[♥]tab Kokorogakure tab[♥] C i v i l i a n tab D i s t r i c t
______________A r e a tab D e s c r i p t i o n || tabOf the different districts within Kokorogakure, this is by far perhaps the largest of them yet. Taking up the entirety of the underground settlement within the village, the Civilian District is where the apartments, houses and personal lands dwell. Apartments are formed from the walls, cut into large structures that are designed to the specifications of those who wish to own them. That said, the structures do need to consider space when being carved out. Homes are often crafted from the wood, clay and stone found around Kokorogakure’s land, yet despite this they often have a bit of style in their design that leaves each to look as if grown from the natural world around them. Each home has around it an outline made of rocks that grants them each three foot perimeter on all sides that is the end of their property, allowing them some semblance of control on where they may be. Outside of this, the Civilian district is rather interesting to travel across, and easy, as it is all built on a grid system separated by streets and roads in order to make traversing quite simpler. If moving eastwards a visitor would count upwards in numerical order beginning at one [1]. Going west a visitor counts by letters, from A, to B, to C, so on and so forth. If going north one would use the same rules as going East, except afterwards you’d say “Dawnside”, thus saying 4th Dawnside means to travel north four streets from the center. Going south follows the same rules as West, except you’d follow it by saying Duskside. Thus, one would say it as “Duskside F”, meaning one would travel south six streets. By this travel becomes easier to navigate and issue directions. tab Some rules apply here, of course, to keep the peace as mentioned in Kokorogakure’s main gates. It is important to note that while animals are allowed it is always up to the owners to ensure they do not get up to any mischief. tab The Civilian District is a hidden place, and only those who have been marked with a Sigil are allowed to be here unless under escort by a Mist Wraith. There are eight methods of reaching this district, one at each direction of the compass. Each leads to a part of the enormous, winding road that leads down into the district proper that runs along the circumference of the enormous pit. These doorways have steel gates that block them with small doors as the only means of passage, but above these doors are hidden within shops and other less obvious locations.
______________P o i n t s tab O f tab I n t e r e s t || tab • Apartments → An Apartment is bestowed on anyone that earns the title of Genin, and it is theirs’ to control. As such there are many of them, with rope bridges crisscrossing everywhere to grant rapid access to them. In many ways its looks like chaos, but to the fresh observer the many colors and designs hung from them make it a natural exhibit of art. tab • Homes → The myriad houses within the Civilian Districts are awarded to those who reach Chunin rank and higher, or those who have children. These locations are allowed to be changed as much as desired within their perimeter, and as such are decorated and design with wild abandon, making each home something unique to see as a visitor.
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【C - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁U K Y O】
[x] The house we were given as our residence was on the 'Duskside' of the district, and furnished with the bare bones of essentials. A couple of chairs and a table. A hearth for cooking, since electricity hadn't yet been restored. A wash basin. Uncomfortable-looking-but-better-than-the-ground beds. Not much else. The lack of access to electricity meant there was no lights outside of the windows and the fireplace, and there was no running water. That was fine. At the particular time, I didn't really care. I didn't have the energy to think much about it, and my brain needed time to sort everything out without thinking about it. Whether that meant sleep or not was still up in the air.
Something told me the answer would be no.
Picking one of the rooms, whichever was the darker of the two, I dropped by bag and undressed until I was in my base shirt and trousers. The place was plenty warm to attempt sleep. Maybe almost too warm, being the middle of the day, but it was nothing compared to the heat of travelling through the Land of Fire. Plus, being in a giant crevice in the ground helped cool it off.
About as settled in as I could be with the few earthly possessions I had, I pulled some rations from my pack and moved back out to the main room to check on Kagerou. For no other reason really than to make sure everything was fine and in order. I guess it was a habit picked up after travelling together for three months. I placed the food on the table for her to take when she wanted and fidgeted for a moment before speaking up in my typically quiet way--though a bit louder if she was still in the other room. "Do you need anything?" I asked, gaze wandering around the mostly empty room.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [3] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Chakra [3] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Ninjutsu| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Genjutsu| Strength: +0.5 • Ninjutsu Cost: [-5] Chakra • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Sumi Yusou no Jutsu [Ink Transport Technique] - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with chakra-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of Chakra, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ None.
