[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

An exasperated sigh sounded out as a young man rubbed the back of his own head.

"That much?" he asked of an elderly shopkeeper who could only wring his hands apologetically and nod. This particular young man was looking for special materials he needed for construction of something to buff his limited arsenal. If the past few weeks had taught him anything it was that his bag of tricks needed expanding, and the more he revealed to others the greater the need to change things up "Can you set these aside for me at least?" the owner obliged, taking down his name and once that was concluded the wanderer turned away, continuing on down the street. As he moved he withdrew a small black book from one of his pockets and jotted some words down. "Rubber in Kuwana... expensive." underlining the last word he smacked his lips in irritation before flipping to an earlier page with a hand drawn map. He walked through the capital slowly, taking in the sights and every so often stopping to sketch something down.

Short on ryō and in need of materials. Many times had he been in this position before. Normally he'd just go out and gather some himself but these were unique and beyond his average understanding of refining such resources. If he stayed with the Okada he was sure to have some money coming in eventually... but he still had yet to perform. "I really, really hope they don't give me a stage name..." But that was a problem for the future. After walking a short while he spotted a young boy, no older than five crouched down near the edge of a crowd fussing over something on the ground. Upon slowly approaching he could see the kid was teary eyed. The cause? A wooden figure that lay on the ground, one leg snapped clean off. His mouth pursed and moved to the side.

He'd never been a big fan of children— too messy and hyperactive. But it seemed a kid in tears was enough to move even his solemn expression. "Your friend's in pretty bad shape." he spoke, glancing at the boy who looked up, more liquid welling at the corner of his eyes now. "Oh gods. Don't cry." he thought, his own eyes widening a bit. In hopes of stopping a scene he undoubtedly made worse he flexed his right hand, a subtle blue glow humming to life on his fingertips. Thin nearly imperceptible threads attached to the figurine and in moments the damaged toy stumbled to its feet, grabbed its own leg and proceeded to dance about goofily in timing with the movements of his fingers (Puppet Technique). "Look, all better." a tinge of skepticism colored his words. But the child didn't seem to mind instead turning his attention towards the figure and clapping. Sniffling laughs ensued. Better than crying he thought. But... how long was he to keep this up?

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:

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


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society It all happened rather quickly, and Kota wasn't entirely sure where it had started. One minute, he'd been in the streets playing with his wooden doll and then the next thing he knew, he'd fallen to the floor with the toy flying from his hands and falling into the path where several adults were walking around. He called out in distress as he saw the wooden figure get trampled on, and ran forward to wiggle through the crowd to recapture what was his. Risking being stepped on, himself, Kota quickly recovered the doll before narrowly making his escape from the crowd, running a few feet away to kneel on the ground and get a proper look at the damage.     No, no, no! Your leg's all broken off, Kota observed, setting the wooden figure upon the ground for a moment to wipe at the tears dotting his eyes.     A voice caught his attention and Kota looked up to see a man had approached the scene, kneeling down slightly to comment on the state of his friend.     Bad shape? The tears began spilling from his eyes, racing down his cheeks as he nodded in frustration and hurt. The little wooden companion was really the only thing Kota had to claim as a friend for himself--always on the run, he'd never met any other children. Always people that he could fool into aiding him, adults who were angry at him, or, if he was unlucky--kidnappers. Playing make-believe had helped keep him from being too lonely, but now the poor thing's leg had been broken clean off!     Before he could cry too much more, however, much to the boy's disbelief, the little wooden doll jumped to life! He quickly picked up his own leg and danced around--not seeming to be hurt or upset at all! Kota's worry and frustration quickly melted away into wonder and awe as he stared at the little wooden creature, and he called out in excitement, "Boda you're okay!" He'd reach out to pick up the wooden doll--perhaps not fully aware exactly what was going on, but happy nonetheless. He'd hug the toy closely, mindful of the detached leg and making certain that it didn't fall from his grip before glancing back at the man who had knelt down and offered words of comfort.     Kota sniffled, wiping away the tears that were already beginning to dry--not wanting to show that he'd been upset at all.     "Did you do that?" the boy inquired.

