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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
19
Total: 19 (1-20)
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 Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:13 pm
No...it would've been wrong for him to claim he did not envy his teammates, perhaps he even envied Cronos... And speaking of which...why, why was he like that? Wasn't Cronos too the heir to a shinobi line? Why was...why could the other so easily befriend...a warm presence...a warming existence...while he himself... And not just Cronos...Shizuka too, though her mother was ill, loved her dearly...and the young Henka kunoichi also had a caring sister... And the motherly affection Keiko treated Rai with...the fatherly way Giglamesh had watched out for the other... He...felt like an intruder to that closeness...
To be honest, he indeed do have insecurities of being part of a squad...being part of Gig's family...even being part of Iwa... Shin had always preferred to do things alone, by himself and no his own ability, rather than rely on others... And of course, it made him nervous...seeing Zephyr's interaction with his own former squad...an...familial kind of relationship... Keiko teaching him, as a mother would... Mother... Shin clutched at his head suddenly, shaking the sudden resurgence of unwelcome memories of his past.
He was glad he had a family again... He didn't want a family.
He loved Iwa, or at the least was content... He hated Iwa, because it pushed on him the type of relationships he had wanted to forget forever...
He was proud to be a shinobi, to serve his village to the best of his abilities... But Iwa was not his...
The conflicting sides, how he despised them! There would have been nothing better that Shin would've desired at this moment but to scream. One part of him wanted to hate the other members of squad 13, he wanted to tell them he wanted to be alone, that he didn't need their pity... That he didn't want to forgive the people he had, in a moment of hysteria, told his crimes too...Giglamesh...
Yet, however he loathed it, he grudgingly was grateful to the gradual healing of old scars... Or rather the healing of old scars, but the dealing of new ones... He didn't want any kind of relationships, he really didn't!
I am...frightened...
Hp: 12/22
Cp: 7/29
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 1/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:14 pm
Once again, he lashed at the final pillar with a loosely bridled fury. Seals...were almost meaningless to him now... Hyouton, to him, like the branding curse it was... Shinratsu's eyes closed half-way. Had he expected it to be anything else, anyways? Knowing full well the unfortunate fate of that legendary Hyouton figure who came from Kiri...from Rokudaime Hokage's perspective, his reminiscences before his death... From the beginning, Hyouton had been a curse... Heh. He was such an idiot... To think he could escape from that curse... But...why does her face show up...? The raven-haired Hyouton princess of his clan, his fiancee Hatsuyuki. The words that she had said to him long ago quickly returned.
I do not care what the Elders say... Her face was stained with tears that day. I do not care if my chakra system is damaged, I'll become a shinobi...even if just to spite their words! And her had told her dispassionately: And what's stopping you...? If you want to become a shinobi so badly, many more fields other than Ninjutsu existed... Yet, even though the girl had agreed to research the Genjutsu and Fuuin technique fields... Shinratsu had saw her studying at ungodly hours...poring over Ninjutsu scrolls...
She hadn't given up, even knowing that path was doomed...why...but why bother...? When he had asked her that, Hatsuyuki only answered with a simple smile. 'Because you made Hyouton beautiful.' Were her words that day. Shin didn't understand.
Hp: 12/22
Cp: 0/29
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:07 pm
Hp: 13/22
Cp: 1/29
Looking back, it was a wonder where she had obtained such strength of spirit from... What would it have been like, if he had was in her place instead? Shinratsu mused quietly to himself. As the clan heir, he always found acceptance, always been praised... But Hatsuyuki...even though she was kept caged, no matter how much her spirit was trampled upon...like the caged bird who still dreams of one day flying free, she stood strong, and did not allow herself to break. If he had been in her place... Would he have broke long ago? Only a thin line, after all, is drawn between sanity and insanity... And since he had left Kiri...it had been a downwards spiral...but that spiral seemed to have met an obstruction...
It wasn't gone certainly, the darker side of him is proof to that. Yet, the light within him is not extinguished... Being with his teammates and his new family...brought a sense of... Comfort? Relief? ...joy...?
---
Hp: 14/22
Cp: 2/29
Giglamesh...he and his family... Did they take Shin in because of pity? His pride rebelled, grudging the thought. No. It would be unfair of him to say that... But what is Giglamesh's reason...? Sensei is happily married and has a loving family... He was intruding...
And Iwa...what did Iwa mean to him? It wasn't his birthplace, and Shin wasn't sure yet of calling it home... As a shinobi of Iwa, he is expected to give his all to this village, even defending it with his life... But...would he want to give this village everything? What...would be the worth of protecting this place...? Faces found their way into his mind. Shizuka. Rai. Keiko who was so kind to him, little Maiyuri pulling at his hair... Even that brute, Gig. If the village...if there was no motivation for protecting the edifice of Iwa itself...the connection he feels to this place was not built on the blood and ashes of ancestors...but on his relationship with the people he meets each and every day...
His treasure.
---
Hp: 15/22
Cp: 3/29
His eyes widened slightly. Little by little...had...the memories of Kiri began to hurt less? He glanced over his shoulder at the pillar, the last one...that stood in way of his success. His expression was expectant, as if looking for confirmation the other Shin smiling cruelly would be right there...whispering that it was because of him, that he's alive...
I'll destroy it. Shinratsu's pale blue-gray eyes narrowed, the colour become steely. Until this day... Until this day, he had relied on that darkness to survive. He...letting his mind be eating by itself... That is absolutely inexcusable. A cold presence behind him, and icy fingers reached to enclose themselves around his throat... “Hey.” Shin spoke aloud. “I won’t be handing my body over any time soon...so...” His expression grew harsh. “I don’t need you. Get lost.” As he glanced back over his shoulder again, Shinratsu thought he saw the faintest trace of the coldest sneer lingering in the air...
---
Hp: 16/22
Cp: 4/29
For now then. Let’s see how long that resolution of yours last. And this time, Shin found himself able to smile...a confident smile. “Watch as you like. However, remember...” His voice trailed off. “I have people I want to protect.” Oh? And what if all those you love die again, once more? “Here’s where you are mistaken...all those I love are already dead. Those I have met in Iwa...” They do not replace the ones I have lost but... “In order not to lose them, I will become stronger.” A pause. “Now, go away. You’re hampering the progress of my training.” The illusion shattered...
It would be a longer moment until Shin breathed a sigh of relief.
---
Hp: 14/22
Cp: 5/29
To think that even now, he could find strength in the magnitude of her faith... But it was risky, he well knew that...to place the reason as the people of Iwa he now is inextricably bound by affinity. What if he indeed was to lose them again? A cold feeling crawled into his stomach. He might really lose his sanity this time around... His fists clenched. Being so weak, needing protection himself... He can’t protect anyone like this. And...and what if that day comes, the day when the Squad would need to end the life of another, and Giglamesh is there to deliver the killing blow? He held his hands forth, expression growing melancholy. His hands were already stained by innocent blood... Rai puts up a strong front, and Shizuka... But if he could help it...for as long as he could then...he...he doesn’t want them to have their hands stained.
The words of the renegade shinobi returned to haunt him: shinobi are only tools, nothing more...and like dogs, by the whim of the state, even their very existence will be blown out...like the dimming light of a candle, until extinguishment... A sad smile carved his lips. He wondered if Shizuka and Rai understood...what it meant to take a life... The weight of killing another human being after all, is heavy...
Heavy enough to crush a person.
