Rippa Stood on a hill overlooking the encampment. His back to the woods as he crossed his arms and examined the whole ordeal. His position within the borders of Kiri was both as a commander and as a political statement that Konoha was willing to send a sannin of all things. That said he was to be kept safe from any engagement that didn't require him should there be any. Honestly so far they had only come across bandit camps and pirates. People out to extort any situation with violence to make their lives comfortable. However that was to be expected of every hidden village out there. They had been placed in resource rich positions only they could truly defend and it attracted all types. That said the country was not their concern so much as the hidden village they had vowed to defend. Half the Konoha division was posted up within the village with the lower ranked shinobi left behind. He had selected only those with good people skills and those who would prioritize what was needed. Helping people was part of their goal and increasing relations with Kiri. He himself had yet to make the trip into the village yet. Instead he stayed with the organization side of the encampment. Sending out patrols as needed and on a schedule. Making sure each patrol reported in in intervals. Receiving and sending resources as needed. It was tedious but he didn't mind it. For now he was simply taking a breath and looking at it all from a new vantage point.

The encampment was simple in nature as they only had a few dozen men and women within the encampment and a few dozen in the village. Tents were kept in rows of four by four. Each tent held its own squad of four. A med nin, two swordsmen and a sensory nin. Two squads would be dispatched along the northern border at a time and two squads along the western. The sheer cliffs and mists of the sea were hard to navigate without ships and Kiri had their own knowledge of the area so the eastern border was left to them. Eyes were kept to the south but based on the enemies location they would lose considerable time circling the entire country to gain access. One squad was always on guard in the camp with a sensory nin feeling out the surrounding area. Support from the village had been supplied in the form of cooks and launderers. So food was prepped for them and their laundry kept clean. A nice couple of comforts. A large tent in the center was set aside for the mess hall and next to it was a command tent where missions were assigned and reports taken and considered. Any report with anything to state was handed to him for final judgement. He dictated if they used the manpower to wipe out enemy encampments be it bandit or the eventuality of something more. If not the report was simply forwarded back to Kiri.

For now the air was damp and the morning cold. A fence was being erected around the camp and the horses and wagons pulled within from the travels. Fires burned for warmth here and there but it was still summer so the damp wasn't dangerous. The fence was being constructed from tree's to provide a barrier against a charge be it cavalry or on foot. Not really the tactics of shinobi nor would they prove useful against shinobi but no need to make it easy on just anyone. He himself was still armed even this close to camp. Adam sat on his left hip and Eve on his right. Both fully loaded and waiting to be used. His red coat was kept back at the waist to keep the handles clear while his belt held 8 more rounds of ammo. Beneath the red coat that marked him captain by the word on his back was a black zip up shirt for warmth and dark shinobi pants tucked into combat boots. He didn't wear a headband but the shoulders on his coat had the metal plate stitched into each shoulder. Lastly his gloved hands would reach up to touch the silver angel wings necklace around his neck. His memory of home and family. His medical scroll still sitting within his tent. His sky blue eyes glanced behind him to the mist filled woods and he frowned as a small breeze shifted the shoulder length white hair out of his face. It was far too possible for a sensory blocking mist to be implicated there. He was not a fan of looking at this country from a defenders point of view.

792

Pacing through the dense brush that covered a vast amount of land, Taro moved forward with only a single purpose in mind; he had to get as far away from the civilisation as he could. It had started to overwhelm him once more, and he knew this time that it was unlikely he could resist the temptation of.. freedom. The deniability of what atrocities you've committed. It set the boy free, but it was a monstrously cruel act to do in front of others. He couldn't control what he'd do, he was.. free from any inhibition he could possibly have, and that's why he had to wander so away from the village he was currently residing within. He pulled on the brown, tattered cloak that drooped from his shoulders, trying his best to blend in with the brown trunks that were currently hiding him from society. How far away was best when he entered this state? What was the furthest distance he had traveled while lacking any form of.. control? He couldn't recall.. the events quickly left his conscience, buried inside of his sub-conscience as to alleviate the stress from his mind. His heavy feet caused light imprints in the relatively damp soil. However, his eyes were fixed straight ahead of him so that he could steer between the varying trees that found themselves stuck in his path, he'd soon be a suitable distance away from the village. Perhaps he could even tie himself to a tree, that wa- Ah.. he had no rope.. no.. rope wouldn't have helped him anyway. Solitude. Isolation. These were the keys he needed to make it through this event without turning into a missing shinobi. He knew his chances of survival were far slimmer if he was to be grouped in with those rowdy few, he had no fitting combative skills, and that would only mean he'd be fodder for the lowest of the low.. With the thoughts of his probable death from harming anyone, who was inside of the village at least, Taro was inspired to walk with an even more increased fervor. To stay alive, he had to try keep others alive when he lost control. The creatures of the forest appeared to naturally flock towards the male who was in a hurry, the multitudes of rabbits hopping a short distance away from him, with a few solitary birds in the sky constantly circling around him as if to indicate him, perhaps they wanted to know more about the boy himself. With the nature energy that seemed to constantly be flowing into the boy at this point in time, perhaps they were even waiting.. biding their time to witness the time bomb that Taro was becoming. As he urgently walked through the forest, he felt his foot suddenly move down onto a branch, snapping it in half. This noise would serve as the catalyst for the boy's rage, and he felt the rush.. the adrenaline surge inside of him..

