A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

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An international hub and place of refuge for any who visit. Steam Country is home to Amegakure, a bustling city that is arguably the closest thing in the world to the size of any of the great Shinobi villages. Shinobi activities are strictly forbidden within Steam Country, but shinobi are welcome to conduct personal business here.
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Golnax
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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Golnax » Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:48 pm

Amegakure was... well, it wasn't what Aimi Kaguya was expecting. As a former shinobi of Kirigakure who himself used the naming convention of the Grand Five's ninja villages for his own base of operations, in retrospect, he perhaps should have seen that the "village hidden in rain" would be just that - rainy. For some reason, though, he just assumed that it was an exaggeration, or perhaps a name given to it because of the high amount of rain fall during a certain time of the year. He found himself pleasantly bemused to find that from far away one could see the rain clouds hanging over the village.

The Daimyo of Gold and his entourage of companions, a mix of the samurai and warriors of Gold who agreed to be an escort for him and a gaggle of Kinoko clan members, mostly younger, who relished in the opportunity to go to somewhere new. For the most part the group travelled on foot as they normally would, Aimi included, but, well... Aimi wasn't travelling on foot for this occasion. He wasn't even flying. Instead, he was being carried in a palanquin by four of his samurai entourage. Aimi hadn't liked the suggestion at first but had been convinced by his samurai hailing from northern gold to go along with it. This Heiji day, the first one ever, was to be an international affair, and Aimi Kaguya was the Daimyo of Gold. Thus, he needed to be presented like one.

To that end, Aimi was in unusual attire as well! More than the palanquin, the golden Kaguya had initially refused to wear anything different from what he normally did. Alas, his presence within Amegakure for this international event was inherently political in nature. Thus, his advisors told him, he must look the part. So it was that his long golden hair, usually left to hang on the sides of his face and down to his shoulders, had been pulled back meticulously at the top in order to form a top knot. Gone was his usual white cloak that he wore around his waist, along with his usual swath of equipment, replaced instead with an outfit that represented his country in a ceremonial fashion. His cloak had been traded in for a white kimono, one of the only pieces of the outfit that Aimi had been allowed to pick, and a gold-silk obi, representing the northern gold-ore rich region of Gold, that was wrapped tightly around his midsection. Woven into the top of the Kimono was a fan of peacock feathers that hung over both shoulders, meant to represent the middle section of Gold, what had once been Beast Country. He wore a hakama of gold-silk as well that did a wonderful job of hiding his bare feet (for he had outright refused to wear any sort of food wear, even for this occasion). Lastly he had a roningasa that had been specially made for this occasion, representing the grassy plains of the southern part of Gold. This he kept beside him inside of the palanquin.

Formally dressed and accompanied as a Daimyo ought to be, Aimi would enter the capital city of Steam Country with the pitter patter of rain on top of the palanquin he was inside of. As he looked out of the window at the city around him, he was suddenly glad for the roningasa beside him. As the group came to a stop and the palanquin was lowered, Aimi would place the hat of straw onto his head and wait for the door to be opened by one of his samurai as he had been instructed to do. Once it was, he stepped out into the rain and looked around him. There were throngs of people around! Not to many as to be a horde, but many of the locals and what he could only assume were people from outside of the country were all there as well, mingling about, looking at them, not looking at them. The noise of Amegakure suddenly reached him as he stepped out onto the wet road, wiggling his toes in the rain water.

"Daimyo-sama, we have arrived," one of the samurai said, bowing in unison with the other three that had carried Aimi to their destination. The Daimyo of Gold ignored this formality for the most part, instead looking to his other people who were observing the city around them as well. Many of them would have never been in a city like this before - modern, large and without a stone pyramid floating upon a lake. The young Kinoko were especially excited, talking loudly and pointing to this and that, evidently ignorant of the looks that some of the locals were giving them. All the better really.

Turning to the bowing samurai, Aimi would lift his hand up as a signal for them to relax. "You have my gratitude for bringing me here. I'm sure that you will insist on accompanying me throughout, there's no dissuading you I'm sure, but for the most part I want you all to go out and explore! Mingle with the locals, spread the word of Gold country!" he said, raising his voice so that his entourage could hear him. Most of them turned in his direction when he spoke so as to pay attention. "Remember - you are all representatives of Gold on this day. This is a day of peace and celebration, of friendship and harmony. Those of you who have weapons should not need to be reminded that they are to remain sheathed. No one is to act violently in any manner on this day. If you're weak to alcohol, avoid it to insure this is so. Go now, enjoy the festivities!"

