[Nakahara Ichī]

ROUND INFORMATION

Group C - ROTATION: 1/X
Rotation Period Ends: 1:30 AM CST 18/2/2024

POST

Deep in the southern outreaches of Kaze no Kuni would stand a band of four distinct individuals. Having been given a mission with a level of importance far over reaching what it would have been in any other time. The group's completely mixed origins from across the land showing the level of coordination between the many nations as they had been given their missions and collected upon travelling to the capital city of the desert nation.

Fuu Kazama, Yamamoto Shosuke, Senju Michizane, Kisei Takatō all had been given a very simple pair of directives: Deliver the Aiel merchant caravan from the capital to the Hono forges on the man-made island of Nokoribi, and by all means not to fail. A task that the various nations that had sent them hoped they would be able to fullfil successfully.

The land of Iron offering the nations an olive branch despite its century long isolation in known history was a ground-breaking opportunity for the alliance of nations. Something no one needed to fully state aloud for the weight of such a task to be heavy upon the air, though perhaps it was also the desert heat? None from the group being locals to wind country a simple map and the Aiel merchants would be all they had for navigation across the long stretch journey they would be starting.

The Aiel caravan workign to finish its preparations for departure, the sand manipulation specialists moving the earth below to shift objects and ropes with little effort while their younger members tied off the ropes that would be tossed around. Despite the adept abilities the group of four would be the only shinobi on this protection detail, especially after crossing over the border into river country. With a short wait still before they truly would begin to move the group had a moment to interact with the one another having now finally gathered.

[Kisei Takatō]

There were many things that Taka disliked about this mission; the heat was only the least of them. Layers of grays and blacks shrouded him from head to toe to protect his pale skin from the unrelenting sun overhead. An effective defense against burns, but he felt like he was baking from the inside out, sweat having long since begun trickling in rivulets down his back and neck. Water would be the most critical of their supplies, and he was careful not to drink it in excess—only as much as he needed to stay hydrated and stave off the threat of heatstroke. Hopefully, Taka thought, it wouldn’t take too long for them to cross into River Country and be done with this arid wasteland. He yearned, briefly, for the crisp winter cold of Kaminari no Kuni—there was a universe in which he was in Akazaya right now, watching Sachi and the other genin from his village struggle and succeed in the chuunin exams. But duty called; Ichi had asked, so his place was here. With a soft greeting and softer words he had politely introduced himself as soon as his four-man squad had linked up: name, rank, and position within the village, sans his standing with the newly-reformed Wasuremono. It didn’t take long for him to find out with some grim sense of finality that he was both the most senior and most experienced of their mismatched little group, and he wondered distantly if this was the universe playing a cruel and calculated prank on him. Only a brief few months had passed since Ichi had given him a squad of genin to look after, and now it seemed that his responsibilities would only increase, however briefly. In the quiet period between their meetup with the caravan and their actual departure, Taka gave out wireless radios to each of his other squad members, switching each on and making sure they were all on the correct frequency. He felt almost as if he were out on a mission with Sachi--utterly out of his depth, but putting forth the effort to present a neutral facade of quiet confidence in spite of his misgivings. "My specialities lie primarily in stealth and tracking,” he said, securing his earpiece. "I can take point on scouting. If any of you have sensory abilities, all the better, but I think it would be wise to gain as much information as possible and stay in constant communication. I’ll make sure to stay close enough to be able to return quickly if the caravan is threatened.” A beat, two, and then he fished two glass bottles of earthy dark liquid out of one of his many pouches. "Would anyone like some coffee?”

Fuu Kazama Yamamoto Shosuke Senju Michizane Nakahara Ichī -- 453

LAIKA OF THQ

[Fuu Kazama]

❝

So we're on the road to Yuki no Kuni...I miss Miruko

❞

Fuu had been given directives by the Pathfinder to work with their new allies as a favor to the Hokage as a means of a show of good faith name as a result of her quiet arrest at the behest of a young genin following a rather humiliating defeat, Konoha shinobi had been ordered by the Hokage to not say anything on the matter but the tension was somewhat evident at least to her. She wore a much larger red cloak that made her stand out amongst the crew as she stood alongside them. She'd walk with them through river country looking over her map to make sure everyone was on the right path.

She would give the group her name "Kazama." and gave a bit of a weary wave to the Senju shinobi who she knew was probably assigned to her team to keep watch on her, there was something she noticed about him he had the same shade of skin as the pathfinder up until Sunagakure she'd never really seen such diversity before, the world outside of Wood Country was an interesting place. Fuu couldn't afford to lose too much control so was being somewhat cautious about how she used her Onigo form, wanting to stay in everyone's good graces

When the older obviously very sleepy gentlemen has asked her if she wanted some coffee the girl would smell the delectable treat. "I'd like a cup...you also look like you could use one too, sir." the girl would say a gesture of concern little did she know that was simply just his face.

