When to Hold, When to Fold [M]

[Lang]

SPOILER: Click to show

Reactive Formations
Rank:C
Minimum Participants: 1
Details: What’s the point of a good offense if our ninja don’t know how to go into defensive mode when outgunned? That’s going be your job today. We need you to meet up with one of our Genin teams and give them a crash course in how to adapt during battle.
Reward: 200 EXP & 1,000 ryō

Rael was not unfamiliar with training ground 4, walking by often enough to determine which techniques were being practiced by the team currently using it as their sparring field. He usually kept out of sight from the new Genin, and gave their sensei a polite but aloof greeting when they crossed paths on one or two occasions. In the end, he supposed either his ability to keep people at arm's length needed serious polishing up, or the older man was so goddamn lazy, he was willing to dump his students on someone they barely even knew in passing. At least he was willing to pay, commissioning for a C-rank, though Kami knew why he believed Rael was even remotely qualified to teach. Throw in the facts he was about three years younger than Ida-san's rookie team, and only a Genin-ranked ninja himself, they were sure to raise a stink at this sad arrangement. Speaking of the brats...

"There he is!"

Rael inwardly sighed as the quartet made their appearance, one of the two males charging ahead of the others to where he rested in the shade. No need to guess who this brown-haired youth was, the twin tattoos on his cheeks accentuating his feral appearance; Inuzuka Shien, a progeny from the famous House of Dogs. Beside him trotted the boy's canine companion, some breed of husky that barked at him once before quieting. He raised a questioning brow as the dog ran over to him on all fours, circling the youth and poking a black-tipped nose into his back before retreating when its partner called out.

"So you're gonna be subbing in for Ida-sensei huh? Gotta say, you sure don't look like mu-." His sentence was cut off by the sudden fist depositing itself into the dome of his head from behind, eliciting a sharp cry of pain as Shien buckled, rubbing his scalp while turning to glare at the culprit. "Oi! Chise, you bitch! What the hell was that for!?" His reply was a blinding jab to the nose, letting the Inuzuka scion writhing on the grass while his beastly sidekick (literally) barked and panted while nudging him forlornly, the latter finally raising his eyes to glare at his assailant.

"Don't even start, flea bag," came the reply, as a taller girl came up to them, her blonde hair cut short with long bangs in front. Compared to many aspiring and successful kunoichi he met, she was dressed rather conservatively. Yamanaka Chise was not interested in impressing boys; she was there to kick their asses and make them squeal even worse than the fairer sex. The girl might not have the muscles to intimidate anyone, but even Rael felt a bit sorry for the future sods that landed under her care once she inevitably joined TI. From what their sensei mentioned to him in the unofficial briefing, she already had an uncanny affinity towards her clan's hijutsu at a young age. "You already promised Ida-sensei to behave. Don't go making trouble before we even start."

"I haven't started anything yet, damn woman! Keep your grimy claws to yourself!"

THUD. "Say that again, you punk as-"

"Though his method of expressing it was indeed vulgar, Shien is for once, correct." their third member smoothly interjected, bringing up the rear. Only thirteen years old, yet standing at a remarkable 5' 5", Horo of the Kaguya clan was an intimidating sight to his peers. Graduating at the top of his class by a significant margin, even compared to the runner-up, the boy with ivory hair looked down at their 'substitute' instructor with something akin to contempt in his eyes. Shien was the team's tracker, the human-dog pair's sense of smell and hearing unrivaled. Chise's role as the group's mid to long-range support was given after noting her proficiency with poisons and her clan jutsu.

Horo was the team's muscle, plain and simple. However, he was not a dim bulb by any means. Though Shien and his canine were a deadly duo in close quarters, even their vicious techniques couldn't hold a candle to the infamous clan of bone-wielders in a straight fight; judging by the male's thinly-veiled aura of superiority, he knew it too. Before the day was over, he'd have the Kaguya recheck his condescending attitude.

"Well then. My first impression of this group," murmured Rael, as he got up from his seated position to give them a last look-over before continuing,

"...I don't like you."

