Pink Blossom Quest IIIrd Strike

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Sauce is not Danbooru, but the internets

[X] Before you head down, Naruto raises the idea of an oath of friendship, nay an oath of sisters or something...
Hinata Even = 1d100 → [73] = Interesting~

Looking down the height of the tower you were on, you had to blink at the sudden and momentary sense of vertigo you experienced. It vanished quickly, but it was surprising that you had this... urge to reach down and pick the distant moving dots that were people, to just lean over and see if you could fly.

That you just needed to know how to do it, and you could fly. You could touch the sky... you blinked, stopped and leaned back away from the edge. That was just ludicrous, it was fortunate that you recognized the self-destructive thought there. After all, it was patently impossible to fly without specialized tools and jutsu to enable such activities.

As the four of you stood there, Naruto spoke up. "You know, we probably should do something to show our solidarity and the import of the sharing of our secrets."

"What?" You had to blink at that, as did the others.

The blonde smiled almost indulgently. "Well... why not? After all, we've shared our secrets and should have some kind of sisterly bond, right?"

You had to nod slowly at this. This was kind of typical in such stories. But... wait... did that mean you were in one of those stories? "I suppose you have a point in that."

The others gaped at you agreeing with Naruto. At least on this.

"Well, we don't exactly have sacrifices to give to the gods, like animals to sacrifice or incense to burn..." She frowned now. "And there's a distinct lack of peach trees in a garden to give a proper atmosphere, I guess mixing our blood and an oath should do us good, right?"

You had to raise an eyebrow at her. "Aneue was pretty clear about it, besides it's not like we're martial artists in one of her stories. And doesn't this feel... right?"

You suppose that was true, that an informal oath sworn upon blood beneath the heavens, witnessed by the gods had a certain romantic air to it.

The others had to nod at what Naruto was saying. It made a certain odd sense.

And thus did you slash your palm as did the other three, to mix your blood as one. Naruto coughed before speaking up, and the three of you find yourself following after her. There was a sense of vague familiarity to her words.

"We four maidens, Haruno Sakura, Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata, though born to different families, swear sisterhood, and promise mutual help to one end. We will rescue each other in difficulty; we will aid each other in danger. We swear to serve the Daimyo and the Hokage. We ask not the same day of birth, but we seek to die together. May Heaven, the all-ruling, and Earth, the all-producing, read our hearts. If we turn aside from righteousness or forget kindliness, may Heaven smite us."

With that oath spoken, you blinked and watched Naruto lick her palm clean... wh... which was no longer cut or even scarred. "What? Did you hold our on us, Naruto? I mean... some sort of jutsu to heal so fast?"

"W... what are you talking about?" She blinked at Ino and her question. "I mean... don't your cuts and bruises go away when you lick them?"

"....."

"....."

"....."

There was a cough before Sakura spoke up. "Naruto... you do know that people don't normally heal that fast right? It takes days for a cut like that to heal."

"..... you guys are joking... right?" She blinked and looked at the three of you. "You... you mean to tell me you guys heal slowly?"

"I don't believe it," With that she took your hand and licked it clean of blood... leaving unmarked skin. "See."

"What the..." "Is this for real, you've got a bloodline limit based on licking people?!?"

You blinked at that, and reached for your note book once more, to scribble down notes.

"You mean, you really heal that slowly?" She just looked horrified at such a notion. "But... I just licked the cuts away?"

"Naruto... that's... that's something you can do," You had to shake your head at her. "It's a special ability granted by your ancestors, just like my eyes were a gift from the Sage of the Six Paths to my ancestors."

"Well... huh..." She blinked, taking it in before reaching for the other hands to lick away the cuts. "I guess that makes some kind of sense."

For your part, you just nodded and scribbled in the new notes. Licking based bloodline or perhaps... yes... a blood drinking bloodline. A hidden clan with special powers. Perhaps enhanced speed, strength and physical durability and... some kind of weakness. And arrayed against them, another hidden clan of nins whose bloodlimit involved shapeshifting.

This was golden material.

"So, let's have dinner!" Naruto's statement was punctuated by the sound of low growling, and not just from one belly.

You nodded and flickered your perspective about, there had to be a place that served good food within a mile of you four, right?

