Private Cold to touch. (Req Jinzo)

[Kimari Bōmu]

It had been several hours since the crack of dawn that Keniwa had been pummelling his fists in to one tree, and as it would eventually break he would turn towards the other. '382, 383, 384, 385...' Although as he would continue he heard a small yet prominent ripping noise as if someone had unzip their jacket. Spinning round to analyse the area he would soon witness his own gloves had been the source, peering down at them each teared and battered he couldn't wear these anymore. Although his own mother had bought these for him for his 10th birthday as for preparation with him joining the academy, so this was not an easy moment for him. Slowly gripping the tattered leather as he carefully removed them from his hands he would clench the worn gloves in his fists, gazing down with tears beginning to fill his eyes, he was able to be vulnerable as he was alone in nature. Yet his sadness was short lived as he quickly wipes his eyes, pockets his gloves and runs off in to the village in search of a replacement. What he really wanted was to use the same gloves forever, but he knew if they had been repaired they would soon break yet again. An upgrade was in order.

Keniwa scanned the streets of the village gazing inwards at several shops and markets that sold all sorts of shinobi weapons and training gear, yet the young Kyoujouran could not find anything that suited his mark exactly. Swords were not quite right, he had absolutely no idea how to wield one effectively, and whilst he could use kunai's they wouldn't make a complete weapon or lend any use for keeping his hands proper and safe. He had almost completely lost hope at finding anything that he could use, almost dragging his feet across the ground as a small pout would slowly appear on the bottom of his face. Beginning to make his way home in defeat he would see a man in a large trench coat offering to sell niche gadgets and gizmos to passerbys. However many rejected him whilst pinching their noises and making many under handed comments as they avoided him the best they could.

However this only filled Keniwa with a sense of curiosity, he casted the crystal eye jutsu as he sulked in to a side alley with the crystal eye being slightly behind the man so he could get a few glimpses of what he had to offer, and as soon as he opened up his trench coat to offer the next poor victim who was treated to the mans horrible stench. That was when he saw it. Two exoskeleton of hands hanging off the inside would slightly flail in to his field of view from the jutsu's vision. Instantaneously Keniwa would drop the jutsu and run straight towards the man with yen in his hand instantly buying the pair without a second thought. The mans exit however was even quicker than the exchange, as one look and his supplier had vanished without a trace, yet this was insignificant to him. Alone these exoskeletons would make horribly and rigid weapons but with some handy work they could become amazing tools which can be repaired if ever broken.



Swiftly making his way to the academy library, after buying several supplies which could possibly be used to create his new metallic gloves, blowing almost all of his savings, he instantly attempted to get to work on his new soon to be signature weapon. Yet this quickly became an optimistic dream as he was soon face to face with the reality that he had absolutely no clue what he was doing. He had purchased several electronic chips, several small metallic sheets, a hammer, nails and several other random bits and bobs. Even a blueprint to help him make his new weapon. But alas his skillset never fell under anything of the sort. As he sat once again defeated with one of his palms on his forehead with the other gazing down at the waste of money, another student would sit across from him on the same table currently working on a small gadget using a screwdriver. The curly haired academy student carried a small grin as he was eagerly working and happy in his own company.

WC: 725​

 

[Jinzo]

Tinkering away as he was, Jinzo was busy preparing for a chance at the Chunnin exams. Though he wasn't the strongest or the fastest, he had an incredible mind for coming up with complex strategies and contraptions, the likes of which usually earned him high enough marks. Fortunately or unfortunately for him, his eye for detail didn't usually land him on the best mission slots, or generally on the sorts of missions that legends were made of. Resigned to just grabbing cats out of trees or walking elderly women home, Jinzo's meager earnings were enough to sustain him and his siblings but certainly not enough to get him to the next step of being a Chunnin. Continuing to work on a small piece of his latest contraption, he looked on at the kid across from him with a sort of jealousy. Perhaps it was the inner tinkerer in him, but whoever had made the tech that he was currently looking on, had an incredible sense of style. Able to clearly recognize good work when he saw it, Jinzo gave the kid a respectful nod of approval and pointed with his screwdriver. "Your technique is exquisite. How'd you get the compressor so small and compact on our kind of budget?" Assuming that the kid was just like him, part of the working class, Jinzo for a brief moment was envious of the skill required for such a feat. On the other hand however, if he could spend just a little bit of time with it...then he could probably replicate it as well.

