[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

Another day, another mission: Kizumi was eager to get out of the office and into the field, and every mission was a new opportunity to connect with some of her shinobi. Today, the unlucky girl was Yamamoto Eri, a bright young puppeteer with early success in her career. Kizumi and her young companion waited by the carriage that would bear their wealthy contractor out of Akazaya to the southern border, then a boat to Mishima and back to Akazaya. Relatively straightforward, and if the threat was from Whirlpool shinobi, then they’d most likely be accosted on the shore or on the water. The overland travel should be relatively straightforward, if tedious. More than likely it would consist largely of doing brief scouting missions before coming back to make pleasant small talk with a wealthy landowner, which wasn't exactly Kizumi's idea of a good time. While they waited for Toki Tomoko to arrive, Kizumi leaned in to speak softly to Eri. "How are you feelin’, kid?” she asked gently. "Any questions? Concerns?” She was a chuunin, and had earned that rank through studious hard work—but she was also still a teenager, and Kizumi wanted to make sure that she felt confident. Supported, at the very least. If all went well, then this would be a good developmental opportunity for the girl.

Yamamoto Eri -- 220

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

A bodyguard mission meant Eri was already quite comfortably ensconsed within Genbu-san, the large hyper-realistic puppet towering over the Raikage as he stood silently beside her. Honestly, it seemed that recently escort missions and the like made up the bulk of what was assigned to the puppeteer, which made sense considering the skillset that a Yamamoto carried, but it had become a little tedious at points. That said, at least Genbu-san's feet wouldn't ever hurt no matter how far he walked, he could keep going for as long as chakra flowed through his limbs.

Turning to look at the Raikage as she asked her questions, Eri found herself somewhat pulled out of the Genbu-san persona by the woman's words. "I am primarily concerned at your presence Kizumi-sama, it does not feel right for you to be taking such a basic mission..." the voice was deep and masculine, but the inflection didn't quite match, it was definitely more Eri's quiet demeanour leaking through. She was feeling somewhat frustrated with herself for such a mistake, trying to channel her puppet's personality properly so that she could become the large Kumo chuunin that was Genbu-san.

"You are aware that I am quite proficient in escort type missions, ne Kizumi-sama?" he stated, gem-like eyes barely visible behind the sunglasses, "do we have any expected dangers that we are aware of?"

Word Count: 226
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 2/20

[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

Eri was such an adorable teenage girl, it was still hard for Kizumi to reconcile her memory of amber eyes and a fringe-framed face with the man that towered nearly two feet over her. Puppeteers. She’d never been especially talented at most of the more esoteric, wibbly chakra-flow-based fields of shinobi study, but puppetry was so far out of her wheelhouse that it was laughable. The finesse and fine-tuned skill it required only made Eri’s expertise that much more impressive. "I’m still a shinobi,” Kizumi said mildly, stretching her arms overhead and back until a pop sounded from each of her shoulders. "No reason why I can’t get out here and do some grunt work with the rest of y’all.” She opted not to mention the carpal tunnel that was starting to inflict her right wrist from death-gripping her pen every damn day. That she had trained herself into ambidexterity was proving as useful in the office as it was on the battlefield. "If it wasn’t me, I’d have sent someone else with you,” she said, looking up at the face of Genbu-san… though she wasn’t entirely certain that was where Eri’s head was. "Your experience is valuable, but there’s a possibility we could run into some opposition from Uzushio shinobi. Rival company trying to get the same contract as our client, apparently. We should be fine overland, but if we’re going to run into them, it’ll be when we hit the water.” There was still the possibility of bandits on the road, Kizumi supposed, but with a two-man entourage and Genbu-san as big as he was, it was unlikely that they would attract any mundane criminal attention. "Speaking of our client—” A woman appearing to be roughly in her late thirties, with dark skin, long braided hair, and a neatly-pressed suit exited her abode and approached the carriage. "Toki-san,” Kizumi greeted with a bow. "Hirana Kizumi. This is—” She hesitated for just a moment, glancing sidelong at the puppet Eri was ensconced within, then continued, "—Genbu-san. We’ll be your escort for this journey.” ”Toki Tomoko,” the woman replied, smiling briefly. ”I look forward to working with you both.” Turning back to Eri, Kizumi said, "I’ll take the first round of scouting. Can you help Toki-san inside her carriage and make sure she’s comfortable? I’ll circle back to rejoin you in ten minutes.” A diabolical plot, and part of the reason why Kizumi wanted to be on this mission with the young Yamamoto in the first place—forcing the girl to make conversation and help entertain a wealthy business owner would, hopefully, be a good learning experience for her. Hopefully.