With the sudden release of his inhibitions, Taro felt the sweet pull of freedom, and he took a second to throw his head back, staring up towards the sky with his mouth fully agape, almost to the point of dislocating his jaw as he sucked the air in through his maw. His fingers tensed, although didn't fully close up, and his shoulder blades pressed against each other as his body leaned backwards, sucking on the air for a good few seconds before he started to make a mixture of sounds. At some point it'd appear that he was laughing, and then at others it'd appear as if he was roaring. The absence of inhibition caused the large male to give in to his primal instincts, and he chased after the multitudes of animals that had came to witness this event unfold. Of course, he had no single target in his mind yet, he was simply chasing them for the fun of it at this point, the surge of being the top dog in the pound. The apex predator of the forests.. He was unstoppable, and he was going to crush their... he was gOING TO CRUSH THEIR FUCKING NECKS. The Jugo finally locked his eyes onto a decently sized creature. Throwing his body into a lunge towards the gazelle, he skidded along the wet dirt, missing his original prey by a few inches due to his own sloppy attack. The chase had started with the gazelle kicking through the damp earth, and the bestial boy giving pursuit in the form of multiple lunges. He eventually caught the creature that appeared to be trying to escape by simply sprinting in a straight line, and perhaps the boy truly was doing something good. Natural selection, to an extent. As his body crashed down onto the back of the fleeing mammal, it's body was forced down into the ground, and his fists went to work against the skull of the beast, with his self preservation intact enough to know that he needed to avoid the horns of the beast. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. His fists continued to come crashing down into the head of the beast, bruising every part of his hand with his wild, brutish strikes. The gazelle had stopped struggling a good few minutes ago, but the boy continued to assault it's corpse. This.. this was the sweet relief he had been craving. This side of Taro knew what he TRULY wanted. His arms lifted up for the final time before crashing down into the head of the beast, of course, they were going to lift again, but it was around about this point that he felt constricted.. restrained. He looked down towards his body but he could see nothing that was out of the ordinary, but his arms refused to budge.. The sensation continued down throughout his entire body, and soon enough he was laying on his side entirely paralysed, with his face partially submerged in the caved skull of the animal. A few sentences were spoken behind him, with accents he was currently unfamiliar with.

"You, relay this to the captain. He might not believe it, but we're bringing this.. thing in. ETA five minutes."

Taro couldn't see who was speaking, but he knew he was in a bad position. His instinct to survive was scratching against his sanity, telling him to move his arms.. just move your arms and run! But he couldn't budge them, he was restrained by a force he couldn't even see, so how was he supposed to fight it? He struggled tirelessly against dominating force, throwing his body around, "LET ME GO! LET ME GO, ****! I'LL ****ING KILL YOU! I'LL RIP YOUR ****ING THROAT OUT!" Of course, that would be the last thing Taro would say before he was immediately sent into some form of sleep, and unbeknownst to him, he was currently being transported. He was unsure on whether he had just been hit in the head, or put under some genjutsu, but he still felt the rage roar within him. He wanted to kill.. He needed to fight!

[1188 WC]

Rippa stirred from looking to the woods and let go of the feeling he had coming from it. A patrol was in that direction so if there was anything they would come across it. They had made their last check in promptly so it was only a matter of time before they returned. He couldn't relinquish his thought process to idle whims and feelings. He had a job to do and that job currently was assessing the camps status. It was about eighty percent complete at this point and needed more work to be secure. He would of liked some doton wielders to build him a chakra reinforced wall with arrow sockets but that was beyond his capabilities at the moment. Wood barricades with spikes would do for the time being. Sensory nin should give them ample warning of anything incoming anyway and no one was allowed to move unarmed in the camp. They were on full alert for the horn of war to sound so they even slept armed. It was unnerving but not as much for the sword saints as the other two divisions. The sword saints were used to the threat of constant battle and had spent a long time in the battlefield. To be honest this was just like their day to day activities in Konoha so far for them. Taking out bandits and keeping an eye out for heavier enemy forces.

Still a bell dinged in the camp on the side he was standing on to signal an approaching individual. One ding meant one man. However it didn't have any urgency from the sensory nin as the signal given off was that of one of their own. While it theoretically could be copied it meant most likely it wasn't a threat. Still the fact that one man had separated from the squad meant there was a report of some more urgency than just a dry run. Rippa would turn to the woods again as a sword saint burst through the tree's at a jog and moved next to him before kneeling and giving his report. They were bringing in a prisoner. A young man driven mad by something and they had knocked him out for reasons they thought wise. They wanted to know if whatever had driven him insane was an attack. Some genjutsu sent to spread perhaps. Rippa thought it paranoid but accepted it would be unwise not to weigh that risk. Still he nodded to the man and told him to drink up some fluids and eat. With that done the man moved into the camp just a minute before the rest of the squad emerged. Dragging a dear carcass and a bloodied man.