 

[Kimari Bōmu]

He greets the elder kid with a matching respectful nod as he looked down at sighed at his failed attempt of attempting to craft and enhance. "Well you see I didn't make this at all, I actually bought it in hopes of finding a new signature weapon for me to wield as a shinobi." Noticing the screwdriver which Jinzo holds he ponders whether he may posses a deeper experience than the himself in terms of tinkering. He never was one for his hands and realistically most of the stuff he bought to match it was just random he splurged his own middle class saving. Almost unaware of Jinzo's working class nature though he bluntly said "It didn't cost much just a bit of money that I had saved. However I have next to no clue of where to even start." Glancing up at Jinzo after keeping the majority of his focus on the unfinished creation before him. "Apologies I haven't introduced myself. I am Keniwa and what is your name?" His social confidence had definitely risen with the several encounters he has had and since his meeting and growth of friendship with Akio and Kiriyomi. Yet he still could work on his blunt tone.

Upon closer inspection he realised he had seen this curly hair individual before, passing through the hallways and inside of the lunch hall. Usually keeping his hands busy, perhaps his skills may be able to be of use to the Kyoujouran. 'I could ask him to take a look at it but I have to be careful he doesn't try anything fast, i've seen his fleeting glances at the makeshift fists.'

(WC:275)

 

[Jinzo]

"Well you see I didn't make this at all, I actually bought it in hopes of finding a new signature weapon for me to wield as a shinobi." Nodding, as if half-listening, Jinzo found himself intrinsicly interested in just what sort of tech he was looking at. Almost as if in a trance, he quite purposefully took hold of the gloves and pulled them close to his person. "It didn't cost much just a bit of money that I had saved. However I have next to no clue of where to even start." Nodding once again, Jinzo half muttered a response, recognizing that it was probably the polite thing to do. "Un-huh..." Pulling out a pair focusing goggles for the pouch that he had at his side, he slid them over his eyes and began to tinker with the gloves. "Apologies I haven't introduced myself. I am Keniwa and what is your name?" His tone seeming what annoyed, Jinzo took out more tools as he continued to tinker with the gloves. "Jinzo, but uhh... I gotta concentrate..." His voice trailed off as he worked with his tools to try to fix the gloves. A wire pulled here, a gear tweaked there. Lost in his own little world, Jinzo finally spoke back to Keniwa but his words were more issued as commands than a request. "Hey, Keni, was it? Can you write down some notes for me?" Not even bothering to wait, he started rattling off seemingly random words that made little sense. "23...13...green, red, orange. Two yellows, a white, a red. One micro conductor, light blue crystal. Check with Toni...no, never mind, forget Toni, ask Baba., yeah...definitely ask Baba." Rambling on, Jinzo continued to work with the gloves like a man on a mission. "Know any fire or lightning ninjutsu?"

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

"I can help you there."

The Inuzuka duo had spotted Keniwa across the room, recognising the boy from their brief encounter in the lunchroom, not long before he'd graduated. Though neither Keiyaku nor Morutobu, the little Shiba puppy that tailed at his side, needed to come to the Academy any further for their education, the both of them certainly did still like to make use of the library, mostly to find old manga to read while generally slacking off. It was a nice means of his escaping his family's rather strict training regimen when he just wasn't feeling up to it. Kiiromaru and his father, while definitely loving parental figures, did seem to expect too much of him sometimes.

