Ninja Trails: Kung-fu Battle Wizards in the Real World

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Background and Summary

This story arose as a long series of Omakes in Marked for Death I was writing, but lazy enough to make people there vote on actions taken by Hazou (the protagonist). To prevent two voting systems from existing in the same thread (Which was the case for a while), and remove extra chatter from the already busy MfD thread, I've moved it here. I will certainly try to write with enough clarity that anyone who hasn't read MfD has a general idea of what's happening, but you'll definitely miss references and there will be minor spoilers for that quest (as in, you may find out which party members were or were not alive at a certain point in time).

A link to the MfD story (and omakes) is here, the point of divergence (and original first chapter) are here

Basic background knowledge:

The world the protagonists come from: All of the characters non-native to the world come from a universe in which society is slowly dying off due to weird power imbalances and the constant threat of monsters. The protagonist is a young (13) ninja named Hazou who was leading a team of 5 other outlaws.

The place that Hazou is transported to is the Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail stretching across the United States from north to south along the east coast. No idea where he'll end up, but that's where he started.

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

On Reading:

This story does not assume a univeral language. As such, the primary language of a PoV character is represented by " quotations and is clear. If a different language is used and they understand the language, they will be represented by {, <, or [ depending on how many languages are being used in that scene. Most of the PoV characters know an old version of Japanese, which is what " will normally represent.

When a language is unknown to a PoV character, it will be encoded with Rot13 or a combination of different rot numbers, depending on how many languages are involved in the scene. If you wish to understand what was said, copy and paste the text into here, or here (for things other than rot13), but know that the PoV character is not supposed to know what is being said.

Finally, sometimes events will happen without the PoV character noticing. These are sometimes handled, offscreen, and other times handled via invisitext. If you suspect invisitext, simply highlight an area and the text will be revealed. Please remember that the PoV character technically didn't notice this interaction.

Finally, occasionally, there are dice rolls. For the most part, these are irrelevant. If skill and ability mechanics begin to matter in the quest, a system will be developed.

Finally, on voting: I will be doing approval voting. This means you can vote for mutiple plans or action plans. Just respond with:

[X] thing I want to do

or

[X] Plan someone has proposed.

At the moment, the quest is small enough I will be just doing manual tallying. If it gets large, then I will begin to use an actual vote counter, but the general vote process will not change.

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Hazou: protagonist from Marked For Death. Made it his life's goal to make the world a better place, then was accidentally teleported to earth due to a sealing mishap. Currently disguised as a hiker.

Akane: boundless optimism, reliance on the power of YOUTH, an incredibly powerful hand-to-hand fighter, and Hazou's apprentice/best friend/kinda-maybe-like-each-other-it's-complicated.

Noburi: User of the Vamperic Dew bloodline, which allows him to suck chakra from other people or animals which have them, but can't store any in his body. Carries a barrel everywhere he goes to store his chakra

Keiko: Quiet weapons master rounding out the young ninja in the party. Pangolin Summoner, and has a magical ability to be good at logistics.

Kagome: Paranoid sealmaster specializing in explosives. Lived in the woods for 10+ years on his own, incredibly distrustful and protective. Hazou's mentor in sealing

Mari Inoue: Infiltration and deception specialist who can change what people see by looking into their eyes. Also expert ninja with many well-rounded abilities, but a difficulty improvising.

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 1: Meet Lost, Poet

Kagome and Hazou surveyed the lab. Tripwire activation? Check. Multiple Kawarmi targets? Check. Relatively fireproof surroundings for a half mile? Check. Personal Protection equipment? Check. Berry to test storage portal seal? Check. All normal storage seals at least a mile away? Check. Earth wall bunker? Almost finished...

"Sealing preparations complete sensei!" Hazou called out as he put the last earth walls into place.

Kagome looked at him as if he was crazy. "Are you daft! There's no such thing as being fully prepared for sealing! You never know what'll go wrong! Did the lupchanz get you already boy!"

"Sorry sensei, all I mean to say is we're as safe as we're likely to be with what we can prepare, and can start testing the multiple storage seal."

Kagome grunted an affirmation. He wasn't convinced being able to pull something from multiple storage scrolls would be terribly useful, but he was willing to humor his student. Hazou did love his storage seals after all.

-o-

The idea was to put an item (in this test, a berry), into one storage scroll, and be able to access it from multiple different scrolls later. Hazou figured this would help in the team's budding merchant empire. After all, removing dependency on ninja for protection, and expediting travel would be revolutionary! All he had to do was solve the sealing problem. Fortunately, after about a month, he had sorted out the theory, and was ready to field test his first prototypes. Now, with the expansion to the sealing fortress that having two potentially catastrophic seals active required, he had finally met Kagome's requirements for safety.

The berry was on top of the first scroll. The first step was to activate that storage seal, and get the berry in the storage dimension.

"Storing berry in 3… 2… 1…"

Hazou's pinky inched forward and touched the tripwire. The berry disappeared. Kagome ducked.

Ten seconds went by and nothing happened.

"Moving on to stage 2." Hazou said.

It was going to work, he could feel it! Hazou reached his pinky towards the other tripwire, connected to the second scroll. This would summon the berry from storage space onto a scroll it had never been in contact with before. It was going to revolutionize trade!

"Retrieving berry in 3.... 2… 1…"

Hazou's pinky inched forward and touched the tripwire. The scenery disappeared. Hazou could hear the screams of Kagome fading into the distance.

-o-

Hazou awoke cold. He looked around himself and saw a wintery forest. It was much colder than he remembered it being, and he was sure he'd never been here before.

"Kai!"

The forest didn't change.

"Ok" Hazou thought, "Looks like I was lucky enough to not get eaten while I was asleep. Also, that was a great sealing mishap! I didn't think teleportation was possible! Kagome said not to try to replicate mishaps, but maybe he'll make an exception for teleportation? First though, I should find the others."

