On the Edge of a Cliff [P|T|x2]

[Flower]

On the Edge of a Cliff [Private|Training|x2]

The Cliffs of Tibald are a wide expanse of canyons layered with sand and rock just south of the center of the Land of Wind. There are three, distinct large canyons that are over 100 meters in diameter that make up the plains, while a few smaller cliffs are scattered around their edges. As the sun makes its path across the sky, it can get very hot on the tops of the cliffs which have very little shade or protection from the heat. The only concession is the strong breeze that often blows up from the bottom of canyon, along with a fresh, humid smell almost like fresh water some distance down in the darkness of the drop (which stretched a vast, unknown distance). The three largest cliffs are named after three great, triplet warriors who broke off their brotherhood in this spot many years ago: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos (Local, History "Land of Wind" DC 60). Strange, giant trees twist into the sky -- some of them bigger than 100 meters. Birds and other winged creatures soar through the canyons and trees while sand falls off the edge and into the gorge below. On Cliff Lachesis, in the center of the canyon, is a small, pyramid crafted from a currently unknown material with a locked main entrance (Deadbolt Lock, "Superior"). There is a secret doorway built into the rocks about thirty meters to the north which is unlocked. Inside the pyramid is currently nothing of value, but it does lead into several chambers that go underground and could be used for training.

Although the Cliffs of Tibald has all different types of desert plants, a few specific ones have been outlined below that have a reputation in the area:

SPOILER: Click to show

Agave
Rank: "C"
Type: Rare, Huge, Herb
Effect: A versitile desert plant used for various purposes from alcohol to soap.
Special: Preparation: —; Duration: —
Drawback: ---
Description: Original habitat is unknown but it grows wild in desert areas on cultivated land and in pine woods. Sandy places in desert scrub at elevations. Contact with fresh sap can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. The plants have a very sharp and tough spine at the tip of each leaf. They need to be carefully sliced in the garden. Agave is an evergreen perennial growing to 24 feet by 8 feet at a slow rate. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. Edible Parts: Leaves; sap; seed; stem. The heart of the plant is very rich in saccharine matter and can be eaten when baked. Sweet and nutritious, but rather fibrous. It is partly below ground. Seed—ground into a flour and used as a thickener in soups or used with cereal flours when making bread. Flower stalk— roasted. used like asparagus. Sap from the cut flowering stems is used as a syrup or fermented into mescal. The sap can also be tapped by boring a hole into the middle of the plant at the base of the flowering stem. The sap has long been used as a binding agent for various powders used as poultices on wounds. The sap can also be taken internally in the treatment of diarrhea. The sap is antiseptic, diaphoretic, diuretic, and laxative. An infusion of the chopped leaf is purgative and the juice of the leaves is applied to bruises. The plant is used internally in the treatment of indigestion, flatulence, constipation, jaundice and dysentery. The sap has disinfectant properties and can be taken internally to check the growth of putrefactive bacteria in the stomach and intestines. Water in which agave fibre has been soaked for a day can be used as a scalp disinfectant and tonic in cases of falling hair. The plant contains saponins. An extract of the leaves is used as a soap. Chop up the leaves or the roots into small pieces and then simmer them in water to extract the saponins. Do not over boil or you will start to break down the saponins. A paper can also be made from the leaves. The dried flowering stems are used as a waterproof thatch and as a razor strop. This herb has enough for 1 mug. Agave is normally sold at 500 Ryo per Pound. Agave are found in clusters of 1d8.
Availability: Summer; Region: Desert; Identification: Average; Cultivation: Difficult
Limit: Must know Botany for Desert Regions. 18% chance in finding.
Cost: 375 Ryo per Mug.

Caffar
Rank: "S"
Type: Very Rare, Huge, Tree
Effect: A tree that gives bonuses to Will Saves.
Special: Preparation: 1 hour; Duration: 1d8 hours
Drawback: ---
Description: Caffar is made of the small caffar nut that is ground into a powder and brewed into a dark, sweet-smelling beverage, traditionally with a goat's milk base. Each nut creates 1 standard-vial of powder. Each Caffar tree produces 10d10 nuts. Like kaffe or black tea, caffar can be used to delay sleep, but it has the side effect of making the ingester more psychically sensitive; psionicists' skills are greatly enhanced and even the unsighted are more sensitive to nuances in the environment and in others' manners, sometimes even to the point of detecting "auras" around certain objects. (Raises Perception [Intuition] and Checks against Jutsus by 1 for every 2 cups imbibed, to maximum of 19. Drinking 3-4 cups in one day causes jumpiness that increases as more is imbibed. Those who drink 5 or more cups in 1 day become slightly physically addicted to the substance and suffer headaches and mild stomach pains when their usage is cut back.) The wood can be used to create items. Hardness: 6; Armour Points/Inch: 10; Armour Class: -2. Caffar produces 60,000 Ryo worth of material cost for items. Caffar items cost 1/4 normal price.
Availability: Summer/Autumn; Region: Desert; Identification: Difficult; Cultivation: Difficult
Limit: Must know Botany for Desert Regions. 5% chance in finding.
Cost: 50,000 Ryo Per Tree; 500 Ryo per Caffar Nut; 60,000 Ryo per Tree (Material)

