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 Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 8:21 pm
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[L i c e n s e]
[» D e s c r i p t i o n]
→ Lanfaer was given permission by CanoodlingFlibbertyJibbit to create this thread, the then-Mizukage of the village. Removal of this thread without permission from Lanfaer is a strike-worthy offense via the Guild Punishment System.
[T h e__L o n e l y__ I s l a n d]
[» D e s c r i p t i o n]
→ The island itself is very small, situated just two hundred feet from the western shore of the village. There is no known method of getting to this location, for the winds and the rapids from the many, many razor sharp rocks just below the line of the water makes swimming, flying, or jumping a death trap. There is only one method, and it is known only to the owner of the island. The island is only big enough for a small, three story house and its basement along with a significant garden that stretches about three hundred feet in all directions, obscuring sight of the home within due to the numerous, thick, and tall trees that inhabit the garden. It is dark, it is mysterious, and there is always mist coming from its depths and all manner of odd noises. The island is home to many types of animals and insects, all of which seemed altered in some odd way after long exposure to the Genjutsu within.
Over the years the warped reality has become something more than merely illusion. Reality itself has become loose here, a weak point in the pattern of the universe. Because of this, several oddities have surfaced, and will be written below. A general description of these oddities are as follows: The forest has become a breeding ground for nightmares and dreamscapes, as the weakened reality has become a rare location where thought creates reality. Genjutsu of all type now have a chance of becoming absolutely real in every sense, given a life of their own due to reality not really understanding how Genjutsu works anymore. Another danger, or gift, is that with enough mental Will generated, an individual might be able to impose their own realities on the location, such as changing part of the island's physical makeup for a time to, say, Hell itself. Such things are a possibility, and even the weak of will might find an errant thought, dream, or nightmare suddenly coming to reality around them. Because of this, the inside of the borders of the forest are impossible to determine, as the island itself cannot seem to make up its mind regarding how big it is. Thus, one could wander for days without seeing the shore.
[» S p e c i a l__N o t e ]
→ This island is known to be where Jack lives, but the knowledge that someone owns a house within is not known by anyone in this guild. The forest is said to be haunted, and no one goes there because their nightmares come to life. If your character knows anything of Jack's house without actually going to the location within the place itself, it will be considered an offense against the rules under "metaplaying".
Enough time has passed that Jack's home has become a bit more well known. Rumors remain of the haunted location, but the fact that Jack and Shadow both have a home here is more common knowledge. It is now known to have a warped sense of reality, as the island is larger on the inside, and is a maze to anyone who enters it, save, somehow, Jack and Shadow themselves. The knowledge of how to get access to the island remains a mystery, however.
[T h e__H a u n t e d__H o m e]
[» D e s c r i p t i o n]
→ The home is something near three floors tall, though it is slightly slanted on the northern side, as if it had melted into that shape. The windows are barred with chakra-enriched steel that few things can break, and the walls themselves were made with chakra-enriched stone. The inside is covered in wood paneling, and the finery is something like the home of a witchdoctor. Odd items from all over the "weird" spectrum exist here, from skeletons of animals to tomes supposedly designed for magical use. The door bears a few levers on the inside and is chakra-sealed to, at the moment, two people: Jack and Shadowseeker. Anyone else touching the door with a different chakra signiture will immediately cause a razor edged portculis to slam down over the door and activate jutsu: (Will be chosen later). There is a patio in the back, with no obvious door to enter the home through, but there are items on that balcony, such as a hammock and drinking table, as if designed for someone to use.
[J a c k ' s__P e r s o n a l__ R o o m]
[» D e s c r i p t i o n]
→
[S h a d o w ' s__P e r s o n a l__ R o o m]
[» D e s c r i p t i o n]
→ Shadow's room is a fair sized, but pretty plain since he has not had it for very long. The bed is pressed against the far wall of the small room, parallel with it, beside a small lookout nook where he has a pretty good view of the island. The bed is surprisingly tidy for a ten year old. Likewise, there is an oak desk with a chair and a bookshelf with more baubles on it than books. A faded red carpet sits in the middle of the floor.
