To apply for a demon, put your RPC name at the top of the post, and then leave a roleplaying sample that includes the demon. Keep an open mind; fighting isn't the only thing you plan to do with the demon, right?
Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 6:57 pm
RPC Name: Hana Im
↬ Tale as Old as Time
The sky was clear today in the village. Not a cloud in sight and a cool breeze that made it feel like all was right in the world and would be for the rest of time. Under a tree like so many others around it sat a circle of kids. The apparent leader, a girl no older than sixteen who stood closest to the trunk of the tree they all stood under, was speaking in everything from a hushed whisper to a bellowing shout. Her hands were just as animated, tracing out movements and lines. She was telling a story, and her audience was attentive to it all. The younger children were captivated while the older, including a couple that looked older than her, were at least enjoying the narration.
That tale was one that was, to them, as old as time itself. It told of a giant beast, which was described as looking like a fox, but nothing like the foxes any of the children had ever seen. The demon had a gaping maw and nine tails, each as big as the village they all lived in. Its snout was as sharp as a sword and its ears like daggers. Gangly limbs, like those of a spider's, deformed the monster's body. The beast had walked through the ocean as if it was little more than shallow puddle and wiped out all the villages it came across. One village, two villages, countless villages. Its unstoppable rampage continued until an army of brave heroes, selfless ninjas that had formed an alliance despite national differences, arrived upon the scene to subdue the beast. It was a hard and long battle. Many lives were lost but many more were saved.
The demon was sealed away into oblivion, but it could only be contained in such a manner for so long. The brave heroes knew this. One village, the strongest of them all, stepped up to take responsibility for keeping the world safe from the demon. To fulfill this solemn responsibility, the village turned to the survivors of the Kyuubi's attack. Only a handful had lived through the mass destruction, and they were all children. The oldest, as the animated narrator put it, was only a year or two older than her. The village took in these children and spirited them away to their village hidden within the cloud-topped mountains. There, the children were trained long and hard. They experienced many grueling hardships and difficulties until, finally, one was chosen: a small girl who couldn't have been any larger than little, five year old Kaguya. Her name, now, is one of the few things the young story teller was absolutely certain of. The name of this chosen girl was Tsuki Mizutou.
Tiny but brave Tsuki, called Little Nezu by her friends, accepted her destiny, because this was certainly her destiny, as Kyuubi's host with much trepidation. In a grand but solemn ceremony, one that took place within a great hall filled with wise symbols written in precious gold and silver, the Kyuubi was drawn from the cage it was just moment's away from breaking and placed within trembling Tsuki, who scared as she was didn't so much as utter a single complaint through it all. After a fierce battle of mettle and wits, a mental trial that challenged Tsuki to face her darkest memories and turn away from the lull of sleeping forever in her most longed for dreams, the beast finally grew desperate. Anything was better than being caged, it thought, and so it decided that it would kill Tsuki, even though that would also mean its death.
Fighting for her life, now, and not just for the safety of all she loved and cherished, Tsuki battled with all her might against the Kyuubi. She used everything she had learned and the thought of her friends, her fellow orphans from Mizu no Kuni pushed her to break her limits. Already, the face down had raged for many days and nights. It continued to rage for many more until at last, finally, she subdued the demon. Alone with no one else to rely on, the little mouse had accomplished what it had taken a whole army of the best and brightest to accomplish.
The climax had been reached and now the story just had to wind down. The tale weaver's hands slowly settled, the two ending clasped in front of her chest as she walked her captivated audience through the aftermath of it all. The demon was subdued and everyone lived happily ever after. With the grand mission accomplished, little Nezu and all of the other orphans that had been her strength in the fight could relax. They left the fabled city of clouds and settled elsewhere. When the brave host passed on, the village she and her friends created all worked together to reseal the Kyuubi into another host. Then when that host passed on, it was sealed into the next. So the monster was passed down. None had to go through the ordeal that Tsuki had to, but all had the same responsibility. "In fact," Pollux, the storyteller, finished amidst applause, "the village still exists and the monster is still passed down from host to host. Brave little Nezu's village is our village. To this day, we keep the terrible demon safely sealed from the rest of the world, and on this very day, the demon, which is called the Kyuubi, is being passed down. Our village was founded by those heroes of the past, and we are their living legacy. We must never forget that, like our ancestors, our strength lies in the bonds we share."
"Child, you weave a wonderful fairy tale," from a patch of shadows that had gone unnoticed until this very moment, a voice cut through the clapping of little hands like a cold wind through a warm fire: acutely felt but with nothing to prove its passing. All had heard, but when they all turned to the patch of shadows, none saw anything.
↬ Just a Little Change
Reiko thought to himself as he entered the bamboo grove that the sealing would take place in. It looked much like the ceremony that had been attempted a decade ago. Except this time, the baby had grown into a slender child and besides her stood a teen that was once just a young boy. He knew immediately that this wouldn't be like the last Kyuubi host, where the older had stepped up and the younger had dedicated herself to the support of the older. The roles were reversed. It was the inexperienced child that will take on the burden of being a jinchuuriki and the older child that will help assist her burden.
