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@ashesburned
name: nick age: 30 pronouns: he/they
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SOME GENERAL NOTES UNDER THE CUT!

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MAY 2026 ACTIVITY CHECK! status -- passed!
TOTAL SKILL POINTS EARNED 8 -> 9 Any +1 ( monthly activity )
WALLET: +50 RYO ( monthly activity )
SKILL POINT ALLOCATIONS 1 -> 2 Stamina D
so, uh. yeah.... that happened
post katabasis 2026 -- asuma & sakura
"Hey, Sakura," Asuma calls out to her as he breaks into a light jog in an attempt to catch up with her. She wasn't his student and he hardly knew her very well compared to his own team but they'd been on a couple missions together already. It wouldn't hurt just to check in, would it? He can't shake off the uneasy feeling settling into his gut after what they had seen in the darkness, and there's a small part of him that would walk into another rift to investigate again. Anything to keep Konoha safe.
Once he reaches her, one of his hands is shoved into his pockets and the other reaches to remove the cigarette from between his lips to flick away some of the ash. He's still trying to relax or find a way to ground himself, and every so often his eyes avert towards the forest. Maybe he'd feel more ready if the darkness opened again.
"I just wanted to know how you were holding up after the---?" Exams, everything. Just everything that happened during the previous month. He cut himself off and holds his hand up in a vague gesture as if that would explain the rest of what he wanted to ask her. "If you need someone to chat with, all you gotta do is ask."
@fatalflowr
FRET NOT, DEAR HEART
post katabasis 2026 -- asuma & kurenai
The morning air was chilly against his exposed skin. The sun wouldn't be rising for another couple of hours. From what Asuma could tell, just from his spot on Kurenai's small balcony, the village was quiet. The streets weren't bustling yet. Apart from the occasional shinobi, all seemed quiet. Asuma had been awake for about an hour now. His body was unwilling to allow himself to fall back asleep. He can't help but wonder if it had anything to do with all of the unanswered questions he had. It was hard to push those thoughts aside when there was no one to ask.
He's staring intently at the palm of his left hand. There should be a scar. A part of him wants there to be. It's normal to bleed. When Shikamaru shoved his fingers into the wound, it should have hurt. Asuma should have felt it but in place of flesh and bone there had been nothing but static. His hand closes into a fist and briefly, there's a flash of pain as blunt fingernails dig into his palm. He repeats the action a few more times in an efforted attempt to reassure himself that everything was still as it should be.
Footsteps inside pull him from his thoughts and then he's reaching to open the window further. Either to invite Kurenai out or give himself enough room to come back inside. "Hey..." The tiredness he felt was starting to seep into his voice as he leaned his head back against the railing before looking at her and holding his right hand out to her. "Did I wake you up? I know it can be a pretty easy thing to do most of the time but I thought I was more being careful tonight. Sorry..."
@petalillusions
i have no mouth, and i must scream
On the third day, Shikamaru attacked his mother.
Public opinion would argue otherwise; it was a mere quip, an accident. He had caught a glint of holographic light out of the corner of his eye and lashed out to grab it, but missed and grabbed his mother's wrist instead. She dropped the glass vase in shock, and they watched in slow, unfolding horror as fine prism shattered around their feet.
He left home that day. Apologies weren't enough, and he didn't have the answers his parents so desperately wanted. What happened to you? (I don't know. I don't want to know. Stop asking me. Nothing. I'm fine. Just tired.)
The trail through the Nara Clan Forest was long and windy, dirt paths lined with wild flowers and splintered branches. A steady stream took him to the heart of the forest—a pond where deer liked to wallow. They greeted him all the same.
...
He came to what felt like hours later. Troubled hands clawed at dirt mounds as he dragged himself up to shore, coughing and sputtering, chest heaving with each gasp of air. He collapsed onto his back. And in the darkness of the night, a deer wandered over to gently nudge him with its nose. Ten seconds. He used to be able to do two minutes.
...
"Can I come in?"
His voice tired with the weight of restless nights, but that was the least of his concern. He was soaked to the bone, dark hair fanned across his shoulders and sticking to the sides of his face. Instead of his usual vest and chain mail, he was in a plain shirt and joggers, open and unarmed, almost like he was inviting casualty. Maybe he was.
Shikamaru shifted his footing. A shadow of a puddle had pooled underneath, the consequence of standing at Asuma's doorstep for too long before he knocked.
His apology was an unasked answer.
"I tried to drown myself."
@ashesburned
Asuma isn't expecting anyone at this hour. Not unless it was Kurenai but she had left to go back to her own apartment earlier. Had she forgotten anything? Apart from the usual things she kept here, he hadn't remembered her bringing anything. Most of what she needed when she spent the night was already here.
Perhaps he shouldn't be up so late either but what they had seen on the computers and in the darkness was unsettling. In the moment, he hadn't really known what to think but now that they were back in Konoha, there was no evidence left behind of a rift in the first place, there's a sense of dread and doubt that weaseled into his head. Every so often, no matter where he is, his head turns in the direction of Akagahara Forest in search of the rift that had opened up.
There's a thin cloud of smoke encompassing his apartment, swirling and parting around him as he walks towards the entrance. Ino's voice echoes in his ear more often now than before, reminding him his smoking habit isn't good for his health. Yet one of the ash trays he kept on the coffee table is filled to the brim with cinders and cigarette butts anyways, and now it seems like he's always going to need an extra pack stashed in a pocket of his vest.
His brows furrow once he's opened the door and he sees Shikamaru, soaking wet, standing in his doorway. It's not his normal reaction when he sees the other but the words that come out of the boy's mouth are far more concerning than anything he's ever heard the kid say.
