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The Fubuki (吹雪) Compound and Northern Estate Grounds

Overview: Wear a coat or a heavy cape, visitor, for the temperature in the northern part of the island is almost the exact opposite of the southern faction where Kirigakure no Sato herself is located. Bitterly cold and many degrees below freezing level, the estate grounds are covered in ice and snow and often encompassed by a very violent blizzard. As one passes the outer grounds and treads deeper into the inner sanctuary, the temperature grows more violently low. It is through this that one must search for the main estate grounds or have a Fubuki guide the visitors.

The Outer Grounds: An Awareness DC of 50 is necessary for non-Fubuki members to find the main estate grounds, unless told the location by a clansman. However, even so, the estate grounds are still quite vast so it will still take time to maneuver one’s way through.

Only the Fubukis themselves know where the underground tunnels that leads to outside of Kiri are. Of course, they themselves make sure to be proficient both in under and above ground travel to navigate from their estate to the village itself. When traveling through the estate grounds to reach the compound itself, they usually do so in pairs or trios.

The Northern Forest
Overview: Far from the outer grounds is a dark forest that surrounds the whole southern edge of the estate. This is the famed entrance: the threshold to the Fubuki family’s home. Around the forest, there is only ice and snow as far as the eye can see. The clan calls it the Forest of Demons because there is such a thicket of trees that sunlight never shines for the traveler attempting to maneuver through. Though there are plentiful evergreens, nothing else really grows here in the bitter cold. Furthermore, many wild animals appeared to have taken residence in the forest.

Roll 1d20. According to what you roll, you may or may not meet a fierce wild animal. Generate a number from 1 - 3 afterwards to see what level is the animal who will attack you.

Weasel | If rolled a number from 1 - 5
Wolf | If rolled a number from 6 - 9
Bear | If rolled a number from 10 - 12
If rolled above a 12, you got through the forest safely without trouble.

Number Generation
1 - lv 10 animal
2 - lv 25 animal
3 - lv 30 animal

**Note: Stats will be provided later for the animals when it becomes necessary. You may also attempt taming them. Many Fubukis have also chosen familiars in such a manner.

The Labyrinth
Overview: Beyond the dark forest is a colossal labyrinth made entirely of solid ice. The ice walls are thick and dense enough that no light can pass through. So be wary as traps are incorporated within the labyrinth’s shadowy halls.

Roll 1d20. If rolled above a 10, you didn’t set off any traps and proceeds. If you rolled a number from 1 - 10, you have set off a trap.
DC (use a Rex check to see if you manage to escape damage or not): 40
Trap Damage: 1d12 * 3
Successes (rolls above 10): 10/10 (to get through maze)

The Thirteen Paths
Overview: Here is perhaps the most aggravating part for unescorted visitors. The estate grounds are constructed much like a bicycle wheel (like the sun and its beams), with the mansion in the center and having spokes of white marble paths stretching in thirteen directions equally spaced all around, with each path representing a sect of the clan. Twelve of these paths connect in a circular pattern (when seen from an aerial view) and leads back to the entrance of the outer grounds before the dark Forest.

Along the entrance of each of the marble paths is a magnificent marble statue, each of a mythical creature such as the griffin, merfolk, phoenix, and dragon. Only one of these thirteen paths is unrigged: if one looks carefully, though the statues decorating each of the paths all have the same Fubuki crest, but there’s one statue which has a very slight difference in the crest as instead of a sapphire jewel there is a diamond. That is the statue of the northern phoenix: the great magpie of the arctic, Yukiyo and is the grand symbol of the Lunarius head family and the Fubuki clan.

Generate a number from 1 - 13. If generated a number from 1 - 12, you have gone into one of the wrong paths.
Trap Damage (going through a wrong path): 1d12*2 to Hp
Effect(s):

• The other twelve paths instead lead back to the outer estate grounds (if this happens, one would have to re-roll for the Forest of Lucifer and Maze in order to get back to the Thirteen Pathways).
  
• If generated a 13, chose and got through the unrigged pathway safely.

**Note: These DCs only apply for the first three visits. Afterwards, it is assumed the visitors are familiar enough to safely get through this basic defense system. Fortunately, the Fubuki family does not appear to be very interested in making upgrades to their security. Certainly, they could travel by the underground caverns but that is only if they are well aware as to where on the island the exits are. Since not everyone has a photographic memory in the family, it was probably better leaving the defense system as it is for some young Fubukis even have trouble.

