[Exam] Blue Team

[Sazuki Nao]

He had some time before the children would arrive here... So he had to act fast and quick. He attached the bells to his waist, but not all with each other but one by one. That way they would have less leeway to get them... but that was when he thought further. He had to be smart about this. At a stall he grabbed a different bell and would swap with one at his waist before summoning his Yokai contract. " Ibis... I have a very important mission for you..." he would smile as he handed one of the bells to the creature. " Guard this, but don't harm them. If they take it, just try to get it back. weak genjutsu is allowed by me. But do. not. harm. them" He made sure that his yokai understood the assignment who grinned big under the hood. "Yessir!" He chimed happily and started to make way for the small alley's. The bell chiming as he went.

Nao placed one of the real bells instead of on his waist around his wrist. Now he had one fake bell at his waist, one real bell on his waist and one on his wrist. He made a few clones and transformed into a small child and decided to hide among the crowd and shops.

Waiting time and decide to try to think of things. One of the clones was waiting for them with instructions.

" Goood mornin. Now you might wonder, did we start didn't we start. we did... At least the real me did. The bells are not in my posession, but I do have something for Akio." he would hand Akio a small scroll, that once read would activate a seal and burn itself. "Now... enjoy the games Nao has prepared. All you need to do, if find the clues or find him."


[Topic entered]

 

[Jinzo]

Just as Jinzo figured, it was especially busy in the Oak District, even for it being relatively early in the morning. Sighing to himself, he shook his head and adjusted the awkward placement of the backpack and wok that he carried on his back. Speaking to the team leader, Akio, Jinzo pulled out his notepad and began to rattle off a list of things that he had observed from the initial start of the exam, least of all, his theories about how how the exam could progress. "The obvious strategy would be for Nao-sama to just use some means of diversion. Unlike a forest, he won't be able to set traps that could tempt us to use big ninjutsu to deflect without drawing attention to ourselves, and even if he did, I'm pretty sure that the ANBU would probably step in as well. You seem to know Nao well, what's his go to strategy, how does he think?" It seemed obvious to Jinzo to use every weapon in their arsenal, but especially their minds. If they knew how Nao thought then they could potentially use that against him. People tended to be creatures of habit, and even the strongest shinobi was capable of falling into old routines that could really put them into a bind if they weren't careful. Looking to Kiriyomi, he motioned with his notepad and also stated the obvious. "You've been pretty quiet all things considered. Got any ideas on how we grab some bells from a guy who's expecting us to do just that?" Something about Kiriyomi was off-putting. Off-putting in a way that was oddly enough, the complete opposite of Akio. Jinzo couldn't quite put his finger on it but he'd figure it out, soon enough.

 

[Senju Akio]

Akio made his way towards the Oak District alongside his teammates, scratching the spot on his back that one of Kiriyomi's bugs had bitten. Spending so much time in the woods had given the young Senju an abundance of experience with bug bites, but something about this one felt... odd... and his body reacted to it in a unique way, causing the immense amount of natural energy that he'd spent all sunrise building up well and almost repel the strange chakra that the kikai had infused. Nevertheless, he forced himself to ignore it as he focused on his surroundings, noting the usual hustle and bustle of one of Konohagakure's busiest areas. It was surprisingly busy, especially for it being so early in the day, with citizens of Leaf starting their businesses, running errands, and doing their daily activities, but perhaps some had made their way into the district to see the goings on of the day's larger-than-normal exam as well.

As the three arrived, Sennin Nao had already been waiting for them. Well, one of his clones had been at least. Nao's Clone explained that the test had already begun and the real Nao already hidden amongst the coming-and-going crowd of people within the district. Accepting the note as he was given it, Akio opened it and read the secret note quickly before it burst into flame and disintegrated before it hit the ground. Looking towards Nao's clone, the boy replied, "Clues huh?! We're on it! Tell Nao we're coming for him!" Akio said with a bright and resolute smile, his determination invigorated by the challenge that lay before them. With the abundant reservoir of natural energy flowing through him, the teenage Senju's determination was almost visibly glowing off of him in a slight golden aura.

Akio's newest acquaintance and team member, Jinzo, had quickly pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil as he started to make astute observations and ask Akio questions. It was true that he probably knew Sennin Nao better than any here, but the truth was that he'd barely scratched the surface of what the Medical Leader of Leaf was capable of. "I think, in a lot of ways, Nao-sennin is like me... Or at least like I want to be. He has a close relationship with his contracts, uses clone jutsus and ninjutsu, and is the best healer in Leaf. And that's all not to mention how fast and strong he is physically. Nao's a top notch shinobi and we gotta be ready for all that and more!" Akio said, his enthusiasm overflowing. Even from the clone that had been standing before them, Akio could feel the similarities between the holy-aligned natural energy that flowed through him within the residues of Nao's own chakra. They were more alike than even the young Senju realized. "But even more than all that, Nao-sennin is the most kindhearted and caring shinobi I've ever met. He cares about us, a lot, even if his demeanor is cool and calm and collected. And he cares about the people here. So we can expect him to try to outsmart us and keep the bell away in ways that not only keep us safe, but also that keep the people here safe too." He nodded, feeling confident in his response.. However, unlike the golden energy that flowed from him and Nao, there was a different one in the air. Something dark and unnerving, and it was coming from Kiriyomi. Once again his body reacted, like the spot on his back had on the way over, his natural energy welling and almost steeling itself on the edge that faced his Aburame friend. But that wasn't the only thing... There was another source of that energy. Akio couldn't pinpoint where it was, but it was there, flavored differently but still present. "Ibis..." Akio said aloud, remembering the odd feeling that he had gotten in the two encounters he'd had with Nao's Yokai companion. Back then it was just a slight sense of unnerving energy, but now that he was an Archsage and carried so much holy-aligned natural energy within him, the difference felt much more clear.

