Just a day in Kumo

The day was nice, a cool breeze in the air, small rays of sunshine shining through the clouds allowing for some warmth to break through. Birds could be heard chirping in the air, flying through the open sky without a worry in the world. The sounds of the local animals were accompanied by several other sounds you could normally hear in the village. Sounds of kids playing, workers doing their jobs, shoppers shopping in the local market, it was all blissful to Railen, a local jounin who found himself taking the chance to relax on such a wonderful day as today. From his vantage point high above the village he could hear all the busy sounds of the civilians below. All of their actions and activities filling his ears. He loved it up here, like he was on top of the world, watching over the people he swore to protect.

Railen often came up here often, not such because of the wonderful view but because very few knew of this location. It was atop a ledge overlooking the administration building. Just to the far side of the village it almost bordered the village gates. Some shinobi used this range to scout for intruders, this spot being just out of the way. Laying on his back the jounin just laid and watched as the clouds passed him by, his eyes closed, enjoying the sounds of the village. He took a deep sigh, rolled over and propped his face up with his elbows on the ground. Peering over the edge a small smile crossed over his hidden face. Oh how he loved this village.

He had been a shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Clouds for quite some time now, and its something he would not have ever given up for anything. He was a peaceful man, a man who valued life over anything else, and saw himself as a standing model for this village. Many of the local civilians looked up to him because of his kindness and compassion for them. It was something the young man took pride in. But something was starting to unsettle him, lately the village seemed more violent, more blood thirsty. He understood what his job entailed, after all he was one of the elite military force in the village. He had seen death, he had taken lives, violence was nothing new to him. However he still managed to hold a piece of humanity about himself. It was far to often that he saw someone go crazy or power hungry after serving this long.

Dont misunderstand, Railen loves his village, and with out second thought throw his life down for its betterment. He had learned how to suppress his emotions and knew when not to speak. But deep down he could not help but feel a little pity for his home. He wanted to see something good come from it, see the smiling faces of those who called these mountain tops home. In the back of his mind a thought kept occurring, a thought that he feared would one day come true, that would one day take a grip over this village. He feared the power would go straight to the top, and those who swore to protect this place would become blind its blood lost. Power is the only thing people seem to want these days, and many would do unthinkable things to achieve it. But he was in a delicate position, he could not step out of line or say something that would appear to sound like treason. So until his hand was forced he would just keep doing his job.

With another sigh the jounin rolled back over onto his back. He wore his ninja gear today, which consisted of his white robe and his armor. The long katana, Oni Aka, lay at his side just in arms reach. His long white hair now acting as a soft pillow under his head. He smiled again, reclosed his eyes and went back to enjoying the wonderful afternoon.

A young male into his sixteenth year allowed the cool day breeze to brush across his pale skin enjoying its feel as his long black hair blew softly with the wind. The young male was tall for his age six foot two inches towering over most male adults. His most unique feature was his bishounen like looks as if he was drawn up out of a bishounen manga. His looks were regal complimented by his dark gray hues. His regal manner is complemented by his style of attire. His form is covered by a long flowing Kimono. The top of his kimono is a traditional black and the lower half inside of gray is white. The sleeves of his kimono have been added to extending the sleeves six inches past his fingers for a custom look. The trimmings at the end of his sleeves are white. Beneath the sleeves of his kimono his hands are wrapped by white tekkou that reach just past the wrist.

Tightly wrapped around his waist is a Kaku Obi sash died a deep purple, at the back the sash is tied in a formal bow. Covering his feet instead of the normal ninja sandals he wears black tabi socks with straw rope Waraji tied up to his shins pinning the leggings of his kimono. Beneath the leggings of his kimono he wears Kyahan preventing the straw ropes of his Waraji from digging into his skin through the material of his kimono. Hanging loosely on his shoulders Kagirinai wears a long purple Haori that reaches his ankles. Imprinted on the back of his Haori in the middle in white is the kanji for "Thunder and lightning" 'Raiden' 雷電. Sitting loosely in his obi sash is a pair of blades a katana and a Wakizashi.

The young shinobi slowly move his way through the crowd, women young and old parted to the side hearts in their eyes as they looked upon him. He ignored their gaze as he moved gracefully around those who entered his path. He wanted somewhere quite away from all the gazes. He pushed a strand of hair from his face as his swords chattered against each other. His haori fluttered in the gentle breezing wind. He wanted somewhere peaceful to collect his thoughts and think about his duties to the village, to reflect on the virtues of being a shinobi. His gaze traveled up towards the high rising cliffs that surrounding the village of Kumogakure no sato.

The shinobi Ikazuchiarashi, Kagirinai a genin of three years began his slow hike upwards in order to reach serenity amongst the clouds high above the village. He made his way up towards a ledge that overlooked the village from the administration building wishing to use it as a place to gain the peace he was after. The hike was long and lonely but he did not mind he often found himself unaccompanied throughout the village, a loner is what he was a lone wolf many had called him. He had been called arrogant and a snob by many of the other genin. He could not help it is the others were nowhere near his abilities they spent more time socialising than actually training that left them weak and he hated it. You should always be training in order to further yourself for the village in order to protect it.

He shook his head as he stepped onto the ledge that over looked the village blinking once as someone else was here, another shinobi from the looks him perhaps a Jounin? He wasn’t sure he had only ever interacted with the genin and a few chunin here and there. The shinobi wore a white robe with Armour underneath and at his side a long katana. The man’s hair was white. He sighed softly deciding not to bother the man and walked to the other side of the ledge and slowly sat down placing his katana and Wakizashi in his lap as he took up a lotus position to meditate.

