# Forum > Play-by-Post Games > Message Board Games > Free Form Roleplaying >  Naruto SoundITP IC 1: A Melancholy Song of Hope To Come

## Lord Raziere

*A Melancholy Song Rings Out Across the Farmlands...*
The sun rises upon the Land of Rice, known for the many rice fields that cover its plains. Despite its small size, it produces as much rice as larger nations and in high quality due to efficient and well-developed farming techniques making it a valuable source of food for any who rules it. Such a simple joyous thing which brings many happiness across the shinobi nations from simply giving them a good meal. Such a tragic thing, that so many have spilled blood and given lives to claim or to protect it- soldiers, militia, shinobi all. The waters irrigated throughout these lands were once soaked in blood and many anticipate it will be again.

The light of the sun touches the Village Hidden in the Sound, many think it is named so because of the wind chimes they put up to warm them of coming storms- they are wrong, it is named for being protected by many paper landmines that explode with loud booms when one steps too carelessly near it. A common C-Rank mission for the shinobi here is to escort coming and going merchants through the the safe paths of landmines to make sure trade keeps flowing without injury, a demonstration of their ability to protect the people under them and an effort to keep both their defenses and their economy afloat. 

The Sound Village, being a newly established village is full of new structures and buildings. The Radio Station, Otokage's Tower and ANBU base dominate the skyline, built close together in the center-north east part of the village in the most north-eastern part is the labs, in the south, southeast is the industrial district where factory produce goods with the storefronts built next to them that keep the village supplied and fed, as well as the red light district and various other businesses.

Looking west we see the residential districts and the Sounds' ninja academy. Due to the Sound's disregard for nobility and bloodlines, many ninja homes are mixed in with the common citizens, and said citizens learn to deal with anything... strange that might result. If they don't want to deal with ninja living next to them, they are always free to leave. Though even ninja village citizens try not to think about what shinobi too much. It is dangerous to contemplate what secrets lurk in such places. We, however do not have the luxury of such ignorance.

*Kimiko:*
We come in, to observe one Kimiko Ishikawa, in the new home of the diminished Ishikawa Clan. It is a modern mansion, bigger than most homes but lacking in the traditional aesthetic that the clan would prefer. Beggars however cannot be choosers: There are only about thirty clan members left after the Kiri purge and their efforts to join with the Sound to gain independence. They've done their best to dress up to make it look more traditional with rooms with tatami mats and so on, but they don't make as much money as they wish. Her older brother Jirou is leading her to room in the basement and stops near a door, and turns to her with a sharklike grin.
"So. Just graduated today, eh?" Jirou asks
"As if there was any doubt that I would!" she replies with a similar shark smirk.
"Indeed. But in our clan, you know thats not the real test."
"I understand. I am ready." Her face goes stoic and serious.
"....Of course you are. The little prodigy, why wouldn't you be? Okay then. Lets begin."
He opens the door into the room. Inside is a man, his clothes are worn, his eyes ragged and his breathing is stressed.
"This is your target. Don't come out of this room until you kill him."
"Who is he?"
"Does it matter?" he says in a testing tone.
"Of course it does. You don't kill someone without proper assessment of their capabilities."
"Hm, a valid answer. Very well. This man is a bandit. He has killed at least three people for money. He was once a soldier during the war twelve years ago, but he deserted. Now he is no one. He is malnourished, his training hasn't been maintained he knows no jutsu and is alone the only caveat is that he has a kunai for some reason."
Kimiko confused tries to ask what Jirou is talking about before he throws the bandit a normal kunai who catches it in his hand. Kimiko takes out her own paper kunai and readies herself, feeling a little nervous.
"Must've stolen it off a shinobi or something, you'll have to fight for your life."
He then turns to the door, going and before he closes it all the way he says with a sadistic sharklike grin
"Oh and by the way- bandit? your town burned down a month after you left. fire jutsu, a nation you weren't even fighting. You came back for nothing."
He then shuts the door. The man roars out in a sudden rage and comes charging at Kimiko for a thrust. For a moment Kimiko feels fear and doubt: could she really do this? could she really end a mans life? One brought here specifically for her test? she anticipated this moment all her life, and now that it was right in front of her, she felt hesitation. but she steeled herself. Kimiko Ishikawa would not shirk away from this! She was the hope of clan Ishikawa, its new great prodigy! She would not fail in this mere task!
Little does Kimiko know that killing a man is never a mere task.
She channels chakra through her paper kunai, sharpening it and dashing forward to stab him through the heart nearly on reflex- and succeeds. Easily, the blade piercing through his chest and sliding back out as easily. Paper was incredibly sharp and when hardened it became a deadly weapon. His corpse slumps to the ground, as she feels...a numb, an emptiness as she realizes that she just ended a life. As if something just broke in her that could never be fixed. If she had any illusions about the life of being a shinobi, they had just ended.

She walks back out silent wondering what she had just done. Her thoughts and footsteps her only companion on the way back, eyes wide as contemplated how fast, how deadly it had been. How a life was there- then gone the next. She comes to see the Clan looking at her, seeing her bloodied appear kunai then erupt into celebration, cheering at her having passed their to be a true shinobi: the ability to kill a man. They act as if its a joyous occasion, thump her on the back and tell her that she will become a a great shinobi one day, expecting her to outshine them all. Her mother, Mitsuko clears her throat and presented the Origami No Tsurugi, the ancestral blade of Clan Ishikawa.
"Kimiko, my daughter, it is with great pride that I say that you are a true shinobi in the eyes of your Clan! As my heir, I give to you the Origami no Tsurugi to wield as you see fit. May you use it to one day lead our Clan to greatness once again- and perhaps maybe even this entire Hidden Village! We expect great things from you, and we are sure you will not disappoint!"
Kimiko tries her best to sound confident as she accepts the blade.
"Yeah! Of...of course I won't disappoint you Oka-sama. I'm a genius! The best and brightest. I will wield it with pride."
Deep down however, what she really wants is to just learn all the jutsu, not lead anyone. But she'd never dare tell her mother that. For there is nothing more terrifying to kid or a teen than telling their parent that they disagree with them. Jirou watches her in the corner, wondering what has he done? It was tradition for the sibling or closest family member to do this part and tradition was one of the few things the Ishikawa Clan had left. He had just turned his little sister into a killer.

This is the day Kimiko became a Genin, her first day as a ninja. Tomorrow, she meets her team.

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*
At the neighberhoods of the industory section, inside an apartment of an ugly grey concerte building, scarred from siege and bare iron barks peeking from it like broken ribs.
One of the windows had light inside.
For Usagi, this evening wasn't grimdark and bloody- though she had her own bloody and grimdark evening few years ago. 

"Usagi-Chan. Stop ruining our poor floor with your damn crutches!" One armed eldery woman, yelled at the tanned red haired slinky girl.
"Sorry Tsuru-San!" She said cheerfully, tossing the crutches and hopped to stand on her palms. 
Tsuru sighed. "Seriously, Usagi, our poor apartment can't deal with a trouble maker like you." 
"I am not a trouble maker!" Usagi yelled, and followed her into the tiny kitchen. It might have looked funny, if you ignored the fact her pants were tied above the knees- because she didn't had knees, nor anything below.

Usagi also seen it, as form of training. "Tsuru? Aren't you opening cans tonight?" She has asked, as she lift herself and jumped into an old rusty chair, which creaked  under her sudden "attack." 
"Not today Usagi-Chan." Tsuru said warmly, and placed on the table two edged plastic bowls of steaming ramen.
"Nani?!" Usagi gasped. "You went to buy food at a _resturant_?! It must have cost to you almost a whole salary!"
"Well, I had to take a small loan for this..." Tsuru admitted. "But, not everyday, you graduate the Ninja Academy. And as nothing less then member of the Hope Generation!"
Usagi looked down, her eyes shined with tears. "I swear I'll make money on my missions and give you ramen every week!" She said with a wide smile.
Tsuru laughed. "I don't doubt it. Let's dig in before it get cold." She paused.
"What about Usagi-San? Don't you want to invite him?"

Usagi sighed. "Nooo... he is very strict, only buisness kind of pact I have with him."
"Uh. I am sorry to hear. He such a nice fella. And handsome too." Tsuru teased.
"Don't be wierd." Usagi pouted. And so... they simply enjoyed their meal.




*Midnight: The Sound's Public Radio Channel*

_"...And this was the noise from the Broken Record Club! They are surely wild partiers! Haha! And now time for a midnight speech of our gloriouse Ottokage: Me!"_
*"offical" musical opening for news*
_"Right. As I already broadcasted earlier, today the Hope Generation Genins have graduated! The first ones to graduate simply by passing the exams, without need to bloodshed so early in their lives! 
They represent our hope for a future of peace and prosperity. But to our enemies who listen to this channel as well- don't mistake them to be weak. They are healthy, unscarred by the Indepdence War. They will grow strong and wise, and the whole world will have to listen to their sound! So if you have a cup of sake near you, drink to their honor, brothers and sisters! And now.. a message to the Hope Generation themselves: GO TO SLEEP! Good night!"_ 




*9:00 PM: Odayaka Watanabe's House*


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20180620171233

Odayka has collapsed with a sigh. Dropping off his children at the kinder garden and elemantry school was much bigger a chore then he expected. There were something important for him to go... but his wife, wouldn't agree to be late for her work even for once!
Well, what matter, was the fact it is all over. He sipped a cup of cofee, when his personal radio woke up to life with the voice of the Ottokage.:"[I]Hello Brothers and sisters! Now 9 AM! And I am so excited! The Generation Of Hope has now passed their introductions, and probably start training and testing!"
"Hmm.. that nice." Odayaka hummed. Then he blinked and spat the cofee. "Ksu! I have completly forgotten!" He bursted out of his house, forgetting to close the door. So after two minutes he has returned to close and lock the door

Then he remembered he has forgotten his wallet inside.

When he arrive to the place of meeting- an abandoned watch tower at the weat of the village it was 9:24.


Usagi made push ups, ignoring the late panting bearded man, who were dressed in the "tradional" fashion of the Sound. (Like Orochumaru and the four of sound)
He panted. "I am sorry, Miko and Kimiko were so whinny this morning..." he started to explain, looking out of breath.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Morning:*
As Kimiko goes out the door, she is stopped by Jirou
"I just want to ask...little sister...are you okay? After..."
She is silent for a moment, flashbacking to the moment of killing the man, her eyes a million miles away. The image, burned into her memory forever.
Then she grins and says
"Of course I am! Its something every does ninja does eventually right? I'm just...getting started early. Its normal for ninja. So why shouldn't I be great at it?"
"....Very well. But you know if there is anything wrong you can always tell me."
"Your concern...is appreciated. But I won't need to! I'll make you and whole clan proud brother! You'll see!"
She cannot show weakness. She cannot admit weakness. Weakness leads to death. Or being seen as unworthy. Or failure. Her family needs to see that she is strong. That she can handle this. She is the prodigy they expect- no, a prodigy beyond their expectations. That she is worth their care, the effort of raising of raising her.  Jirou considers her response.
"....I see. Have a good time with your new team, sis. Remember the importance of teamwork."
"I knoooooow, as if that wasn't drilled into me thousand times over when I was like six. I'll cooperate don't worry. Cya bro!"
He waves as she leaves.

*Team Meeting:*
Kimiko and Yuyu are already there with Usagi, waiting for their team leader. Kimiko shark grins, the Origamai No Tsurugi with its paintbrush pommel, her clothes all blue:
"Well hope you don't confuse your daughter with me then. Kimiko's my name to. Kimiko Ishikawa. Top of my class prodigy."
Yuyu introduces herself. She has long silky flowing black hair with green wily eyes, she carries a red japanese umbrella on her shoulder and wears glowing beautiful colorful clothing with long sleeves, greeting you all with a smile.
"Hello, I'm Yuuna Yuuki Yukimura. But everyone just calls me Yuyuyu or Yuyu-Chan. 
How are you all doing today? I'm doing fine myself and hope to help however I can."
Kimiko herself is already assessing her teammates: Legless Wonder, the social butterfly, and a sensei showing up late for his own team. Guess the higher ups decided she needed a challenge. It was only natural, genius needs to be honed by adversity after all.
"Speaking of team mates, congratulations Legless Wonder. Your the world's first legless genin. Already breaking that glass ceiling. That was more than I expected!"
Yuyu gives her a look and says
"Don't be rude, Kimiko"
"What? it was a compliment."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi stopped her pushups, waved at Yuyuyu's concern for her feelings. "Hey, if she want to fangirl over me, then let her" she said with a wide cocky smile. 
She stood on her hands ,and spin jumped to take a seat.
"The name is Uaagi! And I'll never be helpless again! Especialy not because of small hindrance of not having legs!"

She frowned. "And how am I supposed to respect a team leader who forget his own team?!" She has accused. 

"Mmm..." Odayama mmfed with insecurity. 
"And ALSO! I won't forgive favoritism, just because Kimiko happens to have the same name as your daughter!" She yelled.
"Hey- it's not like-"
"AND-"
"Enough!" Odayama yelled with surprising authority. 
"I did a mistake. It doesn't mean you can trample me. I have apologized once, you should accept it and that it." He took a deep breath.
Yeah. If his wife would accept it, this would be great...
Usagi puffed her cheeks but shutted up. 
Odyama sighed. "You can call me Odayama Sensei. You probably have much more potential then I ever had. But I have exprienced things, I hope you never will, and of nothing else, respect the fact that people like me, kade your generation possible. So until, I say otherwise, you will treat me as superior to me." He said.

"So... now that is said, let's get to know each a little bit.'
He sat on the floor. "I'll start, so I'll be the one to feel akward." He smiled, as someone, who had exprience in the art of akwardness.

"I was part of the city's patrol, and it actually was quite convient, being a father to little girls. But I lost a bet, and the Ottokage has signed me to lead you. He probably also thought it will be funny, if I trained Genin with the same name as my daughter. So...... here I am." He shrugged
Very inspiring?

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## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko*
She snorts at Usagi's comment.
"Oh, you think I was fan girling, thats hilarious, Legless Wonder. Keep dreaming, I'm only saying that because you'll never get anymore than that."

Then Yuyuyu introduces herself with elegant bow and a smile after Odayama explains.
"Hai, Odyama-Sensei. I'm Yuyuyu, I come from a civilian family. my specialty is Genjutsu, infiltration and information gathering. I wish to uncover the secrets of the shinobi world and help those around however I can. I hope we can get along. While I can defend myself, Combat is my last resort and I am terrible at Ninjutsu. I like fashion and knowing secrets."
Then Kimiko salutes as Odayama introduces himself, then does so herself in turn.
"Of course I respect you, Odayama-sensei. We all stand upon the shoulders of giants. I am Kimiko Ishikawa. Top of my Class and thus of the Hope Generation. I am the Heiress of the Ishikawa clan, wielding the Origami no Tsurugi that has been passed down my family for generations. I excel in taijutsu, fuinjutsu and ninjutsu and while I don't know any Genjutsu I have demonstrated the chakra control needed to do them perfectly, and my dream is to learn all jutsu ever through my own efforts."
She says full of herself. She also has invented her own jutsu and killed a man, but a good shinobi never reveals all that they know or are capable of.

----------


## igordragonian

"What?!" Usagi barked, and yelled at Kimiko. "Take it back Pirahan girl!"
"Hoi, hoi..." Odayama tried fruitlessly to sooth it down.
"And I will be Chunin waaaaaaay before you!" She added with a daring stare.

"Calm down now." Odayama said with more authorative tone.

"So, Usagi, you told us your dreams, but why won't you describe your skills?" Odayama has asked.

"Beside having the strongest arms of the village?" Usagi bragged. "Well, I am an expert archer, I can shoot a bee from 100 feet range! I also happens to have already have contract with great warriors of the Rabbit Realm! And! Much! Much! Much! Mooooooore!" She said loud and with over the top excitment.

"I see. That nice." Odayama has answered. 
Usagi frowned, from not getting more then that.

"You thee sure are promising. Strong clans are important to defend the Rice Lands from deadly clans like Hyuga and Uchiha. I will try my best to help you reach your full potential, Kimiko. Of course, you'l have to learn how much yet, you have to learn." Odayama said.
"Yuyuyu. Even if subtle, your expertise might be what judge a mission to doom or succes. And beside- I think that when people say "Hope Generation" they have *you* in mind."
And to Usagi he mostly sighed. "Your hardwork is surely a wonder. But I'll have to teach you, that you have to do more then improve your combat skills and abilities."
"This is silly! All a ninja need to do, is to win her battles!"

Odayama sighed. "You'll see. But I see you aren't friends yet. This might be a problem. We the Sound Village, are probably the weakest village-"
"Hey!" Usagi was insulted, but Odayama has ignored her. "One of the key elements of our survival, is good communication- and not only the kind that Radio Tech provide. So, for today, I want you reharse as a band. To create harmony togethrer."

"This is stupid! "  Usagi groaned.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
A part of her feels happy that she doesn't have to kill again. A part of her feels disappointed that she is not killing again, as a ninja should. She doesn't like the fact she feels two ways about this and hides behind a shark grin while saying
"Of course. Mission completion is vital and you can't complete missions with out working together. It matters not who I am working with, it matters that I work with them."
Yuyuyu looks at her surprised.
"...Isn't that supposed to be my line?"
"Yuyuyu, please I'm from a clan that has been serving as shinobi for generations. I've been taught the importance of setting aside my personal feelings for the mission since I could walk. Right now the orders we've received is to work as a band, and that is what I will do. It is probably not too different from other D-Rank work we will be getting and thus nothing unexpected as shinobi of our position. Come let us plan. Odayama-Sensei has given us our orders and now we must carry them out."
Yuyuyu holds up hand.
"Wait a moment Kimiko, there is more to this....our goal of forming band is to perform at that music club isn't it, Odayama-Sensei? The deadly ninja one where they attack you for playing badly? and to play there and get out alive or unharmed, I'm assuming."
There is always an underneath. Yuyuyu had good knowledge of all the places ninjas congregated in the village as apart of her efforts to be informed about the workings of the ninja world, and ninjas never give a seemingly mundane test without a deadly twist to make sure your giving it your all.

*Meanwhile: Jirou*
"Uncle..." he wonders. "Did we do the right thing in making her kill so early?"
Uncle Susumu chuckles in laughter as he takes a swig of sake.
"You kidding me Jirou? If anything we were going easy on her. Back in my day in Kirigakure, we got paired up with partners in the Academy, for our entire stay there. Supposed to do everything together, rely on each other, fight together and so on- then kill each other as the final test! And I did it and became a stronger shinobi because of it."
Jirou pauses as he considers this.
"...That seems like a big waste of valuable time, resources and training."
"Well thats why they drafted twice as many as other nations! Don't worry though, the noble clans made sure to bribe the academy teachers so that we got paired with no talent civvies, my friend Takumi wasn't all that special, had no chance against me, unfortunately for him. At least I didn't kill another clan member or another noble kid and tick off somebody important, thats the system for you."
Jirou is starting to understand why a crazy kage decided to implement the blood purges: they weren't play along with his little survival of the fittest game.
"....But you tell stories about Takumi to this very day Uncle. How you were fond of him, how you still miss and care for him."
"That I do....that I do. But we're ninja, nephew. Doing what is required of us comes first and friends second. Thats just how things are. "
"...If you say so uncle..." Jirou sighs as Uncle Susumu sips more sake, hoping Kimiko would be better. And that they didn't already ruin the chance for to be so.

----------


## igordragonian

*[Odayama's Team. (Did we pick a number?)*
(He has this expriession, but without the blush. Not sure how to describe it, without a refrence)
Odayama chuckled embaressed. "Oi, you are the type who spoil shows and books, aren't you Yuyuyu? This isn't very fair. I never had trained Genins before, and now I'll never look cool and wise. I guess my Sensei was right medicority is my ninja way."
Sometimes, he wondered why she married him, despite that.

"Oh! I see! So you are just pretending to be lame, and secretly is awesome!" Usagi said hyping up.
"Ehhhhh....." Odayama kept rubbing the back of his head akwardly. 
"Yeah, so before that, you should get a place to train and reharse." Odayama said anxiously.
"Wait, do we have to really to make a show?" Usagi has asked, as she picked her crutches and walked after the lead of Odayama. 
"Well, Yes. Wouldn't it be fun? Music is the real weapon of our nation." He said.
"Oh. Yes. I'v seen our teacher at the Academy cut a tree with it!" Usagi said with a excitment.
Odayama face palmed. "No, not like that... ugh. Never mind. Eventually you'l get it." 
He led them to an abandoned part of the village- craters were everywhere, crumbling buildings, and also few "pools" made from broken sewer system, industry and labs's waste.
"Don't breath too much." Odayama gave a tip. 
This was one of the deadlist fronts of the famouse siege, and also training grounds for many growing Shinobis. He pointed at what seemed like a warehouse. "Well, kids. Good luck. I got to make grocery shoppings."
"WHAT?!" Usagi barked angerly.





*Mysteriouse Lurker In The Shadows*
Those little girls. The "Hope" Generation, that everyone praising them for being fed with silver spoons made of blood of sweat of people like him.
There were only despair. Hope was cruel. Hope was a misguiding jutsu, letti g you dream that things will get better.
This is a lie. They never will.
He has learned this the hard way. And eventually the Hope Generation will understand it as well.

----------


## Lord Raziere

(No we didn't decide on a number. I thought you were going to. I don't think it matters much as long as its a number under 20, so why not Team 3?)
*Kimiko:*
"Ah yes, music is a good weapon in many respects. I had to learn to write this villages secret code language which is nothing but music notes. hard to get right, especially with ink brushes, but thats cryptography for you."
Yuyuyu sweatdrops a little.
"I'm pretty sure spoiling the surprise is at least one third to half of our job...ambushes are bad."

Kimiko snorts as Odayama leaves.
"Usagi, if our superiors had to supervise us every moment of our jobs we'd never get anything done as shinobi. This is nothing compared to the times when we'll be sent on long missions to other nations without much if any contact with headquarters. Even our radio has limits to its range." Kimiko says
Yuyuyu decides to flip the perspective
"C'mon, think of it this way: without the "lame" Odayama-Sensei around we can accomplish the mission any way we want without needing his input, as long as its effective. By the way, Kimiko what do you think of Sensei?"
Kimiko shrugs
"Well he is one rank higher than us and somehow supports a loving family on his pay, he constantly self-depreciates which I don't think is an act which is okay every shinobi has their weird quirks, helps mix people up as to what is acting and what is actually real behavior,  but the Otokage trusts him to lead a genin team, one which has me and Legless Wonder here, so there must be something to him or he wouldn't be trusted to lead a team like this. I'd say he is adequate personally." 
She begins walking towards the warehouse.
"Enough of this. we have work to do, and I have the best song we can perform....a song that everyone who hears it loves and cannot stop singing, no matter how long it has been since they heard it."
"What is it?"
"Heheheheheh...get an electric guitar and a mobile piano. We need to get down the beat...I want to be singer, if your both okay with that. Only for this one song, if we ever want to do this later, we can switch roles."
She whispers the song that they're going to play to bother and Usagi. Yuyuyu smirks at this.
"No way. this...will either work very well or work so badly that they kick us out forever. Either way this'll be fun. I'll play piano, guitar requires no feet to play, while some pianos do."
Lets keep the song a secret until the actual playing.

----------


## igordragonian

* Odayama-Sensei*

Earlier during the conversation, when each of them were distracted, he flicked with his fingers a tiny bug-like device for listening.
But he indeed actually was shopping for groceries.
Why did he married his Sensei again? Everyone told him this was bad idea.
She wanted fresh vegtables- but everything here was canned!
The good stuff, were in the V.I.P part of the store. And Odayama most defintly was NOT a V.I.P. 
Ugh. It was kind of training, right?


* Team 3*
Usagi groaned. "I can do alone just fine, as I always did. It's just that people who are slacking off in their job piss me off. Anyone should do his maximum and beyond!"

Her eyes have widened from Kimiko's idea. "Yeah! It will be great! Maybe a great failure, but one way or another it will be grrrreeat!"

"Stop!" She yelled all of the sudden, when she has noticed something.
There were sound based mines around the werehouse.
Just dozen.
"I'll handle it." She said, and pulled needles with bells. 
She threw them near each mine, activating them from safe distance.
"Aha! So it was a test aftel all! And we nailed it!" Usagi said with pride.

The doors of the warehouse were opened easily, but their creak were painfully loud. 
Usagi has booped the lightswitch with her crutch. Surprisngly, it worked.
With a single lightbulb shading a small circle of light in the big warehouse, right on imporvised stage, made from boxes.
On the stage were an electric guitar, set of drums and a microphone. If adapted to the darkness, the team could see, this was a werehouse of musical tools and instuements kf all types- though old. It had also the tools to tinker with them.
On the stage there also red bright spray:"Odayana rullllzzzz"

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## Lord Raziere

*Team 3*
Yuyuyu says
"Nice catch with the sound mines there, Usagi." 
Kimiko adds 
"Yeah, for a legless wonder."
Yuyuyu stares at the set up with the neon lights with a wry expression.
"....Somehow I'm not even surprised, yet disappointed all the same."
Kimiko shrugs
"Every shinobi has their quirks. My uncle still tells stories of his time in Bloody Mist Village as if he was fond of it, the weirdo. Now lets start practicing...."
They get the equipment working, writing out the notes and the set up, Kimiko grabs the mic and says
"Okay here's how its going to go, on my count: 1, 2, 3, 4-"

*Later:*
After much practicing, they go to the deadly ninja music club known as the Siren's Song. So named after the legend of an explorer who ventured far and wide and found a strange spirit whose song lured him with obsession towards her and thus to the explorers doom as a trap. So of course Sound ninja decided to name their music club that and serve tea and sake there. Yuyuyu is the first to approach the bouncer, smiling with a look of bravery and a glint of danger in her eyes saying
"Why hello there, me and my friends would like enter in, if that is no problem, handsome."
Yuyuyu insisted on handling this part. Kimiko didn't argue as she knows she isn't the most sociable person in the world and had a different task of transporting the needed instruments stored in scrolls before the song.

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## igordragonian

This was their plan.
But... once, Kimiko started to sing, a shriek of beastly rage echoed from everywhere.
Shady figure with bare fangs jumped on Kimiko.


If Kimiko attack it-
*Spoiler: Then, the figure dissapesr into the darkness. a Shadow Clone Jutsu? but it didn't even looked human!*
Show


Facepalm*
(Posting from the phone, make me more baka. Ugh!




Then the monkey jump at Usagi, who wave her crutch at it, squshing it into shadows as well. "Ugh. *what* is this?!"
More shadow clones attack- they can figure it looks like deformed babboon monkey, with curse marks over half of it's body. 
If they have unnatural mean to watch it carefuully, it's ear tagged with tiny metal plate:"EWB092F"

[SPOILER=Secret]
The real monkey hide under the stage, spamming shadow clones to overhelm the evil invaders.
His motivation is simple- he hurt and in a world of pain, and he want to be left alone in his newfound territory.
*Spoiler: Secret2
Using his chakra killing him faster, and causing the curse to spread faster. In five minutes, kf they still don't find him he will enter berserker mode, which will make on Chunnin level Taijutsu for five minutes. Odayama don't expect them to actually win- just to survive until the monkey's curse will kill it.

[/SPOILER*
Show



*Spoiler: Secret 3*
Show


Even Odayama didn't knew- if he would knew, he wouldn"t have made this mission like this.
The second Jutsu the monkey is trained to do.. is Last Shout.

The monkey is leftover of Kamikaze monkey unit.

----------


## Lord Raziere

....(I'm just going to pretend as if I don't see this. its not as if spoilers matter much, since quotes can see though that anyways um...perhaps try not writing out the secrets right in the post next time?)

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko quick as lightning draws and slashes at the pouncing figure with her paper sword in one movement. Then as more come, she begins furiously attacking them with more sword slashes to protect all three of them. See the advantage of your sword's blade being made out of paper was that it is incredibly light- lighter even, than most blades of its size. combined with its sharpness made her strikes incredibly fast and lethal, passing through monkey clones like butter, the copies poofing into smoke
"Shadow clone? Thats a Leaf village technique. A high level one. Who decided to teach a monkey to use this jutsu as if its going out of style? It divides your chakra evenly among the clones, where are they getting all the chakra for this? Most shinobi can only make a couple clones of this level at best...."
While she doesn't know the particulars, there are some techniques that are simply famous throughout the ninja nations despite being forbidden or otherwise high level and restricted to a single village because a legendary ninja once used it to great effect. The Shadow Clone Jutsu, a greater konoha-exclusive version of the normal Clone Jutsu, is one of them. Problem is with legendary ninja however is that their techniques and the weaknesses thereof have a higher chance of being found out, due to repeated use, higher scrutiny and their often public and flashy displays. Though Kimiko is particularly well read in various jutsu legendary and non due to her personal interest in the subject matter, while most ninja know they won't be encountering such unique and legendary techniques in their lives as the ideal counter to such things to kill the ninja who can use them in their sleep before they can try, and thus focus on not getting into a situation where they have to face such things in the first place.
"...So whoever is doing this either has a lot of chakra to spare....or doesn't care about their life. You die if you overspend. But why attack three Genin alone two of which have civilian backgrounds....oh frack, I need to get out of here, I'm the most important figure here politically. If they're sending clones out like they intend to weaken us for the capture or the kill... Everyone fall back! Get out of the warehouse!"
She begins running out
"Right."
Yuyuyu bashes a few clones aside with her umbrella to protect Usagi and tries to grab Usagi and jump so that they can move fast or help her move out of the warehouse. If the foe was spending their own chakra so recklessly, they didn't expect to live long, which meant they had a short term goal, and so was either kidnapping Kimiko or killing her since she was apart of a clan. 

Some ninja clans of course use their ninja pets in more disposable manners than others- this could be a short term pet to catch or kill a young heiress, bring them to some master who then escapes from the nation to ransom her or just use her bloodline to get their techniques, while the pet dies, no pet left as evidence. Not an entirely bad plan. Which meant getting away from living short term weapon, especially away from a dark warehouse full of places to ambush them. Its simply not tactically advantageous. When they get outside, Kimiko jumps up onto the roof to watch for any monkey coming out of the door so she can extend her paper blade using chakra and stab them from above without needing to jump down, catching them unawares.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi slap away Yuyuyu's hand, with glare of fury. "I am NOT helpless!" She grinned.
"Actually! I'll protect the "princess"! I can do it alone, with MY friends!" 
Kimiko rubbed her the wrong way, and it pushed her to act recklessly. She tossed the crutches away, and jumped spinning in air, while biting her thumb.
"Yojimbo-Samurai Rabbit In Training!" She called.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f7/69...4d85abf804.jpg
A warrior rabbit has apeared underneath her, exactly when Usagi were supposed to crash on the floor- she hugged his neck with her leg stumps, while she drawn her harp bow.
"Sword, or just legs?" He has asked with setoic expriession.
'Legs." Usagi said shortly. This code was simple- did Usagi wanted him to use his sword, or just to use him as her legs.
A monkey tried to jump at her, but she quickly shot an arrow between the monkey's eyes.
"Is he from the Monkey Realm?" Usagi has asked.
"No. The smell of his chakra... just wrong Usagi-san."

The monkey went into berserker mode. The expriement also involved implementing memories of a captured ninja human- which didn't added to the "mental health' of the dieing monkey.
He spammed more and more clones- to destroy everything that distubed his territory. 
Some clones sneaked through a hidden window in attempt to surprise those on the roof.


(I hope this make sense)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko*
She heards footsteps behind her and swings her paper blade at them, wheeling around as she does so.
"They will just keep sending monkeys at us...But how to find them?"
She couldn't just blindly run into the darkness, thats just a recipe for being ganged up by monkeys in the dark and dying. She couldn't throw explosives to smoke them out, the warehouse was full of the instruments they needed. There might be a lightswitch, but that could be just turned back off. She looks at the roof. She realized: she was standing on the problem...but she couldn't damage it too much, her Sensei wouldn't like that so. Kimiko uses her sword to stab through the roof at the center of the warehouse then cut out a hole to let in light while using her other hand to grab the cut out part aside so it doesn't fall on the instruments. She then takes a kunai and, puts a blank tag on it, then brushes a few a complicated looking scribbles on the tag with a few blurring brushstrokes

She then lights the tag, yells 
"GUYS GET OUT! EXPLOSIVE TAG INCOMING!"
then throws it down into the warehouse. If it wasn't going to explode at first, it was now- at least, to an outside perspective. In truth, the "explosive tag" wasn't explosive at all, it was a dud designed to make the monkey escape the warehouse- if it was ninja trained, it would recognize the appearance of an explosive tag, but like any ninja would not have time to check the tag in detail and thus would have to assume the worst and get out or die in case it wasn't a dud. Controlling the enemies movements through misdirection was one of the key parts of being a ninja.

----------


## igordragonian

Yojimbk ran and hopped from place to place, while Usagi took down with her arrows more and more monkey clones.
Then Yojimbo have noticed the "explosive" tag, and hurried outside. "Your friend seems to be quite reckless." He judged by less of a minute of indirect interaction.
"She isn't my friend! She just a spoiled princess who trying to steal my glory!" Usagi said angerly.

The monkey wanted to die. His whole existence was confusion, terror and agony. But infront of such a direct danger, his instincts outopiloted his body- he ran, with such as a speed he looked like a dark grey blur.

Outside of the warehouse, under the light of the sun, the little monster was finally exposed- half meter tall babboon, filled with bleeding blackening infected injuries, and more then half of his body covered in black oil like, growing curse. It panted in pain, looking at it's enemies with bloodshot eyes. White musical note was tattooed on it's back and metalic tag clipped to it's ear.
Usagi stared for just a short moment. "Hey! The warehouse didn't exploded!" While balancing her eight stringed bow, and prpearing eight arrows to aim at the monkey.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Baaaka."
she snarks at Usagi as she turns around to face the monkey
"The tag was fake. As if I'd actually blow up the instruments we need."
She rushes forward towards the monkey as fast as she can. Battle was all about controlling the flow of it to your advantage, and controlling the flow was all about staying fast and on the offensive to keep your foe off balance. She sees the Sound headband on it, her mind registering that fact, as well as the various injuries, curse marks that her brother Jirou helped research at labs and talked about sometimes, and the maddened state of the monkey, she decided then and there...

to kill the monkey anyways. Ninjas can't hesitate when things are heated, so they are taught to finish things fast when they cannot do it carefully. This monkey was a clear danger, and she had only a split second to act. Best put it out of its misery. Wondering why this happened, was a question for later. She jumps down, attacking with the Origami-No-Tsurugi like a rapier, thrusting forward with one hand and using Paper Extension Jutsu to stab even further with every thrust, a sword style developed by her clan to take maximize her paper weapons advantages of lightness, sharpness and variable range. But as she launches the first thrust, she flashbacks to the man she killed in the basement, just for a second- but no, she can't hesitate, she can't hesitate! She attacks despite the moment of hesitation, trying to kill the monkey as fast as possible. 

Yet for all her genius, she has made a couple of mistakes: one she took the time to banter, two she rushed into melee range of the enemy while an archer was aiming at them, and three she hesitated because of a memory. Yuyuyu looked at Usagi then at Kimiko and frowned as she considered her own umbrella. The fact that they both wielded melee weapons while Usagi was primarily ranged was going to be something to take into account.
"By the kamis, you two are already getting in each other's way to kill the enemy...sigh..."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi wasn't much better. She didn't had issues to kill a monkey- many farmers don't have the privillige of  considering animals's pain equal to their.
She had a little piggy she liked, but when the piggy was fat enough, her mother told her to slaughter it- every girl, hoping to grow into a farm housewife needed to learn it.
Of course, Usagi cried and hesitiated and only injured it.
Her mother scolded her- her hesitation is more cruel then straight violence. It hurt more. Funny- Usagi remembered her piggy well, but her mother remained faceless in her memory.
But Usagi had other issues. She allowed her feelings to cloud her mind, and to inferiority feelings as well.
"You baka! You inbred princess, I'll deal with it!" And released eight arrows from the eight strings of her harp bow. The idea of this technique was simple- it was a way to attack faster targests. Of course, to get to the point of aiming decently was the hard part.
"Usagi-San! Stop!" Yojimbo cried a moment too late.

Scieincitfly speaking, the monkey was work of art. Having copied the muscle memory of the leaf ninja capitive- the monkey knew only two techniques, but  had battle instincts of Chunnin Ninja. 
The monkey has dodged the paper rapier, while creating another two shadow clones.
One of them, jumped at Kimiko's leg hugging and biting it, to hold her still, so Usagi's arrows will reach her.
The other ran toward Usagi, circling Yojimbo with speed, planning to manuver them.
The real monkey has ran on four, and climbed on pile of trash.
At least, it seems he isn't focused on Yuyuyu at all.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Note: The Origami No Tsurugi is not a rapier. Its a Tsurugi, a sword much similar to the chinese jian or straight sword.
"Kuso!"
She swears as this goes south, her blade working furiously to parry the arrows coming at her while she leans side to side to try and dodge, but even with these efforts two got through, one grazing her cheek as it passes by as if in slow motion, drawing a bit of blood in a cut- but the other hits her in the upper right leg.
"Agh! you idiot! You shot me in the leg! Do you have ANY idea how much trouble this could make for both of us!? Your lucky I'm not telling anyone about this!"
She stabs down with the tsurugi to poof the monkey clone, wincing a little in pain with every movement of the leg, blood running dripping down it as it bleeds from both bite and arrow, the shaft sticking out of her. Meanwhile Yuyuyu decides to keep her teammate from being attacked and whacks the clone monkey going for Usagi in the back to dispel it. 

Kimiko thinks: whats the next move? Its good enough to dodge the sword attacks. Usagi will shoot at it regardless like an idiot, so Kimiko can't chase after it, and now she has a wound and is bleeding. That is bad. Kimiko decides she needs to end this quickly so that combat ends and she can get this bandaged up. Stabbing the sword into the ground she flashes through a bunch of hand signs and takes aim at the monkeys head.
"Paper Release: Confetti Assassination Jutsu."
A small piece of her paper blade breaks off, about the size of a pebble then-*ZOOM*. It went flying at supersonic speeds, the small bit of paper as hard as a bullet from chakra enhancement to try and kill the monkey while it was facing away from Kimiko while climbing on the trash. Can't dodge if the projectile is faster than the eye can see and from behind. It was an instant kill move, the ultimate jutsu in her arsenal right now, and killing someone while their back is turned and focused on something else was a good time to use it.

----------


## igordragonian

'You baka herself! Why are you running into my arrows, you useless princess?!' Usagi yelled back.
Yojimbo sighed, but wouldn't argue Usagi in mid battle. 
She also noticed the escaping monkey, but couldn't join because it's clone jumped and bitten her back. She slammed it into smoke with her bow, but was late to join the attack.

The monkey did get hit, and screeched with agonizing pain.
he turned his face to the trio of Kunoichis, and started set of dreadful seals. 

the trio should recongnize it- the last shout jutsu.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"KUSO! RUN!"
She curses as she missed and what jutsu he is forming, apparently the monkey apparently moving fast enough to get their head above the confetti bullet just in time to not die. She then grabs her sword and sheathes it while running as fast as she can, putting all her chakra into her speed to get away from the attack running into the forest so that it at least aims away from the warehouse with Yuyuyu close behind, not bothering to stop for Usagi- Kimiko was of the opinion that anyone not smart enough to run from that attack deserved it, and anyone who _can't_ get away from an attack like this probably shouldn't be in this line of business in the first place. While Yuyuyu remembers the last time she tried to help Usagi and only got a proclamation about how Usagi can handle it herself, so she respects her decision and trusts that she can somehow evade it herself.

Turns out not being friendly to your teammates and refusing their help causes them to not help you when you might need it, who knew?

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi was stubborn and aimed arrows at the monkey, anyway.
Yojimbo was more sane- despite her curses, he jumped up, higher then what even ninja human normally would be able to, beyond the warehouse, when the monkey has exploded in terrifying soundwave explosions, which cutted ripples through the ground, woods and even the the pieces of the warehouse.

'What the hell Yojimbo?!' Usagi said angerly.
"Usagi-San... you were foolish. I am dissapointed at you.'

he jumped back to see if his Master's allies were ok.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Even at this distance, she knew she wasn't safe, but she was prepared nonetheless. Kimiko was sent falling to the ground from the blast, her still injured leg throwing off her reflexes and balance, a tree began to fall- but she managed to slice it in half with her blade so that the halves land on either side of her.

Yuyuyu meanwhile puts her umbrella as a shield, channeling chakra through to shield herself from the sounds blast and the debris after it, the chakra-steel under the fabric holding sturdy. When the explosion stops, She then goes over to Kimiko and pulls out a kunai
"Hold still, I'll get the arrow out. Its going to be painful, brace yourself."
Kimiko nods as Yuyuyu grabs the arrow, then uses the kunai to dig into Kimiko's flesh and get the whole arrow out, Kimiko wincing and groaning in all the while. Letting an arrowhead stay in there was dangerous, and it was a delicate operation to make sure she didn't snap the arrow in half and make this worse. Once it was out, she started bandaging Kimiko to staunch the bleeding. Once that was done, she helped Kimiko up.
"Thanks Yuyuyu. Its too bad we don't have a medic nin...I should figure out some kind of funijutsu for this, like healing tags, we have explosive tags, while not healing ones? Agh."
Kimiko stands up. It was still painful, but she bears it without complaint. Pain was expected for shinobi, and not worth noting by itself. 

They walk back to Usagi.
"Well then. At least the monkey is dead. Lets hope my family doesn't notice my wound, I'd hate to have to explain it and make Odayama-Sensei look bad to my family. I do not need my first day as a genin turned into a minor political squabble that could get people in trouble."
Odayama was boring and lazy, and Usagi was an idiot in her eyes who was taking the most suicidal options on an already high risk career path, but they didn't deserve to their life ruined because of the concerns of nobility.
"You really think your family would make a fuss out of you getting injured?"
"Maybe. Noble clans have a history of being protective of their young since they represent the future of their clan. Keeping this quiet would be best, for all of us."
"Easy way to hide that: Disguise jutsu into a version of yourself that is uninjured. Also useful for fooling people in battle that an attack did not affect you, to psyche them out."
"Good thinking. What was this monkey doing here anyways? It knew leaf techniques, a sound technique, it had a sound headband, its something from our village? But then why'd it do this? It must've gotten loose without anyone realizing it."
"Would a ninja-trained monkey even be able to get free without anyone noticing?" Yuyuyu says thoughtfully. Kimiko shrugs.
"I don't know. Something to ask my brother when next I see him, he works in the Research labs so if anyone knows its him."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi was about to apologize, but then Kimiko's reaction pushed Usagi to her pride which were based on inferiority feelings. 
"Baka. I don't mind guarding delicate princesses, but I can't be held responsible if they jump into the fray!" She yelled angerly.
"Usagi-San. This is not a way to apologize! Especialy to an ally!" Yojimbo has scolded her. 
Usagi said coldly. "You are free to go, Yojimbo." She wasn't very good at recieving critics either...
Yojimbo sighed. "Summon me, when you are ready to listen." And dissapeared in a smoke- Usagi landed on one hand.
"Eh. I think it's just the tradional test from our Sensei. We passed it. We can move on." Usagi said dismissivly.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Thats not the-...."
She sighs a little, decides against arguing with her and massages her head muttering to remember what her brother Jirou said about noblesse oblige. She would just have to keep this idiot legless wonder away from her family, for Usagi's safety. Shinobi one may be, but if they're from a civilian background the clans often had the connections and the resources to screw them over, and she did not need a reputation for being one of those noble brat who abused their power by complaining to their clan about their problems. 
"Would they really just throw an attack monkey at us as a test? What would that even test us for?" 
"...be ready for anything? Like if your ready for a random monkey attack, your ready for anything more sensible and probable?"
Kimiko stares at Yuyuyu eye brow raised for a moment.
"....I guess thats as good an explanation as any. Whatever the reason for the monkey, the mission of playing that song at the club comes first. Lets get practicing."

*Hours Later:*
Yuyuyu comes walking up to the music club, confident in her stride while Kimiko holds the instruments needed in a scroll. She says at the door to any potential bouncers.
"Greetings. We're here to play as a band. Can we come in, please?"

----------


## igordragonian

*[The Broken Record Club]*

The Broken Record are a group, who consist with big majority of shinobis. They have rebelliouse attitude, (even if the Ottokage openly admire them). They have rough and punkish style, openly support relationships which most society consider taboo, spraying logos on walls.
Their leader, who only known as DJ Scratch, is officaly a Genin. But the common opinion, that he is as strong as Chunnin, he simply didn't bothered with the exams. His fans even clain, that he as strong as the Thunders Of The Sound. 
The Broken Record Club has few dozens members but their influence on the Sound Village's culture and slang can't be denied. It was found during the Indepdence War, from the most extreme members of the Sound Alliance with one step into the territotlries of anarchy. 

It's unclear how to join the Broken Record, but the core members are War Veterans, wether citizens wether Shinobis.
The club was concerte building covered in graffitis. Loud music boomed, making any piece of glass in kilometer to vibrate.
There were main entrance with heavy metalic door, back door at the back and a door to the kitchen. No windows


The main door, which they tried right now, was guarded by a buff towering dark skinned man, with red muhawk, and shades. He was topless, his chest scarred and tattooed with ink black tiger.
"No. It's not place for little children."
Usagi tood at the back, letting Yuyuy handle it. She softened up during the reharses, but couldn't brave herself to aplogize forher earlier mistakes. But she deeply regreted it-
Memories of her family, which she has shredded when she rushed to action haunted her- but she still played with skill.




*Shadowy Lurker*
Those silver spoon girls have survived the first ordeal. It matter little.
They surely will cause chaos in the club, and if not they, someone else will.
And then he will strike. Teach them of legacy of the Despair Generation.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She smiles evilly at this.
"I understand that a person of your stature has a reputation of toughness to maintain."
Shes fishes a hand up her sleeve.
"How unfortunate it would be then, if someone found out about what you did last tuesday, at 2pm when no one was looking."
She pulls out a photo of him smiling while knitting pink bunny slippers, showing it to him and no one else.
"Quite embarrassing for such a tough man, no? and if that is not enough, I also have evidence of you reading that one manga you love. What was it called again? _Mairitoruponī 〜 Tomodachi Wa Mahō?_"
It was an oddly popular shoujo manga about unicorns and pegasi and the struggles of their nakama. She puts the photo back in the folds of her dress but in the chest area, knowing that if he wanted to take it by force it was going to look _real_ bad for a grown tough man to trying to rifle through the dress of a thirteen year old around that area for anyone else watching.
'So let us in, if you you don't want to be embarrassed or try to take it by force and be mistaken for something....dirty"
Kimiko's eyes are wide partly because she was scared of how devious Yuyuyu was, and partly because she read that shoujo manga to and didn't want to admit it.

----------


## igordragonian

The guard blushed in shame and gasped in horror. "What? How in the world have you gotten this intel?!" He seemed really stressed. 
He greeted his teeth. 'Fine. Get in, but I am not respoinsble for what is going to happen there!"
Usagi was as horrified as Kimiko, though she didn't thought Yuyuy had anything on her: Usagi was a training freak, her life was cycle of trainings, eatings and sleepings. No social life, no hobbies. The closest thing for something human, was her dinners with Tsuru.

"Woha. No handicaps." The guard tried to block her. 
"Shut up, Shujo-Boy." Usagi hissed, and followed the other girls.
"Not bad Yuyuyu." She praised. Wether her words could be heard- was a diffrent question.

Inside the music boomed even more, muffling any mortal conversation which weren't throat ripping roara and yells.

About 50 partiers, much more fishnets than usual even for ninjas, strong stench of alchol, ultra purple lights which were disorienting, dozens of bodies pushing each other in trance of dance, there were a bar, where well curved and exposed woman served Sake.
On the other side there were a stage, where trio of goth-ish bishi boys with heavy make up and shreds of uniforms sang, with a lot of swear words in their lyrics. Above them, there was a window, where a shadowy character moved handles and pushed buttons like master mind of conspiracy. For now in this marvelouse chaos, the early teen girl trio weren't noticed yet.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Yuyuyu tsked as she goes in. He actually said that out loud. How unprofessional. She looks at the stage with the bishies and smiles.
"Oh hey its that bishie band: Sigh and The Sauce 'Kay's. Cool, I like their music sometimes."
Kimiko looks around and blushes a little particularly as she looks at the women serving sake. Her family never allowed her to come into a place like this. They would flip for sure if they knew! Kimiko honestly was not sure what to do interacting in a place like this. It felt so....impersonal yet close yet....blurry and overbearing and overwhelming. Give her a quiet library and a book any day over this....constant roar, she was just as socially isolated as Usagi.
"Maybe we should....use disguise jutsu..."
"Yeah, on second thought that might've been the better choice than blackmailing the guy..."
"Or do we have to do this as ourselves so that our sensei knows it was us?"
"Look we're in danger either way....."
'Screw it, lets disguise ourselves as people who are...a bit older. versions of us, wearing gang-looking clothes, three or four years?"
Yuyuyu nods. "Three or four years."
They both make the hand sign and Poof! in little puffs of smoke they were suddenly older versions of themselves stood in their place.  Enough to seem like they belong here with fishnets and rough looking clothing that was a bit revealing but still recognizably them, though Yuyuyu's disguise was more beautiful and daring. They wait until Usagi does the same, Yuyuyu goes over the barmaids and says
'Hello, we're here to play music once Sigh and the Sauce 'Kay's take a break, y'know, substitution act, upcoming band, not real big, called....The Yelling Monkeys. Hope you'll enjoy it once we go on stage." 
Yuyuyu says, making it up on the spot remembering the monkey that they faced not too longer ago, figuring that it'd be temporary anyways. then wait further for the music to stop- any band must get tired after a while- so that they can go up on stage themselves while the goth bishie band steps down. After all in a club like this the music must always go on, and the same band can't always be playing. One has to take a break at some point, or for something to happen because of announcing her intention to play music here, either one works.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi does hand sings and change as well. Her illusions also included legs- careful observer will notice, some unnatural movements from her legs in this form. But in such wild party, this won't be an issue. Probably. But she couldn't stick to legless forms, she will get caught quite fast this way.

Usagi, hair half dyed black, and she wear too big military coat, over a tank top over fishnet undershort. Though, in her imagination, she is still slim and quite flat and if to close the coat, could even be mistaken for a boy.

"Oh, cuties..." The barmaid cooed, "It doesn't work this way. You had to sign about a month before the show. Better luck next time. Sake?" if any of them, even gave a hint of attraction to her, her tone and movements are much more flirty.

A month? It doesn't sound.. real.. is it? there is the backstage room of course...



*The DJ Room*

Odayama sat by the side of DJ Scratch, (and if this was a manga, Scratch would have been a shilluote at this point of the story)
"So, you can notice every one and one of the partiers? No wonder, you have managed to catch me all those years back..." sigh*

"Eh, don't sweat it Odayama-kun bro! I am the cool guy, I'll just make sure no one will molest on your lil' girls you see? If they can force their way, I won't ruin it for them."

DJ Scratch was sure, that this room was sound proof.

But out of despair, Shinobis can pull terrifying feats that seems impossible.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Broken Record Club*
Kimiko blushes a little at her flirty movements. But doesn't say anything. She is not experienced at this. At all, and doesn't know what to say in this situation. She wished people were easy to understand, like jutsu or fuinjutsu. Yuyuyu shrugs and says
"Ah. Very well. We'll just go find the person to book it then,"
After asking the barmaid who is playing next and how long until they are scheduled to come on stage, Yuyuyu leads them away and whispers
"Okay, time to go find the next band thats going to play backstage, knock them out and take their place. Which means we're on a timer, namely however long this band is still playing. Got that?"
"Za wheh wha...?"
Kimiko answers back a little....distracted, Yuyuyu taps her on the shoulder.
"oh yeah, of course. backstage. knock out. limited time. What else is new?"
" Sigh. Of course you've never been in this situation before Kimi-hime, and really staring at the barmaid? Kind of bad for an heiress, don't you think? Not supposed to play for the other team."
"Sh-shut up! There is gene manipulation research, I'll figure something out!
Why wouldn't there be, everyone in the Shinobi nations want to unlock the secrets of kekkei genkai after all. 
"Lets just go."
They sneak their way backstage, find the next band to play and try to knock them from out behind, then drag them into a closet and stuff them in the unceremoniously so that disguise jutsu into them. Do they encounter any obstacles to doing this?

*Meanwhile with Jirou:*
He is arrived at the laboratory. As a fuinjutsu user and one of the few ones that isn't particularly attached to his clan quest since he cannot participate in it, he makes himself useful here, researching fuinjutsu to make the village stronger. The current big project was those cursed seal transformations. Most of the example subjects were not even humans, but rats trained to be able to activate the seals. currently there was still some dangers to these seals and thus was using the rats to figure out how minimize them for safe use for humans. sure there are some biological differences between rats and humans that needed to be accounted for when translating them from rat to human use, but that can be solved once one figures out the safe or safest seal for rats, and as with all things in science, from one can be extrapolated another thing- if one can find a safe cursed seal transformation for rats, one can do for humans. It simply the most ethical way to go about it. the alternative was using humans and he was not a mad scientist.

Of course he still felt bad when the rats died, they were so cute and easily trained for various tricks and uses, but they weren't sapient so it was best for everyone involved. The last cursed seals had too high a mortality rate to be acceptable for human use for his standards. Lets try and adjust that to be lower shall we? the work will be long and tedious but it was worth it. He turns on the radio to the Broken Record's frequency. Their music a good way to liven up otherwise tedious work and the rats got some enjoyment too.

----------


## igordragonian

Uasgi has rolled her eyes. "You just got to stop worrying on nonsense, and work on being a ninja.' she said with a groan, and pushed forward.

In the backstage room there were four teens- "The Bye Bye Kitties". 
twin sisters from the Komoro clan, Dai and Doi, which used their ears as part of the costumes. Both wore heavy rimmed glasses and looked quite cute. and their companion Saburo, buff guy with a scar over his face, which made his kitty costume look grimmdark somewhat. And another guy, bishi-ish with purple eye and dazzling eyes.
They were black and pink kitty outifts which were supposed to be ironic with logo https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnaqFMc4pMhwGQUMszcRKTxR33OiKUP  52alUTGxuYux9eVmQDA


Yuyuyu should know, that Dai and Doi both dropped the academy because of some family drama. Their friend Saburo failed on porpuse at the exams to join them. They were honestly, an annoyance for the village. They did had shinobi trainings, but they used for crime.
Lately a citizen with talent for music has conviced them to try a musical career. Guy called Yukio.

They were thugs, though, they were friendly unless they wanted to rob you. 

"Hello!" the twins said cheerfully.
Saburo looked away shyly.     Yukio smiled. "Greetings, fair ladies. How may we assist you."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Fake Fan Plan: Go!*
Yuyuyu and Kimiko start squeeing looking at them and going
"oh my kami! Its theeeeem! the Bye Bye kitties!"
"We're such big fans! We know your still indie, but you play like, the BEST music , definitely deserve to be more popular!"
"Anyone who doesn't think that are like totally hipsters who don't know anything about stuff?"
"Because if your like, a fan, you should like totally love it when your thing is like, liked by everyone? I never get those elitists who want it like, all for themseeeelves."
"I know right? It just doesn't make any sense gurl."
"people like that are just jerks, never listen to them, all that talk about "selling out" is bull. musicians are people too and need to pay the bills, am I right?"
"Totally! Can we just like get your autographs...?"
They hold pieces of paper seemingly excited to see them, But actually this Yuyuyu and Kimiko are just genjutsu clones created by Basic Clone Jutsu while the real ones are sneaking up behind them to knock them out, as the Bye Bye Kitties eyes were turned towards this way therefore they needed some distraction to hold their attention while they tried to sneak attack them.

----------


## igordragonian

Drop out of the academy are tricky to deal with. You can't be sure at what level are they, and their improve in skills come from practical exprience rather then true trainings.

Yukio eagerly has agreed to sign an authrograph on a piece of paper, while Usagi akwardly. "Y-yeah! I also know all of your songs! You can test me!" 


Saburo were distracted, but the Dai&Doi Komoro sisters, have dissapeared, leaving black hello kitty plushies instead.
Sure, they have ashamed the Komoro clan, but they weren't too far from being good Genins.
Each of them learned single C ranked technique of their clan- Dai has used  the Heart's Voice, squeaking, vibrating sound waves to Yuyuyu's body- making her nerval system to react as is she was ashamed. She might think she actually is.
Doi were more brutal and send Sound Scythe  at Kimiko- both sisters from the door to the stage. 
Usagi has jumped on Kimiko to push ofer of the Sound Scythe's path- which has cutted the wall, with splatter of concrete 


Yukio gasped, and walked back. 'What is going on?!'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
Loses an action as she tenses up from the attack, feeling embarrassed out of nowhere.
_I'm so embarrassed!! Wait... why am I embarrassed?_
The first rule of genjutsu defense training was to ask yourself why you were suddenly feeling an emotion out of nowhere, during a hectic situation. One cannot truly be devoid of all emotion, but one can take a second to examine whether there was a reason behind the emotion or feeling, as genjutsu fooled with your senses and emotions and made you feel things out of nowhere to turn off your higher brain functions and make you act on instinct or impulse. Therefore the first step was always to figure out whether you had good reason to feel something, the second step was whether the reason you feel it is likely to happen or be real as sometimes the illusions use the shock to make you forget that, if both the reason and the probability of it happening were plausible, it was probably real, but genjutsu masters while rare were all about making things plausible. She puts her hands together and goes "Kai". dispelling the feeling. A technique to messes with her emotions like that was exactly the kind of genjutsu she was trained to defend against. Unfortunately, she cannot do more than that given the amount of time she has.

*Kimiko:*
She gets out of way thanks to Usagi and quickly assesses the situation: Dai and Doi were the ones actively fighting right now, Saburo was a bit slow to react, but Yukio was a civilian. Therefore while the other three were stronger, Yukio was the one to knock out first since he cannot contribute in a fight and thus the worst thing he could do to screw them over, was run and let everyone else know, thus bringing down the entire club on them, while the other three had shinobi training and thus more likely to let their pride in their own strength keep them here fighting. So she unsheathes her sword and it extends into a strong paper whip, lashing out quickly and pulling him close to her so she can knock him out with one quick strike-considering this was a ninja club, this is probably one of the luckier things that could happen to him- then gets into a stance to deal with the rest, flicking her weapon out to crack it like a whip.
"Don't kill them. It won't look good if we do, even if they are criminals."
They are apart of a military after all, with rules governing whether your given the permission or the requirement to kill, and society generally wants minor criminals like these thrown in jail or doing community service instead. While one should not hesitate to kill, Restraint is also a shinobi virtue. That and she remembers the man she killed last night. Despite all she was taught....she does not want to repeat the experience.

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*
She gotten up quickly from Kimiko, a bit embaressed. 
"Oh. finally, this stupid mission put a real test!" she place her weight on one cane, while she send the other cane to smack Saburo's face- but he his raised his arm in time to parry it- but groaned in pain from the hit, so Usagi used this, and jumping, sent the next cane at him and also pounding him.
It seemed Saburo were out.

"This is our show. Don't force me to cut your pretty nose off." Dai said, pulling pair of kunais. "We worked hard for this, you little snotty girls, have no right to take this from us!"



Doi, seemed more brutal. "Don't try talk sense to them,Doi-chan. They are dogs without agency of their own." she prepared another sound schythe.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko whips her paper-whip forward to try and wrap around one of Doi's wrist to try and pull her hands apart so she can't use her Sound Scythe jutsu again. Technically, it is possible with certain techniques and methods to use and shape chakra without hand signs using their own wills- Kimiko's own Origami-No-Tsurugi she is using right now is a good example- but doing so without proper training is like handling raw electricity without the knowledge of an electrician: your more likely to injure or kill yourself or your allies than actually do anything useful. Therefore more most ninjas use the hand signs to pre-shape the chakra, much like a programmer entering code, its technically more complicated and requires more rote memorization and book learning, but its safer than letting your concentration lapse with a chidori and getting shocked as a result.  Kimiko's sword now in the form of a whip, is a similar insulating tool, much like the Seven Swords of the Mist or Fuinjutsu. Having a medium to separate you from dangerous elemental energy is generally a good idea. Chakra is quite simply, dangerous to handle in large amounts. 
Thus making sure the other side can't form hand signs is a good first move. If she succeeds, she'll then try to retract the paper whip while its still clinging to her arm so that she grapples to Doi and punch her in the face.

Yuyuyu meanwhile charges at Dai and attacks her with her steel umbrella to try and quickly overwhelm her kunai, using it like a club in its folded up state.

----------


## igordragonian

Doi, doesn't resist the the whip- she embrace it's fully amd even let herself to be dragged. 
She pull a kunai from a pocket  and tried to stab the punch of Kimiko.
"I am tired of those petty clan politics- leave us alone, or DIE!"



Dai doesn't bother to try to handle the superior weapon, and jumped back, throwing away the kunai to release her hands for another genjutsu- now she tried to mimic the sensation of doubt.
"why bother some low life street kids like us? Music is our only hope, and for you, it's just another grade in your fancy studies, right?"

Usagi jumped and spinned kicking the jaw of Dai sending her to crush against the wall.
"Baka! Who care for studies! I am going to be the ninja who will never be helpless again!"


But all this.. mattered a little.
The two doors of the room closed all of the sudden, and cloud of green gas started to sip from the crack that Doi has created with her previous attack. 



_"Die."_  wishpered a voice into the heads of all the people in the room
_"Die alongside your false hopes."_

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
In her momentum, she can only move fist in time for her arm to block the kunai, the blade digging into her forearm and lancing pain through it as blood starts welling from it, she grits her teeth and says
"Yeah, coming from the dropouts with cri-"
but she sees the gas seeping through and hears the voice. That was bad.
"Gas! Put on Masks!"
Kimiko knows that some gases are denser than others. Based on the color, that was probably chlorine gas. Chlorine gas is denser than air, and thus accumulates at the bottom of poorly ventilated areas. Thankfully it is actually one of the less dangerous gasses out there, because its the _only_ kind of gas that can actually be prevented from killing or incapacitating you by putting on a gas mask in reaction to seeing it. The rest are colorless, odorless and tasteless, or kill you if you come into skin contact with them, or are highly flammable, or so reactive that they eat through anything and everything around them if not properly handled. Which means the person gassing them isn't confident enough in their abilities to handle something more dangerous. Good. There were stories about one Wind affinity Jounin during the Third War who used a combination of wind element and nerve gas to end thousands of lives by simply using strong enough winds to blow invisible poisonous gas into crowds of soldiers and kill them just it touching them and directing it wherever they pleased. Had a title, "The Nerve Gas Nightmare".  Thank the Kamis they weren't facing anything like that.

So she uses her chakra to unwrap the paper from Doi's arm then Kimiko jumps upwards to the ceiling, using tree-climbing jutsu to stick her hands and feet to the ceiling.
"Its likely chlorine! It gathers on the floor, so if you stay upwards you'll have more time before it fills up."
Yuyuyu blows the kunai with her umbrella and follows suit, sticking to the ceiling. Kimiko always being prepared takes out a scroll and release from storage, three gas masks, giving one to Yuyu then throwing one to Usagi.
"You, Dai, Doi! You care about Saburo and Yukio right? Get them, then get on the ceiling! You don't have much time!"
She puts on her gas mask along with Yuyu while muttering
"Who is doing this?"

----------


## igordragonian

Dai and Doi, stopped the battle, and grabbed their friends, and jumped up, covering their faces with mere scarves. Usagi jumped as well to the ceiling. She also put a gas mask.

now stream of water is poured into the room. The water look bright yellow in a poisonouse way.

"That exactly, why we left the stupid clan!" Dai yelled with frusration.


_"There is no hope. Despair is the only thing a ninja will face...'_ they hear again the voice inside their heads. Voice filled with hatred and frustration.

Usagi:"Hmph. Coward."







*Odayama*

"What? What is going on!?" he gasped, when the bells ringed of danger
DJ gotten up. "This is new..."


Odayama's eyes have widened up. This weren't meant to be THAT dangerouse! It merely were supposed to be an inflationary test! he started to run,

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Yellow liquid? she swears under her breath, thats probably nitric acid, that can burn your flesh and whatever it burns also probably emits toxic fumes. I mean it could be a toxic poisonous liquid, she wasn't ruling that out but the more common thing she knows about was nitric acid, and that burns your flesh and skin, it was a weak acid, meaning it was 3-6 Ph, but that doesn't mean anything-alkalines are dangerous to. 
So she drawst he Origami No Tsurugi once more and cuts a person-sized hole in the ceiling, letting the piece fall into the poison/acid below and says
"Time to leave!"
She says running on the ceiling and up into the room above or the roof, either one was good, with Yuyu following close behind, looking around, then pull out three more masks from a second scroll and giving them to Dai and doi
"you have SECOND scroll of gas masks? Are you prepared for everything?"
"I'm a ninja. why wouldn't I be?" Kimiko asks back.
"Do you think letting it disperse upwards into the atmosphere will keep people safe?"
"Hopefully. We do not want this toxic stuff getting to the rest of people here. People outside the club are probably safe, but if someone is in the build filling rooms up with chemicals, we got a dangerous criminal on our hands, someone who knows enough to gas and pour acid. the gas is no proof of jutsu, but that amount of acid is another story. to start filling up a room like that would either need a big container with a hose, or someone with a liquid containment scroll and water release techniques to direct the flow, if only for their own safety. I doubt our ninja would miss a big container of clear liquid or nitric acid-looking stuff coming into the village especially since it reacts with iron and therefore steel, thus making the usual thing you make big containers out of not viable as a method of containment."
And even if its some yellow toxic liquid rather than an acid, venom can be absorbed through the skin to, so generally not safe to touch with your hands. 
"So, the logical conclusion is ninja. thats the most plausible explanation I can think of, and they're trying to kill us, who is the creepy-voice kun we're hearing, so.....this seems like the work of some overly dramatic missing nin terrorist. Probably went rogue, has some psychologically damaging trauma they can't stop angsting about, they're using easily spotted and made acid and gas so I doubt they have much resources. They're attacking us so.....I say we kill him before he goes really out of control and does something like threaten civvies. This guys dangerous."
Yuyu nods and turns to Dai and Doi, extending a hand.
"You up for teaming up to take the guy down? If you just want to escape, we won't blame you, but we could use all the help we can get. Well, if you run away you'll also be giving up the band spot to us when this is done, and do you really want that?"
The band thing had become secondary priority to taking down the missing-nin attacking them.

----------


## igordragonian

Dai and Doi have exchanged glances. Dai hmpghed and looked away, but Doi took Yuyu's hand. "Well, I guess you aren't here to assassinate us. In this situation, it make us sisters in arms!" she giggled. 
Usagi has summoned Yojimbo- she left her crotches behind. 
"Usagi-san.. this is the second time, you have summoned me, today. What is the matter?" he has asked almost sound scolding, as he let her legs hug his neck.
"battle." she said with a wide smile.

the room, the group were right now, were a storage room for speakers. The yellow liquid in the room below twist into a whirlpool.


A character sat on the biggest loudspeaker- the character wore anbu mask of heyna, with a crack between the eyes, a too long military coat, with sleeves longer then his arms. Around his neck he wore two pieces of the broken forehead protector of the sound.

"Friendship. Putting your differences aside in front of a shared enemy. This sure does bring back memories.' the character said with what probably were supposed to be cool and mocking tone, but ended up shaken and frustrated.
"The Generation Of Hope. Eh? Adnit that your hopes are futile, and I might let you go."

"NEVER!" Usagi has yelled, and shoot an arrow at the character, who simply has jumped to the next giant speaker

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She stands up and look at this rogue ninja.
"Generation of Hope huh?"
she says
"Seems like something adults like to say a lot these days. But I don't care for it one way or the other. I'm after a goal...far more personal. Far more ambitious. Far more intellectual. Cause see, adults have expectations of kids like us, and those expectations are not always accurate. Cause they see us from their lens. From a time that has passed. From their hopes of what the future will be like. Its flawed."
Her mouth widens into a shark grin, her amber eyes sparking with courage underneath her gas mask.
"So talk all you want about it, Futility-San, I don't care. Your no different than other adult forcing expectations on us. I'm not doing this to be an inspiring figure of this Hope generation or for the village, my family, or anything. I'm doing this for me. What for? Wouldn't you like to know. I don't tell my goals to terrorists."
There were so many things he didn't know. He didn't know she already killed a man. He didn't know the tricks she had up her sleeve. He didn't know she was more than people expected of her. He clearly came in with an assumption: that all people from her generation were the same. 

Lets prove him wrong shall we?

Usagi clearly demonstrated that just shooting at him directly will not work. So she pulls out a smoke bomb from her belt and throws it down with one hand while making a Sound Village Sign Language signal behind her back to Yuyu for "Stay Still" who in turn signs the same to others, smokescreening the entire room. so Kimiko then starts speeding around around the room trying to place as many explosive tags on giant speakers as she can before the smoke clears while using her extending paper blade to place and break pieces of it to make more, creating an environment where the more the terrorist moves, the more he risks getting near an explosive tag that she can detonate. Bad for him.

It was a little crazy, filling a room full of big speakers with explosives over a room that has an acid whirlpool, one explosion and they could fall to their deaths but that held true for Futility-san here to, but while she controlled the detonations, Futility-San here didn't and if he was relying on mobility to evade attacks, then take away his mobility.

----------


## igordragonian

"You yourself, are filled with an assumption. I actually a younger then you, by a bit.' the masked person said, with no concern of the smoke, and the tag bombs. "Beside, you are all bunch of cliches. Aren't you eager to prove your worth to mommy? Eh, princess-san?" he smirked with no happiness in his voice.

'Ha. My help has arrived.' the masked person smirked, as Odayama slammed the door open. The masked person started to make some seals, that were undetected under his sleeves.

Usagi pointed eight arrows, while Yojimbo has drawn his sword, and hopped from place to place.


Doi has yelled. "No! Stop, he use one of my clan's abilities!"

Usagi seems to lead Yojimbo right at Odayama- (she has heard Doi's yell that Odayama is the real masked person), passing by the masked person who jump and slash Yojimbo's back with hidden blade(?), he groan. Usagi turn back and shot those eight arrows- the masked person move quickly, and seems to jump right at one of the bomb tags

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"My mother? My MOTHER!?"
She says as memories flood through her...
*Spoiler: Flashback: Expectations*
Show


_About Six Years Ago:_
She is showing off the new jutsu she invented, the Ink Explosive Tag Formation Jutsu, it took her a lot of work, time and effort to make it work, but it did: she threw the paper shuriken at the target then formed the hand signs rapidly to shape the chakra she charged into it to form into an explosive seal folded within the shuriken then used the snake seal while saying 
"Release!" to make it explode as it hits the target.
Her entire family gaped. That was a paper shuriken folded by one of her family members, and had no prior ink on it. She had just converted earth and water chakra into ink then shaped it into a complex series of finely calculated ink strokes that normally need a careful hand and patience for minutes if not hours to brush, making a paper shuriken in flight become an explosive tag in seconds then detonated it. This is insane. This is like figuring out how to just create grenades in the middle of battle out of thin air to them. The energy requirements are actually pretty low, its the fact that to be so precise in shaping and manipulating the ink like that so fast, that your memory and skill would have to be unbelievable. You'd have to be....
"...A genius." one says breathing in awe.
"She has to be" says another "The technique in application is simple- just making an explosive tag on the spot where there wasn't any before- but the actual work and brainpower needed to pull it off..."
"Agreed, I don't think I could do the same, fuinjutsu isn't done fast for a reason. One minor mistake with a seal, and it doesn't work."
"She just made a new jutsu that only someone with an incredible memory can pull off. At age six. What in kami's name will she able to do when she is an adult? There is great potential here."
She smiles and basks in the praise, her mother even comes up to her and says
"My daughter....I'm so proud of you. So young and your already exceeding expectations!" Yes! her mother was proud of her too! But the next words dropped a weight on her.
"Your already proving that you'll make a great clan leader when you someday take over! Perhaps you''ll even become Otokage someday!"
What? When did it become about that!? About those? She just wanted to improve her fighting style, to experiment, to make something enemies wouldn't expect! How did it turn into something about positions?

_In class, Four Years ago:_
Next she is in class, their academy instructor saying
"Okay, class I'll be teaching you all how to do the first most basic technique: transformation jutsu."
He forms the hand signs and transforms into a cute dog. Then turns back
"Now that you saw the technique in action, as this is your first ninjutsu, I will walk you through it hand sign by hand sign-"
"Like this?" Kimiko says flashing through the hand signs and turning into a cute dog as well, barking once or twice then turning back. The instructor is left speechless for a moment
"Kimiko....is....is this your first time doing this technique?"
He knew that noble ninjas had more of an education, but this?
"Yes." she answers honestly.
"...Incredible! Students, look a good look, for you gazing upon a shining beacon of the Generation of Hope! With genius and talent like that, who knows what great things she will do in this new era!?"
She feels more weight press down upon her, where did that come from!? 

_After School, Two Years ago:_
Her mother is having a talk with her academy instructor while she sits to the side.
"Has she done something bad?" Mitsuko asks 
"Not all, Ishikawa-Sama, Kimiko-chan here is well-behaved in class and gets the highest grades in it. Which is what I want to talk to you about**: she is so good at what she does, that I'm not sure what to teach her next. She grasps the material, the techniques, the history, more easily than anyone! I'm not sure what to do with her aside from keeping her practicing."
"How is that something worth my time?"
"Ishikawa-Sama, have you considered that she might needs bumping up in grades, so to speak? She is a prodigy of like that we haven't seen in years, maybe not since the Three Sound Legends. Her potential is wasted just learning at the same pace as other students. Perhaps you should talk with the Otokage about her becoming a Genin early at the very least. She has a great future ahead of her, she should be put on the fast track towards it!"
What? Why? What does everyone see in her? All she wanted to do was learn all the jutsu she could, and study chakra.

_At home:_
Jirou returns home and Mitsuko asks him, Kimiko eating rice while she overhears.
"Well? what did the Otokage say to my proposal?"
"He said no, Okasan, citing that this was an age of peace, and that we no longer need to fast track geniuses like that. He said that if she has such great potential, that she should stay at her own grade to form better friendships and connections with them, as these are people her own age she will be working with her entire life. That if she is truly to be a clan leader, it would be good of her to develop her social skills so as to better lead."
"What!? But think of what she could learn from being Genin now, getting the experience, making Chuunin or even Jounin! She could be well ahead of the curve!"
"The Otokage won't budge on this, Okasan. And to be fair, I agree with him. she has great potential, but that won't mean anything if she can't form any connections with anyone. A village is only strong because we fight together, and great figures are great because they have made many people under them raising them upwards, supporting them until the great figure is only a face seen on top of an invisible mountain of people they stand upon. You know this."
"Sigh, as much as pains me to say it, your right, she is lacking in her social skills. We need to start her working on that right away."
Mitsuko turns to her as if now just noticing her presence. "Hear that? I'm sorry you couldn't get into being a Genin early, but your going to be clan leader someday! You'll have to learn more than just ninja techniques. Try making some friends at school tomorrow."
"but...I'm bad at speaking to people....Okasan...." 
"Nonsense! Your a genius! I'm sure you'll succeed once you put your mind to it!"

_At School:_
Kimiko approaches a group of kids in her class, nervously waving and saying 
"H-Hi!"
They turn to her and instantly frown.
"Oh, so the high and mighty Ishikawa clan heiress finally deigns to speaks to us common kids, huh?"
"What?" where did this come from!?
"Don't act dumb! My dad says that noble clans only speak to use people as their puppets!"
"Yeah, she probably just wants to rope us into doing her dirty work!"
"Yeah go away, teachers pet!"
"What? no! thats not it at all! I just want to be friends!"
"Yeah, whatever we all know what noble clans do to their "friends." in the end."
"Did you get bored of soaking up praise from adults? go back to your stupid books, nerd."
"Why else would she ignore us for so long only to speak to us now? You never paid attention to us before, so clearly you just want something from us. Go away."
"But...but..." when did the conversation get so out of control?
"she can't even deny it! Look she is crying!"
"didn't know nobles could do that!"
"Lets beat her up for all those times she won in sparring practice! Bet she can't take us three on one while crying!"
Her sadness turns to anger as they begin to attack. A few minutes later, the three kids are beaten up while she stands over them with only a single black eye, having won with some effort.
"Now will you listen to me!?"
"Huh, just like a noble to expect anyone to listen to them after beating people up."
"Bet you think your so much better than us! screw off, we don't want to be any "friends" of you."
"Yeah, beat it! We're telling our parents about this!"
She breaks down crying again and runs home. Turns out beating people up is a bad way to make friends.

_At home:_
Mitsuko sees her daughters crying face and asks
"What happened, Kimi-chan?"
Through sobs, she told her.
"...and....and...I failed!"
Mitsukos face darkens and she says
"You did not fail, those kids were clearly commoners, and they do not understand what our life is like, and thus were never going to be friends with you. The common people do not understand the sacrifices we make to protect them. They do not understand the measures we must make to ensure better future for you and everyone. We are Clan Ishikawa. We are above their petty concerns, their brutish ways and attitudes, because we are like any civilized person and they clearly weren't civilized. This is simply apart of the risks of our birth, and you must learn to take it in stride and find the ones who will appreciate your position for what it is and know their own position in turn. For you are a born winner and every winner must find their group of second placers to help them along their journey, their nakama or friends if you will. To take adversity in stride so that it never breaks you and be like iron in your convictions. I'm so proud that you were able to defeat all three of them! You did well."
Kimiko could only think: But why, why must she be the sole winner? why can't she just be....equal?Why can't she just be who she wants to be?
"Worry not about those children. I'll take care of them."

_A Few weeks later:_
She didn't see the three kids at school today. Curious she goes looking, and sees that their houses were empty. So she follows the trail until shes them and their civilian families leaving, fear on their faces as her mother, Mitsuko grins widely, her shark teeth showing as she waves goodbye to them.
As they leave, Kimiko comes up to her mother, confused.
"What....what is happening? why are they moving out?"
"Oh! Kimi-chan. Those families just decided that they'd rather live in another city. Quite reasonable of them after that little incident no?"
"You....you convinced them to do that? How?"
Mitsuko ruffles her hair "Oh, Kimi-chan, your mother can be very persuasive when she needs to be! Especially when my darling daughter is hurt by their improper raising of their children. How rude of them to interrupt my daughters efforts at greatness by gathering friends to support her future by failing to raise theirs. Tsk tsk tsk."
"They were afraid of you as if you.....did you use Killing Intent on them to get them to leave!?"
Mitsuko chuckles "heh. Nothing slips past you eh? Already seeing underneath the underneath, you exceed expectations again and again. They were civvie families, would never have encountered that trick, its for the best that they're scared off, as if they would've ever made good shinobi. Which reminds me, we should start you on Killing Intent defense lessons next week, the more you build up a resistance to that early, the better."
Kimiko doesn't know what to say, feeling only a weight fall upon her as she realizes that she can't let an incident like that happen ever again. She must be strong in the face of adversity.

_The Garden:_
Kimiko sits in the garden of the Ishikawa family, the pond being filled by the bamboo seesaw thing that every home has because it looks elegant or something, tired from the constant social facade she had to put up every day at school to keep her out of trouble. Jirou sits beside her.
"Problems?"
"No. No problems at all, I am strong, because I'm an Ishikawa, a shinobi and I do not feel. As weapons should."
"I'm only your brother, Kimiko. You do not have to put a mask on for me."
"...Okay. Truth is, I'm feeling....weighed down, pressured. Like everyone expects great things of me. Its...chaining, binding. Suffocating. I'm the heiress, a noble, a genius, I'm praised constantly for all that I do yet...it all feels too much, I don't feel as if it empowers me."
Jirou considers this.
"Well, you don't have to worry about that with me. I'm the clan disappointment! no paper release, just Water affinity. I know how bull it is. But some people like with kekkai genkai, or with money, or noble lineage or whatever, are just born with a greater advantage than others through no fault of their own. No matter how much I dislike it, I was born lesser than you, and my place is to support you on your path to greatness. But people are still people even when they have a greater "place", I think. That just because one is "greater", doesn't mean one is "better" than other people, you get what I mean? That your still like everyone else in that your a person with feelings that no amount of expectations or position will get or capture. You just....start closer to the top of the hill while everyone else is at the bottom, and you get a different view from that angle, y'know?"
She raises an eyebrow
"I THINK I get what you mean..."
"Heh, you don't have to, just....be a good person okay? And just be yourself around me, let some of the pressure off. You spend all day being Heiress to so many people. Let yourself be you when you need it without expectations, or its going to destroy you."
"....Thanks brother."
For once, the weight lifts and she feels light as air.

Finally she remembers yesterday. The ultimate expectation. A criminal taken. A man murdered. A paper blade bloodied by her hand. A death celebrated, a sword given. The realization of what the nature of what being a shinobi entails. It still gives her chills, and a weight greater than all the ones before it presses down upon her mind.


Her face contorts into anger.
"...If you think that is the only weight upon me, your a fool! Release!"
She forms the snake hand sign to make the explosive tag detonate when the masked figure comes near it, not hesitating to try and kill him.

----------


## igordragonian

"Yeah, "I am diffrent from others' as anyone says.' Masked one, snark as he jump to stand up on the ceiling. As if, he was aware of the detonatiin before it happened.
"Now... our next cliche-girl. The underdog! Always crowd favorite, am I right?' He looks at Usagi.
"Baka! Everyone say they are diffrent from each other, because they are!"
Usagi jump toward the ceiling swining his katana behind his head.
"And I know I am better then YOU! I have lost everything, and came out stronger-" she strech an arrow through eight strings of her harp bow, but this arrow had an exploding acid tag talisman. Seemed fair to Usagi. Eye for eye and all that.
"Yuyuyu-san! We need your cover from below!" Yojimbo yell at Yuyuyu
Dai and Doi perk their ears. "Don't listen to him! It's our clan technique! Yojimbo said nothing!"
But... if that the case, can Yuyuyu trust what the bat twins say?

Meanwhile... Udayama seems falling asleep stading? He even snore.


Yojimbo cut off the masked guy's right leg, making him scream in agony, and while falling down from the jump, Usagi shoot at him-
Acid splash and melting his mask to his face- and then all of him melt down to acid, which rain over Usagi and Yojimbo and possibly Yuyuyu if she ignore Dai&Doi's warning.
It seemed masked one, did a switching jutsu with Usagi's arrow somehow.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She sees what is happening: movements that look as if they are moving a step ahead of them,  getting hit by two attacks too easily, she warns:
"Yuyu! Don't cover them! He see things a step ahead."
Yuyu thus leaps back. Kimiko is now thinking: did the movement as if he knew about the tag simply signify that he was good at predicting them....or something more? Did he have some senses beyond normal? But he is formerly of the....Sound....Deep Ear?
"Guys....be careful. The way he moves, he might be of the Deep Ear Clan....and y'know, hear everything we do."
If he is predicting everything they do.....she must do something that he can't do anything about, even if he predicts it. What he can't do anything about? What is his strategy? If he is here, then this entire strategy and plan has been to....isolate them. This entire plan of his has been to make sure they are alone with him. Therefore....don't be alone. She blows up another tag this one on the wall so that it creates a hole to the outside and she runs out of it, yelling to anyone who might hear outside
"ROGUE NINJA! MISSING NIN IN THE VILLAGE! FORMERLY OF SOUND! WARN THE OTOKAGE!"
Yuyuyu follows suit and runs out in a v formation from Kimiko to shout a similar warning to try and make sure Masked One cannot interfere with both of them.

----------


## igordragonian

Yojimbo manage to land on his feet panting with pain.
Burns covered Usagi.

The masked one frowned. "Why can't you just accept your fate?"

He jump toward the foor, but when he pass by Odayama, Odyama's hands grow long and crooked claws slashing part of the mask off.

Two ears are exposed. A fluffy bat ear stiched right by his real ear.
He were sent flying through the door.

Odayama just turned to him, still sleeping.

Usagi yelled with anger, shooting flurry of arrows which two of them hit masked one's shoulder.
Dai and Doi circling him from both sides shooting pens at him.

Masked one seemed shocked from Odayama's sudden attack.
Masked one is in the corridor. 'Giving up, is your only true hope!'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She frowns at the fake ears.
"Not deep ear eh? Hm. Yet wields water affinity, that rules out Sharingan and Byakugan. One has fire affinity, the other is very specific in fighting style. So what are you?"
Honestly that headband could mean nothing. Any number of hidden villages were either enemies or rivals to sound and could've had this terrorist take that headband to use as disguise to sabotage them for a narrative. Three major ones at the very least given their place in geopolitics and a bunch of minor ones besides. Water affinity meant nothing ninja of any nation could have that, its just that Mist had the biggest use for them.
"Why won't we give up? Because to give up on hope, is to give up on your life, for what is life without it? You might as well tell us to stop breathing for all the good it will do."
Kimiko tries to use her paper whip to tear off the rest of his mask to expose his identity while Yuyuyu  throws kunai to try and force to jump into the whips grasp. 
"That and probably the whole thing about us being soldiers of the state raised from kindergarten to put others lives before ours and take care of threats like you probably has something to do with it? We're products of our society is all."
He is basically asking a question to the results that only the process can answer after all.

----------


## igordragonian

There were no physical prooves for mostly "maksed one' to have Fukaimi* bloodline abilities. "You surely are have  self importance, rare even for your cliche.'  
He deflect Yuyuyu's kunai with ease using the tip of his sleeve. "Ah. Yes  the least crowd's favorite- the weak link, who hold the intresting ones together."
Then starting new seals under his sleeves.

"Products? Ah yes. That what the villages are doing to us.' He jumped away from the whip, leaving stains of blood. 
Though, it sounded like more people came over there.
But he jumped to the wrong place- to Odayama's reach. Odayama's arms became eerily long, with claws long enough to cover his face. Around his eyes, by the way deep purple was seen, as if he were tired more then a mortal can be, or brain inured to the point, blood filled the nose caves**.
Odayama as if he was automate, in eerie inhuman movement slashed Masked's chest, blood splashed everywhere, blood spilled from under the mask, implying he is barfing blood.

"Heheh... so Odayama-san isn't completly a let down..' he panted.
Usagi pointed eight arrows with paper talismans at his face.
"Well, listen to your own advice and give up!'

"No. I won't let you take their ears.' His bat ear flattened in anger.
And just like that acid dragon behind the shinobis backs whipped his tail, trying to catch the wholw group unguarded.***










*It's literaly deep ear in japanese. So this is offical clan name.
"**Hope this how it called in english. In the forehead, there are "tunnels', and at extreme brain injury they filled with blood, something that nicknamed "racoon eyes'
*** he used jutsus to summon a dragon from the acid a floor below and used another to silent his movement.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Reveal True Plan*
As Futility-San's acid dragon washes over Kimiko and Yuyuyu, it seems as if they were burnt away to nothing in the dissolving chemicals...

But then suddenly Futility-San finds Kimiko's paper blade and Yuyuyu' kunai stabbing through his chest. Their two attacks had just been disguises for them using replacement jutsu to get close enough to stab him, Yuyuyu using the thrown kunai and Kimiko using a small flake of paper that she broke off from the blade with her chakra to replace themselves with, interrupting his acid dragon jutsu from getting to the rest of them.
"Not standing out has its advantages."
She comments nonplussed. 
"Thats just Shinobi 101."
Kimiko agrees, then slides out the blade from his chest unnaturally light and fast and tries to behead Futility San.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi, her wounds steaming yelled. 'Hoi! You are stealing my kill!"
Yojimbo hop and stab the masked one from behind

"Haha. Every victory of your will make your despair to be deeper" while Kimiko behead him. At this point, bunch of Broken Record members are here.

The body slide deeper into Yojimbo's sword.

But not all is well. The Bye Bye Kitties, were caught unprepared and were washed by the acid dragon.
Also, the acid has ruined everything that was in the room.


Odayama open his eyes, yawns transforming back to normal human.
"We won. But, do we have losses?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She is panting at having gone through this life or death situation, a little wide eyed. This....was the second man she was killed. And not through some forced test, but her own choice in the line of duty. It...didn't feel much better than the first time. She contains her shaking as she sheathes her blade, having just ended a life, her voice unsteady but her doing her best to keep it calm.
"....All in a days work." 
Yuyuyu catches Kimiko's gaze and sees.....something within it. Something she finds odd.
"Really. is that so?"
"Yeah. We're ninja. Its what we do."
Yuyuyu raises an eyebrow at this, suspecting there is something more going on there but decides to let it rest to check on the status of The Bye Bye Kitties.

While she does that, Kimiko does her best to act as if what she just did was perfectly normal for a kid her age, that there was nothing notable about it and that she is perfectly fine thank you for asking, there is no problem and if there was it couldn't possibly be helped so don't bother.
"Yeah so what if I stole it? Its just a kill, we're ninja, you'll get plenty of opportunities."

----------


## igordragonian

Yojimbo panted in pain. "The battle has been won. I shall retreat and heal, Usagi-Sama.' And dissapeared in smoke
Usagi's burns fumed, but she ignored the pain, and looked enraged at Kimiko. In her eyes were a real blood lust. Was she a wonder? Or a beast who doesn't know to give up?
"Baka! You jumped infront of my arrow! Just stay back and be pretty-because next time, I'll shoot, no matter who is in my way!" She yell, ignoring her fuming burns.

"Hoi, hoi..." Odayam tried to calm down the murderer girls.

Usagi was a young girl too. But her first memory is ripping people including herself to pieces. Earlier and happier memories were repressed.
She feel mostly primal fear of being helpless again. She is quite obssesed and many normal feelings are repressed.

The Bye Bye Kitty band looked bad. If Usagi and Yojimbo got splashes of acid, they got a whole shower.
The busty bartender from earlier hurry to their side, and starting to make seals of healing jutsus.
Scratchman sighed. "Well, ksu. Your girls are tough as nails, Odayama. I think they deserve to be on the show."
Odayama groaned. "Are you an idiot? This was a hard combat for them, Kimiko is shaken and Usagi is injured.'

"I am fine!" Usagi barked.
The bartender healer yelled. "No! You are not! Can you even stand up?'

Usagi struggled, sweated. At the last moment she took a soldier pill.
"Here. I am fine. After the show I'll let the bimbo or who ever care to treat me.'

Scratchman laughed. "Hahaha! Hardcore. I like it!"

Odayama cringed.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She winces a little at seeing the Bye Byes
"Odayama-Sensei....I don't think its looking good for the Bye-Bye Kitties. They got hit with the acid hard. They seem to still be alive but....I doubt they'll be winning beauty contests any time soon. And thats assuming the damage is only skin deep. acid like that can mess up all sorts of things about the human body. Only medic-nins can tell exactly what, they need to get to the hospital. Not to insult your abilities bartender-san, but damage like this should be treated by more than a field medic."
If she was even that, if this girl with medic-nin training is tending a bar one gets the impression that they might not be fully legit in the eyes of a medical community, after all if they have such ability, why weren't they applying it to better than things than patching up bar fights? She was good for stabilizing them nothing more.

*Kimiko: Be Insensitive Jerk*
"Your just mad because I was competent enough to outwit Futility-San and you weren't, Legless. and what I'm not shaken." she insists. "I WON, I stopped the threat, as we are meant to do."
"At the cost of the Bye-bye Kitties as casualties."
"They were academy students who dropped out to become a punk band, then they decided to get into a fight with people who trained more than them, its their own fault if they didn't keep up their skills. Guess what, if they had stayed in school and kept their ninja skills sharp every day, this wouldn't have happened. The entire meaning of the word ninja is "survival", if you don't do that, your not a ninja period. It was a giant acid dragon we could all see coming, that should've been a no brainer to use replacement technique like we did."
"Kimiko! They're injured on the ground! Stop being a jerk!"
Kimiko blinks
"What? I'm just stating whats true. I'm not insulting them."
Yuyuyu rubs her head and reminds herself that Kimiko has no understanding of whats appropriate to say in any situation.
"I MEANT your being insensitive."
"Oh. Right. Sorry. Still didn't say anything untrue though."
Kimiko then turns to Scratchman
"Well we still have a mission to complete and I'm pretty sure Odayama-Sensei and bartender-san can carry the Bye-Bye Kitties to the hospital like the responsible adults they are. When do we start our song?"

*Kimiko: Sing*
Later after thats taken care of, they go upon stage, pulling their instruments out of storage scrolls, setting up their instruments and Kimiko goes up to the mic and snap her fingers to Begin the music and she starts singing, not just any song, but the song of her dreams, the song of her goals, that only these criminals would appreciate the song....of her desire to be....the very best:
_I want to be the very best,
Like no one ever was.
To steal them is my real test,
To read them is my cause!

(I will travel across the land,
Searching far and wide.
Each Jutsu scroll to understand
The power that's inside!)

Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!
It's you and me,
I know it's my destiny!

Jutsu Scrolls!
Oh, you're my best friend,
In a world we must defend!
Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!

(A heart so true,
Our courage will pull us through!)
You teach me and I'll teach you,
Jut-su-Scrolls!

Gotta steal em' all!
Gotta steal em' all!
Every challenge along the way,
With courage I will face!

I will battle every day,
To claim my rightful place!
Come with me, the time is right,
There's no better team!
Arm in arm, we'll win the fight,
It's always been our dream!

Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!
It's you and me,
I know it's my destiny!
Jutsu Scrolls!

Oh, you're my best friend,
In a world we must defend!
Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!

(A heart so true,
Our courage will pull us through!)
You teach me and I'll teach you,
Jut-su-Scrolls!

Gotta steal em' all!
Gotta steal em' all!
Gotta steal em' all!
Gotta steal em' all!
Gotta steal em' all!
Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!
It's you and me,
I know it's my destiny!
Jutsu Scrolls!

Oh, you're my best friend,
In a world we must defend!
Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!

(A heart so true,
Our courage will pull us through!)
You teach me and I'll teach you,
Jut-su-Scrooooooooolls!
Gotta steal em' all!
Gotta steal em' all!
Jut-su-Scrolls!_

----------


## igordragonian

The crowd loved it. Some laughed, but not in the mocking way. 
It was relativly calm and cheerful for the style of the Broken Record Club. 
They clapped, and some even joined the singing.
After the show, Usagi breathed heavily. The soldier pills weren't healing her- they are supposed to give stamina boost to endure the battle, and that it. Those pills might actually worse the situation at some situatuion, and more then one middle aged shinobi used them in battle, just to die from heart attack afterward.
But playing safe, wasn't in the spirit of the Sound Village. Infront of the burning power of the Leaf Village, they had only resourcfulness, and a sucidal determination.
After the show, the nice busty bartender peck Kimiko on the forehead. 
It seemed no matter how she looked, and how many people LOOKED at her, she noticed every one of them.
"Smile more. You might turn into a true beauty.' She wishpered and walked away, (and assuming Kimiko make funny expriession) Usagi laugh, but stop with a groan of pain.

And now the towering figure of Scratchman shadowed over them. Under the hood only a wide smile were seen. "Heh. The number two healer of our village is sure a fun girl to have around." He probably winked. "You can call her Fushi-Sama. You have impressed her, speaking of which, we need to talk.'

Usagi cringed. "I don't care about the relationship of a spoiled princess and a bimbo. I need to go to the hospital.'
Scratchman waved it off. "Fushi-san, will treat you while we talk.'
Usagi blushed just a bit. "I need a real healing nin."
Scratchman laughed. "I have trusted my own life in her lovely hands. And more then once. Come tough girls. You deserve some Sensei speech, and Odayama-chan had to go and tell bed time story to his daughters. Haha." He laughed, and led them to his control room. Usagi slap off his hand when he try to help her, and he just laugh. His laughter has a deep bass tone.

Fushi is already there, and between all the sound tools, she put a military bed.
She motioned to Usagi to come. After few unneccarily remarks about how ok she is, Usagi came.
Fushi's hands glowed with blue chakra, as she placed her hands over the burns.
"You are the determined baka one. Aren't you?' Fushi has asked softly.
'You are the baka! You bimbo!" Usagi yelled.
"Hihi. You remind me, of my childhood friend...' she giggled softly, and then her voice turn into cold iron. 'And she died. Painfully.' There were something very dominante and threatening, that made Usagi to stop struggling and tsundering around.
Scratchman has offered Yuyuyu and Kimiko some very light liqure. It was quite the generouse offer- such thing were impossible to purchase for norma citizens, and rare commodity even for succesful Chunnins. 
"Well, you sure are bunch of crazy girls. That for sure. I am not supposed to say it, but the guy you killed? Were in top 10 in ouringo book. You can expect some hefty prize of money. But...' he paused.
"Yuyuyu-san have noticed some big problem in your attitude." Scratchman paused.
"The Bye Bye Kitties-"
"Bunch of whinning weaklings!" Usagi yelled.
"Here.' Scratchman paused. 
"Do you know, what kind of ninja the Village Of Sound need?'

'One that never lose!' Usagi yell, and cringe as Fushi yank her back.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Give Incorrect Answer*
The young Ishikawa is currently smiling with a big shark smile and overflowing with confidence and pride, high off her victory over apparently a big criminal with a big bounty, everyone loving her song and Fushi-san giving her kiss on the forehead all on the same day. She is looking like she has just won the lottery, and she might as well have. Its very probable that all this praise will or is going to her head.
"Well thats simple! We need competent ninjas like me. Those who put in the work, do their studies, keep themselves disciplined and sharp to foil their plans and of course follow through by killing the foe so as to minimize civilian casualties. Sure its sad that the Bye-Bye Kitties were injured in the process of helping out, but they nonetheless made a valiant effort and thus contributed to the defense! And I thank them for that contribution. They are lucky they got away with only injuries, and many ninjas don't come back at all. Now if they had not dropped out, if they kept up with their studies and training, perhaps they would've been quicker on the draw to use the replacement technique and evade the damage as we did, as well come up with the idea to get close to him using that technique to get rid of him themselves."
Meanwhile Yuyuyu looks back and forth a little crossly between a battered stubborn Usagi who under-performed in that battle because she kept tackling it head on and getting only injuries from it, and a Kimiko who is arrogant and prideful in her genius, having come out of this looking more successful than ever and neither of being particularly concerned with the Bye Bye Kitties fate.
"But the fact of the matter is that they didn't. If we weren't there, they would've failed anyways and Futility-San would still be at large. Sound Village needs people who can do their jobs well, who can do what needs to done when the time comes! Who follow the rules, who stand upon the shoulders of the giants of yesterday, so that they can see further to make the world a better place for tomorrow. It is sad that the Bye-Bye Kitties could not cut the mustard, but casualties are to be expected in our line of work. We simply have to accept that as a fact with stoic dignity and move on with our lives, no use making a drama out of it. The fact of the matter is that we need quality, when our village lets be honest cannot compare to greater villages. The life of a ninja is not one for the lax or the inattentive. We are the protectors, spies and heroes of our nation. Today, I protected this village and kept it safe with my actions, what can possibly be wrong with that?"
Yuyuyu chimes in.
"I believe...that we need the kind of ninja willing to work together. Willing to reach out, communicate and make sure we are all united, or at least understand one another. To help one another as a community. Sure maybe the Bye-Bye Kitties could trained better, but we could've saved them if we focused on making sure everyone was unharmed rather on winning. We could have reduced casualties if we instead acted to get them out of the way. We should not callously throw away lives just because we're apart of a military. Obeying the rules is good, but helping those around you is even better. And honestly I currently do not see that in either of my team mates."
"What are you talking about? I was working together with everyone! I provided gas masks, I got us out of the acid flood, I tried to warn the rest of the village about him, I won the fight. Do you think Fushi-san would be healing anyone as easily if we were still in combat? No. We'd still be preoccupied with him causing trouble but now we can focus on them getting healed, thus by ending that fight as soon as possible, I helped the people injured to get treatment faster. The enemy's defeat is the most important objective in combat, because once it ends, you can take care of everything else much quicker!"
"Kimiko, I was struggling to keep up with all your ideas and having to guess what you were thinking constantly. You didn't communicate your plans to anyone really you just did them and expected everyone to follow along. You were ignoring others well being to kill him as fast as possible, and while what you say makes sense, if we follow the logic too much everyone will die from not taking some care to defend themselves and keep themselves alive to see that defeat through. Thats the kind of thinking that got us the Last Shout jutsu, and we need to do better than that. You in particular are prideful and arrogant and your confidence in your skills can easily lead to overconfidence if your not careful."
"I guess that does make sense..."

----------


## igordragonian

Scratchman smiled. (Well, even more. It seemed like he glued his smile)
"Yo, Yuyuyu-chan has true potential. Yes. The Sound Village have enough cut throats. And yeah, it was cool and metal and all, but in the end of the day, it was just another battle. You need something to defend. To anchor you."

Usagi frowned.:"If I could work alone, it would be much easier. Everyone, and especialy Princess-san just get in the way!"

Scratchman shook his. "Listen girl. You are tough. No one argue that. Our village doesn't give you those foreheads as game. But you have to grow up.'
"Grow up?! I am a skillfull archer, and probably the best genin of our village! Baka!" She yelled.

Scratchman laughed. "I like your style, girl. But both you and Kimiko quite... self focused. Aren't you girls? Both of you can be much more. You Usagi, has the material to become a legend. An inspiration for generations to come. Kimiko..." he pause.
"You are on the path to be a great shinobi. I am sure of it. And in our small town, you will be remembered. Maybe. But in the big world... there are dozens, maybe hundreds of geniouse ninjas out there. What will make you diffrent? Eventually you will meet them in battle. Some of them might be more talented then you. What do you have that they don't?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Meanwhile with Jirou:*
He enjoys the song as well while he works in the lab. afterwards while walking back he over hears   from a couple of chounin that Kimiko took out a high bounty ninja. That attacked out of nowhere. He pounds the side of a building in frustration while muttering.
"Kuso! She is already prideful to a fault and has high expectations placed upon her mother and the rest...now she somehow pulled off taking out someone like that!? She doesn't need expectations being raised even higher.  Success may be good, but at some point....I worry she will break. Kimiko isn't invincible, nor as unshakable as she likes to think. I need to make sure she doesn't get too big of a head. Or who knows what might happen to her."
He leaps off to the Ishikawa mansion. He needs to have a talk with his mother.

*Kimiko:*
"Do you mean friends and allies are what I "uniquely" have? Oh come now, do you think those genius ninjas DON'T also work as a team with other ninjas? Of course I'm going to have friends and allies, thats basic- everyone has those, thats why its called society. Now if you want to list what really sets me apart, its my paper release bloodline and knowledge of fuinjutsu. I plan utilizing those to their fullest potential."
And acquiring far more than that besides. Her dreams were BIG and she has this planned out to a degree since she was eight. Even the first step of her plan to learn All The Jutsu was going to be big however, and it was only going to get bigger from there. Big enough that she'd have to surpass most the ninja she ever known to even begin working on Step One, she was currently on Step Zero which was basically "Make it to Jounin". But no one needs to know that. that wasn't important right now, and if she blabbed her plans, they'd look like the ravings of a madwoman or pipe dreams at best. Wouldn't do to make the Sound think she is crazy or a threat.
"Of course I got my family to learn things from to help with that and due to our natural affinity for Earth and Water its going to be wise to invest in those releases. And I agree with Yuyu that we need to be better than the last generation and their kamikaze mindset. While it got us a village in the first place, it clearly did a number on the quality of our ninja. I plan on living thank you very much.But yes, paper release its what sets me apart. I even used the paper release to finish that fight by replacing myself with a paper flake to get close."
Yuyuyu sighs. Its a bit hard to argue with someone so smart as Kimiko, because a lot of what she says is technically true, but her attitude about it adds up to something undesirable, and she isn't entirely wrong in some of what she says.
"Look, what you say is true, but you keep in mind that we're not just ANY ninja, we have specific skill sets and abilities. Usagi is an archer. I am a genjutsu specialist and spy. We have specific strengths we need to play to, and we need to know each other to work together well. Your not teaming up with a "ninja" as if thats a uniform you teaming up with specific people who have specific needs and wants, and I agree the kamikaze mindset of last gen is stupid, we need to live, but doesn't that apply to saving the Bye-Bye Kitties so they live too? What if they died? Can you really afford a reputation for letting the ninja around you die, Kimiko? No one will help you if you if you don't care about their lives, for why should they care about yours?"
"What you say makes sense. I cannot afford to not care about other people. I'm not saying I don't care about their lives Yuyuyu, I'm just saying that prevention through teaching people to evade this themselves in the first place is better than having to drop what we're doing to save them in the present. Like it or not, if they were better at replacement technique, this wouldn't have happened to them. Yes there are things I could improve upon, but we're starting out and its process to work out what we need to improve. Speaking of people needing to improve, at least I did better than Usagi over there! What did she actually contribute? How was she useful?  All she did was fire arrows at the guy without thought and take hits without evading them, its a wonder she isn't more acid burnt than the Kitties.

and listen to her even now, talking about working alone as if that possible! We're in a military, our entire job is about working with other ninja to our part to protect our nation, at least I understand that, at least I can listen to reason! She thinks she is some lone hero who will solve everything with guts and courage alone as if she is straight out of one of those trashy action mangas that finish everything with a beam or a punch."
"Says the girl who sang a variant of a radio song made to advertise a gatcha." Yuyuyu mutters back
"You know what I mean, Usagi struggled and tried to force her way through that fight. If I'm bad, she is worse, I at least try to think outside the box and change the situation to be more advantageous. Usagi just kept attacking without much thought for how to get around his defenses, to control the situation. At least in my self-focused efforts I succeeded and thus contributed to the village, can she say the same? No. I think the results speak for themselves in that. What do I have? A noble family with experience, a bloodline that allows me to do things with jutsu most can only can dream of, a sword that allows me a source for that bloodline to be useful and the mind to know I always need to improve. Question is, what does Usagi have, hm? those ninja geniuses won't pass over her and always go for me just because she is dumber, she needs to think about this too."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi gotten up, a vein popped in her forehead.
"Nani?!' she pushed herself to sit, as Fushi stared in awe and horror.
"What I have?! The knowledge that every ability and skill I have, is truly MINE. 
You have it all easy. The first time, things won't go your way, you will shatter. I could kill any stupid geniouse with ease, as long no supposed "ally" stand in my way!"

Scratchman looked  letting the discussion flow.
A club ninja like him was fine with some noise

"I trust my rabbit friends. They have seen me, beyond my missing legs. Me and Yojimbo work perfectly together. So if you want t to challenge me- bring it on! Any place and any time, at any thing!"
Scratchman and Fushi laughed.
"What so funny?!" she snapped.

"Don't get it the wrong way, girl. You just remind us of a close friend of us." Scratchman said

"Who died as genin." Added Fushi

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Really, you wanna go legless wonder? I just took out a high bounty ninja, what are you in comparison to that? I won my spars constantly back in the academy, what makes you think anything has changed?"
Already she was thinking in her head how the fight would go, Usagi's style was not usual, but it could be planned around. Already she was figuring how to get close.
"What? you mean a duel? No! Our village does not benefit from you two beating each other up!"
"The Chuunin Exams disagree. People come to those to see ninjas duel one another, don't they? We'd just be practicing to help make the village money and to qualify become Chuunin ourselves, no biggie."
She says trying to wave her off.
"You just want to beat up the disability girl because you don't think she is capable of making it as a ninja. Thats unfair and wrong. You know she can't beat you, there would be proving anything, no point to such a thing other making Usagi feel bad. Step off before you make this something ugly."
"Hey, I'm not the one who threw down the gauntlet. I was just contributing valuable assessment of how well we did so we can do better in the future, SHE turned it into challenging me. I know this kind of thing is half-pointless, but my clan is noble and has to project an image of strength, if I turn it down the challenge they'll see it as a failure to raise me to be courageous enough so I can face whatever challenge comes my way without running from it, and thus a form of shame. Even if I don't particularly buy into these ideas they are still there in society and thus need to be considered. 

Believe me I don't want to beat up a disabled person either, but this is one who qualified to be a Genin, and survived a fight with Futility-San. Whether or not she is fit to be a ninja, there is something stubbornly capable about her, and I know enough about combat to keep it nonlethal for both of us."
Yuyuyu looks at Scratch-san and Fumi-san
"Please talk these two out of this idiocy."

*Meanwhile with Jirou:*
Mistuko considers the news.
*"Okay....she took out a high bounty ninja. How is this not a thing to celebrate? She is proving more and more to be a genius! A prodigy that should be given every opportunity to excel! Perhaps we can argue into promoting her early."*
"Please, Oka-san. There are wider forces at work than just us. The Sound Village has its current position because we were willing to sacrifice so much during our attack on the Leaf during the war- and thus by being granted a hidden village and a land to defend, we have made sure we cannot ever repeat such a desperation tactic. The Sound Village cannot continue on the power of the Last Shout alone, if we are ever attacked and we have to use such desperation techniques in such quantities again, there probably won't be enough of a village to rebuild from that."
*"This is true, my son. But what does this have to do with Kimiko?"*
Mitsuko says, raising her eyebrow.
"The Leaf Village, whom we attacked is also one of our closest neighbors. They have used the fact that we are simply not as strong as them to have an edge in their negotiations and treaties with us, and that if we were to resist their demands, any warfare that breaks out would likely result in our fall, whether by their hand or our own and thus we aren't in a equal position when we need to deal with them. They are not happy that they lost, but as long as the Sound Village is weaker than the Leaf, they can basically push us around and have their revenge through still being one of the most powerful and wealthy villages in the world that ensure they get favorable terms at the bargaining table while we don't. As long as we're the relative short end of the stick, we continue existing. Kimiko threatens that."
Mitsuko leans forward in concern.
*"How so?"*
"Because if her accomplishments become too great, too fast she is going to start looking like one of Konoha's favored uchiha geniuses that make Jounin at age eight or a potential kage or whatever, only Sound-flavored. Such figures bring great strength and innovations to their villages do things that improve the lives of effectiveness of everyone in their village! Which could start looking like a real threat to the Leaf if left to grow."
*"You think that if becomes too great too fast, they will try to kill her to keep Sound weak?"*
"It is a possibility, but not the first one they'd pick. There is something worse and more subtle they can do first: offer her an education in Leaf so that she may one day return here to improve Sound. On the surface it would seem beneficial, but it the Leaf's greater opportunities for education and experiences that Kimiko would not otherwise experience would put us and possibly the rest of the Sound into the Leaf's debt and make whatever she accomplishments she achieves in improving our clan and village only happen because of them. Given her goals, she would not turn down the offer to learn completely different jutsu she otherwise would not have, and they'd exploit that to start shaping her to have an opinion favorable to them and their interests, just think of a Kimiko Otokage who is more inclined to give the Leaf favorable terms than they already have. Especially to clans like the Hyuuga or-"
Basically if she looks too much like Itachi, Kakashi or Minato Namikaze, they'll want to snatch her up and make her a Leaf nin in all but name and headband then put her back to be their puppet. 
*"Those. Kami-Forsaken. Uchihas. and stupid red eyes."*
Or even _shudder_, the Uzumakis if they still exist. 
"Indeed. And we don't know if the Otokage can or will work out a deal where he doesn't send Kimiko to the Leaf without ticking them off. We need to make sure her accomplishments are kept quiet. We are not a major village with great power and resources to protect our prodigies who can afford them to be famous and feared, nor is our clan powerful. She grows too great, too fast and she will either get killed, or made into a tool for somebody else. We can't let that happen, and we can't let her get overconfident. Its the only she'll be safe if she is going to accomplish things like this."
Mitsuko considers this and nods
*"Very well, we'll...curb too much praise, spread rumors that it was a bit lucky and emphasize that it was a team effort. Make sure she doesn't look to stand out to keep her safe as word spreads. and be sure to sternly lecture her when she gets home, while I am proud of her doing this, we need to make sure she has a realistic assessment of what foes she can face. We cannot shield her forever, but hopefully by the time other villages catch wind of Kimiko's true genius it'll be too late for them to tempt or kill her easily."*
He bows
"Thank you....Okaasan."

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*

Usagi strangely remained silent. Both of them looked down on her. Banter with them will be meaningless. Words are free. Action ls are work. 
She gave an image of someone stupid who attack recklessly. But it wasn't the full truth.
Usagi only does so, when she doesn't has intel to work with- instead of hesititate she try to shock her opponets.
But with intel, she can think fast and be cunning. This is the way of the rabbit-
Rabbits aren't as strong as their main enemy- the wolves. They rely on their speed, and when this doesn't work, they will create a situation where it will work.

Usagi wanted to teach Yuyuyu a lesson as well, but Kimiko were her main target. Mind readers would be surprised at how methodical Usagi can be.

https://youtu.be/0TsE01qdy5A
Usagi with sudden move tear the front of Fushi's top, letting her cleavage spill out.
Fushi gasped and fell back. "Kya!' Shocked and scared- she was afraid Usagi stabbed her in the chest.
Distraction number one.
Usagi get up suddenly, tossing bell needles at Kimiko and Yuyuyu.
It won't be lethal, but anyone with instincts intact will focus on the sharp object that fly at her.
If they stabbed- so it make the next move even easier.
She now pushed herself to jump and spin, between her two allies, sending her hands to grab their headbands and tear it from them.
If succeed, Usagi fall on her face, but roll herself to a sitting point with a wide grin.  "I am never helpless! This is my ninja way!'

If she fail, she land on one hand, using her free hand to toss more needles at them. "I challenge both of you, just to give you a fair chance!"






* The Pathologic Section Of The Ottogare Labs.*

A lean and tall shadowy figure walked into the operation room. The signature triangle hat of the Village's leader was apparent.
"Oh. The Ottokage! What a honor! It's good you have arrived. He has ears of the noble clans. We should-"
"Burn it" the Ottokage said coldly. The second Ottokage usually led the village with a smile and optimism, even at the grimmest situations. 
Maybe there were stronger Sound Ninjas. But no one of them could lead thr village with such positive energy. So the scientists were confused and scared.
"But-"
"Fine. I'll do it.' He made few quick seals and the corpse flared up.
"Why, Ottokage-Sama? The ears were-"
"Get the rest of the evening off.' The Ottokge commanded.
  - ...but..."
  - -"NOW!'
  - The scientists ran away. The Ottokage fell to his knees and wept.

https://youtu.be/wEWF2xh5E8s

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Be A Total Vegeta About This*
Usagi half succeeds. Yuyuyu jumps away from the sudden movements and Usagi doesn't get her headband, Kimiko on the other hand is angered and blushing by Fuishi getting attacked like that then slashes the bell needle out of the air- only for her head band to be taken and Kimiko to get even angrier and slashes any other bell needles out of the air, furious that Usagi read her well enough to take her headband, snatching it back, her voice seething with rage.
"That is it! You want a fight, you got one. but you made a grave mistake: I'm the one being challenged, so I get to choose the time and place, and I choose Tomorrow morning after breakfast, on Training Ground 4. Be ready, Legless. Because I will put you in your place, and I won't even need Yuyuyu's help to do it."
Kimiko reties the headband then turns and stomps away, ranting to herself.
"But-but- ah screw it, I'm not getting involved in this stupidity. I'm finding some kids from our class to start a betting pool and buy some pocky for myself to watch you two beat the idiocy out of each other like your some rivals in a bad manga."
Yuyuyu then walks away, rolling her eyes.

On the way home, Kimiko is ranting to herself:
"That stupid low class legless excuse for a ninja! How dare she-she- disrespect her elders like that. Fuishi is too pure for this world to be....treated like that! As a noble Ishikawa elite, I clearly have to teach her humility. How did she grab my- Rrrgh, it must've been a fluke. Caught me off guard when I was celebrating my greatest victory yet. Mark my words, that won't happen a second time."
Careful Kimiko, your Princess of all Ninjas is showing there. 
"I just have to prepare all I can for the fight tomorrow. exploit all the advantages I can. and she will pay for what she did to me and Fuishi."
Also your kind of white ronining (AKA: this worlds version of white knighting) right now. 

She gets back home and calls out while taking off her sandals
"I'm home."
*"Kimiko Ishikawa, we need to have a talk."*
Ah, full name use. This was serious. She walks to the living room to sit respectfully across from his mother on a mat, her mtoher flanked by a few other adults of the remaining Ishikawa Clan.
"what is it, Oka-san?"
*"I have received news that you killed a high ranking ninja today. Is this true?"*
"....Hai."
Mistuko leans over and slaps her.
*"What were you thinking endangering yourself like that!? Don't you know your supposed to assess the danger of your opponent properly!? You are the future of this clan! You cannot afford to take risks when greatness is at stake! Your personal glory does not matter if the clan suffers! Be more cautious next time, or you might be able to come back next time, and remember what your purpose is."*
Kimiko so much wants to speak up, to say that she didn't have a choice to face him, that he was pursuing her, that it wasn't apart of the mission, that she succeeded didn't she, that maybe it she has to take risks for greater glory, that she was a ninja she had to put her life on the line to protect those commoners, that was what she supposed to do. But none of those words come out, her mother generally did not like talkback, and she instead says
"...Hai. Oka-san."
*Anything else you'd like to tell me?"*
"....Usagi challenged me to a duel. I accepted and will be going there tomorrow after breakfast. I will be preparing throughout the night for it."
She gets slapped again, the blow stings just as much as the first.
*"Agh! When did a genius become so foolish! You are putting this families pride on the line, girl! You better not lose this, I did not raise a loser. You lose and I'll have train you real hard to make up for it! Lets get you prepared, my daughter isn't losing to some low class ninja."*
"...Hai. Oka-san."
It didn't matter if her mother was angry about this, she would show that no-leg ninja what the difference between them really is, Kimiko thinks angrily. As she is taken away to make her plans, Jirou watches silently from the sides, wondering if he made the right decision to temper the celebration with her mothers way of teaching caution.
"...Its for her own good. Right?"
He whispers to himself, hoping someday he will believe it.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi smiled widely. She caught Kimiko off guard. Not only in the direct combat sense. It was fun, but not what mattered. 
She lost her cool, and Usagi couldn't bare how statifying it was. 

Usagi felt emotions that there weren't there before. Sort of. Excitment. She cared about her relationship with Yuyuyu and Kimiko, and wht they thought of her.
Usagi limpered home. She won't have time to sleep tonight. But she wanted to meet Tsuru. Beside, the burns were treated mostly, but she still was hurt.
At their decaying aparmtent, Tsuru has prepared fast made noodles. Usagi has noticed in the trash can, on the package, that the noodles were expired. She just smiled.
"Aha! I won!'
The one handed eldery woman, raised an eyebrow, as she placed the pot on the table.
"Against who?" She asked softly.
"This baka princess. Heh! She was all smug, and I just jumped and took her headband! She was so mad! Hahahaha!" Usagi laughed and digged into the noodles that smelled just slightly off.
"But weren't you fighting a missing nin?" Tsuru has asked softly.
"Eh. It doesn't count. The baka princess stole my kill. Next time, I'll shoot anyway! That will teach her some manners! This baka!" She groaned.
  - "aren't you a team? Your victory isn't induvudial."
  -"Meh. The Princess surely don't view it this way. Why should I?'
"Is she this bad? Was she the one who gave you those burns?'
"Haha. She would wish! No. It's from the missing Nin. I don't mind. As queen Nagaishi say:"Scars are our teachers'. No. This baka princess stole my kill, and is being amug about it. And also the chatty one-"
  - "You don't sound very mature calling everyone by nicknames."
  - 'Fine. _Yuyuyu_ said I had no chance winning _Kimiko_. I must prove them wrong.'
  -Tsuru sighed. 
"I am no ninja. But I am a proud member of the Sound Nation. Only with combined forces we can survive. We are all broken, trying to build something new. Healthy.'
  - "Pff. There nothing broken in this spoiled princess. Nor Yuyuyu. They always have everything easy. They don't understand hardships. They ain't like you and me."
  Tsuru smiled and hugged Usagi.  "Yes. They are. They are humans. And they are young girls in your age. Everyone suffer. Some just hide it better then others.'
Usagi frowned. "Yeah, because having family, money, prestige and all of your limbs is sooooo hard to live with.' She rolled her eyes, and gotten up.
"Speaking of which... I have work to do.'
Tsuru looked at her sadly. 'Please give them a chance. I am not talking only about your physical safety... you are a young girl. You should have friends. Joy. Even love.'
Usagi was at her back toward Tsuru. "I am a Kunoichi."
'And yet. You are a young girl. Don't shut your heart down.'

Shadow covered Usagi's as he limped out. She didn't answered. Tsuru didn't liked "Edge-Dono" attitude. And Usagi, felt like saying that the pale eyed leaf ninja has shut her heart years ago.

On her way, she seen youth and adults hang out and socializing. She felt so alienated, as she limped on her crotches.
Did she had this luxury? She had to work so hard, and it wasn't enough- if Yuyuyu is so sure, that she didn't stood a chance against Kimiko.
No. She... can't go softy. Hard work was all she had. No time for distractions. She folded the crotches, and walked her way on her hands. It looked wierd, but she didn't cared.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Await the Challenger*
She has arrived first in the morning, standing at Training Ground 4. Here she stands, looking determined and cross, yet prideful. The Training Ground itself has a few certain specific features: a few trees, taller than average grass, a small body of water for water-walking training over there, all the perfect set up for what she had in mind. Off to one side is Yuyuyu operating a betting stand with a few other students from their class clustered around it including the Kaguya one there who might be detailed later, with Yuyuyu herself having pocky ready to snack on as she watches. Behind her is Mitsuko her mother and her brother, Jirou, come to watch her defeat Usagi, Jirou looking silently concerned as ever while her mother fierce and judging stands with her arms crossed. They clearly wanted to see what she could do that could kill a high bounty missing-nin. 

Kimiko herself stood there waiting, a mix of motivations, emotions and thoughts swirling in her mind. Part of her is doing this out of anger for her own pride, part of her out of some perhaps misplaced sense of nobility of defending Fuishi-san, but now a third part is afraid that she will fail her clan. If she can't win against this low class cripple, how can she hope to win against greater foes after all? Expectations haunt her even now and she must meet- perhaps even exceed them- to keep her head above the water. Even in this small thing, she feels the weight of dead ancestors and history weighing down upon her, and the pressure of living family pushing her up and not letting her rest. She cannot be weak. She cannot be less than what they need her to be. There is no relaxation for an Ishikawa. Success is maintained, not earned. A small part of her wonders what _any_ of this has to do with her goal to learn all jutsu, but accepts that she cannot focus on that if Usagi is distracting her from it. This small part also wishes she was free of all this to pursue her interests, but knew that it was impossible to be at the same time. She can't just step away, for there were many reasons behind why people did anything, and the bindings of civilization are many. Quite simply, she was not allowed to fail.

Meanwhile Yuyuyu ponders her own thoughts to herself: Honestly, she can see this as ending in any way good for either Kimiko or Usagi. If Kimiko wins, it will be seen as Kimiko beating up a cripple, making her look cruel while making Usagi even more passionate to prove herself. If Usagi wins, it will be seen as Kimiko LOSING to a cripple and instead of making people see Usagi as strong, it might just make Kimiko seem weak and make people call her abilities into question, thinking that perhaps her victory over Futility-San was a fluke or that he hadn't been all that much of a threat is a cripple could beat her. Either way, she couldn't see either of them truly winning from this, and the reputation damage that Kimiko could suffer might be more damaging than any physical wound, while Usagi had the cripple sympathy thing going for her. These things can stick around years after they happened. 
"Excuse me what are the current bets?"
Yuyuyu turns to Miho Kaguya, one of their classmates. She will be elaborated upon someday else.
"Its 5 to 1 odds against Usagi. Most people think its a safe bet that Kimiko is going to win."
The few who bet on Usagi she knew were kids carrying grudges from when Kimiko beat them in spars in the academy. 
"Oh" Miho says "Well put me down for one hundred ryo for Kimiko to win."
She says, setting down the pocket change. Yuyuyu takes it and says
"Playing it safe, eh?"
"Its the top student against a cripple in a pure combat setting with the genius given prep time. I'd love to root for the underdog, but unless Usagi has something miraculous up her sleeve, any serious foe will exploit her disability and the strategies that it limits her to for all its worth."
"Limits her? how?"
"Well for one, melee combat relies a lot on proper footing, positioning, having hands free and reach, so she can't do that without legs. With her rabbits, she is limited to cavalry combat and/or archery. She could be knocked off her mount. And the fact that she has to summon to move at all makes her predictable. While ninja jump and move so fast that they have no need for mounts most of the time unless they're flying, so even with her mount she is slower and less mobile than most ninja, and the tighter the space, the less useful cavalry and ranged abilities becomes. Not a good combination with her lack of thought. I've no doubt she could still take on ordinary thugs, but there is reasons we train ninja and not cavalry. I can only imagine what Kimiko has in store for her."
"Good analysis."
A part of Yuyuyu wonders if this could be solved by a draw, but she doesn't know how a noble clan will take that outcome. They tend to push excellence in their heirs no matter what family they are.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama Sensei has joined the benches, holding on his shoulders a very very young girl, with pale brown hair like his, with two cute pony tails, and t shirt with cartoonish musical note symbol with a smile. While on his shoulders her hands tried to mimic seals. "Unicorn, teddy bear-"
"Kimiko-Chan, there are no such seals." He corrected with a smile.
"Now there is!" She puffed her cheeks. Odayama laughed and sat next to Yuyuyu. "Oh. They went out, and made out a whole event out of it. I guess, I won't have time for laundary...'

He gasped, in horror as behind him apeared a fierce looking woman. "Boo!"
"Nekazuko-san! Stop doing it!" Odayama gasped as lil' Kimiko giggled. Like Nekazuko, lil' Kimiko had striped tail, wishkerd and cat ears, and fangs.
"Auntie!' She jumped on the strong tiger-ish woman, who had striped skin, which she enjoyed to show off.
'Haha! So, you can't even keep your students from destorying each other? Useless as usual.'
Odayama grumbled. "I just went to tell bedtime story to Miko and Kimiko. I didn't knew, they couldn't even handle victory!"
"Hahaha! I'll never understand what my sister found at whimp like you!' She slapped his back, making him groan in pain.
'Here. See a REAL team. Number 1. Fitting name.'  She gestured toward the trio-
First is going Mayuwo Fukaimi. His eyes are almost shut, and his very thin and long eyebrows raised in arrogance, as he walk to the benches, his ear lubes waved as he walked.
He had perfect scores at least as Kimiko had, but was quite hated. He was arrogant, especialy toward women. Maybe, that why the Ottokage has chosen him one of the most ferouciouse female Senseis he could have find.
"Don't we have something bettet to do with our time, then watching two girls playing at make belief?'
Nekazuko glared at him with narrowed eyes and needle pupils.
'Right.' Mayuwu said bitterly, as he sat behind Yuyuyu. Girls like Yuyuyu were the worst in his philosophy. His grey robes spread as he sat.

Second arrived, meekly and akwardly Gurasu Komoro. He was handsome, feminie "bishi' with square glasses. His bat ears fluttered akwardly, he waved shyly, yet in a friendly manner. He had an aura of an "ok guy'. He was booksmart, and helped anyone who had trouble with studies, and were kind- but was strong enough to avoid bullying. 
He obeyed his superiors, but wasn't a snitch. Gurasu was probably the least controversial member of the Hope Generation, maybe second only to Yuyuyu. "I am sure this is just because they both so eager to prove themselves, Yuyuyu-san. Odayama-Sensei. Nekazuko-Sensei just teasing you, I am sure.' He said with a friendly manner.
Third were Yoroi. https://pm1.narvii.com/6952/78fa2947...5-315v2_hq.jpg
Yoroi were a son of Ronin, who has fallen in the hands of the leaf village, and joined the Village of Sound, mastering the sword arts, using the katana of his father. He was grumpy, and at odds with Mayuwi. Much like Usagi he was eager to face any challenge.
He yawned, and all of the sudden, fell into a pit that apeared all of the sudde  at the playground.
"Ksuuuuu!" He cursed.
"Are you ok?' Gurasu has hurried to his side, but stopped, when Yori gotten up. 'Don't get near here! It's all trapped!'

Usagi apeared from under the ground yawning, all muddy and dusty. 
"Ah. You are all here.' Her eyes have widened to see how much people came to see this dual.
Before anyone could mock here, Yoroi yelled. "Baka! Why are you trapping the playground, you legless wonder!'
"If you are too weak to even watch me battle, you can go home!' Usagi woke up yelling back.
Now energetic again, she looked at Kimiko and her family, and smirked. "Oh? You can't even fight without squad of cheerleaders, princess? Pff. Good thing, they have notning better to do.' She looked at the crowd daringly.
Odayama sighed. 'I probably should be  in charge here..' he left lil' Kimiko in Yuyuyu's hands without asking, and jumped into the playgrounds.
'Ok. Let's set some rules. No killing. First blood, win. Inablitiy to continue to fight is also a loss. Any questions?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Outwardly Kimiko scoffs and says
"Your just afraid of losing to a "spoiled princess" in front of a crowd. One that unlike you, actually protected this village and thus did her job yesterday."
She says back while observing silently: _So she trapped this area to. Good at least she isn't completely incompetent. I'd hate for this to be easy. A complex problem is the most fun to dismantle._
She observes Odayamas rules
_Rules just as predicted in accordance with Sound Village law on dueling. Just the way I want it._
She draws the Origami No Tsurugi and takes a ready stance, as if to spring forward and close the distance between her and the foe.
"No questions. I'm fine with those rules."
She feels her mothers glare weigh down upon her back. Edges are going to be important here.
*"You better not lose this, Kimiko."*
"I _know_, Oka-san."
She answer back in an annoyed tone drawing out the last word like "Mooooom." 

*Yuyuyu:*
She just ignores Mayuwu, as usual. While nodding along with Gurasu.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi narrowed her down and yelled at Kimiko's mother. 
"I guess you are so brave, that you wre sitting behind, while yelling at others not to lose. No wonder, your princess would never handle me, with such an example!" she taunted. It was another small tactic to slightly annoy and annoy Kimiko. But also, she truly annoyed her.

She treated it, as if Usagi was an important yet easy test at school and a real challenge. It was insulting.
Anyway- before anyone could answer or ignore her antics, she jumped into the ground like a strange mole-dolphin.
All night she dug a set of tunnels under the playground, and learnes their structure. She could certain earth jutsus.
Usagi's fame worked against her, as Yojimbo warned. Everyone knew what was she all about, nd Usagi were aware  inherit weaknesses in her fighting style.
She decided to rely on her own strong hands for this battle. She will probably use her rabbits at some point- but as additional power, not her main one.
She crawled so fast in the tunnels she dug, it was almost as good as the jutsus that allowed the user to swik through earth. She sat explosion talisman where Kimiko stood and at the place she imagined she will walk to.
For now, she planned to "soften" her target, by losing her trust at the ground itself.
Kimiko was skillfull, but Usagi, just needed one crack in her concteration, and Usagi will turn it into victory.


Yoroi:"Lame. We can't see what happening."
Mayuwu:"Don't expect much from such lowly battle.'
Lil' Kimiko kept training seals of 'dolphin, giraffe' while sitting at Yuyuyu's lap

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:Begin Battle*
Both Kimiko and Jirou's eyes widen in fear as Usagi insults Kimiko's mother. It was one thing to mess with an heiress, entirely another to provoke the clan head. Jirou looks over and sees Mitsuko glaring even harder in anger at this but silent. There was....going to be words after this, no matter the outcome. Jirou had no doubt of that.

Kimiko meanwhile couldn't focus on that and leaps away from her starting position....to hide in a tree, away from the ground entirely. Her plan had been to basically hide behind the tree as cover from her arrows, using her tree-walking to easily change angle and direction of where she was hiding from Usagi  to easily avoid arrows while Usagi would've been forced to constantly using her rabbit to ride around and get better angles to fire from, the idea that the tree would act as shield as long as Kimiko kept track of where Usagi was and thus kept hiding from an angle where Usagi wouldn't hit her. While focused on her, her rabbit would fall for the bear traps placed in the taller grass specifically chosen to hide them and thus get clamped painfully make it harder to move thus making it easier for Kimiko to attack back and score a cut, and a win. That was Plan A.

Tunneling downwards was different than what she thought her opening moves would be, but she knew Usagi could utilize the rabbits to dig in some manner. So she planned a counter for that sort of thing:
She forms a hand sign and says
"Release."
Everyone hears a muffled _Boom_ and a slight tremor. Everyone is confused as to why the big pond in this training ground is suddenly draining. Underground, an explosive tag set by Kimiko on the side of the lake has detonated and Usagi's tunnels are now flooding with water. She calls to Odayama
"Odayama-Sensei. Her tunnels are now flooding. Given the possibility that she might drown, the fact that I'm not allowed to kill and the average human can only hold their breath for about two minutes, I recommend that if she doesn't escape within one minute you call the match won in my favor and use the remaining time to rescue her before she dies. In such an unconscious state you'll undoubtedly find her in, I could draw first blood from her at my leisure, so she might as well be defeated in that scenario. Aren't I thoughtful for thinking of my team mate's safety even during a duel like this?"

*Yuyuyu:*
Miho Kaguya nods
"Smart of her, its not just about exploiting the terrain or the opponent, but the rules themselves. She is using the very concern for Usagi's safety to create incentive for the referee to rule the match won when certain conditions are met. She is following the rules to the best of her ability- and better, using them to her advantage."
Yuyuyu happily plays with Lil' Kimiko-chan in her lap.
"Like a true ninja. These kinds of mock duels for people like us can be as much of about abusing technicalities as it is actual combat."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama sighed. He hoped, that at least they "will talk with their fists' or what ever his wife and her sister doing, when they disagree. 
"Sure. I guess...' he said meekly.

"Boooo! Lame!" Yoroi yelled.
Mayuwu said coldly:"Thankfully we aren't paying with nothing but our time."
Gurasu smiled. "I am sure, it won't end this easily!"




_____
Usagi cursed to herself, but weren't shocked. Kimiko had very methodic way, to deal with issues, looking for shortcuts, and cut battles before they go out of her control.
Usagi has stopped her breath, squirming between the muddy tunnels. This bastard...
Rule lawering against her. 
No matter. Just means, Usagi has to act even faster.
From the fact no dirt and noise entered Usagi figured Kimiko was stationary. 
Usagi resuraced to take a peek, and toss a needle with a bell toward Kimiko, even her general dircetion, while taking a breath.
She hurried back to the tunnels, aiming to place explosion talismans under the branches of the tree, once they will be pressured under it. And since, the ground became so muddy  it will happen eventually. Usagi swam away from the tree, counting the seconds.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
The bell needle meets a paper shuriken thrown at Usagi's arm in midair, the two projectiles clattering to the ground while Kimiko leaps to the next tree as the first begins to sink. For some reason, she sticks her Origami-No-Tsurugi into the leaves of this second tree, and waits alert, for any sign of Usagi resurfacing once again. 
"Whats the matter? You talk a big game about being brave and taking on anyone, yet look at you! So afraid of me you hide in the ground! Rabbit is quite a fitting summon for you given that your running and hiding like one!"
Kimiko knew this wasn't remotely true. This was a psychological tactic to make her angry. Whether it worked or not didn't matter: The tactics Usagi was displaying here was completely at odds with the reckless personality she displays, therefore she could only conclude that the recklessness and hot-headed stubbornness was either a calculated mask, or Usagi was one of those rare personality types who could both think logically and methodically and be incredibly emotional at the same time. Well it wasn't actually THAT rare, but it in the field of shinobis it was particularly odd and unusual but not malfunctional. It shows up rarely, because emotions generally aren't conducive to being logical weapons of death. It was rare enough that it threw experienced shinobi off because being loud, brash and obnoxious is generally not only civvie behavior, but very rude civvie behavior that isn't even acceptable in normal society. Most people are taught to be very polite and stick to the strict system of honorifics denoting placement in their culture after all. 

The taunt while to provoke her, might not even work as a taunt. Usagi might see right through it. The real purpose was to deceive Usagi into thinking that Kimiko was underestimating her. Any misinformation was an edge in her favor, in some way. and if Usagi sees through THAT? Then she is worthy of even more respect: it meant she grasped seeing underneath the underneath, and that Kimiko would have to push her limits and start doing something crazy. It was all in how Usagi would react, and if she didn't react at all, well....that 60 second rule still applied. Sure it might be reset every time she came back up for air...but that will leave her open, and Usagi's stamina isn't infinite. Kimiko was using less energy while she figures Usagi was expending more energy by digging and swimming around down there, pushing against the water and the dirt. For now, it was a matter of waiting it out and seeing what happens.

----------


## igordragonian

For Usagi it wasn't insult. It was summary more or less of how the rabbits fought superior foes.

But yeah. Maybe she was too subtle.
It's time to speed up. She prepared three arrows, and jumped out-
'Like a dolphin!' (By Lil's Kimiko description) shooting, mostly to put Kimiko on the move and calculate where she was. She hurried, and jumped out from a diffrent angle shooting two arrows, more accurate.
The third emerge were very accurate. Each peek, gave Usagi more info about where Kimiko is, and the faster Usagi moved, the less Kimiko could move away. This arrow also had a bonus- a thunder talisman. It was disguised as exploding talisman, but did nothing but a noise twice louder then the exploding talisman.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
As soon as Usagi comes out of the ground, Kimiko dodges behind the tree she is in so that the arrows hit the trunk, as per Plan A's strategy of using the tree as a shield and exploiting angles. She tugs at the paper-sword, and suddenly Usagi finds the longer grass around her suddenly coming alive to try and bind her- no. This was not grass. This was....very long strips of paper painted to look like grass with the exact colors, shades and everything! Kimiko had hidden these long strips of painted camouflage paper in the grass winding throughout all the training ground and even into the trees so that she can merge her paper blade with them and thus have hidden paper tentacles extending everywhere ready to grab and immobilize her! Plan C.

As the third arrow hits the trunk, a big ringing resounds in her ears, as she wasn't looking at the arrow at the time and thus she didn't know about the tag and Kimiko leans out of the trunk to throw with her other arm another paper shuriken at Usagi to try and slice her and draw first blood, while Usagi is suddenly bound by her camouflaged paper tentacles.

----------


## igordragonian

Yoroi shout. "Finally! Some action! Don't let it finish already, baka invalid girl!" And then shut up, holding his ears from the thunder.
"Nya!' Lil' Kimiko whined. 'I hate her! Drop already!" 
Her auntie actually laughed



Usagi wasn't prepared for this, and this made her smile like mad. Her blood boiled. Such moments tested her motto- to never to be helpless.

Usagi shoot another arrow, right at the paper shuriken.
"I am surprised that a pampered princess is able of creative thinking! Maybe your family doesn't hinder you THAT badly! this arrow had it's own new trick- it was wrapped with a very thin, near invisble thread, she waved the string, to *whip* the arrow and the shuriken at Kimiko.
From the crowd it would look like Usagi manipulating the arrow with telekensis.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
The shuriken and the arrow come hurdling up to kimiko and-POOF! Replacement Jutsu. With...the first shuriken she threw to intercept the bell needle last time. Only there was a difference to it now: the folded piece of paper had sudden formed an explosive seal. It was Kimiko's own invented technique to create explosive tags on the fly in any paper she had or could create with her Origami-No-Tsurugi. She forms her hand seal and says as a distraction
"I'm over here! Release."
And said shuriken explodes and sends sharp splinters flying out from the tree at the still bound Usagi, multiple little wooden splinters threatening to draw first blood on her while Kimiko was far away enough to be clear of the devastation.

----------


## igordragonian

"What afraid to anger mommy?' Usagi yell "Yojimbo!" and the Samurai rabbit, appear with his back hugging her, protecting her from all the splinters.
"Usagi-Sama." He say, slicing the paper grass from her, and putting her on his shoulders.
"Sorry, Yojimbo. It's dual of first blood.'
"I see.'
Usagi and Yojimbo exchanged looks, and then Yojimbo jumped and kicked the tree, toward Kimiko sending dozens of splinters, while Usagi rained needles with bells.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
POOF! Replacement technique _again_. This time with a log. Where did she go this time!? Everyone looks around confusedly. She wasn't anywhere in sight. 
"....What...where did she go? I don't see see her anywhere."
"I don't either." says Miho "If its true then....she prepared a hiding place? what is she up to now?"

Meanwhile in Kimiko's hiding place, it is dark. Lets see, she still had the bear traps, still a bunch of painted paper everywhere, but her initial plans have basically been exhausted, even if they have improvisations involved. She expected to use the lake in a different way by exploiting the fact that she can water-walk and Usagi can't at all, but thats down the drain, literally. She had more plans, but this was starting to heat up, and hadn't been expecting to use this much, and she can't really make them work from her hiding place. A summons like Yojimbo complicated matters a bit- two foes on the field made it harder to avoid first blood. She would either need to eliminate him, or figure out some way to equalize the playing field. She has an idea....but its really chakra-intensive and kind of something she just came up with. It might be the only way to for her to win this however. She holds out her sword and whispers
"Paper Release...."

Outside, when people were wondering where she was, Kimiko suddenly bursts out of a third tree in dynamic entry, having hollowed out its trunk so she can hide within, then put the bark back on as a lid to make it look normal, skidding into view- but not in her normal appearance. Her entire body was wrapped in paper like a mummy, the only parts of her body visible being her eyes- even the bridge of her nose was covered, with blue chakra empowering and emanating around the mummy wrap, strengthening and hardening it.
"...Body Wrap Armor!!"
She charges straight at Usagi with the Origami-No-Tsurugi to try and cut her. If Usagi tries to fire arrows or needles or Yojimbo tries to hit her with his blades, she finds they will bounce off the body wrap as if its hard armor or something,
"Behold! How can you possibly win now, Usagi!? Every inch of my body is covered in strengthened paper! Nothing you throw or shoot can pierce through it to get first blood! And I know enough that if you fire at my eyes, your arrows will pierce them and into my skull, killing me, which you are not allowed to do! In this armor, you can't get first blood at all!"
It was a chakra guzzler however. She estimates she can maintain it for about only a minute, tops. As she attacks Usagi with her sword seeking her skin she says
"Do you understand who are facing now, Usagi!? I am someone invents new jutsu- JUST FOR A SINGLE MOMENT! You may be good- but I'm better!"

Both Ishikawa clan members widen at what she just did, startled. They never thought of that kind of application for basic ability to harden paper using chakra. 
*"Do...do we have a jutsu like that in our library?"*
"If....if there was a similar one, it was burned along with much of the other stuff we lost escaping Kiri." Jirou answers "We'll have to add it in. Might be a little impractical though."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi tested the paper armor with a kunai, which bounced off.
"Yojimbo, don"t let her near us." She commanded.
"Hai!' Yojimbo ran and hopped around.

Usagi laughed with enjoyment. The thrill! The challenge!
"Not half bad, pampered princess. Good to see, your mommy didn't choked off, your desires compeltly."
Usagi start to toss bell needles, but she aiming terribly. Is she just trying to buy time? Is she at loss of what idea can she do?
"Usagi-San, if may I say, your needles won't hurt this armor, maybe my sword-" Yojimbo say as he block one of Kimiko's attacks. 
"Nah, just block and run' Yojimbo said calmly with a wide smile.
Was she faking her confidence? She started to smile, when Kimiko has managed to finally surprise her.
She take her bow again, but isn't putting any arrow
 Her bow was also a harp. 
https://youtu.be/vvdfdKV0YTc
Usagi has closed her eyes, and smiled a strangely motherly smile.
Kimiko hear bells chiming softly into her mind, soothing and calming....


Beside bowmanship and rabbit summoning, it seems Usagi didn't had much else.
But she did have one single thing. A lullaby jutsu, which by legends the Rabbit queen has used to defeat the Wolf King.
Usagi didn't had such an angelic voice, like Queen Nagaizu, but like many things, she devolped a version of it to herself.
This jutsu fall somewhere between ninjutsu to genjutsu.
When she set enough bells around the target, and the more organized she set them the better- she can play music into the target's brain.
Those bells are like anothet insturment, activated by the sound waves of her harp, jinggling in a very accurate fashion.
If Usagi succeeding, Kimiko will fall asleep, and technicly lose

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Unfortunately, Kimiko honestly has no idea or any reason to think Usagi has a genjutsu. Nor any clear defense against genjutsu in general, and in her current state of mind, charging towards Usagi trying to land a first blood, she isn't in the ideal state of mind to figure out thats what she is setting up.
_Kuso!_ She swears inwardly. _Genjutsu is my weakest subject._
And not for the lack of trying. Genjutsu wasn't exactly the easiest thing to wrap your mind around, or something popular among young kids who preferred taijutsu so they can jump high, or ninjutsu to blow things up, or something most ninja had a good grasp of in general. Her mind races with sudden adrenaline, time seeming to slow down for her as she tries to hurriedly come up with a solution to this. She can't cause pain to herself to break out of it like a blade, that might be interpreted as some form of first blood! A lullaby was sound based, but covering her ears would leave her unable to deal a first-blood blow, could she connect the paper sword to her strips in the grass and throw the bell needles back at Usagi to disrupt it? Would manipulating the paper wraps to be earplugs maybe work? What could she do, what should she do? She has an idea. A crazy idea. 

She suddenly stabs the sword into the dirt, then uses it as a pole to leap off of at Usagi while using her chakra weaken the wraps around her mouth so that they break open for her shark teeth to try and bite while also making various sharp paper spikes appear all across the wrap armor, the idea being that the momentum will make her crash into Usagi, the spikes or the teeth will pierce Usagi and draw first blood, while she begins to fall asleep mid-flight, hoping for a tie. Kimiko is defiant to the end, even in this moment she is trying to grasp for any kind of victory she can.

----------


## igordragonian

*Six  Years Ago. The Animal Dimension
*Spoiler*
Show


Teen Yojimbo sighed, once again. The lump of his forehead still hurt. This crazy legless girl, surely knew how to throw pebbles.
They were in a cozy room, simple but spacey and warm. The paper walls depicted Queen Nagaishi fend off a primodoral monstorsities and predatotr kings.
Lanterns with http://www.japanesewordswriting.com/.../08/usagi.jpgs the kanji for a rabbit.
The girl stared without any expriession at the lanterns. She hasn't ate nor slept for days. Maybe she seen over and over the blood and flash rain in which she apeared in this realm. 
Yojimbo himself were shaken.
He didn't knew what to do. This girl was a broken doll, with a sentient entity inside.
Yojimbo KNEW this. When he reached for her, even as she bled to death she growled and fought like a beast. This rage and pain, could come only from a broken sentient mind.
Yojimbo was helpless. Ever since he cleaned the little girl, and put her in this room she stopped moving and reacting to anything.
He didn't knew the girl. She was from the alien specie, that sometimes, summoned his kind, but he felt obliged to be by her side. Yojimbo felt strange sense of respect to this legless girl.
But she looked paler and paler, and she will probably waste away soon enough.
And then he heard humming, getting nearer and nearer. 
Yojimbo already bowed deeply.
In white mist a beautiful woman has entered the room. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/17/80...ad692d1e26.jpg
"Your highness... Nagaishi-Dono...' The young rabbit Samurai mumbled with awe.
"Rise up, Yojimbo-Chan.' The queen said with a sweet voice of honey collected under the moonshine. 
"Your Master say, that you are negleting your trainings for a 3 days. It's because of this human. Isn't it?' She has asked, her left paw opened up, exposing set of tiny claws. Fools wouldn't think much of it. But Yojimbo knew, those claws tore rock and metal as easilly as it tore paper. He was worried.

"Yes. She is very hurt. I barely have stopped the bleeding. She hasn't moved. I can't just... leave her like this.' Yojimbo said with folded ears.
'Do you think we are a monastic order? That charity is one of our sacred duties?' Nagaishi has asked, and hopped silent as blank dreams toward the broken shell of the girl, almost floating.
Yojimbo felt his heart sink down.
"We aren't anything more then tools for the humans.  There is no reason for us, to treat them diffrently. And this tool is broken and wasting your time.' She explained as if, answering to his rebelliouse thoughts.
Nagaishi, raised her paw to slash the girl, who didn't seemed to even notice her.

"NO!' Yojimbo jumped and drawn his sword in defensive stance between his queen and the alien child.
Nagaishu stopped, tilting her head, with a dangerouse smile.
"No? How... intresting.' She placed her paw over his heart. "You still fear and respect me, and yet resist me. What give you such a courage?'
Yojimbo shook. "...I just feel this isn't fair. She IS a fighter. She lived through hell. She can be a great warrior!"
Nagaishu smiled. "How curiouse. Let's see.' She summoned from the mist a harp. "I'll heal her mind."

"I thought you.. aren't doing chairty.' Yojimbo panted.
"I am not. This is an investment. It will be up to her, if to succumb to numbness, or to live and fight."
*****
[Little Girl's mindscape]
Little girl sat and sobbed. Rain of blood kept raining, and she was all soaked in blood. This blood was her father, mother, siblings and herself.
And she was the cause of this rain.
Blood. Flash. This is what remained of everyone.
And then.... she has heard this beautiful music. And a pretty bunny in blue robes has appeared.
The rain stopped all of the sudden.
The little girl has raised her eyes. "Ah. Well, you haven't lost ALL of your sanity. Good." The pretty bunny said with a smile, which the girl interperted as friendly.
The girl didn't answered staring.
"Well... here are your options.' A black hole apeared behind the girl.
It was an endless pit, but seemed... comftroable. Clean. The girl was so tired.
"You can let go. This is the pit bliss. You won't be you, anymore. You already have thrown to there so much of yourself, you should stop tear yourself and simply jump into there. You will forget everything, and won't be you. No more blood rain. What do you say?'

The girl looked back. It seems, that there, her family were happy. They even called her name happily, all while the lullaby in the background clearing this hellish mindscape.
The girl, started crawling there, sending hand to the reaching hands of her loved ones.
She stopped all of the sudden. "What the other option?'
The pretty bunny smiled, and gestured toward a battle scene. Unending battle scene, with bloody weapons everyhwere. "To remain torn, and go for unending battle. You will probably will never be at peace. And you will serve ME." 
It seemed so hard and impossible. There were no compassion. Only unending struggle. Behind her family offered an unending comfort with them. They called again and again her old name with love and care.
She started to turn back
 But for a moment took a look into the pretty bunny's white eyes. 
They were _mocking_ her. She could read them. "Come on, little girl. Dissapear."
And as she thought that, the *pale eyed man* apeared in the zone of the unending struggle. "You already half dead. You are ugly. Die already." He said softly.

 "#$%# please don't!" Her mother begged.
A spear has apeared in the girl's hand, and she _flew_ forward, letting her past succumb into obivlion. 
She stabbed the pale man, and blood again showered her. But now, it felt _good_.
"You are just little helpless girl! You can't do that!" The pale eyed man said with a statisfying horror.
"I can do anything! I never helpless!" And the little girl murdered him over and over with new weapon each time.

The pretty bunny has tilted her head with an amused grin. "So, Yojimbo-Chan's instincts were right." She wishpered. "With such spirit  your body is just a minor detail."
*****

Yojimbo barely held himself awake. Of course, he knew, that if the Queen would have wished him asleep he would have been.
The girl eyes closed. Forever? Yojimbo wondered with a worry and dissapointment.
The girl's eyes suddenly have opened. Focused. Fierce. Her eyes teared,  and she smiled. Her belly rumbled with hunger.
Nagaishu, petted her forehead. 'What is your name little one?'
The girl looked confused for a moment. Name?
It mattered so little. She looked again at the lamp carrying the kanji.
"Usagi." She said.



For Usagi this wasn't  lullaby- this was her war song. It was her last trick. 
And... this is finally managed to take down, the seemingly unbeatable princess.
She didn't expected Kimiko to go with a sucidal move. And neither Yojimbo, who were focused on fencing off, Kimiko's sword- he wasn't expecting such a wild and reckless attack.

Kimiko's teeth locked on the neck of Usagi, making her drop the harp.
Usagi yelled in pain and shock, and lost her hold on Yojimbo's neck and fell alongside Kimiko into the mud. Spikes stabbing all of her body while the fall, she was about to lose her counsiounse as well.
The girls splashed into a mess of mud and blood, Usagi smiled before losing counsiounse as well.
"Heheh.. this.. was.. fun." She grew pale and lost counsiounce as well.
"Usagi-Sama!" Yojimbo called, but without her active chakra was forced back into his realm.
"Oi!" Odayama called in worry. They surely didn't held back!
"I need medic ninja!" He yelled.

Yoroi smiled. "Heh. This was a good one."
Gurasu fell asleep.
Mayuwuu. "Completly barbaric.' He ranted.

Nekazuko laughed. "Not bad for green Hope Girls!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko: Ruin the moment.*
As Kimiko falls unconscious, the strips of paper loosen and fall off her and Jirou walks on over with Mitsuko close behind, bending down to pick Kimiko up off Usagi so that she can get medical treatment.
"Yin-yang is a beautiful thing to witness. I estimate the Kimiko would only be able to maintain that for a minute at most, 30 seconds more realistically. I think they both have a better respect for one another. They both fought well."
Mitsuko crossed her arms.
*"No she didn't. Kimiko could've done better. A ninja either wins or dies on the field. The way she improvised at the end in a charge would be suicidal in a real battle and would've only gotten her killed in the field. Clearly we've been slacking on her genjutsu training. We'll need to rectify that, immediately."*
Jirou admits that she is technically right, Kimiko probably should be trained better about this.
"....Hai, Oka-san."
Mitsuko then turns to unconscious Usagi, regarding her with disdain, crossing her arms.
*"As for this one, what incompetent mother raised this child? Does she know that an improperly raised child is a shame upon their family? I will not have my Kimiko get killed on a mission with lord or high-ranking ninja because this one was not properly raised to still her tongue around her elders and betters like a civilized person. I'll need to have a word with the mother about her behavior."*
Jirou wasn't so sure this was a good idea however.
".....Oka-san....please do not do anything that would us look....unseemly to others?"
*"Hmph. You worry too much."*
Yuyuyu files this conversation away in her head for later, but says nothing.

When the medical ninja arrive Yuyuyu says
"Hey Odayama-sensei, you still haven't called the outcome yet. Can you please say whether either won or whether it was a tie? 1300 ryo is riding on this."
Thats 1300 yen or about thirteen dollars for a sense of perspective. This is kids pocket change after all. Its not much.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayam wasn't a big fan of nobles neither. He actually became Chunin for hunting a dangerouse noble.
'She has no mother. And as the Commander of this Platoon I will deal with this.' He paused.
"Just give Kimiko the respect she deserve. She has existence, beyond entertaining you.' And added to fix the tone "After all, she is a noble as well.'

He blinked.
"Ah. Yeah. All things considered... this is a tie!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
That... was the wrong thing to say. Mitsuko's voice grows cold with fury.
*"Entertainment? ENTERTAINMENT? Tell me, Odayama, is the future of my clan, entertaining to you? Is Kimiko, the heir to this clans legacy, potentially dying because of a mistake like this, entertaining? Do you think I take pleasure from watching my daughter fail, when so much is riding upon her shoulders? Do you assume every noble does nothing but find ways to entertain themselves all day? Tell me, what are nobles like if your such an expert on us nobles, Odayama? What about am I supposed to be finding entertaining? Hm?"*
Jirou slowly backs away while trying to silently communicate to Odayama "Do NOT answer any of those questions, its a trap." with his hands and the shaking of his head. Thankfully Mitsuko is completely focused on Odayama.

Meanwhile Yuyuyu says
"Whelp your all wrong on your bets, so....none of you get the money, I get to keep the whole pool."
Miho and the few other ninja gathered curse inwardly.

----------


## igordragonian

(Do you think Mitsuko will know of Odayam's history and deeds in the war?)
Odayama narrowed his eyes. The Sloth Slayer.
"You know... me and the second Ottokage were talking about Kimiko. Do you want to know why really, he didn't let her graduate before time?'
He paused. "The Missing Nin we killed, and which Kimiko were the one to give the killing blow... he was just like Kimiko. The psychological department of the research center give Kimiko 75% to fall into the same path. You are hurting her, more then any failure could.' 
After the first aid to Usagi were given, he took her on his hands.

"I will fight for my platoon to grow into a great people and ninjas. Even with obstacles like you.' He turned his back.
"Nekazuko, please watch over Kimiko-chan. Yuyuyu- come with me."
Odayama didn't considered himself a great ninja at all.
He was a family man. And those girls were now his family. This was always his ninja way.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
She narrows her eyes coldly as she considers this. Yeah she knows, why wouldn't she?
*"....Very well, Odayama-San. If that is your...professional assessment of the situation."*
She turns to Jirou as he picks up and resheathes the Origami-No-Tsurugi into Kimiko's sheathe.
*"Come. We're heading home.."*
They walk away, Jirou sparing a respectful bow to Odayama before giving Kimiko to Nekazuko and following his mother.

Back at the Ishikawa household
*"That commander doesn't know what family is! How are people he only met yesterday his family? That is not a legacy. He doesn't know them the way I know my child. How dare he think he can love my child better than me. Blood is thicker than water, Kimiko was raised by us, taught by us, not by him. Her outstanding performance and efforts to the best ninja she can be is proof of our Clan's love and strength. We don't need the softness of civilians. We're ninja, we are meant to be the hard hard dagger in the shadows so that this nations civilians can enjoy their soft lives in peace. Its the sacrifice every ninja makes!"*
"True." Jirou says neutrally about the last part.
*"Clearly he doesn't understand this. No matter, we'll prove him wrong. They will see how much of Kimiko's success is owed to us, her flesh and blood. Our methods work, our clan would not have survived to this day if they didn't."*
Of that, Jirou cannot argue against. Traditions and techniques only pass on and continue because they are effective, and Ishikawa has been a clan that has been around before the villages were founded. Mitsuko was nothing if not a person of tradition.
*"Jirou,from now on you are to train Kimiko one hour each day she gets home in resisting genjutsu using your Inverse World Genjutsu, until she can consistently throw it off within seconds."*
"...But...Oka-San. That is a B-Rank Genjutsu, one of the greatest prizes I've achieved in my life, taking the technique from another ninja that claimed that he invented it himself and kept it secret until I took it from him. Leaving aside that I'm using one of my greatest techniques for training her, do you really think she can handle it?"
*"Your technique is nothing but a tribute to be paid for the greater good of the clans survival and prosperity, which pays its tribute to the survival and prosperity of the village, like everything else we do. Of course she can't, thats why training exists, to make sure she can START handling it. The more she gets used to a genjutsu technique like that, the more she will be able to resist lesser ones and be prepared for even greater illusions. If she didn't have a deficiency, there would be no need to correct it."*
Jirou sighs. He will probably need to let Odayama know about this so that they can work out how to not overwork Kimiko because of this or something.
"...Hai, Oka-san."
Mitsuko leaves. Jirou sits and conisders things Despite all of Mitsuko's controlling, demanding nature and her great proficiency at the clans Paper Release jutsu, she secretly didn't have the head for fuinjutsu. Mitsuko simply can't grasp any of it well enough to do anything beyond basic explosive tags. Which was why Kimiko was so important: the clan was based on fuinjutsu and Mitsuko was just as incomplete as Jirou was when fulfilling the role of a clan member. He knew that Mitsuko's need to push Kimiko to be the greatest, was because Mitsuko herself felt inadequate, unworthy to inherit the legacy she had and desires her child to be different. 

At the end of day, Kimiko will surpass her mother. That was the plan, regardless of the method, and then, Jirou figures, it won't matter anymore.

*Yuyuyu:*
Yea she wasn't sticking her nose into any of that until she has a chance to talk to Kimiko. Odayama could probably get away with that because he was a commander, but she wasn't stupid enough to try and meddle directly. She turns to Miho Kaguya as everyone disperses.
"So, you experienced anything like that in your family?"
She considers this.
"Not really. Our clan's techniques don't require a genius to use to their full potential, so we just need to keep up an athletic training regimen and good hygiene since our bloodlines based on taijutsu, so the expectation is shared around and not focused on one person. We have different problems."
"Like what?"
"I've....said too much. It can't be helped. I'll be going now."
Miho walks away. Yuyuyu doesn't bother going after him. She knew that culturally speaking, it was a no-no to say there was a problem at all. That the common thought of the culture of the shinobi nations was that the way to suffer best, was to suffer in silence, from the lowliest civilian to the greatest of all shinobi. Complaints about ones troubles and station were seen as weak and unmanly. "It can't be helped" is a universal phrase as a result, and encouraged people to not talk about their troubles or help others when their problems were revealed and there was a good amount of pride and defiance against being pitied when those problems were revealed. The Sound Village just by communicating its problems had something over the rest of the villages even before the Hope Generation. But she can't push too hard.
The thing about meddling in others business, is that you have to be subtle so that people don't realize your doing it. She follows Odayama-Sensei.

----------


## igordragonian

*Spoiler: Odayama's background*
Show


Odayama is known to be the 'Sloth Slayer'. Not only because of his beast curse, that give him a pseudo beast form of a sloth.
He is very determined, yet very patient.
He got the Chunin class, when he slain a Leaf Junin Anbu. After taking the expriement, he was sure, he will survive only for a single attack. He waited at the same spot without moving for 6 month, and at the perfect moment slain her. 
There are rumors that this Junin was his mother, though, it doesn't add up.
His father was a simple gardener who gave everyone flowers or something, and was killed in the war.
His wife started a new bloodline, by doing a dangerouse expriement and fusing herself with a summoned animal, and she is one of the Three Thunders.
Ever since, Odayama married, it seemed that he became less active.







Odayma jumped from roof to roof, to being Usagi fast to the hospital.
"I am sorry for speaking recklessly. She just... remind me too much of my own mother.' Odayama has apologized.
"Eventually I had to kill her." he paused. 
"I hope, Kimiko won't have to. And... this is leading to what I want to talk to you-
jump*
"About. Can you think, what consistency had led to pick you, Genins into specific teams?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She thinks upon those selected on Team 3: Kimiko, herself, Usagi. She thinks on Team 1, Mayuwo Fukaimi, Gurasu Komoro and Yoroi. She immediately saw the pattern.
"Diversity of backgrounds. Kimiko and Mayuwo are both nobility if put together they would focus too much on clan politics, though Mayuwo in particular conflict with her because of her gender and Kimiko's pride would not let her take that silently, that would just be a clan feud in the making. Gurasu and Komoro and myself are from relatively normal backgrounds, while we can get along with each other if put together, we can also do that with other less flexible people and thus more useful being spread out to keep other people in check. Usagi and Yoroi are both outcasts and similar impulsive reckless natures, while its possible they will bond with each other, they could also constantly fight each other because they are too similar and even if they do bond, they would reinforce and magnify each others flaws and they would both be dead before they reach Chuunin. 

Though Team 2 with Miho Kaguya is different, as while she is nobility she is also the most reasonable. Her team mates, Naneko Masuku and her clan while a clan of ninjas are not nobility, have no kekkei genkai and are relatively new, trying to become the foundation for this villages ANBU and thus obsessed with secrets, deception and perfecting the traits of such elite ninja. Kazuo Tanaka is from a pure civilian family isn't impulsive or reasonable at all, but is cautious to the point of near cowardice but seems to constantly accidentally get into situations that make him seem like a hero to outside observers and civilians which he perpetuates the reputation of heroism so that people don't worry. It still fits the consistency of diversity."
She says what she knows of the teams matter of factly as she follows along. She files away Odayama's admittance here for later. Similar to his own mother, and he had to kill her, interesting she will have to learn about that juicy secret more later, got to be subtle. Just listen for now. Figure out the right time to press. It may not be now, may not be months or years, but she was patient.

----------


## igordragonian

"You are quite observant. I am impressed.' Odayama said with a fatherly smile.
"Behind the scene, this method is called "Ying, Yang and in between.' The Leaf Village are known for perfecting it. Especialy the Yamanka, Naara and Akimechi teams. The Hope Generation, are the first class, that we used the method on international level."
Now, they see the hospital.
"But the Commanders are anothet element, which here, we empahsize even more then other villages. I am not that much more skilled then you are, and in few years you will catch up to me, and maybe surpass me. We Commanders need to complete your set and back you up. For Team 1, Nekazuko were chosen, to open Mayuwi. Our experts expect him and Kimiko to be Junins someday. We can't afford him to remain blind. As for me..." he paused.
"Kimiko worried me. I hoped I could be someone for her, who let her devolp in mentally healthy way. And Usagi... worry me from diffrent reasons. Almost every ninja team has "talent Vs hard work'. It is natural. But she seems so extreme, and completly lack any human social skill. If I won't do anything, she will turn into nothing more then self destructing death machine. Other villages might encourage such ninjas... but we want better then that for you.' He land on the hospital's roof, which actually had door there, and even emergency reception department there.
"And you...' he smiled. 'Unofficaly I view you, as my Vice-Commander. You are level headed, and your mentality is healthy. You can expect, Kimiko ajd Usagi getting all the attention and the drama- but without you, they will be lost. You are the "link". 
He enter the hospital, and now giving Usagi to the receptionists.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She thinks on what is said.
"I think you can still be that to Kimiko. I'm pretty sure she is perfectly aware of everything the village teaches, its just...the circumstances surrounding her and her own dream. Noble clans are some of the most tradition-bound in the nations, and their teachings don't always match the village around them but villages can't always meddle in that because each clan has their own techniques and kekkei genkai that give them a different mindset best fitted for their use. Again, diversity. you can't expect or want a sensor type to have the same mindset as a combat type of ninja. She is raised by people who for the longest time were loyal of the Village Hidden in Mist- and we all know what that became with the third Misukage, the Bloody Mist. Its not exactly a healthy place to come from, and most of the clan members I'm pretty have some form of trauma related to the attempted purge- the Kaguyas have a similar problem. It wouldn't surprise me if both clans have a lot anger towards Kirigakure over it. 
At the same time, her goals don't have anything to do with her position in the village. She understands social and rules stuff on an intellectual level and follows them well enough, but she regards them as tools and doesn't really actively care for actively making friends or allies and from what I can tell she is far more passionate and interested in the scientific side of things y'know learning all the jutsu and figuring out how chakra works, but is forced to be the prideful genius heiress because of her position and talents. I'm pretty sure if given a choice, she'd rather spend her day testing something or studying than deal with people. Like I'm pretty sure that half of her "jackpot heritage" is warring against the other half. Her own natural talent and smarts having to deal with a strict and controlling nurture of tradition and status. What her clan wants, and she wants, are not the same.

While with Usagi....my impression of her is that she just doesn't want to be looked down upon. She has an infirmity that she has proven doesn't hinder her in any way and she wants her peers to acknowledge that and respect her. Which I think I failed at. Though I don't think anyone in our class expected her to match Kimiko that evenly. The majority of the bets were on Kimiko winning. Though we will have to make sure Usagi's need for recognition doesn't extend to things like infiltration missions in the field. We don't need her breaking cover, especially if she ever needs to portray someone polite. 

And thanks. I will try to live up to that. Though I'm okay with not getting the drama and attention- I have my own goals, that fame and excitement would honestly get in the way of."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama is a good listener. He take a seat at one of iron benches at the reception hall, waiting to get updated about Usagi.

"I see. Your analysis sound proffesional for as much as I know. But since we are at it... what is your dream? If may I ask.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Her lips quirks up into a wicked little smile
"To learn the secrets of this world, of course. By building my own spy network. You ninja have such fascinating secret lives. I want to gather information, so that I know what to with it, what secrets to out, what secrets to keep, information is an economy and if you don't spend it well it'll want to be free. I want to be in the room where it happens, the room where it happens and you don't get there waiting for it."
She sits down folding her arms behind her head.
"If there is something scandalous I want to hear it. If there is a secret, I want to know what it is and why its secret. If I wasn't a ninja myself and working within the system I'd be every espionage masters worst nightmare: someone who is too curious for their own good.

Thats all really. Nothing glamorous, will probably be in the shadows regardless, let someone like Usagi be the fighter, I'm just here to be the little birdy that tells-or doesn't."
Yet, such a person in some ways is far more dangerous than any warrior, for how many people have met their ends after a secret about them was outed? Secrets revealed can ruin someone in ways no kunai or jutsu can. Her goal certainly explains why she is so social and perceptive.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama smiled.
"I see. Subtle, yet deep."
He pause a moment.
"Excuse me, let me check on Usagi."
The moment Odayam gone, an elder woman in factory's worker overall, is looking terrified.
"Usagi? Is Usagi here?' She pant, after all, she used the _stairs._

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
"Yes, she is here. Actually I'm her team mate and my sensei just went to check up on her, I assume you know her? My name is Yuuna Yuuki Yukimura, but everyone just calls me Yuyuyu."
She points with her thumb
"If you hurry, you can catch up with Odayama-Sensei. Or if you want, I can walk with you to find him and accompany you."

*Meanwhile.....An Introduction*
Somewhere out there, in some random... town, lets call it that, "village" has a loaded meaning here, a small town, rural, no ninjas, just a bunch of farmers and other such folk doing normal things, two figures in shinto-like priest robes with an upside down triangle inside a circle design on the back and sandals with swords sheathed at their hips and shaved bald heads and wearing backpacks come walking to one of the houses and knocks politely.
The farmer within opens and says "Hm, hello? how may I help you?"
"Greetings! Would you like to talk about our Lord and Kami, Jashin-Sama?" he says this rapidly in one breath.
"Wait what? Who are you people?"
"I'm Hu."
"and I'm Yu."
"And we're.....HU AND YU! Traveling Priests of Jashin-Sama! Spreading his holy word!"
"Tired of worshiping multiple spirits and having to remember vast amount of rituals?"
"Does mortality just seem too short of an existence?"
"Then read the Book of Jashin today! Learn about the spiritual enlightenment his merciless- er _merciful_ embrace brings!"
"Learn about your real place in the world and how to deal with the greatest of all suffering in life!"
"Surprise your friends! Have a new party trick!"
"Outlive everyone you hate!"
"Escape the eternal boredom of farming!"
"We have free ice cream if you visit our temple on sundays!"
"and you can also drink on blooooooooooooooooooood-y sake! Yes bloody sake its uh..."
"Just red-colored sake. Y'know, with red coloring."
"Yes, that. Its very symbolic and spiritual, you'll love it."
The man just stares at them "I'm sorry....you worship who?"
"No, I worship Jashin-sama" says Yu
"No, I'm not Jashin-sama" says Hu "Are you confused?"
"No I'm not, who is confused?" asks Yu
"Neither am I! Its this farmer thats confused." Hu answers
"Okay, who is he?" asks Yu
"I'm not him, silly!" Hu replies
"oh of course." Yu acknowledges.  
"So tell us farmer..."
"...Do you wish to join in worshiping our glorious JASHIN-SAMA!?"
"The ice cream offer is still on the table!"
The man just looks at them already tired of their shenanigans
"....You two are either a traveling comedy duo playing some practical joke on me, or are completely insane, either way I'm saying no."
He attempts to close the door but faster than he can react, Hu tackles him to the ground and gags him, while Yu says loudly:
"Whats that!? You'd like us to come in and sacrifice your "pig" to Jashin-Sama!? Of course! We'd be honored! My what a big pig it is..."
Then goes in and closes the door behind him. The great thing about worshiping Jashin, is that every time you don't get a convert, you get a sacrifice instead! Real efficient deity he is, y'know what they say: waste not, want not....

----------


## igordragonian

The elder woman panted heavily, holding to her chest. Did she ran all the way here? 
Also, the factories weren't ideal to health even for young people...
She smiled. "Ah. If Odayama-kun, is checking on Usagi, I know she will be fine. Odayama is such reliable and nice kid."
The elder woman nodded to Yuyuyu. "Oh. Such a lovely and well mannered girl! Kids like you, really bring me hope for the future!" Pant*
'Some ninjas, think that frowning and being cold to each other is some sacred tradition...' she shook her head.
"Please, let me walk with you. I usually return home, so late I never have chance to really learn on Usagi's life. I am really happy to see that, she has such sweet teammate. She should be kinder to you..' she pause.
"Oh, forgive my manners. My name is Tsuru. I am Usagi's roomate." She present herself.
"You and Kimiko seemed to put some impact on her... right after dinner she ran off, to prepare for the dual. I never have seen her so worked up, about what specific people think of her.' Tsuru stop and pant again, holding to her chest.
"I am actually happy. She is so obssesed with her trainings... I am afraid, she will never learn to enjoy her youth.'
Pant*
'I am so glad, Odayama is her Sensei..'
---------

Emergency Room:

Odayama went. "Hello?'
Silence.
A healing Konuichi, with a syringe were about to stab the uncounciouse Usagi.
The healing nin smiled, and Odayama didn't liked it. He hurried and tossed a kunai, detroying the syringe. 
"What are you doing?' He demanded.
The healing nin chuckled.
"Why does it matter? She is going to kill herself sooner or later. At least, it will bring some use to the Hope Generation."
Odayama hissed and turned to his Sloth Beast form, sending his long arm toward the konuichi, who laughed, substiuing herself with a.. sleeping copy of herself?
What?
Odyaama has realized. Who ever this ninja was, he was pretending to be this konuichi, and used her to subtitute himself or hereelf when needed.
She woke up. "Wha..?"
Odayama "what do you remember?'
"...I was on my way here.. and that it.." she looked confused.
Odayama frowned. "Go, get the Hospital Manager.'
"But.. I can't let this girl-"
"Just put fluid into her viens, and she will be fine! Call the manager- NOW!"




Not far away...

Shadowy figure chuckled without trace of happiness. "The Sloth Slayer is annoyingly fast noticing threats. Damn it. If Usagi died here... Kimiko would eventually has joined me. Wether she like it or not. Never mind. There is more then one way, to skin a baby. Hahaha.' And then the figure dashed off

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
"Uuuuh...."
She understandably scratches the back of her head awkwardly.
"...Yeah thanks. I try. I'm glad he is her sensei to."
How to put what just happened to her? She certainly knew about the duel. Perhaps...a more balanced version of what happened would help? This was probably the closest person Usagi had to a family. Better make sure Mitsuko never meets her.
"Yeah, basically, what happened is two Genin being stupid genin. Ones with wildly different backgrounds having a disagreement over something stupid because one got all the things and the other none of the things. Not as rare as you might think, probably? I'm pretty sure they'll respect each other more after this, they were pretty evenly matched. Which was a little unexpected."
To understate it just a little.
"As for Kimiko herself....well she is a bit prideful and insensitive and she is half the reason why this happened at all, but if you can get past that I'm sure you'll see she is a good person just....
Yuyuyu considers for a moment, Kimiko's clan and child prodigy background, and how she kept boasting in the academy and backing up those boasts, constantly correcting people on things like nerds always do and generally being insufferably clever and driving pretty much everyone away from her unintentionally, trying to search for the right words.
"....has a lot to live up to."

----------


## igordragonian

Tsuru smile. "Aren't you the little diplomat." She chuckled. 
"Sadly, I have failed to teach Usagi, how to behave in human society, and I know noble ninjas. Trust me, even when my husband, children and arm were ripped like paper, I wasn't envy at ninjas's ability to kill. Such a heavy burden to bare.' She shook her head.
"Even a lovely girl like you... trained to end human lives...' she was about to put a comforting hand on Yuyu's shoulder, but stopped herself. A glint of hesitation and maybe fear in there.
She knew, that if Yuyuyu didn't liked it, she could slay a hag like her in less then a breath, and it's likely the village will sweep it off- Tsuru was very replacable

"Poor Kimiko has also the burden of _tradition_ added to it. I understand.' She paused.
"Usagi, think that almost everyone are spoiled compared to her. I tried to teach her, that destiny in the end, spread misery equaly, and there no point to compare our fates.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
"Heheh, my parents have a similar reaction to me. We get along well, its just I hear dad laugh and nervously and go "my own daughter can kill me." after I talk to him about my day. Don't worry I'm okay with it, your probably completely correct to be afraid."
She says with a little chuckle.
"But yes, looking back on the past is pointless aside from realizing mistakes. People come from many places, and we cannot all come from even fields."
"Is that not the truth. The world is a hill."
Yuyuyu turns and sees- Jirou suddenly standing there, right between them both. She didn't even notice that. How did-oh right, Ninja.
"I am Jirou Ishikawa. Older brother of Kimiko. Pleased to meet you both."
He says stoically.
"You could say I know Kimiko's struggles more than any. Where is your captain? I need to inform him of something."
"Inside, checking on Usagi."
"Thanks."
He turns towards Tsuru
"You have lost much. Yet you still keep going, admirable. Did you know? The original meaning of the word "nin" means "persevere". Of course it has different meanings now, but 
in the original meaning of "ninja", it was a person who perseveres, who survives. Just an interesting fact."
He then turns and heads inside to speak to Odayama.

----------


## igordragonian

Tsuru took step back, looking at Jirou with fear. She had heard the rumors.
She registred the possibility of dieing, because of Uaagi's refusal to bow her head.
She was.. surprisngly fine, with death. She just didn't wanted it to hurt, and send Usagi into berserker mode.

"I hope Odayama-kun can defend her.' She said, quite certain of the reason for Jirou's arrival.




At Usagi's room Odayama and Hospital's manager has argued. 
"You can't expect me, to be able to defend every patient from every thing! We are understaffed, and stupid children hurting each other doesn't help us!"
"How much does she pay you?' Odayama hissed, his face started to have the marks of the Sloth.
-"Excuse me?!"
-"The corrupted woman, which her security is so fragile, that she can't accept a small arguement without turning it into a feud!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Turn Out Not Be A Child Murderer*
He just walks up to Odayama and says
"Hello, Odayama-San. What seems to be the problem? I'm just here to let you know that my mother is forcing me to train Kimiko for one hour a day to get better resistance to genjutsu, I know this is not the best time since you seem to be angry about....whatever I'm interrupting here? But I'm just letting you know 'cause I don't want Kimiko to overwork herself."
He turns to the manager
"How is Usagi doing? I hope Kimiko didn't bite too deeply. Land of Water mouths can be dangerous, especially when backed up by taijutsu. Also she was underwater, did you guys check if her breathing is okay?"
Once on a mission he saw one of his own clan members kill a man by biting them in the throat when they were trying to out grapple each other.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama smile. A very forced smile.
"I have no control, of Kimiko's free time. I am her commander. Support and rest are the duties of her family.' He say quitly.

"This crazy ninja doesn't let me get near her!" The Manager explain angerly.
"That right.' Odayama said. 'Speaking of which...' he turn again to Jirou. "The message you sent a minute ago, is clear. I'll apologize, wherever your moter want. No need to escalate it further." Still this forced smile...
He bite his thumb, using the blood to summon a cat.
https://static.zerochan.net/Matamune.full.1551836.jpg
He was in size of a normal house cat, wearing kimono, smoking a pipe, and reading a book. 
'Yo.' He waved carelessly.
"Matamune, I need you to get here Fushi-san." Odayama said calmly.
"Heh. Not even a cup of tea before the mission? We have an agreement, Odayama-kun.' 

Odayama sigh. "I understand, but the life of my student is at risk her, and the hospital staff is too corrupted to be trusted.'
"I see" Matamune breathed a ring of smoke. "Well, you are lucky to be my brother in law.' He gotten up, closing his book, putting gently on the table.
'Who are you kidding? You just like to cuddle Fushi."
Matamune, just winked, and then ran off, turning into black and orange dash.

The hospital manager yell. "You can't bring this harlot here! She didn't even officaly finished her studies! She can't be trusted!"

Odayama calmly. "Right now, she is the only healing jin I trust. As long as I am not pardoned, I assume you, and your staff are enemies.' He say it with calm and almost friendly tone.
"The Ottokage will hear about this!'
-"Do you really want him to?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He barely if at all reacts to the first response and says
"...Hai Odayama-San."
In the same tone as he does when going along with his mothers demands. Why did he expect any different? It seems his life was just going between authority figures who barely listened to him, trying to solve problems and never being successful. Something he says catches his ear
"What message do you speak of? I heard my mother speak of Kimiko's performance a few minutes ago, she said nothing of messages to you." 
He thinks upon it.
"Wait what do you mean by escalation?"
He looks at Usagi and pieces together bits from the over heard conversation.
"....Usagi got attacked? Why would anyone do that? That makes absolutely no sense from any practical perspective. If I am to understand correctly you.... think my mother arranged this? .....makes no sense for something like that. Draws too much attention, motivates people too much to find out who did it, and is going against the village by making such an attack. I expect her move will be to pull strings within the system to try and get Usagi removed from being in the same team as Kimiko, killing is for getting rid of ninja from other nations, not our own village."
He gestures vaguely at Usagi
"Sending an assassin over something like this is like using a big cinder block when a surgical knife would do. Who in their right mind would waste the money and resources, it causes too much collateral damage, much like your distrust of the staff right now. While I agree that my mother is a terrible person, assassinating children is beneath her. Especially ones serving the same village as her."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama keep his smile.
'Right. Let's go with that. Neither am I want it to get to the Ottokage. He can get sensitve about the preciouse harmony of the village." He doesn't argue.
"I simply want my family and my team to be safe. I will apologize, and won't report this incident."
Odayama ignore Jirou's quite logical logic.
Odayama doesn't consider himself smart. His theory, that Jiroi weren't meant to kill Usagi, just to set off a warning. He consider Jirou to be faster and possibly more skilled then himself, so if he would wanted Usagi dead, then, she would be.
No point to say it, Jirou will come up with some clever explanations. He been there, seen and heard it. Such people always have explantion to anything.
"Anything else?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He just stands there for a moment, processing the response and wonder his life came to this.
"........Okay then. I'm just going to do the sane thing, and let the Otokage know that someone just attempted to assassinate one of our Genin and that this should be investigated."
He walks out.
"So did you talk to him about what you wanted?"
"Yes. It was unproductive. Also while Usagi is fine and will recover, Odayama-San apparently foiled an assassination attempt on her before I arrived. He is.....concerned for her safety, so I'm going to find the Otokage to let him know. Pretty sure between this and the attack on the club yesterday that we got a village security matter that needs investigation."
Yuyuyu eyes widen.
"That....makes sense. Anything I should do?"
"Keep alert. Protect your team mates. Remember the saying: Once is luck, twice is coincidence, thrice is enemy action. If a third attempt on a Genin's life happens, we'll know there is concerted effort to try and kill the Sound's Genin and cripple our military power for a generation at least. But I'm not waiting for that confirmation. Pro-activeness is the best defense."
He leaps away to try and let the Otokage know of this. 
Yuyuyu turns back to Tsuru
"If what Jirou-Senpai said is true, I should be going over to check up on Kimiko. Make I protect her if Odayama-Sensei is protecting Usagi, you know how it is, want to come along to meet her or stay here...?"

----------


## igordragonian

Tsuru sigh. For her ninja conspiracies were simply a bad weather- it was bad, but there were nothing she could do about it.
Or.. could she? 
She was exausted, and wanted to touch and see Usagi's recovery.
But Usagi well being demanded something else.
"Yes. I will go with you to Kimiko-San.' She panted. And if she will be killed...  they will cover it up.
And to die, trying to help a loved one, is probably the best death she could wish for.

----

As for Jirou, it was bizzarly easy to find the Otokage.
He was in the gardens, kneeling, with a bowl filled with a gummy candies shaped like fish, filled with jelly*. "Here here... little one..' he cooed.
"Oh. Jirou-kun.' He turned to him. It told, that he remeber every citizen by name. So far, no one claimed to false this rumor. 
Under the sharp hat, he can see a very pale and sickly face, with heavy sacks under his eyes. Not much as sickness, as constant hangover.
He has rastas, collected with beads, every bead with a sealing kanji of sort  and a goate beard.
"Rumor say, you want to report me something?'



----
*there is an actual such japanese candy.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He makes a respectful bow.
"Otokage-Sama. I come to report that someone has attempted to kill Genin of Team 3, Usagi of the Hope Generation while she was in the hospital after her duel with my sister, Kimiko. Odayama-San fortunately foiled the attack, and I volunteered to report this to you so that he can stay behind to ensure her safety. This combined with the attack on the club yesterday, makes me concerned that our Genin may be targeted for some purpose we do not know. 

Twice may be coincidental, but both attacks have a similar method of waiting until the Genin are out of sight then ambushing them when their guard is down and both times involved Team 3. I humbly suggest that some investigation into this may be launched, its possible that this could be the work of some organized group, probably criminal. Both incidents treat us as a superior force that they are hiding from, so I doubt its anything more powerful than us doing this. We need someone unconnected to Team 3 to look at this, as me and Odayama are both too close to the attempted victims to be trusted to lead it."
He doesn't bother mentioning Odayama's suspicions about his family, as Jirou is pretty sure the investigation should be unbiased so as to find the truth rather than go blame and emotion. Let the Otokage find out for himself if ever, it wasn't Jirou's place to inform him, Odayama himself is keeping it on the down low, so it was best not to mention it.
"In my humble opinion, Otokage-Sama, a group targeting our Genin specifically that has gotten into our village twice without being caught would be quite the security threat to the short and long term health of the Sound Village, and would be irresponsible to not doing something about it at the very least if such a thing is found."

*Kimiko:*
When they arrive, Kimiko's eyes flutter awake and she sits up groaning.
"Agh. That was....more harrowing that I expected."
She sees Yuyuyu.
"Hey Yuyuyu, what was the call for the match?"
"A tie. Your bite only made you break even with her putting you to sleep."
"KUSO! In hindsight I should've probably cut those bells...the fight was more even than I thought it would be."
"Still think she is a, to quote you earlier "legless wonder who won't make it Chuunin"?" Yuyuyu says with a teasing smirk and a raised eyebrow.
"AGH! No! She isn't! I admit it, Usagi has what it takes to be a real ninja. There. I said it. Probably have to say it again right to her face. She is still a baka though! I could've used this time to get started on a new fuinjutsu seal but noooo...who is the old woman with you? She one of your civilian friends? Thought you liked your informants within candy bribing age range."
"She has nothing to do with that." Yuyuyu says primly. "Kimiko meet Tsuru-San, she is Usagi's roommate in her apartment. Tsuru-San, meet Kimiko, Usagi's teammate. Be nice."
Kimiko tries her best to be nice to Tsuru.
"Oh. You... know Usagi pretty well then? Heh uh....sorry I put her in the hospital? But don't worry she survived me holding back with my nonlethal tactics, she'll probably do just fine being a ninja."
"Oh right just to let you know before anything else: someone tried to assassinate Usagi while she is asleep."
"What? Why!? That literally makes no sense from a practical perspective whatsoever. She may be a competent genin, but thats hardly a reason for someone to try and kill her, aside from Futility-San and he was crazy. Assassination targets are all about connections, what they bring down with them, because they're structural weak points in a larger organization, a Genin is simply too low in rank to be worth the effort."
She says, echoing her brother in her words.

----------


## igordragonian

The Otokage- who is called Nozojo*, smile.
"Ah. Those incidents? It's actually the fourth attack on the Hope Generation. It's fine. I am investigating it personaly. Commanders and Clan Heads were ordered not to make a fuss out of those." He say carelessly, as if it a minor nuisance.
Is this an act? Odayama stated "how sensitve' the Otokage can be about those things...
-------

Tsuru shook her head and bowed deeply, though it was clear her back was hurt.
"No, I am the one who should apologize. I failed teaching Usagi how to behave, and basic social skills. She is eager for the recongnition of the two of you..." she pause.
'And she think, that you have it, easy, Kimiko-san. I tried to tell her, that clan member ninjas have it rougher then any other human. Please... forgive me, and her.'
She bowed until her forehead touch the floor.
"I am sure, that soon enough, Usagi will realize she has to acknowledge others suffer as well. And if she ever insult her again, you can punish me! She is crude and foolish indeed, but still.. so young. Please.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
His eyes visibly widen for a moment. This has happened two more times without his knowledge. His voice is as stoically monotone as ever though.
"...Fourth? I see. Well if your investigating personally, I guess I can't complain, but as always I humbly suggest that you consider the benefits of delegation, Otokage-Sama. You don't look well, and it is in my humble opinion that good health benefits you whatever position you hold."
He turns to leave.
"Have a good day, Otokage-Sama. I believe I'm getting close to a sage seal breakthrough, the survival rate is rising bit by bit, and I want to shoot for something as high as possible before we ever put those on humans."
He leaps away.

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko is confused at someone anywhere near a mother is acting this way. Wasn't she supposed to be angry? Where was the coldness and strict chastisements? Where was the punishment? This felt....not wrong but weird. 
"...There....there will be no need for that. Let Usagi's baka be her own. Your a different baka for thinking you should be punished. Baaka. Honestly what kind of person would I be if I, a noble member of the Ishikawa Clan, punished a civilian for a ninjas mistake? Your not in the military."
She stands up and proclaims
"and what are you talking about having it hard!? I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of Clan Ishikawa, The Shining Star of the Hope Generation. I'm-"
She sees the dead bandit she killed in the basement in her mind.
"-Perfectly-"
Then she sees Futility-San's head being cut off by herself.
"-Fine!"
She sees the Bye-Bye Kitties bodies wrecked by acid because she failed to save them.
"Nothing wrong at all. ...Nothing. Why are you worrying?"
"....It sounds more like you trying to convince your-"
"I SAID. Nothing to worry about. Why you are worrying? Don't. I'm the best, you don't need to worry about me."
She was big girl ninja, she could handle anything, right? Yuyuyu snorts and makes a wry glance at Tsuru while raising her eyebrow to show how little she believes this.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo shook his head slowly. 
"Just a bit more backbone... and you can be the third Ottokage.' He mutter to himself.
He shaking the bowl with candies again.
"Come on, [S]X[/S-kun..." he coe.
'Only I can keep you safe. Stop those silly games..'

-------

Tsuru struggled to get up. Her back creaked.
"I see." She smiled. 
"Then I am happy. I'll humbly take my leave. I bet that Usagi will be at home for dinner..'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Wait. For what its worth before you leave....I apologize, Tsuru-san. It is half my fault that this even happened by letting her push my buttons in the first place, and I bit her neck and nearly drowned her underground, and if that happened well....aside from the obvious consequences of being known as a team-killing jerk, you would be sad as well, and you clearly care for her. I won't underestimate her again and hope that we can get along better from now on."
When Tsuru-san goes they turn to one another.
"Well, we doing anything else today?"
"Probably not, if our Taicho is busy guarding someone injured. I'll be heading home I guess, I have...things to work on."
"And a mother to endure?"
"I have NO idea what your talking about."
She says while inwardly dreading the lecture she was going to get for only getting a tie.
"I'm not stupid Kimiko, I can guess whats going on here."
"Oh really? WHAT is going on then? Your suddenly an expert on me are you? come on, tell me your guess, I'm only the person who actually lives their life."
"Thats unfair and you know it."
"We've only been team mates for two days, Yuyuyu."
"And classmates since we were six! Talk to me."
"No. It is not your concern. It has nothing to do with the team. I'm going now."
"But-"
Kimiko leaps away. Yuyuyu stomps her foot and crosses her arms. Stupid stubborn genius-baka. She'll have to find other ways for Kimiko to open up. She walks away. 

*Ishikawa Children: Dream*
Kimiko, after another lecture with her mother and being informed of her genjutsu lessons, goes up and into her room. It is a place full of plans, books and fuinjutsu seals in progress, almost like some messy workshop. After working on some water storage seals, being careful and exact with her brushes to draw them just right so that they will work- if she gets them wrong she will have to start all over again- working for hours on them, then falling asleep in her bed. 

*Spoiler: Jirou's Dream*
Show


_In Jirou's dream, he is younger than Kimiko, and Kimiko is the older sister. He is apart of his own Hope Generation, but his older sister Kimiko is this cool confident ninja scientist, one who works tirelessly to create new jutsu not just to improve the lives of ninja, but the lives of people everywhere. Who works to create ways to feed all the world, to cure diseases, to make better technology, a Kimiko whose brilliance and kind soul is known throughout the nations and matches wits with such geniuses through out all the world, not in battle but in scholarly conversation. A Kimiko not bound by her family.

He dreams that he still has no kekkei genkai, but that his older sister believes in him nonetheless. That he is a plucky young genin out to prove that he can be a great ninja without it. He dreams that he masters fuinjutsu, masters water release, and that he uses them to defeat various threats despite his disadvantage with greater wit and skill, that when he finally takes a foe no one else could using only skills anyone could learn after years on the journey, his older sister Kimiko gives him a thumbs up and says that she knew he could do it. He dreams that he goes down in history as a ninja who who proved that blood isn't everything as an example to follow for generations.

But he has seen this one before. He knows it'll never happen._


*Spoiler: Kimiko's Dream*
Show


_In Kimiko's Dream, she is facing a monster. She runs forward and stabs it with her Origami-no-Tsurugi, slaying it. But then is suddenly becomes the bandit she killed saying
"You killed me."
Blood dripping from the blade, the corpse suddenly becomes Futility-San.
"You killed me."
She tries to pull the blade out, but it is stuck within, the blood creeping up her arm.
"You failed us."
The corpse becomes the three Bye-Bye Kitties all stabbed her sword at the same, their faces all burned with acid. she tugs, but the sword remains stuck
"This could've been me."
The next corpse was a drowned Usagi. Kimiko afraid, tries to let go of the blade but for some reason her hand won't obey, stuck gripping on the sword forever. She looks behind her calling for help but only sees her mother saying
"Kill."
Then another clan member appears in silhouette and says 
"Kill."
Then another and another, each chanting
"Kill. Kill. Kill."
The silhouettes grow into a crowd into an army, Jirou mercifully not among them, their voices growing louder as they begin to surround her, blood stain her hands
"Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.
Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillki  llkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill  killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!!
She turns back to the corpse, only for Futility-San to shout in her face:
"DIE!"_


She bolts awake her sword suddenly in hand- when had she drawn it? She can't remember- only  crying out a little "Aaah!" looking around for enemies, pointing it randomly before realizing she wasn't in danger, she sheathes her blade and looks out the window: it was a new day. Morning again. She better get going, see if Usagi recovered enough for them to do missions.

----------


## igordragonian

Tsuru smiled.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. Being a Ninja is unbareable burden. I wouldn't take it upon myself, even if it could have saved my family. And yes.. Usagi, is the closest thing to a daughter. Maybe you two will help her remember, she is a human.' She bow again and go out.

Yuyuyu has creepy feeling that someone is stalking her, but can't find why.


-------

A hour later at the hospital.

Usagi wake up, panting.
"Well, aren't you a trouble magnet.' Fushi giggled, while petting Matamune who purred happily.
"Who are you to talk you shameless woman!' Usagi yelled, proving she was fine.
'Usagi... this is not a way to talk. Especialy to someone who is healing you a second time.' Odayama has scolded her softly.
"Fine. Thank you. Happy?' She ranted and wrapped her hands.
'Eh. That will do.' Fushi shrugged.

'So who won?!' Usagi has looked at Odayama.
Should he tell about the assination attempt? No..
He guessed not. "It was a tie. Kimiko just fell asleep, while she knocked you out.' Odayama has answered.
"Oh. Right.' Usagi placed her hand over aching neck, which was bandaged.
She felt.. nostalgia? Happiness?
It was crazy, but... she doesn't remember being this happy before.
She smiled dumbly. "This was a good fight! I am sure everyone where amazed from both of us!"
Odayama smiled. 'You could say that..'
"Is Kimiko ok?' She has asked all of the sudden.
"Well, she woke up...' Odayama said hesitangly.
-"But what about her idiotic mother? Did she gave her a bad time? She seemed quite obssesed and scary.'
  - "Well.. she want her to train on her free time against Genjutsus.'
  --"Againt the lullaby? Huh! Good luck with that, I have learned it from the Rabbit Queen herself. I'll speak with this crazy woman.'
  - "No. You WON'T!"
  - "B-But-"
  - "Kimiko has it hard enough. We shouldn't make her relationship with her mother to strain even more.' Odayama placed a hand over Usagi's shoulder.
  - "S..so.. how will I help her?'
  - "Be her friend. Support her, yet challenge her. You are not the only one who suffer, Usagi.'
  Usagi were silent, and rubbed her neck, recalling the thrill and the exploding emptions of the dual

_Look at me_ Kimiko's voice echoed.
_Look at me_
Kimiko want recongnitio  just much as herself. Maybe she even NEED it. 
"Speaking of which... I removed the acid scars. Do you want me tommorow to remove the bite scar?" Fushi has asked.
"No!" Usagi said decidivly.
"Really? You don't have much going for your looks: no legs, short wierd eyebrows, too thin, and if you keep like that, you will be flat as-" Fushi said teasingly.
Usagi blushed. 'As if I care about those things! Beside, curves only get in the way!'
  - "Eh. It's not that bad, and it worth it.' Fushi shrugged. "Buy why do you want ugly scar on your neck?"
  Usagi said entusitcly. "Because it will remind me, of the first time in my life I was happy!'
Both Odayama and Fushi were shocked. Even Matamune raised his head from Fushi:"Nyani?'
"... Finally someone noticed me. Really noticed me. And the thrill..' Usagi clumsily tried to explain.
Fushi laughed. "Wow, your life is really that bad! Hmmm.. UsaKo. Or... KimiiGi? Hmm...' I can dig into this ship.'
Usagi barked. 'Don't be disgusting!"
Fushi gotten up and laughed. 'I still owe lots of teasings for what you have done to me.'
"You are almost naked anyway.' Usagi rant.
"What was that?' Fushi said with an intimadting tone.
"I meant to say I am sorry! Alright?!' Usagi yelled, having hard expressing normal social skills.
Fushi laughed. "Aren't you a lively one?' She gotten up, and were about to go.
"Please don't kill yourself foolishly.'
--------

"Yoyoyo, this me, again, the amaaaaazing Ottokage! Now it's time for a brief news of midnight!. Today, was the second day of the Hope Generation, and after the intoductions yesterday, they were rrrready for proper training and mission reigm. Well, beside Team 3 and and Team 9. Those wild beasts! Ha! Four gotten to the hospital, three of them were released, huge thumb up to our amazing medical nins! 
So let's start the second half the night with the new hit of the Hope Generation, I have allowed myself to remix...'
https://youtu.be/Mtu60OnISHg
"I want to be the very best,
Like no one ever was.
To steal them is my real test,
To read them is my cause!

(I will travel across the land,
Searching far and wide.
Each Jutsu scroll to understand
The power that's inside!)

Jutsu Scrolls!
Gotta steal em' all!
It's you and me,
I know it's my destiny!..."
--------
The next morning..
Usagi was already infront of Kimiko house, doing one hand push ups.
"200...201...'
She was clean of acid burns, but were proudoy sporting bite scar on her neck.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Usagi: Overhear Training*
As does push up, she over hears Kimiko and Jirou walk out into the garden and sit down behind the walls.
"Kimiko its time to begin."
You hear Kimiko sit down across from him.
"Okay...So what Genjutsu are we training with?"
There is a silence from Jirou, his mouth turns into a small frown.
"I will be using a unique technique that I took from another ninja, on a mission years ago. I had to figure out a way out of it myself. Unfortunately, many such genjutsu are unique and at times, genjutsu can be bit of an art form than a science. After all, the principle of all genjutsu is basically the same: it tweaking the chakra within your mind, shaping it in the way the use wants, requiring a lot of fine control to do well. Due to the subjectivity of human perception, creating a genjutsu is like painting a picture or putting on a show. Its all a trick on the senses, to make one lose themselves in the illusion."
He pauses a bit, ruffling through something. Yuyuyu whispers to Usagi.
"Hey you concerned as well? Don't worry, I'm camouflaged, scouting this place out. Making sure I know the layout of the place before I ever try to actually sneak in. This sort of stuff is accomplished in steps. I'll just be quiet now."
Yuyuyu seems a little jumpy and paranoid in her voice though.
"The one I use is no different. The jutsu I'm going to use on you is called the Reverse World Genjutsu. It is higher level than the genjutsu you fell to. It reverses every perception you have: right becomes left, left becomes right, up and down switch as well, and so does back and forward, all words are heard backwards, all text is backwards, all colors invert, pain becomes pleasure and vice versa. It is, at the very least, B-Rank in power and probably more if improved upon. I guess the logic is, if you can withstand this genjutsu, you can withstand lesser ones as well."
He takes out a scroll.
"Are you ready?"
Kimiko gulps and says
"Yes!"
He opens the scroll revealing a fuinjutsu seal containing the jutsu while touching it, applying chakra and saying
"Unleash: Reverse World Genjutsu!"
Outside, you hear nothing. Within Kimiko sees the scroll activate and-

_okimiK is in a world where the grass is yellow, water is red, the sky is red and on the bottom. The floor is up. Clouds are black. uoriJ is holding the scroll in a different hand. Consciously, her mind knows its not real, but her body disagrees. She tries to move her and it goes in the opposite direction.
"evom t'noD" says uoriJ
She doesn't know what he said but she is freaking out at all of this, every moment not going the way she expects, and she tries to move more to master this, but only getting more unexpected directions and movements causing her panic and breath heavily but the genjutsu affects her lungs as well, making them contract when they should be expanding and thus her breathing becomes erratic as she panics even more from not being able to breath right until she is gasping for air, he lungs not obeying her commands correctly a primal fear gripping her-_

- the world is normal again. Kimiko takes a lungful of breath, grateful for the reprieve.
"A common mistake ninja make when facing this genjutsu is to start breathing too deeply. The reversed breathing makes them panic and often makes them unable to breathe correctly leaving them open to attack or even to die from their own inability to adapt to reverse breathing. It is a good thing this genjutsu does not extend to the hearts ability to beat, or you'd be in trouble. But I have no doubt a genjutsu to try and cause something so stressful that the victim suffers a heart attack is something completely possible if not already invented. You must be alert for that as well."
Jirou says mechanically.
"I will continue to try this genjutsu on you for the next hour. I will keep stopping it until you can at least learn to breathe within it, and this training will continue until you can break out of it yourself."
He explains.
"Ready to go again?"
Kimiko centers herself and stares him determinedly.
"Yes!"
This continues like that for an hour, filled with twitches and spasms and strange backwards yells and croaks and screams from Kimiko. After which, Kimiko is panting from the mental exertion of trying to adapt and overcome the genjutsu of which she made only slight progress with. Jirou ruffles her hair, his voice a little sad.
"You kept going through it. Well done."
"I'll...hah... break out of it someday, Brother!"
"I know you will. I wish we could've started with a lesser genjutsu but, the world is harsh, and I cannot always be soft in preparing you, unfortunately."
"You don't need to worry! If you... can do it, surely I can!"
"Mm-hm. Stay strong, be sure to do well with your team mates today."
"I will!"
She then walks out of the houses door, her eyes and posture a little bedraggled when she spots Usagi right in front of her and she yelps in surprise and straightens a little, acting as if she is composed as normal.
"Usagi! Your here! Thats.....u-u--uuuhh....good! Yes. Ahem! Usagi-san, I apologize for what I said to you two days ago. It is unbecoming of a noble ninja such as myself to doubt your abilities. You are uh....just a wonder. not a legless one. You know what I mean! I hope we can put whatever we have behind us and work together."
She offers a handshake.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi picked her crotches to be sort of standing, and then offered a smudged hand for shake. She simply smiled widely.
'Don't soften on me, spoiled prince- I mean Kimiko. You have challenged me, and we shown all the other wimpys how real ninja fight should look like!" She look energetic, and something in her.. more.. relieved?
"I never had such fun in my life! Also I have listened to your trainings! You sure are tough!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Wha!? You heard th- er. Yes. I'm tough. Thank you. Don't count on me slowing down for you though, Usagi."
Kimiko says a little embarrassed then tries to recover. Yuyuyu reveals herself
"I heard it to. Why do you go through that?"
"Oh that? Thats just my brother showing his love through preparing me to face 
danger! Like any ninja."
Kimiko's reply is straightforward and honest without any bluster. It takes Yuyuyu processing it a moment to realize _that she is being completely serious._
"He just basically psychologically tortured you for an hour!"
"Yeah. I know its a little weird to you, but making me aware of perils like that? Thats like a hug or something. I think. Whats a hug like?"
"....Lets just get going. For some reason I have this strange feeling, its making me....twitchy."
Yuyuyu resolves to pull Usagi aside and talk about how they can figure out the problem of Kimiko's home life at some point. But they set off to meet up with Odayama-Sensei.

----------


## igordragonian

They meet him by chance, holding grocery bags.
"Oh. Yo.'Odayama wave.
'Don't Yo us! You are supposed to train us!' Usagi yell.
"Heh. Sorry. But follow me, I have a mission for you. I am not sure you are prepared for this.' As he led them stopping infront of the
'Special Sound Kindergarden"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She puts her hand over her eyes as if shield from the sun while looking into the distance.
"Prepared for what? Wheres the mission, all I see is a school."
Yuyuyu meanwhile smiles
"Ah yes, a good opportunity to check in with some of my street level sources."
"you have informants....in kindergarten?"
Kimiko's eyes shift to Yuyuyu while raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Who else would tattle on things they hear adults say just for some pocky?"
"Fair point, but that doesn't tell me where the mission is."

----------


## igordragonian

"Well, the one of the two care takers is on vacation today.' Odayama say.
'Why do WE care?' Usagi frown.
'You are going to replace her for today.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"WHAT!? Us? Take care of a bunch of school children!? That seems mildly insane at best. Aren't we supposed to be trained killers? Who would even trust kids to those kinds of people!?"
Kimiko says not realizing the irony of her question. 
"Heeheeheeheehee, I already this was coming from my child informants yesterday." Yuyuyu says with a little cat smile on her face.
"I'm already set on how I'm doing this. This should be so basic even you two social ignoramuses should be able to do it."
"Well of course! I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, why shouldn't I be able to accomplish something so simple!?"
"Huehuehue, whatever you say, Kimi-chan. Whatever you say..."
Yuyuyu just has this most mischievous look on her face. She wasn't going to help them with this a single bit. More serious missions she would help, but this? Nah. This was time to watch the hilarity ensue. Not that she would say anything about it to Odayama-Sensei out loud
"After all, what could _possibly go wrong?_"

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama was amused from Kimiko and Usagi's reactions.
"They are not normal childrenm before the current policy, they would have been probably alresdy and in the middle of their studies at the academy. All of them but one have proven ability to use chakra, and at process of learning seals. They are quite the rascals, and yesterday have broken the arm of one of their care takers.'

"Pfff.' Usagi had rolled her eyes.
'Also, many of them have bloodline abilties (including my Kimiko-chan), so in potential they are viable targets for Kekkei hunters. Any questions beside the expected whines?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She thinks upon the situation. Protecting against kekkei hunters was more reasonable. There was probably at least one Ishikawan child in there. She knew there was a couple children younger than her in the clan that were her nephews. She could've been one of these children at one point.
"Mooou. Well....do we need to worry about anything other than protecting them? Like teaching them anything?"
She asks

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama laughed.
"Just survive. And if you do- you get payment! This is your first actual mission!'
He shrug. "Any additional value is a bonus.'
Usagi grunt. "What? Z class mission?'
"No! It actually E class mission!" Odayama say with a wide smile, making Usagi to face palm

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Actually there is no mission ranking below D in any nation, Odayama-sensei. The universal mission ranking system was put place by a Five Kage summit late into the Second Kage Generation, after a series of miscommunications where a spy from one nation had a grading system that was completely in reverse to another nation and thus mistakenly reported a low-priority mission as a high priority one to their true superiors, and was interpreted as coded instructions for an attack on them, nearly setting off the Third Ninja War early. The Kages, not wanting to make bad moves due to confusing intelligence, all agreed to universalize the rankings."
she says matter of factly, having read and remembered the shinobi histories by heart.
"Yeah shes right."
"But wait whats that about survival-"
Yuyuyu tires of this and starts walking forward with a grin her face.
"Come on, we know the job lets get movin'."
Kimiko shrugs and follows after her.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayma smile and shrug. Such uptight kids. Ninjas without sense of humor won't survive. At least sanity wise. He wave off.
"Good luck!" All he answer. When theny enter, he does a V.
"Yes! I don't have to take her home!"
He laugh malicoucly
"Now my plan is complete, and I have time to... fold the laundry!"
-----

The Kinder garden class is a new building, and unlike most of the village, the walls are painted colorfully, with posters, some of them represent cartoonish hand seals.
There are corners of game like in mundane kinder garden- infimary stance with medical nin custom, simplifed body chart with chakra points, "family stance" with toy kitchen and the such. At the yard, there are play version of ninja training field.

For the moment, the care taker, a middle aged woman with the forehead protector on her wrist.
She just finish reading them a story.
"...and so the teddy bear has finished his quest for vengance and shared his honey one again with his friends."
She close the book, and she and all the children stared at the trio girls.

Esepcialy at the legless one, who felt akward and lo9ked away.

They of course recongnize Kimiko, the little cat girl who wave at them enthustocly, by her side sit a glassed girl, with a a bat ears, and a shirt with a cartoon bat, and wishper somethimg to Kimiko's ear with a giggle.
A head shaved boy, with too long ears- a Fukaimi boy, who look with a frown at the trio.
At the corner of the sit down, another long eared girl. Her black messy hair is rimmed in a bow, and she look down, looking sad.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...w0wfGOn6QMby-f
A Kaguya boy, with a skull on his shirt, dressed quite fahoinably for a kinder garden child. If it weren't stained with food and and paint, you kight have consider him almost badass for his age. 
He wrap his hands, as if their arrival prove his superirority somehow.

Of course Older Kimiko recongnize her clan member/cousin, Tsuiseki, even if they don't have clowe relationship.
She has a very seriouse expriession, as if she is on A class mission. She acnowledge her older cousin with a slight nod.

Right infront of the care taker, sitting on pillow a foot from her, a child with strange construnct on his ear, his head is messy, his nose licking.
Looking quite dumb. He is the only one ignoring the trio Genins, still looking super focused at his care taker, with his tongue out.

And last, there is a boy, with a red spiky hair, chewing papers, looking at the trio with a raised eyebrow

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Introduce Team*
Kimiko gives a knowing nod back to Tsuiseki. Yuyuyu says, making a good first foot forward
"Hello everyone! We're Team 3, the Genin thats going to filling in for the usual caretaker today, I'm Yuuki Yuuna Yukimura but everyone just calls me Yuyuyu, this is Usagi and this is Kimiko Ishikawa."
"Hi."
"We'll do our best to protect all of you. I don't expect anything to actually happen but you never know!"
Especially with the last two events over the past couple of days.
"So any questions?"
She says with a smile.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi nod akwardly, aware of the stares.


The Fuakimi boy raise his hand and without waiting for premission ask:"What make you pretend to be ninjas? You are *girls.*" with a very seriouse expriession.
Kimiko getting up hissing, starting do make seals.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Be A Total Bakugo About This*
She is irked by this and goes
"HEY! I'M NOT PRETENDING BRAT! My family has been ninjas for generations! And unlike yours, we don't cut our numbers in HALF because of stupid beliefs!"
Yuyuyu moves a hand in front of her to stop the older Kimiko and takes out a box of pocky.
"Hey Fukaimi-_bo_." she says emphasizing the cutesy honorific for little boys "I'll bribe you with an entire box of strawberry pocky if you promise to not care. If only for today."
She rattles it enticingly. Its a honest offer, if she tried to genjutsu it, the Fukaimi boy's ears would probably hear it being on it. 

*Jirou's Notes:*
As he works, some notes on sealing lie on his desk in his lab:
*Spoiler: On Developing the Cursed Seal*
Show


To understand the the functioning and theory of the cursed seals, one must first understand their source. Their source is Nature Chakra, which is utilized in the legendary techniques of Senjutsu, only obtainable from becoming a sage of a summoning pact with an talking animal from another dimension such as Mount Myoboku or Ryuchi Cave to name only the most famous examples, but other pacts have done the same, such as the Shark Sage during the warring states era whose many dalliances has given people throughout the Land of Water shark features that have been passed on even today. The usual method of accessing Nature Chakra from what sources I can gather[1], is meditation to create stillness within yourself so that you can open up yourself to the nature energy around you. Essentially creating awareness through a void within yourself, silencing your own thoughts to hear the chakra of nature.

The results of accessing this Sage Mode are incredible. Everything is enhanced: strength, speed, stamina, reflexes, perception, durability, ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, access to new techniques using senjutsu, the ability to sense the chakra around you, it basically boosts everything. The only other such technique like it are the Eight Gates, a forbidden technique known only by Konohagakure, or in a more limited manner, Lightning nintaijutsu from Kumo. Why then doesn't everyone try to get this amazing ability? Because first, the dimensional animals are...erratic and picky at best about who they give their contracts to, not forthcoming about how their dimensions work, they are simply not cooperative and hold great power by themselves that we ninja have been unable to get around to get at their secrets. Even finding one of their dimensions is a great achievement, and the contracts currently known might be the more friendly dimensional animals: its speculative, but its entirely possible that many ninja have died discovering these lands unwilling to sign a contract or allow an outsider to know where they are and then killed them. If one got past all this, the technique itself apparently has a risk of extremes: too little energy drawn in, it doesn't work, too much and they turn into a stone animal of that dimension. One needs to moderate to find a balance of intake.

My goal of this project is to make a seal that will bypass all that and passively gather nature chakra to store for your own use, then when you tap into it, you transform into a hopefully similar state. I have named it a Cursed Seal for now as a matter of misdirection and working title, but have been toying with names like "transformation seal" or "Sage Seal" or "Nature Seal" so that it makes more sense for the final product. Though I do admit, the fact that it has a high chance of killing someone when used right now is a pretty big curse when you think about it.

Basically the entire concept is two parts: write the kanji "静寂" or "Stillness" in the center that will act as a symbolic representation of a person meditating in sage mode for the nature chakra to be drawn into. Then the second part is place various regulating patterns around it that will limit and regulate the amount of nature chakra drawn in so that it doesn't all rush in at once, without them the nature energy is basically sucked up like a vacuum and the user will be instantly turned to stone. Thus the goal is to design a set of regulating patterns to achieve the transformation without killing someone. At least most of the time, hopefully. Simple in concept, but in practice the flow of any chakra is chaotic and slippery, like a raging river or furious winds making it hard to completely control. Furthermore, sensor type ninjas have reported that even normal chakra can vary from person to person like fingerprints. Its just these little variances in flow and rhythm that make it hard to truly pin down.

Thus my seal has to not just find that ideal balance of regulation, but do so for as many people as possible. Its very possible due to various little biological variances that not all bodies will be able to work with the same kind of balance. Not every ninja has the same amount of chakra reserves, we definitely have different elemental affinities, finding a seal to be fully compatible with everyone is tricky because so much of it is tied up in medical information and anyone who works in that field knows that not every ingested medicine affects everyone the same way. There is always those edge cases that can't handle this or that. I'm hoping for 100% survival rate, but realistically I'm probably going to have settle for somewhere around 90% at an optimistic goal, but I won't go lower than 80% survival rate. The theoretical Mark One might be the 80% one and only offered on a purely voluntary basis with a liability contract to sign, because that 80% rate will only be in theory and more testing will have to be done on actual humans to really properly raise it and test to see if its true. The pie in the sky dream would be to design a seal that can detect your general chakra nature and adjust its flow regulation for your biology to raise the survival rate even further, but I'm not some Uzumaki seal master miracle maker.

Rats fortunately are similar to humans enough to use as test subjects. This project would never get approved by _any_ shinobi nation if only humans could be used to test this out. Sanctity of life aside, it would be a great waste of human resources for no clear gain. Though some of my fellow researchers being ninja have....dark, morbid,  one could even say macabre senses of humor and taste in decor and take the petrified rat failures home with them as decorations to put on their shelves to use as bookends, doorstops or just on their mantle. One of them says they are even collecting them to use in some disturbing art project all the rats are dressed up as ninja in some battle, complete with painted on blood. Its common joke around the lab that my real project is advertising these rats enough to start my own rat sculpture business, they ask every day "hey you doing more rat sculpting?" and I joke back "yes. I'll be sure to scare them so that they are petrified in certain poses so that I look like a mad scientist even more than usual." we laugh, its all good times.

This will take years yet to refine to the point of usefulness, but if I can pull it off, Otogakure will have an edge that will give it a chance against other villages without suicide tactics, and in my own way I'll have changed something, I will have contributed to something greater than myself and in doing so, proved that I can be a great ninja without my family's bloodline. That I don't need it to have an effect. What will a bloodline matter when potentially most if not every ninja in this village will be able to access a seal to fight against foes greater than themselves? When every ninja in this village will owe their strength to me, in a way I will outshine them. 

To that end, I cannot allow my own sister to touch this work. I love her, but this is something I must do myself. If she contributes, they will just praise her for it. This is my work. My effort. It will be me who will be know for this. I won't stop her from acquiring it herself when complete- to have my own kind of legacy enshrined in Kimiko's quest for all jutsu by empowering her? There is no greater victory, for it will mean I will have a hand in her rise. No matter how small. No greater honor, for it will mean she will consider it useful enough to be something worth having early. Her own success in some way, will be because of me. 

Because if my clan has taught me a single thing, its that true victory lies in the legacy you pass on to others.

[1]: One might be curious how I acquired such knowledge, considering the difficulty of even finding a contract holder, persuading them to let you sign, train for years to get to Sage Mode without being a sage myself. The answer is top secret, known only to myself and the Second Otokage Nozojo-sama, as I required his approval for this project.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi in unison with bigger Kimiko, bursted into yells.
"Who do you think, you are long eared bastard! I will nail those ears to the-" but stopped by Yuyuyu.

With an expriession of major self importance, the Fukaimi boy nod.
The middle aged care taker is gone and left a note. "Out For Cofee'


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/03/4c...7333d85716.jpg       Lil' Kimiko yell "Hello Kitty Second Doomsday technqiue: Scratch!" And scratch the Fukaimi boy with a hiss. He try to push her, but his hand is caught by the Komoro girl.

The Fuakimi girl run toward the yard.

The Kagyua boy, jump and try to grab the pocky box from Yuyuyu's hands.

The "dumb" is startled from the sudden action, and run away with panick, and stepping on Tsuiseki's pper. Her face reddend with rage, and she bite his shoe off. He cry.


https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images..._n_400x400.jpg
The spiky haired boy, using an empty pen spitting a paper toward Usagi and big Kimiko's eyes. If they won't react those will hit!

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She blocks the spit ball with her sword just in time, reflexes being viper-quick. 
"I felt the force behind that.... Careful! these children are dangerous."
Yuyuyu decides to let the kaguya boy take it so she can focus on the situation in general, hoping that will keep him occupied.
"we need to get this situation under control. Kimiko use your paper whip to find and grab the one that ran out, we can't let them separate, Usagi, me and you have to hold the down this area. I'll try to break up the fight."
"Good idea."
Kimiko runs after the Fukaimi girl and extends her paper whip to grab her and pull her back to the into the day care while Yuyuyu goes over to the two fighting children, privately admitting little Kimi is very cute in her cat like state.
"you two keep fighting and your not gonna get any pocky or any other candy. I've got less kind things to show you if you continue."
She has this....grin to her. Its disturbing. 

*Mitsuko:*
Within the Ishikawa Family Shrine:
*Spoiler: Mistuko's Mourning*
Show

On some days, Mitsuko feels a great melancholy. She has not the energy to be strict, to be the fierce mother and clan leader today. On these days she goes into the family shrine, where within lies various kami statues: Amaterasu-Omikami the sun goddess and leader of all kami, Tsukuyomi the god of the moon, Inari-Okami the god of agriculture, wealth and prosperity, Hachiman the god of war, Amatsu-Mikaboshi was Kami of Stars before the world was created-May He Stay Away, Shinigami-Kami the god of death, Omoikane god of wisdom and intelligence, to name the general ones the Ishikawa Clan focus on. One minor kami that their family worships in particular is Origami-Kami to thank them for gift of paper and ink, knowledge and language. 

If some of these names sound like attacks for your personal bloodline, then you might just be an arrogant Uchiha bastard conceited enough to do it in the first place. Seriously who else would name their powers after the gods who created the universe?

However in the center was an ivory statue of the Hagoromo Otsusuki, Sage of the Six Paths. The religions of Animism and Ninshuuism weren't mutually exclusive but rather syncretic. In the shinobi nations kami like Amaterasu-Omikami were for matters of nature and the universe, and the Sage of Six Paths were for matters of humanity, even though the Sage was not a kami, but a bodhisattva- an enlightened sage that was highly respected for his teachings to connect to other people, to be compassionate and kind, but not worshiped. Many have tried to find the mythical ability of Ninshuu but none have succeeded. Nevertheless he was revered throughout the lands and highly respected for his teachings, every nation having a temple or shrine dedicated to him and often individual families to.

Beside him placed lower down was Kannon or Konnan, the spelling was variable and some texts even refer to her as Guan-yin or Padma Otsusuki but no matter her name, she was known as the Sage of Mercy and Lamentation-Listener, the first of the Paper Release bloodline and descendant of Asura Otsusuki, it was said that while the clans descending from Indra and Asura fought, that she went forth and taught people literacy and medicine, preserved and spread the teachings of Ninshuuism, studied the natural world and was a tireless pursuer of knowledge and understanding, believing these to be vital to better cooperation and peace while she helped the poor and downtrodden in their wake. However despite all her efforts the power of Ninshuu itself were lost to time and she was cut down by somebody desiring knowledge only for themselves, with who did it varying with the legend. Most clan members assume it was an Uzumaki or an Uchiha these days, those jerks. Sometimes she wonders what her ancestor would think of her clan today, wondering if she would look down upon them for what they do. Its not a comforting thought.

She sits down, cross-legged and looks at not a statue, but a picture underneath them all, with a melancholy gaze. The picture of Jirou's and Kimiko's father: Ryota Ishikawa, the previous clan head and jounin when he was alive. He was a great ninja when he was alive, using fuinjutsu and paper release in equal tandem along with water and earth release to defeat his foes, a determined yet analytical man. Their marriage was arranged but that was apart of her duty to the clan. He was the one to insist upon joining up to form the Sound Village, and was one of many to sacrifice their lives battling some of Konoha's finest. At least he took down an Uchiha with him. On days like these, she came to mourn in silence or in tears, it didn't matter which.

Leaving her to lead the clan and raise them alone. Kimiko never even knew him, born after he passed, and Jirou was only a child when he died. Not a day goes by that she thinks that Ryota should've lived, that he should be the one teaching Kimiko jutsu to grow to her full potential. He would know secrets and tricks no one else did, he would know how to make her great, what to teach her about being a ninja that Mitsuko simply did not know. She never had been the greatest ninja, never been able to measure up. She was just this inadequate matriarch, inheritor of a legacy once great but now broken. No one would ever say this legacy was full of moral people doing good things, granted. Some were better than others, some worse. But there was still _greatness_ to it, and that had to count for something, right?

The sacrifice of every Ishikawa clan member that died to protect them from Kirigakure, then every clan member against Konohagakure- that _can't_ have all been nothing. She has to make sure that their sacrifices were not in vain. She has to make sure that Kimiko is strong, that her clan is strong to revive itself. She puts her hands together and recites the Sutra of Connection:

_Through connection to my village, give me loyalty
Through connection to my family, give me strength
Though connection to my ancestors, give me wisdom
Through connection to the world, give me knowledge
Through connection to the heavens, give me....compassion_

She always feels a little fake reciting the last line, but it was tradition nonetheless. It needed to be upheld, it needed to be kept alive. It wasn't worship, simply a reminder of what she held valuable and draw strengths through the bonds she had. She stands up feeling stronger and better, somehow content despite knowing she doesn't measure up, despite the Sages and Kannon's judging stares. Victory was in the legacy you passed on, and she would not dare disrespect her ancestors by not maintaining their victory in some way. It was not a ninjas job to be compassionate, but to protect citizens who had the luxury of compassion. By being that weapon that kills in defense of them, she upholds it in her own way. That was the sacrifice ninja made, for a world of true compassion was not yet achieved. She will make sure this clans legacy lives on. No matter what.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi on parallel jumped away, in the last moment dodging the spitball.
She pick a booger from her nose, and flick it at the sniper boy, who gasp in horror and it got stick to his hair. He start to shriek.

Usagi "run' on her crotches, toward Tsuiseki scaring the wierdo boy, one of her crotches slammed before her.
"Leave this boy alone!'
Tsuiseki spit the shoe, her expriession quite cold for a child. "Eh. The legless wonder, you think beating children will win your dignity back?" Usagi reddened with rage.
"I won't beat you, you stupid baby! Take it back, or I'll kill you!!'
The boy she tried to defend cried even more.

The Fukaimi girl, was prepared for Kimiko's "attack"- probably thanks to her Kekkei hearing. She turn, and deflect the paper whip with an open palm. And then stop, looking at her hand with horror.
"I am sorry! Girls can't be violent!" She bow, and then getting back to running away.

It seems only Yuyuyu were prepared to handle this chaos somewhat. 
Lil' Kimiko after a long rebelling feline stare, let go of the Fukaimi boy, and her friend, the Komoro girl follow.
Fukaimi looks unphased. 'You have allowed some ruffian to take MY pochy, woman!" He say with eccusing tone toward Yuyuyu.

The Kaguya pull out a tongue, jumping on a table. "Listen and listen well!" He yell rather loudongly.
"Only those who recongnize me as the Ottokage, will get pochy!"

Lil' Kimiko gasp and puff her cheeks. 'This isn't fair! I am always the Ottokage!"

"Today this is my turn, fleabag!" The Kagyua say with a victorouse laughter

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
The fukaimi girl suddenly finds Kimiko grabbing her hand, having used the replacement technique on a little bit of confetti that broke off from the blade and stuck to her clothing.
"Yes we can be violent! and I won't be able to be violent on anything that might be violent on you, if your out of my sight!"
She tries to gently lead her back to the group.

*Yuyuyu:*
Her eyes glitter with cleverness. She can use this desire to be Otokage against them.
"Ah, but I'm...the _Hokage_. Yes. Thirteenth Hokage Yuyuyu. I'm more powerful than a mere Otokage."
She turns and addresses the Kaguya boy
"You are the Otokage here? really? Lil'Kimiko seems to contest your rule, while you just stole the head of clan of Fukaimi's pocky in what was a fair legal trade. Is your rule really legitimate? Do I have to step in to resolve this clearly looming civil war? Perhaps I should back Lil' Kimiko or the fukaimi for Otokage and together we can take down this false Otokage here who took his subjects pocky. I am sure we can work out a reasonable trade for more pocky if they are willing to help."
She turns to Usagi and says
"Raikage Usagi, I would advise being more gentle with the subjects of Otogakure. We wouldn't want one of the future Otokages to be angry at us for threatening their subject."
then she walks over to the crying weirdo boy and puts a comforting pat on his head
"and we must all as ninja, be sure to protect and care for those under us. the citizens, the downtrodden, the less well off..."
She hugs the crying boy stroking and caring for him.
"There there, it will be alright. I'm here. Don't worry. I'll take care of it. "She pulls back and smiles
"Everyone needs help sometimes, right? No matter who they are."

----------


## igordragonian

The long eared girl, walk with Kimiko, her head her bowed in shame.
"...ok.' she said meekly.


Lil' Kimiko and the Kaguya boy yell in unison. "Booo! We don't need dirty hokages here!"
The Fukaimi boy nod with a seriouse tone. "We must unite!'
"Right! We shall split the pochie evenly, and later decide who it the Ottokage!'
Komoro girl, stand by Lil' Kimiko, while Kaguya boy stand by the Fukaimi boy in battle stances. (Sort of)
Usagi stop. "...Right.' she a bit akward. She know she used to play... _games_ in what seemed to her as diffrent reicanartion. Every time, she tried to remember she only seen rain of blood.
As training freak, she is out of her zone here.
'...Sorry.' she say to the girl she tried to scare.


The "wierdo' stare and blink. He doesn't seems to hear Yuyuyu. He seems.. to be..
Deaf.

This kinder garden is for children that normal kindergardens can't handle. Most here have potential as ninjas. But this one boy... is quite the opposite..  He is weaker then normal children, but sarounded by super ninja children. Yuyuyu can see many bruises on him.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Impersonate Authority Figure*
She tries to snap her fingers in the deaf boys ears a couple times. No reaction. She looks at the bruises. She realizes. The kaguya, fukaimi boy and lil'kimiko suddenly feel a wave of killing intent radiating off of Yuyuyu as her head slowly turn around to look at them with a glare so intense that if such things could kill, would surely cause a massacre.
"....Someone here beat up the deaf kid. The real Otokage will know of this."
She poofs- replacement with a pebble.

Then suddenly Otokage Nozojo seemingly comes stomping in full otokage outfit, his eyes in shadow, Yuyuyu seemingly coming in after him his face stern, his voice thunderous as he turns to all the children here:
*"WHO BEAT UP THE DEAF CHILD!? WE DO NOT THIS!"* 
He turns to the children.
*"AND WHATS THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU TRYING TO BE OTOKAGE!? ARE YOU REBELLING AGAINST ME!? AND THERE IS A SPIT BALL ASSASSIN HERE! THIS IS ALL PUNISHABLE WITH GETTING GROUNDED-FOR LIIIIIFE!"*
He roars at them while Yuyuyu seems to take a battle stance. Kimiko figures out whats going on and takes a similar battle stance beside her.
"How shall I punish them, my Otokage!?"
She asks

In reality, the "Yuyuyu" that came in, was just an illusory clone, having no substance. While the "Otokage Nozojo" was actually the real Yuyuyu in a disguise jutsu acting really furious at them.

----------


## igordragonian

Yuyuyu surely knew how to build tension.
First the little heroic four, paused, especialy Komoro girl and Fukaimi boy sensed the killing intent.
The arrival of the Ottokage completly made them freak out.

Usagi blinked for a moment. "Ah.. right.' She pulled her bow, standing only on one crotch.
"Yeah.. what ever you command.. supreme Ottokage."

There is a complete silence, the children stop what ever they do, staring in fear.


*Spoiler: Context*
Show


I hope it isn't too dark/cruel. 
I lot of times enjoy thining in fiction about the relationship between "muggles" and Supers. 
It's the idea that people actually objectivly superior to other people, at least in power.

And invalid people.. well, I befriended and were a roomie of a wonderful guy, who happen to be on wheelchair, nd since then, place of invalids in society and it's complexes.
This said friend actually taught me to see the nuances, and understand where are biases coming from.

So.. for example, until the 19th, unquestionably, deaf people were considered retarded. (Also legally. It is hard to prove deaf people responsible for crimes, for example
It sound terrible, and is terrible.
But back then, there were no known techniques to teach them how to speak, so their interaction was near impossible.
And I can imagine, that in ninja world, there wouldn't be yet devolped system, to help them be part of society, and normal care takers won't have the training for this.

So.they would pin it to a ninja care taker to deal with it, but she also doesn't really know what to do.

And children are savages. (From my exprience)
I mean, I remember that in my kinder garden and first class in elementary, when someone cried  it meant it's the time to point and laugh.
Expressing weakness invite bullying, sometimes even from the ok-ish kids.
They see dramatic reaction, and view it as something to toy with.

And imagine children bred to be soldier children...


Again, it's harsh, but I thought it can be intresting subject to explore

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Proclaim Nindo.*
The "Otokage" pauses and takes a breath.
*"We are defined....by how we treat our lowest, not our highest. Remember to be kind even to this one here, even though he seems "weird". If I ever find out you have been bullying or beating this boy ever again....you will know my wrath."*
He turns to the door
*"Consider Yuyuyu to be my eyes and ears. She is in charge when your caretakers are not around. Be good little children, and don't hurt those in need. don't be cruel. Or I'll find out. Yuyuyu, come, I have a few things to discuss with you when taking care of these ones."*
She and the clone go back out, a few moments later Yuyuyu comes back in, smiling.
"Well! I hope you all learned something today as for this boy..."
"What did you say he was? deaf? I don't see any injury that could've caused it, he ears seem to be working fine."
"According to some medical textbooks, some rare people just seem to be born deaf, Kimiko. Like a kekkei genkai, but making you weaker rather than stronger. Medic nin currently have no idea how to communicate with such people. So...they're just kind of left to be ignored. At best."
Kimiko is reminded of Jirou, her brother. Born without her paper release, considered a failure by her clan. But....this was on an entirely different level. She had ambitions, aspirations of figuring out a way to give Jirou the bloodline through artificial means, something....but not being able to hear? That was so much more basic that Jirou's problem seemed to pale in comparison. Her genius mind is already extrapolating: could people be born blind? mute? what other maladies and misfortunes did the cruel hand of genetics deal? Already there was a revision in her plans. 

She would definitely have to figure out a way to fix something like this. What a strange machine biology is, to fail at making one of the five basic sense of every human being. Could one use visual learning? But no, that can't work, current reading is taught by showing the words to someone and sounding them out loud so that children can imitate them. How to communicate? What to communicate with? She wondered: genjutsu. It manipulated the mind. In way, allowing for some kind of communication. She was muttering:
"....maybe a genjutsu could perhaps send information directly into the brain, bypassing the senses thus allowing a form of communication and thus teaching to associate certain concepts with visual symbols so that they can learn to function and at least read on their own..."
Yuyuyu just watches Kimiko's mutter and focus intently on the boy, muttering a mile a minute, her mind ablaze trying to figure out the puzzle presented to her.
"....what would a genjutsu be like? Would it work? How advanced would it be? Most genjutsu are rated by their use in shinobi situations and thus war-like ones, but could a peaceful use be considered low rank enough to try and make something to use on him? There would be any stress involved like most genjutsu use, it just requires the right person to figure out a genjutsu that could work, assuming the brain can interpret the information? There are so many factors to this, it would require testing. Yang chakra to try and restore the ears would also be a solution, but require fine control given delicate nature of ears in general...."
Yuyuyu blinks as Kimiko continues on and says
"Uh, Kimiko. Otogakure to Kimiko. Your muttering about about science stuff related to this a mile a minute, whats going on?"
"Hm? Oh. I forgot you were there for a moment. Sorry, I just realized that I have just one more problem to solve, eventually."
"what problem, _deafness?_"
"Yes, along with any other possible condition such as this. Such a cruel world needs fixing no? Even if the problem is mother nature."
"....and how do you propose to do that?"
"By any means rationally necessary that one can empirically determine and the power to use those means. This boy's defect is a puzzle that I will take great pleasure in solving. Much like how I will solve everything else with the knowledge I'll gain."
"Knowledge of what?"
"Of Jutsu, Yuyuyu. What use will it be to gather so much knowledge, if it isn't put to some sort of use? and I can already think of a few ways it could solve this boys problem."
"Wait your serious about that!?"
"yeah. I sang about it. Why wouldn't I be?"
"K-kimiko, that goal to acquire all jutsu is unrealistic! Maybe try focusing on whats _possible?_"
"...Said by whatever fool who doubted Madara and Hashirama! And look where we are now. Don't worry Yuyuyu I'll acquire all jutsu...."
She pumps her fist and maniacally puts on a determined shark-like grin, looking dangerous with blazing determination in her eyes.
"....and solve it all. With the power....of SCIENCE and KNOWLEDGE! thats my Nindo! My Ninja way!"
She then begins laughing maniacally like a mad scientist. Yuyuyu is kind of freaked out by this, not sure whether she is looking at a hero or a villain in the making.

----------


## igordragonian

The children bowed their heads in awe.
Beside the title himself, Nozojo was a hero.
A diffrent kind of hero then the First Ottokage- he was a mythological leader, gathering unlikely allies which the only thing they had in common, that they were all losers.
Even their Damiyo was the firstborn, and yet his younger brother have usurped the throne.
The first Ottokage died in the war, and became the uniting martyr of Ottokagure.


Nozojo was a star. A DJ who you heard almost 24/7 on the radio. He brought smiles, fun and punk. 
He also managed many projects with one porpuse- to normalize the life of the village which were found by desprate and broken ninjas and citizens.But most importantly he sumbolized hope.
His abilities were a mystery, and a very popular subject of discussion for ninjas, citizens, adults and youth alike.
This was a scene they will never forget.

They looked confused at Kimiko.
Usagi felt personaly touched by this. As.. invalid herself.
'You know. He actually can be an amazing ninja. He can be almost immune to genjutsus!'
She wondered about something.

She limpered and sat before the deaf child.
Usagi pointed at a cartoon sign of a boar seal, and then made the sign herself.
The deaf child smiled and akwardly mimiced Usagi.
"...I am not a scholar. But.. is there a code launguage which usinf seals?'

The children stared, but were about to get bored..

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Seeing this and knowing the caretaker had been reading a story to them before
She walked on over and said
"How about a story? I bet I know a few stories that your usual caretaker doesn't tell, and maybe doesn't even want you to know. Let me Valley of the End was made, to start you off..."
Not exactly the same story as you may have heard elsewhere, I promise you.
"Once there was two ninja. Two friends from two warring clans. Both were of good heart but forced to fight each other. They fought and fought time and again, growing up until they were clan leaders, after a final battle managed to convince their clans that further fighting would only be kill both sides and united them as one force! They went across the land, hunting all Nine tailed beasts to gather together then established their village. Wanting peace, they argued their ideals, one wanted to rule through a velvet glove, the other an iron fist with the tailed beasts

The velvet-gloved ninja offered a compromise: he would give all the tailed beasts away to other villages so that if any village fought each other, both would be killed, but that their village would keep the strongest one to retain their strength and promised that the iron-fisted ninja would be his successor. The iron-fisted ninja accepted this, the velvet-gloved ninjas reign passed with peace and the velvet-gloved ninjas brother coming to him said that he did not trust the iron-fisted one and that someone else should be picked to be the next kage. the first kage however, denied him and said that he must keep to his promise no matter what.

Thus the iron-fisted ninja became the second kage and the jealous brother of the first rebelled against him luring the second kage away to try and kill him alone so that no one would be hurt. The jealous brother and the second kage fought a most fierce battle! water and fire clashed against each other in great tsunamis and infernos, their fists flew at each other at speeds unrivaled, and the jealous brother tried to break through every genjutsu and scheme of the second kage, but he lost, and the iron fisted ninja then killed the brother for his jealousy, stating that he will carry on the velvet-gloved ninjas legacy of peace and that his friendship with the velvet-gloved ninja was stronger than any jealous attempt to gain power, leaving the destroyed valley in his wake. The Valley....of the End. The end of the Warring States Era."
Of course, this was all about Hashirama, Madara and Tobirama. In this universe, Hashirama named Madara the Second Hokage instead of Tobirama. Tobirama not trusting Madara was the one to rebel instead, Madara and him fought, but Yuyuyu's fairy tale ending didn't happen: Madara killed Tobirama at the Valley of the End, Tobirama was remembered as someone who opposed the peace the villages brought and Madara's reign as Second Hokage while keeping the village intact and the Uchiha happy, caused the First Shinobi War with his ruthlessness, yet both him and Hashirama are both regarded as heroes and Konoha was influenced by Madara's methods as a result of his reign.

*Kimiko:*
"the only problem with that method Usagi, is that while he is clearly imitating the hand signs, for a language to work, _meaning_ needs to be communicated. If he is deaf and always has been, then there is no guarantee that when we make even the simplest sign that he will know what it means to us and us to him. Why? because we can't just put a bunch hand symbols in front of him and make him imitate that, he needs to be able to associate those symbols with abstract concepts we all get. like...how we have an idea of justice more than just the word on a sheet of paper or a series of sounds. its why shinobi of different nations have different sign languages for silent communications, so that if they need to communicate anything to their comrades, another village won't be able to decode it in the heat of combat."
She thinks
"Genjutsu should in theory work for communicating meaning-all it does is manipulate your mind and the abstract concepts in your head are all just....electricity and chakra firing off in your neurons. Its just that.....genjutsu has never been used for such a purpose. Because there has never been a need. I'll have to figure out how to do that, but it can't be that bad....the entire ranking system is meant to evaluate COMBAT or SHINOBI-related effectiveness, not anything else. simply communicating a concept without hurting or deceiving should in theory, be easy."

----------


## igordragonian

The children have listened with awe.
Of course the line about their care taker not wanting them to hear this story, made it even more apealing.
Most looked thrilled!
Beside the Fuakimi girl who looked as if.. she is scared to express thrill?



Usagi is silent a bit. "The rabbit queen must know such genjutusus..." she said.
"Yojimbo told me, I didn't moved for days, and were about to starve myself..' Usagi think.
"And the queen used the lullaby I used on you. I dont remember what happened then... but it changed me."
She pause.
It was a very personal memory, but she willed to share it, out of feelings of comradariroe to the boy, she didn't even got to learn his name yet.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She looks at Usagi.
"You got to meet a rabbit queen in your dream? Wow, Thats better than what I keep dreami- eerrr. I mean. As a shinobi I only dream of serving my village loyally, such killing our enemies."
She catches herself saying that half way through and starts acting like a stoic shinobi while the faces of those that have died flash through her. She is clearly imitating the mannerisms of the adults you've seen around her, particularly Jirou.
"Or gladly making the hard decisions so others do not have to, with no fear in my eyes. Like any proper shinobi would."
her body language practically screaming "look at how grown up I am! I am totally a grown up ninja who is responsible and everything! Acknowledge me! Look at how I'm killing my emotions, they are super dead! I'm totally not a kid or anything!"
"Y'know just normal shinobi dreams, not anything cool like yours heheheh."
Twice now you have seen her mask fallen off, once to proclaim her nindo and once just now, but she seems to be trying to get back into her usual act now. Kimiko after all, has not been taught to talk out her problems with other people but suppress them. 

