Taylor took his hand into his, warmly greeting his fingers and palms with the soft touch of his skin. Shinsei's eyes immediately averted upwards to meet Taylor's eyes. He seemed... so enthused, filled with energy. Of course, the touch of the hand didn't really mean anything at first. It was -- just, an emotive gesture, to express his enthusiasm. Shinsei understood that, and didn't take it the wrong way. Not at all.
But Taylor's embarrassment gave it a context. It made him realize... that perhaps, Taylor felt something more than mere joviality at the sight of his companion. There was a flutter in that fast beating heart of his that could only be interpreted one way. Shinsei . . . could see that, though the feeling was minuscule and uncertain. It was evident in his eyes -- and the way in which he averted those eyes, scared to be seen.
"It's okay," he quietly responded. His eyes were sincere. "Whatever your reason -- whether you knew it or didn't know it -- it's alright. You can feel free to express yourself however you like." Those simple words were what he left him with, as Taylor went off to fillet the fish, cooking their meal at the return of his large avian friend. It seemed they were both mutually providing for one another -- four walls and a bed in exchange for food. It was... a more than adequate compromise.
Shinsei quietly viewed Taylor from a distance, across the poorly lit room, as he cooked their fish, the bones he had constructed from his body -- albeit out of Shinsei's sight -- being used as a stick from which to guide the edge of the flame. He hoped that he had gutted the fish too, though he'd bite his tongue on that one, in case he hadn't.
He pressed his back into the wall, and waited. The other seemed flustered, still. The same tint covered his cheeks, showing a sort of attractive shyness in him that the Senju had not yet seen so brightly, before now. He held a firm, small smile across his lips that could not simply be shrugged away. And then, he returned fully into the room, spawning tables from the ground -- fully carved wood to create both tables, and chairs. It was beginning to grow dimly lit across the house, even in the rooms with windows. Nighttime was coming.
"Taylor," he called his name. "Almost done? I'm starving."
Taylor's ability to clear the fish of bones was almost second nature to him. His body acted like it had done this a million times. He wondered how often him and Horus have eaten together. So many of his memories still resided within him. And what was that with Shinsei? Why did he react so wildly to the prospect of holding the man's hand? Shinsei said that it was fine, but his wording implied that it was already if something else was up. Was there something else up? Taylor couldn't think of it. He was so ecstatic to find the person who could fix his life. His life rested in that man's rough but firm hands.
...Why did holding the man's hand cross his mind again?
Taylor went back to the food. He removed the skin and got to cooking. Fish could not be overly cooked or else it became rubbery. He had to be delicate with the meat and its distance to the fire. Taylor created multiple swords of bones in order to make an improvised grilling pike. He unfortunately was rather short on actual cooking supplies. Thankfully within Horus' supplies were spices, so Taylor was able to give the fish some flavor. When Shinsei called out, Taylor did not look back as he shouted, "You can come over!" Taylor dug the hilts of his swords into the ground so that the meat on the tip could cool off before it was eaten. He had four swords in total, each one with a healthy sized portion of food. Horus did not hesitate to rip one away from the sword as he stormed off and threw it on the ground. He then proceeded to eat it in a savage manner while Taylor looked on and chuckled. Despite the intelligence of the giant eagle, he was still a bird. Taylor took a kunai and removed a small portion of one of the pieces off. He blew on it to cool it down and when he bit into it, the spices definitely kicked in. It had a potent taste that drew in the desire for more.
β Learn (4) All Techniques a post. β Learn ( 4 ) Bukijutsu techniques per post. β Korabo A-ranked with Horus β Enlightenment: S-ranked training β Backing: C-ranked Training β Pivot: C-ranked β Thread Walking: C-ranked β Technique ]
βοΏ€ Other Additives
β Double Supreme Strength β Double Supreme Fortitude β Supreme and Moderate Speed β Supreme and Moderate Reflexes
Surely enough, Taylor invited him to the 'kitchen' of the makeshift home, where Shinsei was met with a well-crafted meal; four swords each with a fish along their length, cooked and skewered. It smelled... fantastic. It was cooked with spices, perhaps even oil. He could smell what seemed to be seasoning along the length of each fish, and they smelled spectacular. He could tell that, texture-wise, they were also well made. Taylor clearly did not have much of a rival in this realm, and the Senju was immediately grateful.
