A/N: So what does semi-canon mean? These events didn't happen (and indeed, some of it might be too compressed anyways) but the facts are true. If you'd bothered to talk to Yuichi even once, he'd probably have been willing to open up about his sexuality, but you didn't.
Other things are also facts, including how it's going in the Archipelago.
But the events of this didn't happen.
So, yeah.
Notably, this was written today in a bit of a rush, and I hope it qualifies as good fluff.
Cute omake. Too bad the dance club was closed, but those are the perils of working a job in show business that keeps us busy in the evenings. If any of this had happened, which it didn't, of course.
The news from the Archipelago makes me wonder how Okiie is feeling. Because the invasion turned it to be a United Shinobi force, it sounds like it was wrapped up faster and with far fewer casualties than Emiko thought would happen. These trials wouldn't be happened if they hadn't captured plenty of people to try. His mother might well have made it out alive. Is he regretting having left? Does he want to send his parents a message?
Remember, interestingly, I rolled for all of this. Well, except for two people: Shizue and Okiie, who are both straight. Oh and Emiko too. But other than that, most of the 'genin cast' (not the various NPCs) was rolled for their sexuality/etc.
I then sat down and tried to figure out the implications and etc and how that would shape them and so on.
My dice were interesting, honestly, at least pretty often.
Remember, interestingly, I rolled for all of this. Well, except for two people: Shizue and Okiie, who are both straight. Oh and Emiko too. But other than that, most of the 'genin cast' (not the various NPCs) was rolled for their sexuality/etc.
I then sat down and tried to figure out the implications and etc and how that would shape them and so on.
My dice were interesting, honestly, at least pretty often.
I didn't quite use the official numbers, so it might be somewhat biased in terms of a diversity of orientations. Like, if I remember correctly, I used a D20 and something like the first...12? 13? Numbers were all straight or 'primarily straight but there's some leaning', which probably means that while still far less likely, non-straight sexualities and orientations were possibly overrepresented? Not sure.
I actually built and then lost the chart I made, which is why I recently had to make another chart to roll an aspect of a character's sexuality that I hadn't thought about.
I mean, since I did tell Tsume or someone that one of the characters is aromantic, what I'd forgotten to roll for was their *sexuality*.
Because a person who is aromantic still has sexual attraction, because duh why didn't I think about that. Well, I did, but I hadn't specified things.
Act 3, Scene 16: Routes and Paths, The Way Forward?
The foes faced each other down, and Shizue reflected that if there was one contest Stinger wasn't going to lose, it was a staring contest. He stood, cloak hanging limp on him in the gym, as her fingers shifted subtly. He was ready to fight, though she wondered just how much there would be to repair after this battle.
Across from her stood Saya, all the way on the other side of the room. Just another advantage that Stinger was starting with, and she knew that he'd need all he could get. The past week of training had taught Shizue to fear and respect the small girl even more than she did before. Stinger might be taller than Saya, but she knew that if she attempted to turn this into a pure slugging match she'd be desperately repairing Stinger for quite a while.
But she had a few tricks up her sleeve, and she glanced over at Emiko, who yawned and said, "Alright, so here are the rules. Shizue-chan is not a valid target, Saya. Shizue, you have antidotes to all of your poisons on you, as I asked?"
"In a sealing scroll," she said.
"Saya, your poisons won't do much good on a puppet," Emiko said with a wry smile, "Though you're free to still use them."
"Not until I figure out how to create something that acts as acid on wood and not skin, no," Saya said, her voice calm and careful.
She was confident, sure of victory. But Shizue had a plan as well.
"As well, Shizue, you can use your Dizzy Spell jutsu," Emiko explained, "Just to make things realistic."
"Realistically, wouldn't I be slipping past that brute and dealing with Shizue-chan?" Saya asked.
"Perhaps, or perhaps something stops you from doing it," Emiko said, "What matters is that these circumstances can happen."
Shizue brought up the arm of the puppet. The first step was to hit Saya. Hit Saya and drag her abilities down. This might fail, this might work, but as Emiko said, "Ready?"
She was.
"Go!"
[Opening Credits]
She felt removed from the action. For the first time in her life, she was fighting with Stinger and she was at no risk. It was as if she was detached, hovering away from the fight. Nothing was at stake but her pride as a puppeteer, but that was enough and her fingers blurred, but slower than they should have, because Saya was already moving.
Saya was a blur, crossing the distance in moments, but whatever Shizue's fingers lacked, Stinger was far too fast to be caught, and he ran left, turning and aiming in one motion, precious moments spared towards this shot.
The only way to defeat Saya, Shizue had decided, was to all but cripple her and force her into a situation where she couldn't fight her way out.
The shot was perfect, and even from this angle, and it sliced across her neck as Saya charged onward. Stinger barely kept ahead of her and Shizue dodged to the right as the bells deployed, ringing their Dizzy Spell out as Saya groaned and redoubled her efforts to close, but this time, as the distance between Shizue and her puppet expanded, she was ready to try Stinger out.
The bells rang as they clashed, met in a single instant of extreme violence that stretched out into seconds of battling as Shizue's fingers danced trying to interpret it all from a far off view, a fight she wasn't part of but needed to win.
Saya's style was fast, aggressive, and brutal, but Stinger was shifting so fast that her blows glanced off his arms and legs as he moved this way and then that, his blades lashing out at Saya as she tried to block them. The blow slid along her kimono, and...she blocked it.
The kimono tore, and beneath it Shizue spied steel armguards for a single moment. Oh.
The blow still sliced into her arm before Shizue was forced to retreat a step to block a brutally quick jab that slammed into the chest of the puppet and cracked wood as it did.
But Shizue had been keeping track of the moments, and Saya groaned in sudden agony as the second effect of the poison took its toll. She had prepared it carefully, and besides making the limbs heavy, it created stomach pains that could lead to bleeding and could even in theory be fatal, though only on those already dying.
Stinger's blows didn't get through, but neither did Saya's as she entered the defensive, backing up a step and then another, driven back by the force of Stinger's attacks. Her movements were too slow, and the bell rang again and again, jingling as he slashed at her, determined to finish this.
The pains would subside and then increase again, even worse, if she took too long. She couldn't, in other words, stall forever, and time was on Shizue's side. The two fighters were trading blows, and Shizue's fingers were almost tired even though it couldn't have been long, but the cuts and slices across Saya's arms and chest and even a single glancing cut against her face all told the story.
Blow for blow, Saya was losing, piece by piece.
Blood flowed and wood cracked, and Shizue didn't let up the assault, and she had Stinger push forward even further, as Saya was unable to ward off the blows. She returned the favor, but she was favoring one side now as Stinger's cuts left huge tracks down her arms, blood now dripping in a constant stream to the ground as Saya panted and retreated.
Shizue pressed Stinger forward, and Saya struck. Suddenly the same pattern of twisting dodge that had worked before failed as Saya pressed forward, suddenly aggressive, her blows brutal, but Stinger was able to dodge just enough even with the loss of advantage that it was still even, and Saya was falling apart faster.
She was panting constantly now, warding off blows with difficulty at best, every second another chance for the poison to do its work, and while there were large parts of Stinger that were partially crushed, the internal armor had saved anything from breaking.
Saya's renewed attack turned into a retreat, but Shizue hesitated, not wanting to follow into a trap, and Saya had a brief moment to pause before she shot forward, a total blur. Faster than Shizue had ever seen her.