Description: The Fubuki estate does not lie within Kirigakure no Sato’s exact village boundaries. In fact, it lies much further north (but still on Kirigakure's territory), and is located somewhere after the thick mist surrounding Kiri thins out and extremely cold weather and heavy snowfall ravages the tundra land all year around. Frozen animals ranging from varying ages decorate the deeper parts of the tundra fields and serves as a rather conspicuous warning to intruders of the price of trespassing.

The extreme weather is actually the result of Fubuki guards (with rotating shifts) thickening and maintaining the tundra fields surrounding the compound with their Hyouton Creation bloodlimit. Thus, when clansmen travel to the main village, they usually don thick, dark cloaks and bamboo hats to protect themselves from the extremely cold temperatures of their own estate grounds.

The compound itself is an immense, gorgeous castle of pure white marble with four regal towers. But also unlike the medieval castles, the Fubuki compound has the far more intricately beautiful carvings of smaller mansions. Ornaments of crystal adorn the carved marble walls and melds perfectly with the gilded ice clinging to the walls. The windows of the castle are of beautiful stained glass but reinforced with Fuuin arts to endure the bitter cold.

Returned to their formal glory now with the restoration of the clan, the massive tundra fields that surrounded the mansion made the whole estate look like a giant glittering gem, accompanying the gleaming white marble fountains and ice statues that decorate the estate grounds. It is only a small pity there aren’t many who are insane enough to visit the Fubuki estate on a whim to enjoy the sights.

Compound Map

Estate Grounds Entrance

• The Northern Forest
  
• The Labyrinth
  
• The Thirteen Pathways

Main Estate Grounds

Dojo
A building of reddish brick located a little before the main mansion itself. The interior is finely designed in the traditional, simple Japanese style. There is a storage area which keeps the tatami mats for meditation, the bokkens for sword-fighting practice, and even the bulls-eye boards and training dummies for target practice. As far as weapons go, however, each clansman bring his or her own that they have claimed from the armory in the castle itself.

Courtyard
The open courtyard is used as training grounds by clan members in their leisure. Because the horrifically low temperatures would’ve ruined the wooden boards and dummies for target practice, they are kept inside the dojo storage and taken out only when in use.

Main Compound
The castle itself houses the living quarters of the Fubuki clan, as well as a multitude of other spacious rooms. Past the great double gates, a beautifully spacious reception hall greets visitors - oddly warmly lit by great bronze chandeliers overhead - a stark contrast to the estate grounds. The inside of the castle is made of lovely rose marble and the noble family makes sure fresh flowers are brought in every day.

Rich, red carpeting covers the middle of the light rose-brown marble grand staircase and spills into the reception hall all the way to the entrance door that leads to the castle gates. The carpeting extends up to the second floor which then splits into two smaller curving staircases at opposing sides on the landing. In the main entrance hall, on both sides in a tilted U shaped corner, there are two velvet and redwood couches (in the traditional style) set against the wall in an L shape, with a circular marble table separating them. An antique vase set with tiger lilies would be set on the table on each side.

Like the main hall, the rest of the building is of polished light rose brown marble of the same color. The inside of the mansion overall gives off a warm air with gilded ceilings of velvet and gold.

Great Hall (Lobby)
To the right, beside the grand staircase, is a corridor leading to the dining hall. If one is to walk down this corridor, to the left, there is a small space with paintings and a sole statue of the witch-goddess Hecate in the center. If one is to keep walking straight down, they would reach the dining hall. The dining hall is a magnificent, colossal room, set with twelve long wooden tables for the twelve sects of the clan to sit. On a raised marble platform is another table, a gilded rosewood one, for the head family. Heavy tapestries decorate the walls and the great bronze chandeliers overhead illuminates the hall, along with the lit torches glittered at the untapestried part of the walls near the entrance.

Heated Baths (First Floor)
Also on the first floor, on the other side where the left atrium leads to, are large public baths for clansmen whom might enjoy a long soak. There's a women's bath, and a men's bath. Sometimes members of the main family sign up to occupy the bath for a certain hour of the day.