Akio turned from examining the street and looked back and forth between his two companions, making sure to let them see the determined look in his bright green eyes. "Alright guys. We're gonna follow the plan, but I need us to keep these three things in mind! First and foremost, look at all the people around us. They are priority number one. If we pass this mission, but injure somebody innocent in the process, what right do we have to call ourselves shinobi?! Second, we gotta stick together. Even against Nao-sennin's clones we won't stand a chance without teamwork. And thirdly, it's not just Nao and his clones we gotta find... I think his friend Ibis is here. He wears a yellow hoodie and his eyes glow yellow too, he's a youkai. So we gotta keep an eye out for him! He likes playin' tricks and laughs a lot, so if you hear any weird cackling or sense any strange energy, ya gotta let me and your teammate know! Oh, and one more thing... We gotta keep an eye out for boxes that look out of place. Nao's clone said he left clues and we need to find 'em!" Akio said, feeling confident about the plan that the three had concocted. Pausing for a moment, he looked at both of them and donned a genuine confident smile. "You guys ready? I believe in both of you. We're gonna do this! Together~" With that, Akio formed hand seals that created a crystalline eye that flew up into the sky to get a bird's eye view of the district as well as calling three clones to his side, identical in all ways apart from the fact that they were made of dust.

[Akio used Crystal Eye]
[Akio used Dust Clone - Special Action - 3 Clones]

 

[Kiriyomi]

As Kiriyomi approaches Oak District, he looks around and realizes that the streets are just as crowded as they would be any other day. The fact that the exam is taking place here surprises him, as he would have thought that the district would be shut down. Finding anyone on a normal day would be difficult, let alone finding Sennin Nao for their exam amongst a crowd such as this. His eyes dart over everyone he passes, assessing them for any potential threat. There was no telling if there were other participants or clones in the crowd, disguised as regular citizens. They had to be prepared for anything to be thrown at them. Meanwhile, Kiri looks over at Jinzo and Akio. While the ant that bit Jinzo seems to have finished the job, Akio was giving off an energy that appeared to be opposite Kiri's own and it threw him for a loop. He hadn't intended to try and inject his corrupt energy into his friend, but he was still learning how to control this newfound power. Perhaps this energy that the Senju boy was projecting would prove beneficial to them during the exam?

As they all arrived at an intersection, Sennin Nao was standing there waiting for them. Or rather, as they were informed, it was a clone. It explained the rules to them, and they quickly put their heads together to begin discussing their strategy once again. Jinzo immediately mentioned traps, which Kiri had no experience with. He preferred to face his opponents head on, rather than try to circumvent them into a situation that was beneficial to him. Afterwards, he was questioned for being so quiet. "Well, I've been quiet because I've been thinking. Sennin Nao knows all of our strengths and weaknesses, I'm sure. However, there are certain jutsu that I'm certain even Nao hasn't heard of. My clan has one specialty that I could use to transfer my consciousness into that of my flying ant, Kohara, and try to direct him to cut the string of a bell and bring it back to us while the others distract Nao or whoever happens to have the bell at the time."

After Kiri speaks, Akio turns to them and gives them a quick rundown of the situation as he sees it. He was right, of course. The citizens around them could not be dragged into the situation, no matter what. Their priority, aside from grabbing the bells, was ensuring that the villagers were safe and remained unharmed. As for this youkai, Kiri felt that he should be able to track that energy easily enough. If it shared any of the same origins as the forbidden techniques he had been training in recently, then he should be able to locate a similar energy. Finding Nao shouldn't be that hard either; he had experienced Nao's chakra before, during their waterwalking class. With Kiri's honed senses towards locating chakra, he should be able to locate Nao or his clones rather easily, even among the crowd.

 

[Sazuki Nao]

— — S O M E W H E R E — —
“I wonder if they have started yet…” He mumbled as he stuffed his mouth full of some more dango’s as he looked through the street. It was then that he got a big and bright idea… It would cost him a bit, the kids would be turnings nuts. But it would be worth it for him in the long run. “Sorry to ask… but may I see those..?” He asked a street seller and looked at all kinds of different types of bells and the like. “This should be amazing…” He would buy them all and give them for free with a request of the medical sennin. He had made it as formal as possible and a whole lot of people decided to help out. Soon the shops and everywhere you could hear little bells. “This should hide me a little too…” He would snicker as he then decided to start part two of his plan. But first another dango stick. “She was right about these, these are good…” It was then that he knew that the games had started, the clone in the start had dispersed.

— — B y T h e K i d s — —

The clone gave them a small speech regards of the games, yet as vague as possible. "Clues huh?! We're on it! Tell Nao we're coming for him!" The clone started to smile warmly and kindly towards him as he heard those words. “We are looking forward to it. Break the rules and it might be soon game over though. Please do keep them in mind. ’ Captain Akio’” The tune was teasing but meant no harm. The scroll contained the rules by which they were allowed to play by. As the clone vanished in a puff of a smoke cloud, a small note with an arrow would drop towards the ground, with a symbol of Nao’s clan as a watermark. Hinting that this would be a symbol to look out for.

The paper had been pointing towards a box, presumingly their first test. On the paper would be written:

Here we have eight small weights that all look the same. Using this scale two times, you can find out which weights equal the sandwiches in the bag and the weights.