As she looked around she'd note that she was aware of where Takato was from Kusagakure but the other bespectacled boy who was on their team she couldn't make out his headband in the slightest, she also noticed he looked to be just a bit younger than everyone else was he even allowed to be here?

"Excuse me sir...but where are you from? I've never seen that headband before and how old are you?" the young woman would ask as she held her piping hot coffee and sipped it she forgot to ask for creamer so it was very bitter yet strangely Fuu didn't seem to mind.

228 WORDS ● Kisei Takatō @wsipenvew Yamamoto Shosuke Senju Michizane ● POSTS UNTIL RAMPAGE: [0/8]

deltra of gangnam style

[Senju Michizane]

"In protecting oneself, others are protected; In protecting others, oneself is protected."
- the blessed one

TAG - Yamamoto Shosuke , Nakahara Ichī , Kisei Takatō , Fuu Kazama

NOTES Lots of sand in my sandals.

This assignment marked the first time the young man had ever stepped foot into Kaze no Kuni... and damn it was hot!

All dunes and harsh sunlight, the likes of which even the lighter colors of his clothes and a borrowed beige cloak didn't do much to ward against. "Phew..." He sighed, taking a swig from a canteen he'd kept ready ever since he entered the country. "Some clouds'd be nice right about now." No such luck.

No, it seemed that he'd just have to make do with the extreme conditions, at least until this caravan was across the border. Despite the intensity of the weather, his mouth was curled into a natural smile. And the sights on the way to the rendezvous point almost made up for the heat. "Plenty of good meditating to be had out here, I bet." The Senju couldn't help but think, imagining himself perched on some lone, sun-bleached rock in the sands. "If I don't keel over from all this heat!" His eyes shut and he snickered to himself.

Either way, if he got the chance, the experience would be an unforgettable one. "Yo!" The young man greeted his new allies with a peace sign, returning the blonde's wave with a closed-eye grin. He waited for a lull in the round of introductions to take his turn. "Name's Senju Michizane, chūnin of—" He jabbed a thumb towards the hitai-ate resting on his brow, Konohagakure's symbol displayed proudly in the center. "You get the idea. Nice to meet ya." If he seemed nonchalant, it's because he was! Formality was boring, and so far, the air was a bit too serious for his liking. Michi understood the gravity of their mission and the importance of maintaining alliances... but that didn't mean he couldn't inject a little levity into it all. A radio was handed to him by the senior most shinobi, Takatō, and after a bit of fiddling he affixed it to an ear and tapped the mic twice. "Good thinkin'."

Another smile, this time towards the Kusa-nin. Communication would be key on this little gig of theirs as their voices would only carry so far across the sand. "Scout away, my man." He agreed with the plan, believing him to be the most suited to the role. "I'll hang by the caravan. Normally, my Mokuton's enough to keep people at a distance, but..." The Senju wrinkled his nose as he stared at the vast desert. "...somethin' tells me it might be a little harder to use in all this sand." Any hint of concern soon faded from his face as he laughed and closed his eyes again.

If it couldn't be helped, there was no use in fretting about it. "All good, though. I'll make sure no one gets too close." The sectioned sansetsukon hanging from his belt seemed to imply some kind of skill in close combat, and his words were delivered without even a hint of worry. If nothing else, he was at least confident. Mention of coffee did cause him to crack one eyelid open, and once he saw the bottles, his expression lit up. "Sounds great! Thanks." Michi replied, accepting the gift with a smile. He paused briefly before he drank to raise a single palm and think a word of prayer. 

A small blessing an in otherwise unforgiving desert. While they waited to depart, he sipped the dark liquid and observed the merchants preparing with much interest. "This world of ours is full of amazing talents." He thought, of course referring to the sand manipulation on display. Out here in this sea of granules, an ability like that would make someone nigh-unstoppable. "And yet, it isn't only used for violence." That widened his smile further.

As the caravan was still preparing, he watched for as long as he could before finally finishing his coffee and approaching. The Senju couldn't shift the sands, but his strength would surely help the process along. "Can't leave all the heavy lifting to you guys." He said to the merchants with nod, doing what he could to assist in securing the materials. Caffeine no doubt playing its part in his sudden burst of energy. Soon enough they would set out and play their guard roles, but for now, he would lend a hand.

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Karla]

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

Well, this was unexpected.

Sho knew that the Raikage was a diplomat at heart, someone who cared about compassion and teamwork with other villages - the idea of war and bloodshed unsettled her stomach, it was abundantly clear in the way she acted and held herself. Even so, this was a rare event, and made even rarer by the fact that Sho had been ordered to participate.

