New Kid Come Here [Tutor]

[Michi]

It was a run down rat-infested hovel of an establishment that smelled mostly or urine and strangely enough cheese. The dregs of society congregated here, with mouths of toothless decay and minds full of cobwebs and near toxic alcohol levels they yammered about their ex wives, the "man" keeping them down and of course their false proclamations of success mostly shared with their degenerate peers. Not everyone was telling lies on this day of course, for some today was an actual day of celebration, a Jounin promotion was the source of ruckus as several young men got their fill of whiskey. Michi was not here for either reason, the bar was not a source of leisure bit rather a human resource. She was hunting for a progeny that in the soon to be immortal words of one Ishii Shiro would not be missed. This impoverished section of the city boasted more than degenerates and those looking for a good time, but also those too poor to afford better or too young to know better.

The crystal technology that illuminated a majority of the subterranean village of Sunagakure hummed quietly under the clamor of the bar patrons. The stink of poor-man's sake filled the air as the barkeep opened another bottle of cheap rice wine that he mixed with plum wine to make the tavern's signature girlie drink. A burly man had accepted this drink, Michi preferred something weaker: wine with soda. Unlike a majority of her peers, she had a limited toxic influence, her liver was certainly not as practiced as many of the "regulars" this locations catered to. She was watching and learning from her seat in the middle of the bar. She was drinking alone, she was almost always alone.

She had just left her empty home, a place that would never be filled with laughter and love. She would not live long enough for that to ever happen. Yes, she was engaged to the Occult Sennin Senju Kazuki but she knew well enough that he would never love her, he was incapable. Yet she forced herself to find a love for him. It was not hard, he was an exceptional man, even if he was cold. She was not entering this union for the sake of love or even power, but rather his name and his fame. She needed it if she wanted to make her dream come true. Well, less a dream and more a want -- a bubbling anger just beneath a placid surface. A need for revenge. A desire for a sense of justice. It had been years, the Ishii regeime had stumbled but it was as strong as ever considering the fact that they were a known threat and had not crumbled.

She would have to make some additional arrangements before her story ended. She was the last as far as she knew. There were others who called themselves Oracles, Rangers and Journeymen, but it was more than a title but a way of life. If her plan saw fruition and she outwitted them all, she would die. She thought she would be more scared, she was terrified but she was more scared of surviving.

She needed to plan for the future. She needed a child, it did not matter if it was a boy or a girl but she needed one. Her son, Shouki was capable of learning but he was a monster. The effort would be lost, even if he had the natural genetic propensity to be a great scholar he was a violent monster who made Jashin proud. She did not want to have another. She lacked the time and as much as she wanted to blame Shiro for Shouki's outcome, she knew that the dangerous sadist was half her. It was her fault too. She was a monster as well. So she would start the process and if she had her way, someone who was capable of demonstrating what it would be to be a hero would finish what she failed to accomplish.

It was only seven in the evening when she vacated the bar. She wanted to be seen. She wanted the upper echelon of the village to stir. She knew that they were unsettled by her. She knew that some still harbored a resentment towards her, she shared the Cabal's blame. The crystals were getting dim. This was when the children were called home. Well, most of the children in any case, the ones that had mothers to run to. There would be stragglers, those that danced on the lines and would face their mother's wrath. It was not safe after dark and they too would soon vacate the streets. Then there would be what was left. The ones that would not be missed.

[MFT]

 

[Kyuuji]

Re: New Kid Come Here

Oh no, he thought as he passed another one of those terrible smelly buildings. They were everywhere around here, and while Rikuto hadn’t yet developed the advanced sense of smell that Inuzuka possessed, he still had a nose and this most definitely offended it. The puppy by his side was not as fortunate as to be lacking enhanced senses, and the poor pup let out a distressed whimper. “‘m sorry, ‘samu,” He mumbled quietly. He crouched down to pick up the puppy in his arms, and the puppy was quick to bury his nose in the oversized cloak that Rikuto wore. Isamu was bigger than when his parents had given him to Rikuto, but he was just barely small enough that he could hold him still, though it was getting to be kind of difficult.

He was plenty sorry that he’d agreed to this. When his dad had brought up sending him off to Sunagakure to become a shinobi, he had thought… He wasn’t sure what he had thought. That it would make his parents stop fighting? How could he even know that for sure, since they weren’t here? He hadn’t even had a chance to say bye to his mom after he had agreed to his dad’s suggestion. He had wanted to, but his dad had been acting odd about the whole thing, and he had just sort of went along with it all, and now he regretted it. He wanted to cry, but he only clutched Isamu tighter.

Here he was, in the middle of these smelly streets, and he was on the verge of panicking. Not only had his dad left him here, he had left him here with barely anything. He hadn’t even found a place to live yet, and it was getting dark! Someone had been nice enough (or cruel enough) to point him towards this part of the village for cheap lodging, but he still didn’t know where to go, really. His lip trembled and he blinked furiously. He refused to cry. Absolutely refused. His hands were buried in Isamu’s fur, who was beginning to make concerned noises. If this place was bad now, how much worse would it be in the dark? He had never been allowed out at night before. It was bad, dangerous.

Where was he going to sleep tonight, he wondered frantically. If only his dad had stuck around, he thought. His dad would have been able to figure things out, he knew. But he had been so quick to leave. Ever since the incident, his dad had been acting downright strange. He had thought that maybe it would improve if Rikuto just agreed with whatever he said and went along with this, but nothing had changed. Except everything had changed, because he was all alone now except for Isamu.

It was all that stupid snake’s fault. If that snake hadn’t come out of nowhere and tried to bite him, the incident wouldn’t have happened. His parents wouldn’t have started fighting, and he would still be at home, not here! He blamed the snake. It had got what it deserved, ending up as a chew toy for him and Isamu. It had been fun to play tug-a-war with, if nothing else, he distantly recalled through the haze of those memories that had mostly been overwritten by all arguing that had ensued afterwards. Still. It was all that stupid snake’s fault.

 

[Michi]

Re: New Kid Come Here

What was left would be the children that would never be missed. The future victims of their peers, their betters, their circumstances and those that simply like little boys. Flesh peddlers were one of Sunagakure's dirty little secrets, they kept the streets clean and satisfied the loathsome needs of the affluent patrons that sought such wares. The kid was as good as dead and death would be one of the kindest outcomes. She had seen it hundreds of times before but she could not change people, their avarice, their violence or their lust. That was not her mission, hers was to end a regime.

As the streets cleared she would see the prostitutes take their corner. There was no need to advertise what they were, it was obvious. Some local riffraff were congregating in the alley, likely planning a shakedown in an adjacent commercial establishment. There was one child, just the one. Fortuitous for her? Perhaps. Fortuitous for him? Well, it was better than finding a pimp. "Child," a woman that looked much younger than she actually was called out to the young Inuzuka. "Have you lost your way?" She took a step towards him, she was not imposing in the least. Five foot even wearing shoes, she had the frame of a teen, not an adult with a son nearly thrice Rikuto's age. "It is dangerous here in the street when the crystals grow dim... where are your parents?" Did he have anyone that would miss him? Anyone that would look for him?

"Do you like games?"</B><i></i> she asked. All children liked games. "Answer my riddle: A sailor's guide and a poet's tears. They emerge when darkness nears. Piercing the night, they depart each morning without a fight."<i></i> She would wait for an answer, nodding her head quietly regardless of his answer.