- - -

Lavender Blossom Quest - Oath Beneath the Heavens


​

What Do?
The next few days...
[X] You interview your new blood sisters.
[X] What if those three, unlike you, were not the only ones who remembered their past lives? Investigation~
[X] Go exploring of the nearby forests with your new sisters.
[X] Go exploring of the nearby seashores with your new sisters.
[X] Continue exploring the city with your new sisters.
[X] Sakura wanted to have an out all spar with... everyone, someone...
[X] Naruto seems to have vanished again... where did she go?
[X] Write In

 

snipped

 

snipped

 

Don't ask me where this came from... but just know that IF you had opted for ninja path at the choice thingy, and gone thru stuff and training... this would have replaced the Wave Mission.

Or it might still yet happen if you manage to lock yourself into the Wave Mission. I'm assuming the canonical teams for some reason or other~.

- - - Omake Time - - - ​

"Here's your noon appointment, lord hokage," the secretary letting in the businessman seemed somewhat unconcerned that he was permitting the client to enter with his body guards. But that could be assumed to be caused by the fact that this was the hokage they were meeting, and to be able to pose a threat to one such as he...

No, it was fine for the client to bring in his samurai body guards.

"Lord hokage, thank you for taking the time to see me," the client spoke politely, respectfully even. A far cry from his normal way of speaking. But then, he was also missing one of the arms that he would normally have.

"Please, sit," the raspy voice of the hokage came in response. "I must admit to some surprise that you would come to me. After all, isn't your normal way of doing things include hiring missing nin?"

"Th... that is true, yes," the business man sighed and settled into the chair. "However, there is only so much one can do with missing nin when the issue is what it is."

Sarutobi nodded and gestured for his guest to continue, as he breathed in the smoke from his kiseru pipe.

"Tell me... what do you know of the Sun Moon cult?" The business man asked after a moment of silence.

"It's a minor religion that sprang up in Wave, right?" It was clear that the hokage likely knew more than just that. After all, intelligence was a vital matter, especially for a ninja village about to take on high paying clients.

"Yes... that is somewhat true," The short business man sighed and sagged into his seat. "As you well know, Gato Corp has effectively gained control of the Land of Waves for the last few years and that we started work on a bridge to connect the island to the mainland."

"Things were proceeding as well as they could be, when a few months ago, a charismatic woman started up a cult. Promising miracles and teaching magic to those who followed her," The hokage nodded at that. "We thought it wasn't a concern and as such allowed it to continue on."

"We... we were wrong," He swallowed drily. "So very wrong. The cult leader, this Tohou Fuhai, started to teach her followers how to use chakra. But... no one should be able to learn how to use chakra that fast or to the degree that the Sun Moon cultists did."

"That was when dissatisfaction was shown to the construction of the bridge between the Lands of Fire and Wave," He shook his head. "I assigned more guards, at first, to guard the bridge and the workers. They got killed. I hired missing nin. They got killed and the more powerful ones were... subverted."

"And thus, I come to you... please, I... I would be willing to commission multiple jounin teams to deal with this cult," The slight raise of the hokage's eyebrow indicated his surprise, at being told of how severe Gato corp held this affair to start bidding as a start at multiple jounin teams, which mean an A rank or higher mission profile... to start.

"Is it truly that bad?" The question was met with a simple nod.

- - - ​

"Hey, could you come in?" With that, team seven and eight were introduced to their client. A rather short and rotund businessman. "I thought that the scouting teams would be more... older?"

"It's true that age is usually a good mark of skill and experience," The hokage smiled. "But in this ase, despite their youth... you'll find that there is no better infiltration and assault team than these two."

"Wait... aren't you Haruno's girl?"

A certain pinked hair girl blinked and nodded. "Yes? Oh... I remember you, you're one of father's friends."

"Something like that," He had to look at the hokage again. "You're sure about this? I mean I wouldn't be able to look at Kizashi in his eyes if his daughter died because of me, you know."

"Trust me, if not for the fact that she's not skilled enough in certain areas, miss Haruno here would be a chunin if not a jounin already."

"Ah..." That was all that needed to be said.

- - - Owari~ - - -


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[X] Tally​

- Xicree*, MWKillKenny84, Scya
[X] Plan Xicree
[X] What if those three, unlike you, were not the only ones who remembered their past lives? Investigation~
- - [X] Naruto seems to have vanished again... where did she go? Follow the Fishcake!