His orders given, many of them began to disperse, looking for food or to talk to locals, getting directions and who knew what else. The four samurai that had carried him there stayed at his side. He wouldn't be allowed to be alone on this day it seemed. That was fine really. Heiji Day was not a day meant to be spent alone anyways. "Right then... I've never been here before, so let's go explore then," Aimi proclaimed, walking forth. Where to go to first? Would he recognize anyone there he wondered...?

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Izanagi » Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:11 pm

Since the war had ended it seemed there were many opportunities to travel to newly formed countries in the name of peace. Takeshi only recently traveled outside of Fire country for the first time since before the war. The Chunin exams held in Aroma country a few months back. That event had shown the young Genin much greater insight into the power of the truly elite shinobi, as well as the level of his peers. Though he had been too fresh from the academy to feel confident in competing it had given him drive to get stronger, if nothing else to be ready in case the fearsome warriors of Kirigakure ever threatened his homeland again.

Now, coming to Steam Country and their capital city of Amegakure, this feeling of bitterness toward Kirigakure grew only stronger. A few years ago, these lands were a part of Fire country, and even a portion of Tea country. Kirigakure had taken the land and then in a mock display of atonement had allowed it to become a symbol of peace. Though in the eyes of many Konoha shinobi it was only a reminder of what they had lost, and the scars Kirigakure had left on them and their lands. Transforming it into something completely alien to what it once was. Where before there were plentiful farmlands, now stood towers of stone and steel.

Though he had arrived with his father, the young Hyuuga quickly branched off on his own. He had traveled to this region as a child and though his memories of the time were foggy at best it was still hard to believe such tranquil lands could be transformed so drastically in only a little more than a year. Wearing a black and silver kimono, his hair tied into a ponytail, the young man wandered through the streets. Even the weather in this region seemed to have gotten worse, he wondered if something about the architecture encouraged rain clouds to accumulate for longer than usual. If that was the case it seemed fitting that such innovation had come at a price beyond the exorbitant sums pooled from the great nations. Takeshi had forgone his bow and quiver for the more suitable accessory of a traditional oil and paper umbrella designed in the pattern of his clan. And as the rain streamed off the weather-coated paper, the Genin’s lavender eyes fell upon a rather flamboyant entourage. He noted with curiosity that some of those that traveled with the palanquin possessed pale eyes of a whitish hue, not too dissimilar from his own. ‘Are they from Suna?’ he wondered at first upon noticing clothing and drapings in hues of yellow and gold. But as he approached closer, he heard mention of Gold country. He knew very little of this nation, as far as he knew Konoha hadn’t interacted with them at all during the war, making them presumably a neutral party to his own nation. Though in this place he was assured even enemies would be able to interact peacefully. Hesitantly the young Hyuuga approached nearer still, “I wonder if they have ties to any of the shinobi nations” he spoke aloud to himself. He wore his own village symbol proudly on his head.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Golnax
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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Golnax » Tue Jan 18, 2022 3:25 pm

The Kaguya Daimyo hadn't gone five steps before one of his four guards stepped in front of him to block his path, nodding his head over to Aimi's right where a Hyuuga was approaching them. Beneath his roningasa the Daimyo's vision was compromised so he turned his head to look at what his guard was gesturing towards. It didn't take him long to note the pale eyes and the headband of Konohagakure. A more or less dead giveaway of the young boy's heritage as, aside from the Kinoko, Aimi had never heard of or come across any clan with eyes like those... that he could remember, anyways. Aimi had never had the best memory for such things to begin with - being a century old was not going to help in that regard!

Raising his hand to signal the man to back down, Aimi would turn towards the Hyuuga while the samurai bowed and fell back in line. "Not anymore and not currently," Aimi replied to the out loud musing of the young shinobi, having heard their words through the gentle pitter patter of rain on his hat. He walked forth to meet the Hyuuga half way, stopping a few paces away and giving the ninja a respectful bow (much to the chagrin of the honor-bound samurai).

"Greetings, little Hyuuga, I am Aimi Kaguya, Daimyo of Gold country. A happy Heiji day to you! Long may the peace last!" the Kaguya greeted, straightening back up and looking at the Hyuuga through the slits in his hat. He was curious how the young man would react to hearing his name. After his attack on Kirigakure, Aimi had doubtless been made infamous throughout the world. To him though that had happened so long ago that he hardly remembered it as fact at all. Seeing how this Konoha ninja reacted to his presence would serve as a useful reminder of how he was perceived in the wider world.

