[]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[] Speed x2
[] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[] Human Path
---
Updated Adachi/Maya's Databook
---
"Adachi, wake up!" a familiar, yet distant voice said. Your eyes slowly opened and you found yourself in a familiar room. It was small, mostly taken up by two handmade beds. Standing in the small space between the bed was a man, a bit older and more than a bit taller than you, his black hair hovering just over his shoulders. His eyes were lily-white, a sign of having the Byakugan, and an excited smile on his face made him almost glow with positivity.
"Otama...?"
"Duh, of course it's me! Who else could I be?" your older brother said, giving you a confused look.
You blinked your eyes several times, seeing your older brother wasn't something you were expecting. Emotion overcame you and you lunged out of bed at him. However, instead of crashing into him, you phased through him instead. Confused, you spun around and saw that it was merely a dream, or a memory. Otama was looking down at a younger version of yourself, who was sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"Otama why did you wake me up..." the younger Adachi said, the only real difference between yourself and him was his age, and a more boyish, innocent look on his face.
"Dad's gonna finally teach me how to use the Gentle Fist, and I want you there, so you can see how cool I can be!" Otama exclaimed, almost bouncing on his feet.
"Oh! Finally!" the younger Adachi said. "I can't wait to see Dad kick your butt!"
"Hey, I'm catching up to him! Once he teaches me his secrets, I'll be surpassing him in no time!" Otama petulantly said before putting your younger self in a headlock, grinding his knuckles to the top of his head.
"AH! Ow, ow! Stop that!"
"You talk so big, but you haven't even gotten close to my level yet! Though you're learning stuff way younger than I was!" Otama said, a prankish grin on his face, although you could hear some pride in there as well.
"Let go of me or I'll tell Anzu!" your younger self cried out. Otama sighed and let go of his headlock.
"Alright, alright, enough pushing you around. Make sure to get ready, because soon I'll be the strongest one here!" Otama boasted, running out of the room.
"I hope Dad makes you eat sand!" your younger self shouted, jumping out of bed and following Otama, smiling brightly.
You looked longingly at the open door, where only a white void was shown past the doorframe.
"Otama...please. Please be alive. I'll find you soon."
---
When you opened your eyes this time, it was for real. You had slid down to the floor of the boat, thankfully it was a smooth ride so no water managed to splash in. Jiao was sitting at the edge of the boat, her telekinesis keeping her steady so she wouldn't fall into the cold, salty water below. You sat up, to which Jiao noticed, turning her head.
"Good, you're awake. The boatman told me we'll be back in the Mist Village within half an hour." Jiao said, clearly wanting the boat ride to be over.
"Good to know." you groaned, positioning yourself onto one of the cold, wooden seats of the boat.
"Speaking of that," the boatman said, getting your attention. "Lord Byakuren is off on a mission currently. Whenever he comes back, he'll send you a message and then you can report to him."
"I wonder what mission it would take to require a Mizukage..." you said to yourself, not really expecting anyone to answer.
"I'd rather not know what such a barbaric beast of a man gets up to." Jiao muttered.
"Yeah, whatever it is it's probably not diplomatic." you sighed. The rest of the trip was spent in silence, neither you or Jiao willing to speak while the boatman was there. Then again, there really wasn't anything to speak about right now. Soon enough, the concrete harbor of the Mist came into view, and despite it only having been a month or so (you weren't really paying attention), it felt like an eternity since you saw this place. The small boat parked in its spot and both you and Jiao were now officially back within the Mist Village.
"Home sweet home." you said, moving your head from side to side in order to soothe a crick in your neck, most likely from sleeping in such a cramped place.
"Calling this place sweet is giving it too much credit." Jiao muttered, now floating a few inches above the ground. "Let us return to the inn, I plan for a long soak to get all this salt and brine off my body."
"That, I can agree with. Do you have any idea what you'll be doing after that, though?" you asked, now starting to walk. Jiao followed you, ignoring the stares of the dockworkers.
"None that come to mind. After the insanity we experienced, it's quite tempting to merely hole up and ignore the world, but that's only inviting more issues." Jiao sincerely answered. "Perhaps I will try to find a place to improve myself, without anyone watching."
"If you can find a quiet place on this island, please tell me." you chuckled.
"Hmph, maybe. And what about you? What will you do, since reporting to that monstrous old man is off the table for the moment." Jiao asked, turning her head towards you and giving you a curious look.
"That's a good question. I haven't really thought about it." you said, now leaving the harbor and starting to enter the village itself.
Well? What will you do? (Choose one for now)
[] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.
[] Visit Tenryu. Hopefully he hasn't done any more vigilantism while you were gone.
[] Perhaps Amakuni has finished making your weapon, you should check in on that.
[] You remember Mei offering to find you a house within the Terumi Clan grounds. Maybe you should follow up on that.
[] You'll take the time to explore the village, maybe meet someone new?
[] You're going to find a place to train and get down to business, you're not wasting any time!
[] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.
---
"I'll go see Kimmy. Before we left for the Whirlpool, he told me he had a mission of his own. I wonder if he's back by now." you answered.
"Kimmy? Who is that?" Jiao asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah, I don't think you two have met. Kimimaro Kaguya, of the Kaguya Clan. He's one of the first people I met when I landed in the Mist. Helped him take down another member of his clan who was on a rampage, and he can use the Dead Bone Pulse to manipulate his bones!" you explained to Jiao, who had a disgusted sneer slither across her face.
"Ugh, he manipulates his bones? That sounds disgusting." Jiao groaned.
"Yeah, he pokes them out of his skin to make spears and other stabby weapons! It's pretty cool, actually! I wonder if I could do something similar with my powers?" you said, placing a finger on your chin in thought. Asura Path does grant you the power of body modification after all...
Jiao's entire body shivered and she screwed her eyes shut. "Gah! I do not want to imagine that! I command you to stop making me thing about disfigurement!"
"Says the woman who can probably break someone's bones with a thought." you sighed, rolling your eyes.
That's not the same, and I still don't want to see that!" Jiao whined. "Now as I said, I command you to stop speaking about such things! Go see your weird friend and leave me be!"
"Whatever you say, your majesty." you replied, shrugging your shoulders. Despite your flippant tone, you didn't say anything else about Kimimaro's powers. Instead you and Jiao spent the time either with small talk, or talking about things you saw as you walked through the village. Your memory was a bit fuzzy since you had been gone for such a long time, but eventually you made it back to the inn.
As you and Jiao entered the inn, the surly looking owner put down his newspaper (most likely propaganda made by the Mist Empire) and gave the both of you a glace. After a moment he coughed and said, "your rooms are still the same, made sure to keep it clean while you were gone, and anything you had in there hasn't been touched."
"Thank you, sir!" you happily said, easily catching the room key as the owner threw it towards you. As for Jiao, she plucked her key midair using her telekinesis. Jiao looked towards you for a moment, nodding and floating up to her room. You took the simple route of the stairs and after unlocking your door, you looked at your room with a smile. After closing and locking the door, you undid your hair, letting it flow freely as you transformed into Adachi for the first time in awhile.
"Gosh, it's been awhile, eh?" you said, talking to yourself. It was almost alien to hear your voice, clearly masculine and deeper, compared to the voice you had when you were Maya. You had repressed the feeling for awhile now, but it felt great being back in Adachi's body. You went to the bathroom, looking at yourself in the mirror. A familiar yet almost forgotten face stared back, the one you had grown up with all your life.
"Good to see ya again, Adachi. Sorry for keeping you caged for so long." you thought, smiling. Your reflection did the same. "Gotta turn back into Maya after the bath though, she's the one who's ingrained into everything so far. Heck, Jiao doesn't even know about Adachi! One day she will though, hope she doesn't freak out or anything."
You chuckled at the image of Jiao being shocked that you can switch genders at will before undressing and turning towards the bathtub, twisting the knobs so a stream of quickly heating water began to fill the tub...
---
After a long and relaxing bath, you changed back into Maya and got dressed, wearing a simple outfit of a long sleeved blue sweatshirt and black pants. You tied your hair into its usual upward fanned ponytail and left your room, locking it behind you. The inn owner only gave you a side eye from his newspaper as you left the inn.
It took a bit longer than usual to find the Kaguya Clan grounds, but as you approached the, one of the guards in front of the entrance gate stepped forward, giving you a dirty look. "What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering if Kimimaro was home." you politely said.
"Yeah, I figured. You and that freak getting real close, aren't ya?" the Kaguya guard said with disgust.
"Is that an issue?" you responded kindly, smiling.
"Tch, we don't need outsiders like you trying to befriend freaks of nature like that. Don't know why you'd want to cozy up with a blood lusted murderer like him. He's just going to tear out your spine, just like Hiricho and Gaikotsu. Fuckin' freaks."
"I don't think you should be talking about your clan leader like that. Anyway, I appreciate your concern, but please, is Kimimaro here or not?" you said, still maintaining a kind tone, but your voice was somewhat strained. Kimimaro did tell you how his clan sees him as a freak for his Kekkei Genkai, but you didn't expect Hiricho to be included in the clan's ire.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll let him know." the Kaguya said, realizing his words were falling on deaf ears. He went back to his position and told the guard next to him, who then went through the gate. After a few minutes, the guard came back with Kimimaro following behind him.
