Within Quiet Inception, A Terrific Detour [Travel] [Invite]

[Saiyuki]

OOC: Suke has given me permission to use Reaching Beyond to find him.

[Enter]

Sai followed the spirit as it gradually formed. It seemed to be dragging itself out of a portal from another world, which did not seem to want to let it go. After much struggle, it finally burst out, with a great light shooting out from the funneled portal. With shining gold hair and a dazzling purple kimono, the spirit regained its composure. It peered around and recognized the Soulcaster when she laid her eyes on him. She had an ageless face that made her difficult to read, a face that had clearly seen much of what the world had to offer. She beckoned that Sai come forth.

You know of who I seek? Tell me where he is.

"Indeed I do. You seek a lot of things, Hunter. But you should beware. Not all that should be sought is for the better. This will be the start of a dark path. You will have to choose between Loyalty and Duty, Pride and Reason, Madness and Blood. Do you still desire to find the one who will throw you onto this path?"

My answer remains unchanged.

"Very well. You will find what you seek West of the Mountain, greenest of Yavanna's Seeds. Bathed by light, he will be lulled by the lover of beasts. Only one who is lost can find those who have wandered off the beaten path."

With that, she fell into silence and faded into invisibility, still there but clearly she had said all she could say. Sai drew back into himself, trying to decipher the clues he had been given. He looked to Emi.

"Your friend give you anything useful to work with?"

[~Emi~]

Tracking

T

he constant raining had made it quite hard for the beast to find any useful scents, but as they walked down the direction of which the man had walked, Emi saw a footprint. He jumped off Zetsubô and went over to analyze it. The size of the print indicated it was a person older than 16 and the depth made him believe it was a grown man. It was however hard to confirm it was made at the correct time, but it had been there for quite some time and the rain mostly destroyed older prints than that, so he had strong feelings he had found the right one.

I have a direction

He said as his eyes followed the direction and found another few signs of someone walking pass. It would be a little too difficult to track a man from the back of his companion, so he stayed on the ground and leaned over the mud as he headed towards the next sign. As he reached it, he stopped and looked around to see where his teammate was and was glad as he noticed the boy wasn't far behind.

(Since you're gming this now, if there's need for rolls, you're the one doing them) Like if its not ok to just rp tracking for example)

-Move to Hi no kuni-

[Saiyuki]

OOC: I'm going to post just one more time to solidify the move. IC'ly, there would be no more tracks left of Suke in Ame since every 24 hours that has passed IC'ly = +5% to Tracking roll. And reasonably speaking, someone's footsteps wouldn't still be there (with the rain) months after they were made. Given the amount of time that's been since he's left Ame, that makes for an insanely difficult roll. His recent movements, on the other hand, we might be able to make use of.

He looked back to the spirit and pondered upon his words. Given his general knowledge of the regions around Ame no Kuni, the spirit's clues were singled down to two countries. Kusa no Kuni and Hi no Kuni. The "greenest" countries on Ame's borders would belong to these two. Now, there was a clue about a Mountain. Sai pondered upon this clue for a bit. Hi no Kuni was famous for having just one single mountain range. While he was not completely sure about Kusa no Kuni, his memory was telling him that that country had multiple mountain ranges.

While it was not much go on, it was impossible to track down someone physically at the moment. The rain had all but destroyed the tracks of any but the most recent passer-bys. Sai had no biological matter of the target for which could be used to locate him. All he could rely on was this spirit's clues. Deciphering them was always an enormous pain that he would normally never have the patience for. However for something as important as finding an Amekage-elect, he would just have to put with up it. Sai spoke out to Emi.

"Given the clues I've been given from another world, we should make for Hi no Kuni."

(Move to Hi no Kuni)

[Deleted]

Moving.

[~Emi~]

following the spirits

I

t didn't take many steps before the footprints he had followed entered a wagon of some sort and disappeared. Their target had moved by foot, so Emi grinned and jumped back on Zetsubo to look for any other signs. But before he was able to start his search, Sai already knew their first destination. Emi looked at the chunin and nodded.

