[Hyūga Shigure]

"red herring". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." RENDEZVOUS AT THE INN Shigure's first mission as a Special Jounin was a rather important one, as it no only involved fostering their relationship with a very important ally, Uzushio, but it also involved cooperation with two allied shinobi villages, the Hidden Sand and the Hidden Grass villages. Shigure had collaborated with members of both villages in the past: one when he was still a Genin, collaborating with the Sand; and the other one as a Chuunin, leading two Genins from the Grass. Due to his tracking specialization, Shigure was the idea candidate to contribute to the success of the mission. Previously, another team had helped guard the team of experts sent the rediscovered Uzumaki clan temple, helping them recover a scroll. However, one of the archeologists who was part of the team had stolen the scrolls and fled to the Hot-spring country. The expert team believes his goal is to use that dangerous knowledge for his own personal gain. The objective of the mission was to find the treacherous archeologist, retrieve the stolen scrolls and return them back to Uzushio. The trip to the Hot-spring country was uneventful, and he soon arrived at one of the villages in the country, where their intel indicated the thief was last seen just a few days ago. The trail wasn't exactly hot, but being a civilian, they were confident he could've gone too far, but time was still of essence. Once he arrived there, the Hyuuga headed straight towards its main inn where he was supposed to rendezvous with his companions for the mission. According to the information he had, he was supposed to meet Oonakayama Miyo from the Sand, and Kameki Banri from the Grass. He didn't personally know them, but he had their description, which would hopefully help him identify them once they arrived at the inn. Meanwhile, he was enjoying some tea and a few dangos of a variety of flavours, which were supposed to be the specialty of the place. "Pretty good." he thought to himself. He did seem distracted with his food, but he was actually keeping himself as aware and alert as he could, not only for the arrival of his allies, but for any suspicious movement. This was his first mission of such rank, and he was ready to give it his very best, and despite his calm expression, his heart was beating like a drum. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." A-Rank Mission (1/30) Waiting for teammates at the village's inn, while eating some dangos [Ōnakayama Miyo, Kameki Banri, Mint] [411 words]

[Ōnakayama Miyo]

Tag: Hyūga Shigure Kameki Banri Mint Title: Red Herring Hex: c24e4e Summary: Write them here! Box will expand downwards with words. ♥ Full Body Pic ♥

Ōnakayama Miyo The Mercurial Maiden of Sunagakure Miyo may not have been Sunagakure's best tracker on her own, but she did possess the contract for the Inugami, arguably one of the best trackers around, so that more than made up for it. However, they were to be operating in the Land of Hotsprings, a place that Miyo was fairly familiar with. So, she had that to her advantage. While she may not be Sunagakure's best tracker, Miyo was certainly among their most dangerous shinobi, and definitely one of the most competent in regards to success. She was a credit to her clan and village, and she was not about to let her streak be broken by this mission. Upon arrival in the town, Miyo made her way towards the meeting point, the town's largest inn. She arrived after Shigure, but not by much. A minute or two at most.  She was fairly distinct, easily standing out in a crowd due to her abundance of ashen-gray hair, as well as the way she dressed. She had a very noticeably non-local style that marked her as out of place. Her Sunagakure forehead protector attached to the scarf around her neck was just icing on the cake. Now it was a matter of waiting for their last person, and for her to actually find the rest of the team inside.

Temp by Ai Made Just for Fair ♥

[Kameki Banri]

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A simple thrush perched upon a nearby branch ruffled its tawny feathers and took off into the woods. Banri alighted in its place and strode with purpose towards the entrance to the inn, having now seen both leaf and sand shinobi arrive. [break][break]

He entered with his true appearance, tall with dark hair and glasses, and dressed casually as a vacationer in the land of hot springs. He slowed his pace as he approached a young woman from behind. She was clearly from the desert and he moved around to her left before speaking so as not to startle her. "Ah! There you are. I believe our table is just over here.” [break][break]

Banri strode over to the leaf ninja at a corner table who was enjoying some treats from the inn. He didn’t bother asking permission before sitting down across from a young man who based off his description had to be Shigure from the hidden leaf. His hope was that Miyo from the hidden sand would take the invitation to follow him.[break][break]