"What'd you just say? What the hell is wrong with you?" Both questions are rhetorical, he doesn't want the other to repeat himself. Asuma only needed another second for the words to sink in. Shikamaru's hair was down, he wasn't wearing his usual clothes, no pouch of ninja tools.
"Get in here." It comes off more stern than he wants it to and the hold he's managed to keep on his composure grows ever thinner but in the moment he shoves that aside in favor of focusing on his student. Asuma reaches out to gently grab Shikamaru by his elbow to pull him inside, uncaring about the puddles he would leave on his apartment floor. The door is closed with a bare foot before he wanders off to his bedroom for a set of dry clothes and a towel. It was just a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, much like what Asuma was wearing at the moment but it seemed a better option than leaving him soaking wet and freezing.
When he comes back, he passes the clothes and towel to the younger man and points his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his bedroom. "Bathroom's down the hall. Change and get yourself dry first. We'll talk afterwards."

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APRIL 2026 ACTIVITY CHECK! status -- passed!
TOTAL SKILL POINTS EARNED 6 -> 8 Any +1 ( monthly activity ) Any +1 ( Katabasis reward )
WALLET: +50 RYO ( monthly activity )
SKILL POINT ALLOCATIONS 1 -> 2 Ninjutsu D 0 -> 1 Stamina E+
KATABASIS CLAIMS a currently unspecified amount of ryo ( it was 250 ) Storm Shards ( ninjustu rank D ) Spider Lily ( taijutsu rank D )
You try not to feel dejected. All your strength, and the vastness of your spirit, and yet still you have only come against walls that you could not break through. It is not the first time that you’ve felt something hidden from sight, dangling just out of reach, either by intent of obfuscation or by the deliberate gulf of ability. Your will flickers with every inhale, embered by the flames of your comrades around you. This night has been so long…
The world around you shimmers. You aren’t sure when that began, the delicate way the air misted, staticky and flickering with every step down the mountain path and through the woods to return to the village whence you had come. Are you tired? The day has been long, longer than you could count, because deep down you aren’t sure if it has been a day, or longer, a week, weeks, exactly how many hours that you had lost in that lonely wilderness, in the dark and empty halls of the academy, in the presence of something beyond this world’s ken.
You yawn, stifled or exaggerated, and it’s in that moment that you find yourself distracted from the stuttering glass crack in the forest at your flank. But then it happens again, a flicker of light reflected out of the corner of your eye.
Where is the light coming from?
The sun still has not risen.
You turn, and the darkness warps, fractures, splits the treeline and the very air, a clean line that scatters the landscape into an abstract of millions of shapes. After a moment, the space straightens, corrects itself.
You have one final choice to make.
>>Select one: >The watchful’s job is never complete. Investigate the anomaly in the woods… or >Your mind is playing tricks on you. Return to the village, and get some much needed rest.
When he sees the flash of light, Asuma isn't entirely sure what to make of it. And then the sky looks like it splits open. Whether it causes any damage to the landscape is unclear to him. Something else could be hiding in the darkness, and from where he was standing, he could not get a clear view. The thought of heading home doesn't cross his mind. If it happened to be something dangerous, and he hadn't been there to help face it, he knows he would have regrets.
His priority is Konoha and it's people. Without allowing him any second thoughts, he lets his feet carry him towards the direction of the light.
The watchful's job is never complete. Investigate the anomaly in the woods...
"Fox needed a scratching post?"
He motioned at the scrape across Asuma's face. It didn't look bad, but Shikamaru was glad he was left unscathed in that department, else his mother would have a strong word about him taking too much after your father! As if he wasn't a spitting image of Nara Shikaku, age sixteen.
Shikamaru leant up against a nearby post, arms folded across his chest while his eyes roamed the shadows that fell upon Akagahara.
"The fox said something about you badly missing in the first week." He glanced over at Asuma, eyebrow raised more out of amusement than curiosity. "What was that about?"
KATABASIS 2026 -- WEEK 2
"Hm? I guess so." Asuma brought a hand up to swipe his thumb over his cheek to check if it was still bleeding, and then dropped it back to his side when none appeared. Overall, his experience in the forest hadn't been bad. Just a lot of traps and a cheeky proctor watching their every move. Gaara had seemed to make a friend, at least.
Once he'd closed the distance between himself and Shikamaru, he hopped up to sit atop another nearby post while his eyes searched for more familiar faces in the tree line. He knows Shikamaru well enough to know the look his student is giving him. It was funny. Extremely, and as much as he was trying to not talk about it, there was little he could do except laugh. A hundred meters of wire was gone so quickly.
"You heard about that too, huh? Tanamo's a piece of work for spreading that news around." He pulls his lighter from his pocket, opens it with a fwip, and then flicks it closed again. "And Kakashi's a little shit for telling the ANBU." It's said with a grin and there's no ill intent or malice in his words but man, he was not going to live this down was he?
"West Gate was a cat made of wind. Wanted to play, we needed to grab it's tail to complete the trial. Kakashi," he says his friend's name clearly to put emphasis on it, "had the bright idea to throw some wire and kunai at it in order to tie it down. So, Kurenai tied the kunai to the wire and passed it to me to throw. And, yeah, I missed. It was carried away by the whirling cyclone of wind."
NO WHERE TO GO BUT UP
KATABASIS WEEK 3: TEAM FOUR -- ASUMA & GAARA ( X )
gaara gets the feeling he's maybe not supposed to know or hear some of this. he's glad that he can, it speaks to a trust he wants more than anything else but it feels like if those he's with are not endlessly calling him kazekage then they forget the long standing divide between konoha and suna.
"i don't think they'll be dangerous. before, there was a far more intimidating presence to worry about." shambling about in the dark, he can't help but wonder where he is now. would the proctor's tell if asked?
his nose scrunched up at the scent of the cigarette and he continues forward. "if they're talking our weapons, then stay close to me." this time he won't let shukaku show himself.