The most notable features, however, are the drawings covering the walls. Nearly every inch of the walls is covered in some sort of paper with various drawings, some overlapping, some clearly singled out. Yet more are scattered on the desk and under the bed, beside the windows and on the shelves as well. They seem haphazardly arranged, but ask Shadow to explain them, and he would tell you they told a story.
[S p e c i a l__P r o p e r t i e s __//__ R u l e s]
[» P r o p e r t i e s]
► Genjutsu Perception
→ Due to the very nature of the island, the location is a perfect place to learn, and train, Genjutsu. Can train here as if at an Academy for Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, though Genjutsu gain a further [-1] reduction to learning Genjutsu on top of any other reductions.
► The Rhythm of Reality
→ The universe here is more subject to the will of the individual. As such, when Genjutsu are cast it does not work the same way as it would outside of the island. Most Genjutsu, instead of being an illusion cast within solely the mind of the target, it becomes a physical illusion upon the world. Thus, casting an illusion of an individual melting will cause all who are looking at that individual to see them melting.
► Distortion
→ Genjutsu on the island are more powerful than normal, increasing the rank of effect for Genjutsu by two [2] ranks. This does not increase cost of the technique.
[» R u l e s]
► Distorted Rhythms
→ The distorted reality of the island causes some rather...unpleasant consequences. One of them is the possibility that, any time a Genjutsu is cast, there is a chance the illusion becomes real. The chance occurs when an illusion is cast, with a cumulative ten [10] percent chance each time. However, in the case of an already existing illusion, if someone tries to break that illusion, there is a cumulative twenty [20] percent chance for it to become real.
→ If the illusion becomes real, it still only lasts the duration of the original Genjutsu, though +1.
► Torn Reality
→ The fabric of reality is thinned here, as stated before, but this has a rather unnatural effect on the world. First off, all chakra sensing abilities are, at best, chaotic, as the world itself seems devoid of all life and chakra signatures. Random spikes appear as reality reasserts itself, but it is so chaotic that any length of time of sensing might lead to a form of advanced paranoia, or insanity. The next truth is that magics that would normally lose power or not work at all in the world now work with increased power. This includes, but is not limited to, withcraft, curses, magic, etc.
►
→
►
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Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:41 pm
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xxJack Harren Snipe xxxx
Chakra Pool: 665/665
Stamina Pool: 75/75
Jack's memory of his home was perfectly mimiced by the life version of it before him. Honestly, being gone for a year had not drastically changed his island home from the beautiful, haunting paradise it was. The mist still streamed off from the inside, covering much of the forest from sight; the wind was still moaning in the trees, the noise the only sound that could be heard at any time of the day; the tides continued to stir and rapid across the many thousands of rocks and reefs between the shore and the island itself.
Glorious, glorious home!
Jack moved to the hidden entrance, a patch of dirt that hid the trap door beneath. It was cleverly hidden by several seals made by the old Mizukage, ones that would cause any who touched it to suddenly fight a mimic of themselves should their chakra not immediately be recognizable as Shadow's or Jack's. Anyone else would unleash a hell upon themselves that they would not soon forget. Jack, of course, simply tapped the ground and shunshin'ed into the hole beneath, onto the platform that led into the narrow, twisting caverns beneath the home and the Land of Water. He knew Shadow was behind him, and thus Jack did not panic.
Checking the many, many wards and jutsu in place in the tunnel, Jack continued through the dank, damp darkness that was the path to his home. He barely registered the explosive notes that would bring the ocean above crashing down midst fire and earth to kill whomever did not bear his chakra or Shadow's. He did not even blink at the myriad webs of the spliced spiders an old friend of his made, spiders with teeth of chakra steel and webbing that was as hard as the hardest steel and as malleable as true spider silk. Their beady, fiery red eyes that glowed in the shadows watched him warily, their insect senses registering him as a friend and Alpha. Shadow, as another Alpha, their eyes just passed over without incident as well. When they came to the Unending Cavern, where everything was shadow in every direction that one looked, Jack stared into the darkness without concern, as if greeting an old lover who had been away too long.