---
Hp: 18/22
Cp: 6/29
Something precious... Was that what it was like, to hold such a feeling in his heart? His memory shifted to a few years ago, when he was younger. Shin had asked his mother...when would he know what it was like, to have something precious... And...back then, he couldn’t understand the tender expression that came to her face... She had told him, to have something precious was like holding water in his hands...and to open his fingers, would mean losing them forever... Why? Why, why hadn’t he understood, how much his family actually meant to him...until after losing them, the cold reality that had suddenly washed over his entire soul?
His mother had meant him that time... She had feared her son was losing his innocence too quickly...certainly they were from a noble-blood shinobi clan...but was it really necessary to make childhood die so young? And it had hurt her, each day watching his expression growing a little colder, mind becoming more calculating... And when she had died...one spell had ended: tears that had disappeared returned, falling cold as drops of ice... She had died to protect him...
---
Hp: 19/22
Cp: 7/29
Sometimes, thinking back...it makes him wonder...how would he die? A brutal death like his father, or a cruel prolonged one like his mother? To be honest, it mattered little to him, dying old or young... But, if he could help it, if he could...he would like to prefer to die without regrets. He would...prefer the ones he would be protecting to be safe... Huh? Protect...? Since when had he wanted to die protecting the people dear to him... Until now, it had all been for revenge...to obliterate that monster, as Perseus had separated the Gorgon's head from her body...
Time...is a strange teacher. The young Hyouton prince mused. The best teacher, even perhaps...except...that it kills all its pupils. It was interesting, to say the least...to remember the path he had come so far, and looking forward to watching the path he will go... And time...really makes the lives of older shinobis seem something akin to fantastic chronicles. Looking into the Konoha shinobis’ eyes, he had known...here were shinobi who had lived through many years, many battles, many losses, joys, and triumphs... Who would have known, except for through those battle-hardened eyes... How would his own eyes look? The wind combed gently through his pale hair.
It would not be the innocent brilliant golden eyes of Mimei...yet, nor will it be wholly void. The eyes of a child haunted by loss surely...but slowly, surely...that child was finding healing...
---
Hp: 20/22
Cp: 8/29
This attachment...in some manners, it was almost a frightening thought. He would prefer for his teammates to be safe, but...he was frightened...that if he allowed them too close, if he opened his heart too much, that he would be hurt again... Hmph. He shouldn’t really accuse Shizuka and Rai of pretending to be strong...it would be too hypocritical of him. While he himself could not decide what he truly wanted... Shin knew very well he could not keep acting erratic forever...and indeed instable as he was now, despite desiring companionship to some degree...just as violently pushed them away...
And the only reason others believed him to be strong...even in his younger days, it had been because he was a bloodlimit holder. It had been because he came from an actual shinobi clan's lineage... Yet, Shin knew better...that common misconception was almost scoffing... Hyouton wasn’t something created venerating power power...rather, like the very nature of its deadly beauty, the beauty of winter was something transient...something fragile, like that of those flowers of ice that melts so quickly...or like that of glass that could shatter in a moment...
---
Hp: 21/22
Cp: 9/29
The fragmented puzzle pieces of his life...as he gradually fitted them together, one by one... Where will this twisted fairy tale lead? And, the current pieces...Shin couldn’t say that he quite understood them. His mother’s words...of how holding something precious close to his heart, was like cupping life-water in his hands... So precious, yet...a cruelly ephemeral reality. For, like water held in his hands, if he was even careless enough to open his fingers slightly... For him to always stand closely on guard, so as not to let that precious water slip pass his fingers...or otherwise, taste the despair that follows...but for how long can he keep that water cupped in his hands? Life right now in Iwa...it was peaceful...but for how long will that remain so? A part of him despite knowing that it shall not be so, deeply wished that if this, be a dream or reality, will not end...
---
Hp: 22/22
Cp: 10/29
A soft sigh escaped his lips. It was depressing him...the mere knowledge, however true he knew it would be, that his currently peaceful life shall not remain so. In many aspects...did he perhaps dread the day when they would have to take Chuunin exams? There will be deaths without a doubt and it was very possible his own teammates may be among the casualties. The thought disconcerted him... He will have to one day see people dying before him again...
Subconsciously, he very well knew, very well understand that... But why, if that was so...why did his heart hurt so much, at that little piece of knowledge? Shin casted a glance at his teammates, both deeply occupied with their own training. Only one realization floated into his mind: He hadn't wanted this...he didn't want people to get too close to him again...
Because losing all he had loved once more would be unbearably painful...
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Cp: 11/29
But he shouldn't dawdle. After all, he promised Keiko to cook with her later today... And strangely enough, he would like to do it. Shin had never cooked with his own mother before...it wasn't customary, besides being unnecessary. The branch servants would do the cooking and cleaning...and his mother herself...as a woman, she was a figurehead, the decorative brooch of her husband...the idol on the pedestal for her clan and family... Yet, so...uncultured...a passing time seemed actually appealing...as if some part within him found that, in a normal family, this would've been so...
Really, sometimes...Shin wished that he didn't have to be born into a shinobi clan or even a shinobi family. Civilians were idiots not to realize such a blessing...envying only the powers the shinobi world possessed... Power... Mused Shin. Always have a price. And very few would be desperate enough as that doctor Feist who sold his soul to the devil...
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Cp: 12/29
Slowly, Shin ungloved his right hand. To be honest, he didn't need chakra suppressants on both hands, but...seeing what happened during that last mission...this was a wise precaution. Besides that, when his kekkai genkai develops...the acquisition of one particular ability later on will be especially troublesome, as it is not controllable. It was an unhappy thought, that not only was he completed robbed of the sense of touch, but he also won't even be able to hold things without involuntary freezing them...of course, if he was careless, in the worst case scenario land himself in the hospital for accidentally draining his chakra reservoir...
Shin's mind flickered. A seal. That's what he'll need. A controllable seal so that he'll be able to control the gradual unlocking of his bloodlimit. Perhaps he should check out Fuuinjutsu at the library later...who knows, the damned subject might even save his life one day.
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Cp: 13/29
There were only a few unfortunate inconveniencies with the topic. Firstly, the major village that is most famous for their Fuuin techniques was Konoha. Well, as much as Shin would've liked to see Konoha's books on Fuuinjutsu...right now, that's not possible because Mistress' buddy was in Konoha... Alright, he could ask the Konoha refugees, that's true...but like...firstly, they probably had to leave pretty quickly. It would be physically impossible to locate, store, and transport all the documents, even if only the most important ones... Secondly, why the heck will they show it to him? Even Yokou would be suspicious if he suddenly started asking about the topic... And what was he supposed to tell her? That he needed a seal because he couldn't quite exactly control his bloodlimit? No thank you!
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Cp: 14/29
This was taking forever... He wanted to finish soon, so that he could go to the Winter Festival. This morning, as they were leaving Iwa, Shinratsu glimpsed cheerful villagers setting up food stands and such, some busy with the decorations, others with preparing little games and all... Wait, wait...what was he saying? Who cares about a festival... A slight pout tried to manifest on his features, but Shin suppressed it, and it turned into a frown. But it will be nice... It would be nice, to see a bit of cheer in a dark and long year. A moment's pause. Shin casted his eyes upwards to the sky.
Had a year truly passed by, so quickly...? A year. He had been in Iwa for a whole year now. The journey, the steps he took to this point...it was almost astounding to think... He'll had been alone when the villagers first rescued him...and though they had helped him recover from the fever (along with the fever, also his Hyouton limit threatening to run rampant)...yet...he had repaid them with cold suspicion.
