Tsukiko Umene
“It's always been kill-or-be-killed. Survival of the fittest will always be the way of the world.”■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
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Personnel Files
Accessible by personnel with a C3 security clearance or upwards.❖ Aliases--The Honeybadger
❖ Affiliation--Jiyuna no Guntai
❖ Sexuality--Heterosexual
Appearance Descriptions
As compiled on basis of the 11th corps intelligence gathering, including pictures❖ Appearance--Tsukiko's body has been toned by a lifetime of rigorous activity, while still retaining an inherent beauty. More often than not Tsukiko will be wearing her 'activity' clothes (see above), even during times of leisure. She has aged to some degree out of her prime but many fail to realize that she is indeed middle-aged due to her figure. Her infamously large breasts have decreased in size slightly with age and she seems less curvaceous and more thin than she once was, but most of her attractive features still remain largely youthful.
She has often been described to have a wild appearance. In recent years she had cut her long black hair short, in a tomboy cut, though it still seems just as unkempt as before despite having easier maintenance. The astute eye can detect her hair is beginning to lose luster and grey hairs have become more noticeable. Despite this she is often grinning and appears to have an air of carelessness and wildness. One can tell at a glance that Tsukiko has little to no inhibitions. There has always been a fire in her grey eyes.
Most of her weaponry is kept on her person, giving her a somewhat barbaric appearance. Her sword and spear are kept on her back, both at a diagonal angle, while her smaller weapons and tools are kept in pouches along her belt or on her right thigh.
❖ Build--At a glance she would appear to be little more than eye candy, but Tsukiko is very fit in all reality. While most of her muscle is lean and toned her legs notably have more bulk. Her constant, rigorous exercise has kept her in peak physical condition and even at her age she still sports visible abs. She is stronger than she appears, though lacking a lithe frame notably makes her less agile than she could be (though to say she is not agile would be a grave mistake).
Psych. reports
Medical secrecy applies.❖ Bold ❖ Volatile ❖ Impulsive ❖ Attentive ❖
❖ Personality--A wild, angry creature. Tsukiko Umene has always been a fiery individual with a predisposition to violence but time has done little to mend that attitude. If anything she has grown harsher since the Hamajo Confederation took over. She is quick to act, often violently, and it seems that she is also quick to calm down. Her sporadic and chaotic behavior combined with her complete lack of respect to authority makes her a dangerous individual. One that can act on a whim and that very few can keep in check, physically or mentally. She isn't just aware of her own state but is also remarkably perceptive of those around her, being particularly adept at and willing to exploit or attack emotional weaknesses.
Many consider her to be dense, assuming her to be unintelligent due to her barbaric behavior. But that is far from the case. While vocal about many things she is often quiet about her scheming nature. Tsukiko always has a plan and always has a back-up plan. She is shrewd and pragmatic but will attempt to hide it if she is in company that trusts her. To that same effect she doesn't trust anybody. She maintains her volatility at all times; she could explode into a primal rage at any given moment. She prefers to instill fear in others rather than respect, though she certainly demands the latter. Tsukiko is a dangerous woman and her personality reflects that almost perfectly. Never piss her off because no rule or social stigma can stop Tsukiko from murdering even her allies.
❖ History--Pre Hamajo Confederation
The tale of the Honey Badger begins 35 years ago, when a group of shinobi found a young girl deep within a jungle along the south of the Land of Fire. Saying she was "found" is a slight exaggeration, as she attacked their camp in the middle of the night. The shinobi were able to subdue the girl and return her to civilization. Her understanding of human speech was limited, but she learned quickly. After some interrogation it was concluded that she was raised by paranoid parents living out in the woods. Some years in the past they had disappeared and left this girl to survive in the wild on her own.
Seeing her as no real threat to Konoha, they let her go. She was dropped off at an orphanage in Downtown Konoha, where she spent six months before finding a family. A middle-class family, the Umene. They owned but a small ramen shop. Though they had a boy already, one only a few years older than Tsukiko, the mother of the family had recently had to undergo surgery. They were having no more kids naturally. With room for one more they took Tsukiko in. Her wild attitude provided a stark contrast to their everyday life. And so they enrolled her in school.
