dear_mun | [Voicetesting smol green bean]

When's the deadline?

His first task is due in two hours and he hasn't started yet.

Sounds like it was quite a busy night. For you both.

We were asleep until four. An entire morning of training wasted.

Well. Maybe you could think of it as preparation for training. A night of rest is always good for the body. Isn't it?

[Smacks the bottom of his fist into his palm, immediately cheering up.]

I can take this as an opportunity to do some night training! You always tell me to practice in all conditions so that I may be prepared for anything.

I... I do?

[ Granted, the Green is familiar though she can't imagine anyone else willing to don that awful thing. And that face, too, but...

She just figured it was another Green Beast disciple. Or that Lee finally found a student of his own. ]

Well, I mean. That is some pretty smart advice.

Yeah, you-

[Wait, it's not right. Actually paying attention now he can see she's not that much older than he is.

His expression becomes more calculating as he studies her. There's no mistake, she looks exactly like his mom, but...

What?]

Yeah. Some of the best advice I've ever gotten.

[ Ah, well. If he's gonna give her credit for good advice, who is she to correct him? ]

I guess that's all I can ask for if it's advice I've given.

[ And if he thought she looked strikingly similar, that smile she gives him is unmistakable. ]

Hope your person decides to take it too.

[There's a strain of unease that he can't quite hide. Why do you look like his mother?!

Does he have other family out there?? His clan is so small, though. Plus, his parents surely would have told him, right? So many questions. If he'd been home he would have gone right away to try and find answers.

He doesn't want to accidentally offend her by saying 'my mistake', so he pushes forward with the conversation. He can find someone he actually knows after.]

Mm! I'll make sure he does! Dad wouldn't give up on him just because he's a little lazy, so I won't either!

Your... dad.

[ She supposes not all the kids under Gai's - or even Lee's - tutelage could be orphans. Although it probably would make explaining the green spandex a lot easier to explain. Still, if the kid's parents are okay with this extreme method of training for their son, they were probably pretty okay with it.

Or really insane. ]

I mean it's good that your dad would be so supportive. Sometimes that's all a person needs.

[Well, that pretty much cinches it. If she is somehow family, then she must be distantly related if she doesn't know his dad. Which, consequently, happens to be one of his favourite subjects.]

He's the greatest ninja in the whole village! He told me once that he'd never have gotten to where he is without support, so now he'll reach out to anyone who needs it. Dad doesn't give up on anybody.

[Does this grin look at all familiar?]

[ Smiles. Sounds just like a very proud son talking about his dad. She can get behind that. Alright. It's official. Even if his parents are insane, this kunoichi thinks they're A-okay in her book. ]

He sounds like a really great person. I'm glad.

[ Strangely.

BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY. THAT GRIN DOES LOOK HELLA FAMILIAR, WHAT EVEN. Scarily similar to another sparkling smile she knows...

Chuckles. Though it's somewhere between amused and nervous cuz while it's a good conversation, there's still that lingering odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. ]

I used to know someone like that too. Pretty loud, but pretty good at making friends. [ Pause. Shrug. ] After punching some sense into them...

[That's a strangely familiar description. He could have sworn he's heard it before. From a couple of different people.

He's just as skeptical now as before.]

Did he make friends with everyone he punched?

[Even for him, that sounds like a pretty sketchy way to try and make friends. Certainly against what he's been taught growing up.]

As far as I know. Mostly. [ Chuckles. ] Even managed to make friends with a guy who was trying to destroy the shinobi world as we knew it.

[ Although, she's almost certain he didn't try to play nice with that Madara guy or the crazy god that came after him. At least. That's how it was told. She wasn't actually awake for that part... ]

But then, as my person likes to remind me, it's really hard to say no to Uzumaki Naruto when he gets an idea in his head.

....

[One.

Two.

Three breaths as that sinks in.]

The Hokage-sama?! [I-is she talking about the war? It's not exactly a common topic. Metal knows that pretty much everyone had lost someone during the battle, so he tries not to bring it up without good reason. It's been so long.

To talk so casually of the Hokage though! Of course he's aware that his parents know him well, and Metal himself has spent the occasional afternoon listening to stories when he has time, but trying to imagine him as a loudmouth who makes friends by fighting?

Has to be a different Uzumaki.]

[ Brows furrowed, she looks at the kid with some confusion. You got your wires crossed there, kid? ]

I'm sure he will be, one day. But no, it can't be. They just named Kakashi-sensei Hokage.