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Cp: 15/29
It had honestly been strange... Generally, it would've been very difficult for a non-native born shinobi child, especially one who had been "claimed" from birth by their native village as a limit holder... Shin frowned, casting his gaze down as his gauntleted hands. What...what had been the previous Taida Kage's reason? Pity? Or...no... Shin made up his mind. He shouldn't be so careless in Iwa... He was almost certain letting him into their village Academy in the first place had been a purely political maneuver. After all, it would've made sense...to take advantage of the situation and gain another kekkai genkai into the village's treasure trove...
But...but...Iwa didn't have anything to gain from Konoha...right...? Alright, certainly there was the possibility of a new trading partner once the renegade troope were reinstated...however, even so, an alliance breaking the six century year old distrust between the two great powers is still far away... And here there were Konoha children attending the Academy, he had seen a child of Yokou's clan arrive at the building early in the morning for classes... Wait...Yokou teaching him...could her choice not really have been her own...?
Or, to repay partly the debt to their host village's generosity...
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Cp: 16/29
His eyes grew heavy, and Shin's right hand involuntarily clutched at his other gauntlet, grip tightening... Even Roy willing to retest him, was that too only a political move...? A frown carved his lips...as much as Shin wanted to push the thought aside...he didn't like it. No, that was an understatement. He despised the thought. His position was certain...he agreed to be a weapon for Iwa, he agreed to let them use him. But what about those Konoha folks? They're idiots...
Do they not understand too, that they're being used...? Why, why prolong the stay? Certainly, if they wanted to, they could leave anytime now... The rumors were flying - growing stronger by the day: that the Fire Master who had usurped the throne in Konoha was dead. And a quieter rumor, that Hokage he had seen only once...Fukushima Akane...there were rumors Lord Akane had abandoned his people. But, that couldn't have possibly been the reason.
Konoha was careful, they would not have allowed such a secret to leak so carelessly, if indeed the event had been recent. So...they must have picked a new leader already. Shin's mind wandered. Who could it be...? A Sannin, probably. Yokou perhaps? If she was the new Hokage, her approach to him would've made sense... Yet, somehow, the thought nagged at his mind. He couldn't imagine that the Hyuuga queen was their new leader...
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Cp: 17/29
The more Shin toyed with the idea, the more ludicrous it seemed. At first glance, it would seemed to have made sense...the Hyuuga head of family was one of the most powerful among their ranks. However, Yokou had dropped hints very clearly that she was a single field master. Her medical prowess, while true, could be considered another field...but it wasn't an offensive school. It was an interesting idea anyways, how the Kages are picked. Shin's mind wandered to an ancient book he had read when he was little...
A Kage's duty was to protect his/her village, even if at the cost of their life. But, Hyuuga clan's Juuken school focuses on singular offense and defense...and medical techniques...while useful, in the face of large-scale destruction would be rendered obsolete... Shizuka's words returned to haunt his mind. A small grin suddenly carved his lips.
Oh. He thinks he know who was chosen...
---
Cp: 18/29
...why indeed...who would've been a better choice, than to choose the descendant of the founding Kage? One of the few limits recognized as "god house"...the gift of bestowing life to nature and commanding it. Truly, Mokouton limit was something magnificent... So different from his own. Echoed the words into his mind. The Senju clan can create, they can make a fruitless area blossom...but his limit, this Hyouton Creation...by natural law, he can only destroy...and take away life itself...
If Zephyr was the new Kage, he probably recognizes his position now...Konoha's position residing any longer here in Iwa... And that would explain why Zephyr would unhappily confront Yokou... Had the Hyuuga queen acted of her own accord, then? To be honest...the thought cheered Shinratsu up. If she had not approached him calculatingly... Ah. What was he saying? He was being an idiot again.
She was a shinobi. A shinobi of glaring rank and status, a woman who had lived much longer than he... Getting sentimental is most foolish. She was not his mother, no matter how kindly the Hyuuga queen had been towards him. She was not even his sensei... She was...
Come. Submit to the Hyuuga clan, and I shall teach you our secrets... Yokou's quiet voice came to mind. I will help you survive the curse of your limit.
He closed his eyes, long pale lashes brushing gently against his cheek. If she had meant as she had said... A benefactor. Like Saphira the goddess-deity of the northern tundra, who leads the stranded to safety. A goddess? Heh...
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Cp: 19/29
Yes...that's right. Perhaps he shouldn't be so suspicious. From beneath his robes, he pulled out the white-gold locket. Ah. Was it just imagined or was...the locket warm...? A small smile crossed his lips, just a gentle expression... There doesn't always have to be a reason for everything. Giglamesh didn't have to take him in. Keiko...she didn't have to offer to teach him cooking... Yet still, yet still...in the midst of all that had passed and gone in this year...he had found acceptance.
Startled, Shin realized how much his worldview had changed in the course of the year... He no longer so himself as the sole person in his world, rejecting all else. Gradually, little by little, he was...opening up... And the one who had begun it all...
Hey! What's your name?
A veinpop appeared suddenly on Shin's temple. He scowled. You got to be kidding...
---
Cp: 20/29
However, as much as he hated to admit it. The first person here in Iwa besides the upper ranks who questioned him (during his initial entry) was...that annoying orange furball. Alright. Maybe that wasn't all that accurate a description. Maybe it wasn't even all that fair. However, it had been...irritating. A lower born noble who dared to speak to him... However, as grudgingly as the Academy semester progressed...with Cronos, came Shizuka and Meimei. Oh, and there was Gig and Keiko too. At first, Keiko didn't leave all that much of an impression...but Gig was determined to make his presence - heh - impact, known.
As rough as it had been...the Academy was almost...fun... Perhaps it was just him being nostalgic...but a part of him...would miss those days. There had been a certain innocence, not his...but thanks to the other two...like gold gilding for ornamentation...
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Cp: 21/29
While Shin had been contemplating these things, time was making her slow progress. And slowly, but surely, his chakra reserves were gradually recovering. A single nervous thought tugged at Shin’s mind. He had been using up chakra rather recklessly thus far, he should keep a more careful eye out...to avoid chakra exhaustion. As of thus far, he hadn’t encountered any such problems with chakra fatigue, the inclination of his bloodlimit to more quickly develop their reserves had not failed him in his case... However, it had occurred to him: chakra exhaustion could very possibly put him out of commission for a few days...an embarrassing situation...and the last thing he would want was for something that Gig or the others could possibly blackmail him for.
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Cp: 22/29
Honestly, he was beginning to wonder what it really was that Gig was testing him for in this particular lesson... Was it really simply to advance his Ninjutsu ability or see how long will it take for him to crack? If it was a patience testing factor, well... Shin sighed. Oh well, he’ll be damned. Yes, this was rather getting on his nerves... The actual assignment itself was easy, but he seemed to have realized just how...large his chakra reserves were. So, no matter how easier molding had gotten for him, it still took time. And, of course, the very nature of his particular assignment made this all the more challenging: no matter how large his chakra reserves were, breaking the rocks with Hyouton alone took more.
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Cp: 23/29
Hm...he had been sitting in meditative position for so long now... One pale eye cracked open. Perhaps he should move around a bit...or risk cutting off circulation to his legs. Shin sighed, rubbing at his temple gently. Well...perhaps he could move around, but just not so much to trigger the annoying springs in this training vest... And considering members of his line have poor circulation... His mind made up, the young clan head got up, and stretched. Briefly he wondered if he was forbidden from leaving his circle...but Giglamesh never said so. Perhaps he could venture around his bit of the canyon a little...