She's back again, the woman that has become Asuma's personal nightmare, skipping alongside you as you hand over the caltrop. If you could see her face, it feels almost like she's smiling at you like one would a friend as she takes the Caltrop from you willingly. "A gift for me Gaara-kyun? If Higanbana wasn't my bestest friend in the world.---" The Squawk of a raven, unamused as you hear a shout of "WE LIVE TOGETHER IDIOT." before Tanamo continues as if totally oblivious to the unamused raven. "* --- you could be! I need these for my toys!*"
he shouldn't hide how much hearing that makes him happy, even if he is giving over what he should be using to better navigate this forest… maybe- a squawk cuts off his thoughts and a small smile crosses his lips. "does it matter who's the bestest? as long as we help each other, that's what friends do, hm?"
A smile like sunlight, that's how others have described it, yet its almost a pity you cannot see it as she suddenly tilts her head, a pair of fox ears moving with her that would seem almost real if not for the telltale porcelain that creeks. "Very good! You understand the will of fire. keep up the good work!" Suddenly she skips away… backwards the way you came as she disappears before your very eyes
when gaara turns back to face asuma, his eyes seem just the slightest bit brighter.
The mention of the Will of Fire makes Asuma smile, as does Gaara's reply to Tanamo. He seemed like a good kid, and his heart seemed like it was in the right place. Of course he didn't know Gaara very well yet but he was willing to take the time. Participating in these sorts of things forged bonds. There was a reason he was made the Kazekage too, but at the moment that mattered little in comparison to the kindness he was showing Tanamo.
He agreed that they didn't seem entirely dangerous. More playful and cryptic than anything else but they were also given choices between walking into a trap or sacrificing one of their ninja tools over during their encounters. Hopefully whatever they gave weren't used against them. "I guess we'll find out. Either soon or once we reach the summit." Asuma shrugs, shoving a hand into his pocket as they walk. "Seems like Tanamo likes you, at least."
As they continue their trek towards the summit, Asuma is unsure of how much time has passed. The forest is dark, quiet, and he can't shake the feeling that they're being watched yet if they encounter other shinobi besides the proctors, the jounin can't say he'd be entirely surprised. It was important that they remain alert. And yet... The rest of the hike is uneventful, even as they reached the top.
"Whew. Made it." Asuma raises a hand a scratch at the back of his head, and then turns his head towards Gaara. "Now what?"
NO WHERE TO GO BUT UP
KATABASIS WEEK 3: TEAM FOUR -- ASUMA & GAARA ( X )
these are still far from what he's accustomed to. as a shinobi - the kazekage - he needs to better himself. the breadth of what he can do should not be so limited. while it is, he watches and follows on asuma's heels just as before. the ways of konoha differ so greatly it always feels as if stepping into a different world entirely when around them.
where asuma approaches to help, the hairs on the back of gaara's neck stand in edge and as the woman fades into a plume of smoke, his sand has barely enough time to soften the blow off metal to the back of his head.
it's a whine, the childish sort he hasn't made since he recalls looking up at yashamaru. "i'll be-"
fine???
as he takes a step forward, once again his sand swirls along him for reasons he can't begin to understand. when he looks down, a kunai has fallen
A feminine form appears where the old woman once was. One that is recognisable instantly as the Proctor, Tanamo. Even unable to see her features you can sense she intends to play with you, watching every action taken as you've fallen into one of her many many traps. "A treat for me Gaara? Oh you really shouldn't have~"
were kunai's tasty? he's never thought to put one in his mouth but all that's fallen from him was the one on his side. why did it fall? he doesn't know, only that sand seems to have knocked it from its place judging by the grains on the handle. "…will it make our path forward easier?"
If she had ears they'd almost be raised in pleasure as you notice a fox dart out from beneath her skirt to retrieve the Kunai. Her head tilts, as if weighing your word and the unconscious offering before a hand outstretches, reaching past where sand would so quickly raise to defend. You feel lighter for the touch of the nail infact, as if it's relieved some striking burden. "Aaah who knows? Maybe if you find us your offering might reward you~"
the pain in his head slowly begins to reside... a reward for just that? he has to hum as he turns back to asuma.
He gives Gaara a shrug as they walk and it's only a few more feet before Tanamo appears again.
A rustling sound echoes all around you, accompanied by the strumming of harp strings before you notice her, a woman who's vibrant black hair flows behind her like waves. Tanamo lurks in the distance, watching waiting before you hear a click as she darts forward with nails extended. There is no kindness, no gentleness in the almost deranged laughter that spills forth from beneath the mask before you find yourself with a fresh wound upon your face from how deeply she seems to have scratched. "Too slow, Too slow, no wonder we were told to spread how bad your aim is A-su-ma." Yet, before she leaves you notice how her gaze falls on Gaara, the friendly little energetic wave from her. "Hi Gaara! Bye Gaara! Thanks for the Kunai~"
The proctor moves too fast for him to react. Maybe it's a jutsu, maybe it's the way his skull is throbbing from the impact of the frying pan but amidst that, one of the next things he feels physically is a stinging pain on his cheek. A hand reaches up to wipe a thin line of blood away, and he takes a short moment to stare at it before taking a deep breath in and then out. Before he got angry, he needed to remind himself to stay calm, though he wasn't sure how successful he would be depending on the answer Tanamo gave him. "What's your deal? You like making fun of me?'
