Adas

[b][u]Basic Info[/b][/u] [b]Name:[/b] Luca Greywind [b]Nickname:[/b] None as of yet [b]Age:[/b] 17 [b]Casual/Battle Appearance:[/b] Iâ??m merging these two sections into one because Luca typically fights in his casual clothes â?? without requip magic he canâ??t summon armor, and typically fights in whatever he is wearing at the time. Luca has shaggy, dirty blonde hair that very nearly cover his brown eyes. He usually wears the same combination of clothes â?? his favorite brown hoodie and a pair of faded of jeans. [img]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2503/animehoodiemale.jpg[/img] [b][u]Magical Info[/b][/u] [b]Circle Colour:[/b] Bright Yellow [b]Type:[/b] Caster Magic [b]Magic:[/b] Luca wields an ancient form of magic known as Eclipse. Passed down to him by his father (and rarely known throughout the world), Eclipse allows Luca to absorb light and then give it physical form which he can use to strike with. There are several drawbacks to Eclipse â?? the absorption process is relatively exhausting, and thus can only be used typically once per fight, and is difficult to use during the night when there isnâ??t any natural light. That being said, he can absorb [b]any[/b] type of light â?? sunlight, light from a fire, light from a flashlight or light-bulb, etc. While absorbing light, Luca begins to physically glow. Depending on how much light he absorbs, the glow not only becomes stronger, but the area surrounding him can become darker as well â?? this is relatively uncommon though. [b]Spells:[/b] [indent][u]Basic Spells[/u] [b]Flash:[/b] The most basic of Eclipse Magic, Luca fires off a burst of bright light in order to disorient his enemies. This is usually used at close-range in order to momentarily blind an opponent before following up a punch or kick, or used to aid allies fighting at close-range [b]Pulse:[/b] Luca condenses his absorbed light into a ball of shimmer light, roughly the size of a beach ball. Touching the Pulse causes a small explosion. Luca uses this technique in two different ways â?? the first is used as a homing assault to keep the enemy on the move, and the second is to make the Pulse move about erratically, essentially creating a floating land-mine for his enemies to be chased into. [u]Moderate Spells[/u] [b]Light Beam:[/b] As the name suggests, Luca focuses the majority of his stored light into a massive projectile attack. As far as moderate spells go, this is his strongest direct attack. [b]Light Spread:[/b] The same overall concept as the Light Beam, but instead of firing one direct beam, he splits it into several, small arcing projectiles. While the Light Beam is his most powerful direct attack, the Light Spread is far more useful against fast moving enemies, being able to cover a much greater distance at high speeds [b]Multiple Pulses:[/b] As Luca becomes stronger and more proficient with his Eclipse Magic, he is able to create more than one Pulse. The true strength of the Pulses relies on his own intelligence however, and his ability to multi-task â?? creating up to ten Pulses, Luca designate different roles to each, using some to home in on enemies as projectiles and others to dance about the battlefield erratically. With so many minor attacks occurring at once, he is able to disorient foes, trap them in a maze of attacks and cause massive damage.[/indent] [B][u]Other Info[/u][/b] [b] Personality: [/b] Luca is a quiet individual, preferring his own inner thoughts then awkwardly making small talk with others. Shy above all else, Luca is introverted nearly to a fault, remaining rather socially awkward for the majority of his life. However, hidden behind his shy nature is an incredibly high IQ â?? in fact, Luca is nothing short of a genius. Lucaâ??s genius nature directly correlates with his magic abilities â?? his abilities to plan ahead and multi-task stem from his high IQ and aid him drastically in battle. As well, Luca is fiercely loyal, although he doesnâ??t really know this about himself yet. Living his life without any true friends, he has never had to experience feelings such as loyalty â?? that being said, it is in-grained into his nature, and will eventually show itself. [b]Background:[/b] After his mother died giving birth to him, Luca was raised by his father. Without any siblings, Luca spent most of his time alone as a child, be it alone in school, or alone at home waiting for his fatherâ??s return from work. Once a powerful mage, Lucaâ??s father, Peros, now lives a much quieter life in order to provide stability for Luca. It was his father who taught him how to use Eclipse Magic. Luca was mostly quiet in school, not associating with others simply because he didnâ??t know how to. However, despite making him lonely as a child, it also served to help his growth as a mage â?? with no one to spend time with (save for his father who taught him magic in the first place), Luca spent nearly all of his free time as a child and teenager practicing Eclipse Magic, becoming increasingly proffienct at a near alarming rate. One night, after returning home late from work, Peros gave earth-shattering instructions to Luca â?? he was to leave, immediately. Without being given a reason why, Luca was banished from his fatherâ??s home, told that the Pergrande guild of Excalibur would be there to take him in. [b]Flashback:[/b] [indent]The rain battered against the windows, an endless tirade brought forth from the black. A four-year-old Luca whimpered under his blankets and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget that it was night time and dark outside. As if in answer to the silent prayer, his door slowly creaked open, letting in much desired light and a friendly face â?? his father. He stepped into the room and turned on the light. [b]â?Whatâ??s wrong Luca?â?[/b] he asked, a touch of concern hidden in his question. Luca leapt out of bed and jumped on to his father, clinging for dear life as he began to cry. [b]â?I know, I know,â?[/b] he tried to comfort his son, [b]â?but itâ??s not so badâ?¦â?[/b] [b]â?Yes it â?? is!â?[/b] Luca yelled back between sobs. [b]I hate it!â?[/b] [b]â?There thereâ?¦â?[/b] Peros hugged his son tighter. [b]â?Thereâ??s nothing in here that can hurt you,â?[/b] he tried to convince his son, but his sobs only increased. [b]You knowâ?¦ maybe there is something I can teach you to help youâ?¦â?[/b] Suddenly, Lucaâ??s crying grew less forced. His ears perked up. [b]â?What do you meanâ?¦?â?[/b] he asked, drying his eyes with the back of his hand. His father smiled at him, set him down, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, a bright yellow magic circle appeared at his feet, and to Lucaâ??s wide-eyed astonishment, the light from the room began to dim. However, despite the light leaving, his father began to glow. Subtly at first, but more intensely as the room around him darkened, as though he had come to possess mastery over the light in the room itself. Luca, having already forgotten his fears from a moment, gaped at his father, astonished at what he was seeing. And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. With a sigh, Peros released the light he had stored, and the room returned back to normal. [b]â?WOW![/b] exclaimed Luca. [b]â?Can I learn how to do that too??[/b] Peros smiled sadly at his son. [b]â?Yes you canâ?¦ Iâ??ll start teaching you tomorrow, but only if you can be a big boy and sleep tonight with the light off, deal?[/b] Luca agreed, but failed to hold up his end of the bargain â?? his fear of the dark had vanished momentarily, and instead, it was excitement that now rendered him sleepless.[/indent]

