RPG From the Shadow [PG]

[Zen]

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A pluming cloud of pungent smoke followed Gin Batou as he emerged from a shadowy hallway into the Exam Stadium. Stepping into the bright sunlight, Gin grimaced and winced his eyes. Looking back and forth, he laid his sights on the several shinobi already occupying the arena?s stands. A heavy collection of ash fell from his cigarette as he searched for a suitable place to take his seat. Gin?s smoky aura caused coughing all around him as he made his way towards his chosen section, a back row, vacant upper-tier seat. Placing his bandaged hand on the cold concrete, he slowly slumped down uncomfortably. Shifting his glance back and forth, he took one last drag of his burning dragon?s weed before taking the cigarette out of his mouth. Licking the tips of his fingers, he put the burning tip out before placing the butt into his pants pocket with the rest of his paraphernalia.

The stadium was filled with chatter and whispers about the mysterious threat that was the Kage-Nin, the shinobi from the Shadow. [i]My, my?.[/i] he thought to himself. [i]These little bastards are real buzz-kills eh? Got all these high-and-mighty elitists? panties in a bunch.[/i] Taking a deep breathe, Gin closed his eyes and laid back onto the row of seats behind him, presumed empty.

[b] ?What?s that reek??[/b] came a familiar young man?s voice in near outrage. [b] ?Ah, I see now? [i]Gin Batou.[/i]?[/b] Ichiro Nagata spoke Gin?s name harshly, as if it were offensive to say.

Gin didn?t bother to open his eyes. [b] ?Nice to see your humbler as ever, sir.?[/b] he said sarcastically. This was accompanied by a light feminine giggle. Gin opened his eyes to see Kaoru Matsumoto sitting beside a self-satisfied looking Ichiro. Ichiro made no visual contact with Gin, however Kaoru made a short glance towards him before returning her gaze to Ichiro.

[b] ?[i]It[/i] stinks of that awful drug? let?s move, Kaoru.?[/b] Ichiro spoke away from Gin.

[b] ?[i]It[/i] has a name you kn-??[/b] Gin began but was cut off by Kaoru?s response.

[b] ?They seats are all full though.?[/b]

[b] ?Bah??[/b] Ichiro placed a hand over his nose.

Gin smiled at his aggravated gesture and withdrew his cigarette once again, promptly placing it in his mouth, ready to light up. He awaited the Hokage's mission briefing as he closed his eyes and withdrew the lighter...
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[b]OOC:[/b]Please forgive my long hiatus and short post, but I'm a) extremely busy in life at the moment and b) a bit lost as to what to post and when. I'm hoping it'll clear up soon and I'll have a more defined goal to write towards. I thought I'd get some kind of character interaction going, if that's no problem with you, BK or KW.[/size]

[Kitty]

[size=1][indent][i][b] ?Kuro! Kuro! Are you okay??[/b]

[b] ?Now I am.?[/b][/i]

Mai continued to blush as the words floated through her frantic mind. Though she was almost completely absorbed by her own thoughts, she was always mindful of Kuro's presence beside her as the two walked towards the stadium. Her hand brushed against his accidentally once, and the two blushed again as she repeatedly apologized and he repeatedly reassured her that it was okay. Despite the actual reason the two were walking towards the stadium so late at night, she felt practically giddy as she strolled beside him, finding it hard to keep a straight face.

[b] ?Erm... Kuro,?[/b] Mai mumbled suddenly.

[b] ?Yeah??[/b] She nervously poked her fingers together in silence before dropping her hands to her sides. The fear of what she was expected to do in the battles that followed tonight's meeting, mixed with the presence of Kuro by her side, the two of them [i]alone[/i], created butterflies the force of which she had never felt before. It made it hard for her to continue walking, as she felt she would collapse soon from the combination of nausea and stress, but she did her best to keep a straight face and swallow her weariness.

[b] ?Are you scared??[/b] He was a bit taken aback by the question at first, though he understood why she asked. The news that had been delivered to them just that afternoon was still weighing heavily on everyone's young and inexperienced minds and hearts, and some were definitely likely to be more stressed than others.

