Kurumi

is the youngest daughter of Kiyoshi Yuri and Shigemi Yuri. Born with innate potential, her future as a kunoichi of Kumogakure looked bright, as she appeared ready to follow in the footsteps of her elder sister and brother. But it was not to be unfortunately, as during her first chūnin exams she was gravely injured by fellow competitors, whose combination of impure water and lightning release proved sufficient for paralyzing her from the legs down. In consequence, Kurumi was confined to a wheelchair for what the doctors said could be an indefinite time; it is unsure if Kurumi will ever walk again. The loss of a fledgling ninja career proved to be highly depressive for the young girl, especially as she watched her older siblings and cousins flourish in the field. So she took solace in the one place a person in Kurumi's situation could; her mind. The girl put to work her brain and her yet untested intelligence in a variety of disciplines, particularly the sciences and history, accompanying her older sister at the library whenever Kurumi could.

Kurumi's cunning combined with her intelligence and sharp wit proved to be sufficient for placing her within Kumo's council chamber, a fact unheard of at her tender age of 15. However, just like the ninja prodigies of old, Kurumi had come into her own, just not in a way most had expected, particularly from her early days as academy student. But with her aptitude and political clout, she silenced the naysayers, similar to the efforts that Gaara used when he became a Kage at her exact age. While her family worries for her health, Kurumi declines their sympathies, shooting for a level of power befitting her capabilities; Lightning Daimyō.

Background
The birth was complete. Last of the line and the youngest child, Kurumi Yuri, had entered the world for better or for worse. Born 15 years after her eldest sister and 13 years after her eldest brother, Kurumi was thrust into a gap of experience, compared with two siblings who were well on their way to attainment of the jōnin rank. However, this would be no concern to the innocent baby, shielded from the world's instability and vices by her parents and kin. Growing up in a loving home and under the watchful eye of Tsugumi proved beneficial for Kurumi, watching her relatives excel in the various disciplines of the shinobi world was both exciting and challenging for the young girl, who despite being a toddler felt a fire and ambition to join them on their quest as ninja of Kumo. Tsugumi once remarked that as a child, Kurumi had more motivation to become great than she did. Such a statement surprised Kurumi's parents, but then again, it could be derived from perspective; both Kiyoshi and Shigemi grew up as the oldest child of their respective households. Thus they didn't necessarily understand the need as the youngest to prove themselves, and escape the shadow cast by those who came before them. Such a misunderstanding did not upset the girl however, no, she was instead preoccupied with striving for excellence, regardless of the reputation her parents and relatives had built. So for the time being, Kurumi contented herself with playing ninja alongside her brother, before tailing her older sister to the library and other educational institutions. It could be argued that hunger for knowledge had already been fostered.

But soon the day came, through convincing on Kurumi's behalf by her older sister Tsugumi, for the former to be enrolled in the academy. It was clear that Kurumi's brilliance was developing at an astounding rate to the point that a more structured setting would be needed for further growth to be awakened. Thus, on a springtime day when Kurumi was 7, she was formally enrolled in the academy, placed in classes with similarly bright pupils. From the get-go, her intelligence was strongly rooted in the Kumo's academia, particularly the likes of ninjutsu, a craft that quickly became her strongest aptitude, only matched in proficiency by the art of genjutsu. Such complex and ultimately critical inner workings of the subsequent techniques fascinated Kurumi, giving rise to a complete breakdown of the process, a question that would be unexpected from a 20 year old jōnin, let alone a 7 year old academy student. However, such advances where commonplace as far she was concerned, as she easily outstripped other gifted individuals within her class to focus on more rigorous material suited for those of higher ninja ranks. Shigemi in particular considered her daughter's blossoming skills comparable to Itachi's vibrant display of wisdom. It was soon apparent that her knowledge had outgrown the academy, something that Kurumi lamented slightly but took as a sign of her personal progress. Thus she graduated a year later at the delicate age of 8, officially a genin of Kumo.

