Roach

Stranded - A Slice of Life Survival RP

Tentatively interested! I kind of miss having set RP deadlines to work around.

How to get to Hadestown

Lore Olympus is one of my favourite webcomics – I'd be super down for anything inspired by that.

The Runners - / Open - 5 spots only. CLOSED

@Enchanted Fairy

A rough character WIP, with the details conspicuously left vague to fit with later info. Excuse the typos, there be many.

Eddie

_{E D W A R D J . C O L E M A N, 1 8}

_{◀ J U S T E D D I E ▶}

---

background

Edward James Coleman (the Second) is an ‘oopsie-daisy’ firstborn of an insurance salesman and a nurse, eldest of four siblings with an alienating ten year gap between him and the next, and a microwave dinner kid since he was old enough to stand on a chair to reach the buttons. His dad came home at weekends and they had their father-son bonding experience over Gibsons and Fenders, and his mom trusted him with the empty house on the weekdays, during which he’d fend for himself and the pack of feral nine-year-olds he called friends.

This worked out just fine for Eddie and his mile-wide independent streak for a long time. Just over half his life so far, to be precise, before his parents decided to expand the family three times in a row now that they ‘had the resources for it’. Well, they may have had money, but they were just as short in time time for Leona, Taylor, and Alexa as they were for Eddie.

It didn’t start all at once. Dad went back to a job that gave next to no paternity leave, and Mom – itching to return to work – stumbled into three MLMs during her year off, and each one had her asking Eddie to please watch the kids for a night while she hosted some sales party or another. By the time Eddie left middle school, it was every night except Saturdays, and morning school runs, too. No surprises as to why his grades slipped stepping into high school.

Stressors outside of class beget problems inside. At times, Eddie was given serious warnings for unexplained absences, when all he was doing in that extra time was taking a little time to himself. Grabbing fast-food, going for joy-rides, sleeping in. Best was when he learned he had the ability to take his sisters out of school and cart them off to the park or the movies, whichever they preferred. Only the threat of being held back as a super senior prevented him from going mad with power, though he always has teetered on the edge of dropping out to get his GED later.

Not long ago, Eddie picked up a part-time job at a local family-owned restaurant to save up for college travel moving out something, banking on puppy-dog eyes to squeeze him in a few unsociable shifts. Not that sociability mattered to him anymore. In between juggling school, babysitting, homework and a little self-care, he dropped the ball on friends years prior. He told himself soon––soon he would leave this town and have plenty of time to find new ones.

Sooner than he thought.

likes & dislikes

❤️ Music

_{^{< Before the education system sucked the fun out of it, his primary interest was in music, and his dream was to be a musician. Even now, listening to it live is a luxury he works himself to the bone to keep. >}}

❤️ Family

_{^{< Even if his relationship with them is strained by responsibility, Eddie dearly loves his younger sisters, no matter how testing they can be. >}}

❤️ Cooking

_{^{< Not even the realities of a shitty part-time job in the industry can kill his love of the culinary arts. >}}

💔 Academics

_{^{< Attending school five days a week is so many hours he’ll never get back––not to mention it’s filled with teachers who just don't get that homework’s low on the list of priorities. >}}

💔 Caregiving

_{^{< Filial duty dictates that as the eldest, Eddie should respect his parents. Fine. But five years of unpaid babysitting – being a third parent – with no appreciation from them smarts more than a little. >}}

💔 Smoking

_{^{< Picked up from the guys at work. Eddie can appreciate that the nicotine calms the worst of his nerves, but it’s a filthy habit to keep and he’d stop it if he could. >}}

dreams

‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada’. Maybe it’s a cliché, maybe it’s a pipe-dream, but when Eddie imagines up-and-disappearing from his current life, he thinks of spending a week/month/year in Sin City. Somewhere he can make it in the entertainment world, or the restaurant industry, or win big in the casino, or get married to a stranger by a chunky Elvis. Or slip between the cracks without anyone noticing he was even there at all.

---

_{◀ FC: Chance Perdomo || HEX: dea380 ▶}

The Runners - / Open - 5 spots only. CLOSED

@Enchanted Fairy Twice a week works for me, though it might be a bit on the fast side. Should have a character ready in the next few days.

Is the RP starting off in any location in particular?

The Runners - / Open - 5 spots only. CLOSED

Interested!

Sentaku

_{@Hey Im Jordan @KZOMBI3}

In an ideal world, Mori slept well the night before his chunin exams, because he was a perfectly functional child soldier who didn’t feel the mounting weight of academic pressure squeezing all the air out of his lungs. Instead, after Iza had dozed and Karu was making a reasonable attempt at it, Mori just closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, all the while dreaming of what it would mean for him to graduate from the ranks of genin.

Pros: his arrangement with his clan and his country would continue as planned, and he would be on track to becoming the fuuinjutsu specialist of his wildest imagination.

Cons: his arrangement with his clan and his country would continue as planned, and he would go back to the Land of Whirlpools for an indefinite period of time, without a doubt leaving Team 3 behind. Dowsing that pesky Will of Fire that tried its damnest to rear up in his heart.

He kept adding conditions to his own future. He’d only disappear once he was a chunin was one of the first. He’d wait until Team 3 disbanded. He’d wait until Karu had achieved his Sharingan. He’d wait until Katsumi-sensei had taught them all they needed to know from her encyclopedia. Well, at that rate, he might as well as wait for them all to be married-with-children in a picturesque vision of adulthood, their dreams all achieved, except his.

Come morning he was no quieter than usual, careful to hide any lingering sense of doubt beneath respect for his team. Beneath duty –– and something much warmer. If he dozed off during the Hokage’s speech, well, it was fine. The Academy had taught him how to daydream with his eyes open, looking for all the world like he was listening intently to the content of a lecture.