He was but a Chuunin, even if whispers abounded that he might be in for yet another promotion in short order. That they would headhunt him specifically for this spoke good things about his future prospects, but they also made things rather complicated in the interim. He would have to be on his best behavior...

---

Similar to Takato, Shosuke was wrapped head to toe in fabric, the gray cloak given to him by his mentor serving admirably to block out the sun's rays from burning his pallid, sensitive skin. Once again, he thanked the heavens for his mother choosing to raise him outside of the mountain compound, if his skin were even less prepared for the sun than it already was he would probably have looked like a rotisserie chicken right now.

Most noticeably, his pair of thick black glasses remained very much on the bridge of his nose, blocking out any and all light from entering those sensitive, scarred orbs that he called eyes, with an additional wrap of fabrics around his face and head, almost like a full-face turban, serving to block out any and all light. It was a little hard to breathe through the fabric, but it was no matter - he had worn surgical masks for years in the hospital, this was only slightly more inconvenient than that.

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Takato, but I don't think I'll be eating or drinking much until we at least get out of Wind Country." Sho said, his tone unfailingly polite even as it felt a little awkward to have to explain how time-consuming it would be to unwrap the fabrics guarding his face.

Turning to the blonde woman, Sho thumbed towards his own hitai-ate, resting on his arm as it always did. "I'm Doctor Yamamoto Shosuke, I'm 17 and from Kumogakure. Like Mister Takato, I specialize in detection and observation, though I'm also a fully trained and licensed doctor.

With any luck, we shouldn't need that part of my skills, but if anyone gets injured I'll tend to their wounds."

He decided, at least for now, not to mention the fact that he was also gifted in Mokuton like the Senju in the group. After all, he knew from his time in Konoha that some Senju felt slighted by his existence, and by extension the existence of Lord Ichi - they weren't members of the clan, yet they had "stolen" their Kekkei Genkai. If the clan were more like the Uchiha, it was entirely possible assassins would have been sent after their lives by now.

Speaking of said Senju, Sho took to following after him, likewise moving to secure and store the materials and anything else that would need to be ported for the journey. He wasn't one who enjoyed manual labour like this, but the more people who helped the faster it would go and the sooner they could get out of this sun and back to some sort of normalcy.

561 words | @open

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Nakahara Ichī]

ROUND INFORMATION

Group C - ROTATION: 2/X
Rotation Period Ends: 10:00 AM CST 22/2/2024

POST

As the party would acquaint themselves, some sharing coffee the Aiel continued their work to finish loading their goods. A long haul meant they had broken out all the stops on what they were bringing to sell on top of the delivery goods - profit could always bring more profit right? The assistance of the two Mokuton users in the party of four helping to speed up the process quite a bit. In just another two minutes the entire caravan was locked and ready to move.

Approaching close from the front in a literal slide as they skated over the sand was a young woman who was in the process of putting up what looked like a masked hood and checking some kind of pocket watch, a slight look of panic at the result had her speeding up her travel to the group. The sand in front of her kicking up as she did, making the reason for the masked hood obvious. Clapping her hands as she stopped she would address the group as whole, "Okay! We're all strapped down on our end and ready to go! I'm sure you know better then I on where people should go, but I would recommend getting in position soon for sure! If you would prefer to stay seated there are places you can catch on at least for the desert. Oh heck, name 's Aiel Jinjin, I'll be leading this caravan from our end so if you need anything come and find me..."

The lady spoke almost too fast for most to catch what she was saying and her general body language spoke of pure excitement. A break in her speech being accented only by her almost fully tilting herself to the side as she seemed to be trying to remember something she needed to say, further proved by her suddenly shooting back up straight like an exclamation personified, "Oh and seriously, at least for the Kaze no Kuni stretch, if you don't think you can keep up well do sit, I know caravans can be slow and we will slow down a lot, but on the sand? This is one of the nation's fastest mode of travels. We clear the distance between Sunagakure and Roron usually in a few hours, slowest trip in our ledger history took a day for the full round trip and that was because of three seperate bandit attacks!"

Shifting over the sand she would quickly slide and bow a bit to each and as quickly as she had assaulted them with the entire speel she was gone. A whistle sounding out over the group that sounded like a hawk's cry. The sand shifting as the entire caravan's body seemed to shift a bit as the Aiel would spread out into position across the carts and begin manipulating the sand beneath the entire clump of vehicles and themselves. The group would only have a moment to move to where they planned to stay from here, places where Aiel, likely waiting to switch with their active counter-parts in later parts of the journey, holding onto ropes and hanging on their own weight or on stationed poles they could hug themselves to. The rear cart would also have a solid roof for one or more of the group to stay atop.