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Cp: 24/29
He considered that option but after a long moment, Shin opted otherwise. Best to finish the training first and rid the vest. So, once again, Shin concentrated on chakra molding solely at full force...ignoring the nagging feeling that he actually does a better job molding when he is not so...aggravated a state of mind. Now, he probably would’ve used the last soldier pill...but Shin did not wholly want to, unless it was guaranteed success on that last pillar. So he opted not to. Those things tasted like crap anyways, what on earth were they made of? Like if someone made an effort to try and make those things taste better, except in the end...turned it into something that tasted very much like wax.
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Cp: 25/29
Honestly...it was a bit depressing to imagine all future trainings might have to somehow involve those foul tasting pills... Perhaps he should ask Yokou later if there was some way to ameliorate this... Shin frowned, remembering that eating restores chakra reserves... It might be a bit odd and he'll certainly be questioned for it...or the next time, simply, he could just carry a stock of energy bars. Pffft. Who cared about what Gig said. Even those disgusting energy bars were much better than those infernal pills... Pills that taste like ear wax. Shin crinkled his nose at the mental comparison. It was accurate, though.
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Cp: 26/29
...this was taking insanely long... Was perhaps Ninjutsu the worst possible road for him after all? Alright, disincluding natural inclination. Ninjutsu field was the slowest attacking offensive field... Shin frowned, contemplating the disadvantage. Well, chakra won't be the problem if he utilizes techniques in effective combinations...however, he had to admit it. There was no way that he could rely on a solely Ninjutsu arsenal. Certainly, he had advantages in his teammates...Rai and Shizuka would appear to be heading into Taijutsu and weapon-wielding, which makes up for his close-combat disadvantage... However, it irked him to have to be so reliant...
If this was a game, he would be the mage now, wouldn't he? Having to be protected by the knights... However, there was more than just one type of mage... He didn't have to be a single field master. Shin's fist clenched. He should take advantage of the Konoha group's presence... What better chance, after all? Yokou and Zephyr were two sides, two faces of the Taijutsu field...Taijutsu masters in their own aspect... And this was a chance to learn.
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Cp: 27/29
However, the Sannin, or Hokage...Zephyr didn't trust him. Shinratsu contemplated the disadvantage quickly. Should he go through with his and Shizuka's original plan to shadow the Konoha troope? To be honest, doing such a...dishonest thing seemed to be a breach of trust, at least between him and Yokou. Shinratsu's mind toyed with the idea. If he asked Zephyr outright, it'll probably be a rejection. But...did he really need to resort to finding something to blackmail the Sannin with? Shin shook his head. It's fine. He'll have better chances convincing Yokou most likely...and if possibly getting her to ask Zephyr for him...
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Cp: 28/29
...but that wasn't a very noble way either... Shinratsu sighed. Dammit, what a dilemma. Alright. Fine. He'll forget about the Taijutsu field for now. Perhaps he can get a partner to ameliorate his disadvantage? Hm...he did see some of the Konoha troope were animal tamers. However...taming something as big as a tiger or wolf...haha...really? Alright. So he'll have to start with a baby pup or cub... But he wasn't really that good with animals. Hey, if he even have trouble socializing with human beings, what made it that he'll be any better with animals? Maybe he should just get a hawk or eagle...at least they can be used as messenger birds or for spying too... But they aren't very useful combat-wise.
His head began to spin.
---
Cp: 29/29
That does it. He was beginning to get a headache, anyways. So, Shinratsu decided: he'll just have to find a good summon. But there was a limit to when he could start looking for a proper contract...which was at least Chuunin level capability. Shin sighed. To be honest, it was reasonable. There was no way in hell a boss summon would obey a weaker master and besides that, summoning larger animals cost more chakra too. He'll just have to be patient and master the Ninjutsu field first before looking at any other fields.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
13
Total: 13 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:09 pm
Cp: 29/29
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
One pale gray-blue eye cracked open. Alright, he was done molding chakra...so now once again... Glancing over his shoulder, Shinratsu’s eyes narrowed. One more pillar. One more pillar stood between his completion of the assignment. To be honest, it was rather irksome. The last pillar was the largest but by now had lost almost half of its base support. Shinratsu had repeatedly aimed his attacks where Hyouton scarring from the previous attacks were, like hammering a wedge into a fissure to purposely extend the cracks. By now, the cracks were perhaps as thick as about two fingernails - somewhat decent work but he’ll have to amplify that. He had an inkling that perhaps he might not be able to wholly shatter this last pillar like the previous ones...but her could make it split in half. Besides, Giglamesh just told him to destroy the pillars with Hyouton alone. The Jounin hadn’t specified exactly in what condition he’ll have to leave them.
Careful focus when drawing out the Hyouton chakra... A moment passed, as Shinratsu stabilized the release. Sometimes even he wondered to himself: how was he able to do it? Knowing very well the slightest mistake might potentially kill him. Stabilization was tricky, even with the utilization of seals... But Shinratsu endured by reminding himself of Yokou’s warning: seals were only a shortcut to make up for the natural handicap. But seals were vital for the direction of his attacks... He had done fine for the first two pillars, followed Yokou’s challenge on the elemental manipulation and chakra stabilization part, but he had used single-handed seals near the end to direct his attack.
Should he try it? The chakra build-up was growing more unstable. He cannot take too long to think: it’s act now, or never. So Shinratsu attacked.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
13
Total: 13 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:10 pm
Cp: 21/29
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
Well... Now, that was quite some poor results. Well, the lash of chakra didn’t wholly miss the pillar, if that was at the least some element of comfort. However...Shinratsu looked unhappy. His attack had just barely scarred the pillar, and it was a superficial fissure, nothing that too much threatened the final pillar’s stability. Thus, it was for all practical purposes a failed strike... He had wasted chakra too.
So. He had a dilemma. Ice itself was light in density, Hyouton field techniques were famous for its power and speed. Shin thought carefully to himself. What could’ve possibly brought up the power factor...? Well, it would have to involve force...perhaps even having the Hyouton chakra wrap around the technique itself, kind of like a drill, to add to the effect... But that factor, while it would keep the technique’s general direction, what was the initial factor that set the attack’s motion in place, anyways...?
Hyouton field was difficult primarily due to its dual elemental manipulation characteristic. However, for his clan it was theoretically easier, as due to the strange manifestation of their bloodlimit, Hyouton in their case was actually a single element manipulation type... Being able to directly freeze water molecules in the air was useful, too, they did not need to be near a large body of water. However, this very factor also made Suiton manipulation slightly more difficult. Fubuki clansmen had to work backwards: they must decompose their ice type chakra to form Suiton and Fuuton based chakra...
Fuuton-based chakra...that was it.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 2 20-sided dice:
6, 13
Total: 19 (2-40)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:11 pm
Hp: 17/22
Cp: 14/29
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
Just when he finally had contrived an idea to deal with the problem of direction, suddenly, it had gotten very hard to breathe. Shin groaned. He has an inkling to what has caused the problem... The vest... Abandoning experimenting with his idea for now, Shinratsu decided he’ll have to find a way to deal with this vest before the problem got dangerous... Giglamesh really had presented a problem here...especially in his case, where he obviously cannot feel the pain from constriction. So...in the worst possible scenario, if he had realized too late... But Shinratsu managed to track the constrictions at intervals by other methods rather than physical feeling alone. Giglamesh never said anything about resetting the springs...and besides, it would be highly foolish to wait to the point that the vest constricts so tightly that he could no longer breathe. The ‘armor’ of chakra currently protecting his internal system thanks to manipulating his chakra system won’t be expected to last forever.