The scale was stuck in position until you would press the orange button in the middle, then it would show if it was equal, different, or the same. All they had to do was keep the scale balanced. This could be done in multiple ways. It seemed like they had two tries to get this right… All the small weights were different, some would feel identical but they were not.

— m e a n w h i l e —
A small cackle was leaving the yokai as he went through another alley he would be a continuously moving target for them to find. He did leave little trails behind… A little yellow scratch here.. Another bell twinkle here. A claw print there.

[ooc] This first one will be easy for you guys, to get things started. I hope you will enjoy it! You won’t be able to find Ibis until you reach the second box =) I may be mia for a day or two starting tomorrow. but please don't be afraid to shoot a dm! I will try to reply as soon as I can.

 

[Senju Akio]

Akio took no offense as Nao's clone replied to him with a teasing tone. "We'll follow the rules! Promise Sennin Nao! And if ya keep sayin' that, I'm gonna start likin' the sound of it!" He said with a laugh, that same bright and determined look in his eyes still present in his expression. Then, in the blink of an eye and with a poof of smoke, the clone vanished and left behind a note. Akio picked up the note to give it a look over pointed over towards the box that bore the Clan Sakurako seal. "Looks like that is what we're after!" Akio said, the proceeded to read the note aloud. "Here we have eight small weights that all look the same. Using this scale two times, you can find out which weights equal the sandwiches in the bag and the weights." He looked across his two teammates to see if they were already coming up with ideas when one popped into his mind, his smile widening as he gave an expression that might as well have had a lightbulb floating above his head. "Well, we can only use this scale twice. That's not enough to figure out the weights of all eight of these things! But... What if we make our own scale to test the weights!?"

The sunny Senju reached out towards a nearby tree and from it grew a branch, perfectly straight and perfectly round, even thinning towards the tree so that it would be easy to break off. Then he reached up towards another descending branch and from the small twigs at the end, two identical discs of wood began to form. He disconnected them from their arboreal home and held them in one hand and the rod in the other, smiling towards his newest companion. "Hey Jinzo! You're handy right? Think you could make a scale out of these and some ninja wire?" Little did Akio know, this would be a rudimentary task for the incredible inventor. The sunny Senju then proceeded to give Jinzo the sandwiches from his blue pack. "Here, let's use these." He said with a smile that belied the fact that he'd spent all morning meditating and had forgotten something major: breakfast. Finally, looking over towards Kiriyomi, Akio added. "I can still feel Ibis somewhere... I can't pinpoint what direction, but I know he's gotta be around somewhere! I know you're an amazing tracker, maybe you can figure out what direction we should head next?" Kiriyomi was a Sensor ninja, like his grandfather, and Akio was sure that he was up to the task of finding the similarly-aligned summon, but Akio couldn't fully hide the way his eyes narrowed. While he did sense a faint bit of that aura in the air that may have come from the youkai, the dark glow that seemed to radiate off of Kiriyomi was much more prevalent, and gave the Senju a pang of concern that he fought to keep away.

 

[Jinzo]

"What if we make our own scale to test the weights!?" Nodding, Jinzo had to agree, that was the smartest option. Already mentally doing the math on just what he was able to surmise about the contraption, Jinzo smirked when Akio mentioned that he was up. "Hey Jinzo! You're handy right? Think you could make a scale out of these and some ninja wire?" Nodding his head, the boy spoke up. "Definitely. Just give me a few more moments to run the numbers. Measure twice, cut once, you know?" Finally getting to work, Jinzo was relatively surprised when Akio handed him sandwiches from his own backpack instead of asking one of them to provide a sandwich as well. "Here, let's use these." While it was clear that Akio was of the bloodline that could manipulate nature, Jinzo hadn't taken him for equally being nourished via photosynthesis. Then again, the boy could just as easily get his sandwiches back when it was all said and done.

Nodding in appreciation, Jinzo was finally able to cut, chisel and piece together a rudimentary scale that was as close an equal as he could provide. Quadruple checking between his notes and what he had managed to create, he finally felt ready to try the weights. While his two teammates spoke about tracking, Jinzo started attempting to find the correct balance between the weights and the sandwiches. Speaking up while he worked, he admitted that while their plan was sound, it could just as easily be a ruse. "I managed to get this thing going, but I can't be sure that it's an exact one to one. I don't want to mess with the real thing least it consider that an act of attempting to weigh something." While he spoke, he continued working, until he came upon the answer according to their improvised scale. "These four here..." Jinzo's voice trailed off as the scale showed that three of the smaller weights and one of the bigger ones equaled the sandwiches.

OOC: Used the roll bot to determine that the answer to the scale problem was 4

Spoiler

Umashi-Ret. Kage | Sora-Genin — Today at 12:48 PM
Checking to see how many weights out of 8 equal the sandwiches
t!dice 1d8
Tatsu
BOT
— Today at 12:48 PM
Rolling dice!
[d8 : 4]
In the end, the result was: 4

 

[Kiriyomi]

Kiriyomi stands aside as his teammates start creating a contraption, watching in awe as Akio forms a tree into the shapes and sizes that he needs. He wouldn't have been able to think of that himself, so he was grateful for the Senju boy being on his squad for this exam. He knew nothing of Jinzo's capabilities, and watched as the other boy pulled out a set of tools and formed the wood Akio provided. Kiri ducked his head and shuffled back a little bit, feeling rather useless because he wasn't able to provide any aid to the puzzle. Staring around them, Kiri tries to keep his ears open for any signs of the bell. So far, there was nothing but hopefully they would be able to locate it sooner rather than later.

