Oh I am slain!
Wynaut?
- Location
- Tatooine
A most lovely, aromatic unit of measurement! :3
End of an Era (Naruto AU)
- Thread starter The Laurent
- Start date
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I will do so...tonight! Well, I could do so this morning, I guess, but I go to work in less than...fuck it. As long as you guys understand the next part ain't coming until Saturday at the earliest...
Act 1, Scene 19
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Act 1, Scene 19: Picking Up the Pieces
Funerals and the burning of bodies filled the long evening, and yet to the average civilian, Shizue grew to realize as she listened, the war was farther away than she'd thought. People laughed and joked, and she heard- heard and listened and grit her teeth and imagined them saying that about Rika- people saying, where they thought shinobi couldn't hear, that Manami got what she deserved, that she was rude to civvies and took too much from them, and mannish, and her ways were unnatural.
It took very little social ability to be able to understand exactly what it was they meant. It took quite a bit of social ability to be able to refrain from confronting them. If Shizue revealed she was a ninja, rather than going about Transformed, uncertain and not wanting to be fully home, no doubt they'd apologize and blubber. They'd get on their knees if need be, afraid of a twelve year old girl because of what she represented, rather than her skills. There was a part of her that wasn't proud of the fact that for a tired, vengeful moment she savored the idea. Shizue didn't want to even consider it, didn't want to be one of those bullies Sae had sometimes told her about, who took their own feelings of powerlessness or hopelessness and attacked those who couldn't fight back.
It was hard, hard when the village burned the bodies of the enemy dead and held hasty funerals for Chieko, for Manami, for the other Chunin. Shizue doubted that Chieko's mother had been consulted, though the funeral did include a statement by Yaramachi, written in his hospital bed, praising her actions.
By then the roaming crowd of civilians had grown restless, and when it came time for the speeches, they pressed up against the erected barrier. Beyond that stood Shizue, and all those ninja who could attend, and their family. Listening to the Council speak once more, on another victory, this one hard won.
Everyone wanted this war to end, except perhaps the traitor, everyone needed these evening speeches. Four of the council members stood, dressed in fine kimonos, emphasizing their leadership far more than their power. The village was strong, and it would lead the Archipelago, that's the message they clearly wanted to project- yet, all Shizue found herself wondering was where Emiko was.
[Opening Credits]
"People of Hidden Reef," Ken said, stepping forward. He looked odd. Constrained in a kimono, that's the thing, his arm bulging a bit in a way that indicated that the kimono might not have been tailored right. "A great victory has been won, albeit at a cost that I would like all to honor. In the health of our many shinobi, and in the lives of a few honored heroes, a price has been paid. But for each of our own slain, we killed almost six of theirs, and their best. Their brightest stars of disparate clans were cast down, defeated." He paused, "It wasn't easy, and yet this was a triumph of all that Reef had to offer. Every member of the Council, and every Special Jonin, played a role in planning and executing the trap that Island fell for. Our enemies were clever, but we outwitted them, and so tonight I would like to thank all of our shinobi, both those who are here-"
He looked around at the small crowd, "And to send my feelings to those currently guarding our borders, which have by their efforts been secured. Island is reeling, and now is the time for a strike back, an attack against their oppressive regime, against all that they sought to steal from us. Hirotomo-sama has more to say on this matter."
"Warriors of Reef," he began simply, and when he stepped forward his cast became clear. He was wounded, and perhaps he was meaning to show that too, Shizue could speculate, "Today, a victory has been won which is the greatest we have ever faced. For minimal, downright paltry losses," and here his voice was smooth, but Shizue could literally watch as he injected a careful note of commiseration into his voice, "For all that these losses may sting some, we have put ourselves onto the path of glory and we must merely seize it. Wealth and power awaits to those who can bring the fight to the enemy. No more will their clans rule over their lands, instead to the strongest, to the shinobi of Reef and the loyal villagers of Reef, will gain the power to shape the future. But to achieve this, we need everything you can give. Villagers, we shall be implementing stronger rationing on several key materials, but more importantly, there are a few announcements for the shinobi."
He nodded towards Sano Tomoyo, who stepped forward. Unlike the others, she seemed comfortable in the kimono, and it didn't help that she seemed to have prepared for it. Her hair was pinned down by careful artifice, and with as long as it always was, it still didn't look too short, and in fact even in the firelight seemed smooth, as did her skin. Smooth and pale and slender, with dark eyes that seemed to stare at each person in particular. Drawing them out, making them the center of attention. Sae had had eyes like these, but Tomoyo's manner was more careful, more calculated. Or maybe, Shizue admitted, she didn't want to see too many similarities between her mother and Tomoyo-san.
