[Nakajima Seika]

Seika felt the impact of her fist on the woman’s face, smelt the sizzle of burnt flesh, heard the gasp of pain- and immediately pulsed her chakra through her heels, once more relying on the speed granted by her Explosion Step Jutsu, this time to evade the electric blast flung from Arai, soaring up and over the disks the first mate had fired her way. The Nakajima didn’t slow, her hands flying through the four seals needed for her next jutsu as she summoned a kunai from her dress into her left hand and threw it just behind where the woman had slid to, just in case, aligning her hand with the pair as she fell back to the deck below, cremating her arm.

Guren recovered quickly though, slamming her hand on the ground… and immediately, the Nuke-nin knew something was wrong. A pit opened up beneath her, black tentacles of good spewing forth to ensnare her, their disgusting length reaching for her frame to drag her down towards the darkness below. Seika fired off her jutsu then, pouring chakra into her arm as she launched an orb of intense fire directly at Arai’s chest, the gooey tentacles clinging to her skin and, crucially, the brilliant flames of her cremated arm- a tiny mistake, something no one would ever think to include, but an answer as to the focus of woman’s skills nonetheless. Genjutsu.

"Haini: Hana-hi!”

Ronin

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used: NAME: Haini: Hana-hi [Cremation: Fire Flower]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: High
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 4
REQUIREMENT: Nakajima Clan Hijutsu SA, Haini no Jutsu
DESCRIPTION: One of the Nakajima Clan’s most powerful techniques, Hana-hi utilizes one of the user’s limbs in order to create a powerful projectile jutsu that is incredibly hard to block or avoid. After performing the needed hand seals, the user transforms one of their limbs into flame and forces the fire out in a rapidly expanding orb of pure heat that engulfs everything in its path. The orb begins roughly the size of a grapefruit and expands rapidly until it is twenty meters in diameter, and has a range of twenty meters. The flames of this jutsu are incredibly hot, able to cause third degree burns on direct contact, and continuous contact with them has been known to melt stone in a very short time, while metals like steel or iron will be left a bright, steaming red.
Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Additionally, Seika can switch between the four different flames of her Clan’s Hijutsu almost at will, but rarely does so, preferring to use her White Flames almost exclusively. Katon Ninjutsu (including Nakajima Hijutsu) used by Seika are roughly 25% more powerful than normal, and cost 10% more to use.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.
Equipment: 1 Kunai summoned and thrown from her left sleeve (behind Guren).
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Ronin]

Seika successfully evaded the Raiton-based attack aimed at her, although she managed to get caught in the genjutsu. Still, she seemed sufficiently in charge of her wits to keep attacking, even as she fired off an orb of scorching flames at Arai. As one who was well-versed in combat, Arai had already started attempting to set up contingencies as soon as Seika had dodged his attack, making handseals of his own as he watched the Nakajima.

"Raiton: Raijinheki!"

His plan was to set up a defense; he already suspected that Seika would attack him next. He wasn't wrong, but his defense wasn't sufficient to stop the fireball that had been sent his way. It was clear that if he hadn't set up the lightning wall, the fireball would have killed him. Even though it mitigated the effect of the attack, Arai still had painful-looking burns on his body, wounds he bore in silence. Guren, however, was not so pleased. "You will surely pay for that!" She made another sign, and six of the pirates gathered round charged at Seika, drawing axes and swords as they attacked. Hopefully, Seika would be still handling the genjutsu to be able to avoid them. At the same time, four others scurried off again, leaving just about six men who hung back and watched, although one of them was performing handseals.

All the while, Guren had seen the thrown kunai, and was avoiding it, taking care not to be too near it, as she made signs of her own. And while all the fighting was going on, the pirates who had slipped away were setting a dastardly plan in motion which involved the ships hull and multiple explosive tags. Just in case.

SPOILER: Click to show

Tech Used: Raiton: Raijinheki

NAME: Raiton: Raijinheki [Lightning Release: Lightning Encampment Wall]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Raiton
DESCRIPTION:
By ejecting powerful bolts of Raiton-based chakra from their hands, the user is able to create a wall of electricity ten feet high and forty feet in length. Due to the fact that the 'wall' is constantly moving in a continuous circuit, anyone caught in the technique will be considerably shocked before being thrown back.

Note: Aside Guren and Arai, there are 20 crew members of the Iron Moon. 4 scurried off in the last post, 4 are scurrying off, 6 are attacking, 1 seems to be prepping a jutsu, and the remaining 5 are watching. Guren also seems to be prepping a jutsu.

