Preparations [invite only]

[Danjo]

Outskirts of the Village

Danjo had spent several hours in preparation for the exercise he had prepared, large seals in kanji had been written surrounding an area of ten meters. The pattern seemed interwoven into a large spinning spiral from the center to the outside ring. An area of one meter was blank in the very center of the spiral with small conflicting maze like passages leading slowly to the outer ring of the circle of kanji, as though a maze of seals had been formed.

Kneeling patiently, Danjo reached down and finished the last formed seal of the outer circle, taking a deep breath his eyes looked outward over his handy work.

It's nothing to fancy but it should do the trick.

Danjo spoke under his breath as he continued looking across the ten meter miniature seal labyrinth he had created. Though at this point the seals did no true justice to the work that would be done once the "trainee" arrived. It still none the less was a testament to the years of dedication in study Danjo had spent.

[Konasu Terasu]

The Kazekage wanted to see her. That could be good, right? It could also be bad. Either way, Terasu felt it to be slightly unnerving. What on earth could he want her for? How would he even know about her? Genin were typically under the radar, right? They didn't go getting personal summons from Kage.
Still, there was that part of her that made her way toward the meeting area with her head held high, her chest puffed out just the slightest bit. For a clan whose job it had been since the conception of the village to assist and protect their Kage in any way possible, she felt like this was her rite of passage as a Konasu. Her grandmother was part of Gaara's personal guard. One of her aunts was previously an advisor to Matamune.

And now Danjo wanted to speak with her. Russki couldn't be more proud when Terasu came to her house that morning with the news. She made Terasu a quick breakfast, and then gave her something special for luck. A certain kusarigama that had gotten the elderly kunoichi through a number of battles and spars over the years. Terasu was sure she wouldn't be fighting Danjo, and so she took the weapon more as a good luck charm and for clan distinction than anything.

Finally, Terasu had arrived at her destination, noting a large structure the likes of which she had never seen before. She became slightly apprehensive as she approached Danjo, who seemed to be admiring his handiwork.
"Kazekage-sama..." she piped up hesitantly, alerting him to her presence. Golden eyes dashed back to the mess of walls before returning to the Kazekage. "Konasu Terasu."

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[Danjo]

Before the maze of seals

Danjo turned hearing the voice, the footsteps had long warned him of the entrance of someone. Though he was rather excited to get fast to work he also understood that he must be patient, otherwise he might startle the possibly timid child.

She had spoken on her own that was a decent sign, she didn't speak with to much apprehension or ego, those were also good things.

Turning to face her he held a stoic expression, no smile, yet no frown, simply neutral without emotion. He peered towards the genin his eye's not giving up much he held a gaze as though he was examining her only for a moment then he turned his gaze back towards the seals laying before him, their tangled writing dashed across the ground.

Your family Danjo spoke, has served this village for a great time. Each member in many ways making sacrifices for the Kazekage before me. Each one of them with their own strengths and weaknesses, their own Jutsu they had mastered in their time.

Today you will witness as well as be tested by my own abilities, these techniques require a keen sensory ability in order to be able to overcome them. My interest today is if the rumors that i have heard are true, and if they are you should have very little issues overcoming this test.

If you would please take your place in the center of the circle, once you are there we will begin.

Danjo spoke pointing his fingers to the very center of the seal labyrinth, where the small one meter blank spot lay.

[Konasu Terasu]

Terasu watched the Kazekage, hands in her pockets. Her hitai-ate dangled loosely from her belt loop, tied at her side and back. It was rarely ever worn, since she seldom went on missions or really conducted any shinobi business, save for when she was contracted for gate duty. Her black palm cockatoo, Hamaon, soared effortlessly overhead, drifting on the choice thermals rising off the sand before drifting in to land on Terasu's head.

So it was her sensory he was after. It wasn't anything new, really. It was one thing hearing about it, and completely another to see it with one's own eyes. Between their mastery over vibrations, and what Konasu of her lineage, Terasu included, chose to embrace their Hagoromo roots, their sensory would be nearly unparalleled.
A smile came to Terasu's face as she realized what Danjo was asking her to do.
"O-ver-come! O-ver-come!" Hamaon chanted, something like a mantra, bobbing her head as Terasu turned toward the labyrinth.

