Game of the Year: A Naruto Quest

[Crustle]

Whew! Finally made it to the end of the thread.

1)I think I remember reading that we've gotten an achievement from playing an instrument with a bag over our head in the park. Where is this achievement, and does it give us anything?

2)I think we can bring people, -but- they must be henged clones. If we produced a bunch of clones and shift them into different people, we're not technically breaking the rules.

3)Lastly! Ambience! Party decorations. Maybe a bunch of lamps and streamers would be good.

 

[kenmadragon]

Nice analysis.

Missing the prioritization of travel, survival, and perform though.

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I figured you'd be handling that, Katsu. I thought that went without saying.

I agree Pinnacle Dexterity is more important than Pinnacle Strength. Simply that for the XP required to get Elite Kenjutsu, Pinnacle Strength would be the better choice given how much it'll boost in comparison.

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I don't know about that last part - Attributes are ranked against our peer-groups in accordance with age and development. So, Pinnacle Attributes are only considered Pinnacle in relation to others of our age - and since we're only 13 years old, Superhuman Strength/Dexterity might be roughly equivalent to the Attributes of an Average 16 year old ninja, and Pinnacle is that of an Above-Average one that age.

Comparatively, Skills are ranked independently of our body's actual age and development - the metrics used to measure Skill relate to our effectiveness, knowledge, and ability to apply what we know to those ends as a measure of our experience, familiarity and ingenuity.

It's a lot of XP either way. Pinnacle Strength provides improvement to a lot of different things, but the gains would be noticed as general uptick in a variety of fields. Elite Kenjutsu, on the other hand, is a far more noticeable and significant upgrade in effectiveness, albeit to a singular field.

And honestly, if we're gonna be upgrading Attributes to Pinnacle once we've gotten all three to Superhuman, it's likely going to be Dexterity > Constitution > Strength or Constitution > Dexterity > Strength. Because let's not forget that while Dexterity may help us dodge better and hit more accurately, it's Constitution that determines our stamina and tolerance for pain. Strength pales in importance to those two.

Still, that's a whiles away in the future.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Plus, some Skills would be valuable sooner rather than later. Case in point, any quest that specifies particular Skills. Sure this is a test for Genin, but Journeyman Perception now would help with succeeding.

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I think the listed Skills are listed as relevant because they're used to help with working as a team to plan the party (Diplomacy) or noticing what the others are bringing so you don't bring the same thing and thus cover all the bases for party success (Perception).

So, either way, I think the listed Skills weren't "what success is based off of", so much as "what our approach is". Our success and failure is probably based on how we used them and the levels for those Skills are probably just measures of how much we succeed or fail based on our approach.

Regarding Kawarimi and Henge, even if they don't unlock new Techniques for being Mastered, it is still possible to develop new Techniques anyways. Henge alone has a high number of derived Jutsus, and that's without Superhuman Intelligent Daisuke experimenting with Nature Transformation.

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Fair enough, though I'm still of the opinion we leave that for growth via IC-Usage.

... Huh, Suigetsu's water transformation could reasonably be Water Natured Henge. That, actually makes a lot of sense. Though yeah, Mastering Kawarimi and Henge makes it easier for Daisuke to create derivative and/or superior Techniques.

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Hozuki Suigetsu's Hydrification technisue isn't a Water-Natured Henge at all. I mean, it seems pretty similar, but the methodologies appear to be vastly different.

The Henge involves constant emission of chakra to disguise yourself as a person/plant/object. Basically, you're still solid matter, and it required focus to keep up.

The Hydrification technique is a Hiden Ninjutsu and the secret of the Hozuki Clan of Kirigakure. It's part of what made Hozuki Gengetsu - the Second Mizukage - so goddamn terrifying in battle. It appeared to involve using Water-Release chakra to super-saturate parts of the body until they took on the properties of liquids while still maintaining cohesion - this didn't seem to require much focus at all (though that might just be because our examples are Jonin or a Kage). They could also manipulate their liquid-bodies with impunity via Water-Release, so that's a thing...

I imagine the shinobi who invented the Hydrification jutsu were completely insane and the experimentation involved with creating it had to have mutilated tons of people in the process.

I highly doubt we'll be able to engineer a technique like Hydrification just from combining Nature Transformation with one of the Academy Three at Master level...

Actually I think that the fusion dance would be just yang release. A comparable technique in canon would be the Inuzuka clan's Double-Headed Wolf Jutsu. It would likely be considered a more advanced version of that technique.

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Well, that's B-Rank Cooperation Ninjutsu, and the amalgamation has two heads - ergo, two brains. It's also not categorized as Yang-Release, though...

Still, the DBZ fusion does involve gestalt mental functions because it allows both minds and personalities to merge and create a new persona formed from the two participants. So... Yin-Release would have to be involved because Yang Release doesn't involve the mind. Yang is related to Life energy, and Yin is related to Spiritual energy.

Whew! Finally made it to the end of the thread.

1)I think I remember reading that we've gotten an achievement from playing an instrument with a bag over our head in the park. Where is this achievement, and does it give us anything?

2)I think we can bring people, -but- they must be henged clones. If we produced a bunch of clones and shift them into different people, we're not technically breaking the rules.

3)Lastly! Ambience! Party decorations. Maybe a bunch of lamps and streamers would be good.

Click to shrink...

1 - I don't actually know. I think the Quest Rewards were simply proficiency with the musical instruments used and XP to the Social Skills and Attributes used. We certainly don't have a Perk for it... though with Katsuragi around, we probably will have one by the end of the month.

2 - Given they're immaterial and cannot talk or interact with objects... That'd be a little weird. I mean, we've already proven we can make a bunch of clones and have them transform into disguises and act ins simple, pre-programmed ways. But I doubt enough to make it an actual part.

3 - That's a great idea actually, but I don't know where we'd get that stuff on short-notice. Not to mention that means more to clean up afterwards. Hmn... Maybe we could have our Henged Clones are makeshift decorations? It'd be a ridiculous, frivolous waste of chakra, but it just might work...

 

[exerty]

More likely mastered henge would lead to (probably nothing as bunshind lead to nothing) something that includes smell and other things that may give it away to sombody with amplified/difrent senses that and durability I guess are the obious paths. Then again it could lead to the Shadow Mirror Body Changing Method or something like it if taken far enought by a crayzee enought mind I guess.

 

[Katsuragi]

I figured you'd be handling that, Katsu. I thought that went without saying.


I don't know about that last part - Attributes are ranked against our peer-groups in accordance with age and development. So, Pinnacle Attributes are only considered Pinnacle in relation to others of our age - and since we're only 13 years old, Superhuman Strength/Dexterity might be roughly equivalent to the Attributes of an Average 16 year old ninja, and Pinnacle is that of an Above-Average one that age.

Comparatively, Skills are ranked independently of our body's actual age and development - the metrics used to measure Skill relate to our effectiveness, knowledge, and ability to apply what we know to those ends as a measure of our experience, familiarity and ingenuity.

It's a lot of XP either way. Pinnacle Strength provides improvement to a lot of different things, but the gains would be noticed as general uptick in a variety of fields. Elite Kenjutsu, on the other hand, is a far more noticeable and significant upgrade in effectiveness, albeit to a singular field.

And honestly, if we're gonna be upgrading Attributes to Pinnacle once we've gotten all three to Superhuman, it's likely going to be Dexterity > Constitution > Strength or Constitution > Dexterity > Strength. Because let's not forget that while Dexterity may help us dodge better and hit more accurately, it's Constitution that determines our stamina and tolerance for pain. Strength pales in importance to those two.