As per custom, Reiko dismissed everyone but the host and, not wishing to potentially weaken any bonds with a test to see if he stayed, the sealer that would remain by the host's side. The two children, because even the boy that stood on the threshold of adulthood was just a child to the Lydian, waited attentively for his words.
The talk began with a simple introduction--Hana Im and Ayura Fah'rel were their names--before Reiko passed down not a warning or even a lesson. He passed down words of hope. He reminded the host that to despair was natural and while it was something the demon that will be sealed within her feeds on, to ignore it will only make it grow. Her job isn't to avoid despair but to conquer and overcome it. He reminded her of the village's teaching on the importance of bonds and camaraderie and spoke of those bonds as the key to taming the Kyuubi. Yes, taming, because the Kyuubi is a fickle creature. There is much to say but also much not to say about it because learning of the Kyuubi from itself is one of the many steps in succeeding as a jinchuuriki. The speech was at times clear and at times cryptic. As with the Kyuubi, there was much to pass down about being a host, but also much that was best to let the host learn about themselves.
Then, there was a new part. For the previous host, he did not have the time to prepare, but now, Reiko had over half a century to think of the words he would tell the sealer. There wasn't much, and it was short, but he thought it got the point across. The sealer was not merely a stop gap or warning system for the Kyuubi's release. In order to dedicate themselves to this role, the sealer must also genuinely care for the host because it is not seals that are the strongest prison but, again, the bonds that are tied between friends and family that are the strongest prison for the Kyuubi. More than guarding the world from the jinchuuriki, a partnered sealer should focus on guarding the jinchuuriki from the world.
Once all was said and done, Reiko asked for consent from both sealer and host. As always, both agreed. For ten years, the two had been agreeing to this arrangement. The host was all but born into it and the sealer had been trained into it. Reiko could only hope the extensive preparation would shore up the weakness of youth.
The others were called back in. Now, it was time for Hana to go alone. She looked up to Ayura before taking the first step into the seal. The two weren't close friends, but Ayura was always the one who had to watch over her. He was her babysitter and then when she was old enough to join the other children, he would be the first person to go to when she needed help. Now, he was the only comfortable face that stood beside her in this sea of adults. Well, there was her father and she did recognize Ayura's dad along with many of the other village adults. The village wasn't very large, after all. However, none of them held the comfort of friends. Just yesterday, she was still playing and training with the other children. Now, Ayura was the only one that stood beside her.
After giving Ayura a brief hug to give herself courage, Hana ran out into the middle of the seal. She stopped in the middle as she was told and looked to her father for confirmation that she had done everything right. He gave her an approving nod and Hana had just enough time to flash a small smile before the seal flashed into life.
The runes glowed with energy. Two barriers were formed. The first was a wall of chakra that surrounded only Hana. For the second barrier, the bamboo curved inwards to form the skeleton of another chakra wall that encompassed all those involved directly in the sealing. More chakra curved out of the ground in the shape of roots and bound Hana, making it impossible for her to move anywhere but down. There was a small tug and Hana kneeled, shaking. She had been prepared for this but experience was different from knowing. Being shackled bugged her in ways her young mind could not describe. It just felt wrong and she never wanted to feel it again. The seals below Hana grew a degree brighter. The Kyuubi had been sealed in a pot that was buried beneath the very spot Hana kneeled on and the idea was to trace its chakra up the ground and into Hana. The seals over the rest of the formation soon glowed just as bright as the defenses were fortified. Then, the seal in Hana's lonely circle started to turn red. Hana had been told it was painless. It really was. She didn't feel anything, but seeing the red going into her body filled her with dread all the same. She closed her eyes and endured, trying her best to not look scared.
Sometime over the course of sealing, she ended up passing out. It was a common occurrence for the host during the sealing process. When she finally came to, she lay in her bed in her room as the newest in the long line of Kyuubi hosts. The whisker marks that streaked across her cheek were proof of that.
↬ Beauty and the Beast
"Hana went up to the Kyuubi and punched it into the face. "BLAM! I'm not scared of you!" she said as the Kyuubi was sent reeling backwards. It collapsed into a heap and that's how Hana saved the day! The end!" read the short story that Hana had just given to Ayura to review. He looked at it skeptically, an eyebrow raised. "So…," he started hesitantly. Hana excitedly finished Ayura's sentence, "This is my super ultimate plan to seal the Kyuubi! See? See?! I'm going to punch him and then boom! He's down and then he won't ever think about going outside!". Ayura just nodded blankly, "Uh… Sure, well that's quite the plan, but maybe we can fix it up a bit when you're older. Ahahaha…" He patted a widely grinning Hana on the head. He knew she packed quite a punch for a little kid her age, but he knew, like any sane person his age, that punching the Kyuubi wasn't the answer. Hana cheered confidently, "I'm totally ready for the Kyuubi, you know?" "Well, you certainly seem like you are," Ayura reasoned with a weak smile.
It had already been a year since the solemn ceremony. During and after it, Hana had been stricken with worry and anxiety. However, like any kid, she got over it in a timely manner. Now, a whole year after the sealing, she was back to acting like her old self.
