Fluff and filler

Mission details

Mission details :

Finding himself back within the inn, we join Maku in yet another filler story of his time traveling through the land of fire.  Their journey was being performed mostly on foot and occasionally through the kindness of others when they could hitch a ride for a couple of kilometers.  Along the way, he occasionally pulled out the pink folder that Hook had given him.  Within it a variety of odd jobs and other missions that he could perform along the way.  While it wasn’t strictly necessary for the grand scheme of life, a little money and resources was never something that one should laugh at.  Instead, better to always be prepared, and he was a slave to a good side story when it came up.  Shuffling through the papers he’d toss out the jobs that he had either successfully finished or had no desire to do.  What was left was a mixture of mercenary appropriate jobs for a man on the up and up…..as well as the more shadow esq type jobs that you wouldn’t want to tell your momma about:  

Opting for one that wasn’t so devil may care, his violet covered eyes reviewed the mission.  It listed that there was a buyer who needed a kilogram of rabbit fur for a certain project.  Scratching his head he would read the request  again a little confused.  He’d been asked to retrieve some odd things in his day, but rabbit fur might have hopped all the way to the top of that list.  Continuing to read as it turned out the rabbits within the land of fire were special.  Though not as powerful as the shinobi animals that many made contracts with, something about the land of fire made their rabbits more sensitive.  They had better senses for finding not only food and shelter, but also avoiding predators and picking up when people where around.  Even skilled shinobi had a tough time finding and catching the certain breed that called the land of fire it’s home.  With that in mind, as it turns out their fur because a powerful addition for certain item and armor crafters.  Combining the natural energies within the fur with powerful jutsu to create effects that benefited the shinobi that had the ryo to purchase the goods.  

At the bottom it noted that the payment for such a mission was not only a handsome amount of ryo, but also a selection of some of the goods that they’re ere able to collect, after it had been processed by the buyer.  Shrugging to himself, it seemed like not a bad gig.  How hard after all, would it be to simply catch a couple rabbits, and get them to the man.  He knew that it mentioned skilled shinobi had had a tough time, but they must have been the names less rabble that he barely considered above the civilian workers.  For Maku Jemuzu, the Lavendar Peacock, General Slaanesh, this would be nothing but a paltry afternoon chore.  Smiling, he would send a note to the buyer that he would be collecting and to expect him within a couple of hours.  This may have been a bit ambitious, but he was confident in his ability to catch some rabbits.  He also underestimated how many rabbits he would need to actually catch to accumulate in a couple kilograms of rabbit fur, given the beasties didn’t weight thag much on their own, and just having their fur would make such a thing even more trying.  

Leaving the grumpy old man behind, (Youka) Maku would set out into the various forests. Not wanting to get his normal regalia dirty he had opted for a different wardrobe.  He had his hunting knife stowed on his left pocket, but rather than the Takigakure armor, he now wore a brown hunting suit with an oversized hat to keep the sun away.  His pockets had several Kunai and wires within them.  Good tools to set up snares and traps he reasoned.  He’d also stopped by and purchased a variety of carrots, after all rabbits loved carrots, everyone knew that.  With all this he set out l, letting the grocer know that he was “out hunting wabbits.”  His words had been jumbled thanks to caring one of the bags with his teeth, the word rabbits hadn’t come out as it normally would.  He couldn’t help but shake the feeling that the grocer was pulling his leg when he offered to sell him a variety of rabbit catching tools.  A large over sized mallet, some explosives, painting tools to guarantee life like tunnels in walls.   It was like soemthing out of a cartoon.  Regardless he was pleased to get out of there, he couldn’t help but feel that the man had looked almost coyote like with his facial expressions. 

Still, he’d thought the evening would do for a man of his skills.  Despite never having been out hunting in his life.  Making his way deeper into the woods he set up a little base camp in a clearing.  Laying out the carrots, wires, some burlap sacks to transport the captured bunnies in, and his own snacks and water for the evening.  Satisfied with that, he set out to create his various traps.  He made up tripwires with carrots under heavy rocks, one that involved a carefully made cage from sticks, and at least four snares that would capture the rabbit either by the leg or head pulling it up to dangle for him to easily collect later on.  Moving back through the trees in rip toes he’d made a shushing sound with his finger to his lips as a reminder that he needed to be very quite while hunting rabbits.  Making his way back to his base camp, he’d have a seat on a log nearby, taking a drink from his canteen.  Now all there was to do was wait a bit, easy.  

Pulling out his harmonica he would spend some time playing different Melodie’s form the various countries he’d visited.  He’d had plenty of time to pick up little details and songs along his journeys.  His favorite was folk songs or songs that told stories within them.  It has always been a special passion, perhaps not as much as his cooking, but still relevant, still there.  Another aspect of his desire to live on his terms and enjoy what he enjoyed while he could.  It didn’t occur to him until much later that this musical demonstration to the natural world around him would likely backfire.  After an hour he got up, and made the trek all along where he’d set up his snares and traps, only to find each one as empty as the last.  Scratching his head with the hand that held the small piece of brass he’d give himself a facepalm.  Realizing he’d broken his own rule of being very quite he’d begrudgingly return to the little makeshift camp.  By now the sun well past overhead and threatening to enter its final descent for the day.  Looking at it, he realized that perhaps that deadline he’d set for himself had indeed been a bit ambitious.  

