This Is One Big Sandbox... [Contract Search]

[Gotō Daiji]

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"​

A scream echoed for what seemed like miles around as it bounced off the dunes and carried across the sands. It's source? A rose-haired scatterbrain. Why was he screaming? Because he was currently being chased across the desert by an enormous and very dangerous dust devil.

In desert environments, these weather phenomena was all too common. But the ones around Sunagakure seemed especially adept at stripping the flesh from anyone unfortunate enough to get caught in one. Natives to Wind Country were likely taught at an early age to spot them before they began and how best to avoid them. Keiatsu was not a native to Wind Country. In fact, on his accidental journey to the Village Hidden by Sand, he was battered by half a dozen of these things. See, the foreigner was just a tad bit uh..."dense". So instead of running or diving to either side and dodging the pursuing twister, he did exactly what he did the first six times. Just kept right on running in a straight line. If he ran fast enough, it had to stop following him eventually...right? He definitely wasn't lacking in the determination department...so one way or another he was going to find out!

Still the question had to be asked. How did he end up in such a ridiculous situation? Well as per usual when it came to Sachi Ay Keiatsu, it had to do with food. He was out wandering around looking for something to eat when he just...sorta...ended up outside of the village. Miles away from civilization. In the middle of the goddamned desert. And all this JUST after he'd been released from the hospital after almost dying out here. Anyone who knew the boy even slightly could tell you that this kind of thing was pretty normal for him. Unfortunately, the climate of Wind Country wasn't as forgiving as other places. Without help out here he was sure to either dehydrate, get shredded by a sand twister, or get eaten by a sand worm. Maybe even all three! So would the rose-haired dolt find aid out here in the harsh unforgiving sands? Or was he destined to wither away out here? Only time would tell.

 

[Moyamaru]

Will post here shortly

 

[Moyamaru]

The true danger of being in a foreign land was not the unknown interactions one could have with local natives but the lack of understanding of the natural environment. Keiatsu probally understood this fact as he seemingly and blindly ran through the expanse of desert with no direction, egged on by a survival instinct to not be trapped within a raging sand devil. Though unfortunately for him, such a weather anomoly would be the least of his problems. Having not paid attention to his surroundings, Keiatsu did not notice that in this section of the desert, the sand was darker and did not possess wind markings where sand usually was blown around. His footing would become lodged, stuck in an embrace which would haunt any ability to move, leaving nothing but effortless struggle. While in the backdrop the dust devil edged ever closer, Keiatsu's own weight destabilized the quicksand trap, his form suddenly becoming swallowed leaving but his own darkness and terror to entertain his descent.

He'd fall, finding the grasp of sand suddenly loosened and his body surrounded by an open abyss as he plunged. A cushion of sand marred by scattered stones welcomed him as he landed roughly, pain flowing through his body due to hardened surface for which had greeted him. He would feel a stream of sand still falling upon his body, as he laid there in absolute darkness..

When returned to his senses and aware, the first thing which would undoubtedly enter his mind would be where had he ended up. And in such darkness, without light he would find this question impossible to solve.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"Hehe...~" A laugh? Well he may have been in a life threatening situation, but at least his spirits weren't dampened! A glance over his shoulder showed the rose-haired foreigner exactly what he wanted to see. He was getting further and further away from the skin-peeling twister. This was good! If he kept this up he'd outrun it completely in no time. Now all he had to do was keep on trucking and- "...eh?" Something strange had happened. One second he was sprinting full tilt ahead, and the next he was completely stopped. A few confused blinks later and the boy's eyes drifted downwards to his feet. Or rather, what SHOULD have been his feet. They were gone! Swallowed up completely by viscous wet sand. He'd sunk almost to his knees already...and from the looks of it, kept right on sinking. "Oi! Let me go!" he shouted, squirming about wildly as he did so. And of course the more he flailed about, the deeper he sunk. All that distance he'd put between him and the dust devil was for nothing, because now it was closing in on him even faster than before.

He was like a deer in the headlights.

Luckily (or, unluckily depending on how you look at it...), the quicksand didn't want to wait for it's meal and gobbled his entire body whole just as the twister passed overhead. "WAUGH-!!!" was the last thing he managed to get out before he got a mouthful of sand and his head passed beneath the trap. But instead of a damp sandy grave waiting for him underneath the dunes there was...nothing? Darkness. And the sudden feeling of weightlessness. Maybe this was it? The end. Where everyone went when they died. Maybe- THUNK!!! ...okay nevermind. Something solid came rushing up from under his body and smacked him hard in the back, knocking the wind (and sand) out of him. The rose-haired dolt was dazed for a good minute but honestly his body was used to taking much worse abuse than this. It didn't take too long before he sat himself up, coughing and sputtering and rubbing his sore lower back. "Yuck. That sand's gross..." he thought aloud, as if sand would taste anything but that. Once he finally got his bearings (which took way longer than it should've), he realized he was in some sort of chamber that was completely devoid of light. This...was a predicament. He didn't exactly have night vision. And his lack of skill in Ninjutsu meant he couldn't exactly conjure up a lantern at will. His eyes were sure to adjust to the low light naturally, but how much would that really help in complete darkness? No. He had to do something else. Something any sensible shinobi with training would do. The boy's chest puffed up as he inhaled sharply and-

"HEY!!!"

...screamed. At the top of his lungs. AT NOTHING. Makes sense right? His big plan was to shout, letting whoever (or whatever) may have been lurking in the shadows know exactly where he was. With tactical brilliance such as his, it's a wonder he ever made it through the Academy. So now? He would wait. Legs crossed in a seated position atop the stones and sand, arms folded across his chest, and that lone stream of sand endlessly coming down on top of his head. He even had an expectant look on his face like he was sure this would work. Hopefully he got some kind of response. Because if not he was gonna have a hard time getting out of this pit. And an even harder time getting back to the village...

 

[Moyamaru]

[Sorry once again for the time delay, it is unbecoming of me. I will be posting here every Sun/Wed/Sat from here on out to work around my increased holiday schedule.]