So, he removed the vest and looked carefully for the springs. There must be a way to somehow reset the springs. He pretty much figured out the places where the springs were, from sight alone thanks to the places of the vest where it somewhat caves in. The springs were inside... So if there was a way to redo the springs, it must be outside. Hm...there were three straps but how funny, he didn’t recall those on Shizuka and Rai’s vest. Did...did Giglamesh perhaps give him a different vest on purpose?
Shrugging Shinratsu set to testing all three straps. One constricted the vest further, another release, the third was for some sort of stabilization...
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
11
Total: 11 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:13 pm
Hp: 17/22
Cp: 7/29
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
The fuss with the vest took a while: Shin at first had accidentally constricted it so much that he couldn't even put it back on, the second time it was so loose that it would barely even fit him...and after a few more trails, Shinratsu figured out the exact time Giglamesh had set the vest to. Well...now he could concentrate on the actual assignment. And just when Shin was about to begin his next trail, the vest suddenly constricted...again... Damn. He forgot to stabilize.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:15 pm
Hp: 17/22
Cp: 1/29
Well...that was a waste. Shinratsu sighed. The last pillar was still standing as obnoxiously sturdy as ever. His last three attempts hadn't even made the slightest difference. And...he was fatiguing. Sighing, Shin allowed himself to drop to the ground. He was slightly grateful that Giglamesh had picked a spot which already had a boulder in the center area... His posture didn't drop but he did lean against it for a full long moment. He closed his eyes. This day was turning out to be so long...
---
Hp: 18/22
Cp: 2/29
Perhaps he was really so tired that it would explain why his consciousness had so easily drifted off.
The dream...or mirage...whatever it was...
This...what is this...? A cave...? It looks awfully familiar. Plip-plop. The distant sound of dripping water reached ears. Water dripping underground... This was an underground cavern. Surprise filled him.
Wait.
He knew where this place was. Patta patta. The sounds of his footsteps echoed off the cold stone walls. Turn after turn, tunnel after tunnel... He could feel his excitement growing...Shinratsu didn't know where he was going, or heading to, and yet at the same time...a part of him knew...
There was a light in the cavern ahead...
---
Hp: 19/22
Cp: 3/29
A cave of ice...
Shinratsu's eyes widened. He knew where he was now. A widening of the view: a spectacular cavern of ice. It was a mystery where the light was coming from, perhaps filtered through from cracks in the upper layer of bedrock. A magnificent lake filled half of the cavern...in the center a sword was suspended, trapped in ice that hung from the ceiling. The tip of the sword encased in ice seemingly just barely touching the water surface... But Shinratsu knew better. Because that sword...that sword is...
---
Hp: 20/22
Cp: 4/29
That sword... Sei'on. And not just any sword either, a master craft nodachi. The sword was actually much longer than it appears now, obscured by the ice...the second half of the blade and ice pillar should extend further, deeper into the lake. But that wasn't what was important here...that blade... That blade, the God's Legacy sea splitter...
His clan's treasure...
Why does he see this vision now? A slight stirring caught Shinratsu's attention. A red bird?
---
Hp: 21/22
Cp: 5/29
What is it doing sleeping next to that pillar...and on that lake... Was it dead? A million questions plagued his mind. And something else bothered him...this lake...there was a seal on that water. To prevent Sei'on from being lost by theft, as the foolish Mizukage had lost Sci'on, it's twin star... The water of this special cavern was cursed to freeze anyone who touches it. And the ice...the ice infects the body like a spreading disease. Those who touch the water will not be able to escape such a fate, without a complex ceremony to undo the sealing threads that binds the water to such an ability first... Not just the lake too but the same seal was on that pillar.
Yet, this bird...it was sleeping on the lake...unharmed...
---
Hp: 22/22
Cp: 6/29
The image flickered. Shinratsu blinked, straining his eyes. Huh? Curious, he crept closer, to get a better look...
His eyes hadn't fooled him, the bird...the bird had morphed into a girl. A small red-haired girl dressed in ceremonial robes of crimson and gold... An ornamental headdress, with her long beautiful hair in the traditional headdress for the Chinese priestesses. Priestess... A miko?
The girl stirred. Startled, Shinratsu drew back...but too late, she had awaken. Red-gold orbs fixed on him - eyes the colour of fire, or perhaps even the molten magma... A voice filled his head - an overwhelming presence... A voice that was certainly not his own consciousness.
Who are you?
Behind the girl, Shinratsu was almost certain that he could still see the ghostly figure of the sleeping, swan-like bird... The most beautiful fowl he had ever seen...with fantastic plumage of fire and gold... Now this child-miko who meets his gaze with calm eyes.
---
Cp: 7/29
Who are you?
Again the same question... There was no doubt about it, the girl's lips moved, but no words came out. She was speaking to his mind. "Is this a dream?" He asked, quietly. Shinratsu looked up and his gaze swept around the cavern, eyes growing heavy.
"Isn't this place...supposed to be destroyed?" Half-lidded eyes, an unreadable expression... A distant tinge of sorrow in those cool gray-blue orbs.
Do you wish for this to be a dream? The girl responded, tilting her head slightly aside. A childish gesture, yet all done with the dignity of a princess. But then, those golden orbs narrowed slightly. You...why can you enter my dreamscape?
"Dreamscape?" Shinratsu repeated. "What is that? Ah...I see...so this is a dream..."
That is not quite true.
---
Cp: 8/29
Shinratsu looked at the girl questioningly.
True, a dreamscape is partly as you defined it. However... The child-miko touched the ice pillar (that held Sei'on) she was sleeping against and rapped it. A solid sound resounded. To be more precise, a dreamscape is a world of my own creation. However, if there is no will to shape things, it will remain as it is. Simply put... Her voice trailed off...and for the first time Shinratsu noticed how abnormally melodic it was...
This particular dreamscape does exist in "reality".
---
Cp: 9/29
Shinratsu was silent. "Why should I trust your words? For all I know, this could be an illusion...or..." His hand went involuntarily to his chest, where the white gold locket of his mother’s was. "Because of a wish I still can’t let go..."
The girl seemed mildly amused. Believe what you wish. A pause. What does your heart want this dreamscape to be?
Shinratsu smiled, ruefully. "The only wish I have...can never come true." And not even the gods can grant it.
And not even the gods can grant it? The voice of the girl in his mind... Shinratsu’s eyes widened. She could read his thoughts? Almost to immediately explain: I am the goddess of this dreamscape. Because you could enter it and even see me... A momentary silence.
From her position on the water, the girl...the child-miko advanced toward him, her footsteps making no sound on the water, nor when she finally reached land. Not even a drop of water on the ground... Shinratsu noticed. And then his eyes widened, noticing that this girl...she was levitating? Just barely half-inch about the ground, but it was for certain... She continued speaking: Because you found your way to my dreamscape...certainly, you're not evil.
She was in front of him now! In alarm, Shin reeled back, his shinobi instincts dictating his movements now. But the girl did not even flinch. Her dreamscape... Shin watched the movements of the girl before him with suspicion. If she is the goddess of this world... Can she kill him on whim? To his surprise...