Slowly under his breath he began to recite the shinobi virtues which he held close to his heart, ““1. A shinobi must always hold allegiance to their kage. 2: A shinobi must always carry out the mission assigned. 3 "A shinobi must never question their commander." 4. "A shinobi must always put the mission first." 5. A shinobi should be able to prevail without fighting, only if there's no other choice but to do so. 6. There are times when information is more important than lives 7"A shinobi must prepare before it is too late to." 8. A shinobi must always put his village before himself 9. A shinobi must abstain from overindulging in the three vices: Sex, Alcohol and Money. 10. Only through experiencing the confrontation of danger, the transcendence of fear or injury or death can you acknowledge individual personal powers and limitations.” He took a pause as he recited them again in his head before continuing.

“11. A shinobi must not value himself but rather adhere to his village's ideals. 12. When in danger you must not reveal anything involuntarily. 13. Turn your weaknesses into Strengths. 14. The failures or successes of one affect the whole. 15. "A shinobi must see the underneath under the underneath" 16. Misdirection is the sharpest blade. 17. The Shinobi world is the world of shadows. 18. A Shinobi Must Endure. 19. Hone your reflexes, they often react without you realizing it. 20. Shinobi have no honour, they take their village's honour as their own. 21. Death to traitors. 22 "A shinobi must never show attachment." 23. Forgiveness is a luxury. 24. Hesitation is death and 25. "A shinobi must never show emotion.”” He recited the next fifteen perfectly. He had committed those twenty five rules to memory and he lived by them, thrived from them they were his way of the ninja. He followed the guidelines very strictly and any who would dare to disobey or mock them he would kill.

The young jounin was completely unaware as to how much time had passed, his mind was off in its own place, he had even managed to doze off a few times. But who could blame him, the day was so nice, he was relaxed and for once there was not a prior engagement that needed his attention. It was not often that the busy man was able to get a break, so he tried to make the best of it when he did. Railen was almost in a trance, unaware of anything that was going on, and oblivious to everything. When someone else arrived atop this mountain, he had no idea, he after they shuffled around and began to speak, his mind blocked it out entierly. With his back against the ground, his arms crossed under his head and his eyes closed, Railen remained in relax mode.

His ears perked up, nose twitched, and his senses snapped him back to reality as he caught the sounds of someone next to him speaking. It was a curse, his ninja skills kept him from tuning things out, and it was all he could do to ignore this person. However as he began to listen to what this person was saying, Railen noticed that this phrases sounded very familiar to him. A quick realization brought it to his attention that these were the shinobi virtues, guidelines and standereds that all shinobi upheld. His eyes slowly opened, trying to see who this was reciting them. A young boy, sitting cross legged on the rocks, was going over each one, as if from memory. Railen was impressed to say the least, he knew a few high ranked jounin who could not say them all from memory, and yet this young boy knew them as if his life depended on it. Standing up, he tried to remain as silent as he could, not wanting to alert the boy. He walked over, removed his blade Oni Akka, and moved towards the boy.

He placed the cold steel against the boys neck, allowing it to rest on his shoulder. "You seem to be very adept in the ways of the ninja. Those are very important virtues to a shinobi. But knowing them is only half the battle, can you follow them is the real question." Railen lifted the blade but kept it pointed at the boy, he circled around the rock he was perched on so that he could see the jounin. His masked face would come into view as he circled him, like a hunter does his prey. "Let me ask you something. What would you do if i told you i was here to kill you, and your friends, your family, and even your kage. If i were to say that i was ten, no twenty times stronger than you and i could kill you right here right now. What would you do if i gave you the chance to flee the village right now, leave and escape the gruesome fate that awaited everyone else in this place?"

He knew that the words he spoke were harsh, and this was most likely not the easiest of approches to take. However he wanted to see just how honorable and loyal this kid was. It took alot to stand up to adversity, especially when the option to run was there. He kept a stern look in his eyes, hoping to envoke fear into the boy. Either he would prove railens worst fear right, and the shinobi of this generation were weak and cowards, who he would match up to his hopes that there were still people in this village who were honorable, trust worthy, and capable of becoming fine shinobi.

Kagirinai slowly opened his eyes as he felt the cold steel of a blade against his neck. He felt the rest sitting across his shoulder and a voice began to speak. He remained calm his expression stone cold, rule 25. ‘A shinobi must never show emotion’. He felt the blade lifting ever so slightly away from him as his would be attacker circled around allowing him to see just who he was, it was the man who had been lying across from him. He circled him like he was the prey and he was the predator. Kagirinai remained still his composure never drawing as his eyes bore dead ahead catching the man inh is gaze as he circled. So he deemed too question him on his loyalties?

Kagirinai knew the man was strong and he would stand no chance against him. Did that scare him? No. His loyalty and conviction to the village was stronger than his own fears. He wouldn’t let something like a superior opponent scare him not now not ever! He had stood many times and looked directly into the face of death and fought on.

Kagirinai looked up as the man looked down into his eyes, Kagirinai stared right back unafraid even in the jaws of death, rule 24 hesitation is death. Kagirinai resisted from smirking but kept a straight face ““Kill my friends, family and kage? I would protect my Kage with my life, I would not care if you’re a thousand times strong than I. No matter the odds against me a Shinobi must always endure. This village is my home and I will protect it, the people and most of all its kage with my life no matter. Should I let my fear take over and flee I will slay myself as a traitor to this village for letting it and its people burn” spoke the young boy his voice strong and unwavering voice. His gaze powerful as he refused to back down from the man before him

“I am a Shinobi of Kumogakure and from the moment I graduated my life was given to this village I am but a tool to be used. So go attempt to strike this village down but I shall stand in your path! I won’t back down against you no matter how strong. You won’t break me” spoke the young noble looking male the wind blew past as his hair whipped about his gaze unwavering. He had lived his entire shinobi life adhering to the shinobi virtues and values; he held them close to his heart.