~Defeating A Mirage~

mmmmmmmm

Name: Keiko Hinimaru Zema
Age:12
Gender: Male
Personality: He is a nice sweet man. He is shy around strangers, but strangely kind. He is very intelligent, yet not very serious at all. He loves his friends and family, he will put his life on the line to save them. He is dangerous when provoked and become's a force to be reckoned with. He usualy acts weird around pretty women and talks gibberish.
Description:
Keiko stands at about 5'9. He has black hair with a Konoha head band on his forehead. He wears a blue and black cloak. He were's a black glove on one hand and a white glove on the other. He were's blue shorts.
~Techniques~
Ninjustu: Fire Style: Hell's Flame Jutsu- A burning bottle of oil from hell comes from the ground , Keiko pours it in his mouth and uses Fire style Dragon Flame Jutsu to make flames from Hell.
Fire Style: Flame Field-The whole field is ingulfed in flames, damaging everyone but Keiko.
Fire Style: Gates Of Fire- He summons gates of fire to engulf the opponent in flames.
Genjutsu: Fire Petal: Silent Flame Bow- The opponent is stuck in a spinning flame field, unable to see or hear Keiko shoots the with an bow and arrow of fire.
Taijutsu: 34 Kicks Barrage-Hits opponent into the air and hits him 33 more times.
Ke-ik-O! Kick Barrage- Uses shadow clone, then makes the clones kick his opponent into the air. Then the real comes from the side kicks opponent in the face and throws multiple shuriken.
Weakness: Earth and wind moves. Both earth and wind area favorable match up against fire and since he cant use lighning yet it is a hard match
~Optionals~
Clan: The Zema clan, a clan of greatness and pride. One of the most wealthy clans in Konoha it is known for its constant feud with the Hyuuga Clan.
It is a primarily a small clan as 30% of the clan was lost in the battle of the Invasion Of Konoha.
The clan is protective of its kekegenkai so it does not let them train with it till they are in the Ninja Academy.
Bloodline: Keckorangan, the user can control two elements Fire and Electricity. Most users prefer fire as electricity is off-limits to most all users and the jutsu to go with them are locked up in a vault. Keckrogan users are known for the odd eye color when the Keckrogan is not in use.

P.S. can I just use a picture from photobucket as my description?

Well, I think I'll start with your taijutsu. If an attack includes chakra being used in any way, it is either genjutsu or ninjutsu. Taijutsu is just hand-to-hand. So since controlling fire (& Electricity) is your clan's bloodline, it includes chakra. Second, I am wondering why the Zema clan is in a constant fude with the hyuuga. Also, if I'm not mistaken, members of a clan have their clan's name along with their own so I think your name should have Zema in it. Third, you have no weakness', you need at least one to be in this RP. Fourth, I don't mind a picture but you still need a paragraph of description. It isn't that difficult so at least try your best. Finally, I don't have an issue with your personality, but it could be a lot better than it is now. If you need help on any of this, you should go take a look at Alter Ego's thread in the RP lounge.

oh ill edit i forgot weakness when i was working on clan, and ill edit taijutsu aswell and thanks for the tips

EDIT1: almost done and you will find out why the clans are feuding when i think of a reason why.
EDIT2: im done editing

i'd like to sign up but i can't make a signup for a few hours.. can you hold a spot for me? i promise it'll be done tonight definitely if not sooner, i'll just edit this post?

@Evkay: Your spot is reserved.

@Sharpay: Accepted (Once you add Zema to your name)

edited it is finnaly done now

YES! NARUTO RPG FTW!!!

Name: Dansei Buraindo
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Personality: Dansei is generally very timid, refusing to speak to anyone he does not know. He is also very calm and thinks through the situation he's in before acting. Because of these two traits, most people believe him to be a sluggish-minded mute. However, he has started to be more outspoken, and tends to think of women, or anything else that he deems a waste of time and efficiency, troublesome, although he tries to keep that to himself.

Description: Dansei is a tall, lanky young man with sandy brown hair, which is parted to the side and hangs over the left side of his face. He wears a pair of white shorts and a deep blue t-shirt with his clan's symbol on it in black, with a black mesh undershirt. He has bandages wrapped around both of his legs, starting under his knees, which wrap all the way down to and cover his toes, and he refuses to wear shoes. He also has bandages wrapped around his left thigh, along with his kunai pouch. He wears his black Leaf headband across his waist like a belt, with an actual belt slanting downwards underneath it. He also has a pair of white elbow pad-esque sleeves around his elbows, and wears a white cloth over his eyes. In battle, he normally has trench knives equipped on his knuckles.

~Techniques~

Ninjustu:

-Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
Dansei accumulates a decent amount of chakra, creating a large ball of flame, which he then shoots at his opponent.

-Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique
Dansei lauches a kunai at his opponent, a string attached to it. He then sends a stream of fire along the cord.

-Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet
Dansei blows a stream of fire in the shape of a dragon from his mouth, sending it towards his opponent.

-Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique
Dansei hides underground, waiting there until he is ready to attack an opponent.

Genjutsu:

-Bringer of Darkness
Dansei creates a cloak of darkness around the battlefield. Due to the large amount of chakra required to use this, he generally uses it as a last resort.

Taijutsu:

-Flying Swallow
Dansei extends the blades of his trench knives with chakra, allowing him to inflict damage regardless of whether or not the blade hits.

Weakness: Due to being blind, Dansei cannot physically see. Instead, he uses a pair of chakra-enhanced sleeves. When he focuses chakra into them, sound waves emit from the numerous holes on them, then rebound when they hit objects. By using more chakra, he processes the rebounding sound waves into data, much like a SONAR device. However, his dependance on them has a serious drawback -- whenever he loses focus, his chakra flow is interrupted, causing a loss in his "vision"

~Optionals~
Clan: Dansei is part of the Buraindo clan. They are not well known or wealthy, although for the most part, the ninja of the clan are very talented, resulting in Dansei's ability to use A- and B-Rank jutsu, although his usage of these are limited. In addition, the whole clan is blind, resulting in only a select few becoming a ninja. However, every clan member could if he or she chose to do so.

Bloodline: The Buraindo Clan has invented the Sight Rebirth Technique, which allows them to regain their sight for shirt periods of time when activated. Dansei's maximum length of time he can use this jutsu is only ten minutes, but the Jonin in his family can maintain it for a whole day while still retaining a substantial amount of chakra.

---

Dang. That took for ever. :x

Name: Fenra (Fen) Kurai
Age: 14
Gender: Male

Personality: Fenra always prefers to be called Fen, no matter what the situation. He enjoys talking with people and meeting new people, but rarely takes any mission seriously. He is more often than not, completely side tracked by a cute girl walking passed but he doesn't ever approach them... since he's a bit shy when face to face with girls. Face to face with girls is one thing... but in front of a group of girls... or anyone for that matter, Fen can't pass up the chance to show off his talents. He carries a small variety of ninja tools such as kunai, Fenra is never modest about his strengths as a fighter and is too dim to learn genjutsu, but always seems to speak in riddles when people ask how he accomplished a sneaky move in battle. Fen always prides himself on his speed, and strength of his favorite jutsu and he is very proud of his clan, the Kurai, the wind specialists of the leaf village. Fen enjoys everything there is about wind as a weapon, and believes that it definitely can't be beat. The Kura are known for wind but even more so known for their tendency to overdue things, Fenra's parents were no exception. Using their extensive knowledge of the wind, most Kurai clan members carry over sized weapons, made to feel lighter by using a concentrated stream of wind controlled by chakra. His dad carries a massive blade, nearly twice his size and his mother and brother also carry large blades, the size of their bodies. The clan was quite displeased to learn that Fenra had chosen to do hand to hand combat as his specialty.

