Checkpoint 1, Search Begins[Open]

[Hop]

Jaden moved down the desolate land. This land was such a huge environmental change from his homeland, it somewhat made it uncomfortable for him to tread on. He felt like he was walking into enemy hands. Sure, the war had ended, but there was still one in his head. He remembered every grueling moment of that war that he was apart of. The goal to finish his mental battle never left his head.

On a quest to get vengeance, he found himself in his first country. He was sure there was a ninja village here, the countries containing them seemed to be all that was left of this pathetic world. After seeing if this was the village he targeted, he would decide what to do next. He'd most likely need a world map if he needed to continue this journey.

The setting was emitted a rather saddening feeling. Nothing but rocks as far as the eye could see. The are more on the dark side as the sky was full of clouds, creating massive shade as in the warm afternoon climate. Not exactly comfortable for his battle-ready clothes, but nothing to fret over.

All that was left was to find life. Someone he could question.

[Nhb]

– enter

SPOILER: Click to show

Client's Name: Shodaime Tsuchikage Kaguya Kira
Client's Occupation: Shinobi
Mission Rank: C
Payment for completion: 1,000 Ryo + 50 EXP
Mission Subject: We need you troops! The border is only partially covered by the Samurai protectors for now, so we need you to patrol the areas not covered, which should last an entire morning or afternoon depending on when you set out. You will be given enough food and supplies to last you the afternoon, anything more you wish to bring will be your own things and will not come from the village.
Special Requests: Although I would prefer this be done in teams, you may do this solo, if I see you as fit to do so. It's a C-rank so we're not expecting too much trouble.
Notes: Look out for squirrels

Tsuchi No Kuni; a horrible land, hot and deserted to many, but calm & soothing like the calmest of rivers to me. The fortitude of Iwagakure had been my home for as long as I could remember, and the lands surrounding it – my backyard.

I had traversed these lands many a times, so the dirt and gravel beneath my feet wasn't anything unusual. To say the least, it felt to me as the grass of shinobi Konoha felt to them. Fortunately, yet very rare, the sun was barely shining, the melancholy existence of grey clouds littered the sky above. Despite them blocking the sun, it was still quite warm; it rarely ever rained in the lands of Tsuchi, but the appearance of the clouds caused my mind to consider the possibility. I prayed to myself that it wouldn't, but it would be a welcomed if it did – it would be a change, to say the least.

The bottom of my kimono traveled loosely behind me, like a dog to its' master. Skin-tight in its nature, it provided me the ideal mobility in combat. An ebony mane dropped from the tip of my crown, descending toward mid-back; it was fashioned in dreaded locks, heavy enough to withstand the might of a breeze, yet light enough to avoid being bothersome. My blade was fastened to my left side, just under the kimono, barely visible by normal means. It was a chokuto– my blade of choice, and a most trusted ally.

The clouds above hinted me that something was astray in the land, or someone didn't belong. As such, I carried all the tools of my trade:kunai, shuriken, tags, ect.

As I patrolled, I could see a man walking in the distance. There was something off about him; the way he walked told me he wasn't a native. Directly ahead of me, about thirty meters or so, he as bound to run in to me in due time. I was perched upon a small rock formation, 10 meters from the base of the ground. Looking through my tracker, I could see the man wore no headband– a traveler? Merchant ? Perhaps the enemy in a guise; whoever he were, it wouldn't be revealed until he got closer.

I sat atop the rock, calm as a Sage, visor over my eyes, and waited.

[/i]

SPOILER: Click to show

Kunai (Throwing Knife) [ 1 Pack | 2 ]
Rank: D
Type: Secondary / Melee + Ranged
Special: 2 per Pack.
Description: This throwing knife is one of the common weapons of a ninja. It is often kept in a holster on the leg in a pouch attached to the belt. What makes it so versatile and universal is the fact the Kunai can be used in conjunction with explosive tags and other weapons to form deadly combos out of simple, easily accessible items.
Cost: 100 Ryo per Pack

Shuriken (Ninja Star) [ 1 Pack | 5 ]
Rank: D
Type: Secondary / Ranged
Special: 5 per Pack.
Description: A shuriken, like kunai, is one of the more basic weapons employed by ninja of all classes. They are sharpened, four-pronged metal stars, no more than a few inches long, and are extremely useful for throwing. Although small, they can be used to distract, or, if accurate enough, to kill. They have an open circle in the center, used for grabbing with a finger, to avoid cutting oneself, or to put thread through. The circle is also a benefit in aerodynamics, as it ensures more accurate trajectories.
Cost: 100 Ryo per Pack

