Marked for Death: A Rational Naruto Quest
- Thread starter eaglejarl
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- naruto rationalist romance armageddon is looking better and better damn you kishimoto explosions everywhere explosives solve everyone if in doubt surrender to the mercy of zabuza it seemed like a good idea at the time looks like a really bad case of being a jōnin my god. where does the lore end? precommitting is the winning plan screaming in kagome screw the rules i have explosives something bad might still happen sometimes you gotta sociopath stabby zabby subsection c of paragraph 9 should include we can weaponize this so hard
- Location
- United States
I'm a little worried about that. See my earlier post (below).
Have we figured out what Nekkar meant here? I'm getting increasingly worried about the fact that all of our information on this "apocalyptic, existential threat" comes from one source. We might be being manipulated. Worse, there might be something even more terrifying coming up that makes the Eaters look nonthreatening in comparison.
- Location
- The Maple Syrup Mountains
I still think Nekkar was most likely (70%) just trolling us there, since we have no reason to believe that Nekkar has access to more lore than Kumokogo and every reason to believe that he would pull a prank like this on us. Moreover, we've seen a Dragon ourselves, so we know they're not a hoax, and it makes no sense for someone like Kumokogo to set up a super-elaborate deception just to, what, deceive a random chuunin summoner she had no way to know was even coming?
No, 70% chance Nekkar's trolling, 30% chance Nekkar's got a legit concern about something that's not the Dragons, and even that may be a bit too generous to the big cat.
Noumero
Omit Needless Words
Mm, not sure. If Nekkar thought the Dragons are real, why would they ignore them? Aren't they concerned about their Clan or at least themselves? The Dragons are incentivized to wipe out all life on the Seventh Path, and are capable of this. Similarly, if Nekkar were aware of some even more dangerous threat, why aren't they marshaling their forces and making alliances against it? I could think of explanations:
- The Dragons aren't a threat to Nekkar and/or the Feline Clan specifically. Perhaps they have some countermeasure or avenue of escape?
- Nekkar doesn't think the Dragons/the more powerful threat could be stopped, so they're content to just fuck around while the world burns.
- Nekkar doesn't think the Dragons are a threat; they're aware of some mechanism (another layer of the Sage's countermeasures?) which will limit the Dragons' spread.
Except there's a problem with this as well: the Arachnids are right next to Nekkar's territory. How come they didn't communicate the threat's existence? Maybe they're on extremely bad terms, so bad the Arachnids didn't even bother? (I seem to recall Kumokogo saying something about how positive contacts with mammals were unheard-of. Edit: Yes, right. "Cats lick shit," she'd said. How eloquent.)
Or... what if Nekkar thinks the Dragons are a lie made up by the Arachnids? Some sort of lure? That'd explain why they let us go so easily, too: Nekkar thought they were letting us walk into a trap.
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I think you're missing extreme overconfidence. If Nekkar has been at top of the food chain for so long they might have lost perspective, and they didn't seem to care about their Clanmates lives either. So if you're a Clan Boss with an inflated sense of your abilities, and you don't care if your Clanmates die, there's nothing to worry about. Nekkar can (in their mind) kill any Dragon and they don't care if the Dragons slaughter their Clan. So what's the concern?
- Location
- The Maple Syrup Mountains
Also we don't know that Nekkar isn't doing anything. It would be perfectly plausible for Nekkar to be coordinating a response to the Dragons (with or without Arachnid collaboration) and just not tell the random human and dogs about it.
(this still falls under 'Nekkar is trolling us' btw, since Nekkar would definitely be taking a perverse pleasure out of making us fret about threats greater than the Dragons while preparing a dragonwar)
(("Dragonwar" sounds like a really cool name for this conflict, I propose we start calling it that))
- Location
- Book Fort
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Agreed, wholeheartedly.
- Location
- The Soviet Republic of Canuckistan
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Action Plan: Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes
I've made some proposed edits which I don't think will be adopted at effectively the 11th hour but if they are, they keep true to the spirit of the plan (IMO).
I've removed explicit reference to Keiko - we can't and shouldn't speak for her - and tried to rephrase things a little in the letter to Mari to be a bit more open-ended. I think asking her questions that she can ruminate on is going to be better for her than prodding her towards specific conclusions. That sets up a binary - she might well disagree with us and shut down or dismiss the superset of ideas, as opposed to considering things.
I'm not clear what's meant by 'have Keiko relay from Yuno what it would take to get the Gasai and the Kannagi to oppose the High Priest.' I imagine this has been addressed earlier in the thread and/or I'm not seeing it because I'm very tired, but it might be worth rephrasing.
My wordcount-violating suggestions are in the quote, and a massaged version of the plan is in a spoiler.
I've made some proposed edits which I don't think will be adopted at effectively the 11th hour but if they are, they keep true to the spirit of the plan (IMO).
I've removed explicit reference to Keiko - we can't and shouldn't speak for her - and tried to rephrase things a little in the letter to Mari to be a bit more open-ended. I think asking her questions that she can ruminate on is going to be better for her than prodding her towards specific conclusions. That sets up a binary - she might well disagree with us and shut down or dismiss the superset of ideas, as opposed to considering things.
I'm not clear what's meant by 'have Keiko relay from Yuno what it would take to get the Gasai and the Kannagi to oppose the High Priest.' I imagine this has been addressed earlier in the thread and/or I'm not seeing it because I'm very tired, but it might be worth rephrasing.
My wordcount-violating suggestions are in the quote, and a massaged version of the plan is in a spoiler.
Word count: 283
- Write a birthday letter for Mari. Ensure Goketsu birthday gifts reach her.
- Team Uplift loves and cares for Mari's wellbeing. They know the feeling's mutual.
- Hazou's frequently told Mari he believes she's changed...but maybe that's not what she needed to hear.
- Change is an ongoing process. If Mari's unsatisfied with where she is, she needs to ask herself: where is she going?
- Who is Mari's ideal Mari? How can she work to become her?
- Fine to fall short frequently - a gradual progress is the goal.
- (Mirthful) Hazou can help her with lists of goals.
- Hazou frequently thinks about the Sunset Racer. Circumstances notwithstanding, he feels/may always feel responsible. He's focused on building a world where no one needs to be in that position.
- Mari's career has been longer, featured more wrongdoing. How does she feel about that? How does she want to move forward? Has she grieved? What next?
- Who is Mari's ideal Mari? How can she work to become her?
- Change is an ongoing process. If Mari's unsatisfied with where she is, she needs to ask herself: where is she going?
- Our second gift: what do you want to do? Who do you want to be? How can we help?
- Snowflake
- Invite Arikada to an easier hunt, have Noburi refill early on.
- Ask what Arikada wants. Research? Prestige? Jutsu?
- What does he think of Leaf?
- Is he satisfied with the state of Isan? What would he change, if he could?
- Tone: take his temperature on the subject and move through questions accordingly.
- Invite Arikada to an easier hunt, have Noburi refill early on.
- Other (Offscreen)
- Ask Snowflake if she is okay with confirming the spicy bug makes her pop. If so, verify.
- Have Keiko relay from Yuno what it would take to get the Gasai and the Kannagi to oppose the High Priest.
- How do they feel about Yuno? How do they feel about Yuno's marriage to Leaf?
- Do their clans gain prestige from the High Priest's regime?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I didn't know what this meant so I didn't add it, but I implemented most of the other changes, or did something pretty similar to them
- Location
- United States
You called?
- Location
- The Void
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Can I propose instead DRAGONWAR
- Location
- Book Fort
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Brain: "It's a little amusing that, when Haru asked Akane if Hazou had a crush on Hinata, she had to pause to consider the question."
Me [driving to work]: "Heh, you're right, that was a little amusing."
Brain: "Well, Akane said that Hazou thinks Hinata is 'draining' to be around. Why? Because she's formal? Gaku's formal. Because she's a clan head? Ino's a Clan Head. But Ino also said that Hinata is "quote fun" to be around, if you can convince Hinata to "let her hair down."
Brain: "This may mean that Hinata's serious, formal political-ness isn't genuine to her personality, but is a front she must maintain because everyone (Leaf, the Hyuuga Clan Elders, etc) expect it of her. Perhaps she also does it because she's worried that, as a leader of the traditional Bloc, she cannot afford to draw attention to her young age."