Plus, she was Karu’s mom. And Mori practically lived in her house five nights a week. On the off-chance that he was caught out, forgiveness would surely come easily, right?

Tuning out Karu’s endless panicked babble, he answered his concerns silently in his head, waiting for a pause to answer that never came. ‘Lunch would most likely be after the test. You’ll be fine, you’re sensei’s favourite and you must have picked up something helpful in three years,’ and so on, until he directed them to split up, with special instructions to both himself and Iza.

“Summoning Princess Nurunuru would be a waste of chakra,” Mori said, staring down Karu’s retreating form, face blank. Absently, he noticed that Iza had already left, but he was fully committed now; if he had to explain the problems of this plan to an audience of one, himself, then he would. “The genin from other countries – our opponents – will see her, and will thus be able to plan accordingly if we ever come into conflict. That’s not even mentioning the fact that she hates being called for trivial tasks.”

But no matter how wasteful, how show-offish, how Kaminari the order was, he just let loose a long-suffering sigh and slit the tip of his thumb with the edge of a kunai.

One long-suffering kuchiyose no jutsu later, a blue-green slug slid over the floors of the auditorium. Obligingly, Mori knelt down to pick her up; a purely pragmatic move that delighted Nurunuru with his deference. In a chiming voice incongruous to her whole slimy everything, she said, “Lift me, peasant.” And he did, letting her slither up the sleeve of his hoodie to settle on his shoulder. “What do you require of your benevolent future-queen today?”

“This one would humbly ask for your aid with his reconnaissance of the room.”

“I refuse.” Mori began to make his way into the crowd anyway, careful not to jostle the slug on his shoulder. More than one would-be chūnin paid him a quizzical look as he passed them by, and one Iwa-nin even went so far as to scribble something down in a small pad. “To do so would debase me. I would lose all respect as a heiress–.”

He interrupted before her pitch and volume could increase even further. “Karu thought that Your Benevolence would be the best one for the job.”

“Oh. Well, that certainly changes my answer. Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Her eye-stalked wiggled an implication at him that was troubling to see, and the chakra within her pulsed, warming her ‘cheeks’ like a blush. “If young sir Kaminari believes that to be the best course of action, then of course, I will oblige him. Onwards, steed!”

Not for the first time, Mori wondered if he was really the summoner here – or indeed, if he should have ever signed the contract in the first place.

Nurunuru whispered in his ear superficial information about people of note as he walked towards the commotion. She could, in fact, be quiet when she wanted to be, but she only wanted to be when she had Karu’s appreciation as a carrot on a stick. Of those she pointed out, she recognised a few nin on the older side of genin, as well as a lone shinobi from Mist who glared at anyone whose eyes made contact with his eerie gaze, and a kunoichi from Suna who played with a set of scrolls so worn they were fraying at the edges.

After that, before he could stop her, she began to comment on those Mori actually knew. His classmates. In no world did he need a second opinion on Shirou’s adorability, Kanehara’s rugged masculinity, or the Hinoiki cousins’ edibility – whatever that meant.

“Will young sir Kaminari be pleased with my services rendered?” she asked when they circled back around.

“I’m– I mean, this one is sure he will be.” Mori paused as he caught a glimpse of the conflict on the other side of the room, one that Iza had firmly planted herself in the middle of. He made a noise in the back of his throat, the progeny of a groan and a sigh. “Although, he would surely appreciate it if Your Beauticiousness would so kindly stick around to help in case of injury. Perhaps he would even appreciate it so much that he might reward you with a kiss.”

“Hohoho, a kiss! How scandalous that would be; I could never accept it from such a rogue!” She wibbled and wobbled as she giggled, until her voice dropped into a thoughtful whisper, “Unless...”

Okay, maybe Mori did have a spike of mischief in him. Blame Hirameki.

Sentaku

_{@Haruharara @Bee}

In the shadow of the eastern wall, the Sekiguchi Clan’s compound lay still, serene, and sedate. Dawn lit up their sprawling rock garden in blue-grey hues, and though beyond the gate Konoha was reluctantly stirring, the same could not be said of the shinobi residing within. To be Sekiguchi was to be lacking in ambition and energy. They were not Kaminari, related to the Hokage and thus recipient to the missions that sent them on top-secret, faraway missions at first light. Instead, their routine was marked in backshifts and second jobs, dull as dishwater.

But Suzuhime was not one hundred percent Sekiguchi. One half of her blood hailed from the Land of Tea, the part that brought her milk-blonde hair and delicate complexion. That same part was to blame for her lack of sleep, and was the reason why she swung her legs out of bed and plodded downstairs like a girl ready to face her own execution.

Dad would sleep through his own execution. Worries didn’t seem to gnaw a hole in his stomach as it did hers. They flooded her thoughts, whispering and chanting that there was a chance she would end up like him, a jonin with no record of any special accomplishment, or her cousins, who peaked as chūnin in their twenties, or worse – worse than any of her family had ever been – an eternal genin.

It was her firm belief that you weren’t really a ninja yet if all you took were D-Rank missions.

Though she thought she was the only one awake in the house, the sliding door that led out into the garden from the dining room was left ajar. There was no chance that a family of shinobi would leave it unsecured at night – not even hers. She brushed it aside, careful not to make the faintest creak. Sitting on the bench outside was a woman in a meditative pose was her mother, milk-blonde hair braided but still long enough to brush against the grass.

