[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

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ShinobiTruth
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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Fri Oct 04, 2019 10:51 pm

Akihito sat in a special room, one with a simple round table, a small desk to either side of two of the three chairs, with a third chair sitting opposite to the former two. Akihito had taken no chances, making sure that there were fuuinjutsu inscribed to be able to enhance the power of his Tenkujutsu should he have need of them, and outside the room (out of view of Sakaki even as she was led to the room), the medics that had been responsible for healing her and Kaen after her narrow victory now sat as what amounted to living chakra batteries. If Akihito had to seal away the Soul Genma again for whatever reason, he could along with Manza. Based on what he saw, he didn't expect that such a thing would happen, but in the old man's eyes, there was no such thing as over-preparation, not when it came to Shishire.

Akihito remained standing until Manza arrived with Sakaki in tow. Though not completely restored, her clothing had been repaired to a serviceable state so as to spare Sakaki any loss of dignity. It wasn't particularly far from the Training Grounds to begin with, but with Manza's impressive speed, Sakaki literally felt like one moment, she was standing in the arena and the next she was in the room. Manza sighed and walked around to the other side of the desk once they arrived. "Alright, let's get down to business. I always hate this part, but we'll do our best to not make it take too terribly long," Manza told the girl. The part about Manza hating this part was true, but Sakaki was aware her situation was different from Kaen's. They'd likely be talking for a while.

"We'll take as long as we need to, Manza. I'm certain your wife understands the purpose of the time you sacrifice on behalf of the village," Akihito countered, practically confirming whatever suspicions Sakaki might have had about the old man's character. He was a patriot through and through, and Sakaki's age would not score her any leniency in his eyes. They both took prepared folders in their hands and quickly reviewed them before sitting down, almost in unison. "Sit, Izanami Sakaki," Akihito simply ordered, his voice controlled in tone and intensity. "We've much to discuss."

Shishire wouldn't sense any sort of Tenkujutsu being used at the current moment. For now, it seemed the conversation would at least start out normal. "Let's begin with the evaluation of your control over the Soul Genma," Akihito stated, refusing to use the genma's name. "To your credit, you've harnessed more power at your present stage than the last jinchuuriki did. What level of the beast's power have you managed to maintain, and for what amount of time can you retain control of that level of power?"

This was a ten-year-old participating in a job interview straight out of hell. Good Luck!

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Fri Oct 04, 2019 11:54 pm

As Sakaki was scooped up by the other councilman and taken to the small room, all she could think was whether such speedy travel would cause her to lose her breakfast. Luckily she managed to avoid throwing up on Manza. "Woah... that was cool, but let's never do that again." Was all she said before she was escorted into the room with Akihito. She couldn't help but gulp as the man addressed her, such command in his voice as he instructed her to sit. Even Manza seemed to concede to his tone, taking his own seat next to Akihito. Of course, Sakaki would sit as well, but as soon as her butt touched the chair Shishire piped up in her head.

Akihito... I spit on the name. She had heard much venom come from Shishire in the past, but this was beyond that. This grudge Shishire bore felt like it went much deeper than anything else. I await the day I have the pleasure of shredding his soul to pieces... he will never know rest. Sakaki had only barely heard Akihito's line of questioning over the genma's hate, and took a moment to register the words and work up a response. "Apologies... Shishire doesn't seem to like you, Akihito-san. Now then... according to Shishire, I've garnered enough of the spirit's trust to tap into it's second form at will, without having to go through it's first form to get there. This is a feat greater than simply accessing the second form, Shishire calls it an ascended form. And I can maintain for several minutes, the longest was a half hour, but that was with minimal jutsu casting."