- Tetsurou, Selias*
[X] Plan Tetsurou
[X] Go exploring of the nearby seashores with your new sisters.

- Scope*, luckybreak91
[X] Plan Scope
[X] Sakura wanted to have an out all spar with... everyone, someone...

- uju32
[X] Plan uju32
[X] What if those three, unlike you, were not the only ones who remembered their past lives? Investigation~
- - [X] Go exploring of the nearby forests with your new sisters.
- - [X] Sakura wanted to have an out all spar with... everyone, someone...
- - [X] Naruto seems to have vanished again... where did she go?

- Spectrum, Adyen
[X] Plan Spectrum
[X] Fooooooood with your new sisters, back to town. If someone disappeared, track them down first!

- Serous
[X] Plan Serous
[X] What if those three, unlike you, were not the only ones who remembered their past lives? Investigation~

The votes with * are from the Questionable Questing forum.

 

]​

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Sauce is Danbooru /posts/426045/

[X] What if those three, unlike you, were not the only ones who remembered their past lives? Investigation~
- - [X] Naruto seems to have vanished again... where did she go? Follow the Fishcake!
Hinata Event - 1d100 → [77] = Hmmmm! Hmmmm!

There has been something vexing you for the last few days. Something that should have been... impossible and yet was.

Somehow, Naruto was able to give you the slip. She had been running off into the city now and then for the last few days for a few hours.

At first, you had given no thought to it, why would you? Then you got curious because... she had managed to vanish from your byakugan sight. This was something patently impossible, but it was something that kept happening.

Each and every time, Naruto went out into the city, she didn't run out of your range of sight. Rather, she did... something. Something which momentarily disrupted your sight in the area she was in and then... she was gone as if she had never been.

You had tried focusing with your fully activated byakugan. But the result was still the same. Which your byakugan wasn't as powerful and able to focus in on the finer details, it was more capable at the larger picture. Your father had praised your ability to observe everything around you.

That there was a way to disrupt the byakugan, even if unintentional, that was... it made you concerned. It hinted that your eyes were not as perfect as they could be, should be, had to be.

Still, that didn't mean that Naruto could hide what she was doing! Indeed, if one's bloodline limit wasn't sufficient, one merely had to go back to basics and work one's way back up! This was just common sense.

And when you found her doing whatever she was doing to disrupt and escape your byakugan, you were going to slap her silly and make her stop it. And slap her even more afterwards.

Ah... this was far too stimulating.

...

No, it wasn't.

Not really.

It was, however, giving you more material; Bloodline limits failing a legendary princess or some such as she struggled to find her sister, facing a bloodsucker and his harem. And along the way... some animated statues in the service of a legendary demon would also show up.

You mentally nodded as you made your way to where you last saw her before she vanished.

Looking about, you can't find a trace of her.

It was... vexing.

Yes, you were growing attached to that word.

Still, as you searched for Naruto, you kept an ear open and your eyes gazing... everywhere.

- - - ​

Wandering about by yourself... proved to be less useful than expected, even with your eyes to provide a roving point of view, you sighed.

You could keep count of everything within your sight. But you could not find one girl. It was as if she never was.

It appeared that Naruto would once more escape your sight once more. You huff out a breath as children around ran about the street around, urging each other on, saying something about how that story teller is back, and... stories. At least if your ears were right in the words that they caught from the cacophony of voices as house-wives and the common folk who walked about.

You blinked once before giving into your curiosity, for while you could read lips (somewhat) and your eyes allowed you to see everything... there was something to be said about hearing a tale directly.

Thus, you found yourself with a group of children, both younger and older than you, some dressed poorly while others were dressed as nicely as you were.

Seated upon a makeshift seat from cleaned up rubble beneath a tree while a cool breeze blew about in the shadows cast from the ruined towers about the plaza, was a man.

His slender build and appearance harkened to that of the old blood from the west and north, there was a certain cast to his mien that spoke of classical well breeding from the Country of Earth. Refined and gentle, if somewhat scruffy and bearing the dust of long travel. Your caretakers and family would be scandalized to see you in such company.

Listening to the whispers about you, it is clear that none knew from whence this teller of tales came from. Only that he was but newly arrived. Scant days even, and yet... and yet, his tales, they brought forth visions of what once was.