Nakajima Seika

[Nakajima Seika]

Of all the primary ways in which a person could utilize chakra offensively, Genjutsu was by far the most subtle and, therefore, Seika’s least favorite. The Nakajima preferred the loud, explosive power of Ninjusu or the intense, palpable crunch of Taijutsu to the complexities of Genjutsu- but for times like this, she could see why someone might want to specialize in the art of illusions. Pulsing her chakra through her heels again, the raven haired woman soared through the air with Explosion step, leap through the illusory tentacles that claimed to be able to hold her as she wove a single hand seal, forming two Kage Bunshin in mid-air, the four pirates who chose to attack missing as she landed behind them, with one group scurrying off into the ship. Splitting your forces, huh. Clever girl.

The clones followed her arc, landing close to the back end of the deck where they were fighting, though not for long, as one immediately burst into motion again, utilizing the Explosion Step to chase after the group of pirates that had scurried off into the bowels of the ship. The other remained with her a moment, its hand on her back, chakra pulsing through her body as it shattered the Genjutsu’s hold on her before charging at the group who had attacked her, summoning a kunai with the express intention of blowing it up the second she got close.

Seika herself took a different approach; forming two hand seals, the nuke-nin locked her gaze on Guren’s form, careful so as not to meet her gaze directly, lips parting in a snarl as she cremated her feet, focusing the flames into an incredibly small point before exploding the fire down and back, sending her screaming towards the fraudulent captain at a speed approaching that of the Shunshin. At the same time, the Nakajima cremated her left hand, surging it with chakra as she cocked her fist back for another punch to the other side of the woman’s face, a left hook that, if it hit, might very well kill with the added force of her charge behind it. If, of course, her charge was fast enough to get through the various jutsu and men being put between her and Guren, of course.

Ronin

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used:
NAME: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Shadow Clone Technique]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
HANDSEALS: 1
DESCRIPTION:
The Kage Bunshin technique evenly distributes your chakra between one or more clones with form and substance.

The clones created by this technique are able to utilize any jutsu the original ninja knows, has all of their special abilities, as well as their kekkei genkai. Typically a clone's equipment doesn't retain any special abilities and the clone itself is dispersed when hit with a single attack or incapacitated, although the clone can also choose to disperse itself or be dispersed by the user.

When the clone finally disperses, any new knowledge it has gained along with it's remaining chakra are passed back to the original ninja and any additional clones.

NAME: Haini: Dai Baku Sanpo [Cremation: Great Explosive Step]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: High
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 2
REQUIREMENT: Nakajima Clan Hijutsu SA, Haini no Jutsu, Haini: Baku Sanpo
DESCRIPTION:
An evolution of the Baku Sanpo technique, Dai Daku Sanpo vastly improves the users speed while utilizing the technique at the cost of maneuverability. By hyper-focusing their flame body down into an incredibly small point, the user is able to massively increase the speed boost granted by the jutsu once the fire is let loose, shooting them in the intended direction at a speed nearly matching the Shunshin Jutsu. Due to the strenuous nature of this technique, it may only be used three times in a single thread before damaging the users body.

NAME: Haini: Subarashī Hoshi Kōgeki [Cremation: Super Star Striker]
RANK: B-Rank
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 0
REQUIREMENT: Haini no Jutsu
DESCRIPTION: An enhanced version of the star striker technique, it's quite literally increasing the chakra in the equation to increase the results delivered. The blow goes from a strike with more force and flare behind it, to a strike which could shatter stone on impact and a burst of flame which could engulf a five meter radius. Similarly to it's original form this techniques after math fire isn't incredibly hot or formidable though. The force of the burst could deflect small projectile like shuriken though.

Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Additionally, Seika can switch between the four different flames of her Clan’s Hijutsu almost at will, but rarely does so, preferring to use her White Flames almost exclusively. Katon Ninjutsu (including Nakajima Hijutsu) used by Seika are roughly 25% more powerful than normal, and cost 10% more to use.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.
Equipment:
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Ronin]

The four pirates running into the interior of the ship saw the clone coming after them and scattered in all directions, yelling as they tried to avoid the pursuing clone. Even as they yelled, there were shouts in response from within the ship. The pirates did not say anything apparently intelligible; they just shouted weird sounding words, but it was clear that they were communicating somehow. Those who had been setting up explosive notes in various corners of the ship now took to covering them with whatever they could find, which wasn't difficult, as most of the tags were on the floor in the lowest bilge of the ship, and only required to have stuff placed on them to obscure them.

Meanwhile, the second clone charged at the pirates who had initially attacked Seika, and even as they tried to attack once more, blew up, taking them along with it. The screams of the dying men filled the air, even as their lives were extinguished with the clone's existence, which left some substantial damage to the deck of the ship. In this time, Arai was maneuvering to where Guren was, even as Seika seemed to burst through the chaos on deck. Arai had not reached Guren when she completed the handseals she had been performing and placed her hands on the ground, just before Seika's punch met her face. But that meant Seika would fly through a fulminating wall of lightning to do so. All the same, the velocity at which Seika was moving would mean that she would score the blow and kill the captain, if she did not change course. But the trade-off was being stunned while in the midst of foes, even as the other pirate who had been forming seals attempted his own counterattack, as he fired off three high-pressure balls of wind at Seika.