[b] ?A little,?[/b] he replied. She couldn't tell if he was exaggerating or understating his feelings, but the fact that he admitted he was even a little bit unnerved by the upcoming challenge eased the fluttery feeling of her stomach. She even blushed a bit as she felt him wrap his hand around hers, simply as a reassuring gesture from a friend, she told herself. They strode, hand in hand, into the stadium and through the growing crowd, searching the sea of faces for a few familiar ones.

[b] ?Mai! Kuro!?[/b] came a friendly, distinct voice. Their hands almost immediately snapped apart, much to Mai's withheld disappointment, as they turned to see a relieved Kaoru waving at the two of them. When they walked up to her, Mai still blushing slightly, she smiled as she spoke. [b]?I was worried I wouldn't see you guys before we left.?[/b]

Mai heard the sound of a loud, indignant snort come from beside her closest friend, and leaned her head back slightly to try and catch a glimpse of who it was. She let out a small 'eep' when she saw it was Ichiro, and she had to fight to keep a surprised yelp from escaping her when she spotted Gin Batou slumped nearby as well. Kuro looked from her to the two of them and back with a worried look on his face. Kaoru immediately pulled her over and into a seat beside her.

[b] ?He was talking- well, more like bickering- with Gin. I don't think he even saw you walk up. Don't worry, okay??[/b] she whispered into the anxious girl's ear, rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. Mai nodded, taking a few breaths, before patting the spot next to her with hopeful eyes for Kuro to sit beside her. She noticed his eyes dart between Ichiro and Kaoru a few times before he smiled at her and sat down where she had indicated. It was a tight fit, now that there were the four of them sitting on the same bench with the rest of the crowd around them.

[b] ?I wonder what the Hokage will say [i]this[/i] time. It can't possibly get worse, can it??[/b] Mai asked quietly.

[b] ?Hope not,?[/b] Kuro replied, though his mind was seemingly somewhere else. She frowned, having noticed since the two had broken their hands apart that he had suddenly grown very solemn and quiet. She silently pondered placing a hand on his the way he had done before, thinking to herself that it would be merely a comforting gesture in his mind, but something more in her own.

She quickly ceded to her own will, which this time asked for something very uncharacteristic of her. After gripping his hand gently and seeing his startled eyes snap open wider than she had seen them in a while, she smiled meekly at him before leaning over towards him. She was blushing fairly deeply by now, but he had bolstered her spirits more than once and she wanted to return the favor.

[b] ?If you're scared, even just a little bit at all, don't think about it too much. Fear wouldn't weaken someone as strong as you. And if that doesn't help, just remember that I'm probably much more frightened than you are,?[/b] she whispered. He was silent for a moment before letting out a chuckle and returning her grip on his hand with a light squeeze of his own and a acknowledging smile. Mai looked into his eyes and noticed that, while they had softened, they were still turbulent with thought, worry and other things she couldn't quite determine.[/indent]

[b]ooc ::[/b] Ditto Omega. Woot for love triangles and sap! XD[/size]

[Riku]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][FONT=Tahoma]There the four Genin were, waiting for the Hokage to come and announce what they had to do before thousands of others and assign them to a mission that nobody knew of except a selective few. Everyone one was either ready or waiting for excitement or was scared of what was to come? and Kaoru didn?t know what to make of her emotions as of this moment.

[b]?I? I don?t want to let anyone down,?[/b] she thought to herself slowly, looking downward and her eyebrows narrowing to show a sad yet worried expression. She didn?t really know what to feel or what to do... she wanted to be a strong ninja for herself and everyone else, but something inside her said that she wasn?t capable of anything? that she couldn?t protect anyone, much less herself.

Kaoru slightly tilted her head towards Ichiro sitting next to her, his arms crossed and his face ready for any fighting that was about to take place in the stadium. She always admired him for the fact that he could basically face anything that not one shred of fear could be shown from his emotions. Basically, he reminded her of? Sasuke- sama and Neji- sama, both elders whom she greatly looked up to.