Yamamoto Eri -- 439

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

"It's not seemly, Raikage-sama," Genbu murmured, the voice that emerged so much deeper than the one that belonged to Eri, another marker of the puppet's construction, "and dangerous. What if you are needed in the village?" The irony of being a kage was that one was often restricted to their home village, the final defence fated to sit behind. That said, Kumo wasn't entirely back to full strength yet, so perhaps that played a part in Kizumi-sama working such a basic mission.

Genbu sook his head, thick hair waving behind him with the motion, "I did not mean to sound as though I intended to do this alone," though he supposed that if he was going to be partnered with anyone, the Raikage would ensure that things would go as well as possible. It was unlikely they'd come up against something a kage couldn't handle after all.

The large 'man' stepped back slightly as their client appeared, allowing Kizumi to take charge of the conversation and... then she was leaving to scout. Genbu watched the Raikage just casually wander off before slowly turning his head back towards the client, expressionless and even less animated than usual.

"Please," he said, gesturing to the carriage for the woman to get into, the awkwardness in the air hidden beneath courtesy as he waited. If she had any bags he would go about putting them on the carriage as well. Once he was sure that she was settled, he would indicate for the driver to make a start. Genbu himself did not try to fit within the carriage, his massive frame would never fit, and instead he simply kept an easy pace next to the vehicle, keeping an eye out for any troubles even as he walked. 

Luckily the only tiring part of this process would be the slight drain on chakra, and so the pace could be kept for far longer than the horses would manage. Kizumi might have planned on forcing Eri to interact with the client, but it wasn't going to be easy to get the socially awkward shinobi to start talking.

Word Count: 351
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 4/20

[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

"It takes a village to run a village,” Kizumi replied evenly, unbothered by Eri’s concern over what was seemly and dangerous. "If Kumogakure is so vulnerable that the entire shinobi council, the war council, my assistant, the Jounin Hanchou, and all of the active duty jounin can’t take care of things while I help out with some missions instead of rotting in the office, then we’re kinda fucked, don’t you think?” Maybe too blunt, but Kizumi had never been wanting for flaws. Toki-san emerged, Kizumi laid out the plan, and then she took off to scout, mercilessly leaving Eri behind to make conversation and be cordial. Open her social horizons, or something like that. Toki Tomoko, for her part, gratefully accepted Genbu-san’s assistance in putting away her bags… and then sat alone in the carriage, as the large man kept up an easy stride alongside the horses’ ambling gait. Kizumi, meanwhile, loped in a wide loop a few kilometers ahead on their path, scoping out the territory and checking for signs of bandits or bad traffic or uncomfortable potholes. The roads were clear, no criminals in sight, and by the time her ten minutes were up she was coming back into Eri’s sightline with the thumbs-up all-clear… and frowned, when she saw the large puppet outside of the carriage. "Genbu-san,” she said gently, keeping stride with the puppet, "do you think that Toki-san might appreciate some company and conversation during the trip? It’s going to be a couple of days of travel.”

Yamamoto Eri -- 252

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

Genbu had seemingly no response to the Raikage's assessment of the situation should she not be in village, but something about the stoic expression (that barely ever changed) and the bristling of the beard implied a distinct level of disapproval. As Kizumi scouted the area, Genbu kept alert, the large puppet's head swivelling from side to side as the shinobi watched for any indication of danger or threat. The journey continued onward without any concerns, with the large man keeping pace easily until the Raikage returned.

Turning at Kizumi's words, Genbu looked between himself and the carriage a few times to prove a point... that being that the puppet was far too large to squeeze into the vehicle, and it would take a lot more to have the puppeteer leave their protection.

