I bought a little bunny/The Seven Substitute Shinobi

[katreus]

I was wondering...
We know that Katsu's mother was from the Mist. However, I gather she's *not* a Kaiou member. I don't know if he'll be strong enough by the Chuunin exams to start utilizing that style, but assuming he is, what would be the repercussions of that, both personally and on a village scale? Taking a page from the scenelet in the other thread about the (lack of) mutual defense in Mist, would the Kiaou clan be amused or furious (or somewhere in between) by his bastardization of their technique? And would they try to find out where he learned it? And on a village scale, we know that villages protect their bloodlines and clans jealously (for the most part anyway -- Haku being an exception). So what would the Mist's response to their techniques being utilized by Leaf nins? (Not to mention, the eventual development of a sword technique o.O)

[Rieverre]

In the TXY timeline: the Kaiou aren't really that concerned, since trying to use the style against them is sure suicide _anyway_, and the Kaiou heir - who was part of Katsu's genin team - seems to be pulling his strings _anyway_.
That aside, most of the Mist's soft taijutsu styles at their academy are deriviates of what the Kaiou came up with - the clan's concession to the Village.
Besides, Katsu's fights are usually very short, excessively violent, and witnesses aren't an issue.
I'm writing down snippets titled Hand, Claw, Fang as bits from his time as Genin, Chunin and Jounin respectively. They should be explanatory.
In the Replacement timeline: Katsu took some pains to not use any distinctive moves of the style during the Bell Test, since facing an adult Jounin in direct confrontation with taijutsu when in that body? Not the smartest idea.
He won't be going back to Saugai and Warugi type weapons anytime soon, since he needs to grow a bit to use them.
He picked up the gauntlet/chain weapon to compensate ... besides, after the Wave country mission? He could just blame his 'knowledge' of techniques on scrolls he'd looted from the Mist-nins.
For those of the Leaf who'd ask?
Katsu: Well, I _am_ a student of the Copy Ninja Kakashi. You wouldn't believe the things you can pick up from a sensei like that. *pulls out a volume of Icha Icha Paradise and starts reading*
Thereby redirecting interest at least a little bit. And irritating the Jounin, which ^_^.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

[drakensis]

A few things that spring to mind:
Neshan can make explosive notes, he and Shikanenai both use them. Running gag of argument between Neshan (school of precise and economical placement) and Shikanenai (school of slap a few more on for good measure)?
In the TXY! (or at least his home) universe, the paper/origami jutsu are something Shikanenai came up with based on a few old scrolls he inherited from his dead mother's defunct clan. In this universe, those jutsu were flat out lost and he has no connection to the clan. It may not be Sharingan, but Orochimaru would be interested in getting hold of those jutsu.
Given that Neshan and Shikanenai have already passed the genin test (bell test or not) there wouldn't be any problem for them there. Equally, if things went that far then the first part of the chunin exam would be easy. Would that mesh with the expectations of those around them? (Katsu=strongest in class? Neshan=brainiac? Shikanenai=troublemaker?) Genin, even exceptional prodigies like Neji and Sasuke don't usually act like seasoned ninja and I'm guessing that all three have a decade or so of experience.
All three seem to be weapon-orientated, and there's certainly a wide-range of skills - assassin, infiltrator, seal expert. And I doubt any of them would throw a hissy fit as such to get a better mission. Although they might get one if only to try to stop them running roughshod over Kakashi.
-----------------------------------------------------
"But you already took today's mission," Sandaime told a puzzled Kakashi. "And only half-an-hour late, I was quite impressed," he added with a straight face. By the excellent henge and acting abilities of the genin rather than the relative punctuality of the errant jounin, of course. He was fairly sure even the chunin guards outside his office had been decieved.
"This is the first time I've been here today," Kakashi said. "It must have been an impostor."
There was a thump from the window and a wicker basket of the kind used to transport pets was deposited on the floor beneath it. Three small heads were visible just above the sill, all of them wearing Konoha hitai-i.
"Found the cat," reported Nara Shikanenai, the leftmost of the heads. "Can we have another pathetically easy D-rank mission or do we have to do some actual work today?"
-----------------------------------------------------
"I see Gai's team," Neshan reported.
"What are they doing down there?" Shikanenai asked.
"Looks like they're just milling around. There are a couple of genin blocking the entrance to a second floor classroom. Could be a fight. What about up there?"
"Kakashi's reading his book outside the classroom he told us to go to," Katsu replied.
"Do you ever feel sorry for people who use, you know, doors and corridors and stuff?" asked Shikanenai as he fiddled with the latch of the window leading into the examroom.
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[classicdrogn]

---

"Do you ever feel sorry for people who use, you know, doors and corridors and stuff?"

---

I just wanted you to know, this had me laughing for a good three minutes straight. I think that means it's good, right?
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
Next morning, Harry found himself butt-naked in the other side of town, mouth tasting of lima beans. - from Uzumaki Harry by Shadow Crystal Mage
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

---

Katsu: Well, I _am_ a student of the Copy Ninja Kakashi. You wouldn't believe the things you can pick up from a sensei like that. *pulls out a volume of Icha Icha Paradise and starts reading*

---

*snicker*

---

Given that Neshan and Shikanenai have already passed the genin test (bell test or not) there wouldn't be any problem for them there. Equally, if things went that far then the first part of the chunin exam would be easy. Would that mesh with the expectations of those around them? (Katsu=strongest in class? Neshan=brainiac? Shikanenai=troublemaker?) Genin, even exceptional prodigies like Neji and Sasuke don't usually act like seasoned ninja and I'm guessing that all three have a decade or so of experience.