She still played with the other children. They only treated her a little different. Sometimes they'd tease her with the nickname "Hananim" for the extra attention she received, but there wasn't any real bullying. The kids knew that she was just not the same as them but only a little bit. Even as it told cautionary tales of the destructive powers of demons and the importance of keeping them sealed, the village had forgotten how to fear the bijuu that had lived in its midst for as long as anyone could remember.
However, she was getting increasingly less time to play. The demands on a jinchuuriki were high, especially since there had been none for a whole decade. In the span of ten years, powers outside of the village had grown and acted. Hana's village had never been the strongest, but none of the other villages had grown to a size that ever worried the small, out-of-the-way town. In a single, that had all changed. Like in the days of old, ninjas were gathering. Small villages and solitary clans were grouping. This hadn't been more apparent than in the past year. For the first time in years, the shogun named a village Otogakure, the name given only to the village that would house the country's official ninja force. Their power in size and official standing posed a threat to the way of life of Hana's village. Some sort of allegiance would need to be formed. A show of trust. Hana's father vehemently opposed it, but sending the host of the Kyuubi to be trained in Otogakure seemed to be exactly the show of trust and alliance needed. There was nothing anyone could do about it, but to hasten Hana's training so that she could learn even a little bit more before being sent to where her only friend and family would be Ayura.
Of course, the most important thing to train was the Kyuubi. Up until today, she was considered too young for that responsibility. Instead, hours upon hours were spent training her will, mind, and chakra control. Her training was productive, yet even as a child, Hana could feel the pressure to hasten and move on to the next step. It would not long before the time came for the decision to be made, and once she left, her training would be in the hands of a foreign village.
However, this would be the day. She was to attempt a dive, what the village called meditating to meet the demon, in front of various sealers, her father, Ayura's father, and of course Ayura. She had been told that it would be a test. Although, a test for what she did not know. However, she never once sought to fail a test, and like with all others before, she would work to ace this one.
As usual, Ayura and Hana entered Ayura's home, the Fah'rel family compound, for training. They were greeted and led by one of the village shinobi to an empty room. Hana was oblivious to it but Ayura knew without having to see that the room was surrounded on all sides by adults with sealing knowledge.
After the two were seated, Roran, Ayura's father, entered. His presence demanded silence from his child and the child. The introduction was short and the lessons had already been taught. It was merely a matter of beginning, and once he said the word, Hana put into action everything she had learned.
Clearing her mind and closing her eyes, Hana imagined herself falling head-first. She falling deeper and deeper but it wasn't fast or terrifying. It was sort of like floating falling, like falling through water. She fell until she saw a small light at the bottom. The light grew into a platform, and to land, Hana very slowly flipped her body so that her feet would touch the ground first.
The platform was lit but blank. Hana looked about it inquisitively, trying to imagine a cage to represent the seals that restrained the demon. She looked to the left. When she turned her neck to look to the right, there the cage was, right in front of her.
Hana's energy from just a little while ago had disappeared, but she stepped forward without hesitation until she stood just a few feet in front of the pitch black cage that housed the demon. It didn't appear to be home. That wasn't good. She needed the demon to show itself.
"Hello?" she called out into the darkness.
No answer.
"Hello?".
Nothing.
"Hello?".
Nada.
"Hello?".
Nope.
"Hello?".
Nuh-uh.
And that's when Hana realized that what she perceived as her own thoughts on the silence were actually, in fact, words said by something else, and as she came to this realization, a shape distinguished itself from the darkness, a redder shadow than the rest of the darkness.
"Cheh. So you figured it out," the shape commented as its details slowly became clear. Long limbs raised a lithe, red body onto all fours. Lengthy, rabbit-like ears flicked lazily. The dark patterns on the ears stretched all the way down to cover the eyes. Nine tails, just like the legends said. Then there were the teeth. A row of perfectly pristine, perfectly sharp teeth. Leisurely, the Kyuubi walked towards Hana, each step bringing it closer and causing it to appear larger until, when it finally reached he, it towered at least ten times Hana's height.
Hana didn't question how the Kyuubi knew. She had learned that in the realm of the mind, the barriers between thoughts were thin. It wasn't like she could ask anything anyways. Her words had caught in her throat upon the sight of the giant demon fox.
"Cat got your tongue?" the demon teased, sneering.
Immediately, Hana denied, "No! No, I'm fine!" the goading undoing the block.
Kyuubi's ears rotated eerily as he lowered his head and pressed it against the bars of his cage. One giant eye looked at Hana as he purred, "Really now? Then, are you feeling fine enough to give me a walk?".
"Nuh-uh! You won't trick me!" Hana protested, stamping her foot down.
Her efforts to act confident, however, were in vain. Steady as her voice might have been, her body shook and the Kyuubi did not miss it. He could strike now, but that would likely be in vain. With a sigh, the demon backed away and stood once more. He would have plenty of chances later. Tails lazily flicking away, the Kyuubi only gave a low chuckle as he turned returned to the darkness.
