancing at his sensei and the mummy out of the corner of his eye every once in a while.

"I think Hoshi-senpai can still pull a win out, Ryo! It might be a bit of a trick though, he's gotta be out of medkits -- WHOAAAA! DID YOU SEE HIM COMBO ALL THOSE HITS???" Saito shouted mid-sentence, his attention pulled from talking to Ryo to watching Hoshi use his power, incredibly accurate strikes all over the fox demon's body. Hyuuga... Hachimon? the young cloudie thought to himself, reflecting on the announcer's calling of the two combatants. "What's a... Hachimon?" Saito asked aloud to the group, with anyone within earshot able to answer. When another cloudie came up, Saito smiled and gave his name. "I wasn't in the Cloud academy for long before I went on exchange. Plus I kinda hate classes soooooo..." the 10-year old grinned to Honnou as the boy mentions any sort of recognition, chuckling a bit as a hand rises to rub the back of his head. "Nice to meet you!"

"I'm great, Doi," Saito replies to the older cloudie, smoothly fistbumping the guy. "Yup, that was me... I'm the first cloudie to do the exchange program with Leaf! I left as Tatsuo-sensei's student, not long after that time we hung out with Watanabe Ai. Now I'm on Leaf's Team 11... and I'm a Blazing Spirit!" The last few months had been quite a rollercoaster for Saito, the boy realized as he all of a sudden had to sum up his recent activities in a few sentences. "It's been crazy, now that I'm thinking about it... ahh well!" he shrugged, clearly having a good time with it all despite the swiftness of the pace. "How's it going with you? How was your genin test? I had to climb a waterfall!"

The bandaged guy creeped Saito out as he continued to talk to Suika. It didn't take a master of social niceties to know that his interjections weren't appreciated with this particular crowd. The young boy wondered exactly what pleasure the old man got out of messing with a teenager and a group of kids, as his blue-green gaze flicked to the interactions between the bandaged man and the cloud girl from the action between the combatants and interactions between his friends. Likely nothing particularly good for the teenager and kids. I got your back, Shinrin-sensei, Suika! he thought to himself, a quick glance to the mummy man -- if even caught by anyone present -- intended to hint at how nothing good would come from continuing to bother Tatsuo and his crew... as well as take a few mental snapshots of the man using subtle jutsu.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo smiled as Honnou joined the group, however most of his attention was still glued to the fight. It was starting to heat up now and he could only hope Hoshi did well. Even when things started to look bad for Hoshi his resolve wouldn't be shaken there wasn't a piece of him that didn't trust in his friend completely and if Hoshi wanted to win this. He would.

The group seemed eager to continue on the joke regarding his tree girlfriend so Tatsuo decided to play along, "She's quite the cutie, i'll have to introduce you all sometime. She's a bit shy around this time of year though, all of her leaves fell off." He said sticking out his tongue playfully trying to diffuse the situation with the man behind them.

"KICK HIM IN THE FACE!" Tatsuo would shout to Hoshi when he saw him go in for another strike, he really just wanted Hoshi to end this quick. He knew well the abilities of a Hachimon and wasn't looking to see Hoshi literally tear himself apart to win this fight. Even if he knew his friend would. He just hoped this would end quickly but it seemed like it would continue on for quite a while.

The man's insistent pestering was starting to get a bit bothersome. He already started on a bad foot but Tatsuo wasn't here to start any fights. Especially in a country that wasn't his own. He did his best to ignore his comments considering the man finally agreed to watch the language a bit. All he wanted was to watch this fight, not argue with King Tut. His eyes were glued to the fight as they darted back and forth watching every moment Hoshi and Akkuma made.

Though the man did not make it easy, something Tatsuo had learned over the years was many people will try to poke and prod to get your attention, something that would've sent him into a passionate fit of rage. However with age and maturity he learned that he had nothing to prove, at least not here. He was confident in his abilities and cared not for who the man rooted for. Who knows he might even have money on the fight.