He spoke in a polite and reserved tone so as not to be overheard or draw unnecessary attention. "I’m Banri. It’s good we’re all here! Was travel uneventful for the two of you as well?”[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

jutsu: True Transformation

[attr="class","ooc-area"]Mint Hyūga Shigure Ōnakayama Miyo

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[Mint]

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Utada Keiki - Left Pillar of Vesper

With a depth soon to be discovered by the three shinobi, Utada Keiki's base of operations was deep underground, buried leagues under the cool earth where limbs had toppled. An entire ecosystem rose from the mud and in its midst, a silently alluring chakra had forced many to just so happened to wander into its midst very far away. The distance lured lost souls deeper into the woods, but an air of elegant benevolence drew others closer and closer, only to be lost in the heavy green mist that drowned them.

If the three were to ask for more details in the nearby town of Hakamori, they would perhaps learn more. Whether that be tales from lonely wives or from the men who had lost their minds wandering endlessly in the mist, some truth was in them.

The tales had written themselves in stone, bare at the center of the town's architecture. Open to the public, but barren. It would seem as though everyone who was anyone in Hakamori had already read the inscribed details, or perhaps they did not want to know. One thing was certain, though: if they approached the stone tablet at Hakamori's center, they would feel hundreds of eyes staring them down, but no one would be in sight.

Upon the tablet, a text of sorts was etched. The words were readable but more ancient, giving an air of importance and mysticism.

SPOILER: Click to show

"Hakamori's Red Templar
Left Pillar of Vesper

To the lost
To the mist
Green and betraying
We've found ourselves explaining
Nothing to no one
and to no one nothing

Seek yourself
and dive
into the thought of never finding"

Below the inscription text, an image was also etched, its full figure covered in dirt. From the visible portion, one could see a wing outstretched. What details could the image unfold?

SPOILER: Click to show

Kameki Banri Ōnakayama Miyo Hyūga Shigure

[Hyūga Shigure]

"red herring". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." STARTING POINT Shortly after Shigure arrived, the kunoichi from the Hidden Sand appeared in the area. He was still eating the dangos he had just ordered when he noticed her long, ashen hair; she really did stand out, making it a rather easy job for him to identify her. "That's convenient." he thought to himself. Finishing the dango, he would take a sip of his tea before getting up from his seat and taking a few steps towards Miyo. "I assume you are Miyo-san. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Shigure, from the Hyuuga clan." he said in a formal, yet friendly tone, followed by a short bow. As he greeted the Sand shinobi, he noticed a tall, dark haired man approaching. "That must be Banri-san." and he was right. The man spoke, making a mention of their table and Shigure nodded. "Indeed. Let us sit." he quickly responded, making way to the corner table and seating there. If the three of them gathered there, the man introduced himself and asked how was their travel. "It was good, and fortunately, uneventful." he started, waiting for everyone to properly break the ice before delving into the more important subject at hand: their mission. "I started looking around the town since I got here, and although I've yet to find any concrete lead, I couldn't help but to notice the inscription in the stone by the town's centre. Maybe we could start over there." the Hyuuga would suggest to the other two. Finding that archeologist and the stolen scrolls would be challenging, but something was telling him that time was of essence. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." A-Rank Mission (5/30) Suggests checking the writings by the town's centre [Ōnakayama Miyo Kameki Banri Mint] [278 words]

[Ōnakayama Miyo]

Tag: Hyūga Shigure Kameki Banri@mnt Title: Red Herring Hex: c24e4e Summary: Write them here! Box will expand downwards with words. ♥ Full Body Pic ♥

Ōnakayama Miyo The Mercurial Maiden of Sunagakure Miyo turned slightly when she was addressed by Banri and bowed her head in greeting, then followed behind him as they moved to the table. "My travels were peaceful enough," Miyo admitted.  As they approached the table, the Hyuuga that would be joining them got to his feet an introduced himself with a bow, so she returned the gesture. "That is correct. It is a pleasure to meet you," she replied before taking a seat at the table. Miyo understood they were to hunt down who stole some scrolls from a site, so when Shigure brought up the inscribed stone in the center of the town she was a little confused. "I have no issue starting in that area," Miyo began, but looked to Shigure. "Do you believe this stone will hold some clues to their whereabouts? If the archaeologist is a local, it may explain why they retreated here, so asking around might help. However, I do not see how that inscription will help us. On the other hand, you may have some information I do not." She glanced towards the door as if considering getting up and leaving. "If we cannot find any obvious clues about where our target is, then it may be best to target places where someone could go to hide - places where people do not go, or are too afraid to travel."