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Izanagi » Sun Jan 23, 2022 2:33 am

Takeshi stopped abruptly when the Gold country samurai stepped between him and the Daimyo. He hadn't considered his advance might be percieved as hostile. He was only 12 years old and carried no weapons, though he supposed it would have been easy enough to hide a mechanism in his umbrella and certainly there was room for a few hidden blades within the loose hanging silks of his Kimono. He had only worn his shinobi forehead protector to be forthright and represent his nation. Though his country had failed the original inhabitants of this land he still felt proud of Konoha and would never shy away from honoring his loyalties.

He was however somewhat embarrased that his musings had been overheard, even if subconciously that was what he had intended. 'Not anymore?' He kept these thoughts to himself, it seemed rude to adress directly. When the Daimyo went as far as to bow, Takeshi instinctively tucked in his umbrella, dropping to his knees and lowered his head. He didn't mind getting his clothing wet but he couldn't disrespect a Daimyo of a newly established nation. That kind of arrogance would only reflect poorly on Konoha. However that name, it sounded familiar.

His eyes widened as he slowly rose to his feet and fanned out the umbrella again. "Happy Heiji day, lord Daimyo" he replied. "I am Hyuuga Takeshi. Only a Genin" he added. He kept his gaze down, seemingly shy but the truth was his mind was reeling. He had heard of this man, Kaguya Aimi. A defector of Kirigakure. He hadn't been made aware he had become a Daimyo but he had overheard the man had held a pair of Konoha shinobi hostage before the war and was someone that was considered extremely dangerous with a high bounty on his head.

After several long moments he regained his composure and was able to look at the man directly again. He did seem to carry a certain air of confidence. That was easily mistaken for simply the power of being a Daimyo and the authority to command but looking closer it was evident the man was in peak physical condition. But despite potential tensions with Konoha, there was no doubt Aimi was an enemy of Kirigakure. And at the very least that made him someone Takeshi was deeply curious about. "It's hard to believe peace will last as long as Kirigakure is around. They dont seem like the forgiving sort" he said suddenly. He wondered if Aimi had more insight into the bloody mists way. He was a former member of that village after all.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Golnax » Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:01 am

What a curious reaction. At first a deep bow, the sort that Aimi had never really participated in and rarely seen. A bow reserved for Daimyo. Not even the Kage were shown as much respect through physical gestures! Truly being the leader of a nation had it's perks, however small! As the Hyuuga genin stood up Aimi took note of his lack of eye contact. In fact the genin was purposefully looking down at him. More shows of respect? Fear? Did he even know who he was by his name alone? A bit difficult to say but, judging from the body language, the Kaguya assumed that this behavior was mostly based in fear which gave him some good insight as to how the young ninja of Konohagakure viewed him. Fear...

He could work with that.

When at last Takeshi lifted his head and spoke, Aimi couldn't help but lightly nod his head, musing on the statement a moment before replying. "They aren't, but they lack the strength to do anything by themselves. The Great War wasn't started by any one individual nation. It was a collapsing line of dominos that lead to that happening. If Kirigakure were to try and rise and create chaos once more, I'm confident the rest of the world would put them down - myself included. I am also confident that Water knows this, and that is why they won't make such a move. For now, the peace will last."

Taking another step forward, Aimi would place a gentle hand on Takeshi's shoulder, looking down at the boy from underneath his straw hat, an expression as gentle as his hand on his face. "Walk with me," he said before turning and taking steps to go further into Amegakure, only getting five steps before, once again, his samurai guards stepped forward into his path.

"Lord Daimyo, as the leader of Gold we cannot allow you to walk in the company of a shinobi from one of the Great Five nations. If you would return to the palanquin, we will carry you instead," the samurai said frankly, expression and body language stoic as a stone. This was not likely to be something the man budged on, but Aimi wanted to try regardless.

"Do you honestly think that's necessary? I've been carried for the past few days. I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own - and capable of protecting myself from shinobi. I know their ways, after all," he insisted, but to no avail. He received no answer and the expression of his guard remained still. Realizing that it was going to be more trouble than it was worth to continue this fight, Aimi would sigh and turn back to Takeshi.

"Apologies, but it seems you will have to walk beside me as I am carried." There were downsides to being the leader of a nation, too, it seemed. Turning back the golden Kaguya would walk back to the palanquin and step inside of it, taking a seat and pulling the curtain back so that he could see out of it. He also removed his hat and placed it down by his feet while the samurai guards got into position and lifted him up off of the ground. "Forward," Aimi would say and then would all, finally, begin to move further into Amegakure.

While they walked, Aimi turned and looked down at Takeshi. "So how are things in Konoha and Fire these days? It's been a while since I've been to either, and last I checked Fire was much larger than it was before the Great War. In fact I think we're technically neighbors, in a way," he mused, recalling the shape of the new maps and how a rather large swathe of Fire territory was to the west of Gold now. It didn't concern him much as it was new to Fire and Konoha was off to the east, but still. Getting the gist from Takeshi could prove valuable assuming the genin could tell him much.

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Piece » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:22 pm

The colossal, monolithic concrete jungle that stood around him was yet another of the worldly wonders previously unknown to Ontarou. Born and raised in the swampy groves and grassy plains of Gold Country, Amegakure was a marvel of industry of such dimension that the young boy's eyes had not been prepared for. The towering buildings were plentiful as trees in a forest, outnumbered only by the infinite small streets that made up the maze at ground level. It was unnatural, yet still, just as awe-inducing as the marvelous landscapes he had seen in the company of Aimi.

Normally in short distance of his closest relatives, Ontarou took the chance of his fellow Kinoko's confusion at such a location to branch off and follow his mentor at a safe distance. He enjoyed his family's comfort, and he knew they would be missing him, but this was his one shot at seeing the Rain with his own eyes. He splintered off from the colony of Kinoko and tailed his mentor. Thank the Goddess I've brought my raingear, doesn't look like this bad weather is going to let up anytime soon. As he walked, he only absent-mindedly kept tabs on Aimi's palanquin. His eyes wandered from building to building. They all seemed the same to him and yet they all seemed completely different. Gigantic, imponent, and filled with entrances and exits for one to lose themselves in. He wondered if the citizens ever got lost in the cement labyrinth. I think I wouldn't remember the way home even if I had lived here for a year.

He noticed that his teacher had come into contact with someone. In this case, it was a young boy. His hair was tied into a ponytail rather than let loose like his own. He was wearing a kimono in sober, colorless hues compared to Ontarou's red haori. If the Kinoko had to wager, he would say they were of the same age, and if not, he himself would be slightly older. Aimi seemed to have come into pleasant contact with the boy as if he had known him or others like him. The samurai that escorted him weren't very happy with it, but yet again they weren't very happy with anything. They kept speaking of something that he couldn't hear, and while carrying the bit of jealousy a student feels towards another which catches their mentor's attention, his intention was to leave them alone to go explore by himself. However, a very specific trait of the boy called his own attention and he couldn't let it be.

Ontarou made a mad dash towards the boy, not very worried about the Samurai escorts as they knew him fairly well by this point. Once at a respectable distance he would point to the young man in front of him and then to himself. "Hey, hey! Your eyes look almost like mine!!"
Kinoko, Ontarou - D-Rank Minor Country

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Izanagi » Sat Jan 29, 2022 9:43 pm

Takeshi considered the Kaguya’s words. He understood that Konoha and Kirigakure were neck and neck for boasting the strongest and most plentiful groups of Bannin but it was true that each of the other shinobi nations had formidable strength and influence as well. The young Hyuuga thought back to the tournaments he had watched, and it occurred to him suddenly that he had seen the match of Aimi vs the Mizukage. He supposed he had seen quite a few legendary shinobi fight over the years; both of his parents were among them even. For now, he trusted his elder that he knew more about the political and military landscape of the world. Despite being only a Genin the young boy desired to lead his clan one day, he wished to learn what it meant to be a leader and how to change the hearts and minds of those stubborn and stuck in their ways. “Do you think people can change?” he wondered innocently, if anyone were to internally wrestle such a question, he figured it would be a rogue shinobi turned Daimyo of a foreign nation. “It seems everyone is stuck in their ways” he began as Aimi placed his hand on his shoulder to which Takeshi slowly brought his gaze up to look at the man. He wasn’t what he expected, neither of a Daimyo or an S-ranked fugitive and it had him intrigued as to the nature of people outside of Fire country and its allies.

Takeshi took a respectful step backward as the Daimyo deliberated with his concerned samurai. After a few moments Aimi surprisingly conceded and moved into the palanquin. The lithe Genin felt conflicted, were shinobi so feared by samurai of minor nations that a mere child such as himself was seen as a threat to a legend such as Aimi? Surely, they had to know the immense power their leader held, even a thousand Genin would be little more than an annoyance, enough to cause him to break a sweat probably but not a threat to his life. “I don’t mean to be a burden. I don’t mind at all” he said simply. Though he had grown up around powerful shinobi and village leaders, he was less acquainted with royalty and leaders of countries though his brother had given him a few lessons on respect. He had intended to be the ideal Hyuuga so that the clan elders would properly accept him and somewhere along the way he had lost a part of himself to that ambition. But he would do whatever needed to be done to earn respect and rise the ranks.