Well done, I didnt realize we had spirit-speakers in amegakure. I wouldn't mind learning about the realm of the dead myself.

Emi was thrilled when he realized that he might've just found one of his last teachers before truly becoming divine. Since he had in the land of fire before, he kept his eyes very focused on the surroundings. When they got close to the border,Emi activated his minds eye so he could notice incoming fire shinobis or people moving around within 200 meters. Since the rain had stopped it was also possible for him to look for some new tracks.

I know, every character should however be able to fail or be lucky

[Saiyuki]

OOC: Suke said you would have had to roll a 900 lol

Passing out of view of Ame no Kuni, the two travelers got a rare break from the rain that they were so used to. The spirit he had summoned was still there thankfully. The two of them were moving fast and Sai had his Sensor abilities on. He did not know it at the time but Emi's range would far exceed his. They had passed the border and Sai was leading the way. The sole Mountain in Hi no Kuni was near the northern borders of the country so they were heading northeast.

"It's not so much the realm of the dead as it is the study of Souls, both your own and that of others-"

He had picked up Emi's intent on learning the abilities himself and he was just going to comment on it when the spirit burst out into a riddle once more.

"The twin stars have crossed and continued on their own paths, not to meet again until the end of the storm. Both return home, one already built and the other to build one. A hunter may still pick up the trail if he hurries."

Having been interrupted and having to analyze what he had been given, Sai fell silent. He held up his finger, an indication that he was thinking. The first two sentences meant nothing to him, though it foretold of a disaster it seemed. And twin stars crossing...so two people, one of them the Amekage-elect, were destined to meet again. And did they have the same home? Was it in Hi no Kuni? He could not tell. But at least the last sentence gave him hope that there would finally be solid evidence of where they could find their man.

"I was interrupted, I hope you did not mind. Apparently we will be able to pick up his trail here. However, whether or not he is still in this country is up in the air. Let's begin hunting for evidence."

If his trail could be picked up here, then they would have a chance.

SPOILER: Click to show

Mind's Eye of the Kagura A rank
Extension B rank

Reaching Beyond - Continued

Observation: 83

Tracking SP - 92
Hunter Trait Bonus +10
Tracking Basics +10
Always Get Your Man +15
Tracking Mastery: +1 insight bonus

[~Emi~]

In the land of fire

S

ince Emi was clearly quite intrigued about the skill the chunin possessed, the young boys eyes constantly moved back to the older boy. They were in hostile territory, yet they appeared so normal. It made Emi feel a little uncomfortable, what kind of world did they live in when strange ninjas would just walk in unchecked into a foreign land, capable of killing hundreds before anyone would react. A little now and then a glimpse of a person or two would appear in the outskirts of his minds eye range, but their chakra levels would be so low that it wouldn't even be anything noteworthy.

Does that mean you would be able to summon forth a certain soul? Lord Souzen for example?

He was curious about that fact, as he still hadn't figured out how Souzen had entered the mortal realm and spoken to him a few weeks earlier. The man had been considered a god, but Emi was beginning to wonder, what really is a god...? The boy followed the road as he looked for some more tracks while waiting for the answer. It had been a great thus far, but as they rapidly was getting closer to the woods, he knew that it would be a lot trickier to keep themselves out of harm. The konoha shinobis were known to hide within the trees after all.

Minds eye of the kagya A rank with 200 m range

Observation 87+20

Tracking 46

Zetsubô B ranked scent

[Saiyuki]

Skill Checks

Sai: Tracking and Observation Succeeded

Emi: Tracking Failed; Observation Succeeded (Scent Picked Up)
You notice a specific type of footprint, specifically from the sole of one who wears Getas. However you are not able to get much else from the trail since the footprint does not seem to lead anywhere for you as it disappears into thick vegetation. However Zetsubo has caught a scent from the print and is now able to recognize it once within a 10 meter distance. Zetsubo will also be capable of pinpointing the source once within 2 meters.