The last thing Hana saw before the dive broke was a synchronized flick of all nine tails and two ears. Everything shattered and she found herself back in the empty room with only Ayura and Ayura's father. The Kyuubi… had just kicked her out…
The sky was clear today in the village. Not a cloud in sight and a cool breeze that made it feel like all was right in the world and would be for the rest of time. Under a tree like so many others around it sat a circle of kids. The apparent leader, a girl no older than sixteen who stood closest to the trunk of the tree they all stood under, was speaking in everything from a hushed whisper to a bellowing shout. Her hands were just as animated, tracing out movements and lines. She was telling a story, and her audience was attentive to it all. The younger children were captivated while the older, including a couple that looked older than her, were at least enjoying the narration.
That tale was one that was, to them, as old as time itself. It told of a giant beast, which was described as looking like a fox, but nothing like the foxes any of the children had ever seen. The demon had a gaping maw and nine tails, each as big as the village they all lived in. Its snout was as sharp as a sword and its ears like daggers. Gangly limbs, like those of a spider's, deformed the monster's body. The beast had walked through the ocean as if it was little more than shallow puddle and wiped out all the villages it came across. One village, two villages, countless villages. Its unstoppable rampage continued until an army of brave heroes, selfless ninjas that had formed an alliance despite national differences, arrived upon the scene to subdue the beast. It was a hard and long battle. Many lives were lost but many more were saved.
The demon was sealed away into oblivion, but it could only be contained in such a manner for so long. The brave heroes knew this. One village, the strongest of them all, stepped up to take responsibility for keeping the world safe from the demon. To fulfill this solemn responsibility, the village turned to the survivors of the Kyuubi's attack. Only a handful had lived through the mass destruction, and they were all children. The oldest, as the animated narrator put it, was only a year or two older than her. The village took in these children and spirited them away to their village hidden within the cloud-topped mountains. There, the children were trained long and hard. They experienced many grueling hardships and difficulties until, finally, one was chosen: a small girl who couldn't have been any larger than little, five year old Kaguya. Her name, now, is one of the few things the young story teller was absolutely certain of. The name of this chosen girl was Tsuki Mizutou.
Tiny but brave Tsuki, called Little Nezu by her friends, accepted her destiny, because this was certainly her destiny, as Kyuubi's host with much trepidation. In a grand but solemn ceremony, one that took place within a great hall filled with wise symbols written in precious gold and silver, the Kyuubi was drawn from the cage it was just moment's away from breaking and placed within trembling Tsuki, who scared as she was didn't so much as utter a single complaint through it all. After a fierce battle of mettle and wits, a mental trial that challenged Tsuki to face her darkest memories and turn away from the lull of sleeping forever in her most longed for dreams, the beast finally grew desperate. Anything was better than being caged, it thought, and so it decided that it would kill Tsuki, even though that would also mean its death.
Fighting for her life, now, and not just for the safety of all she loved and cherished, Tsuki battled with all her might against the Kyuubi. She used everything she had learned and the thought of her friends, her fellow orphans from Mizu no Kuni pushed her to break her limits. Already, the face down had raged for many days and nights. It continued to rage for many more until at last, finally, she subdued the demon. Alone with no one else to rely on, the little mouse had accomplished what it had taken a whole army of the best and brightest to accomplish.
The climax had been reached and now the story just had to wind down. The tale weaver's hands slowly settled, the two ending clasped in front of her chest as she walked her captivated audience through the aftermath of it all. The demon was subdued and everyone lived happily ever after. With the grand mission accomplished, little Nezu and all of the other orphans that had been her strength in the fight could relax. They left the fabled city of clouds and settled elsewhere. When the brave host passed on, the village she and her friends created all worked together to reseal the Kyuubi into another host. Then when that host passed on, it was sealed into the next. So the monster was passed down. None had to go through the ordeal that Tsuki had to, but all had the same responsibility. "In fact," Pollux, the storyteller, finished amidst applause, "the village still exists and the monster is still passed down from host to host. Brave little Nezu's village is our village. To this day, we keep the terrible demon safely sealed from the rest of the world, and on this very day, the demon, which is called the Kyuubi, is being passed down. Our village was founded by those heroes of the past, and we are their living legacy. We must never forget that, like our ancestors, our strength lies in the bonds we share."
"Child, you weave a wonderful fairy tale," from a patch of shadows that had gone unnoticed until this very moment, a voice cut through the clapping of little hands like a cold wind through a warm fire: acutely felt but with nothing to prove its passing. All had heard, but when they all turned to the patch of shadows, none saw anything.
↬ Just a Little Change
Reiko thought to himself as he entered the bamboo grove that the sealing would take place in. It looked much like the ceremony that had been attempted a decade ago. Except this time, the baby had grown into a slender child and besides her stood a teen that was once just a young boy. He knew immediately that this wouldn't be like the last Kyuubi host, where the older had stepped up and the younger had dedicated herself to the support of the older. The roles were reversed. It was the inexperienced child that will take on the burden of being a jinchuuriki and the older child that will help assist her burden.
As per custom, Reiko dismissed everyone but the host and, not wishing to potentially weaken any bonds with a test to see if he stayed, the sealer that would remain by the host's side. The two children, because even the boy that stood on the threshold of adulthood was just a child to the Lydian, waited attentively for his words.