Damiana
Rank: ""
Type: Rare, Small, Herb
Effect: May be used to enhance one's charisma.
Special: Preparation: 1 Week; Duration: 1 Hour
Drawback: ---
Description: Damiana is a tough, skinny ground-hugging shrub that grows in warm climes along the edges of deserts, its grayish-green stalks and dark green leaves only producing tiny white flowers in the early spring. Having no commonplace uses, the stalks and leaves are dried, chopped, and mixed together for use as an incense. The flowers and seeds drop off soon after blooming, but that isn’t much help—only the leaves and stalks are harvested. As an incense, it enhances the emotions and personal charismas of those people within its vapors (+5 to Acting, Disguise, Investigate (When Gathering Information through Conversation), Intimidate, Performing Skills, and Use Chakra Device for 1 hour), but does not have any other game effects unless combined with other herbs to induce hallucinatory visions.
Availability: Spring; Region: Desert; Identification: Average; Cultivation: Trivial
Limit: Must know Botany for Desert Regions. 15% chance in finding.
Cost:

Coal

[Flower]

Crushing Sphere
Rank: "A"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: A constricting Resilient Sphere used to cause non-lethal damage.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Affects any creature within 2 meters per Class Level. The duration of this technique lasts 5 rounds per Class Level. This Jutsu functions like Resilient Sphere, except the sphere painfully constricts the target, hampering their movement and breathing. The target is entangled and takes 20 Armour Points of Nonlethal damage per round as the Sphere Contracts. If the target is rendered unconscious, any remaining damage from the crushing sphere is lethal damage.
Limit: Must be a Shape Transformation Specialist. Must know Resilient Sphere.

1. [0/70]

[enter.]

Shihana walked to the Cliffs of Tibald as the sun had reached its zenith and was beginning to drop back down across the sky. Shihana considered it a summer day in the desert. Anyone else would have called it hot. But in fact, Shihana felt so comfortable today that she was running chakra throughout her arms and even beginning to think about new force techniques that she could master while traveling outside the village. It had been too long and found that it felt good to be back on her own. She wore a black, sleeveless dress that fell just past her knees and was fringed with white lacing. Black leggings covered her legs, and black nail polish was intricately painted on each of her fingers. Her eyes were a blazing lilac, her hair a pristine white except for a strand of black that ran down the left side. Over her shoulder was a messenger pack with her spear, Bitter Mercy, folded up and placed inside -- one its special properties -- and a jar of five, good-quality quartz crystals. An average polearm was strapped to her back for day-to-day use. A white cloak covered her shoulders and arms, falling down to her legs and semi-covering the black dress. The kanji for "Fourth" had been stitched on the back in red.

Shihana picked out one of the massive trees in the distance and walked up to it, not sure about its origins. She was on Lachesis and found that, here, the strange trees grew in greater numbers although still sparse across the cliff. The tree Shihana had picked out hung over the gorge and the deep, dark fall to the bottom of the canyon. She lifted her hand and pointed it toward the tree. She could feel the chakra moving throughout her body and up into her arms, pouring out of her palms and forming around the tree. She could feel her chakra beginning to form around its exterior as she started to transform it into a force-type technique. All of a sudden her chakra took on a more physical form at her beckoning, thanks to all the work she had been putting into being a Force Master. She found that the force energy just wanted to float away, however, and had no form so she rejected the technique and decided to start over.

As Shihana was standing on the edge of the cliff, working on her technique, she'd keep her eyes open for any new comers or creatures. It was known that certain great beasts lurked in the pits below and occasionally crawled up for meals or to mate. Just as well, she wouldn't want to be caught off-guard out here by some stupid criminal. She held her hand back up toward the tree, letting the chakra run through her body and form a sphere this time around the massive plant. It was a difficult task that required all of her concentration and a few seconds. The chakra ran to mimic her design, covering the tree in a ball. This time having form so it would not float away. Shihana could feel the power in her palm, the thrill that one day this would not be a tree but a person, the sensation of being in control. Valerys watched approvingly from inside her head, as Shihana started turning the chakra into force energy and blocking off the tree.

[Coal]

Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push)
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: A Jutsu that allows a user to rush forward in almost instantaneous speed. Used to draw the user close to the opponent.
Special: ---
Drawback: May use 3 times a day. May perform 1 more each time learned. Passing amount renders the user's legs immobile due to severe pain. Unable to perform again unless gained medical treatment. Must move through an opening. Unable to maneuver around obstructing objects. Can't attack while performing any Shunshin or Variation.
Description: User is able to move forward in a straight line along the ground in almost instantaneous untraceable speed while temporarily masking the user's movements within 10 meters. A puff of smoke is occasionally used to disguise the user's movements. It is accomplished by focusing the user's chi along the ankles and foot. User mostly moves just with their ankles and feet. Jutsu takes up no movements. User may only use this Jutsu half of the movements may allow in a single round while rounding down. Example: User has 5 movements, user is able to perform Jutsu 2 times per round.
Limit: Universal NinJutsu or Universal TaiJutsu.