"Hi, Kimmy!" you said, running up to him.
"Hello, Maya. It's good to see you again." Kimimaro said, his voice and face as stoic as ever. "Did you just return from your mission?"
"I did! Came back a few hours ago, had a bath and-"
"Could you two go away? You're blocking traffic." the rude Kaguya grunted, clearly uncomfortable being near Kimimaro. You wanted to say something, but Kimimaro spoke up first.
"Of course. Let us go, Maya." Kimimaro said, turning and walking down the crowded street. You stuck your tongue out at the guard before following Kimimaro. He didn't seem intent on talking while surrounded by civilians and eventually broke away from the main street and continued forward until both of you reached a small shore. Other than a few homeless people camping out by the sea, it was practically abandoned.
"What is this place?" you asked, looking around.
"It's a shore that belongs to the Kaguya Clan, although it's really nothing special. In fact, I'm the only one who really comes here anymore. Since it's been ignored for awhile, it's become a de-facto homeless camp." Kimimaro explained, looking around. "I come here when I need a moment alone, or to check if anyone needs help."
"Aw, that's super nice of you, Kimmy! I wish I could help these people out..." you sighed, looking at one of the homeless men trying to keep a fire going by blowing into the quickly fading embers and feeding in waterlogged sticks. You walked over to him and with a bit of fire chakra, managed to stabilize the fire, loud cracking and popping releasing due to the moisture in the sticks being released. The homeless man thanked you, but then turned towards the fire, only focused on its warmth.
"You just did." Kimimaro replied as you came back. "But I know what you actually mean."
"Hmhm." you said. "Anyway, how have you been? If I remember, you were going on a mission yourself before I left."
"I was. I was aiding the Hunter Ninja in assassinating a troublesome deserter, nothing more." Kimimaro tonelessly said. "How was your mission? You were gone for a long time."
"Well, had to due some spy work, can't really get into it more than that." you said, sure that Byakuren would be cross with you if you leaked anything.
"I understand. I am glad you are okay." Kimimaro said, nodding.
"Me too!"
"Ever since I came back, I have been ordered to keep close watch over Gaikotsu. In fact, my time with you is limited, this is considered my lunch break." Kimimaro said, gazing over the ocean and into the thick mist beyond.
"Oh. Yeah that would cut into our time together. But thanks for using your break to see me!" you sincerely said.
"Of course. Actually, now that you're here, I have something to ask you. Gaikotsu has been demanding to see you ever since he came back into the clan's care. I wanted to know, did you want to see him? I already told him it was unlikely, given to your first impression of him was when he tried to kill you, but he seems...adamant."
"Uh...is he...restrained?" you cautiously asked, remembering how Gaikotsu manipulated your own bones in battle. It was quite the uncomfortable experience to say the least!
"He is, the Mist made sure to put on extra strength chakra seals on him, and he's chained to the walls." Kimimaro answered. You thought chaining him to a wall was rather barbaric, but then again, Gaikotsu is an active risk...
What will you do?
[] You'll see Gaikotsu. You wonder why he wants to see you so badly, it could be important. Or simply the ramblings of a madman.
[] You won't see Gaikotsu. He did try to kill you after all, and even with those measures in place, he's broken out before. Too much of a risk.
---
Apologies for the delay. At the start of the month I got Covid, which kinda put a damper on things. But I'm fine and all that. Happy holidays everyone!
[] You'll see Gaikotsu. You wonder why he wants to see you so badly, it could be important. Or simply the ramblings of a madman.
---
You debated the risk of seeing Gaikotsu, but in the end, you trusted Kimimaro's word that he was properly restrained. You looked at Kimimaro and nodded confidently. "I'll go see him. But will it be alright with your clan?"
Kimimaro released a hidden sigh, sounding quite relieved. "It should be fine, they try to pretend he doesn't exist when he's in the cell. Also, thank you, Maya. I was worried you'd decline."
"Huh? Why's that?" you asked as you and Kimimaro started leaving the beach.
"Because when Gaikotsu doesn't get what he wants, that's when he plans his escapes. Usually it's minor things, toys, books, perhaps a specific meal. We cater to him so keep him calm, or at least I do. I found it's the safest way." Kimimaro explained. "But every so often, he asks for the unobtainable."
"Is that why he went on a rampage before?"
"Yes. He asked for some cats and dogs to keep him company." Kimimaro grimly said.
"...That doesn't sound too bad? If he had pets to take care of, maybe he-"
"Gaikotsu would use those animals to test his ninjutsu. When he grew up, he killed numerous animals in secret, breaking and twisting their bones, making them suffer and and cry for death, all for the sake of experimenting with his Kekkei Genkai. While some of the more callous members might have done so, I...could not. Sending innocent animals to such terrible fates at the hands of a madman is unthinkable."
"...Oh." you muttered. "I wouldn't have done that either."
"But in the end, he escaped and killed dozens of his clansmen. Life was lost either way." Kimimaro darkly said. "Although I guess some would take umbrage at me choosing the lives of animals over my clan..."
"Kimmy, you did what you thought was right. I don't think anyone in their sound mind could blame you." you said, trying to soothe him.
Kimimaro stayed silent for awhile as he pushed through the overly crowed street. Once you both reached the entrance of the Kaguya Clan grounds, he whispered, "Thank you, Maya."
You smiled and nodded, listening as Kimimaro told the front guards that he was taking you into the grounds. They clearly disapproved, but their fear of Kimimaro outweighed their disgust and let both of you through. If it weren't for the fact that the grounds held one of the most bloodthirsty clans in the Mist, you thought it looked pretty nice. The buildings looked older, yet not outdated, and everything was surprisingly clean. Kimimaro continued, leading you through the grounds, and you even went past the area where you and Kimimaro had fought Gaikotsu, which seemed to be something of a training ground for the clan considered the wide, empty space.
"Please wait a moment." Kimimaro said as they reached the outskirts of the clan grounds. Next to one of the large walls that separated the clan grounds from the rest of the Mist was a small hut.
"Is this your house?" you asked curiously.
"It is. I'll be right back." Kimimaro answered. He went towards his house and unlocked the door, vanishing within. You looked around and saw a destroyed flowerbed, petals, stems, and dirt scattered across the ground and on his wall.
"They really hate him that much that he can't even grow flowers?" you sadly thought. You sighed, your mind wandering as you waited for Kimimaro. A short time later, he came back, holding a small metal container in his hand.
"Here." Kimimaro said, unscrewing the top of the container, revealing a white paste within. You flinched as a strong, bitter scent began to waft from the paste.
"Uh...is it some sort of skin cream?" you asked, holding your breath so you wouldn't smell it.
"No, it's a paste made to block foul smells. You'll need it, Gaikotsu isn't allowed a shower or bathroom, so it tends to...accumulate." Kimimaro explained, taking a small chunk of the paste on his finger and rubbing it under his nose.
"Ugh..." you groaned, both at having to constantly smell the paste, and at hearing the terrible conditions, but you trusted Kimimaro, and you'd rather deal with the paste than accumulated human waste. You followed his lead and swabbed the paste under your nose, your eyes tearing up as you tried to get used to it.
"If you need more just ask." Kimimaro said, putting the lid on the container and putting it into his pocket.
"Yeah..." you muttered, once again following Kimimaro. Eventually you reached the farthest corner of the clan grounds, a small wooden shed covered that had a large seal placed on the door. Kimimaro went up to the door and made hand seals. The seal glowed blue and the door slowly swung open, with Kimimaro motioning you to follow him. You did so, seeing that the shed was empty other than having an old, moldy rug on the ground. Kimimaro removed the rug, revealing a trap door with another seal on it. One more set of hand seals from Kimimaro later, the trap door sprung open, revealing an earthen staircase downward.
A wall of warm, moist, rancid air smacked you in the face, cutting through the paste under your nose and making you gag loudly. Kimimaro, seemingly unaffected, simply produced the container once more, and you made sure to have a lot more paste to block the horrific scent. After recovering slightly, you went with Kimimaro down the staircase, which only took a few minutes.
"Schehehehe! I heard you from all the way down here! Always the same reactions! At least this one didn't vomit!" a familiar, shrieking voice said, echoing off the walls. You didn't say anything as you and Kimimaro walked into the small room, which had been cut in half by a thick, iron bars. There was a door on the side of the bars to allow the guards to enter for whatever reason, a third seal also applied onto it.
And there you saw Gaikotsu. He was on his knees, leaning forward as his arms were wrenched backwards, his wrists covered by heavy cuffs with chakra blocking seals on them, connected to the wall by taut metal chains. His white hair which had been so long it reached the floor at his standing height, had been cut, and it now barely went past his ears. He wore a new robe, which was only noticeable because it was still somewhat clean, although filth and grime still was caked on it. You also noticed the iron bars around his feet, which also had the seal, and a deep hole that sat directly underneath his spread legs. You queasily noted that the hole was where the horrific smell was coming from.