And through this room was the other opening, a single doorway that led to a ladder that went straight up into the gardens around Jack's house where plants, fully alive and man-eating, laid in wait. Here, though, there came a loud clicking as thousands upon thousands of spiders with bodies made of diamond scrabbled into existance, moving to Jack's side and pressing against him in welcome. The same was done to Shadow, the fur of their monstrously long legs, for each stood nearly two feet tall each, soft to the touch despite their diamond bodies. To Jack they were no threat, nor to Shadow or the Key Holder, but to any other their venom destroyed chakra and paralyzed their victim while their pincers, razor sharp, had yet to find a meal they could not bite nor digest.
Jack moved through these with a loving nod and touch, his pets all and family of sorts. He moved to the door and they scattered back to their defensive posts, leaving Jack to ascend to his garden home. Here he waited for Shadow amidst tall plants with gaping maws that pressed against him in greeting, each intelligent beyond what any plant should ever have. He waited at the top of the ladder, smiling.
"I Must Drag Truth Kicking and Screaming into the Light" "I Will Show You What You Truly Are" "The Savior... or the Beast..." |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:12 pm
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 ┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 00
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 14
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----ғollowing behind Jack silently, I just stared for a moment where he had been. He had always been one of those people that liked flashy entrances, exits, and everything in between. I personally thought it was unnecessary.
-----Shaking my head, I knelt down beside a bare patch of dirt where I knew the entrance lay. After all, I lived in the house officially, so I had to know how to get into it. Anyone else might have forgotten how after a year, but thanks to perfect memory, it wasn't a problem. Bringing a bit of chakra to the palm of my hand, I placed my hand against the patch of dirt and moved back.
-----The dirt peeled away and a door flung itself open, revealing the passage that led underwater to the island where Jack's home stood. The door closed tight once more as I passed through, and I was thrown into darkness.
-----I never enjoyed the darkness, despite it being my namesake. Unless that darkness meant sleep anyway. Then it was always welcome. Normally I brought a light with me when we traversed the tunnels, but Jack hadn't seemed to have thought of it. As a result, I stuck close behind, my eyes wide despite the fact I knew they wouldn't adjust.
-----If the glowing eyes of thousands of spiders weren't enough to raise every hair on one's body, then perhaps finding out they were huge and crowding around you would. It was something I'd never gotten used to and the main reason I kept trips to and from the home as minimal as possible. I knew they wouldn't harm me, but it was something my wild mind refused to accept. That was because I couldn't help but wonder what they ate to stay alive. Not much lived there, so either they weren't really alive, or people wandered down there more often than I thought.
-----Swallowing roughly, I hurried on after Jack.
-----I was thankful when I was blinded by the daylight again, and by daylight I meant the overcast drear that always hovered over Mizu no Kuni, the Water Country. Rain was still more welcoming than the darkness.
-----That was another thing. Why did the tunnel never seem to flood with how much rain we received? I shuddered to think about meeting my end in a watery grave going home.
-----All the more eager to get out of the tunnel, I climbed the ladder quickly and heaved myself out of the hole, where Jack stood waiting for me. Looking down at my clothing as I brushed the dirt off, so as to hide my embarrassment and fear, I turned to look at the old structure that I called my home. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of it. And, of course, the thought of the bed that lay within.
-----I glanced at Jack curiously, and then headed forward, tail waving happily behind me, eager to reach said bed.
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ » |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 4:54 pm
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xxJack Harren Snipe xxxx
Chakra Pool: 665/665
Stamina Pool: 75/75
Jack looked after the boy with a grin before sitting on the leaf of one of the previously mentioned enormous, intelligent plants. A moment later he was being carried through the foliage by their leaves and vines, each thick and heavy, designed for this purpose. At the same time a vine snatched at Shadow, lifting him along Jack, who was laughing with glee as the plants whisked them towards their home. They passed trees with gaping mouths that bade them greetings in the way of horrific, windy moans, rabbits with three ears and one eye, each bolting in blurs whenever they noticed being noticed. Birds both tiny and enormous cried out greeting to the pair, and even the insects played a symphony, though disharmonious, that said quite clearly that they were missed.
