Tuujaimaa

Naruto: Birth of a Better Generation

"If you had carried it around every day for ten years, you would be able to lift it too, Kami-sensei." Shira replied, thrusting it forwards so that she could take the massive weapon. If Kami's point was to prove that Shira was stronger than most people by virtue of being used to the weight, the method she was currently attempting was not going to be successful - holding Unmei no Chikara was not about strength of body. Holding the ancestral glaive was as much about knowing how to hold it as well as being used to its weight, it was about a deep understanding of the way in which they were forged and of the burden that you were taking up. To hold Unmei no Chikara was to hold the history of everyone who had ever held it before in your hands, to hold a weapon that had seen every war since the first, and to hold the legacy of hundreds upon thousands of people close to your heart. The Power of Fate was not something to be taken up lightly - something Kami would learn - but it would not prove her point. Wielding the glaive required knowledge and time, not something as mundane as strength.

"I was in the war, Kami-sensei. That is why I hold the title of Warbringer. Warbringer Shira, Master of the Flag. Please understand that I am confident in what I can do, and that I have used my skills in true war before - I am just more aware of my limits than others may be. The future is an unknown, so it is my responsibility to guide it towards the ideal. As a Warbringer of the Hataga, I am to ensure that my future is one of warfare, and in order to ensure that I must grow stronger. I must become more than I am, and that is where I am in need of you, Kami-sensei. As for Sai's family... That isn't something I have to worry about, Kami-sensei. My immediate family are dead, and the remainder of the Hataga are honour-bound to war - if I am to be killed by what I could call my family, it will be the purest death possible, and I will welcome it." Shira added, taking on a grave tone of her own as she did so. The pair seemed to be concrete in their beliefs, and while Kami was trying to impose her beliefs upon Shira, she did not have that authority, and she never would have that authority. She was not Bujin. Shira would obey her to the end, follow her every command, but she would never falter in her loyalty to everything that the Hataga were. There was no greater crime.

"A title and honour mean nothing to you because you have never had them, Kami-sensei. You do not understand what it means to serve. I will be what I am meant to be, for Unmei no Chikara does not give power to those who cannot take it. It decides my destiny as much as I do, and if I am to grow strong and masterful, then I will be. I mean no disrespect, Kami-sensei, but you are not Hataga. You cannot understand, not yet."

As she finished speaking, Shira dropped Unmei no Chikara down onto Kami's unstretched hands, giving her the weapon so she could feel its weight - it was not just a physical weight, but a metaphorical weight, and while she perhaps would not initially understand why Unmei no Chikara felt so heavy, she would do so in time - she would learn from it, and be its student, for destiny was the greatest teacher of all.

Naruto: Birth of a Better Generation

As Kami had stood there, looking shellshocked at Shira's appearance, several doubts began to run through her mind: What if she'd picked the wrong person, and had just reported to an innocent child eating chestnuts? What if she refused to train her, to give her a purpose again? More doubts remained myriad within the echoing caverns of her mind, but she could not hear them over the sound of silence that had descended between the two. The only difference between the two ninja in that specific moment was their outwards expression of the contents of their mind - where Kami looked awestruck and gobsmacked, Shira had kept herself completely expressionless, ready to obey at the first word, like she always was. The entire affair must have been quite a spectacle for one who casually observed it taking place.

When Kami finally found the energy to speak, what she blurted out was certainly... Random. Shira would have responded, but anything that she could have thought about saying would have been insubordinate or obvious, and first impressions were crucial - especially in the process of imprinting a genin on someone of a higher rank - and she wanted to make as good an impression as she could. Silence was definitely the best answer for that particular issue. Shira was, initially, unsure what to think of the figure that she was to call Sensei and bond with for a considerable portion of her life - and what it lacked in span, it made up for in importance. The formative years were always the most important, and as this was Shira's very first day of being a Genin, she wanted to learn as much as she could. She needed the best teacher possible in order to do that - and while she did not yet know what to think of Kami, it was not like she really had that much of a choice. Insubordination was unthinkable, and she could not speak out against Kami even if she wanted to.

Shira remained stoic until Kami said "You're strong then?", before speaking:

"Not strong - I'm just used to the weight. I can't use it as a weapon as well as I should be able to." The response was blunt, informative, and lacking in any discernible forms of emotion - Shira was not one of those people that lamented their weakness with all their heart, and felt a flurry of emotions compelling them to get better, or to not let them defeat themselves. Shira was a warrior who had been taught her limits and had limits imposed upon her since her day she was old enough to begin training, and if that process had taught her anything, it was that strength was simply strength. It was a skill that could be learned, like any other, and that it was her duty to learn as many skills as were necessary to make her into a paragon of the Hataga, to bring honor to the title that was "Warbringer". The thought of bringing honour to her ancestors and her title did, admittedly, make her chest swell with pride - but that was an emotion that could not be allowed to surface or to cloud her judgement. In order to learn, perfect clarity was required. With regards to perfect clarity, emotions were but a distraction.