High above in the blue skies amidst the golden ryou of Amaterasu-ômikami lay slow moving white clouds and falcons that flew high above commoner birds such as gulls.

As you settled down to listen, the this teller of tales sipped a a drink of water from his gourd before brushing away the dust from his dark pants.

With a smile and a nod at the children... you had the feeling he was smiling at you, for some reason, he spoke up. "Between the time when world came into being as Pangu separated the heavens and the earth, and the coming of the Sage of Six Paths, there was an age undreamt of, when the gods walked the world, and a keen sword can bring the darkest of evils to justice."

The silence from his audience allowed his voice to whisper and slip about, that rasp... it spoke to you, and you closed your eyes. You could see the world he spoke of. "And unto this, hither came Linghu Chong the carefree swordsman, black haired, laughter upon his lips and a song in his heart, sword in hand, an orphan, swordsman, hero, villain, a warrior without peer."

"It is I, who, alone can tell you of his saga once lost to the winds of time. Let me tell you of the days of high adventure!"

And thus did the day past by as you listened to something new. Something you had never heard or read before. You wanted to claim that the tales were just flights of fancy, and yet... something inside you stated that they were truth. Just ones that had been forgotten by time.

Before you knew it, it was dark once more and you had returned to the Hyuuga mansion for dinner and a tale of heroism from days long past.

You found yourself putting to paper the story that had been told you, that it not be lost once more.

Vexingly, Naruto was also back with a smile on her face and an absolute refusal to say where she had been.

- - -
Lavender Blossom Quest - Nothing beside remains.


​

What Do?
[X] Keep trying to follow Naruto?
- - [X] Keep an ear and eye out for that story teller?
[X] Give up on following Naruto, she can keep her secrets... really, you're not wanting to know them. O.... or anything.
- - [X] Keep an ear and eye out for that story teller?
- - [X] Do something else, see below?
[X] Have fun with your peers?
- - [X] Exploration of the forests and catching of beetles. No cheating now~.
- - [X] Go swimming.
[X] Interview Haruno and Ino?
[X] Haruno Sakura is asking around for people to spar with...
- - [X] Give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch Naruto give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch Ino give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch someone else give in and spar with her?
- - [X] Wait... how did we end up in a free for all? Oh gods, property damage!!!
[X] Write In.

 

Tally​

- Xicree*, Vindictus*, Terris, SolipsistSerpen, uju32, Olive, Filraen
[X] Plan Xicree
[X] Haruno Sakura is asking around for people to spar with...
- - [X] Give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch Naruto give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch Ino give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Wait... how did we end up in a free for all? Oh gods, property damage!!!

- Tetsurou,
[X] Plan Tetsurou
[X] Keep trying to follow Naruto?
- - [X] Keep an ear and eye out for that story teller?
- - [X] Enlist our other sisters to help

- Adyen, luckybreak91, Nightblade, Selias*, Tiypo
[X] Plan Adyen
[X] Haruno Sakura is asking around for people to spar with...
- - [X] Wait... how did we end up in a free for all? Oh gods, property damage!!!

- ........,
[X] Plan ........
[X] Interview Haruno and Ino?

- Spectrum,
[X] Plan Spectrum
[X] Dragoon your sisters into helping you track Naruto, this will not stand!

- Serous,
Plan Serous
[X] Keep trying to follow Naruto?
- - [X] Keep an ear and eye out for that story teller?

 

updated the tally

 

For those curious as to what story the story teller was telling... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smiling,_Proud_Wanderer

There were movies, one of them even had Jet Li in it as a co-star of Bridget Lin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swordsman_II

There's also a tv series that came out in 2013, and even an MMORPG adaption of said tv series...

:3

 

Tally​

- Xicree*, Vindictus*, Terris, SolipsistSerpen, uju32, Olive, Filraen
[X] Plan Xicree
[X] Haruno Sakura is asking around for people to spar with...
- - [X] Give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch Naruto give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Watch Ino give in and spar with Sakura?
- - [X] Wait... how did we end up in a free for all? Oh gods, property damage!!!