This time he played no music, and let himself just read a book.  Quite, easy, surely much time had passed.  Yet when he looked up, the sun had barely moved.  Though it had felt like hours as he was forced to be quite and still untruth it had been little more than 15 minutes.  Getting up he made the trek once again to check the traps just to be skunked once again.  Actually he wish he’d been skunked, at least then he’d have an animal.  If rabbits had special powers no doubt skunks did as well.  Perhaps these skunks smell would attract people, or turn someone into a ladies man.  No that was crazy…..who would ever watch or think of such a thing.  Going back to his metaphorical drawing board he considered his next move in how to find these tricky rabbits.  Reaching for one of his snacks, a box of cereal he’d pull it out sticking his hand down into it.  Only to grab his own leg.  Looking down a hole had been nibbled through it……those damn rabbits……this cereal was for Maku not for them.  Tossing the box down, he could feel his blood pressure rising.  The explosives the coyote man had wanted to sell him was starting to seem like a reasonable idea.  

Wanting to give his traps one more chance, he finally fell asleep, only to wake up well into the night.  Cursing himself he would check the traps made much more difficult by the coming dark.  Stumbling through the growth, the only thing he found was himself hanging upside down after stepping on one of his own snares.  Wondering why he had crafted one that would pull so high he swore he could hear snickering coming from the brush.  An impossibility obviously…..rabbits couldn’t laugh.  Yet he still felt the beady little eyes of those fur ball bastards on his physically pitiful frame.  Pulling the knife and cutting himself down, he’d had enough.  Setting up a progressively more dangerous set of traps with the wires including a log that would swing smashing into whatever had pulled the trip wire he went back through the woods.  Running on the road his shoes made beep beep sounds due to something stuck to their bottom.  He’d need to send a letter to the buyer as well as revisit that store.  No more Mr. Nice Maku.

Once the message had been sent he banged on the door of the would be grocer who for some reason was still up.  He said that he was preparing for a hunt of his own on an elusive large bird.  Something about a konoha ostrich……he was barely listening.  His mind was still on hunting the rabbits.  Purchasing a variety of products under a copy written name, he’d stuff his bag full and make his way back to his little campsite.  This time with a tent as well as the goods.  Setting up his little tent he would finally be able to sleep late into the night.  In his dreams he couldn’t even count sheep, but rather little rabbits hopping to and fro away from his traps.  He’d conquered villages, fought what some had considered gods of shinobi…..but he was getting his ass handed to him by a couple of fur balls, and that was not sitting well at all.  Still, he was able to get a little bit of rest before he would start all over again in the late morning.  This time…..this day……..he would get those fuzz balls.  

Once awake, and reinvigorated the work began.  He was confident that Youka was going to kill him for taking so long on what no doubt he would consider a waste of time.  But still, he didn’t understand….these rabbit had insulted his pride, his mettle as a man, his powers as a shinobi……they must pay.  Once again he stomped through the brush, each trap in perfect position with the carrots he had used as bait no where to be seen.  Repairing the traps he would add a couple more.  A pair of roller skates that had an explosive tag that would send them rocketing into a small rock.  A tiny cereal box that stated it was only for kids with the inside lines with a sticky substance, a series of complicated wire riggings that would bring down a large mallet on anything that dared lift a carrot form it’s spring loaded trigger.  In fact he was amazed at the altitude he’d had for creating all these things.  He doubted he would ever be able to do it again, or would have been able to without the manual that the coyote man had given him for this exact purpose.  Come to think of it…..where had that thing gone?

It didn’t take long for a commotion to be heard within the woods.  Rushing at full speed through the brush he would approach where the roller skate trap had been.  Once he arrived however, it was clear that this had not been the most well thought out trap.  He had indeed captured a rabbit…..at least he assumed it had been a rabbit.  However, between the explosion and the rush into a wall…..well he doubted the buyer would pay any money for what was left with all that.  Sucking in his tongue, he’d go back to the drawing board.  The reminder of the day was filled with incidents like this.  A trap would indeed go off, the coyote gentleman knew how to make a trap that was true.  The issue however was, none of the rabbits seemed to survive the various traps in a way that would be beneficial to him or anyone wanting to use their fur.  Soon, he had switched over from confidence he could catch a rabbit to fear that the sins of his rabbit serial killing would provide its own thump of karmatic justice he’d have to escape by a hare.  

Finally giving up on his swarai into the field of gimmicks gadgets and gatchas, a new strategy was going to be needed and developed.  Ipso facto, it was time for jutsu….o.  He’d wanted to prove he wasn’t just reliant on his shinobi abilities for reasons he wasn’t even sure if anymore.  But after the disaster that was the map escapade, and now being bested by rabbits….we’ll one’s pride can only take so many hits before you need to hit back.  Putting away his traps so that he would not be the one that was captured by them….again, he’d sit and focus his energies.  Reaching out he’d connect himself with nature, breathing out, feeling the chaos and struggle that was the natural world around him.  As he did this, his senses seemed to open up, he was more connected.  When his eyes opened again he was ready.  Signing several handseals he felt his energies rise as he reached out into the ether around him.  What better way to capture animals, than others animals.  Besides though it was rare, he had a type of animal at his disposal that given the right size would be more than a match for capturing something as some silly rabbits.  