---

Seven, in Neshan's case - he left the academy at ten, hit Chuunin a year and a half later and Ansatsu Butai two years after that, just in time to get plonked in under ANBU's newest squad captain, Uchiha Itachi. He spent six months there, then started trying for Jounin. Failed once and made it the second time, making him a Tokubetsu Jounin at age 15 or so. His personal limits mean he'll never go any farther - Jounin-level ninjutsu and genjutsu take more chakra than he'll ever have.
As for how they'll fit in, well, I figure that things'd have to've been retconned to let them fit in with a minimal amount of chaos and 'noise' - which is sort of the point of their being there at all. Presumably, the universe they're in acts as a 'trunk' or anchor point for a number of other Narutoverses, and if it gets too changed, all of those either collapse or go to hell. Literally.
Among other things, this means that they've got the memories of their 'local' lives sort of overlapped on their older personas, which is why Shikamaru and Shikanenai can use twinspeak, or Neshan is losing sleep fretting about his crush on Hinata and Katsu is one step from a breakdown over his Oedipal Complex. ^_^
Neshan... err, 'precision' isn't generally what Explosion Notes are about - for instance, he once answered a question on the Jounin exam about assassinating a well-protected Daimyo with a detailed plan for creating a composite seal powerful enough to turn the entire castle into a smoking crater. Mostly what he does with them is sew them to the handles of his kunai, because that means that, like with hand grenades, he doesn't have to hit - close is close enough.
Skits: *snicker* Nice. 'actual work,' heh.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[drakensis]

Well, Shikanenai would certainly appreciate the chance this gives him to get to know his nephew (he saw very little of Shikamaru as a kid, given that he graudated from the Academy about the same time 'maru was born and moved out around the same time the brat started talking). Suddenly being his twin-brother would be unsettling but not really disturbing as such.
As far as precision goes, I just figured it would be good to have some good-natured bickering over the distrobution of the tags, but I suppose if they both tend to use excessive force then they would be even more 'competitive' over them. I don't really have a good enough feel for Katsu to see how they might interact yet.
Glad you like the skits, I've had a lot of time to sit around at work, so I've been typing them up more or less at random. This one, naturally, follows on from one of the others. Poor Kakashi.
----------------------------------------------------
Kakashi was still soaked as he made his way into the Hokage Tower. Several of the ninja he passed stifled laughter at the sight of his dripping silver hair. The previous 'brushhead' appearance now looked like more of a mophead.
Sandaime raised one grey eyebrow as the jounin entered the debriefing room. "What happened to you, Kakashi-kun?" he asked.
"Shikanenai-kun decided to practise a minor doton jutsu on the bridge," Kakashi said as drily as he could manage. "There's a sizeable hole in it, by the way."
"I can understand that might put you onto the water, Kakashi," Ebisu asked curiously, "But how did it put you into it? You were waterwalking almost before you could walk on dry land, the way I heard it."
"Shikanenai-kun also likes to play with explosive tags. I can't stand on the water when it's flying in all directions at once."
"I'm glad that you're finding your new team such a challenge to your abilities," the Hokage said with am almost straight face. "You always have the best stories out of the jounin-sensei."
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[Rieverre]

*continuation of the Zabuza fight*
The glider touched down, depositing Leaf genin and jounin beside Neshan and Tazuna.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed as they scanned the surface of the water. The liquid seemed to momentarily churn, and the Leaf jounin's still uncovered Sharingan caught the shifts, small waves and rolling ripples that hinted at something akin to a struggle happening ...
"Where'd Katsu ...?"
The water erupted upwards, settling to show Katsu kneeling on the surface, one hand thrust downwards. The genin flinched to the side, keeping his limb submerged, as the blade of Zabuza's sword thrusting upwards from below the water flashed past his head.
Katsu's free hand went from his thigh pouch to being shoved downwards alongside the other, then rapidly pulled back, and the Kakashi could see the screw his eyes shut and turn his head aside.
The water rippled away from the point his hand, encased in the armored gauntlet he'd scavenged from one of the dead Mist chunin, remained submerged at, and the muted light of a flashbang going off directly underneath shone, then went out.
Katsu wobbled, then seemed to lose focus, and went splashing down himself. Shortly followed by the swordblade tipping over.
There was a moment of silence.
It was broken by Katsu dragging his sodden self out of the lake.
---

Used:
Mizu Bushin - to grab Zabuza when he was underwater. Lasted two seconds, even with the fact that he'd 'grabbed' by virtue of two kunai to the shoulders.
Zabuza replied with a lead in to Daibakufu, but the Bushin had bought Katsu the time for Suirou (Water Prison) so he wasn't torn apart. And even with the prison, the jounin almost managed to put his bigass sword through Katsu's head. Would have, if it weren't for the fact that Suirou lets you control water density.
Flashbang into the Prison.
And Katsu's looking a little wobbly because the Suirou took more Chakra than he'd expected it to.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

[drakensis]

Looks good.
If Katsu's still supporting the Suirou then it could very easily be he and 'nenai being hauled into Wave with chakra depletion rather than Kakashi. (That glider wasn't something he did eveyday even when he was fully grown) Still not got a good feel for those lower reserves, eh?
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[katreus]

Which isn't really bad. They have chakra control -- which is what Kakashi taught in the original universe. Working on taijutsu training will be a boon across the board and increase their chakra reserves anyway.

[Rieverre]