- Tetsurou,
[X] Plan Tetsurou
[X] Keep trying to follow Naruto?
- - [X] Keep an ear and eye out for that story teller?
- - [X] Enlist our other sisters to help

- Adyen, luckybreak91, Nightblade, Selias*, Tiypo, frozenchicken
[X] Plan Adyen
[X] Haruno Sakura is asking around for people to spar with...
- - [X] Wait... how did we end up in a free for all? Oh gods, property damage!!!

- ........, Balatro Philologus*
[X] Plan ........
[X] Interview Haruno and Ino?

- Spectrum,
[X] Plan Spectrum
[X] Dragoon your sisters into helping you track Naruto, this will not stand!

- Serous,
Plan Serous
[X] Keep trying to follow Naruto?
- - [X] Keep an ear and eye out for that story teller?

 

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Sauce is Danbooru /posts/650605/
[X] .... what... what just happened? And why are we tagged "Team Evil"?

You are uncertain HOW it happened. Only that it DID happen... there was a sigh from you as you thought back to when it started.

You had noticed that Sakura had been somewhat morose lately, as if realizing that she hadn't doing anything with the rest of you beyond studying... and occassionally drawing one of your mutual classmates. Still, you know that she studied hard at medicine, command and field tactics. She was good at anything that required actual study and theoretical aspect, very good at taijutsu and genjutsu. Her one weakspot, such as it was, was ninjutsu and even then... that was a skill on par with the normal classmates.

All in all, Sakura was what one called a prodigy. An understandable circumstance given that she was able to remember her past life to the point of interacting with it, and it was a fierce past life. Most people didn't have that.

And yet, for all of her skill, power and intelligence, Sakura... proved to be not a very social person. That is, her skill didn't lie there. She really couldn't or wasn't able to properly connect with her peers.

Still, she did seem to try... like now, in how she had asked around for a spar. Most of your classmates weren't in her class, you suspected that only you were in the area of her skillset without using special techniques.

Shikamaru would have to cheat to win, Ino... might have something to meet her face on. Chouji would just end up being beaten but he had a chance due to his great size and oddly swifter than should be possible movements of his.

Naruto would have some odd technique from her clan or that confused elder brother or sister, something. Shino would use his disgusting bugs to fight... and that was pretty much it in terms of people of their class who might be able to match the Haruno heir.

Which was surprising when one thought about it, but such was life. It wasn't fair or just.

Still, you had noticed her asking around for spars and in your benevolence for your new sister, you agreed to it.

Which was how you found yourself in the back garden facing off against an overly excited Sakura while your classmates and some of the staff in the Hyuuga mansion watched from the side.

Somehow... knowing that you were stuck fighting her for up to the next three minutes gave you no comfort. And yet, you had agreed to it.

At the least, it would be stimulating, even if it couldn't hold up to your stories.

You bowed at her and she at you, hands extended in respect, and yet the two of you kept a careful eye on the other in the bow. There was a sense of danger from as you returned from bowing at her.

It wasn't too surprising as the two of you circled each other, moving ever closer, that she was the one who made the first move. A text book perfect punch, performed at the average speed and strength of an academy student.

Your response was in its own way a mirror of what she did. A simple turn using you body weight, shifting the stance of your feet, thrust out your arms in the proper manner at the same speed and strength as Sakura and smile gently as her fist was deflected.

Two could play at that game.

You continued with your turn and performed a textbook perfect roundhouse kick, but just a smidge faster and harder than Sakura's punch.

She parried with a text book perfect with equal amount of speed and strength as your kick.

And from there, the spar proceeded with a set pattern. Step by step, move by move, ever faster, ever harder.

Of course, once the two of you were out of techniques taught by the academy and their variants, the two of you ventured into your respective family styles... which was where you discovered something unpleasant or at least uncomfortable.

Sakura was able to counter your family's style. While the style she used was brutish and focused on power than finese, she fought in a way that indicated that she had faced someone who had used your style before.

Even your personal variant on Jyuuken moves proved... fruitless as she dodged and parried them.

It was in a word vexing, especially as you found more and more of her hits striking your and bypassing your defenses.

A punch to the sight of your head that you barely avoided. You avoided it, you knew you had... but you could feel the air pressure from the force of the punch itself, that was enough to hit you.

Your vision doubled for a moment, and blots of darkness ate at your sight before you shook your head and cleared it.