*Yuyuyu:*
She notices the fukaimi girl wasn't as happy as winked at her conspiratorially. This girl either knew more than she let on or wasn't as thrilled by death and betrayal as others. Either way is fine with her.
"Now what story next.....I'm sure everyone has heard of tales of the Gutsy Ninja, thats so popular everyone knows it....."
She thinks, hey why not make up a story?
"Okay, this story is also about two ninja, but not the previous ones. These two ninja are from different nations. Both are sad, for they desire something beyond their duties and families, but are bound to them by duty to their villages. However one day they met in secret upon the battlefield and discovered they both desired the same thing: freedom. Instead of fighting, they pretended to fight to a draw, and became fast friends. However their villages would never approve of them being friends with enemy ninja, they never told anyone of it.

They kept meeting in secret and in battle over the years, the people around them believing they were the greatest of enemies obsessed with defeating each other, when reality nothing was further from the truth. Together they were free to not kill each other, together they were free from their duties in a way. They could be more than just ninja around each other. They could be themselves. Each time they fight to a "draw" each time they would pretend hatred to their allies and their dance would continue. 

Until one they met in secret and started to discuss whether to become missing-nin together and leave all their duties and loyalties behind so they can be together with the friend who truly understood them. However before they could decide, a spy who was a friend of one of these two ninja leaped out of the shadows and declared he would report them both to his superiors if his ninja did not throw away this friendship and kill the other. Instead the ninja killed the spy, choosing their friend from the other nation over the one from their own. They knew that to blame the death on the ninja opposing the side of the spy would cause a war  but that only the ninja on the spys side leaving to be missing-nin would mean leaving the other alone, so they knew they had no choice, both leaving their villages together to live the happiest lives they can as missing-nin, making sure that the villages would be able to avoid a war in the process by blaming the death on criminals outside their command.

Then years later they both tragically got killed by a third village's assassins for the bounties on their head. The End."
Generally the stories usually told are about upholding the ninja's duties and way of life and whatnot, rather than something like this, but she did say stories that their caretaker would not want them to hear, and Yuyuyu wasn't lying. The best bribes are forbidden fruit.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi has tilted her head.
'Well it's either her or a blood rain... but usually her visits are dangerouse..."
It still sounded cooler, and at this moment, she didn't felt urge to outbeat Kimiko.

Usagi felt that something off, but she still wasn't this close and her social skills were less then minimal.
'So! I didn't meant to brag, just that her lullaby can reshape the brain.
 The jutsu I used was a shadow of a friction of what her abilities. I... just focused on how to win fights, but if I could tap into even parts of Nagaisu's lullaby's abilities...'  she looked at the deaf boy.

Can she really afford herself to work in this direction? She barely stand among ninjas as it is.
It depress her.

And the hyped reactions for Yuyuyu's stories, who were edgy yet beautiful.
She limped to stand on her crotches.
"Those stories sure were great, but how about OTHERWORLDLY story?'

The Komoro boy. "What do you mean? Some lame fantasy about avenging teddy bears? We aren't babies!"
""Yeah! We want real stories, the stories of Yuyuyu-san!'

Usagi was taken back a bit by it.
'Don't you want to know, how the Rabbit Queen Nagaisu became the queen? Yes! It is epic! Yes! It is unhuman! But it is EPIC and UNHUMAN!'
If Yuyuy want, she can win the stage with ease.

If not...
[SPOILER]
"The moon was young, arrogant and possesive. But Saishogi, was a rebelliouse moonshine. Every night, the moon has sent him like any other moonshine to beam on Earth.
Saishogi, wanted to be someone of his own. So at day, when the moon was asleep, he skipped away from the moon-"
Tsuiseki frowned. 'It doesn't sound realistic at all.'
Usagi puffed her cheeks.
'This is true! A bunny Samurai have told me that!"
"Yeah yeah.'
'You want me to summon him to slice you into suhsi you baby shark?!'
Tsuiseki gracefully shook her head and let Usagi to continue.

"On earth Saishogi needed a body. No one could have contained him beside a rabbit- yes Komoro-chan?"
Usagi stopped to the raised hand of the bat eared girl. 
'Wasn't this a story about how rabbits came to be?' She asked.
"No..."  Usagi grunted.
"I am not talking about mundane rabbits of Earth. I am talking how Samurai rabbits, and their queen came to be. So.. ahem. Where was I? Yes. So Sashogi entered a rabbit, but he wasn't carefree for long- there were another Yokkai, a wolf. Mmm. Ah. The summoned animals are called Yukkai. Yes. So the wolf, who were a sunspot chased after Sashogi- so Sashogi hopped into a new dimension! There he has established the Rabbit Kingdom."

Kimiko raise her hand. 'Who was his wife?'
"Funny, that you ask. Sashogi was kind of above little things like, female and male. He was sort of both, I just say he out of convience. Anyway- he was murdered by the bad wolf, who has finally found his trail even beyond realities.  The first wolf Okiwaru*, was everything evil about the sun, and could only manifest himself inside a wolf.
The succesful escape of Sashogi drove him deeper and deeper into madness. Okiwaru refused to eat for centuries, and found the Wolf Kingdom to help him smell and hunt Sashogi between the realms. And eventually Okimaru and his children have found Sashogi and the rabbits, who lived as peacful farmers until then.
Sashogi didn't thought his children could handle the wolves, so with a jutsu he has learned from the moon itself, he sent them away. In short time, Okkimaru has killed and devoured Sashogi. But his hunger and anger were not assiated yet. It actually became _worse_. 
Meanwhile the exiled rabbits turned their gaze to the eldest son of Sashogi- Goruden**. Goruden was made of gold, and were so handsome and charming that no one has ever refused him a thing. Goruden said. "The wolves cannot be pure evil. There must have been misunderstanding that led to this. I shall please him, until we get peace!" And the peace seeking rabbits agreed.
He wrote 1001 hymns and songs to glorify Okimaru. He prepared 1001 delicouse meals, brewed an exellent 1001 bottles of sake, forged jewelry and made any material thing that one mortal or immortal would enjoy. He sent messengers with gift after gift to soften the monster, but no messnger hae returned. He belived, Okkimaru was so happy he forced them to stay as guests.
Finally Goruden himself has arrived, just to find Okimaru so bloated from all the messengers and gifts that he has devoured, and let his own firstborn, Yokotawaru*** to slay and devour Goruden. 
Once the rabbits have realized Goruden has failed, and also that their rices were lost, they turned and searched for Sashogi's secondborn Tairitsu***.
Tairitsu were disowned by his father. As much as he was a sklled smith, he was a wild- stealing wives of rabbits and other Yukais, challenging for duals for the death anyone he faced.. but when Sashogi failed, and also Goruden, maybe to get to the level of their enemies is envitable for their survival?
Tairitsu forged for the rabbits, iron fangs-which we humans call swords. He trained them in the ways of the bushido, forging themselves into warriors. 
Tairitsu led the charge, but no matter with how many iron and trainings the rabbits have wore- in their core they didn't had the killing intent the wolves had. 
Tairitsu remained standing last. Okimaru still napped from his last meal, so his secondborn Ryketsu*****, has devoured him.
The rabbits were broken. No peace, nor war have saved them. 
In despair the rabbits have prepared to die. But..." Usagi smiled and took out her bow harp and started to play. 
giving more epic tone from now on.https://youtu.be/ujzMHLac404
"Nagaishi took a harp, very much like this one and played a song. Giving them again the will to live. 
Nagaishi told them, just to want to live and pray for her.
 She hidden in the dreams of Yokotowaru and Ryketsu. She has akwaned their nightmares and made them believe that the other plan on assinating their father, Okimaru. They woke up, and fought. Ryketsu were stronger, but Yokotowaru has poisoned him, and they died together, only to see Nagaisi smile at them. 
Nagaisi hopped from dream to dream, manipulating the wolves's savagness against each other to a great slaughter.
And finally, she hopped into the dream of Okiwaru who slept during all that. She trapped him inside a nightmare, which he never woke up to this day. 
The third child of Okiwaru led the wolves away from the rabbit kingdom, and Nagaisi brought the rabbits back home. She taught them- peace and war are tools, to fulfill our dreams!"









*Oki is big Waru is bad. So big bad wolf basicly.
** Goruden means gold
***means lie
****means conflict
***** means bloodlust

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Include Others In Storytelling*
"Of course, Usagi! your free to tell them a story to. We're all taking care of them after all."
Yuyuyu lets her tell her rabbit story and even uses disguise jutsu to appear as various characters from it to act it out. Meanwhile Kimiko is surprised that Usagi's dreams are dark as well, but then Usagi goes and begins telling the story, the moment to reply seemingly gone. For a moment she dwells on the dreams, on the guilt she feels for not succeeding. that was understandable, she was taught to be perfect the ninjas existence her whole life. But it was the part she felt....bad about killing that didn't make any sense to her. She had been taught this was going to be her life since she could walk. What was wrong with her that she felt bad about killing? Why did she have to have this flaw of feeling bad about it? Why did it haunt her? She expected this, she trained for it, she was meant for it it wasn't supposed to be a concern! 

Her mind however didn't want to think about this so she distracted herself by focusing on Usagi's claim that she got her contract in her sleep. Summoning Contracts in modern times are not signed that way she was pretty sure of that- it was usually by finding another ninja with a contract and convincing them to let them sign it. But there was tales of ninjas during the warring states era that said they got their summoning contracts in dreams. Of course the leading scientific theory behind such things is that the summoned animals of said contracts reverse-summoned themselves to this world, put the ninja under a genjutsu while they were asleep and that the physical real contract was essentially "sleep-signed" by said ninja then the summon dismissed themselves back to their dimension before the person woke up. Summoning contracts after all, require physical DNA to work. Thats why the signing in blood was needed as its established a sympathetic connection in space and time. 

So Usagi's claim wasn't impossible, its just that she probably got her contract through an older method that doesn't really happen most of the time anymore. The only alternative is that the rabbit summons know jutsu to somehow summon someone to a different world while they're asleep without having a blood sample put on a contract to use beforehand, which technically isn't impossible from a theoretical standpoint but would be incredibly powerful and advanced if ever achieved. Not even a kage could do something like that. At least not with the world's current knowledge of space-time ninjutsu. Space-time ninjutsu is a relatively recent, very experimental and dangerous field, full of theoretical concepts, complicated equations and needing knowledge of things like general relativity, orbit, mass and rotation of planets, the speed of light, seal sympathy, dimensional pocket mathematics and so on...you basically have to be a genius to even start understanding it, much less use it. And even most geniuses often don't touch it for good reason.
Sure Kimiko plans to eventually learn how to do it like all other jutsu, but it was best to start with something simpler before trying for one of the most complicated and dangerous fields of ninjutsu ever invented. She doubts the rabbit summons are that advanced. 

Her mind drifts back to the deaf boy. Lets see, she'd need to research to find a beginning level genjutsu, thankfully there are two types of genjutsu: there was the illusionary mirage genjutsu that affected the senses and deceived you....but there are also the hypnotic genjutsu that don't really deceive you, but hypnotize you into following certain orders or commands. which means the brain can interpret the orders given by the hypnosis. So the genjutsu she'd be inventing would have to some weird combination of that? She pulls out a storage scroll and releases a book: _Genjutsu For Genin_. Yes she even stored books in her scrolls. Best to have knowledge on hand. She flips to the relevant page, she had already read through all the theoretical stuff about it being Yin Release and such and reads:

_Your First Genjutsu:
Your first genjutsu should be practice in the chakra control and subtlety it requires to pull it off. You should start simple, small and obvious. The most dominant sense in humans is sight, therefore that is the sense you should focus on affecting first, but do not neglect other senses. They're all connected and your supposed to make a complete picture for the foe to believe. This first genjutsu is the simplest: instead of creating new sensations you will be blocking them off, turning an object invisible, unhearable, unfeelable, and so on so that the foe cannot perceive it, this genjutsu will aid in a wide variety of situations and is easy to learn, known as Invisible Object Genjutsu. First you must picture something not existing then you must form the following hand seals..._

Yeah Kimiko doesn't have good social skills either and is not paying attention to Usagi's story, so caught up in her own head and academic matters, not out of anything arrogant but simply because she can get lost in her thoughts. When it was done, Yuyuyu goes up and says to her.
"Hey Kimiko, you want to tell a story to?"
Kimiko jumps a little, her concentration broken as she was caught up in reading.
"Eh!?" She closes the book and puts it away.
"I guess um...." problem is she didn't know many stories. She had been more of a studies and training type of person. She thinks for a moment then snaps her fingers
"I know!"
She walks right next to Usagi and speaks to the kids
"Hey! Do you want to hear another story from Usagi or one from me? If she wants to tell you more, thats okay. I however only got one story, and its a story that has been passed down my family for generations....The tale of How The Origami No Tsurugi Was Made- the tale of the very sword that I wield."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi felt akward talking so much. Sure it was nice to get attention but..

And beside, maybe she will learn more about Kimiko. There... were things to learn.
'Nah. I must give you fair chance at least. Come on. Amaze me!' challenging Kimiko felt the most natural way to interact with her..

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: How the Origami No Tsurugi Was Made*
She draws the blade, and holds out for all to see: the paint-brush pommel at the end of the black handle, the round circular hilt, the paper blade itself, extending out to a normal blades length with a point, but the entire thing being floppy and paper thin without any chakra running through it.
"Very well.... This....is a story that is passed down through my family for generations, told to every Ishikawa when they are young, so that we may never forget. It is a story of clans, of the Senju the Uzumaki and the Ishikawa....this.....How the Origami No Tsurugi....was made:

Long ago in the Warring States Era, long before Madara and Hashirama were ever born, before katanas were invented, three clans were allies. The Senju Clan known even today for their diplomatic efforts, the Uzumaki Clan for its sealing mastery, and the Ishikawa clan for its love for knowledge. These three clans were allies and friends, for both the Uzumaki and the Ishikawa clans were mutations or bloodlines that split off from the Senju's Wood Release: The Uzumaki inherited the raw power of life itself, gaining great chakra reserves and stamina able to use costlier jutsu than most. We, the Ishikawa gained the Paper Release, as if like a Yin to the Uzumaki's Yang we seemingly got a variation on Wood Release without its durability and thus were the "fragile" ones of the three. 
Their alliance was great, especially against clans like those Uchihas and their hated sharingan eyes."
She clenches her fist and shakes it in the general direction of Konoha.
"So one day, the Senju clan leader had a bright idea: the Ishikawa and Uzumaki Clans were both great at fuinjutsu. The Ishikawa clan could strengthen the Uzumaki clan by using its paper release to incorporate seals into their fighting style in creative ways, and the Uzumaki clan could strengthen the Ishikawa clan with its great chakra reserves, both sharing their fuinjutsu archives would make a great and powerful clan combined! He shared this idea with the two leaders, both great friends of his they liked this as well.

So they searched their clans for suitable candidates to be wedded. Thankfully they members of both clans already in love, courting in secret but now given the opportunity to make it official 
and binding: he was Shinju Ishikawa and she was Chihiro Uzumaki. All seemed to be fine and the arrangements were made without fail or mishap. The clans could see a bright future ahead of them. However on the day of the wedding, a terrible thing was discovered: The Ishikawa's archives of fuinjutsu had been stolen! Searching everywhere, they were found in no place other than....the Uzumaki clan compound, along with enough herbs to poison the Ishikawas being discovered near the wedding. The Uzumaki were planning on taking the fuinjutsu all for themselves all along and removing competition to their clans field of expertise in the process. A sudden battle broke out between the two clans over hurled accusations and anger, separating the two lovers, which then bloomed into a war between Uzumaki and Ishikawa. 

Shinju being noble of heart, traveled to the Senju clan to its leader, telling him the news of the failure and begging his assistance to help end this feud, this war between the two clans so that he may see his Chihiro again and they may wed again, for he was determined for them marry for love no matter what. The Senju leader, not wanting his wayward relatives to fight and moved by the love of Shinju, agreed to help and with the Senju's assistance they managed to put the war into a stand still with walls of wood and binding entangles of vines and roots. Their force was enough to convince the clans to enter into negotiation again, this time with the Senju's watchful eye as a third party to make sure nothing suspicious happens.

They went to negotiations, Shinju willing to meet any demands that the Uzumaki made so that there would be peace again. But suddenly, mid way through the negotiation talks, the Uchiha Clan attacked! Worse, Chihiro suddenly ran away from Shinju and into the arms of Souta Uchiha, allowing the Uchihas to kill Senju and Ishikawa blood while Uzumakis joined in on the ambush. The alliances had changed and both Uzumaki and Uchiha were fighting against Ishikawa and Senju, 
Shinju in confusion recklessly charged into enemy territory until he confronted Chihiro and Souta, and asked why she abandoned him for Souta. Chihiro arrogantly turned up her nose and said "Why would I ever love an Ishikawa? I'd rather have Souta." Souta only smirked in silence at this. Heart broken, Shinju could only run away in despair. 

But that was not the end of this. The war between the four clans raged on for a time, and everyone were getting tired of fighting it- the Senju clan leader suddenly abandoned the Ishikawa, wanting no more part in its troubles and wanting to recover from the fighting, leaving them to fight the Uchiha and the Uzumaki clans alone. Shinju, now the new clan leader and feeling betrayed thrice over, decided to retreat from what would be the Land of Fire, the clan stealing boats to sail across the water to escape the combined threats of the two clans to settle in the Land of Water. 

There Shinju learned the art of making chakra swords from the shark-toothed smith he married which he perfected over his later years of his life until began work on his greatest sword, making it for the blood of the fallen Ishikawa, making it while swearing vengeance on the Uzumakis and the Uchihas for all that they have done to them, a blade that would pass on his hatred of such scum and the clans ambitions to surpass them both, a blade that he could not himself wield to its full potential, so he passed it down to his son to wield, instructing him that it was a source of paper and ink for the clans jutsu, so that he would pass it down his descendants and their descendant's descendants, always remembering such injustices, what these clans once did to us. A blade to always remember and pass on the will of the Ishikawa clan despite how many times the clan is kicked down!

And that? Is how the Origami No Tsurugi, the Paper-Folding Blade, was Made."
She finishes with a shark-like smile.
"And why we hate the Uzumaki clan, those fuinjutsu stealing traitors."
The Uchiha clan, they just hate on the general principle that they're freaking Uchihas and deserve it, those arrogant jutsu-copying red-eyed bastards. She doesn't say it with any actual venom behind it though, personally for her its too historical and far-removed to really be emotional about it, so its more like she is _acting_ like she hates them and has a stereotype in her head about them rather than actually hating the clans. Though her clan still practices various anti-Uchiha fighting tactics, thats just being prepared for the worst.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi eagerly has listened. She never realized clan histories could be intresting!

"Boo Uchiha! Boo Senju! Boo Uzumaki!" The children chripped.
Kimiko couldn't have known, but story will cause few ripples in the small pond of Ottokagure politics.
What kind of stories the new generation will be told?
What kind of mindset the village wanted the youth to have?

Many wanted to remind of the many wrongs that were done to the Land Of Sound, and to the clans which have created it. To be wary of the enemy.

The Fukaimi boy nodded. "That why women should never be trained to fight!'
The spit ball boy gotten up. "I will be the one to assinate to Hokage!"
'No! I will be!" Lil' Kimiko rose up.
The stories were intresting, but the children grew restless- in need for activity

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Get chastised*
Yuyuyu whispers to Kimiko
"Uh, Kimiko...that....what are you doing that story is.....not appropriate! They're impressionable young children."
Kimiko hisses back
"What? my clan has told that story for generations, it never caused any problems before. They'll probably forget by tomorrow for some new toy. Its not as if its anything abnormal"
"Kimiko, your clan's history has either been in the Warring States era, or in the Land of Water and Kirigakure who were full of bloody warring conflicts between the clans even before Yagura made it the Bloody Mist! Your clans normal is _constant low level warfare and feuds without end._"
"....and from your tone I think your implying that its...not supposed to be normal?"
"No! We're in peace time! Y'know, not supposed to fan flames of conflict like that?"
"How was I fanning flames of conflict? It was already there, I'm just stating the facts. And technically we're a minor nation that is watching all the other more powerful nations be in 
a state of cold war, but I guess that is close enough to be accurate."
"wow, your actually the worst person that could possibly any stories to children, you have no sense of filtering what children should or should not hear..."
"Filter? Why would anyone do that? The world is a horrible place full of ninja out to kill you, you got to tell them that early or they won't learn to defend themselves or their village. Thats what my clan taught me and it made me into the ninja I am today. They'll be fine."
Yuyuyu is rapidly realizing that Kimiko's life has been nothing but a glamorized military training camp in a gilded training facility called a "clan manor". And the military unit was her family.
"Oh my kami's you don't actually know how normal families work. at all."
"What? doesn't every family pass down stories of how their enemies wronged them generations ago and constantly train to one day get their revenge or surpass them so as to prove that they are the stronger one so to help keep constant vigilance and motivate them defend their friends and village or nation, taking up the legacy they passed on so that you may fulfill the dream your ancestor started?"
Yuyuyu is just rubbing her temple at this point, feeling a headache.
"No Kimiko. They don't. Thats something only ninjas do. and probably samurais."
"Well then....how do they work?"
She asks with such point blank honesty that Yuyuyu doesn't know how to answer the question.
"....Lets just....keep them in line. They're getting restless. Have any ideas?"
Kimiko thinks then snaps her fingers.
"I know!"
She pulls out an explosive tag and shouts with a manic insane grin:
"HEY KIDS, WANNA LEARN HOW TO BLOW THINGS UP!?"
Yuyuyu instantly tackles Kimiko to the ground and says
"No! We are not doing that!"
"Oh come on, Yuyuyu, they're ninja kids, explosive tags are an academy taught skill, they'll be learning how to use them in a few years anyways..."
"Thats not the point! They're not at the age, pretty sure the course for that are one of the later years. When the student is more responsible...? At...age 10 or so....?"
Yuyuyu is quickly realizing that shinobi's are insane, and somehow its widely accepted within the shinobi villages that teaching kids how to blow things up before they reach puberty is somehow a good idea. She blames the constant past wars. Again.  

This won't end well, won't it?

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi limper. "I know! We can teach them throwing kunais and shooting arrows! I was 4, when they trained me to use my bow!'

"FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!' The children chanted like a blood thirsty ring.
"Chillllldren!" A mature voice, sweet as an old sake shared between hard boiled friend is heard.
The caretaker seemed to be back from her "coffee break" finaly. She pushed a tray with a steaming pot of rice and another of fish made in the oven. Set of colorful bowls and eating sticks.
Usagi drolled.
An actual food? Fresh food?

Yes. She will slay the care taker, and then-
The chilrden tried to horde the table.
The care taker, was a middle aged woman, her face was a bit wrinkled, a bit wide, probably due to age.
Unlikely for most Kunoichis, she actually wore a long dress, apron and a headress. Beside the forehead protector she looked like the most generic housewife, one could imagine. She spinned a ladel.

"You have forgotten your manners! S Class Genjutsu! Yenma's Wrathful Judgement!" And with a quick spin bomped everyone of the children, including Yuyuyu and Kimiko who have grappled.

"Good! Now sit, and wait patiently while I pour you some healthy and tasty rice and fish!" She cooed in a motherly tone.
Usagi has forgotten all of her remaining bravado and took a seat on a bit too small chair.
"I personaly liked all your stories..' she told the Genins while, she filled colorful plastic bowls and passed it to the children. "As most of the ninjas involved in the education. But Yuyuyu... right? Yuyuyu-San represent the opinion of the minority- of the Ottokage.'

Usagi stared wide eyed.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko and Yuyuyu:*
They suddenly sat ready and attention, listening. Kimiko's mind is just going a mile a minute processing the S-Class genjutsu was used. S-class, and sealless to! That shows great mastery. The more mastery of a technique a ninja has, the less seals they needed to use it. The amount of seals needed to be done was important in battle after all and the less seals needed the better- which is why chakra control was so important. The more you can mold and shape chakra with your own will rather than your hands, the less you didn't need to use them. Sure, hand seals were a great invention, supposedly made by the mythical Indra Otsutsuki himself according to Ninshuuism, but chakra had more forms of use than that. 

Of course most ninja couldn't achieve such mastery over a normally seal-based jutsu as to be completely sealless- most ninja who do, are statistically either high jounin or kage level or dojutsu users, as while the first of those two have had enough experience and training to feel out their chakra to that level, dojutsu users could actually see the chakra and thus learn to shape it faster without hand seals isntead of needing to feel it out through experimentation like everyone else- one could argue that all the Sharingan and Byakugan's abilities could just be extensions of their ability to see chakra and thus easily understand its structure on a level others simply can't. The fact that this caretaker managed to make a sealless genjutsu like this was impressive! Whether it was S-Rank was curious, might be just a lie to make the kids feel as if its stronger, but still its pretty impressive.
"Such mastery. So.....fascinating! How long did it take you develop this?"
She knew she was under a hypnosis/command type genjutsu while this was happening, but she couldn't help but marvel at the skill and dedication it would take to use it.

Yuyuyu meanwhile is just silently relieved that the caretaker is here to save them all from Kimiko's potentially disastrous idea for a teaching lesson.
"I see, yes....the Otokage. That is true. He is a minority in the world of ninja."
She is not even going to touch the fact the caretaker keeps them all in line with a genjutsu that she apparently mastered to the point of godlike skill in this one particular narrow instance. 
"Glad you liked the stories! You weren't kidding when talking about survival..." 
On the other hand, Yuyuyu had to do a whole ploy to impersonate the Otokage just to get them to calm down. So maybe developing a genjutsu solely for the sake of this isn't that unbelievable.
"I apologize, I come from a civilian family so I find some things about the shinobi lifestyle to be a bit unbelievable. I'm sure I'll adapt in time."
"Whats unbelievable about it? Shinobi have been around since ancient times."
"Kimiko, we really need to take you out to do something non-ninja related. Like eat at a restaurant or something, being a shinobi can't be your entire life."
"But it is, that is what I'm meant to do. Whats wrong with that?"
Yuyuyu sighs and doesn't press the issue further. The sad truth of ninja geniuses is that they often don't have a life outside of being one.

----------


## igordragonian

Uasgi had even narrower mindset.
"Food!' She devoured, and then demanded.
'Seconds!'
"Manners!' The caretaker hit her hand with the ladle. 
"Ouch. Can I have seconds please?' Such a genjutsu! What else could make Usagi to have manners?

Usagi has joined the conversation. "Resturants... do you do there some secret trainings? Come on, y9u can tell me."
The care taker made sure everyobe were fed.
"By the way, you can call me Hoyo-San, or Sensei." She said with a motherly smile. She had sort of.. a soft dominance.
"Yuyuyu, I am an old school ninja. Times are changing, and I respect the Second Ottokage's point of view: in the Education Comittete meetings he always say:"Let's put the grief and despair in the past. Let's fill our future with dreams and hopes!" For example, he ordered me to read the children fictional stories, something about "devolping imagination and creativity." He is admirable. Really. I think the radio station he has built, has saved my life, and the life of many ninjas and civilians alike."

Usagi:"Nom nom. Well, communication is a very strong tactical tool.'


Hoyo shook her head. 'This is true. But I am not speaking about that. I pray you will never be in the situation, where you wonder which kind of death is preffrable... he gave us hope, that the world will keep exisitng after the war. He described parties, couples walking the village hand in hand..  to us it sounded like a pure fantasy... but now this isn't far from reality.' She pause.
"How ever.. the man who has inspired me to join the village was the first Ottokage. When he rallied us.. his motto was:"We might lose. We might die. But the world will hear our cry!"
Usagi:"It sound like very self defeating and bitter motto."
Hovo nodded. "Maybe. But to us.. it was inspiring.  We were broken people, forgotten. We didn't believed we can win... but we wanted to be heard. And... I don't think that our village is strong enough nor old enough yet, to calm down this attitude just yet. But I obey the second Ottokage, of course.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
The ninja, seeing tis okay to eat, grab some food and chorus:
"Itadakimasu"
"Itadakimasu"
In thanks and start eating. Yuyuyu says between bites.
"Understandable, Hoyo-san. I can see how such an attitude can be better than despair. Some things and people are just products of their time and there is nothing we can do about that. And what ninja wouldn't sacrifice their lives for the village?"
Kimiko is nervous at hearing that question while she eats. The discussion was making her think ahead. Despite her acting like an adult ninja at times, she can't picture herself actually being a martyr in any capacity, or being asked to go on a suicide mission or something like that. 

Not for any moral reason, but because she feels like she doesn't have the will to do so. It just not in her nature. She couldn't see herself putting the village over her desires for more jutsu and knowledge. What point was there in dying for some abstract bunch of laws, for people you never met, for some ideal or slogan? She might not be more than a shinobi, but she definitely will not be just another casualty or weapon. Her dreams were big, far bigger than this village. Bigger than being some self-sacrificing fool. She supposed this peace that the Otokage wanted was more beneficial to her goal of learning all jutsu than the previous generations goal- after all, how could she learn all jutsu, if she fought until she died? More communication offered better chances for her to learn all jutsu. To know it all, to get it all- war put people on guard, would make her goal more complicated and inconvenient by requiring her to fight. Best to take them as smartly and quietly as she could, until she was powerful enough to...to...

Her nurture of course pushes back, echoes of voices of her mother, Jirou and her clan telling what a ninja should do, should always be prepared to do in her head. Should always be like, making her feel selfish and unworthy. Shouldn't she be able to live up to those expectations? Shouldn't she be able to succeed at that like everything else? Shouldn't be able to do her duty? What was wrong with her that she dare not sacrifice her life for a greater cause? Such thoughts were what lead to Missing-Nin. Dangerous criminals who couldn't do their duty, who couldn't follow orders, who were out of control, untrustworthy and a threat to everyone around them. Shinobi who didn't deserve to live, according to the hidden villages. Her goal could easily take her down the path of becoming a Missing-Nin, one might say its impossible to achieve while still being a loyal rule-abiding shinobi.

Would she one day join the Missing-nin, she wonders? and if so, how long until she does?

What would be the alternative? Becoming Otokage so no one bosses her around and use the power for her own ends? No. Too much politics, too much of a distraction. Killing her dreams, doing her duty and some day dying for the village? No. That would be even worse. That wasn't a solution. Its not as if she can say any of this to anyone- she was still a child, and even if they listened to her problems, they wouldn't take it seriously or try to manipulate her for their own ends to give up her dream and remain loyal. Yuyuyu alone.... That was the problem with being a genius: you were more aware than anyone would ever like you to be. More far-planning than anyone ever knew. Yet the genius they saw was only the tip of the iceberg. Yet she did not have a solution. Not yet. She wasn't even at the first step of her plan. There were many details to be worked out.

But there is no rush. Best to stay as long as she can to benefit. No matter what she felt about her clan or the strange nightmares about killing she got. Problems to deal with before the true work can begin. 
"...Usagi, a restaurant is a place where people serve you food. It has nothing to do with training."
She says, answering Usagi's question
"As for the villages attitude, seems suicidal and idiotic to me."
Kimiko replies in brutal honesty that only an introverted intellectual could deliver so flatly, as she basically agrees with Usagi but phrased differently. Yuyuyu raises an eyebrow at Usagi and kimiko's responses.
"...I'm going to have to socialize both of you while you two either start or stop trouble constantly aren't I? I can just feel that this is what this team is going to be..."

----------


## igordragonian

"I know what resturants is! I just assumed that Yuyuyu is a seriouse konuichi, so she won't waste time on stupid indulges.' Usagi explained with a groan.

Hovo smiled with patience. "Well, it seems Nozoji-Sama's idealogy was inserted into you, girls quite well. But, still. Our despair.. is what created the village"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
"Usagi. Ninja have lives to. Odayama-sensei should be proof enough of that. Going out to eat is not that big of a luxury. Also...I'm pretty sure Kimiko is a more serious ninja than me."
After all, Yuyuyu is capable of relaxing.

*Kimiko: Be a cold know it all jerk about this.*
Unfortunately she is a bit of a know-it-all and begins explaining:
"I wouldn't say its his ideology that I have. Peace has nothing to do with it. More like that I know what the oldest meaning of the word ninja which "one who endures" and that fighting recklessly is illogical. The only way to keep going is to choose the logical option which is to live. Despair is nothing but an emotion, a chemical in your brain that only negatively affects you and therefore should be discarded as despairing in battle is detrimental to winning in battle. Therefore such a slogan, such despair is not only irrational, it is against what a ninja is all about**: survival. 

To say that despair somehow motivated you...is illogical. It motivates no one and in fact the definition of not being motivated. After all, despair is a vulnerability that can be taken advantage by emotion-type genjutsu to deadly effect. These are just basic things that my clan has taught me about ninja life. The reason why its a common practice to shut out emotion is because we literally live in a world where our own thoughts and internal functions can be turned against us. We are the masters of our own mind, emotions and wills. Not the other way around, or we're dead. Be wary of your emotions...or they will just become weapons to be used against you.

The fact that someone wielding a powerful genjutsu believes that despair is anything but a vulnerability, when they should honestly know better is completely baffling at best."
Kimiko's tone is somewhere between "cold as ice" and "condescending jerk".
"...Kimiko, thats cold."
"Its rational. Its reality. I'm just pointing it out. If this village refuses to accept it and get slaughtered by a powerful mass genjutsu targeting that despair so they fall on-"
Yuyuyu quickly interrupts Kimiko by bopping her on the head and saying 
"Manners!"
"Hrn." 
Genjutsu induced seppuku was not a topic to mention around children! Or anyone for that matter. Though it is true that there were more than a few "suicides" in the shinobi world's history that had too many similarities to assassinations to be comfortable with but of course no one can prove anything- how do you gather evidence for a genjutsu master who can pull that sort of thing off?
"I'm sorry Hoyo-san, Kimiko here has no tact whatsoever, she still has a lot to learn about social situations heheheheheh..."
Honestly where is an idealistic idiotic hero skilled in talk no jutsu when you need them?

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi nodded. She wasn't this good with big speeches, but more or less has agreed with Kimiko.
Hovo didn't looked impressed not hurt. "Eh. Don't sweat it, Yuyuyu-san. Youth bound to think they know better. Specificly Konoha tried this very strategy, and yeah in thoery it should have worked. Yet... here we are.' She gotten up.
"The dimension of theories not very often meet this reality. Anyway-"
She slam the laddle on the table. "That it kids! I'll collect the bowls, and you can go to play in the stations as usual. I'l wash the dishes, and the Genin girls will make sure you don't murder each other.'

Things actually work themselves out- fed, and also their mental needs fulfilled, the children more or less ready to busy themselves with games, mostly physical ones.
At the "House" corner, the Komoro girl play with the Kaguya boy. "You know.. I dont really love you. I only married you, because my parents forced me too. I won't be chained to you anymore!'
'What?'
Lil' Kimiko jumped on his back. "Aha! You are dead, nya nya!"

You know. Normal children games.

Usagi played with the spitting kid, and they tossed toy kunais at a target.

For a short while, everything looks fine.
But the Fukaimi girl, aporach Kimiko shyly.
"..."...Kimiko-Sa..sama?' she looked pale and scared

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She just rolls her eyes. The Sound got lucky with martyr based psychological tactics in that battle, and everyone knows it. Of course she has her own mysteries to wonder about that battle, like: where was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki amid all that? Even if someone unleashed the Fox within to try and turn it against Konoha, it would be a double-edge sword at best and would cause a lot of destruction and collateral damage to the sounds forces as well- the Tailed Beasts care little for which humans they attack, they are indiscriminate in their hatred. While a Jinchuuriki in Konoha' control and able to use their power effectively would turn the entire battle in Konoha's favor that no amount of slogans or suicide bombing would make up for. There was a reason why minor nations normally didn't attack great powers like that. There were three possibilities: either their Jinchuuriki was new- they had to be sealed within someone at early ages for their chakra to adapt quicker, and 9 or 10 was considered the LATEST you could do it.  Second possibility was that the Jinchuuriki was away from the village on a mission at the time, or third possibility the Sound planned for the Jinchuuriki and had someone able to keep the Jinchuuriki from turning the tide of battle which wasn't an easy feat.

As she thinks, walking by the Kaguya and Komoro kids and has a strange feeling of.....foreboding? As if this situation or something like it might happen someday? Was there a term for that? Bah, precognition was nonsense. Not even ninja can predict the future. No seriously, there is no ninja ability kekkei genkai or non recorded able to do that. Fate and prophecies are a myth. Perhaps she was just afraid of her own situation.

She regards the Fukaimi girl with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't think thats the proper term for me in this context even if I am awesome but whatever, whats your question?"
She is totally ready for all the questions. She's Kimiko Ishikawa, Prodigy of her Clan! Nevermind that she completely misses the emotions on the little girls face and that Yuyuyu is facepalming in the background at her inability to see how scared she is.

----------


## igordragonian

The girl look scared and guilty.
"I..know I shouldn't have the Kekkei ability... but..' she pause.
"I hear someone else beside Hovo-Sensei in the kitchen. And I can hear... he want to do something bad.'
She look down. '...I... thought I should tell it to someone. You are strong... even if you are a girl too..'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Protect the Children*
She instantly goes serious, her face settling into determination, knowing the past number of attacks these days. She puts her hand on her hand, rubbing it affectionately.
"You did well. You'd make a fine shinobi someday. Keep calm."
Everyone was in danger. What was the priority of the mission? Keep the children safe. Hoyo-sensei knew that and could defend herself. Therefore first priority was getting the children away from here. Keeping them here would be detrimental. Whoever the person was, there were of unknown strength. Kimiko draws the Origami no Tsurugi.
"Yuyuyu! We need to evacuate the area. Immediately. Fukaimi-chan just warned me of an intruder in the kitchen."
Yuyuyu nods then calls out in a stern authoritative tone, her voice carrying across the room while she quickly runs over to the deaf boy and grabs his hand to start leading him outside while drawing her umbrella with the other.
"Everyone here evacuate the building in a calm and orderly fashion! This is NOT a drill! We are authorized to knock out civilians and carry you to safety if you disobey! Be prepared to run from the enemy if they appear! Kimiko form the rear guard, as your the most proficient in close combat, Usagi you take the front with me and keep your bow ready at range."
"Wait, does Hoyo-san know of the intruder? If she is unaware of them..."
Yuyuyu inwardly swears. If Hoyo-san is unaware, that could mean she might already be dead.
"Change of plans, Kimiko you need to go to Hoyo-san and warn her. Only one of us can go as we need to protect the kids and Usagi's bow would be less effective in close quarters."
And her rabbit summons ability to dig would be better used outside to, but its best not say that out loud. Yuyuyu however is completely aware that Kimiko might be going to warn a corpse, and Kimiko knew her warning might turn into an impromptu scouting mission and confirmation of a KIA. Nevertheless, they can't leave a shinobi behind. Yuyuyu evacuates the kids, using all the stern authority she can muster while Kimiko nods and dashes into the kitchen to try and see what has happened to Hoyo-sensei, yelling out.
"Hoyo-san! We have an intruder! Kitchen!"

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi sigh. "I can do more stuff beside archering. I also have kunais and shurikens... but ok.' She limp behind, watching the rear of the group, drawing her bow, and preparing an arrow, the crotches are under the armpits, and she moved them by flexing and releasing her muscles there.

"Hey... Yuyuyu..one child is missing, it's lil' Kimiko!'

----

A hooded guy, is laying, with his face on the floor uncousniouse, while Hoyo pant and stand.
 "...I.. have.. noticed. Are the children ok?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Yuyuyu is evacuating them from the area as we speak, Hoyo-san. This is the second assailant we've found out of three attacks our team has suffered over the past three days."
She proceeds to take out some rope from a storage scroll and begin binding the unconscious attacker in a specially designed knot that makes sure their hands are kept apart so as to not form hand seals.
"If we can bring this one in alive, perhaps we can get information on why. Three times is enemy action as they say, and whoever is attacking is for some reason targeting Team 3 specifically. Once this one's restrained, we can move with them at a safe distance to get this one to the Otokage."
As trained she movements to tie up the assailant are quick and practiced, then will begin dragging him if successful.

*Yuyuyu:*
_Kuso!_
The thought flashes through her mind. Where did Chibi-Kimi run off to!? This was bad, there was no guarantee that Futility-san was alone. There could be a third criminal going after Chibi-Kimi even now. But how could she know where she went? Its not as if she had any chakra-sensing techniques, those had to specially developed. So she turns to the rest of the kids and demands
"Alright, who saw Lil' Kimiko last!? and if so, what direction was she headed? Honest answers now, her life rests in what you know! We leave no one behind!"

----------


## igordragonian

As Kimiko touch the uncounise's hands to tie him.. something feel off. His hands doesn't like... exactly human. 
Hoyo, also surprised, using the laddle, carefully using her laddle to take off the hood.
It's... a chimp. And curse marks stain at least half of it's head.
"...We used those kind of things in the war. Our people have devolped it. Few of them still roaming uncontroably the area, but... those ones never venture so deep into the village. They are animals..' Hoyo say confused.

Kimiko also notice strange fresh scar on the back of the chimp's head- six small scars, set in as two pairs of three diagnoal lines. She might have seen it on... lil' Kimiko shirt.
-----

There is an akward silence.
Though Usagi all of the sudden point at the Komoro girl, who look sad and scared. "Hey, you! Fluffy eared glassed dork! You know something she is your bestie!"
The girl's ears have folded down. '...she told me not to tell to anyone.."
Usagi:"I will break your glassed! Speak up you baka!'
The sensitive bat girl whimpered. "I have heard someine walking on the roof, carrying something heavy. So I have told her. And then Kimiko said, she want to protect the village just like her mommy did, and told me, not to snitch on her..."
Usagi growled. "Ugh! I am going up!" Usagi, held the crothces, passing the bow under her armpit- she threw herself into the air, landing on the wall, and with her crotches wall ran toward the fenced roof.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Use Brain*
No one makes marks like that without a reason. But if there are other curse marks on the chimp, what does this one specifically do and why would Chibi-Kimi have it? It has some form of curse mark or fuinjutsu that she was sure. But for what purpose? If it was to remotely control those marked, it would in theory only control Lil'Kimi's clothing. Some kind of fuinjutsu that acts as a marker for a space-time jutsu to teleport someone towards them is possible, but the problem with that is the amount of effort to get the mark on them in the first place without them noticing would negate any potential benefits, was the monkey's purpose to do all the grunt work for the user, put the mark on the victim and teleport them to some container? Or did the user finally figure out how to control somebody with a curse mark without it touching the skin? 

No wait, the motivations of the people have been to so far to _hurt_ children. Futility-san, whoever tried to kill Usagi....they were both going for the kill, to shock, to hurt. Assuming that it was connected and she was sure it was-there was no coincidences in the shinobi profession- then this curse mark was potentially lethal. Turning kids and chimps into suicide bombs? That....that was twisted, but would fit the assailants modus operandi, _perfectly_. These people were trying to cause chaos and kill hope, terror tactics, what better way than to turn one of the victims into a bomb to kill even more? The other chimp also suicided, but that was Odayama sensei's doing. Her eyes widen to the danger.
"Hoyo-San. There are two dangers. This mark right here, the six cuts? They are probably a dangerous seal, one that I saw on Lil'Kimiko's shirt earlier. The assailants pattern of attacks have been to shock and terrorize the village by targeting children. We need to get this chimp away from anyone that can be hurt by this seal being activated, probably as some form of bomb. If I'm right and Lil'Kimiko also had this seal placed upon her, that means she could be a bomb to, which means we need to save her from the seal placed upon her. Which might require someone to unseal it without releasing it to save Lil' Kimiko's life and everyones lives around her. Which requires a fuinjutsu user greater than me."
The only person she could think of that might possibly be able to in the village...was her brother. Assuming he even can. She only knew Explosive Tags and Enclosing Technique, she had a long way to go before she could think about disarming an unknown curse mark.
"I need to contact someone to help with this. Get the chimp away from here preferably somewhere wide open, we don't know if it needs to be alive for it to be used or if it will be activated upon its death. I'm not sure if this mark truly is a bomb or not but we can't take chances and no info can be gotten from an animal."
She takes out of the sound's standard issue radio earpieces and tunes it to the right channel. This wasn't like calling a phone and anyone would be able to hear them on the same frequency.
"This is Team 3, Genin Kimiko Ishikawa, calling for backup at the ninja pre-school. We are being attacked again, potential curse mark suicide bomb situation, need fuinjutsu expert for disarmament, kids lives in danger, over."
"Roger that." Jirou's stoic voice comes back seconds later after repeating her message a couple times.
"Moving to assist. Over."
She repeats it a couple more times just to make sure others are aware then hangs up. It will still be a few minutes before he can make it though, and she hears Usagi thump up onto the roof.
"You know what to do. I need to check that out."
She dashes away running by Yuyuyu who sighs and keeps leading the children out while keeping her umbrella at the ready to protect them while Kimiko follows Usagi, not far behind.

----------


## igordragonian

Yuyuy didn't had time to focus, but now that Usagu and Kimiko left... she recall Chibi Kimiko's auntie had a sign that looks like wbat Kimiko has described.
With some imagination,  it looks like wishkers. Maybe, the symbol if the new clan, which right now, if not to count Odayama has three members?

But why would this mark be on the chimp?



The fence of the roof was bent. Seems, like there has been a struggle.
"Heh, try to keep the pace!' Usagi yelled at Kimiko as she jumped from to roof following two figures: one small, a child? And the ither, hooded abd taller.
"Ksu. The chibi neko you, is fast!'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Assuming she heard Kimiko's explanation, she facepalms. Leave it to Kimiko to be intelligent enough to realize the possibility of a fuinjutsu bomb but not knowing about a new clan's symbol because she was social isolate. But she supposed it wasn't too bad of a blunder: letting people know a freaking child kidnapper was here and sending for back up was a good move regardless. And assuming the worst was generally good instincts. The chimp was probably just a trained clan pet- wait. Odayama + clan symbol +chimp + daughter  targeted equals....
"If this is all a test by Odayama-Sensei or something, I'm SO going to be ticked off."
She still keeps evacuating the children. She isn't taking chances, and she might get graded on how well she does it. Just because you realize that it might all be a simulation doesn't you mean you stop treating it as if it isn't. 

*Kimiko:*
"Careful!"
Kimiko says to Usagi as she jumps from rooftop to rooftop as well.
"the child has probably been turned into a bomb. We need to knock out the assailant so they can't activate the seal then get the child away from him so that they can safely be disarmed. A life is on the line Usagi. We can't let her get hurt. I'll grab, you take care of the adult, ready? 3....2.....1......go!"
At "go!" she extends the Origami-No-Tsurugi to grab Lil'Kimiko and pull back to her expecting Usagi to do something in the same instant to knock out the cloaked person.

----------


## igordragonian

*[Odayama]*


Odayama hanged laundry to dry.
Ksu, hairballs were a nightmare to deal with, and his wife who happened to be one of the three thunders and the captain of the anbu, won't accept anything less then purrfect.
Sure, right she was probably on top sectet mission in the land of "I'll have to kill you, if I'll tell you dear, so shut up baka."
But she always knew, when he tried to slack off.
It amazing he wondered. He knew ninjas who could summon dragons of water, in THE war, there were this crazy mercenary that averted a _river_.
But no one in the whole damn ninja world had jutsus for laundary.
"We really are only capable of destruction.' He ranted. This was the third time, he washed the clothes and now he watched close with a magnifying glass, to see if those stupid cat hair were washed off.
He sneezed all of the sudden, and noticed that something beeped in his vest.
He pull out a small radio like object. 'Nandatu..." he frowned.
This was a little thing he tinkered. It could follow up to 5 cheaps, and on calculator screen wrote their coordinates.
He had 5 active- 2 for his daughters and 3 on each of his students, that he placed in secret.

For Kimiko, he programed the locator, to beep if she leave the ninja kinder garden. 
Also, Usagi and big Kimiko seemed to chase lil' Kimiko...
He sighed, and jumped off.
---------

"Turned a girl into a bomb?! Then can do it?!' Usagi was unsettled, but  frowned with determination. "Hai.'
Lil' Kimiko wasn't prepared.
"Nya?' She gasped as she was grabbed.

Usagi decided to be DEADLY seriouse. She regreted no summoning Yojimbo, her hands were sore, but there were no time. 
She pulled eight arrows, each had a scroll.
Yes! Here in the open, with no regrards for safety, she could use it!
Usagi smiled. "You better, have prepared an umbrella- cause it going to rain you baka!"
She shot eight arrows- each of the scroll has opened and released dozen of arrows,  it was a rain of arrows- inescapable- the hooded figure turned and parried some of the arrows- but in the end, he looked like porpupicine.
'Yeah! My first human kill!' Usagi jumped happily, off her of crotches and almost fell between two building, but caught a broken pipe and spinned herself back up.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Realize Errors Have Been Made*
She sprints away from the figure and carrying Lil' Kimiko in her arms
"Don't worry. You are safe now, Chibi-Kimi and the seal will be removed shortly."
From a safe enough distance, She stops as Jirou lands on the rooftop and says
"wheres the seal?"
Kimiko presents Lil'kimiko to Jirou, pointing to the clan symbol.
"Right here!"
For a moment, there is silence:

...

...

...

Jirou gives a little snort to contain his laughter and says
"_Snrk_..Kimiko....thats just her clan symbol."
"Wheh?"
Jirou treasures the current face of pure confusion on Kimiko's features right now. He will sear this moment into his memory forever. It was just too precious. Too funny. He was corpsing even now.
"You mistakenly thought that it was a seal or curse mark. Oh my sweet little sister. Never change."
"Heeeeey, whats that supposed to meeean-"
Jirou forehead pokes her, then gets her to gently set the child down. Even though his face was as stoic as ever, she could tell he was laughing on the inside and was never going to let her live this down. He wasn't, he was going to learn all the details and tell everyone for years to come of the Story of How Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of the sound Village, mistook a clan symbol for a dangerous fuinjutsu and caused a false alarm. Somehow this teasing was even worse than any anger or punishment he could've possibly dished out for wasting his time. Jirou then walks by Usagi, commenting:
"Greetings Usagi-san, sorry to leave you hanging. I have something to confirm."
Kimiko groans at the bad joke while Jirou walks over the cloaked figure full of arrows and tears off the cloak to see whats underneath, having a hunch about what it really was.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi blinked. She wasn't better then Kimiko in this regrad.

Lil' Kimiko hissed. 'Hey! I was about to cath him, and become the hero of Ottogakure!nya!' 

Under the hood, was... very dead man. Actually...
Too dead. There were no blood from the arrows that hitted it. He was dead for days. Maybe weeks.
He also carried for some reason the Nekozaki symbol.

Odayama has arrived there panting. 'What is going on?'

Usagi blinked. 'It's you and your silly tests again! Right?!"

Odayama either a very good actor, eithet he doesn't know what Usagi speaking about

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Explain situation.*
"Huh. I actually expected another kind of monkey to be under here. No matter. still Nekozaki. This seems to be a corpse, that has been dead for longer than few seconds, there is too much rot for this to be Usagi's kill. I'm sorry Usagi, but your going to have to save the celebration of ending a life and the trauma associated with doing so for another day. I know, its such a letdown."
His tone never changes but your all certain this is sarcasm. He turns to Odayama
"Hello, Odayama-san. I believe there has been some misunderstandings happening here. Your genin seem to be under the impression that there was an attack by some terrorist like the last two days. So they acted quickly, thinking they needed to defeat both assailants and rescue your child. Of particular note is that Kimiko despite her fuinjutsu knowledge lacked some basic knowledge about your clans own symbol and mistook it for a dangerous seal placed on your daughter that needed disarming. Thus why I was called here in a false alarm.

From what I can deduce, they thought the monkey was another assailant and stopped it, then came up here when they heard the footsteps. Thinking that this cloaked figure was taking the child away, they acted to uphold their mission and protect the children, with Yuyuyu acting to evacuate them from the area so as to get them far away from the potential assailant, while Kimiko retrieved your daughter from their clutches and Usagi unleashed a ridiculous amount of arrows upon an poor unsuspecting undead corpse. A corpse with the Nekozaki symbol. Some form of necromantic jutsu it seems, given that its not bleeding from the arrow punctures. A forbidden jutsu. Quite concerning. 

So aside from a member of your clan apparently being reanimated by a forbidden jutsu with no idea how that happened..."
He would never dare accuse a fellow shinobi of using such a forbidden jutsu, Odayama probably has no idea. Jirou looks around the situation: Kimiko gawping that she had looked foolish right now, Usagi confused, and Yuyuyu still dutifully carrying out the evacuation. He raises a single eyebrow in fascination.
"...The situation. Its quite humorous."
His face and voice are unchangingly stoic as ever, but you can tell that is laughing, on the inside. He goes over and forehead pokes Usagi too. Oh to be young and a genin, incidents like this are fuel for stories with your friends for years. He was sure they will someday will look back on embarrassing situations like this and laugh.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi roar in frusration
"This is bullksu!!!'
"Usagi, manners.' Odayama has scolded softly.
"Daddy! I was going to be a hero!" Lil' Kimiko whined.

Odayama sigh. "I think it's a clumsy attempt to raise feuds between our clans. I guess it were supposed to be an attack orchastrated by my clan. But my wife, is mostly into Taijutsu, her sister as well, my daughters are too young. And dealing with corpses and exploding monkeys too much of a bother for me.'

"You are just lazy, daddy! Send cool attacks on us!' Lil' Kimiko mewed.
"...yeah. no. You are going to do now lots of chores.'

"Nyani?!"
"...You ran off, against orders. It's either chores or cocumber*.'

Lil' Kimiko is an expriession of horrified O-O


----
*I dont want it to sound wrong. I reffer to those funny videos of cats scared of cocumbers.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Assess.*
"I concur with your assessment, Odayama-san."
Jirou says
"Fuinjutsu is more my families expertise, but we have no experience with ninja monkeys and reanimation while not being a good idea to dabble in general, more importantly requires skill in fuinjutsu and ninjutsu that honestly no one in this village possesses, unless someone has done a real good job of hiding they're jounin level or above, but then if we're dealing with jounin and we're only chuunin, how would tell if someone was? They're higher rank for a reason."
He says pondering the problem of this incident.
"Anyways. These incidents occurred three times around Team 3, Odayama-san. Specifically your genin while you were away. Once is luck, twice is coincidence, but three times is enemy action. A pattern of attacks or incidents upon or around your genin specifically has formed. Each time, once a day. That suggest to me, that whoever the perpetrator is they can either consistently sneak past all the mines, walls, guards and defenses we've set around this village to prey upon our genin daily then get out- which puts their skill even HIGHER than we thought....or....

more probable and simple: they are in disguise, and have infiltrated the village as somebody, a person or cover they can hide as within the village. We have a saboteur in our midst, and for some reason they are focused on your team specifically."
Kimiko speaks up
"could it be Futility-San is still alive and simply sent some...replacement to die for him in that first attack, and he is simply being more cautious and trying to terrorize the village by targeting its best and brightest?"
"Possible. but there is some problems with that theory: Why target the Ishikawas? While a noble clan and with promise, we're not exactly the great power we once were in Kirigakure, nor are we a core part of Sound's new culture. Its sad, but its very possible that an Ishikawan death would not have that much of an impact to a village full of people who don't like noble clans hearing about a noble clan that came in late to their formation during the Third War. We simply do not have that kind of influence for our deaths to demoralize people.

No the target that would make more sense is the Fukaimi boy in Team 1. They are much more of a core part the Sound village than we are, and thus if terror is what the culprit wanted, they would've targeted the genius that symbolized Sound values, not whatever is left over of Kiri's values transplanted onto Sound's outskirts. They would vary up their attacks, make them less predictable, so to induce a fear that you'll never know which part of village will be targeted next. Create and atmosphere of fear and paranoia. Three attacks on the same genin team? Thats too focused, the person has to know that repeatedly targeting the same people would be cause to protect those people better and watch for more incidents surrounding them. It can't be Futility-San no matter how alive or dead he is. This doesn't match his motivations.

Which means, that whoever it is, doesn't care about that. Whatever it is they're after, they're after Team 3 specifically. I will not pretend to know anything about Yuyuyu-san or Usagi-san. If there is any reason why they could be targeted, like some dark secret they've been holding out on, they'd best tell us. The only culprits I can think of to target Kimiko specifically would either be Konoha....or Kiri. They're the two villages that have reason to be ticked with the Ishikawas from the last war, and while konoha has reason to be angry at you as well, I don't see a Kiri-nin having any qualms about making Ishikawas fight someone they don't care about. 
Kimiko replies back
"what if its another missing nin though? Just... a different one."
"A missing-nin from Konoha or Kiri still falls under those villages as far as motivation is concerned. Ninjas have left village ranks to seek revenge all on their own in the past, rationalizing that they're just going a bit farther than the village wants for the villages own good. But I doubt that applies for Kiri, when it comes to those missing-nin, the current situation is different."
"....Why?"
Jirou waves his hand airily.
"For various reasons complex, secret and grey that we do not have time to get into, that isn't your concern until your older anyways."
If he had to list off all the reasons why he didn't think it was a Kiri missing-nin specifically, they'd be here awhile. Best saved it for people like the Otokage. Kimiko grunts at the non-answer, not liking it.
"well anyways, someone should get both the monkey and the corpse to safe places away from others so that people can make sure they aren't going to do something, and we Genin should get back to our mission. More people guarding those kids the better until we have the all-clear."
Kimiko jumps away to guard the kids besides Yuyuyu, taking Lil' Kimiko with her. Jirou says to Odayama
"Well, I better transport and check the two bodies just to be safe, then report all this to the Otokage when done. What will you do?"

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama look in the distance.
"I am not supposed tell you this, Jirou. But.. there were more attacks. Om team 1 as well. The Ottokage has ordered to silence all reports. My guess, that he believe that us discussing this,.is what the attackers want- so far, there were no casualties. Maybe they are trying to make some sort of point. Anyway, for now, I'll conclude my team's mission for today. And of course think about ton of chores as prize for my Kimiko-chan's bravery.
-It's not fair!!!"
Odayama take lil' Kimiko and look at Jirou. "The Ottokage has a very positive opinion about you. Lately he started to talk about succesion... and he has mentioned you few times. Maybe you should visit the radio station more often.' And with that he jump off.

Hovo-San has safely put the chimp's corpse in the forest and has reurned afterward

Odayama gotten to the group.
'Hmm. Hey. So.. good job girls. I didn't get to finish laundry, but those days, it seems even D missions are quite intense. Are you ok?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
For a moment Odayama sees a look of surprise flash across Jirou's face, which hew hastily corrects back to his stoic look. He knew the exact significance of what Odayama was talking about. Successor to a kage-ship was something big- even if technically, the Otakage position was not recognized by the superpowers of the shinobi nations enough to get into the Kage Summit. Being a leader of anything was nothing to joke about.
"....Noted. Odayama-san. Thank you for telling me this."
It made sense. The man was getting old. You had to choose a successor at some point. But why him...? Oh no. Could it be that he has decided to make....Kimiko the next one!? Or Mitsuko!? No, Mitsuko would be bad....and Kimiko would be worse. Even if Kimiko grew up, was normalized to the point of being a friendly likable person and had the villages best of intentions, she was possibly the worst candidate for any kind of Kage position. Ever. Their mother would at least have the decency to be able to perceive how people think and manipulate people around her and TRY to be a leader the village needs, but Kimiko would see it as nothing but a way to get all the jutsu she wants from this village then leave, because she wouldn't want to deal with anything involving the social side of this. It would be a disaster.

Jirou knew his little sister. She is the exact kind of genius, the kind of person that should be kept away from leading _anyone_.

He knew about his sisters notes and what she plans to do. She can't fool her big brother. I mean what do you think a ninja is above reading their younger sisters private diary? Come on. No, he had to make sure above all that Kimiko wasn't made Otokage, and that she was given incentive to stay inside this village, at the very least. Kage Kimiko Ishikawa wasn't a fate that he'd want to inflict on any ninja nation, not even his worst enemies. There was some talks he needed to do later, and not just with the Otokage.
But first things first: He sets about to work to transporting the corpse in a storage scroll then finding someplace relatively safe to examine it for any fuinjutsu that he deactivate to his knowledge.

*Kimiko:*
Yuyuyu first says
"I evac'd the civvies out from danger, Captain. I am fine."
She privately admits that manipulating the little kids around here was a little too much fun though.
"I'm kind of annoyed this was all a dud, relatively speaking. The person doing this is still out here, and they are being...elusive."
"your just embarrassed that you didn't recognize a clan symbol."
"Sh-shut up!"
"anyways I was right then? It was all a simulation? Whats my grade?"
"It wasn't a simulation, Yuyuyu. Odayama-sensei wasn't and isn't capable of that kind of testing. It would require him to do much work. Apparently it was probably to frame the Nekozaki fro trying to stir something up with the Ishikawas."
"...Oh yeah, I guess your right. We got lucky that what we assumed didn't end screwing up the mission."
"Because we assumed the worst, and because the worst didn't happen its a pleasant surprise and thus we succeeded even through we overshot it a little and looked foolish. Thats why you don't take chances."
"Yeah but if you thought nothing of it, there would be no risk of the feud-inciting at all. but then again, your lack of social knowledge actually worked in our favor: if it was really to incite a feud, your assumption that it was a weapon seal killed the ploy before it ever began. The person completely misread you and how'd you would react to that, because it relied on you being up to date with the people around you. Guess all that training to act like a noble and hide how nerdy and socially-incompetent you are works doesn't it?"
"Heheheheheh.....yeah..."
Kimiko is slightly deflated that Yuyuyu sees right through her like that. People weren't supposed to know! Her mask was supposed to be better than that.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi laugh.
"Ha! I know even less about clans and stuff! I am the ultimate ninja!"

Odayama blink. "What- no. I didn't-" she wave it off
"Don't be too harsh, Yuyuyu. There always something we don't know. Assuming the worst, isn't great for normal life functions, but is practical for shinobi missions. You did well, Kimiko." He smile in a fatherly way.
"And no, we aren't up for tests for the short term. There is an actual jobs to do, and the missions also train a little by little. We ninjas sometimes, have mission of protection, some of them are ranked A and S. It's a diffrent mindset. I am not the manipulative kind of Sensei. Ok? I will try to give you as much diverse missions as possible. Don't be frozen in your mindset, ninjas need to be fluid, and so far you are succesful. I think I can treat you dinner. I just need to collect Miko, and I'll take us all for a ramen. How about that?"


Usagi choke in her own droll.
"Is Usagi ok...?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Meet with Otokage*
Jirou seeing nothing wrong with the body, soon stores it in a scroll jumps over and hands it off to Odayama so the Nekozaki clan can re-bury their fallen member. He investigates the monkey, deactivates any seals on them he can and leaves it to be dealt with by others before. He then travels to meet with Nozojo. It was time to have words with him. He comes in bows and begins his speech:
"Otokage-sama. I have heard from Odayama-taishou that you have mentioned my name positively in relation to succession. I can only logically assume that you want me to relay a message that another will be chosen as your successor and know who it is. I must be honest: there is no way I'll ever accept Kimiko Ishikawa as the next Otokage. She may be talented and this village may need strength and skill to stand up to stronger villages, but I warn you that she is the worst possible choice. 

While I have no doubt that she can be a good person with some guidance, a great tactical thinker, and someone who will go on and do great things, she is a scientist not a politician. Her goals are inherently selfish, and I doubt her ability to sacrifice herself for others which is what the kage position requires. Her as a leader of a village would be disastrous and I would not wish such a thing on my worst enemy, if only for the collateral damage it would cause to the people that don't deserve it. 

Please. I humbly ask you to pick anyone but her. She should be kept far away from any kage position. Yes she is a genius, a brilliant one- but that is exactly she cannot lead. She does not understand people, for her smarts isolate her from their concerns. Please, do not make the mistake of the major villages, thinking only of greater power. I know your getting into your forties and need to start thinking about a successor to start training up to take over when you step down, but there are better choices than my sister, whom while I love and is my world, is someone I can say in full confidence will screw up everything if put in charge."
He says this with utter confidence and fire in his eyes you've never seen before. As if he needs to prevent what he foresees at all cost.

*Kimiko: Be honest for once.*
Yuyuyu nods at Odayama's words, considering it reasonable. The restaurant is Ichikaru's Restaurant, a seeming universal chain with an always jovial understanding chef, seeming unphased by whatever ninja eats at their place. Their name is always Ichiraku, they always serve the best ramen, and even the ninjas are mystified why. They do not think it necessary to send spies to uncover the secrets of such a chain. Of course, some say the Ichiraku chain owes some of their success to the Uzumaki Clan's legendary addiction to the dish. the Ishikawas while not finding ramen bad, themselves prefer sushi and proclaim so in an Uzumaki's presence, partly because they love seafood and partly to annoy the eccentric redheaded clan by saying sushi is better, but don't mention it any time else. Assuming nothing happens on the way there, Kimiko will speak to Usagi while the infirm girl eats her bowl.
"So...yeah I heard you say earlier you had weird dreams filled with blood and...I wasn't honest then. I myself been lately having these dreams....of killing Futility-san again, of failing the Bye-Bye Kitties...and waking up in a start, paranoid, ready to fight again."
and killing the bandit before that. But she wasn't allowed to say that, it was a clan secret. Would they get in trouble if people found out they've been killing people behind peoples back like that just for a right of passage?
"And I can't...wash the blood from my hands of the guilt of death....even though its a ninjas job to kill people like Futility-San, who is not even someone I liked or cared about! Even though ninjas die in missions and the bye-bye kitties got off lucky! For some reason, it keeps haunting me. Why does it keep haunting me? I'm not supposed to feel guilty over this! I'm a ninja. A Kunoichi of the Sound. I'm supposed to....be able to do this! It makes no sense! and today I was so sure that something had happened again and that I would have to kill again....why am I angry that it was a false alarm yet guilty that I did it?"
She rants to half to Usagi and half to herself, a mix of emotions swirling inside her and a cross look on her face, only swirling her own ramen bowl with her chopsticks,
"We know there is a threat to still out there. Its frustrating. yet I can't stop thinking of that time I sliced off his head and feeling strangely....bad about it. and I don't know why. Am I....defective somehow? did I slack off in some part of my training? Whats wrong with me!?"
The last part comes out as a bit of a growl as she clenches her fist. Yuyuyu only listens, slurping up her own bowl of noodles.

----------


## igordragonian

*Jirou- Candidate to be the Third Ottokage?*

Nozojo is at the radio station, he is tinkering with the tech of the station, while conversing with Jirou.
Officaly he had an office, but he rarely actually was there. Most of the time, the Ottokage has operated the radio station almost single handily, or traveled around the village, watching and seeing what require of his attention.

He laughed. "Kimiko? No no... she won't do at all. I do wish to give her a position of  challenging responsibility in the future, maybe then she will devolp a loyalty toward our village.' the Ottokage shook his head.
"No, Jirou-kun. I was talking about you- please give me the crooked thing from there-'
he motioned for Jirou to bring him one of his tools.
he said it simply, not offering further explanation, as if now everything is clear.


------


Usagi droll, and devour everything infront of her with vigor.
Kimiko still pouting, and relucnatly, eat, her little sister, Miko silently stared at the group as she ate.
Usagi was thinking. 
"I... feel a bit... cut off from my feelings. I think it make you _human_. I helped Yojimbo once to kill a talking wolf.. I felt bad. I am not sure why. Maybe because he begged.' she pause and slurped more ramen

Odayama has decided to let them converse, before he will add his exprience on the table.
"...When I made you fall asleep with my lullaby.. did you had dreams?' Usagi ask

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Resolution*
He freezes at this, a look of surprise on his face. Jirou was a smart guy but also humble, and simply never in a million years would conceive that he would be chosen for such a position. His plan in life had been one of service, in many senses. He points at himself as if to confirm the admission. Nozojo may not be aware of how rare it is to catch Jirou off-guard like this when he had done so well to both control his emotions without becoming emotionless his entire life to remain human.
"O....Otokage-sama, I am....honored that you think so highly of me. I never thought anyone would ever consider me for such a position. This....this changes things."
He closes his eyes breathes in and out, and in a single breath there is a change in demeanor in him. When they snap open, there is resolve in his eyes.
"I must let you know, that if I am to take this position... that all that I have done for years has either been to serve the village or to stay by Kimiko's side so that I may make sure help remain human. To give her a chance to be more than just a ninja. If you think I am worthy of being the next Otokage, I will not question you. My concern is not myself but of my sister. If I am to take this position, I cannot serve two masters. To be Otokage is to dedicate oneself to the village above all.

Therefore I will have to sort out my affairs. Things like copying all my scrolls so I can give them to Kimiko so she can learn them on her own time, arranging someone else to be there for her, to train her...things I can take care of myself. There is one important matter however that needs to be discussed, and thus one think I ask of you in return for becoming Otokage. Normally a kage cannot interfere in clan matters, but they can when it its an inter-clan matter that involves two clans from the same village as it could cause conflict within said village. 

Basically? Kimiko has been arranged since infancy to be married at age 16 to one in the Masuku clan, a genin one year older than her named Soru Masuku."
The Masuku Clan proclaimed itself the Silence in the Sound, for it was a clan that desired to go into ANBU to do the dirty deeds so that others didn't have to. They had no kekkei genkai and were instead users of hiden jutsu revolving around silences and vacuums. They were utterly loyal to the village and completely dedicated to making whatever sacrifice needed to keep it going as was many a loyal village ninja's ethos. 
Thus the perfect kind of family for someone like the the Ishikawas to marry with. First there was no competing bloodline to worry about, and thus no potential for them to be born with another clan's kekkei genkai. Second it tied them closer to the village and thus raised their standing. Third, a competent clan-raised ninja in the Ishikawa's eyes was a better thing to have to protect their daughter than any random guy. The prospects of benefit only got higher when it was found out that Kimiko was a genius and thus potential for replicating his hiden jutsu for themselves.
"My plan was to continue teaching her and guiding her until then, then do everything in my power to make sure it didn't go through so the she kept her freedom. No matter what happened to myself. With this, my timetables have been accelerated and I must convince my family to break it off now. All I ask to lend your weight as an authority to make sure it doesn't happen. However even if I do so, there is one thing unavoidable that will occur as a result:

I will be disowned and exiled, and thus stripped of my clan status when this succeeds. It is in our best interest to let this happen. I am not the most assertive of people and if I get to Otokage position as a member of the clan I will be viewed as puppet for my mother, an extension of her will and that cannot be allowed. If I am made clanless however, that will signal to others that I am changing. That I am no longer tied to my clan's interests and thus my loyalty to the village will be unquestioned. However this will also mean I will not be able to be there for Kimiko. My efforts will be focused on making sure I am the best Otokage I can be, and will need to handle as any other genin to avoid favoritism. I cannot protect and teach her forever, and she should make friends with her team anyways."
There is a tinge of melancholy to his words, but you could tell he is set in his path and determined to do this. Kages are known to be a position of sacrifice anyways, given to those considered most able to handle the costs monetary, manpower and figurative. This was a sacrifice he would have to make himself. 
"If there is nothing else you need of me, Otokage-sama, I will be going. I have...many things to arrange."

*Kimiko:*
Yuyuyu speaks up.
"Usagi's right. Feeling bad about killing is just being human."
Kimiko thinks on this, oddly pensive. Also she was a little confused. 
"...Human, huh? Why aren't you calling me weak?"
She thinks upon Usagi's question.
"....No. I did not. It was dreamless. Though I fail to see how that helps me. I don't think the clan would allow you to play a genjutsu to help me sleep every night? It would look too much like some foreign ninja trying to control me. They'd be paranoid that you'd be implanting orders into me to carry out when I'm awake later."
After all, many genjutsu-specialized ninjas were able to do things like under the guise of entertainers and music-based genjutsu was developed so that they can disguise it as playing a normal lullaby. She sighs
"If even the greatest of ninja experience such pain when they kill...what makes doing such things worth it?"
She begins eating her ramen, pondering the puzzle before her, the emotional conundrum a new and frightening problem for her intellect to turn in her head, with seemingly no solution jumping out at her. And the way her teammates are reacting to this is strange, why are they are being so....soft? It was making little sense.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo laugh. Unlike his radiophonic persona, it isn't a loud mouth, but feel more intimate. 
"Heh, Jirou-kun. You are a gold mine for comedy. This is good."
He shook his head. "First things, first- chill. I am not planning on you, successing tommorow morning- unless you have plans about it? Who knows?' He shrugged.
'So chill. You have time to figure it out. Though, I am happy to see, that you are willing to take the burden." Pause.
"Give me the screwy thingy. Yes. This. Thank you."
"And no. I am not that fair and nice. If you are willing to success me, I expect you to be a BETTER Otokage then I am. You will be by Kimiko's side all the same. I am not *switching* your burdens, I am *adding* to them. You see.. what is a village? Buildings? Alliance? Secret unique techniques?" He shake his head.
"Village are the people. Bunch of induvdials. Some you know better then others- they are your base. They remind you, that you serve humans. People with wishes, dreams and needs. Keep your ties." He say as he tinker.
"Aha. Here it was. Ahaha. An actual bug." He pull a roach out of the system.
"Hmmm.. about being a puppet... there are things we can do for that. Your mother can express her obdience, or you can take over the clan. Just two ideas I throw without thinking much" he say, and start cleaning the radio system with a brush.

He think about it. "Arranged marriages are very unpopular and have a bad name. It's true.' He say calmly. "But are they that bad? I know many who live happily and well. Usually, when two people hang around a lot, they tend to get used to each other." Another pause. "She is still young, you know.  She can and will change. Beside, marriage on itself isn't a jail. Like... our Anbu Commander is happily married and mother to two. She kill people, send people to kill people and having fun in general. She even hoping to success me. So marriage isn't THAT tragic." 
"Phew. Finally. Are you up for a grease tea?" He ask and getting up to his mini kitchen- the radio station is an impressive building of three stores, but somehow, the kitchen seemed to be added as an afterthought. 
He call it a "grease tea"because everything here is so oily. Few oil drops drop from the ceiling.
"Beside, doing dramatic gestures and creating rifts is always easier, and I might admit- statisfying. Especialy for a young ninja like you. But getting yourself exile will do a very little and questionable good, while there are more complex, yet effective alternatives. Let's do a "what if", we break the engagment. Now, we have two bitter clan leaders, a sister who feel dangerously guilty over what you did, and might do something stupid for your sake in return, we as Otokage have two clans who think of me as a dictator who intervern in personal matters and you have alienated at least two clans, and possibly all of them, due to the disrespect and disregrad of how clans work. And our Kimiko-chan isn't even happy in this scenario at all."
He say as he prepare two cups of tea.
"On the contraory, you could pursue and date a Masuku girl, prefferably from the main branch of the clan, to the point she want to marry you. Then, you are making the alliance even more natural and true, and letting Kimiko go, become much more easier for everyone. And if you smile enough, then Kimiko won't even have to feel you have sacraficed anything. Yeah, it isn't as a theatrical soluation, but it more efficent one, if may I say so myself."
--------

Usagi sigh. "No.. I didn't meant genjutsus. No.." she pause.
"Sometimes, I can't sleep home. Too much roaches and rats, and sometimes the bloodrain..." she pause.
'So I sleep outside. Sometimes I play to myself." Another akward pause.
"...I can play simple lullaby to you, and just.. be there. You know? Maybe your house is too cramped.for you to sleep comftrably."


Kimiko:"Ha! Mommy doesn't have problems in killing anyone!
Odayama pat her head. "Well, mommy isn't exactly human. But this beside the point. Kimiko, Usagi, Yuyu... life are sacred. We take life, but don't take them lightly. In the mission, I became a chunin, I waited in the same place six month in order to assinate a certain induvdial. I learned her in every possible way. When I killed her, I probably knew her, better then she knew herself. It was hard. It is still hard. But being a ninja, isn't about easy. Become ruthless, is the easy way. Be an effective ninja ans remain human- is the real challenge."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
At this, Jirou is outwardly stoic as ever, but an inner conflict was fought beneath. Of course the Otokage would suggest these solutions. A part of him is chastising himself for sharing his plans with Nozojo at all. He should've just said 'Yes Otokage-sama' and be on his way. But now he suggested solutions that made sense, solutions that he didn't like from his perspective, but ones that made more sense as an Otokage.
He had good points to consider though. Making two clan heads bitter would be bad. Its just the alternatives....well...
"1. You do remember that Masuku clan's ethos is to literally make themselves hollow soldiers who can put on any mask of personality as a deception and destroy all selfish motives in the process right? Marrying one would be like marrying a talking puppet or something. They make me look like Kimiko. They could undo all the work that has been done to keep Kimiko human. While how do you even date someone like that? What do you expect me say "sure Otokage-sama I'll go date a soulless husk reminder of what Kimiko would be like if I hadn't been around, I'll just figure it all out myself"?

2. Isn't being both clan head and Otokage a conflict of interest?

3. Even if I went and found a Masuku girl my age and convinced her to go through with this, I'm the black sheep of my clan, I have no kekkei genkai, I'm of low value in such exchanges even if my children could inherit it. Why would they even allow this to go through?"
He wasn't sure how Nozojo would take what he thought of Kimiko's personality and goals, and what she is willing to do for them. There was too much chance he would be dismissed as worrying or over dramatic just like right now. 

*Kimiko:*
"Outside...I mean there is basic survival training to think about... Be there? I'm not sure if they would allow you to stay that long, if at all? Why are you insisting upon this so much?"
She considers the words of Odayama, scrunching up her face in concentration
"Hm....that feels right. But I wish there was a more....logical way to go about it? Feeling things is hard. ....Thanks. I have lot to think about. But don't tell anyone that I don't like killing! If people knew of this, they'd take advantage of it."

----------


## igordragonian

[B]Nozojo[/B
"Blergh! What a terrible tea!" Nozojo coughed some oil.
"You haven't tried your, yet." He chuckled.
"Mmm. Well, as expected you are a smart guy, and you do have a point. But before I answer those I need to explain you something about my philosophy of dealing with challenges and problems." 
He is getting up, making more tea,even if the water that he pour into his cup is... a bit black and oily.
"There are no perfect soluation. It's more about damage control, and the problems you preffer to deal more, then the others. For example... in my vision, children are spoiled and whiny.. about century from now, rather then violent and bloodthirsty. It WILL be a problem. But I believe most parents in the village would preffer this kind of problem."
Did Nozojo had children? There were rumors.. but no one claimed to see them.
"So, you pick a situation you preffer getting into, and then think how to get there. On the way, you may pack more problems- and if possible, you will try to avoid them. But not always this is possible. With his little segway, I can answer the little issues, you have presented." He get back with a new oily cup of tea.

"You and I have two goals here: You wish freedom for Kimiko, from potentialy unhappy marriage. I wish for someone mentally balanced to continue my legacy. In those goals in mind-" sip and cough*
"Let's dig into your points.
 1.  Ethos, fame and propaganda are powerful weapons for a ninja. It's like a world scale genjutsu with no chakra cost. But like any illusion, it can be disspelled if you think about it too long. Which what I suggest you to do: Is this a realistic ethos? I highl doubt it. It's a wish. Pure rational with no emotional baggage is an ancient dream, which I am sure our ancestors have dreamed on, the moment they have learned of the magical pleasure of violence." He pause. 
 "We  ninjas just added a dramatic touch, but no news for this wish. The Root organization in the Leaf Village also claim to fulfill this long waited dream. Now... is that possible? How do we turn a man into an empty husk? I know someone who tried brain surgery. But brain is a tricky thing. Alongside with the removed emotions many cognitive abilties were removed, so instead of cool emotionless soldiers, he got drolling fools more or less. How about psychological manipulation? I mean anything- torture, seduction, brain washing... well, we can influence the way people behave, and their surface thoughts, but the emotions.. are still there. We can use drugs- but they ain't deleting the emotions- just pushing them back into the subcousniounce at best. But, wait. We have genjutsu! But how does genjutsu work?
Well, it manipulate some senses, or even all of them that something exist or not exist. Maybe, in theory to *hide* emotions. Oh ksu. It seems the best we can have here." He sip and cough. "I doubt either the Root, either Masuku have found something that break the ways human brain has worked until now. So.. what? Could they be lieing? And for what porpuse? And how?"
Sip and cough*
'Well, act. You can even act against your own mind, but this is still an act. So what the point? Well, you can force yourselves to do things you don't really want to, but more importantly... it's terrifying. Ninjas will fear mess with you, will respect you. So my answer- don't fall to this deception. Treat them as any other ninja. Unless I have negleting proves, I take their word to a face value. So far, I am alive, so it didn't dissapointed me so far.'
Nozojo pause. "Why, yes. It is a conflict of intrest. But other villages dealt with such conflitcs of intrest and survived. Mostly play nice, and be sensitive.' 
He smile at the third point. "Well, I hope you aren't planning on assinating me at this very moment. Of course, we will have to work on your reputation. Yes. You are a nobody. And so I was. You can start by gaining the title of my assitant. It doesn't sound like much, but if anything, it will give you free pass to anywhere in the village, I will train you, and we will work to build for you a profetlio and connections. The question is, if you are willing to go through this? It won't be easy. And you will have to get used to drink those disgusting tea with me. Tfu."

-----

Usagi:"I am not! Just Tsuru-san, told me that you have as much issues then I have, even if diffrent! If your butt is to gentle to sit on the damn street, then I'll pass! I am trying to be nice and caring, baka! You want to have bad dreams and pity yourself be my guest, princess!"

Odayama shake his head. "The most logical way for humanity would be stop murdering each other. But it doesn't seems like a realistic option. So, don't feel too bad.' He smile.
Miko mew. "Mommy told me, that if I feel bad, to claw the bad feeling away! And then toy with it! And then eat it!"
Odayama sigh, but with a smile.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He considers his points.
"You are correct. There is no true emotionlessness. Hm. As for being your assistant...well lets be honest. I did not have plans to advance farther or become better until now- I mostly thought that I was stuck being where I am as a Chuunin forever and that childish dreams of being a greater ninja were dead. But now that I see that its possible...that I could be worthy of such a greater position.....I think I want to achieve Otokage now. I want to make things better, I want a better world.

But don't think I'll be an imitation of you if I am to take the hat. Your wisdom and experience is valuable, but we cannot forge a new future from chains that bind us to the past. The reason I do this, is because I fully believe that if they are to be the Hope Generation...then they must bring that hope themselves. You cannot determine the form of the change they bring, neither can I. They will do so without our input regardless. But nor will that stop me from trying to make my own change in this world- they are not the only people that can bring about something new. They are only potential now, and if I can improve things so that potential can be better realized...I will.

In the face of that, the hardship to face...is meaningless. I must make sure Kimiko's future is bright. no matter what. I accept your offer."
If the Otokage approved of him taking over the clan....all the better. He had been prepared to sacrifice his status, get kicked out, rent an apartment on Chuunin pay in exchange for Kimiko being freed from marriage but...if the Otokage had nothing against him being clan head, well that changed everything. Assistant was one thing but becoming clan head? That would also be good training for the position, might as well fix his own clan along the way, and if he is clan head well....better position to negotiate, new clan head was much more sexy a position for attracting any potential girlfriend, no need to worry about appeasing his mother anymore, help Kimiko in another way, and he could instead just simply order their mother to do things, and its not as if the Otokage or anyone else could do anything about it- after all, clan succession was an internal clan matter. 

Jirou saw no reason to not just challenge his mother for the position as soon as possible and saw no need to let Nozojo know about his intention to do so. Not today, but soon. He would simply have to make the right preparations.
"Thank you Otokage-sama. I know what to do now."
He bows and exits the room.

*Kimiko:*
"She is trying to be your friend, Kimiko." Yuyuyu helpfully supplies. Though apart of Yuyuyu suspects something more but dismisses it as an overactive imagination.
Kimiko blinks and says
"Friend...? Oh right! I remember, my mother taught me this!"
Oh no.
"Friends are those sidekicks that help you on your road to greatness right?" 
Yuyuyu lightly bonks Kimiko on the head
"No Kimiko-baka! Friends are a relationship of equals!"
"Like....a teammate or a fellow solider?"
"Yes, but more personal."
"...Thats not what mom said....I'll have to ask if she has any friends, see if I can find any."
Yuyuyu stares tiredly.
"Kimiko....we're your friends....or at least the closest people you have to them."
Kimiko blinks at that.
"Oh. Neat. I'll have to study this more closely."
"Kimi, you don't need to, its an experience, just keep being yourself."
"Oh. Weird. Anyways, is that a challenge le- errr....Bunny-chan? don't think I can't handle it? I, the Heiress of All Ishikawa, won't be beaten by you in this! I'll take you up on your offer! Just you watch, I can handle some cold air and hard ground! I'll convince them to do it by saying uuuh....that its a contest, yes. To test and build my genjutsu resistance or something. I'm sure I can come up with way for them to accept it."
Kimiko says, swapping the terms at the last second, not knowing if Usagi would like being called bunny-chan. She doesn't know, but Kimiko feels this odd warm feeling in her heart. Not like the usual passionate manic warmth when she finds a new jutsu to learn, but one that is just this soft general warmth in some way that relaxes her and assures its going to be alright. much like how she feels around Jirou. Weird. Where did this come from? How did they replicate Warm Brother Feelings? Was this some of genjutsu? She suddenly puts her hands together in the hand sign and says
"kai"
As if trying to dispel a genjutsu, the feelings remain.
"....Kimiko why did you do that?"
"....No reason. Just a silly thought."
Yuyuyu is thinking: Did she just mistake friendship for a genjutsu? By the kamis, they had their work cut out for them.
"Anyways....its nice talking with you, my teammates...and friends whatever those are. I'll think on all this."
She turns to leave.

*Kimiko and Jirou:*
They both arrive home, having strange revelations that need great processing. They face each other. Kimiko says
"Hey Jirou. hows its going? You defuse those...?"
"They were no problem." 
he says back and affixes her with a stare. Kimiko isn't sure about this stare, this contemplative look on his face. 
What did you learn today? he asks
That there are some people less fortunate than me in was that I can never imagine. That children are next generation and they need to be protected so they can grow to be something more than they are now, and maybe surpass the previous generation and protect the generation after them. That friends are equals apparently and that...they make me fool good.
Really? I'm glad.
Thanks. she turns to leave but then is stopped when Jirou continues:
Now how are you going to reconcile these lessons with the goal of immortality and learning all jutsu?
She freezes. A great chill descends over the room. She doesn't know what to say. How did he know? She had thought she hidden those plans well enough, but apparently not enough from him.
How? she managed to get out
I taught you what you know of sealing Kimiko. I can disable the basic multiple explosive and storage-based traps you set up and re-arm them again to make sure you never knew a thing. Though I do give you credit for figuring out double-layering seals for your final defense, I had to disarm that twice to make sure your journal wasn't destroyed.
You read my secret diary.
And said diary is quite an interesting read. Your steps to accomplish your goal are very logical: First acquire immortality so that you have the time to accomplish all this. Then acquire the energy you need to power all the jutsu that your going to do, then acquire the memory space powered by the vast energy you got in step two so you can actually memorize all the jutsu your going to get. From then on its just a matter of time and learning.
Jirou didn't like he had to confront her about this. He loved his little sister after all. But thats also why he must. He wanted the best for Kimiko, and that meant being careful.
However the amounts required of all these well....you basically plan to become a god in all but name. Far more ambitious than merely becoming Otokage or something like that. And how could you possibly pass down your power and allow the next generation to improve after you if you achieve this? One can get worried that from this evidence that you might have....
He raises an eyebrow
Megalomania: Obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others, and characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power or omnipotence.
He narrows his eyes as his hand drifts down to the Five Elements Tachi. If she proves dangerous it would be best for her if he cut Kimiko down now and save all the world the trouble and her the pain of her dreams being crushed slowly. He loved his sister and if it is true that her ambitions will lead her to evil, its best to end it now while it was still possible for him to do. He had no doubts that if Kimiko were allowed to grow even to Chuunin he would not be able to beat her, and even now, even with his advantages, losing a fight to her and dying was no small chance. There have been cases of ninja going mad with power like that, obsessed with abusing it for their own pleasure then getting killed by some assassin. He will not have that happen to her- he would kill her first then kill himself for failing to raise her right. It was all he could to protect the village from her, if that turns out to be the case.
Sounds like quite a threat. One that might need to be eliminated, if proven to be true. After all, power can corrupt people, and those already corruptible seek power. Question is....do I need to eliminate you?
He asks, ready to speed forward and kill her right then and there if her answer isn't a good one. For a long moment they stay there, tense and waiting for something to happen, as if some calamity could happen at any moment. The seconds tick by, Jirou's body strained ready for the worst and his eyes hard.

Then Kimiko falls to her knees, bent over and begins crying.
I'm-I'm sorry! I just....I just want to know! To learn all that I can possibly learn! There is just...so much to learn in this world and....I want to see the full picture....of all chakra! To know the shape of this world! It is my dream....and I'm making you worry that....that I might....go mad with power....
Jirou walks over and hugs her, feeling bad about himself, eyes wide.
Kimiko...I'm sorry...I didn't trust you. Now I've hurt you
Between her sobs she seems to become determined, raising her face to look at him
I understand if.....you don't want me to do this....but I'm not going to stop reaching for it all....nor am I going to become evil! I will learn all jutsu- while still remaining a good person! Thats a promise!
A part of Jirou wonders if that promise was even possible to keep. Could anyone remain good in such a greedy ambitious quest- and if they succeed, could anyone handle being so powerful when its over, resist the temptation of such power? But he had to trust her. Had to have faith that what he will do will be for the better, or there was no hope. Faith that emotions cannot truly be suppressed, that friendship can reach across boundaries and that a little girl can have a dream without resorting to evil means to achieve it. They break the hug and Jirou says
"Good. I'll hold you to that."

*Enter: Mubona Inazuma*
It has a been a few days since the last incident of sorts. Team 3 is still taking D-Rank missions, but after the first couple they have been settling into more boring, unexciting ones that are just walking dogs, or doing this chore or that chore. Which is the D-Ranks purpose. To settle the Genin into a ninjas life on a small scale, build team coordination in a safe setting, earn some money for themselves and the village, those sorts of reasons. Most days are just some combination of training and D-ranks at certain hours and you can already tell that this will get tedious after a while. With some justifying from Kimiko and Jirou that the camping and genjutsu was all apart of Kimiko's training, the request goes through, though Mitsuko narrows her eyes whenever she sees Usagi and the rest of her clan treats them both with stiff formality...except Jirou for obvious reasons and Uncle Musumu who seems to be regarded as the Ishikawa's crazy uncle with lots of war stories. Though Jirou seems to be going off and doing this or that much more often.

But one morning, when your meeting up with Odayama-sensei? You hear a voice coming in from the distance yelling in a cheerful tone:
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODAAAAAAAAAA  AAAAAAAAAAA
YAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
A Chuunin with an unplugged electric guitar come skidding in, kicking up dust in his stylish entrance. He has big brown dreadlocks for hair, small round sunglasses over his eyes and a big smile on his face, which he shows off while he poses in front of you then rights himself into a stand position while playing a single strum on his electric guitar- a little spark of lightning chakra is channeled through his hand and it produces a sound as if it was actually powered.
"I, your Eternal Rival, Mubona Inazuma, Otogakure's Blazing Song, has come to you with a most PASSIONATE idea! I have been thinking how these passionate youths may help express their passion AND improve their most fiery teamwork! But then, an idea like a bolt from the blue! I was thinking, to familiarize with other teams and get the genin used to not just working in their own squad but with OTHER squads as well by having them cooperate on a mission or engaging in training most PASSIONATE! Sure this would benefit both our cute little genin and stoke the fires of their passion to great heights never before, so that their songs may spread across all the world! As well as get them to used to working within the wider force of our passionate village!"
You can see Team 2 running to catch up in the distance while Mubona smiles unfailingly at Odayama hoping to see what he thinks of this idea. Kimiko doesn't know what to make of this one while Yuyuyu just....smiles and nods, pretending to not be freaked out by someone this....flamboyant.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi is thankful. 
'Yes! Please! Anything! I can't stand another search for a lost cog!' Usagi nod _passionatly_
Odayama face palm.
'Come on, you are too old to speak like that. It's jarring.'
He look at Mubona and then at his group.
"I'll ask my genins." He look at them
"I guess, interacting with other ninjas beside our small circle, is something beneficial... but we don't have to, if we don't want to.' Odayama seems to struggle not to a cringe face.
Usagi"Please Sensei! Anything will be better then what ever you had in mind!"
Odayama sigh."Rude. But acceptable opinion. Yuyuyu? Kimiko?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Team 2: Introduction*
Yuyuyu says
"Being better connected to the rest of our village is always a good plan."
Kimiko replies.
"Genin teams are broken up when we reach Chuunin and we are expected to work with any ninja we're assigned to regardless. It is best we know them to smooth things down the road."
They say both nodding.
"YOSH! Quite the passionate response from Usagi! Allow me to introduce you to Team 2..."
Yuyuyu says
"But they're our fellow students from-"
She is cut off as Mubona just goes ahead as if she isn't speaking at they arrive:
"Behold! Miho Kaguya! This years Kaguya taijutsu specialist! She is already a powerhouse in her field, having B-rank taijutsu- and no need for ninjutsu!" 
She wears a sleeveless shirt with holes seemingly cut into it intentionally, with short white hair light green eyes, red dots instead of eyebrows, arms shown to the world and she waves at her classmates in a relaxed manner.
"Hey, hows it going? I'm doing well myself"
"Next we have- Naneko Masuku! The young genius of the Masuku Clan, but unfortunately her brilliance is only matched by her stoicism and keeping to her clan's ways, the most dispassionate person ever!"
This girl looks like a miniature Anbu without the white mask: Her hair is black and also short, she wears a black mask to cover her lower face, her gear looks a bit like armor, and she gazes out at the world with empty eyes, not saying a word as she assesses you three. Her movements are stiff yet efficient, her presence is unsettling and makes everyone look lifelike by comparison.
Mubona then makes a dramatic pose to show off his last genin.
"And finally we have- KAZUUOOOO TANAKAAAAAAA!! FUTURE HERO OF OTOGAKURE!"
This boy looks completely normal: normal black hair, grey jacket with hood, black pants with sandals, there is very little making him stand out other than the fact he has a sound headband on his head and two Sound-made gauntlets that in another universe were used by Dosu, and is a common weapon among the clanless of Otogakure in this one. he nervously says
"....Hi.....eheheheh..." 
Kazuo is inwardly freaking out. Why did he get stuck with the creepy Masuku girl? Why are they  working with the crazy Usagi and Ishikawa girls? Why was his sensei insane? He knew deep down, he was a coward. But he knew it was too late to back out now. 
Stupid six year old self thought that jutsu was cool and wanted to learn some but didn't know what he had been signing up for. But he just had to survive genin then he can just be one of those normal Chuunin who does ordinary stuff like Odayama and doesn't have to go on crazy adventures or stupidly high risk missions or anything. Just chilling in the village with like some civilian girl he can impress with some flashy jutsu he learns while pretending to know what he is talking about settling down with her and a good income, thats his dream. 
Of course somehow, he keeps getting into accidents and situations that just make people think he is more heroic than he actually is. His luck is messed up like that.

"YOSH! Now those are out of the way...My idea is this:"
Mubona says with a fiery smile, and begins strumming on his guitar faster and faster as she rants about his idea.
"My first idea was that our teams would fight in a glorious team combat scenario that simulates a mission they might do later down the line! However there is a mission that we can cooperate upon: recently due to an accident with escorting a mail man through the village's mine fields his horse accidentally stepped on a mine and got injured! What a poor creature! Now his cart full of delivered packages and letters is at the villages gate, but he has no horse to pull the cart and thus the packages, and my idea is that the genin could deliver the mail instead! This would teach coordination between all six genin, protection of valuable goods while traveling to different locations, as ninja often must passionately transport valuables! The mail is one of our most important methods of communication! you might be tasked to guard high-ranking letters with your life, perhaps even to the Otokage himself! Such letters could be the difference between life or death, victory or defeat!"
then fixes them with a fiery stare while pointing at the Genin.
"And of course the most important thing of all: you must. Never. EVER. Look at the contents of the letter yourself! You are a ninja and the deliverer's job is not to know what they're delivering but like a professional, make sure it gets there safe to its recipient! The contents- are NONE of your business!! To open such letters- IS TO FAIL THE MISSION! Also the letters could have seal traps in them, leave letter assassination prevention to the ANBU kids!"
He states dramatically and plays another riff on his electric guitar. 
"Of course, I would love for our teams to spar anyways after the mission is over to see their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can hone their skills!"
"Sounds good to me."
"It will prove our trustworthiness, and the offer of a spar afterwards..." 
Kimiko replies, liking the idea.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama at first cringe at Mubona's antic. Sometimes e has acted as if they were characters in a manga. He doubted people will like such a grimdark setting. But what evers.
His offer, though sounded actually good.
Usagi smiled. "Oh! I wanted to train in the minefields for a while!"
Odayama nod. "Well, it is an actual idea. You have surprized me." He pause
"How much hands on, we Senseis should be?'


-------

*At the radio station*

Maintaining the radio station is a chore.
Beside learning tons of tech guides,  maintaing the place is a greasy work. Very few people worked here, Nozojo more or less maintained it on his own most of the time. Not very exciting trainings, no summonings of animal kings, nor jutsu which make  building go boom.
But,Nozojo said again and again, that the radio station is the source for his power.
"Not bad, kid. But you screwed the wrong thing on the other wrong thing. But never mind. It is time for your first test. Get up. We are going to drink a special tea for this."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou*
"I understand. This will be improved upon.
He takes a sip, bearing the taste with his usual stoicism. 
"What is the test then?"
He was glad he dropped off his letter in the morning.

*Letter Delivery Mission:*
Mubona wasn't being grimdark, he was just impressing the importance of civilization and proper communication onto the generation down to them and encouraging them to think of the good of the village in a passionate way. Not reading letters, and delivering them safely is ordinary mailmen work. the thing about letter assassination at the end was like a half-joke. Like this was all for the genin safety in more ways than just physical: being professional will help them down the line. He is just trying to get them pumped up to someday do something as important as deliver a message to the Otokage or something because while it seems like a little thing, its actually pretty important for a lot of communication. This sort of things keeps the village functioning.
Mubona says
"Minefield!?" he plays another rift on his guitar "While I admire your PASSION! Young Usagi, the minefield is generally not to be used as training! Mostly because the more mines we use up in training, the less we'll have to defend ourselves and more we have to replace afterwards which costs the most un-passionate of things....money. And! makes us have to deal with another unpassionate thing the dreaded enemy of all ninja.....Paperwork. And! is mostly only useful for dodge and bomb disarming training anyways, so not fit for full PASSIONATE SPARRING!!!"
"But wait I wield paper-"
"Not that kind of paperwork! But yours is terrifying to, young Kimiko!! No I speak of...._bureaucratic_ paperwork." He speaks the words with supreme dread.
"Oh right unfun paperwork. Yeah, most ninja aren't good bureaucrats. I actually read that many ninja get promoted beyond their competence level due to war and death and find their field skills don't translate to administrative work, thus producing a culture of ninja hating bureaucracy. Some analysis book Jirou gave me, actually really interesting, penned by a civilian apparently."
"Anyways! TO THE CART!"

Soon they make their way to the mail cart full of various packages and some letters, just outside the bird tower where a letter from somewhere distant arrives by bird on occasion. 
"Alright! This mail needs to be sorted and delivered! Not our problem, eh Odayama!? Remember, whether wind, snow or rain, the mail ninja always delivers! PASSIOOOOOOONN!!!!!" He runs off screaming into the distance. The mailman looks at them and says
"ah, your genin thats come to help? Good could use all the help I can get. Better start sorting this through all this so you know which mail goes to which neighborhoods, deliver them more efficiently."
They nod and begin leafing through the letters and packages and sort them around, giving them some time to talk.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama pick a small note from his pocket and sigh.
he smile. "Wait, where are you going?' he looked puzzled.
Odayama shrug. "Well, good luck girls. I got to do shoppings." And walk off ranting.
"Kami.. woman, I don't mind the fur at all, but the shampoo is pricey..."
Usagi cringe at that, and shake her head to shake off the images.
Usagi is quite helpful- she ventured around the village quite a lot, and slept anywhere she found fit to rest her head on, or where she collapsed from exaustion.
"Heh, I am curiouse, what people can write about? Sound silly to me.' She look at Kazuoo.
"So... a hero eh? Has your team killed a missing nin yet?' With a tone of challenge.
-----

The tea taste worse then usual.
"Well, before anything, I most inform you, you just have been poisoned.' Nozojo explain calmly, drinking from the same team.
"And it is not a theroitical threat to motivate you. It's very rational. You see... at this point, you already seend learned things, other villages would pay a lot to learn, and Konoha would torture and kill for. If you fail to learn my craft, you are a useless man with a dangerouse intel. The poison will kill you in few month, though and it will all look very natural. It can't be traced in your blood either. I have an antidote, and only if you pass the test, I will give it to you. Are we clear?'
Nozojo doesn't look crazier then usual.
"Good, good. Well, in five minutes it's time for the Love Sensei show. Tonight you are the  Love Sensei"

Love Sensei is a weekly radio show, popular with teens and young adults mostly, where the Ottokage interview a mysteriouse "love expert' who answer letters and in the conclusion of the show give a speech which include tips, personal anecdotes from his/her personal life, and general thoughts about love life.
Part of the fun, is that the Love Sensei's voice is only 50% blurred, and if the fans can figure who is last week's Love Sensei they get a new radio and music tape cassets.
Does Jirou has the background to be a succesful Love Sensei?
Is Nozojo trolling him? Or is he exposing his dark side?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He raises an eyebrow. Ah. Poison. He should've known. Suddenly he didn't have as many problems about keeping Kimiko's goals secret from him anymore, or the Masuku he chose for his plan. Funny how a respected leader poisoning him for questionable reasons and potentially killing him a few months down the line could provide such astonishing clarity.
"I see."
he says with a straight face, as if nonplussed.
"Very well, I shall do my best. when do we start?"
Despite being a complete nerd with no actual experience in love. One of the basic skills of being a shinobi is being able to imitate lives you never lived or experienced. Honestly, if he can't talk his way through this, he is in trouble as a shinobi in general.

*Letter Delivery Mission:*
"Uhh-aaaaH! No just...." Kazuo says looking away from Usagi
"Thieves and thugs" Miho pipes up "he somehow is always is there in the nick of time to foil them out of nowhere."
"Its nothing heheheh..." he says scratching the back of his head
"But you always somehow show up just in time! How do you do it?"
"Oh y'know.....trade secret....huh this package is for your family, Miho..."
Kazuo had no idea how kept running into such situations, it was all his bad luck, he thought to himself.
"And this similar package is for the Ishikawa family..."
Meanwhile Kimiko and Naneko were rifling through the letters
"So....uh....how you doing?"
"...."
"Not much of a talker?"
"...."
"Well then I guess you like listening mo-"
"Shut up. To be silent, is to be shinobi."
Naneko's voice is a curt half-whisper. Kimiko furrows her eyebrows and just glares at her. Rude! Then goes back to sorting the letters only to find a certain letter: It has a heart stamp seal on it used in love letters and its address reads:

_From: Jirou Ishikawa
To: Kikenna Masuku_ 

The two Genin stare at it uncomprehending for a few moments. Jirou and.....Kikenna? The rebel Masuku? Naneko's older sister? Why? She was a known seductress- a fierce outspoken one, with specialties in poison and fire jutsu. You probably couldn't find two people more different if you tried.
"....Who does your brother think he is, going after my sister?"
Naneko says with a tinge of emotion, glaring accusingly at Kimiko
"I don't know, maybe your sister put the seductive wiles on him! He was never interested in that kind of thing before!"
Kimiko looking suspiciously at Naneko.
"As if my sister would ever be interested in someone like him. He's clearly pathetic for even trying."
"Hah! As if my brother would have such low standards to fall for some like her!"
"You have it the wrong way around, Jirou would be too easy for her bring him under her sway."
"As if my brother would be seduced by your sister!"
"As if my sister would ever accept his advances!"
Suddenly Yuyuyu and Miho comes between them before this can escalate.
"Girls girls, none of this is our business!"
"Our job....is to deliver the letter. Not to fight over it, okay? Relax." Miho says
They both glare at the reasonable ones breaking them up then grunt and get back to sorting the mail.

----------


## igordragonian

*Mail Adventure!*

Usagi was about to steal the letter, but stopped herself.
"I bet, they are conspiring to do something great! They are real ninjas! I am sure, they don't play silly kissy stuff!" she said brattly.
It was a bit boring, so making up stuff, were more fun.


*Love Sensei!*
Nozojo smiled.
Of course he lied. Sort of.
The tea contained a chakra enhancer, and the pill he will give Jirou were a special kind of soldier pills. It wasn't healthy in any capacity, so it could be defined as poison. But so is caffeine. Or some say.
He and Jirou had the short stick in the ninja genetics. They were charming and clever, but in the end, you need to pay some bills of chakra. Especialy when maintaining this facility.

He wasn't sure if he had years, or maybe merely weeks. His sins with his first student might catch up to him soon. Very soon.
If he wanted Jirou to stand a chance in succeeding him, against rivals like the Anbu Commander, he had to cheat.
A lot.
It wasn't very morale to give this boost to Jirou without his consent, but he couldn't risk a refusal. Also adding tension to this test would be benefical.

They have entered the recording room, two chair and microphones, and some... "things" as Nozojo called the radio tech he has devolped.
Jirou could notice him, doing some seals and then pressing his palm on the machine.

"And we are on!!!! Good evening Ottokagure! The most awesome ninja is here! ME! The Second Ottokage! WOhooo!" 
he pause, making another seal.
Jirou may recall, that whenever he hear him on the radio, he can feel, chills or excitment...
was the Ottokage this charismatic, or, he somehow used genjutsu on all of his listeners?

"And today we have here, a special Love Sensei! A young, and handsome! Breaker of thousand hearts, with a backstory, would inspire ten thousands if ballads! As usual, his voice is 50% is muffled, so have fun figuring who he is, and send your guesses until the next show! So!"
another seal*
"Please, tell a bit about yourself, O-Love Sensei!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Love Sensei Jirou:*
"Hello my Otokage, glad to be here, glad to be here."
Jirou says, changing the way he speaks and the tone on the drop of dime, suddenly acting as if he is the coolest most relaxed person in the world having little smile on his lips, and smooth voice flowing from his soul.
"I've been around, love is always tumultuous. Like fire, it is. So warm, so passionate, we all need it, yet it can burn. Got to be careful, got to have the right touch. Not everyone has the touch of a master, but all can learn from the Love Sensei. Me, I know how love is, its a relationship built day by day, its a slow burn. Got to be careful with each brick 'cause its something you take slow, can't go too fast. Its a thing of patience, but won't I try our hopeful listeners patience here, lets get to the questions, shall we? The Sensei is here, and there are lessons that need teaching."

*Mail Delivery Mission:*
"Jirou has better things to do than-"
"As if Kikenna would-"
"Shush!"
They grunt and go back to their work. They find a package for the Masuku family, then of course mail for the Otokage's offices and such from various people. Various letters and packages for normal people in the village. and so on and so forth. The next step becomes:
"Okay, now to actually deliver the mail. We have mailbags to carry them in to carry one sixth of the mail so we have to divide up the parts of the village we deliver to by neighborhoods we have to cover. Who will take which neighborhood?"
She asks. Kimiko and Naneko were eyeing each other and the neighborhood in which the Masuku family is in, and thus the letter they were to deliver to Kikenna. There was of course the five other bags that could go certain other places but one would most certainly end up in Otokage tower or his offices. It was probably best to keep Kimiko and Naneko separated. Which way, which way?
"Kimiko your the best of all of us your clearly most qualified to deliver that mail pile, some of it goes to the Otokage's offices after all."
"I don't know how about Usagi delivers that mail? She is my valued teammate, why not give her a chance to impress the higher ups? I think I'll go for that residential district pile."
"No, Kimiko, you are clearly better for delivering the mail with the Otokage important messages in them, my skills clearly cannot compare, I'll humbly deliver that residential mail, don't worry about it..."
All three are fakely smiling while trying to manipulate around each other in this polite-fight. 
"No no no, Naneko you are clearly more qualified with your future in Anbu this will only get you used to the Anbu duties you'll be doing later on, its good experience for you!"
"Come now, don't be humble! Delivering that kind of residential mail can go to Usagi or Miho, Kimiko you deserve to have the Otokage himself remember this!"
"Are you really sure, Yuyuyu? I think the job can be trusted to Kazuo, future hero of Otogakure."
"I want nothing to do with this! I'll take the mail meant to go to the industrial district!" 
Kazuo knew to not get involved in a crossfire of a polite-fight between three kunoichi. It never ends well.
"Anyways about your the most qualified to take the Otokage's mail to him..."
"Why don't you take this other residential mail pile, Naneko? I think I got that one."
"Yuyuyu, I clearly know the way better down that way, you should take a different one..."
This can go on for a while. But you don't have all day...

----------


## igordragonian

While, the more sophisticated Kunoichis argued, the one with a very minimal social understanding has summoned a Samurai rabbit.
"Usag-"
"Hush. No time." Usagi said, grabbing the mail meant for the Ottokage, and then jumping on Yojimbo's back.
"Go!' She yell, and without questioning, the almost comicly seriouse rabbit,  ran forward.
-------

Nozojo has slowed down the pace of his seals.
Probably to let Jirou memorizing them.
He pulled a letter, passing it with eyes with a moment.
"Ara ara. This is a good one" and passed it to Jirou.

_
"Dear Love Sensei! 
My heart is such a turmoil! I am 15, almost 16 actually. I don't want you to judge me too early, so first I'll speak about the important things, and only then I'll speak about the tiny problems.
He is handsome, mature, quite and cool. He fear nothing, and in battle a complete savage, and it make me blush. There were few times I let myself get captured so he will save me. And I think he knew. The stare he gave me... it sent me chills! 
Also, I am sure he think I am attractive. During a one festival, I wore my best kimono and he said as if casually:"You look good.'
I still have dreams about this moment!
I love him so much! I even failed on porpuse on the Chunin exams so he will keep giving me private lessons. He is so harsh

But... there are few problems, stopping us from being together. You see, there is another girl, who think he is her boyfriend, just because he pity her, and agree to dine wjth her, or sleep in her apartment. But she is a complete baka! She doesn't deserve him!
Also... he is my Sensei. I don't want to get him into trouble, so I'll wait for me to turn 18 before I confess. And then I will assinate this baka girl, who think, that just because she his age, and they were on the same team, she get to date him!
From your exprience, will my Sensei understand if he ever discover my plan?'
_

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Lets Go Already*
Yuyuyu smacks her head. Oh well. Guess we're doing this.  She hands the bag containing the letter meant for Kikenna to Kimiko and mail to the Ishakawa Family to Naneko. 
"But-"
"no buts, we don't have time for this, get moving."
She hands off similar bags of mail to Miho and Kazuo then takes one for herself and they set off.

The actual delivery....eh. isn't all that great. Its delivering mail, its boring, you go up to houses or mailboxes search for the letter the matches the address then put it there or hand it off. Not really eventful for the most part. most of the time its just leaving it there in the mailbox or the person receiving it thanking you with a smile and you going on your way, some people actually find your bunny ride cute, some kids look at you amazement and wish they had a giant rabbit ride. 

When you get to the Otokage Office there is a Chuunin secretary at the front desk who is sort through paperwork and such. His name is Chang. He is basically one of those Chuunin who get stuck at a desk job because they under-achieve, and helps the Otokage do the bureaucracy work, like sorting out things that require his attention from this that don't, things like that. There is a lot of such Chuunin here, but he is the one who will represent them all simply for our convenience. You couldn't find a more average guy if you tried. Not even Odayama sensei can equal him in being average, but he is allowed to try.
"Hey Usagi, what you got for the Otokage? He is out doing a broadcast, so I take his mail."

*Love Sensei Letter*
Jirou considers this situation for a moment after reading the letter, then begins to say
"What a passionate heart for older men, and your dedication is commendable, however I personally think? He doesn't deserve you. Your better than the likes of that guy, and you can do better than him. He has only given that compliment once? Clearly he doesn't have good taste since he is focused on somebody else, and no amount of assassination will fix that. He will just find another girl his age after all, and the corpse of a previous girlfriend isn't exactly what I call a good first impression. Find someone who sees you for more than just a kimono, true beauty is what you are every day, just as a relationship is what you are with someone else every day."
He says with his smooth deep voice into the microphone, trying to spin it as politely as possible, getting the feeling that saying it straight out won't do squat. This needs careful handling and convincing from her point of view that it wasn't worth it. Not breaking character was more important than making sure it was actually solved- he didn't know the person after all and probably never will. Can't really do anything about it more than that.

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*

For Yojimbo it was easy. He had this sort one track mind mentality, and this world was alien to him- he only cared to serve and protect Usagi.
The fact Usagi seemed to care, simply amused him, but his expriession has remained deadpanned mostly.
He frowned just a bit, when children has summarized his Bushido trainings, and his exprience fighting wolves and dogs as "Wow! Giant bunny!'
Usagi was alien to humans, almost as much, but she was a human. 
It was akward and nice. 
She didn't wanted that, but she wanted that.
It was wierd. She wanted home.

When they have gotten to the Ottokage's office she released Yojimbo and used her crotches again.
Stairs! One of her mortal enemies!

But she managed. As usual.
Usagi reacted reasonably to the situation she faced.
Nah.

She slammed one of the crotches on the desk, sending papers and documetns flying away.
"Oi! Are you a melon head or something?! Those are letters for the OTTOKAGE! Do you wear a cool pointy hat and unpractical robes? No! I N E E D  T H E  O T T O K A G E!' She screamed.
--------

"Well said, Love Sensei.' Meanwhile, Nozojo did a complicated and powerful seal-it activated in Jirou's brain(unless he had a defence against it) to agree with the words he just said.
He could resist the urge- but it sort of a gut feeling, that those were a very wise advice.
"Well, now for something less edgy. But still. It's intresting and touch an issue in our village, we all need to think about.


_ Dear Love Sensei-San.
I hope I write it correctly, I am not used to write, and I never was a great scholar. 
I am probably the less likely fan to be read on your show- most the letters you read are of young girls, and usually a kunoichi.
And that ok. They are much more intresting then the rants of some random loser factory worker dude. 
I am not stupid, but neither bright. I am not strong, but also isn't considerably weak.
I am not ugly, but a bit overweight. I am not a "bad guy' nor a praticulary cultured gentlman.
I am just me.  I have my boring parents, who also are working in the factory, my boring friends which I drink with. 
What might make this letter worth reading, is that I am dating a Kunoichi right now. 
It wierd. Amazing. And terrifiing.
But maybe I better start from the begining, maybe as someone exprienced lover, you can read the signs I can't.
That evening I was drinking alone. Randomly, or by fate, each of my friends ditched me for their personal reasons.
And then she took a seat,asking:"Why aren't you buying me a drink?" She has asked,and talked about her problems... and told me her name, and asked me, if we can meet again next week.
She is beautiful, exciting and surpringly caring. But problems have started. My friends stopped talking to me, and only later one told me he think she is an inside intelgence agent. Someone else,told me she could be a perverted man- ninjas do have the ability to shapeshift...
Also,during a bar fight, I became very aware of how deadly can she be. She has noticed, that during a normal disagreement I cringed in fear...
Shy say I hurt her, and we need a timeout to rethink our relationship.
What do you think?
Can we be happy together? Am I a coward? Or naive?'_

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Chang: Foolishly Allow this*
The front desk is downstairs, by the way, he is the secretary who greets people and makes sure you have an appointment, he is not in the Otokage office itself.

Chang flinches a little at the outburst, not sure how to deal with this? He spies one of the letters sticking out as a late entry for the Love Sensei and figures hey he would have to send her to the radio tower to get it in time, he knows the Otokage is real adamant about hearing peoples problems out as much as he can and to miss this one would be bad so he just says
"Your right. He is in the Radio Tower, that letter in particular? Real important, he should see it immediately. What are you waiting for? Go, go go!"
He says trying to shoo her out. This should be entertaining.

*Naneko:*
She mechanically marches up to the Ishikawa manor and knocks. The worst possible person person answered it: Crazy Uncle Musumu. He opens the door, revealing his wild blue hair and crazy scraggly goatee looking down at Naneko with a broken grin. 
"What have we here? A Genin delivering mail? Did one of the mines blow up again? I always told them we should replace the explosions with confetti. And a Masuku no less. Interesting!"
"Confet- nevermind. I came to deliver this package." 
she says holding the package addressed to the Ishikawa family 
"and to demand: what you planning with trying to court Kikenna, Ishikawa clan? Speak!"
Musumu takes it and giggles.
"Oh many plans with this. Big plans! Kikenna? Possibly. No. Wait. Maybe? Kaguyas probably get the other parts today... both started with a K. that explains it. So jumbled. Courting her though? I know Kimiko is to be married to a Masuku in a couple years but Kikenna's new hm....first I've heard of it but I'm always the last to hear..."
"What!? You're planning on infiltrating us with both siblings!? How insidious! Your planning on taking our jutsu aren't you?"
"Well our general goal is to take EVERYBODY's Jutsu really so its like on the list I guess...." Musumu says scratching his goatee in thought not realizing how bad this sounds. "I think Mitsuko said something about that....?"
"The matriarch! Of course, I have stop this and it sounds like my own family won't even believe me if they've already worked out two deals. You have a made a foolish mistake this day, fool of Ishikawa!" 
She goes running off to deliver more mail, convinced there is a conspiracy afoot. Uncle Musumu snaps his fingers and says
"Oh right was to acquire them legitimately as possible to like, not tick people off in the village. Wait, where'd you go?"
He looks around, shrugs and goes back inside with the package. 

*Love Sensei: Break it down*
He doesn't resist. As long as its helping the show, he fine, though he is taking note of how the Otokage operates and what he uses and why. He reads the letter out, taking his time to process what is being written here. This one is a little more complicated.
"Ah, Citizen-Shinobi relationships. Not going to lie, always a little difficult. But don't worry, the Love-Sensei is in the house, and its time for serious diagnosin'. 

First of all my man, you got to stop thinking so negatively of yourself. Sure your not any of those other things, but your probably something they're not: safe, dependable, reliable, stable, grounded. What other people are don't matter, if she is dating you there is something about YOU that matters to HER, not to anyone else, focus on your positives not someone else's, and look for your own positives.

Second, don't pay attention to negative comments about your relationship from those people. If they don't support you being happy, they aren't your friends. Whether they talk to you again just because of something like that is their problem, not yours. What they are saying is nonsense, if your so ordinary then you have nothing to worry about being infiltrated over."
He silently resists the urge to make joke about him being ordinary because he might be hiding something.
"Anyways next we think about**: what is HER side of it? Kunoichi like all shinobi live hectic lives. I can't speak for her, but its not unheard of for shinobi to seek relationships with ordinary people just so they can have some normalcy and stability in their lives. You might be an island of peace and calm for her in an otherwise chaotic life! So when you cringe away from her, its just reminding her of the difference, when she might want somebody to just see her as a normal person like you and just be normal for a time before she has to return to it. But don't take my word for it- if you want to know, ask her yourself what she wants. Be honest with how you feel and she will be honest back.
So stay grounded, be positive and remember: its who you are that matters to her, not other people so be the best you 
that you can be."

----------


## Rater202

*Village Residential District.*

Senko, orphan of a nameless clan, lives alone in a small apartment in the Residential district of the Hidden Sound Village. Well, lives is a strange word. she sleeps there.

She spends most of her time at the laboratory, using her _genius_ intellect and academic knowledge of biology and how genes and physiology shape chakra, and likewise how chakra can shape biology, to assist in other research in exchange for assistance in her own field of research.

Jirou Ishikawa's research into artificial means of accessing senjutsu seemed quite promising since it seemed to imitate the enhanced genetic abilities of her own clan, and she'd willingly contributed to his research, but...

Currently, she was in her apartment. She'd worked late nights at the laboratory for the past two weeks and now she was being forced to take a day off becuase it wasn't "healthy" for a child of her age to work that much. Next, they'd turn around and say that her "special" genin rank, given for legal reasons more than anything, qualified her to go on missions and force her to go on missions to "socialize with kids in your age group." Did they not realize the danger? Every day she doesn't correct the flaws in the interaction between her genetic advantage and chakra nature was a day where she could not learn to control her berserk transformations. Did they _want_ a rampaging Sage Beast to tear through the village?

At least nobody was forcing her to wear shoes. _Yet._ Speaking of which, Senko channeled some of the senjutsu chakra built up into her body into her legs, letting black diamonds of various sizes flow from her knees down to her toes. Normally, this would be done to enhance the strength of her legs so that she could jump higher, run faster, or kick something harder. But right now, it was just to vent her sage energy before it built up to the point that she was driven mad by it.

Perhaps it was for the best that she was home today, anyway, she thought as she looked over some notes speculating on the reasons for the Uzumaki clan's retarded aging. She was expecting a package containing a copy of the notes of an academic who had been studying the Ice Release bloodline of the Yuki Clan, formerly of the Mist Village.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She walks up to this apartment after depositing the mail of the previous one and knocks. She puts on her best smile
"Letter for a Senko, from....Tetsurugi Kaguya?"
When let in, Senko will see a girl about her age, black silky flowing hair tied in a pony tail, wearing a pink kimono and wearing an umbrella on her back for some reason, holding out the letter. 
"Hi, I'm Yuuna Yuuki Yukimura but everyone just calls me Yuyuyu, I'm a new genin. I apologize if the normal mail man isn't here today, his horse got injured from one of the village mines bringing in mail from outside and now my team is working to deliver the mail in his stead, I hope your day is going well."
The notes whenever they are read will say this:
*Spoiler: Yuki Bloodline Theories*
Show


(Senko I have taken care to copy these notes as best I can for your reading, I apologize but I do not know enough for my own liking myself due to various factors expounded upon in the research notes proper- Tetsurugi)

The Yuki bloodline is a curious kekkei genkai, scientifically speaking. From a purely non-chakra perspective ice is just solid water. The chemical composition is unchanged, merely its energy state from a higher to lower one. Many Water affinity users have argued that it should be possible for normal water jutsu to achieve such an effect without a bloodlines use, like manipulating the energy within the water to be pulled out, yet numerous tests with water jutsu have proven this false. Indeed the claim is that the kekkei genkai somehow combines water and air chakra to form its ice, only possible through its bloodline. Thus ice in theory adheres to classical elemental theory rather than chemical theory in some manner but we have yet to figure out why, just like all other combined element jutsu. The Yuki have claimed this in the past, but given the nature of shinobi their word cannot be taken as true, as all clans of the ninja spread rumors to confuse, embellish and mystify their capabilities and its hard to tell what is folk tale or fact about them.

This kind of research would be hard and dangerous enough given that I'm trying to research a foreign shinobi's bloodline and therefore have numerous disadvantages to actually finding anything out about it. Even in normal conditions for someone in my position, the most that ethically can be done is to investigate recorded second-hand accounts of their sightings and battles from other shinobi that have bothered to say, but even then my sources are limited as I only have ninja from the Sound to call upon, which given our geographic position is not likely to encounter a Yuki even in normal circumstances. 
Recent events with the Bloody Mist's purge of all bloodlines from its village during the Third Shinobi War and thus the Yuki's escape has driven the Yuki clan into hiding. As a Kaguya who fled from the very same purge I know that some still exist, but they did not come with us in our exodus from the Land of Water. The fugitive clans were divided over whether to escape or to fight back from the shadows and the Yuki clan were on Kenzo Hoshigaki's side of continuing to fight against Yagura's regime. I know that there was fierce debate between Ryota Ishikawa and Kenzo Hoshigaki at the time, but over what is unknown as their conversations were private, but it led to Ryota leaving. As far as I know the Yuki Clan is still fighting from the shadows. We don't receive many reports about what is happening in the land of water, as the nation is more isolated from other and Yagura likes to keep a tight control over information and his oppressive policies economically benefit the Lands of Fire and Lightning too much for them to intervene in Water's troubles, as few companies wants to deal with Yagura at all. 
Most Yuki therefore are unknowns, but there is one Yuki we know of in the modern day Suzume Yuki, Kenzo Hoshigaki's right hand woman. Said to be a brilliant scientist and jounin level ninja interested in chakra theory herself and also known for being a jutsu thief. It is said in rumor that she can somehow make people show off their techniques in some way, that she has some power to mess with your mind and what few reports we have suggest that her ice mirrors sometimes show other people within them like some sort of film, but this could be exaggeration or lies. What is known for certain is that shipments of various supplies along the eastern coast sometimes sport residual ice from her leading the attack but we're still figuring out if the patterns of her attacks are different or similar to Kenzo's own.

What is generally recorded about their abilities is the famous ice mirror jutsu, known for how strange it is, but due to the fact that the user can move incredibly fast between mirrors, pretty much instantaneously, getting near an ice user in combat is pretty much suicide as there is more than instance of teams of otherwise competent shinobi suddenly dying from a slit throat when such mirrors appear. Most shinobi keep away rather than try to investigate due to this ability to create an environment of pretty much instant death. You get caught in that, your already dead. Recommended method of investigation is to send in clones and keep your real body away.
However this is just one technique of the ice user arsenal, one often used but it would not surprise if the Yuki clan has a small library of ice jutsu they keep to themselves and use the ice mirror jutsu as just its most famous one or public face to hide the full capabilities of the element. Indeed, there are legends of older era Yuki who have use their element differently, such as Komoyi of the Frozen Touch who rivaled the Hyuuga clan in taijutsu prowess during the First Shinobi War as he was able to freeze peoples blood or even their heart. Or Minuko the Razor Flake who was said she could kill with a mere snow flake honed to razor sharpness and came to be known as the Second White Death during the Second Shinobi War. Of course the First White Death, Turume Yuki during the Warring Clans Era was even more terrifying who is said to have wielded some kind of jutsu to induce hypothermia over entire battlefields and send blizzards at his foes.
The Yuki clan seems to seek out arctic or cold-adapted animals to make summoning pacts with, from arctic foxes to polar bears to penguins, seals, walruses, moose, birds, and the like to have synergy with their ice jutsu. This makes sense as few other ninja would seek out such summons and they probably have their own unique list of summons they keep in mind. Ancient Yuki during the warring clan era according to myth and legend even made pacts and summoned Yuki-Onna, the yokai from which they take their name. However no modern Yuki has ever demonstrated this ability and many question if Yuki-Onna even want to be summoned as the few attempts to reach out to that realm has ended with frozen shinobi, so we assume they want to remain isolated, so whether they can or ever could summon them remains ambiguous.

Now to get down to the actual theories of how the Ice Bloodline could work, is that while its not known for certain as all clans keep their bloodlines details secret to preserve its strength, there are a few theories of how it works:
-The Heat Manipulation Theory:
this theory tries to integrate the scientific and chakra sides of how ice works to form a cohesive mechanics of how it works. the theory goes that wind jutsu isn't actually "Wind" but rather the manipulation of energy with air as the medium they are limited to working within. combined with water and they are able to manipulate the energy state of water to somehow drain out the heat to make ice, but this theory has problems in that where does the heat go if the user has control over it? do they just let it dissipate into entropy? do they not know they could possibly suck up the heat to warm themselves? and it doesn't explain why or how the mirror jutsu works, unless they can somehow turn into energy, manipulate the energy of their reflection?

-The Chakra Elements Theory:
This theory focuses on the fact that this ice is made of or involved with chakra and that chakra has physics altering properties, reasoning that it instead functions as a material broadly _similar_ to ice but not quite real ice. The theory goes is that all the ice is made of chakra and thus is Chakra-Ice, or C-Ice, which explains why water jutsu users can't make it, because its not actually ice, and chakra water isn't actually water, the problems with this is that water jutsu users can manipulate real water just fine and so can ice jutsu users, so its inconclusive. 

-The Classical Elements Theory:
The next theory is that Chakra is actually a deeper more basic level of reality than atoms and thus that Chakra Ice is actually a more primal purer expression of ice than chemical ice thus explaining why ice can be manipulated yet why this ice has more properties than chemical ice.

-The Pocket Dimension Theory:
One of the crazier theories focuses on the ice mirror jutsu technique, claiming that their ice is actually crystallized pocket dimensions that they can go into, then transport to and from each other because its actually a space time jutsu that takes the appearance of ice. This doesn't really explain why its water and air element though, because space time jutsu doesn't really have elemental properties, and this theory is only here because no one knows if thats how the mirrors really work and its possible thats is a space time jutsu.

Of course there is a lot of debate over this topic as to how the Ice Bloodline works could provide numerous insights into how heat and the changing states of matter work due to the common nature of water and its vital functions to all life and its interaction with temperature, as well as how to approach a user of this bloodline as someone who could manipulate such things would be much prized for certain kinds of research in: chemistry, marine biology, hydrology, studying the weather and climate, human anatomy, potential medical applications, food preservation, heat regulation, and various other fields we do not have time to list here, not to mention the interesting contribution to the study of chakra one could make by finally having a willing combined elemental bloodline user show their abilities openly.

Further research will be needed, the logical course of action would be to find an actual Ice user of the Yuki Clan and figure out some way of negotiating them to give up their secrets for science, but given that would be interacting with a missing-nin and therefore a criminal at this current point in time especially one currently fighting an oppressive regime of a foreign country, it raises ethical questions that I'm not sure the shinobi world has answered yet. This issue should be treated with caution for the safety of everyone involved, including the researcher. 


There is probably more technical stuff on other pages of the notes breaking it down even more but this is pretty much the gist of it. Yuyuyu seems completely comfortable, fascinated and interested by the person who is answering the door.
"You live by yourself? You must be good at taking care of yourself, real responsible."

----------


## Rater202

Actually, redhead with the home-done pixie cut is somewhat younger than Yuyuyu though since she's also somewhat on the "freakishly tall" side the mistake is forgivable.

Yuyuyu may or may not make note of the fact that the girl who answered the door has a sound village forehead protector wrapped around one of her arms... The fabric on it looks slightly different though. Looks "stretchier." But she wouldn't have seen her at the academy.

If Yuyuyu looks down, she might note some rather extensive black tattoo work on the robed girl's legs.

"I would not know, I am usually not here to receive the mail in person. And yes, I am here alone. I am not sure why that would be impressive."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She blinks and readjusts 
".....Well I guess your right Senko, living alone isn't really impressive, I guess? Its more that I was complimenting how early you got to doing that, since everyone does that at some point, I was just saying your ahead of the curve. Most people don't do that until they're eighteen."
She looks at the armband.
"Your a shinobi? I've never seen you in the academy. Were you like someone who graduated a year ago and I just never paid attention? I apologize if I never did, so many people to get to know..."
Yuyuyu was sure she would remember someone like this, did she lose track? She probably had a lot to learn about this, but then again she probably lost track of most of the failures of her own class, which was y'know, most of the class given how stringent the requirements are.

----------


## Rater202

"I am a researcher. I primarily work at the laboratory. I was given a functional genin rank for legal reasons but have no formal shinobi training."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Her secret senses perk up. There is something going on here. Something interesting.
"Really? Thats interesting. Sounds like there is a story there, your research must be pretty important if they're making such an exception. You must be some kind of genius."
She leans in a little now even more interested.
"I'd like to know more. I can tell, your not somebody one meets every day."

*Meanwhile....Kimiko and Kikenna:*
Kimiko walks up to a different apartment. She knocks
"Hello! Letter for.....Kikenna Masuku?"
The address was not the Masuku household. Clan ninja generally lived together in the clan's house, so if this Kikenna was here in an apartment then she wasn't in good standing with the Masuku clan, or even disowned from it. She hears foot steps come up to the door...and it opens, revealing a tall woman with long black hair cared to be wild yet wavy just right to be seductive, her piercing blue eyes have a predatory look to them complimented by the smirk playing her lip-stick lips. Her clothes are all a little stylishly rakish or tilted to look more punkish, her chuunin jacket is unzipped, her top is sleeveless, bares her midriff and exposes her cleavage, and she walks with a smooth way to show what she has. She is the very image of what people think of a kunoichi: seductive, dangerous, deadly. 
"My my my.....what have we here?" 
Kikenna fixes Kimiko with a gleeful stare, as if coming upon a delicious cupcake. Kimiko does not know why but she is both afraid and....attracted at the same time. Kimiko could tell this one was dangerous, but she didn't know why. 
"....I am delivering a mail from.....Jirou Ishikawa...."
She holds out the letter flustered, and Kikenna snatches it, tears the letter open and begins reading silently, eyes darting faster and faster until she begins laughing. Like some demented cross between a hyena, a witch and the great singer you've ever heard, both beautiful and unsettling at the same time. 
"Ahahaha....Oh yes....this....is new. This is _interesting_. Yes. I think I'll meet him."
"Meet-m-meet him for what!?" 
Kimiko says with sudden vigor.
"Oh wouldn't you like to know....._little Kimi-chan_." 
Kikenna says turning back her gaze with a feral smile. Kimiko goes cold.
"How did you know that nickname for me." She asks numbly.
"Oh, as if _someone_ in the village _doesn't_ know about the Ishikawa's little rising star genius, as if your mother will _ever_ stop bragging about you." 
Kikenna says, caressing Kimiko's cheek.
"That....doesn't answer my question." she says trying to steady herself.
Kikenna giggles while she walks around Kimiko like a tiger stalking her prey, sinuous and wary.
"That is not for me to say. I cannot tell you, even if I would _love_ to. Oh yes. The things I can shatter....beautiful. but I can't. Not for what is offered. But I do say to you, Kimiko that you should start finding out more things yourself. The shinobi world is full of secrets and the deeper you go, the more you find. Your in a game that has been going long before either of us has been born, sure Ol' Hashi changed it drastically, but it still goes on. In my opinion, he didn't change it _enough_. You better be ready, 'cause our rounds coming and I intend....to make a _hell_ of a play! Don't worry, we'll be seeing more of each other from now on. You'll learn to love me."
She says as she puts the letter away out of Kimiko's reach. 
"w-What can you tell me then? About you and Jirou" 
Kimiko says, unnerved now because she is smart enough to catch the implications of some what she is saying.
"Simple: What we're doing? Is all for your own good." 
Kikenna begins closing the door amused by her expression.  
"Don't worry. You'll find out in time."
As the door closes Kimiko is not sure what to think. That was definitely not what she came to expect from a Masuku, they were supposed to be silent and serious not....that. Whatever that was. But it was clear that something is going on...

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Show off morbid sense of humor*

"Yes, I am quite intelligent and knowledgeable about a subject rather important to most shinobi: How one's genetic code and physiology impact their ability to use chakra and, likewise how chakra can alter one's body. My research is thus very important for a number of reasons. However, a great deal of my exact research is currently classified, if you want to know more..."

Senko produces a shiny, clean, and _very_ sharp scalpel from within her robe and holds it up in an experienced hand.

"Strip naked and lay on the kitchen table. I have been needing a live subject for study and if you survive I will explain everything."

She says this just as evenly and straight-faced as she's said everything else.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She blinks twice. She takes this surprisingly well.
"....Oh, are you a certified medic nin to? Now THAT is impressive. I've been told medical jutsu is a really difficult field requiring a lot of chakra control to so precisely operate on the human body. How smart are you to be trusted to do such an experimental procedure?"
She looks and sounds genuine the whole time and on some level she completely is, wanting to know as much as possible, but if Senko is observant she might observe a hand drifting to her kunai pouch while making the movement look completely natural with the rest of her body language as if she did it carelessly or out of habit. 
"But wait, shouldn't I have to sign a consent form about this? I'm pretty sure the village wants that sort of thing recorded so that its legally cleared up and everything."
She is not used to the subtleties of Senko's body language or mannerisms so she can't tell its a joke yet. So she tries to look at it in the most positive way she can.

----------


## Rater202

"...That was a joke. I would never vivisect a colleague. Again."

"The truth of the matter is that I am primarily assisting the other researchers in exchange for assistance in researching a... Cure, if you will, for a non-lethal complication that turns what should be an advantage into a liability. Do they teach the basics of chakra formation, elemental theory, and nature transformation in the academy or are you expected to learn that from your jonin instructor?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She decides not to question further about the again part of that statement.
"Oh. Huh. That was very dry. Sorry, I guess my sense of humor is not uh...anyways! Chakra formation and elemental theory yes, but actual nature transformation is often restricted to being taught to Chuunin....not that it matters for some people..."
Kimiko's paper release bloodline was a nature transformation, so she can't really be able to use her abilities without being ahead of the curve in some manner. She thinks. The basic nature transformations were well known in how they work but the combined ones were all bloodlines belonging to specific clans and thus kept secret to outsiders making it hard to figure out the true nature of them. Sometimes a kekkai genkai looks like it does one thing but actually does another, due to how their clan hones techniques to deceive outsiders.
"...Lets just say I have a friend who informed me of nature transformation anyways."

----------


## Rater202

"Well, in addition to the five standard elements, there are two additional nature types accessible to theoretically anyone that are not within the elemental wheel at all: Yin Release and Yang Release, combined to become Yin-Yang release. If you are familiar with basic chakra formation you know that chakra is composed of roughly equal parts vital energy, drawn from the surplus of energy store n your body's cells which can be cultivated by good health habits, and spiritual energy cultivated by specialized training or meditation. Yang release is used in medical ninjutsu or any ninjutsu that doesn't seem to fit within the normal elemental spectrum but that affects the material world. Yin release is used in almost all genjutsu, in techniques that manipulate the immaterial, or in the case of particularly powerful techniques creating something from pure chakra. Combined, Yin-Yang release, the only hybrid release that can be used by anyone, results in techniques that manipulate the fabric of reality or create something and then imbue life into it."

"I have no direct affinity for any of the five elements, but I do have a particularly strong affinity for Yang Release. Or, in laymen's terms, I have stronger life energy than I do spiritual energy, to an unusual degree. By itself, this would not be a problem, but I also possess an inherent genetic ability--Kekkei Genkai would be the common term, though I find it somewhat unscientific, that complicates the matter."

"In addition to spiritual and vital energy, there exists a third energy naturally produced and consumed by the planet and all things living on it. There is a surplus of this natural energy that freely flows and circulates through the atmosphere imperceptible to the majority of beings. A variety of techniques exist for sensing this energy and bringing it within your body where it must be combined and balanced with your spiritual and vital energies less your body mutate and eventually turn to stone as you are reclaimed by nature. individuals who have mastered the ability to combine natural energy with their chakra are called Sages, and the techniques performed by them, enhanced by natural energy, are the sage arts, or senjutsu."

"My nameless clan's 'Kekkai Genkai' allows those it manifests in to sense natural energy without training and to draw it in and mold it into senjutsu chakra as a matter of instinct and reflex. Furthermore, we are able to deliberately alter our bodies using senjutsu chakra, weaponizing the otherwise only harmful properties of improperly done senjustsu. However, since we are constantly drawing in natural energy from the atmospheric surplus, there's a certain... defense mechanism that ensures that excess senjutsu chakra is vented. Unfortunately, this tends to cause collateral damage."

"To remove the risk of damage to myself and those around me, I have to not only regularly use up my reserves of senjutsu energy"

Senko's fingers grow longer, turn orange, and her nails extend into shape blades not unlike the scalpel she was holding earlier.

"I must become a Sage. In order to become a Sage, I must master true senjutsu and not just my inherent transformations. In order to master senjutsu, I must have perfect or near-perfect chakra control, and the unbalanced nature of my chakra combined with the fact that my vital and spiritual energy is passively tapped to create senjutsu chakra..."

Senko's hands return to normal and she goes through a handful of hand signs. "Sage Art: Clone Jutsu!"

With a puff of smoke, a version of Senko that at best resembles a sickly pale, reanimated corpse manifests, opens its mouth to moan silently, then melts into a pile of mud with various plant and animal parts jutting out before shimmering out of existence.

"Had I attempted an ordinary clone, it would have simply resulted in a pulse of almost pure yang chakra with no effect whatsoever. a side effect of my inherent genetic abilities is that my already yang imbalanced chakra is unbalanced to the point of becoming unstable and thus, almost completely uncontrollable."

"My professional research is something I can't speak to, but my personal research is into a scientific means of either solving this instability or otherwise improving my chakra control."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She smiles as she listens intently to this long explanation. Its okay, this was the last stop on her route, so she has time to listen and everyone elses mail is delivered. Yep, this was familiar ground, just like Kimiko when she gets explanatory except more about senjutsu and less about chakra in general. This sounded like things Kimiko has rambled on about before.
"I see, like a sponge that needs to be wrung out."
She says to help herself understand it more than anything else. Her eyes widen at the failed clone
"Ah. No wonder I haven't seen you around. That would've never passed the genin exam in the academy."
This girl seemed unaware that telling her so much about her bloodline was frowned upon in ninja society, but being the nosy secret-seeker that she is, Yuyuyu was not going to stop her. She wouldn't be surprised if Senko's very existence was a well kept secret to make sure the other villages don't know about her. An unusual chakra situation like her wasn't ideal for a ninja, but as a researcher to figure out secrets about yang chakra and senjutsu? She was perfect. Though she did have the presence of mind to not speak of what was not a personal secret, which was good. This made her curious what exactly the sound Village was working that involved senjutsu? It would make sense, it was quite a powerful source of energy.
"I myself specialize in genjutsu, so its interesting to see someone on the other side of that, you understand your stuff real well to give a detailed explanation like that. I'll keep what you said about yin chakra in mind, look more into it. I hope you do become a sage, having your condition sounds difficult. I work with a ninja whose legs are nonfunctional and she doesn't give up trying to achieve what she wants either. You kinda remind me of both my teammates in different ways."

----------


## Rater202

"Has she considered prosthetics? My primary specialty is chakra composition and unique genetic abilities but I have a decent knowledge of most aspects of biology. I am technically supposed to be on a mandated 'day off' but they can not really stop me from offering my skills to help a fellow sound ninja."

The notes on Ice Release would have to wait until she was back in the lab to be of any use regardless.

"If you and your team are not too busy with your mission."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
"Oh don't worry she has summons, having no legs doesn't hinder her at all, she kept up with our resident top of the class clan genius in a duel, she does NOT need them, and she is stubborn and hot-headed enough to deny you the offer. Believe me I have tried offering that to her in the academy multiple times and she turned it down each time."
She switches topics
"As for my team, I'm finished with my route, don't know about the rest, though Usagi is delivering mail to the Otokage's office so who knows how that'll go."

(OOC: Igor doesn't want us giving a cure to Usagi, so he made the nature of her leglessness is plot levels of incurable due to magic. technically the SOUL parts of her legs are gone as well, but Yuyuyu wouldn't know this.)

----------


## Rater202

"All the shame then."

"If there is nothing else I should get back to my studying."

Back to little productivity in her spartan apartment.

(Senko wouldn't know that though, and it could have been a segue into meeting the other PCs.)

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi ride Yojimbo toward the radio tower.
"Back off civies! Letters to the Ottokage are coming through!" She yelled.
The overly seriouse expriession of Yojimbo might make this look legitmly urgnet.


----
Again the Ottokage make seals to make Jirou's words almost unnaturally acceptable.
"Yes. Also opposite complete each other is a known trope."
It wasn't very funny, if it could even be considered a joke at all, but probably most listeners laughed at it.
"Finally. Our last letter for today.' He slip another letter at Jirou.

_Dear Love Sensei.
I am promised as a bride to someone for years. He is an ok guy. Isn't my dream prince in white kimono, but he won't beat or be terrible.
We are "dating" for three years, and I don't feel attracted to him, and either he is too inward kind of person, either he isn't attracted to me.
My grandma say, I don't try hard enough, we are about to marry in one year.
And to make this worst, my best friend got married with someone... terrible, but someone terrible she has chosen. He is also a sort of  a "bad guy" which when he look at me, my heart skip a beat.
But I am a girl of duty and family, but at this point, I am frusrated, and at the same time jealuse of my friend.
Sometimes, I just want to run away far as possible... but I will hurt people I care about."_

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Commit Hypocrisy*
He thinks carefully how to word this. He can't just say that she should run away, that wouldn't look good on radio. The culture of the shinobi nations were very clan-based, putting family before individual. Advising her in a way that didn't adhere to those values could potentially tick off a lot of people. But he knew his priorities, and hypocrisy was the least of the crimes shinobi had to commit in their lives, if need be.
"It seems to be this one is stuck in quite a quagmire of love. Bound to another without a choice, but another has chosen a horrible heartthrob who she wants. I will be honest, there is no easy solution to this. Love isn't something built in a day, but just because you spend the time, doesn't mean it will happen. I can't promise you'll love the arranged man if you just try hard enough, that ain't how it works. He seems lukewarm towards you as well, so agree to be lukewarm with him and whatever the relationship it is...is what it is. No one outside the two of you can change that. Running away won't help, but neither will pretending the relationship is anything more than it is for the sake of duty. What your real relationship with him is only what you two decide it to be, no matter what your family says even if you "marry", that is just a ceremony. The only meaning your relationship has is what you choose to invest into it."
He hopes that it will do. He has no intention of applying this advice to Kimiko. Not even if Otokage brings it up with him thinking he can be clever with this. Jirou does not care how hypocritical or deceptive he has to be about this.

*Radio Tower*
The chuunin guarding the tower are surprised by a bunny with a genin on its back charging towards them and get out of the way and you bound up the radio tower leaping here and there and causing a general ruckus. Some of the Chuunin chase after Usagi comedically
Two of them say 
"should we let the Otokage know!?"
"What, no he is in a Love Sensei session! If Usagi breaks in, it will ruin the atmosphere!"
"but my keen eyes caught her letter, its a love sensei one! It needs to be read to solve its romantic foibles!"
"By the kamis, crazy own village genin...I swear they're harder foes than deadly jounin sometimes, at least we can kill them!"
What will you do in this wacky hijinx situation of chuunin trying to chase you through the tower? 

*Yuyuyu*
"Oh. Okay then. Bye, I guess."
She walks away and closes the apartment door behind her.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozoji has smirked self mentally. One session won't be enough of course.
He wasn't even sure, he wanted to change Jirou's mind.
But he wanted him to make an _informed_ decision. 
Sooner or later, it will be hopefully Jirou's problem.
"I had a good feeling about you, Love Sensei. I gave you material, that is usually is only third of an episode for a normal Love Sensei. Now, that our listeners aware of your exprience and wisdom, maybe we can interview each other? It's how we do in the end of every episode. The crowd love my interactions with the love senseis"
----

Yojimbo is looking back. "Are we doing a crime, Usagi-san?"
He has asked,while running on the wall of the raido tower.
'What? No! Crimes are for losers like the Bye Bye Kitties! I am simply DETERMINED!"
She toss bells toward the chunins, trying to make them ring, and distract them even for the hundredth part of a second,  to get a lead

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Radio Tower:*
The Chuunin cover their ears at this and you begin to head towards one of the studio doors where some chuunin are gathering to try and stand in her way.
"Stop! Don't let her get in! The Otokage's in there!"
Usagi is rapidly closing in upon the Love Sensei show. What wills he do?

*Jirou:*
He could tell that the Otokage was playing the long game. But it didn't matter what Jirou thought, Jirou knew. It matters what Kimiko thinks. And Kimiko will soon be surrounded by outcasts and free-thinkers unbound by the thoughts Nozojo wished to instill. Eventually their influence will outweigh his own. He knew he was a sacrifice, and had always been one. Shinobi are always sacrifices. The only question is to whom, to what cause. The least powerful ninja knew not what they were sacrificing for but the most powerful one knew exactly all the things they were. As long as he kept his real goal in mind, there was nothing he could not do.
"Very well Otokage-sama, do you want to start off or should I?"

*Kimiko:*
As she is walking back she is passing by a radio store...a radio on that very channel, playing out front.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Get back to what's important*

The surprisingly pleasant distraction done with, Senko returns to her work: She gets to work on the Ice Release notes, deciphering them and pooling the information contained within with her own.

----------


## igordragonian

*The Show Of Love Sensei*

"Heh. Well, I guess I'll start." Nozojo said. 
He really wished he had time, to befriend Jirou. He really did.
But the Second Ottokage might have only few weeks left.
Using drastic measures against all odds was kind of the village's thing.

"Usually in this show, we are talking about a romantic love. But love has so many forms. Nakama. Family. Even pets. Sometimes, they are stronger then a romantic love. What.. is the strongest love, you have ever exprienced, Oh Sensei?"
As a host, he is quite brutal with this akward question, it's quite rare for him.

----

Usagi smile with a wild pleasure. 
She send another bell niddle with a talisman attached to it-
It's simply a noise bomb.
"Boom" for distraction, if it work she simply charge forward, and Yojimbo kick the door open.
(And possibly save Jirou from an akward question)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*A Pebble Drops:*
There are moments in life where every thing lines up in strange coincidences, into a single moment seemingly small, that could change more than you ever thought possible. Like a pebble being dropped into a pond sending ripples out into the edges.  

Jirou would have no trouble answering the question honestly: his identity is protected while Kimiko if she was possibly listening (she is though he doesn't know that) wouldn't care about some random person on the radio admitting some gushy love nonsense. She would go about her day and get back to experimenting on her seals and jutsu and reading her books. In another world that is what would've happened. It did not. So what happens is:
"My Otokage I would admit my deepest felt love is-"
The Chuunin covers their ears again as Usagi bursts through the door, the bomb effective. Unfortunately using certain weapons does not prepare for them to be used against you, and not all Chuunin are the most dedicated of people to training especially when working in places that don't see a lot of action.

The door slam ringing out, make both Jirou and Kimiko turn their heads as the "host" of Love Sensei, stops talking mid sentence to turn his head in surprise and see Usagi there, and in this moment blurts out in confusion in his normal voice and speech pattern:
"Usagi? What are you doing here?"

Thus Kimiko hears Jirou's voice without him speaking differently to cover it up through the radio. At the same time Usagi sees Jirou turn to look at her right next to the Otokage. While the voice is 50% blurred, Kimiko has heard her brother speak her entire life and is a genius unlike any other. She notices the change in the way the voice is speaking to someone whose speech pattern she has heard for longer than she can remember, particularly the way he said Usagi. If others can figure it out in a week, Kimiko can figure it out in seconds.
"Brother? What is he doing on a stupid broadcast like that? With the Otokage? And what was with that love letter?"
She frowns. This was all out of character for him. Kimiko knows that Jirou is a fellow nerd. Neither of them have love lives. His position was a researcher, he was too important to guard the Otokage while he converses with some hypothetical other host. Between Kikenna, his odd behavior across the past few days and now this, there was definitely something going on. Something Kimiko did not know. Something Kimiko wanted to know. Something she was now determined to find out. Far from saving Jirou, Usagi has unknowingly made it all that much worse.

It is a small moment. But the smallest of moments can make the biggest of waves.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi doesn't mind consequences much.
Nope.
"Yata!" She cry in victory.

The Ottokage stare with shock, "Na..nani?"
Usagi jump off Yojimbo's shoulder land on one hand, and give the letter right to the Ottokage's hands.
"Ha! Mission perfectly accomplished! Everything I do, I do to the best in beyond! You mail is here, Otokage-Sama!"
Nozojo cough, and decide to show self assurance.
"Yes. Indeed! This is... a surprise letter! Yes!" And hand it over to Jirou.

Usagi. "Ok. Yojimbo, we should go!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

(OOC: I'm gonna be fair, I kinda led Usagi to this, so I'm not going to enforce consequences for her if your not.)

*Love Sensei: Regain Composure*
As the letter is handed off and Usagi leaves while the Chuunin stand around bewildered and just...kinda let you leave since the Otokage doesn't order them to do anything in particular and just awkwardly go back to whatever they're doing. Jirou of course regains composure and reads and answers the letter aloud in his "Love Sensei" tone and speaking once more then answers it, its nothing special or particularly standout. So of course he has to resume the interview, but this time, he is berating himself for making that voice slip up, and of course, Usagi seeing him here. If she goes back to Kimiko and tells her this who knows what she might think? At least Usagi didn't say his name out loud. His identity was still safe and he still doubted that Kimiko was listening to something like this, and its always possible that he could fool people into thinking he was one of the chuunin standing guard or something while the love sensei was someone different.
"As I was saying my Otokage, getting back to the earlier topic, I would say the strongest love I ever felt was filial, the love of a brother towards a younger sibling. The love of willing to sacrifice for their happiness, no matter what, because I know how hard it can be, and I want them to grow beyond what I've had to endure. The love I'd say, that one feels for all of the younger generation, and a willingness to make sure they become greater than we can ever imagine. A love that is willing to see what unknowns they traverse....and what great things are born from it. For nothing is achieved if they don't go forth to do so, no matter how dangerous it is."
His gaze is steady as he stares the Otokage, there is a steel in those eyes. A quiet, but stubborn steel that has endured someone ordering him to fit their image before and knows how to get what he wants despite his loyalty and obedience. 

*Kimiko:*
Is of course now intently listening in. This doesn't make sense to her, and she needs all the information she can get. Yuyuyu is walking back and stops before Kimiko
"Kimiko what you doi-"
"Sshh. Listening."

*Usagi:*
You and Team 2 are heading back and will converge on say the training ground, and how long until Kimiko gets back is dependent on how long the love sensei show is going to take, what they talk about and how insistent Yuyuyu is going to get.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo nod.
"Poetic. I respect that" try to play cool, and just... let the incident be for now.

He will have a long conversation with Odayama afterward.
And the chunins.
Excitable Genins is an issue, but his guards can't be this helpless.
Maybe it good thing it happend by Usagi, and not HIM.
HE. Wouldn't just leave an akward letter.

"So. Now it is your turn.'

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Philosophise While Frustrated*

The treatise on Ice release, while useful in its own way, was sadly another example of a recurring obstacle in her research: The clans and their horrific habit of jealously guarding the secrets of their advanced genetic capabilities.

It was so terribly unscientific. Advancement as a society was only possible as humanity gained a greater awareness of itself, the world around it, and how they interacted. Chakra in all of its myriad forms and the advanced genetic factors that resulted in the ability to see the unseen, combine the five basic elements into greater more potent and esoteric forms of chakra release were almost _unprecidented_ means by which an individual could observe an aspect of the spiritual and metaphysical aspects of reality.

But the clans' almost suicidal secrecy and hoarding of power for themselves prevented the chance to make such examinations: Senko should not have to do everything herself when it comes to this research. She should be standing upon the soldiers of giants, but it seems that the only scientific observations about the majority of advanced bloodlines and even _basic_ applications of chakra were hoarded by those who made them and, it seemed, were limited to untested hunches and methods of killing others.

It was almost as if the Clans and the scientists of individual villages _wanted_ society to stagnate, to become limited to a handful of families who lived in relative luxury while everyone else suffered under a war-economy instead of a world where all men prospered and lived as Gods, both harmoniously one with Nature and its Master. But no, nobody could possibly be _that_ selfish and evil.

It was getting to the point that she feared she'd have to go out into the field herself and _take_ samples for study. She just hoped she wouldn't have to kill someone just for a chance to study their body. Slaying a villain and then profiting from the death was one thing, but to assassinate, say, an Uchiha _solely_ to remove their eyes for study or direct their brain to see how it differed from that of a non-Uchiha would be no better than common homicide.

For the greater good, scientific progress and all that, but Senko will not lie to herself: All of her interest in these fields is as much for her own benefit, to augment herself into a form better able to use Chakra and her Sage Transformations, as it was for the benefit of others.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
Hm, what question to ask?
"Very well, my Otokage....remember the second to last letter, if both men in it were horrible, how would answer it?"
He says posing a tough serve back. He can't afford to play soft with a leader of a village. and he already knows what answer he'd get if he posed the same question back at him, it'd be pointless.

*Kimiko:*
Lets just say that she listens to the broadcast however long it goes on and gets back to the rest of the group with Yuyuyu to meet up Usagi and all of team 2 on the training ground. If there is no socializing Usagi is interested in doing with Team 2, Mubona is going to show up and say
"Hey! I see your all finished! NOW! I say we must SPAR! Spar with the PASSION OF YOUTH!"
He strums his electric guitar
"How would like to spar young ones!? we can either do it in teams or in one on one sparring."
"I want one on one." says Naneko glaring at Kimiko
"Me too." she says glaring back, both girls suspecting things beyond the gaze.
"Yeah but team sparring would build team cohesion better."
"I'd be up for team sparring!" 
Kazuo says, knowing there would be more distractions to used so he can run away. He knew Miho's strength.
"I'd be okay with either." Miho says
They turn to Usagi to break the tie.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Develop a reason to leave the House*

Senko had been about to add the theories about Ice Release to a list of theories about other inherited Elemental Releases when she was interrupted by a pang of hunger.

That couldn't be right, she'd just eaten... She checked a clock. And then she blinked. It'd been over twenty-four hours since she'd eaten anything. No problem, there's no reason she can't take ten minutes to eat something and then get back to research.

Except when she checked her kitchen, she found a nearly empty refrigerator and bare pantries.

"...When was the last time I bought groceries?"

Maybe her superiors at the ninja research laboratory had a point about her working too much.

No matter. She was paid decently well for her lab hours and lived spartanly. She could easily afford to buy a few days worth of groceries and...

Another pang of hunger had her decide to grab a bit of extra cash and stop at a noodle stand before heading to the market place. Never sho hungry was an adage for a reason, and the stand did have a very good teriyaki-vegetable ramen that was quite reasonably priced.

(Don't feel obligated to do anything with this, I'm just posting to post.)

----------


## igordragonian

*Otokage*
"Heh. From all questions... alright." Nozojo say.
"Well. We don't have all the background details, but first, I would suggest her to talk to her parents. Most parents wouldn't want their child to *suffer*. But if you are pressing me... well. If shs care, then she would hev to live with that, and if not. Well. She can decide otherwise. There are ain't perfect soluations. Sometimes, we are just managing losses.'
---
Usagi cringe in indecision.
"Mmmm... one on ones are cool..."  she think
 Her pride... she wanted to prove she is as good as any other ninja.
But... their battle with Futility-San was... bad. They stepped on each other's toes all the time.
Next time, a smarter enemy might capitalize on that.
"Let's do teams. It is more similiar on how we operate on missions anyway.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Love Sensei*
"....A somber answer, Otokage. Next question for me then?"
He says, knowing that talking to the parents wasn't an option for Kimiko- which explains why he didn't think of it. His own situation biased him. At the same time, he had to remember why he was doing this. He'd gladly be the world's greatest hypocrite and hold two contradictory ideas in his head if it meant Kimiko would be free to grow as she pleased. 

*Team 3 Vs. Team 2: Fight!*
Mubona will shout passionately 
"Very well! Team fight is.....CHOSEN!! I will be the referee! and musical accompaniment!"
He leaps away to land upon a conveniently placed rock, and takes out his electric guitar, gives you a moment to get into positions to get ready, then will yell
"GO!" 
While playing a song of fighting dreamers. Your not sure how he is playing it with only that instrument, but its probably some genjutsu he figured out.

At the same instant, Kazuo runs right into the trees like a coward good ninja to hide and probably plant traps and who knows what else. 

Then as soon the music starts up, it stops as Naneko forms a bunch of hand seals and says
"Silence Jutsu."
because now you hear NOTHING. Not even your own voice or the footsteps you make on the ground. Yuyuyu tries to use kai to release it as if it was a genjutsu but it doesn't work and while she is doing that she is distracted from Miho suddenly forming white bone gauntlets on her hands then speeds forward incredibly fast to punch Yuyuyu right in the jaw to send her flying into a tree and knocking her out instantly, unable to get a defense up in time against Miho's superior speed and strength and the silence jutsu making her anyone unable to shout a warning. 

Kimiko reacts and jumps away up into a tree seeing this and drawing her blade to stay away from the monstrous taijutsu user then turns her attention towards Naneko, while noticing she can hear again. There was a range of effect to this? The situation just turned south fast, Team 2 clearly has a strategy they have already worked out to fight people with and had executed the opening moves perfectly, even if the numbers were even without Kazuo here. Kimiko therefore leaps forward to go after Naneko to stop her silence, while Kaguya begins to turn towards Usagi, seeing her as the next most vulnerable and weak target after Yuyuyu- and Usagi saw how quickly she closed the distance between them. This girl's taijutsu is _insane_ by genin standards, and Miho was the most obviously dangerous one of Team 2. There is no doubt that if she gets close, Usagi's done.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo nodded.
"If a man sacrafice others for the sake of his love. Is he selfish, or altruistic?"
-----

Usagi internly regreted choosing team battle.
But no time to whine.
On Yojimbo's back she run away, shooting arrows to slow Miho's down, trying to lead her between the trees.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Love Sensei:*
Jirou says
"My Otokage, one could spend all day waxing philosophic about whether an action makes one altruistic or selfish and get nowhere! Such labels are the result of viewpoint and perception, like it or not they are created to fit our preference for how we view the world. A person thus inherently thinks of themselves as selfless and altruistic if they aren't beating themselves up, and others they don't like as selfish. There are multiple forms of love and multiple forms of sacrifice. Who am I to say one form of sacrifice for which form of love is better than another? Who am I to judge? After all, it is the shinobi's lot that we all sacrifice, and what is "duty" and what is "love" becomes blurred and hard to make out. We are all people existing regardless of what people think of us and only changing in response to their perception because how it affects our own. I'd wager there is many answers to this question as there are people in the world."
He wasn't entirely sure about himself honestly. He could see his own sacrifices for family and his village as both selfless and selfish. There was no such thing as pure intentions, and he did not particularly care if there wasn't.
"If you want a hard stance from me however: Questions of altruism and selfishness have nothing to do with the emotions behind them. Physically speaking, an action is altruistic if it serves the good of people of greater number than yourself and an action is selfish if it serves yourself. but then again I guess an action that serves both you and other people is both altruistic and selfish, so in conclusion I'd say such sacrifice done out of love for another is both-for the other benefits, and you are happy to see them benefit and thus you benefit as well."

*Team 3 Vs. Team 2*
Kimiko thrust her paper blade at Naneko, the sword extending out with each stab at her, Naneko dodging side to side to keep ahead of the blade. Seeing as Kimiko has the ranged advantage, Naneko leaps back and rapidly forms more hand signs and says
"Blind Genjutsu."
Suddenly Kimiko's visions turn completely black. As if someone shut off her eyesight. She quick with a "release!" and burst of will and chakra regains sight in time for Naneko to tackle her to the ground and try to pin and the struggle against each other, rolling around as they do so.
"What are you up to!?"
"This again? I look I agree something is going on, but I think its with my brother? I think we both know that know too little, but if we want to know more, we need to investigate before jumping to conclusions! Its best done together."
"...Your right. Proper gathering of information to, is the way of the shinobi."
They break free from trying to grapple each other and jump away, each to assess the other. Kimiko knows however she can't let her blind her again, if Naneko succeeds in pinning her or other form of incapacitating her, it might as well be Team 2's victory.

Miho as she stays in hot pursuit of Usagi crosses her arms in front of her to block the arrows in a boxing guard pose with her bone gauntlets, deflecting them as she runs to keep up as you head into the trees and out of the silence zone. As you do so, the trees become thicker and thicker, and it becomes harder to maneuver for both of you, and if you make sure to go between trees its harder for her to keep up, as she isn't strong enough to break through trees with her strength so she has to change direction and deal with the branches around her, even if you do to. You are now amid a forest making movement more difficult and full of trees to exploit and Miho is trying to take potshots at you with
"Dance of the Cactus: Spike Shots!"
Every once in a while, firing conical bursts of bone shards out of her arms in your general direction- they're not sharp or flesh-penetrating but they can bruise and hurt all the same. What do you do?

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Put Away Groceries*

Senko has returned from the market and is now putting away a few days worth of easily prepared meals.

And thinking... she may, in fact, have hit the limits of what she can learn from reading notes and dissecting the occasional cadaver...

She had been throwing herself into her research to a greater and greater degree for lesser and lesser results.

Once the supplies for the next few days were put away, Senko left her apartment and started heading for the village's training grounds. Either there will be an area free and she would be able to get some fresh air and take a moment to reacquaint herself with nature, or if every area was occupied she might be able to convince a few colleagues to let her observe their training. Maybe seeing chakra being used "in the field" might allow her to gain some missing insight.

(Since you've established that the sparring and the Love Sensei thing aren't happening concurrently, would it be okay to rule that Senko's lunch and short trip to the market take place during the broadcast? If yes, Senko can be soft introduced to the rest of the team, and to the other team, via her either observing or being dragged into their exercises. Otherwise, I can do a post or two of her taking a moment to center herself and or venting some excess chakra.)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Earlier: Senko, Meet Kimiko At least Already*
At some Senko walks by Yuyuyu and Kimiko listening to some radio, Kimiko being more focused than Yuyuyu.
"Oh hey Senko! How ya doing?"
Kimiko isn't entirely distracted from the radio, but she turns her head, always keeping one ear on it just to listen.
"Oh, a friend of yours, Yuyuyu?"
"Just this genin I delivered mail to earlier. Real nerdy like you."
"Really? They're interested in how chakra works as well?"
"Basically yeah....your usually more excited by that. Also why are you listening to this stupid radio show for hopeless romantics again? I know you too well to ever actually like this sort of thing.,"
"Yeah. Sorry. This isn't a normal day for me. It might just...have clues for something I have my suspicions about, nothing concrete. Anyways, Senko right? I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius Heiress of the Ishikawa Clan, and your looking at someone who is both the top of her class and dealt the killing blow to a dangerous missing nin on her first day, someone who will one day acquire all jutsu and unlock secrets of chakra like never before."
She says boasting, taking clear pride in her accomplishments. Even on a day like this, she still can't resist bragging. She has the same name as the sister Jirou mentions sometimes.  
"Whats your deal? Never seen you around before."
Yuyuyu will whisper to Senko
"I'm sorry, she is just like this, but normally more so."

----------


## Rater202

"You are aware of the 'special' Jonin designation, given to shinobi who are not technically qualified to be Jonin as they lack the well rounded, general skill set it requires but are more than sufficiently skilled to take on the responsibilities due to their extreme specialization? For legal reasons, I was awarded a genin rank on similar logic: I have no formal shinobi training and a... disability is the wrong word, that makes genjutsu impossible and ninjutsu useless, but a significant level of skill at martial arts, a 'Kekkei Genkai,' though I dislike the term, that renders my physical abilities greater than one would expect for one of my age, a prodigious intellect, and enough academic knowledge within the fields of biology and chakra composition with a specific specialty in how they overlap to qualify as an expert in those fields. I am technically on-call for the same missions that a genin of my age and experience level, though I am unlikely to be called on a mission I did not volunteer for unless there is a labor shortage that ninja have to step in to compensate for or an otherwise greater than normal demand, but I primarily work in the research laboratory assisting the other Ninja Researchers with my knowledge."

"You are Kimiko Ishikawa? I have worked with your brother on occasion, though I am not at liberty to speak about what exactly."

"In other words, unlocking the secrets of chakra is what I do for a living. More specifically, my personal research is under the underlying mechanisms of the inherent genetic advantages some families and individuals possess in the manipulation of chakra and how different forms of chakra influence physiological developments. Or, in short, I study Kekkei Genkai, Kekkei Tota, and certain subclassifications fo Hidden Techniques as well as phenomena like the healing factors possessed by certain members of the Senju Clan or the Uzumaki Clan's unusual longevity... Though outside of my own nameless clan's abilities... Well, I do not think I need to explain clan politics and the attendant system of secrecy to a clan heir."

"I am more than sure that you can comprehend how absolutely frustrating it makes my work."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Earlier, Kimiko:*
A strange kind of hope suddenly alights in Kimiko's eyes. One that says _Finally. Someone who understands._
"I know right? I have struggled with the problem of figuring out how to gain all jutsu when some of are either hiden, locked behind bloodline or are just another nation's forbidden jutsu! The more I think about it, the more it seems the entire system of shinobi nations seems designed against knowledge. Just think: we don't even know what research other shinobi villages are carrying out! What the benefits would be if the knowledge was pooled! Even my own family which has stolen jutsu for generations lacks the knowledge they had after they fled from Kiri. 

Or for another example: we have medical nin to heal broken bones and treat ninjas for their most severe injuries, yet we lack the knowledge to treat a single normal boys deafness! I of course have my own plans to acquire all this knowledge but ah...I think you'll understand if I'd rather keep them private."
Yuyuyu rolls her eyes
"what you going to go chasing after fairy tale nonsense like the Rinnegan?"
"Hey! People with Dojutsu have been known to have a higher mastery of chakra control and have been known to come up with tricks with chakra that no one else has faster! Something like the Rinnegan could be possible!"
"Thats what you said about those legends of the Sharingan doing ridiculous things like making tailed beasts sized constructs made of chakra from nowhere, or killing people with black fire when fire emits light, or that one stupid legend about it being able to turn the user into an illusion to avoid an attack- of course its avoided, illusions aren't real so the persons already dead!"
"Look I told you before about my theory of dojutsu's true power is the ability to actually _see_ chakra so that one can actually figuring out how to mold it unlike the rest of us who need to fumble around in trial and error, they have a higher understanding we will never get unless we find a way to see it to!"
"Or maybe you should buying into nonsense that the Uchiha clan themselves probably put out to convince people they're so strong! The moon isn't a freaking tailed beast corpse, its a bunch of rock formed from gravitational forces. and again: where would you get the high amounts of chakra to do things like these myths claim?
"I don't know, but I'm not going to find out if I don't search, Yuyuyu. Dismiss such things out of hand, and you've already given up! Right Senko?"
"Okay but don't come crying to me when it all turns out to be exaggerated tales conjured by some ancient priest who spent too much time indoors with a mastery of genjutsu and Uchiha being their own hype men."

----------


## Rater202

"Actually, there are in fact confirmable records of certain Dojutsu granting abilities that are unrelated to vision: There are two separate clans that possess eyes that grant an instinctual ability to use Genjutsu, one of which also somehow allows for the manipulation of blood."

"There are also records that suggest that Uchiha Madara possessed some ability to control, at the very least, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and possessed some ability to clad it in armor. While it is possible that the handful of Eye-witnesses was exaggerating, or perhaps that Madara was a Jinchuriki himself in secret and observers were confused, it is distinctly possible that the Sharingan has some abilities beyond what is commonly known. Presumably, only rumor and legend exist becuase those abilities are kept secret as a hidden technique."

"Furthermore, Black Fire is known to exist. It is an incredibly rare skill, but it is classified as 'blaze release' and is supposedly the very concept of destruction by fire manifested in tangible form as the hight of fire release. As the Uchiha clan are widely known to consist predominantly of Fire Natured Shinobi, combined with their inherent advantage in learning Ninjutsu, it is entirely possible that one or more of them has access to blaze release which may or may not be connected to some hidden ability within their dojutsu."

"Now, I doubt that the Rinnegan itself exists, but one must take into account what the legends say about the Sage of the Six Paths: That he was a Jinchuriki and that he was a _Sage._"

"The tailed-beasts are self-sustaining masses of nigh-infinite and rapidly replenishing chakra. Even the weakest of them is more powerful than even the most talented of ordinary humans can help to be, with only very, very rare exceptions being able to reach their level of power by natural means. Each one of them furthermore possesses at least one Chakra nature that does not occur outside of themselves and their Jinchuriki or some other unique ability. While the idea that the Sage held the primordial beast from which the others were split apart from is unsubstantiated, holding one or more of the beasts within him and mastering their power would have supplied him with a massive and inexhaustible supply of energy and unique attributes"

"Furthermore, the Sage Arts which are dependant on drawing in natural energy and combining it with your chakra to produce a more potent and versatile form of chakra than most people possess. Techniques performed with the Sage Arts can do things that that cannot be done with ordinary chakra."

Senko holds up her arm and allows the leave to fall back to the elbow. With flashes of red that flow down from the joint down to the fingers which clears to show a pattern of black diamonds of various sizes.

"For example: Using Senjutsu Chakra I am able to strengthen my body or its individual members to levels comparable to, or even exceeding, the condition of a trained shinobi. Enough that a martial art that is primarily meditative in function becomes a viable option in real combat. A little more..."

The entire arm turns black

"And my flesh becomes harder than diamond and stronger than tempered steel. Using ordinary chakra, such modifications are the result of highly specialized and difficult to learn hidden techniques or else permanent modifications done using chakra based drugs and surgeries or exotic kinjutsu, but it is a rather basic application of senjutsu to induce or revert those changes. At least for my clan, it is a function of instinct, though I admit that my 'Kekkei Genkai' does give me an advantage in that regard."

Senko's arm reverts to normal.

"Hypothetically, if one could combine the chakra of the One-Tails, which possesses a form of Magnet Release conducive to the creation of Fuinjutsu and Juinjustsu, with Natural Energy, one could create a senjutsu chakra that could, in a large enough quantity, say, summon dust and stone from the earth or from space itself and combine them into a prison in which a massive creature could be sealed."

"The idea that the Moon is an artificial prison created to house the corpse of a supposed Ten-Tails is ludicrous, but every individual aspect of the Legend of the Sage of the Six Paths is plausible. If such a being existed, he would most likely have had a reasonable approximation of the Bloodlines or other unique genetic abilities of the combination of the families that allege to be his descendants and a degree of skill in senjutsu combined with the power of one of the tailed-beasts."

----------


## igordragonian

*Love Sensei:*

Nozojo smiled. 
"Well said.' And flicked from his fingers a pill at Jirou.
"your turn, and I think I'll close the show with the answer for your last question.'



*Team 2 Vs Team 3*

A sike scratch Usagi's cheek.
and some hit Yojimbo. Usagi smiled.
"You can go.'
Yojimbo nodded.
He dissapeared, as Usagi jumped to a branch, and summoned the Watership Squad.
"Usagi-san? We are miners, not-'

"Just jump around!" the bunnies jumped and spread, clumsy and noisy.
Usagi hope confuse Miho, and send barrage of arrows with thunder arrows around her, to expand the disorientation.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Love Sensei:*
He thinks. This question could be important and worth the answer, as long he words it correctly.
"Very well.....An Otokage's love...is said to be for their village above all. Out of the love you hold for this one, what future would you like to see for the Sound Village?"
He asks, knowing the importance of it.

*Team 3 Vs Team 2*
She looks around confused then sees the arrows, turning her bone gauntlets into shields to protect her form them, thinking they're meant to pierce, but instead emit loud piercing bangs as they hit the ground around making her cover her ears as a reaction. 

Meanwhile Kimiko and Naneko are still staring each other, down assessing each other to get at their next move. Naneko tries to go for another Blind Genjutsu but Kimiko whips at her with her paper blade to interrupt it. Naneko narrows her eyes, so thats Kimiko's new strategy then? just wait for her to focus on her jutsu then interrupt with her much faster swordplay? Naneko knew that Kimiko has too much range with the Origami-No-Tsurugi, so she throws shuriken at her to make Kimiko block them while Naneko rushes forward, draw her ninjato to fight Kimiko blade to blade at close range, the duel becoming a flurry of sword play as they sought weaknesses in each others defenses- But Kimiko had plans for when people tried this. Her paper blade was infinitely flexible after all, and she used her chakra in an instant to change from an inflexible blade to a flexible paper whip to grab the ninjato on its blade and rip it straight from Naneko's hand and throw it off to the side, Naneko distracted and disarmed, then gets knocked out by Kimiko's left hand chopping the back of her neck.
"Nice try, but I already planned for that."
Wide shark smile, Two finger V-victory sign. KO! Pragmatic finish.

----------


## igordragonian

*Love Sensei*

Nozojo smile.
'I am glad, that you have asked. I am so busy with the small, things, that it rare for me to address my big vision.'  he pause.
"Odokuro-Sama, the first Ottokage, had a small hope. To be heard. To let all the broken people to heard before they die. But he has succeded, beyond his wildest hopes. Things were terrible, but we have outlived it.' He pause. "Back then, I was merely a technician, I have crafted radios to everyone, from scraps, and brought them hope and promises for a future. I wish Ottokagure, peace, prosperity and happiness.' he said, in what seems as sincerity.
"Few weeks ago, the first class of Genins, have passed through proving their skills, without a requirement for a bloodshed. I am proud at any single one of them. Of course, I am not naive. To keep peace, we have to be strong and bold. Push forward, beyond what any other village will dare, how ever... I don't want the village to be consumed with hate and bloodlust. I want to see, youth having chance of worrying who to date, I want to see people express their creativity, Shinobis and citizens celebrating our achievements.' Nozojo pause, thinking of a conclusion.
Who knows? Maybe this is his last time talking to his beloved village.
"I want to see the Village prospering. Enjoying their lives, without bending the knee to any external force.'



*Team 2 Vs Team 3*

Usagi adding a battle cry, jumping from the tree, to lock her thighs around Miho's neck, and push her down.

----------


## Rater202

*[A Few Weeks Ago]*

*Spoiler: Senko's Research Log*
Show

Experiments in the splicing of 'Kekkei Genkai' into subjects that have not been born with them have so far, had... Mixed results. Out of twenty rats spliced with the genetic factors resulting in my genetic affinity for senjutsu, there were 19 fatalities. The lone survivor of this test shortly mutated into a monstrous form more akin to the hybridization of a bat and a serpent that went on a rampage, escaped its cage, and had to be put down.

However, dissecting the subject has revealed that it _did_ successfully assimilate with my cells and chakra, indicating that the mutations were caused by the same weakness in my advanced bloodline that these experiments are meant, in part, to assist me in developing the ability to control. Meanwhile, dissecting the rats that did not survive the procedure has indicated that in 10 of 20 cases, the rats died from organ failure caused by their immune systems attacking the organs which my cells had taken root in. In the remaining nine cases, my cells became cancerous within the rodent's body.

Genetic tests have been run in the hopes of finding any genetic factors that account for these results that can be controlled for in the future, to improve the success rate.

Tentatively, I'm willing to call the experiment a success, if only a pyrrhic one, as it provides a proof of concept that 'kekkei genkai' can be implanted into someone who does not naturally possess one via transfusion of cells and chakra. Hypothetically, the success rate should be higher in human subjects than in rats due to the far higher genetic similarity between two humans than two species that are several phylogenetic steps away from each other drastically reducing, though I should at least attempt to get the survival rate up to one-in-ten in rats before requesting advancement to human trials. (suggest offering captured bandits and traitors the chance to voluntarily participate in potentially fatal experiments while serving a life sentence instead of a guaranteed execution? See if idea can be run by the Otokage.)

Regardless, copies of the procedure and the lab report from the experiment, along with several samples of my blood and hair, have been given to Jirou Ishikawa due to the potential utility it may possess in hs own research. Whether or not he ends up using my research to further his own is up to him, of course, but I've included an attached document stating my intent to keep him updated on my progress in this experiment.

However, while general application of this procedure is far from ready, it may be the proof of concept that I need to advance in more... Personal matters. Due to my body's unique mutagenic properties, including the ability to absorb chakra and biomass from others and convert it into my own, and my universal recipient blood type should, in theory, allow me to easily adapt to and receive the chakra natures and genetic information from other organisms.

The risk is still great, but in theory I should be able to graft another 'kekkei genkai' or chakra nature to myself and survive, though the experience may not be pleasant.

In order to minimize the risk, I have written up a proposal wherein I graft the cells and chakra of a donor into one of my limbs while a fuinjutsu prevents the traits from spreading past that limb until the seal is removed. Either the procedure will work and the seal can safely be removed or the transplanted cells will be rejected from my body and/or become cancerous, in which case I can use _cell regeneration expulsion_ to purge the infected mass from my body. As I see it, the worst-case scenario is that I suffer for a few days and then go back to my natural height until I can acquire enough biomass to replace the extra foot. (so few people seem to think it iss weird that a ten-year-old is almost a foot taller than most of the villages' thirteen-year-olds)

However, I have delayed in submitting the proposal for approval until such a time that I have made at least some slight improvements in the grafting procedure and have found someone compatible who is willing to donate cells and chakra for the transfusion. While I believe that the risk to myself personally is minimal, there's no such thing as being too cautious when it comes to human experimentation.

Hopefully, success or failure, whatever is learned in the attempt is useful for further research in bloodline grafting for the benefit of others.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*End of Love Sensei:*
Jirou claps and says
"Well said, well said my Otokage, heres hoping that dream comes true. Nice being on here, it was quite the pleasure. This is the Love Sensei signing off, keep on loving Sound village, keep on loving."
He will switch the broadcast off.
"Well then. That happened. While I'm here, Otokage-sama, I might as well go over with you that I wish for Team 3 to be assigned to watch over Senko as a D-rank mission tomorrow. She has been real useful in my research and thanks to her I'm pretty sure that it might only be a few months out from when I feel my seal is safe enough to use on people to start taking volunteers -I'd say hopefully around the time after the next Chuunin Exams-, but she is a growing girl and needs to make friends. She can't remain in her dingy apartment forever."
Jirou as he says this wonders to himself how he got not one but two nerdy girls with bad social skills but great ambitions to watch over, now that he realizes it. He does privately admit that Senko's research is fascinating if problematic to politically wrangle into being progressed faster. That and Senko does have ethics and morals to her, so she could be a good influence on Kimiko. Just another voice to influence her in the right direction, gradually.

*Team 3 Vs Team 2:*
Usagi does get the drop on her and pin her to the ground yes, and normally this might be where a normal taijutsu user would be unable to do anything. Having an entire person the same size as your sitting on your neck while your face down on the ground? Yeah that would basically be defeat for most people. Can't really move all that well from that position, and the pure strength to just lift you off with a pushup....eh probably doable with taijutsu chakra enhancing it at her level, maybe? But that question isn't going to be answered today, because Miho grows a bone tail out of her lower back, grab Usagis arm and yank her to the side to try and pull her off. Its a Kaguya, it makes sense they would have a contingency against being pinned like this.

----------


## Rater202

*At somepoint today.*

Today had been surprisingly pleasant, all things considered. Senko had gotten to meet a few people, gotten to give a few lectures, and even got some exercise.

Idly, she wondered if there was a humane way to test the rumors that the naturally conceived child of a Hyuga and an Uchiha would have a single Byakugan and a single Sharingan when she suddenly got a chill.

She could sense a disturbance in the flow of natural energy, as though her daily routine was about to change drastically and she knew not yet whether it would for better or for worse.

----------


## igordragonian

*Team 2 Vs Team 3*
Usagi curse herself. 
She should have seen it coming.
And Usagi sort of did. 
Usagi didn't knew this specifcly will happen, but she has few methods in dealing with a grapple situations.
Even if basic. She pull her harp bow, trying to entangle the tail, while keep pinning Kaguya girl down.
"I am happy you show a bit of challenge."
Meanwhile, she expected the Watership Squad to do their thing.
------

The Ottokage nodded. 'Sure. I am respecting the Scienctific Corps, but I am quite anxiouse about those secret super children. It was more the First Ottkage's style, then mine." Nozojo pause.

"I hope your boss won't mind. As for Odayama... he will handle it."

-------

Odayama at home, chasing little cat ninja girls who are wrecking the house.
"I can't handle this!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou*
"Oh don't worry me and Head of Research and Development have an....understanding. Goodbye, Otokage-sama, asa lways its a pleasure to speak with you."
The nature of which he will not elaborate on. He will depart from the radio tower.

*Team 3 Vs. Team 2*
The tail is caught. Foiled!
"Well this is going to be a bit painful and creepy but..."
Miho starts grows these bone spikes out of her _ribcage_. Four them at the front to lift her up like they were legs of a table,while she starts growing smaller spikes all over her shoulders and head and neck to poke at Usagi's legs, making it at least really uncomfortable for her to continue doing the lock and the more they grow, they will harm her. She's clearly groaning as she does this, making bone spikes grow out of your body doesn't seem to be most pleasant thing in the world and you can see how in a real fight that this kind of thing would rapidly become unnerving and horrifying. 

Kimiko shows up and asks
"Hey, you got her, or...? I know you have this thing about taking on strong opponents which I can respect, I already defeated Naneko back there, so if you want my help just say so. That is, if you feel you can't keep up with me."
She finishes with a shark grin and shrugging her arms as she rival-taunts Usagi to cheer her on.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's Research Log*

*Theory:*Routes to "immortality."

Thanatophobia, the fear of death, is as natural as breathing. Biologically, all things that live exist solely to survive long enough to reproduce, and to ensure that at least one offspring lives to do the same. Thus, for beings who possess the intellect and self-awareness to know the fragility of their bodies and that their lifespan is inherently limitedthat they will grow old and eventually shut down with the only escape being to be killed by something else firstis innately frightening. It takes a great deal of wisdom and maturity to accept that death is inevitable, and even then I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be happy to have at least a little extra time or to be young and healthy for a little longer.

I will admit that I am, despite my genius intellect and beyond-my-years maturity, not in possession of the wisdom to not fear death. The idea that I could spend a lifetime studying, experimenting, and researching towards some great truth only to just not wake up the next morning after laying down to sleep on the eve of a breakthrough terrifies me. I am not so arrogant as to think that it is possible to live forever, but I do believe that I could, with time, apply my existing area of specialty towards a method of extending one's natural lifespan or else layering multiple "kekkei genkai" with defensive applications to mitigate the risk of unnatural death

Theoretically, it is possible to live indefinitely if one can simply understand the process by which one's cells degrade and undo the effect, however, while one cause of this, telomeric degeneration, is known there is simply no known way to completely account for all diseases and everyday wear and tear and the reasons for the inefficiency of other aspects of cellular division are this time unknown.

So, while it may be possible to extend one's natural lifespan by cellular manipulation, this is no true immortality.

The next best thing then would be to continuously replace body parts as they get worn out: Speculation has been made that it is theoretically possible to replace one's limbs with ones based on Sand Village Puppets and manipulate them using a variation on those techniques, but that only accounts for limbs, not organs: Unless or can isolate the soul and seal it within a puppet that is then animated by some other source of chakra, this will merely postpone becoming physically helpless and, truth be told, as one who is passively in tune with the flow of energy throughout the natural world I find such... Unnatural methods of prolonging one's life to be distasteful.

Transplanting young, healthy organs to replace one's worn out organs would be more effective, and in my unique case I am theoretically capable of using my family's cellular regeneration techniques to replace my worn-out cells with younger ones, but... The brain will eventually begin to shut down or, at the very least, the mind will start to go. The brain, being the seat of intellect, cannot be so easily replaced. Once one starts replacing that which runs the body, can they even be called the same person? Not to mention that, of course, one can't always be certain to have access to young organs or cells.

However, this does not mean that one's life cannot be extended: The Uzumaki clan is known to possess, in addition to usually large reserves of chakra and an affinity to fuinjutsu, an unusual vitality that grants them great stamina, well above average health, the ability to survive things that would kill others, make a full recovering from things that should leave permanent damage, and live for two or three times as long as the average person, even controlling for death by disease or violence. If any Uzumaki still lives, their genes could grant the key to extending human life in general to a significant degree, especially, should it be determined, if they do not work by improving telomeric regeneration in which case such improvements could be layered on top of it.

The summoned animals are another potential route: It has been speculated that they are capable of living for centuries or even millennia, with it being speculated that a summoned toad from the time of The Sage of The Six Paths timeline still lives. It is thus possible that the summoned animals, either through metaphysical properties or just their cells being hundreds of times more efficient than a human's, contain the key to vastly increased lifespans. I've already proven that cross-species amalgamation of chakra and cells is possible in testing my bloodline grafting on rats. I would, however, need to study a summoned animal's cells and chakra and, with my inability to use even the most basic ninjutsu at this time I will be unable to learn the Summoning Jutsu and thus, my ability to obtain a summoned animal is unlikely barring unforeseen events to come.*Spoiler: Meanwhile*
Show

A regally dressed pale waif sneezes. She's confused at first but then goes back to using genjutsu to get away with stealing meals.


In theory, if one could combine the longevity of the Uzumaki with that of a summoned animal, one might be able to live for scores of millennia in good health which I suppose would be the closest to true immortality as is possible in the absence of some method of continuous rejuvenation(which by current understanding of medical ninjutsu is a pipe dream.)

More esoterically, some Shinobi have absorbed that thoughts and emotions can be preferred in Chakra. Thermodynamics states that energy can never be destroyed, only change form. Theoretically, if one could cultivate ungodly levels of chakra one might be able to preserve part or all of their consciousness after the death of their physical body, though whether or not this can be said to be the same person or even a person at all, is a debate for the philosophers and whether or not such a thing truly does count as immortality is... Questionable.

As an aside, I sometimes wish I had someone to discuss things such as this with. Feedback on my research has been positive, but my plans for its use or my more... impractical theories tend to be things I feel would be better kept close to the chest.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi won't admit it, but she felt like she might have tried to chew more then she can stomach.
But Kimiko there...
The thought of looking helpless in this arrogant princess's eyes, had triggeted something.
"Just sit there, and warm the seat there for me, princess!" Usagi yelled, struggling to stay on Miho.
But then she smile, when she sense a certain tremor.
"You know what? I guess it IS too much for me. Maybe." And she flip back from Miho, trying to take her harp bow with her, but she preffer to back off.
"Watership! Now!" She yell.
The ground under Miho crumble, as the Watership Squad, did what they do- digging 
They didn't beaten,Miho.
This wasn't part of their contract. But that enough for Usagi.
Usagi assume that Miho will be surprised by it.
She jump dive inside, with a punch toward her face, her other hand used for balancing herself.

------


*
The Watership digging song.
https://youtu.be/FxNtvyTt8Z0
"I am the bunny who diggin hole,diggin diggin a hole'

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## Lord Raziere

*Team 3 Vs. Team 2*
Miho is, and she has nothing she can do against being punched in the face  by someone descending upon her while falling into a hole, the two impact happen combine to knock her out. Now Usagi is at the bottom of the hole with Miho under her, Kimiko walks up to the edge and looks down.
"Heh, I knew you could do it. Miho is one of the harder opponents in our class to take down, I always had more trouble with her than most. Anyways, Kazuo's the last one we need to beat, I asked Monoma the rules and he said its until all three to knockout. Problem is, he's probably had prep time for us, and he is smart enough to be a coward and keep away from us, that makes him very dangerous because he is fighting like a ninja the most out of anyone here. Not that I couldn't solo him if needed, but y'know might be nice to fight him together for this one, unless your feeling too tired from taking down Miho that your going to be a burden or something."
She turns away, crossing her arms.

*Kazuo:*
Is hiding. He didn't have a good day. He had to rescue a cat from a tree and accidentally foiled two muggers and a pickpocket on his mail route making people think he was a hero AGAIN. When he was pretty sure the statistical likelihood of any muggers being in this village were basically nil, because no one was stupid enough to be a mugger in a ninja village. Its as if this kind of thing was attracted to him specifically and no one else-because it was. Hopefully Miho had defeated them all for him. She was the kind of girl that would be able take on armies someday. He was just some fake. Or maybe even Naneko, she was super-serious ninja girl. Thankfully he had a bunch of traps set up. Healthy, safe comforting, protective traps. He was after all a firm believer in cowardice for it saves at least one life: his own.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's Research Log*

*Notes:* Physiological 'Kekkei Genkai'

When most people think of 'Kekkei Genkai,' they think of Advanced Nature Transformations, a genetic ability to manipulate and combine the elements in unique ways, or Dojutsu, a specialized chakra focused in the eyes that grants access to visual based abilities or specific techniques focused on the eyes. Advanced Nature Transformations are by far the most common, followed by dojutsu.

Far more rare, however, are total physiological, or "full-body," 'Kekkei Genki' that bestow major alterations from the base human physiology to the point that families that possess them and breed true may well be considered a separate human subspecies, and the ability to use unique chakras to further enhance these deviations from the human base template.

However, individuals with these 'Kekkei Genkai' tend to have issues and side effects derived from their unique physiology that can't always be helped by conventional medicine due to the sometimes major differences between themselves and baseline humans.

Stories exist of Ninja who can bodily transform into smoke or merge together to become multi-limbed monstrosities, but I can only confirm the existence of two such bloodlines: Sage Transformation and Dead Bone Pulse.

My own bloodline ability, Sage Transformation, allows those who possess it to manipulate their cells and rearrange their bodies. We can also absorb cells and chakra from a living or recently dead source and convert them into our own(which I have done in order to make myself tall enough to reach the top shelf) or convert our cells and chakra to that of a compatible donor to repair severe physical damage. We also naturally secrete a fluid composed of certain hormones and enzymes that are naturally attractive to natural energy and can passively mold it with our physical and spiritual energy to create senjutsu chakra.

This provides three advantages: The combination of our cellular manipulation abilities and the mutagenic properties of natural energy allows us to reshape our bodies in a myriad of ways. We possess a limited ability to use senjutsu without first entering sage mode(even I, who can not use most Jutsu due to the unbalanced nature of my chakra, can still use basic self-enhancement senjutsu though, unfortunately, this does not extend beyond my own body,) and we possess the ability to learn to achieve Sage Mode without the guidance of a summoned animal or another sage. Should we do so, our Sage Mode provides not only spiritual by physical enhancements and bypasses the need to sit still. Furthermore, we are not at risk of turning to stone should we absorb to much senjutsu chakra.

In addition, the process of taking in and molding natural energy into senjutsu as a passive process, as reflexive as breathing, means that we tend to be more in touch with nature to some extent: We can sense natural energy in the environment without training. I possess a limited ability to sense chakra by how it interacts with ambient natural energy and while, as an orphan of a widespread and scattered clan, I have not met any blood relatives who can confirm, the records I managed to salvage indicate that some of my cousins are able to talk to ordinary animals.

_However,_ the process of passively molding senjutsu chakra can, should too much senjutsu chakra be built up and stored, alter our hormonal balance and brain chemistry for the worse resulting in mental instability and violent insanity. As this is _universally_ accompanied by a transformation into a corrupt and monstrous form of Sage Mode, I have theorized that this "Sage Beast" form is a safety mechanism: I believe that we are not so much immune to becoming stone from taking in too much natural energy as our bodies will automatically transform and rampage to vent excess senjutsu chakra and natural energy to prevent our being reclaimed by nature. However, I have no way of verifying this claimant it's entirely possible that this is just a natural product of someone who isn't trained in sage mode storing up enough senjtusu chakra to enter Sage Mode that simply isn't apparent due to the mutagenic effects of natural energy: Anyone other than a member of my clan who drew in enough senjutsu chakra to enter sage mode has either learned Sage mode or turned to stone.

The periodic bouts of madness can be managed by regularly venting our reserves of senjutsu chakra, training to control our emotions, or the use of a person, object, or substance to keep us calm.

The origin of this ability is unclear to me. It is possible that my family are a mutant offshoot of the Senju Clan, who also possess a form of senjutsu that does not require the training of a dimensional animal or nature spirit and, according to legend, are descendants of the Sage of The Six Paths who inherited his Yang nature and senjutsu(Yang chakra being primarily used to physically alter someone's body, not to mention my own strong yang release affinity) though it is also possible that it's a complete coincidence. It is also possible my family has a common ancestor with the Kaguya Clan(see below) or results from the copulation of the ancestors of that clan and the Senju at some point in antiquity.

The Dead Bone Pulse of the Kaguya Clan's existence is confirmed by their presence in the Sound Village but, as they are a clan accurate information about how it works is rare. While I have correspondence from one Tetsurugi Kaguya, this mostly amounts to sharing research on _other_ bloodlines. From observation, it seems that they possess the following traits:
Some ability to control the cells responsible for the generation and destruction of bone matterSome kind of healing factor that repairs the damage done too flesh, nerves, blood vessels, and organs by their bones piercing through their skin.Enhanced lifespans or else more efficient cellular division, as their regular destruction and regeneration of their flesh does not seem to reduce their natural lifespan.Somekind of ability to function and move when their muscles and/or nerves are damaged or puncturedEither bones far harder, stronger, or denser than normal or the ability to improve one or more of those traits.

However, without either the Kaguya Clan sharing their information or the chance to study their bloodline, I have no means of verifying which of these are true(several are speculation) or the mechanics by which they work.

However, I do have one theory...

*Theory:* The Kaguya Clan possesses a strong affinity to Yang Release.

Yang Release, also known as Light Release, focuses on the physical work, biology, and the vital life force. Several clans are known to use Yang Release in hidden techniques to enhance or alter their bodies and much medical ninjutsu use Yang Release to breathe life into an injured person of improving their ability to heal themselves. Rearranging someone's skeletal system, allowing their body to function perfectly with damaged nerves and muscles, and with multiple open wounds as well as quickly repairing such wounds would strongly suggest that Yang Release is involved to some extent...

However, the extreme cleanliness and health conscientiousness of the Kagyam Clan here in sound would strongly suggest that they are prone to illness, which would contradict the idea of a strong Yang nature unless that yang nature were specialized.

More personally... Due to the potentially shared chakra nature, physiological similarities, or even shared ancestry, it is entirely possible that the Kaguya Clan may be the ideal donor for my test run of self-bloodline grafting. However, such a thing would be even harder to broach than asking to allow me to study their bloodline: Most clans are loath to so much as let their children marry outsiders unless the outsider is marrying in and, while it may simply be my youth talking, I'm not particularly interested in having a relationship with anyone, much less marrying into a clan.

It will be a difficult subject to broach and I made need something of great value to trade if I'm going to do this.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's Research Log* Unknown time ago.

*DNA Tag*

On occasion, I find myself pondering the utility of fuinjutsu and fuda in my line of work. The application of Fuinjutsu, techniques used to contain, imprisoned, store, or release something with applications as varied as preventing something from being summoned to storing something for later use to containing some kind of power that can't be maintained indefinitely, is quite obvious by the cadaver-storage scroll I carry with me. Sometimes the fuinjutsu is merely a technique, while other times it requires a specific formula to be written out or manifested.

Fuda, or paper tags, are created with special writing and are used to generate simple effects or combined with traditional techniques for specific effects. The most common fuda in the shinobi line of business is the "exploding tag," or paper bomb, but the applications are far more varied. There is considerable overlap between fuda creation and fuinjutsu.

Primarily focusing on Fuda, I wonder if it isn't possible to create a tag that performs a series of tasks that are normally quite labor-intensive, namely, the genetic screening and genome sequencing that I've used to test the success of my cellular grafting process and the... Rather complicated process of testing chakra natures that is used for the same(even if chakra induction paper was cheap, it's hard to get a live rat to channel chakra into something, let alone a dead one.)

My knowledge of fuda was limited to start but after a great deal of research... I doubt that I could create a proper formula for such a tag myself, but I can't see anything that says it's impossible. (though I imagine that it would offend some to call this a fuda as its intended function is radically different, leaving me to refer to it simply as a tag.)

I'd also theorized that a storage seal could be hidden underneath the special writing of the tag that could store whatever biological material is used for the test, to be extracted for further, more complicated testing... Or for use in my Bloodline grafting experiments, if applicable.

I've sent my theories and research to the research department's leading experts on fuda to see if something can be done with my theory. If it can... Well, at bare minimum it'll provide a cheap and cost-effective alternative to chakra induction paper while also allowing for faster genetic screening(which would be invaluable for certain medical applications) and the storage variation could be used in order t get a sample of a subject's DNA on file, if needed, without the limits of physical storage.

In addition, careful use could facilitate the ease of stealing information on the biology of enemy shinobi. Far less need to steal corpses or capture them alive, if you can cut them and then store the blood int he DNA Tag.

and, more personally... well, it would save me a lot of time in the lab that could be used for further research and experimentation, and if storage capabilities are possible it'll make acquiring samples for my more... Personal use far easier.

(Suggest manufacturing storage DNA tags and basic testing one's separate so civilians or Sound Ninja won't be paranoid about their DNA being used without their consent should they need the tests they perform.)

*Bloodline grafting phase two:* (more recently.)

A combination of controlling for genetic factors and the introduction of several medications and herbal supplements that have proven effects on general vitality, chakra production, and so on has improved the survival rate of bloodline grafting in rats from 1/20 to 1.5/10(repeated experimentation) while removing "donor cells became cancerous" as a cause of death.

As stated before, the updated procedure and laboratory report has been sent to Jirou... Though I'm not sure if his project is similar enough to mine that the medication will have any benefit in the short term.

In addition to the medication seeming to improve odds, even slightly... examination of the surviving rats seems to indicate that the medication seems to have facilitated the process of my chakra being integrated into the rat. Further refinement of the recipe might result in a medication that might improve the potency of the chakra of someone who survives the procedure. Further experimentation is necessary.

(It's Been Almost a Week So I'm Posting Something Just To Keep Moving no Jutsu)

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi roar with excitment, sending the Watership Squad- but all of them stumble on traps.
the noise disorienate her, and she get captured... in a net.

'Ksu! I can't stay here!' but the net is too tight, and she can't reach any sharp object.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Lose for Once*
After Usagi's failure she jumps through the trees, taking care to keep away from any trap, it slower going than most, trying to spot Kazuo.

Meanwhile Kazuo who has been hiding hears Kimiko come near. Oh no, footsteps. That was probably Kimiko or Yuyuyu then he takes a peek- oh no its Kimiko thats worst case scenario, noooo. Its the Class genius, how to get out of this without getting hurt? Mubona-Sensei won't hear his surrender from here, and therefore it won't count. Naneko and Miho are probably taken out. It was just him and her, noooo. What to do, what to do!? Okay calm down. You can get out of this, Kazuo. You just have to get back to Mubona-sensei and say you forfeit and thus Team 3 will win. Do it stealthily and you won't even get hurt by the scary shark-toothed girl who makes origami into a lethal weapon.

So he bravely begins creeping away, blending in with the forest. We was one with the forest. He was friends with the forest, no best bros with the forest, no he was the best man at the forests wedding to the river, he and the forest were practically platonic partners for li-
*Crack*
He looks down at the twig he stepped on, the sound ringing out and alerting Kimiko
"Forest! Why did you betray me!?"
Then Brave, Brave Sir Kazuo begins running away while screaming as Kimiko pursue yelling and grinning a shark grin.
"Come back here you coward!"
He throws an explosive kunai to the side to blast a tree down, making it fall on Kimiko who dodges around it and continues pursuit,  only to find.... Mubona!?
"Never fear, Young Kimiko!" Mubona seems to say "Kazuo has already gotten to me and surrendered! You can go home knowing your victorious in your springtime of YOUTH!"
"Awesome glad that has been-wait a minute"
she glares suspiciously at him
"Mubona Sensei's crazy obsession is with passion, not youth!"
Then whips the Mubona with her paper blade, in poof, revealing him to be Kazuo trying to trick her, who screams and  jumps about to evade her paper whip attacks
"Hah! Thought you could trick me into letting down my guard, did you? Sorry, but I'm just too good."
However he lands on the ground as a paper lash comes at him, and out of reflex he tries to block it with echo gauntlet, his chakra control so tied to this that he unleashes a resonating echo drill as the paper whip wraps around it trying to disarm him of it. Except instead, the sound waves travel up the whip and into Kimiko's body, causing great pain through her inner ear and disorienting and causing feelings of vertigo and nausea to rise up within her, as her ears are suddenly ringing, she drops her blade as she cups her ears out of impulsive reaction, stumbling about clumsily then tripping over a wire trap that Kazuo had set up earlier and falling to look as if Kazuo had punched her and gets caught in a net as well. Kazuo just blinks, confused before Mubona suddenly jumps out of nowhere with a smile
"What great PASSION, Kazuo! You have won the fight! Between setting up traps, trying to get away from her while putting obstacles in her way and thus using the environment, trying to trick her with a disguise jutsu, and using her own weapon against her for your attack to take her out, truly you are a shinobi of great skill! I look forward to see your passionate potential blossom into the Future Hero of Otogakure! I could not have done better myself. Time for a celebratory meal at Ichirakus! Team 2 only!"
He grabs a stunned Kazuo and runs off to do so, who is internally going _Noooooooooooo._
While Kimiko sits there. In the net. Stunned at the fact that she had actually lost this time. To a coward with the wildest swings of luck she ever saw. She clenches her fists. But luck was a factor on any battlefield, unfortunately, and luck favors the prepared. She would just have to get used to that. 

*Team 3: Accept Loss*
Eventually they get out of the nets, Yuyuyu wakes up, and they reconvene. 
"....We lost."
"Yeah."
"If only I had read up on Kazuo's weapon."
"If only I got out of the way of Miho rather than wasting time."
"And we were doing so well defeating both Miho and Naneko to!"
"Yeah, personally I think Kazuo doesn't give himself enough credit."
"His fighting style is so WEIRD!"
They both sigh. 
"Well....time to head home."
"Yea, hopefully we'll have better luck next time."
They head homewards, Kimiko particularly distraught, wondering what she will tell her mother. 

*Ishikawa Manor:*
When she arrives home, Mitsuko asks after dinner
*"How was today, Kimiko?"*
"Good, Oka-sama. I delivered mail and then had a team spar with Team 2."
*"Did you win?"*
"Yes" Kimiko lies, knowing the consequences if she said no.
Mitsuko narrows her eyes at this for a moment. Normally her daughter was more of a braggart. The answer was too short, too calmly stated. She was lying, she had lost and was lying calmly to not disappoint her.
*"...Good*" Mitsuko says, letting it pass. All ninja needed to learn to lie to avoid consequences anyways. Best that she start so she can develop a skill at it when she is infiltrating their enemies. But if she'll have to be stricter next time so that she develops it better. 

Little does she know, there won't be a next time.

Kimiko and Jirou pass by each other and Kimiko looks up at him suspiciously
"I heard you talking on the radio."
He swears internally, but is outwardly unmoved.
"And? What about it?"
"Its suspicious. Sending a love letter? Going on a talk show about love? Who are you and where are you keeping my real brother?"
"...Should I speak aloud the Incident Which Shall Not Be Spoken Of?"
"Okay your real, but still this isn't like you. Whats going on? The Jirou I know wouldn't give a single thought about stuff like this. Why are you interested now?"
"....Do you need a refresher course on puberty, Kimi-chan?"
She blushes furiously at this
"NO!! I already went through that with Oka-samaaaa!"
"I see. Then you already know the answer. Surely I do not need to insult your genius by explaining it outright."
"I-you-but-aaaaaagh! Nevermind! I'm going to bed!"
He lets out a slight chuckle as she leaves. all he did was for her own good. Soon his preparations will be complete, and he will be able to change things in this household. Just need to have a conversation tomorrow, secure an important ally, then he will be able to make his move. Kimiko will have the family she deserves.

Little does he know, what he is really getting into.

Kimiko goes up to her room frustrated at today, at being suspicious of Jirou, of losing, of being teased by Kikenna, and arguing with Naneko. She met that strange Senko girl today, but she doesn't know when if ever she'll meet her again. There was still that missing-nin concern out there in the back of her mind, but she pushes it away. She just wanted some sleep, some peace for now. Hoping the next day will be better.

Little does she know, it will only be worse.

----------


## Rater202

(I'm hoping that I'm not jumping the gun)

*The Next Day, 9:00 AM: Team 3's meeting ground*

When Team 3 arrives at their meeting place, they find someone else there before them.

A freakishly tall girl, with amber eyes, her carrot-colored hair in a pixie cut that looks like she did it herself, wearing a robe that has long sleeves but that stops at the mid-thigh, leaving her bare legs and unshod feet exposed.

Kimiko and Yuyuyu will recognize her as Senko, the girl they met yesterday but... She seems more nervous than before.

She holds up a scroll. "Ishikawa-sensei instructed me to deliver this scroll to Odayama-sensei and then await further instructions."

There is _dread_ in the girl's voice.*Spoiler: The Contents of the Scroll*
Show

The scroll is divided into two parts.

The first part says that Senko is being assigned to do missions with Team 3 indefinitely.

It states that while she is helpless with Ninjutsu and Genjutsu that she is certified B Rank in Taijutsu and is qualified to provide first aid and perform simple surgeries in an emergency situation.

It mentions that she has a Kekkei Genkai that allows her to produce weapons from her body and compensates for her lack of ability to walk on water or climb trees with chakra.

then a *Do Not Disclose* order.

It also notes that... Team 3 will all be getting additional hazard pay for missions involving Senko.

Afterward is a note stating that there is a possibility that Senko might be driven into a murderous rage and transform into a monster. She mostly has it under control but if she says "I don't think that's a good idea" it's code for 'This might trigger my transformation.'

At this point, the *Do Not Disclose* order is terminated

The second half of the scroll is a transcription of a D-Rank mission

Ichichiraku Ramen and Osoba-chan's Soba shop have both reported a Dine-and-Dash incident on *this day* for the past two weeks. Comparing notes with each other, they suspect that the same individual will target Udon-san's Cafe. The three restaurants, as well as Fuyuki-san of Fuyuki-san's frozen confections standing with them in solidarity, are pooling funds to hire a team of Genin to pose as staff at the Cafe during the lunch rush in hopes of catching the culprit. 

They don't necessarily want to pursue legal action, they just want to nip the problem in the bud before it becomes big enough that they start losing profit on it. They've agreed that if the culprit isn't actively malicious that they're willing to be lenient. Team-3 is expected to be at the Cafe by 10:30 and ill receive more details there.

After the transcript is a note, suggesting using the time between receiving this scroll and having to leave for the Cafe to get Senko properly introduced to the team.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi has swallowed her tears.
If Kimiko took it bad,Usagi took it terribly.
She messed up her hair, to hide her eyes.

Usagi cried and trained all night, pushing and punishinf herself, until she collapsed few hours before dawn, to a very disturbed sleep.
"I will defeat you one day Kazuo! Not even your stupid karma will make me helpless ever again!" She cried into the space of the forest.

The pale eyed shinobi of the leaf has visited her dream. He tore apart everyone she knew, and didn't forgotten enough that they hage existed at all.
She tried to fight him, but he touched her hands, and numbed them.
Usagi tried to summon Yojimbo, but no one came.
The dream ended up with the pale eyed shinobi piercing her forehead with his bare finger.
It wasn't the pain. It wasn't the death which horrified.
It was the fact she was so damn helpless.
---------
Ishikawa Manor
-----------------------

Nozojo looked exausted, holding an empty cup with dusty remains of coffee dark as his secrets, which he went out with,and has forgotten he held it.
It was akward to go back, just to put a small cup back, so he just walked around with it, with an aura of confidence.
He knocked.
It's time to build Jirou's respect by the important members of the village.
His mom should be a good start.
---------

https://i.ibb.co/TtnTBVp/20190814-004822.jpg-refence to Usagi*


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20180620171233
Odayama's refrence.


Usagi arrive relativly in time. But she looks a mess. 
Even dirtier then after the battle, her pony tails replaced with messy hair, which sort of cover her eyes.
Her usual lively rebeling energy is now more... bitter.
"Eh? I never seen you around the academy! Who the hell are you?' She point at Senko rather rudely.

With a small late, Odayama arrive.
He has lazy chill attitude, wearing today his chunnin vest over his hermit like* clothes.
"Yo, girls. Mubona seemed quite smug this morning. Are you alright?" He ask, and then handing over three small packages of candies.
Usagi look away groaning.
"Uh. That bad?' He sigh.
He blink.
"Oh. Good morning little Miss.' He say to Senko.
He look between the new girl and the scroll.
"....The Ottokage really think be can push me around...' he strech and yawn.
"Well, he is correct." He bow his head a little.
"Good morning Senko-san.' He say calmly.
"Let's hang out and have fun,  shall we?"


Senko probably know that Odyama is the husband of the Anbu commander, who with her own determination started new Kekkei Genkai, and Odayama's two daughters both have it.

Odayama himself known as the "Slayer Sloth", known for his patience combined with long term determination.
Rumors say, that as teen during the indepdence war, he has slain a Konoha Junin.


*like Orichamaru and the sound four, rather the more militarstic style.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
She will answer the door opening it and going
*"Otokage-Sama. What brings you to my clan's abode? We usually do not have the honor of being graced with your presence."*
She will beckon him on in and sit them down to be a gracious host, as per custom. 

*Jirou:*
He wanted to be there to introduce Senko, to the group, but it seems like his meeting with Kikenna can't wait, meeting up with her at a tea cafe, a less popular one that is out of the way, known as Shade Tea Cafe. A perfect place for meetings like this.
Jirou sits down. So does Kikenna, both regarding each other, Jirou as quietly and still as ever and Kikenna lounging about seductively with a grin on her face.
"So you have you called me here, handsome."
Kikenna begins
"Your letter was quite interesting. A marriage proposal, but not out of love. Said you had something else to offer me, something which I desire above all. Tell me: what is it, luv?"
"I am chosen to be the next Otokage. While you would not be receiving the position, you'll have the ear of the one who will. Your influence over my decisions, over what I hold important to change will be unparalleled. 
It will not be absolute- I will make sure that I screen all your ideas past my own reasoning and the reality of the situation- but you will be in a position to hold me towards implementing changes that others might not want. It will be the closest thing to becoming Otokage you'll have yourself."
"Interesting, and why pick little ol' me over someone who isn't called....crazy was it? Inelegant? Unrefined? Controversial? To use the polite terms?"
"Because your views on the shinobi world are unusual if not unique. I daresay they might even ahead of their time. If was to marry someone more normal or safe, all they would care for is upholding the same things that were always upheld, consciously or not. So tell me...what do you think of this world, Kikenna?"
"Hahahaha! I think that the shinobi system is bull. I think that people should be allowed to marry whomever they want regardless of that stupid old man says, I think the clans only uphold the system that leads to war, that the Sage of the Six Paths was a one-eyed man in the land of the blind and so was Hashirama! I think we should stop teaching children to kill each other, I think the whole pseudo-feudal collectivist-militarist ideology that this world runs on should die in a fire! I think that if we don't do something soon, war is inevitable and we need to take active steps to prevent it, not just sit around waiting for some stupid genin we call something stupid like "The Hope Generation" to do it! I think we should no longer be ruled by feudal lords, I think we should make love not war, I think people should be taught to think for themselves, to be free, to be individuals, I think all humans are created equal, that village, clan and so on divisions are all bull, I think that we should stop lying, stop keeping secrets, start talking to  each other, I think that we need better psychiatrists, and I think we need to get some freaking ninshuu up in here to get some understanding on. And I'm willing to kill, lie cheat and steal to make that happen, like ninja would, even burn anything in my way for this. I believe in being the last monster the world will ever need so no one else becomes one.

That, beautiful, is what I believe."
"Perfect. Thats exactly what I'm looking for. I need someone radical like you to remind what direction I should be going, even if I have to moderate your crazier ideas. Where shall we begin?"

*Kimiko:*
*Spoiler: Kimiko's Dream*
Show


_There is blackness. She sees Jirou looking at her and turning away. The brother who had kept her company all her life when all others were cold. Snow fills the world. She runs after Jirou trying to get at him through the snow only for him to disappear when he is touch, replaced by Kazuo punching her in the face and that nausea, pain, the disorientation to come over her again and black to take her, to feel herself falling down, down down deep within herself until she reaches a place with stars as she feels angry over her defeat. Why did that happen, Why....then she hears a voice. A dark, infinite voice sounding out:
IF YOU CANNOT EVEN BEAT HIM, HOW WILL YOU EVER ACHIEVE YOUR DREAM?_


Then she bolts awake, panting. That dream was so vivid. Dream was right. That was a fluke, but she needed to be better prepared, better trained, better everything. Fight smarter, be stronger. She needs more Jutsu. More.

But no one could train her today. she has to have this mission. No matter. Its all an opportunity to prove herself.
To grow stronger, better, faster. She stands in front of Senko, crossing her arms as Yuyuyu says
"Hi Senko! Glad to see you again. Hey, you remember her from yesterday right, Kimiko?"
"....Yes she has given things for me to think about. As long as she doesn't slow us down, I'm fine with it. Your theories are interesting regardless and I'd be interested in talking about them as soon as possible after the mission. That thief will not escape me, Kimiko Ishikawa."
She seems more focused today. More...motivated to succeed. Less boastful, her loss still fresh in her mind. 
"Is this about your loss yester-"
"Yes, shut up. I don't need your pity."
"...Okay then."
Looks she is going to be a little short with her today. Kimiko accepts the candy silently and then says "thanks" tersely. While Yuyuyu thanks Odayama warmly. Yuyuyu turns to Senko
"Anyways Senko, these two are still stung from losing a fight from yesterday? I'd appreciate your patience and we should probably make sure they don't trip over each other trying to catch the thief out of competitiveness or something."
Kimiko only grunts at this.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Do The Thing*

...she's being made to do missions. She only has one response for that.

*"Damn it!"* followed by a few moments of hateful muttering about how important her research is.

For a brief second, it looks like Senko's eyes are black where they should be white.

Then she raises a hand, takes a deep breath, and breathes out. "Sorry. If w are going to do this... I suppose a formal introduction:"

"My name is Senko. My Clan does not have a surname... I am an orphan, I have been on my own for four years... I have got cousins out there somewhere but I have never met them, we are not the 'live in a singular compound' type of clan."

"I am originally from a small village on the border with fire-country called Dobuita due to the prominent drainage ditch... Lots of rain, flooded easily... It is not there anymore, I do not like talking about it."

They may or may not know that the village in question was destroyed four years ago with only a handful of survivors. One of them mentioned a rampaging Oni.

"I did not attend the academy... I am a genin the same way that a Special Jonin is a Jonin, basically: I do not meet the strict qualifications but I have been determined to be able to handle the responsibility so I get promoted for legal reasons. I am mostly a researcher actually, studying the interaction between our genes and biology and chakra: Imagine a world where every Sound Ninja has superhuman hearing, feline traits, paper release, and Dead Bone Pulse. That is what I would be_ trying_ to do if the Clans were not such bastards about hoarding knowledge... No offense intended, but seriously, everyone knows that designer genes are a better fit. Mostly I assist the other researchers in whatever they are working on that may benefit from my area of expertise. I am not at liberty to disclose what that is, however."

"I do not really have any hobbies. When I am not researching professionally I am researching and theorizing for my own benefit."

"My favorite foods are teriyaki ramen and wild deer. I hate plain white rice."

"I also hate shoes. They are uncomfortable and make it so that I can not feel the ground beneath my feet. Did you know that the synthetic caps at the end of the laces of civilian shoes are called aglets? Their true purpose is most sinister."

"My dream for the future is... A far off pipe-dream. I will settle for getting my chakra control to the pint that I can learn my clan's Sage Mode."

"Oh," she adds as an afterthought. "I can also rearrange my body's cells into whatever shape I can imagine thanks to my clan's 'kekkei genkai.' "

She airquotes kekkei genkai.

"I have already met Kimiko-san and Yuyuyu-san, but I have not been properly introduced to you," she finishes by offering a hand to Usagi.

----------


## igordragonian

*The Second Ottokage*

Nozojo bow his head slightly, and say 'Yo.' casually.
He wasn't of noble born, and anyway, his easy going'ness' was most of charm.

'Good morning, Mitsuko-san. Scary and beautiful as always.'
With another bow he take a seat.
'Well, did Jirou-kun has informed you about his new duty?' Nozojo has asked, and placed the akward damn cup on the table.
with enough luck, he can forget it here.



*Team 3*

Odayama nod, and smile.
'Well, welcome to the team! I wasn't raised like you, but it seems our techniques have a similar premise, Senko-chan. But I am sure, that in few years you will surpass me with ease!' he say encouragingly. 
'I see myself more of a guide, then of a Captain. I am simply more exprienced. I am a bit clumsy, and my wife and daughters are terrifiyng monsters, and I love them the way they are.'
after a pause.
'But laundary with fur is the worst thing. I wouldn't even wish this for Konoha.' he laugh a bit.

Usagi is a bit more grim.
'I am Usagi!' she say, trying to return to her usual energy.
'I don't remember my family, and I don't care! I was trained in the Rabbit Kingdom, and I will never let myself to be helpless again!' she make a fist.
'my hobby is to train and win!'

----------


## Rater202

"It is nice to meet you, Usagi-san... Rabbit Kingdom, you say? Is there a... Rabbit Sage?" Senko asks with a raised eyebrow.

----------


## igordragonian

> "It is nice to meet you, Usagi-san... Rabbit Kingdom, you say? Is there a... Rabbit Sage?" Senko asks with a raised eyebrow.


"Sage?" Usagi pause.
"Well. There is the queen. She can slay enemies from within their own memories. She gave me hope, and took away my useless memories.' Usagi explain.
"But I am not sure what you mean by Sage...' she rub the back of her head.
"I wasn't paying attention at theoritic stuff.'

----------


## Rater202

Senko blinks. She is not going to _say_ that the Rabbit Queen sounds terrifying and that Usagi's admittance to not remember her family and not care about it coupled with the Rabbit Queen taking away her memories sounds like she's being exploited, but she is certainly _thinking_ it.

"...A sage is someone who can use Senjutsu. There is a surplus of naturally occurring energy in the atmosphere, and some people have learned to take this energy into themselves and use it to supplement their chakra. Technically, I could be considered a Sage becuase my 'kekkei genkai,'" she air quotes it again, "works in part by taking in this energy but for the most part, only someone who has achieved 'Sage Mode,' a state where one has so much accumulated 'sage chakra' that they entered a higher state of being that enhance their physical attributes and sensory abilities several times over."

"My clan, due to our unique physiology and genetic traits, can achieve it, with some effort, without guidance and the Senju Clan seem to likewise have some means of learning it without outside help, but otherwise in order to become a Sage, a human needs to train with one of the nature spirits or extra-dimensional beings collectively known as a summoned animal. However, not every group of summoned animals has a Sage who can teach outsiders."

"I was simply inquiring if the Rabbit Kingdom had such a being. From my research into senjutsu, they are usually either the leader of the clan of summoned animals or else a greatly respected elder. Sometimes both."

"...Oh, it is also highly risky and not everyone can do it and if you don't have my "kekkei genkai" then you are at risk of permanently mutating into an animal and/or turning to stone if you screw it up."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
She blinks and raises an eyebrow
*"No, he has not. What, is there some project I should know about? I don't see how thats any of my concern, that foolish boy seems to work better without my guidance, nor is it worth my time to guide him."*
She says a little dismissively. How could she ever teach a child the jutsu that this family relies upon when he didn't have the kekkei genkai for it? Better that he learn on his own, and that she spend her time focusing on Kimiko.

*Jirou:* 
Jirou asks
"First, lets start small: the Ishikawa Clan. How would you go about changing it?"
"Same thing I'd do with every cla handsomen, throw away all the old traditions, allow them to marry whomever they want, share their secrets to the world so that we freely figure out how they work."
"That is all very dangerous. Releasing the secrets of their jutsu will allow others to figure out how to counter it. allowing them to marry too carelessly will thin the bloodline into uselessness and Paper Release would be lost, thus taking away from Sound's military power. You'd be dooming the clan to death. You see why I can't allow this?"
"Your working on your strange little science experiments in that research facility right? Why can't you simply figure out a way to artificially produce the bloodline so people don't have to worry about who they marry?"
"Its a possibility, but our technology isn't quite to the level of mapping the full human genome. It would be ideal to figure it out so that one could optimize the child before they are born so the clans can maintain military power without sacrificing love, but its not quite there yet. If we could do such a thing, the clans would be all over a method to more reliably produce clan prodigies, my mother would be one of the people who'd want it the most. A lot of research would have to be done. That and it turns out producing human beings is more like cooking than building a house. A lot of environmental factors and stages to it. A more realistic goal would be to start a gene donor bank, where clans can volunteer to donate their genes to make the process smoother and cut out the unnecessary marriage part. Perhaps provide economic incentive for doing so.

While we can research such things, its also more realistic to allow all members of clans to take on a single concubine for the purposes of romance and love and one official spouse for the purposes of bloodline reproduction with the children of such a concubine having a defined legal status. Probably couple it with the gene donor bank to provide options..."

*Kimiko:*
She says
"An interesting topic to be sure. Your actually both quite lucky to have your abilities so early in life. Between you two, I wouldn't be surprised if Usagi did get a Sage mode. Sure the physical benefits would be lesser due to the lack of legs, but it provides so many other benefits that its still worth it. While having a summoning pact at all while not rare, is indeed something that not every ninja can say, and being able to call upon other beings to help is quite powerful in general. Usagi could probably be quite a powerful ninja by just expanding the amount and variety of rabbits you can summon and figuring out which rabbit to use for what situation. But you could do even better than that, rely on no one tool in the arsenal as they say. we should probably figure out Usagi's and Yuyuyu's elemental affinity at some point, get them started early on figuring that out. For some reason most people don't learn that until they're Chuunin. I myself as someone who will one day acquire all jutsu, have to figure out how to summon everything, when getting even one pact will be hard enough."
She crosses her arms in thought.
"Anyways, we have a mission to do I believe..."

----------


## Rater202

> "Your working on your strange little science experiments in that research facility right? Why can't you simply figure out a way to artificially produce the bloodline so people don't have to worry about who they marry?"


Senko suddenly sneezes.

"Excuse me."



> *Kimiko:*
> She says
> "An interesting topic to be sure. Your actually both quite lucky to have your abilities so early in life. Between you two, I wouldn't be surprised if Usagi did get a Sage mode. Sure the physical benefits would be lesser due to the lack of legs, but it provides so many other benefits that its still worth it. While having a summoning pact at all while not rare, is indeed something that not every ninja can say, and being able to call upon other beings to help is quite powerful in general. Usagi could probably be quite a powerful ninja by just expanding the amount and variety of rabbits you can summon and figuring out which rabbit to use for what situation. But you could do even better than that, rely on no one tool in the arsenal as they say. we should probably figure out Usagi's and Yuyuyu's elemental affinity at some point, get them started early on figuring that out. For some reason most people don't learn that until they're Chuunin. I myself as someone who will one day acquire all jutsu, have to figure out how to summon everything, when getting even one pact will be hard enough."
> She crosses her arms in thought.
> "Anyways, we have a mission to do I believe..."


"Yes... Lucky... The primary reason why nature transformation is restricted to Chunin is becuase it is a highly advanced form of chakra control, using chkara to directly manipulate natural elements, transform them directly into the element, or even into energy that is purely that element with its metaphysical properties is difficult for most people."

"Assuming that your Paper Release is a true hybrid element, then such things would come more naturally to you than to others due to naturally having two very strong affinities and an intuitive understanding of how to manipulate them into a combined form with unique properties, so what would be a basic skill for you is more difficult for someone who lacks your inherent advantages: For example, my 'kekkei Genkai' gives me a strong advantage in Taijutsu and in learning Senjutsu, but I can not use ordinary ninjutsu or genjutsu _at all_ and even Sage techniques are... Ask Yuyuyu-san what my version of the Clone Jutsu looks like."

The mission requires them to be at the Cafe at 10: 30. If they leave now and proceed at a moderate pace they will arrive roughly half an hour early.

----------


## igordragonian

* The Second Ottokage* 

Nozojo laugh. "Haha. Is he THAT unlikable?" He looks at the cup of coffee, with an impossible for it to fill itself.
Well, summoning hot water is possible, coffee beans would be a challenge- he blinked when he has realized he was lost in his thoughts. 
"Right. I have chosen him to be my assistant." Nozojo finally said.
"I have big hopes for this one. But I'll need your help, if you agree of course. I have taken his trainings as my duty, but your support can make my life much much easier.' He say 
--------
Usagi seemed to ponder about it.
"Maybe? Usually in the battles against the wolves at the borders, if she arrived... Queen Nagaishi just played her harp, and who ever enemies we couldn't deal with just... stopped... functioning.' Usagi said.
"Yojimbo-San, told me her claws can cut steel stone as easily as paper, but I never has seen her needing to do that."
Usagi try to follow the conversation she wasn't really a book smart

Odayama laugh. 
"Wow. Senko, you are pulling the nerd out of Kimiko -chan. I am impressed."




*(reposting for rater, it's Usagi's past from six years ago. Rater seemed intrested in the background of stuff...
I posted it, when Usagi used her final technique on Kimiko)
*Spoiler: The Tale Of The Rabbit Warrior With No Legs.*
Show


Teen Yojimbo sighed, once again. The lump of his forehead still hurt. This crazy legless girl, surely knew how to throw pebbles.
They were in a cozy room, simple but spacey and warm. The paper walls depicted Queen Nagaishi fend off a primodoral monstorsities and predatotr kings.
Lanterns with http://www.japanesewordswriting.com/.../08/usagi.jpgs the kanji for a rabbit.
The girl stared without any expriession at the lanterns. She hasn't ate nor slept for days. Maybe she seen over and over the blood and flash rain in which she apeared in this realm.
Yojimbo himself were shaken.
He didn't knew what to do. This girl was a broken doll, with a sentient entity inside.
Yojimbo KNEW this. When he reached for her, even as she bled to death she growled and fought like a beast. This rage and pain, could come only from a broken sentient mind.
Yojimbo was helpless. Ever since he cleaned the little girl, and put her in this room she stopped moving and reacting to anything.
He didn't knew the girl. She was from the alien specie, that sometimes, summoned his kind, but he felt obliged to be by her side. Yojimbo felt strange sense of respect to this legless girl.
But she looked paler and paler, and she will probably waste away soon enough.
And then he heard humming, getting nearer and nearer.
Yojimbo already bowed deeply.
In white mist a beautiful woman has entered the room. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/17/80...ad692d1e26.jpg
"Your highness... Nagaishi-Dono...' The young rabbit Samurai mumbled with awe.
"Rise up, Yojimbo-Chan.' The queen said with a sweet voice of honey collected under the moonshine.
"Your Master say, that you are negleting your trainings for a 3 days. It's because of this human. Isn't it?' She has asked, her left paw opened up, exposing set of tiny claws. Fools wouldn't think much of it. But Yojimbo knew, those claws tore rock and metal as easilly as it tore paper. He was worried.

"Yes. She is very hurt. I barely have stopped the bleeding. She hasn't moved. I can't just... leave her like this.' Yojimbo said with folded ears.
'Do you think we are a monastic order? That charity is one of our sacred duties?' Nagaishi has asked, and hopped silent as blank dreams toward the broken shell of the girl, almost floating.
Yojimbo felt his heart sink down.
"We aren't anything more then tools for the humans. There is no reason for us, to treat them diffrently. And this tool is broken and wasting your time.' She explained as if, answering to his rebelliouse thoughts.
Nagaishi, raised her paw to slash the girl, who didn't seemed to even notice her.

"NO!' Yojimbo jumped and drawn his sword in defensive stance between his queen and the alien child.
Nagaishu stopped, tilting her head, with a dangerouse smile.
"No? How... intresting.' She placed her paw over his heart. "You still fear and respect me, and yet resist me. What give you such a courage?'
Yojimbo shook. "...I just feel this isn't fair. She IS a fighter. She lived through hell. She can be a great warrior!"
Nagaishu smiled. "How curiouse. Let's see.' She summoned from the mist a harp. "I'll heal her mind."

"I thought you.. aren't doing chairty.' Yojimbo panted.
"I am not. This is an investment. It will be up to her, if to succumb to numbness, or to live and fight."
*****
[Little Girl's mindscape]
Little girl sat and sobbed. Rain of blood kept raining, and she was all soaked in blood. This blood was her father, mother, siblings and herself.
And she was the cause of this rain.
Blood. Flash. This is what remained of everyone.
And then.... she has heard this beautiful music. And a pretty bunny in blue robes has appeared.
The rain stopped all of the sudden.
The little girl has raised her eyes. "Ah. Well, you haven't lost ALL of your sanity. Good." The pretty bunny said with a smile, which the girl interperted as friendly.
The girl didn't answered staring.
"Well... here are your options.' A black hole apeared behind the girl.
It was an endless pit, but seemed... comftroable. Clean. The girl was so tired.
"You can let go. This is the pit bliss. You won't be you, anymore. You already have thrown to there so much of yourself, you should stop tear yourself and simply jump into there. You will forget everything, and won't be you. No more blood rain. What do you say?'

The girl looked back. It seems, that there, her family were happy. They even called her name happily, all while the lullaby in the background clearing this hellish mindscape.
The girl, started crawling there, sending hand to the reaching hands of her loved ones.
She stopped all of the sudden. "What the other option?'
The pretty bunny smiled, and gestured toward a battle scene. Unending battle scene, with bloody weapons everyhwere. "To remain torn, and go for unending battle. You will probably will never be at peace. And you will serve ME."
It seemed so hard and impossible. There were no compassion. Only unending struggle. Behind her family offered an unending comfort with them. They called again and again her old name with love and care.
She started to turn back
But for a moment took a look into the pretty bunny's white eyes.
They were mocking her. She could read them. "Come on, little girl. Dissapear."
And as she thought that, the pale eyed man apeared in the zone of the unending struggle. "You already half dead. You are ugly. Die already." He said softly.

"#$%# please don't!" Her mother begged.
A spear has apeared in the girl's hand, and she flew forward, letting her past succumb into obivlion.
She stabbed the pale man, and blood again showered her. But now, it felt good.
"You are just little helpless girl! You can't do that!" The pale eyed man said with a statisfying horror.
"I can do anything! I never helpless!" And the little girl murdered him over and over with new weapon each time.

The pretty bunny has tilted her head with an amused grin. "So, Yojimbo-Chan's instincts were right." She wishpered. "With such spirit your body is just a minor detail."
*****

Yojimbo barely held himself awake. Of course, he knew, that if the Queen would have wished him asleep he would have been.
The girl eyes closed. Forever? Yojimbo wondered with a worry and dissapointment.
The girl's eyes suddenly have opened. Focused. Fierce. Her eyes teared, and she smiled. Her belly rumbled with hunger.
Nagaishu, petted her forehead. 'What is your name little one?'
The girl looked confused for a moment. Name?
It mattered so little. She looked again at the lamp carrying the kanji.
"Usagi." She said.

----------


## Rater202

"...Was that intended as a compliment, Odayama-sensei? Maybe we should just get going?"

Early is better than nothing.

Assuming that there are no objections, you get going to the destination.

"Kimiko-san?" Senko asks on the way. "May I trouble you and ask exactly _why_ it is that you want to learn all Jutsu?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
She considers the Otokage's question and begins noblewoman laughing
*"Oooohohohoho! Otokage, you can't be serious. Him? Your assistant and therefore grooming him to be your successor? Is this one of his little ploys to grab at our attention by spiting us?"*
She leans back
*"Trust me Otokage that child despite his seeming obedience, wants nothing more than to make it all about him and his problems. Thinks he knows whats best for everyone around him and is obsessed with protecting his little sister to an unhealthy degree. You could do better than choose him."*

*Jirou and Kikenna:*
"Will I get to teach Kimiko?"
"Of course, I assume you want to fill her head with your own radical ideas? I'm okay with that.  She needs someone to help break her out of the noble clan mindset she's been living in all this time."
"That get her to think for herself in general. And genjutsu? fire jutsu? poisons?"
"Yes, yes but probably wait until she gets Earth and Water down first, maybe she seems only interested in actual- chakra based jutsu."
"....Seduction te-"
"NO."
"Why, handsome? She is a kunoichi and already cute, she is probably going to be a beauty when she is older and kunoichi got to use our...natural... advantage to help win. Its apart of how we've operated for centuries."
"Again. No. First of all, you are not turning my sister into a seductive infiltrator. Second of all she would be bad at it. She is a nerd, and have you seen Kirigakure kunoichi try that sort of thing with their shark teeth? Makes the more intelligent and valuable marks evade them for fear of what may happen if they....bite down."
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!! aaaaaaah, thats hilarious."
"Feel free to teach genjutsu and seduction to Yuyuyu though, she'd probably make it work."

*Kimiko:*
"You can't even do the clone jutsu right, makes sense given that your a chakraless won-"
Yuyuyu gives her a slight slap on the shoulder as if to say "no!" and she stops
"....Sorry."
She thinks about Senko's question as she walks
"Why? Well its like....chakra is there, right? and we don't know everything about it. And there is so much potential to it. So its like, I'm filled with this insatiable curiosity to figure out everything that can be done with it. What if I did this? What if I did that?"
Her eyes begin to shine with this manic glee, while a wide shark grin spread across her face
"How does it all work? What are the limits? The applications? Could I use genjutsu to communicate with a deaf person? what is the true power of space-time jutsu? How much of the legends are true? Is Ninshuu something real and if found what can it be used for? Are there similarities across various techniques that can be used to figure out something greater or deeper? could I invent goggles to replicate chakra-seeing of dojutsu? can I make a ninja kite then put wind seals on it to make it fly? What is the true power of Yin-yang release? What can I create? How can I tinker with all this? What can be modified? How far can I take this, and can I take it even further? Just think of the applications! Think of what could be explored! It doesn't matter who calls me mad, or who wants to deny secrets to me... 

I want to know, and every jutsu I learn builds a picture of all chakra. A mosaic if you will, that will add up to a view of all chakra, of all jutsu and all it can do, a framework that takes it all into account....so that when I look upon it, I will know what can be done.....and perhaps maybe after that? figure out what I should do with such a picture. Though admittedly its nice just to play around with new techniques and jutsu in general, experiment for the sake of experimenting,  learn for the sake of learning, even if I haven't had enough time to do it lately with all thats been going on. Between that duel, Futlity-san and the clan at home....well nevermind. Point is, I want to see what there is to see, Senko. I want to collect every jutsu to see how they work with my own eyes, I want to shout "eureka!" and go "huh thats funny" when I see something strange, I want to know what can be done, I want to examine and analyze! I want to invent and innovate! I want to collect, compare, contrast, I want to rip off the veils of ignorance and see the truth of chakra!

I want all the knowledge I can get! FOR SCIENCE! OOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO-"
Also maybe some low key desires for godhood, but that is all scientists, right? 
"Kimiko why are you noblewoman laughing?"
She stops
"....whaa? I thought everyone laughed like this..."
"...No one laughs that way, why would you think that?"
"Because mother keeps laughing like that...."

----------


## Rater202

Well, that would be a red flag.

"...If your mother ever says or does something that makes you feel unsafe in your own home, you are welcome to hide from her in my apartment. I only have the one futon but it's a king-size. My only rules are that you do not read any journals you find laying around without permission, that you do not interrupt me when I am attending to the maintenance of my feet, and that if I tell you to drop everything and run for your life, you do not stop or ask questions, you just run. I can not _possibly_ stress the importance of the last one enough."

Senko doesn't expect Kimiko to ever take her up on that but makes plans to buy proper pajamas just in case.

"...That said: I understand you completely. After hearing that, my true dream, my far off pipe dream, seems a little less silly. I have... Theories. Theories about the true nature of the Sage of the Six Paths. Theories about what happens if someone manages to achieve perfect mastery of nature transformation, to the point of being able to reflexively produce pure elemental chakra of all five basic elements. And one theory..."

"Every form of Sage Mode is different. My clan's form is different from the Senju's which is different from the Toads which is different from the Snake's which is different from the Slug's which is different from the monkey's which is different from the Sharks and those are the only ones I know of. There are differences, sometimes subtle and sometimes extreme, between the effects and every style of Senjutsu has subtle and extreme differences in how it's applied."

"I believe that each form of Senjutsu is merely a fraction or reflection of the True Senjutsu. My dream is to achieve perfect mastery of _all_ forms of Sage Mode and combine them into a single state of being. If my theory is correct, then I'll have achieved a state where I am simultaneously harmoniously one with nature but also its master, free to walk among breasts without being harassed by predators or dance atop a mountain during a thunderstorm without fear of being struck by lightning... To swim the oceans during a hurricane. Able to commune with all things, connected to the Cosmos itself. There would be nothing I could not do and I would achieve an enlightened state where I could learn the Secrets of All Things."

Senko smiles serenely.

"And if I am wrong I would still be the single greatest Sage who ever lived, excepting perhaps the Six Paths..."

"...But that is still a pipe dream. If I can mend the imbalance that hampers my chakra control, I will be able to learn my own Clan's Sage Mode and, if I am fortunate, that of a single summoned animal clan... And perhaps the Senju, should I marry into the clan. Senjutsu is not something that can simply be stolen by spiriting away some scroll. excepting the form granted by my 'kekkei genkai' all Sage Modes require specialized training and ovesight."

----------


## igordragonian

*The Second Ottokage*

Nozojo smile with a sigh
*Oi, oi. Is my fame as a troll that great? It won't help me, from beyond the grave. I won't troll you over who is going to be my succesor'* he sigh.

*'Can I? Like who? Ameoku Nekazuko?'* he shake his head.
Before he will defend his choice... he wanted to hear what his mother had to say. He is pausing.


------

Odayama nod.
'Yes. It was.' he said, walking behind, whistling idly.

Usagi seemed hyped.
'Senjutsu? Sage?' her smile widen.
'I bet I will master it before any of you!; she said daringly.

----------


## Rater202

Senko grimaces.