[0/10 TP]

”Hey hey watch out!” The shout came out of the darkness, but was drawn and thin, as if in a great windstorm. Suddenly, the lip of the canyon exploded in the form of a man as he haphazardly flipped end over end, landing on his side two feet away from Shihana.

MOMENTS EARLIER

Alright, Kyuushu, you gotta focus. You’re a ninja and this technique is gonna help you track down and catch Souten. He stood on the side of the canyon wall, squatting and rising, bringing his hands up to his like knives pointed to the sky, palms toward his cheeks, then rolling them forward until they extended directly in front of him. A focusing technique athletes used on occasion. As usual, he was dressed in his dark green T-shirt, cords at the color to hold it and as decoration at the V, dark green pants that could be mistaken for sweats, and sturdy brown boots for travel or riding. A Naginata on his back, held in place by an easily unfastened leather cord, next to a bow held in the same fashion, complete with Quiver on his hip bristling with arrows. As always, his headband displaying the Country of Sound was on his brow, glinting even in this darkness. “Okay. Don’t suck!” It was his own little peptalk, taught to him by the soldiers during his time in the Oto no Kuni military.

Taking a step forward, Kyuushu would gather the chakra into his feet and ankles as he had been told to do, the step was apparently unnecessary, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He wrapped his feet in what seemed liked boots of chakra, glowing with power unseen by any, and began to shape it as he wished. With those imbued with chakra, he let it explode him forward, a push as they say, while keeping his feet moving, looking down to make sure he was doing it right. Chakra exploded from his heels as he stepped, keeping his pace lively so he did not fall flat on his face, the speed increase instantaneous and wonderful! As he propelled forward, he looked up to see where he was going, and that’s when he saw her, a girl in black near the cliff. It was too late to stop, he had gotten the hang of it, so he decided he would just have to call out to her.

BACK TO NOW

He lay on the ground coughing, rolling on to his back to look up at the sky, awarding himself a bit of dust falling on his face and chest. At the last second, he had tried to alter course, marginally succeeding, but tripping himself up in the process. After a moment to catch his breath, he got to his feet, dusting off his hair and headband, looking at her with concerned eyes. “You okay,” he asked, looking her over to make sure he had not hit her, although he was pretty sure he hadn’t. “Sorry about that, I didn’t see you there!” A light chuckle followed, then he offered his hand to shake. “I’m Kyuushu! Pleased to meet you. What are you doing all the way out here?”

[Christoff]

2 Posts
Flower: +20 TP
Coal: +10 TP Learned

[Flower]

2. [20/70]

As she was holding her hand out and forming a sphere of force energy around the large tree, Shihana saw a man running up from inside the gorge. ”Hey hey watch out!” he screamed as Shihana moved just a bit and he landed on the ground in front of her -- coughing and sitting down for a second before getting up slowly, asking if she was okay. Shihana started at him with wide, lilac eyes and at the Sound Village headband on his forehead. What a coincidence. He was wearing a bow and quiver, as well as a naginata, which told Shihana that he must have had some skill in taijutsu. Maybe even Tensora?

Shihana took his hand and shook firmly, although her palms had just been infused with very powerful chakra from the technique she had been training. "Kyuushu?" she repeated, "My name is Shihana." He looked a little flustered. As she spoke the chakra never fully left her arms since Shihana wanted to prepare herself just in case this new-comer turned out to be an opponent. But mainly she focused on raising the force chakra around her body and melding it into the atmosphere, causing it to hang around the tree for the next time that she summoned the sphere. "There's a dojo nearby where I train," Shihana said and raised her right hand toward the tree as if to emphasize her point. All of the chakra in the air suddenly started to obey her call and twisted where she told it. A sphere of force energy started to wrap the tree as Shihana kept speaking. "Every once and while I like to be alone, so I come out here. And crush things." She smiled a little bit.

There seemed to be a different aura in the air now, as if her technique was making the area feel a little bit different -- as if the hairs of your arm were standing on end. Shihana started closing her palm and regulating the chakra that controlled the sphere around the tree. It got smaller and smaller, more than likely invisible to anyone but herself. Suddenly it started to snap a couple of branches and Shihana shrugged. "You're a Sound ninja, right? It's odd to see you all the way out here in the Land of Wind. Do you have business here?" She pushed back her lock of black hair with her free hand and continued crushing the tree as she spoke. Squeezing the chakra through the sphere was starting to become second nature and with each passing moment the tree seemed to lose more of its branches as they fell off like splinters. Her palm closed slowly as if to mimic the shrinking orb.