Your racing heart skipped.

Just in time to see Sakura use one of her... chakra shots. You wanted to call it something else, the words were at the tip of your tongue, even so, you could see how the technique was done.

It was so simple.

Elementary, in fact.

As the chakra composed attack flew at you, you didn't dodge or parry. Instead, you pointed your right fist and allowed your chakra to surge from where it lay and up your arms, while you held your left hand to your right wrist. As your chakra moved within your body, you could feel the air and darkness around you being pulled towards you and feeding your technique.

Your hair flared backwards away from the backwash of your So͏ul ̶F̨ist̡ counterattack.

A shimmering hue of azure and yellow, a creature... wings... surrounded by an aura bubble flew from your fist to collide in a mutual destruction display of pryokinetics.

From there the fight escalated the only way it could, body reactions giving way to half dreamed instincts. Now, the fight was more even with Sakura unable to simply intuit, to more know than guess what you were going to do.

Punches followed kicks, paired with sweeps, uppercuts with shadows trailing alongside your fist, edges keener than a kunai...

Despite your instincts and vague memories of dreams long forgotten, of battles in the darkness of night, you fell.

Those words "Nekketsu Hadouken", the flare of pink brilliance that had reached out to you. Your instincts had tried to counter it.

Tried to...

But that wasn't enough time to perform So̢̢ų̀l͝ ͞Ę̛͢r҉àse̷r̷͝. Not enough time to pull on the air and shadows around you. It was there... but the time needed.

And thus, you had launched yourself away from the attack, only for it to follow and strike you down.

As you fell, you could only sigh. So this was what defeat was like.

Darkness crept inwards, and as it did so, you could hear someone saying it was their turn, something about the invincible east... how unfair, the fight wasn't finished.

You wanted it to go on and on and on...

Forever.

- - -​

Lavender Blossom Quest - ​

What Do?
[X] Have a nice dream...
[X] Wake up... just in time to encounter branch house elders...
- - [X] You're in for a lecture... no escape.
[X] Something else

- - -​

Notes : still somewhat dissatisfied by what I've got here... but posting it. -_-

 

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Sauce is the internet and not Danbooru

[X] Have a nice dream...
Event Roll - 1d100 → [92] = Looking good there

The darkness was soft, and you floated within it.

She

Guinevere galloped swiftly across the glen like a white ghost, the immaculate color of your horse had been why you named her so. You can feel the way she moved her body, the motions needed to make the world fly around you. Your ma did not like it when you took your Guinevere out so far from home, but there were times when you need to spread your wings, to race faster and faster.

was

You had always been a gangly one. All arms and legs everywhere. Your da always claimed you were his favorite wee spider. And you put truth to his words as you climbed up the side of Dragon's Tooth. It felt good to stretch, to reach out to another near invisible outcrop for support before pulling yourself higher. The warmth of the sun countered the chill breeze beneath the blue skies.

The roar of Fire's Fall from the the top of Dragon's Tooth was loud and enough to shake the unwary. A slip here would send you screaming to your death, as some of your great great grand uncles had discovered.

not

The water from the top of Fire's Falls was cold, strong and oh so pure. Your great great grand da had drunk of it when first he had raised Caer DunBroch, the light of the setting sun had made it burn golden red as he stood atop of Dragon's Tooth, having successfully scaled it. It was by right of doing so that he was declared the lord of DunBroch.

one

There were some who claimed you were not the rightful daughter of your da, that you were a changeling. You stood not for that insult, nor did your da and ma. And those boys who stated such were sore at being best by you in archery, in swinging swords about, in running, in climbing. They didn't dare, their spirits were small.

for

You first met her, one early morn, while out riding in the woods over the top of the hills. In shadows cast by trees, the mist of the night not yet dispelled, she walked. An ancient crone, white of hair, face and body worn down by time. The witch.

You held no fear for her, nor the bravado to be rude to her. If this was a tale in an earlier age, and you a boy and she a wizard... you might perhaps have been cast as the bear king Artorius, and she your Myrddin Emrys. But you weren't, and thus you nodded at her, and she at you.

conventional

Every now and then, you would visit her, with a rabbit or perhaps some fish, or on rare occasions when your ma made them, honey cakes. You would share your bounty with her, and talk of things you've heard. For her part, she taught you the ways of the creatures that roamed the woods, the ways of mixing herbs, spices, and assorted plants.

