Paths of Destiny: A Genin's Tale [Genin Exam]

Mission(s) Catalogue:

The first thing Minami's eye grace upon is a familiar, earthly sight. A sight that unceremoniously upheavals a once-forgotten, archived memory of her earlier life. An eclipse cast an eerie crimson glow upon the Land of Lightning's horizon as the sun was blotted out by a colossal moon, its shadow looming over the land like a vicious predator. Minami remembers this day well. The day she was born. The day her fate was decided by forces beyond her comprehension, or perhaps beings of higher divinity. When she shifts her body to rise, she feels nigh-weightless and continually—outside of her bodily volition—sways and spins in place a midnight-blue void, devoid of all life and sound. The eclipse before her undulates and pulsates rhythmically to its own beat, as though it were a living being itself, and perhaps it is.

"Are you ready?" A voice calls out from behind her. It sounds familiar but distant, as though it's coming from another world entirely.

Minami turns around to face the source of the voice, but there's nothing there except an endless expanse of darkness. "Who are you? Where am I?" She asks, her voice echoing through the void like a bolt of lightning.

"You know who I am. You've always known who I am." The voice responds, its tone soft yet commanding, feminine yet masculine, gentle yet stern. "I've been watching over you since you were born."

"What do you want from me? Why have you brought me here?" Minami asks again, her voice trembling slightly as she struggles to maintain her composure.

"I want nothing from you. I simply wish to help you fulfill your destiny." The voice replies calmly. "You will undergo many hardships that will try to sunder your resolve and sorrows that will try to break your spirit. As for why I've brought you here... well... I am sure you understand what day it is today. It will be the first step among many to actualize your potential. Who you're meant to become. What you are destined to be. You need only embrace it, child of mine."

Slowly, the umbral sphere expands and engulfs her entire field of vision, until she can see no longer. Her senses fail to apprehend what happens next, but she feels herself falling through space and time as if she were a leaf caught in an autumnal gale, swept away by the wind's swift currents.

"Do not be afraid. I am here with you, always."

"I... I don't know if I'm ready for this..." She mutters under her breath, unsure of herself.

"You are ready. You always have been." The voice replies reassuringly, its tone soothing and reassuring. "Now go forth and fulfill your destiny."

Minami awakens with a start, her eyes snapping open as her body jolts upright into a sitting position. Her heart pounds in her chest and she pants heavily as she tries to catch her breath, a thin sheen of cold sweat layers her skin. She looks around frantically, trying to get her bearings, but she finds herself surrounded by complete darkness.

"Where am I?" She asks aloud to nobody in particular. She feels something warm and soft against her back and realizes that she's lying on a bed. "How did I get here? What happened?" She wonders aloud, confused and disoriented.

Suddenly, a bright light shines down upon her, illuminating the room. She squints her eyes as they adjust to the sudden brightness, blinking several times before she can finally see clearly again. She sees that she's in a small room with plain white walls and a simple wooden floor. There's nothing else in the room except for the bed she's lying on and the lamp hanging from the ceiling above her head. Whoever's voice spoke to her prior no longer pervades her psyche and she takes several moments for the adrenaline to ween off. And when it finally does, removes the oversized, sweat-soaked t-shirt, tosses it aside, and rises from her futon to prepare for Genin Exam coming up.

Entering the otherwise pitiable excuse for a bathroom, Minami turns on the water and waits for it to get warm enough before stepping into the shower stall. As she stands under the hot spray of water, washing away the sweat and grime, her mind drifts to thoughts of her degree of preparedness for her graduation ceremony and the ominous dream she witnessed during her slumber. She wonders if she has what it takes to become a kunoichi if she'll be able to handle all the challenges that await her. And what did that disembodied voice mean by "fulfill your destiny"? She feels the subtle unnerving feeling of dread creeping up her spine as she ponders these questions.

She finishes washing up and steps out of the shower, grabbing a towel from the rack next to it and drying herself off. She wraps the towel around herself and makes her way back to her room, where she gets dressed in an opaque bodysuit that wraps over her heels, exposing them and her toes, and arm guards on her hands. She wears a Japanese double-turn, closed neck, golden blue cotton scarf over the suit, as well as a navy blue, lotus-colored tabard trimmed with dim gold and fancy embroidery, signifying a humble position in the status quo. A gorgeously patterned berry blue belt and a gold ring around her left-hand ring finger hold it to her abdomen. She wears silky gloves and stockings from bicep to knuckle and thigh to ankle, forming the second half of the jointless space between her waist and shoulders. She deftly braids her long hair into a ponytail and fluffs her cushion-like fox tails while threading through it before she hides them she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Here goes," She murmurs, shifting her feet until they are shoulder-length in distance and her arms at her sides. Although she'd only recently awoken her latent powers, it's still nevertheless an otherwise nerve-racking experience. As with anything new endeavor, it's always wise for one to keep things simple. After all, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, and the air of that notion alone excites Minami's imagination to conjure an image in her mind of what she believes closely resembles her preconceived notion of the kind of regular-looking woman she envisions.

