[Yamanaka Tomomi]

YAMANAKA TOMOMI

NINGYO/HIDARI

The small village is quiet, peaceful, to the point where it almost seems ridiculous that a team would be sent out to take a look at it. If one inspected it only briefly, they could hardly believe that anything had ever happened in a place like this. Even the crises they had reported to Konohagakure was so routine as to be boring. Lately, there has been trouble with wild foxes in the night. The villagers are afraid that something will happen to their children. So an Operations team is dispatched.

That’s how Tomomi and their teammates, Sota and Mei, ended up here. The objective is simple. Find out what is drawing the foxes, get rid of it, and drive them off. The three of them never anticipated they would spot a wanted shinobi. A spy, in Hi no Kuni. A rather dangerous one, if reports are to be believed. Tomomi recounts what information they know to their allies. If they were honest about anything, they would express a hesitation to approach her. But the pay increase and the glory for bringing her in would be hefty. And they may never get another chance.

So they allow Sota to talk them into it.

It’s difficult to make preparations for something unexpected like this. They make what observations they can, but at the end of the day, the group either has to do it or not. So they set to work.

All it takes is a very cautious tail, some calculated positioning. Tomomi hides among the trees and when they spot her nearing, they let out a sharp yip. The foxes turned out to be quite helpful after all. The Sly Mind Affect forms, twisting the landscape so they can direct her slightly farther out from the random village, avoiding endangering any civilians.

The three chuunin watch with held breath until she steps into place… and Tomomi drops the illusion, revealing Tsuki is not where she thought she was.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu used: Sly Mind Affect genjutsu.

[Yuie Tsuki]

Tsuki wasn't the type of target any shinobi should want to be paired to hunt against. She'd trained herself to be ruthless, accepted the violent world at a young age and most of all she was paranoid beyond most. The sly of mind effect jutsu would connect, but she'd been back forth this area already and the jutsu would become apparent quickly. She however wasn't going to let those hunting her know, so she'd make no attempt to escape the genjutsu.

She'd feel out the area in front of her with invisible puppet strings. She'd be looking for 'landmarks', at least things she'd felt important and though following the intended path of her opponents. Tsuki would make sure to hit a couple key features, she'd pass a tree with a hole in it. Using her cloak as cover and an action done so naturally it'd seem normal. Her hand pushing off the tree exactly at the whole, as she'd plant a scroll with in it. She'd do the same with a passing a group of bushes, her hand landing on the ground before she'd continue on to their intended clearing. Though there'd been a gopher hole, to which she'd sneak another scroll.

It wasn't much setup, but if she could summon puppet from behind her targets. She could much more easily get the jump on them, as the illusion stopped she'd halt in place. Her head darting around, as though perplexed by the sudden change. Under her cloak though, she'd retrieve a kunai, an explosion note and the scroll containing one of her best puppets. Cloak still hiding her arms and hands, she'd crease the explosion note over the kunai's handle. Her grip shifting to purely that of her palm and thumb, as she'd use her free four fingers to peruse the area with her string sensory.

Her other hand proceeded to grip the scroll, but it'd do the same as the kunai hand. Allowing her to examine her surroundings with eight strings instead of four. Her body spinning around quickly and every moment which went without an attack she'd proceed to do another shift. Attempting to keep her eyes on the surroundings. She'd put on a frustrated, concerned and worrying look. Her chakra lightly pouring to her scalp to activate her steam release and create a sweat to give her expression more merit. She seemed trapped and frantic, but she was just waiting to find her targets.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Onisageru Mojiretsu [Delving String]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
A simple, but very useful technique; by extending puppetry strings and concentrating on the sensation felt in their fingertips a user can probe to try and manipulate or detect what they can't see. Shinobi commonly use this technique to unlock doors, sliding a string under the door to unlock it from the other side. However, this technique can also be used to try and detect opponents in pitch black or other vision-obscuring scenarios like the Hidden Mist Technique.

Words. -- Tags Yamanaka Tomomi Notes.

Template by Kuroya of THQ & GS.

