[Graded]The Price You Pay

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Nick
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[Graded]The Price You Pay

Post by Nick » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:24 pm

Oh, the journey had been long. Zekka had never been away from his village for such a long time, but to a certain extent it was exhilarating. He'd seen so many new things, experienced so many new cultures, foods, and of course people, chief among them being his two travelling companions. They'd since revealed themselves to be ninja of an enemy state, but... they had grown close, to say the least. His friends. He couldn't say much the same of people from his own village, even. He was often left out, too young for his rank to be truly respected by his peers, too noble for other kids to want to be around him, and his own father didn't much want him around other children of the Shuudoushi clan. He was always very different, and despite doing his best to fit in, he simply didn't in most cases. He was, in most cases, certainly not hated, but to have people who respected him, liked him, and maybe even cared about him? That was new.

The trio had stopped at an inn for their travels, and given some success after dealing with pirates, they'd looted enough money to rent their own rooms with baths available. It was a good time to relax. Zekka had work to do, though. Part of the agreement with his village that allowed him to leave meant he needed to send reports at every opportunity, and if he went too long without a report, he'd be dragged back home. Luckily, his room had a desk, and at least a somewhat comfortable chair to sit at, and with a request to the innkeeper downstairs, he'd been brought some paper, a pen, and a jar of ink. And so he began to write.
Report #4, 5/16/xxx, Mission Code #89123, Ninja Registration #ED0091
Component "Shinjiro" and Component "Kayuri" remain travelling with me. Each appears to have at least a small degree of trust in me, and each appears to trust me more than the other, despite village familiarity.
Shinjiro show's a degree of growth of character after being exposed to Shuudoushi techniques, and where previously he might lash out at any opportunity, he now seems to take time to consider.
Kayuri remains mostly a mystery, only contacting from a distance, and being unwilling to communicate face to face, only through her otherwise unnamed companion.
I have begun to trust each as well, and believe that either would be willing to put themselves in danger to assist me, both are dependable, and Shinjiro especially has come out upon it being revealed by a third party that both of us are Jinchuuriki.
My friends are working well as a te-
He stopped. He'd written that word, 'friends', and he'd almost written the word 'team', too. These reports were meant to be formal, and he'd been doing his best to maintain that, and he certainly couldn't let his superiors in on the fact that he thought of ninja from villages with poor relations as friends. He sighed, and crumbled the paper up, letting it sit on top of the stack of paper in front of him.
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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The Price You Pay

Post by Izanagi » Sun Dec 09, 2018 10:51 pm

Shinjiro had never expected to have so much come of his journey. He had been granted leave on the rumor of a few sailors about a legendary weapon that might prove valuable to him. Instead he had met two individuals of a similar age whom over the course of weeks had bonded greatly, becoming more than simply resources to help him find a weapon. They had become his first true friends, though there had been distrust and tension it was still drastically different than the relationship he had with his genin rival. In Kirigakure the focus was always strength and one’s ability to serve the demands of the village but with Kayuri and Zekka he had an opportunity to discover his own sense of humanity. Zekka especially had opened his eyes to the ways of peace, understanding and friendship. Though the two were still fundamentally different in a way they seemed to balance each other out, meeting somewhere in the middle with their policies and somehow getting along splendidly in the process. The young Karagata found that even after discovering Zekka was a Sunagakure shinobi that he still cared about him as a person. He wished to meet him again one day and even naively hoped for peace between Suna and Kiri in the future. It was a hope that had never crossed his mind before.

Eventually however reality had to set in or come crashing down in this instance. Though he had not made any contact with any other Kirigakure shinobi in the weeks of travel he was not naïve enough to believe they weren’t tracking him to some extent. A pair of Kirigakure elite had been tracking his movements, unknown to even the exceptionally wary Kayuri. They had kept considerable distance but nonetheless they had begun to establish the facts that Shinjiro himself had eventually discovered. After the situation with the Dragon at the altar, where the Kirigakure shinobi tailing him had been kept outside of the barrier it was deemed that it was time to bring him in. The danger was escalating and there seemed to be no payoff in sight. Soon after the larger group broke up and the trio fought a band of pirates Shinjiro was contacted. It was his assignment to tie up any loose ends and come home. Kayuri was from Iwagakure, a tentative ally of Kiri and so she would be spared but Zekka, he was loyal to the Sand village, a fact that Shinjiro couldn’t deny when questioned, despite how much he wished to protect the boy, in the end he was loyal to his village above all else. With all the information the decision Shinjiro dreaded most was made. He was to kill Zekka, removing the secrets he knew of Shinji and more importantly proving to the village that he remained loyal and had not had his allegiance corrupted by this outsider from the Sand village.