Sakaki paused for a moment after answering the man's question, then asked one of her own. "I have some questions of my own... Should I wait until later? There's still so much I don't know, and maybe you can shed light on things, Akihito-san."
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Oct 05, 2019 12:21 am

Akihito smiled with eyes that would give Death reason to pause in its tracks. He was glad that the jinchuuriki this time around was a young child, one who was honest enough to directly relay the Genma's thoughts to them without direction to do so. "His hatred of me is well-earned, child. And he well knows it's mutual, for all the pain he's caused to our beloved village," the elder replied coldly before softening his tone just slightly as he spoke to Sakaki more directly. "A word of caution to you, Sakaki: the Soul Genma knows the human heart well. It knows its weaknesses, and it will not hesitate to manipulate you into fulfilling its every whim. It seeks your adulation, your admiration, your worship because it is through you that it seeks release from Sunagakure's control. You know the stories of what happened to one of our beloved leaders when it last broke free. None of us wish to see that sadness occur again, child... and I'm certain you don't, either. If you wish to wield its power for good cause without losing yourself to its vile grip, you must deny it what it wants most of you, and you must have the resolve to continue to do so. The only freedom it has is through you. So long as you hold tight to that understanding and exercise it consistently, even that thing will concede to grant you further power."

Both Akihito and Manza were surprised by the fact that Sakaki herself was willing to ask questions. In their experience, it was quite rare for hosts to be so forward with inquiries. Normally, they got their information through their handlers, who got their information either through experience or direct communication with Akihito and his direct underlings. Whatever the reason, the pair welcomed the development, and even Akihito allowed his countenance to soften. "Of course, Sakaki. It's better we get the questions out of the way now. There's still much we want to ask you, so it's better if you're able to answer without your own thoughts distracting you," Manza replied, his dulcet tones more comforting and accommodating than the normally stern Akihito's harsh baritone. "What questions specifically did you have in mind?"

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Sat Oct 05, 2019 11:43 am

Sakaki nodded in understanding of Akihito's words, but she also felt the need to correct him about something he had said. "With all due respect, Akihito-san... It's not as simple as denying Shishire. If I do that, Shishire will refuse to grant me it's power. If it does that, I'm a failure as a jinchuuriki. If I fail as a jinchuuriki, I get unsealed, which leads to my death from what I've gathered." It was never explicitly stated to her this way, but it wasn't hard for her to figure it out, in part due to her own incredible mind and in part due to Shishire's explanations of past sealings. "At the end of the day, being the Jinchuuriki of the Shigenma puts me in the worst spot; I either have to give a little up to Shishire to appease it so I can advance with it's powers, or set the wheels in motion that lead to my ultimate failure. Forgive me if it comes off harshly, but I have to do what's in my best interest for survival now... even if that means giving in to the darkness inside me a little."

For once, the genma within her was actually impressed by what came out of Sakaki's mouth. Fascinating... I never taught you to speak like that, child. You're learning faster than I imagined... This is good. Put the ancient shinobi in his place, Shihihihihi... In truth, Sakaki didn't take any pleasure in stating what she had stated. It was simply the way things were now in her eyes. "Let me clarify though; I don't blame the village. In fact, I'm still grateful for the trial presented to me. It gives me the chance to prove my value to Sunagakure, valuable in a way that no one else can be. Priceless... but it isn't easy. And I'll thank you to remember that in the future. Neither of you have dealt with this beast personally to the extent that a Jinchuuriki has. Please, don't pretend to know what it's like."

Her eyes turned cold for a split second, a clear indication that Shishire's influence was taking it's toll on Sakaki's mind. It made sense though; this was a part of being a Jinchuuriki. It was inevitable, it had been that way for every host in the past for every jinchuuriki. The genma had a way of imprinting their own beliefs and quirks onto the host, beyond just the physical manifestations. Being the senior spirit advisor, Akihito must've known that Sakaki would change. However, as Manza allowed her to ask her own questions, Akihito would probably be pleased to learn that there was still innocence to her. "Well, After coming to realize exactly what Shishire's power is, and putting two and two together, it dawned on me that... I'll have to kill people. I mean, that's part of being a shinobi, but i'll have to kill people... only to bring them back to life, under my control. I'm robbing the dead of their peaceful afterlife, i'm forcing them into unwilling obedience. Even now, when I summoned those animals to attack Kaen, they didn't want to be there. They didn't want to obey me... But they had to. Shishire takes pleasure in that domination, but I don't... I guess my question would be is there another way? Do I simply have to come to terms with subjugating the dead?"