[ Quirks a brow, glancing over as if to confirm it with her mun. ]

Besides, I could hardly call him loud and fully willing to make so many friends...

That is quite impossible, ma'am! It has been relatively recent but the Rokudaime retired already.

[Has she been away on a mission? That is an awfully long time to be out of the loop, though. Metal feels that even those who leave the village would have been told.]

[ Makes a slight face. 'Ma'am?' Excuse you, kid. She's hardly that much older...

Still, all this talk about the Sixth having already retired. That's just not possible... right? ]

I think you're mistaken. Hatake-san just agreed to become Hokage after returning from the war.

[There's a sinking feeling of dread at hearing that, cause it wasn't possible. And yet it explains exactly why she looks like his mom, only younger.

What is this place?]

The war...was more than fifteen years ago.

[ Whoa, kid. Whoa. There was no war fifteen - okay that's not completely true. More like sixteen/seventeen years ago, but that's beside the point. There's no way Naruto could've been Hokage back then when he was barely even born...

...And then it dawns on her. ]

...You're one of them, aren't you?

Them?

[Metal settles his hands on his hips at the abrupt shift in question.]

Them. [ As if that explained everything. It should.

No, it doesn't, Tenten.

Well, fine, if you all need clarification. ] The kids from the future.

I've met another one a while back...

[That sure is a lot of green.

Give him a minute. This is...

Sssomething.]

How'd it go?

[There's a calculating look, followed by a deep sigh.]

He got his work done on time, but it was close. It was dawn before he went to bed.

Is...this normal?

[Is he finally going crazy? Is this the end of the line? Did Hyuga Neji just witness a calculating look pass through the features of some bushy-browed kid in a green jumpsuit?

Forgive him for chancing a glance over Metal's shoulder for an instant, as if he's expecting someone else to just... appear.

Somebody help him, he wasn't prepared for this. But anyway, back to the green bean. Neji nods both in approval and in reply.] I'm afraid so. Your writer makes it a habit?

[There's a shift as Metal curiously glances back, wondering who the man is looking for. Whatever could be wrong, Hyuuga, sir?]

...I'm unaware of how extensive his laziness is. I only just arrived recently.

[He pulls his shoulders back, decided.] This just means I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to bring him around! It might very well be the hardest task I've ever been given, but that won't stop me.

If he did it once, chances are he'll do it again. [Which is an offhanded remark, really, not so much his focus anymore.

So. Is it telling that a few seconds after the boy's declaration, Neji is still waiting for some explosion or other of Youth, capital 'Y'? That's the serious issue playing out in his head at the moment. Sorry, kid, it's

surreal.] What's your name?

[Please, while he fully believes in the power of youth in all its forms, he's not quite so intense as his dad outside of training sessions. Just don't actually bring up the topic and everything will be fine.

He draws himself up to his full ~~unimpressive~~ height, like he's making an important declaration.]

I'm Metal Lee, and I'm going to be the next great Taijutsu master!

[What a charming child! Now this is someone who understands what it means to be young! Rock Lee bows to him quickly.]

Well-spoken, young man! I am glad to hear that other generations appreciate the value of hard work as well as we do! Please, keep doing your best for your friend!

[The expressions on his face as he bows back range a very quick gauntlet from delight through some mild confusion, and right onto determination as he straightens his shoulders to make himself look taller.]

Of course! I won't let you, or him down!

[Might be studiously ignoring his own player's protests at this.]

[This young lad!! His determination stirs Lee's heart, and the teen starts to shed some tears.]

Yes!! Of course... of course you will not! Just through the determination in your words... I know that I can never feel let down by you, young man!! [He doesn't seem to notice how odd it is that the kid is specifically worried about letting him down.] You will do your best for this 'mundane' of yours!

[Under every normal circumstance Metal would be swept up in his dad's enthusiasm. But there's something highly unusual going on here. That felt a little too...generic encouragement, and this is now the second person who should recognize him that-

yep, on a second look, his dad looks a lot younger too!

Questions about 'mundanes' set aside for now, Metal leans in closer to study Lee's face, eyebrows knit together in sudden suspicion.]

[Whoa! This child is suddenly staring him down!

Very well... two can play at this game! His own mighty eyebrows settle, and he leans forward as well, as he tries to intensely stare the boy down!]

[Voicetesting smol green bean]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject