So, which way is up?

Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:38 am

Shinoskay knew this was the big games, this wasnt his first time out to the borders but it was his first time by himself. Out here, there were people who actually wanted to eat you, not even figuratively speaking, and people who would kill you just for been village affiliated. He had also heard rumors in Tanzaku about bandit groups roaming the borders and robbing people, Shinobi from destroyed villages who had come to decide the only place for them now was in the filth of the world. It made sense, the boy would have wondered more then once what would have become of him if Konoha didnt accept his request to enter their academy to earn his way to becoming a shinobi... What happens to those trained in the academy but ultimately drop out?

The world was in chaos, the young genin that he was born into it... not even able to see it from the outside because his family, or maybe even the family of his family, had long since been devoured by it. What was there to do? Who was he in this cesspool of struggle and death? Would he end up village less because of Kiri coming back to finish the job or because some other village decides to do it instead? How many tried to be his family just to die to the fires of conquest? Would he die? The boy saw the beauty, the small glimmers and remnants of life, in Konoha and while his mind still swam with the questions of youth and uncertainty.... he at least had one thing to focus on in it all.

Out here, however, once again he found himself back in the muck. Out here was just chaos.... The boy held inside of his puppet that small glimmer of hope, delivering it to where home was, his small torch of life in a journey to discover more of lifes sparks and attempts to correct the chaos in spite of the rest of the world standing embraced in it.

Speaking of locations, the boy wasnt a fool. He knew that out here there were many and great risks that threatened all who would step aimlessly... naivety and innocents did not survive outside of the village walls... not for long anyways. Shinoskay had long since activated Clone jutsu, Rock Clone, and had his puppet out and ready. Given that Rock clone mimicked his items, in the context of all inclusive equipment and belongings, they each would have been formed with their own cloned version of 'The Last Puppet' and each would walk with a puppet next to them while each would also have the clone jutsu active since that had been utilized first. This bolstering of numbers would be absolutely pointless, of course, if it all looked its default and so each humanoid figured would be dressed head to toe in a thick travelers cloak like hooded poncho that had an inner face wrap to cover everything but the eyes... and each figure would be wearing mundane goggles (not to be mistake with the actual item goggles) so that it was unclear what was puppet and what was clone or what was Shinoskay... of course, the puppets had rather large barrel like bodies so there would be 3 figures with extremely bulbous torso's. The only exceptions here was that there would be one Shinoskay in the lead, a Rock Clone, that would be Un robed and in standard wear... and the rear Shinoskay, also a rock clone, would have the puppeteers tail leading out from the bottom back of its cloak to arc back, then up, to leave the menacing and bladed tip to hange about a meter above, and roughly half a meter forward, over its head with roughly a meter gap behind the same between its head and the extendable and flexible section of the blade known as puppeteers tail. All three Shinoskay's would appear to be 3 people cleanly and exactly walking in line, clearly clones up close but it was possible from a distance to mistake this as 9 people and 3 particularly large and oddly shaped people. The Puppet would be led behind each Shinosaky... While, if one looked, each puppet would hold a green cocoon creature with eyes.... only the lead Shinoskay's puppet would actually hold the real creature, likewise, the center Shinoskay was the one with the original puppet.

All 12 figures walked in roughtly a 6 meter line, about 3 meters between the three shinoskay's and each would be scanning their surroundings in separate patterns so as that one could catch what the other two would miss.

At this time, they traveled along a path that was parallel to a forest line, some 20 meters to the left of them, they just finished crossing a bridge that took them over a stream and that was some 50 meters behind. At this present time all stat sheet stated defaults are in effect except what is detail above for appearance as well as shinoskay's head band was in storage displacement to avoid it accidentally becoming revealed and making himself the enemy and target of any Konoha hating missing nin.

With no clear sensor means, he also knew he needed a method to try and detect around him where he could lack the ability to look. The best he could manage at this time was Hiding like a Mole in which he would direct the chakra to encase his body as per normal for the jutsu except he would not be using it to pass through the earth. His pace was some 45 speed and this would give the jutsu time to sink in just enough for its seismic sensory to receive signals from anything, or one, within the jutsu's range. Since he knew using this would break his chakra suppression, he would make sure to also have activated Chakra disguise before using Hiding Like a Mole jutu. His chakra detected as a random 5 chakra, making his seem like a citizen dispite the large contingent of numbers and the obviously higher level jutsu then a 5 chakra stat citizen could ever hope to use. While his feet would sink into the earth about an inch each step, it would immediately refill and return to its original state before his step as the chakra from the jutsu constantly and busily was sent out into the earth to move it and then restore it immediately after he was passed it. A good tool for stealth, if it weren't for how slow he was walking in comparison to his normal speed some three times great then the slow crawling pace of forty five that he was moving at.

It was rare to find a good place to take rests when on the road, and one needed to be wary of ambusher's who saw, and knew, of those good places. A clever bandit or three would watch where people felt safe, where they would lay down camp and where looks like an appealing rest spot and then the clever bandit could go to work on setting up spider thatch trap doors or falling walls, vantage points, or any number of ambushing aids before then waiting for the traveler to rest before springing ambush and making off with whatever they wanted.

The borderlands were dangerous, the wild was beautiful to look at but it hid many blood thirsty dangerous even a 30 meter long giant konoha snake couldnt compare to.

A wise ranger, or a capable traveler, would make a spot almost wherever they go. Checking to make sure no insects would eat them alive before digging out a small curl space into the ground where they could minimize their exposure and form while maximizing warmth. It was best to do this under brush or a bush to make it look as natural as possible, the most effective rangers just make a burrow with its entrance under the same... a bush. These will often be mistaken for animal burrows, even fresh, and if you draw twigs and brush to the entrace to conceal it even more then the mind will just ignore it as such and the person wont take a second glace at it. Leaving the ranger safely inside, warm and safe to sleep for however much time is needed. one should still keep a weapon ready, unhindered in its ability to fight anything coming in from the burrow entrance, however because wild animals themselves may choose to investigate for potential food. Thankfully, for the effective ranger, this just means more food for the ranger.

Shinoskay thought over this, reflecting on his own time out in the border's traveling from village to village. He gotten use to life in the village but being out past the walls almost immediately drew his memories and instincts to those times. He wasnt an impressive ranger, but he had experience in it for his young age. So far Shinoskay knew that he needed to make way to the mountains in the southern tip of Fire Countries borders, or thats what the moth said, he was to go there to seek out the entrance of the pod creatures home.

A lot has changed for the boy since he last passed through these parts, he couldnt help but reflect on the many training sessions and things he had learned. 'a rock from his weapon pouch. First he formed the one handed Tiger seal and surged the chakra from himself into the rock, matching the natural earth chakra in it to take control of the rock and slowly form it using the Rock Section Cane jutsu. Once it had formed, he placed the cane in his mouth to hold it before then re arranging his hands, in sequence, into first the hand seal of boar, then the hand seal of Ram, then the hand seal of snake, and then finally once more into the hand seal of Tiger so that two identical clones would appear in some relatively convenient location near or around him within the distance of him that the jutsu general allows.

Not stopping there, as he did before, he would continue with another series of hand seals. Holding tiger still, he would then form the Hand seal of Dog, followed by the Hand seal of Boar, Followed by the hand seal of Ram, finally as he was sliding his hands from Ram into Tiger once more he would transform in appearance from his already relatively androgenic and angular appearance into somewhat more feminized version of himself.

From here, he turned to face the clone, himself, and he held out the rock cane so that the clone would do the same... slowly, he would draw his chakra thread into the earthen stone rod and continue to press that thread into the inner workings of the stone... already familiar with how earth works... to further reinforce it.

The converted form of chakra really wasnt that far off... from the simplified concept of shaping the rock into a cane like shape by converting chakra into earth element in mimicry of the latent energy in the rock before willing it to move and mold both the latent energy and the raw form of the rock so to form, reinforce, and shape it into its elongated form.... the act of then coursing actual raw chakra in shape of the rod, pressing it through the rod almost in a manner to trace through it, to overlap it, to extend beyond it, to create a chakra formed edge on it... the concept was exceptionally easy to convert over. '

The boy recalled the Concept and how he had spent a solid week to developed his use of chakra infusion and control while pushing that to extend it into an infused and directed form around weapons. He could now create an almost fluid and living reflection of whatever weapon he infuses chakra upon so that any point around the striking part, and a few inches from its surfaces, would deliver a sharp cut equal to the weapons sharpest point. He developed this so that if need be, he would not have to act so precise in his less capable attacks to most foes. If he was met with an insect swarm then he would have a means to sweep the swarm out rather then been forced to make several consecutive and precise attacks to repel it. He was no swords man, he was not strongly skilled in ninjutsu either, but his style was to repel and attack without truly having to and so the technique would allow his blade to deceptively strike, allowing him to pretend to feint and any foe that called his bluff to find themselves injured.