[Lang]

"Whether or not you choose to listen, it really doesn't matter to me. If you die on your first mission outside Kirigakure's walls," his tone turned flat, indifferent towards their possible future outcome and Shien's warning growl, "it's no skin off my back. However, your sensei seems to think it would be a waste. After all, the village allocated substantial time and resources towards your upbringing as 'ninja'; the least you could do is live long enough to pay some of it back." He was unimpressed by the two sources of undisguised killing intent, with Yamanaka Chise only just holding back her own ire as she sought to restrain her two teammates. Shrugging off the placating hand on his shoulder, Shien stalked forward until he was on the verge of colliding into the prepubescent Genin, his entire demeanor the image of a dog with its hackles raised.

"What," he gritted out, wanting nothing more than to give this insolent whelp the beatdown he so deserved, "the hell would you know about our team? You haven't even know us for three minutes; you're not fucking qualified to say shit about us!" Moving in to forcibly pin Rael against the trunk behind using his forearm, Inuzuka Shien suddenly lurched forward, as Rael not only didn't evade, but grabbed the offending limb and pulled him even further. In that brief instance he was off-balance and toppling forward, Shien's wrist was suddenly released, and the same hand delivered a brutal sucker punch against his collarbone, just inches beneath the soft tissue of his throat. Stumbling back and dropping to his knees, the new Genin hacked violently as he tried to regain breath in his lungs.

His partner was the first to react, before Chise and Horo could even process coming to their comrade's aid. While semi-friendly to him before, if somewhat cautious, the dog now displayed none its previous affability, leaping towards the white-haired boy's neck with a bloodcurdling howl, fully intending to tear out his throat. Rael didn't bother with any niceties as he purposely dropped low to the ground, left leg rising in the same motion to catch the animal in a hefty upwards kick, similar to the Gōken style's 'Shoufuu' technique. His foot connected with the airborne pup's body in a sickening *crack*, and he watching the dog's trajectory do a complete shift in the opposite direction, arching in midair before dropping and rolling several feet past its owner. When Rael next spoke, his voice was heated, verging on supremely annoyed.

"...Congratulations, you're dead. Now your team is incapable of executing any full-squad maneuvers, and also vulnerable to being captured or killed. The Kaguya," he pointed at the bone-clan scion, the latter bristling but keeping still, "will be taken in for experimentation because of his kekkai genkai. As for her," he pointed towards Chise, who scowled heavily at his gesture, "she might serve as prime breeding stock, though I wouldn't be surprised if she was demoted to working in an enemy camp as their relief tool." Ignoring the appropriate gasp of outrage, he made eye contact with each of them in turn, conveniently oblivious to their combined wrath and, in some cases, battered dignity.

"Never, ever rush in against an opponent you know nothing about." Rael's eyes narrowed dangerously, and his voice lowered to an uncharacteristic threatening tone. "If any of you are stupid enough to try that sort of stunt again, the last thing you'll ever see will be the tips of my fingers heading towards your eyes at high speed, got it?"

[Lang]

None of them responded, their sentiments ranging from humbled to enraged. Meeting the eyes of the sole kunoichi in their group, he jerked his head towards the fallen Inuzuka duo, giving her the go ahead to patch them up. Ida-san's team lacked a designated healer, relying on a combination of brute force and subtle tricks to get in, lay the hurt on their enemy, and get out before there was a chance of retaliation. However, they would soon learn a most important lesson: nothing is ever guaranteed to go without a hitch. As Chise applied her emergency healing salve to her thickheaded teammate, Rael continued in his usual bland voice, keeping one eye on the downed form of the boy's partner.

"You were taught about basic attack patterns in the Academy, as well as tactics used when retreating to minimize potential losses. Everything you learned until now is 'by the book'; you follow them because you are told they work, and as indicated by history and past mission debriefs, they do." By now, Chise had moved onto tending the injured dog (the four-legged one), and Shien was gingerly rubbing his collarbone, glowering at the Genin. At least the boy was paying attention. Rael would rather not have to beat him senseless this time, preferring to get the lecture out of the way.

"Remember, strategies are dead, but people are alive. No two battles are ever quite alike, hence the same tactics will never yield the same results. Despite what you might have been led to believe, or perhaps even deceived in this case regarding your sensei, experienced shinobi will never follow a routine. It makes them predictable, and therefore easily surprised by unexpected factors. Surprises on the field," he gave a sharp glance to the Inuzuka, who at least had the decency to look somewhat abashed, "equal death."

