[Hisakawa, Kazu]

A boy's legs bowed, squatting his frame atop a grassy hill. The sun broke overhead, clouds shifting lazily out of the sunlight. A small map sprawled from between his legs, eyes dancing across the page with furrowed brow. There was a certain level of distrust boiling in his stomach - the shinobi's gaze flickering up towards the horizon.

Nohara no kuni. The furthest away he had been from home; the first time out of the country. An armband was loosely situated around his shoulder, encircling a large amount of his upper arm. It was under suspicion he had received the wrong size.

The wind kicked against him, map fluttering loosely as he gripped the edges down. Looking back down to it, thoughts churned over the instruction he had received. Can't help but feel like this is all a trap...

The homesickness didn't help either.

Iwagakure and Kusagakure's relationship was one of infamy. The boy wasn't quite sure why - something stolen or whatever - but that wouldn't stop his travels. I've come this far already. Just have to find which of those towns is nearest... According to the note's details; or maybe something of a riddle, Kazu was to search for one of two towns. One for knowledge, or one for armament.

Realistically, he was more worried about distance.

Having to make the travel alone left him with the difficulties of rationing, stealth, and general protection. The anxiety from the idea of it had kept him up for the week prior, nothing a good power nap hadn't fixed. With a sigh, he'd stand tall, rumpling the map into his back pocket.

Landmarks looked like giant mushrooms... Entering from Tsuchi no Kuni's border meant a close proximity to Otama, seemingly marked by the visual of mushroom stalks. It was hazy, but over the distance... No idea what that is. But it doesn't look like trees. A check for his belongings later, he was on the move - to the Mushroom Forest and the city beside it.

SPOILER: Click to show

Phantasmal Breathing: A special breathing technique taught to several of those who use the 'Ghost Fist' style of Taijutsu, Kazu maintains twice the amount of oxygen in his body as someone of his size and build. This grants him - as long as it is maintained - a basic increase in his overall physique. Ranging from increased stamina, to small bonuses to his strength and speed. An additional, albeit inconsequential positive, is that he can hold his breath longer than most.

Extreme Speed: Trained from a mix of constantly running away and general shinobi practice, he is shockingly fast. While perhaps not so for his size, his ability to get from point A to point B is one of the few competent things about him. Fairly capable of controlling it, he is not entirely predictable with his speed - capable of dodging with surprising ability. It should also be noted that he is a large degree faster with running from than running at things; a real coward's skill.

Lead Feet:Having felt he reached the peak of his natural progression, Kazu entered into the realm of weight training; looking to, and succeeding to, enhancing his speed further. While his physical abilities appear diminished with the weights on - effectively removing this ability - they peak higher than ever when they are off. Incredibly fast, he disappears to the naked eye, even capable of surpassing speeds of his superiors. Carrying himself forward faster into the future!

Carrying a sack of foodstuff/travel supplies. Wearing chunin exam arm band. In possession of initial letter sent.

Hisakawa Yamato | 331 words | i pull up

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Hisakawa Yamato]

0 Clues Found

@all

Given the choice between Ōtama and Yugawa, the young Kazu chose the former. Situated close to the Tsuchi no Kuni border, it had seen its fair share of battles, and as the Iwagakure genin approached, he'd be able to see the effects for himself close up. Several of the buildings he passed would still be partially destroyed, with mushrooms and other plantlife having long since grown over the rubble. Still, it wasn't as if the village were completely destitute. What portions of the city that weren't damaged were thriving with human life, villagers going about their business cultivating fields, toiling away in quarries, and other mundane facets of life.

Before Kazu could do any more exploration though, he'd have to clear one obstacle first. One of the footmen whose duty it was to patrol the roads moved to intercept the genin on his path, keeping his katana sheathed for the time being, but still planting himself in front of him.

"Halt! State your-" The footman paused, taking note of the armband on Kazu's person. His tone was far friendlier when he resumed speaking, though it was clear that he was still wary of this stranger. "I.. see you're here for the chuunin exams. Is there anything that I can help you with? Perhaps point you towards the proper facilities?"

Extra notes;

♥ Chou

[Hisakawa, Kazu]

Blue hair swiveled with each glance, eyes trailing over the evident lack of peace surrounding the town. His gut clenched tight, periphery following each stranger till they passed. His mouth clenched tight underneath his scarf, shoulders tight with stress.

