[attr="class","pwfbody"] Yousei couldn't help but laugh as her fist suddenly stopped mere inches from Mai's chest, the girl's hands just barely managing to hold back the redhead's arm from either side. She'd caught it! She'd actually caught it! The fairy could hardly contain herself; she hadn't had this much fun in ages! [break][break]
"I invented it myself!" She exclaimed proudly, as the Aburame questioned the origins of her taijutsu. "It's a style focused on relaxing the body, that works equally well for both attack and defense. I call it Kouyou no Mai!" It was a bit of a rushed explanation, but they were still in the middle of a fight, after all. [break][break]
"Aw, thanks Maimai!" That comment about being jounin material meant more to Yousei than Mai probably realized. Ever since her promotion, most of the other jounin in the Sound Village had been treating her like a pariah. They didn't think she deserved her spot; because she was too young, or because she didn't have enough experience, or because she wasn't cut out to be a leader. So hearing Mai say she had what it took really hit home with her. [break][break]
"Sorry about this, by the way!" She suddenly exclaimed, though it wasn't immediately obvious what she was talking about. "I'll try not to break anything, but you might be a little sore tomorrow!" [break][break]
Mai wouldn't have much time to digest the gravity of those words, as Yousei immediately shifted gears back to the battle at hand. Flowing with all the swiftness of a summer breeze, she turned herself sideways, stepping even further into Mai as her arm easily twisted free from the girl's already tenuous grasp, before converting into a hyper relaxed elbow strike to her abdomen, all in the same fluid motion. [break][break]
While the Ame jounin had some truly impressive defense, there was almost no chance that she'd be able to defend against this one in time; and with Yousei's elbow packed with that same last-second explosive power as her previous punch, this promised to be a momentous blow. [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] Yousei had been expecting this, of course; with no targets left for her young student to practice on, the only real "target" he could turn to was her. An impish grin crossed her face as Ryota began his approach, the samurai not budging an inch as she eagerly awaited his attack, elated to see how much he'd progress this time. But how would she defend? That was an excellent question, wasn't it? She had so many options: dodging at a hair's breadth, drawing her own blade to block or parry... [break][break]
Ah, of course! Yousei's grin grew even wider as it hit her. She could use that technique, dun dun dunnnnn; she'd been looking for an opportunity to test it, after all, and she was out here to train too, right? So why not! Nothing saying this lesson couldn't be productive for both of them. [break][break]
As the chuunin finally loosed his blade, Yousei watched his every movement with pointed interest. He was still tensing up a bit, still hesitating ever so slightly, but it was a marked improvement over his last attempt! She could feel the pride bubbling up in her chest; who knew her student would be such a fast learner? At this rate, he was going to have the basics down in no time. [break][break]
And that's about when his blade stopped moving. [break][break]
Ara? That was weird, wasn't it? Yousei was still standing in the same spot, her sword was still sheathed...so how had she stopped Ryota's attack? Oh, look at that! Her hand was in the way, whoops. Silly Yousei, how had that gotten there? Wait, her hand? Hold on a second. But yes, it was true! Yousei had actually stopped his blade with her bare hand; or at least, bare if you weren't counting the aura of dense, white chakra that she'd moulded around it to absorb the impact. [break][break]
She'd been experimenting a lot with shape transformation lately, and she was beginning to look into other applications of the skill beyond simply combining it with her kenjutsu. This blade intercepting technique had been one such attempt, and much to her delight (and the delight of her not-decapitated hand) it appeared to be a success! It was still a little rough around the edges, mind you, but she felt like she was definitely getting somewhere with this. [break][break]
"You're doing great!" She replied, returning Ryota's smile in kind as she let go of his sword and allowed the chakra around her hand to dissipate. "And just look at that smile! You're totally getting into it now; make sure you remember that feeling. The more you relax, the less you'll hesitate." This whole teaching thing was turning out to be a lot more fun than she'd expected. [break][break]
"Feel like giving it another shot? Don't worry about me, just go for it!" [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "Oho...?" Yousei murmured under her breath, as she allowed herself to be drawn completely into Mai's defensive. Her eyes were practically sparkling as the younger girl intercepted her attack, drinking in her every movement like a rare, vintage wine. Not that Yousei actually drank, mind you. Oh god, could you imagine? The world wasn't ready for drunk fairies. [break][break]