[b]?You can?t be like them,?[/b] she sighed, then turned her eyes back towards the ground, her hands on her lap and her palms sweating, [b]?you don?t have the guts to risk your life for anyone? you know that.?[/b] Her thoughts were correct, she didn?t have the guts to protect anyone, not even her own parents whom she saw get killed. All these years she blamed their death on herself, her weakness, wondering why she was so weak and couldn?t be like everyone else.

What was she even doing here? Why was she even a Kunoichi, anyway? She didn?t have her mother?s courage or her father?s expertise? she was just a nobody. A nobody whom thought she could change the way she acted, the way she felt? but, that was all just a lie that she blended in with all her feelings so that she wouldn?t have to face the guilt of realizing what she really was?

..A Nobody.

[b]?Kaoru- chan? you okay??[/b] Mai replied, tilting her head a little to see Kaoru?s depressed face, her hair falling over her shoulders.

Kaoru met her blue eyes with Mai?s, making a fake smile and nodded. [b]?I?m okay,?[/b] she replied, [b]??just? a bit anxious, is all.?[/b] Mai nodded and smiled, her face a soft red as she turned her head back towards Kuro and started talking with him, his face a little lit up.

She didn?t realize it? or maybe she didn?t want to believe it? but, Kuro looked a bit happier when Mai first showed up. Kaoru was jealous, even though she didn?t know what they were talking about or how much they actually liked each other. Kaoru probably knew Kuro a little longer than Mai did, and she really, really liked him enough to want to become closer to him. But? seeing them together made her realize that she probably didn?t have any chance with him, that? she wasn?t the one that was making him happy.

Nobodies didn?t make Anybodies happy, there were just there to take up oxygen? to make everyone else feel better about themselves. She was just here to lose in order to make herself realize that she wasn?t going to become anything.

[b]?What?s up??[/b] Ichiro finally spoke up after long moments of silence, his back leaning on the back of the bench and his face looking in Kaoru?s direction. [b]?You aren?t as talkative and chipper like you usually are? so, I assumed you have a lot on your mind.?[/b]

Kaoru glanced her eyes in his direction and sat up straight, her hands slightly shaking in her lap and her long brown hair covering her eyes? her tears that were dripping down her confused face.

[b]?I? I don?t think I?m cut out for this, Ichiro,?[/b] she replied, using her right wrist to wipe her nose,[b] ?I?m not like you or anyone else that can do anything on their own??[/b]

Ichiro?s eyes widened a little and let out a slight sigh, his expression different from the one he usually gives. He was? a little surprised at the fact that she told him that he inspired her? nobody ever told him that in a long while. Kaoru didn?t notice, but... Ichiro blushed a little bit, not really knowing how to react to something like that.

He sighed a little bit to calm his nerves and gently laid his hand on her shoulder, Kaoru slightly looking up at him with small tears in her eyes. He smiled a brief smile? yet, one could feel the emotion that was in that short happiness. [b]?Don?t disbelieve in yourself just yet until you actually see what you?re capable of. Nobody knows what their talents are until they see it in others? which is why we become jealous because we don?t realize what we have.?[/b]

Kaoru kept quiet as he let out what he wanted to say. She? never really saw him act this way before in front of her, but? with his hand comforting her and his words piercing directly into her thoughts? she knew exactly why she had this feeling every time she was around him.

[b]?So? just don?t worry about it, alright??[/b] he stuttered as he saw her slightly smiling at him, his face turning towards the arena and his face red and in slight embarrassment. [b]?If it all comes down to it? I won?t leave you alone until I know you can do something on your own.?[/b]

Kaoru smiled as she saw him slightly shy, realizing that he hadn?t removed his hand from her shoulder yet? but, she wasn?t going to tell him that. She wanted? to let this moment go on a little bit longer until they actually did have to go.

[b]?Ehhh? Does that mean you don?t trust me when I do things on my own, Ichiro- chan??[/b] Kaoru laughed a little, placing her hand on his to let him know that she was okay. He looked at her again and sighed, turning his head towards the stadium again as he closed his eyes, his face even more red as she started to laugh.