The strange flora of the area didn't help lower his tensions - mushrooms the size of trees! Even without taking a full look through the mushroom forest, the shock would've been apparent to anyone who saw. How do they live like this? A thought followed by a furrowed brow, a shake of the head.

Probably just looks worse than it is. He'd continue on through the town for a moment, before a... Shinobi? stopped him. Looks like they know about the exams.

He'd nod in response, searching his pockets for a moment. Unfurling a piece of paper, he'd squint through the text before shoving it back into his waist, clearing his throat. "A-armor? And weapons, is there a smith o-or something nearby?" the uncertainty shaking his voice, he'd clam up if there was any response waiting for him.

This is what i'm supposed to be doing, right?

SPOILER: Click to show

Phantasmal Breathing: A special breathing technique taught to several of those who use the 'Ghost Fist' style of Taijutsu, Kazu maintains twice the amount of oxygen in his body as someone of his size and build. This grants him - as long as it is maintained - a basic increase in his overall physique. Ranging from increased stamina, to small bonuses to his strength and speed. An additional, albeit inconsequential positive, is that he can hold his breath longer than most.

Extreme Speed: Trained from a mix of constantly running away and general shinobi practice, he is shockingly fast. While perhaps not so for his size, his ability to get from point A to point B is one of the few competent things about him. Fairly capable of controlling it, he is not entirely predictable with his speed - capable of dodging with surprising ability. It should also be noted that he is a large degree faster with running from than running at things; a real coward's skill.

Lead Feet:Having felt he reached the peak of his natural progression, Kazu entered into the realm of weight training; looking to, and succeeding to, enhancing his speed further. While his physical abilities appear diminished with the weights on - effectively removing this ability - they peak higher than ever when they are off. Incredibly fast, he disappears to the naked eye, even capable of surpassing speeds of his superiors. Carrying himself forward faster into the future!

Carrying a sack of foodstuff/travel supplies. Wearing chunin exam arm band. In possession of initial letter sent.

Hisakawa Yamato | 185 words | call me scooby doo

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Hisakawa Yamato]

0 Clues Found

@all

The footman waited patiently as Kazu consulted... a sheet of paper? Remaining at the ready until the genin managed to get out what he was looking for. The man was ready to shake his head and reveal that such goods wouldn't be easily acquired here, though before he stated any bad news he seemed to remember something.

"You'll be hard pressed to find any smiths here, we ship most of our raw goods to be processed elsewhere, though..." The man shuffled around in his bag for a moment, pulling out a crude gas mask a few moments later and tossing it over to the genin. "If you want to try your luck, there should be some... leftover gear around the outskirts of the mushroom forest, do not enter it though, the toxic spores become too dense for that mask... But if that's too much for ya, I'm sure they might have something for ya over in Daimyō no Kakato, the outpost southwest of here."

The man pointed in the directions of both the mushroom forest and the outpost he mentioned, though the former would most likely be redundant. If Kazu took a look at the map, he'd note that traveling to the outpost would be a half-day's trip at the very least, but did he really want to traipsing around in toxic mushroom spores?

Extra notes;

♥ Chou

[Hisakawa, Kazu]

He'd catch the gas mask out of the air, ears and focused both turned up to eleven. His eyes would lock to the foot soldier's, nodding along with the words. A slip of the eyes and he'd focus on the gas mask thrown at him; fingers spindling across the material. A little old...

It'd have to do. For whenever he'd need it. He'd thank the man, following with a small bow as he turned away from him, mulling over the pair of options. Before it even occurred to him to look at the map, his eyes turned skyward; watching the single dot in the sky behind the palm of his hand.

"It's... Noon? Ish?" he was never particularly good at this. A sigh and he'd look back to the earth, rapidly blinking eyes as sunspots fluttered in and out of sight. Pulling the map from the opposite side of his waist, he'd begin walking once more, turning the parchment right-side up as he poured over it.

"Mushroom forest... Here." a finger touched the paper, tracing a line towards the outpost he had been told of. "They're both not that far..." A frown, furrowing his brow in thought. Do I go for both?

He'd look to the map again, tracing a few possible routes with his spare hand. The distances weren't all exact, but he had faith in his legs. The idea of toxic spores, on the other hand...

"No. Both," he'd mutter quietly, shoving away the map. Breathing in deep, the boy exhaled with movement, making his way for the looming mushrooms. It said to look for armor and weapons. I've got to at least try.