Toshiro sighed, exasperated. Temaru stood there looking like an utter fool with his cat on his head. [i]Moron â?? if he doesnâ??t watch out for things like that, he wonâ??t pass tonight[/i] he thought to himself, unsure of why it bothered him so much. Settling on an explanation that he was still annoyed with Suki, he turned back to her. â??I think Iâ??m about done here,â? he told her. â??Iâ??m heading back to class before this turns into any more of a circus.â? â??You were done before you even started,â? she mocked, the barest hint of a smile on her face. Toshiro grunted, and began to walk away. â??Hey, wait!â? Temaru called, standing back up. â??Why head back now? The examinations arenâ??t until this afternoon â?? thereâ??s still plenty of time to practise!â? â??Then I suggest you use it,â? he called back over his shoulder. He wouldnâ??t be surprised if both he and Kagoya failed the exam later that day. Well, that wasnâ??t fair he admitted â?? Temaru was several steps higher than Kagoya, but even stillâ?¦. Kagoya called back an insult â?? [i]The beaten never know when to shut upâ?¦[/i] â?? but Toshiro paid it no mind and kept walking. He had lost interest in the sparring match, lost interest in Kagoyaâ??s weakness and lost interest in Temaruâ??s antics. The rain was finally falling, and he finally felt at ease. Well, somewhat. As he walked through the deserted, rain-soaked streets of Konoha, he thought back to his fight with Suki. His form had been perfect, his technique impeccable, yet she had countered his blows with ease. He had trained in his family compound night after night under the watchful eyes of his father and brothers, and had earned his right to call himself a shinobi in the eyes of the Yakanashi clan â?? even if he hadnâ??t officially earned his genin status yet. Things came easily to him â?? instead of spending time learning something new, he spent his time perfecting it. And yet, Suki hadnâ??t seen him as a threat what-so-ever. It was enough to make him yell in anger, something he never did. He stomped his foot in a puddle, spraying water every which direction. His original destination had been to get some ramen before the examination, but he had suddenly lost his appetite. He walked alone through the falling rain back towards the academy where he would await the examination.

Toshiroâ??s clenched his fist, a white-knuckled grip over his own, barely restrained fury. He recognized each of her words, each of her actions a deliberate act in order to bait him into an attack â?? unfortunately, they were working. [i]Pretend you donâ??t know my name? Weâ??ll see how long this lasts you biâ??[/i] Toshiroâ??s thoughts were interrupted as Kagoya launched one last desperate assault. Toshiro played into it perfectly â?? he moved quickly to meet Kagoya but spun behind him and threw a punch at Suki. For the briefest of moments, a look of shock shot across her face and Toshiro knew his blow would connect. Suki regained her composure in an instant and narrowly dodged the blow. She hit the ground and struck out with her leg, catching Toshiro off-guard. [i]Dammit![/i] he cursed at himself, catching himself mid-fall with his hands, but Suki was already waiting for him. She drove her foot down towards his hands attempting to knock him over, but Toshiro threw himself up and dodged the blow. He launched himself at Suki and the two began to fight. Blows were parried and countered on both sides, neither landing a solid hit on the other. Toshiro knew that he wasnâ??t as strong at taijutsu as Suki was, but he followed the forms he had been taught both by their academy instructors and from the lessons he had received at home from his father and older brothers. His technique was perfect, yet he never managed to strike his opponent down. Suki danced around him, her body a weapon as she nimbly dodged his attacks. He had never seen forms such as hers before â?? everything seemed improvised, a reaction to his action as each stepped flowed into the next. She spent most of the fight dodging his attacks, but when she struck , she struck hard. The speed of her blows were simply unavoidable â?? Toshiro had to block each hit or fear being knocked over. Their fight soon garnered a small crowd. Those who had been training decided to come over and watch the fight, forming a small ring around the two combatants. This irritated Toshiro to no end, but he tried his hardest not to focus on them and to keep his attention split between Suki and the formation of a plan to bring her down. As they fought, a plan quickly began to form in his mind. A second feint to draw her attention away from his left hand, giving him a chance to finally land a hit. He waited patiently for her to strike, knowing that she would expect him to block as she had forced him to do the entire fight. However, this time he was ready. When the blow finally did come â?? a solid right hook aimed at his chest â?? Toshiro pivoted and spun out of the way. In one swift motion he went for a kunai from his belt, knowing that instinctually, her next move would be to disarm it. And, to his utter pleasure, it worked. Seeing the deadly blade, Suki leapt into the air and kicked his wrist, causing him to drop it. He took advantage of the moment and finally went in for the blow he had been planning all along with his other fist. Suki was ready for him though â?? as he closed in, she spun in the air and connected her other foot with his face, sending him flying back until he connected with the ground. Blood dripped out of his nose, but he leapt back to up and took an offensive stance. â??Iâ??m not done with you yet, dammit!â? he roared, his usual calm, his usual coolness a fleeting memory. Thunder roared once again across the sky, and finally the heavens broke â?? the rain finally began to pour. The few classmates who had made up their ground made to run for cover from the rain, as did those who had remained training the transformation technique while they fought. Soon, only a few left in the training field, but Toshiro paid them no mind. Soaked to the bone, hair matted against his face more from sweat then the falling rain, he glared at Suki, never once abandoning his stance.