At the conclusion of his handseals, he’d bite his thumb slamming his hand down in the ground.  Spiraling black letters laced outwardly around him as white plumes of smoke erupted throughout the forest.  As they dissipated all around him was a multitude of the ugliest toads one had ever seen.  In truth there wasn’t that many discord toads, this jutsu was able to call many that he’d never seemed to creation.  The wild hunt jutsu was one of the pinnacles a summoner shinobi could perform, one that requires a great deal of trust with the animals that he had signed a contract with.  To bring so many, to have so many fight for you, it was truly a massive gesture.  All around him chomping and croaking erupted into the quite of the forest.  Looking around many of the toads had unique properties separating them from that of normal toads from Mt. Myoboku.  Some had tadpool like features, some had too many eyes, teeth on some, extra limbs, etc their deformities were varied and unique to each of them.  Their colorings from putrid pestilence like colors, to bright and offending color schemes that had no business being within the natural world.  

Still, they would get the job done, of that he had no doubt.  Giving the orders he would point out and make his way through the forest.  All around him the multitude of toads would hop and search for any rabbits.  Trampling the brush and even pushing over some trees they’d make there way around, forcing the rabbits from their hiding holes. Causing the many beasts to scatter away.  Unfortunately for them however, the toads tongues lashed out grabbing at the many beasts and reeling them in.  All around him toad mouths would snatch shut with rabbits inside of them.  One, two, three, soon over a half dozen had been captured in this way.  Maintaining the jutsu as long as he could he’d continue to be the general of discord toads pointing and directing their efforts on.  He wouldn’t stop until no more rabbits could be found or rushed out from the holes that littered the forest floor.  Once this had been done, he would release the toads, each one popping away in a plethora of white smoke.  Soon he would once again be standing alone in the middle of the forest, though it was looking worse than it had a few moments before.

What was left behind when the toads had vanished, were some very dead, and very saliva soaked rabbits.  Taking up the burlap sack, he’d move about collecting all of the poor creatures.  Perhaps if they hadn’t been so rude to him things would not have had to go this way, but no they’d had to eat his cereal and laugh at him.  Sure none of that really made sense or added up, but it still was his thought process.  Soon he had two sacks full of rabbits which, was presumably the correct amount that was needed for the buyer.  Tearing down his camp he’d head off a full two days later than what he had expected the job to take.  While on the road, he could have sworn he saw way in the distance a coyote chasing a tall bird….and was the coyote strapped with some sort of firework like rocket?  Shaking his head he banished the thought, his eyes were playing tricks on him after all.  Re-adjusting the sacks he continued in his way, following the directions that would lead him to the workshop where he was told to go with the spoils of the forest.  

It didn’t take long before he had arrived at the workshop, rabbits in tow.  He checked in at the workshop where a secretary went in to find the buyer.  As it turned out he was a master craftsmen who specialized in sensory type ninja tools.  The rabbit fur was crucial as it acted as a conduit for the chakra that’s was run through the variety of seals or other innate properties of the items.  He’d once crafted his own armor and weapons a long time ago while he was in Yukigakure.  Though he had not formed the robes and sword himself, he had helped craft their abilities thanks to his own chakra control.  Something that he had not done again since.  It was interesting to take all of it in again.  However, even as interesting as it all was, he had to admit that he was ready to be done with the task as it was.  It was a decent thing to put on his resume of mercantile work at least, spreading and solidifying his status as a vagabond worker.  After several minutes a kindly old man arrived, waving him into the workshop, Maku would follow his lead carrying the sacks.  

As it turned out, somewhere in the fine print his duties did not simply end with acquiring the rabbits.  No the details that Hook had magically left off that it was also within his duties to help process the rabbits.  Which involves shaving off the hair and for some reason performing a type of field dressing so their meat could also be sold off for an additional profit for the item manufacturer.  Had he not been a chef, this likely would have been too much, but he had prepared rabbit once or twice, though it wasn’t in the top end of his menu proclivity.  Being led to a place where it could all be done, he took the cutlery he had been presented with, and after a few slices on a wet stone to sharpen the blade he set out.  Butchering and cleaning animals was an interesting thing.  To some it was repulsive, a thing that caused nausea and wouldn’t be tolerated.  To others it was merely a way of life and a simple necessary task.  Maku to the later approach.  Instead of thinking of each as a living thing, they were merely puzzles to be unraveled.

Methodically and carefully he reformed the gruesome task, until it was done.  He’d at least been given a silent assistant who would take the skins of the rabbits away, and they actually did the dirty work of shaving off the fur.  That for whatever reason seemed worse than the squeezing of it off the poor little dears.  It took the better part of a couple hours to finish.  It wasn’t that each one took a long time, but he’d been surprised by how many rabbits he’d actually managed to capture.  Well how many rabbits his toads had been able to capture rather.  Once all of this was done, he found himself washing the blood from his hands in the sink.  Scrubbing at his cuticles he’d finally be clean once more, and observe as the assistance took the riches of his work to be sold to the markets.  It was a tidy operation he decided, especially if the man could double dip on product from a specific creature.  In truth it was better than most, less waste this way and that was something he could respect.  Following the assistant he’d once again come face to face with the item crafter which now had a large amount of fur beside him.  

He’d sit back and watch for awhile as the man methodically worked through his wares.  He watched as he took the hair and sewed patches of it into the different vests, and even some head bands.  He explained that it worked as a conduit expanding the range of certain sensory abilities or making others more sensitive, hare triggers he called them.  No doubt he thought himself very clever for coming up with such a name.  As was polite Maku found himself laughing at the pun and asking questions where he could.  In truth he didn’t really care all that much about the process, but he did care about getting paid.  Being friendly was a good part of that since he had yet to see the money actually hit his hand.  Eventually the formalities would be over, the old man would feel good about passing on some knowledge of his craft and they would end up in his office.  In the desk, he would count out the reward money as well as a small black satin cloth that he had carefully put some of the rabbit fur in.  