Tanamo stops and twirls on her foot, almost comically overextended as her gaze falls onto you, listening to your question with amusement before deciding to answer it with a reference that only Asuma could truly understand. "He already told you, the minute you got out he was telling the nearest ANBU how badly you missed cute little Byakko-chan~"
Another deep breath, in and out. Damn Kakashi. Asuma grit his teeth for a moment and the frustrated look faded into a small smile. "It was his plan first. Poor execution on account of all that wind." The jounin pauses, pulling his lighter and pouch of cigarettes from his pocket. Kakashi hadn't been at the edge of the forest before the test began. He didn't know where the other was but… "Can you give him a message for me or is that against the rules?"
Her head tilts, bringing a gloves hand to cup the bottom of her mask before she decides, or perhaps she's wondering if Higanbana will scold her again. Yet, she nods, watches you as if waiting for you to speak rather than leave her standing here twirling on the spot. "Tanamo-chan can pass a message to him!"
"Awesome. Tell him I'll get him back for that." In what way that was, he didn't know yet but he'd figure it out. His tone is more playful than threatening and the small smile that formed a moment ago becomes a little more mischievous to reinforce his words.
She laughs, she actually laughs loud and hearty that you get the distinct impression that you have, in truth, managed to properly impress her by taking this as seriously as she likes. "He says if your mouth keeps making bets your brain can't cash you owe him a new book, bye-bye~" And in a flourish she's gone as fast as she appeared, skipping off to Inari knows where.
"These guys are gonna be a pain the ass." A sigh escapes as Asuma finally lights his cigarette and brings it to his mouth. It hangs between his lips for a moment, before he takes a drag and flicks a small amount of ash onto the ground. The smoke is held in his lungs for a moment, and then he exhales as he turns his head back towards Gaara. "We know one of them is ANBU, at least. The one with the fox mask, most likely."

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NO WHERE TO GO BUT UP
KATABASIS WEEK 3: TEAM FOUR -- ASUMA & GAARA ( X )
They hadn't even been in the forest for barely an hour and he could already tell something didn't feel right. Everyone taking the test had scattered at start, and perhaps running into the Kazekage of all people was purely a coincidence but he supposed traversing the forest with someone rather than alone was better than anything. Especially with how dark it was, and the unsettling feeling he'd gotten from the proctors at the start.
With no clear path towards the summit of the mountain, he supposes the only way to navigate there would be to keep their eyes on the horizon. Yet in the midst of the trees and thick branches, they find a clearing filled with flowers of almost every color imaginable. Some of them remind him of the flowers he knows Kurenai likes: red poppies with yellow and black centers. If he weren't so suspicious of the old woman sitting in the center of the clearing, he'd pocket a couple to give to her when this test was over but...
Instead he pushes those thoughts aside as the smell of the food is carried towards them by the gentle breeze. It's familiar, comforting, and initially there's an alarm bell in his head that warns him not to approach the old woman sitting among the flowers but he pushes that thought aside and closes the distance anyways.
Before Asuma can open his mouth to call out to the woman, she fades in a puff of smoke and is carried away by the wind, and just as he's about to continue walking, something makes an impact with the back of his head with a loud clang. His ears ring, and he stumbles forward as his hands immediately come up to cradle the back of his head. "Ow! You've got to be kidding me." His brows furrow, and he shoves a hand into the pocket where he keeps his cigarettes. It was tempting to light one, to distract him from the reverberating sound in his head but he shouldn't yet. "We need to keep our guard up. You okay?"
@preciouskazekage
their ass is grass and komorebi's about to mow it
katabasis week 2 — team 2 ft. shikamaru, asuma, kurenai, ino
Giving the scroll to Shikamaru was the right call. He can help direct their escape efforts and then escape himself without issue. And with Ino watching from the roof, there's very little chance their plan will fail. A shinobi must always be prepared that there is a chance of failure, but Kurenai feels confident in all of their efforts.
"I'll go first." She nods to Asuma in the darkness, then opens the trap door and disappears through it back into the academy's halls.
As expected, Komorebi is nowhere near her, and so there's no one to witness the dashing shadow that makes its way from the hallway to the classroom. The window Asuma spoke of is still open.
Kurenai moves toward it. Moonlight and fresh air spill through and caresses her skin, a welcome feeling after hiding in the hallway's shadows for so long, but she remains focused on the task at hand. The area is clear and it's time to make her escape.
With practiced ease, Kurenai slips out of the window and down the side of the building, barely disturbing her surroundings until she lands on her feet beneath the shadow of a tree.
"I'm clear." She speaks into the mic. The academy looks quiet from here. Hard to believe there's several ninja trying to escape its confines.
@ashesburned
"I'll be right behind you." After Kurenai leaves, he looks both ways down the hall. As his students had confirmed, Komorebi was out of view and further down. He could still feel her chakra. It was further away now, so without much of a second thought, Asuma steps out of the trap door and makes his way back to the west classrooms as silent as he can.
He takes a moment to shut the door behind him, as if that would conceal the path he'd taken. They were aware of the proctor's route she was taking through the halls. She hadn't entered any rooms, though Asuma supposes it hardly matters now. They all had a clear path to escape.
The classroom is dimly lit by the moon's rays pouring through the open window. The smell of smoke still lingers, though just barely now. Asuma smiles to himself and makes a break for the window, channeling just enough of his chakra towards his feet to run down the outside wall of the academy. Once he spots Kurenai in the line of trees, he runs towards her and takes cover in the underbrush.
One of his hands reaches up to tap his earpiece, and his gaze shifts back towards the academy's third floor. "Made it out safe and sound. Come on out whenever you two are ready."
When Shikamaru was a wee little lad, his mother had a way of finding him in all his secret napping spots. It didn't matter if he was in the house or out around it, it would take her no more than three minutes. After months of trying everything to catch a nap uninterrupted, he figured it out—if he imagined drawing warmth inward, towards the centre of his chest where his heart was beating slower, his mother would walk past him.