Kakkou (Retractable Wrist Blade) [ 1 Pack | 1 ]
Rank: C
Type: Secondary / Melee
Special: 1 per Pack.
Description: As its name implies, the user equips these retractable wrist blades so that the attach to their forearm without risking exposure. These blades can spring forth when needed to surprise any opponent fought in hand to hand combat.
Cost: 500 Ryo per Pack

Exploding Note [ 1 Pack | 10 ]
Rank: D
Type: Tool / Area of Effect
Range: 0 - 5 meters
Special: 10 per pack
Description: The exploding note is a piece of parchment paper infused with special chakra, layered over with a special script on it that serves to enable and facilitate its explosive properties. Its execution is simple - the ninja can attach the note to another object such as a kunai or log, and upon activation, the note is set and begins either a slow countdown burn, which eventually results in a large explosion, or the explosion in itself upon command.
Cost: 500 per Pack

Hikari (Light Bomb) [ 1 Pack | 1 ]
Rank: C
Type: Tool / Area of Effect
Range: 0 - 10 meters
Special: 1 per pack
Description: Flash Bombs are supplementary explodables used mainly for diversions, creating a blinding light when they detonate that spreads quickly across a small area. Flash Bombs come in many shapes and sizes depending by region; some may look like small spheres wrapped in paper or, more conventionally, as cylindrical canisters.
Cost: 500 per Pack

[Hop]

[OOC: Just letting you know you don't have to mention your weapons at the beginning on this site lol]

The cloudy day did nothing but worsen Jaden's attitude as this country seemed more like a ghost town. Did no one live here? This was his first thought, but he reaffirmed himself as he remembered that he hadn't searched the whole country yet. Or maybe he hasn't spotted it yet. It is a hidden village after all. Though it wouldn't be too hard to find someone who strayed away from the village, it would just take time before one of the two presented itself.

Not too long after that thought before a point poked out of the horizon. A rock, large one too. Something stood out about this setting. Clearly he hadn't seen a big rock for a while, though that wasn't something to cause alarm. No, a person, or at least something different from the rock used it as a perch. Taking the risk of getting closer was unnecessary and foolish. He had a better idea.

His albino eyes surrounded themselves with bulging veins, his Byakugan activated. Stretching out a distance of 50 meters, this rock well within that range. Seeing practically everywhere, he observed that rock to be the only obstruction for the distance he could see, and there being only one thing in this area that had chakra flow as well. He picked up on the presence, the chakra flow of the person sticking out like a patch snow in this land. It was human, or possibly animal, though that seemed less likely. Taking more precautions, he grabbed his tracker from his pack, strapping it to his eye, gaining a superior view on top of his already mighty vision.

The distance between him and the man was thirty meters, and he could somewhat define this man. A headband! That was the discerning feature that triggered his interest most. The most important, in his matter. He also noticed an eyepiece of a similar model on this shinobi. They were watching each other. I should find a safe place, but then again, there is no safe place here. Anyways, if he wanted me dead I'd probably be gone by now. Releasing his hand from the piece, it safely strapped on his head, he prepared for anything, as he spoke in a loud voice, surely capable of the man hearing him. "Hey! I need a favor, got a minute?!"

The response rather odd, especially for a man that he never met. But for someone like Jaden clearly had the right. Plus he couldn't go straight to the question, he needed to know if the man was peaceful enough for him to approach.

SPOILER: Click to show

Byakugan (All Seeing White Eye)
Special: When first unlocked, the Hyuuga may see up to 50 meters 359 degrees all around them.
Description: As its name implies, the Byakugan is just that, a featureless white eye that can occasioanlly posses hints of blue-gray and lavender, respectively. When the Byakugan is activated, the user's pupils become more distinct, and the veins near their temples bulge, representing the sudden chakra activation that makes the doujutsu possible. All members of the clan possess and can use the kekkei genkai from birth, as opposed to needing to awaken it. Byakugan gives the user a near 360º field of vision, except for one blind spot at the back of the neck above the third thoracic vertebra. With this vision, the Hyuuga can see through solid objects, and can use a degree of telescopic sight. The distance and the degree of telescopic sight varies from person to person, and can be improved. Finally, one of the greatest uses of the Byakugan is the ability to see chakra, chakra flow as well as the chakra circulation system inside the body with great detail. It is from this particular ability that they are able to employ their ultimate attack style - the Gentle Fist.
Domain: Hyuuga.