"Okay, I can do that." she answered, adjusting her glasses and walking over the pattern of seals to the area she was specified to go toward in the center, stopping. Hamaon jumped down tobalance on the rod of the kusarigama at her back, looking around and flaring her tail feathers. "I'm ready when you are!" Terasu called back.

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[Danjo]

The Maze

Danjo beamed with pride and how quickly the small amount of hesitation fell away from the Konasu genin's thoughts. As though in a matter of a few seconds she had gone from unsure and timid to business mode, these were the sorts of things that helped Danjo to remember Matamune's legacy. The strength he had allowed to flourish in this village, the strength of the next generation.

Well let us begin then Danjo said.

He hesitated for a moment as though wanting to explain how badly the maze once created would fool the eye sight of all those trapped within it. Yet Danjo thought better, he assumed she would realize this in time and self realized lessons always stuck firmer into ones heart and mind.

Danjo smiled towards the genin for a moment then drew a finger to his mouth, biting a small pinprick of blood he set it to the ground.

Kuchiyose no Jutsu.

Danjo spoke as roaring puffs of smoke exploded from every seal that had been written, each puff of smoke revealing a massive column of shimmering stone that grew from its shape connecting into place like a massive building. After the foundation and roof appeared slowly the wall columns appeared intertwining this direction and that direction. Then as the last puff of smoke went off and the last column fell into place Danjo rose from his kneeling position then spoke again.

Daiyamondo Meiro no Jutsu.

Slowly with strange creeks and shuddering sounds the columns connected together, molding into different connected walls, hallways, floors, and the ceiling. The entire structure connecting together to form one giant shimmering interconnected labyrinth.

From the point Konasu Terasu was at it would only take her five minutes at the most to weave her way out of the maze as long as she wasn't using her eyes to direct her. As it would be made immediately obvious that the strange shimmering structure would bend light making walls look likes passages, passages like walls, in order to confuse anyone inside of the structure trapping them in endless circles of passageways.
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Kuchiyose no Jutsu [Summoning Technique]
Diamond columns - C-ranked summons [Large Scale A-ranked summons]

Daiyamondo Meiro [Diamond Maze] A-ranked
After the maze is summoned he can activate this technique connecting the columns to form a labyrinth consisting of diamond. Enemies trapped inside it will be lost in the twisting pathways of the diamond maze. The diamonds shell is a reflective surface, reflecting those trapped insides personal image as well as generating mirror images of the routes, paths, and details within the labyrinth, confusing and intimidating them. Dependant on the size this technique can require an absorbant amount of chakra and possibly cause massive fatigue.
Because of the diamond's stable molecular structure, a simple attack focused at one point is rendered useless, and its wide surface will disperse the force of wide range attacks, reducing their effectiveness. To overcome this technique, an attack that has impact force both wide and powerful is required to smash through it.

[Konasu Terasu]

Terasu watched as the walls erected around her, folding and conglomerating into a maze of sorts, each wall mirroring the wall in front of it, next to it and behind it.
So this was her test. To escape the maze. There were about ten ways to do it. Hamaon seemed to think the same, flapping her wings and offering to lead the way from above. Terasu used a finger to lightly stroke the bird's neck, easing her into settling. This was certainly a major clusterfuck...she wasn't even going to be able to move without possibly rearranging her face on a wall.
"No, Hamaon...we're going to play this fair. He wants to see what the Saccade, I presume. So let's give it to him."
Terasu smiled, forming a handseal, concentrating a steady trickle of chakra to her optic nerve.

At once, the world came alive. It drained of color, and what was truly important, the lifeblood of this earth became apparent to her golden eyes. The lines were faint, unassuming really. Some birds chirping and flying by overhead, which she filtered out promptly. Those were not the kinds of lines she needed.
Her hand went to the chain around her neck, pulling her ultrasonic whistle free from beneath her shirt. Bringing it to her lips, she gave it a gentle blow, sending forth a burst of pink lines that radiated out around her.
At once, the lines returned, bouncing off the walls, painting a picture for her closed eyes. The walls of the maze were etched out in her mind, every gap in her vicinity, and it was there that she would head, giving her whistle a blow every couple of seconds to 'refresh' the image, so to speak.