The entire day Shinjiro had been in a sour mood, though he remained his aloof self outwardly his jokes had slightly more bite than usual and there had been a few instances where his recently more controlled aggression had slipped loose. He had to act tonight, surely the perceptive diplomat would realize something was wrong after even another day at most. The cleaner and faster he could fulfil his mission the better. Luckily the majority of his abilities remained unknown to his associates. They knew he was fast and skilled with swords and he had grown wings when fighting the Dragon though Zekka had been huddled within the cave at the time, nonetheless the others surely would have spoke of it before the group had parted. Moreover it had been revealed that both Shinjiro and Zekka were Jinchurriki though the boy of the Sand village housed a lesser, albeit still grand pirit rather than one of the Legendary Genma. This was both another reason Shinjiro felt a connection with the boy and why he couldn’t afford to allow for a fair fight. He knew little of Zekka’s abilities save for that he could utilize medical techniques and what seemed like some form of genjutsu and emotional sense.

When the Misfits found succor in a small inn Shinjiro socialized with the others for some time before each went off to their own rooms for the night. Nearly immediately after closing the door Shinjiro glowed with a menacing green aura of chakra, his hair twisting and stretching into braids before suddenly he seemed to vanish, his body absorbing into itself almost instantly until he appeared roughly center mass of his previous form as a small flying ant, wings already buzzing he quickly landed and slipped underneath the crack in his door, moving along the edge of the corridor before slipping into Zekka’s room and crawling up the wall until he was situated on the ceiling near the corner. He had full vantage of the small room from this point and would observe Zekka for over half an hour, hoping to strike when the boy eventually went to bed. Curiously he observed as the shorter teenager scribbled away at a note of some sort. ‘Just what kind of report are you making?’ he wondered. He hoped it was something damning, a complete betrayal that would give Sunagakure full intel on everything he knew of Shinjiro, perhaps a plot to send reinforcements and capture the Jinchurriki in order to extract Vorashu for themselves. Anything to help ease his mind and see Zekka as an enemy to his village rather than a friend. Positioning himself along the ceiling until he could see over Zekka’s shoulder, Shinji would read the report. The information passed along was enough to name him and identify Shinjiro as a Kirigakure shinobi but could he really fault Zekka for that, after all he had given such information to his superiors himself. No, that was the least that Zekka could do to remain travelling with his companions. He understood completely and couldn’t find it in himself to hate him for something as simple as that.

The mention of Shuudoushi techniques however was a curious statement and one he didn’t fully understand. He was not familiar with the name of the clan and in fact didn’t even recognize it as clan jutsu, simply assuming it was the name of a branch of some form of Sunagakure specific jutsu. Was it genjutsu? Some form of subtle mind control that was used on him as some form of experiment or manipulation perhaps? Were his feelings in regards to the boy in fact fabricated. It was impossible to say for certain and he wouldn’t risk confronting Zekka about it and have him turn the advantage in his favor, especially if it was as dangerous of an ability as he speculated. He had now seen enough, he would have to act now before the letter was sent, before Zekka managed to turn the tables and before Shinjiro’s resolve faded. That moment nearly came as Shinjiro had waited long enough to see the word ‘friends’ written down by mistake. ‘So it was real’ he realized, faltering for just a moment. His training screamed for him to kill the boy silently and without him even realizing he was in danger, even as a flying ant he could strike the back of his skull with enough force to render him unconscious at the very least and promptly finish him off afterward. Something in him changed however and he fought against his instincts. If he was going to kill his friend he had to say a last farewell. Before he could change his mind Shinjiro transformed into his true form, still adhered to the ceiling and utterly silent, even in his breathing and heart rate.

