the puppet with a soul

[Jyp]

There were quite a few people that honestly terrified Jyp. The Hokage, Masahige, was one of them. He battled a Bijūtsukai and survived, and then he replaced his lost eye with a Sharingan. As if the guy wasn't already terrifying enough, right? But what terrified him even more was the idea of meeting Masahige-sama's teacher. Even worse, she was a member of the Shimura Clan.

Shimura Kumiko. That was her name. Jyp was ordered to act under her. And the oddest part of it all, as much as he was terrified of the concept of a woman who molded who the Hokage had become, he wanted to impress her. If she could make somebody the Hokage with her teachings, then what could she do with him? Jyp had an upper hand when it came to being a shinobi, since he was blessed with Mokuton. Currently, he was the only living person with the ability.

What exactly could Kumiko do with him, he wondered. As he wondered that, Jyp waited at the edge of the Forest of Death. He was given express permission to meet her there, in the middle of the night. That was ominous, man. But he had to do it. It was an order from the Hokage.

[shinpachi]

[atrb=style,width: 350px;] "I'm sure you're expecting Lady Kumiko here tonight." Shinpachi began as he rested his arm on Jyp's shoulder, appearing from thin air. He had a smile on his face though the mask on his face wouldn't show that. Dressed in all black, the younger of the two boys would step forward toward the gates that separated them from the immense trees of the forest. "Too bad. You got me today, huh?" "Don't forget me, Shinpachi-kun." a deeper voice chimed in from behind. This appearance wasn't nearly as extravagant Shinpachi, a fact attributed to the difference in training between samurai and shinobi. Instead, Osamu simple walked from behind Jyp and met Shinpachi at the gates though he didn't look back to see the boy. This was his first time seeing the forest. Taking the sight in was more important for now than the one behind him. "So," Shinpachi began as he opened the fence to the forest, "What're you waiting for flounder?" "Get in there." Osamu finished, drawing his katana from the scabbard. "We have to go see her."

[Jyp]

Shock. That was the best way to describe everything about Jyp at that moment. He was an inexperienced ninja, and hadn't really reacted to Shinpachi placing an arm on his shoulder. He didn't move or speak, even as another person appeared. He was much older, and he seemed much wiser than he appeared. It must have been the way he spoke.

It was overwhelming. Jyp though he'd be meeting Shimura Kumiko here, but he saw no old woman before him. Instead, a boy and a man who clearly knew of Kumiko. Did they work for her? So many questions were racing through his mind. Finally, he managed to choke out some words.

"Wh-who are you two?"

[osamu]

[atrb=style,width: 350px;] The grunt Osamu let loose was one no man wanted to hear twice. Nor was it one that was heard twice. He turned to face the boy who questioned him, his face hidden behind the shadows of the night, menacing. There was no light there safe the savage glint of moonlight against his light green eyes. Here stood a man most knew better than to question. Here was Genji Osamu, hailed as Hachiman-taro in his lands. Genji Osamu, the God of War. "Don't ask questions. Only superiors ask questions. You're a flounder still." The voice came from nowhere and somewhere at the same time. It would present itself as a whisper in Jyp's ear though Shinpachi spoke the words under his breath. "This will be my one kindness to you, flounder." "I'm sure I won't need to tell you again." Osamu started as he walked toward Jyp, only stopping a foot or two from him. "Get in there. She won't wait for long before she orders me to kill you."

[Jyp]

You may not realize how tight Jyp's asshole puckered up just to avoid shitting himself. He promptly shuffled into the entry of the forest in what could be considered a half-jog. He didn't want to accidentally relax his butt and soil his pants. That really would have been a bad first impression, you know?

He wasn't intent on speaking again, either. That seemed to earn him some bad press already.