Shikamaru was five years old when he learned how to suppress his chakra. And he was twelve, crouched behind a tree in the Forest of Death, when he realized there was no way for an ordinary shinobi to conceal it completely. His mother had known the entire time.
It seems like Komorebi's trying to teach him the same lesson.
After her silhouette glides past the teachers' lounge, Shikamaru slips out. He leaves the door cracked with a coat rack stand hidden in the shadows by the west-side wall, which separates the lounge from the hallway he's in. If the team needs more time, he can make noise and emit chakra. From where Komorebi is, she would be able to sense his general direction; he can only hope that she'd investigate the lounge first.
Kurenai's voice crackles in his ear. Then Asuma's. The tension in his shoulders soothes over. Two safe, and he knows Ino can make it.
"I've got an eye on her. You’re good to go."
Perfect.
There's no way they'll hold their sensei back now. With Shikamaru keeping tabs on Komorebi, and with both their escape routes secured, all that's left is to finish executing the plan.
Ino sits on the edge of the roof, using her heel to press down on the ladder. The joints are caked with rust, but it feels nice and stable.
Halfway into her descent, Ino notices the ladder's not fully extended after all. She gives the drop-down ladder another nudge with her foot. This time, its lack of movement is less welcome, but she can jump the rest of the way down if she has to.
"I'm heading down n—eek!"
With a grating clang, the bottom half of the ladder falls away just as she lifts her foot to keep descending.
Jumping it is, then.
Landing on the grass, Ino looks over her shoulder to make sure the noise didn't draw any eyes. She then glares at the broken ladder beside her before moving to rejoin Asuma and Kurenai.
"Stupid ladder's broken, but I'm outside. Your turn to get out of there, Shikamaru."
"Copy that."
His eyes sweep the darkened corridors of the Academy one last time. They've grown a lot since the first time they stepped foot in here—him, Ino, and Chouji.
Ah, well. No use dwelling on the past when he's got her, Asuma, and Kurenai waiting for him outside. A faint smile rides his lips as he pulls open the transportation scroll.
It tires quickly thereafter.
"Ugh," is the first thing Shikamaru lets out in his team's presence. He tugs at his ear, still ringing from the ladder's sudden malfunction. "That felt like a humiliation ritual. Dunno what the higher-ups got in mind, putting us through the Exams again. It's such a drag ..."
But hey, everyone got out. That's all that matters.
END.
their ass is grass and komorebi's about to mow it
katabasis week 2 — team 2 ft. shikamaru, asuma, kurenai, ino
Shikamaru's eyes flit across the patrol route once more. Ino's on the rooftop; Asuma and Kurenai are hidden somewhere between the two classrooms; and he's tucked away in the teacher's lounge. The closest escape would be the window or the rooftop—a seamless move, given that Komorebi doesn't finish her current route.
The time between Ino's and Asuma's reports on Komorebi's movements isn't particularly long either. At best ... "We have about two or three minutes before she restarts her round." More, if he's able to hold her back. "Ino, can you make it down the ladder in two?"
Footsteps pad along in the distance.
Shikamaru moves behind the coat rack, his hand still poised over his mic as he watches the door.
"I can't tell if there's a direct path from where you are to the rooftop, Asuma. It's a pain in the ass, but I would go back and try the window."
A silhouette appears at the far end of the frosted glass. He reaches into his pouch.
"I'll try to distract her on my end. Give me a signal once you're all down. I have Kurenai-sensei's transportation scroll to get me out."
"Can do," Ino replies to Shikamaru.
Though the lack of Komorebi's footsteps up here are a welcome repreive, but she's not out of the woods yet. As if to reminder her, the evening air sits still and stagnant.
Ino positions herself against a corner of the fence. From here, she can keep an eye on the windows in question, and maintain a quick path to the ladder. Clambering up the fence and down the other side would leave her too exposed, make it too difficult to keep an eye on the situation while moving.
A Yamanaka doesn't take those risks without an ally to cover her. Not unless romantic intrigue is invovled.
"Asuma-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, I've got a clear line of sight on the east side. Once you're out, we'll follow."
@petalillusions @ashesburned
Giving the scroll to Shikamaru was the right call. He can help direct their escape efforts and then escape himself without issue. And with Ino watching from the roof, there's very little chance their plan will fail. A shinobi must always be prepared that there is a chance of failure, but Kurenai feels confident in all of their efforts.
"I'll go first." She nods to Asuma in the darkness, then opens the trap door and disappears through it back into the academy's halls.
As expected, Komorebi is nowhere near her, and so there's no one to witness the dashing shadow that makes its way from the hallway to the classroom. The window Asuma spoke of is still open.
Kurenai moves toward it. Moonlight and fresh air spill through and caresses her skin, a welcome feeling after hiding in the hallway's shadows for so long, but she remains focused on the task at hand. The area is clear and it's time to make her escape.
With practiced ease, Kurenai slips out of the window and down the side of the building, barely disturbing her surroundings until she lands on her feet beneath the shadow of a tree.
"I'm clear." She speaks into the mic. The academy looks quiet from here. Hard to believe there's several ninja trying to escape its confines.
@ashesburned
"I'll be right behind you." After Kurenai leaves, he looks both ways down the hall. As his students had confirmed, Komorebi was out of view and further down. He could still feel her chakra. It was further away now, so without much of a second thought, Asuma steps out of the trap door and makes his way back to the west classrooms as silent as he can.
He takes a moment to shut the door behind him, as if that would conceal the path he'd taken. They were aware of the proctor's route she was taking through the halls. She hadn't entered any rooms, though Asuma supposes it hardly matters now. They all had a clear path to escape.