"A harder one then... 3... 9... 81... what comes next?" She was playing a strange game here on the street. Eyes were on them but she did not seem bothered. "3... 9... 81," she repeated.

"One more," she announced granting him a warning to answer with haste. <B>"Eyes are on us, so hurry with just one more. It begins in serendipity is the end of hopes and dreams, the beginning of simple sentiments and the end of friends ?"<i></i>

 

[Kyuuji]

Re: New Kid Come Here

He was startled to be addressed, and he almost glanced around to see if there was anyone else matching the description of ‘child’ around here. But it was clear enough watching the woman approach that she meant him. She had a strange focus to her that made the new feral-minded part of him wary, but she looked harmless enough, and Rikuto was used to clear cut situations, where one could trust their own eyes. So he ignored his instincts, instead nodding hesitantly to her question. The next question made him hesitate, but he figured it was a natural question to ask a kid like him wandering around.

“I’m an academy student,” He mumbled quietly, tightening his grip on Isuma. “My parents… don’t live here.” A pang of distress. He might have been tempted to look away from her out of a sense of uncertainty, before the incident, but that something new told him that it was important to keep her in sight. This time, he listened.

The sudden query startled Rikuto. “...Yes?” He offered cautiously as his answer. He wasn’t expected to be bombarded with a riddle. Games were usually active things for him, though he had always loved clever characters in tales, since the quick and clever ones always made plans and won. But this first one wasn’t all that hard. “Oh! ...Is it stars?” He asked hopefully.

The next riddle, if the number puzzle could be called that, came just as unexpectedly. He paused, taking a moment. He understood what the numbers were doing, they were all doing the same thing, but he didn’t know the term. And the next number, if Rikuto was right, would be really big. He wasn’t sure how to calculate that. What was it called? It was like addition, but more. It was sort of repetitive too. Doing that, but with the same numbers together. But Rikuto didn’t know how to verbalize that, so he just gave a quiet “Uh…” that was followed by another question.

This last one was tough. Serendipity was good, but most of rest of those things made the answer sound bad, and that didn’t make sense. Pride, maybe? He knew that was a bad thing. But no, that didn’t seem quite right. He thought frantically, brought on by the sense of urgency the woman instilled. Serendipity… beginning… serendipity. Hopes. Dreams. Simple sentiments. Friends. “S! The letter s!” Rikuto announced confidently, excited to have actually solved it.

 

[Michi]

Re: New Kid Come Here

She had learned a lot in a matter of seconds. The boy was a chakra capable, being that he was accepted into the academy. He was not a complete idiot, even if he would have required knowledge of squares in her day he was smarter than the last three. She did not have time to find the best, so she would have to lay the groundwork and hope.

"Come with me before it becomes dark," she commanded before adding something a bit cliche. "I have candy." Not great candy, old people librarian candy -- those hard butterscotch candies. Coming from a woman that vould not lie but had a propensity to deceive, it was true to form. "I don't live far from here,"</B><i></i> she added as stepped behind the boy.

There would be no acquiescence or rejection, she would not give the youth an oppertunity for either. "I apologize for..."<i></i> she intended to strike the child in the back of the head. To cause him to simply crumble at her feet so she might drag him away. Nobody was going to stop her in this godless region, there were few street rats these days, the flesh market saw to that. Whatever the boy's fate, he would not last long, even if it was not by her hand but... she could not bring herself to it. She let out a sigh. She was perpetuating a viscious cycle of abuse and terror. She could tell herself that it would be different, she was not going to torture him the way they tortured her but that did not make her that much better. Not really. "For my poor taste in candy." She lowered her hand onto his shoulder. "But it is better than what you are likely to find here," she admitted as her hand attempted to firmly latch onto his shoulder.

"Warm hearth, empty bed and nutritious meals," she continued. "If you would be willing to learn," consent was the one thing her life lacked. Something his would too one day, just not today. There was a somber tone to her words, this was not a day for celebration. She was facing her own mortality, knowing she would not be missed but her legacy would. He was a 'student' but a student of the shinobi arts was not synonymous with being a true student, being a lifelong learner and teacher. Roles that often went not only hand in hand but concurrently.

"This way,"<i></i> she instructed as she attempted to nudge his shoulder. It was down a narrow alley, the sort where murders happened. They alley was also a dead end. The building to the right, the bar she vacated. To the left what remained of a factory. Three stories, the windows intact and covered in chicken wire. The front door barred shut, the lock sodered.

If he rejected her now after giving his consent, she would tighten her grip to the point of pain had she clasped onto his shoulder. <B>"A contract was made," she would remind him. If he put up a fight, she would attempt to subdue him physically without a word. Broken legs heal. She could carry his weight the mere yards to her destination if necessary. But that is the fate of the noncompliant, he might simply accept her gracious offer and blindly accept that the alley was 'safe.' All the same, he would learn if screaming and broken or ambulatory and escorted that a portion of the left wall was an illusion. There was a door, one that could be entered if they knew the code. She punched several numbets into the door, taking no effort to hide the array stating "the number differs every time." Hopefully one day he would learn the pattern. 147 was the arrangement for the day. The door would unlock, the sound of hydraulics would reveal a deceptively thick door. A foot of feathersteel.

Inside, the estate was warm and looked like a home. The home of someone too affluent to live here. The walls lined with books, leather covers and gilded words designated what each tome represented. If he was walking, he could freely wander about. If he was broken (your choice of injuries beyond broken legs if any, but her means would be logical and precise so likely defensive wounds if any) she would drop him unceremoniously onto the floor.

 

[Kyuuji]

Re: New Kid Come Here

Every word that left the woman’s mouth was a demand, it seemed. Rikuto was not quite sure what to make of that. There was something that could be discerned from that, he was sure, he just didn’t know what. He hardly had time to ponder it, for the woman went on about candy next of all things. To him, it came out of nowhere and seemed out of place. Hesitantly, he attributed it to the woman not knowing how to interact with children, maybe. She seemed to have a basic understanding of things that children were supposed to like, after all, like games and candy, but limited practical experience.

Instinctively, he tensed as she stepped behind him. Only now did he notice how stiff the puppy in his arms was, terrified to the point that whimpering wasn’t even an option. The woman started to apologize, and his brain was screaming that everything was all wrong, and he was on the verge of changing shape, and then the woman finished her apology with innocuous words. It stuck in his mind, the pause, and one day he would look back on this moment and recount the sigh, and wonder what the woman had thought at that moment, would think further on the meaning of the apology. For now, he thought her as something confusing, but, he decided, not dangerous, dismissing his instinctual reaction.

Her hand latched onto his shoulder and Isamu shivered in his arms. “S’okay, ‘samu,” He mumbled to the dog. He wondered if the puppy’s instincts were going haywire like his own. If so, he couldn’t blame the dog for reacting in such a manner. He ran his hand through the dog’s fur, trying to comfort him.

Rikuto watched her with a wary regard as she spoke. He was missing something, he knew that much. “For both of us?” He asked uncertainly. There was only one ‘us’ the boy could be referring to in his own mind, his arms wrapped around the other half of the equation. “I- I could try,” He offered cautiously. “To learn,” He added. Because the rest of that, a place to stay, that sounded good. And wasn’t he here to learn in the first place? That didn’t sound too bad of a deal to the boy.