Still, that's a whiles away in the future.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯


I think the listed Skills are listed as relevant because they're used to help with working as a team to plan the party (Diplomacy) or noticing what the others are bringing so you don't bring the same thing and thus cover all the bases for party success (Perception).

So, either way, I think the listed Skills weren't "what success is based off of", so much as "what our approach is". Our success and failure is probably based on how we used them and the levels for those Skills are probably just measures of how much we succeed or fail based on our approach.


Fair enough, though I'm still of the opinion we leave that for growth via IC-Usage.


Hozuki Suigetsu's Hydrification technisue isn't a Water-Natured Henge at all. I mean, it seems pretty similar, but the methodologies appear to be vastly different.

The Henge involves constant emission of chakra to disguise yourself as a person/plant/object. Basically, you're still solid matter, and it required focus to keep up.

The Hydrification technique is a Hiden Ninjutsu and the secret of the Hozuki Clan of Kirigakure. It's part of what made Hozuki Gengetsu - the Second Mizukage - so goddamn terrifying in battle. It appeared to involve using Water-Release chakra to super-saturate parts of the body until they took on the properties of liquids while still maintaining cohesion - this didn't seem to require much focus at all (though that might just be because our examples are Jonin or a Kage). They could also manipulate their liquid-bodies with impunity via Water-Release, so that's a thing...

I imagine the shinobi who invented the Hydrification jutsu were completely insane and the experimentation involved with creating it had to have mutilated tons of people in the process.

I highly doubt we'll be able to engineer a technique like Hydrification just from combining Nature Transformation with one of the Academy Three at Master level...



Well, that's B-Rank Cooperation Ninjutsu, and the amalgamation has two heads - ergo, two brains. It's also not categorized as Yang-Release, though...

Still, the DBZ fusion does involve gestalt mental functions because it allows both minds and personalities to merge and create a new persona formed from the two participants. So... Yin-Release would have to be involved because Yang Release doesn't involve the mind. Yang is related to Life energy, and Yin is related to Spiritual energy.


1 - I don't actually know. I think the Quest Rewards were simply proficiency with the musical instruments used and XP to the Social Skills and Attributes used. We certainly don't have a Perk for it... though with Katsuragi around, we probably will have one by the end of the month.

2 - Given they're immaterial and cannot talk or interact with objects... That'd be a little weird. I mean, we've already proven we can make a bunch of clones and have them transform into disguises and act ins simple, pre-programmed ways. But I doubt enough to make it an actual part.

3 - That's a great idea actually, but I don't know where we'd get that stuff on short-notice. Not to mention that means more to clean up afterwards. Hmn... Maybe we could have our Henged Clones are makeshift decorations? It'd be a ridiculous, frivolous waste of chakra, but it just might work...

Click to shrink...

Traits are locked for the moment...

 

[Expecting Me]

Well, that's B-Rank Cooperation Ninjutsu, and the amalgamation has two heads - ergo, two brains. It's also not categorized as Yang-Release, though...

Still, the DBZ fusion does involve gestalt mental functions because it allows both minds and personalities to merge and create a new persona formed from the two participants. So... Yin-Release would have to be involved because Yang Release doesn't involve the mind. Yang is related to Life energy, and Yin is related to Spiritual energy.

Click to shrink...

I mean if you want to compare it to another Cooperative Ninjutsu, Naruto and Gamabunta combined to form the Kyūbi, which only had one head.

The technique is not directly listed as Yang Release, but to be fair the only techniques that have been are the Akimichi clan Justus, Izanagi and Six Path Yang Power. However, it has been noted that most clan specific techniques are either Yin or Yang release. Kiba, the only person in canon who has used the technique, is noted to be a user of Yang Release. Therefore I feel comfortable making the assertion that the Inuzuka clan's techniques are Yang Release in nature.

As for your assertions on how Yin and Yang Release operate, the information we receive from canon states that Yin Release is "to create form out of nothingness" where Yang Release "breathes life into form". Combining two minds to form one wouldn't be from nothing.

 

[Pittauro]

Magician would likely take Sleight of Hand, Escape Artist and Bluff. I guess we can fake it with Elite Genjutsu though.

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so what you're saying is that we can fake fake magic by using real magic

We talked with Pittauro on Discord and this idea was born. Sadly I couldn't do it justice, but I tried

Spoiler

The secret of Kurenai.

The spirit of Youth should be cultivated. That was one of the basic truths of the world. Thus when Gai, unrivalled master of Genjutsu and Taijutsu, met Daisuke, he began to teach him defying laws and traditions. In Gai's mind what would happen next was pretty straightforward - young man would graduate from the Academy and then Gai would become his jounin-sensei. But since truly youthful can't be bound by logic and plans, the unexpected occurence threw a wrench in his vision of future - he met another young man in need of training and guidance, one Rock Lee. Never the one for long deliberations, Green Beast decided to take the boy and his team under his wing.

Which caused some complications. Namely, laws, regulations and Hokage decided once again to throw themselves against YOUTH. "One jounin can't have two genin teams", - said Hiruzen to him on one fateful evening - "You must choose". But how one can make that choice when choosing one would mean abandoning other? The answer is one simply can not. He thought again and again about Hokage's words.

"One jounin can't have two genin teams"

"One jounin..."

"One..."

Of course! The answer was in the question itself all along. If one jounin couldn't have two teams, then Gai would have to become two to teach both of his protege. It was easier said than done, but Gai was no stranger to training and hard work. He labored for months and in the end created his twofold masterpiece. The first part was Kurenai - his special female shadow clone, who received all his skill in Genjutsu. The second one was subtle village-wide memory alteration, after which everyone was sure that Kurenai was always there and Gai was always just a Taijutsu master. There was only one man who could pierce the illusion and ruin his scheme - his eternal rival, Kakashi of the Sharingan. But when Gai went to him, ready to beg and promise, he realized that he underestimated strength of their bond. Indeed, it was stronger than steel! His rival wholeheartedly endorsed his idea saying "Whatever, less work for me"

There were imperfections, of course. He was unable to part with his sunset genjutsu, for example, for it was too important part of his identity. Likewise, it would be blasphemy to seal Daisuke's hard-won Genjutsu skills, so he only took memory of learning them from Gai. But all of that was insignificant compared to the end result - his ability to spread youthfulness unimpeded to both of his pupils at once, so he was content.

Bonus idea:

Spoiler

This wasn't the first split. First split was when man known as Kakashi, master of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu with temperament of Gai decided to create a rival for himself since no one was strong enough for him. Something went wrong and Gai-clone received all youthfulness instead of just half. Now Kakashi is apathetic and doesn't like Gai's constant challenges very much, but can't be bothered to research the technique to reverse the split.

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let's be honest, it was nearly impossible to TRULY do justice to this idea.

 

[Usernames]

so....what would be best for the future for Daisuke if we pass the exam? Pinnacle Reserves and Pinnacle Control so that we can spam jutsu or at least not worry about exhaustion.

 

[Pittauro]

so....what would be best for the future for Daisuke if we pass the exam? Pinnacle Reserves and Pinnacle Control so that we can spam jutsu or at least not worry about exhaustion.