"I can still feel Ibis somewhere... I can't pinpoint what direction, but I know he's gotta be around somewhere! I know you're an amazing tracker, maybe you can figure out what direction we should head next?" Kiri perks up at the possibility of using his skills, especially since he had practiced this at home with his mother specifically for this reason. Standing up and walking back and forth around the box, Kiri observes the various alleys and intersections around them. Closing his eyes and focusing on the chakra around him, he slowly pushes his senses out to find the chakra of the surrounding villagers and his teammates. Akio blazed brightly, his chakra giving off a feeling as though it were full of life. Jinzo's was tinged with a darker edge to it, probably a result of the Cursed Seal that he had applied to the boy. It was easy enough to push them from his mind, as he slowly worked through all of the villagers nearby. Finally, he settled on a chakra signature similar to the darkness he sensed from Jinzo and himself.

"There's an odd chakra that I don't recognize down this alleyway, perhaps that could be Ibis? Do you know what, exactly, he is? It might make it easier to track him if I know what I'm looking for." Kiri walks back over to see that Jinzo has balanced the sandwiches on their makeshift scale, and glances between him and Akio. He wouldn't let these two get too far ahead of him; he had to prove his worth during these exams as well to be able to graduate and protect the village.

 

[Sazuki Nao]

The place soon filled itself more and more with the sound of different bell tunes. Smaller ones, big ones, dull sounds, and high-pitched sounds. This gave the sennin more and more freedom to move around the streets. That would be till the nighttime would fall and the sounds would die. ‘I honestly should be already thinking about stuff that is further ahead… You never know how quickly they will be able to fix the boxes and riddles that we leave around… Not to mention, Ibis would only get stronger and more mischievous the longer this would go on. As he is a yokai and their primetime was nighttime after all. I have some clones around the place which can give me intel about how far or quickly they are progressing… I have Ibis who is creating stuff around. If I ain’t mistaken, one of them was good at tracking…’[/i] Nao took a bit out of an apple and walked over the streets in his transformed state. ’ Not sure they will even recognize me…’ He mentioned and would go in between the crowds.

If they placed it on the original scale and press the button, a small melody would start to play and would be able to hear before a clicking mechanism sounded and locked the answers. Now the food was out of reach for the Senju and everyone else. After a couple of whirring sounds and clicks a ping would sound and a small drawer opened up at the bottom. There were 3 sets of chopsticks coming out of them with each having its own unique engraving into it.
An Apple,
A Watermelon,
A mint leaf.
Not only was this their fruit package insides… it also was an indication of something else. The paper packages around the chopsticks were displaying where their origin was. The market.

As soon as a ticking sound comes from the scale… The food got wasted with glitter coming out of the box and if the children looked closer to the bottom of the drawer… The next hint was engraved at the bottom of the drawer and had become more visible due to the glitter.

A pig, cow, and chicken often meet together to steam in the hot bathes together. To get better smells, they often use lengthy green herbs, fruits, and more from around the place to top it off. No, we aren’t food products as of yet… So where ó where can you find the mist?

Spoiler: image child Nao

Spoiler: Extra hint

There is an old abonnement building near the marketplace, where there is a rumor that it used to be an old bathhouse before it became cursed.

 

[Senju Akio]

"Nice work Jinzo! That was impressive craftsmanship!" Akio said with encouragement as they locked in their answer on the puzzle that laid before them. As the scale was set and the melody played, it wasn't the only sound that caught the young Senju's attention. In fact, chimes of all sorts began to ring out all across the Red Oak District. "Sennin Nao must be tryin' to throw us off his trail!" Akio said aloud as he looked around. Fortunately, it wasn't by sight or even sound that the trio would be seeking him out with. After all, they had a true Sensor ninja with them. As the melody ended and the box quickly shut and locked, the sunny adolescent's stomach rumbled slightly. 'It'll be alright. We're gonna get this done before ya know it!' He thought, placating himself, but made sure that he didn't show it outwardly. The last thing that he wanted to do was worry his friends and teammates.

Soon after the first test had been completed, a small drawer appeared that bore three sets of chopsticks each with their own design: one apple, one mint, and another watermelon. Akio quickly grabbed the three sets and doled them out amongst his teammates, keeping the apple one for himself. Ibis had grown accustomed to calling the aspiring med-nin-to-be "Little Apple" after all, so it felt fitting. Turning towards the group, he read the hint that was engraved within the drawer aloud. "Looks like we have our next clue. 'A pig, cow, and chicken often meet together to steam in the hot bathes together. To get better smells, they often use lengthy green herbs, fruits, and more from around the place to top it off. No, we aren’t food products as of yet… So where ó where can you find the mist?' What do you guys think that could be? Doesn't make much sense to me without more context..." The boy asked, tilting his head with a slightly blank expression on his face as he tried to ponder it out. Then, looking around the area, he noticed the old warehouse that formerly was the home of a bath house much like that the three animals in the riddle had been to. "Think that's where we should go next?" The boy asked his two teammates.

Meanwhile, Akio's clones hopped up onto rooftops, scouting the area. Turning towards Kiriyomi, Akio answered the question he'd had. "Well, Ibis is a youkai. So he's got a weird energy that comes off him. I think that should help locate him." Just as the Senju spoke, one of his clones noticed traces on a nearby alley wall: small claw marks that didn't seem like they could come from an animal. "Also... I think he headed in that general direction." The young nature-lover said, pointing towards the direction where his clone had spotted Ibis' tracks. "I just know you'll be able to pinpoint him Kiri! But... maybe we hold off following him for now. Even if we took Ibis' bell, he'd be chasing after us to get it back while we handled these puzzles and clues. Let's head into the old bath house and see if we can't piece this thing together first." Akio concluded, nodding and looking towards his teammates for agreement.