Tomoyo-san, whom the boys in the academy spoke about in ways that made Shizue blush, who people stared at, who people whispered about. She didn't want to imagine some immature eleven year idiot making stupid and crude gestures while talking about Suzuhisa Sae, so she mostly didn't try to pay attention to Tomoyo in most circumstances.
Now, though, she was speaking on the low number of chunin remaining. "Iesato Ginchiyo-san, we are temporarily raising you, and your two comrades, Aiura Sanosuke-san and Ijuin Ginjiro-san, to the rank of Chunin. At some point this will be followed by a formal promotion, but all of you have shown heroism that deserves recognition, in this time of troubles."
Shizue thought she- no, didn't think she saw, did see, the way Tomoyo glanced at Hirotomo. Was the inclusion of all three of them some sort of compromise, a compensation to make up for what he'd done to Sanosuke? Or was it mere necessity? Not giving them the full title of Chunin might rankle, but Ginchiyo's face was passive, so passive it was hard to read even the beginning of an emotion on it. But perhaps there was doubt there: certainly there was no pride, nor any sense of being glorified.
"In addition, we are going to start a program in which the seven best academy students are given a two and a half week course to prepare them to graduate early. It is quite possible," Tomoyo said, "That by then the war will be won, but if it is not, we have faith in them, and in their ability to be great shinobi. Rise as your name is said: Chobunsai Seiichiro, Kihara Junko, Masuzoe Chinatsu, Nawabe Kohaku, Okamura Yuichi, Sonoda Tsuneo, Tono Tsubaki."
They stood, one by one. Some of them proud, some of them uncertain. Shizue remembered seeing all of them, but she couldn't have picked them out. They were just kids. One year younger, but a year was a lot when one didn't have many to their names. And that was Shizue's impression: kids. Children, people who shouldn't be involved in the fighting. Junko for her part was looking anywhere but at the Jonin. She looked like someone who didn't understand and didn't want to. Someone who hadn't chosen this, and wouldn't have chosen this, but knew there was no choice. Someone lost and scared and alone.
"You shall all learn, and you shall all do your duty to the village. Early tomorrow we will have an induction ceremony into the program, and afterwards we may soon begin training. Little more needs to be said, except that the council believes in you." She stepped back, and for a moment there was a pause, as people waited to see if they were supposed to applaud yet or not.
Finally, Momoka-san stepped forward briefly, stooped slightly in an old, faded Kimono, "With the end of the war, peace will cover the wounds like a bandage. Already, investments are being made towards the healing of the war wounds across the archipelago, so that the villages we have conquered may be justly governed, and those we have protected be swiftly repaired. I know it is the wish of all on the council that this war end, and that we can at last come to the business of peace- and may it be the wish of the whole village. I asked to go last because I wanted to end here, on the possibilities of peace, not just for the gain of new contracts, or new markets, but for the healing process that might finally begin over our shattered land. I wish all a good night, and though tomorrow may bring war for some of us, we have hopes that it will soon end."
There was applause among some of the civilians, and as it became evident the ceremony was over, the applause spread and spread like a wave across the crowd, until everyone was cheering and shouting.
The party lasted, Shizue had no doubt, through all the night. But Shizue remembered the hopeless, bemused expression on Junko's face, the way this war was at last beginning to touch everyone. She remembered Junko's silly Eri dance, and her rivalry with an academy student who might soon be out there, killing and dying. It wasn't something she could celebrate, and so she went to her empty home and tried not to wonder what her mother would say of all of this: surely she'd be horrified, but there was nothing that Shizue could do save her duty.
******
The next morning, Shizue caught Emiko dropping off a package. She'd woken up early after a barely adequate night's sleep, only just now realizing how hungry she was. She'd picked at her lunch, and she hadn't been hungry. Now she was so starving that she stumbled out just in time. Emiko even had the grace to look surprised at the sleepy wreck, hair even frizzier than usual, standing before her, even though she'd no doubt seen Shizue coming a long way off.
"Ah, Shizue, here you go- I'm not going to be teaching as often this week, owing to some problems cropping up, so I was going to set out some homework for you and others to do." She paused and leaned in.
She looked as tired as Shizue, though the girl was in very poor spirits for any sort of long discussion. "Are you…" Shizue began.
"Okay?" Emiko asked, a little tersely.
Shizue blinked, "Yes?"
"We'll see. Everyone's duty is to end the war before they bring yet younger children into it. This place, even with you and other innocents in it," Emiko said, her expression dark, "...I'll be glad to leave when the time comes. But- just be there for others, if you'd like a hint."
She let out a long sigh and said, "I'll no doubt be in a better mood tomorrow, but right now, I wish you a good day, and I shall see you later."
Which is when she disappeared. Shizue suspected she was getting used to it, as she didn't even startle a little.