Description: Fen has olive green shaggy semi spiked hair that seems to shoot in random directions but generally faces downward. His skin is a light tan, showing his extensive time out doors. Fen is a very small and agile kid, reaching about 5'5 and weighing a wiry 115 pounds. His muscle mass leaves much to be desired, his strength is always severely under estimated based off of his physical appearance. Fen always wears a gray, tight fitting, 3/4 sleeve t-shirt and tight fitting pants, leaving none of his slender body to question. His navy blue colored leaf headband hangs loosely around his neck. He frequently goes barefoot as opposed to wearing shoes, he likes feeling whats under his feet instead of the layer between his feet in the ground that footwear provide. He believes fighting barefoot helps his battle performance. He also always keeps his right arm tightly bandaged with a chakra sealing cloth, used for his signature technique (for general appearance, see the trainer card i guess)

Fen's attacks are a mixture of Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. but since they were customized techniques from his childhood, he hasn't learned many other jutsu aside from basic jutsu.
Wind Style - Dynamo Fist: Fen's most powerful and favorite attack, he pops his knuckles, signaling the bandages to allow chakra to flow around his right arm and releasing a steady stream of chakra around the arm. Fen then forms 8 hand signs and uses the chakra to control the surrounding air and spin it around his fist, then unleashes a massive combination of chakra and wind into his enemies, dealing massive damage. This is a very time consuming technique. Using his bloodline technique, he sometimes upgrades this technique to Dynamo Finisher, where he pincer strikes the opponent from both sides and squishes them between two massive hits.

Wind Style - Whispering Winds: Fen's muscle speed is temporarily elevated beyond what the eye can see. He usually combines this technique with Dynamo Fist to execute the technique faster and deal more damage.

Wind Style - Gale Force: a basic ninjutsu for any wind based shinobi. a powerful gust of wind blasts from the palms of the ninja.

Wind Style - Sonic Boom: a technique Fen made up as a child to play practical jokes. He carries hollowed kunai and fills them with wind and chakra. When he needs to, he throws the kunai and creates a small non damaging explosion. It is mostly used for quick get aways or distractions.

Genjutsu: N/A

Taijutsu: Soft Breeze - A fluid and flowing Taijutsu passed down through the Kurais consisting of fast kicks and punches backed by small amounts of wind.

Weakness: Fen's largest weakness aside from him just being small and taking a solid hit to the jaw, is the large amount of chakra his skills consume since they were not taught by a teacher. Fen's favorite skill has major flaws too, someone attacking while spinning their chakra the opposite way Fen is spinning his. Doing this completely negates the chakra flow and cancels the technique. His other weakness and common frustration is the use of Earth style techniques, wind has a hard time against them at all.

Clan: Fenra is apart of the Kurai clan. The Kurais migrated from the sand village to the leaf village two generations ago, which explains why they specialize in wind techniques as opposed to fire techniques. As mentioned before, the Kura clan loves to over do things, so any Kurai clan member is distinguishable by their usually massively over sized weapons that they wield with ease by manipulating the air around them. The Kurai are generally somewhat short and non muscular due to using the wind to do heavy chores and most manual labor as opposed to doing it themselves. Fenra has an older brother, Sima Kurai, who the clan views as being much better than Fenra since Sima was already wielding a 6 foot blade by age 15. Sima frequently makes fun of Fenra because he does not use a weapon.

Kurai Mirror Clone - Fenra has only mastered the first level of this bloodline ability. At the expense of a great deal of chakra, the Kurai can make a clone with the exact chakra level and every feature of its creator. Unlike other clones, the ability cannot create clones of objects or people other than the shinobi who uses the ability. The clone will not disappear when it is damaged in battle, instead, the Clone and the creator share the same pain, cut for cut and blow for blow. It is not a technique to be used recklessly. It may double your attacking power but it also doubles your chance of injury. The max number of Mirror Clones is 2, but at the moment Fenra can only create 1.

A lot of males here, aren't there?

Mmmhmm...looks like I'm playing girl again. :3


Name: Tamori Hanako (Japanese order, so Hanako is the first name)

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Personality: Given her general disposition, one would probably be inclined to peg Hanako a tomboy. She is loud, enamored with getting stronger, not overly bothered by dirt and not the least bit interested in boys beyond what they could be as friends or practice partners. It's not that Hanako has anything special against stereotypically girly things; she just finds them rather boring. She'll chuckle, she'll laugh, but she probably wouldn't be caught dead giggling, she's not really interested in who is most probably using genjutsu to look slimmer than she actually is and she just can't understand how someone can spend hours upon hours admiring a guy on the practice field when you could join into the fun and have a go yourself.

Since young age, Hanako has been impressed by the swordsmanship practiced within her clan, and by the age of five she had already set a firm goal for herself: to become a proud Tamori swordswoman like her mother before her. She is a regular fixture of practice fields both official and makeshift and genuinely enjoys what she does, no matter how frustratingly slow practice can be at times. When things get dull Hanako can be rather fidgety, however; her attention is prone to wandering when discussion concerns subjects she's not really interested in and she has trouble staying in one place for longer periods of time, a trait which has granted her many admonitions during her time in the academy. On a mission or during free time she's usually the life of the party, always trying to maintain good cheer among her teammates, but in a stuffy classroom she's usually yawning. Rules are usually guidelines in her opinion, she sees no problem in cheating a little around the edges or skipping out on the occasional lesson as long as the subject isn't something she deems important and she has no inhibitions about voicing her opinion when she thinks that something is unnecessary or just plain stupid.

Needless to say, this attitude has caused quite a bit of headaches, both among her traditionally inclined elders who do not appreciate their age-old laws getting called into question by a teenage girl and the academy instructors whose classes she had disrupted. Hanako has yet to severely cross the line, however, and her loyalty to both Konoha and her family is obvious. Behind her rough exterior, Hanako is actually a big softie, though she hates to admit it. She gets genuinely concerned with the problems of her friends and is usually the first one to make the attempt of cheering them up, though of course she does this in her usual 'tough love' manner, probably with a few well-meant 'stupid's in there. When emotional subjects are brought up -- particularly ones concerning her emotions -- she is prone to getting embarrassed and usually tries to shift topics or just plain escape the situation with an excuse like "I'm late for practice" or just brush it aside with remarks like "don't be stupid".

Description: Despite her name, Hanako bears closer resemblance to a bamboo reed than a flower. Hours upon hours of regular practice with her katana has honed the muscles on her body to quite a considerable extent. She does not directly bulge with muscle, of course -- after all, no girl who isn't taking hormones would -- but they are clearly visible to anyone paying attention, especially around her thighs and arms. Much like the other swordsmen (and -women) of her clan, Hanako keeps her body lean and lightweight in order to accommodate the complicated dance-like movements of her family jutsu, but contrary to what most would believe, she is actually somewhat heavyset by family standards and as such she certainly doesn't take comments about her waistline in good humor. Much to her annoyance -- for she believes them to be excess fat that interferes with her swordplay -- Hanako has also started developing the characteristic anatomical traits of a young woman. They are not that big, however, and much like her waistline they constitute a subject best left undiscussed.