When asked why he didn't participate in the tournament, Tatsuo offered an idle shrug and said flatly. "I was travelling when they were choosing the fighters. By the time I was back in the Village, they had already been chosen." He felt that all necessary to say, something to prevent everyone in the group from asking him at some point or another anyways.

When the man began to bother Suika again, Tatsuo shot a glance over to Yaboi. A knowing look, he knew Yaboi was wise enough to figure out what he meant but he didn't want this to escalate any further but couldn't help but smirk when his own student came to the aid of Suika. Even someone like Yaboi had a spirit that could blaze occasionally. He was proud with how he handled things, a quick retort and went back to focusing on the fight.

"HIT HIM WITH THE SECRET COMBO, C'MON HOSHI!" Tatsuo shouted again waiting for Hoshi to go all in on him, he knew Hoshi was capable of more and was wondering what was taking him so long. He must have something pretty ingenious planned if he was taking this long.

As Yaboi whispered to the two he nodded and returned a quick one, "Keep an eye on that guy, if he does anything let me know." he brought his hand close to his chest and flashed a familiar hand seal. A Team 11 special.

Finally without fail, Ryo broke the tension and began to ask about Hoshi. Tatsuo continued to watch the fight but answered the questions to the best of his ability. "I think Hoshi is stronger than me, yeah. If we fought, I would put my money on him. He's one of the most resilient people i've ever met." While Tatsuo didn't underestimate his ability to fight, he trusted in Hoshi more than he did himself.

Asked who that was, Tatsuo shrugged his shoulders about Akumma, he had no idea who he was. "Some merc, I guess. He isn't wearing a headband or anything." Tatsuo offered as reasoning. "Must be pretty strong though if he's fighting here."

 

[Suika]

“Hmm...” pondered the former gypsy as her eyes attempted to trail the fighter's movements, “...interesting.” While she appreciated Hoshi's blazing spirit, as Tatsuo called it, she was also pretty impressed with the mercenary they called Akkuma. His fighting style was very evasive. In terms of sheer power, Hoshi had this in the bag, but it appeared as if the fox-man yearned to exhaust him of his stamina and chakra. It wasn't a bad plan – it was a survivalist's approach. Part of her felt intrigued, as another side of her was still compelled by loyalty and drive for the Hyuuga's success. “You got this, Hoshi-san!” she shouted as she curved her palms by her mouth. Projecting one's voice was futile in this crowd, but the atmosphere almost beckoned for it.

Yaboi, Tatsuo's student who she was shamelessly mooching popcorn from, inquired about her relationship to Hoshi and if she held an affinity for Taijutsu. Swallowing her last handful, she placed her fist on her chest as to aid her ingestion of the buttery kernel. “Excuse me, I've been chowing on your popcorn, Yaboi...” she smiled apologetically and waved her hands, “next batch is on me!” With that settled, she composed herself instantly and answered his question with a matter-of-fact sort of tone. “Hoshi-san trained me once not too long ago. He knocked out all my air.” She nodded as her magenta eyes fixated on the fight before her. “Not to give away the ace up my sleeve, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I'm actually a genjutsu user.” She then motioned a sword swing playfully in the air. “I also a bit of swordplay as well. So I guess I can be considered kind of a taijutsuist. How about you?”

It was then that the new additions in their group began to enter further conversation. Although she didn't know them too well, it was slightly comforting having other Cloud shinobi in the group. Saito seemed like a pretty cool guy, and although she hadn't introduced to the boy named Doi yet, he seemed decent. It wasn't long until another joined them. Suika grinned. “Hey, Hon-san!” she greeted. The boy, like Hoshi, was a Hyuuga himself. “Taking notes on Byakugan 101?” she teased. As long as the Genin didn't faint again, all would be swell...