Items of Note: ✤
HeadlessKoko
[ e x p ] 8475 x|x [ r y o ] 0400 x|x [ c h a k r a ] 520 / 520 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 360 / 360
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
It was a simple abode. Crude, actually, compared to the homes of the past, the homes Kagerou was used to. However, compared to the past six months of camping in the wild, it was certainly an improvement. Honestly, though, Kagerou hadn't minded it terribly. In fact, she even got used to it over time. It wasn't until Kagerou saw the pitiful bed in the small room and felt gratitude for even that uncomfortable resting spot that she realized just how roughly she, Shadow, and Takeda had been living out there by themselves. It certainly made her reconsider her initial resolution to leave this village as soon as possible. She still didn't want to stay. Appreciation for a bed and roof over her head, she would rather have peace of mind. However, she couldn't just force that choice onto Shadow and Takeda, and she realized that maybe she had come on a bit too strong with her decision without really looking into how the other two thought.
Kagerou had picked one of the other two rooms arbitrarily, whichever Takeda didn't robotically afk walk into. She did the looking into it. Had her revelation. Then, nothing else. She had as few earthly possessions as Shadow, and about no desire to take them out. Most were sorted into a single bag. She wasn't particularly laden with baggage.
Somehow, even though she didn't unpack anything, Kagerou entered the main room after Shadow. It was probably all the thinking, musing, and reflecting she had done while standing, smiling blankly ahead. Seeing Shadow waiting for her, Kagerou tossed him an amiable smile. Eyes glanced across the small room. No Takeda. He was probably sleeping in his room. You know, the thing that she and Shadow should be doing. Except, as usual, Shadow was getting about as much sleep as a medical student with imminent finals. This being the usual, Kagerou had also decided to come out just in case.
"I'm fine," Kagerou assured, speaking softer than she usually did. As demonstrated with her next words, "More importantly, do you think you'll be able to sleep?" she wanted to see Shadow getting some sleep for once. Perhaps if she spoke in a quiet voice, then it might help him relax enough to close his eyes and slumber.
Royal Taorito
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 6:39 pm
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【C - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁U K Y O】
[x] Kagerou made her way out to the main room of the house just after I did, so I wasn't forced to raise my voice to speak to her. She didn't need anything, which I'd expected, but again I was acting more on autopilot than conscious thought. Part of me wanted to offer to keep watch, but I supposed that wasn't necessary. It was just hard to get past the idea that we were sleeping indoors tonight. Or attempting to sleep anyway.
Speaking of sleep, one of the techniques I'd run across in my reading came to mind, since all of the information I'd absorbed was starting to settle where it needed to be. "Feigning Sleep," I replied, gaze falling slightly as I focused on the description of it. "It... basically puts a willing party into sleep-like state for about three hours, unless otherwise woken." From external sources or, worse but far more frequent, nightmares. "I picked it up because I thought it might help," I explained lamely. My brows furrowed slightly as I searched my memory for a better option, but nothing came to mind. A dreamless sleep would have been ideal, but hopefully this wouldn't be too bad.
I blinked, and focused my attention back on Kagerou briefly. Why was interaction awkward now? All that had changed was that I had my voice, so why couldn't I act as I normally did? Stress, exhaustion, and the unfamiliar situation probably had a big part to play in it. I shifted uncomfortably, only partially able to hide my anxiety. "Good night," I said finally, and turned to head back into the room I'd chosen, assuming I wasn't stopped
Before climbing into bed, I took a bite of my rations, since I was hungry, and then flopped onto the mattress I was fairly certain was just hay stuffed into a sheet. Not exactly the mattress I'd looked forward to sleeping on after three months of travelling, but I guessed it was better than the ground. After a moment, though, I got back up and unrolled the bedroll I'd had with me on top of the bed and laid down again. Slightly better.
That was about as far as I got, sleep-wise, for a while. Munching on dried meat, and then just listening to the traffic outside, all while staring at the ceiling occupied me for maybe an hour. Thinking was too much effort, but I was too exhausted to do much else.