Hazou searched around his scenery

Hazou frowned. He'd identified which way was north, and gone south, but quickly came to a problem. Within the first two hours, he came upon a road, but it was strange. The road was about 8 feet wide, clearly a trading road, but it had the prints of a strange beast on it. Given the depth of the tracks and the relative hardness of the dirt, and their prevalence, he concluded that the beast was heavy, but narrow, and traveled along the edges of the road. Clearly, wherever he was didn't have a strong enough ninja population to keep the beasts in check. He'd need to be alert, especially with no teammates to watch his back.

"Maybe this is Iron after all the ninja died? Sage! I must have traveled halfway across the Elemental Nations. I'll need to go southeast to get back to our hideout in Tea."

So, Hazou started traveling southeast.

About 10 minutes later, Hazou came across another trail. It looked like a footpath. It went south.

"Must be a nearby town. Maybe I can check it out, make sure I'm actually in Iron."

Hazou began to follow it, adapting an older henge, making himself look like a middle-aged hunter coming in from a night's hunt. He caught some small rabbits nearby and slung them through his belt for authenticity.

A few miles further south, he came across a wooden structure. It was strange, it looked like a place someone could sleep for the night, and looked reasonably well maintained (no dust, no animals hibernating there), but was abandoned. There was also writing on the building, but Hazou didn't recognize it as any of the languages of the elemental nations. Thoroughly confused, Hazou decided to make a small fire in the firepit in front, gather water from the nearby spring, and then run into the woods and sleep in a tree.

-o-

The next day, Hazou continued down the trail, still in his hunter disguise. He discovered that structures similar to the one he had passed existed about once every 8 miles or so. It seemed like the trail and structures had been built for Samurai. Maybe this was part of Iron which escaped destruction? Maybe he'd be able to meet a Samurai? He thought they were all gone though…

Movement! Hazou hid in the woods. He spotted a man, with a large backpack walking the opposite way. The man didn't seem to notice him, and was lacking any guard, in fact, seemed as unconcerned with his surroundings as Inoue often did. Hazou pegged him as a Jounin (who else could act that nonchalant when walking alone through the woods) and thanked his lucky stars he appeared to escape notice.

Hazou studied the man's appearance, and henged into a similar outfit after he was gone. Suitably camoflagued as an Iron senior Samurai (or whatever the man was), Hazou resumed his travelling, now walking boldly down the center of the trail. He figured if he met someone later, he'd try to gather information from them.

-o-

An hour later, Hazou came across a man and a woman, each walking the other way.

"Hello!" Hazou called out.

"Ubjql" The pair called out. "Unccl Genvyf!"

The pair kept walking past Hazou, seemingly unconcerned with him.

Huh. Apparently the Samurai had their own language too! Exciting. But Hazou really needed to get back to his team.

Deciding that walking along Samurai trails probably wasn't the best ideas for his health, Hazou returned to traveling through the woods, though kept the henge he'd acquired. It'd worked on the Samurai, and it'd give anyone else a second thought about messing with him (seriously, it was a weird outfit).

-o-

Hazou thought it strange that he hadn't seen any chakra beasts, but he was ok with that. But, he started to hear them. Every once in a while, there'd be a deep rumbling, as if a giant snake were traveling across the ground at great speed.

Hazou eventually came to a clearing, where a road clearly existed, but this was a road like none he had ever seen. It was 20 feet wide, and had white and yellow marks at regular intervals on it. Further, it looked like it'd been cut into the side of a hill, and the cuts had made a sheer cliff about 10 feet tall on one side.

Soon enough, Hazou heard the telltale sign of one of the chakra beasts coming along. He hid in the woods, and saw a metal behemoth, about the size of a chakra alligator, come barrelling down the road at ninja speeds.

Hazou saw there was a person inside the beast! But, they appeared to be conscious and non-resisting, which seemed like an odd combination for someone who had been eaten. Regardless, it looked like this particular beast was restricted to the roads. Hazou could be assured that he had an easy escape from it.

Seeing that it was getting dark, Hazou followed the road with the chakra beasts south, hoping to finally find a town and some answers. He really wanted to tell his team about his place, since it seemed like it might be an even safer, more secluded place than they'd found in Tea!

-o-

After walking along the road (and hiding in the woods whenever a chakra beast came along), Hazou quickly came to a mansion. Interestingly, it had relatively little land around it, and had other mansions nearby. Deciding this was a good a place to ask about things as any, Hazou went up and knocked on the door. A tall, middle aged man stepped out and greeted him,

"Uv, pna V uryc lbh?"

"Hi, sorry, I'm a little lost, could you tell me where we are?" Hazou asked.

"Bu, fbeel, V qba'g fcrnx... gung ynathntr. Qb lbh fcrnx Ratyvfu?" The man replied, looking confused.

Realizing communication might be a little difficult, Hazou decided to switch to pantomimes.

"Me" He pointed to himself. "Lost." He put his hand over his eyes and peered off into the distance. "I'm looking for Tea." He made the shape of the peninsula of Tea with his hands.

The man pointed to himself "Cbrg." He pointed at Hazou "Avpr gb zrrg lbh Lost." He pantomimed eating and rubbing his belly while pointing at Hazou "Uhatel?" He then stepped aside and motioned for Hazou to enter into his mansion.

-o-

What do?

[] Enter Mansion
[] Go back onto the chakra monster road
[] RUN TO THE WOODS!
[] Continue Pantomiming
[] Write in

Note: Voting on this closed a while ago.

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 2: The Blue Samurai

[X] Enter Mansion

Hazou entered the mansion with Cbrg. Inside, there was an entryway, with a bunch of backpacks like the one he'd henged onto himself.