After a certain degree of damage, however, Shihana found that the sphere could not maintain its form and drifted away. She shook out her hand as if releasing the chakra that still lingered and looked to Kyuushu for his answer before getting started with the next round. A single hawk flew up from the depths of the gorge and made a screeching sound as it flew over the pile of sawdust that Shihana had created and circled in the sky.

[Coal]

Roaring Iron Stance #1
Rank: "E"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: A simple upright stance used with most Goutetsu 轟鉄 (Strong Iron) Practitioners.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Picture Standing with one arm behind their back and one extended, the user is ready for a quick strike with their fists and feet. This leaves them open for quick spins and jumps that will power their attacks.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Goutetsu (Roaring Iron).

[0/5]

”Shihana huh? Nice name,” he stepped back after the handshake and looked at the tree, “Oh, I’ve heard of that technique. Very nice form!” She noticed his headband, of course, and he smiled at her a winning smiile. “Noticed that huh? As for business, I was really just passing through and decided that the middle of nowhere was a good place to practice.” Scratching the back of his head and chuckling a bit, he added, “Also, seems my horse Souten thought the same, since he deposited me below and took off. Wonder why though?” With a shrug, knowing that Souten would come back at some point, he faced the woman before him. Then a thought struck him. “Noticed something as I sped passed on your back. Surprised AnBu aren’t crawling all over this place,” he walked a few steps away toward the other edge of the platform, “Well I had better warm up before I go chase Souten down.”

TRAINING!

Kyuushu did two small hops to limber up, moving his head in a tight circle to loosen the neck muscles, and then used the crook of each arm to stretch out the other by pulling it across his chest. Finally, felling that he was well limbered and the blood was pumping a little, he moved into a squatting position, left leg behind him and his foot set as a base pointed away from his body, his right leg before him and the foot lining up to make a ninety degree angle with the other. One could draw a line from heel to heel. His right arm would extend before him, knife hand pointing toward the sky with the palm facing him, elbow bent at a ninety degree. His left arm would be bent behind him at a forty-five degree, fist at his hip and ready to be deployed, with his back straight and body slightly canted toward Shihana. Exhaling a breath, he would rise from the position, having completed the first of two, shaking it off it would seem.

END TRAINING

“Whew. I am rusty! How’s your tech coming, Shihana?” He offered her another grin. She’s cute, but what’s with all that black?.

[Cadoc]

+20
+5

2 posts graded

[Flower]

3. [40/70]

"On my back?" Shihana asked with curiousity as he mentioned the ANBU. He must have meant the kanji on the cloak, she thought, although debated if he were talking about the spear. Probably not. There was no point in hiding it anyways. "Yeah, well, I guess that's what I'd do if I wasn't able to protect myself." She threw up another sphere and continued to close her palm like before, the chakra surging out of her and into the environment -- making the tree grow even smaller as the branches broke apart and grew closer to the trunk. "But as you can see, I get along just fine on my own." But she enjoyed the man's light humor and seemingly positive outlook -- it seemed to juxtapose Shihana's own disposition.

He started to get warmed up for his own training and Shihana watched with curiousity. So he was proficient in taijutsu, or at the very least was developing his skills in that area. She hadn't seen a stance like this before and it interested her. But she didn't say anything and turned back to her own project, refining her chakra with both of her hands this time and causing the sphere to crush into a smaller and smaller area, until even the trunk the tree began to splinter this time from all the force. When he asked how her training was going, Shihana assessed herself and her chakra levels and said, "Easier than normal. It seems that I'm having a good day today."

She continued flexing her hand slowly into a closed position and glanced over in Kyuushu's direction. Her cells started to shift and flow along her body, altering her body language so that she was free to reveal what information she wanted. "So you know that I'm a kage then?" she said rather bluntly. "I've been interested in getting in touch with the Sound Village but haven't had the opportunity to contact your leader. Would you tell me, how is the Sound? Are you a high ranking ninja?" She had no problem revealing these secrets, especially in her current form. Although she knew that to reveal much else she would need to know that she had Kyuushu's loyalty which was difficult to assert in a brief meeting. So she continued to let her chakra bend the large tree to her will, breaking it apart as she questioned Kyuushu. Wondering whether he could be the key to an operation.

SPOILER: Click to show

Body Of lies
Rank: C-ranked
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Lie detecting skills and abilities do not work well on the user.
Special: ---
Drawback: Complex movements and techniques, usually of the "A-ranked" and "S-ranked" nature will break the concentration needed for this technique. Movement enhancement techniques (IE: Chakra gates) will cause this technique to end.
Description: This technique is often used to control the body in such a manner, as to deceive others attempting to peer into the body or read some kind of bodily function from the user for the purposes of lie detecting. If the heart rate, temperature, smooth muscle movement and breathing are being read to detect lying, the user can fool on lookers by maintaining consistencies within these automatic body functions. Rather than sweating, breathing heavily or having your heart race, the user can maintain a normal base line within all body functions, which fools on lookers. Control over these autonomic functions can be overridden by the user's cellular control nature. With this, the user may appear as if they are telling the truth, with no inclination of lying. If die rolls are used, the opponent automatically lose 50% on all die rolls. If a ranking system is used, then the user is considered a user one rank above their opponents. Animals are affected by this technique in the same manner. It takes 1 post to alter and maintain consistent body functions.
Limit: Kedōin Blood Line.