Hanako's skin is of the healthily tanned pigment that one would expect from someone who spends countless hours exercising in the sunshine. Her hair is black, typically kept in check by a number of short braids at the back of her head, which she cuts whenever they grow too cumbersome. Her dark blue eyes are of the almond shape that her numerous aunts consider oh-so pretty, but as Hanako is prone to point out, she really couldn't care less about any bodily trait that doesn't help her in a battle situation. One might mistake the solitary flower she usually keeps tucked behind her right ear for a contradiction to this, but that someone would clearly not be familiar with the technique she carries it for.

Clothing-wise, Hanako goes quite openly against family custom, if in a rather plain manner, usually wearing a lavender-colored top which was, once upon a time, a silk shirt, but has since had its sleeves severed around the shoulder area when Hanako found it too restrictive for her movements, resulting in a clothing choice that caused quite the stir among the more conservative clan members despite hardly being revealing of anything except her arms. The swordsman's traditional hakama was dropped mercilessly, replaced by a pair of black shorts that end about halfway before the knees, long enough to maintain the necessary level of modesty but short enough not to interfere with her movements. She also wears a black belt around her waist, which she uses to hold the scabbard of her katana, a slender-bladed one with a blade reaching to a length of about 75 centimeters. The hilt of the sword is wooden and engraved with the family insignia of a cherry blossom. Finally, she wears the usual Konoha forehead protector around her forehead -- where else would you wear that, after all? -- both for practical purposes and to ensure that her hair won't get in the way during combat. On her feet, she wears a pair of white socks which, in turn, are usually worn inside plain old black sneakers. It's not that she doesn't have the wooden slippers, she just finds the notion of fighting with blocks of wood strapped to your feet to be silly. Like most kunoichi, Hanako also has a number of depositing places to put equipment in for quick retrieval. Namely, a black armband made of cloth around her left forearm for holding projectile weapons and a second one around her right thigh which also holds a small, pocketed section for smoke bombs and other more volatile tools.

~Techniques~

Ninjustu:
Tamori Style - Petal blade - A basic offensive jutsu, the petal blade technique quite simply wields flower petals in a manner similar to shurikens, firing them at the opponent at breakneck speeds to cut the opposition. Given the general nature of flowers, the attacks is usually more of a distraction than anything, and should no flowers be in the vicinity, it is effectively neutralized.

Tamori Style - Branch shackle: As most shinobi know, the best way to incapacitate a sword wielder is to part them from their sword. Fewer account for the reason for the Tamori family's choice of wooden handles, however. The branch shackle jutsu is specifically tied to the wood used for the handle and scabbard of Hanako's blade, and upon her successfully performing the required hand seals, live branches sprout from both handle and scabbard, wrapping themselves around the limbs anyone in the vicinity who has not been introduced to the family tree (see clan field). Because this technique simply releases part of the chakra stored within the wood itself, it actually requires next to no chakra from Hanako's part, making it a considerable option for longer fights.

Tamori Style - Forest's skin - The basic defensive technique of the Tamori clan and thus far the only one that Hanako has successfully mastered, the Forest's skin technique causes a covering of thick bark to grow upon Hanako's skin, shielding her from most physical blows. Once released or drained of chakra, the bark will rot and fall off on its own accord, disintegrating to dust.

Genjutsu:

Dance of the blossoms: the follow-up for the dance of budding, the slashes in the dance of blossoms are done in powerful, two-handed swings and aimed specifically for the weakest points of defense noted in the first dance. In addition, the attacks are supplemented by an illusion of one thousand fragrant cherry blossoms circling around the target, carried by an illusory whirlwind centered around the victim. The rapid rotational movement of the petals, the deafening roar of the gale, and the heavy scent of the petals are intended to disrupt the victim's senses of sight, hearing, and smell respectively in order to render them as susceptible to the attacks as possible. Where the dance of budding aims for quantity in slashes, the key to the dance of blossoms is to make each slash count to its fullest. Given the nature of the technique, it requires not only considerable physical co-ordination and stamina but also great chakra control, as letting the illusion slip for even a second will ruin the technique. Much to her frustration, Hanako is still only in the early learning stages of this technique.

Tamori Style - Amatsu Hananoka: a predecessor technique for the dance of blossoms, this genjutsu utilizes the fragrance of plants -- preferably flowers -- to induce a trance-like state upon the victim. A person affected by the Amatsu Hananoka will be wrapped in the amplified fragrance of the flower used for the genjutsu, experiencing a temporary state of euphoria that causes their senses to become lapse and their guard to drop, rendering them susceptible to more powerful techniques. Though the Amatsu Hananoka's duration and range are both limited, few expect an olfactory genjutsu, and as such the surprise factor alone makes it a valuable technique, even though Hanako personally finds it a bit too girly for her tastes.

Taijutsu:
Dance of budding: A traditional test of adulthood for members of the Tamori clan, the dance of budding is the first of the three techniques that make up the clan's signature fighting style and the only one not relying on chakra. This technique is characterized by a smoothly flowing series of slashes from the sword that start out aimed at the feet and then proceed upwards with each cut with the aim of slashing at each key artery and joint. These slashes are delivered in the midst of a complicated series of dance-like steps made around the victim, hence the name of the technique. While fast-paced, the attacks are performed with very little force and are not intended as an actual assault as much as a test of the subjects defenses to locate the best points of attack for the remaining two dances, though each miss on the victim's part is punished with a bleeding cut that may well prove decisive in longer battles.

Weakness: Fire-based jutsu in general receive a favorable match-up against Hanako, essentially rendering her strongest defensive jutsu a hazard. Should one catch her without her katana, and have the sense to stay a good distance away from both scabbard and handle, her abilities would also be limited and her primary strength lies in close combat situation, so ranged attackers also have an edge.

~Optionals~

Clan: Somewhat reclusive as shinobi families go. No-one is quite sure when the Tamori clan first arrived in Konoha, and to most it feels like they have simply always been there. Members of the Tamori clan tend to be secretive about their history and only a handful of them has even enrolled for the common academy as they usually dislike ranging far from their native land in the manner that missions would require them to. By age-old agreement with the line of Hokages, reinforced by each new one, they are sworn to defend Konoha against intrusion, however, and as members of the clan have yet to shirk this duty, their allegiance is rarely called into question.

One rite of the Tamori clan has been confirmed, however: within the center of their family home resides an ancient cherry tree, planted by the founder of the clan. All members of the Tamori clan who have come of age perform a ritual in which a small amount of their blood is used to water the tree, transferring part of their chakra into the wood and thus forming a link between shinobi and the tree from which a branch is severed and fashioned into their weapon of choice soon after. This link is believed to be the fundament of the Tamori clan's wood-based jutsu, though this has neither been confirmed nor denied, as is usually the case with family techniques.

Whenever a member of the Tamori clan dies, they are buried within the soil beneath the tree along with their weapon, to return power they perceive as borrowed, making it a family tree in a disturbingly literary sense as well. Above all, members of the Tamori clan are sworn to defend - and even die for - the family tree and only those who are deemed worthy are allowed as much as to look at it.