As always, Jack felt at home here.
At last the plants set them down, having traveled farther than the entire island was supposedly long just to do it. Here they stood at the porch, the many mechanisms that would have sent a call throughout the forest of an intruder to be eaten disarming at their approach. The insects and bugs that had taken up refuge for defense vacated slowly, each chittering in an almost silent way as a greeting. For ten years Jack had been here, and for ten years he had cared for everything here. In an odd way, the island itself was his pet, and Shadow brother to everything living here.
Touching the door, which seemed a sort of charred black for some reason, was made of heavy, stout wood with the density of steel that was as easy to move as a wooden door for those it was meant to allow in. In this case, Jack and Shadow. It creaked open, revealing the dark interior littered with dust and artifacts of magic that most sane people would have thrown out. Jack, though, wasn't often considered sane by even the most crazy of people. Stepping in he took a deep breath, his smile increasing at the feeling of rightness that came with being here. "Home."
"I Must Drag Truth Kicking and Screaming into the Light" "I Will Show You What You Truly Are" "The Savior... or the Beast..." |
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Royal Taorito rolled 1 4-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-4)
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 5:50 pm
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┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 00
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 14
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----α warning would have been nice so that I could prepare myself to be thrown in the air and through the trees by a bunch of plants. But, no, that was too much to ask for as I was lifted off of my feet and suddenly the world was hurdling past me. Had I been able to catch a grip between being tossed, I would have held on for dear life and probably stabbed the next thing that tried to touch me.
-----Plants could feel emotion, right? Well, I hoped they felt how unappreciative I felt about the scenario. I would have much rather walked.
-----When I was finally released onto my feet, I stumbled forward and fell to my knees, sinking gratefully to the ground with a groan. Jack opened the door, though, so I pushed myself back up to follow him. "Jack... Never again."
-----Satisfied with my answer to him, I headed up the stairs within, throwing a "Goodnight." over my shoulder.
-----The floors creaked dangerously underneath my feet as I made my way to the door to my room. I shoved it open, since sometimes it got stuck and wouldn't open, and flicked on the light within. Of course, I wasn't surprised when one of the light bulbs fizzed out with a pop.
-----Ignoring it, I looked around at the drawings that littered the walls. There had to be hundred of them, covering every inch of the room. They were pictures I'd salvaged before I ran away from home, and I had drawn more since. And I remembered every one of them, and their stories. People often wondered why I zoned out. Well, it was because my brain was storing so much information that it had to process it all occasionally.
-----Dropping my back and bow by the desk, I sat down in the old oak chair, simply gazing about the room for a moment. Then I pulled my boots off, threw my jacket over the chair, and took the headband from around my neck. Yawning, I made my way back to the light switch, flicked it back off, and flopped into bed.
-----Exhaustion washed over me the moment my head hit the dusty pillow--I watched in the little bit of light streaming into the room the cloud of debris gleam--and my eyes sunk to be met with the darkness known as sleep.
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ »
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 6:33 pm
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xxJack Harren Snipe xxxx
Chakra Pool: 665/665
Stamina Pool: 75/75
Jack watched his young pupil make his way to his room, a mere hair-breadth away from touching his own door. The boy was tired, certainly, and from the snoring that came from his room his sleep would be undisturbed. For a long time the sounds of the boy sleeping had never bore any difference to Jack's ears, but Jack, despite being unwise to much that people took for granted, what others called "common sense", was fairly attune to what people thought and felt, the nuances that defined them. One such nuance was Shadow's snoring, oddly, just as one of Jack's was his ability to make friends of what others called monsters.
Speaking of monsters, the door was rattling lightly.