SPOILER: Click to show

Techs Used: Raiton: Amigumo and Fūton: Shinkūgyoku

NAME: Raiton: Amigumo [Lightning Release: Spider Web]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium | Very low (continuous)
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Raiton
HANDSEALS: Four
DESCRIPTION:
After kneading chakra in the body and converting it to lightning, the user places their hand on the ground, releasing a 5m surge of electricity in a 360 radius around them. What makes this jutsu unique is that on top of taking the shape of a web, electrocutes anyone who touches medium it is being used through (meaning the ground or a wall). It also requires the user to remain in place while they channel their chakra into the technique, having a very low chakra maintenance fee after initial activation. While this jutsu does stun others and allow for a counterattack, if the user is forced to move through a jutsu or projectile it is instantly dispelled.

NAME: Fūton: Shinkūgyoku [Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Fūton
DESCRIPTION:
The caster of this technique takes a deep breath, using the hand seals to knead Fūton chakras in their gut. At the formation of Dog, the chakra becomes highly compressed and tightly woven. Once they are expelled, they take the form of spheres the size of golf balls. These spheres have a very formidable piercing capacity, being able to pierce through objects better than bullets. Having incredible speed, these spheres are also released over an extensive range, making avoiding them nigh impossible.

Note: If Seika does not change course, she will kill Guren, but be stunned.

Nakajima Seika

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika snarled as the Raiton energy coursed through her limbs, feeling it tense her muscles into locking as she swung at Guren’s face. She didn’t like using the enhanced version of Explosive Step, preferring the weaker and more maneuverable version, and this was proof enough that it wasn’t as useful a jutsu despite being far faster; at the speed she’d been going, the world around her blurred to the point of tunnel vision, leaving her unable to react in time to what the others were doing because she couldn’t see them. Even so, it felt good to slam her fist into the bitch’s head again, especially when her body went limp, flesh blackening beneath the heat of her flames.

The Nakajima couldn’t relish in the satisfaction of the kill though; there were still foolish peons to put down, and with her body restricted as it was she had few options for dealing with their attacks. Instinct and years of practice had her channel chakra to her heels, utilizing a sloppy Explosive step to hurtle towards Arai and away from the incoming spheres of Fuuton, though not fast enough- two connected, one grazing her right shoulder, shredding skin, while the other smashed through her right hip, shattering it but not killing.

A scream of pain, furious pain, flew from the Nuke-nin’s lips as she barreled into the muscular first mate at high speed, hopefully ruining his concentration. Even if she didn’t, however, her next move surely would, as the raven-haired woman pulsed chakra through her dress once more, firing off a pair of fireballs from the palms of her hands at point blank range, her muscles fighting to regain control as she looked for, and found, a source of fire- her explosive note earlier had damaged the ship, leaving a few fires scattered amongst the corpses. If she could get to those, she could heal, so long as the wind user was kept at bay.

As for Seika’s clone, it didn’t bother chasing after every man; instead, it chose one, using her superior speed to rapidly close the distance between them, grabbing the man’s collar with her right hand and yanking back, hard enough to rip him from his feet and slam him, bodily, to the ground. She cremated her left arm, raising it above her head as she said, far calmer than should be possible for a someone so clearly murderous, "Your captain will be dead by now. Tell me what her plan was and I shall spare you. Aid me in stopping it, and I will do much more. Deny me… and you will burn.”

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used:
NAME: Haini: Baku Sanpo [Cremation: Explosive Step]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 0
REQUIREMENT: Nakajima Clan Hijutsu SA, Haini no Jutsu
DESCRIPTION: A technique based off of the Wind Style Jutsu Kaze Sanpo, Baku Sanpo utilizes the same basic principle in order to produce a great burst of speed, albeit with far more versatility. By focusing fire of their flame body down into a single point (usually the soles of their feet, though it can be any limb), the user of this technique is able to concentrate the energy of their fire greatly, then release it in a burst of raw fire that shoots them in an intended direction at high speed.

NAME: Haini: Hidama [Cremation: Falling Star]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 0
REQUIREMENT: Nakajima Clan Hijutsu SA, Haini no Jutsu
DESCRIPTION: One of the bread and butter techniques of the Nakajima Clan, Hidama utilizes the user’s Flame body to immolate an opponent at mid to long range. By transforming their hand and upper forearm into flame and flooding the resultant appendage with Chakra, the user is able to form a large orb of pure fire that they can then shoot at an enemy. The orb is roughly 3 meters in diameter, and is incredibly hot, causing second-degree burns on direct contact.

Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Additionally, Seika can switch between the four different flames of her Clan’s Hijutsu almost at will, but rarely does so, preferring to use her White Flames almost exclusively. Katon Ninjutsu (including Nakajima Hijutsu) used by Seika are roughly 25% more powerful than normal, and cost 10% more to use.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.
Equipment:
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Ronin]

Almost as if in slow motion, the first mate seemed to see everything in slow motion, as he weaved handseals, though he knew he would not save his captain in time. Even as Seika's blow landed, and took Guren's life, Arai shrieked, a rather unexpected sound coming from the naturally stoic and silent man. Like Seika, his was a cry of pain and rage, although the pain was for an altogether different reason. Even as Seika launched herself at him, he didn't even try to dodge, his eyes burning with murderous hate, as he simply launched a lightning-charged palm at the oncoming Seika, accepting his death with no qualms as he put all his chakra into the attack, seeking to take the missing ninja with him.

Whether his Denkiyashi hit Seika or not, the two fireballs she had fired at close range ate through his large body, making fatal holes in his form. Still, such a reckless attack, and with her senses and body partially restrained due to stunning, would make it more difficult for the Nakajima to avoid his suicidal riposte. Both captain and first mate of the Iron Moon were gone, even as the Fuuton-utilizing pirate gave a shout of his own, although his was more of panic than of rage, as he and the others standing by decided to abandon ship, jumping into the sea.

Meanwhile, the pirate accosted by Seika's clone seemed willing to preserve his life. "I'll cooperate! Please don't kill me. She-- she wanted to blow up the ship, in the event that you killed her. Which is why me and my colleagues were signaled to, to set explosive tags in various positions of the inner part of the hull of the ship. If you were repulsed or killed, we'd simply remove the tags. If not, the ship would be blown to smithereens."

SPOILER: Click to show

Tech Used: Raiton: Denkiyashi

NAME: Raiton: Denkiyashi [Lightning Release: Electric Palm]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium - High
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Raiton
DESCRIPTION:
A simple technique which varies dependent on the amount of chakra used in it, it requires any amount of chakra to be focused into the palm, and then released through touch. One with high reservoirs of chakra may even kill an opponent through mere touch with this technique if they pour enough Chakra into it.

Note: Captain and First Mate killed. 6 pirates dead, 6 have jumped overboard, 8 are within the ship's hold (1 captured by Seika).

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika saw the man’s arm raise in slow motion, her amber-gold gaze going wide as she sped towards Arai’s shrieking form, still sluggish and slowed by the electricity coursing through her limbs. She didn’t know what jutsu he had used, but she didn’t need to know it to not want to be hit again; in her state, another attack could very well kill. She had only one chance to survive- her chakra pulsed through one foot, cremating the limb as she utilized the Explosive Step in mid-movement, careening her to the side without slowing her forward momentum. She spun, wrenched to her left by the movement jutsu, tumbling along the deck as she blasted Arai in the chest with her twin fireballs, burning fatal holes through his chest.

The Nakajima slid to a halt against the bulwark of the ship, every part of her body aching from the repeated bruises and shattered hip. She got to her knees though, looking up at the fire burning on the deck as she cremated into flame and sucked it in, feeling the heat soothe her wounds to nothing in exchange for putting the flame out. That done, the Nuke-nin stood, looking at the smoldering ship, and sighed. That had been close. Too close.
___________
As for Seika’s clone, should its user not die, it would grip the neck of the pirate she had caught, snarling as she said, in no uncertain terms, "You will convince the others to come out and disable the tags, or you will burn for days. All of you. But you most of all.” She tightened her grip on the man’s neck, flaring her cremated arm for emphasis, before releasing him.

"Am I understood?”

Ronin

Combat Info

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu Used:
NAME: Haini: Baku Sanpo [Cremation: Explosive Step]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
HANDSEALS: 0
REQUIREMENT: Nakajima Clan Hijutsu SA, Haini no Jutsu
DESCRIPTION: A technique based off of the Wind Style Jutsu Kaze Sanpo, Baku Sanpo utilizes the same basic principle in order to produce a great burst of speed, albeit with far more versatility. By focusing fire of their flame body down into a single point (usually the soles of their feet, though it can be any limb), the user of this technique is able to concentrate the energy of their fire greatly, then release it in a burst of raw fire that shoots them in an intended direction at high speed.