Anyway... [break][break]
Stumbling forward a bit as she was thrown off balance, Yousei quickly got her feet under her again, before spinning around to face her new friend with the sort of glowing smile that could make clouds part on a rainy day. "A style that waits to react and uses the opponent's strength against them by redirecting their momentum; it's just like Aikido!" It seemed as though that one punch had given her all the information she'd needed to correctly deduce the Aburame's fighting style. [break][break]
"I always thought Aikido was meant more for competition sports though; I've never seen someone use it in actual combat before! Very cool stuff, Maimai!" Thus was Mai showered with the Cinnamon Roll's praise, truly the highest of honors indeed. I mean this stuff was so sweet, you could practically taste the icing. [break][break]
"I guess I should get serious, then..." She chuckled impishly, her entire stance completely changing as she got ready to break out the good stuff. "Gotta say though, I think you might've caught a bad matchup this time. Can you guess what kind of style I use?" Letting that question hang in the air with a devious grin, Yousei proceeded to take a slow, deep breath...and just like that. all her tension began to evaporate, expelled alongside her exhalation. It wouldn't take Mai long to realize that whatever style Yousei was using, it was nothing like any other school of taijutsu. [break][break]
Finally prepared, a wicked glint flashed across her eyes for the briefest of moments, and in that instant she immediately took off towards her opponent once again, but this time something was different; her movements were more relaxed, more controlled, and as soon as she got close to Mai she suddenly killed her momentum altogether, stopping just short of her and leaving the Aikido practitioner with nothing to redirect. Then, she deliberately stepped in on the girl before she could step in on her, crowding her guard in order to limit her range of motion. [break][break]
What followed next was simple, but also far more complex than it appeared. On the surface, it probably looked like just another ordinary punch aimed at slipping past Mai's guard and striking her solar plexus, but something wasn't quite right. For some reason, Yousei's striking arm seemed to have practically no tension behind it whatsoever.[break][break]
It probably wouldn't make any sense at first, but the principle behind it was actually fairly straightforward: by keeping her muscles completely relaxed until the moment of impact, she could significantly amplify the explosive force behind her strikes, making her already deceptive strength even...more deceptive? Deceptiver? At any rate, the point was that it made her hit less like a fairy and more like a really, really strong fairy, which Mai would soon be learning firsthand if this punch managed to connect. [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "Oh! Well, any enemy of the Empire is still alright in my book! Unless they're not, but you seem to be so far, so I wouldn't worry too much about that!" Yousei responded with a hearty chuckle as the woman explained her position. She might not have been with the coalition, but if she had an agenda against those Taiyou curs then it was basically all the same, right? [break][break]
"Wow! So you used to be one of the best, huh? That's pretty awesome, wish I could've seen you in action back then!" She wasn't just saying that either, her reaction was definitely genuine; she could tell that Tsubaki wasn't lying about being the real deal once upon a time, and Yousei was always happy to meet a fellow disciple of the blade. [break][break]
A disciple, it seemed, that was interested in the arts of the samurai, no less! Well, far be it from Yousei to decline the request of one so eager to learn. She would gladly sate her new acquaintance's curiosity a hundredfold! "Sure thing, she-who-will-not-be-named! Why don't I give you the crash course? Not that it involves any literal crashing, of course. That would suck." [break][break]
Retaking her previous stance, she began walking through a few simple katas as she began her impromptu lecture. Come to think, she sure was teaching a lot lately, wasn't she? "The basics of standard samurai kenjutsu are probably nothing you're unfamiliar with. Speed, precision...all that good stuff you'd expect from a time-honored style of swordsmanship. It's not complexity that the samurai strive for in the foundation of their style after all, but mastery of the fundamentals. Then, you build up from there! Case in point, iaijutsu.." [break][break]
Sheathing her blade as her motions came to a halt, Yousei suddenly deepened her stance and let out a deep breath, drawing her blade three times in rapid succession, with the blade each time returning to its scabbard as quickly as it left. The result? A trio of equally sundered leaves, fluttering to the ground in cloven pairs. "Another staple of the samurai arsenal; the art of drawing your blade to attack faster than your opponent can react, and as an added bonus, getting even more power out of your strike to boot! Takes a lot of practice to get it just right, but it's some pretty cool stuff once you get it down." [break][break]