"Lbh pna yrnir lbhe cnpx urer, gurer'f ybnare pybgurf va gur pnovarg, naq n fubjre va gur ubhfr." Cbrg said. Then sighed, pointed at Hazou, then the packs.

Hazou realized he was going to need to be inventive if he wanted to keep his henge believable. "I'll just leave mine outside" He said, then ran outside and changed his henged form to not include the backpack.

"Be lbh pna qb gung." The man shrugged. Sbyybj zr."

Cbrg led Hazou past the entryway, to a section walled off with sheets. He threw open the sheets and pointed at Hazou then a basket. "Qvegl pybgurf gurer." Then towards a shelf of clean, if very oversized, clothes. "Gnxr fbzrguvat pyrna." Then the man stepped out and swept the curtain back into place.

Hazou grabbed some oversized clothing and threw it on top of his henge (while adjusting it to not have the old clothing). Hopefully Cbrg wouldn't notice the lack of new dirty clothing. Thus changed, he came out and saw the man waiting for him.

"Pbzr ba, V'yy tvir lbh gur gbhe." Cbrg beckoned Hazou to follow.

They entered a kitchen with a few too many boxes.

"Favxreqbbqyr?" The man offered Hazou a cookie. Hazou took it, and then the accepted the security risk of eating it after seeing the man look expectantly at him (not until Cbrg had eaten one himself though).

Cbrg led Hazou into the next room. There was a screen with people on it! Hazou looked a little longer at the screen than was polite. Think of the observation possibilities! This sealing device clearly showed what was happening somewhere else! If Hazou could make a seal like that, he'd be able to protect his friends so much better! There were also four other men in the room and one woman.

"Url thlf, guvf vf Lost. V qba'g guvax ur fcrnxf Ratyvfu, ohg ur'yy or fgnlvat urer gbavtug." Poet said towards the group.

"Url."
"Fhc."
"Hello."

Hazlu took note of the man who'd spoken a sensible language. He was the oldest man in the room, with graying hair and a short, graying beard. He wore all blue and was very wiry, as most of the people here were.

Cbrg pointed towards each of them in turn.

"Jro" a middle aged man.
"Pnzc Fubrf naq Qbhoyr Qvc" a pair of young men in a corner staring at a small device.
"Whfg Evtug" a girl watching the screen.
"Samurai Oyhr" He pointed to the greying man.

"So you are a Samurai!" Hazou exclaimed facing Samurai Oyhr.

"Samurai Blue, in the flesh." The man responded in an odd, but understandable dialect. "I take it you're Wncnarfr then? You don't look it."

Hazou wasn't sure what a Wncnarfr was, but figured it was probably safer to be one than not. "Something like that."

"Nu, lbh fcrnx uvf ynathntr? Pbhyq lbh tvir uvz gur gbhe gura?" Cbrg said towards Samurai Blue.

"Fher, V pna fubj uvz nebhaq." Samurai Blue responded. Cbrg left.

"So this is the hiker's lounge." Samurai Blue gestures towards the room they were in, "and if you'll follow me, I'll show you where you can bathe and sleep."

"Sounds good." Hazou said, relieved to find someone who spoke his language, and not wanting to upset the Samurai -- no telling if he would be as forgiving as Jiraiya on social faux pas.

They climbed some stairs, and went into a bunk room. "You can claim any empty bunk, just leave some gear on it to claim it. Mine's over there." He gestured towards the top bunk in the corner. "The bottom's unclaimed if you want it." Hazou looked at the bed, then dug out a kunai and left it on the bed.

"There's sheets in the closet over there," Samurai Blue pointed towards some doors, "and the bath's right over there. There should be soap and towels in there if you want to shower now. I suggest you do." Samurai Blue gave Hazou a meaningful glance. "I'll be down in the lounge if you need me to translate or want to talk."

"Thank you." Hazou bowed towards the man.

-o-

One adventure in determining how the seal operated vertical bath worked later, Hazou considered his options.

What do?

[] Ask Samurai Blue about something
- what?
[] THEY'RE ALL SECURITY RISKS! MURDER THEM ALL!
[] Buy a YOUTHSUIT
[] Observe the people in the lounge, but try to remain unnotuced
[] Sneak out the window
[] Write in

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 3: I don't think we're in Kansas anymore

Using chakra adhesion to keep his new loose fitting clothing on, Hazou descended the stairs to the lounge where the others still sat, in approximately the same positions.

Ok Hazou, battle plan. I'll observe them for a while, try to get a map, and remain vague about where I'm from. Maybe I'll get to copy some of these great seals while I'm here.

Plan made, he descended the stairs while keeping an eye out for any seals.

He spotted a few remarkably accurate paintings (maybe seal originated?), and far more writing than he'd seen other places. Unfortunately, he could make neither heads nor tails of it. Maybe if he studied some samples of it? It couldn't be as hard to learn a new language as it was to learn sealing. He bet he could figure it out in a month or so if left to his own devices. Probably faster if he had someone help him.

Hazou found it strange that the mansion was warm everywhere, yet there was no fire. Maybe the residents were using a modified version of elemental mastery? He supposed it made sense for isolated people to learn elemental mastery (everybody gets cold after all).

Yet, as he walked down the stairs, he saw a vent with hot air coming out of it. Huh. Maybe it's just one really powerful seal of elemental mastery with extra wind based seals circulating the air? That'd save some seals. Makes sense that they'd hide the seal somewhere safe if they've only got the one. Hazou considered the potential application of a wind producing seal. That'd be great if they ever got Hidden Heaven off the ground!

Hazou continued down the stairs, found a spot on the couch facing the seal screen and sat down quietly

The others seemed not to have noticed his presence. Upon further observation, Pnzc Fubrf and Qbhoyr Qvc appeared to be two men animatedly discussing things over a smaller version of the seal screen. Maybe they're seal masters? Maybe I can find out about how the seals these people use work from them? Whfg Evtug appeared to be tiredly reading a beautifully bound book while watching the larger screen. Maybe she's an instructor? Samurai Blue was sitting at a desk writing. Giving his mission report? I hope I wasn't too suspicious. Jro and Cbrg were not in the room.