Special Abilities:
The Other White Flame [Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
Seika, either through a twist of fate or simply good genetics, has inherited the coveted power of the White Flame, the highest ranked color of Flame within the Nakajima clan, and it shows. Fire is not merely a part of her- she is fire, a living embodiment of all it means to be flame, and as such her ability with her clan’s Hijutsu is second to none; she can switch between her flame body and real one with near instantaneous ease (though this does not low the chakra cost), and can stay in it for quite awhile. While in her flame body, she is completely impervious to all forms of physical damage, though Chakra enhanced attacks (particularly Fuuton based) can still injure her. In this state, she is able to heal herself using any natural fire nearby, absorbing it into her flame body.

Yuki’s Fire-Flower [Enhanced Katon Ninjutsu SA - Power]
From nearly the moment she could walk, Seika has had an affinity with Katon that far surpasses the norm, even for a Nakajima. Her Katon Ninjutsu, and in particular her Nakajima Hijutsu, burn hotter than even the most powerful of her clan, granting her Katon-based Ninjutsu a significant boost in raw power over others of her rank, so much so that she is nearly on another level of power. Additionally, Seika can switch between the four different flames of her Clan’s Hijutsu almost at will, but rarely does so, preferring to use her White Flames almost exclusively. Katon Ninjutsu (including Nakajima Hijutsu) used by Seika are roughly 25% more powerful than normal, and cost 10% more to use.

The Burning Death [Enhanced Nakajima Hijutsu SA]
As one of only two people in all the world to possess the White Flame of the Nakajima, Seika’s flames are… unique, to say the least. Though others of her clan do not believe it, the truth of the matter is that Seika’s flames are not merely hot, they are beyond anything her clan has ever seen, capable of burning even setting other chakra-based creations aflame, up to and including other Katon Ninjutsu, eventually subsuming them into itself. This does not allow Seika to absorb any form of chakra, nor does it allow her to work around using only normal fire to heal her body when in her Flame Body form- rather, it allows her to burn Ninjutsu as if it were a physical thing, eating away at it until it becomes nothing but ash. This takes two rotations per rank of the Jutsu, and requires that said jutsu be continuously engulfed in her flames.

Burning Speed [Enhanced Speed SA]
Because of her familiarity with life and death situations, Seika has made it a point to train herself in the art of moving quickly, and is quite a bit faster than many would expect of such a non-physical Shinobi, outspeeding others of her rank by a fair bit without even trying.

Flickering Flame [Reaction Time SA]
Seika has spent the vast majority of her life fighting -first as a Shinobi of Yukigakure, then as a Nuke-nin from said village- and as such has been forced into situations where her ability to react to an opponent’s move is the difference between life and death, now more so than ever. Because of this, Seika has developed an incredible reaction time, far faster than that of others of her rank, and is capable of thinking through problems at a much faster rate, allowing her to deal with multiple opponents on the fly without breaking a sweat.

Sea of Chakra Flames [Enhanced Chakra Reserves SA]
Seika’s Chakra reserves are vast for a woman of her rank, far beyond those of a normal Kunoichi, and as such she is able to use high-level techniques for far longer, and at a much quicker rate, than most anyone of her rank could.

Equipment:
Seika's Dress
A sleek red silk dress made for Seika before she deserted from Yukigakure, the dress itself is stunning, sporting long-sleeves that hang loosely from her shoulders. Made of Waruichi silk, the dress has been enhanced by the Nakajima clan’s tailors and even has seals put in place by Seika herself, making it a very useful tool for carrying goods even when she doesn’t wear her cloak.

The dress itself has a short hem that stops just above the middle of her thighs, with a long train of narrow cloth on the left side that leaves most of her legs exposed. The dress is tight around her bust and hangs off her shoulders, showing off much of her cleavage. The edges are decorated by golden filigree work, particularly around the bodice, it is hemmed by black lacework, and sports a hidden pouch inside the bodice.

SA's
Owari Nenshou [Katon Reactive]
Seika’s dress, having been made by the Nakajima, is fully Katon-reactive and allows her to funnel Katon Ninjutsu through it without burning it to ashes. More specifically, Seika has practiced with it to such a degree that she can utilize Haini: Hidama (Cremation: Falling Star) without being in her Flame body.

Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal [Chakra Reactive]
After her desertion for Yukigakure, Seika altered her dress in order to better utilize it in combat, inking in permanent seals along the inside of the left and right sleeves. These seals can hold a surprising amount, and are easily accessible for most any situation.

Seika's Cloak
A hooded cloak of black silk that reaches down to the feet, obscuring the user's form. The cloak itself seems fairly ordinary, but actually has two pockets sewn into the inside, both of which hold permanent versions of the Lightning Flash Blade Creation Seal, allowing her to carry much more than normal.

SA's
Cloak of Invisibility (Chakra Reactive)
Made of a special chakra reactive silk, Seika’s cloak offers a unique ability that few Shinobi see coming; by channeling her raw, unfiltered Chakra through the cloak, Seika is able to utilize the Meisaigakure no Jutsu [Hiding with Camouflage Technique] through the cloth, as well as allowing her maintain it with greater ease during movement. This ensures that Seika will always be able to vanish should the need arise.