[b]??Baka.?[/b] Kaoru giggled as her face blushed with happiness as he uttered that word under his breath.

It meant that he actually did care about her after all.
[CENTER]
~*~
[/CENTER]OOC:I just wanted to let people know that even if Kaoru is cheerful on the outside, that doesn't mean that she isn't depressed with her feelings. Her parents died awhile ago when she was still in Training, but you'll all know of that soon enough.

It's because I love romance, Matt... so, let Ichiro be a gentlemen, okay? ;][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[strwpoptart]

[center][COLOR=Green][FONT=Garamond][b]"I'll see you all later."[/b] That was the last of Tsunade-sama's speech. Midori stood in the crowd with this blank stare on her face due to shock. She knew that there was something going on when she saw and heard about a large number of sand ninja coming into the village, but she never imagined that their allies the Sunagakure were attacked and completely destroyed. I mean she has never met their Kazekage Gara, but she has heard through her studies and through rumors that he was onced used as an indestructible weapon and might even be considered at a times a monster. She thought that he must be a powerful person especially since he is their Kazekage, and knowing all of this about him they were still defeated. That troubled her very deeply and she even started to shake with chills for a moment.

Midori snapped out of her shock and took a long look all around her. She saw the people and ninja from the sand village scattered around, some crying for their loses, some with knowing hardened looks upon their faces. She also saw the people and ninja from Konoha, her people, and everyone was shocked by the news. Some of them looked extremely worried though while others had that intense excited look of a much awaited battle ahead. Midori also looked over to her left and found that her fellow genin started to break away from each other one by one to go their separate ways to pack and say there goodbyes before heading to the stadium.

She shrugged her shoulders and turned the other way walking at a steady pace toward her small apartment. [i]"Well I better get my things together too"[/i] ,she thought to herself. She walked with no hurry relishing in the feel of the slight breeze upon her face. She could hear the russle of leaves in the trees nearby and thought to herself, [i]"I hope I live through this if not just to save this village that my parent's loved, but so that I can walk through these streets and these wooded forests again and feel the breeze and hear the song of the birds and just relax in one of those quietly shaded areas under a tree somewhere."[/i] She took a deep gulp of breath in as if it were her very last breath she would ever have. Then she sighed deeply and walked into her very tiny apartment, which technically was one very small room and an even smaller bathroom attached to it. Midori packed her weapons and supplies into her bag making sure to carry as light as possible.

A little orange fuzzball jumped onto the bed. [b]"Meow!"[/b] Midori pet the little kittens head. This cat has been her friend and solace ever since her parents died. [b]"Hey Kyo. I'm going to be gone for a little while buddy so your going to have to stay next door at Yuko-sama's house. She'll take good care of you."[/b] [b]"Meow!"[/b] Midori giggled and picked her up into her arms nuzzling her and then left the house to go next door to her neighbor. She left Kyo with her neighbor who was more than happy to watch her. She then headed over to the cemetary to see her parents' graves.

[b]"Hi mom, dad. Well I guess it's inevitable to follow in your foot steps. You guys worked on protecting this village because you loved it and the people within it, though I can't imagine why. I mean there are some good people here and I love the quiet forests, but I still can't see what you guys saw in this place. I do live here though and vowed to protect it for you guys so that's what I'm doing and that's why I'm here today. I wanted to say goodbye to you guys. We were called into battle today against a very powerful enemy. I'll admit that I am nervous and I don't think I'm really ready for this...actually I know I'm not ready yet, but you always told me to try my hardest and Sakura-sensei says the same thing to me...You know mom she reminds me a lot of you actually..."[/b]She smiled to herself. [b]"...and I don't want to let the people who are important to me down. And I don't want to let the people of this village down either."[/b] She paused briefly to look at her watch. [b]"Crap, look at the time. Well I got to go to the stadium now and catch up with everyone else. I'll come by again when I get home. Love you both lots and I miss you every day. Bye."[/b]

Midori walked over to the stadium and noticed some of her fellow ninja were already there. Mai, Kuro, Ichiro, and Kaoru were sitting together on one bench. Gin Batou and Mitsumi were sitting on the bench right to the left of them. Midori looked around to find a seat that was a bit farther from them or somewhere she could sit alone, but the stadium was pretty crowded already and she knew that everyone wasn't even here yet so she walked over to Mitsumi.