"An excellent point Kizumi-sama," Genbu rumbled, reaching out for the carriage door without breaking his pace, opening it and bowing slightly to the woman as he gestured with an arm, "please, step in." Enforced social interaction? No thank you! Kumogakure's puppet master was not going to be tricked so easily into a situation where they were going to have to spend large amounts of time socialising, not if Genbu could help it.

No matter how tricky the Raikage thought she was, Genbu was fairly certain that he could avoid her machinations. Otherwise it was going to be a very uncomfortable journey for him.

Word Count: 216
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 6/20

[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

Kizumi bore the silent weight of Genbu’s disapproval stoically; the feeling was eerily similar to being around her sister, and fleeing to go do her scouting was an easy decision eagerly made. What she hadn’t accounted for was the sass. She shot Genbu a withering stare but acquiesced and entered the carriage, unwilling to make a scene in front of their client but needing Genbu to know just how thoroughly unimpressed she was with his shenanigans. First attempt thwarted, but they had a long journey ahead of them. Thankfully, the overland trip was as uneventful as Kizumi had predicted. She chit-chatted with Toki Tomoko, trading off with Genbu periodically to scout ahead to make sure the road remained clear. Eventually they reached the southern port, where Toki-san’s ship was prepped and waiting. "I’ll grab Toki-san’s belongings,” Kizumi said brightly as they arrived at the bustling port. "Genbu, dearest, could you help Toki-san onto the ship and make sure everything is in order for us to depart?” It was a polite request, but Kizumi busied herself with hauling a suitcase in each arm, grinning widely at both shinobi and client as she carried Toki-san’s things to the ship. Genbu was too clever by half, but what Kizumi lacked in wit she made up for in sheer persistence.

Yamamoto Eri -- 216
7/20

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

Enjoying the victory while it lasted, Genbu spent the trip calmly plodding alongside the carriage, somehow not making a sound despite the fact that he was about seven feet tall and quite heavy. Thankfully he was also designed with a degree of comfort, and so the trip went without any issue whatsoever, calm, peaceful, and not forced to interact with people for long periods of time.

Perfect.

Unfortunately it seemed that the Raikage wasn't quite done with her attempts to get the Chuunin to socialise more with their client, what with taking the bags and basically fleeing in the face of their arrival rather than letting the giant 'male' do the heavy lifting. Sure, Kizumi-sama was undoubtedly stronger, but she didn't look it, and it was obviously done on purpose to put him in this position.

The sigh made by the puppeteer was not audible, but it was intense. It wouldn't do for the client to hear it though. "Come with me Toki-san," he rumbled, offering a hand to help her down from the carriage before turning to head towards the boat where he would have to deal with whoever was in charge of the whole situation. He wasn't about to start a conversation though, instead just parting any crowds as he led the client to the ship. The Raikage might be trying to force something, but he didn't have to follow through!

Word Count: 233
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 8/20

[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

Though Genbu was primarily made of lacquered wood, Eri’s craftsmanship was so fine and his beard was so bushy that it was generally difficult for most people—especially civilians—to tell at a glance that he was a puppet, and not a man. Toki-san easily fell for the deception, taking Genbu-san’s hand with a warm, grateful smile and accompanying him to the docks. His large stature and imposing presence were more than enough to clear the way for himself and his client, and it seemed as though Toki-san appreciated the luxury of having such an impressive escort. "Thank you very much for your assistance, Genbu-san,” the client said, peering up at him through her eyelashes in a distinctly friendly manner. "I’m pleased to know that Kumogakure employs such efficient shinobi. Do you have a family at home? I’d hate to tear you away from them if so, but I’d be delighted to have you around for… future endeavors.” Kizumi, meanwhile, had finished delivering Toki’s belongings, and was consulting with the ship’s captain on the route they were to take. This was a small, quick vessel; not likely to hold up well in naval combat, but perhaps fast enough to evade any pursuers if they were strategic enough. She was cheerfully talking shop with the grizzled, sun-weathered older man, debating the viability of one path over the other and the dangers they were likely to face with the vivacity of an experienced sailor. She turned and waved at the approaching pair when they arrived. "Just about ready to set sail,” she said brightly. "Captain reported sightings of pirates about twenty clicks out, so we’re going to be giving their last known location a wide berth and hoping the winds are in our favor.” Her expression grew serious, and she looked to Genbu-san. "We’re still likely to run into scouting ships from Whirlpool Country, though. We just need to avoid the bulk of the pirates—we can deal with that another time. If we enter a conflict, I need you to ensure that Toki-san is protected.” After another twenty minutes or so, the ship would depart, parting the waves smoothly to enter the open air of the ocean. Another two hours after that, a small ship was spotted on the horizon—sailing directly towards them. "That’s our cue,” Kizumi said to Genbu-san, hopping off from where she’d seated herself comfortably on the railing of the ship and summoning her katana from the seals on her wrist. "Could be nothing, but prepare for something.”