Brain: "Perhaps Hazou can understand, on a subconscious level, that Hinata isn't being genuine to herself. And that facade is contributing to his social battery being drained faster when interacting with Hinata. After all, Shikamaru is equally polite and serious, but such traits are more genuine to his personality... At least, if we give Ino's line about Hinata "letting her hair down" narrative weight.
Me: "Brain, I'm trying to drive to work right now. We don't exactly have time for this."
Brain: "You're right, this isn't the time... Besides, we'd need to look through the text to find more data points about Hinata. Maybe search through Neji and Hinabi's interludes. Hinata's a minor side character without much screen time, but maybe there's something?"
Me: [gently places forehead on the steering wheel]
Me [driving to work]: "Heh, you're right, that was a little amusing."
Brain: "Well, Akane said that Hazou thinks Hinata is 'draining' to be around. Why? Because she's formal? Gaku's formal. Because she's a clan head? Ino's a Clan Head. But Ino also said that Hinata is "quote fun" to be around, if you can convince Hinata to "let her hair down."
Brain: "This may mean that Hinata's serious, formal political-ness isn't genuine to her personality, but is a front she must maintain because everyone (Leaf, the Hyuuga Clan Elders, etc) expect it of her. Perhaps she also does it because she's worried that, as a leader of the traditional Bloc, she cannot afford to draw attention to her young age."
Brain: "Perhaps Hazou can understand, on a subconscious level, that Hinata isn't being genuine to herself. And that facade is contributing to his social battery being drained faster when interacting with Hinata. After all, Shikamaru is equally polite and serious, but such traits are more genuine to his personality... At least, if we give Ino's line about Hinata "letting her hair down" narrative weight.
Me: "Brain, I'm trying to drive to work right now. We don't exactly have time for this."
Brain: "You're right, this isn't the time... Besides, we'd need to look through the text to find more data points about Hinata. Maybe search through Neji and Hinabi's interludes. Hinata's a minor side character without much screen time, but maybe there's something?"
Me: [gently places forehead on the steering wheel]
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Everyone asks who watches the watchers but no one asks how are the watchers
- Location
- United States
Everyone asks who watches the watchers but no one asks how are the watchers
That's often a privilege the Watchers can't avail themselves of due to their responsibilities.
- Location
- The Soviet Republic of Canuckistan
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Belated: I meant, 'in light of the fact that the direct approach with the Takahashi yielded mixed results, we might want to consider creeping up on the question of their openness to an alliance with all of the subtlety Keiko feels she can manage'.
Unless that was her effort at subtlety.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
I suspect this to be the case. I think we can generally assume Keiko is trying her best, but...it's still Keiko in a social situation
Chapter 436: Cooperation and Betrayal
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It was a silent evening in the guest chambers of the Kannagi main building. Of the team, Keiko had nothing to say to anyone. She hadn't turned against Noburi after his disastrous attempt at mediation the way she had against Mari, but he wasn't in her best books either. She was cordial enough with Yuno, who'd sided with her unreservedly, but Mari didn't think they'd ever be friends until Yuno took her off the Pangolin Summoner pedestal. Mari herself… enough said.
Meanwhile, Noburi had his hands full pacifying Yuno (who felt there was only one possible punishment for the person who'd betrayed both her husband and her religious icon), and, as a bonus, Yuno was feeling increasingly tense as the Holy Month drew to a close with the High Priest still in power. A tense Yuno did not bode well for anyone. In light of all this, by popular agreement, Mari's birthday celebrations would be put off until their return to Leaf (as would Yuno's vengeance, and wasn't Mari looking forward to that).
And here Mari was, alone with an unnameable, dark weight hanging over her head, and no means of distraction other than more Isanese alcohol (tempting though it was, this was no time to go looking for a virile young ninja to amuse her).
No, wait. There was Hazō's letter. Maybe it wouldn't be a rebuke for failing to manage the team's emotions, or a declaration that he'd changed his mind about his own forgiveness after hearing only Keiko's case.
With a sense of resignation, Mari began to read.
Dear Mari,
Happy birthday!
I'm sorry I can't be with you to celebrate. If you'd like, we can throw you an extra party when you're back. I do, after all, owe you an extra present (details in the scroll). In the meantime, I want you to know that, whatever else, Akane, Kagome, and I love you and care deeply for your well-being. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Keiko does too, whatever she may say.
"Whatever else?" What did that mean? Mari felt a stab of panic. What was Hazō about to say that needed to be balanced with expressions of affection?
We trust you unconditionally, and we know that you feel the same way about us.
"But" incoming…
But there's something less festive I'd like to talk to you about, and it feels like this is the right time.
I know I've told you time and again that you've changed, both from the person you once were and from the person we met all the way back in the swamp. I stand by that.
Thank you, Hazō. Maybe this was just a kind, thoughtful letter, from the pure-hearted boy that Hazō was when he didn't get distracted.
Now, though, I wonder if maybe that wasn't what you needed to hear.
Wait, what? No. No, that was absolutely what Mari had needed to hear. Hazō had affirmed, clearly and with evidence, that Mari was no longer the Heartbreaker and never would be again. It had meant everything to her, even if his delivery had left her lost and confused. Was he taking it back?
The nameless weight pressed down. Mari read on, hoping.
Change isn't a box to tick. It's an ongoing process. Just like Akane's tranquillity queen never stops evolving its passive genjutsu, people keep growing and developing, and don't have a final form. If you're not satisfied with who you are, that's not a sign that you've changed wrong. It's not a sign of anything at all, because you'll never be done changing.
Why did Hazō think she wasn't satisfied with who she was? She was still trying to figure out who she was. Was the implication that he could see something to be dissatisfied with?
It's OK to fall short of your ideal self. Actually, it's expected. Nobody alive can claim to already be their ideal self, not even Akane. All that matters is that we continue to work towards it.
What I should have asked when we had that conversation was what your ideal self was. Whom do you want to become, Mari? What do you need to do to get there? Only you can answer these questions, but if you need any kind of help figuring them out, I'm ready to help you with everything I have. There is nobody on this planet more qualified to help you write up a list of goals, or any other kind of list for that matter. I'll even throw in subheadings for free.
A list of goals? Mari didn't know who she wanted to be. Some of her goals she wasn't sure she should want. Some were mutually contradictory. Some were probably impossible. But what she needed most, what she wanted most…
The weight loomed over her, ever closer.
She wanted to be redeemed. To have been redeemed. Now Hazō was telling her that it was a never-ending journey? That all she would ever be able to do was incrementally get further away from the person she'd been, tiny step by tiny step?
Do you remember about the Sunset Racer? The massacre perpetrated by Team Minami? Sure, there were extenuating circumstances. None of us can guess what the fallout would have been from letting all those witnesses live.
Oh, no. Hazō, no.
Still, I don't feel absolved. I doubt I ever will, and I don't think I ever should. All I can do is take that sin, and make it one of the foundations of a world where nobody ever has to do what I did. That's my promise, both to the dead and to myself: I will build a world where they are the last, or as close as I can get.
Mari couldn't allow it. A ninja couldn't live that way. If Mari had stopped to feel guilty every time she sacrificed someone during a mission, if she'd taken time to think about what would eventually happen to all those guards she'd bribed or all those servants who'd blabbed precious secrets in bed… She couldn't let Hazō go down that road, not while he was still so young with all his sins ahead of him.
You've had a much longer career. You've committed more sins than me by a long shot. I know you've only told me a fraction of what you've done, for any number of reasons. How do you feel about those sins now, Mari? And once you know how you feel, how are you going to act on that knowledge? There's a place for
The weight hit.
It's time, whispered the voice in her head.
No. She wasn't ready. She'd never be ready.
You have to do this. If you want to move on, if you want to live with your head held high, you have to pass through one last fire.
Mari had been redeemed. Hazō was wrong. They were somebody else's sins, the sins of somebody who wasn't Gōketsu Mari. She'd earned that absolution.
You can't unread the letter. You can't unhear the accusation. You can't forget that the question has been asked.
Ready or not, it's time.
Hazō's life was heavy in her hand. With nowhere else to look, she could see it clearly. The hope and the idealism. The affection and the ruthlessness. The future he dreamed of and the futures he feared. A million ideas. A spider web of bonds. Hana, loved, longed-for, distant, disappointing. The monolithic Kurosawa. Noburi, the brother he never had. Keiko, the soulmate who'd passed him by like a ship in the night. Akane, the beloved apprentice, alternating between human and divine. Kagome, the mentor to be both respected and rescued. So many lesser connections, to be awakened like Ino's or rejected like Shin's.