His right hand rose to the handle of his sword as his feet tensed against the roof. “I’m sorry it had to come to this. Goodbye Zekka” he whispered, his voice pierced the sickening silence like an omen of death and so it was. Not a heartbeat after the words had been uttered the young assassin rocketed forward with immense speed, essentially vanishing from his position, sword drawn in motion as he aimed to slice diagonally across the boy’s neck, cleaving his head from his body by the time Shinjiro’s feet touched the ground. He knew that it was dangerous to give a shinobi even a moment of notice and there was a distinct possibility Zekka could have formed some sort of reaction in time to save his life. At this point Shinjiro wasn’t sure if he would rather have ended it cleanly or have had the opportunity to hear Zekka’s voice again. Regardless only one of them would be leaving this room alive. It all ended here and now.
Jutsu UsedShow

Flying Insect
C-Ranked Full Kaerujutsu
Prerequisite: Form 1
This transformation allows Shinjiro to take on the form of a winged insect, typically a fly or flying ant though similar species are also optional. Colorations will match those of the native species, making detection virtually impossible short of chakra sensory. In this form he can slip through cracks most people wouldn’t even notice. +6 Instinct, +7 Speed, -3 Stamina

Flash Step
B-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite:[Upper Body] [Lower Body]
After sighting in a target or a destination Shinjiro has learned how to harness his strength and speed to the utmost of his ability. Digging his toes into the ground and pushing his muscles to their limit he is able to make a dashing motion and attack at great speed, incurring a +9 boost to speed. If his speed is at least 10 higher than his opponents Instinct his movements will be unable to be perceived, 5 higher and they will appear distorted and nothing but a blur. Due to the nature of the technique he will be unable to adjust his course of movement, incurring a -6 to his Instinct while in motion. Also when the attack is complete his muscles will ache due to the strain put on them, incurring a -2 speed reduction for the following 2 posts. The maximum distance he can travel in such a manner is 30 meters.

In the base form, the host is able to use Kaerujutsu based on their Mastery Stat, which allows for transformations of single body parts at a time. Each of these transformations follows the normal stat boosting rules.
+5 Stats to any stat boosting.

*[Iaido • Iai Beheading Draw]
B-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: *Iaido • Beheading Draw, 25 Speed
With a Variation of the Beheading Draw technique, the user forces a very quick snap of tension and torque through their arm as they draw their sword sending it vertically or across with great speed. With its speed, the strike takes on a blur, many times not even appearing to be drawn from its sheath. This slash is also incredibly powerful with its speed, able to slice through stone in most cases with enough power.

*[Iaido • Breakneck Sheath]
B-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 25 Speed
Through incredible amounts of practice the user of this technique has gained such a vast knowledge of Iaido and their sheath in particular that they have perfected the art of sheathing their sword. As such, they can sheath their weapon single handed if need be, and can do so with the same blinding speed that they would deliver a slash with, allowing them to chain together attacks with even more speed than before.

(Attack made with 41 Speed)

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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The Price You Pay

Post by Nick » Sat Dec 15, 2018 9:14 am

Something had felt off in the air. That was how it always began with these things, wasn't it? That was the distraction, what had set him up for a perceived 'failure' in writing his report, a level of casualness that couldn't be forgiven in an official report. Clearly he was thinking about Shinjiro and Kiyori so much because, well, one of them was there, weren't they?

With all the time they'd spent together, fighting, on the road, resting, eating, both of them were ingrained in his memory, not only as people, but as voices, sounds, sights, even scents and tastes. A common misconception with things like scents is that one person always had the same scent, no matter what, and that such things were infallible, that if one could recognize a scent, you'd be able to always recognize a person from it straight away. This was not the case. In truth, scents changed not quite daily, but often weekly, at least for most people. Scents are an amalgamation of many things, from what you ate, the actions you performed recently, if you tried to clean yourself and wash away stenches, and of course the places you visited.

Shinjiro's scent had once been something of... damp, the scent you might expect to find in a cellar, this was accentuated with the scent of sweat, a hard worker, and a scent that was very rare and unusual where Zekka came from, the light scent of fish, a likely common diet amongst the populace of Kirigakure. Many other things melded with this of course, but if asked to describe it, those were the key features that stuck out. His scent changed quite a bit, as they moved to and from inland, where fish was more or less available, the dampness was traded out for the scent of local pines or oaks, but the salty scent of sweat never quite left him.