"I've found us some special training to do during the month," Katsu voiced, casting a glance back at Neshan.
He'd found his teammate pretty much where he'd expected him to be, pacing outside the Hyuuga girl's hospital room, and looking ready to bite heads off if spoken to. Or at least lop them off with a polearm.
How the former Mist-nin had managed to drag him off, Neshan still couldn't really put a finger on, but the fact was that the two of them were making their way across Konoha's rooftops. A bit unsteadily, since some lingering fatigue from the 3rd Chunin exam stage preliminaries was still present, but they managed to make do.
"I need to start getting ready for Neji," Neshan said, with a deceptive calmness that belied his underlying mood. "Why am I following you, anyway?"
"My inborn charisma?" snerked Katsu, dropping down to street level, and stopping in an alley which held the back-entrance to a small tea-house. The two genin came to a halt opposite one another, at either sides of that entrance. "Or is it you actually want to _do_ something rather than just stewing? If you don't already have an idea how to handle Neji, I'll go out with Yamanaka."
"Alright, I'll give you that much," admitted the once and current Leaf-nin with a sigh. "More stamina building would be the only thing I'd need to be sure I can pull it off."
"We need to unwind, though. The Forest wasn't a cakewalk, neither were the prelims. And I don't think we were very stress free even before that. And that just invites problems to happen."
Neshan's eyebrow went up. "Nenai-kun hit you over the head with that one, didn't he?"
Katsu looked to the side, a little uncomfortably, and nodded. "He was right, though. I need to have my mind _here_ and not on, erm, other concerns. Hence, the 'special training'."
"Alright, so what did you two have in mind?"
Katsu motioned to the back-entrance of the tea house. They went in.
"Katsu-kun!"
Whereupon one was promptly sporting a blonde attachment.
"Care to explain?" asked a now somewhat bemused Neshan. The situation had returned to what it was prior to the Chunin exam's beginning, it seemed, when for some reason or other the currently glomped-on Yamanaka Ino had restrained herself from more eyecatching displays of affection towards Team 7's silent killing specialist in training.
Said boy gave him a pained look and mouthed 'later', then adressing the kunoichi who'd latched onto his left arm. "Is Nenai-kun back yet, Ino-san?"
"He just got back a few minutes ago, actually," the blonde kunoichi replied, making no move to step away.
***
Neshan had been expecting Shikanenai. He could even wrap his head around Katsu trying not to pry Ino from his arm, if he tried hard enough. The fact that Yuuhi Kurenai and Mitarashi Anko were also present, however, was ringing all sorts of alarm bells inside his head.
Sitting around a table in the back room of the tea-house (apparently one that Katsu frequented and knew the owner of), with a scroll in the middle of said table and a few candles flickering around ...
Though Katsu had been as surprised at Anko-sempai's presence as he had been, Neshan noted.
"Right, now that we're all settled, let's get to why we're here," Shikanenai said. "Kurenai-sensei and Anko-sensei were kind enough to let us consult them on the matter, but this training excercise will chiefly be up to us, planning included. We will be simulating the infiltration of an enemy shinobi stronghold, and information gathering therein without alerting the inhabitants ..."
He proceeded to unroll the scroll, which proved to contain a map of a familiar looking compound ... Neshan couldn't quite place it for a moment, then blinked. Then he blinked again, to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
"We've agreed to give this operation the codename 'White Tears of the Sun' to further simulate actual mission conditions ..."
***
*snip to several weeks later, early morning*
There was a twitch. It soon developed into a nervous tick. Then came the grinding of teeth, flaring nostrils, and an angry flush to the face. The latter being nearly totally uncharecteristic of the person sporting it right there and then.
Supernaturally keen eyes scanned the courtyard. The hallways. The walls. Through the walls, taking in as much of the entire compound as they could.
It was everywhere.
There was a moment of near absolute silence.
"I demand to know who did this!!!" Hyuga Hiashi shouted as the breeze picked up, making the lengths of white toilet paper draped all across the Hyuga compound's main courtyard flutter.
---

shortly after the scene Nathan wrote up - of the beginning of the Chunin exam - but before the first exam itself, Katsu told Ino he'd train with her afterwards if she took the exam seriously (meaning not acting like a human octopus every time she saw him).
After the prelims Katsu went to grab Neshan from the hospital (Hinata vs Neji happened), and Nenai went off to get Kurenai - Hinata's Jounin-sensei - who was pretty damn angry with the Hyuga clan there and then, I think, to get another perspective on the matter. Anko tagged along. I do believe both would greet the opportunity to help pull something like this off with open arms.
And Ino's Shintenshin would be useful during the 'operation' so Katsu brough her in for this 'training'.
It is a rather good team-building excercise, isn't it?
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

[Valles]

---

"I demand to know who did this!!!" Hyuga Hiashi shouted as the breeze picked up, making the lengths of white toilet paper draped all across the Hyuga compound's main courtyard flutter.

---

Oh. Fuck. Yeah. ^_^
And, while I'll admit it's a little hypocritical of me, given how I'm inclined to philosophize against the idea of vengence and such, I think you've hit my emotional reaction to being in the kind of situation he is with Hinata pretty much on the head.
I don't have many friends - never have. Makes me a bit attached, though you often wouldn't know it from the outside.
This bit has started my inner choreographer poking at the idea of the Neji fight - besides a severe chewing out and a righteous ass-kicking, I think that Neshan'd be letting his inner showman out of the box he keeps the poor creature locked in, so it, ah, should be worth seeing. Sometime later tonight, I hope.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Rieverre]

You could have knocked her over with a feather. Though, when she finally snapped out of it, and had a look around, Yamanaka Ino realized that this held true for most of the Konoha contingent of genin and spectators.
The two figures had gone into the arena, one dark haired, clad in grey fatigues and jacket, with a leaf hitai-ite as said jacket's collar latch. One hand and forearm were metal-clad.
Kirigishi Katsu.
The other shorter, more compact, red haired, and with a gourd of sand on his back and dark rings around his eyes.
Gaara of the Sand.
The rules had been explained. They had both nodded.
A minute went by, and they only stood and stared at one-another.
Ino could have sworn she'd Katsu hunch forward slightly, incline his head to the side and ...
For a moment, the way he'd moved his head reminded her of Kiba trying to sniff something out, for some reason.
Then something about the Sand-nin's posture changed, stiffened.
After which Katsu-kun had raised his unarmored hand into the air, and clearly stated:
"I forfeit."
You could have knocked her over with a feather.
And _then_ all hell broke loose.
---

^_^

-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

[Valles]