More, she taught you how to open your heart to the world, to the air and the darkness hidden within it. A priceless gift, for it strengthened you, allowed you to hear the song of the world. To sense the way things were. To hear the words of those pass.

thoughts

Your mother was displeased with you, in some ways and yet oddly pleased. For while you still ventured forth on Guinevere, you hewed more to her words, and learned well the craft of the heath. The arts of cooking, of sewing, of caring for one's home. And yet, now and then, you would run off in the morn without a word or warning, free as the wind, to return later in the evening.

or

War. But not one such as you and your clan have known. They came from the north and east, allied with your clan's enemy. Cold steel and fire were theirs to use as they thundered down the glen and into Caer DunBroch. You weren't there, but you can only imagine the womenfolk and children sent into the fortress, while the men folk fought the reavers.

ways.

You returned home to burned ruins. Your da dead. Your ma dead after being defiled. Your sisters could not be found. Your brothers dead, their bodies torn by dogs. Those of Clan Aenslan had not died easily, for here and there amongst your kinsmen and kinswomen were the dead of Clan Fraser.

There were no words for the sorrow in your heart. In rage, in agony... you could only scream to the heavens, and allowed your heart to open to the world. Better to be made no more than to be left the last of your clan.

And

Dissolution didn't bring an end.

yet

You were more shadow and air than flesh. Your form was but a dream, a suggestion by the will of the world. You wondered the highlands, clad in rags that served as a hooded cloak.

Your presence heralded by blood-lust and grief, lust and despair.

those

Years passed, and Clan Fraser is no more. You had hounded the last of them to the grave. And thus you set after their reaver allies.

They called you the Morrigan, for your passage brought only strife, and you left naught but the dead behind you. And with each battle, with each conflict, you only learned more, drank more of the darkness within the air.

Became less human. But then, hadn't you already died?

ways

The decades flew by, then centuries. And in the end, you slumbered within the heart of the world. One with the air and darkness. Perfection. Eternity.

Save for the sound of bells.

served.

The darkness was soft, and you floated within it.

And then you woke up.

- - -
Lavender Blossom Quest - Year 10 Dreams​

What Do?
[X] Wake up... just in time to encounter branch house elders. No escaping the lecture now.
[X] Wake up... and try to escape the lecture you KNOW is coming...
[X] Wake up... and start detailing notes on your dream and get caught by branch house elders...
[X] Write In

 

Current Tally

- Happerry, Charon, MWKillKenny84, Darik29, Nekraa
[X] Wake up... and start detailing notes on your dream and get caught by branch house elders...

- Adyen, Tetsurou
[X] Wake up... and try to escape the lecture you KNOW is coming...
- - [X] You're sure you can think of some brilliant excuse reason to not be anywhere near.

- Vindictus(QQ)
[X] Wake up... and try to escape the lecture you KNOW is coming...

- Spectrum
[X] Wake up...then go back to sleep to escape lecture.

- scope, shaderic
[X] Wake up...and wonder why you are in a sack. Again.

 

Click on image for larger version​

Sauce is Danbooru /posts/1555767

[X] Wake up... and start detailing notes on your dream and get caught by branch house elders...

You wake up and scrabble for your note book to write your half remembered dream before it simply disappear from your memory as dreams are wont to.

Really, it seemed a good idea when you were doing it, as oppose to when the door to your bedroom slid open.

Politely. Evenly and slowly that still managed to convey how upset the branch house elders who looked after this estate were.

You could only look up from your note book as they looked down on you with sunlight streaming in behind them. "Young mistress, it is good that you're awake and well."

It was subtle, perhaps invisible to those without the right eyes, but you were in trouble. The elders were very disappointed with you. So much so that they would likely speak to your father.

You had no choice but to answer politely. "I feel fine, did someone use medical jutsu on me?"

"Indeed, such is the power and versatility of proper Hyuuga techniques." their smiles and the way they spoke said just HOW disappointed they were with you and the little fracas you were in with your classmates. Of how you had abandoned Hyuuga techniques to brawl like some hooligan on the streets.

This was not proper Hyuuga behaviour. And someone was going to be speaking to your father.