Hazou stared at the seal screen. Clearly, the seals themselves were hidden. Probably in the thin area behind the screen? If so, then they'd made seals which could project images on the opposite side of the paper? Neat! With the method behind image formation solved, Hazou went on to examine the content of the screen. Although it jumped camera angles often, Hazou couldn't understand the language, and every once in a while it showed a few seemingly random sequences, it seemed to be some strange version of a tactical movement trial. Clearly, it was a beginners class: nobody was even using chakra adhesion! Maybe that was the challenge? They all seemed to move at around Genin level. Maybe this country had a strange samurai academy (so cool they've got Samurai!). Samurai at the liberator village were actually civilians, so when he took that into account, the potential Samurai here were actually quite good. Strange that they took such old students, but he supposed civilians probably needed more time to practice than ninja?

Hazou wondered: maybe the advanced sealing technology was to make up for their lower combatant ability with less chakra? That would explain some of why they were isolated. Now, all Hazou had to do was convince them to share their seals with the elemental nations at large, and maybe life would start looking up for everyone! Besides, it must get lonely for the people out in reaches of wherever Hazou was. Speaking of which,

Hazou saw a large map on one of the walls in the lounge. It appeared to show a region Hazou had never seen before. Maybe I'm on a different continent! That would explain why I've never heard of these people, their language is different, and... maybe they exterminated all their chakra monsters? Has somewhere else already built the utopia we're trying to make?

His first pass analysis complete, Hazou walked up to Samurai Blue to try to get some answers, "I'm slightly lost at the moment, where are we?"

Samurai Blue looked up from his seal quality! papers and chuckled, "I'm beginning to see how you got your trail name. We're at Shaw's hiker hostel." When Hazou didn't seem to show any recognition, he added, "In Monson, on the Appalachian Trail, in Maine, United States of America, Earth."

Eventually, Hazou decided it would probably hurt his cover if he didn't act like he know where that was. "Oh, right, thanks! Any chance you could lend me a map?"

"Well, there might be some maps in the hiker box, I can show you my AWOL if you'd like... though it's in English. I can explain the important bits though. You going south?" Samurai Blue started leading them back to the bunks.

Seeing no reason to hide it, and not particularly concerned about not being able to read the language of a map, Hazou agreed about his destination and followed Samurai Blue to his bunk.

"We're here." Samurai Blue flipped open a blue bound book and pointed at a point on a squiggly line. Hazou was unsure how to interpret this. If this was a map, it was the strangest map he'd ever seen: there was just a long page showing a line going up and down with text occasionally on the line: the paper was very high quality though. Hazou wasn't sure the samurai ought to be poking seals that vigorously, but figured the man probably knew what he was doing? "The next shelter is 5 miles south, Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to, next resupply is about 35 miles away in Caratunk, but the next town worth stopping in is Stratton, in about 80 miles. There should be water everywhere, since it's Maine."

"Thanks" Hazou said uncertainly, "Any chance I could look at those other maps too?"

"Sure." Samurai Blue responded. "Follow me."

Samurai Blue led Hazou to a basket full of folded up maps. "Here's all the maps hikers have left. Mostly, they're just of the area 50 miles north or 50 miles south of here, but you're welcome to anything you want. Ask if you want anything else." Samurai Blue wandered off, and started writing again.

Hazou investigated the pile: At least these maps were maps. They seemed to have a lot of information on them: he identified the roads he'd travelled, figured out the indicators for mountains and valleys, and even found one map which had a place highlighted, which he assumed was Monson. All of it was entirely foreign to him though, as he figured he'd never been on this continent before. He hoped he'd be able to find Kagome and the others, it was beginning to look like it might not be such an easy task to get back after all. Ocean crossings had been terrifying in the past.

What Do?

[] Have a panic attack
[] Ask more questions
- What about?
[] Steal some paper (it's just lying around!) and start making backup seals
[] Interrogate the seal masters about their seals (use Samurai Blue as interpretor)
[] Write In

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 4: Just Seal Stuff... and Cubars

{X} Steal some paper (it's just lying around!) and start making backup seals
- {X} Start with storage seals to keep maps in, in case they come in handy later
{X} Interrogate the seal masters about their seals (use Samurai Blue as an interpretor)
- {X} But, like, be nice about it. We're fellow sealmasters! Let us discuss the craft and talk shop in a friendly manner!
{X} Ask questions about the language, where to find resources for learning it.

Hazou glanced around to see if anyone was looking, and furtively took some seal quality paper from the pile. He also found some strange quills with ink inside them. Neat! He quickly used the Iron Nerve to draw a storage seal… then realized the ink inside the pen wasn't imbued with chakra. Odd. After properly imbuing the ink, he drew a storage seal, and then, hoping Kagome wouldn't find out, imbued it with chakra.

And it didn't explode!

Thinking quickly, Hazou folded up some of larger wads of paper with writing on them into a largeish box. Next, he folded up a bunch of the maps, and laid out about a hundred sheets of sealing paper into the box, then placed the box into his storage seal.

His task completed, Hazou returned to the lounge. There, he saw Samurai Blue had finished his own sealing, and was now watching the seal-screen with the others. Hazou decided if he was going to spend any period of time in this country, he ought to learn more of how to communicate with people here, and what sorts of seals they used (he had never even heard of seals for heating, or displaying images).

"Samurai-san. If I wanted to learn more about how to speak the common language, where should I look?"

Samurai Blue looked at Hazou, "Well, if you mean Ratyvfu, then you should probably get a Wncnarfr-Ratyvfu dictionary."

"Ah. And where might I find one of those?"