SPOILER: Click to show

Phantasmal Breathing: A special breathing technique taught to several of those who use the 'Ghost Fist' style of Taijutsu, Kazu maintains twice the amount of oxygen in his body as someone of his size and build. This grants him - as long as it is maintained - a basic increase in his overall physique. Ranging from increased stamina, to small bonuses to his strength and speed. An additional, albeit inconsequential positive, is that he can hold his breath longer than most.

Extreme Speed: Trained from a mix of constantly running away and general shinobi practice, he is shockingly fast. While perhaps not so for his size, his ability to get from point A to point B is one of the few competent things about him. Fairly capable of controlling it, he is not entirely predictable with his speed - capable of dodging with surprising ability. It should also be noted that he is a large degree faster with running from than running at things; a real coward's skill.

Lead Feet:Having felt he reached the peak of his natural progression, Kazu entered into the realm of weight training; looking to, and succeeding to, enhancing his speed further. While his physical abilities appear diminished with the weights on - effectively removing this ability - they peak higher than ever when they are off. Incredibly fast, he disappears to the naked eye, even capable of surpassing speeds of his superiors. Carrying himself forward faster into the future!

Carrying a sack of foodstuff/travel supplies. Wearing chunin exam arm band. In possession of initial letter sent. Acquired gas mask!

Hisakawa Yamato | 276 words | both?both.gif

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Hisakawa Yamato]

0 Clues Found

@all

As Kazu closed the distance between himself and the mushroom forest, the terrain would become gradually more difficult to traverse. The land was still relatively flat, but it was the increased foliage density that would hinder the genin, tall grass giving way to shrubs and small trees of all kinds, along with clumps of smaller, less menacing mushrooms. Even at this distance, there would be visible clouds of spores wafting in the air, a single whiff which might prove harmless, or instantly paralyzing, though so long as the genin wore the gas mask he would be fine. It would take a few hours, but as long as Kazu persisted, he'd come across an assortment of gear, sometimes simply strewn on the ground by itself or laying nearby a what was clearly the remains of a corpse, though in all cases the body would have already be covered by plant life.

At the end of it all, the Iwa genin could have an additional 5 shuriken (and additional pouch to hold them), a smoke bomb (that looked like it might be a dud at this point), and a ratty old flak jacket (with a hefty chunk missing from the lower back area) to his name. Of course, he could choose not to pick up any of the above things he came across, or perhaps if he chose to cut his search short in order to get a head start on his trip to the previously mentioned outpost he'd most likely not find around half of the items.

Extra notes;

♥ Chou

[Hisakawa, Kazu]

As the earth began to heave itself of foliage, the boy would strap the gas mask to his face; before he'd even encounter a cloud of the spores. Even then, coming across them he'd take wide berths, stopping as they became more and more common. Discovering a set of shuriken tossed into a bush, their pouch lying nearby. It was something, at least.

Time still ate away at the day, unfortunately. Returning from the thicket, the sun would have crossed down across the sky. That was... What? Two? Three? Hours... A frown as he pulled away the gas mask, exhaling heavily. Something was unnatural to the boy without his trained breathing, brow knotted in a mixture of annoyance and aggravation.

Waste of time.

He'd dart forward, running now into the distance. The outpost wouldn't be unreachable for the day - but it might be late. Suddenly, the idea of where to sleep crossed the boy's mind.

His feet would slide to a halt, contemplating the thought as he slung his supply satchel over his shoulder. A glance through it, and a sifting would reveal a small sleeping mat. Not promising. A grunt as he shook his head, re-readying himself with a twirl and a step. Another dash forward, and he was off.

Gotta get there first.

SPOILER: Click to show

Phantasmal Breathing: A special breathing technique taught to several of those who use the 'Ghost Fist' style of Taijutsu, Kazu maintains twice the amount of oxygen in his body as someone of his size and build. This grants him - as long as it is maintained - a basic increase in his overall physique. Ranging from increased stamina, to small bonuses to his strength and speed. An additional, albeit inconsequential positive, is that he can hold his breath longer than most.

Extreme Speed: Trained from a mix of constantly running away and general shinobi practice, he is shockingly fast. While perhaps not so for his size, his ability to get from point A to point B is one of the few competent things about him. Fairly capable of controlling it, he is not entirely predictable with his speed - capable of dodging with surprising ability. It should also be noted that he is a large degree faster with running from than running at things; a real coward's skill.