Toshiro summoned his chakra forward, and, upon releasing it, thought of Kizuka-sensei. Smoke burst forth, and upon its clearing, there stood a perfect replication of Kizuka-sensei â?? his blonde hair, short, pug-like nose, the scar that ran down his cheek, the Konoha combat vest. A perfect transformation. Another burst of smoke, and Toshiro strode out confidently. [i]Childâ??s play[/i] he mused. He knew he had nothing to fear from tonightâ??s exam. The training field had been littered with his fellow classmates so he decided to practice on his own near a fountain a couple of blocks away from the Academy. The day was still cool, and unnaturally calm, but Toshiroâ??s thoughts were finally elsewhere. He thought of the others in his class, of those who were struggling to perfect their technique before the examination. He couldnâ??t understand why a technique as simple as the transformation technique required such intense practise. Either you were ready, or you werenâ??t, and no amount of cramming beforehand could save you if you werenâ??t. Toshiro simply couldnâ??t understand, and he hated not understanding. Annoyed, he began to trudge away from the fountain where he had planned on practising something a bit tougher and headed towards the training field. As he had left it, most of his fellow classmates were present, nearly all practising the transformation technique. Some were simply relaxing together, joking and laughing, discussing the prospect that by this time tomorrow they would be shinobi. Toshiro kept his distance from everyone, merely wishing to observe, wishing to find some clarity in their actions but finding none. He sighed, and was about to turn and leave when something caught his eye. Two of his classmates were fighting. He approached them quietly, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Suki, one of the strongest in their class â?? and to Toshiroâ??s chagrin, far superior to he himself â?? was sparring with Kagoya. Toshiro was suddenly interested. [i]Why would she fight him?[/i] he wondered. [i]More importantly, why would he fight [b]her[/b]?[/i]. The two continued to fight before him, Kagoya attempting to grab his female adversary while Suki effortlessly dodged time and time again. Her moves were brilliant, simple and yet complex at the same time. Kagoya feinted to her right, and struck her left side aimed straight at her wrists, but she pivoted on her right foot delivering a solid kick from her left. Kagoya flew through the air and hit the ground with a resounding thud. â??Iâ??m not done yet!â? Kagoya spat, still sprawled on the ground. He tried to pull himself up, but a kunai found its mark in the dirt directly above his face. â??Yes, Iâ??m afraid you are,â? Toshiro spoke softly. He turned his attention to Suki. She stood slightly shorter than he did, with short, jet-black hair. She was pretty â?? there was no denying that, but Toshiro knew not to underestimate an enemy based on physical appearance. She was strong, stronger than he, so he couldnâ??t let his guard down. No longer paying attention his fallen classmate, he glared at Suki, attempting â?? in vain â?? to stare her down. â??When youâ??re done warming up, fight me.â?

It's all about the storyline for me. A game can have amazing graphics or tight contols, but if the story doesn't really grip me then I won't really care enough to finish it. A lot of the older Final Fantasty games were like this for me - IV and VI especially. Even Final Fantasy X had a fantastic storyline. Anyone can make the argument that a turn-based RPG is a turn-based RPG and that's it, that they get boring after a while. But when you have a fantastic storyline unfolding before you and want to know what happens next, well, that's deffinitely what does it for me. Final Fantasy IV, VI and X, Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto IV - games that I've all beaten, know how they're going to end each time, and yet I'll still go back and play them over and over because I find the storylines so well-written and simply enjoyable.