SPOILER: Click to show

Tracker
Rank: C
Type: Accessory / Self
Special: Has a range up to 1000 yards.
Description: Similar to the communication's device in ease and effectiveness, the range finder can function both as binoculars and as a means to measure the distance to a target. snug and sleek, it fits across only one eye, and has a see-through lens that establishes visual information. With a durable carapace, it is designed to withstand water damage and even the pressure of extreme altitudes.
Cost: 3,000 Ryo per Tracker

[Nhb]

OOC: thanks for filling me in, lol

Normally, the distance between us would have done well to render my sight useless, but thanks to the technology strapped to my eye I was able to see with ease. First thing I noticed about this man was his size; he was tall and bulky with muscles that looked harder than the rock I stood on. They were easily visible through the skin-tight clothes he wore; his figure was menacing, but those empty egg-white eyes were what interested me most. A Hyuuga, eh? I had never been fortunate enough to see one in person-- no, but I had heard stories of them and those accursed eyes-- they were almost, if not as dangerous as the ones I possessed.

I watched on, and took note of the tracker on his eyes. It baffled me why he would have such a device when he was birthed with eyes that could see so much, but then again, there had to be limit to what those eyes could see. The man stopped when he saw me, a precaution I figured. I wanted to smile at the jester, but a shinobi should never show emotion toward the unknown.

He spoke from the distance, practically yelling for me to hear him. Why speak from so far when we could talk face to face? With a hand, I jestered for him to proceed, to come closer– he may have been wary of the suggestion, but as long as he was here on a peaceful trip I had no intention of attacking. He was trespassing on Iwagakure ground, however, and by the looks of it he wasn't a merchant. All I needed was justification and he could be on his way. Besides, even if I were planning something, he would surely be able to see through the use of his Doujutsu.

I ignored his question for the sake of limiting the yelling, and instead spewed words of my own.

"Are we really going to conversate from this distance, or you going to come closer so I can hear you?"

[Hop]

No malevolent reactions. A good sign, though this didn't ease his tensions, and not only because he was a tense man. He planned on getting information he needed out of this man, chances were his reaction would not be pleasant. Ready for the worst, he glanced to the dagger strapped on the side of his right thigh, holstered and easy to grab. A small bit of acknowledgement, not enough to tip of the other man that he had any will to use it. The person seemed humane, gesturing for Jaden to come closer, soon after shouting to insist the same idea.

Removing his tracker and putting it back in his bag, he decided there wouldn't be much more harm in doing so. He began to move, at a decent rate. He felt a little awkward in the silence that would follow in the time it would take for him to walk over. Stopping when he was a distance of ten meters from the base of the rock, he eyed the man once more. His facial expression showed no violence, but also didn't appear very friendly. Neutral.

"All I ask is to see your headband sir." Spoken firmly, though not stated like a question, more of a demand. He had already lost precious time simply by having to move closer due to the man having issues hearing. Answers were all he wanted. It was the shinobi's choice to say no, though it wouldn't settle too well with Jaden.

SPOILER: Click to show

Byakugan Still Activated

[Nhb]

Much to my liking, the man proceeded, closing the distance between us. I let out a sigh as he approached, thankful that he could fathom what made sense and what didn't. Continuing to yell would've irritated me, and not being able to identify him would have forced me to kill him.

He spoke once he arrived, although he seemed to be confused in the position he played. His request wasn't anything drastic– he merely asked to see my identification as a shinobi– yet his tone spoke volumes of supremacy. The only supremacy that existed in my life was that of the Kage and the village, not from some vagabond traversing the lands. I was tasked with patrolling the lands around my home, and if I needed to eliminate someone to keep the village safe I would without hesitation. He was already knee deep in unfamiliar territory with unfamiliar enemies; did he really think he would escape this wasteland without guidance?

Surely not; behind my visor, onyx occuli transitioned seamlessly into crimson pools.

His intrusions hadn't gone unnoticed, but I was both a shinobi and diplomat in nature, and as such I had learned to pardon certain things. In response to his request, my left hand entered the crevice in my kimono, not only revealing the chokuto strapped to my side, but also allowing me to pull out my headband– the symbol of Iwagakure carved intricately upon its' design. I fastened it around my wrist and outstretched so the man could see clearly. I watched the man closely, waiting for any type of reaction.

"Now ; May I ask who you are, and what is your business in the land of Earth?"

My questions were rather straight-forward, no ill-will hidden within, yet they pressed forth for answers– I still had a whole country side to attend to.