By now, Chise had finished healing the previously-injured ninken, and both of them inched forward to sit next to the latter's partner. Even the stoic Kaguya had drawn closer, though he purposely hid any sign of interest with a bored expression. Rael began to slowly pace around the seated group. "That is one of the key components to defeating any opponent you plan to engage: information. Unless the odds are heavily stacked towards one side's favor, the party with the most intel on their enemy generally wins. By having a full understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of your enemies, you will always be prepared. If your individuals skills and ability to work as a team are poor, nor do you have any insight towards your adversary, you are guaranteed to lose any engagement."

[Lang]

"That being said, all of you," he pointed to them each in turn, "give me a brief rundown of your individual strengths and weaknesses. For the latter, describe how you might compensate for your shortcomings." None of them seemed to catch the subtle gleam in his eyes, which should have tipped them off that he was probing for specific answers. He motioned for Shien to go first, already having a sense for the Inuzuka's capabilities, but wanting to hear it firsthand.

"Shiba and I are the best trackers in our graduating class, bar none. Give us a scent, and we can trail it anywhere, long as it isn't too old or rained recently. Taijutsu-wise we're pretty good, I'd say enough to even give bonehead here, he gestured flippantly at Horo, who looked impassive as ever, "a run for his money. We don't really have anything to deal with medium or long-range combat, but we're fast enough to get in close without that being too big of a problem," he finished, looking to the side at his partner and rubbing the canine's head fondly, earning a happy *yip* in agreement. For his part, Rael merely acquiesced with a slight nod, then leveled his gaze on the female in their team. The girl hesitated, as though finalizing her thoughts, then began to speak.

"I'm the team's 'herder', if you will; good at moving the enemy into place for either Shien or Horo to take them out. I can also take over an opponent using my clan's technique, though it leaves my body vulnerable. I usually have to either hide somewhere before using it, or make sure one of the others is watching me. I'd say I'm pretty strong,," she took a moment to punch the Inuzuka atop the head for his quip "like an ox", then continued on like nothing happened, "but fighting up close is nowhere near my forte. Finally, you already saw earlier, but I sometimes act as the team medic as well. I only spend my spare time on the subject, so I'm nowhere even near as good as those guys working in the hospital." This time, their substitute-sensei resumed his earlier pacing, circling the quartet with a strange look on his face before he finally stopped in front of the group's last member. Horo didn't need any prompting, or bother waiting for his cue to begin.

"I am the sword and shield of this team, as well as its leader whenever Ida-sensei is absent," he drawled, ignoring the cries of "teme!" just several feet away, as his other team member tried to calm down mutt-boy, "I have the greatest potential in offense with my kekkei genkai, and can withstand just about any physical attack as well. I also have ways around our clan's dependency on taijutsu, so mid-range combat isn't an issue. My one weakness is perhaps genjutsu, as I've never learned any during my time in the Academy. Though, I doubt anyone would survive long enough against me for that to be an issue," he added without even a shred of humility, showing just how confident he was in his skills. Both of his teammates looked torn between peeved and disappointment, and to anyone paying close attention, they were not wholly alone.

Well then, apparently that was the sum of this team's abilities.: a tracker, a mid-ranged combatant/medic hybrid, and the group's so called 'shield and sword'. There were...discrepancies, between their individual assessments of themselves, and what Ida-sensei had told him beforehand. Very crucial ones too, if he might add. Rael could already tell he was going to immensely enjoy spending time with this bunch. In fact, he just might visit Ida-san sometime after he got his newest batch of kunai; he had just the idea on how to break them in.

"Hmm, not bad I suppose. The points you all brought up are certainly among the concerns Ida-sensai mentioned to me," he got three pairs of raised eyebrows and a confused-sound bark for that one, "but there is something else that bothers me, and out of the three of you, only one person even brushed against the topic." There was not even a hint of inane lecturing in his tone; Rael was completely serious as he stared the trio down.

"Regarding your weaknesses, where do your teammates come into play?"

[Lang]

"Shien," the boy jerked at his name, unprepared for the harsh criticism that was sure to follow, "your tracking skills, founded upon superior sense of hearing and smell, are indeed praiseworthy. However, you should know better than anyone else the latter's susceptibility to noxious fumes, which are a staple counter for any team with a poison user. In the hands of someone with even the slightest control over Fuuton chakra, they can easily exploit your inherent weakness by fanning it towards your general direction before you even realize it. Being oversensitive also makes you that much more vulnerable to genjutsu, something I notice you failed to mention. Lastly, you did not even consider your allies' abilities when making up for your nonexistent ranged skills."