Starting with her phenotype characteristics, she shapeshifts her figure to adopt her new form. Her hair remains tied back, albeit more sporadic in design but maintains its linear flow, with red tassels that hang at either side of her head, the shade in her eyes alters to a cream-yellow color and the shape of her pupils warps from slits into globes, her five-tails shrink and fade into her form accompanied by a slight, indescribable tingle that runs up her spine, her fox-like ears retreat into the folds of her hair in place of human ears that sprout from both sides of her head, and the tone of her skin transfigures into a bronze complexion. Finally, she reimagines her attire to conjure a redwood, thigh-high length buttoned dress with white stripes, held together neatly by a belt from the same fabric, a black tank top that exposes her shoulders, a pair of black spats beneath followed by a set of low-heel, ankle-high, brown booties.

Human Form/Present Apperance:

When her eyes flutter open again, she's almost shocked to see how drastically different she looks now. She admires the way her new outfit hugs her curves and shows off her toned muscles. She smiles as she runs her hands over her body and feels the softness of her skin. It's been so long since she felt this good about herself.

Once she's satisfied with her appearance, she scrounges through what food is available in her kitchenette and makes herself a quick breakfast before heading out the door. As she steps outside, she takes a deep breath, inhaling the crisp morning air. The sun has just risen above the horizon, bathing the village in its warm light. She looks up at the sky and sees that it's a clear blue day with only a few clouds floating overhead. It's a perfect day for a graduation exam.

"I wonder if Hikari will be there for it..." Minami murmurs quietly as she begins walking towards the Academy. She hopes so because she really wants to see her again out of a selfish desire to capitalize on their newly-found relationship. And also partly as an ego boost to her self-esteem, although the former takes precedence. Soon, she arrives at the Academy and makes her way inside, heading straight for the classroom where the exam will be held. As she enters the room, she sees that it's already full of students who have arrived early. She glances around at her fellow classmates, wondering which ones will become Genin alongside her after today's exam. Some look nervous, while others appear confident. Some are chatting excitedly among themselves while others remain silent and focused on what lies ahead.

She finds an empty seat near the back of the room—ignoring the passing and lingering glances along the way—and sits down, waiting patiently for the exam to begin.


WC: 1,526
TWC: 1,526
TMWC: 1,526/1,000

Hikari’s morning routine had shifted recently due to the sudden shift in the growth of her abilities. The Yokai spirit inside her grew at an alarming rate and with the shift, she decided it was best to take time away from her normal places of refuge for fear and alarm until she could gather herself properly. Set up in a side room with access in and out without disturbing others, the young Kitsune had been able to avoid the prying eyes of other family members. She was certain that should her development be recognized there might be more issues for her. Fear and dread began to stew and grow inside her as the memories and pain resurfaced from her trauma. Looking at herself in the mirror, the nine tails flickered behind her as fluidly as her original tail. Her ears flickered to the sounds around her as she could smell better too. Claws could be extended out of her fingertips and retracted back. Her fear grew as she could tell there was more to what was to come as she explored her newfound powers. Until then there was the concern of attendance of the upcoming exam to consider.

Hikari knew her half-sister would very likely be in the present without a doubt as navigating into the shinobi world would help lift her up and out of the precarious living situation she found herself in. Staring at herself in the mirror, the young kitsune felt a level of jealousy for her sister who may be suffering but was free from the shackles that she felt were on her. She had been fortunate due to the shift of how Inari blessed the Kitsune Clan that their companions now lived within them and their powers formed into what they were today. Hikari knew the woe of that shift had her suffering behind closed doors more than she would prefer to admit, the sheltered life extended into her tendency of being a hermit, even being more adventurous as her health improved, she remained quiet and reserved. Thinking back to her interaction with Jun and Saturn, it has been the most she spoke to others and even then she still shied away from further or deeper conversations. Letting out her pent-up breath, she focused her mind on herself in the mirror.