Rippa would Fall in next to them as the moved into the camp towards a pole at the western fence perimeter away from the citizens and horses. As they walked he examined the deer by eye sight and determined it had been pummeled to death. Based on the state of the young mans hands he had done it bare handed. Certainly a threat if he were to be left loose. Still he confirmed with the head of the squad only the blood on his hands was partially his. The thump to the head hadn't cracked the scalp at all so the blood on his face was from the deer. Certainly a mess but it hardly mattered. For now he would have a med nin from the group bring him a chemistry kit while they would strap him in Iron shackles and rope three times around him to the pole with double knots for each rope and the excess cut so it couldn't simply be pulled free. Leaving the man strapped in a kneeling position to the pole unless he woke up and struggled. A chemistry kit was set up on a nearby table as Rippa moved over to the man speaking as he did.

"Test the deer first. If it isn't tainted by chakra or poison I encourage you to cook it. Let it not go to waste. Now then...what have we here?"

With that Rippa would remove his gloves and move over. His hands hovering over the young man as the blood would seem to gradually fade from his skin and clothes into a mist before forming into a thin line of blood like a bubble floating in the air before pouring into a vile. Rippa was a controller of blood and to him moving it from one location to another was simple. He would do that twice. Once with the blood on his head and once with blood dripping from his knuckles. Testing two samples in order to get a set of results from two blood types. With that done he would reach out and place his palm on top of the young mans head before concentrating just a bit. As he did it would feel like warmth would flood into the young mans veins. A deep comforting sensation like a blanket fresh out of the dryer on a cold winter night. His self inflicted damage would seem to fade away and all the pain would fade with it. When Rippa was done after just a second he wouldn't even have a bruise. With that done he moved over to the table and began testing samples on glass sheets under a microscope while he waited for him to awaken from his sword saint induced slumber.

1709

As Taro was being transported from his current location towards the encampment, he was afforded the luxury of a dream. However, the rage inside of him was continuing to flare, and the desire to cause serious harm was still more important to him than his own survival. Fortunately for him, he was in too deep a sleep to move much, and that meant that he wasn't accidentally throwing left hooks at people who vastly dwarfed him when it came to strength. Regardless, in the dream, Taro was continuing his assault of the deer, but his own conscience had made it so that he couldn't remember the whole fiasco of being subdued, no, in this alternative.. he had heard them before they had caught him. The body of Taro spun around like an animal caught in the headlights of a vehicle that hadn't been invented at this point in time, and he felt the surge.. He didn't know how many of them there were, nor did he care. All he cared about was what he could immediately touch.. immediately.. hurt. Taro leaped towards the first shinobi that was in his immediate vision, his hands moving take a hold of either side of his head. The Sword Saint appeared to have forgot his training, likely as Taro had absolutely no knowledge of what kind of training he had been in, and simply stared up into the boy's eyes with some primal instinct that was submissive to his own, something that made him feel even more at place in this scenario.. he looked at him with the most hopeless look a being could muster, and the fear that he was exerting only fed the rage of Taro, before throwing both of his hands forward to catapult the terrified shinobi back into his own ranks.

He'd leap forward towards the shinobi that hadn't been caught by the obvious move, swinging his arms around his form in an uncontrolled, sloppy assault which somehow managed to consistently strike home against his opponents, breaking multiple bones upon contact with their screams of agony comforting him. This.. this was what he needed! Finally, he made his way towards the fallen shinobi, still incapable of picking themselves up from the floor. He could play with these ones.. No.. No he couldn't.. He had to kill them! His hands lifted up above his head for the first blow, and as he was about to swing them down in a brutal hammer fist towards their foreheads, an explosion of blood occurred inside of his dream. He hadn't made contact, and yet he was soaked in the stuff..

Waking up, the boy was startled.. His hands were hovering just a few inches from him, and he had no idea of who this man was, or why he was even here. He felt some sort of.. sensation, almost of a liquid running over his exposed body, and it was at this point he noticed the blood moving into a vial.. was this his blood? He was unsure.. He looked down towards his body himself, and lo and behold he was in fact covered in blood. His heart rate increased, and he knew that he had been subjected to one of his berserk rages once more.. and none the less he was about to pay the price for it. After everything he had done to try and hinder this moment from every occurring, it had finally played it's tune.. The hovering hand of the mysterious male soon started to approach him even more, and his heart started to pump even more viciously. He struggled to try and pat his hand away from his head, to stop the contact from happening, but he was chained down.. he was incapable of moving himself too much, but there was.. one thing he could do.

Taro, opened his mouth in an attempt to instantly dismiss the male's hand from coming into contact with him, speaking rapidly as if to try and gets the words out before the contact happened, "Don't TOUCH me." If the hand was to continue towards his scalp, Taro would slam his head backwards into the pole with as much might as he could muster, likely bruising the back of his skull to some degree, although without enough damage to truly break it open, fortunately for him most likely. He felt powerless in this position, and in all truth, the boy was terrified. If the male was to continue on the intended action, Taro's own hatred of being touched would be combated by the comforting sensation, which only made him loathe it further, making him feel as if he was the one in the wrong for not enjoying the feeling. He'd snarl in retaliation, twisting his head from side to side in an attempt to break up the contact as soon as possible. However, once that entire fiasco was over, he'd look towards the shinobi working on the blood supplies, curious, but not forgiving enough to bother to speak. He was willing to accept his fate.