 

[Jinzo]

"Nice work Jinzo! That was impressive craftsmanship!" Not that he was bashful, but like everyone else, Jinzo appreciated being recognized for his talents. No sooner than Jinzo opened his mouth to thank Akio, the sound of bells could be heard all around them. "It seems like Nao-sama also had something to say about us getting past the first step." Speaking in a regular voice, Jinzo wasn't sure if his sly comment would be heard but while he was definitely was attempting to make a point, his ever methodical mind snapped back to the realization that this wasn't just a walk in the park or a day out on the town, this was an exam. Like a pendulum that was being pulled back into rhythm, Jinzo started to pay very close attention to the sound of the bells that he was hearing. Though he wasn't an audiophile by trade, he certainly could appreciate the difference between the sound of one bell versus another and he definitely could tell when there were many bells being rung in a carefully controlled manner. Quick to take down his notes, he tried to summarize just what sound he was hearing from the bells. One could never know when that sort of information could come in handy. "Sennin Nao must be tryin' to throw us off his trail!" Nodding in agreement, Jinzo tried to see the proverbial tree instead of the forest. Just what sort of clues were being left by the Sennin?

Jinzo didn't have to wait long for an answer. "Looks like we have our next clue. 'A pig, cow, and chicken often meet together to steam in the hot bathes together. To get better smells, they often use lengthy green herbs, fruits, and more from around the place to top it off. No, we aren’t food products as of yet… So where ó where can you find the mist?' What do you guys think that could be? Doesn't make much sense to me without more context..." Shrugging, Jinzo was lost. "To get better smells, they often use lengthy green herbs"? How strange. The riddle was as perplexing as it was good at making Jinzo hungry. Fortunately, Akio once again proved himself the capable leader as he indicated where they might want to go next. Throwing his hands up in apparent confusion, he agreed to go along with the group but he also wanted to take some precautions. "This could definitely be a trap though. We should get a battle plan together just in case." Seeing that Kiriyomi had come back with Akio's clone, Jinzo really felt as though their gameplan was coming together. Each one of them had a particular skill that made them a great team and if they continued to work together, utilizing each other's strengths, then they'd be alright in the end. Feeling that same tight feeling on his back once again, Jinzo pocketed his notes and gave the area another good scratch. Had he rubbed up against poison ivy somewhere? Looking over to Kiriyomi, Jinzo inquired about his updates. "Notice anything odd out there?"

 

[Kiriyomi]

"Sennin Nao must be tryin' to throw us off his trail!" Kiri hears this as he walks back to the other two boys, and tilts his head to the side and closes his eyes. Listening closely, he can hear the distinct jingling of bells. Opening his eyes back up and glancing around, he sees a large portion of the villagers around them walking around with bells on their person somewhere. Sennin Nao was definitely going to make this a challenge for them, wasn't he? No matter. The boys would put all their combined skills and talents together, solve these puzzles, and come out on top. Kiri was certain of it. Glancing down at his gloved hand, he wonders if this was going to be the time that his cursed seal finally revealed itself. He could certainly use a boost in power if they had to face off against this Ibis, because it was likely that the youkai would come after them if they took his bell. He would need all the strength he could muster to defend his allies.

Reaching out, Kiri accepts the chopsticks with the mint symbol from Akio, looking it over. The next clue confused him, but he agreed that they needed to go to the building Akio pointed out for further context. "Notice anything odd out there?" Turning towards Jinzo, Kiri feels a small twinge of guilt pang in his stomach. The poor boy had a new cursed seal entering his body, and had no idea that it happened. Hopefully it wouldn't harm the other boy the same way it had almost taken Kiri's life. He felt that Jinzo was definitely stronger than himself, so he was certain that the other boy would be fine when it came to dealing with the side effects.

"The only thing over there was some odd chakra, that must belong to this youkai. It feels... darker. Very different from the villagers around here, and easily traceable. I agree with Akio though, Ibis would more than likely chase us down if we took his bell so early on during the exam. As for checking for a trap over in that building, I have just the thing for that! Just keep an eye on my body, okay?" Without further explanation, Kiri made a few quick handseals as his flying ant Kohara came soaring down out of his hair and landed on the ground before him. Slumping to the ground as his consciousness left his body, Kiri would mentally order Kohara to fly off to the bathhouse and find a small crack to get inside and inspect it quickly for any traps that might be waiting for the boys.

 

[Sazuki Nao]

No sunlight danced in through the dirty windows. Cobwebs hung loose, their occupants dead or gone. The dust lay on the floor, a dreary carpet on a sagging floor. A stray fly buzzed around a chandelier that stared miserably down from where it was bolted to the ceiling. An open door creaked as a breath of wind caused it to move on its rusty hinges. A crumbling piece of cloth fluttered through the air, like a bird trapped in a cage.

But the bathhouse had not always been void of life. A long time ago, the bathhouse had lived and breathed. Chubby, happy children had run through the halls, to the baths to use as a play town. Red, white, and yellow roses grew on the walls outside the building. Grass covered the lawn without an imperfection. Young females were wooed in the bathhouse and the garden. Friendly birds sang in the trees and kept the squirrel's company. Sunlight flowed in like a river through the crystal-clear windows. The wind entered with the sunlight and played tag with the muslin curtains. It danced with the flowers in the garden and sang the trees to sleep. But all of this was a long time ago.