Temp by Ai Made Just for Fair ♥

[Kameki Banri]

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"It could be related. I noticed the inscription as well. It seems very old; just the sort of thing that might peak the interest of an archeologist on the run. It’s likely or at least possible he wandered into this ‘green mist’ it mentions and became lost.” Banri broke eye contact with Shigure to glance around the tavern. He took note of anything that seemed off. Maybe he was being paranoid but at his own mention of the mist he began to worry about a potential genjutsu. It was a major concern that the scrolls may have found their way into worse hands than an archeologist either intentionally or by chance. [break][break]

He was intrigued by the mystery but it wasn’t their job to investigate the occurrences that had become urban legend to this small town. They just needed to find the archeologist and the scroll he had stolen. Banri glanced over at Miyo, "I agree though that this is just one potential lead and others should be pursued as well. We need to gather more information, perhaps we could chat up a few people around here and at least confirm that our target was seen in the area. Maybe someone can help point us in the right direction.”

[attr="class","ooc-area"]Mint Hyūga Shigure Ōnakayama Miyo

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[Oonakayama Arashi]

Red Herring TAG.294 Hyūga Shigure Akimichi Chono Keen WORDS. xxx NOTES:

[This is a continuation of the previous thread with a bit of a fresh start due to inclusive end. I would imagine that the two previous characters save for Shigure are either remote or were sent back to their villages and Shigure is currently alone at the inn. The entrance of Arashi is likely to have been only a few hours after him and she is with 294 currently] Moment Music To say things had changed since the last time Arashi had been to this place was an understatement. But then again, with the discovery of the ruins here, it was logical that every mind that had an alliance with the Hi no kuni would be here investigating. Though of course, had she known that someone would go so far as to steal scrolls and run off with them, she might have insisted on staying longer to make sure they got to where they needed to go and were secure for transport. Though that was years ago. Time enough for the former evacuation site to become a small little hub. Or at the very least expanded upon it.... In honesty, even going around town had been a bit of a misstep. Much of what was told to her and her companion had been nothing more than hearsay and folk stories. Some spoke of endless mist that could drive men mad to rumors of a place hidden beneath the ground. The last one had the most interest to her, and she imagined it might explain in part why someone would be interested in old scrolls. Particularly ones that might lead to treasure or perhaps some ancient ritual. Which, could be equally bad in the wrong hands. So far, the one place that seemed to legitimately speak of what was held within the scroll seemed to be at the center of town. While she probably should have mentioned this to her teammates from Konoha, the information was still fresh and the last thing she wanted was to waste time bringing them up to speak and them all going there just for it to be loose end. She was probably one of the few people in Kaze no kuni that even could recognize an old language and her studies...or rather her hobby of reading history dating back long before even villages existed, made her an expert and capable of finding out faster than going through a round table of thoughts and theories. So she was off, looking less like a Suna representative and more like a traveler, she figured it might help with not drawing too much attention to herself. After all, no need for panic or uproar for royalty to be involved in an investigation. Not that it was an issue last time, but then again, she hadn't exactly been that much of a recognized figure by face alone. But even with her looking casual, she felt as if eyes were just lingering on her as she examined the stone at the center of the village, kneeling down as she read the words etched into the rock tablet. ""Hakamori's Red Templar Left Pillar of Vesper To the lost To the mist Green and betraying We've found ourselves explaining Nothing to no one and to no one nothing Seek yourself and dive into the thought of never finding" Cupping her hand beneath her face, Arashi would rise back up as she closed her eyes for a moment, then allowed her hazel gaze to note the image of the owl as it seemed to be encrusted there as well. "They never make things simple do they? The mist is likely the same one their talking about around town...but even so...why come out here? The ruins were way off...and I don't recall ever seeing a symbol like this in em..." Granted, it had been nearly four years since she'd helped in that mission, but still it was one of the most exciting moments of her life. Hard to forget going into an ancient dig site and hanging out with people just as immersed in history and discovery as she was. But in the end, none of it seemed to ring a bell. Especially when it came to this mist and the Lost woods that people kept going on about. Leaning back upon her hip, she'd look around briefly as she sniff the air and make note of the smells and odors around her. It was possible that she might get information on the people that were watching them from a distance. Still, maybe it was time they go and meet with the others. "294...I'm gonna take a quick tracing of this....can ya head over to the inn we're supposed to be meeting with our Konoha friends please?..I'll be along in a sec...thanks" Better one of them at least went to meet up with the team as she continued to think this out. After all, tracing this out might take some time and she honestly wanted to be sure she got every last detail. Drawing out a scroll, she'd begin to place her hand down against the surface, allowing herself to stealthy use her sand manipulation to begin making a copy of the passage upon its surface. SPOILER: Click to show -S.A Used- Ultimate Defense A Skill granted by her continued use and developed relationship with Shukaku over the continued use of his control over sand, Arashi has a stronger connection to the element, allowing her to use it at a much more intensive rate than before. As such, her defenses are much more adapt and capable of taking on stronger attacks and reinforcing itself at faster speed. This adaptation to the sand shield allows for it's reaction time to have increased and make it more challenging for attacks to connect and break through the first layer, while acting still on the natural inclinations of auto-repairing itself for the next strike. Enhanced Smell Somehow, Arashi has gained an enhanced sense of smell. It appears that she’s been hanging around dogs for too long and has obtained a sense of smell that rivals that of a blood hound. In reality, she has simply discovered that by channeling some chakra to her nose she can enhance the cells within it and gain a super sense of smell that may act as a sensor and tracking technique. She can smell out strangers, steel and various other things. Arashi may retract her chakra from her nose as well to make her sense of smell return to normal. Due in most regards to her heavily enhanced sense of smell, With her continued usage of this ability, she has now become capable of near passively monitoring the exact range of a target and their positioning within 250 meters. (Able to turn "off and on" this enhanced sense at the 'prick' of chakra to her nose) -Jutsu Used- -Items Used- -Familiar Used-