Noburi's life was heavy in her hand. A winding journey from mediocrity to slow-burning glory. Where Hazō was an arrow, he was a dozen directions of potential being dragged in his brother's wake. A scalpel of a mind, made blunt by insecurity. A playboy's life, cut short before it could flower, replaced with a quest that would end in light or darkness. Strength built struggling against the weight of the barrel. A difficult balance of jealousy and support, stabilised by a silent act of will. His own lattice of bonds, reaching further than anybody noticed.
Keiko's life was both heaviest and lightest in her hand. A childhood of flickering flame in endless darkness, only ever almost going out. Forever fighting herself, never winning but never losing. Spun like a ball in the roulette wheel of fate, never realising she was allowed to place her own bets. A single overwhelming bond, both radiant and corrupt, twice severed, once restored. Reaching out to love, build, support, protect, even though she expected to fail. Fire masquerading as ice. Spinning her own web while convinced she was at her victims' mercy. Carrying two lives in one, two futures in one.
They were the survivors.
Haizaki Shun had been the first on her register. A brilliant tracker for a genin. Just what they needed for the Swamp of Death. His family was in disgrace after his father had been executed for treason. His sister was only an Academy student, and his mother a chūnin of little note. Nobody influential would miss him, or even be surprised when he turned out to be a traitor like his father. He'd never made it to the swamp, caught in the crossfire of the initial jōnin battle. They'd identified the body by process of elimination.
Haizaki's life was just as heavy as Hazō's, Noburi's, or Keiko's. He'd had his own dreams, his own passions, his own bonds. Mari had done the research, and the queen of infiltration and seduction never forgot information about her targets. If not for his bad luck, he could have been her Hazō, her Noburi, or her Keiko. The weight of a human life didn't change between a loved one and a stranger.
Haizaki had been the first on her register. There had been a second. A third. A fourth. A tenth. A twentieth. It had been a long scroll. Those lives stacked in her hands, one after another, and this time, cornered by the two survivors as if by karma, Mari couldn't escape remembering.
She was being dragged down by the ever-growing weight, falling, drowning—
-o-
Hearing her footsteps, Keiko looked up from The Twenty-Four Uses of Ninja Wire. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes were cold. Nothing new.
"Keiko," Practical Mari began, "I think it's best that I use the Clear Communication Technique for this. I'm not all that experienced with it compared to you, so please don't misunderstand if I sound awkward or artificial.
"I've been reflecting on what you said all this time. I felt hurt because of the way you expressed your feelings, but that doesn't mean what you were saying was wrong. Proving that I have nothing to do with the Heartbreaker has been such a high priority for me that I've overlooked other things that are much more important."
Keiko didn't say anything.
"I hurt all of you terribly," Practical Mari said. "That's a fact. I separated you from your loving families against your will. I turned you into traitors in Yagura's eyes, and thereby cut off your means of returning to Mist. I plunged you into mortal danger without your consent. I did all this for the sake of ambitions you had never signed up for. Ever since, I've been determined to become a better person and to make up for my mistakes by looking after you—training you, protecting you, and helping you grow as people—but I realise now that there was a level on which my motivations were still selfish.
"I was scared to confront the truth of my past. I wanted to believe that the nightmare of living as the Heartbreaker was over, and that I was now redeemed and would never have to face the full significance of my sins. I realise now that those sins don't just impact on me and my self-perception. They impact on your current life, and you deserve to have full closure before I can start thinking about finding closure for myself.
"I ask for your patience while I work on understanding and accepting the full extent of what I've done. I don't believe it will be a quick or easy process. But I also ask for your forgiveness. I understand enough to know that I've inflicted great suffering on you and great damage to your life, and I deeply regret it. It is something I should never have done to the stranger you were, and I will never do anything like it to the loved one you've become."
Keiko watched her for a while. Practical Mari waited.
"If you are being sincere," Keiko finally said, "then I commend your self-awareness and your intentions. However, you are also saying exactly what you would say in order to manipulate me into your preferred state of mind, and in light of your track record, I am unable to trust such a sudden, radical change of heart. You yourself taught me that a person with my miserable level of social competence can only defend herself from a potentially hostile social specialist with comprehensive rejection, even of assertions that sound as if they may be true, and you presently have every motivation to act as a hostile social specialist."
Practical Mari was patient. She was exactly as patient as was necessary.
"Keiko," she said, "I strongly want to resolve this conflict, and I believe doing so is important to you too. But if I can't convince you of my sincerity by telling you the truth, and, whatever you may think, I don't intend to do it by lying, what do you propose I do?"
"I do not have an answer for you," Keiko said evenly. "I have presented my feelings and my opinion of your behaviour and the motivations behind it. These are within my meagre capabilities. Resolving the crisis which you caused and I triggered is not. Should I, with my grand powers of creativity, invent a solution, I will inform you at once. Should you or a third party propose one, I will cooperate unless I have some specific objection. Until then, our plans for tomorrow have already been determined and discussed, so I request you leave me be."
She paused.
"No, on second thought, I would benefit from some fresh night air."
Practical Mari narrowed her eyes. They were still in hostile territory. "On your own?"
Keiko put her book down and strapped on her summoning scroll. "Only for approximately three seconds."
With that, Keiko left.
Guardian Mari sighed. As expected, they'd have to find a different way of dealing with the ungrateful brat.
It was like Keiko had forgotten everything Mari had done for her. Yes, the Swamp of Death had left Keiko near-suicidal. Mari knew that better than anyone. But why was she taking the blame for all of the damage when Keiko herself admitted she'd had a traumatic childhood and her various issues predated her encounter with Mari? If anything, Ami was the one to blame for failing to bring her sister up a healthier girl.
No. Guardian Mari wasn't going to make this about Ami. They owed Ami now. Guardian Mari had no idea whether they'd be here now without the insights she'd provided, or whether there'd just be a single, broken Mari (again but worse).
The point stood, though. In all likelihood, Mari had even fixed things that had been wrong with Keiko all along. And the swamp itself? Keiko had survived, hadn't she? Guardian Mari was positive that, left to her own devices, a Mist-nin Keiko would have died without ever making chūnin.
Instead, everything Keiko had was owed to Mari, directly or indirectly. Keiko had a girlfriend because Mari had negotiated their way into Leaf. Keiko was a Gōketsu and a Nara because Mari had persuaded Jiraiya to found a clan with Team Uplift—and a KEI coordinator because the wedding Mari had made possible had brought Ami to Leaf. She had her summoning scroll because Mari had guided her to it, nearly sacrificing herself in the process.
And did Keiko give Mari her unconditional trust and adoration the way she did to Ami? No. She judged her. She accused her. She mercilessly drove the original to the brink of...
It didn't matter.
That particular Mari didn't have her own name yet. She still slept, hurt and exhausted, and Guardian Mari would tear down the world before she allowed anyone, even Keiko, to hurt her or the others.
But Practical Mari was confident she'd be able to manage. She, the adult, would do what was necessary to achieve the best outcome for everyone, even if it meant swallowing her pride—or making other compromises.
In a way, it was good that they were still stuck in Isan. Handling Keiko would be a lot easier while she was isolated from her support network. Soon, they would be a happy family again.
-o-
Snowflake was in the middle of her first combat mission, and it was fully as wonderful and terrible as she'd expected.
On the positive side, she would finally be able to prove herself equal to Kei as a warrior, not only in training but in deadly battle. Indeed, she intended to prove herself superior, since Kei's Frozen Skein was of no use to her once combat began. In addition, it was quite simply thrilling to fight for the first time, to form her own memories of being a ninja in truth.
On the negative side, this was a disaster waiting to happen. Courtesy of Noburi, she was full on chakra. Courtesy of Kei, she was guarded by a pangolin escort. However, she could not summon to replenish any losses—Pantsā had stated that, as one who had not proved herself to the clan, she would not be accepted as a summoner, at least until she performed some suitably meritorious deed; it had been one of the happiest days of Snowflake's life. And since the mission's overt purpose was to display Kei's martial might and willingness to risk herself for Isan, Snowflake did not have the option of lurking at the back where there was a minimal risk of injury. Worse still, she was a Gōketsu (nominally, at least) who could not use explosives, not this close to civilisation. It was unnatural.
She could but hope that today's prey—a pack of quislings—was both challenging enough to serve as proof of her strength and feeble enough that it did not destroy her and reveal the Shadow Clone Technique to a dozen observing shinobi.