But why was Shinjiro's scent so important? Why was it here? Why could he taste it on his tongue? Had Shinjiro inspected the rooms before they all got here, making sure each was safe? No, that couldn't be, as the scent would be so much more muted. It was here, mixed with something unusual that hadn't been there before. If there was one thing that Kayuri had taught him, it was that paranoia could be your friend.

Zekka's hands went under his desk calmly, and he looked down at his desk, before closing his eyes. It would look like he was thinking, but rather he was performing a short string of handseals, one that the academy had beaten into him time after time, his substitution technique. His chakra was channeled towards his bed, or rather one of the pillows on top of it. Finally, Shinjiro spoke, and Zekka's heart dropped. He had hope that his fears were unfounded, but the voice was unmistakable as anyone else. He had seen the young Jinchuuriki fight, and if he couldn't defuse the situation, Zekka knew that he would be dead in a matter of minutes.

As the sword moved across the boys head, a puff of smoke would fill his place, and where blood might have previously sprayed free, loose straw came out instead. He had replaced himself with his pillow, and was now atop his bed. Not wasting any time, his hands flew into a separate series of handseals, and an orb of smoke would shoot forth from his chest, not aimed to hit Shinji, but rather to hit the ground, a closer target, filling the room with smoke. If he was to have any advantage, he would have to take it now.

He dove from his bed, rolling across the ground, and channeling a third technique through his Shuudoushi eye, ripping his bandanna off to expose it. "If you wished to speak with me, Shinji, you only had to ask, not go through such drastic measures."
JutsuShow
Zekka's enhanced senses are thanks to the discriminatory scent and taste found in form 0 of his spirit.

*[Basic Jutsu • Change of Body Stance Technique]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After completing the necessary handseals, the user is able to quickly substitute his/her body with a nearby object that is at least 2/3rds his/her size, but no bigger than their body. This substitution allows the object to take the force of the attack that was meant for the user, additionally allowing the user to create distance between him/her and the opponent. The object used in this jutsu may not be objects that are imbued with chakra or controlled by it, and they may also only be single, solid objects within a 20 yard radius of the user. This technique may only be used a total of one time in a single thread, give or take how many times Shunshin no Jutsu has already been used.

Sly Shot
D-Rank Ninjutsu
Performing the necessary handseals, a single swirling orb of heated smoke ninpou will jet from Zekka's chest at a speed of 5, before impacting with a strength of 5 up to 15m. This also causes a smoke screen to be left at the point of impact for 5m in every direction for 3 posts.

Diplomat's Demeanor
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
The clan member channels chakra through the Yokuatsugan and into a ten meter radius around them. For the duration of the technique, the Yokuatsugan makes all within the radius more open to discussion and negotiation, allowing them to move past pride and personal opinion to a larger extent. This will not make those in the radius able to move past particularly heinous grievances or commit impossible orders. This technique lasts for up to four posts.
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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The Price You Pay

Post by Izanagi » Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:05 pm

As the Karagata’s sword struck a cloud of chakra smoke erupted from his target and Shinjiro’s heart sank in his chest. He hadn’t wanted Zekka to know that it was him, he wanted him to die swiftly and quietly. The assassin’s sword was already secured in its sheath once more by the time he landed and the pillow sprayed straw across the small cabin room. The green eyed Jinchurikki slowly rose from the crouched position he had landed in. He found himself feeling frozen in place. He knew he needed to end this swiftly but now that Zekka had evaded death once the weight of what he had to do was truly setting in. Smoke filled the room and Shinji slowly raised his lime green scarf to cover his mouth and nose, filtering out the substance to some extent. He listened carefully for his opponent, his own movements silent as a ghost as he began to walk slowly across the wooden floor, every step light and carefully placed.