Limitless Pockets
Seika’s Cloak, much like her dress, has been altered during her time as a Missing-nin to include the Generic Storage Seal inside its pockets, allowing her to carry a great deal more in the way of ninja tools without having to ruin her look with bulky pouches or garish belts.

Seika's Heels
A pair of black, seemingly normal heels. These shoes, however, are actually made of a special material created by the Nakajima that allows the user to make them a part of the Flame-body without destroying them. They add 3” to Seika’s height.

SA's
Haini Reactive
Seika’s heels are made of special material developed by the Nakajima clan for use in clan uniforms; as such, they are capable of being transformed into part of her flame body as if they were an actual, physical part of her, and can be used to form Nakajima clan techniques. More specifically, these heels allow Seika to perform the Baku Sanpo [Explosive Step] technique through them without being in her flame body.

[Ronin]

There was silence on the deck now, with nothing but charred bodies and the only living person being the Nakajima. She had, perhaps more by luck than by absolute skill, managed to evade the suicidal attack of Arai, killing him in the process. But the matter was yet to be concluded. For beneath the deck, a different struggle was going on, one in which force of arms might not be as effective as it had been above deck.

The clone of Seika would smell the faint tang of ammonia, as a patch of wetness slowly spread across the pirate's pants while she gripped his neck and threatened. The man, frightened to the point of silence, could only nod over-enthusiastically, his eyes begging for the threat not to be actuated. He was eventually released with the job of persuading his colleagues not to go along with Guren's plan. But would it work? This fellow was nothing near a diplomat, not by a long shot. Still, the threat of a long and painful death seemed motivation enough. The pirate took some steps away from Seika on shaky legs, even as he faced the edge of a corner.

"Guys, I think we shouldn't continue with the plan," he yelled out into the belly of the ship, his voice as shaky as his legs. There was a pause, then sounds of movements, and then came a reply: "Why?"

"Because Captain Guren is dead, and the lady that killed her says that it would be better for us to join her as her crew, which I think is a very reasonable offer." There was some more silence, and then the voice came again. "Reasonable offer, you say? The person that we're sure was responsible for the carnage in town, who comes and disrespects everyone of us by deriding us and calling us 'peasants', and then kills our beloved captain? And that's reasonable to you?"

Seika could hear the disgust in the voice that spoke from around the corner. The rest of the interior of the ship was silent, though, as though the sailors within were listening to the exchange.

Nakajima Seika

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika stood on the deck of the ship, her breathing slow and soothing as she made her way across the flame scarred metal towards the door her clone had run through, heels crunching against burnt flesh, torn clothes, and dried blood with every step. The Nakajima woman had come as close to death just now as she had ever been in her life- she could still smell the crackling ozone coming off of Arai’s palm, her cheek barely avoiding contact, the look of wild hate in his eyes as he died. Had she been a moment slower, a split-second later… No.

"No.” She whispered, her voice echoing the thought as she closed her eyes and took in a deep, steadying breath. The raven-haired had brushed close to death, yes, but she had not died. Her flame still burned bright, as white and feral as ever. If there was ever a sign that the White Flame (and by extension, the world) was meant to be hers, it was to be found in times like this, when she had stared death in the face… and won.

I am the White Flame of the Nakajima, and I will have what is mine. Seika thought, opening her eyes as she strode through the open door, her face splitting in a calm, knowing grin. She had dealt with the Captain- now, it was time to handle her crew.
_____________
Seika’s clone watched the man speak to his comrades from behind and sighed. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he would prove a poor diplomat for her cause; he wasn’t a true believer, not yet, but rather one swayed by fear of his certain demise. He would turn on her the second he thought he could get away, all of them would… unless she convinced them otherwise.

"I would think,” the clone began, her voice warm and honey smooth, "that you’d be a fool to take a person such as that at face value.” The clone waited a moment, knowing the compliment would likely confuse the man, only to turn, the tell-tale click-click of heels and steel filling the hall… only to be dispelled in a puff of smoke, her frame dissipating into nothing as the genuine article strode around the corner, picking up where her clone had left off.

"I will not pretend to deny the things you have said. I did them." Seika said, looking the man in the eyes as she spoke. "However, there is something you are missing. A little detail you weren't told about this ship and how your Captain came to possess it. One I can prove rather easily, if you will give me the chance.” She had spent weeks running from Yukigakure’s navy in this place, after all; its insides were burnt into her mind like a brand, and she knew things about the ship that few, if any, would be able to fake. A specific thing in particular that she doubted even the most fastidious of investigators could have found, unless they knew where to look.