Suzuhime watched the rise and fall of her mother’s breath from the doorway. It sometimes scared civilians to realise that their Academy-trained children had the ability to kill them without them ever knowing they were there, but Suzuhime still made sure her footsteps made no sound as she approached. It was good practice for later. There was no doubt in her mind that stealth would be paramount in the chūnin exams, as important as aim and chakra control.

Just when she was about to reach the bushes behind the bench, there was a flash of intent behind her that rang alarm bells in her head. Rolling into a crouch, a fan of kunai were in her hand in a second––

“And just what are my two darling princesses doing up so early?”

An arm snaked around her torso and hoisted her up into the air before she could do anything to block it. Less taijutsu, more dad-jutsu, always effective. Suzuhime’s father was a tall, broad man with wine-coloured eyes, a Sekiguchi inheritance. He was earnest in his appreciation and outrageous when showing it, and like her mother, Suzuhime had mastered rolling her eyes at his antics many, many years ago.

“Husband,” her mother greeted. Her warmth was hidden behind an icy front, impossible to see unless you knew where to look. As it was, the frost in her eyes was light and reflected her mirth. “Perhaps you should put dear Suzuhime down. It’s the first day of the chūnin exams, is it not?”

He dropped her without warning, but like a cat, Suzuhime twisted around to land on her feet.

“The chūnin exams, eh?” he asked, as if he hadn’t even known they were happening. That seemed unlikely, given it was all anyone in the village had been talking about for months. “I still remember mine – good times, good times.”

“Didn’t you lose yours, Dad?”

A sheepish smile played at the corners of his lips. “Well, yes, but it was a near thing. Damn Ōkashi. I received a promotion not long after that –– and then I was sent on the mission where I stole the heart of your mother, with flowers, and presents, and a lot of dancing… you could say.”

“You know that I'm old enough to know what that means, right? Euphemism or not.” Suzuhime wrinkled her nose at that. “I don’t think I need to hear about that bit.”

“No, don’t go yet! I made you a special breakfast,” he said, tugging on her arm to guide her back inside the house towards the kitchen. ‘Special breakfast’ sounded like something for a toddler, not a teenage trained killer, but the moment Suzuhime looked upon the kitchen table she saw plates piled high with sweet foods. The only thing ‘breakfast’ about it were the pancakes drenched in syrup, to say nothing of the cakes and pastries littering every available surface.

A confused noise escaped her. Her dad wiped the back of his neck, abashed, and in the growing light of the morning, the shadows under his eyes looked even more pronounced than usual. “I may have made too much, but it’s a momentous occasion! My little girl finally growing up to be the strong kunoichi I always wanted to be.”

“You wanted to be a strong kunoichi?”

“Eat your breakfast.”

By the time Suzuhime left the compound, stuffed full of everything sugary that she could eat (with leftovers in a neatly-wrapped bento for lunch), the sun was already high in the sky. So much for being early to settle her nerves. She rejected her father’s offer to walk her to the examination centre where genin from all the countries would be gathered, and figured that it was his privilege as a jonin to watch from the rooftops after giving her a few minutes headstart.

Settling into a comfortable position on the outskirts of the room, she looked around through her thick fringe at her colleagues, as well as those she hoped would not become her enemy. A true wallflower, petrified of the middle of the room.

The Hokage began her speech when she was halfway around the edge, sandwiched between a squad of lithe Suna-nin and what felt like an ocean from Kumo as they shuffled around. One jeered at her as she ducked around him, cementing the idea that they were truly willing to be her opposition in the test to come. Even so, she could not imagine those from her graduating class – her own village, Yachiyo and Iza and the rest – to be her enemies. Her allegiances started with Team 10 but they did not end there.

Glimpsing her tiniest teammate leaving the crowd out of the corner of her eye, she let loose a sigh of relief and began to forge towards her.

“Kurimi – finally – thank goodness! I’m sorry… I got here so late, I was worried I’d never find you,” she said, dipping in and out of an apologetic bow. It was difficult to tell sometimes how to best appease the Mochi girl with how tightly she held her cards close to her chest. Suzuhime could not tell what was wrong, but she could have sworn she heard her growling. “Where is Usagi?”

Sentaku

Sekiguchi Suzuhime

_{“My dream is to– is to– um... it would be impolite to speak of in such company.”}

_{N A M E}

Sekiguchi Suzuhime (寿々姫)
"People call me Hime sometimes. But I don't– I mean to say that I would prefer... It's fine."

_{A G E}

Fourteen

_{C L A N}

Sekiguchi

_{S E X U A L I T Y}

Bisexual

_{B L O O D T Y P E}

O+

_{H E I G H T}

5'3"

_{E Y E S}

Red

_{H A I R}

Blonde

_{H E A D B A N D P L A C E M E N T}

Head

_{C H A K R A N A T U R E}

Katon | Fire

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

▲ Polite
▲ Bookish
▲ Creative
▼ Prim
▼ Prudish
▼ Shy

_{P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y}

About a year before Suzuhime was born, at the tail-end of the war, a plucky chūnin from Konoha was tasked with an away-mission in the Land of Tea, guarding the daimyō and his family from those that would seek to do them harm. While there, said chūnin saw little-to-no combat, and had the time to, well, drink tea at his leisure, and sit in on poetry evenings, and fall deeply in love with the daimyō's daughter. But alas! They were destined to ever be apart, for he was just a scrappy ninja with no claim to fame, and she was a great name.

Three disastrous midnight rendezvous and one assassination attempt later, the man who would become Suzuhime's father (and probably already was at that point, with how the dates work out) was granted permission to court her. By the time the war ended, the Sekiguchi Clan welcomed two new members: one civilian who undeniably married down, and the other an infant Suzuhime.

