“Tch…” A click of her tongue and her obsidian hues rolled in response to his assessment. Of course there had to be a weakened link in her plan; Suguha was no ninja. Subterfuge was, to a certain degree, one of the skills under her figurative arsenal, but such techniques were meant to fool noblemen and women alike — shinobi were a completely different matter. In any other situation, she would have displayed a far more dignified behavior, but she couldn’t help but feel sour after being caught red-handed. This was supposed to be her week of escapism, her time for devious little antics and no ducktailed, back-alley jounin had the right to ruin it!
As the Uchiha ambled past her, she glared daggers at him over the shoulder. She eventually gets over her minute mulling, releasing an audible sigh from her lips as she at long last decided to follow him, “For your perusal, Uchiha-san, your money is unrequired. I’m afraid I was quite clear on that front.” as they neared the end of the alley, she pulled her umbrella from her back, opening it to shield herself from the sun. Her ears twitched in response to the many eyes observing the two. After such a pointless blunder, word of her carrying a massive bottle of sake would surely reach the ears of her family — it might take a few weeks, but she definitely was not looking forward to it. And for that sin, he’d pay with his ears.
“Be that as it may, I find it humorous that you don yourself with such pristine white gear. It turns out the rumours were true. Are they perhaps a secret method of casting genjutsu? Surely an Uchiha clan member would come up with such a…” she eyed him over, “… Flamboyant method of casting their illusions.” her features soften, a subtle and satisfied smile threatening to morph into a smug soon.
After crossing the stream of people in the main road, they safely arrived on the small store. Four treads led them inside the comfortable and humble shop. Simple wooden flooring and walls were supported by metallic beams in crucial spots, there was a small counter in the center and many shelves lined with a multitude of drinks — and no shortage of vacant tables. One of the waitresses seemed to be working on cleaning three black splotches on the ground, while a small leather bag could be seen in a small box labeled ‘lost and found’ on top of the counter.
“Ah, welcome. How may I help you?” an old woman greeted them from the counter. Suguha's ears twitch as she instantly glanced to the many shelves around, avoiding eye contact with either Anotsu or the shopkeeper. What a stubborn woman…
Eager to enjoy the drink, the fox’s steps teetered between a graceful dance and a hurried gait. It had been a while since she last had a chance to enjoy a drink this way, so there was no shortage of anticipation on her part. Needless to say, as the heiress to a noble family, the faux-eared maiden had no way to detect the watchful eyes of a shinobi, much less his subtle arrival. When his voice rings, she’s startled; visible arcs on her eyes suddenly turn into wide-eyed obsidians instead. It takes her no longer than a second for her visage to become neutral; an additional one, and she already had a diminutive smile on her face.
Alas, in the moment his words registered into her mind, the subtle positivity on her features disappeared. Hidden away behind luscious lips, pearly whites gritted at the notion of having to bring back something she had bought. Sharp obsidians glare at him as her lips part, but no syllables are weaved; an intentional delay before she spoke up, “Giving back something I have rightfully purchased? Inane. You are not before some petty thief.”Indirectly was the proper term, but pride would never let her share the proper story behind her predicament. Suguha shifted her weight as she held the exotic bottle on her left arm,
“A rather bold and rude assumption. If I may say so, is that the assessment of a Jounin from Amegakure, Uchiha Anotsu-san? Disappointment is an understatement regarding my opinion of you, if so.” Truth be told, it was a gamble — she wasn’t sure of his identity just yet. Even so, a man garbed in flawless white and a hazel mane atop his visage were both strong indicators if the rumors and reports she had heard were anything to go by.
“My name is Suguha. Utsunomiya Suguha.” Her right reaches for the golden medallion in display around her neck, the symbol of her family. While she wasn’t well-known herself, her family’s always gave some credit to her words. “I have no need to test its taste when I can buy every single piece they have in store.” That, of course, was a lie. Maybe. Perhaps if she begged to her father a bit…
The faux-eared woman then raises her hand to obscure her lips as her eyes widen — an intentionally dramatic gesture. “Oh! Could it be that you want a taste yourself? If so, you should’ve been more honest from the start, Anotsu-kun.”
