Test Drive Post!

[sunshinemods]

Sunshineverse

Okay everyone, it's time to test some people out! The rules of the game are simple. You have a character you would like to try out as a native to the setting of this game. You want to see if this is the right setting to play said character in, right? Well, then all you have to do is drop them into this post as a top level comment with this as the header: Character name | Series (OC's just put Original here) | Planned Village Affiliation Then you comment around and play with everyone else! If you need some ideas on how to get started, you can drop your character in during the middle of a mission, have them at an eatery around their village, or maybe even just doing weapons practice. It's up to you how you want to set out, so feel free to put your characters in this version of the Naruto universe however it most seems appropriate. Just be sure to say where you put them somewhere in your post though, otherwise two people might not even be threading in the same country. One last thing! Remember that your character was born in this universe, so whatever else you decide, your character is a world native, even if they might be a tourist in the village you decided to test them out on. And that's it. Just be good to each other and have fun! Threads you do here can count toward future activity checks, so long as the person you're threading with gets in too. These threads can also be used for samples on your application. Communities♦ Main Community ♦ Missive Network ♦ OOC Community General Info♦ Premise ♦ Rules ♦ F.A.Q. World♦ Country Information ♦ Maps ♦ Sunshine Timeline ♦ Character Histories Applicants♦ Applications ♦ Character History FAQ ♦ Nationality Guide ♦ Taken

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[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku felt the small hand on his sleeve, giving just enough support to catch himself and cover the stumble. It was a very clever move, practiced and smooth. Fugaku looked down at the small girl and was not surprised to see it was Ami.

Fugaku didn't smile, but he nodded back gravely to the girl in a way that could be interpreted as forgiveness or thanks. "There is nothing to forgive," Fugaku said. He didn't pat Ami on the head, because he'd rather not make like of the maturity she'd shown. Fugaku would have to make sure to mention this incident to Shisui.

[thelittleprincess]

Ami nodded, doing her best to hide the glow of pride that wanted to bubble up at being able to help. "Yes, Uchiha-sama." The team had stopped here on the way back to Konoha, and Shisui had let her have some free time to herself while he kept a weathered eye on Masanori. She had been surprised to see Fugaku, and hadn't been able to stop herself from drifting over to see what he was doing.

Shopping for fishing supplies, apparently. She couldn't cast stones there, even if she wanted to. The bag at her side was full of yarn, thread, and a few cat toys.

[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku noted that, even though Ami had chosen a different career path than her family, her bag was filled with yarn (and possibly cat toys or strange hair ornaments). This seemed a little far for an errand, though he supposed her family might be in the market as well. Ami wasn't young enough to need complete supervision even in a strange place, even without her training. Or, she could be here with her team.

"Are you here with your team?" Fugaku asked. He could deliver his comments to Shisui before they were forgotten or buried in the pile of things that awaited him back in the village.

[thelittleprincess]

"Yes, sir." She nodded, shifting her stance slightly. A different kind of pride smooth her posture, tilted her chin. "We successfully completed a courier mission ahead of schedule and elected to spend the night here. Sensei is..." She paused, very briefly. "Sensei is escorting Shizuoka-san, and my other teammate was perusing the local herb shops, I believe."

She wasn't certain just what Fugaku's opinion of Masanori was, but given that the boy was the heir of a clan closely tied with the Uchiha clan... Well. Best not to let 'Bakanori' slip out in his presence. Just in case.

[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku nodded. He approved of Shisui giving the gennin free time (relatively speaking) when they had done well. He did notice Ami's pause, and wondered if she hadn't chosen a more tactful way of describing what Shisui was doing, even thought Fugaku was familiar with Masanori's...habits. FUgaku had no doubt Shisui was making sure Masanori did not wreak his normal havoc. Fugaku had a private voting pool with Mikoto over what age the little heir would cause his first international incident. Fugaku also had some perverse pleasure in knowing that Shisui now had to manage a child like that. It was just as good as Shisui having a child just like him, only without the head-ache of having such a troublesome child in the clan.

Ami would be a much better addition to the clan, honestly. She held herself well, she thought before she spoke. She was considerate of her elders and took obvious pride in a mission well done. She didn't even hint at her teams inner troubles to an outsider, even one who had reason to know about these troubles beforehand.

He would pack that thought away for later pondering on why this child impressed him more than many of the brats from his own clan.

"Has your team dynamic begun to stabilize?" Obviously they were performing well if they had finished a mission early. Individual talent could only carry a team so far. They needed cohesiveness to truly be effective.

[thelittleprincess]

"Yes, sir." Her throat briefly clogged with shame. Much of the current stability was the work of moments of childish weakness on her part. First was her collapse and admittance to the hospital, and second was when she allowed her curiosity get the best of her and followed him back to his fort. That in turn had led to the juvenile 'disposal' of literally years worth of toilet paper across the village. It had been ridiculous, but... fun. She still found his overall personality grating, but her attitude had softened without her noticing.

"We have our own strengths, but they..." She tilted her head, thoughtfully. "They match up well."

[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku would take that as all was not to Ami's liking, but with the personalities present, no doubt there would be some clashing of wills and principles. Fugaku hadn't exactly gotten along well his his first teammates.

Diversity made a strong team. Squads were made up of many different talents and personalities to compensate for human short comings, but it didn't always make your team easy to deal with. Fugaku had literally butted heads with some of his teammates in his genin days. Those had been very different times, and breaking someone nose over a disagreement was just frowned upon, not condemned. Much better than breaking someone's fingers, at any rate.