Hating being late for anything, Toshiro was one of the first to arrive at the Academy. Those he passed in the halls seemed as bleak as the weather. [i]Perhaps itâ??s because of the weather[/i] he mused, but knew that it wasnâ??t the case â?? the genin exams would be held at some point that day, and a sense of impending doom hung in the air. He shrugged his shirt down awkwardly. He wasnâ??t nervous about the weather. [i]Well, maybe a little bitâ?¦.[/i] Toshiro entered the classroom, and to his satisfaction, found that he had beaten nearly everyone there. He hated walking into crowded rooms, instead preferring to sit quietly and wait for everyone else to enter. Those in the classroom already â?? he spotted Suki, nose buried in her textbook â?? looked groggy still. [i]Thatâ??s what you get for staying up all night practicing[/i] he thought to himself with a certain amount of resentment. This test would be easy, and those that actually needed to spend time preparing didnâ??t deserve the forehead protector. Thunder ripped through the silence once more making Toshiro jump. Cursing his sudden anxiousness and hoping no one noticed, he slumped down in a seat near the back of the room, away from the prying eyes of his classmates. One by one the nervous students filed into the room, until finally Lamara-sensei entered. Toshiro was surprised to see her â?? he had been expecting their normal teacher, Kizuka-sensei, but here standing before them was a teacher who he had passed before in the halls of the academy, but never been taught by. A general murmur rose in the room until Lamara-sensei cleared her throat, and then all went silent. â??Iâ??m sure none of you expected me today,â? she began in a calm, clear voice. â??On the day of your genin exam, Iâ??m sure youâ??d much rather have final words from Kizuka-sensei â?? unfortunately, he has been sent on a mission outside of the village.â? Once again, a murmur began to rise in the room as nervous students tried to imagine what kind of mission their instructor had been sent on. As the mutters began to die down, Lamara-sensei continued. â??Kizuka-sensei told me express to you his feelings of confidence towards your tests â?? he is confident that you will all remember your training, and pass todayâ??s exam with flying colours. Now, as for the exam â?? due to Kizuka-sensei being away today, I have been instructed to tell you what tonightâ??s exam details, and to do then proceed to give you the rest of the day to practise for it.â? The murmurs rose once more, but this time holding an excited, anxious tone as the students wondered what they would be examined on. This time, Lamara-sensei was not so kind towards the interruption and cleared her throat loudly, silencing the room. â??Tonightâ??s examination will test your ability to transform your physical being â?? the transformation jutsu is a basic ninja technique, and one that all genin must be able to perform with perfection whenever required. Your passing or failing tonightâ??s exam will depend on your ability to perform the Transformation Jutsu!â? Toshiro smiled despite himself. [i]Thatâ??s it?[/i] he mused. [i]This isnâ??t going to be an issue at allâ?¦[/i] However, to his surprise, he heard several groans from his fellow classmates. â??Class dismissed!â?

[size="4"][center]Konoha Chronicles[/center][/size] [size="3"][i]The Shinobi's Path[/i][/size] Toshiro lay in bed, wide awake, staring into the nothingness of his dark room. Despite the lack of sunlight that should have begun to creep through his windows, he knew it was well time to be out of bed. Thunder broke the early morning silence â?? no rain fell from the sky, and no lightning to herald its coming, but a dark sky spoke of the day to come. Letting out a deep sigh, he slowly pushed the covers back, and got up. He glanced out the window as he got dressed, trying to decide whether or not heâ??d be warm enough in his usual garb â?? a dark blue shirt that ended at his elbows, which he, like always, didnâ??t bother to tuck into his dark gray pants. Feeling that heâ??d be fine, he carefully dressed himself, and slipped his feet into his sandals. Using a mirror hanging behind his door, he tied his hair into a messy ponytail, and, comfortable with his appearance, left his room quietly. Stepping out into the Yakanashi compound, Toshiro instantly wished heâ??d put on warmer clothes, but not wishing to return to his room, strode forward. The compound was fairly large â?? a series of three small buildings surrounding a garden marked the living quarters of the entire clan, with a pathway, flanked by two larger buildings, which lead to the main gate. Normally, he would stop in at both before heading to the academy â?? one was a training area for the clanâ??s shinobi, while the other, a recreational area, housed the kitchen and dining rooms. Today however he was neither hungry nor felt the urge to train â?? even if he did, his sleeping in no longer allowed enough time for either. Without saying a word to anyone, he crept out through the main gate and began walking towards the academy. Something bothered him that he couldnâ??t quite put his finger on. It wasnâ??t nervousness; he knew that much â?? despite the fact that the genin examinations would be held later that day, he knew he had nothing to worry about with those. Still, something bothered him, as it had earlier that morning as he lay awake, as it had the night before when he couldnâ??t sleep. The citizens of Konoha had begun their morning earlier then he had - the streets, despite the early hour of the day, were already bustling with activity. Kids not younger then he were running about playing games while store owners shouted their wares. Toshiro took it all in at once, but remained uninterested. It didn't matter to him, it wasn't his business. He simply carried on. All at once, he realized what was bothering him - it was the sky. It was the dampness in the air, it was the chill of the breeze, and the darkness of the sky. [i]Why isn't it raining yet?[/i] he wondered. Everything pointed towards rain, but the sky simply refused to crack. Toshiro liked the rain, loved being out when rain pour and lightning cracked across the sky - this was simply a tease. He sighed. With the academy finally coming into sight, he shrugged it off, and prepared himself for what he felt was going to be a long day.