"Hiya Keni," he said with a warm grin after offering to help, dressed in a rookie ANBU uniform. He turned to the curly haired boy and paused for a moment. He leaned forward very slightly and sniffed. Nope, he'd never met this guy before. Once again, his face creased into a merry smile and offered his hand, despite the fact the guy seemed rather engrossed in connecting up little wires on some flashy looking contraption, "how's it goin'? I'm Keiyaku, and this is Morutobu."

The little Shiba puppy gave a joyful yet very quiet whine, as if being mindful he was in a library. He was always happy about meeting new people, but terrible self-conscious of upsetting the apple cart.

"So what's all this stuff? Some kind of new toaster design? What did you need the fire and lightning jutsu for?"

[MFT]

 

[Kimari Bōmu]

Without even noticing Jinzo had already swiped the gloves and began working on them, he couldn't sense any malicious intent behind his actions though it was almost as if the tinkering prodigy couldn't help himself but begin to work. "Jinzo, i'll remember that. So what exactly are you doing?" He leant a little over the table to try get a better view whilst his head would periodically shift in curiosity. "Hey, Keni, was it? Can you write down some notes for me?" He blankly stared at the contraption in the works before realising Jinzo had already began to list things quickly grabbing the back of the cheap blueprint he had bought and uses a pencil from Jinzo's pouch to quickly start scribing as he spoke. "23 you said? 13 green, red, orange!" Frantically trying to get as much as he could down on the scruffy page as Jinzo sounded as if he was automating his sentences, churning them out like a machine. "Two yellows uhm a white, a bed? A red! One micro conductor, what is a mic-, a light blue crystal. Make sure to check with Toni, okay don't. Baba..." Finally managing to get down everyone and everything down the page it had felt more like an excruciating exam more than a list. "Are Baba and Toni people or..?" Cut off again as Jinzo would perk his head up asking. "Know any fire or lightning ninjutsus?" Whilst he knew a few earth and lava jutsus he had actually not once practiced with fire or lightning shaking his head.

"I can help you there." Spinning his head round he would see the cheerful Keiyaku with his partner in crime Morutobu, the only crime however Morutobu had committed was being a tasty looking treat. However that was hardly a priority to him right now. "Hey Keiyak- ...wait a moment, you just called me Keni and actually so did you Jinzo. Only my mum calls me that how did you guys find out?" Almost perplexed trying to remember who he may have told about his caring mother's nickname, as Keiyaku casually introduced himself to the tech geek. Keni only tuning in as Keiyaku curiously asks "So what's all this stuff? Some kind of new toaster design? What did you need the fire and lightning jutsu for?" Keniwa perks up looking at Keiyaku "Not a toaster at all. They are well may be my new signature weapon however I think the fire and lightning jutsu may be used to... well im not quite sure." Glancing back down at Jinzo and the gloves, whether they actually will prove of any combat use only time could tell.

(WC: 442)

 

[Jinzo]

"So what's all this stuff? Some kind of new toaster design? What did you need the fire and lightning jutsu for?" ... So off-putting was the remark that Jinzo actually stopped working long enough to stare at the newcomer. "Why would it be a toaste-..." Shaking his head, he continued to stare at the newcomer in a way that was truly the epitome of staring through someone. Clearly "in the zone" as the kids had the custom of saying, he shook his head once more as he continued to mutter technical jargon under his breath. "The fire and lightning are for fusing the parts together of course." Turning his attention back to the work at hand, his tone was especially matter of fact and to those that had never met him before, he would have very much seemed like a boy possessed. The Keni kid said something or another, but Jinzo mostly ignored him. Either he could keep up or he couldn't. "Are Baba and Toni people or..?" "Of course, what else would they be?"