The talk began with a simple introduction--Hana Im and Ayura Fah'rel were their names--before Reiko passed down not a warning or even a lesson. He passed down words of hope. He reminded the host that to despair was natural and while it was something the demon that will be sealed within her feeds on, to ignore it will only make it grow. Her job isn't to avoid despair but to conquer and overcome it. He reminded her of the village's teaching on the importance of bonds and camaraderie and spoke of those bonds as the key to taming the Kyuubi. Yes, taming, because the Kyuubi is a fickle creature. There is much to say but also much not to say about it because learning of the Kyuubi from itself is one of the many steps in succeeding as a jinchuuriki. The speech was at times clear and at times cryptic. As with the Kyuubi, there was much to pass down about being a host, but also much that was best to let the host learn about themselves.
Then, there was a new part. For the previous host, he did not have the time to prepare, but now, Reiko had over half a century to think of the words he would tell the sealer. There wasn't much, and it was short, but he thought it got the point across. The sealer was not merely a stop gap or warning system for the Kyuubi's release. In order to dedicate themselves to this role, the sealer must also genuinely care for the host because it is not seals that are the strongest prison but, again, the bonds that are tied between friends and family that are the strongest prison for the Kyuubi. More than guarding the world from the jinchuuriki, a partnered sealer should focus on guarding the jinchuuriki from the world.
Once all was said and done, Reiko asked for consent from both sealer and host. As always, both agreed. For ten years, the two had been agreeing to this arrangement. The host was all but born into it and the sealer had been trained into it. Reiko could only hope the extensive preparation would shore up the weakness of youth.
The others were called back in. Now, it was time for Hana to go alone. She looked up to Ayura before taking the first step into the seal. The two weren't close friends, but Ayura was always the one who had to watch over her. He was her babysitter and then when she was old enough to join the other children, he would be the first person to go to when she needed help. Now, he was the only comfortable face that stood beside her in this sea of adults. Well, there was her father and she did recognize Ayura's dad along with many of the other village adults. The village wasn't very large, after all. However, none of them held the comfort of friends. Just yesterday, she was still playing and training with the other children. Now, Ayura was the only one that stood beside her.
After giving Ayura a brief hug to give herself courage, Hana ran out into the middle of the seal. She stopped in the middle as she was told and looked to her father for confirmation that she had done everything right. He gave her an approving nod and Hana had just enough time to flash a small smile before the seal flashed into life.
The runes glowed with energy. Two barriers were formed. The first was a wall of chakra that surrounded only Hana. For the second barrier, the bamboo curved inwards to form the skeleton of another chakra wall that encompassed all those involved directly in the sealing. More chakra curved out of the ground in the shape of roots and bound Hana, making it impossible for her to move anywhere but down. There was a small tug and Hana kneeled, shaking. She had been prepared for this but experience was different from knowing. Being shackled bugged her in ways her young mind could not describe. It just felt wrong and she never wanted to feel it again. The seals below Hana grew a degree brighter. The Kyuubi had been sealed in a pot that was buried beneath the very spot Hana kneeled on and the idea was to trace its chakra up the ground and into Hana. The seals over the rest of the formation soon glowed just as bright as the defenses were fortified. Then, the seal in Hana's lonely circle started to turn red. Hana had been told it was painless. It really was. She didn't feel anything, but seeing the red going into her body filled her with dread all the same. She closed her eyes and endured, trying her best to not look scared.
Sometime over the course of sealing, she ended up passing out. It was a common occurrence for the host during the sealing process. When she finally came to, she lay in her bed in her room as the newest in the long line of Kyuubi hosts. The whisker marks that streaked across her cheek were proof of that.
↬ Beauty and the Beast
"Hana went up to the Kyuubi and punched it into the face. "BLAM! I'm not scared of you!" she said as the Kyuubi was sent reeling backwards. It collapsed into a heap and that's how Hana saved the day! The end!" read the short story that Hana had just given to Ayura to review. He looked at it skeptically, an eyebrow raised. "So…," he started hesitantly. Hana excitedly finished Ayura's sentence, "This is my super ultimate plan to seal the Kyuubi! See? See?! I'm going to punch him and then boom! He's down and then he won't ever think about going outside!". Ayura just nodded blankly, "Uh… Sure, well that's quite the plan, but maybe we can fix it up a bit when you're older. Ahahaha…" He patted a widely grinning Hana on the head. He knew she packed quite a punch for a little kid her age, but he knew, like any sane person his age, that punching the Kyuubi wasn't the answer. Hana cheered confidently, "I'm totally ready for the Kyuubi, you know?" "Well, you certainly seem like you are," Ayura reasoned with a weak smile.
It had already been a year since the solemn ceremony. During and after it, Hana had been stricken with worry and anxiety. However, like any kid, she got over it in a timely manner. Now, a whole year after the sealing, she was back to acting like her old self.
She still played with the other children. They only treated her a little different. Sometimes they'd tease her with the nickname "Hananim" for the extra attention she received, but there wasn't any real bullying. The kids knew that she was just not the same as them but only a little bit. Even as it told cautionary tales of the destructive powers of demons and the importance of keeping them sealed, the village had forgotten how to fear the bijuu that had lived in its midst for as long as anyone could remember.