"Lady Nara?"
And then there was this.
"Would you say," Arikada asked, "that the Frozen Skein's modality for processing information is more verbal or visual? This could be of great relevance to my studies."
Having to repeatedly delve into Kei's memories and then present them as her own was unpleasant enough. But Snowflake was physically incapable of answering questions about the Frozen Skein. She possessed Kei's theoretical knowledge, but her actual experience of the altered state was no greater than Arikada's, and she was aware that she was a paltry liar. Worse, Arikada had volunteered no information as to his background. For all she knew, he was a Mist missing-nin who already possessed knowledge of the Frozen Skein, and was even now recognising contradictions. Alternatively, he could be a clan shinobi with Bloodline Limit clan secrets of his own, and therefore recognise when she was concealing harmless information which a real Mori attempting to build a working relationship would see no reason not to share.
And yet there was no other way.
"I apologise, Arikada," she said, "but that is another piece of information I am unable to divulge."
"How disappointing," Arikada said sceptically(?).
Snowflake needed to change the subject.
"What are these studies?" she asked. "I admit I have never heard of the Sacred Spiritual Seekers of the Scaly Sage before."
It must have been the correct question, for Arikada's eyes lit up with an unhealthy light. "Finally! Would you believe that in this Truth-forsaken village, the High Priest was the only one who asked? My studies—our studies—are into the very fundamental nature of being and the laws that govern it. Through research and investigation, we aim to comprehend reality and use that knowledge for the betterment of mankind."
"And the Scaly Sage? Would that be your leader?"
"If only!" Arikada exclaimed. "The Scaly Sage is our inspiration, our paragon, our exemplar. He is the world's greatest visionary in the field of natural philosophy. Witnessing His genius in battle was what inspired me and my wife to follow the path of biosealing, and to follow His example when He left his village in order to pursue His research rather than be hemmed in by the short-sighted restrictions of those in power."
Scaly Sage. Biosealing. Missing-nin.
"Are you perchance speaking of Orochimaru?"
"Yes!" Arikada exclaimed. "You know of Him? No, of course you know of Him. He is a true legend of the shinobi world. The greatest shinobi since the Sage of Six Paths, or perhaps even including him. How privileged you are to dwell in the village where He once made His home. Or perhaps not, since it is the village that exiled Him rather than accept His brilliance."
"You are unaware, then," Snowflake asked, "that Leaf has welcomed Orochimaru back?"
Arikada nearly tripped over a tree root. Fortunately, the quisling pack was in full flight by this point.
"You mean it's true? I thought those were just rumours spread by Leaf to conceal its loss of power. After all, how could a village ever forgive its own missing-nin?"
"I was present on the night of his return," Snowflake said.
"This changes everything," Arikada said quietly, apparently to himself.
Snowflake sensed that this was her moment. "We are on close cooperative terms with Dr Yakushi, his apprentice."
Unexpectedly, Arikada scowled. "That bumbling fool? That sellout? Pfah. He's no better than the other pretenders. He just happened to find himself in the right place at the right time. It should tell you everything that the Scaly Sage didn't take that alembic-stirring weasel with him when He left Hidden Leaf. No, kindly do not speak to me of Yakushi Kabuto."
A misstep. Of course an Orochimaru cultist (why, why in the name of the ancestors Snowflake did not have was there such a thing as an Orochimaru cultist?) would be jealous of Orochimaru's former apprentice.
There was another path, a path tainted with pain. But Snowflake was being trusted. She was being useful. She was still in the process for compensating for the dinner fiasco in which she had nearly ruined everything. She mentally gritted her teeth.
"My sister, Ami, works closely with Orochimaru on projects of mutual interest, and is one of only two people in Leaf known to have his favour." Or at least, one of only two people he could be trusted not to kidnap and/or dissect if presented with a suitable opportunity. Why, they were practically family.
"Is that so?" Arikada said slowly. "How fascinating. I wonder if—"
In the next moment, Snowflake's spirit was devoured.
-o-
The throne towered before her like a mountain. It quivered before her like a living thing. It was a living thing. Innumerable quislings, those pink rat-like humanoids with their long claws and pale skulls, crawled all over each other, each trying to escape only to be pulled back in by their loyal siblings, their totality forming a royal seat for Snowflake's new master.
OBEY.
The Tyrant gazed down at her. Its head was that of a rodent, with white skin stretching as if there was barely enough to cover the skull. Two of its eyes were an unnaturally human blue, while the third, high in its forehead, was jade green and held her in its thrall. Three mighty horns curved back from its head. The beast was all-powerful, all-knowing, and vast beyond description. A single claw could crush her into paste. It did not need to speak to her. She already knew that she could only OBEY.
No. Snowflake needed to resist. Even if it destroyed her, she needed to resist. She needed to resist because…
OBEY.
Because what the Tyrant wanted was her agency. Her sole possession. The core of her identity and that which separated her from her enslaved brothers and sisters. The foundation without which all else was meaningless.
OBEY.
The Tyrant was not Ami, who alone had legitimate claim to everything Snowflake was. That goddess had forsaken her, and nobody was permitted to take her place.
OBEY.
Snowflake's will was a feeble thing. It was no sword of insurrection to be brandished against a divine throne. It was barely a fruit knife. She could no more defy the Tyrant with it than she could attempt to stab an explosion to death.
Still, it did not matter.
Snowflake could not be Snowflake and obey.
-o-
"What… what happened?" Snowflake asked blearily as she climbed to her feet. "A genjutsu attack?"
"You resisted," Arikada said with massive relief. "It seems all your hunting ended up waking quite the monster from its hibernation." He pointed ahead of them.
The quisling tyrant was not quite as imposing in person—it towered merely twice the height of an adult man, and instead of a throne, it was surrounded by a roiling mass of quislings, the remnants of the pack they had been pursuing—or the pack that had been leading them into a trap. The glow coming from its forehead retained an eye-catching, hypnotic quality, but instead of the desire to fall to her knees and worship, Snowflake only felt rodenticidal fury. She would cut its still-beating heart from its chest for daring to attempt to dominate her.
"Unfortunately, not everyone possessed your mental fortitude," Arikada added. "Your pangolins absorbed the impact of the ambush, but we may still be in quite some trouble."
They were in quite some trouble. Fully half of the hunting team was gathered around the tyrant, weapons out and with an eerie green glint in their eyes.
For a moment, all was still. Then the quisling tyrant raised a paw and chittered, and all hell broke loose.
In an instant, the clearing was filled with the cacophony of half a dozen separate melees. Friends and family members who had just been cracking jokes or casually attempting to one-up each other were now facing off, eyes filled with murder.
Snowflake's priority was obvious and urgent. In a battle of shinobi against shinobi, her fragile nature was a critical disadvantage, and while her life was not at risk, as Kei's substitute she could not simply disappear and leave a handful of Isanese ninja to die to a peril she had led them into.
She raised her hands and began forming hand seals, only to abort immediately as Sanada Genzaburō, the bear-like wrestler who had insisted on flirting with her for half the hunt, ignoring her immeasurable discomfort, now charged at her as if to trample her into the ground.
"Carry on with what you're doing, Lady Nara," Arikada called out. "I'll take care of things here."
He stepped in Sanada's path and, with a scowl of annoyance, tore off his right sleeve and cast it in the man's face. Sanada, alert, dodged instantly, but it did redirect his attention to Arikada.
"This is why I prefer lab work," Arikada muttered. "Oh, well."
He raised his right arm—which, Snowflake could see without the sleeve, was covered with tattoos—and thrust it at Sanada's chest with passable taijutsu form. Sanada, whose form was much more than passable, batted it away expressionlessly, then lowered his stance for another charge.
The arm extended far past its natural length and curved around his guard.
Dislocated, moving in a way that surely neither bone nor muscle could support, Arikada's arm reached past Sanada's defences and grabbed tightly onto his bare shoulder. The wrestler immediately grabbed it to tear it off, but even that was far too late.
A series of dense, seal-like tattoos streamed down the arm as if possessed of their own will, like endless millipedes rather than abstract ink designs, and then crossed over onto Sanada's flesh. The sight made Snowflake doubt her sanity.
She should have turned away. She should have known not to look closely at a biosealer's work. But Snowflake was young, and curious, and so she made the natural mistake.
After a second in which the world was still, the tattoos disappeared, sinking into Sanada's flesh like one of those beauty products of Ino's that disappeared after their work on the skin was done.