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we don't really have that many jutsu to spam yet. Pinnacle attributes are an easy answer, while for skills we should wait and see what Kurenai focuses on first (i expect she'll bring up our worse skills + teach us a few d-c rank genjutsu in the beginning)

 

[RedV]

If we're talking about best use of XP - I think we have enough Reserves / Shape Man for now. Our Summons don't require chakra and we use genjutsu or swords which don't need as much chakra, so it isn't a super big deal.

Rather, wouldn't Senses be a good investment? Chakra Sensing allows us to detect enemy opponents before they come and prep genjutsu / Kiba's transformation & smoke bombs to deal with them. It would also be useful for scouting, if it comes up. High level sensors can detect people across several miles, and identify individuals by their chakra signature.

It's also pretty hard to train normally, unlike most skills.

I mean if you want to compare it to another Cooperative Ninjutsu, Naruto and Gamabunta combined to form the Kyūbi, which only had one head.

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That was an advanced application of Transformation. The Nine-Tails they formed wasn't actually a living being, just a shell they were wearing. Kinda like how the Rangers don't actually fuse into one being when they sit inside a zord, if it makes it clearer.

The anime even shows us Naruto sitting on Bunta's head and talking to him from inside the Nine-Tails they formed, so it isn't what you're looking for if you want something similar to DBZ fusion.

I think Zetsu fusing into Obito's body or people being absorbed by Kaguya are the clearest examples we have of this stuff.

 

[Katsuragi]

@Vesvius

Other training art.

Spoiler

 

[Crustle]

2 - Given they're immaterial and cannot talk or interact with objects... That'd be a little weird. I mean, we've already proven we can make a bunch of clones and have them transform into disguises and act ins simple, pre-programmed ways. But I doubt enough to make it an actual part.

3 - That's a great idea actually, but I don't know where we'd get that stuff on short-notice. Not to mention that means more to clean up afterwards. Hmn... Maybe we could have our Henged Clones are makeshift decorations? It'd be a ridiculous, frivolous waste of chakra, but it just might work...

Click to shrink...

I might've misread, but I thought henged clones could talk. During our history project, didn't we have them explain and act out their individual parts? Even if they couldn't, I think the idea would still be good, as it would make the party seem bigger than it was from the outside. As for the lamps, we could buy a bunch from the store and put them in a storage seal. EDIT: I'm talking about stuff like Chinese Paper Lanterns, not modern-day electric lamps.

EDIT

Preamble done you let your hands twist into one seal. In your training, you've managed to get both Bunshin and Henge down to a single seal- the same seal for both, conveniently. Doing both jutsu at once is a bit of bitch but you've managed to get it to look nearly effortless. The air around you shimmers slightly and Bunshin start popping into existence. But these clones don't look like you; no, you've transformed each of them to look like an ancient member of one of Konoha's clans.

You direct each clan to the center of their territory and start talking. You talk about where each one made their homes first, mentioning the landmarks that drew the ancient shinobi to those places and the resources around them. Then you move on to the rivalries and friendships, making your clones growl and wave at each other to get your point across.

Click to shrink...

Ok, it looks like talking might be a bit much for clones, but at least we can make them act.

 

[Katsuragi]

Also, outside of scope being that the vote is over. We'll just have to leave it to Dai and his Team to figure things out from here.

@Vesvius - Ino brings the pain, omake.

Spoiler

The feast laid out on the table was magnificent. An entire range of the culinary arts of this particular establishment, a rather good one, were spread out among them. Dumplings, chicken, meat skewers, pasta, bread sticks, a little bot of everything. It would have been quite the proper team meal, except it was entirely for one person. Well, besides the eggs sat in front of Asuma-sensei. But those were tiny portion of the table spread.

On hearing their new Jounin was footing the tab, Choji had ordered the menu. This might have been rude, except that's what he would have ordered anyways. Akimichi diets were partially subsidized by the village, and most of the rest by the clan itself, she knew. It was a small price to pay for the kinds of power they brought to the battlefield.

Shikamaru had his head resting in his elbows at his end of the table. Apparently this was going to be one of those days that he was too lazy to eat. Given his limited activity levels thus far in life, it wasn't like he needed the calories after all.

She smiled lightly. If she hadn't been so gung ho about her various diets over the years, she never would have gotten the nutrition lectures from Satomama. Unlike other, lesser girls her age, she could appopriately balance her intake and nutrition levels to her activity day to day. The end result being looking great while also not impacting her physical abilities.

She snorted. Stupid Mariko.

Asume cleared his throat and gave what looked to be an attempt at a welcoming smile. It was a bit strained though. Out of practice or forced? Hm. Maybe a bit of both?

"Congratulations on passing the academy test." He looked around the room, taking in Choji happily munching on food, Shikamaru sleeping, and herself likely scowling a bit at her current situation.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I was hoping we could start off with a bit of an introduction? I'm Sarutobi Asuma. I am 27 years old, and I hate scarfs."

She was still scowling about the situation and Shikamaru was still sleeping, which left Choji to finally take the hint. "Akimichi Choji!" munch munch. "I am 12 years old." Sluuuuurp. Munch. "I like my family's cooking."

Asuma nodded and turned his attention to Shikamaru. Silence for a few moments before Choji leaned over and proded his friend, who slowly stired. "Nara Shikamaru. 12. Clouds." And then he promptly seemed to go back to sleep.

Or at least he attempted to, before a dinner roll bounced off of his head. He sat up (Well, mostly sat up. It was more of a slouch than anything. He was paying attention at least, alright?!) and blinked warily in Ino's direction. A more astute observer may pick up the general thought of "so it begins." All Ino got was weary...resignation?

"I am Yamanaka Ino. Currently 13 years old" and she didn't radiate smug at being a bit older than the two boys, not at all. "And I enjoy pushing myself, being the best, and dragging everyone I assosiate along with me for the ride. Regardless of if they like it or not, I won't fall behind my rival." She smiled sweetly at the rest of the table.

Choji continued eating, oblivious, Shikamaru groaned and put his head back down, and Asuma just blinked and took a moment to process that.

He made the mental connection. "You were...one of Daisuke's friends, right?"

She glared. "His best friend, thank you."

"Right, yeah." He looked at the two boys with something approaching pity. "Hm. Well, if what I've heard from other Jounin was accurate, this would ordinarily be the point where I put some kind of test before you, generally to shore up whatever the most obvious weakness between you is, and threaten you with failure of being a ninja otherwise."

Shika....well, you already know how the run down with those two went. Ino snorted, but the feeling was more or less mutual between the three of them.

"And of course you three know that would be pointless. The Ino-Shika-Cho heirs being failed out? The old man would have my head, and you three would be getting a different jounin."

"Clan politics are fun like that." Ino smiled. "That speel might work on people who don't pay attention, but we all know the number of people that actually fail out of being a ninja after completing the academy are...virtually non-existent. Remedial lessons and the genin corps for those that truly don't make the cut are the end result. Still unlikely to be acceptable for us."

"Indeed, Ms. Yamanaka."

She shrugged. "Besides, I'd intentionally take a dive to get a more acceptable team, Choji is just along for the ride, and Shikamaru would keep failing over and over until either his family made failing more troublesome than being a ninja or they finally accepted a non-shinobi clan heir."

It was Asuma's turn to smirk. "If that were an option, Shikaku would definitely be the first non-shinobi Jounin commander on record."

That actually managed to draw a bit of disbelief from Ino and a mild pause in eating from Choji.