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[294]

 

- I'm not afraid of God -

"I am afraid of man"

"They could be connected," Unit 294 stated in response to Arashi's question. Even if the ruins were far off from their present location--it was entirely possible that it could span for miles beneath the surface of the earth. Large, unknown pockets could be found, underground tunnels and caves--endless possibilities, it was like an entire world. And if they were dealing with ancient civilizations--it seemed quite likely, to the ancient creation, that they had sealed off various sections and districts for the sake of keeping them barred from discovery. Even if the ruins seemed to have stopped in one place, that did not guarantee it to be the truth.
    Now, whether or not that was true, was yet to be uncovered.
    The other mystery was the green mist that legend spoke of--while the princess's mind conjured thoughts of genjutsu, the Shippai considered the possibility of naturally-occurring hallucinogens and noxious gasses. Whether natural fumes due to whatever location they were seeded, or intentionally crafted by man--such things could be deadly to any human, even if their affects seemed more of an annoyance than anything else at first. It did not need to kill a victim directly to nonetheless guide them toward death.
    Still, he would not speak the idea directly. It was better that he leave the thinking to those who had brains, and it would be best that any suggestions and plotting was reserved once all of the shinobi were united. Until this moment, it had been only Unit 294 accompanying the princess of Sunagakure, but they were not to be working alone on this mission. "Yes, of course," the Shippai would respond to the woman's order, giving a light bow before heading away. The inn would be easy enough to locate and, similarly to Arashi, Unit 294 would not immediately draw attention to himself. There was little about his appearance that would catch the eye or notice of any watching--simple, black clothing with a dark green haori over his shoulders. A wooden bow would be equipped to his back with some arrows in a quiver--an old-fashioned method of hunting, mostly outdated and forgotten by many shinobi of the modern world. The blood-red hue of the wood would hold little significance to most of those who saw it, and the sheathed katana at his hip, also, did not appear special in any way. A simple huntsman or warrior with nothing else to him--no other apparent gear, armor, or anything of the like.
    Arriving at the inn, Unit 294's artificial eye would scan the crowds before he caught notice of the Konoha gentleman that, to his understanding, they were to be accompanying for this mission. Approaching the Hyūga man, Unit 294 would stop a short distance away--his attention clearly on the man, but not wishing to get too close and cause any alarm or discomfort. "You are the contact from Konohagakure, yes?" His voice was quiet--not wishing to speak too loudly so as to draw attention to their conversation. And, most importantly--not wishing to speak too loudly.
    Unit 294 was soft-spoken, regardless of time or location.
    "I apologize for the inconvenience of last-minute recall. I am Shippai Unit 294 of Sunagakure, special divisions. My companion is already outside, if you would wish to join us." He was uncertain if Arashi wanted to introduce herself--it was probably best that he allowed her to. Though, echoes of tradition instilled the idea that he ought to be the one announcing her presence and status to those who would be working alongside them. Nonetheless, the puppet would give a bow to the other gentleman as he introduced himself--manners rarely lost on him.