"Did you sensei give you a rendezvous time?" Was she aware of the passage of time even in his presence? Did Shisui trust his students to come back in a timely manner?

[thelittleprincess]

"I'm to be back at the inn no later than an hour after sundown," Ami recited near-mechanically. Given the steadily lengthening days, that provided a nice enough cushion between now and then that she felt the stirrings of an idea. Granted, it took a moment for her to work up the courage to actually commit to it, and her tongue suddenly felt like it was made of lead when she tried to force herself to ask.

She swallowed and tried once more, glancing up through her bangs. "I believe we'll be eating there, but if..." It was only sheer willpower that kept her from fiddling with her fingers or sleeves. "If you're finished shopping, would you like to have tea together, Uchiha-sama?"

[disgruntledmountain]

Fugaku was satisfied with the curfew given. He considered the girl's change in demeanor as he tucked his small purchase into one of his vest pockets. He's was more than a little used to people having to work up the courage to speak to him, especially children, so he tried not to soften his expression a little. You never knew when someone would spring some important information on you.

...or invite you to tea.

The slight jump of Fugaku's eyebrows was his only indication of surprise. People didn't often invite him anywhere for tea (or demand he come for it) unless they wanted something from him. Fugaku couldn't think of anything Ami might want from him. What could he grant a genin? She already has Shisui as a mentor, and someone so young wouldn't see Fugaku as a strong shinobi to learn from. Not lessons, then perhaps a recommendation of some kind? That would make more sense if she were a Chuunin. Advice? Though he didn't think she would feel comfortable asking him for advice on something.

Even though he was aware of his own curfew, and how much longer it took him to get from here to there these days, Fugaku decided the only way to discover what Ami wanted was to agree. At least she wouldn't lecture him on the quality of the Uchiha children being born and how he should dedicate more of his life to making sure the right genetic matches had children.

"I believe I have time for some tea," Fugaku replied. "Do you have a place in mind?"

[thelittleprincess]

For a moment—a very brief moment, a blink-and-miss-it instant—the years melt away and a bright, sparkling sort of smile peeks out from behind that high collar. It's gone just as quick, naturally, her normal mask of solemnity slamming back into place, but there's a sort of—a sort of aura of accomplishment that settles over her small frame. If she were a different type of girl, or maybe still the same type she had been as a small child, she might have bounced on her toes eagerly.

But she wasn't, not anymore, so all she did was incline her head and say, "Yes, sir. There is a teahouse my uncle recommended to me from a previous business trip. It's only a few streets away."

She didn't want anything, not really. Shisui was a good teacher, when he had the time to be, and when he didn't, sometimes Itachi stepped in, or Sephiroth had some words of wisdom to share. To be honest, at her core, she just... liked spending time around Uchihas. Especially the man who had fostered her idolization of them in the first place.

[disgruntledmountain]

The smile took Fugaku by surprise. He had no idea why having tea with him would make anyone smile like that, especially a young girl like Ami. It couldn't be an ambush. If it were, he doubted Ami would have smiled like that. She would have concealed her feelings better. Not an ambush, then, but what?

Just tea?

It was never just tea in Fugaku's life, expect with Mikoto.

Even more mystified than before, there wasn't much to do but follow Ami to the tea shop and see what happened there. "I will trust your uncles taste in tea, then." Fugaku didn't exactly have high standards when it came to tea.

[thelittleprincess]

"Uncle says he'll tell me about good bars once I'm older," she added, beginning to walk. It was a touch awkward in its delivery, but that could only be expected, given how little practice she had with actual socialization. "But I've liked all of the teahouses he's recommended so far."

Her uncle often had business deals with a higher level of clientele, but he talked with their servants too; more often than not, he learned about cheaper, high-quality places to patronize.

[disgruntledmountain]

They struck an odd pair, Fugaku trailing after this small girl. Did they think he was her father? Bodyguard? Grandfather? Fugaku hadn't been lead around by someone so small in years, and that had mostly been chasing down an errant toddler Sasuke.

He had to shorten his stride and slow his steps to stay beside her--just a half step behind so she was leading. He became more aware of the people around them, the entire marketplace's flow of traffic.

"You're lucky to have such a well informed relative." Perhaps one who was also concerned for the welfare of his charge and trying to steer her towards safer establishments.

[thelittleprincess]

"I am." She nodded, flowing with the crowd in a way that came from hard-won practice, given her size. It was a habit, to make sure there was a tilt of ribbon or a toss of hair for him to catch sight of so she didn't get lost in the crush of the crowd. Mostly one adapted for her worried, civilian aunt, but she made sure to do it for Shisui as well. He still had issues rooted in their first out-of-village mission.

It was a big step up, that he had let her wander off on her own, and she had privately resolved not to let him down.

She paused in front of the teashop briefly before entering, quietly asking the hostess for a table.

[disgruntledmountain]

Fuagku wondered if Ami was aware of how she kept herself visible. Children could vanish in an instant in a crowd, even perfectly civilian children. Fugaku know several pick pockets that used this to their advantage, which was usually the reason he was closely watching kids in crowds.

Fugaku approved of the little tea shop. It wasn't in a bad part of town, but it looked affordable. Naturally, Fugaku intended to pay, because while Ami might have made the suggestion, he couldn't let a genin pay for tea. Fugaku gave the hostess a nod, and she seemed a little...not startled exactly but her smile wasn't quite as open as it had been for Ami.

Fugaku's eyes swept the establishment. No one was obviously armed or aligned with any village. Still Fugaku requested a table that had its back against the wall and a good view of the room. It wasn't as close as he would like to escape exits, but it would do.