Hopefully Tsubaki was getting comfortable and taking notes, because this was probably going to take a while. [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] Yoshi! That was a new one, no one had ever called her Yoshi before. She kinda liked it though, really rolled off the tongue. Yousei could tell that this new Mai was going to be a fun one. "Awesome!" She shouted ecstatically, as her new friend squared up for a little rough and tumble. "It's been a while since I last had someone to spar with; you're going down, Maimai!" [break][break]
Wasting no time, Yousei quickly took a fighting stance of her own as she returned her opponent's seal in kind, making it clear that she was primed to begin. "Let's see what you've got..." She smirked, kicking off the ground as she rushed forward and threw a strong jab at Mai's solar plexus. This wasn't her usual style, but Yousei wasn't all that familiar with the taijutsu of Amegakure, so she wanted to keep things simple for now and feel her new friend out a bit before she got serious. [break][break]
It wasn't often that Yousei got to observe the techniques of another village firsthand, so the influx of foreign shinobi resulting from this allied front against the Empire had been a rare opportunity in that regard; one that she planned to make the most of while she could. The more she could expose herself to new ideas and points of view, the more she could grow as both a warrior and a person. Even a simple sparring match like this could end up leading to an unexpected breakthrough! [break][break]
That was the core of Yousei's ninja way, after all: always keep moving forward, no matter what stands in your way. No matter the pain, no matter the hardship, overcome everything, and surpass even yourself. Become the hero of your own story! That was the sort of conviction that kept her going, even when days seemed their darkest. [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "Oh!" The diminutive jounin exclaimed, as she turned to the older woman who'd landed nearby with piqued curiosity. She was about to make another new acquaintance it seemed; goodness, they were literally just falling out of the trees now! "Hey there, stranger-who-also-appears-to-be-a-swordsman-if-her-bearing-is-any-indication!" I mean...it was accurate, right? [break][break]
"And right you are! Most shinobi wouldn't know techniques like these, but in addition to a shinobi, I also happen to be a samurai!" Yousei declared proudly, bringing her sword to rest across her shoulder as she spoke. "See, my family is descended from a long line of samurai that used to protect the Land of Fire, back before the Empire invaded and took over Konoha; so I've basically been practicing this stuff ever since I was old enough to pick up a sword!" [break][break]
She gave a spirited laugh in light of that admission, reminiscing about how enthusiastic she'd been for her parents to train her when she was a kid. "You don't seem to have a headband, but based on the way you carry yourself, I'm guessing you're probably here to help with the coalition against those Imperial bastards, right?" It wasn't just shinobi from other villages they'd been recruiting for the defense of Onomichi after all; even mercenaries were welcome in the face of an threat like the Taiyou. [break][break]
We've been seeing a ton of new faces around here lately, ever since Mai-..." Her cheeks flushed a bit as she realized what she'd just said, the young samurai clearing her throat as she quickly corrected herself. "Ever since the Hokage put out that call to arms to all the other nations." The Hokage, yeah...that's what she meant to say... [break][break]
"I'm Yousei, by the way!" She followed up quickly, definitely not trying to change the subject or anything. "Who might you be?" [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "Look at that, just one try and you're getting better already!" Yousei assured her young ward, trying to bolster his spirits a bit. "Don't worry if it's not perfect on your first try, these things take time. Just keep at it, and you'll definitely get there eventually! Tenacity is one of the most important parts of growth, after all." Thus was the wisdom of the cinnamon roll, profound beyond expectation.
[break][break]
"I could tell you were trying to stop thinking so much about that last strike. That's good! But I'm guessing now the problem is that you're thinking too much about not thinking too much, right?" A nostalgic chuckle escaped her at the thought, and her gaze drifted up to the sky as though she were remembering something from long ago.
[break][break]
"I know because I was the same way when my parents first started teaching me how to use a sword. Learning how to let go and empty my mind was one of my biggest hurdles back then; but as soon as I got over it, it was like everything finally started to click!" Smiling brightly, she turned her attention back to Ryota, prepared to give him some fresh new material to work with as they continued their lesson.