"What, you think we'd lose that mind to civilian work? Old man is to canny for that." He chuckled at his own joke, while Ino and Choji just shared a brief look.

"Anyhow, point is, failing you all isn't an option. Letting you fail isn't an option. I didn't really want a genin team, if we're being honest, but now I've got one that I'm basically stuck with. So here's a run down on how things are going to work. You can't fail, so you're not going to. I'm going to drive the three of you until you're the best you are in your class, and more than that. In a year, you'll either all be chuunin and out of my hair, or chuunin and competent enough that I don't mind working with you. I don't really care which."

Ino grinned. "Sensei, I think we're going to get along juuuuust fine..."

 

[BlueArcher]

This is what she said

Ino grinned. "Sensei, I think we're going to get along juuuuust fine..."

Click to shrink...

This is how it feel.

Spoiler

 

[FourmyleOfCeres]

@Vesvius -part three is here! (Also the tag a person drop down doesn't seem to be working for me. Anyone else having trouble?

Water Is The Mother of Tea,...
A Teapot Its Father,
...And Fire Its Teacher. ~Chinese Proverb

Spoiler: And Fire Its Teacher

A proper tea ceremony takes at least a week to prepare. Which means you'd been nipping off to the compound to help when you could. Unlike the others, where you acted as a sort of informal host, here you were a student. If it weren't for your noble bearing(though ignoble birth), they likely wouldn't have been so willing to take you on.

If you weren't a genius, you'd still be just a guest. if that. They say it takes ten years to become a Teishu(Teacher/Host), but you would likely do it in five. There were nine major types ceremonies, and you had already lead one. Your ability to take your teishu's instruction from the subtlest hints did you credit. As did the effort you put in to the preparation.

You were there when they weeded the garden. You were there to clean. You brought ingredients for the sweets and meals, and cooked when you could. And you did it all without being asked, without being told. They would have been happy to take your money for years, especially thinking what they did of you. But you gave them more than money. You gave them time. It was true there were only so many hours in the day, but you were always able to squeeze more out of them than others.

Okeiko, of course, wasn't as stressful. The comparatively simple lessons were almost informal compared to Shoburo; when they pulled out the portable brazier in May. The speeches were no trouble to memorize and recite, of course. But it was long, and the act of carrying everything dragged on. It was a test of endurance.

Today however, would be your first asa-cha, your first Early Morning ceremony. Summer was starting and soon it would become too hot to do a mid-day lesson. You had been the Rookie of the Year in school, and so here too. You had displaced a member of the clan as the top student and would be the first assistant. No more lugging water.

Getting there in the early pre-Dawn hours, getting changed into more traditional clothing, and the rest was the easy part. Waiting, that was the hard part. Today's ceremony would be held in the room by the front gate, with the simpler utensils. Which was not to say they were cheap junk, simply that there was a more everyday atmosphere to it all. Smoked bamboo, rather than untreated. Things with some wear and character. It was still a step up from the side gates, which you were used to preforming at.

It was nice, made you feel important. Perhaps that's why you were so vigilant. Perhaps that's why you noticed the darkness in the bottom of the cups. At first you thought it was a stain, but they should not have been stained between your choosing them and today. A quick application of water removed it, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. A wet finger and a taste revealed that it numbed. Thanks to Anko-hime's twisted idea of Fun you were aware of this poison, and its effects. It reduced your senses slightly. It'd make the tea seem less bitter, true. But it'd also reduce ones ability to call on chakra for several hours, making it easier to assassinate someone later.

It was also a good way to teach a lesson to a young student such as yourself. Look underneath the underneath, and don't get too used to the script. It'd be mostly harmless to the guests, and they'd probably been warned. You were happy with the experience. You'd brought the sweets yourself, though you had the Akimichi prepare them. You'd ordered the flowers from the Yamanaka, and while Inoichi might have issues with you, he wouldn't risk his reputation over something so petty. Unless they asked super nicely.

So that left only the things at the Hyuga compound to distrust. And the guests, of course.

How were you to be tested, would you be tested further? Beyond the ceremony itself, of course?

With a muttered curse, you went to find the flower arrangements; keeping the sweets with you. You'd had the flowers delivered here the night before. Sure enough, someone had slipped some violets into the arangement. You checked the receipt... and the delivery slip. It happened here. You removed them and tossed them aside.

Violets contain ionones, which bind to the smell receptors, shutting them down for a time. It's the reason why the scent of violets seem to disappear and reappear, eternally fresh. And why the Inuzuka hate them. They were a good way to cause a pursuer to lose the scent... or prevent someone from detecting poison in their meal.

This was generally used to hide more offensive poisons than the one you washed out. In fact, either would be good at hiding a third. But surely your teacher would not go that far?

Soon, it was time for the ceremony. You were sure to hand the sweets directly to your teishu, to put in the bowl. This was all ritual, all memorization. Your movements were almost perfect. You inspected the tools as they were handed to you, although briefly, and did your best. Your only mistake was forgetting that you were at the Front Gate, which meant that you were supposed to leave a lake in the froth, but you correctly yourself the moment you heard your teishu utter the word in conversation.

The froth of your tea burnt with brilliance. The 'lake' allowed an unspoiled view into the cup and the leaves. The thin tea was your world for one unspoiled moment, and then you looked to the guests. Hinata was the third guest. Not the least important, but not the primary guest. She was also unpopular with the Elders. In fact, everyone but the primary guest was.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the assassination was real, and you were to be framed for it. You dispelled the thought from your mind, and continued the ceremony.

Afterward, while you were cleaning up you turned to your teishu with a smile. This would settle things one way or another. "Sensei, thank you for the simulated assassination. I have been getting ahead of myself, perhaps. It would have been humbling if one of my guests had gotten sick. The darker cups are, indeed, a reason to be wary."

He tilted his head. "Oh?"

You nod. "The treatment can hid a toxin so easily, one that would come off into the tea. Truly, I should watch out for the common place. A stain can be so much more. The untreated cups of the Back Gate would have been obvious. And with the set on display, it would have been much harder. Truly, familiarity and relaxation has its price."

His brow furrowed. "Is that all you learned?"

You shook your head. "Of course not. To delegate, as I had with the flowers, is also a weakness. Had I not been inspecting the arrangement, I would have missed the violets until it was too late to remove them. They would have lead to the guests missing the aroma of the tea... and anything that had been added to it."

The frown deepened. "I suppose that is all?"

You shrugged. "I had already changed into my nice clothes, so I did not check under the mats for anyone, though our guests would have spotted them. It would have been trivial to jab someone with a poisoned needle. But unless the chakra flow had been reduced, as I said, our guests would have seen them coming. Applying the toxin to whisk would have drawn the least scrutiny, however it only would have affected the Shoukyaku, unless there was a reservoir in the handle. That would have required a willing assassin to be doing the act, however. Not a cats-paw."

He stiffens, and you head off to get changed. While you're walking, you feel someone bump into you, and a weight in your sleeve. It wasn't uncommon to pass money or notes this way, once upon a time. You found the note, and read it while getting changed. Well, attempted to read it. You weren't familiar with this particular code. Oh well, to the library to study, you supposed. You did have the rest of the day ahead of you.

I hope this one was as good as the others. But you see what I mean about "I didn't have to think". Even the more relaxed tea ceremonies, like this one, are strictly by the book affairs. Coming up with something to make it interesting was a little difficult. But I tried to intigrate the traits I had and other Omakes to good effect. Anko's poison training, Consumable Connoisseur, Imperial Etiquette, My New Enemy's Modus Operandi Needs Intense Creativity, Refined Palate, and Sleep is for the Dead being the obvious ones.