[osamu]

[atrb=style,width: 350px;] They walked for what was hours and then they walked some more. They didn't speak words, didn't look at one another or touch. They just walked. The sound of leaves crunching under their feet and creatures crawling below was only interrupted by the occasional hoot of an owl. And then it was silent. Osamu stopped first, extending a hand out to stop the boy who followed him and Shinpachi mindlessly. The feeling of walking into Osamu's hand, a rock-steady figure would jar him out of whatever daydream it was he was having while he followed them. Shinpachi continued onward as though he noticed nothing. A screech. "They say many tortured souls reside in the Forest of Death." Shinpachi began as he stomped on the ground, purifying a quantity of earth into minerals which shot out of the ground as a column of metal. "And those souls, restless and angry, attack those who are still living." He took off, running full speed into the metal stalagmite. "Lady Kumiko knows souls. She speaks to them and they speak to her. No one person on this earth knows a soul better than her." Osamu said as the dust cleared from in front of them. He tightened his grip on his katana which he'd been carrying since they'd entered the forest. Shinpachi stood as the clouds parted dressed in the armor of their ninja ancestors, a large straight yari. He turned back to look at Osamu and Jyp. "She told us to test your soul before she talks to yours. To make sure its worthy of speaking to and that you can handle the tasks that she'll give to you." "Brace yourself." Osamu said, exerting a powerful chakra as he bent his knees looking up. Shinpachi did the same. The canopy of the forest blocked most of the moonlight but they could definitely feel something there above them--especially when they gave them attention. They couldn't see them, no, but they could hear them. Their growls were low and ominous, like a creeping monster, a zombie's call. It dropped from the tree to give them a better view of its form--a white blob with a wide mouth of sharp teeth and a blue horn placed atop its head, another on its left arm. It bust forward toward Osamu and Jyp letting out a savage cry. "It comes!" Osamu said as he charged the ghost, meeting it's descending claw with his katana, augmented in size by his red, corroding chakra. The beast let out a cry as its flesh was removed from existence and stumbled back--but Shinpachi was upon it. "Oraaaaa--!!" he shouted as he descended from the air above the ghost, his yari spinning in his hands before he drove the end down. The beast shouted loudly as it fell to the ground, the yari piercing it just behind its blue horn. "Quickly, flounder, restrain it before it's too late!" "Now, flounder. These beasts don't stay still for long." ___________________ LIVING GOD'S SWORD EDGE This technique is said to grant Kumiko unspeakable power and inhumane abilities. Utilizing the Yin Yang nature, Kumiko manipulates a soul whether it be her own or another's. After forming the needed modified handseal, Kumiko essentially spits the target soul into pieces. These portions of the soul are then formed into physical creatures of variable size though their appearance is traditionally always that of a white globular mass with a large mouth and a number of horns along their bodies. This technique was made Kinjutsu by Kumiko herself, not for its difficulty, but because of its inhumane mechanism. Repeated usage of this technique usually leaves the target marred by marred by personality abnormalities, and loss of memory from the repeated splitting of their soul. Splitting the soul into too many pieces at once will also leave the original soul, on which this technique was used, too fractured to be considered living. GHOSTS PURIFY EARTH TECHNIQUE Utilizing this technique, Shinpachi is capable of purifying the minerals within the earth to produce metals of various sorts varying from iron to even steel. This technique is highly versatile and is capable of producing a variety of weapons or armors as well as serving defensive and offensive means. The utilization of this technique is heavily chakra dependent. Utilizing chakra more efficiently will produce purer metals and utilizing more chakra will produce more metal. ARMAMENT TECHNIQUE Utilizing Tsuchi no Jōka no Jutsu, Shinpachi is capable of producing armor and weapons of any sort composed of any metal should he undergo the chakra requirement to make and mold the metal in accordance with its chakra cost. These metals, crafted by chakra, are capable of being further manipulated by other metal techniques though Shinpachi is yet incapable of doing so at his current skill level. VENTRILOQUISM TECHNIQUE This technique is used to confuse opponents and possibly gain information. After hearing a given voice once and committing it to memory, Shinpachi is capable of replicating the voice. Making the dragon handseal and channeling chakra to his vocal cords, he can alter the vibration of the cords and produce the desired voice. When coupled with the henge technique, this can produce a very useful means of disguise. Another application allows Shinpachi to throw his voice as to confuse his opponent as to his actual location. OSAMU'S CHAKRA Osamu's chakra is especially dark and eerie in feeling similar to killing intent, when exerted. To add to the feeling of his chakra, the effect is similar in nature in that it corrodes anything it might come into contact with, from metal to human flesh. SAMURAI SABRE TECHNIQUE

[Jyp]

Jyp ran into Osamu's hand, as expected. It almost startled him, but he was starting to grow a backbone. If there was one thing Jyp was good at, it was adjusting himself to a given situation. It's just that it has never taken him so long to adjust before. These guy were frea--

Fuck, what the hell was that noise? The blob dropped, and Jyp's eyes widened. What had Masahige-sama gotten him into? The creature charged, but Osamu and Shinpachi took to action. When Osamu spoke next, Jyp shook himself out of another state of shock. He needed to stop with that, or he'd get killed.