[Kisei Takatō]

He was briefly overwhelmed with gratitude for the laissez-faire injection of good cheer that Michizane brought to the table. He smiled, small but sincere, a fraction of his tension evaporating—Taka had always been too prone to seriousness and introspection, perpetually in need of someone to tug him out of the twisted mire of his own mind. Michizane’s inclusion on this team was a result of Ichi’s keen foresight, no doubt, and something that Taka appreciated immensely. Coffee was served to both Michizane and Fuu, as well as a portion doled out for Taka himself; he only nodded in silent understanding to Shosuke’s polite refusal, too unerringly polite himself to push the matter further. Those who enjoyed the strong, full-bodied beverage would feel its effects take place shortly thereafter; it was a potent drink, brewed by the Kisei clan specifically for shinobi use, and Michizane and Fuu would both find themselves under the effects of a potent stimulant, enhancing both their reflexes and mental acuity for as long as the caffeine remained in their systems. Enough for one cup each, plus an extra leftover in case Shosuke took him up on the offer once they were in River Country. Aiel Jinjin’s debrief was rapid and ruthless, but Taka found himself charmed by the woman’s mannerisms—she reminded him of his nephews. Excitable, theatrical, laser-focused on the task at hand. He replied to her bow with one of his own, and as the caravan readied for takeoff, he briefly turned to his teammates. "Proper scouting is out of the question, then,” he said ruefully, rubbing the back of his sweaty, sticky neck. "I’ll take up a vantage point at the rear, then.” He hesitated, then, echoing Michizane’s attempt at levity, said: "Good luck out there.” Still too serious, too flatly delivered, but the effort was sincere. Taka hopped up on the solid roof of the rearmost cart, using the tree-climbing technique to keep himself affixed to its surface as the caravan took off at a blistering pace across the sand—his keen perception scanning their surroundings all the while for any sign of a threat.

Fuu Kazama Yamamoto Shosuke Senju Michizane Nakahara Ichī -- 351

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

Techniques Used: Act of Tree Climbing, Very Low cost

Relevant SAs:
Redeye | Observant
Perhaps a small benefit of hypervigilance, Takatou's constant situational awareness has led to him being quite observant. He's attuned to small details, his keen eyesight often tracking minute movements or out-of-place inconsistencies that others might simply gloss over. This beneficial both in hand-to-hand fighting and in investigative pursuits, as he is as skilled at tracking an opponent's movements as he is at scouring a crime scene.

Hai-Kohi Effects: [Rotation 1/5 for Taka, Michi, and Fuu]
Galaxy Brain | Improved Cognition
This intensely caffeinated beverage is a potent stimulant. When consumed, the user will feel more focused and alert, increasing their perceptive capabilities, attention to detail, and mental acuity for five rotations.

Gotta Go Fast | Improved Reflexes
The high caffeine content of the beverage increases the circulation of adrenaline in the body, improving the user's reaction time for five rotations.

These effects work simultaneously. They can be gained twice from one bottle of coffee, should the user choose to drink half a bottle at a time or share it with a teammate. There is no increased effect for consuming the whole bottle.

If the entire bottle of coffee is consumed in a single thread, after the benefits of the drink wear off, the user will experience jitters and heightened anxiety for the remainder of the thread.

[Senju Michizane]

"In protecting oneself, others are protected; In protecting others, oneself is protected."
- the blessed one

TAG - Yamamoto Shosuke , Nakahara Ichī , Kisei Takatō , Fuu Kazama

NOTES Lots of sand in my sandals.

Usually, he was quite the relaxed person. Far too much, to hear his father and clansmen tell it. But as he moved help secure the merchants' materials, his fingers began to twitch. Restlessness?

Or jitters from the coffee, maybe. The Kumo-nin introduced himself and the Senju kept right on smiling, splitting his attention between listening and aiding in the preparations. So far, it seemed like this little team of theirs was fairly well-rounded. "Wonder what she can do, though?" He thought to himself, sparing a glance at Kazama.

Part of him hoped that they'd never get to find out... but the simple fact that they were here in the first place led him to expect trouble on the journey. "If it comes, it comes." The Senju thought. "We have to keep these people safe." Bloodshed was the last thing he wanted, but if that was their fate, he would not turn away from it. Soon enough the materials were secured and all was set. "Thanks for the assist, Shosuke." Michizane said, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow and nodding at the merchants before moving to rejoin the rest of the group, eyes widening a touch as he watched a woman skate over the sands to address them all. "Neat trick."

The young man commented with a smile, placing his hands in his pockets as he listened to her briefing. She seemed pretty energetic, and Michizane couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the prospect of having her along for the ride. "There a lotta bandits in these parts?" A question spurred on by the woman's mention of previous attacks. It didn't bode well for the caravan if that was the case, but after a moment of thought, his eyes drifted upwards and he tilted his head. "Ah, guess it doesn't really matter." Michizane shifted his gaze to Jinjin, then grinned. "We'll keep you safe either way."