With her primary education complete, Kurumi turned her energies towards collaboration with her teammates, seeing them as essential to her progress towards the vision of a full-fledged ninjahood. Many could see though that Kuru was special however, her teamwork illuminating her impressive collaborative mentality rather than dimming her intellect. It reached the point where the team's jōnin sensei took it upon himself to teach the young girl, seeing her excellence as too good of a thing to waste. However, despite her ambition, Kurumi learned to keep her expectations tempered. While she was more than content to enter the chūnin exams that following year, the team's overall unpreparedness cautioned her against such a rash action. Thus she became a study in patience, using her abilities to coach her teammates to levels where they could seamlessly attack, defend and coordinate with relative ease. In this regard she became a second sensei of sorts, learning and applying the significantly more advanced strategies and techniques personally taught to Kurumi by her sensei and integrating them into a grander scheme. Such efficiency made it clear that she would most likely be the squad's leader in a given situation where their sensei was absent. Following the two years of preparation, the squad was deemed ready in both jōnin's and Kurumi's eyes. Many were surprised that Kurumi didn't try to bogart the team into the chūnin exams earlier; they were confident that her prowess would have been sufficient for carrying the entire cohort to the coveted chūnin rank. However, Kurumi didn't operate in such selfish notions; she preferred that the entire team be up to par, seeing it as an opportunity to check her motivations against such an exercise in patience. She was confident that it would be rewarded with an uninterrupted boost to chūnin thought, as her team's overall collaboration gave her no cause for concern against the other teams. Kuru couldn't have been more wrong however, though there was no way for her to know at the time. The first round of the chūnin exams went decidedly smooth, her team effectively trumping the puzzle to easily pass onto the second round of the exams. Once all had been completed for the prior round, her squad was assigned a earth scroll to hold with the goal to capture a heaven scroll before returning back to the exam base. Such a simple act seemed almost an insult to Kurumi's savvy. With a well-coordinated plan, Kurumi and her team efficiently eliminated opposing groups who possessed earth scrolls, effectively targeting the heaven scroll bearers in their stead. The task itself was rather boring in a similar mold, as the group attained the necessary scroll with little difficulty.

It was on their return that the genin encountered adversity, or rather Kurumi did, for her teammates were nowhere to be found. Unbeknownst to her, the vice known as jealousy had gripped their hearts, refusing to let go of it's hold. Thus they intentionally left her open to ambush by hostile genin squad, who themselves were bent on remedying the embarrassment they had suffered earlier. However, the girl's cunning and sharpness proved to be more than a match for the group of three, as she efficiently incapacitated one before dealing with the other two. A lapse on her part proved to be her undoing however, as the formerly incapacitated individual turned out to be a water clone, which seeped around her into a significant amount of water, trapping Kurumi from the waist down. Before she could arrange a switch, the latter two struck her down with a combined bolt of lightning that traversed through the water through her entire body, though it remained concentrated in portion where the water source was located. She had only time to scream out before the girl fell into a pit of all consuming black. Kurumi did not know that through some act of awakening conscious that her teammates had doubled back, realizing the vile of what they had done. Nor did she understand that they had defeated they opposing group before carrying her back, looking to perhaps atone for their grievous sin. No, all she knew was darkness before nothing at all, having succumbed to a deep state of unconsciousness as a result of her body's defense mechanism kicking in.

The girl awoke in a hospital bed, back in her native Kumogakure, surrounded by the concerned faces of her entire father's and good portion of her mother's family. Part of her wondered what they would look at her in such a way, until the prior events came crashing down upon her memory. Kurumi's intellect had long figured out that her teammates had willfully abandoned her. It was clear some naivety prevented her from realizing her general proficiency had been the source of such a shameful action. However, Kurumi decided that she would address such an issue later; a sense of numbness prevailed within her body, though it had receded into the area from her waist down. Out of impulse, Kurumi tried to wiggle one of her toes, only to notice that it remained stiff and unmoving. A rising panic threatened to take hold of her, calmed only by her ability to move other parts of her body, such as her arms, hands and upper torso. Then the critical details of what had transpired as a consequence of that attack hit her; she was paralyzed. Such a revelation brought an unexpected tranquility to Kurumi while creating a temporary growth in maturity. For then she cried, her tears soaking her mother's and father's clothing as they comforted their sobbing daughter. She cried for the loss of a ninja career before it could truly begin, the betrayal of teammates that she had trusted, the paralyzing state that most likely marked an end to the short stint of independence. The doctors came in to deliver the prognosis, only confirming Kurumi's suspicions before adding the unlikelihood of her walking again. They noted that Kurumi would most likely be confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life.

With the final tests complete and the doctors administering what they could, Kurumi was released from the hospital, a new perspective thrust upon in the form of viewing the world from the seated position of a wheelchair. Upon reaching home once more, the newfound maturity that had been realized in the hospital vanished, to be replaced by a solemn, nearly consuming depression. Kurumi watched in the coming months from the sideline as her family and clan members flourished within the field that she had planned on dominating, building names for themselves for furthering Kumogakure's reputation as a Great Nation and one integral part of the Shinobi Union. Their abilities had far surpassed her own, then again, they had been on this earth longer than her. Kurumi tried to seek comfort in the fact that her team's betrayal had not gone unpunished by her sensei and her clan, but she still felt hollow and empty. All the stories of various adventures and missions told to her by a variety of relatives returned to her; she would never experience that. It became noted to her just how powerless she felt; this must have been what her teammates experienced each time she showcased one ingenious display of talent after another. For Kurumi it dawned on her just how central the idea of being a shinobi was to the members of her village, to the point where other routes and options seemed nonexistent. In a sense, she was groomed for the position of becoming a splendid ninja who would leave her mark on the village. Because of this, Kurumi couldn't help feeling defeated, as if she had failed in the job handed to her.