Silly Keni. Screwing something here and twisting something else, there, Jinzo soon was nearing the end of the completed work. Finally once more looking up from the soon to be completed project, he looked from Keni to the new kid, and then finally at a dog. "Are pets allowed in here?" He pointed with his screwdriver at the admittedly nice looking puppy. Turning his head sideways in thought, he thought out loud about it. "Then again, that would be pretty discriminatory against the Inuzuka so...I guess that that's ok." Clearing the thought out of his mind, he instead focused on the gloves. "Between the three of you..." Not sure if the dog could do ninjutsu or not, he included it as well. "I need somebody to aim a very fine, very controlled flame or lightning bolt, here, here, and here. Don't overdo it or these gloves are truly, toast!" Adding in a joke to follow the one that he had heard before, he went about pointing at three very close together, but obviously spaced apart locations.

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

Keiyaku looked up from the device, to Keni. He raised an eyebrow, a little bit bemused as to his reaction about using that nickname.

"Uh... your name's Keniwa; just shortening it to Keni was the obvious thing to do, I thought?" He said, giving Keni a cheeky wink before going on, "a signature weapon, huh? I'd've thought you wouldn't need one, Keni, with those iron fists of yours!"

He turned his attention back to.... Jinzo, Keiyaku thought he heard Keni say. Moru suddenly gave a little grunt of indignation and the Inuzuka boy looked rather surprised at Jinzo, "uh... pet? I don't have any pets...?"

Glancing over, he realised the more technically inclined boy was pointing the screwdriver at Moru, "oh, no, he's my little brother. He's not annoying though, I promise."

The Shiba puppy just rolled his eyes, his 'big brother' snickering away at how irritated the little pup could sometimes get with him. Enough fun and games though; it was time to get down to serious business. Taking careful note of Jinzo's instructions, he made a vivid mental image of where he needed to add an electric charge to fuse the components together. Though he was not at all technically inclined, and was probably the sort of person to try to fix a radio by banging on it really hard, he did have the sense to understand that this would require precision, and a high enough current to melt metal very slightly. Performing a series of fast handsigns, he concentrated. Inserting a claw into the first point, the claw began to crackle slightly with electricity, pumping a consistent charge into the device. He would do this until Jinzo gave him the order to stop, then he would move on to the other portions, carefully watching the boy's face for guidance.

"Hopefully I didn't fuck that up too bad," he muttered, taking a step back and trying to make it look like he was admiring his work, when in truth, he had no idea if he had succeeded.

"So how does this weapon work anyway? Considering Keni's already built like a brick shithouse, I don't see how it's gonna make him any stronger," he said, winking at Keni again and grinning. Morutobu treated big brother to one of his freshest eye-rolls.

 

[Kimari Bōmu]

Keniwa would go to raise his hand to speak but slowly lower it as he realised he wasn't in a class room setting, "I guess Keni works... If you guys like it so much." It was weird how that was something that everyone had started doing, yet as Keiyaku said it the second time he didn't mind it so much. "a signature weapon, huh? I'd've thought you wouldn't need one, Keni, with those iron fists of yours!" He quieted down after Keiyaku said this whilst for a very small amount of time a red blush appeared on his face, a large sense of weakness and despair would cloud over the Kyoujouran's face. His lip quivering before he spoke. "I wouldn't call them iron, closer to pebble. I just I haven't been feeling so strong recently and perhaps some new gloves may do the trick. My old ones were a gift from my mother when I first joined the academy, and when they broke I just everything around me felt like it was crumbling. I slowly noticed more and more of my own flaws... and my weakness compared to the ones around me." It took a few moments to realise he had just largely opened up about his own insecurities to people he had barely known. Flustered and trying to compose himself he deflects the conversation by saying "W-well Keiyaku It's up to you!" Whilst looking away as he spoke in an attempt to recompose himself.