[842+1188=2030]

Rippa would note the individual begin to stir as he approached him and removed all the blood from his person and clothing. It was interesting to see the person not immediately begin thrashing so much as shift around and get a feel for his bindings. While Rippa did wish that the binds were anything but required he couldn't have an unknown running wild in his camp. To be honest this was somewhat of a mercy. Should he have been free to move about and rushed to attack anyone in the camp the others likely would of put him down on the spot without a second thought. Rippa however was more interested in facts than fear. He wanted to examine the individual and discover if there was a threat or a more personal problem. Still as he moved his hand forward to heal him the young man would shout out his objections if only the be ignored. If there was an injury that could be healed Rippa was fine with being protested while he did what he felt was right. Still in a final objection to him the young man would bang his head hard on the wooden pole with a solid thud. Rippa would sigh and place his hand on the loud mans head anyway while being careful not to limit his movement. He could of clamped down and held him had he wanted but that was not his way when acting like a medic. Still the man would only have to shake his head a couple of times in vain before Rippa was done.

Moving back to the table Rippa would continue to add samples of blood to different liquids and examine the result for a couple more minutes. It was possible that there would be some poison or venom he hadn't the capability of discovering with his current tools but for now he would eliminate known methods of poison. A comfort since the camp was hungry and that deer was good meat. He might have to compensate the young man for the meat though he realized. It was his kill. Still as he continued to work and begin on the chakra infection tests he would speak loudly over his shoulder. The rest of the camp had moved about its daily business and they seemed far enough away for some privacy but Rippa was keeping some distance for the young mans comfort.

"I see you can speak. However loud it may be. Please forgive the bindings but when my men found you, you had just finished bashing in a deers head with your bare hands. I imagine you realize how alarming that is for a standing force to come across expecting hostiles."

He would finish with the chakra tests to find something akin to the Senju chakra from konoha but at the same time with vast differences. Somehow this young man was attuned to the nature around them but not in the same way. Interesting indeed. With a sigh of not knowing the answers he wanted he accepted that he would have to dig a little further before he could accept his camp was safe. With that in mind he would move over near the pole. Stopping about a meter and a half away before flaring his coat out and settling into a cross legged sitting position. His blue eyes looking at the young man at just above eye level with him now and watching him. He hadn't searched the young man for weapons or tools so he was interested in seeing how he might escape from the given situation. Still he spoke again in a calm tone. Remaining calm even with the aura of aggravation flooding off the other.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am captain Chi Rippa and commander of this standing force. Again, I apologize for your current circumstances but if you cooperate I will see about releasing you. Could you perhaps tell me what put you in this maddened state? Is it contagious?"

2381

So it was that the male continued to place his hand on Taro's forehead against his will, forcing the boy to squirm in his meek resistance. There was little he could do about it, and that's what angered him the most about the situation. He didn't want to feel hopeless.. that's not who he was. He didn't live to this age by being a waste of time.. He'd evolved past others.. He should be the predator in this situation and not the prisoner. He felt his rage start to accumulate once more, his primal desire to defend himself.. to put everything he had on the line in order to hurt the man in front of him who had defied his wishes. He'd likely die in the attempt, but the man would know bette- Taro forced himself to bite down on his own tongue as the suicidal attack went through his mind. Attempting to bring himself back to reality, he looked over as the man continued to use his blood for what he could only imagine were tests.. He was being tested on again. He was in a laboratory, and he was being tested on, again. His rage once more spiked and he felt his torso lean forward as if to fight the constraints that were against him, but the rope that was bound around his chest proved too much resistance for him to move at all. Snarling at the complete lack of movement he was offered, he started to become more defensive while in the scenario. His instinct to survive was starting to flourish out of the seed of rage.. He looked around the vicinity of the lab once more to see if there was anything he could use to aid in his escape, but it was of no use. The people that operated in this area must have been rather clean, or perhaps it was this man himself who had removed any debris before his arrival here. With nothing easily within reaching distance of him, which of course, was probably because he could barely move his arms and they were behind his body. He'd have to plunge a kunai into the man's eye.. it seemed the only viable course of action. His eyes stopped looking for a source of escape, but instead to the instrument of his containment. If it wasn't for this medic, he'd be fine.. his men wouldn't have found him, he'd have been able to kill in peace.. Of course, this was all wishful thinking, as if Rippa had not been there, it was highly likely that he'd have still been apprehended, but while in such a situation, crazy thoughts tend to run through the mind.

The male spoke soon after, with a light comment on how loud he had been during his protesting. He was unsure on whether it was supposed to be a joke to lighten the situation, or simply a slight jab at the male who was in a rather bad position to trash talk himself, regardless it didn't sit too well with Taro, but there was nothing he could do about it so he simply sucked it up. He was informed of his shenanigans while he had been.. in the zone. This time, he was fortunate enough for it to only be the casualty of a deer, if he had been caught by these people and he had moved onto.. more similar lifeforms, he doubt he'd even be in this position at all. Rather, he'd likely be killed on the spot due to the nature of the situation, but as he had been informed of the damage he had already caused he decided to go along with it, although he'd have no true idea if that was the truth he was being told, or simply a lie to see if he truly was crazy at that point in time. He considered retaliating to the male with a quick quip, but that'd simply earn him a solid right to the jaw if history was anything to go by. So, continuing to remain silent at this point in time, Taro prodded at the inside of his cheek with his tongue, poking it out slightly before running it around his mouth to see if there were any loose bits of food. Good, there wasn't, he didn't actually try to eat the animal this time.. that meant no worms, which was always a good thing.