Residential Quarters (Varies Location)
Clan living quarters are located in all four tower wings, while guest quarters are located in the main section of the castle, on the second and the third floors. The Head family lives in the North Western tower, and the main family occupies the South Western tower wing. The branch families occupy the other two tower wings. Residential quarters are very grandly spacious, decor is mostly left to the preference of the resident. Tapestries are not only meant for decor but also to keep a feeling of warmth as the castle is made of stone. Carpeting is also common, as a method of insulation. A fireplace is nearly always blazing in every single room, filling it with warmth and light.

Master’s Study (3rd floor, N. Western Section)
The head of family’s personal study. It is spacious and comfortable, and by the previous Lord Fubuki’s request, in the traditional Chinese style of his family. There is a gilded redwood table and chair, as well as two chairs for visitors. Sleeping in the redwood shelves are numerous books and scrolls, complete with both prized antiques and newer volumes.

Library (2nd floor, N. Western Section)
A grand, red carpeted library within the castle. A great crystal chandelier is in the center of the library and illuminates the whole library with cheerful golden light. Circular, redwood tables and comfortable velvet chairs are arranged neatly near the windows - the library’s final touch being isles of redwood bookshelves with neatly arranged, leather bound books and scrolls. The redwood makes the library smell very pleasant instead of the usual reek of old books. Valuable volumes gathered by the clan throughout the centuries, as well as journals by watchful clan members documenting other clans are found here.

A great stained glass window is in the heart of the other stained glass windows, which is clearly observed from the moment one enters the library. It is of the clan insignia, a silvery phoenix - the great magpie of the North - floating above a pale-purple lotus flower. When the chandelier is not lit, the morning or afternoon light streaming through the window illuminates the library with pale, beautiful silvery light through the filtering panes of the glass. The light holds no warmth, but is truly beautiful. At nighttime, the moonlight pooling liquid silver transforms the library truly into an otherworldly scene. Older clansmen sometimes like to sit here in the evenings.

Access to the restricted section is through a false bookcase in the back.

Armory (2nd floor, N. Eastern Section)
The armory of the Fubuki clan holds not only weapons of all sorts and types but shinobi armor as well. There are also practice instruments, such as bokkens for those just starting out.

Blacksmith’s Guild (2nd floor, S. Eastern Section)
Living up to the crafting legacy of their ancestors, a small guild made of clansmen is set within the castle itself. The workroom is well provided, with more than enough space and holds sixteen anvils and four great furnaces as well as many, many sets of tools. In the old days, when the Fubuki noble family was in better relationship with the main village, friends or teachers would often take their friends or students to the estate, to learn crafting from the older clansmen experienced in the art. Nowadays, it’s just the youngsters of the family learning. After the crafting part, they temper the blades with their famous "Cold Cutting Technique" to create resilient weapons that better channel chakra.

Underground Pathways

Sacred Grove (the Cave of Origin)
The greatest of the underground limestone caverns is a beautiful cavern of ice with a lake of underground water. No matter how cold it is, the water never freezes. In the center of the lake, trapped in a pillar of ice, is the clan’s treasured sword: Sei’on. Do not be fooled though, both the water and the ice encasing the sword has a Fuu on it that freezes whatever that touches it.

Clan Division: The clan is divided into thirteen sects, six main family sects, six branch family sects, and one head family sect. Most of the branch family sects were wiped out during the escape attempt and remaining main family numbers also dropped, mostly due to the water Master (Mistress) capturing them for torture and interrogation. The extremely weak and elderly were spared, as well as some children whom the Water Master did not consider a threat.

Lunarius is the head family; with the other twelve sects following in descending order by the months of the Calendar. They are Janus, Phebrus, Marruchi, Abrilier, Mayu, and Junus of the main family and Julius, Augustus, Celepta, Orpheus, Novem, and Decem of the cadet branch.

Blood Purity: The main family (along with the head family) is composed only of the pureblood members and descendants of the original six sects that made up the main branch while the branch family holds the halfblood as well as descendants of the original six sects that made up the cadet branch.

Population: Before the tragedy, the clan was fairly large, numbering more than five hundred people. Afterwards, including the persecution that followed, their numbers dropped drastically. Including the surviving ones in jail and the spared only roughly twenty healthy young Fubukis are alive (discounting the elderly). In many ways, this Hyouton bloodlimit is in danger of extinction, though scattered remnants of Fubuki exist outside of Kiri. For a considerable while during the final years of Mistress' reign, besides a few of the most elderly Fubukis, only the main family princess Hatsuyuki, her brother Koyuki, and Kira were among the few notable young ones whom still resided in their ancestral estate.

