Night covered the entire village, making virtually anything outside of it very hard to see. The Eternia Lake was exception and wasn't one at the same time. Growing around the lake, and the clearing itself, were it's famous glowing flowers. A light, neon blue shined from the them, illumanating the ground and some of the trees, the light intensifying at night. However, even then, it was still slightly hard to see, especially past the clearing, where the forest remained dormant and empty.


There, the utter pitch blackness of night covered the entire area, the canopy so intense and so full that not even the cherished light of the moon can shine through to guide a lowly wanderers' path through this dank and dark place. Not even the glowing eyes of predators can be seen. This was a place perfect for the dead, for the ghosts, for the Yuurei.


Sozaemon, garbed in his usually gi, along with a hood and mask, trained by himself near the lake. In his hand was the most simple, yet, valued tool a shinobi could have, the basic kunai. No sound was made as he slashed about and dodged his 'opponents'. No sound was made with each hearty step he took. No indention on the ground was even made, making the ground look completely natural, as it had always been. This, after all, was the perfect place for a Yuurei.

Training: Preception E-0 to D-0
WC: 239/750

The young assassin continously slashed left and right, up and down, training alone in the grove, no noise being made except for the quiet panting of his breathe. The flowers created a bright neon glow on the area, shooing away the darkness, at least, up till the front of the surrounding trees. No sword, Sozaemon was only left this basic weapon. Even at that, though, he was still a dangerous adversary, atleast, amongst the darkness he was. Combo it with him not creating sound, one could not pin-point where he is, making it exceedingly difficult to so where he is coming from once he does come out. He had learned many a times ago to tire out your enemies, then strike. That was one of the basics of being a shinobi, a assassin, a Yuurei. He took a step forward, did a quick kata with his kunai, showing he more then a expert at how to use it. Eventually, he tucked back into his gi and sat by the shore of the lake, cross-legged, eyes to the sky in a sort of deep meditation, his eyes straining to make it through the darkness of the canopy, of the the cave of utter vegetation.

In the dark, in the silence of the night, Sozaemon could not help but allow his mind to wander, wander back to the previous time of his life. Where training was single day without rest, and having to fight people he didn't before ultimately killing them. His feelings were.... indifferent. Even now, they still were. After all, the young man was raised this way. Killing was his life. He knew no other method. So he did just that, under a legal command of course. One of the last things he wants is to become a Missing-nin. Eventually, with a sigh, Sozaemon took off his clothes, gi, pants, tabi, and all. Nude, he walked slowly into the cool water of the lake and relaxed, resting against the edge, his eyes still at the sky, trying the see past the canopy, to see the stars.

350 Words

Training: Preception E-0 to D-0
WC: 589/750

Jet looked around the forest around her, the canopy rising so far that it seemed to just about block the sky whose stars she cannot see. Their twinkle would've been useful at least despite their dim lighting. Or for the best to point her in the direction of where she was at. Back when she was little when she lived in the desert, she often climbed up the makeshift dens in the slums to stargaze. Although she never once went to school, she was a well learn child; using her clan's gift for stealth to sneak into the libraries and after school extra help classes. Though it was hard to do so for the Ninja Academy. She wasn't a registered student much less an official citizen of Suna (the handiwork of her mother no doubt, her father could care less) making her all then more suspicious. Luckily she was usually able to outsmart the chuunin teachers should she get caught; made her even more infamous. A ghost, a demon, a curse, a myth. That was all she ever was to a chosen few and that is all she will be. She didn't know much about her clan with all its secrecy but she did know one thing, they were meant to fade into the background as will she for it is in her nature and a necessary precaution. Jet blinked a few times when she heard the trickling of water. Was there a spring or something similar nearby? Curious she followed her instincts to where she heard the sound coming from and sure enough they was a slippery miniature cliff; goddamn moss made her lose her footing and slip into the cold water, hitting her head on a rock on the way down. Stupid cliffs.


 418~

Sozaemon couldn't help but rub his eyes, itchy for not blinking...at all. He must better himself, he thought. He had to, or else, he will eventually be killed. And, for some strange reason, Sozaemon did not want to do. He did not truly know why, but he didn't want to. So, not wanting to confuse himself, he attempted to relax amongst the cool, quiet water, closing his eyes. It, indeed, was peaceful...for once. He wished this feeling could never end. Sadly, it ended, by something falling right into the lake. Sozaemon's eyes shot straight open, and looked about, before he suddenly jumped out the water, fished out his kunai from his gi, and jumped into the canopy above, nude as the day he was born. Instincts and past training taking over, the Yuurei lied in wait, hidden amongst the darkness and branches, his cold, almost lifeless eyes scanning over the lake, waiting for something to appear.