Suzuhime always knew she would become a ninja, because she wanted a hideously romantic story of her own, and ninja like her father always had the best ones. Studious in the Academy, retrieving high marks in the written exams, she favoured ninjutsu and tactics over any kind of flat-out attacking. Though she struggled and stuttered her way through group activities, she had no such trouble while under a henge, pretending to be someone else; or when taking over someone's body, pretending to be someone else... There might be a trend there.

Life as a genin has treated her kindly so far, and her beloved teammates have brought her out of her shell somewhat – and have been the recipients of Too Many Baked Goods – but it's never too late to huddle back inside it and hide.

_{C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T & C O N C E P T U A L I Z A T I O N}

• To eventually become a top-tier infiltration or R&I specialist.
• Personality-wise, going from demure and un-confident all the way through to sweet and scary.
• Romance, definitely.

_{T A L E N T S}

Infiltration & Disguise: Suzuhime has a knack for the Body Tranformation Jutsu, and can do uncanny impressions after only a few minutes of observation.
Clan Techniques: The Sekiguchi Clan has its own secret techniques. Of those, Suzuhime has learned the Mind-Body Switch Technique and is working to put her own signature spin on it. In time, she hopes to master many of the others, allowing her to connect with her teammates over great distances.
Strategy & Tactics: Suzuhime has great awareness and though she doesn't know it yet, she is able to think quickly under pressure to devise plans and identify weaknesses of her opponents.

_{T O O L S}

• Senbon
• Wrist-Mounted Senbon Launcher
• Paralytic Poison
• Ninja Wire
• Kunai

_{T E C H N I Q U E S}

_{C R A N K}

• Mind Body Switch Technique

_{D R A N K}

• Temporary Paralysis Technique

_{E R A N K}

• (Tasteful) Sexy Technique

_{K E K K A I G E N K A I}

N/A

_{S U M M O N I N G J U T S U}

Ninken, but later...

Tokuyama Morihito

_{“My dream is to not bring shame to my family.”}

_{N A M E}

Tokuyama Morihito (衛仁)
"Mori."

_{A G E}

Fourteen

_{C L A N}

Tokuyama

_{S E X U A L I T Y}

Pansexual

_{B L O O D T Y P E}

B-

_{H E I G H T}

5'8"

_{E Y E S}

Grey

_{H A I R}

Brown & Undercut

_{H E A D B A N D P L A C E M E N T}

Head

_{C H A K R A N A T U R E}

Suiton | Water

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

▲ Steadfast
▲ Gentle
▲ Deadpan
▼ Pessimistic
▼ Workaholic
▼ Self-Effacing

_{P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y}

Proud. Elitist. Traditional. The Tokuyama Clan from the Land of Whirlpools are as well known for their eccentricities as they are their talent for fūinjutsu. While they are not a small clan, only a few are permitted by the Head to attend Uzushiogakure's Academy – those most likely to succeed and do their name justice. Fewer still are allowed to train under the masters and learn the techniques passed down in an unbroken line from their ancestors.

Tokuyama Morihito did not make the cut. Though he came from a minor branch, he was eager to learn, enthusiastic about becoming a ninja and diligent in his approach to learning, but he did not show as much promise as his cousins and so was cast aside. He could have had a career in records, perhaps in research if he was keen. There was no shame in this outcome (on paper), but it did cut short the chance of living up to his parents aspirations for him.

That was unacceptable.

One option remained open to them, however. Uzushiogakure had a long-standing positive relationship with Konoha, even more so since their alliance held fast during the war. Some had in recent times been offered conditional citizenship, parting on good terms with their home country to study in the other. Morihito's family spent a year petitioning the various authorities, and in the end, it was granted to them –– to him, in fact.

If it took training in another country and serving another village to prove he was worthy of his family's techniques, then so be it. Morihito moved to Konoha (with his civilian parents, initially) and threw his entire being into becoming a ninja worthy of respect. Strangely, though he was in an entirely new land, with new people and new cultures, it did not feel as off-putting as it could have been. His new home just... fit him, and comfortably at that.

Having friends seemed to help with that. Maybe one did not have to be from there to understand the Will of Fire.

A consequence of that is that Morihito is now a ninja caught between worlds. His mind is focused on staying true to his name and becoming a Tokuyama fūinjutsu expert; his heart wants him to learn those skills for Konoha, and more importantly, his friends.

_{C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T & C O N C E P T U A L I Z A T I O N}

• Mastering fūinjutsu and possibly summoning, getting some of those good high tier moves in.
• Interactions with a (non-destroyed) Land of Whirlpools and the less than stellar family he left behind.
• Chakra healing via sacrificing his own life force and all that angst.
• Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!

_{T A L E N T S}

Fūinjutsu: Morihito has a natural talent for sealing techniques, a trait that is not uncommon in the Land of Whirlpools. What was 'average at best' there is much more than that in Konoha, and since leaving his homeland, he has honed his craft even further through self-study.

Large Chakra Reserves: The Tokuyama Clan have no overt bloodline limits but do share an incredible vitality, though one that is harder to control than most. It is easy to put too much or too little of oneself into a technique, but they can keep going a long time without running out of juice.

Chakra Healing: One possible reason for their overlarge chakra pools, some Tokuyama ninja can burn their own chakra to heal wounds faster, or can even push it outside their own bodies to heal others. This comes with great risk for the inexperienced, as it can leave them weakened, bring them close to death, or even kill them outright.

_{T O O L S}

• Shuriken
• Kunai
• Explosive Tags
• Sealing Scrolls

_{T E C H N I Q U E S}

_{C R A N K}

• Summoning Technique

_{D R A N K}

• Enclosing Technique
• "Pocket Seal"
• Sealing Tag Barrier

_{E R A N K}

• Watch Your Steps!