---

"Perhaps. I am not able to completely control who I summon but I may reach that level one day. However, do not assume all supernatural happenings are due to those who are like me. We are the exception."

Sai gave a prompt reply and then focused the rest of his attention to finding a trail. He was skilled on the hunt, so to him it was all but a matter of time. He slowed down his pace a little as they moved, catching any signs of passed vegetation, footprints, marks, etc. Slowly, he was starting to pick up small signs. They were quite ambiguous but not enough that he would completely discount them. No, they could start to lead up to something more. And that was when he saw a definite clue, something that confirmed his suspicions, as it was at the place where he expected it to be, given the trail he thought he was following. It was the sole footprint and did not seem to lead anywhere else but the Hunter knew better. A Geta worn by a man of normal stature but with a step that implied the shadier walks in life. Perhaps this was the one.

"You see that footprint? It has confirmed the trail that I was not too sure of before. It looks like it ends there but there is more. Let us keep moving forward now that we have a direction and hope it is the one we are searching for...And by the way...how do you know Lord Souzen? He was my direct superior and a great comrade...but he should have been before your time."

Sai knew full well of what had happened to Souzen. It was a great pity but the signs had gradually come on, passing as an encroaching shadow over the Village at the time. He could not help but give a sigh. He had deeply respected the man, a leader who followed a practical, no holds barred philosophy. It was a little strange to Sai that Emi asked about summoning Souzen from the next world. But then he refocused his attention on the trail, lest he miss the next mark and lose the tracks he had gained. As the signs became more obvious, he gradually sped up his pace. As he kept progressing and progressing, he thought something was strange. The path their target was taking seemed directionless. Had he been lost? And then he hit a clearing, with clear signs of a camp being made there. It had been a few days but someone had been there...multiple someones. He looked at the sign of several tracks.

He turned to the spirit.

Are we in the right direction?

"Across golden fields and the gentle branches of Ulmo, he walks into the fading sun, his destination set but to a new home. His path arcs around the falling rain, yet it is his destiny to return to its powerful embrace."

Sai turned to Emi, with the corner of his eye set on the trail the spirit was drifting back and forth around. The clue had been easier this time, thankfully. But that just meant the next clue would be much harder.

"We head to Kawa no Kuni. Once there we should make camp. I am sure both of us would be relieved to be in a place without the chance of meeting Konoha shinobi."

Move to Kawa no Kuni

[~Emi~]

The journey continues

V

iolet petals had been caught by a strong wind and crossed Emi's path as they walked past a small crossroad and he couldn't help but to follow them with his gaze. As the eyes captured the landing spot of the petals, he noticed some tracks he hadn't seen before. He leaned forward and allowed his hand to examine it at the same time as he heard Sai mentioning the same footprint. So it was the man they were looking for that had left them? he thought and tried to distinguish were they headed. The other boy was definitely a lot better at both finding and following tracks, which made him believe he should focus on other things. Zetsubô became curious on what his master had found and came to smell on it. After a few quick sniffs, Zetsubô grew bored and walked around Emi before continuing in the same direction as they moved earlier.

Souzen? he was? well... during my academy days I used to read anything I found about the previous kages..... and Souzen kind of became my ... rolemodel..

He became quiet for a brief moment while he reminisced about his past dreams before turning back his eyes to meet Sai's.

and a few weeks ago... his spirit came to talk to me after a fight I had..

His silence indicated that he'd prefer not to talk about the subject any further. Since Sai had the tracking under control, Emi decided that it was time to keep a more watchful eye on incoming threats. So he took a few deep breaths while his skin slowly shifted into its transparent state. It was time for him to act as a scout, so he moved out from the road and into the high grass.

You can follow the tracks, I will make sure there's no one tracking or looking for us. Don't worry, I will stay within range for me to feel your location.