In addition to the reward he was offered a choice.  He’d brought in so many rabbits that the man was fine with either giving him an additional sampling of the rabbit fur, or a bonus in the cash reward.  Thinking in the matter for a little while, he opted for the rabbit fur.  If the stuff was as valuable as he was lead to believe than it might come in handy down the road.  Where as money was money, and one could always simply find more if they new all the right places to look.  A second cloth was provided, both tucked away and the mission was essentially a done deal.  He’d stick around for a few more hours, assisting where he could and just overall burning some time.  He wasn’t looking forward to explaining to Youka why he’d been gone so long and why their journey had been delayed.  Still, as with all things it finally came to an end.  Holding the rabbit fur cloth he would squeeze it, roll it around in the cloth, and wonder if it actually had any of the abilities that the old man had said it did.  True animals and other things possessed different properties, but this one just seemed a tad farfetched.  

Finding a stump to sit upon, he’d pull up his legs, and close his eyes.  In each hand he held a parcel of the fur; and concentration specifically with these in mind, he reached out to gather nature energy once again.  The little bit that he had connected with earlier was still leaving trace elements behind, and now as he concentrated he felt the flood of energy coming back to him.  His breaths became slower, and he attempted to focus through that silly little bundle in each of his hand.  Though nothing new was felt, at least that he could tell…. The dull ache behind his eyes had returned, along with a headache.  Instead of stopping as he had often done in the past, he opted to ignore such a thing.  Stead continuing to focus on pulling nature energy into himself through his hands, through a conduit that would supposedly increase the way in which he sensed the world.  He stayed like this for some time, until he felt himself full of the nature energy, unable to gather anymore.  When he opened his eyes, he felt different, something was off.  

Though he wasn’t initially sure what that was, the world seemed brighter.  Looking down he felt he saw a feint green glow emitting form his core. A little perplexed he thought maybe the rabbit fur did in fact have some power that he was unaware of.  Sticking it in his pocket, he’d resume his journey back where Youka was.  Still the world looked a little different, a little more clear.  The energy around him could be seen in a way he wasn’t used to.  Still, he ignored such a thing chalking it up to the meditative state that he’d held for a little too long.

Once back, he’d let Youka know that he was finished and their journey would begin afresh.  Just another side quest down in the journey that was theirs.  Even still as he noticed the strange sights that he saw, like wisps of energies it wasn’t until much later that he realized what had actually happened.  All this time he had ignored and avoided anything that had caused the dull ache to come and yet today he hadn’t, he’d pushed through.  Between that and his outburst within Youka’s lab the powers that he thought of as little more than tools had been pushed further and further to the forefront.  Now…..that had finally culminated in a new step.  Still, it wasn’t until later he discovered this.  Their journey continued, and he rarely removed the contacts he wore.  Finally at one of their rest stops, in a small in while preparing for bed, he removed them from tired eyes.  Leaning down and washing his face, when he came up staring back into the mirror a shock overtook him.  Looking down he confirmed that the violet contacts he’d wore were indeed out before looking back up at the mirror.  “Well would you look at that….”  He’d say considering what had happened.  He was glad he’d started asking questions, but more glad that now, finally; he’d be able to get answers himself.

Food for thought

It’d been some time since Maku had taken time to cook.  Prior to his traveling to the Akatsuki House every day had involved food.  Prepping, buying, cooking; and serving.  Each of these things dominated his life and provided him the living that he had been accustomed too.  His little restaurant had been a success, even pulling in more revenue for the small village in fang country as people traveled to eat there.  Despite it being a bit of a theme restaurant his work had not gone unnoticed.  All of his regalia and spoiled of war on bright and open display.  No one believing any of it was real, after all that would be insane right?  In truth few shinobi ventured through the town so the odds of being discovered had always been incredibly low.  Thinking back he remembered his armor done up on a dummy the arm extended to hold a platter that resembled the special.  The box of Akatsuki rings that he’d been able to recover beneath glass.  A wall of shinobi headbands from all the countries he’d visited and stolen from.  In truth, it was the best themed shinobi restaurant he could imagine.  His own new identity had brought back these memories as he stared at himself in the mirror.

Their journey would take some time.  The world wasn’t like it was, and his own abilities weren’t what they used to be.  Gone where the days he had the vigor to sprint from country to country.  Ripping through space and time to appear wherever his heart desires.  Perhaps if he focused, sought to relearn those techniques he’d let rust away he’d be able to, but then again….he had secretly been enjoying the more droll ways of travel, even if his companion didn’t feel the same, and had made it very much known.  Regardless, the journey and moving through towns had brought back his love of food and he felt a familiar itch coming on.  The meals they had shared together so far weren’t bad, but with each new dish he simply couldn’t help but feel he could do a little better.  The meal at the coastal town in Snow country, an inn in Moon country, and now the meals within the land of fire.  Their specialty seeming to be ramen for some reason, it was while in the inn at Tanzuka town he felt the need to…..elevate what they had to offer.