Fingers danced as Stinger sprung just out of the way of a blow that might have crushed him, moving backwards in the air, but Saya was there, and this blow crushed one of its arms and almost caved in its chest, and then she slammed her arm towards its head, and Shizue barely kept Stinger from collapsing as she had him twist back as fast as he could.
"Enough!" Emiko said, and Saya aborted the attack, her forward momentum taking her into a wall, as Stinger too slammed into the wall and crumbled down beneath it.
Saya tumbled and recovered just enough to land on her knees, panting and trembling, her body a mass of bloody wounds, including a deep cut across her neck from early in the fight. Saya panted and Shizue stared at Stinger, moving the strings and managing to get him to stand, but only just barely. Something in the legs had given out, or perhaps the mechanism that connected the legs to everything else.
She'd lost, but looking at Saya...Shizue couldn't help but think she'd made a point.
*****
Saya was still kneeling there as Shizue inspected the damage. It'd take a night and a day to get Stinger fixed up, but he'd be repairable. Saya was similarly damaged, and it was clear by the way that Emiko was looking over the wounds that she was treating it seriously.
There were times when Saya had seemed perfect, as if she could never suffer a hair out of place, but in that moment Shizue realized that if the fight had gone a little differently, and if it had somehow been to the death, she might have killed Saya. Of course the rules had favored her, had robbed Saya of the ability to fight past Stinger and attack Shizue directly.
But Stinger had still fought Saya to this point, and once he was repaired she might… well, not gloat, but...
"I got it," Saya said, "Darling. I figured out the...puh-puhzlle." She had a split lip and she was spitting out blood, probably from a bit tongue, since otherwise she was in bad enough condition that Emiko wouldn't merely be looking over her but dragging her away.
Shizue paused, and then realized that the reason Saya had gone on the defensive and retreated was less that she was being pushed back, and more that she was biding her time and trying to figure out Stinger. Though it was also clear that she had been losing at that point, had been losing all the way up until the moment she'd won. Yet her offensive had taken time to succeed, and even towards the end a single blow differently…
Shizue's hands felt almost cramped, and she realized after a moment that Emiko was talking to her.
"Antidote?" Emiko asked, frowning.
"I have it," Shizue said.
"You did well," Emiko said as soon as she'd taken the scroll and opened it up, looking through the vials, "And that poison was well made."
"It was adequate, darling, considering what you had to work with," Saya offered, though her words were still swollen and slurred, and so it sounded less elegant and composed than she thought.
Saya frowned, looking briefly disgusted before admitting, "You did well."
"You fought well too," Shizue said, "If I was going to fight again I would have tried to keep my distance longer and used the water gun to irritate your skin."
Saya looked at where Stinger was for a moment, as if thinking through just where a water gun would have been hidden, and finding no hints in the tangled mass of puppet.
With quick, practiced motions Shizue sealed it up and stood, "I apologize for any pain I caused you, Saya-chan."
"...your puppet too," Saya responded as she took the antidote Emiko offered and drank it down, looking at her bloodied body with even more disgust than before.
"We should get you to Rika-chan soon, Saya-chan," Emiko said, completely distracted. "Are you going somewhere, Shizue-chan?"
"The fight is over, and at the moment I have to think about who I'm taking along when I go to the capital to meet the Daimyo," Shizue said, sounding as innocent as she could manage.
"Daimyo?" Saya asked, and the eagerness is rather hard to miss.
"Are you interested?" Shizue asked with a smile, "It'd involve spending a week with me."
"Sacrifices have to be made," Saya slurred.
Shizue smiled and shook her head as she left into the bright morning.
******
Shizue felt as if she were in a world of her own devising. Not everything was perfect, but she had confidence now that her puppet had proven himself capable of standing up in one-on-one single combat with one of the two most combat capable of the other genin, and that when in other circumstances she might have tried to keep her distance as long as possible.
It was hardly an endorsement as the best fighter in the group, but she felt as if, with Stinger as he was now, she could keep up. On a team she could even excel.
So now, having accomplished one remarkable thing, in that same spirit of optimism she was going to attempt to convince Ginchiyo to swallow her pride for just a moment. Swallow it when she'd held it in her mouth for so long, when it was what Ginchiyo had.
The weeks had not been kind to her and her friends, and the way they had looked, the hunger in their eyes.
Some nights all Ginchiyo had had to hold in her mouth was her pride, and yet Shizue knew that there had to be more.
So she walked down the street and when she came to the alley and saw Ginchiyo alone she advanced.
Ginchiyo glanced up, and while she didn't seem surprised, her hand still inched closer to her sword for a moment until she was sure it was Shizue. She looked a little worse for wear, as if she'd been scuffled up, and Shizue's first question stopped in its tracks. "What happened, Ginchiyo-san?"
"Genin," Ginchiyo said, "Brats."
"What?" Shizue asked.
"We came across some genin," Ginchiyo explained, "Missing-nin like us I could assume. They picked a fight with us, claimed we were muscling in on them."
Shizue frowned, "Were you?"
"Do I look like we found a job?" Ginchiyo asked, the bitterness rich and layered, "We fought, it was more like a scrap, no weapons were drawn. We won."
Shizue looked at Ginchiyo for a moment, in that dank and unimportant alley, and wondered at the fight. She thought a lot of things, but in that moment she inched forward and asked the question, "Why did you lie to Sanosuke and Ginjiro?"
"Lie? What lie?" Ginchiyo asked, but her voice caught on the statement, like a single wrong note in a song.
"Emiko-sensei would not kill you if she saw you again, that isn't what she said at all. Are you trying to avoid her to plan just that?" Shizue asked, "Or is there something more?"
"Fight her? Nobody can fight her," Ginchiyo said, as if she was stating the nature of the weather, "And how can I hate her when I'm a traitor too? When I'm reduced to this." She growled, gesturing to the world at large, her features pinched and small, "Any hate by her is because here I am and here you are, looking as if you won a prize. What happened?"
"I fought Saya with my puppet, Stinger, and while he lost, he did well in his trial," Shizue said.
"Ah," Ginchiyo said, and she smiled almost fondly, her frame stiffening as she said, "Then I am glad that this puppet business of yours has proven that impressive, I remember Saya as a skilled fighter."
"Nothing compared to you," Shizue said, and it wasn't even flattery so much as the plain truth.
"That comes with time," Ginchiyo said.
"So why?" Shizue asked, "Why lie to them?"
"They will be back here any minute," Ginchiyo said.
Shizue crossed her arms. "Then I'll tell them at that point unless you explain yourself."
Ginchiyo looked for a moment like she was considering driving Shizue away, but after a moment she said, "Emiko-san would steal them just like she stole everyone else. I've failed as their leader, I can't even get a simple job for them, we're starving and ragged and you…" she gestured at the skirt that Shizue was wearing, "You're not."
Shizue frowned, "How would you have known before?"
"I suspected," Ginchiyo said, "Without even seeing one of you. Emiko hadn't mentioned wealth, but she has to have a lot of money, she bought an entire ship offhand." Ginchiyo looked around, clearly listening for an approach."
"I can tell you when they're coming," Shizue said, hands running through the seals for enhanced hearing.
It was strange, hearing the world just a little bit better, but as long as nobody was screaming there wouldn't even be any downsides or annoyances.