[b]"Hey Mitsumi, Is anyone sitting here?"[/b]

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OOC: Sorry guys I haven't been on my computer this whole week due to Midterms, papers, and work, but I'm back now :P Tag Redemption your turn :P

[Redemption]

[INDENT][color=#CC3333][size=1]When Mitsumi had arrived at the stadium, up in the second tier, she looked for a seat for herself, as well as trying to find her friends. It wasn?t hard to find her friends when she heard Ichiro?s voice loud and clear over the mumbling of the crowd.

[b]? It stinks of that awful drug? let?s move, Kaoru.? [/b]

Mitsumi blinked for a few second when she looked around to see Ichiro sitting next to Kaoru, trying to get her to move away from the cloud of smoke that surrounded Gin Batou. The red-haired girl made her way through the crowd that sat on the steps of the tier, making it hard for her to approach her friends. But by the time she did, Mitsumi could see Ichiro?s hand on Kaoru?s shoulder, his face flushed with red.

At first, shock froze her. Were Kaoru and Ichiro really that close? Then another emotion started to stir in her stomach. Her eyes grew dark as jealousy started to rear its ugly head. Mitsumi wanted to squeeze in between Kaoru and Ichiro, breaking them apart, but she realised there was no way that the bench they were sitting on would fit five of them, Kuro and Mai on the other side of Kaoru. With an annoyed look in her eyes, she made her way over to Gin Batou. She found herself a seat in the upwind direction of him so she wouldn?t be choked by the smoke. Every now and then, Mitsumi would peek around Gin to look at Ichiro and Kaoru conversing with each other, her cheeks puffed out in a jealous manner.

[i]He?s MY best friend? what?s she talking to him for?[/i]

But before long, her thoughts were interrupted.

[b]? Hey Mitsumi. Is anyone sitting here??[/b]

Mitsumi looked up to the person who had spoken to her. It was Midori. The Genin was a little surprised at Midori coming up to her. Normally she was very quiet and only spoke to Mitsumi when necessary. But then? they had just completed a mission together, with Sakura-sensei as their leader.

[b]? No, no one?s sitting here Midori,?[/b] Mitsumi replied, shaking her head to reaffirm her words. Midori gave a small smile before sitting down beside her fellow Genin. Now Mitsumi?s view of Ichiro and Kaoru was blocked. A heavy sigh escaped her lips and her shoulders visibly sagged.

Resigning to the fact that she couldn?t see the two [i]love-birds[/i] anymore, Mitsumi turned to Midori.

[b]? So, what did you think of our last mission Midori??[/b]

Midori looked thoughtful for a few moments. [b]? Um? well? it was ok I guess. Sakura-sensei was brilliant in it, don?t you think??[/b]

[b]? She was! I?m glad she was our team leader. It would have been a bit awkward if Sasuke-san was the leader, although, I haven?t really seen him on a mission. I wouldn't have minded though, seeing him in action. Also, I can?t say that I haven?t heard much about him because Naruto-sensei was always on about him when he was the sensei of my team,?[/b] Mitsumi explained.

[b]? Was Naruto-san your team sensei??[/b] Midori asked, sounding surprised.

Mitsumi nodded. [b]? It was so strange because I?m not very good at taijutsu? and him trying to teach me some of it. Let?s just say he got on much better with Ichiro and Oni.?[/b]

[i]Ichiro?[/i]

Mitsumi sighed dejectedly again, now turning her gaze to the centre arena of the stadium. She wondered what was going to happen with these Shadow-nin, and what team she was going to be put in. Hopefully it wasn?t going to be with Kaoru.[/size][/color][/INDENT]

[size=1]OOC: And the plot thickens. This love triangle is turning out to be more of a love pentagon. XD Hope you don?t mind KW and BK. I wuv you both, really. ^^ And I hope I did your char right, strwpoptart.[/size]