This modified form of echolocation illustrated the maze behind her eyes, allowing her to navigate without really needing to see. Of the five minutes she would be allowed, it would only take a little more than three for her to weave her way through the diamond maze, emerging through the final gap that would lead her into open air. It would be only then that she would open her eyes, allowing light to flood in and the trickle of chakra to stop.

"How did I do, sir?" she asked, brows wrinkling.

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[Danjo]

The Maze

After the maze took its shape and form Danjo waited patiently, only seconds had passed by and he started to question his judgment. Was this to much, was he out of his mind to test a genin in this way. The thoughts assaulting his mind with a tested patients he was barely able to contest them, almost using the cancel kai several times.

The young genin emerged from the maze, looking towards her Danjo couldn't help but smile hearing her words.

You did amazing.

Danjo spoke at this point no longer holding a stoic demeanor in the least, he was extremely surprised and amazed. The abilities of the young Konasu kunoichi were no longer assumed rumors but proven without a shadow of a doubt.

If i may ask, Danjo questioned, how you were able to not only escape the maze but to also accomplish it so quickly?

[Konasu Terasu]

"Echolocation..." she said simply, holding up her whistle. "I blow the whistle to create vibrations, which I then send out and watch. When they hit a surface, they travel along its contours before coming back. That paints a picture of the terrain for me."
She tucked the whistle back into her shirt, patting in.
"Doing that, I can see every pebble on the ground, every wall, every open doorway, every person without even necessarily opening my eyes."
She said this with a bit of pride in her voice.

"There were a few different ways I had available to get out of there. But I figured this was what you might have been trying to gauge...my Saccade, that is."
She said the last part a bit hesitantly...it was definitely an assumption...possibly incorrect, but less likely than it was probably correct.
Whatever rumors Danjo had probably heard about Terasu likely were true. She was top of her graduating class thirteen years ago, when she was eleven. Was felt to be the Genin most likely to succeed. She had everything in her favor: the lineage, the training, the kekkei-genkai and hijutsu, the skill. But she had turned down the chance to attend the Chunin exams more than twenty times. It had done little to hamper her training or skills, though.

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[Danjo]

A proposition

Danjo thought for a moment about the young lady's words allowing them to cast light upon his already puzzled mind. This family, the Konasu indeed had great gifts. It made so much sense now why they had been in charge of the security of the Kazekage before Danjo.

Echolocation Danjo spoke, that is rather interesting. I can be sure, now that i have seen it's use first hand, that i have not made a mistake in requesting your presence here today.

I understand you might be greatly confused by what this was all about, it is a situation with two reasons.

First off, i had wished to make sure that the techniques i would use would not negatively affect all those within the normal security detail for me. Hoping there would at least be one individual that could guide a squad through the maze with very little issue, and you are definitely that person.

Secondly, i had hoped that i could acquire you and your skills for future tasks that are given and assigned to my personal Anbu. Those who always report directly to me and no other, those whom i would trust without a shadow of a doubt. There is a certain task i will have need of your interesting skills in accomplishing.

Danjo said while assuming a face that showed plainly that there was other things afoot. As though he was deeply pondering an enigma just out of his reach, that he was currently unable to solve.

Then he spoke again, this time much slower as though trying to hold back a surge of information that would spill from his lips in light of the present circumstances.

Once i know if you are willing to except this offer i will continue with further information.

Taking a deep breath he composed himself once more then began to finish his statement.

First i must know if you are willing to metaphorically don the mask of service to the Anbu elite?

His eye's when asking the question easily showed the vast number of secrets the Kazekage was currently holding, there was an air of question as well to his voice. As though he to was unsure if Terasu could be fully trusted, her answer would weigh heavy on his mind dependant on what she spoke.

[Konasu Terasu]

Well, Terasu... she thought to herself, starting to smile a bit. Looks like the cushy free ride is over.
Being a shinobi was something that Terasu did because it was in her blood. It was not necessarily out of want, though don't get her wrong: that was not to say that she did not enjoy it. She enjoyed bettering herself, beating the person she was the day before. She loved what an art form her family's techniques were. She loved the way her grandmother looked at her with pride.