"I seek only to learn the way of the blade to bring honour to my title, to Konoha, and to my clan, Kami-sensei."

Naruto: Birth of a Better Generation [Characters]

If you're placed on the team with Shira, I'm sure we can do lots of fun stuff in that regard! c:

Nice character overall, but I do feel they're a bit too young being... 12, I think it was? I'd bump the age up a bit personally. c:

Natrelmon: From the Ashes

“I am no shadow, my little insect - I am Yaves, the Primordial Ghost. ’Twas I who unlocked the secrets of death so very long ago… But to one such as the Sei, such is a futile achievement before the failure that I brought to them. I miss the days when the crystals were less confined, and there was little of the alabaster glow to cover the world… In some ways, it is my fault that there is more. But that’s more than enough to sate your earlier curiosities, is it not? I cannot guarantee that you will not have more by the time she deigns to answer you, but I have satisfied your original request. That said, I do have a little task for you, should you wish to be of service once more… Kimlee, Eien, Chyou and Itsuki are travelling around - could you pass the message on that there have been hurricane warnings for Toran? I am sure they will understand.” Yaves laughed, revelling in the moment. He had not been able to talk to any mortals properly for a very long time when he was confined to Rebena, and the chance to increase his power was one he was very much looking forward to. Axel would be a useful tool in that regard, whether or not he knew it or even wanted to be as such.

“If you do pass my message along, the first page of the book shall reveal itself to you without the need for a soul to pass through it - a small reward for a small task.”

Natrelmon: From the Ashes

“She calls me the failure because of one called Rinkoo. I would tell you more, but that is a tale for another time… For when you are more worldly. Maybe I will tell you when you die, and you come to serve me in death…” Yaves began, briefly pausing to allow the Sei to go about rewarding Axel. He, too, had plans… But his were far less immediate.

“I will give you a book, but its information is not so readily available. As people and Natrelmon alike die in the presence of the book, more of its information will be revealed to you. The deaths can be of natural causes, or you can be more… Active, if you prefer… Once enough souls have illuminated its texts, it will lead you to something ancient, something Sei-touched.” Yaves added, laughing a little as he presented the book to Axel. It was clearly ancient, perhaps even from his time, but shadows seemed to grasp at the aged leather that held the book, as if attempting to get in but failing. It was ominous, but it did not feel inherently evil - it felt only like it had been touched by death.

“I will also teleport you to the city of your choice, if it pleases you… The service you have done me merits an easy escape from this frozen waste, at least.”

Natrelmon: From the Ashes

The few shafts of light that had deigned to fall upon the beautiful and cruel creature that emerged from the gate would suddenly dim slightly, giving the glow that they created a much more icy and cruel look, as if something good and pure had been twisted to a darker self. The clouds thickened, and the snow that made up Axel’s periphery thickened to become an inescapable wall, as if terror and the darkness of night had been made manifest to keep him in the spot he had uncovered. Whether or not he noticed the switch with the lovely creature in front of him occupying his attention was very much up for debate, but the signs were there for one who knew to look for them. Unfortunately, most of the people who knew to look for these specific signs died a very long, long time ago.

From the snow, a darker and more ethereal - though still very firmly in the opaque and solid - figure began to pace forwards. The movements were deliberate and delicate, but carried within them a firmness and authority that could not be denied, a power that leaked into the very air that Axel would very soon be breathing in. It was the start of a series of events that would lead Axel to whatever destiny the grand design had chosen for him to walk - a series of events that he would play a role in shaping, for better or for worse. At any rate, the power that could be felt in the air was likely stronger than anything he had ever experienced in his life.

“Mortals have not coveted anything differently from our time, my sweet… They have simply become more demanding about it, and we should leverage out our considerable power carefully to avoid letting them get so… Arrogant. Mortals must pay a steep price to learn the secrets we keep, must they not? Perhaps his price was already paid when he freed you… Yes, such a deed must be rewarded. You have done more than you know, my little insect.”