"You have the tags. You can kill us all if you so wish.” Another pause, letting that truth (and all that came with it) sink in before she continued on. "Or, you could let me show you the truth. That is all I ask. If my evidence is not to your liking… well. You have the tags.” She smiled then, a knowing grin that told the man before her that, for perhaps the first time in his life, he held all the power.

Ronin

[Ronin]

When Seika's clone stated that the skeptic pirate was wise to not jump to accept his colleague's words, there was silence, as she had expected, as the pirate around the corner seemed to be contemplating why she would use such words. As Seika rounded the bend, she noticed that he was not alone; there were two other pirates with him, all debating something. The first one to see her uttered a short cry, and fled into a nearby room, slamming the door. The sound of a thrown bolt informed that he had locked himself in. Not like Seika couldn't probably melt through the door, but still.

The other two pirates stepped back, but did not flee, the one closest to her staring at her with sorrowful defiance. "Why should I care about some irrelevant detail? Guren may have lied about how she got the ship. What do you expect, that pirates would be honest and truthful and upstanding members of society? I don't care if the ship was yours originally; when I met Captain Guren, she owned the ship. Finders keepers, as we say. And while in all fairness the ship is yours now, as you've killed the captain of the ship, and so by right it moves to you, do you really think you could win a crew that easily?"

He returned her gaze coldly. "No, my interest is in figuring out why we should join you, whom we don't know and frankly don't like, when you just killed the most amazing captain in the world. You don't give a shit about any of us, you just want people to run this ship for you, because you can't do it alone. But I'm not going to serve under a captain who thinks I'm worth trash." Because wars could be won with force of arms, but human hearts were won with things much more subtle.

The other pirate, though, perhaps a more curious fellow, then asked, "But what's the detail we don't know? Don't you think we should at least be aware of the origins of this ship?" There was no response from the first.

Nakajima Seika

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika hated negotiating with peasants. It was grating, having to explain the simplest things to people who were so far beneath her that she could snuff out their life’s flame with a thought, but at times necessary in order to get what she wanted. This situation was no different, though the man standing before her was a far more intelligent variety of scum than she was used to dealing with; he understood why she wanted to keep the remaining crew around, perhaps better than his fellows, and that made him key to bringing the rest in line. If she could convince him, then she could convince all of them.

"It is important, though.” the Nakajima said, her voice smooth as she gestured to the curious man behind the sole hold out, her fingers splaying gently, beckoning. "How do you know you can truly trust someone, after you’ve discovered their lies? If your captain was willing to lie about how she got this ship, what else might she have lied about, hmm?” It a simple set up, really, one that even the man before her would likely see through- but the allure of the unanswered question, the desire to know was strong in most people, particularly those who dedicated their life to living outside the law. And now, for the real push.

"I’d find it hard to trust a Captain who sleeps with her first mate, but I suppose you could be different.” Seika said, glancing down at her nails as she put her hand on her hip and cocked them to one side, the motion hopefully drawing their eyes down and reinforcing the idea in their mind that she wasn’t just lying through her teeth about this. It was a guess of course, an educated one based on Arai’s reaction to Guren’s death, but a good one in her estimation… and one that could very well sway the man before her, if he didn’t already know. "Or did you not realize that?”

The woman paused, letting the information she’d dropped sink in before she continued on, this tie addressing the curious man behind the annoyance. "If you wish to know what your Captain hid from you, I’m more than willing to show you. I’m even willing to discuss terms for your service aboard this ship, if you want. I promise, I can be quite… generous to those who are willing to bend the knee.”

Ronin

[Ronin]

The hold out was unimpressed, as Seika seemed to focus her attention on the more curious fellow behind him. "Do you seriously think that honesty is the most important virtue of a pirate?" he asked. "Everyone lies. And there are secrets we never tell everyone."

When Seika spoke about not trusting a captain who was intimate with her first mate, the curious one seemed to bite. "Yeah, I'd always thought it weird, their dynamic," he answered. The cynic, however, had words of his own. "That's because you were probably jealous of Arai, you feckless idiot!" he raved. "If Captain Guren was sleeping with you, would you have complained? At least we all knew who she preferred to share her bed with. We all knew Arai was her special man, but she was good to everyone of her crew, something I don't believe this woman before us will be."

But the curious one had bitten the hook. "Yes, let's see what Guren didn't deem worthy to show us," he said, stepping past the cynic and before Seika. "Please lead the way." The other pirate sighed and shook his head, though he followed. "At least, she's honest about one thing: the fact that we'll be her slaves. Bend the knee? Who talks like that? Even those frumpy shinobi don't bend their knees to their leaders. And yet here you are, eager to be made a laughingstock across the seas." But even so, he followed. Seika would also notice that two more curious fellows had come out of their hiding places, though they kept their distance.