And now they would all have a new reason to be proud.

This would be done out of more than necessity. It was almost instinctual. Indeed, the free ride would be over. The rest of her life would be dedicated to fulfilling her clan's destiny.
Her attention returned to Danjo.
"Okay, I'm in, sir. What do you need me to do?"

Matamune would be dearly missed by his people. Terasu would do what she could to make sure as few people in the future would be missed as possible.

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[Danjo]

The new Anbu

Danjo's expression settled once more looking towards Terasu he saw the strength in her expression, the same once seen from other members of the Konasu when Danjo was a much younger man.

Returning to his stoic expression once more he began to speak.

Your first task will be to head the security detail for the Winters Festival and to oversee its proceedings. I would like for you to choose a squad of sensors whom you trust and to cover every inch of the Festival Grounds in the coming weeks. I want to know everything, the paths in and out. Secret tunnels if and or where they may exist. Scans of every structure that is already existent within the little village and every new structure built.

Another thing to be kept in mind is that no one must know you are overseeing these operations under the pretense of being a part of the Anbu. Not even the Jonin council or the gods themselves will know you are reporting to me, with this in mind i will want full operational reports sent to me through the Anbu network. For paper works sake as well as a full brief verbally in private, just in case we need to hide any of our own pertinent information that others will not know.

Danjo paused for a moment as he turned his gaze facing back towards the village. Then he spoke again.

Is goes without saying to assume that any information you share with me that is not to be written into your reports is of a S-rank classified nature, as it pertains to the possible traitorous actions of secret members within our village. We can not be sure who they are or what they know, and we cannot tip our hand to them just yet.

Do you have any questions?

[Konasu Terasu]

The Winter Festival. Terasu had only vaguely heard about that. It was sort of a....housewarming party, so to speak, for Danjo. A way for him to meet with the other village leaders, as well as to loosen the mood a bit in Kaze no Kuni after the loss of Matamune. So she would basically be helping to keep everything in line there.
She smiled a bit as he mentioned the underground tunnels and passageways winding throughout the village into the outlands. Many of those, she already knew well. Her grandmother knew those passages like the back of her hand, and Terasu and her friends would all too often run away to them whenever they felt like ducking away from prying eyes. Of course, that was in her younger years. Many of those friends likely now had kids who would most likely be learning about those same passageways in a few years.
For now, though, they would have to be cleared of the curious and the delinquent, alike. Terasu had a job to do.
"That will be no problem." she said simply with a nod.

The following instructions would prove no issue, as well. Terasu had a number of ways of communicating and getting messages out, undetected. The majority of which involved Hamaon. The black bird seemed to know she was being thought about, and flared her crest proudly, the red-tipped feathers standing atop her head. If not Hamaon, a number of the other Hagoromo parrots at the aviary would be ideal. They were not as fast as hawks, but had the capability to speak, so there would be no messages to carry or intercept. And they were smart enough to speak to no one but their intended target.
Was this really it? Terasu almost felt her duties to be a bit boring, though she would carry them out with no less vigor and care. After all, she didn't REALLY want more to do. The quicker she could get this done, the quicker she could get back to gaming, hopefully.

"None that I can think of." she said after a moment's thought. "I'll get started right away."
A squad of sensors...she already knew of a couple that she would definitely want on her team. That would be if she could convince her grandmother to put her hitai-ate back on. The rest, she would have to do a little bit of homework to gather.

[Danjo]

The secret task

Danjo nodded to the young kunoichi, her willingness to take part in this mission was truly a testament to her trust. Although there was so much more to come Danjo knew he should take it one step at a time, it would not be helpful to either of them if he didn't lay the foundation for his future plans first.

Oh yes and Terasu, Danjo spoke after his brief moment of silence, once you have successfully completed this portion of the mission i will send for you. There are more tasks that your particular skills will make you singularly able to accomplish. Thank you for your assistants and your trust.

Danjo said then he briefly bowed to the kunoichi before turning to his giant labyrinth, still sitting in its full grandeur beaming glittering rays of the sun in all directions.

Release.

Danjo said and then the structure started to disappear in a flurry of smoke, piece by piece until it was gone, the only traces being the sand flattened in areas showing the weight it had previously held.