His perception had been true as even though his eyes were capable of adjusting to darkness in some capacity, that was only when there was some form of light present for his eyes to feed from. In absolute darkness he was virtually blind, unable to see even his hands. It was evident that for now he could not rely on his sight within this place, at least not as it were currently. Whether by desperation or simple mindedness, the young shinobi vocalized himself in a way that most would not have. Deep in the belly of the unknown, where he had no idea of what potentially could lurk in the darkness Keiatsu yelled out.

His reward for this would be silence, not from himself but in terms of a foreign response. However something was also to gain from his impromptu outburst, if he paid attention to it. Behind him and somewhat to his right, the echoes of his shout continued to resound long after it had died down in the other directions which could only mean that both to the south and east of where he was located, the cavern continued on.

His main problem however was the fact that unless he was truly fearless at heart, he would have to formulate some way to actually navigate his new environment.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"HEY!!!"
"...HEY!!!"
"......HEY!!!"​

Mm?" Surprisingly, his "genius plan" of shouting really loudly into the darkness didn't do all that much in the long run. Did he expect it to? Well...yeah. Because he's Keiatsu. Need more be said? The slight soreness in his lower back had all but faded, and his hand instead came up to scratch the back of his head. This was an issue. Now what was he going to do? From the reverberations of his voice, it was quite obvious that wherever he was, it was very spacious. Or rather it would be obvious, if this kid had even an inkling of common sense. Instead? "Sounds like someone's over there! ...he was responding. To an echo. Of his own voice.

Kami have mercy...

However ridiculous his thoughts were, he couldn't just sit around on a pile of rocks and sand all day. Not only did he not have the attention span to still for any meaningful period of time, but all the growling his stomach was doing sounded like a bear fighting for its life. He had to get out of here fast...or at least find something to snack on down here! The boy hopped to his feet and spun around. Or was it sideways? Whichever way was south. Complete and total darkness wasn't exactly doing him any favors when it came to navigation. His sense of direction was already non-existent, so throw a little no sight in there and you have the perfect recipe for complete and utter disaster. Or maybe it'd turn out to be one of those weird things where it suddenly made his directional capabilities better? "Wonder if they got any food..." Something tells me probably not...

So without any notion of cautiousness, Keiatsu set off south in the direction of his own voice, patting his gurgling belly as he walked. Since he couldn't see at all, and he wasn't exactly perceptive to begin with, he was bound to have some difficulty with any obstacles in his direct path. His negligible Ninjutsu ability meant that it was probably gonna stay dark for quite a while too. He was going to have to rely on something else to get through this one. Something a little unusual. Something base. If he couldn't use his eyes to navigate his environment, then he'd have to use his ears. And more importantly? His Sense. That little (or big depending on what it was) pang in the back of his head that alerted him to danger, the presence of other people/animals, chakra, killing intent, etc (Sixth Sense). It was usually a bit unreliable, only activating when his life was in immediate danger. But at other times he found he was able to "concentrate" and will it into working. With his sight all but useless, could this be the exact situation that would allow that to happen? Only time would tell...

 

[Moyamaru]

There was an inherent danger for those thrown completely out of their confort zone, and an even more threshold of danger for those well outside their normal habitation. For a human or any creature used to relying on their sight to be trapped in absolute darkness generally spelled a large problem due to one of their key senses being completely obsolete. Keiatsu would find himself in such a predicament as he ventured further into the unknown guided by a rather comical approach to his situation from an outside looking in standpoint. While he may have internally long for food, as he moved deeper into the darkness a pungent smell would begin to grow and before long it would become down right putrid. The smell was a smell of rotting that could only come from a creature's body succumbing to the natural law of time, death. While his nostrils filled with the scents of decomposed tissue something in his body triggered him to move back, a gut feeling or innate instinct which served to protect his body perhaps. As he moved without thinking, he would feel something jagged and hard scrape across his lower left leg, ripping a portion of his pants and barely avoiding the flesh beneath. In the darkness the would be impossible for him to know what it was that lashed out at him and although his innate senses had saved him before it was not garenteed to do so again. Equally now because of where he was located he faced another problem in that two of his bodies senses were inoperable in his current situation. His sight which was due to the darkness and his sense of smell which was all but infiltrated by the strong smell of rot.

He could turn back and run but in darkness such as this, which direction was safe and what if he was running directly into what had attacked him? He could choose to defend himself but how would he do that being unable to see what it was that now threatened his well being? Keiatsu would find himself in quite the bind and he would have to figure out exactly how to deal with his increasingly difficult situation quickly before it would turn deadly.

You have stumbled into quite the difficult scenario, as without sight or smell you have been attacked by an unknown creature perfectly suited to predatory behavior in the dark. You have two options before you and depending on your actions either option may play to either your benefit or disaster.

Fight!?
If you choose to defend yourself, any attack made will be considered as a blind shot and will be rolled on a scale of 0-10. Due to your lack of Sight and Smell, your current scale of success is as follows.

0 - Auto-Miss
1 - Auto-Miss
2 - Auto-Miss
3 - Auto-miss
4 - Partial Hit (25%)
5 - Partial Hit (25%)
6 - Partial Hit (50%)
7 - Partial Hit (50%)
8 - Partial Hit (75%)
9 - Full Hit (100%) and full description of creature
10 - Auto-Hit (100%) and full description of creature

Sixth Sense will grant you the ability to re-roll an auto-miss chance.

Or

Run!?
If you choose to run the attempt made will be rolled on a scale of 0-3. Due to your lack of Sight, Smell, and general direction..your current scale of success is as follows.

0 - South (Escape the danger)
1 - East (Run into the tunnel wall. 50% chance to be struck by creature)
2 - West (Trip over a rock and fall to the ground. 75% chance to be struck by creature)
3 - North (Run into the ??? Creature and suffer a full hit)

Sixth Sense will grant you the ability to roll a chance to evade being struck on a 50/50 scale. Below 50 would still be a hit. Above 50 will be an evade.