Her family's worries deepened with the onset of this depression; they knew what being a prodigious shinobi meant to her; it was ingrained into the fabric of Kurumi's being. But they didn't know what to do, for the paralyzed portion of her existed in an indefinite state, one that had failed to be remedied by the doctors at the hospital. Though they tried to cheer her up with stories of their exploits, they only seemed to depress the young girl further, causing Tsugumi to have the foresight to cut her family off in order to spare her younger sister further misery. Gone was the vibrant, lively young girl who was a staple of what Yuri clan members were like, in her stead was a subdued individual who had withdrew into her own mind, finding it to be a haven from the constant examples of what her life should have been. Spending some much time enveloped in her own thoughts brought a quote to her head; "The mind is a terrible thing to waste." After such remembrance, the quote remained untouched, though it gathered steam with her pysche. For surely there was something could do with this wealth of genius at her disposal! Kurumi's thoughts remained settled upon this quote and tentative idea, tossing it back and forth as her 11th and 12th birthdays passed. It was then that she asked her sister Tsugumi to do something that they hadn't done in years; go to the library. This pattern was soon adopted by the two of them as a means of reforging the bond from earlier years. For Kurumi it was an act of necessity, as it gave her a much needed purpose in life. She chose to dedicate her time there to a variety of subjects and disciplines within the philosophical and scientific realms; the occupying questions and complex formulas proved to be a calming mechanism for Kurumi. These were things that she could solve.

With the knowledge of the world beginning to crowd itself into her head, Kurumi's ambitions were reshaped and sharpened by the new direction she trekked. She left behind her dreams of being a ninja; she knew that for now at least, such an idea was impossible for to attain. So Kuru set her sights on the next best thing; the Kumogakure Council. The de facto legislative body of the village, their vested power particularly that of the council head was considered to be on equal footing with the Raikage. With this in mind, Kurumi focused on her studies, pursuing them with a gusto that had been conspicuously absent from the past few years of her life. While most of her siblings wondered where this revival had originated from, they didn't question it; they were just glad to see the daughter, sister and cousin that they knew beginning to return once more. Of course, this partially dissipated when she declared her ambition to become a member of Kumo's council. Both of her parents and a good portion of her family rejected this, citing the political games and general manipulative nature of that realm. However, it was once again Tsugumi who came to the aid of her sister, this time joined by their brother Kanata. Both cited in retort their sister's incredible intellect and ever growing body of work. They also pointed out the practical aspect of having another Yuri Clan member on the council, particularly one with her capabilities. Lastly, they noted the revival that their sister experienced with this new ambition in mind, and that the political clout of their family would help protect her from malicious individuals. Thus the parents and other important members grudgingly agreed to help appoint Kurumi to the council, succeeding when she turned 15, crossing the line from a young girl to that of a young woman.

Kurumi of the Strong Will
Of the four, this is Kurumi's most commonly utilized persona, to the point where most people consider her incapable of anything else. In this mold, she has little patience for pity, dismissing it as one dismisses a dog barking at the wind. The facade is commonly showcased in council meetings and with her clan, though she softens it slightly when she is talking with her family. Most sum up this form as the epitome of will, that is as unmovable as a mountain, particularly when Kurumi is focused on something she is passionate about. The farce itself is made up of a professional demeanor, one that is unbowed in the face of fellow council members' years of experience. There are times where it can be mistaken for arrogance, though whenever it threatens to get out of hand, Kurumi will rein it in. Other times those portion of her pysche can appear cold and detached, as she seeks to further her own goals and ambitions under the guise of "benefiting others". If anything is clear about this however, it is that she will refuse to back down in the face of strong opposition, using all the tools at her disposal in order to defeat it. Put simply, she has neither time for pity or the faint of heart, with Kurumi's will forming a one-track mind that seeks its final destination.

It could argued that this domineering personality formed as a defense mechanism of sorts after the loss of her ninja career and plunge into depression. Others would say that it was possibly forged from her overcoming that depressive state, becoming a person who is stronger in spirit even if her body has grown weaker. Kurumi herself denies the former reasoning as the explanation for the personality's dominant nature, pointing instead to the environment that she currently exists in, stating that "weakness of spirit" is simply not an option. It is brought into further clarification when it the gap of experience between Kurumi and her fellow council members is noted. Thus she is truly relying a powerful will informed by her near-perfect intuition to retain her state as a up and coming member of Kumo's prestigious council, knowing very well that mistakes can't be made and insecurities can't be shown. Otherwise, she would risk invisibility, if not literal and figurative dismissal from the council's larger decisions. To Kurumi, it is of the utmost importance she has a hand in the council's most critical proceedings, hinting at a lurking inferiority/superiority complex within this mold.