*****
The academy, this early, was almost empty. Only seven people in a small room when Shizue entered, waiting. Sitting at desks. She entered quietly, slipping in. She knew that the door creaked, but she also knew just how to move it to barely slip through without a sound, just in time to hear one brown-haired girl Shizue thought she remembered seeing around say, "I'm sorry, Junko--"
"For what?" Junko asked, with a slight smile, "I don't really--"
"Please, don't...I mean, I have reasons to be sorry. I nodded when Chinatsu said you were ruining things by snitching--
What was her name? Oh! Tsubaki.
"Listen, I dunno, but it's all worked out, hasn't it?" a high pitched girl asked, "We're going to become Genin soon, and it's probably better! This way we can train to become great first."
"I'm going to beat you Junko, beat you at everything!" Seiichiro pointed at her. He was a scruffy looking fellow, but the grin on his face was surprisingly easygoing, "Just you wait!"
"I aim to do my best, Seiichiro-kun," Junko said, her voice surprisingly competitive, "And don't worry about it, either of you, I mean--"
She paused and looked Shizue's way, then started. The others turned, and the group stared at Shizue in surprise. Even Junko, who must have been distracted with talking.
"Who's that?" a boy asked. He had a kunai out, and was leaning back in his chair, balancing it on a finger, the faint distortion surrounding it telling her that he was circulating chakra through it. Someone skilled at chakra flow? Surprising for an academy student, but Shizue supposed there was a reason they were chosen to be trained to graduate early.
"That's Suzuhisa Shizue-sama," Junko said, "She's a super sneaky, super cool ninja who is always calm and collected! She was at that battle last night, and, and...and she's a really good dancer." Junko smiled at that last one, just waiting for someone to say…
"Wait, a good...dancer?" Chinatsu, the high pitched girl, asked, "How would you…"
"Seeeecreett," Junko said with a playful grin.
Seiichiro pouted, "You don't look that tough." Despite saying that, he looked a little jealous that Junko knew and was apparently on speaking terms with a Genin who had fought.
"Wait, you were at the battle," Tsubaki said quietly, "Did you see Chieko? I mean, I've heard what- but were you there?" Her voice had grown quieter the more she talked.
"You miss her, don't you? I'm sorry," one of the boys said. His voice was quiet, but his tone was far from shy. He was scrawnier than the others, but he also looked rather hearty, like someone who was a scrapper.
"I'd like to talk to her alone," Tsubaki said, "If she's alright with that."
"Eh, fine. But don't take too long," a boy near the back said, "I was going to show you something I thought would help! I mean, something I could teach you to help your own medical practice." He was a rather handsome boy, if Shizue was looking objectively. Okay, even subjectively he was handsome. Tsubaki blushed slightly, and why wouldn't she? That tone was clearly flirtatious.
"I'll talk to you in a moment, Junko. Actually, it's not about much, I was just wondering if you'd like to train. I think I perfected the dance," Shizue said, her mood lightening. Just seeing children being children, even if they were ninja children with chakra flow and rivalries, it raised her spirits just a bit.
"How about this evening," Junko said, "Better to dance when it's darker and we can practice hiding!"
Shizue nodded, and just down the hall, Tsubaki took a breath, "Did you see her die?"
"No, but I saw her body. I was helping out in the hospital afterward, helping Zenzo."
"You were? I hope to meet him someday soon, Zenzo and Momoka, they're two of my biggest heroes," Tsubaki said, "Chieko was my biggest. She had been tutoring me in medicine, said that I had a talent for it, and even began to teach me medical jutsu. Some of her… mother's, I mean," she said.
"I regret that I didn't know her as well as I wanted to," Shizue said, truthfully, "So she was teaching you a lot?"
"Yeah, she said I was like a sister to her, once. Though I think she might have been joking," Tsubaki said, "Or not. She was really quiet, but I like being quiet too, and she was very- she had this interesting philosophy, and some of the techniques… and…" she trailed off, and Shizue reached down and hugged her, having expected this. She'd seen the tears coming, felt the way the words could only pave the way for one thing.
"I understand, I really do. I miss people all the time," Shizue said.
"I was so stupid. I wanted to go out with her and be a hero and heal people and save people's lives so we could beat Island and make everything better," she babbled, "But--"
"But it's not that simple, I know. Just… my friend Rika's learning to heal people too. She doesn't know any medical jutsu, but I admire it, you know? Being able to help other people."
"If I was there, I couldn't have helped Chieko. I probably would have died," she said, and though she was still crying, her voice was calm, matter of fact.
"Probably so, but that doesn't make you weak," Shizue said, "It makes you realistic."
"You know," Tsubaki said, "Maybe you are a little bit cool. Though I have no idea what Junko meant by 'dance.'"
"It's a long story," Shizue said with a mysterious grin.
"Not you too," Tsubaki said, deadpan.