_{K E K K A I G E N K A I}

N/A

_{S U M M O N I N G J U T S U}

_{A N I M A L}
• Slug

_{N A M E}
• Nurunuru

_{A P P E A R A N C E}
• A medium-sized slug about the size of a genin's forearm, blue-green in colour. She secretes a sweet-smelling ointment in her slime.

Kaminari Kenshin

_{“My dream is to see my cute little genin team grow up to become Hokage, of course. Yes, all three of them––they can share the hat, can't they?”}

_{N A M E}

Kaminari Kenshin (顕信)
"Just call me Sensei, please."

_{A G E}

Twenty-Eight

_{C L A N}

Kaminari Clan

_{S E X U A L I T Y}

Bisexual

_{B L O O D T Y P E}

AB+

_{H E I G H T}

5'11"

_{E Y E S}

Blue

_{H A I R}

Blonde & Scruffy

_{H E A D B A N D P L A C E M E N T}

Head

_{C H A K R A N A T U R E}

Raiton | Lightning
Yin | Dark

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

▲ Mellow
▲ Observant
▲ Patient
▼ Disobedient
▼ Evasive
▼ Sentimental

_{P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y}

Born into the Kaminari Clan, Kenshin was taught loyalty to his village at the same time as he learned to walk and talk. If there was ever any doubt that he was his father’s son, it was wiped out as soon as he learned such a thing as “fighting words” and how to use them to provoke the neighbourhood children into training with him, with sticks as kunai and pebbles as shuriken. It was inevitable that he would enter the Academy, if not because of his nature, then because of the war brewing on the horizon.

Fortunately, the desire to please was well engrained in him, and nothing pleased his parents more than becoming a well-respected ninja like his brother, Satoshi. Though he could never quite reach the same level. Satoshi was one of those so-called prodigies, who picked up techniques like a sponge and graduated at a perilously young age. Not to mention, he was completely willing to share with his little brother any technique that he could perform himself. Naturally, Kenshin idolised him – even if top-secret ANBU missions called him away from the village more often than not.

As they always have and always will, the Kaminari Clan fought for Konoha and were bled dry for it during the war. Entire branches of their family tree were rendered extinct over the course of it. Kenshin graduated directly from the Academy into the war, and before his first year was up, he and his genin team (Itō Shion and [Unnamed]) had been in enough stressful, life-threatening situations for his own Sharingan to surface. He received a field promotion to chūnin shortly thereafter and was separated from them; however, he never could fully escape Shion's orbit for very long.

During one operation in Suna, his squad at the time were snagged in a trap set by ninja far above their paygrade. A mission was arranged by the Hokage to reclaim Kenshin the moment intelligence reported back, as the Sharingan falling into enemy hands would be truly devastating. An ANBU team were called in – of course, with Satoshi leading the mission – and though both of the brothers made it home to Konoha, only one made it alive. The Kaminari Clan was never quite the same after such a great loss, in Kenshin's eyes.

In the aftermath of the war came a time of both celebration and mourning. He spent a brief stint teaching at the Academy while he was still a chūnin, and he thinks fondly of that time when he had found a calling. Orders from above claimed it would be a waste of his combat prowess, and even in peace-times there was always work to do, but he became mighty spiteful in the months following his reassignment. Of course, at the same time a stork brought his parents another son, little Hikaru, in the post-war baby boom, to everyone's surprise. Kenshin accepted a further promotion to jōnin (but emphatically rejected ANBU training to stay close to family) and spent much of the following years establishing a reputation for himself.

Taking on a genin squad was not his idea, but his mother's – and less of an idea and more of an order at that. It took about a month for Kenshin to realise that it wasn't stupid, and ever so slightly longer to see it for the enriching and semi-nostalgic experience that it is.

_{C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T & C O N C E P T U A L I Z A T I O N}

• Dealing with three unruly genin & supporting their respective character development.
• Getting to use the MS when it's cool and apropos but not before that because of vague reasons.
• He will hopefully get to see his genin squad become respectable comrades (or even enemies hohohoho).
• Half-fluff, half-angst with his younger brother Hikaru.
• Please let this man retire.

_{S Q U A D N U M B E R}

7

_{T E A M M A T E S}

• Hinoiki Yosuke, 13

Progress Report

.

Hinoki is an exemplary genin and more samurai than ninja a credit to both sides of his heritage. The mindset of continuous growth and self-improvement is not often found in recent graduates from the Academy, and his is a reminder that prodigies are made as much as they are born.

His individual skill is excellent for his age. Time will tell if he can form closer bonds with his team, and the exams will offer ample opportunities where that individual skill cannot triumph alone.

In a few years, sooner rather than later, Yosuke will become one of the best kenjutsu specialists in Konoha, of that I have no doubt. At his current rate of progress, he will soon outgrow anything I have to teach him in that field. If we as a village do not cultivate his skill, I worry that he will turn elsewhere. His clan have not done enough.

☑ READY FOR EXAMINATION

• Nekomata Asami, 13

Progress Report

.

Nekomata is a free-spirited kunoichi whose nature is difficult to pin down. While this is frustrating as a mentor, it will surely serve her well in this occupation. Though genin have few opportunities to show off their infiltration skills, I have reason to believe hers would be the top of their class. Even I can't work out what she's thinking half the time.

I must disagree with the Academy instructors who described her as a nightmare to work with. Yes, Asami and her cat Kuroo are at times reticent, with a tendency to wander ahead on missions – reminds me of someone I know... – however, her work ethic is not as poor it seems. She has certainly clocked the same amount of training hours as her teammates, just on her own time.