The captain of this force continued to work away with little samples of Taro, which only sought to further his anger. He knew, however, that if he was to enter a rage.. he wouldn't be smart enough to evade these restraints. Actually, no, that was a poor choice of words.. he would have evaded them if he had been conscious, or at least that would be the time to.. now would be the time to escape them, and for that, he'd need a clear head. As this thought ran through his mind, the captain turned around and started to approach him. If he got too close, Taro knew he'd headbutt him.. but if he was to get that close.. it'd have to be a rather intimate level.. Thankfully for the boy, he stopped at what Taro could predict was one and a half meters away before moving to his level. Was this a way to try and make the boy feel comfortable around him, as if he was casual and a friend?

Chi Rippa. That was the name of the man that had full control of him, or rather, it was the alias he was using. He was unsure on whether it was his true name, nor did he truly care. If he was to survive the encounter, it was unlikely he'd see the man again, at least with how things had currently gone.. but life was strange, and perhaps he'd grow to forgive the male, although they both owed nothing to each other, at least for now. He inquired about his rage, this complete loss of inhibition and as a result, consciousness. He could admit the truth, and confess about his heritage.. but it was too risky. He didn't want to be poked with needles for the rest of his life so that this man could do the same as the other medic. He continued to poke around his mouth with his tongue, allowing a few seconds to pass before he responded to his line of questioning with what he considered a plausible lie, "I was having difficulty coping with the world and how it is. A war's breaking out, and I'm sure that's why you're here, and I may lose some of my friends. The prospect of that is.. too great for me." He paused after a few seconds, looking down towards the ground. It may seem to the other male that he was showing a moment of sorrow for the war, but in reality he was looking down towards the restraints on himself, or rather, as far as his head would be allowed to given the multitudes of ropes. He opened his mouth once more, continuing, "I resorted to the usage of drugs, usually concoctions in my desperation. I assume that's why I.. bludgeoned a deer, as you so put it. It's my only escape from the grim reality of the world, and that's why I do it so far from the village." Of course, only the latter part was true, but he had learned over time that mixing a bit of truth into a lie made it all the more believable.

The boy looked up from his restraints at this point in time, meeting the rather chilled gaze of Rippa granted that he had not looked away at this point. After a few seconds of deliberation on how to put what he was about to say across, he decided to simply come out with it, "Forgive me, Rippa, but I can not stay in this position no longer. It's.. not too comfortable for me. I'm going to escape these constrictions, and then stand. I will keep my arms behind the pole and holding onto my elbows for your comfort as I am a prisoner after all. I'm telling you this as I don't want you to be alarmed, as my captor, although I'll understand if you seek to harm me for this act, which I doubt my understanding would be of importance anyway." He paused once more while in this position, allowing the male time to either step away or tell him that he wasn't allowed to do this, because after all he was at the mercy of Rippa. If he did not want the boy to escape, Taro would not escape, he knew he was vastly outmatched by him and he was also out-manned, it'd be a death wish and the opposite of survival if he was to continue to go against his wishes. However, he was a medical shinobi, and that told him that he was curious.. hopefully, for the boy, curious enough to see how he'd go about this act.

For the boy, he was fortunate enough during fighting against his bonds that he had noticed his arms were limited in their movements, his hands could still press against each other, and that was all he needed. He performed a short series of hand seals, all the while maintaining eye contact with Rippa in hopes that he'd not see this as an act of ill will, he initiated with the dog, before moving onto the bear into the ram. The intended shape he wanted to take? A rather small log. Given the regular size of the male was rather large, it was fair to assume that the ropes that had bound him would be too stretched out to constrict the log against the pole, and so it'd simply drop onto the pooled snake of rope below it's form, with the shackles clacking against the dirt behind him. After a second or two of this jutsu being held, he'd dispel it. Taro, standing up from his knees on the ropes that had once bound him, continued with his promise. Attacking Rippa was not a smart decision, he could feel the power that radiated from him.. his cool composure alone told him that he didn't consider Taro a threat. He'd follow through with the rest of his promise, if Rippa had been kind enough to grant him the privilege of an attempt, by folding his arms around the pole once he had stood to his full height, his hands locking onto his elbows as to restrict his movement. At least in this position, it was unlikely that he'd be touched again.

[1788+2030=3818]

Jutsu Used:

170-5=165 Chakra

Hmm. Rippa would listen as the young man would begin to explain how the war was effecting him emotionally. He personally didn't condone the use of drugs to get passed those raw emotions but not everyone could throw themselves into training or had their uncles assassins to keep them company. Not that it was always pleasant but perhaps the man was at least responsible in some ways. Not with his own health or safety but he did make his way miles from the village. In some aspects it was a kindness that he would consider others before exposing himself to something that was obviously dangerous. That aside it was a dangerous drug. He would have to be sure his own men stayed clear of anything of the sort for the time being and add it to the list of things to test for. Still that meant the Deer was all set to be cooked up and served. He would nod to the side where someone off in the distance was watching and they would move off to confirm deer for dinner. That aside he moved his attention back to the young man. He wasn't done talking as of yet it would seem.