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

The young man's eyes drifted to the side as the child looked to him.

To say he was uncomfortable around children was an understatement, but he wasn't heartless. It was why he was standing here in the first place after all. But unlike most kids this one noticed his jutsu. "Pretty sharp." he thought, his interest piqued slightly. The wanderer returned his gaze to the child and nodded. "You caught that, huh?" the end of his question was punctuated by him bringing his right hand in front of him and wiggling his index finger. The doll hugged him back, one arm patting the boy's hand in unison with the puppeteer's movements. "It's called the Puppet Technique. Anything attached to these strings I can control." As he spoke he poured some more chakra through his fingertips causing the threads to glow with more intensity. They would now be almost completely visible to the child.

He knelt down to eye level with the kid, his eyes shifting to the toy. "My friends get busted up too sometimes. Takes some work but we should be able to fix him." Some more movements from his hand had the doll lean back and throw its arms up in 'joy' one hand still holding its detached leg. He would reach for the leg and if Kota allowed, take it in his hands gently to examine the thing. "Clean break." he thought, sighing in relief internally. Such a small doll being trampled by a crowd could have been much worse. His brow furrowed at the thought of all those people haphazardly walking by the kid. So much for Earth Country hospitality. With his free hand he would rummage around in one of his pouches and withdraw a small container of epoxy. Useful for quick fixes of his marionette. "Boda's his name?" he asked, unscrewing the cap to delicately brush the leg's broken end with resin before replacing the lid and urging the boy to turn the doll so he could get a better look. If he did he would firmly smush the leg back in place, keeping it there for several seconds as he spoke again. "Hold his leg in place like that for a few minutes and after he'll be good as new." a nod followed his instructions and he put away his resin. He mused internally why he had taken the time to help out given his aversion to youngsters. Maybe his time with the Okada was starting to change him. For better or for worse he did not know.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:

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


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Did he catch that? "Well..." Kota thought on it for a moment--too young to understand what a rhetorical question was. He did think he was pretty smart--he was a genius, even! But, also, the guy had kind of made it almost obvious. "He's never moved on 'is own before, an' you were the only one watchin'." Of course, Kota had used the wooden doll as a puppet, before, but he certainly hadn't been doing it this time...     Still, when the stranger made the puppet hug Kota back, the child instinctively clung to it tighter in response.     "Puppet technique?" Kota echoed, his eyes widening as he observed briefly the strings of energy that connected the doll to the man's hands. It seemed--to the child--that the elder was using some kind of magic.     Something not unfamiliar to Kota.     He mostly knew of the physical world. Surviving in the wild using only practical means. Hunting, cooking, tracking--things of that nature. But his father had taught him how to use 'magic', before.     Never anything like this.     But Kota understood that there was more to this world than just what the eye could see. Still, he would never have thought something like this could be done. It was incredible! But how did he know about it?     Kota looked at the older man suspiciously, not sure how to feel about it. He also had friends of his own--which he fixed up whenever they got broken. So... surely he was trustworthy, right? After all, it seemed like he was a good friend who took care of the things he cared about. But.     He was also an adult.     And the child was overly skeptical of adults. They were not to be trusted--solely for the fact that they were not his father, and he had been taught not to trust anybody other than his father. And the child's experiences--rich as they were in the few years he had been alive--had taught him well, just how true those warnings had been.     Still... this guy seemed to know how to fix Kota's toy, so... he'd have to go along with it.     "Yeah," Kota answered simply, releasing a rather loud and exasperated sigh as he internally gave in. He walked closer to the man--keeping enough distance (in his eyes) to be safe, but close enough to allow the man to take the doll from him as he offered it up. He'd watch as the man pulled out--what Kota guessed was--glue from his belongings before applying it to the wooden leg, giving instructions for Kota to follow. The boy would nod before taking the toy back, holding it firmly in his grasp as he made sure the leg stayed fixed in place. I don't have glue, but maybe I could use tree sap. Well, not that I'll allow him to get broken again... Kota frowned. I'll have to be more careful. Boda is too important to me.     "I know how to use magic too, y'know," Kota stated matter-of-factly. As if he was stubbornly trying to prove something. "An' I also know how ta use puppets." He looked down at the doll in his hands before muttering, "But I 'ave to use black string an' be hidden high up for it ta really work..."