The alley she directed him to made him uncomfortable, but he figured they were just going through the quickest path. He didn’t even think to resist. He was confused when he looked around and realized it was a dead end, and became to tense again, but relaxed somewhat when the wall was revealed to be an illusion. That was a shinobi skill… which somehow didn’t surprise him. It fit with what he knew of her. All the commands, and her lack of knowledge of how to interact with children. It simply slotted into place with the rest of it. Maybe it should have made him more wary, but that would have required more awareness of what the life of a shinobi really meant. As it was, nearly all of his knowledge for the most part was that he was going to become one, and it made enough sense to be trained by one if that was what was supposed to happen.

He knew that shinobi fought, but consciously being aware that they killed wasn’t something he had yet grasped.

The door unlocked, and Rikuto gaped at the surroundings for a moment before he could stop himself. He was somewhat startled when the grip on his shoulder was released, leaving him free to move around, but he didn’t know what to do. He glanced the books, admiring them. He had never seen such nice looking books in his life. Never seen such a nice looked place in his life, really. Made sense that she would hide it all away like that. A thought occurred to him, and he turned around to face the woman.

He didn’t know her name. But questioning her somehow seemed wrong. So Rikuto decided to go about acquiring it in a roundabout manner. “Uh, name’s Rikuto. Minami Rikuto. And this is Isamu,” He introduced both himself and the puppy. Then he hesitated, waiting and hoping that she would take the hint to introduce herself.

 

[Michi]

Re: New Kid Come Here

"Yes, the both of you," she assured the child. She was not particularly warm but she did not seem cruel either. Almost clinical. A contract was made, a place to stay in exchange for learning. The boy did not understand the deal he had agreed to or how he had shaped his fate in what could be a brilliant or a terrible way. He did not change his mind. He did not resist. He kept his end of the bargain, he maintained his end of the contract so he would be unharmed. She did not want to hurt the kid anyways. She was going to hurt enough people soon enough, there was no need for one more.

The homestead was quite lovely, strange because it seemed more fitting as a library than a residence but it was still better than the streets.The books, all leather bound. If the boy took one of the books from the shelves he would make an uncanny discovery. Every last book in this room was hand-written. The spines of the book embossed with golden letters that proclaimed the contents of each tome in a few words. Some of the books were written in a strange language that the boy would not recognize. Some in Runic. Some in Ancient. Some others still in a forgotten language of other worldly beings. However, the majority of them were written in common. Many of them has names, such as Steward Takahashi Sousuke or Sennin Senju Kazuki, others had a subject such as Sandworm Meat Recipes or the History of the Ranger Order. Another revelation might follow shortly thereafter, these books had the same handwriting contained within.

"My name is, well... was... Fuu," she replied. It was a name she had not used in some time, years in fact. There was a time when she was quite famous, well 'infamous' actually. A member of a terrorist organization known as 'The Cabal' she was associated with a group of alleged ne'er do wells who subjected the denizens of this subterranean community to three days of pure hell. The passageways in and out of the village had been rigged to explode and collapsed. A dozen buildings also armed with explosive charges that ultimately decimated a large portion of the village. Hundreds died and hundreds more suffered. But that was before the kid's time. She was not personally responsible for the deaths but she contributed in her own way, a guilt she would carry with her. She was the scribe, a recorder that tracked their movements, assessed the community's defenses and offensive capabilities and reported her findings back to their true enemy Diamyo Ishii Shiro. She knew what the Diamyo had planned but her ability to communicate what she knew was limited, both due to fear, loyalty to her comrades at the time and the fact that the people she would save might have hurt her as badly as the Diamyo's men would have if they learned of her betrayal. "But I am better known as Michi," a name she took after she was found in the Obsidian Palace by Mikaboshi and her humanity was ripped from her, as was the curse that forced her to be compliant to the Diamyo's wishes. She considered this loss of her humanity, while the cost of lifting this curse, her death. She was no longer human, imbued with the essence of the Deep Court Lord, she was changed to the core.

"And I am an Oracle," as far as she was aware the last Oracle. A truth she could say because she knew no other but it would have been a lie, there were others like her, just not in Wind Country. There were others that claimed to be like her, those who took the title and said they read a few books, but they were not like her at all. It was not a statement of ego, rather it was a statement against them. The designation was more like a title, an award they could plaster on their wall or a badge they could affix to their chest. It was a footnote in their life, a boon they brought up to claim they were clever, their library simply a house for books by others that they for the most part never read. "A scholar who dedicates their life not only to learning but also the dissemination of information," she explained. "There was a time when there were others like me, not many... thirty-two, not including their apprentices," she recalled. "But they were slaughtered when I was a few years older than you are now," she remembered the scent that lingered in the air for weeks after. It was this coppery, bitter scent that make her stomach knot and the contents churn. "By a..." her voice trailed off, she needed to think of simple words. Childish terms. "A very bad man, who hurt many people." She did not give him a name nor did she tell him of the terrible things that happened to her, the kid was too young and their time was too short for her to tell the child tales of woe when there was so much more that he needed to learn.

"Are you familiar with our Order?" She inquired. It was unlikely, the Oracle Order was destroyed thirty-seven years ago. "When I was a child," she still looked quite young, like a girl in her late teens or early twenties but she was nearly twice that. "It was a distinct honor to be appointed an apprentice," she recalled, her memory took her back to her childhood home, a farmstead in what was now a buried city. She was not there when the maelstrom came but she knew in her heart that they were dead, she had not seen her parents since she was eight, that was thirty-nine years ago. "Oracles found their apprentices often in the most unlikely of places, many never having children as literature and learning were their true love," of course she had an adult son and while her brilliance was passed onto the now thirty year old man, but his future was not within the Order. "These children would spend their youth learning not only the arts, but history, literature, study the stars and their fellow man, all for the sake of knowing what they did not before. It was the mantra of those within the Order to share what they had learned with others, many were considered sages in their own right but the term Oracle is derived from the wisdom earned by some where it was believed that they had future-sight. Of course that was an un-truth, they simply knew the odds and could measure the probabilities." She explained what they were in the most basic of terms, something she hoped a child could understand. One needed to understand the past if they were ever to hope to know the future. "Oracles have suffered for their wisdom greatly, shinobi harbor many secrets and they jealously hide their knowledge away and fear not only our acquisition but our free-sharing of such knowledge with others. Many have tried, and some have succeeded, to limit our numbers and to control who we could tell what we knew." \

She removed her scarf and then her jacket, laying both over the arm of a plush leather reading chair. She was bruised around her neck, the bruises had turned yellow as they were a few days old. It was not caused by a direct enemy of Oracles, but rather an enemy of hers. Sunaku Harupia was sent into a fit of rage, one she refused to combat because she knew that submission was the only route that would lead to potential victory. The revelation was what was directly below, hidden by the layers of clothes she wore, scars that had turned silver years ago. There were many, it was a grace one could say that they avoided her face. Some were old burn scars from the time Number Six tried to burn her alive. Some were wounds that appeared to be caused by a blade, others by something that could rip. The flesh now smooth and healed, the decades made these injuries appear small but there were simply so many. She took a seat in a chair. "Don't let them take you unless you have a reason worth dying for," she warned as she sunk into the chair. She seemed small in comparison to the overstuffed chair and she took from the table next to her a book and a pen. She started writing something on an empty page. She wrote down the boy's name, the one he had given her and she was drawing his likeness into the same paper with speed and incredible photo-realism. This would be the book of the boy.