He heard the Sunagakure shinobi speak and knew that he could cross the distance, no more than 5 meters, in an instant to follow up his attack however he felt he at least owed his friend an explanation, for that is what he had become in their weeks of travel together. “Zekka. I’ve been ordered to kill you. The knowledge you possess, of me, of the altercation with that Konoha shinobi. It could prove detrimental to my village if you were allowed to return to Sunagakure. I..I’m sorry. Maybe if I wasn’t so aggressive this wouldn’t have to happen this way.” He admitted. It was his own damn fault and now Zekka would have to die to cover up his own actions.

Through his befriending of Zekka he had been genuinely trying to search for alternative solutions instead of immediately resorting to violence and intimidation. On a number of occasions he had allowed Zekka to make attempts at diplomacy and he hadn’t actually killed anyone that wasn’t a direct threat to their group though still from an outside perspective Shinjiro was still a very dangerous individual and it rarely took long for those around him to discover that. In the company of Zekka and even Kayuri however he felt that they accepted him despite that and he could trust in them to reign him in and show him a better way of looking at the world. He had even found himself hoping that someday their villages might be able to find some way to cooperate with one another. Now Shinjiro realized that if such a day ever did occur he would never be allowed to enjoy it. His role was that of a killer, to cover up his own dirty deeds and protect the interests of Kirigakure by any means necessary. That was his life and that’s all he would ever know.

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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The Price You Pay

Post by Nick » Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:58 am

The young Shuudoushi's heart dropped further as his erstwhile friend and companion explained himself. It wasn't personal. Perhaps for some that might have been calming, or otherwise neutral, but in the world of Shinobi it was perhaps the worst sign. Personal spats could be resolved, hands could be shook, words could be exchanged, and issues fixed, but if this was part of his contract to Kirigakure, it was a duty that had to be performed. Hope was not yet gone, Zekka felt, or rather he had to feel, as there were no other options in the current environment. He channeled chakra throughout his entire body, performing his [Chakra Hiding] technique, before letting loose the beast within.

"Surely this must be a mistake." The diplomat said, still circling slowly around the room, being careful so as to mitigate the sounds of his footsteps. He was trained well to maintain a calm, even tone in his voice, but internally he didn't believe his own words, and his heart was beating faster than the wings of a bumblebee. The smoke would be effective in dulling sight, scent, and taste, including Zekka's own, but thanks to going to his final form with his spirit he had sound, touch, and even chakra sensory to rely upon. Chakra would be channeled into his third eye once more, and Shinjiro would feel a [Stern Gaze] upon him.

Zekka had been trained all his life for life threatening situations such as this, how to maintain his temperance in all ways, but was there really any way to prepare for such a thing besides having it thrown in front of you like this? Unfortunately, this wasn't a training exercise. His life was truly in danger, and what was worse than that, his friend was the one causing it. It couldn't possibly be good for either of their mental well-being. More chakra to his third eye. He continued his hope that Shinjiro could be talked down, turning this into an [Old Rivalry] rather than a murder attempt.

"I possess knowledge of you, certainly, but you have knowledge of me as well, a sort of... cultural exchange." His tone remained calm, he was speaking as the diplomat, something he'd been trying to teach Shinjiro to do as well. "Your superiors surely understand that information is a powerful currency to trade back and forth..." Channeling again. This time he was trying to effect himself, rather than Shinjiro, he needed to go in with more than a [Third Eye Blind] if he hoped to tell how his companion would react.

It was a good thing the smoke left seeing in the room a near impossibility, because Zekka's terror showed on his face, no matter how he tried to hide it. "Perhaps you could send a reply back to them, further explaining the situation...? I would be happy to help you write a letter..."
JutsuShow
Chakra Hiding
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
Channeling chakra into himself, Zekka can mitigate the effects of going into his forms with his spirit. Using this technique makes it appear as though he has remained in his form 0 state.

Onchou ♥ Tone
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
Paying close attention to the situation, Zekka is able to alter the tone of his voice, almost to the point of sounding like a different person, in order to attempt to soothe the target he's talking to, as well as better convince them of any objective in mind.

Kyuusho ♥ Secret
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
This technique is used by Zekka for two things. The first is hiding in a crowd, blending in with others, despite his bright colored clothing. The second is quieting footsteps on different materials. While sand naturally muffles footsteps to be almost unheard, Zekka has learned to be much more careful while walking on stone, metal, wood, and other such substances to make himself almost entirely silent.