Hey everyone, just wanted to say thank you to everyone who signed up for this - I've decided to go with White and Isabelle-Black for the RP. Thanks again to everyone who signed up for this! Sign-ups are now [b]closed[/b]

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[center][u][b]Konoha Chronicles: The Shinobi's Path[/b][/u][/center] [i]"The next generation will always surpass the previous one and take their place"[/i] - Hatake Kakashi With the dying of the day's light, a shadow begins to spread over Konoha. Despite a time of relative peace, many begin to sense the looming threat in the distance. The world stands still, silent for the time, yet strained somehow. The five great ninja villages all remain hidden behind their walls - although all feel the tensions rising, none allow their borders to be unguarded. Fearing the worst in each other, the five villages have ceased nearly all communication with each other, and prepare themselves for a possible threat. However, not all feel the ever approaching danger in the air. Normal citizens go about their daily lives, and spurred on by words of safety from the Fifth Hokage Tusande, the young shinobi continue to train to become stronger. Genin continue to take small tasks around the town, preparing themselves for the up -and-coming Chunin exam, while those who have already attained the rank of Chunin train both themselves, honing their combat prowess, and training the students at the ninja academy. Nearing the end of their final semester, one such group of students are fervently preparing to take the necessary graduation exam and become Genins. This, is their story... [center]~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~[/center] Okay, so as you can no doubt tell, the description for this RP is being kept relatively vague. There will be an over-arching plot to this story, but as of right now, that is not important. The RP will work as such: I will accept two others into the RP, each a student graduating from the academy, and will eventually form a three-man team with as we all become Genins. There will be a Jonin character provided as well, but this will remain as a character that we can all RP freely with simply for plot progression and character development. As I stated before, there will be an overarching plot-line, but it will be subtle to begin with, mostly hints at what's happening as we progress through our own story. The RP, after things take off and the three man team is formed, will follow a mission structure. I will begin with a mission for our team to undertake, and when it is completed, the next mission will be decided upon by one of the other authors, then upon completion a new mission will be initiated by the third author - so on and so forth. These missions will serve as a chance for character development and progression until the real plot kicks in. The timeline for this RP is slightly complicated - it takes place in the Naruto universe approximately at the point in the series where Shippuuden begins. That being said, you can imagine our RP as one, enormous filler arch - characters from the Naruto universe exist within the story for continuity purposes (i.e. Tsunade as Hokage) but no one from Naruto cannon will really be in our RP. That means no Akatsuki threat, no cannon characters showing up to save the day - all of the characters in this RP will be created by us. As a side-note, Iâ??d prefer it if everyone who signs up is caught up with the anime, just to ensure that everyone knows and understands how the ninja-world works. If youâ??re not caught up but want to post a sign-up anyways, please send me a message telling me how far into the series you are. Character sign-ups will be done as follows: [b]Name:[/b] Just for continuty's sake, please name your character starting with their clan name, followed by their given name [b]Physical Description:[/b] This will include all necessary info - name, height, appearance, (all characters should be about 12 since we're in the academy) etc. If you want to include a picture as well that's fine, so long as it goes with the write-up [b]Strengths and Abilities:[/b] Please don't go too overboard on this, as all characters are still in the academy at this point. This will be more of a where your character's strengths lie, and some of the abilities they will eventually get. [b]Bio:[/b] No more than a hundred words or so, but feel free to write as much as you want. [b]Name:[/b] Yakanashi Toshiro [b]Physical Description:[/b] Toshiro is of average height for his age, although a bit on the small side. He has long black, messy hair that he often wears in an untidy ponytail. Toshiro wears the standard shinobi combat-mail (although this wonâ??t be worn until he becomes a Genin) underneath a dark blue shirt (the mail goes to his wrists, but the shirt ends at his elbows) and dark grey pants extending down to his ankles. He wears the standard blue sandals most Konoha shinobi are seen wearing, and when he eventually attains the Konoha forehead protector, he ties it around his left arm. He has dark blue eyes. [b]Strengths and Abilities:[/b] Toshiro is a fairly capable and competent student at the academy, placing approximately 5th overall in his class â?? heâ??s not the strongest member, but not the weakest by far. He relies heavily on water-based ninjutsu and basic taijutsu while in combat, but his greatest strength lies in his ability to stay calm under pressure and come up with effective strategies while fighting. [b]Bio:[/b] Toshiro is fairly calm and collected. He prefers to analyze situations before taking action, hating hasty and risky attacks. Toshiro was born and raised in Konoha and has only ever left the village a handful of times. Trained at a young age by his parents and two older brothers, Toshiro found that many basic ninja skills came fairly easily to him, unfortunately instilling a sense of impatience regarding more difficult to master techniques. The Yakanashi clan is fairly well-known throughout Konoha as a clan of shinobi who use water-based jutsus. However, their true strength in battle is through the use of a special water-based genjutsu that assaults their enemyâ??s mind, making them believe they are underwater and causing them to drown. Toshiro, one of the only Yakanashi clan members to be born without an innate ability in genjutsu, often has feelings of inadequacy for being unable to learn this technique, and although none ever say it out-right, is often seen as a bit of a failure by the majority of his clan.

Matsuda sped after Okaru, fearing the wrath of the kunoichi that followed them. What’s worse was that he knew she was gaining on them steadily. [i]Damnit Okaru[/i] he panicked. [i]If – no, [b]when[/b] – she catches us, we’re dead![/i] The day was sunny, and the run through the streets and along the rooftops was a nice change of pace, the warm breeze making it almost relaxing. In spite of himself, his own anxieties, and most importantly his fear of being caught by Hotaru, Matsuda couldn’t help but laugh – it felt so nice to be running through Konoha, a wonderful homecoming after running from enemy kunai and shurikiens. Thinking of a shortcut that might let him get to the restaurant faster, Matsuda veered off his path, and was relieved to see Hotaru streak past him, dead-set on the fleeting image of Okaru. Matsuda chuckled again, and smiled at his teammates. The streets of Konoha were busy, as always. The usual hustle and bustle of people about their business made easy, but never-the-less fun obstacles for Matsuda to dodge as he ran for the finish line. When he could, he leapt up the rooftops to continue his sprint away from others – just the way he liked it. Approaching the restaurant, he spied the one and only thing he had hoped not to see on his return – Akoma and the beautiful Hatoma. Matsuda blushed in spite of himself at the sight of her, but as he had expected, the two walked hand-in-hand. Matsuda lamented that the rumors had been utterly true, that the two had become somewhat of an item ever since being put on the same team as each other. [i]I’m not letting them get to me today[/i] he thought to himself, a grim, determined, but all-together forced resolution accompanying it. “Hey! Matsuda!” his best friend had finally seen him, and called to him, waving him over. Matsuda ran right past them. “Sorry no time to talk – training!” he shouted as he passed them, and left them standing in the dust. [i]Serves them right[/i] he thought bitterly. In order to not be seen entering the restaurant by Akoma and Hatoma, he ducked behind the building, and entered through one of the back entrances, and was sad to see both Hotaru and Okaru waiting for him at a table. “What took you so long?” they asked in almost complete unison.