******
This all reminded Shizue that she should probably see Rika, and so after a very hurried breakfast, she headed to the hospital, which was still dealing with overcrowded rooms, still trying to fix everyone. But the place seemed robbed of much of the power it'd held over her before. Compared to the dreamless nightmare of a day ago, the antiseptic and controlled environment was positively comforting.
She made her way through the hospital until she heard Rika saying, "So that's how you do it…"
"Yes, Rika," Zenzo said, "That's…" he yawned and stepped out of the door, walking over towards a coffee machine, passing Shizue with a wave, "You here to see Rika, Shizue-chan?"
"Yes I am, Zenzo-sama."
"Good, good," Zenzo said, "She hasn't slept. Neither have I, but I have drugs that let me do that, and I'll be crashing in another day or so."
Put frankly, he looked worse than Shizue did, by far. Except his eyes. They seemed to dart around, alert as the rest of his body wasn't. Moving as the rest of his body was halfway to collapsing. Even his words seemed slower, as if he was fighting through a fog or even alcohol, or his mind moved faster than his body could match. It was disturbing, or at least disconcerting. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be okay once I'm sleeping. Rika though, she's taking it hard, and I've had to throw easy cases at her because she's so locked up, so afraid of messing up, and she wants to learn everything, but when she doesn't get it immediately--"
"She gives up?" Shizue guessed.
"No, well, she looks like she's about to give up, and then she gets this determined look on her face," Zenzo paused and tried to replicate it, but he just looked constipated instead, "And it's so cute but she's also frustrated." He paused and said, "Man, I must be losing my grip, if people are no longer laughing at my jokes- of course, they're not great jokes, but they usually serve for the bedside."
Bedside manner, Shizue thought, and she gave a soft smile, "What's she learning now?"
"How to close the site of a wound. It won't help if a wound is too deep, or infected, but it's a useful jutsu for small problems, or if you're patching up a buddy in a lull in the fight. That's what Momoka-sama told me when she taught it to me, when I wasn't much older than you, and she was right."
"Ah, you know, is there anything I can do to help?" Shizue asked, her voice carefully neutral. He looked like he needed help, but she didn't want to butt in.
"Well, talking to Rika would be good, but you meant me, didn't you? Well, it's a long shot, but I'm going to be asking around with the other Special Jonin and Jonin. Ask if any of them know summoning so I can get bodies for Rika to practice healing on."
"What summoner would agree to that?" Shizue asked, a little incredulously.
"None. A summons isn't some beast to dissect on the table. I was looking to see if any of them actually sounded or looked offended. I mean, like if I was trying to find out which genin was a puppeteer, I'd go around saying I needed firewood, and asking if someone would donate a puppet-" He paused and laughed, "See, see that look on your face? That's what I'd be looking for. But other than that..."
He shrugged.
"You don't have any ideas?" Shizue asked. When he shook his head, she said, "I'll try my best to investigate. I'm sure we can figure something out. I mean, the traitor did something big, they have to have exposed something. Stuck their neck out-"
"Maybe. Hopefully," Zenzo said, "As well, could you ask Momoka to look after Rika while I'm out and resting? A bit of training from a master could help Rika's confidence."
"Sure," Shizue said, nodding as Zenzo walked into the room and presumably said a few things before hurrying out. Shizue entered the room, to find that Rika was caring for a ten year old academy student, a gap-toothed girl who had sticks and twigs in her hair.
"So you were...practicing?"
"Yep!" the girl said, unconcerned.
"Sneaking around and running and training, I assume?" Rika asked.
"Yeah, then I tripped."
"And got cuts and bruises all over?" Rika's eyes had dark circles around them, but she was smiling, softly.
"I was holding one of those practice kunai. Okay, okay, a real one I'd borrowed from a training post," the girl said.
"Well, you might want to try not doing that in the future, Harumi-chan" Rika said, "But you'll be fine."
"Do I get a lollipop?"
"Of course you do," Rika said, "One moment…"
She stepped towards Shizue and asked, "Hey, Shizue, what is it?"
"I just wanted to check up on you, see if you were doing okay."
"I'm… I went to see the two new prisoners, they're keeping them in an old house that they've repurposed into a jail. Drugs to weaken their ability to use chakra, lots of chains. I tried to talk to them," Rika said, her voice low. "The clanner just spat at us, refused to say anything. Ryota, he kept on asking about Hiroto, but it was like he knew, like he just wanted us to admit it."
Shizue stared for a long moment, "Maybe I should go and see them, try to talk to them--"
"I'm trying too. I think I'll go every day. I'm not going back to front line. I can't handle this war, that's the truth. I'm going to keep on training my body, getting stronger, sure- but I want to train as a medic-nin, because it's safer. For everyone."
"Did your father encourage that?" Shizue asked.