The voice was cold, but not in the same way that the icy creature’s voice was - this voice was darker, more cunning, and its chill reeked only of death. The only remotely similar tone was that of overwhelming superiority, in all of its coldness, and while the two were very distinct, there was an element of familiarity that could not be denied. It was clear that the two had known of one another in the past, but whether or not they knew each other… Well, that was up to Axel to decide: his first choice of many.

Naruto: Birth of a Better Generation

I can't make any guarantees if you come out with stuff like that, haha :P

Naruto: Birth of a Better Generation

Anybody who knows what a link looks like?

Natrelmon: From the Ashes

Taking advantage of the distraction, Sagralia threw Chu waaaay out of the Arena. Faintly, in the distance, "Team Ninja is blasting off agaaaaaaaaaaain!" could be heard.

Naruto: Birth of a Better Generation

Kami Rinha.

That one name kept buzzing around Shira's mind as she went about her tasks for the day - first it had been moving the apples, and then someone had asked her to help find their cat, and then she'd been asked to escort an elderly woman to the store and back. It was almost impossible for Shira to say no to anybody with more authority than her, and even though she'd always been asked pleasantly and as politely as possible, there was still an unmistakeable aura of authority for one who was trained to look for it. Most people obeyed out of respect for social decorum, or, more accurately, out of fear of committing a faux pas - it was a minor fear, something easily rationalised and shaken off, but the world was designed to make people care about what others thought. Sai's regime and the surrounding war had seen to varying cultures' destruction, and to the remodelling of those that had managed to remain, and after such a short period of time it was completely unreasonable to expect that any of them had really begun to truly recover. That was simply the way things went with the art of War - and it was the main reason that Shira had been brought up to act independently of cultures. It may not have mattered so much in the current era, where war was more of a rarity than the antiquity from which the Hataga originated, but it was still bred into them as if it still had meaning. Times may have changed, but war did not - and just as war remains constant, so too do the Hataga.

After helping those three people out, Shira had opted to get breakfast - she could not simply return to Bujin and ask him to make her the Okonomiyaki that she normally ate in a morning, so she elected to travel to Ramen Ichikaru in order to eat. For the first time since the war, Shira would not eat Okonomiyaki in a morning - Ramen was the most popular dish, and Shira would find out why for herself, with her own initiative. Setting Unmei no Chikara aside as she sat down to order, she called over the bartender and asked for the most popular Ramen dish that the shop served, paid, and waited for it to arrive. By the time it had done so, Shira had already prepared a mental checklist for the tasks that she was to prepare for during the course of the day - her Sensei and her compatriots, if any, would probably ask several things of her as soon as they learned of her obedient nature. That was something to be prepared for. She would likely be called upon by others while she wasn't with any of her fellows, as Konohagakure was still rebuilding, and she was to prepare herself for that happening. Initially, Shira struggled to think of other possibilities, but just as she was beginning to wrack her brain for more information, her food arrived. With a nod, a bow, and a proclamation of thanks, Shira set upon the task of eating her Ramen in such a fashion that she could use as much excess time as possible and savour the relatively new experience simultaneously - fortunately, both tasks seemed to lend themselves well to copious amounts of time being spent, so Shira took it upon herself to eat as slowly and thoughtfully as possible. A few strange looks were shot at her, given that most of the customers at Ramen Ichikaru were seen slurping noodles down as quickly as they could, but it was not in Shira's nature to care what others thought of her.

After finishing her noodles, Shira stretched out, thanked the proprietor again for the meal, hefted Unmei no Chikara onto her back, and left the establishment to head to Amaguriama, a local sweet shop that specialised in Chestnut-based delicacies. The reason for choosing Amaguriama had reasons twofold - as so many things do - it was where Shira's sensei had asked to meet her, and it was also another new experience. Becoming a Genin proper seemed to warrant the trial of as many new experiences as possible, as it was a new experience in of itself, and Shira secretly enjoyed the freedom of her tasks - just a little. It was daring, to stray from an organised routine, and though Shira loved the comfort that routine provided, the metaphorical return to her roots was exciting in its own way, too. It gave her a taste of the freedom she had once loved, and while she could not appreciate it nearly as much as she could in the past, she could still savour the smallest taste as if it were a great delicacy - but the taste was brief, as all too many things were, and it was quickly back to the default for Shira. It didn't take Shira long to pick out her new Sensei, given that she'd received a picture, and upon seeing Kami Shira rushed up to her in a... Less than elegant fashion, and bowed immediately.

"Sensei! Hataga, Shira, reporting for duty, Kami-san!"

Meeting Shira for the first time when she considered you to be an authority figure was often a bit much - and Shira was sure that Kami would be no exception to this rule. Still, time would tell if Kami and Shira would get along well.