Although he couldn't help but watch as Keiyaku would miraculously perform quick handseals and Jinzo would carefully observe, watching carefully as Keiyaku began inserting his claw in to the glove. A small crackle would be heard alongside a small light being emitted from the gloves as Keiyaku would pump an electric charge through. Upon Jinzo's command he would stop and Keniwa would walk up to the table, staring down at the newly powered gloves. "So how does this weapon work anyway? Considering Keni's already built like a brick shithouse, I don't see how it's gonna make him any stronger," Truthfully Keniwa had no idea but the barrage of compliments made him blush again, slapping his face with both of his hands as he would ready himself to equip the gloves. They had a small radiant glow of energy coursing through them. "I'm not sure Keiyaku. However now we will all find out!" Nodding at Keiyaku and Jinzo he would slip each of his hands in to the gloves.

Suddenly out of the knuckles of the gloves 8 small wires shot out, with no time to react they swiftly went through Keniwa's fingers and straight in to his body. A small amount of blood trickling out from his knuckles he would begin to feel in succession, as if small darts were stabbing him in all of his pressure points. The Knuckles flipped over to reveal 8 micro buttons with a symbol on each of them. Opening, Healing, Life, Pain, Limit, View, Wonder, Death. The gloves would clamp down in to hands causing even more blood to spurt out. It wasn't a massive amount but it definitely stung as Keniwa fell to the ground grovelling in pain. And spurting out a breath of blood whilst down on his hands and knees gritting his teeth to try suffice the pain whilst clenching his fists whilst his metallic gloves clawed in to the floor. "Jinzo! What did you d- Arrghhh!!" He could feel the wires coursing through his body as if they were intertwining with all of his chakra points. The pain of the wires simmered but the fate of his hands were unknown. The sweat on his body began to turn in to vapour as he would let out a gut wrenching scream as steam began to rise from him. Standing up unable to control this power he would slam his fist on the table, with it going straight through and breaking it in half.

Looking down in fear at what he had become he rushed out of the library with rapid speed, having to get out of the claustrophobic atmosphere. Whilst staring down at his two new horrible attachments, he crumbled to his knee outside the library. The steam dissipating as he would attempt to catch his breath with several short weary pants, shock and horror riddling over his entire face.

WC:722

 

[Jinzo]

"I'm not sure Keiyaku. However now we will all find out!" Shaking his head, Jinzo looked on at the finally somewhat finished product. "This is usually the part when somebody says, famous last words..." Before Jinzo could caution either of the three before him on the rigors of the scientific process and how they ought to test out the gloves in a more controlled location and setting, Keni had already managed to not only put the gloves on but he was apparently activating them. Parts of the gloves seemingly coming to life in a way that even Jinzo hadn't anticipated, he eyed the words but could barely make out what they were on about. Leaning in close, he managed to catch a better look at them. Opening, Healing, Life, Pain, Limit, View, Wonder, Death.

Scratching at his head with his screwdriver still in hand, he leaned back at just the right moment as suddenly Keni started to scream and flail about in pain. Somewhat panicked, he started to reach out towards Keni but stopped short as he realized that touching Keni could pass on whatever was happening to the boy, onto himself. Shaking his head, he yelled a lot louder than he intended to, especially considering the location. "And that is..." he winced as Keni slammed a fist directly through the table and then ran off. "Why you don't test drive new stuff without reading the manual first!" Shaking his head and recognizing that the general mess was going to come out of his bank account Jinzo audibly sighed and went about trying to find the rest of his stuff that was somewhere underneath a formally perfectly good working table. Looking at Keiyaku, Jinzo shrugged, "You might want to go check out where our friend went."

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

As though punched in the abdomen, Keiyaku felt his whole stomach contract as the sudden scream, watching as the gauntlet did something strange to Keniwa as he donned it. He couldn't pretend to understand what was happening, he just knew his friend was undergoing some horrifying ordeal involving his internal organs. The sickly smell of blood filled his nostrils which instantly sent him into alarm-mode. Both Keiyaku and Moru stepped forward to help the boy up when he suddenly staggered to his feet and, with one great POW, slammed the table in half with his fist, as though it were a block of soft butter. The Inuzuka duo were both still more bewildered as a blood-spattered Keniwa, screaming and panicking, rushed from the library.