With a nod, his arm turned into wood. It was like a tree, and as he extended it forward the branches threw themselves out and entangled the blob creature. They began restricting it immediately with an extremely tight grip.

---

Wood Release: Smothering Binding Technique
木遁・黙殺縛りの術
By transforming their arm into a tree, the user can then create multiple branches which will rapidly grow around the target, immobilizing them. This technique is strong enough to restrain a giant squid.

[Shimura Kumiko]

[atrb=style,width: 350px;] "Masahige-kun didn't lie when he told me this was a special one." she croaked as she emerged from the forest, cigarette in hand, smoke billowing from her mouth as she spoke. She ran a hand over her smooth black hair which was done up well and fine, reflecting brightly even without an adequate light source. She scurried across the forest floor under the restrictive green kimono she wore but it was certain that she would not fall. She had that aura about her. "He's a big tree, Kumiko-sensei." Shinpachi laughed, removing his mask to reveal his face and his silver hair. He kicked the horn of the restrained beast as it struggled against the branches. "Yet, I see potential in him, Kumiko-sama." Osama chimed in. "Ah, I too, Osamu-san. I too." she smiled, getting closer to the white creature which lay under the entanglement of branches. She reached out to it, touching it's white leathery flesh before she laid her cheek on it. The creature's crying subsided as she comforted it, her eyes ever locked onto Jyp. "These are ghosts." she began. "This one here, is a ghost I pulled from Shinpachi-kun. Young and immature, still weak and thrashing without a guiding hand." Shinpachi's face curled up into an annoyed scowl. "Yet, this ghost is far larger than the first one I made from him. He has grown since I met him." She dragged on the cigarette once more as she pulled away from the ghost, exhaling her smoke upward into the canopy. Old hands formed a single-handed seal causing the ghost to be absorbed into Shinpachi's feet, his soul once again whole. "Jyp, my name is Shimura Kumiko. The boy is Hatake Shinpachi. The man is Genji Osamu." She walked closer to the boy now, stopping only when she stood at his side. "We compose a special division of Konohagakure's ANBU called Root, recently reinstated by my former student, the current Hokage, Masahige. Seeing your potential, he recommended you to my unit. "This is both your blessing and your curse. Root operates underground. Where Konoha is the tree bathing in the sun, we are the roots below ground who will strangle any form of life to ensure the survival of the tree up top. You will have to do things you've never imaged possible. You will kill. You will torture. You will do these things to protect your village. "However, I will teach you more than you thought possible and shape you into a shinobi this village will be proud to call its own. Today, you forsake the light and walk in the dark. You no longer answer to your Hokage. You answer to me. Where Masahige-kun is the leaf that has reached the highest height, I am the root that has burrowed the deepest. "Do you understand the conditions that now govern your life, boy?"

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[Jyp]

He'd been hit with shock in the beginning. Then terror when the beast came. And now-- now Jyp was awe-struck. This was the woman who had made Masahige-sama the man he is today. This woman commanded authority and respect by her mere presence. Jyp remained silent, his jaw slightly agape and his eyes wide.

But she asked him a question. Time to speak up.

"Y-yes ma'am," he replied. The things she described were a little terrible, yeah. But he'd always known that shinobi were not meant to be heroes. Jyp, for all he was, understood that sometimes, somebody needed to do the things nobody else would. From what he gleaned from Kumiko, Root was the organization that could do what nobody else in the Hidden Leaf could. At least, not without major consequence.

He straightened up. If he was going to accept this, then he needed to shape up.

"Yes ma'am," he repeated, but with more conviction in his voice.

[Shimura Kumiko]

[atrb=style,width: 350px;] "Then welcome to the dark side of the Dark Side." she said smiling, ironically, as she extended a hand out toward Osamu. The man, towering over the little old woman, handed her a black mask with white markings, quite contrary to the typical ANBU masks. She looked at it a moment before placing it in Jyp's hand. "This is yours. Use it as you serve your village."

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