Having to get up early, notice all this crap, and still be polite is quite a strain on anyone. Whether it was indeed a simulated assassination for a lesson or something real is up in the air. Also what that note is. I figured I'd give some hooks for whoever.

And yes, stabbing people in the thigh/ass/calf with poisoned needle delivered by a man under the floorboard is a time honored tradition in Japan. As is drugging someone so they can be injured in a "training accident".

 

[Katsuragi]

@Vesvius -part three is here! (Also the tag a person drop down doesn't seem to be working for me. Anyone else having trouble?

Water Is The Mother of Tea,...
A Teapot Its Father,
...And Fire Its Teacher. ~Chinese Proverb

Spoiler: And Fire Its Teacher

A proper tea ceremony takes at least a week to prepare. Which means you'd been nipping off to the compound to help when you could. Unlike the others, where you acted as a sort of informal host, here you were a student. If it weren't for your noble bearing(though ignoble birth), they likely wouldn't have been so willing to take you on.

If you weren't a genius, you'd still be just a guest. if that. They say it takes ten years to become a Teishu(Teacher/Host), but you would likely do it in five. There were nine major types ceremonies, and you had already lead one. Your ability to take your teishu's instruction from the subtlest hints did you credit. As did the effort you put in to the preparation.

You were there when they weeded the garden. You were there to clean. You brought ingredients for the sweets and meals, and cooked when you could. And you did it all without being asked, without being told. They would have been happy to take your money for years, especially thinking what they did of you. But you gave them more than money. You gave them time. It was true there were only so many hours in the day, but you were always able to squeeze more out of them than others.

Okeiko, of course, wasn't as stressful. The comparatively simple lessons were almost informal compared to Shoburo; when they pulled out the portable brazier in May. The speeches were no trouble to memorize and recite, of course. But it was long, and the act of carrying everything dragged on. It was a test of endurance.

Today however, would be your first asa-cha, your first Early Morning ceremony. Summer was starting and soon it would become too hot to do a mid-day lesson. You had been the Rookie of the Year in school, and so here too. You had displaced a member of the clan as the top student and would be the first assistant. No more lugging water.

Getting there in the early pre-Dawn hours, getting changed into more traditional clothing, and the rest was the easy part. Waiting, that was the hard part. Today's ceremony would be held in the room by the front gate, with the simpler utensils. Which was not to say they were cheap junk, simply that there was a more everyday atmosphere to it all. Smoked bamboo, rather than untreated. Things with some wear and character. It was still a step up from the side gates, which you were used to preforming at.

It was nice, made you feel important. Perhaps that's why you were so vigilant. Perhaps that's why you noticed the darkness in the bottom of the cups. At first you thought it was a stain, but they should not have been stained between your choosing them and today. A quick application of water removed it, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. A wet finger and a taste revealed that it numbed. Thanks to Aunt Anko's twisted idea of Fun you were aware of this poison, and its effects. It reduced your senses slightly. It'd make the tea seem less bitter, true. But it'd also reduce ones ability to call on chakra for several hours, making it easier to assassinate someone later.

It was also a good way to teach a lesson to a young student such as yourself. Look underneath the underneath, and don't get too used to the script. It'd be mostly harmless to the guests, and they'd probably been warned. You were happy with the experience. You'd brought the sweets yourself, though you had the Akimichi prepare them. You'd ordered the flowers from the Yamanaka, and while Inoichi might have issues with you, he wouldn't risk his reputation over something so petty. Unless they asked super nicely.

So that left only the things at the Hyuga compound to distrust. And the guests, of course.

How were you to be tested, would you be tested further? Beyond the ceremony itself, of course?

With a muttered curse, you went to find the flower arrangements; keeping the sweets with you. You'd had the flowers delivered here the night before. Sure enough, someone had slipped some violets into the arangement. You checked the receipt... and the delivery slip. It happened here. You removed them and tossed them aside.

Violets contain ionones, which bind to the smell receptors, shutting them down for a time. It's the reason why the scent of violets seem to disappear and reappear, eternally fresh. And why the Inuzuka hate them. They were a good way to cause a pursuer to lose the scent... or prevent someone from detecting poison in their meal.

This was generally used to hide more offensive poisons than the one you washed out. In fact, either would be good at hiding a third. But surely your teacher would not go that far?

Soon, it was time for the ceremony. You were sure to hand the sweets directly to your teishu, to put in the bowl. This was all ritual, all memorization. Your movements were almost perfect. You inspected the tools as they were handed to you, although briefly, and did your best. Your only mistake was forgetting that you were at the Front Gate, which meant that you were supposed to leave a lake in the froth, but you correctly yourself the moment you heard your teishu utter the word in conversation.

The froth of your tea burnt with brilliance. The 'lake' allowed an unspoiled view into the cup and the leaves. The thin tea was your world for one unspoiled moment, and then you looked to the guests. Hinata was the third guest. Not the least important, but not the primary guest. She was also unpopular with the Elders. In fact, everyone but the primary guest was.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the assassination was real, and you were to be framed for it. You dispelled the thought from your mind, and continued the ceremony.

Afterward, while you were cleaning up you turned to your teishu with a smile. This would settle things one way or another. "Sensei, thank you for the simulated assassination. I have been getting ahead of myself, perhaps. It would have been humbling if one of my guests had gotten sick. The darker cups are, indeed, a reason to be wary."

He tilted his head. "Oh?"

You nod. "The treatment can hid a toxin so easily, one that would come off into the tea. Truly, I should watch out for the common place. A stain can be so much more. The untreated cups of the Back Gate would have been obvious. And with the set on display, it would have been much harder. Truly, familiarity and relaxation has its price."

His brow furrowed. "Is that all you learned?"

You shook your head. "Of course not. To delegate, as I had with the flowers, is also a weakness. Had I not been inspecting the arrangement, I would have missed the violets until it was too late to remove them. They would have lead to the guests missing the aroma of the tea... and anything that had been added to it."

The frown deepened. "I suppose that is all?"

You shrugged. "I had already changed into my nice clothes, so I did not check under the mats for anyone, though our guests would have spotted them. It would have been trivial to jab someone with a poisoned needle. But unless the chakra flow had been reduced, as I said, our guests would have seen them coming. Applying the toxin to whisk would have drawn the least scrutiny, however it only would have affected the Shoukyaku, unless there was a reservoir in the handle. That would have required a willing assassin to be doing the act, however. Not a cats-paw."

He stiffens, and you head off to get changed. While you're walking, you feel someone bump into you, and a weight in your sleeve. It wasn't uncommon to pass money or notes this way, once upon a time. You found the note, and read it while getting changed. Well, attempted to read it. You weren't familiar with this particular code. Oh well, to the library to study, you supposed. You did have the rest of the day ahead of you.

I hope this one was as good as the others. But you see what I mean about "I didn't have to think". Even the more relaxed tea ceremonies, like this one, are strictly by the book affairs. Coming up with something to make it interesting was a little difficult. But I tried to intigrate the traits I had and other Omakes to good effect. Anko's poison training, Consumable Connoisseur, Imperial Etiquette, My New Enemy's Modus Operandi Needs Intense Creativity, Refined Palate, and Sleep is for the Dead being the obvious ones.