Neshan bumped his glasses up a little higher on his nose and waited patiently for Hayate-san to finish his introductory spiel. Eventually, once Neji had reached the point of being almost ready to initiate a clash himself, he spoke, quietly but with a careful bit of projection that carried his voice to every person in the arena. "'Because people cannot change, differences are born - expressions like 'elite' and 'loser' are created...' Isn't that what you said, Hyuuga?"
Neji's eyes narrowed. "That is the way the universe is. Our fates are set when we are born, and remain unaltered until our deaths. Everything proceeds as it was determined in the beginning."
That won a bitter grin and a derisive snort. "Really? So, then, your fate is to spend your entire life poisoning and attacking others with the bitterness you feel because your ancestors made a foolish bargain, as though a mere bloodline could be worth eternal servitude? To soil the clean and cast down the righteous out of jealousy and frustration?" He slid back a couple of steps, well away from his opponent's abortive lunge. "And me - what's my destiny? To spend my life alone, wishing someone else would have the courage to reach out to my heart, as I can't do for theirs? To find myself forever barred from success as a shinobi by my body's inability to convert chakra properly? IS THAT MY DESTINY, HYUUGA?!"
The elder of the two Genin glared. "Yes."
"Then prove it."
It was Neji's turn to sniff. "You're no match for the strength of the Hyuuga clan," he said, then charged with a yell that cut off abruptly as his momentum came up short against the butt of the bladed polearm his opponent had seemed, impossibly, to pull easily out of one of his sleeves. He gagged, trying to breath, and then his feet came up off the ground and he found himself rising and still moving forward as the weapon pivoted in Neshan's hands and brought him up and over and down and then he was lying flat on his back, staring at the sky and trying to clear the stars out of his vision.
"I'm waiting," came a voice from somewhere above his head. "Hyuuga."
Neji kipped up and forward into a somersault as he spun, and landed in crouch facing his foe for a moment before he lunged back into motion and slid to one side of the blade that speared at him and skidded to a halt and turned and struck as his opponent twisted away out of his reach and brought his naginata spinning around and down like a staff and Neji ducked beneath it and caught it in one hand as it went by and struck at Neshan's grip on the weapon with his other and missed as the younger boy let go but that let him snatch the thing and send it tumbling away, far out of either's reach a moment before a hammer hit him in the chest and sent him staggering back, gasping for air.
They met each other's eyes across a dozen or so feet, and Neshan's were as cold as the highest mountain top. "You're a bully and a coward, Hyuuga, mouthing off about fate and the will of the gods - as though they excused you from living up to your responsibility to act like a human being. Destiny is a lie people tell to control those they couldn't touch any other way, and those that use it as a tool and those that use it as a reason are the same in at least one way - they deserve no sympathy, no mercy... and no forgiveness." He brought a narrow slip of paper out of his off-hand sleeve, and sneered. "Requiescat in pace, motherfucker."
Neji's eyes widened as the note seemed to catch fire, and by the time the sparks had begun to spread and trace the lines of a large, complex seal in the air between the two Genin he had straighted and begun to spin, mostly out of some instinct he couldn't name.
"HAKKESHOU: KAITEN!"
"Fuuinpo: Ryuuka no Jutsu."
Half of the audience came out of their seats, leaning forward to try and get a better look, and the other half sat back with their jaws hanging open as the incandescent cateract of flame ripped across the sands and splashed off of the arena's far wall, covering everything in such a glare that the sun seemed to go away as the world turned into a stark contrast of red-orange-yellow-white brilliance and crisp, perfect shadows.
Neji landed standing, if only barely and a hundred feet behind where he had started - his clothes were singed and his exposed skin suspiciously red, and he had to conciously work to ignore the way his sandals were smoking against the blackened sand underfoot and the molten slag slumping off of the shallow crater in the stone wall where most of the technique's energy had struck.
He swallowed as he saw a flicker of motion back where they had been facing each other - something a bit like hair caught in the breeze. He couldn't afford to risk another strike like that, and shifted stances in the knowledge that a quick ending was the only option he had, if he wanted to live - and that the Sixty-four Hands of Hakke were his best chance.
Then there was a flicker of motion and a vise closed around each of his wrists and dragged them up and back and together to stop just barely short of levering his shoulders into tearing themselves apart. The pain made him lose control of the Byakugan, and so he only heard the voice that spoke into his ear, quietly but still so perfectly clear. "If you're wise... you'll get down on your knees, and thank your gods that she felt you were worth saving, that she begged for you. Thank them for making her so much better than you deserve."
Then his hands were free for an instant before something slammed into the back of his skull and tossed his body up and away as the world went dark around him.

---

Heh. That's probably a bit... much, but I'll rely on you to decide rather than restraining myself like I usually do.
Hmm. Am I right in taking Katsu as a Jinchuuriki carrying a demon more minor than one of the legendary Bijuu? Either way, forfeiting was definitely his smartest move, despite being one that most people wouldn't think of seeing in a story - or doing in 'real life', for that matter.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[drakensis]

Hmm, I'm tempted to have Shikanenai vs. Shikamaru in the preliminaries, leaving Ino against the Sound-kunoichi (I suspect that the matches were set to pit Shinobi with similar skills against each other to maximise variety in the third round). No particular idea how it would go, but 'nenai is unlikely to lose to his brother, so he'd face Temari in the finals for some fan vs. fan action.
-------------------------------------------------
"Dammit," Temari shouted as the blasts of wind shot back and forth across the arena, "Where did you learn Sand Country's jutsu's!"
Shikanenai flicked his halisen, neutralising a gust from Temari's giant gunsen. "It's a long story," he said, sweat running down his face. He might know some of the jutsu but he wasn't as good at them as the girl from Sunagakure and keeping the fan together was something of a strain.
They'd been moving gradually around the arena and a few more steps would place his opponent...
Temari jumped out of the way of a gust, concentrating on a counter attack that blasted the errant trails of wind aside, sending a wave of the debris picked up by the battle of the winds towards Shikanenai.
...right where he wanted her.
Shikanenai vanished in a puff of smoke, his halisen dropping uselessly to the ground.
Temari blinked and then yelped as two hands caught her ankles and dragged then down until she was knee deep in the soil of the Arena floor. She whipped her fan up and a heavy weaight caught hold of it from behind her, forcing the weapon down to the ground.
"Nice weapon," said the kage bushin of Shikanenai, flipping the fan away before he dissipated in another cloud of smoke.
"Is there something that you'd like to say to everyone?" asked another bushin from a safe distance as 'nenai's own hands tightened painfully around her ankles.
Shoulder slumping, Temari raised one hand. "I surrender," she said angrily.
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[Rieverre]

Hehe. Illustrating that giving someone with Neshan's mindset and talents a _month_ to prepare for one specific fight can have some interesting consequences.

---

Hmm. Am I right in taking Katsu as a Jinchuuriki carrying a demon more minor than one of the legendary Bijuu?

---

Sorta yes, and sorta no.
He had a reason to go on what had been termed an 'extended recon mission' and spend around two years traveling when he was chunin. The reason was an increasing instability of his inner coils that was a reminder of his first graduation event. At best, he'd lose the ability to mould chakra. At worst, he'd die.
He finally found a solution when he'd wandered far north, his ability to mould chakra past the basics nearly crippled by pain every time he attempted it.
There, deep inside an underground cavern, he found an ancient prison. It was one that was so far beyond his ability to break, it wasn't even funny.
Still, the inhabitant and he were similar where some points were concerned. Especially their will to live.
So they cut a deal.
They exchanged parts of themselves. The prisoner, after being locked away for a time so long even it had lost count of the centuries, would get to experience life again. Katsu wouldn't die.
'Living vicariously through someone else,' got a totally new meaning.
As a result, Katsu's problem with his inner coils got fixed, he'd gotten enhanced healing, better night vision and hearing, and the ability to smell out chakra, and a summoning contract with wolves. No freakishly large chakra reserves, though.
He came back to the Mist, bringing in some looted and/or rediscovered old jutsu scrolls with him to bribe people with, trained his ass off, and passed his jounin exam at 22. He took on his first genin team at 24, and took them to Konohagakure for their chunin exam at 26.
And, honestly? Fenrir didn't think it was a bad deal at all. Certainly, he got more than enough entertainment value from the results.
This entire thing came about as a result of wondering how I could possibly get Hotaru Mitarashi to ride Jormungand into battle.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

[Valles]

---

This entire thing came about as a result of wondering how I could possibly get Hotaru Mitarashi to ride Jormungand into battle.