Due to current circumstances, with the return of the clan elders and their accusation of the princess’s betrayal, Kira and some other branch family servants looks for a place Hatsuyuki can live safely until she becomes a full-fledged shinobi (and thus can face off against the clan elders without problems). However, it seemed the power struggle had mitigated, at least enough so that the assassination attempts have stopped seeing as the Fubuki Council is most pleased that the clansmen residing elsewhere in the world also have begun gradually returning to their ancestral home. The clan is populating - slowly but surely - once again.

Their current numbers are around fifty, but Fubuki refused to submit an official census to Kiri.

Current Status: All survivors of the escape attempt were promptly tortured for interrogation by the Water Master, resulting in many committing suicide. As a result, all prominent main family members and clan elders were thrown into jail. The elders and main family leaders chose to kill themselves rather than reveal Fubuki secrets while there were some whom endured the torture. The few remaining that weren’t thrown into jail and were allowed to stay in the compound suffered severe ridicule by Kiri villagers for their clan’s "foolish" decision and for "trying to be noble" to resist the terrifying monster who was the Water Master.

Though it was reported that all of the head family was killed in the escape attempt, there were rumors circulating that the young heir and his mother’s bodies weren’t found at the scene of the tragedy. Even to this day the clan endures this hope to find him.

Fubuki Hatsuyuki, Shinratsu’s fiancée, ransomed with Mistress for the release of captive clansmen. In return, the Fubuki clan will renew their traditional vow, but this time to Kirigakure instead of the former Mizukage’s family line, thus serving the village’s interests. In an indirect way, her words meant giving Mistress their loyalty in return for their lives. Much controversy would be over this, and later, what remains of the clan as well as the village itself after its restoration from Mistress' tyranny would accuse Hatsuyuki of treachery. However, this latter factor seems to be mitigated as Kirigakure no Sato is currently not ruled by a Mizukage but by the High Council.

The intended trail of the princess never happened as the descendants of the "lost ones" (the descendants of those that never came to Kiri with the main family) have joined the others in their ancestral home. Pleased at the prospect that rebuilding may be a possibility - also that Mistress is dead, anyways - the Fubuki Council now focuses on greater goals.

Head family (Lunarius):
Fubuki Shinratsu [ProtoXtreme] | Lunarius | Status: Fled
Fubuki Haruka [Rin Kairiu] | Lunarius | Status: Current Amekage

Main family (Janus - Junus):
Fubuki Hatsuyuki-hime [ProtoXtreme] | Janus | Status: Residing
Fubuki Koyuki [ProtoXtreme] | Janus | Status: Residing
Fubuki Tenshi [Exodus Revel] | Janus | Status: Residing
Fubuki Nero [SK Loda] | Phebrus | Status: Residing

Branch Family (Julius - Decembrus):
Fubuki Kira [ProtoXtreme] | Julius | Status: Residing
Fubuki Rittou [NPC Chuunin] | Julius | Status: Residing
Fubuki Shotou [NPC Jounin] | Augustus | Status: Residing
Fubuki Yokan [NPC Jounin] | Augustus | Status: Residing
Fubuki Arya [ProtoXtreme] | Decembrus | Status: Accompanies Takikage Michiyo Nakamura

Clan Index: Go visit the Master Clan Directory subforum.

Stature: Nobility. A very powerful, ancient family of Kiri.

Financial/Political: While some of the clan are hailed for their talents in the crafting arts (particularly weapon forging), the Fubuki nobility are most well-known for being the most deadly offensive family within the Sentry Order and as well as Ninjutsu masters of high caliber and traditionally invited to be a part of the reigning Mizukage’s personal guard. Of course they do many other things too, such as selling traditional paintings and crafts, as well as copying books and ancient documents. In fact, next to the gypsies, they are another invaluable source safekeeping Kirigakure no Sato's "lost" history.