Gaikotsu raised his head and now that you weren't in the throes of combat, you managed to get a better look at him. His eyes were baby blue, almost like a child's, which created an unnerving contrast. His nose was long and hooked, and plastered on his face was an unchanging smile, which revealed his deeply stained and yellowed teeth.
"Gaikotsu." Kimimaro said. "You wanted to speak with Maya, right? I brought her."
"Yes, I'm here." you quietly said.
"Wowowowow you actually came through on your word Kimmy! Here I thought I'd need to go see her on my own! Schehehehe!" Gaikotsu giggled, his body vibrating as he did so. "Wonderful, wonderful!"
"Do not make her feel uncomfortable, Gaikotsu. Or we will leave." Kimimaro firmly said. "She is...my friend. I will not humor any disrespect."
"My, my! How cute, little Kimmy has a crush, doesn't he? Or not. In all my years knowing you my dear cousin, I could never get a read on you. Always so stoic, never even cracking a smirk at my antics! How can you even live life when you're such a bore?"
"Your antics cause harm and death, there's nothing funny about it." Kimimaro grunted.
"Says you! What about you, Maya Papaya? You saw my latest act, didn't it make you smile once?" Gaikotsu asked, looking at you expectantly.
You sat down in front of the iron bars, so that you were at eye level with Gaikotsu. "You murdered a lot of people, Gaikotsu. I'm with Kimimaro here, causing such chaos isn't funny."
"Tch, everybody's a critic. Besides, it's not like I murdered anyone of value! The Kaguya Clan is full of murderers and sinners, born to burn! What's wrong with me culling some of them early?!" Gaikotsu spat.
"Gaikotsu-" Kimimaro began, but Gaikotsu interjected with a screeching laugh.
"SCHEHEHEHE! Oh, don't tell me you're going to defend the people who make our lives hell, Kimmy! All because of your stupid little pacifist ideology." Gaikotsu shrieked. "All because we won the cursed lottery, all because we were born with white hair, all because they fear us!"
"Kimimaro...?" you mumbled, looking at him worriedly.
"Gaikotsu, your idea of murdering anyone who causes you issues isn't right. I know better than anyone how cruel and petty our clan is, but wiping them off the face of the earth isn't right." Kimimaro gently said, now also sitting down next to you.
"Schehe, fucking coward, that's what you...you are! Poor baby hates killing but became a shinobi, an obedient tool for the Mist to use as they see fit. Sure, keep preaching peace and love while you put bone bullets into the heads of the Mist's enemies!" Gaikotsu ranted, the smile still etched on his face but his eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets.
"You know better than anyone that if I could escape from the Mist, I would." Kimimaro said, sorrow cracking through his stoic mask.
"That's why I call you a coward! One of the very rare few to have the power we have, yet you side with your abusers! I refuse to live like you, Kimmy." Gaikotsu said, his tone low and seething with hate. "At least I can respect Hiricho, he forced his way to the top of the food chain! But you...beaten and broken like the prissy little bitch you are."
"Gaikotsu, you call Kimimaro a coward, but all he's trying to do is survive this hellish world." you said, suddenly turning both the Kaguyas attention towards you. "I didn't quite know he was a pacifist until now, but can you imagine the pain he feels? Forced to go against his own core or face death. He could easily lash out like you, but he endures. He takes all the abuse for the hope that one day, he can live out his life how he wants."
"...Maya." Kimimaro whispered, his eyes widening.
"I know you were dealt an unfair hand in life, Gaikotsu. I can tell even beyond your clan's behavior, there's something wrong with you. You needed help, but all you were given was scorn, fear, and hatred. The way you feel now...is natural. Understandable, even. You hurt, and the only way to soothe it is to lash out at others, to make them feel the same pain you do."
"A therapy session? You think some sweet words are gonna make me regret everything I've done, Maya Papaya?" Gaikotsu growled angrily.
"No. I suppose what I'm saying is that in all ways, this world has failed you. Your clan has failed you. And I'm sorry." you sincerely said.
"Y-You're sorry?"
You looked at Gaikotsu directly in the eye. "I have big plans for Jihopan, Gaikotsu. I plan to upheave the status quo, and to rid the continent of these pointless wars. I want a world where there are no borders, a world where those suffering can be heard and get the help they need. A world where those who cry out for help can be met by their fellow man who extend their hands freely."
Gaikotsu was stunned, looking at you with utter confusion. All his rage from earlier was gone as he tried to comprehend the words you were saying. It was clear he never had anyone actually sympathize with him before and he didn't know how to react. After a long moment, he managed to speak.
"Maya Papaya, let me ask you something. In your new world...what would you do with the irredeemable?" Gaikotsu asked, tilting his head to the side. "Those who would refuse your world with all their heart and soul."
"I would try to have them rehabilitated, and if they refuse beyond that, imprisoned." you answered calmly.
"And to those who refuse even that? Who would break out and cause their own chaos? Or those who believe in their own idea of the world as much as you believe in yours?" Gaikotsu continued with an odd amount of clarity. "What if imprisonment was impossible? They could not, and cannot be contained."
You took in a deep breath, trying to ignore the vile smell as you did so before exhaling. "It's something I have thought about, in my free time. It would come at heavy cost, but if there was someone truly irredeemable, if there was someone who'd poison the world with hateful rhetoric, with chaos and bloodshed, if there was one who's my idea of the world anathema to them, I would unfortunately be forced to show my hand."
"Schehehehe! Wow, what stupid bullshit! You had me going there for a second! You talk allllll about peace and love, yet you're no better than all the Kage. Sure, sure, you'll rule the world fairly. You're not LIKE those other warlords, you're all peace and rainbows until someone speaks out and you, with tears in your eyes, execute them."
"Gaikotsu!" Kimimaro exclaimed.
"It's fine, that's something I've also thought of. Gaikotsu, I will tell you one thing." you said, closing your eyes.
"What's that?"
"I desperately want to help you, but as you are now, I cannot in good faith free you. That's what you wanted to ask me all along, isn't it?" you knowingly said.
"..."
"That's why you kept asking all those questions about someone irredeemable, and how I'd handle them. You were asking about yourself. Gaikotsu, I have no intentions of freeing you right now, but I also truly, and genuinely believe you can recover."
Gaikotsu only looked at you strangely, his jaw opening and closing as if he was speaking, but nothing came out.
"I honestly don't know how long it'll take to reach my utopia. But with all of my heart, I hope you can be part of it, Gaikotsu." you said, now getting to your feet. Gaikotsu continued to stay silent, and you knew the conversation had reached its end. Your words, in some way, had reached into Gaikotsu, and you could only hope he reflected on them.
With nothing else to say, you and Kimimaro left, with Kimimaro sealing the trap door and the shed door behind him.
"That was quite impressive, Maya. You actually managed to get through to Gaikotsu. I hope it sticks." Kimimaro said as you reached fresh air, rubbing the paste off your upper lip.
"Hopefully. Although what he said wasn't too off the mark. I know I sound like another conqueror, but I really don't want to do that. I have no ambition to rule, only to guide and help." you said, looking into the cloudy sky.
"...Maya, I know it's a ridiculous question considering everything I heard just now but...do you really want to end the war?" Kimimaro asked.
"I do." you replied bluntly.
"Maya, Jihopan is...a terrible place. I've been to the mainland, the scars of war are etched in deep. What makes you so sure you can be the one to save the land?" Kimimaro continued.
"Because..." you sighed. "Everyone is hurting, Kimmy. Even me. But I want to stop that hurt, and I truly believe that I can be the one to do that. Or at least, if not me, then I could inspire people around me to continue my work."
"That doesn't really answer my question. What gives you that confidence to stand against the very world?"
You read between the lines. Kimimaro was doubting how a single person could ever hope to stop every single Empire and Kage, and he was doubting your words. But you could tell, he was asking..., no, begging for an unshakeable answer, one that he could grasp onto. He believed in your ideals, but not in you.
You knew that if you showed him your greatest tool, the Rinnegan, he would find some peace of mind. But inwardly you didn't want to show off your Rinnegan just to make a point, if word got out, then it would be no exaggeration to say you'd have every Empire's attention much too soon.
What will you do?
[] Find a private spot and show Kimimaro your Rinnegan. Tell him you had unlocked it after vowing to help Jihopan, and you'll use its almighty power to unite the lands and end the wars, much like how the Sage of the Six Paths did long go.
[] Tell Kimimaro that your drive and determination to help Jihopan is unmatched, and how you will weather any storm the world throws at you. But beyond that, you will need the help of your allies, as there is no way you can do it alone.
[] Find a private spot and show Kimimaro your Rinnegan. Tell him you had unlocked it after vowing to help Jihopan, and you'll use its almighty power to unite the lands and end the wars, much like how the Sage of the Six Paths did long go.
---
"Kimmy, do you know of a private place? Where nobody can see or hear us?" you asked, looking at Kimimaro seriously.
Kimimaro was somewhat confused by your question, but he nodded. "Yes, my house should be suitable. When I'm home, nobody in my clan goes near it, unless I'm needed for a mission."
You were hoping for something a bit more secure, but you supposed that it was safe enough. You'd just make sure to be alert, and to have your chakra sensing on. "That works, please lead the way."