The bathhouse’s days were past. It was an old, long-forgotten, abandoned bathhouse. It was broken down in disrepair and weeds filled the garden where once the grass has been as soft as a blanket. The mold and dust had gathered in the crumbled-down baths. Birds no longer sang in the trees, and even the insects had largely left the bathhouse. Part of the roof had caved in after years of storms. The bathhouse lived no longer and it never would again.

Once the children entered this bathhouse, mice would scatter everywhere and anywhere they could. The dense smell would be dulling the senses easily of the children and each hall had its own symbol. Each hallway had its own little trap, the flower held together by tripwires everywhere and nowhere. The heart route wasn't that trapped altogether, but you had to step carefully to avoid the building falling down together. The stairs up were already a no-go from the entrance as it had collapsed with the roof.

It was in the small umbrella hallway that they would find a new box, a new letter.

"I am hidden in plain sight... All you need to do is follow the given symbols. Get the keys and you will be unlocking me. Earning a price."

If they would shake the metal box, they would hear a bell inside. The box however was rigged so that if they would force the box open, the bell inside would be destroyed.
Everywhere in the house... there were many, many fruit symbols scattered around, but only 3 spots held the keys.

The apple you can find in a rat's corpse... The mutated large rat isn't that dead for long but has a freeze burn of an apple.
The watermelon you will find under the caved-in roof on the stairs... How will you grab that without collapsing the building further?
The mint leaf is right outside in a freshly buried place... There is a marking of a mint on the R.I.P. stone... Will you be haunted after?

Feel free to think and write together how you will get the keys... You are free to RP that and how you gather them. Meanwhile, a yokai is getting closer and more funky...

 

[Senju Akio]

As the trio walked into the bath house, Akio was somewhat taken aback by the dilapidated state of things. It was rare within Konoha to see buildings in such a state of disrepair, but looking around the once-beloved bath house, the young Senju was at least relieved that it seemed Nao-sennin hadn't left foes for them to fight within its crumbling walls. Taking the time to observe his surroundings, the young nature-lover noted that the ceiling was so worn down that it risked caving in above them. However, an idea quickly came to mind that the happy-go-lucky adolescent hoped would make the place safer for exploration.

So, the young boy stepped forward and said. "Just a second guys..." He'd kneel down and retrieve a small seed from one of his pouches, dropping the tiny thing down a crack that split the center of the floor. Closing his eyes, Akio placed a hand over the crack and green natural energy began to emanate from his palm, illuminating the darkness that the fissure held within. Tile and ground began to shift and split as roots and a trunk began to creep from the crack in the old floor, growing and blooming until it was a large and beautiful tree with pink flowers that befit the style that the bath house once maintained in its better days. More importantly, the tree's branches reached out toward every wall and pushed along the ceiling, providing a natural support structure that would hopefully allow them free passage through the place without risk of the roof falling down upon their heads.

"Now that it's safe, let's take a look around!" Akio said cheerfully, giving a nod towards his two teammates. As he searched something on the ground caught his eye: a rat that laid dead upon the floor. Akio's eyebrows furrowed in sympathy for the poor little guy. The nature-loving Senju cared for all animals, even those that the village's dwellers would've considered vermin, and seeing the corpse of the rodent struck his empathy for nature. However, there was something else that was odd about this little gnawer. It had a cold-branded seal of an apple upon it. "Hey guys! Take a look at this. See? It's got an apple mark on it. Maybe there's more symbols for the other sets of chopsticks? I'm gonna see if there's something I can find here."

The young Senju sedately pulled out his medical kit, removing from it the required tools for a surgical autopsy: scissors, forceps, clamps and a separator, and of course a scalpel. Akio delicately turned the rodent over onto his back and cleaned the area where he planned to make the first incision. Calmly and carefully, the young med-nin-to-be began to get to work upon the creature's corpse, cutting a y-shaped slice across the rat's upper ribcage, forcing them open, then slowly and precisely examining each organ. It shouldn't have come as a surprise considering the markings, but Akio's right eyebrow quirked up as he noticed that there was something out of place within the tiny mammal's body: a hard object within its stomach that would have been very difficult for the creature to have swallowed naturally.

Making one more careful incision, Akio opened up the creature's stomach and within it saw his quarry: a key. While it would've been easy to remove with his surgical tools, Akio remembered the chopsticks that he'd found and wondered if they might be integral to this part of the process. So, to be safe, he set his medical tools aside and used the apple-insignia chopsticks to carefully remove the key from within the creature's stomach. Then, with a wave of his hand, which glowed green with the tell-tale signs of medical jutsus, the boy reconnected the rat's open wounds stitching the creature back together. "I found a key!" He shouted out, sanitizing the object using some of his other tools before holding the cleaned key aloft. "I'm sure there's more!"

Most shinobi likely would've just left the corpse of the creature upon the degraded floor of the bath house, but instead the young Senju solemnly picked it up with both hands and began carrying it just outside. Seeing an out-of-place tombstone caused the adolescent sage to quirk his eyebrow once more, but as far as he was concerned, that could wait. Instead, the boy knelt and waved an open palm over the ground, softening the earth and pushing it aside to form a small burial place near a growing tree that stood nearby. "Rest in peace, little guy." Akio said with a nod and a somber smile as he laid the little rat to rest within the warmth of the earth.