"We… agreed that it'd be best that way," Rika said, "Once this war is over, well, if it ever ends, I can take combat missions, or ones that might risk fighting bandits, and it's no trouble. But during the war, I mean, I still- I had dreams last night and I never want to have dreams like that again."
Shizue patted Rika on the shoulder. "I understand. I respect that. You know? I said this to another girl, one who knew Chieko, but I can say it to you too; I respect what you're doing, and what you tried to do, saving lives. Just understand I'm there, too, and I'm going to try my best to help you."
Dully, Rika said, "I know…"
She took a breath and stepped out of the room, heading for the water cooler next to the coffee machine, and pouring some, taking a moment just to breath in and out, "I know."
Shizue waited, aware that sometimes people needed a little bit of time. "That doesn't make it any easier. You're, you're more able to put it all away than I am--"
"To focus on the now, to be practical?" Shizue asked.
"There's nothing practical about this war," Rika retorted, annoyed, but just as quickly she calmed down, "Yes...something like that."
"I find it hard enough, to take all of it in. It's so much easier to focus on those we care about," Shizue said, "Our friends. I don't know, maybe there's something lacking, that I wasn't able to throw myself in front of Zenzo like you. I felt bad for the dead, the enemy dead, I felt hollowed out, but I didn't, I wouldn't have--"
"You didn't cry yourself to sleep over their fates," Rika said, "And you're right, it's hard. And, and I don't think I blame you. I think I might have, once. I know I almost did, after...after, by any gods, remember when a single dead enemy seemed like so many? One of three dead, and it felt like I was breaking, now there are dozens, and it's harder, but I can still function. But I don't know--"
"You don't know if you could go through it again," Shizue said, "After you're done, do you want to go get lunch?"
"I… I do need to take a break eventually, so why not?" Rika finally said.
******
Momoka looked just as tired as everyone else, but seemed to be holding up well. When told about Zenzo's message, she just shook her head and said, "That boy, Shizue-san, he's going to run himself so deep in the ground one day he won't be able to get out. Try to keep Rika-san from taking on that aspect of his personality, if you would?" She was busy looking over a few charts, rather distracted.
Shizue smiled and said, "Well, if you helped train Rika, you could counteract some of it, couldn't you? Plus, few more medics can't hurt, can it?"
"Maybe, though that was Zenzo's logic in trying to get Tsubaki-chan to graduate early," Momoka said, "But I suppose Rika's already in the thick of the things, so becoming a better medic can only help."
Shizue was pretty sure that was the best they were going to get, so they scurried out.
Over lunch, they tried to talk of nothing much. Rika had seen Okiie talking to his parents, and they discussed him briefly- dancing around the possibility of a date- and then they had a long discussion about the tea they were drinking and the food they were eating. It somehow morphed into a discussion of economics, and Rika started trying to explain the various new economic systems that had been developing over the past centuries. It was the most animated Shizue had seen in years.
"So the Gato Cartel, to use a famous example, it looked just like the usual government-approved monopoly, and it turned out to be a bunch of criminals, but part of what he did before he started going into crime big time involved undercutting other cartels by offering competitive prices…"
And that's before she started using kunai and chopsticks and soy bottles to represent various parties, as she talked about shipping rates, and tax systems, and why a unified Archipelago had been much richer than the three separate governments combined, and how the uncertainty of war led to- here Shizue lost the thread of the conversation, but it was something to do with variable taxation rates, and written versus verbal promises- severe economic disruption.
By the end of the lunch, which had turned out to last almost two hours, Rika was in a much better mood. Then she realized the time, "Oh darn! I need to get back to work, there are probably people and- and thanks for listening to me ramble, I'm sure I didn't make any sense-"
"No, no," Shizue said, "I didn't follow everything, but it was very educational. I'll talk to you later."
"Kaygreatthanksbye!" Rika said, running off so fast that Shizue almost imagined her as a blur.
*****
That night, Shizue and Junko danced.
"You're so much better at the cloak than me," Junko said, "It's so cool. You're able to dance without having to stay mostly in the same place. I can't see you dancing, but I bet it's cool."
Shizue was rapidly discovering that she wasn't a good dancer. It was a good thing she was invisible, or she'd have made a fool out of herself. But then, she was laughing the whole time as they did different dances and Junko laughed and tried to provide music by singing various folk songs. It was training on how to move around the invisible, but it probably wasn't great training. But honestly, Shizue didn't care.
It was rather liberating, to decide to just have fun.
Even if the dances were a little odd. Many of them were meant to be faster. Some were formal, the sort a person would do at some official function, but others were city dances, and those were even faster, meant to be done by young men and women--Shizue understood--who had not a care in the world. Here in the Archipelago, dance crazes, little bits of culture, they washed up the same way people washed up. Floatsam and jetsam, but treasured all the more because no matter how provincial was, it was impossible to forget that out there was a world, a world full of dances and strange songs in accents no good 'Peligar could understand, half the time. Songs, dances, and movies. So there was something liberating about dancing, besides that it was just fun. The dancing seemed to say to the world 'yes, we know you are there, yes there is more than just this field.' Somewhere far off two very different people might be doing the same dance, having almost as much fun, and when Shizue danced she felt almost part of that.