The young Hyuuga twirled his umbrella slowly as the rain pounded down. Though he appeared rather feminine due to his long hair, pulled into a traditional Hyuuga ponytail that allowed his long bangs to frame his face, the boy's body was dense with lean muscle, his hands calloused and his body not without its fair share of bruises and scrapes. His wet Kimono clung to his skin, and he felt tempted to use ninjutsu to dry himself, but he didn’t want to frighten the samurai or give them any reason to strike him down. He knew his own weakness, even if he was making great strides every week. He turned his attention as a young boy approached while Aimi asked about Fire country. It was one of the white-eyed individuals that had initially drawn his attention. How fortunate. Hearing the boy run toward him Takeshi had naturally shifted his feet to an easy transition to move into a gentle fist stance if need be. More of an instinct than anything. But when he saw the enthusiasm, he relaxed and smiled in return. He noted the differences, mostly a darker complexion that was practically non-existent within Konoha. He had seen a number of tanned, brown, and olive tones from people from Sunagakure though, so it wasn’t particularly noteworthy. The white hair however was quite rare and certainly strange the style it was in. If he recalled correctly Aimi used to have white hair, perhaps the people of Gold country routinely dyed their hair, he considered. Such an offense would get a Hyuuga disowned from the clan. He had inherited his mother's raven black hair and he always wore it long and proud as was meant to be. Though the truth was he wished to cut it short and experiment with different styles or even colours. Perhaps one day they would have such freedoms.

“I’ve never met anyone outside of Hyuuga that have naturally white eyes. Are you from a unique clan in Gold country?” he wondered, though there was a pit in his stomach. He hoped this didn’t have anything to do with the Hyuuga secret scrolls that had been stolen before he was even born and only recently recovered. Enough Hyuuga had gone rogue or been killed in action for other nations to have opportunity to study their Byakugan, perhaps even replicate it. “Do you have a doujutsu Kekkei genkai?” he inquired, trying to keep his tone light but there was an apprehension to his words and his heart to beat quickly, almost rising to a panic. Such a thing could destroy his family and cause war to begin anew. Realizing his rudeness, he quickly shifted his attention back to the Daimyo. He knew the man had been in Fire country, but nobody had answered him directly about the rumor that Aimi had been allowed to enter the village. His father made sure to keep Takeshi out of such things made efforts to keep the twins out of dangerous situations or diplomatic events. “A few years ago, this was fire country” he said solemnly, gesturing around them. “But we have grown, I’m not sure when I’ll be able to visit all the new regions, but I want to meet people from each of the provinces; Grass, Rice, Dragon, even waterfall valley” he stated. Slavers Ravine was now abundant with water, home to many refugees from southern waterfall country. With the railways expanding to each of the regions it wouldn’t be long until he could travel to whichever region he desired in less than a day.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Golnax » Sun Jan 30, 2022 5:29 am

"Oh yes, people can change," the Daimyo assured the younger Hyuuga. "They simply need to want to first."

That was really as far as Aimi was able to get on the matter before Ontarou, excitable young scamp that he was, came rushing over to meet someone new! Ah, those Kinoko, and especially Ontarou from his experience - they were never without a vigor for the new and exciting! In this case, meeting a ninja who was not Aimi for really the first time, as this Heiji Day celebration had come not terribly long after his personal tour of Gold with the little whitecap. Naturally Ontarou had been one of the first to volunteer to go, how could he not have been? He was always so eager to see and learn more! Of course Aimi wasn't going to deny him the chance to pass through several new countries on the way to Steam.

For his part he would remain quiet as Takeshi laid his questions bare for Ontarou. He would let the Kinoko speak for himself and the rest of his clan for the moment. After all he wasn't a part of their mycological kin, who was he to speak for them? He but smiled in his palanquin, knowing that Takeshi was likely about to be bombarded with both details and questions alike! Such an excitable young lad Ontarou was...!