"I wrote every last one of these books, I hope you do better than I," she admitted. "Make yourself comfortable, there is a furnished bedroom here... it is yours," there was only one in a room adjacent. The bed was made but it did not appear that the room had been used in some time. "I don't sleep much I am afraid," it was getting odd, not that the situation ever made much sense. It was simply a beneficial situation for the lost child in the middle of the worst part of town. "When you are settled, I will teach you something important before you retire."

If he explored, he would see a number of curiosities that would be narrated in a future post. When he returned she would have a question for the boy. "Let us start with defense," her eyes were closed and she was resting in the chair. A pair of cargo pants, earthen colored and a pair of worn, heavy boots, scuffed but black. A tank top, ribbed and plain white. Her arms were crossed across her chest, if it was not for the fact that she was speaking one would have thought she had fallen asleep. "Tell me Minami Rikuto about your chakra capacities?" What was he? Did he belong to a clan? Did he have a bloodline? Did he simply have the ability to learn a shinobi skillset, if so what?

 

[Kyuuji]

Re: New Kid Come Here

It did not occur to the boy to investigate the books further, both too awed and somewhat intimidated by the sheer amount of books. The entirety of each wall was books! He hadn’t even known there was this many books in existence. His home certainly hadn’t this many books. They had only had just a few, and he hadn’t even read all of this. Had the woman read all of her books? Rikuto could picture her deliberately separating herself from the rest of the world and choosing instead to read her books and if he had to guess, then, he’d say that she had read all of these books. Which was… wow. They weren’t thin books either, not like most of the ones Rikuto had read up to this point. And this woman wanted to teach him?

He wasn’t so sure he was going to be able to live up to her expectations, though he’d certainly try. It was the least he could do for what he had been given by her, in his mind. He had said that he would try and so he would.

It was a bit confusing to learn that the woman had two names, and not in the way that he did. Instead of a surname and a personal name, she had two personal names. Or, at least, they sounded like personal names. In a way, it still didn’t answer his question, because he didn’t know which he was supposed to call her. Questioning her still seemed uncomfortable to him, but it was similarly uncomfortable to not know how to address her. “Uhm, what d’ya wan’ me to call ya?” It was half-mumbled half-spoken, still reluctant to voice the query despite the necessity of it.

He blinked, wide-eyed as she called herself an Oracle. Rikuto had thought she was a shinobi. Maybe she was both? That said, he wasn’t so sure what exactly an Oracle was, though it definitely sounded like something important. But she went on to explain, much to his relief, because he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to question her again. There was a very big unfamiliar word, though, in her explanation, and all he got was that they devoted themselves to learning and did something with that information, though he wasn’t quite sure what. Then she went on, and he was no longer pondering what dissemination was, and instead was shocked at the new information she had revealed. “‘m sorry,” He quietly voiced.

A head shake at her question. He had never heard of Oracles before, he didn’t think so, anyway. She spoke of her childhood like it was a long time ago, but she didn’t look that old, which confused him some. But he listened, not thinking about all the questions he had that he’d never ask. It sounded like something out of a book, really. He nodded in understanding as she explained what an Oracle was.

She referenced shinobi like they were something other, something bad. But he was supposed to be a shinobi in the future, and he had thought she was one too. At least he was pretty sure he knew what dissemination meant now. ‘Free-sharing of knowledge’. Still, he was very confused. “...aren’t y’a shinobi?” It slipped out without thought in his confusion. He wanted to backpedal but he wanted to know the answer too. So he kept quiet.

He gasped as she removed her scarf, revealing a bad looking bruise. Bad was an understatement, really. He could only assume that shinobi had been the cause, and that made him uncomfortable. He didn’t really want to hurt anyone. She started writing, and an idea occurred to him that was surely impossible, he thought. But then, moments after he’d thought it, she revealed it as truth. She really had written all of these books? Wow. And she wanted him to do even better? That was intimidating, sounded impossible, really. But he didn’t say that. He was going to try, after all. He’d said he would.

Before he left the room to investigate the bedroom, he looked at the titles of some of the books, and realized that while some of them looked like normal books, others were names. Shinobi, he supposed. He was only in the room for a moment, in it long enough to put Isamu down on the bed. “‘ll be back soon, 'samu,” He promised. But he was very curious as to what else the Oracle would teach him, even though he had already learned so much today. His head felt like it was going to explode from information overload any moment.

Then he walked back into the first room, head poking in to see that she was still there before the rest of his body followed. He was startled when she spoke, having thought she was asleep. She called him his entire name. “Y’can call me Riku,” He voiced half to buy himself time with the question to ask and half because it was weird to be called by his entire name like that. He knew what chakra was, sort of, barely. He didn’t know what exactly a chakra capacity was meant to be, though. “Mom’s an Inuzuka,” He offered, hoping that would answer her question. He was pretty sure he should mention what else he was, but he didn’t. It seemed like a bad idea to reveal what he was after the reaction he had gotten last time. “...I… I dun know what y’re asking for,” He admitted instead, embarrassed.

 

[Michi]

"Michi is fine, but I am not particularly attached to anything." It was the purpose of the name or the word used that really mattered.

She let the boy explore. There was no need to chaperone him, the building was deceptively large and his footsteps echoed distantly through the otherwise silent house. The bedroom offered was spacious, a king bed with heavy comforters and linens. Heavier than one would think necessary in the desert, but come to think of it the air here had a distinct chill unlike the hot, arid air of his youth. It was certainly a femanine room, while there were no pink ruffles there was an unnecessary assortment of pillows at the head of the bed and there was a needlessly large closet and full length mirror. A thin layer of dust over all of these things. The closet empty, same with the drawers of the dresser and vanity. As if someone had removed their personal effects some time ago but never removed the furniture.

He might have wandered into the bathroom, it was nothing truly interesting. A clawfooted white tub, a pedestal sink, a toliet and a lighted mirror. No plants or decoration. No jumble of perfume or vanity oddities. Just a bar of soap, unscented. A bottle of lotion also unscented. Shampoo, conditioner, antiperspirant, clear nailpolish and nailpolish remover. Despite the obvious resources she had founded, she was a utilitarian at her core the boy would likely learn as her improved his skills as an assessor. His keen sense of smell would determine s

The kitchen was basic compared to the grand library but it had everything one needed. A gas stove, a refrigerator, open counterplace, a sink and cupboards. Everything was white and incredibly clean, there was the faint scent of bleach here. If he was curious enough to look inside he would find dishes, all white, pots and pans, all steel, silverware, all polished silver, cleaning supplies and of course a fully stocked pantry. There would be only one downside to the boy's snooping if he had: Michi was a vegetarian. She was not always, but when she lost her humanity, she gained a new perspective on the value of more than just human life. She was a capable killer, but there needed to be a reason beyond appetite.

There was a dining hall. A long wooden table that seated eight. It was a lonesome room, clean and truth be told never used. Dried flowers sat in a vase. They were scented a long time ago with oil, a scent that had for the most part dissipated but the boy would catch the scent: hydrangias and roses.