Perhaps in the future we will see her take the dangerous path of the solo shinobi. At times it feels as if she would rather work without a team. Should she ask for my advice, I would nudge her in the direction of ANBU training. Keep an eye on this one in the exams.

☑ READY FOR EXAMINATION

• Shunji Hirameki, 13

Progress Report

.

As someone who is acquainted with his parents, it is clear that young Hirameki has been influenced by both of their ideals, for better and for worse. I have no complaints as to his work ethic, and he has the awareness to work on his weak spots, not just his talents. His genjutsu is already ahead of the curve, and before too long he will be ready to learn more advanced ninjutsu techniques to support it.

I cannot believe that I'm saying this but Team 7 would not be the same without Shunji in it. His attitude towards the ninja lifestyle may at times be blasé, but he brings a sense of levity to what would otherwise be a too-serious group.

Time may smooth out his rough edges, but until then I believe that the rigors of the exams are the next best thing. I believe he will be a terrible good influence on his teammates.

☑ READY FOR EXAMINATION

_{T A L E N T S}

Ninjutsu Specialist: Kenshin has learned many techniques and copied many more in his time via the Sharingan, often from their own masters. For that reason, he is considered an expert in this area – and is just beginning to scratch the surface in creating his own from scratch.

Kenjutsu Dabbler: While he is not someone who has or will ever dedicate their entire life to kenjutsu, Kenshin began to practice with swords as a chūnin to better spar with his peers. He imbues his blade with lightning chakra for an edge, . More importantly, he's confident in his abilities enough to teach them to others.

Teaching: Once, Kenshin's dream job (after becoming a ninja) was to teach at the Academy, and he does have a good nature for it. He has a knack for explaining complex techniques in so simple a manner that even genin can understand, shows insight into places for improvement even in skills he is not an expert in himself, and ultimately he enjoys seeing his students improve by leaps and bounds.

_{T O O L S}

• Ninjatō
• Ninja Wire
• Basic Tools & Scrolls

_{T E C H N I Q U E S}

_{S R A N K}

• Tsukuyomi

_{A R A N K}

• Dance of the Crescent Moon*
• Lightning Release: Shadow Clone Technique
• Chidori

_{B R A N K}

• Shadow Clone Technique
• Lightning Release Chakra Mode
• Wind Release: Vacuum Wave*
• Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall*
• Flying Swallow

_{C R A N K}

• Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang
• Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop
• Healing Technique*

_{D R A N K}

• Body Flicker Technique
• Many more...

_{* - Copied and learnt via Sharingan.}

_{K E K K A I G E N K A I}

_{N A M E}

• Sharingan

_{A B I L I T I E S}

• "Eye of Insight", which allows the user to perceive things in minute detail and incredible speed, at its best allowing for the precise copying of an opponent's techniques.
• "Eye of Hypnotism", which allows the user to utilise the Sharingan-associated genjutsu to deceive and coerce targets into giving up information, confuse them in combat, and so on.

_{A P P E A R A N C E}

• Standard three-tomoe Sharingan. Mangekyō is unlocked but has not been activated, looks as pictured.

Sentaku

Kaminari Kenshin

_{“My dream is to see my cute little genin team grow up to become Hokage, of course. Yes, all three of them––they can share the hat, can't they?”}

_{N A M E}

Kaminari Kenshin (顕信)
"Just call me Sensei, please."

_{A G E}

Twenty-Seven

_{C L A N}

Kaminari Clan

_{S E X U A L I T Y}

Bisexual

_{B L O O D T Y P E}

AB+

_{H E I G H T}

5'11"

_{E Y E S}

Blue

_{H A I R}

Blonde & Scruffy

_{H E A D B A N D P L A C E M E N T}

Head

_{C H A K R A N A T U R E}

Raiton | Lightning
Yin | Dark

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

▲ Mellow
▲ Observant
▲ Patient
▼ Disobedient
▼ Evasive
▼ Sentimental

_{P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y}

Born into the Kaminari Clan, Kenshin was taught loyalty to his village at the same time as he learned to walk and talk. If there was ever any doubt that he was his father’s son, it was wiped out as soon as he learned such a thing as “fighting words” and how to use them to provoke the neighbourhood children into training with him, with sticks as kunai and pebbles as shuriken. It was inevitable that he would enter the Academy, if not because of his nature, then because of the war brewing on the horizon.

Fortunately, the desire to please was well engrained in him, and nothing pleased his parents more than becoming a well-respected ninja like his brother, Satoshi. Though he could never quite reach the same level. Satoshi was one of those so-called prodigies, who picked up techniques like a sponge and graduated at a perilously young age. Not to mention, he was completely willing to share with his little brother any technique that he could perform himself. Naturally, Kenshin idolised him – even if top-secret ANBU missions called him away from the village more often than not.

As they always have and always will, the Kaminari Clan fought for Konoha and were bled dry for it during the war. Entire branches of their family tree were rendered extinct over the course of it. Kenshin graduated directly from the Academy into the war, and before his first year was up, he and his genin team (Itō Shion and [Unnamed]) had been in enough stressful, life-threatening situations for his own Sharingan to surface. He received a field promotion to chūnin shortly thereafter and was separated from them; however, he never could fully escape Shion's orbit for very long.

During one operation in Suna, his squad at the time were snagged in a trap set by ninja far above their paygrade. A mission was arranged by the Hokage to reclaim Kenshin the moment intelligence reported back, as the Sharingan falling into enemy hands would be truly devastating. An ANBU team were called in – of course, with Satoshi leading the mission – and though both of the brothers made it home to Konoha, only one made it alive. The Kaminari Clan was never quite the same after such a great loss, in Kenshin's eyes.