"Well, I'd recommend getting one on your cubar so you don't have to carry the weight of a dictionary. There's several nccf which should be able to help."

Hazou thought quickly, "and if I didn't have a cubar? What would you recommend then?"

Samurai Blue looked at Hazou, "Let me get this straight: you came to America, started hiking the Appalachian Trail, but don't speak Ratyvfu and don't have a smartcubar? You're more insane than most of us."

Hazou glanced around, and tried to think up of an excuse "…er... I lost mine?" he offered as way of excuse.

Samurai Blue gave Hazou a measured look. "You make sure you take care of yourself. While we're here, you can borrow mine, I'd recommend ordering one from the library and shipping it to Caratunk or Stratton before we leave. For now you can stick with me if you'd like. I'm doing 20 miles a day, and will be heading out tomorrow. One second, let me turn off the lock-screen and change the settings to Japanese for you."

He pulled out a piece of metal with a seal-screen on the front, touched it (touch based seals too!), and fiddled with the controls for a while. After a while, he handed it to Hazou, who held it with the proper regard for an unknown seal (that is to say, carefully and with much trepidation).

"Anything else I can help you with?"

Hazou thought for a moment. "Actually, yes. I was hoping to talk with Pnzc Fubrf and Qbhoyr Qvc about sealing." Samurai Blue looked confused, "er… cubar. And was wondering if you could translate for me?"

"Not a problem." He said kindly. "And in Wncnarfr their names are Camp Shoes and Double Dip."

The two walked over to Camp Shoes and Double Dip. Samurai Blue and the other two discussed things for a while, then Samurai Blue turned to Hazou, "What did you want to know?"

"What's their sealing specialty?"

Samurai Blue gave Hazou a blank stare. "You want me to ask them what their sealing specialty is?"

"Yes. Er… cubar specialty?"

Samurai Blue looked a little confused, then turned and spoke with Camp Shoes and Double Dip.

"Ur jnagf gb xabj jung cubar lbh thlf hfr. Ur ybfg uvf cubar naq V guvax ur'f tbvat gb trg n arj bar."

"V whfg unir n qhzo Abxvn oevpx."
"V tbg n purnc naqebvq sbe $5 sebz Ronl. Jung qvq ur ybfr?"

"Camp Shoes has a Abxvn and Double Dip a cheap Naqebvq. They asked what cubar you use."

Hazou was starting to understand what cubar probably meant. And he really needed to figure out more of these words. It seemed like Samurai Blue probably didn't know the sealing language very well. But he'd figure out Camp Shoes and Double Dip's specialties eventually.

"I really like storage cubars, they're really versatile. I like modifying their capacity, adding delays, and having them grind things up. What do you like about your cubars?"

Samurai Blue just shrugged and turned. Clearly, he wasn't a storage seal person. He probably didn't even make the seal device he gave Hazou. How has someone who regularly interacts with seals but doesn't understand them not accidentally blown themselves up?

"Ur fnvq, 'V yvxr fgbentr cubarf. Gurl'er irefngvyr. V yvxr zbqvslvat gurve pncnpvgl, nqqvat qrynlf, naq univat gurz tevaq guvatf hc. Jung qb lbh yvxr nobhg lbhe cubarf?'"

Double Dip and Camp Shoes visibly brightened.

"Bu! N evqqyr! Fbhaqf sha."

Double Dip and Camp Shoes turned towards each other and started having an animated discussion.

"Fb, unf fgbentr, naq zbqvsvnoyr pncnpvgl."
"Erzbinoyr FQ pneq."
"Evtug."
"Irefngvyr: fb fzneg cubar?"
"Lrf. Znlor vg'f bar bs gubfr syvc hc cubarf?"
"Yvxr gur Fvqrxvpx?"
"Lrnu."
"Znlor. V guvax gung pbzovarq jvgu zbqvslvat gurz zrnaf ur pna ebbg gurz."
"Fbhaqf evtug, fb na Naqebvq."
"Lrnu. Gura, tevaqvat guvatf hc?"
"Uz… Fb ur unq n tbbq pnfr ba vg?"
"Gung cebonoyl ehyrf bhg gur Fvqrxvpx. Jr fubhyq nfx ubj pbzzba vg vf? Znlor ubj rkcrafvir?"
"Gung jbhyq yrg hf qrgrezvar vs vg jnf n Fnzfhat. Jung vs jr nfx 'Vf vg znqr ol n znvafgernz cebivqre?'"
"Gung whfg fbhaqf yvxr nfxvat ubj rkcrafvir vg vf. Cebonoyl jbegu nfxvat. Gubhtu, vs ur'f tevaqvat guvatf hc jvgu vg, vg'f cebonoyl abg gbb rkcrafvir n cubar, ertneqyrff bs pnfr."
"Gung'f gehr, gura znlor ur tbg n cubar yvxr jung V tbg?"
"Cebonoyl. Yrg'f nfx uvz jurer ur tbg uvf cubar sebz."

Hazou upped his estimation of Camp Shoes and Double Dip as sealmasters. The only people he'd seen this animated about sealing were Kagome and Jiraiya. They then returned their attention to Samurai Blue.

"V'ir tbg n fznegcubar ng ubzr, ohg tbg guvf fb vg jbhyqa'g or gbb onq vs V ybfg vg be qnzntrq vg. V yvxr gung vg'f cenpgvpnyyl vaqrfgehpgvoyr."
"V jnagrq gb or noyr gb cynl tnzrf, ohg jnagrq fbzrguvat purnc. Fb V tbg zvar. Pbhyq lbh nfx uvz jurer ur tbg uvf cubar?"

"Camp Shoes left his smartcubar at home and has the Abxvn because it's indestructible. Double Dip just wanted something cheap to play games with."