Junko laughed, halfway through and said, "Now, flute solo!"
"What?" Shizue asked, brought up short.
"I know you're a great musician, so why don't we do a flute solo? Well, follow this song," she said, and she began singing a jaunty song about a young boy getting into some sort of adventure in a small village. Shizue wasn't paying attention to the words, she was paying attention to the notes. She closed her eyes, pulled out her flute, and began to play. One note piled onto the next, keeping up the fast pace of the song, and the more she played, the more she lost herself, just playing.
"C'mon, dance too!" Junko said, "This is great."
And so they danced, Shizue moving and jiving in place, invisible as she played one song and then the next, eyes sometimes open, sometimes closed, until at last she heard Junko say, "Shizue-sama…"
"Yes?" Shizue asked, pausing her playing, letting out a breath. She missed practicing with her flute, and she had really been enjoying herself.
"Wanna start training for real?" Junko asked, "I figured we could play hide and seek?"
"That sounds good, Junko-chan," Shizue said.
And thus the game began. Junko was surprisingly quiet, and the fact that they had the whole village meant that it was hard to beat her. Shizue several times passed Junko by and allowed her to run to another hiding place, but slowly the game evolved into something less one-sided, both of them taking turns hiding and seeking, ranging all across the island. Hiding near streams, behind trees, using invisibility and line of sight and walking and stepping so carefully, it was actually really good practice.
Tired but in a far better mood, Shizue trudged into bed and slept long and dreamlessly. Tomorrow, tomorrow would be a good day, she had high hopes for it, despite all that had happened.
*****
Mayuzumi Hanae, the oldest Genin in Reef, was promoted on the second day after THERE, the fight against which all others would be compared, as the war pressed onward, pushing into Island territory. Two islands captured, damage done to return the favor, and still Ginchiyo was waiting on her own official promotion.
Shizue tried not to focus on the war, tried to investigate. It was difficult. Zenzo wasn't there when she searched for him, so she assumed he'd crashed and not found anything much, and Rika only had a little time to look around with her work in the hospital, and Genta seemed stuck. Writing longer and longer reports, gathering evidence but unable to quite place the last link. The village hurtled onward, and so did its Genin, and only Okiie seemed entirely there, talking about his parents, or rather complaining about a minor argument they'd had. Shizue had listened and made approving sounds, but it wasn't really something she could connect to. Apparently he'd broken something while trying to walk on the walls, and it was a big deal, some sort of vase, and as it slowly came out, bit by bit, he wasn't actually dismissive and understood their concerns.
"But what can I actually do? I mean, I guess I have the money to replace it," Okiie said, rubbing his nose, "But the value of the vase isn't in money, you know?"
Shizue pictured her mother's instruments and said, "Yeah, I do."
"So, do you know anyone who's friends with Nami?"
Just as the story came out piece by piece, so too did Inoguchi Nami reveal herself to Shizue. Her friends, when asked about her, were immediately defensive, and so little was learned there, but once Shizue started listening to rumors, a few things built themselves up. Nami was respected among the shinobi, and she had repeatedly argued for greater respect and protection towards younger ninja. She was someone who was admired, and her stance towards Island was hardline. She'd not hear any word that peace could be made with Island, even as she was one of the champions of a peace with Tide. 'Island,' she had once been heard to say, 'Is a disgusting pit of vipers.'
It seemed unlikely to Shizue that all of this was a false front, since it went back years and years, years and years of hating Island...but perhaps that explained Island's failure? A real traitor towards Tide, who played the false traitor towards Island? Or...what? It was hard to get a bead on her beyond that, her style of ninjutsu and her skills were well known, but it was also known that she liked to keep a little in reserve, to surprise both enemies and allies, in different ways.
The last thing that Shizue managed to dredge up before she had to give up and admit there was little else to learn?
That recently Nami had been acting strange, nervous, tense. It could be the exhaustion and the stress of war, it was getting to everyone. Or it could be that someone had discovered her treason, that she was even now connected to the second traitor, the one who might have hijacked her treason.
Shizue turned to Okiie, trying to fight off the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, and asked, "Hey, would you like to go on a date tomorrow, like we'd planned? Maybe tomorrow afternoon, evening?"
Okiie blinked and said, trying to sound as casual as he could, "Well...sure."
[End Credits]
*****
A/N: Feels so weird for there not to be a vote. Also, the joke is that this is the short update that has half of the content of the update I was writing. So, I introduced some characters that have been mentioned/hinted at (in the sense that there are other Academy Students off-screen), and some more conversations with Zenzo and Rika. Junko continues to be adorable, and the date is approaching!