In the aftermath of the war came a time of both celebration and mourning. He spent a brief stint teaching at the Academy while he was still a chūnin, and he thinks fondly of that time when he had found a calling. Orders from above claimed it would be a waste of his combat prowess, and even in peace-times there was always work to do, but he became mighty spiteful in the months following his reassignment. Of course, at the same time a stork brought his parents another son, little Hikaru, in the post-war baby boom, to everyone's surprise. Kenshin accepted a further promotion to jōnin (but emphatically rejected ANBU training to stay close to family) and spent much of the following years establishing a reputation for himself.

Taking on a genin squad was not his idea, but his mother's – and less of an idea and more of an order at that. It took about a month for Kenshin to realise that it wasn't stupid, and ever so slightly longer to see it for the enriching and semi-nostalgic experience that it is.

_{C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T & C O N C E P T U A L I Z A T I O N}

• Dealing with three unruly genin & supporting their respective character development.
• Getting to use the MS when it's cool and apropos but not before that because of vague reasons.
• He will hopefully get to see his genin squad become respectable comrades (or even enemies hohohoho).
• Half-fluff, half-angst with his younger brother Hikaru.
• Please let this man retire.

_{S Q U A D N U M B E R}

7

_{T E A M M A T E S}

• Hinoiki Yosuke - 13 - Thoughts
• Ōkashi Yachiyo - 14 - Thoughts
• Shunji Hirameki - 13 - Thoughts and prayers

_{T A L E N T S}

Ninjutsu Specialist: Kenshin has learned many techniques and copied many more in his time via the Sharingan, often from their own masters. For that reason, he is considered an expert in this area – and is just beginning to scratch the surface in creating his own from scratch.

Kenjutsu Dabbler: While he is not someone who has or will ever dedicate their entire life to kenjutsu, Kenshin began to practice with swords as a chūnin to better spar with his peers. He imbues his blade with lightning chakra for an edge, . More importantly, he's confident in his abilities enough to teach them to others.

Teaching: Once, Kenshin's dream job (after becoming a ninja) was to teach at the Academy, and he does have a good nature for it. He has a knack for explaining complex techniques in so simple a manner that even genin can understand, shows insight into places for improvement even in skills he is not an expert in himself, and ultimately he enjoys seeing his students improve by leaps and bounds.

_{T O O L S}

• Ninjatō
• Ninja Wire
• Basic Tools & Scrolls

_{T E C H N I Q U E S}

_{S R A N K}

• Tsukuyomi

_{A R A N K}

• Dance of the Crescent Moon*
• Lightning Release: Shadow Clone Technique
• Chidori

_{B R A N K}

• Shadow Clone Technique
• Lightning Release Chakra Mode
• Wind Release: Vacuum Wave*
• Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall*
• Flying Swallow

_{C R A N K}

• Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang
• Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop
• Healing Technique*

_{D R A N K}

• Body Flicker Technique
• Many more...

_{* - Copied and learnt via Sharingan.}

_{K E K K A I G E N K A I}

_{N A M E}

• Sharingan

_{A B I L I T I E S}

• "Eye of Insight", which allows the user to perceive things in minute detail and incredible speed, at its best allowing for the precise copying of an opponent's techniques.
• "Eye of Hypnotism", which allows the user to utilise the Sharingan-associated genjutsu to deceive and coerce targets into giving up information, confuse them in combat, and so on.

_{A P P E A R A N C E}

• Standard three-tomoe Sharingan. Mangekyō is unlocked but has not been activated, looks as pictured.

Sentaku

Sekiguchi Suzuhime

_{“My dream is to– is to– um... it would be impolite to speak of in such company.”}

_{N A M E}

Sekiguchi Suzuhime (寿々姫)
"People call me Hime sometimes. But I don't– I mean to say that I would prefer... It's fine."

_{A G E}

Fourteen

_{C L A N}

Sekiguchi

_{S E X U A L I T Y}

Bisexual

_{B L O O D T Y P E}

O+

_{H E I G H T}

5'3"

_{E Y E S}

Red

_{H A I R}

Blonde

_{H E A D B A N D P L A C E M E N T}

Head

_{C H A K R A N A T U R E}

Katon | Fire

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

▲ Polite
▲ Bookish
▲ Creative
▼ Prim
▼ Prudish
▼ Shy

_{P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y}

About a year before Suzuhime was born, at the tail-end of the war, a plucky chūnin from Konoha was tasked with an away-mission in the Land of Tea, guarding the daimyō and his family from those that would seek to do them harm. While there, said chūnin saw little-to-no combat, and had the time to, well, drink tea at his leisure, and sit in on poetry evenings, and fall deeply in love with the daimyō's daughter. But alas! They were destined to ever be apart, for he was just a scrappy ninja with no claim to fame, and she was a great name.

Three disastrous midnight rendezvous and one assassination attempt later, the man who would become Suzuhime's father (and probably already was at that point, with how the dates work out) was granted permission to court her. By the time the war ended, the Sekiguchi Clan welcomed two new members: one civilian who undeniably married down, and the other an infant Suzuhime.

Suzuhime always knew she would become a ninja, because she wanted a hideously romantic story of her own, and ninja like her father always had the best ones. Studious in the Academy, retrieving high marks in the written exams, she favoured ninjutsu and tactics over any kind of flat-out attacking. Though she struggled and stuttered her way through group activities, she had no such trouble while under a henge, pretending to be someone else; or when taking over someone's body, pretending to be someone else... There might be a trend there.