Dress Code/Speech Patterns/Clan Etiquette: Clan formal dress is the elaborate garb of imperial China (the hanfu). They are usually seen wearing formal robes though would take to shinobi wear when necessary (such as most occasions of visiting the main village or for matters such as mission-taking). Otherwise, they would not degrade themselves to wearing the common garb of the plebeian. They speak highly formally, most famously the "clan speech" used for vows and pledges - for them language is poetry and an art - and refer to others near always politely by honorifics, though of noticeably distinguishable ranks. They are a very proud people, honor and respect plays a large role in this noble family’s behavior.

Children's Dress:
Male
Female

Adult Dress:
Male
Female

Languages: Chinese (Mandarin) is their native tongue, though they have mastered Japanese to stay in communication with the main village of Kiri. Aside from that, they also study many other languages for communication with the western shinobi nations: classical Latin, German, and English. They also study Hindi. The Fubuki are easily one of the most scholarly families around, perhaps matched only by the Hyuuga or Senju in Konoha.

Clan Status: Accepting well-written applications. Face deletion if not active.

Nero sighed. "Inori...you should think more before you do stuff..." He said, shaking his head slightly. Thinking about it, if Nero had been a younger Fubuki, who had never used the library, Inori could freeze to death.

Nero groaned and beckoned with his hand to a path leading to a large, snow covered building. "Follow me." He said, walking towards it.

Though the building was almost always visible due to the size of it, it was dark, and the trail was winding. The Fubuki compound was one of the more complex, and harder to maneuver through without trouble. They walked for about 10 minutes or so, through the blistering cold. Inori didn't seem to be phased by it much. He was stronger than he appeared, a trait Nero immediately made a mental note of.

"Also....way to be subtle man..." Nero said, sarcastically, provoking a slight glare from Inori. He laughed a bit, and pushed open the doors to the library. It was huge. He showed Inori around, then headed over to the velvet chairs, which were much more comfortable than those of the Kirigakure library, and the fireplace kept the large room cozy, even though it was below zero with wind outside.

Nero got up for a moment, and picked up two book. They were copies of the same book. A book which was titled: "Fundamentals of Ninjutsu, Vol. 1, The Basics." And he opened it up, following the instructions the book said. He didn't know any hand signs, or any jutsu, but he knew he had chakra, supposedly a good amount of it.

He began to work at it, feeling his chakra course through sometimes, and other times he couldn't feel it at all. Not to mention he had to be able to do them quickly, and some, such as horse, were hard to do slowly, let alone fast enough to be used in a combat situation.

"This is going to be fun...not." He said, opening the book. The amount of text on the page was incredible. The font size was so small, and there were so many words instructing the user on exactly what to do, and exactly how it should feel. Nero's eyes couldn't help but twitch slightly at the sight of how much he was going to have to do for the skill he wanted.

Given, the skill he was trying to learn was invaluable, and he decided he better get to work. He handed Inori a copy and began to make shapes with his hands, finding it awkward and slightly difficult.

Now I know why people do taijutsu...they don't have to do any of this worthless stuff...maybe...no. Absolutely not. Ninjutsu is the only way, I might as well get started. He thought to himself, as he began to read.

Learning Handseals!
Skipping class only caused Nero and Inori to have to learn it without help from a teacher. Not a problem though. The Fubuki library has a copy of a book perfect for them. Learn the 12 handseals and get them down to a science!

Bird: Tori
Boar: Ousu-buta
Dog: Inu
Dragon: Ryu
Rabbit: Usagi
Horse: Uma
Ox: O-ushi
Monkey: Saru
Ram: O-hitsuji
Rat: Nezumi
Snake: Hebi
Tiger: Tora

DC: 10
Formula: 1d20 [] + Int mod. [1] =
Successes: 0/12

Theme: A Semblance of Peace

He accepted the tome with a measure of grace from Nero. Emerald eyes were half-lowered, growing heavily lidded as he first observed the catalog on the spine of the volume. The earlier expedition at the library, unexpectedly, gave him insight as to how shinobi arrange their books. It appears though that Fubuki had a variant method of organization: judging by that abbreviation, he thought he recognized it as part of the kanji for fundamentals. Then, the Fubuki probably divide Fundamental volumes and scrolls out, while leaving the more advanced volumes elsewhere.