Rogues, enemy shinobi, sand beasts— whatever the challenge he had faith in their ability to confront it. The Kusa-nin of the group took the lead and assigned himself position at the rear. "I'll hang near the front, then." He replied, the man's flat wish of luck earning a small, "Haha!~" from Michizane. Stilted as it was, it was still pretty endearing. Takatō seemed like a decent guy. "Back at ya." He said, offering only a quick thumbs up before taking his place by the fore of the caravan.  The Senju made sure to stretch a bit beforehand, limbering up in hopes that he'd be able to keep pace just fine. "Wish there were more seats..." He mused to himself, but understood that for folks with abilities like these, they were probably mostly unnecessary. Plus, they needed to be smart.

Keeping Takatō fresh was a priority as he was no doubt the most skilled amongst them, and either Shosuke or Kazama could join him at the rear if they needed. Besides... "A little jog on the sands? Sounds like halfway decent training." Now that he was all healed up from that Moku Bunshin incident, he was ready and raring to go. So for now, he would simply wait to get underway. Ready to move alongside the caravan at a moment's notice.

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Karla]

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

Without hesitation, Sho worked rapidly to finish helping with the loading, ensuring that everything was tied down and nothing seemed loose. Finally, getting the all clear from the woman in charge and the thanks from his new Senju companion, he simply nodded, not feeling like the situation called for too much of an actual response.

As per the woman's recommendation, Sho moved up into the caravan, moving to find himself a seat, or at least somewhere to sit down that wasn't getting under other people's feet. He was trying not to make a big deal out of it, but he could feel himself disquieted already by the shifting sands of the Wind Country's deserts.

Ever since the incident beneath the mountain, Sho's vision had been blurry at best and downright impossible at worst. It had been an initial source of frustration, but he had gotten used to it for the most part, only really noticing anything was out of the ordinary when someone called attention to it, the way that Atagi had back in Kusa. Sure, he was blind, but for the most part his blindsense more than made up for it, giving him all the sensory information he needed for his day-to-day life.

Here, in the desert? That was suddenly and alarmingly no longer true.

It wasn't as if his blindsense was completely gone. In fact, by his estimation, he still had a good 75% of it, but considering it was his main inroad to the rest of the world? Having something mess with it even slightly was deeply, truly uncomfortable. What was more, the 75% that he did have was almost like looking at tv static. It was grainy, unstable, the shifting terrain under his feet causing things to almost weave in and out of focus.

Suffice to say, were he not obligated to be here by his duty to the village, he likely would have found an excuse to leave as soon as possible. All he could hope from his vantage point within the caravan was that he wouldn't have to do anything too active until they were back on solid ground.

For his part, with the Senju at the front and their highest ranking member at the back, there was nothing more for Sho to do than to plant himself as near to the center of the caravan as possible and try and meditate, reaching out with his blindsense as far as it would go. Limited though it was, it still covered more than enough ground to allow him to scout out things to their right and left of the caravan, letting his companions handle the front and back.

With any luck, with this level of security? Nobody should be able to get anywhere close to them without at least one of them being aware of it and being able to take action to prevent complications. Or, at least, so was the intention.

487 words | @open

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Fuu Kazama]

❝

So we're on the road to Yuki no Kuni...I miss Miruko

❞

Fuu would take a sip of her coffee and down it as quickly as she could, she could feel the energy pass through her body the young blonde was energized, "Ahh~ this stuff is awesome, what a blend!" as she took her last sip she'd take note of all of the different personalities and found them all endearing even the Konoha shinobi.

However upon hearing the age of the young man she was somewhat taken aback she had seen a few younger children at the academy but wasn't aware they were allowed into the world before the age of 18. "17...?" she'd say aloud. "Guarding a caravan like this is no place for a child...he must be like the others." she'd wonder seemingly in slight disbelief but before she could voice her thoughts they were given their marching orders.

As Fuu listened to the woman give her instructions on what they'd be doing the sense of adventures in the little ladies bones would oogle with energy or maybe it was just the caffeine, as everyone seemed to grab a position Fuu wasn't sure where to position herself and also felt a little bad she wasn't sure where to go and knowing her powers felt a bit embarrassed about her situation.

Fuu knew that if things were to get out of hand she'd prove to be a bit more of a liability to the team rather than a help. So she needed to be mindful, but now was probably the best time to let the cat out of the bag, but rather than shouting the girl would craft a few handseals practically like clockwork as she joined Takato and spoke using her enhanced vocal chords.