I considered using the technique I'd mentioned. Three hours were better than nothing, and I supposed I could just do it again after I woke up. But I was also somewhat afraid of what I might see once my eyes were closed. Sometimes I didn't recall my dreams--unlike my perfect memory when I was awake--but they still typically left me in a cold sweat regardless.
I gave myself a bit longer before I finally gave in. Making the necessary hand seals, I triggered the technique on myself, and let myself drift off.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [3] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Chakra [3] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Ninjutsu| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Genjutsu| Strength: +0.5 • Ninjutsu Cost: [-5] Chakra • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Sumi Yusou no Jutsu [Ink Transport Technique] - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with chakra-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of Chakra, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ None.
Items of Note: ✤
HeadlessKoko
[ e x p ] 8475 x|x [ r y o ] 0400 x|x [ c h a k r a ] 520 / 520 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 360 / 360
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
"Good night," Kagerou nodded and smiled as she watched Shadow turn into his room for the... however long until they would leave to tame the wild beasts. Kagerou stayed in the common room for a little longer, mulling over her options. Her gut told her that she should stay awake. In this village she didn't trust, treating it with no more confidence than the wilds seemed the right choice. However, her personal exhaustion convinced her that she needed to relax. Breathe. Also, go to sleep when Shadow was trying to sleep. She knew he would often stay awake alone during his many restless nights. How lonely he must be at those times even if he never admitted it. Or at least bored. While they could all rest at once, Kagerou might as well try to catch some shut eye with him so as to minimize the amount of time he's awake alone.
She didn't even eat. While a little hungry, she knew that the feeling would go away soon. She simply went into her room and dropped on the bed. In stark contrast to Shadow, Kagerou was asleep within minutes, if not seconds. It was no surprise that the ever calm child would be able to relax so easily. Her rest was easy and her sleep uneventful. Scattered memories roamed the foggy expanses of her mind, playing in perfect clarity before the veils of sleep would erase them and hide them again within the depths of Kagerou's mind. The recently learned techniques recalled memories of a time when Kagerou learned every technique in the library simply because she could. The impending approach of the day when she would once again stand beneath the Sero dredged up memories of other days spent beneath the Sero's tamed and untamed canopies. However, when Kagerou would wake up, she would hardly remember any of the above.
Kagerou would, per usual, sleep in later than Shadow. Per usual, without the presence of any other bodies to tempt her with body heat, she would rest neatly without much in the way of extraneous movement.
Royal Taorito
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:54 am
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【C - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁U K Y O】
[x] I woke with a start at some point later on to what I assumed was a dream that faded to fast for me to keep hold of it. I was blearily tired and disoriented for a long moment as I tried to get my bearings on where I was. Once I recalled I was in a room in the village of Kokorogakure, I inhaled sharply and rubbed my face with my hands. Blinking what sleep I could from my eyes, I looked around--the room was still pretty much pitch dark, but I could see somewhat thanks to my cat-like senses--and briefly considered just trying to go back to sleep. But the part of me that knew it would be in vain won and I wound up just pushing myself out of bed.
It hadn't quite been night when I'd gone to sleep, so that meant I had slept at least a couple of hours, which in turn meant the technique I'd used had worked. But there was no real indicator in a cloudy sky that told me just how long. Obviously, Kagerou was still asleep, so heading out wasn't an option, and there wasn't much of anywhere that would be open in the middle of the night. I decided instead to add a few pages to my sketchbook. Whoever had furnished the home had found it in their heart to leave some candles, so I lit one of the tapers for a light source and settled at the table in the main room.
Due to the inherent wetness of the former Water Country, I'd avoided much drawing since crossing the sea. I'd even gone so far as to wrap the book in some leather to keep it dry, but the pages still felt vaguely damp. I just had to hope the ink wouldn't run.