---

Well, if nothing else, it'll be interesting to see what that one thinks of Manda's cheek, claiming to be 'king of the serpents,' or some such rubbish like that.
*shakes head* Yeesh. Fenris?! I was obviously mistaken about the Bijuu thing...
Speaking of which, am I the only one who's remarkably amused by the idea of casting Kiyohime as the Hachibi?
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[drakensis]

Ask and you shall receive.
At the height of the Chunin exam, just as Sand and Sound are about to attack, Kyuubi and half-a-dozen other demons attack Hidden Leaf. The result is utter chaos, with Konoha trying to get high level summonings and their main forces into play with the Hokage and Orochimaru in mid-duel. Since Gaara is a target, Sand breaks off from attacking Leaf to fight the demons, which leaves Sound running around too few to do serious damage but drawing off resources Konoha needs to fight the demons.
Combining Neshan's Seal knowledge, Katsu's demon knowledge and Anko's snake summoning experience, the three help Anko's daughter Hotaru (because she has a chakra condition like Katsu's), to summon Jomungundr, who summarily takes out a large chunk of the arena (incidentally putting Neshan, Katsu and the Sound Four out of action and opening up the Orochimaru-Sandaime fight), tramples over Manda (who Jiraya and Gamabunta were fighting), and heads for the fight with Hotaru sitting on the head.
Joining Jiraiya on Gamabunta, 'Nenai and a semi-coerced Gaara combine forces. Working together they create a huge paper umbrella and use the vast shadow to seize the demons long enough for Hotaru and Jomungundr to defeat them. Gaara disables 'Nenai, gathers up the Sand forces and leaves. Anko and Jiraiya manage to work with Hotaru to banish Jomungundr (some link remains).
Although the immediate problem has been dealt with (and Sandaime did manage to take out Orochimaru), the original Team 7 are still missing. And now Jiraiya decides to take Anko, Hotaru and the three of them with him to convince Tsunade to return and become the Godaime Hokage (it's thought best to get them out of Konoha for a while before anyone links them to the damage Jomungundr did en route out of Konoha).

In other news...
---------------------------------------------------
The classroom was filled with commotion as the twenty-seven genin in class were divided between the jounin assembled to take responsibility for their new teams.
Iruka was so consumed with the last minute details of this handover that it wasn't until he'd shooed the last of the jounin out of the room that he realised that three of his students were still sitting at their desks. No, not three of his students any more, he realised. Three new genin, the members of the new Team Seven.
"Obviously our Jounin-sensei is a master of stealth, disguise and punctuality," said the spiky-haired Nara Shikanenai sardonically from one end of the bench as he noticed Iruka's attention. He wore a rather baggy shirt under a grey vest with bulging pockets and was cleaning his fingernails with a kunai.
Beside Shikanenai, the long-haired and bespectacled {Bakusei?} Neshan was looking around with an air of curiosity. {insert description & comments}
At the far end of the bench sat {Kakugari?} Katsu, glaring intently at Iruka with something oddly feral behind his eyes.
"I suppose that your sensei must have been delayed, Shikanenai-kun," the scar faced chunin advised. "I'll wait here until he arrives to collect you."
"That's not necessary," Katsu said shortly.
Iruka shot him a suspicious look. "I've gone four years without Shikanenai-kun burning down the school," he retorted. "I'm not going to leave him unsupervised at this late date."
"Ooh," Shikanenai said mockingly. "That's a good idea!"

Four hours later, even Iruka's patience wearing thin and the three genin had begun exchanging glances that the teacher was at a loss to interpret. To the best of his knowledge the three of them weren't particularly friendly - Katsu just didn't talk much, despite his bevy of assorted female advisors - Neshan did talk but generally only to quieter members of the class such as Hyuuga Hinata - and Shikanenai, despite never being at a loss for a smart-alek remark or a destructive response, was in his own way as private a person as Katsu. But all three of them seemed to be troubled by something, and Iruka was fairly sure that the absence of their jounin-sensei was not the cause.
It was at this point that the door to the classroom slid open to reveal a lanky jounin clad in the typical Hidden Leaf uniform, a thin mask across his lower face and his head protector pulled low at one side to cover his right eye. Iruka recognised him almost immediately as Hatake Kakashi, one of Hidden Leaf's more celebrated jounin. Among other things, he was known to have failed every team ever passed to him by the Academy.
"You're late," Iruka snapped, a little harsher than he really should have with ninja who outranked him.
Kakashi blinked (or winked, it was hard to tell), turning his head away from the three genin lined up at the desk and towards Iruka. "Did you say something?" he asked, with apparent sincerity.
Iruka stifled his anger. At least the other ninja was here now and presumably had some sort of excuse. "You've got Team Seven," he said instead. "{Bauku-}"
The jounin cut him off with a wave of his hand. "I'll get all that from them," he said airily. "You three," he said, looking at the genin. "Meet me on the roof." And with that, he disappeared in a cloud of ninja smoke.
Iruka could have sworn that Shikanenai's hand made the sign for 'asshole' as he stood up to head for the door. But that was impossible of course - no one would have taught the signing to a genin who hadn't completed even a single D-rank mission, much less to a mere student.