SPOILER: Click to show

1st Tomoe
Rank: C
Type: Doujutsu / Supplementary / Special Bloodline Technique
Range: Eyesight
Chakra: Mid
Special: Pierces Genjutsu (illusion sensing) and Taijutsu (movement reading) 'C' rank and under. For avoiding incoming attacks, the Uchiha's speed and agility will greatly control whether they can move to avoid it.
Description: The very first form of the Sharingan, once its true powers are unlocked. With only one tomoe, the eye itself is still very immature and lacking in any of its real powers, but it can nonetheless excell much more than any normal human eye can in battle. At this stage, the Uchiha begins to see the truth behind illusions, as well as gain a brief understanding of whatever movements are coming at them.

[Hop]

The simplicity this man contained in the whole transaction impressed Jaden. Perhaps that was just something common in shinobi, hopefully not. He needed predictable weaknesses to make info gathering easier. Sadly that was most likely unattainable. He sighed to this thought, the same sigh intended for the fact that his intentions of seeing the headband were misunderstood. Either that or the distance between the two were neglected, as he couldn't confirm the symbol on the headband.

Quickly reaching again for his tracker, not expecting to need it once more, he used the eyepiece to examine the accessory more better. It was definitely resembled the headband he remembered that day, that lone fact enough to make him shudder in fear. Yet he knew this was not the same symbol those bastards bore. Whoever this person was, he was not of the same village as those people. One more sigh let out, this time in disappointment, as he once again placed his tracker back in his bag.

Another idea hit him. Is he of this country's shinobi village? He realized. If he was not, his search was not done, and he would be forced to continue in search of another shinobi, a task he did not want to perform. Alas, he knew he must find out. His attempt to speak interrupted by the boy's own question. While it annoyed him to have to bother with others whims, he couldn't blame him for asking such an important question. Besides, it'd allow him to counter with his own.

"I am Jaden, of the prestigious Hyuuga clan, you may wish to note." A small smirk as he attempted to include his honorary position to the man. "As for my purpose. Well, let's just say..." He hesitated, not wishing to say something to cause suspicion in the shinobi. "I'm gathering info, simple enough. Along with that I wish to find a map of sorts. Though now I ask you, are you native to this land? Do you serve as a shinobi to this country?" A simple question, appearing irrelevant but very important to Jaden. Perhaps if he did belong to this country's hidden village, he could persuade him to help him further.

SPOILER: Click to show

Byakugan Active
Tracker Used

[Nhb]

"I am a shinobi of the Earth country; this land is my home", I replied.

My skill with those accursed eyes of mine wasn't that great, and I couldn't quite read the man's body language like I wanted to. No, instead I had to rely on intuition and instincts. I was however, skilled enough with my vision to note the annoyed gestures his body revealed in response to my question. It seemed he had a bit of a problem dealing with other people; a bad trait, but he seemed to be cooperative enough.

As he spoke, I listened, intently.

I pondered on the things he asked for: a map and information. I could do little in terms of helping him gain the information-- even if I could help further the chances would be very low. I could however, point the man in the right direction to find a map. My profession as a shinobi prohibited me from showing him the location of the village, but the capital held no such restrictions.

"There is little I can do in terms of getting you information, but I can show you to the capital where you can find all sorts of shops-- preferably one with a shop", I said, the statement in part being a question.

I would wait for him to respond before proceeding-- that was the best I could do.

[Hop]

Something about the look on the man's face irritated Jaden. It was a look that picked away at his person somewhat. He felt like his person was being observed, not looked at. Perhaps just a passing thought, he wouldn't worry about it. This man was obliging to everything asked, there was no reason to start a fight over such a tedious thought.

The teen's first response informed Jaden that this person was familiar with the land, at least more than he was. Truly useful, he could see if that could come to his advantage in any way. A tiny smirk to the idea, this man could be exploitable. He wouldn't attempt anything right away, mainly as he sounded kind, kinder than he was.

Offering to show him to the capitol, which was a confusing term. Was he referring to the village? He would be grateful for such an offer, though he had to come to terms with his setbacks. He had no money. If he took him somewhere that only offered things to sell but nothing for money-making opportunities, what could he gain from that? Being honest, his look turning to more of a disappointment from the thought, he asked, "This capitol... Do you mean the hidden village? Regardless, does this place have any means of quick money to make, as I would be in need of that."

[Hop]

[OOC: Sorry, this thread's going too slow for me, we can rp again if your just busy lately, but for now I'm out.]

[◤ velocissimo ⊿]

+44 -- Hop
+31 -- Other dude