[Coal]

Roaring Iron Stance #2
Rank: "E"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: A more diverse stance used within the Goutetsu 轟鉄 (Strong Iron) style. This stance adds more flexibility for the users then the upright stance.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Picture A boxer stance. The user has their legs bent and arms raised up to cover the face. The Jabbing fist is slightly more forward then the strong fist. Elbows are in, shoulders are up, hands are cupped but not clenched. Fist is never clenched because it is best to clench the moment of contact. This creates a stronger force of hit. Knees are bent, body straight but lowered to protect the stomach area. The legs move as the user bobs and weaves never staying in place.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Goutetsu (Roaring Iron).

[0/5]

Kyuushu caught her looking out of the corner of his eye, a slight smirk on his lips, the good-natured kind that was genuinely enthused. She revealed that she was indeed the Kage, but one can’t go walking around with a cape that says ‘Fourth’ on it and not have such things deduced. “You do nicely on your own, this is true. Kage cannot be weak,” he nodded in agreement of her assessment of herself. It was rather accurate. Finally, she had a few more serious questions for him as well, wanting to know just how high ranking he was, as well as a curiosity about the state of his village. Well, he couldn’t very well give away state secrets, but perhaps a little information would be fine, since they weren’t on bad terms with Suna as far as he knew. “Otogakure no Sato is doing as well as can be expected, although we are still a minority in the Shinobi world,” that much was fairly common knowledge, as he was the only Otonin that he knew of that left the village, save for the Kage himself, “But as for my standing, I am a Jounin of the village, which is why I’m allowed to sight see, so to speak.” He gave a chuckle at that, but noticed he needed to limber up a bit more again, having stopped this whole time to give his attention to Shihana.

TRAINING!

“Just a little more for the ol’ blood, you know? Stretching before exercise is always important.” It would start with a bit of bouncing, pushing himself off the ground just the tiniest bit, rising up onto the balls of his feet while his heel would leave the ground. Both hands would remain unclenched as he picked his shoulders up like a permanent shrug, both arms bent, but the right at ninety degrees in front of him with the forearm across the waist, and his left behind at a forty-five degree that cross his chest and collarbone with hand and forearm. Knees remained bent during this, only slightly, to allow for quicker movement and prevent flat-footedness. Slightly clenched in the abdominal region, with his back straight, he bobbed there for a moment, then shook out his hands; right first and left after. Now he was truly ready to get started with the days exercise.

END TRAINING

“Y’all don’t like trees overly much here I take it?” He chuckled to show it was good natured, peering around, he did not see much in the way of trees anywhere else nearby. The next closest being across the canyon on another rise. Why do they grow like that?

[👺 Usiel]

flower +20
coal +5

[Flower]

4. [60/70]

Shihana smiled at his joke as the trunk of the tree continued to shrink as her technique grew ever smaller. The chakra still flooding out of her body and filling the air around her. "The tree is just a warm-up," she said, seemingly proud of herself for making a joke about his training regiment. She did not joke often. "And a Jounin. Impressive. It doesn't matter how many ninja a village has, but rather the quality of their ninja." She looked at her own hand in contemplation as the tree was continuously ground into small, timberous powder.

"I've been caught in a dilemma lately," she said and kept staring into space, "that maybe you could help me with. If a leader wanted you to act for a greater purpose, even kill innocent people if necessary, are you obligated to follow their orders? Would you?" By now the large tree had dwindled and was slowly becoming a stump in the rocky, sandy landscape. Shihana seemed to have lost herself in concentration, letting her chakra work its magic slowly over a period of time. Piles of sawdust continued to build around the stump and were slowly blown off into the breeze. No longer did the sphere decide to waver and float away like before, its form was steady.

Shihana awaited his response, interested to see what he'd say -- as was Valerys who watched quietly from the background.

SPOILER: Click to show

Still Active:

Body of Lies

[Coal]

Light Punch
Rank: "D"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Front punch used to set up combos.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: The technique is started from the fight stance by slightly raising the heel of the rear foot. User now delivers the front fist in a direct line toward the opponent. The elbow should be held down as long as possible; otherwise, the opponent will notice the user's technique at an early stage and will be able to defend themselves. The rear fist remains in the straight starting position above the jaw for protection against the opponent's techniques. In the process of the punch, turn the hip and shift your weight to the front for powerful execution of the technique. Shortly before contact, turn the first so that the palm is facing the floor. After the punch, quickly turn the fist to the starting position. Use the punch as often as possible, to disturb the opponent's timing. This technique does 4 Armour Points of bludgeoning Damage per Class Level.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Goutetsu (Roaring Iron). Must know Roaring Iron Stance.