On the steps up towards the roof, Shikanenai paused and looked at the others. "Does the name Uchiha mean anything to you guys?" 'missing' he signed.
Neshan nodded. "Uchiha Itachi," he said. "S-rank missing-nin." Then he frowned at the Nara. "Didn't he have a brother the same age as... as Shikamaru?" His fingers sketched 'team'
"I think so," Shikanenai said, making the sign for 'seven'. "Talk about it later?"
Neshan nodded at that and then looked measuringly at Katsu, who was looking intrigued. "Ring any bells?"
"Yes," Katsu replied simply. "Let's not keep Hatake-sensei waiting."
As they filed up the stairs and out onto the roof, the three of them fanned out, apparently casually watching their surroundings. Kakashi's visible eyebrow shot up. They were acting more like seasoned ninja than novices - had someone made sweeping changes to the Academy curriculum without his hearing about hit? Then he shrugged it off. They were probably just acting tough to impress him.
"So," he said. "Tell me about yourselves. Names, likes, dislikes, dreams?"
The three boys looked at each other wordlessly, and then Shikanenai flicked his hand. "You first," he suggested.
"My name's Hatake Kakashi," replied the jounin. "I've got a few likes, I don't like any of you and I don't think I'll tell you about my dreams."
"I'm {Kakigaru} Katsu," Katsu started, to the slight surprise of the others. "I like {assassination}, I don't like some of the clans in the Hidden Mist and I dream of being a jounin with students of my own." There was a slight emphasis to the word dream, which Neshan and Shikanenai chuckled at, although it wasn't clear to Kakashi what they found amusing.
"{Bakusei?} Neshan. I like seals and ranged weapons. I don't like a certain Medi-nin or most of Hyuuga. I dream of being Head of the Archives." A nod from Katsu and a smirk from Shikanenai greeted that particular ambition.
The last boy looked at Kakashi but there was something that indicated he wasn't really speaking to him. "Nara Shikanenai," he began. "I like travelling. I don't like 'noble clans' and I dream of going all over the continent once I'm a chunin - maybe before then."
Kakashi frowned. Seems that they all have a few axes to grind, he thought. I wonder why they put this lot together? A bookworm, a prodigy and a tourist-wannabe don't make much of a team. "Well," he said. "For our first mission, we'll be doing some survival training."
Neshan and Shikanenai both seemed to be choking on something. Katsu looked intrigued.
"So meet me at Training Ground Five, bright and early," Kakashi said. "Six o'clock sharp. And don't bother with breakfast," he added. "Chances are that you won't keep it down."

"There's more to this than Survival Training, isn't there?" Katsu said.
"Gai-sensei didn't call it 'survival training'," Shikanenai said drily. "But it'll be the same idea. This is the final test."
"Only a third of the genin who graduate from the Hidden Leaf Academy go onto active teams," Neshan explained. "The rest go back to the Academy and get chennelled into administration or the police or the like."
"So what's the test?" Katsu asked.
"Teamwork," Shikanenai said simply. "We have to show that we've got the right attitude as well as the abilities to be ninja."
"I hadn't heard that," Katsu said. "We don't do anything like it in Hidden Mist - of course, not as many ninja graduate from the Academy."
"It's not precisely a secret," Neshan said, "but it's supposed to be a surprise for new genin so it's not talked about very much. I suppose the Mist's elders think our training is soft -"
"It is," Shikanenai interjected. "I've seen the numbers."
"Aren't they classified?"
"Yes."
Seeing that Shikanenai wasn't about to say anything else about that, Neshan continued. "- having a large reserve of ninja, even if they aren't trained up to frontline standards, lets Hidden Leaf keep a very high proportion of active teams outside the village without compromising our cash flow."
"Well, we can debate the advantages of respective training methods another time," Katsu pointed out. "We shouldn't have any problem with that. Now," he looked around to make sure that no one was listening in as they sat on a log in one of the groves of forest that Konoha had been built around. "What the hell are we doing here?"
"Team Seven," Shikamaru said. "Should be Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and what'shername, TenTen - your student," he added to Neshan. "Right?"
"TenTen's about a year older than the others," Neshan said, thinking about it. "Her class was slightly oversized because Naruto-kun graduated a year early. This year should have been one short, but without Uchiha and Haruno, the three of us brought it up to strength."
"So we've got two or three missing students," Shikanenai said thoughtfully. "I don't remember seeing Uchiha, Haruno or Naruto around anywhere. So Tenten's probably with Gai, along with Lee and... someone else, because Gai doesn't seem to be married, so Rikou's not around. I guess you're the expatriate Mist-nin this time, Katsu."
"Don't call me a Mist-nin," Katsu replied harshly, showing his teeth.
The young ninja paused and then nodded aquiesence. "Noted. My apologies." The others looked at him suspiciously. "What?"
"I don't recall you being quite so considerate in this lifetime," Neshan pointed out.
"I don't screw around with team-mates," Shikanenai replied simply. "Well, not as much, anyway."
"Well that's good - you're not my type."

"Do you think we should go with what Kakashi said about not eating?"
"I've got a pretty strong stomach," Katsu observed. "I think he's screwing with us."
"Okay, not turning my back on him. Ever," Shikamaru quipped.
"I don't trust him either," Neshan agreed. "Tenten told me a bit about how he treated his team in our timeline. He's a good leader and one of the best ninja I've ever met. But he's a lousy teacher. Probably because everything comes so easily to him."
"Well, given that you're jounin and special jounin, I don't suppose he's got much to teach you," Shikanenai observed. "At least that he'd be willing to pass on to twelve year olds. And if you don't mind giving the poor lil' chunin a helping hand then I won't have to rely on him much myself."
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[Valles]

Kiri - Mist
gishi - adopted child
(in combination, presumably the name Hidden Mist gives to those of its orphans who have no claim to any other sort of name - the way unknown patients in hospitals become 'Mr. Doe')
Baxter, rendered through a heavy Japanese accent, comes out roughly "Baksta", 'Ba-ku-su-ta,' in kana.
Jounin and Genin versions of Neshan - he cuts his hair because, well, have you ever tried to braid one-handed?
The scenely bits are very cool, and quite workable - I'll go over them and do some editing and adding hopefully later tonight. I've got an image nibbling at the back of my brain for a final resolution scene, where the real team seven comes back and takes over from their replacements, who promptly pop back into their real bodies... nrrg. Stay tuned.
I am kinda leery, though, about busting out the Kaiju-level stuff before the grand finale of the whole plotline - it just doesn't seem appropriate, somehow, and not just because I'd been thinking of Kyuubi as acting more like a Beryl than a Godzilla in this milieu. I guess it's just... once you've gone that far, how can you match the energy? Sure, there's the DBZ answer, but that's, well, stupid... OTOH, that kind of action would make a good place to head for the climax of a long plot arc, and the image of a cute little Firefly making friends with the great-grandaddy of all sea serpents is too cool to pass up out of hand.
Meh. Don't pay too much attention - I'm not at my most coherent at the moment.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