I took some time to draw everything we'd encountered since crossing into the country. Careful images of new plants I'd found along the way, as well as some drawings of creatures and plants I'd run across in my reading. The village of Kokorogakure, both the apparent and the hidden parts of it. The massive skeleton at the bottom of the crevice and a speculation of what the creature it had been might look like. And, much to my displeasure, Oragor and his uncanny resemblance to the monster I hated most. Once I'd covered all of that, I moved onto preparing some ink techniques that I could call on in an emergency; mostly ink clones but a few others as well. [Trained 2 ranks in Drawing]
The candle was running low when gray light began to push back the darkness of the room. At that point, I was preparing a new vial of ink. It was my last one, so I'd need to find a way to get more at some point, but it would last me some time. It took a couple of drops of blood, which I got by pricking a finger. Sticking my finger in my mouth to stop the bleeding, I shook the vial vigorously to mix it and set it back down.
It occurred to me then that I was hungry again. But I didn't really want shriveled up food; since we were in town, I wanted a proper hot meal, and since dawn was right around the corner, places would be opening for breakfast soon enough. Shaking my hand to get rid of the vague stinging, I stood to get ready to leave.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [3] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Chakra [3] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Ninjutsu| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Genjutsu| Strength: +0.5 • Ninjutsu Cost: [-5] Chakra • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Sumi Yusou no Jutsu [Ink Transport Technique] - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with chakra-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of Chakra, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ None.
Items of Note: ✤
HeadlessKoko
[ e x p ] 8475 x|x [ r y o ] 0400 x|x [ c h a k r a ] 520 / 520 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 360 / 360
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
Kagerou wasn't the type to oversleep. That much had sometimes been apparent during the months of travel. Other times, not so much, because Kagerou would grumble and want to sleep in if she didn't get enough sleep.
Fortunately, since she had slept so early and hadn't been deprived of sleep in the last few days, she got plenty of rest to wake up after about nine hours all fine and dandy. A little groggily, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up. There was no morning light to illuminate her form, only the faint light of stars and a crescent moon. She could only make out vague shapes after blinking her eyes into an awakening. However, it was enough for her to quietly creep out of bed and, since she had gone to sleep ready to leave at a moment's notice, get ready to leave her room if she felt like it, which she honestly kind of did. There wasn't much she could do in the dark.
Unaware that anyone else was awake and not wanting to wake them up, Kagerou quietly opened her window. Shadow was, probably, too invested in drawing at this time to notice. She stood breathing in the fresh air, its cool humidity equally familiar and unfamiliar. She had intended to exit out of the window to try her hand at some training now that she had some privacy and/or explore the town. However, now that she had the window open, she had her doubts if that was the best choice. She still wanted to train in the darkness of pre-morning night like she used to when she was younger, but it wasn't like it was going to be the same as her last life, anyways. If she left now like this, Shadow might glare at her like she was a nuisance and she wouldn't be able to berate Takeda with a clean conscience.
Thus, in the end, Kagerou just sort of leaned against the window, resting her body against the side of the opening and crossing her arms against the morning chill as she coolly bore witness to the night slowly making way for the day. With a smile, despite all her insecurities, she enjoyed the little things in life. Eventually, she even dozed off while standing and only woke up when, a few seconds later, she heard the sounds of a cart. Eyes snapping open in curiosity, she caught sight of the cart in question just as it crossed an intersection within view of Kagerou's window. The smell of fried breads mixed with a fainter scent medley of spiced meats and sweet jam wafted from the cart.
Kagerou vaulted out the window and chased after the cart. Eh? What was that about not leaving the others recklessly? Ehhhhhh. If she came back with food, then she was sure all would be forgiven! That aside, she was starving... Sleep had only staved off the hunger for so long and it had returned with a vengeance.
Once she was within a reasonable distance to yell without waking up the neighbors, she was shouting, "Mister! Mister!" pigtails bouncing, hand waving high, and just all around taking advantage of her cuter, younger version, "Mister Oniiiiii-chaaaan~ Your bread smells amazingly delicious. Could you tell me how much it is for one?". Lucky for Kagerou, this npc breakfast seller, who looked to be on the older side of the survivors at the age of 16, set up his food cart not far away from where Kagerou first spotted him.
Royal Taorito
Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2019 6:55 pm
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【C - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁U K Y O】
[x] Not being the type to leave unarmed, I retrieved, at the very least, my tanto, leaving my bow and bag behind for the time being. I grabbed my money pouch and headed back to the front door. Part of me wondered if I should check on Kagerou before leaving, as I passed the door to her room, but the larger part said that would be inappropriate. So I settled instead for checking on her when I got back.