Lead Feet:Having felt he reached the peak of his natural progression, Kazu entered into the realm of weight training; looking to, and succeeding to, enhancing his speed further. While his physical abilities appear diminished with the weights on - effectively removing this ability - they peak higher than ever when they are off. Incredibly fast, he disappears to the naked eye, even capable of surpassing speeds of his superiors. Carrying himself forward faster into the future!

Carrying a sack of foodstuff/travel supplies. Wearing chunin exam arm band. In possession of initial letter sent. Acquired gas mask.

Hisakawa Yamato | 215 words | not worth :sadge:

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Hisakawa Yamato]

0 Clues Found

@all

Travelling through Nohara no Kuni's landscape proved to be easy enough, and it actually wouldn't be long before the aforementioned outpost came into view, though calling it an outpost was a bit of a disservice. While certainly not as large as Ōtama, even from a distance it looked much 'healthier' than the scarred village. There were actual walls surrounding the complex with watchtowers spaced out evenly along it. Watchtowers that were clearly manned, as once Kazu passed some unseen boundary, he was intercepted by a single person, clearly a shinobi considering not only his attire, flak jacket and pouches and the like, but the fact that he clearly body flickered in front of the Iwa genin.

The shinobi was also visibly a male, looking to be somewhere in his late teens or early 20's, with an unhappy look on his face. Fortunately he seemed perceptive enough, immediately noting the cloth band around Kazu's arm, but unfortunately that only seemed to make him even more irritated.

"So you're an exam participant, huh? What're you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in Otama or Yugawa?" The young man paused, looking out towards the west while clicking his tongue. "Plus, sun's getting kinda low, you know you're not allowed in here after sunset."

The shinobi were clearly well briefed on the rules the participants of the exams were to follow, and it was a bit ambiguous as to what sort of response this fellow wanted from Kazu. Should the genin press forward, seeking entrance into the outpost, whether now or after night passed, or should he retreat, heading back to Otama or Yugawa to search for his 1st clue?

Extra notes;

♥ Chou

[Hisakawa, Kazu]

"I-" he'd stop, pinching the bridge of his nose. If he weren't in enemy territory, this might be where he got angry; try to snap out. But these were unfamiliar faces in unfamiliar places - and the fear that shot up his spine from the idea of that confrontation...

Well, it wasn't pleasant.

"I was told what I'd be looking for was here." another pause, taking in deep breaths. The frustration was apparent across his face and in his voice; "I was already sent on a wild goose chase for some crappy shuriken-" throwing the rusted tools to the ground, "And I was told there was a smith, or an armory, or just.... SOMETHING here."

The exasperation was coming out more than any actual anger, although his own ability to keep composure was surprising. Clear words without stutter - how long would that last?

His eyes turned to the ever dwindling sunset, turning back to the man with fingers anxiously combing through his hair. Send me across the border for some scavenger hunt. Yeah, that's a great idea, why hadn't I thought of it.

SPOILER: Click to show

Phantasmal Breathing: A special breathing technique taught to several of those who use the 'Ghost Fist' style of Taijutsu, Kazu maintains twice the amount of oxygen in his body as someone of his size and build. This grants him - as long as it is maintained - a basic increase in his overall physique. Ranging from increased stamina, to small bonuses to his strength and speed. An additional, albeit inconsequential positive, is that he can hold his breath longer than most.

Extreme Speed: Trained from a mix of constantly running away and general shinobi practice, he is shockingly fast. While perhaps not so for his size, his ability to get from point A to point B is one of the few competent things about him. Fairly capable of controlling it, he is not entirely predictable with his speed - capable of dodging with surprising ability. It should also be noted that he is a large degree faster with running from than running at things; a real coward's skill.

Lead Feet:Having felt he reached the peak of his natural progression, Kazu entered into the realm of weight training; looking to, and succeeding to, enhancing his speed further. While his physical abilities appear diminished with the weights on - effectively removing this ability - they peak higher than ever when they are off. Incredibly fast, he disappears to the naked eye, even capable of surpassing speeds of his superiors. Carrying himself forward faster into the future!

Carrying a sack of foodstuff/travel supplies. Wearing chunin exam arm band. In possession of initial letter sent. Acquired gas mask.

Hisakawa Yamato | 182 words | annoyed

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Hisakawa Yamato]

0 Clues Found

@all

Kazu's exasperation didn't serve to help relieve the tension of the encounter, irritation visibly increasing on the Kusa shinobi's face most notably when the Iwa genin tossed the shuriken onto the ground.