Yamamoto Eri -- 417
9/20

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

Genbu turned briefly to look at the client, eyes hidden between the dark Kumogakure grade sunglasses and most of his face covered with the bushy beard. Her general demeanour was somewhat odd, but the shinobi shrugged slightly at the question, "a rather large extended family, and while I do not believe I have done anything to be requested personally, should you require further aid from Kumogakure you may of course hire our shinobi," he assured her, nodding slightly as he guided her towards the ship, his large frame keeping even the most curious away from her as they went.

With that said, they made their way to the deck of the ship where they reconvened with Kizumi-sama. He once again nodded without much said at the information that she provided along with the orders. Protection was one of the Yamamoto specialties after all, and there was an entire puppet that Genbu carried dedicated to defensive techniques.

As the ship set sail, the large shinobi took a sturdy stance and went almost unnervingly still as the mind within retreaded slightly to conserve energy. Nothing would throw Genbu off balance, but beyond the rocking of the ship, there would be almost no movement from the tall figure.

It was only when another ship was spotted that he seemed to become animated again, head turning to watch calmly as he waited to see what would happen next.

Word Count: 234
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 10/20

[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

If Toki-san was disappointed in Genbu-san’s polite yet firm rebuff of her flirtations, she did a masterful job of concealing it… though perhaps that was less because she accepted rejection well, and more because she felt she hadn’t been solidly rejected yet. She was still in the game, from her perspective. The small ship making its way towards their own vessel was light and speedy: the winds were not in the smaller ship’s favor, which implied some potent use of fuuton or suiton ninjutsu to accelerate its speed. As it drew close enough for Kizumi to make out its flags, she found it flying the symbol of Uzushiogakure, as well as the universal flag for lay down your arms and give up your cargo, and we won’t kill you. "Lovely,” Kizumi muttered, and then called over her shoulder: "Genbu-san, can you—” She was interrupted by the sudden violent turn of the ship. Her head whipped around to look at the captain at the wheel, who was fighting in vain to keep the ship steering straight; she turned around to peer overboard, and found a large whirlpool sucking at the bow of the ship, throwing them completely off course. Their vessel was large enough that it would not be brought beneath the waves instantly, but if they didn’t handle this quickly, they would all be sent to a watery grave. The whirlpool was massive, both their own ship and the smaller enemy ship sailing in an odd, circular dance around the epicenter of the technique. They were barely more than a hundred meters apart, now. One enemy shinobi clung to the side of the smaller vessel, their hand brushing against the surface of the waves, seemingly focused on keeping the whirlpool spinning. Two more shinobi were on the deck of the ship: one was weaving a number of handseals, then conjured two tornadoes from their hands, pushing them forward and into the rapidly devolving natural chaos that was afflicting Toki-san’s vessel. The third shinobi held a sword in each hand, seemingly preparing for the eventuality of melee combat. "I’m going to try to take out the fuuton user!” Kizumi hollered at Genbu-san, sheathing her katana and pulling her bow from her back. She nocked an arrow, imbuing it with katon chakra, and tried to line up her shot through the visual chaos. "Can you do anything about the suiton user?”

Yamamoto Eri -- 417
11/20

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

SHINOBI A USED:
NAME: Suiton: Kaidōuzu [Water Release: Revolving Whirlpool]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Suiton
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
Placing their hand on the surface of a body of water, the user causes the water to spin with the target as the epicenter, dragging them down deep into the depths of the water. This technique can only be used in conjunction with deep bodies of water.