Sanada began to scream.
Or he should have done. But Arikada's art did not leave him that luxury, as his throat was one of the first organs to be torn apart. Snowflake watched, first with horrified fascination, then sick to her stomach but still somehow unable to look away, as something, a thousand somethings, crawled beneath Sanada's skin, destroying everything they came across. Where they pushed up against the surface, they looked like nothing so much as tiny, baby-sized hands.
When they reached his face, she finally spun away, retching.
"I'm afraid you're still ahead of me, Sugako," Arikada muttered, surveying his handiwork (she shuddered at the word) disapprovingly. "Ah, well. Passable for field conditions. Lady Nara, I suggest you use this opportunity to complete your ninjutsu."
For a second, Snowflake could not remember what he was talking about. Then a yell from across the clearing jerked her back into awareness.
"Bro! What the hell, bro? The beastie's right over there. What are you doing?"
Kannagi Daigorō, one of the clan head's sons, was shouting at his brother Ryū, ignoring the bigger man's slow, intimidating approach.
"Bro, snap out of it! It's just a genjutsu from some rat-man thing. C'mon, don't make me beat some sense into you!"
Ryū's face was blank as he lifted his double-headed axe, Overkill, as if to split Daigorō in half.
"Ah, to hell with it," Daigorō spat. "Don't blame me if you can't get married after this!"
He swung his enormous mace, Stick (for beating women off with, he had explained even though she never asked), clearly aiming to crack it against Ryū's head and leave him unconscious for however long it took for the tyrant's power to wear off.
But if Snowflake of all people could read the attack, then a senior weaponmaster could as well. Ryū moved fast, slamming into his brother shoulder-first, pushing his arms out of alignment before the swing could complete. Then, as Daigorō stumbled back, Ryū brought his axe down in one enormous slash. Behind all the blood, Snowflake could see the white of Daigorō's ribs.
It was all the reminder Snowflake needed.
"Pangolin Clan Technique: Ghost Scales!"
The scales, ephemerally light yet stronger than the chain mail no sane shinobi would ever wear, slipped over her body like a silk dress. She could only faintly see their shimmer herself, but an approving gasp from Arikada made her suspect that they were something special.
Unfortunately, it was not enough. A vast curtain of flame enveloped Snowflake, head to toe.
But only for an instant. She doubted any amount of armour could have protected her from the conflagration, but Kei's finely-honed reflexes—no, her own finely-honed reflexes; she had trained as hard as any—had moved her out of the way before the flames could do more than obstruct vision. The fact that she was now standing on a tree that was on fire was a minor problem by comparison.
She risked a glance in the direction of the quisling tyrant. The beast stared at her mockingly for a second, but did not attack. Instead, it picked up one of its minions by the head, opened its bony maw wide—and devoured the thrashing creature in a few gleeful gulps.
What frightened her far more than the casual brutality was the fact that the other quislings did not flee.
As the flames began to spread, shrouding the clearing in smoke and making the melee yet more chaotic, she glimpsed Azai Kentarō, an ambitious young officer from the High Priest's not-yet-secret police, cycling through a series of advanced hand seals. The growing aura of power around him made it clear that he was about to unleash something catastrophic in his new master's name. Snowflake tensed—
Gasai Ran, the magnificently-endowed taijutsu expert whom Kei and Snowflake could watch practise kata forever, appeared from the smoke with a flying kick like a thrown spear. Azai went soaring in one direction, his teeth in another. It seemed doubtful that he would get up again.
It was time for Snowflake to choose her own opponent before one chose her first. As a ranged specialist who absolutely did not want to find herself trapped in melee, it was imperative that she seize the initiative in any confrontation.
Over there. Yoshida Mion, her natural opponent (a high-level kunai wielder with a bulging seal pouch), was taking aim at the Takahashi siblings, who stood back-to-back in a little circle of silence in the middle of the chaotic battlefield. Kei owed the Takahashi Clan, endlessly, and a timely rescue would—
"Earth Element: Golem's Grasp Technique!"
Takahashi Noboru, tall and with a fine goatee clearly cultivated in imitation of his clan head, stretched his left hand towards Yoshida in a regal motion. A heavy gauntlet of compacted rock, surely too heavy to wear, assembled itself around it from the rock and soil in front of him. He grunted with exertion. In the same instant, the gauntlet propelled itself off his arm like a projectile, travelling in a perfect straight line.
Yoshida threw herself into a sideways roll to evade, dropping the scroll she had been about to arm.
The gauntlet, correcting its course very slightly, grabbed her by the throat.
Yoshida rolled on the ground, struggling desperately to free herself as the gauntlet's grip tightened. Finally, in an incredible burst of chakra-enhanced strength that would surely have been beyond a lesser shinobi, she ripped it off and cast it away—only for the gauntlet to explode, fanning her in shrapnel. Yoshida collapsed in a pile of shredded flesh and blood, technically alive at best.
But this was no time to stand in horrified awe. Gasai Kimiko stalked out of the shadows, lunging straight for Takahashi Yui's throat as if driven by the same bloodthirsty muse. This time, Snowflake would—
Or not. The diminutive girl spun out of Gasai's way like a dancer preparing to change partners. Then, faces almost close enough to touch, she looked her straight in her green-tinted eyes with a mixture of glee and regret.
"Elemental Focus!"
For a few seconds, it seemed as if the technique had failed to activate.
Then Gasai's screeching cut Snowflake's ears like a blade, almost painful enough to dispel her and protections be damned. With a helpless gurgle, Gasai collapsed at Takahashi's feet, seemingly uninjured yet visibly destroyed.
Snowflake was so, so glad that the Takahashi siblings had turned out to be strong of will.
Somewhere in the background, Kannagi Daigorō fell with a scream that was more like a sob. Somehow, Snowflake knew he would never rise again.
Then, behind her, there came a gasp from pain from Arikada. She whipped around to see him pulling a kunai from deep inside the muscle of his arm.
"How… inconvenient…"
"Stop!" Snowflake exclaimed. "You will aggravate the bleeding!"
"Not… ow… a concern. I will make… aagh… arrangements. Would you mind covering me for a second?"
Would it involve looking in his general direction ever again?
As if she had the luxury of being squeamish while her allies perished around her.
"Understood."
Arikada reached for Sanada's still-moving corpse (or did the convulsions indicate that he was still alive? Snowflake did not dare imagine it) with his wounded arm, but held his hand over it without quite touching. Perhaps even he feared to come into contact with the nightmare he had unleashed?
No. This man admired Orochimaru. Snowflake finally understood what that signified, on a visceral level, as Sanada's spine ripped itself free of the wrestler's body as if possessed of independent will, and scuttled up Arikada's arm with the assistance of tiny things she did not dare to look at.
More chunks of flesh, some identifiable as organs, others mercifully not, followed its example, wrapping themselves around and underneath the spine until what was left was a living, pulsating, bulging sleeve covering the arm from wrist to shoulder.
Arikada flexed his fingers experimentally. A dark yellow liquid poured onto them.
"Superior raw materials really do make a difference," he muttered. "Thank you for your support, Lady Nara."
She would not vomit. She would not vomit. She would not vomit. She had not eaten for an entire lifetime. She could endure this. She would not vomit.
Enough. She would not be distracted by Arikada's perversion of the natural order, just as she would not be distracted by the gasps and yelps of pain from her allies and allies-turned-enemies in the distance, or the veils of smoke that made those nearby conflicts seem like they were in another world, or the pleased chittering of the quisling tyrant…
No, she would definitely be distracted by the chattering of the quisling tyrant. Its powers might or might not be genjutsu, but there was every chance that destroying the foul creature would free those in its grasp. If not, well, she would hardly regret the attempt.
Her kunai throw was perfect, guided by uncompromising hatred and the will to end the enemy that stole others' agency and had nearly taken her own. No inaccuracy could be permitted. No deviation was acceptable. There was only one future remaining, and in it the quisling tyrant was dead.
But her target, aware that there would be no escape, chose a different solution. In one lightning-fast motion, it grabbed another of the quislings, and interposed it like a shield. The tyrant chittered smugly as its minion died and her perfect wrath was wasted.
From the treetop position Snowflake had taken to secure an unobstructed throw, she saw with horror that the invisible fortress marked by the Takahashi siblings' wills had finally been violated. Kannagi Ryū strode towards them, batting Gasai Ran aside like a kitten when she attempted to come to their rescue.