Yeah... you were in big trouble. Thankfully, given that you were the heir to the Main House, you'll just have to sweet-talk your father into forgiving you. It wasn't an impossible task.

You had to sigh and follow after the elders as they politely walked about the mansion, every now and then you caught sight of the outside gardens where your classmates and the branch house members were fixing. You had to conceal the wince at the sight, the elders had lightly directed the path for that exact reason.

This was calculated. You hated it. You loved it. Because it was subtle and meticulous. It was beautiful in a way just how the elders of Hyuuga could give the impression of absolute disappointment without saying a word or even looking any different than normal.

It was a skill that you hadn't seen in non-Hyuuga. The absolute stillness that conveyed emotions so subtle and sublime. Everyone else that you had encountered screamed their emotions with their every motion in comparison.

And thus did the rest of the vacation continue in that vein as the gardens were repaired and made anew by Hyuuga hands aided by your classmates.

Thankfully, the voyage back home didn't involve any actual taxation, even if you did encounter the border patrol briefly.

Instead there was a running battle with a group of pirates who didn't know better and thought that just because they had a few ninja academy drop outs and former genin that they were powerful...

It wasn't really a battle, being more of a one sided massacre before you questioned the survivors, looted their base, freed some civilian prisoners, and claimed the bounty on the pirates when you brought them back to Fire Country harbor.

A nice end to the vacation.

But now you had to face the music.

- - -​

You are Haruno Sakura, and you are a ganki girl! You had a fun vacation with your classmates! Even if the relatives of Hyuuga were dour people who made you clean up the mess from the fight you had.

You weren't used to that. Having to clean up after fights.

You also made wonderful discoveries like most of your classmates were like you! Well, except for Chouji. You didn't like Chouji. No one likes people who used Atomic Pile Crushers on other people.

Perhaps, you MIGHT be a little sore, but even if he was from your time... that russian was a bit too much with his technique.

Still, it was fun.

You even had to beat up on some pirates.

It's now fall... what did you want to do?

- - -
Pink Blossom Quest - Year 10 Strike Back

[embed=425,349]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS9No3c1JLk[/embed]
​

What Do?
[X] Time Skip To Graduation?!?!?
[X] Write In on the slow path?

 

​

[X] You have been slacking in merchant training. Focus yourself on how to make friends, influencing people, and negotiation.

You have been slacking. You have to be honest with yourself, playing at school and learning jutsu like a good student. Playing with mother and punching stuff is fun, as is painting and working on Maya and genjutsu... but there had been something you had been slacking off on.

Merchandising!

Or rather the art of buying and selling.

And to be successful in that, you need to be able to connect with people, to be able to befriend them in an instant, to make them see that what you want to sell was something that they wanted, no, needed. The ability to talk to people, the diplomatic skills that come from negociating to a fair compromise that everyone could agree to, that even if no one got everything that they wanted, they all got something they wanted.

To that end, you talk to father.

Or rather, you bargained with father for some time after classes. Doing a hard sell with charts and how cost effective it would be for him to have you around after your classes.

You spent time talking with your classmates during lunch.

And discover just how little you actually knew about your classmates, and those of your generation. Of how they saw you as an aloof princess in the academy... you had no minions left because Naruto had scooped them and were their big sister. Your peers had carved out their own niches, as had you inadventantly.

The genius.

The girl to watch from far away. The one that no one dare become close with because you were going to go places, rise so high that no one else could compare.

Thankfully, you had your peers. Your blood sisters; Naruto, Ino, Hinata. You had Shikimaru who was willing to talk to you as an equal. You had Chouji who was... well... he was Chouji. There was bug boy who was creepy on so many levels with the way he would just look at you silently.

It was lonely being the best when you looked around.

Still, it would take time to get your classmates to open up to you.

Meanwhile, your father takes to having you around his office once more, this time... he assigned you to work with the workers. You learned how heavy the work could be as you did grunt work, needing to use chakra to compensate for the weight and work involved in loading and unloading caravans.

Still, you had asked for this.

And Hard Work was something [You] were used to. The previous you had done this before.

- - -​

Pink Blossom Quest - Year 10 Hard Work​

What Do?
[X] Winter Trip with dad.
[X] Write In.

 

If no one votes merchant, I no write merchant... but people are voating, so I ish writing...