Matsuda was stunned, to say the least. He hadn?t known what to say to Okaru when his story was finished, had to react even. He couldn?t meet his eyes, partly due to his own shyness, partly because he wasn?t sure if Okaru was crying ? he wouldn?t like to be seen crying, Matsuda decided. His story concluded, Okaru had slipped back out from under the tarp, and had fallen asleep next to a tree. Matsuda was half tempted to join him, but was afraid of the cold he knew he would catch. Even still, he stepped out into the rain. It was pouring, a straight-downpour with little wind, lightning illuminating the sky in quick, violent bursts. Matsuda sighed, already soaked. The rain came down, and Matsuda took it in. He brushed his slick, wet hair back, and stared up at the sky, the rain drenching his face immediately. [i]I never knew his name.[/i] He sighed again, and, sure that no one could see his face, began to cry silently. It only lasted a moment, but he felt refreshed in a sense, letting it all out. Beginning to sneeze, he realized foolishly that he had spent too long out in the elements, and quickly returned under the tarp. Drying himself off with a towel from his belongings, he thought back to the men he had killed today. The bandit he had slain from behind to save Hotaru, and the ninja who had tried to kill all three of them. [i]I didn?t know their names? but that doesn?t matter[/i]. He climbed back into his sleeping bag. [i]Names don?t matter ? dead is dead, and I can?t change that.[/i] Finally feeling at ease, he fell asleep. [center]~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~[/center] In the morning, the Rykotsu-sensei ordered his three genin to clean up the camp. They set out before first light along the wet path, still slippery from last night?s storm. The walk back to Konoha was uneventful to say the least ? the four shinobi walked in a line, while the genins made small talk about the day beforehand. Ryokotsu sighed. [i]This was far too difficult for a first mission[/i] he thought to himself, regretfully. Despite being nearly amazed at how well his team preformed, he was frustrated with the mission itself. [i]There shouldn?t have been any ninjas among the enemy[/i]. The mission had been full of eye-openers for him. The first of which was the strength of his students. Okaru had held his own against an enemy ninja for quite some time before he intervened. Hotaru had dispatched numerous bandits on her own, facing multiple at a time. Matsuda, on his own, had killed an enemy ninja, despite the fact that he was weaker then the shinobi Ryokotsu himself had fought. They were growing, and far faster then he had expected. The second was the amount of supplies he had found while he was out on his own. The camp they had originally found didn?t contain as many supplies as he had been lead to believe, but upon inspection, he had found numerous other camps, with enough stolen supplies to build their own town ? they had found far greater then what they had been lead to believe. Third, and most troubling, was the appearance of the enemy shinobi. The intel on the mission suggested that they would have to fight bandits, and [b]only[/b] bandits. It was in his nature to always assume that the enemy?s numbers would be greater then expected, but two rogues ninjas was pushing it. He sighed once again. Konoha?s enemies were growing bolder. OOC: Ok, this is basicly the end of the mission ? we?re just going to go back to Konoha, hand in the map, and then we?re done. The next mission is all yours Drizt, so take it away :animesmil

Matsuda paid little attention to his comrades as they leapt through the trees, trailing Sensei. There was no need ? words were unimportant. Hotaru and Okaru were talking up ahead, but he paid them no mind, focused intently on the branches before him. After using most of his chakra to increase his speed, he was running low and was afraid of missing a step and falling. The blade, wiped clean from the ninja?s blood, was bound to his back, protected by the sheath ? he tried not to think about it. Flashes kept appearing before him, the man?s face, the look in his eyes when he knew he was going to die, the spasms that took him before life left. His right hand shook violently, and try as he might, he couldn?t control it. The three genin broke out of the trees and into a clearing, where Sensei was waiting. Bundles of lumber littered the ground ? the supplies had finally been located. ?This is it?? Hotaru asked, incredulously. ?I had expected more.? ?They had that many men, and two shinobi two guard? [i]this[/i]?? Okaru scoffed. ?Hmm?? Ryokotsu-sensei mused, deep in thought. ?Set up a perimeter ? nothing comes in, and nothing leaves.? ?Yes, Sensei? all three genins said at once, and departed, each taking a different section of the camp. Ryokotsu-sensei, armed with a single kunai, made his way back into the forest. Matsuda, in position and watching the southern border, finally lost the strength to stand, and fell hard onto his bottom. Rubbing it tenderly, he looked back, and was relieved to see that no one saw him fall. He eased up, pulled the sword free of its sheath, and set to watching the trees. Dark clouds began to appear overhead soon, and the rumble of thunder could be heard from off in the distance. ?Well that?s inconvenient?? Matsuda muttered. He turned his gaze back to the forest, but nothing had changed. He could hear the rustling of leaves as the animals that inhabited the forest made their way. A pair of birds were chirping off in the distance, and Matsuda sighed ? his hand was still shaking. Ryokotsu-sensei reappeared with the coming of the rain. Everyone gathered in the middle of the camp, and waited for Ryokotsu?s report. Matsuda hid his shaking hand behind him, shifting his body slightly, and prayed that no one noticed. ?It?s as I suspected,? he began, as though confirming suspicions had made vocal prior to his departure. ?There are several camps spread out in the forest, each no further then a mile from the last. There?s no way we?ll be able to bring back the supplies by ourselves. However, I managed to neutralize the guards at each camp, and mapped the location of each. Our mission is over, we are to return to Konoha, give the map to the Lady Hokage ? she can then send out teams to extract the supplies.? Matsuda was dumfounded. [i]That?s it?