He would speak in a calmer tone now. Something Rippa could work with. However even with manners he made it clear he was finished with being stuck on the defensive. His own position having him bound and questioned was uncomfortable. Rippa understood but he had to keep himself from smiling. The man hadn't said he would like to be released. Nor insisted on it. He simply stated that it was going to happen and Rippa could do as he would. He figured he couldn't break through all those binds...nor had he heard the sawing or snapping of a Kunai on rope. His ears were very attuned so it was a small thing to hear the subtle bits. Still he would rise from his seat on the ground and move back a little more for his own safety. His style of fighting did not enjoy in your face maneuvers. Some distance starting for him was always best. Not that he suspected the guy would come at him out of no where from such a calm statement but he wasn't one to sit and see. Instead he would watch with curiosity and a little excitement to find out what gave the man such confidence.

Rippa would watch with his arms crossed again as the young man would do something behind his back. Ever so slight of a twitch in the arm here and there would tell him that much. A hidden weapon perhaps? Or maybe...somehow this person was a ... yes! A slight change in the flow of chakra sent an alarm off from the sensory nin in the center of the camp and weapons were grabbed but Rippa simply held up a hand with a symbol for stop and the camp stopped moving and returned to normal. Where the young man had been was now a log with the ropes falling about him. Yes, a shinobi technique. This was more interesting now. Still as he changed back he did as promised and rose to his feet with his elbows interlocked behind him. An action which made Rippa chuckle and clap. He was all the more curious now but still polite. The young man was being sensible now so he might as well be more of a host than a captor. He preferred that anyway. Should this all be a ruse to get close to him Rippa would deal with it then but until that happened he wanted to talk. So he reached down and pulled two seat pillows from under the table and tossed one to the young man expecting him to instinctively release his elbows and catch it before he set his own down and sat on it.

"I suppose chakra restraints would of been wise. We underestimated you. Please have a seat and get comfortable or stand if you prefer. I am eager to learn your name and how you came about knowing that technique."

3075

Rippa had elected to take a few paces away from Taro before his attempted escape, and that told quite a lot about the man which Taro would keep in mind for the rest of the encounter. He felt more comfortable at a distance, and so in all likelihood, was more of a ranged fighter, who of course was interested in medical arts. Cautious, calm, and collected. This would likely be the fundamental core for Rippa, at least in Taro's head. He caught sight of the captain looking towards his arms, and with his hands behind his back he knew that unless he had some optical advantage, he couldn't truly see what he was doing behind there.. but he seemed like he had picked up on something. He was astute, there was no doubt about that. If Taro was to assault him, he'd simply find himself left broken and bewildered under the man's boot.

Of course, when Taro noticed others had picked up weapons in retaliation for his act, he caught on soon after. Rippa obviously knew what he was doing, but was condoning the act for now, that much alone was proved shortly after by his gesture towards his men, causing them to return to their daily activities. He failed to show any sign of concern for the others and their aggression, following with the rest of his performance. With himself once more in the position of a hostage, he watched Rippa chuckle and clap at his shenanigans, so perhaps things would be more.. friendly. Rippa soon produced a pair of pillows, throwing one towards Taro. This made him wonder whether it was a test or not, and due to his inherent nature, he allowed the pillow to hit him in the gut. It soon produced a soft thud on the ground when it hit, and then Rippa started to speak. Perhaps it was a peace offering after all, to ease the tensions between the two. Nodding his head in thanks for the opportunity, he crouched down and shifted the pillow forward slightly before pressing his knees down into the soft fabric, resting in that position. He spoke plainly once more, not shifting his gaze from Rippa, "My name is Taro." Of course, that was the easy part to get off your chest, but how exactly do you say you didn't learn the technique at an academy like others.. that you were taught the technique while you were in a laboratory with your family? Or at least, the people who claimed to be so. With that in mind, he answered quite coldly, and almost too bluntly, "I learned that technique in that Academy, just like everyone else." Taro would likely remain distant if questions pertaining to his past were asked about, or perhaps he would trip over on one of his lies to expose the truth of the situation.

Taro shifted his hands down from his sides towards his knees, resting them there. A few moments would pass before he'd speak out once more himself, "What was it that you did to me while I was chained? I recall seeing blood float from me.." He didn't want to think too much into the situation due to the nature of what happened to prisoners, but he couldn't restrain his curiosity regarding the queer event that had unfolded. Perhaps it had simply been his mind playing tricks on him, after all, he did take a hit to the head.

[580+3818=4398]

Rippa would watch the pillow simply bounce off the boys gut and raise an eyebrow before he understood. The young man was still being cautious about his surrounding environment. Not a very trusting young man even to Kiri's allies but there was some reasoning behind that. Still suddenly a thought struck Rippa as Taro would take a kneeling seat and he would let his smile look a little sadder at having noticed the flaw in the young mans reasoning. According to the individual he had been under the influence of drugs which had caused the scene in which they found him. However Rippa had realized he had tested the blood and hadn't come up with abnormalities. While it was possible he just didn't have the means to detect a foreign chemical he had never seen before in the blood there still would of been some shift in the nature of it. A taint in it if one would. The idea of a drug having no trace in the blood stream but having that heavy of an effect was something Rippa doubted very much. He had wanted to trust this young man a little and get to know him. However now he suspected lies. He hated thinking so poorly of others but life was harsh. Something he had been forced to learn a couple of times the hard way.