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

A bit of a blank expression flashed across his face at the kid's response.

"Maybe a little too sharp..." the words sounded out in his head as he stared. A quick wit was a good thing to have, and keen observation skills even better. Maybe he had underestimated him for being so little. His mind wandered back. "I was no fool when I was a kid either." That was his mistake for thinking so. As he made the repairs the boy repeated the name of his technique and the wanderer simply nodded. "It's a special Ninjutsu." his eyes looked to the child for a moment. Did he even know what that was? This world of theirs was a big and mysterious one. There existed kids around this boy's age who were stronger than even himself. No more assumptions he would just have to wait and see how responded.

Once he was finished with the patch job the young man remained kneeling as the kid spoke again. He had noticed that he seemed to be lost in thought and his words caused the traveler to arch an eyebrow. "Magic?" He pursed his lips before raising a single finger, the tip of it beginning to glow once more. "You mean chakra? This stuff?" He was officially curious. If he didn't know its true name chances were the kid was no academy student. And yet to know how to use it... if he wasn't telling tall tales it was impressive. Ninja would likely find it odd but his own schooling in the ways of chakra was far from traditional. Not every user grew up within the shinobi system. "A puppeteer you say?" was his half-amused reply to the boy's next statement as he stood back up. The kid mumbled something that he didn't fully catch but he could guess it was a caveat. His eyes wandered to Boda and a finger came up to scratch the side of his own face as he thought. Money was still an issue... and this situation was starting to give him an idea.

A dumb, embarrassing, stupid idea.

Fingers on his right hand began to move and after about a minute or so a very realistic looking black wolfdog approached the duo, nearly as tall as the boy himself. He stopped just short of them and sat on its haunches as the wanderer patted its head. "This is one of my friends, Yō." he said with a sigh, the canine remaining completely stationary as his gaze shifted to the child once more. "Since you can use puppets..." his words trailed off, his teeth gritting slightly. "Want to help me... put on a show?" the last part was a struggle to get out, the fact that he clearly did not want to do this was obvious. Puppet shows were an unfortunate reality of his life on the road and usually saved as a last resort when he really needed money. This was one of those times. Materials could not wait and besides, this would give him a chance to see what this kid was capable of. If for no other reason than simple curiosity.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:

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


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Kota nodded his head a little as the man seemed slightly confused by his words. Magic, chakra, same thing. His father had been, perhaps, a bit more whimsical in his explanations, but it was no different in the end. They could take different paths and look at the world through different lenses, but that did not change the reality of it--only their perceptions.     And, of perceptions, when the man brought forward the wolfish puppet, Kota's initial instinct could not differentiate the creation from creature. Immediately backing up and nearly stumbling on his own two feet, the boy's spare hand reached for his blade but stopped when the puppet sat down peacefully and was introduced. Yō? Kota looked between the man and the wolf as it began to sink in. This is... just a puppet? He paused for a moment, glancing back at the man, then the puppet, before wilderment began to seize him. "It's not real?" the boy asked, dumbfounded. "But 'e looks real!" Glancing back and forth once again, the boy would hesitate for a moment before asking, "Can--can I pet 'im?"     At the idea of putting on a puppet show, the boy's face lit up.     "Eh? Really??" he asked in disbelief. It sounded like it'd be a lot of fun! He remembered, once, seeing a puppet show back in his home village when he was a little kid--not that he wasn't still a little kid--and falling in love with the story and dolls used. It was what had compelled him to attach strings to his own wooden toy to learn the skill--rudimentary as it had been. The idea of actually being able to do a show, himself... Well, Kota never thought he'd ever be able to do something like that!

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

A near smirk emerged at the boy's reaction to his puppet.