"I would like to inform everyone that if at any point I am seen behaving somewhat eratically, to please use whatever abilities to have in your position to keep me restrained as I do not wish to be a liability!" the girl would proclaim not exactly explaining how she was exactly a little problem child but at least gave them something to work with, this was normally why she traveled with a partner and now she had one 3 in fact! With that she'd remove her binoculars from her bag and would take a look down range making sure she didn't spot anything out of the ordinary.

The Konoha shinobi while not assigned to protect her may some degree of an inkling of what she was referring too if the Hokage had mentioned anything from her interrogation to him, there was every chance she wouldn't need to take advantage of her Onigo form but if worse came to worse the girl would do her best to be prepared and at least now everyone was prepared in the event of her inevitable rampage.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Ribābu [Reverb]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 2
DESCRIPTION:
One of the founding principles of Ototon, after performing hand seals the user places their hand to something that is causing noise, causing a reverb. This sound grows louder and louder over three posts before fading. Alternatively, the user can whistle - where it will bounce off materials in the nearby vicinity. Excellent in a room, great in a forest, not in a plain area. This technique doesn't cause anything beyond minor irritation but can serve as either a distraction, or to disguise other acts which may cause noise.

Ear protection can lessen or eliminate the damage caused by the technique based on the strength of said protection. Also, if the sound waves come into contact with water or Suiton-based chakra constructs, the sound will be absorbed and muted, thus making the technique less potent and useful. If one is out of the jutsu's audible range (30 meter radius), this technique does nothing.

NAME: Nan Kaizou [Soft Physique Modification]
OWNERS: Hyūga Honnō | Kazama Fuu | Open 🠆 [First Claim Slot]
TRAINED: -- | -- | --
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General] / Hijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
Originally developed for spying activities, this technique can be done after some surgery and actual body modification. The user dislocates their joints then controls their softened body with chakra, allowing them to stretch and twist any part of their body at any angle, elongating and even coiling around their opponent. This can also be used to make the user's body more malleable and snakelike. People particularly skilled with the technique can utilize it for movement as well, being able to slither along the ground or wrap around a tree much like a snake.

418 WORDS ● TAGGED ● POSTS UNTIL RAMPAGE [0/8]

deltra of gangnam style

[Nakahara Ichī]

ROUND INFORMATION

Group C - ROTATION: 3/X
Rotation Period Ends: 12:00 AM (Midnight) CST 27/2/2024

POST

The caravan began northward with a lurch. The Aiel visable along the sides shuffling the sand as the entire caravan shot forward like a bullet train, the tail of the last cart looking back out over a massive cloud of sand that was thrown and away from the large vehicles in short order. Takato's view out onto the land would be clear otherwise, nothing of note appearing before him or Fuu as they took their places at the rear. From the center of the cart in one of the few sitting areas Shosuke would sense the ground below moving like one would when watching rain fall from the sky in a torrential pour. It was potentially disorienting if he focused too much on trying to see through the earth, but was otherwise an oddly scenic view to his tremorsensing powers.

From the front of the train Michizane would run alongside the conductor JinJin as a whistling tune would pick up and float over the entire group. A flute-like harmonic and chimes making a song through out the front that quickly carried back over the wrapping winds. The caravan sped up again as it sounded and began to shift course up and over a massive dune towards the north eastern border into river country. With the speed further picking up Michizane's pace would begin to fall behind the caravan, the warning that this caravan's pace was a bit absurd on the sands being kept true as he would further lose some distance from the front if he didn't quickly amend by latching to one of the many ropes and poles meant to hold caravan members.

An hour would pass like this as the group pushed deeper over the desert. Ruins coming into view, what looked like it was once a clan compound half buried in the duns, only a few roofs showing, holes littering the few that could be seen. As they got closer Shosuke would be the first to feel something rumble beneath them. Takato likely to notice heads appearing out of the roofs though not without trepidation as there was no immediate sign of an attack.

[Kisei Takatō]