[Yamanaka Tomomi]

YAMANAKA TOMOMI

NINGYO/HIDARI

The plan seems to be proceeding well. Maybe too well, Tomomi thinks. Their teammates seem unconcerned, but that's not always reassuring. They watch Tsuki, trying to read her expression. They can't glean anything from her. Is it just them, or is she too braced? Or does she look too concerned? They're about to warn their teammates to hold when Sota rushes in.

Sota has always been more impulsive; he fights up close and he wants to get to the enemy as quick as possible. Mei isn't much better. Before Tomomi is able to advise caution, those two are both off to the races. Sota drops from where he's hidden in the tree tops, to Tsuki's left, and tries to throw a kunai Tsuki's way. Mei comes out of hiding from the way Tsuki came, trying to close the distance.

Tomomi reveals themself as well, but stays back for now, trying to assess the situation. They want to get a read on Tsuki's skills before they start trying to react. They take a puppet scroll from their side, summoning forth Kuuhaku. The puppet is humanoid, but blank and mostly featureless, no weapons immediately obvious on the hands or arms. There is a seam on the chest, which any puppetmaster could guess means there is a mechanism hidden there.

[Yuie Tsuki]

Things would already be turning into the jounin's favor, as she'd feel the rush of the more physical combatant. Her strings finding all three opponents and no others at this point, she'd feel confident in her predicament. Survival was ultimately the goal of her interaction, but to allow these shinobi to lead her away from the village. She just made it that much harder for assistance to pinpoint their exact position. To seem overwhelmed, afraid and frantic gave them the illusion of superiority. Allowing them the nerve to engage her first and reveal their strategy.

Sota definitely seemed to be objectively her largest concern, he'd want to impose upon her in a field she minimally excelled. She'd proven capability purely within her rank, but she wasn't interested in a long lasted trade of blows with this fellow. Mei most of had something mid to close, which was the next concern, but Tomomi would be the most intriguing. They'd summon a puppet to Tsuki's internal enjoyment, she hadn't heard much of Konohagakure's puppeteer. There was no legends among her knowledge and this was a field she was deeply interested. Taught by the so called masters of puppetry, she'd surpassed them and thus couldn't feel concerned by this opposition.

This didn't mean she overlooked the puppet or puppeteer, but she had such advanced knowledge in the field. It simply didn't take her long to size up the puppet and infer a list of it's possible abilities. What could this puppeteer do to impress her? If there was nothing unique, then it'd be a sad exchange in her eyes, but an exchange that thrilled her nonetheless. How many puppets can you dance? She'd think to herself barely giving a glance, but this was just a trick of her hunter-nin training. She'd purposely not focus on the puppeteer, but instead draw information from delving strings, as well as peripheral vision.

Faking a clumsy retreat from Sota, she'd seem to narrowly dodge the kunai in an almost tripping step. One which seemed to off put the throw of her own kunai for Mei, but Mei wasn't the target. Instead she aimed for the ground between Mei and Tomomi. Activating the explosion note to detonate shortly after passing, as to create a sort of smoke screen with debris and fire.

The hand which let loose the kunai before it was activated would immediately shift fully to the hidden scroll. Pulling it from it's hiding and opening it to release the puppets inside. The explosion should of been flashy and loud enough to make the action of the scroll relatively unnoticeable, as it'd be taking place behind her pursuers. However releasing them would only be half the battle, she'd need time to reposition them and prepare the proper ambush. So without much hesitation, she'd make a panicked motion to summon from her scroll in hand.

It'd release a puppet which looked like a Samurai in full plate armor, it'd be used as a direct barrier between her and Sota and Mei. She'd act as it's heavy weight made it almost immobile, as she'd instead of moving it at them or using it to retreat. She'd merely shift around behind it, allowing the puppet to shift at it's hips to redirect attention from one shinobi to the other. Any attempt to bypass or move the puppet would be incredibly rough, it wasn't just a hollow suit of armor. Whatever was in the puppet was incredibly heavy, as any physical blows would be met with an almost solid steel feel.