Another, though not publicly acknowledged, tradition that is integral to the Tamori clan is the system of internal rules simply referred to as the conviction. The conviction covers all things that are forbidden or undesirable for members of the clan and no member of the clan is acknowledged as an adult until they have sworn to obey it. This oath is given at the same time as the person is introduced to the family tree, and together they constitute the tradition known as the 'Rite of the flowering'. The fist conviction, given during this rite, is a method of testing the person's resolve and making sure that they are prepared to abide by the conviction. Once the rite has been performed, the person who performed it is placed under the jurisdiction of the conviction for the remainder of their life. Should a Tamori clan member go against the conviction, they will fall into disfavor and -- if the combined severity of the crimes is too great -- become disowned by the clan and have the weapon they were given confiscated and destroyed. Furthermore, when a clan member is disowned, all immediate family of that clan member falls into disfavor. Crimes committed against the conviction have no expiry time and remain recorded until the perpetrator atones for them by means of a special rite.

This rite, usually referred to as giving or displaying conviction, is a form of ritual torture. It is performed in front of the family tree in the presence of all those affected by the crime. The giving of conviction is a clan member's proof that they are prepared to take responsibility for their actions, and as such the one giving conviction is required to perform the punishment on themselves. The method, duration, and side-effects of the conviction depend on the scope and severity of the crime. Petty crimes like indecent apparel or disrespect towards one's elders typically results in quick and painful punishments with no lasting effects save for the odd mark or scar, but severe ones are punished brutally and often over longer periods of time. Of the three capital punishments, the first is the Sennen Aganai, a special Genjutsu devised for the conviction of those whose crimes are small but have amassed in far too great numbers for a single conviction session to carry out. The Sennen Aganai places the user's body in a week-long state of slumber during which they are subjected to the full process of the maximal punishment for each crime they have committed. With each punishment, the perpetrator is also forced to relieve the crime they are being punished for. Though no physical harm is done, those who have undergone it are rarely the same afterwards. The second capital punishment is the one given for murder, during which the perpetrator is required to sever the limb which dealt the killing blow from their body. Finally, for the crime of attempting to harm the family tree or severe betrayal of the clan, the perpetrator must commit ritual suicide or their entire family is cast into permanent disfavor. Though ideally given by the perpetrator him- or herself, a clan member with strong ties to the perpetrator may give the conviction in their place.

Absolute in punishment though it is, the system of conviction is equally absolute in the absolution of crimes. Once proper conviction has been displayed, all crimes associated with it are erased from the records and forgiven, never to be mentioned again. Though a number of Hokages -- most notably the third -- have expressed their concern over this form of justice, it is part of the agreement between the Tamori clan and the first Hokage that the clan has fully autonomy in dealing with all matters of internal discipline. As such, the system of conviction is, if not officially approved of, at least tolerated. As it is a purely internal matter, only members of the clan and those immediately associated with the agreement know of this tradition.

Bloodline: Though not a bloodline limit in the conventional sense, members of the Tamori clan bear a close connection to the family tree, tapping into the generations of stored chakra by means of wielding a weapon crafted from the wood of the tree. In emergencies, this connection can be used to siphon chakra out of the weapon and into the wielder, but care must be taken not to exhaust the limited supply within the weapon completely. This bond also works in reverse, allowing Hanako to store part of her own chakra within the sword for later use.

Can I get a reserved spot? I'll have it up in a few hours at the most. EDIT: Ok I got it.

Name: Tanaka Yumi

Age: 14

Gender: Female

Personality: Yumi is a very quiet person as she has always been in the academy. Never speaking unless spoken to unless she's around her friends and even then she tries to be careful what she says. Not to be mistaken for shyness though, for Yumi is part of a clan surrounded by secrecy and spies. She has been taught not to talk much and has been around very few children unless in her clan. She is very ruthless in battle though and will not hesitate to attack in a second. Not being around many children has left her time to study a lot, which has led her to be one of the most intelligent in her clan. But being very sheltered comes with it's consequences and she doesn't know how to speak with other genin such as herself. This leads to many problems with communication on her team, especially if she could do something that would benefit the mission. Yumi is gradually trying to learn to speak more and more to her teammates and allies after learning this and tries her best not to cause any problems. Prefering solitude ,Yumi likes the peace and quiet of Konoha and will send you an anrgy glare if you disturb it. Her ears are very sensitive to sound and it could cause her a great headache if she is around too much yelling.

Description: Standing at 5"4 Yumi is at a medium height for her age and average in body structure. ( not very skinny, not very chubby) Coming from a clan of spies Yumi's hair is white, her bangs are tucked behind her ears, and has it reaches to her hips but she keeps it in a low ponytail. She has 2 small stub gold earings on each of her ears and has blue eyes. Her sking is very pale. Yumi wears a red chinese-style shirt with gold lining that reaches just below her hips and has dark grey pants that go just above her ankles, plus the ninja pouch on her right leg.. On her small feet are the standard black ninjas sandals and on her hands are dark grey gloves with gold lining and a steel plate over the knuckles for handling her whip. Her ninja headband is wrapped around her stomach.

~Techniques~

Ninjustu:
-Transportation Justu: Will disappear but can only reappear within 20 feet of disappearing spot.

-The Fury of Two Whips: Yumi will jump high into the air and focus all of her chakra into her two whips, when she comes down she will start furiously attacking the target until she only has a bit of chakra left in the whips.

Genjutsu:
-Crow's Mind: An attack in which Yumi transforms herself into a crow and disappears. The target will feel as if it's falling into a deep pit. Once the crow appears again the traget will have hundred of weapons sticking out of them and collapse. If left like that for too long target may die.

-Deep Water: An attack where the target will be surrounded by water and get the image that they're drowning. Their companions will be nowhere to be found.

Taijutsu: The basic taijustu attacks.

Weakness: Being damaged on her leg will critically injure her and slow her down dramtically. She also has a fear of big fires and lightning.

~Optionals~
Clan: The Tanaka Clan is one of secrecy and spies. They have libraries among libraries for each and everyone of even the smallest events happening anywhere. This is where the village gets most of it's information. They send out spies everyday to collect more and more iinformation each day which is only shared aong themselves or the Hokage. The Tanaka Clan thinks of themselves to be of high society and wealthy which is true, though most clans see them as stuck up because of how they will most likely not even spare you a glance when they walk past. This is because of the ways they are taught in. Not to speak to anyone unless spoken to and keep they're secrets to themselves unless you absolutely trust the person you are giving information to. They are also the masters of sneak attack which is very useful during and attack or war.

Bloodline: Eyes of the Forest: A technique in which you concentrate on the earth and feel everything in it. You will be able to see 100 ft. within any area of which you're standing. With the exception of things in the air.

Im at school at the moment.. I'd like to reserve a spot.
I can get a post up afterwards around 4-5 ish.

I'll finish when I get home, aight.