However, she was getting increasingly less time to play. The demands on a jinchuuriki were high, especially since there had been none for a whole decade. In the span of ten years, powers outside of the village had grown and acted. Hana's village had never been the strongest, but none of the other villages had grown to a size that ever worried the small, out-of-the-way town. In a single, that had all changed. Like in the days of old, ninjas were gathering. Small villages and solitary clans were grouping. This hadn't been more apparent than in the past year. For the first time in years, the shogun named a village Otogakure, the name given only to the village that would house the country's official ninja force. Their power in size and official standing posed a threat to the way of life of Hana's village. Some sort of allegiance would need to be formed. A show of trust. Hana's father vehemently opposed it, but sending the host of the Kyuubi to be trained in Otogakure seemed to be exactly the show of trust and alliance needed. There was nothing anyone could do about it, but to hasten Hana's training so that she could learn even a little bit more before being sent to where her only friend and family would be Ayura.
Of course, the most important thing to train was the Kyuubi. Up until today, she was considered too young for that responsibility. Instead, hours upon hours were spent training her will, mind, and chakra control. Her training was productive, yet even as a child, Hana could feel the pressure to hasten and move on to the next step. It would not long before the time came for the decision to be made, and once she left, her training would be in the hands of a foreign village.
However, this would be the day. She was to attempt a dive, what the village called meditating to meet the demon, in front of various sealers, her father, Ayura's father, and of course Ayura. She had been told that it would be a test. Although, a test for what she did not know. However, she never once sought to fail a test, and like with all others before, she would work to ace this one.
As usual, Ayura and Hana entered Ayura's home, the Fah'rel family compound, for training. They were greeted and led by one of the village shinobi to an empty room. Hana was oblivious to it but Ayura knew without having to see that the room was surrounded on all sides by adults with sealing knowledge.
After the two were seated, Roran, Ayura's father, entered. His presence demanded silence from his child and the child. The introduction was short and the lessons had already been taught. It was merely a matter of beginning, and once he said the word, Hana put into action everything she had learned.
Clearing her mind and closing her eyes, Hana imagined herself falling head-first. She falling deeper and deeper but it wasn't fast or terrifying. It was sort of like floating falling, like falling through water. She fell until she saw a small light at the bottom. The light grew into a platform, and to land, Hana very slowly flipped her body so that her feet would touch the ground first.
The platform was lit but blank. Hana looked about it inquisitively, trying to imagine a cage to represent the seals that restrained the demon. She looked to the left. When she turned her neck to look to the right, there the cage was, right in front of her.
Hana's energy from just a little while ago had disappeared, but she stepped forward without hesitation until she stood just a few feet in front of the pitch black cage that housed the demon. It didn't appear to be home. That wasn't good. She needed the demon to show itself.
"Hello?" she called out into the darkness.
No answer.
"Hello?".
Nothing.
"Hello?".
Nada.
"Hello?".
Nope.
"Hello?".
Nuh-uh.
And that's when Hana realized that what she perceived as her own thoughts on the silence were actually, in fact, words said by something else, and as she came to this realization, a shape distinguished itself from the darkness, a redder shadow than the rest of the darkness.
"Cheh. So you figured it out," the shape commented as its details slowly became clear. Long limbs raised a lithe, red body onto all fours. Lengthy, rabbit-like ears flicked lazily. The dark patterns on the ears stretched all the way down to cover the eyes. Nine tails, just like the legends said. Then there were the teeth. A row of perfectly pristine, perfectly sharp teeth. Leisurely, the Kyuubi walked towards Hana, each step bringing it closer and causing it to appear larger until, when it finally reached he, it towered at least ten times Hana's height.
Hana didn't question how the Kyuubi knew. She had learned that in the realm of the mind, the barriers between thoughts were thin. It wasn't like she could ask anything anyways. Her words had caught in her throat upon the sight of the giant demon fox.
"Cat got your tongue?" the demon teased, sneering.
Immediately, Hana denied, "No! No, I'm fine!" the goading undoing the block.
Kyuubi's ears rotated eerily as he lowered his head and pressed it against the bars of his cage. One giant eye looked at Hana as he purred, "Really now? Then, are you feeling fine enough to give me a walk?".
"Nuh-uh! You won't trick me!" Hana protested, stamping her foot down.
Her efforts to act confident, however, were in vain. Steady as her voice might have been, her body shook and the Kyuubi did not miss it. He could strike now, but that would likely be in vain. With a sigh, the demon backed away and stood once more. He would have plenty of chances later. Tails lazily flicking away, the Kyuubi only gave a low chuckle as he turned returned to the darkness.
The last thing Hana saw before the dive broke was a synchronized flick of all nine tails and two ears. Everything shattered and she found herself back in the empty room with only Ayura and Ayura's father. The Kyuubi… had just kicked her out…
"How rude!" "Well, no s**t. I'm evil."
Approved.