Finally, it seemed the two of them made themselves at home. No more hunger, no more delving into the closets of abandoned warehouses or sleeping on the soil. Shinsei had been fortunate enough to be capable of crafting his own architecture, but he had hungered for so long. The Senju crafted two wooden cups and a wooden bowl, for Horus, as he drew water from the moisture of the air and purified it with his chakra. Drawing the water into their cups, he glanced to the pikes and crafted -- also -- some wooden plates.
He stared at Taylor with a grin, clearly proud to be so useful.
"Thank you, Taylor," he said quietly, lowering his eyes to the fish as he laid the skewer on his plate. He waited for it to cool down, some. "It smells wonderful. I... really appreciate it." His thoughts were jagged, uncertain. They went so many directions. But most importantly, he wanted to ask Taylor something very specific, that he'd wondered for some time.
"Those memories that you got back, with Masato . . ." he paused, and pressed his lips together. "What were they? What do you remember? I'm curious to know what stood out to you so much that you would recall it, even now."
Taylor felt a sense of fulfillment when Shinsei clearly shown interest in his cooking. His face illuminated when the man took his first bite and Shinsei showed clear pleasure from it. This was nice. This was the kind of nice. As he took another bite, his companion asked him for memories of his past. "A lot of memories are locked away. I wish I could tell you more about myself." He said. He recognized that it must be hard for the man to trust someone who wasn't truly aware of himself. However, he did smile to himself. "However, I do recall something funny." Taylor brought his hand to his leg just about where the lines of briefs would be as though he was measuring something. "When I was a kid, I used to wear shorts that were up to here." He said with a laugh. He had forgotten the fashion of his past. "Oh I have no idea what I was thinking. It was definitely hot in the deserts of Suna though, so it was nice to have my legs so exposed." He said as he looked up at the fading sky. It was nice to recall some of his memories. It made him feel like a true person. Taylor's head fell back to Shinsei as he felt a little more lax. "What about you? Did you have any embarrassing outfits from your past?" He asked as he took another piece of meat to eat.
β Learn (4) All Techniques a post. β Learn ( 4 ) Bukijutsu techniques per post. β Korabo A-ranked with Horus β Enlightenment: S-ranked training β Backing: C-ranked Training β Pivot: C-ranked β Thread Walking: C-ranked β Technique ]
βοΏ€ Other Additives
β Double Supreme Strength β Double Supreme Fortitude β Supreme and Moderate Speed β Supreme and Moderate Reflexes
It was tragic that his memories were so... disjointed. Though, the one that he did recall was entertaining, to say the least. He remembered the short-shorts he used to wear as a kid, to evade the heavy heat of the over-bearing Sunagakure sun. Shinsei had always wanted to go there -- some time -- back when he lived in the suburbs of Konohagakure, right here against this very compound. He stared into the stars and imagined himself somewhere else; in the desert, in the hills, in the snow, in the rain. So many countries, all with different cultures to offer, different people.
He could easily imagine Taylor, but much younger. The sweetness, the innocence, it was as clear as day even now that he neared adulthood. Taylor was a kind soul, the sort that was even kinder as a child, back before he'd become tinted by the heavy burden of life.
"Embarrassing outfits... let's see. Well, I was a Senju aristocrat. You know how they used to be, right? My family? So very . . . regal. We meant a lot in the grand scheme of the village, and we were highly respected. So -- I wasn't allowed to dress too poorly, or act too out of bounds. Maybe that's why I... obsess so much with being 'free' now. Back then, I was always so constrained. I could only act, look and think a certain way. To do otherwise was to invite... severe punishment. And I had already deviated from..." he frowned.
"From what they wanted. What they expected. I'll show you what I mean. These bowls... these cups... this house. They're all forced. The way my Mokuton develops is far different; it's not pretty, or beautiful, or befitting of my kind. It looks like... this." He drew a root that sprung cracks through the floor beside them, rising from the panels he had constructed before. It was mangled, rotted and covered in a foul indigo colored moss. There were even wilted leaves, and thorny black flowers along the twisted length.
It had always been like this. Now, the Thicket began to speak to him. Whatever that was. Some said that it was Nagakaborous, a manifestation of the darkness of her will; the undercreep of evil that swelled from her hubris. Some said it was something else -- an ancient, darkly voice. He had always had this foul energy inside of him, corruptive of the Sennin energy the world manifested. It even seeped into his Senpou Mokuton.