'Focus. You can be who you want to be. You are not defined by what you see.' She told herself as a whisper in her ear caused her to turn away from the focus she was locking onto the mirror in front of her. Her development as an academy student had ended long ago and it was not till she began to expand her knowledge beyond what the academy had to offer that she realized that to continue growing would require her to change as well. She had always recused herself from matters she could opt away from or refrain from indulging in social activities that people offered to bring her along to. As she got older, she was more foreign and odd for some within the academy for her tenure there and it was time to move on. Returning her focus to the mirror she imagined herself different, more blended with the world around her as she conjured mentally a more plain-looking young woman in the mirror. Her hair becomes chestnut brown, her vibrant orange eyes become a deep forest green, and the ears she uses to be alert are hidden all around her. Her robes altered to be more fashionable and hip, something akin to what she had seen with Minami out in the assortment of missions they took on together. A new look in her head is what she saw in the mirror and when she heaved a sigh with her mind locking on the appearance she conjured, she opened her eyes, letting her imagination wane but the woman she thought she could be appeared back at her. Blinking she grabbed her cheek and moved to her ears before realizing all nine of her tails had vanished as her innate transformation had been discovered and her normal human appearance was made. With a newfound look, the young Kitsune decided this was the chance of a lifetime grabbed her small assortment of books and gear, and headed toward the academy, it was time for her re-emergence into the world.

Human Form/Present Appearance:

Arriving shortly before the cut-off time, the new-looking student dumbfounded a handful of people within the class as this random student appeared before the class as it was time to take the exam itself. A few of the more aggressively confident students attempted to approach the young woman but she scoffed at them and moved in a straight line towards the back as she embraced a smile towards Minami who sat in the back alone. Sitting down next to the Giantess, Hikari gave a polite wave, "Hello Mina-chan." She whispered, her voice unchanged as the exam was to begin shortly after she sat down and took a seat. "Will explain more later." the young Kitsune added in, a newfound presence carrying her within the surrounding world around her. There was a small exam and then the presentation of skills that was standard to become a genin in Kumogakure that was to be done in front of everyone. Unfaltering and unwavering, Hikari's eyes showed that the young girl had decided to take action finally.

---

WC: 900, TWC: 900 | TMWC: 2,123 / 1,000

Either Minami went a little overboard on the innate shapeshifting ability she recently acquired too well or there's something else afoot when her ears instinctively tweak at the increased volume of chatter among her classmates. Not too long after, she identifies the source of the commotion from an unfamiliar face she's absolutely certain wasn't here before in their roster. What's more, she's brimming with an air of confidence in her stride and demeanor, as though she's been here all along. When she approaches in the direction of the Giantess, it takes her a few seconds to process this new development but once it does, Minami's eyes light up in recognition, perhaps Inari's bounties are slowly propagating through the newest generation of Kitsune. The Lonely Giantess enthusiastically waves back at the Kitsune and scoots aside to make room for her friend. She's not one to pry but if Hikari says she'll explain later, then so be it. For now, they have a test to pass.

The exam is relatively straightforward. It's a written exam to test their knowledge and understanding of basic ninja techniques, history, geography, etc. It isn't anything too difficult for Minami—in no small part due to Hikari's invaluable teaching some time ago—as she's able to breeze through the test with ease. When the time comes for the practical portion of the exam, Minami is less confident in her abilities. She knows she has the physical strength and stamina to pass but she worries about her lack of chakra control. Minami takes a deep breath and steels herself as she steps up when the exam proctor calls her name. She's determined to do her best and prove that she deserves to be a genin.

First, she must demonstrate her proficiency in the transformation technique, followed by her ability to reproduce an adequate duplicate of herself through the clone technique. The former, for Minami, will be a gambit. Although the similarities in her innate shapeshifting and the transformation technique share properties of manipulating the appearance of oneself, the sources drawn from are stark. Nevertheless, she performs the Dog hand seal and attempts to replicate the appearance of the exam proctor. The end result is not perfect but it's good enough for Minami to proceed with the second part of the test: creating a clone of herself. She takes another deep breath and concentrates on kneading and channeling her chakra before performing the Ram hand seal. A puff of smoke appears as Minami successfully creates a clone of herself.

The exam proctor is impressed by Minami's performance and congratulates her on passing the exam. He then proceeds to give Minami her forehead protector, which she happily accepts, followed by a queer-looking pin pinned on the fabric of the band. Afterward, those who passed are once again seated and the proctor gives a final oration on their success in becoming the next generation of Kumogakure's shinobi. The ceremony is concluded and Minami is dismissed with the rest of her peers. Outside at the Academy's courtyard, Minami's looking for Hikari when she spots her, waves, and runs up to her.