Having to get up early, notice all this crap, and still be polite is quite a strain on anyone. Whether it was indeed a simulated assassination for a lesson or something real is up in the air. Also what that note is. I figured I'd give some hooks for whoever.

And yes, stabbing people in the thigh/ass/calf with poisoned needle delivered by a man under the floorboard is a time honored tradition in Japan. As is drugging someone so they can be injured in a "training accident".

Click to shrink...

Only issue I saw was that Anko's proper address, now, is Anko-hime.

Minor thing. Excellent omake.

 

[FourmyleOfCeres]

Only issue I saw was that Anko's proper address, now, is Anko-hime.

Minor thing. Excellent omake.

Click to shrink...

Damn! I knew it was something, but I couldn't find it. Thanks! (And I'm being serious, I did look.)

 

[Vesvius]

A quick word: I haven't had the chance to write in a day or two, and I doubt I'll have it tomorrow either. So I'll be shooting for Monday for the update.

Now for the round up:

90 to Strength and 120 to Kenjutsu @Vesvius

Click to shrink...

Heard!

We talked with Pittauro on Discord and this idea was born. Sadly I couldn't do it justice, but I tried

Spoiler

The secret of Kurenai.

The spirit of Youth should be cultivated. That was one of the basic truths of the world. Thus when Gai, unrivalled master of Genjutsu and Taijutsu, met Daisuke, he began to teach him defying laws and traditions. In Gai's mind what would happen next was pretty straightforward - young man would graduate from the Academy and then Gai would become his jounin-sensei. But since truly youthful can't be bound by logic and plans, the unexpected occurence threw a wrench in his vision of future - he met another young man in need of training and guidance, one Rock Lee. Never the one for long deliberations, Green Beast decided to take the boy and his team under his wing.

Which caused some complications. Namely, laws, regulations and Hokage decided once again to throw themselves against YOUTH. "One jounin can't have two genin teams", - said Hiruzen to him on one fateful evening - "You must choose". But how one can make that choice when choosing one would mean abandoning other? The answer is one simply can not. He thought again and again about Hokage's words.

"One jounin can't have two genin teams"

"One jounin..."

"One..."

Of course! The answer was in the question itself all along. If one jounin couldn't have two teams, then Gai would have to become two to teach both of his protege. It was easier said than done, but Gai was no stranger to training and hard work. He labored for months and in the end created his twofold masterpiece. The first part was Kurenai - his special female shadow clone, who received all his skill in Genjutsu. The second one was subtle village-wide memory alteration, after which everyone was sure that Kurenai was always there and Gai was always just a Taijutsu master. There was only one man who could pierce the illusion and ruin his scheme - his eternal rival, Kakashi of the Sharingan. But when Gai went to him, ready to beg and promise, he realized that he underestimated strength of their bond. Indeed, it was stronger than steel! His rival wholeheartedly endorsed his idea saying "Whatever, less work for me"

There were imperfections, of course. He was unable to part with his sunset genjutsu, for example, for it was too important part of his identity. Likewise, it would be blasphemy to seal Daisuke's hard-won Genjutsu skills, so he only took memory of learning them from Gai. But all of that was insignificant compared to the end result - his ability to spread youthfulness unimpeded to both of his pupils at once, so he was content.

Bonus idea:

Spoiler

This wasn't the first split. First split was when man known as Kakashi, master of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu with temperament of Gai decided to create a rival for himself since no one was strong enough for him. Something went wrong and Gai-clone received all youthfulness instead of just half. Now Kakashi is apathetic and doesn't like Gai's constant challenges very much, but can't be bothered to research the technique to reverse the split.

Click to shrink...

What even.... take your 40 XP and may god have mercy on your soul.

Working on a couple of training arts.

@Vesvius

First one:

Spoiler

Click to shrink...

Nice stuff. Take 120 XP.

Team 11 Assembled
@Vesvius I realized that I forgot the most important member of the team. So I added Akamaru in this one.

Click to shrink...

Not going to give you too much for this one as it's mainly an update of a prior pic. Still, including Akamaru is a worthy effort. Take 30 XP.

@Vesvius

Other training art.

Spoiler

Click to shrink...

And another 120.

Also, outside of scope being that the vote is over. We'll just have to leave it to Dai and his Team to figure things out from here.

@Vesvius - Ino brings the pain, omake.

Spoiler

The feast laid out on the table was magnificent. An entire range of the culinary arts of this particular establishment, a rather good one, were spread out among them. Dumplings, chicken, meat skewers, pasta, bread sticks, a little bot of everything. It would have been quite the proper team meal, except it was entirely for one person. Well, besides the eggs sat in front of Asuma-sensei. But those were tiny portion of the table spread.

On hearing their new Jounin was footing the tab, Choji had ordered the menu. This might have been rude, except that's what he would have ordered anyways. Akimichi diets were partially subsidized by the village, and most of the rest by the clan itself, she knew. It was a small price to pay for the kinds of power they brought to the battlefield.

Shikamaru had his head resting in his elbows at his end of the table. Apparently this was going to be one of those days that he was too lazy to eat. Given his limited activity levels thus far in life, it wasn't like he needed the calories after all.

She smiled lightly. If she hadn't been so gung ho about her various diets over the years, she never would have gotten the nutrition lectures from Satomama. Unlike other, lesser girls her age, she could appopriately balance her intake and nutrition levels to her activity day to day. The end result being looking great while also not impacting her physical abilities.

She snorted. Stupid Mariko.

Asume cleared his throat and gave what looked to be an attempt at a welcoming smile. It was a bit strained though. Out of practice or forced? Hm. Maybe a bit of both?

"Congratulations on passing the academy test." He looked around the room, taking in Choji happily munching on food, Shikamaru sleeping, and herself likely scowling a bit at her current situation.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I was hoping we could start off with a bit of an introduction? I'm Sarutobi Asuma. I am 27 years old, and I hate scarfs."

She was still scowling about the situation and Shikamaru was still sleeping, which left Choji to finally take the hint. "Akimichi Choji!" munch munch. "I am 12 years old." Sluuuuurp. Munch. "I like my family's cooking."

Asuma nodded and turned his attention to Shikamaru. Silence for a few moments before Choji leaned over and proded his friend, who slowly stired. "Nara Shikamaru. 12. Clouds." And then he promptly seemed to go back to sleep.

Or at least he attempted to, before a dinner roll bounced off of his head. He sat up (Well, mostly sat up. It was more of a slouch than anything. He was paying attention at least, alright?!) and blinked warily in Ino's direction. A more astute observer may pick up the general thought of "so it begins." All Ino got was weary...resignation?

"I am Yamanaka Ino. Currently 13 years old" and she didn't radiate smug at being a bit older than the two boys, not at all. "And I enjoy pushing myself, being the best, and dragging everyone I assosiate along with me for the ride. Regardless of if they like it or not, I won't fall behind my rival." She smiled sweetly at the rest of the table.

Choji continued eating, oblivious, Shikamaru groaned and put his head back down, and Asuma just blinked and took a moment to process that.

He made the mental connection. "You were...one of Daisuke's friends, right?"

She glared. "His best friend, thank you."

"Right, yeah." He looked at the two boys with something approaching pity. "Hm. Well, if what I've heard from other Jounin was accurate, this would ordinarily be the point where I put some kind of test before you, generally to shore up whatever the most obvious weakness between you is, and threaten you with failure of being a ninja otherwise."