A vicious spark of anxiety lit up Taka’s nervous system at Fuu’s announcement—he glanced sidelong at her, dark gaze sweeping up and down her body as if a moment more of observation would reveal his secrets to her. Behaving erratically? Keep her restrained? It seemed ludicrous to issue such a warning without context—to demand resources from a dangerous mission that would already stretch their collective resources thin. He had no idea what qualified as erratic for her, or what to look out for, or how much he would need to split his attention from the task at hand in order to make sure that an unreliable colleague was kept in check. "Elaborate,” he said, as she joined him at the back of the caravan. "If there’s any chance that you can put the objective or the lives of our teammates at risk, then we need more information than that.” A heavy pause, and he swallowed past his own trepidation, his guilt at the harshness of his tone. "You need to explain, or you’re off the mission. Nothing against you, Kazama-san, but I'm not willing to needlessly risk these peoples' lives.” Better, he reasoned, to be short-handed with reliable people, than risk an incident with an unknown quantity. With an hour of dead travel time there would be more than enough opportunity for Fuu and Taka to discuss her mysterious declaration; in the meantime, he prepared a number of seals, hand moving in strict, practiced movements across a number of his blank sealing tags. Two explosive tags, one medium and one low cost; one stone weight tag, low cost; great expansion inscribed into one of his shuriken at low cost. He was tempted to prepare more, but the journey would be long and arduous, and he was reluctant to expend too much of his chakra over-preparing and leave himself vulnerable as a result. His preparations were done and stowed long before the ruins came into view, and he was immediately grateful that he’d not overexerted himself on preparations—alarm bells rang in the back of his mind, and he formed a handseal to create a single shadow clone. "People in the ruins up ahead,” he called up, pitching his voice as loud as he could to make himself heard—but if his voice was lost to the wind, then he would send the shadow clone up to relay it in person. "I’ll go investigate, but can we turn to avoid it?” The shadow clone would hop off the caravan and try to make its way to the ruins as quickly and stealthily as possible, though that seemed a difficult ask, given Taka’s dark clothing and the wide, empty expanse of sand—there was simply nowhere to hide. Speed, then, was more important, keeping its feet flat and its strides long as the clone sprinted across the dunes.

Fuu Kazama Yamamoto Shosuke Senju Michizane Nakahara Ichī -- 465

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

Techniques Used: Exploding Seal Jutsu (x1 Medium, x1 Low, inscribed onto blank tags)
Stone Weight (x1 Low, inscribed onto blank tag)
Great Expansion (x1 Low, inscribed onto shuriken)
Shadow Clone Technique (Medium cost, 1 clone created)

Relevant SAs:
Redeye | Observant
Perhaps a small benefit of hypervigilance, Takatou's constant situational awareness has led to him being quite observant. He's attuned to small details, his keen eyesight often tracking minute movements or out-of-place inconsistencies that others might simply gloss over. This beneficial both in hand-to-hand fighting and in investigative pursuits, as he is as skilled at tracking an opponent's movements as he is at scouring a crime scene.

Quiet as the Grave | Stealthy
Many years of taijutsu training, a thin frame, and a natural aptitude for quiet have led to Takatou being remarkably stealthy even by shinobi standards. His footsteps are light and mindful; he has carefully trained the ability to draw weapons, seals, and various other kinds of equipment with barely a whisper of a sound. In addition to physical silence, he's also adept at blending into his environment, managing his body language and appearance such that he is often overlooked.

Hai-Kohi Effects: [Rotation 2/5 for Taka, Michi, and Fuu]
Galaxy Brain | Improved Cognition
This intensely caffeinated beverage is a potent stimulant. When consumed, the user will feel more focused and alert, increasing their perceptive capabilities, attention to detail, and mental acuity for five rotations.

Gotta Go Fast | Improved Reflexes
The high caffeine content of the beverage increases the circulation of adrenaline in the body, improving the user's reaction time for five rotations.

These effects work simultaneously. They can be gained twice from one bottle of coffee, should the user choose to drink half a bottle at a time or share it with a teammate. There is no increased effect for consuming the whole bottle.

If the entire bottle of coffee is consumed in a single thread, after the benefits of the drink wear off, the user will experience jitters and heightened anxiety for the remainder of the thread.

[Senju Michizane]

"In protecting oneself, others are protected; In protecting others, oneself is protected."
- the blessed one

TAG - Yamamoto Shosuke , Nakahara Ichī , Kisei Takatō , Fuu Kazama

NOTES Lots of sand in my sandals.

So... he may have overestimated his own ability to keep up with the caravan. But all was fine! At least for now. "Woah—"

A shout came, the Senju finally resigning himself to a more relaxed passenger role as he grabbed hold of a nearby rope. Running became sliding, and he took his new (slightly) more relaxed posture as an opportunity to catch his breath, very nearly tripping during the transition.

"You weren't kiddin' about the pace there, Jinjin!" He said with a grin. It wasn't that Michizane doubted the merchant, but like most things, he saw the opportunity as a way to challenge himself. And it wasn't an entirely wasted exercise. Now he knew what to focus on after he finished honing his durability, and besides that... "'At least I got my blood pumping a bit." A thought, complete with a smile.

A good warm up for whatever was bound to come their way. For the meantime the young man would remain near the front of the caravan, staying alert while listening to his companions speak behind him. Kazama's warning made him raise an eyebrow and cast a curious glance over his shoulder...