The puppet though wouldn't just be blocking Mei and Sota from directly attacking Tsuki, but using it's body Tsuki would hide her hand from Tomomi's vision. As she'd be making rather frantic shifts with her hand and fingers. Her puppets designed for silence shifting to slowly encircle the rear and retreat of her opponents. All of them equipped with bows, whose strings were slowly being pulled back to avoid the sound of their stretch.

SPOILER: Click to show

Puppets in actions Hiedi & 5 of 10 Stealth Snakes with Short Bow.

NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/a
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.

NAME: Onisageru Mojiretsu [Delving String]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
A simple, but very useful technique; by extending puppetry strings and concentrating on the sensation felt in their fingertips a user can probe to try and manipulate or detect what they can't see. Shinobi commonly use this technique to unlock doors, sliding a string under the door to unlock it from the other side. However, this technique can also be used to try and detect opponents in pitch black or other vision-obscuring scenarios like the Hidden Mist Technique.

Words. -- Tags Yamanaka Tomomi Notes.

Template by Kuroya of THQ & GS.

[Yamanaka Tomomi]

YAMANAKA TOMOMI

NINGYO/HIDARI

The clumsy trip struck Tomomi as odd. All the information they knew about her indicated to them that she was a very skilled shinobi. This was a dangerous endeavor that they'd embarked on, and Tomomi was fully prepared for this to be a deadly encounter. There's no way someone with a reputation like hers would be tripping and stumbling back because of a couple of Chuunin throwing sloppy attacks at her. There had to be some underlying motive. She threw a kunai that flew past Mei and struck a seal, sending up an explosion. Just as Tomomi thought. She was executing some plan.

They covered their eyes and tried to stand against the ringing in their ears. When the explosion finally started to fade, they looked up to see the puppet now standing before Tsuki, heavy and intimidating. It looked far more complex than anything they had on hand. What intricacies would this puppet hold? Tomomi was wary, trying to ready up their defenses.

Mei turned to look at the explosion long enough that she missed the initial summoning of the puppet. When she turned back, she looked shocked. Tomomi was the only puppeteer she had much experience with, so she wasn't especially certain how to proceed. She took a swing with a blade, but bounced right off the heavy puppet. Seemed she wouldn't be getting past this thing... She decided to try another approach, pulling a shuriken from her pocket and throwing it at the ground to the side of the puppet, hoping it would bounce up and hit Tsuki.

Sota was more stubborn. He wanted to try to get past the puppet. He would launch a series of kicks at the puppet, but found it unmoving. Perhaps they'd bitten off more than they could chew, dashing in here.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu used:

NAME: Usagi no Baunsu [Bouncing Rabbit]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
This is a very cunning technique to be used with shuriken. This time, the metal stars are not aimed at the opponent directly, but rather at the ground near them. The stars would ricochet from the ground, or any other hard surface, and towards the opponent. Due to the unpredictable nature of the ricochets, it is very hard to dodge or block them, even for experienced opponents.

[Ineffective] NAME: Odori [Swallow Dance]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
The user starts with a kick aimed at the chest of the opponent and quickly combos into another kick as they bring their leg back across with their heel striking the same area. It ends with the user jumping off from their free leg and aiming another kick at the same chest area but angled so that its aimed downward to push the foe onto the ground when landed.

[Yuie Tsuki]

As a shinobi who enjoyed having every advantage available, she'd hold off on her 'sneak' attack. Positions were about golden and bows were about drawn, but the capabilities and ultimately secrets of her opponents remained unrevealed. One of her opponents though the most stubborn seemed adamant about beating up Hiedi, a puppet that looked like the iconic samurai dawned in full armor. There was sadly more than armor to contend with and it wasn't a wooden skeleton beneath this armor either, instead the puppet was almost entirely metal and liquid.

Tanks connected by pipes and pistons were beneath the puppets armor, they'd been filled with a special 'cleansing water'. A liquid produced by the very shinobi controlling it, as to allow her full reign and control over it. So if it was strength Sota wanted to test, then it'd be strength which Tsuki put to the test. A swift threading of handseals, only broken by the necessity to swing one of Hiedi's blades. Over precautious Tsuki wouldn't let the Shuriken come close to passing her puppet and would opt to deflect it even if it wasn't aimed directly for her or her puppet.