"Usagi-san, no... Bad things can come from rushing into learning Senjutsu. For most people, it is a Jonin level skill."

----------


## igordragonian

> Senko grimaces.
> 
> "Usagi-san, no... Bad things can come from rushing into learning Senjutsu. For most people, it is a Jonin level skill."


'Bah! What the worse that could happen? I have two spare limbs!' Usagi say like a brat.

Odayama decide, not to intervern yet.

----------


## Rater202

> 'Bah! What the worse that could happen? I have two spare limbs!' Usagi say like a brat.
> 
> Odayama decide, not to intervern yet.


"You would die," Senko says bluntly. "No loss of limbs, no injury, you would just die. At least, I would hope you would die. The alternative is that you are alive and awake while your body turns to stone, petrified in place for all eternity."

"Should you manage to avoid that fate, you could still permanently transform, _slowly_ into a small and harmless animal. You seem to have adjusted very well to your physical dismemberment but how well could a quadripedal rabbit cope without its hind legs?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

> *The Second Ottokage*
> 
> Nozojo smile with a sigh
> *Oi, oi. Is my fame as a troll that great? It won't help me, from beyond the grave. I won't troll you over who is going to be my succesor'* he sigh.
> 
> *'Can I? Like who? Ameoku Nekazuko?'* he shake his head.
> Before he will defend his choice... he wanted to hear what his mother had to say. He is pausing.


*I mean you have these Three Thunders who are more experienced are they not? Or perhaps other people in this village who have better knowledge of leadership? What makes you think a foolish child who has tried to undermine my efforts for years knows anything of the sacrifices I make much less the sacrifices you make? He wants to do nothing but influence Kimiko to his path rather than anyone elses. All to take away my clans hope of greatness."*
She keeps saying.

*Jirou:*
"And what about your mother?"
"What _about_ her?"
"She is going to be a problem, is she not?"
"Rest assured, by this day's end, she won't be anyone's concern but my own."
"Bold statement, but if I'm going to be your wife for this, she is going to be my problem as well."
"By the time it happens, she will be in control no longer. You have my word."
"...You sure you can take on a shinobi sixteen years older than you and experienced more war?"
"I've taken on ninja twice my age before. In much worse circumstances. I am prepared."
The day he left Kirigakure was quite the learning experience. One he did not wish to repeat.

*Kimiko:*
"She is right, Usagi. Sage Arts aren't something you play around with. They're rare for a reason. They're a jutsu that affects your entire body and those can mess you up if misused. My family sometimes tell horror stories about Hozuki that screwed up their Hydrification Jutsu. Turning your entire body to water and back to normal again is hiden and high rank for a reason."
She says chidingly.

----------


## Rater202

"The only reason that I myself am discussing this is that 1: I possess what is, somewhat unscientifically, known as a 'complete body transformation kekkei genkai.' One of your classmates at the Academy would have been a Kaguya, yes? Just as their bodies are built from the ground up to use their bones as weapons with several other, minor abilities to compensate for the biological flaws of such a thing, my body is built up from the chemical level to mold senjutsu chakra and weaponize its effects on human biology and 2: That my bloodline comes with a rather concerning... downside that, while manageable, requires me to master Sage Mode to be fully free of."

There's just enough time for one or two more replies before you arrive at the cafe.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi blew her cheeks angerly.
"I am not playing around! But fine! I will be the most careful a ninja can be.'

Odayama joined the conversation.
"If you are willing to share with me this downside, I might help. I am... on the middle road to become a sage. Sort of. Too lazy to do the actual work, but there are cheats. If the situation is very dire.'


--------

(Amekou supposed to be one of the three Thunders. She was trained hy the first Ottokage)
"A seed need to rot before it blossom.' Nozojo said and felt wise.
"Skills aren't a big deal. What I see in him.. is dedication and loyalty to himself. Yes. He might be a gloomy teen, but he is able to wish the world for someone else. With time, he will learn to wish the world for the whole village. He just didn't had much chance to see the village beyond his narrow induvdial place. And more then anything..."

Nozojo smile. "He is reminding me of myself.'

----------


## Rater202

"...Let us just say that you all should be getting hazard pay just being around me and that if you are not you should lodge a formal complaint. I will back you up. It is not really something that can be helped with and, to be honest, it would probably already be something I had under control if my chakra nature was not unusually unbalanced."

Odayama should probably take the hint that this has something to do with those "Berserker Rages" that were mentioned in the scroll. The ones the scroll said he's not to disclose.Udon Cafe, run by one Udon Urameshi, is a Cafe... It isn't... _techncially_ a maid cafe becuase there are both men and women serving and they run a proper business rather than catering to fetishes, but the uniforms of the servers due tend to resemble(proper, conservative) maid uniforms for the women and a butler's ensemble for the men.

It is a rather high-class establishment, though reasonably priced, and does its best to present itself as such. (The proprietor is in fact rather protective of his staff. You all may or may not know that there was an incident a few weeks ago where the proprietor damn near killed a patron who was... Confused by the uniforms and made an extremely inappropriate comment to a young waitress near the end of her shift.)

Udon-san is himself an accomplished cook: While the cafe typically serves what you would expect of a cafe most of the time, during the Lunch and Dinner rushes they open up to a wider menu. During this time, Udon-san serves his signature variation of Kitsune Udon to those who order it. Whatever secret recipe or ingredients he uses that makes it different is a closely guarded secret, but it remains a popular dish.

The proprietor is standing outside as you arrive, smoking a cigarette though... Considering how green in the face he looks, he's probably not a habitual smoker.

"If you're here to patronize, head right in and someone will be with you shortly... But if you're the you-know-who for the you-know-what, honorable ninjas, head around the back."

He is, of course, presumably only asking this becuase you're early.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama nodded at Senko. 
"Yeah. Then I might be able to help you with my exprience with such things. Not something fancy... but I am still alive, and more or less sane."
----
Odayama say. 'Yo. Yeah, usually I am late. I probably have forgotten to do something important at home... but this is what it is. We are team 3, my name is Odayama.' He present himself with a slight bow.
Usagi looked around and drolled a bit.
She didn't ate dinner...

----------


## Lord Raziere

((OOC: She knows full well that one of the Three thunders is in the village. This does not change her point in her mind.))

*Mitsuko:*
She is silent as she processes what the Otokage says to her, her eye twitches then she bursts out laughing. Its....not a happy laugh, but a broken one.
*"OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO.........Hoooooo......Wh  at a cruel jest of the kami! We each picked what the other discarded!"*
She spreads her arms out dramatically
*"What you say however of Jirou holds no weight in his own clan. We have lived with him our entire lives! You cannot reintroduce him. In this house, we earn our victories! If he wants my support for his leadership as Otokage, he can come and earn it with his own skill! Rather than hiding behind another. If he truly is worthy of it, his convictions will drive him to defeat me, to prove that he can and thus hold power over me! Let him come! I'll be waiting. I would expect no less of Kimiko after all."*
For all authority stems from the power to kill, and thus no one can said to be an authority over you if they cannot cause your death and get away with it. She will cross her arms and sniffs.
*"Convince other such clans of his worthiness if you must, I don't care. There are more substantial things in this world than pretty words to me. We are done here. Have a good day, Otokage-sama. This conversation has been....enlightening."*

*Kimiko:*
Earlier:
Kimiko silently takes wonders upon the downside. She connects the dots without ever needing to be told directly. Hearing her talk about it made Kimiko a little.....sad? for some reason? Senko just showed up and was interested in so much of the same things and apparently was a danger to all those around her? This wasn't like Kimiko to feel sadness over other peoples....situation? So she decides to mask it
"Ha! I'm sure such a downside is nothing that I, Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of the Ishikawa Clan, cannot handle."
Yuyuyu on the other hand goes
"I hope things get better for you Senko. I really do."

Cafe:
Yuyuyu introduces herself
"Greetings! You can just call me Yuyuyu, everyone does because its short for my real name."
"and I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of clan Ishikawa! The you-know-what shall be taken care of."
They then head around back.

----------


## Rater202

_Earliar_

Senko doesn't visibly respond to either the offer of sympathy nor to Kimiko's bravado.

_Now_

"I am Senko."

Shortly after you head around back, Udon comes around himself, drops his cigarette, crushes it out under his open-toed boot, and mutters about wishing he'd come up with a better excuse to be out front.

He pulls out his keys and unlocks the back door of the building and herds you in through into the kitchen.

"So, about two weeks ago Ichichiraku-san notices a discrepancy in the till. Bit of accounting and he realizes that the bowl of Sweet and Spicy three meat and fish Ramen he'd served to a young woman was never paid for and that he didn't recall what the young woman looked like."

"Last week, he's chatting with Osoba-sanyeah, I know, you'd expect them to be rivals but let's be honest, there's more than enough business to go around and there's no reason for us not to be friendly with each otherand Osoba-san has the same story: Realizing that her profits were a bit too thin that day, crunching the numbers, and realizing that one of her higher quality dishes, soba with some kind of secret dashi-based sauce she makes served to a young woman who she for the life of herself couldn't recall the face of, wasn't paid for, but this time there was a ninja patron, a chunin with a talent for that... Mind messing up stuff you guys do sometimes, who left a note about having sensed some weird juju during the lunch rush."

"So with a week to the day between then, they realize that there's a pattern and come to me to warn me about the dine and dasher and we came up with this plan: Some of the part-timers who come on for the Lunch rush all 'unfortunately decided to go late-night-skinny dipping together' at a lake outside the village and 'came down with a bug' from the unclean water, so none of them can work today. In truth, they've all gotten the day off, but with such short notice I wasn't able to bring in enough replacements and had to hire a team of genin to fill in."

"That's where you all come in: You're going to work the room, you know, take orders, bring out food, that kind of thing, during the lunch rush, which usually starts at 11 and ends at 1... And don't worry, we've made sure that the wages I'd normally pay for that are included in the pay you're getting for this. You're basically working two jobs today, I'm not gonna stiff you."

Udon-san has a reputation for honesty and making sure that his staff gets paid what they earned.

"And while you're doing that, you're gonna be keeping an eye out for anything... Unusual. Based on Irichiraku-san and Osoba-san's recollections, the dine-and-dasher is a young woman about...Well, your age," he gestures to the girls. "We think she's either a student at the academy or a drop out based on the mind-whammy report from the mind whammy expert and if the pattern holds then she's probably going to order my special Kitsune Udon."

"Should you see such a woman or sense anything... Odd from anyone, keep an eye on them and, should they try to sneak out: Grab them. Neither Ichichiraku-san or Osoba-san are interested in pressing charges and I'm more than willing to be lenient: For all we know this is just some kid who can't afford food or something getting a warm meal the only way they know how, but it's still annoying. If you can end this by scarring the kid straight, that's ideal, but..."

"If you have any questions, ask them now, otherwise I've got some uniforms and... Oh."

He looks at Usagi as though he is just now noticing that she's missing her legs.

"That might be a problem."

----------


## igordragonian

*Second Ottokage*

The Ottokage sigh. 'Heh. So authoritative. You are completely my type. But just as Ameoku so narrow minded.'  He get up.
Of course, his visit wasn't a complete waste of time.
At the entrance he sticked a tiny chip to overhear what is going on here.
'Just one last thing about Jirou-kun... as Odokuro-Sama told me... 'Power and skills... can easily be gained with hard work. But the right heart within a ninja- is what I trust.'
with a final bow
'Good day.'

-----------------------------

Odayama nod.
'Well, it sound like my home life. I know my way in the kitchen, and if there are no monster woman here, to bash my head against the wall, this will be even better.'


Usagi frown her small mushy eyebrows.
'There would be no problem here. I can handle anything, and if it about looks, I can look like I have stupid legs. I DID passed the Academy finals, you baka!'

Odayama scold her. 'Usagi! You won't speak like that to a respectable citizens of the village!'

'I am just tired, of all the 'OOo' no legs?' Yes. I get it. I can do anything just fine, and if the customers, are so squashy to see the real me, I can hide it. Everyone are bakas!'

----------


## Rater202

Udon backs up and holds out his hands.

"I didn't mean anything like that, Miss. If you can carry a tray and walk on crutches at the same time then there's no problem."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou and Kikenna:*
"And what of the Otokage himself?"
"He is a good person, what about him?"
"He is a good person, but also an outdated one. I disagree with him over what peace looks like and how to achieve it."
"too many words, not enough action, I'm guessing?"
"Pretty much, handsome. Just remember that second question from yesterday and you'll know what his real priorities are."
"Thats quite a cynical assumption about him."
"Just remember that if he was in charge of that, he wouldn't care for Kimiko's feelings or choice and allow that sort of injustice on the logic that she'd get used to it, and that we should all do the same like bitches. Screw him, I fight for my happiness."
"and yet you make this deal with me?"
"We both know love is not involved in this. We agree to it therefore I am not forced into it, furthermore I do not mind being a hypocrite so that someday others do not have to."
"Neither do I."

*Kimiko:*
"She can fight me to a tie, and I was the top of my class. I'd be disappointed if she couldn't rise to a little challenge like this."
Kimiko says haughtily.
"That and couldn't she like just.....operate from some counter position where she'd just stand still and take orders while people come to her in a line even if she couldn't carry a tray...?" Yuyuyu adds uncertainly. Like operating a cash register or something?

----------


## igordragonian

Not far from Jirou and Kikena's date,  a shilouette have overheard them.
The Commander of the Anbu wasn't happy.
Also, her husband has forgotten today to make her a bento.

Should she expose herself and intimidate the little boy a bit?
Maybe.. not yet. Maybe she will catch him alone.

-----
"I have teeth and shoulders. And I can lean my elbows on the crotches." Usagi groaned.
"Fine"  Odayama said. "But only after you get a breakfast."

"I am not weak!" Usagi growled.
"No. You are cranky and unkind. And you are tired and starving. My treat, my command. Senko, Kimiko, Yuyuyu are you hungry?" He ask with an authorative tone.
"This is going to be a long day, and I need you all in your best."

----------


## Rater202

"Usagi-san, with all due respect, an obsession with proving that your lack of legs is not a weakness is itself a weakness: Think, if this was a battle with an enemy ninja intent on killing you, they could simply insist that you must be a pathetic cripple and count on your anger and outrage to make you sloppy. You would have an outburst of anger and possibly make a mistake that in the heat of battle might cost you our life... Or the mission. I understand that 'real' ninjas consider the mission more important than their lives."

It seems that Senko doesn't consider herself a "real" Ninja.

"I have experience in the skills needed to control one's temper. If you would like, I can teach you some exercises once the mission is completed. For example, instead of getting angry, imagine a harem of strapping lads and comely lasses praising and worshiping your perfect, godlike body." Senko finishes with a small smile.

"...Oh-kay..." Udon says slowly. "I'd uh... Prefer that you not handle food with your teeth, but if you say it's not a problem I'll take your word for it. Sorry, sorry... Yeah, there should be enough time for you to eat something. We're still getting the kitchens ready for the Lunch rush and we don't really serve breakfast but I can get you some tea and cakes."

Senko has already eaten, but Udon will provide something for anyone who wants a quick bite. He says that he and Odayama-sensei and discuss the payment later.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou and Kikenna:*
"Anyways, what about the rest of your family, is your mother just an exceptional bitch or something?"
"Look I'm not going to lie the rest of the clan isn't in a healthy place either: Uncle Musumu was pretty much the last surviving jonin level ninja we had, but at some point all the deaths and trauma took their toll and now he is half-crazy and plays with fuinjutsu like playing cards to the point of only having Chuunin skill now, Aunt Naoko is obsessed with revenge against Kirigakure that mother has to reign her in, My nephew Sokaku he alternates being drunk at parties to forget what we did when we were six and failing to pick up girls, some of us just like to use one specific piece of origami art for some reason, the adults are generally traumatized, the teens are caught between two worlds, and the kids don't know whats going on and think their life is normal. clans a shadow of its former self."
"So....clan drama in general, with added "we were better in the paaaaast!" whining?"
"If you want to reduce complex social issues as a result of generations of cultural conditioning and strange circumstances ramming up against each other in the most stupid and insulting manner possible, yes."

*Kimiko and Yuyuyu:*
Yuyuyu says
"I'll gladly take tea and cakes, thank you."
While Kimiko is temporarily unsure about when Senko speaks of "real" ninja then is lost in her own fantasies when she starts imagining comely lasses praising her godlike body with a goofy open shark grin on her face.

----------


## Rater202

> While Kimiko is temporarily unsure about when Senko speaks of "real" ninja then is lost in her own fantasies when she starts imagining comely lasses praising her godlike body with a goofy open shark grin on her face.


"...We are going to get along just okay."

*Spoiler: Senko's Research Log*
Show

It is a known fact that the Chakra of the Tailed Beasts has some kind of effect on that of their hosts. A Jinchurki permanently gains the chakra natures of the Tailed Beast as well as access to unique manifestations of chakra or unique abilities.

The presence of a tailed beast, however, doesn't seem to be necessary: While there are no confirmed replications of the incident, the "Two Lights," who are both heroes and infamous criminals to the people of Kumo and the Land of Lightning, also known as the "Gold and Silver Brothers," contemporaries of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, allegedly survived being eaten alive by the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, remained in its gullet for two weeks without being digested, and sustained themselves by eating the meat of the foxes organs.

In addition to allegedly proving that self-sustained contracts of solid chakra can sustain a living organism, this supposedly bestowed upon them powers akin to a Jinchurik as they had somehow managed to maintain and generate the Nine-Tails chakra within themselves, though presumably weaker than a true Jinchuriki.

This process, had it actually happened, has not been replciated despite the Cloud Village being known to have access to two of the tailed beasts. If this happened, it would indicate that the creation of "Psuedo-Jinchuriki" is a trait either unique to the Nine-Tails or tha there is some factor within the Godl and Silver Brothers bodies or bloodlines that is required for the process: As the two alleged to be descendants of the Sage of the Six Paths, and the two seemingly possessed horns similar to depictions of the Sage, this may be a distinct possibility.

While I would need to examine the cadavers left behind by the heroes-turned-criminals to confirm the accuracy of these stories(A near impossibility at this time), as my own research involves the grafting of genetic traits and chakra natures to other organisms if these stories are true then there's hope that I may be able to balance my chakra by grafting that of others to myself.

In the even that my genetic grafting becomes untenable... As despicable as it might sound to make this plan, if I can confront a Jinchuriki and force them to manifest their tailed beast's power and then use my Cell Regeneration Absorption to consume their biomass and chakra in large enough quantities I may be able to transform myself into one such Psuedo-Jinchuriki and balance my chakra using that of the beast.

(Note: Research if any known or suspected Jinchuriki were Sages)

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi nod.
'I will be the greatest waitress you ever had!' she promise with a wide smile.
She listen to Senko, skeptical, but willing to listen- until the harem point. She blushed.

'True ninja, doesn't care about silly things like that. That how I managed to get a surprise, on Kimiko. I am above it.' she say, as she eat fast, and rudely, like a small beast.
She point at Kimiko's grin.
'Look, how baka she looks right now.'

----------


## Rater202

"...I have only know Kimiko-san for a day and you for half an hour, Usagi-san, but I cannot help but get the overwhelming feeling that the two of you need to get a room," Senko says with the same monotonous tone as everything else she says.After the quick meal, you're all quickly provided with uniforms and a side room to change in. Somehow, despite not knowing which team was being sent, they happen to have uniforms in all of your exact sizes.

Senko has the absolute grumpiest expression upon her face and winces with every step. She very clearly is not happy being made to wear shoes.

"A pox on whoever it was that invented these damned things."

The first hour of the rush is, ironically, not that eventful. People come in, order, pay, and leave. Nobody unusual, nobody who matches th profile of the girl, no weird juju...

Then, at noon on the dot, a time when everyone happens to be free, a girl about the age of a newly graduated genin comes in.

She's rather... Unusual. Her skin is white. Not "pale beige" or "pinkish-tan," _white._ Literally, like snow, which contrasts against her inky-black hime-cut hair. There are lavender markings around her purple eyes, like an upside-down teardrop with her eye in the middle of the fat part.

She's also dressed far, far fancier than a place even as high-class as this would attract: A proper kimono, white silk with purple trim held in place with a lavender obi, wooden zori and tabi socks.

_Nobody_ but the undercover ninjas seem to think she's anything out of the ordinary, despite how out of place she seems with her unusual coloration and inappropriately formal dress.

Obviously, none of you recognize her from the academy.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou and Kikenna:*
"Okay if your going to be all sociologist about it."
Kikenna says back, rolling her eyes
"As if your any better about it."
"How will you handle my family?"
"Once I'm clan leader, I will have pull. I will call for renegotiation of the terms."
"Are they seriously going to accept a change of leadership over a duel?"
"Its ancient tradition, formed in times of constant war. The clans before villages, had to think about the survival of the clan first, and thus who would be strongest and strong-willed to carry them through hard times. Thus the logic goes anyone willing to challenge the clan leader to a duel and succeed would be strong enough to do that. Given that history has shown that wars are still likely to come around every generation in one big war rather than many small ones, the tradition has stayed, if invoked less often."
"Sounds like a good way for power-hungry jerks to easily climb the ranks."
"Believe it or not it, many of the instances of its use were a form of white mutiny to stop the current leader from doing something stupid, but yes there were cases of that. Often one after the other."
"I see."
"Anything else to discuss?"
"What about Yagura? Won't he be mad that a former Mist member of a clan that escaped became Otokage when it comes to that?"
"So what if he is? Sound Village has numerous buffer states including the twin titans of Kumo and Konoha between him and us. Its one Jinchuuriki Versus three, two of which are more powerful than him, one village with a water environment bias trying to invade land, versus two villages one of which is strong against water as well as various minor villages who won't like Mist stomping their way through to get to us. At best for him he'd start the Fourth Shinobi War and we all lose and at worst, he gets beaten off before it gets to that point. but even he isn't crazy enough to start the Fourth War. He could not possibly win it, not alone. He'd have to secure a pretty major alliance for that. And doing all that just for some remnant clan far from his sphere of influence halfway across the continent? That would be stupid. What reason could he possibly have to go to such lengths, even in his hatred of traitors?"
Jirou says dismissively.
"He's more likely to send a small ANBU squad to stealthily get here and try to kill us, but even then he has more important things closer to home to worry about like his economy not doing so hot or the Kiri Rebels hounding him. He would need much more of a reason to go after us than just the fact that we still exist. We're safe."
"Yeah, your right, that is pretty logical."
"Anything else?"
"Nothing else handsome, We got the entire rest of our lives to work this out after all."
"I think I will find pleasure in working with you, if nothing else."
They will depart, going their separate ways.

*Kimiko:*
She instantly snaps out of it.
"W-well unlike you, I'm much more real, cause your always a baka, Usagi! BAKA!"
she snaps back at her. 

Yuyuyu only snickers while politely eating her food, sometimes she just liked watching these eccentric oddities clash against each other.

_____

Kimiko and Yuyuyu will keep a watchful eye on this girl, and Yuyuyu will go in first to ask
"Hello welcome to Udon Cafe, how can I take your order?"
While Kimiko waits ever ready.

----------


## Rater202

> Kimiko and Yuyuyu will keep a watchful eye on this girl, and Yuyuyu will go in first to ask
> "Hello welcome to Udon Cafe, how can I take your order?"
> While Kimiko waits ever ready.


"Yes, I would please like a bowl of Kitsune Udon," the girl says.

----------


## Lord Raziere

> "Yes, I would please like a bowl of Kitsune Udon," the girl says.


"Of course! I'll just sit you right here...whats your name? and can I take your drink?"
She will quickly lead the girl to a random table, write it all down on her notepad then walk over to where Usagi, Senko and Odayama is. While Kimiko watches over the girl while serving others.
"I think I found the girl, she has this weird kimono, about as old as a genin and weirder completely white skin as if porcelain and no one seems to be noticing her but us. Its like some bad disguise jutsu. Lets make a plan on how to ambush and catch her."

----------


## Rater202

"Men-Ko, and no drink is needed.""...Wouldn't it make the most sense to wait for her to sneak out and then follow her? if she thinks we're onto her she'll just run. Or fight."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi bark. 'We dual much better in the open thank you very much!' she felt, that there were something snarky about it, but as a training freak, which most of her social life, was sharing an expired noodles with one handed eldery woman, and the time, which she was happiest in her life, was in a dual, and she kept the bite scar as a memory of it.
Though, now, she preffered to keep hiding the scar under the scarf.
Kimiko might be wierded out, and Senko will be wierd about it,

-----

As an illusion, she craft legs, and change her hair from red to blonde. Not very creative, just to avoid the immeadiate 'legless wonder' 
She didn't liked dresses.
But she forced a smile, as she promised to be the best waitress, leaning her elbows on the crothces.

Usagi wishper.
'I have a guy, who can track her. Also my Watership Squad can trap her, with enough time.'



-------
*The Big Bad Hello Kitty Say Hello*
Aemoku appear from the shadows, sending what seems like a slashing claw at Jirou-
she won't hurt him.
She just if his insincts are worthy respecting.Ameoku create illusionery claws, so even if she meet, it will be more of a slap.

----------


## Rater202

Suddenly, the girl, Men-Ko, turns up her nose and sniffs the air. She looks to where the wait-staff(IE, you,) are congregating, her eyes grow wide, and she slowly gets up and makes her way for the door, clearly spooked by something.

"...she's getting away."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Think Fast*
He instantly leaps back while drawing his Five Element Tachi-the katana he made-, with his right hand, eyes and head darting around to see where the threat came from while his left reaches into his pouch. Sage dammit, he did't have time for an ambush! He had a duel later today. The more chakra he spent on this, the less he'd have to face his mother. He would have to end this quickly by using one of his Senjutsu Overload Seals to finish this lethally. He just needs to find the assailant first. He taunts
"Whats the matter? Got tired of attacking kids? Or merely removing the bodyguard of your next target?"
He assumes its Futility-San. Not knowing anyone else that would attack in broad daylight out of nowhere like an enemy would.

*Kimiko, Yuyuyu: Think Fast*
Yuyuyu quickly decides to go around the back to cut Men-ko off from the other way, while Kimiko starts following behind Men-ko as steathily as she can, tailing her. There was no more time for talk, they had to act now.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi summon Yojimbo and drop her disguise.

'Usagi-san-'

'No time!' and jump, on the shoudlders of the bunny samurai. https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e0/e1/0e/e...characters.jpg

'After the filthy thief!' Yojimbo hop quick as fast as he can.



---------------------

'Nyohoho.' Ameoku laugh, and then spin, sending a kick
'I guess you might be more then an overgrown Genin after all. Survive 10 seconds, and I won't slash you to death.'

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko, Yuyuyu: Think Fast*
> Yuyuyu quickly decides to go around the back to cut Men-ko off from the other way, while Kimiko starts following behind Men-ko as steathily as she can, tailing her. There was no more time for talk, they had to act now.





> Usagi summon Yojimbo and drop her disguise.
> 
> 'Usagi-san-'
> 
> 'No time!' and jump, on the shoudlders of the bunny samurai. https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e0/e1/0e/e...characters.jpg
> 
> 'After the filthy thief!' Yojimbo hop quick as fast as he can.


*Men-Ko: Think Fast*

"Ahh! Giant food with a stabby-thingy!"

Or not. The unnaturally pale girl runs from the doors with a lumbering gate that is completely opposed to her regal bearing, where she runs into Yuyuyu.

"Ah, jeez..." quickly, the girl forces her hand into the unique hand sign used for the clone Jutsu. "Yin Release: Multiple Autonomous Clones."

The street fills with smoke and when it clears there are _dozens_ of copies of the girl. Some of them are running off towards the training fields(without splitting up, for some reason,) while others are standing around making rude gestures such as the inverted victory simple, a certain hand sign that works by expecting one finger while keeping the rest folded against their palm, or sticking out their tongue while pulling down an eye-lid.

Two of them are making out with each other for some reason. It's kind of offputting.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
_Ameoku!?_ He thinks before ducking underneath the kick. No he can't assume the best case scenario. Disguise jutsu exists. This could be any number of ninja trying to fool him. He leaps away from her onto a rooftop, needing to get out of range of someone better and powerful than him, then he activates the seal on his blade to fill it with wind chakra, then with a slash, fire a crescent cutting wind at her.

*Yuyuyu:*
She is thinking: This is a lot of clones, doing various different things how does have enough chakra for....She sees one of the clones slightly clipping through a wall but not dispelling. Not solid. Got it, these are just images. Thing is, basic clones like this generally are static or simple, so she just has to figure out which girl is taking more complex actions or reacting to things around her. There is a simple way to do that. She will cast Fool's Bribe Genjutsu, bending it a bit to produce an image and smell of Kitsune Ramen in her hand and hold it up calling out
"Wait! You forgot your food!"
Kimiko of course will watch for the the Men-ko that actually reacts to this, determined to not be distracted by the two kissing ones, not after her loss. She can't lose, she has to be better! When she sees a Men-ko actually react to the bluff she will try to catch her with her paper whip.

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*

Usagi laugh.
'Baka! Such cheap tricks won't work on me!' she pull needle bells, one between each pair of fingers, while crossing her arms. She spread hands, throwing the needles at eight of the characters- the soluation is simple- just hit them all fast as possible, and eventually something will hit.


*Ameoku*

This beastly woman grin under the mask- and with genjutsu,the grin pass through to the mask. It looks quite creepy.
She vanish in smoke, leaving behind a ripped down hello kitty doll, apearing behind Jirou.
'Did mommy allowed you to do this?' and slash at his back.
Ameoku has fancier techniques, but in heart she enjoy good old taijutsu, combined with her feline abilities, for a good blood flow.

She won't kill the kid. Or at least won't go all out.
Well. If he die, it his fault for being so weak, while agreeing being the Ottokage's deciple isn't it?

----------


## Rater202

> *Jirou:**Yuyuyu:*
> She is thinking: This is a lot of clones, doing various different things how does have enough chakra for....She sees one of the clones slightly clipping through a wall but not dispelling. Not solid. Got it, these are just images. Thing is, basic clones like this generally are static or simple, so she just has to figure out which girl is taking more complex actions or reacting to things around her. There is a simple way to do that. She will cast Fool's Bribe Genjutsu, bending it a bit to produce an image and smell of Kitsune Ramen in her hand and hold it up calling out
> "Wait! You forgot your food!"
> Kimiko of course will watch for the the Men-ko that actually reacts to this, determined to not be distracted by the two kissing ones, not after her loss. She can't lose, she has to be better! When she sees a Men-ko actually react to the bluff she will try to catch her with her paper whip.





> *Usagi*
> 
> Usagi laugh.
> 'Baka! Such cheap tricks won't work on me!' she pull needle bells, one between each pair of fingers, while crossing her arms. She spread hands, throwing the needles at eight of the characters- the soluation is simple- just hit them all fast as possible, and eventually something will hit.


Eight of the clones are dispelled in bursts of smoke.

Meanwhile, one of the Men-Ko's that's running away stops, turns around, and shouts "I changed my mind!"

And then gets cought in the paper whip, falling to the ground and all the clones dispelling.

"...Well, I'm an idiot."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
She was faster than him, and appearing behind him, he couldn't respond so when she slashes him, with the greater power and speed of a jonin-
_Spllsssh!!_
-He suddenly shatters into a bunch of water droplets everywhere. A Water clone. Then suddenly the water use to make the clone regathers and curls into binding water tentacles to try and grab Ameoku with a voice ringing out from earlier down the street, Jirou's voice:
"Water Release: Binding Water Ropes."
While he maintains the ninjtsu with his hands trying to grab and strangle Ameoku. Kikenna had warned him with subtle hand signs they had used while they were having their discussion that he should be wary of a possible attacker, given that Ameoku was the more dangerous of the 'kage couple and Futility-San or someone like him was still around, so he went to the bathroom before he left and used the toilet water to create a water clone to come out before him and lure out any attackers while he followed along from behind, waiting for just this moment.

*Kimiko:*
She walks up to the girl, keeping her bound and with a smug smile and a chuckle.
"That you are, hyu-hyu."
Yuyuyu walks over to also stand over her, letting the ramen disappear to reveal that its just a coin in her hand.
"Alright, your caught, lets show her to Odayama and get her to wherever she needs to go."
"and don't try escaping, or I'll make the bindings on you explode, I can do that."
They say, keeping an eye on her and trying to pick her up and drag her around sort of? To perhaps go to Odayama to ask what they do with the culprit.

----------


## Rater202

Men-Ko looks Kimiko in the eyes. "But you don't want to make that this paper explode. You want to let me go."

Men-Ko is, of course, attempting to use a subtle genjutsu, _This is not the Snake You're looking for,_ to make Kimiko obey that suggestion, but will she notice in time to resist it?

Meanwhile, Senko has finally joined the rest of you outside the restaurant. She's ditched the maid-like waitress uniform for the shorts and undershirt that she normally we're under her robe.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting but I legitimately can barely move in such restricting clothing and... I see you've captured the target..."

"You want to let me got right this second," Men-Ko reiterates, quickly, still working on the genjutsu.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
As Kimiko is caught in the genjutsu, beginning to slack and let go Men-ko, Yuyuyu brings down her umbrella down upon Menko's head to bonk her on the head- its a umbrella that while looking normal is reinforced with steel underneath. After all, Yuyuyu is right there, and is not caught in the genjutsu as well as being someone who is more trained to recognize that a genjutsu is happening.

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku Vs Jirou*

Aneoku, jumped around, too fast for the water ropes to catch.
She laughed with pleasure. This cruel Ottokage caged her in a position, where she has to strategize and order ninjas around(well, she liked THIS part), but in heart, she was a woman of action.
Ameoku also was frurasted. She was hungry, her male slave husband has forgotten give her a bento box for breakfast.
Yes, she CAN buy ramen or something, but it was beneath her.
And maybe, just maybe, with her busy life, this was a thing, that reminded her, that at home, there is someone who love and care for her.

'Is that why the Ottokage has chosen you? You can splash water a bit?' she pretending to charge forward, but it actually a shadow clone, which she allow to get captured- instead she apeared again on the roof of another house, and jumped spinning above Jirou
'Kitty Bomber!'- basicly a chakra empowered kick , that if she miss will make a crater in the middle of the street.






*At the resturant*

Usagi smile smugly. 
'Ha hahaha! I am such  a big shot!'

Odayama touch his ear, where a tiny earbud is.
'Oy,  this is bad!'

He hurry and taking a takeaway meal.
'Stay strong Jirou.' he wishper, as he hear the battle insue.
He blink.
'Oh. You are fast. Mmm..' he looks nervouse. 'There is a sudden matter I need to deal with, for now, question her.' and with that, he run away with...  a takeaway meal package.
(he.. has forgotten to pay.. ironicly enough)

----------


## Rater202

Odayama's fine, they can just bill the cost to the village.

Men-Ko starts wriggling free as soon as the bonds slack. She explodes in a puff of smoke and something long, thin, and fast bursts out andKLANG!

The smoke clears to reveal that the pale girl is gone, replaced by a white cobra with lavender bars astripping it's back. It's a _big_ cobra. Nine feet from tip to snout.

And it slithered right into the downswing of the heavy umbrella.

"Ow, ow, how!" it says in the voice of the girl who just vanished. "This is excessive!"

The snake curls around and looks at you. "Fine, you win, I give up... Was just trying to have a little fun... Just don't make me go home. It's so boring there. 'Men-ko, shut up, and sit still.' 'Men-Ko, you're a white snake you're supposed to be dignified.' 'Men-Ko, shut up about noodles.' 'Men-Ko, if you don't start taking things seriously you're going to fail the tests and the Great Big Crone will eat you!' God, damn, it'll be at least a century before Big-Fat-Bat-sama needs to be replaced, there's plenty of time but no, I'm not allowed to have any fun."

"Call off your minions, Honored Sage," she says to Senko, suddenly a lot more serious. "This lowly worm won't flee."

"What?"

"Oh, I apologize, I assumed that the Sage would be in charge. Is it not the same with humans?"

"I am not a sage."

"Don't lie to me," the snake scoffs, suddenly no longer deferential. "I can _smell_ the natural energy in your body. Enough to enter Sage Mode, but you're not in Sage Mode and you're not stone so clearly you must be a master sage who molded the senjutsu chakra for use in a future emergency."

Senko blinks. "No, that..." And then her eyes widen, as though she's realizing that she just forgot something very important.

The whites of Senko's eyes turn black and a red, fiery energy dances across her skin in splotches, leaving rough and ruddy orange-brown skin in their place.

"This entire district needs to be evacuated _Now!_" she shouts, sounding... Terrified.

Suddenly the splotches expand all at once and Senko erupts into a hulking figure, six-foot-six and built like the proverbial brick outhouse, her clothing stretched tight over almost grotesquely bulging muscles.

Her mouth is now too wide and full of danger like fangs, and above her brow are two horns, maybe a few inches long, the same color as her flesh that curve up and taper to a sharp point.

She looks down on you with the eyes of someone who is violently insane. *"Hehehehe... Killing time!"*

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou Kikenna:*
She does create a crater in the ground.

But not because Jirou dodged.

Why? because he was never there. That was a non solid clone of Jirou made by Kikenna programmed to look like he was controlling the jutsu. Wherever he really is, he was hiding. But she will be too busy with a few senbon filled with paralysis poison being thrown at her from the shadows by Kikenna.
"He was chosen because he is a good person, you bitch!"
She calls out, taunting her
"Don't you have your own man to play domme with? I didn't give you permission to play with him. Do I have to punish the naughty kitty?"
Meanwhile the water tentacles will strangle the clone and poof it, then creep up behind her Kikenna distracts her

*Kimiko: A Foe You Cannot Kill*
*Spoiler: Brief Flashback*
Show


*One Day Before She Graduated the Academy:*
She was training for the genin exam with Jirou
"I'll be a great ninja, just you watch! I'll pass that test with flying colors!"
"I have no doubt that will" Jirou says "But what do you define as a great ninja?"
Kimiko stops at this and thinks the first thing that comes to her mind, the image drilled into her for entire life
"A cool calm ninja, a plan for every eventuality, unable to be affected by anything and doing anything to complete the mission and able to kill anything in my way! What else?"
Jirou shakes his head in a mixture of amusement and what she think she sees as....sadness?
"Oh Kimi-chan. Soon you will learn that there are some deaths you will always regret.....and some foes you cannot kill no matter how strong you are."
While ruffling her head affectionately. At the time she didn't understand and only pouted at her big brother doing this again.


Now? She understands all too well what he was talking about as she gazes upon Senko with mounting horror. In the short time she had known her, Senko was someone who understood her, who....was her intellectual equal, who like her in a way, someone she could relate to in ways she couldn't with anyone else. Sure Usagi and Yuyuyu were her friends to...but not in the same way. They didn't....care about the same things Senko did. She had found someone who she could be herself around more than anyone and now....she had become this berserking monster out to do nothing but kill.

She is frozen in horror, unable to move. How could she possibly fight this monster, knowing that Senko is somewhere inside there? How could she be a ninja...?
"Kimiko!"
Yuyuyu calls
"The mission is complete! You _don't_ need to be a ninja right now!"
That snaps her out of it. She's right. Menko was caught and had given up. She no longer needed to be a good ninja...she needed to be a good friend. Kimiko's eyes narrow into a brave gaze, her brilliant mind kicking into high gear to solve this situation for everyone's sakes. She leaps up onto a building out of the monsters range and calls out
"Yuyuyu! Call for evac, if a civilian dies who knows what will happen to her or us for allowing it? Usagi, draw her attention as long as your on the rabbit your the fastest. Menko, help Usagi or use your illusions to hide me. I need to time to set up a way to bind her."
In the meantime Kimiko will yell at the civilians below her to start running while Yuyuyu calls on the radio to the authorities about evacuation and a "Code Senko" hoping they know what she means.

----------


## igordragonian

*Against The Great Snake*

Usagi is surprised, but grin for herself.
'Finally! A worthy battle!' this child grew numb to blood.
'Ah. Right. Civilians.'
She making a summoning seal.
'Siju!'

Yojimbo groan. *'He will arrive. Eventually. Let's  move Usagi-san.'*
Usagi lead Yojimbo to circle Senko, barraging with needle bells.
Mostly, to make the noise to annoy and disoriente her. 
Nothing fancy for now.



-----


Aemoku parry off every senbon with her claws, with a quick spin.
'Oh, nyohoho. So  is he a mommy boy? Now I can be confident that I will be the next Ottokage. Mommy boys aren't even worthy to die by my claws. So is this how you take your clan to doom? Raising them to cry babies?''

Odayama, ran panting.
'W-wait! Stop! Ameoku-chan!'
Ameoku turned to her husband with a surprise.
This might be Kikena's chance.
On the other hand, as one of the Three Thunders, Ameoku has probably survived surprised in the past.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou and Kikenna:*
"No one cares about your macho rhetoric, bitch! What you gonna go on about honor to? We're shinobi, we don't fight fair. Go find a samurai if you want a manfight. Only idiots cry about their opponents not being "tough enough" and call them "mommy boys"."
The water tentacles meanwhile try to grab Ameoku still, with Jirou stepping out of the shadows, still holding his sign.
"Otokage. be careful. she might be Futility-San trying to fool us. She attacked me out of nowhere. Also, if expect me to die fighting you head on when I have more important things to do today, your sadly mistaken."
He has a mother to beat, Ameoku can wait in line. Though honestly it won't be much of a change in personality in his opponents.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko: A Foe You Cannot Kill*
> *Spoiler: Brief Flashback*
> Show
> 
> 
> *One Day Before She Graduated the Academy:*
> She was training for the genin exam with Jirou
> "I'll be a great ninja, just you watch! I'll pass that test with flying colors!"
> "I have no doubt that will" Jirou says "But what do you define as a great ninja?"
> ...


Civilians start running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

On the radio, the respondent is taking his sweet time.

"Code Senko... code Senko... No, there's no... Wait, oh. Weird way to write that name... Code Oni. Well, #@%^&##^*~!" Why, wasn't that an interesting and exotic profanity. "Okay, hang on, get the civilians out of there, try not to die and for the love of all the gods above try not to piss her off, we'll contact her handler and try to get a hunter-nin there as soon as possible."

...It's probably a bad sign that the handling of this situation involves one of those ninjas who are specially trained to quickly and efficiently murder a ninja and then destroy their corpse.



> *Against The Great Snake*
> 
> Usagi is surprised, but grin for herself.
> 'Finally! A worthy battle!' this child grew numb to blood.
> 'Ah. Right. Civilians.'
> She making a summoning seal.
> 'Siju!'
> 
> Yojimbo groan. *'He will arrive. Eventually. Let's  move Usagi-san.'*
> ...


"Eragh!" Senko screams. Her arms stretch and chitinous spikes emerge from them as her fingers elongate and her nails turn to scalpel-like claws. "Kill!"

Senko reaches out with inhuman speed with her giant murder hands, trying to either slash Usagi or her mouth apart or force them to crash into her spikey forearms."Kill kill kill kill blood blood blood die!"

----------


## igordragonian

*Against Senko*

Yojimbo parry off the spikes with his katana, and then jump and land on one of the roofs.
Usagi laugh. 'Ah. Senko, you actually my kind! I'll try not to kill you!' She pull her harp bow, and shot set of booming arrows to shock Senko.



------------

at the last moment Aemouko boomed herself into the air, and landed with a spin right infront of Odayama.
'Well, Kikena, it was fun. But sadly, The Ottokage doesn't allow me to kill you. The peace of the village and all that.' and grab Odayama's packaed food.
'You didn't made this!' she hiss

'I.... have bought if from a restaurant?'

Ameoku has narrowed her eyes. 'You are lucky I am too hungry to argue. Don't let it ever happen again' Ameoku is arrogant, but not arrogant enough to lower her guard down around Kikena.
'For me, the battle is over. I see that Jirou isn't a threat, and I am hungry.'
Odayama add with a bow.
'Please, Kikena-san. Forgive me. It's my fault, my wife in such wild mood today. It won't happen again.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou and Kikenna:*
When Ameoku is gone, Kikenna says
"Yeah it better not happen, we don't have time for this nonsense."
Jirou lets the water fall into a puddle. 
"Good it was actually her. You were right, Kikenna."
"Of course I was. That bitch didn't even try to check where you were hiding and was doing something as stupid as toying with an opponent, she's predictable as the sun rises, she will be continue to be an obstacle, I can tell."
"Again, we'll get to her. Wait Odayama if your here, who is watching Team 3?"
He says just realizing that fact right now, concerned. Kimiko's a prideful sort, Senko had her..._issue_ and he knew firsthand how reckless and thoughtless Usagi can be. 

*Kimiko:*
Yuyuyu's eyes widen, she cuts the radio transmission and she shouts up to Kimiko:
"They're sending for her handler....but also a hunter nin! We need to calm her down, before they decide to kill her!"
Kimiko in turn curses, the system had failed her.
"Kuso!"
Is all she says, before getting out a storage scroll and scattering a bunch of caltrops around Senko's feet by releasing them from the scroll and pouring them around her from the roof. It'll at least slow Senko down. Good thing she never decided to wear sandals.

Meanwhile Yuyuyu is trying to get people out in a more orderly manner, using her calm authoritative voice, purely visual clones imitating her to amplify her message all speaking at once and quickly pulling them away from the battle as best she can.

----------


## Rater202

The caltrops... seem to have no effect whatsoever. It's almost like the rough, ruddy red-brown skin isn't for show and Senko's hide is too thick for something so minor to cause meaningful damage.

The arrows seem more effective... At first. The first time Senko steps on a caltrop, she looks down at her feet. Then she looks back up at the source of the caltrops.

Senko snarls at Kimiko. Yeah, maybe that wasn't such a good idea.

And... Oh, oh, oh that's gross. Something builders out of Senko's back. Something vaguely rectangular, with rounded angles, and... And two more just out of the back of her calves, like some weirdly shaped tumors.  at the same time, her right arm contorts into a weird shape, with fingers twisting around her and some kind of chitinous shell forming around it o create a sharp point, not unlike a lance of smoking. She crouches down and jumps at the same time clear blue energy pours out of the bottle of the growth and...

Well, that's chakra, isn't it? That's chakra that's _visible to the naked eye_ and Senko is using it to rocket jump right at Kimiko with extreme speed and shoving a very large, very large pointing thing right at her.

*Meanwhile*

As it turns out, they never actually got around to assigning Senko a dedicated handler, since until recently the odds of a Code Oni happening we're very low.

So, in the eyes of the respondent, that means that it defaults back to her direct superior... Which would be Jirou.

Does Jirou have a radio on him? If so, he's getting a call about a Code Oni in the market district, on whatever street Udon Cafe is on. Hopefully that won't be too big an inconvenience to his plans for today. If it is, well, the Hunter Nin can handle it.

*Spoiler: Code Oni*
Show

A security protocol devised by Senko herself, named after the incident when her Bloodline's downsides first manifested within herself and she destroyed her home town with the only survivors referring to the monster who did it as a young Oni.

In the event that Senko loses control of herself in the village proper(not inside, say, her laboratory which has reinforced walls and doors that are rigged to automatically lock from the outside if extreme pressure is pressed against it, or in a training field where there are no civilians and she'd rage herself out before getting back to where she could cause serious damage,) a specific protocol is to be followed.

Her handler, if designated, is to be notified ASAP so as to be able to, well, handle the situation and a Hunter Ninja is called in to collect some specific armaments and then dispatched to Senko's location.

A thing about many Full Body Transformation Kekkei Genkai that most laypeople find difficult to understand is that their entire body is altered by the bloodline. On the surface, assuming that Senko is not using her bloodline abilities, she resembles a normal person, but internally her entire body structure is altered on every level down to the chemical to account for both her cellular control, her inherent ability to use Senjtusu, and her ability to weaponize the mutagenic effects of natural energy. If you were to say, split her open, while not completely alien inside, anyone with a basic knowledge of internal anatomy would be able to tell, say, that certain organs are shaped wrong, in the wrong place, or that she has a few extra glands.

The last one, in particular: Senko's body secretes a fluid that is attractive to natural energy, filled with enzymes that help mold this natural energy with his body's physical and spiritual stamina to form Senjutsu Chakra.

In attempting to understand her bloodline and thus be able to rid herself of it's less pleasant effects, Senko has studied this fluid and in doing so created an... Anti-Thesis, if you will. A fluid derived from her own that reacts to her natural secretions and in doing so negates it and generates the opposite effect.

A vial of this fluid is loaded into a special, larger than normal, very durable, and very, very sharp kunai. By stabbing or throwing this Kunai so that it pierces the primary gland that secrets these fluids... But itself, this does nothing, but if Senko rips it out, she'll have just enough time to close the wound before the anti-fluid, released by the act of pulling out the kunai, dissolved her Senjutsu Chakra and forcibly purges all of her accumulated natural energy back into the environment while leaving her unable to passively mold more(and thus, use most of her bloodline abilities,) for several hours.

In addition to the fact that it would effectively cripple her, the drug isn't regularly used by her for several reasons... For one, it doesn't keep well and is difficult to make, meaning that she only has a very small limited supply. For two, it only works via direct injection into the relevant glands.

The primary gland being located where a normal human's spleen would be, a Hunter-Ninja or other experts in the means of quickly killing someone by throwing implements of sharp pointy death at the places where normal people tend to rapidly bleed to death without being seen is the ideal means of dispensing the drug.

It does, however, look _exactly_ like an assassination to someone on the outside, and, unfortunately, the exact details of the plan aren't the kind of thing that can be shared over the radio. Hopefully, the current incident will be resolved before a horrible misunderstanding happens.

If for whatever reason the drug doesn't work or isn't viable, Senko is to be restrained with a sealing tag until her current rage ends. Senko _wanted_ something stronger but basic sealing tags were determined to be sufficient. This is plan B because, well, do _you_ want to be in melee range with a berserk giant that's technically in an incomplete sage mode?

Should both fail, the plan is to drive something sharp and pointy in the important parts of Senko's brain. Senko insisted, she finds this preferable to a repeat of what happened to her home town but unbeknownst to her there are a tone of attached protocols that make it so _really_it only comes to this if lives are in danger.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
When he hears Code Oni, he experiences a moment of immense inward stoic sadness in which while nothing outwardly changes about his expression, he feels horrible on the inside. How did it all go so wrong so quickly? Was he responsible? He had to set this right. He couldn't do Plan A himself, he was good with a blade but this required particular amounts of precision. If only Ameoku was still here, she probably was one. But as a seal user, he could do Plan B. He was not afraid of being in melee range. Senko was his responsibility and someone he cared for not unlike Kimiko. Sealing it was. He could go get the armaments himself, but that would mean the Hunter-Nin would not get them if he fails and he isn't trained to do it as they were able to. 
"....You leave them alone for five minutes and there is a Code Oni."
He says to Odayama with steel in his voice.
"We're going to have words after this, Odayama. For now, come we must restrain Senko. The worst case scenario of this particular day has come to pass."
He takes out a sealing tag and begins running and leaping towards the scene, followed by Kikenna
"Why do you follow?"
"I'm going to be spending a lot more time with you. Might as well see what your about, handsome."

*Kimiko:*
The spike plunges into her-then poof! Turns out it was a caltrop. She had replaced herself with one when she first poured them down. One of the outlying caltrops poof revealing herself to be Kimiko who for a moment watches the blue chakra be visible if only for a moment, the possibilities flooding through her mind, then makes a handsign saying
"Release."
Because there was a Flashbang Tag- very similar to the explosive tag and basically just releases blinding light and deafening sound instead of force, and is almost as basic to make- placed where Kimiko had been. Right in Senko's face. But Kimiko was no fool. She couldn't be sure how long that will hold. She runs away down an empty alley way to begin placing various storage tags in preparation.

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku and Odayama*

Ameoku wasn't planning going anywhere.
Yes. She waited for a report about the Hyuaga Eye stealing mission, but not before she eat, dammit.
She jumped to nearby roof, and start to eat with loud feline noise.

Odayama sigh. He rubb the back of his head- to others, it seems just a normal anxiouse gesture, but he switched channels between the chips he placed on people.

His eyes widened. "That not good.'
Odayama groan, look up- at least for now Ameoku is somewhat pleased. She didn't killed anyone,so it was a succes in Odayama's book.

He has listened to the chaos....
Ksu.
Why is he sarounded by monster females?
And it isn't as fun, as the harem manga he has stolen from Konoha would indicate. And it seemed the Ottokage had a sadistic pleasure, from turning his life into anti harem fantasy, where he need to nurser growing bunch of time bombs.
Of course only his wife and mayne years ago her sister might have offered the fun aspect of it.
Well. There were Yuyuyu. She was more or less sane, as far as he knew, one less monster to deal with.

"....I left them, to save you,Jirou-san. If it means anything.' He sort apoligize.
He created a clone, who sealed the original self into a scroll.
"Sensei Arrow Technique!" The clone said, jumped changing into his slooth form, throwing the scroll with all of his might before dissapearing.
------

Usagi think. "Keep her in place! If you give me a minute, I can put her to sleep!" Usagi say with confidence.
Much respect to Senko, that already forcing Usagi to her strongest technique,personaly taught by the Rabbit Queen, but it required a set up.

Usagi kept leading Yojimbo to run around Senko, tossing bell needles- not aiming at Senko,rather creating a certain pattern.

A scroll fly all of the sudden in the middle of the chaos.
The scroll explode and Odayama apear.
"....Well.' he look around. 
"I think I need to ask for extra salary as fire fighter.' He look around quickly.
He doesnt want to go too far, but this is seriouse.

Odayama jump at Senko shapeshifting while doing so- the essential flaw in his beast form, fake sage thing, that he couldn't walk, and was on sleep mode.

His arms became twice as long, growing claws almost meter long, his face becoming more flat, nose flattened and blacked, eyes closed and sarounded with black pattern.
He land on Senko, his instict is to hug her, with her empowered form.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> The spike plunges into her-then poof! Turns out it was a caltrop. She had replaced herself with one when she first poured them down. One of the outlying caltrops poof revealing herself to be Kimiko who for a moment watches the blue chakra be visible if only for a moment, the possibilities flooding through her mind, then makes a handsign saying
> "Release."
> Because there was a Flashbang Tag- very similar to the explosive tag and basically just releases blinding light and deafening sound instead of force, and is almost as basic to make- placed where Kimiko had been. Right in Senko's face. But Kimiko was no fool. She couldn't be sure how long that will hold. She runs away down an empty alley way to begin placing various storage tags in preparation.


Senko screams and covers her eyes.

*"Damn you Kimiko! I'll kill you! I'll Kill you and paint the streets with your blood!"*

She blinks the spots out of her eyes, lands in the street, and turns to try and hunt Kimiko down...



> Usagi think. "Keep her in place! If you give me a minute, I can put her to sleep!" Usagi say with confidence.
> Much respect to Senko, that already forcing Usagi to her strongest technique,personaly taught by the Rabbit Queen, but it required a set up.
> 
> Usagi kept leading Yojimbo to run around Senko, tossing bell needles- not aiming at Senko,rather creating a certain pattern.
> 
> A scroll fly all of the sudden in the middle of the chaos.
> The scroll explode and Odayama apear.
> "....Well.' he look around. 
> "I think I need to ask for extra salary as fire fighter.' He look around quickly.
> ...


Just in time to narrowly dodge a hug from a sloth man.

Senko jumps back while lotus-like vents form along the base of the still lance-like arm. Once more visible chakra pours from them and...

*RRRIIIIP!!!* the lance _tears_ off of Senko's body, leaving an arm covered in blood behind. The blood quickly burns off, revealing unmarried flesh while the lance flies...

All of two feet before it unceremoniously falls to the ground and crumbles to dust.

Senko suddenly shrinks down to normal size. At first her skin is jet black, but a wave of foreign read energy traces across her skin and she looks like a normal young girl once again.

"Oh my... Oh.. Who'd... Who did I... How many people are dead?"

She looks so small. small, scared, sad, and regretful.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Congraduations on achieving win state 1: Force Senko to use enough chakra that he Sage energy falls below the overwhelming option.

Other options would have been to use a Genjutsu to force her to sleep or calm down, bind or seal her in some way, come at her with intent to inflict harm and do enough damage that shapeshifting the wounds closed is too chakra intensive to keep up, or just surviving long enough for the Hunter Nin to get here (Which would have been in three more rounds.)

Odayama showing up and trying to grab Senko was the tipping point. If he'd shown up but not attacked Senko woulnd't have used that last attack.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Paths: Cross*
Both Jirou and Kikenna body flicker onto the scene, to see a scene of dumbfounded and bewildered people: Yuyuyu had turned around just after evacuating everyone, Kimiko had just came back in sword drawn, frozen in surprise and fear, the bells probably half scattered on the ground, then looks at Senko scared and distraught. Kimiko looks at Jirou blinking not sure what to think, and he sighs. Thank the Sage and whatever Kamis, she must've used up her senjutsu. He could observe that much. But maybe he should get things from one who was there. He turns to the girl with the umbrella.
"Yuyuyu. Report."
She snaps out of it and salutes while reporting
"Jirou! We successfully caught the thief trying to get some kitsune ramen, turned out they were a giant snake. Skilled in genjutsu. Don't let your guard down about that. Then for some reason Senko suddenly turned berserk and started talking about killing people and we called a Code Oni tried to keep her distracted and tried to save her life at Kimiko's command as well as evacuate the area. I apologize if our efforts do not follow the protocols of Code Oni."
she will point to Menko as she explains this....if the snake is still there and hasn't ran off. Jirou nods slightly
"Very well. Worry not. You did well if you managed to use up all her chakra without needing Code Oni."
He calls on the radio to call off Code Oni as the handler and say the situation is handled, then he will walk over to Senko, bend down and hug her, saying
"Don't worry, its going to be fine. I am just happy that your okay and that....more extremes measure were not necessary. No one is dead. They made sure of it. I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you."
He will slowly break the hug and turn to Kimiko, who felt a little pang of jealousy that Senko got hugged but she didn't, but suppressed it.
"Well? do you understand what I said earlier?"
Kimiko says sadly 
"...Yes."
"Good. Anyways, worry not. Usagi judging from your bells you were just about to try to put her to sleep, that would've also worked. Kimiko, one of the parts of Code Oni just so you know for future reference is to place a basic sealing tag on Senko to paralyze her, which I know is a seal you can make."
"what really!? I could've used a basic sealing tag all this time!?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't....y'know..."
"There was no time to explain. also it requires getting within melee range."
"and to think I was placing storage tags filled with tons of rolls of paper to control so I could lure her into it, release and use them to grab and restrain her...."
"Yes. you should take those down, waste not want not."
Kimiko points at Kikenna, who was just standing over there, watching all this with a grin on her face.
"and why is she here!?"
Jirou delivers the next words so dryly and similar to the way he normally speaks one would've have to use a microscope on the metaphorical desert that formed around them to spot the grains of sarcasm.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm sleeping with her. Loudly. Repeatedly. Every night."
"_Anikiiiii_...."
Kimiko whines back, exasperated at her brother messing with her, with face forming a scrunched up: >_<
Kikenna only laughs at this, neither confirming nor denying anything. 
"Anyways, it all seems to have gone relatively well. Senko, don't forget about taking care of that next time. Everyone else perhaps use certain methods faster."
He turns to the matter of Men-ko
"Now about this snake..."
A snake from Ryuichi cave was a matter of at least some attention. Some summoned animals lived right here on Earth after all, and the snakes were often connected with Konoha given their proximity, even if they weren't Konoha themselves. Its possible for contracts with certain animals to form outside of the nations they normally did so with, its just not something that normally does.

----------


## Rater202

"Something bad should happen to me!" Senko shouts.

"...I... It's... It is my own fault, Ishikawa-sensei. I, I forgot to vent my Senjutsu chakra and didn't realize until it was too late..."

Senko stands up and... She's at least a foot shorter than she was before. her face is the same and...

Senko is _ten_. At the oldest. Which means, since she's been on her own for four years, that she's been alone since she was _six._

"If people fear me or... I'm... _I am_ dangerous. If I forget, or if I lose my temper," Senko's hands twitch. "and there's... _there is_ already so much blood on my hands. People are right to fear me. Right to want nothing to do with me."

"Yuyuyu-san, that was... The reason I went berserk is becuase of my kekkei genkai. Senninka, sage transformation, a body built up from the chemical level to use Senjutsu and natural energy, drawing it in for me is a matter of biology, not meditation. It happens constantly and I can no more control it than I can force my heart to stop beating. My family are able to achieve Sage Mode _passively,_ wth no training whatsoever, but..."

"Well, you saw what happens. If we enter that state, we go violently insane and try to murder anything in sight. If we lose control of our emotions or build up too much natural energy, we will automatically enter our Sage Mode. Until I master Sage Mode, I am at a near-constant risk of going on a rampage and killing all my neighbors again."

...Didn't she say that her home town wasn't there anymore?

"If I slip up, even once, then... _Ahh!_"

You see, at this point, out of nowhere, a certain white and lavender cobra slithered up, which is a _perfectly normal_ occasion, and in a way that is of no concern to anyone, really, bit Senko on her left arm.

_Perfectly normal_, nothing that anyone should in any way be concerned about.

I mean, would the Snake be using a Genjutsu to make people think this was normal? Seriously, stop being so paranoid.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Outside The Cafe:*
Jiour with his back turned is unaware, point at where Yuyuyu was.
"What snake?"
Yuyuyu and kimiko look to where Menko was last seen in surprise.
"Eeeh!!? where did that snake go?"
"Darn it, we have to recatch that snake all over again!"
He doesn't turn around immediately figuring that Senko just needed to get it out of her system, perhaps let her vent before calming down and speaking about how they'd go about doing that.

Kikenna of course being the greater genjutsu user sees the snake bite the child and tenses, knowing how deadly snake poison can be. She reaches for a weapon until she spies with her trained infiltrator eyes, a forming contract seal on Senko's arm. An infiltrator after all was also supposed to be investigator of small details and thus piece together conclusions by extrapolation to spy on the enemy. This snake would know about how to control senjutsu, so if it had formed a contract, it meant that it wasn't poisoning Senko but perhaps offering her an avenue of help. She doesn't do anything about it.

Of course soon Jirou will turn around saying.
"If you insist upon punishment. Well you are right, this is a military. We do have to do that, and you did cause trouble for your squad today. Perhaps an extra D-rank mission without pay picking up the trash somewhere for today along with Usagi for breaking into the radio tower yesterday would be appropriate-"
He will see the snake, he is a skilled enough ninja to see past the illusion and begin to move forward while his hand goes to his sword ready to strike at the snake that dared to attack the child he considered a second little sister- Then stops as Kikenna moves to grab his shoulder.
"Hold a moment. Look closer."
Kikenna will gently nudge the snake off of Senko's arm to reveal the contract seal. Jirou's eyes will narrow. Not as bad as he was expecting. But questions still need to be answered.
"Snake. Explain yourself. You just formed a contract with a ward of mine, I would like to know why and how given that she has not agreed to it. You have until the count of ten....nine..."

----------


## Rater202

"Because I'm an opportunistic bitch?"

"I don't want to go home. It's boring there and there are no noodles and just becuase I'm a white snake everyone's expecting me to study sage techniques and be all dignified and crap."

"...But I don't have to go home... If I form a familiar contract. I'm expected to be available to my master and able to tend to their needs at all times, yeah. I can stay away as long as I want and nobody else back at the cave can do crap about it."

"And it seems that her needs are someone who can tell when she's got too much natural energy and needs to vent it before she goes cuckoo bananas and ventilates someone."

"...so. I can order you around now?"

"Within reason. The Contract seal binds my chakra to yours but I'm not under any compulsion to obey commands. The only penalty, if I refuse, is that the other snakes will know me as an oath breaker. Also, you can't order me to kill myself, do something I genuinely believe will get me killed, do something I genuinely believe I physically can't do, or mate with someone... Well, I mean, you _can_ but I'm within my rights to refuse, and trying to force compliance with those specific things is one of the few things that breaks the contract."

"Okay. If you are going to be my familiar then I order you to pay for the meals you stole from Ichichiraku's and Osoba-san's. If you are my subordinate then your conduct reflects on me and I do not need _two_ reasons for people to hate me."

"With what money? I'm a snake. Do you think I'd bother with the Genjutsu if I could just pay for the food?"

"Fine. Then I will cover the debt and you will work off the difference by assisting in my research. I've been wanting to study the physiology of a summoned animal."

"Uhh..."

"Do not worry," Senko said with a dry grin. "You will live."

Jirou should be able to tell that Senko is calm down, that's some of her textbook "bone dry black humor." The snake, meanwhile, has what is easily recognizable as the snake equivalent of the "I've made a horrible mistake" face.

By now, the contract seal has finished forming. It resembles a stylized snake coiling around Senko's forearm, with the kanji 麺子(Men-ko, "Noodle child")in its mouth

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama's fake jinchuriki mode had many deffections.
The main one, that it made him fall asleep, and it require planning to make it really pratical, also Odayama for years have trained insticual reactions that would work even when he asleep.
(And  junin level violent wife was quite the asset in this)
Odayama preffered to calmly prepare a strategy, but in this situation it waz his to go to.
Odayma wasn't much stronger in raw powers then the top Genins of the hope generation.
It took him a minute but he woke up.


Usagi looked strangely at Jirou and Kimiko. She had an actual sibling who  loved her. But soon turned to Senko.
Usagi shrug at Senko's worries.  "Be dangeroususe and feared is good! Who will dare to look down on you, or question your power."

She blink at Jirou. "Punishment?! I just did my job!" She yelled.

Odayama smile at Senko, and kneel down.
"All ninjas are feared. But that ok." He messed her hair.
"This part of the reason we have units. We can understand and support each other. Beside.. it was my fault, for not making a bento for my wife."

----------


## Rater202

At this point, Senko is completely convinced that Odayama-sensei is insane. His wife's inability to pack her own lunch is in no way related to Senko's rampage.

To Usagi, Senko simply has to say "When you have killed all your friends and neighbors and can still taste the blood as it splashes into your mouth four years later, when you have lived in the wilderness for a year or more with nothing but your own thoughts to keep you company, then you can tell me how to feel about my Non-Self."

"Though you have a point. Ishikawa-sensei, a slap on the wrist would be wore than no punishment at all and I do believe that punishing a moment of thoughtlessness that could have potentially led to the deaths of civilians by putting me in a position where I will be around civilians for several hours is somewhat missing the point... Perhaps we should relocate this conversation elsewhere. We are very well exposed if there happens to be a spy in out midst and the thought occurs to me that I left my storage scroll in the cafe with my robe and I do not remember if I had any emergency snacks sealed away. If someone tampers with it and there is an emergency snack so sealed... It would be bad."

This is more of Senko's dark humor. "Emergency snack" is code for "spare medical cadavers, particularly ones that have already be dissected and thus are no longer of use." She calls them that becuase, well, cellular regeneration absorption is _kind_ of like eating and used up donated cadavers are the most ethical source of human mass she can have if she finds herself needing to replace biomass or augment herself.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Stern Fatherly Dismissal*
He is silent, narrowing his eyes at Senko's talkback in stern fatherly disapproval. She was acting way too casual about this now.
"While you have a point this is not a discussion, young lady, nor do we have time to indulge in pointless paranoia. Grab your things and go to your containment room in the lab and practice your techniques to vent your chakra or otherwise control your senjutsu for the rest of the day until you fall asleep, at the very least. You are not to research or experiment upon anything during this time. Do it until you know the techniques by heart. Complain again and it will be doing that for a week straight, and I'll put a paralyze tag on you and take you there myself for insubordinate behavior. Menko you go with her and begin working to keep her controlled under the lab's watchful eye since you volunteered. I expect you to be properly apologetic to your team tomorrow. You are dismissed, Kikenna will escort you there."
He will never have time for that long discussion nonsense, especially from a child. Even if that child is very intelligent for her age. He turns to Usagi.
"Yes you did you do your job, Usagi- incorrectly, and thus caused havoc with the guards, creating a false alarm when there could've been a real attack. A ninja could've used you as distraction to do something more sinister, and you should've just handed it off the chuunin at the front. I stopped by the Otokage's offices before I went to Kikenna today. You were manipulated by a Chuunin as a prank. That is no excuse, as ninja are supposed to see underneath the underneath. If you cannot even see through something as simple as that, what hope do you have of penetrating the enemies deceptions as a ninja? I revise the punishment for you as well."
He takes out a scroll and releases a book from it and gives it to Usagi. Its entitled "_How to See Underneath the Underneath For Genin_"
"You are to study this book repeatedly until you know its contents by heart. You are dismissed."
He turns to Odayama, his voice, frost.
"I cannot do anything about you, but your wife's lunch has nothing to do with this and is a flimsy excuse. Your laxity is concerning, and I hope you do not retain it during higher ranked missions. Good day Odayama. I have important business to take care of with my clan."
He will turn to Kimiko and say
"Kimiko, we are heading home. Yuyuyu-san? You did well, as always."
Yuyuyu salutes
"Just doing my job, Jirou-san."
Jirou will dispense the pay then leave with Kimiko now, leaving the Genin to go home to their remedial courses/punishment, brooking no argument. He has no time for their protests and has to take care of his own business with his mother. Like his day is already pretty bad, and its just going to get worse for him, he is not adding pointless debates with genin to the list. We're done here, move on. 

((OOC: don't timeskip to next day, find something to do, this fight with Mitsuko is pretty important. whether you obey his punishments or not is your choice, but know that being too blatant and unstealthy about disobeying will get you stopped. As long as you don't get caught by the people who matter, you can do what you want.))

----------


## Rater202

Senko is now wondering if Jirou-sensei actually reads the reports on her research and her condition.

There are no techniques to vent her Senjutsu chakra. She vents it by _using_ senjutsu. Or, at least, her sage transformation. The whole point of her research is to understand her condition and either develop a means to control it until she has the means to master Sage Mode or else _alter herself_ to be able to control it or cheat her way into master Sage Mode.

Banning her from researching for a day was actively preventing her from "knowing such techniques by heart" since she needed to create those techniques first.

The closest to his instructions she can do is repeatedly transform her body in ways that consume a lot of chakra until she's too exhausted to function... Which would take a long, long time, becuase her body is constantly taking in natural energy and the act of taking in natural energy replenishes one's stamina and thus, one's chakra. The act of it may well make things worse. Such a thing would count as both spiritual training and exercise. Increase her power, make her _more dangerous_ if she loses control again.

After retrieving her things and getting back to her laboratory, she begins writing a ten-page document detailing all of the genetic and physiological factors that she knows of that result in such things, how constructively venting her emotions prevents her anger or frustration from pushing her into a berserk state and reiterating the purposes of her research, using all of the correct and proper terminologies and giving multiple citations cross-referencing other reports she's submitted to him before ending on the inarguable conclusion that his assigned punishment was nonsensical and counterproductive, albeit phrased in a non-confrontational manner while also clarifying that, due to the aforementioned fact that constructive venting and management of her emotions, such as by say, writing a document such as this one, prevents her emotions from causing issues, that the act of writing this document counts as following his instructions.

She isn't, strictly speaking, disobeying his orders. She's not conducting research, as all the research she is citing has already been done, which is spelled out in the document. She is merely pointing out that the orders she's been given are impossible to follow and somewhat misguided. Only a _tyrant_ would hold such things against her.

Either he doesn't read the document and nothing will come from it. He'll glance at it, probably confront her about disobeying an order. Either would prove that he isn't reading her reports. If he actually reads it all the way through, he'll understand that she has a valid grievance.

At the very bottom of the final page, after the conclusion, she attaches a request to speak on his sources on Senjutsu. If he's actually reading her reports, then the only other explanation for his misunderstanding is that he's operating on false information of how Senjutsu works or is being fed information that contradicts her own research. Either points to the possibility that his own research into Senjutsu is compromised by misinformation that may or may not have been spread maliciously.

She gives the document to Men-Ko with strict instructions on _how_ to submit it so that it comes to Jirou's desk and sends her to do so: Men-Ko is, technically, outside of the Sound village and, as Jirou pointed out himself, is essentially a volunteer. Senko, meanwhile, has_ not_ left her laboratory.

Then, Senko takes a nap. Her instructions were to remain here until she fell asleep, after all.

Of course, with how busy he is, it may be a while before Jirou actually _reads_ the passive-aggressive and technically-not-order-breaking treatise.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Fate of the Meaningless Dissertation:*
Jirou just didn't say it correctly because he was a little tired and focused on the thing that is about to happen. Whenever he gets around to writing a reply it will consist of only a few words on a note handed back to her:
"I was tired and worried. You know what I meant. Just do better. Love you."
He will then frame the dissertation complete with an embarrassing title and put on a wall next to pictures of Kimiko when she was younger.

*Jirou: Challenge*
Kimiko will ask on the way back.
"Anikii, what did you mean that you business with our clan?"
"You will soon see."
"But I wanna know!"
"You will soon know, be seeing it."
"Moooouuu......"
They will soon arrive at the Ishikawa household. They go inside to see Mitsuko waiting for them, sitting on a cushion as a proper shinobi and woman of her station should, as she always had. She regards them, with narrowed eyes and disdain. The rest of the clan is there, watching as if ready. 
*"Ah....your back. How was Kimiko's mission? I heard this Code Oni being broadcast on the radio. Anything I should know?"*
Kimiko opens her mouth only for Jirou to put his hand in front of her and speak instead.
"That is not your concern, Oka-san."
*"Hoh? Why then, are you here?"* Mitsuko says back, already knowing but allowing the drama to play out.
Oka-san....I challenge you, by ancient tradition of the Ishikawa Clan, to a duel to contest your leadership with my own. Jirou states.
"What!!?" Kimiko exclaims wide eyed and confused.
*....Really?* Mitsuko laughs disjointedly *The black sheep decides to challenge the alpha wolf, does he? Very well then. I accept. I'll finally put you into the place where you belong: at the bottom.*
Your saying that to your son?
*I'm saying it to the clan's failure.*
failure am I? The Otokage disagrees, seeing as how he has named me successor, and encouraged me to become leader of the clan.
The entire clan gasps at this, shocked.
*Ah yes....the Otokage came by to try and persuade me to support you in this. I declined.* 
Mitsuko explains, twitching at this. Jirou doesn't answer, only staring back, calm.
*OHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! Well then! I'll show him how foolish his choice was! To the yard, we'll settle this there.*
As they turn to leave for it Kimiko grabs at Jirou's arm
"Anikii! Why are you doing this!? Whats going on!? Are...aren't I supposed to....?"
He tears his arm away.
"You will understand someday. This is for your own good."
This only leaves Kimiko even more confused and distraught as her brother and mother goes into the courtyard to begin their duel, feeling as if her world was being shattered before her eyes.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko: Bond with your Familiar.*

Senko wakes up from her nap to find that not enough time has passed for her to say she followed Jirou's instructions and have people believe her.

She gets up from the floor and cracks her back. She mumbles, her futon back at the apartment has gotten her spoiled. She's not used to sleeping on the hard ground anymore.

...Now what? She didn't object to being locked up. she'd insisted on it at first, but if she was forbidden to work then she had nothing by which to occupy her time.

She channeled her senjutsu chakra across her body, enhancing her physical attributes while a black diamond pattern spread across her body. After rampaging, she should be fine for the rest of the day but after slipping up once she'd rather be safe than sorry.

"So I don't know that much about humans but if humans, in general, are obsessed with keeping their lineage pure as those white-eyed people in the village to the south of here then that whole 'give blood powers to rats thing' is going to piss off a lot of people."

Senko turns and sees Men-ko, in human form, sitting _on_ her writing desk, reading from one of Senko's research logs.

"One: The desk is writing, not sitting. Use the chair. Two, I did not give your permission to read my logs."

"This isn't a log, it's a book. Logs are chunks of a dead tree that inexplicably appear out of nowhere when Ninjas teleport out of the way of an attack."

"...Are you being stupid on purpose?"

*laughing snake noises*

"well, that is why I do not tell people about it... Besides, it is mostly for my own benefit: If I perfect the process then I might be able to use someone else's cells to balance my unstable chakra and develop the control I need to master senjutsu. It might be useful for, say, modernizing the village and moving beyond the current outdated, outmoded, backward, and unsustainable clan system... Do you have any idea _how_ inbred most clans are? Even mine and we are scattered across the continent. My parents were cousins. I do not know how close, because _their_ parents were second cousins. All four of them. Now that I think about it, that might be part of the reason for the family history of murderous insanity, and I can not imagine how bad it is for the more dedicated ninja clans."

"I don't know my parents. All I know is that my mother probably mated with a dozen males that night, that she laid her eggs in a random hole in the wall, and then when I came out white on hatching I was dragged away from the clutch to be trained as a sage and what I want be damned. Maybe I don't want to be a sage. Maybe I want to eat noodles, move to the land of beaches, and walk around naked. That's my business!"

"...You are a snake. You do not normally wear clothes to begin with... Even now, since you did not leave that kimono behind when you assumed your true form earlier I have to assume that it is either an illusion cast over your transformed body or a construct molded from your chakra."

"Stop picking apart my nonsense."

"...So, this log-book says you want to learn every kind of senjutsu... Technically, if you _want_ to come to Ryuchi cave and learn from the great venerable bat, as your familiar I'd be obligated to help prepare you for the trials and even lead you past them if you ordered me to. I can't do anything about the part where she forcibly injects you with natural energy and expects yu to mold it on your own with no training and she'll eat you if you permanently mutate from it, but..."

"As long as she does not mind getting smacked around by a murderous pseudo-oni, that should not be a problem at all... And you would not get in trouble for that?"

"I'm basically one step above being your willing slave. By forging that bond, my obligation to you supersedes and negates any other responsibility I have... Okay, technically I should be trying to convince you to sign the full Snake Summoning contract, but that's more tradition than anything else."

"...Why would you do that for someone you have only just met and whose job was to apprehend you and put a stop to your criminal behavior? Do you hate your home that much?"

"That's my business... Oh, by the way, if the Great Venerable Bat bites you you'll get our power of Reincarnation. I see that your test subjects have a low survival rate, that might let you survive if you apply that technique for your own problems and..." gurgle. "...I never actually ate today."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou Vs. Mitsuko Part 1*
They come out into the courtyard, and face each other. Analyzing and sizing each other up. Jirou knew he had the advantage in this fight. His katana, the Five Elements Tachi, was capable of accessing all five basic elements through his own ingenuity. He knew that Paper Release is both weak to Fire and Water. Paper after all, was a fragile material and easily destroyed. His own Water Affinity should be able to easily break through any paper attacks she had, which he knew his mother specialized in- was the only jutsu she focused on. She had to, to preserve as much as of the clan's heritage as possible given her lack of talent for fuinjutsu, the half of the heritage she could never get the hang of. Basically this should be an easy fight for him, in theory.
A sakura petal falls from a tree and suddenly they act, Mitsuko drawing her paper whip, and Jirou drawing his blade and activating his water seal, forming the water from the sword to be a whip as well to meet it. They clash- and the paper successfully parries his strike, and they both retract their attacks.
"...How?"
*"Hah! foolish boy, do you really think that our family could live for generations in the Land of Water without developing a kind of paper that is immune to water? We'd be dead from inter-clan strife long ago if we hadn't. Its a bit hard to make and is kept secret, but it does its job."*
"you have yet to share this with Kimiko."
*"She'd be given the secret sooner or later. Besides she has the sword, unlike me she can always just make more paper with it."*
She forms hand seals and says 
*"Paper Release: Paper Tentacles Jutsu"*
Suddenly grass around Jirou reveals itself to be colored paper rising up to grab and bind him and he switches the element of the Five Elements Tachi to Fire, the blade wreathed in orange-red flames and cuts through the paper tentacles surrounding in a flurry of strikes. That still worked, but he didn't know Fire Release. The blade was as far as it could go. It was a good tool, but it couldn't do everything. This was going to be a harder fight than expected. But he knew that his abilities if used smarter, could overcome her specialization.
They both flash hand signs and say
*"Paper Clone Jutsu!"*
"Water Clone Jutsu."
A clone of each ninja poof into existence or form from the nearby pond and charge forward to fight in melee, testing their taijutsu skills like a scout, both with their respective swords, Jirou's metal and Mitsuko's a paper one. Clone jutsu is a force multiplier in such battles and was typically countered with another clone to keep the field even. The two originals engage in psychological warfare while they analyze each clones movements in close combat.
*"What do you hope to do with this, boy? Change things? Spite me? Prove you are better? Do tell why you choose to finally grow a spine after all this time."*
"To make sure...Kimiko will be free of you. Free of being a weapon. Free of being married off."
*"Free? None of us are free, brat. She already is a weapon, she has already killed- as have you. I remember the day we escaped from Kirigakure- you killed Genin with nothing but a kunai, when you were six. You cried about it while I held you in my arms comforting you- then you never showed emotion ever again and locked yourself in chains of sacrifice and duty. You have no leg to stand on."*
"Only because you put that kunai into my hands and told me to kill whoever was in my way."
*"and in doing so, I saved your life. We are all weapons for the village and the nation that village serves. Its either that we're or lone criminals with no allies, no support, no money, no civilization. I ensured you could be useful, thus ensure your survival and thus the survival of the clan for all must pull their weight."*
"Then why put so much pressure on Kimiko?"
*"She is the greatest of us all and thus expected to pull the most weight. Much like a Kage is the greatest of all ninja in a village and thus expected to pull the most weight with their greater power. Great power must be weighed by great responsibility to control it after all. Duty focuses a shinobi and keep them from being distracted by foolish emotions and desires."*
"and makes a convenient way to keep her doing what you want." 
He accuses, an edge in his voice.
*"Yes, thats the problem with all ideals is it not? They make great things to strive for- and thus great tools to manipulate people with!"*
Mitsuko says, making a shark grin.
*"Especially on oneself, to convince yourself that your selfless."*
"Projecting again are we?"
*"Believe what you want boy, everyone manipulates others to try and follow their way in life, and your no different! You just want Kimiko following your ideals rather than mine."*
"I pity wretches who believe everyone is as bad as themselves."
Mitsuko growls as the two clones poof one another at the same time and the two begin moving. The duel is heating up.

----------


## Rater202

"...and that's why they named me Men-ko," the snake finished.

"Facinating."

"So, what's your name story?"

"...It is the character for 'Hermit' attached to the character for child, forming a homophone and, in kana or romaji, a homo_nym_ for the more common name 'Senko.' I suspect that my parents chose it as an allusion to our inherent genetic affinity to senjutsu."

"That's boring."

"I am sorry that my life does not fascinate you."

"...So, you ever get the murderous rage thing under control, then what?"

"I will pursue the study of Senjutsu, studying as many kinds as I can, until such a time as I have achieved a perfect Senjtus and become one with nature and thus, free to learn or do anything I wish. I will then use my accumulated knowledge to drag this world kicking and screaming beyond its outdated notions and force people to cooperate, work together, and finally make some god-damned progress."

"Lame. That's a job, what do you plan to do for fun?"

"...I may or may not have fantasized about having a harem of strapping lads and comely lasses who worship my perfect, godlike body when I am old enough to be able to properly enjoy such a thing."

"...I like the way you think, Senko-sama."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kikenna: Reveal yourself to Senko*
"I think both of those goals are wonderful ideas!"
A voice came from behind you. It was Kikenna. Lounging around.
"and before you ask: Yes I was here the whole time, you didn't notice because I can do that "no one notices me" trick to, and I am trained infiltrator you think I couldn't get into a place within my own village? Don't worry, I don't particularly like following rules. I'm just here to say to little snake girl here that if your going to break them- don't get caught. 

As for me, hello. I'm Kikenna Masuku. I was just observing you, see why Jirou would care about you, that sort of thing. and to say that I think we'll get along just fine."
A smirk plays on her face, not really doing anything but observing how Senko reacts, ready to dodge anything Senko throws at her but seemingly nothing but relaxed. 

*Jirou Vs. Mitsuko Part 2*
_"Shot through the heart! 
and your to blame!
you give love, a bad name."
-Sai and Sauce Kays_

They both form their hand seals and say
*Paper Release: Confetti Flurry Jutsu!"*
"Water Release: Water Wall Jutsu."
A Bunch of small confetti tear Mitsuko's paper to fire at bullet speeds towards Jirou, the water from his clone forming a wall block and make the confetti go wide and into different directions by passing through just in time while he ducks behind a big rock. The two begin edging around the rock, Jirou keeping himself the side opposite of his mother.
"That jutsu was deadly, your trying to kill me now?"
*"Ah quit your belly-achin'. Your a Chuunin boy! You either handle it or die. I don't like it, but I'd have to do that sort of thing for Kimiko when she gets to your age to, to keep her sharp."*
She thrusts her paper sword, using her paper jutsu to bend it around the corner to attack Jirou only barely evades it, geting a cut on his shoulder, as he dodges away he shouts with sudden anger.
You never gave me the attention you gave Kimiko! From the moment you learned I had no kekkei genkai, you looked down on me! You stopped loving me!
He says as he parries the other thrusts with his flaming blade.
*ARROGANT CHILD! You know not of what you speak! I raised you despite your worthlessness! You owe your existence to me! Who protected you during the Third Shinobi war!? Who taught you how to swing a sword!? ME!!*
Then you threw me aside the moment Kimiko came into the picture! You left me to learn everything myself! Not caring if I lived or died, not even praising me for becoming Chuunin!
*And clearly I was right to do so, given that you seem to be doing so well for yourself. A rebellious child needs to be given space so that they may discover their folly the hard way.*
Mitsuko then makes two big paper shurikens, throwing them both, one comes from the front while the second ricohets off two rocks to come at him from behind. His blade could only burn one of the shuriken, so he used replacement jutsu, replaced with a log that they both embed in while he appears a distance behind Mitsuko, throws down a storage scroll filled with water and in a flash of hand seals saying
"Water Release: Electrifying Water Tentacles Jutsu"
The water tentacles whip and grab Mitsuko and he sticks his electrified Five Elements Tachi to conduct the lighting through them to shock Mitsuko who screams for a moment- then poofs into a cloud of confetti. A second paper clone.
Jirou moves quickly as the confetti is fired rapidly back at him like a gatling gun, his speed keeping him ahead of their deadly force making a row of holes behind him, even one could kill or injure him. As they run out he looks around, Mitsuko calls out from the shadows
*What do you even fight for fool!?*
I sacrifice for Kimiko's future. I sacrifice for the Clans and even the Sound's future. As if you'd know the meaning of that.
*EXCUSE ME, YOUNG MAN!? Do not speak to me of sacrifice! I've bled for and led this clan! I've worked all I could to make sure it had a new life here, a life where it can restart! Become great again! More than you know!*
And look at what you have to show for it!
*Yes, a life of not being missing nin or dead by a tyrants blade! Good education, a roof over our heads, protection within a village! A promising new prodigy to lead the charge into a new generation! All the opportunities you have!*
Jirou had no response to that. But neither did he have any sympathy. He throws a kunai at where Mitsuko was, tearing at the painted paper she was hiding under as camouflage causing her to jump out of it and he pursues after her.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kikenna: Reveal yourself to Senko*
> "I think both of those goals are wonderful ideas!"
> A voice came from behind you. It was Kikenna. Lounging around.
> "and before you ask: Yes I was here the whole time, you didn't notice because I can do that "no one notices me" trick to, and I am trained infiltrator you think I couldn't get into a place within my own village? Don't worry, I don't particularly like following rules. I'm just here to say to little snake girl here that if your going to break them- don't get caught. 
> 
> As for me, hello. I'm Kikenna Masuku. I was just observing you, see why Jirou would care about you, that sort of thing. and to say that I think we'll get along just fine."


"I honestly have no idea. Well, there's one thing but I am not at liberty to discuss that. If you have high enough clearance, ask Ishikawa-sensei about what he works on here."

"Beyond that, I suspect that the higher-up's in the village who know of my existence and the exact circumstances by which I became a Ninja of the Sound view me in a manner not unlike a Jinchuriki: A big stick to drop off in the middle of something they want to be broken and made to go on a rampage."

"It is not an inaccurate idea, either: Members of my clan, due to our constant intake of natural energy and passive molding of Senjutsu Chakra naturally cultivate large reserves of chakra and, similar to the Uzumaki clan but fr different reasons, tend to have maximums that are well above average: I have _no_ formal shinobi training but my reserves of chakra are between five and eight times that of an average genie. Even without training, by the time I am eighteen based on averages from known members of my family my power will be comparable to an above-average Jonin."

"If I did train? I could easily rival a kage in terms of raw power by that time."

"The physical act of drawing in natural energy has a revitalizing effect, restoring physical and mental stamina and thus, depleted chakra, and the act of molding senjutsu chakra bestows an entire dimension of power: Sage Mode, which my berserk state is a form of, magnifies one's physical attributes and all raw power at least ten times over and as many as several scores over."

"And my unique physiology means that I am constantly drawing in natural energy and molding senjutsu chakra: Once my reserves of chakra are large enough, I can theoretically remain transformed indefinitely."

"So, its one or the other: Research or becuase I could theoretically become a tireless berserker with the raw power of dozens of age and thus fulfill the role of a Jinchuriki in terms of the balance of power among villages."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kikenna:*
She stretches as she responds.
"Hmmm.....thats screwed up kid. Your quite aware of how things are. I myself don't really agree with the world's situation at all to put it lightly. My belief is that no one should be a weapon....no one should be a tool. Treat people as objects, as lesser and it never turns out well. Thing its not just this using people as weapons thing....its the whole culture surrounding it. Every shinobi nation has some variation on a collectivist philosophy: the group matters, not the individual and thus while everyone works for the good for the whole, the whole doesn't necessarily work for the good of every individual within the whole as individuals don't always work with it, but neither do they intend to harm it. 

But the collective must still stand, so the collective dismisses any individual concerns as a problem with oneself and not a problem with society. Shinobi, laborers, ashigaru, samurai....they are all raised to place the good of the collective over themselves. That their individual problems are something they don't speak up about because of a single evil phrase "It can't be helped". Thus people are taught to shame themselves into not speaking up. To just accept their suffering and endure it rather than change it. Thus every persons suffering becomes a secret to hide. Thus everyone assumes their suffering is their fault and not of the worlds. Such acceptance and enduring of hardship is glamorized and romanticized through various Wills of their nations as propaganda. To the point of martyrdom for them.

But your unique or at least unusual. Not just because of some bloodline....but because you think for yourself. You see a problem, you point it out. You don't accept suffering, but work to over come it. You have a problem with a system you think it justified to voice it. The shinobi nations could use more people like you. Its too bad- I can't really do much to train you. The only thing I know relating to your area of expertise is drugs and poisons."

*Jirou Vs. Mitsuko, Finale*
As Mitsuko runs to keep out his swords range, Jirou taunts her
 You are nothing but someone trying to live through their child, your own potential squandered or unrealized, obsessed with experiencing what she is and envious of her genius.
*And your a brother obsessed with trying to be a father she will never have to her! Trying so hard to make her happy, to protect her from me! You should be trying to protect her from the world, as I do.*
By abusing her? By pushing her to the limit at all times? By trying to force what you want on her!?
*You are too soft, boy. If you consider my measures extreme, you should be thankful your not born Hyuuga. If half the things I've heard about them are true, I would stay away from such monsters....*
"As if your one to talk."
She forms a hand seal saying
*"Earth Release: Boulder Blast Jutsu."*
A boulder seemingly comes out of the ground and is hurtled towards Jirou, only for him to cut through it with his burning blade and for the remains to burn to ashes- he knew for a fact that his mother didn't know any other release other than paper. This boulder was nothing but a big painted crumbled up ball prepared head of time to fool people. Still just as dangerous to be fair, but not threatening his counter. 
Mitsuko realizes that she needed to get that blade away from him. His Five Elements Tachi seemed to his greatest weapon. But taijutsu was out with its greater reach and fire, and her paper jutsu was too easily destroyed by it. Which left one option. She didn't want to use it though, even if she hated Jirou. She lets him get closer then forms hand seals whispering. This jutsu had a shorter range than most.
*"Kinjutsu: Human Skin Papyrus"*
Suddenly a strip of skin of Jirou's wrist just rips itself off and he cries out in pain while the strip of skin grabs the blades while has let go and throws it away, embedding it in the wall. Then she forms a paper whip and Jirou began dodging, running and hiding while Mitsuko lashes on the sudden offensive, now having the advantage. Jirou will hide behind another rock, clutching at his wrist, still in pain and says
You are without love.
*I do everything I do out of love, you fool!* Mitsuko says back. *What you are is a spineless idealist, caught up in your new home village's ideology of peaceful existence as if its some new revolutionary idea, when the Sage of the Six Paths has preached that for a thousand years! Since before shinobi existed! Acting as if your the obedient son when really you are out to spite me and this family for doing what needs to be done, trying to mess with our best and brightest out of a misguided belief your helping her. All because you cannot accept that you are in no position to help her, that your lack of kekkei genkai limits your strength, and that she is quite simply inherently more important than you because of her potential. It is only fair that my love be spent wisely on the one that needs it the most, on Kimiko who deserves her potential fully realized!*
Her potential...is beyond you.
He says while pulling out a storage scroll
*AS IF I DON'T ALREADY KNOW THAT! As if my failure to be the Ishikawa Jonin she deserves to learn under wasn't crystal clear from the day she invented her own jutsu! She deserves someone stronger than me! More experienced! Someone who actually knows how to get her to the heights we lost! I can only have faith she'll rediscover it all herself.*
That was not the potential I was talking about.
He releases from the scroll, some really hard whiskey in a metal rectangular bottle and a lighter.
*What are you going to make some tiresome speech about much of a good person she can be? How you wish to steer her towards a right path and how I'm some villain you need to defeat? What nonsense. The world is not like that, boy. There are no heroes or villains in the world of shinobi! Only broken adults and children that have yet to break! War makes monsters of us all. At least I'll make sure she is prepared to be a strong one, make sure that whatever she ends up doing, it'll be done competently, probably to preserve this peace you blindly hope will last forever. At least I'll make her and this clan will grow and survive whatever comes for us!*
"You want to do nothing...but sacrifice her to the system and thus perpetuate it for your own pleasure. Disguising it under regaining the clans glory, when really....you only want your own. Or perhaps even, you have convinced yourself they are one and the same."
Her eye widen then Mitsuko glares and shouts, while Jirou takes a quick swig of the very pure alcohol within the bottle.
*"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UUUUUUUP!!"*
Her hand flashes through various seals and she slams down the ground to take control of dozens of paper long paper strips scattered throughout the courtyard, prepared in case of any invader coming to attack now all converging on Jirou who leaps up with the lighter in hand, flicker it open with a flame ready in a single motion- then spitting out all the alcohol while the lighter is front of it at the paper whips below, causing the spray of alcohol to catch aflame and act as a chakraless blast of fire, with a half-hand seal to direct the alcohol using his own saliva mixed into it to better burn the paper, allowing it to spread to all the paper whips throughout and burning them away. Mitsuko in her fury had over-extended herself, and was not prepared when Jirou suddenly body flickers in front to punch her in the face with one hand, sending her to the ground and pulling out a kunai to hold to her neck with the other, sitting on top of her.
"You thought the sword was my only tool. Who did you think taught Kimiko everything she knows about preparedness?"
He asks dryly.
Mitsuko looked to the side. the rest of the clan had been watching of course. She could not deny it. If this was a real fight, she'd have been dead. She turns her head back and says
*"Tch. Fine. You win."*
He gets off and she gets back up, announcing.
*"By the traditions of Clan Ishikawa, he was won. Behold the new Patriarch of the Clan, Jirou Ishikawa. May he lead us on to victory."*
"I accept this with gratitude. May the Clan prosper."
There is no cheering. Simply the small clan respectfully bowing in acknowledgement and muttering "Jirou-sama". Then dispersing back to their usual duties and lives. It was only about thirty people after all, it didn't make that much difference, practically speaking. Kimiko stands there, staring up at them distraught at basically witnessing a violent family spat combined with a duel play out before her, asking
"Anikii.....Why?"
He has no answer. Kimiko walks sadly away. He will retrieve the Five Elements Tachi then Mitsuko will turn to him and say bitterly.
*"Now that you've won...There is something I need to show you. Something that the new Patriarch of the Clan must know, a secret we keep.*
He nods. Of course. They begin walking to the Ishikawa Family Shrine.

----------


## Rater202

"But that is also what makes me dangerous. I imagine that if the exact details of my experimentations... Which I think I need to get you to sign an NDA since you would have overheard them while spying... were made public that ninja's from every village that value the clan system and prize bloodlines would be sending assassins after my head. As it is, I imagine that I could already use Kimiko-san's cells to grant the Paper Release Bloodline to Ishikawa-sensei, assuming that they're full blood siblings and that they have compatible blood types. If I perfect the process then the entire foundation of the power of the old clans comes down as my technique could be used to give any human any kekkei genkai, unique genetic trait, or the biological facets that certain hidden techniques are based in... Even bestow multiple bloodlines into a specific individual."

"I am quite certain you can imagine the sheer horror that some members of various clans would have at that. So, if I am to achieve my own goals I need to make myself valuable enough to the sound village that the clans of sound don't mind my stepping on their toes and that the village won't give me up if, hypothetically, I killed an Uchiha who was hired to assassinate someone my team was hired to defend, sealed his corpse in my cache of emergency snacks, brought it back to my lab, dissected it, and ultimately integrated his genetic profile and unique chakra natures into my own giving myself and any hypothetical Descendents the Sharingan and the Leaf Village found out and demanded my head. Hypothetically."

"Eventually, my scientific utility and usefulness as a weapon could run out... So, while I hate the collectivist nature of this society and wish we could grow beyond the outdated system of clans and villages and progress properly... If the legends were true, then Indra was retarded. 'By connecting our life force with our spiritual energy we can manipulate the elements, the forces of existence, observe the spiritual aspects of reality, and connect to each other deeply and instantly share information and gain perfect understanding with each other... I will use this power to develop a means by which humans can kill each other and make people forget about how to use it to understand each other becuase I am a god-damned tool who can not deal with the fact that father likes my brother better than me even though it is my own god damned fault for being a freaking sociopath.'

I digress. If I wish to achieve my dream of becoming one who can do and learn everything and bring the world into the state where people talk and progress as a civilization and as a species instead of the dead-end of constant warfare we currently are in, I need to play along and keep the goals of my research, at least insofar as they apply to people other than myself, close to my chest... at least until I'm personally powerful enough that I can do whatever I want in reason and get away with it because its in the village's best interest for me to be happy than unhappy..."

Senko sits up from where she's reclining. "Which means... I need to infiltrate the Village Hidden in the Clouds and steal the bodies of the Gold and Silver Brothers so that I might assimilate their remains into myself and gain the chakra of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox in quantities great enough to pass for a Jinchuriki to the untrained eye. Such raw power combined with natural energy would give me a Sage Mode able to match entire armies in raw power and then I could just tell people to kiss my ass if they are unhappy about me taking cells to study bloodlines... Of course, that would also make it difficult to know if the strapping lads and comely lasses in my harem are praising and worshiping my perfect body becuase they want to or becuase they are scared. Never mind. I talked myself out of it."

Senko was joking that entire time. Her normal monotone coupled with the dry manner in which she delivers jokes might make that hard to understand, but a well trained shinobi should recognize the subtle hints in her body language.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kikenna:*
She arches an eyebrow. 
"I see. You are quite the little ball of trouble as far as any authority figures are concerned aren't you? Well its not my problem. If you truly can pull what you say off, burn this whole system to the ground for all I care as long as you leave enough for something better to be made from the ashes.
Anyways, you'll be having your reply to your protest soon. I like the way you think-I personally do not know what I'd want from your genetic tinkering, but I'm sure you'll figure something out, though personally I don't want anything that will mar my beauty, I'm quite proud of it and its vital for a job like mine. You seem well and able to think for yourself so I think my teachings would be better spent elsewhere, but don't hesitate to call on me if you need something in the future-as an infiltrator I have connections and perspectives few others have. And I'll soon be a friend in a higher place as well."
She will sign whatever NDA that Senko insists on doing then be on her way.

*After the Duel:*
In the Ishikawa Shrine, surrounded by idols of kamis and ancestors, Jirou watching her intently. Mitsuko removes a secret panel of the floor, to reveal a box, opening it she reveals a tube, sealed to protect the scroll inside.
...What is this?
*A copy of the Iron Armor Seal.*
At this Jirou's blood turns to ice and eye shoot wide open, gripped with a sudden fear.
....You mean... a seal that can....can....contain one of the bijuu? HOW? WHY DO WE HAVE THIS!?
*This is the scroll the Ishikawas have passed down for three or four generations now to use to seal the tailed beasts of Kirigakure. The most important fuinjutsu we could ever possess.*
We-we....sealed tailed beasts!?
*Of course we did. We're a fuinjutsu based clan, Jirou. Honestly, how are you surprised? We're valued precisely because only we have the expertise to do it. Its how we contribute to shinobi society.*
BUT WHY, IS IT HERE!?
*Because your father, Ryota saved it. Said that it was best to get as far away from Kirigakure as possible to keep it out of Yagura's hands. If he got a hold of it, he'd either destroy or take it for himself. Good thing to, its given us a position of power in our negotiations with the Kiri Rebels.*
You WHAT!?
*Quit shouting young man, this is quite secret knowledge you know.*
Does the Otokage know of this?
*Of course not.*
....Again: Why???
*Plausible deniability, Jirou. If he finds out and doesn't approve we and the Kaguya's can escape from the village and join the Rebels to coordinate how we're going to retake our homeland. If we finds out and does approve, we grant our current village power over the future Kirigakure by keeping the seals in our hands so that the new Kirigakure will have to rely on us to keep their Jinchuuriki in check. If we told him early and Yagura found out the Otokage was assisting in our plans the whole village would go into war over it! Its just sensible information control.*
By the Sage, you've been planning this behind the Sound's back since you before you ever met them, this is what father was arguing with Kenzo all those years ago wasn't it?
*Probably, neither of us were privy to that one.*
Why did you never tell me? Why is it only now I know?
*Because you were six at the time, boy. One does not tell the highest of clan secrets to children.*
And the Kaguyas are in on this to?
*Well of course, they want revenge on Yagura more than anyone. We even worked out a deal with them that Kimiko would be the one to seal the tailed beast once Yagura is dead, and that Miho would be the container if we can get the Rebel Forces to accept giving over one Kiri's tailed beasts to Sound.*
This whole time...you've been training them to be pawns in your power games?
*Oh don't be so clinical about it. We're preparing them for greatness, Jirou. To give them an opportunity to be great shinobi, known for their deeds throughout the shinobi nations! We spent our lives to give them this moment they deserve! What greater act of love could we do, short of dying for them?*
I know, maybe hugging them once in a while?
*New position of power making you a smartass now? Hmph, how unbecoming of a patriarch.*
You don't order me anymore.
*I am a mother, my kami-given right on this world is the ability is to nag regardless.*
Then let me make this clear:
He projects massive amounts of Killing Intent at Mitsuko suddenly make her stumble and shiver.
You have no power over me anymore. Your only use now, is to teach Kimiko how to use her paper release to its fullest extent. You will not treat her harshly while you do this, but as like a real mother to a daughter. And if I find out you fail in this, you will pay, mark my words- and won't be allowed to die, until you have my permission to stop experiencing the pain.
*....Y...your bluffing right?*
He takes out a kunai.
Try me. I have long dreamed of seeing you in agony.
Through the offhand, dry tone of the sentence, Mitsuko realizes that he is being completely serious, and grows very afraid. 
*...I'm going to not do that then. And just put this away...*
Hold on. Yagura! Do you realize how dangerous having a demon-sealing scroll is!? We're a threat to Yagura, he will stop at nothing to kill us all if he finds out, and who knows what other villages will do if they know of this! This is out of our depth!
*We all know the risks!* she says back quickly fear and nervousness in her breath as she hurriedly puts the scrolls back under the secret compartment. *and we all know how dangerous the three tails will be if it gets out and no one is around to seal it. Yagura won't live forever! You know we have to keep it, its too valuable! How can you achieve your ideals with a tyrant like Yagura around anyways? These plans were in place long before you! You can't stop them now! I'm done with this conversation!*
She stumbles away, drained from the fighting and the conversation while Jirou watches her go. Pondering what to do now.

(OOC: yeah this is all I wanted to get to, we can do whatever now)

----------


## Rater202

*Continue Conversation*

"...So I can't help but notice that you jumped to ''Jinchuriki" pretty quickly for the whole 'powerful enough to be too valuable'...?

"While the exact details of the tails beasts and their powers are kept guarded, certain details are relatively common knowledge: Namely that the chakra of the tailed beasts takes readily to shape manipulation and certain forms of nature transformation and that it combines readily with the chakra of a human host: It is known that, depending on age, a Jinchuriki's inherent affinity to nature transformation is either replaced by or augmented with that of the Beast's."

"My own chakra is severely unbalanced due to a combination of my specific affinity for Yang Release combined with my bloodline. I am researching what I am in part as an attempt to find a way to correct the flaws that make my chakra control so very poor. If it becomes available to me, permanently amalgamating the chakra of one or more Tailed beasts with my own by whatever means is a viable option for solving the problem of my unbalanced chakra. I was mostly joking, but don't get me wrong: If I could get away with taking the bodies of the Gold and Silver Brothers and replicate whatever traits allowed them to absorb the power of the Nine-Tails without it being sealed within them within myself and take whatever remnants of the Nine-Tail's chakra remains within their corpses for myself I would do it in a heartbeat on the off chance that it would allow me to control my chakra enough to learn sage mode and stop being a danger to everyone around me. It is not like people could possibly hate or fear me more, after that rampage."

"...You are a sad and lonely little girl, aren't you?"

"It is better for me to be alone than for innocent people to die at my hands."

"You know, Senko-sama... there isn't a proper, dedicated snake summoner right now. No... 'Snake Sage,' if you will. Most humans who come to Ryuchi Cave are mad dogs who only care about acquiring power quickly and so, usually, fail the tests and get eaten... If you become a dedicated Snake Summoner, a middle man that others have to go through to sign the Snake Contract, that would give you clout with this village, wouldn't it?"

"I do suppose it would... What's in it for you?"

"If you become the Snake Sage, then I, as your personal familiar, would outrank most of the jerks who tell me what to do... Of course, if you fail the tests then I'd get eaten too, so..."

"You're showing an awful lot of trust and faith for someone you just met. Why?"

"I have my own reasons... Worst case scenario you could probably fight off the test proctors and we could screw off to the Land of Beaches."

"You cannot just keep saying you have your own reason for doing things that only seem to put you at risk. Eventually, someone is going to ask what those reasons are."

"i felt bad for you..."

"What was that?"

"I FELT BAD FOR YOU! I saw you after you changed back and you were just so small and scared and alone and... Have you ever felt lonely, even when you're around other people? They hate me back home, and if I don't do something I'm probably gonna get eaten by the big fat crone becuase I don't have the patience to learn Senjutsu, so I know what it's like to be lonely and scared even when you're not actually alone... what's it's like to be sad and to understand and..."

The snake in human form looks away suddenly. "Besides, Senko-sama is pretty cute and a cute summoner is a status symbol."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayma frowned.
cocky self righteous kid. 
Kids like him, were feeding the anti hope ninjas like ramen to starving workers.
He told  Usagi
'Read,the book only if you wish to. It is an useful book, but random chunins, don't hold authority over you.' He say.

Usagi tilted her head, Odayama seemed to really dislike Jirou and his mom
'Hm. I guess it will give me something to do, before I sleep.'

Odayama pause. 'Did you really bargained into the radio station?" he laughed.
'Of course!' she said with pride.
'Hm. Well don't do it again, and be thankfullour Ottokage has a sense of humor. You should read the book, but dont feel too pressured about it' Odayama say.

Usagi finally ask. 'You really don't like Jirou-san, do you?"
Odayma waved his hand. 'Few reality punches, and he will be bareable. Anyway,I should collect Miko and Kimiko. Take care.'


-----

Usagi didn't had actuallt something special to do.she went and trained.


-------

Odayama have overheard the duel through the chip he sticked to Kimiko.
'...ksu.'
but the afternoon,was nice,as  much it can be when you try to please three cat monsters, finally the two smaller ones fell asleep.

'I don't like this boy. And him being a head clan... it's a joke.'  Ameoku say.

'Don't worry, you still will be the Ottokage.' Odayama said with a soothing tone
'I don't know. This boy seems very confident. Too confident. The Ottokage might be actually backing him up.'
Odayama shook his head. 'He might see a POTENTIAL in him, as he does. But he wouldn't have sent him tooverthrow his mother, and break a marriage treaty. The Ottokage understand how things work. Only the other Thunders can challenge you, my love. But they won't. they don't care.'

Ameoku looking into the shadows. 'I think I will send a cousin of mine to spy on him. Just in case'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: seek Answers*
Mitsuko walks in, haggard and comes across Kimiko looking scared.
Oka-san....what....what happened? Why were you and Jirou fighting?
The question combined with her wide eyes made Mitsuko wince at the similarity to a child asking the same of their parents. She...she couldn't handle this right now. Curse her weakness.
*...Go ask your brother.*
She walks away, hurriedly, not sure what to do.

Kimiko watches her mother stumble away and walks until she finds Jirou regarding her silently, and it all just comes spilling out.
"Anikii....Why? WHY!? Why did you fight mother over this!? I don't understand! You came in you said you were becoming Otokage and now you've become the clan head? Why would you do that? Wasn't I supposed to achieve these things? Weren't you supposed support me doing that? Since your....y'know....without a kekkei genkai? I'm confused this is all wrong and upside down and weird! Why is this happening!?"
"...You will understand someday."
"I want to understand now! What is going on, please, tell me! I feel like my world has been shattered! that everything is upturned! Why, brother, why did you do this?"
"....It was needed. It was all for your sake. I thought'd be happy."
He looks sad as he says this. This was never going to be painless, no matter what route took.
"But wasn't it supposed to be my DUTY, my purpose to achieve such things? Why...why are achieving them instead!?"
"It is no longer your duty to do so. It never was. You can spend time on what you want to do now."
"....I....but....you defeated mother without paper release! You did it with just the skills you have....I thought I'd cure you being kekkei-genkailess someday...."
He pats her on the head.
"I...never needed such a thing, Kimi-chan. It was never a disease, nor -despite how some ninja treat it-is "lack of kekkei genkai" a disability. In fact I'm thankful for growing up without it in a way, as the lack has given me perspective I otherwise never would've gotten. I don't think I'll be needing it, as soon I'll have achieved all I've set out to do."
"Wait, what do you mean?"
He withdraws his hand and looks out the window.
"Simple, tomorrow I will make sure the arranged marriage between you and some Masuku Clan member is broken off, all this will be finally done, and I can focus on being the Otokage this village needs."
What, who arranged it?"
"Your mother, whose abuses have gone too far in my opinion and needed to be stopped."
"Abuses? She was just....just preparing me to be a better ninja, thats all! Y'know, training me hard, making sure I withstand the dangers of this world."
He kneels down and rests his hands on her shoulders
"You believe that, because that is what she has been telling you since you were born, and what she was told since she was born as well. Believe it or not, not every ninja clan is like this. There are other ways, better ways, that don't involve such suffering. You are free now. You can have hope in tha- Hold still."
"wha-Ow!"
She says as Jirou suddenly and quickly rips off the tracking chip, glaring at it while holding it up to the light.
"What-what is that!? Whats going on now?"
"You were bugged. with a chip. Someone was spying on us through you."
"WHAT! that could be anyone from the nations!"
"Actually no. Only this village develops such technology as far as I know. Everyone else uses Cursed Tracking Seals. I know exactly who put this on you: Ameoku."
Kimiko freezes still as he growls out the name.
"One of the Thunders....is spying on us? But aren't we loyal ninja?"
Jirou takes out a little plastic bag normally used for science stuff and puts the the chip in, as evidence.
"We are. I'm sensing a lack of trust here. I don't want to involve you in this any more than I already have. Just know that she targeted me, attacking me around the same time.....Code Oni happened. Right before it in fact. About testing me to be Otokage. Just so you know that none of this is some foreign attack. We're safe, for the lack of a better term. But be wary, especially around Ameoku. Your now unfortunately, involved in far more than you should."
What little world that had started to get rebuilt was shattered again at the revelation that her own village just used her to spy on her brother. Who just had a family spat/duel with her brother. After saving her new friend Senko from being on a berserk rampage. Yeah, she Kimiko thinks that is enough wake for now.
"....I'm going to sleep."
He says sadly back
"...That is wise. Good night Kimiko. Get the rest you deserve."
Her sleep is filled with nightmares of being surrounded by enemies from all sides with danger behind every face.

*The Next Day:*
*Jirou: Make Announcement*
"Good morning, Clan Ishikawa."
He says
"Starting today, there will be a few changes around here. We are to no longer be so formal with one another. We are family and should act like it. Next, I cordially open up the clan compound to allow others to visit so that you may invite others over for dinner or the like. Senko, Usagi and Yuyuyu are all welcome to have dinner with us if you want, Kimiko. Furthermore I am not enforcing arranged marriages. While keeping the clan's bloodline intact is a concern to be worried about, it is any clan members choice of whether to marry for duty or not. Decide one way or another, I do not care."
There is some surprised mutterings among the Clan over this. He had no doubt that his changes will have less than effect than one thinks: most will probably marry for duty to keep the bloodline going anyways, but the difference is they will do it on their own terms and preference but if there is even a minority of them who marry for love, it was a step up. 
"Oka-san?"
He turns to Mitsuko looking looking a little, confused, grumpy
*"Yeah....Jirou...sama?"*
"Get a job."
She growls-sighs as she obeys.

*Mitsuko: Get a Job*
She will walk to the Otokage office, a little crabby to report back to active duty as a Chuunin and be issued a Sound headband and vest, glowering at anyone who gets near her. 

*Kimiko: Go through the motions*
The mission today is nothing but painting a fence white. Nothing exciting, all the Genin of Team 3 are there, Senko you've already gotten the note Jirou handed to you at the lab in response to the essay he didn't even respond vocally to. And Kimiko is basically just painting the fence in numb silence. With a wide, thousand yard stare, still feeling pretty broken up about yesterday. It was pretty crazy, to be fair. Like everyone can notice something is up with her, she hasn't boasted about herself or said anything nerdy even once, this just isn't like her at all. Yuyuyu has concern on her face over this.

----------


## Rater202

"Kimiko-san, are you alright? You look like someone has killed your kitten."

Senko does not look away from the fence or stop painting while asking.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama expressed support for his wife's desires, but didn't thought she could be a good Ottokage.
But there are so many great shinobis in the village? Has the Ottokage lost his mind?
This was a safe job today, so he figured he will  bring his daughters Miko and Kimiko there, to light heart the scene.
Miko Nekozaki- (8 years) academy student.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/04/91...ce90b00615.jpg
"Daddddy!" She whined. "Am I missing classes for THIS?"
Odayama chuckle. "Consider it as training."
"But daddy! This is lame! Your team defeated a missing nin! Why do you have to do this nonesense?!"
Odayama smiled. "We serve the village. Sometimes, it means taking out missing nins, sometimes it just means making the village look better. Just like my father did.'

Kimiko- (6 years old) learn at the ninja kinder garden. Beside Senko, the team should know her well from their mission there.
https://cybre.ams3.digitaloceanspace...587bdb1d12.png
"Daddy, I think bigger me is ill."
Odayama who was happily focused in simple task as painting blinked.
"Oh. Right.'

"Let's take a break. I'l make us tea." He say pulling a termus.

Usagi sigh with a relief. She was also bad at painting, and half painted herself.
'Kimiko? You can be calm, I admit defeat-you are a better painter then me.'

- - - Updated - - -

*Ottokage*

The Ottokage usually wasnt there at the mornings but out of respect he was there this time.
Tea, from the kind Mitusko favor wait her, alongside with few onigiris.
"Yoi yoi..." Nezoji sigh.
"....This is akward. If it means anything, I didn't plan of Jirou winning. I would have preffered an educational respectful loss for him. But well. Such is karma. But you should feel pride, Mitsuko-san.' He smile.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Meanwhile: Jirou*
He walks up to the Masuku family household. It is larger and more extensive than his own. There is also a foreboding feeling about it. No one likes to go to the Clan of the Silence. Its appearance is very....stark. spartan. He walks up to it and knocks. It slides open to reveal a clan member wearing an anbu mask, standing straight. Jirou blinks, wasn't home the one place where you shouldn't have to wear such a thing?
"Why have you come?"
They ask, tonelessly and emotionally.
"I am Jirou Ishikawa, New Head of Clan Ishikawa. I have come to discuss the arranged marriage my clan has with yours."
The Masuku clan member nods robotically.
"Very well."
and ushers him inside.

*Mitsuko:*
She glares at him.
*"Shaddap, Nozojo-teme. I may hate him, but I'm not going to deny he earned his victory-Karma has nothing to do with it. Battles are not won or lost depending on what life lesson you need to learn, he exploited my weaknesses and outwitted me as he should. By tradition he is clan head and I will obey Jirou-sama as I should. If someone needs to learn something, they should learn it before they go into battle and die from not knowing it."*
She crosses her arms
*"Besides we both knew I'd never give up the clan leadership to anyone without a fight. I did what I needed to do, he did what he needed to do, and he came out on top. Thats all there was to it. As for a "respectful educational loss"-how reassuring that our noble leader expects his successor to lose a political duel for the sake of some meaningless abstract lesson rather than actually sending out someone with confidence that they can actually accomplish what they set out to do. Will you teach humility to a fish by throwing it into the air so that it learns the folly of being unable to fly next?"*

*Kimiko:*
She blinks as she gathers her thoughts, not sure if she should tell anyone some of this. Maybe resorting to the old mask would work?
"Uh....well...Everything is fine. And even if it wasn't fine, it couldn't be helped."
"Doesn't sound fine. and We'll never know if it can't until we know what the problem is."
Yuyuyu points out reasonably.
"Well uh....its all so much.....I'm not sure how much I should say...."
"Then start from the beginning."
Yuyuyu says, gently guiding her.
"Well its about yesterday and it begins with the fact that you, Senko....went berserk. and I...I was just afraid that I found someone who finally understood me, was going to be lost just as easily, whether to some monster transformation or some hunter nin. And now I'm afraid for you for when it will happen again, afraid that I might not be good enough to save you like I wasn't good enough to save the Bye Bye Kitties. Or good enough to beat Kazuo.

After that....well, Jirou then dueled my mother to be clan head, while having a...quite a heated argument with each other. Partly over me. Jirou won the duel. Then he said mother was being abusive to me and that I'd understand why he did it someday. Whatever that means. but mother said he was being arrogant and just trying influence me with his philosophy or something? They were being very savage with their psychological warfare, and I think Jirou won that one because mother started yelling shut up a lot. And it just made me feel as if my world shattered or upside down because....wasn't I supposed to defeat her to be clan head? Wasn't I supposed to help him someday? Whys it happening the other way around? and he did it without even a bloodline. Also he said he was going to break off some arranged marriage I had apparently?

Then he pulled off this chip on me and said that...someone in the village didn't trust us and was spying on us and that they were targeting him for like a test or something because he is like, supposed to become Otokage? And now I don't know if I can trust anyone aside from you guys. so yeah. Lots of things. Kind of trying to.....recover I guess. Sorry I'm being bad ninja right now."
She says, a little wary that Ameoku's family is right there.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi blinked.
'Oh. Ksu.' She said the wisest words,she managed to say with her empathy, looking quite silly, but at least honestly feeling for Kimiko.

Miko chuckled. "Nya! Oh! Teen Genin drama! Now that something I can binge!'
Odayama looked at his oldest daughter with a scold.
'Feelings aren't a show, nora toy, Miko-chan. If you don't have something nice to say, then just be silent and listen,'
Miko blinked, surprised. Odayama rarely were this harsh toward her.

lil' Kimiko walked to her, and raised her eyes at bigger Kimiko. 'Crazy moms suck. I don't like when mommy yell too much.'

Usagi felt uncomftrable a bit. How can she relate to mommy or brother problems? 
She just looked at Kimiko, scratching at the forehead protector, she moved to her neck, since the duel with Kimiko


Odayama, kneel next to Kimiko. "Well. I have a small confession to make. Girls... check behind your ears.'

"nyani?" Miko and Kimko obeyed imeaditly, pulling chips, with shocked expriessions,
Usagi did as well
"What the meaning of this!?" she said angerly, pointing bow and arrow at Odayama with angered expression.
(unless Senko has very very very high skill in that, Odayama probably has put chip on her as well)
Odayama sigh.
He pull his own device behind the ear- it's looks like a maddona thing,with a single button.
'The world is dangerous girls. I want to make sure you are all safe.'
Usagi frown. 'This is creepy!'

'I bugged my own daughters, my wife as well. This is why, I have ran in the middle of the crisis- my wife was about to hurt Jirou... due to her not eating for too long. I am not proud of it, and to be honest, if not for Kimiko-san crisis here, I would have kept hiding it. I won't forgive myself, if something would happen to any of you, just because I wasn't there.'

------------

Nozojo laugh.
'Yoi yoi, such a firey woman. I always liked you."
He pause thinking. 'Jirou is young, and still has to learn the nuances and complexities of the ninja world and the whole word in large. I don't want Ameoku to be the next Ottokage,and Jirou-kun remind me a lot of myself when I was young.'

Well.. maybe?
Nozojo was sort of a dork, a tech expert, who mostly gave motivation to live and dream on. 
The first Ottokage, has chosen him,over his students, the Thunders.
'You see, as a leader, you need to understand you can't always win. Sometimes,you even should choose where and when to lose.' he explain.
'We are a young and fragile village, we won't survive exremism in leadership. But maybe managing a clan will help calm him a bit down.'

he sip from his oily coffee. 'Anyway. I respect you. The job I want to offer you, is as Anbu.'

----------


## Rater202

"First, to reassure you, Kimiko-san: I was in no danger from the hunter-ninja. I designed the protocols or Code Oni myself, the Hunter-ninja's skill is simply needed to administer a sort of tranquilizer that inhibits the functionality of my bloodline. So far, I have only be able to create a variation that works only if it is injected directly into a gland I have... Well, it is where my spleen would be if my organs were in the places they are on normal people. And I am not yet at a level of power where I can maintain that state indefinitely. If it happens again, do not worry about not being able to save me. Worry about not dying."

"As for your mother? Having never met her, I cannot say whether or not she was abusive, but I know your brother and he does not seem to be the manipulative type. Nor does he seem to be the power-hungry type: I assume based on your reference to Ishikawa-sensei defeating your mother 'without a bloodline' that your idea of helping him would be to rectify his inability to use your clan's 'paper release?' I dare say that, if he had wanted that, he would have arranged for you and I to have met before know: While my research is far from perfect, It would not be unreasonable for me to be able to bestow paper release upon him after studying your physiology. I imagine that whatever his reasons were for usurping your mother's position, they were noble."

"...though, and I am hesitant to say this, while my knowledge of psychology is mostly focused in monitoring and regulating my own emotional state, I do know that it is not uncommon for an abuser to try and convince their victim that what they are doing is normal, or for the victims own good. And they make decisions about the victim's life and try to _force_ the victim to comply with no care of the victim's own desires or even well being."

"From a certain point of view, forming for you an arranged marriage while you are still a child, without your knowledge, consent, or input? Some might argue that your mother was conspiring to have you raped."

A cobra head pops out from within Senko's robe, appearing in front of Senko's own throat.

"That's a bit extreme, but I'd argue that's abuse even if that wasn't the intent. Just becuase she laid your egg, that doesn't give her the right to dictate how your life goes. If you want to tell her to **** off, then retire from being a ninja, and then move to the Land of Beaches to conduct muahahaha levels of made science research, that's your business and she just has to shut up and take it. She can't force you to do anything you don't want to and has no right to try."

"I am beginning to notice that the Land of Beaches figures prominently in a lot of your anti-authoritarian fantasies."

"It's warm, has nice scenery, has little political strife, and is pretty lax on social control. It also usually gets left out of major wars."

"The point is, you need to look at your mother's intent. Even if they were abusive, they may not have been malicious. If she was genuinely acting in what she perceived to be your best interest and can be convinced of being misguided? That is one thing. If she was being deliberately malicious? Or refuses to acknowledge any harm her actions caused? That is something else entirely."

"And my offer to hide in my apartment if you ever feel unsafe in your own home stands, as long as you are willing to platonically share a king-sized futon... I wonder if could rig a partition wall out of spare blankets... Men-Ko, I may have to inject you with a paralytic and use you to form a foundation."Odayama-sensei, if you have planted a chip on me it needs to be removed and destroyed and you need to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
She blinks then laughs then starts cackling, a bitter discordant laugh, different from her "ohohohos", dragging her hand across her face.
*"What a strange joke you play! Me? ANBU? HAH! Look at me! A failure like me with my emotional temperament has no place in such disciplined ranks. Even if I was to consider this proposal better fit for Jirou himself -whose only flaw for Anbu service is his compassion, unlike his father who was the perfect shinobi. I am vital to teaching Kimiko her paper release jutsu, how do I know I'll have time to pass down my techniques to her? Regardless of what she does with them, I still need to pass on my knowledge. I still need to be of use the clan...and to her.

As for Jirou-sama himself, I find your view of my new clan head confusing. Is participating in a legal duel we both agreed upon extremism now? One back by centuries of tradition? And calm him down? That hollow shell of a man hasn't experienced a real emotion since the war, you want to calm down one who is already a stone. and choosing when to lose, is a losers mindset. Think like that and you'll never get victories. The time to lose is never, and survival is not a defeat. If you think any shinobi in this world got anywhere on a philosophy of losing then you don't know the first thing about shinobi. Did the Village of Suna and Ame choose to lose when the settled in places like the Land of Rain and the desert? No! Did Hashirama and Tobirama choose to lose against the tailed beasts? No! When we faced Konohagakure, a fight we had no chance of winning, did we give up? No! The greatest achievements of the shinobi are built upon not giving up and defeating seemingly impossible foes! Its why the first part of the Chuunin Exams is always about testing to make sure they don't give up.

Besides your judging him at his most biased and sentimental, which is when Kimiko is involved. You want him to consider things more logically than he already does, just remove her from the situation."*
Keep in mind you've barely seen him be emotional during all the times you've known him. Most things barely register a reaction from him.

*Jirou:*
He walks through the Masuku household, led by the clan member. Its....silent. The whole place seems more like a fortress or a hideout than a home. He walks by some Masuku members who just stand still. Watching. Waiting. Ever vigilant, also masked. The whole place is darker than most homes, and the path they take through it not the straight or most direct way of going through it, as if they were avoiding things set in place. 

It all fit he supposed. The Masuku were a big part of this villages Anbu. Anbu did dirty things that even most ninja didn't. There was a reason they were their own section separate from the rest of the shinobi. They operate differently, and one must have a particularly disciplined and hard willed mind to endure its challenges. They weren't for the faint of heart or the easily emotionally swayed. Anbu were weapons and tools of the village in the truest most strict senses of the world short of brainwashing. That and brainwashing is Torture and Interrogation's department, different job. He wouldn't be surprised if other places where Anbu operated at were like this, or even worse. 

Soon they reach the clan leader of the Masuku clan....who shall remain mysterious for now.  

*Kimiko:*
Her eyes widen in betrayal, looking at Odayama.
"THAT WAS YOU!? Jirou-anikii thought it was Ameoku who planted it there! You don't trust me!?"
Yuyuyu looks up at Odayama a little cross
"....Can't say I'm too fond of that little revelation either."
Turning to Senko
"....Oh I see."
She says, relaxing a little at the explanation of the Code Oni plan.
"Hm....I guess your probably right Senko? I just...its complicated. I hope she meant well. She was acting strange this morning, like she was angry but she would suddenly be all awkward and not say anything bad when I talked to her. I'm still going to have to meet her everyday because she is actually being pushed to be more active with my paper jutsu teaching and to get a job. While Jirou...he will be busy with clan matters and such he will unfortunately won't be able to spend as much time with me. I know it sounds like a bad idea but...I think I need to ask my mother about this herself. Also I've never felt like I could approach her and just ask stuff about her or my father and I want to know more about him and the war. 

Like....Jirou has said that your like all allowed to come over to the clan house for like dinner or other things now since he threw out a few rules. So I guess I'm glad that he won for that? I just...if what you say is true about mother then its like...how much I can trust about what I've been taught from her? What else can I not trust? She said she did it out of love, that her efforts gave me the life I had now but....y'know....is she saying that to be manipulative or because she believes it? That and having lived my entire life with expectations of what I'm supposed to achieve...its kind of weird to think they are no longer there at least from one area of my life. I based my identity on those expectations. This calls a lot of who I am into question. 

Thanks for the offer of hiding there Senko, maybe I'm foolish, but I can't just say one is good they other is bad and call it a day like you can Senko. I need to understand. She has to love and care for me on some level, right? ....right?"
She asks half-hopefully.

----------


## Rater202

"I can not answer that for you, as I have not met your mother and, even if had, I doubt she would confide any secret ill intentions she had to me and it is not like I can sense negative emotions or malicious will... Yet."

"That is something you will have to figure out for your own. But... Think of it as a mission. And, as your squadmate, I am here to support you if you need it."

"And segueing from that, Yuyuyu-san, would you be willing to help me train to recognize more... _overt_ Genjutsu?"

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo smile wearily.
"I admire how energetic you are. We more or less in the same age, yet I feel so old."
He pause. "Maybe I am in this office for too long, it does affect your mind for better or ill. But maybe I am looking too much into the big picture? Me and Jirou-kun had long discussions about the duties of an Ottokage. He is against parental right deciding over the marriage of their children, for an example. Despite my reformist ideals, and my vision for the Hope Generation,  I recongnize the limits of my power, and that Ottokage can't be a dictator. I have respect for the clan leaders,which lead us for your first question.'

He smile. "Your tea is getting cold." Before continue.
"You see, in every village the relationship between the Village and the clans is delicate and gentle... more fragile then you can imagine. And this isn't only about you. Ok. So you have taught and educated your son so well,that he has defeated you. What am I supposed to do with one of Ottokagure pillars?  To humilate you witn some regular guarding job? Make you my secretary? What message does it send? "Work your ass off for the Village, and one little loss which wasn't due to corruption or sloth, nor traitory will make you lose your dignity? Not on my watch."
Nozojo pause
"We always lose something. Sometimes,it better manage your losses. Imagine if you would have CHOSEN to lose? You could have came up her with your famouse raised nose. On the other hand, you are wiser. Your service for the village doesn't end because of one defeat. That would be silly and disrespectful in way only clumsy fat villages like Konoha would allow. Wether Anbu or something else, you will given a respectful role." Another pause, but this one with more authorative aura. Such things were important to him.
Opposition called him people pleaser, but this was his leadership way. Empowering, viewing people as puzzle pieces, which each must have it's place where they can flourish.
And in Village built and filled by broken people it might be a healthy policy.

"About the Anbu. Let me tell you a known secret- we are understaffed. And more importantly. I need you near Ameoku.' Another pause.
"...She is bitter. Ameoku believe she desserve this office. Only out of respect for her Sensei, she didn't tried to take over. She believer of might make right. I don't think she will rip the village, but she has personal power, and Anbu agents personally loyal to her. Power is tempting. With you by her side, maybe you could prevent her from attacking Jirou. I want you either to work as Ameoku's assistant, either as Jirou's guard. How does it sound?"

-----

Lil' Kimiko fold her ears, ashamed. Big Kimiko probably hate her father and her.
Miko hiss. "Daddy! This is super lame!'

Usagi is silent and akward.
"Girls. Please. Sit. Have a cup of tea, and let's talk." Odayama ask if his daughters and students.

"I am sorry. But please.. take in mind,  I could have easily,just sneak a chip again,without anyone knowing. I have decided to conffess. I want to come out clear.'
He look at Senko. "In your case, no. The chip has to stay,  as mean of making sure I am not losing you. No mean to disrespect. You may put it off, at times I am not responsible for you."
Odayama sip from the tea.
Pulling the madona like gadget, showing it to his team.

"You may ask anything about it. I was wrong to place it without your knowledge. I want our team to be based on trust and care. I wasn't acting in malice... so let's clear up the air."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
To be honest, she barely trained Jirou at all. Thats what the academy and teams are for. She never got why some people in this village think that all training was done personally, haven't they ever heard of military coordination, teamwork drills and so on? They're an army not a bunch of barbarians. But she doesn't say that out loud.
*"Oh really? I didn't know I garnered such respect! As for your thought that the villages would allow someone like me to not work as if they're fat nobles is laughable. I am FROM one of those major villages if you don't recall correctly. I know they're like, and my mindset comes from them! Your village's work ethic comes FROM major nations like my former. Your Kage title? Isn't even real in other nations eyes. Your just aping the superpowers of this world because you don't have a history of your own to draw upon. Nothing you do here is culturally unique. Ever since Konoha arose, all these philosophies you hear the villages talk about? Nothing but variations on the Will of Fire. Yours is no different, because these ideals are tradition and tradition is what works. Don't posture to me about major nations being weak compared to you, thats bull, because I know that is anything but true. All those shinobi didn't become powerful out of luck alone, they work hard for their strength, they never give up, and they hold no mercy for anything that stands in their way. 

As for reformist? What reforms indeed, fool? Our organizations and military structure are a copy of greater villages. We have made some technological innovations yes, but those are hardly reforms. You have an ideal of hope and peace, but its not a tradition yet. Its not something that will be guaranteed to be passed down with a clear vision of what that entails. As we are, we're no different from any other village in my eyes, aside from having a nicer, softer attitude. And not killing having genin kill their partner when they graduate but thats every place that isn't Kiri, so its all the same to me. But I don't particularly care. To me this just just how things are, and how the game is played-how the game has always been played, others can change things all they want, to me its all just a cycle."*
She will sit down when he gets to explaining why he wants her in Anbu
*"Ah I see, finally the real issue. You don't entirely trust Ameoku. Well I don't particularly care of either of your philosophies, but I am loyal to my village as well as my clan head, and if you think I can pull off being an emotionless weapon of certain death- sure I'll do my best. Though I've never heard of Anbu as particularly prestigious- its the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad after all. Hehehaheha! Hardly worth celebrating, as its supposed to be the dark side of every village. But who am I to question the new culture that I serve? If you truly think that making me a faceless terrifying masked assassin to carry out the dirtiest most sordid and dangerous operations is a position of prestige that will mollify the other clan heads, who am I to argue? I accept."*
Mitsuko truly wonders how legitimate this Anbu really is if they were going to accept someone with her 'energetic' as Nozojo puts it, personality into them. There were a lot of particulars that went into making an Anbu nin, one of them being personality where if it doesn't match the organization's cool and calm stoic demeanor, they're rejected. They're often specially handpicked and scouted out as early as the academy for potential. Once they are in, they are given special training to match. Heck, how Ameoku acts herself kind of doesn't fit how Anbu operate. Was she chosen for Anbu Commander position because of her charisma to keep her from the front lines? Probably. No matter how bad Ameoku is at interacting with people, anything is better than talking to a stone. At the same time she is amused these backwater new shinobi think the Anbu is a position of _prestige_ of all things! When more accurately it was the position of greatest sacrifice second to being Kage itself: No one is even supposed to know your in the organization to begin with after all.
*"So when do I get my uniform, whats my code name, and when do I start?"*
The code names are always an animal of some kind to match the mask they wear.

*Kimiko:*
"Sure! Why not? Would be good training for me to, I've also been working on a jutsu to make myself invisible."
Yuyuyu replies, while Kimiko nods at Senko.
"I guess we'll have to meet with Oka-san then to get anywhere there."
She narrows her eyes as she turns to Odayama, as she continues painting.
"....I see. What are the specific capabilities of the technology? Is there any specific punishment for removing a chip myself?"
If the chip listens to sounds she would have to be careful about she says, between her dream and her newfound distrust of things around her. Her own captain has a constant monitor on her behavior and she'd be fool to not see that it could also be used as a means of making sure she doesn't try anything against the Sound Village. This is something she will have to keep in mind the future and any information she can get could prove useful.

----------


## Rater202

Senko starts searching herself for a chip, starting with her ears, then her hair, and so on, removing the chip when she finds it.

"I do not think you understand, Odayama-san," no sensei this time, "I was not asking permission. I was making a statement of fact. The chip will be removed. It will be destroyed. And you will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement for anything that you may or may not have overheard during the period of time where you were monitoring me without my knowledge or consent."

Fiery red energy flows down Senko's arm, clearing revealing a solid black arm as strong and a tough as steel. She crushes the chip in her hand.

"The nature of my research could prove... _controversial._ I understand that your wife has quite a temper, Odayama-san, and Ishikawa-san apparently thinks of her as an enemy, considering Kimiko-san's statement towards his thought about the chip he found on her. Not to mention the way you ran off yesterday and blamed my rampage on her inability to feed herself... You are used to bad things happening when she's angry, yes?

"I mentioned things yesterday afternoon, Odayama-san, that would ideally be classified. Things that not everyone in this village would be happy to know about. If Ameoku-san learned of it and decided I was threat, which is not unlikely considering the nature of my research, then based on her reputation I would not put it past her to try to... Eliminate me. And based on Ishikawa-sensei's suspicions, she is more than capable of accessing this technology herself and using it to spy. Or a third party, a traitor in our midst who we do not yet know of, could intercept the single and leak what I have spoken of to outsiders and the next thing you know Hyuga Assassins are coming out of the woodwork hoping to claim my head on the off chance that my research can destroy their monopoly on magic white eyes."

"By placing this chip on my person, you have directly placed my life in danger. You will sign the non-disclosure agreement and I will interpret any attempts to replace the chip as an assault on my person and react accordingly."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She looks at Senko, blinks then looks at Odayama
"...I'm going to say similarly that my brother was probably worried that my clan was being spied on and that I was being used as that spy. and that I don't like the idea of what my clan says in their own home being monitored by the husband of the anbu's leader? Thats not really okay? Like "treating the clan like their enemies" kind of distrust? Which historically has not ended well when villages start treating certain clans with distrust, and my clan if you don't remember are still refugees from a dictator who tried to have them wiped out. And that my clan _really_ does not need more enemies right now? And what if this tech is stolen by some missing nin? or other enemy ninja? how can I be sure its you thats listening in and not some spy or infiltrator using me to gain my clan secrets? 

My clan is one of the pillars of this Village! and your threatening the foundation with a leak like that? Our clan contributes to this villages research, providing invaluable fuinjutsu expertise that is not an easy art to learn or develop. and you think your keeping me safe? your endangering more lives than you save because your either not trusting my clan and making them think that if someone is listening that they're planning on attacking my clan, or your providing a means to siphon knowledge from my clan and thus make it more irrelevant and useless, and thus destroy my clans future! Especially given that Jirou has told me that he is chosen to be the next Otokage, so not only that, you'd be spying on the future Otokage and potentially leaking village secrets as well! So not only is your actions potentially damaging to my clan, but if what Jirou has told me is true, it can be misconstrued as treasonous to the village itself if it continues."
She crosses her arms.

----------


## Rater202

"Anyway, we are not here to argue about this. We should just finish the mission."

Senko returns to painting the fence.

"...You know, they should have academy students do a number of simpler, safer D-rank missions as part of their education. Give them some real-life experience, get them used to working in groups and taking orders before they become proper ninja, and if they drop out of the program for whatever reason they'll have practical work experience and developed manual labor skills that their time in the academy will not be a complete waste and they will not end up unemployed as adults. Actual ninja could then spend a few weeks getting used to their permanent teams before moving on up to the kind of thing that actually requires a ninja. The current system seems rather inefficient."

----------


## Rater202

((OOC: Igor, don't worry too much about this right now, it's just something Raz and I talked about. I'm only posting to keep the thread going and because I am _bored_.))

*[Otogakure Research Facility, An Indeterminate Amount Of Time After The Fence Painting Mission]*

Senko attempts to find Jirou at a time and place where he is in his office or laboratory.

"Ishikagawa-sensei? I... I have a proposal of sorts... The truth is it sort of started as a joke... But the more I think about it, the more... If... I... This goes beyond my research. If it works, it could affect my research. Your research. The fate of every ninja in this village, and... Have long term ramifications for the Sound Village's place in the world... But, I think that the proposal would be more... convincing coming from someone like you than from someone like me. Are you willing to hear me out?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou with Clan Masuku:*
From the shadow walks out the Masuku Clan Leader, with an Anbu Mask on like all the rest.
"I am Falcon. Leader of Clan Masuku. Chuunin Jirou, why have you come? The Otokage already came by and told us to support you, and we of course obey as our unquestionable loyalty to the village demands." 
"...Can you not use your real name in your home?"
"This is my real name." says Falcon "My other name is a mask of normalcy. A carefully crafted persona to fool people into thinking I am a person with feelings like them so I can better accomplish the goals of this village. You have not answered why you have come."
"I have come to speak about cutting off the arranged marriage with my little sister, Kimiko."
"Why?"
"To give her the choice of whom she marries herself."
"Why?"
"Because I believe the arranged marriage is wrong."
"Why?"
"Because I believe in the principle of everyone being able to choose whom they marry themselves for love."
"...A strange principle. Applying this may negatively affect a clan ability to produce ninja with certain kekkei genkai and thus the village's military strength. Why risk our protection for a luxury we have not yet earned?"
"With new technology in development we could artificially give birth to ninja without needing arranged marriages. No protection need be sacrificed."
"Is it reliable?"
"It can be, if enough research and funding is acquired."
"A risk. Uncertainty. A shinobi deals in facts, not hopes. You propose to modify a foundation of a shinobi's way of life. We sacrifice so that others do not have to. You offer hope that we have to make one less sacrifice with this change, but think of the consequences."
"..Less suffering in peoples love lives?"
"Perhaps. But instead of arranged marriages, you will have a new form of heir, children who despite being artificially born from glorified sperm donors, are the ones who get the inheritance and training, while the children of those born of love might not receive such training or kekkei genkai and thus be considered lower status than the other in one sense. The loveless child will bear the sacrifices and pain rather than the loved one in another sense. Is that what you propose? To shift the pain of shinobi life onto children who people have less reason to love, as they are only born for their use of military power?"
"That is already the reason why shinobi children are born. If the loved child is also a shinobi, it makes little difference other than to allow more supportive loving families that are more likely to accept the artificially made child despite their origins."
"An idealistic sentiment. But why should shinobi shy away from taking this duty upon ourselves?Why should we be cowards and pass the buck to these unloved children instead of sacrificing ourselves for the sake of society as is our duty? It would be irresponsible of us to allow such a thing."
"We would not be doing so. We would simply be easing the burden of the parent so that they find joy and through make more happiness with it that could improve shinobi life and thus effectiveness of the next generation through them. Suffering happens regardless, but at least if what you say occurs it will be progress in what kind of suffering needs to be solved."
Falcon considers this.
"...I see. Then I must ask you a question of my own: How much are you willing to sacrifice for one person?"

*Jirou, Later with Senko:*
He raises an eyebrow.
"Already? I would thought this sort of thing would come years down the line. I see that I may have underestimated the little geniuses that I have come to care for."
He says in the same near-monotone voice he always has.
"Very well, what mischief are you planning?"

----------


## Rater202

*Undetermined time: With Jirou*

"The primary stumbling block in my research is that... The cells I inject into a subject are assimilated at a 100% rate. However, if the chakra within those cells does not integrate with the host's chakra, the cells will not fuse properly. Either the body will reject them or they will turn cancerous. Either way, the end result is fatal."

"But... This is the part that will probably sound better coming from you than from me, becuase it will most definitely need the Otokage's approval: The Village Hidden in the Clouds is well known for their attempts to steal bloodlines and that of the five great villages that they are the most industrious and science-minded. They would probably kill for access to a scientific technique that can graft kekkei genkai to subjects as radically different as an entirely different species _without_ having to kidnap an entire person, merely acquire some of their hair or blood."

"...Or trade for it. It is well documented, even in living memory, that two fallen heroes--hated traitors, of the Cloud Village, known as the Two Lights or Gold and Silver Brothers, were somehow able to acquire the powers normally seen in a Jinchuriki, even able to assume the form of multi-tailed foxes, without being Jinchuriki themselves. Allegedly, this is becuase they were able to survive being swallowed whole by the Nine-Tails and survived by eating its organ meat until they could escape and absorbing its chakra in the process."

"If I could study their bodies, their cells, I might be able to figure out _why_ and _how_ they were able to amalgamate the caustic chakra of a tailed beast's with their own, and if so apply that to my own research and gain some improvement in the rate of survivability..."

"So... Why not make a trade? My research where I am now, including instructions and warnings about compatible donors and subjects, for one or both bodies. Even offer to share any improvements that 'the sound village's experts on genetics and cellular biology' develop in the cellular grafting technique based on studying the cadavers of the Gold and Silver Brothers to sweeten the pot, a genuine offer, if somewhat misleading for reasons I will elaborate on thusly. State that one body is perfectly acceptable but both would be most effective..."

"Knowing the nature of the Shinobi life and the Cloud Village in general, weighed against the Brothers' nature as hated criminals who killed allies, stole artifacts and hid them away, and committed high treason, it is highly likely that at the time of their deaths their bodies were directed by the Cloud Village. Based on the fact that the Cloud Village has not taken over the world with an army of Psuedo-Jinchuriki that they failed to gain any significant data. Most likely they will see it as if we were offering to trade shiny diamonds for the same weight in wood shavings."

"The worst-case scenario, as I see it, is that they spend resources that would have gone into kidnapping and experimenting on bloodline possessing Ninja from other villages on making what we give them functional enough to start using on human subjects, which I would consider a win, and see the Sound village as useful idiots, which we could manipulate to our advantage later. It is not like they will be able to use my techniques as well as the sound can: While it should work on anyone's cells, hell, I could use Kimiko's cells to give you Paper Release right now and in all likelihood, you would survive... Assuming that you are full blood siblings and have compatible blood types... Unless my cells, or those of someone else with my bloodline, are the donor one will need a highly compatible host for the process to work... Which, to be fair, I would suggest we warn them about. And unless the host has my bloodline, or something similar..." Senko gestures to one of the rat statues that are probably in the room. "You would only be able to combine one, maybe two, bloodlines into a single person. It would be valuable, but nothing that would come back to bite us if Cloud turned on us."

"The best-case scenario is that I succeed in replicating the brothers' power to replicate chakra, improving the cellular grafting process and upon seeing these results the Cloud Villae develops respect for Sound that could be leveraged into an alliance that could help us get out from under the Leaf village's thumb..."

"And if any of the Nine-Tail's power remains in the cadavers, I _might,_ be able to create something akin to a Jinchuriki."

----------


## igordragonian

*Ottokage's office*

Nozojo snicker. *'All the emotionless, is a total crap that always backfire. Trust me, I know, and I am going to pay for this knowledge.'*
Pause.
He nod. *'Well, yes. Aren't all nations are sort of fabrications? It's easy to get nihilistic, and say nothing matters- and this how we create missing nins. Yes, all those lies, mimicry, but why ~THIS is an important fact if we can improve the life of our dear ones? I set my bets on the Hope Generation, to make us something... else. And Jirou seemed to be someone.... diffrent enough from me, the same way I was diffrent enough from the first Ottokage.'* he chuckle.
*Well, in my defence, on the radio 'Yoo here the Ottokage' sound better then 'here the titleless leader, of this backward village.' Doeesn't it?'*
he get a bit more seriouse.
*'You don't have to stay there, you can be anything you want. I just want to secure, Jirou's accension, and I trust you to CARE, about this. Skills, lack of  emotions, or whatever, aren't as important.'*

He pull out uniform and a mask. It's a mouse mask.
*'Nezumi. Techniacly, you are a 'special recruit' under my reccomandtion.'*

------


Odayama doesn't know how to deal with Senko. For now he doesn't answer her demands and all that.
So far for honesty..

'Well, that fair, Kimiko.' Odayama say. 
'The thing is, I don't care about all that. If ninjas want to prove me as a traitor, they have much better reasons for it, and everyone who is in power, aware of those.' He say.
'No. I care about my family, and my students. I am a bit overprotective, I have allowed my father to die, because of lack of attention...' he pause.

'But my psychological burdens, shouldn't burden you. I wish you would be ok wearing it, while you are under my command, so I could back you up if something happens. But I don't want you to leave in fear in paranoia,at your own village- so I am open and honest as much as I can. I could have easily, just chip you again... but when I have seen how disturbed are you... I understood, that I fell to the mental trap ninjas from the kind I hate, are falling into. So.. sure. You can report me, I hope you won't, but I won't stop you.'
Pause
Odayama say. 'I want you, to trust me, that even if the truth is harsh, I will respect you with it, unless it something that I specifically have a command from the higher ups not to. I am not here, just for a job. For a job, I was perfectly ok, being another patrolling guard... but I was told, I can help you, to support you. Well. I am not ready to manipulate you. I am clumsy, I forget things, and do cheap things, and in general not the cool kind of shinobi- but I am here, for you, girls. I will back you, I will listen to you, and be honest and trust you. What do you say?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
*"AHahahahaha! You don't understand me a single bit.

1. When it comes to Anbu, its not about emotionlessness. Thats not even the point. Thats basic self defense to help with their actual point. Their point is to do horrible things for the sake of everyone else. Like assassination, deep undercover mission in foreign lands where if they don't have careful control over what their goals they could start going native and betray you, things like that. You don't make your soldiers care about your enemy. Especially your most stealthy ones who will be doing all the dirty things that even normal soldiers would balk at. Breaking the soldier in training, making sure they are disciplined to control their emotions when they start being a monster for their nation? Thats a kindness we give them, so that they can function and go home to their families to turn their emotions back on after doing so.

2. I am not a nihilist. I believe in tradition, and I believe in the Sage of the Six Paths and the kami, pray to him every single day. As have my ancestors did long before me. I pray for my families forgiveness from him for we all are shinobi and therefore monsters. I pray that even this cycle of peace and war never ends, that the periods of peace will lengthen to outweigh the periods of war. My part is not to ensure peace, because it is not the part of any ninjas job to ensure peace. The part of ensuring peace is diplomats and real politicians whose job it is to do that. And perhaps centuries or millennia from now someone will finally figure out how to eradicate war by the grace of the Sage, but I doubt it will happen in my life time. I have to be realistic about this.

As for the kage bit? You misunderstand: I'm posturing my culture at you. I'm from Kirigakure, I knew how these things work before this village even existed. Its not nihilism, its looking at the backwater I now live in and giving honest criticism, because I've seen stronger, and know how another village does it and thus constantly compare it to that. You should perhaps look at where people are from before assuming where they are going. I am loyal to my new clan leader because of the traditions and place I come from emphasize that regardless of my feelings on the matter. Its my clan, its all I have."*
She takes the mask and the uniform and flashes a crazed shark grin
*"So don't worry, I may be twisted and screwed up to someone like you- but I care, for my own reasons, Otokage-Sama. If I'm spilling all this crazy upon you and being disrespectful-well its your own fault for treating me like an equal, when I'm your subordinate is it not? But don't worry....when I put on the mask, I'll behave. I do have my pride as a kunoichi after all. Nezumi, reporting in."*
She will exit to put on her uniform and go forth to do her new mission to the best of her abilities.

*Jirou, Now:*
*Spoiler*
Show

He blinks
"What do you mean?"
"You do all this, sacrifice so much, become the leader of clan Ishikawa, all for your little sister. How would does that go? And why should my loyalty remain to someone who only has one person's interest at heart, rather than the entire's villages?"
"I am loyal to this village. I seek to serve it and ensure a better life for all within it."
"Yes, but are you more loyal to the village or to your little sister? Which one would you pick when the situation comes down to it? At the end of the day, Kimiko is just another shinobi. Even if you vow to not try and not sacrifice every shinobi in this village, there might inevitably be a situation where you have to choose between the villages welfare and the welfare of your sister. Choosing to make one shinobi's life more important than all the lives of the village would be dangerous. One could even say that such bias would be evidence of a bad Otokage. 

How can I trust you to make the right decision when the situation calls for it?"
"...My current actions are not reflective of what I normally do. Once my goal is done, I shall work as the Otokage first, as is my duty as a shinobi."
"Are we to believe the actions you have been doing, is a result of extenuating circumstances, because you feel strong love towards her?"
"Yes."
"Bull. You are too methodical and too calm. As calm as an Anbu, if you didn't have your compassion, you'd be perfect for them."
"True. But still, I intend for these actions to not be repeated."
They stare at each other for a moment, as if daring one another to take the next move. Falcon how eventually breaks it to come at this from a different angle.
"You propose something that will break our agreement with your clan and thus cause us loss. What do you propose to replace this?"
"I intend to marry Kikenna Masuku to form our alliance instead."
"...That black sheep? Why?"
"I was the outcast of my own clan myself, why not? Fitting, no?"
"Why not ask for someone of higher status?"
"I am worth less than Kimiko in this bargain, it makes sense that I ask for someone of equal status as myself."
"...You consider yourself so lowly?"
"I was simply thinking that you wouldn't want to waste one of your higher ranking clan members on a weak clan that is a shadow of its former self like mine. Don't you have bigger fish to fry?"
"Do you not wish Kimiko to gain a better education from other ninja that could more widely instruct her and thus with my clan's greater resources and strength, better protect her and thus teach her to protect herself?"
"I think I don't want her to turned into an Anbu simply because she is a genius and a prodigy of her generation, which the Masuku Clan are all about."
Falcon and Jirou have another stare down. Its longer, growing more intense as the silence stretches. Jirou was under no illusions about what they wanted Kimiko for: the Masuku Clan would certainly want to maximize her potential as a shinobi, the Anbu are too merit-based to ignore her talent. Her use as a wife would only be after she proved to be some great Anbu shinobi loyal to the village, as there is no point in having a genius if that genius can't pass on the full fruits of that genius on. He was aware that he was taking a risk in doing this, but he had to do it. No matter what.
"....You know.... that doing this could be seen as breaking off a years long agreement between our clans. and that Ameoku as Anbu commander, could be seen as the shinobi more worthy of being Otokage than you within our clans way of thinking. And one could say that denying us what we want, could give us reason to not support your claim to the position.

So which will you choose? Our support for Otokage? Or Kimiko's freedom?"
Jirou thinks: Ah, so this is what Nozojo was saying about situations you cannot win, taking a loss no matter what. Oh well. He came here to do one thing, and one thing only.
"I choose her freedom. That is what I came here to do, and I'm sticking with it. If your going to stop supporting me over such a thing, that is your problem and I will accept the loss, because I know what I value more, and that is a member of the Hope Generation being able to truly shine without restraint from those who not know hope at all."
For a moment there is silence. Falcon considers this.
"...For a moment you sounded like Nozojo-sama....you speak his ideals. Very well. I shall allow you to break off Kimiko's marriage, and replace it your engagement to Kikenna."
"Wait, just like that?"
Falcon nods.
"I needed to test you. On what kind of Otokage you would be."
"But I chose the selfish option. I turned down your support in favor of Kimiko's freedom."
"Sure Nozojo-sama is right that sometimes you must take the loss, and sometimes that involve the sacrifice of shinobi lives. But a leader must also have a clear vision of how they want to improve the world, and what they value in it. Like any mission of the shinobi, one must have a clear objective in mind, and to lose sight of the objective, getting lost in the costs, the alternatives, the traps that other shinobi will set to sway you from your path is dangerous. You must make sure you cannot be manipulated by those wishing to subvert you, by having discipline. You came in here with a specific goal in mind and kept yourself cool, rational and reasonable in your attempt to achieve it and even justifying what you wanted to achieve using the Otokage's ideals.

I shall support your bid for Otokage."
"Thank you for your time then, Falcon."
Jirou then leaves 


*Jirou, Later:*
".....Hm."
He wonder what his mother would think of him having the means to theoretically give him the very bloodline that she shunned him for not having for probably a couple years now. Probably confusion.
"...So. let me get this straight: you want me, to go to ask for the corpses of their two worst criminals of the Land of Lightning, a powerful shinobi nation that could probably crush us if they felt like it, by sort of promising we can transfer bloodlines to others but not revealing the full details of how it works, all so you can potentially gain pieces of the Kyuubi's chakra to do....something with it?'
He thinks on this.
"...Senko, I know such chakra is powerful, but no matter how great it would never truly equal a jinchuuriki. Your going after left over pools of a great ocean. If they are even still there. how do you know you AREN'T trading away diamonds for wood shavings? Ignoring all the other difficulties, this is a bit of a gamble, all things considered."
And with his current position as a lowly Chuunin, maybe he should file it away for later until he is Otokage. Maybe. 
"What if this doesn't work out? What if you find nothing?"

*Kimiko:*
She considers these words and says
".....Fine. I guess I understand. Your worried and you want to protect us. I'm just saying there are wider effects to your actions than just what you personally want. You may mean it for your personal use, but the results may impact far more than you imagine. I'll let my concerns go...."
She turns to paint, as she finishes her thought.
"...But if what Senko says is true, if you have planted a chip on her it still needs to be removed and destroyed and you need to sign a non-disclosure agreement."

----------


## Rater202

*Senko Now
*
Senko keeps painting.

*Senko Later*

"You misunderstood, Sensei: For one, no. I'm proposing that you take my proposal tothe Otokage, since... well, it will sound better coming from you... And, partially, for this reason here. For two, what I am suggesting We give offer them _everything_ that I currently have, including its limitations and knowledge of how to maximize its effectiveness, and maybe an offer to give them any improvements to the process derived from the study the bodies. We just do not give them _me_, or my bloodline, and thus the ability to create a single ninja with dozens of bloodlines. Or an army of the same. If you have been paying attention to the notes I have given you on my research, particularly the things that are of potential interest to your own project, you should be aware of the adaptive nature of my cells. If your hand got ripped off, Sensei, I would be able to replace it with some of my own biomass and the process of doing so would result in my cells altering themselves in structure and genetics to perfectly match the cells of your body... Of course..."

Senko holds up her right hand, which turns a ruddy orange-red-brown color. a Chitin like shell of the same color forms around the wrist and a foot long hollow spike that tapers to a sharp, needle-like point juts out from her open palm.

"I would then have to absorb biomass from another source, to replace what I lost, since... Well, I lost my surplus of mass during my most recent rampage. And those cells, that chakra, would transform and become identical to my own."

"It is by studying and replicating that process that I was able to create my means of grafting bloodlines. I can artificially induce a similar ability in the cells of others to partially change and match a host enough to integrate into the body. If the chakra within those cells properly amalgamated with the chakra of the host, then the altered cells will fuse with the host's cells and the other cells of the host's body will gain the traits necessary to use the bloodline and, as a bonus, produce trace amounts of the donor's chakra in addition to their own, creating a slight increase in overall raw power. I have done rudimentary tests that prove that the process will work with anyone's cells, but without the adaptive nature of my cells you would need to have an already compatible host before starting the process: The same blood-type and elemental affinity, at least. Nor would the body be able to integrate more than one or two similar abilities."

"But, as I said, if the chakra does not integrate, that is where the problems come in."

"The Nine-Tail's chakra, if any of it exists within the cadavers of the Two Lights, is secondary. I am after whatever aspect of their bodies allowed them to absorb the power of the Nine-Tails and combine it with their own while retaining its unique properties: If I can isolate the genetic traits responsible for that, if it is genetic, and replicate it as I did with an aspect of my own bloodline, combine it with the process, then the survival rate of the process will increase exponentially."

"And if can not replicate the process by studying their cells? The odds of myself surviving the process of having foreign cells grafted to myself are somewhat higher than another human for much the same reason that my cells can be grafted into anyone... that, and I am a universal blood recipient with an affinity to Yang Release instead of one of the five elements. Essentially, I am equally compatible with everyone. I could graft the cells from one, or both if available, brothers to myself and thus gain their chakra natures and beneficial genetic traits myself. The trait that allowed them to absorb the power of the nine-tails should mean that their cells would integrate better even if I cannot replicate it properly. I could then study my own body to try and figure out the process. Or, worst-case scenario, the combination of their traits and my own should allow my cells, so augmented, to be graftible to most people without problems and thus my cells could be used as a buffer between the host and the desired traits... Though, that would restrict being enhanced to people who have access to a controlled form of Senjusu becuase we do_ not_ want an entire village of homicidally insane berserker."

"As for creating a jinchuriki-like being from any traces of the Nine-Tails power... Yes, in and of itself, it would not match a true Jinchuriki... But chakra is not like other forms of energy. The Tailed Beasts themselves produce it from nothing, to the point of being said to have infinite power, and as long as you have some chakra to start with it is possible to cultivate many times more than you started with."

"One Psuedo-Junchuriki could not match the real thing. But cultivating the Nine-Tails power an giving it to _everyone_ in small doses? Just enough to supplement their power? Maybe produce a rudimentary chakra cloak? Or a small handful of elite Ninja with a larger quantity, enough to transform?"

"In the battle of quality and quantity, a good quantity of good quality can match overwhelming quantity and overwhelming quality."

"Especially if used in conjunction with your own project? Sage Mode multiplies a user's power dozens, sometimes score or times over. Even if you cannot fully replicate Sage Mode and say, create a bastardized version that _merely_ multiplies one's power ten times over... If one only has one-fiftieth of the power of a true Jinchuriki and then augments that ten times over with Senjutsu, then they become one-fifth of a jinchuriki. If ten people have that amount of power, then their village has the equivalent of two jinchuriki."

"Or? I could keep the Nine-Tail's chakra, if any of it remains, for myself. Enhance myself with the Brother's cells and then drain whatever remains from the corpses into my self, becoming the singular Psuedo-Jinchuriki. I suspect that my status in the village is already similar enough: Piss them off and drop them in the middle of something you want to break, but beyond that, it is known that the chakra of a tailed beast takes readily to shape manipulation. Enough tailed beast chakra merged with my own, to the point that my body produces it in addition to my own and the two become one and the same, would give me the means to practice an advanced form of chakra control beyond my current skill that is currently beyond me and, if not completely cure the unbalance in my chakra, at least give me the means to work around it--a means of practicing and improving my chakra control to the point of being able to study my clan's sage mode and unlike a True Jinchuriki I wouldn't be fighting a monstrous god-beast for control of that power. Not only would I perhaps be one of the only people in the world who becomes _less_ dangerous by becoming a Jinchuriki, but..."

"...Men-Ko has suggested to me that I go to Ryuchi cave and train to become the Snake Sage, as there is no current dedicated Snake summoner. If I do this, and pass the tests, I would have access to _two_ forms of senjutsu. Potentially, I would have a sage mode greater than any other... and apparently enhanced regenerative abilities Combining that with even a fraction of the power of a Nine-Tail's Jinchuriki, and the Sound Village would have a Loyal Ninja able to match the raw power of a Jinchuriki if need be. One who happens to agree implicitly with 90% or so of what Lord Otokage to be thinks of War and clan politics."

"Or a middle ground between keeping it for myself and giving it to everyone: Keep some for myself, and give the rest to the children of the hope generation. disperse it evenly enough and suddenly the children who are supposed to change the world are all far stronger than anyone their age would be expected to be and therefore actually be able to do so, then allow the chakra to spread out to the rest of the village over the course of generations."

"But again, the Nine-Tails chakra, if it still remains, is secondary. The true goal is the improvement to the process of my research... which could also, perhaps, help you overcome the problems with your own research, and the potential of giving the Cloud village something reasonably valuable enough, and potentially earning their respect, to serve as a foundation for an alliance in the future: Currently, the Sound Village's only alliance is a one-sided deal with a village that hates us for something that happened a decade ago. That is not sustainable."

----------


## igordragonian

*Ottokage's office*

Nozojo smile with pleasure. He doesn't like butt lickers. 
And he was the kind who preffered to be loved rather then feared.
"Good luck." He saluted in carefree attitude.
Nozojo was a bastard knaving thief before becoming a shinobi. Everyoje were so seriouse and grimm... but he has chosen a diffrent path, mostly inspired by Odayama's father,Hanazu.
His allowed his hands to shake when she left.
He looked at the window.
"Please.. wait just a little bit. I will pay my debt. [Wishper]"


-----

"Well with Senko it is diffrent. You, Usagu ans Yuyuyu can justifingly say, that by wearing the forehead protector, you are allowed to risk yourself, without me, stalking you. How ever... Senko is diffrent. I have beem there. Those expriments, been there,done that. It's probably the same just more refined. But I am supposed to stop her going berserk. And well, I do need to know what going on with her,at least when she is under my responsibility."
He turn to Senko. 'I was honest with you,Senko. Even if we know each other very little. I won't stop you from reporting me, but if you won't I will talk with Jirou about other soluation.'

----------


## Rater202

*Spoiler: Original post, for posterity*
Show

"No, Odayama-san you are supposed to serve as the squad captain of the team I was assigned to by Ishikawa-sensei as a transparent attempt to socialize. Preventing my berserk rampages is _my own_ responsibility. If I transform, your responsibility to slap a sealing tag on me, call in Code Oni so a hunter nin can administer the drug that neutralizes my 'kekkei genkai' or, if all else fails, bury a sword in my brain to prevent me from killing anyone."

"...You know? Anger is a potential trigger for my transformation? If I was not so in control of my emotions, the reveal that you had begun to monitor Kimiko-san, Usagi-san, Yuyuyu-san, and myself without our knowledge or consent could have potentially sent me on a rampage right here and now. Where your young children are, weak and vulnerable to being crushed or stabbed or... Trust me. There are a lot of horrible ways I could kill someone, and my Nonself, The Sagebeast, the murderous persona that emerges when I transform? It is even better at using my powers than I am."

"Do you understand the potential consequences of your well-intentioned overreach of your authority now? You seem unconcerned with the potential threat to my safety, nor to the legal consequences you could face, but do you care for your children so little as to bing them around _me_ knowing what I am and what I can do?"

"Regardless, I have already removed and destroyed the chip. Agree to sign the NDA covering my research and we'll have no further issues?"


There's a lot that Senko wants to say in response to Odayama's statement, regarding who is responsible for what in this relationship and the potential risks if she becomes too, upset, by something. But she thinks better of it.

"I have already removed and destroyed the chip that was on my person. Let us just finish the mission and revisit this later."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou, Later*
..."Are you sure the Otokage allow this? He is kindly and wants the Hope Generation as he calls it to change things, but I don't think this is what he had in mind. Though maybe if I spin it as a diplomatic overture to prevent Kumo from trying to kidnap entire people to their nation and thus limit their efforts to taking a hair or something which isn't as problematic as taking an entire person while at the same time while at the same time advancing the research of making bloodlines obsolete, perhaps it can work?"

*Mitsuko Nezumi:*
Nezumi leaps across the rooftops of the village in a disguise jutsu to make her hair shorter and black to keep her unrecognizable. All personal concerns have fallen away. There is no Mitsuko. There is no hate. There is only Nezumi. There is only the Mission. The Mission was-



> _Power is tempting. With you by her side, maybe you could prevent her from attacking Jirou. I want you either to work as Ameoku's assistant, either as Jirou's guard._


-Prevent her from attacking Jirou Ishikawa, as per the Otokage's command. Otokage-sama has given her the luxury of choice. To protect him on her own initiative. Common logic dictated that if one wants to protect somebody, they take the bodyguard option. The benefits of that are clear: she will always be around, always able to watch him. The attack could occur at any time after all. Therefore the second option is the one that needs to fight for its survival. The second option argues that if she works as Ameoku's assistant she can better know how she thinks and how to fight her, and of course, the best way to protect somebody is often to kill the offender before they ever start the attempt. Take care of threats before they become so, and its not as the Ootkage didn't tell her to kill her. But that would negatively impact the village's military leadership she was needed to make sure this village survives against other nations, That and it would killing a ninja of one's own village which is disloyal, generally not a smart thing to do unless the ninja going against the village. Which as Ameoku is technically attacking a ninja of her own village seemingly without provocation or good reason, technically counts as "going against the village".

But she is still Jonin level, which means she is strong, and therefore probably useful for something. question is, does her usefulness outweigh the threat she poses to the future Otokage? That is the uncertain variable in this equation. The only way to solve this uncertain variable is to scout out Ameoku and determine the practical benefits of keeping her alive. Therefore the most logical action is to go to Ameoku and become her assistant to determine her real use to this village so if/when she attacks Jirou she can determine its prudent to kill her or not. 

She leaps off to find her, and introduce herself with a salute
"Greetings Ameoku-taichou, I am Nezumi, reporting for duty as your assistant by the orders of Otokage-sama. How may I assist you?" 
Her voice is flat and entirely different, sounding as normal as possible. 

*Kimiko:*
She will continue painting with a frown on her face, at hearing the conversation around her, not really sure how to respond to any of it, and thinking its best to stay silent. Yuyuyu does so as well

*Spoiler: Kimiko's Notes: On Chakra*
Show


With enough math, anything is possible. It is reported- and this is back up by my own eye witness account- that chakra is blue in color when visible. This means normal chakra was a wavelength, a frequency. I'd say an approximate Wavelength interval of 490nm and Frequency Interval of 610 THz, as its almost cyan in color but not quite. This means normal chakra is similar to ultraviolet light. 

Tailed Beast chakra has been observed to be red, and thus approximately 700nm and 428THz. Making it closer to infrared light and thus longer in wavelength.

Senjutsu chakra if legends are to be believed, is green, putting it at 530nm and 566THz. In the middle.

The interesting thing to note is that Tailed Beast and Senjutsu chakra are reputed to boost abilities far beyond a ninja's normal limits. When normal light is observed to have less energy the longer the wavelength, the opposite seems true for chakra. However a different explanation is that these colors are just the energy that is emitted not the energy that is actually there, thus senjutsu and tailed beast chakra are actually radiating less energy than normal chakra when used. Longer the wavelength, the less energy lost? The most powerful form of chakra would therefore be black: no light radiated, no energy lost.

If types of chakra can be codified by color, then that means there are potentially 10 million different kinds of chakra discernible by the human eye alone. I'm sure most of these are variations on a stark few general kinds but it would go a long way of explaining how say, the tailed beasts all have different abilities despite all having the same color of chakra- they might actually have nine different unique kinds of chakra, they just are all really close together in wavelength and frequency so they all look red to us. 

Of course, chakra is far from visible. Its possible and probable that ones chakra frequency is almost as unique as one's fingerprint or a snowflake. This would make sense given how your chakra contains both physical energy of genetics and the mental energy of one's individual mind mixed together. This also explains elemental affinity- some frequencies simply work better with some elements. It is possible that more hybrid releases are keyed to more obscure or rarer wavelengths of chakra that certain bloodlines are capable of producing. 

Of course, if chakra is a wave then like the rest of existence is subject to quantum physics, and is thus both a wave and a particle. The mathematics of chakra melding back this up: chakra in large enough quantities condensed together starts becoming solid like matter. My hypothesis is that the tailed beasts despite their solidity, are some level still a waveform. Quantum physics still applies and their existence is thus both energy and matter, information and physicality, the yang of existence and the yin of thought. You cannot kill a waveform, so how could you ever kill a tailed beast? At the same time, a waveform is vulnerable to things a human never will be. 

Note: create chakra goggles to see chakra. Must be some part of the spectrum that can be picked up visually in its normal state if dojutsu can do it. No rumors or legends about them not seeing color, possible that human sight only needs slightly wider range to see it. Might help with chakra control if one can see chakra.

Note: work on trying to make device that picks up chakra, measures and shows wavelength frequency like the thing that does it for sound, light or vibrations. A photometer/frequency analyzer-like thing Might come with own name for this: chakrameter? Sounds good. Might come in handy for figuring out chakra frequencies and thus how to replicate them like a radio changing frequencies.

----------


## Rater202

*Later*

"...Well, yes. The diplomatic potential is what convinced me that it might be viable. As I said, the worst-case scenario is that the Cloud village sees us as useful idiots, which can be manipulated to our benefit in the future, and has a viable alternative to kidnapping which is honestly good for everyone. The best-case scenario is that the most scientifically progressive of the Five Great Villages knows the skill of our researchers and is aware of potential benefits of an alliance with us and the starring of information."

"I admit that, personally, I am motivated by the furthering of my research and the potential benefits that studying the brother's cadavers could give me directly, but it could potentially be good for the village entire."

"And, honestly. It is asking permission to study the corpses or one or two hated criminals for the purposes of mutual benefit. It is not like I am suggesting that we steal the bodies of Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara from the Leaf Village so that I could grant myself Wood Release and the Sharingan. That would be foolish._ This_ would be business as usual, as far as some ninja would see it"

...Though, for the sake of thoroughness, if I manage to develop a means of manufacturing Jinchuriki-like power unless I keep it for myself and spin it as something I can't replicate we would have to come up with a way to explain it to the Cloud Village lest it alienate them and undermines any potential alliance we develop.

...In less morbid matters, you wouldn't happen to know the hand seals for the summoning technique, would you?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou, Now:*
He wonders what to do next as he walks the roads of Sound Village. He has accomplished almost everything he ever wanted in life: comeuppance served to his mother, his sister freed from his mother's machinations...mostly he guessed. Although he never expected it, he was a clan leader and on his way to becoming Otokage, a respected shinobi that will be remember at least by his own village for years to come, and his research into the....hm...Sage Seal. Yeah thats probably the best name for it, was progressing at a steady pace. All things considered, his life had become quite strange quite quickly. He had thought of himself as a lowly chuunin with dreams of greatness, doomed to passively watch his family turn Kimiko into a weapon or a copy of his mother, and now he was wrong. There was little a ninja could ask from the direction his life was going and even if he didn't get the Otokage position, he wouldn't mind all that much. What was important to him, was already done.

But now, greater things than his desires loom on the horizon. Responsibilities as clan leader or even Otokage, at the same time for some insane reason. Potentially working with Ameoku as one of his advisors and commanders even if he wins. And of course...the secret his own family keeps. The Iron Armor Seal. Should he reveal the secret to Nozojo or not? He was a kindly, accepting person who loved kids, but he didn't know whether that made revealing such a thing better or worse. Jinchuuriki are often made from children. Surely he wouldn't like the thought of cursing one by using it to gain power for the village? At the same time, the power of the jinchuuriki was one of the things that made a shinobi nation powerful. They acted as deterrents, and could put Sound on the board, on the same playing field as Takigakure, make them independent like they want. But would require the sacrifice of a child's future.

At the same time though, Nozojo did tell him that sometimes you lose no matter what you choose. Thus a child's future would be considered an acceptable loss compared to the loss of a nation's future. His words could be interpreted that way. Acceptance or denial? Jirou was not sure. He keeps walking, contemplating. Perhaps he will figure it out later, but he had to be cautious about a dangerous secret like this....

*Jirou, Later:*
"...Very well. But really, if we come up with such tailed beast chakra, I'd be more worried about Konoha. They're the ones that this chakra was originally stolen from by both of those criminals. A few decades of history doesn't change that fact. Lightning would want it, but they'd have less of a leg to stand on than Konoha."
He then answers her other question.
"As for summoning...No, but you are on the same team as Usagi correct? She summons rabbits every day to ride. She'd know better than I."
Perhaps he can also use this to gauge Nozojo's reaction to Jinchuuriki in general.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko, Later*

Senko blinks. "...Is overlooking the obvious an age-related trait? It should be well established that I am well beyond where someone of my age should be in terms of but right now I cannot help but feel someone what, particularly after I already asked Yuyuyu-san to help me with training to recognize Genjutsu. I should be better than that."

"As for the Leaf... He...HeheheheHehahahahahHAHAHAheHAhehahehahehaheha  HEE!"

Senko's eyes don't turn black. That's the clue that this isn't her going insane and about to rampage. But still. It isn't normal for her to drop her stoic facade.

I just got the most deliciously evil idea... With how long its been... The next Chunin exam is int he leaf village, right? And... It is usually pretty obvious who a Jinchuriki is by the way they are treated by the village: Just look for the clan heir or person with the same surname as the Kage that is being treated like a ticking time bomb. With intervals of time, right now the Nine-Tail's Jinchuriki is either really old, or about old enough to participate in the chunin exams.

Senko holds up her hand again."Slurping up organs like a milkshake isn't the only means of absorbing chakra available to my clan. The less invasive method used by the rare few who have the power is also available to us. I am not currently able to do the technique, but I can learn. It is simple chakra control."

"I am _not_ ready to be a chunin, but with my B-ranked Taijutsu and abnormally large reserves of chakra, I would be a perfect seat filler. For a team that down a member, or who had a member opt-out. It would be risky but _if_ I were entered and _if_ the current Ninetails Jinchuriki were entered... I mean, I cannot be faulted for a freak accident caused by an accidental side effect of using a common ability on someone who I could not possibly be aware was the Jinchuriki because I am just a stupid genin. And of course, the Sound village would do experiments on the accidentally stolen nine-tails power, _any_ village would."

"Of course, it would be a long shot. we cannot say for certain that the Current Ninetails Jinchuriki is a genin so manufacturing a conflict outside of the Exam would be... Risky so it could easily amount to nothing, but if the Cloud Village does take us up on the offer it would work as a cover for both the LEaf Village and as part of a cover for the Cloud Village _if_ it worked--we just admit to Cloud that I was enhanced with th brother's cells as a part of the research into them but pass off any Tailed Beast powers as a side effect of 'inadvertently' draining chakra from the Nine-Tails host." If by some miracle we got the bodies before the exam _and_ I was able to replicate their power it'd be as simple as enhancing myself and then keeping it secret until after an encounter with the Jinchuriki. Otherwise, any tailed beast derived powers derived from the brother's body could be spun as a delayed reaction to absorbing chakra from the Jinchuriki."

"...Admittedly, this is less well thought out than my initial proposal. I would have to drastically improve my chakra control by then, for one, becuase I would rather not eat someone alive in the most excruciating way possible if I do not have to."

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## Lord Raziere

*Jirou, Later:*
He blinks twice.
"I am continually amazed and confused by your tendency to come up with crazy highly dangerous and probably illegal plans, then go up to your nearest authority figure to tell me about it. Most shinobi would consider that behavior borderline suicide and liable to put them on a list to be watched by Anbu. Please don't do anything too crazy or at least, anything too obvious. There are ninjas better than me, who can catch things I can't. Nor can I promise protection when dealing with such greater powers. I appreciate your honesty though, even if the accepted procedure for this is generally to not say anything, making sure no one finds out and everyone agrees that it didn't happen.

....If anyone asks, this conversation didn't happen.

I'm pretty sure absorbing chakra isn't common at all, or everyone would be using it. And I'm pretty sure accidental theft of current Kyuubi chakra still equals Konoha demanding recompense in some manner, even if not as severe. Much like how if you break someone's window by accident you still owe them a window. And abilities requiring high chakra control are hardly accidental in use, as the difficulty is having enough control to use it at all. Meaning its a lie based on not having enough control when using an ability thats all about having enough control for it be successful. And that assuming they don't call our bluff by saying if its so accidental then surely we'd be okay with an elite Uzumaki fuinjutsu user transferring the chakra back to the jinchuuriki so as to return what was taken.

Basically Konoha wasn't born yesterday and would be fools to think that anything involving their jinchuuriki is entirely coincidental. Its not as if they can risk it. They are after all, the originators of the phrase "seeing underneath the underneath". Also? They have Naras. Don't underestimate them."
He says while continuing to test his batch of rats. More of them were berzerking this time around rather than turning to stone, he was making progress. Adjusting the curvature of the zen symbology brush strokes improved it by a couple percentages after all.

----------


## Rater202

"No, absorbing Chakra is not a common ability... But there are a number of Ninja who are able to do it that it is a known phenomenon. You wouldn't be surprised to find at least one person who could do it among the hundred or so ninja entered in a Chunin exam."

"Hypothetically, I would be in conflict with someone with far more power than I. Preferably in a tournament or other competitive setting where a presence for combat would be unneeded. I, as a chakra absorber, could not be faulted for trying to even the playing field with an attack Jutsu and who could possibly have expected that the tailed beast's chakra would have such an effect?"

"As for Uzumaki seal users placing it back? 'Of course, I am willing to die in order to permanently transform the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to stone. Then nobody has the Nine tail's power. That seems fair. What? That's not what you meant? But Uzumaki Seal Expert-san, my chakra absorption converts any power I absorb into my own power, so the Tailed Beast chakra I accidentally took is not being kept separate from my native chakra. And my kekei Genkai means I produced fluids that are attractive to natural energy. My body naturally molds Senjutsu chakra, so not only is the Nine-Tails chakra mixed up with my own power, its infused with natural energy. So not only would I die of Chakra exhaustion if you extracted the power from me, putting the power back in the Jinchuriki would mean that they are full of natural energy. Are they a sage?' And they probably aren't. I cannot imagine anyone would be crazy enough to let their designated rampaging berserker multiply the Godlike power of the Nine-Tails, the whole thing, scores of times over with Senjutsu. 'They are not a sage, Seal master-san? Then I am terribly sorry about this accident, but trying to give the power back would kill me and the Jinchuriki both. But do not feel bad. It is not like the tiny piece I have could possibly ever compete with the whole thing. I imagine that the Nine-tails has already replaced what I took.'"

"If they failed to get Cloud to hand over the Two Lights, who were trying to steal the Nine-Tails when they obtained, they do not really have precedent for trying to reclaim any nine-tails power that I _obviously_ obtained as a freak accident. Especially such a tiny amount, it would make them look petty. 'Just let Sound keep it. Such a small village with such a tiny amount of Chakra, it is not like it would make a difference.'"

"Though it is a moot point. I do not know _if_ I will be able to create a Jinchuriki or Jinchuriki like being from the bodies of the Gold and Silver Brothers, and it is only if I do, and create something recognizable as a Jinchuriki, that we will need a cover story. If you think the Otokage might go for it, pass along the original proposal with 'we may be able to create a Jinchuriki-like-being' as a potential additional benefit and that if we can, I am willing to serve as a vessel for that power becuase it could ironically make me safer to be around."

"Or... Leave Jinchuriki out of it entirely. If I can do it, I will just do it and Lord Otokage will have complete deniability."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Don't underestimate Uzumaki seal masters by thinking they'd be stopped by that logic. The things they've done with sealing are unbelievable, and have a reputation for doing "The Impossible". If they can seal tailed beasts, they can take it back without killing you or the jinchuuriki. Either that, or they won't care about some random ninjas life from some minor nation but can probably separate the senjutsu from the tailed beast chakra. I would not put it past them. They make me look like an amateur messing with beginner seals."
He says The Impossible with air quotes hand motions.
"And pointing out such things will make people far too suspicious about you. Because the very fact that you thought about this much will clue people in that this not an accident at all. Especially since your supposedly a child, when your talking and thinking on a level most children your age are not. I'd almost say your an adult in a child's body, perhaps disguised as a genin to get close to the Kyuubi, knowing all the right things to say a little TOO well to believably be a stupid genin who doesn't know what they are doing, trying to pass as a child for some greater agenda trying to arrange everything to look like a convenience when too many conveniences occur close together for that to be the case, knowing this will all happen in advance somehow. If I didn't know better."
He says, raising an eyebrow.
"I would hope that if you have a way of seeing the future that you'd tell us, Senko. Which is of course truly impossible and not merely Uzumaki Impossible. There is no such jutsu or kekkei genkai in all the world. But talking as if you hope for so many conveniences to happen so that the best possible thing will turn out for your plan is highly suspicious. What source of knowledge do you have to say all these things with confidence? Its either that or your making a lot of assumptions that you have no basis of proof for. You do not even know the intricacies of how tailed beast chakra works, and they are from powerful demonic beings who are greater than you or I, who do things that no human is capable of with chakra. I doubt you can truly bond with tailed beasts chakra in the manner of which you speak, as the tailed beasts always return to life- no matter how far flung their chakra it always returns and reforms eventually. Most likely, the genetic ability at best traps the chakra in like a tailed beast seal, but can't truly keep it there forever.

That and most ninja would say getting caught that you did something at all, no matter how you spin it, is already a loss. You making plans as if to mitigate getting caught, when getting caught is already the loss state. Sloppy. and precedence doesn't matter. They're more powerful than us, they make what they want happen.

....complete deniability so that Otokage-sama does not know is probably best, yes.

but again, I don't recall teaching you this stuff. Where is this coming from and how are so confident in it that your making such plans already? You say you don't know but you act as if you do."
There is suspicion in his eyes now. As if he looking into you, trying to figure out where this is all coming from. You get the sense that maybe you have spoken too honestly and that if you continue speaking so, things won't turn out well for you. As if you might be acting on knowledge that you shouldn't have and tipping off your plans to someone that while good, probably has his ways of making sure they don't happen without even confronting you directly. There is consequences to not being discrete in the world of shinobi. If the wrong person knows the wrong thing, who knows what might happen? 

((OOC: in other words, this is really metagame-y right now, and Jirou is not an idiot and can tell when someone is acting strangely.))

----------


## Rater202

"Admittedly, a good chunk of this is speculation. How Educated guesses and the like, for example, the possibility of the Jinchuriki being in the Chunin exam age range is based on simple common sense that Jinchuriki are not expected to live very long and never die a natural death."

"Senjutsu? Why would I not know about Senjutsu? It is to my clan what Paper Release is to yours. My not knowing how my bloodline powers work,and being able to explain why they would complicate 'fixing' things that may or may not happen, would be perfectly natural. Are perfectly natural. We do not all live in a singular compound but we did keep records and I was able to retrieve those records before leaving the ruins of my village. I still have them. I can turn them over to you if you would like to verify them?"

"The rest is the result of independent research. Remember, sensei, my life is dependant on my ability to balance my chakra, alter my kekkei genkai into a form that doesn't drive me homicidal insane under certain circumstances, or artificially achieve the chakra control needed to gain sage mode. If I can not so that, then there will come a time when I will need to be put down becuase I will keep getting stronger and my Berserk states will last longer and longer as I get older. Eventually, sealing tags and sedatives won't be enough and if I am exposed to the neutralizing medication too many times my body will become resistant to it."

"My primary specialty is biology, but I have researched a _lot_ of things in the hopes that it could further my research. I am grateful that the Sound village has provided me with opportunity to research and experiment and I gladly serve in repayment but the primary purpose of my research is and always has been for my own benefit becuase I do not want to kill people. I lost the right to act my age when I slaughtered my home town."

"I know that my monotonous tone and stoic demeanor portray the image of an emotionless child who is mature beyond her years, but Sensei believe me when I say that I am utterly desperate and completely _terrified._ What I say with confidence is... The desperate hope that things will go a certain way so that I can finally be _normal._ I am this close... _this. Close._ to begging one of the clans of Sound to let me splice myself with the cells of one of their members, offering _anything_ they ask in return and _damn the risks of the procedure_ if it the chance of producing traces of such a distinct chakra in addition to my own will cure the imbalance that prevents me from mastering my Sage Mode and finally ceasing to be a threat to everyone around me."

"And yes. My proposed scenario for explaining how I may have acquired the Nine-Tails power, if I can, is poorly thought out and dependant on things I can not control. In my defense, it is entirely off the top of my head. We could probably come up with something much better if we took the time to discuss it."

"And yes. This conversation never happened. We have gotten beyond the scope I was originally here for, regardless. I will leave the proposal in regards to diplomacy and the potential benefits of trading my notes to Cloud in exchange for bodies in your hands, if you think it would be worth it and Lord Otokage might go for it... And let you take credit for the idea as well. If anyone asks, I was merely turning in my report in the most recent phase of my experimentation"

Senko provides the report in question... Not much improvement from the last round of testing, unfortunately.

(Sorry, I'll try to tone it down.)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou, Later*
He raises an eyebrow, not entirely convinced by Senko's reasoning.
"1. Just because its common sense, doesn't mean its true.

2. Knowing about how about senjutsu deals with normal chakra is nowhere near how knowing how it deals with tailed beast chakra. If tailed beast chakra was anything like normal chakra, they wouldn't exist in the first place. There is no research that would tell you how it works. They're basically black boxes as far as we're concerned. This doesn't mean people haven't tried to experiment on them, but they never succeed. And if absorbing chakra is so common, don't you think people wouldn't have already tried that on jinchuuriki? The fact that we don't see pseudo-jinchuuriki running around because of it is proof enough that claiming to absorb some of the kyuubi's chakra through such a method is false.

As for you dying if they take out the chakra you "took", that is not their problem. Genin die in the Chuunin Exams, one more won't shed any tears. 

3. As for explanations, honestly its better if they don't find out at all. the how or why matters less than the fact you'd have it. Especially if they don't have to go through Lightning, a nation equal in power to them to get it back, who might leave us to the Konoha wolves. We're a minor nation, Konoha can lord our power over us and Kumo can abandon us without either of them suffering consequences for it.

Though, it would be wise to get those berserk rampages under control wouldn't it? Hm."

*Kimiko:*
Once they are done with painting, Kimiko will say
"Alright, too much has been happening. I need to get my mind off some of this stuff with some training/inventing/researching. Too much hectic stuff in my has been distracting me from it, and I want to do other stuff with my training before I have to go home and train with Oka-san to start getting my paper release up to Chuunin level. Yes, I still have to do it with her. Jirou said despite all her flaws she is still the most skilled one we have to teach me. Should I train my genjutsu defense, genjutsu in general to maybe try and figure out a way to use genjutsu to communicate with a deaf kid, but I also want to get started on trying to make this flying kite idea I have, but maybe I should work on expanding my elements to water and earth? So many directions..."

----------


## Rater202

*Spoiler: Later*
Show

"The chakra of the tailed beasts is said to be caustic, is it not? Malevolent? I imagine that most people would be reluctant to take that into their system without seals that keep it separate from their own power until they can acclimate it, which would explain why few do it. And not every technique that does the same thing does it the same way. An ability that drains chakra in order to sustain the user will function differently than one that drains chakra to heal the user's injuries. My clan's ability to drain chakra is an extension of our ability to absorb the bodies of others and convert their cells, and the chakra within them, into our own which is, in turn, an extension of our natural affinity for Sejutsu and the biological deviations from the human norm that maximize the effectiveness of our ability to weaponized the mutagenic effects of natural energy. If, hypothetically, you and I were enemies and I were currently able to use that power, my grabbing you and draining your chakra would not sustain me, would not heal my wounds. It would simply convert your unique chakra into my own and use it to replenish my reserve or create a temporary surplus and, strictly speaking, would be considered a senjutsu technique, something that does not behave in the manner in which normal ninjutsu do. Of course, the chances of it actually working as I suggest are slim to none, but there is enough plausible doubt that it can be used as a smokescreen."

"And of course, there is a major difference between a genin dying in the chunin exams and the host of the chunin exams finding out that a ninja from one of the guest villages 'inadvertently' obtained a small fraction of the Jinchuriki's power sometime after and heading off to that other village in a completely different country to murder than ninja in cold blood. The first is business is usual. The second is a massive overreach of authority that is likely to make every other village angry even if they do not give a damn about the village being attacked."

"...Or, or did you think I was suggesting that I drain chakra from the Jinchuriki in broad view of the entire village and then assume a hypothetical Junchurki form that the Brothers' bodies might give me right there in the Leaf village and say 'oops, look what happened by complete accident? I was proposing a situation that could later be used as an excuse for why a Sound Ninja was seen with an aura of visible red chakra or a should that resembled a fox sometime after the chunin exam had concluded."

"I mean, that is the rub, is it not? A jinchuriki, or pseudo-jinchuriki as the case may be, is only of value if the rest of the world knows you have one and if I am being sent out into the field now... If I enhance myself in that manner, it would eventually get out that I had such power. Unless I killed all witnesses, but that means I cannot be sent on escort missions. A plausible cover could be the difference between people angry about it but leaving it alone and The Sound Village being invaded by an army composed of the Leaf Village and their allies."

"As for the Berserk Rages... All of my research tells me that it is a defense mechanism. Taking in too much natural energy, if you have not been trained in how to balance it properly, not achieved sage mode, then not only will you permanently transform into something not-human, you could turn to stone. My bloodline forces members of my clan into a berserk form that is a corrupt, destructive form of Sage Mode. This happens when our emotions come unbalanced... Or when we take in enough natural energy that a normal person would either enter sage mode or be overwhelmed and either turn to stone or permanently mutate."

"So, the obvious solution is that I need to study and achieve proper sage mode, to the level of proficiency that I can store enough senjutsu chakra to assume sage mode and save it for later rather than transforming, to be free of my curse."

"To achieve Sage Mode, I need enough raw power that taking in natural energy in quantities large enough to assume Sage Mode will not overwhelm me--for most not having that power would be a death sentence but for me... I also need a body strong enough to handle Sage Mode which... Since I have technically already assumed Sage Mode, I will assume I have, but a perfected Sage Mode is supposedly stronger than an imperfect one and my transformed state is as imperfect as it gets. And finally, I need chakra control of almost supreme levels in order to create Snejtusu chakra of the correct ration of natural energy, physical energy, and spiritual energy... Especially since, unlike an average sage, I will need to train my body to create the perfect ratio."

"That is where my research comes in: My chakra is unbalanced to the point that basic chakra control is almost impossible. Using my clan's basic bloodline powers and pure taijutsu techniques are about my limit, and my almost pure yang chakra seems to resist being shaped. And since my chakra is yang natured... Well, it is not as easy to train yin and yang nature transformation as it is the five elements, and most techniques I could try to use to practice it are either hidden, exclusive to the clans and villages that practice them or require you to already have advanced chakra control to even learn, so I cannot practice nature transformation in hopes of bringing up my overall chakra control. If I can graft myself with the cells of someone with a distinctive enough chakra nature, a bloodline user, a jinchuriki, or a random freak with unique chakra abilities or an absurdly potent affinity. If I can successfully graft their cells into my own, and my body starts producing traces of their chakra in addition to my own and recognizing it as my own, amalgamating with it instead of converting it, then my chakra should be less unbalanced and easier to control."

"Ideally, Sensei would be the chakra of a tailed beast, which is known to take readily to shape transformation, the cells of a KaguyaI have theories that, if true, would make their cells, in particular, ideal both in the sense of assimilating their cells with my own, in the sense that their Bloodline could guarantee that my body is strong enough to handle full Sage mode, and in the sense of being able to keep what I am doing secret from other villagesor an elemental release Kekkei Genkai, which even if it doesn't balance my chakra on its own, would give me not one but two powerful affinities to an element, maybe three if the combined form counts separately, and an instinct in how to use them. Practicing nature transformation for multible elements could easily improve my over all control."

"But... we have no tailed beasts or Jinchuriki of our own, and I have nothing to offer the Kaguya that is worth the information needed to test my theories, let alone grafting myself with their bloodline short of offering to marry into their clan and... I do not want to marry into their clan."

"The only elemental bloodline in Sound is Paper Release. Which... I am not going to jeopardize your recent promotion to Clan head by asking you for a freebie, sensei. So, that leaves the same problem as the Kaguya claim, I have nothing to offer your clan in fair trade but an agreement to an arranged marriage into the clan to keep the secrets in the family and in addition to my own distaste for the idea... Well, Kimiko-san is not bad looking but it would not be fair to pull her from one arranged marriage just to shove her into another. I could maybe _ask_ her if she would be willing, the next time I see her... she seemed_ quite_ interested in the idea of a harem of strapping lads and comely lasses when I mentioned it... But you are probably getting very uncomfortable right now are you not?"

Senko gives a mischievous smile at this.

"The other clans with bloodlines have much the same problem, and the added problem that if they are not enough to balance my chakra on their own, then they would provide minimal additional benefit. Well, I mean there's probably a lot of practical use for enhanced hearing or having the physiology of a bat or cat in addition to human, but in terms of learning Senjutsu, nothing."

"Additionally, however, there is the simple fact that the procedure is not safe enough. Survival rates should be higher in humans, but the test rate in rats is too low for it to be acceptable for human test subjects. I am not even sure that _I_ would survive and the precautions I was planning to take to minimize the risk are dependant on a surplus of biomass that I no longer have. I am back to my natural height I would rather not be shorter."

"Men-ko has told me that those who pass the Three Tests of the White Snake Sage and survive being infused with enough pure natural energy to assume Sage mode without permanently becoming a snake are, in addition to being granted the privilege of learning Snake Style Senjutsu, are permanently granted 'The Power of The White Snake.' Supposedly, were I to earn this power, not only would I be considered a 'snake' and imbued with snake-like properties, to some degree or another, but I would gain 'The power of Reincarnation,' a passive ability to regenerate flesh, heal injuries, and rejuvenate my cells. By itself, this is relatively minor, but it is supposedly the basis for a number of techniques that involve healing or transforming oneself, surviving otherwise fatal injuries, or extending one's life beyond its natural span. This power could allow me to guarantee my survival of the grafting process... But I will need to able to resist or escape genjutsu and other illusions to pass the three tests and will need reserves of chakra potent enough that I won't transform and attack the White Snake Sage when she administers her final test."

"I was not lying about the potential benefits of my proposed deal between sound and Cloud, politically or scientifically, but the truth is... If studying them allows me to improve the process to the point that at least I will survive? Not only would I be able to make the modifications necessary to make myself able to learn Sage Mode, but... Two powerful Ninja, allegedly descended from the Sage of Six Paths, who were able to permanently absorb the chakra of the Nine-Tailed Demon-Fox and assimilate its properties into their own? Successfully grafting _their_ cells into myself would guarantee that I would be able to repeat the procedure upon myself, might help me in molding Senjutsu chakra properly, and even if they do not have enough of the Nine-Tails chakra left to create a pseudo-Jinchuriki then they most certainly have a signature distinct enough that it would balance, or help balance, my chakra."


*Now*

Men-ko pops her head back out from her perch... somewhere in Senko's robes. Is there a harness in there or something?

"Genjutsu defence. Definitely that. You fell for the most basic-ass trick I've got."

"Do not be rude. But still... I did just ask Yuyuyu-san for help in training myself for the same purpose, which is something I have an urgent need for, for reasons that are better shared in private. I have a report I need to finalize and submit... Honestly, it should have been done a few days ago but... And a few things to discuss, but if you can afford to wait about an hour we could meet up somewhere and have a team training session and Usagi-san can come to, if she wants to... If nothing else, it seems that I am going to be working with this team for a long time so any opportunity for us to work together and grow familiar with each other's capabilities is a worthwhile use of our time."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Spoiler: Jirou, Later:*
Show


During the time Senko speaks, has time enough to Jirou eat his entire lunch. He comments at the end.
"Your filibustering again. We really need to have a talk about you taking reasonable turns in conversation. Its kind of rude."




> "The chakra of the tailed beasts is said to be caustic, is it not? Malevolent? I imagine that most people would be reluctant to take that into their system without seals that keep it separate from their own power until they can acclimate it, which would explain why few do it.


"'reluctant' is an lame term for 'smart and cautious'."




> And not every technique that does the same thing does it the same way. An ability that drains chakra in order to sustain the user will function differently than one that drains chakra to heal the user's injuries.


"To heal injures, energy must be expended, bones must be mended and cells must be made. This normally comes from food. Such techniques would be more similar than you claim, the latter is simply skipping a step in the healing process."




> If, hypothetically, you and I were enemies and I were currently able to use that power, my grabbing you and draining your chakra would not sustain me, would not heal my wounds. It would simply convert your unique chakra into my own and use it to replenish my reserve or create a temporary surplus and, strictly speaking, would be considered a senjutsu technique, something that does not behave in the manner in which normal ninjutsu do. Of course, the chances of it actually working as I suggest are slim to none, but there is enough plausible doubt that it can be used as a smokescreen."


"Slim to none is hardly plausible doubt."




> "And of course, there is a major difference between a genin dying in the chunin exams and the host of the chunin exams finding out that a ninja from one of the guest villages 'inadvertently' obtained a small fraction of the Jinchuriki's power sometime after and heading off to that other village in a completely different country to murder than ninja in cold blood. The first is business is usual. The second is a massive overreach of authority that is likely to make every other village angry even if they do not give a damn about the village being attacked."


"They would be throwing stones from glass houses then. Or do you think the Anbu Black Ops is there to uphold the law and maintain accountability? The villages have entire organizations devoted to overreaching their authority. Lesson One: All ninja are scum, we all break the rules bending and abusing them is jsut when we're being polite."




> "...Or, or did you think I was suggesting that I drain chakra from the Jinchuriki in broad view of the entire village and then assume a hypothetical Junchurki form that the Brothers' bodies might give me right there in the Leaf village and say 'oops, look what happened by complete accident? I was proposing a situation that could later be used as an excuse for why a Sound Ninja was seen with an aura of visible red chakra or a should that resembled a fox sometime after the chunin exam had concluded."


"Irrelevant. Any good ninja would make it look accidental if they were truly trying for it anyways, so the assumption is that no matter how accidentally done its actually intentional. just because your spinning a one lie, doesn't mean they won't assume its a different lie. your essentially taking money dropped on the ground then intentionally bumping into someone as if your a pickpocket trying to take their change so that people won't suspect you took it off the ground, its unnecessary when the simpler and more logical course of action is to go the other direction and keep it hidden as long as you can then let them wonder where you even got it. such a preemptive deception would only draw attention to you."




> "I mean, that is the rub, is it not? A jinchuriki, or pseudo-jinchuriki as the case may be, is only of value if the rest of the world knows you have one and if I am being sent out into the field now... If I enhance myself in that manner, it would eventually get out that I had such power. Unless I killed all witnesses, but that means I cannot be sent on escort missions. A plausible cover could be the difference between people angry about it but leaving it alone and The Sound Village being invaded by an army composed of the Leaf Village and their allies."


"There are many third and fourth options between these that can occur and are more plausible than just letting the subject go entirely. Scot-free is not an option."




> If I can graft myself with the cells of someone with a distinctive enough chakra nature, a bloodline user, a jinchuriki, or a random freak with unique chakra abilities or an absurdly potent affinity. If I can successfully graft their cells into my own, and my body starts producing traces of their chakra in addition to my own and recognizing it as my own, amalgamating with it instead of converting it, then my chakra should be less unbalanced and easier to control."


"That is not logical. Evidence, given that sage and normal chakra need proper careful balancing to work, speaks against this theory: your chakra would get _harder_ to control. Not easier as you would be trying to handle foreign chakra on top of your own chakra. The fact that its yang-imbalanced is irrelevant to controlling it, as all techniques require chakra control no matter what portions of yin or yang are involved. Both genjutsu and medical jutsu require incredible amounts of chakra control and finesse to work as one is manipulating literal thoughts and other manipulating cells. Chakra control is never improved by adding foreign substances to the cocktail, so to speak, and your seeking to run before you walk. I recommend more training instead. I understand that for a genius such as yourself it can be tempting to shortcut the tedium of truly mastering the basics of how your chakra works by some trick around it, but even if its a good idea to quickly find a way to get it under control, making your job harder won't help."




> "Ideally, Sensei would be the chakra of a tailed beast, which is known to take readily to shape transformation, the cells of a KaguyaI have theories that, if true, would make their cells, in particular, ideal both in the sense of assimilating their cells with my own, in the sense that their Bloodline could guarantee that my body is strong enough to handle full Sage mode, and in the sense of being able to keep what I am doing secret from other villagesor an elemental release Kekkei Genkai, which even if it doesn't balance my chakra on its own, would give me not one but two powerful affinities to an element, maybe three if the combined form counts separately, and an instinct in how to use them. Practicing nature transformation for multible elements could easily improve my over all control."


"you'd have to seek out the Kaguyas to get that to happen. As for practicing nature transformation....no. Thats not how this works. Again, your proposing to run before you walk."
He wondered what his...contact would say about this.




> "But... we have no tailed beasts or Jinchuriki of our own, and I have nothing to offer the Kaguya that is worth the information needed to test my theories, let alone grafting myself with their bloodline short of offering to marry into their clan and... I do not want to marry into their clan."


Considering what he knew about the plans of Ishikawa and Kaguya to basically get the Three Tails for this village, who knows how'd they react to someone willingly volunteering to put tailed beast chakra inside them rather than Miho? But giving Senko encouragement was a bad idea. 




> "The only elemental bloodline in Sound is Paper Release. Which... I am not going to jeopardize your recent promotion to Clan head by asking you for a freebie, sensei. So, that leaves the same problem as the Kaguya claim, I have nothing to offer your clan in fair trade but an agreement to an arranged marriage into the clan to keep the secrets in the family and in addition to my own distaste for the idea... Well, Kimiko-san is not bad looking but it would not be fair to pull her from one arranged marriage just to shove her into another. I could maybe ask her if she would be willing, the next time I see her... she seemed quite interested in the idea of a harem of strapping lads and comely lasses when I mentioned it... But you are probably getting very uncomfortable right now are you not?"


"I'd prefer you'd wait at least until your both 16 before trying to date her, yes."




> Senko gives a mischievous smile at this.
> 
> "Additionally, however, there is the simple fact that the procedure is not safe enough. Survival rates should be higher in humans, but the test rate in rats is too low for it to be acceptable for human test subjects. I am not even sure that I would survive and the precautions I was planning to take to minimize the risk are dependant on a surplus of biomass that I no longer have. I am back to my natural height I would rather not be shorter."


"Sounds like the exact kind of basics you might need to work on first then."




> "Men-ko has told me that those who pass the Three Tests of the White Snake Sage and survive being infused with enough pure natural energy to assume Sage mode without permanently becoming a snake are, in addition to being granted the privilege of learning Snake Style Senjutsu, are permanently granted 'The Power of The White Snake.' Supposedly, were I to earn this power, not only would I be considered a 'snake' and imbued with snake-like properties, to some degree or another, but I would gain 'The power of Reincarnation,' a passive ability to regenerate flesh, heal injuries, and rejuvenate my cells. 
> 
> "I was not lying about the potential benefits of my proposed deal between sound and Cloud, politically or scientifically, but the truth is... If studying them allows me to improve the process to the point that at least I will survive? Not only would I be able to make the modifications necessary to make myself able to learn Sage Mode, but... Two powerful Ninja, allegedly descended from the Sage of Six Paths, who were able to permanently absorb the chakra of the Nine-Tailed Demon-Fox and assimilate its properties into their own? Successfully grafting their cells into myself would guarantee that I would be able to repeat the procedure upon myself, might help me in molding Senjutsu chakra properly, and even if they do not have enough of the Nine-Tails chakra left to create a pseudo-Jinchuriki then they most certainly have a signature distinct enough that it would balance, or help balance, my chakra."


"And this where I massage my temples as you go off chasing legends and fairy tales we have no basis for, hoping your efforts don't lead you to an early grave."
Jirou wonders if he just going to become some living nexus of secrets to keep at this rate. But then again, is that not what an Otokage is?

----------


## Rater202

*Later*

"Sensei? If someone had no legs and was researching how to create a prosthesis that functioned as proper limbs, would you tell them that they could walk if they just trained enough and had no need for prosthetics?"

"For some reason, Sensei, my life-force is stronger than my spirit to a significant degree. 'Yang Imbalance' by itself is only part of the problem. My physiology involves the passive molding of Senjutsu Chakra. Which means both my yin and yang are taken and mixed with natural energy whether I will it or not. Because of this, I have relatively little normal chakra which is even more imbalanced towards Yang than it was to begin with, as the usable Yin energy is depleted well before the Yang is."

"Four straight years of training in a martial art that is, supposedly, meant to balance the body and soul and control the flow of one's own energy, meditation, exercises to control my temperament, and study, the things that are all supposed to allow you to cultivate spiritual energy, have had a negligible effect on the imbalance even as my raw power increased. Despite my best efforts, Sensei, I am no more able to do even basic chakra control techniques than I was when I woke up in the bloodstained ruins of my home village four years ago."

"It is not about short cuts. It is about overcoming the limitations of my current existence. Fusing a foreign chakra to my own, one distinct enough to not be subsumed by my own might make my control worse in the short term, but having enough spiritual energy in my body to be able to mold usable amounts of normal chakra in my system will allow me to maybe actually do the exercises that improve chakra control and make actual improvement instead of stagnating. If not, giving myself a bloodline that grants easy access to nature transformation, an advanced form of chakra control, may allow me to become at least slightly better at using what I have. Likewise, the power of a tailed beast maybe had to control, but in every war in which they have been deployed, there are eye witness accounts of auras of tangible red chakra, or miniature beasts composed of blood-red energy, stretching and contorting themselves as needed as easy as breathing, chakra being shaped without hand signs. Were I to gain the chakra of a tailed beast, while it may damage my current control, learning how to control and shape that power should improve my ability to control and shape my native chakra for a net gain."

"Make my proposal regarding a trade with Cloud or do not sensei. I leave it in your hands. If you genuinely think I am wasting time chasing a legend and will get no benefit from studying the bodies of the Two Lights, then there's no need to proceed. But... I have made arrangements to train with Yuyuyu-san about recognizing, resisting, and escaping from Genjutsu. When I think I am ready I _will_ be going to Ryuchi Cave. If there is a chance that I can gain an ability that will improve my odds of successfully correcting my chakra imbalance, it is a risk I have to take. If nothing else, if I become the Snake Sage then we will have stolen a summoning contract out from under the Leaf Village and there will be nothing they can do about it."

"So, you know, if I apply for time off and then do not turn back up, it is probably because I failed the tests and got eaten."

It is disturbing how nonchalant she is about that.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou, Later:*
"....The only quadriplegic I know is Usagi, and she didn't try for a prosthetic, she learned how to climb and walk on water. With her HANDS. And is so good at being a ninja, that she tied with Kimiko in a duel. Your hypothetical ninja is meaningless when we have a real one who does just fine without even developing such things. 

Furthermore, all evidence shows that every ninja has to master chakra control even with normal chakra and that even sages must master it even further with two different sources of chakra which poses clear danger if they are not balanced correctly, and then there is the tailed beast chakra which has shown to imbalance and make people go into berserk rages when introduced. Its not about what I think or feel, we have scientific evidence that these changes happen because the these other forms of chakra are introduced to upset the normal balance of chakra.

and you thinking your going to tell me your somehow the exception to these hard scientific rules? Not only that but a strange inversion where you somehow get better because you have more complexity while every real sage has to struggle to balance two different chakras? That makes no sense. Every ninja has to develop chakra control, its not a physical limitation. Just because your a different kind of chakra, doesn't mean that it won't be harder when you introduce something foreign into it. Even If your claims about senjutsu being yang-imbalanced is correct, it would be more logical to conclude a constant infusion of pure yin chakra equal to the amount of senjutsu gained would fix the problem. There is no reason to believe that rare bloodlines would somehow do it better, as those bloodlines could have many mixes of yang and yin do not contribute to a proper balance of yin and yang. 

Elemental bloodlines in particular are yin/yang balanced as they are ninjutsu, requiring both physicality and imagination to function. they would contribute just as much yang as yin chakra and thus not change the ratio of yin and yang chakra. This leads me to be highly skeptical of your intentions, as your seeking a highly complex and dangerous solution that all known science and evidence on the matter points to it not actually _being_ a solution, when if your so desperate for a way to get rid of your rages and think your yang imbalance is whats causing it, why are not figuring out how yin is produced instead? it would be simpler, and every ninja normal ninja can do genjutsu, its just that most only don't have the patience, talent or practice to hone their chakra control to the point of being a genjutsu specialist. 

or you can just graft some ordinary chakra producing DNA into you to alter yourself to produce normal chakra. Because if you can integrate such rare and varied talents like you claim, why would normal capabilities be such an exception to help you balance it out? And if the normal chakra capabilities wouldn't work and be consumed by your body, why would then conclude that exotic bloodlines would fare any better?  And technically sages balance their own human yin and yang chakra with senjutsu, so technically they might be working at a 75-25 yang/yin percent split to achieve the state they have, so you might only need 25% yin chakra to balance your yang.

There are universal scientific laws of this world, Senko. Also you are a kid and no matter what your tragic story is, kids can be irresponsible and it makes sense that you'd skip out on tedious normal training for more interesting and fascinating scholarly matters believing you can somehow finagle your way into control, when ever the greatest ninjas had to go through mastering the basics. Its more likely the basics for your chakra is simply different and that lack widespread institutions and lots of people as well being from a clan often persecuted that they never had time to figure out such basics. 

Now I'm not saying you haven't tried, or that I'm right. But when you make these claims that contradict the basic rules about how chakra works that have been observed, one of my scientific persuasion cannot help but question what you say. What you claim is unheard of even for other senjutsu users, am I supposed to just believe your right? I've read your research and your not claims are not as certain as you believe. Every scientist has their pet theories and your still young. I think I know a person I can ask on jinchuurikis, as your situation is similar to them."
Though he might be considering consulting his original source on senjutsu for a second opinion. No matter how troublesome it may be. 

*Yuyuyu and Kimiko*
They will practice genjutsu, with Yuyuyu introducing her attempts at a self-invisibility genjutsu, to improve on her genjutsu to make her weapon invisible, while Kimiko practicing to notice flaws in the invisibility and release herself from the genjutsu.

----------


## Rater202

"Sensei, I think I explained myself poorly. It is not that Senjutsu is Yang Imbalanced. It is that _my_ chakra is severely Yang Imbalanced. Were I anyone else, sensei, I would be a prodigy at Yang Release Ninjutsu while being utterly unable to use Genjutsu or other yin-release techniques. Seeing as most ninjutsu of Yang release are Hidden techniques, mos likely a medical ninja that cause some techniques very well but others not at all."

"It is the interaction between my nature and my bloodline that causes the problem. My Senjutsu, my _senninka_, is different from the Sage Mode of others. the Toad Sage, the Snake Sage, the Slug, the Monkey, Shark? Transforming, mutating, from natural energy is undesirable it. A True Sage will have only superficial changes. An imperfect Sage Mode leaves one with deformities that must be compensated form, becoming like a Toad, like a Snake, when one uses Sage Mode is the sign of a failed, incomplete, weak sage mode."

"With my clan's bloodline, such mutations are intentional. Deliberate. Desired. Our Sage Mode is about becoming the monsters in your closet or under your bed in a very physical way. And where other sages must hold perfectly still after undergoing special training to be able to sense Sage Mode, for my clan it happens automatically as a natural process of out biology."

Senko starts waving her arms up and down, like a child imitating the flapping of bird wings in an exaggerated fashion.

"I am moving quite a lot right now, but as we speak my body is breaking my chakra down into its component yin and yang and blending the yin and yang together with the natural energy that is constantly being drawn into my body to form my clan's specific brand of Senjutsu chakra."

"Becuase my body produces much more yang but very little yin, this leaves my _remaining_ ordinary chakra even more unbalanced than before and impossible to control."

Senko makes three hand signs. Ram. Snake. Tiger. "Clone Jutsu!"

Rather than an illusionary copy of Senko... Almost nothing, but a faint, almost unnoticeable pulse of yang-natured chakra. Almost completely useless.

A chakra sensor would pick up a basic clone's worth of chakra just sort of expanding out as a bubble and dissipating.

One of Senko's eyes turns black.

"My Senjutsu chakra is somewhat easier to control becuase it is not as unbalanced as the chakra my body produces directly is, but only enough that I can perform my clan's own Senninka techniques. Any other use of Senjutsu chakra?"

More hand signs. Ram. Snake. Tiger. Clap. "Sage Art: Clone Jutsu"

The results are better... For a given definition of better. An illusionary Senko, as white as paper and with the appearance of shriveled corpse appears in  puff of smoke, opens its mouth to silently scream in agony, takes one step forward, and then melts into illusionary mud as various plant and animal parts jut out of it before it fades from existence without even a puff of smoke to hide it.

Her black eye is white once more.

"Technically, it works... But I can not hold the chakra in its shape once the technique is complete."

"You say that adding foreign chakras and complexities will make it more difficult... And then suggest that a constant intake of friend Yin would be more effective than my bloodline grafting?"

"Sensei, the point of grafting other cells to my body is to train my body to produce a chakra that is properly balanced, to begin with. Train my body to produce adequate quantities of yin."

"One the cell have been properly fused with my own cells, my body will start producing the donor's chakra on its own and amalgamation it. If I used Kimiko's cells, my cells would be producing a new, _third_ chakra created by combining her chakra signature with my own."

"It wouldn't be a foreign chakra, it would be _my_ chakra, produced by my body. A chakra that hopefully would have a better balance between yin-and-yang than the chakra my body produces now. My control would take while I adjusted... Check my notes, the rates that survived the process produce a blend of my chakra signature and the weak signature found in most lower mammals."

"In that regard, sensei, an advanced element user's cells are even more desirable as such a chakra would be more balanced than an ability that was biased towards yin or yang."

"As for why a Bloodline user? I do believe that I have made it clear that my body will devour foreign chakras and cannibalize foreign cells that I take into myself, converting both into my own power and my own biology. If the cells I graft into myself are too similar to my own, it is possible that they will be converted before the grafting process is complete. Something strong and distinct is more likely to survive the process. It doesn't _have_to be a bloodline per see, but it's easier to say 'bloodline user' than 'bloodline user, member of a clan that selectively breeds itself for certain affinities to their hidden techniques, or freaks with unique chakra.' The truth is, an Uzumaki would probably be ideal because they are on record as having an exceptionally powerful Yang _without_ an imbalance in their chakra, but the chances of my getting an Uzumaki's cells are slim to none."

"Also, politics. Grafting normal cells, if it worked, would really only be useful to me. Grafting bloodlines is theoretically useful to everyone, and therefore more likely to get funded... But I never said that."

"...I am still filibustering. Sorry."

----------


## igordragonian

*the other day*

Odayama gather them to train, around an abandonded building.
Usagi is there too.



------

*Anbu Command Center*

3 levels(looking) building, sarounded with an iron fence, and microphone with transfromation jutsu sub sound disrupters.
A very young looking agnet with a cricket mask tending to the gardens. 
The door open with a creak, a very eager pink haired girl with a cheetah mask greet Nezumi.
'Oi! Hello newbie! We are so happy to have you!' she say cheerfully

----------


## Rater202

*Group Training*

Senko eagerly takes to the training to resist, recognize, break, and escape genjutsu. She also makes Men-ko assist, adding her more subtle techniques to the regimen.

It's almost like Senko has a vested interest in cultivating this skill.

During a lull in the training, Senko turn to Usagi.

"Usagi-san, I do not mean to impose but would you mind showing me the hand seals for the summoning technique?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko meanwhile seems to get better defending against genjutsu over time- She didn't seem to focus on it during the academy but seems to have a great grasp over the theory of genjutsu and yin chakra in general. 

Yuyuyu will ask for training from Menko to expand her repertoire of genjutsu, but won't push it if she says no. 

*Spoiler: Kimiko's Notes: On Yin*
Show

In contrast to Yang, Yin chakra is more mysterious. It is the supposedly the chakra of mind, the imagination and thought. However is more rarely seen than yang chakra, as while many things live in this world, fewer things think well enough to observe it on a level that one can clearly see it. It is the most subtle part of chakra, better shaped by finesse and flexibility than power and overcharging. It is the part that requires the most control and at the same time the most restraint. It is also, the chakra of dreams. 

Yin is vital for ninjutsu and genjutsu, as its the chakra that is not bound by reality's normal rules. It is thought, and thus can theoretically be anything you can imagine. Why we can't just make anything we want happen with it, is an entirely different subject I'll cover when I look into Symbols. But basically yin is the energy that makes sure we aren't just punching each other with powerful muscles all day. Its vital to any jutsu that requires any form of thought and without it, most jutsu in our world simply fall apart. 

In its purest form, its nothing but thought and illusion in one's mind: sensation, emotion, anything your mind can think, Yin can be. Add a slight bit of yang chakra and it can produce things like the basic clone jutsu that exist as simple holograms. Balance out and yin and yang and you can blast fireballs at people. Add only a bit of yin chakra to yang and you get something like the disguise jutsu. I'll have to look into why we don't expanded on using yin to alter our bodies like that more.

The downside of course, is that yin is more fragile than Yang by design. Its more flexible and can be infinitely reshaped, but without yang it is both intangible and easily broken by a basic hand sign, its only affect on the world being whatever meaning the victim assigns to it, or however else one can manipulate a mind. Things like this are why some shinobi call genjutsu more of an art than a science, as the jutsu of making lies and sneaking in suggestions to make people act like how you want them to, it requires you to think of peoples psychology and their current state of mind. It needs you to see things from other peoples point of view, so that you can weave something that would believably fool or manipulate the person. A good genjutsu can be resisted by a good shinobi, but a bad genjutsu can be resisted by everyone. 

It is not surprising then that many genjutsu users are entertainers, spies, artists, propagandists, and the like. Historically there have also been many shinobi during warring states era that ruled others through genjutsu, which tended to not work out- the more the shinobi leaned on ruling others through such blunt uses of genjutsu the faster they fell. These days no one seems to use genjutsu for such a thing at all. I say seems to, because its possible that shinobi might still do this, just with subtlety so that it goes unnoticed. The best genjutsu after all is one you never realize is there. This goes a long way to explaining the paranoia of shinobi: what  if you already in the genjutsu and you just haven't seen whats inconsistent yet?

Because thats the thing that will destroy every genjutsu: inconsistencies. Genjutsu are lies and thus flawed in that a lie does not match reality, and even the greatest ninja can't make a completely perfect illusion. People act in ways that they wouldn't, details of the landscape don't exactly match what you remember of them, and of course one of the harder things for genjutsu users to get right is text on surfaces. Like a dream, many genjutsu display jumbled words that don't make sense when you try to read something because the part of your brain that can interpret such things correctly is often asleep or forgotten about in the heat of combat by the enemy, a good strategy is thus keeping some form of written word on your person to quickly look at to see if it makes sense because most enemies when making their genjutsu will overlook such a detail. 

A question comes to my mind however, if most things are yang-aligned due to being physical, what happens when one introduces enough yin chakra to upset the balance? What happens if you introduce enough yin chakra into say a sword? Would the sword's very reality become subject to change? Questions for later. 


*Mitsuko:*
"Hello. Nezumi, Reporting for duty. My mission from the Otokage is to be Ameoku's assistant. What do I need to know?"
She says businesslike and disciplined, but not entirely emotionless. A good ninja blends in and they were clearly following the Otokage's philosophy on this. She did not agree with it, but ninja do not need to agree with anything to follow along with, exploit or take advantage of it.

----------


## igordragonian

*Odayama*

Odayama sit at the side, folding laundry, and sealing it in scrolls.
*'If you want more personal training, Senko, I can help.'* he say casually.

Usagi tilt her head, but shrug. 
'Sure.' leaning her elbows on the crothces, she show the seals.
It is very quick. It was probably, was the first jutsu she ever trained.


====

"Welcome! I am Shuryouhyou! One of the four kitties of our lovely boss!' she purr cheerfully.
'We were expecting you! Usually Ameoku's assistants have feline identities, like me. But oh well.' 
The gardener seems to focused, but if Mitusoko is aware enough, she might notice, those plants are source for many important drugs, and solider pills and the such.

The entrance, has a desk with another Shuryouhyou as a secretary(?)
'Hoi Shuryouhyou-chan, you look lovely today.'
'Not as you, Shuryouhyou-Chan!' cooed the other one.
'Oh, stop, you make me blush. And we have a new friend here today!' 

The secretary Shuryouhyou looked over Nezumi. 'Ah. Yes. Just your file please.'
From the ceiling another Shuryouhyou waved. 'When can we start training!?'

"NOT NOW Shuryouhyou!' both first Shuryouhyous have scolded the third one.

'It's not fair!' she whined, and dissapeared in smoke.

'We are understaffed, so one thing, is to be everywhere, and do everything,' the first one say, more seriously.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> Kimiko meanwhile seems to get better defending against genjutsu over time- She didn't seem to focus on it during the academy but seems to have a great grasp over the theory of genjutsu and yin chakra in general. 
> 
> Yuyuyu will ask for training from Menko to expand her repertoire of genjutsu, but won't push it if she says no.


Menko is more than able to teach Yuyuyu what she knows.

Menko, as it turns out, is decently knowledgable about Genjutsu theory and basic yin release: Her ability to assume human form is a essentially just the basic Transfomration Technique enhanced with a finer control of and greater degree of Yin Release to shape herself into a perfect human passing shape that never the less reflects her soul. Getting better at the technique would result in fewer and fewer inconsistencies from human norm to the point that the White Snake Sage and her retainers can pass for human perfectly, but the basic idea is combining a technique that reshapes your body with a manifestation of your spirit.

In terms of practical applications, however, Menko only knows the three actual Genjutsu: All three of them are based on the concept of placing a suggestion within the mind of someone affected by the Genjutsu, subtly altering the senses and temporarily nudging the subconscious rather than creating drastic changes or controlling the mind directly.

In and of itself such techniques are week but have the advantage of being easy to combine with each other or more overt Genjutsu.

Her basic most technique is an ocular genjutsu, a technique cast with the eyes alone, and what she calls a 'mind trick.' It's also the most blatant thing in her repoitroir.

She explains the theory behind ocular genjutsu... Though, honestly, while the gist of it gets across you'd think that someone else would explain it better, and that 'mind tricks' are about fooling someone's mind into thinking that what you're saying is true or that what you're suggesting is there idea. However, the one she knows is useless against people who are meaningfully stronger than you are, unless they are weak in mind, or against people who have reason to know its coming or are just trained against Genjutsu.

Her other two techniques are based around generating an aura about you that convinces others not to invest in themselves in what you're doing and eventually place the events beyond conscious memory.

_This is Someone Else's Problem_ is the lesser technique, it makes people dismiss you as beneath or beyond there concern or otherwise not worth taking note of, while likewise making them forget about you sometime later. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on someone's who what you're doing actually would be a problem: For example, the staff of a restaurant would take note of and serve someone using the technique, and even if you get away they'll retain vaugee memories of you.

This, she claims, is why Team 3 was able to notice her unusual characteristics and she blames he restraunteurs of the village catching onto her as having 'gotten sloppy.'

The more advanced of the two, _This is Normal_ isn't advanced so much in terms of power, but in terms of specialization. It creates an aura that fools the senses into thinking that your strange appearance, outlandish behavior, or th like is perfectly normal and prevents people from taking notice of it. Intense scrutiny can make people notice that you're odd, but even then as long as it's not... Too out of the ordinary, they'll forget about it later.

Of course, unlike the more general technique, this only makes people forget about your oddiies, not you in general.

The difference, she says, is that Someone Else's problem won't let you sneak past a security guard becuase who comes and goes is their problem, but this is normal might, by making them think it' normal for you to be there, as long as you don't give yourself away.

"Of course, _This is Normal_ has an upper limit to how much it can make people rationalize away. Going outside in just your underwear? Yeah, you could get away with that. Running around naked and beating people upside the head with a rubber chicken? Little too much for most people to ignore. But, with something minor as long as you act confidently, no one will suspect a thing."

It is at this point that you all realize that Menko is wearing a tasteful magenta bikini instead of the kimono she wore the last time you saw her human form.

All in all, it seems that Menko's abilities are best focused for augmenting stealth rather than controlling people.



> *Odayama*
> 
> Odayama sit at the side, folding laundry, and sealing it in scrolls.
> *'If you want more personal training, Senko, I can help.'* he say casually.
> 
> Usagi tilt her head, but shrug. 
> 'Sure.' leaning her elbows on the crothces, she show the seals.
> It is very quick. It was probably, was the first jutsu she ever trained.


"Strict personalized training will not be necessary, Odayama-san. Most of what I am looking for would be classified as the sort of basics I would have been educated in had I been trained as a proper ninja instead of awarded the rank based on my specialized training and knowledge. The only thing else I need is..."

"Senko-sama has elected to travel to Ryuchi-cave and take the tests necessary to become the Snake Sage, as there are currently no such people attempting. I understand that this would be a major political boon to your village as most who have used the Snake Summoning contract or persued Snake Style Senjutsu have been from the Leaf Village. It Senko-sama travels to the cave and succeeds in earning her Honored Fatness' approval before the LEaf Village can have a replacement Snake Summoner do it, you'll have gained strength for the Sound village and weakened the Leaf village in a way that they would have no way of retaliating against because unlike those butt-kissing bug slurping frogs we snakes aren't really that concerned with the outside world and only swear loyalty to individual summoners. We don't contract with known enemies of a current summoner but once the current summon dies we don't really care about their remaining allies and enemies."

"That. I do not strictly need to know the summoning technique ahead of time, but it will help and strictly speaking since the majority of the work molding the chakra is done by the formulas hidden in the summoning contract rather than one's own control as long as I get the handsigns right and can provide enough raw power it should prove an exception to my current inability to use techniques not of my 'bloodline'"

"Just remember to smear your blood _on_ the contract I tattooed on your arm instead of just slamming your bloody hand on the ground like you'd do with a bug slurper or a squisible. I don't know what will happen if you don't but someone that I _think_ is my second cousin twice removed says it's not pleasant."

"So, it is boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram," Senko confirms to herself and starts going through the sequence of seals a few times without actually preforming the technique, as though to familiarize herself with the movements

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will takes notes of what Menko says alongside Yuyuyu. Kimiko is rapidly getting to the point where she is actually consistently good at genjutsu defense now and is getting bored of just defending and is now beginning copy the genjutsu around her to do it herself as well. She is a genius trying to learn all jutsu after all. 

When Senko asks about the handsigns for summoning technique and sees her do them, Kimiko proceeds to to do the hand signs herself as well- except faster as if she has already done them a thousand times then says
"Already memorized."

Yeah, Usagi and Yuyuyu will both remember that she pulled stuff like this all the time in the academy: One time she rapidly mastered shurikenjutsu, so she started bouncing shuriken in ridiculous direcions while still hitting the target just to amuse herself and give herself a challenge. 

*Mitsuko Nezumi:*
Gardening was legit. One had to know the medicines and poisons of the shinobi world, as well as properly portray a gardener. It was a common guise in older time especially to get near nobles.
_I see whats happening now._
Nezumi thinks as she nods to
_This village is new so they think they can be casual about this. Well, I'm in no position to fix that problem. I'm here to keep an eye on Ameoku._
"Understood. There is much that needs to be done."

----------


## Rater202

"Okay, Kimiko-chan," Menko says, "now keep it memorized until you can sign a contract. Very rarely, according to legends, doing the technique will reverse summon you to the domain of a tribe or clan that you're supposedly destined for or ultra compatible with, but in most cases, you're just wasting chakra. My contract with Senko-Sama is exclusive, as I am effectively her sworn retainer as though I were a Samurai and she were my Damayo except for the 'ordering you to kill yourself' part."

"Trust me, even if you were so bound you would have nothing to fear on that front. I find the idea of needless killing, and of _forcing_ people to kill needlessly, utterly abhorrent. The only involvement you may ever have in such a matter is if I need a witness or_ kaishakunin_ should I be unable to get my rages until control before I reach a level of raw power where I can no longer be easily contained and must be put down for the safety of the village and the people within it."

"Well, that just got incredibly dark."

"And that's why it is so important that I get certain skills mastered on a reasonable time table. I suspect I have as few as eight and as many as fifteen years to teach my body to produce a sufficient amount of Yin energy to mold properly balanced chakra,  develop my chakra control to the necessary level, and master Sage Mode before I will be too dangerous to be permitted free reign of the village and a few more years tops after that before my rages become to frequent and powerful to be contained by normal means."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She listens, contemplative about what she is saying. Her intellectual equal, perhaps someone who can truly understand her is casually talk about she can one day die.  
"...that won't be a problem. I have an incredibly good memory for jutsu. I'm actually studying the the hand signs themselves and what they mean. So many people just memorize what works that they don't look deeper to actually figure out how one could construct new jutsu with them."
She thinks a little.
"Or fuinjutsu for that matter. Though I guess its hard for others who aren't me to get into, because the two disciplines are basically codes or languages for chakra. Much like how math is a language."
Okay now she was just avoiding the subject. She puts a hand on Senko's shoulder and looks her in the eye.
"...Also? Please don't die."
She says seriously with no hint of being businesslike about this. 

*Spoiler: Kimiko's Notes: On Symbols*
Show


With chakra, many things if not anything is possible. This is due to the interaction of Yin and Yang chakra combined solidifying thought and imagination into reality. But why then, can we not do anything with it yet? Why does it need fuinjutsu and hand signs to work? We use hand seals to reduce our chakra consumption at the cost of time and memorization, but why does that even work in the first place? And why do most people just memorize what already works and only make a couple variations of jutsu already known, rather than make entirely new ones?

The answer is that the hand signs form a kind of language. The twelve most common hand signs are based on the zodiac animals from the myth of The Great Race and are used by everyone, but there are more for various other jutsu. Generally the more complex and high level the technique, the more seals required, with some even requiring a number of hand seals somewhere in the 40's. Though seals is a bad colloquial term. The proper technical term for them is mudras. Since the jutsus can be so long, there are many possible combinations of mudras, its enough that the only way to express the number of possibilities is in exponential notation, if its not completely limitless. Similarly fuinjutsu seals require exacting brush strokes and intricate designs.

Both of these are vital because they control and direct chakra to very exacting levels. Why? Because my theory is that they're languages and thus directly tied to symbolism- and thus tied to Yin chakra over Yang chakra. The symbolic nature of the mudras does not work without minds to attach meaning to them. But cultures and people change over time, aside from those ere individuals who master one hand or even no hand jutsu, the mudras are the same, even if people can cut out most of them with training. Why can't we just change the meaning of the mudras and just do any jutsu with any mudra?

I have a theory that might work: if its a language, then the mudras symbology is somehow metaphysically shared between people. On some metaphysical level, the mudras are what they are because everyone agrees on what they are. But this doesn't explain everything, some clans have secret mudras they use that aren't common, not well known and thus can't be explained that way, because then you could invent whatever new hand sign you want to work as a hiden new jutsu as long as you kept it secret, but you don't see that happening. 

No, my theory extends beyond the living realm. This symbology agreement aspect extends even to the realm of the dead: The Pure Lands. Every ninja who has ever died goes to the afterlife, and since the world of the living is full of yang chakra but not a lot of yin, the realm of the dead as per the principle of yin-yang balance, has to be where all the yin chakra primarily is when its not apart of our own minds. It makes sense: souls and spirits are not physical and full of thoughts so they are more yin than yang. Therefore all the dead shinobi have an effect on how the mudras work, and the dead outnumber living. By majority rule then, the mudras are symbolically the same because thats how they always were since their invention and will remain that way because the souls of the afterlife are unchanging. Its possible to use chakra without the symbols, but fundamentally the yin side of chakra bends to our minds and thoughts, all of them. For that to happen the mudra language or code is formed as a natural middle ground because it not working and everyone getting their contradicting desires immediately. 

Thus to know how jutsu works is connected to how the symbols of the cultures have stayed consistent over time. Its not enough to say that one thing represents another, it has to on some level, be agreed that a symbol by people living and dead means what it does. So one has to know the meaning of the mudras, to know how to make new jutsu, for one cannot make new sentences without knowing the meaning of the worlds or how to put letters together. To defy this is to pull on the yang side of chakra which does not care for languages and codes, but instead cares more for the constant training to essentially brute force chakra with pure will and discipline to let go of the shortcut of symbols to enact your raw will upon creation. It is however of no surprise that this results in few people learning mudraless jutsu: such achievement is a personal internal thing that can't be communicated well unlike the mudras and the seals and is essentially doing it the hard way. It is likely that every person who has done jutsu without mudra, did it differently without much of a uniting method to it. Thus not something that can be widely taught. Mudras and Fuinjutsu are used because they allow for mass production and easy learning of jutsu by everyone, because their methods are much more easily understandable, teachable and replicated.

----------


## Rater202

"I do not intend to die, Kimiko-san. In fact, the secrets I would be entitled to as the Snake Sage would, assuming my new familiar hasn't been lying to me, would help me manage my problems _sooner_ rather than later."

"Trust me, I fully intend to live to be old enough to drink, gamble, take a lover, and die of old age... Incredibly advanced old age, I have actually got some theories about how to delay senescence. True immortality in a biological sense is impossible but if I can perfect a certain procedure and get ahold of certain samples... That's talk for later."

"But, members of my clan in whom the power of _senninka_ activates tend to either die young or end up hermits living in isolated woods with nothing but animals for company becuase the content intake of natural energy and molding of senjutsu chakra means we are effectively constantly training. If I stopped training right now, by the time I turn eighteen I will have a level of power comparable to a high-level Jonin. If I train diligently in that time, my power could equal a Kage, a Jonin of the Uzumaki clan, or a Jinchuriki. My berserk state is a form of Sage Mode, my power increases many scores over when I enter it."

"If I live to be, say, twenty-five? If I do not have my rages under control by then, then my very existence would be akin to having a Jinchuriki with a particularly weak seal in the middle of the village. Having a plan by which I can be neutralized if it gets to that point and I can no longer be easily contained is simply being responsible."

"Of course, if Menko has not told me lies about the powers bestowed upon those worthy of Snake style senjutsu, there is a distinct possibility that I will be unable to be easily killed and the whole thing would become a moot point... For the record, in the event that I accidentally turn myself into an _immortal_ homicidal berserker instead of fixing my rages, I would prefer to be sealed in a drinking gourd. Do _not_ let them put me in a tea pot."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama nod, keep doing his chores, just making sure, the girls aren't killing themselves for now.
'Very well. Feel free to explore your abilities, I will stop if things are going to far. When you are ready to train squad coordination, tell me.' he say casually.'


Usagi go pale.
'Don't listen to the stupid snake! Reverse summoning isn't a joke! This how I lost my legs!' she said worried.
She wrap her hands around her head. 'Bah. Getting old is overrated, I don't want to end up, like Odayama or Jirou, or any other boring geezers.'

Odayama, pause his laundry foldings only for a moment.
'Well, there might be a better soluation, then sealing you.'
he smile.
'Self conditioned genjutsu. Mine is too strong and unstable on myself. But your expriement seems to be progressive comparing to mine, so it will be more effective, I believe.' 


Nezumi

'Very well. In the intelligence cycle, what is your specialty?'*



*Spoiler: If Nezumi should know about this term*
Show



I lately read about espionage, and hear lectures. Some are relevant here.
in short, 'the intelligence cycle,'
is how the system work-
direction- what questions are we researching?
gathering sources-
Intelligence Processing- making sense of the sources, splitting between what relevant and what isn't
Analysis- analysing the processed intel, so report could be made to the decision makers.

in large intelligence body, each of those parts, is a whole department and speciality.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She looks at Usagi and considers what she says
"Noted. Reverse summoning, very dangerous."
Then shark grins
"Hyuhyu, can't say I disagree. Watch I think I got Yuyuyu's jutsu down."
She forms hand seals and turns invisible just like Yuyuyu had been doing during their training.
"....Agh, I've been practicing to get that down long before I told you about it and you just do it as good as me...Mm."
She shakes her head.
"I'm not surprised though."
"I know, awesome right?"
Kimiko says back, oblivious to Yuyuyu's frustration who doesn't pursue the issue. You get the feeling that if you don't stop her soon and get to team training, she is just going to keep doing this until she learns all of Menko's and Yuyuyu's genjutsus over whatever amount of time this is.

*Nezumi:*
"...Analysis, But isn't that for LARGE intelligence bodies? If we're so small and new, why would the specialty matter?"
She figures that if she is in Analysis, she would be able to get close enough to Ameoku to observe her, as well as have control over the final part of the process to give information to her. Direction would not help the mission she was assigned, nor would Gathering Sources, Intelligence Processing might allow her to eliminate sources that she would not want Ameoku to look into, but Analysis? She could both make sense of what Ameoku is trying to find out AND determine how much she tells her. A few little inaccuracies can go a long way. 

The alternative was saying her specialty was gathering sources and that had two levels of processing past it where other ninja could fool with the information. She would not want to be on Direction as she had no idea what direction the village's intelligence should be going and if she messed that up it would be catastrophic, while Intelligence Processing has similar potential as Analysis as it determines what will be analyzed and put into a report, but Analysis was probably ideal for this: Direction would be if she wanted to sabotage the entire village's intelligence and she didn't want that, Gathering Sources would be if she wanted to sabotage them by going into the field and determining getting info directly playing double agent but that wouldn't let her observe Ameoku, Intelligence Processing or Analysis are the most finesse options as its very possible to only affect information so that Ameoku doesn't harm Jirou rather than any other level of intelligence where it would be possible to affect intelligence on everything else which would harm the village. 

If she is in Analysis, all she had to do was a little tweaking on the reports about Jirou that everyone else already compiled and leave all the other other stuff untouched so she won't mess something up that is actually important for the village to know.

----------


## Rater202

"Okay. Apparently the legends are true and if it happens it can mess you up. That's good to know. But yeah, unless Bunny-chan want to share with you the secrets of the big angry foods, don't do anything with the technique anytime soon."

"Odayama-san, my research has nothing to do with Genjutsu. Furthermore, Genjutsu work by manipulating the flow of chakra into the subject's brain. Even if I were capable of using a genjutsu on myself, which I cannot as I cannot use genjutsu at all, it would last up until my body stored enough Senjtusu chakra for me to become Overwhelmed wherein the alteration of both my chakra and my brain chemistry could... well, it could do anything from break the genjutsu to interface with it and turn me into a calm and collected homicidal maniac. I understand that you mean well but your suggestion is unworkable and could potentially make things worse."