[MFT .:. 777 Words]

 

[Jinzo]

"Rest in peace, little guy." For a reason that Jinzo couldn't quite put his finger on, the entire act of Akio taking time out of a mission to give a small ceremonial observance to a dead rat struck Jinzo as incredible odd and off putting. Having followed and accepted many things while on the journey with his two young fellow examinees, it wasn't that Jinzo was offended by the act but more so that Jinzo could hardly understand why the act was unnecessary. Perhaps it was due to his upbringing as a the primary bread winner for his siblings, or perhaps it was the fact that he could hardly remember a time when someone had taken such care with him. Whatever it was, he wasn't sure if he liked the act or didn't, but try as he might, he couldn't keep his ever watchful eyes from taking keen interest in the act. Forced to find a bell in a village full of bells, no big deal, watch a classmate grow a tree from seemingly nothing to keep a building from collapsing, a typical Tuesday, but watch a kid bury a rat... that might have been a bridge too far in the wrong direction. However, whatever direction that was, Jinzo was willing to follow the seemingly destined-to-be-great, legend, to the end of the rainbow. Or this exam. Whichever came first.

Choosing to focus less on the rat and more on the subject at hand, namely, finding keys, Jinzo spoke up. "Hopefully we won't have to open up too many dead things to find the next keys." Giving a bit of a snort and shaking his head, Jinzo started to look around and find the next clue that they were looking for. Was it another fruit of some sort, perhaps a rat? Between the itching of his brain looking to find something and the itching that had started on his back and was now slowly snaking its way around, Jinzo wasn't sure what was what. Perhaps it was just the eerie feeling of being in an abandoned place or maybe some mite had jumped on them from the dead rat had jumped on them. All things considered, it was just as likely allergies, which ironically enough, lead back to Akio if his ability to grow trees was any indication. Slow to make his way as he tried not to trip over any obvious traps, Jinzo was mostly lost in thought as he gravitated towards the tree that Akio had grown. Taking a moment to sigh to himself, a part of him wished that he was capable of doing something like growing trees like Akio. If he could, then he might be able to feed his siblings without having to resort to even being a shinobi. It was during that moment of self doubt and self pitying that Jinzos eyes seemed to recognize what they were staring at as he found himself staring directly at a faint but noticeable mark similar to a watermelon on the stairs. Careful not to do anything without letting the others know, Jinzo yelled out to his partners for help. "Hey, Akio, Kiriyomi, I think that I found something!" If there was anything that he could certainly believe now, it was to expect the unexpected.

OOC: Did a search for the Watermelon below are the rolls. Jinzo found it but hasn't proceeded.

Spoiler

Umashi-Ret. Kage | Sora-Genin — Today at 4:28 PM
Best out of three, Jinzo looking to find the Watermelon. Best out of 3 sets of d3's.
1 = Jinzo found
2 = Jinzo is close
3 = Jinzo did not find

If there's a tie, re-roll.
Going to go for 9 straight, every three is a set.
t!dice 9d3
Tatsu
BOT
— Today at 4:28 PM
Rolling dice!
[9d3 : 1,3,1,3,3,3,3,1,1]
In the end, the result was: 19
Umashi-Ret. Kage | Sora-Genin — Today at 4:29 PM
1 | 3 | 1 = 1
3 | 3 | 3 = 3
3 | 1 | 1 = 1
Jinzo found the Watermelon

 

[Kiriyomi]

Kiriyomi releases his jutsu with Kohara after confirming that there is no ambush awaiting them at the bathhouse and follows the other two boys inside, where they find a metal box upon entry. Shaking it, there's the sound of a bell inside. Alongside it was a letter, saying that the keys were hidden in plain sight and that all they had to do was follow the symbols. While Akio was busy supporting the roof, Kiri decided to scope around the building to see if he could find the symbol matching the set of chopsticks that he was given. There was a hallway marked with a flower, a heart, and the umbrella path down which they found the box. While he was searching, he heard Akio call out that he'd found something. Walking closer to where the Senju boy was crouched, he spotted a rat with what appeared to be a brand on its side. The apple! While Akio was busy dissecting the rat, Kiriyomi decided to keep searching for his symbol.

After his friend finished stitching the rat back up, he went outside to bury the rat and Kiri decided to follow along behind him. As they passed a headstone, Kiri's gaze would land on it. It seemed to be out of place, and he knelt down to wipe some grime off of the stone. There, hidden underneath the dust, was the mint symbol! Glancing over his shoulder to be sure that neither of the other boys were paying him any attention, Kiri would place his hands on the ground and send pulses of his cursed energy down into it. He felt it wrap around something underneath the ground, soaking into the skeleton that was buried. Kiri silently directed it to locate the key and push it up through the earth, which he would soften using the Gravel Shift jutsu. Maintaining his hold of the newfound ally, Kiri glances around again, hearing Jinzo shout out that he'd found something. When he turns back to the grave, there was a skeletal hand holding the key pushing up through the ground. Reaching down with the chopsticks, as he saw Akio do previously with the apple symbol, the Aburame boy clutches the key and instructs the skeleton to return to its resting place. "I've got the mint key! It was buried outside. What have you found over here, Jinzo?"