161 Words

Training: Preception E-0 to D-0
WC: 750/750
COMPLETE

We really need to stop this from happening. She was annoyed at the cliff. Cliffs lately have been bad luck for her since she keeps slipping and falling from them. Though it could be a good thing that there was at least water at the bottom each time. The thought reminded her of Ayumu, the man she met awhile back at Waterfall point back in her home village Iwagakure. Home...could she really call that place her home? Sure she may be a ninja in their ranks with a sworn duty to protect the village and all of its investments. But was she truly willing to put out her neck for them and lay her life on the line when it doesn't benefit her in anyway at all? Thinking about it no she frankly wasn't. She was as loyal to the village as a child is too his mother before he has a chance to get out and live his life. She had no family alive. No clan. No lover or friends. She just had herself. The only reason she joined the village was out of thanks for the group of Iwa nin that conveniently took out her pursuers, unbeknownst to them that they aided in her escape of the deranged group of circus freaks. Of course she could've simply done a favor or two for the grieving families but for some unknown reason she stayed and joined; not just because it was safer within a village rather than alone. She...she hasn't felt so indebted and thankful to someone in years before that happened.

She hissed underwater from the pain emitting from the back of her head, the water a light tint of red though it was hard to tell with the lake being a deep black abyss. So she swam up to the top but as she did so she saw the outline of a figure hidden in the darkness. Thinking back she did feel the water rippling as if someone was also here with her but only the sound of water being parted gave them away. Perhaps it was because the water muffled her hearing but she was sure they didn't make a sound at all. Strange. Her warning senses were going off but curiosity got the better of her so she channeled chakra to her feet and stood straight on the lake's surface, completely soaked. Seeing the clothes on the water bank confirmed her suspicions and from it, she could tell the person was a male and definitely a shinobi, probably a ronin from the lack of a village emblem. However despite his stuff being there he could still be armed. Giggling loudly she turned to where she last saw the outline "Who's there? Are you here to play with us? We don't mind playing hehe"

896~

Jutsu & Chakra:

Playing? What does it...she..mean by playing? And why does he not hear her move? The only time he heard her was when she was talking. Perhaps...maybe...she was like him? A Yuurei? Confused by this, and weary if she trys something, he jumped from the tree, and landed on the shore, in-front of her. His nude body was very muscular and heavily scarred from all the training and experiments that were done him. Those horrible, mind numbing experiments.His surreal eyes looked at the woman. Stern...yet...curious. Never the less, he held the kunai tightly in his hand, ready in-case she tries something. He took a few steps forward, eyes peeled on the woman.

120 Words

Training: Reaction Time E-0 to D-0
WC: 120/750

Silence. It was deadly and unnerving. To most that is. Those who dwell in the shadows thrive off it. Silence kept them safe, kept the secure, kept the alive. A true ninja doesn't bother for flashy jutsu or an astounding reputation known by all. They don't care for fame or glory but rather getting the mission done. To be powerful meant that you could kill your opponent in a single blow, to wipe them off the face of the earth, invalidating their existence, at least that is the popular notion and a rather churlish one at that. No actually true strength lies within will power and knowledge, to endure and succeed when all is lost even if your life is lost in the process. It takes a powerful man to level a village, leaving it nothing but a desolate wasteland but an even stronger one to do it without leaving any traces connecting the incident back to his village as to not bring disgrace or ignite the flames of war. Its easy to get caught up in all. To feel recognized and wanted. To know you did something right and therefore was just a bit more skilled than someone else.

But it were those people who brought conflict and tragedy. Blinded by their own arrogance and 'strength' they deluded themselves into believing they could become more than tools, a somebody, a person who can be whatever they want. But that is only a tall tale mothers tell their children at night as they gaze upon the stars where all their hopes and dreams laid. Shinobi weren't children but rather adults regardless of age. It was the cold but honest bitter truth. Shinobi are pawns, tools of war that will forever be used time and time again by their village simply as a means to an ends; shinobi are expendable and replaceable, prized only for their power till it becomes hazardous and unprofitable. They will live and die serving their village unless deemed useless or a traitor, an Honorable death more or less. For that, proper soldiers were needed and so as a result of a recent experiment conducted in a largely abandoned area of the snow country. In an attempt to create and modify young children to become ideal assassins, the Yuurei. They despite not having the most impressive of abilities were the perfect assassins that have been trained to be emotionless and completely obedient. The experiments happened a long time ago though it is suspected it goes on even now after the 'massacre'. Her mother, Mei, was one of the survivors and by some miracle, passed her abilities to Jet. It was in this miracle be it blessing or an omen that Jet wondered about the person with her.