"There is a procedure that I am working wherein I graft cells from a compatible donor to a host to train the host's body to produce the donor's chakra in addition to their own and amalgamate it with their own to create a blended third chakra. If I performed this procedure on myself, then assuming I can find enough compatible donors I could train my body to produce properly balanced chakra and start actually working on proper chakra control in preparation for training to manage my clan's sage mode."

"However, I have hit a stumbling block. The procedure works perfectly 15% of the time in rats but is fatal the remaining 85% of the time, from either terminal cancers or the body tearing itself apart attacking the organs and tissues that the grafted cells amalgamate in. It _should_ be much higher in humans, but even with my best estimate the results are still to low to start human testing."

"Those who have been deemed worthy of studying Snake Style Sage Mode are given the White Snake's power of orientation. I myself am much to young to demonstrate any of those abilities in a literal sense but her great honored Baggness is over a thousand years old and is in far better shape than the Geezer who rules the bug-slurper's mountain. Apparently, over the centuries some snakes and human sages have been able to restore their own youth, regenerate portions of their body, or survive fatal injuries by shedding their skins. Supposedly the power allows for immortality or Apotheosis into a Dragon-God, but nobody's actually been able to prove it."

"If I acquire this power for myself, then even if I cannot make the procedure safe enough for general human use, I should be able to survive it myself."

This whole time, Senko has been going through the motions, practicing the hand seals for the summoning technique. At least a dozen times.

This time she rolls up the sleeve of her robe, exposing the coiling serpent containing a compressed summoning contract and the formulas needed to make it work.

She then bites her right thumb hard enough to make it bleed, goes through the sigmsboar, dog, bird, monkey, ramand smears blood down her arm of the tattoo.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

In a blast of smoke, Menko vanishes from where she was standing simultaneously to a burst in front of Senko

"Ow!"

As the smoke clears, it reveals Menko splayed on the grown in a rather undignified position and is rubbing the top of her head.

"How did you screw up so that I ended up a foot off the ground _upside down!_"

Senko, meanwhile, has a look you'll all recognize. The pride and joy of a child who successfully preformed a Ninjutsu for the first time in her life.

She's actually smiling like a child her age is supposed to.

----------


## igordragonian

*Nezumi*

"Well, yes. But as same as in techniques, we sre all supposed to know Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu to some extent  but still we have activies we are more comftrable doing, so it useful to know." She explain.

"Actually the Captain is now anakyzing intel in the back room here.'

The back room, is a nice yet quite used to wear room.
A summoned cat greet herr at the entrance of the room, his eyes go white for a momemt like Hyuga checking Nezumi for inside bombs, transformation jutsus and stuff like thar.
"Nya. I like your mask' the cat say.
Ameoku sitting ON the table, documents and papers spread around in what looking as a chaotic mess, but there were a specific pattern to it, thar worked well for Ameoku. 
If Nezumi is quick minded, she will see, that the papers of the table, mkinf out the map of the world, and files are placed by their geograpgical source.
Ameoku sit at what supposed to be Ottokagure on the map, sitting on pile of files.
"Why would the Damiyo of the Land Of Grass buy million umbrellas?' She ask Nezumi right away with no hellos and greetings.
"And why the hell, there is an umbrella factory in the Land Of Wind?"
Ameoku for better and ill wasnt a woman of tradition and ceremonies.
-----

Usagi snicker a bit.
Odayama smile.
'Huh. I guess I am useless to you after all. Very well. How about I'll train you as group? With a new member our coordination will need to be redfined'  he looked at Usagi.
'I don't want to see arrows inside of Kimiko again.'

Usagi blushed  a bit.
"Hey! It's not my fault the princess decided to get in the way!"
Odayama wave it off.
'It might be, but it's our responsibility to make sure it doesn't happen.' He pause.
"So. I think I'll give you a training styled over a genin test common in Konoha."
He show four bells.
"It will be dangerouse, but from what I see you can do it. I'lll give you ten minutes to steal them for me. If you fail, you'l do my chores at home for one evening, if you win....' he paused and thought.
"You as a team, can ask me one thing, and I'll have to do it. What do you say?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Nezumi:*
She thinks and analyzing the situation in response.
"Well, Wind and Grass are both neighboring countries of Rain. Grass being a minor nation itself, wouldn't normally move against Rain, But Wind having a factory suggests they are backing Grass, possibly manipulating them to one day move against Rain first during a potential future war as a distraction and to weaken Rain, obviously so that Wind can claim the Land of Rain's bountiful water for their parched land, either making Rain a vassal-state or apart of Wind entirely.

The question is what does the Daimyo of Grass think he will get out of this? His chief concerns should be Iwa to his West and Konoha to his East. A minor nation like Grass could not possibly hope to win over Wind, Fire and Earth and Rain itself, he'd be a fool to send troops into that four-sided mess of a war zone.  Either the Daimyo of Grass is being fooled about the effectiveness of this and Grass will get nothing out of this either that or Wind, Grass maybe both are hiding something up their sleeve.

Given that sunagakure is currently being led by the Ninth Kazekage, Sabaku No Karagi, the Spider of Mirage Threads, legendary for being a mastermind and planner without peer during the Third Shinobi War... Its likely he has some sort of plan involved. Though keep in mind, its suspected he has fingers in everyone's rice to one degree or another and if we're picking up on this, he might be manipulating us as well by letting us find out for what purpose I can only guess. But if the stories I heard are true, its best to assume that whatever the plan is, its far more devious and dangerous than one realizes, and it is said that he has a thousand plans. I would not recommend getting involved if we can help it." 

*Kimiko:*
Yuyuyu is completely supportive:
"Good going Senko! I'm sure you'll get it down in no time."
"Good job...?"
Kimiko is awkward and doesn't know how to give praise to Senko. Performing jutsu and doing it well as something normal for her so it was kind of like seeing a pro-horse rider watch someone ride on their first pony for the first time and doing it a little awkwardly. Internally she doesn't get how people can be supportive of something so clumsy.

When Odayama offers the bell challenge
"Of course, I'm up to the challenge! I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of the Hope Generation, why wouldn't I be?"
Kimiko draws her sword with confidence. She is distracted temporarily from her goal of learning all jutsu. It is inevitable that she will get back to it like gravity, but for now you've ensured her progress is reasonable.

----------


## Rater202

Flaming energy spreads across Senko's body, leaving a seemingly random assortment of diamond patterns of various shapes and sizes across her visible skin(oddly, when these black markings cross over her contract tattoo, the tattoo turns white.)

"That is a challenge you will regret issuing, Odayama-san."

At this point, Menko has stood up. She looks Odayama in the eye. "You want to give Senko-sama all four of those bells."

This prompts Senko to briefly glare at Menko, but obviously the Genjutsu using summon is going to try and use a genjutsu to help her summoner.

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

Ameoku tilt her head thinking.
"Sabaku IS troublesome." She hiss at the documents of the Land Of Wind.
'...But we don't have enough intel to justify risking our agents. That true. Nya." She say annoyed.
"For now,  we will keep awarness... but will focus on other things." She pick in quick motions the relevsant papers, tossing them at Nezumi.
"File it.' She command, and jump off the table.

(If you enjoy the interaction we can continue. I just wanted to introduce Nezumi to the place and Ameoku. Unless you have your own ideas? But my original porpuse of the scene,more or less were fulfilled.)


----

Usagi summon Yojimbo.
Yojimbo frown at Menko.
"Are we forced to work with the enemy?' He ask, staring daggers at Menko
'Outside of your dimension.. you shouldn't uphold your feuds.'
Yojimbo look away.
"Just don't forget your loyalties, Usagi-sama.'


Odayama smile.
'Well... before you go crazy, let me set the rules. By the end of the ten minutes, each one of you four,need to have a bell. I won't attack you, at least not directly... I guess we can start.' He place a hourglass on a rock.

----------


## Rater202

"Yes. You _are_ expected to work with 'enemies.' You're a summon. You agreed to the contract with your summoner, to fight by their side and be at their beck and call no matter what."

"In Ryuchi Cave, cave politics stays in the cave. If the Giant Angry Food Kingdom doesn't leave politics at the door that's your problem. I actually find your reference to loyalties quite concerning, since it is the summons who are supposed to be loyal to the summoner, not the other way around, Samurai-san. You aren't exploiting poor Bunny-chan, are you?"

"Regardless, my loyalty is to Senko-sama, as her familiar. As long as you don't act against my master, we don't have any"

Menko is cut off by Senko suddenly jumping into the air, flipping, and trying to bring the heel of her right foot down onto Odayama's head.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Is using the distraction gotten by Senko to run to the side to try and grab the bells using her Origami-no Tsurugi, its paper blade lashing out as a whip to try snatch them quick. 

Yuyuyu meanwhile uses both Senko and Kimiko attacking as an opportunity to go invisible while Odayama is distracted by other people to wait for her time to act.

----------


## igordragonian

Yojimbo-https://cdn.weasyl.com/~kylfu/submis...gi-yojimbo.jpg
with this symbol just glare with hatred at the serpent, not answering.
Usagi looked pale for a second.
Her contract was... different.And Nagaishu-Dono would preffer other humans wouldn't be aware to what extend.

Both now joining the attack, Yojimbo slash with his katana, and Usagi raining bell needles.

Odayma dodge the kick, with an exgarated scared expression, and it seems Yojimbo has cutted him- but in puff of smoke, pair of mismatching socks apear in Odayama's stead- he stand now on the roof of the abandoned building.
Usagi switch to her harp bow, shooting arrows with exploding tags.

'Oi, you just supposed to pickpocket me or something, not to assassinate me!' jumping away, from the bits of the crumbling roof.
Is Odayama, sort of lame,or it's an act?

----------


## Rater202

"You are a jonin while we are mear genin. If we do not come at you with intent to kill then we will have no chance of taking those bells."

As Senko says this, the markings on her arms change and spread, before clearing with her forearms turned a ruddy red with her too-long fingers tipped with claws as sharp as surgical scalpels. Senko makes a jumping leap to try and slash at Odayama.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Meanwhile Kimiko leaps after him. But pickpocketing him was what she was trying to do! Using the threat of death as a distraction. She instead tries to use her paper whip to grab at Odayama's leg and pull him so he swept his feet and falls on the roof to try and incapacitate him to make it so others can take advantage of the vulnerability.

----------


## igordragonian

"A *Chunin!* my wife being a Junin doesn't make me one!" Odayama argue with Senko on panicked tone.

Kimiko has used the distraction well, and Odayama fall on his face.
Usagi ride Yojimbo up the wall, sending arrow with a rope, tieing his other leg.

Odayama throw tag traps around him.
What will those do if stepped on?

*Spoiler: this:*
Show


They are sound bombs, supposed to stun.
Odayama himself have tiny special earbuds to block those.

----------


## Rater202

Senko skids to a stop.

"Excuse me? You are only a chunin?"

"...I was under the impression that a squad of three or more genin was meant to be mentored by a Jonin until the entire squad graduated to chunin or circumstances forced the team to dissolve or otherwise be reassigned."

"If you are only a Chunin, then either Lord Otokage drastically undervalues the education of Kimiko-san, Usagi-san, and Yuyuyu-san... Or the sound village is dangerously understaffed."

"Which in turn means that I need to drastically up my genjutsu resistance training, becuase if we are this understaffed than we desperately need the political and military clout that having a major summoning contract and an acknowledged Sage gives a village."

They could also use a Jinchuriki. But Senko didn't know when, or even if, Jirou-sensei would take her proposal to Lord Otokage and the plan was to deliberately leave the 'Jinchuriki' part out of briefing to Otokag so he'd have deniability, so it'd be best not to mention that plan and focus on scoring the snake contract first.

Idly, Senko wonders if becoming the Snake Sage before making the proposal to cloud would help, because clearly an acknowledged sage is differant from a mere child, or Thunder it, becuase they'd be less likely to assume she was a rube who didn't know what she was doing and give up something they'd failed to get anything meaningful from in favor of something of value.

Meanwhile, a nine-foot-long snake is slithering up around Odayama trying to get to the bells, dong her best to avoid the tags, and all the while covered up in a genjutsu that makes her actions seem perfectly normal.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"We're a minor, newer village Senko, we just haven't had the time or resources to get a good force of Jounins or lost any we had during the attack on Konoha. So yes....understaffed. Its actually kind a concern for how my education will continue past Chuunin. What you didn't listen to Anikii? I'm pretty sure he would've mentioned a detail like that to you."
Kimiko cautiously stays where she is, eyeing the scattered tags knowing that careless movement could set them off to do something and keeps holding her whip steady. Also Menko was already trying to get the bells so it'd best to watch Menko and see what happens.

----------


## Rater202

"I am primarily a researcher Kimiko-san. Military Logistics were outside the scope of my job until a few days ago, but..."

The obvious solution was to find missing ninja and ronin who werren't _that_ bad and offer them asylum in exchange for joining the ranks in the village and sharing what they knew to bolster numbers and improve the general competence of the average ninja. Maybe, if they were lucky, get a few hidden techniques or other secrets, but... that was tricky. One or two would be overlooked, and a few hundred would be enough to make the village too strong for the other villages to think raises a fuss was worth it, but right int he middle?

The sound would be screwed. They weren't strong enough to take in ten or so at once without their nations and villages of origin getting pissy and acting in retaliation.

"...Kimiko-san, hypothetically, how would you feel if every single ninja in the sound village had Paper Release?"

Senko was gonna need to step up her plans if the Hidden Sound Village was going to have the leverage to survive...

Maybe she should ask Jirou if she could be more involved in his sage seal project? She wasn't making that much progress with her own research right now, maybe she should give her notes on drugs and herbs to help the integration process to a researcher more specialized in drugs and contribute lab time to helping Jirou give bastardized knock-off sage mode to as many sound Ninja as possible.

And definitely, definitely, she would need to rethink her proposal to cloud. She'd ben operating on the assumption that Sound had _some_ clout that would keep them from being backstabbed if Cloud decided to have their cake and eat it too. Now?

Or, question for the whole team, if I drugged you all and you all woke up with several body mods that made you a much more effective ninja?

Senko is more or less distracted from the bell test now, though hopefully her tangent will keep Odayama distracted from Menko.

----------


## igordragonian

A sweat drop has appeared near his head.
Did other Squad Commanders had to deal with Genins questioning their competence over and over?
Well. Ameoku in his mind,screamed that it was his fault.
On the other hand, people looking down on him,worked for his advantage when it really counted.

Odayama can be distracted-by his children, choees... but otherworldly snakes? Pff.

Common snakes were common in the water systems of the village. Capturing snakes while washing dishes was almost a weekly happening.
He open a scroll and pull a wierd looking stick( https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...rnJ8g&usqp=CAU
He try to capture Menko by the neck and toss him away.
"Three minutes have been passed.' He state fairly, while Usagi finally has joined on the roof, prepared with the bow, not wanting her arrows to be used against Menko

----------


## Rater202

(Is that supposed to be a picture of Fluttershy?)

The snake gets thrown and starts cussing about how her genjutsu isn't working anymore.

And then there's a lot of smoke.

There are now a _frackload_ of snakes surrounding Odayama and they're slithering around and over each other to make it hard to find which ones are just images in the air and which one is the real Menko.

Of course, since they're illusions, they don't have mass or physical presence so they wouldn't set off the tags, now would they?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She stands and waits, still not making any moves between the tags and menko there. This could get messy real quick.

(OOC: Yuyuyu has three invisible actions banked up.)

----------


## igordragonian

(No. My brain is just stupid.https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...U5Tqw&usqp=CAU)


Usagi tired of waiting leap and spin from Yojimbo's shoulders, waving her bow harp like a melee weapon.
Odayama wriggling away from the snakes much as possible, catching Usagi's bow, throwing her away- she toss few needles which hit, and Odayama wave the snake catcher through the herds of snakes poffing them into smoke.
"Four minutes!' But he is seems to be distracted.



(I make every post a minute for tension sake. If it immersion breaking unrealistic, I'l stop, it purly to make the scene more entertaining)

----------


## Rater202

Clone snakes vanish in a puff, but more and more of them come in all the time. Each one is only slightly more complicated than a basic clone and the technique Menko uses is designed to conjure them in mass, so it's quite easy to replace them as they vanish.

Meanwhile, on the roof, Senko stops panicking for a moment and looks down.

Clearly the gears are turning in her head. And she gets an idea. An awful idea. A wonder, awful idea.

Her hand vanishes from the sleeve of her robe and returns with a scroll labeled "緊急配給" (Kinkyū haikyū, emergency rations.) Clearly the emergency snacks she mentioned before.

She pulls it open and... If Kimiko is paying attention, with her knowledge of seals, signs, and formulas she might recognize this as a very specific type of storage fuinjutsu for a very specific stored well.

In a burst of smoke, she pulls out what is very clearly a human corpse. Whoever this person was in life, they are unrecognizable now. It is clear from how emaciated they are and the stitching holding their torso together that most of their organs were removed for either study or transplant and there are clear signs of skin, muscle tissue, even bones being extracted the same. Even the brain and eyes, judging from some of the sutures holding the body together.

Senko focuses more of her Senjutsu chakra into her arm and shoulder, and then tossess the used up medical cadaver directly at Odayama while he is distracted, aiming so that it will land on him, not on the tags around him.

How's that for a distraction?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Her eyes widen at a corpse being thrown at Odayama. Apart of her is just a little disturbed at the unexpected tactic, but then uses her Origami-No-Tsurugi to harden and extend her the paper blade to vault over the tags and try to land on Odayama then try to grab the bells while he is distracted by the corpse.

Yuyuyu still has three actions banked up, she has a lost her fourth action due to being utterly horrified by the corpse being thrown.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi stare horrified at the thrown corpse.
Her eye twitch. 
Rain of blood and limbs.
Her reaction is a bit random?
'Mommy?'

Well Odayama has seen a lot of messed up stuff, but he wasn't expecting it in casual bell test, for kami sake!
Odayama fall, activating the tags, deafening buzz is heard, while his earbuds make him immune to that, the tags aren't THAT bad, to freeze the girls from afar, it supposed to stun who ever step on it.
At best Menko is affected.

'...Quite... intense.' and.. fall asleep under the corpse, dropping the snake catcher

Usagi shake her head. 'Is this a kind of a genjutsu!?'  she ask confused.
'I... see rain of blood,and Odayama has fallen asleep...'


If they feel the time, this is five minutes.

----------


## Rater202

"Oh no. No illusion. Just..."

Senko moves quickly to jump down, retrieve the cadaver, and reseal it.

She's not particularly interested in the bells anymore.

Meanwhile, all of Menko's clones are dispersed. Snek is laying on her back, clearly disoriented.

"...Did anyone catch the village logo on the headband of the ninja pulling the cabbage wagon than ran my scaley ass over?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Reveals herself, dispelling the illusion, revealing that she had already pick-pocketed a bell for herself.
"I....Guess thats done..... I was going to take all of them while you were distracted and give them to you when you weren't looking, but I guess that might be unnecessary..."
Yuyuyu actually seems the most shaken up by this, not saying anything but looking at Senko in a different light now.
"Careful....this might be a trick....but nothing that I, Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of Clan Ishikawa cannot handle!"
Kimiko says a little disturbed at what Senko did for now, but falling back her psychological-masking method to keep her moving. She will carefully move back from the corpse, taking care not to step on the tags, then retrieve the rest of the bells will the paper blade turned into a whip to grab them.

----------


## igordragonian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly3l62lZ53g
At once, Odayama still snoring and with closed eyes, change into half beast mode. 
Fur cover him, and strange tatoo like marks apear,mostlyon his face, but also on his exremlu long limbs, with extremly long claws.

Odayama has fallen asleep. The Sloth Slayer has awakened.
He wave his hand as if, waving off a fly- beside Senko, the three girls, seen he could cut iron and stone with those claws.
Odayama/Sloth Slayer doesn't attack directly, but making pushing moves to who ever get close to him.


Usagi wipe her tears, clenching his fast.
'Sorry for being a whiny baka.' She pulled bunch of kunais and jumped on Odayama who has blocked her with his second arm, claws clashing with kunais.

Six minutes.

----------


## Rater202

"I simply _must_ figure out how to use the soft body modification." Senko deadpans, "Or _chain._"

She sighs. "I am _not_ wasting valuable research time cleaning the house of a psycho like his wife. Instead, I am about to do something _incredibly stupid_ without any prior testing to see what'll happen."

Most of Senko's body returns to normal, but the diamond patterns on her legs engulf them entirely, turning them as black as soot before they turn a familiar brick-red and start bulging like a bodybuilder flexing the relevant muscles, visible veins and all.

And then, she backs up a bit, gets a running start, and jumps up as high as she can go. In the air, she flips herself over and her legs suddenly shrink back to normal.

At the same time, her primary arm turns a dark solid black and sort of glow a dark purple as she focuses _every last bit_ of chakra and natural energy she has to spare into her_ Sage Transformation: Limbs of Holy Steel_ to make her arm as strong and as hard.

She pulls her fist back as she falls headfirst at Odayama and strikes out with the strongest punch she can throw in the hopes of hitting him dead on.

Senko has never done something like this before, she's pushing her body to its absolute limits.

_Sage Art: Heavenly Javelin!_

Which didn't stop her fromimrpovising a name.

Of course, since this is most of her chakra in one attack(and thus, none strengthening the rest of her body) so... Yeah, _incredibly_ reckless.

*Spoiler*
Show

I hope this is okay. It's mostly just putting everything she has into her two basic "enhancement" powers.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any logical reason why turning into the Sloth Slayer by itself would prevent Kimiko from grabbing the bells with her extended paper whip having not gotten close to him at all to get pushed, and no action was taken to avoid or prevent that by the sloth slayer since it seemed more preoccupied with showing its strength on some nearby piece of scenery. Thus Kimiko gets the bells
"Guys we've already won, we just have to time the transformation out!"
She then begins running away. Yuyuyu begins running in a different direction.

----------


## Rater202

"Kimiko-chan?" says a semi-delirious snake, "I don't think this is about the bells anymore. I think it's a pride thing now."

"Otherwise, Senko-sama would have thrown the fight and then, while doing chores at Sloth-chan's house, have me sneak off and steal kitty-bitch-san's research notes on how she turned herself into a kitty person in a way that counts as a kekei genkai."

"...assuming  I've been accurately informed about the figures of note here."

Senko hears this and drops a_ colossal_ F-Bomb as she lands in her falling punch.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama keep waving his claws wildly, but in the end all the girls manage to get their bells.

Usagi tilt her head. 'Why do you care so much about her? I don't think she deal with Genins like we are, and I am not going to be some stuffy Anbu. so why would we care?'


Odayama snap out, and feel his pockets.
'Ah. Oi. It seems patrolling around for few years, wasn't a great training, I guess I'll have to get back in shape again.' he rub the back of his head.

'It is your victory, so as a team, you can ask of me to do anything that is within my power. So what will it be? You can also keep this debt, if you preffer to hang it over my head, like bunch of criminals. heh'

----------


## Rater202

> Odayama keep waving his claws wildly, but in the end all the girls manage to get their bells.
> 
> Usagi tilt her head. 'Why do you care so much about her? I don't think she deal with Genins like we are, and I am not going to be some stuffy Anbu. so why would we care?'


Bitchy-Kitty-san created a bloodline. Senko-sama is researching bloodlines. Knowing how to create a bloodline would be quite a boon to her research, yes?




> Odayama snap out, and feel his pockets.
> 'Ah. Oi. It seems patrolling around for few years, wasn't a great training, I guess I'll have to get back in shape again.' he rub the back of his head.
> 
> 'It is your victory, so as a team, you can ask of me to do anything that is within my power. So what will it be? You can also keep this debt, if you preffer to hang it over my head, like bunch of criminals. heh'


Senko never actually thought of what she'd suggest for the favor... Off the top of her head... Well, it's a favor for the team, not a favor for her, and in the end it was Kimiko's victory.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She looks at Senko
"I can see that, let me know how Ameoku-san works out. I'm not going to try that myself."
Yeah, she was just a genin and Ameoku was Anbu, she wasn't going to meddle with people of that level for jutsu yet. Her work was a work of a lifetime and one didn't accomplish such a thing by biting off more than one can chew.
"Anyways I say that he teaches us new jutsu to use."
"Of course you'd say that, Kimiko." Yuyuyu says "I'd rather hold it over him until I need something. Though I would like a path into being connected with more important people. But then again this might be too much to ask of a sloth-sensei like him..."
"Oh come on, he survived a war, there has got to be something to him. and if nothing else I can adapt the sloth jutsu into some other animal."
"perhaps, though if we can't agree on a favor now, we might just default to holding it over him until we agree on something."
They both look at Usagi and Senko.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi smile.
"I want a new jutsu. Who the hell know, if we will survive to take advantage as Yuyuyu say? Let's get stronger!"

----------


## Rater202

"A new Jutsu is useless to me, as I cannot use most Ninjutsu or Genjutsu as I am now. It wouldn't be particularly fair to select a reward that leaves one of us out... But nor would it be fair to force Odayama-san to give us individual favors when the agreement was a singular favor for the team..."

"Refresh my memory? Does the Sound village have, hidden somewhere, an archive of information on techniques that is restricted from use by Genin but can be accessed by chunin? I will admit that my knowledge of the makeup of the village is woefully lacking since it was not actually my job to know until... Now."

"There is a technique called the Soft Physique modification... or sometimes soft body modification, though I am certain that they are the same thing. Essentially, by employing drugs and surgery one can permenantly enhance the flexibility of their moving joints and the elasticity of all bodily tissue. At a bare minimum, one becomes superhumanly flexible and agile... But with practice one gains the ability to intentionally dislocate all of their joints and move their body with chakra control, allowing them to squeeze through openings too small for a normal human to fit through and drastically improve grabbing line ability as well as stretch their appendages to a degreemaster of the technique are, supposedly, able to extend their arms, legs, necks, and tongues dozens of times their natural length and move as though they have no bones at all."

"With the information, I have available to me, I've been able to learn all about how the technique is used... But I have found _nothing_ on how to actually _preform_ the modification."

Senko takes a moment to place her arms behind herself and stretch them, causing an audible crack as gas is forced out of her elbow joints.

"Personally, I can think of dozens of situations where being able to stretch one's limbs, contort oneself into positions that would otherwise be at best uncomfortable, and fit through openings too small to fit through normally would be useful, and that's before taking into account the shapeshifting aspects of my 'kekei genkai' and how they might synergize with such a flexible and elastic body."

"If there exists an archive of information that I do _not_ have access to but that Odayama-san does, or can get us access to... And if not the soft physique modification, there may be other techniques that the Sound village has access to but that are normally restricted from genin that oneor more of us could find useful."

Senko had considered asking Ishikagawa-sensei if he knew anything about the technique... But he was a practically minded man. If he knew it he would have used it on himself.

..Also, she really needed to talk to him about tabling her proposal.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Oh well...if its for the team...then I got nothing. We can save it for later."
"We...might need more coordination on things like this...if we're team we need to be able to make decisions as one" Yuyuyu says
"Soft Body Technique...hm sounds useful. Anyways, if we're done here, I have paper release training to get to."
If there is no other business to attend to, she will begin heading home.

----------


## igordragonian

'Well, as a village we are more or less about sound who go boom, or make your brain go boom.' Odayama say casually.
'Or gadgets which do those effects. I have personal technique... hack. It's quite dangerous, but I was probably barely a bit older then you, when I used to kill a Junin of Konoha. In theory, anyone should be able to pull it off, but do it,only if you are ok with dieing, in this certain situation.  You shouldn't die, if you do it right- but this is a possibilty, a lot can go wrong. But if you do it right... it's very deadly and effective.'

Pause.
'You were taught in the academy, the Last Shout Technique? It's the most famouse technique devolped by the first Ottokage, which were one of the key reasons of Konoha's defeat. It supposed to be a suicide technque, but I have found a way to hack it.'

----------


## Rater202

"No Secret chunin only Jutsu library? Okay then."

"...Though, I do not think teaching children a suicide technique would be... Perhaps we should take time to consider our options, maybe meet up independently, and consider something... I need to get back to the laboratory... I have to reevaluate a proposal I made recently... Things to discuss with people, and the like...'"

If there's nothing else, Senko makes her way back to the research laboratory and hopes to whatever Gods may exist that Jirou is still in his lab or office.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
Is as always, busy testing the rats, calmly working through the process of science to distract his mind from the conundrum of whether to tell Nozojo of his clan's secret of the tailed beast seal. On further thought Nozojo wasn't the problem: he was a kindly man. He might be forgiving and wouldn't want them to use such power for evil ends. It was was Ameoku that was the problem. She had a similar mindset to his own mother, and would want to use the seal to gain a tailed beast for the village. Senko then comes in. Ah good, an even better distraction.
"Senko, what brings you here this time? Have you a plan to land on the moon that you care to regale me with?"
He jokes. 

*Kimiko:*
She considers it then says
"Hmm.....Sounds like something that should wait until I have more mastery or until I make paper clones to suicide attack for me, nice of you to offer though, sensei."
"Yeah, that sounds reasonable, don't worry sensei. I'm sure we'll figure out something you can help with....."

Kimiko makes it back home, with Mitsuko waiting for her. They both awkwardly stand in the courtyard. She looks at Kimiko not sure of how to interact now she's no longer matriarch
*....How do I talk to you?* Mitsuko wonders aloud.
Kimiko just frowns back at her not sure what to think of any of this. Both of them had no idea what to do about this. Mitsuko sighs. Curse Jirou, all her plans will be derailed now. She could never get a hold of subtle manipulation. She'd been wielding authority so long, that she couldn't imagine going without it. Nevertheless she had to try.
*"...Sigh, anyways..."*
She turns to begin the lesson.
*for the next jutsu to learn, you form a paper airplane with your chakra with these hand seals.*
She demonstrates with the hand seals
*Now don't be frustrated if you don't get it immediately, it took me years to learn it-*
I did it! Kimiko proclaims having performed the same seals and produced a similar airplane, on her first try.
*...Of course you did* Mitsuko says, feeling jealous.

----------


## Rater202

"No... I am a biologist, not a physicist or engineer. You might want to talk to Kimiko-san about that... Unless you have objective proof that the legend of the Sage of Six Paths creating the tailed beasts by dividing the soul and chakra of an ancient monster into Nine parts and then forging to moon as a prison for its body is true and think that experimenting with the creature's tissue will solve my problems. Then I may be interested in going to the moon."

She sounds serious, but Jirou should be able to tell that she's joking.

"No... I sm here to, eat crow, as it were... About my proposal from earlier...? My..."

Senko is speechless. This isn't common.

"I was under the impression that the Sound Village had a degree of bargaining power... I probably should have known this before now, but I did not know until a short time ago that we only had three Jounin period. I made that proposal thinking that we had something other than the Leaf Village's goodwill allowing us to continue existing, so..."

"I still think that a deal with Cloud akin to the one I talked to you about would be a good thing, but I think it should be tabled indefinitely until either the Sound village becomes more powerful or I come up with a much better way of presenting it."

"Also, the fact that the Leaf village could easily crush us if we step out of line and it is pretty much only the fact that we have a powerful suicide attack keeping us alive absolutely terrifies me."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"...Oh. I apologize. I must've forgotten to mention that to you between my research, Kimiko, you and the missions I've had to do over the years, I've been so busy. If only I had the time to review that information you know and fill in the gaps..."
He takes the request he was going to fill out, opens a drawer and puts it in
"I am however glad that you see the gravity of the situation. We can put your plan into motion later when you feel like it. And if its any comfort..."
He bends and puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I'm scared of that fact to. And I might be the one to have to negotiate with Konoha's leader someday."
Sage help them all if Ameoku is the one to do that instead.
"But don't worry. As we play our cards right, perhaps it'll turn out for the better, and who knows what you might achieve? You dream big. I just hope you find the means to make those dreams reality."

*Kimiko:*
She picks up the airplane jutsu remarkably quickly, to the point where Mitsuko feels like she  has to do better and refine her technique just to keep up a little. At the end of it, Kimiko asks
"Oka-san....what was my father like?"
The wind blows as the silence descends. Seconds pass.
"You'll tell me....right?"
*".....Tch. Yes. Someday. But not today. I'm tired and....your father is a.....complicated subject. He wasn't really a good person....telling you what he is like will be a bit of a story so....it'll have to wait for another day."*
"...Okay."

----------


## Rater202

"Another thing? Unless a massive number of Ronin and missing Ninja who all betrayed their respective lords and villages for sympathetic and understandable reasons turn up petitioning to join the Sound Village in the next few days, I think it might be a more productive use of my research time to hand the recipe of drugs and herbal supplements that I am using to facilitate the chakra integration process off to someone more specialized in drugs and venoms to see if they can be refined for better results and then devote some of my time to more... Active assistance in your project."

"My knowledge of formulaic written seals is limited, but I do know Senjutsu. Particularly my _own_ senjutsu, so if any of the research I've shared with you is in use... Maybe my Enzymes in the ink, if I had to take a guess? I would sleep much more soundly knowing that many of out ninja could, at will, become ten to several dozen times more powerful"

Considering that she's seen rats berserking, and berserking is a specific trait of her own Clan's Sage Mode, she feels pretty safe in making an assumption.

"Or perhaps I should redouble my efforts to prepare for my eventual trip to Ryuchi Cave. Menko tells me that the illusions aren't normally too complex and the final test is 'do not turn to stone when injected with a massive ammount of natural energy' which... I am not at risk of... I should probably see if I can bring a seal user to slap something on me in case I go berserk though. Things could go horribly wrong if I attacked the White Snake Sage..."

"Regardless, if I pass the tests then I become entitled to the Snake's knowledge of senjutsu. Might be able to help you with your project. Might learn something that leads to a breakthrough in my own... Or I could just abuse the regenertive powers it would give me to survive modifying myself and then study my own anatomy to improve the process. The truth is, part of me has always wondered what it would be like to vivisect myself. I imagine it would _hurt_ but what would the sensation of poking my own organs _feel_ like besides that."

...Senko _isn't_ joking this time.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"If such a rare bounty of people turned up, it might be fortunate. But such betrayals can have political and legal complications, and one needs to be careful. Furthermore there is strong culture of loyalty in the shinobi nations: a common attitude is once one is a traitor, they are always a traitor. To take in such strays is dangerous, for ronin are considered wild dogs, and missing-nin, people marked for death. Thus to invite them in is invite in the trouble that comes with them. 

As for helping with the seal....I'll allow it, but only on one condition: You must never tell Kimiko. She is not to help with this, not even the slightest bit. The reason why is pride reasons. That is all. 

Ryuchi cave? I see. Let me know when you decide to jump into a fire from a frying pan next."
But then she talks about doing surgery on herself and he pulls her for a hug in worry.
"...Please don't talk yourself like that. it makes me worry that your going to hurt yourself out of recklessness. Its irrational, but....I still worry."

----------


## Rater202

"Well... Maybe this would be a bad time to ask if you know how the modifications that allow for the use of the soft physique modification technique are preformed. I can think of dozens of uses for twenty-foot tongue and Kimiko-san seems interested in it as well."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He raises an eyebrow
"Well of course she is interested. Its a jutsu, that _exists_. She'd be interested if you talk about learning a basic wind jutsu to cut a leaf, because then she try to use it to extrapolate all wind jutsu from first principles with it. The fact that its actually useful and versatile only heightens her interest. She knows that its better to learn jutsu that are flexible and versatile first over ones with more specific and limited uses. 

As for Soft Body Modification...unfortunately its a hiden jutsu only Konoha shinobi know, and speculated to only be possible because of their medical knowledge of some procedure we don't know how to do. Its not something I could teach you, and I would not have the medical knowledge to perform the modifications that are probably necessary- I am not a medic nin. My specialty is fuinjutsu. Its a shame, its real useful jutsu and is the reason why every nation is more vigilant about covering up possible cracks in buildings where security is concerned since the Third War. "

----------


## Rater202

"...Maybe the Snakes know it? They've been associated with the LEaf Village for years until very recently."

And then, Senko does something she hasn't had time to tell Jirou she can do yet. She rolls up her sleeve, and makes hand signs. boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram. She bites her thumb, smears the blood on her tattoo, and "Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke, and now there is an annoyed wet cobra on the floor.

"I was taking a bath..."

"The position of snake sage is currently empty, but all previous snake sage's have been leaf ninja. Do the snakes have access to the Leaf's hidden techniques due to this relationship?"

"How the hell would I know?"

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi was back home.
Now things were a bit better.
Usagi wasn't actually fixing stuff,nor even doing shoppings- but money from her missions have improved things. Tsuru's salary went on the rent, medecine, water and electricity.
With Usagi's money Tsuru could buy food, cleaning products and etc.
Usagi hopped on her crotches.
"Ah. Usagi-chan." The eldery one handed woman greeted her.
"I hope you are hungry.'
"Like a rabbit samurai!" The legless wonder has  exclaimed.
Tsuru made an actual stew.
"Good, good. So how was your training today?"

Usagi has eaten with vigor. "...Hmm. I still not sure about the new snake girl."
"You mean Senko? I told you, you should reffer to people by their name, it's disrepectful otherwise."
  - "Yeah yeah." Eye roll*
 "She seems... even more off then me."
  - "Well, from what you tell, she is. She was isolated in some lab, and even when you were away, the rabbits have befriended you '
  - "I guess this is true. She also... very smart. Sometimes, it hard for me to follow what she say. She is like science in shape of a girl. It make me feel stupid... even though, I don't care about theory anyway."
  - "Well... again. Considering her upbringing, I am not surprised. Being a ninja is a terrifying existence as it is, and her seemed over and beyond that."
  - "Yes... I guess. With Kimiko it simpler though. She is a spoiled princess who I need to surpass."
  Tsuru chuckled.
"And what about Yuyuyu?'
Usagi has tilted her head. "Well. She is nice and all. Almost... normal. I am sure she is hiding great power that will shock us all."
Tsuru nodded.
-"And... do you still think your Commander is lame?"
-"Actually yeah. More then ever. We won him today in a challenge half time through, and we couldn't even decided what use we can do with the "wish" he has promised us. I am sure he has survived the war, by napping somewhere safe."

Tsuru laughed "There are many types of power, Usagi-chan."
Usagi ate and sighed. "Are you by any chance a retired kunoichi?"
"No. Just an old woman who has seen a thing or two. "

-------

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...0165151Odayama washed the dishes.
It wasn't all that terrible day, all things considered.
Yes. He completly knew what to do with bunch of crazy girls that in a year or two of trainings will surpass him.
What did Odayama had to offer?
Senko's shock stinged... it shouldn't have. Odayama was an adult man who was aware of his limits.
He blushed when he felt a body he knew well pressed behind him.
"....Ody-chan..." a voice purred.
No matter how many years they were married, the shiver in his spine. (Which existed. Thank you for asking.) still tingled when Ameoku did this.

It wasn't as often as it used to, since she became the Anbu Commander.
She hugged him from behind.
"....Did you lost to your Genins?" She wishpered into his ear.
Oh no.
"Well... I am out of shape probably,  the last five years I only patrolled..." he started to excuse.
"It's a very bad look for the husband of the next Ottokage." She clawed his chest.
Odayama loved and admired this crazy cat woman... and thought that Anbu Commander was probably the best role for her.
Leadership over the whole village was something else.
"...I will train." He promised with a whimper.
She tossed him through the window, and jumped after him.
"Oh. Yes you will."
It.... was a diffrent kind of activity then he hoped for.
But he probably deserved it.
Training could be fun. Whatever. Why not?
-----

The labs.
For Senko and the labs as whole things were changing.
Jirou got more busy with his duties, and Nozojo- https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/00...6-facc9867c664
The second Ottokage were paying more and more visits, quite often in Jirou's absence.

If Jirou is a father-ish  figure for Senko, Nozojo might sort of uncle-ish figure, when ever he see her, he bring her crappy candies like likritz, and say "sup"

This evening Jirou has left for Ottokage in trainings stuff, Nozojo enter the labs, looking specifcly for her.
Which is wierd- he always paid her a direct attention as an after thought, she never was the center of his attention.
Also, he was here already this morning before her mission.

"Yo." Nozojo say casually when he find her.
He looks worse then ever, tired beyond comperhesion, but his constant smile on his face.
"I know you are busy, Senko-chan, but can you spare me five minutes of your time?'
Some are able to resist his charms. (Which Jirou at least know, are backed up by something more sinister then natural charisma), but no one has blamed him for expressing arrogance, if nothing else- paying respect to all people of all social classes and ages.
"Just couple or so of quesions."
No crappy candies this time...
------

Jirou alongside his fiance arrive to the Fukaimi clan household. Unlike most clan household, there is no clear border in the form of fence or the like.
It near impossible to sneak on mature Fukaimi shinobi, and their household is as impossible to sneak as impossibility exist.

There are three long houses with pagoda astetic.
One with yellow roof- the woman house. Where the single women lived, .flowery garden has sarounded the women house.
A poor looking elder woman is getting out bowing her head with respect;

One of the elements of Fukaimi's status is their charity and intrest free loans.
They live in minimal materlasticly, they trust their body and spirit more then any weapon or gadget, so they have relativly lot of unused money,which they to support the poor, and give intrest free loans to help low status people to buy or improve their homes, or even open a small buisness.
Money viewed as too material to waste thought on, for men, so thr Fukaimi women are the ones to run this semi underground bank- they also keep money which citizens put for savings, not asking for money, unless offered.


It gave them enhanced influence and networking among the citizenry, even if quite annoying most shinobis with their self rightounse,  and disrespect toward kunoichis.
The young women tended the vegtable garden,and cleaned and fixed the household in general, wearing long dress.
All those women have collected their hair in buns
While the married women marked themselves by covering their hair in headress.
Some younger teen girls took a glimpse at Jirou and blushed, then running away from their "sinful thoughts" which in other girls their age would have been translated to
"Ah. This guy. He is kind of hot."
The more mature women, or older teens bowed their heads with respect.


The other house in the household is identitcal, but with an orange roof, made for the single men.
They had a rock garden around the house and a training ground.
They are seen medidating or training.
Sometimes older ones instructing the younger ones.
Noticable is Mayuwo-another memeber of the "hope generation", in squad 1 under the command of Nini Nekazuko, sister Ameoku, and what Jirou care about more the only one with comparable grades and proceved power to Kimiko.
He sit on  rock, his Fukaimi tradional training clothes(https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qim...92e255c26aeff3


Are soaked from sweat and his shaved forehead shine in the light of the moon
His bushy eyerows frown in conceration.

Someone- his older brother? Just some clan senior to him stand by his side.

"....523" Mayuwo say.

The senior Fukaimi sigh. "It... quite close. But you are overstamating."
"How far is it?"  Mayuwo ask with an annoyed tone.
"Really... you should take a break-" the senior teen say.
"HOW FAR?" Mayuwo demand, shaking.
"499 ants in the nest under the rock. But-"
"I guess I'll skip dinner today as well.' Mayuwo say returining to his setoic expriession.
"You are already fasting for three days. You are going too far, beside... we sre required to greet the Head Clan of Ishikawa... please." He tell Mayuwo with concern.
"Ah. My apolgies." He jump of the rock,and bow deeply.
"Ishikawa-sama. Please forgive my apearance, I was distracted by the need to grant the village a better shinobi. Shall I lead you to the main house?'

----------


## Rater202

*Labs*

"I have more than enough time to answer a few questions, Lord Otokage."

----------


## igordragonian

> *Labs*
> 
> "I have more than enough time to answer a few questions, Lord Otokage."


'Good. Good.' Nozojo take a seat in strange pose, on of the chairs.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZd2G2fVIAADwMq.jpg

'So.. do tell me. What do you think of the society outside of this facility? Are you happy facing it?' he ask
'What do you think so far of your teammate. You can tell me, right? We are practically... siblings.'
Usually Nozjo radiate cheerful calmness, even if sometime somber.
But right now... something feels.. intense in his attitude.

----------


## Rater202

"The society outside of these walls is... Flawed. The sound village is supposed to be something new, but it is making a lot of the same mistakes as the villages that came before. The Clans, for one, have too much power and are permitted to hoard knowledge that could, if it were shared, drastically improve the quality of all of the village's ninja and life in the village indefnitely. I understand that the Anbu-commander _created_ a bloodline from scratch?

"My research into augmenting ninjas genetically, comingling chakras to create a stronger chakra, and grafting Kekei Genkai to others? I shouldn't _have_ to do this. Such a thing should have been done decades ago independently by every village. I should be standing on the shoulders of giants instead of creating everything from scratch.

"Truthfully, sometimes I think I would be less frustrated with life if I was still living on my own, running around naked in the forest like when I was younger, but there are no books in the forest and I would be without the resources I need to manage my condition."

"As for my new teammates? Kimiko-san is a rather interesting conversation partner. I imagine she'd be an interesting research partner if it wasn't for the fact that the clans would have my head if they knew I was planning to mass replicate every Kekei Genkai the village has access to, particularly my vested interest in grafting multiple bloodlines to myself so that I can balance my chakra necessitating keeping the exact details a secret."

"Yuyuyu-san's response to my joking about vivisecting her was to ask where the consent form was. She's certainly an... _interesting_ person."

"As Usagi-san... She's difficult to place. Mostly, I think that she and Kimiko-san would work together better if they just kissed already."

----------


## igordragonian

> "The society outside of these walls is... Flawed. The sound village is supposed to be something new, but it is making a lot of the same mistakes as the villages that came before. The Clans, for one, have too much power and are permitted to hoard knowledge that could, if it were shared, drastically improve the quality of all of the village's ninja and life in the village indefnitely. I understand that the Anbu-commander _created_ a bloodline from scratch?
> 
> "My research into augmenting ninjas genetically, comingling chakras to create a stronger chakra, and grafting Kekei Genkai to others? I shouldn't _have_ to do this. Such a thing should have been done decades ago independently by every village. I should be standing on the shoulders of giants instead of creating everything from scratch.
> 
> "Truthfully, sometimes I think I would be less frustrated with life if I was still living on my own, running around naked in the forest like when I was younger, but there are no books in the forest and I would be without the resources I need to manage my condition."
> 
> "As for my new teammates? Kimiko-san is a rather interesting conversation partner. I imagine she'd be an interesting research partner if it wasn't for the fact that the clans would have my head if they knew I was planning to mass replicate every Kekei Genkai the village has access to, particularly my vested interest in grafting multiple bloodlines to myself so that I can balance my chakra necessitating keeping the exact details a secret."
> 
> "Yuyuyu-san's response to my joking about vivisecting her was to ask where the consent form was. She's certainly an... _interesting_ person."
> ...



Nozojo laugh.
'Yes, I do quite the crappy job, ain't I?' he laugh, for a moment too long for this laughter to be nice.
'Honesty. Something our disgusting world, most certainly lacking.' pause.
'Quite the great ambition, and somewhat.. wholesome. Most of my generation are driven by despair and hatred.'
his eyes are covered in shadow.
'So...you would say... that you are.. filled with hope?'

----------


## Rater202

"I am planning to commit seppuku if I don't have my homicidal rages under control by the time I turn eighteen. You tell me if I am filled with hope."

----------


## Lord Raziere

> Jirou alongside his fiance arrive to the Fukaimi clan household. Unlike most clan household, there is no clear border in the form of fence or the like. It near impossible to sneak on mature Fukaimi shinobi, and their household is as impossible to sneak as impossibility exist.
> 
> There are three long houses with pagoda aesthetic. One with yellow roof- the woman house. Where the single women lived. flowery garden has surrounded the women house. A poor looking elder woman is getting out bowing her head with respect;
> 
> One of the elements of Fukaimi's status is their charity and interest free loans. They live in minimal materialism, they trust their body and spirit more then any weapon or gadget, so they have relatively lot of unused money,which they to support the poor, and give interest free loans to help low status people to buy or improve their homes, or even open a small business. Money viewed as too material to waste thought on, for men, so the Fukaimi women are the ones to run this semi underground bank- they also keep money which citizens put for savings, not asking for money, unless offered.
> 
> It gave them enhanced influence and networking among the citizenry, even if quite annoying most shinobis with their self righteous, and disrespect toward kunoichis. The young women tended the vegetable garden,and cleaned and fixed the household in general, wearing long dress. All those women have collected their hair in buns. While the married women marked themselves by covering their hair in headdress. Some younger teen girls took a glimpse at Jirou and blushed, then running away from their "sinful thoughts" which in other girls their age would have been translated to
> "Ah. This guy. He is kind of hot."
> The more mature women, or older teens bowed their heads with respect.
> ...


*Jirou:*
"No need for forgiveness, you did nothing wrong. But I would it'd be honored if you did lead me, yes."
"Don't worry kid." Kikenna says with a cat-like smile "Hearing the movement of enemies is easier. They just want to overtrain you so they can boast. But yeah don't skip food, you'll die."
She turns to Jirou while flaunting her scantily clad figure.
"By the way did you see all those girls blushing and running away? I think they like me. Might have to try them later, y'know what they say about forbidden Fukaimi fruit..."
"....Sure lets go with that."
Its not as if he wanted such attention anyways. Though he wonders what force of chaos he has unleashed upon the Fukaimi by bringing Kikenna here...

----------


## igordragonian

> "I am planning to commit seppuku if I don't have my homicidal rages under control by the time I turn eighteen. You tell me if I am filled with hope."


Nozojo get up with an amused expression.
"False hope, eh? Good." And with that... he turn and walk away.
Usually Nozojo is quite obssesed with the concept of hope. Especialy on the radio. He came up with the term 'The Hope Generation"

He grab few documents on his way out 






> *Jirou:*
> "No need for forgiveness, you did nothing wrong. But I would it'd be honored if you did lead me, yes."
> "Don't worry kid." Kikenna says with a cat-like smile "Hearing the movement of enemies is easier. They just want to overtrain you so they can boast. But yeah don't skip food, you'll die."
> She turns to Jirou while flaunting her scantily clad figure.
> "By the way did you see all those girls blushing and running away? I think they like me. Might have to try them later, y'know what they say about forbidden Fukaimi fruit..."
> "....Sure lets go with that."
> Its not as if he wanted such attention anyways. Though he wonders what force of chaos he has unleashed upon the Fukaimi by bringing Kikenna here...


Mayuwo blush and look away from Kikena.
"....Very well. The Abbot has asked to not refuse your request unless it bresk our rules..." he pant and his stomach groan.
"...I won't offend you.'he say in somewhat setoic tone.
He try to ignore Kikena.
He has enough of those taunts from his Sensei.
The  Fukami guys have similiar reactions to Kikena- the younger ones, like Mayuwo are scared for their purity, blush and hide behind rocks, the older ones, actually less gracefull then their female counterparts, trying to look setoic and uncaring...
But Kikena know probably better. But if nothing else, they try to be good hosts, regradless of what guests they get.

Mayuwo, the promised heir. By estimates, he and Kimiko will be the first chunins of their class,and later Jounins.
Mayuwo lead their them to the mainhouse- which sort of a mansion- there, married couples lived with their young children, there were the dinning hall, and the center of the clan in anyway, were there.
Set of gongs have sarounded the main house.
Near the house, a young girl, probably six years old?
Stand and stare. This might be Sukkunai Fukaimi- the girl frlm the kinder garden where Kimiko has worked once. If she has told him the details about this mission..
Sukkunai is shy and timid, but shown great potential, already able to use a clan technnique, despite no one teaching her.
Mayuwo frown. 'Why aren't you in the kitchen helping our mother?'
He scolded her.
'..." the girl squeaked, and ran away, her long earlubes dangling.

"My apologies. No matter how I try... she keep this wierd passive defiance."
Before the dinning hall, there is an entrance room.
A teen girl, offer to take Kikena's sandals/shoes and place it special shelf, offering tradional home slippers.

Mayuwo offer the same service to Jirou, doing it with the same seriousness he trained his ears to count ants.
Double wooden door are opened to reveal a large yet humble looking dinning hall, the tables are set im l_l form.
At the other end of the room sit the abbot- head kf the family in ceremonial robes.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/66d56e41...a97ef74e7f.jpg

This is Giyatsu Fukaimi 50 years old. Calm. Collected.
Nozojo added gossip that he is secretly addicted to gamblings, and that his mother is the one who actually run the clan.
People are sitting on tatamis, Giyatsu has kept a place near him. And unless, they were told about Kikena's arrival... only one seat is saved.
It seemed they have considered this visit a reason to celebrate- the rice is offered with some spice and beside water, fruit juices are also on the table.

Giyatsu get up,and bow his head.
'What a honor to have a man like you here! Come! Sit with us." He say with a smile.

----------


## Rater202

"May I enquire as to what it is you just took, Lord Otokage? I mean, you may be in charge of the village but there _are_ procedures in place."

----------


## igordragonian

> "May I enquire as to what it is you just took, Lord Otokage? I mean, you may be in charge of the village but there _are_ procedures in place."


'"Well.. it is a mystery. Isn't it?" He smile, and keep walking out.

----------


## Rater202

Senko does a few things.

First, she deliberately breaks her left index finger. If there is some genjutsu being used on her to fool her senses into perceiving the man she is speaking to as the Otokage, the pain of the break should snap her back to her senses.

As she does this, she starts focusing senjutsu chakra into her right arm and both legs. This is normal, as she regularly vents senjutsu chakra by using this technique, so the _real_ Otokage won't think it's at all unusual, if he's been here so often.

Finally, and concurrent with the other two actions, she follows him.

"Sir, with all due respect I _must_ insist on proper procedures being followed."

----------


## igordragonian

> Senko does a few things.
> 
> First, she deliberately breaks her left index finger. If there is some genjutsu being used on her to fool her senses into perceiving the man she is speaking to as the Otokage, the pain of the break should snap her back to her senses.
> 
> As she does this, she starts focusing senjutsu chakra into her right arm and both legs. This is normal, as she regularly vents senjutsu chakra by using this technique, so the _real_ Otokage won't think it's at all unusual, if he's been here so often.
> 
> Finally, and concurrent with the other two actions, she follows him.
> 
> "Sir, with all due respect I _must_ insist on proper procedures being followed."


Senko did had a good call- the image of second Ottokage dissapear like a bad dream, as they are in the corridor.
Instead turning back to her she see character wearing a  anbu mask of heyna, with a crack between the eyes, a too long military coat, with sleeves longer then his arms. Around his neck he wear two pieces of the broken forehead protector of the sound. He probably a bit taller then her. Or the same height. 
"Sorry my feelings the Ottokage has broken the character. How unproffesional of me.' Under the sleeves he does _something_ and the light is turned off.
"But I only mean to help. I am on YOUR side.'
Few murmurs, as shinobis trying to understand why the power fell down. In a moment or two, they won't be alone.

----------


## Rater202

Senko has yet to replace her lost biomass, so is currently at her natural height of 3.'8'' instead of her preferred. If the intruder is the same height as her than they are _short._

Her priority is obvious, stop the intruder from getting away with the documents.

She leaps into the air and tries to punch the intruder squarely in the chest as the markings that indicate that senjutsu is in use spread across the rest of her body.

Meanwhile, a snake pokes its head from her robe. Dismissing the summon would have sent Menko back to Ryuchi Cave, and Menko doesn't want that, so she's been napping in Senko's robe ever since she summoned her earlier.

"What's going on?"

"A thief. Call secturity."

Menko does so, leaping from Senko's collars, spoofing into human form, and using Yin Release: Multiple Autonomous Clones to send halve a dozen of her self running down he hall all shouting *Security! Security! A Thief! A Thief!*

----------


## igordragonian

The masked long sleeved guy dodge with ease, as if he already heard what attack Senko plan.
_'Quite the energy you have, it seems you didn't suffered as I did.'_ Senko hear his voice straight into her brain.
He jump on the wall. _'But that fine. You will be broken.'_

He make seals, the papers dissapear into his sleeves, and then he get them out- as paper shurikens, which is as effective as Kimiko's!
He doesn't try to hit Senko just to fend her off.
_'I see the potential withing you, your ideas you see... were already done. Stop being an idiot, and I will give you a nice lead.'_

Shinobis are getting nearby, they will join the fight in less then a moment.

----------


## Rater202

Senko thinks on her own backstory.*Spoiler: Sad*
Show

At the crack of dawn, a very little girl awakens in the middle of a small field near her home village...She was on the other side of the drainage ditch... She hadn' gone to bed in the field...

The last thing she remembered, it'd been dinner time and she hadn't wanted to eat her icky carrots.

As she got up and looked around, she noticed that the water in the ditch looked funny... And noticed that almost all the buildings int he village were collapsed.

Terrified and wanting someone to make her feel safe, she ran through the village trying to find the remains of her house while desperately not looking at any of the mangled corpses that surrounded her. It was... Mostly, intact, with only a giant hole in the wall, but...

Her father was nowhere to be found, and her mother...

"Mommy?"

Mommy was badly hurt. Bleeding. Fading... When she saw Senko, she let out her last words. "Basement... The book" and then died, despite Senko's attempts to revive her.

Senko had never been allowed in the basement before, but Mommy said...

Senko noticed that her hands were covered in blood as she opened the basement door.

On a book stand in the basement, with a cover depicting a terrifying Oni, was a book that said "Senninka."

And Senko read the book.

At the age of six, everyone Senko had ever known and loved had died horribly. And by reading the book, she realized that it was all her fault.


*"I HAVEN'T SUFFERED! I HAVEN'T SUFFERED!?"*

The chakra flowing into Senko's arms causes them to turn a ruddy brick-red as scalple like claws form at her finger tips, the shapeshifting of it all welding her broken Fingerbone back together.

*I'VE SUFFERED MORE THAN A PATHETIC EDGELORD LIKE YOU COULD EVER COMPREHEND! AND YOU THINK YOU COULD BREAK ME!?*

Senko chargest and slashes furiously. She's a B ranked Ninjusu specialist, with a style speiled in efficient, fluid movements. She knows exactly how to move her claws to avoid his paper shuriken and strike at his vitals.

*"IF YOU WERE HERE TO HELP ME YOU'D AHVE GIVEN ME WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING AND LEFT, YOU BASTARD! IF YOU SURRENDER NOW, RETURN THE DOCUMENTS, AND GIVE ME WHATEVER YOU WERE GONNA BRIBE ME WITH I MIGHT HAND YOU OVER TO AUTHORITIES INSTEAD OF CHAINING YOU TO MY OPERATING TABLE AND TEARING YOU APART CELL BY ****ING CELL!"*

----------


## Lord Raziere

> Mayuwo blush and look away from Kikena.
> "....Very well. The Abbot has asked to not refuse your request unless it bresk our rules..." he pant and his stomach groan.
> "...I won't offend you.'he say in somewhat setoic tone.
> He try to ignore Kikena.
> He has enough of those taunts from his Sensei.
> The  Fukami guys have similiar reactions to Kikena- the younger ones, like Mayuwo are scared for their purity, blush and hide behind rocks, the older ones, actually less gracefull then their female counterparts, trying to look setoic and uncaring...
> But Kikena know probably better. But if nothing else, they try to be good hosts, regradless of what guests they get.
> 
> Mayuwo, the promised heir. By estimates, he and Kimiko will be the first chunins of their class,and later Jounins.
> ...


"Ah yes, I see you saved a seat for my fiancee. How hospitable of you."
She automatically sits down instead, with a chesire cat grin on her face, while Jirou remains standing....until Kikenna in her mischief decides to pull him down.
"Ah c'mon there is enough room, squeeze in here."
They end up squeezed between two people on the tatami mat with Kikenna being the one between Giyatsu and Jirou. 
"Look now we can teamwork these chopsticks, Jirou: you hold one, I hold the other and we work together equally to feed each other. It'll be great."
"Yes" he says in dry sarcasm "It will be a great demonstration of our......love and teamwork."
"Yeah I bet none of these couples can match us in teamwork chopstick eating. None of them."
"Indeed it is an ancient tradition in my family from the dawn of two seconds ago. They cannot possibly beat us with such little practice in something only we care about."
"Exactly! we're the best because we made it up, they can't possibly beat us. We can celebrate this completely arbitrary thing together."
"Perhaps then we should celebrate something else just as completely arbitrary. Like me getting heads twice on two coin flips."
"But I thought we were doing that already by coming here. After all the fact that your mother and Ameoku are female are a completely arbitrary thing that no one has control over."

----------


## igordragonian

> Senko thinks on her own backstory.*Spoiler: Sad*
> Show
> 
> At the crack of dawn, a very little girl awakens in the middle of a small field near her home village...She was on the other side of the drainage ditch... She hadn' gone to bed in the field...
> 
> The last thing she remembered, it'd been dinner time and she hadn't wanted to eat her icky carrots.
> 
> As she got up and looked around, she noticed that the water in the ditch looked funny... And noticed that almost all the buildings int he village were collapsed.
> 
> ...



He focused on dodging, jumping around on the walls like a toad. No matter how stronger and quicker she get, it seems he predict her movements with an unnatural ease.
If she is able to analys it... 
In Ottokagure, the Fukaimi clan are known for such ability in their bloodline, their special ears.
But he also throw paper shurikens...
The battle feels like a twilight dream, as the light flicker, as the technicians struggle to restore the power-
With power off for long, things might be released.
Or samples that require specific temparture might get spoiled...

Three shinobies appear, armed with sound gadget weaponry,  but between flickers of light- the stranger clap(?) Under the sleeves, and one of the shinobis fall with seizure fuming from his mouth.
The stranger run, rather then getting out of the labs.. down.
To even more secret sections.
At the two other shinobis he throw paper shurikens, which they parry barely- but it buy him time to run deeper and lower into the labs.
_Rage. Your rage is still burning. Mine is cold as death. Follow me, then, little sister_







> "Ah yes, I see you saved a seat for my fiancee. How hospitable of you."
> She automatically sits down instead, with a chesire cat grin on her face, while Jirou remains standing....until Kikenna in her mischief decides to pull him down.
> "Ah c'mon there is enough room, squeeze in here."
> They end up squeezed between two people on the tatami mat with Kikenna being the one between Giyatsu and Jirou. 
> "Look now we can teamwork these chopsticks, Jirou: you hold one, I hold the other and we work together equally to feed each other. It'll be great."
> "Yes" he says in dry sarcasm "It will be a great demonstration of our......love and teamwork."
> "Yeah I bet none of these couples can match us in teamwork chopstick eating. None of them."
> "Indeed it is an ancient tradition in my family from the dawn of two seconds ago. They cannot possibly beat us with such little practice in something only we care about."
> "Exactly! we're the best because we made it up, they can't possibly beat us. We can celebrate this completely arbitrary thing together."
> ...


Well, if they wanted to make them uncomftrable they managed.
But they hide it, best as they can.
An eldery woman place another plate before Jirou.

It seems their tactic is to ignore Kikena as much as possible.
"There are not many clans in this village of our.' Gyazo say, lifting a cherry juice cup.
"But one of the women one, has fallen. Removed from the place she should never have held."
Pause.
There no appaluse. More of a respectful nods.
Appaluds aren't the Fukaimi way...
"And, of course, we support Jirou-Sama, to prevent the shameful option, of the blood thirsty woman beast from claiming the father role of the village. Before we eat, let's pray for Jirou-sama's succes"
They clasp their hands, close eyes and pray.
Beside Mayuwo. He frown, get up, leaving his plate full and going away.

----------


## Rater202

*"Save the shuriken, they're made from stolen documents!"* Senko shouts behind her as she gives chase.

Senko's blood is boiling, but... What she's trying to do has already been done?

As Senko chases the man, she _shrieks!_ With her senjutsu chakra enhancements spreading even to her lungs and throats, she can shriek loudly and for a good long while.

Such loud shrieking should be absolutely _hell_ on someone with enhanced hearing or hearing based powers.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
Kikenna and Jirou look at each other. This is going to be rough. He clears his throat and says
"Excuse me, but I don't share in this celebration, for I must clarify my intentions. I fought my mother for the sake of my sister. I only depowered one to empower another, and I would've done the same if Mitsuko were my father instead, and especially so if I were Kimiko's sister rather than her brother. On the subject of Ameoku, I had help from Kikenna here, and I would still fought Ameoku if she were male as well. In both cases, the gender does not matter. 

The only reason your celebrating me instead of cursing me are threes coin flips made long before we had any say in the matter. Furthermore I must tell you that I plan on Kikenna's ideals factoring heavily into my decision-making. She may be not hold any actual power, but she will be one of my most trusted advisors and I hope to regulate her more radical ideas so that things change at a moderate pace so as to not completely alienate people by changing things too fast.

I'm sure you have a wonderful culture that has worked for you for a very long time, but not everyone shares those beliefs or culture and its unfair to them that they have to follow values that they don't want. I come to you today to tell you the truth rather than let you think something untrue of me: that I follow the values you espouse. I do not. I did not do it for the reasons you think, and I do not want to be celebrated for this. I do so because I think its better that you know this truth, that I want men and women to be equal so that you are not felt lied to down the line when put in rules that will only further reinforce the values I actually believe and not the ones you do.

I could've been like a lying politician and just let you think I share your beliefs, letting you think I'm on your side only to go into the Otokage office to change things in other directions, but that would be leading you on and only make enemies of you down the line. So I say this now that I did those for my own reasons, not yours and that I respectfully believe women can and should hold positions of power if they are competent enough to do so. I'm telling you all this so you can make your decision with open eyes about who your supporting and why. That is a chance most people never give you. What you do with this information is up to you, but I'd rather be known as an honest person than as someone who got into the Otokage office by letting you believe false things about me."
He said the speech. It was letting them down gently and politely, all things considered. He had a plan if they still decided to be stubborn about this though.

----------


## igordragonian

> *"Save the shuriken, they're made from stolen documents!"* Senko shouts behind her as she gives chase.
> 
> Senko's blood is boiling, but... What she's trying to do has already been done?
> 
> As Senko chases the man, she _shrieks!_ With her senjutsu chakra enhancements spreading even to her lungs and throats, she can shriek loudly and for a good long while.
> 
> Such loud shrieking should be absolutely _hell_ on someone with enhanced hearing or hearing based powers.


The masked boy, fall from the wall, blood spilling from beneath the mask as he laugh maniacly.
'Nice move, little sister.' he shake in terrible pain.
He make a bat like screech-
sending doubt and hesitation to Senko's mind
*Spoiler: Clan Komoro technique's*
Show


Heart's Voice- C Ranked Genjutsu. By sending vibrating sub sonic wave, the user vibrating the heart and nerves of the target to mimic a certain emotion. Attraction, fear, sleepiness and etc. Some of the Sound Village tech weaponery record those subsonic waves to create certain emotions.

It's up to you, if Senko is aware of this technique and have means against it.
of this clan-https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=23788446&postcount=2

Most of the village's tech is inspired by them, and many of the best tech shinobis are Komoros.. so it make sense



_Fine, I will tell you where to get your next clue, if you keep push me around, you'l force me to kill your zoo keepers._ she hear in her mind.

one of the shinobis arrive to the scene, with a flute quarterstaff, prepared to slam and attack the masked stranger.






> *Jirou:*
> Kikenna and Jirou look at each other. This is going to be rough. He clears his throat and says
> "Excuse me, but I don't share in this celebration, for I must clarify my intentions. I fought my mother for the sake of my sister. I only depowered one to empower another, and I would've done the same if Mitsuko were my father instead, and especially so if I were Kimiko's sister rather than her brother. On the subject of Ameoku, I had help from Kikenna here, and I would still fought Ameoku if she were male as well. In both cases, the gender does not matter. 
> 
> The only reason your celebrating me instead of cursing me are threes coin flips made long before we had any say in the matter. Furthermore I must tell you that I plan on Kikenna's ideals factoring heavily into my decision-making. She may be not hold any actual power, but she will be one of my most trusted advisors and I hope to regulate her more radical ideas so that things change at a moderate pace so as to not completely alienate people by changing things too fast.
> 
> I'm sure you have a wonderful culture that has worked for you for a very long time, but not everyone shares those beliefs or culture and its unfair to them that they have to follow values that they don't want. I come to you today to tell you the truth rather than let you think something untrue of me: that I follow the values you espouse. I do not. I did not do it for the reasons you think, and I do not want to be celebrated for this. I do so because I think its better that you know this truth, that I want men and women to be equal so that you are not felt lied to down the line when put in rules that will only further reinforce the values I actually believe and not the ones you do.
> 
> I could've been like a lying politician and just let you think I share your beliefs, letting you think I'm on your side only to go into the Otokage office to change things in other directions, but that would be leading you on and only make enemies of you down the line. So I say this now that I did those for my own reasons, not yours and that I respectfully believe women can and should hold positions of power if they are competent enough to do so. I'm telling you all this so you can make your decision with open eyes about who your supporting and why. That is a chance most people never give you. What you do with this information is up to you, but I'd rather be known as an honest person than as someone who got into the Otokage office by letting you believe false things about me."
> He said the speech. It was letting them down gently and politely, all things considered. He had a plan if they still decided to be stubborn about this though.



There are much disappointment in the room, but most are too stoic to openly express it.
They are probably respecting his honesty- but it doesn't take away from the disappointment.
and maybe the awkwardness. From their side.

Giyazu chuckle calmly. 'Well, if nothing else, you are brave and true... it was my fault, for not making a background research before inviting you, or at least ask you, for your motivations.'
he say.
'I am a naive man, no matter for how long I fought alongside other shinobis, I can't shake the feeling.... that everyone are self blinded to the right and balanced ways. So even a little hint... make me... want to believe more people have seen the light.' pause.

'But if may I return your honesty, with my honesty- you are a boy. You are a respectful boy, a well mannered boy- even a brave boy- and still... a boy.'
pause.
'Assuming you were starting to see our philosophy as something to be inspired by, we would have seen beyond this- we would have looked into your potential as a leader. But for now, you are simply better then Ameoku, but for now we can't view you as the ideal candidate... it might not matter in the end- unless more ambitouse men, will try and offer themselves for the role,'

----------


## Rater202

The second Senko feels her emotions begin to change, she breaks another finger to dispel the Genjutsu.

She steps forward and holds up the claws on her good hand to the masked boy. "As a shinobi of the Village Hidden by the Sound, I am formally placing you under arrest. If you explain exactly what you came here for and what you've talking about, I will recommend leniency... But if you so much as think of harming a hair on anyone else's head I will void the arrest and drag you back to my laboratory to figure out _exactly_ how it is that you have multiple bloodline powers... Without anesthesia."

----------


## igordragonian

_Alright. This death is on YOUR hands. Enjoy the nightmares._

He get up in a jump, the lab guard, try to strike the masked boy, the staff wailing, empowered by the sound that was echoed to no end inside-
But the bleeding masked boy, jumped on the staff, standing like a crane, and do quick seals under his sleeves.
"Serpent Of Agony" and release stream of acid right into the lab guard's face, and then jumping up the ceiling.

The lab guard has dropped the staff and screeched with horror, as his face was burning by this yellow green goo.

_"I didn't planned to hurt the Zoo Keepers. You have forced me to. Anyway, here my kibidango* lead for you-check the safe code in the abandoned communictation devolpment lab. The code is dog, horse, rabbit, dragon, dog."_  and with that he run again, this time intending to run away from the labs.

The light is back on, and now the horror of the lab guard's face seen in it's whole glory.



*A japanese round tradional candy thing.
Feel more aproriate then a "bread crumb".is bread a thing in naruto?

----------


## Rater202

Menko comes up behind Senko now.

"Okay, I'm lost, what's happening?"

In response, Senko tosses to her familiar the scroll used for containing cadavers. Or parts of cadavers.

Like the blood that spilled out from behind the thieve's mask.

"Seal the blood for me."

As she said that, she's approaching the man who took a face full of acid and when she gets to him she pulls out her emergency medical kit and does for him what she can.

----------


## Lord Raziere

> There are much disappointment in the room, but most are too stoic to openly express it.
> They are probably respecting his honesty- but it doesn't take away from the disappointment.
> and maybe the awkwardness. From their side.
> 
> Giyazu chuckle calmly. 'Well, if nothing else, you are brave and true... it was my fault, for not making a background research before inviting you, or at least ask you, for your motivations.'
> he say.
> 'I am a naive man, no matter for how long I fought alongside other shinobis, I can't shake the feeling.... that everyone are self blinded to the right and balanced ways. So even a little hint... make me... want to believe more people have seen the light.' pause.
> 
> 'But if may I return your honesty, with my honesty- you are a boy. You are a respectful boy, a well mannered boy- even a brave boy- and still... a boy.'
> ...


*Jirou:*
"....I'm pretty sure that feeling is called "having an opinion". Everyone has one, expressing it is leaving yourself vulnerable to it being shot down and getting hurt because of it, but its the only way to make people understand what you care about. Its not unique, everyone has their own right and balanced ways that they think everyone blinds themselves to, and we all go through life searching for the people who share it. But I'm not here for opinions, I'm here for reality, and the reality is regardless of our beliefs we're a village that needs to become stronger. 
 We can't live by Konoha's good graces or the threat of our last shout forever. Changes need to be made so that this village stands on the strength of the living and not of the dead. and I don't believe in unnecessarily limiting ourselves to make that happen. 

I cannot cut the potential Chuunin and Jounin that could serve this village in half for no reason, nor can I overlook any potential talent or use one could have simply because of a gender role. Our enemies certainly aren't going to care. A person who wants your bloodline for theft or for murder is going to come after your weakest members no matter what form that takes and if you intentionally keep half your clan weak that offers a lot of targets for them to choose from-unless you secretly train your women in self defense so that they can at least preserve the traditions of your clan with their own abilities if they ever find themselves alone and ambushed by an enemy?"
He says, raising an eyebrow.

----------


## igordragonian

> Menko comes up behind Senko now.
> 
> "Okay, I'm lost, what's happening?"
> 
> In response, Senko tosses to her familiar the scroll used for containing cadavers. Or parts of cadavers.
> 
> Like the blood that spilled out from behind the thieve's mask.
> 
> "Seal the blood for me."
> ...



Beside the surface third and second degree burns- the greatest danger, is that even his throat is burnt. Alternate way of breathing is required for his survival.

two lab guards jump there.
'Senko-chan? What is going on?"
the second call in his portable radio transceiver*
'Medics! We need the best one! Hurry!'



*https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...-_DSC00176.JPG





> *Jirou:*
> "....I'm pretty sure that feeling is called "having an opinion". Everyone has one, expressing it is leaving yourself vulnerable to it being shot down and getting hurt because of it, but its the only way to make people understand what you care about. Its not unique, everyone has their own right and balanced ways that they think everyone blinds themselves to, and we all go through life searching for the people who share it. But I'm not here for opinions, I'm here for reality, and the reality is regardless of our beliefs we're a village that needs to become stronger. 
>  We can't live by Konoha's good graces or the threat of our last shout forever. Changes need to be made so that this village stands on the strength of the living and not of the dead. and I don't believe in unnecessarily limiting ourselves to make that happen. 
> 
> I cannot cut the potential Chuunin and Jounin that could serve this village in half for no reason, nor can I overlook any potential talent or use one could have simply because of a gender role. Our enemies certainly aren't going to care. A person who wants your bloodline for theft or for murder is going to come after your weakest members no matter what form that takes and if you intentionally keep half your clan weak that offers a lot of targets for them to choose from-unless you secretly train your women in self defense so that they can at least preserve the traditions of your clan with their own abilities if they ever find themselves alone and ambushed by an enemy?"
> He says, raising an eyebrow.


Giyzao smile, with this arrogant patience, that made so many ninjas to despise the Fukaimi clan.
'Ah. This old debate again, very well.' he sip a cup of mandarin juice.
'We are aware, that not everyone can see the light of our ways yet. We aren't in denial. We have allied the village, understanding the complexities of living among the wide shiobi population. We are thankful of being part of this society, that allow our voice to survive in this old corrupted world.' pause.
'And in the short sighted term, our way, of protecting women, from the male need of taking lives, might seems irrational on the surface, and supposely, it should be another piece of our soul we should sacrifice for the sake of a physical survival- over the centuries, we over and over, had to give up core practices of our belief, to secure it's existence- accepting women into our ranks in the first place. Do you know why our ancestors decided to marry, and forsake the chastity vows?'  pause

'Children. Family. Are the future, they are stability. Men know their role, women know their role, of bringing life to the world. Together, we can improve our listening, maybe in hope to reach the enlightment, Dali lama Guren*, has reached, by hearing the cosmos itself, and reaching immortality. Other ninja village exaust their karma, their communities, their society crumbling down with more and more missing nins, while a stable society, when men and women know their place, will prevail in the long run. But we accept the fact, most still can't see it- but we want to help the village, by a slow process. Not letting women into leadership roles, would be a beginning. Look at Ameoku, this mad beast woman. Instead of caring for her children, she can't grasp the heavy weight of taking out lives. The Ottokage barely has her under control, by chaining her down with responsibilities. But it isn't meant for her. She will never be happy. No women can be happy when she is out of her place. We don't expect to change and heal the village over night, and of course, not to force it- but I simply thought, that by seeing the damages, and toll, this role had on your mother- a brave person indeed, who simply carried a burden which weren't meant for her- and also, from the side, it looks, like you fight to release your sister from the manly burdens that are chaining her down. So I made assumption, it was my mistake.' he bow his head.
of course, more cynical view might be...
Mayuwo and Kimiko are the most promising genins, mesaured by experts, to be probably the first Junins since the the Three Thunders,and  by somehow removing Kimiko. they will have more influence, for their long term plans.
They ain't stranger to play the waiting game.


-------


*Somewhere in the Fukaimi household.


Mayuwo, on his knees.
'....Why me?' he ask quitly, skeletal sitting shilouette.

_'Only you can hear me. It has been centuries since someone was worthy of hearing me'_ a voice whispered into his heart.
old as time, yet healthy as youth itself.

'I can't even fully sense every ant and ant in their nest. Many grown ups here, are better listeners then me. Do not decieve me'

*cold and dry chuckle. '_Right. So truthfull. Pure. But I didn't lied to you- those who take life, before their heart has matured... have their karma tainted in a way, that fill their ears with darkness, which I cannot reach. Thanks to the ideals of Nozojo... you are the first one in decades and centuries to remain pure. Those ant counting trainings, are foolish. Ants are too blunt. I will teach you things much more gentle and exact. You are the hope of this village. You will surpass me, all... will be well.'_

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Is that all you think humanity is?"
Jirou says with a disappointed tone.
"How bleak and limiting. How depressing. You raise your children to think of the children so that they may think of the children so that they may think of the children. Your efforts are completely circular. Is that all humanity is to you? biological machines to reproduce themselves? There is more to life than perpetuating it, or its just existence. 

As for "stability" Fukaimi-san, this current era has is the most stable era humanity has ever seen. Before the establishment of villages there was nothing but warring states, a thousand years of constant low level clan warfare, and that era was full of men leading their clans. In fact these wars often occurred BECAUSE men thinking it was their duty or right to wage them, the very values of man's strength spurring them to seek out a fight to prove they are strong to prove their dominance over others and cause suffering for no good reason. While the women thinking it wasn't their place to speak, didn't stop them. What caused greater stability was when people decided to start uniting rather than dividing. When a system was set up to balance the power of nations against one another. 

As for burdens- I do not see peoples suffering as gendered. You cut someone, they bleed red like any other human. As who raises kids- I raised Kimiko more than her mother ever did. Sure she trained her in paper release, but I taught her to be more than just a weapon, I taught her how to think, how prepare, how to be more. I showed her that we live in a wonderful world full of knowledge to find and learn. Knowledge to use, to survive, to improve, to adapt, to innovate- such ideals are the core of what a ninja truly is, not tradition. Stasis is death. Nothing stays the same for good or for ill- if your not growing your decaying. She has become one of the two ninja most likely to become Jounin.

Will you criticize me for stepping out of a masculine role, since raising a child is by your logic, a feminine task? A feminine task that I enjoyed since I like spending time with my sister and helping her grow?"

----------


## igordragonian

"I am not going and criticizing people and tell them what to do. And I understand the complexities and tests this dark realm forcing upon us. I will never be great as my pasifist ancestors. As those monks who didn't took practice in their carnal needs. My karma is at least somewhat tainted. I am not perfect,nor pretend to be." Giyazo say.
"I have compassion. And, well, you were stuck in a situation, where there gender role confusion. I am not a judge. But being forced into such a situation must have made a toil on your soul, even if you don't feel it right away. Like shin splints which slowly creep on you, until one day, they cripple you down,for at least few month. Again. The light and balanced ways cannot be forced upon those who grew beyond it's shine- but out of compassion,I will always hope and reach out. Until then I will fight to keep the order and karma of me, and my clan as less damaged as possible. But I am not a judge, one can only be judged by his own soul. I have compassion to all living beings. You are a young and wise boy. Maybe in the future, you could carry the village on your shoulders. For now, without our more... direct guidance, I feel it would be cruel to support you into a position which will destroy you.'

----------


## Rater202

> Beside the surface third and second degree burns- the greatest danger, is that even his throat is burnt. Alternate way of breathing is required for his survival.
> 
> two lab guards jump there.
> 'Senko-chan? What is going on?"
> the second call in his portable radio transceiver*
> 'Medics! We need the best one! Hurry!'


Senko... Senko doesn't have the means of providing an emergency tracheotomy.

The average human being will suffer permanent brain damage after four minutes without oxygen and will die within four to six minutes after that point. It's already been a minute or two without oxygen, the patient's chances of making it are slim and their quality of life will suffer greatly if y some miracle they do.

...But Senko has an alternative. 1/10 odds that it saves his life outright. 9/10 odds that it puts him in a coma for several hours and possibly kills him, but also drastically improves his odds of pulling through if he gets to the hospital in time.

Senko pulls off her robe and lifts up her shirt to expose her belly. The glowing red and orange, firelike pater than comes as her bloodline powers forms across it and then her flesh, still in that firely glow, stretches out in a blob and extends to and _into_ the man's face and neck.

Senko's cells and chakra immediately adapt, breaking themselves down and moving about to repair and replace his damaged and dead cells.

After a moment all of the damage to his face and throat should be repaired.

If he is one of the 1/10 people who is compatible with Senko's clan's senjutsu, that's the end of it. He's healed.

Otherwise... Well, he's still going to need to go to the hospital but he's got hours instead of minutes.

Senko herself, meanwhile, shrinks. She now appears to be eight years old and is even more smol than normal.

----------


## Lord Raziere

> "I am not going and criticizing people and tell them what to do. And I understand the complexities and tests this dark realm forcing upon us. I will never be great as my pasifist ancestors. As those monks who didn't took practice in their carnal needs. My karma is at least somewhat tainted. I am not perfect,nor pretend to be." Giyazo say.
> "I have compassion. And, well, you were stuck in a situation, where there gender role confusion. I am not a judge. But being forced into such a situation must have made a toil on your soul, even if you don't feel it right away. Like shin splints which slowly creep on you, until one day, they cripple you down,for at least few month. Again. The light and balanced ways cannot be forced upon those who grew beyond it's shine- but out of compassion,I will always hope and reach out. Until then I will fight to keep the order and karma of me, and my clan as less damaged as possible. But I am not a judge, one can only be judged by his own soul. I have compassion to all living beings. You are a young and wise boy. Maybe in the future, you could carry the village on your shoulders. For now, without our more... direct guidance, I feel it would be cruel to support you into a position which will destroy you.'


*Jirou:*
So that is their logic.
"I disagree, this world is a wondrous place and worth fighting for not some dark realm. As for my situation...I also disagree. It didn't and won't cause me some vague spiritual pain, it widened my view of the world, it allowed me learn so that I could teach, what you see as corruption- I see as a form of enlightenment. It allowed me to love my sister in a new way I never would have without it. To be able to understand more than one viewpoint, to allow more than one way to be right but also for something to mean as much or as less as one wants it to mean- something like gender. If anything, my situation freed me to understand more about the world than I ever thought possible. And I think I understand what you are now, though I don't agree with it. I will take note of your beliefs and not invite you to any reversed gender role parties."
Both he and Kikenna get up and head towards the door, opening it and stepping outside but before they shut it:
"Anyways, nice talking to you, hope you do well and just to be completely honest?"
POOF!
Both ninja let their disguise jutsu drop to reveal.....that Jirou was actually Kikenna, and the Kikenna was actually Jirou. they had been disguised as each other the entire dinner since before they walked in. That was their final plan: to show that a woman was the one they were treating as a man this whole time. 
"You were talking to me the whoooooole time!! Nice acting don't you agree?"
"Indeed. It was flawless. Everything she said was true by the way: those are my beliefs, I just made sure she was able to express them just as well as I would beforehand."
"You acted me like pretty well too! Come on, time to go "spiritually corrupt" ourselves like crrrazaaaay! Hehehehehahaha!"
They then shut the door and go jumping away to do something else. They know this stunt might probably hurt them in some way down the line with the Fukaimi, but it was worth it.

----------


## igordragonian

The man breath again, but in coma.
"Oi, Senko-chan, are you alright?'

Commotion start, more and more guards are coming.
In two minutes a medic nin arrive.


-----

(Do Jirou carry a communication radio thing?)

The usually calm Giyazu gasp in widen eyes, most are shocked as well, some are straightforward angry.
Nozojo won't like it. But it was funny, and maybe teaching moment.

also, is a cat snickering from a corner?

----------


## Rater202

"I am fine. I simply donated some of my biomass to heal his injuries. It is fine, I will regenerate soon enough. A cost benefit scenario, by the time a medic would have been here he would have suffered permanent brain damage."

Senko gets up and pulls her robe back on. It's too big now.

"When the medic gets here, tell them that he's going to need to be treated for acute chakra poisoning as soon as possible but... Wait. Tell them to start treatment but keep him here, I just remembered something that'll drastically improve his odds of pulling through."

Senko immediately takes off running for her lab. When she gets there, she grabs a vial of the experimental mixture of drugs and herbal extracts she's been using to help the experimental rats integrate her cells and chakra into their own.

With this, the man's compatibility with her chakra should improve.

The medics should be there when she gets back.

----------


## Lord Raziere

(I'm just going to assume yes, yes he does)

*Jirou:*
He receives a radio call about the lab being attacked and moves to intercept.
"aaaaw, I was looking forward to see you cross-dress. You would make a pretty girl."
"Thanks? To be honest, I think the best you could do male wise would be something androgynously pretty."
"Thats fair."
Whenever they arrive they will try to take stock of the situation as best they can.

*Kimiko:*
She looks at her plans for achieving all jutsu, written a couple years ago, looking over them:
*Spoiler: Kimikos plan to achieve Mastery of All Jutsu.*
Show



*Step One: Achieve Immortality*
there is more jutsu than one can possibly learn in one lifetime, therefore the obvious solution is to make you live forever so that you can live all the lifetimes. Methods of achieving this are not yet certain. 

Step Two *Step Three: Achieve God Memory*
However being immortal will not itself  guarantee learning all jutsu. The next problem is addressing the ability to remember all jutsu, since the human mind is a limited thing. Therefore one most achieve the memory of a god to even begin making sure you retain all the jutsu information you learn over your immortal life. How to achieve memory of a god requires structures to house that memory since ones brain houses the memory. Therefore one most make an incredibly powerful brain achieving this god-memory or perhaps somehow connect multiple brains together to store the information? But brains need energy to sustain them, thats why we have bodies, so in turn I need massive amounts of energy to power my enhanced super-brain or multi-brains to memorize jutsu. On second thought, memory is probably the third step.

*Real Step Two: Achieve God Energy*
Its clear that before I can truly build the god memory, I must first acquire enough energy to sustain such a memory. There are many sources of power in this world, such as: oil, coal, the sun, volcanoes, rushing water, tailed beasts, natural energy from sage ninjas, and wind. 
-Volcanoes, running water and wind and the like will limit my movement not ideal for my purposes, even if I could harness this energy, a lot of it would involve stationary ways of gaining the energy. 
-Oil and coal is formed from remains of long-dead plants and animals, the circumstances of creation while theoretically can be replicated with a combination of powerful wood and earth jutsu to create and compress the matter, I do not consider a worthwhile process to pursue as the chakra requirements and he trouble involved would be more than it is worth. 
-the sun could theoretically be harnessed with the right wood jutsu to absorb its rays. All it would take is to figure out how to optimize a jutsu-made plant to absorb the suns rays for maximum photo-synthesis. Requires me to gain wood jutsu however, currently only attainable by kekkei genkai. Possible Step 1.5: engineer around kekkei genkai limitations?
-natural sage energy: there are legends of these techniques to absorb energy from the environment use Sage techniques. All it needs is chakra control, a summoning contract, and meditation. Only problem is whether to share it with me would probably by the animals choice. hm.
-the tailed beasts have potential. They certainly give the most chakra per body, as well as come with built in abilities to help their hosts survive. Problem is to get even one involves high-level political meddling, incredibly dangerous fuinjutsu to transfer them from one person to another, probably having to fight them myself, if anything goes wrong it will be disastrous. The Jinchuuriki are frankly powerhouses amid scalpels, I am confused at how badly the nations treat them, as its generally not wise to mistreat people raised from birth to have the power to destroy cities. 
On the other hand if they are so badly treated, if I can figure out a method to take the tailed beast out of the host without killing them- there has to be, a smoother transition of power to the new generation is more optimal and that includes the person that can teach the new jinchuuriki how to wield their vast power- then I can perhaps go to the more badly mistreated ones and persuade them that I can cure their cursed status, give them normality. I might even only need one of the tailed beasts for my purposes and given the raw power nature of the tailed beasts I doubt their abilities are all that unique, they are without technique or skill, thus I doubt the tailed beasts have much need to learn new ways of using their power. Once the energy requirements are met, replicating anything they do is probably more of a matter of nature transformation than anything else.

*Step Four: Gathering all Jutsu*
The next step is complicated, I must gather all jutsu in one place so that I may start learning them at my convenience. Problem is, is it even possible to acquire them all legitimately? Given all the other steps, the Shinobi nations would likely view me as a threat even before I start doing this, give that if I'm at this step, I'd probably have some big source of power, immortality and creating some way of memorizing vast amounts of information. Ninja are inherently secretive of their techniques, some willing to take them to the grave. Hunter-nin are designed to make sure they don't spill secrets even after that. Kekkei Genkai requires genetics to function at all, which requires figuring out how to engineer around kekkei genkai. At this point, my efforts have to be patient, careful. I have to look like I'm not a threat to the villages. Then there is the jutsu known only by those who are already dead. Do I dare to try to figure out a way to resurrect people from the dead? If I do I have figure out what people I can ethically or morally bring back to serve the cause of knowledge.

Another thing to seriously consider is whether I want to attempt to acquire the Sharingan from the Uchihas. Their ability to acquire Jutsu by sight would speed up the process immensely, and Dojutsu are transferable unlike most kekkei genkai. There is a risk to this as they themselves are powerful ninja and would not give up their most powerful ability to any enemy, much less a rival clan like an Ishikawa. I will in all likelihood have to use force to get even one eye- but one eye would be all I need for my purposes. I doubt most of the fanciful legends involving the Sharingans higher capabilities are even true, as there is no consistency or logic to what the legends claim they do.
The true hard part of course is convincing the shinobi nations that I'm not a threat, or at least that I'm not worth going after. Ninja are paranoid and will see a threat in me regardless of what I do. Perhaps the power of Ninshu if I can discover its secrets, can allow me to get my meanings across to others? 
Or perhaps I simply need someone that can handle the social side of things. Someone who will understand my cause. An Advocate, so to speak. Such an advocate will need to be someone I can trust beyond all others. But what social expert would advocate my cause? Not clear.

Even if I do gather all much jutsu, that makes me a huge target for other people to steal the knowledge, which means I have to figure out a powerful means of securing the knowledge so that they don't. If they want to learn all jutsu as well, they have to share. Maybe start copying and selling copies of jutsu to others so they also have what they want?

*Step five: Learning All Jutsu:*
If I accomplish these steps, theoretically I can just settle into having the greatest library of jutsu that will ever be that will be constantly updated by ninja contributing to it as the years pass by. I don't expect the work of learning them all to be finished any time soon. My dream is intentionally designed to be long and to occupy my time as much as possible, to provide me with things to do for a long time than a realistic platform I can definitively achieve, for if I achieve it, once I am the top of the mountain where to go from there? Step six is unknown to me, hopefully there is no limit to what I can learn. For if I finally reach the pinnacle....

....What will I do then?


She still has no answer for the question at the bottom. At the current moment, she doesn't particularly care.

----------


## igordragonian

Coincidently or not, the medic nin is a Fukaimi member. 
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X9W2L2A6DUc/hqdefault.jpg
It was one of their preffered roles, due to their idealogy. But usually the village's needs pushed them to other roles which were more efficent with their bloodline ability.

Senko might know this guys, he is one of veterans of the medic nins, and come here, probably more often then anyone here would have liked.
Shizumeru is in middle of treating the injured guy. 
'Ah.' He give glance at Senko. 'You, and your antics again? Well, you lucky it worked out this time. He'll live. Though, I wouldn't suggest him to rap anytime soon.'



Jirou should have no trouble to get there, but where ever he go, it seems there are cats.
He does see a character jump from the lab's window to a roof- if he want to try and chase him..

----------


## Rater202

"My antics are going to revolutionize the world, Medic-san," Senko replies, annoyed at being disrespected by a member of a family that embodied everything backward about the ninja world. She hands him the drug. "Give him this, it should help his recovery. Unless you need me, I have some... leads to follow up on."

If she's not stopped, Senko goes back to her lab and, after getting her cadaver and parts scroll back from Menko, partitions out the retrived sample of the intruder's blood. One sample is set aside to give to the village's forensics team(which Senko will do offscreen,) while the majority of the blood is put in a special vial and resealed for the sake of her research later.

And then... Then she heads to the abandoned communications lab.

----------


## igordragonian

Shizumeru is relativly more open the most of his clan, due to socializing with others more, and for more years. But he never liked the labs. Or Senko, or anything that the labs did. But he was proffesional enough to keep it dry interactions.
And he just nod. But he won't trust those vial, until someone like Jirou will tell him to.

If anytime, were good for snooping around- this was.
The masked wierdo did suceeded, in making distractions.

The old communication lab. This was one, Nozojo's kingdom. He revoulatianized the communcation tech, in a way no other village did, mostly finding way to make it cheap and accesable to the point, every team had at least one device.
Here, his dreams of the radio station was born.
Most of what remained here, is crap.
Random nice crap, that tech geeks would love, but still a piles of crap.
search will lead her under the working table, there were a safe in the table, with a sealing paper- that seemed to require certain set of seals in order to unlock it.
But who know what traps have Nozojo planted here, in case she failed?
Can she trust a creep with this?

----------


## Rater202

Senko hardens her body with her limbs of heavenly steel ability, then does the proper seals. dog, horse, rabbit, dragon, dog.

If he was telling the truth... Paydirt.

If he was lying... Well, she was going to have to drain mass out of a cadaver anyway, to heal her broken fingers and grow back to her natural height.

In a way, Senko's life depends on perfecting her cell grafting technique. It's the key to stabaizing her chakra and thus, getting her rages under control. If this can help her... She has to take the risk.

----------


## igordragonian

> Senko hardens her body with her limbs of heavenly steel ability, then does the proper seals. dog, horse, rabbit, dragon, dog.
> 
> If he was telling the truth... Paydirt.
> 
> If he was lying... Well, she was going to have to drain mass out of a cadaver anyway, to heal her broken fingers and grow back to her natural height.
> 
> In a way, Senko's life depends on perfecting her cell grafting technique. It's the key to stabaizing her chakra and thus, getting her rages under control. If this can help her... She has to take the risk.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B27y...annel=evananic

The safe humm, something vibrating...
the trap might not be as simple as tanking damage.
it might-
the door slide and open.
There is ledder downside.
Assuming Senko dare venture inside-
*Spoiler: Inside the safe*
Show



It's a room.
A child's room.
A nice child's room.
Either for some chidren, or simply hosting few stages of the same child- cradle, small bed, and a bed for a bid child.
There are toys, manga books, a nice rug of 'Super Samurai', scrolls of jutsus... and an operating bed.
vials. tubes. There is another door, which lead to a training room, expansive and impressive, with summon seal sealed into the metalic floor- to summon some kind of animal?

There is a note on the homework desk, where at least chunin level work were worked on, and the notworks were written to belong to 'Ottomaru- The Son and Hope Of Ottokagure!'

On the bed, there is a photo, of a younger and happier looking Nozojo, hugging a child. https://assets.puzzlefactory.pl/puzz...5/original.jpg
on the back of the photo written
'_Me and daddy.'_

----------


## Rater202

Senko sheds a single tear, a thousand scenarios flooding her mind and none of them good, then forces herself into serious mode.

She came here for a reason. She can cry later.

She looks through the notes and documents... What happened here?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He spots the figure jumping
"Kikenna, make sure Senko is safe, I have someone to pursue."
He leaps away, following the figure and calling out while drawing his sword
"I don't recognize you! Stop! before I take you by force!"
He had no time to waste, the lab was attacked and any figure unaccounted for had to be.

Meanwhile Kikenna goes into the lab and quickly runs to see the scene of the crime asking to the ninja around.
"What happened here? Where is Senko? Jirou is pursuing some figure we didn't see at the moment, I'm here to check the situation his stead."

----------


## igordragonian

As Jirou chase the figure, he notice a small cat running on two in parallel-
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...708Eg&usqp=CAU


He might recongnize him from Kimiko's stories as one of the summoned animals who serve the Nekozaki clan. Though their servitude might have a diffrent tone-
They reffer to the Nekozaki's clan as "cousins".
The escaping character has long sleeves, which wierdly flay like flags behind him.
_Stop.
I hate you._
Jirou hear a voice echo in his head. The voice filled with rage and bloodlust.
But it sound like a boy? Old as Kimiko?
He jump on a roof, kicking water tank at his pursuers.
_"You try to steal my place. I hate you.
But your death won't help my plans, so stop.
I hate you. To spread despair, I still need you alive.
I hate you. Leave me ALONE!"_ 
he try to manipulate Jirou's emotions with a screech powered by a jutsu, pumping Jirou's heart with an artifical terror.
_"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!"_

------

The injured lab guard, is carried on a strecher, Shirumeru notice Kikena. He tolerate kunichis-many are kunichis,after all. But he carry shades, probably to hide his disdain.
But still,he is one of the veteran medics.
And right now seems to be in command of the scene.
"The long sleeved missing nin has attacked again. Targeting Jirou's brat,Senko. He is a complete mad man-he stole some important documents but then made paper shurikens out of them- and all documents were saved or destroyed... he seemed to only care for Senko.
This guy here, got an acid splash at his face... I must admit, that brat Senko has saved him, using her... exprimential powers. She even offered to improve it-" he is showing the vial.
Shirumeru didn't liked Senko, but he wad trying to be fair. "I don't feel like doing expriements, but if Jirou will take responsibility over the results I will do it. He will live, we just taking him to recovery." He report.

"I told the guards to spread and look for bombs and other things,the missing nin might have done. Senko was here three  minutes ago"

------

It seems that someone(the Ottokage?) Has stripped away any infromaration that would be directly useful. No scientific journals or anything like that.

But,Senko can find some glimpses of hints- there is a small radio, with a chibi heyna sticker, which it seems get three channels,with titles-
"Hope Generation Classroom"
"Daddy's office"
And "Anbu Command Center".

And the notebooks- they are quite high level. Some might challenge even Jirou's knowledge.
But nothing that Senko wouldnt have acces to,if she searched for.
A lot about bloodlines and sound based jutsu.

But, more intresting(?) Are some comments which... Ottomaru(?) Has written and scriblled at the sides of his notebooks.
Things like
"Wow. Ameoku is scary"
"The pills make me apathic, but daddy say it will make me the greatest shinobi, so I could protect and heal all those broken people. I love this village. Can't wait to actually meet them" scribble of musical note*

Or "Usagi is crazy. Hahaha. I can't wait meeting her!"
Comments that show that... he know the Hope Generation quite well. Each of them.
"Mayuwo sucks. But I'll deal with him"
"Yoru is so badass!"
Later he has drawn stick figure style scribbles- drawing someone with shark teeth.
"Ouch! Does those damn teeth ache and hurt so much to Kimiko as well?"
The page is actually bitten off, and few spots of blood(?) Stain it.

Or "How do I push back my rib? Ouch"
Later notebooks

"Hearing everything six times sucks."

"My head hurt. The new pills doesn't help'
"My head hurt."
"Why does my head have to hurt?"
'Why can't everyone just shut up?"

Now there are.. "violent" scriblles, of stick men people which get hurt in creative ways.
"Why can't everyone just shut up?"

And last comment.
"Hope is a lie. I will save them from the lie. I will save them all."

Senko can search more and more... but being caught here might be dangerouse. The Ottokage bothered to hide this place after all.

----------


## Rater202

Senko leaves the room and closes the vault behind her... She can... She'll come back later... Right now...

Senko starts heading back to her laboratory. She'll probably be visible to anyone looking for her on the way, but... (Unless she ends up crossing the crime scene?)

Senko is no longer planning to handover the blood sample to forensics. She's sure that nothing will come of it.

...The gears turning in her mind tkeep coming back to a dangerously reckless plan to force the whole story out though.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He quickly shakes off the genjutsu, maintaining his control. He felt terror before. He remembers when he was six, with only a kunai and barely any training to his name, remembering when the flames of his first home and driving a kunai into a genin's heart. He remembers fleeing Kirigakure in terror surrounded by people more powerful than him, death imminent at any moment. This was nothing compared to that day. He sheathes his sword and quickly forms hand seals in response
"Water Release: Water Tentacle Jutsu."
He makes water burst out of the water tank to try and entangle the figure in watery bindings. 
"You will explain yourself. If your working with Futility-San, interrogation is the best option I can give you."

*Kikenna:*
"Noted. I'll pass along the message, and I'm sure he will have a response in the morning. Good we need to make sure this place is more secure from now on. Do you know where Senko WENT? Pretty sure we don't want a child potentially going off on their own in a dangerous sitch like this."

----------


## igordragonian

After recovering from the shock, and after some orders, the lab nins are on the move.
As Senko pass through the abandoned parts, a lab nin find her. 
"Ah! Senko-chan, this isn't time to walk around! As far as we know, there might be implanted bombs, or more invaders!"
Well, Senko might assume otherwise.
It seems futility-san Ottomaru has achieved what he wanted.
But the lab guards don't have a way to know or assume so.
------

Serumero sigh. "Well, no. I wanted to make sure the sound accords  of the injured nin will function after all this- acid is a very mean weapon. But the guards are searching all the labs now. If Senko isn't a complete idiot and ran off from the labs, they should find her soon. If you don't need anything else for me, I want to take the injured to the hospital."

-----

He release a spray of acid, which vaporize the water, running.
_"You are not in place to make demands of me, you FAKE. It's easier for me, to keep you alive, but if I'll kill you, at least Kimiko will be in despair. Don't push me. I HATE YOU"_

The cat meanwhile, seemd to jump around without reason- if Jirou is observant enough, he will understsnd the summoned cat is wiring an almost invisble wire around the roof that the missing nin is on.

----------


## Rater202

"I apologize, but the intruder said... It was nothing, just a lie to throw me off balance and I fell for it."

Senko is lying of course, but with her monotone, it is difficult to tell.

"If the labs might be at risk then I should return to my own. There are sensitive experiments and classified documents that... Well, it is best if I handle the search of my own lab for traps myself."

Senko rushes past the searchers and does not acknowledge anyone else until she gets to her lab.

*Crime scene*

Snek girl has been here the entire time.

"Senko-sama asked me to store some blood, healed the guy's wounds, got really smol and adorable, ran off, came back with some drug she's been working on, then ran off again. She's probably in her lab and"

Menko vanishes in a puff of smoke.

*Senko's lab*

Menko appears in a puff of smoke before Senko

"So... Kikenna's looking for you and"

"Not now," Senko says while unsealing her "emergency snack"

"I am going to drain biomass from my prepared cadaver to return to my natural height and heal my broken fingers. Then, I am going to prepare a sample. After that, I will need you to draw some fomrulas on my body."

"...This isn't fun anymore."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"....Why do you hate me? I don't think I'm replacing a criminal any time soon. After all, I'm still loyal to my village. Your position as a terrorist is safe."
He sarcastically remarks back, partly to keep Futility-san talking and partly to keep his attention on himself. 

*Kikenna:*
She blinks as Menko is summoned
"...No, nothing more. Good luck, Serumero I have a genin to watch over."
She  decides to try and walk to Senko's lab and say
"Hey, I'm just going to be here to make sure your kept safe. We don't know if Futility-San is going to making a repeat attack or not."

----------


## Rater202

> *Kikenna:*
> She blinks as Menko is summoned
> "...No, nothing more. Good luck, Serumero I have a genin to watch over."
> She  decides to try and walk to Senko's lab and say
> "Hey, I'm just going to be here to make sure your kept safe. We don't know if Futility-San is going to making a repeat attack or not."


Senko is standing in the middle of the room naked and covered in ninjutsu formulas commonly seen in medical ninjutsu to help regulate a patient's chakra.

She has a vial of the same drug from earlier in one hand and a syringe in the other.

Menko has ink on her fingers and appears to be trying to shake out a cramp.

"You are so lucky that they made me do calligraphy for some reason."

"Okay, but I understand that most people would find this incredibly awkward."

And then she jabs the needle into her other arm and pushes down the plunger.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kikenna:*
She isn't sure what is happening
"Uh...kid? you sure your supposed to jam a needle into yourself like that? I'm not familiar with procedures around here but I do know poisons and how injecting too much can be lethal because I need to carefully measure that stuff so I can build up immunities, and I'm not clear what that serum is or what the antidote to it would be? Kuso, if you just did something stupid, Jirou is going to have my head for this! what to do, what to do..."
She is.....wracking her brain to come up with something looking about, for all she knows she might be interrupting something needed and she doesn't know how poisons interact with Senko's unique biology. her intuition's telling her this probably isn't right, but she doesn't know for sure and its making her uncertain.

----------


## Rater202

Senko drinks the vial she's holding. Then deliberately rebrakes her finger just in case this is Ottomaru under a genjutsu again.

Assuming this is actually Kikenna, Senko continues as such.

"As you are not my parent, not my legal guardian, not my direct superior in the chain of command, and just got here, all responsibility falls on me, not you."

"The intruder, this 'Futility-san,' left some blood behind and let slip that he was the result of experiments similar to my own. I... The sample of blood was small, the chances of getting more... non-existent"

"The truth is, all of the hopes, dreams, and plans for the future I've expressed were only childish fantasies. I don't plan to live long. If I don't get my homicidal rages, my berserk state, my _dangerous transformation_ under control by my eighteenth birthday, I plan to terminate my own life rather than spend the rest of it a danger to everyone around me. This could be my one and only shot at a breakthrough in the treatment needed to balance my chakra and develop the control I need to stop being a threat to everyone around me. To relax instead of walking everywhere constantly second-guessing whether I remembered to do what I need to do to minimize the risk I pose... To have the freedom to _live_."

"It might have been my only shot, so I had to take it."

This is the Truth. It's not the _whole_ truth, she's playing the "if this goes wrong we can blackmail the Otokage into admitting that futility-san is his fault and maybe figure out exactly how he was modified" part, but everything else is true.

----------


## igordragonian

He know speak from his mouth.
"Nice plan. But I'll entertain you, since you think so aloud."

The cat has finished a first wire circling his roof, and now adding a second wire, and also sticking paper talismans on the first one.
It seems he try to trap the roof so "Futility-san" couldnt escape. Hopefully it won't go against the cat and Jirou.
"How about I tell my plan for Kimiko.. about... six years from now?' He chage into older version of Kimiko wearing a bride kimono, but she has barely devolped, she is skeletaly thin, her face filled with acid burns, one eye is missing, bat ears, long buddah ears are stiched clmusily at the sides of her face, her one eye tearing.
"...... I don't want to learn any jutsu anymore.. please.. if you love.. me.. kill me"
Also  sending artifical emotions of...guilt into Jirou.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"No! Kimiko! This can't be, I feel so guilty over-"
He begins to feel guilt then stops as his brain encounters a logical inconsistency with the illusion presented and he just becomes confused.
"-Wait, what do I have to feel guilty over? None of that has happened yet. I saw you transform in front of me, I know your not her. Still disturbing to look at though. However thank you for telling me your plans...so what your saying is I have a six year deadline to kill you before you force that upon her."
He falls into a battle ready stance, his gaze turning fierce
"Time to complete my new project early. I'll have your corpse presented to the Otokage as my final product."
His brain notes that he can hear his thoughts, as well as the fact that he was clearly misapplying the emotion of guilt, as it works on best things that already happened when he should've been trying to go for fear of the future- and even his fears for what the world will do to Kimiko is heavily mixed with his fears of what _Kimiko_ will do to the _world_.

*Kimiko:*
Meanwhile she sneezes and mutters
"Why do I feel like someone is underestimating me somewhere?"
She considers another one her plans
"Hm, if my idea of self-reproducing viral fuinjutsu seals is true and if I can figure how exactly to permanently transform someone using chakra, I could test such seals relatively safely by designing them to transform everyone they spread on into hot lesbians! Fun and informative! I think there is only one other problem with this idea? I think it start with "eth" or something...? Eh if its really important I'm sure someone else will let me know. Oh right! Potential lack of reproduction for the species of humanity. Will have to design a way around that. After all, whats the point of inventing things if no one is around to show it to?"
Well....she's not wrong. 

*Back with Jirou:*
He suddenly throws four water storage seals upwards, then flashes through various seals and shouts
"Four Boars Technique!"
What attack forms has nothing to do with what he says: water appears from all four scrolls, separates into tiny bullets of water then zooms at Futility-San from all directions in a deadly storm, while his mind was purely focused on killing him for daring to take that form. There were probably better plans than this, but after that? This guy deserves whatever pain he can inflict on him. He wanted to see Futility-San suffer and die.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's Lab*

Anyway, in rats the process usually has results within a minute of injection.

Off in the corner, a rat in a cage transforms into a monster, rampages for a bit, then changes back and passes out.

"I should really figure out what to do with the rats that survive. It feels cruel to put them down but releasing them into the wild to breed and spread my 'kekkei genkai' among the local population would be _horribly_ irresponsi_blargf_!"

Senko is interrupted by the fact that she just vomited blood.

Senko's veins are now visibly darkened and bulging against her skin which is pulled tight... And then her skin starts splitting along invisible seams.

For a moment, Senko seems to be shifting around herself, bones and organs twisting around as stripes of skin spiraling around her flayed form, the shapes of everything shifting randomly, but then firey orange energy radiating from what... _seems_ to be her heart spreads over everything and then pulls everything back into a single shape.

Senko is solid black for a moment, but then the energy starts fading back into her not unlike when she's coming down from her berserk state.

It _looks_ like she's suddenly wrapped in bandages from the jaw down, but if Kikenna looks closer it becomes apparent that they're too thin. On close inspection, it's clearly thin ribbons of paper spiraling and weaving around themselves.

Also, there's something up with her ears.

"Well, that... Was the third worst pain I've ever felt."

She tries to play it off as no big deal, but the shakiness of her voice and the look of pain on her face says that no, that was a big deal.

She sits down. "If I pass out, please burn the blood I just vomited."

----------


## igordragonian

Sick thin mature Kimiko rips to bloody pieces when the water slash from everywhere.

Futility-San is behind Jirou now- he replaced himself with a clone looking like Kimiko.
_"No plan can't work against me, when I can hear your thoughts and sense your intent, faker. Now you have a bit of taste, of what the Ninja World has given me."_

And with that, he try to splash acid at Jirou's back.

The cat is ready with the third trapped wire.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He gets hit with the acid-and the water clone dissolves. Jirou had sent a clone to confront Futility-san directly from the very beginning. Then a kunai is thrown from the shadows with a flashbang tag on it. It activates, and makes a big flash in his face causing a few seconds of blindness and afterimages afterwards and a loud BANG! About 170 decibels. A noise that induces temporary deafness and may even cause permanent hearing loss, as well disturbing the fluids in the ear to cause a temporary loss of balance. Despite the nonlethal intention of the seal, the blast is still concussive and can cause injuries and the seal been known to set flammable things on fire. Its less lethal, but still nasty. These are all things a normal person can expect. Who knows how such a tag affects someone with such incredibly sharp hearing that they can hear thoughts?

Furthermore, Jirou suspected that while his hearing may be powerful, his attention and ability to discern and process the information it gave him was still human. He cannot possibly pay attention to or notice everything. Jirou will leap out of the shadows when the flashbang finished going off to stab Futility-san in the head while he is hopefully clutching at his ears from the ear-wrecking explosion of light and sound.

*Kikenna:*
She doesn't know what to say or do so she starts trying to call Jirou on the radio, but he isn't picking up right now. He should probably know about this.
"Kuso kuso kuso why did this have to happen on my watch kusoooo....pick up Jirou, pick up!"

----------


## Rater202

"Ugh... It's fine... I'm fine... I can feel my body adapting to the changes... My cells... Part of cel control is an awareness of my cells. I don't have cancer and my immune system isn't attacking the cells that have taken in the donor's chakra... So, I'm gonna live... It's just... Hurts like hell..."

I'll be back to normal... Eventually.

The fact that Senko is using contractions proves this is more serious that she's trying to play it off as. She doesn't seem to be lying, but she's severely underplaying how badly this hurts and just how long it might take to get back to normal.

"Should have... Should have gone to Ryuchi Cave first. ...Menko-chan... Could you grab the bottle of isopropyl alcohol off that top shelf and pour some onto the blood I threw up? I'd uh... Look, the intruder knew his way around these labs and had at least three kekei genkai. I'd rather not leave my DNA just laying around."

"What does isiproply mean?"

"...Damn it."

----------


## igordragonian

> *Jirou:*
> He gets hit with the acid-and the water clone dissolves. Jirou had sent a clone to confront Futility-san directly from the very beginning. Then a kunai is thrown from the shadows with a flashbang tag on it. It activates, and makes a big flash in his face causing a few seconds of blindness and afterimages afterwards and a loud BANG! About 170 decibels. A noise that induces temporary deafness and may even cause permanent hearing loss, as well disturbing the fluids in the ear to cause a temporary loss of balance. Despite the nonlethal intention of the seal, the blast is still concussive and can cause injuries and the seal been known to set flammable things on fire. Its less lethal, but still nasty. These are all things a normal person can expect. Who knows how such a tag affects someone with such incredibly sharp hearing that they can hear thoughts?
> 
> Furthermore, Jirou suspected that while his hearing may be powerful, his attention and ability to discern and process the information it gave him was still human. He cannot possibly pay attention to or notice everything. Jirou will leap out of the shadows when the flashbang finished going off to stab Futility-san in the head while he is hopefully clutching at his ears from the ear-wrecking explosion of light and sound.
> 
> *Kikenna:*
> She doesn't know what to say or do so she starts trying to call Jirou on the radio, but he isn't picking up right now. He should probably know about this.
> "Kuso kuso kuso why did this have to happen on my watch kusoooo....pick up Jirou, pick up!"



Futilit-san fall on one knee, blood spilled again from under his mask.
'Ha. So I guess MY sister has learned this trick from you.' He is dioriented- but not as helpless,as he was against Senko- he took... a soldier pill to numb the pain.

'But if pain and blood... I guess, I could use my least favorite ability.'
he raise his sleeved arms-
sending ten bone bullets, one from each hand.

The cat spin and pass by Jirou. 'Try to push him toward the wires. Not to downplay you, as my lovely master does- but I fear, the longer the fight go, the more likely, this creep will go more extreme.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He channels the water seal of his blade to create a water whip that he swings to whap aside the bone bullets. He pumps even even chakra into it to make the water whip even larger, making big and power and swings it again like a massive tentacle to try and knock Futility-san into the wires like a small surging river rushing at him.

*Kikenna:*
"I know what that is."
She looks and soon finds the isoprobyl alcohol and begins pouring it on the blood.
"Yeah, this stuff is apart of stuff I was taught as an infiltrator, sometimes you need to kill someone and dispose of the body so that isn't found and that includes the blood they spill. The harder it is to find....well the better. and I know my drugs and poisons so....doesn't waste chakra rather than learning evidence-washing ninjutsu."

----------


## Rater202

It's also an effective disinfectant

A shard of bone juts out of Senko's wrist, spreading the strips of paper... Then it retracts into her and the paper tightens back into a facsimile of flesh.

"Okay, either the intruder has dead bone pulse, in which case this _should_ clear up rather quickly once I've fully assimilated that bloodline... Or I've made a terrible, terrible mistake."

"You called him futility-san. This clearly means this wasn't his first attack. What else has he done?"

----------


## igordragonian

"Take cover!" Yell the cat,

As Futlity-San seems to be too slow to act- thrown at the wires, set of three explosions explode-

Half of the roof is gone, and all that remains is a half mask.

The cat pant. "... I am happy that we are done with this guy."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
When the smoke clear and Futility-san is seemingly gone he says
"Perhaps. But maybe I should-"
Before he can finish his thought about investigating further he receives a radio call from Kikenna about Senko
"I'll be right over. I have important business to take care of. Nice working with you, Cat-san."
He does a quick bow then leaps away

*Kikenna:*
After radioing Jirou she answers:
"This is second or third hand, but I heard from Jirou that apparently the first test or mission that Team 3 was given was to go to this music club in the bad part of town. Was to infiltrate and sing a song there. They managed to get in but the story goes that backstage Futility-san attacked when they were trying to replace a band of dropout academy students, thankfully Team 3 managed to pull through and Kimiko even got the killing blow on him- that the village's star child prodigy got a kill on her first day.

Afterwards though, Usagi was apparently jealous or something and did something to provoke Kimiko and challenge her to some stupid duel over petty reasons, I wasn't there so I can't really tell you the details but it ended in a tie and Usagi got carted off the hospital because she fainted from exhaustion or something then a mysterious person tried to quietly kill Usagi there- we think it might've been Futility San there as well but we're not sure, but thankfully I think Odayama was there?

Basically the guy is a terrorist who has been attacking genin and the fact that he is alive is....bad. The corpse we found was pretty confirmed to be a real body given that Kimiko cut his head off. It means he has some jutsu capable of making real copies of himself or something to die for him. Your either lucky or he was just playing around with you, because time he attacked Team it took them and three academy dropouts to take him down and those dropouts? well they didn't come out unscathed: none of them are dead but they're injured and probably won't be playing music any time soon. Can't tell you much more than that."

Jirou will then arrive and ask Kikenna what the situation is, who will do her best to inform him, after which he will pinch the bridge of his nose and say
"and the night just keeps on getting better and better. Sigh. Okay. Two concerns:
1. Is Senko healthy? This is most important."
"She vomited blood then her form went very.....horrifying....for a moment before she returned to relatively normal. I don't know enough to say whether she is okay and I don't recommend see what occurred, I don't think I could describe what happened if I tried. She is talking and trying to assess the situation calmly which seems to be in character with her normal disposition."
"Hm. We should probably get a medic nin to take a look at her, the last thing we should ever trust in this situation is a patients self-diagnosis. But her condition doesn't seem...immediately dangerous. Which brings me to the second concern:"
He turns to Senko
"Your hearing. If this is the same genetic mix as futility san's, then there is a concern that you possibly hear thoughts. The problem is, I am going to be Otokage at some point and thus will have to keep numerous state secrets. I don't know how many thoughts someone can hear from that genetic mix, or if it will have the same effect on you because of your unique biology, but there is a chance that you'll hear something and be a potential leak of state secrets."
"but clan Fukaimi is already an established clan, probably with this very ability to hear thoughts, wouldn't the Otokage have already worked out appropriate safety measures concerning such an ability?"
"Perhaps. We'll have to ask him, as whether the Fukaimi can actually do this could be a concern for both security and effectiveness reasons. But still, we can't have a genin potentially overhearing things she shouldn't. For her own safety if nothing else."
"Aren't you worrying a little too much? Hearing thoughts is probably a very rare and highly skill-required ability. If the Fukaimi clan could all do that, I'm pretty sure we'd know, even if they hid it people would start figuring out the pattern of the Fukaimi responding to actions before they're taken."
"True. But you can never be too sure with young geniuses and strange bloodlines. I once fought Mojin Uchiha during the finals of the Chuunin Exams, was one my toughest battles of my life. Pulled out Second Tomoe Sharingan on me. Point is while I don't doubt Senko's ability to keep and handle such secrets since she basically is one, security is security for a reason."
He didn't want to think about what'd she think of the clan secrets he was currently keeping, positively or negatively.

----------


## Rater202

"How about I just let you know if I start hearing thoughts."

"Though honestly, I can't possibly think of any secrets you could know running this village that I don't either already know, can infer on my own, or that would make me want to share them."

"I mean, it's not like you performed horribly inhumane experiments on your secret son that drove him insane."

"By the way..."

Senko stands up and gets dressed, having recovered her strength.

"I think you need to see something. Menko cold you help me... Hide this? I don' want too much attention right now."

"I'll see what I can do."

Snek girl turns back into snek and slither's up inside Senko's robe before casting her "This is Normal" genjutsu, which, since he is wrapped around Senko, should project the Aura around Senko's body and prevent people from paying too much attention to Senko's body.

----------


## igordragonian

The cat light a pipe.
'So,what do you think Ameoku-dono?'

Ameoku has jumped on the ruined roof.
'He was ok for a chunin. Still not nearly worthy of being Ottokage, or bossing me and the other Thunders around.'"
'Why you told me to help him? Ottomaru had the potential to kill him, nyahoho.' he chuckle like a middle aged annoying uncle.

'...He may be an arrogant fool who try to chew over his weight class, but he still a Sound Ninja."

'Well, at least we got ridden of Ottomaru-kun.' the cat sent a donut shaped smoke.

'No. We didn't.' Ameoku said sniffing the air.
'This is just the begining.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He raises an eyebrow.
_I'll let her figure out the Ishikawa's secret plans involving the three tailed beast by herself then._
Then says
"Something to show me? And what would....your not joking about the secret son thing are you? Figures, you never joke."
"Yeah, guess she had to get a summoning contract to do that for her, isn't that right, Menko?"
Kikenna says with a catlike grin at the snake.
"Show us then, if need be."

----------


## Rater202

*Senko*

Menko can't see the smile.

"...Did... did you think I was serious about the Harem? Wait, is that an option?" Senko jokes all the time. She just has a rather dry delivery. And is more making people uncomfortable for her own amusement than trying to make them laugh. "If that's an option then I need to seriously reevaluate my life plans. "

Senko leads the two Chunin, as discreetly as she can, to the abandoned communications room and, assuming there's no one present, opens the vault back up so that Jirou and Kikenna can see what's inside.

----------


## igordragonian

> *Senko*
> 
> Menko can't see the smile.
> 
> "...Did... did you think I was serious about the Harem? Wait, is that an option?" Senko jokes all the time. She just has a rather dry delivery. And is more making people uncomfortable for her own amusement than trying to make them laugh. "If that's an option then I need to seriously reevaluate my life plans. "
> 
> Senko leads the two Chunin, as discreetly as she can, to the abandoned communications room and, assuming there's no one present, opens the vault back up so that Jirou and Kikenna can see what's inside.


Nozojo is there. 
He looks pale.
'...That a strange place for a walk after an attack.' He say.

----------


## Rater202

> Nozojo is there. 
> He looks pale.
> '...That a strange place for a walk after an attack.' He say.


"Well... This is the worst-case scenario. I wanted to show Ishikagawa-sensei the evidence and let him come up with a plan of action, but... I know. I know about everything. Ottomaru told me about this place... How_ could_ you?"

Beat Panel.

"Unless you are Ottomaru under a genjutsu." Senko goes to break another finger, only for it to fold becuase her fingers are made of paper right now.

"Well, that is inconvenient."

----------


## Lord Raziere

> *Senko*
> 
> Menko can't see the smile.
> 
> "...Did... did you think I was serious about the Harem? Wait, is that an option?"


"No." Jirou says
"Yes." Kikenna says at the same. Then look at each other.
"Kikenna, No. You know it isn't an option." Jirou says reproachfully.
"Well it should be."
"The relationship dynamics of such things are questionable-"
"But people should still be able to be free to have the relationships they want, and if such complex relationships don't work out, they don't, you don't go anywhere if you don't explore, experiment and take a risk."
"But we can think ahead and think through the possible consequences of doing so to see if its a bad idea ahead of time-"
"Which might be wrong! You do nothing but speculate all your going to get is long-winded nerdiness and hot air."
Their little debate is cut short when the vault opens to reveal Nozojo.
"....Can we close it again? I'm all for closing the door and letting him die whether he is impostor or not."
"Kikenna! No! Bad!"
"Hey you brought me into this because I'm not respectful towards him, you can't demand that from me, I'm doing exactly what I'm here to do which is to counterbalance his influence to make sure you don't get too inactive in changing things like him."
"Well, he is still a person, it would still be wrong without knowing whether its the real one. We'd need evidence for that. That and if Ottomaru used this room before wouldn't he know how to get out again?"
"Look, all I'm saying is that regardless of how sus he is, its a risk I'm willing to take."
"Sigh."
"So hey old fart, how you doing tonight, still doing jack-squat to realize the dreams you claim to want to achieve?"
"Let me guess, Ottomaru is your son and you had your reasons for trying this or something like that?" Jirou asks tiredly.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo has a very tired smile.
"Any sane ninja would kill you three, right no. No questions asked."
He paused. "Working for a terrorist is quite the big misstep. It will also explain your actions earlier this evening, when you were a guest of the Fuakimi clan. But what should I do? I dont have much time left, and I don't feel like killing you three. So what a tired Ottokage with no patience for nonesense right now, would do with three openly traitors?"

----------


## Rater202

Senko does not give a damn.

"Well, for one... We have not acted on behalf of terrorists, nor have we defected to another country or aided enemies of the Sound Village during wartime, so no, we are not, in fact, traitors."

"For two... For the good of the Sound Village, you certainly would not want to pass up on the chance to steal the Snake Summoning contract out from under their pompous asses, would you? Or give up on the resources that the three of us prove you?"

"Yeah! Kill Senko-Sama and you can kiss any potential Allies in Ryuchi Cave goodbye!"

"Beyond that... There are only three Jounin in this village... And you are not one of the Three Thunders. Logic would dictate that you are, despite your position, a Chunin. If we were traitors, and the sentence for treason is death... One Chunin verses two Chunin and a Genin..."

"If it came to a fight, you are more likely to lose than to win."

"The rational thing to do, would be for you to tell us the truth, and then for you to give me _everything_ you have on what you did to him. I take to biology like Kimiko-san takes to Ninjutsu. I might be able to... cure him. Or reverse what you did. If there is even a scrap of humanity in you, you'd certainly prefer your son to be rehabilitated instead of having to put him down like a rabid dog, yes? If there was a chance to save him?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Aren't you going to stop her?" Kikenna asks as Senko speaks
"No. Senko is a very intelligent young girl and I'm proud that she is making such logical deductions at her age. But yes, we are not working with terrorists. Me and Kikenna were simply pulling a bit of a cross-gender prank on the Fukaimi to challenge their assumptions about gender roles. To call that being traitors and terrorists is a very big stretch at best and outright using it as an excuse to punish us at worst. The rest of our actions have been loyal: I've attempted to catch or kill Futility-San and Kikenna has just been keeping a genin thus fellow comrade as well as important village secret safe, who is also the genin who fought off Futility-san alone for enough time for others to arrive. That is going far beyond the call of duty for a genin of her age. 

Unless your referring to the secret that Senko is attempting to reveal to us right now, which is not technically terrorism as that is a specific tactic of spreading terror among the populace. Traitors hm....well I wasn't aware that any such secret was here to not know until now, so how was I supposed to know I'm doing an action that betrays my village if I wasn't informed there was a secret that would count as betraying my village if I knew it? If even knowing a secret is betrayal, then the only loyal person is an ignorant one. That is the logic of oppressors, not hope and peace. I know there is subtleties and complexities that I do not know yet, but I don't think trusting people with a secret when circumstances like this cause to be leaked is unreasonable. Especially since you didn't destroy this entire small room of evidence which is pretty sloppy. The best kept secrets are ones hidden under death, flame and ashes."

----------


## igordragonian

*'Yoi, yoi. Sorry for being that intense. This place has a personal emotional value for me.'* Nozojo _seemingly_ gotten back to his casual side.
*'But only a certain terrorist, beside me know the code- so, it means either you are truly willingly, either were manipulated to work for him.'* he say, pulling some pills swallowing them. 
For a moment,veins pop on his neck.
*'And you make too much of a big deal out of titles- many of us were genins when we assinated supposedly "Junins" of the leaf. Ha. So much to learn you have... I forgive you.'* he say in fatherly tone.
*'I won't stain my last days with an another child's death.'* he pause.
*So, in short, Senko-chan, all of that is none of your buisness, and be thankful that I am not any either ninja. I still have hope for this village. I will think how to deal with navitiy of your's... but it will be taken in consideration of your weaknesses.'*


To Jirou. *'Yes. I was sloppy.'* he admit. *'But if you would have lost someone dear to you, I think you would have tried to cherish the memories somehow. Sometimes, I go here, allowing myself to cry.'* he laugh, holding his head.
*'The pills... starting to become less and less effective..'* he pause.
*'I am sorry, Jirou-kun. I am just... so... tired.'* he pause.
*'Your idiotic academy student level stunt with the Fukaimis... it is so idiotic, I couldn't believe there weren't some conspiracy behind it.'* he laugh.
*'But ninjas are humans too... no matter how some try to deny it. And arrogant youth are still arrogant youth... if I had time, I would have unburden you, and choose someone else. But you are all I got.'*

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He is going to ignore the Fukaimi thing and focus on the important parts
"Look. I don't approve of this, but if we expose this secret, we'll basically be handing over the village to Ameoku. My entire claim to Otokage is based on your support. We expose this, people will become afraid that a important figure like you turned out to have such a dark secret and desire someone strong to protect them. I don't like it, but this needs to be kept in the dark, especially as Futility-San/Ottomaru or whatever we're calling him now is still at large."
"....Kuso. Your right. We really can't do anything about this. I hate everything about it, but getting into a position where the more systemic injustices can be rectified is more important than this personal one."
"Senko."
He kneels down and puts a hand on her shoulder.
"I know you probably want to do something about this. Your a good person and this comes from good instincts, and I hope you'll do well with them, but this is a matter thats more complex than bringing a single person to justice. If the situation were different I'd be all for it, but now is unfortunately not the time. Honestly I wish I could leave you out of this entirely so that you could enjoy your time without worrying about this, or at least focus your time on curing yourself over worrying about the village. But I need to ask you to please not spill this secret. To anyone. This is a state secret, okay? Let me deal with the Otokage, you keep figuring out a solution to your condition. I promise you that when I take the position, I will not repeat his mistake."

----------


## Rater202

A tear rolls down Senko's cheek. Just the one.

"...I will not be party to the execution of a mentally ill child whose only crime was trusting his parent. The boy seems to be under the impression that we are siblings, and he has already twice attacked Team 3. He will resurface, targeting Team 3 or myself. I will do everything in my power to capture him alive. I will do my best to cure. I will not be convinced otherwise."

"...Ishikawa-sensei? What is the basic most skill of Water Release nature transformation? The thing that is practiced solely to gain experience in transforming your chakra to a pure elemental form and manipulating the element in question? If I do not keep busy I am going to get upset and people tend to get hurt when I am upset. The whole point of this... Procedure is to balance my chakra and grant me alternative ways of practicing chakra control. I should have strong affinities to Water and Earth now, so... If it worked, I should be able to employ nature transformation to improve my control... It is not like I can ask Kimiko-san about basic paper transformation, I would have to explain why I can suddenly use her Kekei genkai. If it did not work... "why did I do this, I don't even know how many bloodlines the boy had... I should have waited until I went to Ryuchi Cave...""

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Its good that you don't want to, because we're not going to send a Genin after a Jounin anyways, right _Otokage-sama?_"
He stresses the last word with a warning tone.
"I will handle that particular.....moral quandary. As for the technique...well my jutsu comes from Kiri....so this probably isn't universal. Mist Palm Technique"
He holds out his other hand, opened palm, then focuses and from it, a small spring or fountain of mist starts flowing from it, the flow not enough to obscure anything but it looks kind of cool.
"This is Mist Palm Jutsu, E-rank. You fill the air with water molecules to make it misty, its the jutsu that is taught to make sure you can pull off Hidden Mist Jutsu by making sure you get used to producing a lot of mist, the technique that Kiri gets its name from."
"Wait really? Its that basic?"
"Yes. Hidden Mist Jutsu is a D-Rank. Any Kiri-nin with water release has it."
"Huh, such a famous jutsu is in fact basic. You learn something new every day."
"So focus on making small water molecules and filling the air with them, I will handle the authority figure that I've lost respect for but have to work with anyways if we want things to be better, and hopefully we can wake up tomorrow and focus on happier things. It will all be alright okay? We can work through this."

----------


## Rater202

"As I understand it, rank is just a guideline. It is determined by the power needed to use the technique, the utility of the technique, and the difficulty that the average person would have learning it: the most powerful and useful technique in the world would be an E-Rank if _anyone_ could do it."

----------


## igordragonian

"Moral dillema? Aren't you a bit hypocrit? I didn't chosen only for being a decent person. "Moral dilemma" Nozojo laugh.
"At least you have sense of humor. Which is a good thing."
To his warning tone, Nozojo say. "We will do what ever is need to be done. Wether we like it or not. "

He looks puzzled at them entering a jutsu discussion.
"Anyway. I figured this might happen. So.. take this, and read and decide before tommorow "moral-dillema-san." He give Jirou an envoloped letter.
"Without the girlfriend and the girl you are expriementing on...." and then wave them off.
"If you are done here... I am going to destory this place.... I hoped to just one day, lay here and die peacfully... but I don't deserve it. I understand. Anyway... see you around Moral-Dilema-san. It seems I ak stuck with you.... bye"
And he they don't go, he make a wind jutsu to simply flying them off the room, slamming the doors behind them

----------


## Rater202

Outside the secret room.

"Ishikawa-sensei? I know you do not wish for me to be involved in this, or in politics, but... What little I know of Odayama-san's wife tells me that she will have seen nothing wrong with what that man did... And that she is also very likely to lead us into a way we cannot win... And that man very strongly implied that he is going to die soon..."

"So, tell me: If your protege stole the Snake Summoning Contract out from under the noses of the Leaf Village, that would reflect well on you, yes? Being 'the' snake summoner and being acknowledged as the Snake Sage, or at least, a Snake Sage in training... That comes with prestige and, potentially, military potential since part of my duties would be negotiating to allow other people to contact with the snakes. If I, as your protege, make such an achievement as only a ten-year-old genin, not only do I have that clout to put behind your claim to be Otokage, but the prestige of those accomplishments is reflected back onto my mentor who obviously did such a good job molding my talents?"

"...Becuase I have talked with Menko-chan about a cover story to get past the border into fire country and... I think I have enough money saved up that I can afford a C-Rank mission. I would like to hire Team 3 to escort me on my trip to Ryuchi Cave, because I do not think I am in any condition to make the trip alone right now but the powers of self-healing and rejuvenation bestowed upon the Snake Sage sound really _freaking_ useful right now and, regardless, I do not feel safe in the village right now... And if Otomaru is still out there, maybe getting team three out of his line of sight for a while would be a good idea."

"Also, Kimiko-san seems to be talented with fuinjutsu and having someone who can restrain me if the natural energy the White Snake Sage is enough to make me go berserk would be nice."

"Do you think you can arrange that? Becuase the reasons to do it sooner, rather than later, are mounting."

Also, if she's the Snake Sage, or at least the Snake Sage in training, then she's entitled to the Snakes' Senjutsu knowledge, which might include things useful for Jirou's project and getting that done sooner rather than later would be more directly good for Jirou's position, but Senko isn't going to say that out loud until they're in a more secure position.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He decides not to respond to Nozojo's jab. He has better things to do than to constantly explain himself to people who don't see the full picture of him. Especially people who don't bother to wait around for a reply.
"Sounds like a plan. However the fact that you entered Fire Country will still be notified by the border guards. If you have a cover story, they probably won't do anything about it but just so you know Leaf will know your there since the point is to track everyone coming in and out, and being confirmed by those border guards is what protects you as they are confirming you there on legitimate business and not infiltrating their country. So while its probably not dangerous by itself if later actions of Team 3 cause them to investigate, that might be a record they look up. And thus something they might question you on if they have reason to investigate it. I know this because we have to do this when entering Fire for the Chuunin Exams. After all if the people who cross the border with the intent to go to the Chuunin Exams don't match the people who enter the Chuunin Exams, they know something is up. Its a useful bit of procedure to make sure everyone is on the up and up.

So yes, I'll arrange it as soon as possible."
Stealing one of Konoha's contracts would be good clout, but he was mostly doing this to make sure Senko was healthy and no longer get her rages. He knew what his priorities were.

----------


## Rater202

Once they're somewhere more secure, Senko fills Jirou in on the cover story she and Menko came up with, in case that's needed.

*However Long this takes to arrange later*

Team 3? You haven't seen Senko in a while. Not long enough to be concerning, but...

That all changes when you meet up today: At your usual meeting place you find Senko and Menko... Kinda.

Menko is wearing the white kimono shirt and red hakama of a Miko.

Senko... Is wearing an ankle-length robe with longer sleeves than normal and a hood that's pulled up over her head: You can see her face and so know it's her, but...

She's also wearing a pair of gloves, and on her feet are what look like black Tabi with soles at the bottom. Not technically shoes, but considering her rant on shoes when you first met, it's odd.

In one hand, Senko is holding a mission scroll.

Okayama would have been told about this ahead of time.

"...So, is anyone ready for a C-Rank mission?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She has been working on her fuinjutsu and practicing her paper release under the renewed more gentle teaching of her mother. Things are bit awkward, however:
Mitsuko watches as Kimiko forms a paper airplane....then a crane....then a lotus....then other paper shapes. She was good at forming them in controlled conditions but they haven't started on making them into combat techniques yet.
"Am I doing well?"
*"When I was your age.....I wasn't nearly this quick. I was actually kind of average as far as the family went. I can only imagine how well you'll be in a few years."*
"Oka-san....what was it like growing up in Kiri? I've heard stories from Uncle Musumu but everyone knows he isn't entirely right in the head."
*"....Not like Sound. The Kiri I knew- this was before Yagura- it was highly competitive. Academy students competed to be better, Genin competed to be second team leader, then competed against other teams to be considered to be sent to the Chuunin Exams at all. Everyone had to pull their weight and teammates would often punish anyone who were weak links. They didn't always kill like at academy graduation though, but sometimes you did find genin who "mysteriously died" if they were perceived by their peers as not shaping up."*
"Oh...Hm. right you did that academy graduation ritual thing....what was it like for you?"
Mitsuko is silent for a moment.
*"....It was horrible kid. I'll tell you about it when you get back from your mission, because well...lets just say it involves your father."*
"Okay..."

Kimiko when she arrives will say
"I sure am! Why are you wearing a miko outfit?"
Then Yuyuyu replies
"I think I can guess why. How you've been doing Kimi?"
"Ah I was just studying fuinjutsu after training for hours with my mom on paper release. Understanding sympathetic links is an important part of both fuinjutsu and contracts. You can do a lot with them once you know how."

*Jirou, Elsewhere:*
He will tentatively open the letter and begin reading.

----------


## Rater202

> Kimiko when she arrives will say
> "I sure am! Why are you wearing a miko outfit?"
> Then Yuyuyu replies
> "I think I can guess why. How you've been doing Kimi?"
> "Ah I was just studying fuinjutsu after training for hours with my mom on paper release. Understanding sympathetic links is an important part of both fuinjutsu and contracts. You can do a lot with them once you know how."


"Becuase officially, four genins and chunin are forming the escort hired to protect I, Menko Honda, Shrine Maiden and Priestess-in-training of the Great Shrine of Inari in northern Rice Country from bandits while I make a pilgrimage to the Great Temple of Inari in southern Fire Country."

Inari, a protean kami who resembles a fox and shifts between male, female, both, and neither in whatever combination strikes Inari's fancy so easily that the only pronoun that accurately describes Inari is "Inari" has dominion over, among other things, the growing of rice. Worship of Inari is not uncommon in rural areas in the Land of Rice and the Land of Fire, both of which are known for the growing of grain, and it is not unheard of for people training to become priests to travel to one or both of the temples that Menko just mentioned.

"Unofficially, however, I am going to Ryuchi Cave. Now is... The sooner I do it, the better, but... I did something very stupid the other day. I am not in the condition to make the trip on my own at this time, but I can not afford to wait until I fully recuperate. I trust you all, and I think it would be a very good idea to have someone skilled at Fuinjutsu on hand in case uh... A code oni happens in the cave and I need to be restrained."

Senko looks toward Kimiko as she says that.

But... While Ryuchi Cave is not exclusive to the Leaf Village, most snake summoners and sages have been from the Leaf and they're not likely to be happy with the idea of a Sound Ninja stealing a major, prestigious summoning contract out from under their noses. So, from the moment we leave to the moment we set foot back in our village, we need to act as if Menko is a Miko on a pilgrimage, and the we are her guards... Instead of you all escorting me because I did something stupid and had to commission an escort. Once I am the Snake Sage, there is nothing they can do about it... But if they find out what our real goal is they might send assassins after me or send their own representatives to the cave to try and earn the position before I can.

----------


## igordragonian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Xl...nnel=Kris00092

Nozojo alone. Cry.
He let himself to cry in what left of his humanity.
Can humanity stay in human who did such inhuman things?
'We will be together soon, my dear son. But... we need to keep the village intact.' he whisper as he place bomb tags.
'I wanted us to die together here, where it all started... but you have ruined our sacred place. Now it has to burn. Now I can't hug you back here, while we die together.' He wipe his tears, and jump away jusr before he is finally destroy the room, as the rational have told him monthes ago.

------------------

Letter-
*Spoiler: To Jirou*
Show

There are pills.
Memory loss pills. They come in four shapes and sizes.
'_Sometimes, someone discover something he shouldn't. Sometimes, a shinobi need to forget his friends and love, so he can't betray them. The weaker one wipe the last 2-4 hours. The next one wipe 12-24 hours. The larger one, wipe weeks to month. And the dark one... wipe years. Possibly ALL memories. I will teach you sooner or later, how to make those.
This should be known only to you and me. It's one of my 'cheats', especialy when I want to avoid killing. But beside, giving you more tools, I want you to consider to reliev Senko of the new memories from today'_

-------------------

(Is Menko looking  human?)


Odayama look tired, but in high spirits. His hair and beard grew a bit longer, and there is a tiny bit of vigor in him. Though, of course he is late.
Oh. To leave the village, after six years of stirctly staying in, if may I be honest, I am bit nervouse girls...'


'Pathetic old man' Usagi grant, as she jump from of the trees, landing on her hands.
'.... The Leaf Village...' her smile become wild and wide
'Sure. Nice.' Maybe they will meet.... the one she owe rain of arrows.

Odayama look concerned a bit. 'Oi, and this is considered a C ranked mission? I.. better take other persona. Some Leaf ninjas won't be happy to see me again.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He blinks, considers the pills then puts them inside a storage scroll. These were too dangerous to put in his pockets. He didn't like the implication that his Otokage had pills to make people forget anything from hours to years. Sure it could be used for himself to forget so that he has an alibi when say he has to do a crime, thats one use....but they could also be used to slip into someone elses food or something. Who knows what the Otokage made people forget? He had faith that he probably didn't use it that much- but he didn't _know_ and that was the problem. Now he could give a pill to Senko, yes but should he? 
-One: first of all, its erasing the memories of a child, one who is in a development stage of their life, there is no telling what affect these pills would have on her mind' growth.
-Two: On top of that, Senko has a strange biology, one that is currently undergoing even stranger changes. he doesn't know what effects the memory erasure would have on top of that, as the body is incredibly interconnected, for example memory of how to do things like breathe or whatever is in the brain as well, so what if there was vital memory in Senko's brain of how to operate the changes her body is going through and this erased both conscious memory and memory of automatic bodily functions?
-Three: If he tried to offer it up honestly, there is a big chance she'd reject forgetting on very sound ethical grounds that one shouldn't try to cover up a crime. And be insulted that she wasn't trusted enough to keep a secret besides, as well as question where the pill came from and if he answered honestly she might reject that even more. She is already a bit distrustful, no need to give her more fuel.
-four: trying to sneak it into her food or something would just give Senko to distrust him if he is caught in the act, and if he isn't....and if she forgets...well she'd probably find the gap in her memory strange. Senko is honestly a genius beyond her years and might notice a gap in her memory, assume it was some kind of genjutsu and try to figure out some way of getting that memory back. That and Ottomaru is still at large and able to tell the truth- he wouldn't put it past him to just blab the truth again, and a Senko who doesn't remember the first time she found it out would be a Senko who doesn't remember the important lesson that reality is cruel and politics means not every little crime can be brought to justice. In that scenario she'd out the Otokage for sure and she'd have motive to out him as someone who drugged a child to cover up the truth as well. Would not be good for the village or his relationship with her.

There are too many risks to giving her a pill for this. What really concerned him about Senko was that she kept talking about killing herself if she found no other solution, and he didn't want that to happen. If the snakes didn't cure her, he could always just wait until she was in a moment of despair where she thought she should die, convince her that the pill will kill her so as to make sure she forgets the incident instead and thus could be convinced to keep finding a cure for herself instead. Not the most moral of plans to prevent her death at her own hands, but he'd do anything to make sure she'd live a good life- even if it meant tricking her into extending the research beyond the time she allotted to herself and lying that she was still 17 or something. He didn't like it, but he did like the thought of Senko living longer and potentially finding a cure with extra time. If her mission goes well? It shouldn't come to that. But y'know, keep something like this in your back pocket, never know when you need it.

So until he found a use he'll just keep this a secret, learn how these are made, share how to make them with Kikenna or give them to Kikenna for her to figure out how to make them- she is good at drugs and poisons after all and if the Otokage could make them, why not her?- and be more serious about gathering support from the houses now. He would just have to trust that Senko is a smart, capable girl capable of making the right decision. 

*Kimiko and Yuyuyu:*
Yuyuyu explains:
"Let me clarify a few things, from what I can tell of Senko mission:
1- We're not actually going to the Leaf Village. 

2-The mission is not to engage with any Leaf Nin. If we were expected to engage with Leaf Nin, it would be a B-Rank mission or even A. Instead we are technically officially escorting a miko from the Land of Sound to shrines within the Land of fire, which might have  bandits within its borders as well as bandits within Sound's borders, thus necessitating Sound Nin protection as they were the closest protection detail one could procure at the time. That is the official story

3-What ISN'T the official story is that our Miko is actually Menko in disguise, and our real goal is Ryuchi Cave to take the Snake Contract for ourselves to heal Senko, While Ryuchi Cave is only a few days travel from Konoha. Odayama's concern is correct through: Normally in another village this might be considered an A-rank mission due to its danger and objective, but there is only three Jonin in the Sound Village's history and they are too important for this, so there is no way they'd be spent on this, that and Genin for a C-rank mission is less suspicious anyways."
She pulls out a map and holds it up.
"4- our first goal will be getting to the Rice-Fire Border Checkpoint, a small outpost along the road to Fire Country manned by ashigaru that checks your passports and makes sure your here on legitimate business. This will be vital to making sure we aren't attacked by Leaf Nin, as per international law they cannot attack another ninja on legitimate business without cause which requires checking in there. We then go along the roads like normal people towards the shrines until we find a good place to break off and go to the Cave.

Of course, we might be asked how long we expect to be in Fire Country and thus if we are not out before then, that might look suspicious. While there is a problem of no one seeing us actually going to the shrines, the Land of Fire is big and Konoha can't investigate everything and they are right in the middle of the nations! Their very land is a crossroads that gets people of all sorts passing through it, especially their cities. Merchants hire local ninja to protect them on the way to the big marketplaces of Fire and other superpowers all the time! Hinoshuto, the capital of fire Country is well known for being a center of trade, politics with foreign dignitaries visiting with the ninjas that guard them!

As long as we play our cards right, this mission will be C-Rank and remain so! There will be no need to worry!
Of course, if we were more skilled ninja, we could simply create clones of ourselves to act out guarding and praying at the shrines while we do the real business just to be extra careful, but nothing is perfect!"
Kimiko observes
"Wow Yuyuyu, you know a lot about this."
"Thanks. Of course I do! I'm training to be an infiltration nin, getting us through another nation without suspicion is the most basic part of the job! And if we run into bandits, that won't be suspicious at all."
She turns to everyone
"Any questions?"

----------


## Rater202

(Yes: Menko is in human form and, ideally, will be for the entire mission.)

"Exactly... Now, the problem is that it takes a variable amount of time to get to Ryuchi Cave, as its entrance is hidden by a Genjutsu. Only someone who is looking for the cave can find it, and the first test to get in is one of endurance: The illusions will lead you around in circles until the Attendants of the White Snake Sage who are on duty at the time decide that you're not going to give up and go home."

"This is the only test that is applied to every visitor, and the only test where the people who fail it don't get eaten."

"Though, to make a correction: _Your_ mission is to escort me while pretending to escort Menko. Unless things go horribly wrong, the only difference between this and a standard C-Rank 'protect the guard from bandits' mission is where are going... And that I might need a sealing tag applied to myself."

"My own actions, off the record, are something I am doing on my own private time, albeit with authorization. Stealing a contract would be a B or A rank mission... If this was a formal mission."

"Furthermore... I physically cannot fail the final test, which is, from what Menko has told me, the only truly difficult test, so even if this was a formal mission it would be lower rank than normal."

"Don't eat any food the attendants on duty offer you. It's probably rotting garbage under a genjutsu and eating it will count as failing a test. Then the attendant will eat you in order to absorb your yummy, yummy chakra... And don't wander off on your own. Not every snake listens to the Sage and you might get eaten."

"...Look, there's a reason why I kept running away from home. That and the obligations."

"The worst-case scenario, is if a Leaf Ninja is taking the test to become the Snake Sage, or otherwise obtain the Snake Contract, during the time we are there or has already done so. That... That would pretty much blow our cover and we would have run for it. Even if I obtain the contract and pass the tests, it could result in rival snake sages and undermine any sense of legitimacy to my claim."

"There weren't any summoners or sage aspirants when I was last at the cave, but that was like, half a month ago... Granted, it's mostly crazies who go to Ryuchi Cave... No offense..."

"Menko, I periodically go homicidal rampages, place no value in law save in how it can be used as a tool, and carry a cadaver on my person whenever possible in case of emergencies. Crazy sums it up pretty well."

"The standard trip to the Shrine takes five days... But for trained Ninja, it can take less than a day to get from the Leaf village to the border of rice country. If we give our time in the land of fire as _aproximately_ ten days we should have plenty of time to get to the cave and back... If we are fortunate, we may even be able to make an appearance at the shrine after all."

"Or...Or, once you get the Contract we just turn around and come home, and if we're earlier than our expected return time we say I was kidnapped by bandits and while I was rescued I was no longer spiritually well enough to complete the pilgrimage."

"If we do that we might be detained and interrogated about details so that they can commission Leaf Ninja to comb the area, which would make us very suspicious to onlookers when the story does not match up and it is going to get out that Sound has snake summoners eventually."

"So why am I the miko again?"

"Because I only own robes, shorts, undershirts, and a single pair of long pants for winter wear while you can create whatever outfit you imagine when you assume human form."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama. 'Well I know this area well. It was a place we did more then few missions... and when thinking bout it, the last time I was about your age... I probably have matured enough. Heh.'
He shrug.
"...I could also use the training. After my failure with the bell test, I udnerstood I was on guard duty for too long. All be fine." He smile.
"If you don't mind girls, I would also on the way there, to pay respect to my father's grave."

Usagi groan. "So beside avoiding some annoying genjutsu no ctual action is planned?"

----------


## igordragonian

*Training Session For Jirou*

It's on the radio's station roof, with walls of buzzing antenas.
"...Well. Jirou-kun. No matter what has happened yesterday... we still need each other. I still need you to suceed me, but beside wisdom and politics, when things are getting ugly, you need to prove you can pull it off- to fight, defend yourself, and the village's faith in it's leaders and ninjas. The radio station is my prime weapon, and soon it will be your. When we are here, Junins, Senins.. are all meaningless."
Pause.
"First, I want to show you example. Here I am the strongest. Attack me with what you got so far."

----------


## Rater202

> Odayama. 'Well I know this area well. It was a place we did more then few missions... and when thinking bout it, the last time I was about your age... I probably have matured enough. Heh.'
> He shrug.
> "...I could also use the training. After my failure with the bell test, I udnerstood I was on guard duty for too long. All be fine." He smile.
> "If you don't mind girls, I would also on the way there, to pay respect to my father's grave."
> 
> Usagi groan. "So besides avoiding some annoying genjutsu no actual action is planned?"


"Usagi-san, you are going to learn that not every mission you go on is going to involve action or combat. You may find, when you are older, that the most effective way to serve this village may involve no action at all... Well, unless you end up becoming a _traditional_ kunoichi when you grow up, but that's not the kind of action you're thinking of... I think."

----------


## igordragonian

"You talk as if you are senior to me!' Usagi growl.

Odayama shrug. "Well. She is kind of right. Beside, isn't patience and avoiding unnecary conflicts part of the rabbit's doctorine?'

'...Sh-shut up!"

----------


## Rater202

"No, not your senior. It is just, well, not every ninja fights. Not every ninja kills. Ishikawa-sensei has probably done more good in the laboratory than he has in the field."

"If the only way you are good to the village is as someone who fights and kills... Then you are useless for many, most, of the duties required of a ninja."

"Right now, your mission is to escort me while I collect the Snake summoning contract and acquire the title of Snake Sage. Chances are there is no combat... But if I am the snake sage, that means that I can arrange for other Sound Ninja to become snake summoners and increase the military might of the village. With the power of reincarnation in my hands, I may be able to perfect my research in... Enhancing, my fellow Ninja."

"And if the Hidden Leaf village wants to maintain its tradition of Snake Summoners, they would have to come to _me_ to get them. Either they become weaker and, thus, less able to oppress us... Or they have to make _concessions_ to the Hidden Sound Village. Better trade routes, resources, hidden Jutsu, biological samples..."

"The best-case scenario? The White Snake Sage knows something that can help me control my Rages. Once I can do that, I will be able to access that power at will, focus it, refine it, direct it..."

"I dare say that this trip will be the most important thing I ever do, whether there is any 'action' or not, Usagi-san. And the most important thing you ever do may likewise involve little of the action that you crave."

----------


## igordragonian

Oadyama shrug.  "Yep. Menko seemed to do her homework. But if it help let me offer this way of thinking-"
He smile. 'You won't attack people just on random. Now would you?"

Usagi groan. "It will be cowardy and tasteless."
"Oh. Yes. You see, ninja's action is a food that require long and complicated cooking to do well. You can get either frusrated, or either see the art in the cooking itself. All Villaged more or less are preparing for the next conflict, so even if this specific mission you won't have some gloriouse battles, you will be important."
Usagi nod.
 "....I ...will be useful!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

> *Training Session For Jirou*
> 
> It's on the radio's station roof, with walls of buzzing antenas.
> "...Well. Jirou-kun. No matter what has happened yesterday... we still need each other. I still need you to suceed me, but beside wisdom and politics, when things are getting ugly, you need to prove you can pull it off- to fight, defend yourself, and the village's faith in it's leaders and ninjas. The radio station is my prime weapon, and soon it will be your. When we are here, Junins, Senins.. are all meaningless."
> Pause.
> "First, I want to show you example. Here I am the strongest. Attack me with what you got so far."


*Jirou:*
"On this, I agree. I plan on learning Lightning Release to get stronger, figuring out the higher limits of fuinjutsu, pushing my water release to its limit, and perhaps even making a...perhaps the name for it will be Sen Mark... to even increase my abilities. I can't just prove myself to you, I must surpass you."
Pause.
"Very well. Water Release: Triple Front Assault."
He makes a water clone who charges forward, unfurling a scroll to cast the Reverse World Genjutsu on Nozojo to try and make him vulnerable, and while that is happening he will thrown down a water storage scroll and cast Water Tentacles Jutsu to grab and crush Nozojo while switching his Five Elements Tachi to lightning then plunging into the tentacle's water so that the water conducts the electricity and shock him while that is happening.

Jirou considers this his strongest offensive attack, as its basically attacking Nozojo three different ways: the Genjutsu messed with his perceptions inverting and reversing everything he sees and how his body reacts (for example if he wants to move his left hand up, he will move his right hand down instead), the water will try to crush and drown him and the electricity will try to shock him. Of course it was probably a clone or something- such a thing is so obvious that it doesn't need explaining and he would be insulted if Nozojo gave him a lesson on something as basic as conserving your attacks because your opponent has clones to take their hits for them, thats just common knowledge of shinobi battle, even Genin know it. He is showing his strongest attack because he assumes that Nozojo has something more up his sleeve. Same goes for things like "being prepared" or "using your environment", as he was the one who taught KIMIKO those things.

Like he is assuming this a "come at me, give me the best you got" kind of thing. This was his best.

*Kimiko:*
She just rolls her eyes at the lesson, not really caring for it one way or another. Her goals didn't really involve the village, and while battles were fun, so was learning things, and this was an opportunity to learn.
"Well, lets get prepared for the mission, then go. We'll need supplies and rations for those days, which I can store in my scrolls, and of course I need to bring along extra Seal tags just in case, and we all need to get our passports for this mission. Things like that."
She will go to gather such supplies then meet up with them later to get going.

----------


## igordragonian

Nozojo smile.
*'Nice.'* he say,while calmly swallowing a pill

He has devolped sound and radio waves control techniques. The more antenas and radio waves that flowed around, the more powerful he was.
With a certain set of seals, he made a defensive jutstu.
*'Mind Bubble Jutsu-*' basicly, bending the radio waves into a bubble himself, blocking genjutsu with a white noise, which was annoying, but was better then anything his foe would try to do.

Jounins. There were a certain treshhold of power, where simply having talent or working hard won't get you there. Each known Jounin had something going for them.
But you could cheat. Use or even create the envirment in your favor.
Nozojo has studied radio and sound like no ninja before him, and though,he failed to devolp a 'release' kind of techniques, he could use and bend what was around him.

That how his jutsus carried through every radio small or big.

He jumped up, also using his most strong brute technique
*Radio Tsunami Wave!'* he could use it only in the radio station. He never tried to classify it, but it might even be S ranked jutsu, but it was possible only in a very specfific small area.
after the seals, he sent his palms forward, his ears bleeding, as he gathered the radio waves, into one big and powerful wave, empowered with waves of sound- strong enough to push the electrfied water back, doubled with the wave itself.

----


*'The Swan Song Crater*

Just outside the gates of the villages, after passing the landmines, were a crater.
Result of a big ninja battle.
'Here the Swan Song Battle happened.' ODayama said quitly.

Six figures patroled around the crater
'Honor Guard.' if the girls have asked,


In the middle of the crater were what seemed like, a small forest- but those were actually spears with sound forehead protecters and Ashigaru hats tied to them, wavering like flags.
*'We kept them. Here.'* he said quitly, they clinked either against their spears either against each other.
*'Mine could be easily one of them... so many, and just when we thought..'*

In the middle were a metalic statue, of a big man wearing skeletons, skulls as shoulder pads and half mask.
An eldery woman dressed as miko lighted candles to it's feet, she used a bowl to place the candles on-https://pngimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hokage-hat-png-1.png
Also the statue of Odokuro from closer look was made from forehead protctors as well- of the leaf ninjas.
s
The statue's hands were spread to the sides, as if challenging the enemy. From it, tied with chains, about dozen skulls were hanging, and the leaf symbol was carved on each.
'The Leaf Jounins who died here.' 
The eldery woman cackled. 'Why don't you tell them the story of the battle, Odayama-chan?'
Odayama sighed. '*It simply a sad and grim story.'*

-'It might be,sweet boy. But important one. I can tell it, but I am more creative with the facts.'

Odayama sigh. *'Fine. Sit down girls.'*

*'I was out of the main battle for half a year, for... my own mission*.' pause.
*'Anyway, despite all chances, it seemed like that our determination to be heard, were winning against the overwhelming power and will of the Fire Land.*' he started to tell.
'*The more brutal they became, the more determined we became. The citizens have supported us... and they started to fall and falter.  Odokuro have sent the Three Thunders, each with armies to claim the diffrent parts of the Rice Land, while he went back to the village to resupply and get reinforcments.
The very day we have arrived... we dared to feel hope. We even felt triumphed- but the moment we let our guard down- the Third Hokage has attacked. He couldn't go back with such failure against riffraffs like us. He managed to follow and sneak on our very own village. So with a dozen of Junins, dozens over dozens of Chunins and Genins he has attacked. Odokuro were recovering from deep wounds, and we were scattered. But the brave Ashigarus, have bought us important minutes. 
Nozojo has encouraged us,and we hurried to face a certain doom. But... at this battle the roles were reversed- in our hearts there were confidence and even...shred of hope for a future. The Hokage was desprate and enraged. I... barely remember the battle as a whole. I just tried to survive, seeing friend and more friends fall and die...'*
pause.
*But I remember, that Odokuro, has summoned a strom and lightnings with his drums. We gave everything we had and then some. Odokuro fell to his knees before the Hokage. All seemed... lost.'* 
The eldery woman nodded. 'and then the missing thunder has-' Odayama shushed her.
'*'This is a taboo subject.'*
'*Fine. A close friend of Odokuro has wishperd... something. Odokuro rose up for the final time, and after a barrage of berserk attacks have made the biggest last shout technique I have ever seen, he also... sang.. something. Sacrficing himself to kill the Hokage. In his last breath he has chosen Nozojo... and said he has... HOPE for us. We won this day.. but with heavy cost.'*
Odayma's eyes are tearful.

----------


## Rater202

*Village Gates:*

Once everyone is reassembled back at the gate, they find Senko holding her hand out, concentrating greatly, a small whisp of mist forming above her palm. Kimiko, at the least, probably recognizes it as a very basic water release technique used to practice nature transformation.

She pauses when she notices the others have arrived.

"Ah, we are all ready then?"

*The Memorial*

It is honestly a bit surprising, Senko thinks, that this hasn't been taught before now... Or maybe it was and she just doesn't know it becuase her education consists entirely of a year of being homeschooled, a year or so of fending for herself in the wilderness, and two and a half years of voraciously devouring anything and everything that could even tangentially have helped her manage or treat her condition.

She holds her tongue at the end, however, when it becomes clear that this story is propaganda meant to uphold Nozojo's legitimacy as the leader... Some Hope he turned out to be.

She vows, in her mind, to redouble her efforts to become the Snake Sage and to _quadrouple_ her efforts to master her Clan's Sage Mode. She's always found the system of war, conflict, and clans hoarding secrets to be downright sinful in the harm it causes, but now...

Now she knows just what kind of horrible things it can drive someone to do... Yeah, she did human experimentation... On Herself. After thoroughly testing it on _rats,_ that was, that was...

During the story, Senko takes the forehead protector from her arm and ties it around her head. The others may or may not notice the pointing of her ears before she replaces her hood.

"...A World where such loss of life does not happen. Wher such extreme measures just to survive are not necessary... That is the World I will create with my two hands even if I have to drag the rest of creation into a new era kicking and screaming. This is my solemn promise... To fight for it... Is my Ninja Way."

To the outside observer, it might seem that this story has touched Senko, but the truth is is that these feelings have been building up for a while.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama place a supporting hand on Senko shoulder.
Usagi looked... strangely apathic.

"We, the survivers don't like to tell you,kids about it." Odayama say as if reading her thoughts.
'....We try to push this story as far as possiboe, before being forced to tell it. We want to taint you less as possible."
Pause.
"This day, Nozojo and the rest of us survivers, vowed to work toward the exact goal you speak, Senko-chan. That why the village place on your generation so much...."
Pause.
"Hope."

----------


## Rater202

"With all due respect, Odayama-san, the Village Hidden in the Sound seems to be making the same mistakes that lead to such bloodshed in the first place. Raising children outside of wartime is a good first start, but..."

For a brief moment, Senko considers stating her intent to become Otokage someday, but... She knows nothing of politics and would get people killed. Better to serve as an assistant or advisor, a perspective from outside the system, to whoever is in the role...

And stop murder kitty from getting the job at all costs.

But it is not exactly fair to place the problems of one generation on the shoulders of another. This problem was not caused by our generation... It was not even caused by _your_ generation. If the legends bare even a grain of truth this problem was caused by the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths. A few generations ago, Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara attempted to end the problem... And, to some eyes, maybe they did, but to others, they _made it worse._

"No more. I did not start this, but I, of my own volition and not, am taking responsibility for it: I will end this constant cycle of war, hatred, and vengeance or I will die trying, even if it takes a thousand years. I will become a New Sage of Six Paths and recreate the fabled Ninshu from first principals if I have to."

Beat panel.

"Somehow... I may have just bitten off _significantly_ more than I can chew."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She is strangely silent about all this until she speaks
"So this was the battle.....where my father died."
She says thoughtfully.
"...and how do you feel about that?"
"Strange. He is a person I don't know and never will know. Yet Ryota Ishikawa was held up as the example of what an Ishikawa Shinobi should be to me, what I was taught to try and become. Yet I'll never be able to become that, and I've yet to truly know what he was like. He was the person who led my clan through their exile from Kirigakure and made the deal with the First Otokage to join the village, but that is all I really know about him. Jirou-Anikii was only six when this all happened so he barely remembers what my father was like, and what he told me is that my father just....didn't seem to interact with him at all. 

No one will even tell me how he died. I don't think anyone knows. My mother promised to tell me more about him soon but she hasn't had time yet given all that happened. My father is....a mystery to me. I just want to know, seeing as how his life and death affected my current circumstances. Curiosity you know?"
She then listens to Senko's speech.
"How....ambitious. A goal to rival my desire to learn all jutsu! Very well Senko....I look forward to see how strong you become!"
She puts on a shark grin
"For to achieve such a dream you espouse....you'll need to become incredibly strong indeed! It'll be interesting to see whether its right or just foolish. Hyu hyu, either way at least you'll make things interesting and I, Kimiko Ishikawa will be able to observe whether such a legend is true with my own eyes and of course, experiment to see its full potential...Yes, it'll be interesting to see what happens. Interesting indeed."
What.... a fascinating experiment she sees beginning before her eyes. What happens when a Senko tries to change the world? Too bad there is no control group.

Yuyuyu meanwhile just is there, blinks at the two girls declaring their dreams and says
"I respect the fallen for their sacrifice so that I may live the life I have to today, lets go time's a wastin'...."

*Jirou:*
His eyes widen as his water clone gets destroyed and uses the Body Flicker Technique to run as fast he can, past all human perception, he tries to use his Wind slash to break the wave, but it doesn't work- the sounds too powerful and gets hit by the wave of sound even if the electrified water is broken his ears start bleeding as the main attack hits him- that was close, and if the electricity hit him as well, it would've been worse. If it was truly as powerful as to possibly be S-rank, it was simply a threshold of power he had no counter against, and he had already used his water clone. He felt....weird hit by the waves, as if his entire body was vibrating in a bad way. So in response he focuses on continuing the training and tries throwing a shuriken at the equipment the radio waves is coming from to try and see if that does anything, or if Nozojo will move to protect it.

----------


## Rater202

Senko blinks when Kimiko says that this might be interesting.

"Are you coming on to me? Because if you are, I should warn you that Ishikawa-sensei seems to be under the impression that he is my father for some reason and any relationship between you and I would probably make him incredibly uncomfortable and possibly break his brain...

"Which, all cards on the table, I would find _hilarious_, but..."

Senko is joking, she knows what Kimiko meant, but... Has Kimiko known her long enough to catch on to Senko's tells?

----------


## igordragonian

*Jirou's training*

Nozojo smile. *'Good thinking. Assasians before you already have tried this.'* simply throwing a shuriken as well, to knock off Jirou's.
*'It's ok. I didn't expect you to succeed. I just wanted to show, what weapon I am handing you over. You are younger and more imaginative then me. You could probably take this to new heights.'*
He stop the waves, and walk over to offer him a hand to stand up.

*'Guys like you and me, need to cheat a lot in order to stay relevant.'*

-------------------------------


Odayama nod. 'Yes. It isn't fair. But it's what we have, we try to do our best.' 
pause.
'Even if this legend is true, I don't think it's about this magical beast or this fruit.. it's about human nature. It's about understanding it. and I believe, this is what special about our village- when the first Ottokage has gathered us, we were a broken bunch- but he gave us a chance, for our voices to be heard. Even simple citizens.... my father was... a gardener. He sold.. flowers.'
Odayama laughed somberly. 'Riding around with his silly bicycle... even into battlefield- ahem.'

He has noticed Kimiko is getting rather emotional as well. It was to be expected.

'Well... if it help anything, we... didn't liked each other very much. The old tried 'Talent vs hard work' only, that I wasn't working very hard, and my father was a silly person selling and giving flowers everywhere.' he say.
'I was scared of him, to be honest. I know it isn't a lot... but...' pause.
'At least, he might feel more real to you. But when I was your age, all ninjas scared me. That why I became one....'another pause.
'I think I can find his forehead protector, his band was unique a bit.'

Usagi silently, sit and play a lullaby in her harp in respect of the spirits.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He takes his hand and stands up, rubbing his head a little and thinking.
"I might already have a few ideas. The easiest one is that I could probably figure out a one-use storage scroll that stores the attack to use for later, so I can have at least one use of it with me wherever I go, but I have to get back to this room to make a new one. The other one I have is that if given enough time, I could try and figure out making a seal network for it- if you don't know what that is, I wouldn't be surprised, its not something that anyone aside from the fuinjutsu clans are interested in, and its a pretty recent development as far as fuinjutsu and summoning jutsu goes, its all theoretical to cutting edge at best. But basically with enough time, I could say make a central seal here, then make various receiver seals connected to it all around the village so that one could transmit the sound into the seal here and out into one of the other seals as an attack to defend the village, expanding its range.

Basically its already powerful, I just think I need to finagle ways into making it useable outside of one situation."

*Kimiko:*
She doesn't understand what your talking about
"Hyu? what do you mean Senko? I'm sure Jirou-Anikii would love to see the scientific results of you changing the world, he is a scientist himself after all, why wouldn't he throw something strange into a normal situation just to see what happens? And I don't see whats so wrong about testing myself against your strength when you finally reach your full power."
Yuyuyu does and is suppressing a giggle right now. Kimiko then turns back to Odayama
"I see. Hm. Thank you. I would like to see the headband, yes."

The headband has the sound's symbol but has design elements on it reminiscent of Kiri make as if symbolizing the transition, when she finds the headband/grave she will crouch down to it,  and wonder:
"Who _were_ you? and why did you what you did?"
For a while, she is silent: contemplating how her Father could've possibly thought to leave Kirigakure behind and take the clan with him. Why didn't he stay in Water to keep fighting? Why leave all that behind? Why then die here? In short: Why was she here? Perhaps the answer was clearer for most Sound ninja complete with the "hope" thing, but for her it seemed far more mysterious. What possessed two entire clans to leave Kirigakure behind entirely to traipse across the ninja nations and end up joining the Sound? It didn't entirely make sense. 

However she won't get any answers standing around here. She gets up and walks back over to the others.
"I'm ready to go."

----------


## Rater202

...It is at this point that Senko assumes that Kimiko-san caught onto her joke and is playing dumb to reinforce the joke.

On The nature of Kimiko's father... It seems obvious to Senko that a good father would want what is best for his children, and a good leader would want what is best for their followers. Thus, a good clan patriarch would want what is best for their clan.

It could be as simple as vluing his family's safty over the connections they have to their ancestral home and their future over his own life.

Senko keeps it to herself though, it is not her place to comment.Despite its name, the Land of Rice Fields isn't entirely rice fields any more than the land of fire is on fire. There are plenty of rice fields, yes, but as you follow the roads from the sound village to the southern border you pass through several regular fields, a few farms growing other types of grain, and forested areas.

Something to note: Senko seems to to become more... Peaceful, if you will, the further away from the village you get, particularly when you get away from signs of civilization. It is not hard to tell that she's experiancing moments of bliss.

After a while, she starts practing that mist generation technique again and does so on and off as you're walking.

After a few hours of walking, someone from inside a forested area throws a knife into the middle of the road.

"Well looky here?" Say's a voice as four people come out of the woodwork. "Got a couple of baby ninjas and their sitte guarding a young priestest... One of them's a cripple. Poor girl couldn't afford decent protection. Too bad, we're gonna have to sell her instead of just robbing her, me thinks."

These four people are armed with Katanas that are either very poorly made or that haven't been maintaiined prroperly and no armor... So, probably not Ronin, Ronin would take better care of their weapons and would know to cover up their vital bits when attacking ninja.

Menko just has a look on her face that says "I could probably take care of this myself if I didn't have to stay in character."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will try to do the mist generation technique as well, trying to copy what Senko does to get used to it herself. She will after all have to learn Water Release at some point. She looked the most happy when she was learning that.

When the bandits attack, she is reminded of that day when she first killed an ordinary man. It would be so easy to replicate the same result four more times. But did she want to? Did she need to? She is struck by a moment of hesitation...only for Yuyuyu to come running up to them first and bash one of them over the head with her umbrella, the metal inside of making it a kind of club. So Kimiko seeing this as no time for hesitation, extended the blade of the Origami-No-Tsurugi and ran forward, lashing it out to grab at another bandits leg and pull them off the their and feet and right to her where she then punches him in the face with her left hand, a punch probably harder than any that the bandit had ever experienced due to her training.

----------


## igordragonian

*Jirou's Training*

'The scroll idea is indeed new, the seal network, it's actually my mine thing. I think I also have saved the village using it during the Swan Song Battle.' he say and pull out a scalpel.(surgeon's knife)
'But you will need to either regualrly swallow dangerouse pills, either let me do an operation on you. You see, normally, humans cannot sense, transmit and of course not, bend radio waves.' Nozojo push back his hair, and show a tiny scar, with some tiny device.
'In the time I have, this is my quickest way to boost you, to be on par with anyone at least, in the radio station,and have advantage in the village.'


-------

Usagi was practicing with sealing scrolls, with the help of Odayama, and tinkering bell niddles and arrows with unique qualities.
She lacked the spiritual patience for elemental release.

Odayama at first tried to give the badits a chance. '*Yoi, yoi, do you really want your bones to be broken? You will feel quite stupid in the morning.'*

He shrug.
It seems the girls can handle it, though,he wished he had a chance to strech.

Usagi's face turn red as her hair.
'DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH!? YOJIMBO!' she summon the rabbit samurai.
she sit on his shoulders, load her harp bow with four arrows, as Yojimbo run forward with risen katana to his side, raining all the arrows on the one who called her cripple.
'I am Usagi! And I will never be helpless again!'

----------


## Rater202

So, there are now two unconscious bandits.

And the leader of the bandits is just freaking _dead_ because this just an ordinary guy with no ninja training, he can't dodge arrows.

The last guy sees what just happened and runs off screaming like a little girl, arms flailing wildly through the air.

"...Well. That happened."

Clearly, they were not prepared for this."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She considers the swords to distract her from the fact Usagi killed someone.
"...How'd they get katanas? Wakizaishis are whats standard issue that ashigaru would still have if they deserted. Katanas are a bit harder and more material-expensive to forge. And they didn't have crossbows, were they just stupid? Or did they not know how to get more ammo?"
"Maybe when they deserted they somehow killed some fledgling samurai fresh out of the academy and took their swords."
"you really think thats possible?"
"I mean it was war, and nations tend to cut the training down so as to replace their numbers faster during those."
"Uh-huh. Odayama-taichou, what do we do with the two who are unconscious?"

----------


## igordragonian

Jirou?
----------

Usagi's mind worked in ways that sometimes have merged the darker aspects of childhood and adulthood. .
If her mind has registred that she just KILLED a human being Usagi has hidden it well.
"Hahaha!'  Usagi laughed in victory. https://media.tenor.com/images/70cbe...3f90/tenor.gif this didn't sounded like a healthy laughter
"In your face! And chest and stomach! Who is the cripple now, you punk?!"
Usagi bent to collect back the  arrows with nonchallant expression. "Great work Usagi-san. He ain't as bad as wolves, but the world is still a better place without him."

He also look at the bandits. "They must be grave robbers. Let's send them to grave."

"No!' Odayama jumped, standing between the blood thirsty twelve years old girl and a samurai rabbit.
"Those are poor and desprate people! They can serve their punishment and get back to society!"
His expression look sad and dissapointed.
"Usagi... how can you kill... so carelessly? And... isn't it your first kill?"

Usagi's eyes were covered in shadow as she stripped the bandana off the the dead bandit, keeping it as a trophy.

"We are ninjas." She say coldly. "We kill. Just because I am young, doesn't mean I should care. They wouldn't. I am not  a weakling, yes, something terrible happened to me. But I am strong!"

Odayama shake his head. '....Our world is a sad place..." he sigh. He bite his thumb and summon.
"Palanquin team! Carry those." He point at the living bandits as he tie their hands.
Two cats with topknots appear carrying a palanquinhttps://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/trad...-105424013.jpg
"We will take them to the nearest town,and let the ashigaru police to deal with them.'

----------


## Rater202

"Usagi-san? You need to help more than I do..."

"I have mapped out our route, the closest settlement... We will have to rush if we want to make it before nightfall. Either someone carries the Miko or we are responsible for feeding the bandits tonight... And will have to be careful with what we say or do"

"We could just leave them here. I am certain that they have learned a valuable lesson about accosting travelers and it is really not our responsibility... Or, they spoke about "selling" people, presumably either into black-market slavery or for... _parts._ To be complicit in something so morally reprehensible? We could execute them and turn their bodies over in case there are bounties. I have got a cadaver-storage scroll on my person."

"Or we could tie them to trees and send a cat or rabbit back to the village to let someone there make the judgment call?"

"Odayama-san, with all due respect you seem to have chosen the most impractical option."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He was lost in thought for a moment, staring at the array of equipment and doing math in his head. Then snaps out of it.
"Huh, what? Oh right. Uuuh....sure, if that surgery is what is needed to protect this village. Its not as if I'm doing anything of this for myself."

*Kimiko: Be a Total Vegeta About This*
In response to Usagi she suddenly shouts
"S-so what? I am strong to! I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of the Ishikawa clan, I can end their lives whenever I want to, BAKA! Acting so tough just because your first kill, ha! I've killed twice I can do a third! I just don't feel like it right now because ah.....yeah. practicality. What Senko said! We should think practically!"
How could Usagi be.....more talented at this!? How could she kill without feeling?
"You mean killed once?" Yuyuyu asks with an eyebrow raised
Kimiko realizes her mistake there and backpedals.
"Yes! That! Thats what I meant. I got confused thats all. I just want to uuh.....interrogate them about where they would sell those slaves. Yeah. But if is practical to end their lives right here, I'll execute them both off quickly, anything she can do I better! or if we decide to tie them up I got rope in my scrolls!"
"Wait....can't we hand them over to people who could interrogate them about where they were going to sell people? That might be useful to know. Might give us a follow up mission and more pay. Just saying." Yuyuyu points out.

----------


## Rater202

"Kimiko-san? Killing is not a good thing. Killing is sometimes necessary, but whoever taught you that you_ need_ to kill to be a worthwhile person, even a worthwhile _ninja_, themself deserves to be killed for the damage they tried to inflict on you."

"But I am just the girl that killed her own parents and slaughtered an entire village of dozens when I was just six. What do I know about killing?"

"If we wish to find out where they might have been selling people, contacting the village with a summon and requesting someone to pick them up would probably be the best bet."

"...Was the person you killed the one called Futility-san? Becuase he is still alive. He attempted to steal sensitive documents from the laboratory the other day."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"I....I know that, we've already been over this without you! I-I-I just....wanted to contribute is all. And....who taught me that is none of your business!"
Upon hearing the Futility-san was alive her eyes widen and her expression goes into one of rage.
"That bastard....is ALIVE!? I.....failed!? Kusooo! He tricked me! I'll kill him! I'LL KILL HIM! I'm Kimiko Ishikawa and I do not leave a job unfinished! I was celebrated by the entire village for that victory! And it was all a LIE!? Grrerrraaaah! I feel like such a fool!"
She kicks one of the bandits while they're down in anger. She simmers down a bit.
""....I'll tie these....low lives....up, then. We don't have time to baby-sit such scum."
She will do so and leave the summoning to someone else.

----------


## Rater202

"...I fought him. If you defeated him, your job is done and your honor unsullied by the fact that he yet lives. Ishikawa-sensei is looking into it, and I trust him to make the right choices in how to deal with the fugitive."

There's something that Senko isn't saying, but...

Senko has also decided in her head that she is not going to let Kimiko-san know that she has Paper release or how she got it until she talked it over with a few people who know people better than she does. Kimiko clearly has a violent pride issue and Senko would rather be friends than be badly injured.

...And then Senko remembers that she may have to disrobe if she doesn't want her robes ruined by either the White Snake Sage's teeth or the possible transformations she may go through, which would reveal that her skin is currently made of paper.

Great...

"Though... We may have to speak privately when we make camp for the night, you and I."

----------


## igordragonian

*Jirou*

'Alright. But I must be fair- though, the model I have designed for you, is more refined then mine, it probably isn't perfect. I suffer from side effects of growing headache with each use, and sometimes, even motion sickness, even while standing. Your side effects SHOULD be less troublesome, but you need to be aware of this.'
He pull out a tiny device similiar to his own'It's sort of an antena thing. Also, it doesn't give you the ability to RELEASE radio waves, only to manipulate them. So if you are still ready...-'


*Team 3*


Odayama sigh. 'I know a nearby village. Some of them are reformed bandits. Most of them are broken and desprate men. I guess the cats can deal with them without us...'
'But about questioning... yeah, that true. It is bothersome. But I doubt they know anything..' he think aloud.


Usagi almost hiss at  Senko. 'I don't need help! I am not helpless! And... wha-t?'

Odayama sigh. 'There were reports of someone like the guy we have defeated, attacking other members of the Hope Generation, but we can't be sure this is the same guy- transformation jutsus, aren't that hard after all, how ever, I am worried that you were attacked, Senko-chan, are you alright?.'

Usagi were about to be competative with Kimiko again, but had to ask Senko. 'Woha, and how did you deal with all the acid?'

----------


## Rater202

"He did not seem too keen on fighting me. He was mostly tying to get away with th documents he took... Though, he did seem to want to know how I got on with the three of you. He impersonated Lord Otokage and interviewed me... Honestly, I should have known it was an imposter when he did not try to pawn off cheap candies on me."

"He did not use the acid on me... Though he did attack another researcher with it as a distraction and at that point, I prioritized the life of a comrade over capturing an enemy..."

"...And, I am fine. I was a bit rattled, but any injury I supposed that day was the result of my own impulsiveness rather than any direct harm from..."

"But... Being out in the open is not the best time to discuss such things in detail."After sending a messenger to people who can more properly deal with the bandits, you make your way along the road and the rest of your day is uneventful.

After a while, Senko continues to practice the mist generation technique.

Eventually, you break for the night and, finding a good place, set up camp.

"If we can avoid potential eavesdroppers, _now_ would be the time to discuss the intruder's attack in detail."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama nod
'Fine. Then let's just question the bandits, shall we? I guess it can be count as a training as well. Yuyuyu? I feel it might be your thing'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"It never is perfect." he says with a shrug.
"Lets get it done then."

*Kimiko:*
She will discuss with Senko the details of the attack a distance away from the interrogation.
"Alright, tell me then. I need to be prepared in case that jerk comes for us again."

*Yuyuyu:*
She will approach one of the tied up bandits, use Disguise jutsu to appear older, bustier than she actually is, take an elegant stance wither umbrella unfurled behind her then wake him up.
"Why Hellooo, Bandit-san~. I noticed that you were desperate for money, so desperate that were trying to attack little ol' me! How incredibly silly of you! You should've known better, you really should. But such silliness can be forgiven, if you are so kind as to tell me where you were going to sell people, hm? Don't worry, you'll be safe if you tell, at a little village full of people who went through what your going through and will be able to help! I'll even throw in a little offer of my own and cast a harmless genjutsu on you that will make you experience the taste of your favorite meal as if your eating it if you kindly inform us! How does that sound, Bandit-San?"
She looks at him with an enchanting, alluring stare and a confident smile, her voice all sweetness and honey.

----------


## Rater202

> *Jirou:**Kimiko:*
> She will discuss with Senko the details of the attack a distance away from the interrogation.
> "Alright, tell me then. I need to be prepared in case that jerk comes for us again."


"...He seems to be... Mentally ill. He claims to be the result of research, not unlike my own, in combining bloodlines and based on his surgically altered appearance... And the fact that he has at least four kekkei genkai: The hearing abilities of the Fukaimi and Komoro, dead bone pulse, and paper release."

"Based on the way he acts... The things he says and does... It seems to me that the experiments done to him have driven him insane... He is just a child Kimiko, he is like.. _My age._ I... I could probably cure him if I knew what the _hell_ was done to him but... This whole thing is a complicated situation that does not have an easy answer... This is why..."

"You are a nice person. You should not have to make a judgment call like that. Please, leave it to sensei. He will make the right choice."

"And... I was somewhat rattled... He bled, when I neutralized his enhanced hearing by screaming. I collected some of his blood and did something... Stupid and impulsive."

Senko pulls back one of her sleeves just enough to show that her skin is no we made of over strips of paper.

"...There was an... Unexpected reaction between cells and my own bloodline... I'm slowly recovering, but... I am telling you this becuase I do not think I can hide it from you or the others long term and..."

She replaces the sleeve.

"Ishikawa-sensei does not seem to mind, but I am still working on a cover story or means of... Not reparations, but... If you could keep this on the down-low? I would rather not be forced to marry into the clan of tuberculosis, the clan of bats, or the clan of backward bigoted monks to preserve their monopoly on their specific powers."



> *Jirou:**Yuyuyu:*
> She will approach one of the tied up bandits, use Disguise jutsu to appear older, bustier than she actually is, take an elegant stance wither umbrella unfurled behind her then wake him up.
> "Why Hellooo, Bandit-san~. I noticed that you were desperate for money, so desperate that were trying to attack little ol' me! How incredibly silly of you! You should've known better, you really should. But such silliness can be forgiven, if you are so kind as to tell me where you were going to sell people, hm? Don't worry, you'll be safe if you tell, at a little village full of people who went through what your going through and will be able to help! I'll even throw in a little offer of my own and cast a harmless genjutsu on you that will make you experience the taste of your favorite meal as if your eating it if you kindly inform us! How does that sound, Bandit-San?"
> She looks at him with an enchanting, alluring stare and a confident smile, her voice all sweetness and honey.


"Werren't you a ten-year-old five minutes ago? Also, seriously, are you retarded? You might _rob_ people because you're desperate, but what makes ou think we'd be _selling people_ as slaves and organ banks if...? Bitch, please. We do this because we _want to._ You think I couldn't be a rice farmer? I'm a bandit because **** society and **** law, I do what I want and never really _got_ that whole 'don't hurt people' bullcrap when the only difference between me and some Kage or Fuedal Lord is that when _they_ steal it's called taxes and when they enslave it's called civic duty."

"Besides, Tobio was the one with the Yakuza contact, and he seems to have come down with a nasty case of arrow in the liver. And lung. And heart. I couldn't tell you even if I... Did you think we were just auctioning people off some block in the woods or something? Nah, it's a drop-off, we give them to some Yakuza tough in one place and they tell us where we can find the money. Never meet in the same place twice."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi blush a bit and look away as Yuyuyu do her thing.
"....How degrading.'
She tilt her head as Kimiko and Senko go a bit farther... she release Yojimbo,  and crawl and sneak as fast as she can to overhear them.

Odayama let's them have their private conversations.
He sigh. "Oi oi. Not only that you are screwing with your karma, you are also idiot about it." 
With his hands on his hips.
"Well, if to talk in your launguage, the Damiyo and the Ottokage can back their "theft", with REAL violence." He pull a kunai, nearing his throat.
"Beside, you attack on random, with no rules or reason." Almost senesually? He move the kunai slowly to the bandit's hands.
'So what are hands are good for? No way I am allowing you go around and hurt OUR control." Odayama sound... very cold, radiadting beasly dominance.
'...It has been a long time for me, since I have tortured someone. Do I have reason not to excersize it today?"

- - - Updated - - -

Nozojo nod.
"Then sit down. I'll do it quickly."
Nozojo with skill and exprience, make a tiny cut behind Jirou's ear, exposing a nerve, that somehow connect to the rest. He clean the area with medical alcohol, and then connect the device into it, and merging it with a tiny (i dont even know how this called-https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTHQPR-1u06AEKsaN60WvzgN-qlT1TzX5WsdCLMs0eD3thKC_d7Cw0FfwMcFgTEbxG-geoLUaQ&usqp=CAc  this. It's a medical equipment actually. A bit of ouchy)
Wiring the nerve to the device by burning it together. Then closing the skin over it, burning the skin to close.
"Here we go. You should be able to hear radio waves, when you tap it.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He taps it experimentally.

*Yuyuyu:*
She dispels her jutsu and more matter of factly says as Odayama plays bad cop
"Well? Do you see what your anger has gotten you? I was making a generous offer to somebody who attacked me and my comrades, being merciful to someone so weak that they posed no threat to me. My leader here however, has seen war, and is far more unkind when he needs to be. Unfortunately, if he orders me to stand aside while he does whatever he wants to you...I wouldn't be able do a thing about it. He is my superior after all.

As for kages and feudal lords, by your own admission your nothing but a pettier more pathetic version of what your defying. Not untrue, but at least when those people do it? There tons of people who don't have to because of them. Thats civilization, in a nutshell: as many people trying to live on equal terms as possible while authority steps in when that fails. So.....how far does this authority here, need to step?"

*Kimiko:*
Hyu hyu hyu...
Kimiko chuckles back with a smug shark grin on her face.
I knew it! I knew that going for genetic manipulation early would prove unsafe for acquiring kekkei genkai. My decision to stick to fuinjutsu and try to emulate them through sealing was completely correct. Thanks for proving that with your foolish action to obtain them without knowing the risks of what would happen. For all you know, you just made yourself die a slow poisonous or cancerous death, who knows how horrible I would have it? Though given Futility-sans situation, I think I know the answer. That said, you are a friend of mine and I am concerned, so I Kimiko Ishikawa am happy to help solve this mess you put yourself in, with my brilliance here there is no doubt that we'll succeed. 

You having Paper Release however....Hm....your right, you don't want to make that public, it wouldn't be a four-way political struggle to adopt you, and Jirou-anikii might be forced to participate in that in Ishikawa's favor just to make sure your not used against him. My mother would most certainly try to adopt you if she was still the matriarch. Given that he is becoming Otokage, it would complicate his position. As for me, your a foolish fool if you think you can ever compete with me who has years to learn the tried and proven techniques for my own bloodline! Your not competition, your an infant taking their first steps. The only one can teach you is me, why would I make sure you could surpass me at my own craft?
She knew that her mother was the only one who could teach more, and Senko talked about killing so...its not as if she'd have any other option. There was one thing that bothered her about what Senko said...
"...Hyu? Nice person? What does that have to do with anything? No one described me that way before."
She looks at Senko, confused.

----------


## Rater202

> Usagi blush a bit and look away as Yuyuyu do her thing.
> "....How degrading.'
> She tilt her head as Kimiko and Senko go a bit farther... she release Yojimbo,  and crawl and sneak as fast as she can to overhear them.
> 
> Odayama let's them have their private conversations.
> He sigh. "Oi oi. Not only that you are screwing with your karma, you are also idiot about it." 
> With his hands on his hips.
> "Well, if to talk in your launguage, the Damiyo and the Ottokage can back their "theft", with REAL violence." He pull a kunai, nearing his throat.
> "Beside, you attack on random, with no rules or reason." Almost senesually? He move the kunai slowly to the bandit's hands.
> ...





> *Yuyuyu:*
> She dispels her jutsu and more matter of factly says as Odayama plays bad cop
> "Well? Do you see what your anger has gotten you? I was making a generous offer to somebody who attacked me and my comrades, being merciful to someone so weak that they posed no threat to me. My leader here however, has seen war, and is far more unkind when he needs to be. Unfortunately, if he orders me to stand aside while he does whatever he wants to you...I wouldn't be able do a thing about it. He is my superior after all.
> 
> As for kages and feudal lords, by your own admission your nothing but a pettier more pathetic version of what your defying. Not untrue, but at least when those people do it? There tons of people who don't have to because of them. Thats civilization, in a nutshell: as many people trying to live on equal terms as possible while authority steps in when that fails. So.....how far does this authority here, need to step?"


"See what I mean? People tell me that what my friends and I do is wrong, but folks like you do the exact same things to enforce your monopoly of power. The only difference between you and me is that you, bint, and you, fatass, are _priveledged_ enough to have someone teach you that ninja magic bull****."

The man laughs

"Seriously though? Tobio, Hei, Ko-Ko, and I are the only member of our gang left. Some Ronin bitch showed up, asked the boss if he knew anything about the 'Oni of Debuita.' Whole rest of the gang falls upon her, most of us died, Bitch killed them, Boss spilled that he'd run into the Oni a year or two ago, then she killed him two and took his head for the country. We tried to set ourselves up, start a new gang, but then a few days ago she came back, said 'might as well finish the job,' and chased all the way up here. We thought we lost her, but for all I know she's about to come up here, cut my head off, thank you for the assist, and then ask if you know anything about the Oni of Debuita."

"And to tell ya the truth, I'd prefer that to prison or trying to live in," he spits, 'your hypocritical _society._'


> *Kimiko:*
> Hyu hyu hyu...
> Kimiko chuckles back with a smug shark grin on her face.
> I knew it! I knew that going for genetic manipulation early would prove unsafe for acquiring kekkei genkai. My decision to stick to fuinjutsu and try to emulate them through sealing was completely correct. Thanks for proving that with your foolish action to obtain them without knowing the risks of what would happen. For all you know, you just made yourself die a slow poisonous or cancerous death, who knows how horrible I would have it? Though given Futility-sans situation, I think I know the answer. That said, you are a friend of mine and I am concerned, so I Kimiko Ishikawa am happy to help solve this mess you put yourself in, with my brilliance here there is no doubt that we'll succeed. 
> 
> You having Paper Release however....Hm....your right, you don't want to make that public, it wouldn't be a four-way political struggle to adopt you, and Jirou-anikii might be forced to participate in that in Ishikawa's favor just to make sure your not used against him. My mother would most certainly try to adopt you if she was still the matriarch. Given that he is becoming Otokage, it would complicate his position. As for me, your a foolish fool if you think you can ever compete with me who has years to learn the tried and proven techniques for my own bloodline! Your not competition, your an infant taking their first steps. The only one can teach you is me, why would I make sure you could surpass me at my own craft?
> She knew that her mother was the only one who could teach more, and Senko talked about killing so...its not as if she'd have any other option. There was one thing that bothered her about what Senko said...
> "...Hyu? Nice person? What does that have to do with anything? No one described me that way before."
> She looks at Senko, confused.


"...You did not call for my head the second I reverted from my monstrous form, even though I was actively trying to murder you and _liked it_ in that state," Senko's voice is, for once, not an even monotone. It's easy to tell that she's ashamed of what she did during that outburst. "You would have had every right to demand my incarceration of execution but you did not. That is what makes you a nice person, and that is the reason why you should not have to be the one to make the judgment call if... Futility-san can not be cured of his illness and has to be put down for the good of others."

Senko is somewhat taken about, however, by Kimiko's...

"...I, uh... This is not about getting stronger, Kimiko-san. This is about altering myself to make my body produce a more balanced chakra becuase years of training and meditation have proved to me that there is something physically wrong with my body preventing me from producing enough yin-type energy to form proper chakra. This is about"

"Eves dropping is rude, Usagi-san."

"Anyway, Kimiko. No. No poison, no cancer. I am just kind of... Screwed up for the time being."

----------


## igordragonian

(By the way, do Senko has two addtional pairs of ears?)

Usagi getting up.
'No, it's not. It's a ninja thing to do. The only wrong thing I did, was to get caught.'
She wrapped her hands. 'I just kepts tabs on you two, but please. Go on.'

-------------------------------------


'Oni girl you say?' Odayama doesn't take in the insults and the accusations- when you live with someone like Ameoku, random people were nothing to him in this regrad.
'It's really shame.' he say saddened. 
'Most of my colleagues would have excuted you, right away, while I understand broken people. But fine. I guess you will have time to think of this choice of your in jail.'



------------------

Millions of buzzing sounds.
Or at least it sound so- every tiny antena in the village is heard now.
He can hear converstions over all the village betweens teams in radio communicators, it's like.. an invisble buzzing sea of waves

and the center is right here.
Also, the radio station, it's like a powerful whirlpool of radio waves. Whole ship could sink inside.
For normal human it might be overwhelming to the senses, to the point of vomiting and losing counsionce.

----------


## Rater202

(Senko has sort of pointy ears: I linked a picture of Spock. Not normal ears, but not bat ears either, like her ears don't know which way to go so they split the difference.)

Senko smiles.
"Well, if that's how you are going about it, I guess we will have to come clean: Kimiko-san and I are discussing our plans for world domination. If you would like to get in on the ground floor, you can be Kimiko-san's head concubine."

(I'll respond with the bandit after Raz posts.)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He blinks twice.
"Huh."
He comments, with expression not changing much.
"Weird. Will take a little getting used to."

*Kimiko:*
She is a bit confused.
"Weird. Normally when people praise me, its about how how excellent I am, or on my brilliance, or how carried out the assignment or job really well. Nice is a new compliment. Though again, I'm not sure what politeness has to do with not killing you. Its not as if I can't be rude to someone and not kill them at the same time? Its more that your like, my third friend and the first one that I can like talk to and feel like an intellectual equal and I didn't want to lose that, and there were procedures to stop you without killing you, so obviously I had to do them because otherwise it wouldn't be holding myself to my standards of awesomeness and professionalism, aka I'm a shinobi therefore while it was personal, it was also my job to do that."
She tilts her head
"Ah so it was already screwed up? And you decided to screw it up even more? So your trying to hope fix it this time? Okay, if you think thats a logical chain of events...."
She shrugs then turns as Usagi is called out and looks between them blinking.
"Hyu? World domination? I didn't say anything about that, I just want all jutsu, be immortal and to learn and invent things. This is the first I've heard of that. Do you really think world domination is needed for that kind of thing, Senko?"
She knew that she would have to probably STEAL from others to accomplish her goals but domination was quite a different story. Like, why be responsible for _other_ people?

----------


## Rater202

"...I should probably affect a different tone when I tell jokes."

"Anyway, Kimiko... Think of it more like a medical procedure designed to treat a congenital problem. The procedure was successful, to a degree, but it had side effects due to being imperfect."

"The next step is to treat those side effects and then use what was learned from this implementation to create a more perfect version of the procedure."

"If perfected, the same treatments that solve my chakra deficiency could also be used to cure a large number of genetic illnesses, physical impairments, or even extend people's lives. Let the blind see. Let the deaf hear."

"Mayhaps, even, comingle the chakra of all living beings so that we can truly understand one another. Create a world where everyone cares, nobody cries, where everyone loves, and nobody lies. Where everyone shares and swallows their pride. A world with days where nobody dies."

"...Who the Hell is that?" Senko asks while gesturing to a figure in the road. They're drawing a sword.

"You are one cruel son of a bitch, you know that fatass?"

The bandit is about to say something else when an arc of chakra comes from the side and clearly removes his head from his shoulders.

If Odayama and Yuyuyu turn, they may see a girl, a few years older than Yuyuyu, in grey kimono and black hakama, calmly returning a wakizashi to its sheath. Odayama may recognize the sword as being of the make used by samurai from the Land of Iron.

"I apologize, Ninja-sans, but I have been hunting these bandits for several days."

----------


## igordragonian

*Jirou and Nozojo*

*'You took it surprisingly well. When I placed the first module, I was sick and vomiting for a week- I am not sure if either, to be ashamed of my weakness, either be proud of my improvement at tinkering.'* Nozojo laugh.
*'Well, maybe I guess you would do. So do you feel like you need to get used to it first, or would you like a crush course training for the basics first? I have mastered my ability over years of training and usage, so I don't think I could train you to mastery level, before I die. But at least, give you the basics, which I believe, would be enough to give you an advantage- with all of my intel, I am quite certain, that right now, that you and I are the only Radio Ninjas in the whole world.'*

-------------------------

*Odayama*

Odayma turn around and sigh. 'If anything, you are being rude. But he was annoying to deal with.' he say, and then tap his forehead protector.
'Well, we are Sound Ninjas on some mission. Who are you might be, and to be honest, what I care about more, who do you serve?'
With strangers, Odayama act less akward, and more chill, and exprienced looking.



----------------------------

*Usagi*

Usagi blush.
'Concubine?! What is wrong with you Senko!?' her hand sent to the scarf the cover the scar, she refuse to heal- the bite mark of Kimiko.
'As if I will be concubine of anyone! Let alone some shark princess!'
Well, at least some human reactions have remained.
'Pff. You all big talk and fancy, like B rated manga villians or something. I'll just do everything to never be helpless. If I need fancy jutsus, I'll learn them, but I think I can do just fine with my body, bow and rabbit allies!'

When she notice the figure, she prepare her harp bow.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Oh. Its probably just a delayed reaction then, sickness isn't always immedi-"
He vomits. When he is finished he says
"....Anyways well, its probably better if I can train without vomiting, so....get used to it? Being sick would mess up the techniques, you don't train when your sick unless you think you can speed up the acclimatization process."

*Kimiko:*
She will say, referring to the stranger
"Oh I know where she is from! Thats a Land of Iron Wakizashi, therefore this person is a samurai or a ronin."
"How do you know-"
"Extensive clan training on knowing various things to identify this or that. But yeah, since I'm not sure what a legit land of iron samurai would be doing in Rice, I'm pretty sure its a ronin."
"Well....what do we do?"
"Do? Its a ronin. Hyuhyu, like any stray animal, you shoo it off and hope it finds food somewhere else. Technically the other bandit we have tied up has more rights than her."
"I was thinking more of a combat assessment?"
"Oh that? Well a ronin is just a samurai, so no matter how low class they are they're basically one trick ponies. Treat it like a dumb taijutsu purist by staying out of their reach and you'll be fine, hyuhyu!"
Yuyuyu sighs and says to the stranger
"Please clarify before my friend makes anymore ....assumptions, I apologize if she said anything rude."
"Who are you apologizing to, its only a ronin."
"Its cruel."
"Its how we're legally supposed to treat them. They are criminals after all. That and if they're ronin they probably did _something_."
Yuyuyu sighs, sometimes Kimiko can be so....clanborn.

----------


## Rater202

"And judging from your hair and your teeth and your blade of paper, you are Ishikawa of the Mist. Dishonorable even for ninja, stealing the techniques of others and using paper when anyone with an ounce of brain would have used steel. Do you even know _how_ to use that sword?"

"Are you not from an entire clan of so-called 'Missing' Ninja who fled from their home village? Are you not just as low down as I supposedly am for acting against the wishes of your Lord?"

"My business here is simple," the ronin says as she turns back to Odayama. "I was hunting a bounty on the head of a clan of bandits. due to the actions of the clan, they were nearly exterminated."

"After doing justice and bringing the head back, I was offered additional pay to finish the clan off. It is as simple as that..."

"...Though, if you do not mind me asking, there is another bounty I am pursuing. A murderous shapeshifter who disguised itself as a young child onto to one day grow bored and slaughter almost an entire village. The monster has evaded justice for four years, being seen throughout this land on occasion throughout, and the survivors of its rampage are quite eager to see the monster that slaughtered their friends and family brought to task for its crimes. Tell me, do any of you know anything about the Oni of Debuita?"

Senko discretely pulls her hood down lower over her face.

It is 100% obvious to all of you that she is talking about Senko.

----------


## igordragonian

*Nozojo*

Nozojo laugh. *'No, take few days off. Maybe back to your political campigan when you feel like it. Radio control training will feel like constant vertigo. But if I die before then...'* pause
*'I have in my office, in my safe a scroll with all of my known radio jutsus. I think it will be very hard to learn it from a scroll, but if I am dead, this will be your best go. Unless... you want unhealthy shortcuts.'* he pull few small boxes self made pills.
*'But if you will overdo it, it will hurt you on the longrun- after all my cheats, my body finally demand it's biology laws back.'*

---------------

Usagi was thankfull Kimiko didn't commented on the concubine part, or her outburst.
Or wasn't she?
Urgh.
'Oi! Only I trash talk the shark princess, you self rightouse criminal!'
Though, she didn't had anything against Yoroi from team 1. He was ok all things considered.

Odayama raise his hands. 'Calm down, calm down.'
He scratch his beard. 'Oni? The only oni I know, is my wife, when she skip a meal Ha.' he laugh.
'But for your own sake, not that I want to downplay a Ronin- after all a piece of sharp metal inside me, will kill me, no matter who hold it- but. Do you really think you have a chance against such a monster, if it's real? There no shame in admitting your limits.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Thank you. I'll keep it in mind, but I don't see myself pushing to learn it that quickly except maybe in far more dire circumstances. Even in the case of your death....I think it'd be best to take it slow."
He will store the pills in a scroll and begin walking away.

*Kimiko: Brag*
"Hyu! I'll have you know that this sword is the Origami-No-Tsurugi, the Eighth Sword of the Mist! "
She draws it dramatically, flourishing and poses.
"I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of the Ishikawa Clan! A Shining Hope for a new generation! My family, for your information, were the ones betrayed by their lord, not the other way around! My clan escaped because they had no other choice! While I wasn't born yet when that happened, meaning I represent a whole new Ishikawa Clan, one engaged in the noble pursuit....of knowledge!

As for this Oni of Debuita you speak of, my brilliance is so great that if I encountered such a demon I could dispatch it myself without you needing to be involved. I've already killed a Jonin level Missing-Nin after all, and I could pull off a similar feat again if I need to. Thanks for letting me know of this, you can rest peacefully on the cold hard ground tonight knowing that I'll have it well in hand whenever it comes around."
She says playing up her tendency to brag and hyper herself up to throw her off, at the same time she isn't lying, because she honestly believes that she is prepared to seal Senko if it came to it. She already handled it once without knowing what she needed to do, she can do it again.

----------


## Rater202

> Odayama raise his hands. 'Calm down, calm down.'
> He scratch his beard. 'Oni? The only oni I know, is my wife, when she skip a meal Ha.' he laugh.
> 'But for your own sake, not that I want to downplay a Ronin- after all a piece of sharp metal inside me, will kill me, no matter who hold it- but. Do you really think you have a chance against such a monster, if it's real? There no shame in admitting your limits.'


"I am a samurai trained in the land of iron," the ronin says as if this explains everything.

"But you? You should not talk about your wife like that. If she is deserving of respect, then you should love and respect her as you do yourself. If she is not, you never should have married her in the first place."



> *Kimiko: Brag*
> "Hyu! I'll have you know that this sword is the Origami-No-Tsurugi, the Eighth Sword of the Mist! "
> She draws it dramatically, flourishing and poses.
> "I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of the Ishikawa Clan! A Shining Hope for a new generation! My family, for your information, were the ones betrayed by their lord, not the other way around! My clan escaped because they had no other choice! While I wasn't born yet when that happened, meaning I represent a whole new Ishikawa Clan, one engaged in the noble pursuit....of knowledge!


"Exactly. Not all contracts of fielty are broken by the will of the vassal. Sometimes the Lord is the treacherous one. Sometimes there is a great injustice that leaves Lord and vassal unable to trust each other. Sometimes a Lord dies, leaving the Vassal with no lord. There are _countless_ reasons for why someone might become a Ronin, but you _assumed_ that I am a criminal who betrayed her lord. You are a ninja, yes? Are you not supposed to... What is the phrase? 'Look underneath the underneath?' Your assumptions may cost you your head someday. Or worse."



> As for this Oni of Debuita you speak of, my brilliance is so great that if I encountered such a demon I could dispatch it myself without you needing to be involved. I've already killed a Jonin level Missing-Nin after all, and I could pull off a similar feat again if I need to. Thanks for letting me know of this, you can rest peacefully on the cold hard ground tonight knowing that I'll have it well in hand whenever it comes around."
> She says playing up her tendency to brag and hyper herself up to throw her off, at the same time she isn't lying, because she honestly believes that she is prepared to seal Senko if it came to it. She already handled it once without knowing what she needed to do, she can do it again.


"If you say so, ninja."

The ronin points to Menko. "You have been quiet."

"I am just a simple Miko on pilgrimage to our sister shrine, it is not my place to peak up on matters of ninja and samurai, nor to opine on what should be done with the bandits who did threaten my life," Menko lies seamlessly.

"Fair. And you, hooded one?"

"...I have heard of this oni. If the rumors are true, Samurai, then however much the survivors of debuita hate it? They can't possibly hate the oni more than it hates itself."

The ronin seems taken aback by this answer.

You part ways shortly after this, leaving the Ronin to deal with the bandits.

*Later That night.*

You make Camp in a clearing, not too far from the road but decently far from where the bandit encounter was.

Senko has been quiet ever since the meeting with the ronin.

----------


## igordragonian

*Jirou*
(intrested, in offical visit to the Broken Record Club or the Komoro clan?)



Odayama just laugh, when the Ronin reacted to his joke so seriously.
'You will get older, and you will see.' He just say.


----

*Campfire*

Usagi do one hand push ups.

Odayama, was now, dealing bowls of rice he has prepared to each girl. Only now Usagi stopped, flipping to a sitting position.
'Well. This encounter has been rough. But it seems to hit you the most, Senko-chan, if you don't me saying it. Do you wish to share your feelings?'
This was one doctorine of Nozojo he really fully heartily agreed- to preserve the ninja's sanity and humanity.
To let youth, be youth as much as possible. He was also worried about Usagi, but he sensed some kind of... wall from Usagi. For now, he hoped he could support Senko.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
When he feels good enough to do his daily routines he will go to the Komoro Clan. He didn't know which one to do first, so he flipped a coin, it came up heads, so Komoro Clan. This time he will go alone, with no particular expectations-he has to figure out what this clan cares about and how he can leverage that.

*Kimiko: HOLD IT!*
She stops and turns to the Samurai, she ain't joining that timeskip until she has her say.
"Oh, you want me to see underneath the underneath huh? Very well, Kimiko Ishikawa never backs down from a challenge! I did not assume, I KNOW your a criminal, because it matter what the reasons WHY someone is a criminal, your breaking the law no matter your reasons, for the law is blind to them. Anything else is childish denial. As for how I know your a Ronin?

1- You carry a certain sword make only made in Land of Iron
2- you DON'T wear your armor. Sure you could've taken it without, but those are heavy even for chakra users and require maintenance, not something you can use on the road
3-Like any clan or village, mine has informants and spies that keep them up to date on various things. Such as a certain ronin that has been wandering around being a vigilante, taking bounties and helping commoners for about a year, with brown hair, red eyes, hair pulled back into a warrior's tail, the Bingo book being updated with her profile, a relatively low bounty, but still vigilantism, you are after taking money away from the hidden villages by depriving them of jobs they would normally do, so they have to recover from the losses somehow. Whether you like or acknowledge it, being a savior is just another form of competition in this world.

Based on all these clues I name you.......Tomoe! Kurogane!!"
She says pointing dramatically at her.
"And thats not at all! I know your the one betraying your lord, for the Land of Iron's policies is neutrality with other nations, and your in another nation having cast off legality and legitimacy! So concerned with justice like you are, you probably became concerned with commoners beyond your borders suffering and thus decided to help them over your nation, unable to uphold one of the principles your nation holds itself to! Either that or this Oni of Debuita did something real horrible to make you come all the way out here in revenge? justice? whatever name you want to put on it, its all the same in the end."
She crosses her arms, grinning
"Of course I doubt I'm completely 100% accurate....but I'm pretty sure I'm close enough to have you basically figured out Tomoe Kurogane. However I have more important things than to attend to than hearing the sob story of some drifter just to correct me on the details."
She will turn, and walk away.

*Later:*
Kimiko will sit and eat rice while Yuyuyu will ask Senko
"So, I noticed you were shrinking away back there from her, you have a history with that samurai?"
"No, she would've recognized her if that was the case." Kimiko says
"But Senko is the Oni of Debuita she was speaking of, it fits all the facts."
"That.....makes sense. Do you really think that that Senko in her berserker form did something to...?"
"Of course not, the timeline doesn't match up. I was just focusing her attention on me to keep her from investigating Senko too closely. She is my friend and I have to protect her after all."
"Did you really have to make that speech at the end?"
"It wouldn't be very authentic if I didn't wouldn't it? and besides I love analyzing, and its not every day you get to analyze someone like that, and its fun to call people out on things."

----------


## Rater202

*Earliar:*

Tomoe scoffs but does not otherwise react to Kimiko's speech.

*Camp*

"I never wanted to hurt anyone... Hurting others without a good reason... I do not even eat meat unless I made sure the animal died quickly, cleanly, and humanly."

Senko's prepared rations are all vegetarian, by the way.

"...But, it has been four years and I still sometimes think I can see the blood on my hands."

"...Why am I still alive? Why am I not in prison? Why has it taken this long before someone intent on...? I did wrong, I..."

"I was six. I was arguing with mommy. I did not want to eat my carrots. Then I was waking up in a field on the other side of the main drainage ditch."

"My mother's last words to me when I made my way home were to tell me where to find a book talking about my clan's curse. I never found my father's body..."

"I have to keep busy. Otherwise, I drive myself mad trying to figure out _why?_ I know the biology of it, but... This does not... Where did it come from in the first place?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko is silent. She doesn't understand. She doesn't know what its like to lose your entire family and while you can say there is pain in her life, she has never lost a loved one. While her clan is diminished from its Kirigakure days, she has never known the clan when it was greater and to her the clan she grew up in is the one she knows. Her father is just a story to her- a stranger, often mentioned. Instead, Yuyuyu speaks
"What happened was a tragedy....and I don't think a six year old can be blamed for something she didn't know about until afterwards."
Kimiko continues thinking: But it was like her....strange bad feelings about killing that bandit in the basement or Futility-San. She hasn't figured those out.  but talking about those was Admitting Weakness, and an Ishikawa shinobi never admits weakness! Exposing yourself was just asking for the enemy to attack through the hole in your defenses.
"It however makes sense that you feel that way, that you want to know and that you want to make sense of it all! Its a traumatic situation after all, and has defined your life afterwards, changing so much about your existence."
But she could relate to wanting to know more. 
"Your a good person Senko. Its not your fault that you were dealt a bad hand."
"Hm....well if its a kekkei genkai like you say, it probably comes from the same place all the others do: a bloodline tracing themselves back to the mythical Otsusuki Clan. My family has this whole genealogy that details them all the way back to the first Paper Release user, Padma Otsusuki. So...you probably should have something similar? Its standard practice for clans with such kekkei genkai to keep track of that for political reasons. Your clan didn't leave behind anything like that?"

----------


## Rater202

"My clan is not exactly the 'everyone lives together in a compound and shares a rich family history' type of clan, Kimiko. We do not even have a proper surname."

"I have a theory that my clan is somehow related to the Senju-clan of the leaf: The things that we can do with our flesh and blood are very similar to what the Senju clan can do with wood, and from the book my... It seems that water, wood, and Yang are the most common elemental affinities among my clan, which are the most common affinities among the Senju and their offshoots, but that is just speculation on my part. If anyone knows where we came from or _why_ we are like this... I do not know how to get into contact with my uncles or cousins, let alone what country any of them are in. Most of my clansmen choose to live as hermits. Others choose to die young, there are not many of us, and..."

"My theory is that the berserk rages are meant to force us to expend our supplies of natural energy before we turn t stone, but that still does not explain why we have a power that is so destructive and no native ability to control it in the first place."

"The mythical Otsusuki clan? The only beings alive that would know the truth about them are the tailed Beasts, and I cannot just go to the Leaf Village and ask to talk to the Nine-Tails. For one, they would probably just kill me, and for two, if the Tailed Beasts had even a rudimentary intelligence, let alone the power of speech, then there would be no need for Jinchuriki."

Senko laughs bitterly.

"Mr. Fox, why do I periodically go insane and trying to kill everyone?"
"Rawr, blarg, rawr yip-yip-roar!"

Menko is biting her lip and looking around a bit, as if she's trying to see if there is anyone waiting in the shadows around the camp.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Not even a surname? Thats so sad, to not know what your family's history, where you come from or what your family is even named....its horrible! I can't even imagine what thats like. Clearly your entire family line has been done a great injustice if they couldn't keep the records. You'll never even learn what deeds your ancestor in the 7th century did! or what traditions your supposed to follow or at least pay lip service to! Truly a tragedy."
Yuyuyu sweatdrops a little and raises an eyebrow.
"...Its not that bad Kimi, most people don't know their family history and get along fine."
"Well yeah if want to live like a commoner, but she has a kekkei genkai, that requires higher standards of living! hyuhyu."
"....Yeeeeah, sure whatever you say." Yuyuyu responds, clearly not sure about that.
"As for the Tailed Beasts? Eh, I'm not personally interested in messing with those myself unless an opportunity for experimentation and research on them comes up, I don't need their chakra specifically to learn all jutsu after all. As for sapience, wasn't it Hashirama that captured all of them? The man of like peace and unity or whatever? I think the man who preached his beliefs like he was the second coming of the Rikudou Sannin would've get them to work with people peacefully if it was possible."

----------


## Rater202

"Kimiko, my 'kekkei genkai' is 'does not need as much training to be a ninja but periodically goes homicidally insane and sadistically murders anyone around them.' I was fully expecting to be kept under lock and key when I came to the Sound Village and offered my expertise in exchange for the resources to try ad cure my condition."

"The idea that I deserve some high standard of living because of that?"

Senko actually seems a little offended.

"There is a family history in the book, it is just very sporadic and focused on more recent history. My great uncle Gero was my inspiration for using science to treat my condition... Though he was _significantly_ less ethical about it and died because he did not take proper precautions with his test subjects."

"My second cousin twice removed, Jenako, can apparently talk to animals. When my copy of the book was written she was a 'crazy hermit with an army of lizards' living in a cave somewhere in the Land of Wind"

"And the less we say about Kaede the better... Look, in order to become a biological researcher, you need to be elbow deep in a fresh corpse at least once just to get the job. I am not squeamish around death and gore, but... By all the gods above..."

"Most of my other relatives isolated themselves or... Well, let us just say they were lucky if they had a _kaishakunin_."

"Supposedly, an older distant has a more complete copy of our family history, but he is in hiding becuase he knows something that _someone_ would kill to have forgotten and I have no way of knowing if he is still alive or where he is in hiding."

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Gero and Kaeda are shoutouts but Jenako is an original creation.

----------


## igordragonian

]*Campfire*

Odayama for now is pleased with that, an open conversation has started. He listen, and if the conversation will need a push or guidance, he will add something.
Emotionaly open ninjas? Maybe Nozojo is right, and on the long run, their village has an important advantage.

Usagi eat with vigor.
'Well.. killing your family, is really terrible.' she agree.
'But I have made a deal, and forgotten about it. Mostly. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I see the blood rain... but it isn't a big deal. Maybe I could arrange something like this for you. But there is always a price.' she say, sounding almost apathic.
'Surnames are also overrated.' now even seems annoyed.



*The Komoro Household*

Many of Jirou's friends are probably Komoros. Some would say that the Komoros are at the heart of Ottokagure; They have inspired the first Ottokage and the other founders to develop the signature jutsus and tech that the village is known for.
The Komoros are usually sensitive, emotional and quifte often shy. Some blame them for being mentaly weak.
More cynical review of their attitude might suggest, that their friendliness and surprising generosity with their clan secrets is out tactics to gain allies and also have an edge to surprise allied and enemies alike.
They also not above jobs, that most shinobis would consider beneath them- teachers at the Academy, guards and even entertainers. But They have significant percentage of weapon and tech devolpers. Their deep understanding of sound, give them an edge at this field, some of them design personally designed sound based weaponry and gadgets.

The Head clan Tsukimaru, is also the head of the weapon development branch.

Their household was relativly normal- just a block of few building, but with some antenas, and the building are built, so the echo will be strong- so much like the Fukiami house household, it was almost impossible to surprise them. They were casual bunch, and their yard, was more or less a junkyard, which they claim to inspire them.

When Jirou (and Kikena?) arrive, Naibu, a Komoro Kunouichi about as old as Jirou greet him with a bow. Her bat ears are folded with shyness, and round glasses almost slide of her small nose.
'Jirou-san... what... a honor.' she chrip, looking down, shyly.

----------


## Rater202

"Usagi-san, with all due respect...  Having most of your memories erased seems like a terrible way of coping with trauma and I would not true anyone who offered it to me. Once they are in your head... How do you know that is all they will do? I would rather live and die on my own terms, my freedom only curtailed by my conscent, than risk being someone's puppet."

Senko finishes her rations.

"It is getting late. We should work out a watch rotation and then start turning in. With five ninja, if we do two hours shifts then it will take ten hours for us all to get eight hours of rest."

Assuming no one has anything else to say, nothing particularly interesting happens over the course of the night.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi smile. "I don't care if I am free, as long as I am not helpless. I am not forcing you or anything,Senko. I am just saying we had a similiar situation, and what works for me. I guess you weren't stupid like I was...' pause.

Odayama when they finish. '....Almost all ninjas and humans have deep suffering inside. At least we have each other. Let's rest. I'll take first watch"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She doesn't know what to say to you being offended. Its as if being offended by it is new to her. A kekkei genkai user declining the luxury that comes with her position? So....strange! So fascinating.
"You...don't like that idea? Hyu. hyu. ahyuhyuhyuhyuhyuhyu! You are truly fascinating, Senko. An unusual individual. I've never encountered someone with a kekkei genkai who holds such little value in status and wealth. Its like some of the weird stuff that Jirou keeps talking about but even more so."
She turns to Usagi
"Hm, being someone's puppet is detrimental to my goal of learning all jutsu, I got to admit..."

*Jirou:*
"Greetings Naibu. The honor is mine."
He does have a few friends in the research department who are Komoro, working on other projects. He doesn't keep up much with those but he does talk with them.
"Hiya Naibu! Yup, I said it once before in the academy, and I'll say it once again: if anything ever happened to poor, sweet Naibu, I'd kill everyone and then myself."
"I'd share the sentiment, but I'm kind of trying to be Otokage-like here. Showing favoritism would be bad."
"Oh come on, loosen up, you need a smilin' kage for this clan, be polite but also be y'know...personable."
"....Okay."
Jirou attempts to smile. The shark teeth makes it look terrifying. 
"....Nevermind, just...go back to your mysterious stoicism."
He does and turns back to Naibu.
"Enough of that nonsense, let us go in shall we?"

----------


## Rater202

"I spent a good chunk of the time between leaving my home town and coming to found running around in the woods. It is a miracle that I did not go _feral._"

"When you, at eight years of age, have wrestled a deer to the ground and broken its neck with your bare hands before dragging it back to the cave you were living in at the time band skinning it with a rock to make clothes, a comfortable futon and a heater seem luxurious in comparison. Status and wealth? My needs are met, anything beyond that is excessive. If I were to have such things, I would rather it be becuase of my accomplishments than because someone decided that my unique biology entitled me to it. Besides, with status comes obligation: You were, until recently, involved in an arranged marriage done without your input, were you not? Do you think everyone has to deal with that kind of toxic politicking?"

"...Though, I would not say no to a small group of admirers who worship the ground I walk on and live to cater to my whims. Who does not fantasize about being pampered every now and then?"

The night is relatively uneventful, as is the rest of the journey to the border. Along the way, Senko continues to practice mist generation.

It isn't long before you make it to the border, the towering statues of Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju flanking the Valley of the End being visible in the distance, and you are stopped at a checkpoint

Official looking signage says that you are about to cross into the Land of Fire, while an Ashigaru equipped in armor typical of the Land of Fire's non-ninja military forces stands before you.

"Halt, present your passports and state your reasons for entering the Land of the Fire."

A few meters behind him, at a checkpoint for people leaving the Land of Fire for the Land of Rice, a Rice Ashigaru is imitating the movements of the man confronting you in a mocking manner. The Fire Ashigaru does not seem to notice.

Menko steps forward and presents her passport, hoping it will hold to scrutiny. These five Ninja are my escorts, protecting me from bandits as I, Menko Honda, Shrine Maiden and Priestess-in-training of the Great Shrine of Inari in northern Rice Country make a pilgrimage to the Great Temple of Inari in southern Fire Country."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi beside physical training, train her scroll sealing and releasing abilities.
She has few ideas for those, and in a messed up way, a scroll has started her ninja journey.
when she has chance, she would try to compete with Kimiko over something. Probably something silly.

Odayama mostly.. was there. He also knew the land very well. Even the land of fire- he inflirated Konoha for a year, after all.
Usagi laugh from the imitation of that the Rice Ashigaru does.

Odayama keep his deadbit casual attitude.
*'Yo.'* he pull out a document.
*'There are agreements about those things. If you need some papers, well her you go.*' he say with a shrug.

----------

'You are far too kind.' Naibu chrip.
She blush a bit. 'A-and I don't mind Jirou-san's smile at all. I-it look... hmm... bad... bad-behind.' she fluster, as she try to translate the wording into something more respectful, but it come out wierd, and she mamble as she lead the pair, into the main builidng.

The Fukaimis, threw a whole feast in his honor.
Half of the Komoros are probably too busy with their project. But the main branch family is there, quite more casual.
Maybe they just socialy unaware, or maybe view Jirou as a family friend, rather then a fancy someone.
It might insult him, or flatter him- depend on he view such things.

The clan head, Tsukimaru is a pass middle aged man, with huge rimmed eyes, balding head, beside the greying fluffy pointy ears, he was fixing some radio when Jirou and Kikena have entered-
the table has food, but also tinkering tools.
*'Oh, sorry about that.;* His wife bowed, and in surprsiing speed, has cleaned those from the table.
Naibu bow,

Tsukimaru bowed his head *'Please, forgive us, we get distracted easily.'*
'Jirou Ishikawa, and Kikena Masuku are... here... Can they sit down, dear father?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He chuckles as he sits down.
"Don't worry. This all actually reminds me of my own clan in some respects. While we hold to traditions, true, there are informalities when it comes to fuinjutsu and many of us are constantly working on one project or another involving that. Half the table talk is just discussing sealing jargon."
Meanwhile Kikenna figures out what Naibu meant and grins. She decides to talk to Jirou about it after this dinner.

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko will continue practicing mist generation beside you as well. It seems to be a little easier for her. Kimiko will gladly compete with her over eating the hardtack rations she brought as food to prove which one is tougher- be warned though, her mother once made her eat nothing but hard rations for a while to get used to the taste to prepare her for life on the battlefield. She has experience.

She and Yuyuyu pullout their passports and show it to the soldier.

----------


## Rater202

And Senko provides her own passport.

the soldier examines them all closely as though looking for any possible sign of forgery before frowning and bitterly spitting out "enjoy your stay in the land of fire."

As you pass through the checkpoint, the Rice Soldier on the other side, manning the other checkpoint, hails you. "Ignore Takeshi-san. From what I can tell he took this position to feed his ego."

"I heard that!"

For some of you, this might be your first time out of The Land of Rice... How do you feel about that?

The next few days are mostly uneventful. Just walking, traveling, whatever training you can manage to fit in on the way.

At one point, when you stop to set up camp near one of the land of fire's famed forests, Senko wanders off for an hour without saying anything and comes back with a serene smile on her face.

If asked, she says something about "wilderness bathing*" and not wanting to pass up an opportunity.

Eventually, you get to a segment of road near a forest and, after verifying that you are not being watched, leave the road to travel through the trees.

Senko, as you may note, is physically climbing the trees rather than using tree walking.

And soon enough, you leave the trees for a grey, foggy road flanked by natural stone walls.

"Welcome to the entrance to Ryuchi Cave... Hopefully, Monaka isn't the one supervising this trial or we're gonna be here all day."

*Wilderness bathing is the act of going out in the woods and appreciating/meditating on the sights, the sounds, the smells, the feel, and the taste of the air. It's supposed to be very relaxing and has certain benefits for physical and mental health due to lowering stress.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama enjoy the nature. 

Usagi use the oppurtnity, and climb and jump from tree to tree using her hands.
She has learned to store her crotches in a scroll.

This was exciting. She was learning this enemy land, which kind of reminded her of the Rabbit Kingdom.
Will she find pale eyed ninja demons here?
This time, she won't be a helpless child.


Odayma is using this time, to train his sloth form, which this area seemed to make easier.
Ameoku demanded of him, to learn to block her claws, unless he want her to shave his skin off his 'pretty face'

Odayma *'Anything I should know about the process?'* again in his human form.

------------

*'Yes. Inspiring people are your clan.'* Tsukimaru  say with a smile.

The twins, older in year then Kimiko are also there, but their expressions are sour. Dai and Doi, which used their ears as part of the costumes. Both wore heavy rimmed glasses and looked quite cute, beside few acid scars.
They were dropouts, as far as it was known.
-'Ah. We never had chance to thank this what her name'
-'Kimiko. Yeah. So like-'
-'Thanks' the twin girls say in unison with apathic 'emo' tone.

Naibu looks frusrated
'Come on, Dai, Doi you are being rude! His sister has saved your LIVES!'

They roll their eyes. 'Well, it's not like we really ninjas anymore. Remember? So thanks will do'
'Just because, we do a favor here and there for Boss-Scratch* doesn't mean anything'

'Sure.' Their mother smile, as she serve the food. 
their youngest children, 10 and 8 years old respectfully boys are jumping in their seats
'We heard Kimiko cutted an acid dragon with a tissue!'

'Yeah. Also her dual with Usagi was nice. Heh, she feel asleep on Usagi's neck!'


'BOYS!' Naibu scolded, blushing.  'I an really sorry for all that, my parents are quite light with the manners...'

The parents seemed unphased by theirc children too carefree attitude

'You were almost as bad them, Naibu-chan. Process has to happen. Why to alienate them? Scratch organize missions for them, and when they will feel ready, they will the tests.'

'THEY ARE NOT MISSIONS!' the twin girls protest


*Scratch is the leader of the Broken Record Club

----------


## Rater202

"Not really, just keep walking... It's a test of endurance... Just, like I said before we left, once we get into the cave proper don' eat anything they offer you..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He nods to Dai and Doi.
"I will pass long your message to her."
He says equally toneless. Then comments on the boys exclamations.
"As for her feats....I'm pretty sure she didn't do the first, but definitely did the second."
He wonder if this how legends start: by children wildly exaggerating what some adults told them happened, and the adults learning the story from them, and not bothering to get the whole story. That might explain a lot of things actually.
"Ah, no need to apologize. Children deserve whatever happiness they can have while they can....as do we all, in a way." 

*Kimiko:*
As they walk along she says in response
"So we're still on iron rations then?"
"I don't know how you stomach those bricks you call food."
"Look, you just get used to it when that is all your allowed to eat for a while. Y'know, like how ashigaru have to when they march."
"....Sigh."
She really needed to have to talk to Kimiko about her home life, get Senko in on it.
"Changing the subject, since I don't think talking about food at a time like this would be wise...Lets about our favorite manga or something."
They needed to keep themselves distracted from the fact its a test of endurance and make sure the hear each other through the fog. Things are easier to endure when your focused on something else. 
"I personally prefer Sutībun'yunibāsu. It gets sappy at times but I like the messages it conveys. Especially the timeskip stuff, what the writer did with the protagonist was incredibly daring."

----------


## igordragonian

*Komoro's household*

The boys laugh. 
"Wait."
"So how did Kimiko cut the dragon?"
Dai and Doi look annoyed. "Do we have to talk over and over about this incident?"
Their mother smile. "Well, you were the ones telling about an acid dragon defeating you. And Kimiko did ended up winning the battle there- so surely the boys would excited about how Kimiko has defeated a DRAGON."

Dai and Doi murmur and focus on eating.
Naibu look embaressed at her family. 
They all seems... quite free in expressing their feelings, and their parents doesn't seems to judge them for that.

Tsukimaru smile. "Huh. I see now what old sneaky bastard Nozoko see in you."
"Father!" Naibu whined. "You are talking like this about the Ottokage infront of his assitant and pupil!"
"-Then by now, Jirou surely know that Nozojo is a sneaky bastard.  We all know it's true. It doesn't mean I disprespect or dislike Nozojo. Things would have gone very diffrently if Ameoku would have take the leadership back then. And they will change, if she become the leader now."
----

Odyama nod. If anything he had endurance and patience.

Usagi walk on her hands.
"....Are mangas really that good?"

----------


## Rater202

"I do not much engage in leisure. When I am not researching methods of controlling my condition or conducting research for the good of the village, I mostly research other things."

"In truth, the only frivolity I allow myself is the occasional meal out or purchased confection. Have you ever had one of Fuyuki'san's snowcones? I have no idea how he manages to create such perfect ice crystals but..."

"What's a manga?"

*Meanwhile, back at the village*

Ichika, trained medic-nin and voluntary genin for life, decided to treat herself on her way home from her shift at the hospital. Fuyuki-san's frozen stand was on the way.

"How _do_ you make these things so perfect?"

"Family Secret."

*Meanwhile, back at the plot*

After a few hours of walking, you unceremoniously come to... A cave. An actual cave.

"Well, this isn't normal. We should have been going for another hour at least, and... Normally there's a big fancy building upfront."

"Well why bother when some little blather mouth spoiled the first two tests!"

A woman in a fancy white furisode fades into view. She's floating off the ground.

She has black hair done up in odango and the same color eyes as Menko. She is pale, but not unusually so the way Menko is...

"Little trouble maker. Constantly running off, constantly complaining about how she doesn't want to be a Sage... Then you come back and..."

The woman's skin suddenly turns white. Not pale white, white white, the absence of color. Obvious scales appear and then her face stretches out into a massive snake head.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just eat you right now and stop your troublemaking one and for all?"

"Monaka-san, I'm a bound familiar now. You know as well as I do that it is my _sworn duty_ to prepare my master for the Whit Snake Sage's trials to the best of my ability. There's no rule that says I am not allowed to want her about the tests ahead of time, and even if there was my status as a retainer supersedes most of those rules. You wouldn't want me to throw my own honor and that of the Snake Clan into question, would you?"

...Menko seems to be enjoying talking down to this Monaka-san may be more than is healthy.

The second snake licks the air and then glares at each of you.

"You brought a cat summoner who smells like butt, a rabbit kingdom vassal... 

She licks the air again, then, surprisingly, bows to Kimiko and Senko.

"My apologies. I did not detect the scent of your... _noble lineages_ in your chakra the first time. It brings me joy to welcome you."

She then unceremoniously pinches Menko's nose enough to make the young summon wince in pain.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Indeed. She is the type that would want us to become strong at the cost of what we value and hold scared as a village. And we cannot forget what makes us human at the cost of mere power. Not if we are to live happy lives. I actually prefer this kind of discussion, Naibu. It occurs too little in this world, shrouded by lies and manipulation. Ameoku would just have us forget all that for force and strength, discipline without heart and power without meaning."
Much like his own mother he reflected. But he need not bring her up at this table.
"Yeah, whats life without some pleasure y'know?"
Kikenna adds in with a grin.

*Yuyuyu:*
Yuyuyu will go
"None? Wow, I feel sorry for you Senko, when we get back we need to give you a dinner and have some fun ASAP. Your missing out if you don't live it up a little! as for Menko...its simple, a manga is a book, but with pictures AND words! and tells stories with those pictures because a picture is worth a thousand words."

*Kimiko:*
When they get to the snake lady, she will respond politely as etiquette dictated. Clearly this snake was of high society worth speaking to!
"Why thank you, Monaka-San. Mind not the help, I am Kimiko of Clan Ishikawa. This is Senko of 
...a Clan Unknown to us. Senko is the one who is taking these tests, I am here accompanying her as far as I can, as loyalty to a comrade dictates. The other three people of our group are apart of our team and we are from Otogakure."
Yuyuyu makes a respectful bow and says
"Greetings Monaka-san, I am Yuki Yuuna Yukimura. Everyone just calls me Yuyuyu however. Just accompanying Senko as kimiko said."

----------


## igordragonian

Odyama sniffed his armpit.
'Well, I am an adult man, and didn't showered for some days. But ain't very fair' he say calmly.
"And I am sort were married into summoning cats. I don't mind snakes, really. I am just the Commander of this team which guard Senko. So let's just get along."


Usagi:"I am Usagi! I was trained by the rabbits! Do you have an issue with me?!" She growled defiantly.


-#####
Naibu fold her ears, as if she was scolded. She seemed to be worked up over her and her clan's reputation.
Tsukimaru nod. "I am happy, that you aren't a clone of your mother. New generation should have open ears for new ideas. I think I will be happy to call you Ottokage one day."
He clean his glasses. "You just need an 'Oomf" moment. Like Nozojo has raised those... wierd sound like wave walls, so the Leaf Ninjas had to focus on the gates. He also was recongnized be a legend like Odokuro. If you need help to create such 'oomf" moment, I will gladly help you. Sadly Ameoku has her nice title, and war stories.'

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> When they get to the snake lady, she will respond politely as etiquette dictated. Clearly this snake was of high society worth speaking to!
> "Why thank you, Monaka-San. Mind not the help, I am Kimiko of Clan Ishikawa. This is Senko of 
> ...a Clan Unknown to us. Senko is the one who is taking these tests, I am here accompanying her as far as I can, as loyalty to a comrade dictates. The other three people of our group are apart of our team and we are from Otogakure."
> Yuyuyu makes a respectful bow and says
> "Greetings Monaka-san, I am Yuki Yuuna Yukimura. Everyone just calls me Yuyuyu however. Just accompanying Senko as kimiko said."


"Yes, yes... It is always a pleasure when a strong blooded descendant of the Ōtsutsuki comes to take our trials."



> Odyama sniffed his armpit.
> 'Well, I am an adult man, and didn't showered for some days. But ain't very fair' he say calmly.
> "And I am sort were married into summoning cats. I don't mind snakes, really. I am just the Commander of this team which guard Senko. So let's just get along."
> 
> 
> Usagi:"I am Usagi! I was trained by the rabbits! Do you have an issue with me?!" She growled defiantly.


"My only problem is that I'm not allowed to eat you."

Monka leads you all into the cave.

It looks like a normal cave. There are stones to sit on and a narrow opening at the back leading into some sort of passage way.

From inside that passageway emerges what appears to be an eight-year-old with the same pale complexion as Monaka's human form, dressed in the same kind of robe, but with bleach white hair pulled up into a regal top-knot.

"Welcome to... Wait, are we not..?"

"The runaway brat spoiled the first challenges to her sworn master. There's really no point."

The newcomer then notices Menko and immediately flies over and sticks a finger _in_ Menko's mouth in order to pull out her cheak before pinching it.

"Aw, I saw you'd gone and gotten yourself a master... And look at you, dressed up all fancy. You're moving up in the world."

Menko's eyes twitch. "Hebehime-san... I have been meaning to ask... You're sixty human years old. Why is your human form so young."

The pinching becomes harder and Menko winces.

"You know damn well not to tell a woman's real age, _child._ You'd better hope your master passes my trial, lest I slurp you both down like the damned noodles you won't shut up about."

"I do not appreciate the bullying of my familiar."

"This isn't bullying, it's discipline. She wouldn't have to worry about it if she just did what she was told in the first place."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Hm....I'm actually thinking of a plan to catch Futility-San. It requires the cooperation and the coordination of both you and the Fukaimi Clan however, and the coordination of the entire villages forces. I can't reveal it yet due to security concerns. It could be such a moment you speak of, if I pull it off."
Sure he could still read his mind, but he had a counter for that that will just require a certain kind of tag and the right sound equipment. Something that Komoro could help with.
"On an unrelated note, could your clan help me with coming up with some...chill beats? Y'know, low-fi stuff. If I'm going to be Otokage, I do need to establish a clear identity while also carrying on Nozojo's legacy in some way, so while I can't replicate the shows he does, the radio is still an important part of our village and I do think some calming music while people go about their day would be helpful, don't you think?"
C'mon, Catch the hint, catch the hint....

*Kimiko:*
"This ...banter is distracting us from our business here, Hebehime-san. Please let us focus on the task at hand, what is the third trial?"
She says to keep them from getting any further distracted from their goal with this nonsense.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama change into his sloth form.
His mind was in mediative like state. Almost asleep. But not.
It was more like passing volumes of his senses-less of seeing with his eyes,more hearing,  more nature and spiritual kind of sensing. His fighting was almost automated, and Ameoku did trained him to better control this form.
For years he didnt had an actual motivation,beside being good enough to get by.
But his failure at the bell test...
He was training very motivated and powerful ninja girls.
But they were young, and needed guidance and support. Especialy Senko, needed somepje powerful.
He probably couldn't keep up with those prodigies for years. But he had to be good enough to contaim them in those sensitive years,if needed. To protect them. 
He can do this much.