In talking with the inn owner, he provided a little more ryo for their stay so that he could have access to the kitchen.  Inside, he was dissapointed at what he saw.  The “kitchen” honestly he could barely call it that, was lacking in the wares he was used to.  If not in his restaurant the Chortling Chunin for sure in the Land of Rivers country club that he had taken over.  Now that….that was a kitchen he thought.  Still, he was determined to get at least a little bit of practice in.  Searching through the freezer and pantry, he gathered up his ingredients.  Taking a large pot he filled it with pork bones, the base of his broth and seasoned with soy sauce.  Letting it simmer, he’d throw in a couple aromatics, and give it a sniff.  Placing two leaks, and some garlic into the pot he covered it and made sure the heat was in a good place.  Checking in every so often to skim the top for any of the scum that floated to the top he’d finally be satisfied and Set it to a low simmer.  It would take time for it to become worthwhile after all, as with all good things.

Next he gathered up the pork belly that the inn had and rolled it tightly before tying it off with twine.  Taking a new pot he’d use butter on the pan diverging from the more classical oil base.  Letting the meat brown, the smells would start to take over the kitchen.  Adding soy sauce, some broth, green onions, shallots, more garlic hed bring it to a boil.  Finding where the chef his the best sake he would add a generous amount both for the meat and for himself.  Covering it, he’d sit back and wait.  He considered the meal, and the process.  Sending word to the inn clerk and the workers that dinner was on him in thanks of letting his indulge his hobby of…well indulgence.  Once again it was tempting to just go back to peace, to go back to that of a civilian just working their way in the world.  He shook his head, there was work to do, both for the meal, and for other things.  

After sometime he’d prepare the seasoning, the shoyu tare.  Made up of more sake, venigar, and brown sugar he’d simmer it for a bit before setting it aside.  With all that completed, he treated himself to a little more sake, and reveled in being back in the kitchen.  After more sake than was necessary, and several hours, he started to assemble the dish.  Cooking the noodles in a few minutes, he out the broth over top of it, and thinly sliced the pork belly laying it carefully on top of several bowls he had prepared.  

Adding some bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and squares of dried seaweed on the side he had made up what he considered a very pretty dish.  He’d left off the soft boiled eggs having never really been a fan of such things.  In total he’d made about 6 bowls.  One for himself, one for the Inn manager, and the rest for the various workers that were on duty.  Kicking back and having a good time eating with them, meals were best made to be served with others.  Laughter and smiles were shared, and Maku felt a small piece of himself come back.  Offering to clean up, he would do so in solitude as each of his meal mates had went back to their own respective duties.  As he cleaned, washing the dishes he thought on all that he had left behind.  Thought of the people and the places, wondering how they were doing even now.  Despite his love for the brief filler he had experienced, this wasn’t enough to fulfill him.  If only he could be filled as easy as his stomach had been by a fine meal.  No….that was a hunger that was not as easily quelled by such things.  Still, the brief reprieve had been nice…..

Map Quest

Youka had been insistent that he had handled the map.  He had claimed that the reason being it was a remnant if his time as Raikage, and that it was important that he was able to see where they were going, and always plan ahead.  The man had serious control issues not just for his personal like but for those around him as well.  A need to interject this control was obviously unhealthy, and Maku had told him as much multiple times.  This would lead to the great argument that led to Maku having possession of the map.  This short memory taking place during their journey in the Land of Fire.  Having finally gotten hold of the map, he had insisted that he would take on some of the responsibility for the time being.  His duty would be to help them find their way to Tanzuka town.  A place that both of the men had never actually been to, but that was very close to Konoha.  With the roads, how hard could it actually be to simply follow some lines on a piece of paper?  At least that had been his thought process.  

He’d never been much of a navigator, and having embraced his inability to teleport all around, he saw this as a simple task that he would no doubt master after a few mere moments.  After all, if individuals like Youka could do it( then he certainly must have an solitude for it beyond words.  It was handed over and they would begin their wall having already known the approximate direction.  Despite Youka’s questioning Maku confirmed that they were heading in the right direction for some time.  It wasn’t until they came to a fork in the road when the first crack in his unwarranted confidence would start to show.  Demanding that he check the map, Maku would finally relent and reach into his back pocket to retrieve the map, famous last words of “o ye of little faith” barely had time to be said before a cold shock gripped him.  

He’d had the map, certainly he had….it had been in his back pocket……except, that it no longer was.  What came next was one of the bigger rows the two had had, Youka even breaking some of his cool to emit raw anger at his friends carelessness.  Insisting that it had likely just fallen out and would be just a few yards back, Maku had left his knapsack with the would be doctor and set off back down the pathway.  Not thinking he would need to use his Sharingan, he was committed to not using any of his shinobi abilities to track it down.  After all that would show Youka that this wasn’t a big deal and instead a very regular problem that could have happened to anyone.  I’m truth, there is little doubt that his firmed would have preferred he used any means to simply find it so that they could continue on their journey.  For a man who had been asleep for years, he was proving to be incredibly impatient with his new life.  Not thinking he could stand the high and mighty act if he was unable to locate the map, Maku  doubled down looking for it.  Determinedly keeping his eyes in their normal state, no need to cheat, no need for shinobi skills.  Just good old fashioned hard work.  

After making his way more than several hundred meters, he could feel himself starting to sweat.  What should have been simple was anything but.  Just as he was begining to give up, and was resigned for the long walk back, a tiny scrap of paper caught his attention from the corner of his eye.  Whipping around, his arm shot out catching it as it blew in the air.  Looking around, he saw nothing initially until a white splatter hit his outstretched hand, causing him to look up.  With a disgusted face he wiped his hand on the backside of his pants, but the look soon turned to a grin.  