He might have learned all of this, some of this or none of this. He would learn all of this and more eventually with time. When he returned, she addressed him. He gave her his preferred name, it was less than his full name. "That would be rude," she replied without opening her eyes. She had never addressed anyone in Sunagakure by anything less than their full name or title, not even the man she had proposed to the other day Sennin Senju Kazuki. A loveless union most certainly and also likely a short one.

Was she a shinobi? "No, I am not a shinobi, but I would be hunted as if I was one of their ranks." Also not trusted enough to have access beyond a Genin, understandibly due to her previous terrorist ties and questionable association with the Ishii regime. "But I have learned the sum of what one could about shinobi techniques." So the answer was yes and no. Not much of an answer really.

He would mention that he was an Inuzuka. "That would explain the puppy," she replied. The was well aware that the Inuzuka Clan was best known for its keen attachment to canines. Of course it went deeper than that. "Did you know that there was a legend that claimed that the Inuzuka Clan descended from canines?" It was of course propaganda, but even the biggest of lies has a thread of truth. "It is of course a children's tale, the wolves and dogs that have found themselves at your side may be a part of your pack but they are not your cousin or predecessor." That word might have been too big for the boy. "Rather, it comes from something deeper, something for most is intangible..." too large again. "...something you don't touch with your hands," she self corrected. "But it is still there. One's soul and fate and intertwined with their companion on a spiritual level -- can feel one another's distress, joy and pain. Therefore you live and you fight together, your fates as one."

Well, either that or they really liked dogs.

"You will have a natural propensity for martial combat," she reasoned. "Do you have a weapon?"

 

[Kyuuji]

The room was decidedly cozy, if a bit dusty. Rikuto couldn’t help but appreciate the extra pillows, and all in all it looked a good place to curl up. He was tempted to do so at that very moment, but he also wanted to get back out and hear what else Michi was going to teach him today. He briefly investigated the bare bathroom, glancing around, but he didn’t explore much farther than that.

Eventually, though perhaps not tonight, he would find the kitchen and realize there was absolutely no meat, and he would have to figure out what to do about that. He was a carnivore in his other form, as much as he tried to ignore it. Even when he was only just an Inuzuka he had shown favor towards meat, and after the incident his appetite towards meat had only increased. While an ordinary human could live without meat, he was not all too certain that he could. After all, he was no longer an ordinary human.

But that was another time, a future time.

“S’only rude if I say so,” Rikuto pointed out. He was pretty sure that was how rudeness worked. If it didn’t offend him, if he asked to be called such, it wasn’t rude. He was almost certain that he was right. He only dared point it out, though, because of her willingness to answer his questions. He was growing bolder, testing Michi’s tolerance of him. Instinctually, without knowing, he was testing what his new pack leader would allow. So far, he hadn’t found any limits, but he remained cautiously aware of his own actions.

Rikuto didn’t understand how one could both be a shinobi and not, but apparently that was what Michi was. At her declaration of having learned all shinobi techniques, his eyes widened in disbelief that he didn’t dare voice. After thinking it over a moment, he tentatively accepted it as truth. He hadn’t thought that a single person would write so many books, either. Michi was an impossible person who did impossible things, though, he was coming to learn.

At her question, he nodded warily, thinking of his descent from another canine lineage. He worried for a moment that she could tell what he was, but aside from his Inuzuka fangs that he had always had, he looked pretty human. At the term ‘children’s tale’, he frowned somewhat, not quite liking that term, even though he knew it meant make-believe. He nodded his understanding, somewhat pleased that she recognized that Isamu was a part of his pack. At her description of the bond, he couldn’t help but smile just barely, a shy little smile, liking the way she spoke of it.

Her next query gave him pause. This would be a good time to mention his other form, he recognized, but he really didn’t want to. Bad things would happen if he did, he knew. Still, his stomach squirmed uncomfortably at the thought of not telling Michi something that important. He went to shake his head, then stopped. “‘ve got fists and feet,” He responded, hoping that was a better answer than nothing.

 

[Michi]

"It is only rude if I say so," she repeated using real words. The kid did have an attitude in there. Interesting. She was still assessing the boy, learning about him and determining his potential or lack thereof. It was unlikely she would use his given name alone, but who knows how willful one could be.

"You can improve upon what nature has given you," she claimed. "Like a toolbox, you can have a weapon for every occasion," she explained. "Look at your hands," she demanded as she opened her own to glance in the boy's direction. "Notice your fingertips, then look at mine," she placed her hand on the arm of the chair. Her nails were long, well groomed and looked 'normal.' His would look different, the nails thicker. Not quite claws but also not as delicate seeming as the academic's hand. The nailbed was longer, it went deeper mote than likely. His fingers, despite belonging to one so young were meater in proportion to the rest of his hand. They were very different.

"Now that I think about it, you posess the trademark characteristics of your maternal clan." Again with words a child was unlikely to understand. "Those hands were meant to rip and tear," she commented.

"If you were to wrap your hands so that your manual dexterity would be maintained," she explained synomous with the meta that an unarmed weapon with the ability to preserve handseals "would preserve your ability to cast ninjutsu or genjutsu."

She opened and closed her own hand, wayching the skin stretch as the tendons and ligaments underneath moved. Her fist was very small. "Knowing is not the same as having the capacity to perform... I never did have the physical strength a taijutsuist would demand." There was a hint of envy in her voice. "As you age, your claws will become more pronounced. Yours nails will slash" synomous with slashing taijutsu "and you will make your enemies bleed." synomous with bleeding as a secondary weapon effect, the boy's hands and feet were indeed a weapon but he would require more than nature to make use of his skillset.

"You can enhance your natural skill through the utilization of weapons. By wrapping your hands, bracing your wrist, adding metal over your knuckles..." She listed some of the possibilities. "You can prove yourself malleable, adaptable even in the face of a threat." This was true, the boy naturally had two built in augments, the ability to slash as well as make someone bleed and to have their unarmed attacks be treated as slashing attacks. The significance of such was great.

"For instance, there are tracking augments that can be used to improve your ability to find an opponent" being Lantern and Tracer, "when coupled with an Inuzuka's uncanny sense of smell and the fact that your canine companion... Isamu," she corrected herself making an attempt to satisfy the child's casual sentiments. This was a strange skill or erm... attack the companion animal would use where it would urinate on a target. The strong ammonia scent made the opponent much easier to detect. A massive boon against those that wish to remain hidden.

"Then there are also ways of making you hit harder, or more capable of using both hands. While it sounds silly, it is obvious really... If you can hit twice, even if the second is much weaker, it is always a net gain." This was of course in reference to the dual weapon augment. "Improving your chances of hitting," she was referring to Lucky Strike which gives a percentile chance to auto-hit. "Sap their chakra," she was refering to rough divide. "Or even make them bleed heavier," and she was of course referring to bloodrack, a dangerous augmentation that could make even the most durable foe weak in the knees. She was also to an extent describing the siege augment, how it could help break down an opponent's best defenses.

"You can also prepare yourself to face a superior. There are some that will be too precise to dodhe, but with the right weapon you might be just a little more agile... a little more durable... a bit more... lucky." She hated the word 'luck' because in her mind it did not truly describe it. But to a child manipulating the probabilities so that the outcomes would be favorable was unlikely to strike a chord with the juvrnile. She was referencing the lucky dodge, steady and vanguard augments as she spoke.