The brother raised his arm once more, then frowned and seemed to think better of it. Instead, he made his seals, then sunk his hand too deep into the ground and pulled out a clod of earth, casting it at Kannagi like a rolling ball.
"Earth Element: Golem's Headbutt Technique!"
Kannagi was expressionless—he had been expressionless all along, even while murdering his brother—and seemingly unfazed by the way the ball swept up more soil as it rolled, growing until it was nearly as tall as him, or by the fact that much of the soil was still on fire.
There was no time to evade. Instead, he pulled his entire upper body back, winding up, then slammed against the ball with all his strength at an angle so as to divert its course.
He nearly did, despite its ridiculous weight. But only nearly. The impact knocked him to the ground, and Snowflake dared to hope that deadliest warrior on the enemy side was down.
Such fantastic optimism. Would Snowflake never learn?
Kannagi sprang to his feet before Takahashi could focus enough for another ninjutsu. Snowflake blinked, smoke in her eyes, and in that instant Kannagi was already in front of Takahashi, axe swinging. There was a spray of blood—
"Noboru!"
Yui stood defiantly in front of Kannagi, her brother—whom she had shoved out of the way at the final second—gasping on the ground next to her. There was neither glee nor regret in her eyes. There was absolutely nothing, and it made Snowflake shiver.
"Elemental Focus," she said with a voice that could freeze fire.
The mountain of a man, barely fazed by a missile the size of Panjandrum to the face, collapsed at her feet with nothing but a groan.
"I believe that would be our cue to finish this," came Arikada's ever-calm voice from somewhere not far below Snowflake. "I would not care to find out what powers it wields in melee, but I trust you have determined how to penetrate its ranged defence, Lady Nara?"
"Just clear me a path," Snowflake growled.
With a nod, Arikada began to stride towards the quisling tyrant, walking around their comrades' bodies rather than stepping over them. How many were still alive, fighting on the other side of the smoke?
A kunai sped from the darkness, aimed straight for Arikada's head.
Arikada's warped arm lashed out and batted it out of the air. Above the elbow, something Snowflake recognised with exhausted horror to be an eyeball locked on to some unseen location.
"You," Arikada said with satisfaction. "I do believe I owe you a debt."
In a burst of chakra-enhanced speed, he disappeared into the treeline. There was a single sound of flesh impacting flesh, and then… and then screams, and a series of wet sounds that her unhelpful mind could only describe as "feasting". Snowflake did not dare follow.
Besides, Arikada had done his duty, and she had her own mission.
She had a clear line of sight. Now all she needed—
OBEY.
The writhing throne obstructed her vision, the Tyrant in its deific glory overlapping with the tyrant before her, attempting once again to claim her reality.
OBEY.
Dimly, she realised how vulnerable she was in these moments of struggle. Even an ordinary quisling could…
OBE—
The Tyrant's will flickered, and Snowflake seized on its moment of weakness.
Snowflake chose agency over every other value. She would cooperate with others when she so chose. She would never obey.
The Tyrant had no response.
"You all right there, Summoner?"
Inoue Yūji was stooped over, bleeding from a dozen wounds, but his voice was proud. Snowflake traced his gaze to a gash in the quisling tyrant's middle horn.
"My thanks," Snowflake said. "Now, for those who have fallen, and for ourselves, let us end this."
She launched a kunai at the tyrant. Predictably, it raised a minion in its path, which served as an effective shield. It also served to obstruct the tyrant's line of sight.
As the expended minion fell, three kunai struck the quisling tyrant, one per eye. Then, before it could recover, or reveal some new power such as regeneration, Gasai Ran appeared behind it and shamelessly stole the kill with a spinning kick that sent its head flying far into the distance. At least she would receive no trophy for her insolence.
In the end, there were only three casualties, not counting those who might or might not ever fight again. Two of them had been at Arikada's 'hands'. Snowflake chose to serve as scout for their return, citing her lack of injury, since it was the only way she could reliably keep him out of her sight.
Surprise round!
Everyone rolls Resolve.
Snowflake: 33 + 3 = 36
Pass.
Arikada Hibiki: ?? - 3 = ??
Pass.
Azai Kentarō: ?? - 6 = ??
Fail.
Gasai Kimiko: ?? + 0 = ??
Fail.
Gasai Ran: ?? + 9 = ??
Pass.
Inoue Yūji: ?? - 3 = ??
Pass.
Kannagi Daigorō: ?? - 6 = ??
Pass.
Kannagi Ryū: ?? + 0 = ??
Fail.
Murasaki Tetsuya: ?? + 0 = ??
Pass.
Murasaki Yū: ?? - 3 = ??
Fail.
Sanada Genzaburō: ?? - 9 = ??
Fail.
Takahashi Noboru: ?? + 6 = ??
Pass.
Takahashi Yui ?? - 3 = ??
Pass.
Yoshida Mion: ?? - 9 = ??
Fail.
Initiative: Yoshida Mion, Arikada Hibiki, Murasaki Tetsuya, Kannagi Daigorō, Azai Kentarō, Sanada Genzaburō, Quisling Tyrant, Inoue Yūji, Snowflake, Gasai Ran, Takahashi Noboru, Murasaki Yū, Kannagi Ryū, Gasai Kimiko, Takahashi Yui, Quisling Pack
Round 1
All ninja use chakra boost.
Yoshida Mion
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Murasaki Tetsuya (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Murasaki Tetsuya takes 1 stress.
Arikada Hibiki
Standard: Taijutsu vs Sanada Genzaburō (Taijutsu)
?? + 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 3 + ? = ??
Arikada plants a bioseal on Sanada Genzaburō.
Sealing ?? + 3 = ?? vs Physique ?? - 3 = ??
Sanada Genzaburō takes 5 stress. He is Taken Out horrifically.
Murasaki Tetsuya
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Azai Kentarō (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??.
Miss.
Kannagi Daigorō
Standard: Melee Weapons vs Kannagi Ryū (Melee Weapons)
?? - 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Kannagi Daigorō takes 8 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Nicked", the Moderate Consequence "Severed Muscles", and the Severe Consequence "Cut to the Bone".
Azai Kentarō
Standard: Fire Element: Hellfire Breath Technique vs Snowflake (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs 50 + 6 + 6 - 1 = 61
Miss.
Azai Kentarō creates the scene Aspect "Sea of Flames".
Quisling Tyrant
Standard: Taijutsu vs Quisling Pack (Athletics)
?? - 3 = ?? vs ?? + 0 = ??
Quisling Tyrant devours a quisling.
Inoue Yūji
Standard: Taijutsu vs Murasaki Yū (Athletics)
?? + 0 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Murasaki takes 3 stress.
Snowflake
Standard: Ghost Scales
Gasai Ran
Standard: Taijutsu vs Azai Kentarō (Athletics)
?? + 12 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Azai Kentarō takes 4 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Missing Teeth". He is Taken Out.
Takahashi Noboru
Standard: Earth Element: Golem's Grasp Technique vs Yoshida Mion (Athletics)
?? + 0 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 9 + ? = ??
Yoshida Mion takes 7 stress. She gains the Mild Consequence "Lacerated", the Moderate Consequence "Crushed Throat", and the Severe Consequence "Shredded". She is Taken Out.
Murasaki Yū
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Arikada Hibiki (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Arikada Hibiki takes 5 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Inconveniently Pierced".
Kannagi Ryū
Standard: Melee Weapons vs Kannagi Daigorō
?? - 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 9 + ? - ? = ??
Kannagi Daigorō takes 9 shifts of stress. He dies instantly.
Gasai Kimiko
Standard: Taijutsu vs Takahashi Yui (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Miss.
Takahashi Yui
Standard: Elemental Focus Technique vs Gasai Kimiko (Athletics)
?? - 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 3 + ? = ??
Gasai Kimiko takes 7 stress. She gains the Mild Consequence "Overheating" and the Moderate Consequence "My Blood is on Fire!" She is Taken Out.
Quisling Pack
Standard: Manoeuvre
Quisling Pack creates the scene Aspect "Swarmed by Pests".
Round 2
Initiative: Arikada Hibiki, Murasaki Tetsuya, Quisling Tyrant, Inoue Yūji, Snowflake, Gasai Ran, Takahashi Noboru, Murasaki Yū, Kannagi Ryū, Takahashi Yui, Quisling Pack
All ninja use chakra boost.