[break][break]
"This time, take a deep breath, center yourself, and try to relax. Relaxation is important no matter what you're doing, but even moreso when it comes to combat. Feel the wind, and the sun...let your tension evaporate, and just move. Gotta get that zen going, you know?" This all probably seemed a little esoteric, but Yousei was clearly speaking from experience; it was just hard to put abstract concepts like this into words, cut her some slack here.
[break][break]
"Trust me! It'll all make sense once you experience it for yourself."
[attr="class","pwfbody"] Once again, it seemed Yousei found herself off the beaten path out in the rugged wilderness of Otogakure. The scene today? An idyllic forest clearing, just a short walk away from the tunnels leading to one of the village's main commerce centers. Lately, with the battle against the Empire so close at hand, she'd found herself coming out here more and more often to train. She had to be prepared for this, after all; there was no way they could let those Taiyou dogs take Onomichi! [break][break]
Surrounded by a cascade of autumn leaves, Yousei took a deep breath as she drew her sword, clearing her mind as the blade was enveloped by a pale white light. Then, in one perfectly clean stroke, she cleft one of the falling leaves in twain. To the average observer, that alone would have been an impressive display of swordsmanship, but Yousei wasn't satisfied. The cut hadn't been clean enough, no doubt an issue with how she'd shaped the chakra. [break][break]
With another deep breath, the glow surrounding her blade suddenly became even more defined, condensing itself into more of a sharp neon outline. Once again, her blade traced through the air with practiced grace, and once again it found purchase in the descending foliage. This time the cut was almost perfectly smooth; almost, Yousei noted, but it was a definite improvement nonetheless. [break][break]
She cut down a few more leaves for good measure, each yielding the same result, before finally allowing the chakra to disperse. Shape transformation was a staple of many core samurai techniques, but it was also a difficult skill to master, and even with all her training, Yousei knew she still had a long way to go. That being said, she was never one to back down from a challenge, and as long as she kept moving forward, she knew she'd get there eventually! [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "That's the spirit!" The pint-sized samurai exclaimed energetically as her new acquaintance-turned-student finally relented and acquiesced to her proposal. She'd never really taught anyone before, but how hard could it be, right? This was the sort of thing that jounin were expected to do, after all; and she was a jounin now, even if a lot of people didn't seem to think she deserved to be. [break][break]
"Okay, Ryota! First lesson: you have to stop overthinking things so much." She began to explain, walking over to the target's he'd been practicing on and inspecting them carefully. "Technique is important, but you're getting so fixated on it that it's holding you back. What you really need to do is feel it." [break][break]
Coming across a swinging target that Ryota had yet left untouched, Yousei suddenly shifted her stance with such practiced ease that it looked as natural as breathing, hand resting calmly on the hilt of her blade as she continued. "That sword of yours is more than just an object, you know. It's more than just a tool meant for cutting down your opponent..." [break][break]
Then, without warning, she drew her blade; cold steel tracing a brilliant locus in the morning sunlight as it cleanly bisected the target, before returning to its sheathe in a single fluid motion, habaki already clicking into place before the object had even hit the ground. [break][break]
"Your sword is a part of you." Flowed her words of wisdom soon after, admittedly sounding pretty sage, especially for someone her age. "An extension of your body and mind; just like your arms, your legs, or even your chakra." Turning back to Ryota, Yousei-shisho flashed her student a reassuring grin before concluding. "What you need to do is let go and embrace that connection. If you can do that, then everything else should start coming naturally!" [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] Yousei had indeed perked up as the unfamiliar voice reached her ears, turning her attention with all haste to the newest arrival to grace the idyllic scene they found themselves in. A visitor! How unexpected. Nobody ever came all the way out here, was this girl lost or something? She did have some pretty funny clothes, and that headband was... [break][break]
"Ah!" She abruptly exclaimed as the realization hit her. "A shinobi from Amegakure! You must be here to help with the defense, right? Welcome to the Hidden Sound Village!" The equally short-statured samurai followed up chipperly, flashing the girl a warm smile. [break][break]
"It really is beautiful, isn't it? My parents used to take me here when I was little; I still come back every now and then, whenever I need to get my head on straight." She took a nostalgic glance around the area as she spoke, just drinking in the scenery for a minute before finally settling back on her new acquaintance. [break][break]