Turning about he gestured for the door to open, not even blinking as he was obeyed and the heavy door opened smoothly. Outside stood the giant feline form of his newest companion, who watched Jack's everpresent smile with a form of childlike amusement. "Hello."
The cat grinned. "HI! biggrin "
Wincing, Jack waved the cat to speak lower, touching his throat and pointing down. When the Rhom'gar nodded so did he, showing he understood him understanding. Sometimes thinking like this truly confused Jack, but not this time. Reaching out with one hand he awaited what he knew the cat had: a return message.
Rhom'Vegra nodded with enthusiasm and handed the letter over, looking sheepish at the hole it one side. "I sah-ee... :< "
Jack shook his head and reached out to pet the feline gently. "Fine is it, messenger o'rare. Storming Thunder be welcome." Touching the great cat's nose he set aside his cane in a holder nearby and grabbed the paper with it. "Nourish and rest, Storming Thunder."
Rhom'Vegra smiled before turning and lumbering off into the woods, already sniffing for food.
Sighing, Jack turned to his living room and moved to the old, faded blue couch that often served as his bed away from his bedroom, listening carefully for the snick! of the door closing. As he heard it Jack laid back onto the couch, resting his head against a scarlet red pillow that lay there: his personal favorite, like his hat. For once Jack actually reached up and touched the black felt of the device, unconsciously stroking the feather there and the jewel that held it. His eyes unfocused as he considered his day, considered all he had learned in the last year, the sights he had witnessed. With a bit of necessary force Jack removed his hat to let his soft, black locks fall to his head, allowing the cold chill of the house to caress his scalp.
The fire roared to life in the fireplace, made by a whispered command from Jack. This place had been built by two Mizukages to help him live comfortably, though the "why" of those actions still never sat well with Jack. He was certain those two Mizukages had known more of him than they had let on.
For the moment, though, those were idle thoughts that were simply distracting him from more important issues, such as the letter in his hands. Lifting it to his eyes to read in the dim light of the fireplace, Jack's smile never wavered, but his eyes began to light up.
[resting period. Full restoration of his Chakra at this point.]
"I Must Drag Truth Kicking and Screaming into the Light" "I Will Show You What You Truly Are" "The Savior... or the Beast..." |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:48 pm
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┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 00
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 14 (+1)
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----ι woke with a start, as usual, looking around in confusion. I'd actually forgotten for a moment what happened the day before in my half-woken state. But then I remembered Jack and that I was back in the house on the island.
-----Lifting my head required some effort, but I raised it enough to look out the window. Gray light filtered in, but sunlight did not, which meant it was morning, since my window faced west. I dropped my head back down and rolled over, unwilling to get up now that I'd, apparently, gotten a full night's sleep for once.
-----Of course, rolling over meant I put my face in the dust covered pillow. Which meant a moment later, I sneezed. Groaning, I rolled the opposite direction, up to my feet.
-----Rubbing my eyes, I made my way over to the desk, where I had discarded my stuff the night before. It occurred to me that I had lost an arrow the day before, but I made extra since I used them in hunting and it was possible for them to break. Returning to the bed, I knelt before it, reaching under it for the box I knew lay beneath.
-----It took a moment of groping around, but my hand caught the edge of the box, and I pulled it out, lifting the lid in the same movement. There were a dozen or so arrows within that remained. Grabbing one, I shoved the box back under the bed and stuck it in my quiver.
-----Discarding the quiver once more, I pushed myself back up to my feet and headed for the door with a yawn. Heading down the stairs beyond the creaking hallway, I sought out Jack in his usual place: the couch in the living room. He more often than not slept there than in his room, for whatever reason. Looking around the doorway into the den, I called softly into the room. "Jack?"
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ »
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:01 pm
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xxJack Harren Snipe xxxx
Chakra Pool: 665/665
Stamina Pool: 75/75
There was a grumbling noise, a shriek, and then a thud as something struck the floor in the den. A moment later Jack's voice came from that direction. "Come."