Arikada Hibiki
Full-Round: Craft Multitool
Murasaki Tetsuya
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Quisling Tyrant (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 3 = ??
The Tyrant blocks with a quisling.
Quisling Tyrant
Standard: OBEY vs Takahashi Noboru (Resolve)
?? + 6 = ?? vs ?? + 9 = ??
Takahashi Noboru resists.
Inoue Yūji
Standard: Taijutsu vs Murasaki Yū (Athletics)
?? + 0 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 3 + ? = ??
Miss.
Snowflake
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Quisling Tyrant (Athletics)
Quisling Tyrant spends 1 FP to tag "Swarmed by Pests".
40 - 6 + 5 - 1 = 38 vs ?? + 9 + ? = ??
Snowflake spends 1 FP to reroll.
40 - 3 + 5 - 1 = 41 vs ? + 9 + ? = ??
Snowflake spends 1 FP to reroll.
40 - 12 + 5 - 1 = 32 vs ?? + 9 + ? = ??
Miss.
Gasai Ran
Standard: Taijutsu vs Kannagi Ryū (Melee Weapons)
?? + 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 3 + ? = ??
Gasai takes 4 stress. She gains the Mild Consequence "Dazed".
Takahashi Noboru
Takahashi Noboru spends 1 FP to invoke "Sea of Flames".
Standard: Earth Element: Golem's Headbutt Technique vs Kannagi Ryū (Athletics)
?? -3 + ? + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Kannagi Ryū takes 2 stress and gains the Aspect "Prone".
Murasaki Yū
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Inoue Yūji (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Inoue Yūji takes 7 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Stabbed" and the Moderate Consequence "Bleeding Heavily".
Kannagi Ryū
Supplemental: Stand up
Standard: Melee Weapons vs Takahashi Noboru (Athletics)
?? - 9 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 3 + ? = ??
Takahashi Noboru takes 5 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Shallow Cut".
Takahashi Yui
Standard: Elemental Focus Technique vs Kannagi Ryū (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 1 + ? = ??
Kannagi Ryū takes 2 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Overheating". He is Taken Out.
Quisling Pack
Standard: Taijutsu Block (protect Quisling Tyrant)
?? + 6 = ??
Round 3
Initiative: Arikada Hibiki, Murasaki Tetsuya, Quisling Tyrant, Inoue Yūji, Snowflake, Gasai Ran, Takahashi Noboru, Murasaki Yū, Takahashi Yui, Quisling Pack
All ninja use chakra boost.
Arikada Hibiki
Standard: Taijutsu vs Murasaki Yū (Athletics)
?? - 6 + ? + ?? = ?? vs ?? + 6 + ? = ??
Murasaki takes 12 shifts of stress. He dies instantly.
Quisling Tyrant
Standard: OBEY vs Snowflake (Resolve)
?? - 12 = ?? vs 33 + 3 = 36
Snowflake resists.
Inoue Yūji
Standard: Taijutsu vs Quisling Tyrant (Taijutsu)
?? + 6 + ? - ? = ?? vs ?? - ? = ??
Inoue Yūji bypasses the Block. Quisling Tyrant takes 2 stress.
Snowflake
Standard: Ranged vs Quisling Tyrant (Athletics)
40 + 6 + 5 - 1 = 50 vs ?? - 6 = ??
Snowflake bypasses the Block. Quisling Tyrant takes 8 stress. It gains the Mild Consequence "Scratched", the Moderate Consequence "Pierced", and the Severe Consequence "Kunai Where My Eyes Should Be".
Gasai Ran
Standard: Taijutsu vs Quisling Tyrant (Taijutsu)
?? + 3 + ? - ? = ?? vs ?? + 6 - ? = ??
Gasai Ran bypasses the Block. Quisling Tyrant takes 4 stress and dies instantly.
The remaining ninja make short work of the demoralised quisling pack.
Everyone rolls Resolve.
Snowflake: 33 + 3 = 36
Pass.
Arikada Hibiki: ?? - 3 = ??
Pass.
Azai Kentarō: ?? - 6 = ??
Fail.
Gasai Kimiko: ?? + 0 = ??
Fail.
Gasai Ran: ?? + 9 = ??
Pass.
Inoue Yūji: ?? - 3 = ??
Pass.
Kannagi Daigorō: ?? - 6 = ??
Pass.
Kannagi Ryū: ?? + 0 = ??
Fail.
Murasaki Tetsuya: ?? + 0 = ??
Pass.
Murasaki Yū: ?? - 3 = ??
Fail.
Sanada Genzaburō: ?? - 9 = ??
Fail.
Takahashi Noboru: ?? + 6 = ??
Pass.
Takahashi Yui ?? - 3 = ??
Pass.
Yoshida Mion: ?? - 9 = ??
Fail.
Initiative: Yoshida Mion, Arikada Hibiki, Murasaki Tetsuya, Kannagi Daigorō, Azai Kentarō, Sanada Genzaburō, Quisling Tyrant, Inoue Yūji, Snowflake, Gasai Ran, Takahashi Noboru, Murasaki Yū, Kannagi Ryū, Gasai Kimiko, Takahashi Yui, Quisling Pack
Round 1
All ninja use chakra boost.
Yoshida Mion
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Murasaki Tetsuya (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Murasaki Tetsuya takes 1 stress.
Arikada Hibiki
Standard: Taijutsu vs Sanada Genzaburō (Taijutsu)
?? + 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 3 + ? = ??
Arikada plants a bioseal on Sanada Genzaburō.
Sealing ?? + 3 = ?? vs Physique ?? - 3 = ??
Sanada Genzaburō takes 5 stress. He is Taken Out horrifically.
Murasaki Tetsuya
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Azai Kentarō (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??.
Miss.
Kannagi Daigorō
Standard: Melee Weapons vs Kannagi Ryū (Melee Weapons)
?? - 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Kannagi Daigorō takes 8 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Nicked", the Moderate Consequence "Severed Muscles", and the Severe Consequence "Cut to the Bone".
Azai Kentarō
Standard: Fire Element: Hellfire Breath Technique vs Snowflake (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs 50 + 6 + 6 - 1 = 61
Miss.
Azai Kentarō creates the scene Aspect "Sea of Flames".
Quisling Tyrant
Standard: Taijutsu vs Quisling Pack (Athletics)
?? - 3 = ?? vs ?? + 0 = ??
Quisling Tyrant devours a quisling.
Inoue Yūji
Standard: Taijutsu vs Murasaki Yū (Athletics)
?? + 0 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Murasaki takes 3 stress.
Snowflake
Standard: Ghost Scales
Gasai Ran
Standard: Taijutsu vs Azai Kentarō (Athletics)
?? + 12 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Azai Kentarō takes 4 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Missing Teeth". He is Taken Out.
Takahashi Noboru
Standard: Earth Element: Golem's Grasp Technique vs Yoshida Mion (Athletics)
?? + 0 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 9 + ? = ??
Yoshida Mion takes 7 stress. She gains the Mild Consequence "Lacerated", the Moderate Consequence "Crushed Throat", and the Severe Consequence "Shredded". She is Taken Out.
Murasaki Yū
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Arikada Hibiki (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 6 + ? = ??
Arikada Hibiki takes 5 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Inconveniently Pierced".
Kannagi Ryū
Standard: Melee Weapons vs Kannagi Daigorō
?? - 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 9 + ? - ? = ??
Kannagi Daigorō takes 9 shifts of stress. He dies instantly.
Gasai Kimiko
Standard: Taijutsu vs Takahashi Yui (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Miss.
Takahashi Yui
Standard: Elemental Focus Technique vs Gasai Kimiko (Athletics)
?? - 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 3 + ? = ??
Gasai Kimiko takes 7 stress. She gains the Mild Consequence "Overheating" and the Moderate Consequence "My Blood is on Fire!" She is Taken Out.
Quisling Pack
Standard: Manoeuvre
Quisling Pack creates the scene Aspect "Swarmed by Pests".
Round 2
Initiative: Arikada Hibiki, Murasaki Tetsuya, Quisling Tyrant, Inoue Yūji, Snowflake, Gasai Ran, Takahashi Noboru, Murasaki Yū, Kannagi Ryū, Takahashi Yui, Quisling Pack
All ninja use chakra boost.
Arikada Hibiki
Full-Round: Craft Multitool
Murasaki Tetsuya
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Quisling Tyrant (Athletics)
?? - 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 3 = ??