The classroom is dimly lit by the moon's rays pouring through the open window. The smell of smoke still lingers, though just barely now. Asuma smiles to himself and makes a break for the window, channeling just enough of his chakra towards his feet to run down the outside wall of the academy. Once he spots Kurenai in the line of trees, he runs towards her and takes cover in the underbrush.
One of his hands reaches up to tap his earpiece, and his gaze shifts back towards the academy's third floor. "Made it out safe and sound. Come on out whenever you two are ready."
their ass is grass and komorebi's about to mow it
katabasis week 2 — team 2 ft. shikamaru, asuma, kurenai, ino
Komorebi's footsteps fade, and Shikamaru waits.
He's crouched behind an armchair, hands pressed into the Rat seal. Beside him, moonlight bleeds into the lounge, soaking the marbled floors all the way to the door. But Komorebi doesn't come back.
A frown pinches his brows. He lingers for a few moments more before letting the seal fall to his side. Perhaps the hallway is longer than he'd assumed ... or they're in another genjutsu.
There's rustling in his ear. Movement. Shikamaru sets them aside as he squints at the bulletin board hammered into the east wall. Is that ... ? A patrol route, looking eerily similar to the layout he has mentally mapped out in his own head—except with more spaces north. And if Komorebi was just here, around the teachers' lounge, then ...
He reaches up for his mic but stops mid-way.
There's more rustling then. Whispers. Asuma's voice. Kurenai's voice. Whatever thought Shikamaru had in that moment dissipates, and he finds himself pressing his earpiece in, as if that would help him make sense of what he's hearing. What's happening? Are they—
Ino comes through, and Shikamaru damn near rips the earpiece out.
"Could've chosen a more elegant way to tell us," he grumbles, rubbing the base of his neck. His gaze returns to the patrol route. "North Hall, heading East ... yeah, that tracks. Looks like she patrols—" Right. He should probably loop Asuma and Kurenai in too.
He switches his mic back to the main line.
"Uh." An awkward pause befalls him. "The proctor lady travels in a Z-formation." His mind grapples for something substantial to offer, but nothing comes along. "She's headed your way," he finishes lamely.
Kurenai stills as Asuma grabs at her pouch and secures her scroll. He's always thoughtful like that. And then his touch lingers on her hip, a soft circle on her skin, and for a moment her mind goes blank. "Asuma..." Her voice is low, barely audible in the darkness.
Ino suddenly comes on over the mic and reality comes back to her. They're on a mission and shinobi shouldn't fall prey to distractions.
Shikamaru comes on next and once he's finished, she nods and presses her hand to her ear piece. "Good job, Shikamaru. Asuma and I will stay hidden until she passes."
Without thinking, Kurenai places her hand against Asuma's chest and continues to speak into her mic. "Asuma mentioned a window in the classroom. Can one of you investigate further? We may be able to use it as a viable exit."
"Copy that. Thanks, Shikamaru" His voice is a whisper and he turns his head in an attempt to peak through some of the smaller holes in the wood before turning his gaze back to Kurenai.
As if on cue, Komorebi's loud footsteps echo through the hall, her chakra signature at it's peak as she passes by their current hiding spot embedded in the wall. Asuma inhales and holds his breath for a moment, only releasing it when it her presence begins to fade again.
"The teacher's lounge is nearby. Sounds like she's headed in that direction next. She'll be back on the east side afterwards." If he remembered correctly, it was also down the hall. This part of the academy wasn't very large.
Kurenai rests her hand on his chest and a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips. She always turned stoic while she was working, and while he didn't get distracted very easily, her seriousness still served as a reminder for him.
"I'll be headed out in a minute. Wanted to wait until she passed first. Does anyone need any help?"
their ass is grass and komorebi's about to mow it
katabasis week 2 — team 2 ft. shikamaru, asuma, kurenai, ino
As Shikamaru tucks away the transportation scroll Kurenai had given him, his classified one pulses once. The light isn't particularly bright when it's rolled closed and shielded by layers, but given a dark corridor, it might as well be equivalent to flagging Kotorebi down.
"Yeah, we can have one on the lookout." He glances over at the window panels lining the upper wall. When he'd ducked earlier, it didn't seem like Kotorebi was carrying any source of light when she passed by. So she can be anywhere. "The hallway between us and Asuma and Ino should be clear. I'll check it out."
The vents are a tight squeeze, and his shoulders strain to keep him upright. Shikamaru crawls along nonetheless, peering down into the hallway in question before making his way across.
"Coast's clear," he murmurs into his mic.
He looks ahead into the darkness. A gust of cold washes over him then, prickling at his skin and at the hairs on the back of his neck. He can't see where the vents end. The cool metal, once welcomed, now presses into him on either side. And the walls are closing in and the walls are closing in and the walls are closing—
Shikamaru tumbles out of the ventilation shaft and has half a mind to grab onto the ledge so he can quietly lower himself into the teacher's lounge and hide. He'd been aiming for the hallway at the very end but ...
His first breath is laboured.
His second comes after a quick surveillance of the space around him. "She's in the hallway with the stairwell." Are you sure? "... I think."
Asuma's brows furrow for just a moment when he hears Shikamaru's breath hitch. It's not often he hears him hesitate like that. Not that he wasn't allowed but it wasn't like him. For the moment, Asuma pushes those thoughts aside. He'll have to ask later.
He blows another puff of smoke towards the ground, and then turns back to Ino. There are no footsteps that he can hear in the hallway straight ahead, and where Ino had just come from was clear as well. How accurate his assumptions would be within the next few minutes or so was anyone's guess. Komorebi seemed to be moving quickly.
"I'm gonna check out the hallway between the classrooms. Spent a little too long in this room, I think." He could circle back if needed but there were still other things he wanted to investigate.
At the moment, his priority was a hiding spot.