....well, if the creepy bandaged guy would lay off them. Suika knew to be wary of him. As the group excitedly and peacefully watched the fight, the man asserted himself throughout. He was somewhat antagonizing toward Tatsuo, almost as if he was challenging the Jounin. Was there an aspect of the 16-year old Leaf shinobi that tilted his ego? Suika wasn't sure; in fact, she found it all pretty trivial. Some people just thrived off chaos. Again, she chose to not react verbally herself as Tatsuo and Yaboi replied with a hastened rebuke. They were still nice about it. Suika would have handled that with a lot less finesse. The mummy man then leaned in toward the girl as his words were halted mid-sentence. Was this purposeful? The girl stared intently at the man. She wanted to punch him. Alas, she wouldn't, because she was a on a reformed path. She had to remind herself of that daily.

“Are you just famished, perhaps?” she shot out, changing her mind about remaining mute. Her tone was almost satirical, but her purposeful eyes revealed otherwise. The girl reached for one of the candy bars near her and tossed it toward the peculiar figure. “If this is what you require to be satiated of whatever hunger that drives you, then have at it, Mummy-san.” She then plainly turned her head away. That was something else she'd have to compensate Yaboi for. It should be noted, she wasn't that dense to think her seemingly thoughtful gesture would propel the man elsewhere. Heck, he didn't deserve it, either. Regardless, she acted. Something in her spirit, or perhaps the spirits themselves, drove her to that act of spontaneity. Its results held no meaning for her.

 

[Michi]

OC: Was on shift all week and had to prioritize the mod.

IC:

"Hey weirdo, how come you aren't taking part yourself? You seem a bit bored since you're trying so hard to stir Tatsuo up."

His head turned to look over Yaboi. His chapped, thin lips peeled back exposing his yellowed and crooked teeth as he let out a low guffaw. "How... inarticulate you are. I would have termed myself bizarre." Words have meaning Yaboi, indeed they do. The power you give with such gracious words is astounding. "Speak such gracious words again this hour," his eyes betrayed a mischievous glimmer. "Careless words such as your give" he scoffed "'weirdos' such as me power." Of course children do not know of what or whom they speak, they just use words they know with little understanding of what they were... what they are. They just said things thoughtlessly. "I plan to trial the winner, anything less is the efforts of a beginner."

"Tatsuo, why you attracting people like this guy? Thought we were here to watch Hoshi fight." The kids were not doing a very good job defusing the situation. Kids were rarely useful, as these ones demonstrated. A hindrance. An Achilles.

"Blame the pompadour." he replied.

“I think that I’ve seen you before… you too, although I’m not so sure about you… and you… uhh… nice bandages.”

Another kid scurried in. Yes, his bandages were 'nice.' "Could get you some similar decor," they are too easy on kids these days. There was something menacing in how he said that.

"I was travelling when they were choosing the fighters. By the time I was back in the Village, they had already been chosen."

He explained. "So, you would have won a fight?" He prodded. Hubris? He watched as Hoshi's bones started to break. Snap. Crack. Pop. They would twist and writhe but he would stand. "I have a feeling that you would not be able to withstand the demon's blight." Envy.

"I think Hoshi is stronger than me, yeah. If we fought, I would put my money on him. He's one of the most resilient people i've ever met."

Or not...

They talked about who the other guy was. "Fake ninja to prove that shinobi skillsets could be bought without the village middle man," Ichi commented. "In fact..." He would stand up and make his way over to Suika. "Young lady, would you like to learn how be a better fighter than this man?" He was referring to Tatsuo of course. He would extend a bandaged hand in her direction. "You realize that I too am a capable illusionist," his voice would run dry like autumn leaves. [Offer: He wants to have you join him for a 'game.'] With promises of greatness he was asking her to do something both dangerous and foolish. To take her hand, but certainly she likely felt safe her among these boys. The was likely one of the few girls in her class and sh was likely smothered with attention. After long enough it became an expectation. It became a groundless confidence. He would lean forward and whisper something into her ear. If she was asked what she was told, she would not be able to make sense of the words he said. Something that perhaps rhymed with dead. Med. Fed. Lead?