It turned out I wouldn't need to, though. As I stepped outside, I spotted the green-haired kunoichi chasing after a passing vendor. A heavenly mix of the smell of bread and meat wafted from his cart, which resulted in me following after as well. I caught up a few seconds after she stopped the man, asking for the price. Mutism took over and I didn't say anything as I approached, but I stood at enough of an angle to Kagerou that could see me--so that I wasn't just appearing behind her like some phantom with my silent approach.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [3] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Chakra [3] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Ninjutsu| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Genjutsu| Strength: +0.5 • Ninjutsu Cost: [-5] Chakra • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Sumi Yusou no Jutsu [Ink Transport Technique] - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with chakra-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of Chakra, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ None.
Items of Note: ✤
HeadlessKoko
[ e x p ] 8475 x|x [ r y o ] 0400 x|x [ c h a k r a ] 520 / 520 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 360 / 360
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
The bread seller looked up in alarm at the little girl who had hopped out to greet him while he was still in the middle of setting up his cart. He got a laugh from her cute antics. "Haha. Well, that'll be 1 ryo, and since you're such a cutie, I'll even toss in one for free for your friend back there," the baker indulged Kagerou with an answer, his accent and the way he tipped his hat both carrying the slightest traces of a Southern lilt.
After receiving her answer, Kagerou looked over her shoulder at Shadow behind. "Ehehehe," she gave a laugh of her own, like a child caught in the act, "Looks like you noticed I darted out. Well, what do you think? Should we get three? One for each of us? Or just keep on eating rations?". If he hadn't come, Kagerou had been ready to barter, but since he was here, she felt like it would be too embarrassing for him to stand by and watch her try. Heck, it would have been embarrassing to Kagerou, but the only money their group had was, technically, Shadow's, which was why even now, Kagerou asked what he wanted to do.
Royal Taorito
Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:34 pm
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【C - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁U K Y O】
[x] I found myself a bit surprised at the low price offered by the merchant. But then I supposed given the lack of money in the new world it made sense. Humanity did seem to finally be getting itself in order regardless, and we were defaulting back to the same monetary system we were used to. I glanced at Kagerou as she asked about numbers, and then back at the merchant before stepping forward. I fished three coins from my pouch and handed them over to the man, despite his mention of giving one for free. Money didn't mean much to me, so handing it to someone who cared about it didn't bother me. He handed over the three pastries in exchange and I turned away with a nod of thanks.
I held out two of the pastries to Kagerou, assuming she wanted the third one for Takeda, and took a bite out of the remaining one. My gaze turned up to the sky briefly. "I don't know how long it'll take us to track the lizards down, so we should leave soon," I said, and started back toward the house. "Was there anything else you needed to do before we leave?" I looked back to see if she was following--if she wasn't, I would pause.
I hadn't honestly thought much on a plan, despite being up most of the night. I wouldn't be able to evaluate much of anything, honestly, until I could see the creatures. Even then, it wasn't like I had ever tried to tame a creature. But then, that wasn't what I was required to do. I just had to bring back the queen lizard-thing alive so they could do whatever they wanted with it. It wasn't really any of my business, outside of the fact that some form of mount would make getting to the Sero--and therefore the remains of Kirigakure--a lot faster. But if needed we could always go on foot. After all, it's what we'd done for the last three months. What was a little longer.
At the same time, I knew probably better than most what horrible things might be inhabiting the area surrounding the giant tree. Especially having had the better part of a millennia to fester in the chakra that was stored within it. With that in mind, we needed the aid of this town and its resources if we had any hope of eventually reaching Kiri.
After a moment of no response, I took the silence as nothing else was needed, and headed for the gates.
[Exit to Village Entrance]
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [3] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Chakra [3] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Ninjutsu| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Genjutsu| Strength: +0.5 • Ninjutsu Cost: [-5] Chakra • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Sumi Yusou no Jutsu [Ink Transport Technique] - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with chakra-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of Chakra, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ None.