Asuma opens the door to the hall. His movements are slow and careful as he looks in both directions. He can feel Komorebi's chakra fade in and out as she walks, her own footsteps echoing through the hallways of the academy.
Throwing a little bit of his own caution to the wind, he closes the door behind him and steps out. She's getting closer, and it's putting him on edge so he begins moving. Another few feet, and Asuma sees the glow of another scroll, as well as the familiar silhouette of his partner while she's investigating a heavy wooden door.
Komorebi's footsteps grow louder from around the corner, and without so much as a second thought, Asuma rushes towards Kurenai. An arm slides around her waist, and he pulls her into the enclosed space with him. A part of him hoped it hadn't come off as too forceful. If he had, he could apologize profusely later. The door glides shut, and pulls out one of the scroll holders he'd found in the other set of classrooms to hand to her.
"Sorry. Her chakra's down the hall. This seemed like just as good a spot as any to hide, huh?" There's a little bit of a lilt in his voice that isn't normally there, but it fades just as quickly as he'd allowed it slip through.
Shikamaru goes first and then Kurenai uses the vents after him, carefully fitting herself inside and crawling through the small space. He travels further than she does, into what she remembers being the teacher's lounge. Time for her to see where their proctor is.
Silently, she slips from the vent and into the hallway. She can hear Komorebi through the hallways. Judging by the sounds and her other senses...she's closer than Kurenai thought. But there's still time to search and they need every advantage they can get.
Kurenai moves confidently through the darkened hallway when a strange sight along the ground catches her eye. The outline of something. Her hand moves along its outer edge until she can fit it into the indent of a handle. Soundless, the heavy door opens to reveal a dark space. It doesn't go anywhere but it is some kind of secret hiding spot.
And then she feels him, Asuma, at her side pulling her into this dark space. She doesn't resist, simply fits herself against him as they take up the entirety of the hidden area. It's not a smile that greets him however but a frown.
"Asuma, why are you smoking here?" She plucks the cigarette from his lips and puts it out immediately against the wall that they're cramped up against. "The smoke and smell will give you away." He knows better.
Normally, she would not care, but this is an exam they're participating in.
He doesn't protest as she puts it out against the wall. Probably for the better. She had a point, and he did know better, but it'd keep Komorebi guessing at least. Staying in one spot for too long was another way to get caught or killed.
One of his hands deftly reaches for her glowing scroll at her hip to secure it in one of the leather holders he'd found, and then once it's fastened shut, he places it back in the pouch she'd been keeping it in. "That'll help block the light." The hand lingers for a moment, his thumb gently circling over her hip before he pulls it back to shove it into his pocket.
His other arm extends to rest against the wall above her head though (as much as part of him wanted to) he doesn't make an attempt to further crowd her space. His stance might suggest he's a little too relaxed but he's kept his eyes peeled, he's been listening, and he's still aware of Komorebi's chakra.
"I'm being careful. I opened a window in the classrooms across the hall. The smoke has a way of blowing out on that side, at least." Neither were lies. "We've passed these things before, we'll be fine. If I get caught, you can tell me you told me so."

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their ass is grass and komorebi's about to mow it
katabasis week 2 — team 2 ft. shikamaru, asuma, kurenai, ino
It's quiet.
Which is good, because it means Komorebi's patrol is a ways off. But she can't so much as sense Shikamaru coming down the vent, and that's what makes it too quiet.
Of course she knows he hasn't gotten himself caught. Last-ditch plans under pressure come to him like water flows downhill. But the adrenaline running hot through her veins insists that Komorebi had been right outside their door, might have even opened it by now.
Don't worry about things that you can't control. He and Kurenai-sensei can handle themselves. Keep moving.
Sticking close to the wall, creeping forward little by agonizing little, Ino notices the scent of cigarettes grows stronger in this direction. He must be searching the first-year classrooms. To let him search uninterrupted for as long as possible, Ino presses her back to the nearest classroom door. She eases it open and slips inside, leaving the barest crack open for a view of the halls.
To Asuma, she whispers, "I'll let you know if she comes this way. How's it going in there, sensei?"
@ashesburned
"Got it. Thanks, Shikamaru."
In hindsight, maybe he shouldn't have lit his cigarette... The smell would give his position away, as would the cloud of smoke that would likely start to accumulate if he lingered in the same area for too long.
What's done is done, and instead of putting it out, he takes a drag and blows the smoke towards the ground.
Asuma walks over to the windows, looking down at the ground below before swinging them open to check the sides of the building as well. Komorebi didn't have any kagebushin patrolling the hallways along with her, but she moved quickly. The jounin steps back, leaving the window open as a possible escape route should they need it, and then begins to inspect the podium at the front of the classroom.
On one of the small shelves inside the podium, he finds scroll holders made of nice leather. And then he remembers the scroll he'd tucked into one of the inside pockets of his vest in a poor attempt to dim the light flooding from it.
The door opens with a soft click, and for a split second, his instinct is to hide but when he sees Ino enter into the room, Asuma is sliding his scroll into one of the holders. It's fastened shut, and then tucked back into a pocket in his vest. "So far, so good. I found these. Should make our locations a little less obvious, I think." He tosses one of the scroll holders to Ino and shoves a hand into his pocket.
"Stay away from the window. It's a clear view in." A pause and he glances back towards the window again. "I need to hide."
As Shikamaru tucks away the transportation scroll Kurenai had given him, his classified one pulses once. The light isn't particularly bright when it's rolled closed and shielded by layers, but given a dark corridor, it might as well be equivalent to flagging Kotorebi down.
"Yeah, we can have one on the lookout." He glances over at the window panels lining the upper wall. When he'd ducked earlier, it didn't seem like Kotorebi was carrying any source of light when she passed by. So she can be anywhere. "The hallway between us and Asuma and Ino should be clear. I'll check it out."