Usagi laugh. "I actually enjoy seeing Menko bullied. It's funny. She almost cute like that."

----

"The Fukaimi aren't very fond of our clan... I believe such operation would require trust."
Tsukimaru say in matter of factly tone.
Naibu chrip up. "Oh! I am great with the chill beats! My grades at the academy rose in 25% when I have studied while hearing to my beats, and the effectivness of my team's trainings went up by 40%!"
She blush and fold her ears. "....Sorry. I have talked out of place.'
Both her parents roll their eyes with a chuckle.
Naibu seemed to have more conservative outlook then her parents. Or she is a pleaser kind of person, and try to please a certain kind of ninjas.

----------


## Rater202

Menko actually looks hurt that Usagi says that.

"I am sorry, but only the supplicant and, I suppose, her familiar are permitted onto the next tests. Unless you have other business in this cave, the rest of you will have to remain here."

"I have a condition where-in"

""We are aware of your bloodline's power, child of Asura's shadow. There was another of your clan who came here, long ago. Not to take our trials, but to ask Her Excellence what she knew of the Otsusuki. If, _if_ you pass on to the Hakuja Sennin's final trial, we will allow those who accompanied you this far to witness either your success or your failure and employ whatever safety measures you have devised. But not a moment before."

With little fanfare, Senko and Menko are herded down the passageway leaving you with only Monaka.

Odayama, with the senses of your sloth form, you are the first to notice: Someone else is coming from outside the cave.

"Oh, cr"

The snake woman starts to run for the cave entrance only for someone else to quickly shove in past her.

"It's funny. I was under the impression that an illusion delayed one from finding this cave but it was a rather straightforward walk."

It's Tomoe Kurogane, the Ronin you met on your way here.

She looks around.

"Where is your friend, Sound Ninja? Where is the Oni of Debuita?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Oh no, the plan won't require you to be in the same group or anything, you probably won't even get near them. Its very much something that the entire village's forces will participate in to some extent, its just your two clans are specifically important to catching Futility-San for certain reasons I'll reveal later."
He says reassuring them.
"Glad to hear it Naibu. I'll need your services then. We'll talk more about the specifics later."
When it would be private. 

*Kimiko:*
She will grab the Origami-No-Tsurugi and draw it from its sheathe.
"As if I'd tell you where my friend is, ronin! I told you I have it well handled after all, hyuhyu. As if I'd lie about my abilities! If she becomes a problem, I can simply seal her to keep her from killing anyone, furthermore this entire mission has been to cure her of her condition! Your nothing but a vagabond who is in the way of the solution that presents the lowest amount of life lost, those are values everyone here is concerned about yes? If your so concerned about saving people from her, simply wait and it will solve itself! That is the most use you can have now at this moment."
She says, grinning like a shark as explains the situation in her own boastful, arrogant way.
"Why I'm thinking of even leaving you alive just to comprehend how useless you were in finding the best possible solution! Perhaps it will serve as a lesson to you. I have killed before, but I'm willing to be magnanimous 
if it means showing how counterproductive you were to solving the problem your so concerned about. Hyuhyuhyuhyuhyuhyu!"
Yuyuyu will brandish her umbrella
"Senko may have some funny ideas about this or that, be socially awkward, but she doesn't deserve to die because of something she can't control! I know you mean well-but I must stand my ground for the sake of my friend, Tomoe-san!"

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi felt bad.
She was quite bad at joking and socializing.
Will she able to apoligize later?


Odayama in sloth form turn toward Tomoe.
'Don't you worry, you shall not pass me. No point to worry about that.'
His voice is wierd. He seems to be in sort of trance.
'Those claws of mine. They have ripped a Konoha Jounin's heart. You are alone, there is no shame in backing off, when you stand no chance.'

Usagi had an idea to deal with this one.
'Hey! Bully snake lady! Will it be an issue, if I'll summon rabbits right here? I might be rude, but I don't want to make things more complicated, between rabbits and snakes- I just want to protect my..... teammate.'


----

The dinner eventually concludes, there is no offical ending- simply, when everyone has finished eating, Tuskimaru and his wife- the heads of the clan, collect the dishes and go was them, going here and back, Dai and Doi slipp away.
Naibu apologize again. 'My parents aren't really into the offical manners.... no wonder so many other clans look down on us. I am really ashamed and sorry on their behalf.'

Her mother chuckle. 'Don't be so uptight Naibu-chan. Jirou is welcomed here- he can go when he feel like it, or talk to us again, we ain't far. Not every social enconter need to be a kabuki play'

----------


## Rater202

"I am sorry but we can not permit the summoning of foreign creatures within these hallowed caves."

"Is that what she told you? That she could not help it? Could not control herself? She _had_ to kill them? Have you _any_ idea how many murderers use that excuse?"

"Even her claim, that the Oni of Debuita hates herself more than the survivors do? Every corrupt noble or wealthy merchant who gets away with murder, rape, or some other serious crime gives a similar platitude."

"How, Ishikawa, how is bringing her to this den of snakes, often sought out by the most depraved in a tireless search of power, meant to prevent the Oni from taking more lives? How is making her more powerful to make her less dangerous?"

"The basic facts of the matter, Sound Ninja, are that your friend, your teammate, slaughtered people she proclaimed to be friends in cold blood. Husbands lost wives, parents lost children. Babies left orphaned. Dozens of people mutilated to death and left to rot as those who escaped were too fearful to return an perform funerary rights."

"Do you expect me to go back to the handful of people, people who want justice, people who only wish that there sons and daughters, their parents and grandparents, can finally rest in peace and tell them that their loved one's murderer said she was _sorry?_ That that would satisfy them?"

"If your friend was truly repentant, she would have submitted herself to justice years ago. She would have demanded that she be imprisoned indefinitely, and yet here she is, walking free, a ninja's headband on her head..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"No need to apologize Naibu. I honestly enjoy the casual conversation. I wish I could have more like it. See? Your mother gets it. More formal speak is just there to be official sounding for official stuff, and the clans just bring it into their family lives as a form of practice which I think is a little much. So what time you want to discuss making the chill beats? It is quite important actually, and it needs to be done in a soundproof room, preferably."
"Yeah agreed on the kabuki thing. I prefer my performances to be private....one on one....and in bed."
Kikenna winks at Naibu shamelessly. 

*Kimiko:*
She honestly didn't care about Tomoe's moralizing in the least. Senko was her friend, intellectual equal and fascinating specimen who might lead to so much knowledge to learn! Though she did admit that Tomoe's moralizing sounded very similar to Senko's, it didn't matter because Tomoe was just some boring ronin compared to Senko's interesting ambitions and ideas. Kimiko wanted a friend and lab partner, while if her and Senko's paths diverged she would be happy calling her a rival- she needed someone with vision to compete with her dream of learning all jutsu after all. She is on some level here out of scientific curiosity of what will happen when Senko gains the power of the snake. but she couldn't just say all that. That would be showing her hand way too soon, not to Tomoe but to her own team and by extension the Sound Village. The real game was the whole world, and these were just the opening moves on the board. She doesn't even know who the other players were yet.

No. She had to focus this back on Tomoe. Better to attack her beliefs.
"Hyuhyuhyu. What subjective abstract things you believe in. Yet in the end, all the things that can be criticizing about redeeming people can also be said about bringing them to justice: those like you who seek to right wrongs are often angry, full of pain over one thing or another, unable to accept their failures in the past. Every person who calls for justice is just calling for vengeance by a more polite name as they are often the injured party and thus their viewpoint is clouded by the pain they feel. You are human like anyone else, and you cannot possibly hope to fool me that you are some automaton of justice with no selfish desires in your heart! You don't want to kill Senko for some ideal, but because deep down you believe you failed in some manner and need to seek revenge for something done to you or someone you care about, unable to turn the other cheek you go seeking blood to wash away the imperfections you see in this world. 

You know you have no legal legitimacy to it, so you wander as a vagabond and with no proof, you find some random ninja who might fit the description of the girl your hunting and assume she is somehow this rumored Oni of Debuita. So you come to us trying to convince us that she is the Oni and thus allow you to commit murder against our own comrade without any proof that she is this monster your hunting? Your not some wanderer dispensing justice, your just some hobo with a sword trying to use a little girl as either a scapegoat for some tragedy, or to convince yourself you've finally found the body that will wash away your failure to save someone else. I am not going to be an accomplice to your murder, hyu hyu."
She says back, grinning. Yes, that will work. 
"Yeah! You don't have any proof of this, your lying for your own advantage."
Yuyuyu says backing her up.

----------


## Rater202

"Four years, two months, and three days from its date, in the early evening, a survivor of Debuita who was sitting down to dinner overheard a shouting of "Senko, you need to calm down," coming from his neighbor's house. He knew Senko as the same as the neighbor's child and stepped out to investigate to find a massive hole in his neighbor's house and a small, goblin-like creature with a face and horns resembling an oni savaging his neighbor before charging off to attack a crowd of people who'd come out to view the commotion."

"The child, Senko, was known to most of the survivors as it was a small town. She was described as being six years old at the time, which would make her ten now, with hair the color of a carrot that she wore short and eyes the color of amber."

"Your companion is a ten-year-old girl carrot-top with amber eyes and short hair with the name Senko... Even if she hadn't given herself away with her comment, your first response to my coming here was to confirm that Senko was the Oni of Debuita by defending her crimes."

"There is a bounty on her head, and even a wanted fugitive has the right to collect bounties. There are people who want the killer of their loved ones brought to justice because the governments of the Land of Rice refuse to carry out justice properly.."

"And you're wrong about my motivation... Tell me, does it say in your Bingo Book _why_ I became a Ronin? Becuase I distinctly recall leaving a formal letter of resignation and submission to exile citing my Lord's gross violation of the oaths sworn to him and the code of Bushido as reasons why I could no longer serve him... I am no longer welcome in my home, but I am no fugitive and there should be no bounty on my head."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Oh. She had witnesses. Kuso. And she admitted she was defending her. Double kuso. Oh well. Best filibuster this as long as possible then like the nitpicky nerd she is. The more time she buys for Senko to get her cure, the better.
"Oh how convenient you have such a forgiving Lord. You are correct of course, my brilliant memory can recall that bingo book flawlessly: it is not your own nation that put any bounties on you, as bingo books are made by the villages separately to evaluate people outside of their particular village regardless of whether they official affiliation with a nation or not. Tons of shinobi loyal to their villages have such bounties placed on them by villages not their own. It is simply common practice to give a bounty to anyone that is a threat and your opposing official Sound village business is proof enough that you are one.  

However- you are still motivated by your failure and thus wish to make up for it in some way. Your failure to save your comrades. Your desire for "justice" whatever that is- one of those strange subjective concepts without any empirical way to observe it- is what motivates you. So of course you go nations far outside your jurisdiction pursuing a child. Can you truly punish a child as you would an adult?

As for Senko well....did I say anything? I think you misheard. After all, its just your word against mine. You don't have a way to record my words. As for those witnesses did they actually see her become this "Oni"? Judging by what you say, I don't think they did. They heard voices, then they saw a rampaging demon. That doesn't prove she is what you say, only that she was nearby when the Oni attacked, are you going to try act upon coincidence?

As for the Sound Village, the reasons why Senko is apart of our forces is top secret. I can't say too much of why of course, but suffice to say that you have no reason interfering in Sound village business. But what I can tell you is that a young little girl named Senko with no home came to us and my brother out of the kindness of his heart decided to take care of her. That is something that is completely true and not a secret at all. Continue pursuing Senko and you will bring down the villages wrath upon you for more reasons than one. We may not be the strongest village in the world, but we are still stronger than a single lone ronin. 

Furthermore we're currently in the land of fire. Need I remind you that if we do not get the power of the snakes, it will be eventually be taken by the Leaf Nin as they always do? If Ryuichi cave is so dangerous, surely its more dangerous in the hands of the superpower dominating much of the continents arable land. In the hands of Sound it will at least be balancing things a bit. Furthermore we're both foreigners here. If the Leaf Nin come, they'll only see enemies. Surely you don't want to spend too much time here and risk getting killed along with us so they can protect their claim on this summoning contract? There are far bigger things at work here than your little quest for justice. 

While I, Kimiko Ishikawa, Heiress of the Ishikawa clan, Wielder of the Origami No Tsurugi, Shining Star of the Hope Generation and Slayer of Futility-San is someone you do not want to face! No amount of honor or righteousness will help you survive and enforce your ideals. I suggest you rethink your decisions before your righteousness gets you killed."

Jirou for the record is not famous, and people outside of Sound village would have no idea of who he is.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama. 'This girl is under my responsibility.' he say.
'We, in the Village Of Sound, giving the broken ninjas a second chance. What in the past, is in the past. I will fight to the death to protect my team, as if they were my own daughters- and no matter what they did, I will protect them. You are outnumbered, and outpowered. Be reasonable.'

Usagi frown.
'Silly gooffy cowardly noodles.'

she land herself on the floor pulling her harp bow placing four arrows.
'Just one step further, please. Please, I beg you. Try to come for my teammate's head. Give me an excuse to do a hedgehog transformation jutsu on you.'





-----------------------


Naibu release a bat like shriek. 'EEEE', blush covering her face.
'We have such room on every floor, for stuff like that....' she offer to lead them

----------


## Rater202

"Forgiveness has nothing to do with it, Shinobi. The Land of Iron has no Daimyo and is ruled unilaterally by the general of the Samurai corps. My Lord was a Samurai and is bound by the same code of conduct that all Samurai must swear and he broke it. He cannot demand my head or compel me to cut my throat without also cutting his own belly and he knows it."

"In truth, I feel bad for every samurai sworn to a feudal lord. The Daimyo of the Shinobi nations have grown fat and lazy on the tribute given to them in exchange for maintaining the state, they care not for the responsibilities of their position or the lives their actions affect and are even more eager to make war for the pettiest reasons than even Shinobi. Any samurai sworn to serve such a fool is trapped, forced to abide by suffering lest they be ordered to end their lives for 'dishonoring' someone with no honor to begin with or be forced to live a life as criminals. Or they've been brainwashed."

The idea that a samurai could act in corrupt manner of their own accord does not seem to occur to Tomoe.

"What's past is _prolog,_ sloth-slayer. That which has come before _defines_ what comes next. Your student in your care _slaughtered_ a village senselessly. That doesn't just go away because she has convinced you that she is sorry. Responsibility must be taken: If she is _truly remorseful,_ then she will submit herself to justice, and since there isn't a court on the continent that actually cares about due process and isn't constantly bent to serve either the whims of Yakuza or of Shinbi..."

"I have no quarrel with you. My business is with the child. I will speak to her, and I will render judgment."

"So about that..." comes a voice from behind you all.

A new snake is present, looking like a middle-aged woman who has aged very gracefully who is rather... Top heavy, let's say, wearing the same regal robes of the other attendants.

The deliberately childish Hebihime is also present.

"So, the good news is that your friend passed both my excessively youth-obsessed college's complicated trick-question sudoku puzzle and she technically passed my test of character."

"The bad news is she turned into a horrifying monster and is going on a rampage as we speak and she's shrugging off every Genjutsu we have that might calm her down."

Tomoe looks very smug right now.

"Do you have a dodge for _that_ one, Ishikawa?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
They both stare at Naibu for a moment then Kikenna whispers to him
"Jirou, I wholeheartedly support this potential extramarital affair, wish you both happiness and swear to love any children produced from it as if it were my own."
Jirou facepalms and whispers back
"This is not the time!"
"Your already putting on the moves though..."
"Not everything is about banging, Kikenna!"
"I disagree with that on deep and comprehensive psychological and philosophical grounds."
"Look, it may or may not become a thing, I'm not opposed to it becoming a thing personally, but there are other circumstances to consider, and this something more important!"
When he and Naibu get into a soundproof room, Kikenna will wait outside to guard it. In the room, Jirou will say
"Okay now that we're in the room where Futility-San porbably can't hear us, I'm going to tell you: while I do need those chill beats you can make them however it is you feel appropriate, let your creativity soar. What I really need is a certain sound, at a frequency beyond the range of normal human hearing. and I need it very loud. I believe it could be the key to defeating him while hurting as few people as possible. Of course this sound would be hurtful to both the Komoro and Fukaimi clans so it is why I need their cooperation so as to figure how to best use it while making sure they aren't endangered...as someone who engineers sound, your probably the best person to ask to produce such a thing, which is why I need your help, Naibu."
Of course the existence of such a sound would be just one part of his plan. He needed to keep his cards close to chest. The fewer people that know the full plan, the better if Futility-San can truly read minds.

*Kimiko:*
"Hyu....hyuhyuhyuhyuhyu....Are you kidding?"
She grins the widest shark grin and shows not one, but _a handful_ Sealing tags she has prepared just for this very situation
"This is _exactly_ the contingency I prepared for! Watch as I replicate a feat I've already done that you in your narrow samurai skills could never hope to achieve: saving my friend! Everyone come, I'm going to need as many distractions as possible!"
She then takes off running in the direction of Senko, arms stretched out like wings as she goes towards Senko, Yuyuyu runs after her.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama change back from his sloth form, he can't move as quickly.
He also prepared his own way to deal with Senko.
Well... it were powerfull sleeping pils made by the Ottokage, more or less.
Powerful enough to put someone like his wife to sleep.
But it will be their plan B. 



He grabbed Usagi and placed her on his shoulders.

'Hey! don't-'


'You can't summon Yojmbo here. Don't let your pride stand in the way. You can walk fast on your hands-' he say as he create clone, who seal them both in a scroll and throw it away as fast as possible, planned to open as it hit the ground.

'But this way is quicker.'

------------------------------------------------

Naibu blush and straighten her glasses. 'I... don't... quite understand the humor of Kikena-san' she has probably has heard it all..
esepcialy since the Komoros have built their homes to echo perfectly for their ability.
'Oh. How... wise of you.' she nod.
'It is possible. I also find it... disturbing.. that some terrorist, wear ears like mine as kind of deranged tro-trophy.' she play with a synthesizer.
'I guess it also will help, when eventually sooner or later missing nins from our clans will pop here and there.' she say as she play with the synthesizer.
'But the Fukaimi are... quite paranoid as it is. They always feel like the world is hunting for them, or at least press them to change. Knowing that we have devolped such a thing... might make them misunderstand things even more,'

----------


## Rater202

So Kimiko is going to get there just fine but unless someone picks up Odayama's scroll and carries it he and Usagi are going to take a while.

The next chamber has absolutely no one in it, though there is a giant sodoku puzzle, a twenty by twenty grid, embedded in a wall with answers in somekind of pigment scraped on it.

In the doubtful event that anyone stops to look, it should be noted that in one box, a pre-embedded three is drawn over with an eight.

Odayama's scoll lands in this chamber, but there's another chamber on the other side of this one.

Assuming that Kimiko keeps running into the next chamber, she finds Senko...

At some point during the tests, it seems that she removed her robe and tabbi, for some reason. You can see them on the floor.

Last time Senko transformed, she turned into a massive, ruddy-orange Oni.

That would probably be preferable to her current state.

The basic shape is the same, but her limbs are wrapped in strips of paper--though not entirely, with exposed muscle being visible underneath them.

Her ears are now long and pointed, like a knife, and there's something vaguely chiropteran about her nose this time.

she has a handful of extra ears--resembling both the Komoro's batlike ears and the long lobed Fukimi's--in various strange places, and there are jagged shards of bone emerging from her forearms and shins.

Surrounding her are half a dozen snakes, each as long as a grown man is tall.

A couple of them look injured and they all seem to be keeping their distance.

Tomoe comes in just after Kimiko.

"Are you still going to deny that your friend is the Oni of Debu... _What the Hell is that!?_"

"So, the problem started when I bit her and injected her with a hallucinogenic venom that confronts you with things from your past that you regret, like say, a friend who got hurt blaming you for it. The intent is a test of character--if subject gives either a rational reason for why it isn't their fault or takes responsibility for whatever wrongdoing they are confronted with, they pass, while someone who denies something being their fault but can't provide an adequate explanation for why fails the test and is eaten. I must tell, you, the best thing I've ever eaten was the chakra of a man who spent thirty minutes trying to argue that he wouldn't have murdered his ex-girlfriend if she'd have just had just lent him the fifty yen*"

"Your friend fell to her knees, started crying like a toddler, begged for forgiveness, and then turned into this."

You are pretty sure that this, currently nameless, snake did not follow you.

*So there is absolutely no ambiguity, this is less than half a dollar.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
His brow furrows and he curses.
"Kuso. Of course they'd be that way about such a thing. and considering what my plan would be...it would make it even worse, even if I let them know I was going to do something like that. Dammit, the plan requires the entire villages cooperation, if the Fukaimi don't play ball or worse decide to betray me farther down the line over asking them to cooperate with what I have in mind, I'll have to discard it and come up with something else. There'd be too many false positives if they don't obey orders."
His plan was to basically get a really loud sound outside the range of human hearing then basically set up a situation where its broadcasted across all of Otogakure through the tower while the Fukaimi and Komoro clans all stayed gathered at home after all their members were confirmed to not be Futility-San. The idea being that Futility-san is hiding somewhere disguised as an ordinary civilian in Otogakure since thats easier than infiltrating a clan compound and replacing one of their members, so if he broadcasted the sound, most people wouldn't be affected by it, since all the clan people who can be effected would be accounted for, any "normal" person who heard such a high frequency sound would logically be Futility-San in disguise and thus experience visible pain. There would of course be Chuunin around on high alert with radios to spot a "civilian" doubling over in pain or something then report it and attack Futility San to try and capture or stall him while he and other more powerful forces would try and arrive in time to finish the job. The sound would go on for hours and be so loud that Futility-San would theoretically be unable to hear thoughts over it. But if the Fukaimi were going to be jerks about this, then it might not be his plan A. Shame, it was such a great plan to. 
"Forget it then. Focus on the chill beats. I'll come up with some other way to take out Futility-San."
He didn't have the heart to tell Naibu that Kikenna was probably being completely serious about shipping them. There was a name for it: Cheatshipping. Its a term used by fans of a certain genre of romance in the shinobi nations that details fictional forbidden loves between various noble clans and the outcast ninja around them. Often the love triangles would get quite complicated and dramatic while both comedy and tragedy in equal parts would ensue from their interactions. Fans of course would come up with their own pairings that defy canon, often between couples already married to other people and the romance and drama of forbidden love after being bound to people they do not love at all would be focused on. Canonically most such stories end tragically but fans love to come up with happier endings. Personally it overused things like amnesia and secret half siblings too much for Jirou's tastes, but he caught his mother reading such novels sometimes.

*Kimiko:* 
For a moment, she is fascinated.
"Interesting! Physiological changes dependent on absorbed bloodlines, is the senjutsu exaggerating their traits to a degree? Will have to take notes on it later.

Anyways, Tomoe, I will no longer deny anything. I knew she was the Oni of Debuita the moment you first came up to us after those bandits attacked. All those speeches were just to stall you so that her tests could be completed. Admittedly this isn't the ideal situation, but it'll have to do. If you want to satisfy your justice, speak with her after I seal her. I'm sure Senko will be more than ready to defend or submit herself to you whichever she wants. There is another way to get her back to normal but I doubt anyone here has the expertise to stab the right spot. Anyways what I need from everyone else is to distract and/or restrain her. This will only work if I can get close enough. Tomoe, you can either be a hindrance or a help. Decide quickly, we have no time."
Yuyuyu will use clone jutsu to make five of herself and begin running around in circles around the berserker to confuse Senko, While Kimiko knew given how all the other genjutsu kept sliding off her that the invisibility genjutsu probably wasn't going to work. She could try hidden mist jutsu for the first time, but it would render Usagi useless without somewhere to aim. So she used disguise jutsu to look like one of the Yuyuyu's then made clone jutsu of five more Yuyuyu's to confuse Senko even further.

----------


## igordragonian

*Cave-*


Usagi jump from Odayama's shoulders, determined to get through it, through her own power.
She smile.
'Yo, Kimiko. If I ever will fight you again, you won't get a chance to get to my neck again!' she place on a rather large arrow a long scroll. (like of Tenten's) she shoot it, and the scroll is rolled as it fly, in a circle around Senko, releasing bell needles, which fall in exact locations and circle around the raging girl beast.
Usagi grin. 'Not only you came with a plan!'

Odayama smile to himself. 
He change to a his sloth form again, prepared to clash with Senko, and hold her down, or to block Tomoe.

-------------------

Naibu fold her ears.
'Maybe if it will come from the Ottokage himself.... or some insurance, that the device will be d-destroyed afterward.' She suggest.
She pause.
'I-if may I suggest... sometimes, through compromise, you can reach more....'

-----------

(If you are ready with Ameoku..)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"I'd rather not propose a solution that would make them suspicious of me in the first place. I'd be perfectly willing to do the compromise to that, but I'm worried they would suspect me of keeping backups they don't know about. If only there was some way to soundproof our minds defensively or reveal his location. I can tell Futility-San isn't unbeatable, he just is very careful about when he strikes and knows when to retreat. Shield our minds and he'd be unable to know our plans, figure out a method to easily reveal his location and we can simply repeatedly find and engage him until he runs out of energy- no matter how great his abilities he is only human. Being able to read our minds won't matter if we can tire him out and overwhelm him. my plan to use such a sound is not the only solution, just the quickest."
He also had an idea for something he could do with project on the Sage Seals....might be little risky though...
"....I'll keep my plan with the high frequency sound in mind as well as making sure to compromise. I certainly would not want such a weapon against a fellow clan of the Sound getting into the wrong hands."

*Ameoku and the Kaguyas:*
The Kaguya Clan Household is one that goes for the classic japanese manor look: shingle roofs, sliding screen paper doors, mats the works. They even have a pond with one of those bamboo things forever filling with water until they tip over and spill it into the pond and go back up again. The Kaguyas were after all an old clan believed to be of Indra descent. The pride of their lineage in some ways stronger than Ishikawa. For some time now they've been known as some of if not the strongest taijutsu users in the world due to their Dead Bone Pulse bloodline. A member answers her at the door bowing formally and greeting
"Welcome, Ameoku-taichou. come on in, we are always pleased to have Jonin commander Ameoku of the Three Thunders over for dinner."
As she walks she sees them practicing martial arts both basic and ones involving their bones in various ways, or sparring with each other. Some of them of course are medic nin studying the human body obsessively- and how their own bodies are different. Every one of them having completely white hair and have put red dots over their eyebrows. They dress similarly in white robe-ish and yukata or kimono like outfits. Their hairstyles are similarly old fashioned, seemingly emulating a lost time. Their shrine to the kami and their ancestors is in full view in the courtyard. Despite its relative newness, the Kaguyas have seemingly made all the effort they could to steep this place in tradition, more than the Ishikawas. 
"As you can see we are hard at work training. We estimate we are mere years away from developing a full fledged force of Kaguya Jonin. Unlike the Ishikawas after all, our jutsu isn't dependent on stealing knowledge." 
They will of course walk by Miho Kaguya doing her own training: it seems to be more about building up stamina, endurance and durability than any of the more skill and technique training she saw the others doing. 
"do you have any questions so far or would like to speak to Clan Patriarch Takuma Kaguya now?"

----------


## Rater202

Senko reacts negatively to the sound of the bell needles.

Unfortunately, her negative reaction involves a bunch of shards of bone erupting from her body and shooting out in all directions.

And then an arc of solid chakra slashes across her belly, shredding the strips of paper and spilling quite a bit of her blood.

If one turns to look, they'll see Tomoe has stepped aside to get a clear shot and has her sword drawn, enshrouded in an aura of chakra that makes it seem more like a katana than a wakizashi.

So the question is... Do you do something about it, or do you take the opening?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Various basic clones of Yuyuyu and Kimiko poof from the shards flying. Yuyuyu opens her umbrella and blocks the shards to protect both her and the real Kimiko at the same time, the shards bouncing off its hidden steel. 
"I think the assumption that Tomoe would have a harder time with berserker Senko was the wrong one, Kimiko! Do something, now!"
"Working on it!"
Her mind goes into overdrive: Okay, apparently Senko has the enhanced hearing as well. Thats why the jingling of the bells hurt her ears and left her vulnerable to Tomoe's slash, which was not what Usagi had intended. She is bleeding now and even if she gets the seal off that would probably need to be taken care of. She is no medic-nin yet, but she does have bandages prepared for just such an occasion, ninjas gone into battle after all and it was expected of shinobi to work as a team to carry their comrades to safety, no man left behind after all. Tomoe was not here to help, therefore she was an obstacle. Kimiko needed to accomplish multiple things in a short amount of time: deal with Tomoe, seal Senko, get her bandaged up as fast as possible. But there was Usagi to think about to: if she behaves as predicted she will continue with her lullaby regardless, but as the snakes have been showing, genjutsu was not working on Senko.  Odayama will definitely act to do something about Tomoe. Hopefully he has a plan to deal with a blade full of chakra outreaching him. No wait-that was it. Tomoe was most dangerous using her sword. Get rid of that and she is much more manageable.

But there is an opening available. She whispers a plan to Yuyuyu and she throws down a smokebomb, concealing only themselves. Out of the smoke Yuyuyu comes running at Tomoe with umbrella while she is distract to hit Tomoe' wrist with her umbrella to try and disarm her. While Kimiko runs straight at Senko with a sealing tag at the ready to try and slap it on her forehead to seal her.

----------


## igordragonian

Naibu think. 'Well.. maybe we can tinker some kind of headphones' she suggest.
'Sooner or later, we will need to face it. It's a weakness that someone will exploit sooner or later. I fear, if there ever will be a second war with Konoha, we should expect something.. especialy from the Uchihas and Hyuagas... they seemed to especialy dislike us... and again... I fear.... 'Futility-san' is just the first... both our clans try to keep ourselves in control, but sooner or later, there will be missing nins with our abilities... like this Mayuwo boy from the Fukaimi clan.... something about him disutrb me deeply'




---------------


Ameoku jumped from above, seemingly from the sky- but she simply just jumped very very high from other building, and landed with quite grandiouse feline way- her landing didn't made any sound.
*'....Nya.....*
A pink haired girl with a cheetah mask jump after her rather dramaless.
'Greetings! I am Shuryouhyou! The secretary of our kittiest of kitties'
Ameoku frown- her mask designed with genjutstus to show her expressions- at least those she wish to show.
*'....I respect your happy go lucky attitude to raise the attitude in our office, but please try to be seriouse.'* the thunder hissed with a tail whip.
'Of course, Ameoku-sama! It's easily peasily will be done!'

Ameoku grumble. *'Don't let her attitude fool you. She is useful... anyway...'*
She look at Miho in her trainings. 
*'Would it be ok for me to give her... some pointers? She seems my kind of ninja.'*

Shuryouhyou shift nervously. '...The Ottokage has asked you many times to stop those kind of tests. It's a miracle you didn't killed anyone yet'
*'Miracles doesn't have anything to do with it! I just challenge my fellow ninjas! Push them to greatness! Few broken bones won't kill a true ninja!'*

----------

Odayama try to slash toward Tomoe.
'T...this wa...s.. a mistake.' *yawn
Odayama mostly focused on distracting the young ronin.


Usagi hiss. 'Baka ronin! I'll deal with you later!'
And then take a deep breath. She start to play her harp.
A lullaby. This was her strongest technique- a lullaby taught her by the rabbit queen Nagasu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otSc...annel=pinwoody

in combination with the needle bells it would be a powerful sleeping genjutsu- but Usagi aware of her mistakes, will stop if she see that if affect Kimiko faster then Senko.

----------


## Rater202

The monstrous berserker covers her ears at the start of the harp playing, leaving her wide open for Kimiko's sealing tag.

Meanwhile, The ronin changes her grip on her sword and pulls it into a block simultaneously to the blade of chakra around the sword growing longer and wider, protecting the young woman from the umbrella strike and the sloth slash.

"I think you are making a fundamental error, Sound Ninja. I am not a common thug with a sword I barely know how to use. I am a samurai from the land of iron. Born and raised by the blade, I've been trained in all forms of kenjutsu for as long as I've been able to walk."

"You can't win here. Not like this."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho Kaguya:*
She stops, bows respectfully to Ameoku and says
"My goal is to become a strong ninja who protects her friends, family and village, Ameoku-taichou. This reason alone is enough to fight you. However I do admit that on some level, I enjoy the battle and look forward the challenge you present. After all..."
She makes bone armor form all across her body like an exoskeleton cross between samurai armor, ending with a sword like spine jutting out from both wrists.
"Dance of the Oak: Bark.....your an opponent I don't have to hold back against!"
She charges forwards at speeds more fitting for Chuunin to try and close the distance to Ameoku, spike extended to try and stab her in the chest.

*Kimiko:*
Yuyuyu will simply over her umbrella to act as a shield and just be in the way as possible. She knows she isn't that good- but she doesn't need to be, shields require less skill than parrying and all this was to ensure that Tomoe can't interfere.
"You talk too much."

Kimiko will slap the seal onto Senko forehead and hold it there.
"Sealing Tag!"
She will regulate her breathing to keep it fast and herself alert so that if Usagi plays her song, she stays awake. Kimiko has had training after all and can defend herself against genjutsu better now.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi keep playing the lullaby, making sure she is making the right ally to fall asleep.
Or at least cover her ears.
It was a bit insulting- Usagi took pride in her harp skills!


Odayama smile as he keep parrying.
"I don't need to win. I have no need to kill you, just to slow and tire you down.'

----

"Yes. That the kind of ninjas we need!" Ameoku say with excitment, as much she isn't shy to shame those she loathe, she isn't shy of praises.
Ameoku felt like she could go less easy.
"Claws Of Whipping Ghosts!' 
She parry the bone weapon with the claws of her left hand, imbuing chakra to empoower her claws just enough to parry, then she send a slash with her left hand.

Most of her taijutsu were more or less controling the volume of her body.
If she wished, her claws could be so weak, that won't cut a paper. If she wished she could cut through rock and iron as if they were paper.

----------


## Rater202

"You don't get it, she's _playing you._ And even if she wasn't"

"Shut up!"

A white cobra falls from the ceiling and explodes into smoke, and out of that smoke falls Menko's human form.

She is wearing neither her normal kimono nor the Miko's outfit of her disguise, but something similar to the clothes that Senko wears under her robes.

Tomoe reacts o this... She's aware that there's a human-form snake summon falling on her... But she can't avoid it without opening herself up to Yuyuyu or Odayama. She hesitates, and Menko lands on her back.

Odayama and Yuyuyu can see that Menko has fresh forming bruises on pretty much every visible part of her body as the snake-girl starts punching the ronin in the side of the head.

"You're not there! You don't see the shame and fear in her eyes whenever she's around _anyone_! You don't hear the guilt in her voice! You aren't there when she cries in her sleep! You don't get to judge! I came back to a place that I _hate_ with every fiber of my being because Senko-sama deserves to be free of this horrible burden that she never asked for! I'm gonna make sure she becomes the Snake Sage so she can use our libraries to understand and cure her condition, and then we're gonna retire to the Land of Beaches where she'll be worshipped fo her kind heart and genius by people who wait on her hand and foot because _that's the only way the universe can repay what it's taken from her!_"

"I'll kill you if I have to! Just leave her alone!"

Menko is crying right now, though her punches don't seem to be affecting the samurai at all.

Senko, meanwhile, struggles against the sealing tag as it's formula's spread about her while at th same time her wound seems to fuse back together, letting off steam in the process.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
"Hm."
She leans a bit out of the way, so that while her claws scratch the armor- she isn't good enough to protect against someone as powerful as one of Three Thunders- it doesn't touch skin. Miho then takes a very pointed step back and lengthens the wrist bone spikes farther so she can play the reach game, stabbing at Ameoku out of the reach of her claws and trying to maintain a very precise distance of closeness to continue attacking her without being in range of Ameoku's taijutsu.

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko....keeps the sealing tag on Senko, Her other hand, having the the Origami-No-Tsurugi in her grip will grow paper whips to bind and restrain her hands and feet in case she tries to break free mid-sealing. 

Meanwhile Yuyuyu will keep her umbrella- shield up and push against Tomoe
"Tomoe! Even if she is guilty of what she has done....her "monstrousness" isn't a demon, its just a bloodline! A quirk of biology that makes her go berserk involuntarily because of senjutsu. We have scientists in our village that can confirm this. She voluntarily submitted herself to lab experiments, we have the data. Its a bit of a secret yes, but since you already know the important parts....we could confirm her story as true. You just have to give us a chance."
Presumably, Jirou and anyone else who knows of this top secret project would've run experiments or something double checking what Senko was saying without her knowledge to make sure she was telling the truth, as all good scientists would do: always repeatedly test to confirm independently of other peoples biases. Presumably Jirou or whoever else would keep these files someplace where he can access them. Yuyuyu doesn't know, but she is socially savvy to guess about this from her interactions with Kimiko and Senko and what she has seen of Jirou.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi keep her lullaby, which seemed to combo well with what ever Kimiko is doing.

Odayama just support Yuyuyu's fight.
As you can see, Ronin-chan, it's under control. You need to let it go'

----


'Good. Stick to your strengh, and avoid your foe's strengh.' Ameoku smile. 
Ameoku had many jutsus and tricks under her overly long sleeves... but they weren't fun.

She jump into the air.
'Cat's Soul Meteor' she spin in air, and landing with a powerful kick- simple and powerful. Those were her favorite techniques. In harder battles, Ameoku used her more refined techniques to lead her to a position where she could land taijutsu attacks.

----------


## Rater202

"It's not about control, it's about _responsbility._ Even if everything you say is correct, she's still knowingly putting people in danger just by coming here. If she's been subject to research and experimentation to control her condition then she should be under _constant supervision as a patient_ in a secure facility."

"She's wearing a ninja's headband. The Ishikawa said something about absorbed bloodlines. And here she is, taking tests to steal the most violent and dangerous of the Great Summons clans from under the nose of the village that holds power over your own?"

"The _best_ case scenario here is that your village is stringing her along with false promises about curing her condition while using her as a weapon."

"And either way, the people she left in her wake go unavenged. The girl seems to be neutralized. When she reverts, I will interrogate her and render judgment."

Menko punches Tomoe in the head again.

Speak of the devil, as the shifting of Senko's body finishes mending her wound, she begins to shrink until she's once more a child younger than you, with everything from the jawline down seemingly made of interwoven strips of paper and her ears oddly shaped in a way that doesn't quite match up with either the Fukaimi or the Komoro.

She's breathing heavily...

And Menko leaps from the samurai's back and full-on ninja runs to tackle Senko and pull her into a bear hug.

Don't worry Senko-sama, I won't let that inhuman samurai hurt you."

Senko is looking at Menko's bruises. "Did... Did I hurt you?" Senko sounds as if her heart is breaking as the realization hits her.

"Samurai, if it pleases you, you may take my head..."

Tomoe stumbles, the chakra aura around her sword dissipating, and she almost drops the blade in her hand.

It's clear from her expression that she did not expect that.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
The member guiding you has gotten out of the way of the fight by the way.

She will put her arms up above her saying
"Dance of the Oak: Leaf"
And forms a bone shield from her arms as thick as she can to try and protect her- but even this won't be enough to stop a Jonin's strike. It shatters as Amoeku brings down her kick. But the point of the shield was not to stop, but to slow the descent- so that Miho can grab Amoeku by the leg and attempt to redirect the force aimed at Miho and slam Ameoku to the ground with her strength like someone grabbing a hammer and swinging it down in an overhead strike.

*Kimiko:*
She of course sheathes her sword and crosses her arms, grinning, smug at her victory.
"Behold! I, Kimiko Ishikawa-"
"AHEM." Yuyuyu reminds her
-Along with the rest of Team 3.....have once again completed the mission. Once again, I've been proven right, Tomoe Kurogane! Marvel at how she was contained without any loss of life! Once again my brilliance shines through!"
She turns to Senko, looking a bit more angry
"As for you, I'm disappointed that you of all people would insist upon this suicidal option. Your such a selfless fool that you'd do this yet you can't even consider how I'd feel about it if your were gone!? After all that I just did to save your life? How dare you. At least be a proper one and apologize for the pain your about to cause me, my team and my brother if you let this foolish ronin kill you. I will relay it to him after I've gotten my revenge on Tomoe by killing her in response and we'll have a proper funeral. I'll make sure your tombstone will have the proper epithet for your stupidity: "Senko. She Died doing the Right Thing." it will be sad, and no one will dance."
Yuyuyu replies
"Yeah while abrasive, Kimiko has a point: letting yourself die on her blade won't solve everything and Tomoe is a ronin- she has no actual protection under the law. And even if Kimiko doesn't succeed.....Jirou will just see a child under his care murdered by some stranger. I don't think he will take that lightly."

----------


## Rater202

"...Again, things are different in the Land of Iron... My Lord was a samurai who must follow the same rules and code of honor in regards to those who serve him as we did to him and he violated that code in regards to myself and several others, which severed my oath of fealty. I am essentially an independent bounty hunter with the same rights and protections as anyone else."

Tomoe's heart doesn't seem to be in it.

"Suicidal implies that I _want_ to die. I want to correct my chakra imbalance and master my clan's sage mode. I want to stop being a danger to everyone around me. I want to change this world into one where people don't suffer and die in pointless wars or experimentations of _cruel lunatics._ I want to live, but..."

"...But if I can't... The whole point of you coming here was to stop me from... But I still hurt Menko..."

"I'm prepared to die to avoid hurting anyone else. I even purchased a ceremonial tonto, though I didn't bring it on this trip."

"Senko-sama, you know... As your bound familiar I am required on my honor to fight on your behalf. You don't want to hurt anyone, but... The only way the samurai is getting your head is if she cuts me down first."

Senko panics at that. "You aid the contract between us _doesn't_"

"It says I'm allowed to _refuse_ suicidal orders."

"...If you are so repentant, child, why did you not submit yourself to justice?"

"...Becuase there isn't an honest court on the continent. I told Ishikawa-sensei that I needed to be kept under lock and key, but that didn't pan out. I just... I just used the resources available to me to try and fix my condition and made plans to do the honorable thing if I could not do it by the time I became a potential threat impossible to contain."

"The honorable thing... The tanto...?"

"I know that_ jigai_ is considered more ladylike, but by the time I am eighteen I would probably live through that... Though, I have put off finding someone willing to be my _kaishakunin._ It is a difficult topic to broach..."

Tomoe sheathes her sword.

"Your teammate mentioned absorbed bloodlines. Why?"

"My body doesn't mold chakra properly. By itself, it would only be a minor issue, but my kekkei genkai results in my body naturally taking in natural energy and molding senjutsu chakra from my existing supplies, leaving me with my mundane chakra levels too low to practice chakra control... And then my body becomes overwhelmed by natural energy... I _think_ that my transformed state is a safety measure. I am forced into corrupted Sage Mode to expend my excess instead of turning to stone... Unfortunately, it also happens if I am thrown off balance emotionally."

"By grafting cells to myself from donors, I can train my body to produce a more balanced chakra, build up my chakra control, master my transformations, and stop periodically entering a state of homicidal insanity... But it needs to be a distinct chakra from genetically distinct cells, or my body will simply crush the foreign cells and uses them to make more of my own."

"...I will need to verify that what you've said is the truth, but... At this time I do not believe taking your head is in the interest of justice."

(Normally I'd wait for Igor but we're a bit behind and this is now primarily a conversation.)

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi smile, and on parallel to Kimiko brag as well.
'The lullaby of Queen Nagasu is obselete!
But stopped on parallel by Yuyuyu.

'You are being silly Senko. How can you defeat everyone, if you are dead? Are you going to roll to the feet to every B rated Ronin?' and with that she point an arrow toward Tomoe.
'I will allow you to leave alive, if you will do so quickly.'

Odayama internly sigh. Can he really help those girls to remain human for long? Did any childhood remained to preserve in them?

But he just said.
'No need in threats at this point, Usagi. We managed to this without bloodshed, please don't provoke her.'

Usagi lowered the bow just a bit.
'She will think we are softies. People will think they can push around the Sound Ninjas!'



--------------------

Miho's plan was good- it worked near perfectly, but Ameoku's reflexes kicked in, and at the last moment, she sent her palms to block the fall, laughing with joy of the battle, sending her other leg for a low kick.
Shuryouhyou meanwhile use the distraction and drop... a seed.
she take a look around, also prepared to interverne if Ameoku go too far.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
She didn't expect this. The kick sweeps off her feet and she falls to the ground. She needed to act quickly so she tries to roll away back up to a standing position and fire bones spikes at Ameoku while trying to run in a circle around her. 

*Kimiko: Be a total Franciska Von Karma about this.*
She frowns.
"Well....I guess my efforts worked then. What foolishness. Senko-baka."
She turns to Odayama petulantly.
"Odayama-sensei! Why do foolish fools foolishly keep trying to sacrifice themselves? It makes no sense! You will explain this to me at some point! Hmph!"
She turns around to being walking away. She is a bit angry that her threat/bluff to kill Tomoe in revenge for killing Senko wasn't even acknowledged. Like she just detailed how badly things would turn out for others because of Senko's actions and Senko in her self-proclaimed "selflessness" didn't even acknowledge it or take her feelings into consideration. Kimiko knows she is selfish, but if Senko doesn't even care whether her sacrifice would lead to revenge or that Jirou would be saddened by her loss....well she clearly wasn't _that_ selfless then. Cares more about some stupid village she left than the people who care for her even after revealing her true nature. As she struts by Tomoe she narrows her eyes and gives a "I'm watching you" gesture then says.
"Your lucky sensei is merciful. C'mon, Usagi. Lets blow this popsicle stand."
She walks out of the cave to wait outside.

----------


## Rater202

Kimiko finds that the passageway she came in from isn't there anymore. It vanished at some point while she was restraining Senko and Yuyuyu and Odayama were fighting Tomoe.

"I'm so terribly sorry," the middle-aged snake woman says.

"But you've become participants in the ceremony." Monaka adds.

"You can't leave until it's been seen through," Hebi-Hime finishes.

Since when were the walls of the cave white? And covered in scales?

Absolutely _massive_ coils begin to move, and if you turn around you'll see a huge snake's head adorned with a turban and long, humanlike red hair.

Specifically, you can see the massive snake sink one fang into Senko's shoulder and the other into _Menko's._

"Wait, I wasn't supposed to!"

*"Hohoho, child, you've taken each test by your master's side, it is only natural that you take the final test together."* The massive snake sounds like an elderly noblewoman.

Menko has a look of panic, then her transformation destabilizes and she poofs back into a cobra.

You ever seen a snake hyperventilate? You have now, as red markings appear along Menko's body... And Senko's flesh turns from paper to white scales.

Senko looks even more panicked than she did when Menko revealed that she'd fight to the death to prevent Senko's.

"Kimiko-san. Please remove the sealing tag."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Be That Gal.*
She....

Slowly...

Turns...

Around...

...to face the snake, a war of emotions being waged across her face. One side was fighting for scientific fascination at the situation and its implications. They were at war with the side fighting for caring about one of the few friends she has and resulting anger towards the snake biting her. However this was a multi-sided conflict where she was some anger towards Senko herself for not caring at all how she or her brother would feel about her death, a yet another side is fighting to express some kind of fear of what will happen to Senko when she tears it off, there is a small group of rebels fighting to be indignant about her exit from the social situation being cut off so she can escape and cool down, Another side fighting to be more angry at Tomoe for causing this situation, a second rebel group is fighting to be indignant about being ordered around by this snake at all, and there is some group of refugees fleeing from the whole situation in confusion about how a cave was a snake or vice-versa in the first place. 
However this veritable warring states of emotion is soon conquered by the empire of Kimiko's pride and ego spreading a simple and undeniable truth: _I AM KIMIKO ISHIKAWA, AND I GET THE JOB DONE._

So she walks on over to Senko, step by step. A very Jirou-ish advisor in her wonders if any of this was truly necessary to cure her but it is too late to wonder at alternatives never considered or taken. A very Mitsuko-ish dissenter in her head whispers questioning whether Senko really cares. An Odayama-ish thought says Senko is merely being inconsiderate and surely talking it out would help. Contradictory whispers, arguing in her head, uncertainty, uncertainty, uncertainty. 

Of course, taking off seals like this wasn't as simple as ripping it off. If it were as simple as that, anyone could do it. Usagi or Yuyuyu could've if that were the case. But in reality, each fuinjutsu clan designs in their own little "chakra locks" that acts a strong adhesive much like the technique to walk up walls, locks that only the fuinjutsu clan know how unlock when releasing the seal and keeps them periodically updated as years pass. Its possible to figure out how to unlock/pick the locks of other designs but its slower. If not picked, the seal stays on. Brute forcing it by ripping it off can also be done but that causes great internal damage to what has been sealed, so not always a good option. The most extreme example being if you tear a tailed beast out of a jinchuuriki, they die. So yeah, Kimiko is probably the only person here who can probably remove this safely.

She stops right in front of Senko and crosses her arms.
"Not until you apologize."
"Come on! Do NOT be That Gal right now!" Yuyuyu calls from the side.
"Oooooh, I'm going to be That Gal right now. Look I know, no one wants to die and its not what you wanted. But your still made the decision to do so, Senko-baaka! Without even considering how WE'D feel about it. Acting of your own misplaced guilt for something you have no control over, thinking you need to sacrifice yourself to satisfy the justice of some stranger and some the fears of some village you left years ago, without even an apology to the people who care about you? Without even sparing a thought to those who taken you in? Did you think that if you died, that we'd all be happy that you solved some greater good problem for us? Tch. What bull is that? You think I'd give a damn about whats legal when your dead!? That I'd take your death lying down? Come on! The moment she tries....I'm killing her for good, no matter how good or bad it is for a shinobi to kill! I'll stop caring! You are far more valuable as a person to me than she is! I don't care how much good she has done or what rules she has behind her, she doesn't get to come in and kill my friend and teammate because your feeling guilty over something outside your control!

So. Apologize for not thinking how your death would affect the rest of us, baka. I won't remove the seal until you do. Hmph!"

----------


## Rater202

"Kimiko-san, I decided that it was better for me to die than harm others before I even met you. Ishikawa-sensei knew this when I first started working in the village, even though he clearly does not like it."

"It is not about guilt. Nothing I do can bring back the people who I killed, nothing I can do can make that right. But if I cannot be contained... It only takes a second for me to tear someone limb from limb within that state."

"You are chastising me for not considering how you would feel if I died? People can recover from the loss of a friend, Kimiko-san. They can't recover from _death_. Nor from the loss of a dream."

"How do you think _I_ would feel if you died by my hand? If I shattered your arms and legs and spine so badly that you could never again _use_ Ninjutsu, let alone learn them all? I am not going to be weak enough to be able to be contained by these simple tags forever."

"I am sorry for any emotional distress that my willingness to die to prevent harm to others has caused you, but Menko is about to permanently turn to stone and I would very much like to drain the natural energy from her body before she either dies or is trapped forever in an unending hell of eternal helplessness. She did not ask to take this test, it was thrust upon her. Can we please discuss this later? After I make sure she does not die. Which I need to be able to move to do."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She narrows her eyes. It wasn't an apology. It was a debate full of logical reasons why she should do what Senko says. Why wasn't she surprised?
"Fine."
She grabs the seal, goes
"Release."
Perform the necessary chakra unlocking while she does so and peels it off. Then turns around and walks away again.

----------


## Rater202

With Senko now free to move, and as her flesh continues to turn to white scales, she stands and picks up Menko who is now covered in swirling markings.

Oh by all the Gods who might exist, I hope this works. I've never tried this before."

This does not seem to assure the panicking Menko, not one bit.

Senko takes a deep breath and then gains a look of focus and determination as she suddenly stands _dead still._

Just as some of Menko's scales begin to turn grey, the markings on her body suddenly shift and move around, moving towards Senko's hands and _up_ Senko's hands, turning into the fiery orange of her own markings before vanishing into her flesh.

Senko is now covered entirely in white scales. She _starts_ to grow the horns of her transformed state, starts to bulk up, but then...

Then she lets go of Menko, who slithers to coil around Senko, and then holds out her hands palm up.

Senko is now using the mist generation technique... Though the mist is oddly colored. Purple.

It disperses.

And then, all at once, Senko's entire body turns black, glows firing red, and that glow retracts inside her body.

Other than her pupils now being slits like a snake's, Senko appears to be completely back to normal... Though black markings on her free arm, opposite the one where Menko's summoning contract reside, form taking the shape of another, similar spiraling tattoo. Presumably, the Snake Summoning contract.

The giant red-haired snake... where did she get that cigarette? It's just a giant cigarette in a holder longer than any of you are tall.

*Ring the gongs. Initiate Menko has graduated from Sage in training to Sage of Ryuchi Cave, and the master she has sworn to has become the new human Snake Sage. Rise, my child. And Rise, Senko of clan Senju.*

"It was cruel of you to force the... _What did you just say?_"

"Wait, Menko didn't pass the test, she had help."

*"The test is to avoid transformation or certification. How is not specified."*

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi is intense, prepared to shoot any snakes.
While snakers weren't as hated by the rabbits as the wolves are....

She just say.
'Huh. Cool. You did it. Even if you are overthinking it all. Do your best, '

Odayma also didn"t liked Senko's attitude.
*'Listen... many in our village- especialy my generation, have been through dangerouse expremeints and curses, so-'*
His narrow eyes are opened with surprise.
*'Senju?'*

-----------------

(To explain Shuryouhyou's ability?)

Ameoku purr. Entertained, slashing the bones with accuracy, with her claws.
'So much potential. Good.'
She jump on her hands, and start to spin powerful attacks toward miho's face as she run around Ameoku
'Cycle Of Hunt'


(something like this)
https://i.gifer.com/3fie.mp4

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
She exclaims:
"Hey! Thats MY attack! How did you know about it!?"
While ducking under the kicks and grows a blade from her arm to swipe at Ameoku's arms while they are on the ground to either cut at her or to get her off balance. Now if Miho pulls out her attack out it'll look like she is copying Ameoku, Kuso....

*Ryuchi Cave:*
"Senju!? Whaaaaaaaat!?"
Yuyuyu says blinking and being taken aback.

Kimiko thinks on this revelation. She doesn't seem as surprised as the rest of you.
"Foolishly idealistic, self-sacrificing to a fault, and focused on a pie in the sky dream of world peace through some philosophy you champion. Yeah, Senju fits for Senko. Now it all makes sense after what she just pulled over the last minute. But its not as if its all THAT special, I'm related to the Senju as well. Distantly but its there. She must be from a branch or rival clan that split off from the main one long ago when they found out they had a different kekkei genkai and eventually got mostly wiped out for one reason or another. There is a lot of long-dead clans that got offed in the warring states era that we only know of as historical footnotes in the annals of the victors."
"Wow! Way to stereotype, Kimiko." Yuyuyu looks at her in askance
"Oh come on, you know I'm right. Senko lives up to her clans reputation perfectly. hyuhyu. Now she just needs to find someone to try and "save" against all sense and reason or naively make a deal with someone you shouldn't and the picture will be complete."
"Those traits aren't genetic, Kimiko." Yuyuyu now just looks a little tired at this.
"Well yeah of course not, but if she is truly Senju clan then her parents would've passed along the Senju tradition of being a selfless fool even while in hiding as citizens of random village. Got to have your priorities after all. She's a Senju, so she was doing what her clan does. I'm still angry about it but it makes more sense now."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi wrap her hands.
"Clan that and clan that. Who care about that? No amount of million parents will make you a ninja if you are lazy and whiny!'

Odayama sigh.
"Kimiko Usagi, I don't think it's easy for Senko to absorb this... revealation of her true clan. It sure wasn't for me.'

------

Ameoku turn it into sort of a dance, lifting one hand at time, to dodge the slashes.
"Huh. Some might say I am a copycat.'
She spin and jump faster, and her spine move in inhuman dexterity- one of her clan abilities is flexible spine.
Ameoku liked this kunoichi. She might pick to train her.
If she is going to be Ottokage she need a pupil. She also started to grow tired of the chuckling cheetah.

----------


## Rater202

There's an effect, almost like space is warping, centered on the massive snake. A cyclone-like effect happens, and then...

You're in some kind of throne room, and where the snake once was is a short and portly elderly woman with the same red hair, turban, and cigarette holder as the snake. she reclines on a stone couch.

She puffs her cigarette.

"The Ishikawa is correct, albeit not for the reasons she suspects."

"Many years ago, a man of your kin by the name of Daichi came to this cave, not to take my tests, but to ask for my knowledge of the Otsusuki Clan, as I am one of the few beings who lived at the time they did."

"He had traced his family history to the warring states era, three generations before Hashirama Senju, to a man named Daisuke Senju. Daisuke was referred to as 'The Last of the Clan of Demons that replaced our children' and who fled what is now Fire Country after transforming into a form between Oni and Kami and defeating an entire platoon of his kin-folk who had attempted to kill him."

Daichi wished to emulate his ancestor but also wished to know where the power had come from.

Another puff on her cigarette.

"As best as I know, it is a mutation of the power to control the Shinju that Kaguya Otsusuki gained from eating its Chakra fruit and that was inherited by the Senju clan through Hogoromo's son Asura. The nature of your transformation resembles the transformation that Hogorom underwent upon becoming the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails and the struggle to control that beast's power, and the abilities of your clan resemble many abilities of both the Shinju and it's monster's ten-tailed beast form, albeit on a much small scale--your consumption of natural energy doesn't suck the life out of the very earth, for one."

"It was many years since Daichi came to my cave, I know not where he is now, but when he left he was heading for Lightning Country. If you wish to find him to learn what he knows, I would start there."

"But, I am sure that you are tired and wish to return home. Child, when you are ready to begin proper training or wish to be educated in matters to which you are known entitled, Hebisennin, perform the summoning Jutsu but picture yourself appearing outside my chamber. You will find the reverse summoning more continent that traveling on foot."

A fourth humanoid snake comes over and presents Senko with the robe and tabbi that she discarded and Senko pulls the robes on, though this time brings the tabbi in the robe... Presumably, she has a pocket for them.

"Over the next few days, the other residents of the Cave will be informed of your existence and that you have signed the contract... and, as a courtesy, I will send a representative to the Leaf Village to inform them that the position of Snake Sage has been filled. Your name will be withheld, to give you time to get used to your rights and responsibilities, but I would be most remiss to deny them the knowledge of where they must find the person they must contact to continue their long tradition of alliance with this cave..."

" Oh, and as I administered my final test? I got a taste of your chakra... Use your familiar's cells, if she is willing, the next time you enhance yourself. Her chakra has just enough yin-affinity to make your chakra more or less balanced, and you should now have a highly compatible chakra..."

"And please, keep me informed of your research. I am most curious."

After that, she seems most focused on her smoking. It seems you are dismissed and...

Tomoe seems to have left while the White Snake Sage was talking, so presumably, you're free to leave.

If no one ha anything to say, you do so and find that leaving the cave is much easier than getting to it in th first place.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
She gets hit by renewed kicks, taking a hit and rolling the momentum off to a distance and decides to use her armor as ammo for a spherical spike burst attack, radiating out in all directions from her body to try and catch her with some attack at all.

*Kimiko:*
While angry, her scientific, curious mind does notice one thing: this serpent spoke as if things like the Chakra Fruit, the Shinju and so on actually happened. The official story of the Ninshuu religion differs from this in a few ways: some of the more mythical feats of prowess that Hagoromo and Kaguya do (like conquering the world or turning Ten Tailed Beast into the moon) are considered be metaphorical or allegorical, the tailed beasts are considered to be divine punishment on all of humanity in response to Indra's actions, while scientists current theory is that chakra was actually discovered through experimentation and learning from the meditation of sages. While the current theory of the devastation of a thousand years ago is that a small meteor hit the earth way out to the West and thats why so much of those lands are wastelands, and that what really happened is that Kaguya just some post-apocalyptic warlord who got overthrown by Hagoromo leading a normal rebellion. Scientists have no explanation for the Tailed beasts, considering them something that needs further study, like black holes.

The fact that this snake was thinking that these events were actually true....was interesting. This would require investigation. She doesn't say anything though.

*Konoha, Some time Later:*
Konoha in general will not publicize this information. The strength of a village depended on being able to present a strong face. To admit that one of your assets were compromised out of the blue was politically inadvisable. However a few key individuals will be informed, secretly so as to keep security about this tight. Gekateki Kaizen is one of those individuals being a shinobi who had intended to groom the next Snake Sage. He/She (The terms are interchangeable with this one, Kaizen is technically modified to be biologically both and doesn't care which terms are used on him/her but for the sake of simplicity we will say "he".) when he hears the news while in his lab, frowns and speaks his dual-layered voice, sounding like a man and a woman speaking both at the same time:
*"Well. That is....disappointing. I'd hope that the Snake Sage's abilities would contribute to my research. Upgrading humanity is fascinating work. But no use crying over spilled milk...."*
He will put down his tools for now, walking past various artificial organs grown to give someone one ability or another. While he could never get clearance to replicate actual bloodlines, it was fascinating the potential was in how one could be enhanced through surgical implants alone. The highly rare accounts of some Uchiha giving their Sharingan eyes to close friends and them working fine had made him curious and the results after so many years did not disappoint.

He will find Emi Azami after she was done in some hospital rounds healing people. Medical Ninja were allowed to do this as D-C rank missions depending on the severity involved, though C-Ranks often involved Medical Ninja rushing to help some minor village facing some health issue like a disease (though sometimes this was just village-wide malnutrition) and D-Ranks were often just normal hospital treatments they are capable of healing up. She was of course practicing her taijutsu on a training dummy, regulating her super-strength so as to not hit it TOO hard, the medical nin's ability to enhance their strength by optimizing their biological abilities with chakra was not to be underestimated. 
*"I have bad news my apprentice."*
"I'm sure it can't be that bad. Nothing can get me down after I healed that kid's broken arm or that little dog's broken leg today....so cute."
*"The position of Snake Sage has been taken... by a Sound Nin."*
The dummy suddenly shatters under the impact of her next punch.
"WHAT!?"
Tsk tsk tsk. She lost control....he knew she wouldn't take it well....

----------


## Rater202

The rest of the mission... The cover mission, that is, goes swimmingly.

You make it to the temple and Menko manages to go through the motions of a pilgrimage and though she's somewhat awkward about it, manages to complete it without being caught on as a fake.

Likewise, you manage the return trip back to the border without much incident--there was one incident where you encountered group of Leaf Ninja, but that lasted only a few seconds until you saw that you were escorting someone in a Miko's clothing and just assumed you were on a legitimate mission, leaving without a word.

In not much time at all, you're back home in the Hidden Sound Village.

As soon as you are back within the village walls, Menko poofs back into a cobra and slithers up one of Senko's leaves.

"Ishikawa-sensei is probably going to want to ask me how things went and if acquiring the power of the white snake succeeded in accelerating my recovery time, so I will be heading to the laboratory to check in and report..."

"We will probably also have to discuss how to formally announce myself to the village as the new Snake Sage."

"And... Thank you, for coming with me."

With that, Senko departs for the labs, seeking to speak with Jirou.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He wasn't doing his usual testing today. Sure he was in the lab but a few papers were arranged differently even though it seems he was finishing and putting them away. He was muttering something while he puts his left fingerless glove back on.
"....That should do it..."
He turns around either because you greeted him or because he just sees you.
"Oh. Senko your back. How was your trip? Was it successful in its goal?"

*Kimiko:*
She goes back to her home. Her mother, Mitsuko is no longer there as matriarch but just another ninja. Without her position she has grown a lax in her posture, slouching and lazing around. She turns to Kimiko, no longer so formal with her.
*"Hey, how was your mission?"*
"It technically succeeded I guess...."
*"Hrngh. I'm sensing a 'but' here...."* Weird usually her daughter was proud triumphant at a successful mission, what was up?
"Well....one of my teammates foolishly tried to sacrifice themselves for something....and I don't get it. Why do people sacrifice themselves for others?"
*"....Your asking the wrong person, kid. In this selfless fools sacrifice themselves and leave the rest of us to figure out what to do after, wondering why, wondering if they were truly better people for dying like that. I myself wondered why ever since..."*
"....Father died?"
*"No. Ever since I graduated the academy. Let me tell about it, its a strange story, though your father is in it too....Before Yagura took over....before it all went wrong..."*

*Spoiler: Growin' Up Kiri: Graduation Day*
Show


*Mitsuko, Age 12:*
Today was the day they graduated. Mitsuko could hardly wait, she was looked down on her clan for being average in Paper release and not having a single shred of talent for fuinjutsu. Despite how much she tried she just kept being found middling. The Ishikawa clan prides itself on excellence. She was already a failure by her clans standards and only good for being put into an arranged marriage, but she promised today that she would begin her journey prove them wrong and become a great ninja despite her clans dismissal. Of course she sees from a distance Ryota, a third cousin of hers and the one she was chosen to be wedded to, she knew. Despite the arrangement, they didn't interact with each other much. Ryota was off doing much more advanced training and when she did try speaking to him, his voice as cold as ice, seemingly not caring for her much. Beside him was Sowagi a warm excitable boy he had been assigned to be academy partners with for his time at the academy, talking excitedly
"I can't wait to be a ninja Ryota isn't it exciting!?"
"If you say so."
"We'll get to be ninja! Badasses going around to exciting new places, meeting new people and fighting to protect our village! I'll be great!"
"Sure."
"I'm looking forward to finally being able to explore beyond the village, and sail upon the waves! What do you look forward to, Ryota!?"
"....Weeding."
"Wha? Weeding?" Sowagi says confused.
"Weeding." He repeats in the same cold tone.
"You give the weirdest answers, my friend." Sowagi says, shrugging it off. 
Mitsuko raises a hand and says
"Hi Ryota"
He doesn't respond back as they walk by, Sowagi continuing to babble on. She sighs. Yeah that was the usual response from Ryota in public.

She of course soon meets up with her own student partner throughout the academy: Akiyashi. She was a low caste, unlike Mitsuko, no family to her name, but unlike Mitsuko she was talented: more skilled in taijutsu, ninjutsu and genjutsu than her, she succeeded at her book studies as well, Mitsuko knew she could never hope to beat her in anything-and she was also Mitsuko's best friend.
"Hey Mitsuko how you doing?"
"Fine..." she says "A little nervous. Today is the big day when we finally become ninja you know?"
"Yeah. I get that, need to be at your best. Don't worry, You'll pass I'll make sure of it." Akiyashi assures her
"Thanks Aki but we don't even know what the graduation will test for. You think they're going to make us test the academy three again?" Mitsuko asks
"Can't be. They already did that yesterday and sent home all duos that couldn't even manage that." Akiyashi says, knowing those duos would probably be back next year to try again. 
"You think they're going to make us try and do Hidden Mist Jutsu?" Mitsuko speculates
"Makes no sense, we haven't gotten any water release training." Akiyashi says back.
"Weird. Well, whatever it is I just...I just hope I succeed. The clan talks up Ryota like he is the best thing ever while I'm....I'm just his accessory." she says sadly.
Akiyashi puts an arm over Mitsuko's shoulder
"Hey. Don't worry about it. Screw what your clan thinks, they don't know what they got, I bet with proper shining even you can shine like a diamond. You had my back when keeping away them clan bullies, and I'll have yours now. Okay?" Akiyashi says with a smile
"...Okay!" Mitsuko smiles back, feeling better.
"Alright, lets go in and face whatever awaits us." Akiyashi says. Beside her, Mitsuko felt like she could do anything.

The students are ushered into what is known at the Kirigakure Academy, as The Graduation Room. It is built from a hollowed out cavern behind a pounding waterfall where little sound could be heard over its rushing flow, they had to water-walk to get to it and the place has darker lighting. Amid it are row after row of little dueling areas drawn on the ground to indicate where people should stand. They are ushered into these rows and their instructor calls out
"Stand with your assigned partner! Make sure they are on the opposite side of the dueling area!"
When everyone is in order, the instructor then goes over to the doors of this room, takes out a key, and locks them.
"What?" Mitsuko says "Aki, why is he locking us inside?"
Akiyashi is silent, her face serious and firm.
The instructor walks to the front of the room where there is the most light, with a little stage, very spartan in appearance. He clears his throat and announces
"As you know students, we assign partners to each of you. With these partners you learn the value of cooperation, coordination, trust, loyalty, teamwork. Virtues that will serve you well throughout your career as a shinobi. But now you must learn something different. Virtues that will be just as valuable, but not as often spoken of. I will inform you now: half you will not be leaving this room alive. Your families will be notified of your failure to graduate, they were informed of the risk when they signed you up."
Misuko was confused. What was he talking about!? The instructor continues as if delivering any other speech. Sowagi yells 
"Whaddya mean by that!? What the hell!?"
"The graduation test of Kirigakure Academy is as follows: You are to kill your assigned partner by any means necessary. Thi-"
*SHLCKTT!*
The instructor and the entire class stops and turns to stare in horror at the sound of a blade piercing a skull: Ryota had killed Sowagi without hesitation, a paper blade extended from his clutches. The blade retracts, red with blood and the corpse of Sowagi thumps to the ground.
"Weeding's done." is all Ryota says
"But..." the instructor says "...I didn't even finish my speech."
"So? You said by any means necessary. I don't recall you saying anything about a set time to start." Ryota says back
"Thats...a good point. Huh. Very well. Ryota Ishikawa, you pass. Please go collect your headband over there wait for the rest of the students."
He does so wordlessly. The instructor turns back to the rest of the class, all shocked by this.
"My students, once again Ryota has demonstrated why he is the top of his class. He has demonstrated perfectly the other virtues we are looking for: Ruthlessness. Discipline. Detachment. A shinobi must be prepared to kill anyone in service to his village- including his most trusted allies. Even if they aren't secretly trying to betray you, they might eventually be subverted by a genjutsu, being blackmailed or bribed or some other form of coercion. To allow such petty things to keep you from serving your village and country and thus lead to disloyalty is inexcusable. For shinobi are weapons that kill what poses the most danger to our survival. To be concerned about the life of your target is to fail. On this day you are no longer children, but adults and adults kill.....or be killed. Prove that you can be a real shinobi and kill your partner or die. You may begin."
It was at this moment that Mitsuko realized that this wasn't a graduation room. This was the room where they took children like her to be murdered by other children. This wasn't graduation, but a deadly hazing ritual to make sure you either get in too deep to ever get back out....or drown. Building the room within a cavern behind the waterfall was to make sure no one heard the sounds of combat and screaming that were erupting around her even now. The locked door was so that no one escaped before it was finished. The dim lightning was probably to make sure no one sees the bloodstains going in.
Akiyashi charges with a kunai, Mitsuko brings up her own paper blade to block, the two blades clashing.
"Mitsuko! Kill me." she whispers
"WHAT!?" she exclaims
Akiyashi breaks makes a few swings that seemed normal, but Mitsuko knew were holding back because she could block those as well. Akiyashi was normally far more skilled, far faster than this. They clash again.
"I said kill me!" she insists.
"No! I-I-I can't! Your my best friend!"
"don't worry, I'll be fine. Kill me"
"Dead is the exact opposite of fine!" Mitsuko hisses back
"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine, do it."
"Your not making sense!" Mitsuko points out
"Okay, Mitsuko? I planned for this. Kill me."
"No you should live! Your....your the talented one, the cool one, the person who was always there and helped me...I'm nothing but a worthless girl...."
"No. I planned for this." she leans in and whispers "Don't worry I'll live. Just kill me."
"No! I can't!"
"You need to. Your not worthless, Mitsuko. You can do this." Akiyashi says trying to reassure her.
"But whats your plan!?"
"Best you don't know. You probably won't see me for quite a while. I know I can't kill you Mitsuko so....either we are stuck here forever or you kill me so that least you live." She explains a little.
"But you...."
"Don't deserve to live more than anyone else. This my choice, Mitsuko. and I choose for you to live. Kill me, if I stab myself it wont allow you to graduate." She says with determination.
"....Dammit." Mitsuko says, a tearing rolls down her cheek then throws her into an offensive "Fine! Be that way! Baka!"
Akiyashi makes a show of putting up a defense, deflecting a few times then gets stabbed in the heart. They stop and she leans in to whisper into Mitsuko's ear
"Thank you Mitsuko. I am now free. Don't worry. We'll meet again someday...best friend."
Akiyashi then slumps off the paper blade and falls to the ground, still. The instructor calls out
"Mitsuko Ishikawa! You pass!"
Mitsuko her face frozen in terror numbly walks over to the side and takes a headband. It felt heavier than she thought it should and with trepidation, put it on. She sees Ryota standing there passively like a stone looking out at the rest of the class fighting each other, walks over to him and asks
"How? How you can just....kill Sowagi so easily and not care?"
"I was told to." he answers flatly.
"Okay but besides that."
"He was annoying." He answers in the same frigid tone.
"Thats really it? Thats why you killed him?"
"I am a weapon, a shinobi. Its what I do. That and I was told about the graduation ritual from the very beginning of the Academy by the clan head to prepare myself."
"How can you say that?"
"Easily. I just did. Were you not paying attention?"
"....How do I know you won't kill me?"
"Simple. I'm not allowed. Don't be traitor to the clan and I won't be allowed to kill you."
"....Fine. Okay." she decides to stop talking to him. 
Soon the slaughter was over. They were taken out of the Graduation Room back out into the world, while the bodies were picked up by Chuunin to be carted off for funeral arrangements.



Kimiko patiently listening through the story, said
"Ooh.....thats horrifying....Just like my...."
*"Yeah. Like your initiation...but not exactly. It was impractical to do it the way it was done in our position and we'd thought it be better if you just killed a random bandit instead as they're not as valuable as a shinobi and wouldn't be someone you know. Less hard on you, more realistic, less personal while still delivering the same message. Why make you our children kill a dear friend or comrade? We're shinobi. We kill, but....if we lose the people that are valuable to us, what is the point? Better to kill the person you don't know."*
"That is what my father was like?"
*"Yup. I swear on the Sage that it what he was like."*
"He sounded....creepy. Terrifying. Yet you always said he was one of the best shinobi you've ever seen."
*"Yeah. That isn't a contradiction. There is a vast difference between being a good shinobi, and being a good person. Shinobi are terrifying killers. Being the best shinobi? Is just being the best monster."*
"and your friend? Akiyashi?"
*"Never saw her again after she sacrificed her self for me. Didn't know what she was talking about and I never found out."*
Kimiko suddenly hugs Mitsuko
"No one should have to lose a friend like that."
Mitsuko is just stunned. What!? What.....was this!? She is confused for a moment then says with a shark smile
*"....Heh...your less like your father than I thought."*

----------


## Rater202

"I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news..."

Senko rolls up her sleeve, both to show that her flesh is made of meat again and that she has the snake summoning contract tattooed to her arm.

"I succeeded in the trials and am now the Snake Sage, and the Power of the White Snake has allowed me to rapidly fully recover from the after-effects of the cell grafting procedure. In addition, I have managed to improve my chakra control enough to deliberately extract unprocessed natural energy from the bodies of other organisms and discovered that casting the mist generation Jutsu with senjutsu chakra is a more efficient way of expelling excess natural energy from my body than my previous methods."

"Furthermore: I am not the first member of my clan to go the Ryuchi Cave. If what the White Snake Sage has said is true, one of my relatives has traced our ancestry to a mutant splinter of the Senju clan, breaking away three generations before Hashirama's. She also said that my relative went to Lightning Country after leaving Ryuchi Cave, So... That's a discussion for another time."

"The bad news? The survivors of my home town have put a bounty on my head. We ran into a Ronin from the Land of Iron who seemed intent on collecting... Luckily, Tomoe Kurogane seems more interested in bringing justice than the money and elected not to take my head after speaking with me, but other bounty hunters will be less scrupulous..."

"The White Snake Sage has also suggested that I use Menko's cells once I perfect my technique, and asked me to keep her informed of the progress of my research... I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing."

"Six of one, half a dozen of the other. She won't actively betray you but... We're snakes. We don't operate on the same set of morals and ethics that you do."

Menko doesn't even poke a head out of the robe to say that.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He nods as he listens.
"So...it was successful? I am glad. I had my trepidation regarding this but it seems to have paid off. As for the bad news....well to be honest I already knew of the bounty for years. We're the hidden village of this nation after all, such a thing doesn't slip by us. Nozojo and I simply decided that it was unfair to hold a child responsible for what is essentially a genetic condition they could not control. 

As for this Tomoe....what would have us do? She is a foreigner who knows of an important secret of our village, Senko.  T&I (Torture and Interrogation) Departments can break anyone with enough time and effort. And she not long ago wanted to kill you. You may be fine with submitting yourself to whatever justice you want, but if you think I'm allowing that for a second Senko then your wrong. I am not deluding myself into thinking that justice is my trade, but I will fight for what I think is right regardless."
He went through a lot of work to get Senko a better life. He'd be dead or damned before he let her die so early after getting it.
"Depends on whether you trust the Sage to not share the information with others. If you don't, I recommend lying about the speed of your progress to be slower than it actually is. Its a subtle bit of misinformation but can be effective as travel times can make passing on the information even slower: if they are passing the information to someone else, the information has to go to the snakes first THEN to someone else, doubling the length of time they know what information, lying about the speed of your progress you can double the gap between what the third party knows and the truth that you know even further. At a certain point it'll be as simple as sending out last week's report while holding the current week's report ready for the next one."

*Kimiko:*
They suddenly break off the hug. They stand around awkwardly, not sure what to do after that. The display of affection fades and Kimiko remembers the years that Mitsuko was abusive. It had only been a short while since she stopped being that way. Senko's words echo in her ears and she wonders if she can trust her mother to truly change. If she deserves to be given a chance. But if Jirou who knows more about this is giving her a chance, why not Kimiko? Still it was awkward and difficult. Mitsuko on her part was not used to this kind of closeness. Kirigakure didn't permit much time for it. This continues until Mitsuko decides to break the ice.
*"Hey kid. Want me to show you some new jutsu?"*
"Sure!"
Yeah, training. That made sense to both of them.

*Emi:*
She calms down a little and takes a deep breath.
"....So. What do we do?"
*"An interesting question my student. If this was wartime, options like killing the whole cave or holding hostages or some other threat or blackmail to force the snakes to break off the contract would be considered as options for resource denial..."* Doctor Kaizen muses.
"Thats monstrous."
*"...But during peace such things would only give Konohagakure a ruthless reputation among the summoning contract animals and ensure that no such groups would want to form contracts with us ever again. Thus they are discarded."* he finishes as if she never spoke up.
"Leaving only one option: to figure out who this this Snake Sage is and do something about them."
*"Indeed. Now think my student: Who in Sound Village would want to grab the title of Snake Sage from us?"*
"All of them. The two villages hate each other."
*"Ah, but who would act on that hatred in a way that denies us a valuable strategic resource and source of research?"*
"....Then we're talking about someone smart. Ameoku?"
*"No. she already has a summoning contract. While dual contracts are possible, they are unneeded most of the time as a single summoning contract is often enough for any needs summoning can give you. A second one in most cases is redundant and the original summoned beings might get jealous of others being called upon instead of them as a matter of pride. No. I highly doubt its Ameoku."*
"Shinpi then."
*"Possible. But why now? He is a bit of a wild card to be sure, but he has had more than enough time to do it earlier. Unless he is playing at some game no one has guessed which is possible but lets not get caught up in wild speculation. Let us assume it is not a mysterious figure whom we cannot possibly hope to figure out. And before you say it, let us eliminate Samayo Majutsu. I doubt a ninja of his reputation has any interest in the power of the White Snake. and the Otokage is too old. contracts are best signed at younger ages so you can get used to having them and developing a relationship with those you summon."*
"So....none of the Three Thunders? or their current Otokage? We're talking about someone younger? Well that could be anyone from Sound. How do we figure that out?"
*"Indeed, tell me."*
Sigh. Of course he wouldn't tell her everything.
"Well if they're younger....they're going to be someone new. Someone who is smart, willing to take risks, and knows what they're after. If they were just after a summoning contract, going all the way to Ryuichi Cave would be unneeded- Ameoku is one of the Three Thunders if they just wanted to summon things they would just have to curry her favor. ...Maybe its a bit of leap of logic but I have a feeling that they might be a genin."
*"Hoh? and what makes you think it isn't a Chuunin?"*
"Genin would be an optimal time to sign a contract wouldn't you think?"
*"There are teenage Chuunin that fall with the preferred age range."*
"Sure but if they are Chuunin this gets harder....however if we assume a Genin that means they might show up during the next Chuunin Exams. A bold assumption to make I know, wouldn't you logically try to hide this advantage for as long as possible to surprise the enemy down the line? But no. The shinobi whoever they were either ordered or allowed the snakes to inform Konoha of the position being taken. Sure we were going there in a few more days and probably going to find out about this anyways but the fact that they allowed this to be revealed tells us they are not playing by the usual ninja playbook. No, they are intending to put on a _show_. And what better way to start than by participating in the Chuunin exams? Which means all we need to do is wait....and plan what to do with them when they come."
*"Ah. I like they way you think, apprentice. Very well, I'll go with this assumption of yours, see if your Showoff Genin Theory holds true. But be careful. Any enemy that WANTS you to know their coming is either a fool or a legend in the making. Both are dangerous."*
As Dr. Kaizen walks away Emi nods and begins walking to go heal more people, knowing that a fool stirs up chaos because they don't know what they're doing. A legend is worse, because they stir up chaos and know exactly they're doing. It matters not to Emi. If this person whoever they were was stopping her from bringing back her family, her village, then they were in the way-any ninja from Sound village was probably going to hate her just for wearing the Leaf headband after all, so it was no use reasoning with them in all probability. 

Emi _crushes_ those who are in her way.

----------


## Rater202

"The loyalty of the snakes is to Ryuchi Cave first and the current Snake Sage second. If her Royal Oldness is actually curious it's either to use your research for the Snake's benefits or for that of future snake sages. Or she just thinks it's neat."

"Yes, that... Travel Time is not an excuse. I have been instructed to use reverse summoning to travel to the Cave from now on... Which, to be fair, would be easier than coming up with an excuse to regularly travel to the Land of fire."

Senko is shaken all of a sudden. The idea of the Samurai from the Land of Iron being tortured doesn't set right with her... And Senko is realizing that maybe, just maybe, Senko made a mistake by saying as much as she did.

"A messenger was sent from the Cave to the Leaf Village. supposedly, my name was left out of it, but the Leaf Village was told that the position of Snake Sage was claimed by a Sound Ninja as a courtesy. We should have a plan to introduce myself formally as the Snake Sage to the village proper."

"My first thought was to go into a public park and summon a large snake in front of people... But as I thought about it, I realized that that could easily be misconstrued as an attack."

"I do not usually listen to the radio... My preferred genre of music is not exactly conducive to keeping calm..."

Honestly, if Senko did not have to keep herself as calm as possible as much as possible, she's probably fit right in among the Broken Record Club's regulars.

"But an... Interview on one or more radio shows where I introduce myself as your secret protege, announce myself as the Snake Sage, and make arrangements for a public appearance where I prominently feature my snake familiar might be the most efficient way of doing it."

"It will be some time before I can wield the full clout of the Snake Sage, but creating your tutelage for my ability to pass those tests so young would increase your standing and might swing the decisions of some people who are not in a specific faction in your favor--I do not know exactly how one becomes Otokage, but increasing your standing in the village can not possibly hurt and I would rather the homicidal kitty lady not be put in charge of the village if I can at all help it."

"...Though, if I am to become a more publically known figure... Oh... Oh crap."

"We are going to have to come up with a cover story for the bloodlines I have grafted to myself... I mean, it is not like I can claim to be the Sage of Six Paths reincarnated. Even if it was the literal truth, no one would beleive it excet for maybe some religious nutjobs."

----------


## igordragonian

After the great snake's speech/out of the cave, Odayama knelt and placed a gentle hand on Senko's shoulder.
"I understand, that you might still be bitter for me putting bugs on you... but I really try... to give you something many ninjas in our world lack- a support. Understanding. And understanding that... you are not alone. Self sacrfice is a noble thing, but best to be avoided- both Kimiko and Usagi devolped techniques to help you, and even if those would have failed-" he show sleeping pills.
"And I even had a second back up plan- a way for me to take on myself your burden... for at least a short while. I am just saying... you have people who care for you.' And Odayama would release her. 
Usagi is cranky on their way back. Especialy when Kimiko and Senko discuss theory- when this happens, she scuff and decide to "scout ahead'
Yuyuyu might have accused her of being jealuse- an accusation that Usagi would deny and add some swears snd curses. 

Back in the village mountains of laundary and dishes have waited for Odayama- alongside piles of ramen boxes.
"So much for a heroic welcome..." he rumbled. 
But then a feminine predatory figure pounced him.

* * *

The first thing Usagi did, was resupply and then train.
Tsuru is probably waiting for her.

But... she never actually did seen where Senko live...
What so special about her that both Kimiko and her older brother doting om her like that?
Usagi decided to search and stalk Senko.
What could get wrong?

------

)I assume Ameoku's visit is before then)
This forced Ameoku to use academy level jutsu- 
Few bone projectiles penerate Ameoku and she fall on her knees poofing in smoke.

And maybe something above- Ameoku has disguised herself as one of the bone projectiles, assuming this has confused Miho, she jumped reapering pouncing at Miho.

Ameoku has arsenal of jutsus but she enjoyed the basic techniques.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's apartment*

It doesn't take much to find where Senko lives. It's not like it's unlisted, she just lives in a normal apartment in the residential district.

The first obstacle that Usagi faces when she gets inside the building is that Senko's door is locked.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi first check if someone is home. Through the windows mostly
If it quite, she use her a bit above basic pick locking skills

----------


## Rater202

There's no window into the apartment from the hallway, but no one seems to be there.

Usagi's lockpicking skills get her past the door and...

The apartment is mostly barren. Very little furniture, the "living" room seems to have been repurposing as an office. There's a desk and chair, a bulletin board with a bunch of documents pinned to it and organized with strings and labels, and a few stacks of papers on the desk.

There's also a drum kit in a corner, but it doesn't look like it's been used recently.

The only sign of ornamentation in the room is a tanto hanging on a display on the wall.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi waddle on her crothes take a peek at the documents.

----------


## Rater202

> Usagi waddle on her crothes take a peek at the documents.


There is a dossier on the Yuki clan and theories about the Ice Release bloodline.

Senko also proposes several possible routes to "immortality" in a loose page from her research log.

There are also some comments of physiological kekei genkai and theories about Dead Bone Pulse--notably, it seems that Senko had previously theorized a connection to the Senju before the White Snake Sage confirmed it.

There's a note to check in on the Fuda, Fuinjutsu, and Formulaic Seal department of the research facility to see if they've come to any conclusions about her "DNA Tag" proposal... And maybe to talk about it with Kimiko, but no details on what the DNA tag is.

The most recent thing...

It seems like Senko has sketched out the body of a young boy with several body modifications... Including extra pairs of ears sewn to the head...

This is Futility San.

Senko refers to him as "Ottomaru" in the notes that come with the sketch, with notes that he has had the Dead Bone Pulse and Paper Release Bloodlines in addition to the ears...

Much of the writing accompanying the sketch is speculation on how exactly the boy was modified, and excerpts from what appears to be the boy himself talking about struggling with pain.

Interspaced in the speculation and excerpts are tear stains and talk about punishing "that bastard" but no mention of who "that bastard" is.

It seems as if Senko has reason to believe that Futility-san is the way he is becuase of experimentation--the transcriptions of the boy's own words to point to that--and is hoping to cure him of whatever drove him to this.

"You know, it's _incredibly_ rude to come into someone's home without an invitation," comes Senko;s voice from behind Usagi.

Once Usagi has a chance to react, however... "Of course, I have less of a leg to stand on than you do on that front. Kimiko's voice continues where Senko's left off.

If Usagi turns around, she sees a figure concealed entirely in a black robe, their face hidden by a blank white mask.

She is being confronted by Shinpi of the Three Thunders.

----------


## igordragonian

"Damn. She is a real smartass. I guess, that why Kimiko enjoy talking to her...' Usagi rant.
She gasp, and spin in place on one crotch, raising a kunai as an instinct.
The girl face become as red as her hair.
She drop the kunai.
'...It doesn't what it looks like..." she grow pale.

Usagi lower her head. "...It was.. a stupid idea. I just...' she look away, shift the scarf which hidden the scar Kimiko gave her.
"....I am sorry." She almost barf the words.

However toward the Thunder she frown.
"Hey! You think you are better then me?huh?! Senko can patronize me-I have wronged HER. Who are you to scold me?!"

----------


## Rater202

> "Damn. She is a real smartass. I guess, that why Kimiko enjoy talking to her...' Usagi rant.
> She gasp, and spin in place on one crotch, raising a kunai as an instinct.
> The girl face become as red as her hair.
> She drop the kunai.
> '...It doesn't what it looks like..." she grow pale.
> 
> Usagi lower her head. "...It was.. a stupid idea. I just...' she look away, shift the scarf which hidden the scar Kimiko gave her.
> "....I am sorry." She almost barf the words.
> 
> ...


There's no think about it, the mysterious ninja says in Usagi's own voice. "I am the oldest ninja in this village by a wide margin and a jonin. You are a child who is maybe a few months out of the academy. I am better than you, objectively."

"Beyond that, I am both your elder and hold a much higher rank than you in the village hierarchy. It is my right to scold you for breaking into your teammate's apartment and snooping on her... That's my job, not yours."

"Admittedly, she does need to be more careful about security, but..."

Shinpi clasps their hidden hands together and crouches down, as though they are sitting on a chair that isn't there.

"So, tell me, what are you doing?"

Usagi doesn't recognize this voice.

----------


## igordragonian

"The Ottokage didn't made a scene when I bursted into his office..."
Usagi rant.
She blush, tagging at her scarf.
'....It's kind of personal... I am.. sure me and Senko can figure it out without a creepy old dude looking at us!"

----------


## Rater202

"It is my job to monitor shinobi activity in this village, and it is my interest to keep an eye on the rising stars of the Hope generation. The prodigy heir of the Ishikawa Clan, the Yin-user after my own heart, and you... The girl who equaled the heiress despite no one in their right mind thinking someone like you could be a ninja."

"You are all very impressive individuals... And then you get trusted with this child..."

"Before she was assigned to work with your team, Usagi-san, this child's very existence was a closely guarded secret. As far as the landlord of this building knows, little Senko is just some orphan in the ward of the village."

"Lord Otokage may not care about trespass in his own office, but..."

"My advice, Usagi-san, put everything back the way you found it, leave the apartment, lock the door behind you, and forget everything you just read. Whatever problem you and the girl have, work it out by talking with her instead of... I dare say that the child will never trust you again if she finds out about this... She's very concerned about people finding out what she's working on... Poor girl is paranoid about the clans of other villages having her assassinated to prevent her from undermining their monopoly on their Kekkei Genkai..."

"Or not. Continue snooping... But the consequences are on your head... You could undermine whatever relationship you hope to have with the girl... Or you could learn something you never wanted to know..."

Shinpi starts melting into the floor.

"It's just... In my interest that your team not implode so soon."

And they're gone.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi creeped out and hurry to obey.
She finally think of going home to Tsuru.
But she will just crush and sleep.
Talks?
Maybe tommorow.
She felt terrible.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He thinks on this information
"Hmm...I guess we you couldn't do anything about that message being sent. The summoning animal clans have their own strange bit of politics attached to them. It does however continue a confrontational relationship with Konoha. No likes their resources being taken out from under their nose. Don't worry. I doubt they're respond immediately. If this kind of thing provoked an immediate attack every time it happened, we'd be back in the warring states era. 

As for music...heh. Now that your healthy, I'm sure you'll be able to afford things from the money you take. your apartment could use some decorating, like a record player. Though I hear there is this promising engineering project the Komoro clan is doing to try and minimize them down a bit into smaller discs, a form of information storage that could hold a lot but be unable to be read by any other nation. so would theoretically be great for playing music as well.

As for the interview, that sounds like a great idea, if your playing it that way....as for cover story for the bloodlines hm....we could lie and say that your senjutsu mutations are a kind of "genetic chaos" that produces random mutations sometimes, and that every time you do so there is a chance for them to change and accidentally replicate some other bloodline? Maybe...

Or perhaps the lie is that its some sort of unconscious environmental-psychological response and it has a tendency to replicate things your aware of without you knowing how? No...

Or....we can pin the blame on Futility-san, given that it happened after he attacked you, we can reasonably claim that he inflicted the bloodlines on you in some attempt at psychological warfare which isn't outside his wheelhouse. Play up your involvement as a victim of his attack. I'd understand however if you do not want to unfairly blame him for something you did to yourself given your reaction to his story however. But the other two lies sound too much like bull, too vague. Anyone who isn't a dumbass will probably see right through them, because if they don't have biology knowledge they will see we're hiding something with vague uncertain explanations that wouldn't hold up under closer scrutiny...."

*Kimiko:*
Mitsuko stands in the courtyard.
*"Okay. Its time perhaps for something a little more advanced. Up until now we've been polishing your usual things, making sure you got them down by heart, maybe using paper in a few new ways, but this this where your instruction is going to go down new avenues."*
Kimiko is excited "Really? what are we doing?"
*"Paper Clones."*
Mitsuko forms her hand seals and a second Mitsuko poofs in in a cloud of smoke.
*"Advanced clone techniques can be incredibly useful for what we do as shinobi. They can scout for us, take hits for us, assist in battle like delivering something, be a distraction all sorts of uses. Its a B-rank technique and one of the most flexible and useful techniques ever conceived of. Shinobi combat wouldn't be what is it today without it. Most ninja who don't specialize in something out of the ordinary inevitably learn at least one advanced clone technique."*
The second Mitsuko flexes and poses a little throughout the explanation, then Mitsuko poofs her clone in punch, the clone vanishing with a look of surprise, exploding into literal confetti.
*"However! They are fragile. Most dissipate under a single blow. This prevents them from some uses but it does mean they are disposable which is their greatest asset. That and I would NOT want to fight a clone that was more durable. And surely a durable clone would change the face of shinobi warfare forever. Best hope they remain disposable."*
She turns to Kimiko 
*"You got the hand seals down?"*
"Memorized on first glance as always. Tiger-Ram-Monkey-Horse-Ram-Dog"
*"....Yeah....sure...Show me then. One clone only."*
Kimiko then flashes her hands through the necessary seals thne in a poof of smoke a paper clone of kimiko appears right next to her. She turns and looks
"Haha! I did it! As expected of Kimiko Ishi-"
He boasting is cut off when her clone suddenly screams in existential horror and poofs into confetti all on her own.
"....Hyu? What just happened!?"
Mitsuko sighs scratching her head.
*"Yeah, I was afraid of that, that problem is common with clones of geniuses."*
"Hyu? What do you mean, Oka-san?"
Mitsuko folds her arms.
*"Its called Existential Clone Shock. When a clone thinks too hard about their own existence they realize that they're copies of a person down to every last time as to be indistinguishable....while also realizing that their lifespan is at best measured in about a minute, maybe seconds. The resulting mental stress causes them to dissipate from the sheer fear of mortality they experience. It tends to happen in clones of geniuses and smarter shinobi who have no problem mastering the jutsu, but due to their own ability to figure things out make clones that think too deep too fast. More normal shinobi when they finally achieve don't have this problem because their don't think about the underlying implications of their existence."*
"so they think they're people, and thus react like people who think they are seconds away form death?"
*"Close. The react like that, because clones ARE technically people. By all measures of the word, they are just as sentient, sapient and so on as anyone else. Clones are even capable of diverging their thoughts patterns from your own due to their own knowledge of existence. there have been cases where clones argued with their own creator or have done crazy things of their own volition simply because they know they live their short lives without consequence, meaning they are capable of individuality to. But they remain disposable as ever."*
Kimiko's eyes widen at this.
"So....wait...how do fix it so they don't poof themselves out of shock?"
*"We discipline your mind and thus the clones minds, to ignore it. Just like how everyone else deals with death: by ignoring it for as long as they can."*
"....That....thats...."
*"Hard I know. But you need to stop thinking about it."*
"But..."
Mitsuko warns her.
*"Don't think about it! Its not something you can solve. If you want to make sure that clone technique is useful and more importantly make sure you can live your life well: Don't think about it."*
Kimiko is silent for a few moments.
"Okay."
She replies.
*"Good. Do it again when you feel your ready."*

----------


## Rater202

"Maybe... Something something... Recessive genes? Your clan are distant cousins to the Senju, while, as I discover, my own is a branch family and I have speculated that there may be a common ancestor between my own clan and the Kaguya due to... Well, the most likely method for their bloodline to work is similar to a more-specialized version of my own bloodline's non-senjutsu elements..."

"Or... Or we could pass the buck?"

"Tell them the truth, tell everyone that my research is into chakra composition and it's interaction with biology, but and that I have been given permission to experiment with biological samples that are donated to me or collected from enemies, we tell them that the terrorist who attacked the labs left a sample of blood behind, that I collected and studied it, found it to be useful for a... procedure for my own health... But we tell them that I wasn't aware that the terrorist had _actually_ be altered with the kekkei genka of our clan's ninja until afterward"

"Then the blame doesn't go to me, it goes to the person who performed those experiments on the child in the first place."

"No, no, never mind, that's too risky, that's... Even if the rest of the village bought it, that's still admitting that I'm experimenting with cell grafting and bloodline stacking, if it gets out of the village every major clan in the Five Great Nations will be sending assassins after my head."

"Maybe... Maybe...."

"Maybe I should meet privately with the leaders of the four clans and just tell them the truth and let them deal with it?"

"...Part of me wishes I could just say that there was cross-contamination between an experiment by the Otokage to combine the bloodlines of the Four Clans of this village and an experiment of my own to correct my chakra imbalance and let _him_ deal with it.  Throw the bastard under the bus, but... that would just be handing the village to the Killer Kitty."

"Do you think we could get away with just not explaining it?"

"Why are humans so obsessed with keeping their bloodlines pure and exclusive? why can't you be like snakes? You think I know who my parents are?"

"...Maybe... Honestly at this point claiming to be..."

"The White Snake Sage compared my clan's power to the transformations of the Ten-Tails and of the Sage of Six Paths after he became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki... And she spoke as if the stories are _literal._ Maybe, maybe we blame it on a similarity to the originator of most bloodlines?"

"No, no, that... Kimiko knows, as do Usagi and Yuyuyu. I didn't tell them who Ottomaru's father was, but they know the gist of what happened and..."

"I really wish that I was one of those ninjas strong enough to just do whatever the Hell I want and as long as I am not hurting the village no one gives a damn. Things would be so much easier."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Well Two thoughts:
My first thought is that no one KNOWS about your bloodlines except me, Kikenna, Nozojo I think and Team 3. Possibly Ottomaru if he was smart enough to set things up to allow/make you discover the serum and guess that you'd take it yourself and if he only threatened to do it to Kimiko as a distraction when I fought him so that you'd become like this, it would make his actions make more sense. Not that we can discount him doing that anyways, but psychological warfare seems to be his M.O. Point is, few people know about it, and its not obvious you have them at first glance. The best thing for you might actually be to not tell anyone about it until you figure out some more plausible way or better time to reveal it. Keeping secrets is just apart of the shinobi world, and every shinobi has at least one.

And don't worry about Kimiko, I have people secretly guarding her."
He sighs folds his arms
"My second thought is that the only two people more experienced about how this will go down we can go to for the political advice we need on how to handle this are Nozojo or my mother. I'm sure your well-aware of why we'd both have trepidations about asking help from either. But if you truly don't want to disclose something you don't have to- I'd technically argue you don't have to disclose the Snake Sage thing either but thats neither here nor there- keeping secrets is just something we learn to live with. And if your bad at lying well...the best thing to do is not say anything at all. Better to be silent and unnoticed than to open one's mouth and look the fool, even if we sometimes must play the fool. 

Though If you were better at acting like a normal kid your age, I'd suspect this would be much easier. Your usual way of speaking makes it obvious or a genius kid and everyone will automatically being expecting great things form you. Wait Menko is way better at acting and being silly and immature than you, maybe she can do something....or you can ask Yuyuyu, she is relatively normal."




> (I assume Ameoku's visit is before then)
> This forced Ameoku to use academy level jutsu- 
> Few bone projectiles penerate Ameoku and she fall on her knees poofing in smoke.
> 
> And maybe something above- Ameoku has disguised herself as one of the bone projectiles, assuming this has confused Miho, she jumped reapering pouncing at Miho.
> 
> Ameoku has arsenal of jutsus but she enjoyed the basic techniques.


Miho is indeed confused, not sure where she went. Then she gets pounced and tackled to the ground. But in response, her forms another bone helmet over her head and headbutts Ameoku back.

----------


## Rater202

"Sensei? My even, monotonous tone of voice and disuse of contractions is an affectation. I do that consciously as an exercise to keep myself calm."

"This is how I'd naturally talk. Being from a small village by the border, if ya didn't know of my smarts ya'd think I was some country bumpkin"

"Never do that again."

"As for advice... Kimiko-san warned me that if Madame Ishikawa were to learn that it had paper release, she would immediately try to either get me adopted into the clan or arrange a marriage contract. I would prefer not to do that."

"Announcing my status as the Snake Sage serves two purposes... One, I imagine that eventually, the LEaf Village is going to make inquiries. They've been told, we can't pretend I'm not here."

"The best-case scenario is that they offer the Sound Village and/or myself personally favorable deals or access to resources that we can exploit to put ourselves into a position where we are no longer constantly at the mercy... I would not put it past them to try and 'recruit me' or convince me to defect under the pretext of giving me more opportunities for in the name of an alliance, but..."

"The worst-case scenario is that they try to kill me to free up the position... Now, since I have dead bone pulse and the power of the White Snake, I _should_ be harder to kill, but I am not immortal by any means... Though I _do_ have some theories about... No, that's a thought for another time..."

"Though... Though..."

"The White Snake Sage suggested using Menko's cells, becuase, now that I have the Power of the White Snake, we have a high compatibility and Menko's yin-chakra nature will be enough to finish balancing my chakra... I _really_ do not want to go through the pain of grating Ottomaru's cells again, but if I can get the procedure just a _little_ better..."

"If I can get that taken care of, then I can start training to master my clan's sage mode. Once I get to an _imperfect_ Sage Mode, not only will I be in full control of my transformations, but my raw power will increase many times over. In a village, this small, even limited use of such power would make me valuable enough..."

"Sorry, I am rambling. I will withhold the secret of my bloodlines to the best of my ability until at least I have achieved imperfect Sage Mode, but I believe transparency is for the best when it comes to my being the Snake Sage, if only to prevent people from being taken by surprise if the Leaf Village comes poking around."

"And, again, I would like to throw whatever clout I have due to my position and duties behind you publically. Short of taking over a clan or faction I believe that to be the best way to contribute to the psycho cat lady not taking over this village and leading us into a war we cannot win."

"And unless it turns out that one of our clans or factions ow a massive debt to Daisuke Senju that I can collect on, there's no feasible moral way of my taking over a clan or faction..."

"...Well, theoretically if we could find enough of my clansmen, convince them to come to Sound, consolidate into a proper clan, and agree to appoint me the head, but that would take long enough that Nozojo would be long dead or retired by the time we pulled it off"

----------


## igordragonian

This actually surprised- her mask crack, but she ednured worse- so she push her kneee to Miho's stomach and try to grab her wrists.
A wild mask appear on the mask.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"....Heh, now I'm imagining your scientific papers in your country accent.

Anyways. You are right, the clans would see your state as an advantage to be gained. Though technically now that I'm in charge of Clan Ishikawa, I'm the one with the final say on the matter as far my clan is concerned. She could suggest and push for it, but I'd have to approve it. Kimiko I suspect was thinking more of other clans or has been thinking of her mother as in charge in her entire life, and so is still getting used to the change. 

I think stealing a summoning pact from Konoha is a thing with clout, it logically seems like it. This village is young though, so who knows how much? Its not like we have a bunch of history and precedent to draw upon so, we might as well interview and hope that your correct. 

Anyways then, what time to do this interview....well it would count as news I guess so either early in the morning or around dinner time when every gets back home so......which time?"

*Kimiko:*
After some training the work on discipling her mind not progressing very much, she says
"Okay.....clearly this is going to take a while....anyways time to start on another project, since I remembered that I have money of my own..."
*"Project? What of?"* 
Mitsuko asks
"I'm going to buy a few parts needed to try and make an idea I have known as chakra goggles. Chakra can be seen by dojutsu and has colors in visible light, so there is no reason why a properly designed device cannot see chakra as well. There are after all, invisible waves like radio waves, ultra-violet, infrared, why not one for chakra?"
*"Yeah, but most of the village's equipment is for sound not light."*
"True! But sound and light are more related than you might think. They're both waves, vibrations and as we all know, light particles are both waves and particles. On some level, all of reality are waves, just with different lengths. Chakra, the way it behaves is no different. If we can sound into radio waves and back into sound I believe one can make anyone see chakra with goggles! I just have to figure out how to translate a chakra wave/particle impacting us into something we can visibly see. Watch! I'll create brilliance before your very eyes! Cya, Oka-san"
She will go off to search for her parts. Mitsuko changes into her Nezumi persona, and follows her, hidden and watchful. Nezumi wasn't going to let this Futility-San have any chance to harm her child. 

*Miho:*
She feels the weight of Ameoku press down upon her, and while her wrists are grabbed, she does something weird: she tries to grow a blade of her elbow at a diagonal angle to try and touch Ameoku's neck.
"I can simply grow this bone blade to piece your neck right through and kill you. Feel like holding on?"
And if Ameoku lets go one of her arms to take care of it, Miho will make an attack with the one thats free to try and push her off so she can escape.

----------


## Rater202

*Labs*

"I think you know that I keep odd hours. I am more likely to be awake and functional in the evening."

There have been occasions that Jirou should be aware of where Senko has stayed awake in her laboratory for 24 hours straight. There have also been occasions where she's been found asleep at her desk and had to be forced to go home in the middle of the afternoon.

Her hours are more regular now that she's regularly socializing and has Menko to remind her to sleep and buy groceries, but...

Senko yawns. The kind of yawn that can get a whole room yawning.

"Though, probably not this evening. I think that I am getting spoiled, sensei. I used to be able to sleep on hard stone with nothing but a deer pelt to keep me warm in the winter, but on the road sleeping in tents my mind kept drifting back to the futon and blankets I have at home."

"Before I retire, I do have a few more things I wish to mention... First, since I was _technically_ the client for this mission I feel that it is only appropriate that I state that team 3 performed more than adequately."

"Second... And this is a far off, half-insane... The White Snake Sage spoke of Kaguya Otsusuki and the Chakra Fruit and the Shinju and the Ten-Tails and the Sage of Six Paths as if the stories were _literal,_ and she is allegedly old enough to have witnessed some of these events first hand..."

"I... I have my doubts, there's no possible way that a power like the Rinnegann could be real, but... but if this is the case, if the stories are literal, if exaggerated, description of events, then... Then all Chakra has a common origin. Yes, there are genetic variations from the energy of your cells, and the nature of your persona influences spiritual energy resulting in a unique chakra, but the stories suggest that the Sage of Six Path's shared his chakra with others when teaching them how to mold their own, and they passed chakra down to their children."

"There is a distinct possibility that if one could combine enough different signatures of chakra, particularly chakras from the descendants of the Otusuki clan, and... concentrate it, refine it, that one might be able to recreate the powers of the Sage of Six Paths, and..."

"This is insane, right? Please talk me out of trying to graft myself with the cells of scores of people so that I can try and recreate Ninshu and end all the pointless fighting. I am delusional, right? These thoughts are just the onset of exhaustion catching up with me, yes?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He stares at Senko for a moment, processing what she just said. Then says
"Of course its insane. Scientists have already come up with more reasonable explanations. After all, the feats they were said to do is absurd! It would require mastery of chakra to degrees unheard of. There is not a person alive that could replicate them today, and we have perhaps centuries until we get to the point where we could even attempt such things. If they prove to be possible at all.

No, what more likely happened is this from what historians can figure out:
Kaguya was an empress who was probably interested in internal alchemy and martial arts at the time to try and agian immortality and somehow discovered how to use chakra instead and in their first incompetent experiments stumbling about trying to work with chakra they somehow did things that mutated people that would eventually become kekkei genkai, which because all the records were burned later didn't survive or were never written down. She sought to use her newfound power to try and rule what she thought was the entire world at the time like any old conqueror. Her sons saw the suffering she was inflicting on people and rallied them in a rebellion becoming rebel leaders perhaps with their own unique one off mutations like the Rinnegan from her experiments that for some reason was just never genetically passed on, but Kaguya was uncommonly stubborn and spiteful and thus began to use the first fire release jutsus to begin burning things: people, buildings, books, having her armies basically wipe out civilization along with her own empire deciding that she if she can't rule it, no one will. Going mad again like many old rulers. Hagoromo and Hamura killed her and thus had to rebuild civilization from those fires.

Of course to us modern people, such a thing would be a disaster but relatively moderately recoverable, but to them such great infernoes would be an apocalypse at the time. There are many myths that speak of apocalypses, and that is because many old civilizations experienced what they would consider apocalypses: plagues, floods, famine even war itself could be considered a form of it during those days when all of civilization you know would be a few city, maybe some towns.

The wake of this destruction, the survivors considered Hagoromo a mythical hero. Him and Hamura decided to rebuild civilization from that, with Hamura deciding to go found a village somewhere else so that they could double their chances, the Moon being a metaphorical reference to some land that people at the time might've believed to be close to the moon and his descendants are probably the Hyuuga clan as an old sobriquet for them are "The Moon-Eyed Clan". Meanwhile Hagoromo had his sons who were probably placed high expectations on rebuilding civilization as the new leaders in his new religion of a more peaceful existence and the stress got to them both, Indra snapped first or perhaps thought he could do what his grandmother did more pragmatically with less death or perhaps he was just a legalist, and started his own faction, Asura fought back because Hagoromo was probably getting old at the time so he took over and both Asura and Indra started taking concubines from the more mutated people, recognizing their abilities. Over time those mutated people became the kekkei genkai bloodlines and thats how everyone can claim descent from the Sage of the six Paths despite having such strange and varied powers.

While the various burning of books, buildings and so on explain why no one has found any documents dating before 1000 years ago, and why the oldest books are either book of Ninshu or things written by his followers or the followers of Indra. Those were dark times after all, and archaeological evidence is scarce, as expected from such times. 

As for how the stories ended up so inaccurate in the first place, perhaps Hagoromo sought to elevate himself by embellishing the story a bit for later generations, or maybe in the fighting between Indra and asura, Asura embellished it instead, taking liberties to keep his troops morale up against Indra, the story spread out of control and he died before he could correct the facts and everyone just kept passing on the embellishment. Over time the story grew more and more ridiculous, simplified Indra and Asura into simple hero and villain archetypes, added in the tailed beasts to explain why they were there and to make people keep to the ninshu faith in the face of tailed beast rampages and thus keep society going to a degree by making people think that the tailed beasts are punishment sent by Hagoromo for their sins of war or something, y'know superstitious nonsense like that. As for the tailed beast existence themselves.....who knows? they're a mystery. probably evolution, just always there, drawing upon energies we can't like any other animal. Why did evolution produce nine colossal beings like that? Who knows, why does evolution produce colossal snakes, frogs and whatever else we can summon? Perhaps they were once like those summon creatures but were altered in some way. Maybe Indra just found nine big beasts and turned them into his weapons but they couldn't be controlled, and somehow their existence was mistakenly attributed to Hagoromo. 

while the snake lady who mentioned it literally, who knows, she is old, perhaps she is just gong through the talking snake version of senility. Even if she was there a thousand years ago, do you really think you can rely on such old memories? Evidence is what we rely on for a reason. 

See? there is a perfectly logical realistic explanation for everything. I doubt you'll find any evidence that will say otherwise. There is no need to go chasing after fairy tales and myths. Any other theory would have to explain the ridiculous amounts of chakra wielded to make all those feats possible which there is no evidence for. Not even kages are capable of such things after all."
They were the usual arguments skeptics like him used to debunk the believers whenever this came up. It would often leave the average ninshuist sputtering with little more than faith to argue back with. 

*Kimiko:*
She goes around buying this and that: goggles, a radio, a camera, things like that. If she can't make goggles she could at least try for a chakra camera. But what is most important is figuring out a staring array, a crystal that can be used to pick up the chakra spectra, holding a charge that can then be interpreted into an image. Of course such a crystal is hard to come by, she knew that much but she manages to find a shopkeep who dealt in raw parts and materials, asking him
"Well there is a rare crystal called Sanjunium chakride. A compound of the 32nd element on the periodic table formed in certain conditions where chakra reached solidification status and bonded with it. It could probably function as a semiconductor for what your thinking. Problem is, even a small amount will cost you an entire missions worth of pay, from what I can tell. Its not exactly easy to get, and unfortunately silicon can't pick up chakra unless its in high amounts as to be visible anyways. You don't have enough to order that, as it'll have to be imported."
"I see....Pleasure doing business you."
She will have to do another C-Rank mission to get that sanjunium chakride. To see chakra itself....she must! She must. Knowledge awaits.

----------


## Rater202

Menko hisses.

"Senility is the result of your brain breaking down under the strain of age and constant activity. The power of the White Snake, the pursuit of Apotheosis of the Serpent into the Dragon, _begins_ by the use of natural energy to repair and rejuvenate the body. Our Kind_ already_ live for centuries, with this power of regeneration... The White Snake Sage might be an obnoxious old bat but to insinuate that she's senile is to spit on everything the Snakes have done for the last thousand years."

"...I thought you hated your home?"

"Yeah, but... Look, you get brought up hearing certain things... I mean, how would you feel if I insulted everything you were taught to believe in? You're healed, aren't you? That's proof of our power of reincarnation. Ergo, the bat's not senile. If she is, then not only do I have a bajillion expectations put on me just because I hatched white, but it's literally impossible for anyone to actually do that crap."

"...You are taking this very personally."

"Damn right I am! Now, let's go home, get some rest, then figure out how to put my cells inside you without the horrifying thing that happened with that other kid's cells happening, get you fixed up, and then you can master Snake Sage Mode, become a Dragon, and we can retire to a private resort in the Land of Beaches."

"I do not want to be a dragon. It would make it inconvenient to fit inside buildings."

"...I can't tell if you're doing that on purpose or not. Just, just... Sometimes you scare the hell out of me and other times you're adorable and I want to snuggle you."

"I aim to please. Sensei, I am going to go home and recuperate from the journey now. Unless something comes up I'll be in at my usual time..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
His eyes widen. Whoops.
"Oh. Sorry. Hm. No insult was intended. That is a problem with that, isn't it? Still, it doesn't invalidate anything else I said. All it takes is one person coming up with a long-lasting genjutsu to mess with your memories. Just because senility is impossible doesn't mean I can rely on what she said as evidence. The shinobi world tends not to be a place where you can take people at their word. That and she is still a thousand year old being who has experienced more than me or you. You don't live that long in this world without being the cleverest most underhanded being you possibly can. Each word she says could be carefully chosen to subtly manipulate you without outright doing so. She could've gotten an accurate read on your curiosity, deliberately spoke of it in passing to pique it and thus make you go off in a new direction for years just from that one brief interaction without making it seem you were led. Don't assume its as simple as it seems."
He says in response.

----------


## Rater202

"Yes, of course... I suppose that makes sense. And, I suppose the only beings that are known for a fact to be old enough to have witnessed these events first hand are the tailed beasts and... If the Tailed Beasts are able to communicate what happened a thousand years ago then the entire status quo of the balance of power based on the distribution of Jinchuriki is based on the torture and enslavement of sapient beings and we would all be horrible, horrible people for even indirectly benefitting from it."

"As no one could possibly be evil enough to do that on purpose, let alone 'Saint Hashirama...'"

Senko shakes her head.

"I overthink things when I am tired. Good evening, Sensei, I will... *yawn* be back in the morning for my normal lab shift."

Unless Jirou stops her, Senko leaves.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He lets Senko leave. He was glad she didn't notice the differences in the lab today. The rats not killed. His other plan to take down Futility San was in place, though it was risky. She was perhaps the only one who could understand why at this point and he didn't want to cause her worry. This talk of ancient legends however....should he be concerned? Eh, What was he thinking. Its Senko he was thinking about, sensible and scientific as an electron microscope. There is no way she is going to pursue anything without a very good rational reason. As for Tailed Beasts being sapient....eh. He didn't agree with Senko. There are a lot of reasons someone can be your enemy while still be understandable, and who knew if mutual coexistence with such beings was even physically possible? He departs himself. He needed to keep making....preparations.

*Kimiko:*
She will go home for today, Jirou as well soon enough. They talk:
"so how was your mission?"
"It was good."
"Anything in particular happen? I heard some from Senko but want hear your thoughts on it."
"Well....the Senko for some reason wanted to sacrifice herself for the ronin's justice. But I don't see why and.....disagree with her on that. Okaa-san said she didn't really understand either but she experienced something similar, which helped. She said I was less like father than she thought and was happy about it."
That was new. As far as he knew, his mother never talked about this sort of thing.
"....Think of it as an obligation. She did a crime, therefore she felt obligated to pay with her life to make up for it. Like holding a debt."
Kimiko scrunched her face in thought.
"....Weird. I still don't get it."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out in time. Why didn't you go for the power of the Snake Sage yourself? You know what she was after, your technically the same thing."
"I didn't have a summoning pact with the Snakes, and I was contracted to do a mission. I always succeed in my missions. If Senko didn't get it and I interfered, that would be mission failure would it not? That and it would be disrespectful to my intellectual equal and friend. That and its best to see if her methods work before trying them myself. Her biology is unusual, unstable and subject to change. Science is founded upon results being reliable and consistent. Until she can produce consistent results that can be replicated in other bodies, there is no point in trying to get her power, no?"
"....Solid logic. can't argue with it. What do you think of the old snake speaking of the events of the Sage literally?"
"While an interesting thing to learn by itself and should be investigated if true, my goal is to obtain all jutsu. If it leads to completing that dream of mine, I'll investigate but otherwise chakra's origin isn't technically my primary concern, its future is. I'll be glad to learn it whenever possible, but no matter where it comes from I intend to see where its going."
"...I see...Very well. Night."
Kimiko will head up to bed. Going to sleep, she will dream....
*Spoiler: Dream*
Show


_She sees Senko standing in front of a faceless ronin. The Senko turns around and grins manically then begins running towards the blade. Kimiko tries to call out, but no sound escapes from her lips and shadowy hands grab her limbs, restrain her from intervening. The Senko jumps on the blade, getting skewered through all the while grinning ceaselessly as she died. Kimiko's struggle stop as the body becomes a corpse. The ronin is revealed to be a grinning skeleton that embraces the corpse. A dark thought resounds:
IF SHE IS TRULY ON THE SAME PATH AS YOU, WHY DOES SHE KEEP STEPPING OFF?_ 



She will bolt awake again, panting. It is morning. She will get up and go to the team meeting.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's apartment*

Senko does not notice Usagi's intrusion into the apartment. Once Senko is home she more or less immediately prepares for bed.

Shortly after she collapses on her futon, Menko crawls into the bed a pulls Senko into a hug.

"Do you not normally coil up by the heater? And sleep as a snake?"

"I've been wanting to hug you ever since we met the inhuman-Ronin and then I figured you really needed it after everything that happened at the cave but I couldn't do anything because I couldn't break character so I'm just gonna sleep in human form and hold you and that'll cover the ten days or so of hug interest."

"I am not sure that math checks out."

Senko doesn't object to the hug though.

"So... Do you believe Jirou-san's explanation?"

"I do not know... Manipulation or deception did not seem to be her intent, but..."

"Comparing my transformation to the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, my powers to the God Tree... That is _oddly_ specific. If she wanted to manipulate me, why not just say 'your chakra is highly similar to the Sage of Six Paths?'"

"With Daichi... I knew that I had a distant relative who was tracing the clan and its origins. That part is true... I need to find Daichi, learn what he knows. Compare it to the White Snake Sage's story, and..."

"And if, if what she said is true... If the Shinju, the Ten-Tails, my power, and the idea that it is a mutation of the same power that is behind Wood Release... What does that mean of me? Am I some sort of... Shinju-seedling?"

"Senko-sama I think you're overthinking things. Instead of thinking of that, think of convincing that Inhuman-ronin that she owes you a life debt for trying to kill you and then admitting that it would be wrong at the last second and having her spend the rest of her life as our maid."

"I am not allowed subletters or live-in-servants, Menko. Technically the only reason you are allowed to live here is becuase the 'pets' clause of my lease applies to familiars and ninja partner-animals."

Eventually, Senko gets to sleep, wakes up, gets ready, and goes to the team meaning.

----------


## igordragonian

Ameoku chuckle with a sport like spirit.
"Nyiance. Well done. I have understamited you."
She actually use her knee to block the sharp bone- even it injure her.

'I have seen enough. If you wish  I will try to set some training sessions with you'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
She shall stop fighting then, retracting the bone.
"I shall be honored to train with you, Ameoku-Taichou for I am but a humble lowly genin of this village. I thank you for the battle, for I enjoyed it and know far I need to go to protect my comrades"
You can't believe it. You have found the humblest, sanest and most selfless clan genius in all of the shinobi nations. Whether this is like winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning twice is up to one's opinion but its highly improbable all the same. As everyone knows, most young clan geniuses are some degree of arrogant snot-nosed brat, you may have found the exception but it just proves the rule. 

*Kimiko:*
Since Odayama and Usagi have not arrived yet, nor has Yuyuyu, Kimiko will ask Senko
"....So. We ever going to speak in private about our.....long term plans or not? We keep meeting but always in the company of others. Are we going to speak about them in detail? And don't launch into doing so now. Just confirm whether we will or not and arrange a time even if its now. We don't know who is watching or listening in. Whenever we do it, we check to make sure its truly private before saying anything important, like checking whether Odayama-sensei has planted bugs on us again."
Whatever her misgivings about Senko was, she was Senju so it made sense. She didn't have to understand it, what mattered was her goals. and if that fails well...she didn't trust most of the village to share her plans with them. If it comes to it, she can didn't have to trust Senko entirely, just enough for it work. If Senko decides to go off-plan she could just make contingencies in case it occurs. After all they supposedly both want immortality, but if Senko decides to self-sacrifice and it goes through Kimiko will need plans for how to deal with the fallout. For one she would need a replacement for Senko's role in whatever deal they work out.

----------


## Rater202

"I suppose... I mean, we have been pretty open with our respective log term goals. I want to correct my condition, apply what I have learned to better the lives of others, and achieve a perfect Sage Mode. You want to live forever and learn all ninjutsu. The only stumbling block, really, is whether or not I can trust you with classified information and, well... You have not told anyone yet about the few things I have let slip."

"...Have you? I am not going to have to deal with your mother badgering Ishikawa-sensei about arranging a marriage between me and some cousin of yours, am I?"

"Really, if we want to help each other we just need to arrange a time to meet somewhere private... I do not really have much say over the mission schedule, however, and I am going to do a Radio Interview to formally announce my position as the Snake Sage and throw the clout that gives me behind Jirou's bid to be Otokage... _eventually, but..._"

Senko kind of tails off for a moment.

"I am not... _planning_ to die, just so you know."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She pauses for a moment as she thinks on her words, then answers
"I have not told her, no."
She say then responds to Senko saying she isn't planning on dying.
"Very well. If you say so."
Then holds up a finger.
"Yes you have been open. but saying goals, and making plans are two different things. I'm talking about steps, specifics, arrangements. If all we do is state nebulous goals without any effort to making sure we actually carry them out and letting the missions and political business get in the way- they will NEVER get done, are we clear? Getting distracted is the first step to losing our way. Mentioning things in passing while on a mission or going off to talk with my brother without giving any time to talk to me will not be enough. This is something we have to coordinate on. So. When we will do that, and where?"

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> She pauses for a moment as she thinks on her words, then answers
> "I have not told her, no."
> She say then responds to Senko saying she isn't planning on dying.
> "Very well. If you say so."
> Then holds up a finger.
> "Yes you have been open. but saying goals, and making plans are two different things. I'm talking about steps, specifics, arrangements. If all we do is state nebulous goals without any effort to making sure we actually carry them out and letting the missions and political business get in the way- they will NEVER get done, are we clear? Getting distracted is the first step to losing our way. Mentioning things in passing while on a mission or going off to talk with my brother without giving any time to talk to me will not be enough. This is something we have to coordinate on. So. When we will do that, and where?"


"I mean, you have seen my first steps toward my goals..." Senko looks around to make sure that there's no one around, then channels a bit of senjutsu chakra into her hand causing it to briefly turn back into a mass of paper before reverting.

"I am not sure what I can do _practically_ with that, and the procedure had some rather painful side effects that I am going to work on before doing it again, but this has drastically improved the balance of chakra in my system."

"Everything else is... I need to get it to work perfectly on _me_ before I can make it work on other people."

"One step at a time... Though, I am working on sort of a... A side project, if you will, that if successful would make some of my later goals much easier... I do not want to say too much out there, but I have been meaning to talk to you about it... You are proficient in storage seals, right?"

"After this, I have a shift at the laboratory... If I am not doing the radio interview tonight... I left that in Ishikawa-sensei's hands, I might be free to meet this evening."

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

Ameoku might be a geniouse in some ways and a savage- but truly, she is a simple person, even if a bit carnal.
And every person work under assumptions and believes- and she believe in the village.
Shushuryu is a bit skeptical at this overly perfect Genin, but say nothing.
Just like the parastic plant inside of her, she had patience.
Ameoku tapped Miho's head. *'Well said, little one. You truly bring hope to the likes of me.'*
she blink. *'Oh. Nya. Right. Can you lead me to the main meeting? I was distracted by our little fun brawl.'*
Among other disavantages in Ameoku's personality, it was easy to distract her on the short time range.

She will keep watch. 
Let her boss have her fun, and if some shady backstabbing would be required she will do so.
Maybe Ameoku isn't willing to end swiftly her younger rival, but, as her secretary she is willing to do things, her boss wouldn't.
But there is no need for it.
For now.
----------------

( What mission we have? Who 'gm'ing it?)

Odayama, arrive, but Usagi is still late.
'Yo.' he wave. He looks much better, some.. shine in his closed  looking eyes?
'Morning girls. Sorry for being late, at home, I prepared some home made snacks for you-'
He pull from a scroll, plate with
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Z7Lnw&usqp=CAU
Each dongo is a chibi face of one of them. Even Menko has a set.

'Hmm. I wonder where Usagi is...'

--------------------------------------

Usagi finally gotten back home after buying groceries.
'Hey, Tsuru! I am home! make some food!' she demand, like so old fashioned husband that it almost a crime now days.
Tsuru smiled. 'I have missed you as well, Usagi-chan. How was the last mission?' she has asked as he prepared dinner- her own salary all went for paying the rent and medecine.
'Boring.' Usagi puffed her cheeks.

'Oh? So did you had time to bond with your friends?'
Usagi made one hand push ups, frowning.
'...They are too nerd for me. And sofites. Made such a big deal, because I killed a bandit guy.'

Tsuru's expression was filled... with compassion.
'It must have been a horrible exprience for you.'

-'Nah, I am good. I am a ninja. We ninjas are killers. Aren't we?'
A heavy silence cover the apartment as  the soup boils.

'Yes. But it doesn't mean you should take such things lightly, dear.' Tsuru finally say.
Tears fills Usagi's eyes.
'So what? You want me to cry!?'
Frusration, guilt,envy all those emotions have choked her throat.

'Yes. It will prove you still have a soul.'

'I will never cry!' And Usagi started to sob, as Tsuru has hugged her with one hand.

--------------
Morning
---------------
Usagi woke up a bit late.
Tsuru has prepared a breakfast, and she didn't ran away...

But when she went out, she was about to summon Yojimbo- but a shiloute has appeared behind the decaying building.
Usagi try to reach her bow harp- but a palm send a shock wave like an attack, sending her flying at a wall- the shadowy character now palm her forehead- her eyes are widening.
'Remember' wishper a voice,and then the character dissapear.

Usagi stare in horror as the blood rain dripping all over the place.

And she wasn't the only one- few more Hope Generation members have been attacked and put in trauma expriencing genjutsu- conviently, the targets are the easier targets for such a technique.

Tsuru and the other labour workers already have left to work. Usagi is alone.



(do you wish Jirou visit the Broken Record Club scene?)

----------


## Rater202

Senko just kind of looks at the Dango.

"Uhhh..."

"Oh, great. You broke her."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama sigh.
'I am good at making food. Really, it's not that bad.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Miho:*
She will nod and lead to the main meeting and says
"Apologies for being late, Otoo-san. I seem to have childishly distracted Ameoku with my own skill in combat."
Takuma Kaguya, the clan head says
"....I see. Well it can't be helped, the warrior spirit in all of us sometimes fires up and just has to be fed. Greetings Ameoku-taichou. What brings you to our abode? Come, Kaguya cooking is known as the best in this village, and we prepared only the best for one of the Three Thunders."
The food on display quite high quality: its balanced to be healthy but also delicious as the Kaguya are known to be health conscious and since they are a noble clan they don't accept anything but the best tasting food, and thus have passed down refined recipes for generations to make the best balance of meat, vegetables and rice they can. Ameoku's dish is a bit fancier but the food around it she can tell is competently made, these people eat well to make sure they can maintain their jutsu. 

*Jirou:*
Jirou and Kikenna walk towards the Broken Record. Kikenna is in trendy radical clothing. Jirou is....still in his uniform.
"C'mon Jirou, at least put on a disguise jutsu."
"I was never exactly one for parties and socializing, Kikenna. What am I going to do, buy some random clothes from some store and try to be "hip"? You know I'm never going to be cool, and trying to pretend that I am would only insult them. Best they see me as I am."
"Are you just clinically unable to have fun?"
"Yes. Its a serious medical condition. I have to take Humor Pills every day just so I won't die from my own seriousness as they balance out the chemicals in my brain."
"Oh, ha-ha."
They come up to the bouncer, Kikenna smiling and going while pulling down her sunglasses a little and leaning forward.
"Heeeeey~ Kikenna back again at the Record with Ol' Jirou, he is with me! Here for the meetin' with the head honcho. What up my bounce?"
She is a regular here.

*Kimiko:*
She just tries a bit of the dango not really caring if it has her face on it. So does Yuyuyu
"hey this is really good!"
"A treat worthy my tastebuds! You did well, Odayama-sensei."
After eating the dango, Kimiko starts wondering.
"Where IS Usagi? We can't do missions without her. That rabbit rider usually isn't late, or at least not this late, she is gung-ho about everything she should've arrived by now."
"You think something happened to her?"
"She is alone in a time when there is a crazy person running around targeting children who are alone. I'm pretty sure. Usagi wouldn't miss team meetings for anything. Perhaps we should go search for her, start at her home and track her from there."

----------


## Rater202

Senko honestly looks a bit concerned. And confused.

Like she wants to say something, but...

"Where does Usagi-san live? And... Should we contact a medic-nin now or wait until we find her and see if she needs it?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Yuyuyu says
"I know where she lives. as for medic....yeah lets wait until we find her. We don't want to waste time if the medic doesn't know where she is."
She will lead the way to Usagi's apartment.
"Wait how do you know-"
"Oh I have my ways."
Yuyuyu doesn't say that sometimes this is by just asking them and sometimes this is by sneaking around and following them as apart of her training for espionage stuff. No one needs to know about her habits.

----------


## Rater202

"I meant in case she's hurt, but... Okay."

Senko follows.

*Earlier:*

Tomoe Kurogane had returned to the land of Rice, setting off immediately after leaving Ryuchi Cave, and had been staking out the roads around the Sound village. She needed to verify what the On... What the child had said. Mentions of laboratory experiments and a Jirou Ishikawa.

As best she could, she stayed out of sight and observed people coming and going over the few days. Yesterday, she noticed the child's group returning...

Tomoe was just certain enough that she could enter the village proper now and was about to enter when she felt someone appear behind her.

Just as she began to move, however, the edge of a hand struck her in the back of the neck and sent her to the ground.

Just before she passed out, she heard someone speak.

"You are not as stealthy as you think, Samurai... Just count yourself lucky that telling the entire village is not yet in my interest."

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

Ameoku chuckled.* 'What well mannered girl.. we will have to fix it.'* 
her go lucky attitude aura, one she kept from her youth switched to more seriouse.
*'Well. Thank you. I always appreciate a good meal- especialy, since I have released my husbands to do some missions with his teams'*
She walk with a feline arrogance, like she own the place, though not directly.. rude.
Shushuryu follow after her, all perfectly sweet and well mannered.

*'Well, unlike the second Ottokage I am not one for long winded speeches- Nozojo seems to pick a boy to replace him... and though I have nothing against this boy.. he doesn't has a leader aura. Our village, has recovered for long enough, so Nozojo-san did his job well in this regard... but we can stand in place and let ourselves rot into convivence- Konoha will happy to see us weaken, I carry the will of Odokuro-sama- I can lead us into a path of glory, and I need support for my claim'* she say rather straight forward.
Shushuryu add. 'Of course, we can address any question and concern of the matter. And see how this arrangment will benefit everyone.' adding a bit of minimal tact.

------------------------

*Broken Record Club*

The Selector guy smile. Big buff, dark skinned and scarred. 
If he is a shinobi, he doesn't carry any signatures for this.
'Hey girl. Looking good. But what about this dork?' he point at Jirou.
'Meeting or not, Scratchman-sama can't have random people spoiling the style here. Even buisness should be fun here'

--------------

Odayama was about to say he know the way.
But his Sensei-ing style was..
if it isn't broken don't touch. 
He had back up plans, and training plans- but so far, it seemed the girls did good on their own- it seems his role was to strcutrue them into a team.

He led the way.

-----------
*Spoiler: Usagi's mind*
Show



blood rain.
Usagi's family keep tearing apart, over and over.
And the bandit which she killed keep screeching.

Usagi couldn't hear the footsteps, but she sensed it.
waves in the fabric of this reality. Dreamscape.
Usagi knew this isn't going to be some house eating monster, but this presence was intense as it is.
ghastly beautiful rabbit lady stepped through it, no blood has stained this one.

Nagaisu's theme-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0t...Falconer-Topicch

''Q...Queen Nagaisu.' Usagi has fallen to her elbows.
_'Disappointing. Very disappointing.'_ the rabbit talked without moving her lips. Her eyes completly white.

Usagi's father begged to mercy, as he was ripped apart again, Usagi looked at the red haired man again.
_'So easily distracted. Shameful. What a waste'_ Nagaishu echoed with a sweet voice, like a glass of milk in midnight.

Usagi cried. 'You were supposed to take those memories away! Why are they still there?!'

Nagaishu stepped toward Usagi, each step sending round waves, as if the rabbit walked on water. She grabbed Usagi's chin forcing the human girl to look into the blank eyes.
_'Only if you giving up on those memories. But it seems that in the end you are still a little girl- this is the only memory from your family- so deep inside, you wish to exprience this memory , this is when you can meet your family. Pathetic._'

Usagi held her ears.
'Just play your stupid lullaby again! Make it stop!'

Nagaishu frowned. _'As I have told Yojimbo. I am not acting out of charity. Legless human orphans? I don't care- I care about MY soldiers. are you a solider?'_

'YES!' Usagi cried with terror.




Usagi is near some trees. she stare at something, her hair look.. wet. she ranting
'So much blood... make it stop.. please..' tears are streaming from her eyes.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
He listens the speech as he daintily and elegantly eats his food with chopsticks and replies when she finishes.
"...I see, Ameoku-taichou. And how do you plan on realizing this glory? Konoha has many things we don't: more land, an empire of trade,  diplomatic efforts across the continent, mighty armies of ashigaru led by samurai, better shinobi training, powerful bloodlines, and even the Nine Tailed Fox. The Three Deadly Leaves alone killed many of the Sounds number, Tsuga Sarutobi the daughter of the Third Hokage vowed fiery vengeance upon us even as Fourth Hokage Himitsu Shimura signed the treaty. Tsuga is the leader of a quite sizeable faction in Konoha that wants this village burned to the ground, Himitsu is cunning politician who keeps the current peace but she ever has her way or worse becomes the Fifth, there may be war again- and who knows if any nation would want to back us out of fear of starting the Fourth Shinobi War? We may be left to the wolves to make sure the greater peace is upheld.

Against this, how do you propose to ensure this village's safety? Let alone achieve this glory you speak of?"
He watches carefully to see what her response is.

*Jirou:*
He just looks at Kikenna who is just grinning widely back with a "I told you so" look, knowing she was right.
"...Fine. I'll change. Give me a second."
He takes out a storage scroll and Body Flickers away. A few moments later he body flickers back, having changed into different trendier set of clothes that Kikenna picked out for him. They were in style but were cooler colors and smooth wave like designs to emphasize his laid back personality. As a final touch he adjusts his shinobi headband into a slightly  rakish tilt. A shinobi must be prepared to change clothes at a moments notice if they run out of chakra to disguise themselves the normal way. 
"There. Changed." he says putting his hands in his pockets and slouching a little "Am I socially acceptable yet?"
His monotone voice and lack of personality has not changed in the least. He is radiating "uncaring teenager" energy right now. 
"....Huh maybe he will fit in more than I thought."

*Kimiko:*
When they find her, they gasp
"Usagi!"
They run over, Yuyuyu and Kimiko wave their hands in front of her face and snap their fingers a couple times.
"She's not responsive. Its a genjutsu."
"Just have to disrupt her chakra flow or cause some pain outside the genjutsu's influence to snap her out of it then.
Kimiko touches Usagi's shoulder and sends a minor pulse of chakra as she was taught to break teammates out of genjutsu. If that doesn't work both Yuyuyu and Kimiko will send a stronger pulse together. If that doesn't work Kimiko will just slap her hard across the face so that it stings.

----------


## Rater202

Menko slithers out of her usual hiding spot in the pocket and belts of Senko's robe and begins tasting the air and looking about. Can she smell anyone around here who shouldn't be?

What about heat? She's not as good at picking it up as say, a pit-viper would be, but she can pick up a bit. Are there any hidden heat signatures?

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

The Thunder(Sarada) lift her mask a bit to eat with.. quite verocity.
*"I am aware of all that. And more. I am the Anbu Commander after all."* she say casully as she eat and expose sharp teeth.
*'I am not the crazy girl I used to be. Another thing I am thankful to the second Ottokage- this role gave me deeper perspective. Nyam'*
She eat with beastly glutton.
*"Konoha is big. And fat. And Odokuro-Sensei has proven that they are defeatable. They have many things to protect. Many things to lose. Nyam."*
She lift her empty bowl, quite rudely gesturing to get seconds.
"...I think Ameoku is politly asking for seconds..' Shushuryu is being polite for her.
*"I want to work an alliances with other small villages who are tired of Konoha... and has an important and big ally from other.. BIG village. We did great with almost no resources and bunch of broken people... the next round we have more. We are smarter. Stronger. It will take years.. probably- and if may be blunt- the war itself isn't as important to me, as the prepartion to it. It will keep us on edge, push us to evolve. If this boy of Ishikawa will lead the village... Ottokage will rot. Grow fat in convience. THEN,  we will truly have no chance."*
------

*Broken Record Club*

https://youtu.be/yoZy2E17-50

The selector chuckle. "Sure thing bro.'
Inside the regular partying.
It seemed as if they were partying all the time, though some went missing here and there.
The core members of the club were War Veterans, but there were also youth, like the Komoro twins Dai and Dao.

Some people waved to Kikena.
At the bar as usual stood Fushi in her fishnet shirt, and seems proud in her bust. Jirou might know Kimiko had a little crush on her..
In some way, the dual with Usagi was over something that Usagi did to Fushi.
Fushi is sort of an assistant of Scratchman, and one of the best medic nins of the village- Odayama trusted her more then the medics of the hospital.
"Hey Kikena-chan.' She coe.
"I see you are into pretty boys tonight." She chuckle.
"Ah. The new Ishikawa overlord?' She giggle.
"My my... are you now the daddy of the house?"
----

*Spoiler: Usagi's head*
Show



Ripple waves move through the dreamscape.
Nagaishu lift a finger... stopping them.
"Your friends are here,again to pull you out. You are a real liability."

Usagi cry. "But I train more then anyone! I-"
Nagaishu cut her. 'What I want are results."

Usagi drop her scraf showing the scar. "I made a tie with the prettiest-I mean the strongest ninja of our class."
Nagaishu block another ripple of chakra meant to wash the genjutsu away.
"Are you really that easily statfied with yourself? You said you will never be helpless again. And yet... here we are."

The third wave of ripples is strong, but Nagaishu just cancel it again.
"I have already invested time, and gave you a weapon... I will forgive you this once. You need to make your own lullaby now. Be true to your word. If you want to forget your family-then stop caring. For now, you need to stop pretending not to care- and then to choose to knowingly care, or not to care for real. This stupid cycle of denial.. make you weak.'

Usagi try to argue, but Nagaishu cancel the ge jutsu



Menko will notice a foul smell. Of rot and death.
Human. Sort of.

Usagi wake up... few seconds later then she were supposed from the combined pulse.
She gasp.
"...His hair... his... hair.. was.. red.. like mine...' she rant with wide eyes.

----------


## Rater202

"Senko-sama, I smell a person.. except dead and rotting."

Senko immediately takes a defensive stance and the markings that show her use of senjutsu chakra begin to spread across her body.

"I find myself in the odd position of hoping someone was murdered nearby. does... Does the presence of a corpse mean anything to you?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
The Kaguya family will bring seconds for Ameoku without delay or complaint. A few of the the stronger members do so as well. Its not an uncommon occurrence in this household.
"Seek allies from other minor villages?"
Jirou had already spoken to them of similar plans. The Ishikawa were their allies after all, and understood their priorities as they underwent the same struggles escaping from their homeland, so why wouldn't they communicate with one another?
"A...promising plan indeed. However what is your plan for the Nine Tailed Fox? All the minor nations in the world won't help if they unleash their jinchuuriki upon us. Shinobi can be killed with enough cleverness and resources. Tailed Beasts on the other hand are eternal. If they assess us to be undefeatable by normal means, the Fox will come and not even your strength will be able to defeat it. How do you propose to deal with something no human can kill? The only reason the Nine Tails Jinchuuriki didn't massively turn the tide in Konoha's favor is because Ryota Ishikawa, a sealing master, distracted and led the jinchuuriki away from the main battle at the time and perished fighting her. I doubt such a move can be pulled off a second time."
Even if the Jinchuuriki died to Odokuro's final song at the time, it would've only made things worse, as the nine tails would be unleashed upon the world again destroying who knows how many lives. Everyone knew this. The purpose of Ryota was ironically to keep her alive. Takuma could remember his conversation with Ryota at the time, spoken in secret:
*Spoiler: Takuma and Ryota:*
Show


_They were in a tent, planning the final battle. Takuma had always seen Ryota as a little.....off. He seemed even less affected by killing than most. He killed without hesitation or compunction, felt no guilt or sadness over it. His plans were calculated, efficient and ruthless....and completely uncaring of the cost of human life. His gaze was an empty void, and it was rumored that he was a soulless killing machine, who when he interrogated an enemy enjoyed the screams of pain he caused. But that was none of his business. Ryota kept it out of polite conversation and made sure to keep them all alive during these times of war. Ryota was silently studying the battles plans and Takuma decided to break the ice.
"So I heard your second child was born recently. Congratulations."
"Yes" Ryota said coldly "A second child will be most useful. Another number in our favor."
"...I'm glad....you think...so? Anyways your plan can't really be to lead the jinchuuriki away and go out dying to them can it? Your like this genius seal master, why plan to fail?"
"Correct. That was just what I told others to maintain operational security. The real plan is to capture the nine Tailed Jinchuuriki with my seals and bring it back to the village so that we will be the ones in power, able to defend against any future confrontation. It presents an opportunity. If it fails, the Iron Armor Seal is already entrusted to my wife and the plan to get our revenge on Yagura will continue as was previously agreed."
"And our new nine Tails Jinchuuriki....will they be sealed with the Iron Armor Seal?"
"Nonsense. With them captured we will be able to study the Uzumaki's sealing technique and copy it for ourselves. The Iron Armor Seal will be obsolete and pointless. With the power of the Nine Tails we will become the two most powerful clans in Otogakure. Odokuro's sacrifice will be OUR victory, with such prestige, I might even become....Otokage."
Ryota reaches up with his hand in front of his face and clenches it into a fist at the thought of such power. The very thought of Ryota holding such power sends shivers down Takuma's spine._

 

*Kikenna:*
She waves back to the people around and leans against the bar as she speaks to Fushi
"Heeey Fushi-chan~ I guess you could say that. You know me, always open to many kinds of flavors."
She playing it off casually. The truth was something more long term and plans for actual change, but this wasn't the place to be that serious. Jirou is as unphased as ever to Fushi's appearance and replies
"I am the Patriarch of the Ishikawa Clan if that is what you mean. It is a responsibility I bear. Unfortunately I'm here for that responsibility. Or at least, one related to it. My days have gotten more busy as of late, and its harder to have fun when I have other concerns on my mind."

*Kimiko:*
They take defensive stances around Usagi, faces pointed outwards while Usagi recovers.
"Red hair like hers.....do you think it might be a relative of hers, Kimiko?"
"Maybe." she says as she keeps her eyes sharp, looking around.
"We only know of a couple clans in particular that have red hair right?"
"Yeah, but only one could be anywhere in the nations and if Usagi was Uzumaki I'd think the medical nin would've figured that out during whatever medical exams they took when trying to heal her legs or after we beat each other up in a duel. There's no way she is, we'd have caught that by now and made her one of our greatest village secrets to rival Senko. Besides there is no guarantee the person is a relative even if not Uzumaki, as they could just be in a disguise jutsu to make us think along those lines for whatever purpose they're trying to deceive us. I have a way to tell if she is Uzumaki, but its invoking a ridiculous old tradition between the two clans that defies logic. I don't think we time for such nonsense, if we on the lookout for for this assailant. That and we can't rule out the possibility that she just has red hair."
Sometimes descendants of clan bastards from centuries ago inherent nothing but the looks. Which is sometimes exploited by ruthless ninja to get themselves a false clan hostage that they can lure real members of the relevant clan into a trap to kidnap them. Ugly business that.
"Odayama-taichou, know a safe place for us to extract Usagi to? If there is a dead corpse nearby well want to see what that is sure, but making sure Usagi gets out safe is most likely our first priority."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi blink. 'What? No.. I mean my father! I... rememeber his face!' she say with.. dread?
Odayama kneel. 'We will discuss it further.. but then.. anything else about the attacker?'

Usagi lower her head with shame.
'No. Just a palm to my forehead, and the voice said 'remember' or something'
Odayma do a gesture of an open palm not unlike of thr Fukaimi's clan.
'Yes...'

She gasp
'I am fine! I am not helpless!' she jump to lean on her crotches. 'I can fight!'

'Rotten corpse? Open palm?' Odayama frown. 'This is bad... I was sure we have got ridden of this hag... it seems the missing nins are getting more and more active... but.. not in a deadly way.' he look  concerned.
'We will investigate the corpse, but then move t our own mission- terror attacks like this are meant to disturb the village- free units will handle this further, we are just collecting intel'
-------------------------


*Ameoku*

'Our big ally has a jinchurikki as well.' She say half dismissivly.
'But I am doing my own research and experiments to see alternative ways, but those are just tecnicalities- where there is will, a way will be found. And yes, I admit... I can't do and plan every detail, and that exactly why I need allies'




*Broken Record Club* 

'My my, what a cold boy.' Fushi chuckle.
'I guess it's shouldn't be a surprise from a shark, I bet they do the best ickys, as Usagi-chan can confirm' she turn again to Kikena
'Though, I see you didn't had THIS pleasure yet.'
Seeing Jirou's attitude.
'Fine, fine, shark daddy. I'll show you the way- but remember... here fun and buisness are the same.'

She lead, swaying her hips, the inner parts of the club are more intimate, the music is more... chill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEDh...annel=Styzmask

*'Dude, this isn't a failure.'* the bass voice of Scratchman is heard
A guy, looking in Jirou's age is sitting in the shadowy lobby with velvet lights, crying.
'...But Scratchman, I let the bandit escape...'
Between Scratchman(who looks something like that- https://www.greenscene.co.id/wp-cont...ne-Piece-9.jpg on a small crystal desk laid a B mission scroll.
The crying guy might be familiar to Jirou, a Genin dropout. He wasn't that great, even quite the loser, easily bullied, but was the fastest in class, and took switching jutsu to a new level.
Yuwamushi passed the genin exams, but something happened to him on the first mission and he dropped.

Scratchman put a hand on Yuwamushi's shoulder.
*'Not wanting to take a life, doesn't make you a lesser man, bro. It's just means you have a pure heart. And the message was passed, you did the favor well.. it's not like it is a mission or some seriouse ninja stuff. Just a favor. ok mah man? All cool. Now... '* he pull a notebook so far ignroing his guests.


*Those are my new tunes and notes men. But I need lyrics. Straight from the heart. Can you give me that, bro?'*
Yuwamushi gasped. 'R-really?'
*'When you have time, are we cool?'*
He nodded eagerly, and gotten up, then he noticed Jirou.
'Oh.' he lower his head in shame.
'.... I won't disturb you...' and pass by him, quickly.


Scratchman finally pay attention to his new guests.
*'Ah. Jirou Ishikawa. Welcome, welcome. come take a seat, and of course- our best girl Kikena!'* he say with energy and vibe.
*'I remember your father. Quite the man.'* which Jirou know is.. a lie.

Nozojo has revealed a big secret of Scrathman-
*Spoiler*
Show



'...my secret nickname for him, is 'the forgotten Thunder'. You see... he is a genius, he has forgotten more jutsus, then I ever have learned. He also were trained under Odokuro.. more or less. He came with a seriouse case of amensia. He also suffer from dementia, which he keep at bay. He always with headphones, because he record himself, saying things he should know, so he constantly has to remind himself about.. more or less... everything. I tell you this, because sooner or later he will fall. And you need to be prepared to find someone to fill his shoes, and.. it's probably something you should know.'

----------


## Rater202

Menko points in the direction of the smell of rot and death and Senko begins moving toward it, taking point if she's permitted.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
He nods at her answer, assuming she either means one of three possible villages: Iwa, Kumo or Taki. Takigakure being the most likely candidate given her talk of gathering allies in minor villages. Suna? Hah, too far away to be a realistic ally. Obviously not Konoha, and if it was Kiri.....well lets just say they would make sure that she doesn't leave the clan house alive. But she wouldn't be that stupid, their history with Kiri isn't a secret, so lets trust she is smart enough to not make such a mistake. Takuma considers the offer. There is the upside that her plan works and she gets some other village to aid them, they could somehow manipulate that other village to get their revenge for them on Yagura. While also making sure they didn't have to sacrifice one of their own to be the next Three Tails Jinchuuriki. Miho wouldn't have to be trained to be their jinchuuriki for Otogakure. Sure it wouldn't be a personal revenge by their own hands, but sometimes you got to take what you can get, and sometimes you got to make sure others take the fall for your own machinations at the cost of not being known for those machinations or having the satisfaction of carrying it out yourself.

or even they could set like, Taki or Kumo against one another, then get the Ishikawas to swoop in at the right time when an opportunity it presents itself to get any of the tailed beasts that would be used in such a conflict, and Otogakure wins no matter who else loses. There are merits to her plan.

But....Jirou has shared with them similar plans about allying with other minor villages so, its not as if they lose out by sticking with Jirou. They can still do those plans with him. Everything else she is quite vague upon. Lots of promises and maybes like "researching alternatives" which she is quite clearly not going to elaborate on. She doesn't trust them enough to tell them anything. So its like, why trust her enough to support her? 
"....Ameoku-Taichou. A question: another village coming to our aid with a jinchuuriki would put us into a debt we could never truly repay. After all we have no equivalent force to aid them back, nothing we can give them that is as valuable. Is it really wise to be beholden to them, whoever they are?"

*Jirou:*
Kikenna gossips back
"Oh Fushi-chan you wouldn't be saying that if you spent more time with him. I try and try, but its as if he has no drive y'know? Any warm-blooded male would be all over me by now, but as if it he is a reptile or something, because he doesn't show any interest in men either. Its so weird, I don't know what to make of him."
"I said I wouldn't be against Naibu didn't I?"
"Thats different, I'm not against Naibu either!"
"Look if you want to sleep with me, you can just ask I'm not against it, I just don't particularly feel the need to seek it out."
"See what I'm working with Fushi-chan? So boring. No comprehension about how the game works, you don't just ask that. Flirting, the seduction, the foreplay is half the fun."
Jirou shrugs at this. Guess he just didn't get it.

He regards Scatchman carefully. He was seemingly functional but had two mental disorders that seemed to be clawing at his mind.  It was clear that at some point he needed to be replaced from what Nozojo told of him. Now was not the time, and even when that was done, it would have to done carefully. This very conversation would have to be done carefully- without giving away that he is being careful. He sits down as if relaxing a little, Kikenna lounging beside him. He just has to copy a little of Kikenna's style, relax it a bit, fill in his natural hollowness with...some other Jirou, one much like the Jirou from the radios show with Nozojo.
"Heey, how is it going Scratch. My father? Yes quite, but I'm not here to discuss the old man, y'know? Lets talk about the now. I see you treat your own right. You handled Yuwa like a bro, I respect that."
"Yeah Yuwa-kun sometimes needs reassurance when he does little mistakes, really needs to work on his self-esteem."
"So I ask ya.....ya think Ameoku would've treated him right?"

*Kimiko:*
She is silent for a moment, knowing she will never know her father's face.
"...Why would a missing-nin attack you just to make you remember something? Thats like the opposite of how such manipulation goes. What could anyone possibly gain by making you remember things?"
Was it to push her towards doing something? Hm.
"Anyways..."
She will follow after Senko.

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

Ameoku chuckle, and then asking for thirds.
'nyaa..... nyam.' Shushuryu elbow her, reminding her that beyond the food on her plate, there are more things to pay attention to in this meeting.
'You see, most of our village understamte ourselves. We might have little funds, but we have some resources that make our tech and science, something desirable- high level communication tech, and.. experience of countless of willing human test subjects- I have lost all my sisters, beside one, and I might have died as well, and created a bloodline thanks to this sacrifice. Yes, they can also kidnap unwilling subjects.. but this is a lot of work, and we also work on it, because our existence depend on those upgrades. I got even hints of out sourcing experiments here- wher the population accept such things are morale, and for this said village, it will smooth some important projects they have.' she explain, as she eat.
Somehow among other things, this beastly woman is also a scientist, as many might forget, because she mostly known for her verocity.
'It's not only about war, friends- it's about money, and even reknown.

----------------

There are small hints to his mental struggles. He wasn't exactly lying earlier- he probably has met Jirou's father- he just won't remember him. Jirou might notice he blink for a moment, as he mention Ameoku. He tap his headphones- probably to get to his recording telling to himself about Ameoku.
it's just a second, if unaware, almost no one would notice this mental pause.
*'Right. Ameoku-chan. Ha. This babe... I don't know how Odayama got her... quite the wild girl she is.'* tiny pause.
*Well, she wouldn't have picked him to an Anbu, or even an offical ninja... but she understand mental breakdowns. She actually have convinced Fushhi to quitt her offical post as kunoichi'* he explain.
*'That we do here, Jirou-boy, you see. I am probably one of the most broken ninjas in the village. I have this way of getting people's vibes. The ninja life break people, bro. Even without big wars... Yuwa-kun for example, can't stand violence. Gentle soul, I tell you. Other villages would have pushed him to the point of a mental breakdown, but this boy got quick feet, I tell you! And he know how to hide!'* he say with pride, and then gesture to the mission scrool.
*'He is very helpful carrying important messages, between the village, near outposts and neat patrols. Yuwa-kun feel fulfilled, he help the village, and we have one less missing nin to worry about.'*

------------------------

*'Terror.'* Odayama explain. 
*'The dead are forgotten, the living are carrying scars, and have infectiouse terror.'*
He also follow along, as Usagi join.

Soon enough, they find a husk an eldery woman, a mummy like.
Empty eye sockets, her hands bent like claws.
And her earlubes... are long. Her hair is long and wild as hedgehog's.
Odayama sighs. *'It's what I feared.'*

'What? What is it?'
*'Her name was Majo Fukaimi. Or the Nightmare hag. In short... she was wronged, and suffered through lot, and she wanted to share her torment. To force others to understand her, and.... it became worse. But she was assumed dead for nine years'*

----------


## Rater202

"We should go to the hospital. Usagi-san needs to be examined to make sure she does not have any... Hidden injures, seals or curse marks, delayed action genjutsu, or slow-acting drugs in her system that might cause more suffering or terror later."

"And our victim needs to be examined and identified. I could probably perform a rudimentary autopsy and determine cause of death but I have no way of identifying the victim and I would not know what to look for to distinguish between the work of this Hag and that of a Copycat killer. It would be best to leave it to a proper medic-ninja."

Senko pulls out her cadaver storage scroll and will seal the woman's corpse unless Odayama stops her.

----------


## igordragonian

"Hm. It's a bit above our weight class. And we have another mission." Odayama say.
Usagi. "I am fine! It were just some bad dreams!" Though she still look pale.

Odayama tap his chin. "Hospital will waste our time. A skilled med nin could check this quick enough, and Fushi-san were part of the previouse fight against the Nightmare hag... it's probably the reason she quitted the offical ninja life."
Usagi whine. "Come on! I am ok!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
"Hm...I see."
He says just nodding and saying fascinated noises at this point. He personally didn't care about the communication tech or what her science experiments or this alliance with an unknown power or the reknown. Maybe the money, of course but there is other ways to make that. He doesn't see why the rest of the clan should care either. She isn't really saying what Kaguya Clan has to do with any of this. But it would be rude to say any of this outright. One has to be more...polite.
"Forgive me Ameoku-Taichou but...I must be suffering from a lack of insight. Where does Clan Kaguya factor into your vision here? Where do you see us in this picture?"

*Jirou:*
"And for doing that, I'm thankful man. Society is a bunch of nets y'know? One fails you catch people with another and they continue to be happy no matter which net they need to be caught in you see? And your like one of those nets. I like having nets like that. Thing is man, I'm sorry if this is painful to bring up, but you can't do this forever. Like we might need someone else to keep holding up this net when your gone y'know? and I hope as Otokage that I can get someone to be just as good a net as you are to people here. Ya see? Cause I ant good work like you just did to continue even when your not the one doing it."

*Kimiko:*
They think on this. If only either of them were medic nin.
"Lets just get this incident reported and the corpse dropped off at HQ. As for Usagi's health: if you insist your fine I guess we'll move on, but if we go on a mission and it does turn out something was done to you that your weren't willing to detect and get rid with a proper checkup, you'll have only yourself to blame for not pulling your weight by taking proper precautions to prevent it. Your weakness will be apparent to all by the fact that you ignored such a thing and paid the price for it and I will have no sympathy, for you will deserve none from any of us. I will be the stronger for I wouldn't ignore such possibility potentially bringing me low."
Kimiko says with a smug grin while folding her arms.
"....Yeah thats fair. sorry Usagi, but we can't help you, you gotta help yourself in this situation."

After the body is dropped at Otogakure HQ for examination and whether or not Usagi optionally gets checked up, Team 3 will return to their training ground to decide what to do
"Okay, I'm raring to go for another mission at some point. I need a certain crystalline substance called Sanjunium chakride for the inventions I have planned, and that requires money to get. Preferably C-Rank money by my calculations."

----------


## Rater202

"Kimiko-san, have you considered applying for work as a researcher? If your work is potentially beneficial to the village, then it may be possible to get your research subsidized."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She thinks about it and says
"I can? I thought you were a special exception at the level of Genin or something. I guess I could see if I could get my research subsidized, wouldn't hurt to check, I guess I don't know if being Chuunin is a requirement..."
She says then turns back to other issues
"But we still need to discuss our next mission. If I recall if we don't have any specific missions to do at the moment we should head to the Otokage office/HQ where they hand those out. Unless we got training to do today. And its probably the place to see if I can get my research subsidized for anyways."

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> She thinks about it and says
> "I can? I thought you were a special exception at the level of Genin or something. I guess I could see if I could get my research subsidized, wouldn't hurt to check, I guess I don't know if being Chuunin is a requirement..."
> She says then turns back to other issues
> "But we still need to discuss our next mission. If I recall if we don't have any specific missions to do at the moment we should head to the Otokage office/HQ where they hand those out. Unless we got training to do today. And its probably the place to see if I can get my research subsidized for anyways."


"I am going to be honest, I legitimately do not know what is and is not normal in regards to my current situation. I came here fully expecting to be locked up and under guard when not in the laboratory, not to be given a headband and an apartment."

----------


## Lord Raziere

> "I am going to be honest, I legitimately do not know what is and is not normal in regards to my current situation. I came here fully expecting to be locked up and under guard when not in the laboratory, not to be given a headband and an apartment."


*Kimiko:*
"Yeah, Anniki is weird like that. He can be so.....civilian in his reasoning sometimes. But if it allows me to be friends with you, it can't be that bad of a thing."
Senko may recall that Jirou has said that statistically, the culture of hidden villages has lower morals than normal cities. Most civilians have higher standards of morals than shinobi and thus don't like violence, ruthlessness or deception. 
"but I do know what isn't normal is you being a ninja despite not knowing the basic academy three techniques or attending the academy. That is the standard, and you got neither. Of course any shinobi worth noting isn't exactly standard in their scores or performance, even Yuyuyu here had higher than average grades." 
She says as they begin making their way over there to assess the available missions. 

((OOC: Do you want the C-Ranks to be available yet, or are we D-rank today?))

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> "Yeah, Anniki is weird like that. He can be so.....civilian in his reasoning sometimes. But if it allows me to be friends with you, it can't be that bad of a thing."
> Senko may recall that Jirou has said that statistically, the culture of hidden villages has lower morals than normal cities. Most civilians have higher standards of morals than shinobi and thus don't like violence, ruthlessness or deception. 
> "but I do know what isn't normal is you being a ninja despite not knowing the basic academy three techniques or attending the academy. That is the standard, and you got neither. Of course any shinobi worth noting isn't exactly standard in their scores or performance, even Yuyuyu here had higher than average grades." 
> She says as they begin making their way over there to assess the available missions. 
> 
> ((OOC: Do you want the C-Ranks to be available yet, or are we D-rank today?))


"Well, if you want to get technical about it, senninka is a form of sage mode and sage mode is a jonin level skill. when using my basic transformation my physical attributes become those of a trained shinobi despite my only training being meditation and the study of a single taijutsu style that isn't really _meant_ for fighting."

"An exception being made is probably the most normal thing about my situation."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi feel terrible.
It's clear.
She is the weak link. Without legs, an easy prey for crazy old ladies who are supposed to be dead.
_A real liability._
Fushi claimed she jutsu wise, clean.
And now, again Kimiko and Senko talk big.

She doesn't summon Yojimbo.. she doesn't feel like using him, after how Nagaishu-dono has scolded her.
Usagi 'walk' on her crotches way ahead scouting.

Odayama decide to give Usagi time.
'I know diffrent villages have diffrent standards... and it also depend on the period. I got my forehead protector at my first kill using ninja skills.'
------------

Scratchman smile, amused.
*'Strong words, bro. I have Fushi-chan. I think by the time, I gone, she will have enough of her time, just partying and doing favors, to Odayama-kun. I hope she wiil, because of not... '* his smile falter a bit.
*'...We have her many angry chads. Some of them, think... that round two with Konoha will fix their heads. Poor fellas. But you can imagine, why Ameoku, would be their champion. I try to take things, slow. Let them be ninjas in the pace, that right for their heads, y'know? I talk to them, let them express themselves... but many of them, will jump the murder wagon, if they get the chance, bro. And.. I don't know, bro. Maybe they got something there. Fushi, at least, I know.. want the opposite, that why I would like her to take my place, when my day come'*


-----------


Ameoku stop eating and smile.
*'Well, you have your own grudges. I know it. I respect it. There is nothing sweeter, then bloodlust, and crave for revenge. It's what make the ninja world move, doesn't it?'*
Pause.
*'I have intel, I have power. And me, as the Ottokage... let's say, I will encourage brave intatives.'*

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
There is a tension in the room as she mentions revenge. Their former status as Kirigakure shinobi was common knowledge and it only made sense.
"....Why would you care about Yagura? Both Konoha and Kumo stand in his way and Konoha is technically bound by treaty to defend us in case another nation comes attacking. Which they will do so, if not for our sake then the Land of Rice's resources. Trading revenge is all well and good, but Yagura is powerful. This village cannot hope to both face Konoha and Kirigakure. Your already proposing to oppose one superpower with Konoha, now you offer aid to oppose another? Revenge is worth nothing if we're dead."
After all, isn't living to dance on your hated foes grave then live a happy existence afterwards not the best part of vengeance? Like sure vengeance, top of their list, but everyone knows you don't go full Uchiha about it. Never go full Uchiha.
"How do we know your not biting off more than this village can chew?"

*Jirou:*
He nods
"If you consider her ready to take over in time, I'll trust your judgment, man."
he says
"However, idiots thinking other idiots will get their heads fixed from another war? Thats stupid. needing a new war to make sure people settle down is just wasteful. And won't work besides. Y'know how it is, the eye for an eye crap doesn't stop until everyone's blind- thats when they start going after the ears. 

What I want....is for this village to be peaceful man. You seem to want that to. So there is some guys here that are thinkin' wrong, so how do I win 'em over? After all, if you support someone they don't like....that ain't good for you now is it? So....if we agree how do we make those followin' ya follow me? Ya follow?"

*Kimiko:*
They will pick out a D-Rank to do until its time for Jirou and Senko have their radio show. But continue to talk until Jirou is ready for that.
"....Look I'm not talking just above average stuff, take Usagi, she was seemingly under average but then somehow matched me in combat! I learned a lesson from that duel, that sometimes excellence is hidden, coming from the places you least expect it. Sometimes the unconventional is brilliance in disguise."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama nod.
"In the end, we ninjas, are tools of violence. We just better at it then others. Schools, ranks, jutsu ranking... those are just tools of comvience. There are very dangerouse people out there, with no offical training. The Villages made acadmies and ranking to mass produce people like us."
He smile a bit somberly. "And I don't worry about your ability to be violence tools... I see my role, mostly in reminding you girls, that you are people. Even young people.'

------

Scratchman doesn't answer right away.
"I am on your vibe, man. But people here... are very angry. Some of them, one step from becoming missing nins. They fought alongside Ameoku. I got to be real, Jirou-boy. Not many shinobis before me, cared like I do, for those who fall behind. The world accepted them, as natural casualty. Y'know? Even blaming them for being weak. I try my best, but maybe in century, there will be better methods. I don't want to lie- they view you as a weak boy.  They barely trust Nozojo-kun. He was a little nice dorky boy like you are... but Odokuro has chosen him. Some get the vibes of peace... but some still see their friends ripped to pieces by the  Inuzaki's dogs. Ameoku had hunted them back... some still see plain white eyes,  red eyes... they share history with Ameoku. Ameoku get them, get their dark side. First thing... you gotta prove you got the jazz. Becoming the clan daddy was a good step, you need to overcome the exprience they share with Ameoku
 Maybe show them how you can even improve on Nozojo's vision. I am sure, that with a decade of work they will see your worth."
But Nozojo heavily hinted.. Jirou doesn't has a decade.
-----

'I dont care about Yagura. YOU care." Ameoku say.
"I told you. I am more about.. living in the status of conflict. It's empowering. Pushing us forward.  Nozojo done a nice job of giving us a break. But a decade is more then enough. What I offer you is simple- instead of working behind the Village's back, I offer you the village's back. About death.. I dont plan to die old and ugly. I have beautiful and strong daughters, I have my kitties-" she pet Shushurryu under her chin.
"I have the broken veterans to continue my legacy. I want to follow my master's example. I want to let the world hear your sound. That all."
Pause.
"Jirou boy if he somehow manage to get the title... he will try to slow you down. Waste energy on hiding from the rest of the village- but I won't silence your desires. I want to hear your sound."

----------


## Rater202

"Yes, Usagi-san is most impressive, but..."

"I apologize. I may have misunderstood what we were talking about."

"I am not... Good at this. Much of my childhood was, as you know, alone in the wilderness. Part of me wishes I could go back. Not a cave, but perhaps a shack in the woods? But opportunities for education and research are only available in civilization."

Senko pauses for a moment. "What is it like? To not feel the energy of nature flowing around you, circulating in the air of shifting through the ground? I honestly cannot remember a time when I could not feel such things. For a while I thought it must be lonely, to not feel the very life of the Earth as a constant companion, but most people seem just fine without it."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
He hears her speech and while most of it sounds good, there is one thing that gives him pause: "Living in the status of conflict". That was her words.
"....Ameoku-Taichou. There are many reasons to go to war. Some are considered selfless and good like defending your family friends and homeland, standing against tyranny, going into another nation to help others, fighting for what you believe in. Some are considered more selfish and negative such as revenge, grabbing at power land or wealth, eliminating enemies that threaten you, achieving domination and control. These are all acceptable, as war is a means to an end. A bloody, blunt and monstrous means, but a means nonetheless.

Conflict and warfare as an end unto itself on the other hand? Is not acceptable to us. It is only a pointless waste, of money, time and lives.

We are not saints, nor Ninshuuists. We are shinobi. If ordered to we kill, if need be we'll conquer, or torture or lie, spy, sabotage, whatever is needed of us. I have little doubt that you have a plan that could indeed accomplish our revenge, but what of afterwards? Conflict for the sake of conflict? No. To quote my ancestors: "The bloody summers while exciting and fun, must always end with autumns arrival so that we settle into the peace of winter." Bloodshed must have a point. The fighting when its purpose achieved, must stop. Another bloody summer will come, sooner or later. We need not hasten it.

If you want to fight for the sake of fighting, I suggest that you build an arena, let anyone compete in duels and charge tickets for the show. You'll be making money for the village rather than wasting it. If Genin can make money every six months at the Chuunin Exams like that, I don't see why not someone here on a more consistent basis. We content ourselves with our spars and enemies of the village, personally but everyone has their tastes. We're not judging such passionate fighting spirit, it is just not the same as ours is all. 

If we are finished here, I believe I can't accept your offer in light of....differing priorities. We no longer need to trouble you with our concerns Ameoku-taichou. I'm sure your busy with other things and it would be rude for us, a single clan of this village to take up any more of your time up from watching over all of the village to keep it safe. We have to be considerate after all, your time is limited and we've taken up too much of it already. You two please accompany Ameoku-taichou and her companion out to the door, if you would be so kind."
Two Kaguya members stand to politely escort her to the door. This is not euphemistic, they are not forcing her, they are just waiting politely and insisting that she come along with similar polite phrasings.

*Jirou:*
He considers this.
"Improve on his vision? Hm....He already envisioned a bright future for our entire village. A vision of peace and prosperity. Where could I possibly go from there? I thought that maybe we could form alliances with other minor villages, a defensive bloc of mutual aid and make our voices heard to the major villages. Such an alliance might be able to increase our collective diplomatic weight. Many voices speaking as one cannot be ignored. Uuh......Dude."
he said realizing he lapsed into his natural way of speaking and shifts back.
"Like they got similar gripes like us right man? And like sure, some here, in Sound wanna get their vengeance on. But that means they got pain that can make them not wanna fight if they don't wanna go through that pain again. Do any of them wanna lose their bros again? Their sisters? Anyone they know? cause if they fight, thats who they gonna lose, inevitably. They need to remember the price, y'know? The price no one should have to pay."

*Kimiko:*
She thinks about this, scratching her head
"Whats it NOT like? Hm.....Well I never experienced what you have, Senko. So I wouldn't be able to compare. The ground is just the ground to me: solid, a massive object to walk upon in the middle of space orbiting a gaseous ball of plasma. The air is just the air, transparent and near unnoticeable, colder when the wind blows. These things are normal, and so not noteworthy, thus I focus on other things, like what others say, what I want, what knowledge I can gain. Things like that. Nature is just the background to the people I interact with: sometimes notable enough to comment on, but not a focus. People are the focus, because they do things. I don't think I can describe it any better than that."

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy-NsMdVhok

Shushuryu start to get up, but Ameoku doesn't move.
*'What kind of hosts are you? I didn't even get dessert.'* she isn't moving.
*'Oh, no. YOU might, have finished. But Me(w)? I am just getting started.'*
She look expectingly, to actually get a dessert.
*'But you are correct. I don't want you to waste my time, with your little scheming and weaseling around. My patience has limits. There are villages who jump the genocide route.. but it's barbaric and wasteful. When a clan has plans of it's own that go against the village, it just mean, he as too much free time. Too much time to be together in the same dwellings. Maybe the village isn't using your skills enough.'*
pause.
*'People have diffrent motivations. So what? You have to ally with someone diffrent then you. No one can act fully on it's visions. I am willing to balance myself with ideas of others, I am not the arrogant prick I were used to be.
 I offer you the village's support and coordination- your problems, are the village's problems. But if not...'* her smile dissapear, her mask has no mouth.
*'Even if I won't be the Ottokage, I won't allow anyone to rip the village with unathorizaed venedtas. As I said- there are elegnat soluations, to overly active clans, where everyone can feel fulfilled. Even if somehow, you push the kid to take my natural seat, I won't allow anyone to use his naivitiy. Don't mistake my honesty to stupidity, I am not suicidal, if I don't have to be. So..'* she get up, when SHE decide to.
*'I understand, that you need to time, to discuss it to the death among yourselves, and scheme new shinier schemes, so I'll give you time- because I am so nice. My offer is simple- Make your problems the village's problem, have it's backing of intel, power and research... because on your own you will have very little time to deal with it.'*
she get up and smile again.
*'It was an entertaining dinner. Thank you.'* she give a polite bow.
*'Come Shushuryu.'*

----------

Scratchman chuckle, as Jirou's slip into his usual speech.
*'You don't have to speak like me, if it isn't fun for you. Don't force it bruh.'*
he nod.
'*You are spitting nothing but facts, bruh. That also what I say, that I hold them at bay. But people aren't rational. They will follow power, in what ever form.. you need some feats, bruh. But maybe you can start by mingling around. They mostly know you as the son of your father. They think of you as a kid, some even have conspiracies, that your ma given up on porpuse... I am not saying what you can't do- just saying, you got quite the obstacle here. Now that I see what Nozojo bro see in you... I will do my part... but we aren't exactly a clan, where they have to obey me. I won't go the wish of their majority, ignroing them- if it mean anything bro, I will talk to them- but you have seen how I work. I don't know if you'l see change by tommorow- but who knows? I feel you can be quite the goat.'*

------

Odayama ponder.
'Can you imagine losing one of your senses- like sight? I guess we are invalid compared you. But... I do sense... some of the nature, when I am in my beast form, the only issue is... my mind isn't exactly.. never mind. I am ranting. Sorry girls. Move on'


Usagi stopped to eavdstop from close enough. She sigh. Then she make a decision. unsubtly she jump back to the group.
'H-hey! I want you to teach me geeky bookish stuff!' she yell
Odayama blink. 'W-what?'

'Just because I don't have legs, it doesn't mean I need to be stupid! And I also use jutsus, so might as well, know what the hell am I doing!' she yell it all, because if she won't, she would beg, and blush.

Yuyuyu would probably understand, Usagi feels left out from the theory conversations..

----------


## Rater202

Senko looks thoughtful at Kimiko's response... Then grins at Usagi's declaration.

It's kind of offputting.

"Okay. I can teach you what I know, Usagi-san but first, have you ever dissected a cadaver? Because if not, we are going to have to get one... Well, technically I have one on me but the cadavers they let me access have either already been taken apart by medic-ninja in training or have had their organs harvested for transplants so you would not learn much from that."

...Senko sounds far too cheerful for this.

"Of course... vivisecting a live subject would be even better, but it is so hard to find volunteers for that..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Takuma:*
They let her leave. A clan member asks Takuma
"Takuma-sama. What do we do?"
"Let Jirou know that Ameoku suspects us. Let him make the decision of what to say to her. It is only fair."
After all, its not as if the Kaguyas had any right to reveal an Ishikawa Clan secret, and the entire plan hinged on the Ishikawa's use of their Iron Armor Seal to capture a tailed beast. They had their backs when they fought together across the lands for survival running from Kirigakure. That loyalty must be repaid. They will not sell out their allies on this.
"and the reply to Ameoku?"
He looks out the window hands folded behind his back.
"Tell her....that our reply will be Jirou's reply. If she wants the truth, she must ask the one most qualified to tell it."

Mitsuko will of course soon receive a messenger telling her the news in person  in vague terms, and she will curse to herself, and prepare to tell Jirou when he comes home.

*Jirou:*
Meanwhile, Jirou is currently considering his words
"I understand. Thanks for informing me. As for my mother....heh. They don't know her. I assure you, if any of them met her, they would not be saying that. The irony is my mother is probably more similar to Ameoku than different. Honestly I'm torn between dreading the moment they meet again and awaiting it just to see what fireworks fly from them clashing over their shared nature."
"I'm not! Crazy Abusive Sharkmom Versus Crazy Anbu Tigermom! It'll be the match of the century! I can sell tickets and make a killing! Not to mention the betting...." Kikenna says with a grin on her face.
"....Wouldn't that be heavily slanted odds in Ameoku's favor?"
"Yeah. But that means if your mother somehow wins, the payout would be very high."
"....Anyways back to sensible stuff: How do we mingle with them then?"
Kikenna takes him by the arm
"I can help with that. Just follow my lead. Sorry Scratch, gotta get this nerd's social ball rolling or he'll never do it himself."
"Oh...okay. This was nice a talk Scratchmaannn-"
They go out onto the dance floor, walking side by side.
"what are we-"
"Shh." She says putting a finger over his mouth "This is the dance floor. Again, follow my lead. No talk. Just dance."
They will begin dancing. But Jirou with copying her movements, they begin dancing in sync- not holding each other or anything, just dancing in time to the music and to each other. Taijutsu training is useful for many things like that. What dance moves that doing exactly is many and varied, at times cool, elegant or punkish, sometimes ridiculous and funny, other times even girly or cutesy, doing spins here and there, even dancing sensually- because dancing is about many things, but shame is not one of them.

*Kimiko:*
"Yeah....it is kind of hard to keep up with you two...heheh..." Yuyuyu says nervously.
"But we weren't even talking about chakra theo-....nevermind. Sure. I, Kimiko Ishikawa, the Shining Genius of the Hope Generation, will be glad to enlighten you upon any subject I know! To start: Usagi, what do you know of chakra? I need to know where to start."
She will look at Senko. Medical jutsu has always been a weird mix of emotions for her: on one hand much potential for experimentation, on the other hand cutting people open was a bit similar to killing them, one another hand she learn so much about how the chakra pathways worked....it was complicated.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Have a Private Conversation*
They will take a D-Rank, and once that is done, she will walk with Senko back to her apartment to discuss private matters. Matters of great import, at least to Kimiko. She cannot wait. After all, after so much time living in this village, she will finally have an intelligent conversation with a peer. When they get inside, she will check herself for any bugs that Odayama may have placed on her, remove and destroy them then suggest Senko do the same, check any possible hiding places, scare away any cats, rabbits, snakes other than Menko or other animals that could possibly be intelligent and thus a spy, she wishes she had something to further muffle the sound but she couldn't think of anything without going to unreasonable lengths. So she turned to Senko once all those precautions are done.

And allows her mask to fall. Her expression and way of speaking are....different. All the boasting is gone, and she seems more serious now.
"So. This is your place. Makes sense. Anyways, you want to know my goals, so we can coordinate. Here they are:
1. become immortal
2. learn all jutsu
3. invent and research things related to chakra.

Number 1 is to make sure I can continue doing 2 and 3. I was honest when I said I wanted to learn all jutsu, but I make myself sound more cheerful and passionate yet vague about it so people think its stupid pipedream I have so they are inclined to think I'm one of those dumb heroes who desire to be a master, but have no plan about it. Somehow when someone exclaims things cheerfully and excitedly people think the person is less intelligent but more charming because of it. My mask is not a total lie, but I play it up a bit.

I am fully aware of what learning all jutsu means. Thus I plan to leave this village and become a missing nin at some point when there is nothing more it can teach me. This is because I will need to steal secrets from other villages, and while I do not truly hold any village as particularly valuable by itself nor do I care for the politics of the situation, but this village is one that has my brother and you, Usagi and Yuyuyu in it, and thus it would be best if I do not harm him by associating with the village in my quest past a certain point.

It is also perhaps the real reason I'm not ready to jump into having research funding- it would tie me to the village to much for me to properly take jutsu from elsewhere.  I tell you all this because you seem to be a genius like me, similarly frustrated by those simpletons and fools of the world who deny the true potential in front of them. you understand the foolishness of these rules and laws restricting things, the things that could be discovered, the knowledge gained, the inventions created if we just reach out and grasp them. You understand, that we see further than most. You speak of defying these rules openly- quite brazen. But perhaps you simply have different methods.

On bloodlines- I'll leave that up to you as your area of expertise, since I was planning on safer routes to power before going into genetics anyways. Those are my general plans, a lot of this is flexible and open to what I discover and learn. What are yours? We can work out the details of how they can work together once they are both stated clearly."

----------


## Rater202

"My goals... Honestly, I just want to not have to kill myself in eight years."

The sword that Senko has on her wall might catch Kimiko's attention at this time.

"I want to be free. Free to go out in public without taking a thousand steps to keep myself calm. Free to live without being afraid of wiping out another village."

"And if I can help other people along the way? All the better."

"As for how our goals can work together? Well, most obviously, I _think_ that I have developed a process that would, theoretically, allow a human being to live for several thousand years... Though I'd need to obtain biological samples from a pureblooded Uzumaki clansman before I can test that... Maybe I should volunteer for the chunin exams to see if I can discretely obtain a sample...?"

"Well, I say developed, but it is mostly the same procedure I have been doing in regards to bloodlines. So it is not safe for humans yet."

"Likewise, there are some Jutsu that can only be learned by people with specific bloodlines, and people have different levels of ability to use one of the six transformations than others."

Senko stats using the basic mist generation technique.

"I physically could not do this prior to grafting myself with an elemental bloodline composed of water and earth. Pretty soon I should be able to start learning practical water release techniques. If I could find a way to reliably graft say, scorch, ice, wood, lava, and storm release to an individual I could create a world where everyone can learn almost any elemental ninjutsu with relative ease."

"Which brings me to another point... Is learning all Jutsu truly necessary? Theoretically, Kimiko-san, if you were to completly master Shape Transformation and all six types of Nature transformation, you could just make Chakra do what you want without the need of specific techniques."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Good. Living makes more sense than not. And being able to be in control of yourself is always a desirable trait. Its why I'm not interested in ever drinking sake.

Well...I could do the last thing....it sounds appealing, I won't lie. But! There is the whole living a very long time thing and well....even I achieve that, I'll probably need something make sure I'm not bored? The process of gaining knowledge, of learning is something I value in of itself. The journey matters, because without it, I'll have nothing to do. This destination of just being able to manipulate it however I want, sure, sounds like a good destination, perhaps one to shoot for sooner or later. But regardless of what destinations I get to along the way, its the process thats important. Like, why stop just because I got this "ultimate state"? Why stagnate? 

That and I can't do whatever I want if I don't know whats possible, and while I know I'm a brilliant genius surrounded by those who can't understand me, the fact remains that my viewpoint is unfortunately subjective and limited, and thus by statistical inevitability, there will be people who come up with ideas in other environments, culture, situations and so on. As any scientist knows that such factors constantly affects their experiments and thus why we try to make the conditions as controlled as possible, and the world is full of situations with such uncontrolled conditions that its better to find those who have already come up with these ideas before me than to assume I need to come up with them myself. They've already done the work for me and reinventing the wheel is inefficient.

Furthermore Usagi has taught me that even the seemingly foolish can have good ideas, or be formidable. I figure its because some might have less intelligence than I, but they can wield that lesser amount of intelligence like say, someone experienced with wielding a dagger rather than a sword. Sure I have more of a blade, but it might be possible to use the dagger to accomplish things just as well if wielded right.

As for an Uzumaki....well...the Ishikawas do have an ancient tradition that we can invoke concerning them to make sure they meet with us during the Chuunin Exams, but it is kind of.....shall we say, challenging them to a contest of sorts. Once done, it is throwing down the gauntlet and not in the usual way. Worry not when done so lives will not be on the line, only honor and glory. I'm sure you can take advantage of such an opportunity at that point for they will be distracted."
She says thinking upon your words, explaining her view as best she can.

----------


## Rater202

"Fair enough."

"As for the Uzumaki...Let us not commit to something based on a whim, but it's an option."

"I may have a method of... discreetly collecting genetic samples for research..."

Senko moved over to her desk and rifles through some things.

"It sort of started life as a cheaper alternative for chakra litmus paper..." she explains. "I have been tentatively calling it a genetic tag. You shed a few drops of blood over a storage seal, and written formulas analyze the genetic material and unique signature of the chakra to analyze it's strongest nature affinity and should, in theory, be able to identify if the subject has certain kekkei genkai."

"The tag is in two layers. The top can be removed and given to the donor while the bottom layer, label as "trash" seemingly destroys itself once the top layer is removed but in fact uses a hidden space-time seal to relocate to a predetermined location, say, my laboratory, where it can be used to extract the original blood sample for research purposes... Though, obviously, if this takes off enough to be marketed the teleportation seal would be replaced with an actual self destruct"

"I showed it to the fuinjutsu researchers at the laboratory and they say that it is... Theoretically possible, but would require someone with more skill at these things than I possess to make a prototype. I am mostly limited to the sorts of formulas used in chakra enhanced medical procedures and my ability to make. I was actually wondering if you would look over my notes on it and tell me what you think?"

"I have also got theories regarding the tailed beasts and their chakra but that's a long-term project involving at least one under-the-table deal."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Her face acts a little shocked, her eyes widened and her shark teeth showing.
"Space-time ninjutsu, yeah thats.....uh...a bit advanced. I'll spare you the horror stories and just say you were right to not jump into that immediately. Its more complicated than it seems, and is in general a relatively recent and dangerous field for study. Anyone who figures out the full potential of space-time ninjutsu will basically revolutionize warfare and society as we know it."
One of the older members of her clan once told Kimiko of a story the old Kirigakure Ishikawas conducted a short teleportation experiment. The experiment was to simply teleport five feet to the left. The subject did so, and ended up two dozen miles up in the sky not because they miscalculated, but because they didn't account for the earth's rotation and orbit around the sun and thus the earth moved away from the position they were aiming for, and only survived because they had a bird summoning contract to save them. If Senko asks she will tell this story, but otherwise not. She regains her composure.
As for the Uzumakis well....good. the tradition is kind of silly to anyone outside the two clans anyways.

That said your idea is a clever one. Its just that usual mark for a location to teleport to IS genetics. Thats why summoning works: your particular genetic code combined with your unique yin chakra from your mind forms a unique signature that stays moving with earth's rotation and orbit to teleport to, meaning for a static location one has to figure out a way of marking the location without a living being. I could work on it, as I want to get into space-time jutsu, but its often considered forbidden jutsu for a reason.

Me, I just view the tailed beasts as just another part of chakra to study. They're dangerous and powerful so, something for later, but not something I'll go out the way for- its techniques the chakra's structure that are interesting to me, not the raw power. Raw power is just math and proper resources."

----------


## igordragonian

*Ameoku*

"Taichu... I don't think it worked that well..." Shushuryu told her in private.
"Pff. Maybe they don't want to be my allies,YET. But they will squirm. I have poked this hornet nest, and we should expect some movements, we will pick out their allies and take over their conspiracy, or CRUSH it.'
A wild maniacal grin appeared on her smile.
"I win either way."

-------


Kimiko look puzzled. 'Dissecting? Well.. dissecting myself.. won't help. Right?"

Odayama isn't sure if he like this direction... but opennes to forbidden expriments is kind of the Village's thing.. and he himself is a "sinner" of that.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> Her face acts a little shocked, her eyes widened and her shark teeth showing.
> "Space-time ninjutsu, yeah thats.....uh...a bit advanced. I'll spare you the horror stories and just say you were right to not jump into that immediately. Its more complicated than it seems, and is in general a relatively recent and dangerous field for study. Anyone who figures out the full potential of space-time ninjutsu will basically revolutionize warfare and society as we know it."
> One of the older members of her clan once told Kimiko of a story the old Kirigakure Ishikawas conducted a short teleportation experiment. The experiment was to simply teleport five feet to the left. The subject did so, and ended up two dozen miles up in the sky not because they miscalculated, but because they didn't account for the earth's rotation and orbit around the sun and thus the earth moved away from the position they were aiming for, and only survived because they had a bird summoning contract to save them. If Senko asks she will tell this story, but otherwise not. She regains her composure.
> As for the Uzumakis well....good. the tradition is kind of silly to anyone outside the two clans anyways.
> 
> That said your idea is a clever one. Its just that usual mark for a location to teleport to IS genetics. Thats why summoning works: your particular genetic code combined with your unique yin chakra from your mind forms a unique signature that stays moving with earth's rotation and orbit to teleport to, meaning for a static location one has to figure out a way of marking the location without a living being. I could work on it, as I want to get into space-time jutsu, but its often considered forbidden jutsu for a reason.
> 
> Me, I just view the tailed beasts as just another part of chakra to study. They're dangerous and powerful so, something for later, but not something I'll go out the way for- its techniques the chakra's structure that are interesting to me, not the raw power. Raw power is just math and proper resources."


"My interest in the tailed beasts... ignoring the unique applications of their chakra, their chakra is known to take very well to shape manipulation, which as you know is my  biggest weakness, and... Have you heard of the Gold and Silver Brothers of Cloud? Who devoured the flesh of the Nine-Tails and so gained it's power? If I could replicate that..."

"And honestly, I am curious as to what the Tailed Beast's chakra could do when combined with natural energy: Senjetus chakra has an entire new dimension of power and application to normal chakra."

"...And then there's what The White Snake Sage said, comparing my powers to the Ten-Tails and my transformation to that undergone by the Sage of Six Paths upon becoming the Ten-Tail's jinchuriki. Before I had dismissed the old legends as metaphors, allegories, and exaggerations, but if there is a grain of truth to them... My ultimate goal, Kimko-san, is to achieve a perfected form of Sage Mode that will allow me to become One with Nature. What, Kimiko-san, do you think might happen if I combine the chakra of the Nine Tailed BEasts within myself, if there's a grain of truth to the story of the Ten-Tails?"

Senko seems almost manic for a moment, but then calms down.

"Of course, I need more than just the White Snake Sage's word. The relative she mentioned, Daichi... That part is real. If I can find Daichi and he can confirm the story..."

"And if the existence of Daisuke Senju is true, I might be able to extort 'genocide reparations' out of the Senju clan."



> [Kimiko look puzzled. 'Dissecting? Well.. dissecting myself.. won't help. Right?"
> 
> Odayama isn't sure if he like this direction... but opennes to forbidden expriments is kind of the Village's thing.. and he himself is a "sinner" of that.


"Not yourself, no. I am a biologist, Usagi-san. Anything I could teach you is built on a foundation of biology."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He will dance and mingle with the others of the club until they convinced to be around, rebuffing any attempts at questioning his politics pointing out this is a dance club and he is here to have fun to show he understands the social situation. 

Then when he goes home, he will speak with Mitsuko, who tells him:
*"Okay, here is the lowdown: Ameoku suspects something is up. We don't know HOW yet, but she does. This could jeopardize everything we've worked for. So, your the clan leader now, what are you going to do?"*
He thinks
".....To be honest I was going to reveal the fact that we have the Iron Armor Seal to her when I became Otokage anyways. All this does is speed up the time table on revealing that to when she inevitably comes to have dinner with us.  Of course, I'd still have to talk with her in private and not in front of everyone, its still an S-Class secret, but I see no reason not to reveal it to her if I can secure her cooperation."
*"What? you think you can just tell her this and somehow secure her cooperation with you to become Otokage?"*
"I'd have to. Even if I do, its not as if I can kill her off or anything. She will still be the Anbu Commander. I'll have to form a cooperative working relationship with her."
*"But giving information away to her could be just making yourself vulnerable. Weak. She is the lion of sound. She will pounce on weakness if you let her. That cat already insults me by thinking I'd ever raise you soft enough to be a "momma's boy". As if I'd coddle a child of mine!"*
Jirou recalls the number of traumatizing events he experienced because she treated him as a black sheep of the clan.
"....Yup. We can certainly agree that you didn't coddle me. You two think so alike, why did never become allies with her?"
Mitusko crosses her arms
*"Tch! I wanted to, but somehow it never happened! I don't know what her problem is with me, we both want a major village to gets whats coming to them, just different targets."*
"Hm. Well, I still think the best plan is to share the secret in private and convince her that I'm the right choice. An Otokage needs to be more than just a military leader."
*"....But, thats what they are, essentially."* Mitsuko says with an eyebrow rasied.
"In theory yes. In practice? They are more. After all....why is it at Kage summits that such treaties are worked out? Why not the Daimyos themselves? Why are they also rulers of their village as well? Why can we recall the name of important kages, but struggle to remember the name of a single daimyo? Kages hold more power, more importance than they seem. They are a leader that must hold themselves to their ideals and lead by example, and it shows."
*"Heh, as if it idealistic speeches will sway her. You need to present a strong front to her, convince her that you will not back down and that you are not someone to be messed with! Thats how I kept my had above the water for all this time."*
"You never know. Nozojo has dealt with her for years. I might break through to her."
*"Sigh.....fine if you insist, clan leader. But I still say its foolish."*
Jirou doesn't say anything but hopes his mother is wrong.

*Kimiko:*
"Yes, but again, my interest is in techniques.

I honestly have no idea what would happen if they were combined. I'm not interested in assuming any particular outcome. My desire is to learn and find out what happens when it does, not assume that a good result will happen just because I want it to. It is only from things proven that I can make anything. Speculation is worthless. All I know is that nature chakra and tailed beast are not the same, which is odd. But again, our own chakra is not the same as nature chakra, which is also odd. You'd think us being life forms who developed and evolved on this planet would all be users of natural chakra, but thats not the case. Does higher thought somehow interfere with nature chakra's function? are Tailed Beasts not nature or human? Hm...."
She thinks about this at the mention of the differing chakras, thinking about it but not sure.

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's Apartment*

"Kimiko-san, the first steps of the experimental process are collecting data and forming a hypothesis. You need to make assumptions before you can test those assumptions."

"And... Kimiko-san, 'nature chakra' does not  exist, in the strictest sense. Natural energy is more like physical energy and spiritual energy. I... All creatures generate physical and spiritual energy, all creatures have the capacity to mold chakra, natural energy is something... _Extra._ It is generated by the planet itself, and the things living on it, but it is... different from the energy we use... Honestly, I am not sure I have the words to explain it, this is all reflex and instinct for me. It is in the ground, it is in the air, it..."

"Forgive me, I feel like I am trying to explain what the color is to a blind person."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
An eyebrow raises as she thinks upon this, putting a hand on her chin.
".....Except....it can empower and change our bodies. Like chakra. and be used to power jutsu through the same hand signs, like chakra. and be put into seals like chakra. And seemingly doesn't really do anything except be harnessed in jutsu, like chakra. and can be seen by some people with a bloodline. like chakra.

Call me crazy but....

I think its chakra Senko."

----------


## Rater202

"Except it cannot do most of that, Kimiko-san. Conjure fire using only your physical energy. Harden your sword using only your spiritual energy. You cannot. Until they are molded into chakra, they are just... There. Theoretically, they can be tapped as power sources, but they cannot do what chakra does. Even Yin release and Yang release require both, they just draw more on one than the other."

"Natural Energy does nothing, save turn humans into animals and living creatures to stone, until it is drawn into the body and molded with Physical and Spiritual energy to create Senjutsu Chakra."

"Senjutsu Chakra can do all of those things, Kimiko-san, but... The only difference between Senjutsu chakra and ordinary chakra is... It is like the difference between a diorama and a painting. They may well depict the same scene, but the diorama possesses height, width, and depth while the painting has only height and width."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She thinks upon this.
"I see. So its just another ingredient to mix in to what chakra is. Got it."
She is silent for a moment, not sure where to go from there.
".......Getting back to the topic we were discussing before this: The tailed beast chakra has been reported to work differently from both normal chakra AND natural energy. So.....whatever it is, it isn't natural energy. or Human which is apparently two different energies from the natural energy of the world.....whatever that is. Not sure why physical energy and natural energy are different. The natural world is physical, and physical world is natural. Yet another strange arbitrary yin-based/spiritual distinction? Like the mudras? Ah! Focus: Tailed Beast chakra. What is it then? Are they beings that evolved to produce different energy like humans and its just mixed differently to produce their chakra, or is there some other reason....?"

----------


## Rater202

"It can not be simple evolution: Ordinary animals can be trained to produce chakra that is nearly identical to human chakra, and summoned animals likewise use the same chakra as well do. They have to be something _other._"

"At the same time, however, their chakra behaves similarly to normal chakra, it just takes more easily to certain things and they have access to unique chakra natures. But it is also more potent as well, judging from stories, with the chakra of the Nine-Tails at least being noted to have an ominous presence in the atmosphere based on accounts I have managed to find..."

"...I do not think we can find the answer unless we get access to tailed-beast chakra, which would require either kidnapping a jinchuriki or... It is not like we could get a chakra sensor and go to the site of a jinchuriki incident and try to sense if any of the plants or animals in the area absorbed some of the Tailed-Beasts chakra, can we?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko, Apartment:*
She considers this.
"Indeed. Nothing can be concluded from this. 

But this is all one issue, to speak another one: you have not commented on me planning to leave the village at some point. You truly do not care? Though considering your goals involve studying tailed beast chakra, it stands to reason why. they are after all, the greatest weapons in all the shinobi nations. I imagine that studying any part of it is considered dangerous due to their sensitive nature. 

I agree with making sure you don't die within eight years. If you ever think you need my brilliant help, I will do what I can to solve it using my methods. Perhaps some system to drain you of excess natural energy at a certain rate and store to make natural energy batteries to use in other things, thus keeping you at a certain equilibrium of effectiveness while also putting that excess energy to better use than rages?"

*Kimiko, Present:*
She tilts her head.
"....Though if your not sure Usagi how much you know about chakra, I can start from the basics and work up from there with all I know until you don't feel like learning anymore. Though I imagine you must have some knowledge if your Genin....right? You didn't seriously graduate genin without knowing how chakra works did you?"
"I mean there are certain legends of self-made underdog shinobi doing just that...."
Kimiko makes an exaggerated "are you kidding me?" at this.

----------


## Rater202

*Apartment*

"Would you listen to me if I told you _not_ to leave the village?"

"I feel kind of left out, can we talk about my plans for a second?"

"Menko, your plans are to establish a private resort in the land of beaches and force the Ronin we encountered during the trip to Ryuchi Cave into a life of slavery working as our personal maid. The first is harmless and the second is illegal."

*Training Ground*

"I mean, conventional wisdom is that a girl with no legs should not be a ninja, and yet here we are. An exception was already made for her, it seems, taking her exceptional talent into account, so the idea that the academic aspects of her ninja education were downplayed in favor of her practical results is not unfounded."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko, Apartment:*
"Well its like....how do you possibly get the techniques I want without leaving it? Its not a matter of trade or negotiation, clans won't give up the things that make them significant powerful and vital to their nations defense. Shinobis have died over less, like strategic outposts or mines or supply routes. I can't stay in the village and try and take them, that would only endanger the village if they can trace their secret stealing back to this place. It would hurt the village and that would make Anniki sad and angry at me, or worse even kill him. Its best if my ambitions do not impact those I care about, and its not as if I can give up my ambitions. My goal. Why settle for less? Why live a life of mediocrity and humility? It'd be boring. It wouldn't be me. I must reach for greatness- on some level, I desire it, even if its not the greatness others had in mind for me. Where that will take me, I do not know, but I do know it poses a risk to you and others you and I care about and it would be inconsiderate of me to pursue such ambition without making sure you or other valued companions are not hurt by it. 

So what do you propose to fulfill it, that won't result in me just bringing harm upon you or others I care about?"

*Kimiko, Present:*
She considers this and says to Usagi
"Very well, Usagi. Lets start with the basics. Chakra is made of two things:
-Physical energy, made by our body and cultivated by physical training and exercise
-spiritual energy, made by our mind's consciousness and be cultivated through meditation, studying and experience

when put together, they make chakra. The more you practice with a jutsu, the stronger it gets because of this principle, like practicing a muscle, as your using both of these when your doing one. the more endurance and experience your build up with the technique, the better and more your able to perform it, and good training in general can increase your chakra reserves to great heights. However to a certain extent, the maximum amount of chakra you can have is limited by genetics. Some people are just born with larger chakra reserves than others- but this isn't a linear advantage, as people with smaller reserves are often able to control their chakra better and use techniques that larger reserved people find a harder time using. 

There is advantages to both, much like how there are different advantages to a dagger and a sword. My chakra reserves for example aren't actually anything special- but my chakra control is pretty much perfect, efficiency makes up the lack of power. Senko here on the other hand is a good example of someone with really large chakra reserves, if a bit distorted by the fact she can only do senjutsu, if she could use normal chakra, there would probably be a bunch of things she could do that I simply couldn't with normal chakra as well.

Furthermore each person's chakra is like a thumbprint: every signature is unique, and while the default color of chakra is a light blue on the visible spectrum, dojutsu users claim that each person's chakra actually has a unique "color" or whatnot. Sensor Ninjas report something similar with how they sense a persons chakra, some peoples chakra feeling dark and cold, others warm, and so on. In some way, chakra is one of the purest expressions of who you are as a person, spiritual and physical. Its why sensor ninja and dojutsu users who can see chakra are highly valued, as while you can use disguise jutsu look like anything, a sensor ninja or dojutsu user can sense how your chakra doesn't match your outward form. If there is a way to fool them, it would be highly valuable and probably require extensive knowledge about the senses they use themselves- in short it would probably take a sensor ninja to fool another sensor ninja.

With me so far, Usagi? I tried to keep it as simple as possible, as this is only covering the bare basics. We haven't even gotten into shape and nature transformations yet."
"...Kimiko that was an entire lecture unto itself. I felt like an academy teacher was speaking again." Yuyuyu deadpans
"Yeah. Simple. The academy lectures were easy to understand!"
"Thats because your the type of person who finds that easy! Usagi isn't! If she were, she wouldn't be the dead last!"
"Oh. huh. Makes sense I guess."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi did had hard time to follow it.
Maybe she was naturally, not that bright in therotical understanding, maybe damaged memory can do that-
but as everything she felt were important, she struggled to grasp it.

Usagi blushed as Yuyuyu mentioned she was the last in class.
'It's just because, I didn't CARED! I am a ninja of ACTION!' and then calmed herself down with a breath.
'Now I care! I can do it!' she said with determination.
'Some people have big chakra. Some small chakra. Some control it better, some control it worse.' she try to summarize it.
'It isn't THAT hard.' she say with detetrmined expression.
'Everything, you princess, can do, I can do to- I just need to EARN it.' tease a bit with her rivalry thing.
Odayama just keep awarness of the saroundings, and enjoy his team... bonding.. over... theory.
What bunch of nerdy girls.



------

----------


## Rater202

*Senko's Apartment*

"...I meant more 'is there anything I could say that would convince you not to?' I did not want to turn this into a fight."

"But, since you are asking: You intend to live forever. The current system of clans and villages is unsustainable. You may have noticed that just about everyone from a certain clan looks exactly the same? Eventually, all the inbreeding done to keep family secrets in the family and bloodlines strong will cause the clans to develop genetic defects and begin to die out. Either the clans have to adopt new systems, which become standardized due to clan and village politics, that might allow for more access... Or the clans die out and their secrets become public knowledge to their villages. And therefore, easier to steal without getting caught and more likely to proliferate to other villages."

"Furthermore, the constant state of alternate hot and cold war across the continent is itself not sustainable. Either the villages will be wiped out and their resources plundered by the survivors, or we will be forced into more sustainable and fair social and economic deals which would include a more free exchange of information."

"Furthermore... Honestly once the stolen technique is in another village there is not exactly much the other villages can do if they do not wish to wage war on that village's allies. Cloud will not pick on us, even if we stole one of their bloodlines or hidden Jutsu, because we are nominally an ally of the Leaf and they would be obligated to defend us less their other allies grow suspicious of their sincerity. And as thy have an entire clan of Ninjutsu thieves, they could not even say we brought it on ourselves."

"Since you intend to live forever, you can afford to wait for a change in the status quo... Or slowly accumulate personal power and political clout in order to guide or force such changes to your advantage."

"As it is, if the Leaf Village wishes to maintain their tradition of Snake Summoners, they need to either kill me or gain my cooperation, which if I play my cards right could be leveraged for quite a bit. Ninjutsu knowledge, favorable deals for the village... If the sorry of my clan being descended from the sole survivor of a genocide committed by the pre-Hashirama seju clan on members of their own clan, then the argument exists that I am both entitled to the Senju Clan's secrets and am owed reparations by said clan, especially if I could track down some of my relatives and convince them to settle here in Sound and form a proper clan."

"Furthermore, if you went out on your own as a missing ninja... In the cave, you called me selfish for not considering how you and others would feel about my potential death? How is your becoming a missing ninja any different? You would essentially be throwing your life away. For what? My protection? Usagi-san's? Jirou's? How is that any different from my allowing myself to be killed to protect you all from my rampages?"

*Earliar.*

"To be completely honest, I am honestly baffled by the existence of a term like dead last. Usagi-san would not have graduated if she was not qualified to be a ninja, so her rank in the class is irrelevant. Beyond that, not everyone is equally skilled in terms of academia. I am... terrible at physics. If I had to I could make a kunai land pointy side in, but I could not explain to you the math of trajectories and... Even as is when I am working with chemicals I need to have the formulas written out and double-check them several times, I would probably fail a poisoner's course becuase I cannot derive the exact molarity of toxic alkaloids in a 10% concentration of belladonna extract from memory. Mathematics is not a problem, but the larger and more complex the formula is..."

"Could you repeat that in snake, please? You're giving me a headache."

"Hiss hiss," Senko deadpans.

"...Bitch, you're lucky you're adorafying."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko, Present:*
"Okay, you got it. Next is the types of chakra transformation:
-shape transformation, which controls the form, movement and potency of one' chakra, this determines how much you can cover with it and its purpose
-nature transformation which is all about changing the TYPE of chakra being used, such as Yin, Yang, Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth or Water- things like that.

to use myself as an example:"
She pulls out her Origami-No-Tsurugi and and extends the blade at a random target on the training grounds.
"This is what my clans call Unsheathing Paper Claw Jutsu, its a basic shape transformation to extend the length of a paper blade."
She then retracts it.
"Technically my entire bloodline of Paper Release is nature transformation that I do naturally or instinctually. But this makes it a poor way to show how its done. Instead lets use the mist-making technique my brother has making Senko practice and I've been copying:"
She opens her palm and a blue glow surrounds it. it has no distinct shape, but kind of rises like a flame.
"What your seeing right now is raw concentrated chakra, without shape or nature. Its basically useless like this unless you want a bad light. Now to alter it into mist using Water transformation:"
She focuses a little and the raw blue chakra turns into grey gaseous mist, flowing out from her hand and falling down a little as it microscopic water droplets in the air.
"I make it look easy, but this is only because my chakra's natural affinity for this element and the extremely basic nature of Mist Palm jutsu. I could probably form it into a mist sword to demonstrate shape and nature at the same time better, but it would be pretty useless as a technique goes. When you learn an element, you should start with the element you have affinity for. It'll be the easiest one for your to learn and thus make use of. otherwise your just trying to swim upstream, you can learn other elements later. Keep in mind we're well into things considered Chuunin level now, as nature transformation usually isn't learned until one is at that rank, and people who learn more than two are incredibly rare, with mastery of all five being near unheard of-if I recall, only the Third Hokage ever achieved something of that caliber."
She stops producing mist.
"One can also alter the spiritual/physical makeup of the chakra to be Yin or Yang chakra. more physical, you get yang chakra, the more spiritual you get Yin. A good example of yin chakra is your genjutsu that you do with the bells, as it concerns with manipulating the mind. A good example of Yang chakra on the other hand is our very own Odayama-taichou with his Sloth Transformation, as yang's life and physicality allows his strength to be enhanced. I would also say the basic transformation technique is probably Yang release, the basic clone technique is probably yin release and the Body Replacement Jutsu is actually a form of Yang release that involves enhancing your speed in response to dangerous life threatening attacks while also temporarily transforming another object into yourself all the while going fast enough to replace yourself with that transformed object. Which of course is actually just a derived jutsu of Body Flicker Jutsu which is just a ninjutsu that makes you move really fast.

From this we can deduce that Yin and Yang releases are likely more basic than the elemental natures, as almost every Genin learns these techniques. Either that or people don't want you blasting fire from your mouth until you at a rank where you won't burn down buildings and they're just equally difficult or something. Could be either.

That is all I'd considered "normal" chakra stuff. There is of course combined Nature transformations like my Paper Release, but these require bloodlines to do. So, I wont to waste your time with detailing something that won't be useful to you Usagi. You should be concerned about such combined nature transformations yes, but your primary concern should be how to counter them. the basic natures have this rock-paper-scissors like system where one beats the other, but as far as I know there is no real equivalent for Combined ones, as I doubt the clans want their weaknesses to be known. Basically: Fire beats Wind beats Lightning beats Earth beats Water beats Fire.

Lastly there is what I call "exotic" chakra: senjutsu chakra which is what Senko uses, you have seen first hand what that does. Finally there is Tailed Beast chakra which....all we know about is that its red for some reason. Its not as if we have any on hand to study. But basically if you see tailed beast chakra being used against you: Run. Jinchuuriki are monsters in combat, so the safest bet is to get away from them until your a shinobi capable of facing something that if properly utilized could kill kages- and if fully unleashed, cause who knows how much destruction?

I think thats all of it. All that I know anyways. The rest is theorizing and speculation."
Yuyuyu says
"Wait where does taijutsu fit into all this?"
"Nowhere. Taijutsu is the optimization of natural human abilities. It accesses your physical and spiritual energies directly, bypassing chakra entirely and relies on your stamina and strength gained through training. It has technically nothing to do with chakra, except as a mode of combat to save on chakra, save time because of how quick and efficient it is- it requires no hand seals or preparation- or those who prefer to rely on physical attributes."
"what about chakra exhaustion?"
"You get tired too much you can't do stuff, or even die. Anyone can piece that together."
"You didn't cover chakra control in depth."
"Well I already know wall-walking and water walking so...."
".....I don't know either of those!"
"Oh right, not a genius like me. Wait, Senko do you how to hand-walk across water and walls? Because those are useful for building chakra control so you can do the elemental jutsu that are cool. As it is, Yuyuyu needs to be taught those. She is a more average example of a genin than me after all."
"Hey! I'm right here."
"I know, thats wasteful. Yuyuyu go find a tree, focus chakra on your feet, not too much not too little so you stick to it as you climb up. You do that, we can work on water walking."
"...Okay."
She says walking to begin the tedious practice.
"And yes, it is a bit illogical to refer to a passing student as "dead last" Senko. Any questions, Usagi?"

*Kimiko, Apartment:*
She pauses as this is actually pretty logical.
"....Darn it. You made a valid point. I hate that we have that reasoning in common. Fine I'll stay I guess."
She wonders if it was a mistake revealing this to Senko. She still wanted to go around taking jutsu, and she still didn't think it was wise to take them as a legitimate shinobi. Rather than support her plans, she complicated them by potentially giving her reason to derail them entirely by waiting. Waiting was _BORING_. Greatness was something you seized and actively worked for, not something you just waited for. Nothing great was ever done by sitting around and letting things happen! And she could not abide things being Boring. But why- aaah it clicks. Senko's senju nature, her religious and and natural world leanings. Yes, Kimiko saw now. Senko desired a quiet life. An uneventful life. Kimiko could understand why Senko wanted these things and could understand why that would appeal to her.

She just didn't _agree_ with it. It was a similar desire to her brothers she supposed, to many of those in the village, like Odayama-sensei. They wanted a 'peaceful' life. In other words, a boring one. Kimiko was of a different mindset however: What times were worth living in, other than interesting ones? None. Greatness awaits her....and she figured it was more interesting that she didn't tell Senko any of this, than if she did.
"What else would you like to talk about?"

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama wave in akward silly daddy manner when he mentioned.
Usagi frown, streching her brain muscles.
"Well. I don't want to come out as bratty but- why does knowing all that matter? It's like... most taijutsu masters and athletes in general don't know the body in theory like medical nins do. Beside sound smart.. can this knowledge help me to become stronger?"

----------


## Rater202

*Apartment.*

"...I do not think there's anything left to talk to about in regards to our plans for the future... Unless you want to go get a snowcone? Fuyuki-sans frozen confections are. I have no idea how he manages to make such perfect ice crystals but..."

"Unless you want to talk about ways that we can legally share whatever 'clan secrets' we might have with each other to further our own goals. My understanding is that in order for us to get away with doing that openly and legally we would have to abuse a hell of a lot of legal loopholes."

"...Or trying to come up with a cover story for why I have Dead Bone Pulse, Paper Release, and the Fukaimi and Komoro Clan's hearing abilities. I cannot keep that a secret forever, I am planning to reveal it when i have achieved a stable sage mode, but having a cover story to make it seem like something other than 'I am stealing bloodlines' might sell it better."

"Right now, all I can think of is making a vague claim that my research into how my 'kekkei genkai' works in an attempt to understand and master it has resulted into it evolving into a 'kekkei tota' that can imitate other bloodlines but i am honestly not sure if that is believable considering how are those are."

*Training Ground*

"Think of it this way, Usagi-san: If you know how chakra works, then you know the best way to train in order to get more power and used that power better."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko, apartment:*
"Technically, I'm too young to be trusted with any important clan secrets. Even brilliance beyond my years doesn't lend me allowance to hear things beyond my rank: I'm a Genin, so any secret I might have could be tortured or brainwashed to reveal out of me by any one sufficiently skilled enough to beat me up and capture me, which is more than more powerful members. Sure this is technically true of everyone but minimizing the number of people who know a secret is the entire point of a secret. If there is secrets we know beyond the ability to properly utilize Paper Release or the invention or rediscovery of various fuinjutsu we've once made, I do not know of them."
Well there is her clans methods of counter-Sharingan tactics, the protocols for what happens when you badmouth ramen within the same city as an Uzumaki, and the Ishikawa Index which contains names and general descriptions of various jutsu they had in their previous library which they are using as a basis to rebuild it from but isn't useful for learning jutsu itself while the other two were specific and not really relevant unless they come up. 
"So its like, what do you really think I'm even capable of sharing? and snowcones sound good"

*Kimiko, Present:*
"Well you bring up Taijutsu masters, and here is the thing about them: they don't technically need as much studying sure. They focus on Taijutsu which is just physical abilities, and there is a certain kind of effectiveness you can achieve with that. 

But! Its because really, they only have one thing going for them: Pure Speed.

Like the average taijutsu master, the one that tends to crop up the most as effective is someone who masters silently sneaking around then masters killing people as a fast as possible. They jump out of the shadows, murder as many people as they can before you can react- which can be a lot given the speeds they can achieve- then jump back into the shadows before you can really respond. Its the most basic of hit and run tactics refined to a razors edge. As long as they know how fast their opponent can react and how many people they can kill within a certain amount of time and don't get greedy, they can just wear down a larger force through repeated flashes of mass murder then hiding and slitting the throat of any one who gets close to finding them then moving to another hiding place.

True taijutsu legends of course, have been said to be so fast they are a blur on the battlefield, able to evade the ninja's attacks around them by being so fast they are killing someone else while you respond to their last action, constantly keeping ahead of your own attempts to do anything about them by staying on a seemingly unbreakable offensive that you can't react to. 

However, most taijutsu specialists.....don't reach this legendary status. why? well, multiple reasons. Either they meet their match in a lightning release user who instead speeds up their body with lightning while also knowing various other lightning techniques that make them more flexible in their tactics than just running up and stabbing or snapping necks so fast then running away before anyone can do anything about it, and die because the lightning user can counter them enough to be trouble. Fire users have defeated them by simply filling the environment with well, fire that when they run through sets THEM on fire, while Wind users have killed them by setting up cutting wind walls that they don't see in time and get slice to ribbons. Earth Users simply made the earth muddy, the specialist slips and falls and one stab later dead taijutsu specialist, water users do something similar with sticky or slippery water puddles, while genjutsu users have fooled them into attacking illusory crowds of ashigaru then spring and ambush on them, and of course there clone techniques when you kill them instantly explode into some harmful effect that taijutsu users being hand to hand specialists need to be up close to do their techniques. Medical nin are also capable of achieving their speeds with the right medical technique while also providing healing and support to their team mates, so they can respond to save people from the taijutsu specialists attack in time. 

its actually pretty high risk to be a taijutsu specialist, as their basic hit and run rush tactic informs a lot of the counter planning that goes into most shinobi techniques, their tactic is easy, widely known and it works, but its because of those things that they are relatively weak. Most taijutsu specialists are seen as reckless shock troopers, the first people sent in to cause damage and often the first to die. the taijutsu legends I can name are only a few on one hand in all the shinobi nations in its entire history not just the modern era, and they became legends because they were able to study these various ways of countering their rush style and succeed despite those being employed. so even these taijutsu legends needed studying and knowledge to be successful, as they needed to know how other peoples jutsu worked to defeat them.

and thing is, all this chakra control stuff is vital to doing any jutsu technique beyond the academy three. you try to do some techniques without knowing how most efficiently spend the energy, your only going to be able to do them once or twice before running out of chakra or even running out of energy to live, almost every shinobi gets trained in elemental techniques if they don't have some overriding specialization thats too important to slack on, and if you don't know all this, try to learn an element you don't have an affinity for and waste all your chakra trying to do one elemental technique you don't know how to do efficiently....that won't end well for you. And even if you do focus on your elemental affinity, do use it efficiently you can still be countered by the element that your weak against if you don't know that.

That and there is a matter of communication: shinobi work in teams. If you don't know the meaning of this or that term and can't communicate what is being done by the enemy in an efficient manner if your say a scout, or a spy, then you can't really work well with the group even if you don't use any of it yourself. you might be spying on a ninja training their shape transformation technique and if you don't know what that term is, how can you tell your superiors what they're doing? how can you tell them they are using yang release if you don't know what this? How can your planners and strategists come up with a plan to counter it, if you yourself can't use what everyone uses to say what it is? These terms don't form because some random scholar or scientist thought they'd be neat to categorize, this knowledge is vital jargon and knowledge to how shinobi operate. 

It'd would like being an archer and not knowing how an arrow arcs in midair works or about proper tension and release to fire the arrows in the first place, to use a weapon your familiar with."

----------


## Rater202

*Apartment:
*
"...I was referring to things you might learn in the future in exchange for things I might learn in the future."

*Ishikawa Estate:*

Jirou is approached by... Honestly, Jirou should only be vaguely aware of his guy. Maybe a... third cousin? Jirou's definitely seen him around the estate at least. He seems to be... Mildly injured, judging from the fresh bandages.

"Lord IshikJirou-sama" he stutters, clearly not sure how to address the head of the clan. "I have... Important but... Very sensitive news for your eyes. Best discussed in private."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Apartment:*
"Oh. That makes sense."
She will begin going out for snowcones.

*Ishikawa Estate:*
He exchanges glances with Mitsuko. Their clan was smaller than most due to Third War killing many of them and they didn't exactly recognize him. That meant it was easier to keep track of each one, and he specifically said to be addressed as "Jirou-sama". So they were suspicious of this. But all Jirou did was nod to her in silent communication and say
"Of course."
He will take him to one of the smaller less visited rooms of the house, silently tensed and ready and keeping his eye on the clan member all the while, never showing his back to him.
"You may now speak if it is so sensitive."
He was ready at a moments notice if this turned out to be assassin and had other preparations just in case. It could of course be Shimpi, he was known for being secretive like this but it never hurts to be prepared for every angle.

----------


## Rater202

*Ishikawa Estate*

"...You know, Jirou-san, most people fall for this."

An illusion is dispelled and the clan member's body begins to change shape and size.

Shinpi is standing there is their traditional robe and mask. For whatever reason, they've elected to assume the size and proportions of a child.

"But that glance? Your subtle body language. You catch things that many people would miss," they say in a perfect imitation of Kimiko's voice. "Jirou-san, I will be honest with you... It is not in my interests for my... Firey tempered colleague to become Otokage. But that does not mean that endorsing our bid is in my interest."

"I could just search your estate to find any secrets you might be hiding... But that would be wrong. Especially since I chastised a little bunny for doing just that the other day. I'm no hypocrite."

"So, tell me, head of the Ishikawa-clan... What are your plans for the future of this village?"

*In town, Foyuki-san's.*

Fuyuki-san's frozen concoctions is a small shop, not unlike a ramen stand but with a bigger kitchen area that can't completely be seen from the front. If asked, Fuyuki-san, a young man with pale skin, brown eyes, and hair bleached white will say that that's where he keeps his top-secret ice making machine.

He has another treat, of course, but the man's selling point are his perfect snow cones.

Flavors, judging from the signage, come in strawberry, cherry, water mellon, lemon, lime, lemon-lime mixed, lemon-strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and "triple berry" which appears to be blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry mixed based on the colors.

"Senko-chan," the proprietor greets when you arrive. "It's been a while. You want your usual?"

"Yes. They have me doing missions now, I was on an extended C-rank. The details should be going public in a few days. And yes please."

"And I see you've brought a friend."

"Yes, this is Kimiko Ishikawa."

"You're becoming more popular lately. Does Menko-chan still refuse to try a snow cone?"

"Yes. To be fair, she _is_ cold-blooded."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Ishikawa Estate:*
Jirou of course decides to be polite
"Shimpi of the Three Thunders, I'm honored by your presence. I admit I have a bit of an advantage in this particular case considering the state of clan-less faces to memorize."
He considers the possibility the Shimpi was lying about not searching his estate: He could be telling the truth, but he could also be lying about it and just seeing if Jirou would tell the truth to him as a test then report to Nozojo or Ameoku about it if he did lie with evidence of their secrets. But then he just subtly alluded to chastising Usagi about it at some point and claiming to not be a hypocrite, which y'know strange thing to add. Hm. For now, play it safe, not lie exactly but  be vague, fish out the situation with a little lure to make him bite on and show his real colors, restate some of the things he already told to the DJ.
"Well I have a promise to Nozojo about carrying on his vision in some manner. I'd be lacking in integrity if I went against this, wouldn't I? Of course we are a military so I plan on figuring out a way to train up a consistent force of Jounin as well. Legends like you won't be around forever after all, and its better that we have quality shinobi to face potential threats to our nation, and Futility-sans attacks provides all the reason I need to sell the idea politically since we currently seem unable to effectively deal with him.

And of course this village obviously needs allies, and I too wish form a coalition or alliance of sorts of with other minor nations for diplomatic purposes. Our voices together will louder than alone. But who knows? Perhaps I will find a way to gain an even greater ally."
Which of course depending on what Shimpi knew, could refer to one of two different superpowers in relation to Jirou, but it was best to leave that unspecified until he knew Shimpi's answer. If he was watching the rest of Team 3 as closely as he did Usagi then Jirou bet which one would be more likely he would he is talking about, but you can never be too sure.

*Foyuki-San's Place:* 
She considers the flavors and says
"Watermelon flavor, please. Yes, I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Shining Star of the Hope Generation, hyu hyu! she recently joined my Genin team. Senko is a new addition, and that means some things still need some working out, but I'm confident that we will make a great team in time. Who might you be, I ask?"
She says, her usual more upbeat manic and ego-focused persona back now that is in public.

----------


## Rater202

*Ishikawa Estate.*

"Interesting, interesting, so very humble... Not at all like a typical clan head. Very interesting." Now Shinpi is using Senko's voice.

"That's all I need to here for that, but... Something a little more specific."

"Let us say for the sake of argument that a Ronin from the land of Iron was cought trying to sneak into the Sound village, looking to speak with _you_ specifically. She is not your typical 'no rights' Ronin becuase her contract with her lord was severed by legal means due toa  quirk of the unique political make-up of the land of iron... But she was still trying to infiltrate the village instead of coming in though official channels."

"Under... interrogation, it's determined that her story is true and she is only here becuase she wants you to verify a story before she decides if she wants to continue pursuing a bounty... Or swear herselfto the service of her former target until she repays a debt she perceives herself to have, something about guilt at almost killing an innocent. You know how weird Samurai are about that. But under interrogation, she reveals something interesting."

Shinpi pulls out a storage scroll and, with a poof of smoke, desposites a sixteen-year-old girl.

A sixteen-year-old girl who is quite muscular for her age, with a nasty scar on her back, who has been stripped down to her underwear. She's hogtied and has a black eye and what appear to be cigarette burns completly covering her left arm.

"I ass to kick I'm gonna god your swear when I get out of this," the bound ronin slurs deliriously.

"See, the prisoner let slip that her target, the person she needs you to verify the story of, your _protege,_ Jirou-san, has been stealing Kekkei Genkai from the sound village's own clans... How would you handle that information getting out."

*Fuyuki-san's.*

"Why, I'm Fuyuki-san, owner and proprietor of this establishment," the man says as he steps back to make the ordered snowcones.

----------


## igordragonian

*Present*

Usagi sigh.
"I guess it make sense. If I had legs I would have just focused on my bow and close the day. Maybe I am wasting chakra... I could have defeated you fair and square princess!' She realize.
"Hmm. Summoning come easy to me. I guess I need to explore what I do there, that works so well."

Odayama add. "It quite an unusual for an academy student to already have contract. But I guess you this in common with Senko. But it's a good start Usagi. Humility-"

"I don't have humility! I am a proud kunoichi! And I'll never be helpless! Studying geeky stuff is just a means to an end!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Ishikawa Estate:*
He looks at this ronin. He takes a deep breath, keeping calm. Okay this looks bad. But if Shimpi wanted to screw over Jirou, he already would have. The question is how much does Shimpi know about Nozojo's mistake, and what would he do about it if he did if turns out he doesn't and he revealed that information? Well if he already knew about it and wanted to reveal it, he would've done so. If he knew about it and didn't want to reveal it, why was he saying that Senko stole the kekkei genkai? What would be the point of that manipulation? So he probably doesn't know. Bess stick to the vague truths then.
"....You are treading on a state secret, Shimpi. One that could prove damaging to our village beyond the loss of me or Senko. The ronin is....technically misinformed, but her claim has enough weight to it that I'd be forced to respond with the full truth. Justice would be done, but at great and terrible cost to our village. You'd be ensuring Ameoku's win besides.

But I assure you, Senko while irresponsible in her actions, did not technically steal the kekkei genkai from the clans. It'd be in both our interests if this matter was kept quiet."
After all, if Nozojo didn't inform Ameoku, the Jonin commander of Ottomaru's origins, why would he reveal it to the other two Thunders? He couldn't try and cover it up if Shimpi made it a point about standing against him in that scenario, he can't take on two Thunders physically or politically. Nozojo if he truly stood for the values he claims he does would reveal the truth to save Senko anyways and thus sacrifice himself, as she is still a young child and if he doesn't to preserve his own legacy for the greater good of the village, Jirou's only recourse would be to respond with the full truth to take Nozojo down with him. No one throws his lab assistant under the horse and gets away with it, Nozojo would not be worth his respect in that case.
"As for the ronin themselves, I believe she was someone Team 3 encountered on their recent mission, now what did Senko say...? Oh right, she said she was "more concerned about justice than money". Admirable. I'm sure I can deal with her myself." 

*Kimiko:*
She will of course become bored while waiting and looking about for anything to focus her mind on, that and she hasn't experienced much life outside of shinobi life and her Estate so perhaps she curious of the process of how they're made or something. Point is she will lean over to try and take a closer look of him doing it and might see something interesting.

*Present/With Usagi:*
Yuyuyu is confused by Usagi's words
"Geeky stuff? What does being a manga fan have to do with any of this? I think your just jealous cause Kimiko knows how to do her job, Usagi."
"Yeah who would think smart people aren't popular? Your weird, Usagi. I didn't waste my time on silly mangas in my room, I studied and got good grades. You were the unpopular one because your grades were so bad remember? But thats neither here nor there.

Summoning is mainly a matter of how much chakra you have rather than have best chakra control. Small amounts of chakra, you can only summon minor allies, but kages have been said to summon giant animals of war to assault fortresses, destroy their foes and take on armies. it essentially delegates the task of knowing chakra control to others, and what becomes important is the relationship you have with your summons. For that I am no help, social skills is more Yuyuyu's expertise. But I imagine being friendly and not ticking them off is the most of it."
"Hm, good point. I should find a summons contract to sign. With the right one, I think it will leverage my skills quite nicely, and help with the dream I have."

*Spoiler: OOC: Explanation for confusion*
Show

the shinobi nations don't have the western concept of "geek/nerd/jock/whatever": remember how Naruto was the dead last and Sasuke was the popular kid AND got good grades? yeah, japanese culture values intellectuals higher than western culture does in school, while western culture tends to see Sasuke as nothing but an edgy whiny teen. if the two were taught in an american high school, the situation would most certainly be reversed with naruto being the popular one as he'd be seen as social and fun while Sasuke would be seen as the unpopular stuck up edgy nerd. thus the closest concept they have of someone being a "geek" is someone that is shut in and obsessed with manga, no matter their intellectual capacity. you didn't do anything wrong, I'm just being accurate to the culture.

----------


## igordragonian

(I can make sense of it)
"I make up my own terms and slang! Smart people arent popular by my decision!"


She blink

"You have a dream? I didnt heard you yelling it in a traininf or something"

----------


## Rater202

"Well, seeing how you deal with the Ronin will answer my third question."

Shinpi tosses the storage scroll at you. If you examine it, you'll find that there's still something in it.

Shinpi then pulls a large firecracker out of their sleeve and sets it off before melting into the floor.

It makes quite the loud BANG.

*Kimiko*

From the front of the store, it's kind of hard to see behind the partition... She can make out the edge of what might be a freezer but that's about it.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
Mitsuko will leap out of the shadows as he disappears
*"Always an annoying bastard to deal with, that one."*
"You do know he can probably still hear you, right?"
*"Yes. He is a master spy, if he didn't want to hear every word spoken about him behind his back he should've quit long ago."*
""hmph. Well I've got things to do..."
*"Whats this about a "Senko" stealing kekkei genkai?"*
"Nothing to concern yourself with, mother. I assure you, there is no threat to our clan. Neither is the ronin on the floor."
*"...Sigh. I'm loyal, I'll remain in the dark."*
"Good. Now to deal with you."
He says picking up the ronin, then body flickers away.

_Some time later...._
After getting some of his spare clothes for her to wear, untying her but not giving back her sword yet, as he takes her to the lab after she is dressed and clear of mind.
"I was informed of the verification you want."
He says as they step into his lab.
"I'm being generous of course. You realize that you already know a high-ranking secret of the Sound Village, and request for more is not lightly granted. And your going to know one that technically Senko herself is not supposed to know, but I wouldn't be surprised if she figured it out. Its relatively minor in comparison."
He goes to a certain wall grips a certain part of it, opening a hidden panel with a hidden folder cabinet inside. He takes out a folder from in it.
"Here. A file on the "Oni-2 Investigation" a minor project where I and a couple other assistants worked to independently study and verify Senko's stories and biology without her knowledge or consent. This particular file details the comparison of biological samples between the one she gave us and the one we took while she as asleep when she was eight to make sure we didn't receive a tampered sample. All to make sure she wasn't some high-ranking Jounin with some weird kekkei genkai infiltrating our village for whatever reason at the time of course. It all turned out to be true of course and I ordered the investigation and her crimes buried as far as the village was concerned buried because a child should not have to held accountable for the cruelties of biology in my eyes. If there is anyone to blame for why the authorities did not respond to Debuita it is me, possibly the Otokage as well given that anything cleared to me is to cleared to him as well. This is not an apology, for I will not apologize for saving a child.

Does this satisfy you?"

*Yuyuyu:*
She sweatdrops and says
"N-not everyone shouts their dreams out, Usagi. and arguably in the ninja world, being too open about your actual goals is detrimental as people will be able to know what your aiming for and thus predict your actions."
Yuyuyu suspected the only reason Kimiko says her "get all jutsu" dream aloud is because she knows its so ridiculous and pie in the sky that she is counting on her combination of youth and egomaniacal personality to make other people dismiss it as nothing but the proclamations of an egotistical blowhard-a way of making people _underestimate_ her.
"Like imagine if your dream was to get a valuable trinket, if you shout out that your dream is to get the trinket, your enemies will know they have to be faster than you to get the trinket and thus do things to sabotage your success or get it first if they value it as well or if they only value it in relation to you, use it as leverage over you. If however your quiet about it, they will be unable to know what your aiming for and be less sure what actions to take to counter or defeat you. and if you lie and say your dream is something completely different, then you mislead your enemies entirely and make them do things that can only be beneficial to you. Like saying your dream is to do something completely different like get revenge on a guy, they might go and protect that guy or something, so you get the trinket without them interfering. Its all about control of information. Its kind of why the ninja world is focused on deceit and seeing underneath the underneath."

*Kimiko:*
She will be annoyed, but in her curiosity, she won't give up yet. She had to distract Senko or she'd question why she wants to look into this, and Kimiko honestly was just seized by a sudden insatiable curiosity. So she decided to attempt to make her rant about something
"So authority in the shinobi nations sucks, right, Senko? What do you think of that?"
Then when she is distracted, Kimiko at high speeds will hide under a table while leaving an illusory basic clone jutsu to stand still and repeatedly nod as if listening to Senko then make herself invisible with Yuyuyu' invisibility genjutsu then begin climbing on the wall using the wall-walking technique on both hands and feet like spiderman, climbing up to the ceiling then skittering along the ceiling to get into the kitchen and look down upon the process of making snow cones.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi grunt.
"It empower me. Maybe it double my chakra!", she argue.
A pause.
"Look... every day.. every moment is a challenge for me. Do you think it's EASY to wake up two hours before school and run on walls with my hands? Also, I show my determination, it might show them I am too strong willed for Genjutsus"

----------


## Rater202

> _Some time later...._
> After getting some of his spare clothes for her to wear, untying her but not giving back her sword yet, as he takes her to the lab after she is dressed and clear of mind.
> "I was informed of the verification you want."
> He says as they step into his lab.
> "I'm being generous of course. You realize that you already know a high-ranking secret of the Sound Village, and request for more is not lightly granted. And your going to know one that technically Senko herself is not supposed to know, but I wouldn't be surprised if she figured it out. Its relatively minor in comparison."
> He goes to a certain wall grips a certain part of it, opening a hidden panel with a hidden folder cabinet inside. He takes out a folder from in it.
> "Here. A file on the "Oni-2 Investigation" a minor project where I and a couple other assistants worked to independently study and verify Senko's stories and biology without her knowledge or consent. This particular file details the comparison of biological samples between the one she gave us and the one we took while she as asleep when she was eight to make sure we didn't receive a tampered sample. All to make sure she wasn't some high-ranking Jounin with some weird kekkei genkai infiltrating our village for whatever reason at the time of course. It all turned out to be true of course and I ordered the investigation and her crimes buried as far as the village was concerned buried because a child should not have to held accountable for the cruelties of biology in my eyes. If there is anyone to blame for why the authorities did not respond to Debuita it is me, possibly the Otokage as well given that anything cleared to me is to cleared to him as well. This is not an apology, for I will not apologize for saving a child.
> 
> Does this satisfy you?"


The Ronin seems... Shaken. Shaken in a way that she wasn't before, despite being subjected to Torture and Interrogation.

"I almost murdered an innocent..."



> *Kimiko:*
> She will be annoyed, but in her curiosity, she won't give up yet. She had to distract Senko or she'd question why she wants to look into this, and Kimiko honestly was just seized by a sudden insatiable curiosity. So she decided to attempt to make her rant about something
> "So authority in the shinobi nations sucks, right, Senko? What do you think of that?"
> Then when she is distracted, Kimiko at high speeds will hide under a table while leaving an illusory basic clone jutsu to stand still and repeatedly nod as if listening to Senko then make herself invisible with Yuyuyu' invisibility genjutsu then begin climbing on the wall using the wall-walking technique on both hands and feet like spiderman, climbing up to the ceiling then skittering along the ceiling to get into the kitchen and look down upon the process of making snow cones.


There is quite a lot of equipment in the room.

But Fuyuki-san isn't using it.

Well, he's using the water dispenser.

One show cone is already made, and now he's filling a vessel...

And then holds up his hand and forms a ball of chakra, whirling and spiraling and glittering, ice-cold mist forming around the pale ball of chakra.

He then dips the ball into the vessel, which tears the water into countless tiny droplets which then freeze solid, and with that, he deposits a perfectly formed snowcone into a serving dish and then begins drizzling the flavored syrup over it.

That... Was high-level Ninjutsu. High-level shape and nature transformation without hand signs.

And he uses it to make snow cones.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He is silent for a moment at her reaction. It is a sad day when a man admits to spying on a child and covering up multiple deaths and the person seeking justice for that says they're the one in the wrong as a result.
"....If this was a better world, none of this would've happened. In a better world, kekkei genkai and their effects on humans who inherit them would be studied openly, with better organizations to help deal them growing up with such abilities. I doubt Senko is the only example of a child whose life was ruined by this kind of thing when they had no support network to turn to. Support that is better than a bunch of warlike clans whose discipline comes at the cost of making them weapons for the state. After all, Senko's clan was mostly wiped out, seemingly long ago. If the clans didn't wage war, Senko's clan wouldn't be in their fallen state, and she'd have a family that would've made sure such an incident didn't occur.

I want to make a better world such as this. Or at least, make the first step towards it. You said you would swear your life to serve Senko. This is good. I am after all, going to become Otokage sooner or later and I won't be able to protect Senko myself forever. As an Otokage, I can at least make changes in this village, but I hope to do more. If you can help me do that- perhaps things can be made better, and perhaps even the Land of Iron could be apart of it. I plan on a world where minor nations like mine and yours get a voice rather than just being pawns in the five's game, a world where samurai do not seek to kill children to protect others. Can I count upon your aid in this?"

*Kimiko, With Usagi:*
Yuyuyu looks at Kimiko as Usagi claims this
"Would that really work?"
Kimiko thinks
"Would that double her chakra? Doubtful. Mental energies are increased by studying, meditation and experience. It may count as a mantra and be slightly increasing her mental energies, but it'd be nowhere near as efficient as meditation would be. Her constant handstand exercises are definitely increasing her physical energy a lot however. It'll make her better at Yang release jutsu and taijutsu thats for sure, as well as enhancing her physical abilities with the elemental releases. Won't improve her genjutsu techniques at all though."
"and her genjutsu defense?"
"....Eh, defending against genjutsu is often experiencing enough to get inured to it and getting used to noticing your mind being tampered with and resisting it. She's stubborn, she'll do fine."
She then says
"But this is all derailing from the education. To go further into shape transformation, one must recognize that there are three main components of it: Direction, Power, Definition. To master shape transformation, One must be able to use their chakra in multiple directions, be able to control the volume and density of the chakra they wield and contain their chakra in a defined shape. To have all three of these is ideal, but many techniques make do with only parts of these components, as I shall now demonstrate."
She pulls out her Origami-No Tsurugi.
"First, Direction."
She makes the paper blade bend this way and that with her chakra.
"Next, Power."
She pours chakra into the blade to make it incredibly sharp then slashes a nearby rock with it and it splits cleanly in half.
"Last, Definition."
She points her blade upwards and makes it extend, rigid despite its paper nature, now incredibly long, then retracts it back to normal.
"If one could properly combine these components together into one technique, they'd be a master of shape transformation indeed....."

*Kimiko, Snow-Cone Place:*
....and this technique she was seeing down there was exactly that technique. The rotation fulfilled direction, power was needed to constantly spin things that fast, the simple spherical shape fulfilled the definition part of the components. Her eyes shine with discovery. It was so simple yet so......brilliant. The techniques she demonstrated with Usagi earlier were just applications of one aspect or another, but this technique had all three working as one. Why did no one discover this before? Perhaps it was because the environment of war naturally made people want to go for blades rather than spheres. What to call this technique...? Whether she just thinks similarly to Minato Namikaze, or whether this techniques name is some multi-universal constant, the name "Rasengan" springs to mind and she just goes with it. 

She also noted the Ice Release on display and of course decided not to tell anyone about the snow cone guy's secret. She was taught by her Clan not to rat out Kiri Missing Nin if she ever found them. It was this whole loyalty and solidarity policy they practice after they got kicked out by Yagura, as only fellow Kiri exiles would understand their situation and thus need to look out for one another. She would simply say the Rasengan was her idea, take credit for inventing it so as to not blow his cover for whatever purpose this probably incredibly powerful jounin was hiding here for. That and if he's Kiri exile, her clan and the Kaguyas probably knows about him already (they don't) and are keeping him safe.