You'll be learning much more about the situation of the war later on, because right now everyone's in a very confused sort of mood. So enemy losses and what happened in the fights isn't really filtering through. There was also the additional narrative fact that focusing too much on that would weaken the end of the episode, so I decided to focus on Okiie, since you'll have the numbers/developing situation soon enough.
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That also speaks of fully expected brewing resentment and fear, even if they won't act on it yet.
"You will all be rich soon...but first, we're going to have even more rationing."
I think they've lost all illusion of glory by now.
Also...this makes them, Special Chunin? Running low enough to do premature promotions.
D:
Well, looks like Zenzo got what he wanted at last. It's getting bad enough that htey have to pull out the best kids from training...which if you think on it, is even worse. These are the ones with the best potentials, taken out before they finish their foundations, and then sent into combat soon after they are traiined to survivability.
This is why the average skill level is going to be dropping. This is a desperation move.
Back in the earlier weeks, this would have gotten applause without a doubt.
Seeing the butcher's bill changed that.
Emiko: "The secret lies in social links. Pursue them for the Emiko route."
And it sounds like she's almost willing to take us along when she leaves this.
Her dreams are going to be broken really really soon.
Ooo, Chakra infused blades. Nasty in melee.
If he keeps his composure and doesn't get gutted in his first fight.
Junko: Trolololo
And we really needed that relief from stress. At least, while it lasts.
As the war drags on this will cause even more pain though. Now we have faces and names for all the children who're going to get killed and maimed.
*stab, stab, stab*
I might be broken because I fixated upon her being the inheritor of Chieko's techniques. They aren't lost!
Maybe we should hook her up with Rika. They can train together, share techniques and most importantly, stop getting almost killed.
*Flashback to the decision that left us outside the primary killing ground that would have had us trying to protect a Jounin from enemies intended to off one.*
Yeah.
It's kind of worrying that your doctor is on stimulants. And that's the end of Zenzo's assistance for the next week or so while he recovers.
Oh good, that's enough to keep people from bleeding out at least, if it's in combat.
Well...that's one way to do it. Not very effective on actually subtle ninjas though.
And also the sort of thing to cost you socially, if you DO run into a summoner who isn't actually the spy.
Well, he does care.
Just more callous/jaded.
Got to stop leaving real weapons where children can get at them.
Not that it's that much more dangerous than just living during a war.
The cut and bruises still sound somewhat unlikely though. Bruises from falls tend to be fairly easily distinguished unless you were tumbling a great distance.
A favorite mentor no doubt, one now dead. We got vengeance waiting to happen if he ever gets free.
I suppose they don't have any skilled Genjutsu users like Emiko to extract the info, and she's not going to reveal that she can in the village.
And one of our friends have broken under the strain of the war.
I really hope we hook up Rika with Tsubaki. It'd be good for them both.
Good timing to talk to her or we may have divided further than that.
But the war is less visceral for Shizue. She fights through her puppet, keeps her distance from the battles, and is of limited help in the first aid. She partitions, and chooses who and what to care about, easily done by the Pariah, who only had small ties to begin with.
She needs to rest. Stress compounds on stress. Stress is easier to lose when relaxed.
More concerning in a meta-sense. The team no longer has anyone who knows first aid. Evasion went up in priority, as well as learning medical skills(fortunately we're training with Rika this week AND have been around a lot of medical work, so there should be a discount next week to learning some first aid), if we don't want to get killed, or have one of our friends die because Rika wasn't there to patch them up afterwards.
More medics can only help. Wars are about attrition, and the more that don'e die preventably, the better it goes. We've lost so many lives.
Found her true passion. That's actually extremely valuable on leadership roles. Though it's hard to imagine a civilian born who's avoiding the front lines from ever making it there.
But a lot of her stress is gone. Yay for social skills.
We're getting good at this stealth thing!
Bits and pieces huh.
Hmm...am I right in saying we can cast Dizzy Spell from invisibility now? And with it's now enormous range, they'd have a hell of a time locating us.
Dammit Genta. You got some weird dice if you keep doing that.
I wonder if his parents are using the vase to try to get the message through to him that they don't want to lose him either. Even if it's a ninja family.
Actually, especially if it's a ninja family, they'd also be embroiled in the war too, and can't even tell him to be careful without repercussions.
Tinfoil hats everywhere.
Though whether she's clean or not, I don't think she'd be a good idea to pull into the conspiracy.
Or if the traitor is holding something over her.
Hopefully THIS time they can see it through without a war.
I just hope it ends befor she's made a casualty.