When Takeshi got around to answering his question they were several paces down the wet street from where they had started. "I see, I see. Dragon sounds familiar, I think that might be the portion of Fire I border these days," Aimi mused idly. "Steam used to be part of Fire though, huh? Well, as I understand it, it's its' own independent nation these days. I wonder if Fire had to let it secede in order to broker some sort of peace... ah! I should write the Fire Daimyo about it and see if I can't get the details from him!" he said, tapping a fist into the palm of his hand decidedly. This whole Daimyo thing was still a new hat for him, and it had only just occurred to him that, as a Daimyo himself, he could petition other Daimyo for this that or the other thing as he pleased! At least the ones he wasn't directly enemies with, and last he checked he had a strong neutrality with Fire. He was certain that the Daimyo of Fire... whoever they were, would be forthright in any details he inquired about, so long as they weren't too prying.

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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Piece » Sun Jan 30, 2022 3:58 pm

Now up close, Ontarou's pupilless eyes focused on and scoured every visible inch of the young boy that stood in front of him. It was most definitely a male, yet his features were incredibly feminine. Somehow, the boy in front of him managed to look prettier than most of the girls in Kusa while still obviously a hardened student of the warrior path. His eyes were very similar to Ontarou's own, with very small differences. The Kinoko's eyes appeared slightly more "dead", yet still, to the unprepared passersby, they could be considered the same. Aside from the eyes, however, they couldn't be more different. Ontarou looked like a healthy, husky child while the boy appeared well-defined from rigorous training. Their skins were white porcelain and clay. One's hair was a wild, overbearing white mass, the other's was a raven's strict feathers. In short, the boy who stood in front of him was nothing short of plain awesome.

"The Hyuuga? Is that the name of your clan? Mine is the Kinoko, and the eyes are pretty much all we have in common with each other. Oh, oh, and the skin as well. And these." He answered, pointing at the small mushrooms that sprouted from his collarbones, struggling to keep up with this exciting new interaction. Aimi had instructed him on Kekkei Genkai, clans, and the like. He also had a general knowledge of clans across the world, but unfortunately, he had focused more on the parts that concerned himself rather than on the world that he would eventually discover. He scratched his head as he heard the Hyuuga's questions, focusing hard on understanding what the boy meant. "Doujutsu is like techniques for the eyes, right? No, they aren't much use, honestly...ours are just normal eyes. Why, do yours do something special?"

Ontarou would listen closely to the other boy's reply, unbelievably excited to meet him, yet controlling himself in order to avoid spooking him. He barely noticed Aimi's presence anymore, being completely engrossed in the encounter. Respectfully and politely, he wouldn't interfere with his new acquaintance's speech with his mentor, but once he spotted an opening, he would once again attempt to engage him. Aimi-sama said you should share if you want others to share with you. Should probably follow his advice right about now...

"Sorry, I got too excited and forgot my manners. My name is Ontarou and I am from the Kinoko clan. We don't have Doujutsu, but we were blessed by the Goddess with our own Kekkei Genkai. I can show you." Having gathered the all-familiar energy within himself, he pointed outwards with his right palm to a spot right in front of the points of his feet. Only moments later, a large red-cap mushroom sprouted with vigor and celerity. It looked innately harmless, almost as if out of the pages of a child's book. A small cloud of spores had already begun to form. To the untrained eye, the fungus could almost seem ominous, if it wasn't for Ontarou promptly climbing on the mushroom and repeatedly using it as a trampoline. "We can make pretty much any kind of mushroom you want. Some can heal your bruises if you're hurt, others you can do this with."

"You can try if you like." After a few jumps, he stepped down, gesturing at the mushroom. For his teacher's experienced eyes, the difference between the two young ninja would probably be an amusing contrast. Both held very similar goals towards their clan and future, yet one was soft and kind with naivety, and the other more solid and cautious with experience.
Jutsu UsedShow
~Spring-step Mushroom
D-ranked Kinojutsu
The user gathers Mycorrhiza and sends it to a point within a number of meters equal to their Control stat in meters at a Speed of [Control]. From this point a single, large mushroom, the cap roughly three feet in diameter with a sturdy, one foot tall stem will sprout. This mushroom sprouts with [Control] Speed and Strength and is constantly creating spores. These spores can be used for other Kinojutsu. This mushroom is springy and elastic and can be jumped on to propel the user in any direction with +3 Speed at the cost of -3 Taijutsu while airborne. This mushroom is capable of propelling individuals or objects up to 10 meters.
Kinoko, Ontarou - D-Rank Minor Country

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Izanagi
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A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Izanagi » Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:21 pm