Shika....well, you already know how the run down with those two went. Ino snorted, but the feeling was more or less mutual between the three of them.

"And of course you three know that would be pointless. The Ino-Shika-Cho heirs being failed out? The old man would have my head, and you three would be getting a different jounin."

"Clan politics are fun like that." Ino smiled. "That speel might work on people who don't pay attention, but we all know the number of people that actually fail out of being a ninja after completing the academy are...virtually non-existent. Remedial lessons and the genin corps for those that truly don't make the cut are the end result. Still unlikely to be acceptable for us."

"Indeed, Ms. Yamanaka."

She shrugged. "Besides, I'd intentionally take a dive to get a more acceptable team, Choji is just along for the ride, and Shikamaru would keep failing over and over until either his family made failing more troublesome than being a ninja or they finally accepted a non-shinobi clan heir."

It was Asuma's turn to smirk. "If that were an option, Shikaku would definitely be the first non-shinobi Jounin commander on record."

That actually managed to draw a bit of disbelief from Ino and a mild pause in eating from Choji.

"What, you think we'd lose that mind to civilian work? Old man is to canny for that." He chuckled at his own joke, while Ino and Choji just shared a brief look.

"Anyhow, point is, failing you all isn't an option. Letting you fail isn't an option. I didn't really want a genin team, if we're being honest, but now I've got one that I'm basically stuck with. So here's a run down on how things are going to work. You can't fail, so you're not going to. I'm going to drive the three of you until you're the best you are in your class, and more than that. In a year, you'll either all be chuunin and out of my hair, or chuunin and competent enough that I don't mind working with you. I don't really care which."

Ino grinned. "Sensei, I think we're going to get along juuuuust fine..."

Click to shrink...

I am amused. Take 60 XP.

@Vesvius -part three is here! (Also the tag a person drop down doesn't seem to be working for me. Anyone else having trouble?

Water Is The Mother of Tea,...
A Teapot Its Father,
...And Fire Its Teacher. ~Chinese Proverb

Spoiler: And Fire Its Teacher

A proper tea ceremony takes at least a week to prepare. Which means you'd been nipping off to the compound to help when you could. Unlike the others, where you acted as a sort of informal host, here you were a student. If it weren't for your noble bearing(though ignoble birth), they likely wouldn't have been so willing to take you on.

If you weren't a genius, you'd still be just a guest. if that. They say it takes ten years to become a Teishu(Teacher/Host), but you would likely do it in five. There were nine major types ceremonies, and you had already lead one. Your ability to take your teishu's instruction from the subtlest hints did you credit. As did the effort you put in to the preparation.

You were there when they weeded the garden. You were there to clean. You brought ingredients for the sweets and meals, and cooked when you could. And you did it all without being asked, without being told. They would have been happy to take your money for years, especially thinking what they did of you. But you gave them more than money. You gave them time. It was true there were only so many hours in the day, but you were always able to squeeze more out of them than others.

Okeiko, of course, wasn't as stressful. The comparatively simple lessons were almost informal compared to Shoburo; when they pulled out the portable brazier in May. The speeches were no trouble to memorize and recite, of course. But it was long, and the act of carrying everything dragged on. It was a test of endurance.

Today however, would be your first asa-cha, your first Early Morning ceremony. Summer was starting and soon it would become too hot to do a mid-day lesson. You had been the Rookie of the Year in school, and so here too. You had displaced a member of the clan as the top student and would be the first assistant. No more lugging water.

Getting there in the early pre-Dawn hours, getting changed into more traditional clothing, and the rest was the easy part. Waiting, that was the hard part. Today's ceremony would be held in the room by the front gate, with the simpler utensils. Which was not to say they were cheap junk, simply that there was a more everyday atmosphere to it all. Smoked bamboo, rather than untreated. Things with some wear and character. It was still a step up from the side gates, which you were used to preforming at.

It was nice, made you feel important. Perhaps that's why you were so vigilant. Perhaps that's why you noticed the darkness in the bottom of the cups. At first you thought it was a stain, but they should not have been stained between your choosing them and today. A quick application of water removed it, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. A wet finger and a taste revealed that it numbed. Thanks to Anko-hime's twisted idea of Fun you were aware of this poison, and its effects. It reduced your senses slightly. It'd make the tea seem less bitter, true. But it'd also reduce ones ability to call on chakra for several hours, making it easier to assassinate someone later.

It was also a good way to teach a lesson to a young student such as yourself. Look underneath the underneath, and don't get too used to the script. It'd be mostly harmless to the guests, and they'd probably been warned. You were happy with the experience. You'd brought the sweets yourself, though you had the Akimichi prepare them. You'd ordered the flowers from the Yamanaka, and while Inoichi might have issues with you, he wouldn't risk his reputation over something so petty. Unless they asked super nicely.

So that left only the things at the Hyuga compound to distrust. And the guests, of course.

How were you to be tested, would you be tested further? Beyond the ceremony itself, of course?

With a muttered curse, you went to find the flower arrangements; keeping the sweets with you. You'd had the flowers delivered here the night before. Sure enough, someone had slipped some violets into the arangement. You checked the receipt... and the delivery slip. It happened here. You removed them and tossed them aside.

Violets contain ionones, which bind to the smell receptors, shutting them down for a time. It's the reason why the scent of violets seem to disappear and reappear, eternally fresh. And why the Inuzuka hate them. They were a good way to cause a pursuer to lose the scent... or prevent someone from detecting poison in their meal.

This was generally used to hide more offensive poisons than the one you washed out. In fact, either would be good at hiding a third. But surely your teacher would not go that far?

Soon, it was time for the ceremony. You were sure to hand the sweets directly to your teishu, to put in the bowl. This was all ritual, all memorization. Your movements were almost perfect. You inspected the tools as they were handed to you, although briefly, and did your best. Your only mistake was forgetting that you were at the Front Gate, which meant that you were supposed to leave a lake in the froth, but you correctly yourself the moment you heard your teishu utter the word in conversation.

The froth of your tea burnt with brilliance. The 'lake' allowed an unspoiled view into the cup and the leaves. The thin tea was your world for one unspoiled moment, and then you looked to the guests. Hinata was the third guest. Not the least important, but not the primary guest. She was also unpopular with the Elders. In fact, everyone but the primary guest was.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the assassination was real, and you were to be framed for it. You dispelled the thought from your mind, and continued the ceremony.

Afterward, while you were cleaning up you turned to your teishu with a smile. This would settle things one way or another. "Sensei, thank you for the simulated assassination. I have been getting ahead of myself, perhaps. It would have been humbling if one of my guests had gotten sick. The darker cups are, indeed, a reason to be wary."

He tilted his head. "Oh?"

You nod. "The treatment can hid a toxin so easily, one that would come off into the tea. Truly, I should watch out for the common place. A stain can be so much more. The untreated cups of the Back Gate would have been obvious. And with the set on display, it would have been much harder. Truly, familiarity and relaxation has its price."

His brow furrowed. "Is that all you learned?"

You shook your head. "Of course not. To delegate, as I had with the flowers, is also a weakness. Had I not been inspecting the arrangement, I would have missed the violets until it was too late to remove them. They would have lead to the guests missing the aroma of the tea... and anything that had been added to it."

The frown deepened. "I suppose that is all?"