"Ah, sound jutsu," Ginchiyo said, "But… that's it. They would have left me and then I'd be alone. I've asked a lot of them, to become a traitor like I have, to journey away from Reef and the land we've known all our life into a strange land...but what was I supposed to do if they left? It's better that they don't know there's no reason we can't go to Emiko on our knees and beg for scraps like the dogs in the street."
The anger and fear in that voice suddenly left Shizue chilled. She thought of how Genta had feared someone seeing him, how she had felt alone, how...everything. How Ichiman had thought it was normal for someone to not have parents, because so many people in Reef had no parents. What Ginchiyo had were her two friends, and she was failing them.
"Fine, but what if they attack Emiko when they see her in the thought that they might as well go down fighting?" Shizue asked.
Ginchiyo sighed, "I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."
"Why not take the courier job? Mail ninja have a long and storied tradition."
"Yet…" Ginchiyo said, "It isn't the sort of job I have the skills for. Or any of us, really. And it's so… so undignified."
"This place is a powder keg, or at least it's far more complex than you'd think," Shizue argued, listening close for Ginjiro and Sanosuke's approach, "Just try it. I can't do anything more than try to help you by telling you to take what you can. We're going to be leaving soon anyways, so if you're so worried about that…"
She sighed, "I can't continue like this. I hope we don't meet again any time soon, if we're going to be going off and doing this… courier stuff."
"I can't promise anything," Shizue said, "I don't know where we're going, but wherever you wind up, I wish you the best of luck."
"You too, Shizue-chan," Ginchiyo said gruffly, crossing her arms.
"I had feared that trying to talk to you about this would have been…"
Ginchiyo shook her head, "Hunger is a hell of a motivator. Keep safe, and get stronger." She shrugged her shoulders, and said, "If we meet again, I hope it's not too soon."
Shizue nodded, realizing full well that it was at least possible they could meet on opposite sides of a mission, but in that moment, sure that Ginchiyo might find a way out of her problems, she could only smile and say, "Would you like to eat lunch with me? If you want you can owe it back to me at some point in the future when we meet again."
Shizue took a breath, "You and your teammates."
Ginchiyo hesitated and said, "When they get back, yes."
*****
There was only so much that could be talked about as they ate their noodles. The present was tricky and the future was vague, but the past had room for everything, and when Sanosuke asked about the investigation that'd ended up exposing the Water Snake, Shizue found that while she was very careful to not step on any toes talking about what happened, she actually was comfortable enough to discuss it.
It seemed as if enough time had passed that the Archipelago had again become a topic she could talk about without fear, and even if she had done and said plenty of things back on Reef that she didn't want to discuss with Ginchiyo, detailing the way they had investigated the matter and how it had all gone down.
Ginjiro and Sanosuke had both heard the stories, but that wasn't the same as hearing what the fight was like, and they pressed her for detail after detail until at last she was exhausted and everyone was full.
An afternoon well spent, she decided, as she went to talk to Genta.
It was perhaps a letdown when he agreed without much more than the preamble to accompany her on the mission to the capital.
******
Though then there was the conversation with Emiko-sensei. That night, after yet another evening playing the Dark Sorceress, Emiko was waiting for her in the living room when she went down to repair Stinger.
"I know about what was going on with Ginchiyo-chan," Emiko said, casually, as if the words meant nothing at all.
"I… thought you might, but--"
"But what?" Emiko asked, "Did you ever think that perhaps there was a reason I was not telling any of you about Ginchiyo and her companions? I was also keeping her from getting too close to any of us as well, though her own fears did that well enough."
"And what was hurt by me going?" Shizue asked, "Emiko-sensei, Ginchiyo's going to find a courier job and they'll be gone, nothing bad happened."
"You're right," Emiko said, stretching slightly, "Nothing bad happened, but it could have, easily. I had the situation under control. In a day or two a job as an escort for a ship headed to southern fire country would have showed up and Ginchiyo-chan would have by an accident of good luck been the one to find it. Her pride would have been preserved and she would have been out of this land without any further chances for us to cross paths."
"I don't think it's that important," Shizue said, "She's not going to attack you. Things ended well."
Emiko frowned and said, "Perhaps they did, Shizue-chan, but consider how many things I am dealing with right now. There is more going on than you know."
Shizue frowned and said, "I understand you work hard, Emiko-sensei, why not just tell me what's going on, then? I'm going to be on my own for a week or maybe a little more soon, you can hardly steer events from halfway across Tea."
"I'm working on it," Emiko said with a smile and a laugh, clearly trying to ease the tension that had entered the room. "You… didn't really make a mistake, but just consider that I'm in possession of any number of facts that you aren't. I hope Ginchiyo is doing well. Are her two teammates still laboring under the assumption that I would kill them?"
Shizue frowned at Emiko, who was so casually discussing her own death. "Yes… I tried to figure out why…"
"Ah, so it's still in place. Good," Emiko said, "She has her pride, and I'm not going to be the woman to break it in two. Maybe it's not the healthiest thing, but it's what drives her forward."
Emiko looked at Shizue and said, "Apologies for confronting you like this, but I'd let it go on long enough."
"If you really wanted me to stop," Shizue pointed out, "You could have done so any time in the last few days."
Emiko frowned and said, as if testing out the words for the first time, "It was a matter of seeing how you'd react, but I'd been planning on reeling it in earlier."
Which made sense, but did still feel a little off. Shizue nodded though, and wasn't even surprised when Emiko melted into the shadows and disappeared.
She had work to do, and she'd discussed the matter with Emiko-sensei.
[Commercial]
Abe-san smiled at her those last few days a lot more often once she'd agreed. Not that he hadn't been friendly, but he was even more friendly now, and Shizue's mood was buoyant as she repaired Stinger. Saya had done quite a number on him, but now that she knew how to build him and had access to the materials, it wasn't even a day and a half before he was repaired.
The play's takings dipped briefly as the novelty wore off, only for the last night Shizue was there to be absolutely packed, which was not good news because half of the puppets were desperately in need of maintenance and some of the actors were halfway sick and the whole thing almost wound up a total disaster that left Shizue scrambling to make up for a flubbed line or two as everyone pushed themselves as if it were opening night and the world was watching.
It was incredibly stressful, far from the last night she had expected, but in another way she almost enjoyed it. In another life, Shizue thought as she went through lines she'd spoken dozens of times before, she might have enjoyed being an actress, especially like this.
She was a kunoichi though, it was her lineage and her family. But if she was ever in this city again and Abe-san needed someone and she had the time and energy…
Those were a lot of ifs, but she decided she would be happy to help. The fact that she was actually rather well compensated didn't hurt either. The sort of money she was making from this mission was enough that, were she an adult with her own apartment, she'd be able to support herself off of it, and that was before the slim share of the total profits that Abe-san had decided she was entitled to. A slim share that was still large enough to make her realize that shinobi and most people operated on a very different scale.
Of course, that scale also included the fact that repairing Stinger had turned out to be quite expensive, and she assumed that all sorts of other resources…
Either way, by the end of the night she was tired, but she wanted to talk to Abe-san, since she would probably not see him for some time.
She found him in his room, writing, eyes half-closed as he did.
When she opened the door he turned slightly and said, "Ah, Shizue-chan, nice to see you. Did you get the packet?"
A day ago he had given her a packet that explained some about court etiquette and what she would be expected to do. Most of it involved waiting around until they could get an audience with the Daimyo, which is why the mission would take a week and not a day. She'd looked over it as everyone packed, and even read it together with Okiie when they went to lunch the other day.
