Before The Chunin Exams: Having Fun
-[X]A Hot Bath: There's a bathhouse, and your team and every female member of the party is going there to get cleaned up. You might as well hop onto the bandwagon Rolled:
1D100 => 96
You made sure the bathrobe was securely tied as you entered the women's side of the bathhouse. Every one of your compatriots was there, and they were all relaxing in the water.
"You know, it's times like this that I miss having a body… That water looks so nice." Aka stated.
You did not really think too much on Aka's predicament, and with the no Jutsu edict by the Hokage preventing you from making any genjutsu besides the one allowing you to speak, it would be difficult to rectify that.
'Yeah. I'll try and get you into a bath with a shadow clone.' You replied back.
As you walked into the water, it felt so warm. You felt every fear and anxiety melt away.
"I told you Ayako would enjoy it." Tsunade stated.
Nanako laughed. "Everyone is enjoying it. Hot baths are easily the god's gift to mankind."
You looked up at Mikasa, who was looking at the wall. Her face then morphed into anger, before she threw a Kunai at the wall.
Now before you could ask yourself how Mikasa smuggled a kunai into the bath, you saw Jiraiya, Ren, and Yoshi on the women's side of the wall.
Holy shit… You looked at the glares from your fellow compatriots and saw the murderous intent leaking off their bodies.
You were inclined to join them in their murderous intent, but the water felt so good. You think you will stay in it and let the others deal with the morons.
"KILL THE PERVERTS!" Tsunade screamed as the Kunoichi of Konoha charged the idiots who disturbed them.
How the three idiots survived, you'll never know.
But what you did know was this.
Hot baths were godly. And maybe you should head to the ones back home to Konoha.
Reward: You enjoy a nice hot bath. +10 to Genjutsu rolls during the Chunin Exams. If you use the *Forbidden Hawk Genjutsu* All allies gain a +50 to sanity rolls.
-[X]A Family Gathering: Orochimaru bought some Dango… it would be a shame for him to eat it all alone. Rolled:
1D100 => 94
Orochimaru was surprised when you came up to him and sat down next to him. "Hey, Oro."
Orochimaru handed over a Dango. "So… here we are? Iwa for the Chunin Exams."
You took it and looked at it. "Yeah."
He looked out at the valley below, with some farmers working the fields. "To think, a few years ago, we were kidnapped…" His laugh was something you did not expect. "And now, we're alive, ninja of our home and some of the strongest genin the village has produced."
"What are you getting at?" You asked.
"I think I finally understand what the Will of Fire." He said proudly.
Oh… "What do you mean?" You asked.
"It states that the entire village is like a large family unit and every Konoha shinobi with the Will of Fire loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect the village, as previous generations had done before them," Orochimaru stated.
He paused and looked up at the sky. "Ayako… do you believe that people have dark sides… that we are just one bad thing away from going down and becoming the monsters we fear."
"Yes…" You knew that from Aka, from Kagami. You needed to remain in control, to be kind... to be yourself, otherwise, you would be eaten by Kagami, and then it would be over.
Orochimaru looked at you and stood up. "When I lost my parents, I was teetering on the edge of becoming that monster. For a long time, I thought I overcame it through my own power… But now that I think about it, I had you, and all of our friends. And I don't think I would have got through it without you."
He gave you a hug. "I know you always hear it from me… but thank you Ayako. Thank you for being my friend. And thank you for accepting me into your life."
Reward: If Orochimaru is fighting with you, you gain a +50 to combat rolls. Orochimaru cannot go insane from *Forbidden Hawk Genjutsu*, due to him being able to only see you in the illusion.
Orochimaru gains trait: Inheritor of the Will Of Fire: You are an inheritor of the Will of Fire, that the entire village is like a large family unit and every Konoha shinobi with the Will of Fire loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect the village, as previous generations had done before them. While many do not believe in it as strongly as you do. you hold this view closely with all your heart. (When the village is in a defensive war, gain a +50 to all rolls, when a friend is under attack by an enemy, you gain a +30 to all rolls. When someone you consider family, a friend, lover, or confidant is in life-threatening danger, Roll to sacrifice yourself to save them.)
-[X]A Monument of Stone: So that's the famous Monument of Stone? And whos the old man standing there? Rolled:
1D100 => 98
The Man at the monument was covered in Bandages, His face what little you could see, was old and wrinkled.
The old man looked at you and then at your headband. "Ah… a tourist?" He stated.
You walked forward and examined the monument. There was a pillar with a stone, surrounded by a pond full of other stones.
You waved and gave a polite smile. "You can't talk?" He questioned.
You cast a genjutsu. "Not in the normal sense." You replied.
The man narrowed his eyes for a moment before he understood where it was coming from. "Ah, an auditory genjutsu… Interesting."
You walked over to the pillar and saw that the man crouched down. "Do you know the Will of Stone?" He asked.
"No… But it must be like the Will of Fire in a way." You guessed.
That made the man look confused. "The rock in the pedestal means nothing, it could be thrown out and replaced and no one will know the difference. Do you know why?"
You looked down at the pond and replied. "Because all the stones here are the same?"
The man laughed. "Yes… all the ninja in Iwa are the same. We follow orders, we fight with each other… and we die in the end. We accept that we are mortal, our time fleeting and that we are replaceable when our time comes." The man stated.
You crocked your head. "That may not be the same thing as the Will of Fire but it's really close."
"I know what the Will of Fire is girl." The man stated, his voice rising.
"You say that the ninja are all the same… so that means their part of the family that is Iwa?" you replied.
That made the man raise an eyebrow. "Uh… in a sense, yes. Though I wouldn't use the word family."
That made you give a small smile. "Maybe… but sometimes you need to look past different words that are used and look at the full message and what it means."
The man scratched his chin. "Perhaps." He then looked at a group of children walking forward. "I suggest you leave young one… foreign nin are frowned upon here."
Diplomacy Roll: 99
You agreed, and you disappeared in a burst of wind and leaves.
"So… you propose an alliance… Why?" The Hokage asked.
That man was nice.
"Let's just say I looked for the similarities of our efforts, rather than our differences."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You looked at the Message that was left at the hotel room again. You think it was a riddle, but you were not sure.
To reach the exam's beginning, look to the Sun Rise
Then the ground, where the Stream flows.
And find the House of Wisdom, In the Depths below.
You have until Sundown. If you do not find it then, you will not be allowed to continue in the Exams.
"Well, Ayako?" Tsunade stated. "I have no idea what that says."
"I'm stumped too?" Nanako stated. "And we can't go asking for Sensei's help without getting disqualified."
Dammit.
Where do you go:
[]Head to the Library: It's on the East side of town… that might be the House of Wisdom.
[]Head To the Monument of Stone: There is a stream leading out of the Pond… it might lead to the House of Wisdom
[]A Cave: Well, it did say the Depths below… maybe there's an underwater stream. The only thing about it that is wrong about it is that it's in the west, not the east.
[]Into the Sewers: Are those scratch marks… why would there be scratch marks on the street… unless someone wants you to find the marks.
AN: Enjoy.