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2016 4:34 am
RPC Name: Ren Uematsu
Sample:
Having been meditating on the airship when the group had arrived, Ren was a little...confused as to why the trio had chosen his usual airship as their choice of an insult battle ground. Truth be told, no one really knew when or how this creation had arrived in Kumogakure, but it was something many considered a relic of history, of the days before the Great Calamity. Either way, the young man decided to leave the group be until they decided to disturb him, instead focusing back onto his training with Son Goku. He was very fortunate; a kind, passionate personality like his had quickly won the favor of his inner partner, and the two had forged a positive relationship rather quickly compared to most Jinchuuriki and their Bijuu. This had opened him up to a world of possibilities many Genin normally wouldn't have. Even going so far as tapping into Son's chakra without consequence. He would focus once again into the depths of his mind, into that internal state he normally called home. Surely, the combatants below wouldn't cause so much fuss that he had to get involved...right?
"...This is usually a nice place for us to relax, Son...I guess we're not gonna be so lucky today, huh?" The wide open space within his seal proved to be more than enough room for both of them, Though Son himself was still shut behind the confines of the eight trigrams seal. Truth be told, it wasn't necessarily that Ren WANTED Son Goku confined...it was more that he wasn't quite strong enough to break the seal yet. Thankfully, his partner understood this as well. "Despite what's happening outside...I would like to continue from where we left off, if you're ready." Very polite, and so very kind. A couple qualities the monkey demon hadn't witnessed in what felt like centuries, since the last host who'd managed to master his power. In his mind, Ren was something of a breath of fresh air; most of his hosts had been bratty, narcissistic punks who ventured for nothing more than their own personal gain, and the destruction of all those who'd opposed them. And more often than not, they were successful, though never with the full extent of their Bijuu's abilities.
Ren was...different. From the very beginning, he'd held something of an altruistic interest in Son Goku. No sooner than he'd learned to access his inner domain, he'd frequented the place in his free time, getting to know the creature that existed within him. Often, he would stop in to check in, little by little converting the bitter entity into a trusted and valued friend. In his eighteen years of life, he could honestly say that there was no one closer to him in the world. Not since his family passed away in the last shinobi war. That void for company, and camaraderie had left him...empty for so very long. It was at this time, when those emotions and sorrows hit a veritable, pitiful peak, that Son Goku made his presence known. Thinking at first of a means to corrupt the child, to make him follow the bijuu's will...though that plan was quickly changed for the better. Many years, conversations, laughs, and debates later...the two had truly formed a bond that would last a lifetime.
"You could just get rid of them. Send a torrent of lava at them or something to make them leave." As per the usual, Son's initial suggestions involved immediate violence. Though by now, he knew perfectly well that Ren wasn't that kind of person. Resorting to shows of power and needless violence were displays for the weak, for those who weren't confident in their own strength, and didn't know how to properly apply it. The soft chuckle that slipped through the boy's lips was enough of a reply. It was at this cue that Son would begin the process they'd started before; little by little, the demon would funnel his chakra into the boy, slowly increasing his capacity by molding his chakra system into an able host. Unfortunately, Ren's inability to destroy the seal had made this process quite cumbersome, so it would take quite some time for them to complete this grueling process.
As chakra began to flow into Ren's body, he would take a strange, crimson, flaring red outline to anyone in the real world. Though, it was likely they wouldn't really mind; his relationship with Son Goku, as well as his status as a Jinchuuriki, were well known throughout the village. During the great war, he'd actually managed to save the village, the raw power of his emotions pulling out enough power from Son to repel an entire attacking wave of shinobi. Since then, the villagers had oft checked in on him, making sure that their little hero was doing alright, and subsiding the demon that remained within him. Of course--as gossip always does--word of their positive and developmental relationship spread like wildfire. It was a well known fact that he spent much time training within, so chakra sightings like this were moreso an everyday happening than anything else. However...this was more chakra than he'd ever taken in before, so the beads of sweat forming on his brow were to be expected. The process sounded simple; slowly meld the chakra of the demon into his own chakra system in order to increase his capacities for this foreign chakra. As time went on, his ability to process this chakra improved, but at a gruelingly slow pace.
"Focus, Ren. My chakra is of the Lava element, which congregates within the arms and mouth. You're trying too hard to concentrate it in your hands; always remember that the flow can be split." His voice was gentle, guiding his student along in a way that signified years of training. By now, the young man had entered a meditative stance, allowing the most efficient circulation of chakra through his body.
"Easier said than done..." He would retort, his voice calm but focused. "This is more than I've ever handled before, Son...I can manipulate it fine when it's metal chakra, but this is a nature I'm still not very used to handling. It's so...explosive, so wild. Controlling an element like this is very difficult compared to my rigid metal." There was a lot of truth to what he said, but ultimately, these sentiments didn't matter. They both knew that. And slowly, but surely, their training would continue, Ren slowly building his body into a proper host for the Yonbi's vicious chakra. Though, the young shinobi couldn't help but let his mind wander for a moment, wondering how his fellow shinobi were doing outside with their little spar.
Taking a moment to look, Ren opened his eyes just as the Genin threw their insults and darted down the hallways. Seeing the evident frustration on Cecil's face, Ren would open his mouth to speak, his kind, polite tone filling the air for just a few brief moments. "Sensei, If you could please keep the destruction of this place to a minimum, I would greatly appreciate it. I come here to meditate daily, as this is the highest concentration of metals in the whole village; it's very comforting to me, and I would be very disheartened if I had to find a new spot. I'll be returning to my meditation now. Thank you." Such a sharp contrast to the two Genin badmouthing him below...it showed the difference in their years and upbringing, for sure. In a way, Ren had been raised by Son Goku for many years, having lived on his own since the last great war.