[0/10]

”Hmmm.” Kyuushu looked over at the Kage curiously, his head tilted a bit, but his eyes hardening. What the hell kind of question is that? This some kind of test? He looked over at the tree that was ground to fine sawdust and chips, leaving crumped and blowing away in the desert breeze, then back at the woman before him. Bringing a hand to his chin, he pondered for a bit longer on the question, although he already knew his answer even before he thought about it at all. He opened his mouth to tell her as much. “Can’t say that I would obey those kinds of orders. While I have no problem taking a life, I cannot justify the taking of innocent life, just to justify an end.” One of the leaves drifted toward him, undamaged, and he let a bit of his rage go with a quick punch exercise.

TRAINING

Resuming his previous fighting stance in the blink of an eye, his fist was primed to dart like lightning, strike like a coiled serpent! His hip would twist ever so slightly, just enough to put some power behind the punch, give it that extra oomph a good punch would need. While his hip twisted, his left foot would plant firmly on the ground, then lift at the heel and push for power to be sent up along his body in conjunction with the hip. His right arm and cupped hand, rather docile moments before, exploded in movement. The hand leapt forward toward the leaf that floated near, the elbow straightening the arm, and a quick snap punch was made. His cupped hand became a fist just before impact, stopping just short of the leaf, creating enough air to blow it away a decent distance before it resumed floating. His left arm never moved from its guarding position near his chin, resigned to protect him in case of any blows that may come to pass.

Still he could feel it, so he would punch again, his body straightening to prepare for the next. “What about you?” His voice was harder now, his hardened gaze on the woman, black onyx eyes watching her, black hair bobbing around his shoulders and halfway down his back as he moved. Again the foot was planted solidly, pushing him forward, putting power into his punch. The hip would twist as his punch was propelled by the movement. Elbow straightening the right arm, the fist closing, the snap of the punch. An exhale of air at the end of the punch, a visible effect the air, small but noticeable.

END TRAINING

“Would you just kill those you swore to protect,” he questioned her, turning toward her fully now, “just so that you could complete a job that could be completed without killing others, if a little more difficultly?” His mind went back to that day, the fires, he was just a child and Gunba saved him. Gunba, the Daimyo now. They said his father was a high ranking official there, though he did not see the man much, but he was raised in the estate where they lived. Ridding himself of thoughts of that day, he focused on the woman before him, waiting for her answer now it seemed.

[ᖫᖭØMNÏᖫᖭ]

Shihana
+10/Technique: "Crushing Sphere" Learned

Kyuushu
+10/Technique "Light Punch" Learned

[Flower]

Paranoid Hallucinations
Rank: "A"
Skill: GenJutsu
Effect: Malicious, hallucinatory phantasms accost the subject, inducing an acute case of paranoia.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: ---
Description: A Mind-Affecting Technique. Affects 1 creature touched. The user is able to perform this technique on the target they touch. The duration of this technique lasts for 50 minutes per class level. This technique may be negated. The subject suffers a -4 penalty on Saves and -20 to Skill Category 1 skill checks, cannot receive benefit from or attempt the Aid Another action, and cannot willingly accept aid (including healing) from another creature unless it succeeds at a Save against the Jutsu. While paranoid, the subject must roll 1d20 every time it encounters a new creature. On a result of 1, the subject must attempt to kill the creature at all costs. On a result of 2, the subject must avoid the creature’s line of sight at all costs. On a result of 3-10, the subject must remain at least 3 meters away from the creature at all costs. On a result of 11-20, the subject reacts to the creature normally. Lower results take precedence (if a subject wants to kill one creature but flee another creature adjacent to it, the subject must attempt the kill first, etc.). Humans suffer a -2 penalty to Saves against this Jutsu and must treat each roll to determine their reaction to a creature as if it were 1 point lower.
Limit: Must know Phantasm Perception.

1. [0/70]

Kyuushu looked at her with a new hardness to his gaze, most of his previous friendliness given over to a bit of, what, anger? He told Shihana that he could not do it and stood up to continue his punching exercise. As he did, Shihana would watch him but also started learning another technique so she wasn't just staring. She knew a set of handseals that had been associated with a phantasm technique called Paranoid Hallucinations. She started to form the seals and run chakra into her mind, rather than the environment like before. She could feel the energy transversing her neurons and activating her special genjutsu. As a master of the Phantasm Perception, Shihana could feel the chakra responding readily to her call for action and started filling up in her hand but linked to her mind through her chakra network. Then Kyuushu asked her an equally difficult question to answer.

“Would you just kill those you swore to protect, just so that you could complete a job that could be completed without killing others, if a little more difficultly?” Valerys stared out of Shihana's eyes and suddenly laughed wildly from inside her mind. Luckily, due to Shihana's Body of Lies technique, none of it could be read from her body language. "Of course not," Shihana said, "I'm not a monster. But sometimes it isn't that simple. Sometimes we have to make a choice. Run around trying to save everybody and, maybe, you won't have time to save anybody." (Acting 225 + 50% chance of failure to discern lies) Even as she said this, Shihana directed her chakra to form an illusion that could seep into the mind of others. This was a fairly easy skill and was inherent in all jutsu, but she needed to make sure that the hallucinations would continue to annoy the target. Shihana imbued her budding genjutsu with an altered ability that forced the chakra to weave back and forth through the target's brain, causing annoyance and paranoia.