Note:
- You get 1 attack or run attempt per round
- There are hidden factors currently in place for both Fight and Run options which will effect the flow of the mod
- Abilities used/Jutsu used/Weapons used equally will have an effect on how this is modded (like with sixth sense). So make note of what you use and how you use it.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

</U>

Decision: ...Fight!​

<i></i>
Kami praise his Sense! Despite it being fickle as all hell, it was immensely useful (when it decided it wanted to work...). In this case, it more than likely saved his leg, as it alerted him at literally the last second before something struck out from within the darkness. It missed his flesh by mere millimeters and instead sliced through the left side of his knee-length trousers, leaving them noticeably worse for wear. Despite complete and utter darkness the lad looked downwards at his ripped pants. A look of confusion soon turned into a small frown.

As they say in the Ninja World? It was go-time...

"Eh?" ...or maybe not? Keiatsu blinked a few times, quite obviously befuddled as to what had just happened. Only after taking a moment to mull it over did he realize that- oh...he just got <U>attacked. Sometimes I wonder if being an idiot is tiring...because writing for one certainly is. Anyways, after the rose-haired simpleton realized what was going on, his confused expression turned into his usual neutral one (though it would be fair to say that he always looked a tad bit confused). He was aware he was under attack, but he didn't know by who...or what. And despite this he still seemed relatively calm. Something wishing him harm was lurking around in the darkness, apparently able to see him just fine. Whatever it was that shredded his pant leg could undoubtedly do flesh even more harm. So why? WHY in the world was he so unconcerned?!

Ever hear that phrase, "Too stupid to be afraid"? Gun often said that about him. It wasn't entirely true. He was wary of Yama...and even moreso of his grandpa. But they were both had a penchant for punching him when they saw him! So that was more of a learned sensation than actual fear. Either way, he treated this threat like he did with most others. A mild form of awareness. He didn't immediately jump into a battle stance...or even start preparing some defensive jutsu. But to say he wasn't ready to defend himself would just be plain wrong. For awhile now some unholy scent had completely overcome his olfactory sense. If he wasn't such a glutton, it MIGHT have even made him lose his appetite! Still, smell wasn't going to help him here. And neither was sight. He was going to have to rely on his Sense to help him through this one...but he was also going to need something else. Something he never had any trouble utilizing in the past...

Instinct.

Keiatsu stood fast. It was show time. His weapon? Like it had always been, his Bare Hands. They'd never let him down before, and using his own body as a tool meant it was one less thing he had to prepare when entering a fight. And speaking of preparation, it looked like he was...standing completely still? He hadn't moved an inch since that thing attacked him, and it was no doubt rearing up for a follow-up. Nonetheless the boy stood vigilant, his even facial expression unwavering. It was kind of hard to tell, but this was his way of getting ready. He was steeling himself for the fight to come (Zaraki Style). This was going to be tough. He couldn't see his foe, and he certainly wouldn't be able to smell them either with that disgusting scent filling his nostrils. A sane person would take this as a sign to retreat, at least until they could figure out a better way to combat their enemy. But not him. Not Keiatsu. He ran once during the Destruction of Mist. He was never going to run again. The reckless youth clenched his right fist, his knuckles whitening from the tension (Grip:Unarmed). He would need to focus. Well...as much as he could anyway, to make sure that when he made his move, it would strike true (Chakra Extension). Along with his Sense hopefully aiding him in finding and landing a successful attack on his assailant, he planned on using something else to help him out as well. A little trick he picked up from years of fighting hand-to-hand (Feint).

His plan of attack? To wait until his foe was upon him to strike back. It was risky. And realistically speaking, quite stupid. But when had that ever stopped him before?! Keiatsu remained silent and still as he waited. Surely this thing was going to strike again...and soon. And when it did? He planned on taking it out with a single blow. He had always been capable of hitting harder than most...and if all went well, he was going to showcase that here today (Huge Power, Bull's Strength, No Limits). If-...no, when the unknown attacker made its move, Keiatsu would immediately strike back, swiftly and with immense force. As soon as it was within range, Keiatsu would bring his clenched fist down on where he thought the assailant was, not even bothering to wind up so as to make the vicious strike as fluid and fast as possible (Falcon Punch + Double Edge). If his attack connected? The impact would be insane. Even if it didn't fully connect it was still bound to do a lot of damage. Hopefully enough to end what would undoubtedly be a protracted engagement before it even began. But if not? Well...he had plenty of other tricks up his sleeve!

Battle Stuff:

Spoiler

[col3]

Stats:
Stamina: 600 / 600
Agility: 600 / 600
Taijutsu: 600 / 600
Ninjutsu: 600 / 600
Genjutsu: 600 / 600
Chakra Control: 600 / 600
Power Level: 3600

HP: 49200
CP: 33000
Character Level: 15
OOC Rank: S
Action Points: 10

|

Custom Class:
Lionheart [V]
HP: (60+lvl) x stamina
CP: (40+lvl) x chakra control
Class Feature: Kinjutsu
High: Melee Accuracy
Average: Evasion, Genjutsu Save, Spell Accuracy
Low: Ranged Accuracy, Genjutsu DC

Affinities:
Free Major Affinity: Fire
Free Minor Affinity: Non-Elemental
Major Affinities: Fire, Metal
Minor Affinities: Non-Elemental
BL/CA/Kin Free AE's: Metal

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Equipment:
Slot 1: Belt Pouch
- Pouch Slot: Blood Pill
- Pouch Slot: Health Pill x3
Slot 2: Belt Pouch
- Pouch Slot: Explosive Note x5
- Pouch Slot: Smoke Bomb x3
Slot 3: Kawarimi Target
Slot 4: Kawarimi Target
Slot 5: Kawarimi Target

Weapon Holster: Bare Hands
- Type: Unarmed
- Modifiers: +1 Accuracy / -5% Damage
- Augment #1: Chain Link
- Augment #2: Swift
- Augment #3: Overflow

[/col3]

[col3]

Abilities:
0) Journeyman
0) Shinobi 101 - Ninjutsu (Metal)
1) Bull's Strength
2) Sixth Sense
3) Combat Instinct
4) Hidden Power
5) Jutsu Creator
6) Healing Factor
7) Acrobatics
8) Kinjutsu
9) Kinjutsu
10) Kinjutsu