It was a clear moral quandary for the young Jinchuurki, part of Shishire's power was power over the dead, the ownership and control over souls of those who have passed on. But for Sakaki, a believer in the Light of Yuumagure, the dead returned to be with Her Light and their souls rejoined with the warm rays of the sun after their cremation. Was it truly her right, her purpose, to deny the dead the privilege of their afterlife? To bar them from their peace for her own whims?
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Oct 05, 2019 12:33 pm

“I acknowledge that I’ll never know the struggle you and others before you face as the Genma’s host, child,” Akihito replied, the weight of experience on his shoulders. He most certainly expected that Shishire would cause changes in her personality. He’d had centuries to study the human heart up close. This was not an accusation of any sort against Sakaki; rather, it was an entreaty to see it from the other side, just as she pointed out he himself should. “But please also remember that you’ve never known the sadness and grief of having the same being corrupt and steal away the lives of so many. I buried them all... with these hands, and I pray for each one every night. Though I am old, not a single one of those I guided are forgotten. I understand I am stern and critical, but know it is not borne out of mere hatred and bitterness. I don’t simply wish to see you ‘survive’, Sakaki. I wish to see you live and thrive in our village, to become someone great. I already pray for the souls of those that care before you. I say what I do so that you do not become another on that list.”

Manza nodded as Sakaki asked her question, and Akihito seemed please that she still had such reverence for the eternal rest of other creatures. ”That’s a fair question, Sakaki. It’s important to remember to leave your options open in regards to combat, but we don’t necessarily want you to carry the weight of a bother conscience, either. I won’t give you a blanket response here. In large part, it depends very much on how you seek to develop the Genma’s power. Yes, you did use the animals to attack, but you didn’t solely rely on that, did you? There were at least two times where you only interacted with your opponent. In short... at times, circumstances may mandate you to use what you have available. There may possibly be a way for you to perhaps speak with the souls of those who have passed and reach an agreement, perhaps like a summoning contract. It might help you if the souls you bring back are willing. But by no means does that have to be your only approach. You’ve already demonstrated you can fight using the Genma’s power without having to force a soul up from the Pure World.”

Akihito voiced his agreement with one of Manza’s proposals. “That may be an option. You might even increase the effectiveness of their fighting capacity if you are able to commune with them and negotiate for their service.”

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Sat Oct 05, 2019 12:47 pm

Shishire's response to the girl's question was simple disappointment. Tch, one day you will learn child. One day... Meanwhile, Akihito and Manza both had varying explanations that gave Sakaki ideas for how to go about doing things when it came to raising the dead. "Yes, I can speak with the souls of the dead already Manza. Although animal souls can say very little, and the only human soul I tried to contact... didn't go too well." The sudden memory of her attempt at speaking to her dead mother came rushing back to her, and she had to fight the urge to talk on the matter. Instead, she moved on from the subject, deciding to ask another question of her own.

"I'll ask only one more question, because I know you have much to discuss with me yourselves... I spoke with a Konoha ninja, Inuzuka Masami. She too was a jinchuuriki, the host of Aturasu the Fusions genma. I learned much from her, including that with her mastery of the genma she no longer has to worry about being followed and watched every hour of the day. If I do the impossible, if I master control with Shishire... will I get the same treatment? Will I be able to earn back my privacy, to earn some trust from the village and maybe go out and explore the lands? It's been my dream to visit other countries, to see the world outside of the village... I just want to know if I can hold on to that dream."

Sakaki's hope was clear in her eyes, all she wanted was trust and to not be looked at like such a monster. To be looked at as a human worthy of great respect and trust... It didn't sound like much to ask in her eyes.
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sun Oct 06, 2019 12:08 am

Akihito's eyes sharpened at that inquiry, but Manza shot him a glance, almost as if they could read each other's thoughts. It was no secret that when it came to the Soul Genma, every other host had been under constant lock and key, regardless of how skilled they had become. The only person who hadn't been had been the Kazekage... and everyone in the village knew what had happened to him. They both looked squarely at each other for a rather long moment, waging a silent debate amongst themselves. Manza broke the silence first. "I'm glad that you and the jinchuuriki from Konoha were able to get along well. We are enjoying a stronger alliance with the Leaf and its people in recent times, more than ever before. It's only natural that upon meeting someone such as yourself that there would be an exchange of thoughts and ideas, a kindling of friendship... but above all else, remember that we are not Konoha. Though we are allies, we ultimately have a number of interests and concerns that are unique to us. Anyone from Konohagakure would likely tell you the same. Understand that what a jinchuuriki from Konoha tells you will never qualify as a sound basis for a request," Manza started. It was his turn to be a little heavy-handed, not in his tone, but in what he was saying. There was a great deal of empathy in his voice, but he wasn't going to lie to the child, either.