Up above him, a birds nest could just barely be seen.  Wrapped around that next, was the map he was looking for.  Clearly a starling had picked it up, making good use for its nest.  Still committed to doing this without any ninja prowess, he located the tree and started to climb.  With more physical exertion than he had expected, he quickly found himself sucking in air with screaming muscles.  Feeling like he must be near the top, he looked down, only to see himself just a couple of feet off the ground.  With a sigh, he let go, and almost instantly his feet hit the ground.

Looking around he let out a sigh before assuming the recovery position now that he was sure Youka wasn’t anywhere around to see his pitiful display.  Giving you on a more feline approach, he opted for finesse instead.  Err go he found a large stick and began swatting at the paper.  Careful not to disturb the nest this attempt lasted about five minutes before a dive bombing starling mom sent him running into a bush for cover.  Going back to the drawing bird……or board rather.  He started to gather up a bunch of sticks.  Doing his best, he made his own makeshift nest that he planted in a separate tree.  Whistling and making bird calls to the best of his ability, he would sit hidden and watch hoping to lure it to a new home.  This sad and pitiful attempt surprisingly also brought about no true results.   Finally giving up after nearly an hour later, he made a seal and motion moving his hand through the air as though snatching the map out of the air.  Which, despite the distance was exactly what happened thanks to the snatch steal jutsu.  

Dejectedly he would walk back feeling he had failed in proving he could do something without the use of his shinobi skills.  Accepting his lecture, he would hand the map back over to the Tau.  Looking over his shoulder at the map, their destination was plotted out and they would continue on down the road.  Not one time would Maku be able to utilize the map from this time forward.  So ended the career of Maku Jemuzu, Navigator.  

A lost toy

It wasn’t that he intentionally always fell into the side stories of life.  He didn’t seek out these side quests, no certainly not.  Maku was a main story kind of guy he swore……except………..he never could resist a good distraction if it became available.  This was something that he differed from with Youka Tau immensely.  He would prefer to sit out and wait rather than engage in the frivolous and unnecessary.  At least this time, he would argue that this one was not his fault at all.  It was while sleeping that he felt a sharp pull somewhere behind his naval.  The pull was so strong, that it jerked him awake, only to find himself a foot above the ground in empty air.  In the most realistic falling dream in history he awoke with a start as he hit the ground.  With a loud shout, he would sit up bolt upright looking around.  The sight sent him reeling back for a moment before he could get his wits about him.  Two small, but very strange toads sat on small stone pillars looking down at him from their higher perch.  

Rubbing the back of his head his eyes would dance between Doku and Boku two of the roads of discord.  “What is all this?”  He said with a bit of annoyance he couldn’t hide.  Usually it was the other way around, typically he summoned the toads to help him do something, not the other way around.  So it was a shock to find himself on the other end of the situation for a change.  Looking from the two toads he awaited some kind of answer to explain what exactly was going on.  

“Justio humbu poit apple.” Doku would say, it’s tone completely unrecognizable to that of regular human speech.  Though the sounds seemed like they should fit the common language, it was as though it was all jumbled up.  “We have a small problem, and we need you to help.” The voice would appear in his mind as he knew it would.  Looking towards Doku only to have Boku be the next one to speak.  The croaking done in the same way with words that could have made sense if they were out together, but instead the telepathy translated them for him.  

“Duiok nushu rock pillar silk at.” The voice of Boku said, while at the same time a different voice spoke inside of his mind.  “Someone has stolen Zoku’s favorite toy.”  The voice spoke in a very matter of fact way, one that was at odds with what he had just said.  After all Zoku was one of the discord toads….why did he have a toy.  On top of that he was about several tons and over 30 meters what possible toy could he even be using?  His initial shock prevented him from saying too much at first, waiting for further instructions.  

As it turned out Zoku had a small toy solider that he enjoyed looking at from where he made his home on Mt. Myoboku.  It was small by Zoku standard who was incredibly large, but for a regular person it was about man sized.  Apparently he enjoyed pretending to eat it, or simply knocking it over with his tongue.  Rolling his eyes he conceded that Zoku was after all, not the brains of the toads that had been molded by his once made dimension, but rather the muscle.  The brains was technically Boku and Doku’s job, but they had taken the day off as well.  Opting to call Maku due to Zoku’s propensity to try and eat them whenever they got too close, even if their goal was to help him.  He argued with them for some time, given that this propensity didn’t end with them, but instead extended to nearly every living thing….and some unloving things, that Zoku out his eye on.  Eventually he was out argued by the simple fact of the contract and that they would refuse to be of any help to him in the future if he wasn’t able to assist, and soon before Zoku woke up and threw a temper tantrum that could demolish the place.    

Making his way through the junglish biome that was the mountain, he’d eventually come across where Zoku slept.  Biting his top lip he considered the best way to proceed.  Zoku was a massive toad, that had siphoned off more of Discord’s energies than any of the other toads.  Resulting in his massive size, and even more monsterous appearance.  He currently rested in a large lake, half his body submerged but still a massive amount of Toad above the water.  The snoring was causing the large mushrooms around the landscape to lean to and fro with the wind pressure of his breathing.  Moving up the nearby cliff like structure he would start to look around hoping for an easy conclusion to the impromptu side job.  Violet eyes scanning the area, he finally found where the “toy” was located.  Another heavy sigh escaped him as it was in likely one of the most unfortunate of places.  