"My name's Yousei, by the way! It's great to meet you, Other Mai! Mai #2? Mai Also? Mai Alter? Uh..." Her voice trailed off slowly as she continued fishing for an appropriate nickname for this new Mai; it's not like she could just be Mai, Mai was already Mai, that would just be confusing. "Oh, what about Maimai! I like that one." And with a few vigorous nods, it was decided; this new still-but-slightly-less-of-a-stranger would henceforth be known as Maimai. [break][break]
"So, what brings you all the way out here anyway, Maimai?" It really just had such a good ring to it, didn't it? Yousei had to be like, the unequivocal master of giving people nicknames, there was no doubt about it. "Just out for a walk? Looking for some place to train maybe? If you need someone to spar with, I've got you covered!" [break][break]
This was no doubt the start of a beautiful friendship. [break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "You'll never get anywhere if you just keep swinging that thing around, you know!" A sprightly voice called out from the sidelines, as Ryota got ready to go for another round. Yousei had been watching him for a while now, having stumbled upon his little training session during her own morning regimen, at which point she'd promptly seated herself on the branch of a tall tree near the edge of the clearing, and begun observing the boy with keen interest. It wasn't often she found someone so seemingly passionate about learning the ways of the blade, even if he was pretty rough around the edges still; but hey, everyone's got to start somewhere![break][break]
Hopping down from her arboreal perch, Yousei made a smooth landing before walking over to meet Ryota face to face (or at least, as close as she could get standing at an impressive five foot nothing). "Your heart's in the right place, though!" She began, thumping her chest a few times to illustrate her point. "How'd you like some advice? On the house even; free of charge!" Not that she normally charged, mind you, but it was a pretty cool thing to say, right?[break][break]
From Ryota's point of view, this was all no doubt a fairly dubious sales pitch (like seriously, how old was this girl anyway? was she a chuuni or something?), but she certainly did have an energy about her, and that katana on her hip looked like the real deal for sure. Maybe she really was legit? It was hard to say, but at this point did he really have much to lose either way? [break][break]
"So, how about it?" She piped up again, eagerly awaiting his response. "There's no way I can just leave a fellow sword enthusiast stuck in a rut like this, after all. I'm sure I can get you on the right track in no time!" That was yet to be seen, of course, but her demeanor was practically oozing confidence. [break][break]
"I'm Yousei, by the way! Nice to meet you, sword-loving individual whose name I am presently unfamiliar with!"[break][break]
[attr="class","pwfbody"] A few miles from the nearest entrance to the tunnels that collectively made up the village of Otogakure, sequestered away in an unassuming little corner of the dense forests that made up much of the area's topography, there lay a certain glade beside a certain stream, that was currently being visited a certain fairy. [break][break]
Yousei would often visit this place when she just needed to think and relax for a while, and with fall setting in the spider lilies were now in full bloom, painting the ground with a vibrant display of crimson that contrasted beautifully against the backdrop of changing leaves. [break][break]
She had a lot on her mind these days, and now to top it all off the Empire was marching on Onomichi. It was kinda hard to be her usual, cheerful self at a time like this, but she had to stay positive and keep pushing forward; not just for herself, but for her new platoon, and for Mai, and for all those innocent people that were about to be killed if they didn't do something. [break][break]
Yousei despised the Taiyou Empire, and even more the so-called samurai that served them. How could they still call themselves samurai after committing such atrocities? It was a mockery to her ancestors, to all the samurai that had fought and died to protect the Land of Fire, both before and after the fall of Konoha; a mockery to the very way of the samurai itself, and everything it was meant to stand for.[break][break]
With a sigh, she turned her gaze skyward, the afternoon sun filtering down through the trees as she watched as a flock of sparrows pass by overhead. At least they wouldn't be alone in the coming battle; the Hokage's summons had seen to that, with new shinobi arriving practically every day to join the coalition. It made Yousei wonder if this is what things could be like if all the villages just worked together instead of fighting all the time. [break][break]
The newly appointed leader of Otogakure's second platoon, and a descendant of the samurai who once protected the Land of Fire before it fell to the Taiyou Empire. Her name literally meaning "Fairy", she is often underestimated for her cheerful demeanor, diminutive stature, and youthful appearance, even for her age.