SHINOBI B USED:
NAME: Kaze Dansu [Wind Dance]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Fuuton
DESCRIPTION:
The user performs a couple hand seals, and then claps their hands together, only to separate them by holding both hands out. With this, their wind-natured chakra comes out, forming into a ball inches away from both of their hands. This ball increases in size within seconds, forming a harsh wind. Then what looks to be like mini tornadoes form, under the users control. The user can then unleash the two of them by crossing their hands together, pulling back and pushing forward, sending two tornadoes at the opponent. They grow in size [about 8 feet]] as they near in. The tornadoes though are completely under the users control and follow the movements of the users hands. If the user wishes to perform another jutsu though, or use their hands by other means than controlling the tornadoes they can, but then the tornadoes merely shoot forward..

Shinobi C has two swords in hand and is standing on the deck of the enemy ship.
Toki-san remains unharmed.

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

Seemingly unruffled by the sudden swaying of the ship as they came under attack, Genbu placed a hand on the client to hold her steady as well, his own stability coming from a sturdy stance and careful application of Kinobori to the deck of the ship. Pulling out the scroll with puppets, he quickly unsealed all of his weapons, scroll disappearing back into his clothing as quickly as he could before he reached out and connected the chakra strings to each of them.

"Hold on to my belt Toki-san, I require the use of my hands for the moment," he rumbled as the three Goro-chi puppets began to float ominously at the gunwale facing the enemy. Kumo-baa moved into position behind the trio, ready to form a defense against any attacks that might threaten the client.

With the defenses readied, Genbu prepared himself for the assault that was to come, fingers twitching as Yama-jii rose to his feet on soundless joints, the old man's beard whipped up by the winds and movements of the ship. It had been some time since he had been unleashed on an enemy, as the most powerful puppet in the arsenal he wasn't used lightly. Crouching down for a moment the puppet leapt up and out across the whirlpool, carried by chakra strings more than by the power of the jump.

Yama-jii, unless stopped, would slam into the side of the ship, clawed limbs digging into the side and holding it in place near the enemy shinobi. A moment later a cloud of opaque blue mist would emerge from its' back, as it unleashed Nami no Konsui upon their enemies. For a normal puppeteer the distance between Genbu and Yama-jii would make the movements of the puppet laggy and harder to control, but Yama-jii was not being controlled by a regular puppeteer, it would not be the same here.

Word Count: 314
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 12/20
Combat Info:

SPOILER: Click to show

Relevant SAs

Puppet Prodigy

While young, Eri is what would be considered a prodigy in the control and use of puppets. Her ability to control her puppets is so fine that there is barely any time delay between her movements and those of her puppets. They dance fluidly across the battlefield at the twitch of her fingers, resembling the natural movements of living beings rather than the more mechanical actions puppets usually make.



Enhanced Reflexes

A puppeteer must be quick to respond to changing circumstances in battle, and Eri is faster than most at reacting to things. Through her training she has developed excellent dodging and response capabilities, giving her a greater reaction time than your average shinobi.

Jutsu 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.

[hirana kizumi]

A HEART'S A HEAVY BURDEN

Toki-san’s eyes widened as the trip, pleasant and uneventful up until this point, suddenly devolved into a bout of chaos beyond anything that she had witnessed before. In an instant the competent, powerful businesswoman was only a frightened civilian in a vulnerable position, and Genbu-san’s calm, controlled direction was her lighthouse in the storm. She held onto his belt as directed, her grasp in a deathgrip and her heels digging into the deck of the ship to try to keep herself steady. Carried forward by deftly commanded chakra strings, Yama-jii was able to make contact with the side of the enemy ship without being blown off-course. The thick blue mist of vapourized Nami no Konsui clouded the air. The suiton user was the first to inhale the poison, being closest—their eyes grew heavy, their expression worn and haggard as a bone-deep exhaustion worked its way through their system. They struggled to maintain their position close to the surface of the water, but when it became abundantly clear that course of action was not sustainable, they slowly, tiredly began to climb back up to the deck of the ship. The whirlpool, no longer maintained by chakra, slowly began to subside. It took longer for the mist to reach the other two shinobi on the deck of the ship. The fuuton user was quick to react, rapidly weaving a number of hand seals. Fuuton chakra encircled their head, protecting them from the drifting cloud of Nami no Konsui just as it began to draw near. This forced them to relinquish their control over the tornadoes, each of which now spun in a perfectly straight trajectory… still en route towards the ship, destined to collide with the bow and tear it to ribbons. Kizumi let her arrow loose at the fuuton-user—or what she could see of them through the spreading poison mist—and slung her bow over her shoulder, pushing off against the deck to swing up and around towards the helm. Pushing the captain aside and taking the wheel in hand, Kizumi leaned on her strength to wrench the ship a few degrees west, brute-forcing the vessel to alter its course to sail safely through the twin tornadoes before they could make contact. The dual-wielding shinobi, seeing no other recourse for escape from the poison, gathered both swords in one hand and formed a hand seal with the other, flash-stepping into the air above Genbu-san, Toki-san, and the surrounding battalion of puppets. Spinning quickly, the Uzu shinobi aggressively shifted his trajectory and aimed a powerful slash of both weapons directly at the civilian target.