For him, his embarrassing outfit was his chakra. He wore it inside of him, around him, and within the ridges of his thoughts. And it cast a dark shadow on him, ostracizing him from others.
"When Konoha fell, and we came here, things changed. The Senju were no longer what they once were, so I could be more myself. I came to love Uzushio for that reason. Until I didn't." And even now, he didn't know why. It was so arbitrary a feeling. Things just... shifted, and they never went back to where they were. That was why he became a ninja -- so that he could protect himself, without a village to guide him. He became a ninja... so that he could leave the life of a shinobi behind. Was that peculiar? Certainly. But it was him, and in his eyes, it made sense.
Taylor smiled at the prospect of Shinsei adorned in such regal attire. The roguish looking man in front of him hardly looked like he would fit inside of formal robes or suits. However, Taylor's laughter faded when the man regarded his own powers as something forbidden and off putting. Taylor observed the rotten wood grow with curious eyes. He waited for Shinsei to finish speaking before he resumed. "I do not know much about the senju clan, but I think they were wrong for not accepting you." He said warmly. The words came off easily to him. "You have been nothing but kind to me. Your wood powers may not look as nice, but they are you. I would not ask you to be someone that you are not." He said as his eyes moved to the fire. He looked into the flames as he gathered his thoughts. "Maybe you can grow to like Uzushio again." Taylor said as he returned his gaze to his comrade. "I mean, you said that it was a good place until it was not. I am looking forward to having the ability to start off new. Then I can figure out what I am going to do with the rest of my life." He said. Things were simply at this moment for him, which allowed him to speak casually. He didn't feel the need to be formal.
β Learn (4) All Techniques a post. β Learn ( 4 ) Bukijutsu techniques per post. β Korabo A-ranked with Horus β Enlightenment: S-ranked training β Backing: C-ranked Training β Pivot: C-ranked β Thread Walking: C-ranked β Technique ]
βοΏ€ Other Additives
β Double Supreme Strength β Double Supreme Fortitude β Supreme and Moderate Speed β Supreme and Moderate Reflexes
__ Taylor never once moved beyond Zhi's awareness throughout her pursuit. However, thanks to how great a range of her sensory abilities, it was easy to observe his movements from a significant distance. Maintaining that distance for the time being, Zhi spoke to Tetsu (and Masato if he chose to follow), "He seems to be resting here in the Land of Fire. He's with another- I recognize his chakra from the village. Although, I don't recall him being amongst the ninja allowed to come and go from the village, and... he's gotten a lot stronger since I saw him leave Awajishima." All the same, Zhi wasn't concerned with the guy showing off his mokuton powers. She was obligated to inquire about the Uzu ninja's activities, but her focus was definitely on Taylor.
With a flash of a hand seal Zhi changed back to her normal attire and stored her Oinin garbs. She figured that her previous outfit was part of the reason Taylor had been spooked or at least didn't recognize her. "I'm going." As a bluish blur, Zhi slipped through the landscape and closed in on the campsite in the blink of an eye. "Yay! Taylor!!" She successfully suppressed her voice from trembling even slightly due to the deep concern she felt for her unusually distant best friend. By the time her voice reached him, Zhi would already be in the midst of attempting to hug the boy upon exiting her ultra high-speed movement. No, she didn't know of his amnesia. Yes, she felt this was the best way to greet him, for both of their sakes.
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His ears detected something, and that something moved fast. He immediately felt his body tense. The moment the voice was heard Taylor moved low and slid away from what he thought was an attack. As his body turned he reached down and took one of the bone swords out of the ground. Once he grabbed the hilt he stood up straight and pointed the weapon at the girl. "Stay back!" He shouted. His eyes were harsh and his threat was sincere. However, he stared at the girl as he tried to recall why she looked familiar. "Oh. You are one of the ninja that Masato teleported me in front of." He said as some of the tension softened in his arm. The blade did not lower, however. "If Masato follows you, then tell him that I have a plan and do not need his assistance." His words were quick and to the point. He had no interest in mixing pleasantries with that, for all he knew, was going to ensnare him and drag him back to the village.