A moment later Shadow would hear Jack in the kitchen, muttering something about "Hungry" and "Thunder", and that was followed by the familiar scent of Jack knocking over a jar of spices. This happened often, quite often in fact, but he was so used to it that he took it in stride. Of the two of them he was still the better cook, though not by much.
He stood before the stove and ignored the face in his window for the moment, considering what to eat. For the moment there was nothing in the fridge that would work for food, but there were grains and canned meals within the pantry. Jack sighed theatrically before looking towards where Shadow would eventually stand, hoping that a look would convince the boy to go catch a rabbit.
"I Must Drag Truth Kicking and Screaming into the Light" "I Will Show You What You Truly Are" "The Savior... or the Beast..." |
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Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 12:10 pm
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┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 00
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 15
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----ι followed after Jack toward the kitchen, rubbing my arms subconsciously, bare feet slapping against the wooden floor. I heard a sharp crack and the smell that followed showed he had once again knocked a jar of some sort of spice over. Sage, by the light pine smell of it. There weren't many pine in Mizu no Kuni, but the wood was used often enough, so I recognized it.
-----It was almost...funny how normal this all felt. It felt so normal that something felt off. Like he hadn't been gone for a year and I was still ignorant--well, more ignorant--to the shinobi ways. I couldn't help but wonder where Jack had gone that he would want to return to normal life so quickly.
-----What had happened to him?
-----I paused just inside the doorway to the kitchen, where I was met with Jack's gaze. I frowned back at him, knowing perfectly well what he wanted. I hadn't even thought about the fact there would be no food.
-----I recalled the light outside my window. It had still been early, though I'm not sure what time exactly. There might still be rabbits out and about--most things, with human presence, had learned to only show themselves at dawn and dusk, since people weren't usually out and about then, especially not in the forest because it got dark. Besides, no one else was on the island. Or, there shouldn't have been.
-----I noticed one of my arrows on the table then, though I wasn't sure why it was there. Not really thinking much on it, I grabbed it to put with my quiver.
-----Sighing, I turned to leave again, but had to do a double take at the window. There was a face, something big and furry, catlike, staring at me though the window. I froze. "J-Jack?" I turned my head toward the older boy, but didn't take my eyes off of the massive creature. "What is that...?"
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ »
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Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:04 pm
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:53 am
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┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 4 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 15 (+1)
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----αbout all I could do at first was stare at this massive...cat, that could apparently speak. From what I could see around the edge of the frame of the window, it had arms instead of forelegs, and huge at that. In fact, I was pretty sure I could see a second pair of shoulders. Four arms?
-----I gave the thing a nervous smile, given it looked more like it was snarling than smiling. Cats didn't have the same facial structure, so they couldn't smile like we could. But I got a feeling of security from it... him. I felt he wouldn't harm me.
-----It was still a bit much for so early in the morning, however, and I needed time to process this new strange creature of Jack's. "I... um... I'm going to go get breakfast." Turning on my heels, I headed back for the stairs.
-----Up in my room, I pulled my boots back on and grabbed my bow and quiver, sticking the arrow from the table in the leather casing. The academy had taken the wire I used to traps, saying I stole it--which was more or less true--along with my skinning knife. I had kunai that I could use in place of the skinning knife, since the Mizo was too long, and there were willow trees on the island that I could use to make a rabbit snare in place of wire. It wasn't as easy to hide, but it still worked as long as it was set up right.
-----Not ready to face the cat thing again, I left via the window instead of going back downstairs, climbing easily down the side of the rickety old house. Sometimes, I was amazed the house didn't fall apart every time I touched something.
-----Dropping the rest of the way down to the ground, I glanced around to make sure the cat, named Rhom'Vegra, apparently, hadn't seen me, and headed off into the surrounding forest.
-----I didn't have to go far before I found a small stream that cut through the island. It came from a rain catcher near the northern end of the island, so it was fresh water, unlike the salt water surrounding from the ocean. It was the prime location for the small population of animals on the island to get water.
-----Finding a willow tree wasn't too hard, its long, slim branches reaching down as if trying to touch the water below. I pulled on a few of these branches to get more of their length and cut them until I had three branches, each about three feet long, just in case.