[/i] he thought to himself. [i]All of the fighting? all of the killing? and we?re going back empty handed?[/i] It bothered him to no end, despite knowing that it really made no difference ? the supplies were found, and soon to be recovered, so the mission was a success. ?With the rain coming,? Ryokotsu-sensei continued, already beginning to get wet, ?I think it best that we make camp here for the night ? with no hostile threat, the map can be delivered in the morning. Get some rest,? he ordered, then left, leaving the three genin staring after him, getting wetter by the second. Matsuda flashed his two comrades a quick, albeit shy smile, made a hasty goodnight, and departed too. He set up his sleeping bag under the tarp Ryokotsu-sensei had provded, climbed in, and pretended to fall fast asleep. Since he had killed the man, he had finally come to realize that if he hadn?t he would have been the one lying in a pool of blood. He knew that he had done what he had to do, nothing more, nothing less. But, even knowing that, under the heavy sleep bag, his hand continued to tremble, depriving him of any sleep he had hoped to the get during the night.

?Me and Hotaru fought some too! Isn't this an awesome mission?" Matsuda hoped he had done well masking the fear in his voice, and heaved a sigh of relief when Okaru laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. [i]I will be stronger? I will be stronger?[/i] he kept telling himself. The first step to becoming stronger was to have everyone else think you were ? how could he improve if his teammates thought him weak? Although he didn?t find Okaru?s joke particularly funny, he smiled warmly, and focused on being one of the team. He was shy, he was scared, and sometimes, felt downright uncomfortable with his new allies, but he had to get over it, and that was that. He smiled, half at the joke, and half at knowing they were all making true progress. Suddenly, Ryokotsu-sensei tightened the grip around his kunai. ?Okaru, Hotaru up front. Matsuda right flank?, and with that, he leapt into the forest. Not knowing whether or not he had enough time to draw his katana, he settled on a kunai which he drew while leaping into position. He heard a whistling sound, and had just enough time to throw his kunai at an incoming projectile, defelcting the surely lethal attack. In one fluid motion, he completed the throw, then let his arm drop, grabbing a pair of shurikein from his back pocket and hurled them into the trees ahead. Each was deflected by an unseen enemies kunai, the small steel weapons beginning to litter the ground. ?Cover!? he shouted, and at once, Okaru and Hotaru leapt in front of him, kunai raised, ready to deflect any incoming projectiles. Now with a moment to breath, he drew his katana quickly, waiting for the next hail of enemy attacks to be warded off. With the reassuring [i]clang[/i] of steel meeting steel, he leapt over his two defenders and into the woods. There standing before him was his enemy. He was older them Matsuda by a few years, no headband to distinguish his village of origin. He smiled confidently at Matsuda, who was aware of his hand trembling against the hilt of his katana. He was taller then Matsuda, with tanned skin and dark brown eyes. He had long brown hair tucked into a messy ponytail like Matsuda?s, and held a short blade in his hand, ready for blood. ?So, you decided to come alone, did you?? he chuckled. ?Well, your funeral?? [i]Calm?[/i] Matsuda inhaled, and exhaled. [i]Calm?[/i] Matsuda tightened his grip on the hilt. [i]Now![/i] He rushed forward, meeting his opponent dead on, his katana clashing against the rogue ninja?s short blade. He danced through the sword forms he had been taught, exchanging blows with his assailant, driving him back. His enemy leapt back into the trees, rising higher and higher along the thick branches, but Matsuda stayed with him every step of the way. [i]My taijutsu is poor[/i] he lamented, [i]and my genjutsu is poorer, but this is what I?ve trained for.[/i] The training over the past three months had paid off ? Matsuda?s agility was superior to his enemy. ?I?m faster then you!? he yelled, appearing behind his enemy. The next blow struck home. With a wild slash, he managed to cut into the ninja?s arm. With a howl, he lost his balance, and screamed as he fell off the branch, falling towards his grave, his scarlet blood streaking out of the gash on his arm. At the last moment, he saved himself by grabbing onto a stray branch and throwing himself onto another, but Matsuda was there with him every step of the way. ?I said I?m faster then you!? he hacked and slashed through his enemy?s defense, until finally from sheer exhaustion, he dropped his short blade. Matsuda spun, and unleashed the killing blow, stabbing the ninja through the chest. He sputtered, coughed up blood, and disappeared into a field of smoke. ?Shadow clone?!? Matsuda panicked, and felt the kunai press against the back of his neck. ?You may be faster, but I?m smarted?? his opponent sneered. ?Is that so??? Matsuda replied casually, and disappeared, the smoke of his own shadow clone dissipating into the forest. The rogue ninja?s jaw dropped, and uttered a single, agonizing grunt as Matsuda?s katana drove home. A foot of steel extending out of his chest, which Matsuda pulled free, watching his enemy crumple to the ground. His body shook, he began to spasm, and then he was still, disturbed only by the blood pouring out of wound in his chest and mouth. Matsuda dropped his katana, his right hand shaking so badly that he could no longer carry it. His thoughts drifted back to the first man he had killed, to defend Hotaru? the man?s face was burned into his memory. He looked at the ninja?s corpse, the man who?s life he had taken. ?I didn?t even know your name?? he lamented softly. ?I didn?t even know your name??