Hyūga Shigure Akimichi Chono Keen Oonakayama Arashi

SPOILER: Click to show

SAs Active:

Unflagging Endurance

Armored Bodies

Titanic Speed

Enhanced Sensory

Enhanced Reflexes

Shin of GS + Adox

[Akimichi Chono]

Chono moved through the streets of the town, his hands positioned under his cloak and pulling the edges forward so as to mostly conceal the armor and weaponry beneath. It was unlikely for someone such as himself to go unnoticed without making use of techniques and chakra to do so, but he could at least do his best not to cause any unnecessary concern amongst he population. As he made his way towards a particular inn, Chono considered the circumstances that had brought him here. He had originally just been meeting with a nearby noble over a trade arrangement concerning the Akimichi clan, only to suddenly receive a letter requesting he lend assistance to a joint mission going on in the region. From the few details that could be entrusted to a messenger bird it seemed that something had been stolen and needed to be recovered; more importantly it seemed he was more so here to ensure Uzushiogakure truly felt that Konoha was taking this matter very seriously.

In the end it seemed he was here primarily for the purpose of political posturing with a slight side dish of convenience, which admittedly annoyed him to some degree. While it may have irritated him however; he also understood that the game needed to be played and if that was what Konoha needed from him right now, then so be it. He however had no plans of letting this political maneuver cause any issues with their allies either. Chono planned to make it clear once he met their allies that he would simply be lending his assistance in the situation and leave them to take command of the combined force.


Should keep our allies feathers from getting ruffled. Makes the most sense anyways since a proper briefing couldn't be trusted to the bird. Besides, not sure how helpful my skills will be in a hunt and capture job like this.


The idle thoughts passed through his mind as he reached the rendezvous point. He did not care for politics and by no means was an expert, but he was adequate enough at them when the situation required it. Hopefully the others of the combined task force would be easy enough to work with; although he believed they would finish the mission one way or another regardless.

Ducking slightly under the door frame meant for a more average height, Chono quickly scanned the inn for the other Konoha-nin he was to make contact with. After a few moments he finally caught sight of Shigure. Carefully the giant of man made his way through the crowd and towards Shigure. While he did so Chono also noticed a man bowing to Shigure, an archer by the looks of it.


One of the task force members I guess.


It was a natural conclusion to draw given the two's attention towards each other, weapon in view and their present location. Chono could not remember meeting the bowing individual before, so had little to go off of other than the fact the respect they seemed to be showing. In Chono's opinion it was a bit too stiff. He understood the importance of tradition and manners in certain situations, but a task force between allies was supposed to promote a strong bond between their people; perhaps the seemingly younger man was just concerned of overstepping. Giving a bit of a nod towards Shigure, Chono spoke; keeping his words and tone on the more casual side in hopes of putting the other man at ease if that had indeed been his concern and not just his normal personality.


"Good to see ya Shigure-kun, was asked to lend all you a hand. Thought there was supposed to be more though."