Being trained as a shinobi used her energy much more effectively than letting her run rampant in the streets of Smalltown. While she wasn't booksmart in the slightest, she more than made up for it in her physical capability and quick learning. Tsukiko didn't make many friends, but she made plenty of enemies. She enjoyed the opportunities to fight other kids, hoping that by defeating them she could lure out teachers to fight. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. At the end of the day she was always one of the biggest hassles, but she was unquestionably one of the best shinobi in her class.
Tsukiko became a chunin at the age of 17, graduating highschool the same year. While her older brother, a much more tame man, would go on to work in the Intelligence Department, Tsukiko wanted to get as much action as possible rather than as little. She tried her hand at police work but was soon recommended to take a different position due to her overly-violent practices. She moved between positions as a shinobi, most often taking oddjobs as they came so long as they provided some action, for several years. It wasn't until she became a jonin at 23 that Tsukiko found her calling: hunting.
An impulse vacation reunited Tsukiko with the wilderness she had spent her childhood in, bringing back a nature that had been previously thought to be tamed out of her. She has since viewed everything in her life as a hunt. From hunting actual animals in her free time to tracking down and assassinating dangerous shinobi. Her affinity for hunting shinobi got her noticed, making her somewhat infamous depending on the social circle. Many of the residents of Downtown hate her, and considering she lives by herself in a shanty apartment in Downtown she often gets visits from such people. On the flip side, many of the higher-ups and older shinobi appreciate her specialty because it makes their lives easier and safer. Nicknamed "The Honey Badger" for her deceptively cute appearance and unforgivingly violent nature, Tsukiko lives life on a day-to-day basis. Life has become one big hunt for her, and she loves hunting.
Post Hamajo Confederation
The day the Hamajo Confederation took Konoha was the day Tsukiko Umene disappeared. She was quick to abandon the village, realizing her position as Konohagakure's Jonin Commander was a death sentence and the battle was all but lost. Her survival instincts and skills allowed her to evade the Confederation's attempts at tracking her down. For several months after the battle they would send hunting parties with the goal of bringing back Tsukiko's head, but none that searched for her ever returned. Her existence did pose a small threat to the Confederation but it was what she stood for that made them want her dead. She was able to evade and defy them, and no amount of manpower they put into killing her was able to do the trick.
Eventually they gave up. They realized that she would never return. Her survival hinged on her animal-like survival instincts, which would be significantly dulled in civilization. In the wild she had all the advantages to fend for herself, and so the Confederation knew that was where she would stay. Konoha's Honey Badger disappeared off the face of the Earth for over ten years. In that time she had spent it much like her childhood: hunting, foraging, surviving. While age began to take its toll, her signature speed and strength notably declining, she was compensated duly in wisdom and skill. She had always been a dangerous trapper and assassin but she has grown even sharper with age. Her personality, however, has mostly stayed the same. Mostly, not entirely. She had never been one for regret or grief, but with the fall of Konoha she had become much more harsh and unforgiving than she was before.
Tsukiko remained in the forests of the Land of Fire, seemingly content to live out the rest of her life in wild seclusion. But fate would have other plans as a party of Jiyutai rebels stumbled upon Tsukiko's territory in the middle of the night. She spared their lives once they proved they were not working for the Confederation nor were they searching for her. Tsukiko took this opportunity to learn of what had happened around the world over the past years she had been in hiding. While there was no surprising news, the rebels she encountered offered her a position in the Jiyuna no Guntai. They believed they could use someone with her skills and capability but Tsukiko was skeptical. She had been doing just fine on her own, after all, and affiliating herself with more people the Confederation would want dead could hinder her chances of survival.