Stern Gaze
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
The clan member channels chakra through the Yokuatsugan and into a five meter radius around them. Any targets within the range of the technique that have a lower instinct than the clan member will be less agitated and more inclined to follow the orders of the clan member. This will not have an effect on those who are under a feral state of mind, without reason or logic. This technique can last for up to four posts.

Third Eye Blind
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Channeling chakra into his Yokuatsugan and ten meters around him, Zekka's third eye can now see all forms of emotion, rather than just anger. Emotions take on colors according to the emotion chart, and swirl around those he sees actively. This does not directly help in interpreting emotions, only in seeing them as a physical quantity, rather than guessing from facial expressions. This lasts for up to 6 posts unless re-cast.
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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The Price You Pay

Post by Izanagi » Sat Jan 05, 2019 3:08 pm

It was obvious Zekka was trying to stall him, it was what he always did, searching for any way to talk him down and work his angles. Yet, Shinji found that he didn’t mind. There was no personal reason for wanting the boy dead, no strong anger or even hostility. He was in fact conflicted, feeling a degree of sadness and pre-emptive grief. He was working through acceptance of what he had to do, trying to provide a sense of closure for himself and his friend before the inevitable. “I wish it was Zekka. We had to know it would come to this eventually” he stated bitterly. Ever since he had found out the boy was a shinobi of Sunagakure he knew somewhere in his heart that some way or another he would have to die.

He listened to the boy’s suggestion, an exchange of information, some sort of deal that could be bartered. At the moment the young Karagata assassin wasn’t sure if this was a genuine belief of the Sunagakure shinobi or a desperate attempt to stall him. Either way it was a naïve notion. “To my knowledge our villages have never been able to cooperate before. No, the sand will pass on your information to Konoha and Kiri will suffer for it. Perhaps not war but there will be a price to pay” he rationalized. If the situation had not been so tense, Zekka might have even been proud of Shinji for how far he had come. For he had been paying attention to the younger boy’s lessons in diplomacy, he was beginning to understand more of how the world actually worked rather than acting simply as an enforcer.

Shinjiro’s eyes began to water and in fact a few tears ran down his face. He was glad that the smoke concealed their faces from one another. It was easier this way. “You’ve written enough letters. Make your peace with yourself Zekka. Death is a natural part of life. There is no escaping it. For what it’s worth I will think fondly of you and remember your lessons” he said softly. The time had nearly come. All that remained to be seen was how Zekka would face his impending demise.

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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The Price You Pay

Post by Nick » Sat Feb 02, 2019 4:38 pm

Was this it? He could run, couldn't he? No, he'd already thought about that, but his mind kept flickering back to the idea. It was impossible. Shinji was a hunter in every aspect, from the fact that he could track Zekka down anywhere he went, to the other fact that he could likely outrun even the fastest of lions running at full tilt. Nothing about this situation was winnable.

Zekka had worked his way through the stages of grief, perhaps in what would be considered the wrong order. Denial had happened first, as was proper, he didn't believe it was happening, there was no way it was bound to end like this. He'd then gone to depression, he felt hurt that his friend was here with the intention to kill him, but the adrenaline of the situation didn't let him stay there long. Then came the bargaining. There was a way out, surely? But there was not, and in death there rarely were. What was left?

Anger. Rage welled up within him. He was infuriated by the prospect that he was dying here, of all places. These were not the holy lands of Wind Country, he was not dying in defense of his village or his beliefs, he was to die on the whim of a faceless ninja who he had never even met, whose will was to be carried out by the terrifying friend he'd made. He opened his mouth to scream, he wanted to rage, he wanted to blow up this entire building, he wanted to end Shinjiro's life for the very idea that he would kill Zekka, but all that came out was a sigh.
Acceptance. With that sigh, it seemed that the last energy he had left his body, and calmly, gently, he walked to the center of the room, got down on his knees, and closed his eyes. "I respect your life, Shinjiro. I wish you had been born anywhere else, and in different times." It was certainly a profound thing to say, but not inappropriate, given the situation. Chakra slowly begin to well up in his third eye as the smoke slowly began to seep out of the room. "I cannot stop you. Instead I wish you only the greatest success in life."