Kimimaro agreed and took you to his hut. You entered it and noted that for as small as it was (pretty much a single room connected to a bathroom) it was very clean and had a pleasant, floral scent. On one side was a futon with a blanket where Kimimaro slept, and the other had a tiny fire pit with a clean pot hung over it.
"I apologize, this hut was made for only one person to live in it." Kimimaro said, closing the door.
"It's fine, I'll only be here for a moment. Is there anyway to cover that window?" you asked, looking at the small window that was on the wall closest to the fire pit, most likely to properly vent out the smoke.
"One moment."
Kimimaro walked over and grabbed a dark cloth that was sitting on the floor, underneath the window. Making pins with his finger bones, he hung the cloth over the window, dimming the light. You closed your eyes and tried to sense if anyone was within the area, but as Kimimaro said, there wasn't anyone around.
"Kimmy, I want you to promise me something. I want you to keep everything I say and show here secret. I mean it, I'm placing a lot of trust in you." you seriously said.
"Maya?"
"Kimimaro, please. Do I have your word that you'll keep everything here a secret?" you asked, your tone even, staring directly into Kimimaro's eyes.
"...I promise." Kimimaro replied, realizing how serious you were being. "My word is my vow, you can be assured of that."
"Thank you, Kimmy." you said with a small smile. You did one last check and once again, you two were the only people here. "You asked why I have confidence in being able to save Jihopan, to go against every empire for the sake of my ideal world. Despite what I said, my confidence doesn't come from just my determination, or at least not fully. It's because on the day I made that vow, I was blessed, be it by the heavens or by my bloodline."
You closed your eyes and made a hand seal, dispelling the constant transformation jutsu you kept around yourself. You opened your eyes, revealing the Rinnegan to Kimimaro. Whatever composure Kimimaro had instantly broke as he looked into your eyes, his own eyes widening and he covered his mouth in shock. He took a few step backwards, breathing rapidly.
Being honest with yourself, you didn't quite know how to handle Kimimaro's reaction. Anzu was surprised when you showed her when you first unlocked it all those years ago, while Nijuichi and Jiao had rather muted reactions, but Kimimaro seemed to be completely taken off guard.
"T-The eyes of the Sage..." Kimimaro shakily said, his entire body trembling. "Just like in the fairytales..."
"You're right. I have the power of the Sage of the Six Paths. When my home was razed years ago, I realized how...terrible this world is. Even a remote island with barely only a hundred people living on it was burned to the ground. At my parent's graves was where I made my vow, and it was right after that I gained the Rinnegan." you whispered, an extra precaution to make sure if someone somehow slipped past your sensing.
"And you intend to follow the Sage's path. To unite and lead humanity to a golden future. But...there is no Lord of Demons to rally everyone over. This chaos and strife is entirely man made...but...with those eyes, with the Rinnegan..." Kimimaro trailed off.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Kimmy. I only just began to truly unlock the Rinnegan's power, I'm nowhere near ready to face the empires themselves. Which is why I need allies, allies I can trust with my life. Not only to support my own goals, but so they can keep me balanced on the razor thin path towards the future I seek." you sincerely said, placing a hand over your heart.
"Maya..."
"Kimimaro, I can tell you're hurting badly here. You fight for causes you don't believe in, betraying your ideals and your pacifism. I cannot promise a quick end to the fighting, but I can promise that the fighting will end."
Kimimaro didn't respond, but he never took his eyes off your Rinnegan. You could tell he was gaining a new appreciation for your words and deeds. Now he truly believed in you, not just your ideals. He draped his arm over his chest and knelt in front of you.
"Uh..." you muttered, completely bewildered.
"Maya...no, Lady Maya. I believe in you. I believe in you completely. You helped me with Gaikotsu not once, but twice now, when there was no gain for you. You are something rare in these lands. You are a good and just person. That is why I wish to follow you, to help you see your dream through." Kimimaro fervently exclaimed. "I will be yours to command."
"I didn't show you my true power just to recruit you, Kimmy. I showed it to you because you were hurting and needed a light in the darkness. I don't want to command you or force you to fight, nor did I mean to make you feel that way." you replied, worried at the sudden zeal Kimimaro had to work under you.
Kimimaro raised his head, looking at you, his voice now soft and almost hurt. "Then...you do not want me to help?"
"I would love your help, Kimmy. But...I don't want to force anyone, nor do I want anyone to join me just because I have the Rinnegan. If someone wishes to join me, I want it because of their own reasonings, something ironclad. Does that make sense?" you explained, walking forward and placing a hand on Kimimaro's shoulder. "Being at my side will eventually culminate in facing off against every empire, fighting against the best of the best. I just want you to know that, so you can truly understand what you're getting into. I don't want you throwing your life away for a cause you don't believe in, or do not have your heart fully in."
Kimimaro got to his feet, taking in all your words. After awhile he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I understand. I will think on my choice, go through every risk in my head, and truly decide if I wish to walk this path with you."
+1 Kimimaro
"That's all I ask." you gently said. You reapplied the transformation jutsu and a sudden sense of relief came over you. It felt unnerving being 'naked' for that long of a time, even if it was only for a few minutes at best.
"I have plenty to think about and I must be going back to my guard duty for Gaikotsu. I will guide you out of the clan grounds." Kimimaro said, now sounding more like his usual stoic self. "If that's what you wish, Lady Maya."
"That would be fine. Thank you very much, Kimmy." you replied. After making you had everything sorted out, you followed Kimimaro through the Kaguya Clan grounds, ignoring any glares or scoffs that came your way. Eventually you were brought to the entrance, with Kimimaro giving you a nod, a silent goodbye.
"Bye, Kimmy!" you cheerily said, mostly to annoy the guards in the front, who rolled their eyes in annoyance. You watched Kimimaro turn around and go back into the clan grounds, and you went down the crowded street as not to hear any choice words the guards might say.
"I'm happy Kimmy wants to help me out, he's really strong and all, but he agreed way too fast. I just hope he really thinks it through. Although him calling me Lady Maya...that was a bit weird. Although, I don't hate it~." you thought, giggling to yourself.
---
After your visit with Kimimaro, you decided to take a small snack break, buying some grilled fish on a stick from a small vendor that seemed to be down on its luck. You gnawed on your fish and flicked your eyes upward. Even with the sky being completely gray and cloudy, you could tell you still had plenty of daylight left.
What will you do next? (Choose One)
[] You visited Kimimaro, so the next logical step is to see how Tenryu's doing!
[] You're curious if Amakuni has finished your weapon yet, pay him a visit.
[] Mei Terumi offered you housing within the Terumi Clan grounds, you should follow up on that.
[] You'll take the time to explore the village, maybe meet someone new?
[] You talked pretty big to both Gaikotsu and Kimimaro about how you're going to face every empire, you should probably start getting in some real training.
[] You talked pretty big to both Gaikotsu and Kimimaro about how you're going to face every empire, you should probably start getting in some real training.
---
"Don't get the wrong idea, Kimmy. I only just began to truly unlock the Rinnegan's power, I'm nowhere near ready to face the empires themselves. Which is why I need allies, allies I can trust with my life. Not only to support my own goals, but so they can keep me balanced on the razor thin path towards the future I seek."
Those words of yours bounced through your mind. While it was true you needed trustworthy allies, you knew that you also had to be strong. If you were going to lead Jihopan to peace, you had to defeat not only the Kages, but the empires themselves. Of course, you'd rather do it by peace and negotiation, but it was fairly clear that even the most diplomatic empire would rather be crushed than surrender.
Your mind flashed through the fights you had. You and Kimimaro had a rather even fight with Gaikotsu, although by the end you were exhausted. If Kaitaikojo hadn't shown up, you didn't know if you could have continued. Speaking of that maniac Kaitaikojo and his equally maniac sister Ishako, you managed to beat him after you figured out their tricks, but you had no idea how a true battle to the death would have gone.
Your fight with the Yakuza went well enough, although you did take some hard hits. You managed to beat Jiao in a single strike, but she didn't make it easy. Kushina had easily defeated you when she got serious during your training, and you could barely call your encounter with Yukari a fight, you were just trying to survive. That rang true with Kotei as well, he didn't even bother to consider you a threat, just a curious insect he was inspecting.
With all your experiences in your mind, you took a deep breath. You couldn't afford to coast by your Rinnegan powers, you had to focus and mold yourself to become even stronger than before. Of course you had to find somewhere to train. You instantly thought of the shore Kimimaro brought you to, but that was Kaguya Clan ground and even if you had permission, you'd rather not disturb the homeless living there.
You moved down the street until you saw a man wearing the standard Mist Empire shinobi outfit sitting down on a nearby bench. You went up to him and he gave you a cautious look. You smiled and asked, "Excuse me? Can you help me?"
"If you want a mission done, put in a request to the Administration Building, I'm on my break." the man said.
"Oh, no nothing like that! Just some directions. Is there a place where I can train?" you asked, looking at the shinobi expectantly. He raised and eyebrow before shrugging.
"You new here?" the man asked.
"Yeah...I'm a refugee who got recruited into the Mist, I still don't know my way around." you explained, scratching the back of your head sheepishly.