Ninjutsu: Fire/Non-Elemental/Metal
-Infernal Ember(E-rank)
-Thermal Maw(E-rank)
-Fireball(D-rank:Mastered)
-Combustive Seal(D-rank)
-Immolation Armor(D-rank:Mastered)
-Dragon Fire(C-rank:Mastered)
-Heat Wave(C-rank:Mastered)
-Scalding Ash Cloud(C-rank:Mastered)
-Searing Eruption(C-rank:Mastered)
-Spontaneous Combustion(B-rank)
-Firestorm(B-rank:Mastered)
-Infernal Hellfire(B-rank)
-Dragon Flame Bomb(A-rank:Mastered)
-Transformation(E-rank:Mastered)
-Body Switch(E-rank:Mastered)
-Cancel(D-rank:Mastered)
-Elemental Clone(C-rank:Mastered)
-Steel Slam(C-rank:Mastered)
-Quality Break(C-rank:Mastered)
-Mercury Poisoning(C-rank:Mastered)
-Steel Clone(C-rank:Mastered)
-Alloy Spiral(B-rank:Mastered)
-Reinforced Wall(B-rank:Mastered)

Taijutsu: Unarmed/Buffing
-The One-Two(E-rank:Mastered)
-Low Sweep(E-rank)
-Janken(E-rank)
-Uncalled For Shot(E-rank)
-4-Hit Combo(D-rank:Mastered)
-Spinning Wind(D-rank:Mastered)
-Dynamic Entry(D-rank:Mastered)
-Dynamic Finish(D-rank)
-Nut Buster(D-rank)
-Dragon Assault(C-rank:Mastered)
-Tiger Hook(C-rank:Mastered)
-Step-In Flash(C-rank:Mastered)
-Shoryuken(C-rank:Mastered)
-Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku(C-rank:Mastered)
-Roaring Combination(C-rank:Mastered)
-Grapple(C-rank:Mastered)
-Suplex(B-rank:Mastered)
-Shadow Step Strike(B-rank:Mastered)
-Seismic Toss(B-rank:Mastered)
-16-Hit Combo(B-rank:Mastered)
-Eagle Drop(A-rank:Mastered)
-Falcon Punch(A-rank:Mastered)
-Dance of the Waxing Moon(A-rank)
-Fist of Sin(A-rank)
-Block(E-rank:Mastered)
-Grip(E-rank:Mastered)
-Fleeted(E-rank:Mastered)
-Basic Safeguard(D-rank:Mastered)
-Dynamic Art(C-rank:Mastered)
-Chakra Extension(C-rank:Mastered)
-Shadow Dance(C-rank:Mastered)
-Gather(C-rank:Mastered)
-Barrage(C-rank:Mastered)
-Expel(C-rank:Mastered)
-Feint(C-rank)
-Unbound(B-rank:Mastered)
-Cover(B-rank:Mastered)
-Endure(B-rank:Mastered)
-Counterstrike(B-rank:Mastered)
-Devastating Aura(A-rank)
-Awakening(A-rank)

Kinjutsu: Chimera
-Gaze of Enslavement(C-rank:Mastered)
-Life Drain(C-rank:Mastered)
-Infinite Abyss(B-rank)

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Core Ability: Reckless
Bloodlust - 3 points
Unbalancing Strike - 2 points
Zaraki Style - 2 points
Double Edge - 3 points
Endurance(x3) - 3 points
Huge Power(x3) - 3 points
No Limits - 2 points
Brink of Insanity(x2) - 2 points

Bloodline: Akimichi

Kinjutsu: Chimera

|

Actions:
- Buff up like crazy.
- Falcon Punch that thing into next week (hopefully).

[/col3]

[OOC: Battle Info's just for reference. I had it on hand so I figured might as well. Plus I'm not sure if C-Mods can see Profiles or not... e.e]

 

[Moyamaru]

Most times being absolutely reckless was a downside action wise, but for whatever reason Keiatsu seemed to have a positive knack for it. Without fully understanding his situation he'd gear up to fight a creature which he could not even see, something that wouldn't exactly be most humans initial response. Even without his corse senses, the young male had something within him that fully awoken in the heat of a fight that combined with his extraordinary sense of perception and readiness. While he did not flee, he prepared himself though even that much preparation would not save him from the creature's first attack. It was sudden, the feeling of jagged objects pressing along both his sides as Keiatsu felt his body suddenly thrown back and off his feet. Crashing into the tunnel wall, he'd quickly notice that whatever attacked him had used it's claws or pincers to pin him against the wall stopping any hopes of evasive movements.

His body however was stronger than most, as even though jagged edges had flowed against his sides there was a failure to actually shred the skin and because of that he had avoided having two gashes which surely would have led to blood loss. Clearly not taking more time than necessary another sound akin to whipping entered Keiatsu's ears and his body reacted faster than even he could command it, his head throwing itself to the side as something clearly struck with force where his skull had previously been. This opportunity was seized upon immediately as Keiatsu relinquished the strength he had been harvesting from his body. The creature would have survived the strike normally though with the inclusion of chakra application not only did his impact strike the stinger which had targeted his head but it also cleanly struck the pincer which had bound him to the wall. The boney exoskeleton of the creature stood no chance and imploded from the strikes, breaking off both the pincer and the stinger from it's body, causing the animal's blood to natural spray out. The sound of his now predator turned to pray, hissing loudly in pain was truly deafening almost as it flailed wildly.

What was surprising and a godsend to the shinobi was that as the creature flailed, it's blood continued to coat the area around it and only after a few second the creatures blood when connected to the air became a bioluminescent substance. Spray by spray and drip by drip he would come to have some visual perception into where he was, as soon the creature which turned out to be a scorpion type insect easily measuring past eight feet collapsed in death near the decaying body of a dune wolf, no doubt the scorpion's original prey. Fully able to free himself now, Keiatsu would receive another surprise before he was able to grasp the salvation of his situation as from somewhere in the chamber which he stood he'd hear an echoing voice...

"Well'willchalookat zat...youpulledzitoff..andhereiz doughtyous wuzgunbe food. Howdz youdoitzboy, humanzzhazhorribubnighteyes."