He likely should have addressed Shigure with a bit more respect; the kid was the head of the Hyuuga now after all, but habits were hard to break and Chono still saw him as a kid in his eyes. Besides, if the respectful nature the other individual was just how they were then no insult should be taken by them from how he addressed Shigure. Setting that issue aside though, Chono was somewhat concerned by the lack of more allied shinobi. Perhaps he had misunderstood the message, but he had been under the impression there were supposed to be one or two more present.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Hyūga Shigure]

"red herring". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." A NEW TEAM Ultimately, the mission had to suffer a small delay, as his former mission partners had been recalled, perhaps due to the complexity of the mission and the fact that it involved a valuable ally such as the Whirlpool Village, so Shigure returned to the inn, where he was supposed to wait for a couple of days so that he could join up with his new mission partners. Not only would the Sand be sending in more of their forces, but the Leaf decided to show how much they valued such a mission by sending one of their legendary shinobi: Akimichi Chono, and the fledging Hyuuga leader was quite excited with the news, for he loved to work alongside incredible Shinobi; there was much to be learned when you walk with alongside the great names of their time. He had kept the notes of what he had managed to uncover thus far, and had sent it back to the Leaf and the Sand, so that his companions would be up to date on the progress - albeit minimal - of the mission. After the couple days had passed, Shigure was waiting at the lobby of the Inn, having just finished his breakfast, when a young man approached him. While he wasn't specially tall, he was taller than Shigure, but more lithe in frame, with long raven hair, tied up in a long ponytail, dressed in a ragged kimono. The young man was stray to the point, but kept its distance. Shigure responded with a firm nod. "I am. I'm Hyuuga Shigure, it is a pleasure to meet you. And you are...?" and in response, the young man introduced himself as Shippai Unit 294, an odd name the Hyuuga thought. 294 informed their companion was already outside, and asked if he would like to join. "Soon. I'm still waiting for another person." he informed the man, giving him a formal bow in response to his own. Fortunately, the person Shigure was waiting for arrived shortly after their meet and greet. Well, if Shigure thought Unit 294 was tall, this man that just arrived was on a whole other level, towering over all others there, the Indomitable Titan of the Leaf was an imposing figure, but one that brought a smile to Shigure's face. With Chono beside them, the mission would be much easier. When Chono arrived, Shigure greeted him with a formal bow, seemingly unbothered by the more casual tone he used to address the young Hyuuga. "It's great to see you, Chono-san! I'm excited for the opportunity to work alongside you!" his tone didn't hide the enthusiasm. "Unit 294 here told me his companion is outside. Shall we meet then?" he suggested, showing he was ready to get the mission started, if Unit 294 would be so kind as to guide them to his partner. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." A-Rank Mission [6/30] Meeting up with 294 and Chono, suggesting head towards Arashi [Akimichi Chono Oonakayama Arashi 294 Keen] [484 words]

[294]

 

- I'm not afraid of God -

"I am afraid of man"