~Sign Up~
Name: Zeniko Kyurnaga (Western Order)
Age: 14
Gender: Male
Personality: Zeniko is a cold, quiet boy. Never really socializing, he enjoys silencem, and a quiet day. He is comfortable socializing- he just doesn't like doing it. On missions, he is silent, focused only on the mission and the objective. Even on his team, he has no friends. In battle, he is also silent- yet also cruel and merciless. He, due to his silence, is also mysterious- no one really knows him very well.
Description: Zenik is quite abnormal. For example, the normal orange hair of his clan is instead white and gold. He is also quite stealthy. His skin is pitch black by blood, and is lean and muscular. He is about 6'5" and wears his clans clothing. He wears a traditional fur coat, and his is red, a rarity in his clan. The back has a pentagram, black in color. On his head, he wears sunglasses, and his white hair is spiked up, and hangs over his forehead in the front. His eyes are big, and blood red in color. He wears his headband around his neck. After the coat, he has an item belt, with various bags for his various weapons. On his back, he wears a gourd of special, larger weapons. His legs have special pants, black in color, and he wears traditional shoes.
~Techniques~
(Must add up to 6 or less in total with the exception of the regular jutsu's genin already know)
(If no technique in category type in N/A)
Ninjustu:

Magma Storm Jutsu- Using the earth, Zeniko can unleash magma upon the opponent.
Thunder Cyclone Jutsu- Using storm clouds, he summons electricity into a huge, electric tornado.
Polar Storm Jutsu: A storm of cold wind, ice shards and snow. uses Ice- he can make it using chakra
Space Power Jutsu- This jutsu, the best Brad knows, uses space itself to damage tha opponent. It is very powerful, almost like a Raikiri or Rasengan.
Terraform- Can make natural landmarks, like a forest or mountain. Uses whats already there, and changes it. It takes a ton of chakra

Genjutsu:N/A
Taijutsu:
He uses Chakra Style- he mixes and channels natures, or his, chakra into his steel weapons to channel ninjutsu. Also uses special weapons in his gourd. He especially likes using space for this style.

Weakness: He is weak when he is angry- he turns violent, murderous, etc. This leaves him to be a danger to the team- and himself. He expends more energy- and his energy turns back on him.
~Optionals~
Clan: Kyurnaga

This clan, originally from the Whirlpool Village, is a strong, rich clan. They fought valiantly in the Invasion- but lost a lot of people. They are known for their powerful ninjutsu. They, by coincidence, are the longest-surviving clan in the world. They are incredibly enduring, and are great at surviving torture. They also are isolationist, like Zeniko.
Bloodline:

Kami- Zeniko's clan are goemancers. They are able to call upon nature in order to use their special jutsu. They can call on any abiotic part of nature and use it to their advantage. In this sense, they can due Mokuton and Hyoton, but in a much different fashion.
Recognized by pitch black skin.

Other: His chakra affinities are lightning and fire(by blood), giving him an easier time with Thunder Cyclone and Magma Storm. In addiition, the use of the electrons/heat in those helps a TON with Space Power Jutsu.

Oh come on Remix, surely you won't pick anyone over the one who commented on this RP? *puppydog eyes*

And due to the already large number of males, I think I'll even up the kunoichi/male shinobi ratio. XD

Name: Yamato Akane

Age: 16

Appearance: If one was trying to describe Akane in words, they'd probably say "ridiculously short". Standing at a mere four feet eleven inches, Akane is practically unnoticeable by most shinobi unless she calls attention to herself. Her chestnut brown hair is cut into a short, bowl-like shape and her bangs tend to droop in front of her hazel eyes, causing others to doubt if she can actually see through the thick mane. Tied into said mass of hair is a braid directly above her left ear consisting of a few strands of hair with a string of red beads fastened around it. Her slight frame, though it appears physically frail on first glance simply on basis of height, is actually tightly packed with well-trained muscles on par with those of most shinobi. Her height, in fact, is often used to her advantage in close combat as she can easily dash under kicks and punches usually launched against a taller opponent. When dressing, Akane honors her name by donning a red jacket similar to a kimono cut off at the waist decorated with images of flowers. The jacket is tucked into her pants and tied off with a red sash that also serves as a repository for her shuriken pouch. Her supply pouch, in which kunai and other basic tools are stored, is worn just above this sash.

Gender: Female, which is not male, which is what I am when not roleplaying Akane, which makes sense.

Personality: Akane is probably one of those best described as having a "fiery temper". She tends to explode at the slightest provocation, often refusing to speak to others for days as a result of a real or imagined slight. She's also a bit vain, thinking overmuch of her own good looks, and automatically assumes that any member of the opposite sex who happens to show an interest in conversing with her is smitten with her beauty unless another reason presents itself. She has a tendency to be a bit paranoid when interacting with others, going so far as to assume that anyone following her is either a rival or a stalker. For this reason, a sharp, pointy object of some variety is always near Akane's immediate grasp and she will not hesitate to use them. These qualities, while they make her a bit sore to be around, also make her a perfect "watchdog" as she tends to sleep with one or both eyes open. Despite her conceit, Akane isn't overly concerned with maintaining her appearance and often expresses (with a dramatic sigh) that her beauty is a curse upon her. Of course, Akane isn't all bad. She's incredibly organized and will apply herself one hundred percent to every task set in front of her. When she does successfully befriend somebody, she will protect them to the best of her ability if the situation calls for it. She isn't stingy with her knowledge either, and is happy to help younger shinobi-in-training practice basic jutsu. Her favorite food is that sweet known as the dango, and she is a surprisingly accomplished cook.

Jutsu

Ninjutsu-

Three Stars: Focusing her chakra into light reflecting from an object, Akane refracts the beam and bends the red light into three star-like orbs filled with condensed chakra, which she may proceed to throw at the enemy in order to deal damage. The technique's most obvious weakness is its dependence on some source of light for power. The less available light, the weaker the attack. By expending extra chakra, however, Akane can create an attack from any source of light including the moon or stars. The chakra within the spheres transforms the light energy entrapped within to heat energy on contact, producing burns and/or setting clothing on fire. This is jutsu is unique to the Yamato clan, and cannot be mastered outside of their boundaries. It requires no hand seals, but does require sometimes exorbitant amounts of chakra making it a more prudent choice at the beggining of a battle in order to cripple the opponent.

Natsuhiboshi: Akane pulls heat or light energy from the surroundings and traps it in a sphere of chakra, expanding it until said sphere is nearly a meter in diameter, before hurling it at an opponent, effectively incinerating them. Use of this jutsu not only requires perfect control of chakra, but also a large supply of it. Akane is a long shot from using this jutsu on command, lacking both chakra level and level of control require for its use without the massive attack blowing up in her face or fizzling out. In a pinch, with enough available light energy Akane can use a considerably watered-down version of the move in order to deal heavy burns to an enemy. The level of chakra needed for Natsuhiboshi's correct performance is so high that most Yamato clan members prefer to down a hyorogan before using it. Obviously, it isn't a choice for ranged battles.

Genjutsu- (N/A)

Taijutsu-

Crouching Fist: Rather than a single move, this style is a method of fighting derived from the ordinary Tekken (Iron Fist) and Gouken (furious fist) taijutsu styles utilized by most shinobi. Due to the small stature of Yamato clan members, this fighting style was developed to give them an edge in combat. The attacks focus on staying low to evade strikes used by taller opponents and striking at their legs and hips, aiming to break bones and cause bruises to cripple the opponent. In order to use Crouching Fist correctly, a shinobi must remain close to the opponent at all times in order to maximise the chance of an opponent striking over their head, and involves no little amount of quick footwork to avoid getting kneed in the face.