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Uh-oh. This was bad. In an instant his unknown assailant was upon him, pinning him to the tunnel wall with unusual strength. Now he was off his feet and at the creature's mercy...but he still didn't seem worried! Even as his unusual sensory ability warned him at the last minute and his head shifted, avoiding being impaled with extreme prejudice, his even facial expression didn't waver. Maybe someone else might've been impressed by this sort of thing...but for Keiatsu? This was his way of life! He grew up fighting over-sized beasts in the wilderness of Water Country's forests. Even nowadays! It seemed like if he wasn't getting into trouble with people he was usually fighting some giant monster. Perhaps he was made for this sort of thing? Either way, whatever the hell this was had picked a fight with the wrong pink-haired numbskull. After placing his left hand on the giant pincer to steady himself, he cocked his right fist back and...-

CRRRAAACK! A loud, sickening sound echoed throughout the chamber as the youth's fist struck true. Not only the pincer, but also the stinger were separated from their owner under his seemingly unnatural might. This served two purposes: 1) Freeing him from his lodged position up against the tunnel wall. And 2) ...coating him, and everything in the general vicinity with a fountain of blood! "EW!" was his reaction, a hand coming up to shield himself. But it was for naught. The warm liquid covered everything nearby as the beast shrieked and flung itself to-and-fro, obviously in pain. He had half a mind to punch it again to make it stop...but before he could even think about taking another action something strange appeared. Light. A soft glow appeared, slowly illuminating the tunnel more and more with each passing second. He was finally able to ascertain the identity of his assailant - a giant scorpion. Well, one more to the list of things he'd beaten up! The source of the glow was easy to see...not because he was particularly observant or anything, but because it was all over the goddamn place. The blood! "Gross..." He stuck his tongue out as his eyes closed, an expression matching his sentiment. If he wasn't absolutely covered in the substance, he'd probably think it was cool...

What a day this had turned out to be. It started out with him just looking for a place to eat...then he ended up outside the village running for his life from a vicious dust devil. And now he was underground somewhere?! Having just survived an encounter with a monstrous scorpion? That being said, he seemed relatively unfazed. A, "Nng!" of exertion escaped the boy's mouth as he pried the creature's pincer from his midsection (as it had just been hanging there since his attack...). But just then, a sound rang out, capturing the brash youth's attention. It wasn't the scorpion...it had collapsed into a pile, likely dead. Keiatsu arched an eyebrow as the voice spoke to him, its words a bit garbled, but understandable to anyone of even novice intellect. "Wh-..." ...like I said. Understandable to anyone of- "What?" ...*sigh* The boy placed his hands on his hips and looked around, his eyes as big and naive as ever. Even with the light source he was unable to see who was speaking. And apparently, he was incapable of understanding what it was saying! Hopefully whoever it was could slow its speech down a bit. Otherwise? This was going to be an ordeal...

 

[Tomomi]

[OOC: We are looking for a new mod. Please be patient, Friend.]

 

[Arashi Hisame]

I'll be taking over for you, I can't post today but tomorrow I'll get you a post. I'm excited to see where this goes!

 

[Arashi Hisame]

The deep cavern fell silent except for the chorus of echoes caused by the boy's yelling. The light would slowly begin to fade around him but as it did another would appear further down the tunnel. A slight chuckle would break through the silence as movement down the path could be heard. "wellz.. comeons... ifyousastay..."<i></i> The voice would sound more and more distant, but as it disappeared rustling and hissing sounds could be heard from the other direction. It would be no surprise that the smell of fresh blood would draw all sorts of scavengers, and not being from around here the man may end up biting off more than he could chew if he stayed. " ...yousabe food."<i></i>

The path in which the voiced trailed off to would slowly become almost other worldly. Vibrant colors adorned the stalagmites while sparkling gems clung to the stalactites. These colors were almost psychedelic as the seemed to slowly dance on the walls. A quiet murmur seemed to fill the tunnel but the voices were not seeming to come from any direction.

((OoC: still trying to grab a feel for where this was going, next post should be better as it won't be so transitiony between us two mods))

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Uh-oh...again. The light source he'd gained from spattering that big scorpion thing was starting to fade. It would seem that the creature's blood wasn't permanently glow in the dark. Not only did this put the rose-haired youth in yet another bad situation...it also unfortunately dashed anybody's hopes of tie-dying their t-shirts in the substance! It was a shame. Truly.

A laugh sounded out from down the corridor(???) as another string of words were strung together in an accent he was having a hard time understanding. It told him that he should get a move on, because if he didn't then he might end up food. What he heard, however? "Food?!?!" His eyes began to sparkle immediately, as his tongue MAY have fallen out of his mouth slightly. From what it sounded like the voice was getting further and further away by the second. And a few nasty noises from the opposite direction only emphasized the need to not stick around too long. Surely these scavengers had every intention of ripping him apart and feasting on him if they got the chance...but if they'd witnessed the scorpion's fate only moments ago they might heavily rethink that course of action. By all accounts those creatures growing nearer weren't the monsters here...

...he was.

Nonetheless, the "F-word" had been uttered and this kid's mind was about as one-track as it gets. So after shouting ahead a quick, "Wait up!", he began a casual trot down the path in the direction the voice was heading. His straw sandals clacked noisily as he jogged, the boy taking no measures to mask his approach. Along with his stomach gurgling the way it was, he might as well have been blowing an air horn as he went along. Hopefully this voice really did have food (even if that's not at all what the stranger was referring to...), because he was could sure go for a feast right about now. He was already hungry before any of this happened, but after that little scuffle? He was absolutely starving! As the youth continued on his way, the trail seemed to open up slightly as it gained a new source of light (though admittedly it probably wasn't very much.) Brightly-colored rocks that hung from the ceiling cast shadows of different hues all over, while a myriad of lustrous gemstones embedded in them caught the eye. A "Woah...~" escaped his lips as he moved, his head darting back-and-forth as more and more colors captured his attention. Just what was this place? This surreal palace of colors stood in stark contrast to the dark dingy cavern he'd been in up until now...or did it? He couldn't see at all...so maybe everything looked like this?! Whatever the case, it sure was cool. Another adventure to be noted for sure. But it wasn't over yet! So he would continue to jog along, not paying attention as his eyes danced around in an attempt to take in everything.