Nakajima Seika

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika watched the interplay between the two pirates, the seed of doubt she’d sown between them worming its way into their conversation like a weed. Others began to poke their heads out from within their hiding spots, the curiosity and lack of screams bringing them forth to see just what she was talking about… and if, perhaps, there might be something to it after all. It was the time honored strategy of divide and conquer; she hadn’t needed to convince the man before her that her offer was a good one, merely plant a morsel of doubt in those listening that, perhaps, their captain might not have been quite as wonderful as they thought.

"You haven’t met many Shinobi if you think none of them speak as I do.” The raven-haired woman said, her lips pulling apart in a wide, full smile as she turned on her heel, leading both the curious man and his cynical companion. "Hidden villages, particularly the minor ones, are infamous for requiring absolute loyalty and obedience from their ninja.” If the other men who had poked their heads out decided to follow as well, that would be even better, but so long as she had these three -the coward, the cynic, and the curious man- she could use them to bring the others around.

"As for what you said earlier.” Seika said, leading the men down the winding, labyrinthian maze of corridors that led to the Captain’s cabin with an ease that spoke of experience, another subtle clue that she wasn’t simply lying. "I think that any pirate who can’t trust their captain to tell them the truth about a simple thing has reason to suspect them of lying about anything and everything.” Even the most ardent of believers could be made to doubt, if given the right direction. Emiri’s betrayal had taught her that much.

Ronin

[Ronin]

As Seika turned and walked, the three pirates followed, Curious, Cynic and Coward. If she noticed anything, she would see that Cynic made a gesture to the others peeking out to remain where they were and wait for further developments. As the Nakajima spoke of smaller hidden villages demanding absolute loyalty from their members, Curious grunted. "That kind of thing was why I was smart enough to run away from Shimogakure, you know?" he said. It was Cynic's turn to scoff. "And as wise as you are, you're walking headlong into the exact same situation. Really smart."

Even though the curious man fell silent, there seemed to be some degree of surprise as the men noted how easily Seika made her way through the ship, a clear sign that she knew the layout of the structure quite well. As Seika stated that pirates needed to trust their captains to tell them the truth, Cynic said, "so you will be absolutely truthful and honest about everything with us? Why do I not believe that? But you did mention something that I'm interested in: trust. Trust was something Captain Guren cultivated in her crew... even if she may not have told us everything."

He said no more, but his tone was quite obvious regarding the follow up of his words: As far as trust is concerned, you have an uphill task getting us to trust you, woman.

Nakajima Seika

[Nakajima Seika]

Seika smiled at Cynic as he gestured to the men hiding behind the other doors, her amber-gold gaze lingering on him a moment more than he would have considered normal. So he was something of a leader amongst the remaining men. Not an undisputed one, obviously, but someone who held some sway over his peers, enough for them to heed him when he told them to wait. If there was any one person she would need to sway, it would be him.

"Have I lied to you, sir? Have I done it even once?” The Nakajima asked, turning her head back towards the walkway before her as she spoke. There was an implication there, one Cynic and Cynic alone would likely pick up on; for all his cynicism, she had not lied to him, or to any of the men here. And however much he doubted, he wouldn’t be able to deny it once he saw what she had to show them.

"As for what you mentioned.” She said, turning her head towards Curious as they made another turn, nearing the Captain’s Quarters. "I do ask you to kneel, yes. As an act of submission… and respect. If not for my station, then for my strength.” That was something none of them could call into question, not even Cynic. She had come to their ship, challenged their Captain, fought half the crew… and single-handedly won.

"Ah, we’re here.” Seika said, her voice smooth as honey as she opened the door to the Captain’s Quarters and waltzed in, gaze flitting from one side of the room to the other, taking in the neatly folded clothes, the pristine desk, the strongly locked chest underneath a functional bed… and there, hidden in a corner, one of the steel plates that made up the wall that just wasn’t quite right. The Nakajima crossed the room quickly, pushing the desk to one side as she ran her finger along the microscopic seam, creating the smallest amount of her body to fire and running it down the crack in a steady stream, melting the adhesive that held the thing in place before swinging the plate out on its hinges.

"Gentleman.” She began, turning to face the men as she pulled her fire back, making certain she didn’t burn the precious contents before moving out of the way to let them see what was inside. "I give you… proof.” Before them stood two things; a pile of ryo, stacked neatly from the floor to nearly six feet off the ground, as well as a safe, built into the wall. The money looked recent, with little dust covering it, but the safe… the safe looked old. And untouched in many months. Or years, in this case.

Curious and Coward would likely be interested in the money, so it was to Cynic that she said, her lips parting in a soft, knowing smile, "I can open it, if you want to see.”

Ronin