 

[Jinzo]

Making way for Kiriyomi and Akio, Jinzo motioned towards the watermelon. "That's gotta mean something, right? Then again, what does mint have to do with fruit?" Jinzo wondered out loud but quickly determined that that probably wasn't the point of the exam. Something so cerebral would probably be beyond even the most knowledgeable Genin and Academy Students. Wanting to get a closer look at the key that Kiriyomi had found, as he hung back, he began to review the notes and clues that they had. "Between this and the bells, if there's something that I've learned about Sennin Nao, it's that he must really like duplicative tactics. Are the two keys that we have in any way similar to each other?" It was a long shot but little by little, Jinzo was building out a pretty interesting mental database about what to expect as the exam continued on. Too many repeated points and Jinzo might very well know how to combat Nao-sama even in an actual fight. As Jinzo compiled what information, clues and items they did have, he'd wait for Kiriyomi and Akio's input on the watermelon mark. If that led to another clue then they could hopefully get out of the creepy establishment and onto something else.

 

[Kiriyomi]

Making his way inside the building, Kiri rushes over to Jinzo and Akio's side. "That's gotta mean something, right? Then again, what does mint have to do with fruit?" Kiri shrugs and looks at the chopsticks in his hand, then over to the key in the other. That was a really good question... what does the mint have to do with fruit? Perhaps it was added to the baths for a scent of freshness, while the fruit was used for something else? Shaking his head, Kiri focuses back on the task at hand. As Jinzo steps closer to examine the key, he hands it to the other boy and instead turns his attention towards where the watermelon is. Thankfully, Akio had thought quickly by creating a tree to support the collapsing roof. However, the building was still old and possibly trapped, so he didn't want to get too close to the key without first inspecting the area around it. Attempting to use his Sensor abilities, Kiri reaches out to try and identify if there is any chakra signature down the path towards the next key. Following that, he would send a few of his Kikai towards the stairs to search for any hidden traps or wires that could be sprung if the boys got too close.

"Just a moment, I'm searching for anything funny down there. Who knows if Sennin Nao trapped the place with tools or chakra. I'm trying to check if he left a chakra signature behind while my Kikai are searching for traps. It shouldn't be more than a few minutes before we know if the path is clear. Great job on supporting the roof, Akio! This would have been really difficult without your help. Jinzo, did you notice any similarities between the keys?"

[MFT: 297]

 

[Sazuki Nao]

Even if you tried to light something, nothing seemed to work. All that there was, was darkness. you could try to open the eyes again and fail before realizing they were open. Most night skies were the darkest of greys, but this one was pure black. It was like someone shut off the stars and moon.
Another flicker with the eyes… and the whole scenery had changed from where they were standing at first. The old bathhouse was gone…

Weather-worn stone pillars surrounded by dead clumps of grass, half-crumbled buildings, cracked blocks and stones broken up by meandering tree roots, pitted steps and staircases, and caved-in roofs weighed down by vines. Dead leaves scattered on the ground, dappled moonlight filtering in through trees, and small creatures making the ruins their home… The odd thing would be, that there was not a single sound. Not a single smell to be smelled. Nothing that was odd or off.

Another flicker with the eyes and it was back to the old scenery that they had in front of them. A cackle could slowly be heard and a ring of a bell. A unique sounding bell if one were to ask. “Looking for this..? “ He would cackle and have his eyes fixated one person… ”A me notatus es... Si habes, vincis. Sed... Etiam regulas servabis in acie? Secretum quoque effundere possum.“ And with that being said… He looked to the others, cackled again, and disappeared again. Little footprints were left as if he had been walking in mud all over the place.



[OOC]

A me notatus es... Si habes, vincis. Sed... Etiam regulas servabis in acie? Secretum quoque effundere possum.
=
You are marked by me... Should you get it, you win. But... Will you keep the rules in line too? I can spill a secret too... A very, very, special secret little people know

You didn’t oppen the current box yet.

Yes we did skip one person, they have a pardon pass.

I will post more frequent now, sorry for the slowness of my side too.

 

[Jinzo]

"What was that?" Not quite sure what he had witnessed, Jinzo clearly remembered a laugh and the ringing of the bell, but what he had thought that he witnessed was far from what he expected of the Sennin. Not quite sure about his surroundings, Jinzo at first didn't want to believe his own senses. In fact, not only was he not trusting what he was seeing, but the pain that he had been feeling before came back even stronger than before. The itch getting severe enough for Jinzo to reason that it wasn't just some simple oddity or static shock from his clothing. Almost as if it had been activated, the feeling washed over him in a wave, a very dark and sinister one and he fell to his knees heaving from a wound that he couldn't place where he had gotten it. Feeling a coolness at first, and then a heated wave of emotion, Jinzo's features grew dark as he felt angry, angrier than he had ever felt before, even more angry than he had even felt when his siblings had invaded his personal space. He wanted to smash something, anything, and here he was in this dumb exam, doing these dumb task, and going through these stupid motions of trying to be a shinobi. Why didn't Nao just come out and engage them?

Why was he hiding behind riddles that nobody even cared about? What was the point of it all if he was going to painfully trickle down lead after lead? If Konoha was this strapped for Genin then certainly they weren't going anybody any favors by simpleton tactics. On and on his wind spun in a daze, almost as if he had the worst bout of vertigo ever. Shifting, from an intense anger to that of acceptance, he felt strength returning to him in as quick a way that it had left him, only now, this strength was coming back to him twofold, in fact, he was feeling more powerful than he had ever felt in his life. Rising to his feet, Jinzo watched on in awe as chakra runes began to crawl across his arms and hands, and from the feeling that he gather, no doubt all over his body. "I...I don't know what's going on but whatever happened, something happened to me. I... I feel strange and yet, more powerful than I've ever felt before!" Whatever being, be it Nao or otherwise, that had crossed their path, had awakened something within Jinzo and deep down, he like it.

OOC: Cheezy, but I'm using this post to activate the CS that I got here.