Of course there was no such thing as a store called Augments 'R Us that would list out modifications to weapons. It was a bit more complicated. It was forging a bigger sword, usjng lighter, more teflective metal. It was about finding a creative means of engancing ones natural skillset whilst also preparing them for multiple eventualities.

OC: Look in the Augment Shop, this post was very meta. You wont be able to make a weapon with a full compliment of augments for a few weeks but you will be able to have multiple weapons so consider various weapons to suit multiple needs and situations.

"You will likely learn more regarding how to use a weapon from your academy instructor, one Sunalu Harupia. Heir of one of the larger Sunaku Clans in Sunagakure," she explained before giving him a simple instruction as well as a warning. "It is my recommendation that you consider arming yourself to enhance your latent potential. Also... I would avoid mentioning your association with me, Mister Sunaku is a passionately aggressive young man." It was like placing a sign over a great red button saying do not touch and expecting compliance. Perhaps the kid would take her instruction, perhaps he would test his boundaries and mention her name in a private form of defiance. It would be his bruised neck or broken body if he did, she warned him of the clansman's potential for violence.

"Tell me, between ninjutsu and genjutsu... what fascinates you?"

 

[Kyuuji]

The repeating of his own words back to him confused him. “S’what I said,” He pointed out. He hadn’t a clue what Michi meant by it. If it was meant as correction or reprimand or something else it passed right over his oblivious head.

He nodded uncertainly at her claim, while not being all too certain that he wanted to wield weapons in the first place. That all made things way more complex, and wasn’t learning how to use a weapon very difficult? Then again, what with being an academy student, it was likely that he would be taught the basics of wielding weapons there. Still. Rikuto was feeling very unsure.

Obediently, he observed his hands, not quite sure what he was supposed to be looking for. He studied his fingertips. They were the same hands and fingertips he had always had. But when he looked at her hands and fingertips, they were very different. He had never really thought about, since his nails were a less noticeable sign of his heritage compared to his fangs, but he supposed that they were different from other people’s.

Ripping and tearing? That sounded kind of bad, but if he avoided connecting the idea of ripping and tearing to a target, as he did, he figured that the ability to rip and tear would be a good practical weapon. His teeth could rip and tear too, he supposed. The instinctual part of him liked that idea very much, which made him somewhat uncomfortable.

He nodded quietly at the mention of ninjutsu and genjutsu. Those were two of the types of the shinobi magic-like skills. He was pretty sure ninjutsu was general magic-stuff, and genjutsu was stuff that wasn’t real, like the illusion of the deadend that hid the home. Another nod at notion that knowing and being able to do was different. Still, he thought that knowing pretty much everything was fairly impressive.

Rikuto didn’t have enemies, he didn’t think so, anyway. He had pretty much thought that enemies were only things that occurred in books to main characters. He had never thought of them applying to real life. But Michi seemed so confident that he would have them in time, and he didn’t even consider the idea that Michi would mislead him. He didn’t know how to feel about that, so he just stood there, continuing to absorb information. His head was kind of starting to hurt from all this thinking.

Again, a nod. There was so much new stuff he was learning about topics he barely knew at all in the first place.

His academy instuctor was someone that Michi was warning him about? He really didn’t know how to feel about that. The name Sunaku sounded kind of familiar, like out of the stories that he knew. Rikuto didn’t get why knowing Michi could be a bad thing in someone’s eyes, at all. Michi was good, if a bit odd. Still, he would take the warning. Maybe there would be a way that he could learn more about Michi using Mister Sunaku. He was a little nervous at the thought of doing that, though. Being passionately aggressive didn’t sound good.

“Ninjutsu,” He responded immediately. That was the one that was real, he was pretty sure. So he chose that one. He wasn't sure if it fascinated him, but that was the one he wanted to learn.

 

[Michi]

The kid had moxie. It was not a wise choice, to test ones limits on someone that could also be a wolf, only in sheep's clothing. Still, as many youths did, he tested his limits. "Words have power," Michi replied, using words that would have been relevant to those that truly understood her upbringing.and the hidden meaning behind it. "You would not want to forfeit any of your power. When you use the right... whole word, you will be seen as knowledgeable and confident even when you are not. When you fail to do so, they will see you as either inadequate, uneducated or simply lazy." She was not going to force him to use real words, as he learned and understood the logic of why, he would heed her words on his own. If she forced the matter, he would rebel as all children do. "There might be a day when you choose to play the part of the fool, because pride is secondary to victory. To force your enemies to slacken their guard... To underestimate you." Michi was if anything, a master manipulator. Despite the fact that she has rarely, if ever fought in front of witnesses, it is a common sentiment by many that she is dangerous. "But there is no underestimating one so young. You have yet to learn anything and if you prove yourself clever, quick to learn and capable.... you will be afforded more opportunities than your peers not only for advancement but also learning."That was how people worked. They did not want to waste their time on an unsuccessful or futile endeavor. They wanted to teach and ally themselves with the best -- the strongest or the most capable. It would be some time before the boy was either, but they did not need to be aware of this.

She went on to discuss the augmentation of ones fists. As an Inuzuka, it was no surprise that he would fight with his hands and his feet. She would discuss strategic options to enhance the boy's skillset, to make him seem more capable.

In the meta sense she had told him the following:

• Weapons are necessary to perform taijutsu. Without one, you won't be able to perform a taijutsu attack.
• You make your weapon in the Dojo. If you do not have a Dojo created already, you should post in this thread to request one.
• Weapons are built using the rules provided here.
• Of interest, we have 7 types of weapons: Slashing, Bludgeoning, Piercing, Unarmed, Projectile, Thrown, and Puppet.
• Specific to Minami Rikuto: When you use an unarmed weapon due to the Inuzuka Bloodline Skill: Wolf's Visage your weapon can in addition to the things that it normally does also perform Slashing Taijutsu (think of it as working like a free Trick Weapon Augment that does not take up an augment slot) as well as Bleeding (which is a secondary effect that is not normally automatically given upon weapon creation with unarmed weapons so would either have to be added via a Bloodline Skill such as Wolf's Visage or through an augment such as Razor Strike) and as this also does not take up an augment slot or occupy one of your two options for a secondary effect with your weapon you can make a very powerful unarmed weapon.
• Every weapon type upon creation gets a secondary effect. When creating an Unarmed Type weapon the creator may choose either Suppression or they may retain the ability to use Handseals with their weapon equipped. Suppression is the percentile chance to cause your opponent to lose Action Points (AP) with each of your attacks. It is not a guarantee and with higher level taijutsu attacks the chances are higher. This is for some an effective means of disrupting their opponent's plans because if they do not have the AP to complete an action, then the action for that round is lost. The other option is the ability to retain handseals, the ability to retain handseals can be considered a strategic advantage for a user because you need to be able to perform handseals to cast any ninjutsu or genjutsu with rare exception. There are a few bloodlines that allow certain things to be cast without handseals (such as Hashigaki can cast genjutsu with their voice due to Enthralling Voice for instance) and there are a few jutsus that do not require handseals but they are few and far inbetween. Without this skill, a user would have to either drop or sheath their weapon before they cast their ninjutsu or genjutsu which takes time (AP) and they would also have to draw the weapon costing more time (AP) unless the user has the ability Quickdraw. When you create a weapon, you get to pick one of these two options.
• Weapons also have "modifiers" attached to them. A modifier is basically an accuracy buff (+2) or debuff (-2) or the choice of any number in-between. You get to choose how accurate or inaccurate your weapon is. A common question asked here is "why would anyone pick -2, I want to be accurate! This is true, but there is a cost to being accurate, your weapon will be less damaging. If you pick +2 accuracy, your attacks done with this weapon would be done at 90% of the original damage.
• You have have multiple weapons on your person.
  • E-rank: 2 Weapons
  • D-rank: 3 Weapons
  • C-rank: 4 Weapons
  • B-rank: 4 Weapons
  • A-rank: 5 Weapons
  • S-rank: 6 Weapons
• Having many weapons means that you can have situational weapons or even back-up weapons. Having weapons to do other taijutsu types might be appealing for some. Minami Rikuto Specific: but you have access to two taijutsu types anyways and have a weapon that has a lot of extra stuff if it has an unarmed base so you might want to primarily stick with that, but some find additional options enticing. The augments are what really make the weapon unique, when you look through the various augments in the Augment Shop you will notice that we have augments that make it easier for you to hide (Silencer), better at finding others (Lantern and Tracer) as well as neat stuff that you might find a use for such as Wired, things that will make you more durable or harder to hit (Swift, Lucky Dodge, Vanguard, etc.) when faced with a superior opponent as well as a multitude of other things.
• Making a weapon costs no yen, however the augments themselves do. Augments cost 2400 yen each. you would buy them in your weekly training. If you do not have a weekly training thread, you can make one here.
• As you grow, you will be able to have more augments in your weapon. Each weapon has 1 Augment Slot to be used for customization. All augments must be purchased individually. Players start out with their weapons and puppets having 1 Augment Slot. At D-Rank the number of Augment Slots increases to 2 and then again at B-Rank the total number of Augment Slots rises to 3. You do not need to discard your weapon when you are able to have 2 augments, instead you can simply state you are updating your weapon and state what augment(s) you are adding.