Allowing for a small pause to let that sink in, Manza continued. "Now, in regards to privacy, so long as you continue to show steady progress in gaining mastery over the Soul Genma, then to a degree, that's a fair request to make. I'll be blunt and say that your life will never be completely private. This doesn't only apply to you, either; any jinchuuriki of Sunagakure, regardless of who they are or which Genma they serve as host to, will be monitored in some way. We will always know where you are and who you're with. We will never let what happened to the Sun's Sorrow happen again. With that said, if you continue to show improvement, then so long as it doesn't pertain to your loyalty to the village or there isn't a threat of you losing control over the Genma, we will not pry into your personal life. Yes, we may know where you and your friends are, but you can have your sleepovers and parties all the same. You can have your diaries and secret conversations with loved ones. Those who are instructed to keep tabs on your location will be ordered to stay outside of listening distance and out of sight, if possible. Even Akihito here begrudgingly realizes that keeping a chokehold on the Genma hosts often created more problems in the past than it solved. We're willing to help find a reasonable balance if you're willing to work with us."

Manza sighed as he turned to Akihito, who nodded before answering the final portion of Sakaki's question. "In regards to your desire to travel... Right now, the only place I can have any confidence in allowing you to go with relative ease is Konohagakure. The fact remains that as a jinchuuriki, you will be a prime target for any village or organization, friendly or otherwise. They won't see a young, aspiring shinobi having been burdened with a sacred charge for the sake of her village. They'll only see a weapon, one they'll want to take for themselves. I'm not saying that there won't be opportunity in the future for that to change, but I refuse to make a promise that I can't keep."

Taking out a scroll, Akihito laid it out on the table before him. He took a moment to stare hard at the document, almost fighting within himself as to whether he should even read what was in it. Taking a deep breath, the elder began anew. "Per the council's suggestion... they have decided to offer a heavily regulated and monitored trial expedition to Konohagakure no Sato. Once you have attained the ability to enter and easily maintain the Genma's third form, we will send you on a mission as a cultural envoy. You will remain with your handler at all times. What is more, before your departure, you will have a Reverse Summoning seal placed upon you, which will only be removed once you return. This fuuinjutsu will be highly complex and will constantly monitor your emotional state. If there is any danger, you will be brought back here immediately. Understand that this is merely to test the waters, and your behavior will impact any future hope you may have of traveling elsewhere. Is that understood?"

It was clear that Akihito didn't vote for any of this. He wasn't so soft that even a child's aspirations to see the world would be enough to shake his firm resolve to keep the Soul Genma right where he could be seen and easily restrained. It was the rest of the blasted council, with their desire to continue fomenting closer relationships with Konoha, that wanted to reciprocate the show of confidence they'd been given by receiving Konoha's jinchuuriki. That had also been an arrangement that Akihito had aggressively opposed. If Sakaki took this offer, she had to be careful. Even the smallest misstep could give the elder sufficient cause to argue against ever letting her leave the village again.

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Sun Oct 06, 2019 12:18 pm

To say that Sakaki was happy with the answers she received was an understatement, the girl's face practically lit up like the sun itself. It was all she could do to contain her reaction to a big, wide eyed smile, instead of cheering and bouncing around with giddiness. "YES! That's all I really want, a little privacy and trust. I understand what Shishire is, and what he's done, but for a while now it's felt like people aren't thinking of me. They only see the genma, and the risks associated with it. But i'm not Shishire, i'm Izanami Sakaki, loyal suna shinobi. And all i want is the chance to prove that to you all. I'll work hard to show everyone that, rest his soul, i'm not the Sun's Sorrow. I'll show you what good I can do."