After holding the small group of rebels hostage for a few days as she decided, eventually they convinced her to join their cause. Which was lucky for them, as otherwise she would've killed them to ensure nobody knew of her. Ever since then she has been working for the Jiyutai, lending her skills and expertise to the guerilla faction. She was already infamous from her prime but her name has surfaced yet again as someone to beware of. Even among her allies she has become notoriously toxic, making the tolerance of her aggressive behavior the price they must pay in order to keep her on their side. She often takes leadership roles, either by delegation or by assertion, and those who work with her are often subject to her harsh standards. There are few that Tsukiko trusts, regardless of whether or not she is trusted. Some consider her a high flight-risk, due to her nature, but so far she has yet to show any signs of a desire to leave. Though it doesn't take a genius to deduce that Tsukiko would go back into hiding if it was her best course of action.
❖ Familial ties--With no knowledge of her actual parents or family, Tsukiko is perfectly integrated into her adoptive family. She was raised just as one of their own, making the lack of blood relation entirely irrelevant. Despite numerous conflicting opinions and ideals between Tsukiko and her family they are still able to appreciate each other.
Reijiro Umene | Adoptive Father | 70, Konohagakure, ramen shop owner and respected community member.
Hana Umene | Mother | 67, Konohagakure, helps run the family ramen shop.
Ichiro Umene | Older Brother | 45, Konohagakure, former Intelligence Officer with a small family of his own.
❖ Dreams, short term goals, and fears.--Tsukiko's most lavish dream is to hunt all the mythical beasts in the world. Outlandish as it is, that's what she wants most in life. A much more grounded goal is simply to hunt and kill challenging prey, including strong Shinobi. Hand-in-hand with her advancing years she has also been taken over by a secret desire to have a family of her own, something which is becoming less and less likely as she grows older. Tsukiko has always been rather fearless though, leaving her without any debilitating mental weakness. She doesn't fear things so much as she respects them, such as death and extreme pain. That being said she prioritizes her life above all else, so one could technically say that she indeed does "fear" dying.
Combat reports
Gathered based on exercises, training routines, and combat experience reports❖ Combat style--Having spent her early years surviving mostly on her own in the wilderness, Tsukiko has developed a sort of feral style of her own. Like an apex predator she will stalk and analyze her prey before going in for the kill. The goal is to strike fast and hard, exploiting weak points and giving her quarry no time to react. This tactic often leaves the target mutilated or otherwise incapacitated. She will always take an opportunity to stack the odds in her favor, setting up traps and using generally "unfair" strategies to secure the kill. For groups of targets Tsukiko will rely more heavily on her trapping capability but will also use a hit-and-run strategy to handle them one at a time and instill fear while inflicting damage. While her prey may run they can never hide, and they won't run for long anyways. Tsukiko loves it when they run...
❖ Custom techniques■ Name
Tiger Trap Technique
■ Rank
C
■ Range
Short, 2-10m variable
■ Description
Tsukiko prepares a web of ninja wire across a set area on the ground, stealthily of course. When a target steps over it they get tangled in the wires and lose their balance. Should they completely fall they will become totally entwined and vulnerable. Breaking out with brute force would be difficult, but sharp blades will be able to cut the wires. Extra utility can be found in applying exploding tags to the mix.
■ Name
Sudden Spider Web Technique
■ Rank
C
■ Range
Short
■ Description
Using two walls (or anything vertical nearby each other), Tsukiko quickly uses ninja wire to create a web that is difficult to see initially from camouflage. Targets running into this trap get ensnared, like in a net, leaving them vulnerable. It would be difficult for the victim to muscle their way out, but if their arms aren't too entwined they can use sharp objects to cut themselves free.
■ Name
The Killing Blow
■ Rank
A
■ Range
Medium-Long, effective to 200m
■ Description
Tsukiko channels chakra into her arms, overcharging her muscles. They gain significant muscle mass, affording a temporary but powerful boost to strength. This brief buff is used to hurl her spear at incredible speed with equally incredible stopping power. The name of the technique leaves little to the imagination of what the results of a direct hit is. Though chakra efficient, using this technique causes strain on Tsukiko's arms and using it in succession will surely exhaust her to the point of being unable to use her arms at all. She can use it up to two times within a 24 hour period, but any more than that will result in overexertion of her arms.