-----I headed north to the rain catch, following the stream with little difficulty. As I could expect, nothing was to be found on the way; they could hear me long before I heard them. Unfortunately, unlike real cats, I didn't have that great of stealth. At least, not as far as animals were concerned, especially since a mouse could hear a breath, a heartbeat...
-----An extra heartbeat, ever present, but from what? I do not know. You are foolish for wanting to know.
-----...What?
-----I paused for a moment, unsure what had made my mind veer off the path it was on so suddenly. It didn't even make sense. But, shaking it off, I continued on, setting up my snares on several sides of the large pool of water. Satisfied with my work, I headed off into the forest to wait, to see what else I could find that was edible.
-----Heading back downstream to where the water slowed down a bit for a good stretch, I found several things that could be eaten, though the majority of them involved wading into the water to get. The first was watercress, rounded leaves common in streams that grew in large amounts. They were used in salads and vegetable juices, for the people who drank it, and very nutritious if not the best tasting thing in the world. I saw it everywhere in Minu no Kuni because no one knew that you could eat it. I was more than certain it was in most other countries as well, begging to be used as a free food source. I grabbed several handfuls of the bright green leaves
-----The next thing I found worth harvesting was arrowhead. This one was avoided because it had a close relative that was toxic. If you knew the difference, however, they were very easy to tell apart. Of course, this was the messy one to get. I knelt down in the shallows, scaring a few frogs away in doing so, and felt around in the water for the bases of these tall, arrow-shaped plants, uprooting them after a bit of digging. The tubers at the base were small, but as edible as potatoes. Actually, that's what they closed resembled as far as how they were to be eaten: cooked, peeled, and smashed up with some butter and salt. They could also be dried to make flour for baking bread. These, I only bothered digging up a few.
-----Finally, wandering a bit away from the stream found me a treat in the form of small, dark berries well known as elderberries. These ones were entirely edible, so I gathered several handfuls of them as well.
-----That done, I headed back for my traps.
-----The first trap had been tripped, but nothing was in it, and the second hadn't been touched. So the third was my only hope. And, as luck would have it, there was a rabbit caught within.
-----The hardest part of hunting is always killing your catch. I had long since gotten over the squeamish part of it, but I still felt bad. Giving thanks to whatever deity might be watching, I snapped the poor creature's neck so as not to damage anything that could be usable. And I would use everything. I refused to kill something and let it go to waste like normal humans. Sometimes the thought that I was associated with them left me disgusted. There would be enough here for Jack and I; the cat thing would have to get its own food.
-----Seeing as that was about all the luck I was going to have, I headed back to the house.
-----The house wasn't particularly difficult to find through the forest; I knew the place well enough. I headed in through the front door at my return, dropping the plants and berries I'd found on the table in the kitchen for Jack to take care of whenever he wasn't busy, and went back outside to worry about my catch. In other words, the gross part of gutting and skinning it that I was sure Jack didn't want to watch.
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ »
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:10 pm
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xxJack Harren Snipe xxxx
Chakra Pool: 665/665______AC: 2950
Stamina Pool: 75/75______Ryo: 1200
Jack watched Shadow move out, obviously afraid of Rhom'Vegra. The giant cat had given him quite a fright when they had first met, but through his natural gifts he had learned that this creature was harmless to those who treated him well. Thus he had no fear, but Shadow would know nothing of it. Looking at Rhom'Vegra Jack sent an image into the cat's head, a gifted bond that he would soon relinquish. He had learned that someone else was going to be looking for a group, and one of them was now at the waterfall, awaiting, despite her not knowing, for her other members. He nodded to the cat, also giving more information on how to get her passed the traps and defenses of the tunnel to his home, before promising food after his return.
Needless to say, Rhom'Vegra was focused, hungry, and more than a little determined to bring this new sheep to its flock.
When Shadow returned Jack barely looked up, for instead of cooking, as he likely should have started doing, he was reading a strange book made of some sort of black material. With the herbs placed on the table Jack put the book down and moved to the table, taking up the supplies and returning to his stove to begin readying the stew.