Items of Note: ✤
HeadlessKoko
[ e x p ] 8475 x|x [ r y o ] 0400 x|x [ c h a k r a ] 520 / 520 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 360 / 360
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
In very Shadow-like fashion, Shadow had stepped up and spoke with his actions over his words. She gratefully took two of the stuffed pastries, biting into one as she trotted alongside Shadow while she saved the other for Takeda. Her mouth inconveniently full with a pastry, bloated like a chipmunk's cheeks, she looked up at Shadow and blinked. She had literally bitten off more than she could chew, and she just hoped that this wasn't some sort of sign of what was to come.
Her jaws worked furiously to gulp down the food so she could give Shadow a response. However, it turned out it wasn't needed. Shadow understood her nonetheless, despite how her head was alternating between nodding and shaking. Yes, let's go. No, she didn't need anything else. He made his way to the gates, and conveniently enough, Takeda had woken up and was waiting right outside their sleeping quarters as they passed. Kagerou brought him over with a wave of the pie that had been saved for him, and the three made their merry way off.
Exit to Village Entrance
Royal Taorito
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:02 am
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【B - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁I N K B O R N】
[x] I made my way back to our residence without pausing. I wanted to leave immediately, leave Kagerou where it was safe and not tell her where I was going. But if I didn't at least attempt to rest, I wouldn't be able to function as I might need. This whole situation felt wrong, but I couldn't place why. Shouldn't I be happy that Jack might be alive? Instead the thought just brought me anxiety. I couldn't help recalling the nightmare event that could have killed everyone living in his new Kirigakure. All because he didn't get enough sleep. Jack was powerful, and dangerous. But he was also a brother to me. I needed to at least see if the rumor was true.
But if he had been crystallized like the rest of us, he shouldn't have had all the power he had before. So maybe he wasn't a danger, and just another of the awakened who needed to get to safety.
Oragor hadn't provided any details as to this supposed Jack's activity, only that a scout had sighted him and reported back. If he had been newly woken, why hadn't the scout helped him? Why just tell the village leader about him instead of bring him to the village. If Jack had lost all of his power, then he was almost useless on his own. Unless the crystal had changed him to be more physically capable, as I had seen changes in myself upon waking.
I pulled myself from my thoughts for long enough to open the door I'd been standing awkwardly in front of and head inside. Even if I wanted to leave now, I needed to know what exactly I was looking for. Which meant I needed to wait for the scout. Otherwise I'd just be sending myself on a wild goose chase. Trying not to show how antsy I was to the empty room, I sat on the floor next to my bed and chose to update my sketchbook to calm myself down.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [4] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Mana [4] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Magical| Strength: +0.5 x Speed: +0.5 • Illusion| Strength: +0.0 • Arcanist Spell Cost: [-5] Mana • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Ink Transport - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with mana-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of mana, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ Speak to Oragor.
Items of Note: ✤
[ e x p ] 14,375 x|x [ r y o ] 0,400 x|x [ m a n a ] 600 / 600 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 550 / 550
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
_______________________The Narrator Thunders...|| tab After several minutes, perhaps ten or twenty at most, there came a light knock at the door followed by no more or less than ten seconds before the door was opened to reveal a member of Kraken Division. Or, rather, someone that knew enough about what they looked like to try and replicate the armor and designs. The figure who walked in was shorter than Shadow, wearing the armor of the Kraken but with the visor missing where the optic enhancers once were. The metal, slightly lumpy from the hammer, showed the lack of precision that marked the truth armor. The colors, though, were spot on. Shutting the door as they entered the figure brought a fist to the upper left portion of their chest and dropped to one knee in a salute/bow combination, showing extreme respect and deferential treatment. tab When the figure spoke it was with a feminine voice, no nonsense and to the point. "Greetings, Shadow," she began in pure Japanese, her tone formal enough to make anyone cringe. "I am Woodfinch. As ordered I have come to provide information from my last venture. If I might be so bold I will begin by explaining where I was, my mission, and what happened in chronological order." While she phrased it as a question the woman did not wait for permission but headed onward. "I was traveling through a region of Kirigakure known as Krakenhold, where we believe a statue of Kraken resides, though it is strangely alien in design. It is an old fishing town that used to lay outside of the Father Gates but now resides within them. My mission was to locate an intercepted