Takeshi felt himself relaxing as the white-haired boy spoke. While the war had made Takeshi cautious of outsiders and even downright hateful of those from Kirigakure there was a certain childish innocence that radiated from the curious Kinoko. Given his clan pressures, feeling an outsider given his mixed lineage, uncommon among the traditional incest of the Hyuuga, Takeshi had spent many years trying to live up to a certain notion. The ideal Hyuuga or the strong shinobi others expected of the son of the Hokage and a Hyuuga Bannin. The only time he really felt like a kid or even his genuine self was when he was spending time with his twin sister Kaori, whom had been born without the traits of the Hyuuga, taking after their father instead. It still felt strange to be without her, but he knew he needed to gain more independence if he wanted to be taken seriously. He nodded when asked about the name of his clan and then exhaled slowly as the boy spoke of the differences in their clans. “Amazing” he noted, quite curious about the mushrooms that grew on the boy’s elbows. “In Konoha there is a clan that controls wood and another that houses insects within their bodies, you would fit right in with those mushrooms” he said with a genuine smile before answering Aimi about the regions of Fire country.

He nodded again and turned his attention fully back to Ontarou as he asked about Doujutsu. “The Kekkei genkai of the Hyuuga clan are our eyes, the Byakugan” he stated, forming a half seal as his eyes gained definition, veins bulging along his temples and throughout his eyes themselves as a concentrated pupil of sorts formed in the milky white eyes with a very slight lavender hue. Suddenly the world came to life around him. He could see chakra all around him, surging strongly within Aimi in particular but even the pathways of Ontarou were clearly visible to him, including small connections to the mushrooms that sprouted from his body. He could still see the shapes of clothes and other features but they appeared dull, colorless against the bright blue chakra pathways. “With the Byakugan I can see 360 degrees around me and chakra and your tenketsu pathways shine brightly to me” he explained proudly. He was honored to receive such a lineage and to even be alive, given his father was not of the Hyuuga clan. Such marriages were quite rare, for fear of diluting the precious bloodline or allowing outsiders to steal their secrets.

Takeshi bowed slightly when Ontarou properly introduced himself and he realized the boy had missed his initial introduction as well. “Forgive me. Hyuuga Takeshi, I’m a Genin from Konoha.” He introduced, holding his umbrella in such a way to keep the rain off both of them even if they were both nearly soaked at this point. His white and silver kimono had become translucent and clung to his arms but it didn’t bother him too much, he had plenty more clothes to choose from and he was used to getting dirty and soaked in training. He kept his Byakugan active while Ontarou showed him a Kinojutsu technique. The chakra flowed into the ground and then manifested into a mushroom, spreading small traces of chakra around in the form of spores. Naturally he was cautious and held his breath and raised his arm to guard his mouth and nose for a few moments until the boy began to bounce on the springy mushroom cap and Takeshi exhaled, laughing lightly at the innocent fun. “Your people must be the pride of your village. I can’t begin to imagine all the possibilities” he said with wonder, feeling his careful demeanor begin to slip, if only a little as he smiled here and there and felt a flicker of enjoyment at such antics. He nodded enthusiastically when offered a turn. Handing the boy his umbrella, Takehsi lifted his kimono slightly, stretching his legs into a low stance and sprining off the mushroom at about half strength at first before landing and pushing off with all his power and speed, flying high, at least 10 meters into the sky at a speed of 13.

He felt free, like a bird. The weight of his heavy, drenched clothes seemed lifted even as the cold rain soaked down his face and hair. And he laughed and smiled without thinking of appearances or repercussions. As he descended, he braced and jump once more and then at the height of the leap formed a brief set of seals, forming a tunnel of wind around him, stretching his stance wide into one similar to Jyuuken he surfed the tunnel of wind in a snaking pattern back toward the ground, forming a full circle around Ontarou before coming to a stop. His robes were thrown into disarray and his hair had come loose form his ponytail, hanging in a mess all around him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had acted in such a way in public and for the moment at least he didn’t mind at all.
Jutsu UsedShow
Byakugan Doujutsu
One of the most famed doujutsu in the world, Byakugan is the bloodline limit of the Hyuuga Clan. When active, the clan member gains 360 degree vision and Penetrative vision, allowing the Hyuuga clan to see the Tenketsu of their enemies. Their telescopic vision can be activated via jutsu. As such, the Byakugan is capable of ability channeling, allowing the Hyuuga to activate their Doujutsu techniques without hand seals. It should be noted that while using their telescopic vision the Hyuuga experiences tunnel vision, making it difficult to see their surroundings.