The girl smiled.
---
Cp: 10/29
Very good. She walked forward a few more steps, the golden bell pieces of her ornamental headdress jingling. In such a short time, you recognized what an alternate world can potentially do. In so short a time, you were even able to block bits of your thoughts from flowing into mine... But do not worry... A pause. To Shinratsu's surprise, the child-miko bowed, a sweeping formal curtsey, her long hair nearly touching the ground. I have many names throughout time. My current master calls me Kousei... Her voice trailed off. Throughout the ages, I have been called many things. To the people of China, I am the bird who brings fortune, the FongXie. To the people of Japan...I am Suzaku, the guardian-protector of the South.
"You're...a phoenix..." Shin whispered, almost in awe. The girl smiled. Yes. To Shinratsu's surprise, she casted a glance at the sword in the ice pillar and began walking back to the lake. I see... A flash of blinding golden light, fire-like...burning...Shin had to shut his eyes.
---
Cp: 11/29
The girl had disappeared? Shin looked around, but then he saw the same red bird from earlier. There was a ring of smaller ice pillars surrounding the great one that holds Sei'on, and the bird was perched on the smaller pillar right directly in front of Sei'on. I see...so it is this sword who has chosen you as its master. The bird...was speaking into his mind like she did earlier in her human form... But Shinratsu wasn't too surprised, not with the earlier revelation. Using my dreamscape as a medium, it called out to you... However, I abide by what I said. Do you see the feather on that ground?
Shinratsu looked and indeed, where the miko was in front of him before, was a beautiful fire-red feather, the tip dipped in gold. One of her tail feathers huh... Shin thought, as he picked it up. "Is this a test?" He asked aloud.
It did not turn to fire and burn you... The bird continued. This blade...may have been a medium... But you and I were fated to meet this day.
"Fated?" Shinratsu's voice became scornful. "I don't believe in fate..."
You may have found your way into my dreamscape because this sword...this Sei'on called. However, with an impure heart, you would not have been able to enter it. And to touch my feather without being burned...the wicked would not be able touch me. A moment's pause. But your heart is filled with much sadness - sadness which may lead to self-destruction...yet...why?
---
Cp: 12/29
"Kousei...can you see my memories too?" Yes. Came the answer, in his mind. "Then you should understand..."
Betrayal is hard to forgive, or even accept. But hate only leads to more hate.
"I know that!" Shinratsu snapped. "However, what am I supposed to do? Just forgive Kiri for what they would do?"
Then, will you live with this wounded in your heart forever?
"I don't intend to live very long." Shinratsu answered, coldly.
Indeed, you can grow strong like this...and very quickly too... However, if you make a deal with the devil, very quickly your whole soul will be lost.
"I don't mind selling my soul." His hand clenched his locket. "Because they already had taken...!" Everything from me...
Is that true? The phoenix continued. Do you honestly believe you are bereft of everything?
The scene around them began dissolving, before shattering like fragments of ice. Kousei took flight, her magnificent plumage glowing against the impending darkness. And from where her wings touched, another scene began to be painted... A glowing light appeared around him and Shinratsu felt himself being lifted up. And from their place in the sky, he watched...
His new home...and family...
---
Cp: 13/29
I can read the threads of the future. This could be one potential future... Kousei explained, as Shin watched as an older version of him came into view. You should be twenty-one or so here.
The phantom image, looking as solid as reality... The older Shin was different... At twenty-one, his face had became handsomely angular, he would get taller...proud eyes... There was still an aura of recluse, the princely manner, but the young ANBU (Shinratsu recognized the tattoo carved on the left arm as Iwa's OP forces' marking)...there was just an inexplainable sense that he was more approachable...
Shinratsu watched as the older him below addressed two younger figures, a boy and a girl. The girl...Shinratsu barely recognized as Maiyuri. In this vision, she seemed to be about sixteen or seventeen, and had grown incredibly beautiful. She was asking the older him something...and Shinratsu watched as the phantom versions poke...
"No...I don't think I'm going to accept. Accepting to be Captain of the ANBU forces would demand a most troublesome transfer. Besides, there is absolutely nothing wrong with my current squad." His tone became more thoughtful. "I probably should look for a medic-nin though..."
"Aniki, you're not getting hurt again are you?" A younger boy, seemingly about fifteen or so, spoke with a chastising tone. "You were out of commission for a whole month last time..." And to Shinratsu's surprise...the older him laughed. Before nervously rubbing at his head. "Well, that was... Wait, why am I telling you top-secret details? It was a hard mission, that's all." The girl sitting next to the boy looked skeptical. "Why is onii-chan the only one who gets hospitalized each time anyways?"
"...careless...?" The older him offered, almost hopefully.
"That's not true..." A sly grin appeared on the boy's face and he began whispering to his older sister: "May-nee, the REAL reason is that aniki's been protecting Shi-...!" The younger stopped short though as Maiyuri looked honestly upset. "Aniki...but if your team aren't doing anything but getting you hurt..."
"That's not quite true." A reassuring smile. "I am perfectly content to protect them. Besides, Shizuka-chan and that dobe will just have to take a bit more consideration in the best course of attack... That's all." The older Shin cast his eyes down. "Besides, if I accept the position and is transferred...I won't be able to stop worrying..." His voice trailed off.
"Not just them...but...him too..." This got the real Shinratsu's interest. Something's troubling the older him in this vision? "It's becoming more frequent now...the last...........I...I absolutely won't allow him to fall to that state..." There was something the older him was keeping secret from Maiyuri and his little brother... Shinratsu would've normally noted with great interest how Giglamesh and Keiko would have another child, but he paid more attention to the older version of him's words.
"A year...that's what Yokou-dono predicts. Since it's a disease of the mind...she could do nothing. Fortunately, our next mission is to Kiri. If there's some way to find out how to stop the process, it must be with his clan." The older Shinratsu's fists clenched.
"B-but...aniki...what if..." The boy began, but then stopped.
---
Cp: 14/29
"Even if his clan does not have the answer, it does not matter. I'll find a way to stop the process. Whatever it takes." A slight lowering of his head - a gesture of apology. "I am sorry to have let you two down. But I cannot accept the mantle of Captain." A soft pause. Maiyuri spoke: "I know Iwa itself means nothing to aniki..."
"Yes." A small smile to his siblings. "What keeps me here is the string of affinity binding me to its people."
---
Cp: 15/29
The scene ended and the illusion wavered. The dream returned to darkness, and Kousei...Shinratsu met her firey-gold orbs with a even gaze. "..." Searching for the right words was difficult... "And how will you know, that this would come to pass?" Shinratsu outstretched his arms to the darkness, as if embracing it. "Ever since I came to Iwa, it was the burning hatred that kept me going."
However, even so... A pause. Your hatred isn't at Kiri itself, isn't it?
"...the edifices themselves of villages matter little to me."
That is true. And what hurts, is the wounds inflicted by the people you once thought comrades.
And Shinratsu remembered...according to legends, phoenixes have the power to grant wishes...
"I...wish to search for power."
As Kousei descended, the bird's form morphed, returning to her child miko form. Her red and gold robes fluttered in the nonexistent wind, as she floated down, and gently brushed a single finger against Shin's forehead.
"W-what...are...?"