Hyūga Shigure. The name meant nothing to Unit 294--but just about all names did. He had no understanding or context of the man's clan or history, and unless he made note of it in his journal--which there was not enough interest to do so--then he would forget in due time, anyway. Which was all perfectly fine--the young man likely did not know what a Shippai was, either. And names were, more often than not, only useful for the sake of knowing how to refer to relevant persons. They would be relevant to him so long as they were operating as a team, and after that, there was none.
    Should they ever meet again, they would likely have to introduce themselves once more.
    Though, Unit 294 was uncertain how often he would be working alongside human shinobi--let alone those from allied villages.
    Shigure stalled, explaining that he was waiting for one other person--to which Unit 294 relented. Waiting was certainly no major feat to the timeless being, and so he would show no worry, frustration, or annoyance as he patiently stood by. Thankfully, however, it seemed that they would not need to be waiting for too long--as the rather loud footsteps of a giant drew nearer and nearer, approaching the building, entering inside, and finally approaching the already established duo. Unit 294 had heard the man's stature before he'd laid eyes on him, but its expressionless face would continue blank as the larger man arrived upon the scene though--Unit 294 noted--he was oddly conscientious of the space he took up. Heavier footsteps could not be helped with his size--but they were not as loud and booming as they could have been, he noted.
    The red-haired man spoke in a rather casual and relaxed tone of voice--clearly recognizing the Hyūga, which was logical considering their shared nation. And, as Shigure exclaimed in glee at the larger male's presence and involvement in the mission, Unit 294 visibly grimaced. The shift in his expression was subtle--but noticeable. Still, he would carry on with formalities. An eye of resin gazed upon the giant as Unit 294's voice came, "Your presence and involvement is appreciated; thank you for coming. I am Shippai Unit 294 of Sunagakure, Special Divisions. It is a pleasure to be met with you." The puppet would shift itself slightly, positioning its body to be seen by both parties as it then said, "If there are no qualms, let us then make haste." And, seeing as there were no apparent issues, Unit 294 would proceed to lead the other two out of the inn and back toward the streets--his footsteps nearly silent as he treaded with bare feet upon the ground.
    It would not take long before they met once more with Arashi, and upon returning to the stone fixed in the center of the town, Unit 294 would stop a few feet away from where she stood and knelt gracefully to the ground, head bowed with his hand over his metaphorical heart. "Arashi-denka, it would seem that our allies in combat have all arrived." He'd glance up at her, curiously. "Has staring at the stone monument provided any further revelation since this one's departure?"

Oonakayama Arashi Hyūga Shigure Akimichi Chono

SPOILER: Click to show

SAs Active:

Unflagging Endurance

Armored Bodies

Titanic Speed

Enhanced Sensory

Enhanced Reflexes

Shin of GS + Adox

[Oonakayama Arashi]

Red Herring TAG.294 Hyūga Shigure Akimichi Chono Keen WORDS. xxx NOTES:

Moment Music In the time since 294 was sent off, Arashi had managed to finish the tracing of the stone tablet, allowing for her to have the words and images now transcribed onto parchment. It didn't do much to make the riddle any less confusing, but at least it was now more so visible and capable of travel now that it was on her person. But that didn't help to figure out what it meant. It was likely that what 294 said was true and there was a connection between its words and the fog. Natural or artificial, it was a presence that remained here nonetheless. Though she was inclined to believe the first possibility. Taking a moment to breath, she'd continue to glance over the words, repeating them in her head as she began her trek toward the inn. Of course, it appeared that she was the last of their group and they had come to her instead. Looking upward, she'd hear her name being spoken, prompting her gaze to remove itself from the parchment and then look over to see the two other travelers standing behind the Shippai. "Holy shit..." The first one she recognized was the Hyuuga that she had met during her brief time within Konohagakure. It had been a minor meeting, but he had shown himself to be a talented student of Senju Kazuto and his display in using Fuuton had more than impressed her. Shigure Hyuuga. The last was certainly one that while vague in memory, his renown was universal. The giant himself. Though not only for his size of course. He was the clan head of the Akimichi and she had seen him a few times in her youth had more social functions if not only briefly. Though that was around the time she was six. And still mostly hanging around with her mother and father at such allied joint events. "Sorry...I...um...just wasn't exactly so many different clan members...um...hi..." With a brief wave of her hand, she'd hold a sheepish smile on her face as she then bowed slightly toward Chono before then looking back toward 294 as he asked if she had made any progress. To which, all she could do was shrug before then shaking her head. "Honestly...no...but the idea ya had before about the connection is likely on the money..." From there, she'd turn her attention back toward the others. "Basically, I started looking into the information that was on the scroll that was taken and it seemed like it was a close enough copy to those placed upon a stone tablet...the one back there..." Pointing her thumb behind her, she'd then roll up the piece of paper as she began to hand it toward Shigure as she continued. "From what 294 and I could get from some of the locals, it speaks about something within the woods outside of this village and the riddle that was on the tablet likely hints to those on the scrolls. My guess...it was a cyphier...a way to navigate through the supposed maze to get to some location hidden there..." SPOILER: Click to show -S.A Used- Ultimate Defense A Skill granted by her continued use and developed relationship with Shukaku over the continued use of his control over sand, Arashi has a stronger connection to the element, allowing her to use it at a much more intensive rate than before. As such, her defenses are much more adapt and capable of taking on stronger attacks and reinforcing itself at faster speed. This adaptation to the sand shield allows for it's reaction time to have increased and make it more challenging for attacks to connect and break through the first layer, while acting still on the natural inclinations of auto-repairing itself for the next strike. Enhanced Smell Somehow, Arashi has gained an enhanced sense of smell. It appears that she’s been hanging around dogs for too long and has obtained a sense of smell that rivals that of a blood hound. In reality, she has simply discovered that by channeling some chakra to her nose she can enhance the cells within it and gain a super sense of smell that may act as a sensor and tracking technique. She can smell out strangers, steel and various other things. Arashi may retract her chakra from her nose as well to make her sense of smell return to normal. Due in most regards to her heavily enhanced sense of smell, With her continued usage of this ability, she has now become capable of near passively monitoring the exact range of a target and their positioning within 250 meters. (Able to turn "off and on" this enhanced sense at the 'prick' of chakra to her nose) -Jutsu Used- -Items Used- -Familiar Used-