The Tyrant blocks with a quisling.
Quisling Tyrant
Standard: OBEY vs Takahashi Noboru (Resolve)
?? + 6 = ?? vs ?? + 9 = ??
Takahashi Noboru resists.
Inoue Yūji
Standard: Taijutsu vs Murasaki Yū (Athletics)
?? + 0 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 3 + ? = ??
Miss.
Snowflake
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Quisling Tyrant (Athletics)
Quisling Tyrant spends 1 FP to tag "Swarmed by Pests".
40 - 6 + 5 - 1 = 38 vs ?? + 9 + ? = ??
Snowflake spends 1 FP to reroll.
40 - 3 + 5 - 1 = 41 vs ? + 9 + ? = ??
Snowflake spends 1 FP to reroll.
40 - 12 + 5 - 1 = 32 vs ?? + 9 + ? = ??
Miss.
Gasai Ran
Standard: Taijutsu vs Kannagi Ryū (Melee Weapons)
?? + 6 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 3 + ? = ??
Gasai takes 4 stress. She gains the Mild Consequence "Dazed".
Takahashi Noboru
Takahashi Noboru spends 1 FP to invoke "Sea of Flames".
Standard: Earth Element: Golem's Headbutt Technique vs Kannagi Ryū (Athletics)
?? -3 + ? + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Kannagi Ryū takes 2 stress and gains the Aspect "Prone".
Murasaki Yū
Standard: Ranged Weapons vs Inoue Yūji (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? + 0 + ? = ??
Inoue Yūji takes 7 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Stabbed" and the Moderate Consequence "Bleeding Heavily".
Kannagi Ryū
Supplemental: Stand up
Standard: Melee Weapons vs Takahashi Noboru (Athletics)
?? - 9 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 3 + ? = ??
Takahashi Noboru takes 5 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Shallow Cut".
Takahashi Yui
Standard: Elemental Focus Technique vs Kannagi Ryū (Athletics)
?? + 3 + ? = ?? vs ?? - 1 + ? = ??
Kannagi Ryū takes 2 stress. He gains the Mild Consequence "Overheating". He is Taken Out.
Quisling Pack
Standard: Taijutsu Block (protect Quisling Tyrant)
?? + 6 = ??
Round 3
Initiative: Arikada Hibiki, Murasaki Tetsuya, Quisling Tyrant, Inoue Yūji, Snowflake, Gasai Ran, Takahashi Noboru, Murasaki Yū, Takahashi Yui, Quisling Pack
All ninja use chakra boost.
Arikada Hibiki
Standard: Taijutsu vs Murasaki Yū (Athletics)
?? - 6 + ? + ?? = ?? vs ?? + 6 + ? = ??
Murasaki takes 12 shifts of stress. He dies instantly.
Quisling Tyrant
Standard: OBEY vs Snowflake (Resolve)
?? - 12 = ?? vs 33 + 3 = 36
Snowflake resists.
Inoue Yūji
Standard: Taijutsu vs Quisling Tyrant (Taijutsu)
?? + 6 + ? - ? = ?? vs ?? - ? = ??
Inoue Yūji bypasses the Block. Quisling Tyrant takes 2 stress.
Snowflake
Standard: Ranged vs Quisling Tyrant (Athletics)
40 + 6 + 5 - 1 = 50 vs ?? - 6 = ??
Snowflake bypasses the Block. Quisling Tyrant takes 8 stress. It gains the Mild Consequence "Scratched", the Moderate Consequence "Pierced", and the Severe Consequence "Kunai Where My Eyes Should Be".
Gasai Ran
Standard: Taijutsu vs Quisling Tyrant (Taijutsu)
?? + 3 + ? - ? = ?? vs ?? + 6 - ? = ??
Gasai Ran bypasses the Block. Quisling Tyrant takes 4 stress and dies instantly.
The remaining ninja make short work of the demoralised quisling pack.
-o-
You have received 3 + 1 = 4 XP. Snowflake has spent 2 FP and gained 1 FP for overcoming a significant conflict. She has also gained 1 Thousand-Yard Stare point. Since their fates are so intimately bound together, Keiko and Snowflake share Fate Points. They also share TYS points, which draw their power from emotion more than information, and thus are not adequately blocked by the phantasmal layer.
-o-
Unfortunately, you did not complete your research on how to make jacuzzi seals simultaneously functional and waterproof. Instead, by way of an IOU, Hazō has dipped into his personal savings to buy Mari some very expensive Hot Springs bath salts. This has cost you 2 FP.
-o-
Snowflake is unlikely to want to eat anything ever again, but she also feels guilty over the outcome of the hunt, and thus has consented to trying more Seventh Path bugs. They make her pop.
In Yuno's opinion, the Kannagi hate the impact Yuno's existence has on their reputation, as well as the fact that she automatically makes their estate more cursed by her presence and is also a dubious individual in her own right. However, her complete lack of social life and love of killing things combined to eventually make her the clan's best axe-wielder (which is why she's allowed to keep Satsuko, and totally not because no one dares to try to take her from her), giving them a reason to tolerate her. She doesn't know how the Kannagi feel about her marriage, but suspects it's left them painted into a corner. If they treat her with respect, they lose face in Isan. If they don't treat her with respect, they offend her Leaf backers. This is probably why they're avoiding her as much as possible. Meanwhile, the Gasai have no strong opinions they've ever shared with her, beyond her being the cursed child that they're relieved to be rid of.
The Kannagi aren't in the High Priest's good books, thanks to Yuno. They are unlikely to move against him if there is any risk of retaliation. On the other hand, the sword over their heads doesn't exactly inspire heartfelt loyalty, so it's unlikely they'd oppose an effort to get rid of the High Priest as long as success was guaranteed and/or there was no risk to them.
Yuno is not exactly in the loop with regard to Gasai politics. However, she notes that if the High Priest strongly favours the Yoshida for their unique sealing arts, and would have favoured the Takahashi for their unique ninjutsu, and is tolerant of the Kannagi (who have unique weapon styles) despite their perceived disloyalty, then that doesn't look so good for the Gasai, whose taijutsu styles offer Isan little by way of competitive advantage.
-o-
What do you do?
Voting closes on Saturday 29th of May, 1 p.m. New York time.
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- Location
- Liverpool
I think that we
*Sees update dropping as I type*
*Screams in Kagome*
*References in faflec*
*Appreciates in Halberdier*
Man, this internal view into Mari's thoughts is helpful, but... More dependent and sad than I was expecting.
*Sees update dropping as I type*
*Screams in Kagome*
*References in faflec*
*Appreciates in Halberdier*
Man, this internal view into Mari's thoughts is helpful, but... More dependent and sad than I was expecting.
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- Location
- Europa, Jupiter Orbit
Stalin died and the Soviets are ruled by Malenkov or Khrushchev or whoever. And FDR was the current guy's father. So, maybe he should?
Unaligned Player
Agony that desires to meet Extinction
- Location
- Adrift between sanity and madness
- Pronouns
- Shrug
If I'm getting things right, Mari drowned in her sins and subbed in a far less healthy, rational, and over all Sane Mari to pilot the body while she had a cry?
My understanding is that is what literally occurred with the Allied powers in WW2. Mutual hatred didn't prevent the U.S from coordinating military action with the U.S.S.R and even providing them massive levels of direct support through the Lend-Lease Agreement.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Wait, I thought the jacuzzi seals are meant to be placed on the outside of the tub? The research was to change how far from the seal the air is generated so the air is created inside the tub while the seal is stuck to the outside. Can anyone else confirm this?
I'm focusing on the important thing here, I know
I'm focusing on the important thing here, I know
Eisenhelm
gran dutch of douchery
- Location
- Colombia
she kinda does, that is one of the problems.
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- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
No, the research (as the QMs understood it, anyway) was to create a seal that emitted a steady stream of heated air. You did that. You never took the time to figure out how to waterproof them without putting a layer over the seal that would interfere with its operation. I recall mentioning that this problem existed back when Hazō finished the research but y'all never got around to addressing it. @Velorien and I talked about how to handle it and decided to be nice and simply charge some FP to say that Hazō got a replacement present instead of that he forgot to finish this one because he was distracted by the end of the world.Wait, I thought the jacuzzi seals are meant to be placed on the outside of the tub? The research was to change how far from the seal the air is generated so the air is created inside the tub while the seal is stuck to the outside. Can anyone else confirm this?
I'm focusing on the important thing here, I know