An Indestructible seal! Was there anything these people didn't have? Hazou yet again increased his estimation of the nation he was in. And they make seals to play games! Are they crazy? Or just that good? Hazou wasn't sure anymore. He was about to ask more when Cbrg returned and called out to the room. Samurai Blue turned to Hazou,

"They're serving dinner, we should go eat."

Then he and the others immediately took off at a brisk pace towards the kitchen.

-o-

What Do?

[] Eat quietly, return to observing people
[] Sneak food out and eat elsewhere
- where?
[] Eat and experiment with the seal device Samurai Blue gave you
- try what?
[] Write In

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 5: How Do You Turn This Thing On?

{X} Eat and experiment with the seal device Samurai Blue gave you

-o-

BOOOOOM

"BOOM SQUISH STINKING STINKERS!"

Kagome cackled as another strangly garbed man fell prey to his explosive trap. Hmm… He'd need to find a new structure soon. The ground under his Five Seal Barrier reinforced house appeared to be… lacking. Fortunately, there were plenty of other houses. This was a huge city.

Bratatat

Kagome had never seen these types of projectiles before. Fortunately his five seal barrier walls were holding up to the task. Unfortunately, his last explosives appeared to have wrecked the undersides of his shelter. Fortunately, the enemy had thus far demonstrated terrible reflexes. Never could be sure if it was a trap though…

Opting for the safer approach, Kagome threw out a couple of his larger explosive seals, waited for the telltale explosions, then used the time his enemy was hiding to dart to another building.

He made it before the smoke had cleared. Probably safe. He put up a few Five Seal Barriers just in case, then checked his supplies. Still plenty of pillaged paper. He could make a better bunker here. This time he'd better protect the floor seals.

-o-

Meanwhile Elsewhere

Mair took in her surroundings. Thus far, pretending to be deaf and dumb had worked wonders. This city was gigantic! And the people so tall! And pale! And the food was to die for. She hadn't spotted any ninja at all (and she'd been looking). Wherever she was, it was definitely paradise. Probably should go look for the kids though.

-o-

Meanwhile Elsewhere

"So, just to reiterate: I can take this to a library, connect it to their wifi, and then access the internet?"

"That you can!"

"And my mother can use it to make wagers online at various websites to make money?"

The employee looked at Keiko sadly,

"I suppose. I hope your mother does something aside from gamble though."

"…"

Keiko left the shop with a new laptop under her arm. This new world was quite complex. She wasn't sure where her team was, and this laptop was the first thing she hadn't stolen (purchasing with stolen funds doesn't count), but with this, she thought she might have a start.

-o-

Meanwhile Elsewhere

Noburi relaxed. This was the life. An Island with no chakra monsters, plenty of sun, and sea creatures all around. It was kind of lonely though. He should get out and go explore, an advanced Wakahisa had no fear of an ocean without chakra beasts. He would go today.

He glanced around.

Or maybe tomorrow.

-o-

Meanwhile Elsewhere

"YOUTH!" Akane shouted while punching through another dummy. She wasn't sure where she was, but she had to be sure to finish thanking the people who had taken her in from the cold. The language barrier made it difficult to understand them, but they seemed to like it when she punched through dummies while they had their hands full of a device.

"Feel the passion of the SPRING!" Another dummy down. The couple signaled she could stop.

She figured she'd probably done enough for these people in the time she'd been here. She should get going soon.

Maybe she should make a storage seal before leaving? They were so convenient, and Hazou made them all the time. How hard could it be?

-o-

Hazou looked around. Everyone was grabbing some white fluffy probably food looking paste from the middle, putting it on their plates, and eating it. He copied them. It was bland. The others started talking, but Hazou figured now would be as good a time as any to test the seal. After all, it couldn't be too hard right?
"So how far are you going tomorrow?"
He pulled it out of his pocket. It was black and reflective.
"Thinking about just going two shelters down tomorrow."
He touched it.
"We were thinking about going three."
Nothing happened.
"We'll be reading more Ender's Game in the mornings…"
He ate more food, then touched it with one of the metal objects by his plate.
"Maybe I can make it… it's just long."
Nothing happened.
"What's Lost doing?"
He touched it and sent some chakra through it.
"I lent him my phone. I'm unsure if that was wise."
Nothing happened.
"…"
He stabbed aggressively at it with his thumb and send a fair amount of chakra through it.
"…"
It adhered to his thumb.

Conversation died down around him. Everyone was looking at him with the cubar dangling impossibly from his thumb.

"Um. Lost, how are you doing that?"

"I can't figure out how to work this seal. Seem to have sent too much chakra through and now it's adhered to my thumb. Should wear off soon."

"Wait. Chakra? What did you do?

Hazou shook his hand around waiting for the adhesion to come off.

"I tried sending a chakra pulse through the seal. You know, to activate it? But now it's stuck to my thumb."

Double Dip had his seal device out with one face pointed towards Hazou while intently looking at the other.

"How do you even work these things?"

The phone dropped from his thumb to the table. Everybody was looking at Hazou. But he knew he had to find a map from the seal device. He was sure it had one! Samurai Blue had also told him about a dictionary. He would persevere! Maybe something's wrong with my chakra?

Hazou pulled out his storage seal he'd made earlier, and unsealed his paper box.

Nope. Chakra and seals still work. Just this one doesn't.

"Is there a way I'm supposed to mold my chakra while using the cuba-"

Everyone seemed too busy looking at his paper box to pay attention to him, so Hazou resealed it.

"Cubar." He said pointing towards the seal device now on the table again. "Not working."

"Um, Lost, could you explain to us how you did that?"

Double Dip and Camp Shoes were actively discussing something. Does this country not have storage seals? Where am I?

"Do what?"

Double Dip and Camp Shoes appeared to have reached a consensus.

"Make a box appear from nowhere."

They tapped Blue Samurai on the shoulder and asked him a question.

"It's just a storage seal. Ninja use them all the time."

