[Video]

[The video feed suddenly kicks in with the sound of rushing winds and the sight of a blue sky. And soon, falling into view is bushy-browed teenager with a bowlcut, confusion and panic written all over his face.

Upon arrival, Rock Lee and his book open have begun freefalling through the sky to towards the village. Lee keeps his eyes focused on the open book and pushes himself through the air to get a closer look. Just enough to tell that it's some kind of communication device... and that it seems to be recording his face, and his movements.

Can they hear him, too? A million thoughts rush through his head. What happened? Where did everyone go? Why am I floating through the sky? Somebody help me down! But... if people could see him, he wouldn't want to look weak, would he? He's Rock Lee, after all. The Green Beast of Konoha. He can figure out a way out of this.

What would Gai Sensei do?

So he opts to force on a smile, one full of shining teeth, and he flashes a thumbs up towards the camera and shouts as loud as he can.]

DYNAMIC... ENTRY!

[Lee can find his way down. After all, his training weights are gone. He feels so light.]

[Action]

[If anyone misses out on the high-paced action, they can find Lee after he lands - either traveling to the item shop for his headband, weights and equipment or to the clothing shop for his valued green jumpsuit and vest. He'll also jog around to survey the village and some of the forest afterwards, eager to greet his new neighbors in the process.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

It is. And sometimes, the missions can be a good reminder of just who we are.

[Lee gives a sage nod.]

I see. [And he smiles.] But with my comrades around, I do not see myself needing such a reminder so easily.

[That gets him a snort. It's Lee, after all...]

Knowing you, maybe you won't.

Ah... you mean aside from the way it stripped me down?

Yes...besides that. [She offers him a weak, sympathetic smile.] Like sometimes, the Mal-Noses have us go fight for them.

[He blinks.]

Our captors, you mean? As a ninja fighting for one's country is commonplace to me, but do you mean to say that even one such as you is subjected to this treatment?

[She nods slowly.]

That's right. I've never had to, but I know sometimes they send people who don't know how to fight.

That is very wrong of them. Only those who are able should fight to protect others. Should the time ever come, Rapunzel-san, I would protect you until I die!

[She grins, slightly distracted from the grim subject matter by this proclamation.] That's very kind of you! I would protect you, too!

Thank you for your dedication, Rapunzel-san. But of the two of us, I am the one experienced in combat, and I would not allow you to endanger yourself for my sake.

But--I'm very skilled with the frying pan!

[True story.] You should see me in action some time.

Really? That is quite the unorthodox weapon, but I would be honored to train with you at some time!

[Rude, Shikamaru. Naruto gives Lee a nod, then waves Shikamaru off before just jumping off the building and towards the village because FUCK YEAH NINJA.]

Thank you, Shikamaru-kun! It is great to see you again!

[And then he leaps off with Naruto, through the space where not too long ago he was brutally murdering Naruto's clones.]

Naruto-kun, show me everything in this town that a youth may enjoy!

Really? That would be wonderful! [Nothing can possibly go wrong.]

[Oh no, nothing at all.]

Of course! I am most interested in observing your fighting style. I am glad you approve of the idea.

Excellent! I'll look forward to it once you're settled, then.

What kind of special exam? D'you have to sing?

Well, that's good! I'm sure everyone'll be glad! There's lots of people here, y'know.

Ah, I could only wish for such a contest! Singing would be a wonderful way to express the power of our youths. But the chunin exam is quite different. [Now to lightly sidestep around casually mentioning the deathtraps.] It tests all the skills required of a proper ninja - our abilities to be sneaky, to survive and to do combat. And... and there are judges watching over us to ensure we do not get badly hurt. [Quite an exaggeration, there.]

I hope that they will! And I look forward to getting to now each and every one of them!

How'd it test all that? [ That sounds difficult and less fun that the contest she was picturing, man. ] Did you have fun? Well, it sounds hard, but you sound happy about being a chunin!

Ah, although to become a master airbender you have to master all the forms or create a new one. [ NOWHERE NEAR THAT. ]

These are closely guard ninja secrets, but the first stage was a written test, where we were supposed to cheat without being caught! Then we had to live in a forest. And the last stage of the exam, we had, uh, friendly matches with each other. I did indeed have fun, but it was not until my second attempt that I succeeded in passing!

Ohhh and are you a such a master Airbender, Ikki-chan?

You were supposed to cheat? How'd you do it? Didn't anyone get caught??

Nope! You'll know a master if they have their mastery tattoos - they're blue arrows, which would go here, and here, and here - [ she traces the paths on her skin, lightly. ] Girls who're master airbenders shave their hair back to here, too; the boys shave their whole heads. How do you tell if someone's a jounin or chunin?

My teammate, Tenten, used signals to inform me of the correct answers. And yes... some were caught and disqualified. No one I really knew, though. My peers all advanced, but Shikamaru-kun was actually the only one to advance to the chunin rank that year.

Ah, that sounds like a fascinating practice. I am sure you will earn gorgeous tattoos one day! As for the differences... a ninja receives this flak jacket upon becoming a chunin! [He tugs at his own.] Jounin have a minimal difference in uniform; their primary difference is in their power and authority!

He's really amazing, so that's probably why! [ SHADOW PUPPETS. ] So your peers're Ino and Chouji and Shikamaru and Neji and Tenten? [ Confirming that she has this straight, here. ]

The tattoos were modeled after our flying bison! They were the very first airbenders, and our first masters learned from them.

[ She looks at the flak jacket, curiously. ] It's got a lot of pockets! That's neat, though. So anyone with that jacket is a chunin OR a jounin?

I guess you can only really tell airbending masters from looking at them - the other benders don't have mastery tattoos. [ So. Only one real way to tell one form of mastery at a glance. WELP. ]

Yes, and they are only a portion of the Konoha 11! There is also Naruto-kun and Sakura-san and Hinata-san and Kiba-kun and Shino-kun!

This is most fascinating! They sound like truly wonderful creatures. And yes, the many pockets are useful considering the many tools a ninja can carry on their person. The jackets are used for both chunin and jounin rank, yes. And that is good to know. The tattoos alone sound like a clear way to tell the difference.

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DYNAMIC... ENTRY!

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[Action] didn't forget about this at all nope

[Action] of course not

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idk random very belated tag

Awesome! I'm completely fine with any backtags

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