Everyone was leaving soon, not merely Genta, Saya and herself, and while the rest were going to be leaving in stages for parts mostly unknown (or at least not revealed yet), they were going to journey to the capital of Tea Country, Kurihara.
"Yes, I did, thank you Abe-san. I hope to make a good impression," Shizue said. The packet itself told her not to be worried if everyone didn't love it or if the Daimyo refused, since both were quite possible, and to merely try her best. People would be watching less to see the result, and more to see that the play had given it their very best try than to expect success.
"You'll do fine," Abe said, "I have faith in your acting abilities. You've done a good job, and from what I've seen of your friends, they're good people as well."
Shizue smiled slightly, but then as she stepped forward she thought about how many members of the cast were still leery around her. She frowned, and that frown deepened before she said, "Not everyone agrees."
"Shizue-chan," he said, and he turned fully, hand stilling, "People are always going to judge you for who you are and what you do. They're going to judge you by any damn thing they can, pardon my language. They'll judge you by who you like to kiss or why you do anything...they'll judge you for your heritage or for your lack of heritage or…"
He gestured grandly at himself, the samurai topknot, the blank forehead protector, as if his whole being was proof of it. "But you just push through that. You fight against it as long as you can manage, and if you go down, you do it as best you can. Not everything someone judges you on is fair, but people have reasons."
Abe shook his head, the gesture seemingly made for the stage, "They forget how many shinobi were involved. One of the three main founders was a shinobi, and a man I respect if he lives still. Uzumaki Hikaru was grandson.., or great grandson, not sure which, to Naruto-sama... he was young when I met him, and idealistic. He founded the Home with two civilians who could use chakra and at its height there were more than a few shinobi in Konoha and elsewhere who supported it."
Abe paused, "When the time came, he went to Naruto-sama and begged him on his hands and knees to get involved. He told me that even if he could not truly change the results, his voice would matter, people would listen and know and in the future perhaps they'd take heed. The stories vary on what happened then…"
Shizue listened, enraptured.
"They don't vary on his refusal, or on the fact that his grandson sank to his knees in the dirt to do it. They don't vary on what he did after that."
"What?" Shizue asked.
"He left. They found his forehead protector with a slash through it and his apartment empty. As far as I know he's still out there," Abe-san said, "He left because Konoha had betrayed what he believed in, and while others didn't leave, some retired."
"I didn't leave," Shizue said, "The other job I had besides this one…"
She hesitated, "I was working at a warehouse where people were striking for better treatment, and I didn't leave."
Abe-san frowned, "And you feel guilty?"
"Yes, I do," Shizue said, "But at the same time, I don't know...I told myself even if I left someone else would come in…"
He moved forward to rest his hand on her shoulder and said, "In life, you do things that you don't want to, and you do things you regret. If you regret it, resolve not to do it again, or if you regret how you went about it...change that. I admit that my plays are partially about people making the same mistakes over and over again and failing to change unless forced to, but…"
"But plays aren't life," Shizue said.
"For one they have to make sense," Abe-san pointed out. "And I know there's another place you fled: the Archipelago."
"How do you…?"
"That accent. There's a radio clip going around of a civilian talking about how badly Island treated its people, and the woman sounds like you," Abe-san said. "I've been following the matter pretty closely."
Shizue hadn't, and she looked at him startled, "I guess it would be something… the way we acted in the Archipelago was, well...."
Shizue took a breath, "If those were the shinobi that the cast knew, then I wouldn't have felt as offended. Though something like what you're doing here couldn't exist in the Archipelago, where every warm body matters and puppetry was looked down on."
"Was, it's gone now, the world that once was," Abe-san said, "It always passes, good or bad."
Shizue nodded and said, looking up at him, "I guess it does."
"You survived all through that to get here," Abe-san said, "I can't even imagine the stories you have to tell. Some day would you be willing to tell them to me?"
"It depends," Shizue said, remembering what Emiko had said just a few days before. "I can't tell you all about some of the people I met. Some of them are still alive, some of them still… but if you want to know what it was like to grow up in the Archipelago, or about some of the people I knew that are still there… I can tell you that."
Abe-san smiled, "I wouldn't want to keep you up…"
Shizue smiled back, "I'd be happy to tell you. We leave early in the morning, but I'm used to working late nights."
"Well, then, perhaps I might learn something," Abe-san said, "Thank you for sharing, Shizue-chan. I say that in advance, and if at any point you need to stop or conceal something, please feel free to do so."
[Commercial Break]
The next morning, Shizue was tired and Emiko-sensei was late. Saya tapped her foot next to far too many bags and Genta looked left and right. Shizue was starting to get used to some of Genta's basic tells, and it was pretty clear that he was wanting to use his Shomeigan to check, but was holding back.
Shizue for her part had sealed away quite a bit more than she'd be unpacking, and that included the repaired Stinger.
Saya yawned, more from boredom than anything, covering her mouth, and said, "Darling, is that… puppet of yours repaired?"
"He is," Shizue said.
"One day you'll explain what's male about that puppet," Saya said.
"It's obvious," Genta said, and Shizue suspected that he had a long list of reasons it was obvious. In fact, she was heartened by the idea.
"Well, sure, I guess it sorta looks like a man in that it's a wooden puppet, but…" Saya waved her hand, her expression teasing. She was in a good mood, so her teasing wasn't even harsh.
"It's not all wood," Shizue said.
And then Saya said, straight faced, "Darling, the parts that matter are."
Shizue stared at Saya for a moment, the girl, other than a few stitches that would likely be out soon enough looking as perfect as always, and tried to comprehend the sort of joke that she had just been told.
It was enough to wake her up in shock, at the very least.
Shizue smiled, and it was about then, twenty minutes late, that Emiko appeared, circles under her eyes… and again, changed.
Shizue had seen it once before, the night after the premier, when she'd seen Emiko-sensei in the best mood she'd ever been in despite the clear signs of a hangover. Again, there were a few signs, and the circles and the slight indications that she'd dressed hastily, the wrinkles that could be from clothes picked up off the floor…
"Apologies for being late," Emiko said, "I fell asleep."
"Darling, how could you?!" Saya asked, "In a bed, no less?"
Emiko laughed, "Yes, indeed. In a bed."
"I'll forgive you just this once, Emiko-sensei," Saya said.
"Good, because I'm not sorry," Emiko said, and Genta was very carefully looking away.
Shizue felt she was missing something. "So, who are we going to be meeting?" Shizue asked.
"I had the information written down, and I'll give it for you, but Kawanishi Takuma is a very skilled chunin level missing-nin who is currently in the capital on some sort of espionage mission, something involving the court, going by what he's said. He's not quite a friend, but he owes me a few favors and he should be able to keep an eye on you."
Shizue nodded. Trust was what she had to have for Emiko-sensei that she knew how to pick who owed her favors.
"Oh and Genta…" Emiko said with a grin, "You can continue your assignment in the capital. I have an idea of what's going on here. As long as you don't actually infiltrate any places. Just keep your head close to the ground."
Saya glanced over at Genta as Emiko continued, "And Saya, there will be a test on the habits of Tea nobility and just what sorts of fashions are popular among them… Shizue, do your best, show them all what skill you have at puppets. And," Emiko said thoughtfully, half humming to herself, almost bouncing.