Hopefully there weren't any pitfalls coming up or anything...

[OOC: Not a problem! Looking forward to seeing how this plays out ^^]

 

[Arashi Hisame]

As the young man would continue down the tunnel the faint light would become brighter and brighter as it seemed the wall themselves began to glow. The vibrant colours began to realign along the walls. The varying hues danced like winds on a sunset. Bright blues, soft pinks, and even crimson reds settled on the walls. The deepest reds were near the floor as the purest sky blue would fill the ceiling. All along the ceiling it appeared that the man had stumbled upon a carmot concentration. He may not know it but these crystals were a signature resource for sunagakure. Each crystal had its own Chakra signature and I are doing eyes contained the light elemental chakra.

Regardless if he would realize the walls changing before him there would be something obvious he would run into. A fork in the path. The two tunnels seemed the same but the constant murmuring that has filled the walls would continue down the path to the right that seemed to go deeper and deeper into the earth. The other path seemed silent but it appeared to slowly head back up to the surface. The choice was his.

---

[col3]

Left​

---

deafening silence in the ascent to the surface.|

or​

|

Right​

---

the murmurs from the walls quietly say "dis way" as the tunnel sinks back into the earth[/col3]

 

[Gotō Daiji]

It was starting to get awfully psychedelic down here...

All manner of colors sprang to life within the cavern walls. With each step the tints seemed to shift slightly, the fluorescent light catching each of the crystals at a different angle. Oddly enough, the boy had seen these types of rocks before. Even as a foreigner to Wind Country he had come across some of this substance in his time here. 'Carmot', they called it. A form of highly concentrated crystallized energy. Of course to him it was nothing more than a rock. He wasn't exactly the knowledgeable type...and he certainly didn't have any interest in studying rocks. Nonetheless it did seem familiar to him. "Kinda looks like that stuff Karo got poked by..." Karu, a friend of his, had been impaled by some Earth-Infused Carmot in the Chaumerus Caverns. The poor kid had been swatted through a wall by a modified sandwyrm and landed on some of the rocks. It almost goes without saying but such an experience did NOT agree with the kid's physical form, and it prompted a few uh..."changes" in his body's makeup. A warm sensation flooded his head as he continued deeper down the path. These things weren't just pretty to look at...they were radiating chakra! "Feels like it too." he mused aloud to himself. His Sense could detect such energies...but unfortunately it didn't make them much more interesting to the boy. Rocks weren't super intriguing to him (for some reason. As far as he was concerned, they were just shiny things not to get stabbed by!

It took a while, but eventually the youth came to an impasse. A fork in the road. He hated forks. Well y'know...except for the ones you eat with. "Uh..." a "thinking sound" emanated from his throat as his head darted back-and-forth between his two options. To the left was a path that seemed to slope upwards. Undoubtedly it was his way out of here. Any sane person who had just gone through what he had would've probably taken it in a heartbeat. Fighting giant scorpions was a bit off-putting to the average bear, I'd assume. But he was not average. And comically enough, his sanity was often called into question as well. The voice that had beckoned him along seemed to be coming from the right, still attempting to lead him further and further into this system of tunnels. He'd already come this far...and it did direct him away from all those nasty beasts back there. So why not go for it? "Mhm!" the boy nodded, a small smirk forming on his face as he took off once again, resuming his little jog. In his mind there was only one way to go. His choice?

Decision: ...Right!​

<i></i>
Sandals clacked against the ground as he ran, his eyes forward as his began to travel down the right path. "Right" was a bit subjective here...but still! Hopefully he'd get to meet his mysterious voice soon. And hopefully they had some grub waiting...because man he could go for some food right about now!

 

[Yamanaka Utano]

As Mako would make his way down the path the walls around him would grow tighter, as well as lose their phosphorescent glow. Whatever had been producing it became more and more scarce as he would progress. The path became so small that he would no longer be able to stand straight up, and eventually be forced to crawl on his belly if he wished to go any further.

Eventually after crawling through sand in low light, Mako will find an opening at the end of the passage with soft light beaming through. The flickering of flame could be seen casting dancing shadows on the ground as he approached. As soon as he manages to squeeze his way in through the entrance he would be greeted by a very tall room, reaching so high up that the ceiling was not visible. The walls decorated with old statues from ages past and intermittently lit with torches in sconces.

”Youzzez didn’t getz loztz!” a familiar voice exclaimed. In the center of the room was a great stone altar that was covered in greens and something that was… grubby looking. Atop the table in the center stood the owner of the voice that had been guiding Mako.



The lizard hopped down off of the altar and made a fast waddle over to Mako, only to stand at about hip height.

”I wantz a better lookiez at ya.” and before Mako could stop him the lizard would shimmy up Mako’s body and take his face in his reptilian hands, his tiny sword dangling off of his body.

”Yupperz, you lookiez like the kind of goof that might get loztz in herez.” The lizard dropped back down onto the sand and made his surprisingly fast waddle back over to the altar. Next to the altar were two brazier stands, seemingly the only things keeping the darkness at bay.

”I lit these dingiez for your bad dark eyeballz” he offered as an afterthought ”You should getz better onez, hoomanz have silly eyeballz, why evenz haz them if youz can’tz seez anythingz if there no lightiez!” The lizard threw his hands in the air.”Anyhooz you gotza be hungriez, so youz can haz some of my supperz if youza wantz!”

If Mako approached the altar for food he would see a bed of leaves with a plethora of writhing white grubs, slowly moving about with their little stubbly legs.


”Tastiez rightz?” the lizard exclaimed before promptly stuffing his gizzard with several grubs at once. The lizard rubbed his belly. ”I just foundz dem lyingz around down below! Who wouldz leave perfectly good grubbiez unattended?”

Almost as if on queue, the ground beneath Mako and the lizard would shift before he would feel a sharp clamping on his right ankle. Similarly, the lizards tail would become caught in the swirling of the sands. Looking down Mako would see a terrifying visage



As quick as he had been caught the lizard was free again, minus his tail, but he seemed to be no worse for wear.

”Quickiez! Detach your footz and letz getz outta herez!” the lizard stopped himself to rub his scaly chin “no waitz, hoomanz can’tz do thatz… Whatz can youz do?” The lizard eyed Mako with scrutiny.