Fortunately, she had figured out what she wanted to know from Kyuushu. Unfortunately, it hadn't been in her favor. Whatever plans she had with the Sound Village couldn't be revealed so long as he was so kind-hearted. But perhaps not all was lost and she kept this in mind as the genjutsu continued to trace into her finger. She could feel the power growing as she modified the genjutsu, making sure that was filled with reserves of chakra to run for several seconds. Holding such a strong jutsu in the palm of her hands was making her body hum with residual effects as the chakra built. Shihana longed to reach out and attempt to use it on somebody, even Kyuushu, but knew that it would be an insane proposal -- especially after their philosophical debate. Valerys seemed to become more active as the conversation drew on, making Shihana nervous. Although certain personalities, like Selyse, might have been okay with their Commander's intervention, Shihana had never been so willing to lose control. "I'm not trying to debate with you," Shihana said, "it is just the way I am. Blunt as a stone." 

SPOILER: Click to show

Still Active:

Body of Lies

[Coal]

Extended Jab
Rank: "D"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: A light punch with extended range.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Extended jabs are great close range combo starters and effective for setting up throws. Also known as a step jab. The user steps forward with their front leg as they extend their front fist out towards the opponent. As the user recovers the jab hand, they quickly slide the back foot up at the same time bringing their feet back to neutral position. The Extended jab allows the user to surprise the opponent while getting covering distance. This jab however can compromise the user's balance as the feet are spread further apart through the initial attack. This technique does 5 Armour Points of bludgeoning Damage per Class Level.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Goutetsu (Roaring Iron). Must know Light Punch.

[0/10]

”Okay good. I’m a soldier, not a philosopher,” he said, his face returning to its normal kindness at her words, never realizing she’s been acting this whole time. Kyuushu is the trusting type, not gullible, but so long as people have not wronged him, then there is nothing to worry about in his eyes. But he had to shake off the emotion somehow, rid himself of it, and he could not do so by caring for Souten. I doubt she’d let me brush her down like I would Souten either. Still he eyed her appraisingly, but that in itself was a problem for him, although he could not place his finger on why. The memory tickled the back of his mind, but he could not look at it. “So, if this was not for debate, then what was it for exactly Shihana?”

TRAINING

Again, he resumed his fighting stance, bouncing on the balls of his feet, his fists placed just so and opened to just cupped hands. His feet inched apart more, just a little bit, in anticipation of the punch. With a small amount of effort, he corrected that, knowing that it would telegraph his attack. It was a quick intake of breath to steady himself, a small exhale, then lightning quick was the movement. A step forward with the right leg, extending him just a bit too much. Twist and punch, hip moving, foot pushing him forward just a bit to give that extra power. Snap! The punch was lightning quick and further than it had been before, a bit of an extension, not too much to make a difference against a sword, but a dagger and this punch would be in the same range. Another step and another jab! SNAP! The punch was quicker now, only by a fraction, but still better than before. Perfect! The grin came to his face as he knocked the rust off his skills.

END TRAINING

He would listen to what the woman had to say, it was important to know the mind of a Kage, as they are typically the mind of the people, and what type of people was Sunagakure no Sato? This land was harsh, the people might just be equally so, and it would do well for him to learn what he could for now.

[Madame Loki]

+20 Flower

Learned, other person

[Hoarfrost Imp]

Ugh- this pleb ^-

[Flower]

2. [20/70]

“So, if this was not for debate, then what was it for exactly Shihana?” Valerys wanted to answer. Shihana could feel it on her lips. But she did not speak, thankfully.

Kyuushu looked at her with his ordinary, friendly smile as he asked her. "As a leader," Shihana finally said after feigning some thought, "I have to make harsh decisions. So I ask myself tough questions to prepare myself with an answer. For example, what if I had to send my ninja to war to protect the Sand Village? What if eliminating the innocent people of another village could protect my home from destruction? How would my ninja feel about such acts?" All of this talk infused with the chakra that was running to her arm, fueling the genjutsu in her brain and filling with paranoia and images of battle. "I must ask myself these questions." (Acting 225 + 50% chance of failure) The truth was, of course, a bit more nefarious.

She saw that Kyuushu continued to train as she replied and wondered at his stamina. He was even keeping up with her own training! Despite herself, she was interested in him. He looked just like a warrior and as a Jounin it meant that it he had verifiable skill. And maybe he was a little cute, not that Shihana was willing to acknowledge such trivial details. Suddenly she pulled the polearm from her back and held it out -- continuing to see images in her own mind. Of enemies. Monsters. Betrayal. All of it she succumbed to the will of her chakra and forced from her mind into her hand. There she concentrated her thoughts and energy, mixing them in a sort of trigger for her mental illusions. But the polearm held steady in the air before Shihana stabbed it into the ground for effect.