I may not be in on Seven Substitutes (and if anyone has a more inspired title, by all means share) save in that it's rooted in TXY, but I too would be leery of pulling out the kaiju battle except as a major plot arc finish - but the thing is, with Narutoverse battles, a good plan can trump any "sugoi powaa" move, so a lower powered arc following a high power arc doesn't have to be a let down, you just have to make the opposition think a little more.
Hotaru riding into battle at the canon-timeframe chuunin exam seems a tad premature, though - she's still got two and a half years to go in the Ninja Academy, her only genin-grade categories are chakra control and reserves, and "special bloodline" powers created by the snake-freak's experimints to heal or wound with a touch. Taijutsu, speed, tool use, theory, all are at the student level. She is only nine as of canon start time, after all. Of course, if that's who the King of Serpents will tolerate to ride along and pick out enemies and allies, that's who the King of Serpents gets, and she has the wall-walking skill to keep from falling off. - Hmm, and if she has a problem with her inner coils system plus unusually large amounts due to what was done to her Celestial gates (Heal Gate and Wound Gate, naturally, both slightly 'ajar' - permanently) to create the bloodline abilities, that could explain why she was started on control excercises so young, in hopes of slowing the damage long enough to find a corrective technique.
- CDSERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
Dr. Akagi will recover. Observe, Rei smiled. Shinji-kun, are these your clothes?
Ritsuko shot up like a spring loaded meerkat. What? Shinji-kun is naked?
See, Anata? Dr. Hentai is alive and well. - Innortal's _I Do_
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[drakensis]

Sorry about the family names, couldn't check the threads while I was at work (for some reason they block access to forums) and I forgot to fix it before putting it up.
Given that I can't braid my hair with both hands I can see your reasoning, although it makes his hair look like either James from Team Rocket or Android-17.
The Kaiju stuff was mostly a response to the image of Hotaru on top of Jormungand. It can easily be rearranged to make it the grand finale if need be.
When I wrote the scenes with the three of them trying to figure out what's going on I kept having to work around the subject. Having their lives cut'n'pasted into Konoha in place of Team7 makes sense, but I'm tempted not to give them memory of those lives (because I think it would be more amusing to have them spent the evening before the bell test sneaking around Konoha trying to find out just who they are and where they live.
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[Valles]

---

Given that I can't braid my hair with both hands I can see your reasoning, although it makes his hair look like either James from Team Rocket or Android-17.

---

And that's a bad thing? ^_^
Don't worry about the names - I had just sort of wondered.

---

When I wrote the scenes with the three of them trying to figure out what's going on I kept having to work around the subject. Having their lives cut'n'pasted into Konoha in place of Team7 makes sense, but I'm tempted not to give them memory of those lives (because I think it would be more amusing to have them spent the evening before the bell test sneaking around Konoha trying to find out just who they are and where they live.

---

Hmm... how to put this... Okay. The reason I'm thinking that our three've been retconned into their roles is so that there'll be a minimum of disturbance when the real Team 7 is retconned back where they should be - that is, so that once NaruSasuSaku are brought back, they and everyone else will remember them as having had a seamless transition from 'academy students of varying ability' to 'Kakashi's three genius ninja', without any of the oddness and awkwardness that'd have to result from the kind of situation you're describing.
And because I think we can have more fun playing with their efforts to reconcile two sets of memories and exploring 'their lives' over the course of the entire story than we would doing a first chapter focused around their figuring out exactly what the fuck is going on. ^_^
*shrug* I do like the idea of having Jormungand around for the big finish, though.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Rieverre]

Nice work, Drake. Katsu would have said something along the lines of 'I like my peace and quiet' during the intro speech for Kakashi, but the rest is solid.
Another short impromptu snippet:
---
He couldn't help feeling both terribly out of place, and at the same time somehow more at home than he ever had before.
And while he had some experience with being of two minds about some things, that had occured under different circumstances altogether.
Blinking awake in a classroom of the Hidden Leaf's Academy had been disconcerting enough.
One part of him insisted he'd just come back to the temporary lodgings he and his students had been assigned by the Godaime Hokage, that he was a Jounin of the Hidden Mist staying in the Hidden Leaf as a so called gesture of good will of the Mizukage. Quotoe, unqote.
The other claimed he'd lived in the Hidden Leaf with his mother, a Mist expatriate, since he was five. That he'd attended the Academy, and had made genin yesterday.
Also, he was apparently not the only one dealing with this sort of displacement, though it was a bit more severe in his case.
That first part of his mind knew the Village Hidden by Leaves somewhat, was aware of its layout, had taken time to stroll around on and above ground to get the lay of the land in case it was of use in the future.
The second, the Leaf-nin him, had knowledge that, while not neccessarily superior, was that of someone who'd spent years in Konoha. It was a far more intimate knowledge, tinted by emotion as well.
He'd put these considerations aside until later back when he'd first become aware, sitting in a classroom and waiting for his supposed genin team's, Team 7's, jounin sensei. The realization that his teammates - though it was extremely odd to think of them like that at first, and still, truth be told - were in the same sort of situation had been startling but not really unexpected.
For one thing, he remembered Bakusuta Neshan and Nara Shikanenai as being jounin and chunin respectively. He didn't really know either by more than name, rank, and a rough outline of what they could do, but that was enough. The three, himself included, were the only people in the classroom of genin who didn't 'fit' as it were.
Their conversation hadn't been enlightening, exactly. Well, not in an immediately useful way, at least. They'd picked the situation apart as much as they could for inconsistencies and such, and had managed to establish they weren't in a genjutsu ...
... the paranoid part of him would have still held on to the theory that it was only him trapped in one, for whatever reason, but the darkly snickering growls buried deep in his mind weren't something that could be faked.
Well, that, and he didn't know 'Nenai well enough for any genjutsu to be able to fake a sense of humor _that_ specific.
So, after their conversation, each had gone his own way in an attempt to come to terms with the, apparently genuine, situation.
Which was why he was currently watching the sunset from the top of Konohagakure's outer wall. And absent-mindedly running one hand along his face.
It had felt supremely odd, when he'd bothered to pay attention to it, and he hadn't realized what it was that so unsettled him about it until he'd caught his reflection in a storefront window.
He'd been so used to his scars, he felt naked without them. Ironic, that.
And there were other, more worrying things he'd managed to dredge up. Leaf-him had been keeping up with the goings on in the Hidden Mist, it seemed - at least those that were open to the general public.
The Kaiou clan, one of the major contenders in the political life of the Mist from what the older part of him recalled, was apparently in decline here. The Iwagawa and the Sawamori clans - seperate in those memories - had allied, forming the political counterpoint to the traditionalists of the Mizuno - about the only clan to stay roughly the same - which _should_ have been the role of the Kaiou ...
Katsu's fingers drummed against his jawline in irritation. At least, that was what he told himself it was.
He kept telling himself this, even as his mind drifted in rememberance of the web of favors, owed and returned, that had bound him to one Kaiou Michiru, and vice versa.
From what he'd seen in the open records, lacking as those were, no such person existed. And his students were likely just as absent, neatly severing any ties with the Mist that his old memories could have imposed upon this life.
Hells, the only bit of carry-over he knew of was the person who'd given him a reason to live back in the really bad old days, and she was living in Konoha ... he cut off that train of thought.
He was nowhere near ready enough to try and untangle that particular knot of confused facts and emotions.
With a sigh, he let the thoughts go for a moment, and watched the play of waning sunlight over the Village's rooftops.
---
*ker-snip*

---

*shrug* I do like the idea of having Jormungand around for the big finish, though.