caravan, which was supposed to be leading refugees from a nearby city to Kokorogakure for safety. We had reason to believe it was intercepted by a rogue faction, one we've been tracking, who have dedicated themselves in this new world to the larcenist arts." From her tone it was clear what she felt about that particular turn of events. "When I approached along with my squad I found city filled with mist and silent as the grave. Even the water lapping at the docks did little to stir the unnatural silence. We investigated carefully at first, as only two of us knew the spell necessary to see through the mists, but quickly one by one I lost radio contact with the others. They were speaking, and then they were not. But when I listened carefully I could hear...something..." tab Her tone, for the first time, became filled with uncertainty, to the point that she fell silent for several uncomfortable moments before she continued. "Whispering. Words that were broken into a rhyming scheme that hurt my mind and blood to rush through my ears. I don't know what it was, what caused it, but with every additional silence it got louder. When I came upon the first of my comrades is when it reached its peak." Swallowing carefully, she continued with her heart clearly clenching in her throat. "The body was unharmed, but he was dead. No human face could look as twisted, as agonizingly lost as that, and remain alive. From the way his hands clenched his chest I can only assume his heart burst from whatever he experienced. I am ashamed to say I ran, then, but not before I saw a figure standing beneath a tree, a can between his hands and those green eyes staring at me from under a top hat of all things. A circus performer, a ring master, but one that could see into my soul as I ran back. And that is the only reason I'm alive now."
Royal Taorito
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:27 pm
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【B - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁I N K B O R N】
[x] At the sound of a knock on the door, I paused in my drawing, an ear perking to listen for a sound following. But it was quiet. Pushing myself to my feet, I made my way over to the door with the intention of looking out, but it instead opened, revealing who I assumed was the scout that was sent to speak to me. Or that was my best guess given the particular armor they wore. My expression remained even--or apathetic if you prefer--as they dropped onto one knee in a reverent salute that was way too formal for my status or my tastes.
It was in this pose she remained as she delivered her report. The figure that supposedly looked like Jack was in a place called Krakenhold, which had a statue that resembled the mythical beast. She had gone there to investigate a caravan of refugees that were accosted by a rogue group--something else that might be worth looking into later on.
As she moved on to the actual sighting, she became clearly uncomfortable. The area was filled with mist and silent, and as they moved they lost contact with the rest of their patrol. Then whispering started, rhymed phrases that hurt to hear. She found the untouched body of a comrade, dead from perhaps internal damage of some sort. I felt my blood run cold. Unless Jack had gone completely mad there was no way he would do something like that. But the description she gave of the figure she saw was accurate. Whether anyone was still alive, she'd run before finding out.
No, this was Jack we were talking about. It was probably an illusion of some sort. A cruel one, but maybe it was designed to keep people away from something. All the more reason I wanted to go on my own... so that I couldn't be tricked into seeing what she saw, only replaced with someone close to me. And that list wasn't particularly long. I drew in a long, slow breath before I spoke, forcing my thoughts into words. "If this was some sort of... apparition... of him, it was likely just a trick to make you leave. Your patrol might still be alive." I hesitated and glanced away, avoiding looking at her even though I couldn't see her face. "But I won't make any promises."
I turned away to grab my things. If I was going to get there alone, before Kagerou found out, I would need to leave immediately. There was no way I was going to risk having what may have happened to that patrol happen to her. If it did, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep a hold of my sanity. "How far out is it?" I slung my pack and bow over my shoulder and turned back to her. But I hesitated again. Taking another deep breath I continued. "If... I don't come back for some reason, let the girl that arrived with me know what happened."
Once I got my answers, I headed out.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [4] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Mana [4] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Magical| Strength: +0.5 x Speed: +0.5 • Illusion| Strength: +0.0 • Arcanist Spell Cost: [-5] Mana • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Ink Transport - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with mana-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of mana, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ Gather information
Items of Note: ✤
[ e x p ] 14,400 x|x [ r y o ] 0,400 x|x [ m a n a ] 600 / 600 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 550 / 550
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
_______________________The Narrator Thunders...||