[Nekomata Minh]

Moved to Kawa

[Saiyuki]

Sai nodded to Emi's suggestion. It turns out that Emi had not known Souzen personally after all. But the fact that he said he had interacted with Souzen's spirit piqued the Chuunin's interest. While there were instances of people claiming that they had seen the former Amekage, most of them were full of nonsense and disclaimed as mere legend. But a few people knew better, such as Sai and the Sandaime Amekage, Kininata. The latter had personally seen his successor's spirit haunt the earth. And Kininata was a person whose word was more honorable than any in this land.

Meanwhile, Sai kept to his path as they passed into the Land of River. So far, the signs had not changed much, given that the terrain had not changed much aside from a lack of trees. However he was still picking up the trails fairly well. Twilight would pass into night and back to day. And still the two Chuunin were relentlessly pursuing their charge. Before long, Sai had a sinking feeling that was slowly coming into being in his gut. Emi was still doing his thing but he could still feel him on the outskirts of his Sensor range. And as they neared the borders of Kawa no Kuni, his fears were asserted. The Amekage to be had passed into Kaze no Kuni. There was no doubt that it would be extremely difficult to pick up a trail in the windy desert so Sai resorted to summoning his guiding spirit once more.

"Through the end of an arc beneath the rain, the man has found a place for himself in surrounded by the peaks of the world."

Sai understood, as the spirit made reference to a previous clue she had been given. He sighed to himself, having all but forgotten what she had said before. It was almost obvious. He knew their next destination. But first, they had to cross through the desert.

Move to Kaze no Kuni

[~Emi~]

Leaving the fire behind us

T

he scouting hadn't made him find any threats surrounding them, so Emi moved a little closer to Sai again, making him reach a 50 meter radius of the boy. Their traveling route didn't seem very strange, it headed in a straight forward direction while maintaining approximately the same speed. Had the would-be-kage not expected to be followed? or did he just not care if he was? When he saw a sign noting that they was about to cross the borders, Emi sighed, that was most likely the reason he wasn't afraid of being followed, few ninjas even dared to cross so many borders with any hostile intention. But when they had reached a few hundred meters from the land of grass, Emi noticed a faint sign of a few chakra signatures moving in their direction. His nerves immediately tensed up and he drew his crossbow, put a bolt on it and had his inner eye focus more on the auras. It appeared to be three of them and neither one of them had any useful chakra amount. Was it taijutsu fighters or just ordinary people? He slowly moved closer to them and when he had reached a clear area and was able to see them a little more than one hundre meter away, he looked through his scoop.

He didn't need to observe the strangers for very long as they all wore normal clothing and after just a short while had moved on to a different path. Emi breathed out and put the crossbow back and headed towards Sai again. The chunin had crossed the border and was talking to the air again, which was according to him a spirit. Emi tried to focus his gaze on the spot in which Sai was looking, but the area was empty all the same.

While they walked through the land, Emi made sure to keep a distance of 50-100 meters from Zetsubô and Sai, making sure no one ever got close to the group without him noticing them in beforehand.

[Yoshi [Lynx!]]

Moving to Kaze no Kuni

[Saiyuki]

Their travel through the desert country would not be a long one. They had been traveling through the borders of the past countries they were in near their own country of Ame no Kuni. Thus as they made a perfect semi circle around Ame, it would take them from Kaze no Kuni to Ishi no Kuni. Their journey would not take them much longer now. While Sai did not need a general direction now, he kept the spirit around once they had arrived in the country for more specific guidance. He could still feel Emi with his own Sensor abilities and he kept his own range open as well. He had detected humans but no one seemingly dangerous enough to be change their route for.