She watches a bit to make sure she remembers how the Rasengan looks, letting her incredible memory etch it into her mind for later, then she crawls back along the ceiling, back to where her basic clone was stepped into its place, dispelling both it and her own invisibility genjutsu at the same time to make it look like she had been listening the whole time.
"Yup, all those people are certainly corrupt and such I feel you, so unfair."
She says to make it sound as if she was listening to the rant she had tried to induce in Senko. She'd have to try this new technique later. Her sword while a valuable heirloom, kind of was a crutch for her in terms of chakra control and this technique could help her move beyond it at the very least.

----------


## Rater202

> *Jirou:*
> He is silent for a moment at her reaction. It is a sad day when a man admits to spying on a child and covering up multiple deaths and the person seeking justice for that says they're the one in the wrong as a result.
> "....If this was a better world, none of this would've happened. In a better world, kekkei genkai and their effects on humans who inherit them would be studied openly, with better organizations to help deal them growing up with such abilities. I doubt Senko is the only example of a child whose life was ruined by this kind of thing when they had no support network to turn to. Support that is better than a bunch of warlike clans whose discipline comes at the cost of making them weapons for the state. After all, Senko's clan was mostly wiped out, seemingly long ago. If the clans didn't wage war, Senko's clan wouldn't be in their fallen state, and she'd have a family that would've made sure such an incident didn't occur.
> 
> I want to make a better world such as this. Or at least, make the first step towards it. You said you would swear your life to serve Senko. This is good. I am after all, going to become Otokage sooner or later and I won't be able to protect Senko myself forever. As an Otokage, I can at least make changes in this village, but I hope to do more. If you can help me do that- perhaps things can be made better, and perhaps even the Land of Iron could be apart of it. I plan on a world where minor nations like mine and yours get a voice rather than just being pawns in the five's game, a world where samurai do not seek to kill children to protect others. Can I count upon your aid in this?"


"...A world with no injustice is all I ever wanted. It was what I was raised from birth to believe I was working towards as a samurai of th eLand of Iron... Until my Lord, the general of the Land of Iron refused to hold justice against the shinobi that killed my seniors in an unprovoked attack and _dared_ to say it was for the sake of maintaining neutrality when it was in fact showing favor to... I apologize, you do not need to hear my life story."

"I do not trust easily, Shinobi, not after learning that my life was a lie, but... If what you say about your goals is true then... If it is true, then you have my word that I will provide what assistance I can."

"...and, as an aside, I may have left my home but I still abide by the code of Bushido. If I am sworn to the... To Senko-san I will have to side with her unless or until I am given permission to disobey or unless she does something to sever my oath. So... Even if you are telling the truth, take care not to turn your ward into your enemy until such a time as my debt to her is repaid."

"...And unless Senko-san has desperate need of someone who can write calligraphy, perform multiple tea ceremonies, fold all nine of the tailed-beasts with a single sheet of standard folding paper each, and know exactly the correct angle to bow when greeting a kage versus greeting a shogun vs greeting a feudal lord, I will need my sword back before I can do anything for her or for you."




> *Kimiko, Snow-Cone Place:*
> ....and this technique she was seeing down there was exactly that technique. The rotation fulfilled direction, power was needed to constantly spin things that fast, the simple spherical shape fulfilled the definition part of the components. Her eyes shine with discovery. It was so simple yet so......brilliant. The techniques she demonstrated with Usagi earlier were just applications of one aspect or another, but this technique had all three working as one. Why did no one discover this before? Perhaps it was because the environment of war naturally made people want to go for blades rather than spheres. What to call this technique...? Whether she just thinks similarly to Minato Namikaze, or whether this techniques name is some multi-universal constant, the name "Rasengan" springs to mind and she just goes with it. 
> 
> She also noted the Ice Release on display and of course decided not to tell anyone about the snow cone guy's secret. She was taught by her Clan not to rat out Kiri Missing Nin if she ever found them. It was this whole loyalty and solidarity policy they practice after they got kicked out by Yagura, as only fellow Kiri exiles would understand their situation and thus need to look out for one another. She would simply say the Rasengan was her idea, take credit for inventing it so as to not blow his cover for whatever purpose this probably incredibly powerful jounin was hiding here for. That and if he's Kiri exile, her clan and the Kaguyas probably knows about him already (they don't) and are keeping him safe.
> 
> She watches a bit to make sure she remembers how the Rasengan looks, letting her incredible memory etch it into her mind for later, then she crawls back along the ceiling, back to where her basic clone was stepped into its place, dispelling both it and her own invisibility genjutsu at the same time to make it look like she had been listening the whole time.
> "Yup, all those people are certainly corrupt and such I feel you, so unfair."
> She says to make it sound as if she was listening to the rant she had tried to induce in Senko. She'd have to try this new technique later. Her sword while a valuable heirloom, kind of was a crutch for her in terms of chakra control and this technique could help her move beyond it at the very least.


"Yes then, glad you agree. Now, which nation's feudal lord shall we ritualistically slaughter, butcher, cook, and cannibalize in front of an audience of our followers to prove a point first?" Senko says with a completely straight face.

"What's this? Eating the rich?" someone else says as she enters the establishment.

In comes a teenager with ear-length red hair under a cap that serves as a sound village forehead protector. She's dressed in relatively standard attire for a sound ninja, except she doesn't have a flack jacket indicating that she's only a genin.

"You aren't actually eating those 'emergency snacks' are you?"

"No, Ichika-san, that label, like this comment, was a morbid joke. In this case, I was attempting to see if Kimiko-san was paying attention, she seemed a bit. Inattentive at the end there."

"Kimko-san, this is Ichika-san. She's a medic-nin who works at the hospital and is _usually_ the one who delivers medical cadavers to the laboratory."

At this point, Fuyuki-san comes back with the ordered snowcones. Senko's usual seems to be the lemon-strawberry, which she pays for as it's given.

Ichika, the medic-nin, orders a triple berry, and the proprietor departs.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He nods
"Of course. This transition will take some time for you. I understand, and of course I just wanted to make sure where we stand before I hand you a dangerous weapon your trained in using."
A water clone of Jirou comes walking in with her blade and other confiscated equipment such as her actual clothes.
"I've had my clone go to retrieve your equipment while you were still drugged. If you were more hostile, holding your blade under my direct power would be useful for multiple purposes. Give it back to her."
The Jirou clone hands her the sword and other equipment then says
"My existence, to retrieve some weaponry how sa-"
Then Jirou makes a release hand seal and it bursts into water is sucked back into a storage scroll.
"Sorry about that, you allow them to exist for too long they start getting depressed. Anyways quick rundown: Welcome to Otogakure. you've already met Shimpi be careful around him, he is a scheming unknown agenda type, if you see a woman who summons cats and is constantly talking about strength and staying strong through conflict and war thats Ameoku the other of the Three Thunders, be careful around her she is my political opponent for Otokage, if you see a middle aged man in a kage hat that thats Nozojo our second and current Otokage, and anyone with blue hair and shark teeth like mine are my clan members which I am head of so they are my responsibility.  I don't know if a samurai residing a shinobi village has ever happened before but I'd be surprised if this was the first time, but do remember: we're the Land of Rice's spy and asymmetrical warfare division, not other samurai. We're not going to play by the same rules. But don't worry, you have the odd fortune of swearing yourself to perhaps the least shinobi-like genin in existence. You'll get along with Senko just fine. Oh and there is a terrorist missing nin about called Futility-san about, nihilistic sort, can't miss him, targets genin kids when they're alone, you are authorized to use lethal force against him, and he is the number one threat to look out for when guarding Senko.

the lab's bathroom is over there if you want to change."

*Kimiko, Snow cones:*
She is caught off guard by the joke
"Uuuuh....."
As ichika-san comes her uuh becomes...
"Uuuuuhahahahaahaha! Yes funny joke! good one! I uuh...."
She eats some of her watermelon snowcone to buy her some time to think. What did eat the rich even mean!? Wasn't she technically rich? Or was she too fallen noble clan to count? Were they joking about eating her?
"....nice to meet you Ichika-san. I dunno Senko I always wanted to try some middle class myseeeelf?"
She tries to joke thinking it was about cannibalism in general.

----------


## Rater202

When Tomoe returns from changing, she asks, "and where can I find Senko now?"

*Fuyuki-san's frozen confections.*

Senko takes a bite of her snowcone...

Then deliberately breaks one of her own fingers while not breaking eye contact with Kimiko.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He says
"Oh right, she is probably her apartment last I checked. You can wait for her there if she isn't though, she'll have to return there sooner or later."
He gives her the address to Senko's apartment, as well as Otogakure tourist brochure with a map in case she needs that from a storage scroll.
"The maps accurate, but take any of the information aside from the location labels with a grain of salt. We intentionally put stuff in that so that tourists return to their home spreading rumors and misinformation about shinobi. As for why I have one prepared, safely and happily escorting tourists through the village without compromising our security is a common D-Rank mission throughout the nations, so I had to be prepared for that when I was a Genin and to give it out to Genin teams as apart of assigning or leading them for such a mission."
It also to keep an eye on said tourists to make sure they weren't spies trying to sneak in or anything, and Genin also prove to be great recommenders to make sure the tourist spends money at the village, thus helping the economy. Such tourists and thus such missions tend to increase in numbers around the time of the Chuunin Exams of course, and other genin teams are valid people to escort on such a mission. Take their money and whatever information you get out of them.

*Kimiko:*
She flinches and her eyes widen at this and she is silent for a moment.
"...."
She takes a bite of her snow cone, swallows then points to the broken finger.
"...Senko....why did you do something stupid and break your own finger? Don't be stupid."

----------


## Rater202

Tomoe takes the pamphlet and leaves with a bow.

*Senko*

Senko's broken finger slowly bends and curls back into place with a crack.

"Huh. That is convenient."

She looks at Kimiko. "Becuase a shock o the system from a sudden jolt of pain can free someone's see from Genjutsu." She produces a scalpel from her sleeve. "Now hold still, since I am not under a genjutsu that means that your strange behavior just now is because either you are under a genjutsu or because you are Futility-san under a transformation. Either way, the solution involves inflicting pain on you."

"...Senko-san? I'm a sensor type... you could just ask me to check?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Uh oh. This ain't good. If she doesn't think of something, she'll get stabbed. She dumps the remainder of the snowcone into her mouth, swallows then says.
"Oh you want proof that I'm not under a genjutsu or Futility-San? Okay if you can do it, so can I, Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Clan Ishikawa!"
She swiftly breaks her left pinkie finger. CRACK! Immediately she begins screaming while falling to the ground from the pain, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGH! OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOOOOOOW! WHY DID I DO THIS!? HOW DO YOU ENDURE THIS!? AGH! AND I THINK I'M GETTING BRAINFREEZE TO! AAAAAOOOOW....."
Lying to cover an ally of your clan and get a powerful new jutsu is painful.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> Uh oh. This ain't good. If she doesn't think of something, she'll get stabbed. She dumps the remainder of the snowcone into her mouth, swallows then says.
> "Oh you want proof that I'm not under a genjutsu or Futility-San? Okay if you can do it, so can I, Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Clan Ishikawa!"
> She swiftly breaks her left pinkie finger. CRACK! Immediately she begins screaming while falling to the ground from the pain, tears streaming down her cheeks.
> "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGH! OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOOOOOOW! WHY DID I DO THIS!? HOW DO YOU ENDURE THIS!? AGH! AND I THINK I'M GETTING BRAINFREEZE TO! AAAAAOOOOW....."
> Lying to cover an ally of your clan and get a powerful new jutsu is painful.


It's at this point that Fuyuki-san returns wit Ichika's ordered snow cone.

"...What the Hell?"

"It seems that Senko-san's friend started acting strangely and Senko began to suspect that she'd either been replaced with an imposter or subjected to a genjutsu... So she broke her finger to prove she was neither."

Ichika kneels down by Kimiko. "C'mon, I'm a medic. Let me see your hand."

If Kimiko lets Ichika see her hand, Ichika sets the broken bone and uses the Mystic Palm technique to start repairing the damage... While putting pressure on Kimiko's wrist that makes the entire hand go numb.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
Not long after showing the ronin the way, he has an idea and travels to Kikenna's apartment. She was clearly packing up much of her stuff for their marriage to come sooner or later and thus move into the Ishikawa Estate. 
"Yeah, what is it?" She says answering the door.
They make the safety hand signs to confirm it is each other.
"I have a third plan to defeat Futility-San that you can help with. The first plan as you know is not politically advisable and the second plan well...has its dangers. But this third plan could work to prevent me having to use the second."
"Okay, write it down and then lets burn it. Don't want it being overheard, yes?"
He nods and proceeds to do so.

*Kimiko:*
She dutifully allows Ichika to do this, staring intently at the mystical palm technique. When its done she will say to Senko.
"Ugh....Look I promise to tell you what was up with all that later okay? There is a good reason for it."
She certainly didn't want to spill it in the presence of Fuyuki-san, who was clearly a high-level undercover missing nin jounin of the Kiri Rebels that she was lucky to have evaded the notice of. Let that secret get out and who knows what might break out? Its safer for everyone this way. Look how he acts surprised at shinobi breaking their fingers to get out of genjutsu, only a master actor could fake surprise that authentic!

----------


## Rater202

Senko just stares at Kimiko for a moment. She finishes her snowcone and leaves.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Her eyes will widen, not sure if she hurt Senko's feelings or not. She will follow Senko. She just needed to make sure she didn't reveal she had knowledge of the technique Fuyuki had used, not make her leave entirely! Did she see through it? She probably saw right through it, how was she so perceptive!? She will try to catch up with Senko, trying to come up with something to tell her. Could Senko be trusted with knowing Fuyuki's background? Senko might insist on getting him protection from Futility-san which would only blow Fuyuki's cover, or taking genetics from him which might be dangerous to Senko, given that he (she assumes) is a ninja. Perhaps she could just say she was preoccupied having a new idea for a jutsu and that Senko was overreacting. Would she buy that? Ugh! This lying thing was harder than she thought. Maybe she should tell the truth and make her promise to keep the secret, her family doesn't need to know, right? Her thoughts swim as she tries to catch up.

----------


## Rater202

Senko makes her way back to her apartment at a brisk pace.

It's honestly not that far of a walk... Though, there does seem to be a commotion outside the building.

Specifically, Menko is rapidly punching the ronin, Tomoe Kurogane, in the chest while yelling "yatatatatatatata" over and over again.

Even the most incompetently trained ninja ever can tell that the summoned creature does not know how to throw a punch. The ronin in question seems to be trying to ignore her.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Anything she was going say to Senko instantly dies in her throat when she sees Kurogane. Why is she here?
"Got a lot of nerve to come here, ronin."
Her hand goes to her sword hilt, gripping it, tense.
"What, you still want to harass Senko even after all that? Don't you have some cats to save from trees for a couple of ryo somewhere? Or is killing random bandits for pocket change not as profitable as it once was anymore?"

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> Anything she was going say to Senko instantly dies in her throat when she sees Kurogane. Why is she here?
> "Got a lot of nerve to come here, ronin."
> Her hand goes to her sword hilt, gripping it, tense.
> "What, you still want to harass Senko even after all that? Don't you have some cats to save from trees for a couple of ryo somewhere? Or is killing random bandits for pocket change not as profitable as it once was anymore?"


This close, it's easy to see that the ronin has a fresh black eye.

"I come in peace, Ishikawa. Now, unless you wish to test your paper mache pigsticker against real steel, I suggest you leave me to my business.

The ronin backs up, walks around the summon that she's been ignoring the punches of this entire time...

And falls to her knees in a swift fluid motion at Senko's feet.

"I have verified your story, and in doing so learned that I have committed a grievous crime against you. By my honor, I swear to serve you with my sword and my life until such a time as my debt to you is repaid."

"...So, how well can you pull off a maid uniform?"

Senko... Stammers. "I... I... I am not permitted roommates, subletters, or domestic servants under the terms of my current lease!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Her eyes widen and she gets angry. She can't very well tell secrets with a foreign ronin about, especially one as honest and upright as Kurogane. Can you really trust someone like that to keep your dark ninja secrets instead of ratting them out to the nearest authority figure because its the "right thing to do"? She thought not.
"WHAT!? First of all, this "paper mache pig stickler" is capable of more things than your mere piece of metal ever will be. 

Second of all, I call shenanigans on that Oath! You've just set yourself up for conflicting loyalties between the Land of Iron and Senko who is with the Land of Rice! You screwed yourself over for being trusted by either nation! Because last time I checked, you are still in some way loyal to your homeland even if you disagree with their stance on foreign policy, is that correct? Or are you so cold that your throwing away all the people you know for this new life of service to someone you just met? 

Third, even if you have your reasons, Senko, there are multiple this does not work! You just stated one, and furthermore, what this bodyguard going to do while we're on missions? Is she just apart of the team now, because that won't work, she lacks many of the skills and training necessary to do our missions, we're already pushing the ideal number of shinobi on mission by having five, and having another person who kill people is not going to make much difference in our effectiveness combat-wise, and potentially be a detriment in many other ways. How is this going to work!?"

----------


## Rater202

"My oath to the Shogun of the Land of Iron was severed when he actively refused to investigate the unprovoked attack upon my squad and the homicide of my entire squad, Ishikawa, and dared to say that demanding justice or permission to investigate from the bordering nation from whom the Shinobi in question crossed our borders from would violate our neutrality. In doing so, th eShogun violated the oaths that the entire Samurai corp is obligated to swear and follow. I was effectively exiled when I left my resignation from the Samurai corp, and everyone in the Land of Iron who still deserves my loyalty is dead. Unless Senko-sama needs for me to return to the land of Iron, there is no conflict on my end."

"Though I suppose that I am asking too much, expecting a young shinobi to understand the nuances of a samurai's oaths of fealty."

"And if you have an issue with my oath, I would take it up with... Well, I am not sure how you're related to Jirou Ishikawa, but I assume that you are. He is the one who verified Senko-sama's story and he approved of my intent to make amends by swearing to her service. I understand he is set to become the next leader of this village."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"One: I'm his little sister. Two: How convenient anyone who you could trust to verify your story is dead. Sure its plausible in a post-war environment, but that is also the reason why some people can plausibly use the story to gain sympathy and infiltrate places. But fine, if Jirou approves....well. I don't. You still tried to kill my friend! I'll be keeping an eye on you."
She will walk away, eyes narrowed while making "I'm watching you" gestures with her fingers, then when at the door she will stick out her tongue and go
"Nyeeeeh!"
Like the child she is and then go walking off to practice the Rasengan on her own.

*Jirou:*
After done detailing the plan he will arrange the time for Senko's announcement over the radio. 
"Helllo everyone this is Jirou Ishikawa, here to introduce you to Senko, a genin you may not be familiar with. I was assigned to give her a special education to bring out her potential that the academy was considered ill-equipped to do and we now feel its time to introduce you to her, Senko, take it away."

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> "One: I'm his little sister. Two: How convenient anyone who you could trust to verify your story is dead. Sure its plausible in a post-war environment, but that is also the reason why some people can plausibly use the story to gain sympathy and infiltrate places. But fine, if Jirou approves....well. I don't. You still tried to kill my friend! I'll be keeping an eye on you."
> She will walk away, eyes narrowed while making "I'm watching you" gestures with her fingers, then when at the door she will stick out her tongue and go
> "Nyeeeeh!"
> Like the child she is and then go walking off to practice the Rasengan on her own.


"She insists that she doesn't trust me... And then leaves me alone with you. Ninja are weird."




> *Jirou:*
> After done detailing the plan he will arrange the time for Senko's announcement over the radio. 
> "Helllo everyone this is Jirou Ishikawa, here to introduce you to Senko, a genin you may not be familiar with. I was assigned to give her a special education to bring out her potential that the academy was considered ill-equipped to do and we now feel its time to introduce you to her, Senko, take it away."


"Yes, I am Senko. I am ten years of age, and I have been here in the Sound village for a few years. I am... _techncially_ a clan ninja in that I come from a family with a Kekkei Genkai, though, personally, I rather dislike the term as the difference between an advanced bloodline and a hidden technique can be arbitrary, but my family is scattered across the continent and does not have a proper surname."

"I have recently received evidence that my family might be a splinter from the Senju Clan originating two generations prior to the end of the warring clans period, but I have no way of verifying this at this time."

"My bloodline has some... disadvantages and trying to find ways to manage them lead me to the study of the science of biology, chakra formation, and how one influences the other and vice versa. Most of my time has involved some form of research on one or both subjects at the village's research laboratories."

"I am also the currently recognized Hebisennin, or Snake Sage, having stolen the Snake Summoning contract right out from the leaf village's noses. I never would have been able to do it without Ishikawa-sensei's tutelage."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will ask Yuyuyu later:
"How much to keep an eye on the ronin?"
"I'll need ryo to pay the academy student I got recruited into my network so they can get candy. Of course, all my kohais are one year younger, so it'll be one year before at least some of my network are genin and some are dropouts, then they will pay will increase. They'll be making their own ryo by then, and they'll be more trained so their services will be more valuable, even if they're dropouts their services will be valuable."
"Year won't be necessary. I'll pay you to get a kohai to spy on the ronin for a month."
"You think eleven year old spies will find anything that indicates she's just playing us?"
"I think any real infiltrator can't keep up their lie forever. Eventually she'd make a mistake. If she's genuine, they won't find anything and get candy money for an easy job and what is essentially training for recon missions."
"That'll work. Send it in the mail, and I'll get someone to tail her for a month."
What? She doesn't have time to do it herself, Kimiko has training, missions, inventions and such to do. 

*Jirou:*
He will chuckle a little and say
"You flatter me, my student. Everything I taught, I learned from the village around me, thanks to everyone's hard work and Nozojo's leadership. And like any ninja in the Sound village, your mind and heart are more important than blood, your research and recent efforts on the mission proves that. But now that you have the Snake Contract, what do you plan doing from here? Hebisennin is quite a prestigious position, one could say puts you on the path or at least the expectation of achieving Jounin- or more! Surely you have something in mind for what the village can expect from you in the future?"

----------


## Rater202

> *Jirou:*
> He will chuckle a little and say
> "You flatter me, my student. Everything I taught, I learned from the village around me, thanks to everyone's hard work and Nozojo's leadership. And like any ninja in the Sound village, your mind and heart are more important than blood, your research and recent efforts on the mission proves that. But now that you have the Snake Contract, what do you plan doing from here? Hebisennin is quite a prestigious position, one could say puts you on the path or at least the expectation of achieving Jounin- or more! Surely you have something in mind for what the village can expect from you in the future?"


"That is a rather complicated question, is it not? Let us start by looking at what a Jonin is."

"A jonin is a skilled and experienced ninja who has proven themselves a capable leader, who ha surpassed a certain level of raw power, and who ha mastered a wide variety of skills including a certain degree of proficiency at Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu."

"At this time, I do not think I am suited for a leadership role. Furthermore, while the exact quirks of my bloodline mean that I will never want for power, they also mean that I am naturally predisposed toward a taijutsu specialization with other abilities being supplemental and my natural affinity is for Yang Release, which is very rare and consists almost entirely of hidden techniques and medical ninjutsu."

"While I am not restricted to only following my natural talents, a complication of my bloodline's powers makes that rather difficult. Currently, I am practicing with water release nature transformation, which alongside earth release is the next most common affinity in my family beside yang, but progress is slow so far."

"My clan are, however, naturally adept at Senjutsu. We are among the rare few who can use senjutsu without entering Sage Mode, mostly in terms pf physical enhancement and, in conjunction with other aspects of our bloodline, physiological adaptation: Strictly speaking, every part of my body can become a weapon at will. We even have our own form of sage mode."

"I suppose you can say that my current goals are to improve my chakra control to the point that I can master my Clan's senjutsu and achieve and master my  Clan's Sage mode, and then do the same with the Snake's Sage Mode. I feel like I am close to a breakthrough.."

"Which brings us to the Snakes. The techniques known to the snakes consist mostly of Genjutsu and reincarnation techniques, in addition to summoning variations obviously. Melee combat, supplemental control, and personal enhancement. Maybe medical techniques."

"With what comes most natural to me and what I have access to... I might be better as a supplemental actor than as a leader, at least until I am much older."

"Besides, I mostly see myself continuing to work as a researcher. The snakes of Ruchi Cave have a vast library of scientific knowledge, occult lore, history, and techniques created and collected by themselves and by previous snake sages. I'm sure it will be quite a boon in the years to come."

"There are also the chunin exams to consider. If I can improve my skills enough it might be worthwhile to consider sending me as part of the Sound Village's representation, though I am not sure I would want to deprive someone who came through the system the normal way of an opportunity. I do not believe I am ready for the responsibility of being a chunin just yet, but my understanding is that the purpose of the exams is more for the villages to show off the talent of their youngest members and to network with people from other villages and nations in order to attract clients, investors, and allies as much it is to give a genin a shot at promotion."

*Tomoe*

Over the next few days, Yuyuyu's spies note that Tomoe frequently visits Senko's apartment, but only when Senko is there and only for a few hours tops. The rest of the time, she seems to be looking for work and/or someplace to stay... From brief looks, she seems to have an almost implausible amount of cash on her, but...

In evenings, she sleeps in a tree in the park.

Around the time that Senko is conducting her radio interview, tomoe purchases incense from a shop and seems to be performing some kind of ritual or ceremony in a secluded place with a look of sorrow on her face.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jiirou:*
Jirou realizes that letting her talk this long may have been a mistake. What was she doing? That was boringly dry and informative, why was she stating it on a radio broadcast? Then here was she thought of the Chuunin Exams.
"Well thats certainly....speaks of your thoughtfulness and thoroughness. I think we'll take a break for a bit, please enjoy these chill tunes."
As the radio switches to some lofi mix Jirou put in he will turn and hiss to Senko
"What were you doing!? First, you should've just said something general and aspirational so as to reassure people the village has a bright future ahead of it, not give people a technical readout of where you are at your training! Sure most civvies would be bored and stop paying attention halfway through, but do you realize who could use that information against you? And that Chuunin Exam thing you stated, is one thing to state your belief about it on your personal time. This is a public broadcast and is entirely another. Most Genin your age aren't interested in the concept of networking, you state that belief about the Chuunin Exams too much and no Genin will want to go because it'll sound boring! Are you sure this is something you want to keep doing Senko, because I'm not sure if you grasp how public speaking works, especially when politics is involved."

----------


## Rater202

"You asked me what the village could expect of me in the future. I answered that question."

Senko seems genuinely confused by Jirou's response.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"What, But you just were speaking like- nevermind, just summarize it more appropriately, this isn't an academic environment. I was more asking about your dreams for the future. If you want people to understand and accept your anything you research or learn you want to be able to communicate them without coming off like a jerk or delving too deep into things they don't know about. Its why I don't discuss fuinjutsu jargon with anybody but the rest of my clan and just say what the seals do without saying much about why unless someone asks- and even the response is probably simplified and generalized a bit so as to get off topic."
He says trying to explain what he means.

----------


## Rater202

"Oh... right, Sorry... I... I can salvage this."

Assuming that they return to air, Senko begins as follows

"I would like to apologize, dear listeners. I am... Used to more academic settings where long, technical explanations are preferable."

"What I _meant_ was that, for now, I plan to work on improving myself so that I can more easily help others in the future, and to use what I have access to as the Snake Sage to further my research, because I genuinely believe that what I am working on could be a big help to a lot of people."

"And, if I make enough improvement, and there's a seat open, it might be worthwhile to go to the upcoming Chunin exams to show off what I... What _we_ can do. The Sound village doesn't have a fraction of the respect it deserves, and if I can earn us a more fair share then that might be the best way to help people."

"I... There's a lot of badness in the world. I want to live in a world where people don't die for no good reason and where... If... If what I do, what I make, what I can protect with my own two arms, can bring us even a step closer to a world like that, then... Then that would be worthwhile."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He nods
"Yeah....I do to, Senko. I do to. I personally think that is a dream that many in the village share in some way or another, and we just have to find a way to achieve that together. That we can do it, even if its just a little bit a time, every day, adding just more brick to the foundation, shaving off one more bad thing so the good shines through so those after us can add a brick on top of the brick we put there and they will thank us for the opportunity of being able to place their brick a bit higher because of the brick we place. That you are not alone in your dream- you just have find the people who share it.

I for one hope we all live to see the world you speak of. Here is Jirou and Senko, signing off for today. We hope you enjoy more chill tunes to relax and eat dinner to you as we wind down into the evening."
Then he will go home.

At the Ishikawa Manor he will ask Mitsuko
"How was her training today?"
*"Mastering the techniques quickly as usual. At this pace, she might reach Chuunin level Paper Release within the year. A lot of my training has been emphasizing consistency and making sure she actually gets it right rather than just letting her natural talent form bad habits with how she does things. But after we were done, she insists on experimenting with this new technique she wants to make- she calls it Rasengan, seems to be pure chakra and is just...forming a spinning ball in her hand. Says it has something to do with achieving perfect chakra control, seems to be having more trouble with it than most techniques."*
He consider this as he watches Kimiko form and reform a chakra ball in her hand again and again sometimes cursing, or muttering....and considers on par with what her family expects of her.
"....Huh. Well we always wanted her to go beyond our expectations. You were too hard on her earlier training anyways, genius like hers sometimes need room to breathe so it can explore avenues you never thought possible."
*"Yeah yeah I know...."*

*Kimiko:*
That night Kimiko will go to bed tired from constantly trying to do the rasengan.
"...This...technique....is harder than I thought...haaah....how did Fuyuki do it so easily? He must have years of practice as a Jounin! But I can't let this stop me....if he can do it, so can I! And hey no one suspected a thing...except for Senko..."
Why did it bother her this much? Its not as if she didn't get away with it. And taking techniques so that they be archived and preserved is the entire point of her clan and her dream, there was nothing abnormal about that, was there? Perhaps she should let her in on the secret at some point- but not when around the ronin. Something tells her the samurai that was willing to defy her previous lord and wander the world to enforce justice wouldn't be cool with her goals or methods. It was stealing after all.

She goes to sleep. Her dreams as usual, are not good ones. 

She will awake the next day, and go forth to Team 3. What will they be doing today?

----------


## Rater202

After the interview, Senko heads to her laboratory, being sure to lock the door behind her this time.

She paces for a moment, punches a wall, and then summons Menko.

"Okay, I know I agreed to serve you but what if I was... What's wrong?"

"I uh... The point of using the radio interview to introduce myself was so that I could throw the clout of the Snake Sage behind Ishikawa sensei's bid for Otokage, but... I misunderstood a question and may have shot myself in the foot. I... I think I was able to salvage it, but humiliating yourself in a public broadcast is not..."

"...Why is this so hard?"

Menko hugs Senko.

"Menko, you have been practicing your calligraphy, right?"

"Yes, but... No. It's oo soon, it's"

"I've made adjustments to the formula, adjusted the concentration, removed some impurities, and... The sooner I get my powers under control, the sooner I can start working towards things that'll help people and... It is not like I have some genius to perfect the procedure for me and a well-stocked supply of samples to use to modify myself into a my perfect ideal state. I could go without your cells if I had the way to give myself access to ice, storm, wood, boil, lava, magnet, crystal, dark, radiant, mud, steel, swift, and plasma release and therefore possess high affinities for all natures and a balanced chakra, but I do not."

"...Okay."

Senko performs a slightly tweaked version of her cellular grafting modification procedure using Menko's cells. Due to a number of factors, it goes more smoothly than it did last time, but it still _hurt_ and she spends the night n the lab, Menko doing her best to comfort her and feeling guilty about not trying harder to talk her out of it.

*The Next Day*

Senko shows up wearing her long robe again, though this time with the hood down.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She is at the training ground, practicing the Rasengan, but every few seconds she does so, it bursts and she starts over. She will do this until noticing Senko and go over to whisper to her.
"Oh....hey Senko. Ah, sorry about yesterday but I didn't get the time to tell you...the reason I was acting strangely was because I kind of....was curious about how snow cones were made, decided to spy on Fuyuki to learn and....well...I found out something I really shouldn't be telling you, and is kind of secret: he is an Ice Release user. I'm not supposed to tell you, because he is a Kiri exile so telling you right then and there would be blowing his cover and be getting a Kiri missing-nin mad at me. I'm just telling you because I don't want you to distrust me."

*Yuyuyu:*
Meanwhile she is looking through the available C-rank missions, and finds one interesting:
_"C-Rank: Investigators Wanted!
Okini Hiromaro, a farmer has been found violently murdered with a blade in the town of Touzaki. We, the Touzaki Police are investigating, but are numbers are small for a town like this and if its the work of a bandit gang with enough numbers, risking our lives could leave Touzaki unprotected or under the military's protection until replacements can be found if it comes to a fight and we lose. We'd rather that not happen, so we're sending this mission paid in advance out of our local precinct's budget. That and there is always the possibility its something worse, but shinobi are better trained in investigation than us. We hope this letter reaches you in time.
-Touzaki Police Officer Sumibu Goshiro_
She turns to the Chuunin who hands out the missions.
"This one says paid in advance, what does that mean?"
"Means they sent money with the envelope. However its paid to the village, not to the team until the job is actually done and the money is set aside until we look into it. If its not responded to in a timely manner, the village loses it entirely to the government of Rice as a form of taxation or reparation. It just got here so if your team is volunteering to take the job, that is good for all of us."
"...I think I'll go for it. I think Odayama will be fine with a mission like this."

----------


## Rater202

"I see..." Senko says noncommittally.

Then she pulls up her hood.Meanwhile...

Tomoe is honestly a little uncomfortable. Senko-sama was very clear that she had no need of a bodyguard under most circumstances, that letting an outsider into the laboratory without some kind of supernatural contract enforcing loyalty would be questionable at best, and that the Ishikawa had a point about too many bodies on a mission.

...And that she was on her own when it came to living arrangements unless Senko suddenly came into the means to buy or build a large home or compound.

The Ronin needed to be part of the community, needed a source of income as her stockpile of funds wouldn't last forever, and she really needed a place to live... A bulletin board in town was requesting someone to be an instructor for a children's kendo club, which would be right up her alley and something to look into, but housing... Her record for most consecutive nights sleeping in a tree before she started developing back problems was fifteen.

She checked another posting and... Well, that was almost too convenient. Someone about her age looking for a housemate, with a place for a meeting for people of interest.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama is probably just sent away, his girls, Miko and Kimiko to the kinder garden and academy.
He seems to about to enter a grocery store when Yuyuyu find him.
'Oh? Am I late already? I thought, I had another hour before our training today...' he look at the clock,
He pick the mission.
'Ah. This is an ideal mission. Many shinobis, look down on logistics, but you are doing great. Getting the good stuff, is an art by itself. Well done.'



------

Usagi try to study books- but she had discovered, she needed some pressure.
So she has asked Yojimbo, to do buuken training on her, while she read Senko and Kimiko's notebooks which they have given her.
Dodge-
''Ah. So THAT is negative chakra.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
She says with a smile, beaming back at him
"Thanks, Odayama-Taichou!"
Then will go back to the rest of Team 3 with spring in her step

"Guess what! I've found us a mission! The Town of Touzaki wants us to solve a murder. Worried that it might be something worse."
"Where is it?"
Yuyuyu pulls out a map
"Its in the middle of the rice fields that give this country its name. Nothing really special about it, just a quiet little farming town, much like Debuita."
"Hm, we'll probably have to inspect a corpse. Senko, you think have the medical expertise to figure out things like mortician, or you think we need someone more experienced to do that?"

----------


## Rater202

"I'm a biological researcher, you need to be comfortable elbow deep in a corpse just to get my job."

"However, my expertise relates more to microbiology, cells and enzymes and the like. Actually gathering evidence from the body might require a more specialized touch or, at a minimum, someone with proper medical training. Until I see the body I am not sure I could do more than determine cause of death, and it seems like that is already determined."*Spoiler*
Show

If this is about Ichika, since I think we talked about introducing her on this mission... Well, I managed to squeeze in a first appearance.

You wanna bring her, we can bring her. I can go either way. Might be fun to get her properly introduced instead of just a cameo.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Spoiler*
Show

That was less decisive than I would've liked, since I can go either way myself so I flipped a coin which said "tails" for "don't bring her", so I'm not going to press it but if you want to regardless, thats your decision.


*Yuyuyu:*
"Yeah I would like to think that the police aren't incompetent enough not to know the cause of death. Seems like they do. So I'm going to go ahead with the assumption we don't need the extra help and that this Officer Goshiro can fill us in on the details when we get there. Its best we get going within the day, so I'll go and prepare and meet you all at the gate to leave, we leave as soon as we're all ready."
She will walk away to do that.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama smile.
"Of course. I trust the policemen would the very least able to point us to the right direction. They are good people. They are simply ill equipped for actual threats."


Usagi this time arrive, riding Yojimbo while reading a book.
(Which she were supposed to read at the academy...)
but seemed so eager about it as for her it was new and fresh.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu*
A bead of sweat forms on the back of her head at Odayama's state as she smiles nervously
"I'm....pretty sure that bandits wielding crossbows and swords are actual threats to most people just.....not us.... but whatever you say heheheh..."
She will say before she walks away.

*Mission: Small Town Tag Shock*
Sooner or later you get going. The journey to Touzaki takes a couple days as you walk through the green fields of Rice Country. Along the way you see innumerable rice farms looking like intricately designed ponds with lines of green separating them out and various little canals for irrigation crossing the landscape like blue veins of blood from some distant river, before you ever see Touzaki these rice farms dotting the landscape here and there off the beaten path you travel have farmhands tending to these fields, living slow and uneventful lives- but ones full of hard, constant work and the eternal worry that a bad enough winter or drought will bring about hunger and economic ruin. Rice is a high maintenance crop at the best of times and thrives under very certain conditions. 

Soon however you arrive in the small town, of Touzaki. It is the picture of a normal village in this world, at least for Rice country: a bunch of small buildings with shingled roofs in the middle of various rice fields. Most of the buildings are simple houses for the farmers that live here, but some are small local businesses such as Sowai's Rice And Tea House that advertises its locally made dishes, Touzaki Hardware Store for various farming tools, Rai's Sake Bar, Hanato's Groceries and Imports advertising its more diverse selection of food from distant lands, and over there is the Ninshuuist Shrine humble in tis construction. A Touzaki police officer, sporting a blue ashigaru-like uniform on patrol spots you
"Oh hey your the shinobi the chief sent for us to solve the case? Thank the kami, he's waiting for you inside the Police Station."
He will point you to where it is.

The Police station isn't large, being a small town one with a few holding cells and such. Inside the Touzaki Police Station, you will hear a conversation.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M OFF THE CASE!?" Odayama recognizes the type of the voice this is. Not the person specifically but the type of voice: young, hotheaded, passionate, like a newly minted Chuunin thinking he knows everything but displays his ignorance with every sentence. The type of voice that sounds like it belongs to late teenager, about 18. 
"I mean that you've done what you could. We've brought shinobi to investigate deeper into this matter. You can take it easy patrolling." A more measured voice responds, more about your age Odayama, sounding a bit tired, but calmer and reasonable.
"Easy? EASY!? I don't want to take it easy, I didn't go through the police academy in Port Sake to take it easy! Chief, I'm an officer of the law, I need to find the perpetrator and arrest them and your sitting here telling me that your handing it off to three kids and their babysitter with made up powers?"
Port Sake was the political and economic capital of the Land of Rice, on the northern coast. They did trade with the Lands of Earth and Lightning but was taxed for it by Fire's treaty and thus wasn't as profitable as it should be.
"Officer Yasutoki, you don't know what your talking about. What chakra can do is terrifying and very real."
"Well I've never seen it! I bet its just propaganda the Daimyo wants us to buy into so we can feel safe and criminals can be scared of the elusive shinobi bogeyman. If even half the legends about shinobi are to be believed, then some apparently shoot laser beams out of their eyes, or turn into demons to eat your soul, or the most ridiculous story yet turn not real for a few seconds then become real again, like what do they think I am stupid? None of that could ever happen!"
Good to see the misinformation efforts are still successful as you walk in from the side.
"Sigh. Officer Yasutoki, I will forgive your youth and ignorance because its not often shinobi get sent here. Ideally we try to make sure they don't need to be sent. But trust me, this is situation that I believe calls for them. I've been in the war. I know what they're capable of." he sees the shinobi out of the corner of his eye.
"And they've arrived. I repeat: your off the case. Go on patrol around the town to clear your head. The investigation is in their hands now. That is an order."
".....Fine." Tokuda Yasutoki says, seething as he walks past with a dark look at Team 3 but saying nothing to them.
the older officer introduces himself
"Welcome to our humble town, I'm Chief of Police Sumibu Goshiro. Sorry you had to hear that. Lads only a few months into the career and he got assigned this remote precinct, not exactly the most exciting position for someone like him, nothing really happens in a sleepy town like this. This is the first serious case he's ever gotten and I think he was hoping to prove himself. What do you want to know?"

----------


## Rater202

*Prepping*

Senko just sort of turns up to the meeting without saying anything, just this time with supplies for the trip, and says nothing as the team gets going.

*On the trip.*

Senko mostly keeps to herself, continuing to practice mist generation as often as possible...

You may or may not notice that you've never seen Menko on the trip.

*At the Police Station.*

"As much information about the case as possible would be the obvious first step, yes? Particularly the autopsy report. I might not look old enough, but I am actually a biological researcher first and a shinobi second. In fact, if it is possible... I am far from an expert but I am comfortable with my arms elbow deep into a cadaver. It is not my specialty, but if it would be possible to examine the body I could cross-reference it with the autopsy report and I might uncover something that you may have corners missed. worst-case scenario, differing perspectives and methods overlapped might provide a more complete picture."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki:*
He hands you the autopsy report remarking:
"Normally wouldn't give something like to a child, but your the shinobi. Somehow the methods get results and it ain't crazy if works right? Just be warned: what is in there is screwed up."
You open the autopsy report:
*Spoiler: Autopsy Report: Okini Hiromaro*
Show


Name: Okini Hiromaro
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Occupation: Rice Farmer, Formerly an Ashigaru serving in the Land of Rice Military
Known Medical Record Pre-Mortem: alcoholism, Tagshocked, various old scars and injuries from serving in the Third Shinobi War
Cause of Death: Victim was found in an A-pose with his chest cut open as if by a blade, the cut shaped like an upside down triangle inside a circle, bleeding out from the geometric shapes cut, over the same symbol drawn on the ground inside his own home
Description: Body was dressed down to its underwear, shows clear signs of being knocked out and being adjusted into the position by someone else. 
Reported by: Kuga Shigetoki, rice farmer, known friend of the victim, at about 6 o'clock in the evening [a few days ago]
(There are photos of the crime showing Okini's corpse at the crime scene matching up with the description, he looks  like a normal middle aged man. The triangle-within-circle was cut right on his ribcage, not his stomach.)


Chief Sumibu will say as you read it:
"Yeah its real bloody. As for examining the body itself we got it preserved in the morgue, you can check it yourself there if you want Officer Yasutoki's theory was that it was the work of a serial killer, has all the marks of someone with a certain method of killing people regardless of how illogical it is and that we would see the next one soon. However the symbol makes me think this is something like fuinjutsu, but its not a symbol I've ever seen before, most fuinjutsu I've seen in the war were from a distance and more flowing with kanji, katakana and hiragana and such, not two simple geometric shapes, so I can't be sure if its really something ninja related. It could just be a guy just obsessed with the two shapes in that configuration and I'm just wasting your time with paranoia. I hope I'm not."
"Well if a jutsu is involved, it had to have done something right? Did anything strange happen before it was reported?"
"Thats the thing, none of the usual stuff ninja do with jutsu like that happened- no animals appearing out of nowhere, no fires or earth or water or wind or lightning, and if was a jutsu, then it clearly wasn't used to kill him. Can't wrap my head around why."
"Wait doesn't this mean the mission should be higher rank since it involves a chakra user like a ninja?"
"Eh, I'm a police chief in a small town, your a Genin in a minor nation. Lets be honest we're both underqualified to deal with this."
"Says you. Do we have a list of suspects?"
"Well we do have a list, yes, but while everyone has big knifes in this town for cooking despite weapons being outlawed to any civilian without a mercenary license, the cuts of these blades are precise, steady. As if by someone trained. Aside from police members who are vets and all have alibis because we were all at the station when this was called in, the only ones who would even have the training that we know of are the victim himself, Kuga who is also a war vet, two mercenary bodyguards for the merchant that supplies the local grocers and imports shop who are being kept within the town until the case is solved, and two strange monks staying the Ninshuu shrine who claim to be vets themselves also from out of town. With five suspects, we need some kind of narrowing down."
"Could there be other war veterans in town?"
"Possibly." he says with a shrug "its not like the war is something most people want to talk about or focus on. Its the kind of past that people come to peaceful little places like this to escape. If a war veteran wanted to settle here, forget about their time in the army and not tell anyone about it....well I wouldn't blame them. It would complicate the case if we found more though, and I'm not about to interrogate every person over a certain age to find out. Towns already afraid enough of the killer, don't need the police overreacting on top of it."

----------


## Rater202

"Fuinjutsu... No. I am not an expert, but not every fuinjutsu requires symbols or formulas and all jutsu that do, fuinjutsu or otherwise, usually require either a drawn formula or manifest the formula from chakra... This is carved _into_ the victim's body...  If it was a fuinjutsu it would be more like a tattoo..."

"Kimiko, you're the formula expert, does this pattern look familiar?"

*Meanwhile*

Menko was bored. Senko-sama had left her behind in the village to run an errand but it had been surprisingly easy.

Senko had said she'd summon her later, but...

Menko had tried to spy on the Ronin to pass the time... But all the ronin did for the last few days was teach a bunch of kids about swords and talk with that red head from the hospital.

Menko had considered taking a nap, or a bath, but knowing her track record with summons Senko-sama would call her the second she tarted to relax.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki:*
She looks at it:
"Oh I see the confusion. Its colloquially called fuinjutsu because some of more the common sealing jutsu use it, but the technical term is "glyphic sealing". its basically any jutsu that involves drawing or carving glyphs of symbols to hold chakra in them that you then activate later for various effects. The jutsu is literally held within the symbol itself, it involves a certain trick of yin manipulation to make it work. Things other than fuinjutsu use Glyphic Sealing formulas, but fuinjutsu itself is not Glyphic Sealing."
"But can you tell whether that one is a glyphic seal, specifically?"
"....Hm. I don't know. I've never seen a glyphic seal like this for any purpose. Not Konoha style, not Kumo, not even Iwa or Suna. Glyphic seals are often designed in the context of a wider "language" of what glyph does what jutsu when a fuinjutsu clan uses them. Basically every clan interested in this sort of thing makes its own code and system so that its members who use it know which jutsu is which while denying the information to the enemy, its a form of communication and encryption. But over time such glyph seal languages spread no matter how good you are at keeping them secret, and when you get knowledge of something they can do that you can't, people find it easier to use the glyph seals that already work for that jutsu than come up with new glyphs to re-encrypt it all over again and thus some glyph seals are more common than others, its why storage scrolls and explosive tags are universal throughout the nations, people just kept copying the same glyph from others who copied the glyph before them. 

Also at this point some glyph seal languages are so old and large they've become traditions so no one wants to update them so that others don't know what they do because it'd be too much of a hassle, also because its just as much of a hassle for the enemy to learn something so complicated and foreign. It was easier to re-encrypt this stuff when there was less information around. Most people who do still do this kind of new seal thing are rare dedicated individual ninja who make and keep their own little glyph seal language to themselves. If this is a glyphic seal, its a new one made up for the purposes of someone's private use. But good news its probably not a ninja from a powerful nation, people will default to using what they know over reinventing the wheel for this sort of thing."

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi tried to keep reading, but at certain point, the journey was stronger then her.
----

'This guy seems shady' Usagi wishper, and decide to follow the cranky young officer.
Odayama decide to let her do that. Usagi seemed to be more the kind  to stumble on things, rather then investigate them. And maybe with her brush attitude she could calm the officer, which might have shared few character traits with her.

'It's quite alright Sir. I can relate to those feelings. My father sold flowers for living...  don't be too harsh on the boy.'
He listen and look at the evidence.
'Where is the corpse right now? And Did anyone touched the crime scene?'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Officer Yasutoki:*
As Usagi follows him, his walk is angry and he is clearly muttering to himself now that his superior is out of earshot:
".....What do a bunch of kids have that a legitimate officer of the law doesn't? They should be in school like I was at that age, not solving a murder! If thats what shinobi really are like, they're screwed up. Probably all brainwashed by the military or something. But thats an injustice for later. I'm solving this murder case no matter what. Like that radio show about that loose cannon cop who doesn't play by the rules and says lines like "Did I fire six bolts or five? In all the excitement I kind of lost track myself. I may have one more bolt in this hand crossbow, I might not. You feeling lucky punk?". I've got to do the right thing, I've got to protect this town, I've investigated too much to not do something about this now! Think Tokuda. Who is the most likely suspect? Out of the five suspects we have, Kuga Shigetoki is the only one with a personal connection to the victim, only one who lives locally, and has no one to vouch for them. The other four are two pairs with no personal connection to the case at all. In all likelihood its Kuga. So that is who we're going to confront."
He will walk to Kuga's house, knock on his door and say to Kuga, who looks more about Odayama's age, maybe a bit older.
"Kuga-san. I'm an Officer investigating the murder of Okini Hiromaro? May I ask you a few questions?"
"Sure. I'll help the investigation any way I can."
They will go inside and sit down.
"What exactly is your relationship with Okini-san?"
"We met up during the Third Shinobi War. We were in the same regiment together fighting against the Flamies err... Fire soldiers. Sorry. old habit. We went through hell together, pulled ourselves more than one sticky situation and got back home to celebrate our victory. But after that we didn't feel like fighting anymore. Wanted to settle down, give back to the world. Everyone loves food so we became farmers out here where its nice and peaceful most of the time. City life's a bit too fast, reminds you of the days sitting behind cover and walls and marching about cause some samurai said so. Start families, be more than just a tagshock statistic."
"I see, but others say you used to constantly argue with Okini-san at the local bar when you got drunk on sake, yes? Over the war?"
"Yes well....that was one thing we differed on when it ended. See we disagreed about whether the war was justified or not. He took the position that it was, that it was something that through which we earned Rice's independence from the Land of Fire, that many brave men and women sacrificed nobly and honorably for us to live here by our own rules and laws. A popular sentiment in our nation of course. I took the position...that it wasn't. That no war is truly justified or necessary. That maybe we could've gotten our independence through more peaceful means like secession. That the only reason we earned independence was because the First Otokage was an opportunist taking advantage of a Fire country war, and that the horrors and deaths I saw....no one deserves to go through those. No one."
"Did those arguments get heated?"
"We were drunk and talking about politics, of course they got heated."
"Heated enough to maybe.....one day murder him? To get so tired of his views that you one day snapped and decided to off him? You were the one who reported the body an hour ater he stormed out after one of your arguments at the bar."
Kuga glares at him darkly
"Boy. Thats a dangerous line of talk there. First, He and I may have argued but we were thick as thieves. By the time we woke up in the morning we always apologized to each other while we here hung over. Second, I may have the skills but I assure you....I can't even wield a weapon no more. I have to stop my hands from shaking whenever I pick a knife because I remember all the men I've killed with a wakizaishi in battle. I can't even imagine myself wielding a crossbow again. I'm just.....too broken for that. Too worn out to fight, like an old blade rusted and brittle. I ain't got the will to fight anymore. Third, I was just going over to apologize for what I said earlier and found his body there. I was shocked as anyone else, and if I was the killer, wouldn't I turn myself in or not report it at all? Why go halfway?"
"Or are they shaking because you murdered him a few days ago, and leaning your veteran status to be above suspicion?"
"Your young boy so I'll forgive your ignorance. When war comes, hope your too old for them to consider fighting fit by the time it happens 'cause a small town like this? Ain't gonna be defended. Not defensible enough. Samurai will see your one of the few men who has prior training pulling the trigger, recruit you, evac the rest and leave it for the shinobi to booby trap it and scorch its earth while they find a fort or hill for you to wait at until its time for them to send you into the meat grinder. You spend days waiting, dreading the day you risk your luck and when it finally comes in a frenzy you won't fight your nation or for what is right but just to stay alive amid a rain of arrows while avoiding seas of fire, and swords sprouting up around you like grass. If you live through all that, you'll come back to find this place shattered and you'll spend years perhaps even the rest of your life picking up the pieces in more ways than one. I didn't kill him- because I've seen too much to ever go back to being a killer again."
"Yeah okay, I feel for you thats.....rough...but that doesn't get me evidence or any closer to catching the killer."
"Then look somewhere else. All I've got here is old scars and crops from trying to grow more than things than rice."
"....Thank you for your time, Kuga-san."

*Touzaki Police Station:*
Chief Sumibu says
"Well thats the thing, Kuga Shigetoki was the one who reported the crime scene, and he is a close friend of the victim. Problem is, he was seen arguing with the victim just an hour before that in the bar, so circumstances don't make him look good, but we can't convict him on that alone. If the crime scene was tampered with, he is the only one who can say for sure."
He gets up
"As for the corpse, I can show you- its in the morgue, preserved cold ready to be examined."
He will lead to you to the morgue, and signal for the mortician to prepare Okini's corpse for examination. Do you examine anything specifically, or is just a general check over the whole body?

----------


## Rater202

A thorough examination would be best. Senko starts by double-checking everything specifically mentioned in the autopsy report, paying special attention to the wounds to make sure that the suspected cause of death is accurate.

Other than that... Senko isn't convinced that the symbol carved to the victim is actually a formula. A closer second look at those wounds might not reveal anything new, but Senko would feel remiss not looking it over.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Senko:*
Investigating the wound, you find that whatever blade cut through the flesh? also cut through all the ribs. As in, they're clean cut through as if someone with knowledge of taijutsu did this, this isn't sawed apart these bones are cut as if just passed a blade through it, thats impossible without some form of chakra control. They didn't mention it in the report, like even a common mortician would probably notice this sign but since this is a C-rank mission and this probably not the richest town in the world, so they probably left the detail out to lower the mission ranking and figured you know the truth when you got here and endure whatever lecture about lying later. 

But thats not all, checking the rest of the body you find the chakra coils very......shriveled. Normally when someone dies the chakra coils just decay like everything else and chakra within lingers and slowly starts seeping out over a long period of time, suffusing the bones and retaining memories of this and that which includes techniques, chakra types, kekkei genkai, things like that. Its why hunter nin are tasked to destroy the body when they find a shinobi, because even their corpses contain secrets that you don't want getting out. But here....the chakra coils look like they've been sucked dry. There is no chakra left in this corpse, where usually there is some left over, even a skeleton will have some leftover chakra suffusing their bones. Whoever did this ripped the physical and mental energies out of Okini. Violently. and signs point it flowing out through the wound made on his chest. That is something no non-chakra mortician would be able to tell you. Whoever did this wanted his energies for some reason, badly.

----------


## Rater202

"Vital... _obvious_ information is missing from the official records, indicating either incompetence on the part of the coroner or a deliberate attempt at misinformation to reduce the price of the mission. Only a taijutsu technique or chakra enhanced blade could but the bones this cleanly..."

"Furthermore, the chakra was violently drained from the victim via the wound carved into his chest... Ritualistic killing, by a chakra user, o collect the victim's chakra... Not only are we dealing with a ninja, but we are also dealing with a Kinjutsu user."

"The fact that the subject was _completly_ drained of all chakra in such a violent manner suggests that the killer wanted or needed his chakra desperately... But a retired civilian would not have much chakra to give..."

"The killer, or killers, will most likely strike again. And soon..."

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*

Usagi frown.
_'Whiny weakling old man. But this guy is alright.'_ she keep following.
If this guy was anything like her, he would be bound to get into troubles, and then he will need her support.

Letting him do all the talks and questionings was sort of a cheat- but wasn't stealing intel part of a shinobi's skills?
----

Odayama ponder. 'Hmm. Well...' he bite his thumb and summon Matamune-
A house cat sized two tailed ginger house cat in kimono and smoking a pipe.


*Spoiler: refrence*
Show



'Odayama-kun, it's better be important. Your wife of late summon me too much to my likings. And I was almost winning a bet. Nya.' the cat complain.
He frown.
'No beautiful ladies? Just an old citizen and a dead human? Oh please, stop spoiling me.' he say sarcastcly.

'Oi, oi. Come on. Just a small favor. But if you think you can't help us with tracking, I guess I'll have to make a pact with a dog...' Odayama say with a straight face but teasing.

'Fine fine. You win this round.' he get up.
The cat put away his pipe, and smell the wound.
'Take me to the place where he was killed, and I will follow any drop of blood- even if it was just 
 a little one, dropping on the murderder.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*With Chief Sumibu*
He takes you to the crime scene to sniff out the blood. The cat quickly finds the scent of blood, just like the corpse they just examined. Following it, the cat notices that there are technically two scents of this blood but they both go the same direction as they take a this roundabout route around the town, as the perpetrators were trying to avoid going near the town's center then unfortunately it stops when they reach a stream. The two perpetrators had washed off the blood.

But then an officer comes running up to Sumibu
"Chief! I just saw Yasutoki, he was questioning the two merc suspects at Hatano's house when he was supposed to be off the case!"
"Rrrrgh, that insubordinate little....sorry, I got to go punish the newbie..."
Chief Sumibu will get running to Hatano's. 

*With Officer Yasutoki*
Next he heads to this house near the grocery store.
"Okay next we check the two mercenaries then, the ones bodyguarding the trader who imports stuff, Nakanishi Seiji I believe his name was? If I recall he was staying at Hatanos' house for now to unload all the stuff he has for them while the case gets settled. I'll find them there."
Sure enough he comes gets to Hatano, the grocery store owners house and sees the two mercenaries standing in front of the door looking intimidating. Their armor was grey and where it wasn't it had symbols of the paramilitary company that paid them. Otherwise they were just like any other ashigaru.
"Yabe Koki and Ueki Totoya, I presume?"
"Yes, thats us. Two bodyguards, on watch. What do you need officer?" Yabe says
"What is your relationship with Okini Hiromaro?"
"They guy who died? Well, we regularly come here to protect Nakanishi you see. Can't be too careful on the road y'know. When we arrive we take breaks in the evening at the bar while Nakanishi does his thing to load up on rice so he can sell it back to people in Fire Country, and then he goes gets a bunch of fruit and vegetables that Fire has that Rice doesn't comes back and sells it to Hatano, and we y'know get drunk take the edge off of being alert on the road, cut loose a little and of course we sometimes get involved in the arguments between Okini and Kuga with our own viewpoints, since we're from Fire country and all and served on the other side of the war." Ueki responds
"Really? what did you talk about?"
"Well, it was a bit heated, y'know? He at times talked about us as "Flamies" we responded with calling him a "Noisy"-no offense-and talk about how Fire country just saw things as defending their people against terrorists. But Kuga kept us all from fighting when we were around. Was wise of him, don't want to be known as mercs who gets into pointless brawls, have to be professional if we're going to protect our client." Yabe says back
"Yeah about that, your war vets right? Why did you decide to keep fighting as mercenaries after something so horrible?"
"Well personally we didn't see it as decision- we'd been fighting for so long, that well...we don't really know anything else. When your in the army, its a different social thing y'know? It changes you, because training, its all about being broken down and rebuilt entirely into a willing soldier for others to boss around. All discipline, all muscle, all obedience, no brains. When you live that life for a while....you look back and realize you don't remember anything else and now that life has become what you are, as if your trapped and you can't really get out. So we decided to split the difference and be mercenaries, and ones that make sure to keep themselves to low-paying assignments in boring places like this. Trust me, you don't want excitement in the mercenary profession, excitement means fighting in some minor war for some minor nation far from home as apart of the wider cold war between the five great shinobi nations. This way, we get to live a semi-normal life protecting a guy from bandits, the guy brings food to people to have more variety to eat and such, its a modest living but I like to think we're doing our part in something better at least, like upholding the peace."
 "Ah I see, but considering all this, you still have a motive don't you? Okini reminded you of the old days, was disturbing your newfound peace by bringing up old politics when we are all supposed to be at peace no? Or did you simply want to shut him up because he was a "Noisy"?"
"Hey! We didn't kill him. He was a jerk sure, but no more than any other angry drunk. All soldiers have been there, you don't hold against a guy what he says after he's had a few too many shots of sake. Guy was more reasonable when sober. He still didn't like us and we didn't like him but we all knew the same pain and respected that, agreed that no one should have to go through it again even if we didn't exactly know we could ever prevent it."
"....Fine. I'll believe you for now. Can I go in to see Nakanishi? He might've seen something and I just want to be thorough."
"Sure." They open the door and all step into the house to find....

....Nakanishi's corpse, killed in the exact same manner as Okini was, the two mercs standing stock still, horrified and taken aback. They had failed.
Officer Yasutoki pulls out his crossbow filled with tranq bolts
"Yabe Koki and Ueki Totoya, your under arrest for the murder of Nakanishi Seiji! Resist arrest and I WILL tranquilize!"

----------


## Rater202

*Senko:*

...Has a bad feeling about this.

"I am going after him. There are only so many reasons why someone would be stealing chakra from civilians but... I do not feel comfortable leaving our current employer without shinobi support while an unknown kinjutsu user is in the middle of a killing spree."

Senko runs off after the chief, diamond pattern marks spreading out across her body as she begins to use Senjutsu to enhance her body.

*Tomoe*

Is going for a walk around the village. Maybe heading to an empty field to practice sword forms.

Now would be a good chance for someone to meet her.

----------


## igordragonian

*Yoroi Yaraju*
(It was long time since I have used him, aoparently his name is actually Yoroi)
https://pm1.narvii.com/6952/78fa29473fb8e2eec2a460c7e75a313b6f1dd6afr1-275-315v2_hq.jpg
Muscular and thin, with a ronin pony tail, and grumpy expression.
He carry his father's cursed sword, Akabodu with pride, on his back alongside a normal katana.


Many shady stuff have happened of late. He was also attacked by the Nightmare hag, forcing him to live his nightmares.
One would be expect him to relive the death of his father. But as tragic it was, it was HONORABLE. He dreamed of having sich a death himself, inspiring someone.
No. His nightmare was of shame. People point of laugh, some shady figure hold his cutted top knot.
And worst of all.
Odokuro, simply shake his head with dissapointment.
The next part was even more horrifying.

Even on his best days, Yoroi was bad at expressing his feelings. And those days, he was insufferable, to the point his Sensei sent him away to figure himself out.
Yoroi went to his usual alone training spot.
"Nani?" He hissed, and face palmed.
"Who the hell are you? What are you doing in MY training spot?"  
he ask accusingly. From his body launguage and demeanor Tomoe might guess he is also a Ronin. Or at least has origins from The Land Of Iron.
-------

At this point Usagi jump from her hideout, leaning om her crotches streching few arrows on her harp bow.

"You better listen to this guy! He is surprisngly good at what he does- and so am I!"


----

"Stay, put Matamune." he command the cat.
"I will try reach there as fast as I can,  but I want you two come there from a diffrent angle, so if things go bad,you can sirprize the enemy"
And then Odayama do his usual gig, of cloning himself, then the clone sealing his usual body into a scroll and sending it flying in very exact manner to open and release himself as quick as possiblem

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki: Convergence:*
Yuyuyu and Kimiko take off with Senko.

Officer Yasutoki says
"Yeah! Wait....who are you, where did you come from and what do you mean by surprisingly?"

You all arrive to see the two mercs holding their hands up in surrender looking distraught as now both Yasutoki and Usagi were holding them at bowpoint. Chief Sumibu arrives and he is angry.
"Yasutoki! What is the meaning of this!?"
"Chief! I've arrested these two mercs for the murder of Nakanishi Seiji. The killer has struck again."
"So not only you defied my orders when I said your off the case, you then make this kneejerk arrest out of nowhere instead of reporting the body!? You better have a good explanation for this!"
"Look, these two were just guarding the front of the house while his body was within. They were the only ones around here the entire day! They have to be the killers!"
"Why would we kill our own client!?" says Yabe "We've protected him for years! He was practically our friend!"
"Then why were you lax now huh?"
"Because we're in town!" says Ueki "When we're in town we relax more because there are people like you around to protect everyone, and bandits are generally cowards, they stay from towns because even if weapons are outlawed, they still know that faming tools can hurt. The most danger you get from them is on the road. We're innocent! Why would we go inside, kill him like this with strange shaped wounds, then leave the body out there in the room for anyone to discover then go back out and guard the door as if nothing happened? That makes no sense."
"Maybe you killed your own client to make yourselves look innocent after killing Okini, make yourselves look like the victims..."
Chief Sumibu clutches head in frustration "Boy, don't attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence. They're vets who've become paramilitary, companies always have laxer standards than the actual army. Just because they failed to protect their client doesn't mean they're secretly the murderers."
"yup, merc ashigaru are pretty much the cheapest protection on the market. You get what you pay for."
"Look unless you got something to prove that they aren't the killers, we've got to take them in." Yasutoki replies "They've been in the same spot for hours, while no one else was around, they could've done it at any time and they have the training. They were already suspects before doesn't this just add more suspicion?"

----------


## Rater202

"Unless the mercenaries are secretly highly powerful shinobi, they cannot have performed the homicide. An examination of the cadaver indicated that the wounds placed on the first victim cleanly cut not only his flesh, but his bones, such cuts cannot be able with normal weaponry but require specialized chakra-enhanced weapons and techniques. Furthermore, the first victim was completely drained of chakra."

"These are not base murders, office, nor is it a serial killing. There is a kinjutsu user going around performing ritualized homicides in order to collect chakra for some nefarious purpose. This is above your paygrade."

"Since the killers must be shinobi, that would easily explain how they would have gotten past two base mercenaries. No offense is intended, but sneaking past non-chakra using guards is something that even a ninja academy dropout could do. It would be as simple as a basic genjutsu."

"...Oh, wait... You are the moron who does not believe in chakra. One moment."

Senko takes off her robes, leaving her standing in shorts and an undershirt that it would simply be impossible to hide anything substantial with.

"As you can see, there is nothing up my sleeves."

The marks across Senko's body received until all that remains are the tattoos containing her contract with the makes and her contract with  Menko specifically.

Senko bites her thumb, smears the blood across Menko's tattoo, and goes through the hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke and

"Finally!"

Menko appears, in human form, and hugs Senko.

"It's been days! I'm pretty sure I finished that errand you wanted me to do before you left. I can't be alone and stay in the same place that long, especially when I'm still banned from half the noodle shops in town."

"Menko, this is a moron, moron, Menko. While the moron tries to figure out how I did that if chakra does not exist, I am going to perform a cursory inspection of the second cadaver and prepare to take it back to the morgue for an in-depth examination. Menko, if the moron does something stupid, _eat him._ Everyone else who is not a suspect or a moron, now would be the time to start investigating."

"...Senko-sama, I'm starting to think you take me for granted."

"... Yes. I am sorry... When we get back to the village, I will buy you a nice big bowl of miso ramen."

Menko narrows her eyes. "_Spicy_ miso ramen. With pork. And eggs. And kelp, and fish cakes."

"Of course, Menko".

That done, Senko retrieves her corpse storage scroll and a handful of tools.

The first step, try to estimate how long ago the second victim died based on the appearance of the body. If the murder happened a while ago, that's one thing, but if the body is still warm that's something else entirely.

*Tomoe*

Back in the village, Tomoe eyes the genin.

"I am Tomoe Kruogane, Samurai trained in the Land of Iron and retainer of the Hebesennin. I was not aware that this was a private training ground, and I am here to practice my form."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki: The time*
It is currently four in the afternoon, and according to what you can find Senko, it has been four hours since they were killed, at around twelve. It was within the day. You were right about them needing to kill soon, this definitely occurred today.

Meanwhile Yasutoki jumps a little at the summoning, looking on it blinking and say
"Its....its real! I thought it was all just propaganda to scare me or something. But its real......can shinobi really shoot lasers from their eyes? And hey I'm not an idiot!"
"Well not all of them but technically there is this obscure bloodline known as the Rezagan that could do that. No one has seen someone with it for centuries after Clan Saikuro was defeated though. But you are an idiot if you didn't know that, idiot."
"Thats not idiocy, thats just being ignorant. I've never seen chakra in my life before, now I know its real."
"You didn't seek out to confirm whether its true or not and assumed it wasn't real, that idiocy leading to your ignorance. Idiot."
"So what I was just supposed to drop everything to confirm whether a legendary seemingly magical art used only by the top agents of our government and the samurai was real or not that no one else is allowed to wield?"
"Yes, idiot, at least listen to your professors, history teachers, elders and betters when they say it exists and your being an idiot. Idiot."
"I think you just like calling people idiots."
"Yes, took you that long to figure it out, idiot? I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, rising genius of Otogakure, and Senko and I are both intelligent than you so let us do the thinking since clearly you unable to think properly, idiot."
Yes it is truly sad that others have underperforming brains. Maybe she should figure out some manner of improving brains so no one is an idiot ever again. Just imagine the progress humanity could make if their all their brains were performing optimally! 
Yasutoki just says
"Yeah I see a psyche profile with "narcissism" in it for your future."
"If thats all you see, then you are truly blind, Idiot!"

----------


## Rater202

"No, no, he's kinda gotta point Kimi-chan. You could do with a bit of humility... Or at least stopping to taste the soba every so often."

"Or you and Bunny-chan could just kiss already."

While that happens, Senko seals the victim's cadaver and turns back to the others.

"I have preserved the victim's body in a cadaver storage scroll, which I keep on my person at all times because well, you never know when you are going to come across a cadaver you need to be preserved. Honestly, this should be standard issue for all shinobi. While sealed, the body will not undergo further decay and can be returned to the morgue at our leisure."

"Temperature, rigor, and early stages of decomposition suggest that the victim was killed approximately four hours ago, at noon. If the mercenaries have an alibi at that time period, then combined with their lack of motif I see no need to arrest them. Detain them for questioning, perhaps, but not arrest them."

"Others would be more adept at investigating the crime scene proper for evidence that might lead to the killer, but with so long between the killing and the discovery it is highly likely that the killers will have covered their tracks by now so attempting to track them by scent will prove fruitless..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Point out a Clue*
"Um, Senko, I was investigating the rest of the house while you were doing that, and I found this open window and few things disturbed in a bed room. Whoever came in they did so came around the side and entered without using the door. Its possible that they were just using Silent Movement Technique and not a genjutsu. That and maybe they made a mistake this time."
"And it makes no sense for us to walk around and go through the window to kill him when we could just go through the door." says Yabe.

Meanwhile Kimiko is at first annoyed and confused by Menko's insinuation
"Humility is for the weak! and what do you even mea-"
She connects the dots then explodes with blushing anger
"BAKA SNAKE! AS IF I WOULD LOCK IN MY CHOICE THIS EARLY IN MY LIFE! There could be all sorts of wome- I mean _advantageous political alliances_ that might be right for me!"
"You do know that no one here cares about your appearances of nobility right?" Chief Sumibu replies with a raised eyebrow "We're not in your hidden village, we're all commoners where such matters are nonsense to us anyways."
"Baka! Its because your all commoners that I need to remind you that I am not, or what would I be? Like everyone else!" 
"Whats so bad about that?" Sumibu asks, confused.
"Just...just..baka! baka! bakabakabaka! Bakas, All of you! Hmph!"
She turns around and crosses her arms. 
"Someone's being Tsun today..." Yasutoki mutters under his breath
"What was that!?"
"Nothing!" he says back.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama sighed with a relief as it seemed not as intense as he feared.


Usagi swest dropped as Senko and Kimiko took over the scene.
"Well they COULD be missing nins!" she argued in the favor of the cop she grew to like.

"Not everyone get to be a geniouse baka princesses like you! Baka!' she argued with a bark.

Odayama summon Matamune here again.
"More fresh kill. Can you locate where the killer went through the smell of the blood or something?"

-"Maybe. But why a damn snake is in here as well?"

Odayama sigh. "Look, your animal realm politics should stay there. Right?"

-"N...Yes. I guess." and the cat go to do his job again

---

*Yoroi*

He sighed.
*"No. Not really."* he walk there.
*"I just usually train here to steam off some frusrations... I am also... a Ronin born at the Land Of Iron but..."*
he raise a eyebrow.
*"A retainer? Of who?"*

----------


## Rater202

> *Yuyuyu: Point out a Clue*
> "Um, Senko, I was investigating the rest of the house while you were doing that, and I found this open window and few things disturbed in a bed room. Whoever came in they did so came around the side and entered without using the door. Its possible that they were just using Silent Movement Technique and not a genjutsu. That and maybe they made a mistake this time."
> "And it makes no sense for us to walk around and go through the window to kill him when we could just go through the door." says Yabe.


"Okay, so we can rule them out... That leaves the veteran and the traveling priests, right...?"

Menko seems genuinely confused.

"...What do you mean 'choice?' "

"Humans traditionally engage in long term monogamous romantic relationships."

"...Well that's boring. So you don't just group up with one or more mates and do stuff till the eggs come along, then level them in a hole in wall while you do other stuff?"

"Humans don't lay eggs. The fertilized egg cell divides and estates within the biological mother's womb and an infant is then passed out in process that involves a lot of screaming and shedding of assorted bodily fluids."

"...Humans are disgusting."



> -"Maybe. But why a damn snake is in here as well?"


"Same reason your here, I was summoned."




> *Yoroi*
> 
> He sighed.
> *"No. Not really."* he walk there.
> *"I just usually train here to steam off some frusrations... I am also... a Ronin born at the Land Of Iron but..."*
> he raise a eyebrow.
> *"A retainer? Of who?"*


"A short time ago, I... Acted in error, and now owe a debt to the current Snake Sage, one of your comrades. I believe she made a formal introduction on the radio a few days ago, a girl named Senko."

"I have sworn to serve her until such a time as my debt is repaid, as is the honorable thing."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki:*
Officer Yasutoki says "An open window and you think thats proof? Maybe they opened it just to throw you off! You don't know. and the monks are staying with Hoga, our ninshuu priest, sure they're no religion I've seen before but such folk aren't harmful. Why Hoga has helped out many people all over the town with no thought of reward, he is the most kindly person I know."
"I would say thats a reason NOT to trust his judgment actually: Ninshuu Priests are spiritually obligated to provide food and shelter to any travelers regardless of their background or beliefs. The travelers as long as they stay have to help out around the shrine if they are physically able but even if they're murderers this ninshuu priest would have spiritual demands to try and redeem them if he was aware. Failing that, strong taboos against violence, killing or defiling the shrine by fighting within it. Finding the murderers there would be....troublesome."
The cat smells the corpses and sure enough the trail leads to the open window and into the town, not being on the two mercenaries at all. Will you follow it?

----------


## Rater202

"...You say you have never heard of their religious beliefs before? What can you tell m about them? Becuase our killer or killers...  The murders are a ritualized kinjutsu. And a fringe-religion would be the perfect cover for any other ritualized behaviors or techniques they are performing."

"I mean, obviously they aren't openly preaching their worship of an Evil God* or anything, nobody would be stupid enough to do that and if on some chance they were then that would make them the obvious first suspects of a ritualized murder but..."

"...Actually, religious fanatics would be exactly the kind of people who would perform a ritualized Kinjutsu to steal the chakra from someone. These are all just civilians, so it cannot be their knowledge or the secrets within their bodies, but chakra is the essence of life and the essence of spirit. Someone seeking to empower themselves, someone seeking to achieve some sort of immortality, someone attempting to perform a Reincarnation Technique without sacrificing themselves to bring back their target... Every possible motive for collecting chakra in this manner that would apply to civilian targets can be done for religious reasons."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki: Meet the Priest*
"Well....they were two bald men wearing black gi's with white sashes. Not the oddest sight by itself. Nor was how they preached everything was apart of the natural cycle of life, thats what the kami are all about to. The weird part is that the only believed in one god and didn't believe in any other religions. They know they can believe in more than one right? Kami for Nature, Sage of the Six Paths for humanity, and Yin-Yang for yourself. They each teach different things and so they're all valuable, just common sense." says Officer Sumibu
"Yeah, they neglect the other aspects of things, who even does that?" Yasutoki says back. "Though I do find the Followers of the Way a bit hard to understand at times. What does "Do without Doing" even mean!?"

So, assuming you have nothing else to do, you all head over to the humble Ninshuuist shrine in the village, which according to the cat's nose would be place where you would've ended up anyways if you followed this second blood trail. Apparently they weren't so careful the second time around. Officer Sumibu knocks and a middle aged man in white robes with six black magatama on its collar, his hair black, messy and only kept in control by two locks streaming down his side and a white headband with no plate or symbol on it and sandals answers, smiling.
"Oh! hello Officer. I see you brought in some guests to our humble little town. Hello shinobi of Otogakure, I am Hoga Matsusuke, Ninshuu priest of the School of Pacifist Philosophy. How may I help you? If your traveling towards a mission I am happy to let you stay the night if you help around the shrine, though I already have some guests here and I only have water and rice available to eat as per my dietary restrictions, I was hoping to restock on other vegetables tomorrow, but I could move it up to today if need be."

----------


## Rater202

"Actually, no. We are in town investigating the murder... There has been a second victim, and we have reason to suspect that two wandering priests of an uncommon faith, who I believe to be are your guests here, may be involved. We would like to talk to them."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki Shrine: Hu's on First*
His eyes widen.
"Oh! Thats quite serious. Very well, come in, but please, no violence within this sacred shrine. It is all I ask." the Ninshuu priest says with a respectful bow. The others introduce themselves as they walk in. He leads you inside, the shrine looks much like any other, an older style building compared to everything around it, very traditional, very austere and immaculate, its one of those humble shrines and doesn't have much decoration to it. You go into a room where two men in black monk robes are sitting cross-legged, meditating. 
"Hello my fellow monks, there are visitors. These are investigators into a murder that want to speak to you." he informs them politely.
They open their eyes and see you. They begin introducing themselves with wide creepy smiles.
"Hello. I am Hu."
"And I am Yu!"
"Wait no, I'm me. who are you?"
"I'm am not Hu!"
"Yes I'M Hu! Not Yu!"
"Yes I know your not me, my name is Yuyuyu"
"Your three of me?"
"No I'm not you!"
"But you just said your Yu three times."
"Agh! But who are you?"
"We told I'm Hu and this is Yu."
"The latter is not an answer, are you telling me the former doesn't know their name?"
"No I am Hu."
"So you don't know, do you have a history of amnesia?"
"No, I remember everything clearly"
"and so do I"
"Who are you then?"
"I just told you, I am Hu!"
"and I'm Yu!"
"Your not me!"
"Of course not, I'm Yu!"
"But I just said-"
"That your who? I don't think being him three times is a real answer."
"I'm not you either!"
"I'm glad we agree that your not Yu."
"What no, I am me!"
"Your name is Mi?"
"No I'm not you!"
"Yes I know your not me. Your who again?"
"I'm Yuyuyu!"
"but you just said your not me!"
Kimiko has enough of this nonsense and says
"STOP! THIS IS DUMB! Ninshu Priest, what are they doing!?"
"Now don't be rude. Priest Matsusuke is what I prefer. These two monks are actually named Hu (胡) and Yu (ゆう), not the words. They seem to enjoy doing this sort of thing as a comedy routine as they travel to put joy on peoples faces. I can tell you I was a bit confused for a while as they did it but eventually the confusion cleared up. It seems to encourage charitable donations to their religion. I can't really fault them for that, I sometimes do something similar by reading various tales of the Sage of Six Paths, both old and new. Sometimes comedic interpretations of Hagoromo do more to spread his teachings than more serious ones, which I think the Sage would approve of."
"Ugh. Fine. I'll question them. Confusingly Named Monks! What is your religion? Explain it!"
They focus a bit more, but still smile creepily. 
"Ah, you would like to hear the word of our daimyo and kami, Lord Jashin?"
"Very well! Jashin, you see, is all about the cycle of life.  Birth, life, death. These are all natural things that happen, and we all have to accept that for one thing to live, another thing must die. All life feeds on other life, and thus one thing dies to uphold the lives of others. Predators kill prey, predators eventually die and picked apart by scavengers. Scavengers are in turned hunted and eaten. They eventually feed the ground, which feeds the plants, which feeds the herbivores which feed the carnivores once again. We are all apart of the world and nature you see. Jashinism is all about accepting this natural part of things and being one with it."  
"You do know that "Jashin" literally means evil god right?"
"Ah that, well that is only the modern definition that has been used by the authorities to demonize us. It originally referred to a nature spirit embodying birth life and death, but was never popular because nature was seen as more dangerous during the warring states era."
Kimiko narrows her eyes suspiciously
"First I've heard such a religion."
"Well of course, Jashin was never as popular as other religions, we've been oppressed for so long."
"Yeah have some respect for the less fortunate! History is written by the winners after all!"
"So tell me, you only believe in one deity, you think them all powerful?"
"Of course!"
"Isn't that a bit ridiculous? If they're so powerful, why haven't they solved everything?"
"Because they already created it solved. You are just one who doesn't see the solutions already provided in nature. Lord Jashin needs not to do more and this is the best possible universe."
"Ha! This is not the best possible universe."
"To one without faith, perhaps. But we have faith that it is."
"How can you have belief in some ridiculous higher power like that?"
"Easier than you, it would seem."
"Yes I'm not as foolish as you, after all."
"Now, now, Kimiko this is a space where all beliefs are respected and welcome with open arms. No insulting others" Priest Matsusuke says chidingly
"....Fine I apologize. Anyways to get to the main topic: There has been another murder. One with the same triangle and circle symbol."
She shows the picture of the first murder to them
"Do you recognize this?"
"We will tell you like we told the cops before: we've never seen this symbol before in our lives"
"Yup, never seen it. Nothing to do with the murder."
She puts it away
"Where were you four hours ago?"
"Oh we went to local tea house of course."
"Sowari's Teahouse. Real good tea and rice, y'know to sample local cuisine."
"Yes I do remember you two telling me that you were going to Tea house to enjoy a lunch around that time." Priest Matsusuke says.
Kimiko just looks at Senko with an eyebrow raised, you can tell she doesn't entirely trust these guys stories.

----------


## Rater202

"People are more ignorant about nature now than they were a few generations ago. Nature is not your friend, nature does not hate you, but nature does not love you, either. I spent a few years living on my own in the wilderness."

"While trying to forage some edible plants that lied near a stream, I saw a small mammal, I suppose a weasel of some kind, being followed by several infants of its species and I watched as the mature specimen fished up a bloated fish and begin to eat it alive. As the fish began to within agony, from its guts did spill the eggs it was carrying as it swam upstream, which were readily eaten by the younglings."

"A mother and her children lived because they cruelly slew a mother and her children."

"...Tell me, Priests of Jashin... Postulate the existence of a child born with an incredible power that they cannot control. This power builds up in them until one day it bursts free. The child is transformed, and this uncontrollable power drives them mad. When they come to their senses, the child finds that everyone they've even known and loved is dead. Dead in a horrible manner. Deaths that serve no purpose. And the blood is, both literally and figuratively, on the Child's hands."

"What would your God say about that?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hu and Yu:*
"......"
They are silent for a moment, frowning. They seem to look like they remembered something, as if you've reminded them of something else.
"Lord Jashin teaches that there are Predators.....and Prey. The fact of the world is those that are stronger kill and consume those that are weaker. This is simply the way of the world, the order upon which it functions. Nations, companies, shinobi, greater causes and so on are stronger than anything under them and thus kill that which is lesser, like food. The greater gets to continue while the lesser simply dies. Some being are simply meant to die so that greater beings prosper. This hypothetical child was the greater and thus killed the lesser. Thus by the order of the natural world, it was a predator consuming prey. By some instinct this power followed, it was acting to become stronger. It was simply acting naturally. The plans of nature and Jashin are mysterious, whose to say that instinct didn't serve some purpose like that? These instincts and world given to us were laid down by Jashin long before we were born, they have persisted for a very long time, who are we to question them if they lead to the continuation of a strong lifeform?" Yu explains.
"Congratulations, you just described nobility. What else are you going to reinvent, the wheel?" Kimiko haughtily snarks back at them.
"We do not claim to bring a new order, simply to describe and explain that which already exists." Hu says

----------


## Rater202

Senko hums non-commitally.

"So, hypothetically, if one man could better himself by killing another, such as by taking the victim's power for himself, or extending his life with the remaining life of his victim, your god would consider this a good thing?"

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama let the girls to do the talks.
He and Matamune tried to sneak from the windows or roof to the ceiling, in his sloth form, so slow that it will be hard to detect, planting dozens of scrolls to rain on the priests.



Usagi riding Yojimbo looked...bored

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hu and Yu:*
Yu suddenly yells out at this.
"....You little brats! You don't know our pain! We were in the Third Shinobi War. We remember like it was yesterday: Young soldiers recently recruited by all the propaganda posters and marching songs and speeches of bravery. We went into battle hoping to prove ourselves, to fight for our nation. We thought we were being courageous and strong, though we were protecting something. But then came shinobi like you. shadows out of nowhere blasting fire and lightning, killing our fellow ashigaru all around us. To survive we had to hide."
"When the battle was over, we were the only two ashigaru of our unit left. We were surrounded by the corpses of our fallen comrades. People we trained alongside in boot camp, people that we learned to work together with, captains that we learn to respect. Looking at all the death, all the lives lost, we couldn't keep fighting. Instead of trying to the main body of the army, we deserted. What point was fighting a war if you didn't live to be victorious? What point to war was there if you saw all your companions die around you for some nation?"
"In our desertion we saw others like us, we saw them steal things from the corpses of fallen soldiers: deserters like us, peasants ruined by the war trying to make whatever profit they can, thieves, mercenaries....scavengers all of them! Far from being alone in our cowardice, we were common, even normal in it. We saw the true nature of war and humanity, and knew that the cruelty and pain did not end at the battlefield and perhaps never will. We had to fight among the dregs and scum to survive and feared that we would die anyways and began to despair."
Yu stands up spreading his arms in an insane smile
"But then we found Jashin! Lord Jashin gave us hope! Gave us strength in such dark times! Gave us assurance that we would not die any longer! That we would triumph over the weak by becoming the strong! That he would show us the way as the new elite of this world!"
"Uh, well you see.....what he means to say is that....we would never try to consume another's life force for any reason.....yeaaaah...." Hu says nervously trying to save this. 
"Please disregard, we are nothing but humble weak veterans, and have bad memories of our time in ashigaru service. Surely it is reasonable that we have some sore feelings about being the only survivors and finding new faith that.....encourages us to better ourselves. Yu here is getting carried away and mouth off at times, he really needs to learn self control."
"No Hu! We were the only survivors! We joined so that we would be strong in this world! Why do we have to grovel and cower before these shinobi!? Why do we have to be polite to people like the ones that killed all the people we knew!? Its not as if we're in danger!"
"Shut up, Yu...."
" Your now just contradicting yourselves, because you said you were "oppressed" and "less fortunate" before and Hu is saying that your old weak veterans. Now your saying your stronger and apart of the predators? What are you, strong or weak? What are the beliefs of your religion really? Because either you were lying earlier, or you don't know. And I doubt even people stupid as you can mistake opposing concepts. So.....which is it? Strong.......or weak?"
At this their faces get cross and Yu grits his teeth in anger.
"Why you......LITTLE BRATS! WHY I OUGHT TO-" Yu moves to try and draw his wakizaishi at his belt but then Priest Matsusuke suddenly steps in the way of both of them.
"Stop! Yu, Hu, think about this. If your innocent, don't draw your blade. And if your guilty, just confess and let this end nonviolently. You can still be saved even if your guilty. I will come to visit you in jail, to make sure your doing fine if that is the case. I will find someone else to manage the shrine if I must and work to rehabilitate you and make sure you move on from your trauma and pain. The Third Shinobi War hurt us all. You don't need to keep suffering, together people can heal. You don't have to divide the world into strong and weak but simply different kinds of strength that work in some areas and don't work in others and I'm sure we can find yours. Its not too late for you...for anyone. We can't let war define who we are. Or revenge be what drives us."
"Outta the way, Matsusuke! Jashin doesn't allow us to kill priests! we can't risk ticking off other deities."
But no matter how Yu moves, Matsusuke gets keeps getting in the way, not attacking anyone but just making this difficult by standing around.
"I'm giving you a chance to end this peacefully. this can still be solved another way."
"No! Never. Not after what happened to me. Not with those dang shinobi. I'm going to live, no matter what!"
"....Yu, lets just take finish this outside" says Hu "Lets not be sacrilegious."
Priest Matsusuke just seems sad and disappointed.
".....Very well, if I can't turn you from your path, not damaging this ninshu shrine is all I can ask, from any of you."
Hu and Yu will attempt to walk with you guys outside to finish this.

----------


## Rater202

"Priest, I appreciate your perspective, but some people are beyond saving. Some people do not _want_ to be saved."

Senko tries not to think about what's going to happen if she can't talk Ottomaru down.

"If these two are the murderers... And they have done very little to dissuade us of that notion, then they ritualistically stole the chakra from two people... Or maybe more? If we backtracked along their path, how many bodies would we find?"

"I mean, I am far from one to talk, my Clan possesses the same power... In fact, my Clan's version is rather... _gruesome_, but I have never _murdered_ someone with it."

"Yu says that they cannot kill priests of other religions... But I would not put that to the test: hypocrisy and self-justification are common traits among those who think their suffering allows them to kill who they wish. Though it may break your heart, you may have to write these two off and focus on spreading the Sage's words to a more receptive audience."

Again, Senko is trying hard not to think about what will happen if Ottomaru can't be talked down.

She leaves the shrine, wary for the traveling murder-priests to make the first punch.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki Town: Fight!*
Priest Matsusuke will simply sigh and reply 
"I know, I know, my child. But I had to try nonetheless."
Kimiko meanwhile will say
"Hypocrisy? You give them too much credit, hyuhyu. They are intentionally lying to cover themselves, worse than mere hypocrisy."
Once they are out on the street, Chief Sumibu will blow a horn in certain pattern to signal to clear the streets with people running into their homes. Meanwhile Hu and Yu will draw their wakizaishis and Yu will say
"Okay you want a confession? Here is your confession: Jashin only preaches death and destruction. All that about nature and such was just lies to make him seem more palatable. Yeah, we killed that farmer and the merchant guy. They were weak, like we once were and deserved what they got. Only you get by in this world is by screwing others over so you can be at the top. Thats because Lord Jashin knows this world's bleak truth! But we're loyal servants, and thus we are protected by accepting this suffering and becoming its masters! You will never defeat us, shinobi! Come, try to kill me- if you can!"
Meanwhile Hu will back up away from Yu and begin drawing something in the dirt. Yu will step forward, confident and grinning

However the mercenary guards, who by the way followed you because they wanted to find the real killer as much as anyone, suddenly take out their crossbows and fire at Yu.
"You murdered our friend and client!" says Yabe
"We will make you pay for what you've done! We must avenge who we could not protect!" yells Ueki.
The bolts are competently aimed at the center of mass. He doesn't even block against them: they penetrate his heart and both of Yu's lungs....yet he still stands, unfazed. He looks down casually pulls out both with his free hand, and you watch through the holes in his black robes the wounds regenerate until they are closed. Their expressions falter a bit as the bolts, lethal against any normal man, had no effect. 
"Behold.....the immortality granted by Jashin. You have no hope of winning.
But they weren't giving up just yet.
"Use swords!" Ueki decides "The ninja kept talk about him sucking out life energy or something, we cut off limbs he is probably going to either be more damaged by that or use up more energy to regenerate them than bolt wounds."
The two merc draw their own wakizaishis and begin to run towards Yu, but Yuyuyu jumps in and grabs Yabe to pull him away and jumping onto a rooftop with him in tow.
"Stop you fools! Your going to die!"
Yu sees one of the shinobi getting vulnerable and jumps towards Yuyuyu with speed rivalling a Chuunin, she responds by unfolding her shield-umbrella to block his blade. 

Officer Yasutoku brings up his crossbow aiming at Yu saying
"Normal bolts don't work, but our tranquilizers might and if they're immortal anyways perhaps its best to just incapacitate them anyways..."
but Chief Sumibu pulls him back
"Don't be foolish boy, this is a ninja fight now. We're useless. Those two mercs should've known better than to get involved. we have to flee and prepare to get this own evac'd if these shinobi can't stop them."
"I didn't sign on to this job to run away! They need to be brought to justice!"
he slaps him upside the head
"Boy if this team fails the only way they will be brought to justice in Land of Rice is if we successfully escape, then go into debt to pay the Sound Village for tougher shinobi to be sent. Lets move!"
The two officers begin running. 

Meanwhile Kimiko will run forward to Hu, drawing the Origami-No-Tsurugi and lashing at him with her paper whip to try and disrupt whatever he's drawing in the dirt with his sword, knowing full well what a seal could be capable of, scoring a big red slash across his back that begins regenerating. He winces for a moment at the pain and continues to draw.

----------


## Rater202

Menko will try to use her Genjutsu to sneak up on Hu and try an dd mess up the symbol she's drawing without being noticed.

Senko, meanwhile, well, since she was wearing the long robe she carefully takes it off, folds it, and hands it to either the chief or the officer, whoever is closer.

"Be very careful, the second victim's body is still sealed in the scroll in the pocket... If you have a sensitive constitution you way want to close your eyes."

Senko takes a moment to crack her knuckles and shoulders.

"You know what the most messed up part of this whole endeavor is...? Even though your God is obviously something that you made up to justify being a band of murderous wandering tramps... In a way you are right. Under the current system, harming and killing others _is_ the only way to succeed in life to any meaningful degree... It is life's bitterest shame..."

Senko's markings spread along her body, completely covering her... Then expand out over her right arm until it turns a ruddy-reddish orange. A carapace begins to form around it, and a foot-long spike juts out from her palm.

"That is why I am going off the rails... Tearing down this corrupt system one jackass at a time... I think that I will start by stress-testing your supposed immortality. If you have even the slightest amount of faith in the blessings of your false-god, you had best not dodge."

With that, Senko runs full tilt towards where Yu and Yuyuyu are locked and leaps over them, unring in mid-air and attempting to drive the spike in question into Yu's back.

If successful, she will attempt to begin cellular regeneration absorption.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi smile.
"Finally!" she a very little compassion. 
The world was cruel. If you were too weak to survive, this was on you.
"Out of the way, weaklings!" she yelled to the Ashigarus.
Queen Nagaishu was queen of rabbits, a specie hunted by others. And they didn't tolerated weakness. She led Yojimbo in circles, using the others's action as a distraction for her landing a circle of bell needles, which were required for her lullaby.


Odayama started to delibratly drop scrolls to support the efforts- some rained kunais and shurikens, some tried to seal the Jashin priests.

- - - Updated - - -

*Yoroi*
"I dont listen to radio. I never met this girl. She just artificaly enhanced the power of Kimiko's team. But I guess it's impressive." he say.
"Though I dont trust those animals. Snakes. Rabbits. all those alien things... can"t be compared to a good blade."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki Town: Move Two*
Menko's genjutsu succeeds automatically and the circle is messed up and Hu looks down and sees it, saying
 "What the-? Did I accidentally smudge it with my foot or something? Or did that blue-haired girl do some earth ninjutsu?"
Before he can redraw, his wakizaishi is caught by her paper whip and Kimiko pulls, trying to get it out Hu's grip, but Hu is stronger than her in terms of pure physical strength and begins pulling her instead. So she uses her chakra to tear the end of the blade off, leaving some of it wrapped around his wakizaishi, retracts it back to normal size. Hu only seeing Kimiko takes a stance, see he won't have time for the circle and will dodge away the seals but take hits from the kunais and shurikens that Odayama throws

Yu meanwhile will turn around to look at what Senko is doing
"What in Jashin's name is-"
He gets stabbed in the front, thinking it won't hurt him. Then he feels himself getting....drained. Senko you feel as if Yu is full of chakra and life energy, like far more than he should be, but nothing out of the ordinary. Like this is excessive amounts of normal chakra and all the chakra your not absorbing seems to be converted into biomass to replace that your absorbing. He seems to feel it to, because he tries to use his right hand to try and slash at you and his other hand to push you off with his strength while he uses his legs to try and jump away from you and especially away from the sealing tags that Odayama throws with that same jump.
"Stop that! What....whatever that is! Jashin will have no mercy!"

Meanwhile Yuyuyu knocks out Yabe and turns invisible with her genjutsu while Yu is distracted using the opportunity to escape with the foolish mercenary. 

Ueki, the remaining mercenary on the field.....is he intelligent enough to escape? Yes he is. He begins running away seeing what is going on, having second thoughts about this now, even if he feels some shame about not protecting his client. 

Both of the Monks seem too distracted to do anything about the bell circle Usagi is putting down.

----------


## Rater202

> *Yoroi*
> "I dont listen to radio. I never met this girl. She just artificaly enhanced the power of Kimiko's team. But I guess it's impressive." he say.
> "Though I dont trust those animals. Snakes. Rabbits. all those alien things... can"t be compared to a good blade."


"Fair enough..." Tomoe draws her own blade and begins going through the motions of her forms. "Of course, the same can be said of anything a ninja does. The Samurai of the land of Iron train in pure manipulation of chakra, its flow, its shape, undiluted by the elements. No tricks, just raw power tempered by a calm mind and channeled through an expertly wielded blade."



> *Touzaki Town: Move Two*
> Menko's genjutsu succeeds automatically and the circle is messed up and Hu looks down and sees it, saying
>  "What the-? Did I accidentally smudge it with my foot or something? Or did that blue-haired girl do some earth ninjutsu?"
> Before he can redraw, his wakizaishi is caught by her paper whip and Kimiko pulls, trying to get it out Hu's grip, but Hu is stronger than her in terms of pure physical strength and begins pulling her instead. So she uses her chakra to tear the end of the blade off, leaving some of it wrapped around his wakizaishi, retracts it back to normal size. Hu only seeing Kimiko takes a stance, see he won't have time for the circle and will dodge away the seals but take hits from the kunais and shurikens that Odayama throws


Menko considers shifting into snake form and biting the mad monk, but thinks better of it: Her venom's effects are intense illusionary pain, but can be resisted by someone with more chakra than her.

Instead, she drops her genjustu and uses her Multiple Autonomous Clones to create a dozen copies of herself to run around acting crazy in order to add to the chaos and be distracting.



> Yu meanwhile will turn around to look at what Senko is doing
> "What in Jashin's name is-"
> He gets stabbed in the front, thinking it won't hurt him. Then he feels himself getting....drained. Senko you feel as if Yu is full of chakra and life energy, like far more than he should be, but nothing out of the ordinary. Like this is excessive amounts of normal chakra and all the chakra your not absorbing seems to be converted into biomass to replace that your absorbing. He seems to feel it to, because he tries to use his right hand to try and slash at you and his other hand to push you off with his strength while he uses his legs to try and jump away from you and especially away from the sealing tags that Odayama throws with that same jump.
> "Stop that! What....whatever that is! Jashin will have no mercy!"


Senko blocks the slash by catching it with her free hand, allowing the blade to embed into her palm, and then grabbing it. All the while continuing to drain away.

"Why not? I am following his teachings. You said it yourself, if you are not strong enough to stop me from taking your power for myself, your cells for myself, your _life_ for myself, from stopping me from _exploiting you as a resource to better myself at your expense until you die,_ then you deserve to suffer and die for your weakness. Either Jashin exists and I am doing his willwith the power I was born with, the power that _you bastards said was worth the deaths of everyone I had ever known and loved,_ or Jashin is a figment of your twisted imagination and I am putting down an unrepentant murderer who is resisting arrest."

"My power is Senninka, a natural ability to use Senjutsu. A power that the White Snake Sage says is the same as that of the _Ten-Tails._ Absorbing chakra, passively taking in natural energy, repurposing biomass for my own needs... Of course, I have not verified these claims, and honestly, I do not believe in Gods but... Honestly, 'Neo Sage of Six Paths' has a nice ring to it. Either the stories are true and fully recreating his power within myself will let me recreate Ninshu and try bring peace to this world, or the stories are not and I would still be the most powerful Sage who alive and able to easily defeat little bastards like you who make things worse for everyone else. Either way, it would be a _glorious_ experiment."

"So right now, You-Who-Hypoctirically-Fears-His-Death, you have a choice... You can surrender, renounce your false god, stand trial for your crimes, and face justice... Or you can become part of something greater than yourself"

----------


## igordragonian

Yoroi draw his normal katana. The cursed one remain on his back.
*"Well, I do know jutsus. I preffer not to use them, if I dont have to-but it give me the knowledge to resist and counter them.'* he explain, trianing with the moves his father shown him.
*"But I do have great respect to the first Ottokage, who helped me and my mother, when we were in need... so I serve the village in his name."* he wonder.
*"I don't think I ever had fair and honest sword dual..."*

----

Odayama would keep spamming scrolls raining weapons 
and Usagi has finished her circle of bell needles- starting to play the lullaby

----------


## Lord Raziere

*On the Ground, Hu:*
Hu is confused at all these little snake girls everywhere running around him and he makes a few slashes at them, not really hitting anything. The bells sound off and he falls asleep, having no genjutsu defense at all. Meanwhile Kimiko had turned into another Menko with transformation technique, flashes steps towards him while he is asleep, does a few quick movements that don't really seem to be trying to kill him? Then she dashes away among the Menkos. 

*Rooftop, Yu:*
Yu meanwhile- well his blade cuts into palm as you grab it, Senko. It hurts. He slides the blade out of your grip, which hurts even more. Then he....licks your blood on the blade? What?
"All philosophies are flawed if you examine them enough. At some point? You got to take some things on faith, and your just arguing my faith's stance to try and show me those flaws. But you don't actually believe any of it. Jashin cares not for nonbelievers! I believe in Jashin because ninjas took away so much from me and Jashin offered me the power to get back at people like you-its not as if any ninja would teach their secrets to a lowly ashigaru to empower them. All you ninja are the same: secretive jerks who don't want anyone else in their little chakra club and killing anyone who tries to get in. All the while talking about your nation or your dreams that will never come true. Now-aw kuso."
Yu will pull your arm out of himself and jump away to Hu trying to pick him up and carry him away in retreat. He isn't dumb.

----------


## Rater202

> Yoroi draw his normal katana. The cursed one remain on his back.
> *"Well, I do know jutsus. I preffer not to use them, if I dont have to-but it give me the knowledge to resist and counter them.'* he explain, trianing with the moves his father shown him.
> *"But I do have great respect to the first Ottokage, who helped me and my mother, when we were in need... so I serve the village in his name."* he wonder.
> *"I don't think I ever had fair and honest sword dual..."*


Tomoe takes a battle ready stance.

"To first blood, then?"


> *Rooftop, Yu:*
> Yu meanwhile- well his blade cuts into palm as you grab it, Senko. It hurts. He slides the blade out of your grip, which hurts even more. Then he....licks your blood on the blade? What?
> "All philosophies are flawed if you examine them enough. At some point? You got to take some things on faith, and your just arguing my faith's stance to try and show me those flaws. But you don't actually believe any of it. Jashin cares not for nonbelievers! I believe in Jashin because ninjas took away so much from me and Jashin offered me the power to get back at people like you-its not as if any ninja would teach their secrets to a lowly ashigaru to empower them. All you ninja are the same: secretive jerks who don't want anyone else in their little chakra club and killing anyone who tries to get in. All the while talking about your nation or your dreams that will never come true. Now-aw kuso."
> Yu will pull your arm out of himself and jump away to Hu trying to pick him up and carry him away in retreat. He isn't dumb.


"...You know, if you were not a murderous psychopath worshipping a made-up god, we probably could have been friends. Think on that in whatever afterlife you end up in... Probably Hell. Yeah, if Hell exists you are most certainly going there."

Senko jumps after him and tries to land a kick on his head.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki Town: Checkmate*
Yu gets kicked in the head and crashes into a wall, sending cracks across it in the impact, making him fall to the ground. Kimiko throws a seal upon him while he is busy getting up, knowing that they kept evading the seal tags for some reason. Yu is still focused on getting Hu out of here however and runs up to him, picking him up like a fellow soldier even though he no longer feels any chakra, the seal cutting him off. But he sees another sealing tag on Hu placed by either Kimiko or one of the throws of Odayama when he fell asleep,  Yu tries to rip it off, but- brute force doesn't work. He doesn't know how to take seals off and its stuck on him. Instead he curses and smacks him awake
"Hu! wake up they did the weird sealing tag thing to us! I can't feel chakra!"
"Huh? wha? oh okay, I can't either, lets go"
They immediately begin running having some knowledge of what this means for them. However Kimiko grins wide like a shark catching its prey and forms a single hand seal:
"Explosive Tag: Release."
Immediately the paper wrapped around Hu's sword from earlier? Yeah, that is filled with multiple explosive tag seals of ink. She put them there earlier in the tug of war. Hu looks at it, still a little sleepy in confusion while Yu more awake and quick on the uptake yells
"QUICK! THROW THE SWO-"
*BOOM!*
The explosive flashes with light and kicks up a bunch of dust as it covers the whole width of the street, shrapnel from the blade flying out from the center here and there, but body parts and pieces of black cloth as well scattered all around. When it clears, there is a scorch mark on the ground, bit of a rough shallow crater in the middle, its a mess. Kimikos face goes from enjoying the big explosion that happens to something more pensive as it fades. Yuyuyu jumps in and prods the severed head of Yu with the tip of her umbrella. Poke poke.
"They're really dead. How?"
"hyuhyu! 
Kimiko's suddenly puts on a mask of ego again 
"They're only dead because they were both sealed by tags. I was observing the whole fight and how they kept avoiding the sealing tags thrown by Odayama, so I simply figured that whatever kept them alive could be shut off and thus render them mortal again then I waited for my opportunity to finish them. They were never protected by any god, just a clever application of chakra, like anything else. The only trick they knew, because they clearly had no ninjutsu or genjutsu knowledge to help them. They were one trick ponies, nothing against me and my genius....and you guys. You all helped."
"Uh...huh.....though if they didn't have any knowledge of those things, then I figure that someone else gave them their one weird trick. Immortality even if its at the cost of other peoples isn't exactly basic or common knowledge jutsu. I doubt two random ex-ashigaru could come up with this and a made up cult out of nowhere. There is someone else out there who gave them this one weird trick. Someone who probably knows more how ninjutsu works. If they were still alive we could've asked them who, but now we might never know."
"Hm. Too bad I guess."
Priest Matsusuke will walk outside looking on sadly and says
"I will prepare funeral arrangements for Hu and Yu, as well as those who they murdered. They said they hailed from the Land of Earth when I spoke to them. Hopefully their remains will enjoy being buried in that style."
"You'd do that for them?" Yuyuyu asks
"Of course" Matsusuke says "No one else will." as if its the simplest thing in the world. 

Officer Yasutoki stands beside Chief Sumibu and the two mercenaries looking at the victory
"....They have authorization to kill people, don't they?" asks Yasutoki
"Yyyuuuup." says Sumibu
"They took down immortal people though..."
"Yeah, let me tell the first advice they give you in the army: never fight a shinobi. They're the most flexible, resourceful and clever bastards in the world. Turns out, those guys were too narrow to win. Though if they were bit quicker they could've thrown the explosive tag back, I remember some of the quicker ashigaru being able to do that. Saved my life more than once."
"....I'm....I'm not angry about my assignment here anymore, if people like these are what is out there."
"Good! Stay cautious kid. You'll live longer."

----------


## Rater202

"Yes, we have the authorization to kill people as long as it is the pursuit o our mission or otherwise under an authorized circumstance. Technically, I _think_ we would have been in our rights to just kill you for interfering in our investigation, but that would have been wasteful and excessive."

"It is really kind of a ****ed up system if you think about it. The cultists kind of had a point. Too bad they had to go and undermine it by being murderous lunatics."

Senko retrieves her robe.

"I will need to deposit the cadaver of the second victim at the morgue before we can do anything else, and... Priest! If you intend to bury the murderers... Do it in secret, and keep the location of their graves as a secret until it is your own time to pass from this world. There are _all kinds_ of things that someone who knows what they are doing can learn from the remains of a chakra user and I would not want this parasitic immortality jutsu to fall into the wrong hands."

If it was Senko's call they'd just burn the bodies here and now... But she can sympathize with the priest's perspective.

----------


## igordragonian

*Yoroi*

Yoroi smirk with a joy. It was a joy of a foriegner, finding his own kind in a new land.
He doesn't exactly go easy, but he go simple. He send simple and strong slashes to test her reaction.
--------


Usagi grunt:"Well played, princess." she simply say.
Odayama go back to his human form panting.
"It was very impressive, girls! Good job!" He say with a smile.
"With other Genins,it might have went much more diffcult."
He wonder to himself. "But it is worrying. More of those guys might be going around. Hmm. Bad timing..."


Usagi while still on Yojimbo ride to Yatsuki. "Yo! Don't get softy!" she bark.
"I liked your style! With determination and creativity you can do anything!" She lift, stumps of legs.
"I wasn"t born to some fancy ninja family! Never settle down!"



While Usagi try to reinspire a normal cop...
Odayama turn to Senko. 
"Well. Not always we are morally superior to our enemies." He sigh and place a hand over her shoulder if she is comftrable enough with him for such a gesture.
"What we can do, is to TRY.  Violence is a tool. We ninjas masters of this tool, and at least my ninja way, and the way,I try to teach you... violence shouldn"t be the first soluation, but sometimes, it's what we got. If it help you to feel any better,  by serving a village and a nation, on the long term... we might improve the world for the next generation. That why you all, are called the "The Hope Generation.". Who knows? Maybe all of you become the leading force of the village, you will call the next generation  "the dream generation"?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Touzaki Town: Wrapping Up*
Matsusuke considers what you say
"Well....Okay. But in that case I should probably double check if the Land of Earth has any cremation rites in my books. It probably does, given the history of war we all share. Shinobi have been searching for secrets over one another for centuries in any place they can find after all and if that keeps their remains from being desecrated....so be it."
He walks away to begin collective the body parts and putting them to begin the last rites. How sad that such precautions have become tradition unto themselves.

To Odayama they respond:
Yuyuyu says raising an eyebrow
"While I appreciate the sentiment and faith in us Odayama-taichou....I think its a little early to be thinking about the generation after us. Let us go forth and try to solve things how we can, let us grow and try all the new things you never could and who knows where we will end up? Its too early to say. I will certainly try for one, its all I can promise. Life is full of surprises, who knows where our paths will lead us? We can only hope it'll be a good path."
Kimiko meanwhile scoffs and says
"Hah! I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, the Shining Star of the Hope Generation and Genius of the Ishikawa Clan! My brilliance will be so great, you won't even NEED anyone else after me! Hyuhyuhyuhyuhyuhyu...."
Kimiko says boastfully while Yuyuyu sweatdrops at this proclamation.

Yasutoki listens to Usagi and nods with a sudden fire in his eyes
"Y'know what? your right. Just because I have to be careful around ninja doesn't mean I can't do something about this world! This screwed up system! I just got to be smarter! There must be some way I solve all this my way, and if there is.....I'll try to find it!"

Yuyuyu meanwhile meets with Chief Sumibu and the two mercs to work out....a bit of a deal after everything else about the investigation was sorted out.
"Why have you called us here?"
"Oh, to work a few things out. First of all Chief Sumibu: you lied to us. Said this was a C-Rank mission but unfortunately this involved chakra using foes making it a B-rank. We are in our rights to demand higher pay even though you can't afford it. Buuuuut....I have an idea of what you can provide me so I can make sure this is all kept quiet so that you or this town keeps going economically."
"....Fine, I'll hear it."
"Simply provide me a copy of the case files covering the murder of Nakanishi Seiji, these two mercs client."
"Done." he says confused.
"Thank you!"
She turns to the mercs
"Now to you: you two don't really have any purpose now that you've lost your client you've been guarding for years. Another problem is that if the fact that said client got murdered on your watch, meaning if it got out that you failed to protect him this could ruin your reputation as your just minor mercenaries and even a black mark like this would basically make you useless to your mercenary company I wager. Who wants two random mercs that failed after all? You'd be out of a career. However you could become my spies, keep an ear on things in the Land of Fire for me and in return I won't use the Nakanishi Seiji casefile to out you about your failure and even protect you from being found out, make sure your in the clear."
"Hey whoa! But you haven't gotten the copy yet, right Sumibu? So why would we become your spies? We just have to go find different towns where Seiji didn't frequent and look for work there, you don't got anything" says Ueki
"Yeah, we just agreed to it" Sumibu says "you can't actually-"
Yuyuyu produces the full murder casefile about Hu and Yu from behind her, a clever little grin on her face.
"Already took the full casefile while you weren't looking. With this I can out both your failure and your lie more completely than if I simply had the copy. So you go make the copy Chief Sumibu and I'll hand over the real casefile, okay?"
"....Fine" he will trudge off to go make the copy
Ueki looks to Yabe
"Did we just get outplayed by a little girl?"
"Ninjas man. They raise 'im crazy."
After the copy is exchanged for the real thing Yuyuyu turns to the mercenaries.
"Now thats finished, I have a simple job for my two new spies: go to the capital of the Land of Fire, Hinoshuto, take jobs as bouncers or low level security guards and keep any eye out for any political or economic developments you can find and send me back reports monthly compiling all that you've heard. It should be safe enough for you."
"But how would that get any useful information for you just hanging out in the city?"
"Any tidbit can help, and one can extrapolate a lot from information from a city that is a center of trade for all the nations on the continent. Such movements tell more than you know, if you what connects to what."
"....If you say so" they say shrugging.

As Team 3 begins leave, Kimiko and Yuyuyu have a talk.
"You really think that they're going to be useful, Yuyuyu? They're not exactly infiltrating the Court of the Fire Daimyo itself."
"Hey, an aspiring spymistress has to start somewhere. It'll be more information about whats going in Fire country than I had before, and you know that more information is always better."
"I suppose, hope its worth it to you and all that."
"By the way Kimi, I'm surprised you didn't nerd out about that jutsu they were using. Figured you'd be all over somehow getting that with your goals."
"Oh....I wouldn't worry about that." Kimiko says back...
....Knowing there is a Book of Jashin stored in one of her scrolls on her belt, stolen from Hu when he fell asleep as they depart back for Otogakure.

----------


## Rater202

While all the wrap-up is going on, Senko deposits the second body in the morgue. She acknowledges Odayama's point but does not respond.

On the way back to sound.

"Why would she? Such a parasitic form of immortality would not play into her plans. How can she learn every ninjutsu if she must constantly murder others in the name of a made-up god in order to fuel her immortality?"

"Besides, if Kimi-chan wants to be immortal she can just ask Senko-sama if she can contract with the snakes. Pursuing immortality is kind of half of what we do. Her honored Battyness was around in the time of the Six Paths."

"I am sure that Kimiko-san would rather achieve her goals her own way."

All the while Senko continues to practice Mist generation. She's gotten to the point that she can shroud her hand in a dense fog that stays together for a few feat as she walks away.

"At this rate, I might _actually_ be able to do something practical... Kimiko-san? Does Ishikawa sensei know the hiding in Mist technique? I am starting to have some _nasty_ ideas for things I could do... Though I will have to work on improving my sensor abilities beyond the very basic before that becomes viable.

*Tomoe*

Tomoe, being older and a prodigy with the blade, blocks and parries gracefully. In truth, it has been a good while since she'd had a proper spar.

She tries for precise strikes whenerve she perceives an opening in Yoroi's guard.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She snaps her fingers and points at Senko with a shark smile
"Hyuhyu, Correct Senko! Their method was simply incredibly impractical and inefficient. They should've tried for a power source like the sun or flowing water, much more constant sources of energy and less work to get access to, and less people angry at you. Sure it looked very impressive in its durability and regeneration capabilities but it was deeply flawed. That and it could be shut down by basic sealing tags, so as a form of immortality not ideal. No way I'm using it."
But study it and get some use out of learning from it? Definitely. Just because its flawed and comes from an ignorant source doesn't mean it can't be repurposed, improved upon, redesigned towards something better. Science was all about taking the raw messy parts of world, figuring out what works from them and Engineering was all about taking what works and figuring out how to make it work for you. This was no different. 
"As for the Hiding in Mist technique, sure my anniki does. I've seen it before, my clan has periodic training sessions fighting in mist as counter-dojutsu tactics and to keep our combat hearing sharp. The number of times I've had to use nothing but taijutsu and my ears to block attacks incoming from all sides....hyuhyu, I've lost count. Why I bet you all one ryo, that I could do the Hiding in Mist Technique it on my first try, easy, right now. Anyone wanna take me up on it?"
She grins as she says this.

----------


## Rater202

"That is a sucker's bet, Kimiko-san. You possess an elemental bloodline that is composed n part of water and have demonstrated the ability to provide a passable performance with most ninjutsu after merely seeing the signs once. And that is assuming you have not already learned and mastered the techniqueyou have not actually said that you do not know the technique yourself, merely that you suspect you could pull it off now."

Senko starts drawing out the kanji of her name with the mist flowing from her hand.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She chuckles at this
"hyu hyu hyu hyu hyu! Your correct of course. I should be working on a more....challenging jutsu."
Then her eyes narrow and she brings up one hand to scrunch in concentration as she begins to try perform the Rasengan again.
"Hrrrrrrr......"
The ball of blue chakra forms in her hand.
"RRrrrrrrrrrrr........."
It spins faster and faster........
"HRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....."
Faster and more furiously then.....bursts, dispersing and losing all consistency.
"Agh! Kuso...."
As you walk along she tries again. and again. A third time. A sixth. a Tenth. Every time it ends up with much the same result and her growing more frustrated each time.
"aaaah, Stupid jutsu, this is so frustrating!"
"A jutsu that your having trouble with? Thats....a first, Kimi. How?"
"Rrrrrrrgh! Well this jutsu is supposed to be real advanced in theory. Teach you a lot about chakra control and molding if my chakra theory and math is correct. Like, if I mastered something like this, it would be an incredibly fast jutsu with no need for hand signs to use, I could just slam it into someone's face while they're still forming their hand signs as interruption, while the jutsu would help me manipulate chakra in many others ways that most can't much like how tree and water walking help chakra control. It looks simple but its actually incredibly hard and its just so......unlike any jutsu I've ever seen or done! No hand signs, nothing for me to memorize, or mental parts to understand! Just a lot of....trial and error and work. I don't think its even usable yet, every time I try slamming it into something it just leaves shallow spiral marks."
Yuyuyu comments, amused
"Heh. So even the great Kimiko Ishikawa has a point where all her talents and advantages are useless and only hard work can overcome the challenge. Didn't think I'd see the day come so soon."
"Aw shaddup."
Kimiko bites back, annoyed as she continues trying to make the Rasengan work as they walk along. She will proceed to do so for the rest of the day without much success, some of the balls lasting longer than others for a few seconds, some being more unstable, some more lopsided, some smaller, some bigger. Its clear that she is half practicing and half experimenting to try and figure how to make it work at all, trying to narrow down the right direction to go as if she isn't entirely sure about it without some clear instructions and comparison to things she's done before. As if this specific jutsu just completely defies everything she knows about chakra manipulation and is making her have to relearn it all from the ground up, frustration and determination visible on her face. You've seen her practice this on the few days journey to Touzaki as well with similar results. By the time night falls and you all stop to rest she is tired from both walking and constantly training on this one rasengan jutsu. She will take out a sleeping bag from a storage scroll then lay down in it, resting as she asks Senko while staring up at the stars.
"....Senko. What made you decide that Hu and Yu should die, and not Ottomaru?"

----------


## Rater202

Senko thinks about that question for a long time. It might seem like she's philosophizing, but in truth she's just trying to figure out how to explain it without giving away that the Otokage is to blame.

"Hu and Yu were grown men who made a rational decision to commit homicide."

"Ottomaru, if what I have learned is correct, is a small child who chose to trust the wrong person and as a result was subjected to cruel and unethical experiments that effectively drove him insane."

"So... It comes down to personal responsibility? For Hu and Yu, they themselves are solely to blame for their actions. You could argue that whoever taught them that kinjutsu is partly to blame, but they still chose to use it. At worst, they ma have been radicalized, which would have maybe earned them a modicum of mercy... If their supposed immortality had not made it exceedingly difficult to do enough damage to properly incapacitate them."

"With Ottomaru... From what I saw and what he said, it seems like he's just trying to make it stop hurting but is too warped to... So, in this case, the lion's share of the blame for his actions results not on the child himself, but on the _bastard_ who put him in that state to begin with."

"Besides... I did much worse at a much younger age and was let off the hook for similar reasons. If he is to be condemned then what right to I have to live free?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She thinks about your words as she stares up at the night sky. Trying to grapple with what you said in her own strange mind.
"....I guess that makes sense...I guess its just that at the same time you decided to kill them, you were also kind of sympathetic to the fact that all their comrades died, yet didn't take their side. Its confusing. 

Does that mean to you, that the fact that what was done to Ottomaru was more painful because it resembled your own situation, and thus warranted more sympathy than them? Or is it because you consider it more sympathetic the smaller the number of the age? You expressed this inverse notion where the larger the number of the age, and the clearer the decision, you decided to hate them more?

Like were you deciding on the basis of logic or emotion? Is this a thing of objectivity or subjectivity? 

Also: Responsibility. What is that?"

----------


## Rater202

"Responsibility is... If I push someone down a flight of stairs, that person becomes injured. That person is not responsible for their injuries because they fell, I am responsible because I pushed them...

"...Unless, of course, that person was an assailant, and I pushed them _off_ of my and their falling down that flight of stairs was a byproduct of my defending myself. Then the injuries become _their_ responsibility because they chose to attack. _I_ am merely responsible for defending myself"

"If however, instead of an assailant, it is a sparring partner and we have mutually agreed to spar at the top of a flight of stairs and I were to push them down by accident, then we are _both_ responsible for the injuries because we agreed to do something stupid."

"Or... If we were fighting a Missing Ninja. Someone famous like... Riko the Beatle, the sand-ninja that practical lives in some kind of combat puppet." If you, Kimiko, solely did battle with her and claimed her head, then you would of course have sole responsibility for her defeat and would be entitled to the glory that comes from such victory, and the monetary reward of whatever bounties are on her head.

If Kimiko has been keeping up with the Bingo Books, she should know that the person that Senko is mentioning has a _sizable_ bounty on her head for the crimes of kidnapping, serial murder, and desecration of human remains, but the exact details of her crimes are not disclosed.

"If, however, we all fought her and defeated her as a team, then we would all be jointly responsible and entitled to the glory and a cut of the bounty."

"And if I right now dosed you with a powerful hallucinogen and you started babbling gibberish about how a bunch of squares makes a circle... You did not consent to that drugging, it is not your fault if you make a fool of yourself while not in your own right mind."

"In short, responsibility in this context is a measure of how much of someone's actions and deeds are of their own accord  and how much of it is the result of the action of others, or circumstances outside of mortal control."

"Hu and Yu, as they presented themselves, were not forced to kill, nor did they seem to be in an altered mental state. They chose to kill. I can be sympathetic to the histories, but they still had to be held accountable for their crimes. Between that and their immortality Jutsu..."

"Though I admit, if I believed they could have been captured alive I would have endeavored to do so. I even preset a chance to surrender. Just because I have no remorse for putting down a mad dog, that does not mean... You cannot save everyone, but that does not mean you should not try to."

"Which brings us to Ottomaru. Ottomaru did not ask for what was done to him. He merely trusted someone who he thought had his best interests at heart, and that person abused his trust to subject him to cruel, inhuman experiments. As a side effect if these procedures, his mental state was altered."

"Based on what I have seen him to be capable of, I believe that he can be incapacitated without the application of lethal force. If he is captured alive, then he can be contained until such a time as he is no longer a threat to himself or others... The modifications done to him are quite similar to our own research, if _significantly_ less ethical. If I knew _exactly_ what was done to him, the how and why, then I might be able to mend his condition myself."

Senko adjusts herself and mutters something about how her futon at home has spoiled her ability to sleep on the ground.

"As for age? That is a matter of biology. The brain does not finish developing until the end of the adolescent period at approximately twenty-five years of age."

"Structure? Chemical makeup? It is _far_ from universal but some people just are not capable of making an informed, rational decision or controlling their emotions and impules until they reach a certain stage of development... And not everyone develops their brain at the same rate, either. In addition to age, nutrition, general health, whether to not you have suffered certain infections, injuries to the head, and even certain life experiences can affect the rate at which one becomes emotionally, cognitively, mature. Some people in our age range are basically little adults, others would think were half our age based on their behavior."

"Even under the best circumstances... None of here are foolish, but I can guarantee that ten years from now, if we are all still alive, that we are going to look back on what we did at this age and cringe at how stupid we seem to be in comparison to our more mature selves."

"So, when judging the actions of a child, particularly the mistakes or crimes a child may have committed, one must keep in mind that they legitimately may not know better, or be able to conceive of alternate actions, or control their impulses the way a more cognitively developed person might."

"Couple this with the aforementioned altered state of mind..."

"Which is, of course, the same logic presented as to why I am not incarcerated for my own crimes. I am a child, and my mind is warped by a power I never asked for."

"As for whether my judgment is objective or subjective... Obviously subjective. Someone else presented with the same facts can come to a different conclusion..."

"And... There is always an emotional bias to every decision. Anyone who says they have come to an objective decision based solely on facts and logic is lying to you."

Menko has fallen asleep while Senko says that.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She frowns and says
"That is.......huh.....that is a lot to think about. I never thought about of those things that way before. Sounds like expectations and laws. Hm. One last question. Senko, I'm a shinobi. I'm supposed to kill. I'm expected to. Like its this...responsibility. I tried to kill Ottomaru before, apparently succeed on some clone or something? and....I haven't said it before but....when I became a genin as a coming of age ceremony, my clan told me to kill a bandit in a basement to prove I can be a competent ninja. To prove that I can go through with it, when it matters. I did it, and I got this sword I now wield because of it.

Senko....am I child or an adult?"

----------


## igordragonian

*Yoroi*

Yoroi is almost caught out of guard, but at the last moment he dodge.
"Huh. You seems to be more exprienced than I habe you credif for. Alright then."
Yoroi attack with more speed, jump around. He is quick, but prbably not as skilled as Tomoe.

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> She frowns and says
> "That is.......huh.....that is a lot to think about. I never thought about of those things that way before. Sounds like expectations and laws. Hm. One last question. Senko, I'm a shinobi. I'm supposed to kill. I'm expected to. Like its this...responsibility. I tried to kill Ottomaru before, apparently succeed on some clone or something? and....I haven't said it before but....when I became a genin as a coming of age ceremony, my clan told me to kill a bandit in a basement to prove I can be a competent ninja. To prove that I can go through with it, when it matters. I did it, and I got this sword I now wield because of it.
> 
> Senko....am I child or an adult?"


"...Literally, in terms of physiology, you are a child. Philosophically... That's a complicated question that I cannot answer."

"Also, your clan does not sound like a pleasant family to grow up in."



> *Yoroi*
> 
> Yoroi is almost caught out of guard, but at the last moment he dodge.
> "Huh. You seems to be more exprienced than I habe you credif for. Alright then."
> Yoroi attack with more speed, jump around. He is quick, but prbably not as skilled as Tomoe.


"Perhaps I should show you just how experienced I am?"

Tomoe channels her chakrea through her wakizashi, and expands a blade of chakra the size of a zanbato* from it in order to use her sword as if it were a tower shield to block Yoroi's blows.

*Big giant anime sword

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She considers this, frowning as she takes this account with everything else Senko said about responsibility.
"Hm. I guess we'll find out then.

.....Yeah. Seems it wasn't now that I think about it. At least now that Anniki has taken over, Okaa-san has been softer when teaching me now. In a weird grumbly sort of way. Telling me stories she didn't before. Yaaawn.....Night Senko..."
She will fall asleep. 

*Returning to Otogakure:*
You will travel back across the plains until you reach Otogakure once more. The clear skies, quiet open fields and peaceful green surroundings had been a change of pace from the constant hustle and bustle of this town, though Kimiko trained on her Rasengan endlessly to no clear success. You will receive normal C-rank pay as per the mission parameters which of course is split up evenly between all of the members of Team 3.

Kimiko will of course return home of the Ishikawa Manor. After greeting her family she will go to her room, pull out the Book of Jashin and begin research:
*Spoiler: Notes On Jashin Jutsu 1:*
Show


Beginning research on this. Here is hoping that this book actually contains useful knowledge. Began by tearing out all the pages with useless religious drivel that tells me absolutely nothing and absorbing them into the Origami-No-Tsurugi as excess ink and paper. Much more useful that way. This continued until I found what I was looking for. There are two jutsu contained within this text:

-the Jashin Immortality Jutsu consisting of a seal that does a miraculous job of preservation and regeneration. From what I can calculate, this seal if properly applied could even make sure the head stays alive even after it was cut off. It seems to utilize sympathetic connections to do this. However the other half is that requires a lot of energy to upkeep, and used a seal to drain life force/chakra from people to keep it working. otherwise the person is just a normal human being. It also doesn't seem to do anything about nutrition, meaning those monks still required food for something.

-another jutsu is called The Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood. It is interesting: when a user ingests the blood of the victim to establish a sympathetic connection then steps in the proscribed circle, the user can then inflict wounds on themselves that through the sympathetic connection wounds the victim in the same place. I believe Hu was in the middle of attempting to set up one half of this jutsu while Yu was setting up the other half. We simply managed to disrupt them before they can get it working. Good thing to, I would not want to find out if Senko's durability could hold out against Yu stabbing himself in the head repeatedly. Probably not. 

-my observations so far is that these jutsu while seemingly powerful are also a bit impractical. this immortality jutsu requires ticking off too many people to work and might go against this...responsibility thing Senko talked about? More importantly the source of energy being drawn upon isn't constant enough. People are only little packets of energy, when this would probably work better with a constant stream or something. Like there just has to be more efficient way to gain energy for this jutsu than what they were doing, random people are for experiments not food. Like maybe harness natural energy? sunlight? maybe flowing water? The fact that it can be shut off with other seals is also concerning.

-while the second seal is basically something like wara ningyo or katashiro. Except using your own body. Eugh. Only usable at all if your using the other jutsu. Not practical at all. It requires too much set up in combat, shinobi are already paranoid about losing blood because there already ninjutsu/seals to track people using it, having to stand still in a circle is pretty much a death sentence against lightning release or taijutsu users who can move fast enough. Or even just an earth release user. and you harm yourself without the immortality, so the best most can hope for is taking another enemy with you. A losing strategy.

-yeah, the sympathetic connections that form the backbone of these seals are interesting, but they are not workable or useful in their current form. The general principles can probably be taken and used for something else in the future, but as they are these jutsu are horrible. As a form of immortality the first is just not sustainable, and there are a million better ways to kill people than the second. Will not be using them. They will be marked as "For reference only" while I figure out better jutsu to make from their principles.


Once she is done she will get rid of whatever else remains of the book, and put the research notes away. 

*A few days later*
Next Kimiko will purchase the material needed and design the chakra goggles in the Ishikawa Clan's workshop, usually reserved for general sealing from carving them into stones to metal. She will raise up her new invention as Jirou watches, and puts the chakra goggles on and channel chakra into them to power it and looks back at him.
"Well? you've made it. What do you see, Kimiko-Anesan?"
"I see chakra flowing throughout your body, like veins with big source gathering in your stomach colored a brilliant blue like the ocean. and....hm thats weird, whats that strange bit of green chakra on your left hand? it doesn't match your right."
His eyes widen a little.
"None of your concern, Ane-san. Do not speak of it. Its a weapon I need for battles ahead of me."
She frowns.
"Hrmph. Fine, Anniki. But you better tell me someday."
"I will. Its just not quite ready for you to use yet."
She then will go about her day, testing the chakra goggles. Most people did have chakra coils but were pretty weak in their center of power at their stomach. She could tell which were ninja by how larger  the center was and how their chakra flared and pulsed when they used it. What surprised her is that each ninja seemed to have their own color of chakra on this spectrum, though related families had the same or similar colors and whenever they used jutsu the chakra got more blue as it became more condensed and visible to natural light. The general atmosphere and environment in chakra vision were colored faint green- she didn't look directly at the sun as it was still bright just....green in the chakra vision. The green color must actually be natural energy. Interestingly she could tell the difference between natural energy and a person's chakra that were just green- they were different....shades for the lack of a better term. Chakra vision was weird and a bit trippy. There was a rare person she passed by that had no coils, some civilian that looked like a strange dark blue silhouette different from someone with blue chakra coils. The downside of this vision is that she couldn't see the visible spectrum with this, and thus the colors she usually saw weren't there.

At some point she will see the others of Team 3, greeting them at once or separately with this:
"Hi! Testing out the new chakra goggles I made from the last mission's money, hyuhyu. chakra vision is so weird..."
Where does she meet them, and what is their chakra coil colors? Yuyuyu's coils and chakra are pink like sakura blossoms.

----------


## Rater202

*Returning to the Village.*

On the way home, Senko continues to practice Mister generation... Though after a while she seems to lose interest in it, doing it more to pass the time than anything else.

If she could say, duplicate herself several thousand times in such a way that she could later reabsorb the clones and gain their experiences, then she could probably completly master water-style nature transformation in a month, but as she lacks the ability to make even a basic clone, let alone something so complex... She has, of course, gotten to the point where she's starting to see diminishing returns.

She briefly experiments with trying water-style chakra flow as a more advanced method of building up experience... But accidentally crushes her hand under the heavy barriers of water that water style chakra flow conjures and thus, elects to put that off until she has better chakra control.

(Luckily, between the mass she drained from Hu and her own regenerative abilities this is a relatively minor injury that fully healed in no time at all.)

Upon returning to the village proper, first Senko goes to her apartment, where she finds a note slid under her door detailing that tomoe has found work and giving the address of a house she's sharing with a roommate.

After checking that nothing is out of place, she heads to her laboratory and makes sure to lock the door.

"So, Menko-chan... You completed the errand I asked you to run for me?"

"Yes, Senko-sama. I spied on the ice-vendor and managed to sneak away with some hairs he shed without him noticing. Also, I don't think Kimi-chan is right about him being a ninja. If he was a ninja he definitely would have noticed me under my genjutsu. I've gotten better but not by that much."

Senko goes to where she instructed Menko to hide the sample and examined it. Three hairs, mostly bleached, but with dark vibrant roots.

"Ehem..."

And then remembers that she has a promise to fulfill. "Spicy miso, with pork, kelp, eggs, and fish cake. An extra-large bowl. I remember."

She stores the sample in her body and parts scroll. Hair doesn't deteriorate that fast, but better safe than sorry, and leaves for the ramen stand. The grafting can wait a little longer...

...And she should probably find a way to make it up to Fuyuki-san, for having Menko steal shed hairs from him, just in case.

Actually, on the way to treat Menko, Senko's stomach clenches. She... Doesn't _need_ to modify herself anymore. Her chakra was balanced with Mebnko's cells.

And... it might be one thing to take cells from a stranger or an enemy, but Fuyuki-san... Was she putting the personal benefits of her research before her connections with people?

This... This was a moral and ethical conundrum.

Senko, who had always strived to be ethical in her research, felt like a hypocrite.

*A few days later*

Senko, who has yet to do anything with the sample Menko collected, shows up... somewhat somber, really. As if she has a lot on her mind.

Her chakra is... Interesting. It's a mixture of brick red and a very sickly, poisonous purple, but with occasional flecks of very light pink or *insert ottomaru's chakra color here.*

The light green natural energy, however, seems to pass into Senko's body into where her blood vessels would be where it is met with both a burst of the brick red. The brick-red energyand sometimes the flecks of other colorsleaks into her veins where it is molded with the natural energy to make the poisonous purple which then returns to her chakra circulatory system.

Kimiko may have just witnessed the act of Senko's bodily fluids attracting natural energy, and her enzymes molding it with her chakra to make senjutsu chakra.

There's also a second chakra circulatory system wrapped around senko. Bundled into a long, narrow system, the chakra within it is the exact same light pink that appears in flecks in Senko's chakra. This, presumably, in Menko.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will marvel over Senko's unique chakra system.
"Oooooooh! Senko your chakra coils are so unique! Its all purple and red and other colors! Most people I see are some singular color of some sort but yours is much more fascinating. I think I'm seeing the process of the natural energy being purified as we speak!! I can't wait to take notes on these, I'm seeing with goggles what was only possible with Dojutsu before! Who knows what discoveries I'll make with these!?"
She realizes that Senko isn't saying much and takes off the goggles, putting them over her headband and sees her sullen face.
".....Why so glum? Well you can't possibly be sad about my brilliant genius invention, so something else must be troubling you. Did Ottomaru attack you alone again? Don't worry, I Kimiko Ishikawa will...."
She remembers that Senko wants him alive
"...knock him out, tie him up, seal his chakra and bring him before you to face your judgment!"

----------


## Rater202

"No, it is nothing like that it... I have a lot on my mind right now..."

Senko is silent for a momnt.

"What do you do when you have wronged someone and want to apologize... But they do not know that you have done anything at all?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She considers this for a long moment. Want to apologize.....for something that the other person....didn't know was wronged? What? That made no sense. This sounds like another one of those weird Senko things like responsibility. Thus she puts into the category of "social problem" which she wasn't an expert on.
"....Sounds like something Yuyuyu would be more of an expert on. But if your asking me, well, I don't know why you'd be feeling bad about running a successful con on someone aside from that responsibility thing you mentioned on the way back I think? Congratulations on the con by the way, but what I'd do is either not tell them ever, because if they don't know and you get rid of all the evidence they never will so it might as well have never happened if I'm being practical. But if I'm feeling particularly daring - wait your talking about an apology not a taunt while disappearing into the night, uuuh nevermind belay that thought! What I meant to say is that you leave a calling card with "gomenasai" on it. Real impractical, but I think it gets the feelings across."
She smiles and nods at this advice, thinking that she helped.

----------


## Rater202

"...Do, do you think that I am some phantom thief?"

Senko begins to second guess if Kimiko was the right person to ask about this.

After a moment she starts looking around for a leaf or a particularly long blade of grass. She's heard that a very basic chakra control practice technique is placing something like that on your forehead and focusing all your chakra on the point of contact to make it stick.

Very basic, academy stuff really... But Senko's never been to an academy, and until very recently has had a lot of trouble using chakra for any purposes but her clan's senjutsu.

But, with the progress, she's made on water style nature transformation, maybe...

----------


## igordragonian

*Yoroi*
*'Tche. Not bad.'* Yoroi smile. 
*'Maybe you are one, who I could train my real sword with.'* he try to spin, spin and slash from other angle. Tomoe probably has noticed at this point the sword on his back, which radiated it's own chakra.
=====

Usagi felt a bit out of the deep conversations, despite her attempts to be more learned. But it has inspired her if nothing else.
Odayama now had to worry, as the moves to choose the heir Ottokage were getting heated up. Ameoku came later and later home. She was energetic more then ever. Which was hot.
But also scary.
Maybe that why,she pushed him to train- maybe she subcounsily, feared, that will lose it, and trusted him to hold her. if she ever step the line.


=====

*Few days later*
Usagi has arrived, her hands dirty and scratched.
'AHA!' holding a small box with pride.
'Ah. Sorry... was I intrerputing something?' more subdued.
Odayama has arrived last, looking tired more then ever. Scrath marks on his cheek.

'Morning girls.' he said, offeing all of them toasts.



=====

Shushuryhu, the pink haired anbu with a cheetah mask.
'Are you sure about this, Oneesan?' she has asked,as they sat on a roof looking as the moon rose up.
*'Your collegue has invited us after all. Let's see how can they handle me.'* Ameoku has answered with a wide smile on her mask.

'Please don't make a scene...'

*'Have I ever did a scene, Shushuryhu-chan?'*
''...'

*'Exactly!'*

And again, Ameoku did her signature crush from the sky, but a completly silent landing

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko, Earlier:*
"Oh hey Usagi, Odayama!"
She will put on her chakra goggles and look through them at their chakra coil colors
"Your chakra is so pretty...."
That is all, she just wanted to look at those, no matter what their colors are. We can move on.

*Ishikawa Meeting:*
When she lands and presumably either her or Shurshuryhu knocks, Kikenna will open the door to the Ishikawa Manor, with a mischievous smile on her lips, dressed in an Ishikawa style kimono 
"Oh! Ameoku, we've expecting you. Come on in. Clan Ishikawa has prepared quite the feast tonight."
She will walk inside to lead her into the dinner table of the Ishikawa Clan, smaller than most given their numbers, but filled with nothing but.....sushi. Every single piece of food on the table was freaking sushi of various kinds. Like there just has to be every kind of sushi in existence here, and maybe some you didn't even know about, and they were all eating them with chopsticks. This of course makes perfect sense: the Ishikawan-Uzumaki rivalry over whether sushi or ramen was better is legendary. The drinks were tea cups in traditional teacups. The air was filled with talk of fuinjutsu and sealing jargon that you can only catch snippets and snatches of and do not understand what they're talking about even if you could make any of it out over the low din of their conversation. They spoke of sealing jobs they did around the village this week, or projects they were working on, things like that. 

But more than that, Ameoku sees in specific: Yuyuyu in a picture perfect example of a social butterfly being a conversation she knows nothing about is expertly managing to keep the other person talking while smiling, nodding and asking questions to clarify this and that to keep them talking while she quietly and seemingly fascinated, just listens drinking it all in. Kimiko is busy correcting an older family member on some intricacy of sealing while sitting next to her mother:
"....which will overload the zen matrix when what you really want to do is reroute the chakra through the trigrams array for a better flow! While fooling about with the Yin-Yang combiner will only...."
Usagi and Senko of course are invited and will probably be wherever they want to be within reason if they decide to show up. Odayama is notably not invited or at least not here without Ameoku, that would be incredibly disrespectful to a fellow clan head you know and Jirou would not do that. Mitsuko of course is sitting near the far end of the table next to her daughter, she spots Ameoku and gives her a silent shark grin at her, like a predator finding some prey had wandered within their den. Kikenna will wait for her to take off her shoes then direct Ameoku to sit at the close end of the table clearly reserved for her to eat then go to the far end to sit across from Mitsuko and next to Jirou Ishikawa, who is not in the usual Otogakure chuunin uniform, but rather dressed in his clan hakama complete with two little _kamon_-clan crests- woven into the fabric: a paper crane inside a circle, to symbolize the clan. The message was clear: he was here in the role of the clan's patriarch, not as a chuunin of Otogakure. He will of course grab this seemingly specially designed bowl and strike it with a specially designed rod to create a chime clear as a bell that catches all the clans attention, quieting them down as he speaks
"Members of the Ishikawa Clan and other guests, I would like to welcome Ameoku-san and her Anbu assistant to the table. It is an honor to be dining with one of the Three Thunders tonight. We've been expecting you, and hope this can be a pleasant and enlightening evening for you and us all. I understand there is something you want to talk to me about, so what brings you here to our noble house?"

----------


## Rater202

*A Few Days Ago*

"Your real sword? A proper swordsman should never fight without their real sword? I can only assume that the blade on your back has some... Significance?"

Tomoe does not know how to sense chakra.

*Ameoku's meeting with the Ishikawa Clan:*

Senko... Sits in the most inconspicuous place at the table she can find.

She seems to be eating at a slow pace, but if anyone is paying attention to her and not Jirou, Ameoku, or their personal conversations they might, _might_ notice that Senko is feeding her sushi to a white cobra hidden in her roberefusing would be rude, but Senko makes it a habit not to eat the flesh of an animal she didn't kill herself. She likes to make sure the animal died cleanif they can see through Menko's "this is normal" Genjutsu

Her robe in question being her "formal" robe, which is like her normal one but made of slightly better material.

She is quiet, but is paying _very_ close attention to everything going on around her, ready to step in the moment someoneanyoneaddresses her.

----------


## igordragonian

* Yoroi*
He smirk. "Hmm. yes. This was the sword of my father. It's name is Akabodu. He was near unstopable when using Akabodu, but it's a cursed blade. It drain me when I use it, so my Sensei instructed me, for now to use it only as a last resort. Of course if my father was alive... he could have trained me."
Yoroi explain, as he jump around slashing with quick attacks looking for an opening.
----

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...mFOKg&usqp=CAU
Tonight, Ameoku wore new black dress/coat thing for the occasion.
Her eyes have widened up, at the sight of all the sushi.
She half hoped for a scandal she could leverage. But it seemed, either Jirou by his own will,or by guidance from Nozojo sticked to his goody two sandals act.

Shushuryu squeaked for her. "My my, you surely overdid it!"
Ameoku smiled. "It is nice. I hope its ok for my husband and daughters to join a bit later. He is still preparing them. Little beasts they are. I would like it to be meeting between our families."

----

Meanwhile on the roof of the Nekozako Household: 
*Spoiler*
Show


Both Miko
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...M2YEw&usqp=CAU
and Kimiko
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sh...20181231093243

hissing in unison.
Odayama with determined expression wielding a haircomb.
"You can't go looking like hedghogs to an offical dinner!"

Miko. "But it hurt! Nya!"

Odayam groan. "It's just because you never comb your hair! But this night you have no choice!"

Kimiko whine. "You are an evil Konoha tyrant!"
Odayama tried to slash with his comb, but they have parried the hair comb with combo move with their claws.
"Look. It's just a dinner. Do you think Kimiko Ishikawa going around with uncombed hair?"
Lil' Kimiko who became fan of "big" Kimiko during the Kinder Garden mission, and few times, Odayama had to bring his daughters to team meetings growned.
"Well...."

Miko shook her wild ginger curls. "Don't listen to him, Kimiko! This is a trap!"
Odayama face palmed.



Usagi tried to collect her ponytail to the best of her ability. At first she hyped at the thought of dinner! With a lot of food!
But.... She look like some urchin...
And... she cant let the stupid princess a chance to look down on her!
Usagi would probably turn to Yuyuyu asking for help and makeover, surrendering herself to Yuyuyu's taste.

Which ever it was, it was much fancier and probably feminine then Usagi was ever used to.
She is very self counsiounce, giving stares at Kimiko to see, if she find her looks... ok for the event.
She sit near Senko, her belly rumbling, as she fasted to have room for this dinner. But now, she is manner paralyzed, not sure how to eat without making a mess of herself.

Ameoku follow Kikena, give a studying look to the students of Odayama, who seemed to give him new drive. She stop near each of them, openly staring, wagging her tail, as if calculating something.
She nod with aproval to Kimiko.
Yuyuyu get a polite nod.

the longest stare get to Senko.
"Intresting." that all she say with an added smile, and almost completly ignore Usagi. Her akwardness and nervousness take away from the respect Ameoku give.
Unlike Usagi, Ameoku just pluck herself in seat, letting Shushuryu serve her.
"Nyanya. Jirou-kun..." 
She eat with beastly vigor, through the mask.
"If I had manners like you have, when I was your age, I would probably had less blood on my hands. The peacful life give birth to such kind and beautiful people. AHM!"
She swallow another sushi

"Well. We both are doing home visits to diffrent clans and factions of the village. Scratch and his boys and girls seemed to like you a bit. And no matter how the power play will end, we will have to learn to work with each other. I believe you have the best intentions for the village, and I want you to believe the same about me. Villages are falling apart, when you make enemies out of rivals. And things are happening, things are getting more intense. I want to make sure, our... competiton doesn't hurt the village."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*The Ishikawa Meeting:*
Senko:
Surprising there is....for the lack of a better term.....vegetarian sushi on your plate? Its one of the more seemingly impossible variants of sushis and its more a collection of experimental sushi prepared specifically for you because Jirou let the family members that make the sushi know that vegetarian and they could not accept you going hungry during dinner at all, but there is still sushi for Menko as well.

Usagi/Kimiko:
Usagi, you see Kimiko when she looks at you just stop for a moment, mid-explanation on some fuinjutsu thing just staring. Just for a timeless moment filled with bishie sparkles as she beholds you in some red dress oddly thematic designs on it -how Yuyuyu got you a rabbit-themed kimono for you on such a short notice is a mystery, all she said on the matter is "I know a gal" and said you can keep it-and her hair its mostly just let down and combed so that its looks real good to emphasize your hair's natural beauty. Like overall she mostly just cleaned you up, but it seems to be working. Kimiko doesn't even notice Ameoku nodding at her in approval during this moment. 
"...Pretty..."
"Kimiko? Kimiko? Hello? What you were saying about sympathetic seals?" some clan member says
She snaps out of it and says
"Oh sorry, just....something caught my interest. Anyways...."
With one last glance at Usagi she will continue explaining.  Yuyuyu will stifle a giggle at all this.

Jirou:
He will nod and reply.
"I'm glad you think so, Ameoku. In times like these it can sometimes be hard for some to remember that we need to work together and when all is said and done we're a village and work as one at the end of the day. We might have our disagreements but I'm confident we can put those aside when it matters. Your commitment to a stronger Otogakure is admirable. I simply believe that the reasons why we should be strong are different, that we should think beyond our walls. We need to think of the health of the nation we protect and are apart of, the farmers that till the fields, the people in the capital of Port Sake, the samurai who command the ashigaru and the Daimyo. As we must cooperate with each other, our village must in turn cooperate with the rest of Land of Rice and what their concerns are. Don't you agree?"
He will ask and pick up some tea to sip.

----------


## Rater202

*[Yoroi and Tomoe]*

Tomoe allows the other swordsman to land a shallow cut, giving him first blood.

"Only a fool uses a cursed blade. Whatever power it can grant you, it won't be worth the cost. That's why it's cursed."

*[Meeting]*

Senko takes note of Ameoku's reaction to her.

Menko, however, takes note of Kimiko's reaction to Usagi. "Bhwu, I knew it," she whispers.

It is at this point that Senko notices the kappa maki on her plate and begins to feel somewhat foolish.

----------


## igordragonian

*Yoroi vs Tamaoe*
Yoroi laugh.
*'Well, my father was a ronin. He never settled for anything, less then giving it. I'll follow his example, but not in the pace I would like.'* He surprised at him being able to draw the first blood.
*'What?'* he frowned.
*'Are you going easy on me!? It's clear you are more exprienced am I! It's tiring enough, to have a damn geniouse stock up in my team!'*

*Ameoku*

*'I can't disagree, when you are wording it like that.'* Ameoku say as she eat with vigor.
*'But I think the Damiyo should deal with the citizens, we ninjas of the Sound are undernumbered as it is. We have no Jounin Senseis, I am the only Jounin Anbu. Some people try to forget the nightmares... but they will be back, worse then ever if grow fat and convient'* Quite ironcily or not, saying while she eating like a beast.
*'Your father... I think he understood it. Stress is healthy for warriors of all kinds. Samurais grew confident in their status, and when the ninjas came... it was too late for them to stay in touch. What ever respect our village has in the world, was gained in sucidical resolve. Mad, they have called us. We have to stay the predators.. not... the prey.'*
Pause.
*'The damn Inuzakis, hunted us like damn rabbit-'*

Usagi frowned at that*

*'Sister after sister of mine, died in agony, in experiments,just to get a fighting chance. Only me, and another sister of me have survived. I have lost seven sisters, and my parents... I dont want their sacrifice to be for nothing. I dont want my daughter to be eaten alive by monster Konoha dogs.'*

*Spoiler: Odayama Vs Kimi&Kimiko*
Show



Odayama was filled with scratches.
'Come on...'
Hiss*
'Fine. You have forced me into this!'
He jumped up, raining scrolls over them, which opened and have revealed hair combs.
Some hitted the target.
With swift moves, he have combed their hairs in 3 seconds.

'DADDY!' they whined.
'Now get you kimonos!' He said with an assertive tone.





Usagi blushed. Until now, a bit akwardly combined with the dress, she kept her scarff on. But now.. she let it slide, exposing the bite scar.
'S-shut up.' she say flustered.
'I just wanted to look nice for the free food? See?! EATING!' and gave in, eating with the manners of Ameoku

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Ishikawa Meeting:*
At the mention of Jirou's father, the table falls silent. Mitsuko looks angry and staring daggers at Ameoku now. The whole table is waiting on baited breath, the tensions so thick you could cut it with a kunai. Jirou is silent as he remembers that day, about thirteen years ago when he was five, the last time his father spoke to him:
*Spoiler: Jirou's Flashback*
Show

It was still back in Kirigakure. The manor there was much more grand, and there were over 300 clan members rather than 30. Mitsuko was bringing him before his father to speak with him and offer the bad news. They sit before him on tatami mat and bow then a younger Mitsuko, a softer Mitsuko, says
"Ryota. We have tested him and...I'm sorry to say but he doesn't have the Paper Release bloodline. He did not inherit it."
Ryota fixes Jirou with gaze that he couldn't tell whether it cold uncaring assessment or contempt, the eternal icy glare he gives with his amber eyes on his sharp features never wavering, then speaks
"Then it is The Failure. Consider it disposable. The Mizukage could use more genin scouts for the front lines when it is trained soon."
"What? But Otoosa-" Jirou begins to say then was interrupted by his father's voice cutting through his own like a leaden blade, not even paying attention to him now.
"Mitsuko. Tell the Failure it is not to speak to me ever again, and that it is denied from inheriting my position. Only those who can wield Paper Release are worthy of leading Clan Ishikawa. Send it away, we'll begin making a new child immediately."
"What!? But Ryota this is your own son-" Mitsuko says distraught.
"No its not, and even if it was, the fact would be irrelevant. Do not defy me again, is that clear?"
"....Cl.....clear.....Ryota....I won't." She will sadly lead Jirou out of the room, When they were out of it Jirou will look at her and go
"Why!? What did he mean!? Why wasn't I good enough? Okaa-san!" 
She just looks down at him with tears in her eyes
"...That is not your concern anymore. Your father has spoken, and we must obey."
"Mitsuko." Ryota will call "Do not keep me waiting. You must fulfill your duty as a kunoichi."
"...I must go. Go back to training. Now." Mitsuko says then walks back inside, shutting the door behind her.
"Okaa-san?" he just says distraught, heartbroken and confused. When did he fail?

Nine months later, Kimiko was born. 


His gaze is fierce as he is reminded of that day, now knowing he never failed. His father....was just despicable. Ameoku....she understood nothing of his father. Or was goading him. He was about to speak when Kikenna puts her hand on his under the table, silently reminding him to not rise to the bait. He controls himself, but Mitsuko was less restrained.
*"Oi! Ameoku-Teme! Don't speak of that bastard in this house! He'd consider YOU weak for having a loving family at all! It was only his skills as a ninja that were competent, as a person he was horrible. He didn't see anyone else as ninjas that need strengthening, he saw them as objects to exploit, pieces to move on his shogi board. You would just be another tile in whatever strange game of his own devising he was playing. In fact it was-"*
"Okaa-san. Enough."
Mitsuko shuts up as Jirou takes the wheel before that got out of hand.
"Regardless of what my father thought, the dead do not make today's policy decisions. We'll come back to the topic of the rest of land of rice later. Of course we do not want to be on the losing end either. We have made our own sacrifices- sacrifices that we wish never had to be made, for sacrifice does not always give you more than you lost. If we limit the war to shinobi only-which all know won't happen-that our shinobi will get stronger from fighting more is just an assumption your making. There is no guarantee that will happen, that our shinobi as a whole will benefit. Imagine a coin flipping for every ninja we have when this war is fought: heads stronger, tails weaker. What your doing is betting that more coins will land heads than tails. When its entirely possible and much more likely that it land tails. Imagine a scenario where all our weaker shinobi you wish to strengthen all simply die because they all sink rather than swim and all the strong shinobi you value that remain try to keep but only get irreparably injured and thus become weaker as a result, then die as well. Look at our own clan: this clan once numbered 300. We once fought as a clan full of proud jounin, was a clan to rival the Uzumakis in their expertise! Now look at us. About 30 of us still a small clan, compared to others. All our jounin dead from fighting dangerous missions to protect the rest of us. 

Once Ameoku, you could've walked the halls of this clan and found a Jounin who specialized in barriers, another who was also a medic nin in addition paper release, another who an elite tracker with chakra sensing, a fourth jounin who made their life's work to study summoning contracts. More jounin than we could ever consider legend by their mere existence like you do. They still all died, the dead outnumbering the living. Some of the last few we had were the ones who fought in the last battle with Odokuro, that victory not bought only by the suicide move of the Last Shout, but also by the last Jounins of the Ishikawa and Kaguya clans doing everything they could to help them win, and they still died, with us losing skills and experience we may never be able to replicate. That is what fighting a single war did to us. In the end, we lost more than we gained from fighting. Behold Ameoku and see what my father's leadership brought to you: a fallen clan, a shadow of its former self, seeking to recover any way they can find. Is this what you mean by being "made stronger"? Because I don't see any strength here gained from the Third Shinobi War."
Kimiko is sitting silently at this discussion, sad and not sure what to say.

----------


## Rater202

*Tomoe vs Yoroi*

"I apologize, but the purpose of sparring like this is to grow stronger. But, if you insist on using a cursed blade... A samurai's duty is to devote their life to their master, even giving their life if they must, but there's a difference between honorable sacrifice and senseless suicide."

"I cannot in good conscience be a party to your efforts to destroy yourself. Nor do I have the right to force you to swear off of the use of such a blade, so all I can do is remove myself from the equation."

*Meeting*

She doesn't say anything, but it becomes evident very quickly that everything Ameou is saying is pissing Senko off if anyone is looking to the sidelines instead of the main discussion.

Especially the bit about Ameoku's sisters and parents dying in agonizing experiments... Senko's heard the rumors about how Ameoku supposedly created her bloodline, and between the two, to Senko's ears, it sounds as if Ameoku is admitting to being an incompetent and unethical researcher who sacrificed her family for power.

She begins twitching when Ameoku mentions that and she does not stop.

----------


## igordragonian

*Yoroi*
Yoroi rather cheerful and friendly attitude, change and darken.
*"...How dissapointing."* he sheath back his regular sword.
*"And I thought I have found a sister in this land of ninjas.*  Pause
*"So even, if I was raised at the Land Of Iron, I would ahe an outsider. I see.'* he turn his back
*"Thank you for the spar, Tomoe-san. You did have taught me a lot."*
Yes. He can't trust anyone to understand and train him. He only has himself.
----

*Ishikawa Estate*

Shushuryou was the one looked worried on the other side.
Usagi turn to Senko. "You don't eat enough!" And with her great social skills, decide to feed Senko- this is exactly what Senko need!
Well. Kimono, hair down and a tiny bit of shyness- ahe is still Usagi. 
Ameoku nodded during Jirou's and Mitusko's speeches.
*"I see."* she say rather.. humbly.
*"I dont mean to downplay the risks and sacrfices that have been made. And I dont wish to repeat the Indpedence War. A good Indpedence War happens only once in the life of a nation. I also respect what the Second Ottokage did so far. It's nice and heartwarming, but... despite all that, we can just cower in fear. Exactly because of the large scale trauma, we can't keep doing this.'*

At this Odayama and his daughters, with their hair decently combed and dressed in kimonos with the clan symbol enter 
(assuming they are allowed)
they are giving bows of respect until they are invited to join

*"Please. Forgive our late.. the girls.. just-"* he pause and then change what he wanted to say.
*"Insisted on making the house perfect, before we are living."* Miko and Kimiko looked surprised at Odayama giving up the chance to scold them.
Kimiko waved to Kimiko.

Ameoku smiled at Odayama. *"That fine. I was just talking about the combat trauma researches. You rememberrr them better then I do, and you hang out at the Broken Record Club."*

Odayama sigh. *"Oi, oi. Already with the heavy stuff? Can't we have just a normal formal dinner, where everyone dance around the real issues?'*
Ameoku elbowed him.
*'Oof. Fine."* he said after sipping a cup of sake for confidence.
*"As you might be aware, but probably not, unless you are personally involved, Scratchman take care of the mentally war injured, and in general of those, adult or young that the violence take toil on their minds. Most of them are my best friends, including Fuushi, which I am certain Kimiko-chan and Usagi-chan remember well."*
Odayama slip into the comversation naturally as he more or less could imagine how this conversation went until this point.
*"Most villages look at the mentally injured as liabilities and throw them away, back to home. Scratchman have collected evidence, statistics, and combined with his intense personal exprience... he had conclusions about the most optimal way of treating such people. NOT to take them back home. Keep them in relative safety, and use them to the best of their ability, until they are ready back to full action. The other way around, letting them just to turn their backs, while fussil this trauma, from a temprorary injury to a full mental disorder flr the long run.* And I am sure, my lovely wife, wanted me to say that to imply something about the bigger picture
'*




*(Based on what I have been taught as combat medic)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He will say
"Come now, join in, don't be shy."
He say to the girls. Then turn to Ameoku
"Well I won't argue the facts of that, but my concern with mental health problems is that many ninja simply won't report mental health problems at all or refuse psychological help out of fear they'd be admitting weakness or out of a self-sacrificing ideal to their nation where they think their mind is a small price to pay for the greater good of everyone and thus shouldn't bother anyone about it. Its a problem on both sides of the political spectrum, and not unique to our village sure, its apart of a wider culture of "it can't be helped" thinking that makes people not talk about issues that we should be out of politeness or not rocking the boat as it were, and it surprises me that Scratchman was able to get any useful psychological data from them at all. Especially since they support you Ameoku and thus your ideals of strength, one could only imagine how _hard_ it would be to get such information if the people Scratchman works with are so enamored of you. and how convenient that this information just so happens to support your cause. Its almost as if your using a single tidbit of information for your agenda instead of studying the whole issue and figuring out what the problem is in general and debating honestly about it. Funny that.

But even then, your premise is rooted in treating the village being damaged from war as a mental problem. When there are real physical costs to this, in resources, lives, homes. To use a physical medical metaphor in response: there is only so many times someone can have their bones broken before the wear and tear takes a long term toll on their body that they can't recover from- not even with medical ninjutsu. The bones begin to heal imperfectly, and performance starts to decline. You see this in some sports all the time, not just ashigaru or shinobi. Whether or not the village is mentally ready, doesn't matter if the physical cost of fighting the war outweighs the benefits. Like your experiments. Sure you can say that the cost was worth it all you want to yourself Ameoku, but the fact of the matter is that that out of 9 subjects of those experiments, only 2 lived. That is what, a 22.22% success rate? 88.88% of your sisters dead? Those are losing numbers Ameoku. approximately four fifths of your force being dead at the end of a battle is either a Pyurosu (Pyrrhic) Victory, or no victory at all. If that is what you consider acceptable losses during a war as well, then I daresay that if you led this village through the Fourth Shinobi War we wouldn't have a stronger village....we would have no village at all. Because we would all be dead before you realized that the losses were too great to keep fighting through.

And Konoha? They've had time to recover as well, time to come up with new techniques, new strategies around us, with more money, more training, more resources to do it with. They probably have recovered from their losses more easily than we can. And if warfare makes people strong Ameoku, then wouldn't bringing warfare to Konoha make them stronger on top of all the strength they already have as well? Why do you want the enemies we hate, to become stronger?"
Kimiko speaks up suddenly confused as she tilts her head in thought.
"Wait wouldn't technically by that logic, if warfare is said to make people strong, then the same conditions of warfare would both make Otogakure and Konohagakure strong by the same mathematical amount and thus wouldn't actually make Otogakure stronger AGAINST Konoha, because the same relative gap of strength between the villages would remain the same even if both of them gained strength?"
"Good point, Kimiko..."

----------


## Rater202

"If I may interject, Ishikawa-sensei. Ameoku-san," Senko says evenly and politely. "While this is a matter between clans and I formally have no stake here, I do believe that this is _my_ area of expertise."

"You both have a point... The ways the villages handle mental illness *is* flawed, the fact that we do not talk about such serious problems _is_ a problem itself, rooted in toxic ideals of strength... But the thing is... The mind is the plaything of the body. It all comes down to biology, and while the majority of my research comes from the interface of chakra and biology... I also have a _vested interest_ in understanding things like brain chemistry and neurological mechanics."

"After all, if I had not studied such things, if I had not used what I'd learned to control the frequent homicidal rages those who possess the power of Senninka are prone to... Well, most of the people in this room would have died shortly after you made the comments about your family's death, Ameoku-san. The idea of people dying pointlessly for some fruitless cause? The very thought of it drives me to rage. And yet, becuase I have studied how the mind and body interact, I can control it, direct the anger constructively... I am not perfect, I do slip up on occasion, but becuase of what I have learned in my efforts to control my own illness I have avoided the sin of dishonoring our hosts with such ungracious behavior."

"If people are traumatized in battle, sending them back into battle over and over again will just _make them worse._ As will just having them retire and keep quiet about it."

"The brain is a marvelous thing, the pathways within it traveling, altering, rewiring as needing to adapt to new experiences... If someone is traumatized, mentally scarred by some event, they will adapt to avoid it. This could be a fear response, an anger response, sadness and grief, or simple shame..."

"This is natural. This _has to happen._ It is the only way to begin the process of healing... But some people get stuck. They find themselves trapped in a loop of behaviors that only grow worse with time. The way to deal with this? Reduce stress, learn to recognize rational emotions from irrational ones, and confront the trauma under controlled circumstances... The trauma never goes away, but if you do it right, it becomes something you can manage. You can function properly again. You can grow as a person again. And yes, _some people_ may come out stronger for it."

Senko stands up and allows her sleeves to encompass her arms.

Ameoku-san, speaking as a biologist... What you are suggesting will not make the Sound Village strong. In addition to what Ishikawa-sensei and Kimiko-san have said, the simple fact is that we are not a large enough village for those who manage to overcome the trauma, for those who grow from it, to make up for the people who are killed by the kind of battle that occurs in warfare. To make up for the people who break and need help to be fixed. Who would not get that help under the system that you propose, but would instead be sent back into the meat grinder.

Between the rumors about Ameoku creating her bloodline and her own comments about the eath's of her family... And Ameoku's contract with the cats...

Senko channels some of her natural energy into her hidden limbs...

"So the question becomes... How do you make people stronger? That also comes back to biology. Genetics and physiology are the main contributors to aptitudes. How strong you can get, how fast you can run, how well you can think... Yes, these are skills that can be trained, but everyone has a ceiling that can't be broken through, an inherent aptitude you are born with... And sadly, all men are not created equal."

Senko rolls her sleeves up, revealing that her arms are now covered in white scales. Menko lighters out of one sleeve and curls around to hang from Senko's shoulders.

"But I do believe that you and I had the same general idea, Ameoku-san. By studying the physiology, the cellular makeup, the chakra of another being, it becomes possible to replicate them within another. By studying the way my own cells adapt and the unique cells donated by lovely familiar Menko, I was able to combine myself with the traits of a Summoned Snake... You did something similar to create your own bloodline, I suspect? Funny, how genius tends to repeat itself."

----------


## Lord Raziere

_Meanwhile....._
_Samayo Majutsu: Receive Message_
In Port Sake, Samayo Majutsu pursues his target. Minister Ping. An ordinary man, powerless by chakra standards. But money was a power of its own- the three Chuunin that he had come with were busy fighting criminal ronin who accepted his money. He strums his guitar, Ryoga, sending out a sound wave to collapse some crates over to block his path. Minister Ping stands frozen and afraid and Samayo advances upon him. Slowly. Samayo lets Ryoga the guitar do the talking-it'd be much too unsafe to talk himself too much after all:
"Well well well! Look who's guilty of oh whats it.....embezzlement, bribery, corruption, money laundering hiring ronin and missing nin.....thats the nation's money you were fooling around with there ne?"
The chatty little dragon head on the end of the guitar says, animated by some anomaly of chakra Samayo to this day wasn't quite sure how it was possible. Ryoga was something akin to a Tsukumogami like that.
"And that money my dude- that goes to the Daimyo, which goes to all the stuff that makes everything work! Roads, running water, electricity, ashigaru, shinobi.....its a lot! thats just some of it. Your hurting the nation, misusing the money like that. That ain't gonna fly ain't it? Thats like a samurai wasting his troops ammo! Can't have that."
"You can't do this!" Ping says trying to back away "the courts....they..."
"Won't find you guilty if you pay off the right people, ne? But that doesn't matter my dude! My crimson guitarist heres got a license to kill! Its for people just like you! Cause your beyond the laws reach. Kinda sucks when you think about it, probably shouldn't NEED it as a soci-Agh!"
Samayo plucks the strings with an annoyed look at Ryoga, silently urging him to stay on topic.
"Anyways, point is: you screwed up! And its time to pay the price no amount of money stolen from the till can help with!"
"This....this is..." Ping says afraid as Samayo comes looming up before him in all his crimson glory- hair, clothes, guitar, eyes, all of them red of some shade or other.
*"JUSTICE."*
Samayo proclaims, an uttering of a single word of his voice making objects around him vibrate a little as Ryoga turns into a katana and slashes.

After the deed was done, Samayo walks back to his three Chuunin: Yumi Kaguya, a Kaguya the same age as Jirou and skilled in Lightning Release- and the hunter Nin normally assigned to handle code ONI. Tatebaru Nobomei, Jirou's commanding officer when he was a Genin and Earth Release user, and Rahei Emiharu, a sensor-nin and sound-based Water Release user- and Jirou's Water Release teacher. 
Yumi salutes
"The Ronin are taken care of, Samayo-taichou. The minister?"
"He's been dealt with alright!" says Ryoga. "I'll spare ya the details! Never like getting blood on myself or how it feels...."
The assembled Chuunin here pointedly have gotten used to or at least ignore Ryoga's side commentary. They often find the guitar's existence something best not to think about.
Then a bird comes flying down with a little scroll to land on Ryoga's hand 
"Oi! Stupid bird! get off of me! Every time with these delivery pigeons...."
Samayo takes the scroll, opens and reads it, nods then shows it to Ryoga to read it out loud
"Neeeeeh......whats is say......blah blah blah official sounding stuff.....Ameoku is competing with some guy named Jirou Ishikawa to determine who succeeds Nozojo-jiji as Otokage!? And Samayo will have to return to help with the decision making process as he is one of the Three Thunders."
Yumi tilts her head.
"Jirou? My old teammate? The quiet one who was constantly making sealing tags and just obeyed orders without question? Spends all his time at the lab working on his weird project? The kid who was basically a non-presence while in the academy? THAT Jirou?"
"Yeah" Tatebaru says gruffly "Didn't know the boy had it in him. Ol' Nozojo musta really taken a liking to him. Hrmph! Only reason he'd be fool enough to butt heads with the Big Kitty."
"It is....strange to say the least to hear of this news. Nozojo choosing a successor like this and its not even one of the Three Thunders? Something's happened in the months we've been gone." says Rahei.
Samayo looks intently at Ryoga and nods, Ryoga then says
"Big Red here says that we've cleaned up enough corruption in the Big Rice. Orders are orders, we begin our return to Otogakure immediately."
They all nod and set out for Otogakure at a run.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi stared at the debate as it was a ping pong match.
Odayama and his daughters just have enjoyed the meal. It seems that everything going amazingly smooth.
 Both Jirou talking in respect, and he was proud at his wife's patience.
Maybe she COULD be a good leader, overcoming her urges.

Ameoku nodded. She was about to answer, but letted Senko to say her mind. This girl made her more and more curiouse.
*'Things can be more nuanced. I am not talking about an all out war all the time. I am talking about tension.'* 
She look at Senko.
*'There is much, that weapons and genetics can push you. A Samurai could have the strongest katana in the world, but it would be useless, if he won't use it. And-'*

Odayama start to grab his throat, and on parallel Miko and Kimiko. And it was more then a chocke- black and purple spots started to appear over their necks and faces.

All the work,meditations, long talks with Odayama... were nothing.

*'TREACHERY!'* Ameoku yell, enraged, without thinking, she kicked the table toward Jirou.

'No-no...dear...-... ca-calm... down...' Odayama tried to beg before he started to fume and twitch.
Miko and Kimiko were in  a bit better shape the Odayama, but not for long.
'Mommy!'
'It hurts!'
'So much!'

Ameoku drawn her claws, and stopped to hesititated just for a very short moment, giving people a tiny bit of time to react, before she go fully berserk.
Usagi summoned Yojimbo.



------

A shilloute went out of the household. 'Feel my despair... auntie.' she wishpered softly.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*The Ishikawa Meeting:*
Jirou reacts quickly and leaps over the table, landing as it crashes into the wall. the rest of his clan had suddenly gone into combat stances. The whole room was an explosive tag ready to blow. He needed to defuse this as quickly as possible.
"Kuso! Kikenna! They're poisoned! I'll calm down Ameoku!"
"On it! Senko, we're the two most experienced with medical matters/dealing with poisons here, we need to examine them and get them cured ASAP or at least delay the poison until others can get a medic-nin here! Mitsuko, get a medic-nin, now!"
*"Right!"*
She will begin speeding away to find one. meanwhile Jirou quickly stands before Ameoku and says
"Everyone stand down! She is not the enemy! Ameoku, while I will swear to my grave that I had nothing to do with this poisoning of your family...."
He will drop into a deep bow before her.
"....That is no excuse. It is my duty as a ninja and patriarch of the clan to ensure the safety of all who live under my household, especially honored guests such as yourself and your family. I will accept any consequences that come of this for failing to be alert for poison in the food as well as punish our cook for letting it slip by. She is after a ninja and apart of our clan as well and if she was negligent in her vigilance or worse traitorous....then she will be punished appropriately alongside myself. This should never have happened and I will do everything in my power to rectify it until we are able to discuss proper punishment for this dereliction of duty."
Meanwhile Kikenna is rushing over to try and check out the children first to see signs of what poisoned them and look through what she has to get the appropriate anti-venom- Odayama was an adult, he was larger but the children were more in danger: smaller body, poison would spread quicker. 

Meanwhile Kimiko is thinking: they clearly didn't poison the children, Ameoku wouldn't poison her own children, so who would?
"Kuso....him again...."
She looks about as if trying to find that mask and sowed-on ears again. 
"Hyu! What, your poisoning kids and my commanding officer now Futility-San!? Too afraid to face me after I beat you the first time!?"
She does feel a bit inadequate however, just standing there. She doesn't know any medical ninjutsu after all, which would probably help in this situation.

----------


## Rater202

Senko breaks one of her own fingers.

"Anti-Genjutsu measures everyone! There have already been three attacks by an assailant known for using Genjutsu to disguise his presence."

Senoko does a quick look around for anyone who isn't meant to be there, then lets her feeling factor snap her bones back together and approaches the Odayama and the children.

"...This outside of my wheelhouse," Senko admits to Kikanna quietly. "My only 'healing' technique only works for flesh wounds and has a 90% chance of killing whoever I use it on unless I give them a drug I have been developing and the development of that drug is the upper limit of my knowledge into drugs and toxins... I am an idiot."

Senko rolls up her sleeve, revealing the arm that the snake summoning contract is tattooed on. The Snakes are known to be interested in all kinds of ore and previous snake sages have been researchers of all stripes.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Senko smears blood over the mark and preforms the Summon technique while desperately hoping to get _anyone_ knowledgable about poisoning and/or medical ninjutsu.

In a burst of smoke, a pit viper with blood-red scales.

"For what purpose have I been summoned?"

Two children and their father have been poisoned. Symptoms including choking and purple spots appearing on the face. Please tell me you can do something about that?

"...You're seriously asking if a snake knows about poisoning. Huh, that's what we get when a child becomes the Sage."

The snake tastes the air around Odayama and each of the children and then begins working with Kikeena to help identify the probable poisons.

That taken care of, Senko turns to keep an eye on Ameoku... The Anbu had previously attacked Jirou n the middle of the street for no apparent reason, and had all but admitted to having murdered her parents and siblings for her own agender not twenty minutes ago. Senko legitimately would not put it past her to poison her own family just to have an excuse to take out a political rival.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama, Miko&Kimiko are poisoned with an old kind of venom.
It was nicknamed:"Bonapetite Venom 
Even back at the war, it was brewed from wastes of factories,and it's effect is simple- to squeze the veins shut, to the point of changed colors. It's go and spread.
It's a cheap poison, and isnt used anymore- it isn't very reliable.
But the fact three targets in row were poisoned so effectivly, means someone upgraded the venom.
The main concern is breathing,but in few minutes the heart might stop.

Either to raise the blood pressure would help, or in anyway, to force the veins to wide again in any way.


Ameoku stop to talk. She growl.
"Ameoku-sama! Please!" Shushuryu beg, but in her rage she forcefully push her into one of Ishikawa shinobis.

Usagi ride Yojimbo, shooting bell needles but Ameoku parry any of them away, and move on.
She lift her claws. Barely returning to speak.
*"...I... that.. I can't-"* she seems to struggle for a moment, as if possesed she slash her strongest Slashing Tecqhnique- "Crimson Rain Of Pain"- S ranked taijutsu.

Odayama eyes roll back,and only the white in them is exposed. He turn into his sloth form and while fuming and chocking as by it's own, he send his long limb to block Ameoku- and it's shredded to pieces.

Ameoku stop, her eyes widen.
 "Nonono! Not again! You fool! What have you done?!" She scream in horror but back into her senses.
her voice is broken, hollow... but calm
"....Shushuryu. I am sorry, but please see if any of your antidotes is useful here."
She kneel down, and tie the cutted off arm of Odayama,so he won't bleed to death.
She sidr glance. "I am sorry Jirou." and turn back to Odayama.


Meanwhile in the chaos, a kunai with a note thrown througj the window,toward Kimiko
_"LeTs Go OuTsIdE tO pLaY!"_

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kikenna:*
"Bonepetite Venom! keep the blood pressure up or open the veins. Heart might stop, keep it beating and keep them breathing. Its cheap but someone knows what they're doing."
She pulls out needle.
"This will keep the blood pressure up"
she will inject the two kids with it, the irony being that it was small amount of ANOTHER poison in nonlethal doses that would just rebalance the bodies chemistry so they would live longer until the medic-nins can do a more proper job. Everything is a poison at some dosage, its just a matter of figuring out the right amount. She didn't need to say that out loud though. 
She will turn to Odayama and see the state of the arm and Shushuryu administering an antidote.
"....Kuso."
She will help Shushuryu as best she can.

*Mitsuko:*
She is heading as fast as she can to the hospital where all the medic-nin are on-call- there is always some available at all hours taking shifts. Mitsuko admits to herself that she probably wasn't the best parent, in retrospect. She still wasn't. But darn it seeing kids being _poisoned_ like that. That just felt.... wrong. She wouldn't wish that on Ameoku even if they were on the opposite sides of a war. Poison was something you did to important political figures or shinobi so strong you can't defeat directly, not....this. She keeps speeding towards them, arms outstretched, leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

*Jirou:*
As he looks up, he privately wonders how such an rage-prone person ended up a shinobi of her caliber. The common emphasis on discipline and suppressing your emotions throughout the shinobi nations while on the job was there for a reason, otherwise you get mistakes like what just happened with Odayama. A little tidbit to use for later. He stands up.
"...We need to find the person who did this. Kimiko-"
He looks and sees she has already jumped out the window and the kunai with the message
"-just did something foolish! Kuso!"
Young enough to think she can take on a missing-nin alone and smart enough to potentially be right. A dangerous combination.
"Usagi! Yuyuyu! Back her up!"

*Kimiko:*
She lands outside in the courtyard, drawing the Origami-No-Tsurugi, her eyes darting around, seeking her foe.
"COME OOOOON! Face me you depressed bastard! Though I guess it makes sense you'd be scared of me- Kimiko Ishikawa, YOUR DOOM!"
She is not thinking entirely clearly right now. She is angry, feeling useless in the face of the poisoning and wants to fight, to win, to prove that she was still useful. That she could do SOMETHING.
Her eye cast about for hiding places while Yuyuyu hides in the shadows, waiting for her chance to strike.

----------


## Rater202

"And you honestly think you can be Otokage?" Senko questions, all sense of decorum gone. "If this is how you react in a crisis then we would all be dead or else scattered to the four corners of the world within a month of you taking office."

She approaches Odayama. Her arm and her face glow a fiery orange and she reaches out to Odayama's destroyed arm.

"Sage Art: Cellular Regeneration Ejection."

A glowing glob of flesh extends from Senko's body to Odayama's and attaches to his own, reshaping itself into a perfect match for his missing limb as Senko's cells and chakra become Odayama's cells and chakra.

At the same time, Senko shrinks. She now appears to be a seven-year-old in oversized robes.

And now, she says in a higher-pitched voice with just a hint of a squeak, we wait and see if it took. Approximately ten percent of humans are compatible with my clan's senjutsu. If Odayama-san is compatible, then my biomass and chakra will perfectly mimic and replace his own. If not... Well, he was going to have to see a medic-nin anyway.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

I don't mind if you still do the clone thing. This is just how Senko would react in this situation.

----------


## igordragonian

Ameoku say nothing to Senko at first.
*'Getting to someone at the vulverable point? Clever*' She say, her tone is very distant, as she was now voided of emotions, on extreme opposite. Not reacting to her directy,

Odayama dissapear between them, it appears, he fell under the table, uncounsouse.
A clone, while he is choking to the point of not being awake anymore?
Ameoku sigh softly.
*'Odayama-kun..'* as she see that the girls are being treated, she drag Odayama from under the table, and punch Odayama's chest- for a moment, he stop fuming, and the colorful spots dissapear, as he cough.
'Ameoku...? You didn't went berserk, did you?' he asked with a pant. 'The girls...' he looked toward their daughters, before clenching his throat again,
'Baka!' she punched him again, to keep the blood pressure high

Shushuryu work with Kikena. 'I am fine. It's part of the job. No dead people this time, so it's a progress for her.' She doesn't have the EXACT antidotes, but good enough ones.
It simply a half forgotten venom, that only a shinobi even more paranoid then an Anbu could be have been prepared for.

Usagi nodded. 'I won't let the princess to hog all the glory!'
---

Surprisngly, or not, it was a trap.
The moment, Kimiko get out, rain of kunais are thrown at her, and where she land, near childishly simple trap- paper tags with.. glue, are thrown all over the courtyard.

A voice- a female voice echo. 
_'I do see, why he want you dead. Has big angry kitty killed anyone? Or at least looked stupid?'_ the voice echo with spite and venom.
------------

on the third roof, Mitusko get at, a figure appear.
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sh...20200706190827
_'Mitsuko-chan.... such a dutiful woman... aren't you? Are you truly intending, of helping a growing rival clan? Your duty is to your children, and your husband's values.. isn't it?'_

This thing look barely human. Barely alive.
It's one of the missing nins of the village- Akuba, of the Fukaimis. She was considered dead, for years. About a week ago, she has traumtized some of the Hope Generation's genins including Usagi and Mayuwi.
_'The nightmares, can be back. They WILL be back. Are you ignoring the omens, sweet child?'_ Akuba ask, for now not moving.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He will not comment on Senko's criticism, as that kind of commentary was what she was brought her for. It surprised him that both her and Ameoku were more controlled than he expected. Jirou will stand guard over the two children, if they focus too much on the attacker, another might come in. The genin might be falling for a distraction, or the attacker was trying to lure people more important than the Genin. While he worried, it was also possible that it was Futility-San trying to get to the children but he couldn't immediately go to them as he had a tendency to run when adults showed up, and thus his presence too early could miss a chance to catch him. That and Senko was in no shape to fight, in all probability and he had to protect her as well. 

*Mitsuko:*
She considers this....visage before her. Akuba.
*"Heh. While you have a point, what do I have to worry about? It was Ameoku's own softness and weakness that she didn't include trace amounts of nonlethal doses of poison in their food to build up immunities over time. Ameoku speaks so much of strength, but then neglected her own offsprings training so that they can survive things like this!"*
Apart of her wonders if people should need to do that, however.
*"Ohohohohohoho! And when I get the medic-nin to cure them she will owe ME for it! Its her own fault for not raising her children properly. Now your clearly trying to stall me, so I have to go now...."*
She will then leap to the next roof top to keep running. 

*Kimiko:*
She deflect the kunai with a flurry of parries from paper blade, and keeps aware as she sees the sticky paper tags all around her, deciding not to step on or enar them. She considers this new voice. Someone working with Futility-San. 
"An accomplice, eh? Well no one is dead, your plan failed there, as for Ameoku looking stupid, well that as happening even before you showed up so congratulations on exaggerating what was already there, hyuhyu! But enough of her increasingly clear incompetence, your dealing with me now, Kimiko Ishikawa, Shining Star of the Hope Generation, who will surpass her in due time! I'll what a _real_ opponent is like!"
She will put on her chakra goggles to see where her foes chakra coils are, seeing one that doesn't belong. Then stab at her at range going:
"Paper Release: Unsheathing Paper Claw Jutsu."
Her blade extends up to 50 feet in the space of the thrust, bursting forward to jab at the rogue shinobi without Kimiko moving from her spot.

----------


## Rater202

With the injured Odayama turning out to be a clone, a big ole lump of biomass lands on the floor with a thump.

"Well, I just wasted a bunch of chakra."

She pulls out her body storage scroll and seals away the lump, she'll reabsorb it latercellular regeneration absorption is nasty business, and she'd rather not use it in front of small children, or people who just ate.

"Sorry, that is going to leave a bit of a residue. Whoever's job it is to clean this room is going to have to scrub the floor with isoprople alcohol."

Senko pulls off her oversized robesher underclothes are made of an elastic fabric that contracts and starches as needed, so no problem thereand begins rummaging through her first aid kits and what handfuls of drugs she does have and...

"Oh, those are most of the herbs I need for... Would anyone happen to have a military ration pill on their person? I do not _need_ one but it would make what I am about to do easier."

As conflicted as Senko is... She does have a sample she could use that would drastically enhance her affinity for water release. Which could let her continue to assist, or at least defend herself, despite her dimished physical state. And she has just enough ingredients to improvise a crude version of the serums needed for he procedure.

----------


## igordragonian

Shushuryu the assistant of Ameoku get from her an aprovving nod, as she silently give a pill to Senko.
'Use it wisely.' as she check the bandlouier of her pills and syringes.
Ameoku keep treating Odayama with punches.... it does keep him alive, and she is exact enough to not to actually injure him- but for how long it will last?

Shushuryu syringe both girls, and they a bit better.
'This will buy us a minute'
----

Akuba 'stare' with her blind eyes.
_'Tsk. Tsk. Time does make things easier. Doesn't it? Let's... remind you.'_ she dissapear, and reappear, (but more in slenderman and static noise rather then smoke-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuok3NhHN6I&ab_channel=LightMedia)
behind her trying to grasp her head, and force her bad memories and nightmares to the front of her mind, digging them from the depth of her subcounsice. Preffering to remind her, of the Ishikawas massacare, but she can't control this to this very exact degree.

----

The shilloute jump, and run with a feline grace, over the paper blade. She is a girl, probably, with a messy spikey hair, not unlike Miko and Kimiko Nekozaki.
'Well, that all that mattered. Any suffer she suffer, is my pleasure.' a scarred sound foreheadprotector cover her scarred face in diagonal, as she drew kunais between all fingers, sending them at Kimiko-
Usagi, shoot arrows, deflecting every one of them.
'Ah. Backuped, by a crippled? You ARE desprate. I like it.' She try to kick Kimiko in the face.
She seems of decent skill, but what she show so far, looks Genin level.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
She will suddenly clutch at her head and fall to the ground as images of that day, of the Ishikawas fighting to defend their home from the sudden attack:
*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri, Part 5: The Purge*
Show


(Part 1 was the graduation ceremony story, this won't be told in chronological order)

_Mitsuko didn't remember exactly when it began. She only remembers the fighting, the ninja coming for her. She remembers ordering Jirou her son to grab his blade and be ready to kill any that come near him. She remembers the blood of dead Genin on his blade. She remembers running, taking cover as explosive tags detonated her and there, as she uses his paper blade to slash off another head, as she sees clan members erecting stone walls, firing high pressure blasts of water to punch through skulls or simply rip limbs clean off from the force of the water hitting them, of buildings burning, seeing other clan houses burning in the distance. Shouting orders. Scrolls to be carried away. preserved. She runs past corpses of the dead: Father. Mother. Sister. Aunt. Uncle. Nephews. Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead. 

She is dimly aware of blood on her clothes, insults from the enemy shouted amid the din. The worst thing about it is that it all blurred together, it was all so horrible no one moment stood as more terrifying than the rest. She remembers Jirou crying. She remembers her not having time for him crying. She remembers Jirou being quiet for the rest of his life after that. She remembers traps being sprung and Kiri clanless falling into stone spikes, or being electrocuted  when they step across a line, or get set on fire from seals. Or they die from suddenly summoned animal showing up in response to them coming in and joining the fight for the Ishikawas. She remembers seeing one clan shinobi's clone being poofed, then their second, third and fourth then dying from too many people attacking at once.

It occurred to her that in the grand scheme of things, such plans and measures were just statistical adjustments. Slight increases in a percentage. A dead body as just another number to manipulate the odds. Warfare like many things was a form of gambling, and the odds of a victory was in favor of the one who had the most to throw away to abuse the odds until they inevitably won- the house sa they say, always wins. and the Ishikawa clan currently wasn't the dealer. 

She runs up to Ryota who is standing look out at the battle emotionless as ever. Maybe slightly annoyed if you look closely.
"Ryota! Why haven't we retreated yet!? We're taking heavy losses!"
"....Not yet."
"WHY!?"
"The plan is that if we put up enough resistance, Yagura himself will come to crush us. That is when the trap will spring. He managed to usurp the Mizukage first, this is the backup plan."
"That won't work!"
"Explain."
"He clearly has all the clanless ninja on his side! He doesn't need to come to us, he can just keep sending his superior numbers at us until we're drowned in blood and corpses!"
"She's right." Musumu says jumping in "It doesn't matter how clever your trap is, he has enough ninja that he can afford not to spring it by just making others kill us for him."
He is silent for a moment, thinking. 
"Ryota!" she says "Your clan is dying around you!"
"Irrelevant." he says, dispassionate. "He will come for me. He hates me, for what I represent to him."
She is truly afraid at this point, knowing she never convinced him of anything before. Knowing that deep down he didn't care. For anything. Knowing what kind of person he is. How coldly meticulous he was. Which was of course the problem: sure planning was good and all but he planned too long to put it into action. She would have to try something different.
"Ryota. He is a shinobi of the Mist as much as you. They don't call us the Bloody Mist for nothing. He is probably just as willing to spend lives as you, and has more bodies to throw into the grinder. You underestimated how quickly he moved to take the Mizukage position for himself. And now its possible your underestimating how reckless he is- or perhaps how much he personally wants to kill you. A man in that position of power? Doesn't need to do anything himself. I'm sure he will be satisfied with someone bringing your head to him. Just as am I'm sure you would be. He is the one with more power and resources than you. Killing you personally is a weak person's plan."
He considers this for a silent moment. 
"...Very well. We retreat. I thought he would be here by now, but its clear that he is smarter than he seems."
She only remembers the retreat and watching ninja die even as they run away, and remembers the Ishikawa clan house going up in flames, along with all the knowledge within._


She seems vulnerable as she remembers this moment.

*Kimiko:*
She ducks under the kick and grins.
"Desperate is far from the word I'd use. you want to face me alone, challenge me to a duel first idiot. You made this total war when you attacked without rules or warning. Your lucky that all my other clan members aren't swarming out here to surround you with pure numbers. Your one rogue shinobi right outside a clan house already outnumbered two to one. The only reason I'm not calling the rest is to prove that they weren't needed to capture you, because I'm just that good."
Well that and the fact that the place is littered with explosive tags and more bodies means more likely that one of her clan members would get blown up by one so its best to keep the numbers small, but why state that out loud? Clans like her own build their entire fuinjutsu legacy on explosive traps like this as their bread and butter, she knew what she was doing. Kimiko says
"Paper Release: Paper Whip Jutsu."
She will extend her Origami-no-Tsurugi into a paper whip and attempt to lash out to try and grab at the girls leg with the whip then pull it to send her off balance.

----------


## Rater202

"Menko, plan Y, please."

Menko conjures a dozen clones of her human form who stand strategically around Senko while the real Menko uses her "this is someone else's problem" genjutsu while still wrapped around Senko's shoulders.

"What are you doing?"

"The thing."

"The thing?"

"Yes, I am going to do the thing."

"I don't know about this..."

All through Senko is crushing herbs, dissolving them in liquid, and finally pouring the solution into the vial of hairs, which breaks them down and then affixes a needle to the end and jams it into her arm..

She then swallows some more herbs and the soldier pill.

It's been maybe a few moments when the clones disperse. Senko is putting away her supplies and the veins in her right arm are bulging something fierce. she's actually twitching a little.

"I apologize, for the... Invasion of snake girls, but... I know the Ishikawa clan's habit of collecting knowledge and I would really prefer that no one try that until I have perfected it... Seriously, if anyone but me did that right now they would almost certainly die in agony, so... So one gets to see my experimental procedure just yet."

Senko is starting to sweat something fierce

"I will, however, explain that if the procedure works... Which it seems it is, that my natural elemental affinities will be greatly magnified. Which should, in turn, allow me to assist in the dealing with our assailants despite my current temporary physical shortcomings... I am going to go check on my teammates now."

Senko sounds honest to most people, but Jirou, who knows her well, can tell that she's lying through her teeth about what the procedure she just did was.

The temporarily smol genin makes her way to where Kimiko and Usagi fled.

----------


## igordragonian

*Akuba*
Akuba won't hurt her body.
Oh no. Akuba is just a little fragile granny. She just here to educate.
she cackle. and pet Mitsuko's hair in a totally creepy way, like a fake mother from a grim fairy tale.
*"There, there.... sweet summer child. We need to remember our pain. Otherwise, it was meaningless. Right?Never forget. Never settle. Despair."* she lecture her snd then just dissapear.
She doesnt care what the crazy little ally of her does- this girl was embraced by despair, and this was good enough for granny Akuba. 
Thogh... on second thought if she get captured that would be incovneint. She will back her up, if needed.
-----

*"That what they teach you at the academy? How soft."* she doesn't make a complete sense. Her raionality is very so so. And she just half listen.
She fall, and also penerated by one of Usagi's arrows.

she swear in pain and then laugh.
Usagi frown. "You think my arrows are funny?!" and send a barrage of arrows.
Despite her injury, the girl dodge and jump over the roof, kicking roof tiles toward the two girls.
Usagi shoot off some of them,  but not all.

What this girl lack in skill, she has in bitter determination,  like in the tales from the Rice Indepdence War.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
As soon as Akuba touches her head-poof! the paper clone bursts into a bunch of paper tentacles that try to wrap around Akuba to bind her in place. This whole time she was just screwing with a paper clone Mitsuko made to be a distraction while she took a more efficient route having noticed she was being watched from the shadows. The real Mitsuko? Has arrived at the hospital, speaking to to the medic nin on call saying
*"Quick! its an emergency! Ameoku's children are poisoned at the Ishikawa household and need medical attention, NOW!"*

*Kimiko:*
She whacks the tiles aside with her blade, not moving from her spot.
"Oh did you not finish the academy? I guess that explains why your still around here: You don't know basic math."
Kimiko replies with smug sharklike grin. She then leaps clean over the explosive tags in the courtyard to land on the roof, pursuing her. Usagi hit the girl yes, but actually killing her wasn't what she wanted. This girl knew things about Futility-San. She could be a source of information. Sending her off balance had not accomplished that. She could hidden mist jutsu here, but what would cutting her own teammates effectiveness off accomplish? the mist would make Usagi unable to aim or knows what going on. So instead Kimiko sheathes her sword- then speeds forward as fast as she can and tries to tackle the girl to the ground, wrestling with her to try and subdue her the taijutsu subdual methods everyone is taught at the academy. That way Usagi could see what is happening and can adjust accordingly. After all, using a paper whip to bind her would only leave her vulnerable to more arrows fired, and a dead enemy is one that can't talk- she is reasonably confident this is a good idea, as a wounded person experiencing pain from an arrow in them was probably weaker than one without a wound, and Kimiko was as good at taijutsu as she was the rest of jutsu- she wasn't the top of her class for nothing.

----------


## Rater202

*Outside*

Since no one stopped Senko, she is no outside observing the fight between Kimiko and Usagi on one side and the assailant on the other.

Senko wants to help, but with the explosive tags everywhere she's not sure she can get to them. Not when she's reduced in height this much.

But... She'd been working on something over the last couple of days. Ameoku was unstable and Senko wanted to be prepared just in case. It also gave her something to do with her water release skillsskills she's just given a boostand distract her from her growing guilt, guilt which is going to be a whole lot worse soon enough.

And this girl bore a passing resemblance to Ameoku and her children...

Senko channels her sage chakra into her right arm, enough to reshape it. Fingers splay and bend back, flesh becomes chitinous, bones and muscle reshape, a large tube appears in her palm as her arm reshapes into a chakra cannon.

a chakra canon she begins charging with Water Natured Senjutsu chakra.

Senko Takes Aim.

"Sage Art Water Release: Heavenly Mist!"

From Senko's chakra canon comes a heavy, concentrated spray of high-pressure mist in a stream aimed directly at the assailant.

----------


## igordragonian

*Mitsuko*

'Pesky little girl!' the crone groan angerly. She try to cut free by using a rusty kunai.
Medic nins readily jump

*Despair girl?*

Usagi has sort of an understanding with Kimiko, and short an arrow at the girl palm, weakning her ability to do ninjutsu quite a lot

'Math is futile. Everything come to a tragic end.' she say, with a flinch of pain. She use all of her force, in attempt to use the paper wrapping back against Kimiko and throw her infront of the chakra cannon.

Usagi wide eyed. 'NANI?!' shocked at the chakra cannon

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
I mean the crone will probably cut through the bindings easily or at least in a short amount of time. Its only to slow her down, keep her occupied. 

Mitsuko will escort the medics at a similarly fast pace, keeping an eye out for the crone or any other assailants.

*Kimiko:*
"Hyu?"
She says confused as she gets wrapped then thrown into the hydro jet, then gets blasted over the rooftop, rolling around a little and landing with a bunch cuts and bruises, picking herself up while going
"RRRRRGH!! Why you.....how dare you make my friend hurt me! Paper Release: Paper Shuriken Jutsu!"
She will instead keep her distance and use her Origami-No-Tsurugi to fire paper shurikens at despair girl while Yuyuyu will appear and throw a net at despair girl from behind her trying to track her movements from how she dodges Kimiko's shurikens- and whatever attacks Usagi and Senko try, hey if they fill the area with enough projectiles while keeping their distance to dodge each other, this might work.

----------


## Rater202

...Senko is now _upset_.

Her attempt to help backfired. It made things worse, and now she feels guilt and shame. More so than she'd already felt.

But most of all... she feels _angry_.

Angry at this little **** who interrupted an important event for her mentor.

angry at this person who poisoned children to make a point.

Angry at this person who made her hurt her friend.

She'd just made a speech about controlling her rage, too... But some things push you over your limits.

With her emotions thrown off balance, the balance of her body is thrown off as well. Her chakra remolds, more fluids are produced, adrenaline spikes...

The natural energy flows through her body and she grows.

Senko can feel the transformation coming. Part of her wants to give in, to tear this person limb from limb, to revel in the carnage.

But, at the last minute, she resists, and manages to redirect the power to her arms. The chakra canon grows somewhat, and the other arm changes to match it.

Vent the build-up of energy and attack the enemy at the same time.

"Sage Art Water Style: Twin Heavenly Mist!"

This time _two_ firehoses full of chakra-based water spray out aimed directly at despair girl.

----------


## igordragonian

(let's say that Mitsuko and the medics will get there... next post?)

The despair girl laugh. There isn't true joy behind this- just petty bitterness.
"Never trust people. Wether they like it, or not- they will disapoint you."
Her shoulder bled, and she was in pain, but didn't cared.

She had hard to keep up-she was probably less skilled then any of them as induvdial, she pushed herself through bitter hatred.

And it seemed, it became too much for her.
She manage to parry off two kunais from Kimiko, but if she thrown more then two, it will hit.
Another pair of arrows penerated the desprate girl. Rather then screechs of pain, or setoic pant of pain, she laughed.
laughed histercily and yelled
*"Futile! Futile! Hahahaha!"* the more injured she became, the slower she became and an easier target.
She is captured by the net and blasted by the water cannon to the wall that close Ishikawa's clan yard, with a loud crack of bones as she hit againt it.
She is on her kneens, her left arm look like a hedghog.
She shake with pain.
Despite it The despair girl start a set of seals, which were taught to them right after finishing the Genin tests.
It's a ninjutsu that cant be trained. One use only.
The Last Shout Technique.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Time slows down for her as her mind analyzes the situation at lightning speed: the recommended  countermove for such suicidal attacks is to fall back. That if the enemy is so willing to blow themselves up, don't be in the blast radius. However her pride knew that falling back would be admitting she couldn't capture the enemy that could them much. That she was outplayed. Rush forward, die and fail. Fall back and fail. Kimiko Ishikawa did not tolerate failure. Her eyes narrow in anger as her mind blazes through all the possibilities and available resources around her. There was no time for Usagi's bell genjutsu, that required set up. Yuyuyu did not yet know any genjutsu to put people to sleep. Senko's abilities were so unusual that Kimiko honestly didn't know how to factor them into her plans- she didn't know their full capabilities and limitations. Anyone with more experience who would have prepared solution for this situation was inside or getting help. 

So she decided upon a third option.

Kimiko flashed through hand signs shouting
"Kuso! She's starting Last Shout! Paper Clone Jutsu!"
Taking more chakra out of her than most, a clone of Kimiko poofs into existence and speeds for with a body-flicker technique, instantly appearing in front of despair girl and tries to grab the girls hand with her left hand to keep her from forming more hand signs and to use the other one to keep despair girls mouth shut, trying to stop it before she can finish it.

----------


## Rater202

The Last shout was a powerful suicide technique and... That's literally everything that Senko knew about it.

It's clearly not a power-up state, like the eight gates, becuase if it was then Kimiko wouldn't need to stop the girl from completing it.

...Capturing the girl alive would have been best. And Senko didn't really know what her motives were, but if Kimiko fails to...

Senko makes the judgment call. She'd rather have a live Kimiko but a dead prisoner than a dead Kimiko.

She'd literally just grafted the bloodline to herself, but so far she seemed stable enough. And right now there were no witnesses besides the people who already knew what it was that she did.

A little tweeking of the nozel... She wasn't as proficient with wind release as water release due to lack of practice, but bloodline use was instinctive to a degree.

No name this time. Nothing shouted. Just a shard of chakra-conjured ice shot from Senko's palm and aimed at Despair Girl's throat.

----------


## igordragonian

The despair girl is weak, but she grapple against the paper clone. 
Usagi guide Yojimbo to give her  a better angle- and she shoot in a very exact manner, the palm of the despair girl, without hurting the paper clone.
'HA! You can't even kill yourself!'


But Akoba has arrived, standing on the wall. Her genjutsu was the most effective with a touch, but she had ways for a group weaker genjutsu- she thrown a gas bomb, filled with hallucnatic gas.
it doesn't take you inside your mindscape, liker her beter genjutsu- but it materialize your fears in the real world- you CAN deny them if you are strong willed- but it take a lot of mental fortitude. She try to use the distraction to grab the despair girl by her hair, and drag her up.


The medics are aready near.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She wasn't expecting this, and it was genjutsu/hallucination from a more powerful ninja. Both her and her clone see a collection of images: _corpse of the bandit she killed in the basement of her clan house, the first Futility-san she beheaded, the Bye-bye Kitties injured from her negligence, Senko turning away from her after lying to her about the ice-cream man, Senko dying to appease the ronin, Ameoku's children dying. all because she failed, failed, failed._
The clone shrieks and explodes into harmless confetti. Kimiko falls to the ground at her knees breathing heavily clutching her head at the images, eyes wide and torn being angry and scared. 

Yuyuyu is in a similar state surrounded by a single image: _being alone in a dark void, all the people she was connected to, all the people that she supported and in turn supported her, gone._ 

*Mitsuko:*
She sees this happen and doesn't know whats going on: she doesn't know why the despair girl is here. She looked like one of Ameoku's clan, but she wasn't either of her daughters. Why was she being carried away? The other Genin seemed to have been attacking her judging by the arrows matching the rabbit girls quiver.  that girl was an enemy then. She sees the gas and not knowing what it does, uses a paper whip to pull Kimiko out of it and hug her close, because blatant parental favoritism thinking that it might be poisonous.
*"Kuso! Are you okay!? Is it deadly? Maybe I should've tried to immunize you to poisons! I'll have the medics look at you after they take care of Ameoku's kids as fast as possible!"*
Kimiko is just struggling in her embrace going 
"I failed! I failed! No! I need to succeed! I failed!"
*"No you didn't. The medics are here, mission complete."*
"No! She needs to be captured! She could have information! Why aren't you going after her!?"
*"Calm down! This was a defensive fight, no shape to go on the offensive and actually pursue. We didn't lose any allies from something that was trying to tear us apart, thats a win."*
"RRRRRRGH!!"
Kimiko growls as she struggles. 

Jirour will quickly greet and thank the medics for coming and direct them to who needs medical attention.

----------


## Rater202

Senko has a great deal of experience controlling her emotions... But she has her triggers.

She flashes back to her childhood, walking through the remains of her village, finding her mother dying in the ruins of her house, being directed to the basement to find the book about her clan and realizing that everything was her fault.

Then she flashes back to the day she met Team 3... Except that this time when she came too, the village was in ruins and her new friends were dismembered horribly.

The same situation in Ryuchi cave.

The final image is different, however. It's Kimiko, and Yuyuyu, and Usagi, and every other child in the Sound Village subjected to horrific, Frankensteinian experiments turning them all into monsters while the Otokage shrugs. And then Ameoku leads the survivors into a battle where they're slaughtered, and Senko had to watch it all.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry. My fault, it's all my fault... Should have controlled myself... Should have protected you when I had the chance... Damn it, damn it, *DAMN IT*!"

She was already off-balance before...

Senko jumps for Depair Girl and Aoba.

The Oni of Debuita lands before them, a sadistic grin full of sharp teeth flashing down on them.

----------


## igordragonian

(All on basis of what Akoba try,assuming she succeed

Akoba cackle.
"ah. You turn your fear into rage. How... kawai" the almost corpse crone let Senko to bite her, it would feel to Senko like dry leather. And she use this intimate distance to touch Senko's forehead, locking her inside her own mindscape at it's darkest place.

Akoba slide away carrying the girl.



Usagi wide eyes simply see rain of blood.

One of the medics- (the guy from Fukaimi which I have forgotten his name)https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/on...20200223175503
(let's call him... Habu)
does a wind release to send the gas away, while the other medics rushed inside and rather quickly neautralized the poison from Odyama, Miko and Kimiko 

Ameoku drag her family in a bear(or cougar?) hug.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
Mitsuko will keep Kimiko restrained to keep her from pursuing or trying to seal Senko- a shinobi affected by fear gas is in no shape to do either. Jirou however quickly body flickers in front of Senko and place a sealing tag on her forehead as Akoba leaves, having done this kind of sealing before and always having a spare sealing tag up his sleeve just in case- after all maybe Ameoku could've said something stupid enough to provoke Senko into this kind of rage, who knows? When the sealing takes full effect and the danger is passed, he will turn to Ameoku as they are cured and as she ends her hug.
"Ameoku. I am glad that your family is safe. However we did not get to finish the meeting. If we do not do so, it may send the wrong message that we were too weak, that we let a terrorist attack get in way of discussing important political matters. We should at least find a good time to reschedule and reconvene with appropriate security measures in place to protect us both. I want to make sure we are clear on all issues, and dispel any doubts about our loyalties."

Meanwhile soon the genin will recover from their fear and Mitsuko will put Kimiko down, who looks grumpy that she failed to capture despair girl.

----------


## Rater202

Senko is sealed and remains so until her transformation runs its course.

Afterward, she's shaking, as normal after a transformation, and has to be reassured that she didn't kill anyone.

"...The next time I get invited to one of these events, I am bringing the Ronin. A big strong person with a sword to stab anyone who shows up trying to murder kids."

Senko is still shrunk down to the size of a seven-year-old due to lost biomass.

Menko in human form takes advantage of this, hoisting Senko up onto her back papoose style.

"Don't woo-wey, Senko-tan. Menko onee-sama will pwotec you until you're big again."

"...You know that this is only skin deep, right? This goes away the second I reabsorb that blob of flesh."

"Please let me have this."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayma nodded to his wife, panting, as his ribs were cracked at least a bit from her constant punches.
'Do your job, Ameoku-can, and I'll do mine.'
He, Miko and lil Kimiko went out to check on the team of young kunoichis.

He smile weakly, and offer the girls, candy-dolls.
'Well. That, was a thing that happened. Are you alright girs?'

Miko and Kimiko look at the battle scene. Miko say'Lots of papers...'

Kimiko:'I can't believe I have missed the battle because of a stupid poison! I bet, If I were here, I would have caught the bad guy!'




Ameoku stare after Odayama. What would she actually do, if he died? She would lose completly to the beast within...
doubts. Good thing she always carried the mask on. Shushurryu nodded slowly, encouraging Ameoku.

*'Very well.'* she take a seat, turning to herself, after allowing herself this too long moment of vulnerability.
*'THAT exactly, why we can't allow ourselves to grow comftrable- we are being disrespected- would you imagine some broken shinobis doing such things in Konoha?'* she clench her fist.
*'Worse. Those terrorists used the BEST qualities of our village against us- suicidial resolve. I couldn't help in the battle, but I have heard it. A single ninja, with less training then a whole team of Genins, gave them a fight. During the war, we made ninjas into Genins, simply by them making a kill- not some tests in safe eniverment in the academy! If we try to be Konoha, we will always be lesser then them- we need to stick to our strengh!'*

----------


## Rater202

"Are you insane, Ameoku-san? Not only have you proven today that you can't be trusted to keep calm in a crisis, but now you are twisting facts."

"That untrained child _lost_ to two academy genin and a girl with only informal ninja training. She then tried and _failed_ to take us out with her in a sacrificial technique, and only escaped becuase a far more powerful ninja rescued her at the last minute."

"If that despair girl is your model for an ideal Sound Ninja, then we might as well give up completly and bend over for the Leaf now, becuase any war that you inevitably start with them will end with us all dead or enslaved to their will."

"No, seriously... Everything you just said... It is making me want to become the Otokage when I grow up solely so that I can outlaw the Last Shout and erase all knowledge of how it's performed from the records solely to spite you for saying we should follow an inherently self-destructive model. That is how stupid what you just said is."

"Besides... With how important the Last Shout was to Sound's victory, however phyric it was, n the War, the Leaf Village has surely invested time and effort into creating counters in case they ever have to fight us again. As would anyone who suspects they might have to fight us. Relying on the same tricks time and time again will lead to failure."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko/Mitsuko:*
Jirou....doesn't know how to respond to this proclamation by Ameoku
"What-? How did you come to this- I don't...."
He pinches the bridge of his nose at this, trying to deal with the incoming headache while Kimiko just tilts her head and goes
"Wait, if you define strong as sacrificing yourself for the village in suicide tactics, and your supposed to be strong, why didn't you die with Odokuro twelve years ago? Because by your logic, everyone in the village is weak and cowardly until we sacrifice ourselves in battle for the village. So therefore you had the chance to prove yourself strong on your own definition, by sacrificing your life in that battle but you didn't, so that does mean you don't consider yourself strong? Or right now, why didn't you grab the assailant yourself, then blow yourself up to take her with you? Then you would be strong according to what you say. But by your own definition, your not strong since your still alive."
Her tone isn't accusatory or scathing because Kimiko doesn't actually care, she is just confused and doesn't when to be quiet.
"Your definition of strength is very confusing, I don't think I'll follow it."
Mitsuko puts a hand on Kimiko's shoulder
*"Kimiko, let your Okaa-san explain it to you: Ameoku wouldn't know strength if it bit her in the face. Every real shinobi knows that true strength is in planning, deception, throwing away morality, paranoia, surviving, and ruthlessly making the other guy die for their country. I bet Konoha has had the Uchiha clan make genjutsu to fool suicide shouters into detonating early by now before they ever reach any real targets, or the Yamanaka have figured out some early mind-based detection system for that kind of thing, or worse the Nara probably have some multi-step contingency plan or procedure they dreamed up for any shinobi to follow that they just have in a file cabinet somewhere labeled "OPEN IN CASE OF WAR WITH OTOGAKURE" that details all the ways any normal shinobi could fight around the Last Shout to the best of their knowledge, or just treat it with some general anti-suicide bomber protocol they've set up for any jutsu of its kind. Our clan may be good at planning but the Naras are better.

And lets not forget that Konoha was fighting a war with Iwa and Kumo at the same time they were fighting us. To say that we won purely because of the tactics employed is to ignore that we got real lucky they had two bigger foes to fight. We can't expect that to happen again, and such tactics are primarily an offensive tactic when you don't have a village or land to defend. The Land of Rice doesn't have enough land for scorched earth to be viable, we'd just be hurting our own chances of recovery after a loss, so really, Ameoku's plan to fight Konoha if its to be any way viable would be to abandon the Land of Rice and this village entirely and start blowing up in various factories, farms, and facilities in the Land of Fire to damage their ability to wage war while avoiding their actual military forces to basically either force Land of Fire to spend money on restoring it all or ignore it to fight us, making the war too costly for them to keep fighting it forever either way, but even then it basically guarantees that Rice falls back under Land of Fire control as we would be unable to defend anything we hold. The Rice Daimyo would be perfectly in his rights to declare us all Missing-Nin for not defending his nation, disband the Sound Village and accept Konoha protection. 

We'd basically be giving up all that we currently have just to screw over Konoha, and I didn't fight in the Third Shinobi War and train you as hard as I can so that you could end up living in an abandoned bunker in Fire as a disposable pawn for someone's poorly thought out revenge scheme."*
She turns to Ameoku
*"You hear that, Ameoku!? This clan signed on so that we could have prosperous lives in a new land, not so that we can be your living bombs to throw at Konoha. Ohohohoho! No wonder you never liked me, never reached out to me, you know that I have too much of a survival instinct to follow along with your plans. There is a difference between accepting the risk of death in our profession and charging straight into the certainty of it. And your kids getting poisoned in your own fault. You could've taught them your shinobi skills to help them survive in the life they are going to live, shared the secrets of your strength so that they could replicate it, its like teaching them math or how to read they're going to need it no matter what. And now your angry that someone inevitably turned your own tactics back upon you when all is fair in love and war."*
She points to Senko
*"See? She gets the problems with that technique. I saw the same thing: that missing nin girl was losing badly, and I could see Kimiko switch to her nonlethal takedown taijutsu moves, she was trying to capture not kill which would've given us a source of information, then a stronger ninja I had to distract with a clone on the way to getting to the medics to cure your children, came in used a gas bomb genjutsu they couldn't defend against it and took her away. So really you owe me for saving your child's lives while my child did the best she could to defend and capture the assailant. She was more of a help in this situation than you."*

----------


## Rater202

"If you want the sound village to be stronger than the Leaf, or at least strong enough that we won't be victimized, we can't allow ourselves to stagnate or fall into self-destructive patterns. We need to fortify, build up the strength we have, not throw it away."

"Speaking of which: In the last month I have stolen a major summoning contract and SAge title from the leaf village right under their noses, and recruited a samurai from the Land of Iron who is now teaching sound village children swordplay, and technically I am not _even_ a genin. What have _you_ done recently to make the village stronger, Ameoku-san?

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama smiled akwardly as his support seemed uneeded.


Ameoku smile to Senko.
*"You are an adorable child. I like you, and your charmingly arrogant attitude. I think Odokuro-duno would have LOVED you. I would gladly train you, if your pride would allow you, but I dont owe you explanations. I enjoyed your intative, but dont let it get to your head, Senko-chan."*



She sigh and reply to the grownups.
*"Nonono. Are you keep misunderstanding me on porpuse?"* 


She gesture at Mitsuko. *"You get me. More or less. I think the same. I meant to have the RESOLVE.  The *will* and *readiness* to sacrafice everything. I never spoke of scorched earth- why would I want that? Suicidal isnt equal stupid. How to explain it..."*  she tap her chin.

"Chicken games." Shushuryu offer.
*'Ah. Yes. Thank you for reminding me. . You see, in order to win, power isn't the real factor- it's about the will to maximize it's use.     I have a story, that might explain my point Let's imagine mmm.. a ronin. A powerful one,who terrorize a village for food and supplies. He once defeater their strongest warrior and since then,they have obeyed him,and when ever someone hinted at displeasure, he glared at them.* 

Miko:"Oh! I love this story!"
Kimiko groan.:"It's stupid"

Ameokylu continue
*"Years pass. The villagers were unaware, but the ronin started to like the village, and even if on the surface he kept bullying them- he liked them.
This secret eventually was exposed- maybe a kid tried to steal something from the Ronin,but he wasnt willing to punish the kid, beyond empty threats.
The very next day group of the village youth have attacked him. He beaten them without killing them. Next day, a bigger group has ambushed him, but he wasn"t willing to kill,and eventually they have lynched him to death,ripping him to pieces.
The Ronin had power, but it was meaningless, when he refused to use it. The young villagers didn't had much power, but they had the will to use their number and viciouse violence. Their will to act overpoweree the unused power of the ronin. This is my point- to stop holding back. To use everything we got. I have plans, that I cant reveal in this forum. Only the Ottokage may know the full scope of those plans, but I dropped hints. What I discuss here,aren't the technicalities of this strategy or that strategy, I got this.covered. I am talking about the spirit of our village. Our attitude as a whole.

*

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Mitsuko:*
*"Flattery will get you nowhere, I'm loyal to my Patriarch and future Otokage."*
She says dismissively.

*Jirou:*
The headache subsides and he says, with newfound anger and passion.
"Okay. Okay. Your talking about resolve. Okay. Question, Ameoku: _what do you think the Will of Fire is?_

Because its not some pretty words they repeat. Its the original version of the kind of resolve that your talking about. Its the resolve that everyone else has copied just to keep up with them. They will fight just as hard as we will! They have their own homes! Their own families and friends, loves, lives, hates, passions and sorrows! their own culture, their own identity they believe in! I have faith, no doubt in my mind that this village already has the spirit, the resolve to fight hard in response! You think Otogakure having the resolve to die for their village is special? Its not, because Konoha are the ones who _invented_ dying for your village! They been there done that, wrote the book on dying for your village, named it the Will of Fire, got rich off it and signed the kami-damned fan copies at the convention! 

But resolve alone does not win wars. Your speaking in an abstract immaterial factor. One we can't measure. One we can't calculate or plan for. Your assuming they won't fight as hard us, that they will be lazy. That they won't care. Your underestimating them. We killed their Third Hokage for Sage's sake! Do you think they don't want revenge for that!? Its only been twelve years. There are people for whom that death is still fresh in their mind! You will just be giving all the people in Konoha who want an excuse to attack us to burn us to the ground! To galvanize anyone in Konoha that could be sympathetic to our cause against us! Do you not remember the Three Deadly Leaves who became famous specifically for pursuing revenge upon us!? Have you forgotten the Third Hokage had a Jounin daughter who openly spoke out against the Fourth signing the treaty with our village!? 

Do you really think people like THAT, aren't going to fight as hard as they can to destroy us? They have every reason to hate this village. They have something to defend and something to hate and destroy, those are the two strongest forces in humanity's resolve. And if we, some minor nation break treaty with a major one first? There will be no villages in all the countries that will stand by our side. We will have picked a fight with a sleeping bear as a rabbit and gotten killed for it. They have more than enough resolve to match ours and bigger numbers to use that resolve with. Don't mistake their Hokage's mercy for weakness or lack of resolve. Everything we got will not nearly be enough! This is something we know from fact, from historical basis, not some dreamed up fable about how you think this works. And the fact is: They have _every advantage on us_. They have more people to expend, all those sacrifices we've made? They can make the same sacrifices _but more of them_.

So imagine the Konoha version of Ameoku, going through all the same things, now imagine there are multiple versions of her each forged in similar crucibles of sacrificial fire to fuel their resolve, just as determined, just as bloodthirsty, just as ready to fight as you, ready to gang up on you and not care that there is only one Otogakure Ameoku to go kill between them, and they're all older and more experienced, all of them just as ready to die to screw you over. That is what your facing on a massive scale. That is what your wanting to fight! We merely adopted what they built the foundations of this _entire century_ upon! Your not in any way utilizing anything unique about this village by going down this path- only allowing Konoha's victory by internalizing a value they popularized even if we win, because victory by those methods will only mean that we will have BECOME a new Konoha, same as the old Konoha, but with sonic explosion decorations!"
He shakes his head.
"You'd be doing nothing but changing the wallpaper."

----------


## Rater202

"If a new Konoha is what yow ant us to be, Ameoku-san, then I could just go tot he LEaf Village now, tell them I a hte Sane Sage, that I am probably a Senju by blood, and use that to negotiate a reconciliation. We'd be safe from being wiped out by the LEaf in exchange for being a satellite village."

"Or we can find a new edge, something all our own, and maintain our political and cultural independence..."

"And Ameoku... If you really want to 'rain me,' you'd be better served by giving me your research. The experiments that allowed you to create your bloodline. My own research on the nature of chakra and the effects it has on biology and vice versa would greatly benefit from such information, while... Your fighting style? You're a berserker. While I myself am primarily a melee combatant, your exact style would be... Incompatible. I have to remain in control, or people will _die._"

Yeah, Senko's going for it.

----------


## igordragonian

Ameoku sigh. "I never said anything about resolve *alone.*"
She shake her head. *"I feel like we are talking in circles. The will of fire isn't as strong as it used to be. Not from the intel I have, and it also make sense. It's cycle in history- the ruffian strong willed conqure the fat and the rich, and in few generations, become fat and rich, just to be a victim of the next strong willed ruffians. It's almost law of nature
 Almost..."*
then she smile with determination.
*"But I will save the village! Konoha sooner or later will doom themselves, with or without our help And, they used to do have a good idea of how to do things. But they got corrupted. There is nothing wrong in learning from others- we all came from diffrent places and allowed each other's sounds to be heard. And I will protect it."*

She get up and look at Senko and laugh.
*"You are charming and a bit narrow minded for a child your age- Who say I didnt faced similiar struggles at the begining? Who to say, that I didnt had expriements with similiar nature happen under my hands? And no. My researches aren't soms candies to throw around. You will have to earn them, if at all. I never shared them with anyone."*
She give a bow to Jirou.
*"Let's depart as friendly rivals who both with the best for the village"*

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He will bow back.
"Yes.....lets."
he says deciding not to press the issue.

When she leaves he will turn and he and Mitsuko will whisper in a corner.
*"You didn't tell her about the...y'know..."*
"Plans change. If that is her reaction to an attempted poisoning and her view of Konoha, then she is too dangerous to trust with this. She is a fool who has confused the decadent upper class of Hinoshuto with the shinobi they hire. And she didn't react at all to the concept of losing all our land or the Rice Daimyo declaring us all missing nin!"
*"She has forgotten that shinobi are tools. That she serves at least two people higher than herself. She talks as if she is already Otokage. Your right, she is dangerous."*
"Question is...do we trust her or Shimpi more to be Anbu Commander?"
*"We don't know Shimpi's goals. and Ameoku is real popular and we know what her direction is. Unless Ameoku does something we can't overlook, its better to deal with the oni we know."*
"Yes, she's loud, we can plan for loud."
*"And the little genius?"*
"Which one?"
*"The preachy one."*
"what about her?"
*"She is smarter than Ameoku and is an idealist. Thats incredibly dangerous in a shinobi."*
"In what way?"
*"In the "the last shinobi to have that kind of combination was Hashirama" kind of way."*
She whispers while making a "and look what happened there" sort of gesture.
"Okay, good point. But your lucky she hasn't set her sights on you. and to be fair, the other is dangerous in the Madara way."
*"I'm aware. Just tell me you have it handled."*
"I do. She's reasonable and like 10. She has growing up to do and she's strong-willed, wherever she ends up I think it'll only be good for everyone."

He then turns back to the group to speak and bows.
"I apologize to everyone that our dinner wasn't as good we'd hoped. Usagi, Yuyuyu and Senko I'm willing to provide escorts from my own clan to make sure you get home safely. Unless there is anything you wish to discuss or stay a little while longer if only for the company?"
Kimiko looks up at him.
"Anniki, I want to learn medical jutsu."
"What, why?"
"How could I Kimiko, be so useless against poison? I, Kimiko Ishikawa, should learn it, to expand my genius ever further."
"No. Your already training in Paper Release, and that weird spiral ball jutsu you keep practicing and experimenting with day and night and claiming it will somehow enhance your chakra control greatly for some reason. and don't think I haven't seen you practicing Hidden Mist and other basic Water Release jutsu on the side. your already full up on training, don't bite off more than you can chew."
"But Anikkiiiiii....."
"No. I don't want to tire you out or spread you thin. Most Genin wouldn't be able to learn so much in the first place. you need to focus on having a specialization, a strength you can reliably fall back on."
"Fiiiiiiine...."

----------


## Rater202

> He then turns back to the group to speak and bows.
> "I apologize to everyone that our dinner wasn't as good we'd hoped. Usagi, Yuyuyu and Senko I'm willing to provide escorts from my own clan to make sure you get home safely. Unless there is anything you wish to discuss or stay a little while longer if only for the company?"
> Kimiko looks up at him.
> "Anniki, I want to learn medical jutsu."
> "What, why?"
> "How could I Kimiko, be so useless against poison? I, Kimiko Ishikawa, should learn it, to expand my genius ever further."
> "No. Your already training in Paper Release, and that weird spiral ball jutsu you keep practicing and experimenting with day and night and claiming it will somehow enhance your chakra control greatly for some reason. and don't think I haven't seen you practicing Hidden Mist and other basic Water Release jutsu on the side. your already full up on training, don't bite off more than you can chew."
> "But Anikkiiiiii....."
> "No. I don't want to tire you out or spread you thin. Most Genin wouldn't be able to learn so much in the first place. you need to focus on having a specialization, a strength you can reliably fall back on."
> "Fiiiiiiine...."



"On that note, Sensei, I have been meaning to ask if you could tink of anyone willing to teach me the hidden mist technique."

Senko uses the basic mist generation technique, fully shrouding one hand in a dense fog. She writes her name with it, letting "仙子" hang there for a few seconds until it dispersed, and turns back.

"I have been running into diminishing returns practicing this ever since I got to point that I could do that. I do not know if I actually _can_ perform the hidden mist technique, but I will not know till I try."

"Interesting, it seems that I missed one hell of a party."

So yeah, Shimpi is just standing there.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Close the Scene*
"I know it, Kimiko probably does at this point. There are a couple of others in the clan who learned I think, maybe someone in the Kaguya clan."
"Guilty as charged, hyuhyu."
"I think I could take some time out of my day to teach you tomorrow, its pretty late now. I'd recommend my Water release teacher Rahei but she isn't from Kiri, she wouldn't know the technique but I'd recommend her for any further training after that. and-"
he jumps a little at Shimpi just being there.
"Shimpi. You again. Our clan compound seems to be a popular meeting place for the Three Thunders, what next is Samayo going to stop by?"
Shimpi probably knows that Samayo Majutsu and his team are on their way back to the village even as they speak.
"Still its pretty late, can whatever you want to talk about wait until tomorrow or something? I know its probably important but we just got through a poisoning and dealing with Ameoku who is a bit much. Its not wise to make decisions on whatever you want to talk about when we're probably all tired.

If not, at least let us put everyone else to bed first."

*After the dinner:*
Kimiko will be put to sleep, and Yuyuyu, Usagi and Senko will be sent home. the rest of the clan goes to sleep and we cut to either tomorrow or later in the night with Jirou talking with Shimpi.
"Alright, what is it? If you have something important, say it."

*Kimiko: Wake up*
*Spoiler: Nightmare*
Show


_Kimiko is in darkness. She sees Ameoku's children- dead from poison. 
"Failure, failure, failure...."
whispers the darkness around her. No, they lived.
"still failure, you didn't do it, others did."
She sees the despair girl carried away. 
"Failure again. Wasn't captured. Wasn't killed. Wasn't saved. No matter the criteria you failed."
She hadn't failed yet. She could still do it.
"Yet you could do better, can't you?"
She sees the people that died by her hand, the Bye-Bye kitties she failed to save.
"Then why don't you?"
they said it was a success. People were defended. 
"Enough is not enough. You must aim for excellence. You must aim for perfection. You must aim for power"
They lived.
"Question is.....what will do for it? What will do to gain the power to protect others? To achieve your goals? And which one is more important?"
_

She wakes up again. She growls through her shark teeth. Stupid nightmares again. She will eat breakfast and go to the training ground to practice the Rasengan some more while she waits for her team to get her mind off of it.

----------


## Rater202

> *After the dinner:*
> Kimiko will be put to sleep, and Yuyuyu, Usagi and Senko will be sent home. the rest of the clan goes to sleep and we cut to either tomorrow or later in the night with Jirou talking with Shimpi.
> "Alright, what is it? If you have something important, say it."


"This would have been more effective if the children were still here, but... My information network got word of an incident at the border with Lightning country. Four individuals, one adult and three minors of various ages, crossed the border without stopping to present documentation... Pursued by a cloud ninja who did not stop at the border. The cloud ninja in question reacted violently when the Rice Ashigaru acted to stop him."

"It was at this point that the group fleeing the ninja ceased running. The adult of the group acted to drive the Cloud ninja back across the border using Taijutsu, then vanished with their wards. The Ashigaru were unharmed."

"I've already arranged for an investigation mission tot he area, to find this group and find out why they were being pursued by a Cloud Ninja, even found a chakra sensor willing to go, and I was informed that Team 3 were currently in your compound and thought it appropriate to inquire their willingness to join in."

"Particularly your little thief. The Ashigaru noted that the man who stopped fleeing to intervene had red hair, amber eyes, and seemed to transform into an oni when driving off the assailant. I don't believe in coincidences, do you? I believe she's claimed to have a relative that was last seen in Lightning Country?"

"But it seems I've arrived too late. The children are tired and it seems that their sensei has already left."

"...And for the record, it is not in my interest to be Anbu commander."

*Senko: That Night:*

Unaware of what Jirou and Shimpi were discussing, Senko lies in bed. Her guilt over stealing from Fuyuki-san was doubled, now that she'd actually grafted his cells. Now that she couldn't go back on it, and especially since it hadn't amounted to anything. How was she supposed to... A sour-sick feeling dominated the pit of her stomach.

Menko slithered into bed next to her master, and coiled around the other girl in a comforting embrace. "Senko-sama, whatever's on your mind, let it go. At least for now. Today's been a tiring day and you need your rest."

Senko leans into the hug and tries to sleep.

*The next day.*

Senko, back to full size, arrives second. she looks a little on the tired side, as if she hadn't slept well.

"Kimiko-san? do you think you could show me the signs for the Hiding in Mist technique?"

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama also bowed, and wishing a good night to his students. Wishing he could have been more meaningful to them.
Ameoku walked to another direction alongside Shushuryu.
"Work?" Odayama has asked with a sad smile.
"Work." Ameoku said and shared a big hug with him,and then her children.

"It has been quite some times,since I have used my labs..."
----


Usagi was.. dissapointed overall.
She wished a quick ranty good night.

"Well. I wore the kimono for nothing. She ranted to Yuyuyu.
"But thank you, for trying"

--

Usagi would probably train until midnight, and be a bit late
for the meeting.
-‐--


Odayama arrive as usual last. With even a bigger tobako box.
"Well. Thank you again. It was quite the dinner. Wasn't it?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
".....Oh. thanks. I apologize. You could've just said something about a mission for Team 3. But whatever. I'll make sure it gets to them. and....noted about the position. Scary that your heard that. I wonder how much do you know?"
He considers
"also why do you have such an interest in Senko? She is not the only notable genin in this village."

*Kimiko:*
Her rasengan bursts again and she curses a little, then turns to Senko.
"Yeah sure, no problem for the great Kimiko Ishikawa! Hiding in Mist Jutsu"
She makes Ox-Snake-Ram showing it clearly to you then the area is covered in thick mist. The contrast between the executions is striking. She was struggling to get this weird chakra ball technique down at all, but effortlessly and clearly did this one without a second thought. She will then cancel the jutsu so that the mist fades by cutting the mental chakra link
"So, show it again or do you got it? And yes it was....quite an interesting dinner Odayama-Taichou."

Yuyuyu will receive a letter explaining the mission and wait patiently to tell the others about it until they are ready.

----------


## igordragonian

"Yes. Indeed" Odayama give them the boxes.
"Eat well... we have a new mission."
and explain it.

----------


## Rater202

> "also why do you have such an interest in Senko? She is not the only notable genin in this village."


"Oh no, I don't have a special interest in her in particular. What I have is a special interest in Team 3. As a five-man squad they're already notable... Now throw in the genius prodigy who is open about her desire to steal every Jutsu in the world, the rage-filled rabbit-girl desperate to prove that she has no limits, the little girl that's gunning for my job, and the six-time Bloodline Thief who is openly critical of the entire system of clan and villages..."

"Your sister, your protege, and their friends could *easily* start a war by themselves. If they are the team that makes it to the Chunin-exams in Leaf, don't be surprised if they come back and Senko has stolen the eyes out of Madara Uchiha's skull, or Kimiko has infiltrated and spirited away with the entire Nara Clan Jutsu library and damn the consequences."

"And then there's you, Ishikawa. I bring you a ronin who attempted to infiltrate the village, and you convince her to join your power base and allow her to swear herself to one of your supporters _without_ inducting her into the shinobi corp. I am not saying that you were wrong to do that, but it is... Notable."

"...On that note, I feel that this is a mission that requires numbers more than it requires stealth, and I am not completly certain that there won't be combat or interference from Cloud. I've made a note in the official mission report that, as Team 3 is being targetted specifically, that Senko is permitted to bring her Ronin if she feels she needs to... Who by sheer coincidence is the roommate of the sensor I hired. It's always a little strange when you run into someone by chance _after_ you've had them in the Torture and Interrogation Offices. The cigarette burns seem to be healing nicely though."



> *Kimiko:*
> Her rasengan bursts again and she curses a little, then turns to Senko.
> "Yeah sure, no problem for the great Kimiko Ishikawa! Hiding in Mist Jutsu"
> She makes Ox-Snake-Ram showing it clearly to you then the area is covered in thick mist. The contrast between the executions is striking. She was struggling to get this weird chakra ball technique down at all, but effortlessly and clearly did this one without a second thought. She will then cancel the jutsu so that the mist fades by cutting the mental chakra link
> "So, show it again or do you got it? And yes it was....quite an interesting dinner Odayama-Taichou."
> 
> Yuyuyu will receive a letter explaining the mission and wait patiently to tell the others about it until they are ready.


Senko copies the hand signs and manages to produce a field of mist. It's smaller than Kimiko's but that doesn't stop Senko from looking pleased with herself at having successfully performed a 'real' jutsu, this time without help from formulas in a contract.

The letters that Yuyuyu and Odayama have received describe the situations more or less as Shimpi described it to Jirou: Team 3 is being scouted for this mission specifically, the details of the incident on the border including the possibility of Cloud interference, and the description of the man who stopped fleeing to save the Ashigaru and his apparent power to become an Oni.

They will be joined by a Chakra sensor who was also hand-picked for this mission, and Senko is permitted to bring "her retainer" if she feels that additional muscle would be useful.

Senko seems a bit lost in focus, muttering "Daichi" once.

A little bit later, an older girl with ear-length red hair under a cap that serves as her village headband comes up.

"Hello? Is this team 3? I was told to meet you and accompany you on a mission in my capacity as a chakra sensor. Oh, Senko-chan. And Kimiko-san... You two haven't broken anymore fingers, have you?"

Kimiko probably recognizes this as Ichika, the sensor type and medic ninja from the snow cone place.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"....I'd be more concerned about her stealing Nara's library if they didn't seem to consist entirely of variations on the same jutsu they seem to come up with endless application for. No wait your right that is concerning. and Madara died of old age after the Second War, he's like bones in the ground now, there is no way to get his eyes.

As for starting a war together uh....I know I'm a little....hands off with them. But I'm sure they're more reasonable than that and they'll grow into more reasonable well-rounded people. Like what genin isn't a little ridiculous at that age? I remember when I was genin I was a bit obsessed about proving myself making quiet dramatic speeches about how I'll will one prove to everyone that I can be just as good of a fuinjutsu user as any Ishikawa, and that just because I don't have a bloodline doesn't mean I can contribute to my clans legacy or be great ninja and now that I'm poised to become Otokage, soon everyone will see how great I can be through my efforts because its my dream to-
he coughs.
"Nevermind. Got carried away there. Point is we've all been through that stage in our lives. They'll mellow out. Trying to control them will only make them slip through our fingers. As for me....I just believe that its better to make allies than enemies. Its more people on your side."

*Kimiko:*
She listens as she eats when she finishes she says
"So meet up with those sensors and probably find out what this group crossing the borders is all about and do something about them? Sounds like a good mission to me. Worry not I, Kimiko Ishikawa will certainly get to the bottom of this!"
"I will be happy to help Senko meet more of her relatives." she says "And minors....kids like us I can only imagine they are confused being in a foreign land. But why is a cloud-nin after them?"
"Sounds similar in structure to genin team like ours. Did an entire cloud genin cell decide to go rogue? Odd, statistically most shinobi turn rogue when they are an adult. It makes sense for the potential jounin to do this, but most leave behind their genin or wait until after they become chuunin and thus are officially dissolved."
"Yeah I can see why that would make sense. That rogue must really care about these particular three if he drove off his attacker rather than leave them to get captured while he could escape."
"Real question is: why would Kumo want to pursue them?"
They will start getting ready and head out whenever everyone else is.

Also Yuyuyu apologizes to Usagi that things went so wrong but tells her she is happy to help her anytime.

"I'm fine, Ichika-san, I have not broken any fingers. Despite the efforts of those terrorist jerks."
She will say in response.

----------


## igordragonian

"Oh hey." Odayama wave.
"Well. I guess we are a big team this time. But please, not to spread out without reporting and all that. You are all great, but we need to have order."

Usagi chime in. "I will hunt them all!"

----------


## Rater202

"So, if we're gonna be together for a mission I should probably formally introduce myself. I already know Senko and I've met Kimiko, but I'm Ichika. I'm a sensor-type ninja, but I'm also a certified medical ninja. I mostly stay at the hospital but somtimes a mission needs someone exta and so here I am."

"I'm only a genin, but that's more... I could probably be a Chunin if I was better at making choices in the moment. But I'm not a leader, I'm a follower, and I'm okay with that. I'm honestly happier in a support role."

"In addition to sensing and medical Jutsu, I also know some basic fuinjutsu and written formulas. I'm just a well-rounded supporter type. I've also studied how to use things like acupuncture to manipulate the flow of chakra in someone's body to help augment"

"I also sometimes teach a yoga class or offer guided meditation support in the off-season."

"And... People sometimes make fun of me for this, but I think there are things about Chakra that can't really be explained scientifically. I really think there's something to the seven wheels."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Nice to meet you Ichika! I'm Yuyuyu, a Genjutsu specialist and infiltrator/spymaster in training. I'm also more of a support type, so I understand."
"All good capabilities, I look forward to working with- CAN'T BE EXPLAINED SCIENTIFICALLY!?"
"oh boy here we go."
"Chakra is a physical phenomenon. It can be observed, it be manipulated, it can be replicated. To say that there things science can't explain about chakra is to say there is parts of chakra we can't observe or extrapolate from the effects it has on the world. It is possible to observe it, therefore it is scientifically possible to explain it. As for the seven wheels, your literally a medic nin, so you'd know better than anyone about the chakra coil system and the tenketsu. There is literal physical evidence of how the source of our power works, if you believe there is "something to it" then you must believe that there is some hidden six other sources of power hidden within us. I find such a claim dubious myself. A shinobi becomes powerful regardless of how spiritually enlightened they are. There is some evidence for Yin playing a role in chakra's power yes, but the number of powerful ninja I can name lived lives that hardly match the beliefs of the seven wheels aside from maybe Hashirama. It seems more general mental power is what empowers people than any specific spiritual belief. In short its a good abstract metaphor if you like that, but in my estimation its probably not true. But we have a mission to do."
She turns to towards the village gates.
"Lets go then. Got to search for them."

----------


## Rater202

"...If Hashirama Senju, the strongest ninja on record, fits the profile of someone enlightened under the logic of the Seven wheels, woulnd't that be evidence _for_ their existence?"

Menko, in snake form, pokes her head out of one of Senko's sleeves.

"So what _are_ the Seven Wheels? I've never heard of them."