"It's not supposed to be." Commented Inori serenely. "Reading isn't fun until you put it to work." That was true, it was only something he learned on his own after numerous private lessons. That was also the reason why he scorned mundane education, because it wasn't so much hands-on as a teacher shoving the lesson to the students and hoping they would get it right. Utter ridiculousness, such a cultural stasis was. Why even bother going to classes then when on one's own one can accomplish the same things?

His eyes scanned down the volume for the pages where handseals are covered. Then, his fingers leafed through the book, searching for the right index. There it was then, he saw it, a chart with all twelve seals. As this book was a volume for beginners, after flipping one page past the chart, there were large close-ups of each of the seals. Inori continued on past them, musing to himself how these seals were the same animals of the zodiac, before he finally arrived at a page that described the origins of the rat seal.

Oh? How interesting, maybe he'll even learn a few things most shinobi don't commonly know. Thought Inori, with a musing glance at Nero, who was only leafing through the large portraits of the twelve seals.

Well then, time to figure this out.

A Matter of Pride
On a quest to conquer the Academy! Inori is adamant to learn the handseals on his own, but is such a thought really wise? Or possible, even?

Bird: Tori
Boar: Ousu-buta
Dog: Inu
Dragon: Ryu
Rabbit: Usagi
Horse: Uma
Ox: O-ushi
Monkey: Saru
Ram: O-hitsuji
Rat: Nezumi
Snake: Hebi
Tiger: Tora

DC: 14
Formula: 1d20 + 0 [Int mod.]
Successes: 0/12

Theme: A Semblance of Peace

He formed the Ne seal a couple of times, just to make sure he got it down correctly. A part of him wondered how shinobi could, well, deal with this kind of seal-forming in battle. Won't it be very troublesome, not to mention inconvenient? From what he saw of the composite chart, it seemed all the seals required some kind of extremely uncomfortable position for the hands. Inori's brows furrowed together, already feeling that he was rather fulfilling Nero's prediction that he probably wouldn't like Ninjutsu very much. But ah, that wasn't quite true, wasn't it? The book did mention many of the fields require seals at some point.

The next seal that was up on the learning list was Ushi, the seal of the Ox. A small smirk played on Inori's lips, curiously noting to himself how the pinky and thumb did resemble the horns of a real ox. With surprising ease, he tucked the rest of the fingers in, and looked at his hands for a long hard moment to determine it was a perfect replica of the enlargened image in the book. With that determination complete, he slipped his hands away from each other. He attempted the Ox seal a few times just for confirmation purposes, correcting mistakes when he saw one, and repeating until he could form it three times consequentially without error. To the earlier thought of the speed issue, he supposed he could work on it later.

A Matter of Pride
On a quest to conquer the Academy! Inori is adamant to learn the handseals on his own, but is such a thought really wise? Or possible, even?

Bird: Tori
Boar: Ousu-buta
Dog: Inu
Dragon: Ryu
Rabbit: Usagi
Horse: Uma
Ox: O-ushi
Monkey: Saru
Ram: O-hitsuji
Rat: Nezumi
Snake: Hebi
Tiger: Tora

DC: 14
Formula: 1d20 [19] + 0 [Int mod.]
Successes: 2/12

Theme: A Semblance of Peace

He must've looked rather frustrated, for at that moment another Fubuki passing their desk looked at him oddly. The young girl seemed to debate for a long moment as she had already walked past their table, but then retracing her footsteps, she greeted the guest.

"Hello."

As it was courtesy when in another's house, Inori immediately looked up from his book, and greeted her in return: "Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you."

A smile tugged on the snowy-haired girl's lips.

"Nero-nii-chan doesn't often bring friends home."

Inori tilted his head aside in mild surprise.

"Is he your brother?"

"Nope." Replied the child cheerily. "He's main branch. I'm from branch house."

To be honest, Inori didn't know what to say.

"Oh."

The child pointed to his book.

"Are you having trouble, nii-san?"

Inori flushed a little at her question.

"It's ok." Soothed the child. "If you are wondering, Tora's back has the fingers crossed - grandpa says so. It helps bridge the chakra from both sides of the body then. Basically, fire chakra taken from the left side is for ignition, while the right side's fire chakra adds to the Jutsu's power."

Inori looked thoughtful.

"I see. So chakra basically replaces normal ignition tools. Then, the left side's chakra creates a "spark" to ignite the flames?"

"What's ignition tools, nii-san?"