There was a solid second of tension before Horus leaped into the fray. He leaped over and immediately started to rub his head onto Zhi's chest. The bird's actions caused Taylor to lower his sword slightly. "Horus?" He asked as he saw the bird react. "Do you... do we... know her?" He asked as his voice cracked slightly on the word we. The bird looked at Taylor and cawed before he went back to rubbing his head on Zhi's chest. She had grown since the last time that they saw each other. Taylor was stunned that his pet was acting as though this girl was his owner. What kind of bond did they have?
β Learn (4) All Techniques a post. β Learn ( 4 ) Bukijutsu techniques per post. β Korabo A-ranked with Horus β Enlightenment: S-ranked training β Backing: C-ranked Training β Pivot: C-ranked β Thread Walking: C-ranked β Technique ]
βοΏ€ Other Additives
β Double Supreme Strength β Double Supreme Fortitude β Supreme and Moderate Speed β Supreme and Moderate Reflexes
Taylor was very kind. He spoke uplifting words to Shinsei -- and praised him. To be praised was an unknown feeling, for all that he had experienced before was a mixture of apprehension, fear and worry. He was not a lovable individual, and most kept a considerable distance. Taylor, on the inverse, showed what felt almost like affection. It was a welcome, beautiful feeling, and Shinsei cherished it even though the words he spoke were still few, and they still knew one another on scarce terms.
But as he parted his lips to respond in turn, someone came. She yelled Taylor's name, and attempted to lunge forward to... presumably take hold of him, for some unknown and uncertain reason. Shinsei immediately clapped his hands together, prepared to kill her if necessary. But then... he saw her headband, and the actions that unfolded. She was an Uzu-nin. She knew Taylor, and though he had seemingly lost his memory of her, his bird had not. Shinsei stilled the swelling of his chakra, particularly as he did not intend to fight a ninja from his own -- albeit former -- village.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "This... is my mission. I'm the one these rogues attempted to corral onto their side. I'll be going back with Taylor myself." Was he lying? No. They had decided on this plan, and he was going to stick to it. His heart was still, and his conscience was clear. The blue-haired girl was not his enemy, but she was a complication.
__ Being several steps ahead of her friends gave them a bit of time to catch up. Such was the norm when it came to her and her doings. Zhi stopped just an inch and some change away from the tip of his bone blade. "Taylor...?" She mumbled his name with plenty of hurt in her voice; so much so that she almost would've preferred he did impale her instead of treating her like such an honest threat. 'What in the world happened to you...?' There was a lot of context she still didn't understand even when he mentioned some kind of solution that he'd discovered on his own. Suddenly, Horus swooped in and instantly brought several levels of relief to her with his offered affections. Zhi gladly returned a great hug for his cuddling and spoke cheerfully to seemingly dismiss her concern for the moment, "Hiya Horus!!! Have you been taking good care of Taylor for me?" A small stack of crackers appeared in her left hand from the seal on her glove and she tossed the treat up for the thunderbird to enjoy, "Of course you have! Here's my thanks~!" Horus recognizing her definitely put some of her fears at ease, but she could see Taylor's insistent confusion out of the corner of her eye. 'Did he forget me after just two years? I mean... sure, I look a little different- BUT STILL!! Haahh...' Zhi sighed internally as she finished her thought. She didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but he was doing a damn good job of treating her like a stranger.
Her bright blue eyes shifted to Shinsei who spoke something about being on a mission and some rogues apparently having tried to recruit. "Going back where?" Zhi then looked back to Taylor again, "Does it have to do with this... Kogarashi?" She had her assumptions and doubts, especially since he had also started to mold more of that unique chakra for an unnecessary counterattack against the jonin kunoichi, but Taylor was literally still her main priority right now. An expert hunter ninja like her could find someone like Shinsei at virtually any time she desired, so he was of little concern- as long as he wasn't getting her friend into some kind of trouble. Neither of them could hide or run away from her if she really wanted to give chase. Although, it seemed like neither of them actually knew that either. Some straight answers and trust from Taylor might just be enough to make her leave them be... for now. It was highly likely they were going to cross paths again since Kogarashi was a term she recalled the captain of the invading fleet also mentioning with that bandit fortress. 'Uzu ninja being attacked by rogues in our lands, unexpected invading forces, and now Taylor too?' Dots were gradually starting to connect and form some kind of picture in the back of her mind. She had a feeling that she'd have to rely on her first lead if Taylor was as tight lipped as she knew he was even when he did remember who she was.