"Well, I don't know who told you to come here, but I know for a fact that your instructions were to go to Yugawa or Otama." Despite the conviction in his tone, there was a slight flicker of unease that came over the shinobi's face, though it was replaced with that same look of irritation just as quickly. He remained silent for a few moments after that, eyeing the blue-haired boy with a steely gaze before his expression broke and he let out a long sigh.

"Alright, alright! Look, you're not supposed to be here, especially after sundown, got it? But... meet me back here in the morning, I'll... try to work something out. I can probably get you some less 'crappy' shuriken at the very least."

While the Kusa shinobi had ultimately decided to take pity on Kazu, it was clear he knew some critical information about this round of the exams and was struggling to assist the Iwa genin without revealing too much. If Kazu accepted the help, the shinobi would leave the way he came, leaving the genin to camp out for the night. The night air wasn't unbearably cold, but there'd be little in the way of natural shelter, meaning Kazu would have to make his own or simply sleep out in the open plain. The night would pass by uneventfully, with the Kusa shinobi returning to their meeting point as promised at the first sign of light.

Extra notes;

♥ Chou

[Hisakawa, Kazu]

The response was lacking for the teen. If he were more temperamental, this would be where he'd overreact; smash someone's face in, storm off. It hadn't really dawned on him, until now - he was an enemy of this country. Of it's people.

I don't think they'd kill, but make their life a lot harder.....? He cursed under his breath, turning away from the nohara man. "Thanks. B-but also no thanks."

A shift in his weight as he settled onto the heels of his feet, looking back over the previously traveled horizon. Distance didn't mater at this point; he'd have to keep going all night one way or another. Either I went the wrong way or listened to the wrong person... Whipping out the map again, he'd stare intently with the fading sunlight.

Folding the map back, he'd breath in slowly, measured. It was going to be a long night.

"Have fun with... Whatever you guys are doing." he'd shout back at the man, before launching himself off his haunches. Back to Otama. Might punch that guy if I see him.

SPOILER: Click to show

Phantasmal Breathing: A special breathing technique taught to several of those who use the 'Ghost Fist' style of Taijutsu, Kazu maintains twice the amount of oxygen in his body as someone of his size and build. This grants him - as long as it is maintained - a basic increase in his overall physique. Ranging from increased stamina, to small bonuses to his strength and speed. An additional, albeit inconsequential positive, is that he can hold his breath longer than most.

Extreme Speed: Trained from a mix of constantly running away and general shinobi practice, he is shockingly fast. While perhaps not so for his size, his ability to get from point A to point B is one of the few competent things about him. Fairly capable of controlling it, he is not entirely predictable with his speed - capable of dodging with surprising ability. It should also be noted that he is a large degree faster with running from than running at things; a real coward's skill.

Lead Feet:Having felt he reached the peak of his natural progression, Kazu entered into the realm of weight training; looking to, and succeeding to, enhancing his speed further. While his physical abilities appear diminished with the weights on - effectively removing this ability - they peak higher than ever when they are off. Incredibly fast, he disappears to the naked eye, even capable of surpassing speeds of his superiors. Carrying himself forward faster into the future!

Carrying a sack of foodstuff/travel supplies. Wearing chunin exam arm band. In possession of initial letter sent. Acquired gas mask.

Hisakawa Yamato | 180 words | annoyed

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Hisakawa Yamato]

0 Clues Found

@all

The Kusa shinobi grumbled and shook his head as his help was turned down.

"Have it your way then."

He didn't move from his position as the Iwa genin turned away, watching vigilantly as he went back the way he came. Travelling back to Otama would take some time, though travelling through Nohara no Kuni at night wasn't all that much more difficult than during the day, a task that was also easier thanks to Kazu having already made the trip once. It'd be just an hour or so by the time the genin made it back to the small village, though in the moonlight it would certainly look much more eerie. Of course, he wasn't allowed into the village itself at this time, and so the young Iwa shinobi would have to find some place to camp out for the rest of the night.

On the outskirts of the village were a number of scattered, abandoned buildings. These remains would make for decent enough shelter, but there was no way of knowing if utilizing them could be considered a breach of the rules. The alternative, of course, was for Kazu to create a camp of his own, which was less risky but more work.

Extra notes;

♥ Chou