”Wellz youz better do itz fazt or dat antlionz gonna snacky snack on youz! Just like we snacky snackz on itz babies! Oh…” the lizard seemed to realize why the antlion had appeared. “Notz my faultz! Notz my faultz!” the lizard waved his arms.

“Quickz throw somethinz at it!” the lizard exclaimed.

Time to throw something at the antlion! You have five options:

Throw in the Grubbs- This will give you a 60% chance to get free from the Antlion and not be dragged down!

Throw in one of the braziers- This will give you a 60% chance to get free from the Antlion and not be dragged down!

Throw in the Grubbs and one brazier- This will give you a 75% chance to get free and not be dragged down!

Throw in both braziers- This will give you a 75% chance to get free and not be dragged down!

Throw in both braziers and the grubbs!- This will give you a 100% chance to get free from the antlion

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"Ow..." the youth's voice would echo as he bumped his head on a low-hanging rock. That light show from earlier didn't last too long, as both the frequency of those gems and the size of this passage grew smaller. It was a good thing he wasn't claustrophobic, because man this was a tight fit! It seemed as if the walls were closing in on him from every direction. With every step he took the ceiling got lower and lower, along with all the jagged rocks that hung from it. Eventually it reached a point where he had to hunch over to continue on. After a while longer he had to crouch. A short bit after that crouching wasn't even good enough. If he wanted to go any further he was going to need to crawl...and since it was too late to turn back now... "Uff!" A grunt signified his going prone. His face was literally in the sand as he moved, hoping to find-...wait.

...what was he hoping to find again?

Regardless, he continued! Just when the narrow passage couldn't possibly get any smaller a thin beam of light appeared. It had to be the exit! Like a madman he began to crawl, speeding up his pace as he advanced down the tunnel. He pressed on, his elbows and knees rubbed raw from all the squirming until finally, at long last he was here! "Where the hell is this?" Okay...so "here" was actually pretty confusing! The rose-haired boy stumbled to his feet, brushing some loose sand off of his ragged --and after his run-in with that scorpion, grimy-- attire. A confused expression took hold on his face as his eyes moved around the room. This place was huge! Well...at least the roof was...he couldn't even see it! Old crumbly statues stood scattered near the walls, illuminated by dimly flickering fires. His gaze would've continued to wander around for a while longer had it not been for one recognizably garbled voice calling out to him. "Eh?" the boy sounded out, one of his eyebrows raising as his sights set on the voice's owner. Oh. It was only a lizard. Nothing odd about that. At all. "...loztz?" Clearly he was having some trouble understanding the reptilian speaker...

It hopped down from a stone table-looking thing and sauntered over to him. It was bigger than it looked! He was 5'7" and this thing was standing at about waist-height on him. It speed-spoke something about- "Cookies?" ...no, "lookiez". But before he could question anything else the lizard clambered up his body and mushed his face with his claws. Maybe he was finally starting to get used to thing's speech pattern because he understood perfectly fine when it called him a goof. Or...maybe just lots of people called him that. "Hehe...~" the boy let out a small laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. Alas, it was true. He was an oddball and he did get turned around a bunch. This lizard guy was sharp! So sharp in fact that he suggested the boy trade in his "silly eyeballz" for new ones. Normally this would've garnered a chuckle from any sane person...but from Mako? "Hm...where do I get new ones at?" The finger on his chin and squinted eyes could only mean one thing; he was seriously considering it. I mean, it would be kinda cool to see in the dark! Luckily this ridiculous notion exited his head as fast as it entered, just like anything else did at the mention of the "F-word". "FOOD?!" the youth exclaimed, his tongue actually flopping out of his mouth as his eyes lit up. In an instant he was at the stone altar, nearly drooling as he looked down to an expected feast. What he saw however? Wasn't that.

A squiggly-looking larvae slowly flailed about as he picked one up by its tail. Bugs? Really?! He glanced over at Lizard-Guy, who was as gleeful as could be. According to him these things were tasty...a fact he backed up by quickly shoveling several of the grubs into his mouth and chomping away. Now, normal people don't eat bugs. Wouldn't even think about doing it, really. Mako was not normal. His new lizard buddy seemed to like them, and he hadn't steered him wrong yet. Leading him away from those nasty beasts, bringing him here...offering him his supper! This little dude seemed like a class act. So with a shrug, the rose-haired boy raised the squirming grub in the air, tilted his head back, opened his mouth and...- "Huh?" Just before he let the juicy-looking bug drop he felt something creep up his right foot and grab hold. He could tell it was sand. This was all starting to seem familiar..."Not again!" he shouted, dropping the grub into the sand and taking hold of his leg. He thrashed about in an attempt to free it, but it seemed to be in vain. He was stuck. "Grr..." Mako growled, giving one more big pull. "Let g-..." his words stopped cold as his eyes traveled downward, glimpsing the cause of his sudden predicament. "...oh."

</U>

Decision: ...Throw in the Grubbs!​

<i></i>
"Oh" was damn right! Some fearsome-looking creature lie at the bottom of a maelstrom of sand. It didn't just look angry...it looked ravenous. Things were looking bad...but at least his lizard buddy was stuck right here with him- "Eh?!" the boy's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he glanced over and saw the larger-than-usual reptile standing outside the vortex, perfectly fine. First he told him to detach his leg like he'd done his tail, but after remembering that humans couldn't do that, asked skeptically what he <U>was capable of. Then it came out..."it" being the reason this antlion was looking to eat the both of them at the moment. These grubs were its children! Lizard-Guy was the only one who ate any, so why was it still sucking him in?! Thinking fast, Mako did the only thing there was to do. He quickly grabbed hold of the leafy platter the baby beasts were situated on. "Here!" the boy shouted, throwing the future antlions down at its murderous parent. Hopefully getting its children back was enough to appease the creature. Sure he could've tossed in the braziers as well...but fire plus a rampaging beast's children does NOT sound like a good mixture. In any case, now the antlion had its young back. Hopefully it would take them and leave. And if not? Well...there were other methods of handling such things...