Speaking of his fighting style, he was reminded of his constant opening techniques from before he learned of the Rock clone as well as his many training sessions. In his mind 'first he formed the one handed Tiger seal, extending his index and middle finger forward while curling all the rest of his fingers, and surged the chakra from himself into the rock, matching the natural earth chakra in it to take control of the rock and slowly form it using the Rock Section Cane jutsu. Once it had formed, he placed the cane in his mouth to hold it before then re arranging his hands, in sequence, into first the hand seal of boar, interlock his fingers as he directed the left hands finger forward to line his two hands up before curling the fingers while rotating the right hand from facing up... making his hands into symmetrical mirrors before directing the knuckles down, then the hand seal of Ram, then the hand seal of snake, and then finally once more into the hand seal of Tiger so that two identical clones would appear in some relatively convenient location near or around him to be within the distance of him that the jutsu general allows.

Shinoskay formed the Dog sign, placing both hands in front of himself, fingers fully extended and first knuckles relatively lined up. He then slightly rotated his hands into a cross before curling the bottom/right hands fingers onto themselves while keeping the palm exposed before surging chakra out across his hands and through them to himself once more. the rotation from Dog to Boar was smooth, he made a point to not interlock his fingers as he directed the left hands finger forward again to line his two hands up before curling the fingers while rotating the right hand from facing down to up. making his hands into symmetrical mirrors before directing the knuckles down. more chakra surged through the sign and then back to himself.

Finally he quickly brought them back up, he slid his left hand up slightly to bring its pinky and ring finger up over their index of the index and middle fingers of the opposite hand while, in tandem, bringing both the index and middle fingers of the left hand up much like the tiger seal and used his right hands thumb as a guide or stopper for his left. The very same moment he finished the handsign, he pushed his chakra through and focused his will as… chuckling to himself and how difficult this was the first time he did it. He felt the chakra sustain itself across him like a membrane that covered everything on his person.

the young boy would slowly begin to sink into the earth, his concentration intent on focusing the chakra around himself to fuse and infuse it with the earth. This was so that it would give way for him almost as easily as water would while at the same time moving him in the direction he wanted to go rather then just perpetually sinking. Shinoskay held in his mind how when he used the jutsu it would always seems strange trying to account for the distance between his eyes and the top of his head. before long he had sunk down into the soil, obscured while also obscuring sight. Void of sight, switching to only relying on the sensations of the sensory aspect the jutsu held where he had to use his chakra to grasp every vibration with his chakra no matter how minute or obtuse it was before filtering it to read and discern what each individual sensation would be. The most important part here, truly, was that he would make sure to sink all the way, to the point that he was completely submerged underground, by remembering that the moment his sight was obscured he would need to pass another 5 inches at least so that the very top of his skull would not be awkwardly revealing itself as a tempting target.'

While his previous pre combat set up had been the Rock cane and clone prep, he had now developed a more effective clone to use as another pair of eyes. It's added mobility and actual combat function made it an invaluable asset as a self made combat partner. It wasnt as powerful as Higuto's Shadow clones but it was much more durable and he could supplement it by channeling his chakra into it for varying many kinds of jutsu while it was capable, itself, in replicating his minor jutsu as well as any skill he himself was able to perform. It was even further bolstered in ability by that he had become particularly competent and capable with earth jutsu overall. Not just learning an arsenal of them but also honing his overal ability in the element itself. Perhaps in time he would find a better jutsu to replace his Rock clone, but in its own right it was an effective alternative for those who did not have the specializations to learn Shadow clone. The day was long, and the journey would be tedious but the young orphan would have plenty to think on and do, his many purchased books would make for good reading material, and his ever rampant thoughts meant this journey would be useful for sorting thoughts.

[exiting to borders wc 3020]
claiming 15 stats
claiming 493 wc towards Self Puppetry 1003+493=1500/1500 (discounted A rank down by 3000 from 4500 due to previous rank learned)
claiming 2527/3000 towards Slicing Threads

Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:15 am

Approved.

So, which way is up?

So, which way is up?

Re: So, which way is up?