"Another conscript, eh? Feels like we've been taking too many of 'em recently. Guess it's not my business though." the man mumbled, shaking his head. "Anyway, there's a training field if you go down the road, then head east. Can't miss it, it's next to a big lake people use to train water jutsu."
"Thank you very much!" you said, winking at the man. He didn't really react beyond nodding, so you followed his directions, making sure to use your chakra sensing to locate a bunch of strong signatures, as no doubt there would be others training as well. Thankfully the man's directions proved true and you found the training field, a large, rectangle shaped land that had been flattened and modified by ninjutsu.
"Wow..." you sighed. Dozens upon dozens of shinobi were training. Some were practicing with their weapons, from throwing them at a practicing dummy, to full on swordfights! Others, as the man said, were practicing their water jutsu on the large, manmade lake, although your chest fell when you saw kids who couldn't be older than six at the edge of the lake, going through their hand seals. You could only hope the Mist wasn't sending children into combat...
You managed to find yourself a small area to yourself and began stretching, Kushina did say that you'd regret it if you didn't limber up beforehand! After making sure you were good to go, you now had to decide what you'd train. Your mind was swimming with ideas, but for the sake of time and focus, you decided on a maximum of three things to work on for now.
What will you train? (Choose up to three, although focusing on only one thing will give it greater gains)
[] Ninjutsu
-[] Fire Release
-[] Wind Release
-[] Earth Release
-[] Lightning Release
-[] Water Release
-[] Ice Release
-[] Wood Release
-[] Metal Release
-[] Work on and improve a ninjutsu you already know. (Write In on which one)
[] Taijutsu
-[] Work on your Strong Fist style.
-[] Work on opening the Third Gate.
-[] Work on your accuracy and speed with weaponry.
-[] The weapon Amakuni is making for you requires you to flow chakra into it, gain more familiarity with the Chakra Flow technique.
-[] Kushina showed you a few taijutsu techniques, try to copy and learn them.
[] Genjutsu
-[] Sight Genjutsu.
-[] Sound Genjutsu.
-[] Touch Genjutsu.
-[] Smell Genjutsu.
-[] Work on and improve a ninjutsu you already know. (Write In on which one)
[] Focus on improving your body.
-[] Work on your speed.
-[] Work on your stamina.
-[] Work on your strength.
[] Work on your hand seals and chakra control to improve your efficiency.
[] Attempt to summon an animal with Animal Path and gain their favor.
-[] Write In. (Most animals are on the table, just keep in mind that not all of them will be friendly. Keep it reasonable, and I have power to veto if you pick something invalid)
[] Asura Path gives you the power of body modification, try exploring what you can do with that.
[] Taijutsu
-[] The weapon Amakuni is making for you requires you to flow chakra into it, gain more familiarity with the Chakra Flow technique.
-[] Kushina showed you a few taijutsu techniques, try to copy and learn them.
---
"My new weapon requires chakra flow to use properly, better get a real handle on it." you thought, reaching into your tool pouch and pulling out a kunai. As if your own body was guiding you, an odd feeling, but one you embraced as you tried flowing chakra from your body into the kunai. There was some struggle, but in the end it proved to be a simple exercise, a blue aura now emanating from the kunai.
"Alright! So far so good!"
After practicing the base chakra flow several times, an idea came into your head. If you could flow chakra through your weaponry, then logically it would be even easier to flow chakra through your limbs! With a bit of practice, you easily did so. You went up to a nearby tree, which had many scars and marks from a countless amount of shinobi using it for training. You reared back your fist and struck the tree, noting the small imprint in the bark and how your fist didn't hurt.
With the basics in mind, you proceeded to follow up with all of the elements you knew. The easiest was earth, which made sense because it was your innate elemental affinity, watching your kunai become coated with earth, turning it into more of a small club than anything. Following that, you then coated your arms with earth, which was similar to your Earthen Armor jutsu, but not quite as strenuous. You repeated this process for every element, which you noted that Ice, Wood, and Metal were a bit more complicated, but in the end you managed to figure it all out!
"Okay!" you happily said, proud of your progress. You felt somewhat tired, but not nearly enough to call it quits! You looked at the tree in front of you and memories of your training with Kushina passed in your minds eye. As she taught you the fundamentals of the Strong Fist, she showed off some techniques as a way of showing what you could learn and gain from it. There was three specific moves you wanted to learn, as each of them would mesh really well with your newly found chakra flow techniques!
The first was a move called the Rising Dragon Fist, a jumping uppercut that seemed like it could do some serious damage! You closed your eyes and you could vividly see Kushina doing the move in front of your eyes. She seemed to be moving in slow motion, you could see her muscles tense and ripple under her skin as she leaped into the air, her arm outstretched upwards, fist striking an invisible enemy. Opening your eyes, you preformed the same motions almost perfectly.
You expected that to be harder, but once again it was like your body already knew how to do it. You preformed the move over and over, making sure everything was seared into your mind. Once you felt comfortable that you could do the move, you moved onto the next one, a falling heel kick. When Kushina demonstrated it, she was able to cleanly split a log in half! Like before, you first visualized Kushina doing the move, then copied it afterwards. It was a bit more awkward than the first move, but after some time you got it down!
Now finally, it was time for a finishing move! While some would say it's just a simple headbutt, you couldn't get the image of Kushina almost snapping a tree in half with the move! Of course as it was a headbutt, it would hurt you just as much as your opponent, but that's where the secret came in. This move can only be truly done while you have the first gate opened, and with your recent progress with the Human Path, it would become your secret weapon! Not to mention that with your new chakra flow abilities, you can even enhance it by turning your skin into steel or coating it with earth!
Admittedly, you didn't plan on bashing your head against a tree, you'd just practice the movements and make sure that no matter what, you'd follow through with the attack to crush anything you hit! This one took longer than the others, as swinging your head forward tended to make you lightheaded and dizzy at times, and eventually you started getting a headache. However you were proud of the progress you made today, you have a lot more options and now some real techniques than just standard punches and kicks! You looked into the sky, seeing it starting to darken.
Between your visit with Gaikotsu and your training session, you were pretty exhausted, so you decided to call it in early. You walked through the village, your heart aching as you saw more and more homeless people sitting at the side of the road or in alleyways. You wanted to help them right away, but there wasn't much you could do now. Eventually you made your way back to the inn, where in the lobby you saw Jiao pouring tea for a man you never saw before.
Sitting on wooden chair was a serious and intimidating looking man with extremely dark purple hair, so dark that it looked black, only revealing its true color as the inn lights shown down on him from above. Like Jiao, his skin had a golden hue to it and his eyes were slanted. He wore a comfortable looking black kimono with a smaller white haori over it. He turned his head towards you, his dark purple eyes almost like a drill with how he stared.
"Heya, Jiao! Who is this? A friend from your homeland?" You asked, casually walking over with a smile. You noticed that the owner of the inn who was always behind his desk wasn't here.
"Yes, you can say that." Jiao said. The man spoke, speaking in a language you didn't understand. Jiao responded in the same language, causing the man to shake his head dismissively.
"Oh yeah, he wouldn't be able to speak our language, huh? Do you mind being a translator, Jiao? It would-"
"Humble yourself! Who do you think taught Jiao how to speak your savage language?!" the man bombastically declared, throwing his hand out towards you. Unlike Jiao, this man had absolutely no trace of an accent.
"Oh...uh, sorry?" you replied, blinking slowly. You certainly weren't expecting that.
"Do not be so harsh, how could she have known?" Jiao said, looking at the purple haired man.
"Do not defend your inferiors, Jiao." the man countered. "It's unbecoming of she who will rule this land."
"...Uh, kinda lost here. Who are you, exactly?" you asked.
"Sear this name into your mind, for it will be one written in the heavens themselves! I am Long Wu-Yun, crown prince of Tiger!"
"Crown prince? Like, the son of the king? Or emperor in this case. Waaaaait, does that mean you and Jiao are-"
"Siblings, yes. Although we are only joined by our father, our mothers are different." Jiao muttered, almost shamefully.
"That is to say, I come from the emperor of Tiger's wife, while Jiao came from one of his many mistresses. That means I am the next in line to rule. While Jiao might have been born from inferior stock, she is the only one I consider my sister." Long said. A sneer formed over his face as he shook his head. "Out of the dozens of so called siblings, only Jiao has the power and iron will that the nobility of Tiger should possess."
You nodded and then asked, "I see. So...why is the prince of another continent all the way out here?"
Long's eyes narrowed and he turned towards Jiao. "Your servant here is quite talkative, and lacks manners. I have noted she refers to you with casualness that betrays your status, and she hasn't even knelt in reverence, being in the presence of royalty."
"Ah, yes. Well, Maya here..." Jiao slowly began. It was clear she was torn between wanting to look good for her brother and not wanting to truly offend you. Admittedly you thought it was a bit amusing to see her sweat like this, but you should probably say something.
What will you say?
[] Inform Long that you and Jiao are actually friends, and for the most part you call the shots. It's for the best that he knows how things are.
[] Throw Jiao a bone and act the part of her servant. You'd rather have the meeting between her and Long go smoothly, and you get to play dumb and gain info!