Note: This week's training will be extra due to Admin changes, you will have lots of fancy yen and a bunch of stat points. It might be a worthy consideration to make yourself a weapon, if not that is fine too. Next tutoring we will go over weapon creation and you can RP putting together a neat weapon if you want. We will be able to get this thread done pretty quickly in a few posts.

Link

• Each participant must make a minimum of 5 posts in the thread.
• Each participant must meet the minimum word count of 1500 words.

• 
  
  On a bookshelf near Rikuto, there were well.... books. A lot of them. "Third shelf from the floor, eighteen books to the right. Brown leather cover with the name Inuzuka Urufuu embossed on the spine," she would announce. "Start on page one-hundred and eighty three," she instructed as she attempted to reinforce what she had just taught him. Some were audial, some were visual, others tactile. The kid would experience all three if the situation permitted. It was a book about an old, now dead ally of hers. A Cabalist like her, he was killed after the incursion at the Omni Prime Medical Center several years ago by Mikaboshi. Yes, she was aware of the terrible thing he had done, Urufuu was her ally but she had her limits on what she could do for the moment but she never forgot this trespass. "He was once a good man." perceptions being debatable one could suppose.
  
  If he took the book, he would likely notice its' heft.The book was filled with small, neat handwriting as well as dozens of near photo-realistic pictures all drawn by hand. He looked like a wildman, with long sharp canines bares and a snarl on his face. His clothes were commonly layered and ripped, there was a madness in his eyes and there would be very few pictures drawn where he appeared placid and calm but they were in there as well. He always seemed to be alone, and in several of the pictures he carried a book. A very large book that appeared to be chained to his side. Tiny notes in the margins with a written warning Do Not Touch or Do Not Listen on those pages.
  
  On the page she had designated there was a lot of writing.
  

  Inuzuka Urufu has a Wolf-like Visage. Without companion, Urufu was an oddity among Inuzuka. In my studies I have come to understand that the canine companion of an Inuzuka appears to be far more than the average housepet, possessing in some cases near human-level intelligence, so too the Inuzuka seems to possess a number of animistic physical characteristics and mannerisms. Razor-sharp claws in place of frail nails, and sharp canine teeth and increased body hair. Urufu possesses all of these characteristics and more, his body seems to be accustomed perhaps even built for the harsh environment of Wind Country and conceivably lands beyond our borders. He also has what I could best describe as an affinity for pack-like relationships, predatory behaviors and a preference for hand-to-hand combat over the use of firearms, swords or the varied jutsu chakra-capables commonly employ.
  
  I have monitored Urufu in combat, favoring the use of his claws, while they appear to have the same basic dexterity as an average human hand the fingers themselves appear to be thicker, more muscular and his nail-beds deeper, his nails approximately four-times thicker than his peers. These claws have the ability to rip into his targets, the possibility of hemorrhage being a significant concern for those that enter combat with the Inuzuka. I had known him to supplement his claws with steel to support the limitations of calcium and flesh, place poisons on his hands and bandage his wrists to splint himself so that his body could endure greater abuses or his claws could dig deeper into his targets. I consider Urufu to be a powerful warrior and a steadfast ally, however I am concerned about his solitary nature as this defies the pack mentality that defines the canine species.
  
  Estimated enhances capacity within melee with his unarmed attacks: +15%
  His unarmed attacks cause slashing damaging.
  There is a percentile chance that when Urufu performs a melee attack that he could cause blood loss.
  
  His keen sense of smell has also astounded me. He knew of the health status, fertility, recent associations and meals of his allies. A skill I originally presumed to be the product of a keen eye for detail or the product of investigation, but I have learned over time that it is neither. His uncanny sense of smell made him not only an excellent tracker over protracted distances but it also made it nearly impossible to hide from him. While a frustration I do consider this also a fascination, their kinship with animals has caused them to manifest in more than behavioral and physical manners but it has also affected their senses. This creates a the consideration of nature versus nurture in the Inuzuka specimen, is his animistic nature a product of genetics or society's reaction towards him? I have come to the personal conclusion that it is genetic, because at his very core he experiences the world very differently than I do and regardless of how society reacts he would have a distinctively different experience.
  
  I have noticed that his weakness at times is his precision. He favored destructive talents and his attacks proved to be wild and unpredictable, but so did his capacity to harm. When he missed, he did no damage and when he struck true it proved devastating. However, a single miss conferred more than simple raw damage loss but also the loss of secondary effects such as bleeding or injury to an enemy. It is the product of my assessment that we need to seek to enhance Urufuu's dexterity to make certain his attacks consistently land.
  