He nodded at his observation. "That's the idea, as real as possible." When he asked if he could pet him the wanderer gestured to go ahead with his hand. As the child got closer he would be able to note some carpentry lines on the creation's face a sign that it was indeed just a puppet. Yō's faux black fur however felt relatively real. "I made him myself... when I was around your age actually." His normally stoic expression softened a bit at this memory. "He was a lot smaller then." It was true that the canine looked rather menacing in his current form but its facial features were relaxed at least for the moment. Quite the opposite of when he was used in battle.

The child asked if he was serious and received another nod. "Really." he replied. "Boda can even be the hero of the show if you think he's up to it." He folded his arms in front of him as his gaze shifted between his puppet and Boda. It was good that the boy was interested. His solo performances had never been the most... emotive. Maybe a child's imagination was just the thing he needed to turn a sideshow into a real play. "We'll have to come up with a good story though. Got any ideas?" as he asked the question and looked to the child once more he wondered again why he was even bothering with this at all before shaking the thought from his head. Perhaps he didn't need a reason to be kind and was overthinking it like most things. He crouched down once more and extended his hand in proper greeting. "I'm Muramasa, by the way." As he introduced himself a nagging pang remained in the back of his mind. This all felt familiar somehow... but he couldn't say why.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:

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


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society As Kota drew nearer to the creature, he reached out a cautious hand to feel the puppet's fur, eyes dancing across its many features as he pet it. "WOOOOWWWWWW~" he exclaimed after listening to the man speak. When he was about Kota's age?? That was a pretty long time ago, then! He couldn't even imagine making something on his own, so even if Yō had been much smaller or simple in design back then--Kota was still impressed.     And when the man affirmed that he was, indeed, serious about putting on a puppet show, Kota thought on it some. Boda could even be a hero? Kota looked at the puppet in his hand, frowning slightly as he tried to think about the stories he knew.     Truthfully, he did not know many.     Most of his life, he had been in the wilds--running, thieving, and doing whatever he could to survive. The last time he'd really spent any decent amount of time with another human being--it'd been with his captor who had, consequently, found him sleeping in an abandoned building and in a spur of the moment decided to look after the child. Kidnapping--as far as Kota was concerned. Since he certainly hadn't agreed to it! But aside from that, there had really only been his father--Kota was too young to remember his mother outside of what he'd been told of her.     And his father had shared some stories--fantasies to help lull the child to sleep on particularly difficult nights. He had played with the other children in the village, watched shows put on display then. But, still...     He had hardly lived a regular life.     There hadn't been as much room for imagination when you were constantly worrying about what your next meal was going to be, or if you could find somewhere safe to sleep, or if those plants were poisonous or if there was a snake in that bush.      "Hmmm... Do y'know the story 'bout the wolf who ate the whole world?" Kota asked, looking up at the man. "What if Yō was like that--hungry an' eatin' e'rythin' 'e found 'til 'e got bigger an' bigger an' bigger, an' nothin' was good enough for 'im so 'e decides 'e wants ta eat the entire world! So then Boda can be like, 'Naw, ya can't eat the whole world, I live here', and then they fight an' Boda saves the day by banishing Yō ta--" he tried to think of what the place was called. "The Great Plane. Where all spirits go when they die." He nodded. It seemed like a pretty good story. Unless the older man had any ideas? The only other story that Kota knew that involved a large wolf was the one who dressed up as a grandma to try eating a little girl--but that story wasn't nearly as exciting.     When the older man--Muramasa, as he'd just introduced himself--gave proper greeting and held out his hand for the boy to shake, Kota gave a feral grin and slapped his hand against the other wanderer's. "I'm Kota!" He laughed a little. "Y'know, most adults suck. But I think I like ya!"

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

Muramasa ran his own hand through some of Yō's fur.

Rarely did he get much feedback on his work so oddly enough a child being wowed by one of his puppets was nice. "At least someone's impressed." he thought, his half smirk returning briefly. He watched as the kid went silent when he asked him about any story ideas he might have. Clear as day he could see him thinking back long and hard on something. Surely a child his age would have plenty? The wanderer's mouth moved to the side as he waited, flashes of his own youth appearing in his mind. In truth he knew better than most that not every kid had a happy, normal childhood. Especially in this strange and violent world of theirs. He glanced around wondering where his parents were but decided against asking. Later, perhaps.