You shrugged. "I had already changed into my nice clothes, so I did not check under the mats for anyone, though our guests would have spotted them. It would have been trivial to jab someone with a poisoned needle. But unless the chakra flow had been reduced, as I said, our guests would have seen them coming. Applying the toxin to whisk would have drawn the least scrutiny, however it only would have affected the Shoukyaku, unless there was a reservoir in the handle. That would have required a willing assassin to be doing the act, however. Not a cats-paw."

He stiffens, and you head off to get changed. While you're walking, you feel someone bump into you, and a weight in your sleeve. It wasn't uncommon to pass money or notes this way, once upon a time. You found the note, and read it while getting changed. Well, attempted to read it. You weren't familiar with this particular code. Oh well, to the library to study, you supposed. You did have the rest of the day ahead of you.

I hope this one was as good as the others. But you see what I mean about "I didn't have to think". Even the more relaxed tea ceremonies, like this one, are strictly by the book affairs. Coming up with something to make it interesting was a little difficult. But I tried to intigrate the traits I had and other Omakes to good effect. Anko's poison training, Consumable Connoisseur, Imperial Etiquette, My New Enemy's Modus Operandi Needs Intense Creativity, Refined Palate, and Sleep is for the Dead being the obvious ones.

Having to get up early, notice all this crap, and still be polite is quite a strain on anyone. Whether it was indeed a simulated assassination for a lesson or something real is up in the air. Also what that note is. I figured I'd give some hooks for whoever.

And yes, stabbing people in the thigh/ass/calf with poisoned needle delivered by a man under the floorboard is a time honored tradition in Japan. As is drugging someone so they can be injured in a "training accident".

Click to shrink...

Very well done! A nice way to end the trilogy. Take 80 XP.

 

[Gigaplex]

@Vesvius Please put 300XP into Bluff. Thank you.
Edit: Ves, its supposed to be Team 11 as opposed to Team 8.

 

[emberwing]

Spoiler: The skill shortlist: Exp < 101

shortlist:
Disguise: Practiced (350/400)
Stealth: Practiced (300/400)
Disable Device: Practiced (300/400)
Decipher: Student (100/200)

Spoiler: Interesting for other reasons:

Shape Manipulation: Practiced (270/400)
Beastmastery: Practiced (270/400)
Henge no Jutsu: Advanced (850/1000)
Yin Release: Song of Discord (Intermediate 590/750)
Heal: Practiced (220/400)
Kawarimi no Jutsu: Advanced (780/1000)
Ninjutsu: Journeyman (1150/1600)

We've just reached superhuman base for everything except chakra sense, I'll likely start adding near pinnacle stats soon.

Spoiler: The stat shortlist:

Senses: Simple (490/800)

Spoiler: The journeyman list:

Chakra Adhesion: Adept (500/800)
Shurikenjutsu: Adept (450/800)
Intimidate: Adept (450/800)
Perception: Adept (430/800)

Spoiler: The Katsuragi list:

Travel: Journeyman (870/1600)
Survival: Journeyman (800/1600)
Manipulation: Journeyman (800/1600)
Sense Motive: Journeyman (800/1600)
Perform: Expert (1600/3200)
Genjutsu: Elite (3250/5000)
Bunshin no Jutsu: Master (1000/1000)
Appearance: Pinnacle (2000/2000)

 

[Usernames]

our bluff is finally at the journeyman level. I consider Diplomacy/Bluff/Manipulation/Sense Motive to be an important thing to have for socializing in a party or in general. Diplomacy for the main skill and the rest to supplement it.

Now the only thing lacking to not be super worry for the party is Journeyman Perception since it one of the 2 main skills that will be checked during the party due to the quest.

....I mean there also Sleight of Hand, Appraise, Decipher, Linguistics and Heal in case of something happening but considering we are just a regular damn out of academy genin, let not assume that we be put in a C/B rank mission scenario so soon.

 

[LockedMind]

@Vesvius, please put my 40 XP in Chakra senses

 

[Kkutlord]

@emberwing: For the Pinnacle stats, maybe provide a little description for why to get a specific one? Like Constitution and Dexterity improving Daisuke's survival odds, or aim for Pinnacle Social Achievement since it is already 1/3 complete.

 

[Katsuragi]

@Vesvius -

Composed on Cell.

Akamaru and the tree clan omake.

Spoiler

The air was crisp and clear, the sun warming the world. It was mostly the air that made you happy, though. You could smell for miles and miles like this, and there weren't any overwhelming smells distracting you like there were sometimes back at the academy.

You wagged your tail in contentment as you barked an expression of happiness at your human as you took him for a walk to meet with his sub pack.

The Elders had explained to you how such things worked. The large forest den you and the humans lived in was the big pack, your family and partner humans were your family pack, and the small units of non-famly members your partner operated with were the sub pack, and we're to be treated accordingly.

You liked them. The elder smelled nice and gave good head rubs. The younger bitch kept your partner on his toes, which he needed, and the other male was strong. You would prefer if your partner was the alpha, but everyone must slot into the pack where they belong, not where they wanted to. Still, things hadn't formed just yet, so you waited for dynamics to settle.

Your attention at the moment was only on that to a cursory degree today, however, as more immediate concerns were attracting your attention.

Squirrels were massing in the nearby trees, plotting something. The tree rodent clan of the village were always plotting something, but they were generally harmless to you or your packs. They knew better.

You'd detected their sent on the other male occasionally, and knew from your partner that somehow they had earned his ire.

It was amusing to see them waging a war with each other, but it was time for that to stop. He was part of your pack now, which meant that he was outside the scope of what the tree clan was allowed to interfere with.

You barked at the trees, a light rebuke of reminder and warning, and your parner stopped and looked, sniffing at the trees.

"Just some squirrels, Akamaru, nothing to worry about."

You licked his hand to assure him you knew what you were doing. He shrugged and continued on towards the meeting site.

The tree clans paused in their efforts for a few moments, chattering amongst themselves, before they went back to what they were doing.

Had they misunderstood?

You barked again, a bit sharper this time, and your partner paused again. "...don't tell me Dai's madness has gotten to you too boy?"

You ignored him for the moment, much as the tree clan ignored you and continued on.

Your hackles started to raise a bit, and you growled at the tree line.

They were dismissing you. Was it because you were young? Did they think they could get away with this? Regardless of your age, the ancient treaties between your clans forbid them from antagonizing those belonging to your own.

You let out a slight whine of suprise as you felt something hit your head and bounce off. You glanced down to see an acorn rolling away from you.

Your partner didn't fail to notice it as well and glanced back at the trees with a bit of a growl of his own before looking back at you and nodding.

"Well buddy. I don't really care what Dai has going on with these things." He points at the acorn. "But fuck that. This means war huh?"

You bark an affirmation. The Elders would hear about this. In the mean time, you needed to remind the tree clan they existed in peace at your leasuire. Perhaps you would have a chat about the matter with the elder feline when the opprotunity presented itself later...

...................


Kiba and Akamaru arrived at the team meeting a few minutes late. Kiba's jacket was slightly torn and the pups fur ruffled and in some places lightly singed.

Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "Squirrels?"

Kiba growled. "Fucking squirrels."

Mariko sighed with exasperation. This was her life now.

 

[Crustle]

Man, we're never going to sign the squirrel summoning contract at this rate.

 

[KaintukeeBob]

Man, we're never going to sign the squirrel summoning contract at this rate.

Click to shrink...

We have the far superior training dummy summons. Squirrels are not needed.

If we go for a contract, we should go for the badger summoning contract. It just needs some mushrooms and a dead snake to be created.