「Smell that air!」 Ah, the hidden rain. Sky-reaching towers everywhere, a pungent smell of iron that no nostrils could escape, and tight streets busy with people aplenty. Out of all hidden villages, it was perhaps the only one that managed to evoke such a bittersweet blend of love and hate on herself. On one hand she loathed how crowded it usually was, but on the other she was often far too intrigued by the technological advancements they made. She’d lose herselft in the multiple avenues of entertainment every time her travels required a stop by this metal jungle — today was a little different, however.
Why? She had an entire week to spend here thanks to her hard work! Truth be told, despite her fancy clothing and sometimes intentionally pompous behavior, Suguha was a rather hardworking individual… As long as no physically straining activities were involved, that is. In any case, there was clearly no better way to spend her free time than absolutely wasting herself on the finest drinks. As unfortunate as it was, the world could not know of such vulgar activities from the one and only Ink-black Fox. A member of the Utsunomiya clan had to carry themselves with poise and dignity no matter the situation. Just like a legitimate fox, though, Suguha was a rather cunning woman.
Which leads us to a rather hidden alley. From her position, Suguha had a decent view of a large bar on the other side of the busy market street. Her obsidian hues, sharp as that of a kunoichi seizing their target, watched on as the people went by their business under a clear sky and sweltering sun. On each of her shoulders were two tiny pitch black little creatures akin to mice, sniffing at the air for no particular reason.
“Listen well, all of you. This is an important mission and failure is not an option.” she reaches for the inside of her kimono, pulling out a small leather pouch from within the valley of her bosom, and the the coins within jingled in response. Meanwhile, a fifth little mouse arrived from the other side, promptly scaling up her clothes and onto her shoulders. Her head bobbed along as the tiny creature squeaked to relay all the information she needed. “Ah, what a wonderful price! As expected of Amegakure, I love these friendly costs!” her stony visage at long last shifted into a soft smile.
“I'm counting on you. Do not disappoint me.” The mice trembled in response, knowing what would transpire soon enough, “Are we clear?” her friendly syllables soon shifted into a threatening tone. Before she could even finish her threat properly, the tiny little blobs of ink were off on their way, one of them carrying the small leather pouch. It doesn’t take long until a high pitched scream pierces the busy air and people rush to smash the tiny creatures. A couple of minutes later, her blobs of ink arrived from the other side carrying a large ornamental bottle with gold patterns. Out of five, only two had survived the ordeal. The ink black-fox, a giant in their own point of view, glared down at them as she inspected the bottle, the shade in her eyes darker than the path many Uchiha had taken in an alternate universe.
Suddenly, her lips curl into a smile and she beams up like a flower in the morning — her faux-ears twitch, a testament of her satisfaction. “I appreciate your effort…!~” She pats each of them on their head before they run up her arm and disappear within her clothes. “Ah, this is going to be a wonderful day!” And just like that, a noblewoman had concluded a needlessly complex mission to acquire a bottle of booze. With her indirectly bought source of alcohol on hands, she just needed to follow the alley around the corner and enter the carriage waiting for her and leave.
「Everything will be okay」 was a mantra within her mind ever since she entered the living scam of a hotspring. Like many before herself, she had been deceived by the false propaganda advertised every-fucking-where. After a tedious discussion with the daimyo of lightning about border relationships, dwindling supply routes and the pirate threat, she just needed some rest before departing on the next day, so she took advantage of the opportunity to check the place out, but…
“I- I swear I heard it crack…!” As she put away her neatly folded kimono, replaced by a towel, Suguha shot her gaze at the wooden floor and a chill ran down her spine. She stepped back, but soon started shaking her head to steel her resolve. Obsidian hair flowed along her graceful steps towards the sliding door and into the women’s section, “Just act naturally, Suguha. It’s alright. You know that there is nothing wrong with this place, yes? Good.” the faux-eared woman muttered to herself, trying to stave off the raging fires of skepticism burning in her mindscape. Eyes forward, shoulders straight, and a subtle smile tugging at her lips. Brimming with confidence, she opened up the sliding door…!