Scanning the large Toads mouth he would find the toy located stuck between two of its large slikelike teeth.  Feeling his hair move back with an exhale, he’d step off the cliff activating his instant transmission so that he would arrive in the creatures mouth.  Yanking at the solider he’d begin swearing loudly as he found it to be stuck.  So much was his annoyance that he didn’t notice the sudden stop of the rumbling snoring.  It wasn’t until a large roar caused him to jump backwards finally pulling the toy solider from the creatures teeth.  A large tongue shot out seeking to crash into him as he fell, and likely would had he not used the instant transmission again to appear back on the cliff face.  Not waiting to see what would happen he propped the toy up and used the final charge of his jutsu to make an escape.  Knowing where Youka was he’d merely teleport to him, opting to skip out on informing Boku and Doku…..they’d find out anyway he reasoned.  Perhaps it wasn’t all bad, though Zoku had tried to eat him this was likely a term of endearment as well form that fellow.  It didn’t hurt to be in their good side.  Though they often listened even if sometimes half heartedly, then putting forth a solid effort to keep him alive, was well, much more ideal than the alternative.  Perhaps Zoku would remember this little venture…..but more than likely he’d just try to eat him again.  

I want to play a game…

Maku had to give it to Tanzuka town.  It may not have a lot going for it, and was nothing on the major villages, but it’s game room more than made you for it.  A place where one could spend their time, and their money with just as quickly as they so desired.  It was here that Maku had spent much of his time in trying to find information on Konohagakure and the Land of fire.  Where better to gain information than from a place with flowing alcohol and people either down from lose or high on victory.  Besides, he was able to learn some new games to play as well.  It was here that he found himself in the midst of learning something new.  Under his own guise of information gathering, the information he started to gather was the of different gambling games.  Which in and of itself was a very dangerous thing for a reckless natured man.  

The first game that he decided to learn was that of a simple spinning wheel.  It’s treachery was inline with its simplicity.  It seemed a simple enough game, where you placed bets on numbers or colors.  Watching several games, he attempted to guess what kind of pattern would be derived from the wheel, however he never did discover one, and the money he had allocated for it was quickly lost off a run of bad luck.  It seemed that his bad luck from his impromptu poker game with Youka was still continuing on without fail.  Moving away from it he sought out a game that he felt he could actually have a chance with.  Finding a simple card game to twenty one he’d have a seat and order a real drink.  Waiting through several hands he would finally get his chance to play in.  Pulling the cards he would look at them and make his own play.  Several hands went through in this way, and no matter how good of a hand he seemed to pull, winning had become an impossibility.  Keeping his bets small, his eyes watched the other players, especially one in particular.  

No matter what, he seemed to pull in the wins.  Not overtly with 21’s but subtle wins again and again that had consistently built up a large pile of coins.  From the sidelines Maku could tell that he wasn’t the only one who had noticed such a thing.  Workers, or maybe bouncers was a better word had started to congregate, but without any hard evidence had not decided to move in yet.  After all, scaring off customers without proof of wrong doing was bad for business.  Knowing now that he wasn’t crazy he opted to keep an even keener eye on the card shark.  Behind violet contacts his eyes would roll into the Sharingan, taking in the world under a different lens.  With the visual prowess He’d stolen the world seemed to slow down, movements more telegraphed than they had been a moment before.  More than that though, something his regular vision had not seen soon became apparent.  The man’s fingers where coated in a feint bottle blue color that stuck to the card he touched.  What’s more; the dealer also had the same peculiar phenomenon occurring.  It didn’t take much to realize that he was witnessing a cheat, still…..he didn’t exactly know how they were cheating just yet.  

The next couple hands and some carefully held back bets later he thought he had a decent idea of what was going on.  Though he wasn’t sure if the jutsu, he imagined it worked like this.  The dealer would activate the jutsu placing it on the card as he sent his accomplice his hand.  Once done, the player would activate his half of the jutsu, either changing the card to what he wanted, or perhaps switching it with the card he wanted in the deck through some version of the snatch steal jutsu or other such space time variation.  Once he was certain that he had it mostly figured out, he activated a little jutsu of his own.  His voice would cut across asking simple questions at first, both the dealer and player answering them.  Then he asked harder questions until finally he asked them how they were cheating.  Both looked incredibly offended, and it had attracted the workers as he had anticipated.  It was then that unwittingly they laid out their entire plan.  Even as they did it they seemed shocked by their own words.  The genjutsu he used forcing them to tell the truth to his questions.  

 It didn’t take long for him to show his papers and explain the situation.  His cover story of being a mercenary and vagabond lending credence to this, along with the suspicion that they had been getting cheated all played perfectly into his favor.  Though they didn’t outright give him any award money, he did receive quite a few free drink vouchers, which in his opinion seemed more than worth it.  Feeling he had actually done some good today….or at least did some good for the game room so that they didn’t loose so much money…..he felt a certain amount of accomplishment.  Perhaps a little too much, as the extra drink vouchers gave him enough liquid courage to gamble perhaps a little more than he would have otherwise.  The card games soon grew dull so he moved to games of chance and dice.  The only chance that he took was loosing all the money he had brought with him for the day, which indeed became the case.  Leaving the gaming room with smiles and waves from one of the workers he grumbled to himself trying to think of how he’d explain it to Youka.  Maybe he had paid some money to gain information, yea that checked out he thought….only he didn’t have any of that either……..

It’s so fluffy

Awakening

It seemed like so much time had come and gone.  He’d utilized the same eyes for who knows how long, and yet now…..they were different.  For the first time in sometime he pulled out the book that Denkitiki had written, though the answers he searched for were not to be found in the pages.  There was a small blurb, though he supposed his brothers studies had never reached as far into the subject.  Youka seemed to know more about it, and had answered all the questions that he had asked so far but even still…..he couldn’t merely keep asking him the same questions again and again.  It was time to know, time to find out what exactly he could do with this eye.  What powers it granted and how far he could see.  He remembered seeing it before, a distant memory that he’d almost forgotten about.  