And reflecting on that great war was something he did frequently while meditating. The chakra would surround him once again while he let his mind slip back to those days of conflict and turmoil. The days when no man, woman, or child was able to live without fear for their lives, not even for a day. Enma had tried the best he could to stabilize the village, but his power back then was severely lacking by comparison to what it was now. A newly-instated Kage back then, he lacked the experience necessary to keep invaders out of his village when under constant siege. Though his own stamina was near inexhaustible, he'd made a critical folly in assuming every soldier in his army was the same way, and his fatigued forces had quickly given way to the enemy forces of the leaf. Back then, the allies in that war were--oddly enough--Otogakure and Kumogakure, having teamed up with the similar interests of shattering Konohagakure and Mizugakure. The fact that these shinobi remained was evidence enough of the victors of that war.
As a continent, this had left them much weaker than before; the battle had drawn on for what felt like years. Ultimately, it came down the powers of the kages and shogunates to quell the chaos. Enma, just a fresh Jounin, and his shogun led an elite force of shinobi to Konoha, killing the Kage and all their highest ranking shinobi in open combat before razing the village. Any peaceful residents were allowed to evacuate to Otogakure, as the looming anger from the war made any sort of welcoming into Kumogakure unlikely. Likewise, any Kirigakure residents had migrated to Kumo just as soon as Eiji and his Kage were finished annihilating the village. Though, that name had quite a bit of reverence in Ren's mind.
Uchiha Eiji. Otherwise known as the Legendary Sorcerer. His command of Ninjutsu was unmatched, and his jutsu alone had carved a hole out of most of Kiri. More often than not, the mere mention of his name was enough to send any of the mist-turned-cloud residents into a nervous fit. It was them who bore witness to his most powerful jutsu and lived to have nightmares about it forever. Likely, their stories would be fearsome, if you could ever get them to talk about what happened. Perhaps, their silence was another one of the man's potent jutsu keeping a tight grip on them. Alas, Ren had allowed his mind to wander for far too long; it was time to really begin focusing on his training.
In the time he'd spent reminiscing, there were some minor changes with his Keirakukei. Just by holding the chakra within his system, he was able to expand the chakra veins within his body, little by little. Increasing his capacity in this way was the easiest way to contain the chakra, but controlling it properly was another issue entirely. With quite a bit of effort, it was becoming slightly easier to split the chakra between his mouth and hands, though he found it most efficient to also allow it to spread up his arms slightly. Oddly enough, though, his attempts to do this earned him a quick response from his teacher. "Ren...you know that won't help you. The chakra must be concentrated within your hands and mouth in order for it to reach its full effectiveness. Letting it flow further up your arms is something of a quick fix; it will work for a little while, but your prowess with lava techniques will fade if you let this become a habit. Stay focused." That voice of inspiration was enough to snap him back on task. Albeit a little quickly, Ren once again focused the chakra back into the palms of his hands. Though...another thought went through his mind. It was just a theory, but it was something he would still need to confirm. Speaking in a calm, focused voice...
"Son. You said it has to be in my hands...I've been assuming that means the palms. However...what about the fingers? I haven't been allowing any to go there, but will I be efficient if I do?" For a moment, there was an awkward silence between the pair while Son processed this question. After just a few short moments, a booming laugh disrupted Ren's concentration briefly while he looked at the great monkey, confused more than anything. "What's so funny?" Holding a giant hand over his stomach, Son lurched back, tears in his eyes. He would stabilize himself and ensure that he was done laughing before he started to answer the question.
"You just told me the problem, really!" He grinned, offering a thumbs up to his Jinchuuriki. "If I'd have known you weren't putting any of my chakra into the tips of your fingers, I would have been able to help you out a long time ago! Think about it this way...what part of your hand is closest to your mouth when you're using lava jutsu?" Little by little, the pieces were clicking into place. Ren realized how inefficiently he'd been handling Son Goku's chakra, and for a reason so obvious as this. Naturally, there was one trait that fire and lava jutsu shared; the mouth was a catalyst for both techniques. However, the key difference between fire and lava was the congregation of chakra within the hands. Where the tips of the fingers acted more as a bottleneck for the fire techniques, focusing or loosening to give them more potency or spread, the use of lava techniques was a little different. Lava was a combination of earth and fire releases, meaning that in order to use it, you would have to congregate chakra in the hands and fingertips--a typical trademark of earth techniques--as well as in the mouth, for fire. It was foolish of him to overlook this simple equation.
"I get what you're saying now. I'll try focusing it to all parts of my hand equally, and see if that allows me to handle it more efficiently." And really, it didn't take very long before the results were tangible. Quite some time had passed since he started meditating, and in this time, his prowess with the demon and its abilities had grown significantly. Now, a thicker, more potent chakra had surrounded his body, hinting at a further mastery of the demon's abilities. Ren was growing stronger, and more quickly than ever due to this new revelation. He would continue like this for a while, whether disturbed by the others around him, or feeling satisfied with his training.
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