"The seven wheels are believed to be seven clusters of tenketsu in the human body, located at the base of the spine, the sacrum, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, the brow, and the crown, similar to the Eight Inner gatesin fact, some people beleive that the Gate of Death is one of the Tenketsu in the wheel of the heart... Which is ridiculous. The Heart is located slightly to the left of the center of the torso, the Eighth Gate is located in the left breast, but I digress. The idea is that the points that make up the wheels are normally closed, which limits the flow of chakra through the body, but there are certain yogic positions, exercises, and forms of meditation that can open them, allowing for a more clear flow of chakra and other... Benefits, mostly related to physical and mental health. It depends on which wheel is open."

"It's not about having more power, it's about being able to use the power you have more efficiently. And there _is_ a direct correlation between chakra and physical health, so..."

"The problem is that the Wheels can't be proven to exist: the only people with _that much_ knowledge of where the Tenketsu are the Hyuuga Clan, who refuses to answer either way and the ways they're supposed to benefit people don't always line up perfectly with our understanding of chakra based sciences. All the evidence is circumstantial."

"Like, if I close my eyes and focus my chakra senses..." Ichika does so. "Senko-chan's chakra seems to pool in the lower half of her body, which implies that her basal wheel is wide open, but that her sacral and solar plexus wheels are shut tight... Which makes sense, she's an earthy type who doesn't spend much time having fun or taking care of herself... But that could just be confirmation bias. I could just be seeing what I want to see based on pre-existing knowledge of who I'm looking at."

"...It would be an interesting experiment to see if changing my habits in ways that the wheel devotees beleive is 'healthier' has an effect on the flow of chakra in my body... But I am pretty sure that  any data from that would be subjective at best."

"Exactly... But if you're interested in trying it just for the hell of it I'd be glad to be your guide through the more advanced meditations and yogic forms. If nothing else it reduces stress."

"I will think about it..."

Senko turns to the rest of you.

"I will meet you at the gate. This will probably take a bit of time and if the mission report suggests bringing the Ronin I should probably bring the Ronin."

*Later, that the Village Gate.*

When Senko returns with Tomoe, the ronin awkwardly avoids the gaze of Ichika... Who has a confused expression on her face.

"So, uh... Tomoe-san? For future reference, I would have appreciated knowing you were a ronin _before_ I took you on as a subletter..."

...Huh. Small world.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Counterpoint: Madara."
She says to Ichika
"Madara got so strong as to fight him to stand stills and ties. The difference in power was slight, negligible and unquantifiable. Yet many of his values ran counter to Hashirama's. He was a conqueror, he lived longer, many speculate always would because Hashirama while he had a legendary regeneration ability, modern medical jutsu science has proven such abilities tend to shorten lifespans. We never really got confirmation of what killed Hashirama, he never succumbed to any assassin yet he died early and Madara stepped up to rule in his stead. He might've just succumbed to an early natural death just because his own reliance on his natural regeneration while Madara had more decades to improve beyond what he was when he fought Hashirama. And while Madara according to legend had the nine-tailed fox under his control, Wood Release's entire thing is that Hashirama, according to legend could suppress tailed beast chakra somehow. Meaning its entirely possible that they were canceling each other out in those fights. they probably decided to just stop fighting and be at peace because neither could dominate over the other and were so tired of fighting over their philosophy-whatevers that they just decided to set their differences aside to just make it work rather than dig in on questions that can't be answered or petty differences of method. 

Furthermore Yin chakra is only half the equation, the other half is Yang and Hashirama was probably blessed with an unusual amount of that. There are more contributing factors than mental state to why someone becomes powerful through chakra than just their mentality and pure physical training is one of them. He could've simply been really physically powerful which would be another factor complicating proving the chakra wheel hypothesis correct, because you can't say for sure whether the secret to ALL his power came from his mind, in addition to proving whether or not it specific values were a contributing factor against someone who got to similar levels of power but didn't share them. In the end there is too many factors to really prove which of these long dead shinobi was stronger, only that they were equal or near-equal enough that the differences were marginal and somehow, definitely stronger than everyone else. Which they probably got through a combination of luck and competency, like everyone else great.

Speaking of competency..."
Kimiko will continue practicing the Rasengan when they pass the Village Gate.

----------


## Rater202

"Look, again, it's not about power. You're confused and Senko-chan was confused. It's about... Wellness. You know that chakra is directly tied to physical and mental health. People who beleive in the seven wheels believe that certain exercises, meditations, or diet choices can open up tenketsu that are normally closed, allowing for a more free and efficient flow of chakra through the body, which is believed to result in someone feeling... Healthier, in both a physical and a mental sense."

"It could make you stronger... But only because being healthy and mentally sound lets, you cultivate more yang and yin, and becuase meditation is how you cultivate yin. But that's not the point."

"You don't have to keep citing flaws in the theory as if that will make me stop believing. I know all of the flaws. I acknowledge that the evidence is inconclusive."

----------


## igordragonian

)Is Tomoe also leaving with them?)
Odayama nod, and offer her from his home made sweets.
"Welcome Ichika-san." He say warmly.
He would be kind, but wonder why he of all chunins is in charge of five girls, that at least two of them dont have a use for him...

Usagi wave. "I am Usagi! And I am never helpless!" she simply present herself.


Odayama was about to present himself,but the girls seemed lost in their discussions.


Usagi tried to listen, but was a bit bored, while she walked on her hands.


At the gates he stop the group.

'I am sorry to interupt your discussion, but it's important- I want to present myself to Ichika-san"
He bow his head a bit. "My name is Odayama Nekozaki. I am the Captain of team 3. You are all very skilled and strong willed, but we need to keep discipline-when it's time to act, you all will listen to me. Also. We are relativly a big team, so if we ever split up, Yuyuyu is my second in command, and would lead the team I am not leading."

Usagi gasp. "Yuyuyu?! Why her?!"

Odayama wrap his hands with seriouse expression "She is the most level headed among you."


Tomoe might notice that, Yoroi look at her from afar.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:* (Light-hearted BGM)
She looks at Ichika
"....But pointing out flaws in peoples arguments is fuuuuuuuun...."
She whines in a hurt squinty comedic face looking like this: >_<.
She then yells comedically in response to Odayama.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, I THE GREAT AND POWERFUL KIMIKO ISHIKAWA, AM COMPLETELY LEVEL-HEADED! HYUHYUHYUHYUHYUHYUHYUHYU!"
Her face has gone white-eyed and simplified as if drawn in a gag panel for this. 
Yuyuyu ignores both of these gags and says
"Thank you Odayama-taichou. I'd say you relatively level-headed aside from your weird desire for your team to be a family that looks up to you like a father immediately."
"Hyuhyu, doesn't he already have a family? Maybe Odayama is just a natural parent, he just can't stop because he likes being one so much. I think he was hoping for a team of orphans or something." Kimiko says with a sly look and a grin.
"To be fair, there a lot of genin team that are exactly that in all villages. war has all kinds of victims. But think about it Odayama: do you REALLY want to be like a father to KIMIKO and SENKO? I'm pretty sure those two would do things like out the flaws of the arguments of their own father just because they could. It wouldn't be much of a difference."
"If anything we'd do it more to make sure your truly correct!"
Kimiko says with a wide shark smile. She does while still practicing the rasengan in the other hand.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi join the yelling.

"I AM EVEN MORE LEVEL HEADED YOU SPOILED PRINCESS!"



Odayama has a sweat drop.
"Oi. Pointing out motivations directly like that is kind of embarssing." he rub the back of his head.

"Well. I was almost out of the ninja life for some years, focusing on my daughters. Maybe that why Nozojo has decided I could guide you all..  I cant replace your real fathers of course, but... from a personal exprience, having an adult you can trust... is a rare treasure in our world. Also, you are motivating to work hard and to be a worthy teacher. For example, I am improving my control over my pseudo beast mode, so I could relate and maybe help Senko-chan..."

----------


## Rater202

(Yes, Tomoe is coming with.)

"...I do not need a family at this time. At least, not like that. Right now all I need in that department is to verify if The White Snake Sage's story about Daisuke Senju is true."

"Huh?"

"According to the White Snake Sage, three generations prior to the birth of Hashirama Senju, so, you know, during the bloody warring clans period before the Senjus were all peace and love types, a number of Senju Clansmen developed powers... Like mine. The pre-Hashirama Senju, being no better than anyone else, attempted an internal genocide, trying to stamp out the mutant lineage under the beleive that they were some kind of changelingdemon children swapped with the real Senju children at a young age. Allegedly one man by the name of Daisuke was abet o maser the power and use i o escape, to fight off those who come to kill them, and my clan are his descendants.

"The White Snake Sage claimed that a few years ago, a relative of mine by the name of Daichi came to Ryuchi Cave to learn what she knew, as she has been alive for thousands of years, that she told him this, and that he then began journeying toward lightning country. And I can confirm independently that I have a relative trying to create a full history of the origins of my Clan"

At this point, you are in the process of leaving the village.

"The White Snake Sage also compared my Clan's powers to the Shinju, the Ten-Tails, and the transformation that The Sage of Six Paths underwent when he sealed the Ten-Tails in himself. And she seemed to be speaking... Literally. If this claim can be verified... Well, it would have a lot of historical and theological ramifications."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
"See, Odayama-taichou? Senko's reaction to her current situation of potentially finding one of her lasting remaining family members is to calmly talk about this as if its just business.  If her morals didn't conflict with what shinobi do, she'd be one of the better examples of shinobi discipline. Personally I think she needs to relax. While form what I could observe last night, even her actual family has trouble raising Kimiko. How do you teach someone who is currently trying to invent what according to her should be an A-rank technique if she is successful when she hasn't even gotten to Chuunin yet- and his learning other stuff on the side?"
Kimiko is busy practicing the Rasengan even now saying
"Hm....its unclear if I've even progressed at anything.....I think I need to make a system to measure where I am in getting this technique down then I can properly figure out what I'm doing wrong."
She will pull out a notepad and starting writing down mathematics to try and work this out.

----------


## igordragonian

"Bah!" Usagi roll her eyes.
"You need results! Actions! I do stuff until they work out!"

Odayama smile with serenity.
"...Ameoku was almost the same when she was Senko's age.  Back then, I dont think she has noticed my existence, until I came back with a konoha Anbu tropby. She was A bit more.. fiesty... but very similiar attitude. All I have is patience. I can only promise to be there. It's up to you, Genins to use it or not."

Odayama look at his rather large unit for a shinobi unit- especialy a sound ninja unit.
Seven including Menko. Eight if to include Yojimbo, when Uaagi will eventually summon him.

How he always end up in charge of situations over his head?
Well. He has plans B C D and so on..
his only worry that with this amound of strong induvdials,things might get chaotic.
"Again. We are a large group. Discipline is more important then ever. When I give an order- and I will make it clear this is an order- question me as you want- when things CALM DOWN. Yuyuyu if needed is second in command. And anothet precaution- the size of our group and the fact some of us are new to each other, what we called "inorganic unit' might be used againt us. I used this to inflitrate Konoha during the war. So... Before we completly out of the protection of the village, I want us to have a password or... something similiar. so we know it isnt a doppleganger.'
He tap his chin.
"Something simple, but unique."

Usagi offer:"Maybe a specific whistle?"

----------


## Rater202

"If I may make a suggestion? Having experienced shinobi interrogation techniques first hand..." Tomoe still has a black eye by the way. It's healing but still noticeable."They seem to amount solely to torture. Torture is... Less than effective. If you're captured, lie through your teeth. Make some ridiculous claim like..."

"...Like all of you girls are Senko-sama's harem?"

"Menko, I was joking about that!"

"Maybe something more believable, but yes. Something that you all know to be untrue so that if someone captures and impersonates you it will be obvious that they are an imposter."

"Or... I'm a chakra sensor. I could just memorize everyone's unique signature."

"For the record, I find that breaking your fingers is a good way to test if you're under a genjutsu. The sudden shock of pain tends to reboot your perceptions. Just be sure to choose a finger on your off-hand."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She thinks
"A good password would probably be something we change in an easy manner with each mission. Saying something important to any of us would be too obvious and could be figured out. So....I propose this. We do rock paper scissors until we're down to two people, the password is the name of whoever loses last, aka the second place of the last two players. This randomizes the password each time its played and since the second place is used it outs any enemy who expects us to use the winner of the game as the password. So if you get captured, just state the winner to throw them off."
She smiles a shark grin
"This is needed even with Ichika's chakra sensing, because what if Ichika herself splits off and gets captured? I have my chakra goggles but this is in case both of us get captured or if people meet up without either of us around. Not that it'll ever happen of course, but my brilliance wouldn't shine if I didn't plan for this. We could even play it once per day to change the password daily if we want."

(OOC: We can just skip over the actual game of rock-paper-scissors/janken and reveal the password after the fact when relevant if we go with this, or determine who "wins" by dice roll or whatever.)

----------


## Rater202

At this point, you've left the village.

After some time traveling, you end up on the main road heading toward the border and other than a bridge being out, requiring you to water walk* across a lake, there's very little in the way of conflict by the time you stop for the night.

Once stopped for the night, Senko steps off to the side to practice the hidden mist technique a few times. Menko is curled up on a rock basking in the light of the setting sun.

Especially now Tomoe seems to be avoiding Ichika as much as possible. Ichika, meanwhile, seems to be... Meditating? They both volunteer to take first watch.

If you have anything else you wish to talk about, you can, otherwise the night passes uneventfully.

*While it may not surprise you to learn this, it is here where the rest of Team 3 learns that Senko cannot walk on water. Instead, she hands her robes to Tomoe to carry and undergoes an extreme transformation, extending her hands and feet into webbed fins and producing a tail from the small of her back with which to swiftly swim across.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will say to whoever is listening, holding up her hand that she practices the Rasengan for to the setting sun:
"I'm going to admit.....this Rasengan jutsu is the hardest thing I've ever tried to do. I know the theory of it. I know its possible. But its harder to do than I expected. Either I'm bashing my head against the wall or have stumbled across something incredibly advanced. I keep trying day after day....and my progress is minimal or even nonexistent. Its frustrating, confounding, baffling. The exertion of learning this one jutsu....makes me sweat, exhausted at the end of the day. I've never felt this way before. Is....this is what its like to not be as awesome as me? To have to work hard for everything you do? Is this what others in the village are referring to when they talk about achieving things through hard work? Its so difficult.....normal people do this so much and succeed?"
Her hand is worn and she has a pensive expression on her face.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama is on the listen with radio for reports from other units that travel in communication range.
He usually quite, but will listen and offer sympathy and even advice if anyone ask for it. 
Internly he is quite anxiouse being responsible for so many.


Usagi mostly walk on her crotches, and if speed is at essence, she summon Yojimbo.
Yojimbo doesn't like Menko, but the stern Samurai bunny he is, he keep it to himself.

Usagi trying to tinker a new kind of arrow.
*'Learn to like it princess.'* she say, as the arrow electrfying her, her hair all strained.
After a blink she laugh.
She smile with determination, and with smokey face, try to tinker another arrow- she trying to make an arrow with electric hit that will blast at hit.

*'It make your victories sweeter. To has meaning.'* she smile.
*'I remember, I felt victory over getting up in my bed.'* she laugh.
*'Did you ever had the joy of feeling victory of such a banal thing? Someone like me will feel thousand victories, before you can.'*

----------


## Rater202

"the point is to make the chakra go spinny, right? Are you spinning it the right way? Everyone's chakra naturally oscillates in a certain direction. If you're spinning against your natural current that might be making it harder for you. There are a couple ways to check, I could find out for you"

"Have you considered the possibility that you're skipping a step or two, Ishikawa? That appears to be quite advanced shape manipulation, far beyond anything I've seen. Have you practiced _any_ shape manipulation that isn't tied to elemental manipulation or another shinobi trick? Have you ever tried to give shape to chakra in its raw form before beginning on that technique?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She thinks about feeling such a sense of victory.
"Huh. I guess my standards for victory ARE higher and rarer....But that just makes them more special when they do happen."
She decides, but inwardly she thinks of the time she became friends with Yuyuyu as a banal victory. Before that....she remembers no friendly interactions with people her age. It makes her frown and she distracts herself with what Ichika and Tomoe advise.
"Hm....that could be apart of it, the way your chakra spins is an irrelevant detail most of the time since we just use hand signs, but for more direct manipulation it might like using your non-dominant hand. As for whether I've done this before.....No I have not. The closest I guess is Wall and Water walking, I can do those flawlessly, but no one really talks about general chakra control exercises beyond that. Shinobi education breaks down into specialized fields and personal teacher-apprentice relationships once the academy is over due to the secretive nature of the profession. Otogakure may not even have anyone capable of teaching me shape manipulation on this level or the steps before it, as the Three Thunders are the only Jounins in town, and what I can glean from old reports about the Third shinobi war, shape transformation isn't the most common thing even in more powerful nations."
After all when you can just blast a formless cone of fire at someone from your mouth and it works in most situations, why fix what ain't broke? When you can kill someone with a kunai, why expend all that chakra and focus to make a fire blade? Sure some shape transformed jutsu is probably more powerful and better, but a vast majority of situations it simply isn't needed, thus most people don't improve to fight in those rare situations where it is. After all most people think: what are the odds? The Thunders may not even have jutsu that utilize shape transformation. 
"Perhaps I could experiment with something.... "simpler". In a sense."
Kimiko holds up her hand and attempts to....well....gather paper chakra into her hand and compress it formlessly, much like how in another universe, Kakashi did to make the Chidori with Lightning Release. A formless wad of paper and ink surrounds her hand, the ink and bits of torn paper whipping about aimlessly as she focuses into into a single point in her palm, a crinkling of paper fills the air, then she charges forward at a rock and tries to stab at it with the.....ink? paper? chidori? and...
...all that results is the rock being splattered with ink and paper as well as Kimiko herself. Oh and her hand hurts a little from hitting a rock. Her expression is miffed. Yuyuyu is covering her mouth trying not to laugh.
".....No. Nevermind. This was a stupid experiment. Forget it ever happened."
She glares at Yuyuyu whose attempts at not corpsing are failing.
"...Just...please check for my stupid chakra rotation."
Its counter-clockwise by the way.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi frown. She groan and keep tinkering.
But she laugh at Kimiko's failure with a sense of statification
Odayama open one eye.
*"Hmm. Well. I am able to use Earth Release techniques"*
he get up.
*"But there were no one to train me. So I made up my own method."* he pull out a scroll, and from it set of jars with pieces of soil within.
It had thin "breathing" cloth to close them

*"It worked for me. In the end."* he say, open one of the jars and emtying it.
He tap his forehead.
*'Mmm....",* If Kimiko oblige, he place the jar on her palm and then cover the jar with a scarf.
*"If it explode it wont hurt you. Try to focus the wind inside the jar and to make it spin"*




(The concept should be similiar to the balloons of Jiraya- I just dont think it realistic, Odayama would came to this exact briliant idea. But he might think of something in the lines- just more akward)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She regards this solution. Her first thought was:
_But I already came up with a better solution in theory with using mathematics to make balloons, the pot would at best serve as an alternate rubber ball, in which the point would BE to break it. Since apart of it would in theory be accomplishing enough force to break it._
But her second thought is:
_He isn't wrong, just inexact and its not as if I have any balloons with me at the moment, I only came up with earlier on this journey and hadn't had time to stock up in the village._
So she just says
"....Thanks. Thats a good idea, Odayama-taichou"
She tries to do both rotation and force but is having trouble.....well of course. Its a jar, its harder than a rubber ball. So she thinks
_One hand isn't getting me anywhere. But what if I try...._
She uses her left hand pressed up against the side of the glass to supply the power and the her right hand to do the rotation, putting more chakra into it and- it shatters, hitting against the scarf he placed over it.
"Yes! It worked! Don't worry, that was supposed to happen. thanks again, technically you've just proven that I've skipped ahead to step two in a manner of speaking....but the third, the hardest step is going to have to wait until I get fragile balloons to attempt to NOT break. A jar is too hard for that."
Perhaps Odayama's ideas have merit, even if they need some polishing now and then.

----------


## Rater202

"...I was going to suggest practicing a basic chakra flow technique in order to get more experience manipulating raw chakra, but whatever works I suppose."

Tomoe holds up her own hand and enshrouds it in a thin layer of visible chakra. "Every technique that a samurai knows is the result of chakra flow and shape transformation, and this basic technique with limited applications is the start of this. For a samurai, mastering chakra flow is the first step toward being able to turn a wakizashi into a shield, a naginata, or a zanbato. For you? A spinning ball of death."

"Actually, all of you could benefit from this to some degree. Manipulating the flow of chakra within your body to augment one's martial arts or channeling chakra into your tools to increase their performance is a useful and relatively basic skill but as far as I know, most shinobi don't bother learning it until they are approaching more advanced shinobi tricks, and even then only as a stepping stone."

"...You know, in a pinch the chakra scalpel technique could be used to really mess someone up."

Ichika checks and looks down on Kimiko's head, examining her scalp. "Your chakra spins counter-clockwise."

Yeah, turns out it's as simple as figuring out what direction your hair grows.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Thanks, Ichika-san."
Then she is instantly in front of Tomoe smiling and interested.
"I want to learn it anyways! My goal is to learn all jutsu! I would be foolish not to take this opportunity to learn chakra flow!...Tomoe-sensei!"
She says animated at the prospect of it.
"As to answer why you wonder that, most shinobi don't bother learning chakra flow until later is because statistically most shinobi learning more basic things are genin or recently made Chuunin and thus either kids or teenagers easily impressed by flashy visually impressive jutsu and thus go for them over what is practical, we don't have statistics of any other village, but its pretty consistently true in our own and what we've gleaned from the 24 Chuunin Exams that have been held since the Third Shinobi War. Such chakra flow tricks are typically start being learned later because they either start going into ANBU or realize the nature of their job requires effectiveness no matter how seemingly basic the trick is."
"Yeah I've heard tales that some ANBU are good enough to take down other shinobi with nothing but a kunai, some wire tricks, a replacement jutsu and their brain."
Also Kimiko won't be able to practice the third step properly until later so she might as well learn it.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama rub the back of his head.
*"Ah! Balloons! I never thought. Anwyay, I am happy I was of use, for once'*

*"Usagi, I think Earth Release might suit y-"*
But the girls sarounded Tomoe and Ichika.

Usagi, her face still blackened and her hair spiked up like an angry sayian hedghog.
*"I bet I can master the chakra flow first!!"*


Odayama shake his head with a smile, and seal the jars back in the scroll.
*"Maybe other time.'* he say to himself.
He isnt in hurry. He never is. If you wait long enough opurtinities will present themselves.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Yuyuyu says
"I mean it is a good idea for some like her to learn Earth Release Odayama-taichou, but maybe test her chakra affinity with the chakra paper we have first? See if she even can learn Earth Release well? Its why I haven't learned any elemental jutsu, I haven't been tested on what my element is. It will inform you how she should be taught in the future and by whom, and who knows? she might be one of those rare dual-affinity but not advanced nature transformation types. "
Kimiko says to Usagi
"Oh, you want to learn as well? Hyu, I'm not afraid, I'll gladly see what you can do with chakra flow, I'll learn it better and outclass it, just you watch, Usagi!"
Yuyuyu considers Tomoe's offer.
"Y'know what I should learn chakra flow, I wield an iron umbrella and I'm a genjutsu specialist something like chakra flow would compliment my fighting style very well."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama sigh.
*'I never had a proper Sensei. No one did for me the paper thing. I CAN do it, but only because I have read about it.  But that correct. I just assumed, the way Usagi borrowed herself in the battle against Kimiko- it took her the whole night. I just assumed because of that, and her headstrong attitude- but you are correct. There is a proffesional way to do this.'*


Meanwhile Usagi is pumped up.
*'My arrows will be unstopable! I'll shred your paper like.... paper!'* getting firing up

----------


## Rater202

Tomoe... Actually seems a little off-put by how eager everyone is, but quickly snaps out of it.

"Alright, the first step is to be well, aware of your chakra. I assume that you have at least some basic ability in this regard, if you can use your chakra at all. Once you are aware of it, you focus it and channel it."

"In the land of iron, we start with using chakra flow in our own bodies. Technically there is nothing stopping you from going straight to channeling it into a weapon or tool, but we find that starting with your own body is somewhat easier while learning, and well, if you can get it right faster you can get good at it faster."

"Start with your dominant hand. Clear your mind of stray thoughts, focus on your hand, meditate on it if you have to, and try to be aware of your chakra as it flows through it... Then, direct the chakra in your body into your hand and keep it there."

"..Senko-sama? Would you also like to learn?"

Senko, without even standing from where she's sitting or turning to face the rest of the group, holds up a hand and... Yeah, she's already got it. The aura of chakra around her hand is more intense than Tomoe's, and it flickers somewhat, but...

"Sage Mode and, by extension, my clan's transformations, are a form of, or incorporate, chakra flow. I have been able to do the basic most applications of it for quite a while. Training in more advanced applications of it would be nice, but... Well, I experimented with combining chakra flow with water release and crushed the bones in my hand. For now, I intend to focus on nature transformation and basic chakra control."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will hold her right arm up and focus her chakra into her hand. She will simply keep the chakra there, blinking a couple times as she does so.
".....How do we know if we're doing it right?"
Between her use of the Origami-No-Tsurugi operating on similar principles, Kirigakure culture emphasizing kenjutsu, constantly practicing on a more advanced method of chakra control for at least the past few days, on top of her natural talent this might be effortless for her to do and thus not feel the difference unless a tangible result is produced.

Yuyuyu meanwhile holds up her right hand as well and start focus intently on channeling her chakra into it, with a serious expression on her face. She is not as talented as Kimiko and needs to put more effort into learning it.

----------


## Rater202

"You'll know that you're doing it correctly when your hand starts glowing with an aura of concentrated chakra. If your hand starts to hurt... You need to stop."

"...There's some sort of advice for what to do if you're doing it wrong, but... This sort of thing always came easily to me so I never got that remedial lesson. In hindsight, I might not be the best person to explain this... But I'm also the only person here who can explain this."

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama has listened even if from afar.
_I Must level up my game. If I want to stay relevant, I must become a Jounin. I never was a geniouse, or even hardworking one...
To be a jounin, it means to break the mold. Somehow. Maybe... if I am patient enough, something will inspire me"_
he think. Also training this relativly basic technique, but trying to be subtle about it- using his foot instead.



Usagi raise her hand, but very quickly become frusrated as she doesnt see results.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko on the other hand while not getting it immediately like hand sign stuff does it within the first few tries, Her palm glowing with energy. She will then slowly start shifting the chakra around so she can do with her left hand as well, then shift it to her left foot, then her right foot, experimenting where she can focus the glowing chakra. 
"Ah yes. I see now. Took a little adjustment and mental translation from how I'd think you could do this with hand signs, but I've got it."

Yuyuyu however, it takes a few minutes and few false starts and brief sparks before she gets what she is doing wrong and manages to only do it on one hand. She begins trying to replicate it on her other hand. That takes just as long, but when tests doing so with her umbrella she manages to enhance that with chakra as well while Kimiko is still experimenting with the basic application, just trying to make it go faster and smoother.

*Spoiler: OOC: Learned New Skill:*
Show


Kimiko's Chakra Flow Basics: C-rank
Due to her genius Kimiko can enhance any part of her body with chakra to enhance its performance, such as her punches can hit harder, or legs can make her run faster, her arms block punches or even blades by being as hard as steel, able to fight taijutsu users higher ranked than herself. Over time this may evolve into applications such as enhancing her senses as well. 

Yuyuyu's Chakra Flow Strikes: C-rank
Yuyuyu can enhance her strikes and weaponry with chakra to enhance their striking power. Over time this may evolve to Kimiko's level.

----------


## Rater202

"Impressive... It normally takes at least a couple of days to get it right."

If there's nothing else, you can turn in for the night and continue to the border in the morning.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi will keep training, but it will probably take her at least few days, maybe weeks to get the hang of it.

Odayama lead the way, and here and there make the needed vocal reports-
As one of Ottokagure's strenghes was their communication system, so they were aware of who is going where.

Beside the super secret missions of course, who probably work with their own channels if at all

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko will continue to grow more refined her in control of the chakra flow over the few days.

Meanwhile Yuyuyu's initial attempt seems to have been a fluke, and she has to spend the normal few days to truly get it down.

Jirou while reading or listening over the reports to continue his learning about the aspects of being Otokage will jot down notes about offering Tomoe an opportunity to teach more shinobi in their village chakra flow- emphasizing early teaching about it in their shinobi may give them Otogakure an unexpected advantage in combat. Perhaps he will even ask kimiko to teach it him herself....

----------


## Rater202

The rest of the trip to the border is uneventful.

You arrive at a specific checkpoint that's rather similar to the one you passed through when traveling to the Land of Fire, save that instead of Fire Country soldiers guarding the entrance to the other country on its Hot Water country soldiers.

A rice country soldier meets you on the road as you approach. One of the hot water soldiers grumbles something which you don't catch but the rice soldier briefly turns back "They're in Rice Country, that makes it a Rice Country case. Deal with it, Toshi."

The soldier... Briefly looks at Senko before turning to Odayama, who he assumes is in charge because he's the only adult present.

"Uh, not exactly happy you sent mostly kids and teenagers but you're the ninjas."

The soldier then goes on to state the details of the incident, which are mostly as you've been told, with the caveat that it's the border to Hot Water rather than Lightning.

The new details are as follows: There is reason to beleive that the border crossers are held up in a small forest nearby, you could probably make it there in an hour if you travel at a brisk pace.

More rice country soldiers have been monitoring the forest and no one has come in or out since then, so that's the first pace you'll be looking at. The soldier provides you with a map.

There has been no sign of the Cloud Ninja since... But Ninja are really good at sneaking past borders.

He then askes if any of you have any questions.

"Uh, yes. The man who transformed into an Oni... did his transformation look like... This?" Senko rolls up her sleeve and transforms her arm, going from the patterns of diamonds spreading across it to it being solid black to it being the ruddy orange-brown of her transformed form with scalpel like claws at the ends of lengthened fingers.

"...A little." The soldier honestly seems a little uncomfortable.

A little bit back, a Hot Water country soldier is looking back and forth from your group to... What looks like a Bingo book.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*On the Bingo Book:*
The Bingo Book probably only has a entry for Odayama with a low payout on his bounty given the fact that he has a title attached to his name, and given his laid-back family man nature, its probably outdated as these bingo book entries go by the last time he has been seen doing anything of note or what other shinobi have observed of him. Since he hasn't done much, there is not much reason to update the information on his abilities, even if he has been training. His wife is a better target than him for bounties. Furthermore bingo books are produced by the nations and distributed to their ninja, so they don't always show the same information, as no nation has all the same information. There is a small payout for reporting new information on a ninja so as to add it to the bingo book, and ninja have known been to informally barter such information with each other across nations in return for something else. 

Tomoe would not be found in the bingo book, even if she was a real criminal, the bingo book is for shinobi bounties only. This is to focus the subject matter, save on paper printing costs- the books need to be on some level small and portable- and because shinobi are the more dangerous of the two. There might be a ronin equivalent book available, but considering her circumstances it is questionable if she'd even have an entry there either and isn't really relevant to us at this time, if ever. 

The rest are either genin or teenage Chuunin and thus do not have entries in the Bingo Book. This is not because they are children or young in general, but simply because they probably haven't had time to earn any notoriety among the elemental nations. No village would add an entry about a loyal shinobi of their own, and while its not impossible for some young upstart to earn their place in this....illustrious? book of threat assessment and reward promises, it is considered improbable for that to happen. Most shinobi go their entire lives without ever being listed on it. Kages and the most legendary of shinobi on the other hand know their entries are some of the most studied and highly sought for updates and thus are careful about what abilities they show....and who they let live after showing them. 

As for the people from the land of lightning- well three of them are kids, one of them is like a hermit/not an actual shinobi and the actual kumo-nin might be one of those jounin who are competent but hasn't earned a name for themselves so, probably nothing there.

*Kimiko:*
She will grin with shark teeth.
"Hyuhyu, clearly you haven't met me: Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Otogakure! Soon I shall get to the bottom of this. I don't think there is anything more to learn here. I say we go forth and be ready for anything. I doubt we'll get much more useful intel questioning them."
That and if a shinobi isn't brave enough to acquire the information themselves, they are not a very good shinobi.
"...Yeah. We should move quickly anyways if we want to do anything about this situation. the Kumo-Nin sounds like they could take care of or capture their targets and sneak past all of these guards without them knowing and longer we stay here, the more time we give them to do that. the best information we can get is from the source."
They will ask permission to go on ahead to investigate if Odayama wants to question the guards more and head out if its given.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama also trained in secret during the journey.


When arrving there, he try to calm them down with his chill attitude.
*'Great job friends, Thank you.'* he say humbly.

*'As you can see, the village take this situation seriously. I am sure, that in a short time it all will be solved'* Odayama want to let the Ashigarus to feel as comrades, rather then lessers- so he doesn't go with it in 'WE NINJAS' got it. 
*'Mochi balls?'* he offer a box.
*'There is enough, for you too, Hot Water soldiers. It must have been stressful.'*
After few pleasantries, he ask if they have noticed something of note, either way he go back to his team.


*'Well. I dont want us to split up, but there is no reason to be glued together- it could be an easy target for certain techniques. 20 meters between each of us. Also, remember your iron numbers- when I call for Iron numbers you answer me- if not I'll assume something has happened.'*
Odayama preffer order and group harmony over speed, and making sure everyone understand.
*'I am number 1, 
Yuyuyu Number 2
Ichika number 3
Senko number 4
Menko number 5
Tomoe number 6
Kimiko Number 7
Usagi number 8*

Usagi bark angerly. 'Why I am number 8!? Let Kimiko to be number 8!"

*'Oi... it isn't a big deal.'*

Usagi a bit flustered.
'Fine! The bigger the number is, it's the better! And that means you are the worst Odayama-Sensei!'

Odayama sigh.

Usagi do two summons- one of Yojimbo.
The second summon seemed to fail, until they have started to move- all of the sudden another rabbit, almost natural sized appearSiju
'Usagi-san? Why do I smell snakes?"

Yojimbo sigh.
'Ally of Usagi-san has contract with the snakes.'

Siju twitch her muzzle. 'I dont like it.'

Usagi yell. 'You dont have to like it! I didn't summoned you in ages!  You are my ranger! Go ahead and scout for me!' and quickly expain him the situation.

Odayama want Yuyuyu to be on his right, and Senko on his left. (Mostly to keep an eye, in case she need  help)
the rest he allow to be where ever they want in the structure, he just making sure he is aware where everybody is, and lead the way.

Siju is a bit a head, very fast and sneaky.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"hyuhyu Looks I'm lucky number seven, Usagi."
She replies smugly while putting on her chakra goggles and walking somewhere along the outer part of the group so that her chakra vision isn't blocked by the other members of the group while she looks for anything out of the ordinary. 
"Wait why hasn't Hot Water sent any shinobi over here?"
She wonders.

*Meanwhile in Yugakure, a few days ago:*
A Chuunin comes in with a report
"Hey a Kumo ninja came across the border and was after some kids and an adult that went into Land of Rice, what should we do about it?"
The Mission assessors- chuunin who look over missions to assess them in place of the head ninja so to as lighten the workload- looked it over and said
"While its certainly strange, I don't think the village will get much of a payout from this. We got to think about keeping this village afloat, we got enough problems as it is without meddling with whatever Kumo is doing, or those reckless Oto nin"
"But what if the guy has a get rich quick method that involves all three kids working together with some jutsu to do something that prints money?"
They all seriously consider this for a moment, turning it over in their minds. They did need the money after all.
"....Nah thats stupid. Give me that scroll over there, it has the seal of a company that'll probably be profitable."

*Back to Kimiko, Now:*
Then she says
"On second nevermind, lets just be thankful we don't have an additional complication to this mission."

----------


## Rater202

"It's so sad that the rabbit kingdom can't keep politics out of their professional life."

The walk to the forest i more or less uneventful.

"What I don't understand is... Why a Cloud Ninja? What could these four individuals have that would be worth tracking them across so many sovereign nations."

"Why would a village known to steal kekkei genkai be persuing a group that has someone with a bloodline that turns the user into a rampaging berserker with many times the power of a traditional ninja? If this is Daichi... Which based on how the soldiers looked at me and reacted to my question, seems likely, then they could clone him and in a single generation raise up hundreds of soldiers who could each function in a role not unlike a miniature jinchuriki. It would completely destroy the balance of power and not in a good way. And that is assuming that the children accompanying him don't possess bloodline powers of their own."

"...If we encounter the cloud ninja, it may be in our best interest to make sure that they do not become aware of either myself or Kimiko. I would be an easier target than a fully grown member of my clan, and an elemental bloodline user would be a good consolation prize."

Approaching the forest, Kimiko can see some low-level chakra signatures. People who are well trained and disciplined but lack the skill to use chakra directly. Most likely more soldiers.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"...Without becoming aware of my elemental- you mean not use most if not my entire fighting style, Senko? Sounds like a challenge, but if I need to bust out my full capabilities, I'm willing to take the risk."
She had chakra flow, taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, a couple genjutsu, hidden mist jutsu, and whatever she had in her storage scrolls. Maybe if she got out some razor wire, she could probably pull off a few tricks. She takes her Origami-No-Tsurugi and seals it in a storage tag that she wraps it around her wrist in case she needs to bring it out. She then spots the chakra signatures
"Found more chakra signatures. Low level, most likely just the soldiers guarding the edge of the forest. Yuyuyu, I leave them to you."
When she comes in sight of them, Yuyuyu will say while doing a shallow bow. 
"Hello soldier-sans! I'm Yuyuyu, thats Odayama-taichou who is in command, and we're the shinobi here to help. Have you seen anything of note that we should know about before going in?"

----------


## igordragonian

Yojimbo *"We most certainly can. The problem is we cant be sure about you."*

--

Odayama:"Then maybe it would be better if you two take a backseat, and join only as a last resolve."

Usagi:"Heh. One note princess. You sit comfy, I'll do this fight for you."
-

Odayama wave. 
*"Hey. Sups?"* he ask casually.
*"Yep. Thank you for your work. Can you share what ever you know please?"* and offer kibidangos


Does Siju find anything?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"One note? Hyu, thats rich coming from a girl who needs a rabbit to get around everywhere, my dream is to learn all jutsu Usagi. If I couldn't get around a little thing like not be able to Paper Release, I'd be pathetic. Just watch how many notes I can really play."
She says punching her fist into her palm with a wide shark grin, then takes out a storage scroll, unrolls it a bit, unseals a normal katana out from it and affixes it to her belt, like samurai often do. Then unseals a normal shortbow and arrows and slings both on her back. Yuyuyu tilts her head in confusion.
"Wait- you can use a bow?"
"Yeah, Kyujutsu is a jutsu as well, much taijutsu or bukijutsu. I want to learn all jutsu, and even someone as powerful as Madara used normal weapons- a lot of them actually. Its not my specialty but I shot a few bullseyes when academy was out for the day a couple years ago to try it out when I saw Usagi do it, felt like I got a handle on it after a couple days."
"Why?"
"I was bored and didn't want to go over all the stuff I knew by heart for the millionth time."
She says it casually, like its no big deal.

----------


## Rater202

Menko eyes Yojimbo. "Excuse me, but every time Bunny-chan summons one of you, it's the rabbit who makes some comment about working with snakes. I try to be civil. But if that's what you want to do, we only have to look at our relationships with our summoners: I am Senko-Sama's most humble servant... Which reminds me, still gotta haze the ronin..."

"What?"

"Nothing! Anyway, my summoner comes first. I pledged my loyalty to her and guided her. Her contract with the White Snake Sage was a mutually beneficial contract that Senko-sama entered of her own free will. As opposed to Bunny-chan who... How did it go again? She somehow reversed summoned herself to the rabbit Kingdom, assumed some vaguely determined 'responsibilities,' and _had her memories tampered with_. Everything about your relationship is suspect."

"I might be a predator, but *you all*  are acting predatory. All these comments about working with a damned snake, you sound just like my 'sempais' back at the cave. Acting all holy than thou and self-righteous oh so superior when really they're just a bunch of toxic bitches."

"Menko, that's enough."

"Yes, Senko-sama"Siju finds what appears to be powdered ruby under a tree with cuts on it less than a day old. The ruby is dissolving quickly, however, and interacting with it makes it break down faster.

"I didn't mean that... entirely go without, I meant if we encounter the cloud ninja it might be..."

"Senko-sama, are you alright? You're talking a little funny."

"_Ah'm_ fine, Menko. I am just a little... Can you feel that?"

"Feel what... Oh... Wow. That's... A lot of natural energy."

The soldiers are somewhat weirded out by that exchange.

"We haven't seen any sign of the border crossers, but we did find this." The soldier holds up what looks like a switch cut from a tree. "Look at the stump here. It's cut too cleanly to be from a knife or a hand saw, but there's no sign of burning so it can't be a mechanical saw or cutting torch."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
At Senko's comments, Kimiko's mind starts kicking itself into high gear as she falls silent, thinking: they all know that a member of Senko's family is here, which means they might experience the same rages. Furthermore if they're older its probably that they might be stronger using it. The other possibility is that the guy has more mastery of it somehow that Senko never learned because she didn't have a teacher for it. Might be both. Something must be happening to trigger the rage or for him to activate it of his own volition, and given Senko's difficulty of controlling the form she doubted any combat use even by someone who can control it would be casual. The stump was clearly that work of some shinobi-related attack, one can probably rule out fire or lightning jutsu even at their most focused cutting power they'd leave scorches, nor is it water or earth as those would leave physical evidence like a rock blade or a big wet splash behind somewher- the ruby. Its breaking down, normal rubies don't do that, thats ninjutsu much like how a ninjutsu-made rock would break down. The ruby might be what cut the tree- or it might be wind release, pure chakra or good kenjutsu. But from whom or how didn't much matter at this current moment, what matters is that a fight had already taken place here. Probably between the kumo ninja and those they're pursuing. If the Kumo ninja found them once, its likely they can find them again knowing their appearance and probably being a tracker to pursue them so far. There was only one logical conclusion. She will look through her chakra goggles to try and pinpoint the exact direction of the natural energy while speaking in a more serious tone:
"Senko. Can you pinpoint where the energy is coming from? We need to move, *now*. A fight is happening."
She will take off as soon as she has her answer, running with her arms spread out like wings towards the fight.

----------


## igordragonian

Yojimbo just smiled slightly.
"I'll just say, that out contracts work diffrently" he answer shortly.
Usagi smile somberly.

Usagi growl. "I can walk on my hands! I can DIG with my bare hands! Can YOU do that?!"
Usagi is shocked to see Kimiko use a bow.
"Y-you copycat! A bow?! But you'l never be equal to ME!' she barked at her.


Odayama scratch his beard. "Hmm. Yes. Lets be on high alert. I am tempted to split our unit, but I am not aware enough of what we are dealing with. It is worrisome. Keep watch" he tell the soldiers.
He kneel just to report in the radio.
"Squad 3... we are likely to get into an encounter."
He wait for the direction of Senko.
  "Remember your iron numbers. Let's move!"






Siju check is there are more signs for activity of chakra users. He has a bad feeling about this.

----------


## Rater202

"Uh... The exact center of the forest but"

And then everyone runs off before Senko can remind them that passively absorbing natural energy is a natural effect of her bloodline power and a large quantity of it is not necessarily an indicator that someone is currently in a fight.

Oh well, hopefully rushing in ready for a fight won't give the wrong idea.

Once in the forest proper, the fastest way to move forward is by climbing the trees and leaping from branch to branch. It's not a particularly large forest but these are old trees and there's a lot of underbrush that would make ground travel difficult.

About twenty minutes in, you come to a clearing near a stream. There're are signs that there was a camp set up here, but that it was broken down and vacated in a hurry. Notably, there are still smolders where they had their campfire.

Ichika jumps to the ground and closes her eyes.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She looks around. Looks like she jumped to conclusions. But this was probably a better clue than standing around talking to some soldiers anyways, so all in all she considered it progress.
"....I'll admit, I jumped the bow on this one, but...if we can find some tracks around here, I'd say we're closer to finding them than we started."
She will search for any footprints or signs of disturbed grass, or disturbed bushes to indicate their direction, as will Yuyuyu.
"Though at this point, we might have to split if we can't find any scent or trail. We got enough people to cover about, what at least eight directions? more? with the iron numbers, even if one of us is ambushed a report can be made."

----------


## Rater202

You can make out three sets of footprints, none of which are large enough to be a grown man.

Of note, only _one_ of the three seems to have been wearing footwear of any kind, and this is the only one with a significant number of tracks.

The other two, leaving barefoot marks, seem mostly incidental.

The tracks stop at the stream, however. The stream has an... Unusually fast current for a body of water so small.

Searching a bush, one of you finds a discarded robe _very_ similar to the ones that Senko wears save that it doesn't have any internal pockets or loops to hold tools.

Senko starts clutching her head and seems to stumble around almost blindly.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah'll be fine," Senko says.

"Senko-sama don't lie."

"Ah... _I_ just need to acclimate. This... This is a higher concentration of natural energy than I'm used to... The only time I've ever felt even close to this much was when I took the WHite Snake sage's test, but... He was here. Daichi was here..."

Senko walks up to the stream... Just in time for Ichika to shout ""Get down!""

Seconds later, a huge burst of water erupts out of the stream from a short way up and hits Senko dead on, knocking her, and Menko who is hiding in her robes at the time, into the water.

A somewhat inhuman figure rises from the water. Vaguely resembling a teenage boy, his skin is a mixture of dark green and pale-offwhite scales. A toothy grin full of needly like fangs, a fin on his hair, clawed hands with webbed fingers, and a somewhat reptilian tail are all visible. He is dressed in what appear to be swimming trunks.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"No! Senko!"
She calls and throws a bunch of shuriken at the boy- which actually are just projectiles to carry the near-invisible wire strings common to all shinobi to try and bind him, the angles of the shuriken throw precisely calculated so that they spreading in a cone so the shuriken themselves will actually MISS if he stays in one place, but the because the wire strings are between them will wrap around the boy if he is within said cone. 

Yuyuyu meanwhile will open her umbrella to shield her from the boy while running to try and help Senko or Menko- between Kimiko, Usagi and Odayama the boy is outnumbered anyways, and considering Senko grew up in a landlocked village, Yuyuyu isn't sure whether she ever learned how to swim. Academy training however ensures one knows how to swim as apart of stealth operations. While water-walking is a common and vital jutsu everyone learned, its meant more for speed and there are times when swimming is beneficial for remaining undetected.

----------


## Rater202

The boy responds by sinking back into the stream. A few seconds later, a pulse of thin white beams erupt out of the forest and take out Kimiko's shuriken.

Then the boy himself emerges from the river right in front of Kimiko.

"I'm gonna tell you one last time: She doesn't want anything to do with you!"

Yuyuyu meanwhile, finds Menko struggling in the stream... And Senko's robe.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
A shark grin spreads across her face.
"Last time? Interesting, hyuhyu. That means you think this is a repeat encounter. Check the headbands Fish-boy, do you really think we're Kumo nin? Or is your eyesight really that bad that you can't tell when your meeting someone for the first time? I do thank you for letting me know that there is a girl that Kumogakure really wants though. Is she the one who just fired the beam of chakra, or the one who left the ruby back there?"
Yuyuyu says Kimiko while helping out Menko
"Kimi, I can't find Senko, just her clothes! also you have shark teeth, term "fish-x" applies to yourself!"
Kimiko says back
"Well yeah, its our term you don't get to use it, isn't that right mah fish-boy?"
Kimiko doesn't know why Senko would be naked, but considering there is no berserker behemoth jumping out of the water to kill them all she is assuming everything is under control, and is staying still observing the fish-boy, with her eyes flicking towards the place where the beam came from, making no sudden movements.

----------


## Rater202

Menko tries to curl around Yuyuyu. "Cold. So cold."

"I'm not "your" anything and I'm not telling you anything. You all could be clones under a transformation technique posing as the locals to trick us, or that bastard could have hired local ninja for backup, or"

The Boy is taken by surprise as something jumps out of the water and forces him onto the land. When the movement clears, it's Senko.

She is *not* naked, she only lost her robe not the shirt or shorts she wears under the robe, but she's in the midst of transformation: Her arms and legs have turned a ruddy red with extended finger and toes with webbing in between them. From the mall of her back emerges a thick tail... Kind of like a whale's, except the fin is more like someone rotated a fish's tail fin.

(Incidentally, now that he's out of the water you can see that the boy's tail is like a crocodile's, except for the sharklike fin near the end)

There is also a dark diamond pattern spreading across Senko's body. Half of her face has turned a dark grey from it, and her hair is starting to grow out.

"Someone start a fire. Please. Before Menko goes into hypothermic shock and dies. She is cold-blooded and the stream was very cold." Senko sounds like she's struggling not to explode into rage. "I will be most upset if something happens to her and... When I get angry, people have a bad time."

Meanwhile, Ichika points to two locations across the stream. One of them is close to where the beam came from. "You two. Windy and Earthy. Come out slowly, with your hands up. I know you're there."

For his part, the boy first seems surprised, the confused, mouthing 'another Kaima?' before having a sudden look of realization... And sudden terror.

"Guys... Do what the ninja said. This girl... This girl is like the Old Man."

Two girls, one about your age and one Senko's age slowly step out of the foliage. They are both wearing hooded grey robes, but only the older one is wearing shoes... Which are seemingly made of ruby.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Start a campfire, got it."
Kimiko pulls out a storage scroll and unseals: rocks, some sticks she gathered and some matches, puts the rocks in a circle, the wood in the circle then lights with the matches with practiced efficiency. Wilderness survival training is one of the basics of being a shinobi, as their missions frequently have them camp out observing others in the wilderness far from home.  Yuyuyu will bring Menko to lay her near the fire and do what she can to warm her up. 
"So now that Menko is warming up, the mission parameters never said what to do with you once we found you guys. We're just just to supposed to investigate you and the kumo guy sneaking around, and it seems pretty open-ended. However we got reports of a Kumo ninja crossing the borders to come get you, and unfortunately for him, international boundary laws means he is out of his jurisdiction, hyuhyu. That Kumo ninja? has no authority here. Him bringing you back across? is _illegal_ at this point."
She begins grinning as she sits down next to the fire as well.
"Which means one lone Kumo trespasser has to kill what, all eight or nine of us and still fight to incapacitate you guys to get out without someone getting back to complain to the Otokage to complain Raikage about it? thats about 12 people to 1. Not good odds for them. Especially if they're already having trouble capturing you. after you just said you worried about him hiring local ninjas to help, that means he is alone. I don't see any reason why any other ninja from Kumo wouldn't help capture you earlier before the border was crossed, so if it seems they don't have allies then they simply don't. This is probably the worst case scenario for them. So....until we figure out our next move, I suggest to our second-in-command that we simply stick together, stand guard with rotating watch and he will be screwed. Senko's relative isn't here it seems, but I'm sure we'll find him if we continue searching."
"I see your reasoning, sticking together now that the majority of this little group is with us makes sense, as the Kumo-nin could pick us off one by one if we spread out to find the guy, but it'll make our search for Senko's relative less efficient and considering the bloodline involved...its very important to do so."
Kimiko considers this.
"...Otherwise Kumogakure might get him and try to make a little force of Senkos to fight with. Hm, good point."
and knowing Senko, she probably doesn't approve of that at all, and Senko is her friend and she's got to stick by her friend when it comes to things like that. 
"And if this Kumo-nin has his wits about him, he won't try to fight us head on."
That'll be a problem, but she can already feel a plan forming in her head for it.

----------


## Rater202

The girl in the ruby sandals starts laughing.

"If Cloud cared about legal, I wouldn't exist."

"And the guy's alone, but... I'm pretty sure he's a jinchuriki. I figured he might have hired locals more to trick us, but..."

"And he's not after Daichi-san." Senko's ear titches. "He's after me."

"Yeah, the old man sensed his chakra and told us to hide while he dealt with it."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko suddenly puts on a much more serious face and holds her hand up.
"Whoa whoa whoa, back up. You just said jinchuuriki. That is a very serious thing to claim. I've been taught that jinchuuriki are very dangerous to face. They have chakra reserves that are near limitless compared to the average shinobi and abilities most people don't possess, as well the tailed beasts inside of them. Your telling me that Kumogakure sent one of their _Jinchuuriki_ to retrieve you three and Senko's uncle? I find this hard to believe. Thats like sending a tidal wave to snuff out a candle. There is no way they'd do that, not for this. Sure you have bloodlines, and those are powerful sure, but they still need training and time to draw out their potential. Whatever potential ruby-shoes over there has can't be THAT valuable to risk a jinchuuriki."
She shakes her head.
"You must be mistaken. Or fooled by a genjutsu. The very idea that they'd send a jinchuuriki for something like this is ridiculous. Anbu or Jounin? probably. But Jinchuuriki? No. That would just be stupid."
Yuyuyu considers this and says
"Maybe Kumo is just that confident in their abilities?"
"They could be, but that doesn't change the fact that sending one for something like this is overkill. Unless her bloodline does something....I dunno miraculous? mind-blowing? world-changing? You must be mistaken. Its probably just an exceptional jounin deceiving you."

----------


## Rater202

"Shatter people like glass. Bring reflections to life. Turn matter into crystals, negate like, any chakra nature that takes the form of tangible matter, create crystals out of nothing, shoot lasers, enhance other people's jutsu, anything earth can do we can do better... But it's not my bloodline, it's my brain. I was born... Broken. Genetic damage, it's a risk that comes from being the child of clones. I got the short straw and..."

"In the cloud village, if you can't work and can't be a ninja, you're a liability. I was treated like a burden, like a waste of space, by my own family becuase I couldn't walk. Because I was too weak to stand. My own parents had no time for me, I was raised by cousins who talked about me like I was a thing and acted like they had better things to do... No one even tried to help me. You know, I had to teach myself how to read?"

"Then I self-taught myself a mastery of nature transformation, cultivated my chakra, trial and errored my way into proficiency in chakra flow, and created a technique that let me stand."

The girl pulls off her robe to reveal common civilian clothes... And an exoskeleton of braces across her arms, legs, back, and torso with highly intricate systems of locks at the various joints.

"I taught myself to walk, started playing around with what exactly I could do with this... And then I got found out, and suddenly its 'oh, DG is a genius. Oh, DG is a prodigy, hey DG can you teach me how you got so good at nature transformation so fast? Now let's get you enrolled in an accelerated course at the academy so you can go fight and die in some pointless war like a good little drone DG.'"

"So I ran, and now there's an unofficial bounty on my head for my capture and return alive back to the village so I can be forced to be a good little soldier and be useful to all the asshats."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Have a moment*
Yuyuyu is suddenly hugging the ruby-leg girl.
"I'm so, so sorry. I am not the one who should be apologizing, but I'm sorry nonetheless. You didn't deserve any of the treatment that you got. No one does. You didn't deserve to be discarded like that, have to do it all yourself just to stand, just to read, just to live. Only to be taken and used just because you overcame challenges no one should have to just when you finally learned how to stand on your two feet. What happened to you was unfair, hypocritical and undeserved and I will do anything I can to make it right, because my name is Yuki Yuuna Yukimura, and I am here to help in-"

*Kimiko: Interrupt it*
"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever."
The BGM instantly cuts out when she says this, killing the moment. Yuyuyu glares at her but Kimiko doesn't notice.
"Sounds a bit similar to the accelerated training I might've gone through when I was six, don't know why my brother stopped it from happening. Admittedly the amount of chakra control to achieve a technique like your using is pretty impressive to be fair. shattering people and shooting lasers? meh, killing people is common as dirt, bring reflections to life? Hm. Weird, but if its anything like a clone jutsu in its duration and durability then it shouldn't be THAT special, negating chakra natures and enhancing other peoples jutsu? okay hm, that sounds powerful. 

Okay, maybe a bit more valuable than I thought, but I still don't believe a jinchuuriki would be sent for this. They're a villages big destructive hammer, something like this sounds more like a job for Anbu: pursue criminal, get into foreign country, take them back. But then again given that the ninja was detected by our people as they crossed the border well....that suggests they aren't that good at stealth. You sure they are acting on actual orders? This operation doesn't feel like Kumogakure is actually backing this. Someone from Kumo you claim is a jinchuuriki pursues you across two borders and alone, and despite all their power and training doesn't catch three what I assume to be genin and a man with a dangerously unreliable bloodline with no clear formal combat training? This doesn't add up. Either your mistaken about his abilities or this guy is doing this on his own initiative and making mistakes in his recklessness. Maybe he is acting alone and thinks that if he takes you back fast enough he'll be forgiven for taking off without following orders? Because if this was actual Kumogakure action, I feel as if they would send someone more competent to carry out this job. Are you sure that the man pursuing you is a jinchuuriki?"

----------


## Rater202

By this point in time, the fish boy has shifted into human"...dangerous and unreliable? I mean, the old man grows horns and sprouts weapons from his body but he seems to have it under control. Only does it when there's danger..."

Senko, who is in the process of looking through the pockets of her robe to check for water damage in her supplies, stops dead.

"...He can control it?"

"There's something to control?"

"But... You stopped fighting when you saw that I was like him... After I made the threat."

"Becuase the Cloud guy wouldn't know to fake being one of his relatives. Daichi-san is mostly tracing the history of his family and I've seen the diagram of his family tree in his books. You're about the right age to be like, his second cousin once removed. Bit weird that you're a ninja, but..."

_Anyway,_ DG interrupts, "I would appreciate it if nobody touches me without my permission going forward. And... No, we're not sure. Daichi-san's a senser, and he said that the guy after us has a very strong chakra, it feels like there's more than one person in there and that one of the chakras in the guy felt oppressive and malevolent. I never had an opportunity to learn who the Two and Eight tails are in, but what else could explain that?"

"If it helps, we didn't actually see this guy until we left lightning. We only know he's a Cloud Ninja becuase he has a Cloud Headband. It was someone else pursuing her when we were in Lightning country, and... Well, I'm a Kaima and Reiko... Can I tell them?"

The third member of their group, the youngest, nods. She does seem to speak much.

"Reiko has a dojutsu that lets her shoot focused beams of elemental chakra out of her eyes. We're operating on the assumption that he's only after DG, but it's possible that they could be trying to get a few extra birds with one stone."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Apologize*
She is now sad that her reassurances went unacknowledged and feels like she got kicked in the face but all she says is
"Oh....Sorry I didn't mean...I just wanted to help......I'll be quiet. I'm dumb."
She falls into a depressed silence. How could she misread the social situation like that?

Kimiko has no social awareness and doesn't realize anything is wrong. She continues speaking.
"Laser Eye dojutsu while fascinating to study doesn't really change your value. Its just another way to kill people. Its an unexpected way to do it, but its still just killing people which is common as dirt. From what I've seen, this is all sounding like a B or A-rank mission that is perfectly reason to send a single Jounin or Anbu on. What it doesn't sound like is an S-rank mission that a fully-fledged Jinchuuriki might be sent forth to do. What actual proof do you have that this guy is a jinchuuriki? What makes you think this is what he is? All your giving me is that he has strong chakra, that could be any ninja strong enough to give that off. We train to expand our reserves of chakra for a reason. Kages have very large chakra pools for example and they were once genin, so all it could be is some shinobi who has trained long enough to have the deep enough reserves. Thats scary because that probably means someone experienced who has probably fought in Third Shinobi War and now even more powerful than that, but still much more plausible than a Jinchuuriki being sent for this."

----------


## Rater202

"Again, no... But..."

"Strong guy, multiple chakras, feels evil" was all they had for reasons why they thought it was a jinchuriki.

"Look, all we know is for sure is that it's a strong guy with chakra full of malice whose been hunting us like a dog across multiple countries and he's strong enough that fighting the old man didn't scare him off."

"The obvious thing to do next is extract you to the Sound Village. See if we can get you amnesty... I work in the genetics division of the research lab. Mostly studying bloodlines, but if you'd be willing to donate some blood samples I might be able to... Not nessesarily cure what you already have, but maybe keep an eye out for any other problems you might develop? But first we need to find Daichi. If he can control Senninka, that..."

DG just glares at Senko. "You just want my bloodline for your own ninja, don't you?"

"No, I would never steal a bloodline from someone who wasn't an enemy..."

Kimiko, Yuyuyu... You've known Senko long enough that you're starting to get the impression that that was a lie.

"I was just... I mean it, I want to help you."

_That_ wasn't a lie, but...

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Play the heel*
Yuyuyu is too depressed from her earlier social screw up to help. She is aware of what is happening but isn't sure if helping Senko lie would be the right decision. 

So Kimiko, calculating that these children will help in her goal to learn all jutsu if they come to the village, decides to help the only way she knows how.
"Hyuhyuhyuhyuhyuhyu.....you are truly ignorant fools to suspect one like Senko. If I recall she very recently wanted to fall on a samurai's sword because she is so bleeding heart selfless that she'd rather die than let her berserk form hurt others. Tomoe over there can confirm after all, she was the samurai that she wanted to kill her all over something she can't even control. I still say that the stunts you pulled then were stupid, Senko. Really, what kind of intellect equal to mine does such foolishly self-sacrificing actions?

Now me, you have some justification to be worried of, I guess. I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Otogakure and I want to learn all jutsu. It is my life's goal. But I am not fond of fiddling with genetics, too dangerous too unreliable for my needs, hyuhyu. That and I don't have a proper grounding in medical jutsu yet. I'd rather find a way to replicate what your bloodlines can do without it, like through fuinjutsu seals or technology. I'm more concerned with how your chakra works than your DNA, which I can check with goggles of my own invention, no need for any messy dissection.

If you have concerns about Otogakure as whole, my foolish brother is probably almost as selfless as Senko here, and he is in line to be the next Otokage, and he has always emphasized safe science and making sure all the test subjects are volunteers....well except when it comes to rats but we don't have any rat summoning contracts so they don't get a say. Otogakure does have enmity towards Konohagakure of course so....village politics, what're ya gonna do? Really Jirou-Anniki would probably take you in just as he did Senko herself. If anything she is just following his example, doing for you what he did for her, hyuhyu. And the current Otokage is already someone who wants children to grow up in safe happy environment, blabbered on and on about it and how we're apart of the "Hope Generation" and whatnot. Got tired of it the fourth time he did that speech, and he didn't even let someone as genius as me become genin when I was only 6 despite having already mastered the basics, tiresome really, why should my genius be held back like that? So unfair."
The weird part is that she isn't even lying.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama as usual took a step back.

Usagi was frowning, not happy about the talky talks.
 But she sigh.
'Dont notice, those two, they just enjoy to act like creeps.' she finally intervern.

Odayama finally make a move, and offer dango balls.

'Sorry, I didn't said anything earlier. I try as much as possible to give the Genins, free reign as long it's under my watch- I dont want to hold them back. But I think it my place as an adult to talk to you about our village.'

'You are just lazy.' Usagi accuse him.

Odayama ignore her.

'My name is Odayama. A Chunin and a team Commander.  And we don't view anyone as burden- we have fought to give those who aren't heard a voice. I won't lie- some, like those two here, or my wife, would be curious about you. But you would never be forced to pass through any tests, unless you are clearly a danger to yourself and others- and even then with many precatuions. And we have enough volunteers for such things. Our village is humble, but can be a home for you. We also have projects, for those who have mental scars."
He put down his radio.

'And if you want even more direct infromation, I can set a call to my wife or the Ottokage.'

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko: Play the heel*
> Yuyuyu is too depressed from her earlier social screw up to help. She is aware of what is happening but isn't sure if helping Senko lie would be the right decision. 
> 
> So Kimiko, calculating that these children will help in her goal to learn all jutsu if they come to the village, decides to help the only way she knows how.
> "Hyuhyuhyuhyuhyuhyu.....you are truly ignorant fools to suspect one like Senko. If I recall she very recently wanted to fall on a samurai's sword because she is so bleeding heart selfless that she'd rather die than let her berserk form hurt others. Tomoe over there can confirm after all, she was the samurai that she wanted to kill her all over something she can't even control. I still say that the stunts you pulled then were stupid, Senko. Really, what kind of intellect equal to mine does such foolishly self-sacrificing actions?
> 
> Now me, you have some justification to be worried of, I guess. I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Otogakure and I want to learn all jutsu. It is my life's goal. But I am not fond of fiddling with genetics, too dangerous too unreliable for my needs, hyuhyu. That and I don't have a proper grounding in medical jutsu yet. I'd rather find a way to replicate what your bloodlines can do without it, like through fuinjutsu seals or technology. I'm more concerned with how your chakra works than your DNA, which I can check with goggles of my own invention, no need for any messy dissection.
> 
> If you have concerns about Otogakure as whole, my foolish brother is probably almost as selfless as Senko here, and he is in line to be the next Otokage, and he has always emphasized safe science and making sure all the test subjects are volunteers....well except when it comes to rats but we don't have any rat summoning contracts so they don't get a say. Otogakure does have enmity towards Konohagakure of course so....village politics, what're ya gonna do? Really Jirou-Anniki would probably take you in just as he did Senko herself. If anything she is just following his example, doing for you what he did for her, hyuhyu. And the current Otokage is already someone who wants children to grow up in safe happy environment, blabbered on and on about it and how we're apart of the "Hope Generation" and whatnot. Got tired of it the fourth time he did that speech, and he didn't even let someone as genius as me become genin when I was only 6 despite having already mastered the basics, tiresome really, why should my genius be held back like that? So unfair."
> The weird part is that she isn't even lying.


All three of them just look at Kimiko like she's got a third head.



> Odayama as usual took a step back.
> 
> Usagi was frowning, not happy about the talky talks.
>  But she sigh.
> 'Dont notice, those two, they just enjoy to act like creeps.' she finally intervern.
> 
> Odayama finally make a move, and offer dango balls.
> 
> 'Sorry, I didn't said anything earlier. I try as much as possible to give the Genins, free reign as long it's under my watch- I dont want to hold them back. But I think it my place as an adult to talk to you about our village.'
> ...


"Uh, with all due respect Odayama-san, Ameuko-san's performance the other evening proved to be quite... Telling. I do not think I trust her judgment and would not trust... The Wards, or a member of my clan to her."

"Yeah, uh... From what I've heard she's good at her job but..." Ichika taps Odayama on the front and... Leaves a piece of paper "She's not the best people person."

The piece of paper that Ichika took the time to plant on Odayama has a message written in a standard Sound Ninja code on it.

Translated, it says "we're being watched by a ninja with jonin level chakra. Six o'clock from your position."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She takes the three runaways silence and stares as an indication they are in complete awe of her brilliance and thus have no idea what to say.
"No need to compliment me, I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, I know I'm awesome and that nothing can truly describe how great I am. Worry not, with my unmatched brilliance that Kumo-Nin will be defeated in no time!"
she turns to Senko and gives her a thumbs up and smile in a "I got your back, buddy!" kind of way, feeling like she is helping.

----------


## igordragonian

Usually Odayama is calm and serene. Even if sometimes a bit winey.
But he glare at Senko, with hurt and at Ichika with clear rage.
Odayama compose himself and tell to Senko, softly.
'Every human has a breaking point. And if you have the right intel, you can get into the mind of people stronger then you. People keep misunderstanding her.. you two are more alike then you realize... but that not the point.. right now"
Odayama look at the paper. He take a deep breath.


Usagi start to argue with Kimiko.
"I can beat you easily! I am never helpless!"

Odayama calculate the situation. He make a decision, he create a clone

"Well. We can discuss our new friend's future, and I would like to give the chance for a conversation with our superiors, but my radio is under perfoming here." he lie. 
He create a clone of himself,  cover both in smoke.
"But we are still on the hunt, so annoyingly we have to split up."
He say.

"Kimiko, Usagi- stay here.'
If a Jonin enemy is here,it is very likely he or she would be intrested in Senko's bloodline. She would be his main target and it better to take her far away as possible.

He would have preffered to send Usagi and Kimiko as well, but then the hint of him being aware of the Jonin would be too clear.
Senko hasnt mastered yet her... power, and a jonin intending on capturing her, would have a plan to abuse this weakness.

Yuyuyu had a stable mind, Ichika is a grownup as well... they would be the best to lead Senko to safety alongside her many servants


Usagi and Kimiko might be essential for this battle, but once he had the chance he would command them to run away.

Odayama try to make it look, like the clone the one staying and the real one going with Yuyuyu and Senko's group.

"Yuyuyu, Ichika, DG, Senko, Menko, Tomoe- we are going to find a good place for a radio call"


Once they are gone, Odayama try to gesture Kimiko and Usagi with a code he taught them earlier to be prepared.
"Oi. Such an annoying day..." he sigh, add a hint for the direction. "I cant wait for our tea sitting of six"
 and then fast as lightning strike he jump to a tree parallel to the Jonin, throw a scroll at his direction,where Odayama in Sloth mode tried to grapple with the Jonin.

This is a diversion from his real plan- he also throw an exploding tag at the roots of the tree where the Jonin is to make the tree fall,while grappled with Sloth Mode Odayama.

----------


## Rater202

> "Yuyuyu, Ichika, DG, Senko, Menko, Tomoe- we are going to find a good place for a radio call"


"I don't take orders from you."

DG thus doesn't move. Neither do the other two kids.

Senko and her entourage however follow orders, as does Ichika.

Senko's mood is sour, however. She doesn't appreciate being compared to a psychopath.

*Remaining behind*

As the Sloth Slayer goes to grapple the Jonin, he vanishes in a puff of smoke and is replaced with a log.

The Jonin appears in the middle of the camp with a body flicker. "Sending away half your squad before attempting to confront a far more powerful opponent. A cunning strategy... No, not cunning. What's the opposite of cunning? Oh, right. Retarded."

Now that you can get a clear look at him, he's wearing a typical cloud village ninja uniform with a cowl over his head that obscures everything but his eyes in place of his forehead protector.

He is also built like the proverbial brick ****house.

His arms are exposed. While most of his flesh is a healthy tanned color, he had patches of sickly pale discolred skin across his forearms that seem to correspond to surgical scars.

A hand sign enshrouds his right hand in crackling energy, a flick of his wrist a lightning whip that shatters DG's exoskeleton. The girl immediately collapses to the ground.

"Look, I'll be frank with you. My mission is only for the Crystal child. Everyone else is just a bonus. _She's also the only one that I need alive._"

The threat in that should be obvious.

"So, you let me take the little runaway home, and I won't give you any trouble. It's not like you have a stake here. Or you could be stubborn, and... I simply won't hold back. I'll just use you to vent my frustration at how long this has taken."

"It's your choice."

"...Oh, and I'll call my partner and tell her _not_ to kill the kids you just sent off."

"...Partner?"

*Searching for a place with better reception*

Out in the forest propper the ground i suddenly peppered by six shurikens, each shaped like snowflakes and each seemingly carved from jade.

*Back at Camp.*

"What? You didn't they only sent one Ninja to capture you, did you? We can't have another village dissecting you and figuring out how to make their own flesh and blood clones. I'm just the muscle, DC was the brains."

"...My mom?"

"Yeah. Gotta say those Jade Mirror Clones are something else. Make a copy of me to go off in the middle of nowhere and pulse my power to lure away your protector... She was waiting to ambush but by now she's probably attacked the sound ninja kids."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Well of course your not helpless Usagi, you do pull your weight, but I'm afraid your wrong on beating me easily. You won't pull out a tie like last time now that I know what you can do."
she continues boasting while mentally noting the hand signs that Odayama is sending at her, giving no indication back that she heard- it would ruin the point. But she was prepared so when the Jonin is revealed she automatically sends flying more shuriken with wire strings in between them to try and catch the jonin.
"So the fake-chuuriki shows himself. Lets see how you face against the Strongest Genin in Oto rather than a bunch of unwilling runaways, shall we?"
She draws her normal katana and being channeling chakra through it, sharpening and rushing forward to slash at the Jonin with a blue glowing blade, using the shuriken as a distraction to close the distance.

*Yuyuyu:*
At first she still depressed, still beating herself up over her social mistake, but when the shuriken flies its forgotten and she draws her umbrella and opens it to protect Senko, taking a defensive position. 
"We got a hostile. Everyone keep moving and keep alert. I think there is a second Jonin here."
Yuyuyu's mind catches up to the situation and uses her social skills: Odayama probably actually sent them away to protect Senko since she is the one with the bloodline that Kumo knows and thus an indispensable asset to Otogakure. But he was also a father and thus probably wanted them all to leave. But that would only leave Tomoe, him and Ichika if you stretch it. His orders might only lead to his death and that could tick off Ameoku against Kumo and they couldn't afford Ameoku to start provoking wars against TWO superpowers, that would be the end of Otogakure for sure. As second in command, she needed to ensure everyone made it out alive.
"Ichika which directions do you detect human chakra? Short as possible info, quick! Everyone do anything you can to survive and ensure the survival of the ones around you. This is going to be a tough fight."

----------


## somerando

*Just Outside Otogakure:*

Team 4 is waiting on a hillside for Tatebaru to come back from his mission. Hashiba is talking excitedly about what he thinks their new sensei will be like, while Itsutsuji is half-listening, half-dozing in the long grass.

"You know, I heard that Tatebaru-sensei killed three Konoha ninjas during the war! All at once!"

Itsutsuji scoffs at this. "Three at once? You sure about that?"

Hashiba furrows his brow at this, mildly offended that she didn't believe his completely made up story. "Yeah totally! First he snuck up behind one and was like _HIYA_ and then he was dead and then the other one fought him and he was like _POW POW POW_ and he was dead! And then the third one was like coming up behind him, trying to use Tatebaru-sensei's own tactics against him y'know? But then he spun around and was like _WAPOW_ and then that guy was dead too!"

Hashiba acts out this whole story in great detail, detailing the moves that Tatebaru apparently used to defeat the dastardly Konoha ninjas. Itsutsuji, for her part, wasn't paying attention to a word Hashiba was saying.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hizuka: Struggle*
While you two talk, Hizuka is busy scribbling calculations down
*"No.....that would cause a leak...if I do the numbers like this then....not the chakra wouldn't hold in that.....arrrrrgh, this is hard...."*
However she cannot give up. She must prove herself. She must always prove herself. The Fire of the forge burns within her, telling her to create, to invent, to improve to show everyone her worth. She has yet to crack the code of chakra batteries, but she will someday. Hizuka must, for doing so means victory over Konoha, and victory over Konoha because of her efforts would mean no would doubt her loyalty ever again, no one would look down on her just for having Fire release. Whether it be Senko, Kimiko or anyone....she'd show them. She would show them all. 

*Tatebaru: Arrive*
He comes lumbering in, cursing as he does so. As always his eyes are deeply set, his brown beard is grown but kept within regulation, he drinks coffee from a standard issue military canteen, he has as always, a grumpy look on his face as he grumbles, as he often does.
"I be gone for like a couple weeks to a month and the whole world goes to hell, the Big Kitty running fer Otokage against my ol' apprentice? terrorist attacks targeting genin? a Code Oni called and resolved without Thunderbird around? Strange things are happening. Strange things indeed. I'm getting too old for this garbage."
Feels like he was too old for this when he still a teenager fighting in the Third War, ever since he saw his comrades literally die screaming shouting others to pieces. Like he is an old man in a middle aged person's body, with hard leather for a soul. He is a man who has had it up to here with everything years ago, and is long past the point of caring about nonsense. If he ever gave a damn, that time has long past and he now keeps them all to himself, one could even say his a damn-hoarder, positively uncharitable in how keeps them all to himself. He sits down on a rock and finishes his coffee while you guys have this conversation about his supposed coolness. "Big Kitty" by the way, refers to Ameoku.
"Coffees in me. now that I feel slightly less dead, what in hell you talking about me about?"
By then Hizuka had finished her scribbles for now and says
*"Hashiba was going off on one his wild stories again. something about killing three konoha ninjas?"*
"Roight. that. Funny thing is, didn't happen like that. I was actually trying to be stealthy and listen in their plans of attack for a battle by tunneling up from underground but I made a mistake and came up too close to a guard, he looked down and I had to pull him under and snap his neck. But then his buddy came over to investigate him not being at his post and I had to pull that guy under and slit his throat. Problem was, a third guy just so happened to be watching so I had to dash up to him to try and stab him, but he got off the alarm as he died so I had to run and hide. Didn't manage to hear any plans and I had to run somewhere away from the other Oto-nin for days to keep them from discovering where we camped. Had to survive in the wilderness being quiet as I could, eating my rations with no fire, dreading that at any moment another could get the drop on me and end me as fast I did them. Luckily there was no Inuzukas, Aburames or Hyuugas with 'em. Lucky is what I was."
As he goes off on this tangent he has this thousand-yard stare that isn't at anyone in particular just.....off. into the distance. Then he shakes his head. 
"Sorry. memories. Anyways. I'm back to leading you brats again after helpin' the red musician and his talkin' guitar-"
This is a gruff Tatebaru way of referring to Samayo Majutsu, one of the Three Thunders of Otogakure. people have love given up on trying to make him refer to anyone by any proper titles, honorifics or other forms of respect. 
"-so I think it best that I evaluate you in a spar to make sure whatever substitute joker didn't make you slack in yer training. The Scratching Post may be lax with his team, but I'm not."
*"For the last time Ameoku does NOT use her husband like that-"*
"smith-girl, we had this conversation before, you know nothin'. I think what I think, and I won't stop thinkin' it. You all ready? After it there will be some D-ranks where we meet up with other teams to keep in groups so that the new security measures in light of the recent terrorist attacks are kept up. Them terrorists tend to attack genin when they're alone and isolated so orders are to keep to big groups in the open."

----------


## somerando

Hashiba stares at Tatebaru as he recounts his war story, a look of complete hero worship in his eyes. He doesn't seem to understand the fear and stress involved in the events, only the glory of victory over Konoha. Itsutsuji listens half-interestedly to the story and suppresses giggles at Tatebaru's... unique assessment of village politics.

At the mention of sparring, Hashiba grins. "All right! Y'know Tatebaru-sensei, I made this new weapon while you were gone, and I've been itching to try it out properly!"

Hashiba claps his right hand onto a summoning seal inscribed on his left upper arm, and in a poof of smoke a giant hammer appears in his grip. One side of the hammer is covered in small holes, while the other is studded with a series of metal rollers. Perhaps sensing what's about to go down, Itsutsuji starts backing up and muttering quietly to herself. "Oh geez, we're fighting already? Really?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Tatebaru:*
"Its only a light spar to see how your progressin', don't worry about it."
he mutters to Itsutsuji. He then performs hand signs and two earth clones rise from the earth.
"Three on three, each one gets one of me to face. I'll only use Taijutsu. Keep it simple. Spread out, and we'll begin when I say so. We go until.....we knock our opponent down."
Lets see how they approach an opponent now. He thinks:
Tatebaru 1 knows that Hashiba loves having an arsenal of weaponry so he has greater range than him with only taijutsu. Similarly Tatebaru 2 thinks about Hizuka uses her hammer primarily which is also a greater range than mere fists. Tatebaru 3 however looks at Itsutsuji, and she seems hesitant. He knows her chains also make her have increased range, but her backing up suggests she isn't comfortable with it, it could be her eyesight of course. Hm. She is a bit of a sensor ninja, so she would require a different approach than the other two.

When they spread out into separate little duels he says
"Begin!"

_Tatebaru 1 Vs. Hashiba:_
He will, seeing Hashiba's exuberant aggressive personality raring to go, will put up his fists in front of his face and keep watching on him, waiting for him to making the first move and dodge it until he sees an opening to attack him with. Lets see if Hashiba will overextend himself and leave himself vulnerable or not.

_Tatebaru 2 vs. Hizuka:_
Tatebaru 2 similarly does the same, as Hizuka is all fired up and charges in swinging her hammer at him, Tatebaru stepping back with each step, moving in time to her swings. Until Hizuka decides to swing down in a vertical swing while yelling
*"RRrrrrrrrrrraagh!!"*
Hitting only the ground as Tatebaru dodges to the side and hits in her shoulder with a light punch.
"Overextended yourself. Got you. thats bad."
Hizuka growls a bit at this and leaps back to get some distance.

_Tatebaru 3 Vs. Itsutsuji:_
With her, he does a different approach. He suddenly disappears in a flash step, now hidden. Then he starts slowly sneaking around trying to ambush her. He knows she is a sensor so, lets see if she can find where he is. and a slower more tactical fight could help her ease into this rather than making her more hesitant. A more thoughtful and strategical thinker who can sense when the enemy is coming up behind them might be useful for Oto.

----------


## somerando

_Tatebaru 1 Vs Hashiba_

Hashiba immediately goes on the attack, leaping in the air and swinging the roller end of his hammer down at Tatebaru 1. If he dodges Hashiba will be apparently left quite vulnerable with both arms holding an unwieldy weapon stuck in the ground. However, Hashiba's got a bit of a trick up his sleeve. If Tatebaru tries to attack him over the hammer, Hashiba will launch a spray of senbon at him through the hammer's back end.

_Tatebaru 3 Vs Itsutsuji_

Itsutsuji closes her eyes, reaching out with her mind's eye to locate Tatebaru 3's chakra. Shutting out the fighting going on around her, she's fairly quickly able to get a read on the earth clone's position and movements. Itsutsuji then considers her next moves, thinking back to her Academy lessons on battle strategy.

_"Alright so he knows where I am and I know where he is, so we're even on that front. But he doesn't know for sure that I know where he is, and I know he knows where I am. So I've got the information advantage. Best to keep it that way long as I can."_

Having made the decision to stay on the defensive for the time being, Itsutsuji makes sure to give no sign she's aware of Tatebaru 3. She draws a kunai and adopts a defensive stance, suitable for defending against or countering attacks from any direction.

----------


## Lord Raziere

_Tatebaru 1:_
He will do so and he will suddenly change direction as the senbon shoots out, the senbond scoring a few scratches as he narrowly avoids a direct hit.
"A backup plan. good. As I've always taught: always be prepared."
He uses body flicker technique and attacks Hashiba from behind with a punch to try and stun him, but was he prepared for this?

_Tatebaru 2:_
Hizuka will try to hit him with a smoke bomb to blind him, then rush forward to hit within the smoke but he jumps out to side, trying to attack from the side but Hizuka changes direction to block at the last second.
"Better."
He will suddenly try to sweep her with his leg. 

_Tatebaru 3:_
He will attack from behind with a kunai seeing her wield one, going as fast as a genin to make sure it was possible to react to him. It would be a while before he felt comfortable doing this at full strength to them. When their kunai meet he says
"Good. you knew where I was."
Then he will try to punch her with his other fist real quick

----------


## somerando

_Hashiba:_

Hashiba was very much not prepared for this. He drops his hammer and turns around, just in time to catch a fist in the gut. Now that he's stunned for a second, Tatebaru 1 could pretty easily follow up if he wanted to. If not, Hashiba will jump back, get a bit of distance, and start reevaluating the situation. He was reckless before and left himself too open, for the rest of the fight he'll be careful not to overextend himself.

_Itsutsuji:_

Even with Tatebaru 3 not using his full strength, Itsutsuji still isn't his equal in that area. As such, she opts to avoid his punch and counterattack rather than facing him head-on. With a half-step to the side and a block with her non-kunai holding forearm, she's able to safely deflect Tatebaru 3's punch past her. This leaves Tatebaru 3's side fairly open, and Itsutsuji exploits the situation with a quick kick aimed at his ribs.

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama's clone would support Kimiko as a leader, mostly backing up an attack or giving a cover from an attack.


----

Usagi despite her usual energy, also caught Odayama's sign, so she kept the taunting.
'Bah! Lil' princess! I think I am staying the same?! I am always improving!"

Odayama sigh. 
'I hope kids, you will be happy to die with pride of your's if I am failing here.' he say a bit coldly.
Ksu.
Pile over piles of children poured under his responsibility. 

On parallel to Kimiko Usagi send barrage of arrows.


Odayama looked back at the fallen kid.
_ksu_
But his expression has remained sleepy, as the Sloth Slayer, he sort of asleep, so his voice is flat.
'You assume you understand my goals. But you are wrong. Also...  the Land Of Rice, is the land of the refuges. If those children, came seeking shelter- I dont care what they can or cannot do. I dont care how powerful are you. Their sound won't be silenced under my watch. This is my voice.' he say, and shift out of the Sloth mode, spinning back as a human, trusting Kimiko and Usagi to cover for him.


Usagi, put three arrows with exploding tags raining them over their enemy.
'Let's make a bet- who get to defeat the bad guy this time!'

Assuming he get to the children. 
'Now, children, I want to protect you, and I'll give you  a safe ride- but you got to cooperate with me!'
he bite his thumb and summon a cat driver with a rickshaw


*'Nyoi nyoi nyoi! It's about time to be summoned! Do I get to have an exciting rrrrace?'* the cat leading the rickshaw ask.

'Yes, Duriaba-kun. Please take those children to safety!' 

Duraiba put the uncounse girl in. *'Well, come on in children! The Duraiba Express is about to run wild! Nyoi nyoi!'*

Odayama is focused on the children's safety.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Tatebaru:*
_Tatebaru 1:_
if he isn't prepared, he isn't prepared. Tatebaru will leg-sweep him to knock him over then points a kunai down at him.
"Still needs work. Anticipate attacks from behind. Look underneath the underneath. Your brave, thats good but don't forget your six."
His clone will crumble to dirt.

_Tatebaru 2:_
She will quickly back away from his leg sweep, and flashing through hand seals to blast a plume fire at him from his mouth, he leaps back to get clear of the flames then throw shuriken back at her, she dodges to the right but then suddenly the second Tatebaru speeds forward and kicks her to the ground, moving slightly diagonally in a rush while she was focused on the shuriken. 
"the shuriken were nothing but a distraction to make you move in a way I wanted. be mindful of that next time."

_Tatebaru 3:_
He gits hit and he grunts in response then then quickly steps back.
"Good. You recognized your weakness and exploited an opening."
He then will back away more and begin throwing shuriken at her.

----------


## somerando

_Hashiba:_

Hashiba slowly gets to his feet, grumbling vaguely about how he didn't get to show off everything his hammer could do. Realizing that he ought to thank his sensei for his tutelage and also that both of the other Tatebarus are busy with their own fights, Hashiba hesitates for a second before addressing the pile of dirt that used to be Tatebaru 1.

"Thank you sensei. I'll pay more attention in the future."

_Itsutsuji:_

Itsutsuji isn't completely incapable of keeping track of the shuriken. By tracking the movement of Tatebaru 3's arms and hands she can tell roughly where he's aiming, and she can get a rough grasp on their speed and position with her eyesight. However, deflecting objects as small and fast as shuriken are difficult in this situation, especially since there's multiple of them. She's able to parry a couple but eventually one digs into her forearm and another lightly scrapes her cheek. 

At this point Itsutsuji decides to instead focus on making herself as hard a target as possible. She disappears into the underbrush, gradually making her way in a circular path which should lead her towards Tatebaru 3 while allowing the forest to protect her. However, she also recognizes that a straight-up fight probably won't go well for her, and she needs to have some advantage beforehand. While running, she forms water on the ground from a recent rainstorm into a water clone, and sends it ahead while the real Itsutsuji climbs into the treetops.

----------


## Rater202

> "So the fake-chuuriki shows himself."


The cloud jonin avoids the shuriken, from one hand shoots a spark of lightning to prematurely detonate Usagi's exploding arrows, and then catches Kimiko's katana with a single hand.

A single hand that's glowing in the trademark signs of chakra flow... Except the chakra is _red_.

"Okay, I don't know how you found out about that, but now you *have* to die."

More red chakra begins to seep out of the scars on his arms and spread across his body. At first, it's just a rather generic firey aura, and the nails on his fingers grow out into sharp claws. But then the aura begins to take on a defined shape. Somewhat humanoid, somewhat not, with very long ears.

Finally, the skin on his exposed arms *tears open* and turns to ash, blood boiling out of the wounds and mixing with the chakra ensuring his arms as it grows denser, until his arms... And _only_ his arms, seem to be clawed appendages of dark red energy

There are no tails on the aura, but...

Obviously, he's not a _real_ Jinchuriki, but he's something close.

While mostly helpless, DG struggles ineffectually against being picked up.

She gets interrupted by the fish boy. "Talking cat is better than murderous fox man."

Unfortunately, in the time it takes for the runaway kids to end up in the Rickshaw, the Cloud Jonin has already body flickered to stand in front of it.

"Sorry, you've all lost your getting out of here alive priveledges." his speech sounds more feral now.

*Elsewhere.*

"I can't sense anyone. And... Oh, oh ****."

The hostile just sort of appears in front of you in a flash of body flicker.

She looks like... a much older version of DG.

"...You're not my wayward daughter. Oh well, I'm sure that IX will have recaptured her by now."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko*
Her eyes widen. This....didn't seem like a genjutsu. He was angry about being found out, yet...this was clearly actual power. Kimiko she was right....yet wrong at the same time? What a strange novel feeling. Her logic had led to the right conclusion, but the answer wasn't what she expected. She had....discovered something new. How......fascinating. How utterly fascinating and exciting! A sharklike grin spreads across her face.
"Hyu...hyuhyuhyuhyuhyuhyu....."
She throws the katana at the fake jinchuuriki then unseals her Origami-No-Tsurugi from her armband with flourish and proclaims with a crazed expression of pure glee at him, heedless of his threats.
"Then consider yours revoked as well! For I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of the Hope Generation of Otogakure! I have a found _unique_ specimen! and I shall learn...._so much_ from you!!"
She attempts to whip with her paper blade to try and wrap around his legs and to pull to topple him while he is distracted by the katana thrown at him. 

*Yuyuyu:*
She doesn't make any moves yet, keeping her umbrella up. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together.
".....Your daughter would rather run away than be with you. I think that speaks for itself how fit you are to be a mother. She would only be miserable and a poor shinobi if you force her to come back. She would lack any motivation to truly defend your village, as there would be no one she loves there to protect, due to being treated poorly. Is that what you really want?"
She says trying to persuade her to give this up. Yuyuyu doubts this will work given the mother's attitude, but at least she can say she gave it a shot and if there is any chance that it will make her treat daughter better if they fail, it was worth it.

*Tatebaru:*
Tatebaru-3 stops throwing the shuriken and considers the situation. If Itsusuji is hiding, she knows she can't beat him in a straight up fight.  She is probably preparing something, but he doesn't know what. He smiles a bit. NOW she is fighting like a shinobi. He could probably use his ninjutsu tremor-sense to figure it out, but he said he'd only use taijutsu. On the other hand deception _was_ a part of the ninja world. Hm. He internally debated whether doing that to them was too unfair to them or just unfair enough to them at this juncture. You had to be careful with that kind of lesson, overdo it and you could break them into becoming too paranoid to be useful. You want your future ninja to be paranoid enough to be functional, not paranoid enough to see enemies in every shadow. So what to do....?

Well his job is to assess their skill, so, lets see how this plays out. He takes a defensive stance, kunai at the ready, waiting for movement.

----------


## somerando

_Itsutsuji:_

Tatebaru-3 doesn't have to wait long to see Itsutsuji's plan in action. She comes charging out of the trees, punching, kicking, and generally trying to occupy his attention. While Tatebaru-3 is hopefully distracted, shuriken and kunai are hurled at him from a hidden spot in the tree branches.

Neither this Itsutsuji engaging Tatebaru-3 hand-to-hand nor the unseen one in the trees sports the cuts inflicted by his shuriken. Either Itsutsuji's suddenly become an accomplished medical ninja, or, more likely, they're both flawed clones.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Tatebaru:*
Now she was fighting like a ninja. He doesn't know where the real one is, but he knows that this Itsusuji in front of him is a clone due to the lack of cuts and thus probably a distraction. The hidden one may or may not be the real one to his knowledge. He does know that the Uzumaki have great chakra reserves and even a genin one could produce multiple though. Reacting quickly he catches the charging clone by the wrist with his superior strength, size and taijutsu and throws the Itsutsuji clone in front of the shuriken and kunai volley to try and solve two problems with one stone, then dashes at the hidden Itsusuji to try and close distance to attack her up close. Best to deal with it as fast as possible, no matter whether she's a clone or not or she's just going to keep throwing shuriken like that.

----------


## somerando

_Itsutsuji:_

Itsutsuji's water clone draws a kunai and waits patiently for Tatebaru-3's attack. When he appears she'll try to grab him or otherwise try to keep him in one place long enough for the real Itsutsuji to launch her attack. 

The aforementioned real Itsutsuji is hiding further within the trees, concealed but with a line of sight on her clone. She's keeping track of Tatebaru-3's position with her sensory jutsu. When she notices an opportunity, she will hurl the oversized shuriken she's unsealed at him, propelling it faster with a follow-up blast of wind.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Tatebaru:*
He will see the stance of trying to grab him and evade then us his superior height to try to knock her out, thinking she is the real one....and his blow falls, the clone disperses
"Wait that was a clo-"
The giant shuriken slices through the earth clone in half and he crumbles to into rock and soil.

The real Tatebaru sees this and says
"Alright, I think I'll count that as a win for you Itsusuji. You great back there with the tactics you showed. You recognized your own weaknesses, compensated for them and fought smart. Thats good in a ninja. In real fight I'd have probably tried a bit harder but you got the tactics down."
When you all regather he says
"Alright now thats done, I think I got a good assessment of you. I'm putting Itsusuji as second in command. Her mind is cool-headed and displayed a good grasp of the situation. Now thats done, we are to meet up with Team 2 to paint a fence as a D-rank mission. Its boring but its a big fence, public and we'll be safe with two Chuunin and six Genin around."
As you begin walking Hizuka will say
"Team 2? I heard the Chuunin leader of that one is quite.....passionate."
"Yeah, Mubona's kind of a big Samayo fan. I think they developed their guitar based jutsus together."
"also something about this Genin "Hero of Otogakure" or something?"
He shrugs
"Don't know anything about that, just some genin named Kazuo Tanaka has developed this reputation of stopping muggers and, saving cats and trees and having stuff happen to him on missions."
"Oh. him. Weird, I thought he look scared every time I saw him in the academy. Guess he might gotten braver or something?"
Anything you'd like talk about while you walk there before you meet Team 2?

----------


## somerando

Although initially lit up with the thrill of victory, Itsutsuji's face falls when Tatebaru mentions her promotion. All that work, all those new responsibilities. Why couldn't she have just let the clone win? Her mood worsens further as Tatebaru mentions the fence-painting. All that hard work, especially after she spent all that chakra? Utter pain.

Hashiba's pride is still wounded after his quick loss, so he seizes the chance to puff himself up when the Hero of Otogakure is brought up. "Hah, that guy? No way he's hero material. I bet it's half luck and half lies. I bet I could save cats from trees way better than him, all you have to do is climb up there. And surely the cat's no issue for a trained ninja like myself."
Although she remains silent, Itsutsuji's brain is overclocking itself trying to find ways out of her predicament. Maybe these two problems could be played off against each other?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hizuka:*
She crosses her arms she walks
"Hmph, you really want to prove your better than him, get these D-rank missions job quickly and well, then we get more C-rank missions to do real shinobi work. Who cares whether ninjas rescue cats in trees? Think long term. Your stupid genkiness won't get us anywhere if its wasted on little things like that, Hashiba."
There is always one in every team. A jerk, a know-it-all. The one focused on their success Hizuka seems to be the one here.
"Me, once I figure out how to store chakra in a form that won't instantly explode when released like the tags, I'll be making weapons for this village to improve our chances. We'll have an advantage over everyone else! And every advantage against those rich imperialistic Konoha bastards counts! Why just think: if we had chakra batteries during the Third Shinobi war, we could've made weapons to fire beams of chakra as artillery at the enemy, as powerful as any ninjutsu!"
A fire lights in her eyes, her passion stirs in response to Hashibas. Someday she will get the recognition she deserves. Someday they will see her not as a fire release user, a but a loyal shinobi of Otogakure!
"There would be no need for the Last Shout with such weaponry, and that would only be the beginning! With chakra batteries we could store all the chakra we don't use on slow days like these with no important missions to preserve for later when we do! It would revolutionize our ability to fight! If only I could figure it out."
Someday no one will look down her. Not those bullies. Not Kimiko. Not even Senko. 
"Why when I figure chakra batteries out, I might be able to even enhance and help with _your_ weapons, Hashiba!"
Tatebaru sighs and just says
"Yeah I'm sure Team 2 will be real happy to hear about that from both of you."
"It'll be an invention that might even surpass those....uh works of those Konoha Uzumaki! Right Itsusuji?"
Hizuka after all knows what its like to have a genetic similarity to an enemy and thus makes sure to always make that distinction, seeing a kindred spirit in Itsusuji.

----------


## somerando

Hashiba backpedals a bit, trying to save face and undercut Hizuka's words.
"Yeah of course cat saving and the like isn't all that important! I was just trying to say it isn't a big deal, this Tanaka guy doesn't deserve the hype and stuff."

Itsutsuji's caught off guard by Hizuka's mention of the Konoha Uzumaki.
"These chakra battery things sound like potent weapons, but I'm not sure they, or any regular ninja weapon, could measure up to the things my erstwhile clanmates have made."
Her expression grows dark and brooding. This is clearly a subject she takes very seriously.
"Back when the Uzumaki were one clan, back in the days of the Land of Whirlpools, we created seals of incredible strength, capable of trapping a tailed beast within the body of a human. These tailed beasts are monsters of chakra and rage, with the power to level villages and terrorize whole nations if left unchecked. Putting this power in the hands of a competent shinobi creates a weapon unlike any other, a freakish and inhumane capacity for precisely controlled absolute destruction."

Itsutsuji's silent for a few seconds, mulling things over.
"Y'know tho, I don't know if the concept of a tailed beast seal and a chakra battery are necessarily entirely different. I don't know exactly how it all works but I think I heard my dad talking about how tailed beasts are basically made of chakra? So if a tailed beast can be stored I suppose a jutsu could be too."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hizuka*
She will backpedal a bit as well. Seems like trying to make that distinction may have stepped on her clan pride.
"Oh. Well. Sorry. Your right. I guess that is a level of destruction not achieved by anyone else.

As for storing jutsu...that is not what I meant by a chakra battery. Sure you can store a jutsu in a scroll, but you'll only ever be able to use it for that jutsu- the chakra is already shaped, its use is fixed. Imagine instead if we could store raw chakra into a container to be used for anything like electricity. Imagine if we could separate the chakra from the molding process, so that when  we tap into the chakra, its not set to one jutsu or another. It would provide us great flexibility. That and the sealing of the tailed beasts was like what, three generations ago? Technology is ever marching forward. We need to innovate! Rely on the same old things, be tied to only the achievements of the past and we won't get anywhere. We need something that won't blow up the world, but will get rid of our enemies. Finesse is an improvement as well."
and she pumps her fist
"and you'll see, when my inventions change this village for the better and some hard work, I'll become a ninja as strong and great as Ameoku one day!"
And then everyone will respect her, everyone.
"....Well....she is a Thunder for a reason..." 
Tatebaru says cautiously. Probably not for the reason he would've liked, but she is a Thunder. 

Soon you get to the fence where Team 2 is situated, already painting some of it. Mubona springs forward and greets them, a chuunin with a rock'n'roll long dreadlocks hair style and sunglasses on, and a red guitar his back
"HELLO! Tatebaru good to see you again, back from your mission with Samayo Majutsu of the Three Thunders!? How did it go, my passionless comrade!?"
He didn't seem to be trying to insult him by the way, he just seems to state it as a matter of fact.
"Hrmph. It went good. some administrator got corrupt, was using missing-nin and ronin to do his dirty work. took care of him."
It was people like him that shinobi villages were considered an a vital thing, as a community of ninja could review any requests to make sure whether a mission is actually good for a nation or simply for one's own benefit. 
"Glad to hear it! Anyways, greetings Team 4! I am Mubona Inazuma, Otogakure's Rockin' Guitarist!! These are the genin under my command!"
They three genin in question sigh a little. He always does this.
"Behold! Miho Kaguya of the Kaguya clan!"
"Pleased to meet you." she says simply
"Naneko Masuku of the Masuku Clan!"
"Hi! I'm so glad to meet you!" she says, trying a little too hard to put on a mask. Her inner thoughts go
_Is that really me? Am I really this cheerful?_
"And lastly but definitely not leastly, KAZUO TANAKAAAAAA! HERO OF OTOGAKURE!"
Kazuo shakes like a leaf and go
"Hiiiii..." in a high-pitched nervous voice.
He is thinking: _Oh no its Hashiba again, why does the one person who doesn't believe my reputation have to be so enthusiastic and competitive, oh no its Hizuka she's a scary girl like Kimiko. Why me, why now, why this? uuuuaaaah...._
"and we.....are TEAM 2 OF OTGAKURE! THE TEAM OF ROCK AND ROLL PASSION!!!"
He slings his guitar to play a little riff on it while doing a pose.

...

No one else joins in. A tumbleweed rolls by.

----------


## somerando

Hashiba and Itsutsuji stare at Mubona, jaws agape in shock. Used as they are to the grim and quiet Tatebaru, a team captain as in-your-face and seemingly unserious as Mubona was not something they were prepared for. Did this guy really train with one of the Three Thunders?

Itsutsuji recovers first and addresses Team 2. "Good to meet all of you. I'm Itsutsuji Uzumaki of the Uzumaki clan."

Hashiba's able to collect himself shortly after. "And I'm Hashiba Fuma of the Fuma clan. Let's get this fence painted!"

----------


## igordragonian

Duriaba laugh.
*"Nyo nyo! O! At least it wont be too easy!"* the cat driver seemed very excited.
Odayama moved to stand between the rikshaw and the Cloud Nin.
*"For children to stay alive isn't a privlige!"* Odayama say sternly, and pull long scroll.
*"You won't silence their sound."* and if he move toward the children, he will open the scroll, that is filled with another scrolls- some of them are shadow scrolls, and some would rain kunais and weaponry.

Usagi would ride Yojimbo between the trees to be at 3 aclock of the Cloud Nin and shoot thunder arrows- even if he deflect or dodge, they will create a booming nice, that without protection should numb him for a moment.

Duraiaba would use the distraction, and would start to run on trees, and jump from tree to tree.

---

Odayama2 is ready to cover for Yuyuyu.

Duraiba would

----------


## Rater202

*In the forest
*
"Everyone's miserable. That's what being a ninja _is._ That's what _life_ is. Giving everything of yourself to something that doesn't give back because in the long run everyone else will be better off. Anyone who can work must work and if DG thinks she deserves special treatment then she's just being selfish."

Senko takes the time that the assailant is talking to try and sneak attack her with her sag art water style heavenly mist.

In response, the spray of water Senko fires from the chakra canon turns into a blooming array of pink crystal shards which encase her arm up to the elbow.

The crystals then shatter, leaving Senko with a stump.

Senko's loud expletive can be heard throughout the forest

"...Gonna vivisect you when my arm grows back" she says after catching her breath.

*In the clearing*

The man sort of hugs himself and the solid dark red of his arms expands to encase him in a sort of eggshell-like pattern, protecting him from the barrage of swords, arrows, and shuriken.

...Was it was, of Usagi to use loud, debilitating sound weapons in the presence of her allies, however?

Assuming that none of you have tinnitus after that, you can hear Senko loudly swearing in the distance.

The egg peals back afterward and the ninja looks in the direction where Usagi's arrows have been coming from.

"Hey, no-legs? Thunder's just noise. It's lightning that does the work!"

He sends a vastly more powerful version of the lightning whip he'd used earlier in Usagi's direction.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Otogakure:*
As you paint, the actual chore of kind of....fades into the background of your conversation. Its getting done, but as you converse with the others. Hizuka is growling a little as the Chunnin talk about Ameoku's situation while she paints with a burning intensity. She was a hero! Maybe she wasn't perfect but who was? Those people gave their lives for this village, she is just doing what honors them! She will just have to speed up her research so that its not necessary. So that there is a weapon that will make sure Konoha nin die rather than Oto nin. Surely Ameoku would agree with that. Maybe she could get Ameoku to sponsor and fund her project? That was an idea.

Kazuo is painting nervously
"So guys uuuuuuuuh...hows the weather today? My its uh.....a bit sunny isn't it, pleasant weather we're having, hehehehehehehahaha....."
Hopefully no one will focus on him and will instead focus on the safe topics he brings up. Oh Kami he is so awkward, they're all probably super-ninja badasses compared to him. Just keep smiling and keep the fraudulent reputation for heroism up and they won't eat him alive for not wanting to die by sonically blowing himself up. 
Miho says in response as she paints in an orderly and thorough manner.
"It is a pleasant day. I heard the Chuunin Exams will be coming soon in the coming weeks, and that our village will be holding some Pre-Chuunin Exams to determine who gets to go. I hope I do well in them. Becoming Chuunin would be a good step towards becoming a Jounin."
Kazuo nervously thinks: _I don't want to go! Chuunin Exams is probably full of dangerous super-genin that villages intentionally pick to try and stack things in their favor._
But he says out loud: "Heheheh, I'm the Hero of Otogakure, I could probably get in, but I think I'll...get more experience, give others a chance to become Chuunin before me, yeah."
"Oh come now Kazuo, you don't need to sacrifice your own advancement for others! It'll all be in good sport." Miho says encouragingly "Do your best regardless! Who knows what could happen if you got into the Chuunin Exams!"
_Thats exactly what I'm afraid of!_ he thinks while nodding with a fake smile.
Naneko keeps up the mask of a friendly normal genin while listening on the Chuunin political discussion, practicing to be an Anbu spy even now while saying
"Yeah Kazuo your good ninja, you have a chance so don't pass it up! I'm sure you'd do great!" she says a little cheerily.
Kazuo nervously smiles while thinking, his eyes wide
_Thanks a lot guys! No pressure or anything!_

Meanwhile Mubona and Tatebaru have their own conversation within your earshot:
"So I'm not entirely up to date with how things are, Mubona can you give the exact news and situation of whats been going on?"
"Well my paranoid and grim friend it is simple! The Kaguya, Masuku, Komoro and Fukaimi clans all currently support Jirou Ishikawa, and of course his own clan is behind him as well. Ameoku had a dinner meeting with the Ishikawas recently but I've heard it didn't go well- got interrupted by some of Futility-san's vile accomplices! Those fiends tried to poison Ameoku's children! Thankfully, through quick action they both saved and the assailants fought off!"
"...And the Big Kitty? how'd she react to that?"
"News is sparse on that, but she has noticeably gotten more hardline and insistent upon her Odokuro-based views, my friend. On top of her already pushing for war against Konoha. I think the attack might've rattled her."
"Hrmph, if it was calculated then this Futility-San is trying to push this village into foolish actions. will destroy us. The suicide bomb tactics were desperation. losing troops fast, so higher ups figured they might as well take out as many konoha assets along with them. Sigh. Does sound like Jirou is the favored candidate however."
"He has yet to meet the Fuma and Uzumaki clans....and Samayo has arrived with you. Depending on how those go, it might swing things a different way. But worry not my friend! Jirou has been chosen by Nozojo himself! I doubt that Ameoku's chances of getting the hat as likely at this point, considering the amount of support he has!"
"Agreed. Shark boy best not screw this up. This Futility-San: Whats his deal?"
"He targets children, genin mostly. A most lowly demon indeed!"
"whats his goal?"
"To bring despair to our great village! A Most Villainous Goal indeed!"
"Hmph. Stupid."
"Stupid how?"
"Despair is temporary. Life moves on. Depression heals. Emotion is wind, duty is stone. When your done feeling sad, there is still work to do. The more you work, the more time passes and you move on. Futility is a good name for him. His goal is futile. Even if he succeeded, it wouldn't last."
"My friend that is a beautiful sentiment! Well for you at least! Your right, despair is temporary!" 
Mubona says with a smile
"Shut up." 
Tatebaru says keeping a hawk eye out for any attackers.

*Yuyuyu:*
She will attack DG-Mom from behind while invisible with her umbrella, trying to whack her with it upside the head, trying to use Senko as a distraction.

*Kimiko:*
While he is distracted blocking the stuff aimed at his arms and attacking Usagi, the paper whip will wrap around his legs, pulling them together, then Kimiko will pull with chakra flow to enhance her strength, trying to sweep him off his feet to try and make him fall on the ground to make him more vulnerable. Kimiko of course has ringing in her ears now, feeling pain from it, but she doesn't need good hearing to do this. She was the genius of otogakure, Kimiko Ishikawa! She wasn't going to let a little thing like this get in the way of defeating this weird fake jinchuuriki!

----------


## igordragonian

Odayama2 open scroll after scroll raining weapons.

---


Usagi. "Pff. Baka! As if a princess of thr _Sound_ village wouldn't have a way to deal with it! When I'll defiently defeat her, I'll have to use something much stronger!"

Yojimbo, cut a heavy branch to to soke the lightning, and then jump higher into the tops of the trees.
Usagi try to use  the noise and lighting of the lightning, to shoot bell needles around the cloud Shinobi without him noticing.


Odayama dissapear into the ground, using earth technique to dig and grab the cloud Shinobi from beneath.





Duraiba cackle with excitment as he jump from tree to tree.
"So. Kids, what have you done wrong? Just having the wrong bloodline?"

----------


## Rater202

"Ran away from an emotionally abusive home."
"Killed everyone in the lab that created me because they saw me as more of a thing than a person and then fled the country"
"kidnapped by bandits. Made me kill people. A lot."

...It seems the kids took that question a little too literally.

*In the forest*

DG's mother seems to shrug off the attacks as they hit her, but as she moves trick of the light causes a pink reflection on seaming thin air.

Meanwhile, Ichika is checking on Senko's arm.

"...It's like severe frostbite, but without the frost... Senko, we need to get you out of here. You're in no condition to be here."

"I'm fine. It'll grow back. Besides, Usagi-san is missing two limbs and she's cleared for duty."

"Look, that's different."

Meanwhile, Tomoe slashes at the Cloud Ninja, sending a crescent of raw chakra at her which impacts and.

The Cloud ninja is now surrounded by light pink cracks.

"The child said that your bloodline could negate elemental techniques that took on a physical medium... But you can't do that with energy attacks, can you? Everyone, fall back. I wil handle the Crystal user."

"No!"

"Senko-sama, it is the duty of a samurai, even an exiled one, to risk their lives on behalf of her Lord. You're injured, Yuyuyu-san is a stealth expert, Ichika-chan is a medic, and I honestly don't know what Odayama-san is capable of. This only makes sense."

"Damn it, I said no!" Senko concentrates and a shard of bone erupts out of her stump. With effort, it breaks apart into a crude approximation of human arm bones. The flesh at the edges of the stomp tunr to paper, with strips spreading out and weaving around each other and the bones until Senko has a rough facsimile of a working arm again. "I can still fight. I'm not leaving anyone behind."

Ichika, on the other hand, looks shocked. "Senko, have you been stealing bloodlines from the Sound Clans?"

"No, I stole bloodlines from a rouge shinobi. Which is perfectly legal."

"Don't play that game, Senko. The clans won't see things that way. And, honestly... We're friends, right? If I had a bloodline, something from my family that I held as important and I found out you'd copied it without telling me... I'd don't think I'd be able to forgive you. So think of how the clans who... Senko?"

Senko... Ever since Senko got that bit of talk from Menko about taking her familiar for granted, Senko's been thinking and... She's not happy with herself. She stole a sample of Fuyuki-sans DNA despite his being a friend... And she can't come up with a way to approach him to apologize for it. And then the other day, at the dinner meeting, she grafted those cells herself thinking it was necessary only for it to turn out to have been... Not.

And Ichika just stomped on the button to set off that guilt bomb by essentially confirming Senko's worst-case scenario.

And not only that... Despite what she said at the beginning of this mission, Senko _is_ yearning to meet a living member of her family. Even if Daichi hadn't mastered Sage Transformation, even if he doesn't have the information she needs, just seeing a flesh and blood relative face to face for the first time since she killed her parents would...

And her affectations slipping. Dipping back into her natural accent, her composure has been slipping since they go to the border.

In a forest with an unusually high density of natural energy.

Then she found out that Daichi _had_ mastered the transformations and probably did have the information she needed.

...And then she lost a ****ing arm.

And now this.

First, Senko bursts into messy tears.

But, after a second, her sobs of remorse turn into feral growls of rage.

Ichika has just a second to jump away before Senko practically explodes in a dark purple chakra.

A shard of bone erupts from the dense aura, striking the tree that the Cloud ninja is on. The tree very quickly becomes encased in ice.

The Aura clears and Senko stands there in her giant monstrous form. Arm regenerated, serpent-like scales augmenting the form, and spikes of bone jutting from her shoulders.

Now would be a good time to panic

*In the Clearing*

The Cloud Ninja spins, like a red dervish, to escape Kimiko's grab and avoid Odayama's grab. He lands on a tree.

"Okay. My real target is gon and you kids are pissing me off. I'm just gonna end this."

IX holds out his hands suddenly globs and red and blue chakra begin pooling together and spinning around each other in a manner not unlike the technique that Kimiko has been working on.

...Anyone with any familiarity with what the tailed beasts do should be panicking right now. He's about to nuke this whole section of forest...

...And then a shape emerges from the forest and kicks him in the neck. Body surfing the cloud ninja down to the ground appears a middle-aged man with a wild mane of red hair. He is enshrouded in an aura of purple chakra and while he wears no sandles he is otherwise dressed in the armor of a yamabushi, an ascetic warrior monk who lives as a hermit.

Surrounding his eyes are two dark purple shapes resembling claw makes. His eyes themselves have amber irises against black sclera and from the center of his brow grows a horn that curls upward.

"Where are my children," he says calmly and you can see that his teeth are sharp.

The cloud ninja is dead. Broken neck.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Originally the plan was a mass battle against IX and DS but then with the party splitting... In hindsight, this works better.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Is seized by a sudden fear and worry in her heart as she sees Senko transform again, but while she isn't the strongest, or the smartest, or the most powerful shinobi in the world she is a good shinobi, and a good shinobi knows when to change plans to keep calm in the face of danger, and a good person knows what to do when her friend is in danger. She does not panic.
"....Tomoe. Hold off Senko off as long as you can. If DG's Mother dies, thats fine. but I need to get to Kimiko as fast as possible."
She then uses her invisibility genjutsu then begins sprinting off in the direction they came, hoping that Kimiko wasn't dead.

*Kimiko:*
Kimiko is not dead, fortunately. She is a bit annoyed. Kimiko was going to reveal that she slipped in a sealing tag with her leg wrap attack stuck his heel and activate it to shut his ability to use chakra, but now she won't know if that plan would've worked. But she recognizes this man is probably just as dangerous if she doesn't say where. 
"Odayama-taichou used a rabbit summons to try and escort them to safety in that direction. Senko's uncle I presume? She has been wanting to meet you."
She points where she remembers Duraiba going.
"I hope you don't mind, but this corpse you've made is quite an interesting specimen, and should be stored in a scroll for further study, before some Cloud Hunter-Nin tries to dispose of it."
After that rare and creepy sentence coming from a child, Kimiko will go over to try and store the corpse of the fake-jinchuuriki in a large storage scroll.

----------


## somerando

Hashiba grins at the discussion of the Chuunin exams. "I don't expect to have too much trouble with the exams personally. Konoha has the home field advantage but me and my team will do fine at least. Some people might have more problems, I don't know."
This last comment isn't directly aimed at anyone, but Kazuo might interpret it as aimed at him.

Itsutsuji's barely working at this point, too tired and bored of the manual work to do anything more than keep up appearances. "Seeing Konoha at least could be interesting. I've heard some things about it from my clanmates, sounds like a huge place."

After a while more painting Hashiba nudges Itsutsuji. "Hey, seems like that Jirou Ishikawa guy's the favourite to be the next Otokage. Only our clans haven't supported him yet. I heard the Uzumakis and Ishikawas get along like cats and dogs, how do you think things are gonna go down?"

Itsutsuji sighs. "Cats and dogs is a bit too kind a comparison I think. Perhaps the sea and the earth is a more apt touchpoint, an eternal and implacable conflict with no side ever gaining an advantage. My dad's clan head, but I can't really say which way he'll go on the Otokage issue. Of course he wouldn't want an Ishikawa in charge of our village, and he practically worships Odokuro. On the other hand, I can't imagine him ever wanting a resumption of war with Konoha. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place. How do you think the Fuma will align?"

"I dunno. Our clan head hates Konoha. Like a lot. But he isn't all there y'know? The rest of the clan has a lot of influence and I imagine they'll wanna support Jirou to fit in with the rest."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Naneko and Miho:*
"fine? You might be satisfied with that, but I'm sure our team would do great in them!" Miho said "After all, got to show up Konoha in their own territory, show them we aren't be underestimated, that we're not playing around."
"Yeah!" Naneko says "Fine isn't good enough. Fine doesn't get you the win. They're expecting a minor village like us to be average at best, but when we get there? We'll show them we're the best. Nothing less is acceptable. got to have have pride in the village we represent, isn't that right Kazuo?"
He honestly doesn't care, but no one needed to know that. So he scratches the back of his while smiling nervously while saying a sentiment common to all people of Otogakure:
"Yeah sure uh, go Otogakure we're the best, screw those Konoha guys. I'm just going to....paint more of the fence over there, cover it from the other end if you will."
He then extricates himself from the conversation, not wanting to be in this because he knows it would eventually start talking about him and his reputation and trying to get him to go to Konoha and and what he'd do to them and he didn't want that. So He walks quickly to get some distance and....runs into a tree. Then he hears a "mrrroow...."
He sighs in annoyance
"A cat? again? Why do I keep running into cats stuck in trees?"
Stupid luck. He wall-walks up the tree, picks up the even though it struggles and claws him a bit as a cat would on the way down then sets it down and it goes running off.
"There ya dumb cat. Don't know why they climb trees when they can't get down."
He then starts painting while grumbling to himself. You see this all happen by the way, its only a short distance away and yes that did just happen by sheer coincidence.

Tatebaru and Mubona meanwhile, see Jirou walk up to Tatebaru
"well if it isn't Shark Boy himself. How ya doin?"
"I'm doing well taichou. I'm doing my best to live up to what an Otokage should be." he says quietly. To describe him for those who may have not seen him, Jirou is a quiet young man of slender build, blue hair, amber eyes and shark teeth like Kimiko but having Itachi-like hair, wearing Otogakure's chuunin uniform of black vest, grey pants with clouds, dark blue shirt reminiscent of his Kiri heritage and a katana on his belt.
"Ugh, you don't have to call me that anymore you know. Your gonna be Otokage. You'll outrank me."
"This is true taichou. What honorific shall I refer to you instead? Sensei?"
Tatebaru stares at Jirou a little annoyed for a few seconds then sighs.
"fine. whatever. Why are you here?"
"I was wonder if you knew where Samayo Majutsu was. I need to speak to him, try and secure his support you see."
"He's down at that popular club, whats it name....the one every ninja goes to..."
"I think know what your talking about, Broken Record Club. I have to go back there again I see. Whats he doing there?"
"Singing."
Jirou's eyes widen in surprise.
"What!? But I thought his voice was too powerful for that."
"Broken Record Club is built special. Its pretty much the only place he can let loose within the village safely."
"Indeed!" Mubona chips in "I made sure of it myself for my greatest comrade in arms! He too deserves to express his passion, and it is such a shame that he must go silent most of the time."

----------


## somerando

"Yeah by doing fine I just mean getting through it, standing on the pedestal at the end, becoming a chuunin. I heard the chuunin exams are crazy tough, most of the genin who attempt it fail several times. If we just manage to get there, past the final test, a bunch of us, about as many as Konoha does? Despite being a smaller village? Despite this all being our first time there? Imagine the humiliation for them! Imagine the glory for us!"
Hashiba's wearing a broadening grin as he says this, and one can imagine he's tacking "...and me" onto the end of his last sentence in his head.

Itsutsuji claps her hands. "Alright team, that's a good start! But if we want to paint this more efficiently and all get home sooner we've gotta divvy up tasks. Hashiba, you should start painting in this area. Hizuka, over there."

With the team leaders distracted by Jirou, she hopes to be able to use her position of second-in-command to spend most of her time ordering people around, avoiding most of the hard physical labour of painting.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*The Fence:*
You see there is a reason why this task was given to ninja: its a very long fence.  Ninja are generally stronger, faster and have more stamina than the average person due to their training. Even with you spreading all eight of you out, there is still a little section that Itsusuji has to do, but its right next to like, Miho Kaguya whose stamina seems limitless, like she just seems trained to do anything for incredibly long periods of time with her taijutsu and covers like twice or even three times the area you do. And all the other ninja don't really seem all that bothered by this either, normal training is more exhausting than this. 

While this happens, Jirou will go to the Broken Record club to talk to Samayo about something and Mubona and Tatebaru are talking about something else distracted, Hizuka will whisper to Hashiba going
"Hey, it seems the fence job will be done soon and then we'll be done for the day. Maybe we can sneak off to hear what Jirou and Samayo will talk about when we're done here. I know Itsusuji with her lack of stamina will probably just decline but are you in?"
Hizuka knows that Jirou is Ameoku's political opponent and thus wants to know what he is doing, you probably know this about her. You have a limited window of time to accept this offer given the impromptu nature of this, and you'll be able to catch a glimpse of one of the Legendary Three Thunders. If you do not say yes now, things will move onto other events.

----------


## Rater202

> *Yuyuyu:*
> Is seized by a sudden fear and worry in her heart as she sees Senko transform again, but while she isn't the strongest, or the smartest, or the most powerful shinobi in the world she is a good shinobi, and a good shinobi knows when to change plans to keep calm in the face of danger, and a good person knows what to do when her friend is in danger. She does not panic.
> "....Tomoe. Hold off Senko off as long as you can. If DG's Mother dies, thats fine. but I need to get to Kimiko as fast as possible."
> She then uses her invisibility genjutsu then begins sprinting off in the direction they came, hoping that Kimiko wasn't dead.


A shard of bone fles in Yuyuyu's general direction.

*"I can't see you, but I can still hear you!"*

Senko is then immobilized by Ichika, using the string light formation technique to hold her in place.

And then a series of crystals start forming around her feet, Ichika turns to see the Cloud Ninja trying to incapacitate Senko with a mad grin on her face.

"A shapeshifting mutant with multiple bloodlines? She's not my daughter but she's" she's cut off by a chakra enhanced punch from Tomoe, this breaks her concentration and allows Senko to break from the crystals, which unfortunately interfered with Ichika's fuinjutsu. Senko  bitch slaps Ichika away and begins chasing in the direction she heard Yuyuyu fleeing in, a predatory roar leaving her through as she does.



> *Kimiko:*
> Kimiko is not dead, fortunately. She is a bit annoyed. Kimiko was going to reveal that she slipped in a sealing tag with her leg wrap attack stuck his heel and activate it to shut his ability to use chakra, but now she won't know if that plan would've worked. But she recognizes this man is probably just as dangerous if she doesn't say where. 
> "Odayama-taichou used a rabbit summons to try and escort them to safety in that direction. Senko's uncle I presume? She has been wanting to meet you."
> She points where she remembers Duraiba going.
> "I hope you don't mind, but this corpse you've made is quite an interesting specimen, and should be stored in a scroll for further study, before some Cloud Hunter-Nin tries to dispose of it."
> After that rare and creepy sentence coming from a child, Kimiko will go over to try and store the corpse of the fake-jinchuuriki in a large storage scroll.


"Senko? Senna and Akira's daughter, from the village of Debuita? Yes... Technically we would be second cousins once removed, but Uncle works."

His eyes narrow.

"But, if you know her then... Is she here? Part of your party? And... By any chance has she achieved a mastery of the seven wheels? Because, if not... This is a very bad place for her to be."

You can all hear Senko roaring in the distance.

"I assume that is a no."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She pockets the scroll containing the corpse then when she hears the roar she automatically takes out a pre-pared seal from of her belt pouches, completely prepared for this.
"You assume correct. Looks like I have to do this again. Come, if you restrain her, this will make it easier."
She then takes running towards the roar with a look of determination on her face. 

*Yuyuyu:*
She is running for her life. The bone shard misses her- turns out when your invisible and running away from something, it can be pretty hard to hit you with a single missile like that. Sound isn't as precise as sight for locating something and even being off by a few degrees trajectory of a projectile can determine whether it hits or misses.  She will continue her run, having little hope other than Tomoe catching up or Kimiko arriving in time. She has a couple tricks to extend her time but she knows she isn't capable of beating Senko.

----------


## somerando

Hashiba grins at Hizuka's suggestion. "Sounds great! I wonder what could be going on."

As they prepare to leave for the Broken Record Club, Itsutsuji wanders over. "Where are you two headed?"
"Oh we were just thinking about heading over to the Broken Record Club, seeing what Jirou and Samayo are up to. Figured you probably wouldn't wanna come, take a break from all that work instead."
"Normally yes, but our earlier conversation's got me curious. I wanna see what this Ishikawa would-be Otokage's doing. Can I tag along?"
"Yeah feel free."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Broken Record Club*
Very well, you soon complete the fence painting and sneak off to see what Jirou is doing rather than heading home, following him to the bad part town in the Broken Record club. You know it as a Dance Club owned and ran by one DJ Scratchman, who is friends with the village higher ups. The club is popular, but isn't high class: its a place for the clanless ninja to hang out in their off hours, and ninja academy dropouts to earn their place and keep where no one else will take them in, and may perhaps be the closest thing to a yakuza outfit this village has-which is fortunate because its probably much kinder than the yakuza. This club is basically the center of the clanless political bloc of the village and thus this village's notable care for merit over clan status: many in Otogakure do not put much stock in clans and their bloodlines and prefer training and determination. It is also a big supporter of Ameoku. Uniquely given these circumstances, the bouncer unlike any other bouncer in the world is probably shinobi-trained. Not a shinobi themselves, they're probably a dropout working with what they have even at their adult age. Jirou goes inside just fine, the bouncer recognizing him and letting him through no trouble. 

And thus, you see the first obstacle:
"How are we getting in? 12 year old genin aren't exactly allowed in there. Disguise jutsu or....something else? There may be an entrance on the roof and we could use the wall-walking technique to crawl along the ceiling when inside. Its a well-known fact by shinobi that most people don't look up."
Hizuka says looking at her two teammates as look at the club from a short distance away.

----------


## igordragonian

Dubaira was silent for a moment as he listened to the children. He chuckled.
"Well, then you feel at home here- half of the people here probably have such backstories. The village doesnt look as pretty as others- but those are my favorite humans. Nyhoho! I have carried many children like you. Most of them grow just fine!" he say with optimism


-----

Odayama2 was prepared for this occasion
 Odayama gave him the pills Ameoku has created just for this scenario.
.A product of a very complex and expansive process of herbalism, chemistry and ninjutsu.
It was basicly a smart super sleep pill.
It's not a great feat just to dunk a powerful sleeping drug. It could be dangerouse to health or the chakra balance.
No.
The pill had a vague sense of sentience. Enough to analys it's target and to fit it's effect to perfectly fit- enough to stop the berserk mode, and not too far to hurt Senko.
Odayama2 commanded the others. "Get away!"

He jump and throw a scroll that summon a random wood plank Odayama jump to it, use it as platform,and does so again, jumping around Senko coming closer and closer. Odayama2 looking for an opening to feed Senko the pill, self security isnt a concern for the clone.



-----

Odayama ask a simple question.
"Will you hurt them?'
He isnt phased by the violence.


Usagi look hyped. "Wow! I need to learn to do this!"

----------


## Rater202

The children in the cart say nothing."Why would I hurt them?"

Daichi looks to Usagi. "It isn't something that can be learned."

He then heads off after Kimiko. Considering that Senko is rampaging and Daichi is a member of her clan, it's probably for the best that he helps.In the forest proper, Senko's getting closer to Yuyuyu.

And periodically making very colorful threats involving such lovely things as dismemberment, vivisection, cannibalism, and the wearing of certain organs as hats.

It's just as she's going into detail about how she's going to turn Yuyuyu's intestines into a turban that she stops and sniffs the air.

This is the scene that Kimiko finds.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Her mind is already whirring, calculating her first move as she proclaims
"Remember me? I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Otogakure! and you will wear no one as hats! Paper Release: Paper Shuriken No Jutsu!"
Grinning her shark teeth she swings the Origami-no-Tsurugi, firing various paper shuriken at Senko. Most of them are folded storage seals with smoke bombs inside. It is notable that while she can create storage seals on the fly like she can explosive tags using her jutsu, the storage seals are still empty and needed to be filled ahead of time- thankfully blinding your opponent is almost always a good move and thus a good idea to prepare for anything. Most of the flurry of paper shuriken will go straight towards Senko to explode into smoke, while a couple shuriken on the side, precisely thrown at two trees on either side of the berserker, are instead folded explosive tags that detonate thus making the two trees fall on top of Senko, knowing that just blinding her might not work and Kimiko will probably need something more substantial than her paper bindings to keep Senko restrained in this form.

A part of her notes that the real Senko would probably be angry at her doing this to trees, but that part of her also cares more about Senko than trees, calculates that its better her alive, angry at her and saved by the seal than depressed that her friends died and probably ending her own life, and that she will cross that emotional bridge when she gets to it. 

Yuyuyu, sees that Kimiko is now here and changes tactics becoming visible while turning into Kimiko with disguise jutsu to make it harder for Senko to take out the one that can actually solve this situation.

----------


## Rater202

The smoke bombs never go off.

The berserker exhales in an icy mist erupts from her mouth in a stream, freezing most of the paper shuriken solid and sending them off course.

The two meant to explode do, however, meet their marks. As the trees begin to fall, she throws out her arms and they erupt into strips of paper like the ones that Seno's body was temporarily made of not that long ago. They wrap around the trunks of the falling trees and she pulls, redirecting their landings so that they miss her.

*"Of course I remember you Kimiko... You're one of my best friends. I bet your liver is delicious!"*

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Get experimental*
Okay. That didn't work. Her powers are definitely stronger. A sharklike grin spreads across her face
"Well then....a challenge! Looks like I'll have to get....._experimental_."
With that manic glint in Kimiko's eyes Yuyuyu isn't sure which of her friends here is crazier right now. Kimiko will flash through some hand signs and say
"Water Release: Kirigakure No Jutsu!"
A mist begins to cover the area from out of nowhere, obscuring the two Kimiko's from Senko's sight. Thus you can't see what they doing right now. You hear running in two different directions right and left of Senko but its not clear which one is going where. If you can't control the foe, control the environment.

----------


## Rater202

Senko...

Yeah, even in what is effectively Sage Mode, her sense abilities aren't good enough to figure out which Kimiko is which.

She transforms both of her arms into large town shields and uses Dead Bone Pulse to place spikes on them before turtling up but that's pretty much all she can do right now.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Smart enough not fall into the trap of pursuing her in the mist. As expected of Senko. The defensive turtling is a problem. But this allows Kimiko an opportunity. There is a long moment where nothing seemingly happens....then a bunch of black viscous liquid is dumped on Senko from above, sticky dark and smelling foul. If she is experienced enough in chemistry, Senko might recognize this as as the smell of oil. Then a torch is dropped on Senko, trying to set her on fire.

Kimiko is not sure if this will kill Senko. Putting aside the obvious hazard of using fire in a forest which she has water release techniques to deal if it gets out of control, and knowing that Senko might be angry at her for using fire in a forest, her hypothesis is that due to absorbing paper and ice release, she might have a vulnerability to fire, but this vulnerability will be balanced out by her regenerative capabilities: namely that the regeneration will burn through a lot of Senko's excess chakra to repair herself from this and that hopefully it will result in spending all that energy making her go berserk all at once or at least in a very short amount of time, speeding up the natural process that eventually happens anyways. She can put out the fire when it looks like she is going back to normal. The problem is that it might be too effective and burn her to death. Its the universal problem of nonlethal weapons not being 100% nonlethal except with superhuman durability and regeneration the problem is magnified, making one unsure how much force you need to knock someone out....and how much you need to end their lives, which can be a hard target to hit when you don't know the upper limits of their durability. Most people after all, wouldn't say setting your friend on fire is a reasonable course of action to save them. 

Its not as if she can just experiment on her friend various ways to knock her out for this kind of thing after all. There is only one Senko after all and she has feelings.

----------


## Rater202

*FWOOSH!!*

In the next few moments, a few things happen.

First, unless Kimiko is actively reinforcing the Hidden Mist Technique, the heat from the fire probably evaporates the mist.

Second, Senko is even more pissed off than she is by default in her transformed state.

third, her robes were completly destroyed. Scales and armored plates preserve her modesty but now you can tell that she's _grotesqly_ muscular. She was badly burned but the burns are healing before your eyes.

At her feet are several scalpels and a collection of storage scrolls. One labeled "first aid it," one labeled "surgical tools," one labeled "sample collection," one labeled "emergency snacks," and one labeled "emergency treatment."

You know by now that "emergency snacks" refers to the used-up medical cadavers that she carries around in case she needs biomass... So what could emergency treatment be?

Fourth: "What the hell, I was in there!"

Menko apparently returned to Senko's robes after warming back up. And didn't leave them when Senko transformed.

She seems to have evacuated just before the fire went off, but she vanishes in a puff of smoke before you can get a better look at her.

Senko looks as if she's about to attack when suddenly Daichi jumps from the trees and grabs her by the throat.

A blue pattern similar to the firey orange diamond pattern that usually appears when Senko transforms runs up Daichi's arm in several and vanishes into his torso.

Senko, meanwhile, shrinks back down to her normal self.

As she shrinks Daichi catches her by her legs and gently lies her on the ground.

"She's going to be unconscious for a while. Almost all of her chakra was infused with natural energy. It would be a good idea to get her out of this forest."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Get Yelled At.*
She yells back angrily to Menko:
"Why were you still there!?"
Hypothesis: Failed. Bad idea.
"....Yeah we should get her out."
Kuso, kuso kuso! That....was not the most intelligent thing she could've done. If only she knew more jutsu. Were there any tools she could've used instead? Anything that could've actually restrained her? She was never taught that technique for doing that slice to leak them out and she hadn't yet figured out a way to fight her. She might need something stronger to restrain Senko if this happens again. She might need to be stronger so that this doesn't happen again. She takes out a storage scroll and out pops out a medical carrier for patients- you know, a canvas between two long sticks. To carry her properly. She will help load it up with Senko and with Yuyuyu's or Daichi's help beging carry her out of the forest. Yuyuyu will of course go back to normal guise and say
"Kimiko, what the hell?"
"You'll have to be more specific."
"You set Senko on fire. and nearly harmed Menko as well."
"I didn't know how durable she was, nor did I know that Menko was still there. assuming that I don't know, she would run like the rest of us is pretty reasonable assumption, given that in that form our friend is literally a murderous sociopath."
"Yeah but you still set her on fire! That could've caused who knows how much damage to her and the forest!"
"That was a risk I was willing to take! I was testing a hypothesis that maybe, fire would activate her regenerative abilities and use up enough of her chakra to get her back to normal. 
 It failed, I failed, you happy now?"
"You did that TO EXPERIMENT!? That was the best you could come up with!?"
"Well I could've tried using a storage scroll to drop a boulder on her but given how she grabbed and set down the trees I thought it wouldn't work, especially not through the shields she was putting up. There was this glue storage scroll where I theoretically could shoot it at her using water release to test if a basic water attack technique could be used to fire something like that if I did the preparations without needing to make and manipulate the properties using chakra myself but I wasn't sure that jutsu would work on my end, she might've just frozen it and made it useless or just be strong to break out, I could've tried my the classic  paper whip jutsu but if my memory is correct she broke out of that before when she was LESS powerful than she is now, when she can now use bone spikes to potentially rip through them. and my explosive tags well....they wouldn't be much better than the fire to be honest."
"Oh my kamis....you could've just bought time for...whom I'm guessing is Daichi....to come her and do it for us! Like he just did! But instead you tried to solve it yourself! And you knew he was coming, but you did it anyways!"
"I am Kimiko Ishikawa, I will not settle for anything less than the best! Sure he was able to do it now, but he can't always be around. If I had more jutsu, more power, more knowledge this wouldn't have happened and I could've solved it myself!"
"Thats your take away from all this!? More power!? Why not "be more cautious/careful" or "more patience" or "try to work as a team for this" or "you don't have to do everything yourself" or "don't try to do reckless things you don't know whether they will work or not"!?"
"Because Yuyuyu, trying things we don't know whether they work or not is the foundation of science! The foundation of how we gain knowledge! Its not as if I have a bunch of mindless, emotionless husk-clones of Senko in a lab that I can test out what works and what doesn't work for this situation! If I had better taijutsu, I would've had the reflexes to engage in melee without being killed. If I had better earth release jutsu, I could've use more solid and durable bindings to restrain her, if I knew more water release jutsu perhaps I'd be more confident in an adhesive plan. If I knew more medical jutsu, I could've measured her body and have actual estimates for what she can withstand and how to restrain her physically. If I knew more genjutsu I could've cast one strong enough to put her to sleep or something! If I knew better fuinjutsu I might've just been able to just plain restrain her before using the seal! I fully acknowledge that there are many better ways that this could've been solved, _thats why I need to go forth to find them_."
Yuyuyu shakes her head, she can't deal with this right now.
".....Sigh....just remember that you owe her and Menko an apology."
Kimiko's eyes narrow as she glares into the future.
"I will. and rest assured....I will make sure nothing like this happens ever again."

----------


## Rater202

After a few moments, there's another puff of smoke. Menko is back. Now in human form she... Has some kind of medical paste smeared on her face and one arm is wrapped crudely in bandages. Assuming that her human form corresponds to her snake form...

she is also holding what appears to be a change of clothes for Senko.

She stops you with one hand and swiftly exchanges the burned remains of the unconscious girl's previous outfit in exchange for the new clothes.

She's a little too good at that.

"You are lucky I managed to get reverse summoning myself back home down. And that Senko-sama passes out at her desk often enough that I'm practiced in getting her robes on and off. I already do this far too often without her getting set on fire. Last thing she needs is to get arrested.

Shortly after Tomoe comes out of the woodwork with Ichika leaning on her.

"I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news is that the other cloud ninja got away. The good news is that she is now aware of exactly why it is bad deal to pursue her offspring and why Senko-sama is not an acceptable substitute. Also, I collected all of the bones Senko-sama left behind."

There are some clear buildings in her robes that presumably correspond to pockets full of bones.

"Also one of the Cloud Ninja's fingers."

"What the hell was that!?" Ichika is very clearly frazzled. There's... Probably a reason she's still a genin. "I knew she had a control issue. That's not a control issue, that's a... Why did Shimpi want me for this mission! There are dozens of medics and senors who are better qualified to handle _that!_"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She says to Menko:
"Yes. I am. and when Senko awakes I owe you both an apology."
Then she turns to Ichika
"_That_ is a part of Senko's bloodline: a berserker form that she turns into when she is overloaded with natural energy. It seems to have gotten stronger than last time, metamorphized into a stronger form. Or at least far more versatile. We will need better, stronger measures to contain the berserker state, and it will only get worse if it develops further. Code Oni needs updating."
She decides to leave out the reason why Senko's abilities have changed. Kekkei genkai growing, developing, metamorphizing isn't an unknown phenomenon. Dojutsu are often all about doing that depending on certain triggers, and she didn't know if it was her place to disclose such information on the hows given the sensitive political information related to it. 
"I have no idea why the most mysterious of the Three Thunders would assign you to this. Perhaps you can ask him when you get back. What matters is that your the medic-nin we have and will need to treat her when we get out of this forest. Lets keep moving."
Though perhaps Shimpi is worth investigating if he is the one who pulled the strings for them to go on this mission specifically. Or at least worth being on the lookout for.

----------


## Rater202

"The increase in power is simple enough to explain," Daichi interrupts, "Our bloodline is a form of Sage Mode. If she has grown even slightly more powerful, stronger, faster, more skilled then those gains are multiplied in her transformed state."

"Gains like... Stealing bloodlines from allied clans... and apparently somehow Ice Release?"

"Well, yes. That would do it."

"She did not steal bloodlines from allied clans. She stole bloodlines from a rogue ninja. Which is perfectly legal."

----------


## somerando

*Broken Record Club*

Itsutsuji and Hashiba are both absorbed in thought looking at their target. Itsutsuji speaks up first. "I don't know if talking to the bouncer is necessarily the best choice. Disguising ourselves as regulars might get us asked questions we can't answer, and making up new appearances might have us placed under too much scrutiny. Too many risks. I'd suggest climbing instead."

Hashiba interjects at this point "Climbing in might be the better option, but once we're inside it's too risky. Shinobi may not look up usually, but all it takes is one person who sees us and we'll have a lot of explaining to do."

"Maybe we can climb in, then down to the club floor. Disguise ourselves once we're there, look inconspicuous."

"Sounds good to me."

The two look at Hizuka for approval before they start circling the Broken Record Club looking for good spots to start climbing.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Samayo Majutsu: Sing*
Hizuka shrugs
"Sounds like a plan, lets go."
They climb upwards....and find a hole detonated in the back of the club, to one of the backrooms, or at least the top of one. Furthermore you can see odd traces of things in this backroom being damaged by something acidic, as if the entire room had been filled with it at one point. There may be some attempts at repairing this but not enough in the time it has been since this has happened.
"I knew it, they still haven't fixed the hole when Kimiko blew it open while fighting Futility-San the first time. Repairing something like this is probably low priority compared to everything else that has been happening. That and its not as if we're the most wealthy village around."
They then proceed with the rest of their plan climbing down still amid the backrooms, Hizuka gets near the doors to the dance floor and with a few hand signs uses disguise jutsu to turn into a 16 or 17 ear old version of herself, but replacing her armor with a heavy metal fan's version of a club goer outfit, a lot of black, leather coat, various studs on the outfit. 
"I don't think anyone will recognize us as long as we look the part."
She will go in and sure enough, she will fit right in with the crowd. Though oddly your hearing a slower song than what seems usual for this club being sun up on stage.... by Samayo Majutsu, one of the Three Thunders, a figure wearing all red robelike vestments, to compliment ruby eyes and scarlet long flowing hair. He strums on his strange dragon-headed electric guitar while singing. You may may not recognize this song being played on the radio at times, but it is called "Tsukuyomi Girl", said to be inspired by him witnessing an addict on Tsuku trying to get his girlfriend to get hook on it with him and he sings it in a sad melancholic or wistful tone:

_Look into my eyes
fall under my spell
look hope now flies
take you away from this hell

Yes your a Tsukuyomi girl
living in a material world
A girl of dreams and gossamer hands
living in theses agonizing wastelands

Truth is not all that its cracked up to be
crimson eyes, spinning furiously
come with me to a world of dreams
leave behind this collapsing scene

War seems endless to me
Peace just doesn't seem
all that meant to be
So lets go into a tranquil dream

Let those fools fight until they're dead
Our own hands will be clean
and theirs stained all red
Your the girl of my greatest dream

I know your just as sad
The reality cannot be changed
there is no point in getting mad
forget all that in my gaze
in dreams loosen up a tad
Come give living lies a whirl
Cause your my Tsukuyomi girl!_

When the song ends, you notice that fuinjutsu seals that have been placed around the stage to contain and lower sound get retracted down by stagehands...yet Samayo's voice filled up the entire room without even a mic needed. From what you heard about him, Samayo's voice was legendary for being too powerful for him to speak normally. He bows to his audience cheering for him and walks off the stage with Jirou meeting him there and saying
"Greetings Samayo-san, I am Jirou Ishikawa, Patriarch of Clan Ishikawa. I would like to talk you about your support for Otokage."
He nods and looks at his talking guitar, Ryoga- whose exact nature of existence is a mystery and apart of the legend unto himself- seems to understand Samayo just from that glance alone and says
"Sure thing shark boy. Lets sit down over there."
They begin walking over to sit over at some comfy seats, no one aside from you guys really seeming to care what they are talking about as the stage gets ready for the next band to play. This is probably your best chance to move in to listen to them.
"so, what is it?" Ryoga says, seemingly being the talker of the duo
"I want you, Samayo to support me in becoming Otokage over Ameoku."
The guitar looks at Samayo who gives him a look with a raised eyebrow
"...Well you don't seem evil from his intuition but, I'm pretty sure complex political stuff needs more than intuition to make a decision on this....elaborate, shark boy."
Ryoga replies hawkishly. 
Hizuka is already moving to kinda just.....loiter around near where they are speaking and start dancing a little when the next band starts playing. You probably won't be able to hear what they're talking about if you aren't close enough.

----------


## somerando

Hashiba and Itsutsuji follow Hizuka's lead, transforming into what they imagine their older selves would look like. Itsutsuji also takes the extra step of turning her bright red hair brown to make it less distinctive. They both approach the chairs Samayo and Jirou are on while each tries to blend in in their own way- Hashiba by awkwardly dancing a bit and Itsutsuji by surreptitiously transforming a shuriken into a glass and pretending to drink from it while standing behind Samayo.

Hashiba doesn't have much of a head for politics but he's still interested. "_Ameoku and Samayo have worked together for years, I imagine they know each other pretty well. Openly supporting her opponent is a very big ask. I wonder what Jirou has up his sleeve that he thinks this can work?_"

Itsutsuji, on the other hand, is deeply invested in the conversation despite her apparent calmness. "_Of course Jirou would have to get support outside of the clans, they don't hold the reins of power in Otogakure unlike the other villages. Samayo is a great source for this sort of aid- Everyone knows who he is, he's influential and popular, he's one of the Three Thunders. The Fuma are probably going to support Jirou over Ameoku too. With support from every of the major clans along with endorsements from Lord Second and the most popular Three Thunders, he very well might have the clout be able to declare himself Otokage without approval from the Uzumaki. That couldn't be good._"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Elaborate*
He settles in and says
"Very well. I shall begin with the time that Ameoku visited me in her attempt to persuade me to support her a few days ago. It was a dinner between us, my clan was there and so was her family: Herself, Odayama and her two daughters. At first everything went well, though just from speaking with Ameoku the first problems I have with her become Otokage quickly became apparent: she wants to go to war with Konohagakure as soon as possible and she does not care how many lives she throws away in the process. She misreads Konoha's strength, thinking them fat, lazy and easily killed when our villages suicide bombing attacks during the Third Shinobi War was....untenable. Its likely they have developed counter-tactics against us by now. Not to mention the strongest of all the jinchuuriki are at their disposal. The more she talked, the more I suspected she simply wants to fight them because she loves fighting, I've talked with the Kaguya's patriarch and they concurred on this."
"Hm....she always has been the most aggressive of the three, yeah." Ryoga says "Big Odukuro fan, thinks he had the right idea in all that he did. While I'm thankful for the First Otokage's sacrifice, she probably glorifies it."
"But there is more, it is not simple political difference I'm concerned about. During the dinner, her family came under attack, poisoning all three of them. Instead of acting as a shinobi would, she became angry and accused me of treachery, enraged. I explained that I had nothing to do with the poisoning and sent one my of my family members to the medic nin and got them cured, but she was acting out of emotion, out of rage and despair the whole time, and then she doubled down on her beliefs when it was over. The way she reacted makes me believe that she would not be able to think clearly in a crisis. Furthermore the assailant was a young girl of Ameoku's own clan seeking revenge, probably for the experiments Ameoku did during the war on her own sisters, which killed many of Ameoku's own family to attain the cat-based jutsu she possesses I believe. She herself boasted of such experiments and regards her own assailant, the very person who poisoned her family- who at the end tried to use the Last Shout to kill Team 3 but failed due to quick thinking on their part- as a model Otogakure Ninja because of her "suicidal resolve".

I cannot stress enough that I think Ameoku will lead this entire village into the grave if she is made Otokage. Even the potential ramifications on our nation, the Land of Rice and legal censure from the Daimyo does not seem to concern her."
"Hm, that sounds real serious, what legal censure do you speak of, based on what she wants to?" Ryoga asks
"The entire village being declared Rogue Shinobi if Ameoku proceeds with her plan without the approval of the Daimyo. Without the land of Rice affiliation, we'd have no legal borders to protect us. It would essentially be giving Konohagakure freedom to wipe us all out while the Daimyo of Rice and his people wouldn't be targeted because the Land of Rice would not technically be joining in, essentially making us terrorists and criminals in our own lands. If the Daimyo is foolish enough to approve its even worse, and the whole Land will be dragged into a needless conflict that none of the nations around us have any reason to care about. No one would come to our aid. We would end up as conquered as the Land of Wheat. That is the best case scenario. the worst case scenario is that the other nations see it as an excuse to attack Konoha, and Fourth Shinobi War happens. Then who knows who'll survive."
A nation that inspired by Rice's rebellion attempted to do something similar but without any success, its village got burned to the ground and replaced with a ninja village that was trained by Konoha to protect it instead. 

Meanwhile Hizuka's eyes are wide in panic and she is whispering to no one in particular:
"What? no no....I knew that I disagreed with her policy on casualties and I haven't yet produced an invention to replace the power of the last shout but this just stupid! No. This can't be right...."
She doesn't quite believe what she is hearing. Surely her hero, her idol....can't be THIS stupid!?

Ryoga meanwhile assesses his words and says
"Heh, you do realize what your saying here right? That your saying she is pretty much unfit to be Otokage in both beliefs and behavior and thus anyone that supports her is a fool to do so. Thats only going to divide, not unite. This is some serious stuff yer putting down here"
"I would not say if it wasn't true. Bottom line: Ameoku wants to start an unprovoked war with Konoha as soon as possible, for essentially no reason, using tactics that are twelve years old and will destroy us either way. She doesn't think like a shinobi in a crisis, much less a kage. Sure, shinobi are more than tools but we still need discipline to respond to danger so that we protect those important to us."
"And what is your vision in comparison then, hhmmm? What makes you a better choice?" Ryoga asks
"I envision a world where our Genin do not grow up experiencing the horrors of war. I wish to carry on Otokage Nozojo's dream of this village being prosperous instead of being abandoned for our vendetta. I envision a world where we protect our loved ones and our people as we should, instead of attacking others for that is our purpose as shinobi. More than that, I envision reaching out to other nations to form an alliance or even a league with other minor nations much like the Five Kage Summit, so that we can discuss together our problems and even join together to speak so that even the Five Great Shinobi Nations cannot ignore us. A united voice that could potentially lead the world to peace. and even if that lofty goal fails- we will at least have the chance to make friends and allies so that when war does happen, we will have people on our side to increase our chances of survival. I envision a brighter future that we can all work towards and benefit from."
Ryoga and Samayo consider this for a long moment, looking at one another, perhaps silently communicating with one another somehow. Ameoku while a comrade against Konohagakure and its injustices, was always the most emotional of the Three Thunders. The most willing to go on the offensive, the most willing to sacrifice others for an objective. While Odukuro was around, perhaps he directed such resolve to the most constructive and strategically beneficial ways it can. But Odukuro was no longer alive, and Nozojo was no Odukuro capable of controlling her to the best end possible. They had hoped that Ameoku had learned in the years since to grow into someone more cautious and level-headed and that a family would perhaps reign her in, and Odayama seemed to be doing that to some extent, but if she cannot deal with loss like that, that is not a good thing in the shinobi career. It could be manipulation but Samayo's own intuition-was was really good, never led him astray- told Samayo to trust Jirou, that he was telling the truth. This did not feel like a lie to him at all. At the very least, Jirou truly believed what he was saying and that him becoming Otokage was the best thing for this village and Ameoku would be the death of it if she came into power. Jirou had a powerful resolve of his own, and truly would want to do anything to make things better for this village peacefully. His intuition of Ameoku and given how well he knows her.....well unfortunately this didn't seem THAT out of character, just a bit more extreme than he thought she would ever go. With a sigh, Samayo speaks for the first time in the conversation, his voice a bit....overpowering:
*"I will support you for Otokage, Jirou of Clan Ishikawa."*
Jirou will stand up and respectfully bow to Samayo.
"I thank you for your time and appreciate your support, Samayo Majutsu of the Three Thunders, and will be taking my leave then."
Jirou will walk away not really paying attention to you, while Hizuka looks....distraught. Someone just said that her hero is basically a warmongering idiot who'll lead them to their deaths after all, to Samayo himself and he just agreed to support him upon hearing it. Thats got to hurt.

----------


## somerando

Seeing Hizuka's distress, Hashiba tries to cheer her up the only way he knows how. "Pfft, why the long face? I doubt Jirou was really telling the truth, he's obviously biased. You know how those political sorts are- take the tiniest character flaw, blow it out of proportion to make their opponents look bad. Ameoku may not be the most perfectly even-keeled of Otogakure's shinobi, but she's still one of the Three Thunders, a talent above and beyond the others. We all have our weaknesses, and hers shouldn't block her from becoming Otokage. Sucks that Samayo fell for it though."
Hashiba hasn't really decided what he thinks about the conversation he witnessed yet, he's basically just saying this for Hizuka's benefit.

Itsutsuji's silent, lost in thought. Could what Jirou said about Ameoku really be true? Her legendary temper and militarist tendencies were well-known but this seemed incredible. What were the implications? Could Ameoku really be a worse candidate than Jirou? More importantly, could an Ishikawa really be the lesser of two evils?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hizuka:*
She considers his words
"......Thanks Hashiba I know you want me to feel better but.....I want to find out the truth. Shouldn't we accept nothing less?"
She then charges out of the club after Jirou, following him outside past the doors out onto the street where she dispels her disguise, not needing it anymore and barking at Jirou from behind asking
"You! Jirou Ishikawa! I want to know: did you really mean what you said to Samayo!? Was what you said was true!?"
He stops and turns around, to calmly explain.
"You were overhearing that I see. Hm. Well, its not too bad I was mostly telling it only to Samayo out of respect for Ameoku's family, scandals and claims like these can impact more than just the person they're targeted at, after all. Hate and people's propensity to jump on bandwagons in the moment can lead anyone in her general social direction being jeered at, causing needless drama. I believe wholeheartedly its true, and if her children weren't involved I'd be going more public with it. 

However...whether I know it to be true, ultimately doesn't matter, does it not? I'm her political opponent after all. Telling this publicly can have an effect much yours, make me look like a slanderer with no evidence. And there are many manipulators in the shinobi world, so you have good reason to be suspicious. If you want the real truth, seek out and ask Ameoku herself. As for Samayo? He made his decision to trust me. Nothing less, nothing more. I didn't know if I could succeed, but I did. Everyone chooses what they wish to believe in this world, its not something we can truly control. The question is: what do you believe and what are you willing to do for it, and what will you do....when those beliefs are inevitably challenged with new information?"
"Thats a nice bit of philosophy, but it doesn't answer my question."
"Philosophy is all I have to answer you with, Hizuka. I could repeat what I said before but you already know it. I could explain more, but you clearly hold Ameoku in high regard. Any explanation from me would coming from someone who wishes to make sure she fails- a good thing in my eyes, but not in yours. You want to know the truth for real, again seek out Ameoku and ask her yourself. All I can give you is my viewpoint on the matter."

*Kimiko: Be a total Sasuke about this.*
Okay then. People know. Great. Apart of her feels jealous at such a drastic increase in power, even while coldly noting to herself the downside that makes it not worth it at all. At least if she was being outpowered by some rival who knew what they were doing or had great conviction and purpose there'd be respect to it. A friend who can't even control such power....that was just sad. But Daichi was right there and probably willing to teach her. Logically speaking, Senko could gain control....and thus even more power than some raging beast. She had a bodyguard. A summon, possibly more. Senko was accumulating power faster than her, in many forms. Power that could potentially be used against her. 

While here Kimiko was, only slightly stronger, a complex jutsu she has yet to figure out and her plans starting to become....ineffective against Senko. With no one to train her beyond chuunin rank. Her goal demanded someone with far greater skill than that. The Three Thunders could maybe the bill, but....she was hailed as a top of her class genin, has defeated Futility-san once, sealed away a Code Oni, and fought off an assassin trying to kill Ameoku's kids. If none of those caught the attention of Ameoku or Shimpi to offer her training, then they probably wouldn't be interested in training her even if she asked. And Samayo seemed to be busy doing his own thing. Its becoming increasingly clear to her that her path to power definitely does not lie within Otogakure. 

Yuyuyu while this is happening is of course speaking to them:
"Well regardless of how she got it, I don't think we are equipped to contain Senko anymore- if we ever were. First time we did it was us scrambling in confusion to try and do something until we kind of just....used up all her chakra by luck? So, Daichi-san would please train Senko so that she can control her kekkei genkai? It would be greatly appreciated by all of us if you did."
Kimiko can only think that she needed to figure how to find a teacher for her or something, because she can already foresee the gap growing wider between them if this keeps up. Keeping pace with Usagi just to lose to Senko was not acceptable. 
"Okay. Guess thats just....known now."
Kimiko says. Yuyuyu observes back
"I notice your not that surprised about the Ice release part Kimiko. Normally you'd be fascinated and geeking out over getting to learn something new. The fact that your not confused over where she got the Ice Release part.... There something you know? Or someone?"
"Maybe Futility-San got Ice Release from somewhere, you don't know."
"Yes but _you_ never saw _him_ use Ice Release. So who _did_ you see?"
"Nope, I'm not telling."
"Kimiko if they're a threat..."
"They're not. The Kiri Rebels have no reason to attack Otogakure. and Yagura would never tolerate a kekkei genkai user to work for him."
She wasn't a sellout. Kiri Rebel Solidarity.

----------


## Rater202

"Seninka is not something that can be trained in the traditional sense. I can teach her, but... For the average person, Sage Mode is just a technique. A difficult one to master, but a technique nonetheless. One simply needs to be strong enough to use it and have the prerequisite skills... Though I understand that there are a minority of people who are not compatible with such large concentrations of natural energy."

"For us, it is an intrinsic part of us. Our minds, our bodies, our souls. It's not just a matter of skill, if young Senko is to master her power she needs to be strong and healthy, not just in body, but in mind, and spirit. I can provide guidance, but she has to do the work herself."

"Though for what it is worth? This is a rather old forest, with every tree being an offshoot of one ancient progenitor. The natural energy here concentrates here to a much greater degree than in most places. Her stamina would be much greater here, but also her ability to resist the change would be crippled."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Well then lets first get her out of here then."
Her and Yuyuyu will begin getting Senko out of the forest then set up camp for the night.

*Hizuka:*
At Jirou's urging she will take off in the direction of the Otogakure headquarters are to find Ameoku herself, running as fast as she can. Jirou will sigh. The truth was always a harder thing to tell than it seems.

----------


## somerando

Hashiba and Itsutsuji follow Hizuka to the door, both unsuccessfully trying to convince her not to talk to Jirou.
"I think this conversation could be best had after a bit of mulling it over, these might not be the best circumstances."
"We could really get in trouble if we reveal ourselves you know! I doubt the club would be friendly to some genins sneaking in."

Seeing the writing on the wall, Itsutsuji ducks off before they reach the door to leave the club, keeping abreast of the situation outside with her sensory powers. 

Hashiba follows Hizuka outside, dispelling his disguise along with her. Completely clueless as to what to do during Jirou's long explanation to Hizuka, he just sorta stands still, paralyzed with indecision. Once Hizuka leaves, he flashes Jirou an awkward grin as attention turns towards him, and then slowly shuffles around a corner. Once out of sight, he takes off after Hizuka. He's keeping a distance but not concealing his presence from her, mostly unsure of what to do. He's getting the vibe that talking to her might not be the best option right now, but he feels like he ought to keep an eye on his friend in this turbulent moment.

Itsutsuji's watching Jirou after the other two leave. She's curious how the favoured candidate for Otokage plans to celebrate this great political victory. And if he doesn't do anything all that interesting she can always head home. It's been a long day.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: be spied on by Itsusuji*
Jirou....doesn't seem to celebrate much at all. He heads straight to the village laboratories, with no deviance in direction and quiet, hollow gait as you follow him in, he does nothing but check on various experiments others are doing- the non-secret ones on the first floor. In fact the more you watch him, the more your convinced he has the personality and life of a particularly dull stone. He walks and then Kikenna Masuku springs out of nowhere- known as his fiance, and probably one of the most politically radical shinobi in the village. In contrast, having a fiery personality, and a distinct pink-blue-purple color scheme to her clothing and even streaks of her long flowing hair
"Sooooo~ I've compiled a list of reforms as Otokage I want you to review."
She hands him a piece of paper. He reads it then says
".....I don't think the village is ready to and I quote: "become an anarcho-socialist democracy", "legalize all the marriages", "provide social aid to burakumin descendants", "give everyone the best mental healthcare", to name only a few of the changes you put on here."
"Well you didn't choose me for any other reason did you? Won't get anywhere if I don't make a push."
"....Sigh. Yes but you do realize that we still have to talk about dialing it back a bit so we can implement all the changes here in baby steps over years if not lifetimes right? Can't too change things too fast or backlash occurs. If we accomplish a fraction of what you put on here, historians will consider us lucky."
"Can't hit the moon if we don't shoot for the stars mah dude!"
"Even trying to change a few of these issues might cause controversy and arguments in the village alone, when we have to worry about Futility-san first-and he is probably only the beginning of our troubles."
"Bah! Controversy is a word used by cowards to label the frank conversation that brings about true change! Let people argue. Let them get mad. Let the social structures break down and burst into flames! All great things are built from the wreckage of what came before it. You want a better world omelette, got to break some social norm eggs."
"I'm pretty sure you do that already by flirting with both men and women at the Broken Record Club. Even after becoming my fiance."
"Yeah, but there needs to be more y'know? Its not as if you care, this marriage is purely political. and you know I'd be more than willing to hook you up with that cute Komoro girl with a crush on you or even do a threesome with her. "
He rolls his eyes 
"Noted." He continues checking some results.
"Speaking of the club, how did the talk with Samayo go?"
"Good, he will support me."
"and yet here you are, checking up on science projects. You wouldn't know a good time if it came at you charging like a bull."
"Science needs to be double checked by one's peers. I am doing my part in making sure none these results are flukes."
"And your own little project?"
"you know my standards, 80-90% survival rate before trying it on humans, at the least. The percentages are crawling up but....its not quite there yet. I'm hoping a certain...field test in the near future will allow for a huge leap forward."
"You really think Futility-San is going to attack during the Pre-Chuunin exams?"
"Yes. No matter his sensory abilities, no matter how powerful he is, he at his core a brat looking for attention while spouting edgy nonsense about despair to beat people down to his level. He is all about needless dramatics and symbolic acts to defile dreams just to make people depressed in revenge for what was done to him. Attacking during the Pre-Chuunin Exams? There is too much pageantry and symbolism there for him not to do it."
"Makes sense. But what are you going to do when you defeat him? Kill him? Capture him?"
He sits down and puts his hands together in a gendou pose, as if deep in thought.
".....That will depend on a few factors. And a certain conversation with someone I need to have when she gets back."
"Keeping it vague the-"
Kikenna stops and looks around. Jirou asks
"What is it?"
"....Nothing. Nothing to be concerned about at least."
Kikenna then vanishes in pink swirling mist of genjutsu. Jirou shrugs and goes back to double checking various peoples projects, slowly and methodically. He does it systematically and meticulously, being as thorough and efficient as he can, utterly unlike the zany Uzumaki scientists full of passion that your used to. If you didn't see him eat a snack now and then, you'd swear he was some robot out of science fiction pulp magazines. As it stands he is either a highly workaholic introvert or dead inside, possibly both from your observations. Either way your getting the feeling your not going to learn much more out of him.

*Hizuka: Be Spied Upon by Hashiba*
She will go into the Otokage Offices and speak with a Chuunin secretary about speaking with Ameoku and the secretary gives her an appointment with her in a few minutes. Problem was, spying on Hizuka conversing with Ameoku might be a bit....risky. She is the Anbu commander after all. She probably is more concerned about security than most. Getting caught might have bad consequences for you, unlike Jirou who seems oddly chill about it for a ninja. 

*Kimiko:*
She distracts herself from her failure and the strength of Senko by wondering.
"Hm. Fascinating, if there are places where natural energy concentrates more than others....I wonder if that can be replicated artificially. And what the applications could be, it is a source of energy after all.....powerful enough to induce great physiological changes. If that power can be harnessed for other things.....hm..."

----------


## Rater202

"It's certainly possible," Daichi says as he pulls a ceramic pot out of somekind of storage seal, fills it with water, and sets it over fire to boil. The question is, is it _feasibly?_ And if so, would it be wise? Just because Natural energy is abundant, and quickly replenishes, that doesn't mean it is infinite. Using natural energy as a source of power, it would need to be done sparingly less the surplus on the surface be depleted, or worse, the life to be pulled from the earth.

The children traveling with Daichi seem to be getting more comfortable around you all, though none of them say anything.

Senko starts to stir just as the water begins to boil.

A few moments later, she sits up, clutching her head. Daichi hands her a cup of tea. "This herbal blend should take the edge off of that headache."

Senko downs it in one gulp, no questions asked.

"What happened?"

Tomoe and Menko fill Senko in on things. Notably, DG is clearly horrified when Tomoe brings up getting one of DS's fingers.

"So... Kimiko... I am not mad that you set me on fire. I am a little peeved that you did not make sure that everyone was clear first."

"Look, it's fine, I'm gonna shed soon anyway."

"So... The bad news is that Cloud know about my experiments now and has apparently figured out how to manufacture pseudo-jinchuriki. the good news is we stopped them from recapturing a civilian and are coming home with the finger of a crystal release user and the corpse of a psuedo-jinchuriki. So... Mission successful?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"....Yes an unreplenishable source of power is probably not a wise thing to work towards."
She says in response to Daichi's explanation. When Senko wakes up she says back:
"I didn't know that Menko was there! I assumed she did the smart thing and de-summoned herself as soon you as went berserk. I didn't know that the berserker was somehow chill with Menko dwelling underneath her clothes! I assumed that since she was talking about killing everyone that it meant y'know, _everyone_. I didn't know that she was either okay with Menko being there or somehow not noticing a freaking SNAKE CLINGING TO HER VERY SKIN. Y'know with rough scales, wiggling about? You'd think that would be easy to notice but no! Apparently my perfectly logical assumptions were wrong. Sigh. Fine I screwed up, I hate it, I hate I have to admit this, but I did. Happy? I am sorry that set you on fire without checking that Menko was on there. If this happens again, Menko do you have ANY way of signaling to us that your there without letting the berserk Senko know about you?"
She then hands Senko the scroll with the pseudo-jinchuuriki corpse in it.
"also here. the corpse. I don't know enough about medical jutsu to study it myself. Mission success, yes. Doesn't really feel like I earned the credit though when your.....relative did the important work."
Kimiko crosses her arms and looks to the side, frowning. The mission was successful so....why did it feel like no one really won here?

----------


## Rater202

"You know that using genjutsu to make people not notice me is kind of my whole shtick, right? I'm a bit better at it than I was when we met. Also, it's not like Senko-Sama was wearing me as a bra, when I'm not moving around in there I usually slide into some loops that I think were meant for storage scrolls? And she has an undershirt on usually."

"Also I probably would have noticed an explosion in my robe."

Senko looks down at the scroll containing the body of... "The chakra of the tailed beasts takes very well to shape transformation, at least according to the stories of the few Jinchuriki who were able to master the power... I did research into stories of the Gold and Silver brothers, the power of Nine-Tails for them was like extra arms and legs. If I took this man's cells and grafted them to myself, if I could cultivate enough of the tailed-beast chakra as part of my own, I could drastically compensate, if not cure outright, whatever chakra based disability that makes such skills so difficult for me "

Ichika snaps to attention, "disability?"

"I had a drastically unbalanced chakra nature which made my chakra almost impossible to control, and a difficulty with shape manipulation. My... enhancements are primarily a means to treat that, by comingling my chakra or making it easier to build my control... Though, one day, once the process is perfected, I hope to be able to give bloodlines and other enhancements to everyone. Put everyone on an equal footing."

"Okay... I guess that's understandable but..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Yes. Berserk-Senko WOULD have noticed. But you'd be GONE. kind can't do anything when your already reverse-summoned. But whatever. Destructive ninjutsu will not work if your will insist on staying on her person even while she is trying to kill everyone. Like for example how could I be sure that restrain jutsu using earth or water release won't crush or drown you? your probably less durable than berserker-Senko, so what might bind her, might kill you. Though....not that you mention it powerful enough genjutsu or something like that could be a solution....No matter. I am Kimiko Ishikawa and I will find or make a solution. No matter what, I just have to train harder and prepare better.

Putting everyone equal footing....what a strange new combat paradigm. The new competitive method would be to figure out what would be the best jutsu to learn rather than maximizing the jutsu your dealt. It'd be interesting to see what new dominant strategy emerges from such an experiment. Now if you'll excuse me I have to work on a few things. Training you understand."
She then walks off to train her chakra flow more, figuring she'd train some less complex chakra control before moving back to the real goal of the Rasengan.

Meanwhile Yuyuyu just looks at Senko when she talks about her goal to give everyone the bloodlines and says neutrally
"Sounds good in theory."
She can't really say more than that, because Yuyuyu doesn't know the risks or problems that could result from such an advancement. Even if its a purely positive change physically, humans have a remarkable tendency to ruin things that should be purely good through abuse the new social dynamics that come with them, unfortunately. 
"Agh, I'm just angry at myself that I'm this team's genjutsu specialist but I don't know any jutsu powerful enough that could've simply put you to sleep so that this didn't happen! Between what you are Senko, and Kimiko's genius and Usagi's summons and bow skills I feel like I'm weakest one here, and that I need to step things up if I want to be a great ninja. While Kimiko has an ego, I think she is right that we failed to be strong enough to handle this situation correctly. We knew of the threat of your Berserk form, but we needed Daichi to bail us out. We can't count on that happening forever."

----------


## Rater202

"Would you like to trade? You can have my power and in exchange, I get to be well adjusted and happy. Or maybe you'd rather trade having a living family?"

Senko isn't _trying_ to sound like a jackass, but she's actually a little... Hurt?

"Power and skill aren't everything, Yuyuyu. You have things that I lost and can never get back."

"...I wasn't going to ask, but... I did not think your parents would have let you become a shinobi if there was a better option. Especially not to a village so... New, and precariously place. What happened."

"...I lost control. Slaughtered a village. My parents are dead, my hometown is a ghost town, and the survivors hired a ronin to kill me."

Tomoe coughs awkwardly.

"Have you had a funeral?"

"No... What's the point? I doubt that anyone wants to be mourned by their murder."

"A funeral is not for the dead, but for the living. Barring those spirits that linger, the dead are beyond caring. The point is closure, young Senko. You will never be able to master your power if your mind and soul are in turmoil, even if you gain an absolute mastery of all forms of chakra control. If you lost control of yourself, you owe it to your victims to make sure that does not happen again. For that to occur, you need to learn to let go and forgive yourself... Among other things. I have found that the pursuit of the seven wheels provides an adequate framework for achieving the necessary mental health and spiritual balance. The last one is tricky though."

"Uhh, Senko... The offer to help you with that stands and... I'm sorry, about earlier."

"...Don't be. You were right. I need to talk with Ishikawa-sensei. I think I need to come clean about my research. At least to the clans... And I have to apologize to someone."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She flinches a little and says
"....Your right I wouldn't trade what I have, but I didn't mean it like that. Its not about skill and power, or what I would trade. Its about doing my job. I am a shinobi. While Shinobi are soldiers and weapons against others, Hashirama made such a change to the system that they are also more. They are medics working a long term mission at a hospital in a city to heal citizens. They are first responders to disasters like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes. They are firemen making sure such blazes don't engulf entire cities. Not to mention various D-ranks. The village system may be flawed, but it does focus shinobi on helping their nation or whoever can get their help rather fighting between clans. 

Thus as a shinobi, I have a job to protect people, and to protect my comrades. Especially since I'm second in command. If I cannot protect you from your berserk rampages, I'm not really doing my job well, aren't I? Just as a water release shinobi who goes on a long term fireman mission as an assigned post for years would not be doing his job correctly if he can't properly use water release to put out fires or not strong enough to drag their comrades out of the flames. Like it or not, diligence or hard work is a virtue and to slack on your job to the point where you can't properly do it is a failing."
She turns and stares at Senko with determination.
"I am not able to help you, my comrade when you need it most Senko. When I know what it is that ails you, a thing that you cannot help, a thing you cannot fight against alone. A comrade, a friend should be better than that, especially if we fight alongside each other. We're all in this together, so it is a failing if I cannot do my part. That is my reasoning."

----------


## Rater202

"I was under the impression that you were an infiltration and recognizance type? Your job is to sneak in from behind while the rest of us go in from the front. You didn't fail, this just isn't the kind of mission you're specialized in."

"...You know, Yu-chan... If you wanna be a bit of a more... _active_ type?... I think I know of some people who might be able to help you. Build physical strength, learn a taijutsu style good for infiltrating, body mods if you're interested, exotic techniques. But you know, uh.. Okay, I think they're cool but pretty much everyone else in Ryuchi Cave thinks they're insane. Their leader is a white snake like me and she did... She mastered Sage Mode and then just ran off in human form and kicked the tails of anyone who tried stopped her. Said she wasn't cut out to be a mystic serving her almighty bigness, her calling was to be a soldier because she could only find joy in battle."

"Eventually the old crone said that she could just do what she wanted because dragging her back was too much trouble. Wish I had the strength and courage to do that. Anyway, this snake formed a team of like-minded individuals. They're the greatest martial artists, illustrators, and assassins in all of our territory, but they''ll only work for someone they respect."

"Also, everybody says they're bat**** insane but I don't think that'sSenko what are you doing!?"

As Menko was telling the story of this unnamed white snake, Senko is rolling up her sleeve, biting her thumb, smearing blood on her summoning tattoo, and going through the hand signs.

"You can't summon"

Senko uses the summoning Jutsu and there's a massive cloud of smoke behind her and...

Standing in the smoke as it clears is a humanlike figure with the head of a king cobra, her hood retracted, her markings purple but her scales the same pale white as Menko. She is dressed in an outfit similar to a mist ninja's uniform but in different colors.

"You were say" Senko immediately collapses. "I'm okay," she wheezes.

"...I was gonna say that you can't summon anyone right now because Daichi-san sucked out all your chakra. You big dummy, why did, what even... WHEN DID I BECOME THE SANE RESPONSIBLE ONE!? Becoming a familiar was supposed to helo me escape all these responsibilities that got forced on me, but no, I just randomly picked the one person in the omniverse more insane than I am all because I saw the pain in her eyes and..."

Menko suddenly looks up at the summoned snake and blushs red. "Please forgive this indiscretion and my master's impudence, great Yorokobi-sama."

"Honestly," the newcomer says in a motherly tone, "I'm impressed. Few people have the guts to speak up when a superior is doing something foolish. And fewer still have the guts to summon me. I haven't left the cave in almost fourteen years." She flicks out her tongue and tastes the air. "I'd heard rumors that the new sage was a bastard child of the Senjus. I wasn't aware that the child part was so literal. I was expecting someone older, like..." She snaps her fingers and points at Daichi. "You, the swamp of boiling venom? Looking for someone to corroborate Grandma Rat-Snake's story about the God-Tree and Kaguya Otsusuki before you left the cave?"

"Yes. I believe that we've met. My... I think we've decided on niece, is your new summoner."

"Huh. Small world... Is... She going to be okay?"

"I'm fine... Just waiting for the ground to stop spinning... Train my friend!" Senko sounds drunk.

Menko sighs, then gets up and walks over to where she sat down Senko's supplies. She starts rummaging through Senko's emergency medical supplies.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Her goes eyes go wide for a moment but she quickly controls herself, her face steadying into calm compsure as per her social fake training.
_B-b-b-body mods!? Already!? K-keep an open mind, Yuyuyu. This is Senko and Menko and the Snake clan. To them the question of how good such modifications are is an inherently positive answer. Concerns about potential downsides, or questions about how other people will take me having them is probably something she isn't even concerned about or even looked down upon._
Her mind can't help imagining herself with snake eyes or a snake tongue and long fangs which.....might be cute in a nekomomimi kind of way but she doubts its something like that, and she wasn't sure what the benefit would be? Her mind conjures her lower body being turned into a snake tail and immediately is afraid of losing her legs. Legs were really good for a reason. Something like that was definitely not worth it. Like she'd have to learn an entirely new form of movement, how would she even jump, stuff like that. And yes she was making assumptions but she was afraid of asking what those modifications were? But she had to give some answer that was polite.
"That is a quite generous offer. Most summon animals only offer that kind of thing to people they plan to share such a summoning contract with. Maybe I'll  *ahem* focus on the physical strength, taijutsu and exotic techniques if they don't require the mods? Such a generous offer of such body modifications I didn't think it was possible yet and maybe I'll consider those later with some thought as to what would be right for me. Just....not today? Might be best to take that sort of thing slow."
After all you never know, don't burn a bridge just because it looks a bit rickety and they are friends who mean well. You never know when the social benefits of looking like a normal human in a world of humans might be outweighed by something else. Maybe she can make a more rational decision when she had time to think about it.
"Also you didn't HAVE to do this Senko....I'm still a genin, I can still train to be a Chuunin before having to consider out of village options. Though If I could I'd find Shimpi to train under but he is so mysterious and hard to find. Ameoku isn't an option for....obvious reasons. and I've never met Samayo. So I appreciate the opportunity and thank you and Yorokobi-sama for it."
She does a little polite bow to Yorokobi at this.

----------


## Rater202

Yorokobi looks at Yuyuyu, eyes narrowed. "How well can you dance?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Get classical*
She brings out a traditional fan, does a hand sign to make a genjutsu of classic koto music play and begins to do an elegant dance style known known as Nihon Buyo that is traditional throughout many of the shinobi nations, going through smooth fancy yet minimalistic movements going from slow to fast then slow again then speed up again like the coming of the tide or the changing of the wind and ending with an elegant pose then a burst of illusory sakura petals from herself. It was a dance similar to many would've seen in Kabuki plays in centuries past. She smiles and winks at Yorokobi.
"Does that answer your question? I learned this because I liked the movements and presentation, not very useful in shinobi life but it did help me get down how to do genjutsu."

----------


## Rater202

It's hard to tell with a snakehead, but you get the impression Yorokobi is smiling.

"To master dance is to be able to move perfectly to the rhythm of the music with grace and poise without thinking about it. To master dance is to master the art of silent moving, to move to the rhythm of silence. To master dance is to master the martial arts, the art of moving to the rhythm of battle. There can be no _greater_ skill for a shinobi."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
Is surprised at her words, blinks then breaks into an embarrassed blush, scratching her head with one hand and waving her off with another in a "oh you" motion, clearly a bit flustered but smiling.
"Oh Yorokobi-sensei you flatter me! I am simple humble genin with an interest in art, culture and doing my job as best I can! Its my teammate Kimiko who is the real genius, she could probably replicate anything I could do, she and other Genin in my village are stronger than me. But-but enough about them! I probably shouldn't be comparing myself like that, please Yorokobi-sensei just teach me, okay?"
She will wave both of her hands in a "nevermind" motion, then bow politely at the end of this. She clearly didn't expect you to praise her so highly.

*Kimiko:*
Meanwhile she will be busy move chakra in and out of her fists, trying to be precise about how much she puts in with each punch.
"30%.....31%......32%.....33%......35%.....36%....  ..37%......38%.....39-"
She stops and looks at her fist.
"Agh, that was _42%_! That is more than I needed! I need to be more precise! 39%!"
She continues trying to control her chakra flow as precisely as possible. The better she can control her chakra, the better she will be able to get down the Rasengan.

----------


## igordragonian

*At The Forest*

Odayama sighed.
He rubbed the back of his head.
"Hmm. Maybe  I should have been more active myself. I have a powerful smart sleep pill specific designed for Senko's safety. But... I wanted to keep my methods as last resort to give you kids, a space to push yourselves- I kind of an useless chunnin... the least I can do, is to support you."

He looks at Senko's dad and bow . "Please forgive me, for not taking a better care. I'll do better"
_but how?_


Usagi is enraged, she barely managed to follow.
"Kimiko! You baka! I was about to use my lullaby jutsu! You stupid show off princess! ARGH!" 
And she went to sulk at the sides.  Then Usagi was about to race Kimiko in her training, but Yojimbo stopped.
"You know, graceful dance could benefit your chakara's contrl as well"

Usagi groaned. "Dont be stupid! I am a assripping baddass! Not some fancy fan dancer in kimono!"

Yojimbo smirked. "Didn't Ishikiwa-san enjoyed the sight of you in kimono?"
Usagi is flustered. "Shut up! Why would I even care? How do you even know this?!"
Yojimbo does shut up, which only has increased the cringe that Usagi has exprienced.
only after a long minute, Yojimbo said
"Well. You always rival Kimiko. But you didnt rivaled Yuyuyu-san." he said, offering "honorable" way for Usagi to agree.
Usagi looked away.
"I dont have the clothes and fans." she said in tone of an excuse.
"Well. Thankfully, you have _fans_ back home who would support you." he say, he dissapear in smoke, instead, Usagi get a "makeover"- her ponytails turn into straight long hair, and she wear a kimono just like this one-
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/17/80...ad692d1e26.jpg
(Usagi is still human and her hair isnt THAT long)
while she sit on a rock, she has pair of fans in her hands that have this desgin-
https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/47800...2847/usagi.jpg
Usagi look horrified.
Menko and other summoned animals might recongnize this kimono- it's the design of tje royal rabbit family.
Usagi's fluster is her smallest issue-
Usagi is in awe of honor.





* * *


Cheetah masked Anbu is taking care of the garden around the Anbu center.
Ameoku would greet Hizuka, in the way she greet any ninja who has the potential to be worthy of her attention.
Shushuryu sense it, and she would notice both Hizuka and her master.
"Kid! Run! She is about to- Ameoku-san,please DONT-"

Ameoku dive from above with a simple and strong kick toward Hizuka.
Not her strongest move- something she assume a Genin who isn't a complete waste of oxygen can dodge or block, but it still kind of terrifying.

----------


## Lord Raziere

(OOC: It was Yuyuyu who did the dance, not Kimiko.)

*Hizuka:*
She will bring her hammer up to block it, skidding back as it impacts.
"Rrrgh! What the hell!? What did I do!? I have not betrayed you! I simply want to know the truth! Jirou said in a conversation with Samayo that you want to go war with Konoha as soon as possible, that you considered the suicidal resolve of one of your enemies a better spirit of this village than your own ninja, that you'd recklessly risk destroying us all just to take down Konoha! That you you sacrificed your own family for your abilities! I want to know the truth of this and if it is true....why? We have more resources now, better ways to take down Konoha than what we once had! We could minimize our losses while still destroying Konoha! Why would you throw it all away just to emulate Odokuro!?"

----------


## igordragonian

(I have edited. I hope it works)


-----

Ameoku laugh, as she spin back and land.
Shushurryu hurry to the scene.

-"Nyohohoho!" Ameoku laugh
"If you were a traitor, then nothing but a crescents of blood would have remained! No. I's merely my way of saying hey. I am just being.. polite"
Ameoku smile doesn't drop, but it lessened.
"Hmm. You aren't as ready as I have hoped you would be. But knowing your parents, I believe in your potential" she say with a flicker of her tail.

Shushurryu sigh with a relief-It seems Ameoku won't go hard on this genin.
Breaking bones of a Genin won't do good for Ameoku's campgain.

Ameoku tilt her head, her tail swayed slowly as she processed and thinked.
Shushuryu thought this is actually big part of what was scary about Ameoku- she had mixture of uncanny patience with feats of deadly rage, and even being her student and working years for her.. she was never hundred percent sure what next Ameoku would do.

Ameoku smiled again. "Well. I like how directly you talk id nothing else. I will answer your questions to the degree I can without hurting the security of our village. Let's go"

Ameoku led her to the building, doing a quick set of seals before opening the door.
(ooc- it open a pocket dimension to an exact replica of the office building, but without any intel to steal.
It's sort of "tourist" version.
And she has certaij control over this space if anything go too badly.
It's like sealing and scrolls techniques on S level)

the place look very busy, with Anbus goes here and there
Ameoku lead to a nice looking office, simple, spartanic.
The only non practical objects in the room are two photos-on her desk a family photo of her, Odayama, their children, her sister and her neices.

behind her were a big and old photo in terrible qualiry-
of Odukoro behind the three Thunders as his students.

a normal sizwd  cat butler covered in shadows- https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E43A_ayVUAEj-Fs.jpg:large

he bring a plate with cups of tea and... tuna-biscuits.
And then fade into the shadows.
Ameoku sit down and wave.
"Sit down sit down."
She hold her cup of tea.
"Well. You have asked a lot of questions, and I am not one for long winded speaches. What concern you the most? And We start from there"

----------


## Rater202

> *Yuyuyu:*
> Is surprised at her words, blinks then breaks into an embarrassed blush, scratching her head with one hand and waving her off with another in a "oh you" motion, clearly a bit flustered but smiling.
> "Oh Yorokobi-sensei you flatter me! I am simple humble genin with an interest in art, culture and doing my job as best I can! Its my teammate Kimiko who is the real genius, she could probably replicate anything I could do, she and other Genin in my village are stronger than me. But-but enough about them! I probably shouldn't be comparing myself like that, please Yorokobi-sensei just teach me, okay?"
> She will wave both of her hands in a "nevermind" motion, then bow politely at the end of this. She clearly didn't expect you to praise her so highly.


Yorokobi opens her flack jacket and retrieves a small scroll from a pocket on the inside. It's small enough that it would easily fit in Yuyuyu's fist.

She hands the scroll to Yuyuyu.

If Yuyuyu opens it, it has a symbol similar to the ones tattooed to Senko's arms.

When you are ready, smear your blood upon the symbol in the scroll and it will call me to you... Just don't do it at dawn, that's when the squad practices our choreography.

Her comment on dancing may have been less a compliment and more a statement of philosophy.

The serpent then vanishes in a puff of smoke.

"She's so cool, right!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She says
"Y-yeah, she is. Never expected my love for the classics to be useful for anything. Thanks for providing this opportunity Menko. Who knows if I'd ever get something like this otherwise?"
Yuyuyu will go over and hug the little snake.
"Though really once you get past the disaster some of this was, this entire mission was kind of lucky given what we're coming away with. And a little luck may go a long way."
Mentors for both her and Senko, children that Senko could probably persuade into donating some of their material as long as they didn't have to fight...her only concern was Kimiko. Who knows what kind of teacher would be to handle her?
"Anyways, I'm tired and we have a bit of a trek back home. I best get some rest."
She will go to sleep, and eventually Kimiko will trudge back and go to sleep as well.

*Hizuka:*
She follows inside, simmering a bit at her question not being answered. Hashiba might be able to slip inside the S-class space fuinjutsu, but its probably not a good idea to do so- who knows if you could get out? She will sit down and say
"Its the needless sacrificing of our village lives that is the main problem. We can come up with better tactics and ways to destroy those imperialist Konoha bastards other than just blindly trusting in some suicidal resolve! Resolve is good, but there is no need to be extreme with it, if we back it up with better planning and resources!"
Especially if she has S-class fuinjutsu here. Where had she been hiding power like this? How did she get power like this?? WHY had she been hiding power like this!? If she could create a pocket dimension to show to a genin....just to hide intel? Creating a pocket dimension at all was something that she knew that the Ishikawas and the Uzumakis in Sound Village would with no exaggeration, kill to have. It was something beyond any fuinjutsu user in Otogakure could produce. Imagine storing an entire army somewhere so they can be deployed at any point by someone on the outside! Or smuggling out important political figures or other VIPs in your pocket! And she was just....showing it to a mere genin! In order to hide whatever secrets she was keeping, she revealed something like THIS! That was like hiding the 6 and 7's in your hand by playing a queen- at least to an engineer like Hizuka. Did she even realize the value of what she was using right now!? The very thought angered her, fueling both her passion.
"You just showed a prime example of something that could innovate warfare in our favor just to talk with me over tea! We fighter smarter, not harder and we can do better than Odokuro! Why go back when we can go forward?"

----------


## Rater202

The next morning, with nothing else to do, you begin the trek back to the village.

Daichi and the children traveling with him agree to come to the village... None of them are particularly interested in being ninja, but the kids do reluctantly agree to part with blood samples for research purposes if that's what it takes.

During breaks in the travels, Daichi takes out books and scrolls. Mostly bits of myth and legend but also _several_ family registries and sets of genealogical records.

They're rather conclusive: Senko's family is a branch of the Senju.

Of particular note, according to Daichi's records, Senko is the third most direct descendant of Daisuke Senju currently alive.

"Unless Tetsuo or Chie have passed, and to be fair they are both quite up there in age. I think Tetsuo was going senile the last time I made contact."

Other than that the return is mostly uneventful.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hizuka:*
The Status of her and Team 4 will be revealed later. For now.....

*Team 3: Report In*
Jirou assesses the report you give him, thinking calmly, all of standing at attention.
"So.....that is the situation then. First things first: we must figure out living arrangements for your uncle and the children. They will probably have to get one of the cheap apartments, and do you have any idea of what job you'll be able to do, Daichi? Since they do not wish to become ninja they will have to be enrolled into the civilian academy instead. Thankfully due to Nozojo's policies 
 on raising children, both academies are equally funded, the education will still be the best we can give them."
Which y'know still not as good civilian academies in more powerful nations or even Port Sake which is the capital of Land of Rice and thus has to have the best it can fund in the nation, but they'll be fine. 
"Next is the Kumogakure situation. Since this was an illegal border crossing, I doubt that Kumogakure will even be mentioning it or acting as if it happened. Currently we're technically allied to Konoha and this could've been construed as an attack on one of the nations under their protection. So I think it wise that we don't mention it either. Now that is not to say that we will forget this. Its just not currently in our favor to bring it up, just as its not in Kumo's favor to bring it up. So just keep this little incident in mind, don't talk about it until we can make it work for us. Any complaining will only draw us into a conflict between two big bears we don't want to get involved in. Clear?"
"Yup."
"As crystal, anniki."
"Now as for the Code Oni incident in the forest, let me review: Senko in a place full of natural energy built up more than expected, went berserk, but only half the team managed to find and respond to her in time to do anything, but Kimiko decided to experiment with a theory to set Senko on fire to to burn up her natural energy by guzzling it up through regeneration but failed, then Daichi solved it for you. During this fight, Senko unleashed capabilities she didn't have before, that made it harder to properly restrain her, which is why Kimiko began resorting to more extreme measures in the first place. The whole thing could've been a disaster without Daichi's intervention."
He sighs.
"This is concerning. I know Daichi is now here to teach Senko how to properly use senjutsu now....but this current team performance is worrying, especially in the light of this last mission. I pushed for you, Senko to be put on a team in the first place because I was sure that Team 3 could handle it if things went wrong. Two genjutsu users, a seal user, a chuunin with an animal form to hold you back, seemed logical things to use restrain you at the time. But this performance shows some faults with how this team operates not just in responding to a Code Oni, but how this team operates in general."
Yuyuyu tilts her head to the side, confused.
"Operates in general?"
"Indeed." he states matter of factly. "The first and most obvious problem is Kimiko."
"What!?"
"You consistently overperform compared to your teammates, taking actions without working in sync with them, being the first to act and making everyone follow your lead to make your strategies work without actually working WITH them. Indeed you have a tendency to act on your own believing you have the best solution to whatever problem is available without going over it with anyone. This is not unexpected, due to your known narcissistic tendencies arising from your belief about the superiority of your intelligence. There are a couple situations that from the reports, would indicate that the only reason some your plans kept working was because Yuyuyu knew you well enough to back you up without needing to speak to you, which isn't good if you ever need to work in another team- communication so that you can work with any anyone is a vital skill for a shinobi.

Speaking of Yuyuyu, she is a team player sure and the actions she takes are reasonable, but I'm not sure if your fit for a team that is shaping up to be more of an assault team due Usagi's, Senkos and Kimiko's focus on combat. Your specialization is infiltration and genjutsu and if you wish to properly learn in that direction, while combat experience is not bad its not really the experience you need if that is your goal.

Meanwhile Usagi despite her equal skill to Kimiko in combat seems to be underperforming, despite her competitiveness with Kimiko. You seem more concerned with keeping up with and focusing Kimiko than doing your actual missions. Its possible that your competition is hindering your effectiveness rather than enhancing it by being a distraction from the job you need to do.

Senko of the three notable missions you've been on with Team 3, two of them ended in Code Oni's, your investigative and fighting skills in the Touzaki town mission were good, however I'm not counting the snake cave mission as you were technically the client for that mission. Overall despite the great power your gaining, you don't seem to actually contribute much to the team's effectiveness, and in two cases were an active detriment. 

Then there is Odayama, you seem lazy and slow to act, consistently letting the Genin act on their own initiative without any input from you despite being their commanding officer and their senior in experience and ability. Furthermore half your genin don't even seem to respect you as a captain, yet you do little to nothing to reprimand them or earn their respect.

Its been a month and due to all these factors I've listed, I'm having doubts about this team's functionality, as your successes might've just been a streak of good luck given the extreme situations you keep running into. This exacerbated by the fact the Pre-Chuunin Exams and thus the Chuunin Exams themselves are coming up soon. No matter what you think of my assessment, if you want to participate in those we'll have to cut out a member as the rules of three genin to a team are an international one for the sake of fairness. So, I want to hear your responses: do you think you can make this team work? What are you willing to do, to make that happen? Do you think I am right- or do you disagree? Senko in particular, do you believe with Daichi here you can make sure a Code Oni doesn't happen again? And even if you think this team is functional and that you work well together despite these flaws....who is willing to volunteer to be taken off so that Team 3 can participate in the exams? Are you even ready for the Exams in the first place?"
He knows he is applying pressure on them with these questions....but they needed to be asked. So far the track record of Team has been full of extreme situations and drama that most teams didn't deal with. Depending on their answers, he will have to change up the teams, arrange some transfers to hopefully get something more workable than a team that seemed more like a ragtag group of misfits than a proper shinobi squad.

----------


## Rater202

"In terms of a job... I have made something of a career in historical research and investigation, so if there is anything along those lines someone needs to be done... I also may have information that might be of value to the villagefor example, Senko-chan has a legitimate claim to being the head of our branch of the Senju Clan and I have the records to prove it. She'd need a regent, obviously, but if the appropriate forms and records were filled out you may be able to leverage having an Established branch family as part of your village with the Leaf Village for some political gain... The main branch of the Senju clan _did_ try to exterminate us, after all. I think we are owed reparation."

"Less tangibly, I've been in every major nation and most minor nations on the continent, I may have picked up something of value in my travels. What kind of battle puppets Sand was working on a few years ago or the Sage Philosophies of the Animals I've interviewed when investigating the grain of truth behind the legends of the Otsusukis..."

"If historical research isn't of value to the Sound Village... I like to think I am good with children, and I have had great success in both getting across borders without drawing attention to myself and in developing the more spiritual side of chakra control. I have no interest in mercenary work, but I may have something to teach the young ones who are looking into such a career."

"Worst case scenario, if I'm to be settling down I won't quite need some of my emergency supplies. If I sell off some things I don't need anymore and dip into the funds I've saved up for a rainy day I may be able to cover first and last month's rent on a small shop. Part of me has always wanted to run a tea house and I did have an idea involving tapioca..."

"I can make things... Knives mostly." DG generates a ruby Kunai. "This one'll crumble and dissolve back into chakra after a while but if I start with some real matter... Anything, pig iron, slag, mud, water, paper, anything cheap I can turn into crystal. I'm pretty good with ruby and sapphire, that stuff's almost as hard as diamond. They'll eventually break and can't be sharpened or honed like a steal, but they should tear through clothes and flesh and there's gotta be a market for that, right? I can also make armor and... Do any sound ninja use clubs or hammers? A Nice HArd Gemstone is good for smashing."

"I have a Land of Sea Ninja education. I could tell you what I remember and you might be able to work anything useful into what you teach your kids."

"As for me... I feel I should clarify that my transformation this time was partially the result of a compromise in my composure. I have been kind of a mess since we found out the truth about Ottomaru and a few other things have been compounding that and it all came to a head when..."

"Dachi-san... Uncle... Says that our transformations aren't just a matter of biology and base psychology but a more complex view of physical, mental, and spiritual health. I need to do the work to manage my well-being on that level. But, I have a general idea of what I need to do to work on that and people who are willing to help me... I can't guarantee that I won't transform again, but if I get started on what I need to do right away I can make it far less likely."

"...Also, grafting myself with the cells of the Psuedo-Jinchuriki and, with their permission, my Uncle's wardsthey have already agreed to donate blood for general researchshould completly cure what remains of my chakra instability and drastically improve the rate at which I build control. One way or another, progress can be made."

And if she can figure out how Cloud integrated Tailed Beast chakra into the man's own, she could make tremendous gains with her cell grafting technique and maybe even provide insight useful for Jirou's own research.

"But... Before I can do any of that... There's someone I need to make amends to and... I should, if only for my own wellbeing, come clean about what I've done to the other Clans. The Kaguya, the Fukaimi, the Kokoro... If only the heads. I... I haven't technically broken the law but I've wronged them and they have the right to know."

"I didn't steal from the clans, I stole from a missing ninja. So, legally the worst they can do is hate me or try to pressure me into marriage contracts. I can put up with being hated."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He will nod at Daichi's response.
"All of that sounds good and we can get to all that in good time. Whats important right now is making sure you and the children that are now your responsibility are taken care of."
He will then turn to Senko
"Good. Do so as soon as possible, for your own safety and the village as well. The less incidents the better for everyone. As for the clans...."
He sighs
"It is.....admirable you want to do this, Senko. I'm sure the Komoro clan will be understanding, and the Kaguyas....well I'm pretty sure I can help smooth things over with them. Its the Fukaimi I'm concerned about. Their values look down on you just for being female, and they are incredibly traditional yet different from the rest of the village's values. I do not know how they will react to your apology. I have their support but not for reasons I'm proud of. but I fear if we keep this secret from them longer while apologizing to the other two they'll see it as a slight, so they are going to be ones we have to be the most careful of."
There were more enemies in this village than just Ameoku after all. He then turns to the rest. Kimiko speaks first.
"...I may have made mistakes. But I will not apologize for doing the best of my abilities to solve the situation. I, Kimiko Ishikawa have always focused on both keeping my comrades alive and finishing the mission successfully! None of the missions we have done are failures, the results speak for themselves."
Clearly it must be someone else's fault that things go wrong, and she wasn't about to give up her shot at going to the Chuunin Exams. Jirou gives a noncommittal grunt. It was true that she did act as a shinobi was expected of her to act.
"....I will say that I'm the weakest link." Yuyuyu says, stepping forward. "I am clearly not cut out for an assault team, I'm specialized for infiltration, subterfuge and other such activities and thus should taken off so that may pursue my abilities better in other positions suited for them, while the others could coordinate with each other better for better cohesion. I volunteer to be taken off Team 3."
Jirou nods
"Spoken like a true shinobi."
He then turns to Usagi and Odayama
"As for you two, from my analysis of your reports, Usagi you seem to be under the mistaken assumption that being a shinobi is all about fighting, while you, Odayama are too lax a captain and focused on thinking them to be family to be entrusted with genin like these. I have something to for you to consider: Another genin team that has just come back from a mission, their mission to stop some smuggling of Tsuku turned south as a rogue shinobi appeared and ended up killing one of their genin team mates and their chuunin leader before they escaped. The two remaining genin of course can't be blamed for such an improbable encounter- I wouldn't expect genin to be able to fight such a dangerous foe. This leaves their squad shorthanded to the point where its not really one at all and needs replacements if it is to continue functioning. I am considering taking Usagi and Odayama off Team 3 to fill these roles in this other team and assign Yumi Kaguya- also known as the hunter-nin "Thunderbird" assigned to cut Senko open in the case of a Code Oni- to be the new leader of Team 3, with Kimiko, Senko and Yuyuyu as Genin under her. This will provide the opportunity for Usagi to learn how to be a ninja properly without distraction and Odayama to rethink his leadership strategy. While also providing additional security in case a Code Oni DOES happen. This arrangement would not have to be permanent- perhaps more experience under everyone's belt will someday allow you to work together once again.

But before I actually do this, in the interest of fairness, I give you a chance to plead your case: If any of you believe so, why should Team 3 remain together? If I'm wrong in my assessment, explain why. Explain the upsides of this current team, what I am missing, or at least explain what your willing to do to fix it so that the team is functional. I am welcome to being open-minded."
"But wait, why Odayama and Usagi? I'm the one that volunteered to be taken off."
"My analysis has concluded that Usagi and Odayama are ones to most benefit from being reassigned to a different squad so their mindsets are more on task, rather than being distracted by the urge to fight or the mistaken assumption that he is a father figure to any of you. You three on the other hand take being a ninja seriously in your own ways and I consider more reliable. But again, I'm open to being convinced otherwise."
He sits back and waits. You get the strong feeling, that silence will be taken as acknowledgment that he is correct. If you want to speak in your current team's defense, now is your time to do it.

*Spoiler: OOC:*
Show


This is basically an IC way to get Igor's characters shuffled off without doing anything permanent to them so that if igor responds they can still come back, so keep that in mind as well.

[/COLOR]

----------


## igordragonian

I have Ameoku IC ready....

I dont know how to reply with Usagi and Odayama.

----------


## Lord Raziere

> I have Ameoku IC ready....
> 
> I dont know how to reply with Usagi and Odayama.


OOC: well you can go ahead and post both, I mostly did that because both you and somerando hadn't responded in a while. as things stand, if you want Usagi and Odayama to stay together with Team 3 I will go with that and switch to Yuyuyu being taken off for the Pre-Chuunin exams because the mission is over so...the Pre-Chuunin Exams is whats next. if your still here, the plan becomes "Hizuka and Tatebaru get assigned to the other team instead and Yuyuyu gets taken off" since it the devastated team fills the same slots for a similar absence.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu, Speak in their defense:*
She steps forward and say
"Jirou, I insist that you take me off the team. Usagi and Odayama are just doing their best and like the rest of us can't be expected to deal with the Senko situation perfectly. We've only had this team for a short time, don't give up on it yet. With Daichi teaching Senko, the incidents should be much rarer. Furthermore genin teams like ours are temporary anyways. when we become Chuunin, the expectation will be to work with anyone and Senko will thus have to control herself in any team she is assigned. Thus problems like this in a realistic shinobi scenario are bound to happen in any team. Thus the assignments don't matter for ensuring anyone's safety as Senko must learn to do it herself sooner or later. Furthermore sometimes incidents happen too fast for anyone to respond to and its unreasonable to hold them to perfection. Furthermore reassigning them to the same team will only make them repeat their behaviors with each other, fixing nothing, and they will most likely be angry at you for breaking them up from this team, negatively impacting their performance further, especially Usagi. 

This is hopefully the last time such an incident will happen in a long time. Let them prove that Team 3 can get to the Chuunin Exams- or even win them. No team performs perfectly every mission, and they are operating under unusual circumstances that make it harder. We're lucky that we are all still alive, considering the foes we have faced- Futility-san, two crazy immortal priests, a terrorist genin, two Kumo Jounin, things like that. I would not expect any genin team to handle those, would you?? But we have, and they handle some exams without me. I am infiltrator, I do not belong on a combat-oriented team. Take me off of it so I may be trained to go operate solo, they will do fine. I believe they can do well without me."
Jirou looks at her.
"Ah but your second in command, who shall be second-in-command instead when your gone?"
"...I recommend Kimiko."
"......Are you sure about that?" Jirou looks dubious at this.
"Yes. If Senko goes berserk again she will be the only one with any idea of how to seal her. Senko in contrast doesn't like being a ninja and wouldn't be able to give orders when she is berserk. If Odayama isn't around and Senko is berserk, Usagi would need to listen to her plans to resolve the situation. In that situation we can't tolerate conflicting views on the chain of command. Odayama-taichou can decide otherwise but that is my recommendation."
"But her last plan didn't work and only made things worse, your still confident that she can do this?"
"She made a single mistake. A dangerous one that hurt people, but one that she can learn from and if she works closer with senko, perhaps work out plans to make sure this doesn't happen again with more precision and certainty. They just need to be diligent about doing so. Senko and Kimiko are not stupid, they can figure out better plans for this, now that they know that they need to. I am confident they can do this if they just put their minds to it. While any stricter captain than Odayama would probably have MORE problems not LESS with people like Kimiko, Senko and Usagi. Senko has anti-authoritarian views which would make any other leader suspicious of her having rogue shinobi leanings. Usagi is would probably just stubbornly stand her ground against anyone trying to reign in her attitude towards battle, and Kimiko's ego is larger than the moon. I think that if Odayama puts his mind to it, he can guide them better softly than the usual harsher methods employed. and Usagi enjoyment of battle isn't the problem she just needs to learn how to apply herself outside of it.

This team can work even without me, you just have to give it a chance. Please give it a chance, Jirou-taichou."
She bows as she finishes. Jirou considers this a bit then sighs.
"Fine. If you believe in them that strongly, my decision is thus: Yuuki Yuuna Yukimura will be taken off of Team 3 for at least the duration of the Pre-Chuunin and Chuunin Exams to be trained under Kikenna Masuku. When the Chuunin Exams are concluded or whenever Team 3 is eliminated from either we can reconvene to discuss her placement from there. That is all."
You are then dismissed from the mission assignment office. Yuyuyu will look at you guys and say
"Don't worry, I'm sure you guys can do fine without my help. Don't fret about me, I want this kind of opportunity anyways."
"Hyuhyu....very well I look forward to how strong you get, Yuyuyu. Its always a pleasure to work with you."
"and its always a.....exciting time when working with you Kimiko, Usagi, Senko. Whatever else one can say, you girls sure aren't boring!"
She says, chuckling.

*Moving On:*
The next few days Kimiko spends practicing the Rasengan with balloons, trying to keep them from popping as she constantly trains in honing its consistency and how long she can hold it without breaking them, but they keep breaking over and over again, testing her focus and her determination as she does so.

----------


## Rater202

Later that afternoon, in the Market place, Senko approaches Fuyuki-san as he's closing up his shop for the night.

"Fuyuki-san... I have something I think I need to talk to you about and... It may be something you want to do in private."

The next day, Fuyuki-san's shop isn't open. He's back the day after like nothing happened, but if someone asks he simply says that he wasn't feeling well.*Senko's Research Report.
*
Dissection of the captured cadaver revealed what could be groundbreaking information. Readily apparent on the shinobi's arms were a network of surgical scars. Examination of the limbs in question revealed the implication of organic nodules and, upon further examination, these nodules contain samples of preserved flesh and bone. Genetic analysis of these samples of bone and flesh show signs of degradation, suggesting they came from an organism that was dead for a long time... But clear signs that 1: They were human, 2: they came from two distinct individuals who were male and highly genetically similar, most likely blood siblings. 3: They possessed genetic markers and cellular anatomy that, to my knowledge are not found in the majority of humans but _are_ found in both myself and the sample Futility-san's blood that I acquired... I'd need to compare samples of others that are known to be descended from the Otsusuki Clan(or people grafted with bio-matter from those who are) to know for sure, but I have my theories. 4: The Genetic and cellular makeup of the samples also has abnormalities that are like nothing I have ever seen before, something I do not believe exists in nature: Structures made up of solidified, stable, self-sustaining chakra, perfectly mimicking the genes and organelles of natural cells mixed in in small amounts to each.

I am forced to draw the conclusion that the Cloud village surgically implanted this man with fragments of the bodies of the Gold and Silver Brothers... And study of this cadaver.

Among the Shinobi's effects were... Several distinct pills and serums and a coded note. Code breaking isn't my forte, but there were enough repeating motifs for a rough cipher: I've sent the note to one of our code breakers for confirmation, but they seemed to be dosage and administration instructions. I've seen samples of each drug along with blood and tissue samples from the cadaver to the relevant laboratories for analysis in order to confirm my own tests and suspicions but I believe the drugs may have been something related to tissue rejection or facilitating the integration of foreign chakra. If so, then recreating them would be a massive boon not only to my own research but to Ishikawa-sensei's and even just basic medicine.

Even if it is not, and is just a collection of ninja drugs and poisons... Well, we would have access to drugs and poisons made by the most technologically advanced of the Great Villages to experiment with.

The organic tissue of the nodules containing the flesh samples, on the other hand, seems to be some kind of chemical compound derived from some form of exotic plant matter. Again, samples have been sent for secondary analysis but from my own experimenting, it seems to be highly receptive to differant forms of chakra... It has a rudimentary cellular structure, we may be able to clone it in house.

The cell structure of the ninja himself also contains the chakra-based mutations of the cells of the Gold and Silver brothers, but to a lesser degree and lcks the traits that I believe are tied to Otsusuki ancestry. Comparing samples from different sections of his body, the closer his tissues resemble those of the Gold and Silver Brothers.

Once my cellular grafting technique is perfected, I my be able to manufacture pseudo-jinchuriki myself

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Training*
She stands solo, in a training field with Kikenna
"Alright, Yuyuyu, I've heard some things about this years infiltrator/spy hopeful."
"People have been talking about me?"
"The right people yeah, not the usual circles hyping up genin on their combat ability. We're talking people who want...cooler heads, better information, that sort of thing. Wars are won- and prevented- by knowing whats going on. That is where we, infiltration specialists come in. Our specialization is the original heart and soul of what a ninja is, before our role got expanded to general asymmetrical warfare. And I'm going to be showing you the ropes."
"Right, thank you Kikenna-sensei."
"First of all, lets do this."
She hands Yuyuyu some chakra paper.
"Channel it."
Yuyuyu runs some chakra through- and it slices in half.
"Wow!"
"Wind nature affinity. not surprising. Most of Otogakure is that. It'll make you easy to train for that at least."
"Why do I need training in wind ninjutsu though? I'm a combat specialist."
"You'll still need to defend yourself if things go south. All the information we acquire won't be useful unless you return home alive. You'll never be a combat monster, but we have to make sure you get out of a scrape with people your likely to encounter, and there can be utility in some ninjutsu. Whats your taijutsu situation?"
"I know some chakra flow on top of my basic academy taijutsu and I've been summoning a snake to learn a dancing style thanks to Menko."
"A style not commonly taught. Hm. Very well, unexpected taijutsu is harder to counter after all. I'm fire affinity myself so I can't teach you that, so lets get on to the most important part: genjutsu. How willing are you to seduce and sleep with people you don't know?"
"Wha-at your asking that question that early!?" Yuyuyu says a bit nervously and blushing at the blunt question.
"Well yeah, got to get how deep your willing to go out of the way early. An infiltrators mission can be incredibly variable in length. You might be in enemy territory for months, or even years. To blend in you have to be willing to play the part- or get people to lower their guard so you can get information from them. To us, peoples base desires are just another tool for us."
"Your not specifying gender in that."
"Your right I'm not, everyone feels lust kid, not just men. And you might have to fool people who aren't attracted to your true guise. So how willing to are you to sleep with people you don't know? Specifically for deceiving them into giving info for a mission"
"w-w-w-well.....I don't think right now but I could-"
Kikenna holds up a hand
"Relax. You don't have to sleep with anyone. The power of genjutsu takes of that, you just have to do different things to make sure it works out. The right genjutsu can manipulate someone into thinking they slept with you. Only the shinobi willing to do it physically do so. But your a bit young for that. The reason I bring it up because its a classic example of using peoples desires and emotions against them to get what you want. A distraction people WANT to go after is more effective than a thrown rock. I'm going to teach you how to use genjutsu, as its my specialization as well. Not only to fool the senses, but to manipulate emotions. Emotions make people act foolishly. Flared anger, surprise and fear can make them do impulsive things a clear head will not. A state of peace or tranquility or happiness in a dangerous situation can provide you a moment to to take them down- or to persuade them to help you. For genjutsu is not just merely manipulating what you see or perceive, but how people feel about it. To begin with, you'll start with making me feel a clumsy sense of happiness, or state of drunkenness and we'll begin with these hand signs...."
She begins showing Yuyuyu hand signs to teach her genjutsu.

*Kimiko: Research*
Taking a break from the rasengan she writes down in her notes:
_Working on the seals from the Jashin cultists some more, I have figured out how a sympathetic seal combined with a storage seal to transfer a stored object from one seal to another as a form of reverse summoning. The limitations currently are that its only two way, I have yet to figure out how this could be transferrable between more than two seals, it can only do so with small inanimate objects, and it requires someone to sign a blood pact with as if forming any summoning contract- just instead of me, it summons something I've stored in my seal and vice versa. The nature of this means it needs two people to work as intended, right now I could only store an object in a seal then have to go to the other seal myself to pull it back out, as without signing the contract no one else can even use the seals. I have also made a version that sympathetically transfers sounds but I do not see the usefulness compared to the radio technology we currently have aside from its potential unlimited range.

Another potential improvement though less elaborate, is modifying the jashin self-harm jutsu to instead use a doll instead my own body: I still have to draw a circle with the triangle in and put the doll in, then put the targets blood on the doll but at least it won't cause harm to me. Only good for transferring harm though. If I could figure out a way to instead bind targets or keep them from moving, then this could be a method of binding Senko, but I'd need an example of a sympathetic connection paralyzing somebody, and the only one that comes to mind are the Nara's Shadow Paralyzation jutsu, and they would never share their iconic hiden jutsu with me. I'm trying to work on a sympathetic seal to place on two enemies so I can harm one to harm both but I'd rather figure out how to connect multiple ones before trying that for real, two simply isn't enough to be worth it. 

Other possible uses for sympathetic seals I can only speculate on: transfer genjutsu through seals? healing? light? images? Chakra? will have to figure out more, but there is potential here. Those Jashin cultists were idiots. They were developing the potential for so much yet could only think of using this for destruction._

----------


## Rater202

"So, assuming that the wheels are real and that I'm not just seeing what I want to see when I examine your chakra network, your root wheel is wide open but your sacral and solar plexus wheels aren't just blocked off, they're _clogged_. That means that not only are gonna have problems with what they represent, but you won't be able to bring _anything_ into balance until it's fixed. There are meditations and exercises that can help, but you're going to have to make some lifestyle changes before anything. When was the last time you did something fun? The last time you did something just because you wanted to? The last time you did something... Creative?"

"I... Used to play the drums to vent emotions but my neighbors complained about the noise. I still have the kit, but.."
.
"Okay, that's a start, maybe... Maybe take your kit out to the park and just drum freestyle or whatever. See how that makes you feel, or... Or anything else you just want to do for the sake of it. Be creative, have fun. That'll cover the sacral wheel... Now... This is a hard question to ask... You seem pretty self-confident, but... Do you _love_ yourself?"

"..."

"Okay... That's gonna be the hard part then. That's where you're gonna have to do the work. We can't work on the other four wheels until those clogs are fixed so... Okay, let's get started with some basic exercises. Start by taking deep, even breathes."Senko's Research Log.

So, to dispense with usual formalities, I have good news, and I have bad news.

The good news is many-fold: My theories about the drugs on the person of the cloud ninja were correct: According to the laboratory analysis, each drug plays some role in either facilitating the integration or cultivation of foreign chakra or else minimizing the risk of rejecting foreign tissues without compromising the immune system. Additionally, the organic material used in the nodes containing the implanted tissues seems to serve a similar purpose.

By experimenting with both I was able to make significant improvements to both my grafting technique and the serum I use to stabilize the process: the procedure now has an 80% success rate in rats with previous side effects minimized or non-existent and I believe that further refinement can bring the rate up to 100%.

The bad news, however, is that while I was able to successfully graft myself with all captured and donated cellular samples, the results were... Mixed. The donated crystal release samples responded as expected, but the sample donated by Subject 9, rather than bestowing onto me a form like his own merely augmented the amphibious form I already possessed, and have not gained access to the Reizagan despite being grafted with the cells of a user suggesting that there is some specific trigger for the activation of the ability.

And as for the cells of the pseudo-Jinchuriki... Grafting myself with the cells of both the captured body and the Gold and Silver brothers drastically improved my chakra control and affinity to shape manipulation, and even gave me enough tailed beast chakra for very rudimentary applications... But also lead to a rather frightful discovery.

The chakra of the tailed beasts is highly compatible with, and receptive too, natural energy... To the point that using just a small amount drastically accelerated the rate at which my body passively manufactures senjutsu chakra. Even without actively using the tailed-beast's chakra the rate has increased by a thankfully negligible amount.

This is manageable, but further experimentation with this new chakra can not commence unless and until I have full control of my transformed state.

Sill, I have submitted the results of my recent research to Ishikawa-sensei as I believe it will be useful to his own project.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Senko: Start Hearing Things*
Yeah over the next days you just start hearing....these strange whispers as if from far off in the distance. They don't really make any sense in the contexts of which you find yourself in. They are just short comments that seem.....jeering or psychotic, like the first one was just out nowhere one day:
_Kill your family. You know they deserve it._
But it would be hours before you would hear any such commentary again. Another such whisper occurred during your conversation with Ichika and it said
_Your alone with him, kill him now._
Which makes no sense, because Ichika is a she? Other comments follow patterns like "_They will hate you when they find out anyways. Why wait?_" or "_It will all end in blood, tears and death, don't bother._" or greet you in the morning with "_Another morning, another day of lies_" or wish you goodnight with "_You'll return to the pain of awareness soon_". Other comments include "_Trust is just another cage_", "_You deserve to hear their screams of pain-and smile_", "_They're just manipulating you_", "_Your nothing but a pawn to them. Kill them._". Things like that. Though the comments don't exactly match up to your schedule, or what your doing at the time. The timing is always just a bit off, but there is always hours between each comment. Its real strange.  But you feel no compulsion from these whispers- you just hear them.

One notable event was when Kimiko came by to plan contingencies with you in case you go out of control:
"Okay, I've come up with a few plans to try and bind you better, I think I train to expand my chakra pool and chakra control, start training in stronger paper release techniques to bind-"
_Kill her, kill her, kill her, she has the accursed eyes, kill her now, kill her-_ the whispers are oddly insistent this time
"-though I'm thinking about focusing on Earth release for stronger and more solid containment, with additional defensive jutsu like making walls to try and isolate you or at least slow you down-"
_I don't care if she is your friend kill her, kill her, kill her, those eyes lead to nothing good, kill her-_
"-Though considering your physical prowess it might be good for me to go into genjutsu so as to bypass them with a sleeping jutsu directly, maybe an improvement or empowered version of Usagi's? Maybe help train her to make it more powerful-"
_They're all the same, those eyes are all the same, they're cursed, they enslave, kill them, kill them all! Let me do it! unleash me! Let me rid the world of them! I'll be doing everyone a service!_ Yeah the whispers are faster, ranting almost during this.
"You have any ideas I could do to contain you? This is the brainstorming phase so any possibility is a good one, though a better idea of your biology and capabilities would help."
_They don't deserve to live, no ninja does._
Then the voice goes quiet for longer than normal while Kimiko continues talking to you. You actually heard the stuff between the whispers, they are just exactly what you'd expect Kimiko to be talking about in this situation, though these whispers might be a little distracting even though they're just as quiet and far-off like the rest.  

*Jirou:*
He reads over the results. Fascinating. The Tailed Beasts chakra has some strange receptiveness to natural energy? What does that even mean? And how could he possibly use this? He a fuinjutsu user, not a medic nin with a degree in cellular biology. He guessed he could figure out a way to seal tailed beast chakra and natural energy into a seal but the amount of tailed beast energy they had from the corpse was limited wasn't it? how could they get more? Find it? produce it? Hm. Perhaps he needed to start pulling strings to get funding for Kimiko's chakra goggle project...

*Hizuka: Moving On*
Whatever the outcome of her conversation with Ameoku, her resolve is thus: She will surpass Ameoku no matter what. If she was apart of the Hope Generation, then she should be better than those who came before her, make sure her village lives. Senko was back, but she couldn't let her get in the way. Hizuka gets to her usual engineering lab. How to make a chakra battery today? Chakra was extremely small particles, comparable to electrons. She needed a material to conduct it, but also material so solid that chakra can't leak out. Contain the first in the second, and that'll be a battery. She just needed the right materials for it. But how to get those materials? Or engineer them? Or perhaps maybe...she can make a seal that turns raw chakra into lightning nature chakra then back to raw chakra again, make a normal battery then just make it so that when you store chakra into it, it becomes lightning chakra while stored but goes back to raw chakra when taken out? There would be some inefficiency due to some chakra being used to change natures but it could work....

----------


## Rater202

*Jirou*

Senko didn't just write down the bits about the Tailed-Beast Chakra, she also included the results of her experiments with the organic tisues and the drugs, which reduce rejection issues from foreign chakra and tissues.

As Jirou is himself experimenting with seals to grant access to senjutsu, one or both might help him deal with issues of incompatibilityespecially if he's using anything derived from Senko's own research into how her bloodline works to facilitate the process. She's seen rats go berserk in his laboratory, after all.

Whether he finds a use for it or not is a different question, but...

*With Kimiko*

"The truth is, even I have only scratched the surface of the mysteries of my clan's anatomy. It is not like I can vivisect myself, after all... Though that would be such a _fascinating_ experience... I can provide you with my notes on where my various glands and organs are, I have verified that they have not changed, though... Anything that requires going through bone probably won't work."

Beyond that... If you could sink me into the Earth or trap me in rock... I do not believe that I am physically strong enough to break through too much of that.

"You could also try a more extreme seal. The "trap someone in an object kind." My preference would be a drinking gourd but anything would work except for a teapot, do _not_ put me in a teapot... Just, make sure you can get me out."

Senko... Is not sure what to think of with the voices she's been hearing. She'll bring it up with Jirou or Daichi... When she manages to figure out how to word it properly.

It... Started after grafting herself with the tailed beast chakra, but... No, it can't be. Even those with the most reason to hate Hashirama Senju spoke highly of his character. If the tailed beasts were sapient he wouldn't have enslaved them for use as weapons, he'd have just imprisoned them somewhere.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He asks the chemical engineers he knows to to go for synthesizing the drugs they found and will begin testing the effects of the drug on mice and the seal. After some tests there is some definite improvements, more than the usual slight improvements in percentage, the survival rate getting very near Jirou's preferred percentage to start human testing- its about in its high 70's now and he wants something in the 80-90% survival rate kind of range. This drug has indeed accelerated the development of the Sage Seal and it might only take a relatively few amount of tests to get into the preferred range with this drug, like before it was months, now it might be done in a few weeks.

One day Kimiko goes to Jirou at his normal training grounds and finds....more destruction in it then usual. the training dummies, normally taking down with finesse by precise attacks, look like they've been torn apart and drenched with water as if a flood had came through here, and the rocks have broken up as if a large amount of water has been pounded upon them. Jirou himself seems to be muttering
"Hm....yes definitely an improvement.....the old one is probably not needed now. It would need replacing anyways."
"Hey anniki! I want to ask you something."
He turns around
"Yes, what is it?"
"You know that Chuunin captain you once worked under right? You think you can either get him to teach me some Earth release? Or at least, you teach me jutsu for sealing people into an object? Its for containing Senko."
"Hm, the Earth jutsu sounds possible, but I'm not sure about the sealing Senko inside an object- I have no doubt it could work. But I'm not sure if we have the sealing knowledge to know how to do that anymore. Such a jutsu would manipulate space and physicality in strange ways and I'm not sure if....."
But then again they still had the iron armor seal, their tailed beast sealing jutsu. They just....can't use it right now. But it would technically be more advanced than the jutsu that Kimiko is talking about right now. What if it was possible to study it to reverse-engineer from it a lesser version of that jutsu? But his thoughts were suspicious of letting Kimiko know of the scrolls existence. He did not believe that Kimiko was responsible enough to know they had the sealing jutsu of the masters hidden in their very manor. Give her too much too quickly and she might see no value in the village around her and leave to take jutsu from other ones. He can't let that happen-she was his sister, and Kimiko's brilliance was potentially a very great asset to this village if properly cultivated. If he figures out a good theoretical framework derived from the iron armor seal and just...give it to her without letting her know where it came from? That should be fine, and her own smarts could probably figure out something from there.
"...On second thought, give me a couple days, I think there is something I can scrounge up that could work."
And it would be a good intermediate step between where she is now and her role of sealing the Three-Tails when they honor the agreement with the Kiri Rebels to help with Yagura, so why not?

*Hizuka:*
However she needed someone that could lightning release to help her design her seal, so she asks Yumi, the who asks why she doesn't just try to modify explosive tags since they store chakra. Hizuka begins experimenting with modifying explosive tags to try and make to release their chakra in steady streams rather than explosive bursts. Senko will probably see her experimenting with them: The first few tests don't work out well, either acting like some leak of blue chakra or smaller explosions happening one after another like firecrackers. So she looks into storage scrolls and how they store matter, could the same be done for energy? Observing them...storage scrolls and explosive tags aren't that different. It seems as if the explosive tags store energy by turning into a yin form accessible through the symbolism of the seal on the tag, just as they do with storage scrolls storing things by essentially storing them as yin forms- things that aren't really substantial in physical reality but still exist in an abstract sense. 
"But wait" she wonders "Why is this so easy to do? Why can we flip something from a physical yang-based existence to an abstract symbolic yin existence and back again like this? Why is it something even genin can accomplish? Is there some.....yin layer of reality we interact with that we aren't aware of? Hm. Questions for later."
Sooner or later, she works out what she calls a Chakra Storage Tag- a tag that stores that chakra you put into it and when you touch it, you can regain the chakra put in to use. Useful for replenishing chakra when needed. the tag however when destroyed explodes like an ordinary explosive tag, as the design is still based on that. She wondered why no one thought of doing this before. But that is not her concern. Her concern was now her real goal: making weaponry for Otogakure.

----------


## igordragonian

Ameoku  reharssed for such interviews witb Shushuryu and Odayama. Also during her campgian meetings circle she has learned of people concerns, and so far there were no surprises.
She sipped her tea.
"You are making quite the wild assumptions. And that fair, you are young and the youth have more assumptions than exprience." She start and answering point by point.
"Needless sacrficing? Define needless, Hizuka-chan. I never said about *just* having sucidial resolve. I am a kunoicihi. I am warrior. I am a scientist. I am working on techniques, technology, diplomacy, strategy and so much more. BUT. Those are just tools.  A ninja isnt a kunai, nor sealing signs. It's about what stand behind the tools- and the willingness to use them. Many villages care about what jutsus are "forbidden", here forbidden jutsus are our rice bowls more or less. We compete with powerful enemies, their fear of touching certain elements is our main power.'

Ameoku sigh. "This house? Isnt my doing. At least not alone. We have a team of shinobis who have worked over this for *years*. It isnt practical at the front, how ever, we are working on such houses at the village as doomsday defence tool'

at the last point Ameoku laugh.
"Go back? go forward? Forward to where? To sloth, degenracy, weakness and doom? And then the survivers will rise up with resolve and rebuild, just to grow lazy, degenrate and weak until doom come? 
There is no back nor forward. It's a cycle. I want to save the village, to keep it at a stage where we survive. the second Ottokage dream of peace, hope and prosperity. It cute. But, peace is just a break between wars, hope is just prepartion to face desprate situations, prosperity is a break between famines, it's not an endgoal- it's just a break.
 Too many people refuse to truly embrace the hardships of reality, and stick their heads in sugary dreams, that might come true, but naturally those dreams will end- and then people get crushed. I have seen it so many times. Why do you think shinobis are mentally collapsing so often? Because life isn't as convient as they wish. It doesnt answer their sugary expectations. I also have such weakness, but I recongnize it as weakness, and turn my weakness into an idealogy. The world is an endless conflict and strife with few breaks here and there.  I am not closing my eyes to this reality. So? Am I going forward or back?"

****


By the way, Nozojo would personaly meet and take care of the children. (we can RP it or not... but he just the kind who would take this under his personal responsbility)

*  *  *
Odayama frowned.
A shadow has covered his eyes.
He had his own piece of mind to say to Jirou.
He didnt agreed with almost anything this boy said.
All he has heard were corruption and petty election politics.  As he was considering his words carefully, Usagi hissed with rage and drawn her harp bow, but Odayama has shot at her such a dark glare that she stopped, but she shook with clear rage.

All Odayama said. "I has my own means of dealing with the Oni situation. But you have the power over me. And I am not going to beg. I doubt anything I'll say would change your decision." he say coldly. He has lost the respect he had for Jirou.

Yuyuyu step forward and take over the situation.
Odayama soften when Yuyuyu speak.
"If this is your decision... I am sad to see you go. But I know where ever you go would do great.

Usagi would argue with Yuyuyu a bit.

Odayama would probably invite the team for a farewell party for Yuyuyu.


*****

Odayama after Jirou's scold,  he is determined not to give his enemies- especialy Jirou, excuses to screw him over.

He become much more stern. He isnt late, sometimes even bring his daughters along, and then make them race to the academy and THEN start the training.
He give the kibidangos and usual tea after the training.
Odayama barely sleep,taking bunch of anti sleep pills. He is polite, and kind but some of his "chill charm" is lost, deep dark sacks are gathered under his eyes as he push himself beyond he is ever did.

He train alongside Kimiko with rasengan, bringing the aproriate balloons.

With Usagi, he convince her of trying Earth release instead, after learning how to check element affinity.

With Senko he try to help to the best of his ability from his relativly recent exprience with controling his pseudu jinchuriki form.


And Ameoku? She admire him for his new desprate determination to stay relevant.



Usagi would ask of Yuyuyu with help with "no fighting stuff' she would shower more, and use her earnings to fix around her and Tsuru's apartment.




*  *  *

After hard day of training, while Odayama serve kibidangos and tea the radio activate itself over all the village.
"Hello!" The voice of Nozojo is heard from the radio.
"This message is for the Hope Generation! Congrats! You have faced many challenges! I am proud at each and one of you! So it's time to party! Tommorow at the morning you are all invited to the Gohantawa, for the birthday of the Heir Of Hope- Raizu Tanaka! Please be prepared to join at the gates the caravan!"

Usagi. "What? I dont have time for a silly birthdays!"

Odayama:"I think this is an important event- you barely meet your collegues, and if ever a war or a big operation come up, it can be helpful to catch up with them. And more importantly- you will meet your actual boss. Yes. The Ottokage tell us what to do, but, remember, the Damiyo is the leader of our nation. He want to know who serve him, he is about your age"

----------


## Rater202

Apparently taking the time to stop and have fun is important to ones mental and spiritual health. And that feeds back into your mental energy, and thus your chakra, so... This might make you stronger, in the long run, Usagi-san.

Senko's training has mostly consisted of chakra control exercises and nature transformation training. She's mastered leaf sticking meditation and is coming along _very_ well with tree climbing... Though she still has to run and still sometimes slips or pushes off too hard.

Of particular note, however, is a technique that she claims to have learned from Subject 9. Sort of an opposite technique from mist generation, it involves drawing on ambient moisture in the air and then condensing first into mist and then liquid water in her cupped palm. This is, supposedly, a more involved practice than just generating moisture from chakra and should theoretically let her build up her water affinity more swiftly. It is also a foundational technique for several water style techniques from the land of Sea, where there is plenty of ambient moisture to draw on.

Once Senko has a palm-full of water, she sort of... Shapes into a ball and moves it around through the air. This is another aspect of manipulating the elements she's practicing, she tells you.

"Besides, socializing with people close to my own age was supposed to be the whole point of assigning me to this team, so..."

Daichi had been trying to get their family established as an acknowledged clan inbetween selling his accumulated knowledge, getting his wards settled, and establishing his tea house. Maybe something will have come of that by the time they return.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Hizuka, Past:*
She glares at Ameoku with all the force of shonen hero determination in her eyes. This was not some know it all telling her whats factually wrong or whatever. This was an underdog whose resolve was like a mountain-just not your version of resolve. 
"If your view of prosperity like this is just a break between disasters, then you have already lost. If you view not minimizing sacrifices as much as you can, you are inefficient! Famines with proper planning and logistics, can be avoided! Floods can be prevented with damns. The five great shinobi nations didn't become superpowers dominating the world because they followed a philosophy as weak as staying still! Your resolve is weak if that is all you aspire to, the tallest trees start from the smallest seeds because they grow, not because they stay the same! They didn't stay in one place, they grew larger, bigger, devoured more and more all that corruption and weakness you talk about? is just the waste these big imperialist bears leave behind as they charge forward into the future as engines of destruction- our destruction. The idea that these imperial superpowers militaries become weak just because their nobility now have the resources to have more decadent parties while the people work and starve is dumb. The only way we can survive or be victorious against that is we move ever upwards, improve ever greater than what we are now. We can be more than this. Your thinking this is it forever, but I can see how this can be just the beginning. Just the seed to something better. You want people to be like you- thats loser talk, thats stasis. True resolve is inspiring people to be BETTER than you, to want the next generation to build higher than you built. The castle you have built is not a target, but a challenge to go higher! 

I came in here thinking you were someone to look up to- I was wrong.  But now I know: I was wrong, now I'm motivated to surpass you, be better and stronger than you, simply knowing that I'm working for a tomorrow that is better than yesterday rather staying the course, even if its only step up at a time. You'll see Ameoku- the river of progress is always flowing, and if you don't flow with it, you'll get swept away. I WILL surpass you one day and building a better Otogakure than with technology here than anyone else ever dreamed- and I'll destroy Konoha better than you could myself to do it."
She will then turn and leave.

*Hizuka, Present:*
She works angrier and angrier, fast and faster to make her newest invention- a chakra battery pack on her back to tap into to either boost herself to refill her chakra when its getting low. She will put on the back of her yoroi armor- three charges, best she can manage. She will go out to train with her team when she notices two different people are with Tatebaru now
"Wheres Itsusuji and Hashiba"
"Bad news: their clan heads heard about you roping them in to sneak into the Broken Record club, as well as the stuff you've been about Ameoku. So they decided to pull strings to pull them off the team. They said you were a "bad influence" on them. as replacement, we've been assigned Ryone and Tetsumi, formerly of Team 5, which had two of their team killed recently."
He sighs
"Clan politics. gotta love 'em."
"Yeah not fond of them either. Sigh. Well, best we make do. Hi I'm Hizuka Okukaga, whats yours?"
Ryone writes on her little chalkboard in a blur and holds it up: "I'm Ryone Aihoshi and I'm mute. Nice to meet you!"
"Oh, nice to meet you too, Ryone."
Another underdog, like her. A mute in a village of sound probably didn't face struggles much different from her own she turns to Tetsumi, who is quietly brooding.
"and you?"
Tetsumi glares back and says
"I.....am Tetsumi Shiraki. I am putting up with this so I can avenge my comrades deaths at the hand of the one who took them from me. So don't mistake my cooperation for friendship, for you are no replacement for them."
"Hey, I never claimed to be, nor would I want to."
"Good."
Hizuka looks at Ryone
"Is she always like this?"
Ryone writes "After the attack? Yes" while looking sad.
"anyways the Pre-Chuunin exams is coming soon, we're newly formed but still invited so lets do some drills and training to coordinate. This might be a little rushed but it'll have to do."
They begin training.

*Yuyuyu's Farewell Party:*
They will have the farewell party sure, though Yuyuyu will insist that Odayama is being overdramatic, its not like this a permanent arrangement. They'd have to separate anyways for the Chuunin Exams and Konoha would probably accuse them of cheating if they got to that point, and they'd probably be right, as well express concern about Odayama overworking himself and that he should learn a good work/relaxation balance. Kimiko didn't see anything abnormal about Jirou's actions since in her family people mostly just did their own most of the day then came home and argued and criticized each other like a normal family, but Yuyuyu commented back that the Ishikawa clan was far from normal or healthy.

*Jirou:*
"So yeah, I've been seeing Odayama here and there when training with Yuyuyu, he looks overworked and bitter after what you said to him. You gonna do something about that?" Kikenna says to him.
"Well if I could I would, but I'm kind in the middle of important things right now. Besides I'll have to get used to people being angry at me for making decisions they don't agree with and me being able to do basically nothing about it. When I'm Otokage, everything will be my fault whether I like it or not. So...I'm doing nothing about this and letting him calm down. He can't overwork himself forever and he will either return to the normal Odayama everyone knows and loves or arrive at a balance on his own after realizing that doing like this he will work himself to death. He's a big shinobi he knows about land of lightning salaryman death marches and how those don't end well."
"Does he? Land of Lightning just does it the hardest y'know, according to my intel, almost every nation has some tendency towards it. Culture like this? He might not even realize what he is doing is unhealthy, just as you didn't realize his comment would send him into doing one."
"Well I'm not sure what to do about it and if he can't balance his workload with relaxation or reacted to something I'm no longer even considering anymore and was never meant personally- because y'know I never mean anything personally- thats his problem. I'm not his mother. Did make a mistake in not putting that in more positive terms though."

*On the way to the party:*
Soon enough while the four teams are on their way to the Daimyo's mansion in Port Sake, the capital of the Land of Rice with any other important ninja going to attend including Jirou but not Kikenna as she has to stay behind to train Yuyuyu. Some of the genin will talk amongst themselves along the way
"Well well well, if it isn't Kimiko Ishikawa. Still playing with origami?"
"Oh hello Hizuka-san, still playing with your toys?"
"I've invented more than you, Kimiko, don't look so smug."
"but I've had more combat and practical experience. Guess what they generally test us on, hyuhyu." 
"I can match you in anything, shark girl."
"Ha! You'll have to beat Usagi first, fire girl. You want a chance against me, prove that you can keep up better than her, and she can keep up well."
"Yeah doesn't that scare you? We fellow underdogs rising up against people like you for the progress of everyone."
"really? I see only competitors trying to reach my position at the top."
"Tch. Of course you would. Wheres Yuyuyu? she usually reigns you in."
"Thats not important. Senko here is taking her place, we're friends."
"Oh of course you two would be friends, your both intransigent know-it-alls who think they're right about everything."
"Well what about you? I don't see Itsusuji or Hashiba around."
"Thats not important. I can beat you with any team Kimiko, even if you have Senko and Usagi on your side."
"Hyuhyu, we'll see about that, won't we, Hizuka-san...."

*Port Sake, an Introduction:*
On the way to the party, you will pass through Port Sake. The capital of the Land of Rice, it is the nations big city where goods going between Land of Earth and Land of Lightning pass through, where traders traveling from Land of Fire from the inland go to sell at the intersection of the northern markets in the shinobi nations. Larger than any other settlement in Rice it has all the modern amenities and services being a thriving port town and economic center as well as a political one. This also makes it the center of the land of Rice's local yakuza operations in its poorer districts where the police cannot reach, usually the farthest districts from the rich areas and the daimyo's mansion. The fire department is a permanently stationed Sound ninja outpost consisting of water release users who dwell here for years at a time, the hospital while full of normal doctors has medic-nin also assigned her for long periods of time for special cases. Numerous ships are docked along the pier or going in and out, a lighthouse guides them when it gets foggy as it sometimes does in these northern climes. There are more sake bars and places that sell sake than you can shake a kunai at, a nation producing a lot of rice also producing a lot of alcohol fermented from rice, and the Ricelanders have had a lot of time to perfect the way they make sake-some people joke that people want to conquer this nation just to get it for themselves. 

It is larger than Otogakure in size, and now that your here it is the biggest city you have ever seen so far- though you've only seen the two. It doesn't have walls on its outer edges and instead has suburban areas full of small houses on the outskirts making the transition from wilderness to city gradual, this city designed more for growth than defense making it not very practical to put walls around the whole thing because no one knows where exactly the city ends. There is however a major Rice army garrison of ashigaru here, ready in case of a battle nonetheless. It is when you get to the inner more wealthy districts that you pass through defensive walls and watchtowers around where the daimyo and samurai clans live- probably because the rest of the city was built around this area after the wall was made. Ashigaru are everywhere on these walls, each and every one of them carrying a horn to blow in case they spot a ninja and patrolling in twos with crossbows at the ready.  

This isn't an indication you have arrived, simply a description of what you will see in Sake Port. Feel free to discuss with the other genn or move on as you please.

----------


## Rater202

> *On the way to the party:*
> Soon enough while the four teams are on their way to the Daimyo's mansion in Port Sake, the capital of the Land of Rice with any other important ninja going to attend including Jirou but not Kikenna as she has to stay behind to train Yuyuyu. Some of the genin will talk amongst themselves along the way
> "Well well well, if it isn't Kimiko Ishikawa. Still playing with origami?"
> "Oh hello Hizuka-san, still playing with your toys?"
> "I've invented more than you, Kimiko, don't look so smug."
> "but I've had more combat and practical experience. Guess what they generally test us on, hyuhyu." 
> "I can match you in anything, shark girl."
> "Ha! You'll have to beat Usagi first, fire girl. You want a chance against me, prove that you can keep up better than her, and she can keep up well."
> "Yeah doesn't that scare you? We fellow underdogs rising up against people like you for the progress of everyone."
> ...


"Girls, girls, you're both very pretty, you don't need to fight... Unless this is just foreplay and you're about to make out. Then do whatever but do keep in mind that Bunny-chan will probably get jealous."

Menko has gotten really good at using her mind-trick genjutsu to cover up her sliding out of Senko's robes and assuming human form. It's like she just wasn't there a second ago to anyone who doesn't have some form of passive genjutsu awareness.