Finishing her hand seals there'd be an odd hiss from the puppet, as Tsuki would grin deviously and suddenly a massive shift in fighting balance would happen. The puppet whose power seemed to be focused in defense and being an immovable shield would suddenly come to a hissing life. It'd swing it's sword for the taijutsu specialist, but let go midswing to hurl the weapon like a projectile. It's hand freed it'd attempt to grab the leg used to kick it, then whip the shinobi up before slamming him down into the ground.

If it was successful at knocking the breath out of Sota, it'd hurl the man toward Mei and then proceed to charge both. It'd move like that of a shinobi, but it's every step, swing or lunge came with great power and a menacing hiss. If Sota dodged the attack, then puppets other arm would shift left and right keeping a constant front to block Tsuki from projectiles released by Mei.

SPOILER: Click to show

Puppets in actions Hiedi & 5 of 10 Stealth Snakes with Short Bow.

NAME: Saiteki Kudō [Optimal Drive]
RANK: B-ranked
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium, Very Low to maintain
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Joton [Cleansing Release]
DESCRIPTION:

The peek of steam power techniques, this technique is an improved version of the Steam Boil technique, unlike it's counter parts this technique creates a hot enough steam to run an average sized steam engine at optimal condition, this means it allows the engine to put out the most energy without it having any adverse or risky side effects. Engine effects are made notable on steam powered items.

NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/a
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.

NAME: Onisageru Mojiretsu [Delving String]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
A simple, but very useful technique; by extending puppetry strings and concentrating on the sensation felt in their fingertips a user can probe to try and manipulate or detect what they can't see. Shinobi commonly use this technique to unlock doors, sliding a string under the door to unlock it from the other side. However, this technique can also be used to try and detect opponents in pitch black or other vision-obscuring scenarios like the Hidden Mist Technique.

Words. -- Tags Yamanaka Tomomi Notes.

Template by Kuroya of THQ & GS.

[Yamanaka Tomomi]

YAMANAKA TOMOMI

NINGYO/HIDARI

Focused as he was on his attack, Sota failed to anticipate the coming assault. Though he was able to just narrowly move to the side to avoid the sword slashing through him, it left him totally open to that grab, and he was swung down hard on the ground, left dazed and immobilized for a moment as he set about picking himself up.

Mei reacted with shock, quickly backing up as the puppet turned its attentions towards her, ready to steamroll her in the same way it had just done to her teammate. She was clearly concerned, wanting to build distance and stop the puppet's advance. In order to encourage this, she pulled a scroll from her back and flicked it open. From within, she launched a rain of ten swords that would shoot forward in a hail around Hiedi. Her hope was that the puppet would briefly retreat to continue protecting Tsuki and give her enough time to reassess her situation, though the fact that the puppet was already blocking Tsuki might hinder it somewhat.

Tomomi's goal, by this point, had shifted. They were less concerned with Tsuki's capture, which they had surmised was impossible for the three of them while watching her, and more concerned with managing to get their team out alive, which itself would be a difficult feat.

For the moment, they would send Kuuhaku in to attempt to guard Sota while he got back on his feet. Kuuhaku wasn't the sturdiest puppet around, but it could still withstand a decent enough number of hits if it had to.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu used:

NAME: Ame no Buki no Jutsu [Raining Weapons Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 1
REQUIREMENT: Prepared Scroll
Kuchiyose: Raikō Kenka [Summoning: Lightning Flash Blade Creation]
DESCRIPTION:
This technique is a basic bukijutsu technique which allows the user to summon up to 10 weapons from a scroll. This technique is not a simple summoning technique, instead of just summoning the weapons for regular use they are summoned as projectiles that shoot outwards from a scroll or other surface they have been sealed into. To perform this technique the user must have the required weapons sealed into a scroll within their possession. The weapons summoned must the proper size of projectiles, one could not summon several large weapons as projectiles. This technique can shoot projectiles around 40 metres.