Still he Would shift into his own kneeling seat and sit on his feet with his own guard up a little more. His shoulders just a little more set but still he remained calm. There was nothing to gain from interrogating the individual if he refused to acknowledge his own situation entirely. Such a stubborn young man would only set his teeth and growl at any attempts and Rippa did not condone torture anyway. Still he himself was an honest man and would wait for a moment before the young man would introduce himself and claim to have learned the techniques from the academy. Even this Rippa doubted as there was no headband and he was too gifted at it to have been a drop out. Rippa would breath in deeply through his nose as he contemplated what to do before an inquiry was made of what he had done with the blood. It was almost an accusation that Rippa may have done something untoward to the young man but still Rippa would respond as if it was just a normal thing for him to be inquired of such. As it was when most genin met him since his branch of the clan avoided combat as much as possible. Safety reasons.

"Ahh. Being from another country it is understandable you have not heard of the Chi clan of Konoha. My clan's males have the possibility to be granted the gift or curse depending on how one lives their life of our Kenkai Genkai. Being one of them I have the ability to manipulate external blood and create it from chakra. As well as my own internal blood with some more risk. I simply removed the blood from you like so"

Rippa would focus some chakra and shift his hand before the test tubes would shift and blood would flow out of them before forming into tiny stallions galloping across the ground before fading into it and returning into the ground. Not even leaving a red mark as it would supply the plant life with nutrients it would need once the camp left to repair itself. With that done he would look to Taro with Blue eyes and both asked him not to lie and suggested it would be unwise. His voice never changing.

"You are free to go as you see fit Taro. I don't think you wish to be a threat to us or the village. I urge you to partake of the deer meat as it was your kill before you go. That said, in the future do not claim use of drugs as a reasonable excuse to someone who has just tested your blood. No drug leaves the blood stream so quickly and even drugs with no scent or taste taint blood in some way for a time. I will not pressure you for the truth but do keep that in mind?"

3793

Cautious as ever, Taro was unsure on what was about to unfold between the two of them. It was strange for anybody to unbind their prisoner, even stranger still to offer them a pillow for comfort. Wary of his intentions, he kept his eyes focused on the male and attempted to discern his mood from his posture, but he was unable to do so. He was appearing incredibly.. relaxed. He moved his hands along his thighs for a moment, keeping his gaze on the male before briefly feeling the fabric of his ninja pouch. They had allowed him to keep it on him, which was certainly interesting.. Either they didn't consider him a true threat or they had done a lackluster job of securing him, but if that was the case why had he been chained so thoroughly to the pole.. Unsure on what was truly going on, he looked around once more to see if any of the others were in distinct vision, perhaps it was some ploy to make the boy assault Rippa so that they could claim a body to play with for sport. He knew that's how some groups functioned, and these could easily be within the ranks of some sort of mercenary corps.

In response to the boy's question Rippa provided Taro with some insight to his clan, and how their abilities seemed to fluctuate dependent on the path they wished to take. It was interesting to say the least, but what was more so was that he was actually capable of manipulating blood. Thankfully for the boy, from what he said, he was unable to manipulate the blood inside of Taro, but of course even if he could he would never disclose that information to a potential opponent, it'd simply be a silly move. He watched the small show that was being put on for him, and that alone showed that his prowess with blood was true.. and not merely words. It was a strange power to have, and surely it would put others on edge, but when a monster encounters a creature with the abilities of one, especially that were being used for good, there was little fear between either of them. In fact, perhaps a bit of excitement was brought into Taro from the gesture, although he didn't show it clearly on his features.

Taro was granted permission to leave the encampment he had been a prisoner of for less than an hour, and perhaps it would all be over for him. The lie pas- Well, that hope was dashed soon after the thought ran through his mind. His blood, ironically, had betrayed him to the blood user. Taro was unaware himself on why the male had let him go if he simply told a lie directly to him. Did he want to see the boy snap in front of his eyes? Was this his way of trying to get to the cause of his rage? He started to feel as if he had been played with the entire time, but he stood up from the pillow with the permission he had received, leaning forward slightly in some sort of half concerned bow to properly show his manners. Taro wouldn't speak about his clan unless the man asked for it at this point, as as far as he was concerned, he was safe out of the woods.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Rippa. I hope that one day we'll meet again, and we'll have both developed greatly. I wish you fortune during the war." He'd turn away after a short while unless any further questions were made, making his way through the camp towards the deer that was likely being spit roasted.