Kurumi the Compassionate
This is considered to be a secondary portion of Kurumi's persona, taking a backseat to her display of fortitude and strong will. However, this is what most of her family members encounter when they interact. While vulnerability is a rare sight within this side, it is nevertheless there to be found. Once again however, it is reserved for those who she feels won't judge and pity her for the content of her situation. Otherwise, this is where Kurumi is perhaps most empathetic, the difficulties of her life's wild turn allowing her to "walk a mile" in someone else's shoes. Surprisingly, this can leak through her public personality as well, as Kurumi believes it is important as a stateswoman to possess the attribute of compassion for a variety of circumstances. It has proven to be a important piece of how she has built popular support within her village despite her young age, suggesting a charismatic side to this persona as well.

Kurumi the Silly & Immature
Most people don't know this side of Kurumi, as she neglects to reveal it in public and most private settings. One could call it the consequence of the events that had befallen her in the past. Another reason came from the personas she normally displayed; it wouldn't make sense if she showed this side, contradicting the hard work that she placed in building her political prestige. Others estimated that she simply wasn't capable of such lowly emotions anymore, having grown to a point where she was wiser beyond her years. However, one person has witnessed this side of her; her grandfather Seika Uchiha. Because he is her grandpa, Kurumi doesn't feel judged nor pitied by him for her situation, something which she is grateful for. Also, his gruff demeanor puts her at ease, allowing her dispose with her sometime cold and professional temperament and simply act her age, if not younger. While in this state, she is also socially witty, arming herself with comebacks as the two banter back and forth about life. Kurumi also lacks the strict diction and stereotypical "upstanding citizen" design, content to poke and crack jokes. She has also done her fair share of pranks, mostly at her grandfather's prodding, who hated to see his granddaughter down.

In her opinion, Kurumi calls this side of her "the devil may care" region, where the consequences aren't necessarily a concern for her. It sometimes rears it's ugly head when she is in an argument with her parents, particularly over the nature of whether or not she can still be grounded, as she believes that her council status and prestige warrant the dismissal of such an "antiquated" notion. Otherwise, this rarely revealed side is considered to be fun-loving, having a need for speed, and is generally a joy to be around. Kurumi tends to teasingly blame her grandfather for the further development of this risqué side, claiming his gruff, somewhat callous yet ultimately loveable demeanor had started to rub off on her. Sometime before the accident however, it was hinted that this side may have been the dominant thread with her personality, though after such circumstances, it all but disappeared as the young girl succumbed to low-level depression. In that sense, it could be warranted that this portion was the "original" Kurumi, before her intellect became the crutch she used to navigate life.

Kurumi the Just
The second to last in manifestion, it could be considered a fusion of her compassion and strong will into something greater. Some of people of dubbed this portion of her personality as a Guide of the People, with her intelligence having transcended into wisdom as she guides Kumogakure to a more prosperous future. A holdover from her fortitude is her mostly uncompromising nature, as she seeks to do right by her people, remaining uncorrupted by the political schemes that run rampant in such fields. However, at the same time, Kurumi will do away with this when she recognizes a compromise's necessity for the benefit of a majority of people. However, she tries to avoid the "sacrifice of a few for the good of the many" as often as possible, noting it's grievous consequences when used improperly. In this sense she possesses a vision of a more unified people, noting it's necessity in the wake of a jumbled world still scarred by war from so long ago.

Kurumi the Scholar
This wrinkle to the young girl's persona is more of a quirk, having lurked within her mindset before awakening as it's own individual within the fold. It most commonly permeates the other aspects of her overall mindset, with the notable exception of silliness. The act itself originated from Kurumi regaining her motivation, after arising from extended bout of depression. Put simply, the act forms the backbone of her inherent ambition to be as worldly and well formed as possible on a variety of disciplines, notably the histories of her own and other villages. She sees this in particular as an opportunity to add to her arsenal of political clout while deriving lessons from the mistakes of the past. When in this frame of mind, she tends to use highly advanced vocabulary, tending to lose her audience in the details of what she is attempting to explain. There are times where she is prone to rambling as well, needing someone, namely her older sister Tsugumi, to cut her off in an attempt at sparing the listeners from information overload. Despite this, it is clear that when Kurumi speaks, she finds whatever she was previously studying to be fascinating, showing a level of excitement and engagement that was sorely missed during those dark days.

It is noted that this aspect is most commonly associated with her work in the political sphere....

Quotes
(To Koko) "Why would I? We both know you could have finished me ages ago, particularly in regards to my current state. Besides, you don't strike me as the time to run away when more people are brought on scene. Rather, you would relish the additional attention as an opportunity to carry out more carnage."