Jackrabbit Leap: Technically not a true taijutsu since it does utilize chakra to some extent, jackrabbit leap is a supplement to the usual fighting style of the Yamato clan. By circulating chakra to their feet and releasing it at the exact moment of a leap, a Yamato clan member can jump nearly twice their height while running. This technique is usually coupled with an aerial somersault in order to change direction in mid-air and land behind an opponent, ready to strike.

Lights Out: A taijutsu utilizing the ability of the Yamato clan to store light in temporary containers, this is a simple smokescreen Taijutsu. The shinobi will first hurl a flash-bomb of some sort, temporarily blinding everyone in the vicinity. They will then proceed to attack the opponent without mercy and/or escape. Akane, like most members of the Yamato clan, has a preferred attack of her own launched during this jutsu. By immediately closing in on a confused opponent, she can easily launch a pair of attacks to their legs, effectively crippling them. This jutsu is also tied in with Yamato clan light-based ninjutsu, as the light produced by a Yamato flash-bomb is fair game for any technique they care to launch.

Clan: The Yamato clan bloodline originates in leaf, and revolves around the transformation of light and heat energy into compressed destructive forced that can be launched as a precision attack or used to completely obliterate an enemy. The main weakness of all Yamato clan ninjutsu is the fact that intense levels of chakra are required, resulting in extreme draining after one use of several techniques, as well as the dependency on an external energy source. The Yamato clan is also able to trap energy in a carrying source, such as a glass bottle, and hurl it at an opponent as a bomb. The clan is often called the "midget" clan of the leaf due to the fact that every member is remarkably short. In fact, at this point Akane has probably already reached her maximum height. They are known for their glass knick-knacks.

Important Clan Members-

Yamato Midori: The younger brother of Akane. He's only ten years old and doesn't particularly like to study or work on taijutsu, but he displays an unusual talent at mastering the basic ninjutsu skills. He's developed an ability to impersonate others, even going so far as to successfully dupe a group of jounin into thinking he was one of them for a short time. He's extremely energetic, and he loves getting into places where he isn't allowed. Unfortunately, he usually doesn't have the skill or ability to get out of such places. Akane and Midori share a traditional sibling relationship of annoyance coupled with affection. Midori and Akane both enjoy making fun of others behind their backs, particularly their up-tight and stuffy mother. His favorite pastime is working on some way to successfully attack his older sister, though her natural paranoia makes it hard for even a transformation prodigy to sneak up on her.

Bloodline: Light entrapment, as it is known, allows the Yamato clan to store light and heat energy in some form of external sphere, usually created from chakra, for immediate or later use.

Weakness: While her Yamato clan taijutsu style somewhat makes up for Akane's petite build, she has very little weight to throw around compared to most shinobi. Her stamina levels are fairly low, causing her to burn out fairly quickly during battles. If a bulkier or taller opponent could somehow force her to keep her distance to about mid-range through the use of a pole weapon, she would have no choice but to attack with three stars or die. In addition, her fighting style quickly loses effectiveness against multiple opponents.

o.e I'm blind.

@InsaneKid/ Evkay: O< No shoes?! Foo' jk, you both are accepted

@Alter Ego: Sorry, you have gone over the paragraph limit that is needed for sign ups :x Accepted

@Shadow Yue: Accepted


Also, to those who have been accepted; work on your spelling (grammar.) I found some errors in your sign ups but they weren't something too drastic.

Teams will be placed on first post.

EDIT: Oh darn, just when I thought I finally got rid of some people T^T jk ;D Well, it's yer lucky day for you two (Brad & Dreem). ACC-M just saved yer butters. But don't think I'll accept you just for that, I will give you both one day to finish your sign ups and if either sign ups have a flaw that is just real horrid, all three of you will be declined :\ Yup so ACC-M you'd better keep your finger's crossed too. Also Brad, a bit of advise, characters that control a lot of elements don't often get accepted (here). I suggest coming up with something a little different. Perhaps just using one or two elements. One last thing, I wont be accepting a Jinchūriki character, sorry.

EDIT x 2: Alright, after discussing some things with some people, things have changed.
ACC-M: Accepted
Brad: Declined
Dreem: Declined

These decisions are not random and I have good reasons for what I chose.
ACC-M you will be an added member to Team 11.

OOC: You may begin!

IC: As the morning sun shone through one boy's bedroom window, an alarm went off signaling the time to waken from one's slumber. Laying in his bed, asleep, Souran suddenly leaped from the sudden shock of the noise coming from his annoying alarm-clock. He flopped his legs over the edge of his bed and let them hang. He then rubbed his eyes with his hands, trying to adjust them to the light that had blared in his room. In his boxers, Souran took hold of his silk blanket and organized his bed to the way he pleased, having it seem as though it came from an article. After, he headed over to his shower and cleaned up while also giving his body the clear signal to wake up. Once, after bathing for maybe ten minutes, Souran walked out of the shower and opened his dresser and grabbed his ordinary clothes. He went back into the bathroom and took a quick glance in the mirror to check if his hair was as he liked. It needed some fixing but it only took about two minutes to do so. He was finally ready to head to the chunin exams, knowing for a fact that he would pass through them without any problems. Before leaving, Souran swiped his leaf ninja headband and tightly tied it along his forehead.

"Bring it on!" Souran stated as he opened his window and jumped through it. He then jumped from roof to roof, heading toward the chunin exams building. As he gracefully road the wind, he noticed villagers eating their breakfast at diners. This reminded him that he failed to eat anything, "This'll surely make me enable to focus during the exams...I had better grab a quick snack." He spoke, clearly to himself seeing as no one else was around him. Once he spotted a place to eat, he leaped off from the roof tops and landed on the earth, right in front of the Ichiraku Ramen Shop.

"Not exactly what I had in mind for breakfast, but I'll make due." He said as he took a seat in front of the bar which seemed to be quite empty. Once Souran was able to catch the keeper's attention, he was able to order a bowl of ramen. It took perhaps a minute to create this fine dish, and this surprised Souran. Then the shop keep stated, "It's your lucky day my friend. Due to the chunin exams starting today, we are having a ninja special. So all ninja can get a fifty percent discount on their food." Souran was glad to hear this, he felt so lucky that moment that he didn't even notice how fast he ate his ramen.

"Thank you very much sir." Souran stated as he made an exit from the shop. He leaped from the ground and back to the roof tops, starting where he left off. The building was in clear site at his distance, but it wouldn't take long for him to be late so he began to high-tail it.

Yumi had woken up especially early knowing that today was the day of the Chuunin Exams. She rubbed her eyes and slowly made her way out of her bed. Though it was early a good number of people from her clan were still awake and roaming the halls of the Tanaka Estate. She passed by them with a small mumble of "Good Morning" and headed towards the bathroom for a shower. After 20 minutes of a hot shower Yumi stepped out with a towel and headed back towards her room to get dressed.

After putting on her pants,slipping her red chinese shirt over her head and putting on her gloves Yumi gave one last check in the mirror and discovered that her hair looked a mess. She frowned at her appearance and got a comb to tame her bed hair. She combed it for 5 minutes until she was satified with how it looked. Yumi nodded her head at the mirror before heading down to her kitchen. She opened the pantry and grabbed the last granola bar,something they would surely be angry at her for, but she didn't care right now.

Yumi started speed walking towards her room knowing she had to be there on time and went back to her room.