A story came to his mind after a bit and he asked Muramasa if he knew to which he shook his head. "Tell me about it." He didn't need a prompt because he soon broke down all of the details, already getting into it before they had even started. It was endearing watching someone else's excitement. Maybe because he so rarely felt that these days. Even if he wasn't necessarily good with kids the wanderer always felt it easier to talk to people who appreciated art. Be it music, paintings, architecture, or theatre. His eyes drifted upwards in thought... was he starting to develop a soft spot for this sprout? "Sounds like just the right story. Let's use it." His words reassuring as he took in their surroundings. They were already near a wall with crowds passing them by which was perfect for street performers. Just had to find something to set up on. The child introduced himself as Kota, high-fived him, and then said most grownups sucked. "You're not wrong there." His smirk remained as he stood and looked to the vendor from earlier.

Muramasa walked back over to him and exchanged words. After slipping him what few ryō he had left he was directed to an old wagon which he carefully wheeled to the 'stage'. A merchant's caravan had enough room for someone to sit or lay down in the back and there was even an old tarp in there that'd be perfect for hiding under. "Ever talk in front of a crowd?" he would ask the boy as he finished prepping their setup. "You know the story better than me so it'll be up to you to tell it while you move Boda." He paused for a moment, considering the prospect might be a fearful one for the young Kota. "Don't worry though I'll be here to narrate and help fill in any gaps, maybe throw in some ch-" Another pause as he thought. "Magic effects." Muramasa's gaze shifted to his puppet and he tilted his head before adding, "And play Yō." A hand came down to slap the open back of the wagon and he gestured towards it with his head. "High enough for you?" If not the wagon was partially covered on top with canvas. He supposed the boy could try up there if he needed but hopefully this little makeshift stage would be able to accommodate his budding skills as a puppeteer.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Kota's expression lit up--only slightly, as he tried to reign in his feelings--when Muramasa said that the story sounded like a suitable match for their play. He looked up to the older male as Muramasa stood to his feet and walked off a bit, holding a brief conversation with a vendor of some sort. The boy paid their conversation little mind, instead focusing his attention upon the puppet wolf once more with fascination, petting it and getting a good look at its eyes and mouth.     He'd turn his head once more when Muramasa addressed him once more, asking a question.     Had he ever spoken in front of a crowd before? The boy shook his head. Mostly when it came to crowds, he just ignored them--or was ignored by them. Either way, the child didn't really interact with people much at all, and if he did it often wasn't positive. But, on the other hand, he'd not really had enough relationship to large crowds to really know anxiety of judgement.     There was anxiety and fear of being spotted doing something he shouldn't be, but not of being judged or laughed at.     Not quite yet, at least. Self-consciousness was beginning to settle in, but...     "It'll be just like playin'," Kota said. He'd already given the premise of the story to Muramasa--so they could play the rest by ear and go with the flow. He didn't have any conception that plays were often planned, and he'd never heard of a script. But even if he had--he had plenty of confidence that Muramasa wouldn't need such a thing, anyway. "You've played before, right? It's a lotta fun! I've never did it with another person before, but I think you'll prolly be pretty good at it." The idea of Muramasa using his magic to peform special effects was--     Extremely exciting.     Once the wagon was theirs to use, Kota would--well, initially, it would be apparent that he was too small to get into the back of it on his own. Though, without interference, he would quickly find another way--walking over to the large wooden wheels and deftly scaling them before clambering on into the wagon. "Mhm! Perfect!" Kota shouted out back to the adult's question. He'd poke his head out from the tarp to look at Muramasa, a bit bashfully as he then quietly asked, "Hey, ummmm..." He'd wave his hand over somewhat--coaxing the older male to come closer so that he could whisper, "Do you think ya could maybe teach me how ta use the magic stuff to do my puppet? I only actually know how ta use it with actual strings, but I think your way is way better."

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

His gaze mellowed just slightly as he watched Kota's reaction.