That is a marking of the Shizimu dream seers. With this, when you dream, we can meet anytime. The scene behind the priestess flickered, and the darkness transformed, as if painted, into an icy cavern...the cave of origin. And there Sei'on was in that poor, trapped in its pillar, in the ring of icy stalactites.
This time, because of Sei'on...you found the way to my dreamscape. A pause. But what is important...entering it alone isn't possible for the wicked... The child before him smiled. Rather, in fact...only the purest can enter my dreamscape... I cannot grant you power for, considering the nature of your goals...however, what you have done thus far is enough. A regal extension of her arm...a sweeping bow, all the while, her long flame-red hair (bound near the end) seemed to sweep against the ground.
That alone for now is enough...for a reward.
---
Cp: 16/29
"So you won't grant it..." A silence ensued.
For what would you want power for, boy?
Why does she insists on asking? She...she already knew after all...
"I...for the sake of my...!"
Poor boy. Said the little miko, cutting in, as she shook her pretty head. You aren't even sure yet what's in your heart...
What did she mean...that his heart wasn't sure yet? "Then what am I searching for...?" He asked her quietly. "What am I searching for, if it is not to avenge my family...?"
There is no use in avenging the past. Her voice...was cold. The moon becomes full and wanes, seasons pass...while shadows linger...
Was it just him or did Kousei's expression look so...sad...?
Even while shadows linger, what is by and gone will not return again. Do you understand, boy...? A soft pause. The dead has no use for vengeance. They will not return. What is the challenge, is for the living to press on.
---
Cp: 17/29
Her words...they echo Giglamesh's and Roy's...but the words that she spoke to his mind also held a certain sadness. But of course... She is immortal and must have had many a time watched people she loved stolen by time. Leaving scars that even time itself could not heal... "Time is a great teacher." He said, finally. "Except it kills all its students..." A gauntleted palm pressed to his face, as if in dismay.
Learn to treasure your early years, then. Came the reply. You will not be a child forever and there will one day be a a time, when you will come to regret... Her expression...it looked so...distant, so sad... Or more like...
As if she had seen many other like Shin before.
Quickly child, the dream is ending. What manipulation Sei'on interfered with my power is waning... As she spoke, certainly enough, the icy cavern seem to shatter slowly like glass.
"W-wait!"
---
Cp: 18/29
"Wait, don't go!" He tried to grasp the child's hand, but his fingers only passed through hers.
Remember child...this is a dreamscape. The same rueful smile again. The child miko looked towards the sword in the ice, her expression unreadable. Such a sword...what is it's name?
"S-sei'on...cutting star of water..."
Sei'on it is. How strange, to have chosen its master so early.
"That's not it!" Said he, in dismay. Didn't she say she was sleeping in the real cave of origin right now? So many questions he wanted to ask Kousei! Shinratsu didn't want the dream to end...
They're alive.
---
Cp: 19/29
The reassurement felt foreign.
"W-what...?" He whispered, almost disbelievingly.
Hatsuyuki-chiisai-hime wanted to share with me her memories. And I saw it... Now, not as numerous but yes...you are not the last of your people.
"But it can't be...that woman would not have forgiven us..." The fury that burned in his eyes... "My family did everything we could, to thwart her in every aspect!"
Yes...as sentry members, selling carefully done maps of the village to the independent nations...hoping that they would send aid. By murdering fellow kinsmen whenever receiving the chance...
He snarled. "Shut up." A pause. "They were traitors who deserved to die..."
Your family, who held status and commanded respect. And why would they condone such a thing? They...even if the villagers were wrong to follow the water princess...the Fubukis were wrong too.
"They sold out the village! And traded Mizukage-sama for an usurper! And for what reason? Because 'she has power'? What they were afraid of, to allow her to take the seat, was that power in the first place!" It was unbearable...the mere thought of those disgusting hypocrites...
And Fubukis didn't? Came the quiet question.
And it...stung...
---
Cp: 20/29
"They...they..." He looked away. "It was wrong but still..."
Because of what the Fubuki clan has done...Kiri lays in ruins.
A stunning silence ensued. "W-what?"
My darling child... Whispered Kousei. When you awake, you will not remember this dream. Nor of the person who will come very soon again into your life (Tai). A pause. So I see no harm. The maps that the sentry guard Fubukis had given... Of course, vigilantes had gotten their hands on them.
That was all it was necessary for Kousei to say. Cold dread filled him and Shinratsu...a brilliant boy, he made the connection instantly. "Who are the invaders?"
...that no longer matters. The ironic scenario of gradual forgiveness...
What you seek is no longer meaningful...what you find will be meaningless...
The dream ended.
---
Cp: 21/29
Back in reality, Shinratsu abruptly awoke, startled. It's alright...most of his chakra had returned...
...
W-what...what was that...? Did he just doze off? He tried to recall his dream but nothing helpful was coming. Ice... He remembered ice and flickers of images... It was pointless. Sighing softly, Shinratsu realized he had been leaning against the rock for a long while...and now his body was a bit cramped. So he got up, turned around, and stretched.
What surprised him was, in the great pillar...the last one he was trying to destroy... The ice that had accumulated and remained on the rock showed his reflection. Normally, that won't be a very bothering thing but... Shin swore he saw an odd red seal on his forehead, fading in colour, until disappearing.
...huh...?
---
Cp: 22/29
A trick of the light... Shinratsu tried to convince himself, passing off the thought. Shaking his head slightly, he resumed the chakra molding process. But odd insignias don't just appear out of nowhere... Stop...ignore it... Maybe he was hallucinating thanks to fatigue. Forming the tiger handseal, he shut his eyes and attempted to concentrate solely on his task at hand. A moment passed and one pale blue-gray orb cracked open. Raisuke and Shizuka was still occupied deeply with their tasks at hand...was he perhaps the only one who was not concentrating? A soft sigh, and Shinratsu rubbed three fingers against his temple. Perhaps he shouldn't think so much of it. He'll get a headache, and that would be the last thing he would want...
---
Cp: 23/29
Strange... Shin mused to himself. His concentration had so quickly returned? And to be honest, contributing his dozing off to fatigue didn’t seem quite right now. In fact, his mind felt freer than usual, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. And the more Shin calmed his mind...the more flickers of images he recalled from the dream. A cave of ice... Red feathers. Fire and gold... A voice like the distant melody of crystal bells. And most importantly... A sword. A sword in the lake. A sword in a lake...? No...it can't be. It would be ridiculous or...did he perhaps dream of that cave beneath his family's estate?
---
Cp: 24/29
He tried but no other images came to memory. Except for a partial view of royal robes, crimson with gold embroidery, and red hair fluttering in the wind...before his vision had turned black and that dream ended. Shin sighed. It was useless...nothing potentially helpful was pieced together from his memory, except for the Fubuki clan's Cave of Origin. He was certain of it now...behind that person, whoever he or she was...he recognized that lake and the sword trapped in the ice... Undoubtedly, it was indeed a illusion of his family's holy ground... The Cave of Origin and the Avalon lake, which the sea star Sei'on was kept in place...
But what is the meaning of such a dream? And how odd...he had never failed in recall before... But somehow...that dream...it wasn't something of evil, that was certain...but it aroused a bitter taste...along with a certain nostalgia...
As if the dream was an omen of his goal.
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Cp: 25/29
Kiri... The more he had thought about it, the more he was certain. It had been such a long time since he ever dreamed anything involving Kiri...that didn't include the nightmares of his family's murder. But for some reason...something about that faceless dream arose a kind of anxiety. Was there... It certainly had something to do with Kiri, and his family for that matter... But... Was there perhaps something about the Fubuki incident that he had missed? Shinratsu stiffened slightly. A gut feeling told him that was it but... Impossible. The thought itself was ludicrous. His family loved Kiri...they wouldn't do such a thing...