Yumi jumped out the window of her room, she claims using doors aren't very "ninja-like" and it helps her wake up, and landed on the pavement below. She began running towards her destination while taking small bites of her breakfast. Today was the day of the Chuunin exams and she was sure she'd pass it. 'Just try to keep up with me.' Yumi said smirking to herself as she jumped into the tree tops towards the chuunin exam.

Fen snored heavily, half covered by his covers in bed. The sunlight crept into his room as he inhaled deeply, ignoring the bright light on his face.

"Fen? Fen honey don't you have the chuunin exams today?" Fen's mom called from downstairs. but received no answer. loud footsteps were heard echoing through the house and his door flew open to reveal his frustrated mother tapping her foot, aggravated. "FENRA KURAI GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF BED BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE CHUUNIN TODAY AND NOT FAIL LIKE LAST YEAR."

Fen was half awake at this point and drowsily squinted one eye open to look at his mom.

"ehh i'll do the exam next time... i'm too tired...." Fen responded to her, rolling over to get out of the sunlight and not have to look at his mom.

His mother did not like this one bit. She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth in anger at her lazy son. But slowly calmed herself and looked at him. "Well... looks like i'll have to get you up myself then." She said sternly. Following this she cycled through 3 quick hand signs and pointed her palms at Fenra's bed. "Wind Style! Gale Force Jutsu!" A massive column of air blasted from her hands sending Fenra and his bed smashing through the wall into the streets below.

"You can pick up your things when you come back, honey. Now get dressed and hurry up before i get mad kay?" She called down to him from the gaping hole in 2nd floor of their house. "Oh and here, i packed you a small breakfast" She said as she threw a small package of rice balls into the street. Fen gathered some clothes off the ground and hopped along getting dressed, holding his breakfast in his mouth as he moved towards the chuunin exam building.

Finally getting his clothes on, he tied the wrap tighter on his right arm and leaped high into the air.

"Ugh... the others are gonna be pissed that i'm running late... but that bed is so comfortable... not anymore i guess.. since mom blew it apart... again..." Fen said to himself as he let out a heavy sigh. He jumped at a steady pace, knowing he would barely make it on time, as he usually did. What trials would the exams hold for him this year... he had already failed once before during the battle rounds, for not acting enough like a leader... but it didn't seem to bother him. The exam complex was in plain view now, he scanned the area seeing other ninja gathering as well. Familiar faces too as he saw his fellow team mate, Souran approaching from the opposite direction.

"welp... time to get these exams rollin i suppose." Fen said cheerfully to himself

"I swear, he's been following me! Why else would he show up at Ichiraku?" Akane whispered, clenching and unclenching her tiny fists as she continued to hammer her fists into the doughy mass that would soon be stretched into ramen noodles and boiled. "I think he's stalking me."

Her employer, a middle-aged man clad in a chef's apron, gave the girl the benefit of a warm smile. "I doubt it. He's probably just here for breakfast," he muttered in return.

Akane continued to release her frustration into the noodle dough. Satisfied at last, she removed her hands from the mass and proceeded to slit several grooves in it with a nearby knife before tossing the pounded mixture to Ichiraku's owner. Sliding the apron over her head, she continued speaking. "Why does anyone come to a ramen shop for breakfast? I mean, even that guy in the orange jumpsuit, what's-his-name, doesn't come in this early! I just know that he's stalking me." Clutching both hands to her sides, the kunoichi stealthily reached one dainty hand into her weapons pouch and removed a recently-sharpened kunai which she slid furtively into her sleeve before continuing her tirade. "He's not even a regular here! Why else would he come?"

The owner of the ramen shop rolled his eyes. Ever since he had allowed the tiny terror that was Yamato Akane to take a part-time job in the mornings to help him cook he had been subjected to one conspiracy theory after another. In fact, he was beggining to become slightly paranoid himself, not so much about imagined stalkers but about the inevitable point at which Akane would most likely injure a customer. He knew that one of the downsides towards hiring a shinobi was the fact that most of them carried sharp, pointy objects to work but he had been a bit hard pressed to find labor after his daughter had taken leave from the shop and Akane was the best he could get. In any case, he knew it was time for damage control. If Akane was about to do what he thought she was about to do, he needed to step in and defuse her fears in regards to the boy she had now marked as her stalker. Leaning over, he whispered to the customer "Whatever you do, don't make eye contact with my assistant and don't flinch. She's a little... strange. Oh, and watch out, she's got a weapon." His advice thus given, he pulled himself back into the booth and prepared with horror to watch the inevitable fireworks.

"So, Mr. Early Bird," Akane smiled as she plopped herself next to the unfortunate, her hazel eyes burning their way through his skull. "I hope you enjoyed your ramen here, I was up at five in the morning cooking it. And by the way..."

Whizz! Thunk!

"If you come within three feet of me and attempt any romantic advances I swear I'll make you live to regret it," she muttered as she removed herself from her seat. Directly between the customer's hand and his ramen bowl sat the kunai, quivering.

The owner winced. He really did need to find some less temperamental help. If Akane continued on as his cook, he would lose more customers to her kunai than a bad bowl of ramen prepared by a less competent chef.

Flicking a few unruly strands of hair from her eyes, the pint-sized shinobi raced for the exam area. After all, at least there she'd be allowed to murder anyone who attempted an advance.

That very morning, the tree had sprouted into bloom. The pink blossoms created a peculiar contrast with the pale surface of the ancient branches they clung to, their sweet scent hanging across the secluded courtyard. The bloom of cherry trees had often been a revered occasion, but there was something...different about the assembly around this particular tree. Though there was a good sixty people, men and women of all ages, gathered around the tree, there were no cries of mirth, no do-eyed amazement over nature's beauty. Instead, the people were gathered around the ancient tree in an orderly manner, all clad in white robes and donning expressions of outmost seriousness, their eyes all expectantly focused on a figure in the center of the circle:

It was a child, a tawny boy of around the age of twelve or possibly thirteen, his black hair arranged into a neat bowl-shape that spoke of excessive hours of comb and water. Unlike the others, he was only donning a pair of white trousers and simple, black shirt, a kunai grasped in his hand with a cramp-like grip. His dark brown eyes traveled restlessly across the lines of solemn faces and then to the tree in front of him, as if desperately looking for something but failing to find it, indecision evident on his face.

"Tamori Itsuki!" boomed the voice of one of the oldest crowd members, a man who looked almost as ancient as the tree, and just as firmly rooted, "Do you pledge your loyalty to the duty?"

The youth immediately snapped to attention, "I pledge!" he replied.

"Tamori Itsuki, do you forfeit your mind, your soul, your body to this duty?"

"I forfeit!"

"Tamori Itsuki, are you prepared to show your conviction?"

The boy's face was whiter than the robes of those around him at this point, his eyes performing another hesitant sweep across the lines of impassive faces but still failing to find any support, "I am!" he proclaimed in a slightly higher pitch, clutching the kunai harder.

"Then let it be done!" boomed the sage, "Tamori Itsuki, show your conviction to those who gave their lives to the duty before you!"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the youth nodded, pattering over to the tree in a cautious manner, as if it were a wild beast that could have lunged at him at any given time, and dropping down on his knees by the trunk. His movements were jerky and mechanical as he raised his right hand, holding the palm in clear view. He must have stared at it for a few minutes before he reluctantly raised the kunai, his entire body trembling as the blade hovered just inches from his skin. Not a sound emerged from the crowd, not a single flicker of emotion crossed their faces. The very earth beneath him seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation.