She was almost a different person when she was in a good mood, for whatever reason. "There's one more matter. If you want, you could meet with a court musician I know, through Abe-san. His name is Nobusuke, and if you tell him about Abe-san, perhaps you could have an interesting conversation."
And with that she gave a wave and said, "If that is all, I'll see to the others…"
"It isn't all," Genta said calmly, and he stepped forward and said, "I'm going to miss you, Emiko-sensei." Then he held out his hand. He wasn't going to hug someone, but Emiko took it and shook it firmly, and that broke the dam, and Shizue ran to hug Emiko-sensei as they stood in the living room and finally Saya bowed to Emiko as the shinobi took her leave.
"See you in a week, week and a half at most," Emiko said, and then she was gone.
[Ending Credits]
On the road, what does Shizue do? (Choose 2)
[] Focus on talking with her teammates.
[] Practice her music for the meeting.
[] See if there's anyone interesting along the way to talk to.
[] Listen for gossip/gather information.
[] Study the books Emiko will be having them read, and work on Fuinjutsu.
*****
Same deal as usual! Fuinjutsu has improved and become more steady, on top of any XP gain that might be invested in it. Lots of XP to work with this time.
Puppetry can be increased between 0-3 points.
Taijutsu can be increased up to 5 points.
Fuinjutsu up to 3.
Maybe other stuff I've missed?
XP: 24 (2 weeks)+2 (Theatre)+1 (Studying with Ginchiyo)+2 (Convincing Ginchiyo and Co)+2 (Talks and Answers)+1 (Building a new Stinger)+1 (Fight with Saya)=33 XP/+2 (Veekie Reaction 1)+1 (Slain Counter-reaction)+1 (Slain Reaction 1)+1 (Kinemetics Critique)+1 (Total of Stinger Analysis/Argument)+2 (Slain Reaction 2)+2 (Orisha Reaction)+1 (Bakka Genta Analysis)+3 (Koi is the essence of adorable, sue me)+8 (Koi's 'doodle'!)+3 (Briefvoice's Critiques and discussion generated by it)+1 (Team Argument/Planning)+2 (Veekie again)+2 (More Veekie)=30+3 (XP from pool)=33+33=66 XP
Total XP to spend: 66 XP
Starting Pool: 79 XP
Extracted from pool: 3 XP
New Pool: 76 XP
SUZUHISA SHIZUE
Age: 12
Gender: Female
Village: Missing-nin (formerly Hidden Reef)
Rank: Genin
Traits: A Little Drop of Poison, Genius (Puppetry), Isolated, Messages in the Flowers, Walk Like a Civilian
Affinity: Earth
Body Flicker Technique (D-rank, not known)
Rank 1- 25 XP (Chakra Control 20, Ninjutsu 24)
You may instantly move to a location within 25 meters in a single blinding burst of speed. You must have line of sight to your chosen destination when you activate the technique. Using Body Flicker twice in two consecutive rounds incurs a -8 all actions penalty for one round due to severe disorientation. The transit is accompanied by a puff of smoke or similar minor visual effect (swirl of leaves, ink, mist, wind, etc.) at the endpoint.
Cost: 2 chakra per meter traveled.
Body Replacement Technique (E-Rank, 3)
Rank 4 - 16 XP (Chakra Control 15, Ninjutsu 20)
You may replace yourself with an object within thirty meters of yourself. Any object up to -/+75% of your size is a valid target, or you may attempt to use a person with either less or roughly equivalent (up to +10%) chakra to yourself. There is one second's delay before activation in order to lock onto an appropriate object. The technique can now be performed seallessly.
Cost: 5 chakra.
Clone Technique (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Ninjutsu 12)
You may create up to four clones per use. These clones are insubstantial and disperse when touched - they do not cast a shadow, but are otherwise visually indistinguishable from the original. They last for a maximum of twenty seconds and mimic your movements exactly.
Cost: 10 chakra per clone.
Earth Release: Dirt Trick (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
The user can manipulate mud and dirt to form a small projectile that is then propelled at the target. The mud is not hardened at all, neither is the dirt, and is not likely to cause a huge amount of damage, even on a direct hit, though it can get in the target's eyes. The projectile can mass up to 1 pound, and it has a maximum range of 10 feet. Cost: 10 chakra
Earth Release: Earth Molding (E-rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Earth Release 12)
The user can slowly manipulate and control 8 pounds of dirt, mud, or stone, causing it to change shape or even defy gravity, as long as they maintain physical contact. Among many other uses, this jutsu can be used to aid in the digging of graves or the movement of materials. Its ability to be used to bury waste, bodies, or anything else, and all of its myriad other uses make it incredibly useful. One of the jutsu known as the Traveller's Ten. Cost: 10 chakra per minute
Earth Release: Hidden Rope (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
This technique allows the user to hide a rope or bit of wire under a very thin layer of earth, thus making it invisible to those who pass by. It can be done with only a small number of handsigns. Best for hiding the mechanisms of a trap, for if someone is searching for the hidden object, there is a slight bulge in the earth that is somewhat noticeable. Cost: 10 chakra.
Earth Release: Track Covering (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
This jutsu can clear away the marks of the user's passing through dirt, dust, or regular earth, but not mud. It does not hide any other sign of passing, such as broken twigs, but is still regarded as very useful. Any tracks that have been made within the last 10 feet before this jutsu is used are erased. One of the techniques known as the Traveller's Ten. Cost: 10 chakra
Earth Release: Toeholds (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
The user can create a small number of rough toeholds in the side of a sheer face, allowing them to better climb it without using wall-walking. At this level the toeholds are helpful, but will not allow an untrained or inexperienced ninja to climb a sheer face without difficulty. The toeholds extend upward up to 10 feet. Cost: 10 chakra
(1.1) Ninja Art: Inner Ear Disturbance (D-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 25 XP (Chakra Control 20, Ninjutsu 24)
Without even directly being heard, a shinobi using this technique can create moderate to severe disorientation and confusion. It is possible it could even be used to improve the efficacy of Genjutsu. It targets one foe within twenty-five feet of the user, and other than its effects, the target has no way to know it is being used, and cannot track the attack by its sound.
(Single target, -6 to all rolls for 1 round, +3 to Genjutsu against the target, can't be traced directly. Uses three handseals.)
Cost: 40 Chakra per use.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Keen Ears (D-rank, Rank 1)
Rank 2 - 30 XP (Chakra Control 23, Ninjutsu 28)
By using this jutsu, the user can improve their hearing considerably. At Rank 1, the bonus is relatively moderate and not selective. Loud sounds when heard with Keen Ears are likely to hurt, and it makes all sounds louder, not merely some targeted specific group of sounds. Gain +6 to auditory perception rolls, but face problems with loud noises. It's as much used for sneaking around and listening in on conversations as anything else.
(Self-target, +6 to hearing Awareness/Perception, improves ability to listen in on conversations in general, some other minor situational/narrative bonuses)
Cost: 18 chakra per minute.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Sonar Burst (D-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 25 XP (Chakra Control 20, Ninjutsu 24
The principles of echolocation are complicated, but this jutsu is the first stage in learning it. By flaring a burst of chakra infused sound, the ninja can gain a picture of the 100 feet around them in all directions. They must make audible sound to use this jutsu, and at Rank 1, interpreting the meaning of some of the things 'seen' through sound is complex, and it cannot of course give details that can't be noticed.
Cost: 30 Chakra.