"Looks like we're both genin now, well, in no small part due to your help. I don't know how I could've pulled that off without you." She slides the pin from the headband's fabric, pins it along the collar of her dress, and ties the forehead protector as one would intend for it to be. "How do I look?" She inquires with a modicum of gaiety, striking a pose for Hikari with as much grace as a fish floundering on land. "Do I look like a real ninja now or what?" She awaits her response not long before she breaks out of character laughing jovially. Resting a hand on her hip and cocking the latter to the side, she remembers something. "Ah, that reminds me. You mentioned you wanted to discuss something earlier, right? I ticket it's about these new-fangled powers we got or something like that, yeah? Did you want to talk about it elsewhere?  I know a spot that'll give us some privacy, c'mon."

Minami leads Hikari through the village to an unpopulated part of town where they can talk in private. A few minutes later, they arrive at their destination, a secluded park with a single bench overlooking a small pond she found by happenstance when she was younger. Minami gestures for Hikari to sit down and takes a seat beside her. "So, what did you want to talk about?" She asks with a wave of her hand as if to encourage her to speak up. From there onward, the older kitsune listens to what her half-sister has to say about their bloodline and its properties, nodding now and then to show she's paying attention. Although, as Minami is often predisposed to do, she'll interject between periods of pause with remarks of her own, either to further inquire to clarify her understanding or simply to indulge in the high jinks of each other's company. Either way, whether Hikari recognizes it or not, if doing so means prolonging the already scarce time they share before the day's end, Minami wholeheartedly spares no expense in making the most out of it until they both retire to each other's homes.


WC: 713
TWC: 2,239/500
TMWC: 2,466/1,000


[EXIT THREAD]


Requesting approval for the following claim(s):

Claiming the following mission reward(s):

► Total Ryo Earned: +2,000 Ryo
► Total AP Earned: +10 AP
► x1 Kumogakure Headband
► Rank Up from "Power Rank E" → "Power Rank D"
► Power Rank Up Rewards → +100 Bonus AP and +20 Bonus Stat Points
► Graduate from "Academy Student" → "Genin"
► Learning Bukijutsu as a Main Specialty

Investing the remaining 2,239 TWC into the following Jutsu:

► Training Substitution Technique (Free via D-Power Rank Up) [2,239 TWC Left]
► Training Surface Walking (Free via D-Power Rank Up) [2,239 TWC Left]
►Training Wind Release: Quiet Footsteps (250/250) [1,989 TWC Left]
► Training Wind Release: Double Jump (500/500) [1,489 TWC Left]
► Training Wind Release: Starting Breeze (250/250) [1,239 TWC Left]
► Training Genjutsu Release + [Handseal Mastery] (500/500) [739 TWC Left]
► Training Adjustment (500/500) [239 TWC Left]
► Training Feint (239/500) [0 TWC Left]

Investing 2,239 TWC + 20 Stat Points via Power Rank Up (Total WC/SP allocation: 4,239 or 42) into the following Stat Points:

► Training +20 Speed (-2,000 WC) [2,239 TWC Left]
► Training +12 Vigor (-1,200 WC) [1,039 TWC Left]
► Traning +10 Chakra (-1,000 WC) [39 TWC Left]

→Expunging the remaining 39 TWC Left.

Minami Outomo wrote:[EXIT THREAD]
Requesting approval for the following claim(s):

Claiming the following mission reward(s):

► Total Ryo Earned: +2,000 Ryo
► Total AP Earned: +10 AP
► x1 Kumogakure Headband
► Rank Up from "Power Rank E" → "Power Rank D"
► Power Rank Up Rewards → +100 Bonus AP and +20 Bonus Stat Points
► Graduate from "Academy Student" → "Genin"
► Learning Bukijutsu as a Main Specialty

Investing the remaining 2,239 TWC into the following Jutsu:

► Training Substitution Technique (Free via D-Power Rank Up) [2,239 TWC Left]
► Training Surface Walking (Free via D-Power Rank Up) [2,239 TWC Left]
►Training Wind Release: Quiet Footsteps (250/250) [1,989 TWC Left]
► Training Wind Release: Double Jump (500/500) [1,489 TWC Left]
► Training Wind Release: Starting Breeze (250/250) [1,239 TWC Left]
► Training Genjutsu Release + [Handseal Mastery] (500/500) [739 TWC Left]
► Training Adjustment (500/500) [239 TWC Left]
► Training Feint (239/500) [0 TWC Left]

Investing 2,239 TWC + 20 Stat Points via Power Rank Up (Total WC/SP allocation: 4,239 or 42) into the following Stat Points:

► Training +20 Speed (-2,000 WC) [2,239 TWC Left]
► Training +12 Vigor (-1,200 WC) [1,039 TWC Left]
► Traning +10 Chakra (-1,000 WC) [39 TWC Left]

→Expunging the remaining 39 TWC Left.