Inori shook his head.

"Oh, no. Nothing." He replied with a faint smile. Interesting, so that was the Tora seal... And like the Ox being associated with lightning techniques, the Tiger seal was for fire techniques. But then, what did the book mean about the Rat seal?

"Hey..." Called Inori after the little girl, as she began to walk away. Immediately, she trotted back.

"Onii-san need something else?"

Inori quickly flipped back to the page about the Rat seal, and pointed to the line on Yang chakra.

"What's this?"

The girl shrugged.

"Dunno. Grandpa just says its hard to explain, and all I got to know now is that it makes Jutsus strong."

It was then an older girl walked from one of the nearby isles.

"Correct, in essence." Affirmed a familiar voice. It was Hatsuyuki, and her eyes seemed contemplative as she regarded the smaller Fubuki child. "However, the degree to which we shinobi can manipulate yang energies is very...very limited."

A Matter of Pride
On a quest to conquer the Academy! Inori is adamant to learn the handseals on his own, but is such a thought really wise? Or possible, even?

Bird: Tori
Boar: Ousu-buta
Dog: Inu
Dragon: Ryu
Rabbit: Usagi
Horse: Uma
Ox: O-ushi
Monkey: Saru
Ram: O-hitsuji
Rat: Nezumi
Snake: Hebi
Tiger: Tora

DC: 14
Formula: 1d20 [18] + 0 [Int mod.]
Successes: 3/12

Inori must have been rubbing off on Nero, as he was getting some of his headstrong attitude. He was determined to learn them on his own. He didn't need anybody else to help him.

He looked up and saw Inori. He grinned, then got back to work, there was many to be done, he had only gotten two handseals done and learned, out of 12. He had to keep working. He had to get this done fast, he wanted to learn the blood-limits. The right of passage of learning the bloodline powers of the Fubuki was coming up soon, and he didn't want to learn them then....he wanted them learned by then.

He continued to try, as hard as he ever had, trying to get this done. However, he listened to the conversation learning some new things about the handseals. He tried the new things they had been talking about, and it seemingly made it easier for Nero.

(+1 To Nero's next roll)

Learning Handseals!
Skipping class only caused Nero and Inori to have to learn it without help from a teacher. Not a problem though. The Fubuki library has a copy of a book perfect for them. Learn the 12 handseals and get them down to a science!

Bird: Tori
Boar: Ousu-buta
Dog: Inu
Dragon: Ryu
Rabbit: Usagi
Horse: Uma
Ox: O-ushi
Monkey: Saru
Ram: O-hitsuji
Rat: Nezumi
Snake: Hebi
Tiger: Tora

DC: 10
Formula: 1d20 [14] + Int mod. [1] = 15
Successes: 2/12

Theme: A Semblance of Peace

The princess had settled for watching as Inori took to examining the next seal, Usagi, the Rabbit. Despite her close proximity, he didn't appear in any way troubled, merely continued on to examining the next seal in the sequence. Like the Tora seal, his brow furrowed noticing that the U-seal was in no matter way visible as to how the back should look. He looked aside to the Fubuki princess, noticing a teasing smile playing on her lips, and then he thought to himself. Didn't the small child from earlier mention something? That the Tora's seal had the thumbs hidden in the back placed over each other because it helped better the chakra flow that was expelled.

Slowly, surely he pressed the thumb of his left hand onto the hidden middle finger of his right. He tucked the four finger more out of visibility, beneath the fold of skin in the left hand between the thumb and index fingers. Finally, he rested the edge of his right palm over the left's thumb for support below. Then, naturally, the back would only have the curled in right index finger extend enough to support the thumb. Like the "hunch" of a rabbit when it was curled up.

The approving smile on Hatsuyuki's face told him he had gotten it correct.

A Matter of Pride
On a quest to conquer the Academy! Inori is adamant to learn the handseals on his own, but is such a thought really wise? Or possible, even?

Bird: Tori
Boar: Ousu-buta
Dog: Inu
Dragon: Ryu
Rabbit: Usagi
Horse: Uma
Ox: O-ushi
Monkey: Saru
Ram: O-hitsuji
Rat: Nezumi
Snake: Hebi
Tiger: Tora

DC: 14
Formula: 1d20 [15] + 0 [Int mod.]
Successes: 4/12