Yamamoto Eri -- 431
13/20

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

SHINOBI A:
Under the effects of Nami no Konsui, experiencing sluggishness and reduced reflexes. Released the whirlpool technique in order to attempt to climb safely to the deck.

SHINOBI B USED:
NAME: Shinkuu Kata: Sai kokyū no Jutsu [Vacuum Style: Rebreathing jutsu]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: If applicable.
DESCRIPTION:
This is one of the many techniques that were created by Takayanagi Shinobi that utilizes their affinity for Futon. Using this technique one is able to create a bubble of air around their head of reusable oxygen. After seven hand seals the user will hold their palm inward facing themselves after which they release a blast of Futon chakra which encircles their head. This jutsu is usually used to allow for breathing underwater or through poison as the bubble recycles air for the person to use given them an unlimited supply. This jutsu will stay active until the user uses the seal of confrontation hand seal and releases the vacuum.

A katon arrow has been fired at Shinobi B. The tornadoes are no longer under their control, but are still traveling in a straight line towards the ship.

SHINOBI C USED:
- 1 SHUNSHIN
- 盲虎 | Mōko
[Blind Tiger]
Rank: A
Chakra Usage: Very High
Type: Bukijutsu [Weapon Technique]
Element: N/A
Range: 0-30m
Requirement: Bukijutsu Specialization
Description: The practitioner takes a daring leap into the air above the target, before spinning incredibly quickly, changing their trajectory mid-air and angling themselves straight down at the opponent, ending with an incredibly powerful double slash which, combined with the weight of the fall, can cut straight through solid steel, sending foes flying up to fifteen meters [15m] in the opposite direction, and simultaneously cutting them down.

Moko is being executed from overhead and is targeting Toki-san.

[Yamamoto Eri]

Genbu-san

As soon as the cloud of poison had swept out of Yama-jii the nimble puppet leapt forward with a twitch of Genbu's fingers, clawed limbs digging into the side of the enemy ship as it pulled itself up after the shinobi most effected by Nami no Konsui, the long bladed tail of the puppet shooting out as quickly as it could in order to wrap around the fleeing suiton user, hoping to shred them to pieces without any further fuss. There were too many enemies right now to worry about keeping them alive over the safety of their client and their own ship.

"Do not worry Toki-san, we have everything under control" he rumbled calmly even as the dual wielding shinobi appeared just above them, Genbu's head turning minutely to stare at him from behind the Kumo Grade sunglasses he wore. A few more twitches of his fingers and Kumo-baa was between them and their enemy, the old-woman shaped puppet's arms opening a number of flaps as Genbu used Kiko Junbu to create a shield of energy that would protect their client from the attack, both puppet and puppeteer staring blankly at the man who dared go after the person they were hired to protect.

At the same time the three Goro-chi puppets had spun around and launched themselves at the shinobi, clawed hands pulled back until they had locked into place for the strongest attacks, the trio of deathly looking beings aiming to slash at three different weakspots simultaneously in order to hopefully draw blood. It was getting a bit more complicated to manipulate all the puppets at once, but Genbu-san was a far better puppeteer than most would expect.

Neither Genbu nor Toki-san were likely to see the fate of the Fuuton user at this point, too distracted by their own plights, but when the Raikage wanted someone dead they generally didn't get a chance to protest that decision. Her arrow struck the shinobi dead on while he was focused on getting away from the poison, sticking in his throat and causing him to tumble over the side as he clawed at the injury. She had been aiming at his heart, but that was a close enough hit considering the circumstances.