"I Must Drag Truth Kicking and Screaming into the Light" "I Will Show You What You Truly Are" "The Savior... or the Beast..." |
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:44 pm
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┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 4 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 16
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----тhe messy work went pretty quickly. I stretched the skin out to dry for use later, gathered the fat into an empty bowl I found, the organs into another to be washed off, and headed back down to the stream to wash my hands and the blood from the rabbit. That way, if any predators were on the island, which was entirely possible, they wold go the opposite direction from the house.
-----I returned to the kitchen perhaps twenty minutes later, bare rabbit meat in hand, and various other items from the rabbit in my arms. I placed it all on the table for Jack to decide what to do with it.
-----I glanced out the window the huge cat had been staring at earlier. The window was still open, but that cat thing was gone for the moment. I wasn't particularly curious where it went. "Hey, Jack." I turned to the older boy, changing my mind's subject before it started wondering. And wandering. "You said something about starting missions today... Did you ever get any news back about them?" It wasn't necessarily that I was interested in getting started, but the subject was bound to come up, so I decided to initiate it.
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ »
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:39 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 9:50 am
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┎┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
ѕ н α ∂ σ ω ѕ є є к є r • н ú η у ι ѕ т í r
α ɢ є :: 1 0 ▌ɢ є η ∂ є r :: ♂ ▌ɢ є η ι η ▌к ι r ι ɢ α к υ r є
ηιηנυтѕυ ▌ρυρρєтєєr ▌υкуσ cℓαη ▌
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┚
r y σ :: 両 00
α c :: 4 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
c н α к r α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 4 9 5 / 4 9 5
ѕ т α м ι η α • ρ σ σ ℓ :: 0 5 0 / 0 5 0
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
• αrrσωs :: 16
• sєηвση :: 15
• sнυrιкєη :: 10
• кυηαι :: 05
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ℓιѕтєη тσ тнє ωσr∂ѕ уσυ ѕєє ═╬═ уσυ αrє вℓιη∂ тσ ωнαт уσυ нєαr... »
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
-----ι had to frown at Jack for that. Apparently the older boy wasn't in much of a conversation mood. Well, I had tried, so no one could say that I hadn't.
-----Pulling out one of the chairs at the table, I sat and looked at the paper Jack had handed me. Part of the paper had a hole in it for some reason, but knowing Jack he'd used some unconventional method of actually getting the paper. I ignored the hole for the moment and focused on the words on the page.
-----The first blob of words on the page had something to do with enemies having infiltrated the village and were gathering information. Ok... So why were they handing off something so urgent to a genin and a chuunin? Who are these enemies its talking about and how do we locate them? And if it was so urgent, why were we still sitting here cooking breakfast? We should have gone the moment we got the mission.
-----The next down had a similar issue. There was a rat somewhere in the village that needed found. Again, if this was urgent, why wasn't it given to someone else?
-----I scowled at the page as I continued down it. The third mission too, seemed urgent. A sickness in the village? Oh no! Why was that our concern out here on the island. Besides, I hadn't seen any particular illnesses in the past year I've been living out on the streets of the village.
-----The next mission was a bit more reasonable. It was a training mission that just involved spending the night out in the wilderness training. I did the living in the wilderness part on an almost daily schedule. Then the fifth and final mission involved going to get a report from one of the other villages. That sounded fun, and like we could do the fourth mission along the way. Well, given that we reached the mainland in a day anyway. Mizu no Kuni was kind of in the middle of the ocean, after all.
-----I looked back up at Jack, leaning back in the chair and setting the paper down on the table. "So... Any idea where to start? Because some of these seem like they should have been taken care of already..."
┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄
« ...ρєσρℓє αrє ρєσρℓє; ωє ℓιvє ғσr συr σωη ════╬
ℓιvє нσω уσυ тнιηк, ησт вy ωнαт уσυ'vє вєєη тσℓ∂ »
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