Her determination was like a bright flame burning in her eyes, a happy grin with slightly scrunched eyebrows to show she was serious, but also excited about her future as a genma host. Shihihihihi... that's right child. Tell them what they want to hear. Spin your webs, and catch those flies. Sakaki faltered for a brief moment, realizing that the Genma was enjoying her speech a little too much for her comfort. Surely it wasn't planning on Sakaki's words, those words were hers alone... right? "I do apologize for my interruptions, please continue with what you two have planned." She figured moving away from her questions now was for the best... they still had much to discuss.
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:18 pm

Manza offered a small grin at the young girl's ecstatic response. "That's a good attitude to have. That drive and conviction to benefit those in the village that can't fight for themselves can help establish yourself as a force for good," he commended. "So long as you keep that drive, that focus, I'm certain we can find arrangements that will grant you what you seek within reason while still protecting the Village's interests."

Akihito eyes softened as well, but his emotion was not because of joy or happiness. He'd seen this scene play out countless times before, and he knew by instinct what was happening when she for but a moment faltered in her joy, the shocking realization Sakaki came to all too familiar to his weathered and weary gaze. 'How deeply has his influence already seeped into her mind?' he asked himself. 'How much longer will it be until that wretched, disgusting abomination corrupts this young girl with the sweet nothings he whispers into her ears? Is there any reason to hope? Would it be better to simply prepare the next funeral pyre? If only... If only we had no need for this disgusting creature, this farce of a being that would sooner see everyone in this village dead and enslaved to its will like puppets. I will make certain that someone else remains, someone with the same conviction to find a way to rid ourselves of this foul Genma and replace it with a stronger power... I only wish I'd solved it in time to save this girl in front of me.'

He closed his eyes and nodded at her suggestion. "Yes, it's best if we continue on to other matters. Manza, let us begin evaluating Sakaki's performance in the battle," Akihito stated.

Manza nodded in agreement. "Right. First things first, Sakaki. I want to hear your evaluation of the opponent you just fought first, Gekimetsu Kaen. What is your assessment of his battle prowess and skill?"

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:12 am

Sakaki smiled back at Manza, the man confirming that with hard work and dedication, Sakaki would be granted the leeway she desired. As long as she could prove herself, show that she was master to the dark within her, she waa free... Yes... freedom... such an enticing prospect, isn't it? Sakaki had to admit that some small part of her felt bad for Shishire and his indefinite imprisonment. But she could never let herself forget what he was, and what he would do if given the chance.

Moving to the topic of the fight, Sakaki was asked about her opinion of Kaen, her opponent. Weak, just like every other mortal. The fight would've been over much sooner, and more decisively, had you used my power from the start. Shihihihihi. pushing the genma's own assessment from her mind, Sakaki conjured her own after a brief moment's thought."Truth be told, i'm shocked that I won. He was so much faster and stronger than me, it took everything i had not to end up a pincushion. Were it not for Shishire's power to see souls, I never wouod have had time to react to half of his attacks. And again, it was the Genma's power that let me weaken him to the point that he conceded. Kaen deserves to be a chuunin too, his combat prowess would have overcome me in a matter of seconds If i weren't a Jinchuuriki. Although... he was a little flamboyant." she finished on a slightly funny note, giving a light nervous chuckle as she awaited more from the councilmen.
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:55 pm

OOC: "Bread and oil" = Bread and Butter. I wasn't really certain if Suna has cows or any dairy producing animals, so I imagine that their cuisine might be a bit more akin to Middle Eastern food considering they live in a desert oasis.)

Manza nodded. "Kaen has a deeply engrained love for battle. He enjoys pitting himself against opponents both to test their limits and his own. He's a strange character, to be sure, but rarely have I seen someone so strong fight with so little malice. He truly does love to fight," the councilman explained. "I personally selected him since our training reports indicated that you have a vulnerability to taijutsu attacks. We wanted to see how you would handle an opponent who's bread and oil tactics went directly in contrast to yours. All in all, it seemed that the Soul Sight technique you developed was really your saving grace. He even had chakra anti-sense techniques prepared to fight."

Akihito inserted himself into the conversation when there was a break in speech between the two. "That question is easy enough to answer. Now, consider this, Sakaki: what should Kaen have done to defeat you? Where was his error in judgement?"