[mft]

 

[Yamanaka Utano]

Rolled 1-100, landing anything 60 and under would be a success, 61 and above is failure.

ROLL RESULT: 55, SUCCESS!

As Mako tossed all of the writhing grubbs the Antlion releases its hold on his leg and collects all of its children before disappearing beneath the writhing sand leaving as mysteriously and suddenly as it had appeared beneath him. The Lizard, now tailless, jumps up and down throwing his hands into the air in excitement.

“You didz it!! You didz it!! Good Jobz Hooman, I thoughtz you were big bug foodz!” The lizard jumped turned his head and stared at Mako with a reptilian eye, golden and shining wet. “Youz might be more capable-o-rino than me first thinkiez about ya!” the lizard stroked his scaly gizzard which made a horrible scratching down from his claws scraping his scales.

“I am zir Baguītā” The lizard spoke again “Everybodiez callz me Bagu though” the Lizard said matter of factly. “Tellz me your name zilly hooman!” Bagu said not unkindly.

Bagu looks down at his now tailless stump, he slumps visibly saddened. Then he rubs his stomach as it makes a rumbling sound. He looks around a bit and then shuffles about the alter looking for a left over grubb only to come up empty handed.

“Zo… hungriez… needz… foodiez…”

Bagu dramatically falls over atop the altar and lets his long forked tongue hang out his mouth. He lays there for a moment, cracking one eye to see how his antics were working before quickly closing it again further protruding his tongue.

“Come… clozer hooman” Bagu said in an incredibly fake weak voice. Lizards aren’t the best actors.

“There iz foodiez where I waz headedz, it is further up! If you getz it, we can keep going and I can show youz how to getz outta herez!” Bagu pointed a clawed finger upwards into the darkness. “There iz a room full of zupplies dat I hidz up therez! Butz you gotza be able to climby climbz! It might be tough in the darkz for your dinky hooman eyez though…” Bagu visibly giggled but tried to muffle it and then realizing he had dropped his act, immediately resumed it as if nothing had interrupted it.

“Thingiez like to come outz in the darkz, mean, bitey thingiez, zo don’tz linger too longz up in da darkz!” Bagu warned. “Now getz goingz! Zir Bagu iz in neediez of foodieeeez!” and with that Bagu feigned death rather unconvincingly as just as he did so, his stomach growled and he attempted to stifle a laugh.

You have to get some food from a chamber by climbing for it before Bagu will move further along with you! Climbing in the dark is hard and things lurk in dark places. Lucky you didn’t throw away either of the braziers, but they are unwieldy and you can’t carry them with you.
It is up to you to think of a way to fight off the dark and make your way up!

 

[Gotō Daiji]

A bead of sweat traveled down the side of the youth's face and fell into the sands below. Apparently the beast had been appeased by getting its young back, and he was not going to end up food today. So that was good! "Hehe.~" the youth let out a chuckle as his new reptilian friend began jumping up and down, praising his quick-thinking. Yep. That was Mako. Capable as always. In truth he acted on instinct and just got extremely lucky.

Introductions were made as the lizard introduced himself. From the sound of it this little guy was pretty important! Even had the title of "Zir" and everything. The rose-haired youth bent his knees a little as he leaned down to listen to him. "Ragu, huh?" the boy incorrectly repeated, his usual grin returning to his face. Suddenly he had a hankering for pasta. Weird. His scaly acquaintance asked him his own name, and the boy replied with a nod. "Sachi A. Mako." Usually he forgot to give people his name, y'know, on account of having no manners? But luckily the little guy asked. Now the boring pleasantries were done with! They could focus on getting something to eat, and then getting the hell outta he- "...wait." Uh-oh. A sudden shift in his tone of voice sounded dire. The youth's eyes grew wide, and he almost appeared to be trembling. Whatever was going through his mind at that moment could NOT have been good...

"YOU CAN TALK?!?!" ...oh boy. His face was visivly stunned as he continued to stare in awe at Bagu. Delayed reaction much? Luckily he wouldn't have much time to marvel at this revelation. Bagu's stomach began to rumble, and his own had been growling at him ever since he landed in this- ...wherever this was. Defeatedly the lizard shuffled across the chamber, falling atop the stone altar in melodramatic fashion. Bagu beckoned the foreigner over, to which he complied, apparently entirely convinced of the lizard's poor act. Might as well have been an award-winning thespian! Mako listened intently as the reptile explained the situation. Room full of supplies. Dark. Gotta climb to reach it. Dinky human eyes. "Hm..." he mused to himself as his eyes watched the lizard's collapsed form. For all he knew he really wasn't going to make it if he didn't get any food. Surely his kind nature would compel him to help, right? "Ok." Of course! He was just a gentle, compassionate, caring- "But only if I get some too!" ...totally selfish person. But hey, whatever works!

A quick glance around the room ensued. Surely he could try his luck like earlier and ascend into the dark with no assistance. "A." bearers were unusually fortunate...but it seemed that an answer was staring him quite literally in the face. After snapping his fingers in excitement the youth ran over to one of the many torch-bearing statues peppered around the room. He would hastily relive one the torches from its sconce, not hesitating to break the sculpture if need be. Once he had a torch in hand he would jog back over to one of the braziers and light it (if it wasn't already lit). Baguītā urged him onwards, stressing that if he didn't get food soon he would perish! He had to move quick. It was go time. "Alright, Rago." the boy spoke, once again getting his name wrong. His gaze drifted upwards once more as he lifted the lit torch a bit higher. Sure looked ominous up there...but oh well! Maybe he'd get to beat something else up? "Don't die yet!" And with that? He opened his mouth, placed the lit torch horizontally between his teeth, and hopped to a nearby foothold, gripping the stone with both hands. Sure he wouldn't be able to talk too well with a torch in his mouth...but this was certainly better than having no light at all! With narrowed eyes the boy would begin his climb, his monkey-like agility prevalent in how he traversed the obstacle. All his life he'd been climbing things, getting into trouble, and fighting. So a short ascent like this would be no problem!

Hopefully his Sense would warn him of any sneaky critters hoping to cause trouble for him. It worked the first time...but he knew better than anyone how unreliable the damn thing was. A man could hope though!