His temper reined in slightly after Rael turned his focus onto the Yamanaka. Out of the three summaries he received, only hers touched on the root of the problem festering in this group. "Chise, good work being able to admit your dependency on these two. None of your techniques are particularly well-suited to fighting by yourself just yet, but your supportive role is absolutely crucial to covering their backs, especially Shien's. Based on your team's current strengths, as well as your own time restraints, 'Souin' will most likely not be an avenue for you to pursue later on."

"However," he continued, catching the disappointed nod she offered at his seemingly conclusive statement, "if you are interested, I suggest contacting some of the village herbalists and Iryou-nin stationed at the hospital for additional lessons on mixing various poisons. In the meantime, begin extensive training on building your stamina and chakra capacity. From what I've been told, your control is already quite remarkable for someone of your station. However, such sub-par reserves will not be able to keep up with your teammates for long, thereby forcing them to slow down and accommodate your reduced speed. Haste is of utmost importance in the majority of your future mission; you cannot afford any delays."

Before he could round on the last member to be criticized, the Kaguya's glaring eyes gave him a moment's pause, as though daring Rael to do anything besides compliment his abilities. Time to give the kid a reality check. "Horo, in a conflict, you would be the first to die." Apparently, his blunt statement did not sit particularly well with the bone-clan progeny, as the boy looked on the verge of darting over and strangling him to death. "Shien and Shiba have been together for a long time, following Inuzuka custom; they have reached a level of compatibility none of you three currently possess. Even with just the two of them, neither has to worry about pitting themselves against an enemy without backup. Chise will rarely be placing herself on the forefront of any skirmish, providing her support from a safe distance away; she will not be bearing the brunt of the enemy's attack." He gave the Kaguya a humorless smile as he saw the proverbial light bulb go off in the new Genin's head.

"As you said, you are the shield and sword of this group; every hit against your team has to go through you first. How can you even accomplish that without being aware of your comrade's positions and attack patterns, knowing exactly how they think, and how to give them the best opening they need to make the shot?"

[Lang]

""Ida-sensei originally wanted me to teach the three of you various attacking and defensive formations, how to best garner your individual strengths into a cohesive fighting unit. However, the three of you are nowhere near that," the hand of authority lifted, shutting them up before anyone could further dispute his decision, "and it would only be a waste of time, essentially forcing three strangers to cooperate as a single entity." The white-haired youth paused, as though considering a matter of great importance, then reached into his back pocket, retrieving a small wad of ryō and handing them over to the team's lone kunoichi. Goggle-eyed, she accepted them trepidly, wondering just what on earth they needed the money for. She obviously felt inclined to ask, but Rael spared her the effort, addressing the trio once more.

"Go out and get some lunch together. Talk to one another, learn about your respective interests and dislikes, what you feel you need to improve. Consider it team-bonding training. I guarantee, once you know more about your comrades," he looked at Horo specifically, who scowled but couldn't refute, "you will find they are much more interesting than you think." The Genin grew quiet, a sombre mood descending over the already stern-faced boy, no older than a freshman student himself.

"You are a team now, and your teammates are what will make you strong." Rael carefully kept his gaze focused on all three of them, not singling anyone out. "It is a testament to your own strength if you can see the strengths in other people and learn to work with them. Letting your teammates down because of pride or arrogance means you are just as weak as those who don't have enough physical strength. Weaker, because you have no excuse."

"We will meet here again next week, same time as today. I hope the next time I see you, things will be different."

And with that, Team 6 was dismissed for the day. He watched the blonde Yamanaka drag her two teammates off, after they awkwardly bid the veteran Genin farewell; even Horo managed a clumsy "bye" before being towed away like a sack of potatoes, much to the Inuzuka's laughter. The clearing grew quiet, and Rael looked up almost wistfully at the mist-hidden foliage, a myriad of thoughts on his mind, each more confusing than the next. Finally, he settled for making a note to catch up with the team's real instructor sometime, letting him know how progress was coming along with his "cute little students".

That, and he owes me the money for their lunch.

---

la fin [to be continued in part 2]

[KEITH]

+60.

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