■ Name
Spiritual Reversion Technique
■ Rank
S
■ Range
Self
■ Description
A technique designed by Tsukiko herself. The technique requires only one handseal (Kai) to activate, though it has a warm-up period of five seconds to be fully functional. All of Tsukiko's chakra is converted into physical energy, completely depleting her spiritual energy in order to maximize results. This in turn drastically increases Tsukiko's physical abilities and even her appearance, with her muscles gaining size and definition along with blue chakra veins appearing on her skin to more effectively distribute and channel the massive energy.
Her physical strength is increased substantially (thought not quite to the degree of her Killing Blow technique) as well as her speed. The majority of the chakra, however, is converted into adrenaline instead of muscle mass. So not only is Tsukiko operating at a much higher physical state but her sense of pain is significantly dulled and her ability to think is also enhanced (though that only affects how quickly she makes a decision, not how brilliant the decision may be). This "frenzied" state can last a variable amount of time, pending how much chakra Tsukiko has when she converts all of it to physical energy. At full chakra it could last up to twenty minutes with careful and deliberate use of energy, but in a combat-state it would only last up to five.
The most notable drawback to Spiritual Reversion is the inability to mould chakra, as both spiritual and physical energy is required to do so. This means no other jutsu can be used for the duration. When the technique ends, the remaining physical energy is divided back into physical and spiritual, allowing for the use of jutsu and chakra again. However, should Spiritual Reversion be maintained until Tsukiko has expended all of her energy then she will have nothing left to convert back into chakra. In short: she'll die if she doesn't end the technique before reaching that limit. A less severe drawback is the soreness of the body once the technique is over, considering the strain put on the muscles. Not a serious weakness but a notable one.
❖ Weaponry and tools■ Name
Ninja Wire
■ Weapon/tool type
Ninja Wire
■ Range
Variable
■ Description
Many, many meters of standard shinobi wire are kept on Tsukiko's person at all times for ready access. They are invaluable to her fighting style due to their ability to conduct chakra and their utility in trapping.
■ Name
Exploding Tags
■ Weapon/tool type
Paper Tags
■ Range
Variable yield, 2-20m blast radius
■ Description
Tags that explode when activated by chakra. Can be activated through chakra conducted by ninja wire, allowing safe detonation and deadly use in conjunction with Tsukiko's trapping skills.
■ Name
Kunai/Shuriken
■ Weapon/tool type
Throwing Tools
■ Range
Medium-Long
■ Description
Simple throwing tools but valuable ones nonetheless. The standard equipment for any shinobi still find a home in Tsukiko's style.
■ Name
Equalizer
■ Weapon/tool type
Ninjato
■ Range
Very Short
■ Description
A straight-edge sword with a blade approximately two-thirds the length of a katana. Very useful for cutting things. And by things I mean people. Tsukiko often holds this light-weight weapon in a reverse grip. The razor sharp blade is perfect for cutting flesh and thin cloth, not so good at cutting through anything armored or clashing with other blades.
■ Name
Moniker II
■ Weapon/tool type
Spear
■ Range
Short, but may be used as a projectile
■ Description
After her original Monicker spear was broken by Fujitora Choko, Tsukiko had it replaced with a new one made of steel rather than wood. Much sturdier at the cost of being slightly heavier, allowing her to block many weapons or attacks with it. Useful for both melee and ranged combat. Typically her go-to weapon of choice.
■ Name
Gut Knife
■ Weapon/tool type
Knife
■ Range
Very Short
■ Description
A hunting knife with a small hook on the back of the blade's tip, used for gutting and dressing recently killed prey. Not really used for combat, at all, but Tsukiko likes to hunt and she likes to eat meat. So she never leaves home without it. Also good for scaring people or violently interrogating bad guys.
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