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Akimichi Chono]

Both of the men in front of him were quick to welcome him, although the archer still seemed a bit formal still; Chono imagined that it must have just been his personality after all. That was the case until the archer introduced himself as a Shippai. Chono was not overly familiar with the clan, but from his understanding, they were puppets given some semblance of sentience by the Chikamatsu clan of Sunagakure. Apart from the occasional encounter with the one known as Tsueno, his own experience was limited to a few passing encounters during the last shinobi war or the rare example passed by while on diplomatic mission to Sunagakure. He did however know that they could be twitchy at times to say the least. The boy before him looked human enough, so maybe there was some non-puppet membership in the clan which maintained the others or something; even if he was a puppet Chono planned to give him the benefit of the doubt. . . still it would be a lie to say he was at least a little apprehensive of working with one in a combat mission.

As they eventually headed outside and reached the other team member, the Shippai's formality made a little bit more sense. Arashi, the little princess of Sunagakure had certain grown up since the last time he had seen her. He was suddenly very glad that the letter he had received had not instructed him to try and take command, as it definitely could have been perceived as a slight if he were to take it from the Hanchou of Suna as well as the daughter of the Kazekage. Chono was getting ready to layout that she would retain command of the mission, but the young woman before him was faster to let out an expletive. Chono could not help, but raise up an eyebrow at the comment and Arashi quickly launched into saying she had not expected so many clan members. This honestly just served to confuse Chono even further, as he could not really see what that had to do with anything and even if it had, it was a common enough occurrence for high rank shinobi to come from a clan.

The young woman seemed to finally collect herself, giving a small bow towards Chono which he returned before she launched into an explanation of her findings up to that point. As soon as the explanation began, Chono had clicked over to work mode and attentively was listening. Apart from the occasional nod at certain parts, Chono waited for Arashi to finish speaking before saying anything himself.

"I'm going to be a bit more limited in any sort of maze unless you want me to bring it down. As for the reasoning for the similarities, either they copied the information from the stone or they placed the information on the stone to try and lure locals to the maze. Might be they're trying to get some people to come to them, although the question then is for what purpose. Honestly though, all we can do now is speculate until we get our eyes on it. Does mean though that they know the information is here and that they'll have at least some expectation of people coming to them."

Chono's tone said the words in a slightly tired, but matter-of-fact sounding manner; the sort of voice that one might use when they knew they had a troublesome job to do at home after a long day, but had every intention of getting it done. He was not exactly the biggest fan of operating in confined spaces, as they did not really suit his usual combat style, but at the end of the day he was a seasoned shinobi and planned to make it work one way or another. As the thought at their situation crossed his mind, Chono's eye darted to the side to scan the crowd. He did not immediately see anything suspicious, but if the idea of them trying to lead people to the maze was true, then it was possible the hostiles might have had someone watching around the stone.

"Perhaps we should get more privacy before discussing anything further?"

The words were very much posed as a question towards Arashi, while he had not explicitly stated yet that she was in command; he hoped the fact that he was asking rather than demanding would be clear enough that he was leaving the decisions to her and merely here to assist and advise as best he could.

Made by Riley at THQ!