Ninja Art: Sound Dampening (D-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 50 XP (Chakra Control 24, Ninjutsu 24 )
Shizue has been thinking about the way that Emiko was able to somehow decrease the noise coming from her conversation, and she has an idea. By using chakra, skill, and the principles of sound, she can make it so that it's harder for certain sounds to travel beyond an area. Sounds associated with her movement. Outside of a certain radius, she thus is harder to hear, and thus far stealthier.
(+4 to auditory stealth within range, increased difficulty for people outside of the area to hear anything happening inside of the area. Rather brutal potential implications if ranked up.)
Cost: 20 chakra per minute.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Wall of Sound (D-rank, Rank 1)
Rank 2 - 30 XP (Chakra Control 23, Ninjutsu 28)
The first truly offensive jutsu from Sae's scrolls and past mentions, from her experience with how the jutsu is described, at a low level it's honestly pretty much identical to Wind Release: Breakthrough. At rank two it can push the target farther back and deflect heavier or more numerous blows, and requires less hand-seals and use of chakra.
Cost: 35
(1.1) Ninja Art: Whispering (E-rank, Rank 1)
Cost-- 8 XP (Chakra Control 24, Ninjutsu 28)
A simple utility jutsu, it can allow the user to whisper into the ear of a target within twenty-five feet of them. They must still say the words, but they can be as quiet as one wants, the target will hear them. It is very useful for any number of purposes, but combat is definitely not one of them.
Cost: 9 chakra per minute of active use.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Piercing Note (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Ninjutsu 12)
By the creation of a sound, such as from a bell or flute, with this jutsu a ninja can transform that sound into a most annoying one, loud, unnerving, like 'nails on a chalkboard' and similarly causing minor pain and annoyance which can be useful in some circumstances. Its range is within close to moderate hearing distance, but the farther away one is, the less effect it has. It is, as it stands now, completely indiscriminate, except for the user. Cost: 10 Chakra
Rope Escape Technique (E-Rank, Not Known)
Rank 1- 4 XP (Chakra Control 8, Ninjutsu 8)
This technique frees you from minor mundane restraints, such as having your wrists bound with tape, or light fabrics. No hand seals are required to use this jutsu.
Cost: 20 chakra
Suna Ryu--
(1.3) Rank 1 - The Sand Shifts: +8 bonus to dodging. 8 XP Taijutsu 8, Agility 8
Transformation Technique (E-Rank, Rank 3)
Rank 4--16 XP (Ninjutsu 20, Chakra Molding 15)
You may transform into an accurate likeness of any human, and any animal that is between 200% and 5% of your original size. You may also transform into non-animal form up to +/- 50% of your original size, which may be not have special properties (magnetic, radioactive, etc) or be of greater complexity than having one or two moving parts (a hinge, a basic lever, etc). The transformation is physical, but will disperse if subjected to any sort of significant impact, such as anything combat-related. It does not disguise your scent, nor does it conceal you from chakra sensors. Costs 5 chakra to activate, 1 chakra per 2 minutes to maintain.
Water Release: Condensation (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Water Release 12)
The user condenses the ambient water vapor in the air into liquid water. Produces up to 2 liters of water. One of the techniques colloquially referred to as the Traveller's Ten. Cost: 6 chakra per liter.
Water Release: Manipulation (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Water Release 12)
The user is able to manipulate and direct up to a liter of water. They can cause it to flow against gravity or maintain certain shapes, as long as they remain in physical contact with it. One of the techniques colloquially referred to as the Traveller's Ten- at some point, a ninja discovered that it's handy for having a cursory wash in the field. Cost: 10 chakra per minute.
Water Release: Morning Dew (E-Rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 8, Water Release 8)
The user is able to create a thin layer of dew on surfaces that are neither hot nor dry, such as grass or pavement on a cooler day. This layer of dew is somewhat slick and increases the chance of someone slipping to a degree, though it cannot be controlled once set. It can only be used to create relatively small slick patches. Cost: 10 chakra
Water Release: Spitting Fish (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2- 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Water Release 12)
The user spits a volley of water with about the force of a volleyed tennis ball hitting the target- while not damaging, it will break concentration or prevent the completion of a jutsu. It is, however, the first step on the way to learning more powerful offensive Water Release jutsu, and thus most ninja who go on to use Water Release as a major part of their style begin by learning this. Costs 10 chakra.
Water Release: Thin Mist Technique (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Water Release 12)
The user creates a patch of floating mist fifteen meters in diameter. The mist obscures sight slightly- all within it suffer a -5 penalty to Awareness. The mist requires a nearby source of water to create, and dissipates after 25 seconds. Cost: 15 chakra.
*****
A/N: And we finally leave the city! Exciting times ahead!
Same deal as usual! Fuinjutsu has improved and become more steady, on top of any XP gain that might be invested in it. Lots of XP to work with this time.
[x] Plan Silent Brutalize
Puppetry increased by 3 points.
Taijutsu increased by 5 points.
Fuinjutsu increased by 3.
Ninja Art: Sound Dampening (D-rank, not known)
Note, what I meant by those limits was not that you couldn't spend XP on any other things, merely that I was trying to place some caps on the things that I'd placed modifiers on so that you didn't say, "Cool, I have a 1.3, let me buy myself into a Taijutsu master in a single week."
Hm. Not really going to affect my plan, since I'm only raising stats because I don't think a plan that focused only on Jutsu would be chosen. I'm just trying to get a few jutsu that we might need in the future. Like the Rope Escape technique. I can definitely see that being useful in the future.
[X] Focus on talking with her teammates.
[X] Study the books Emiko will be having them read, and work on Fuinjutsu.
Well the Suna Ryu is nigh-mandatory in my opinion. I think the Puppetry/Taijutsu/Fuinjutsu are worth buying to their cap this week.
I think I'm more in favor of a spread of skill points than jutsu ranks for this week. Chakra Molding for when we get still fingers, for instance, and the stat(s) used for fuinjutsu and puppet design. Perhaps a little Perception/Dexterity? A few points of Persuasion wouldn't be untoward I think - we certainly seem to use it a fair bit after all.
Was the still fingers thing at 49 puppetry or do I remember that wrong?
E: Oh, was that when two puppets was and still fingers was a few points later?
[X] Focus on talking with her teammates.
[X] Practice her music for the meeting.
While I understand people's desire to continue raising puppetry, we're about to enter a Daimyo's Court. There, intrigue is king. As it stands these are the relevant stats, skills, and techniques that we would depend on to be seen by and convince him.
Ninjutsu is currently at 27 and would require only one point to buy the two marked. @The Laurent would we be able to buy that one point and the jutsu on the same turn?
Seeing as we are dedicated on helping our friends with any socializing problems they may have (especially as veekie brought up that that is one reason why we were grouped up like this), this wouldn't be a one time use either.
I believe the next level of puppetry is at 49 yes? If the cap is set at three, we would need to wait two weeks to achieve it anyway. Let's focus on helping Abe for now shall we?
Analysis first! On the road, what does Shizue do? (Choose 2)
[] Focus on talking with her teammates.
Keeps working on the progress we've made on Genta and Saya.
[] Practice her music for the meeting.
Makes sure our music is up to spec for the court.
We're good for a kid, and at least decent in general but I'm not sure how good objectively.
[] See if there's anyone interesting along the way to talk to.
[] Listen for gossip/gather information.
