Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ken was just adjusting the weights and getting a feel for them when the messenger arrived. The weights were heavier than the ones he'd trained with when he was younger, at least twice the weight. He held his hands out as if holding a katana and gave a few slow, exaggerated swings, stopping when Coren turned to address them.
He raised his hand.
"If I make a rude comment, I can't help it, Coren-dono. It's in my blood, as it were." he said truthfully. His father was exactly like him in that regard.
"I would also prefer if you didn't kill me. I may not have an illustrious career in ninja-hood ahead of me, but I at least want some type of career." he added, smiling.

Ken stared the man back. "Have you ever met my father, sir?" he asked casually. "He's worse than I am, and where I got it from. I have a penchant for jokes. I've been told people get used to it, although I tend to disagree." he added, not even blinking abnormally when the smoke passed across his face.

"I do respect you sir." Ken said, brushing the ash off his forehead. "I just happen to have a sharp tongue at the same time. Trust me, if I was disrespecting you, not only would you know it, but with all due respect, I'd already be dead, sir." he said with a wry grin.

"Solid hit." Ken complimented sincerely, wiping a bit of blood off with the rag. He sniffled a little then felt around his nose, getting a feel for it. Broken, and out of place. On well. He winced a little as he pushed it back into place. "That's going to hurt much worse in the morning, but I think I'll pull through." he added, mopping up a little more blood that had come out during the repositioning of his nose.
"By the way, what's the deal with the Raikage?" he asked. "Does it have anything to do with the thing going on in the Mist?"

"So why the punch?" Ken asked, taking a step back to let it go wide. "A missing Kage and trouble brewing abroad might have some connections. Unless you guys have already investigated that route." he added quickly.

"Didn't think so." Ken said, dodging the punches and deciding to return a quick left jab of his own. "Although I'd venture a guess and say that he doesn't just disappear for a long time without warning, unless he knows something's up." he continued, getting ready for the next attacks.

Ken couldn't help laugh at that. "I'm overestimating the Raikage?" he asked, standing up slowly due to the weights. "Shouldn't it be underestimating, as in, he's so powerful he can stand and destroy any threat to our village?"