Senko had her eyes closed but cracks an eye open. "Kimiko-san? Was "Fire girl" really the best you could come up with? How is that even an insult?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
Hizuka scoffs, while a little pulsing vein appears on her forehead.
"Oh, like you don't know, Senko."
"Your right Senko, I can do better against Ameoku's little sparkler-fan."
"Grrrrr.....I'm not a fan of Ameoku anymore. I will one day surpass her, mark my words."
"Surpass her in what, simmers-san? Accidentally setting things on fire? Everyone knows you've already surpassed her in that."
"That was training to control my fire release in the academy! I've gotten better now."
"Oh have you now? thank you for revealing information to your competitor, I'll be more wary of you now, loose lips-san"
"Oh yeah great intel there little miss genius. your competitor can use some fire jutsu, I'm sure your victory is certain."
"I'm sure it is. Especially against a walking fire hazard like you, a literal hot mess if you will. Guess you were too hot for even Ameoku or your other teammates to handle."
Hizuka's eyes narrow.
"Y'know, cause you burn everyone that touches you?"
"SHUT UP! I'm a loyal Otogakure kunoichi! I'll be greater than the Three Thunders someday, you'll see!"
Senko, everyone just....kinda assumes you know what is being talked about with Hizuka, and none of the genin really know you since they didn't see you in the academy. So the responses are like this:
"Of course a friend of the top student would make a comment like that...." says Miho with a sigh.
Kazuo and Naneko stay out of this and keep silent for differing reasons.
Ryone writes on her chalkboard and shows it to Senko: "Why did you egg on Kimiko like that? :("- the frowney face is vertical, the internet doesn't exist yet in this universe.

Meanwhile Tetsumi glares at Kimiko and says
"You. Why are wasting your time?"
"Wasting my time with what?"
"With petty concerns like this. Most of your clan was killed during the Third Shinobi War. By Kirigakure, by Konoha. Do you not desire vengeance for that?"
"Well they all died before I was born, so I never really knew them? Why would I care?"
"Why shouldn't you? After all, it was because of them that you live the life you have now. If not for Kirigakure, you'd have a better life in a bigger more powerful village and if not for Konoha, you'd have a father. Don't they deserve to pay for that?"
"I don't know what life would be like with them around or some other Kiri, so their absence doesn't affect me."
and if her mother and brother were right, then him being back wouldn't be very beneficial at all.
"But the villages will fight again someday. Will you say the same thing if someone kills your loved ones?"
Tetsumi asks. Kimiko says back with narrowed eyes.
"I won't let that happen. I'll protect them."
Tetsumi nods, this makes sense to her. 
"I truly hope that you succeed in that."
No one should be like herself Tetsumi thinks. No one should feel the pain she feels. But she will get her recompense nonetheless.

----------


## Rater202

"No... I do not know... I am far too busy with my research, training, and more recently missions to pay attention to the details of your personal life, Hizuka-san..."

"...Wait, Kimiko-san? Are you picking on her for having a control issue? I am surprised at you, given what you know about my own issues on that front...And you are not doing better, you are just... continuing with the same line of..."

"Okay, why is Hizuka-san's loyalty in question? This is what I get for not going to the Academy."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She stops. Hm. The situations were similar? Huh.
"Her and your situations are similar? Hm. I never thought about it like that. I was just trash-talking her because her having fire release seems to be a thing with her."
"You don't know? Very well, then I shall inform you. In the academy I was bullied for having fire release affinity I think it was some adults reacted to having memories of the Third Shinobi War, with other students saying that I must be related to Konoha in some manner or be some created experiment to spy on people when I'm just born that way okay? All the while people like you Kimiko and Mayuwo over there-"
She points at Kimiko then at the long-eared kid from the fukaimi clan
"-got aaaaall the spotlight for your better grades and talent, despite this being a village where people dislike bloodlines! When I am a loyal Otogakure shinobi- and someday I'll prove that I can be the greatest of Oto shinobi! Greater than even the Three Thunders themselves, I'll be a song to drown them out! and now, you know."
"Hm. Very well. It is illogical for people to make those assumptions just because its fire release, its a perfectly naturally occurring phenomena in all the elemental nations, just rarer in some and more common in others. However that doesn't mean you'll be greater than me, Hizuka. You still have me to compete with."
"What, but you just....why don't you care now?"
"Your my rival Hizuka, I have to meet blade with blade. But I am also a scientist and assumptions like that are simply illogical because physically speaking its most likely your an ordinary shinobi and has no significance or relation to anything involving cultures or politics aside from wide historical forces that I don't care about. You are a scientist to, so I'm pretty sure you understand this logic as well."
"I....understand but thats not really how normal people....apologize??"
"Oh. Okay. I apologize for not clearly stating that I am a scientist and that my rivalry has nothing to do with illogical assumptions about fire release."
"No.....you hurt my feelings, Kimiko. I'm angry that you reminded me of that pain of being hated and not controlling what I had and being hated for it more because of it, not that you didn't state that." at this point even Hizuka is a bit confused.
"Oh. So thats how your like Senko."
She grins at the realization. Then her smile falters.
"I feel a sudden pain. Why am I imaging saying all those things to Senko and not feeling good about it? ugh, trash-talking you has been ruined now."
Kimiko says crossing her arms in thought. 
Miho from the side just says
"....This is a weird conversation."
Naneko replies
"I know right?"

----------


## Rater202

"And that would be why I egged her on," Senko says to Ryone. "In one short conversation I have gained insight into the mind of a rival _and_ corrected a friend from a bad habit that could cause her, and thus the village, to underperform in the long run."

Actually, Senko just wanted to know what the fire thing was about but if she can convince the rest of the genin that she was playing three-dimensional Shogi then that would only be to her advantage.

"That said... Hating fire users for their association with the Leaf is stupid. Power is power, what matters is what does it cost and how do you use it? If anything, we should _want_ more fire users. The most common elemental nature in the land of rice is Wind, and fire beats wind... But is also empowered by it. By basic tactics alone encouraging any fire users we have should be vital as it provides partial protection from the Leaf's fire users while also allowing for potential synergistic combinations with our own forces. Instead of putting Hizuka-san down, she should have been fast-tracked to be trained as an assault squad leader. A fire user supported by three wind users could easily incinerate most enemy fortifications."

"This whole system is stupid and wasteful."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*The Genin:*
"I mean your right about the fire being hated thing" Miho says "but your talking about optimizing for one tactic when shinobi are supposed to be flexible. We're not regular troops, we're irregulars. That idea has merit but only when doing that specific assault. You have to come up with what that squad is doing when they're not being an assault squad burning down a fortification or a bunch of troops, especially in a time of peace when there is no call for that tactic. All your tactic requires is four shinobi learning basic elemental breath attacks and letting the fireball blossom, which any three wind users can do. Such attacks don't actually require that much chakra control since they're just releasing the raw element at people in a cone, and there is other stuff that a shinobi can be doing. Its just that adults don't really trust us genin with such destructive jutsu....which is weird since they do entrust explosives to us, but I guess there is a difference between throwing an explosive tag and firing a raw element at people, technically the tag is more directed in a way and can be more safely detonated far from you? Point is, the tactic you talk about is easily assembled as long as there is one fire release user present. I don't see how people having emotions about things are apart of the system though. It jerkish for them to do so sure but its not like fire release has any rules against it." 
"I guess that makes sense, and I could pitch the idea to the superiors. Though honestly I don't think people test for elements that young, my parents did it really early for some reason and I don't know why. they're not bad....they're just absent minded and constantly focused on their science work." 
Kimiko meanwhile is pouting at Senko
"Senkoooo......why did you do that? How am I supposed to trash talk people outside of my friend group and feel like a badass while doing so? I'm Kimiko Ishikawa, I'm not supposed to feel the pain of my rivals. I'm supposed to compete with them!"

----------


## Rater202

"Empathy is the first step towards humility, Kimiko-san. Humility is the first step toward not being killed because you underestimated your opponent and thus were not prepared for them to pull some trick or power up out of their ass."

"Besides, there is a difference between trash talk and bullying, Kimiko. One is mocking an opponent to try and set them on edge. The other is pointless cruelty to someone who can't fight back done out of either sadism or compensation for one's own insecurities."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko: Attempt humility*
She is silent as she processes this. Inside her head she is thinking:
_What she is saying makes sense but I want to be awesome! How do I reconcile these things!? I am Kimiko Ishikawa, Genius of Otogakure! My entire identity hinges on this! Wait wait, remember the true goal: learn all jutsu, become immortal. Right now, Senko is a snake summoner and thus could be a pathway to the latter with the power of the White snake. And I'd need to acquire such techniques as apart of the first goal anyways. Right now that is potentially in jeopardy if she breaks it off with me, thus I need show some change, meet with her on some level to keep in her good graces, even if its just faking it. The persona of Kimiko, Genius of Otogakure was never going to last anyways as you plan on leaving someday for your goal yes? Thus it is only exchanging one mask for another. Yes but I LIKE being praised! And its fun to act all show-offy and awesome like this. Like if I don't have some level of style to this, what is even the point? Okay those are all good points, but you need to be alive enough to pull them off. And come now do you really need others praise? You know your awesome on the inside, you know your the awesomest thing in existence, me. Even if you act humble, the truth will come out and everyone will realize it on their own, because how great you are is self evident without needing to point it out. Your right me, even if I need to lie and hide my awesomeness, people will see through it and figure out my true awesome glory anyways, because it cannot truly be contained, and anyone who can't see it and is truly fooled, doesn't deserve to see it, thats thinking like a shinobi!_
Kimiko says
"Very well."
Her body language....shifts. It becomes something similar to Yuyuyu when she is acting more formal and refined, as if Kimiko is imitating a refined lady or ideal wife. When she speaks its much softer.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. Greetings everyone, I am Ishikawa Kimiko, a humble shinobi of Otogakure. I am pleased to meet you all. Do not mind the fact I that I have done so many outrageous deeds beyond your abilities, I am but a genin like all of you who works hard to serve the village she lives in. I do apologize for my behavior Hizuka-san, that was quite unladylike of me."
She then pulls out a scroll and unseals....a tea set? in the carriage of the caravan (you were always sitting in it, just not mentioned yet)
"Would you like to enjoy some tea with me while on this journey, Senko-chan, Usagi-chan, Hizuka-san? It will be a nice taste and practice for what is to come at the Daimyo's party. It would not do for us to be impolite and cause offense to him after all."
Hizuka's eyes are wide with shock, not sure what to think of this sudden radical shift in demeanor. The other genin in the caravan are in similar levels of disturbed.
"Kimiko, where did this come from?"
She does a refined little unKimiko-like giggle, covering her mouth as she does so.
"hehehe. Hizuka-san, I am a nobleborn shinobi of my clan. Such manners and etiquette are drilled into me for social situations when needed to infiltrate other societies, especially high class society. I simply have realized the need for them now."
"....Okay..."
She settles down to have a normal tea party with Kimiko, a bit nervous about this. Kimiko gives her a gentle yet radiant smile that shows no teeth at all. If not for the fact that she is still wearing dark blue shirt with fishnet under it, dark pants, sandals and a black shinobi belt, all practical shinobi gear, she would be the perfect ideal of a gentle lady in the shinobi nations. Kazuo is screaming internally at this. Naneko also unnerved turns to Senko and whispers to her.
".....Please tell me you brought along Yuyuyu in disguise and this was all just a big prank, the alternative that Kimiko is capable of this is far scarier. Before we could just dismiss her as an egotistical blowhard and get on with our day but now...now we can't read her at all. Don't get me wrong it is technically nicer its just....coming from her specifically, its weird. Though I do see that even with this shift she can't help but mentioning her deeds even as a humble brag, so I guess there is the familiar Kimiko still underneath...."
You get the sense that you just disrupted some long standing social dynamic within the clique known as the "Hope Generation". Like Kimiko was this jerk that everyone just learned to tune out whenever she was just bragging about herself or going off on science tangents but paid attention to whenever the situation was serious, and everyone just settled into thinking Yuyuyu as the social one that could handle her the best while Kimiko was the smart but not all that social one, and now they are scared because they realized that Kimiko may be capable of far more than they realized- or at least learned to imitate Yuyuyu well enough to become capable.

----------


## Rater202

Senko has the sinking suspicion that she just made a terrible mistake.

"Oh... Crap. If Uncle succeeds in having us established as a formal clan then I will have to learn how to do all of that."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*The Genin:*
"Ah yeah" Naneko says "Nadeshiko training can be like that. But if the trainers good, they'll make sure you can be an actual one and not just a doormat- there is supposed to be a core of iron to that old ideal, a subtle strength underneath all the politeness and humility that doesn't let anyone hurt those she care about or let anyone distract them their goals. If they're real good they might even teach you how to wield a naginata. female samurai were once called onna-bugeisha before everyone just simplified the title, and this nadeshiko idea is largely a high society thing. you probably won't have to do it most of the time."
She looks at Kimiko having tea with Hizuka
"I'd wager Kimiko is only doing this because thats the only way she was taught to be polite: as a form of infiltration, and you somehow convinced her that she needs to be polite. While Yuyuyu just seems to do it or something very similar to the ideal because she likes to. Besides this can't last forever. just wait a few hours."

_Few hours later:_
Kimiko is lying down, exhausted.
"....Hyuuuuuu....why is acting like that so exhausting? Senko this is like.....being polite like this is hardcore infiltration training or something.....hyu...I felt my act threatening to break at the end there....."
Naneko has -_- kind of expression on her face as she looks at Kimiko.
"No, those are trained to keep up masks for much longer. I guess we know your weakness now: your energy for social activities is low, especially when faking a persona. Not that it matters much, considering what you usually do, fuinjutsu experts don't typically get assigned to be infiltrators. too busy writing in their scrolls. Yuyuyu could probably keep it up forever, I don't know how she does it."
She turns back to Senko
"If your anything like Kimiko here- and it seems like you are, I can tell your both very scholarly- you'll have a similar problems keeping up acts/masks like that, so you'd probably never get assigned to an infiltration job and I think actual official clan things would probably be shorter than this?"

----------


## Rater202

I would not know why it is so exhausting Kimiko-san. Keeping up affectations like that are almost effortless for me. I rarely slip... I mean, I am from a rural border village. Do you really think is this my real accent?

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She glares at you.
"Is that a challenge? You'll see, I'll maintain it longer!"
She sits back up and begins acting like a nadeshiko more. Over the course of the journey, her acting like this is becomes a form of training for her. Kimiko acting like this becomes less weird for everyone over time, but many of them privately doubt it will last. You catch whispers of them comparing it to their earlier experiences with Kimiko in the academy, where because she effortlessly succeeded at all the actual school subjects she tended to flit from one shinobi-related interest to another in her boredom, and you Senko recall that her own training in Team 3 has been a little eclectic bouncing from one subject to another as she feels she gets something down enough to get how its done and consistently pull it off but rarely ever going past something to truly master something beyond the basics, for example you've seen her swordplay, its not bad its just doesn't reach the expertise or intricacy of say, Tomoe. It as if once she grasps the fundamental basics of something she loses interest because she can figure out-or at least assumes she can figure out- how to extrapolate how to other stuff with the thing from those basics, figuring what she has learned is good enough. The only exception you've seen so far is this Rasengan jutsu she keeps working on.

*Arrival:*
However sooner or later, you arrive at the Rice Daimyo's mansion. A samurai retainer is out there to greet you.
"Greetings, young genin. Knowing that your journey has taken quite a few days, the Daimyo is allowing you stay in the guest rooms while you are here in Port Sake. Rest assured the Head of the Daimyo Guard and the Samurai General are well aware of this "Futility-san" and his allies that have been reported from Otogakure, and heightened security measures have been put in place as reinforcements the general can spare standing guard. The party will not start immediately and you will have time to rest or enjoy the sights and pleasures of the capital in the meantime. Please mind your manners to the other guests, as many heads of state other than the daimyo are also in attendance, such as the the samurai general, the head treasurer, the minister of taxation, minister of justice and Mayor of Port Sake to name a few."
"Makes sense" Naneko mutters to herself "They want to keep an eye on the development of the young lord, see how their future ruler is coming along, make friends with them early. Some of them might've brought their own intended successors along to teach them maintaining relationships like this. This could be a good opportunity to meet the people who rule us."
"Or see the sights" Miho Kaguya says "its not everyday you get to see the capital, and Port Sake is the urban hub of Rice Country. No town in our nation compares to it. Why miss out on that to talk to a bunch of old men about bureaucratic matters?"
"Miho, it is important to understand the nation we are defending and how it works, the value and intricacy of what we're sworn to protect."
"Come on, do we really? Just protect the people blathering on about boring stuff in fancy garments along with everyone else and it'll work itself out."
Naneko turns to Kazuo
"Come on, back me up here Kazuo"
"Yeah sure, uh whatever Naneko, whatever you just said is uh, sure important." 
he says while nervously wondering how bad the situation is if they putting up so much defenses to repel the expected attack. He was hoping it was all a false alarm and that no attack will happen. Just a normal if fancy party between major political figures where nothing bad happens, is that too much to ask?
"Sigh. your both hopeless."

----------


## igordragonian

Ameoku sigh, tired with Hizuka's declare.
"And people said what you said, when the rocks and the riverw were still young. You are another slavw of the chain- but fine- surpass me- I dont really carw what your motivation is, as long as you are strong and serve the village! Good luck!"
Ameoku say with a smile.

Well.  Hope is b#^#.

----------

Usagi just pouted at the reasonable explanations she was given.
Truth to be told, she was anxiouse.
The idea of socializing with more daunting then staying up all night digging tunnels just to prove a point to a certain princess.

She based all her identity around overcoming her liabilty, and proving herself just as good and to never be helpless-
Usagi didnt actually had hobbies. What was she supposed to talk with other kids about?
"Hey? How was your work?"
Her IQ wasnt something to write home about-
the deep chakra discussions of Kimiko and Senko left her dizzy, she mostly nodded in those discussions, and if she dared to look less smart, she presented a question to clarify.

Usagi went to Yuyuyu, asking for advice and also help her to learn to tie kimonos herself and make her stupid hair look ok.

She even shared this with Tsuru.
Their home life actually became much better, after Usagi gotten the pay for her missions.
Maybe if she save wisely in few month they could move in better appartment.
the eldery one handed woman chuckled.
"The second Ottokage's wisdom know no bounds. I am happy that is concern you.'
Usagi;"You are happy that I am going to look like a complete baka infront of the princess, Damiyo and everyone?!" she barked

Tsuru shook her head.
'No no dear. Acting your age. It's healthy. *normal*, for you to be concerned about such things. And the thing is- you dont have to be great at it. You dont have to be great at everything. You said, you only nod and ask questions when your friends discuss things that you dont fully grasp- listening is a GREAT social skill.'
Tsuru say a bit excited
"Do you know what it means for me, when you find the time to listen to my ramblings?"
Usagi shook her head. "how?'
Tsuru:"Like.. I exist. My existence is acknowledged.... and that something all people of all social classes desire. Especialy in your age. You dont have to force yourself  to have hobbies you dont care about- just be willing to listen and care about what others have to say."
Usagi nodded seriously.
"And...."
Tsuru smiled like an old tortoise and pulled a small gift- A One Piece manga volume.*
"WHAT?!" Usagi is shocked.

Tsuru:"I know you were intrested in it, but why dont you start to read it? Many kids and many adults seems to be very passionate about those pirate adventures. It can be a something to talk about."
Usagi overwhelmed with emotions has hugged her eldery roomie/parental figure.

*We talked about it OOC- I think One Piece exist in Narutoverse as a manga.
Based on reffrences, and discussing their meanings in universe.



-------
"bunny girl" was indeed jealuse.
"Hey! Hey!" she waddled on her crotches forward.
"Hey! Toy-geek! I can outrun you without legs! My arrows are better then anything you can come up with! And I work hundred times harder then you! Toy-geek!"

Usagi blushed. "Hey! Snake-" she couldnt come up with a retort.
"shut up!"*
*(energy like.. this- https://youtu.be/gYb4RuckGAY)

Odayama allowed himself to smile a bit.

Ameoku was kind, and his daughters wrote  protective talismans for him- not that they had any jutsu with them, just normal wish well talismans.
)or were they?)
They also given such talismans to the group, including Yuyuyu, which Miko and Kimiko viewed as sort of a sister.

 Usagi roll her eyes at Tetsumi. "So edgy! OoOo. Can you back up your grimm demeanor with actions, or are you a cry baby? huh?' she say agressivly.
Tsuru has adviced her to be listening but this comeptative energy took her over.




Usagi follow the other part of Uizuka talking about herself.
She felt... sympathy.
But she expressed it in.. her way. 
"Pff. Baka. I'll bully you, just as I bully any other sound nin! And...'
more akwardly.
"And Kimiko is a bratty princess! This is the best apology she can offer, baka!'


Odayama join in gently.
"It is... irrational. But understandable." he say softly.
He kneel down look at Hizuka.
"Some people have scars deep in their souls. And then they hurt others.... it very difficult to stop this terrible chain.'




Odayama smile at Kimiko's humility. "I'll get the tea dangos for you."

Usagi look away. "Not that bad,princess."
Ugh. Another geniouse to distract Kimiko from her.
Not that she cared! Baka!


-----


  When escorted by then samurais, the ninjas get a very warm (and unoffical) welcome: hundreds of citizens celebrating their arrival throwing rice and ribbons.
Bunch of people play the "Sound Of Liberation" symphony" Odayama explain.

https://youtu.be/S3d6qvF8VO8
 "the most iconic symphony of the first Ottokage"

"Hope! Hope! Hope!" people chant at the Genins, treating them as the chosen ones.
 "Yes! This is indeed the Hope Generation for you!" Nozojo arrive out of nowhere with recording devices and huge headphones under his Kage strawhat.
"And here a live show from the Rice Capitol! And here we meet the Hope Generation! Wohoooo!"
the crowd echo him.
Bunch of teen girls scream "kyyyaaa!" with deep enthusiasm.
"What are you doing here?!" Odayama asked shocked alongside other captain
Nozojo laugh. He actually.. look healthy?
"I have taught more or less everything I know to Jirou-kun, he is a smart kid, and if he has isssues he can call me. The Hope Generation are my pride and joy, I wouldnt miss this for anything in the world! The people here have waited for this moment for years!"

an unoffical parade escort the young ninjas and their teachers.
People  with gifts, prayers and wishes trying to aporach them, but the samurais and teachers have to push them back gently.
"We love you!"
This was Nozojo's biggest project probably-
to give the Rice Nation hope. Morale. Pride.
Heroes.

Nozojo also on the way, asked every Hope Generation member to "say something cool!"
and those who were too shy or "cool" to cooperate, he became their hype person and moved on.
For example, Yoroi didnt replied, so Nozojo said:"Yoroi is a honorable Ronin and he preffer action to protect us rather then words!"
Usagi actually went along with the mood, and yelled at the microphone.
"I a Usagi! And when I am around, no ally will feel helpless!"
Upgrade of her intial dream.


Eventually they reach the castle, and the crowd is left behind cheering on.
Gohantawa- The mansion/castle of the Damiyo.
This place had double statues infront of it's gates- 
Odokuro, the first Ottokage, alongside Damiyo Tadano Tanaka.

Tadano were sat in a wheelchair, Odukoro were sculptered, kneeling alongside Tadano, with a supporting hand over his shoulder.
Here Odukoro were sculptured with expression of rightness.
Tadano, who look relativly young in this statue with a small poiny goatee and stern fatherly expression.
The bronze plate said:
"Born first in fire
fell into betrayal and silence
Tadano has learned to admire
those who were silenced with malice.

With drums of liberation
Odokuru has came. Tall, hungry shadow.
herded the mute to revulation
To those two we are happy to bow"

There is also unoffical worship*- people leave offerings, each with what viewed good offeringa- candies from children, ciggaretes from jaded adults.
Praying papers and even money.
)the money is collected for charity, and the papers are read in secret by the Damiyo who... try to improve himself based on them)

Nozojo, Odayama and the other captains bow.
No one commad the Genins to bow, but there is a silent expecation from the crowd.
No one would judge. But...

And afterward the crowd is calmed down enough to disperse. For now.

And finally they are free to crush at their rooms or whatever.





*inspired by https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Muerte

https://youtu.be/UOq8tX4gnEw

folk saint of people who feel jaded by thr big system. I figured it make sense.


---------

https://youtu.be/aq8RLlwlP90

The Heir Of Hope.

https://www.1999.co.jp/itbig76/10762735.jpg

Raizo Tanaka was in middle of law studies, as he noticed the commotion.
He was up as usual from 4:50 to a very strict sceduale.
"Are you distracted, young lord?"
The teacher ask the twelve years boy, politly but strictly.

"A bit. I must admit. Forgive me." he say dryly.
The teacher pondered. "Well. Just finish this quiz, and you have the rest of the lesson to satiate your curiosity.'

Raizo shook his head. "Dont go easy on me, Sensei. I will meet the Hope Generation at the party.'
The teacher sighed. "But you are bound to be excited and curiouse. And wouldnt it be a teaching exprience to see them, and potentialy meet them outside an offical event?"

Raizo has closed his eyes, concerating.
Was it an excuse to treat him like a kid? Or was it a true rational?
What was the right thing to do?
Well. People connect to each other, if they feel it is beyond obligation.
So... he is obliged to not obliged communication with his loyal ninjas.
Yes. It was the right decision.

After a long minute. "There is wisdom in that. Very well. I shall finish your queez perfectly and then, personaly make sure our guests are treated well

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Genin: Say Something Cool*
She springs up and yells to the crowd.
"Hello Port Sake! I am Kimiko Ishikawa, the Shining Star of the Hope Generation! With my genius- I can do anything!"
She does a pose to soak in the crowds cheers, then sits back down.

Miho Kaguya will simply say to the crowd.
"I am but a loyal shinobi of our nation. I am honored to be here today."

Naneko Masuku will put on her social mask, speaking more cutely to the crowd saying
"Hello everyone!! Its me Naneko-chan! I hope you all have a kawaii day!"

Ryone is mute, but that doesn't stop her from getting up anyways and showing the crowd her board, the words written on it were: "I WILL SING MY SILENT SONG!" while doing a little dance.

Tetsumi doesn't say anything cool. Whats the point? Her comrades are dead. How could she possibly celebrate like this so soon after their deaths? How could she possibly focus on anything else? The crowds cheers feel....ignorant. Their happiness hurts in its own way. Was it because it was something she didn't have now? Or was because it all feels so fake now compared to the corpses she saw lying on the ground not so long ago? It felt like the world had already forgotten- why couldn't the world stop and weep for them, if only for a moment? 

Kazuo gets up and says "Hi, I'm Kazuo Tanaka....Hero of Otogakure! I can beat anyone! Hahahahahahahaa!"
He needed to keep up his fraudulent reputation. If people found out he was nothing but a coward, he'd be ruined. 

*Tetsumi and Usagi:*
She glares back at Usagi.
"I am doing something about it. I am going to go to the Chuunin Exams. I am going to test myself against those who are strong, to make myself stronger. All this training won't help if I don't know what I'm training against. Just because I'm trapped in this carriage where I can't train doesn't I haven't tried my hardest to unlock as much of a bloodline I just gained like what how long ago? Two weeks? I think? But if you really want me to do something to you go ahead, screw around and find out. Could always use moving target practice."

*Hizuka and Usagi:*
Whenever they have a moment alone, Hizuka will say to Usagi:
"What the hell Usagi, your cooler than this. Call me toy-geek all you want, I don't care, my inventions will prove my worth in time. But don't think I haven't noticed you acting all Tsundere around Kimiko. What is up with that? I thought we understood each other in the academy as comrades: we're both hard workers, and we agree to screw those nobles with talents like Kimiko who think they are better than everyone else just because they got lucky. But now your getting a crush on her? What do you even see in her, she is just this egotistical narcissist brat from a fallen noble clan who wants show everyone up because she can. I don't get it. If you really like her that much, you can have her! If she is even capable of loving anyone back. I'm not touching that hot mess. Don't mistake cordiality and politeness for friendship, Usagi. She is still my competitor, even if Senko did some weird social magic to somehow make her hide her ego better."
She crosses her arms.
"and you? Are still Usagi who has known suffering she never will, even if Kimiko has you infatuated. Remember that."

(OOC: If no one is interested in my ideas for filler or to meet other leaders, its fine we can just move onto the party)

----------


## Rater202

"'Something cool'" Senko says with annoyed sarcasm.

for those that know her, her mood has subtly soured since the moment the Otokage arrived.

----------


## igordragonian

past interactions-


Usagi with Tetsumi-

'Is that a challenge? Because it sound like a challenge to me!' she grin like an annoying brat.


Usagi with Hizuka-

Usagi is surprised.
'Cooler... then this?' Usagi was chasing respect, but when respected, she wasn't sure what to think of it.
Usagi's face turn red, as her hair.
'I dont have a crush on her! Baka!' she blink.
'Ksu...' realizing how she sound.
'....sorry.' she say with lowered head, after a lot of effort.
Usuaully she would parry off this direct conversation with insults. But she has grown.

'No... I.. shouldn't have said that. That.. not... my thing. I think you are amazing!  Sometimes, I am more pig headded then rabbit headed.' she say.
'I guess, the princess- I mean... Kimiko make me feel things.. I have never felt before. It... wierd. And scary.' she take off the scarf and show the scar she cherish so much on her neck.
'It's like... maybe a challenge thing?' she try to figure those wierd feelings, without much of previouse context.
'Yes. She is a snotty noble, and a smartass- and she is exactly the kind of ninja, ninjas like us want to prove ourselves against- and I did it! I have proven myself. Sort of. You know what?' she sigh.
'I am the baka.' she cover her neck again.
'It really wasn't cool... how can I make it up to you?' trying to own her mistake.


---------------------------


Nozojo doesnt seems phased, and for Senko he would say.
'Her sarcasm is only second to her immense physical power! And when she put her mind to it, Senko is unstoppable!'
Nozojo know that Senko know.
It doesnt matter. Maybe it even better.
He felt like he was about to end his life journey. The Hope Generation, each and every member were the most important thing in the world.
Nozojo felt like karma is about to catch him. He was fine with it.



Raizu would wait the ninjas at their rooms. Ready to greet them in person in unoffical way.


-----

Damiyo Tadano Tanaka- looking much much much older then his statue, his hair is grey, his goaty beard, became much longer.
His wife Shikara, who wore beautiful kimono and moved his wheelchair, was smiling brightly for the two of them.
*'What is the Ottokage thinking, coming here, without letting me know? Even the first Ottokage have respected me enough with those things.'*
Shikara cooed.
'Great Lord, and husband, Nozojo is a bit of clown. I am certain he just meant to entertain and not to insult.'

Tadano grumbled.
*'Why in king Yenma's name, Oddukor-sama has picked an entertainer and not one of the thunders? And worse, this clown picked a green boy, instead of Ameoku. Is everything a joke to him?'*
'I am certain it's more complicated then that, dear love.' Shikara said with a soothing tone.
*'Oh? Yes? I would love to know HOW, People will ask questions. I cant show my doubts to those hyenas. I got to show faith in my ninjas- especialy with all the radio circus that the second Ottokage create/'*

'How kind of you!' Nozojo beamed at him, walking by his side.
Tadano gasped.
*'DONT! DO! THAT!'*
'As you commad, Lord.' Nozojo said charimngly(?)

*'So you have heard everything?'* Tadano has asked.
'Yes. But your opinions of me, were never a secret to me. That ok. I understand. Oddukro-sama... was bigger in life. I am less then his shadow. But he seen in me, something... that the Thunders lacked.'
he said as they were about to meet the other leaders and important people.
*'And what that?'* Tadano has asked.

'A hope for a better future'. Nozojo said and they have entered/

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko Ishikawa: Attempt Polite Greeting*
Kimiko will of course see Raizu, and remember that Senko taught her to be more polite. She mentally prepares herself, not knowing who he is and says
"Greetings, I am Ishikawa Kimiko, humble ninja genius of Otogakure. Who are you? You don't seem to be a servant, did one of the invited guests bring you along to see the Daimyo's son?"

*Past, Tetsumi:*
"....Very well. Your lust for battle is insatiable isn't it? You asked for it, dead last."
When they stop the caravan to rest until tomorrow she will beckon Usagi out to one of the many open fields of Rice Country. Then as her opening move of the duel, she throws two volleys of shuriken to the left and right of Usagi then singing:
"Song of Vengeance: Notes of Hatred!"
She sings a discordant wordless shriek-like music without any hand signs and a stream of red notes of chakra comes flying from her mouth towards Usagi in between the two shuriken volleys. 

*Past, Hizuka:*
She looks at you as you say this then just looks sad
"Darn it, now I just feel like a jerk. I insulted your feelings to hurt you and you want to apologize to me for it. I don't like Kimiko but....if you feel that way about her, why should that stop you? It has nothing to do with my goals. I just hope you don't distract her too much- I want to make sure that when I beat her in inventing, its because she was at her full capabilities and that I was truly better, even at her best. I want to prove that the true progress of technology is won by hard work-not by talent."

*Jirou:*
As the Diamyo comes in, he will make an appropriate bow to the Daimyo as befitting his station relative to the Daimyo's own and says
"Greetings Daimyo-sama, my name is Jirou Ishikawa. I hope your doing well today."

----------


## Rater202

Senko is currently looking at Kimiko like she created a monster.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu: Summon Yorokubi*
Meanwhile back in Sound Village, Yuyuyu summons Yorokubi, the snake appearing in a puff of smoke on one of the training grounds
"Greetings Yorokubi-sensei." 
she does a polite slight bow.
"I would like to learn what you have to teach me, please."
She has been learning genjutsu from Kikenna but with Yorokubi she might some taijutsu. She has put away her umbrella, ready to embrace what Yorokubi wants to give with an open mind.

----------


## igordragonian

*Meeting Young Lord Raizu*

Raizu looks at Kimiko. Almost staring- as if he has found a very curious insect.
Ishikawa... his parents had strong opinions about them. But there was no reason to share them. This one seemed acceptable from the first impression at least.
'Your manners are appreciated.' he says in tone that is usually kept for adults filled with self importance.
'My name is Tanaka Raizo. I am proud to be burdened with the responsibility for the future.' he says as humbly as he can.
'It's an unofficial meeting, and also fulfilling my duty to see that my guests are getting taken care of with respect and dignity.'

(my english might not represent it, but he supposed to sound intelegent and highly educated.)



*Meeting with Old Lord Tadano*

Tadano frowned seeing Jirou.
*'Ah! The famouse mother beater!'* he say with open disdain.
'Dear lord and husband... it was done by their customs and traditions.'
*'Hmph.'* the jaded old looking man snored.
*'Since you were asking so kindly, no. I am not doing well.'* 
He clenched in pain, his wife hurried and gave him a pill.
'My lord and husband- you shouldn't excite yourself so much!'

Nozojo tried to aporach him.
'Please, Damiyo-sama- I am betting my vision and hopes over, Ishikawa-san! I KNOW he is the best one to take over!'

Tadano breathed more easily.
*'Your jests are going too far, radio boy. I have nothing against young and promising ninjas, his father was a true ninja- but this won't do! What do you think my brother will do when this green boy take over? He will press the Hokage to destroy us one and for all! Ameoku has a reputation. but you should know all that.'*

If Jirou has learned to read people's emotions, than he would sense that Tadano has layers over layers of wrath within him.






*Spoiler: Radio Ninja Training*
Show



After Jirou recover enough-
Nozojo take him to the roof of the radio station.
'Lectures are boring without some action.' he say with his foxy grin.
'Let's start with demonstarion- attack me with the best and everything you got.'

No matter what it is- unless Jirou has an ability that this one narrator can't imagine-  He would feel an invisble powerful wave cut at him, and another hit him with a blunt force, and a terrible deafening white noise in his head. All three damages happen simultanasly.
All toned down, to not seriously hurt Jirou of course.

the second Ottogake jump to Jirou and offer him a hand to get up,
'Dont feel bad. Even if the five big kages were here, they would be helpless against me.'

He walk around and gesture toward the big antenas.
'Please.. bare a bit of a lecture now.' he say, quite happy to share his developments.
'Regular sound waves can be sensed and manipulated by almost any being with a physical body. But Radio waves are invisible and unattainable without the right tools. So even on the basic combat level, we can do all the sound techniques, and nobody beside us can sense them- and even then: Even though I made you a radio ninja like me, I have used a frequency that you weren't logged on- you see- the radio waves are invisble- but we can still manipulate them.'

He smile with pride.
'And there are more advanced and impressive uses for this- but it very important to keep it a secret- I am certain that if our enemies would know that such ninjutsu exist, they would a way to counter it- so use it wisely, and subtly as possible.'

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Oh your the young lord. Pardon me, Raizo-sama. I did not expect one of your station to meet us so informally. Have your heard the tales of my humble deeds, Daimyo-Sama? If not I can always inform you of them, they're pretty great."
She bows slightly and all the other genin do slight polite bows as well- its okay, these are very shallow bows, fit for a casual setting. Even Tatsumi Shiraki is standing at attention despite her bitter demeanor, Ryone holds up her little chalkboard with the words: "HELLO RAIZO-SAMA! I AM RYONE AIHOSHI, I AM MUTE AND CANNOT SPEAK. PLEASED TO MEET YOU. :)" Naneko Masuku and Miho Kaguya simply say they are glad to meet him politely, Kazuo Tanaka nervously says
"Hi uh, milord! I'm Kazuo Tanaka. Just another genin. I'm here to uh, y'know have a shot at Chuunin and such. Y'know how it is."
"Just another genin?" Miho says teasingly "Aren't you called the Hero of Otogakure for all the good deeds you have done back in the village?"
"Oh come on, that reputations overblown! Its my chuunin captain constantly talking me up, I'm not THAT great..."
"Once again you prove your humility, Kazuo..." Miho says
Kazuo hangs his head sadly at his failed attempt to not be elevated in fame. 
Meanwhile Hizuka declares
"Greetings Raizo-sama! As a loyal genin I will protect you and all the citizens of our proud nation with my life! This I do swear!"
She says while putting her right fist to her chest, imagining her standing there proudly while patriotic music plays in her mind.

*Jirou:*
He decides to ignore the mother beater comment.
"I'm sorry to bring up your condition like that my lord, it was not my intention. Daimyo-sama, if you doubt my strength and willingness to kill the enemies of Rice Country, rest assured: I was an active participant in the Third Shinobi War when I was five to six. Before I was ever fully trained as a ninja, I killed a genin six years older than me with a katana. I am no stranger to death, and Konoha killed much of my clan when we fought for your nation. If it comes to it, I am fully willing and able to kill the Konoha Nin that come."
'If' being the operative word in all that politicking. His plan is to make sure that if never happens. He was no pacifist, but he simply didn't want to wake a sleeping giant. 
"As for your brother, its been 12 years and your brother hasn't pushed for war because of Nozojo. If I am so alike to him, there should be little difference in how things work in our relations with Fire Country. and does not the current Hokage have a reputation as "The Peacemaker"? It would be quite out of character for Hokage Shimura to start a war after being so well known for stopping the last major one. If we're talking reputations, certainly that means something just as much as what Ameoku's reputation means, and if it doesn't because we can't trust it, what does Ameoku's reputation mean if reputations can't be trusted?"
The question was a conversational trap: to say reputations can be trusted was to allow the Peacemaker's reputation to be considered, and to say it can't be trusted was to throw doubt onto Ameoku's reputation as well. Any other response other than these two would be outright hypocrisy. Any of these possibilities suited Jirou just fine. If the Daimyo was truly hypocritical enough to say they could trust the reputation of their own ninja and distrust the reputation of other ninja as lies and propaganda, he would compliment the Daimyo on his "reasonable caution" then sow doubt as to how weak Konoha is, if they cannot trust Konoha telling the truth about its Hokage how they can now that Konoha is truly as weak as Ameoku says? She could just be fooled by false intel that Konoha is feeding them after all. It didn't matter if it was true after all, just whether it was possible. 

*Spoiler: Radio Ninja Training*
Show


He skids back, grunting in pain as he is hit, clutching at his ears and says
"...I see."
He considers what he has learned
"Due to Radio waves properties, they have potential to be very long range attacks. and your indeed right, people could potentially counter this. radiowaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation and thus probably weak against Wind release much like lightning release is weak against Wind, ironically. An atmosphere does slightly slow down radiation's speed from lightspeed and thus a thick enough wind wall might be able to stop the attack entirely, or a wind blade cut through it. This is all just speculation on my part, correct me if I'm wrong. However radiowaves are also incredibly fast, as you just demonstrated- near the speed of light in an atmosphere. It would take someone truly special to counter this properly indeed. 

Thank you Nozojo-sensei. I'll be sure to use it properly when needed."

OOC: Yeah, if I'm guessing correct only people like Minato Namikaze, Naruto in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode or the Fourth Raikage could counter this radio wave jutsu. which is like, the three fastest shinobi we know in all of the Narutoverse (and only Fourth Raikage exists in this roleplay).  thats a pretty impressive achievement. don't worry I'm pretty sure this is all on par and that Jirou would need to really increase his chakra reserves to truly use this to its full potential.

----------


## Rater202

Senko bows but says nothing.


> *Yuyuyu: Summon Yorokubi*
> Meanwhile back in Sound Village, Yuyuyu summons Yorokubi, the snake appearing in a puff of smoke on one of the training grounds
> "Greetings Yorokubi-sensei." 
> she does a polite slight bow.
> "I would like to learn what you have to teach me, please."
> She has been learning genjutsu from Kikenna but with Yorokubi she might some taijutsu. She has put away her umbrella, ready to embrace what Yorokubi wants to give with an open mind.


"The first thing to do is to decide which method of hand-to-hand combat is most effective for you. I prefer a form of close-quarters combat focused on precise strikes and throws but differant bodies are built or differant kinds of movement."

The humanoid serpent takes a stance not unlike a boxer. "Show me what you've got."

----------


## igordragonian

*Usagi*

Usagi glare at Raizo and... jump away.
A sudden burst of unexplained anxiety attack her.
_"No! Nonono! Why now?!"_
she reach the roof, holding her head,  as her own voice echo in her head.
_"This spoiled privliged brat. Why foes he get to be respected, to have living parents and be filthy rich?!"_
her hand shaking reached a kunai, her eye twitched.
*"SHUTTUP!"* she bark at herself, pull away her scarf, and scrath the scar to reopen it.
It was the pain and also her rivalry-admire of Kimiko that has snapped her out of.. whatever it was.
She shook, as the anxiety escaped... but she was injured. How the #^@*@ can she explain it?
She cant be helpless!
Silently she start to bandage and clean herself.

Was it a cackling that echoed somewhere?
It's fine. It"s all fine.
She will get back and say she had to use the bathroom.



*Raizo*

Raizo have noticed the quick departure of Usagi, and deciddd not to react to it- just to take a mental note.
Shame. Her tale was very inspiring, especialy considering his father's history.
Mauywo Fukaimi just bowed  with a serene expression.
"My service is part of the greater harmony, young lord." his face is expressionless.
He felt disdain to more or less... anything.
But he had to compromise. 
His clan had to compromise with so much- but he will prove everyone, that the Fukaimi way is beyond charity, and philosophy. He will prove that their way is also a practical power.

Yoru bowed. "Yoru.  A son of a ronin. I was inspired by the first Ottokage himself. My father's sword is now mine- and it wielded for this nation and your family"

Raizo smile politlely, and it seems to be an expression that tattooed to his face.
*"Of course! I would be delighted to hear all of your tales!" I have studied about each of you, but to hear it right from the source is a diffrent thing entirly! How about... we shall sit for a tea? Just an unoffical meeting between... fellow kids! Yes!"* Raizo enthusiasim might sound to those with a sharp ear a bit.. fake
Not fake in the sinister way, more like someone who learned how to interact with "fellow kids" from a book.
*"My father speak highly of your's father, Kimiko-san may his soul rest in peace"* he reply and add  a slight bow to each of them

With Ryone, it give Raizo a chance to use a cheesy damiyo.line he has heard his father use.
*"You might not be able to talk, but I hear you."*
Raizo HAS to be perfect. It his duty.
If those ninjas risk their lives for him and his family, the very least he can do is to be perfect!
*"Kazuo Tanaka!"* Raizo say with a certain gasp

*"Humble. And we are might be relatives- I am a Tanaka as well!"*
It probably push the empty hype of Kazuo even further.
*"Thank you, Hizuka-san."*

the servants run around to prepare for an "unoffical" tea meeting.



*Lord Tadano*

The Damiyo frowned 
*"You surely have a witty tongue, just like your mentor"* The bitter man dodge the trap, by sort of admitting to it's existence.
He can never trust his brother.
The cursed usurper.
Sometimes, he wondered if his brother somehow made the horse to throw him off.
*"Well. In Odokuro's memories, I will keep respect the autonomy of the Sound Village. Odokuro was.. "*
his expression soften.
*"A friend. I dont want our's work to go to waste."*

Nozojo sigh somberly.
"It's natural, Lord. Odokuro was a living legend- but he picked me, because any war has to have meaning and porpuse-  you might look down on my radio project, but I let many voices to be heard and lift the national spirit!"

Lord Tadano scratch his beard, with a somber expression and sighed.
"Please forgive the pain of a bitter and broken man, young Ishikawa-san. I sometimes forget, how unique it is for the Hope Generation to NOT to be veterans before puberty." he look at Jirou.
*"I might be not very kind- but I am not a lier. I will give you a fair chance- but I am openly preffer Ameoku- she is a war hero, geniouse, and doing great with the Anbu with our limitied resources."*
Tnough, agewise Tadano isnt older then Jirou's parents- but he is sick and bitter.

Nozojo smile. "And that why I think the Ottokage title won't suite her. A good katana need a hand to hold it, but without a hand..."
Tadano mood twist again.
"At least she manage not to insult the Fukaimi clan. If we press on them too much, I am certain other villages will welcome them."
His wife try to soften it.
"Well. We can trust the ninjas to deal.with their own misunderstandings. Why dont we all go to the big meeting?"
With more people, her huaband were... more leaning toward his manners.

*Spoiler: radio training*
Show



OOC: It's fine. At least as it is now, it extremly costly- 
Nozojo basicly injected a mini radio station into the brain, which include wierd metals and chemicals.
Jirou got a slightly improved version-
and it cant be great to the brain to have sich implant.
  + It cost a lot of chakra, abd Nozojo drugging himself to an almost literal death, to withstand it.
  Nozojo isnt even 40 and he is dieing.
In a way, Radio jutsu should be a forbidden  technique, but it less on the eldritch side and more on the.. mechanical(?) side.
And a third limit, it is depend on having antenas around;
radiowaves go eveeywhere, but the human abilty to interact with them require recivers.

It's not something you just spam and kill everyone with.
In a way, it also a sucidical technique, just more.. elegant(?) 
My idea for it, was the pinnacle of suicidal detetmination, but also with diverse usage and in the theme of sound.

OFC, Jirou with better resources and conditions (Nozojo has devolped it as an officaly a genin during the Rice Indepdence War)

"Well. Yes.  True. funny that you have mentioned the range- I am sacrificing a big antena for this example, so pay attention."
Nozojo start to do the hand seals of... the Last Shout Technique- Jirou should recongnize it- it's an obligatory technqiue to pass as  a Genin at Ottogakure.
Nozojo grow paler as his life force is drained, but near the end of the jutsu, he add... the horse sign.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...sLVlAsZZtXTy&s

he end the technqiue and made the final motion- and then... from few kilometers away a big explosion is heard.
"We can transfer sound based jutsus troigh the radio waves as long there are antenas."
He fall to his knees, taking pills to renew his stamina and chakra.
"If Konoha ever invade us again- I CAN be everywhere- anywhere with an antena, is a place where I can send sound and genjutsu techniques."
He take a deep breath.
"But my regular usage and the most important is... influencing the masses. Life is hard. I am raising the people spirit, their trust in our common goal. I do high quality content if may I so myself, but.. it's just another push. I dont want to brag... but I think my radio was as essential to our indepdence as the first Ottokage's power and charisma."






- - - Updated - - -

*Usagi*

Usagi glare at Raizo and... jump away.
A sudden burst of unexplained anxiety attack her.
_"No! Nonono! Why now?!"_
she reach the roof, holding her head,  as her own voice echo in her head.
_"This spoiled privliged brat. Why foes he get to be respected, to have living parents and be filthy rich?!"_
her hand shaking reached a kunai, her eye twitched.
*"SHUTTUP!"* she bark at herself, pull away her scarf, and scrath the scar to reopen it.
It was the pain and also her rivalry-admire of Kimiko that has snapped her out of.. whatever it was.
She shook, as the anxiety escaped... but she was injured. How the #^@*@ can she explain it?
She cant be helpless!
Silently she start to bandage and clean herself.

Was it a cackling that echoed somewhere?
It's fine. It"s all fine.
She will get back and say she had to use the bathroom.



*Raizo*

Raizo have noticed the quick departure of Usagi, and deciddd not to react to it- just to take a mental note.
Shame. Her tale was very inspiring, especialy considering his father's history.
Mauywo Fukaimi just bowed  with a serene expression.
"My service is part of the greater harmony, young lord." his face is expressionless.
He felt disdain to more or less... anything.
But he had to compromise. 
His clan had to compromise with so much- but he will prove everyone, that the Fukaimi way is beyond charity, and philosophy. He will prove that their way is also a practical power.

Yoru bowed. "Yoru.  A son of a ronin. I was inspired by the first Ottokage himself. My father's sword is now mine- and it wielded for this nation and your family"

Raizo smile politlely, and it seems to be an expression that tattooed to his face.
*"Of course! I would be delighted to hear all of your tales!" I have studied about each of you, but to hear it right from the source is a diffrent thing entirly! How about... we shall sit for a tea? Just an unoffical meeting between... fellow kids! Yes!"* Raizo enthusiasim might sound to those with a sharp ear a bit.. fake
Not fake in the sinister way, more like someone who learned how to interact with "fellow kids" from a book.
*"My father speak highly of your's father, Kimiko-san may his soul rest in peace"* he reply and add  a slight bow to each of them

With Ryone, it give Raizo a chance to use a cheesy damiyo.line he has heard his father use.
*"You might not be able to talk, but I hear you."*
Raizo HAS to be perfect. It his duty.
If those ninjas risk their lives for him and his family, the very least he can do is to be perfect!
*"Kazuo Tanaka!"* Raizo say with a certain gasp

*"Humble. And we are might be relatives- I am a Tanaka as well!"*
It probably push the empty hype of Kazuo even further.
*"Thank you, Hizuka-san."*

the servants run around to prepare for an "unoffical" tea meeting.



*Lord Tadano*

The Damiyo frowned 
*"You surely have a witty tongue, just like your mentor"* The bitter man dodge the trap, by sort of admitting to it's existence.
He can never trust his brother.
The cursed usurper.
Sometimes, he wondered if his brother somehow made the horse to throw him off.
*"Well. In Odokuro's memories, I will keep respect the autonomy of the Sound Village. Odokuro was.. "*
his expression soften.
*"A friend. I dont want our's work to go to waste."*

Nozojo sigh somberly.
"It's natural, Lord. Odokuro was a living legend- but he picked me, because any war has to have meaning and porpuse-  you might look down on my radio project, but I let many voices to be heard and lift the national spirit!"

Lord Tadano scratch his beard, with a somber expression and sighed.
"Please forgive the pain of a bitter and broken man, young Ishikawa-san. I sometimes forget, how unique it is for the Hope Generation to NOT to be veterans before puberty." he look at Jirou.
*"I might be not very kind- but I am not a lier. I will give you a fair chance- but I am openly preffer Ameoku- she is a war hero, geniouse, and doing great with the Anbu with our limitied resources."*
Tnough, agewise Tadano isnt older then Jirou's parents- but he is sick and bitter.

Nozojo smile. "And that why I think the Ottokage title won't suite her. A good katana need a hand to hold it, but without a hand..."
Tadano mood twist again.
"At least she manage not to insult the Fukaimi clan. If we press on them too much, I am certain other villages will welcome them."
His wife try to soften it.
"Well. We can trust the ninjas to deal.with their own misunderstandings. Why dont we all go to the big meeting?"
With more people, her huaband were... more leaning toward his manners.

*Spoiler: radio training*
Show



OOC: It's fine. At least as it is now, it extremly costly- 
Nozojo basicly injected a mini radio station into the brain, which include wierd metals and chemicals.
Jirou got a slightly improved version-
and it cant be great to the brain to have sich implant.
  + It cost a lot of chakra, abd Nozojo drugging himself to an almost literal death, to withstand it.
  Nozojo isnt even 40 and he is dieing.
In a way, Radio jutsu should be a forbidden  technique, but it less on the eldritch side and more on the.. mechanical(?) side.
And a third limit, it is depend on having antenas around;
radiowaves go eveeywhere, but the human abilty to interact with them require recivers.

It's not something you just spam and kill everyone with.
In a way, it also a sucidical technique, just more.. elegant(?) 
My idea for it, was the pinnacle of suicidal detetmination, but also with diverse usage and in the theme of sound.

OFC, Jirou with better resources and conditions (Nozojo has devolped it as an officaly a genin during the Rice Indepdence War)

"Well. Yes.  True. funny that you have mentioned the range- I am sacrificing a big antena for this example, so pay attention."
Nozojo start to do the hand seals of... the Last Shout Technique- Jirou should recongnize it- it's an obligatory technqiue to pass as  a Genin at Ottogakure.
Nozojo grow paler as his life force is drained, but near the end of the jutsu, he add... the horse sign.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...sLVlAsZZtXTy&s

he end the technqiue and made the final motion- and then... from few kilometers away a big explosion is heard.
"We can transfer sound based jutsus troigh the radio waves as long there are antenas."
He fall to his knees, taking pills to renew his stamina and chakra.
"If Konoha ever invade us again- I CAN be everywhere- anywhere with an antena, is a place where I can send sound and genjutsu techniques."
He take a deep breath.
"But my regular usage and the most important is... influencing the masses. Life is hard. I am raising the people spirit, their trust in our common goal. I do high quality content if may I so myself, but.. it's just another push. I dont want to brag... but I think my radio was as essential to our indepdence as the first Ottokage's power and charisma."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*



> "The first thing to do is to decide which method of hand-to-hand combat is most effective for you. I prefer a form of close-quarters combat focused on precise strikes and throws but differant bodies are built or differant kinds of movement."
> 
> The humanoid serpent takes a stance not unlike a boxer. "Show me what you've got."


Yuyuyu will take a stance taught to all Otogakure academy students and begins a standard attack pattern with her fists. Her taijutsu was average for a ninja, but as she fights begins trying to incorporate feints and misdirection into her strikes, some of her movements are a bit dance-like, reminiscent of the dance she did earlier seemingly out of habit or unconscious movement than anything intentional. Its clear she was only taught what everyone else was and was only mixing it with other things because of her own creativity, tendencies and preferences. There is potential for a style more fitting to her and what she is doing, she has just yet to find or learn it. 

*Jirou:*
"Thank you for the compliment Daimyo-sama. I am sure I can come to an understanding with the Fukaimi clan."
He would have to come up with something to keep their favor when this was all over. He walks with them into the big meeting room.

*Spoiler: Radio Training:*
Show


"Indeed, a radio tower like this....would it not also help in such matters of trust and connection in Port Sake? We make one there and it could broadcast more general things to lift not only the spirits of our ninja but the people of all this nation. Show that we're not some place apart from them, build trust, morale, perhaps even be a center of news and information for them apart from the newspapers. If we're worried about spies figuring out how this tower works, it already dominates our skyline. Any spy would simply have to look up at it and be curious as to what it is to discover its existence to begin investigating, so I doubt its more mundane secrets would remain so forever. However if I can keep the significantly more secret radio jutsu you've taught me safe while spreading the medium through which its used...there is potential there. Imagine if we can use such jutsu to defend Port Sake as well. Imagine if Konoha stole the designs for our radio tower without knowing what we can do with it, only to find out that we could exploit them having it as a weakness against them. How ironic would that be?"
Jirou muses while appreciating the distant destruction.



*Genin Tales 1:*
Kimiko sits down, being noble-like and elegant as she can as expected of her station.
"Oh why thank you Raizo-sama, but I never really knew him all that well."
She remembers what her mother talked about, about her father, what he did. But the past is the past. Her future as the collector of all jutsu awaits, and she won't get anywhere towards that by dwelling upon it. She begins telling a tale as she sips some tea.
"Hyuhyu, Let me tell of the tale, my first time I fought an enemy ninja, my lord: You see it was my team was sent on test by our captain, not even supposed to be a real mission, we were supposed to infiltrate the Broken Record Club and sing a song as a band. We would take the place of a band called the Bye-Bye Kitties, do some harmless knocking out, some singing and everything would be fine, they were dropout ninja worry not they could handle some rough housing as it were. When suddenly that fiend Futility-san, a ninja speaking of despair and darkness showed up to try and kill us all, locking us in the back room and trying to fill the room by pouring acid into it! So we and the Bye-Bye Kitties climbed to the attic and fought Futility-san on the roof! With my brilliant tactics and of scattering paper bombs everywhere to establish a zone of control I was already figuring out a way around his terrifying mind reading abilities and with a replacement jutsu outwitted him to cut off his head when he least expected it! But alas, he probably used his mind reading to cheat and figure out that the Bye-Bye Kitties being ninja dropouts never mastered such a technique to evade attacks and took advantage of their incomplete training to injure them! A last move out of pathetic spite no doubt to keep me from total victory. But nevertheless I was victorious, saving the Bye-Bye Kitties lives with my shining brilliant presence, as Futility-san no doubt would've killed them all if I hadn't intervened."
If Usagi hears, she knows it is a distorted retelling. Kimiko ignores the voice in the back of her head that their injuries were her fault, ignores it whispering that she could've instead worked to save them instead of going for the kill. That she had been the strongest, smartest shinobi there and that it was on her that she didn't work to save them. Ignores the pain she felt when she beheaded him. Ignores that Team 3 was the real target and they probably got the Bye-Bye Kitties caught in the crossfire because they went there. But the alternative was to admit her mistakes in front of him. 

Hizuka looks tiredly at Kimiko, knowing that it her ego talking but unable to contest it with facts. She tells her own like a noir story:
"How lucky for you. Let me tell of you of one my missions: It was a C-rank. We had gone out to investigate a murder at a factory. One of the bosses had died to someone's blade, but the workers were all thankful that he was dead for some reason. Questioning them it revealed that the boss was treating his workers badly, making them work unreasonable hours and was against reducing the pollution that the factory produced. Almost everyone there had some motive for killing him, so we had to narrow the culprits to who could've actually physically done it. We did so until we found the only person who could've possibly done it- then suddenly they bolted. we attacked but their disguise dispelled revealing them to be a red-masked  rogue ninja with purple clothing, who gave back the unconscious worker they replaced to pull this off. They proclaimed that the murder was "for the greater good" and was only sticking around in case anyone with similar policies about the factory was put into his position, ready to kill again. We of course tried to capture this shinobi but they escaped and no matter how much me and Team 4 searched, we could not find them again. We didn't know who they were, and for all we knew they were lying about why they did it. It was one that had gotten away, leaving only rain in the dark cloudy skies. To this day I wonder what greater good they were talking about, or if it was good at all."

----------


## Rater202

> *Yuyuyu:*Yuyuyu will take a stance taught to all Otogakure academy students and begins a standard attack pattern with her fists. Her taijutsu was average for a ninja, but as she fights begins trying to incorporate feints and misdirection into her strikes, some of her movements are a bit dance-like, reminiscent of the dance she did earlier seemingly out of habit or unconscious movement than anything intentional. Its clear she was only taught what everyone else was and was only mixing it with other things because of her own creativity, tendencies and preferences. There is potential for a style more fitting to her and what she is doing, she has just yet to find or learn it.


It is readily apart that, even holding back, that Yorokobi is not taking this spar seriously.

After about ten minutes, she stops you.

"About what i suspect, a one size fits all style meant for mass production of basic competence rather than true mastery of the individual. Still, it's better than nothing."

"Once you've caught your breath, I want you to just... Go wild. Run around, jump, throw your arms and legs around in whatever way feels most natural."Senko notes Usagi's departure.

...She has a bad feeling about this. Very discreetly she transforms a finger into a law and cuts herself, trying to dispel any genjusu effects that might be affecting herself.

Senko can't help but think that this whole thing is some kind of trap, the Otokage using the whole Hope Generation as bait to lure out Ottomaru and his collaborators.

She makes a note to ask Usagi what really happened as soon as they're alone. that was just a little too spooky

"I am the current Snake Sage. Stole the contract right out from under the nose of the leaf village, they have to come to me if they want to maintain their tradition of snake summoners. Youngest sage on record."

If people are bragging without context.

----------


## igordragonian

Usagi sneak to a bathroom to clean her bleeding neck.
In the reflection in the mirror, Naggaishi the rabbit queen has appeared.
"Do not be helpless." she demanded before the reflection turned again to be a pale, wide eyed Usagi
"I know! I know!" she barked



---------

Summit Room-
Many important people waited around a "pie" form of tradional low tables, tea, and tradtional high society meal.
On the walls were decoration of musical instrent Yukais.
Some of them were mayors of towns, one was even a representive of Kurokaze Inc- the corpration that economicaly control the Land Of The Wind, and focused on oil and transporation. (Mostly trains).
They are intrested in the rice of the Land Of Rice, and also using alliance with them as a bragaining chip against the Land Of Fire.
But they have quite the dark and greedy reputation to slowly take over econimacly where ever they are allowed, so Lord Tadano never agreed to anything seriouse with them, but he neither cant completly ignore them. 
But Kinsaiku seemed like a young and cute girl https://c4.wallpaperflare.com/wallpa...er-preview.jpg
nothing like the dark rumors about Kurokaze Inc!
Jirou's mother might have reported to Jirou  and/or Nozojo about Ameku meeting Kinsaiku at least once.
But she couldnt discover what were they talking about.
Kinsaiku is accompanied by a Sand chunin as a guard who stood behind her.
She could of course allow herself a Junin guard, but in small countries like the Rice, it made the locals... nervouse.
Everybody rose up and bowed with respect, just as Kinsaiku who looked about Jirou's age.
"Tadano-Dono! The Secont Ottokage! Jirou-Sama! What a great honor to see all three of you!' She say sweetly.
Lord Tadano looked annoyed.
"...Always happy.. to see... buisness intatives in my country' he grumbled.
Nozojo. "I am always happy to see energetic and brave youth." he smile.

-------
*Spoiler: Radio Ninja Trainings*
Show


"It's a good idea, I have thought about. But our Damiyo has banned such intatives. He isnt a ninja, but this old bastard has insticts that tell him, that in our radio system there is more then meet the eye... and I have failed to gain enough of his trust." he explain and put a hand over Jirou's shoulder.
"I *hope* you can suceed in where I have failed. My time is almost over, I wish I could have trained you in more humane pace, but I dont have the time."


)In general,I have achieved what I wanted with this scene)







"Unoffical" Tea Party with the young lord.
Raizo smiled aprovingly.
"It is very impressive, young lady Ishikawa. What a resolve to adapt to a worsening situation! I do hope those "bye bye kitties", are in well condition now. I have heard, of the sympathy your village show to their weaker members. It's admirable." he give an exact praise.
Thankfully, right now Usagi sulking at the bathroom,instead of causing a scene.

"A very wise soluation to a very complicated situation." he say to Hizuka.
"You did very well!"
Yoroi:"Well, our team were tasked with bunch of bandits supported by Ronins and missing nins! Gurasu-" he slap the back of the Komoro bat-nin dork from his team. "Thought that we would beed  backup! Hahaha! But our Captain were certain we can do it! With the combined super hearing abilities of Mayuwo and Gurasu we mapped where exactly were any of them, and even discovered women they have kidnapped for..." He paused a bit.
Mayuwo tried to keep his serene expression and not to frown.
"Unsavory buisness." he completed Yoroi who has continued.
"Yes!" Yoroi said excited. "I have challenged the bulk of them, and had to resort to use the curse of my blade, while Mayuwu and the captain has defeated the bosses with a series of exact surprise attacks ahd Gurasu has led the kidnapped women to safey using his fluffy ears!"
And Yoroi has grabbed Gurasu's bat ear.
"Ouch ouch ouch!"
"Our teamwork was flawless!" Yoroi said with pride.
A muscle twitched in Mayuwu's face. He hated to cooperate with a woman- let alone a scandlouse one as Nekazuko!
He said nothing.
Raizo nodded. "A team work is the secret for every succesful orgnization!"

Raizo look at Senko with much respect. "I bet the servants of my cousins are very frusrated! Haha!" he chuckle a bit, though it's an "offical chuckle"- he was taught to show his "michivouse and humane side" when the oppurtinity show itself.
"Very good!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She nods then begins....spinning, prancing, twirling, doing random elegant movements, swaying and turning and doing everything in flowing movements simply because she wanted to be beautiful, she wanted to be elegant and artistic, wanted to express finesse and flexibility, she wanted flow like water, blow and back and forth like the wind, she just...naturally wants to move like that. Like a more free and improvisational form of the classic dance she showed Yorokobi earlier. 

*Jirou:*
He says politely in response
"Please to meet you as well, Kinsaiku-san."
He keeps himself way even as he greets her. She could be a ninja in disguise, or simply a civilian being paid by Suna to spy on Sound and Rice on the side. You can never have enough information and a most people can never have enough money. But her talks with Ameoku says something different: as liaison between Ameoku and Suna? Perhaps this is the source of Ameoku's confidence in victory, she wishes to get Suna's help in defeating Konoha. It would certainly significantly increase the odds. However he wondered if Suna's part in this was genuine. Konoha was more economically and politically powerful an ally, granted just as dangerous a foe potentially but they had an alliance for a reason: In the current politics Kumo and Iwa were allied against Konoha if they ever attacked, Konoha and Suna were allied against those if they ever attacked, and Kirigakure was currently on its own due to its Yagurist ideology. Destroying Konoha would leave Suna vulnerable to Iwa and Kumo teaming up on them. But then again, Suna could gain a lot of good will with Iwa at the very least by including them into the plans, but the idea of potentially letting Iwa in on such a plan when both nations have very dry land and hard to farm lands would leave too much open to competition over the spoils- namely, the bountiful food and water Fire Country possesses. Both Iwa and Suna would want that for themselves. 

Jirou didn't know what their plan was or whether he was even right, but his educated guess, his instincts, told him Sunagakure was setting up Sound Village to fail. If Suna worked out an alternate deal with Konoha to gain the land of Rice for themselves if they let the sound village die rather than helping them for example, Suna could gain the Land of Rice's bountiful lands for themselves without the risk of starting the Fourth Shinobi War. Make a false promise, not help and warn Konoha of the attack, watch a minor village die to Konoha, get lands to feed the Land of Wind. Made a lot of sense. Doesn't mean he is right, but thats what he'd put money on.

But enough speculation. 
"Its most unfortunate my fiancee could not attend this gathering, but she had to train someone with a different kind of potential than the genin we have here today. I guess I get to your enjoy your radiant company all to myself, Kinsaiku-san."
He gives her a sexy bishie smolder look at her. Offer a forbidden fruit in form of a husband promised to another, make her believe that he is a foolish man easily seduced by her wiles and that she could manipulate him, and he might just be able to bait out her plans with Ameoku. 

*Genin Tales 2:*
Team 2's Miho Kaguya starts telling a tale of their exploits:
"We went on a mission to take down a particularly large group of bandits that had been grouping up in the western region of the Land of Rice. We went in to find and defeat them so that they no longer posed a threat to our nation's people. When we encountered them, Kazuo must've sensed something was amiss for he ran away to respond to an attack from behind!"
Kazuo knows he just did it to run away in general and that he was a coward.
"Thankfully he took care of the ambush from behind, but that was not all of and we had to search to find the rest of them, but Kazuo is a better investigator than I, for when he came running back to report they were chasing after him!"
Kazuo knew that he just wanted to find a place to hide to wait out the mission and just by luck found the same place the bandits were hiding.
"After we took take of them, a ronin appeared, saying he led the bandits to try and unite them so they can survive together with numbers against a world that did not care for them, speaking of how they planned to gather an army to someday overthrow a minor nation so they can rule themselves. It was a fierce battle that all of Team 2 fought in, I matched his blade with my bones, Naneko attacked him from the side or from the shadows while our captain and Kazuo fought with sound attacks from range. Just when all hope seemed lost the ronin standing over us all gloating about the coldness of reality crushes all hope and all he would kill us, Kazuo, battered and beaten on the ground grabbed his leg and blasted soundwaves through it to take him out for good!"
"Aw come on Miho, you did the bulk of the straight up fighting against him, it took so much force for him to break through your bones! and Naneko was the one constantly setting up traps and wearing him down. I didn't do that much."
"But you did get the final blow, Hero of Otogakure" Naneko says
"Well....he was going to kill you guys and....I couldn't let that happen. Your my friends after all, and he was a jerk." Kazuo says with a surprising amount of determination.

"Hmph." says Tetsumi with bitterness. "How lucky you all are, to have such successful missions."
A different tone begins to set in as she tells her tale with a focused, intense glare
"It was recently, about a week ago, fresh in my mind. I thought I was a normal ninja, normal genin, not notable at all. Me and my team were escorting a shipment of goods to Port Sake from some other nation. We didn't know what was within it, but apparently it was enough for a rogue shinobi to show up to take whatever was within. We fought as best we can, but the rogue shinobi killed Emari, my friend and I stopped in shock, Captain Miyabira suddenly jumped afterwards trying to stop the shinobi afterwards fighting as hard they could, but the captain.....she was killed as well. My despair suddenly turned to rage and I sang my song of vengeance, a great shriek that chased the rogue shinobi away from me and Ryone, grabbing whatever goods they were after on the way out. We had failed in our mission, and we took back their corpses to be buried with full honors for dying in the line of duty. 

From that day forward, whoever that rogue shinobi is...my thoughts are consumed by them. I will stop at nothing to one day find out who they were and pay them back for what they have done. My bloodline....my kekkei genkai...will be a weapon for my vengeance, a tool to realize their downfall for their deaths! I swear on it!"
Her speech shocks all the other genin into silence. This....wasn't appropriate for this kind of company. The tension is broken when Kimiko, not detecting the change in tone says still in nadeshiko mode:
"My my my, thats an exciting tale, Tetsumi. Congratulations on getting a kekkei genkai!"
Tetsumi narrows her eyes at Kimiko's insensitive comment
"....Tch. This is why I don't talk to people much anymore."
Tetsumi says, turning away to sulk. Most of the genin shoots Kimiko a dark glare.
"Hyu? What did I say?"

----------


## Rater202

*Yorokobi
*
The serpent smiles as she waits for Yuyuyu to finish. Yes, the girl has great potential.

*Tea Party.
*
"Kimiko-san, allow me: 'Congratulations on your friend and mentor being murdered in front of you.' It doesn't sound very nice, does it? But that's effectively what you said. And this might be hard for a clan-heiress to understand, but not every bloodline ability is a gift... something activated by despair and rage..."

Senko shakes her head.

"You're lucky that this is the only response you're getting. If you had responded to the story of my bloodline awakening with a congratulations, well... You know what I can be like when I get angry. I know it's difficult, the way you were raised, but please try to have a little more empathy."

"Testusmi-san," Senko says while turning to the genin in question, 'for whatever it's worth, you have my sincere condolences."

----------


## igordragonian

*Infront of Old Lord Tanaka*

Lord Tadano Tanaka was rolled by his wife to his spot at the center.
She took a seat by his right.

Nozojo smiled. "You have few minutes to flirt kids, I should take my seat for this scene."
He wave them casually and sit by the Damiyo's left.


Kinsaiku giggle, and pass the hair behind her ear.
"Ara ara. I think it's her fault. My fiance know his place."
"Mmm. Shame. I do enjoy... group meetings." she tease back.
"But I guess we can do. So...? Are you a good investment?" she ask


------


*in the presence ofYoung Lord Tanaka*

Mayuwu shook his head. "Women's hearts were not meant for tragedy"
Gurasu:"....You shouldnt say stuff like that..."

Mayuwu side glance him. "Oh. I have forgotten that truth is a sin."


But Raizo didnt noticed those bickerings.
His shell cracked. True feelings have bursted here. It wasnt something he could fix with reciting his lessons.
It was.. real.
https://youtu.be/57jtCz67Zfw
A tear dropped from his eye. his hands shook.
"-...servants, make sure my guests are treated well" he manage to say, before he run after Tetsumi.
Not because it was the right action to do, not the right policy, nor the tactical thing to do- it was.. humane. Spontanous, his legs carried him away.


"Wait!" he call after her.
"-Please! Wait!" he can run pretty fast.
(tainutsu level of an academy student.. which isnt bad for a politcian kid)

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She finishes with a backflip high into the air with ninja leaping height and landing with a cute pose on the ground.
"So....what you do think?"

*Kimiko:*
She falls silent wondering.
_Empathy? I need to learn....empathy?_
What one must understand is that empathy isn't a highly valued attribute in a shinobi. They are soldiers and tools meant to fight and kill others in the most efficient way possible, using any and all methods to achieve victory. Due to the human element, this ideal of closing off one's empathy entirely is not always achieved, indeed something like the Anbu is where its consistently achieved at all. But ninjas are largely still cautioned and taught against it, at least when it comes to their foes. Kimiko is simply a case where the training was a little too successful. 
_To learn empathy is dangerous. If I feel something for the foe on the battlefield that could impede my effectiveness. But its clearly a lack of it is not optimal in this situation. 

But then again my problem with killing people- is...is that what empathy is? This feeling of not wanting them to die, this urge to hold back my strikes....is what it feels like? Is this the same feeling as my friendships with Senko? Usagi? Yuyuyu? But then why did I not feel any just now....?

....perhaps my empathy is being misapplied. Perhaps I wasn't taught the best about empathy management from my mother who has admitted she is not the best shinobi and thus would make mistakes. She tried to just suppress my empathy without realizing the situations in which it might be useful like social infiltration. Thus I shouldn't just suppress my empathy but properly manage it like a horse, taking it and out of the stables when needed. Easier said than done. how do I even develop or manage my empathy? Maybe If I let it out now I can figure out how-
_
She imagines what if Senko and Usagi died on a mission and how she would feel about it. She immediately feels a great chasm, a dark abyss of emotion open up within her and a bunch of existential thoughts begin drifting through her mind involuntarily, her expression becoming....haunted.
_Oh kamis, is what empathy feels like!? This is painful and depressing! Why do people do this to themselves!?_
She shuts it off, shuts it all off, she doesn't want these thoughts, doesn't want to think about them, no no no, not at all, nope. But she still needed to save face.

Tetsumi acknowledges Senko saying
"Thank you Senko, its good to know someone cares."
Then Kimiko comes up and says
"My apologies Tetsumi-san, I should not have said that."
Tetsumi looks at her and says
"....I don't accept this apology."
"What!?"
She points at Kimiko with contempt on her face.
"With my kekkei genkai, the Heart-Listeners, I hear the emotions of others. Right now I heard a short burst of the song of Loss from you but you quickly suppressed it for confusion and surprise. Now your heart sings the song of manipulation and self benefit. You intentionally shut off your attempt at putting yourself into my shoes but tried to make an apology anyways so that you'd look good. I dislike dishonest people like you, Kimiko Ishikawa."
No different from any other ninja in her ears. Ever since she got the kekkei genkai, Tetsumi has heard how the songs of disingenuousness within people, observed how they feel one thing but say another, putting up false faces and saying fake sentiments. It sickened her how few people were truly honest in this world. Kimiko for her part is paralyzed in shock, not sure what to do now since manipulation and false faces is all she knows of social interaction.

Tetsumi turns and walks away after this, not caring for the tea party anymore.

----------


## Rater202

*Training.*

"I think you have a great deal of potential. The next step is the hardest part, rigid cookie cutter forms teach bad habits to people like us, whose bodies naturally want to move a certain way. You must unlearn any such things _without_ unlearning that which is useful from that style and while also conditioning your body to use its natural movements to your advantage. This will take time. Take a moment to rest and then e can start."

That of course, would take a while and would be best handled off-screen, however.

Before that however, during the training, Yorokobi asks.

"Out of curiosity, how well do you know the young snake who has attached herself to your teammate?"

*Tea Party*

"Sin, Mayuwu-san, is when you treat a person like a thing. An object."

"You see women and you don't see complex people, you see something with a specific purpose and call any woman who does not fall within your narrowly defined views as defective and any evidence to the contrary is ignored."

"Of course, you're not the only ones. The entire shinobi system is built around the idea of treating human beings like weapons... And it does not work. A weapon can not think for itself. A weapon can not bleed. A weapon can not mourn the loss of a comrade, a weapon can not go rogue, a weapon can not look at the person holding it and say 'no, this is wrong.' I can not help but wonder how many rogue ninja got their start because they received an order that they could not, on a moral level, comply with and yet it is they who are the criminals, not the superior who ordered such an immoral action."

"This mindset is what leads to things like a clan head arranging for their child to be married off before the child is old enough to have a say, something that would be considered rape in another context, and treat it as fine and normal because they got a political alliance or a sizable bride price from it. It is the kind of thing that results in a child growing up not knowing how to interact with people because they were not taught to see them as people. And it leads to far worse things besides..."

Senko thinks about Ottomaru for a moment.

"And as for tragedy? I dare say you would break if you had to go through half of what I lived through."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yuyuyu:*
She tilts her head considering the question
"Oh, Menko? She is loyal to Senko if a bit mischievous and snarky. But honestly thats a nice change of pace from Kimiko's huge ego and know it all attitude, Usagi's brashness and thirst for battle, and Senko's stoic bluntness about everything. I feel sorry for Odayama, I think he just wanted to have a normal team he could be a kind if lax mentor for and instead he got two geniuses and a battle-happy archer all with great ambitions and problems. Oh! but thats off-topic, other than that I don't know Menko that well? She seems nice."

*Jirou:*
He responds languidly and suggestively
"You better believe it. You can invest in me you all want, my stocks? Are rising, and with you, they will go sky-high, right through the roof. How about we go find somewhere quiet to discuss our potential.....business deal?"

*Kimiko:*
She recovers from her rejected apology and turns to Mayuwo.
"Hyu. You wouldn't know truth if bit you in the behind, Fukaimi. Besides everyone knows that I got better scores than you. Senko's right on the money about you, and I can prove that I can beat you any day of the week. The only tragedy here will be how much you can't handle ME, Mayuwo!"
"Yeah!" says Naneko
"you tell him!" says Miho
"Screw you Fukaimi, I'll take enduring Kimiko over you any day." says Hizuka
Ryone holds up: TETSUMI IS NOT BROKEN, SHE'S JUST HAVING A HARD TIME YOU EAR-JERK. on her chalkboard. 
Kimiko was an insensitive jerk but she was their female jerk to unite against the sexist male one. 

*Tetsumi:*
Raizo will find Tetsumi standing on the fence of somewhere staring outwards, brooding like the edgy vengeance-filled girl she is. She hears Raizo's cries and song of distress within, so she turns to look at him.
"Raizo-sama. Why are you here? No wait I can hear to an extent, your feelings within says that you feel...surprised. distraught. You have never experienced the pain of a shinobi's life have you? Perhaps even, any life outside of your manor. It makes sense. Politicians do not want their children to be targeted by their enemies. This is new to you."

----------


## igordragonian

Mayuwu rolled his eyes, and looked up with an expression of a martyr.
He look annoyed at Senko and sighed deeply.
Gurasu and Yoroi moved away from him- it wasn't a thing the abided to, and they were too tired to argue about it with him.
"No. This isnt what our monastic order- or "clan" is all about at all." He say flatly.

"There is harmony in the world, there are male roles and female roles.  I have a mother, sister, female relatives in my clan- do you think I dont care for them?" he shake his head.
"It's just the wrong role for women to be- there are things, no matter how much I would like to do, I shouldn't do- because I am male. If the world would have followed such a simple and basic philosophy- everyone understanding their roles in the harmony, we would have lived already in world peace. But people keep pushing for chaos and to break the natural harmony. I can only be in charge for myself and my family- I even have to obey to a female captain... the best I can do, is to keep the harmony within my soul, and to feel pitty toward all the confused people who agonize in their own chaos."
He tilt his head.
"I would never suffer a tragedy- no matter what happens, my soul is pure and harmonic. " he say with self importance.
"Were you ever treated as a woman? A true woman in woman's role? Maybe this is why, you struggle with such an inner demon, Senko-san."

Gurasu shriek like  a bat. 
"Mayuwu! Stop!"
Mauywu give his temmate a dark side glance.
"Very well. I shall keep the path to harmony and happiness to myself."

But then he got challenged by Kimiko.
His perfectly adjusted eyebrows, frowned, his nearly closed off eyes, has opened with malice.
Yes. His clan explained to him, it doesnt matter, how strong women can be as ninjas- their souls were corrupted. He shouldn't see his advancment as a race.
This would be childish and pathetic- he only owe explanations to his own harmony 

But people didnt cared about that! His calm was disturbed, and he was disturbed by the fact it was disturbed.


Mayuwu's theme: https://youtu.be/CzjWIfNrDlA
or 
https://youtu.be/JDpff23sUOE

He gotten up at once, heated up.
"Grades given by people who spit on my faith? Ha! As if it prove anything! If your inner woman wish to learn why only men should fight, I am willing to teach you any day!"

Yoroi who were a "hot head" himself, tried to calm him down.
"Mayuwu, calm down, dont be silly-" he try to place his hand over his shoulder, Mayuwu dodge, and with a minimal movement pushed Yoroi back to sitting with an open palm push.
A vein popped in his forehead, he breathed heavily, baringly holding his grudges.


Gurasu squeaked. "Maybe we should call a grown up...this is... too much."

---------

Raizo 

---------
"Y-yes." his voice quiver.
"But it's not like I am spoiled!" He say apolgeticly.
"My father make sure I sleep on the same quality beds our servants sleep on! I eat the same food! I wake up before dawn to train basic taijutsu!"
He hold his face feeling his rare tears.
"-....But yes." he lower his head in shame.
"No matter how hard I work, study and train.... I never had the same hardships you real ninjas have, not even the struggles my father have.... I... try so much. I rarely ask for anything... but today I skipped my lessons to meet you all... something in my yearned for something real..."
He break down like... the kid he was.
"....But I'll never be a worthy leader, I am still too privliged... and am I worthy of carrying the cries of agony of my people?"
Quite the big words he hear on daily basis.
"....Please... allow me to try and share some of your burden." he ask quitly with none of highly mighty prince attitude.
Just a boy, want to be ... good.



-------

Usagi washed her neck. Took her crotched and waddled out.. possibly walking on pair of young adults?
----

Kinsaiku chuckle.
"Ara ara... right now?" she even blush  bit.
"You are quite impatient, shark-chan."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
"Ah, thats okay, that can wait of course as much time as you need, my name's Jirou by the way, so what about the Land of Rice is so interesting to Kurokaze Inc?"
Good, make him look like he stereotypically going for it right off the bat and now has to reel it back in and be more patient. When really this was his plan all along, now she will think all he was trying to do was get into her pants when its the conversation before it that he is really after.

*Tetsumi:*
She looks at him, her bitter expression unchanging.
"Of course you do. It is the nature of humanity to seek out experiences they don't know, and to feel sadness at the misfortune of themselves and others.

But what you ask.....is folly. To take on the pain of all the world unto yourself is to sacrifice your life, for pain is ever renewing and endless and you are but a single boy, not even fully grown. Not even daimyos can do such a thing. Within my hearing, all are but animals feeling emotions underneath stoic facades of duty and reputation. There is nothing about you I can hear that makes you different from any other person, in terms of emotion. All that is different- is your position.

My pain is my own, Raizo-sama. It is impossible for you to take it from me to experience it yourself, and it would be foolish for you to try and replicate the experience. No leader has ever truly shielded their people from pain- the good ones simply play damage control with the agony that already exists so that its minimalized or led them so they can endure and overcome it. The bad ones inflict more. That is all."

*Kimiko:*
"Hyuhyu, how foolish of you to assume something about all of humanity! Given that only your clan finds such roles harmonic, and this harmony clearly allows for different roles and standards already, what makes you think there isn't a greater harmony that divides those born Fukaimi and everyone else, and everyone who isn't Fukaimi is already living harmoniously? I may be a girl, but I'm not a Fukaimi girl, with a kekkei genkai and blue hair and everything so I'm clearly genetically different from a Fukaimi girl as you are. Maybe even more! Thus to force me to follow Fukaimi philosophy is to ignore that the genetic difference between Fukaimi and non-Fukaimi is probably more than those related to each other and thus against your harmonious philosophy because you'd be forcing an organism into being a role it isn't: a non-Fukaimi trying to be a Fukaimi, because I'm an Ishikawa.

Thus by your own philosophy's logic of genetic difference, my natural place in this world is more different than either of your gender roles. Get wrecked, droopy ear boy."
She grins as he pushes the other genin away with a palm strike.
"Oh whats that? you mad? I'm sure the daimyo will _love_ you being violent at this party. Go ahead idiot, start something see how he likes it, I'm sure it won't backfire on you in any way."

----------


## Rater202

*Yuyuyu*

Yorokobi grunts non-commitally and then returns to the training at hand.

*Senko: React*

Senko... Laughs.

Not sarcastically, not ironically. She explodes into genuine laughter. She's shaking violently as she does it.

"Hahah... I'm sorry but... You, a monk who lived a cloistered existence in a clan compound, are going to lecture me, a natural-born sage who spent half her life in the wilderness about harmony and natural roles? I'm sorry, but that's just so _****ing hysterical._"

Senko calms.

"Okay, take it from me, someone who can literally feel the flow of natural energy in this world, someone who was part of the food chain for years: Harmony is a lie. It's something made up by humans who romanticize the balance of nature. Balance itself doesn't exist in nature, it's imposed artificially by humans. And nature has no binaries, just blured spectrums."

"Do you think the he-wolf and the she-wolf divide their roles between male and female? No, both hunt and both raise the cubs. Bees have *three* sexes and none of them properly conform to the concept of male and female. None can tell the difference between the mother rabbit and the father rabbit when they both flees the predations of the fox. The tree, the grass, the flower? Are both male _and_ female and even in humans you'll sometimes get someone who was born with the characteristics of both sexes."

"The very idea of gender, of man and woman, was *made up* by humans. The only 'natural' roles in life are the niches that an organism evolved to fill, and that's a trait of the species, not the individual."

"Do you want to know what my natural role is? It's a fascinating story really, you see, my family are a branch of the Senju clan. My bloodline, as you call it, is a mutant form of wood release. You see, my uncle has been collecting information dating back to the time of the Sage of Six Paths, even interviewed beings who were alive at that time like the White Snake Sage, and it seems that the story of Kaguya Osusuki and the God-Tree are rather more literal than we thought. Obviously, things like he Rinnegan are probably exaggerations, but according to the white snake sage my Clan's powers are the same as the Ten-Tails."

"If true, that means that my natural role is to hunt and kill. To *devour others* in order to reclaim their chakra and hoard power for myself. To drain life itself from the world. It would certainly explain a lot, like the whole "flying into a homicidal rage if too much natural energy builds up in your body or you become too upset' thing."

"If your clan's cultish beliefs are that I should seek harmony by embracing my predetermined role... *Are you volunteering to be the first sacrifice?*"

"Or would you rather that I, as an enlightened human being, exercise my free will and ability to choose, that I continue to follow in the footsteps of my ancestors who rejected that destiny in favor of learning to control that power?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Other Genin: React*
"Indeed, my clan studies a lot of plants for people that use bone jutsu" Miho Kaguya comments "and plants are both male and female in their traits....wait what was that about Kaguya?"
"I can see harmony being a lie yes." Naneko comments "After all, war has been a constant truth of our world for generations. Death, destruction and violence hardly align with a such a concept, and we've done it since the first animal we've hunted, and the first hunting grounds humans fought over. Humans grew from nature and thus our natural tendencies clearly show what we're good at. Society arguably only makes more efficient what we used to do in a more disorganized manner."
"It is technology that allows us to cooperate through things like the radio, the printing press and thus letters, books, messages, record-keeping and so on. Thus harmony is entirely artificial. This is a good thing!" says Hizuka "an artificial harmony can be improved upon and built to be better! The nations we have would not exist without the communication systems to centralize them into something more unified and coordinated, or the military technology to make constant warfare less desirable, or the methods of education and information preservation to keep a sense of continuity and preserving the identity of our culture and nation. Thus is the power of science, technology and progress! Imagine if we had to pass down our lessons through oratory methods- two orators might remember something slightly differently and get into a fight over what really happened or how your really supposed to do this and that wouldn't be beneficial to the concept of harmony at all."
Hizuka grins.
"Both you and Senko are just bragging about your genealogies, about the old legacies of arrogant nobility. The future of Otogakure and humanity lies in the future, in science, technology and progress, not the past."
Ryone holds up her chalkboard:
I'M MUTE. WAS BORN LIKE THAT. NO HARMONY WITH NATURE, JUST DEFECT WITH NO ADVANTAGE. 
She erases all that then scribbles:
NATURAL HARMONY IS BULL. >:(
"Hyuhyu, Girls please, let me handle this Fukaimi fool myself. I appreciate the backup, but I am perfectly capable of beating Mayuwo in any field all by myself. Fukaimi, consider what Senko said about nature, but said by me. Now imagine me ending it with "and your niche in life, Mayuwo is clearly to be a seething droopy-eared **** who doesn't know how science works because cause your father's too busy at work while your mother teaches you garbage because she was taught garbage, your clan's niche is to be a bunch of monks who are really bad at forsaking earthly attachments, and your personality's the punishment they have to endure." you mad? Good, what you gonna do about it? Whatever games we play at this party, I'll beat you. Thats a promise-no, a guarantee."
She says throwing some disses, if not a roast of the Fukaimi clan. Mayuwo is her rival to slam after all, she has to be the one to stand out above all the rest.

Tetsumi is still with the young daimyo and thus cannot comment.

and where's Kazuo? he snuck off around the time Mayuwo started talking and the girls started getting angry. He wasn't getting involved in this, he is chilling in his room, enjoying the quiet for once. He is happy and relaxed even its just for a few moments. That and its a great way to avoid making enemies.

----------


## igordragonian

Big People Meeting-
In general, the Damiyo is relativly conservative, on one hand, not in hurry to accept changes he doesnt fully understand, but he is quite open to militarstic intatives- 
he has burning will for revenge against his brother who has usurped him.
On more case by case, he would help people in need, but careful not "to rock the boat".

Nozojo would be charming-annoying, and act more like an entertainet then a politician and be the wingman of Jirou at every chance.

Kinsaiku between flirts and double meaning speech, would convey that Kurokaze are intrested in steady supply of food and water- the main logistical weakness of the Land Of Wind.
Also, she claim they have a vision of a train  railroad that will start in the land of Wind and get through all the small countries between the big countries, to enhance the connection between them and create an alliance of the small countries under the support (and influence) of Kurokaze Inc.
Possibly hinting at Ameoku's big plan- a tight alliance between the small countries with devolped traffic between them.
Kinsaiku though, wont admit or deny if Jirou ask more directly.



-----  
Raizo will humbly accept Tetsumi's words, but would offer his friendship and ear.
Even offer a radio op that would allow her to call him directly.
Raizo is more humble and wise after this meeting...

----

Mayuwu would debate who debate him calmly as he can, but Kimiko challenging him putt him off.
"You are not worthy of throwing my harmony out of balance" and walk away.
Yoroi aplogize and sigh, walking away, feeling uncomftrable, Gurasu stay but keep apologizing.
"He... is even more problematic then the other Fukaimis. He feel so haunted.. but he never speak of his real feelings.. "harmony this. harmony that." We are supposed to be cousin clans..  but we are so diffrent"


Usagi will calm down and join the others.
The party continue a bit more akward and stiff after those outbursts.
But it done when Raizo thank everyone and
"I'll be happy to see you all on my birthday tommorow." and give offical invitiation cards.
There is a dark shine in Usagi"s eyes.

Time to go to bed, or walk the city a bit- anyway the day is finally over.


-----
The morning is free as well.
everyone doing their thing-
Usagi is a bit distant and wierd, hyper focused on her trainings.
Yoroi talk to Samurais and spar with them.
Mayuwu medidate at the rock garden of the castle.

On parallel to the birthday party, Nozojo take the chunins, for their own meeting.
It rare to actually collect so many of them in one place- usually it ill advised, but at Sake Port it should be fine.
He and Jirou should be able to find any tech hearing devices and among the many diverse sound users it would be near impossible to spy on all of them.

He hire a bar, for relativly chill meeting- discussing their expriences with the hope generation and to speculate over the pre chunin exams.

Odayama allow himself to drink quite a lot.
He doesnt speak much, mostly frusrated and desprate.

Nekaozoko- his sister in law, and the Captain of Yoroi, Mayuwu and Gurasu sigh.
"What can I say? You Ottokage put me in charge of the small monk, sort of to spite them- and what can I say- it works. He is so spitefull. Not the point he isn't a great shinobi- because this self rightouse bastard is very skilled and smartass- but I feel like something dark brew in him. Actually among my genins, if any of them would explode and turn into a missing nin, it would be him. I dont know what to do- I tried to respect him, to taunt and show that I am capable.. but I cant reach his walls."


Odayama sigh, allowing himself this one hour of self pity and angst.
They also could see on screen the party, and  every time one of them would be physicaly close to the party in case something happens, but mostly it was handled by the Damiyo's guard.

-----


Raizo's Birthday Party- Hope Generation Gathering- Pre Chunin Exams.
-----

The great hall was moved for a "hello fellow kids" kind of party- ballons, tables with snacks and cakes, a setting that probably near alien to most of those soldier children, and also to Raizo himself,  who usually were raised in spartanic conditions.

The music 
https://youtu.be/WIKqgE4BwAY

was handled by the Bye Bye Kitties, so in a way it was a full reunion party- with the dropouts joining as the entertainment.
 The only wierd/clearly ninja thing was a teen looking girl, in generic Sound Ninja fashion- semi militarstic, semi punk attire, but no one would probably, recongnize this generic looking chunin, she is one of the Damiyo guard unit-
usually a good place for skilled but intervert shinobis who wanted comftrable life, without feeling like a waste.
"Hello! Dont mind old me!" she chuckle into the microphone.
"My name is Masuku, I am the youngest guard of the Damiyo, I am here to make sure you are having fun, and  to guide the games. You can also call me Fun-Dono!" she chuckle.
"There also would be fun points!" she wave a  fan made of tickets.
"Those with the most fun points will get a prize! And those naughty kids who I catch cheating or sending hands to me- will get a taste of my thunder kick-" and to demonstrate she kick into dust one of the tables

Raizo is a bit puzzled. "Isnt it a bit extreme, Masuku-san?" he ask.
Masuku chuckle. "Young lord, those are ninjas! They would get bored if I wouldnt be a tiny bit intense for them. Do you want your guests to get bored on your birthday young lord?" she ask overly sweetly.

"....No. I wouldnt" he agree.
"Very well then! In two minutes we are starting a game of... Yakuza*!" she say overly cheerfully.

(*aka.. mafia)
Masuku sit everyone in a big circle and explain the rules.
The Bye Bye kitties sing accodringly to the phases of the game.
"We have in general two sides- Ashigarus and Yakuzas. Most of you would be regular citizens on the side of the Ashigarus. During their night turn, Yakuzas pick as one together a target- failing to do so in 60 seconds will result in no assination." she explain.
"during their turn the Ashigarus pick as one someone to protect. Failing to  do so in 60 seconds will result in no defence." She explain.
"When someone is succefully assinated I will anounce so in the morning, and the victim is out of the game. Then a vote is cast of who to "hang"- one who get the most votes is also out. You maye talk and convince each other for three minutes. Failing to vote would lead to no excuation
Once all the Yakuzas are out- the "town" wins. When only Yakuzas are left- the  Yakuzas wins."

she add.
"There are also unique roles with unique goals-
the suicidal who win by dieing.
an Oni who just assinating indepdently of the Yakuzas. 
And the cultist- who start alone,but instead of  assinating making others to join his cult. Failing to follow the rules is auto loss. No questions? Good. Close your eyes and cover  faces to get your roles!

It supposed to be on random, and the genings shouldnt have a way to know otherwise.
But a comittere were gathered what role would challenge them the most.

Kimiko got.. a citizen role. Can her ego deal with that? Officaly her only role.. is to survive.

Senko get a Yakuza- actually all the Yakuzas are the less... socialy capable, because it would be hard to coordinate silently a target. 

Usagi get.. the suicidal.
For her to win she need... to lose.

"Night!" Masuku anounce.
"All heads down!  Yakuzas! Up!'



)You also can feel free to deal the roles to the other characters with the guidlines of them being the most challenging for them.)

----------


## Rater202

*At the tea meeting, final words.*

"I would need to talk with Uncle to confirm the exact details Miho-san, but the White Snake Sage says, and my uncle's research corroborates, that Otsusukis, including Kaguya and her sons, were real people and were very powerful. She also confirmed that there was truth to the story of the God-Tree and the Ten-Tails, and described the abilities of my clan's bloodline as being akin to the abilities of that creature on a smaller scale. I am still coping with the implications of that revelation."

"And, Hizuka-san, I apologize for the confusion but... I am not bragging. Do not get me wrong, I fully intend to use every advantage I have to their fullest, but... Trust me, it is _not_ worth it."

*At the Party.*

Honestly, Senko is just happy that she isn't the oni.

The first step for her is to see who the other Yakuza are.

----------


## igordragonian

There two other Yakuzas...
one is Mayuwu- picked for his anti social attitude.
And mm.
(I'll let Raziere pick the third one)

The Oni is probably Kazou who usually rely on others.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He will play the besotted fool as best he can then say
"Well I presume Kinsaiku-san, that you know that I may or may not be aiming for this idea for the minor nations of the shinobi nations. However I bet the Ameoku might or might not want the Lands of Wind's help in crushing Konoha in exchange for some economic deal of trade to get our food and water. Here is my hypothetical counter-offer assuming of course there is an offer to counter: I will offer that economic deal but without the need for a costly war and instead ask that Land of Wind back something I will call The Minor Countries League, a diplomatic international body through which the various minor nations can discuss their issues, and call upon mutual aid and support against stronger enemies. But I will not be limiting this body to minor nations- my hope is that it will grow and change with time to encompass everyone and helping the people of the Land of Wind would be perfectly in keeping with its principles.

Just imagine the nations being able to talk out their issues with each other in an honest, international forum instead of wasting precious time, money, lives and resources fighting."
He then gives her smolder look again.
"That....and who would you rather see again when visiting Otogakure?"

*The Time Between:*
Tetsumi Shiraki will consider it for a moment then take the radio op while broodily grunting a thanks.

Jirou will attempt to apologize to Odayama for what he said, hating him seeing him do this to himself.

Jirou will also speculate on the Genin:
"I don't think Naneko will particularly struggle with any role in the Yakuza game, she is second only to Yuyuyu in social skills. Miho Kaguya while she is a relatively honest, calm and passive sort, a reputation for honesty can actually be an advantage when playing the yakuza role as few would suspect her of lying but I think she is too mild to be feel strongly about any role you throw at her. Kimiko's ego will simply fill the role she has been given to turn it into something she thinks sounds awesome to her own preferences. Ryone is at a disadvantage due to her muteness no matter her role, while Tetsumi's performance relies entirely on whether her kekkei genkai to hear emotions is cheating or not- she could use it to hear any contradictions between outward expression and inward feeling to call people out on their lies, if she is allowed to use it this could be over very quickly, but I'm guessing the challenge for her is to be able to work without her newly acquired kekkei genkai?"

Kimiko continues her own training in private.

Miho Kaguya, Naneko Masuku, Kazuo Tanaka, Ryone Aihoshi, and Gurasu if they can persuade her/him/them, to have a general fun time on the town while they can. 

*A Game of Yakuza: Night*
In the game of Yakuza, there are generally recommended to be two yakuza members. This is generally recommended for any game of 6-10 people, between teams 1, 2, 3 and 5, there are 12 Genin. This is close enough to ten that one probably doesn't need a third person, especially if a role like the Oni is being used for the third killer, but three yakuza is fine. Due to the nature of the game night phases are silent, conducted entirely through gestures, pointing and so on so that no information is revealed to the citizens.

Senko finds that the third Yakuza is.....Hizuka Okukaga, being a less socially capable nerd just like Senko or Kimiko but also kind of disliking both Mayuwo and Senko, making her angry that she is teamed up with them. Yeah this is going to be hard to coordinate.

Kazuo is nervous covering his face and head down. He'd be nervous no matter his role, but he is currently thinking what in the world is he going to do? Him, Oni? Why?

_Kimiko: Be a Total Disguised Toast about this_
Meanwhile, Kimiko even when she is heads-down 'sleeping', is thinking about how the game could go and what her strategy was. Her brilliant mind calculates that given the number of people here, that the yakuza in optimal conditions has a 50% chance to win, if the ashigaru has nothing better than random chance to identify the yakuza. However the inclusion of other roles other than yakuza and ashigaru throws off this mathematical simulation. The Oni adds a third player that can kill and thus could help or hinder the ashigaru. the cult leader adds a faction that can grow and could lead to a united voting block that out votes everyone if not eliminated early, and the suicidal creates incentive against voting people out on a knee-jerk reaction. Her goal was to survive. Her ego sees the citizen role as a challenge: win without any gimmicks and thus become the greatest unofficial detective! 

The problem was she has never played this game before and it relied on social deduction and deception-not her strong suit. She knew Yuyuyu would probably be unbeatable at this game, no matter the role. Therefore she had to figure out how to win without cheating, without any certainty of gaining clues to figure out who is what. A normal investigation would have evidence, clues and like to narrow things down, but here its all reading others. Therefore her strategy had to be about focusing on deceiving people and getting rid of who is most likely to be good at the game. She forms a mental map of who is playing and what role she'd think they'd be good at:

*Spoiler: Kimiko's Mindmap*
Show

1-Kimiko Ishikawa, Ashigaru
2-Usagi, Unknown (Roles she'd excel in/Excel Roles: Oni, Yakuza)
3-Senko, Unknown (Excel Roles: Cult Leader, Ashigaru, but also Suicidal due to her willingness to call people out and thus provoke their emotions to focus on her)
4-Miho Kaguya, Unknown (Excel Roles: Ashigaru, she has little skill in the way of deception, is honest and thus better suited to finding yakuza than being one)
5-Naneko Masuku, Unknown (Excel Roles: Ashigaru or Yakuza, she is taught to not stand out and to blend in thus would be less of a target for either side)
6-Kazuo Tanaka, Unknown (Excel Roles: Unsure, is his humility and constant proclamations that he is just lucky true or just a mask?)
7-Hizuka Okukaga, Unknown (Excel Roles: Unsure, her personality seems to be a weird blend of Usagi and Senko who are very contrasting)
8-Ryone Aihoshi, Unknown (Excel Roles: None, her inability to speak impairs her ability to defend herself from accusation)
9-Tetsumi Shiraki, Unknown (Excel Roles: With her Kekkei Genkai, presumably all of them? Without it, Oni)
10-Mayuwo Fukaimi, Unknown (Excel Roles: Unsure, he might relish the chance to be Oni/Yakuza to eliminate many women)
11-Yoroi, Unknown (Excel Roles: Unsure, Yoroi seems similar to Usagi so maybe Oni/Yakuza?)
12-Gurasu Komoro, Unknown (Excel Roles: Unsure. is nervous and timid)
13-Raizo, Unknown (Excel Roles: Unsure, Cult Leader or Ashigaru?)


Yes, soon her 999,999,999 I.Q. Plays will carry her to victory. They stood no chance against her genius fivehead galaxy-brain stratagems! She even took into account that being the smartest person in the room made her the biggest target

----------


## Rater202

Upon seeing her fellow Yakuza are the raging misogynist and her own rival, Senko immediately concludes that there's no way this was a coincidence.

It's clearly some kind of test and... The prize...

...There are an awful lot of adult ninja here for just a birthday party. The senseis could be weirrten off as young genin needing a guardian but Ameoku? The Otokage? Jirou?... No.

Senko is now operating ont he assumption that the prize is either the winner's team being sent to the Chunin exams.

So there's the rub... How does Senko make sure that not just she, but a member of her team, is the winner?

She looks at the non-yakuza... Particular her own teammates, while thinking over which of them are in what wole...

Kimiko-san would be excellent in the position of a cult leader, so that can be ruled out... And she'd like being an Ashigaru or The Oni.

...As would Usagi-san.

So, operating on the assumption that this is a test, either or them could be the suicidal, and the one who isn't is a civilian... Though Usagi _might_ be the cult leader.

She then looks back at her "teammates" for the game...

And silent points to Kimiko, casting her vote for who the Yakuza should "kill."

Mayuwu and Kimiko had gotten rather heated in challenging each other the night before, and Hizuka disliked Kimiko almost as much as she disliked Senko.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yakuza Game: Night*
*Hizuka:*
Will also point at Kimiko in the yakuza phase.

*Kazuo: Randomness Oni*
When his night phase begins he will not know who to pick, so he chooses at random:
*Spoiler: OOC random roll:*
Show


1-Raizo
2-Kimiko ishikawa
3-Senko
4-Usagi
5-Miho Kaguya
6-Naneko Masuku
7-Hizuka Okukaga
8-Ryone Aihoshi
9-Tetsumi Shiraki
10-Yoroi
11-Gurasu Komoro
12-Mayuwo Fukaimi

Roll is......._are you kidding me_, I rolled a 2 on google dice. even luck wants Kimiko to lose this!


And ends up pointing at Kimiko Ishikawa randomly. Not knowing that the Yakuza had also potentially pointed at her.

*Ryone:*
She will choose Kimiko to protect, thinking that while she is a jerk, she is the smartest player here and thus could be helpful in narrowing down who is the yakuza are.

----------


## igordragonian

Mayuwu also point at Kimiko.
He might claim his harmony is undisturbed, but this is a perfect oppurtnity to act upon his grudges.
Will Senko agree with them? Try to silently(?) perusade them?
Or keep indecsivness to protect Kimiko?


(ok ok. let's assign roles)-
Raizo- Citizen. 
Kimiko- citizen
Usagi- suicidal
Kazou-Oni
Hizuka, Senko&Maywu- Yakuza.
Gurasu&Ryhone- Ashigarus
Naneko-Cult leader
Yoroi- citizen.
Have anybody was missed?

(BTW- for this game it's not "win" or "lose'- it's about point system- "fun tickets' which theoritacly could be physicaly stolen. Also the there is only one Chunin in the party- the captains are at the some bar in the city watching/listening from afar)
Gurasu would point at Kimiko and it seems so is Ryhone. 
Mayuwu might hear Kimiko's pleas

(Kikuhoko- C Ranked- an improvment of the Kikumoku. This technique listen to the slight vibrations and movements of objects, and "hear" their aim, and can prepare for attacks of non living objects as well.)



before morning phase, I wait for Senko's decision-
It's isnt a majority decision, they need to agree as one.

----------


## igordragonian

Who Naneko would choose to convert?

*Morning Phase I*

Masuku declare.
"Good morning town! Everyone wake up! A murder...."
she pause dramaticly
"No one died tonight! How ever someone was converted to a cult! So shall who we excute?"
she blink.
"And oh.  A fun ticket to all the survivers of the night!" and she deal a single ticket to any surviving player.


Mayuwu assume that Kimiko is a selfish Ashigaru, but keep flat expression.
Usagi start the random(?) accusation game pointing at Mayuwu:"You have a face of a murderder! You must be a yakuza!'

Mayuwu raise an eyebrow.
"Ridiculus. The roles are dealt in random, but accusing someone out of the blue... would be convient for the Yakuza. Now wouldnt it be?"

Usagi burst "Dont you think I know that? if I was Yakuza I wouldnt blame people on a whim!"


Raizo raise his hand politly. "What stopping us for deciding together to reveal our roles? I am a citizen,  I have no reason to fear the truth."

this by it's own is a known tactic.
Of course, there is no gurantee the one who offer a total reveal isnt a Yakuza.

----------


## Rater202

"The thing stopping us from revealing ourselves is that there is nothing stopping us from *lying*. The suicidal wins the game by being killed, and so could just admit to being the Yakuza or the Oni in an attempt to be hung. And obviously, any actual Yakuza or Oni would jut claim to be a civilian."

On the other hand, if people are getting tickets for surviving a round instead of just for winning the game then that changes Senko's plan considerably.

"I will, however, second Usagi-san's vote to hang Mayuwu-san. His belligerent personality makes him an agent of chaos. If he's a civilian he could spend the entire morning round arguing and result in a hung vote. If he's an Ashigaru or a Yakuza, he could refuse to vote with the others out of spite and waste a night phase for lack of unanimity. It is in the best interest of the civilians, the Ashigaru, _and_ the Yakuza to remove him from the game as soon as possible."

"...Sorry Mayuwu-san, but it is just cold calculus. You understand, it is part of being a ninja."

Senko means the last bit, by the way But she also means what she said about him being a liability. She doesn't see eye to eye with Hizuka, but Hizuka is intelligent and they're both professionals, they can probably come to an agreement if it's just the two of them but if Kimiko is removed from pay Mayuwu is likely to refuse to agree with them simply becuase they're girls.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Naneko:*
She would choose.....she'd want her convers to fly under the radar. People like Kimiko, Usagi or Senko or would lead the conversation too much, be too big of a target for the yakuza or hangings. So instead she chose to convert Yoroi, he seems underwhelming and beneath notice for some reason.

*Kimiko:*
"All good points, Senko. Which is why I'd like to reveal that I'm the Oni, and that all your faces look particularly ugly today, hyuhyu, unlike my natural beauty that comes from being the Shining Star of the Hope Generation. "
Kimiko says with a grin.
"Wait, given what Senko just said about lying, wouldn't that mean that this is a Suicidal play?" Miho Kaguya says "She is deliberately trying to provoke us."
"Indeed." Tetsumi says "If Kimiko is acting like this, then she clearly is doing a bad job of being a Suicidal role, and thus has given herself away completely by not being subtle enough, because you can't be too obvious about being the suicidal or you people will catch on too quick. Clearly we shouldn't vote for Kimiko. No real Oni would speak up and out themselves like that."
"But wait" Naneko says "didn't she just drop a long much better diss on Mayuwo like yesterday? If she wanted to truly provoke us, wouldn't she do a better job?"
"Its hard to come up with insults to apply to everyone's dumb smelly faces, its easier to do it to one person because its personal, and I've never played this game before, but I'm sure I'll win anyways through my unmatched brilliance."
"....Yeah I think they just gave her the Suicidal role to test if her ego can take losing and her ego interpreted it as the world giving her an easy win. Lets prove her wrong and not vote her." says Naneko
"Speaking of the Fukaimi, I do third the vote on hanging Mayuwo. after all, if he is Yakuza he'd kill girls repeatedly, and we can't allow that, right girls? Why risk it after all?"
"I fourth the vote for hanging Mayuwo!" says Hizuka
"I Fifth that" says Miho
"I Sixth that" says Naneko
"I Seventh that" says Tetsumi
EIGHTH reads Ryone's sign as she holds it up. 
Turns out holding a belief that excludes at least two thirds of the people present from their profession in this game doesn't win you any allies. 

Kazuo will not speak up to contest Kimiko's claim, as he doesn't want to out himself and get voted out, and he will Ninth the vote to hang Mayuwo if only to jump on the bandwagon so as to not look like he is going against the current- after all if he did otherwise, they might turn on him next.

----------


## igordragonian

Kinsaiku smile and wonder.
"You and Ameoku not that diffrent- at least in the boring stuff." she pass her finger over his chest with a smirk.
"Well... about hypothetcly adding more nations to such hypothetical league beside minor nations... hmmm.. I would say that, Kurokaze Inc preffer to view itself as the protagnist in harem manga."
Hinting at more sinister desire- economical dominance. 
"Well... it's not like either of you plan to tear the village in civil war, is it? I can see you with a silly straw hat or with your beautiful blue hair free from such restriction."
She dodge the subject of war in general.
"I preffer pretty boys as bedmates more then cranky middle aged crazy furries, but let's say... so far people are putting more stocks in the crazy furry lady. But it's about branding. You are cute, I like you..  I will even make a nice report about you, but if the big people will hear it only from me... well.. we have a model magaine too!"


--------
Masuku inform Yoroi of his conversion by slipping him a note during night.

Raizo try to puzzle out Kimiko.
Mayuwu  "You are allowing your prejudice to guide you." he say.
Gurasu with a bit of hesitation also vote against Mayuwu, Yoroi just sigh and shake his head.
"Kazou is awfully quite" Mayuwu notice. 
No one reply.
Raizo is confused from the power of enomisity he sensed here. This was worrying.
Mayuwu might be a prodigy by his own right- but being able to cooperate and being socialy acceptable, is a ninja skill as any other.
Masuku announce. "The town has hanged Mayuwu! And rightfully so! Mayuwu was a Yakuza!"

Mayuwu get up with a stone face and walk outside of the circle, to sit contmeplate of how he has lost so fast.
But not before he is pickpocketing a fun ticket from Raizo, very skillfully.
He would need it more then the young lord.
He sat in meditation.
Mayuwu has heard an answer to his prayers in his mind.
_"You are pathetic- and worse- emotional in a feminine way_
Mayuwu took a deep breath. He will never be good enough. How can anyone be?
But at least he tried. He tried to live by harmony, and not to selfishly keep the harmony to himself- why couldnt everyone understand their roles in then there would be no more chaos and bloodshed?


---- 

Binks Sake Bar-

Odayama sigh. "You have nothing to apologize for. You are doing your job. If you want to be nice to me- let me be: I either force myself to cheer up for my children, not to look like a loser to my wife nor my team. Here, everybody know exactly what I am, maybe beside you- please. This is a rare moment where I can be me.' and drink another cup of sake.
"I am fine. I have my duties. But for this hour or so, I want to be free to self pity. Ok?" he grunt.
"I am doing my job, I am just taking a break. Ok? If it bother you so much, I'll find other bar."

Nozojo watch silently, bemused.
before Mayuwu's loss:
Nekazoko:"My team is number 1! Gurasu might be the silent type, Yoroi a bit bashful, and Mayuwu a bit jerk- but a geniouse one- I have a complete faith in them!"
few minutes later*

Nekazoko sigh.
"Such a waste. But maybe this exprience will teach Mayuwu improtant lesson.... I dont know what biting his ass  most Fukaimis at least manage to function with us. Right?"
She is replied by Fushigi Fukaimi- the head of the nin medic trainings. He was there to check on potential medic nin students.
18 years old, long eared as most of his clan, wearing a bandana, and wear his clan grey robes, but without undershirt. He wear sunglsses to hide his blind eyes, which he has sacrficed for the Kikukako ability-
the ability to hear seconds into the past or future.
Most monks first sacrficed the sense of taste- but he has enjoyed eating too much, and it also helped him with the harder temptation- looking at scandalously clad kunoichis.
He was on the verge of being worthy to the Junin title, but he was too laid back,he didnt give the final push that was required.
"Well. I hope I am." Fugishi say.

"We have learned our lesson- in the ninja world, you cant have abilities like of our's without being part of the ninja world.  Chokakushu "the heretic" has understood it. His generation have comprised on many princples, so our core philosophy won't die with us. But my little cousin... seems out of touch. Out of time. He spend too much time with our Sokushinbutsu*. I think it unhealthy, but he say it help him to be "true"- he is the most talented among us, I have seen sincd the war. So.. maybe it does help him. I dunno. I just hope, he doesn't make all of us hated."

*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokushinbutsu

Nozojo ponder.
"How curiouse... I doubt Usagi gave so much thought, but she led the vote and happened to be right. Is it an instict? Or just dumb luck? Kimiko's game.. she use her name, the respect the others give her. Raizo-Dono is a bit naive... but that understanble. That why I wanted to include him- not just for the sake of the Hope Generation to connect with him, but also to train him a bit, to think like a shinobi. That something his father agreed with me about... so I am rather *hopeful*. Not many Damiyos bother to connect with their shinobis... I think it can be another edge in our favor.'


.

-----
Night II

"Town! Go to sleep!" Masuku anounce.
"Yakuzas up! Yakuzas! Pick a victim!"


-----

----------


## Rater202

Senko doesn't let slip a sign that she planned to eliminate Mayuwu. Her original plan was, if Kimiko was 'killed,' to use that and her declared rivalry with Mayuwu to cast suspicion on him and let his actions the previous day and his clan's reputation lead him to the gallows to remove a rogue element.

Kimiko hadn't been eliminated, but Usagi had given her the perfect opportunity to remove him regardless.

...Now, Senko isn't sure. With everyone getting a ticket...

Senko _thinks_ she knows Kimiko reasonably well at this point. She doesn't get the impression that Kimiko is trying a double fake out, which means that assuming that Senko is correct about this being a test she's a civilian.

...This means that Usagi is either the cult leader or the suicidal unless she'd been converted in the night.

Mayuwu did have a point, Kazou was quiet. Senko didn't know him, but... Nervous, twitchy, a reputation for being a hero despite that... He's either an Ashigaru, the Cult Leader, or the Oni.

Senko points to him, but also shrugs, as if she's more suggesting it to Hizuka than casting a hard vote.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou: Bar*
He will just say
"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Odayama-san."
to Odayama and walk away, privately wondering how he can't do anything right when it comes to that man and resolving to try and not bother him as much as possible for the rest of forever. If Odayama does something wrong, he'll probably come to Jirou himself.

He listens to their mutterings about Mayuwo. Hm. That boy echoes a lot of his own fears about Kimiko. But he didn't say them out loud. To treat like Kimiko like she'll defect, to bemoan it was to plant it into peoples minds and set her up for failure. Much like some teachers treating kids differently based on different test scores, not allowing them to succeed because they think they can't succeed. He will say
"Come now, surely Mayuwo isn't that bad? If you give up on him too easily, your fears will push him away more than anything else. Remember that change and raising a child takes time, and that its tricky to get them to learn their lesson-especially getting into their teenage years. He is not good or evil, he is simply twelve. He is still learning about this world, his place in it and what he should do with his life. You can't expect him to get it all immediately, but just giving up on guiding him to the correct behavior isn't a good idea."

*Jirou: with Kinsaiku*
He will affect a seemingly mischievous grin and say
"Ah well y'know how it is. People like us in our position got to handle the boring stuff so we can enjoy the finer things in life- like your company- and not get yelled at for not taking care of the former. And model magazine, sure sounds fun. Beauty like this needs to be shown to the world right? I can't keep it all to myself. Got to flaunt what I have yes?"
He says, not truly caring about it but if giving what she wants gets what he wants, sure why not. Securing a peaceful world now was the foundation for other problems being fixed later. Someone like Senko could deal with Kurokaze when she gets powerful enough to do something about it. He can't fix every problem- he'd have to trust that the next generation will fix it themselves.

*Yakuza, Night Phase 2:*
Hizuka thinks about this. She got rid of Mayuwo because she didn't want to be on a team with him, Senko was the best of bad options. Kimiko was being talky and leading, but Usagi and Senko led the conversation there at the first turn so maybe Kimiko wasn't as much of a threat she thought? She knew that Senko was a Yakuza but why did Usagi...? Maybe Usagi was the real Oni. But then again it was strange that they ended up being on the same team. But why was she pointing to Kazuo? Well he was being quiet and nervous, so perhaps he was the cult Leader as they would want to lay low and build their voting bloc. So she points to Kazuo as well. might as well go along with this for now. She points at Kazuo to kill.

Kazuo meanwhile will randomly decide his next Oni target:
*Spoiler: OOC:*
Show


1-Raizo
2-Kimiko ishikawa
3-Senko
4-Usagi
5-Miho Kaguya
6-Naneko Masuku
7-Hizuka Okukaga
8-Ryone Aihoshi
9-Tetsumi Shiraki
10-Yoroi
11-Gurasu Komoro
12-Mayuwo Fukaimi

google roll is......11


He ends up randomly pointing to Gurasu. He is privately wondering if Team 1 had bad luck or something.

Ryone, no longer trusting Kimiko due to her wild Oni claim will point at Tetsumi to Protect since she is her friend and she doesn't know who else to pick.

Naneko as cult leader will pick Miho Kaguya to convert as a loyal friend of hers.

----------


## igordragonian

Kinsaiku:
Kinsaiju giggle.
"Ara ara. Aren"t you too perfect? Will you think i'll of my dignity as a maiden, if I'll say that I have a camera in my room exactly for such occasion? Next time I'm home, I can gurantee you will be known for your beauty and sense of fashion- of course Kurokaze fashion branding."





Binks Sake Bar:

Odayama drink and ponder
*Spoiler: Odayama's inner thoughts*
Show


Odayama wasnt a real shinobi. He never wanted to kill people. He just wanted to be accepted. To be liked.

His father Hannah, was lower then a peasant, he was... a Buraku*, but a cheerful one.
He sold flowers with such a bright smile that gave such hope to the desprate.
Some even has called him the "flower buddah" behind his back. He never felt insulted, and only smiled. During the war, he rode his bicycle, gifting flowers and passing letters from the citizens, reminding the shinobis what are they fighting for.
Odayama remembered feeling.. ashamed.
He felt like everyone was patranozing him.
"There is no shame in having such a father"- So why did they had to repeat it so much? He became a shinobi, to be like his powerful mom, who somehow seen... the dangerouse potential in Hannah.
He wanted to be respected, only being a shinobi would have upgraded him from the Burakumin caste.
But his father died a hero, without lifting a weapon.
His mother tried to murder the hope, but she only ignited it. The "Flower Buddah", became a martyr, and Odayama spent all of his will power to assinate her.
And then... he became the "hope flower" of Ameoku. And he felt settled down with that.
But he was weak.  a sham. He wasnt that inspiring as his father. He wasnt as strong as his mother.
He was just another run of the mill Chunin,  who cant even do the dishes correctly at home.
What would his father tell him?
"-...You are judging yourself so harshly. Even the rival of your family is worried for you. But... that not even it. You know why I was stronger then any of you shinobis? I was free. Free of caring what others think of me- I was just doing my best and enjoying it- anything that is beyond my power,is none of my concern."





*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin

.
Odayama sipped the sake and smiled to himself- more.. genioune smile then usual, and quitly join the other Chunins.



Nekazuko intense a bit at Jirou's apporach.
Just a hint of intesity- toward the one who try to "steal" the role her sister waited so long for. Her pupils shrink, her hair stand at it's edges- but soften up by his speech.
"I guess so." she sigh.
"I just dont know- to kick his bald head when he speat nonesense? to lecture him? To ignore him?"

Fugishi. explain "Well... I think Mayuwu is inspired by the other faction of our clan- the enemies of Chokakushu the "heretic"- he got his name for the big compromises he made, between other things, he was the first to marry... other monks viewed him as a demon. "The Pure Fukaimi" faction, they were called. Chokakushu was killed by them... but they have disspaered, dieing out during the wars with no future. But... sometimes we have members who have admire for the "purists". he explain 

"We modern Fukaimis, or "heretic" understand that our idealogy means nothing, if there no one to believe and teach it. Even.. if for certain ninjas our comprmises are never enough" he tease Jirou a bit.
"...I hope Mayuwu can see this point... but I must say, after our... "intresting" dinner... our head clan looked bad, and well- you taught him to compromise and trust the clan's intrests with a woman- so in a way... you won, but also..  Mayuwu became even.. more closed minded and some of our youth spoke.. purist kind of words, saying our clan "sacraficing our dignity too much" or conspiracies about plans for mandatory ninja education for our daughters. Maybe the best thing, would be to take Mayuwu to be a medic nin, with much less of this tension."

Nozojo seemed to be about saying something, but Odayama join.
)for some reason I have realized I hear Odayama in this voice:
https://youtu.be/ek7u6Clsn-s

with bottle of sake offering cups to all of them.
"Oh,come on Fushigi-san,  dont be like that- sure we bicker here and there, but we are still a one village, and I want to tell you- I admire the earth that my wife's feet touch, and the feet themselves- and she is waiting for a decade for this role, and this youngster threatening to take it away- and sure, she is an exprienced reknown hero and admired by the veterans- but please,dont think ill of Jirou-sama.' 
he say softly putting hand over Jirou's shoulder to the frown of Nekazuko.
"Jirou isnt an enemy. He might be a rival, but he like the village as much as Ameoku. I believe no matter who the next Ottokage is- the village will win."
he slide away his hand in case, Jirou is uncomftrable.
"Jirou is brave and wise beyond his years, and the second Ottokage favor him, no need for this gloom; it's natural to be worried for the future, but if our ties can stand the whole power of an angry Hokage, our village can easily pass through a tiny debate over a job. Alright?"

Fushigi wasn't an expressive guy, but something about him has softened as well.
Odayama wasn't exactly a leader, but he was sort of "everybody's good pal"- and also the son of Hannah.
Nekazuko sighed.
"Fine. Fine. You spineless worm" Nekazukk relucantly laughed.
"Alright. So.. please, let's share a cup of comradarie?" Odayama pour four cups of sake to four of them.
Drinking together sake.. was a symbolic act.
Yes. Odayama couldnt be powerful ninja like his mother, or be an embodiment of inspiring hope like his father... but he can be himself and just to be kind, and to do the thing he know he won't regret, and putting at ease tensions...
was something he could try to do.



-----

Night II:
Gurasu would have preffered to protect Kimiko, but he isnt strong opinionted so he also pointed at Tetsumi, but then, behind Masuku's back Dai&Doi Komoro, the twin sisters, cousins of Gurasu and members of the Bye Bye kitties do a small gesture to hint for him to activate the Clear Listen technqiue:

*Clear Listen: D Ranked: Ability to listen to a chosen sound, without disturbance no matter what noise is in the background. The range varies depend on the level of the Shinobi, but the "Singer Butcher" is told to be able to single out a voice anywhere in the Rice Land.*

Gurasu perk his ears and hear their soft wishper.
 "You are the target!"

Gurasu all of the sudden point at himself with a confident expression. He hoped the other Ashigarus will.figure that he *knows*


Masuku pass Kaguya a note to inform her of her conversion

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He considers this: is she just teasing, or is she calling his bluff? Or what if this was a trick? Anti-Imperialist sentiments towards Konoha can be easily be spun or redirected at other foreign powers and thus anyone who works with those powers. Thus if he went too far with this, she could be intending to trick him into doing things that Ameoku could use against him- or at least, things Ameoku might have the opportunity to find out as the head of Anbu. Her reckless personality might be a façade after all: If she intentionally cultivates this reckless warrior battle-hungry image then actually does things more competently than she appears, that would explain a lot. Furthermore how would she have Kurokaze brand clothing fitted for him so fast? The only way she could have that was if she was intend to trap him from the start with this entire conversation. Who would arrange for that? Ameoku if she was trying to set a trap to use those pictures to decrease his standing. But then Nozojo had been playing wingman even though he knew of his engagement to Kikenna which was odd, surely he would know the risks of this as well? So was it Nozojo or Ameoku that arranged this? Was this a test? No. Nozojo wouldn't pull that, he didn't like that sort of thing, he recalled him saying that at some point didn't he? More probably he was just playing wingman to back him up, knowing that what happens in infiltration stays in infiltration. This was probably an Ameoku trap, and even if it wasn't....

His priorities are: Otogakure, Kimiko and Senko, the Ishikawa Clan, and pretty much everything else. Ambitions for more diplomatic relations while something he wanted, did it have anything to do with his priorities? What would Senko say to such a deal? She'd probably call it incredibly suspicious and refuse it on the spot while talking about the exploitation the company does or something, not the most subtle decision but in this case something like it might be the wisest. That and getting too caught up in a side attraction like her when his real priority was Ottomaru would be unwise.
"Mm. I think not. I thought this was about fun, not business."
He says turning away.
"Don't get me wrong, your cute. But I'm going to have to pass."

*Jirou, At the Bar:*
He says, thinking upon his response to what to about Mayuwo.
"....I'm not sure if my experience with my own sister can translate but...the thing is about these little geniuses is that while they're not normal kids, they are still kids. They may know more than most kids their age, able to figure out things that they shouldn't, and talk about things that you wouldn't expect them to understand....but their viewpoint is still flawed, still growing, still that of a twelve year old. Just because a lesson is harder for them to learn doesn't mean we should stop trying to teach it, even if takes more time. When I try to teach Kimiko something directly that isn't a jutsu it can be a bit of trial because she is so capable of arguing from her own growing viewpoint, but that doesn't mean its right to give up speaking to her, just that one needs to go into more detail that usual to get the message across. Though admittedly I've been hands off with her lately, hoping that others can teach her to look beyond the shinobi amorality and drive to be the best shinobi she can possibly be. I think her teammates are helping her. Sometimes it can take a lecture, sometimes its a lesson you learn through small chastisements and reminders, bit by bit, patiently wearing down a mountain with a smooth river until its no longer there at all.

I don't know how I'd teach Mayuwo honestly. Such a thing is a learning process, to figure out how he learns, how he reacts, how to make sure he takes this or that well- and how to break things to him before experience teaches things for you, because experience is the harshest teacher, unforgiving of mistakes. No matter what Fukaimi's beliefs about women the fact of the matter is that all nations still use them as kunoichi, and they can be just as dangerous as men to face in any situation where it matters. At the end of the day, we can all die to explosive tags, no matter who its thrown by. And if he learns the lesson too late? then he'll be dead."

*Night Phase 2, Continued:*
Ryone will switch to pointing at Gurasu, not knowing or caring why.

----------


## Rater202

Yakuza night two

Seeing that her suggestion is baked, Senko redoubles her vote to kill Kazuo.

...Meanwhile, under the veil of Genjutsu, a snake slithers out from under her robe and discretely shifts into human form.

Still hidden under genjutsu, Menko pilfers some snacks and then turns around to watch the game.

...Menko has never introduced herself to the other Genin, nor has Senko provided explanation. As far as any of the others know Menkois just some unnaturally pale girl in fancy robes who keeps turning up.

----------


## igordragonian

Kinsaiku-

"Ara ara. It's a shame, pretty boys usually aren"t bold at all." Kinsaiku give a rich girl chuclle. "I can do both buisness and fun... But that ok. I guess you are more shy then you lead on. It's kawai." she offer Jirou  a visit card.
"If you change your mind, or want us to find a mm... "neautral" place to meet, feel free to contact me.'


----- 
Binks Sake Bar

Fugishi nod with a grim agreement.
Nekzuko sigh. "Yeah...."
Odayma offer again the sake cups.
"Come on. Lets drink for the success of our students!"



-----

Morning II

"Wake up town! Wake up!" Masuku call and gift any player a "fun ticket"
"....A cult has converted another one. And...." she pause for dramatic effect.
"A murder! A single murder happened tonight! Kazou... you are dead!"
she point him to go outside the circle.
"Sure, it seems the town should thank the Yakuza- Kazou was the Oni! How ever, we are town who believe in princples! Someone should be hanged for it! Who would it be?"


Gurasu tried not to express a sigh of relief- Dai and Doi didn't pranked him.

Usagi went again with a random gut feeling:"Yoroi! Look how quite he is! And he is a face of a murderder!"


Yoroi frown. "Are you an idiot? So anyone who isn"t loud, abnoxiouse and annoying like you, red-head is now a suspect?"

Usagi growled. "Well, you are a creep!"

Gurasu didnt knew who were the Yakuzas...
Well. It probably no one who has voted against Mayuwu. Gurasu thought in a bit straightforward way.
Yoroi was indeed a bit quite, and Kazuo was also quite and was discovered as the Oni.
Maybe... the roles werent random! 
Maybe the quite guys were chosen to be the "bad guys", so...

Gurasu raise his hand. "To be honest, a Yakuza would fit you, Yoroi-kun."

Yoroi face palmed. "So.. we are just going to  hang gang every time like a mindless angry mob? I might be a teammate of Mayuwu, but I have nothing to do with the nonesense he say. Beside the roles are random... those imaginary associations you two are doing, are stupid." he argue.
"And you know what? Red-Head was never known for her brain power-"

"Excuse me!?" Usagi hissed.
Yoroi has continued. "But you, Gurasu.. ain't stupid, but you are lazy- hang gang is a convient tactic for Yakuzas"

----------


## Rater202

"Usagi, you need to chill. Impulsively hanging the first person who comes to mind isn't going to work every time. However, I do second the motion to hang Yoroi, but as a sacrificial play. At this point I have no idea who may or may not be a Yakuza but... I am somewhat suspicious that at a party whose guests are mostly ninja would _truly_ be planned to leave things to chance."

"I do not know Yoroi-san, but I know because my retainer has told me that he carries a cursed blade with no regard to the consequences. If there is any chance at all that the roles are assigned deliberately, and not randomly as we've been told, then such a person would be perfect in the role of a Yakuza."

"If he is a Yakuza then not only are we all just that much safer, but we'll know the truth of the tests... If not, he will not have died in vain becuase his death will confirm that the roles are random and this is just a game. Either way his death is for the good of the group."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Jirou:*
He takes the card and pockets it, not sure if he made the right decision. Stupid politics and shinobi life and Ameoku and not sure if its all a scheme or not. What if he had been worrying over nothing? Kuso. There are some days he just wished he and Kimiko were normal people. But he doubted Kimiko would ever share that sentiment. This kind of 4D-chess overthinking was going to ruin his life, wasn't it? He just knew it. How many shinobi he wonders, ruin their own lives and opportunities through paranoia? He shakes his head. He could wonder about the road not taken later. Ottomaru was top priority.

*Morning 2, Kimiko:*
She could no longer pretend to be the Oni anymore. Which meant she had to something else to survive. At the same time, the hang gang clearly won't happen again. Not that easily. Mayuwo had the misfortune of being a Fukaimi who spoke his beliefs out loud right before this with it fresh in their memories. But everyone else....
Miho Kaguya suddenly shouted, clenching her fist with cartoonish tears in anger
"Kazuo is dead! NOOOOOO! Even if he was Oni, I must avenge Kazuo..."
Kazuo is silently thankful he is out of the game because he now no longer has to worry but he tilts his head at Miho as if it say that he is right here and not actually dead.
"As Kazuo's friend, I must find Kazuo killer! Who would dare murder such a poor innocent genin!?"
"Well we know Kimiko is not the Oni now at least." Naneko points out. 
"Okay I admit I lied about that, but now I shall become a great detective and begin the real work of solving this murder mystery! Who indeed would desire Kazuo's death? The genin was quite non-confrontational, practically went out of his way to not tick people off. But perhaps the Yakuza killed him because they figured out he was Oni somehow! Kazuo was after all real quiet during the previous round while I claimed to be Oni."
Brilliant. Her genius has manipulated the yakuza into eliminating another threat to her survival!
"But this suggests that it would have to be someone smart enough to notice Kazuo being quiet while everyone was distracted by my brilliance, since Naneko is friends with him unless she is more ruthless than expected she wouldn't eliminate her own teammate. Thus the suspects for such a play are: Tetsumi, Gurasu and Hizuka. I notice that Tetsumi in particular got mad and gave her little speech about revenge after Kazuo's story when having that tea party with Raizo, so she might've killed him because her contempt for his comparatively easy mission."
She leaves out Senko, because why finger a fellow teammate? 
"Wait hold on." says Naneko "You and Senko would be smart enough to notice him be quiet as well! and didn't you lose to Kazuo back when we had that spar between Teams 2 and 3? You could've killed him to get back at him! You agree with me, right Yoroi, Miho?"
Miho nods.
"Tch, typical egomaniac paper clan princess, of course she'd eliminate someone over something like that." comments Hizuka
"and Tetsumi, Kimiko is throwing suspicion upon you, surely she is more likely to be yakuza? She is clearly wanting to eliminate the person who can see through her lies."
Tetsumi eyes Naneko
"Yes but you seem awfully quick to try and get Kimiko out, that and its Usagi throwing the first accusation each time both times, whats up with that? Like why would Yoroi kill Kazuo? Furthermore Kimiko could be getting more subtle about her Suicidal play as with at least six votes and two out, she'd have a majority against her to get an instant win as suicidal role. She wasn't defending herself, after all. You might've almost fell for her scheme there. and now Senko is backing up Usagi again, maybe Senko and Usagi are cult, have we thought of that?"
Naneko, Kimiko and Tetsumi all stare at each other suspiciously, no votes being cast yet. The certainty of the first round, was a fluke of circumstance it seems.

----------


## Rater202

"On second thought, I am changing my vote to Naneko-san. It means putting off testing the true randomness of the assigned roles, but she is casting doubt on us all by simply assuming that people are within certain roles and assigning actions based pre-existing grudges or superficial character traits."

"We must not let this turn into a witch-hunt. Otherwise, we all lose. Either Naneko-san is a cultist or Yakuza who is deliberately trying to make us turn on each other, or she, like Mayuwu-san, is a disruptive element, a self-destructive actor who will bring us all down with her."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Morning 2, Kimiko and Tetsumi:*
Naneko says back to Senko:
"But! Your just changing your vote to protect Kimiko, your teammate! That and you were clearly working with Usagi to vote people out! Apparently disruptive element is whatever you don't want, Senko. That and Kimiko cast suspicion on like three people, and I'M the disruptive element here?"
"I don't know Naneko, by your own logic, your clearly trying to vote me out because as I recall, YOU lost to me in that fight hyuhyu, and now your projecting that grudge onto me and using to try and cast suspicion on all of Team 3, trying to make this about the teams rather than the actual game. Senko is right, we shouldn't allow outside grudges or biases get in the way of our judgement, we should vote Naneko."
Tetsumi narrows her eyes. She wasn't quite sure this WASN'T a Team 3 vs Team 2 moment. She had to be careful. Naneko clearly had some point about Team 3, but if Naneko is cult, then she had been building a voting bloc for two turns and now had three people backing her- enough to swing votes no matter how much convincing she did, and it would only snowball from here with potential non-cult votes slowly diminishing. If they didn't get her out, her voting bloc would increase to 4 and everyone else would go down by 1, making it 4 to 6, leaving only two turns before she had a majority vote and could just win. Team 3 by contrast wasn't as big of a threat because their numbers were constant. Team 5 could face that, but not a snowballing cult. And speaking against Kimiko or Senko without good reason could get labeled as "a disruptive element".
"I'll second the vote on Naneko." she says
"What!? I vote Senko!" says Naneko
"I second the vote on Senko" Miho says suddenly 
Naneko eyes Yoroi, expecting him to third the vote on Senko.
"I'll third the vote on Naneko, hyuhyu." says Kimiko
"I will Fourth the vote on Naneko." says Hizuka
Ryone will hold her chalkboard reading: 5TH VOTE ON NANEKO

That is currently:
2 votes on Senko
5 votes on Naneko 
4 votes pending from: Raizo, Gurasu, Yoroi and Usagi

----------


## igordragonian

Binks Sake Bar-

Odayama:"Oi oi. I am both proud and dissapointed at Senko-  her instincts are so sharp, that she cant just enjoy a game."

Nozojo. "Well. We are testing them, and seeing the truth of a situation it's an important ability for a ninja. I am wouldnt be surprised if Senko would be the first to figure this out. Who knows- maybe she has the potential to be a great Anbu." he say.
"So far, I am pleased with what I am seeing."



-----

Usagi sigh at Senko's reply.
"I just dont have much patience, and luck is also a thing! And it worked out the first time, beside, Yoroi could be a cultist- and they freak me out more then the Yakuzas- they dont leave clear evidence.'


Yoroi look annoyed. 
"Look, it's my father's sword. My father was a hero. So your retainer can flip from a cliff as far as I care." becoming quite defensive about his family's heirloom.
"You seems awfully happy to sacrafice people- why dont YOU volunteer. Eh?"

Yoroi is still angry about his sword, but loosen up a bit, as the blame game seems to went away from him. For now.


Usagi roll her eyes.
"Well, I know that I know nothing, and if I dont have reasons to suspect my teammates why would I? Kimiko being a smartass, would be a thing she does even as a citizen, and Senko is methodical- for now I wouldnt know." she say.

"I also vote for Naneko- if anyone can figure this out, it's Kimiko. And Naneko is a citizen, I know that Kimiko is a cult leader or a Yakuza." she explain.
Yoroi doesnt notice Naneko, but he say:"I vote Senko. She jumping her opinion around, and all of team 3 attitude.. is.. wierd".
Gurasu think. "Well If we are playing teams, even if it's not team vs team, I'll vote with Yoroi- I vote Senko"


Raizo is quite. Listening and observing.
He was mostly impressed with this game, Kimiko and with Naneko mostly.

It was 6 for Naneko. 4 for Senko.
Raizo sigh. "My vote wouldnt matter at this point. I pass." No reason to anchor himself to a specific faction- even if it's just a game, it something people will associate himself with.

Masuku count time.
 "So the town has decided to hang Naneko!" she declare. Dramatic pause.
"And justingly so! congratulations! Naneko was the cult leader!"
The cultists were now in troubles-
the Cult is a "glass cannon" faction- only the cult leader can convert, so now Yoroi and Miho were a faction without a night action, hoping to survive and outvote all the others.

"Good night town!" Masuku declare.

Night III

Yakuza phase.
*"Wake up Yakuzas!"*

----------


## Rater202

*Yakuza Night III.*

If Naneko was the cult leader, then...

Senko turns to Hizuka and then mimes hanging herself while gesturing to Usagi.

She then points firmly at Kimiko. Senko wanted to keep the members of team 3 in play for as long as possible, but Kimiko was both the most intelligent person not in the Yakuza, was almost certainly a civilian, and with the "team versus team" dynamic that started to form on the last round Senko wasn't as safe anymore. Eliminating one of her teammates would throw suspicion off of herself, and if Senko is right about this being part of some kind of pre-chunin exam Kimiko will get over the initial loss when team 3 collects the ultimate prize.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Night 3:*
Things now depended on the actions of two Genin:

*Hizuka: choose Kimiko*
She thinks about this: this was getting teamey. only now it would be mostly between team 3 and Team 5. But Senko just picked Kimiko, and just told her that Usagi was the suicidal role. She could keep working with Senko for this one round to eliminate....but after that? best to push to vote out Senko herself. After all, whatever remains of the game after she could just eliminate people herself without any need for agreements and ensure the victory of Team 5 while avoiding the death of Usagi. Without the Oni or the cult leader to worry about and the Suicidal known to her, Senko had given her the path to victory. She chooses Kimiko as well.

*Ryone: Figure out Kimiko's message*
She sees Kimiko flash hand signals to her right before night phase begins, at speeds only Ryone could read because of her muteness:
TWO. HEBI. HAMMER. ROLES. WEAK.
She thinks: what did Kimiko mean by-oh right, there were two yakuza left. Hebi means snake (much like how keikaku means plan), and the only hammer user in the group was Hizuka. Was Kimiko telling her that Senko and Hizuka were the yakuza? Why would she think that? and roles weak? She considers the clues: Kazuo was Oni, Mayuwo was yakuza and Naneko had been cult leader. Kazuo as oni probably tipped off the most that the roles were assigned not to their strengths but to perceived weaknesses: Kazuo as a non-confrontational some say even cowardly person was given a highly aggressive role to challenge him, Naneko was given cult leader because she seemly did things in the shadows and was raised as to be a follower as Anbu not a leader, and Mayuwo....if Hizuka and Senko were his teammates perhaps its because they all shared a common problem: they were all genius people with strong beliefs who didn't like each other and thus would be challenged by having to work together. 

But why was she telling her this? She was the one person who couldn't communicate any of this effectively: there was only so much room on her chalk board. Could it be that Kimiko also somehow figured  out her ashigaru status? So what was she supposed to do with this information? She thinks further: if Kimiko was right, then that means Senko and Hizuka willingly voted out Mayuwo their own teammate. Since she and Gurasu protected Kimiko the first round that meant both Kazuo and the Yakuza tried to kill Kimiko. Kazuo being voted out was of course then because of Senko and Hizuka voting him, which meant they somehow figured out he was Oni. So who was the suicidal role? It had be someone who it would be a challenge for. If Kimiko figured out all this, then surely if she was Suicidal she'd be better at it, yet she had did it badly to give it away....which meant she wasn't really the Suicidal. Who was though? Well if Senko was yakuza and kept jumping on Usagi's attempts at  getting people voted out that meant....Usagi was the suicidal! Senko just kept backing her to give her attempts more legitimacy so that Usagi wouldn't end the game early! and Kimiko...she was just an Innocent all along.

But question was, what was their next target? She hadn't worked with Hizuka long, but she knew that she'd vote Kimiko purely because she'd want to get one over her. and if the first round was any indication everyone voted to kill Kimiko in the night phase, then perhaps maybe Senko was willing to sacrifice Kimiko? But that didn't track. maybe the Yakuza simply couldn't agree on that round because Senko wouldn't vote her and Kazuo alone voted but got protected. But they were able to work together to take down Mayuwo and Kazuo, and if Senko was willing to eliminate her own yakuza member, then why wouldn't she be willing to eliminate Kimiko? After all, why else would Kimiko give her this message? the Oni was taken out, the cult leader was taken out, Usagi was known as the suicidal to them, all the major threats to the yakuza were eliminated.

But! She now figures out, that this was a gamble on Kimiko's part: Ryone was Team 5 after all. She could either play for the sake of her team and vote to protect someone not Kimiko to back Hizuka, or play for the sake of the game, and protect Kimiko as a fellow innocent. But if all what she just thought was true, then Senko had betrayed her fellow yakuza and in Kimiko's mind, going to finger her next, and had already tried to kill Kimiko first round, maybe. All the while talking about not playing for outside factors. Though, if they had been intentionally assigned roles that were weak and meant to challenge them....did that mean they were supposed to play those roles to the best of their ability to play them to benefit their team in an infiltration situation? Was this a test of how well you can play your role, or a test of loyalty to your team? The tickets are given out in this game on a per round survival basis, but that didn't say either way, as each PLAYER was given a ticket, not each team. If she chose to back Hizuka, would that be judged as going along with some outside factor that shouldn't matter to the current situation? If she chose to protect Kimiko, would that be judged as betraying her true comrades? But Kimiko gave her this information trusting her to do well with it, can she really just take advantage of her to win it for Team 5 like that? Isn't that betraying the innocent side?

What was betrayal here? What is betrayal in general?

It seems like a silly question in context, but such practice like this was meant to provoke such questions so that one can think upon it later down the line. No matter what she does, she is betraying someone here. In a fun game context sure, so its not serious, but it simulates it nonetheless. Hm. Perhaps she was looking at this wrong. What did SHE want? She thought about the reward: probably going to the Chuunin Exams. Her teammates were....Tetsumi who had become set on revenge after that mission, and Hizuka, known rival to Kimiko, strong loyalist to Otogakure and constantly giving speeches about progress of science and anti-imperialism and whatnot. Hm. Probably not the best people to show up to Konoha, now that she thinks about it. Thinking about the greater good of her village, those two were hardly good representatives of the best of Otogakure in a diplomatic context, and could she and her team really handle the actual Chuunin Exams? Perhaps that was the real test: how socially competent they were when meeting others so that they wouldn't mess up diplomatic relations when they got sent to the Chuunin Exams! It all made sense now! That was the kind of test 2nd Hokage Nozojo would devise!

But this meant she had to vote to protect Kimiko. Despite Ryone's loyalties to Team 5, Kimiko was noble-born and raised and demonstrated that with Senko's guidance she could get socially better and Usagi despite her recklessness could probably be reigned in by Senko and Kimiko. Ryone knew her teammates well enough that it was probably a bad idea to get them started at some Konoha Nin, best to hold off until they can control themselves better. How ironic, that the girl who figures out the closest actual reason for the test, was the person who can't speak, and might never get acknowledged for it because no one can hear her thoughts-well, aside from the terrorist who'd hate her figuring this out. It is after all, highly unlikely that Kimiko ever thought THIS deeply about the situation or knew that Ryone would do this for this reason- all this philosophical, political, diplomatic and interpersonal considerations? Was all Ryone. That it was working in Kimiko's favor was a complete coincidence. 

She points at Kimiko to protect her insistently.

----------


## igordragonian

Dai&Doi- the Komoro twins also "snitched" to Gurasu that Kimiko was the next target.
Gurasu readily agree with Ryhone.


*Morning III*

Masuko anounce.
*"Good morning town! Wake up!"* and then deal everyone a "fun ticket'
*"I must tell you... that tonight....."* dramatic pause.
*"Went smooth! No murders and no cult activity! Of course, we still have Yakuzas and cultsits among us- and loooot of blood thirst! So let's hang some sucker!"* she jump with excitment.
Of course, they dont have to.
Everyone can pass.
Usagi jump again. "Well its Yoroi!"

Yoroi groan. "Again? Then I say it's you!" he bark.


Gurasu look around. Kimiko was targeted again.
Who would do that? He looked around behind his glasses, trying to discern.
Well. Kimiko isnt a Yakuza. Someone would think she is a Ashigaru,or simply a danger to them... Senko and Usagi know her well enough- Usagi even dualed her.
And if Usagi would lie- even that whe would do with bluntness...
"You know what? Usagi does seems to want to take out people almost at random' Gurasu add.


Raizo tap his chin. "Well. It seems there is someone both the Yakuza target, and the Ashigaru protect at the same time. Someone who is constantly in the middle of our discussions- maybe Kimiko... or Senko?" he wonder.

----------


## Rater202

"Naneko gave a rather pointed look to Yoroi during the last vote, almost as if ordering him to vote with her... Since we know she was the Cult leader, that would suggest that"

"Uhm, hello. I'm Menko," the snake says from suddenly up on the stage. "I'm not playing, just watching... And I'm like 90% sure that these two bat-eared people in the band are giving answers to the bat-eared kid in the game. Just thought that if one person was cheating everyone else should know. Bye now" Menko walks off the stage back to where shear was eating her pilfered snacks. No genjutsu this time, she's just openly there.

Menko *had* been watching the gameplay from back in the room for a little bit now. If anyone was acting suspicious she'd notice.

Senko pauses, pulls off her robe, folds it, and sets it on a table a little bit away from the game before returning. She is now wearing just her shirt and shorts, which preserves her modesty but offers little in the way of means for Menko to sneak up and whisper answers to her.

"I would like to state for the record that I had no idea that she was going to do that. Look, uh.." Senko's kind of flustered, it's *obvious* that she didn't plan that and it somewhat derailed her train of thought. "N-naneko-san basically gave away the game, it is obvious that Yoroi-san is one of the cultists. If we vote him out then the cult goes from a voting block to one person and can be easily managed. So my vote is for Yoroi."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Morning III:*
Tetsumi will say:
"Wait a minute! Can't you see the pattern that has formed? Usagi accuses someone then Senko backs her with better logic to get people out. We need to stop listening to them about every hanging and just voting them out based on the first accusation. I'm pretty sure they are both yakuza working together to vote people out. And every time a threat rises against Senko and Usagi, she calls it a disruptive element to be eliminated instead."
"No, I'm pretty sure Usagi is Suicidal." Kimiko says with a grin. 
"How are you sure of that? You claimed suicidal two days ago."
"Think about it: she has been accusing people with bad logic each time, hoping to get people angry against her and vote her out, but Senko has been backing her vote each time to lend it legitimacy. Rather than working together, Senko and Usagi are working AGAINST each other, with Senko shutting her off each time, using Usagi for her own goals. We can't vote out Usagi because she is suicidal, nor should we listen to any accusation Usagi makes. Meanwhile, while its clear that Senko is probably Yakuza, Masuku-san said there were three yakuza members total. There are still two yakuza in this game. May I draw to your attention that Hizuka is being awfully cooperative with Senko right now? Usually they'd argue about their tech stuff, but she isn't speaking up at all, perhaps she is a potential yakuza working with Senko?"
"So what, your thinking yakuza is a Senko-Hizuka not Senko-Usagi?"
"Excuse me, but I am polite enough not to bring up how Senko's biotech ideas are impractical and ludicrous compared to the far more workable, reproducible and efficient technology of metal and steel, during a game. It has nothing to do with this, at all."
"Hyuhyu, then why do not speak out against her? If your innocent she and Usagi could turn their accusations upon you at any time, but you seem unconcerned about that, Hizuka. And certainly, the two cult members while victory is out of reach for them, joining forces with the innocents to take down the yakuza would at least get you payback to get a win for the ashigaru!"
She then turns to Senko
"But, perhaps we are mistaken. I will allow Senko to speak in her defense about her actions, her aggression to vote out people so fast! Keep in mind, if you try to change your vote to me or anyone else and try to convince us that someone is a "disruptive element" again, I will call for everyone to vote you, since you seem to be so keen to vote people out without any defense. Furthermore, we should in the future listen to people speaking in their own defense before making any decisions about voting- we will of course get to the matter of Gurasu and he has to say in his defense about cheating next, and Yoroi being accused of being a cultist. So Senko, what do you have to say for yourself?"

----------


## Rater202

> "Excuse me, but I am polite enough not to bring up how Senko's biotech ideas are impractical and ludicrous compared to the far more workable, reproducible and efficient technology of metal and steel, during a game. It has nothing to do with this, at all."


Senko turns her arm into a chakra cannon and aims it at a random part of the floor. "Sage Art Ice Release: Diamond Dust"

An icy cold mist emerges from the canon at a rapid rate for two seconds. When it's done, that random spot on the floor is completly frosted over.

"I can assure you all that I have no blood relation to any members of the Fuyuki-clan or other known Ice Release users. It is the product solely of my own research into cellular grafting. The procedure has a near 100% success rate in rats and I imagine it will be ready for trials in humans who lack my adaptive biology within the year."

Senko gives a rather pointed look to Hizuka.""The only limits to my bio-tech, Hizuka-san, are the limits to what cells I can get my hands on. And next time, if you do not want to bring up a personal grudge, do not bring it up at the first opportunity."



> "But, perhaps we are mistaken. I will allow Senko to speak in her defense about her actions, her aggression to vote out people so fast! Keep in mind, if you try to change your vote to me or anyone else and try to convince us that someone is a "disruptive element" again, I will call for everyone to vote you, since you seem to be so keen to vote people out without any defense. Furthermore, we should in the future listen to people speaking in their own defense before making any decisions about voting- we will of course get to the matter of Gurasu and he has to say in his defense about cheating next, and Yoroi being accused of being a cultist. So Senko, what do you have to say for yourself?"


"If I was a Yakuza, Kimiko-san? Why would I have voted out a Yakuza? If I were a cultist, why would I have voted out the Cult Leader? In both cases, it would have been in my best interest to deflect blame away from them."

"This game is an effort in cooperation and deductive reasoning. At the same time, refusing to vote someone out each morning is a less-than-optimal move as it gives the Yakuza a greater chance to kill in the night or the cult more time to convert others."

"So, in the absence of clear evidence of who is and is not a Yakuza or cultist, the most sound strategy is to find the people who are the most disruptive to group cohesion during the morning period. The people trying to engage in out-of-game factionalism or start witch hunts are either 1: Bad at the game and going to drag anyone else down with them or 2: One of the factions that most benefits from a lack of cohesion. The fact that Usagi-san's wild accusations have lined up with a Yakuza and an obvious cultist are simple coincidence, and nothing more... Unless she is an Ashigaru, in which case I drastically misjudged her behavior."

"But the most conclusive evidence of my innocence,  Kimiko-san, is just how similar you and I truly are. You know as well as I do that we are both too pigheaded and arrogant for our own good. If _either_ of us was anything other than a civilian, we would have given it away by now."

Senko giving away that she'd grafted herself with a bloodline was _certainly not_ a deliberate gambit to give the other genin who did not know her the impression that she couldn't keep a secret when under pressure. No siree, not at all.

"But, as a show of good faith, I will retract my vote against Yoroi-san, at least for now."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Morning III:*
Everyone jumps a little at Senko's sudden attack on the floor and Hizuka has her teeth clenched seething in sudden, contained fury.
_How? How did she advance her studies so fast, so quickly!? The ability to incorporate such cells into her should be some wondrous discovery, why is she keeping it hidden!? Damn it, I've already fallen behind her! Calm down Hizuka. Perhaps she is trying to provoke me. Maybe she knows this can't last as much as I do. That if we're truly playing for the most tickets per team, then she could be trying to make me act out so she could call for a vote against me. I have to control myself here._
She grits her teeth resolving to someday get back at Senko for this but not doing anything as long as its in her benefit to keep playing.
"Senko what the hell!?" Miho jumps a little at the shot, her bone blades reflexively springing out a little before she retracts them "The daimyo's son is RIGHT THERE, you scared me, could've been an assassin in disguise or something, Sage forbid..."
Tetsumi narrows her eyes at Senko, not sure he she quite believes this.
"....Cult leader is logical enough for a yakuza to take out. alternate win conditions is a very yakuza thing to be worried about, innocent on the other hand only care if people are bad or not. As for the first yakuza, that was Mayuwo. You could simply be lying about not involving outward grudges and threw him out because you didn't like his values, I don't like them either, they suck but that doesn't you aren't lying about it."
Kimiko then says
"I don't know what your talking about Senko, I'm perfect in every way."
Everyone who isn't Kimiko inwardly calls bull on that.
"Anyways, we move on. Gurasu you stand accused of cheating by Senko with someone outside of the game using your bloodline, what do you have to say in your defense?"
When Gurasu finishes she will ask
"Yoroi, you have been accused of being a cultist by Senko. What do you have to say in your defense?"

----------


## igordragonian

Gurasu look shocked and flustered.

Yoroi. "How convient,Senko,to have a harem of slaves in your service"

Mayuwu get close. "Wait. How can you take the word of this snake? Who said people outside the game have a say? Me and Kazou can add our insights as well then."

Masuku raise her hands. "No ghosts please." and wave Mayuwu away.
"But this is true. If you can prove there were cheating- there will be a fine. So far, a summoned animal of one of you said something, and I have nothing beside that."


Gurasu wrap his hands. "Is this a can of worms you want to open?" he ask defenaivly
"You want us to use people outside of the game? Who ever this one was- she serve Senko, and even if you accept her word, it is as good as coming from Senko herself, I want to counter accuse- Senko try to cheat *openly*- using a fake third party, just because- *probably* that as Yakuza she had failed this night and suspect me of being an Ashigaru"

Yoroi:"I dont understand what make you think I am cultist- I am not that patient with such games, I just joined Gurasu, because Senko has insulted me. So now everybody who vote against Senko is a cultist? So it seems Kimiko now is as much cultist as me, if that the case"


Usagi is angry. "What a stinky pile of bull! I would have no idea what to do as a suicidal. I just want things to move, in stupid boardgames, I do stupid things, because I am boooooooooored. Kimiko should know me- I cant lie and manipulate"
Usagi try to lie and to manipulate.

Raizo gasp for a moment as Senko shoot.
"I....have a feeling, that if Kimiko isnt a Yakuza.. the Yakuzas would have targeter her... and the Ashigarus would have protected her- so far what we see, fit. If Kimiko was a Yakuza.. someone would have died this night... so between Kimiko and Senko, I think Senko is a likely suspect- about Mayuwu, it seems he has insulted all the girls here.. so a grudge is likely."

----------


## Rater202

"Look, I have very little say over what she says and does and

"The two bats in the band did a Jutsu behind the game master's back. If they're not helping someone cheat they're trying to put someone under a genjutsu."

Senko immediately breaks a finger to make sure she's not under a Genjutsu.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Morning III: Kimiko*
She considers this and nods
"Gurasu is right Senko! if we're taking the word of your third party, that would be cheating just as much if not more than whatever Gurasu has supposedly done. Therefore we must disregard it. I'm sorry but we can't vote Gurasu on these grounds. I'm sure our referee if they catch it will punish them accordingly. and if they don't? Well guess they're a better shinobi then and should be commended for their talent.

I apologize Usagi, but I do have to play to my side of being innocent. Its only a game after all, hyuhyu~ Of course your bad at lying and manipulating: you have yet to get voted out despite being one of the most rash personalities here."
"Yeah I agree with Yoroi on all the stuff he said." Miho Kaguya says 
"Odd how you have nothing to say yourself though, Miho. But everyone look at what Senko just did, recklessly shooting some ice flesh arm cannon in the middle of a game! She just gave away a secret technique she can do a shinobi...in the middle of a stupid game like this. Do we really think she is capable of hiding that she is yakuza if she did such a foolish action just to threaten a fellow genin? She literally gave up a longer term advantage outside of the game for an action with no benefit inside of it. I would say this would make Senko the worst shinobi here, more so than even Usagi! This combined with the third party snake issue and the fact that she voted out Mayuwo no matter the reason, and the fact she just openly broke her finger to get out of a genjutsu she suspects is there and its clear that if Senko is playing incredibly badly for a yakuza. Furthermore she just explained her strategy and how both of her votes out have helped the innocents. If she is yakuza, then she is Ninth Innocenting hard right now. She is about as much of a threat as Usagi is. 

Yoroi though, I have to take exception to that slaves comment, thats rude I am not Senko's slave. And Senko just rescinded her vote against Yoroi so clearly I have to defy her by voting you Yoroi or I'd be proving you right by not voting you. Everyone except Senko vote Yoroi to prove your not Senko's slave."
Miho automatically votes Yoroi, not wanting to seem like she is the other cultist.
Kimiko votes Yoroi.
Hizuka votes Yoroi.
Ryone votes Yoroi.
Tetsumi votes Yoroi.

----------


## Rater202

"...That wasn't a threat."

Senko is, actually genuinely confused now.

Alienation and Self-Loathing +1.

----------


## igordragonian

Masuku:"Well, Senko it's up to you- if you stand behind Menko's claim, Gurasu will be punished- but so are you,how ever more severly then Gurasu- you are using elements outside.of the game on the open, and it's up to you, to decide- you can't use Menko and then claim you have no control.over her. Also... not a lot of time left."



Yoroi:"I didnt meant you and Usagi- I meant this wierd girl and the annoying fake samurai girl."
He grunt.
"I think it's very clear Senko is a Yakuza. I vote Senko"

Raizo:"Even if Yoroi is a cultist, which I wasnt convinced off yet- they aren't dangerouse at this point. I am not voting yet, but I lean toward voting Senko" he say carefully


Ussgi is very annoyed. She is doomed. 
"I wil wait a moment as well"

----------


## Rater202

> Masuku:"Well, Senko it's up to you- if you stand behind Menko's claim, Gurasu will be punished- but so are you,how ever more severly then Gurasu- you are using elements outside.of the game on the open, and it's up to you, to decide- you can't use Menko and then claim you have no control.over her. Also... not a lot of time left."


"Punish me for what? You can't honestly hold me responsible for what she did. I did not 'use' her, she elected to interfere of her own accord. Unless you have proof that I asked her to watch for anyone who was cheatingor more importantly, that I asked her to cheat on my accordthen punishing me at all, let alone worse than the person she alleges to be cheating, is simply you using an arbitrary excuse to sabotage my performance in the game. Aren't you supposed to be impartial? Now I'm wondering if this whole game isn't rigged... Punish him or do not, I honestly do not care, but all I have personally ever done is play the game by the rules we were given."

"...Also, the thought occurs to me that I've never introduced Menko to anyone. And she's never been n her true form without using a genjutsu to hide her movements since we left the village. The only people in this room who should know that she's a summoning animal, other than myself, are my teammates so I have to wonder how you knew that she was a snake."

"Look, you don't have to punish anybody.

Menko walks up o the stage again and hits right next to the Band.

"If they cheat again, or it turns out that they're trying to put people under a genjutsu, I'll bite them. I mean, if whatever they were doing was part of the game then they wouldn't have done it behind your back, right Masuku-san?"




> Yoroi:"I didnt meant you and Usagi- I meant this wierd girl and the annoying fake samurai girl."
> He grunt.
> "I think it's very clear Senko is a Yakuza. I vote Senko"


"They are not a harem. Menko isn't into humans and I'm pretty sure Tomoe-san is involved with her roommate."

...You may recall the awkwardness a mission ago when Ichika found out that Tomoe was a ronin.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
"Yes technically it is a mistake on my part to even say that Senko was accusing Gurasu of anything. Menko acted completely on her own and I mistakenly reacted to Menko saying anything at all. I apologize Senko, I realized my mistake too late and accidentally implied you did something that you did not, that was deceptive of me. 

As for you Menko....You put your summoner at risk with your actions. Next time, perhaps only tell the referee of your suspicions instead of making a scene."
Others look at Kimiko wondering if this was an honest mistake, an actual attempt to get Senko out, or faking an attempt to get her out to make it look like they're not collaborating.

----------


## Rater202

"...Also, and this thought just occurs to me... Did you not say that the penalty for cheating was you kicking us? Uh... You know how some people claim that their bodies are beautiful temples? Mine is more like a booby-trapped fortress. I _really_ do not want to be responsible for you breaking your foot."

----------


## igordragonian

Masuku answer shortly and sternly.
"Do you stand behind this claim- and admit cheating- or not. It was a simple question. You have failed to give me a clear answer- so I assume you do not, so neither you nor Yoroi would be punished. If I catch any activity that influence the game outside the game- I will decide what to do depend on the violation. I keep my right to punish cheating as I see fit. Now. Vote"

Raizo:"Then sadly I vote Senko as well"

Usagi groan. "You know what? I vote Kimiko!"

----------


## Rater202

"I told you already, I do not _care_ if you punish Garasu or not, but _I_ did not do anything and will not stand to be punished when I did nothing wrong. Especially when the punishment for cheating is to have violence inflicted upon the accused... Actually, you know what."

"I do not care if _anyone_ gets caught cheating, you aren't going to punish anyone. If someone is found cheating we will just have to vote them out in-game, because I do not think that an adult inflicting violence on a child is an appropriate response to cheating in a game."

"Anyway, unless I forgot anyone, and I do apologize it can be hard to keep track in the midst of conversation, there are two votes for me, one vote for Kimiko-san, and six votes for Yoroi-san. I am withholding my vote. so..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She will simply say
"Senko, I'd advise not harping on this. We have a vote to get on with."
She says
"Cast your vote."

----------


## Rater202

> *Kimiko:*
> She will simply say
> "Senko, I'd advise not harping on this. We have a vote to get on with."
> She says
> "Cast your vote."


"I said that I would retract my vote for now as a show of good faith and what kind of person would I be if I went back on it? Besides, my vote would be superfluous, the majority of votes are for Yoroi-san. I could vote for literally anyone and it would have no effect on the result... Which, honestly, makes my show of faith worthless... Damn it."

"Still withholding my vote."

----------


## igordragonian

Masuku doesnt seems to listen to anything Senko says-
She has nothing more to add.

"10 seconds until the vote end.
9.
8.
7..."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Flashback to the Past: Growing up Kiri, Full Story*
Meanwhile Mitsuko reminisces on her past on some rooftop, growing up in Kirigakure and her relationship with Ryota Ishikawa:
*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri Part 1: Graduation Day*
Show


*Mitsuko, Age 12:*
Today was the day they graduated. Mitsuko could hardly wait, she was looked down on her clan for being average in Paper release and not having a single shred of talent for fuinjutsu. Despite how much she tried she just kept being found middling. The Ishikawa clan prides itself on excellence. She was already a failure by her clans standards and only good for being put into an arranged marriage, but she promised today that she would begin her journey prove them wrong and become a great ninja despite her clans dismissal. Of course she sees from a distance Ryota, a third cousin of hers and the one she was chosen to be wedded to, she knew. Despite the arrangement, they didn't interact with each other much. Ryota was off doing much more advanced training and when she did try speaking to him, his voice as cold as ice, seemingly not caring for her much. Beside him was Sowagi a warm excitable boy he had been assigned to be academy partners with for his time at the academy, talking excitedly
"I can't wait to be a ninja Ryota isn't it exciting!?"
"If you say so."
"We'll get to be ninja! Badasses going around to exciting new places, meeting new people and fighting to protect our village! I'll be great!"
"Sure."
"I'm looking forward to finally being able to explore beyond the village, and sail upon the waves! What do you look forward to, Ryota!?"
"....Weeding."
"Wha? Weeding?" Sowagi says confused.
"Weeding." He repeats in the same cold tone.
"You give the weirdest answers, my friend." Sowagi says, shrugging it off. 
Mitsuko raises a hand and says
"Hi Ryota"
He doesn't respond back as they walk by, Sowagi continuing to babble on. She sighs. Yeah that was the usual response from Ryota in public.

She of course soon meets up with her own student partner throughout the academy: Akiyashi. She was a low caste, unlike Mitsuko, no family to her name, but unlike Mitsuko she was talented: more skilled in taijutsu, ninjutsu and genjutsu than her, she succeeded at her book studies as well, Mitsuko knew she could never hope to beat her in anything-and she was also Mitsuko's best friend.
"Hey Mitsuko how you doing?"
"Fine..." she says "A little nervous. Today is the big day when we finally become ninja you know?"
"Yeah. I get that, need to be at your best. Don't worry, You'll pass I'll make sure of it." Akiyashi assures her
"Thanks Aki but we don't even know what the graduation will test for. You think they're going to make us test the academy three again?" Mitsuko asks
"Can't be. They already did that yesterday and sent home all duos that couldn't even manage that." Akiyashi says, knowing those duos would probably be back next year to try again. 
"You think they're going to make us try and do Hidden Mist Jutsu?" Mitsuko speculates
"Makes no sense, we haven't gotten any water release training." Akiyashi says back.
"Weird. Well, whatever it is I just...I just hope I succeed. The clan talks up Ryota like he is the best thing ever while I'm....I'm just his accessory." she says sadly.
Akiyashi puts an arm over Mitsuko's shoulder
"Hey. Don't worry about it. Screw what your clan thinks, they don't know what they got, I bet with proper shining even you can shine like a diamond. You had my back when keeping away them clan bullies, and I'll have yours now. Okay?" Akiyashi says with a smile
"...Okay!" Mitsuko smiles back, feeling better.
"Alright, lets go in and face whatever awaits us." Akiyashi says. Beside her, Mitsuko felt like she could do anything.

The students are ushered into what is known at the Kirigakure Academy, as The Graduation Room. It is built from a hollowed out cavern behind a pounding waterfall where little sound could be heard over its rushing flow, they had to water-walk to get to it and the place has darker lighting. Amid it are row after row of little dueling areas drawn on the ground to indicate where people should stand. They are ushered into these rows and their instructor calls out
"Stand with your assigned partner! Make sure they are on the opposite side of the dueling area!"
When everyone is in order, the instructor then goes over to the doors of this room, takes out a key, and locks them.
"What?" Mitsuko says "Aki, why is he locking us inside?"
Akiyashi is silent, her face serious and firm.
The instructor walks to the front of the room where there is the most light, with a little stage, very spartan in appearance. He clears his throat and announces
"As you know students, we assign partners to each of you. With these partners you learn the value of cooperation, coordination, trust, loyalty, teamwork. Virtues that will serve you well throughout your career as a shinobi. But now you must learn something different. Virtues that will be just as valuable, but not as often spoken of. I will inform you now: half you will not be leaving this room alive. Your families will be notified of your failure to graduate, they were informed of the risk when they signed you up."
Misuko was confused. What was he talking about!? The instructor continues as if delivering any other speech. Sowagi yells 
"Whaddya mean by that!? What the hell!?"
"The graduation test of Kirigakure Academy is as follows: You are to kill your assigned partner by any means necessary. Thi-"
*SHLCKTT!*
The instructor and the entire class stops and turns to stare in horror at the sound of a blade piercing a skull: Ryota had killed Sowagi without hesitation, a paper blade extended from his clutches. The blade retracts, red with blood and the corpse of Sowagi thumps to the ground.
"Weeding's done." is all Ryota says
"But..." the instructor says "...I didn't even finish my speech."
"So? You said by any means necessary. I don't recall you saying anything about a set time to start." Ryota says back
"Thats...a good point. Huh. Very well. Ryota Ishikawa, you pass. Please go collect your headband over there wait for the rest of the students."
He does so wordlessly. The instructor turns back to the rest of the class, all shocked by this.
"My students, once again Ryota has demonstrated why he is the top of his class. He has demonstrated perfectly the other virtues we are looking for: Ruthlessness. Discipline. Detachment. A shinobi must be prepared to kill anyone in service to his village- including his most trusted allies. Even if they aren't secretly trying to betray you, they might eventually be subverted by a genjutsu, being blackmailed or bribed or some other form of coercion. To allow such petty things to keep you from serving your village and country and thus lead to disloyalty is inexcusable. For shinobi are weapons that kill what poses the most danger to our survival. To be concerned about the life of your target is to fail. On this day you are no longer children, but adults and adults kill.....or be killed. Prove that you can be a real shinobi and kill your partner or die. You may begin."
It was at this moment that Mitsuko realized that this wasn't a graduation room. This was the room where they took children like her to be murdered by other children. This wasn't graduation, but a deadly hazing ritual to make sure you either get in too deep to ever get back out....or drown. Building the room within a cavern behind the waterfall was to make sure no one heard the sounds of combat and screaming that were erupting around her even now. The locked door was so that no one escaped before it was finished. The dim lightning was probably to make sure no one sees the bloodstains going in.
Akiyashi charges with a kunai, Mitsuko brings up her own paper blade to block, the two blades clashing.
"Mitsuko! Kill me." she whispers
"WHAT!?" she exclaims
Akiyashi breaks makes a few swings that seemed normal, but Mitsuko knew were holding back because she could block those as well. Akiyashi was normally far more skilled, far faster than this. They clash again.
"I said kill me!" she insists.
"No! I-I-I can't! Your my best friend!"
"don't worry, I'll be fine. Kill me"
"Dead is the exact opposite of fine!" Mitsuko hisses back
"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine, do it."
"Your not making sense!" Mitsuko points out
"Okay, Mitsuko? I planned for this. Kill me."
"No you should live! Your....your the talented one, the cool one, the person who was always there and helped me...I'm nothing but a worthless girl...."
"No. I planned for this." she leans in and whispers "Don't worry I'll live. Just kill me."
"No! I can't!"
"You need to. Your not worthless, Mitsuko. You can do this." Akiyashi says trying to reassure her.
"But whats your plan!?"
"Best you don't know. You probably won't see me for quite a while. I know I can't kill you Mitsuko so....either we are stuck here forever or you kill me so that least you live." She explains a little.
"But you...."
"Don't deserve to live more than anyone else. This my choice, Mitsuko. and I choose for you to live. Kill me, if I stab myself it wont allow you to graduate." She says with determination.
"....Dammit." Mitsuko says, a tearing rolls down her cheek then throws her into an offensive "Fine! Be that way! Baka!"
Akiyashi makes a show of putting up a defense, deflecting a few times then gets stabbed in the heart. They stop and she leans in to whisper into Mitsuko's ear
"Thank you Mitsuko. I am now free. Don't worry. We'll meet again someday...best friend."
Akiyashi then slumps off the paper blade and falls to the ground, still. The instructor calls out
"Mitsuko Ishikawa! You pass!"
Mitsuko her face frozen in terror numbly walks over to the side and takes a headband. It felt heavier than she thought it should and with trepidation, put it on. She sees Ryota standing there passively like a stone looking out at the rest of the class fighting each other, walks over to him and asks
"How? How you can just....kill Sowagi so easily and not care?"
"I was told to." he answers flatly.
"Okay but besides that."
"He was annoying." He answers in the same frigid tone.
"Thats really it? Thats why you killed him?"
"I am a weapon, a shinobi. Its what I do. That and I was told about the graduation ritual from the very beginning of the Academy by the clan head to prepare myself."
"How can you say that?"
"Easily. I just did. Were you not paying attention?"
"....How do I know you won't kill me?"
"Simple. I'm not allowed. Don't be traitor to the clan and I won't be allowed to kill you."
"....Fine. Okay." she decides to stop talking to him. 
Soon the slaughter was over. They were taken out of the Graduation Room back out into the world, while the bodies were picked up by Chuunin to be carted off for funeral arrangements.



*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri, Part 2: The Team*
Show


Mitsuko timidly stands with her teammates: a brash Hoshigaki and a slim Yuki boy, pretty. Her jounin leader addresses them. Her present self no longer remembers their names.
Alright you Genin, you got blooded on your first kill, which means your strong enough to be worth training. I don't care about your hopes or whatever, say your names and get along or I'll make sure you fall in line, by force if need be. From this day forth your Shinobi of Kirigakure. You kill for this village, you work for this village, you live for this village and if you want to get anything out of it, you put in the work to prove your worth my time. 
Now! Unlike other villages, we don't do D-ranks. We're soldiers, we're shinobi! We're here to do the real work of our profession rather than chores for civvies like some bleeding heart Konoha-Nin, or workaholic salaryman Kumo-nin. Your here because your killers. Your first C-rank is that there are some pirate raids out on this minor island. We're going to go kill them all.
As the team walks through the village to get to the gates, they pass by another team of genin who glare at them and the hoshigaki boy says
Jeez, look at that commoner genin team, glaring at us like that. Don't they know their place? We're old clans.
Yeah, older clans on top, newer clans and commoners at the bottom. Thats how it is.
What if they don't want to be on the bottom? Mitsuko asks quietly 
Then they're idiots, Ishikawa-san. Don't know how things work, can't expect anything more from commoners, can't understand what their role is, got to make them understand. Nails that stick up got to be hammered down y'know?
They go outside the village for the first time, traveling through the misty forests of their land to get to the town and its harbor, paying for a ship to take them to the island where they need to go. They find themselves constantly sparring walking on the water while trying to keep up with the ship as they travel, the jounin not wanting to waste travel time lazing around. If any of them ran out of chakra and got left behind among the waves the jounin said, it would be their own fault for not managing their chakra supply. 
After such practice, the Yuki boy approached her menacingly below decks.
You were only doing decent in that last spar, Ishikawa.
Only? I did good enough didn't I?
he punches wall next to her.
Scraping by isn't good enough! Your either the best or left in the dust in this world! We got to compete with all the other teams for the Mizukages favor! So here's a warning Mitsuko: don't let your weakness drag us down.
Or what?
He punches her in the stomach, making her feel as if she about to throw up, her face shocked
Or we will make sure that we'll get a better teammate as a replacement- and that they will never find your body. Its all about survival of the fittest, so get fit, or you won't survive.
he then stalks away. Mitsuko decides to go to the Jounin, telling him of this and he says
What you trying to make me kill them for you?
What! No! Why would you think that!
Yeeeeeah, sure you weren't, you little psychopath. Don't lie to me, your old clan raised, you know what this villages reputation is: The Bloody Mist. We kill our children as a graduation ceremony, and everyone is out for power and willing to do anything to get it, especially the highest clans of the caste system. People die in their struggles all the time. Land of water has been wracked with minor civil wars and uprisings for ages over kekkei genkai, over land, over maritime trade. Spilling blood, is in our blood. So if your going to eliminate someone, have the decency to make sure I can't catch you, we have to make it look like we're a united force to the rest of the world somehow.
and if they kill me first? she asks fearfully.
Then your weak, and as long as I don't see your corpse its not my problem. So don't come whining to me about yours to manipulate me into doing your dirty work for you, I have better things to do than petty clan politics. the jounin says and walks away, uncaring.
But Mitsuko hadn't known before then. Hadn't known of the reputation or the power struggles underneath the surface at all. No one had told her. They just assumed that it was obvious, that everyone knew and that you just somehow would pick it up without it needing to be explained to you. An invisible truth, hidden not through any intentional deception but through a fact so large you could only see a small part of it, like gravity or air. 
Don't be weak she repeats to herself Don't be weak, don't be weak she says as she runs to a bed far away from anyone on the ship to hide and sleep, the mantra being her lullaby until her eyes close, wishing that Akiyashi was there.

They soon arrive at the island. They ask around the village but oddly enough, the people there don't say where the pirates are, instead they act like the pirates don't exist. Some snicker about how its a shame that the tax collector died so mysteriously before he could get here. Some try to claim that they have the wrong island, that some other island has the pirates. Whatever the answer, none of the islanders are being helpful or cooperative at all. They go back to the jounin and he concludes
They're all in on it. This entire town is sheltering and hiding the pirates in passive rebellion. Sigh, why is this becoming more and more common lately? he shakes his head.
You've done what you can, its time for some big boy action.
He marches into the center of town grabs the elder, throws him to the ground and begins torturing him with his kunai.
Wheres the pirates!? Where are they hiding!
The town elder screams and everyone in the town stops to watch, shocked as the elder is slowly, agonizingly stabbed and the blade twists through his flesh as he works it. Demanding answers and getting only screams back a man yells
Stop it! What are you doi-
He suddenly throws the kunai into that means heart, killing him then pulling it out.
The questions wasn't just for the old man. They were for all of you. Where are the pirates hiding? If you lie, I will come back, and the torture will resume, until every single one of you are dead- yes I will make this villages demise as slow as possible until I get my answers.
He projects his killing intent to them, and they all cower in fear. Mitsuko repeats to herself Don't be weak as she watches this horrid display. Soon they tell him the information he needs to know, and they get going.
The pirate base they find is some ramshackle buildings and a ship docked on the shore.
I'll burn the ship, you three kill those on the shore. the jounin orders then leap away.
They leap towards the pirates on land, the Yuki boy killing them with fired shards of ice through their hands, small as bullets,  or sliced them open with a ice blade, others he made trip and and fall upon slick frozen puddles then stabbed them while they were down. The Hoshigaki genin meanwhile became more sharklike, charging forward and ripping men's arms off with a great maw or punching through their ribs to tear out their hearts, his strength increased in his shark form, or using his katana to cleave through bone. Mitsuko herself drew her paper blade to cut through foe after foe, adrenaline surging through her in the moment as she killed another with a paper shuriken or choked another out by making her paper blade into a whip. The three genin were demons of surgical terror and horror, far from mindless they were creating a veritable bloodbath of utmost precision. 
One pirate ran away from the slaughter and Mitsuko pursued him into the forest away from the rest. Hearing footsteps behind himself, he pulls out a hand crossbow to fire a bolt at her. She parries it with her paper blade and then jumps forward, punching him to send him falling down. Sprawling upon the ground he says
Why?
as she stands over him.
Why are they such monsters that they send kids to kill us?
Monsters? she says, confused. How are we monsters? Kirigakure is defending against your piracy!
Hah! the rebel says We targeted government shipments because your taxing us too much, and don't care to help us unless we pay through the nose for your villages missions! Why should we be loyal to a daimyo if we can't afford their tithes and the hidden village is unwilling to help if their resident psychotic killers demand even more money!? Why should we care, when they are too busy fighting their stupid war!?
She hesitates. The man had a point. 
Furthermore look at you! A kid, running around killing people! Normal kids don't do that, normal kids play and have fun and do their homework at school or help with the farm! They turn you into child soldiers to get you killing early, to make you weapons when you can't even begin to question it!That screwed up!
..Your...your just an ignorant villager on an island, you don't know how the world works.
I don't need to, to see that all this is messed up. he responds back. Anyone can see it, acting like me? Thats whats hard. But if you acted against it as well, you could change things for the better! You have power we don't! Your lucky enough to be able to stand up to them! You could truly fight!
Mitsuko shivers her eyes wide. Betraying...her village? Her clan? It terrified her. It was unthinkable. She'd be nothing, a rogue shinobi to be killed like the rest. Without loyalty, she was weak.
She begins muttering. Don't be weak, don't be weak, don't be weak.
You could be better than... what are you muttering-
*SHLCKTT!*
Her blade stabs through the head, killing him mid sentence. She pulls it out, panting. Mitsuko begins walking back to the rest of her team, repeating as mantra while tears rung down her cheek three simple words:
Don't be weak.



*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri Part 3: The Marriage*
Show


Mitsuko, eighteen years of age, walks through the gates of the Ishikawa compound. She is a Chuunin now, earned it in a field promotion from fighting Konoha and Kumo nin. Musumi, a nephew of hers greets her
Hey Mitsuko, the Clan Patriach want to speak to you, said it was important for the clans future or something.
Okay, thanks Musumu. But why? I'm nothing special.
Don't ask me, apparently the talks for you alone. he says then walks away.

Soon she meets with the Ishikawa Clan Leader who gazes upon her, scrutinizing her with his hardened eyes.
Um...Greetings Clan Leader, why have you summoned me here? she says with a respectful bow
Mitsuko. says the Clan Patriarch This is important for the future of the clan. I have chosen you, to be married to your cousin and my son, Ryota Ishikawa.
What? Why?
I have considered it and think its the best decision. Your only a Chuunin after all this time and show little potential to grow further. Your breeding however is impeccable, and Ryota is far more competent- the best of the best. Its a perfect match.
Mitsuko knew what he was talking about**: Generally it was considered better to pair a more competent and powerful jounin with a more normal chuunin in such marriages, as two powerful Jounin was just wasting one of them on raising a child when their power can be best used in the field, while a chuunin husband or wife who wasn't as powerful can be relegated to that duty without much change in fighting strength. It made sure all the cream of the crop shinobi were on active duty while the merely average found usefulness for themselves in other ways. Besides, two powerful jounin as a couple tended to end up in arguments and power struggles. This way was more stable. From a military perspective, this all made a lot of sense. 
I....I...see.... she replies.
But to Mitsuko she just felt a vise closing in around her, around her heart and soul. She had known at the back of her mind this day would come, but she never knew it come so suddenly. She could not run, could not fight back, could not speak up. It felt as if her life was over already, as if something she had was being crushed under all this expectations through a stare heavy as mountains. Expectation to fulfill her new role in the clan, expectation to do as she was told as was proper of a lady of Kirigakure, as proper of a kunoichi. 
He next speak words of placation, of rationality and reason, trying to soften it, trying to make it look like its the best decision for her, trying to spin it as positively as he can. But it crushes her heart all the same. People think velvet gloves and iron fists are mutually exclusive, but this could not be further from the truth. Those who need to put on such velvet gloves often have the most iron of grips to hide, and those who extend open hands of peace need no gloves to be kind. Sometimes, the iron grip comes those who should be closest to you, looking all the more velvet for its proximity. 
But she repeats to herself: Don't be weak. The will of a shinobi is to endure, no matter what.
...I will do my duty. I will marry Ryota Ishikawa. the words felt like a defeat, despite her effort to say it, her souls folding like paper in front of him.
Good. The ceremony will prepared in a week. The continuation of this clan will be ensured.
She nods weakly, loyalty was strength.

One week later, Mitsuko waits for the groom, surrounded by the wedding. Her kimono is beautiful, an intricate thing designed with its dark blue and white clan colors featuring the clan's Mon proudly displayed, while artistic paper crane designs all across the kimono decorate it as if she was a wearing a flock of tiny birds. Her hair is done up in a highly traditional style, her face and posture is the picture of elegance and serenity. The wedding has went all out: The entire clan that wasn't on a mission was there, from its great elders to its smallest children all in similar kimonos, men in black kimonos. A Ninshuist priest waits patiently next to her. Trees full of cherry blossoms line them the procession, little pink petals falling in the wind. Such imagery was supposed to symbolize the fleeting beauty of life. It was everything one could want out of a wedding, no expense spared, no decoration overlooked.
She hated it. All of it, deep inside.
Then came Ryota Ishikawa, walked down the aisle, silent. Even in his black kimono and wide dark pants which looked out of place on his slender frame, his presence was like winter, chilling anyone who looked at him. His steps were quick as if he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, he looks at her not with contempt, for contempt would be too warm for his eyes. He looks at Mitsuko like a coroner looks a corpse on slab, analyzing the machinery of her body, as if he wanted cut to cut her open and look at every bone and organ inside, look at every single wrinkle of her brain and see how her eyes connected to it, like he wanted to study as some biological specimen, not out of joy, or curiosity, but simply to know what tool he was working with and how he could use it- how he could use her. That if he could take her apart and put her back together again like some appliance or radio he would in a heartbeat.
He doesn't waste any time.
Priest, begin.
It was not a request, but a command.
She delivers her lines managing to keep her composure. He delivers his, as flat and uncaring as he says everything else in his life, as if he was reading from a script, as if he didn't fit with anything, anyone, anywhere. He doesn't linger on them, he just recites them like is supposed to. When he is supposed to kiss her, his movements as machine-like, and he lips feel cold and unyielding, barely being a peck.
They then walk off arm in arm, like puppets dancing on society's strings while people somehow smile and cheer at this facade. Ryota wasn't even performing, wasn't even pretending that he cared about any of this, it was all nothing to him.

They soon arrive in their new bedroom together, sliding the door closed. Mitsuko thought she'd speak to get this off the on right foot.
Hey, I know your probably unhappy but I am to, so lets to get though this to-
Ryota suddenly grabs her neck and slams her against the wall, looking at with an unnatural, inhuman gaze, the burst of speed somehow having no feeling behind it.
Attention, tool. You are a necessary biological component of my sociopolitical advancement. You are to obey me. A necessary heir must be provided.
What the-!? Mitsuko exclaims what are you talking about!?
The way he is speaking did not make sense, but then Ryota hardly ever spoke at all, at least to her. Was she seeing a rare glimpse into how he truly thought right now?
Your purpose is now reproduction. This is what your design is meant for in your half of the greater social ecology. You must fulfill your purpose to my specific design: The heir must be high quality. We will engage in reproductive acts until the perfect specimen is produced.
But....but why!?
There is no why. This is the structure of things, the cyclical process that has formed in this world. It simply happens. It is now happening according to my directive. There can be no deviation. Pleasure will not be allowed for either party.
I...WHAT!? What kind of man doesn't want to feel pleasure while sleeping with a woman!? she exclaims, confused.
Shinobi are tools. Tools must never feel. Feelings are biochemicals causing involuntary reactions, leftover primitive warning systems of danger or beneficial situations. Allowing such feeling to impact my actions is inefficient and illogical. Maximum effectiveness comes from clarity of mind and full control of oneself. The purpose must be clear and pure: production of high quality heir for the purpose of succession. Nothing else. The social purpose of our union must be achieved.
And if I say thats technically impossible? she asks
Keeping his grip on her neck, he pulls her back then slams her into the wall, harder this time, quick yet robotic.
Damage upon your body will be accrued through violence. This will continue until compliance is achieved, or termination becomes necessary. If need be, a replacement can be arranged.
He wouldn't do that, would he? Mitsuko looked into his cold, distant eyes. They disturbed her for they had not changed since she look into them earlier. There was no fury, or hatred, not even disgust. Just calculation, as if this was all a math equation and there was a variable he was waiting to settle into a constant before he solved it. She cannot even rightly call him insane, for something about him was highly rational, but at the same time incredibly inhuman. Wait, he was often used as an assassin. He would know all the best ways to dispose of a body then lie about it so that one would know the truth. If there was anyone in Kirigakure who could get away with killing her, it was him. Thats why he was not concerned about the social consequences of doing so. Furthermore, the more she thought about it, the more she knew a mere chuunin like her could never hope to beat him in a fight.
So she reminds herself: Don't be weak.
...Fine. I'll do as you say. You'll have your heir.
He drops her unceremoniously and turns to the bed.
Then let us get started.
That night, she repeated her mantra a lot.  



*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri Part 4: The Child*
Show

 
Four years later she throws Jirou, a four year child, a bokken and takes a stance with her own.
Mommy, why are we playing with sticks? he asks
This isn't playing she says Your training begins today.
For what? he asks
For being a ninja. she answers
Whats a ninja? he asks
what I am, and what you will become. They are....heroes who fight for our village.
Oh. Okay!
She tells him how to properly hold the bokken. It takes a couple tries for him to get it, then another couple tries to get into a proper kenjutsu stance. She begins going through the basic routines for him to memorize while an elder watches. He seemed to be getting but then he made a  mistake and the elder hit in the ankle with her own bokken, making him stumble over, crying.
Your stance wasn't wide enough. You must be better if you are to be a shinobi the elder says curtly.
Elder, he is a child. she tries to chide but the elder responds
Hmph! All the more reason he needs to be trained fast! We're still at war and we need make him ready early. If he can't fight as soon as possible then he deserves to die. As his mother its your duty to make sure he can fend for himself as a shinobi, to prepare him for the world before it can kill him. Do not be soft on the boy, for the world will not.
Over a year she trained him, trying to be curt, trying train him as best she could. Often he would make a mistake and she'd hit him with the bokken once then make him do the drills again. His chores were designed to make him better at being a soldier, and once they got sparring he constantly lost in bokken fights with her, accumulating welts and bruises from his constant mistakes. He had no childhood- it was simply training day in and day out. It was all taijutsu and kenjutsu training, the basics that every kirigakure shinobi learn sooner or later for kenjutsu was a big part of the culture. He soon learned to stop complaining or crying and simply be quiet while he learned. She would punish him for his mistakes while muttering under her breath, don't be weak. 

Mitsuko was bringing him before his father to speak with him and offer the bad news. They sit before him on tatami mat and bow then a younger Mitsuko, a softer Mitsuko, says
"Ryota. We have tested him and...I'm sorry to say but he doesn't have the Paper Release bloodline. He did not inherit it."
Ryota fixes Jirou with gaze that he couldn't tell whether it cold uncaring assessment or contempt, the eternal icy glare he gives with his amber eyes on his sharp features never wavering, then speaks
"Then it is The Failure. Consider it disposable. The Mizukage could use more genin scouts for the front lines when it is trained soon."
"What? But Otoosa-" Jirou begins to say then was interrupted by his father's voice cutting through his own like a leaden blade, not even paying attention to him now.
"Mitsuko. Tell the Failure it is not to speak to me ever again, and that it is denied from inheriting my position. Only those who can wield Paper Release are worthy of leading Clan Ishikawa. Send it away, we'll begin making a new child immediately."
"What!? But Ryota this is your own son-" Mitsuko says distraught.
"No its not, and even if it was, the fact would be irrelevant. Do not defy me again, is that clear?"
"....Cl.....clear.....Ryota....I won't." She will sadly lead Jirou out of the room, When they were out of it Jirou will look at her and go
"Why!? What did he mean!? Why wasn't I good enough? Okaa-san!"
She just looks down at him with tears in her eyes
"...That is not your concern anymore. Your father has spoken, and we must obey."
"Mitsuko." Ryota will call "Do not keep me waiting. You must fulfill your duty as a kunoichi."
"...I must go. Go back to training. Now." Mitsuko says then walks back inside, shutting the door behind her. Don't be weak.



*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri, Part 5: The Purge*
Show


Mitsuko didn't remember exactly when it began. She only remembers the fighting, the ninja coming for her. She remembers ordering Jirou her son to grab his blade and be ready to kill any that come near him. She remembers the blood of dead Genin on his blade. She remembers running, taking cover as explosive tags detonated her and there, as she uses his paper blade to slash off another head, as she sees clan members erecting stone walls, firing high pressure blasts of water to punch through skulls or simply rip limbs clean off from the force of the water hitting them, of buildings burning, seeing other clan houses burning in the distance. Shouting orders. Scrolls to be carried away. preserved. She runs past corpses of the dead: Father. Mother. Sister. Aunt. Uncle. Nephews. Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead. 

She is dimly aware of blood on her clothes, insults from the enemy shouted amid the din. The worst thing about it is that it all blurred together, it was all so horrible no one moment stood as more terrifying than the rest. She remembers Jirou crying. She remembers her not having time for him crying. She remembers Jirou being quiet for the rest of his life after that. She remembers traps being sprung and Kiri clanless falling into stone spikes, or being electrocuted  when they step across a line, or get set on fire from seals. Or they die from suddenly summoned animal showing up in response to them coming in and joining the fight for the Ishikawas. She remembers seeing one clan shinobi's clone being poofed, then their second, third and fourth then dying from too many people attacking at once.

It occurred to her that in the grand scheme of things, such plans and measures were just statistical adjustments. Slight increases in a percentage. A dead body as just another number to manipulate the odds. Warfare like many things was a form of gambling, and the odds of a victory was in favor of the one who had the most to throw away to abuse the odds until they inevitably won- the house sa they say, always wins. and the Ishikawa clan currently wasn't the dealer. 

She runs up to Ryota who is standing look out at the battle emotionless as ever. Maybe slightly annoyed if you look closely.
"Ryota! Why haven't we retreated yet!? We're taking heavy losses!"
"....Not yet."
"WHY!?"
"The plan is that if we put up enough resistance, Yagura himself will come to crush us. That is when the trap will spring. He managed to usurp the Mizukage first, this is the backup plan."
"That won't work!"
"Explain."
"He clearly has all the clanless ninja on his side! He doesn't need to come to us, he can just keep sending his superior numbers at us until we're drowned in blood and corpses!"
"She's right." Musumu says jumping in "It doesn't matter how clever your trap is, he has enough ninja that he can afford not to spring it by just making others kill us for him."
He is silent for a moment, thinking. 
"Ryota!" she says "Your clan is dying around you!"
"Irrelevant." he says, dispassionate. "He will come for me. He hates me, for what I represent to him."
She is truly afraid at this point, knowing she never convinced him of anything before. Knowing that deep down he didn't care. For anything. Knowing what kind of person he is. How coldly meticulous he was. Which was of course the problem: sure planning was good and all but he planned too long to put it into action. She would have to try something different.
"Ryota. He is a shinobi of the Mist as much as you. They don't call us the Bloody Mist for nothing. He is probably just as willing to spend lives as you, and has more bodies to throw into the grinder. You underestimated how quickly he moved to take the Mizukage position for himself. And now its possible your underestimating how reckless he is- or perhaps how much he personally wants to kill you. A man in that position of power? Doesn't need to do anything himself. I'm sure he will be satisfied with someone bringing your head to him. Just as am I'm sure you would be. He is the one with more power and resources than you. Killing you personally is a weak person's plan."
He considers this for a silent moment. 
"...Very well. We retreat. I thought he would be here by now, but its clear that he is smarter than he seems."
She only remembers the retreat and watching ninja die even as they run away, and remembers the Ishikawa clan house going up in flames, along with all the knowledge within.



*Spoiler: Growing Up Kiri Part 6: Coldest Goodbye*
Show


Over the year after they ran from Kirigakure, the Ishikawa clan traveled in constant desperation. They were a traveling military encampment, Jirou was given a crash course in ninjutsu and was now serving as a genin. She now hated Jirou, hated for having to watch over him while their world crumbled around them. The failure she produced and was now stuck with. Their training continued and she would say Don't be weak! to Jirou as much to him as to herself.  Over the year they gradually lost member of the clan by member, death a constant companion on their flight from their homeland. She had already seen the six year old Jirou kill people. He was learning to live with it. But they were drifting apart, with other clan members handling his training or commanding him more and more often as she her pregnancy swelled over the months.

When they joined the Sound Village, a chuunin named Tatebaru came by to say that Jirou was going to be on his team and that he was going to handle his training from now on. She shrugged. She no longer cared. Let Jirou do whatever he wanted without her. Meanwhile Ryota didn't seem to care about her the whole time, barely paying attention to his wife, and of course not acknowledging his son at all. He was more preoccupied with planning battles, managing logistics, fighting and winning in his usual glacier-cold way. Not even enjoyment seemed to be the point, for his unreadable expression and sub-zero voice never changed, even Jirou for all how quiet he had gotten she could still see little changes in expression, reactions and subtle shifts in mood, the boy mimicking his father's quiet on the outside but demonstrating humanity at every turn from within. Jirou had a soft warmth his father lacked, his quiet felt like he was actually listening, like he was just waiting to offer his response rather than considering all around him as objects.

During the battles alongside Sound village, she was practically bed-ridden expecting Kimiko to be born. She only heard of battles aftermaths and Jirou would dutifully report things to her, dutifully no matter how little she thought of him. He was loyal despite it all- he got it from his mother she thought bitterly. Loyal to the end. Even when what he was loyal to was horrible, just like her. Or perhaps he was loyal to the baby to come. Of course he was. What brother wouldn't want to protect their sibling in a family like this? 

It was right before the last battle of the Sound rebellion that Ryota came into her tent, Kimiko had been born a few days ago at this point. He walked up to her, upright as a rod, emotionless as always.
Is this the second attempt? he says, detached.
...Yes. She is the child.
Very well. There is not much time. The specimen must be tested. 
Wait how she was just-
He pulls a strange seal and holds it over the baby heedless of her protests, putting some chakra into it, it glows and he says
Paper Release bloodline. Genius level intellect. This one is perfect for my purposes.
She has a name you know, Kimiko Ishikawa?
Irrelevant. he says
Then he does something strange: he lightly pokes Kimiko on the head.
Why did you- Mitsuko asks
He does not answer, instead Ryota will take off the Origami-No-Tsurugi from his back and give it to Mitsuko.
Here. This is yours now. Give it to the child when she becomes a genin. My strategical role in distracting and fighting the Nine tailed Jinchuuriki this battle is vital and I will not need it. Goodbye, I will not see you again.
He says it all in a matter of fact tone then just walks out as if he said was going to get some milk from a store.
Wait! What!? What do you mean by that! Why!? Mitsuko calls.
He does not answer, leaving without any further words. She is just left there, clutching an infant in one arm, and a paper sword in the other, not sure why he even bothered to come in here. He only ever treated her like a tool, never caring, never feeling, and she never saw him again after that day. Good riddance. She looks down at the infant Kimiko, sleeping soundly thinking upon Ryota's comment about her:
...This one's perfect...
Her thought strayed to Akiyashi. Was this what her friend died for all those years ago? This life she now lives, cast out from her home, much of her clan dead, much of others about to go to off to die?  To produce offspring for some man's purpose that she couldn't even guess at, if he even came back alive to make it come to fruition? It all seemed a sick joke. So she said
You will lead a better life than mine, Kimiko. You won't just not be weak, I'll make you strong. I won't fail like last time. I'll raise as best I know in Ishikawa clan's traditions. You will be the shining star of your generation.
She looks up out through the tents flap to the rising sun upon what was soon to be a bloody battle, her gaze full of determination.
No matter what I have to do.



Mitsuko blinks out of her memory reverie, looking upon some children playing in the village, happy and carefree. Comparing it to the life she has lived.
*Y'know.* she says to herself. *Now that I think back on it, Kirigakure sucked.*

----------


## igordragonian

*"Yoroi is excutated!"*
Masuku anounce.
*"And justifngly so! Yoroi was a cultist!"*

Yoroi take a deep breath, get up, giving a stern glare at Senko before joining the other losers.


*"Well! Good night town!"* Masuku anounce.
*"Yakuza! Wake up! Kill!"*

----------


## Rater202

For once, Senko isn't quite sure what to do next.

If the Yakuza want to win, they need to start voting out Ashigaru, and Senko doesn't have a clue who might be one.

...She knows that Kimiko is a civilian and Usagi is the suicidal, but that's it, and...

...She doesn't know anyone else here. She barely knows Hizuka.

She considers choosing at random, but if one of the people who voted to hang her this round is killed by the yakuza, that would suggest to eeryone that she's Yakuza and she doubts that she could deflect such suspicions again so soon.

...That, and Gowasu being eliminated the night after he was accused of cheating by Menko would draw attention to Senko as well...

So, she looks at the people who voted to hang Yoroi. Obviously, she can't target Hizuka and Kimiko should probably stay around for another round, so that leaves Miho, Ryone, and Tesumi.

Choose at random(IE, Rater rolled a die) Senko suggests Ryone.

*Meanwhile*

Menko is staring directly at the two Komoro clan members in the band, ready to make a commotion if they do anything but play their music.

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## igordragonian

this time it seems the Bye Bye Kitties are focused on the music, at least as long as Senko see-
but maybe the scene she causeed will make them NOT to repeat it.

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## Lord Raziere

*Night Phase: Hizuka*
She will point to Ryone as well, seeing no point in disagreeing with this choice.

*Ryone:*
Unaware of the choices the killers are making, she thinks: the two killers are Hizuka and Senko as per the conclusions she reached last night phase. This day phase, everyone voted out Yoroi. She has no idea what do now either so she votes to protect Kimiko again since that seems to work.

----------


## Rater202

*Playing Yakuza.
*
With Hizuka's confirmation, Senko redoubles and more confidently votes for Ryone.

*Elsewhere*

Daichi did agree that he'd try to turn over any information that he felt might be of interest to the Sound Village in exchange for monetary compensation and help settling in, and he's hoping to have the mutant branch of the Senju established as a formal clan in the sound village on the grounds that 1: Senko is the most direct living descendant of Daisuke, outside of a few older relatives who would be dead or retired by now, and thus having a nominal clan head position would insulate her from potential backlash to her having the bloodlines of other clans(Daisuke himself would, naturally, be her Regent until she came of age) and 2: Being the descendants of the only survivor of an attempted genocide, the main house of the Senju Clan could be argued to ow the mutant branch reparations, which could be leveraged into the Leaf granting Sound concessions.

The main limit on the plan, of course, is if Daichi's information is valuable enough to buy land for a clan compound.

Between his more mundane skills and his emergency funds, he has enough to keep himself and his wards comfortable until such a time as he can establish a more regular income.

Still, he has compiled what he believes to be the most interesting, to Shinobi eyes, information that he's collected over the years. Some of it a bit older, and some of it more recent...

...And some details omitted, misleading, or _maybe_ wrong, which he admits as it's submitted, as insurance to ensure that the village doesn't just take what he has without paying. Not that he distrusts the village, but you never know with Shinobi.
*Spoiler*
Show

First and foremost, several citations and passages copied from family registrars confirming their descent from the Senju. This is an abridged lineage, just enough to support his claims, the whole thing will be submitted if the deal goes through.

Second: Rumors are surfacing that the serial killer Rikka the Beetle has been spotted actively in fire country on the past few months... She's apparently looking for "some perfect young thing" to be the model for her magnum opus. Given the rumors about what she does with her victims and the known abilities of the armored puppet she travels in, this is... concerning.

Third, on the topic of puppets, when he was in the land of Wind not so long ago visiting a relative known to locals as the mad cave witch with an army of lizards, he learned a bit about some of the more advanced mechanical weapons that Sand's puppet users have been working on. Details are brief, but there's a sketch of an automatic kunai launcher and a mechanism that would be concealed into a spearhead and inject toxic fluid into anything pierced by the tip of the spear. More sketches will be provided if this deal goes through.

Fourth, and what he feels is of particular concern based on the Sound Village's focus on the hope generation: A list of dates and times corresponding to the murders of genin and academy students, samurai, military academy students, young athletes, intellectually gifted children, and young Grand Masters of Shogi. Murders that involve strange sear marks around a cutthroat, as if the blade used to execute the children was hot enough to cook their flesh. There's nothing like this in the Bingo Books, other bounty books, crime reports, and dozens of children from all over the continent have been found dead in these circumstances. Official authorities don't seem to be aware of the connection, due to the time between bodies turning up and the fact that they happen across borders, but it's clear to Daichi that there's a serial killer targeting child prodigies...

Fifth... The many secret pathways and locations one must use to travel to Mount Myōboku on foot. Dachi strongly cautions that the Toads are highly loyal to the Leaf village and so trying to steal away the summoning contract would be doomed to failure, but Sound might find a use for it regardless... As an aside, the Toad Elder, Gamamaru, was allegedly contemporary of the sage of the Six Paths. Apparently, the Sage's eyes were naturally white, like a Hyuga, but their power was that of the Sharingan. And that he had a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

Six is a treatise on the medicinal benefits of Jofuku flowers, which are found in the forest of the same name, on the mountain of the same name, which is just inside the borders of the Land of Fire. A map showing exactly where will be provided.

Seven: After studying multiple ruins associated with the Otsutsuki Clan, as well as a few historical sights alleged to be tied to achievements and interviewing their contemporaries like the White Snake Sage and Gamamaru, Daichi can state with 100% conviction that Kaguya Otsutsuki was a real person and that the Shinju and Ten-Tails were likewise at least somewhat based on real occurrences. He can't vouch for the accuracy of the legends in regard to raw power, but Kaguya allegedly possessed the power of the Byakugan. Daichi himself notes that he doubts in the truth of Kaguya's divinity.

Eight: Daichi spent a not-inconsiderable time exploring the ruins in the Abandoned Lands to the west of the Land of Rice.

The history of the Abandoned Lands is somewhat obscure, due to the first Shinobi World War and the conflicts that led up to it, causing the loss of many records from that time, so Daichi begins with a summary of events as he's put it together.

The Abandoned Lands were once a nation ruled by the Ryu clan, the guardians of a group of creatures called the Genryu. Dragons, supposedly rivals in power to the Tailed Beasts, who each embodied one of the five elements, and who by their mere presence fertilized the lands around their mountain home creating great bounty.

Certain reptilian and avian creatures living in proximity to Mount Koryu, the home of the Genryu, over many generations, became creatures that the Ryu Clan dubbed Beast-Dragons. Some roamed wild, others were domesticated by the clan.

However, the Ryu Clan were feared and hated by others for the potential power they wielded and sometime after the Tailed-Beasts were distributed but before the First Shinobi World War, their lands were invaded by a coalition of military forces, though... Daichi hasn't been able to determine who was part of it. Some rumors suggest that a Tailed Beast was seen in the conflict, but no records on which one and nothing concrete.

The end result, the various Beast-Dragons were hunted to extinction and the Ryu Clan themselves were driven from their lands after being slaughtered almost to a man. Even after all this time records and rumors show that only a handful are known to be alive at any point in time.

However, mount Koryu, the alleged home of the Genryu, was never taken: People who approached the mountain found themselves becoming exhausted, the more chakra they had the worse it was, and any soldiers who did not use chakra never returned.

For fear of vengeance from the Genryu, or whatever other force resided in the mountain, no one ever claimed or settled in the abandoned lands. Yes, there have been expeditions and occasional commercial operations, but legally it's not a nation. It's just an empty space on the map.

Daichi spent some time exploring the ruins in the area, some of which were of the Otsutsuki clan but most of which were of the Ryu Clan.

He discovered 1: designs for armor that, with special binding techniques and written formulas etched on the interior, could shield someone from external effects that suppress chakra, 2: scrolls that can be used, in conjunction with the armor, grant the ability to use certain ninjutsu without prior training.

He also visited Mount Koryu, ad found from personal experiance that the chakra surpressing effect on the area is not a myth. He described the ambient energy of the area as being exceptionally potent, like a chakra that was a mixture of raw yang and natural energy with only traces of yin.

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Across the Shinobi Nations: A Moment with Blood O*
Blood O, short for "Blood Origami", is experiencing a good morning. She is downstairs, eating breakfast that her mother Aisuru had made, both at them and the table.
"First you graduated the academy and now you've been chosen to represent Kumo in the Konoha Chuunin exams. Your doing well, Blood O. You should be proud, most genin don't get recommended so early!"
"Aw Mom, its just one step of being a ninja" Blood O says "People go through it all the time."
"Ah, but your my daughter and your the one going through it now, so its special to me." she says with a smile. "A mom likes seeing her child move up in the world."
To be honest, Blood O didn't care about the promotion all that much, she cared that there might a certain kind of shinobi there. One she could get revenge upon for what they did. For how they hurt her and her mother. For why she had no father. 
"Yeah moving up in the world." she says "For whatever that means for a freak like me."
"Now, Blood O don't talk to yourself like that." Aisuru says "Your a beautiful lovely girl, my daughter and always will be. Don't let some bratty academy kids drag you down."
Blood O remembers the jeers. The insults. People acting like she was some shark, some animal. She remembers the pain. But this was more than that. This was about her family, about getting back at those who hurt and her and her mother. Blood O wonders how her mother could smile through such pain, could ignore the man she loved abandoning her.
"I know mom. Thanks again anyways."
"And that goes double for the Konoha Nin when you get there, some of them act like they invented the concepts of peace and love and that we should all be grateful that they are so generous as to share them with us."
Honestly Konoha wasn't that high on her list of priorities, she was on the lookout for the Ishikawa Clan. They're the ones who needed to pay, personally. Konoha was too....impersonal, abstract for her to think about. The losses Kumo suffered, the edges they were trying to gain over their rival....it was all statistics to her. Cold, meaningless statistics. No one ever fought for statistics. A change in the numbers on a spreadsheet was never anyone's rallying cry. To fight is something inherently visceral, personal Blood O thinks. The reason why, needs to be something you see, something you feel, something human. 
"Don't worry, I don't think they'll be a problem." Blood O says.
"Heheheh, then you'd be the first Kumo ninja to say that!" Aisuru says, picking up the empty plates "Better get going, wouldn't want to keep your team waiting."
She hugs Blood O before going into the kitchen to take of the dishes. Blood O pulls her cloth mask over her mouth to hide her teeth and looks at her reason for fighting before she goes out her door: Her mother. The person who raised her all these years. Abandoned and betrayed by her husband, Blood O's father. She was the most loving person in the world, in Blood O's opinion, there was no other explanation in her teenaged mind for this other than her father was cruel beyond reason. She turns and walks outside with resolve in her eyes: the Ishikawas are going to pay. 

*Sound Village R&D:*
A chuunin will consider the offer of Daichi, and check available land to give him. The armor designs of course will convince these are indeed valuable enough for what he is asking and the added intelligence is just a bonus. He says that negotiating with the Senju is of course possible but likely to be far more involved if one plans to go that route. Regardless he will successfully acquire a respectably sized plot of land for such a compound in the residential district, the outer edges of it. Due to the new nature of Otogakure, its only existed for one or two decades, and started as one of the few permanent military encampments Land of Rice had during the Third Shinobi War, that soon permanent fortifications built for it, the minefield around th evillage being an early defense that has been leftover. Thus its a common job for the shinobi to have to clear the inner most mines to plant them somewhere else or discard them entirely if the paper mine has stopped functioning. Many chuunin sound shinobi you hear complain even think it a hassle to have the minefield at all due to its dangers and think the village should invest in actual walls while getting rid of the minefield- in theory its only ever going to be useful once, and then it'll be gone anyways. All the land closest to center has already been taken so your land will basically be cleared of mines then begin building with normal workers, supplemented with any genin squads that take helping out with as a D-rank mission to speed it up with their taijutsu granted super strength, speed and so on.

----------


## igordragonian

Gurasu not very bright without cheating- just play along and protect Kimiko.


*Morning*

"Morning! Everybody up!" Masuku yell with entusiasm.
 She give everyone their ticket and then anounce.
 "There has been a murder-Ryone is dead! She was an Ashigaru! Someone must pay for this!"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Kimiko:*
She steps up and says
"Someone has killed an ashigaru of ours, this is a great loss. All those who are innocent, we must start stepping up our game! If they take out our other ashigaru, we'll have no protection left."
She looks at the people left: Herself, Senko, Usagi, Gurasu, Hizuka, Tetsumi, Miho, Raizo. By Kimiko's estimation, the two killers, the suicidal, an ashigaru and the four innocent
"...Indeed." Tetsumi agrees "We have only seven left. We have to get a yakuza out soon. Two yakuza left increases the chances of the innocents losing considerably."
Hizuka decides it her time to strike.
"We should vote out Senko. She clearly has been orderly working to make sure each person is taken out yet the last two have been innocent! She is as much a detriment to the innocent as much she is a help at this point, and thus is probably the yakuza, we should just get rid of her now."
Then Hizuka could point at Gurasu, Raizo and Tetsumi to get rid of either of them being the other ashigaru protecting Kimiko, then murder Kimiko to win.
"A good plan Hizuka, but before I turn things over to Senko to defend herself, I must inform you.....that you have already lost."
"Wait what?"
"Well, from a certain point of view at least. If your playing for Team 5 to win the most points, you have already lost, as Ryone just got murdered by the yakuza. A point is earned for each round of someone stays in and as you may have noticed, Team 3 still has three members and thus the most points, because we lasted for the most rounds with the most people. Yakuza have just murdered out one of your own teammates and thus you are now a point behind, Gurasu and Miho is the only teammates of their teams remaining. Thus no matter what you do now, you will not earn enough points to outscore Team 3, because all three of us have made it one round farther than Ryone did. I think anyone who has figured out the real game by now is that this is a survival game, not of the teams of innocent and yakuza, but of the teams of ninja we're loyal to. We wouldn't be awarded points for staying in if they didn't mean something and if you calculate the number of points for each team:
Team 3: 12
Team 5: 11
Team 2: 7 
Team 1: 7

Team 3, even if Senko was voted out, would still gain 2 points per round, still one point ahead of Team 5 at 14 and 13. Face it Hizuka, your team cannot win now." 
A fiery battle spirit alights within Hizuka as she proclaims 
"No! Thats not true! If I can vote out both you and Senko, then while next round will Team 3 go up by 2, the round after that will go up by 1, while Team 5 will remain at a steady 2, thus equaling Team 3 at 15 and surpassing you at 17 by the third round after this! Me and Tetsumi just have to stay in! I'll never give up hope, not against you!"
"Hyu.....hyuhyuhyuhyuhyhyu! You really think you can win, foolish blacksmith? Your already down a member!"
"I can win! I just have to convince Gurasu and Miho to vote for my side! The power of Determination and Acquaintances will overcome even you, Kimiko Ishikawa!!"
"But unlike you, Hizuka, I have the far more mighty, elite and prestigious power of Friendship upon my side! Mere Acquaintances cannot withstand such deeper bonds of friendliness and cameraderie that I have with Senko and Usagi!"
"Ha! Its three and against potentially four Kimiko! Acquaintances have a hope of winning yet if we simply all work together!"
"Hyuhyuhyu.....then I shall show you the hopelessness of have only mere acquaintances against the power of true friends! Despair, as I open the floor to Senko to defend herself against your accusation!"
You have a feeling that this round will pretty much decide the game, as if Team 5 loses a member this round, they will never able to catch up to Team 3 in terms of points and the rest of the game won't really matter in terms of  team points or anything and will people just be able to have fun afterwards. If Hizuka does succeed here, there is still a second chance to pull out a win from that but this will decide the game in terms of points if Team 5 loses a member here. 

Meanwhile to the side, Naneko and Kazuo whisper to each other:
"Are....Hizuka and Kimiko having a battle manga hero and villain exchange about hope and despair, over a game of yakuza?" Kazuo asks
"Yeah, you should've seen them when they played shogi against each other in the academy during recess last month, you'd think the world was ending with how they were speechifying against each other." replies Naneko sardonically.

----------


## Rater202

"The people I suggested voting out were a Yakuza, the cult leader, and a cultist. If I were a Yakuza, why would I have eliminated a Yakuza first thing? Think Hizuka-san."

"...Is this about professional jealousy, Hizuka-san? I note that you said you weren't going to bring up your opinions of my work _right before bringing up your opinions of my work_ earlier. Are you jealous that my research is bearing fruit when yours is not? Is that it? For shame."

"Look at the facts: Everyone I've suggested to hang has been a hostile. If the innocents want to win, then so far, statistically, their best bet is to keep me in the game. Thus, based on my track record, I would have to assume that anyone who wants to vote me off at this point would be a Yakuza."

"So, what is it? Are you simply jealous that I am the superior scientist, or are you a Yakuza? Or I suppose it could be both."

"That said... I cannot help but note something that occurred to me: It is impossible for the Yakuza to win this game. Their win condition is to kill all the other players, but the suicidal wins by being killed. And I am certain that the game is rigged in other ways as well, if we spent some time thinking of it."

"For example, looking at the people who have been eliminated so far, it is pretty obvious that they lied to us about the roles being randomly assigned. The twitchy nervous kid with the reputation for heroism being the Oni? The anti-social religious who pissed off everyone else the night before being part of the group with the most need for social interaction and agreement?"

"I can tell you right now that Kimiko-san is an Innocent and Usagi-san is the suicidal. I think I have gotten to know them well enough to know that those would be the most challenging roles for them, and Kimiko-san and I are cut from the same cloth... Not to mention that it would have been *exceptionally cruel* to make me one of the killers, considering..."

Senko turns to the band, the master of ceremonies, and any other staff in the room. "You are all getting hazard pay for being in the room with me right now, right? If not, you really should be. If I lose control of my powers I could kill everyone in this room before I am contained. Hizuka-san, back me up on this. You have seen the door on my lab, how its reinforced, how it locks from the outside? You know there is a good reason for that." Senko blinks. "Kimiko-san, Usagi-san, did you ever check if you were getting hazard pay for being on a team with me?"

That isn't an act. She is genuinely concerned about whether or not people are being adequately compensated for the inherent dangers of being around her.

"Anyway, at this point I... Honestly have no idea who the remaining Yakuza could be. I do not know any of you, I did not attend the Academy and that was for good reason. I barely know Hizuka-san as 'the girl who has access to the lab because of nepotism' and that is not enough to judge. I _think_ that she is the Yakuza, based on her behavior this round... But..."

----------


## igordragonian

Raizo point out. "But I dont think this is the only game, so no one should lose hope."


Usagi:"Pff. Half of the Sound Village have quirky mutations. You cant be worse then my younger self with a scroll- now THAT was a bloodbath!" She say with a grimm sense of pride
"And I dont know, being a Yakuza is fun!"

Usagi couldnt help but to imagine herself ripping the others to shreds.


Gurasu get paler a bit- He wasnt super brave- he just wanted to do his job.
"Look, I am not the brightest, but, I think Senko... wait- Usagi?!"

Usagi smiled "What?"

Raizo:"You said something about it being fun to be a Yakuza?"

Usagi:"Well... maybe?"

-----


The Bar.

"OOof. Cruel?" Nozojo repeat. "Well... I have been called worse."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Yakuza Game:*
"How can I be jealous of pure luck? Hide behind your victimhood all you want, but as far as the research is concerned, you got a lucky break. You'll see the fruits of my hard work someday, got to build a fortress brick by brick after all. Don't act like won't benefit from being chosen to the Chuunin Exams over me, just as I will benefit for going there over you. There are potential allies, shinobi with greater skill and knowledge beyond our village, and your competing for the opportunity to propel yourself forward just as I am. If I'm truly being professional, I can't pass up the chance to grab an opportunity to better my research and understanding that I might not get if I lose. You going instead of me? Gets in the way of that, just as me going instead of you gets in the way of yours. There is moral high ground here."
Meanwhile Kimiko scratches her chin saying
"Y'know what, I never checked if I receive hazard pay, I got to check with Odayama-taichou about that, he'd probably know. Though I think my bro or the Otokage would make sure to pay for that sort of thing.

Anyways. What you say makes sense Senko, you have indeed gotten a lot of threats out. What fools they are, to think your brilliant intellect would be challenged by a humble role like innocent."
She then says when Usagi speaks up
"Gasp! The true yakuza was clearly Usagi all along! We should all vote her, the fiend." 
"Wait, what about all that stuff about your friends and such?" asks Miho
"Oh that was all to draw out the real yakuza member, and we did with Usagi with her slip of the tongue, what, you think I was telling the truth there?"
"That makes sense, it was Usagi who was suggesting most of those deaths first and Senko was just probably backing her because she figured out that they'd be beneficial, while Usagi is dumb enough that she could play yakuza and be challenged by the fact she wouldn't know how to kill properly or something."
"Yeah if the roles are to challenge us, Usagi clearly is a bad liar which yakuza need to be to work, so it'd make sense a class underdog like her would mess up the role" says Miho. 
Kimiko, Tetsumi and Miho all vote Usagi. 
"What? No you fools! Usagi is suicidal! Team 3 has more points, so they just have to vote out Usagi to win this turn by denying any further points to anyone else!"
Tetsumi shrugs
"There are other games, and I don't care about this enough, so if she is suicidal, I don't care."
"Personally I want to move on to something more physical, I'm not really one for all this mind game stuff" says Miho.

*Meanwhile Jirou:*
He say to Nozojo while viewing them
"I have indeed paid them all the hazard pay they are supposed to. I also found and punished a chuunin who had been doing some minor embezzlement when going through the ledgers last time I was there, wrote up a few proposals for how our bureaucracy can expand going forward and how it can help Otogakure grow stronger from it, and worked out our budget for the next quarter.

As for that comment...I personally do not think you cruel, Otokage-sama. I simply think your human. Nothing more, nothing less."
Oh Kamis no, he is starting to sound like a bureaucrat already. Turns out, Jirou is scarily good at accounting and working out the numbers when it comes to learning to be Otokage, he may not be the best social-wise but he balances the books and makes systems run real efficiently.

----------


## Rater202

"So you think that the prize for these games is the Chunin exam slot? I am sorry to ay that, Hizuka-san, but... You know that the Exams are politics, right? If our superiors thought that any of us were ready to be chunin, we would be chunin."

"I mean, think about it: The vast majority of any village's forces are chunin, and that can range from a few hundred to a few thousand at any time. And yet, the chunin exams are held only twice a year, only finalists are promoted, and the finalists are always less than 20 ninja. On a good year, that's maybe 36 ninja getting promoted... But only the Five great vilages, the allies of the host village, and any villages from near bye nations send teams to each exam, with most small villages only sending one or two. Coupled with the host villages's overwhelming advantage in numbers, the typical promotees tend to near exclusively be from the host village or their most trusted allies."

"The numbers do not add up: The majority of Chunin must be promoted outside of the exams. direct promotions on merit or field promotions or the like."

"The team that gets sent to the Chunin exams is no the one that the villages most want to promote... It will be the one that most shows off what the sound village can do."

"And that will be Team 3 _regardless_ of these results. I mean, think about it, what would most strengthen the Sound Village's position in the eyes of Wealthy Clients and potential allies?"

Senko holds up her arms, drawing her fingers across the tattoo contracts on them as she does so.

"I stole the Snake Summoning contract right out from under the Leaf Village's nose. Their options are either to cut their losses and admit that the Sound Village stole it, or spin some story about a stronger alliance and then follow through with it and actually form a stronger alliance with us. Either they lose out on the tradition of snake summoners which weakens their position and strengthens ours, or they have to kiss my, and thus, Sound's, ass to maintain it which still strengthens our position. Revealing my existence and status as the snake sage t the chunin exams puts the Leafint he hot seat, they'd have to respond immediately. And that is not even getting into the benefits that showing of my multiple bloodlines, that sound has that technology, technology that the Five Great Villages have tried and failed to create, could bring."

Senko points to Kimiko.

"Genius prodigy clan-heir. Always a popular sight at these competitions, lots of speculation, gets the gamblers reaching for their wallets. But, of course, that's just the start. The Ishikawa clan were originally from the hidden Mist village only to flee when Yagura instituted the bloodline purges. If Kimiko-san shows off her prodigious skill to the whole word, it re-enforces the narrative that Yagura was a short-sighted mad man. 'How stupid must he have been, to chase out that girl's clan,' the viewers would say. And she is an inventor as well, Hizuka-san, and hers actually work."

And to Usagi

"Last, but certainly not least, we have Usagi-san. The underdog, another popular sight in the exams. People will underestimate her at first, wondering what the Sound Villages were thinking of sending her... Until she shows everyone what she can do. I understand that, before I was assigned to Team 3, Kimiko-san and Usagi-san had an all-out duel and Usagi handled herself masterfully?"

"...Meanwhile, half the kids still in the game are about to fall for a really obvious trap. People, *WHY* would Usagi admit to being a Yakuza? She's the suicidal, she wants to be voted out."

----------


## igordragonian

Masuku note. 
"I never said there can only be a single winning faction- every member of a faction that have completed their winning condition, get 12 tickets." she explain.

Raizo:"Wow. You seems quite proud of your time."

Usagi is shocked 
"You have seen through my clever deception?! Well, I wouldnt expect nothing less from my teammates!"

She shake her head. "Well, me and Senko are Yakuzas together!"


Gurasu:"So it means... Senko isnt a Yakuza after all..."


----

Bar:

Nozojo chuckle.
"You know to push the right buttons. Good."

Odayama:"...I never asked for hazard pay. I accept my Genins with everything it means."

----------


## Lord Raziere

(OOC: the hazard pay thing is not that important so I'm not going to focus on it anymore than it has, We're not going off-track every time Rater brings up a legal thing.)

*Yakuza Game:*
Hizuka says back
"Otokage Nozojo isn't that cynical about the Hope Generation. He wouldn't have brought us here if he didn't see potential in all of us. You can make the Kirigakure argument for Miho Kaguya, you can make the genius argument for Mayuwo, you can make the underdog argument for Kazuo, and who knows? maybe your success is just because you went and signed some pact to prop up your work with whatever jutsu they gave you rather really figuring how to make it work and all your doing is either setting yourself up to get assassinated by an "unrelated rogue ninja" or bring a war down upon us just as much as Ameoku is. As for my inventions not working, duel me sometime and you'll see how much my inventions "don't work", right in your face. And see? More than one team could potentially win, I may be wrong, but so are you. But whatever, keep living in your own little world where everyone is an idiot except for you, Senko, you'll fit right in with Kimiko."
She wasn't taking this from someone who talked about peace then hypocritically started tweaking Konoha's nose when no one was looking.

"I know its a trap Senko" Tetsumi says "I just don't care because its a game and I don't want to give it my all on something that doesn't matter. There are other games to play, you and Kimiko have proven your really big brain and blah blah blah, so can you just vote for Usagi and take your win gracefully instead of dragging this out? Or do I have change my vote to you to satisfy your mystifying urge to point out your foe is doing something stupid to their face? Because I'd love to meet someone like you on the battlefield Senko, I'd get so many tips on how to kill you better, most people aren't polite enough to their foes, so inconsiderate about their enemies efforts, that they say nothing about them and just let them make mistakes, how rude of them."
You can hear the sarcasm in her tone. 

"Senko did you not just hear me? I'm not really the best at this game, I just want to move on. Kind of rude to imply I'm stupid like that" says Miho.

----------


## Rater202

"So, to clarify, the game will not end if the Suicidal is killed? It will only end if all of the Yakuza are eliminated or, conversely, only the Yakuza remain, as in a standard game? Just so that we are all on the same page?"

Senko meets Hizuka's eyes. "I know things about Lord Otokage that you do not, Hizuka-san, and regardless of what he believes the Sound Village still has to play by the same rules as everyone else. For now at least, and that means showing of, posturing, so on. And that is all I am going to say about that."

She turns to the others.

"I apolgoize, but... If the reward is granted for most tickets by the end of the party, then it is in everyone's best interest to prolong this game for as long as possible. Even if you are not any good at it, you get a ticket just for surviving a round. And if I understand our host correctly, then eliminating Usagi will not end the game regardless, eliminating any incentive to vote her out."

"If you want to end the game, we need to find out who the last two Yakuza are and eliminate them. I believe Hizuka to be one of them, and cast my vote for her."

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Across the Shinobi Nations: Reina Terumi, Report in to real superiors*
Reina Terumi, known as Reina Gimei to the Kirigakure around her, is afraid. She walks back to her home amid what is now known as the first ninja village of the Land of Water, instead of the only one. She passes by posters urging people to fight for Yagura and their country, the weather as always cloudy and misty. To make up for the lack of numbers lost from the war and the Old Kirigakure's practice of killing students, Yagura had made every city in the Land of Water a place with a ninja academy, making any spare Kiri Chuunin teach the classes, and furthermore made sure that many chuunin constantly were transferred to different cities to stay for a year on assignment to do this or that to break up any potential loyalties to one city over the whole country. As apart of the ongoing war with the Old Regime, there was a curfew enforced so that anyone caught out after night would likely be an enemy of the state. Another poster exhorts people to be constantly vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to the state, some telling people to join the Surveillance Corps of shinobi- a corps that never seemed to have enough shinobi to survey all of the land of water for its security despite all the efforts to the contrary. The propaganda depicts them as heroic shinobi standing guard stalwart and steadfast, but Reina has heard enough reports of Surveillance corp shinobi dying to know they needed constant replacements.  

The homes of the residences are either old homes stripped of their cultural decorations or new ones made for purely utilitarian purposes. Yagura made every attempt to suppress the old culture, the old symbols and ideas they once had. He couldn't suppress memories so he settled for making sure no one spoke out about them. He wanted this to be a new Kiri, a new nation, a new way of life. To Reina, it was all a cage. She didn't know how she fooled everyone with her claims of using Boil release without genetics, but she feared the day that it would no longer do so. Yet she knew no other life.

She walks into her home, to report in. Her parents two chuunin without bloodlines of the Kirigakure resistance.
"Mother, Father."
She says
"I was on a C-rank mission to suppress some rebel members, but I managed to use hidden mist technique to route many of them instead of killing them, managed to pass on some intel 
 to one by putting it in their pocket while they were confused. Had to kill one that got into plain sight of the team however, so they don't suspect. My team has been chosen to go to the upcoming Chuunin Exams."
"I see. While the loss of a comrade is unfortunate, we all know the greater cause, Reina. Your infiltration of Yagura's regime is proceeding well." says her father. Her fake one. The only one she knew. Why did the Terumi Clan leave her here, to be an infiltrator from birth? Why? Why her? Wouldn't it be better for someone normal to infiltrate? Someone without this kekkei genkai holding them back?
"Orders for what to do during the Exam?"
"After so long of not participating in the Chuunin Exams, Yagura will be seeking to prove the might of Kirigakure and try to appeal to the nations to make money by making people accepting jobs from him. Our war is one of economics. Make sure your team fails. Any possibility of Yagura earning another source of revenue to make up for his losses needs to be cut off." her mother, her fake mother, reasons.
"Understood."
"Dismissed." her father says.
She walks off to her room then falls into her bed, collapsing after a long day. Why her? She felt so alone, and when around anyone she felt nervous about speaking. Her true self could not be revealed. To Kirigakure she was a loyal Genin, who brilliantly devised something to disprove kekkei genkai's exclusive access to advanced elements. To the Resistance she was a infiltrator and soldier, working closer to get into the position to feed vital information to the Resistance or even assassinate Yagura himself. But in the end, she is only a little girl way out of her depth, wishing there was something more to life than this, than evading death while trudging through the crushing despair of the village around her. 

Eventually sleep is merciful and takes her, if only for a time.

----------


## igordragonian

Raizo think.
"Well... not voting for Usagi is obiviouse, and things looks unbalanced in team 3 favor, there are reasons to suspect Senko as a Yakuza... so I'll vote for Senko."




Usagi expression sour.



(Maybe it going for too long... do you want to just summarize it?)

----------


## Rater202

"Okay, I see I'm beat on this... So that's one vote for Hizuka-san, two votes for me, and I guess everyone else is voting for Usagi-san? Is that the general consensus? I apologize I lost track of the discussion for a moment."

"...Usagi-san, since unless a bunch of people are about to change their votes you're about to be hung anyway... Would you rather vote off me or Hizuka?"

----------


## Lord Raziere

*Across the Shinobi Nations: 24 hours with Ami Akaisuna*
Morning:
Ami does not awake, for she has yet to fall asleep. The One Tailed Tanuki whispers to her:
_<Oi, Another day the sun rises, another day your will erodes. How long until finally give in to sweet relaxation?>_
Once again, she ignores the temptation. She has a bed, but never uses it for sleeping. Its only there to fool anyone who comes into her room that she is normal, essentially being decoration or a makeshift soft table. She had been waiting time for dawn and now was time for breakfast at the Akaisuna household- the clan of the Kazekage.

Breakfast:
At breakfast, she drinks some coffee despite the inevitable heat of the desert, energizing herself to make up for her eternal tiredness. Sleep was denied her, so caffeine became her constant companion. 

Morning Training:
She shows up in the morning to her team to begin her day training, but as always she feels so tired, even with the caffeine energy. She wasn't as far along her training as she should be, but that just makes sense, doesn't it? She had a duty to uphold. Fall asleep, and that unleashes that One Tails. How could she possibly make any progress, when she fights to remain awake each day? She would have to be a genius to become good at _any_ sand techniques at this rate.

Lunch:
She eats a lunch with her team, long with more coffee in a bottle she kept to keep it hot. Despite the heat, she drinks it all. She needed to keep her energy up, especially in the desert where the heat could make one lazy, make one lethargic. Despite the caffeine, she moves just as normally as ever, just as quiet as ever, just as shy. No amount of caffeine replaces a good night's rest.

Noon-Afternoon:
She tries to do her D-ranks in the village as normal, and as always despite her shy and quiet nature, she ends up snapping at people, ends up being crabby and irritable because she has been awake for _YEARS_ and has not gotten a single wink. But she still, she tried to keep herself under control. As best she can. Because she is a good girl. Because its her duty to keep it contained. Its all for the greater good, even as she busies herself to try and distract herself with whatever meaningless chore or job needs doing like sweeping out the sand from a home or helping building a rock house. Anything to keep moving, to keep working, to keep herself aware.

Dinner:
Dinner is as always, awkward. Oh sure it was full of pleasantries and politeness and the family talked about the workings of the village, sharing the gossip, the politics of the day, and so on and so forth, all to keep their pulse on Sunagakure's heart. But they always are nervous and a little awkward about talking to her. She knows why. She is the jinchuuriki after all. And she is not allowed to be mad because its family, its an important duty after all, only the best and greatest ninja get the most important duties after all, which means she is already a great ninja according to them, shouldn't she be happy they say, she will only become greater one day they say, shouldn't she be happy with that, SHOULDN'T SHE!? She drinks more coffee with a big meal. It would be last time today, and she would have to go in for the long haul. 
_<You can always take your revenge- just go to sleep and I will take care of the rest. You won't even have to see any of it, just let your mind drift off into peace.>_
The Tanuki whispers to her. She ignores it, as always.

Evening:
After dinner, she plays board games with whoever is willing to play with her: Shogi, Go, Senet, Mahjong, other games of that nature. It mattered not if she won or lost, just that her mind, though sleep-deprived was kept occupied, distracted from the real problem. Distracted from the need to shut down. But she was getting skilled at thinking strategically nonetheless. She was becoming one of the best strategy game players in the Akaisuna family, maybe second only to the Kazekage himself. 

Night-time:
Everyone else went to sleep. She did not. This was the hardest part: to endure once again, about nine hours of darkness with only the Tanuki's whispers as company. She turns on the radio to the midnight station- no one came to shut off the music. They long stopped trying to make the jinchuuriki not play music in the night- there is a reason why she inherited a soundproof room far away from where everyone else sleeps in the compound. While she listens, she cracks open a novel to read. Constant reading during the has made her long ago exhaust all the good highly recommended fiction and stories that one could give her- she had a near unlimited budget when it came to purchasing more books, so of course she now reads through the mediocre, the bad, the trashy, the unknowns, the obscure and the bizarre. It mattered not if she liked the book or not, just that she was occupied with it. She had taken to making snarky comments at all the bad plot points, even making reviews of each story she read, just to give her mind extra to not drift off into sleep. 
_<This is unhealthy for you, you know. You have to sleep someday.>_
Of course, this time was also the Tanuki whispered to her the most. The time tempted her with her own bed while she sat upon an intentionally uncomfortably made stone stool. He'd sing lullabies and make up elaborate descriptions of the tranquility and relaxation of just closing her eyes.....and taking a break for a while....intentionally slowing his words, making them smooth. All to better offer that sweet, sweet temptation of rest. It was all manipulation, all a ploy so he could come out. A constant mental siege that like a fortress, she must wait out. She wonders how long she could hold. The Tanuki is ever patient, he never seems to be angry no matter how much she resists. He is patient, she could feel it. Like a predator waiting for the right time to pounce, patiently pursuing his prey until it falls behind the herd.
_<Oi, oi, oi. I know for a fact that you cannot do this forever. The Jinchuuriki before you had the same problem.>_
She would staunchly and stubborn ignore these comments as well, continuing to distract herself in other worlds to escape her own. But sometimes, very occasionally during the night, she'd make a snarky comment and the One-Tailed Tanuki would make a follow up joke at the bad plot she was reading, forgetting himself for a moment and joining in on the criticism of it. Every time she pointed it out he immediately would retract it and begin trying to manipulate her again. There was a chink in the armor of the beast. It wasn't enough for her to like or befriend it, but it was enough to let her know that it was imperfect, that it could be distracted, tricked, that it was something much like a person and not just a force of destruction. And if it was a person, it could be beaten, perhaps outwitted no matter how improbable that was. She just had to figure out how. Soon enough, the darkness beings to lighten as the sun begins to rise again on Sunagakure.

Morning:
Ami does not awake, for she has yet to fall asleep. The one tailed Tanuki whispers to her...

*White Oni: Contemplate Options*
The White Oni awaits on a rooftop high rooftop overlooking the Daimyo's palace? Manor? wind ruffling through his dark clothes and breaking upon his pure white oni mask. This was a minor nation, a minor conflict in the grand scheme of things. Perfect. The less people investigating this the better, and the less competent they were, the better. Statistically, most people didn't even look up, even soldiers when they patrol. If any of them did, its not as if seeing him would help them. Is not as if fighting him, would help anyone. Given the lives he has already taken, whats a few more if it comes to that? His cause was greater than any one person. 
"Let see....what are my options?" he says to himself. "Twelve in total. Vengeance obsessed brat? No. The Coward? No. The Long-eared brat? .....No. I think will allow myself some standards for once and not inflict anything upon the disabled or the mute. The Wannabe Anbu? Hm. Maybe, she is of sounder mind, but may be too passive. Though the bone-brat....perhaps the bloodline will allow for better compatibility? Hm. Definitely something to consider. The Bat child...Hm, I think not, too weak willed. The warrior....no. The blacksmith....no, too focused on her own issues, on competing. All thats left are.....hm. Not sure which one of those two are worse. One must make do with what they have. Though....they both have.....Potential. Yes. 

But....it is one thing to have Potential. 

It entirely is another to have the Resolve and the Fortune to realize it."
He disappears from the rooftop with a body flicker. He will see whether the kami favors them soon enough.

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