It had come when he had subjugated the nine tails.  When he’d utilized the Tsukyomi to delve deep into its mind and saw the Sage of six paths, before he transposed his own form over top of it.  That genjutsu no doubt had broken by now if such a thing was possible.  Still, he’d seen it, and that man was known as a legend of all shinobi, someone more akin to a god than just a shinobi.  He wasn’t sure how many had these eyes, perhaps it was more than he knew perhaps it was less, he was unsure.  Nor did it really matter.  Just like the ways of genjutsu, they were open to nearly any shinobi that so wished to delve into its secrets.  Ninjutsu, taijutsu, any of these specialties could be honed and crafted ti peak levels.  Bloodlines….there was many, some with powers innately more powerful than others, and some left behind.  Even then, he’d known powerful shinobi that rose from no such clan.  

It wasn’t the tool that made the shinobi, but rather how they utilized it.  He determined then and there, That no matter how many he came across with such a gift he would prove to be the better with it.  Youka was one of these individuals, but his rivalry with his friend had long lived since they had known one another.  This…this new awakened gift was just one more aspect to such a thing.  He did not want to reveal his secret just yet, though it may have been wise to do so.  To learn from a man who had already had years of practice and understanding, these were the common ways in which one could learn.  Yet that had never been his strategy, better to try and fail on his own than pick up the bad habits of others.  He still knew little outside of its abilities to pull souls, create puppets from the dead, and whatever other odd creations it could manufacture.  Still, not was not the time to delve into those abilities, instead he would focus with what he could pull, what he could understand the things that he did know, a fundamental of any shinobi worth their salt.  That of chakra natures and the elements that bestowed upon them abilities.  He’d long since mastered fire, earth, and water, utilizing three chakra energies since the time he was in Iwagakure.  Once he had moved to fang country, he had developed a new more powerful chakra control that of the Mokuton thanks to his brothers guidance and teachings.  Still further, a kekai totta, that of the Napalm release that was sold to him for a handsome price from a black market auction.  That had been the most difficult yet to create, and even now his abilities with it were highly limited.  Now though…..Youka had said the rinnegan through its visual prowess would allow one to tap in further and gain the ability to control all of the basic nature transformations.  Wind and lightning where the only two he had never had the abilities to call forth, but perhaps now was as good as any a time to change such a thing.  

Away from Youka, just prior to their finals destination, he reached out and practiced these abilities.  He knew how to mold chakra, he’d been a practitioner of ninjutsu for a long time, so he had the basics well and truly established.  It was a matter of forcing himself to understand and call forth that which he did not naturally come by.  The first element he had been able to call forth was that of wind.  The sharpness and the fluidity was not unlike how water could be under the appropriate stimuli.  Perhaps that was what it was the easiest for him to understand.  Going back to the basics he recalled how certain shinobi trained the wind style, in cutting through leaves or molding their chakra into gusts.  It came, though slowly.  He doubted it would be if any real use in combat for the time being, but rather another tool to keep in the back pocket for a later date.  In truth this revelation had come so quickly that he felt himself emboldened and dare he say cocky about attempting the finale nature chakra change.  Surely lightning was a simple one….one that would be easy to summon up with the other four in his back pocket.

In truth this could not have been further from the truth.  Where the earth style had always come to him, water was similier quickly trained within the jungles of Takigakure.  Fire had come later as he had developed the Sharingan and taken in the Uchiha bloodline into his body, making it his own.  All three felt natural( and even wind.  Like performing a task left handed.  Though difficult, the familiar actions and understanding of movement was still there.  Lightning however….if wind was like doing something left handed, lightning was like attempting the same skill with his foot while blindfolded.  Stumbling through attempt after attempt to summon and change his chakra even a little bit.  Time went by, and frustration crept in, yet still he tried.  Still, even after referencing what few materials he could, the ability to control lightning eluded him. This was no reason to give up however, if he had stopped at each failure he’d never have made it anywhere after all.  It was while brewing in these failures, he contemplated something.  If the kekkai genkai was two elements and a true form of strength, and the kekkai totta a step beyond that….what could one do with all five elements.  

His next goal, setting lightning aside for the moment was to fuse the other four elements into something.  Taking a deep breath, he would attempt to bring them all together, he watched the beads of chakra and energies attempt to fuse togeher in his hand, reds and blues forming and dissipating unable to hold a true form as though they were lacking something to connect them all together.  The result was a small explosion in his hadn’t hat sent him reeling backwards head over tail.  

It wouldn’t be until much later just before the final stretch that he’d made any actual progress.  A small orb had formed, and though he was unable to utilize it just yet beyond a little manipulation he smiled.  He wish he knew how long it had taken Youka to pull out the Rinnegan powers, how king he had worked to gain control over it.  It was something he would not get the answer to for some time, as this continued to be his own little secret.  A trump card to be pulled out in the event that things went south.  No, for now, he would hold onto his secret….

TWC - 10,004

Claims


+30ap from mission
+6k ryo from mission
+2 rabbit fur (doubled from beloved precense)

+10,004 towards activating rinnegan, which completes the wc requirement

So claiming rinnegan.
https://www.narutoroleplaygame.com/t52741-a-leaf-on-the-road#397963

Above is previous training

Approved! Congrats