  -- Receipt of information to Uchiha Kaito.​

  <i></i>

  
  She was a multi-tasked of course. She would continue on with her line of inquiry. What would he use to supplement his taijutsu. He would choose ninjutsu. An interesting choice, she would nod. It was the opposite of hers in every way. "A powerful option," she replied simply. "I have a number of books regarding ninjutsu that might prove to be an asset to you then." He was young, it would be some time before he found himself capable of using an advanced element so it would likely have to be a basic element that he specialized in at least for the moment. "Have you any thoughts on the element earth? She picked one at random of the choices. Earth was a powerful choice in its own right, but the others were as well. She would move her hands through a simple array of handseals and she would start to sink through the recliner that she was sitting in and down into the floor. She did not move her body beyond her hands. She was using a jutsu that was well beyond the boy's scope known as Inner Earth Reflection Lure. From below, once she was hidden a muffled voice would continue to speak. "Earth has a number of defensive options such as being able to hide oneself beneath the earth and using the earth to reinforce one's body as well as offensive options," there was some movement under the ground that the boy could just barely hear with his keen sense of sound. From the floor a hand would suddenly, without warning jut out at the boy and attempt to grip his ankle. If effective, the hand would pull the boy into the ground, well marble floor up to his neck. The earth firmly packed on either side of him, his arms would be pinned. This was the move: Double Decapitation, an effective bind. Michi would emerge from the floor and walk back to her chair and sit back down. She would close her eyes and clap twice, the lights would turn off. Yes, she used a clapper. "Try to break free, when you succeed you might want to get some rest. You have much to learn tomorrow. And beware of your puppy, they like to mark at their age and your face has no defense."
  
  What peril!

 

[Kyuuji]

Words had power, Michi said. To Riku, it sounded like everything had power according to Michi. It was pretty confusing. Words were just words, weren’t they? Sure, fists and feet could have power, and so could all that ninja magic stuff. But all this talk of enemies and deception didn’t make sense to the young Inuzuka. Misleading something sounded like something that bad guys did, and Riku didn’t want to be a bad guy. But if Michi said it was okay, he supposed that it had to be. He was frowning a bit, but he nodded.

There was all this talk of weapons and damage types and it all made his head spin. At the very least, he was pretty sure that he got the parts that applied to him, filing the rest away in the back of his brain for review at a later date.

Obediently, he searched out the book she specified with some difficulty, perking up with interest at the name specified. An Inuzuka, like mom? That meant family. It was with curious eyes that he flipped through the pages of the book. “Was?” He asked, a bit confused. The man depicted in the pages was almost feral, but he was also alone. As he continued to flip through the pages, he saw no sign of the Inuzuka’s partner. When he started reading the named page, he found himself disconcerted at the notion that this Inuzuka had lacked a partner. He couldn’t imagine not having Isamu. There were some tough words on the page, but he did his best to decipher the meaning, wanting to know more about this relative. He got the basics of it, at the very least.

“Earth?” He shook his head. “Hadn’t thought ‘bout it.” If Michi recommended Earth, though, that’s what he would do.

He was wide-eyed at the demonstration of the jutsu, and he was caught unaware by the sudden attack. He was pulled down into the ground, the earth wrapped tight around him. He tried to wriggle, but the earth wouldn’t give. He tried harder, but still, he was stuck.

“Michi! I can’t get out!” He enunciated his words to emphasize his point. Again, he tried, but he failed. Was she just going to leave him stuck here?

 

[Michi]

"Clans can be cruel when you are different," she explained. "He was exiled because he had no companion creature. He was still an exceptionally capable fighter and fiercely loyal, but he was also different. And being different is commonly something that is often feared," that was why she looked so average. Her scars and bruises hidden beneath scarves and jackets despite the desert heat. It also muted the chill that emanated from her body since that day years ago. She was of course generalizing Urufuu's misfortune, there was much to learn regarding his plight and his legacy. "He had a wolf companion, but... it was not like theirs. It was much bigger. And... it was a kinship he developed later in life, after he was exiled." She explained. His story was sad, but every member of the Cabal had a similar story to tell. Ones of loss and of rejection. There was no exception among them, it was what united them in those days.

She would go on to ninjutsu. There was no issue with any of the ninjutsu elements, they all had their benefits. Earth was simply the product of random choice. She was capable of using any of the base elements proficiently. The boy would find himself trapped in the floor, eye level with the underside of every bit of furniture. It was pretty clean, even in the places where dust-bunnies oft congregate. She made no effort to recover him from the floor. He would break free in his own time, binds can only hold for so long. The boy would call out for help. "I can not get out," she repeated omitting the contraction. He was fine, if not a bit panicked. The earth would loosen as he struggled and eventually he would worm free. She would elevate the feet on her recliner chair, the room was pitch black when the lights were turned off and the foot of her recliner only barely missed the poor Inuzuka's face. While he could not see it, he could feel the wind disturbance as it passed him by only barely.

"It is not a victory unless you struggle to achieve," she declared with her eyes closed. She was not sleeping, she only slept about an hour a day. She was eating. Yes, she was eating the darkness. A concept foreign to the child and one she did not announce, the child would never understand. Michi had become a creature of darkness some time ago, her choice was to either subsist on souls or the darkness itself to satisfy the Deep Court potion of her nature. She often claimed that it was a fear of the curse of consumption that prevented her from partaking in the very essence of life like Kazuki and Mikaboshi did, the heart of the matter was that she did not want to be responsible for the loss of life when there was another way. Yes, it could be seen as good by some, but it was also an exploitable weakness that would hopefully remain unnoticed. She was a capable killer if necessary and she was far from religious, she even had plans to kill in the coming months but there was a limit to the blood she would have on her hands. "You can do it," she encouraged him. She would not save him from his dog if Isamu did indeed have a full bladder, in fact is she was aware she would make a clicking noise with her tongue and attempt to summon the dog closer. Urgency seemed to expedite the process in her experience.

Would the boy be able to immediately escape?

Probably not. It would take him time to do so. Michi would eventually walk off, pushing the legs of her chair down with her feet which would plant on either side of Rikuto's head. She was careful to not kick him, she knew where she had left him. She would leave the room, still plunged in darkness, the woman had eyes like a bat. She would busy herself in the other room -- being the kitchen for a salad and the bathroom for a nice tub. Clean, fastidious. She would even take a book from the shelves and continue her writing in an adjacent, lit room.

[Attempting to Leave Topic, Completing this Tutor Session]​

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[Kyuuji]

The idea of a wolf companion gave him pause. He had always thought of wolves and dogs as very different, with dogs being good and wolves being bad. That was why being an Inuzuka was okay but turning into a wolf was not. But if that Inuzuka had a wolf companion, maybe he wouldn’t mind have minded Riku sometimes being a wolf? He would never know. If Michi hadn’t minded the wolf companion, maybe she wouldn’t mind him being Fang Marked? She didn’t seem to mind people being different, judging from what she said. But he dare not ask, keeping quiet and listening instead.

He was struggling with the earth that surrounded him compactly. “S’what I said!” He argued when Michi corrected him. She seemingly ignored him, instead doing something that he couldn’t see what with it being all dark. She said something else, but Riku didn’t really care much to hear it when he was current trapped in the ground. Words and sayings were all nice and all, but they didn’t mean much to the boy when he was stuck in a situation where words didn’t seem to help at all.

Left alone, Riku found himself struggling for a while. It might’ve been hours before he actually felt the earth begin to loosen, or it might not have been, but it certainly felt like hours to the boy. When he finally got free, he was exhausted from wriggling his way out of the ground. He dragged himself to the room and immediately flopped down on the bed, waking up the sleeping puppy that whined at him, a sound he recognized. Isamu had to go pee.

Not wanting Michi’s words to come true, he improvised, getting himself out of bed and bringing the dog to the bathroom, not daring to go outside lest he be locked out, and he waited for the dog to pee on the tile floor before he cleaned it all up. Gross, but necessary. That done with, he finally could collapse onto the bed amongst the mountains of pillows, and he immediately fell asleep. It had been a long day.

[Leave Topic]