Prolonged usage of the Byakugan is strenuous and requires a high level of endurance. The maximum operating time a user can utilize their Byakugan at a time is equal to their Chakra Pool stat divided by 4 rounded down, to a minimum of one post. Upon reaching the max duration, the stress of using their Byakugan to it’s limit causes a cooldown period of 1/2 of the duration time, to a minimum of one post. During this cooldown period, the Byakugan cannot be activated and attempting to do so will cause physical pain. Duration is based off total posts where the Byakugan is activated, meaning users can turn it on and off to have a shorter cooldown.

Fuuton • Wind Tunnel
D-Ranked Fuuton Jutsu
After forming a brief series of hand seals Takeshi will build up chakra manifesting a wind tunnel from within 10 meters of him. The stream of air will follow a funnel pattern that can be manifested in a variety of shapes but not manipulated after creation to serve a variety of purposes. The length of the tunnel is up to 10 meters long and 2 meters wide. This jutsu moves at a Speed and Strength equal to [10] but does not contain the cutting passive of Fuuton. The wind tunnel will last for 2 posts after creation.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Golnax
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Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 7:00 pm

A Golden Heiji Day in the Rain

Post by Golnax » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:46 am

Aimi Kaguya frowned.

His mood wasn't necessarily diminished. That wasn't the right way to put it. No, it was more like a cloud had suddenly descended upon him that was darkening the otherwise pleasant day. As Ontarou and Takeshi both exchanged information with one another, a sour feeling filled the Daimyo's gut. "Stop the palanquin, turn me sideways," he ordered his entourage who dutifully did as they were told. He watched as his ninja in training and the Genin had fun bouncing on the mushroom, showing off to one another. He hated to be the one to bring the mood down, but...

"Both of you stop for a moment," he called out, raising his voice slightly to be heard over the rain. He raised his hand and beckoned them over. "Come here."

Aimi waited until they had both come over towards him before continuing. He let out a sigh. "I don't mean to lecture but... you both need to hear this, and remember it! You are both of you shinobi - one in the academy still, one a genin. You should know better than to divulge the secrets of your kekkei genkai to a complete stranger!" His tone was harsh and somewhat scolding, but it carried no trace of malice or righteous anger as it might have once done; as it had done many, many years ago when he took it upon himself to humiliate one of his fellow shinobi to teach them a lesson. Now, much older and wiser, he knew a gentler approach was more suitable.

"Takeshi Hyuuga, how do you think your clan elders would have felt about you explaining that your Byakugan can let you see all those things invisible to normal eyes? Do you think they would approve, just because we're in peace time? As a ninja you should know that peace can be a fragile thing; we are from a foreign nation and may have had absolutely no idea what the Byakugan does. If that were the case, you just told the Daimyo, who you know to be a shinobi, how your kekkei genkai worked, even if it was just bare bones details!"

"Ontarou Kinoko," Aimi continued, turning his gaze towards the excitable whitecap. "I didn't think to perp you beforehand, so the fault is mine, but I thought I explained to you that your clan has a unique kekkei genkai; there are none like it in any of the other ninja villages. You just made the same mistake as Takeshi, only if Takeshi decided to, or was compelled to, report back to his superiors in Konohagakure, they would have some knowledge on how the Kinoko clan Kekkei Genkai works, which they didn't have before! They are a village made by ninja and filled with many powerful and experienced shinobi and kunoichi - even that little bit of information could be used to their advantage if ever they come into combat with you!"

The golden Kaguya closed his eyes and sighed deeply, bringing a hand up and rubbing at his eyes and the bridge of his nose. "I apologize. I truly don't mean to lecture you both, but you cannot afford to be that careless as shinobi. Ontarou has less experience than you, Takeshi, yet you both made the same mistake. Both of you have to understand: Shinobi are carriers of secrets, secrets that they will carry with themselves to the grave if they do their jobs correctly. Just... be more careful in the future. The both of you... having said that," he went on, removing his hand from his face and placing it in his lap, "that was a very good display of fuuton ninjutsu just now, Takeshi. Ontarou was considering learning fuuton himself; perhaps the two of you could talk about that form of ninja art instead?"

Again Aimi sighed, opening his eyes and looking to the two young ninja. He hoped he hadn't come off as too harsh, as he now believed that would not ingratiate the lesson he was trying to teach anymore. Turning back forward, the Daimyo would rest his elbow on the window of his palanquin and his cheek against his knuckles. "Come, forward. Let's find somewhere to get out of the rain, get some foo din our bellies, and talk of something more cheerful than an academic lecture!" he suggested, the samurai picking him up once more and beginning to walk him down the street again.

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