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__ Tetsuhiko finally caught up with the blue tempest kunoichi. He saw the boy and his bird and was able to have a longer look at him this time. He was almost unable to believe that he was seeing Taylor Childe again after so many years. The code named Renaissance agent approached and stood beside Zhi. The puppet man wore a beautified version of the VORTEX uniform covered with a purple cloak of fine fabric and his face covered by a masquerade style mask with peacock feathers and a veil which covered the bottom half of his face. Tetsuhiko saw to it that he was the most fabulous covert agent of all time. His uniform covered and concealed his weapon mechanisms installed within his puppet body.
Tetsuhiko looked at Shinsei and did not recognize him at all. For now, however, he would listen to Zhi's remarks and look at Taylor. "Taylor, I must admit that your entrance via portal after a five year wait was most exquisite." Tetsuhiko knew how to appreciate the drama and tension of a long wait before an entrance and Taylor was taking some serious artistic liberties with that concept. In general, Tetsuhiko was confused by what was going on and hoped that this would all be explained to him. In the mean time, he would stand here and try to support his friends from Sunagakure.
_______________ βΌOut Of ContextβΌ Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β― Tetsuhiko enters the stage!
Puppets in Inventory: β’ [x] ___β [ Caesar ] [ Penthesilia ] [ Castor ] [ Io ] Puppets Active: β’ [x] ___β [ Puppet Name ]
Regalina Kaicho
Mattysandwich
Kondo Kaicho
The Wild Hunt
Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 7:57 pm
Taylor lowered his blade completely when Tetsuhiko appeared as he turned to Shinsei. "I do not think that they wish to steal me. We can still go through with our plans." He said. He looked at Horus who seemed more than delighted to indulge on the crackers that the girl summoned. Taylor was truly stunned who could literally have Horus eating from their hand the way that the bird was acting. Would he do so for Masato? She must have been someone really important to the bird. He wondered if the two of them had that bond. Not that it mattered.
"I have no camaraderie with either of you." Taylor said harshly. The new pink left eye of Taylor stared with the familiar blue right eye at both of the intruders. "However, Horus recognizes her. Because of this, I will not force either of you to leave." He was standoffish purposefully because he was afraid. These ninja seemed to know him, but they were vortex operatives. If they restrained him and brought him back to the village before Shinsei and him could get there then Shinsei remains a rogue and gets thrown in prison; the same as Taylor. "If you wish to revel in the past then I am afraid I am the wrong person. Masato should have explained it already." He said.
β Learn (4) All Techniques a post. β Learn ( 4 ) Bukijutsu techniques per post. β Korabo A-ranked with Horus β Enlightenment: S-ranked training β Backing: C-ranked Training β Pivot: C-ranked β Thread Walking: C-ranked β Technique ]
βοΏ€ Other Additives
β Double Supreme Strength β Double Supreme Fortitude β Supreme and Moderate Speed β Supreme and Moderate Reflexes
Appearing just moments behind Zhi and Tetsuhiko, Masato saw the swirling events transpiring as well as a new face. The high rise of emotion and confusion was ripe in the air. He gritted his teeth. He had hardly had time to explain, but, for the sake of dramatic timing, Taylor had suggested that he already had.
A heavy sigh escaped the Uchiha's lips as he spoke plainly. " Blondie can't remember anything cept' a few memories of me. No memory of Suna, Nariomi Sensei, the war. Nothing." He wouldn't go into his working theory that the boy's memories had clearly been stimulated by the curse mark's activation. There was a lot going on he wasn't sure the girl could process at this point. Especially not her former love interest's painful transformation.
Masato stepped forward, addressing Taylor. " Aye, Blondie. Careful. The girl has feelings for you." He warned. Taylor's lack of memory did not mean a lack of heart ache from the one's forgotten. He knew that Taylor would see that through the fear. " These two are friends. I trust them both. "
_______________ βOut Of Contextβ Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β―Β― ---
_β β’ Berserker Discipline _β :Your external training and devotion to taijutsu has allowed you to have moderately increased Strength and Fortitude. _β Your hardened body allows you to mitigate the pain/status effect of an incoming attack for two post per body rank, allowing you to continue the fight until the pain or hazards settle in. _βFurthermore, if lethal damage is suffered then the delaying ability will be nullified for that effect. β’ Brawler Discipline _βYour Speed and Reflexes are moderately enhanced. _β You gain an additional 2 ninjutsu slots per rank. β’ Taijutsu Specialization _β Start with an additional Taijutsu _β All Locked Formless are treated as Complex for interactions with other techniques. β’ "The Good Host" PA x2 _β Implant Chakra Cost Requirements Γ· 2 β’ "Masato Smash" PA _β Masato gains an additional Taijutsu Style. β’ "Adaptive Nature" PA _β Masato gains an additional 2 Custom Slots β’ "Melee Prodigy" PA _β While the eyes of the user are active, every other rank of the eyes (1 tomoe, 3 tomoe, eternal), a slight reflex boost is conferred. β’ "Unity of Ninshuu" PA _β The study of Ninshuu Masato has embarked upon unifies him with those around him. Any religious missions completed with another individual count towards collaboration training with that individual equal to the posts done to complete the mission.