Would they?
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Cp: 26/29
Don't be ridiculous... If they sold out Kiri, where would they go? That’s right, there was nothing to gain if his family had wanted to destroy Kiri... Always a balanced relationship with the village...there... There was no love for Kiri. Shin realized, slightly startled. That is why the estate is so far north in the first place. A loveless relationship only built on pros and cons. Could it be...that when his family had judged Kiri as helpless... Were they the ones to have abandoned Kiri? The thought alone made his stomach go cold.
And what would you do if that was the truth? The snide little voice in his head, cruel yet...terrible in its truth.
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Cp: 27/29
Blinding casting a hateful eye...
Towards a thing you knew and yet not.
The Hyouton nobles from Yuki's snow-covered lands whom Kiri embraced with open arms... Are their hearts so cold, their love and gratitude so shallow?
With the power they commanded, the trust given...to be guardians and protectors of the island village in the sea...
More than five centuries had run its course.
Has those feelings not changed?
If the whole truth comes together...
Putting both the village and its protectors to blame...
With those hands, can you...
Still destroy that place?
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Cp: 28/29
Even so...even so... They stole lives they did not own. A firm pressing, yet a certain urgency was there. What, do they think themselves okami-sama? To command life and death? Yet, Shinratsu found no comfort in such an assertion. He knew the answer already. To be a shinobi...to be a shinobi alone is to become a tool – you never had the authority to your life or death. A cold silence. Do you know how shinobis die? They leave the world without a trace, just like their birth and their life... It was fair. The power that shouldn’t have existed...the very shinobi line...would lose all traces of its existence. Their treaty with nature. And life was like that...a balanced trade...his family’s broken treaty with Kiri...
It wasn’t so strange.
---
Cp: 29/29
And say, should he come to learn the truth... The whole truth... All of this in the past year...how would he see it? The existence of shinobi alone...is a dance of lies... Pitiful. For a power that deviated from nature's jurisdiction to pit itself against another of the same kind... Killing each other, an endless cycle, dying the earth red...and returning the energies that should've never been harvested in the first place.
Getting up from meditation position, Shinratsu outstretched an arm and watched, as the pattern of the wind changed...and wrapped itself gently around him, like a mother to its child. Did he hate Kiri...? He mused to himself, watching as the air around him began shimmering as it became chilled.
He honestly didn't know.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
5
Total: 5 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:16 pm
Cp: 29/29
What he had started... He should finish. Perhaps he'll never forgive Kiri...but there was one regret. And no matter what, he wanted the truth... He...he didn't want to see the reasons from only his clan's point of view. It would be shallow foolishness... And to wage destruction over something so childish...he would be doing the exact same thing the villagers had done in betraying his clan. Power...he had been searching for power for all this time. But while his focus had been destruction...all the while...all the while... What he had wanted... He only desired to protect himself and his dear ones.
Outstretching his arms to the final pillar, through half-lidded eyes, Shinratsu felt for the wind. Show me, then...show me what is in my heart... If it is hatred that moves me... All would destroy in this wake.
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
14
Total: 14 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:17 pm
Cp: 21/29
Is that so? Shin mused quietly as he simply observed the superficial fissure to the pillar. That last time he had not used the tundra...but reached out his arms for the wind... Heh. What was he thinking...such a superstitious method of trying to unravel the validity of his goals. Patta patta. He advanced forward and this time stood before the pillar. A long moment passed, Shinratsu just stood there to observe it. And then, he laid a single gauntleted hand on the fissure he had just made.
It was rock...something nonliving. So rightly, it should be something cold. However, now that he looked at it closely...while the last pillar seemed great, looming...impending in the aura it commanded... It was also tragically weak, scarred so repeatedly now. A lot like himself...
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
6
Total: 6 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:20 pm
Cp: 14/29
Then... There was no longer a reason to hide behind a distance. The air around his palms glowed, flared pale silver with icy chakra. And Shinratsu found himself wondering...what was it he had just lost... The sense of touch...with the activation of his bloodlimit even the last vestiges of it had disappeared. There was something to mourn over. Pain may be one factor...but he can never feel human warmth again. All that was there to be felt was an imagined touch...and he wondered to himself... Was he cold, like this rock?
It was...unfair. Even with all his desire to be normal, it was something he can never get... Foolish civilians. They think themselves so hapless, so unfortunate. But they knew nothing of the shinobi race...a repeated history woven with lies and tears...stained by blood... Lies could become truth. And truth could lose their meaning. If his life had been based on one truth...when it loses meaning, what sort of person would he become?
Ice cracked around his palms. Even with these gauntlets on...these gauntlets that were his link to life... He felt unsatisfied, even angered... This power...this was not a power he had wanted, or even asked for. It irked him that this very thing he hated he was supposed to use as the source of his strength...
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
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ProtoXtreme rolled 2 20-sided dice:
2, 9
Total: 11 (2-40)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:21 pm
((reroll, forgot fort roll))
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ProtoXtreme rolled 1 20-sided dice:
12
Total: 12 (1-20)
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:27 pm
Hp: 17/22
Cp: 7/29
The vest constricted, tightly against his ribs, and Shin coughed as if suddenly pained. In all honesty, the physical pain wasn't there...except when the air was choked out from his lungs. Shinratsu took his hands away from the pillar. It was no good, and he being a child to allow frustration to get the better of him. A frustrated cry and he crashed his fist against the pillar. But it did not even flinch at what strength he could muster...what flimsy force. Shinratsu sighed, and dropped to sitting position on the ground. He was done for now. There was no use in pressing further.
Dropping to his usual seat on the ground, his hands found the place for the seal. Tiger. He spoke into his mind, only for the purpose of calming his turbulent thoughts.
[Shin's Training]
Training implies: Chakra, Ninjutsu, Constitution
roll 1d20, 1/4 your max cp every attempt.
Has use of three solider pills to refill cp: 1/3
Vest -1 from all mods.
1st Dc:7 Hp: 3/3 successful hits
2nd Dc:11 Hp: 4/4 successful hits
3rd Dc:15Hp: 2/5 successful hits
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 10, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5 Hp.
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Henka Shizuka rolled 1 20-sided dice:
10
Total: 10 (1-20)
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:18 pm
[Shizuka traning]
Training implies: str, taijutsu, con
Destroy the dummies with attack rolls.
Vest -1 from all mods.
Weights -2 from attack rolls.
1st Db:8 Hp: 10
2nd Db:12 Hp: 15
3rd Db:16 Hp: 20
Every 3rd attempt roll a fort save DC 9, to avoid auto fail on that attempt and -5hp.
*shizuka's has been dumbed down with stats because she is behind.*
"This vest...How the hell can we wear this to battle? It's like fighting against my self...Along with these weights! Yeesh..." Shizuka walked up to the dummies. "I have to surpass Nee-chan...There's no doubt about it..." Taking stance, she would start to relax her body to begin her training. The weights on her made it hard to move but it would logically help with the training. She would send a punch towards the middle of the dummies throat. A punch towards that vital area from even some one who wasn't a shinobi would be dangerous, but would the weights help aim for such a spot?
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Henka Shizuka generated a random number between
1 and 4 ...
4!
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:20 pm
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