Worldbuilding options. More or less risks of being recognized as being from the Archipelago depending on which.
Gossip is also valuable for knowing what to do/not to do at court.
[] Study the books Emiko will be having them read, and work on Fuinjutsu.
And the mandatory option, we can't slack off whenever we're out of sight or we'd stop getting the option to wander off.
[] Study the books Emiko will be having them read, and work on Fuinjutsu.
[] Listen for gossip/gather information
Tentatively these two, knowing about recent events is going to be more valuable at court than better music skill. I'm certain we can make a non-embarassing showing regardless.
XP is a little harder:
Puppetry can be increased between 0-3 points. - Puppetry 45 (1.2x)
Taijutsu can be increased up to 5 points. - Taijutsu 13 (1.3)
Puppetry is expensive, even with the multiplier. But we probably should continue to work on it to some extent. One point? Two points? We've discovered that our puppetry skill is enough to hurt a taijutsu expert, but as we know from Ginchiyo, Saya isn't the strongest there, just respectable, and she could have destroyed Stinger(at the cost of being rendered combat ineffective) even if the advantages were stacked in our favor. So we still need to grow.
Besides, we need 50 to do dual puppets?
Taijutsu is cheap, if limited in application. I expect we need Taijutsu 20 to learn all the Suna Ryu unlocks we want though. On mobile, hard to check.
Fuinjutsu is somewhere in the middle in terms of cost, but great utility. I'd say all 3 points
Courtly skills. Somewhat expensive to raise, but value is clear. We're probably decent-ish there.
Then next, techniques(with discounts first):
(1.1) Ninja Art: Inner Ear Disturbance (D-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 25 XP (Chakra Control 20, Ninjutsu 24)
Decent and silent debuff on a target, if expensive.
It definitely has value as a way to make someone else fuck up at court for instance and make them think they're just not feeling well, but I don't need to explain how that could backfire if noticed.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Keen Ears (D-rank, Rank 1)
Rank 2 - 30 XP (Chakra Control 23, Ninjutsu 28)
Extremly useful at court, to hear whispering and the like, or people talking behind closed doors.
Also useful out of it, by detecting people sneaking up on us, but it costs a bit much to keep up all the time.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Sonar Burst (D-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 25 XP (Chakra Control 20, Ninjutsu 24
See invisible. No urgent use, but useful in general.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Wall of Sound (D-rank, Rank 1)
Rank 2 - 30 XP (Chakra Control 23, Ninjutsu 28)
Stronger combat. Pretty kickass. But expensive.
As we already know, space in combat is a premium for Shizue, people getting close are extremely deadly to her. But Rank 1 takes more handseals, which means getting it out fast enough is hard.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Whispering (E-rank, Rank 1)
Cost-- 8 XP (Chakra Control 24, Ninjutsu 28)
Courtly communications. Pretty cheap as these things go. I'd advise picking it up.
(1.1) Ninja Art: Piercing Note (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Ninjutsu 12)
Alternate debuff. It's cheap, but not much else going for it for now.
Suna Ryu--
(1.3) Rank 1 - The Sand Shifts: +8 bonus to dodging. 8 XP Taijutsu 8, Agility 8
Dirt cheap, and a pretty big buff to not getting hit. Compulsory.
Others(only cheap items for now):
Clone Technique (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Ninjutsu 12)
Combat useful, since people closing in on us hurt us bad. Buying time is good. The duration is not very good yet though.
This combined with a powerful Wall of Sound lets us keep bouncing enemies off us and wasting their time hitting fakes, while Stinger hits them.
Earth Release: Dirt Trick (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
Dirt cheap. Gives us a way to practice Earth Release in spars and get that sweet multiplier.
Earth Release: Earth Molding (E-rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Earth Release 12)
Well, it's one of the Travelers Ten, though we already have the basic. No urgent need.
Earth Release: Hidden Rope (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
Dirt cheap. Gives us an opportunity to raise our traps skill by concealing them better. Maybe a campsite alarm?
Earth Release: Track Covering (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
Dirt cheap and valuable. We're going to be traveling and the ability to erase our tracks as we go is useful for getting out of trouble.
Earth Release: Toeholds (E-rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 6, Earth Release 8)
Dirt cheap. Not much use though, we can wall walk already.
Water Release: Condensation (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Water Release 12)
Not much use since we already have the basics and don't really need large amounts of water much.
Water Release: Morning Dew (E-Rank, not known)
Rank 1 - 4 XP (Chakra Control 8, Water Release 8)
Dirt cheap. It's mainly useful with the Mist technique and Dizzy Sound to leave opponents even more debuffed. Limited use against peers.
Water Release: Thin Mist Technique (E-Rank, 1)
Rank 2 - 8 XP (Chakra Control 9, Water Release 12)
Possibly useful if we want to make a getaway. Current version isn't very effective for that.
[X] Practice her music for the meeting.
[X] Listen for gossip/gather information
As mentioned earlier, knowing what's going on is going to be pretty useful at court, and we don't want to fall behind.
[X] [XP] Plan Hearing Out The Court
-[X] Raise Puppetry by 3 points (12/1.2 = 10 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Taijutsu by 5 points (10/1.3 = 7.69 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Fuinjutsu by 3 points (9/1.2 = 7.5 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Ninjutsu by 1 point(3 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Socialize by 3 points(9/1.1 = 8.18 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Perception by 3 points(9 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Persuasion by 4 points(12/1.2 = 10 XP spent)
-[X] Purchase Suna Ryu Rank 1 (8/1.3 = 6.15 XP spent)
-[X] Purchase Ninja Art: Wall of Sound (4/1.1 = 3.63 XP spent)(36 XP Left).
Cut 2 points of Perception, 1 point of Explosives(which would have costed double as it crosses the threshold) & 1 point of Socialize. Pumped the leftover into Wall of Sound
[] [XP] Plan Hearing Out The Court
-[X] Raise Puppetry by 3 points (12/1.2 = 10 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Taijutsu by 5 points (10/1.3 = 7.69 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Fuinjutsu by 3 points (9/1.2 = 7.5 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Ninjutsu by 1 point(2 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Socialize by 2 points(4/1.1 = 3.63 XP spent)
-[X] Raise Explosives by 1 point(1/1.1 = 0.909)
-[X] Purchase Suna Ryu Rank 1 (8/1.3 = 6.15 XP spent)
-[X] Purchase Ninja Art: Keen Ears Rank 2(30/1.1 = 27.27 XP spent)
Spreadsheet gives me 0.835664336 XP left over
Puppetry - We're still 5 points to Dual Puppets, and as already demonstrated, our sheer focused skill in this area isn't quite enough. That and it gives me one of the few nice round numbers. Pretty numbers faction!
Taijutsu - The multiplier is pretty huge and our Taijutsu is pretty crap. I want to raise it to 20, which I THINK unlocks all the Suna Ryu stuff we want to buy. Then we can stop. Plus, it's fitting to raise with Saya.
Fuinjutsu - Long, slow slog here, but we need it as high as it can go to make Ryuko.
Ninjutsu - Needed to upgrade Keen Ears, also buffs our Wall of Sound.
Socialize - We didn't have much room to raise social skills, since they are all fairly decent and thus costly already. So I was picking between Socialize(knowing the social flow), Persuasion(being able to convey a particular point) and Infiltration(being able to fit in well). At court, I think Socialize has more value. The specifics matter less than the overall structure.