It was almost amusing watching someone get so excited over these things. Puppet shows were a form of art and thus something he of course appreciate and studied. But lately they had served mostly as a means for him to get by. Performing on the road as he traveled for what little ryō locals could offer. But seeing the boy's hardly contained enthusiasm called back to a time in his past. A time when he could still find joy in the little things. He couldn't remember the last time he felt that way.

Muramasa placed a hand on his hip as the boy shook his head to his question. Kota clearly had apprehensions... but luckily he'd have help. "I used to." he responded, nodding to the boy in assurance. "When I was a bit younger." He said that he thought the puppeteer would be good at it and he smirked halfway. "If I stumble you'll be here to back me up." He would watch as the boy clambered into the back of the wagon and hid behind the tarp, peeking his head out to wave him closer. As he leaned in the younger wanderer whispered to him asking to be taught the Puppet Technique. His face went comically blank for a moment. "Oh, right... that'd probably help." The puppeteer rubbed the back of his own head as his eyes drifted upwards in thought.

"I'm not much of a teacher..." Memories of his own mentors came to mind as he ruminated on this fact. One had been an excellent educator if a little harsh and demanding at times. An annoyed expression overcame his face as he thought of the other. "If that old drunk can do it..." He shook his head to rid his mind of the fool. Muramasa's eyes fell to Kota once more as his mouth moved to the side. Could he really do this? Only one way to find out. "We'll give it a shot." His right index extended, bringing it around to show Kota. His eyes glanced once more to the boy to make sure he was watching. "First try channeling some of that magic into your hand." As he spoke the rest of his fingers along with his palm began to glow a faint blue color. Not too bright. But enough to be visible if one watched closely. "Funnel it into a fingertip... picture a thread and try to mold your light into one." A thin wispy string would slowly emerge from the end of his finger, coming to dangle loosely in the air. He upturned his hand and let it sway back and forth in front of Kota. "Now you." he would say, nodding to the boy. Hopefully his demonstration was a good enough start. It was time to see what Kota could do. To better let him know how he should proceed.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:

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


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society "Yeah, I'll be the best backup you've ever gotten," Kota snarked, boastfully. He wasn't really sure about performance, but if they were playing and Muramasa didn't know what to do next, Kota was more than confident that he could lead the story on. Maybe even throw in surprises! Roll with it! He grinned at the idea.     The adult made a couple of expressions as he thought about it--likely just going over the best way to teach Kota the trick. Or maybe he was thinking that it was dumb that Kota didn't already know it.     It was the first! Kota thought to himself when Muramasa began guiding the boy on how to start. Magic into my hand, huh? Big words were lost on him, but he was able to gather that much. It had been a long time since he'd last used his magic, but he knew it was still in there--everyone had it, and it never really went away.     The boy watched closely as Muramasa demonstrated--the light blue energy visible in his fingertips and on his hands once more. Kota squinted, then shut his eyes tightly as he tried to focus. There didn't seem to be any hand signs like the clone needed--but it seemed more like the rope technique that his father had taught him.     He needed to shape it to be like a thread, just a little string. Could he even imagine it that small? Like the little strands from his tattered clothes--that small? It seemed way too little. "Juuuuust one string, right?" Kota asked. He'd seen that Muramasa was able to use a lot of them--and with regular strings, Kota could use a lot of them, too. But with the magic stuff? That seemed way too complicated. "Okayokayokay." No, he could do it.     Reconnecting himself once more, Kota tried to translate the chakra into his hand as suggested. He held up a single finger, deciding to focus just on that one for the time being. And, with intense concentration, the tip of his finger began to glow a soft blue--the chakra wavering weakly, but there.

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

Muramasa

As Kota bragged about his backup abilities he nearly chuckled in response.

For not being partial to kids he didn't mind this one too much. Maybe it was his passion for stories... or maybe he saw something in him he wasn't quite sure. Either way he took a step outside of his comfort zone by agreeing to try and teach the youth. Something that he still wasn't sure was a good idea.