His eyes opened slowly as the smoke was left only in wisps in the room. He did not cry. These were his last breaths, and he would spend them with a smile. "I hope we meet in the next life, as more long lasting friends." His heartbeat was erratic, he tried his best to keep it under control, but knowing what was coming didn't make it easy. He released the chakra he'd moved to his eye. It was a technique not in an attempt to save himself, but maybe to save Shinji. He lived in such an awful world of darkness and sadness, if Zekka could do one last good thing with his life, it might be to provide clarity for his friend.

"I do have one last request." He started, staring straight ahead for a moment, before looking to lock eyes with Shinjiro, if possible. "If you ever meet an older man by the name of Shuudoushi, Banzen..." There was a pause, was this something to ask? All the lesson's he'd been imparting onto Shinjiro, this would certainly go against them... Perhaps there was a better way to ask, to let him make the decision for himself, without putting the impetus of force upon him. "Ask him about his youngest son. And his wife. I'm sure you'll figure it out from there."
JutsuShow
Clear Tranquility
B-Ranked Ninjutsu
Channeling chakra into his Yokuatsugan and twenty meters around him, Zekka suppresses most emotions to a minor degree, pushing targets in to a state of serenity and self-understanding. Unlike most clan jutsu, this will not force targets to feel specific emotions, instead aiding in removing confusion as it clears the heads of all but the wildest of animals. This is often used to make people realize what they really want, and for those with great self-conflict can be used to clear things up; Used in combat this technique will make many have to stop and think for a moment, though those who definitely wish to fight, or those who definitely wish to stop fighting will do so. This technique can last for up to six posts.
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
Ninja Info CardsShow

Grand Shogun of River
Suzuko
Just another girl

User avatar
Izanagi
Posts: 4019
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:00 pm

The Price You Pay

Post by Izanagi » Mon Feb 04, 2019 6:35 pm

Truly Shinjiro was relieved when Zekka seemed to accept his impending death. Like him, Shinjiro was trapped to his fate. He knew that. In this moment he hated that fact, resented his life and upbringing, the village he served. He was angry, even with himself. He had been without compassion and friendship for so long, of course it would be stripped from him as soon as he discovered it, even so far from the village he could never be free from their grasp. He was a Karagata, a shinobi of Kirigakure and a Jinchurriki, only of death would he be free. In a way he envied Zekka, to be released from a life of suffering, though the boy of the sand village didn’t seem to suffer in the way he did surely there was still a certain relief in death. He would no longer feel the sting of betrayal or the weight of duty guiding his every action. Some part of the young teenager even wished that Zekka were stronger, that he would be able to strike him down instead, alas his family had honed him well. He would not fall easily in combat. His release from this life would have to wait for quite some time he imagined.

As Zekka spoke Shinjiro felt their connection return. No longer was he facing a cornered and scared child, desperately clinging to life. Now he could look into the eyes of his friend once more. “As do I, my friend” said, speaking softly. It was a tone he was not accustomed to, neither aloof nor cold and murderous, instead purely genuine and remorseful. He nodded slowly as Zekka wished him success. He would make his life mean something, after all he was forced to sacrifice the least he could do was accomplish greatness and fully realize his own potential. It would never be easy, to be forced to cut emotional ties at a whim, whether they be slain siblings or friends. It was a difficult thing to open himself up to that kind of pain and yet he had enjoyed his time with Zekka and was ever grateful for it. As much as the village tried to force him to be nothing but a weapon he was still human, he did still care. He had to hold on to that. He would remember Zekka fondly, he would achieve greatness and if the opportunity presented itself he would take the risk of allowing others into his heart. That is how he would honor his friend.

Drying his eyes on the back of his sleeve as all but the last wisps of smoke cleared the room, Shinji met Zekka’s smile with him own. He felt a calmness sweep over him, the turmoil within him dulling. He recognized this as one of Zekka’s jutsu and immediately understood the intention. Even in death the sand shinobi’s compassion was staggering. “I long for the day. Wait for me and we will be free together” he asked. He was not a particularly spiritual person in the sense of believing in gods or an afterlife, perhaps because one so called god resided within him. The Genma were powerful certainly but he knew how such beings regarded humans and couldn’t imagine such an entity rewarding humans with any kind of peace or happiness in the afterlife and yet he dared to hope that he was wrong, to believe in something through sheer will and with no basis to support such an idea. The young assassin would approach slowly, meeting Zekka’s eyes as he kneeled before him.