However, appearances can be deceiving, and while many are quick to dismiss her at first glance, her track record has been nothing short of exemplary; from her time at the academy, to her debut at the Chunin Exams, to her career as a proper shinobi, all the way to the present. Though while her accolades may be impressive, the thing that's always truly set her apart is the pure, unbridled fire that burns beneath her unassuming exterior.
It was that fire that caught the eye (or uh...ear?) of the current Hokage, Mai Nobusuma, who saw something in Yousei (metaphorically speaking) that the young samurai had likely never even seen in herself, and unexpectedly promoted her to the rank of Jounin seemingly on a whim, much to everyone's surprise (and in many cases chagrin).
Yousei has been trying to acclimate to her new position ever since, which between suddenly gaining countless new responsibilities, and simultaneously being shunned and doubted by the majority of her peers, who believe she never should've been promoted in the first place, has been pretty rough going.
But nothing can ever keep Yousei down for long, and she's determined to make sure that the Hokage's faith in her wasn't misplaced, so as far as she's concerned, the only thing to do is pick her chin up and keep moving forward; after all, without the rain we would never appreciate the sun!
Proficiencies
Taijutsu [Journeyman] Constantly pushing her limits through intense training, Yousei's bantam size in no way reflects the truth of her physical condition; deceptive strength, exceptional stamina, and impressive speed, combine with sharp analytical intuition, and an unorthodox fighting style of her own design, to create a taijutsu expert far more dangerous than her appearance would let on.
↳ Kouyou no Mai (Dance of the Autumn Leaves) A unique style of taijutsu that Yousei has been in the process of perfecting, focused on the concept of relaxation. By shedding tension and relaxing her entire body, she is able to move like an autumn leaf dancing on the wind (hence the style's name), allowing her to not only gracefully dodge her opponent's attacks, but also to significantly enhance the explosive force behind her strikes by leaving her muscles relaxed until the moment of impact.
Kenjutsu (Samurai) [Veteran]: One of Yousei's greatest passions; the arts of the samurai, passed down in her family for countless generations, until she finally came to inherit them herself. She is extraordinarily skilled with both classical swordsmanship and iaido, and is also fluent in kenjutsu-based shape transformation techniques.
↳ Hatsuyuki (First Snow) An heirloom of the Shinkiro family; an exquisitely crafted katana that serves as an excellent conductor for chakra. It possesses no extraordinary abilities.
↳ Yosuzume (Night Sparrow) An ominous black blade forged from rare chakra conducting steel; one of the ten "Maken" (cursed swords) of samurai legend. It has the ability to draw out the darkness in its wielder's heart, and empower itself by giving shape to their twisted emotions. Ordinarily, this would cause whoever draws the blade to go completely berserk, but Yousei's compatibility with this particular Maken is abnormally high. As a result, whenever she draws Yosuzume, it instead causes her white clothes to turn jet black, and radically alters her usual personality, making her far more eccentric and unpredictable (or in a word, dangerous). The sword then takes on a haunting crimson glow, bathed in an aura of sinister chakra that significantly enhances its cutting power, as well as the weight behind its strikes; a property which also extends to any kenjutsu or kenjutsu-based shape transformation techniques performed with it. However, even with Yousei's current level of affinity, the constant drain that the blade places on her chakra reserves makes prolonged use exhausting and overall inadvisable.
(Attaining greater proficiency with Kenjutsu and Shape Transformation will further increase Yousei's compatibility with Yosuzume, allowing her to bring out the cursed sword's true power.)
Stealth [Journeyman] While stealth is typically a lower priority in Yousei's training regimen, she's actually pretty good at it! In particular, she's especially skilled at moving silently and getting in and out of places while leaving little evidence that she was ever there, and she's not half bad at noticing when others are trying to hide either; she was basically the hide and seek master back in the academy.
Shape Transformation [Journeyman] A cornerstone of many traditional samurai techniques, Yousei is quite skilled at the art of applying shape transformation to raw chakra. While she most commonly utilizes this proficiency in conjunction with her kenjutsu, lately she's begun exploring several other potential avenues for its application as well, including one technique in particular that she's yet to perfect.
Yousei also has a particular aptitude for the creation of barriers; most commonly in the form of rapid defensive wards, though she can also produce barriers with slightly more complex effects like detection, albeit on a smaller scale for the time being.