[622+4398=5020WC]

Rippa would watch him with an interested eye for a moment to realize that Rippa was not the dullest nail in the shed. While it had taken him a moment to realize the facts laid out right in front of him he was also adequately distracted with the whole war going on. Still he had caught it in time to say something about it which would satisfy his pride for the time being. Still he would watch the young man begin to rise and follow suit. Managing to get to his feet as the young man sort of bowed and would bow his head respectfully in return. They had elected to skip honorifics so this was a bit of a pleasant surprise but not one he would of expected from the young man. The young man would claim it had been a pleasure meeting him and express hope to see each other again before wishing him luck. Rippa would smile warmly before replying with a simple "You as well Mr. Taro. I hope you find peace." He still wasn't sure what had led to the outburst but he was fine with letting the young man go for the time being.  

As soon as the boy went to collect some roasted deer a couple of men would come and begin cleaning up. The chemistry kit would be cleaned and stored while the pillows would be returned to their original position. Rippa would ignore this for the time being as he moved back to the edge of his tent and raised his right arm to rest up against the tent corner pole and lean on it. Watching the young man for a moment as he contemplated his decisions. He had no right to hold the boy and was not about to keep a possible shinobi of Kirigakure prisoner. Likely someone around chunnin or even genin level considering how they had brought him in. Still it bothered him how closely his chakra resembled a Senju. Rippa had never been near a sage in sage mode so he hadn't ever felt the odd chakra that came from them so he couldn't know the truth but nature chakra was something the Senju tapped into in a way. He would have to study that a little later himself when he had time. For now he would shift his head to look to his left as one of the squad commanders approached him. Speaking plainly as was common for them. "Do you think it wise to let him go with so few answers?" Rippa would raise an eyebrow and the man would add a quick "Captain" onto the end of that before Rippa would sigh and shake his head. Speaking in return.

"I don't like having so few answers but we can't risk imprisoning someone who hasn't committed any actual crimes in front of us. For now have our sensory nin memorize his chakra signature and send a request for information with the name Taro and his description to the village. They might know more. Especially if he is one of theirs. On the off chance he isn't and they don't have information, have a squad follow him for a day. Keep at the edge of your sensory range and do not engage unless engaged. Learn what you can and report back to me."

It felt rude to stalk the poor guy but Rippa had a duty to follow. Taro did not appear to be someone you could press for information. If one pressed hard they would simply find more resistance. Perhaps Taro would grow on him in time if they were to meet again but Rippa felt it more likely his camp would be avoided. Still the squad commander would bow to him before heading out to prepare a squad with new orders and spread the word to the sensory nin on a hush hush level. Rippa would stroke the stubble on his chin before sighing and moving over to his table. Looking over reports and paperwork again. What an odd way to start the day.

Exit thread
4481
2450/2450 Reaction time A-1 to A-3
1150/1150 perception A-1 to A-2

881 discarded

The last words he heard from the man caused him to pause for a moment. He wished for Taro to find peace? Unfamiliar with signs of compassion for others, he'd soon shrug it off as the male attempting to get into his head despite it likely not being anything of the sort. As he pushed through the camp, he kept his head level and his eyes steady, watching the shinobi that surrounded him. Most of them seemed too busy to even acknowledge him, although the few that did exchange glances with him didn't appear to be thrilled with his appearance in the camp, nor his early departure. His main priority at the moment was to leave the camp and gain as much ground from it as he could, but that goal was currently being faltered by the man's growling gut. It appeared that entering a rage and then being knocked out was quite the appetite builder, and so he soon came upon the deer that was slowly being turned over on a campfire. Taro caught eyes with the male that was operating the contraption, then nodded his head towards the roasting corpse before stepping towards it, "I'm taking a leg." Taro stated bluntly, picking up the carving knife that had been provided by the male, who continued to keep his eyes on the boy. He moved the sharp metal into the inner thigh of the deer, with his free hand grabbing onto the exposed bone from where the hoof of the creature had once been. After a few seconds of twisting the leg and pushing the blade down into the flesh, he separated the limb from the animal and dropped the knife onto the ground.

Walking out from the fortified camp, he made a mental note of the wooden spikes that were being erected outside of it. Did they expect someone to take a horse into this camp? The notion was amusing, but it was an understandable concern, and clearly Rippa was not one to leave anything unaccounted for. Yet he had allowed the boy to leave without any countermeasures, or at least, as far as he knew. Shrugging the thought from his mind, he lifted the meat up to his mouth finally, digging his teeth into the roasted flesh. Taking the juice and meat into his mouth, he savored it for a moment before chewing it down into a mush that he could adequately swallow. He walked back through the forest, this time following the unique trees that he found familiar to find his way back into the village. He'd finished his rage, and now he would be fine for a few more days if he was lucky. Perhaps he would even find himself unable to enter the rage for an entire week due to the situation he had just found himself in, but of course, that would just be wishful thinking for the male. With his feet trudging across the earth, all he could think about on his return was how close that encounter had been. He cared little for the repercussions that would follow, as were likely to happen given the situation he had found himself in. Perhaps he'd go for a walk one day and find the man standing outside a store he happened to visit that day.. only time would tell when they'd encounter one another next, if they were to at all.

[Exit]

[569+5020=5589

Strength E-2>D-2 1250 WC 75 ryo
Speed E>D-1 1075 WC 25 ryo
Endurance E>D-1 1075 WC 25 ryo
Perception E>D-1 1075 WC 25 ryo
Reaction Time E>D-1 1075 WC 25 ryo

39 WC lost]