Approved
Congrats!

Hikari smiled as the tests were simple to her. She had studied for a few years now, always escaping and diverting her attention away from progressing herself into the world around her. She looked back and forth between the test and her half-sister, Minami. It was a concern and worry for her as she knew that her sister struggled with some of the concepts when they went over them. She was certain the studying they did together would help propel her sister forward through the written portion without much concern. For her test itself, she simply waited and thought and used the time to focus on the chakra around herself and the world. Inari's blessing had developed significantly over the past couple of weeks once she took a step out into the world. It was almost like a calling or signal to her to continue down that path. Hikari with their newfound determination sought to advance herself and grow with Kumogakure into a new age and for her, that also meant breaking the shackles she felt she had at home. There was a tinge of fire within her eyes as she focused herself forward, her kitsune sensory reaching outward around her as she finished the test in record time once the timer started to indicate she did not have much time. She was blessed, and yet she felt the world was not open to her.

When it came to the proficiency portion of the test, she had already practiced the techniques and began learning more than that of a normal student. She watched as names were mixed and drawn for who was to go first and in what order the students would go up. Minami was picked first at which point her sister stood up and went to follow suit of the proctor for the showcase of the two techniques they needed to learn to pass to become a genin: Transformation and Clone Techniques. Watching Minami do her magic, she watched as she was able to pull off the techniques with some hesitation. Upon completion, Hikari clapped lightly to herself as eventually her name was called up. From there she made her way to the front for her own showcase of techniques. The two being asked were executed flawlessly by the kitsune kunoichi. In contrast to her sister, her physical prowess as a shinobi was not the greatest but her general abilities allowed her to contend with others though her sister would overshadow any chance she had at winning a physical contest should the two be compared. It was almost as if the two embodied two sides of the same coin. Transforming into the proctor as her sister did, Hikari skipped over the request to show the clone as she promptly just did the two in succession. Being awarded a headband and pin herself, she rejoined her sister in the back before the ceremony concluded, officially making the two genin.

Once out and able to speak freely, Hikari gave a warm smile and squealed once out. "We did it Mina-Chan!" She stated as the two adjusted their headbands into respective positions as Hikari chose to fashion hers around her waist rather than on her forehead. "You look great Mina-chan, a real bonafide shinobi!" Once Minami focused herself on the commentary that Hikari had wanted to discuss, she followed as they navigated towards a more unpopulated part of the village. Once out of earshot of others, the question was asked at which point, Hikari discussed the development she had relatively quickly when she determined to progress. "I don't want to startle you but these began showing up rapidly after I made the decision to actively progress my studies and move from the academy to becoming a proper shinobi. I want to change and I think Inari's blessing is advocating for the change." She unfurled her transformation, her hair lightening to her standard orange, auburn coloration along with a fanning of 9 tails behind her. "With consideration of births and the likelihood of how Inari covers many forms and domains, I believe our bloodline with the yokai inside us has two potential paths. I think our bodies and growth are indicative of our growth as.." She trailed a second before gesturing between the two, "I'm sure you can concur that our capacities are vastly different and I'm positive as we grow and develop our powers will grow to be usable equally in their own way within Inari's blessing." She concluded finally as Minami's spur for fun with her sister got Hikari laughing once more. Hikari noted to herself that her sister was the blessing she needed to find and discover for her to realize there was more mysteries in the world to discover and learn about. She was a Kumogakuran genin now.

WC: 800, TWC: 1,700 | TMWC: 3,939/1,000

[Exit]

Claiming Below:

Mission Rewards wrote:Total Ryo Earned: +2,000 Ryo
Total AP Earned: +10 AP
x1 Kumogakure Headband
Rank Up from "Power Rank E/Academy Student" → "Power Rank D/Genin"
Power Rank Up Rewards → +150 Bonus AP
Learning Space-Time as a Main Specialty

WC Claims wrote:1,700 WC (Using max stat reduction of 25%)
1,500 WC Towards Nature Chakra Proficiency
200 WC Towards 8 AP
0 WC Leftover

approved