PassiveEffects: _β True Belief ___β Increases Stamina by +25 for every style mastered. _β Enlightenment ___β The user is now slightly more skilled at just about everything. Striking, blocking, moving, absorbing, and taking damage. ___β The user's strength and fortitude is increased heavily. _β Shooter Stance ___β Any techniques from this Style gain a mild strength boost per mastered stage if used while in this stance. _β Upgraded Caliber ___β When in the shooter stance, the strength of their strikes is increased moderately instead of mildly. _β Magnum ___β Grants a slight striking speed increase per mastered stage of this style. _β Designated Marksman ___β Allows offensive techniques to be Complex, sending dense chakra orbs from their fists to extend their impacting range as well as allowing them to now "punch" ninjutsu. The chakra orbs will hit with 2x the strength of their normal punch, and travel at 2x the speed of their punch for 30 meters. _β Whirlwind Training ___β The user trains to be better suited to dealing with the shock of landing and training the muscles of their legs and arms. ___β Raises the base level of the user's speed by one descriptive rank per learned stage of this Style. ___β These descriptive ranks cannot be drained by the techniques in this Style. _β Switchblade Training ___β The user may switch directions when landing a flip, allowing for one to flip backwards and then forwards and vice versa without a moment's hesitation. ___β May use up to one technique per post that would lower the descriptive ranks affecting their speed without suffering that reduction. _β Perfecting Balance ___β Balance and endurance are increased, allowing them to run faster than the average person without losing their balance. ___β Every Soft Physical Formless technique used confers one descriptive rank of speed to the user for the duration of the fight. ___β Attempts to throw the user off-balance that are of a lower rank than the userβs highest trained rank in the Soft Physical Formless Style automatically fail to do so. _β Advanced Whirlwind Training ___β The userβs reflexes gain any and all bonuses afforded to their speed. _β Manriki Burabura [ Weighted Swing ] ___β Simple techniques in this Style and related Formless techniques are treated as Complex. _β Kikkyo [ Diligence ] ___β The maximum speed for all techniques in this Style at one rank lower than the highest trained rank of the practitionerβs Hard Physical Formless Style. _β Oni no Nigiri [ Ogre's Grip ] ___β The user needs only a single hand to wield their massive weapon. When wielding it with two hands, techniques from this Style that consume an extra activation when used above the user's body rank do not do so. _β Bounetsu no Jutsu [ Flame-Resistance Technique ] ___βProtects the user from damaging themselves with their own techniques and is able to withstand increasing amounts of heat. _β Teikou no Kuntou [ Electrical Resistance Training ] ___β Protects the user from damaging themselves with their own techniques and is able to withstand mild currents. _β Botany Journeyman ___β -1 post to the D - Rank and the A - Rank missions. _β Sage of Ninshuu ___β -2 posts to the A - Rank and the S - Rank missions. ___β Converts the S - Rank mission's Korabo effects to combine chakra and stamina pools together for all linked persons forever. ___β Reduces ability to Kai out of genjutsu by 1 rank and raises chakra cost of Kai by an additional rank. ___β Genjutsu affects all that are sharing. _β ANBU Shadow | Tactician ___β -1 post to the D - Rank, the A - Rank, and -2 to the S - Rank missions. ___β By Concentrating, Tactician can gain information of one known technique per post of concentration automatically draining A Rank chakra/ stamina. ___β Can alter origin point of projectile techniques by 3 meters per rank [ 12 meters ] _β Doctor | Emergency Specialist ___β -1 post to the D - Rank, the A - Rank, and -2 to the S - Rank missions. ___β May retrain techniques to decrease sustainment cost to E Rank minimum.