This was likely a much difficult question for Sakaki to answer. There was clearly a reason why Akihito was asking that question, but he wasn't about to be handing out the solution to her. She had to think hard.

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Mon Oct 07, 2019 4:10 pm

Sakaki raised her eyebrow as they explained that the boy she fought was specifically selected to counter her skillset. That didn't seem fair to her... but in the end she still won, so it seemed a moot point. Akihito was the next to speak, asking her what she felt her opponent's mistake was. Sakaki was not normally one to brag, but she couldn't help a sly grin. "Simply put, he underestimated me and tried to fight me at my preferred distance."

She paused for a moment and gauged the reactions of both councilmen, particularly Akihito, before elaborating. "You're absolutely right that my weakness is Taijutsu. However, at a range, my mind works fast enough to understand projectile attacks. I was able to read their trajectories and avoid them as they travelled. In that way, it wasn't much different from fighting a ninjutsu user. In addition he aimed to rob me of my sight with smoke, which only affected him in the long run due to my Soul Vision technique. That smoke also told me that he could sense without his eyes, which is why i robbed him of his ears. Instead of sitting back and fighting with ranged techniques, he should have stayed as close as possible. I'm useless if I can't form seals, and I can't form seals with someone trying to punch me. He was quick enough to close the gap, and very slippery, as he displayed by dodging my kunai barrage. And hr was good enough in hand to hand combat to kill my cheetah... Staying close would've won him the fight."

Sakaki kept her eyes closed as she recalled the fight, thinking of each moment and what could've gone differently for the boy to overcome her. She felt like her analysis was sound; she was self aware enough to understand what her weaknesses were. But would the councilmen feel the same?
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 5:01 pm

"I can understand how you might suspect that. It's likely that even Kaen may have felt it in his heart as well," Akihito noted, giving a partial concession to her line of reasoning. "But as you're well aware, ninjutsu can take a variety of shapes and forms. Just because someone utilizes ninjutsu doesn't automatically make them weaker combatants at short range. It's merely the commonality that generally applies to those circumstances."

Manza nodded. "I think you misunderstand a couple of reasons behind the actions he took in the battle, Sakaki, particularly involving his use of ranged weaponry and the smoke coverage. While there may have been some ways in which he did underestimate you, which we'll cover in a bit, he used his ranged weaponry to test the waters. He wanted to force you to react and use that to create a mental profile on your ticks and habits, particularly in relation to how you typically defend against attacks. Also, just as you knew nothing about him before the fight, he knew nothing about you. That includes the fact that you are a jinchuuriki. Do you remember where Kaen was and what you both were doing when he used the smoke bomb?"

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Mon Oct 07, 2019 5:39 pm

Sakaki seemed confused as the councilmen defended kaen's actions in combat. Surely testing the waters made sense, that was why she opened with her scattering flames and kunai barrage techniques. But his use of projectile weaponry was far more specialized than hers, ricocheting off of pillars and propelling them forward at incredible speeds. Surely it was more than a simple test? Nevertheless, she placed a finger on her chin as she contemplated Manza's question.

"Let's see... I had just ducked behind a pillar to avoid some shuriken, and I created a clone to serve as a decoy while I gained the high ground by ascending the pillar. He rounded the corner and triggered the clone's explosion as I prepared a strong Katon jutsu. But before I could finish the jutsu, the smoke bomb went off, preventing me from finishing my jutsu. The bomb saved him from a potentially fight-ending technique, as that was one of my strongest jutsu. But it simply meant I had to use Shishire's ability to see souls. As you said, he didn't know I could do that... I guess there's some perception bias."

The girl let out a small sigh as she realized that, from Kaen's perspective, many of his moves made sense. "While I knew I could see souls, he didn't. He was prepared for traditional sensory ninjutsu, but who could prepare for Shishire's power except a Tenkujutsu user like Zao-sama? No, in that respect, the fighr may have been weighted in my favor..."
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 6:16 pm

”Not so much learning in your favor, but rather, you each had a distinct advantage over each other,” he corrected, shaking his head. ”Now, he was foolish to not anticipate the possibility of a clone, but even with that action, he was trying to take advantage of an opportunity to close ranks with you. He realized that since he’d fallen for your ruse and that you’d repositioned yourself, he had to hard disengage from that skirmish and find another opportunity to get closer.”