[] Let Jiao answer and follow her lead. She's your friend and you trust whatever choice she'll make.
[] Write In.
---
Updated Maya's Databook, and the Unaligned Databook.
[] Inform Long that you and Jiao are actually friends, and for the most part you call the shots. It's for the best that he knows how things are.
---
"Actually, Jiao and I here are friends!" You cheerfully said with a large smile. Somehow Long's eyes narrowed even further and his frown turned into a scowl. Ignoring that, you continued. "I'm also the one usually calling the shots, but of course I'll take input if she has something on her mind!"
Long spoke, clearly annoyed, "Jiao, is this true? Or is this lowborn playing the fool?"
"...It's true." Jiao sighed. "I was thinking of ways to properly tell you, but the cat's out of the bag."
Long's jaw set and a vein began to appear in his forehead. But he seemed to think better of his rage as he released his tension. Without glancing at you, he snarled, "Explain."
You were about to speak, but Jiao raised a finger. You nodded, letting Jiao take over. She took in a deep breath and began. "After you sent me off from Tiger, me and the crew you hired quickly reached issues when we got into Jihopan. We came across a criminal group known as the Yakuza, and they used their mastery of water jutsu to capsize the ship. They captured and imprisoned me."
"The Yakuza..." Long said under his breath. "Go on."
"While I was unconscious they drugged me, as I couldn't focus my power at all. Things are blurry at that point, although I do remember a woman who turned her body into water and forcibly made me ingest a strange liquid that oozed from her fingers. Probably more drugs. I was locked in a cell and I dare not imagine the fate I had waiting for me until Maya and some oafish buffoon came in. I thought they were more Yakuza so I attacked, but I was still weak from my...less than ideal environment." Jiao continued. "I fainted a short while after."
"You have have feelings of gratitude for your so called savior and have submitted to her whims?" Long pointedly asked.
"Uh...no." you said, although if Long heard you, he was doing a great job of ignoring you. Jiao flicked her eyes towards you for a moment before retuning her attention to Long.
"As Maya said," Jiao pointedly stated, "I thought she was Yakuza, or someone else trying to manipulate me, but I wasn't in any state to fight back. But...her intentions on saving me were genuine. I was shocked, honestly."
Long's eyes finally turned towards you and he bluntly asked, "What are your intentions with Jiao, fool?"
You shrugged and said, "Me and my partner at the time were there to free people enslaved by the Yakuza. After we cleaned them out, we called the Mist to pick everyone up, but I knew the Mist would probably just lock her in a cell, like they do with most refugees. Or worse, considering her abilities."
"Tch, truly the land of savages, you'd think they would indoctrinate and control Jiao?" Long asked.
"...Yeah, most likely. You're not wrong when you call Jihopan full of savages." you admitted, remembering Rokugo's story about how Kotei callously slaughtered a group of civilians. "But that's besides the point, most of all I knew Jiao needed help so I did."
"Do you truly expect me to believe you saved some Yakuza slaves just for some altruistic nonsense? That you just happened to save a princess of Tiger and now you act like she owes you nothing?" Long accusingly said, pointing a finger at you. "She may have fallen for your trap, but I see beyond your lies, fool. It's blatantly clear you had information that she was there, and now you're manipulating her to your own ends."
It clicked with you then. While you figured Long in some way was worried about Jiao, it was obvious that he was pretty protective of her. You held back a cheeky smile and began to say something, but Jiao spoke up instead.
"Long, I assure, in the time I have spent with Maya, I also had doubts of her intentions. But time and time again, she has proven that all she ever wanted to do was to shelter and help me. We recently just returned from a mission, where I was embarrassingly captured once again by a monster wearing human flesh. Maya risked her life and the mission itself just to save me. And even before that, I spoke honestly with her about the plan for me to rule Jihopan, and she accepted it, and accurately pinpointed the true reason I came here." Jiao strongly said, her voice not even wavering a bit as she spoke at her brother. "I trust Maya, and she is my friend. Without her, I dare not think what type of hell I'd be living in."
Jiao got up from her chair and floated next to you, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I know you are suspicious about her, but if you could trust anyone, it would be me, your sister. I am telling you that Maya is not only trustworthy, but someone I sincerely and truly call a friend." Jiao finished, looking at her brother. However you could feel her trembling slightly. You were blushing slightly, not expecting such a strong defense and warm words coming from Jiao, especially in front of her brother.
Long glared at both you and Jiao before crossing his arms and closing his eyes. After a long moment, his eyes opened and his smoldering gaze was aimed directly at you. "If Jiao speaks so highly of you, then I suppose you must have some value. However, if you let her get kidnapped or hurt again, I will make sure you pay in blood."
"As much as I want to accept that, I can't. Jihopan is far too dangerous to make a haphazard promise like that, but with Jiao's help, I can promise to make Jihopan a better place, one where war doesn't tear the land into pieces and where-"
"I do not care about what happens to this demon tainted wasteland of a continent." Long harshly said, cutting you off. "Your altruism is sickening, and you're going to drag my sister into such a hopeless, suicidal mission? You speak as if you are the Sage of the Six Paths. Place your goals and dreams in reality, fool."
"I know my end goal is unfathomable to most, but I know I can do it. The path to peace is razor thin and I can easily fall off at any moment, but that's why friends like Jiao will help me, to extend their hands so that I may keep my way." you calmly said.
"So naïve, a group of friends won't mean anything compared to the might and cruelty of reality. Perhaps I should just take Jiao back and keep her away from your insane ramblings, fool." Long growled. "It's clear you have already poisoned her mind."
"I refuse. I wish to remain with Maya, and she has more than empty promises and words. She has been blessed as well." Jiao said. You winced and so did Jiao when she realized what she said. Long's dour look now turned into one of curiosity.
"Jiao, what the hell!" you whispered to her.
"I apologize, I just wanted to prove your worth to my brother..." Jiao whispered back.
"Blessed? So you have something more than mere words backing up your idiotic dreams?" Long said. "Show me."
"Well-"
"This was not a request, it was a demand." Long firmly said.
"Hold on, calm down, Maya. You went through this with Kotei, I can just fake an answer! Although...I wonder, would Long even be impressed with some elemental Kekkei Genkai? I could always use some lightning jutsu, it's a divine element in their land after all! But even then...perhaps only the truth would appease him. He isn't with any empire, and I doubt he'd paint a target on my back, and by proxy Jiao if I showed him the Rinnegan. But the less people who know about that the better. Hm..." you thought, weighing your options.
What will you do?
[] Show Long that you can use both Wood and Ice Release at once, a power thought impossible by everyone in Jihopan. If it worked on Kotei, it should work on Long!
[] Show Long that you can control and manipulate lightning chakra. Surely it would impress him if lightning is a divine element in his homeland!
[] Take the risk and show Long your Rinnegan. He would have no reason to out you to anyone else, and if he knows of the Sage of the Six Paths, then he must know about the power the Rinnegan holds.
[] Nah, you won't show him anything. Why do you have to impress some blowhard who keeps on insulting you?
[] Show Long that you can control and manipulate lightning chakra. Surely it would impress him if lightning is a divine element in his homeland!
---
"Hm, well how about this!" you said, lifting your hand into the air. Using your newly learned chakra flow, you made your hand crackle with lightning. Jiao said nothing, just looking at your lightning coated hand. However, Long's piercing gaze somehow turned even narrower and you could see a vein appear on his forehead.
"Are you insulting me?" Long coldly asked.
"Uh, I didn't mean to. I mean, I know lightning is a divine element in your land, so-"
"It's considered as such, yet you try to trick me with your mockery of it?" Long growled, getting to his feet, showing off his height. He wasn't the tallest person you've seen, but he had an aura about him that made him rather intimidating. "You think I'm ignorant of this land's use of chi? I know that your people can conjure false lightning!"
"What?"
"Ignorant fool! Listen to me closely, your people conjure the elements with your chi, which you call chakra. While we of Qinguo use our martial arts in combination with chi to manipulate existing elements." Long explained. "Do you understand?"
"...No way. So when you're talking about using lightning, you mean you're controlling the stuff in the sky?! The super loud, super bright, and super strong beams of absolute death?!" you exclaimed, your eyes widening.
"A childish, simple way of explaining it, but yes." Long sighed. "So all you have proven to me is your ignorance."
"Jeez, sorry. When I showed Jiao my lightning jutsu, she got all freaked out, so I figured-"
"I...should have known better. I was bewildered when I first saw Maya use lightning." Jiao muttered, embarrassed.
"Your reaction was the same one many had when the Sen-Long clan used their abilities to conjure lightning many generations ago," Long said, now sitting back down. "Your ignorance was imparted to you by Qinguo itself."
"Mind giving me some context here?" you asked, crossing your arms.
Long was about to open his mouth, most likely to insult you further, but Jiao quickly interjected. "The Sen-Long was a heretical clan that learned how to create lightning, in direct defiance of the Dragon Emperor. They were exiled out of Qinguo-"
"Where they ended up in Jihopan, specifically where you people call the Cloud Empire." Long said pointedly. "But if you already know how to use lightning, then...hm."