---

Ditto. It's agreed, then. I've got this mental image of the three of them, after being snapped back to their reality of origin, waking up, wandering over to Training Ground Five, and having a 'You know, I just had the weirdest dream' conversation. Or maybe even a 'I suddenly have the strangest urge. It involves the Hyuuga compound, and several dozens of TP rolls.' one. Perhaps both.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

[Valles]

"Bakusuta Neshan, age... twelve. Blood type, O negative. I like seals, and knowing more than I need to. I don't like pain, or people who think they can take away others' choices. I dream of being Head of the Archives." A nod from Katsu and a smirk from Shikanenai greeted that particular ambition.
-------
Surprisingly, the blood type thing makes sense for a ninja to include - since it seems fairly likely that their medical technology is sophisticated enough to handle transfusion, his teammates would probably need to know that there was a universal donor available.

---

Ditto. It's agreed, then. I've got this mental image of the three of them, after being snapped back to their reality of origin, waking up, wandering over to Training Ground Five, and having a 'You know, I just had the weirdest dream' conversation. Or maybe even a 'I suddenly have the strangest urge. It involves the Hyuuga compound, and several dozens of TP rolls.' one. Perhaps both.

---

Have them do the entire conversation, then, a moment before it looks like they're all going to turn and leave, they meet each other's eyes and grin and all three of them produce a roll out of nowhere.
Yes, I promised a coda scene. It's not coming to me. Sorry.

---

Shikanenai was leaning against the tree by the far end of the bridge and giving their teacher a flat glare, and Katsu had aborted his kata and was crouching like someone who was expecting a mad dog to lunge, and was looking forward to breaking its neck.
Neshan rolled the scroll he'd had spread out in front of him closed and adjusted his glasses. "You're early, Kakashi."
"Maaa... weren't we supposed to meet ten minutes ago?"
"When someone wastes years of effort being consistently more than three hours late, the time that comes out of his mouth is about as worthwhile as a wooden coin. You've emphatically demonstrated that you're not going to grow a brain and actually act like a leader, so there's another reason for your deciding to interrupt the time we usually spend actually learning. What is it?"
Kakashi had walked over to where his student was sitting on the ground, and now leaned over and smiled into his face. "Most people are more respectful when they talk to a Jounin, you know."
"Earn it, first. And stop stalling."
The teacher shrugged, and stood up straight. "We have a mission," he said seriously. "Come on."
All missions were formally delivered at the Hokage's tower, along with detailed briefings and needed equipment. Nevertheless, Genin training cells wouldn't be chosen for a mission without their Jounin-sensei's foreknowledge, so Shikanenai said, "You wouldn't change routine for a D-rank mission. What've we got?"
"Extermination." Katsu chuckled under his breath at the news, and Kakashi made a mental note to keep a closer eye on the quietest of his Genin - that sort of grin at this sort of news could be a rather bad sign for the future. "Some sort of big cat seems to've moved into a village about a day from Konoha - it's been attacking livestock, even a couple of people. Local farmers pooled their resources to hire a C-rank mission to eliminate the thing."
"So, mostly tracking, then, with a bit of combat," Shikanenai concluded. "No problem."
But, when Sarutobi Chieshamaru, third Hokage of Konohagakure, concluded his directives to Genin Team Seven, he finished with an entirely different conclusion. "This creature's appetite seems to be tremendous, and its attack patterns and the damages left on its prey's remains are unusual. Whether it is some form of constructed nin-beast, a youkai, or even some sort of minor demon is as yet unknown - be very cautious. Your own survival is paramount - Biigaru Village is not the only place to have seen attacks of this sort, and incidents seem to be increasing in both area and frequency. We must have more information."

---

Naturally, this particular 'episode' will guest star Kei and Yuri's own Mughi. ^_^
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[drakensis]

Yeah, I wasn't sure about the introductions but I figured that it was a good way for the three of them to confirm that they knew who they were without letting anyone else find out.
Sounds like we've got an big finale and an epilogue though.
Timeline wise I'm thinking that the three of them are all figuring things out on their own during the lunchbreak before the jounin-sensei turn up, and all recognise eah other as anomalies, which leads to the tentative talking until they've verified that and actually picking it apart once Kakashi is gone.
We've done enough snippets that I'll try to start putting them in some sort of order.
D for Drakensis

You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.

[Valles]

---

Timeline wise I'm thinking that the three of them are all figuring things out on their own during the lunchbreak before the jounin-sensei turn up, and all recognise eah other as anomalies, which leads to the tentative talking until they've verified that and actually picking it apart once Kakashi is gone.

---

Sounds likely.
BTW, I've found a very interesting site with graphical representations of most the information from the official databooks - which is very useful, even though I speak not a word of French.
As far as I can see by comparing characters, the particular thing described by the various categories (their names aren't entirely intuitive) seem to be:
Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu - the obvious: that character's skill at same.
Intelligence - more tactical and strategic ability than storage and recall of information.
Speed, Power - DEX and STR, respectively: the character's purely physical abilities.
Stamina - chakra reserves and ability to absorb damage, which aren't quite the same thing... view the fact that Rock Lee really doesn't have any chakra.
Seal - annoying feature of the language, since the hand gestures and the written wards end up requiring the same English word despite having really nothing else in common. Anyway, this is the latter - 'Fuuinjutsu', if you will.
Hence, TGNH!Neshan's stats run
Ninjutsu: 3
Taijutsu: 4.5
Genjutsu: 2.5
Intelligence: 4
Power: 5
Speed: 5
Stamina: (physical 5/chakra 2)
Seal: 5
Speaking of which, and trying to be relevant, Neshan-in-a-Genin-suit scores:
Ninjutsu: 3
Taijutsu: 4.5
Genjutsu: 2.5
Intelligence: 4
Power: 3
Speed: 2.5
Stamina: (physical 3/chakra 0.5)
Seal: 5
Ja, -n
(wondering about Katsu and 'Nenai...)
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"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."