“So then, neither of you have seen Okaru since we split up?” Ryokotsu-sensei asked, his usual, monotone, borderline sarcastic voice sounding just as uncaring as always. “That’s right” Hotaru replied. “Like I said, me and Matsuda made for the trees... we thought Okaru would be behind us.” Matuda remained silent. Hotaru had done an excellent job at recount exactly what happened – his opinion wasn’t necessary. All at once, Ryokotsu’s head whipped around. “Wait here,” he hissed, and ran off through the trees. Matsuda gaped. “Where the hell is he going?” he asked Hotaru. She answered his question with a flat look. “It has to be Okaru,” she sighed. “Well, I guess we better get going?” “Going? Going where?” Matsuda asked. “Sensei told us to wait here.” “If it was something that was strong enough to worry him like that, he might need backup.” Hotaru said as she packed her kunai pouch once again. Matsuda stared at the ground. [i]If whatever it was was enough to make sensei run off like that… should we really be heading straight towards it…?[/i] Matsuda wiped the blood off his katana with the help of leaves on the forest floor. He looked up then, into Hotaru’s eyes, and nodded. “Let’s go.” [center]~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~[/center] The leaves blurred as Ryokotsu leapt from branch to branch. He could sense an abundance of chakra, somewhere due west of his position. [i]Too strong for Okaru… he’s tough, but that’s not him[/i]. He picked up his pace considerably. All at once, he broke through the trees into a clearing – there, standing before Okaru, was another shinobi. With one look, he understood his opponent completely. A renegade shinobi, older than himself but less powerful, most likely at chuunin level. Arrogant. A limp in his left hand. Right eye nearly useless, left eye in working condition. “Okaru, down!” Ryokotsu shouted. The shout surprised his student, but he complied quickly, narrowly dodging a fire-based jutsu that was about to hit him from behind. The fireball sailed carelessly into the forest before exploding, and then dissipating with a lack of chakra to keep it burning. Ryokotsu landed in front of Okaru, blocking his enemy’s view of his student. “My name is Ryokotsu of Konoha – I make it a practice to tell my name to those I intend to kill.” The man in front of him smiled. “Tamura Ochida.” His smile was death, his face twisted in a sick thirst for blood. “I’ll ask you one question before I end your life – was it your group who stole building supplies from Konoha?” he asked, his voice serious. He had learned from the best how to mask his voice. “Yes… yes it was…” Ochida answered, softly licking the kunai in his left hand. Ryokotsu prepared himself, mentally taking note of the surroundings, of the weapons he had left, and of course memorizing what he had noticed about his enemy prior to their conversation. He knelt down to Okaru’s level, and whispered into his student’s ear. “I’m going to begin the attack – the moment you see an opening on his right side, you take it. Understood?” Okaru nodded. Rykotsu leapt back, and in one fluid motion produced a set of shuriken from their pouch on his combat vest. He threw them at Ochida, but began to run at him the moment he hit the ground, making straight for his left side. Ochida deflected the projectiles with his kunai, but it was too late – at a dead run, Ryokotsu formed the seals for his jutsu. “Earth Style – Ground Spear Jutsu” the very earth underneath his enemy trembled for a moment, then the ground shot up, sharp points heading directly for Ochida. His enemy leapt out of the way, narrowly avoiding the near fatal attack. Ryokotsu smiled – Okaru had chosen the perfect moment to attack. “Wind Bullet Jutsu!” the wind bullet was fired perfectly, straight at Ochida’s blind spot. The attack was perfect, the strategy was flawless, but even when he told Okaru what to do, he knew it would fail – he was counting on it to fail. Ochida formed his hand seals quickly, and fire spurted from his hands, destroying the wind bullet. “Did you really thing I’d be that easy? Did you really –“ he was cut off by a kunai pressed against his throat – Ryokotsu stood behind him, holding his right arm behind his opponent’s right arm behind his back. “One leg was placed further ahead then the other – I could tell you were arrogant. I knew that an attack from a child would be blocked with your full force to try and intimidate him. You held a kunai in your left hand, licking it to try and instill fear in us as well. The kunai in your left hand was in open display to hide the one in your right from our display – your left hand is wounded. The way you looked at my student and nearly missed my entry, coupled with the scar near your right eye indicates that you can’t see very well from it, meaning that you would pay extra attention to an attack coming from the right side – your blind spot.” Ochida sputtered, his mouth hanging open, terrified. “The very way you stood told me exactly how you would die. Your stance told me everything I needed to know. But it’s too late now – you’re going to die.” He let off a sickening scream as the kunai slit his throat, and he crumpled to the ground. [i]Flawless…[/i] Ryokotsu mused. “Are you alright, Okaru?’ he asked, his attention now fixed on his student.