The boy's lip quivered. The kunai in his hand trembled violently as he brought it another inch closer...

"Go for it, Itsuki!"

The attention of both the youth and the crowd around him was effectively drawn to the screen door by the left-hand side of the courtyard which had just been unceremoniously slammed aside. Through it emerged a being who was quite different from the solemn congression. Though she was donning the same white robe as everyone else, it had clearly been flung on in a hurry, the cloth flapping around her ankles and nearly slipping off her left shoulder -- bare, much to the horror of those assembled -- as she dashed past the crowd. But above all, her face stood out: it wasn't a calm, collected mask of discipline like everybody else's; it was tanned by sun and alive with emotion, apparently flustered from a long run, the multiple braids of black hair dancing around it in queue with the girl's movements.

"Look, I did this when I was twelve!" she hollered before anyone managed an interjection, demonstratively holding up her left palm, which bore a faint line down the center, an indication of a cut that had healed almost perfectly, "If a boy can't do something as good as a girl, he's a sissy, you know!"

The boy couldn't help cracking a smile. Even though that had basically been goading, the sentiment behind it was loud and clear, and the sudden noise and life had effectively dispelled the oppressive tension that had hung around him, "N-nee-chan..."

"Tamori Hanako, control yourself!" the old man thundered, his gaze bearing quite considerable anger as it turned to the girl, several crowd members finally catching on and pulling her back into the circle, "One more instance of misconduct and I shall invalidate this ceremony, is this understood?"

"Perfectly, sensei." Hanako replied, performing an oh-so courteous bow in her infuriated elder's direction, "Please forgive my outburst."

The man didn't look particularly mollified, "We shall discuss appropriate punishment for this later." he said at last, "Now get your robe into order and show some reverence. Your attire alone is close to sacrilege."

The girl gave another dutiful nod, finally pulling the offensive shoulder material back to its place as she took her position among the other people in the crowd. Silent though she was, her eyes remained firmly focused on Itsuki, an encouraging smile on her lips.

"Now, Tamori Itsuki, display your conviction!"

The boy nodded, returning his full attention to the tree and grasping the kunai with newfound resolve.

Mere moments later, a few droplets of crimson trickled down on the ground, seeping in between the roots of the tree, and for the briefest of moments, the blossoms seemed to flash crimson.


A few hours later, lying down on an hospital bed and staring at the ceiling, Tamori Itsuki knew only two things: he had passed the test, and his hand stung.

The boy's gaze drifted absent-mindedly to the bandages covering the aforementioned appendage, but just as he was about to prod it again, the hinges of the door cried out in pain, followed by the slam of wood meeting wall, effectively confirming the identity of the visitor.

"Itsuki..." the girl said as they stared each other down. She had disposed of the robe and was now donning her usual attire of shirt and shorts, a katana hanging casually by her waist, "You are a true...idiot!"

The poor youth had no chance of knowing what hit him. Hanako had put a lot of practice both into moving fast and increasing her strength, and now both had been applied without the girl even noticing as she gave her younger half-brother a hug that could almost have constituted a Taijutsu technique in its sheer brutality. The boy felt a single trickle of moisture travel across his shoulder and down his back, but right now the girl's close proximity was preoccupying his thoughts. Step-sibling or no, Itsuki was entering that age, and their height difference was hardly making the situation less awkward on his part, a violent blush spreading across his face. Fortunately, the girl seemed to catch on and released her grip fairly fast, sitting down on the bed beside him.

"Baka..." she mumbled, making a show of brushing aside a braid of hair from the front of her blue eyes, "A small cut would have been enough; you didn't have to slice your whole palm up."

"Gomen..." the boy replied to his feet, the embarrassment behind his blush now stemming from different source, "I guess...I got a bit carried away." he paused, the subject of getting carried away reminding him of something, "Oh, how did things go with Yuukijiji?"

Hanako grimaced, she could never avoid half a grin at the nickname they had landed their elder with. "The usual way." she replied, "He kept going on about how I'm disgracing my forefathers' names and how I nearly ruined the ceremony and got you hurt. You know what he's like."

"But that's not your-"

"Try explaining that to him." Hanako said with a shrug.

"Gomen-gomennassai..." Itsuki repeated, "I didn't meant to get you into trouble."

"Oh, cut it out." his stepsister retorted, giving him a playful little punch on the arm, "He'd have gotten on my case about the outfit any day now anyway; just as good that he got the aggressions out of his system now. I'll just have to give another conviction and it's settled."

"But that's not fair!" the youth insisted, "You were just trying to help me, nee-chan! I'll talk to Yuukijiji! I'll take the conviction instead of you! I mean, if I hadn't been such a sissy you wouldn't-"

"Nonsense." Hanako interrupted, "It's my conviction that's in question here and not yours; you know that. Besides..." she cast a glance at the bandaged hand, giving him a grin, "Do you really think that I'd let you go and overperform another conviction after that stunt? I doubt that he's going to make it anything disabling anyway; not right before the Chuunin exams."

Itsuki's eyes widened in realization, "Oh yeah, those started today!" he exclaimed, "But nee-chan, shouldn't you already be-?"

"I told you before: don't fret." the girl replied calmly, "Assembly isn't until ten."

"But..." Itsuki's eyes traveled to the clock hanging on the infirmary wall and her half-sister's followed suit, both of them contemplating what they saw in front of them:

9:57.

"Oh, shiitake!" Hanako exclaimed, darting off the bed and into standing position in a split second, "Itsuki, I've got to run! Try not to do anything stupid and give that hand time to recover so you don't walk into the armament ceremony as a cripple, alright?" with that and a quick ruffle of the boy's hair, she was out of the door and running through the corridor, all the while trying to fit her forehead protector on.

"Good luck, nee-chan!"

The words just barely reached Hanako as she dashed down the hospital corridors, forcing a number of people to make evasion maneuvers, but a smile spread across her face nonetheless.

"Alright..." she mumbled for herself, transferring all available chakra into her feet as she slammed open the main doors of the hospital, leaping off the opposite wall so as to not loose valuable time on the turn, "From here to assembly in a bit less than three minutes, no problem...no problem at all."

"Out of the way!" Hanako hollered, "Future Chuunin coming through!"

Dansei yawned, slipping on his SONAR sleeves. Time to go... he thought, walking towards his bedroom door. This is it... Finally, a Chunin. Hopefully.

---

After scarfing down an enormous portion of pancakes and bacon, Dansei walked out of the front door to his family's home. "Wish me luck," he said, waving behind him towards the rest of his family.

"Fight hard, son," the ninja's dad muttered, nodding solemnly.

A few seconds later, Dansei flickered out of view, reappearing on a roof top some fifty yards away, then breaking into a run towards the building in which the first stage of the exams. Once he got to the building, he sat down on the floor in the entrance hall, waiting for others to come.

Time to regain my sight, Dansei thought. Horse, Dragon, Boar... Dog! "Sight Rebirth Technique!"

A small blue shockwave of his own chakra emitted from Dansei as the ninja pushed the cloth up to his forehead, revealing his dark blue eyes. For now, any Genin who hadn't been in his class in the Ninja Academy wouldn't know he was blind, which would help him greatly for now.