Akihito nodded. "Indeed. The two crucial mistakes that he made which led to his defeat occurred after he killed the cheetah you summoned. Can you determine what those mistakes were, Sakaki?”

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:55 pm

She couldn't seem to come up with the correct answers to the councilmember's questions... though in truth, she wasn't sure that there were correct answers. Still, she once again tried to remember the fight as best she could, trying her best to come up with this boy's mistakes. "Hmm... the cheetah bought me a lot of time to prepare jutsu, but he couldn't very well ignore it without being maimed. However, his kick paled in comparison to my ghostly wail... He traded blows with me and paid dearly for it, as the blow pushed me away and he did not inmediately follow. He gave me the distance I needed."

"Afterwards, his attempt with that final explosive kunai was an all in attack. If it hit, he would've won, but at so far away I had time to drop to the ground, so that only the explosion hurt me. That gave me time to blind him, and without sight or sound he had little to track me with save his nose, which was rendered ineffective by my flames. All in all, after the cheetah's death, every move he traded with me was a trade in my favor. I took hits, but the hits he took were greater."

It was the only thing she could think of; it wasn't until the cheetah's death that they really started to go blow for blow. But was she missing something? Was she analyzing things too much, or not enough?
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 8:28 pm

They nodded in unison. “Correct, though closing the distance between you wasn’t a mistake in and of itself. You don’t have to answer this next question if you don’t want to, but I recommend you at least try.”

Manza didn’t even have to look at Akihito before he asked it: ”How do you think the fight would have ended if he’d thought to attack your flank?”

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Mon Oct 07, 2019 8:42 pm

Sakaki had a moment of inner relief as it appeared she had read the situation properly. Truth be told, even in her spars, she had never broken down combat move for move like this before. This was definitely a new experience for the young Jinchuuriki, but she seemed to be getting the hang of it. Although, now Manza was approaching her with a hypothetical situation, and Sakaki had to think a little harder about it. "Well, it would depend on when he tried to flank me. If he flanked me after the smoke cloud it wouldn't have done him much good, as the level of Soul Vision jutsu I was using also allows me to sense nearby souls even if I can't see them. I would've known where he was pretty quickly, unless he stayed outside of the range and pelted me with shuriken... That probably would've worked."

She thought for a moment about the make believe scenario, and realized that in order to properly outrange her sensory jutsu he'd have to know the range of it by heart, so that situation was unlikely in her mind. "However, if he had managed to flank me from the start... The fight probably would have been over before it began. At close range I only have a few techniques, which are all meant to deter close range combat. But without the prep time necessary to use them... That fight would have likely been over a lot quicker." She nervously scratched the back of her head, a small chuckle erupting from her throat and an uneasy smile crossing her face.
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:01 pm

As per the norm for this conversation, Manza nodded. ”We’re asking you these questions in order to make sure that you view battle in as unbiased a light as possible. It’s important that you not only be able to see why you won, but also what could have been different. You’ll increase your ability to devise strategies to further cover your weaknesses tenfold with that level of introspection.”

Manza then looked toward Akihito. ”I think that covers most of what we need to converse with her, correct?”

Akihito rubbed his eyes, almost as if there was something he dreaded talking about. “The festival,” he said begrudgingly.

”Ah, yes! There’s one more thing. One of the easiest ways to connect with people is with food. No one is gong to lie to you and tell you that revealing your Jinchuuriki status to the village will go completely smoothly. So, the council has considered the motion to allow you, Sakaki, the option of choosing one food item to be sold at all the food carts during the reveal festival. Does that interest you?”

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:21 pm

Sakaki nodded and took Manza's words to heart, understanding now more than ever that she needed to use hindsight as much as possible to overcome her shortcomings. What went right, what went wrong, and what could have been; these were all things she would need to start thinking about after every situation, not just combat. But as that lesson was learned, she listened once more to the two councilmembers discuss the upcoming festival, and how she was given a choice of food for the festivities. But suddenly it dawned on her, and she blinked a few times before a curious smile crossed her face.