Life as a genin has treated her kindly so far, and her beloved teammates have brought her out of her shell somewhat – and have been the recipients of Too Many Baked Goods – but it's never too late to huddle back inside it and hide.

_{C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T & C O N C E P T U A L I Z A T I O N}

• To eventually become a top-tier infiltration or R&I specialist.
• Personality-wise, going from demure and un-confident all the way through to sweet and scary.
• Romance, definitely.

_{T A L E N T S}

Infiltration & Disguise: Suzuhime has a knack for the Body Tranformation Jutsu, and can do uncanny impressions after only a few minutes of observation.
Clan Techniques: The Sekiguchi Clan has its own secret techniques. Of those, Suzuhime has learned the Mind-Body Switch Technique and is working to put her own signature spin on it. In time, she hopes to master many of the others, allowing her to connect with her teammates over great distances.
Strategy & Tactics: Suzuhime has great awareness and though she doesn't know it yet, she is able to think quickly under pressure to devise plans and identify weaknesses of her opponents.

_{T O O L S}

• Senbon
• Wrist-Mounted Senbon Launcher
• Paralytic Poison
• Ninja Wire
• Kunai

_{T E C H N I Q U E S}

_{C R A N K}

• Mind Body Switch Technique

_{D R A N K}

• Temporary Paralysis Technique

_{E R A N K}

• (Tasteful) Sexy Technique

_{K E K K A I G E N K A I}

N/A

_{S U M M O N I N G J U T S U}

Nindogs, but later...

Tokuyama Morihito

_{“My dream is to not bring shame to my family.”}

_{N A M E}

Tokuyama Morihito (衛仁)
"Mori."

_{A G E}

Fourteen

_{C L A N}

Tokuyama

_{S E X U A L I T Y}

Pansexual

_{B L O O D T Y P E}

B-

_{H E I G H T}

5'8"

_{E Y E S}

Grey

_{H A I R}

Brown & Undercut

_{H E A D B A N D P L A C E M E N T}

Head

_{C H A K R A N A T U R E}

Suiton | Water

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

▲ Steadfast
▲ Gentle
▲ Deadpan
▼ Pessimistic
▼ Workaholic
▼ Self-Effacing

_{P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y}

Proud. Elitist. Traditional. The Tokuyama Clan from the Land of Whirlpools are as well known for their eccentricities as they are their talent for fūinjutsu. While they are not a small clan, only a few are permitted by the Head to attend Uzushiogakure's Academy – those most likely to succeed and do their name justice. Fewer still are allowed to train under the masters and learn the techniques passed down in an unbroken line from their ancestors.

Tokuyama Morihito did not make the cut. Though he came from a minor branch, he was eager to learn, enthusiastic about becoming a ninja and diligent in his approach to learning, but he did not show as much promise as his cousins and so was cast aside. He could have had a career in records, perhaps in research if he was keen. There was no shame in this outcome (on paper), but it did cut short the chance of living up to his parents aspirations for him.

That was unacceptable.

One option remained open to them, however. Uzushiogakure had a long-standing positive relationship with Konoha, even more so since their alliance held fast during the war. Some had in recent times been offered conditional citizenship, parting on good terms with their home country to study in the other. Morihito's family spent a year petitioning the various authorities, and in the end, it was granted to them –– to him, in fact.

If it took training in another country and serving another village to prove he was worthy of his family's techniques, then so be it. Morihito moved to Konoha (with his civilian parents, initially) and threw his entire being into becoming a ninja worthy of respect. Strangely, though he was in an entirely new land, with new people and new cultures, it did not feel as off-putting as it could have been. His new home just... fit him, and comfortably at that.

Having friends seemed to help with that. Maybe one did not have to be from there to understand the Will of Fire.

A consequence of that is that Morihito is now a ninja caught between worlds. His mind is focused on staying true to his name and becoming a Tokuyama fūinjutsu expert; his heart wants him to learn those skills for Konoha, and more importantly, his friends.

_{C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T & C O N C E P T U A L I Z A T I O N}

• Mastering fūinjutsu and possibly summoning, getting some of those good high tier moves in.
• Interactions with a (non-destroyed) Land of Whirlpools and the less than stellar family he left behind.
• Chakra healing via sacrificing his own life force and all that angst.
• Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!

_{T A L E N T S}

Fūinjutsu: Morihito has a natural talent for sealing techniques, a trait that is not uncommon in the Land of Whirlpools. What was 'average at best' there is much more than that in Konoha, and since leaving his homeland, he has honed his craft even further through self-study.

Large Chakra Reserves: The Tokuyama Clan have no overt bloodline limits but do share an incredible vitality, though one that is harder to control than most. It is easy to put too much or too little of oneself into a technique, but they can keep going a long time without running out of juice.

Chakra Healing: One possible reason for their overlarge chakra pools, some Tokuyama ninja can burn their own chakra to heal wounds faster, or can even push it outside their own bodies to heal others. This comes with great risk for the inexperienced, as it can leave them weakened, bring them close to death, or even kill them outright.

_{T O O L S}

• Shuriken
• Kunai
• Explosive Tags
• Sealing Scrolls

_{T E C H N I Q U E S}

_{C R A N K}

• Summoning Technique

_{D R A N K}

• Enclosing Technique
• "Pocket Seal"
• Sealing Tag Barrier

_{E R A N K}

• Watch Your Steps!

_{K E K K A I G E N K A I}

N/A

_{S U M M O N I N G J U T S U}

_{A N I M A L}
• Slug

_{N A M E}
• Nurunuru

_{A P P E A R A N C E}
• A medium-sized slug about the size of a genin's forearm, blue-green in colour. She secretes a sweet-smelling ointment in her slime.