And in what seemed to be true to form for the man, Takatō questioned the girl's sudden, slightly ominous statement. "Erratic behavior?" The words echoed in his mind, though he stayed silent during the exchange. He was very interested in what that might entail, but the Kusa-nin was right. As carefree as he was, this was a mission in the end and more than just their own lives were on the line. If for some reason they were drawn into battle and had to worry about one of their own going berserk... even he wasn't confident enough to say that they could ensure everyone's safety.

With his hands occupied by the rope, he wasn't quite free to form hand seals to prepare anything, so with Takatō taking the initiative to scout ahead via a bunshin proxy he held fast. "At the ready." Michi said simply, his eyes on the horizon. He hoped whatever was waiting for them up ahead was friendly... and if not? "I should prepare a prayer." All that was left to do now was to wait and see.

MADE BY MIZO

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[Yamamoto Shosuke]

Strange, the woman seemed genuinely surprised that he was seventeen. He could feel it in the way that her heartbeat fluctuated, it was clear that there was genuine concern there. Strangely, Sho found himself feeling a little guilty, as if he could somehow control his own age and was simply choosing to be awkward.

Taking the moment to probe the woman, it occurred to him that she did not have a forehead protector that announced her origin. Though many shinobi didn't wear it as an actual forehead protector, Sho himself had it on his right arm, it was almost a requirement for every ninja to wear theirs somewhere on their person. It was proof of your loyalty, it declared your allegiance, and it also served almost like a license to practice as a shinobi.

For Fuu not to have it anywhere on her person, Sho had to assume that she was a wanderer like Uemon. Before he had met Uemon, he might have found it hard to trust this woman; she was an outsider to the village system, she was just as likely to work for either side of the alliances, and there was no way to know her fealty, if she had any at all. But Uemon had changed his mind pretty sharply on the entire matter.

If she was here, and if she continued to do her job well, that was all that really mattered. At least, as far as he was concerned.

---

As they neared the ruins, Sho was in his meditative state, preparing for an attack from any side. Or, at least, so he had thought - he could feel people in the ruins up ahead, but that wasn't what had caught his attention. No, it was the fact that there was a rumbling beneath them. He couldn't tell what it was, it didn't feel quite like an earthquake, but it was definitely something.

Springing up from his meditative position, Sho moved to hop down from the cart and run forwards to the head of the caravan, calling out to the two people he recognised as the leaders of the caravan - The Aiel herself and the Kisei. As he did, he could already feel that the pair of shinobi at the front of the caravan had prepared themselves for combat, already assuming the intentions of the people in the ruins.

"Mr Takato! Something's moving underneath us, through the sand! I don't know if this is some specialised doton technique or if its something, but its definitely not good whatever it is."

He just hoped that announcing it wasn't going to trigger an attack from the people in the ruins. As of yet, they hadn't shown themselves to be a threat, but there was definitely more going on here than was clear on the surface.

465 words | @open

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Fuu Kazama]

❝

So we're on the road to Yuki no Kuni...I miss Miruko

❞

As the group all traversed through the windy desert it would seem that her words made her compatriot nervous. "Sorry Sorry I figured if I kept it simple you guys wouldn't freak out as much, but I can explain." She'd say a tad defensively raising up her hands. "Now where do I start..." she'd run a hand under her chin for a moment, trying to think of how to properly explain what she meant.

"See I've got this ability that lets me make my special "gummy fluid" " after a moment the girls face would begin to coat itself in a viscous yellow fluid that would change the shape of her face, practically removing her nose and changing her hair from blonde to neon blue darkening the sclera of her eyes and sharpening her fangs, while turning her skin a yellow shade.

"When I'm like this my body becomes durable to almost anything!" she'd say with a rather monstrous looking smile, before reverting back to normal, the active sight looking rather gnarly. "But due to the erratic nature of the transformation the longer I'm under its effects the more I start to deteriorate I think it has something to do with neurotransmitters or something." she'd say giving a pause so he and the others could take in that information.

"Aaaanyway I'm able to keep myself under control for the most part but I have been known to lose control, so I try not to use it unless I'm in serious danger." she'd say with a mixture of a somber tone and a passive one. "But I doubt with how capable you all seem to be that that'll happen but just in case keep an eye on me, try restraining my legs that usually my weak spot." With that the girl would go back to being on lookout seemed as though they had a bit of a long journey ahead.

As they neared some ruins, Takato would call out to them. "RUINS UP AHEAD." the girl would shout to make sure everyone had heard using her expanded voicebox, which she'd then cancel with a single handseal. "Do you need me to come too, Mr. Takato?" the girl would ask preparing a few handseals in order to do something...however as she finished there was nothing immediately noticeable about her. "I've got some ninjutsu I can use that might help out as suppressive fire." she'd say volunteering herself but would more than likely end up staying behind given the nature of what she had just relayed.

405 WORDS ● TAGGED ● NOTES

deltra of gangnam style