Jiao looked at her brother, confused. "Long, what are you thinking?"
"I have made my decision. You, the fool. You shall train me in the art of lightning conjuring." Long demanded.
"...Excuse me?" you muttered.
"Long!" Jiao gasped. "What you're speaking is-"
"Blasphemy? Perhaps if you still subscribe to the outdated and worthless teachings of the so called Dragon Emperor." Long callously said. He crossed his arms and crossed his legs, a fierce glint now in his eyes. "I simply refuse to believe in a so called deity who hasn't been seen by generations of our people."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like the Dragon Emperor is the ruler of Qinguo, right? You don't believe he exists?" you asked, trying to piece everything together.
"I believe he's only a myth, a fairytale that turned into a way of controlling the masses." Long replied, ignoring the utter shock on his sister's face. "Supposedly, he was chosen by the gods above and given the divine power of lightning and brought Qinguo under his control. But there has been no proof of his existence, no such historical records of that era have ever been found, although it is rumored that they are within the Jade Palace in the center of Dragon, where the Dragon Emperor resides. A happy coincidence, I think."
"I see..." you muttered.
Jiao brought the tip of her thumb to her lips, gently biting it as worry clearly shone through her face. "Long, I know you were skeptical of how the Dragon Emperor ruled, but this..."
"Jiao, why do you think the Sen-Long were exiled? Just because they tried copying the power of the Dragon Emperor? In my mind, there's a much simpler reasoning. They were close to proving the myths as just that, myths. In reality, lightning control isn't a divine right, it's just a rare, powerful ability. That's why the Sen-Long were exiled, so the secret would remain buried, and whoever truly controls Qinguo keeps their cushy seat on the throne." Long powerfully said, not an once of fear or hesitation in his voice.
"If I may ask one more question, why are you so determined to prove the Dragon Emperor false? You're very determined, that much is clear." You asked.
"...Because Qinguo is a stagnant, fearful land. Clinging onto legends and past glories like a terrified toddler. They hide and find comfort in nostalgia and tradition, despite such things being cancers that erode and decay our future. When I drag whatever pathetic scum sitting on the throne down to the ground, it's only then Qinguo can truly realize it's destiny." Long dramatically exclaimed. "When I claim that throne for myself, the tired and disgusting traditions of the land will be cast aside like the garbage they are!"
"I see. He wants a better future for his land as well. His conviction is unbending and I can tell that he meant every word. He has a giant ego and enough smugness to suffocate someone with, but he means well. I think." you thought.
"We have gone off topic." Long suddenly said. "It is clear that you have fooled Jiao with your false blessing of lightning conjuration, but I will let that slide. You will begin teaching me how to use your land's version of chi use tomorrow morning."
"Uh, I don't think-"
"Long, isn't it impossible to learn another land's style of chi use? We learned that in our schooling-"
"Impossible is for failures and losers. I, Long Wu-Yun, am neither." Long said, getting to his feet. "I've already made arrangements to stay here, do not disturb me further."
With a dramatic flourish of his haori, Long went up the stairs and into one of the rooms of the inn.
"I apologize for that, I didn't know my brother was coming, nor did I know he could just...saunter into the Mist Empire like that." Jiao said, sinking into the chair Long just left, looking exhausted.
"It's fine, he's...interesting. Although I dunno if I can teach him what he wants." you replied, pursing your lips in thought.
Jiao put a hand over her eyes and sighed. "I would appreciate if you'd try, but I fully understand that such a sudden demand might go against with whatever else you're planning."
"Yeah. At least he didn't pry any further into that blessing you spoke of. You have to be more careful!"
"I know, I apologize, it just slipped out." Jiao muttered, clearly embarrassed.
"It's alright. But...ugh, what am I going to do? I don't have anything really lined up until Byakuren gets back, but gonna be honest, I don't even know if I can teach Long anything. Never taught anything before." you said, puzzled.
"Despite my brother's demands, he isn't too unreasonable. If you could find him a proper teacher, he could be convinced leave you alone." Jiao said.
"That is an idea...although I don't know anyone who uses lightning in the Mist. Guess I could always ask Kimmy, or Tenryu."
"Ugh, that boorish oaf who was there when you rescued me? I guess his...sociable personality would lead him to knowing many people." Jiao groaned. With a loud yawn, Jiao shook her head and hovered in the air. "After all this, I am exhausted. I have much to think about. Good night, Maya."
"Night, Jiao."
"First Jiao, now Long. What other royalty from other continents will find me next? But I guess I gotta think if I'm really gonna train Long or not. Hrm..." you thought, weighing your choices.
What will you do?
[] Train Long. You're not doing much else, and it could be a good chance to learn more about him.
[] Try to find a teacher for Long. You have doubts if you can even teach well, and you'd rather not have to deal with him.
[] Eh, forget teaching Long, you're under no obligation to help him with anything. Tomorrow will be your day to do whatever you want.
[] Train Long. You're not doing much else, and it could be a good chance to learn more about him.
---
You honestly didn't know if you could teach Long properly, but you'd give it a try. It would make Jiao happy, at least. Your eyes felt heavy and you trudged up the stairs and into your room. You didn't even take a shower or change your clothes, instantly flopping onto your bed and closing your eyes.
---
Your formless sleep was broken by a loud knocking at your door. Your eyes snapped open and you looked at the window on the other side of the room. It was still dark. You groaned and got to your feet, shambling over to the door and opening it. You saw Long, arms crossed and a fierce glare drilling into you. His scowl turned into a sneer as he beheld your ragged appearance.
"Did you even cleanse yourself before going to sleep? Tch, truly a land of savages." Long rudely said.
"Yeah, had a busy day yesterday so I just kinda went to bed." you yawned. Maybe you should have been offended by his words, but honestly you were too groggy to care.
Long closed his eyes, shaking his head dismissively. "It's not ideal, but I would rather not have your filth distract me while I train. I will be waiting in the lobby."
Long turned on his heel and left. You rolled your eyes and shut the door, whispering under your breath, "Thanks for letting your servant take a shower, what a kind and merciful master."
There was some slight regret in wanting to train Long if this was how he'd treat you, but still, compared to weirdos like Kotei and Kaitaikojo, this was almost quaint. After picking out some clothes, you went to the bathroom and began to get ready for the day.
---
Dawn was just to break over the horizon when you, Long, and Jiao made it to the training field you had used yesterday. There was only a few shinobi training, only the most dedicated to train so early in the morning. You found a clear, secluded spot and took a deep breath, the cold, crisp air filling your lungs.
"Alright! Time for Ninjutsu class! Jiao, are you going to join?" you asked, putting your hands on your hips.
"No, I am here to watch. Perhaps if Long should need it, I can explain a few things, but otherwise I am a mere spectator." Jiao said, looking at her brother.
Long didn't respond, only looking at you, clearly wanting to start.
"Okay! Before we begin, I just wanted to make sure, how do you two use your chakra to manipulate the elements?" you asked. Long turned his stare towards Jiao, who nodded and began to speak.
"We combine our chi, or chakra in your land, with various katas, depending whichever style we are born with. For myself, before I awakened my telekinesis, I was only able to use the Tiger Style. It's much like a dance, although since I have my telekinesis helping, I rarely need to preform the full movements anymore." Jiao explained.
"Alright, alright, Long, which elements can you control?" you asked, looking at Long.
"Hmph, I am a master of the Phoenix and Tiger styles, which gives me control of fire and metal." Long answered.
"I see. So, in Jihopan, we mold chakra with our hands instead of our bodies, and depending what seals we make and in what order, we can preform Ninjutsu or Genjutsu." You explained, such knowledge coming to you so easily it was as if someone was speaking for you. "So if you want to train in lightning jutsu, then the first step will be learning the hand seals and attempting to see if you can mold chakra that way. After that, we'll see if you can even use lightning."
"Tch, of course I can use lightning, it is my right!" Long declared.
You wanted to tell him that it might not be possible, but you figured all it would do is make Long angry, and you'd rather not make him any more insufferable than he already is. "I'm sure! Skilled ninja in these lands can learn up to three elements at once, so I'm sure you could learn lightning!"
"How many elements can you use? I know of your false lightning, but what else?" Long asked, clearly trying to scope out if you're even going to be a proper teacher.
"Well...I'm a bit different. You know how Jiao said I had a special gift? It's because I can use all five elements of Jihopan, plus some extra. I believe it's a sort of bloodline inheritance I got from my family." you smoothly said, hoping that the half-truth would convince Long. To prove your point, you quickly flowed all your elements into your arms, one by one.
"...Hmph. So that is your blessing. Very well, you answered my question flawlessly." Long replied, although you could tell he wanted to say more, but was holding his tongue. "Now, show me those hand seals!"
You nodded and slowly went through the hand seals one by one, telling Long their names and how to properly preform them. As you did, Long scoffed, shaking his head.
"What is it now?" you asked.
"I find it interesting that these hand seals are clearly modeled after the zodiac, a system we use in Qinguo. Although I have never believed in any spiritual influence some hold in it, only merely useful as a calendar." Long smugly said. "I wonder what else this place has stolen from its betters."