He would hear out his request, hoping that it would be something within his power to grant. ‘Shuudoushi Banzen’ he repeated in his own mind, committing the name to memory, a relative of Zekka’s certainly. If he lived within the village of Sunagakure it might prove difficult to make contact with him, though as Zekka spoke it became apparent that this man, presumably Zekka’s father was not someone whom the boy wished to pass on words of comfort to but rather someone whom had an unresolved grudge against. Perhaps even so much so as to want him dead if he were to send Shinjiro after him, though he noted the careful wording and would not jump to conclusions upon encountering the man. He would learn the full situation and make his own judgment of the man’s fate if he was fortunate enough for that day to ever come. “I’ll find him” he assured, a look of understanding and determination in his eyes.

With that promise made there was only one thing left to do. Moving into a traditional kneel himself now, Shinjiro would still be notably taller than the other boy but not be standing over him, instead looking into his eyes in a much more comforting position. If not for the swords strapped across Shinji’s back it might look as though the two were simply engaging in polite conversation, all that was missing was a couple cups of tea. The atmosphere in the room was no longer tense of hostile but instead tranquil. Reaching out with his left hand, Shinji would place it upon Zekka’s cheek, looking him dead in the eyes with a warm smile upon his face, his green eyes vibrant and lively even with the power concealed behind them.. He would look like the carefree young teenager he had often presented himself as throughout their journeys, the person he was allowed to be in Zekka’s presence, notwithstanding the occasions where he had shown his aptitude towards violence and intimidation.

But that wasn’t the person he wanted Zekka to think of him as, that was merely the result of extensive training not who he truly strived to be. “Be at peace now” he whispered softly, tenderly. He made a point to keep eye contact with the boy, it was an oddly intimate moment with no malice or hostility detectable in Shinji’s aura. It would be the first time he had killed without closing off his heart and projecting malice and impending death. His right hand would move almost of its own accord, separate from his mind as he acted on years of muscle memory training. Only the slightest thought towards the task at hand before his body responded and in a flash of speed that was beyond the perception of most his sword would be drawn, his body tilting only slightly as he eased the path of the blade free from his shealth and in one fluid motion through the flesh and bone of Zekka’s neck, angling to slice perfectly between one of the gaps between the many bones of Zekka’s spinal cord. Death would be painless and instantaneous. A spray of blood swathed against the back wall. He wouldn’t re-sheath his blade, instead simply nudging Zekka’s chest with his forearm as his body slumped backward and blood soaked the wooden floor with a familiar scent. All the while Shinji’s left hand remained on Zekka’s cheek, cupping his now decapitated head as he watched the light leave the boy’s fascinating and ever-changing eyes; never to flush with warm reds, greens or even orange ever again, instead faded to a cloudy white though hazed with a layer of gray. With his body slumped on the floor Shinjiro would wipe his blade clean on Zekka’s clothing before sheathing the weapon and gently closing Zekka’s eyes, feeling the weight of his actions now beginning to catch up with him. Gone was the boy's smile and carefree spirit, gone was his cunning mind and knack for diplomacy. Shinji had already said his farewell to the boy and so there was nothing left to say. Only memories, that he would now have to live with, remained. Placing the head on the ground the assassin of Kirigakure would slowly stand. He would report back to his superiors lurking nearby and leave the disposal of the body and whatever cover-up they saw fit up to them. He had done his part now and with a heavy heart would soon be accompanied back to Kirigakure to return to his life and all that it entailed.
Jutsu UsedShow
*[Iaido • Iai Beheading Draw]
B-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: *Iaido • Beheading Draw, 25 Speed
With a Variation of the Beheading Draw technique, the user forces a very quick snap of tension and torque through their arm as they draw their sword sending it vertically or across with great speed. With its speed, the strike takes on a blur, many times not even appearing to be drawn from its sheath. This slash is also incredibly powerful with its speed, able to slice through stone in most cases with enough power.

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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