Thankfully, Sai had grown accustomed to harsh weather conditions and thus traveling through the heat was not particularly draining for him. He could only hope his companion would think the same. Taking the shortest route possible to Ishi no Kuni, he could see the far off rain clouds in the distance of the Chuunins' own country. Soon enough, they would enter into a new land, another country bordering Ame no Kuni. This was a land of mountains. Strange place to make a home, unless one wanted a secluded life. Too bad that was exactly not what their target was going to get given his new status.

Move to Ishi no Kuni

[~Emi~]

Walking through the scorching desert

A

s they got closer to the land of wind, the sun was gradually getting stronger and the landscape changed into more a much more open terrain. The heat was making Emi quite exhausted and he hoped that they wouldn't have to travel for too long through those lands. To avoid getting dehydrated, Emi pulled up his umbrella to give himself some shadow and then gathered the small amount of water in their surroundings to make himself a protective armor of water to cool himself down with. Despite that, when they had traveled through the desert for a short while, Emi could feel how his head was starting to get dizzy and his knees weak. So he hurried up with the other two so he could ride Zetsubô.

By the way... we'll need to try the man's capabilities as kage... so he will have 4 trials... resolve, politics, strategics and fighting power... I will test his resolve when we meet him and the councilmen will test politics and strategics... but since the wounds I inflict while fighting are of the serious nature... I would need someone else to that part...

He looked over to Sai to see the man's reaction before he continued.

And don't you worry... the previous amekage was never killed... it was just her stand-in that was. The amekage herself is actually just missing.

The boy leaned forward over Zetsubô's back and sighed, when were they going to get out of that blasted land? He gathered some more water and drank it. But before he had been drinking it all up, he saw some shades in the far distance, they had reached the country covered in rocks. Had Suke returned home after his travels? they didn't know, but Emi was starting to feel a little agitated that they had taken such a detour. Now, where was he?

[Nekomata Minh]

Moved to Ishi no kuni

[Saiyuki]

As they lumbered through the land of the mountains, Sai looked to the spirit for guidance. It was very barren here and simple trees would make it difficult for him to get a trail. If he was mistaken, then they would have traveled up a mountain for no good reason. For efficiency's sake, it was much more reliable to rely on the summoned spirit.

"The heart of this land is where the future light shines. Tread lightly at his door, for intruders are not welcomed."

And that was all she said before she faded out. But her message made it clear enough. Sai had only a general direction but he knew where to go, given that they had entered from the border near Sand and Rain. They were headed for the capital. Not much happened there due to activity being scarce in this region but it made sense to be there, since if you were out here...you really had nothing but barren nature. Sai looked to Emi.

"I can test the other two traits far better than the councilmen who assigned your job. And no worries, I know how to keep someone alive if need be. Though if he is that easily beaten, I doubt I will approve of him ever. Now let us hurry, he is at the capital."

Sai kept silent on Emi's comment regarding the previous Amekage. He would investigate that on his own time. This was the first time he took an interest in an Amekage so he would make sure whatever happened to her would not be covered up. Regardless, they hurried on. He felt more confident that he was in the capital. Newcomers would be rare and their chakras would not be as developed in an area where no shinobi village resided. A few questions and they would find their way.

Exit

[~Emi~]

Finally arriving at the right country

T

he climate was a lot better for the young boy and after a while he even had regained most of his energy. His legs were trembling slightly, but he knew he could trust them if there were to become a fight with anyone. Since the lands around them were quite barren, they wouldn't need to divide themselves up to know they were safe, so he took out some food from his back pack and ate. When Sai mentioned that he probably was more qualified to question the kage-to-be in the other two trials, Emi judged him with his gaze. Sai was several years older than himself and had been an ally with Souzen, but the shark-boy still doubted that Sai would be able to match the competence of the village elders in their field of expertise.

I will allow that in one condition.... that the ageless grace is present during the questioning about strategy and politics. Also, don't intervene when I'm checking his resolve, it might be messy or just in need for some lies, but I need to see that spark in his eyes.

As they approached the city, Emi took a few deep breaths and focused on his inner eye. First, they would need to find the man.

-Exit-