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
The more I hear about our village and its culture, the more I want to just...leave. The war is only going get get worse, at least for now, and our group is probably going to get assigned more dangerous missions after how well we've done so far. Mostly though, I just need a break from this place. I mean, there's a certain amount of immorality inherent in training ninjas as young as they do, but I didn't expect the academy to so blatantly produce child soldiers. It's starting to seem like getting out is the only good choice.
So in this village, it should work fine!
Even if she did, I don't think the village could afford her price for it. She knows those kids have a good chance of being executed once they talk, and she seems to be rather against killing children.
Eh, I think invisible puppetry is more impressive/useful. Or could we already do that?
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We have Rank 5 Dizzy Spell.
Range: Everything within earshot(this is something like a 100-200 meter radius if we're talking about a reasonably loud instrument)
Selectiveness: Freely pick who to affect and who not to affect.
Effect: Intense vertigo, which at a lower level version was a -5 to all checks when a Genin's stats was in the 20s and a Chunin in the 30s. I'm not sure if it got more powerful, but if it's a -10...Chunin would be REAMED by above average Genin on a 1:2 odds with Shizue rocking out in the background unseen.
This is kind of an Army scale jutsu, even if it's subtle. Imagine a -5 to every single check by the enemy, which they need to deploy a Sensor to counter. The bigger the fight the more powerful it is.
It also does not require any sudden movements, whereas puppetry, at this level, still requires our fingers to move quickly, potentially breaking the invisibility. We need to push Puppetry skill to the point where we're controlling it through direct Chakra modulation first.
Range: Everything within earshot(this is something like a 100-200 meter radius if we're talking about a reasonably loud instrument)
Selectiveness: Freely pick who to affect and who not to affect.
Effect: Intense vertigo, which at a lower level version was a -5 to all checks when a Genin's stats was in the 20s and a Chunin in the 30s. I'm not sure if it got more powerful, but if it's a -10...Chunin would be REAMED by above average Genin on a 1:2 odds with Shizue rocking out in the background unseen.
This is kind of an Army scale jutsu, even if it's subtle. Imagine a -5 to every single check by the enemy, which they need to deploy a Sensor to counter. The bigger the fight the more powerful it is.
It also does not require any sudden movements, whereas puppetry, at this level, still requires our fingers to move quickly, potentially breaking the invisibility. We need to push Puppetry skill to the point where we're controlling it through direct Chakra modulation first.
Or, given that i think Ninjas have figured out electricity, we could get a large electric Amplifier and build it into a Puppet. Potentially deadly combination, if it works.
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
Huh, I thought that the motions for puppetry were minor enough to not break it. I mean, is it really that much more/quicker finger movement than playing the flute?
They had in canon; remember the computer that choose the matches for part of the chunin exams? Still, tech levels are super inconsistent, so I wouldn't count on it. (trains but farming is still done by hand, gatling guns but mooks use swords, books are cheap enough for Jiraiya's porn novels to be bestsellers but small towns are still pre-industrial)
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- Location
- scrabbling
Electric puppetry...? Are you suggesting we build a robot?
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
I thought they meant a puppet that zaps on contact.
- Location
- scrabbling
Well, I mean, the actual quote is just incorporation of electric components. Totally removed from both my and your suggestion. But it's only a step away from both!
I was more thinking building rock concert strength amplifiers into a puppet so everyone on the battlefield can hear it, even over the sound of battle, thus truly turning our jutsu into army level combat multipliers.
Also, is anyone else always hearing Ghiren Zabi whenever the Jounin council is making those speeches?
I asked before. The problem is not just amount of movement but how abrupt it is.
Combat requires high speed movements, even small ones. Music does not if you pick a slow song. A dirge is suitable battle music.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Who's Ghiren Zabi?
A Gundam villain, basically Space!Hitler. Part of the royal family of the Principality of Zeon, he is gifted with demagogic talents and an abject hatred for everyone that does not live in space.
He writes awesome "stay in the war" propaganda speeches though.
Like this one, when the nation is in shock over the death of his younger brother, Garma Zabi, who was widely beloved.
lkmcclenahan
That which doesn't kill me, only makes me stranger
- Location
- UK
Actually, this is the plan (or one of them) Nami, Ieyoshi and Yumiko were discussing when Shizue was eavesdropping.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
...writing Saya is, like, just an amazing experience. If slow.
Kairos123
Insomniac Extraordinaire
Glad you are enjoying yourself. I bet you are happy to finally be able to write some of the other genin.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
So, anyone else willing to leave with Emiko?
I think it would be cool.
I think it would be cool.
Kairos123
Insomniac Extraordinaire
Dude, I have been advocating this since Emiko was introduced. I don't think she will let us follow her though. She might if it starts looking like Reef will keep up their current attitude of risking children, but I doubt it will be an option.
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
If it's a realistic option I'm all for it. I'n not sure I'd want to ask her to take us though.