Hazou looked around. This was not how he had planned dinner and seal experimentation to go. But then again, seal experimentation always carried risks.

-o-

Clearly, the plan derailed. There were no contingencies for this

What Do?

[] Explain everything
[] Explain Some things
- what
[] THEY'LL NEVER CATCH ME! RUN AWAY!
[] Pretend to have a stroke
[] Write In

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 6: Clear Communication no Jutsu

{} Plan CCnJ Activate!

"And what is a storage seal?"
"Yo! Has he told you yet how he violated conservation of energy!"
Ok. In contradiction to all logic, these guys appear to not know what storage seals are. This sounds like a problem for:
"Not yet, something about seals and ninjas."
"Ok, Clear Communication no Jutsu time! I made a storage seal to hold papers and maps. Storage seals are devices which, through ink imbued with chakra, a type of energy, allow items to be stored in a timeless stasis between dimensions. It's a common device ninja use to transfer materials in the field."

Blue Samurai looked confused.

"So, by writing on a piece of paper, you can make an invisible pocket?"
"He claims it stores things between dimensions."
"What does that even mean? Dimensions aren't places."
"Don't know."
"Well, it has to be very specific writing, and made with ink infused with chakra. It's a bit of a complex art, most ninjas can't do it."
"Ask him if he can do it again. For Science."
"Ok. Would you mind demonstrating its use a couple times again?"

Hazou figured he wasn't in such a rush to determine how the cubar worked that he couldn't wait a couple minutes. And he kind of liked the awestruck looks he was getting as he sealed and unsealed his paper box.
"Can he store more than just the paper box?"
"Can you store anything aside from the paper box? Or is that a part of it?"

"Storage seals can store anything up to, but not exceeding a certain mass. This one can store up to 100 kg."
"It doesn't depend on the paper box, it seems like it's limited to 100 kg."
"Any other questions on how the storage seal works?"
"Ask him to store something else!"
"Could you demonstrate storing something aside from the box?"

"Sure."

Hazou looked around the room. The chair he was sitting on seemed like it wouldn't have any problems going into the seal. He removed the paper box of maps, held the seal up to the chair, and activated it. The chair disappeared into the seal. The crowd around him gasped.
"This is crazy! Imagine how this will change space travel! It solves the fuel problem!"
"Anything else?"
"Not just that, it makes shipping so much easier!"
"Um, let me ask."
"Not to mention solving the energy crisis."
"Nalguvat ryfr lbh jnag gb nfx Lost?"

"Jurer qvq ur yrnea gb qb gung, pna bgure crbcyr yrnea vg?"

"Where did you learn to make these 'storage seals'?"
"This changes everything."
Hazou thought. Well, given that question, it seemed these people might not have much sealing knowledge. But then how did they make things like the cubar? Hm…. a general sealing lecture would get things bogged down. Not to mention the opsec problems it might raise.
"Follow this guy?"
"I learned from a teacher and good friend while hiding in the woods. Anyways, would you mind going over in a similar manner what a cubar is and how to use it? Please explain as if you were talking to a particularly dense child who had lived alone in a cave his whole life."
"I'm game. Think we can profit from this?"
"Ok, so a cubar is a device initially made to communicate instantly with people anywhere about a century ago. Since then, we've made them smaller and portable. These are called cellcubars. About a decade ago, we realized we could connect cubars to the internet, a global information network. We called these cubars smartcubars. I gave you a smartcubar, which can do pretty much anything you want to do with a pbzchgre, a device which can do computations, store information, or retrieve information from across the world."
"It's not all about money."
Hazou digested that. These people have instantaneous communication! He thought about all the people he'd seen, and everybody seems to have one! Maybe it won't be so hard to find the others? All the more reason to find out how to use it.
"But yeah, probably. He definitely needs a guide."
"And how do I use it?"
"But we don't speak Japanese."
"First you need to wake it up by hitting the power button" Samurai Blue hit a small button on the side of the device. It lit up. "Then, swipe your finger across the screen to unlock it." He touched his finger to the screen and moved it quickly off it.
"Google translate man."
"From this screen you can access the apps, or different applications, of the cubar" Samurai Blue pointed at each of the symbols and letters on the screen. "Oh, and be careful not to touch the screen acidentally. You'll do something you don't mean to." Hazou listened intently. He was definitely going to be careful in how he handled this device after that instruction. Good thing he'd asked.

Samurai Blue pointed at a symbol on the righthand side of a horizontal bar, "If you tap that button, or say 'Bx tbbtyr' and ask for a piece of information, it should tell you want you want to know."

Perfect! That's even better than I had hoped for! Also this device has sound capabilities? Is it spying on me?

Hazou elected for the option less likely to transport him to another dimension and said "Bx tbbtyr where is-" A swirl of lights danced across the screen. Danger! Sealing mishap! Defensive action! Kawarmi targets. A bag outside. Perfect. No, innocents inside. Remove Seal. Window of unknown material, throw through. MEW defense.

Hazou threw the cubar at the window, and formed his hands into the familiar shape of the MEW jutsu. Better to make some sort of barrier between himself and the malfunctioning seal. The sound of shattering glass filled the air, and Hazou managed to get a earth wall formed outside the house between himself and the cubar before it exploded.

Hazou glanced around and took stock of his surroundings, everyone seemed to be ok. Though, they were all staring at him in slack jawed amazement.

"Is everyone ok?"

Nobody moved.

"Umm... are you alright?"

Everyone exploded into frantic shouting at once. Hazou could understand none of it. Are they civilians? They all use seal based devices like experts, but are shocked by MEW. I am confused.

Eventually, Samurai Blue calmed down, and after conferring with the others asked Hazou, "Ok. First, why did you throw my cubar out the window, and second and more importantly, why did a wall suddenly appear outside Cbrg's house?"