Regardless the younger wanderer seemed to take to the instruction rather well. He listened and watched closely and Muramasa could tell by the look on his face that he was focusing and giving it a heartfelt attempt. The impromptu teacher nodded to his first question. "Start with one. When you get that down we'll try more." The boy seemed to psyche himself up and before long he was concentrating on his own hand. It took a while and much concentration but eventually... a faint blue light began to emanate from the young Kota's hand. "That's it." He leaned a bit closer, examining the chakra more closely. It seemed to flicker slightly which made him cast a wary glance at the boy. "Try to steady your magic... think of it like-" A pause as he looked around for an example. His eyes falling to the boy's doll he continued. "Like when you're playing with Boda. Have to keep him balanced so he doesn't tip over right?" He hoped the analogy would suffice. Muramasa dispelled his own strings bringing his finger up to mimic Kota's. "Just the right amount... then shape it into a string." He slowed the process down so the youth would have something to compare it to as his own chakra fashioned itself carefully into a thin thread. Once more he looked to the boy's own finger and watched.

SPOILER: Click to show

TECHNIQUES USED:

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


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

String Theory - E.C.C

Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his techniques. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

Puppetmaster - U.A.

A natural strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. His knack for tactics cues him on which approach should work best depending on his target.

Ashizukai Footwork - E.P.T. (Speed)

Honed after years of fighting and training in jujitsu with samurai as a child in the Land of Iron, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in a straight up slugfest.

[Kota]

The sun will be guiding you They're dying to stop you This race is a prophecy Break out from society Got to steady it, right, right, right, the child thought to himself, nodding in determination as Muramasa continued to guide and coach him. He needed to keep the magic balanced--not too strong, but not too weak, either. Some sort of middle ground. Kota was pretty sure that he could do that--as he continued to focus on his fingertip. It was a fine line, but he knew how to be careful and controlled in other contexts, so this was a different medium, but a familiar concept.     After a little while, he seemed to steady it's flow somewhat, the tip of his finger glowing a soft, steady blue. The only thing he needed to do next was--well, trying to shape it into a string. He was going to need it to be in the form of a string if he ever hoped to puppet, of course. And, naturally, he'd have to allow the chakra to flow away from his body if he hoped to puppeteer from any kind of distance...     Exhaling the breath he'd been holding onto, Kota tried to relax a little. He didn't want to get so worked up that he was tense and rigid--which he could already feel himself doing.     Magic, in his experience, had been a fickle thing. Sometimes if he thought about things too hard, everything stopped working. It was when he acted on instinct that it seemed to come most naturally to him--at least, that was, after he figured out how to properly use any technique. But, still, he didn't want to worry about it so much that he couldn't progress at all.     After all, this technique was far more advanced than anything else he'd ever been shown, before.     And it was quite important to him--in all his excitement and fascination with the older male--that he learned it.     Carefully, Kota began to shape the chakra into a string--the small wisp of energy slowly adventuring away from the tip of the boy's finger, while staying connected all the while.

✜

[Muramasa Uemon]

...

---

To say he was surprised was an understatement.

So many things had he seen on his travels, but a talent like this was impressive. Beyond. "That's... it, Kota." A finger rose to scratch the side of his face, watching in half amazement. If this was what the next generation was turning out like it was only a matter of time before people like him were obsolete. "You catch on fast, huh?" Almost scary. Really. But at least his first teaching experience was turning out to be a success. Somehow.

If only Suppa could see him like this... he'd probably have something smarmy to say.

Placing a hand to his mouth as he often did when he was thinking he leaned in a bit closer. Shape was right. Seemed like a decent amount of tension. "Now that you have the thread, try to make the end—" He paused, searching for a way to describe it that would make sense. Tilting his head a bit he settled on an example that might appeal to the kid. "Spongy, like gum." It was truly the best he could come up with. Muramasa would watch with near baited breath as he waited to see what the younger wanderer would do. If he could get one string to work, it was only a matter of replicating it to allow for the rest. After that? He'd have taken his first step to becoming a true puppeteer.

Much faster than he had himself, mind you. Only had some old scroll to go off when he was learning.

Interest now thoroughly piqued the wanderer would nod encouragingly throughout the process. "Try sticking the end onto Boda's head." Half curious, half stunned he would continue to observe his impromptu student's progress. If he could manage to dangle the doll the foundation was already there. A strong basis to build off of.

---