"Aintcha gonna help, Jinzo? I don't know what the hell this contraption thing is doing to him! We gotta get him to medical, or something!"

Vaulting over tables and chairs on all-fours, Keiyaku bolted from the library with almost unnatural speed. Grabbing Keniwa by the shoulder when he finally caught up with him, he whirled him around and spoke to him, soothingly, yet seriously.

"Keni, buddy, look at me. You're fine, okay?"

Keiyaku had half a mind to try and restrain the guy, not sure if he would unintentionally cause more havoc, maybe even hurt an innocent passerby.

"We gotta get you to a medic, alright? Whatever this thing is... I don't want to risk it doin' something that'll kill you."

 

[Kimari Bōmu]

His whole body felt as if it was reconstructing itself from the inside. "It feels like there are several tendrils pulling apart my body and replacing it with their own mechanical parts. Please make it stop." He shivered in fear and horror as Keiyaku would console him, staggering back up to meet his gaze he felt as if he had become a monster in that short moment, whatever had happened it had given him an unnatural increase in strength and mobility, but what did it cost, he wasn't himself when he slammed that table. It was if something had taken over for reeling the boys consciousness away to be contained in a cold shell of his former self. "Medic? A medic okay... okay..." He hadn't regained any of his previous attitude or composure still being overflown by a rush of anxiety, all he wanted was for everything to go back to the way it was. His pursuit for further power had shifted him in to a disgusting cyborg in his own mind.

He had barely talked to the two of them and he already feared that he lost two potential friends, only minutes ago was everything fine and dandy. The two of them both unique and kind in their own ways, Keiyaku's compliments and Jinzo's hardworking determination, he didn't want them to think that he was a burden. He wished to be anything but, it's why he sought out an upgrade... and yet that was back where he was. His eyes began to flutter, he wouldn't cry yet they were clearly soaked with water, the embarrassment and the pain it was all too much for him. "It's okay Keiyaku i'll go by myself to the medic... I-im sorry for everything. I hope Jinzo is okay." He would turn around and attempt to hobble to the medical byoin alone.

[Topic Left unless stopped]

 

[Jinzo]

Meanwhile, Jinzo was busy cleaning up after the mess of things that had occurred. If Jinzo didn't know any better then he would have certainly guessed that the kid who had zoomed off had known all along that the gloves were more than what met the eye. Having trusted his gut to guide him towards helping somebody in need, he surmised that ultimately, he had done the right thing, he just needed to be that much more careful in the future to doing such on the fly testing in overly public places. He needed a lab, somewhere where he could work on things and tinker with them without worrying about destroying public property that he didn't own. With his own workshop to tinker around with, he could very much have people come to him with their wares and he could craft to his hearts delight in a very controlled environment. This thought in mind, he worked to clean up and repair as much as he could, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the librarians that equally rushed to help him. When at last they had dismissed him as his efforts could only go so far, he thanked them for the time and for not charging him, and he took his leave. He'd remember the two that he met today but ultimately he had left with information far more valuable than just getting to tinker around with something.

OOC: Topic left unless stopped.

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

"Alone? Hah!"

Keiyaku let out a sharp, very bark-like laugh. He clamped a hand around Keni's arm and began leading him off down the street, heading for the Medical Byoin; he wasn't gonna let his friend hobble himself there after what he'd be through.

"We ain't goin' anywhere 'til we know you're okay, bud," he said, gesturing down at Moru who gave a bark of agreement, walking along in front of the two as if he was some kind of frontal guard. He couldn't forgive himself if something went wrong with this weird contraption and caused some serious damage, especially if Keiyaku had known he had the chance to intervene and do something about it. He gave the Kyoujouran a warm, comforting smile.

"Don't worry about it, 'kay? You ain't gettin' out of being a ninja that easy!"

[Topic Left]