Their boat groaned as she forced it to her will, aiming to sail through the tornados rather than risk getting slammed into them, but it would take effort on her part.

Word Count: 404
Tags: hirana kizumi
Mission: 14/20
Combat Info:

SPOILER: Click to show

Relevant SAs

Puppet Prodigy
While young, Eri is what would be considered a prodigy in the control and use of puppets. Her ability to control her puppets is so fine that there is barely any time delay between her movements and those of her puppets. They dance fluidly across the battlefield at the twitch of her fingers, resembling the natural movements of living beings rather than the more mechanical actions puppets usually make.

Enhanced Reflexes
A puppeteer must be quick to respond to changing circumstances in battle, and Eri is faster than most at reacting to things. Through her training she has developed excellent dodging and response capabilities, giving her a greater reaction time than your average shinobi.

Jutsu 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.

NAME: Kiko Junbu - [Mechanical Light Shield Block ]

RANK: B

CHAKRA USAGE: Medium

CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]

ELEMENT: N/a

DESCRIPTION:

Either by installing on a puppet or on themselves, the user can activate a mechanism inside the puppet which opens its arms into a couple of segments through which the user radiates their chakra. The chakra spreads out like a thin film and turns into a projective sheet, blocking all physical attacks and techniques. It is powerful enough to stop a ton of force being applied all at once before breaking down.

[hirana kizumi]

Though the suiton user struggled to get away from their pursuer, the effects of the poison on their system would prove fatal—Yama-jii, swift and expertly piloted even from this distance, was too fast and too deadly to allow the Uzu shinobi any reprieve. Within moments they were dead, crimson lifeblood spattered across the bladed surface of Yama-jii’s tail. With the fuuton user and the suiton user both dead, that left the enemy vessel unmanned—the only threats remaining were the melee combatant entangled with Kumo-baa, the Goro-chi puppets, and Genbu-san himself; as well as the tornadoes still dangerously en-route. Kumo-baa’s shield was potent enough to defend Toki-san from the attack, and the Uzu shinobi grunted in frustration and exertion as their attack slid forcefully off the curve of the shield and into the deck below. All that force directed to the wood paneling of the deck caused it to splinter and break, a massive hole forming beneath his feet; he was forced to twist himself abruptly out of the way, but was unable to simultaneously dodge the attacks from the Goro-chi puppets, and received a number of slashing blows on his arms, thighs, and ribs for his effort. Bleeding and breathing heavily, the shinobi backed up to the railing of the ship, taking stock of the situation—the four puppets in front of him, their target skillfully protected by what seemed to be an impenetrable shield, the twin tornadoes bearing down on their position. Between one breath and the next he sheathed his blades and flipped over the railing, channeling chakra to the soles of his feet to stick to the edge of the ship and slip through a porthole into the deck below. Kizumi, meanwhile, was struggling to keep the ship from splintering before her eyes—she didn’t have much time left to act. Once she had gotten the boat pointed in the direction she wanted, she wedged a knee between two spokes of the wheel to keep it locked in place, then drew the Wavesinger from its holster on her back—the glittering sapphire-blue trident that looked inch-for-inch identical to the legendary Tidecaller, but for a few minor differences here and there. She unwound the chain and tossed it to the water below, then channeled a vast amount of suiton chakra into the replica weapon—enough to force the surface of the ocean to spit up a massive tidal wave. Kizumi pointed the trident forward, and with a surge of effort the boat sped along, carried forward by the sheer mass of momentum created by the wave. It was a risky gambit, but hopefully enough to get them clear of danger.

Yamamoto Eri -- 438

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Tsunami Noru [Tidal Wave Ride]
RANK: A-rank
CHAKRA USAGE: High (medium)
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: Suiton
HANDSEALS: None
REQUIREMENT: Ha Chuya
DESCRIPTION:
Requiring a large amount of suiton chakra channeled to the user rope, they'll create a tidal wave beneath either a ship or large summon, then through the direction they point the trident guide this tidal waves direction. This is best used to enhance movement and though it carries force, it really doesn't work well as an offensive technique of it's own.