Explosives - Not a main priority, but I think it's cheap enough to be used to mop up stray XP points. And eventually valuable.
Suna Ryu - Massive boost to survivability for it's cost, appropriate learning with Saya, and part of our homework.
Keen Ears Rank 2 - Couples well with being at court and on the road. At present, it's slightly too costly to use for long periods of time, but assuming the discount pattern is similar to Transformation, at Rank 2 and our current chakra capacity, we can keep it running for a few hours if traveling in an area Genta noticed to be dangerous.
The Rank 1 version is non-selective, rendering us vulnerable to loud noises, and is useless for picking out conversations amidst many. Rank 2 or Rank 3 should be able to filter out specific sounds.
For the XP plan I am thinking something like this:
Puppetry by 3--> 10xp (1.2 bonus makes it 12)
Taijutsu by 5--> 8xp (1.3 bonus makes it 10.4)
Fuinjutsu by 2-- 5xp (1.2 bonus makes it 6)
Suna Ryo--> 6xp (1.3 bonus makes it 7.8 rounded to 8)
Ninjutsu by 1 --> 3xp
Persuasion by 6--> 15xp (1.2 bonus makes it 18)
Chakra control by 2--> 5xp (1.2 bonus makes it 6)
Socialize by 2--> 5xp (1.1 bonus makes it 5.5, rounded to 6)
Agility by 3 --> 9xp
--------
10+8+5+6+3+15+5+5+9=66
Suna Ryo first form (DODGE!)
Puppets from 45 to 48 (1 point away from changing the relevant stat from dextery to chakra molding)
Taijutsu from 13 to 18 (one of our weak spots)
Fuijutsu from 23 to 25 (continues our progress)
Ninjutsu from 27 to 28 (minimum ninjutsu for second rank of D-rank sound jutsu)
Persuas. from 22 to 28 (mostly to take advantage of the bonus)
Cha. Co. from 26 to 28 (same as above)
Socializ from 21 to 23 (same as above, could be replaced by Intelligence or poisons. The stat might be more useful to be honest)
Agility from 25 to 28 (DODGE!+stealth)
To be honest, I am somewhat tempted not to raise so much to persuasión and raise agility by 7 points instead of 3.
Puppetry - We're still 5 points to Dual Puppets, and as already demonstrated, our sheer focused skill in this area isn't quite enough. That and it gives me one of the few nice round numbers. Pretty numbers faction!
We can already use 2 puppets. We need 49 puppetry to use milding instead of dextery.
@The Laurent are these bonus to the sound jutsu from when we were practicing with Emiko to learn Wall of sound and Reading the scrolls? If so, can I presume they will remain for a while?
[X] Focus on talking with her teammates.
[X] Practice her music for the meeting. [] Study the books Emiko will be having them read, and work on Fuinjutsu.
*shrug* Fuinjutsu modifiers are good to have on a week that might not actually net us that many exp modifiers. We don't have Emiko actually with us after all, though Saya is here.
Also I want to continue social fu with our team mates. Are we voting by line in this vote?
I admit the XP votes are a bit ... complicated for me to figure out the best plan. But I trust Veekie to have the right of it, and it takes advantage of our skill modifiers which is what I really wanted.
[X] [XP] Plan Hearing Out The Court
Edit: Changed vote after someone pointed out Emiko pointed us at a musician
Double Edit: Rethinking the XP vote as well
Edit three: Going back to Hearing out the Court now that Veekie's Changed it
Taijutsu - The multiplier is pretty huge and our Taijutsu is pretty crap. I want to raise it to 20, which I THINK unlocks all the Suna Ryu stuff we want to buy. Then we can stop. Plus, it's fitting to raise with Saya.
Characterised by light, graceful movements, a skilful practitioner of Suna Ryu can almost seem to float out of the way of attacks. A master of the style is as free as the desert winds themselves, untouchable even when beset from all sides.
Rank 1 - The Sand Shifts: +8 bonus to dodging (Taijutsu 8, Agility 8 - 8 XP)
Rank 2 - Be Where They are Not: Following a successful dodge in melee, a practitioner may choose to immediately relocate to the opposite side of the opponent that attacked them. (Taijutsu 24, Agility 24, Strength 16 - 36 XP)
Rank 3 - ???
Rank 4 - ???
Rank 5 - ???
To teach Stinger requires only the first rank though. Perhaps we could transfer some of the XP over to Perception? Emiko outright stated that there is so much that we aren't aware of and this could only help.
Either way, my plan has been subsumed...ﾍ(￣ ￣;ﾍ)
[X] [XP] Plan Hearing Out The Court
[X] Focus on talking with her teammates.
[X] Practice her music for the meeting.
Nothing was at stake but her pride as a puppeteer, but that was enough and her fingers blurred, but slower than they should have, because Saya was already moving.
Saya was a blur, crossing the distance in moments, but whatever Shizue's fingers lacked, Stinger was far too fast to be caught, and he ran left, turning and aiming in one motion, precious moments spared towards this shot.
This jab is about how we focused completely on Puppetry and not Dexterity as our fingers are unable to completely accommodate to what what Shizue wants to do. Not really relevant soon, but it still is a reminder to raise our Chakra Molding Stat even as we focus less on puppetry
Saya's renewed attack turned into a retreat, but Shizue hesitated, not wanting to follow into a trap, and Saya had a brief moment to pause before she shot forward, a total blur. Faster than Shizue had ever seen her.
Which means next time we fight Saya, the Every Joint's a Puzzle confusion only lasts three rounds. Also notes that the fight took longer than Five rounds! That's a long fight...
"The fight is over, and at the moment I have to think about who I'm taking along when I go to the capital to meet the Daimyo," Shizue said, sounding as innocent as she could manage.
"Daimyo?" Saya asked, and the eagerness is rather hard to miss.
"Are you interested?" Shizue asked with a smile, "It'd involve spending a week with me."
"I suspected," Ginchiyo said, "Without even seeing one of you. Emiko hadn't mentioned wealth, but she has to have a lot of money, she bought an entire ship offhand." Ginchiyo looked around, clearly listening for an approach."
Emiko frowned and said, "Perhaps they did, Shizue-chan, but consider how many things I am dealing with right now. There is more going on than you know."
"For one they have to make sense," Abe-san pointed out. "And I know there's another place you fled: the Archipelago."
"How do you…?"
"That accent. There's a radio clip going around of a civilian talking about how badly Island treated its people, and the woman sounds like you," Abe-san said. "I've been following the matter pretty closely."
"Well, sure, I guess it sorta looks like a man in that it's a wooden puppet, but…" Saya waved her hand, her expression teasing. She was in a good mood, so her teasing wasn't even harsh.
"It's not all wood," Shizue said.
And then Saya said, straight faced, "Darling, the parts that matter are."
Shizue stared at Saya for a moment, the girl, other than a few stitches that would likely be out soon enough looking as perfect as always, and tried to comprehend the sort of joke that she had just been told.
Saya glanced over at Genta as Emiko continued, "And Saya, there will be a test on the habits of Tea nobility and just what sorts of fashions are popular among them… Shizue, do your best, show them all what skill you at puppets. And," Emiko said thoughtfully, half humming to herself, almost bouncing.
Even Emiko is unsure what to do about Shizue's monofocus on Puppetry. That little ellipse has so much hesitation, it is hilarious. Also wording seems a little off.
"Show them all what skill you at Puppets?"