"Probably a lot! I'm sure Qinguo has also taken a bunch from Jihopan, seeing how we're neighbors!" you brightly said, making Long's smugness fall into an annoyed grimace. "Anyway, now that you know the hand seals, I want you to practice them until they become muscle memory! That's the first step towards using Ninjutsu, and then we will focus on trying to mold chakra."
"Tch...very well. I will conquer this meager trial soon enough." Long confidently said, walking off to the side to practice on his own. When Long was far enough away, Jiao floated up to you.
"I am quite surprised, I thought you would have declined Long's request, seeing how you could be swept away by the whims of that Mizukage." Jiao said.
"Well I still haven't heard anything from him yet, so I figured we're on break until then. Besides, Long is a bit...egotistical but he's a good guy. Also, if we're gonna be friends, I wouldn't want any weirdness between him and I." you said back, watching Long do his hand seals slowly.
"...Thank you, Maya. I appreciate it." Jiao sincerely said.
"No problem, Jiao!" you replied with a bright smile.
"Fool, I require your assistance." Long suddenly declared.
"Although I might have to remind him what my name is..." you sighed.
---
You spent all morning helping Long, adjusting his hands as needed when he got a sign wrong, or misaligned it, noting to him that the seals need to be perfect. It was tedious work, but Long never complained and always took your lessons to heart, even if he had a few snide comments here and there. Around noon, Jiao had offered to go into town to procure some lunch, which both you and Long took as a moment for a break. As Jiao left the area, Long did some stretches on his fingers and hands, no doubt feeling quite sore.
"I must say, even if this land falls quite short in many ways, I must respect how the shinobi manage to manipulate chi with just their hands. Compared to my land's own style, it feels restrictive." Long said, looking at his hands. "But it is hardly enough for me to declare that it's impossible to learn it."
"Good! Honestly, you're taking to the training well, but we haven't even gotten to the hard stuff yet!" you said with a smile, winking at Long.
"If this was the most difficult part, then I wouldn't need someone like you training me."
"Heh, maybe!"
Before your conversation could continue, both you and Long noticed a man casually walking up to both of you. He was of average height and had white, chin length hair, his eyes as purple as the top he wore. A casual smile showed that he had sharp, triangular teeth, and on the many straps and loops on his gray pants were multiple water bottles. Finally, you could see the handle and part of a large sword strapped to his back. Not nearly as giant as the monstrosity of a sword Kaitaikojo carries, but no doubt a weapon made for a one strike killing blow.
"So, this is where you are, neat!" the man said playfully, looking at you.
"Can I help you?" you asked, trying to scope out the man's intention.
"You're Maya, right? The girl who beat those freaks Kai and Ishako?" the man asked. "Even helped the Kaguya Clan put back that weirdo they keep locked in their basement, right?"
Long looked at you with a curious expression, but otherwise remained silent. You cleared your throat and said, "Yes I am, I'm Maya Terumi. Who are you?"
"Oh whoops. I'm Suigetsu Hozuki! After I heard you embarrassed those weirdos, I just had to find you! Nobody but the First Mizukage likes those freaks, even for the Mist Empire they're just too much." Suigetsu said a chuckle.
"Yeah they're...um. Colorful, to say the least." you muttered.
"Rumor has it that they go waaaaaay beyond being brother and sister, y'know? Like they're more lovers than anything. Eugh, gives me the creeps thinking about that, and with how Ishako drapes herself over Kai all the time, kinda makes obvious-"
"I get it." you firmly said with a shudder. You tried your best to ignore what Suigetsu said and continued, "so why did you want to see me?"
"Well first was to thank you for showing those freaks up, any chance anyone gets to knock them down a peg is a cool person in my book! And second...well, I wanna see how you took 'em out! I wanna fight you!" Suigetsu excitedly said. "Don't worry, just a friendly spar, just wanna see what you can do!"
"Oh. Well..." you trailed off.
"I would also like to see you in action. After hearing all these feats from Jiao and now this peasant, I am curious." Long added, looking at you expectantly.
"Woah, wait. I'm no peasant, I'm a Jonin of the Mist Empire, you better get your facts straight you dragon!" Suigetsu growled.
"Was that an attempt at provoking me?" Long dismissively said. "I do not slum around with strays."
You sighed as Suigetsu and Long glared at each other. You weren't planning on sparring today, but at least Suigetsu wasn't throwing you into the deep end like Kai and Ishako did.
How will you answer?
[] Accept the spar.
[] Decline the spar.
[] Try to get Long to spar with Suigetsu.
[] Tell Suigetsu that you'll spar with him later.
[] Write In.
---
Author's Note: Sorry for the sudden hiatus. Life, motivation, and a writing block got in the way. Anyway, enjoy and a late Happy New Year!
"Hey, Suigetsu, I'll take you up on the spar!" you said, turning his attention away from Long to you. His eyes widened and his smile went even wider, fully showing off his shark-like teeth.
"Oh, nice! Then I guess we better get started then!" Suigetsu happily exclaimed.
"Yes, hurry up and crush this fool so we no longer have to suffer his irritating existence." Long said, causing Suigetsu to turn his attention back towards him.
"You're really starting to piss me off, you dragon!" Suigetsu snarled, baring his teeth threateningly.
"Is that the only thing you can say? And gritting your teeth at me only proves that you are nothing more than a worthless stray." Long calmly responded. "Do not speak to me again."
"You-" Suigetsu began, but you stepped between the two of them.
"Just ignore him, he's...just being a jerk." you whispered, not wanting this to escalate any further. "If you ignore him, it'll get under his skin more than just insulting him."
You had no idea if that was true, but it was a smooth and easy lie, one which Suigetsu instantly bought as his eyes widened. He nodded and without another word walked some distance away, towards the area where he wanted to fight. It was at the edge of the manmade lake, most likely for him to more easily use water jutsu if you had to make a guess. You stood a few yards across from Suigetsu as he tilted his head from side to side, his neck cracking loudly as he did so.
"Alright, here are the rules! No killing blows, and no maiming! Winner is decided by knockout or forfeit! Sound good?" Suigetsu said, looking at you eagerly.
"Sounds good! Just don't get too upset when you lose!" you replied with a wink.
"That's my line!" Suigetsu responded, reaching back and pulling out his large sword. As he held the handle, he threateningly let its tip slam into the ground, a quiet warning of its weight, but after seeing Kai swing around something much larger and heavier, it failed to impress you. You made a hand seal and quietly activated your Clarity genjutsu, the world becoming sharper and clearer as a result of your increased focus.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Suigetsu shouted, rushing at you recklessly, using both hands to hold his sword. You could tell that wielding such a bulky weapon was slowing Suigetsu down somewhat as he got close and made a large swing on your left side. You ducked the slash, and from your crouching position, used one of your newly learned Taijutsu, the Rising Dragon Fist! Balling your hand into a fist, you leapt upwards and connected with a powerful uppercut to Suigetsu's chin. However, your fist suddenly kept going as Suigetsu's head exploded into water.
"What the heck?!" you shouted, watching Suigetsu's head reform, complete with a smug smile.
"Never fought a Hozuki before, eh?" Suigetsu responded before thrusting his foot forward, although you were fast enough to block the blow with your hands, but his strength sent you skidding backwards.
"Can't say I have, you can turn your body into water?" you asked. Now it made sense why Suigetsu rushed forward like that, he was practically immune to physical attacks!
"Heh, yep! That punch might've done some real damage if I wasn't paying attention!" Suigetsu boasted.
"His entire body is made of water, that's pretty impressive! Although I wonder, if he's made of water, then what will happen if I give him a shock?" you thought. There was only one way to find out! Suigetsu rushed forward once again, this time going for an overhead chop, a simplistic move that you avoided by shifting to the side, but Suigetsu had predicted your move and instantly swung his sword in your direction. It was a risk with how large the sword was, but you dodged by moving backwards, barely avoiding its sharp tip as it grazed your clothes.
You flowed lightning chakra into your fist and lunged forward at Suigetsu, whose eyes widened as he saw the lightning crackling around your hand. You slammed your fist into his stomach, and this time Suigetsu couldn't disperse into water. The lightning quickly coursed through his body as he yelled in pain, letting go of his sword and letting it fall as he jumped backwards to avoid more pain.
"Damn it!" Suigetsu cursed, kneeling on one knee and clutching the area you struck. "Course you'd know lightning jutsu, fuck!"
"Hmhm, sorry! I'm just full of surprises!" you taunted, sticking your tongue out playfully at Suigetsu.
"Well you did beat Kai and Ishako, I guess you have to be this strong at the very least." Suigetsu muttered, pulling one of his water bottles off his belt, opening the top and quickly chugging the entire thing in mere moments. Suigetsu's wound seemed to heal somewhat as he got back to his feet. "But I'm nowhere near done yet!"
Suigetsu chained together some hand seals and a large orb of water suddenly lifted from the lake next to Suigetsu, bursting and forming into hundreds upon hundreds of water shuriken! With a clap of his hands, Suigetsu sent the water shuriken towards you!
What will you do?
[] Use Earthen Armor to defend!
[] Open the First Gate and attempt to dodge!
[] Use Metal Chakra Flow on your skin and rush through!