"Wait... Does... does that mean..." She couldn't even finish the sentence for fear she might be wrong.
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:32 pm

Akihito nodded. “Had you not passed, we would have told you from the start,” the elder confirmed. “Congratulations, Izanami Sakaki. You’ll be awarded your flak jackets and receive your promotion publicly at the festival, but effective immediately, you are a chuunin.”

Manza offered a smile. ”Congratulations, Sakaki. You’ve earned it,” he announced, waiting to see the girl’s reaction.

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by TyDie » Tue Oct 08, 2019 7:35 am

The young girl froze for a moment, the overwhelming emotions building within her as the revelation was revealed. And then, all at once, she could no longer contain herself. She burst from her chair in a fit of absolute joy, hands raised to the sky with fists clenched as she giggled happily. "Hahahaha! Yes! I did it!" While the spirit within her lamented such childish outbursts, the fact remained that she was a child still, and sometimes she just needed to be that. In this world of shinobi these moments were scarce, and she was beyond happy to be able to experience them when she could.

"Thank you so much! You won't regret this! Oh, Souta and Miss Miami will be so happy!" she laughed and smiled and bounced happily as she rose from her chair, practically skipping to the door that lead out of the room... before pausing to realize she hadn't answered the food question "Oh... it might be a bit much to ask, given it's rarity and expense, but I am a jinchuuriki after all... Maybe the village could shell out for Sushi?" Her hopeful eyes glanced back to Manza as her suggestion left her lips. Whether the answer was a yes or a no wouldn't put a damper on her mood though; she wouldn't let it.

Plus, she knew Souta would at least provide her with a personal batch of Sushi in celebration. She could be content with that.
Active Characters
Village of OriginCharacter Name & LinkRankColor
Sunagakure no SatoHenrin EmiGenin[color=darkgoldenrod][b][/b][/color]
Konohagakure no SatoIbakuro AiyaChuunin[color=#8CD600][/color]
Sunagakure no SatoKouseki TakumaGenin[color=#003893][b][/b][/color], [b][color=#AFBCDB][/color][/b]
Kirigakure no SatoKazuki RyuChuunin[color=#dc143c][/color], [b][color=#C71585][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoHiraku KenjiBannin S-Rank Missing Ninja[b][color=slategray][/color][/b]
Iwagakure No SatoFukusha JinsaiJounin[color=#BF0000][/color], [b][glow=orangered][color=#000000][/color][/glow][/b]

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[Chuunin Exam] To Avoid or Embrace Destiny

Post by ShinobiTruth » Tue Oct 08, 2019 1:17 pm

'These concessions we're making are silly, and they're playing straight into Shishire's power fantasy,' Akihito ruminated. 'I must find a more persuasive argument to make the rest of the council see reason once more. There's no telling how power-hungry this child could become if we bow to any more of these insipid notions than we already are.'

For now, he had to maintain some level of control. He needed to keep the Soul Genma on the back foot. "As the festival relates to my duties as Vizier to the Spirit Hosts, I will see that the arrangements are made, Sakaki," Akihito nodded. There was wisdom in abating the immediate hatred the villagers had for the Soul Genma, as that animosity itself could make Sakaki more unstable. But this was a festival founded in tradition, and he would make sure that all of the appropriate rites were properly handled and conducted. “Manza and I have more to discuss, but our business with you is finished for now, child. You may go home."

Once Sakaki had left, the Tenkujutsu barrier activated, and Manza dropped his smile. Even if Sakaki lingered outside the door, she and Shishire would hear and sense nothing. "She's certainly grown more powerful, but I sense the Genma's arrogance and pride slowly creeping into her."

Akihito nodded. “Your eyes do not deceive you, Manza. For now, her heart remains hers, but it is only a matter of time. We've seen it countless times before. Yet, even for as foul a darkness as his, it cannot stand before the light of the Sun. I fervently believe the Sun's Sorrow was proof of this, only losing control of the Soul Genma due to external factors."

Manza's eyebrow arched in curiosity. “What do you mean, Akihito-san?"

He paused before shifting some papers in his file. He stared intently at a picture of a face all too familiar to Sakaki. “I think it's time... we spoke with her handler," he concluded, his voice echoing the suspicions he carried.
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