Speaking of that person, he finally decided to reveal himself. If she hadn't guess where he was she would've never seen him since she can't hear him. The man before was nude but she didn't dwell on it. It was just a naked body, one she has seen before and is used to. What caught her eye with the numerous scars and his muscular form. The scars...they weren't just from fighting. And the traces of past surgeries and needles...it took a moment or two but Jester concluded that he was indeed a Yuurei; a genuine Yuurei and not like a watered down version like her. This realization alone made her chest tightened somewhat. In this she wondered. Was he some distant relative of her mother? Did they come from the same place? Were there others with him? It became blurred and for once, Jet dropped her idotic act. She felt no need to. A meeting such as this didn't and wouldn't come often. In fact it was a mircale in and of itself that they even met even under these circumstances. Jet's smiled faded and instead her green eyes shifted to a bloody crimson red, her gaze curious yet cold, aloof almost. Her voice no longer slight high pitched like a 7 year old child but rather a mature young woman who has seen much more than she let others know "You...are like us. Who are you?" As she spoke Jet no longer carried herself clumsily but  graceful in a way that didn't give off anything about her. The question though simple was loaded like a gun. This meeting could turn sour in an instant. "We...we are Jester but call us Jet. Where are you from since I can see you don't align yourself with anything of the Big 5" She took a moment to pause as she stepped off the water and onto the shore yet there was still some distance between them. "We are genin, hailing from the stone village, Iwagakure."

1706~
OOC: Sorry for the incredibly late post. Been hard to get the creative ball rolling lately.

The Silence.....was always there. Ever since he took his first breath into this world. Ever since his rather bleak childhood. Ever since all of the drugs, tests, and scars 'They' gave him. Ever since he brutally murdered his opposing...test mate. No matter where he was, there was always silence. This is what made him...well....him. It's what made him a Yuurei. A liar. A murderer. It was this that allowed him to be raised by Darkness. He was nutured by it from such a young age, one does wonder if he could fully understand at the time. Nevertheless, he was tainted with such evil from the very beginning. It's almost similar to giving a small child a chainsaw. Sure they're having fun, but would easily and perhaps unknowningly hurt or even kill someone. Yet there is a reason why that analogy is only similar and not spot-on. Sozaemon fully understands he is hurting and killing people. It's just that he feels nothing for them. No guilt what so ever. In his defense, however, he was trained to do that, to the point it is actually first nature, not second.

So is the usual nature of most Yuurei. Cold, quiet, deadly, kill for a living even when knowning it is wrong. Many would tend to refuse to live and defend a village, as it would require to give up some, shall we, chances. Not to mention, it is amazing what sort of bias one would face, just for being different. It's quite sad to be honest. And it's not like they have the right to judge as well. If put into a basic GENIN's life, they would barely survive. If put in a basic Yuurei's life, they would scream bloody murder as they cried tears of blood from their hollow eye-sockets. However, who is who to place the blame? A shinobi is no better if they attempted to blame the civilians. In-fact, if within the village, this would be viewed a distainful act that the ninja comitted and would only end up even more hated than before. Which is why someone like Sozaemon refuses to join a village. Nobody has time for that at all. Well...nobody except the woman in-front of him. Now only being a few feet away, he now had a clear view of her.

The first thing he noticed about her were her rather bizarre eyes. Green and red outlines. She appears to have tattoos on as well. She had a orange hoodie, gloves, and oddly colored goggles. She was a inch taller than he, but he seemed to be heavier. "You...are like us. Who are you?" Came her childish voice, but he knew not mistaken her. She....seemed to be just like Sozaemon. A Yuurei. "We...we are Jester but call us Jet. Where are you from since I can see you don't align yourself with anything of the Big 5"..Big 5? What is this....Big 5? Sozaemon mentally sighed, deciding to go research this later, when he returns to Takigakure. Of course, she could be refering to the main Five Hidden Ninja Villages."We are genin, hailing from the stone village, Iwagakure."Iwagakure....so she was one of the few who actually did go and ally themself with a village, eh? How rare. Nonetheless, Sozaemon answered with his much lower, dark voice.

"We are the Yuurei. More stealthful than the night. More quieter than the dead." He said, standing straight and placing a closed fist on his chest, as if this was mandatory when greet someone. Which is was, back when he was being experimented on. Of course, he had done this so many times throughout his life, it has become a rather bad habit.

647 Words

Training: Reaction Time E-0 to D-0
WC: 767/750 COMPLETE

Training: Speed E-0 to D-0
WC: 17/750