"So you have one too?" she said, not mentioning that she had a much nicer spear in her bag. "Are you familiar with Tensora?"

She lifted her hands from the spear, as it stuck out of the ground, to try her handsigns one more time and send her chakra to the link between her brain and right hand. The link established quicker than before but she still needed to adjust the hallucinations in the genjutsu. She had to find a way to make the chakra capable of infiltrating opponent neuron's and firing them in response to external stimuli. She kept all of this in mind as her hand drifted back to her polearm for support and she looked as if she were waiting. It was clear that she must have known something about the style.

SPOILER: Click to show

Still Active:

Body of Lies

[Coal]

Strong Punch
Rank: "C"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: A strong punch used within combinations.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User is in the fight position. Start the technique by slightly raising the heel of the rear foot. User now delivers the rear fist in the straight line toward the opponent. The elbow should be held down as long as possible; otherwise, the opponent will notice your technique at an early stage and will be able to defend himself. The front fist is kept above the jaw for protection against the opponent's techniques. In the process of the punch, turn the hip and shift your weight to the front for powerful execution of the technique. Shortly before contact turn the fist so the palm is facing the floor. Ensure that the punch is explosive and pushed. After the punch, quickly return the first to the starting position. This technique does 8 Armour Points of bludgeoning Damage per Class Level.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Goutetsu (Roaring Iron). Must know Light Punch.

[0/10]

”The tough questions of leadership. Gunba would tell me about that on occasion, he was my teacher and father. I think I can understand where you are coming from.” Kyuushu nodded to her, accepting her words as fact, as he could not do anything else otherwise. His eyes still watched her as he prepared his stance once more, raising an eyebrow as she pulled her Naginata free, driving the end into the stony earth. Shock had crossed his features for only a split second, believing that she might attack, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, masked under the guise of working out.

TRAINING

Once more he would push off with his left foot, putting power into the step with his right, small and deliberate. His hip would twist again with the motion, absorbing the power that the back foot had given, amplifying it with the swivel of simultaneous movement. Yet this time was different from the others. Instead of his right fist, the one that was before him and the lead fist for jabs, it would instead be the left. Placed cross his chest and collarbone to protect his chin, it would whip out lightning quick as his upper body turned to meet the demand for power. His back foot would pivot slightly as he pushed forward even more, driving the power home, packaging it and sending it straight to his arm and finally the fist. Elbow straightening and fist clenching at the last possible second, his wrist would turn so that the palm would be toward the earth, and a swoosh was audible after the punch. His whole body returned to place, his stance resuming the bob it normally had for a moment before he let himself settle, his eyes returning to Shihana. I wonder what else she could be thinking up?

END TRAINING

”Some would claim that I am a master of Tensora,” he began smiling at her once more, that winning smile present yet again, but does this look like the weapon of a master?” He pulled the plain Naginata from his back, undoing the quick cord and stabbing it into the ground much like her own. “I cannot call myself that with such a weapon. Until I craft my own Naginata, I cannot be a master.” He gave her weapon an appraising look, noticing that it was normal much like his own, and a thought occurred to him; although it had occurred a few moments before as well. “You must be a user of Tensora as well. What is your skill level in the art, if you don’t mind me asking?”

[Flower]

3. [??/70]

As Kyuushu continued his training exercises, Shihana would continue forming the handsigns and looking into her own mind. The more she investigated the chakra that she had amassed within her mind, the more she began to understand how to trick her own senses into seeing real phantasms around the area. When she mixed this trait with the paranoia, that she had been learning to place into the people's neurons, she knew that she would have a lethal combination for training the genjutsu. Shihana set to work at making her mind and chakra work together to create this powerful genjutsu, and only opened her eyes again when Kyuushu spoke.

"I respect your decision," Shihana said, actually being sincere, "When you do craft one, you'll have to let me see it. I'd be interested to see what you come up with." A weapon was a representation of its wielder and was made to compliment their fighting style. She wondered what Kyuushu's would be like. She thought of her own spear, Bitter Mercy, and how much it was like herself. The phantasms continued to stir around the battlefield and heighten her sense of paranoia as she worked the genjutsu in her own mind -- knowing that this would be the secret to mastering the technique. She continued to run the chakra into her hand as a point of focus, and to later be able to transfer it to other people through touch. While the training continued inside of her head, Shihana listened to Kyuushu's question and smiled.

"Maybe I can show you?" Shihana said and gripped at the hilt of her polearm and pulled it from the dirt, spinning it in one of her hands and trying to ignore the growing sense of paranoia throughout her entire body. "It is easier to get to know somebody with your fists, rather than with words. Who knows, perhaps we'd become rivals..." Valerys grew excited, from within Shihana's head, at the prospect of combat. Her bloodlust grew just at the thought of it and made her want to pull out Bitter Mercy right away. But Shihana remained collected. "That is, if you trust me?"

SPOILER: Click to show

Still Active:

Body of Lies