The first rays of dawn pierced the paper-paneled windows of Shisui's new room. The air was crisp with spring bloom and mist from the nearby waterfall that curled around Hanagakure.
Shisui sat up calmly, centering his breath before moving to dress. Today was his first day as a shinobi of the Hidden Bloom Village, and he approached it with reverence.
His attire, freshly laid out the night before, was unlike the austere uniforms of typical ninja. It was a balance of grace and power: a loose-fitting, two-toned light and dark yellow and pink kimono-style shirt, with billowing overlong sleeves that flowed like wind-swept petals. It was tied together with a thick, khaki-grey belt designed in the traditional Ono style, a nod to his noble heritage.
He pulled on navy black pants and adjusted the hem to fit properly under his black, calf-length shinobi sandals. He then slid on his black, fingerless gloves, which extended to his elbows—allowing precise control of chakra, iron sand, and hand seals.
Finally, he tied the Hanagakure headband across his forehead, centering the five-petaled flower and kunai symbol.
Turning to his weapons case, he packed his ninja tools carefully:
A set of kunai and shuriken
Multiple Arch Energy Explosive Tags, humming faintly with pink-blue light
Smoke bombs with dual triggers for instant escape or battlefield confusion
A compact scroll containing a pouch of refined iron sand, sealed with Arch Energy
As he moved toward the courtyard, he found Himeya waiting with a small smile. She held out a sleek wooden lunch box, wrapped in a crimson silk cloth with an embroidered flower crest.
"I know you hate eating early," she said, "so I packed your favorites—grilled river fish, plum onigiri, and citrus buns."
Shisui smiled and took it with a grateful nod. "Thank you, Himeya."
"You're going to do great, Shisui-sama," she said with a soft bow. "Show them who you are."
With the lunch box secured and blades hidden beneath his sleeves, Shisui stepped into the sunlight. The future had never looked so bright.