**LEARNING - [ Technique ] [ Rank | Type]
**MISSION - **MISSION -
Mattysandwich
Regalina Kaicho
Kumurai Kaicho
The Wild Hunt
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:59 am
The whole of the conversation deterred his calm. They were all acting with such absurdity -- why had they even been sent out on a mission, if only to passively mete out a fairly dull conversation? The Senju stared with a look of utter disinterest, though he returned his hands to his side as his former 'comrades' displayed no level of outward threat. It seemed that his villagers were... passive people at best. He didn't mind that fact, at least.
Either way, they paid him little mind. Taylor was the focus of their words, and Shinsei had almost no bearing on any of it. That was fine, he supposed. "Fine. Our plan persists, then." The shinobi spoke with what appeared to be some level of conviction. Then, he pressed his palm into his elbow, and sighed.
"The Kogarashi aren't involved," he told Zhi. "Their name has become anathema, but it doesn't hold any weight. I've been to Gimangakure since leaving Uzushio, and their influence is finite." He had no idea of the assumptions that they had already made -- that the Kogarashi had recruited him, that they'd lured him into a pathway towards darkness.
He had left only from the desire to view outside of his dense cage. Taylor was a mystery, but Shinsei knew that -- regardless -- everyone was simply forming over-complicated conclusions.
__ Things were still unusually tense with Taylor, even if it was just a little less so. Tetsuhiko brought his usual emphatic flair and Taylor didn't so much as bat an eye. Actually, it somehow made things worse between them for a moment. Zhi idled herself with petting Horus even as Taylor outright denied their overly familiar behavior with such harshness. 'Recognize?' On the surface it seemed obvious that Horus would know who she was, but that word in particular stuck out. Taylor's distrust, distance, and sore attitude toward his old friends all started to make sense. Even still, Zhi couldn't help but retreat unto herself when he more or less made a point to stop bothering him despite just trying to properly greet their friend again. Given their arrival, Masato obviously knew something but she didn't wait to find out what.
Thankfully, he caught up just in time to hear that and interjected. It was very much like Muscles-sempai to lay things out in such a simple way. At least there wasn't much left to guess about with it. She hardly noticed how uncharacteristically quiet she had become in the seemingly unending past several minutes. Zhi's eyes sunk away from Taylor when Masato tried to remind him of their relationship too. She didn't like how Taylor was now, but at the same time... the Taylor she last remembered was broken and depressed. In some ways, you could say he was blessed to have forgotten his past anguish. The flares of chakra and subtle physical changes in his body did give rise to other concerns. However, Zhi was certain that she'd seen enough. She hadn't finished reaching her goal for his sake yet, so this fateful reunion was nothing short of premature.
Her eyes raised up again to settle upon Shinsei. This supposed plan they kept mentioning over and over but keeping just between them drew plenty of attention in itself. Zhi wouldn't ask about it, though. Clearly they didn't want to share with anyone else anyway, so they'd lie or evade the topic if she did. Zhi sighed, another rare behavior for her, and nodded to acknowledge what Shinsei said about Kogarashi. To heck if she knew what anathema meant but she had to guess it was something bad by the context alone. 'Okay. It's okay. Kogarashi isn't involved with whatever has happened to Taylor. Even still, it's inevitable that I'll have to deal with them soon since they seem to be operating in Awajishima.' Honestly, she knew nothing about what involvement Kogarashi had with Shinsei either. So far she hadn't received the same debrief as the rest of the VORTEX operatives back in the village since she'd been out in the field for awhile. "Guys... it's okay. Let's not... bother Taylor or his friend anymore." She halfway turned to leave, gently scratching Horus' neck a little to say goodbye, but looked back to Taylor again. "Please stay safe and out of trouble. I'm going to get stronger and keep my promise- even if you don't remember it or me." Zhi flashed one hand sign to summon her VORTEX gear again. The main reason was to mask her face before she actually started crying. It was always hard to say goodbye to him, but this time it was so terribly one-sided. Without another word to share, Zhi vanished as quickly as she came. Awajishima was her destination again. She had to finish her missions before too much longer or there'd be consequences. This had been quite the event for her. A surprise reunion with her friends, learning of Taylor's amnesia, and now she had to worry about some underground group organizing bandits and rogue ninja alike under their banner.
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