The vents are a tight squeeze, and his shoulders strain to keep him upright. Shikamaru crawls along nonetheless, peering down into the hallway in question before making his way across.
"Coast's clear," he murmurs into his mic.
He looks ahead into the darkness. A gust of cold washes over him then, prickling at his skin and at the hairs on the back of his neck. He can't see where the vents end. The cool metal, once welcomed, now presses into him on either side. And the walls are closing in and the walls are closing in and the walls are closing—
Shikamaru tumbles out of the ventilation shaft and has half a mind to grab onto the ledge so he can quietly lower himself into the teacher's lounge and hide. He'd been aiming for the hallway at the very end but ...
His first breath is laboured.
His second comes after a quick surveillance of the space around him. "She's in the hallway with the stairwell." Are you sure? "... I think."
Asuma's brows furrow for just a moment when he hears Shikamaru's breath hitch. It's not often he hears him hesitate like that. Not that he wasn't allowed but it wasn't like him. For the moment, Asuma pushes those thoughts aside. He'll have to ask later.
He blows another puff of smoke towards the ground, and then turns back to Ino. There are no footsteps that he can hear in the hallway straight ahead, and where Ino had just come from was clear as well. How accurate his assumptions would be within the next few minutes or so was anyone's guess. Komorebi seemed to be moving quickly.
"I'm gonna check out the hallway between the classrooms. Spent a little too long in this room, I think." He could circle back if needed but there were still other things he wanted to investigate.
At the moment, his priority was a hiding spot.
Asuma opens the door to the hall. His movements are slow and careful as he looks in both directions. He can feel Komorebi's chakra fade in and out as she walks, her own footsteps echoing through the hallways of the academy.
Throwing a little bit of his own caution to the wind, he closes the door behind him and steps out. She's getting closer, and it's putting him on edge so he begins moving. Another few feet, and Asuma sees the glow of another scroll, as well as the familiar silhouette of his partner while she's investigating a heavy wooden door.
Komorebi's footsteps grow louder from around the corner, and without so much as a second thought, Asuma rushes towards Kurenai. An arm slides around her waist, and he pulls her into the enclosed space with him. A part of him hoped it hadn't come off as too forceful. If he had, he could apologize profusely later. The door glides shut, and pulls out one of the scroll holders he'd found in the other set of classrooms to hand to her.
"Sorry. Her chakra's down the hall. This seemed like just as good a spot as any to hide, huh?" There's a little bit of a lilt in his voice that isn't normally there, but it fades just as quickly as he'd allowed it slip through.
their ass is grass and komorebi's about to mow it
katabasis week 2 — team 2 ft. shikamaru, asuma, kurenai, ino
Soft voices crackle through her ear piece as steady red-ringed eyes follow the proctor through the hallway. She's grateful that Shikamaru speaks where she cannot, giving warning that the woman is on the move. There's been no attempt to look into any of the rooms yet.
Once her footsteps recede, Kurenai moves toward the alcove. She searches quickly, moving her hand through the darkness, and grabs a scroll. Pulling it into the moon light she realizes her intuition to search the high risk area had proved correct. Her efforts have won them a teleportation scroll. Kurenai gives the area a quick glance, finds nothing more of interest, and returns to the classroom.
Shikamaru is still inside. She nods and produces the scroll. "Here, take this." And presses it into his hands. "We may find more items in the hallways where she roams."
Asuma has spoken at length of his pride in his team, but she knows he and Shikamaru have spent much time together outside of their training as well. A bond similar to hers and Hinata's. And even here in the dark, she can see the intelligence shining in his eyes.
"What do you say to a little team reconnaissance?"
It's quiet.
Which is good, because it means Komorebi's patrol is a ways off. But she can't so much as sense Shikamaru coming down the vent, and that's what makes it too quiet.
Of course she knows he hasn't gotten himself caught. Last-ditch plans under pressure come to him like water flows downhill. But the adrenaline running hot through her veins insists that Komorebi had been right outside their door, might have even opened it by now.
Don't worry about things that you can't control. He and Kurenai-sensei can handle themselves. Keep moving.
Sticking close to the wall, creeping forward little by agonizing little, Ino notices the scent of cigarettes grows stronger in this direction. He must be searching the first-year classrooms. To let him search uninterrupted for as long as possible, Ino presses her back to the nearest classroom door. She eases it open and slips inside, leaving the barest crack open for a view of the halls.
To Asuma, she whispers, "I'll let you know if she comes this way. How's it going in there, sensei?"
@ashesburned
"Got it. Thanks, Shikamaru."
In hindsight, maybe he shouldn't have lit his cigarette... The smell would give his position away, as would the cloud of smoke that would likely start to accumulate if he lingered in the same area for too long.
What's done is done, and instead of putting it out, he takes a drag and blows the smoke towards the ground.
Asuma walks over to the windows, looking down at the ground below before swinging them open to check the sides of the building as well. Komorebi didn't have any kagebushin patrolling the hallways along with her, but she moved quickly. The jounin steps back, leaving the window open as a possible escape route should they need it, and then begins to inspect the podium at the front of the classroom.
On one of the small shelves inside the podium, he finds scroll holders made of nice leather. And then he remembers the scroll he'd tucked into one of the inside pockets of his vest in a poor attempt to dim the light flooding from it.
The door opens with a soft click, and for a split second, his instinct is to hide but when he sees Ino enter into the room, Asuma is sliding his scroll into one of the holders. It's fastened shut, and then tucked back into a pocket in his vest. "So far, so good. I found these. Should make our locations a little less obvious, I think." He tosses one of the scroll holders to Ino and shoves a hand into his pocket.
"Stay away from the window. It's a clear view in." A pause and he glances back towards the window again. "I need to hide."