-o-

What Do?

{} More CCnJ! Explain what MEW is.
{} Demand other answers first
-{} How do they all use advanced sealing devices without safeties and not die?
-{} Why don't they know basic things like MEW?
{} Just leave. It'll be easier on your own.
{} Write In.

AN: I had planned on going further (and had written more), then realized Hazou probably wouldn't just sit there as an unknown sealing device did something after being warned not to touch it incorrectly, so this happened. Unsure how much Hazou would keep his ninja abilities a secret, so ended the omake. Thanks to @Dictator4Hire for helping with Hazou's reaction to the phone.

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Chapter 7: Explanations

Hazou looked at Samurai Blue. He briefly considered asking for paper so he could write a comprehensive list describing all the problems they had just had. Improper sealing protocol, failure to respond to sealing failures, not understanding MEW, the list would be long. Then, realizing talking might be a faster way to solve problems, and he could list out their failures at the end, he responded.

"Ok. I'll answer all your questions soon, but I need my own answered first. Remember, please explain things as though you were talking to a stupid child who grew up under a rock. Most importantly, how do you all use advanced sealing devices such as the cubar and that wall screen, without safeties, but not die?"

The older man sighed, collected his wits, then responded. "Ok, I'm not sure what you mean by referring to cubars as 'sealing devices,' it's just grpuabybtl. It might be strange, and not work all of the time, but it's not going to explode," Here the man visibly paused, "well, most of them won't explode. The only real dangers from a cubar are that you waste time on it or become dependent on it. And that's called a TV. It too, is a piece of grpuabybtl which isn't a sealing device. It receives signals from towers in other places that tell it what to show. Then it shows things. We can control what signals it looks at and how loud it is from this grpuabybtvpny device called a remote. All of these devices have been tested thoroughly by the people who made them and people who sell them to make sure random people like us don't hurt ourselves with them. There's pretty much no chance of anything horrible happening because of them. Now, I will reiterate: how did you make a wall of granite appear outside Poet's house?"

Hazou processed this. So… none of these things run on seals? Or, maybe grpuabybtl and seals are the same, but none of these guys work with grpuabybtl? And they've somehow made seals so advanced they prevent fail-states? Either of those are absurd, but I guess that's life. And, oh well, I guess my cover as a ninja's blown, might as well be explicit.

"I used the Multiple Earth Wall jutsu to make a wall to prevent any potential explosion from your cubar as it malfunctioned. Speaking of jutsu, if you guys aren't sealmasters or ninja, where are your ninja? How will they react to a foreign ninja appearing in your country?"

The samurai looked like he wanted to press Hazou for more answers, but contained himself, "I'm unsure what you mean by ninja. I don't think there have been any ninja for several centuries, and never in America. So, I don't think anyone would particularly care if a ninja appeared? That said, I'm pretty sure people would care if someone who could make devices with invisible pockets and granite walls suddenly appear. Speaking of, how exactly did you make that wall appear? Describe it as if you were talking to a tired old man who didn't understand half of what you said."

Hazou considered how to respond, "So, I used chakra, a form of energy which flows through all things, to perform the Earth Style Multiple Wall jutsu, commonly called MEW, which is a defensive jutsu often used to block projectile attacks or to build defenses against chakra monsters. This is a fairly common technique that ninja use in battle to defend themselves, which is why I was shocked you had not seen it before. Knowing that you don't have ninja makes that make more sense, though I'm confused by how you aren't overrun by chakra beasts. Your technology is impressive, but I'm unsure it could stop a marauding wallnut."

Samurai Blue sighed. Then turned to Poet, who'd returned with his phone. It was in a few more pieces than it had been when Hazou had held it. Samurai Blue turned to Poet. "Gunaxf. V arrq gb tb pnyy zl jvsr."

"Well, Lost, it's been a pleasure, but I should go deal with my broken phone. And tell my wife about what happened. But I should be available to translate in about 15 minutes if you want. In the meantime, could you, uh, take down the wall you built?" He walked off to the upstairs area with Poet.

Hazou looked around, and saw Camp Shoes and Double Dip discussing things around their cubar again. Appearing to reach a consensus, they walked over to Hazou and pointed their cubar in his direction. On it was text which read "Looks like you could a guide. We willing help. Need cubar for communication. Don't break. Write in box talk, then return. Or gesture. What do, or where go? We no magic."

Hazou could read the text, but wasn't sure how to respond. Or even if he should be staying here now that his ninja cover was blown (but not his henge thankfully). Though, apparently they didn't have ninja, so he could probably take whatever civilian response team was sent… Maybe he was sent forward in time? Then there would be no team to go find. No. Akane and the others are out there! And I will find them!

-o-

What do?

[] Run Away!
[] Go accost Samurai Blue, he knows more
[] Respond to the words on the cubar
- How
[] Find somewhere private, refresh henge, and leave
[] Write-in

You may now vote, post, discuss, and whatever you like.

Kiba · Dec 24, 2016

Cat's out of the bag. Only a matter of time before the ~~truth~~ urban legend come out on facebook and twitter.

faflec · Dec 24, 2016

[X] RESPONDING IN KAGOME
-Kill them all.
-Take everything useful. Be quick about it.
-Make explosive seals.
-Plant explosives, blow the place up. Don't be in blast radius.
-Refresh Henge when alone.

Kiba · Dec 24, 2016

faflec said:
[X] RESPONDING IN KAGOME
-Kill them all.
-Take everything useful. Be quick about it.
-Make explosive seals.
-Plant explosives, blow the place up. Don't be in blast radius.
-Refresh Henge when alone.

Please don't make unserious votes.

Radvic · Dec 24, 2016

Oh, also, everyone from MfD, check out the mechanics, I explained why and when I rot13 or invisitext (which I don't think was ever very clear beforehand)

OliWhail · Dec 24, 2016