“Excuse me…?!” Her face goes from white, to blue, and perhaps all the colors of the rainbow inbetween. She was expecting at least one or two ladies, but not a single one?? This place…It had red flags all over! “I... Want to go home already...” Sheepish steps carried her toward the springs as she muttered to herself, the tip of her right toe touching the liquid surface. Her faux ears droop to their sides and she sincerely ponders whether this was worth the trouble —
“Legends say the waters will swell it without the sting of a bee…”
"Eh?" A violent red takes over her features as the boom of a loud voice reached her ears. Were they referring to what she was thinking of?! She turns abruptly to glance at the wall, but “Kyaaa?!” the faux-eared woman slipped and fell into the lukewarm water, no thanks to her reckless turn and bad positioning. SPLASH the water goes, announcing her presence to anyone on the other side of the run down wall.
“Tch…” A click of her tongue and her obsidian hues rolled in response to his assessment. Of course there had to be a weakened link in her plan; Suguha was no ninja. Subterfuge was, to a certain degree, one of the skills under her figurative arsenal, but such techniques were meant to fool noblemen and women alike — shinobi were a completely different matter. In any other situation, she would have displayed a far more dignified behavior, but she couldn’t help but feel sour after being caught red-handed. This was supposed to be her week of escapism, her time for devious little antics and no ducktailed, back-alley jounin had the right to ruin it!
As the Uchiha ambled past her, she glared daggers at him over the shoulder. She eventually gets over her minute mulling, releasing an audible sigh from her lips as she at long last decided to follow him, “For your perusal, Anotsu-san, your money is unrequired. I’m afraid I was quite clear on that front.” as they neared the end of the alley, she pulled her umbrella from her back, opening it to shield herself from the sun. Her ears twitched in response to the many eyes observing the two. After such a pointless blunder, word of her carrying a massive bottle of sake would surely reach the ears of her family — it might take a few weeks, but she definitely was not looking forward to it. And for that sin, he’d pay with his ears.
“Be that as it may, I find it humorous that you don yourself with such pristine white gear. It turns out the rumours were true. Are they perhaps a secret method of casting genjutsu? Surely an Uchiha clan member would come up with such a…” she eyed him over, “… Flamboyant method of casting their illusions.” her features soften, a subtle and satisfied smile threatening to morph into a smug soon.
After crossing the stream of people in the main road, they safely arrived on the small store. Four treads led them inside the comfortable and humble shop. Simple wooden flooring and walls were supported by metallic beams in crucial spots, there was a small counter in the center and many shelves lined with a multitude of drinks — and no shortage of vacant tables. One of the waitresses seemed to be working on cleaning three black splotches on the ground, while a small leather bag could be seen in a small box labeled ‘lost and found’ on top of the counter.
“Ah, welcome. How may I help you?” an old woman greeted them from the counter. Suguha's ears twitch as she instantly glanced to the many shelves around, avoiding eye contact with either Anotsu or the shopkeeper. What a stubborn woman…
A girl locked in a cage, longing for the world outside and yet far too indulgent to take any measure of control over her life. She carries herself with immaculate grace and confidence. Each step is practiced and planned, yet each of them sink her deeper into a bottomless pool of discipline and expectation. There, she finds herself drowning — the ego fades away with every fruitless breath. Darkness clutches her again, a friend so old. Suguha lives in a paradoxical reminiscence of a story that, sadly, has yet to unfold.
Drops fall upon the surface, disrupting the stagnancy of her cage. The clock is ticking and time is a cruel mistress. Beyond the pool of toxic comfort, she watches on as they go about their lives. Hands held, laughter sweet like honey. How ironic it was that they granted her everything she wanted, but none of what she needed. Past her cage is a lake, so pristine it reflects a sky dotted with the many dreams she has had, that she has, and will have. Cherry blossom trees line the horizon and their petals dance in the nonexistent breeze. Though bitter towards it all, she also finds everything so beautiful. An immaculate cycle of which she thoroughly believes not to be a part of. It is not the sweet gold nor the cheerful giggling that she longs for.
It’s the shadows that lurk in the distance. Their passion burns like fire, their diligence flows like water, their devotion blows like the wind, their fortitude is stalwart like the earth and their fury strikes like lightning. Arising from ancient days past, they take upon their shoulders the mantle of protection. They protect the souls just outside of her cage and even have protected herself in the past, when her scarlet hues awakened for the first time. Amidst those shadows is where her greatest dream sleeps within. Yet, every time she wants to reach for them, the clear water below her rings. A warning, perhaps? All it would take are a few steps, yet she cannot cross the lake and escape her nonexistent enclosure. Indeed, it is a metaphorical binding — for the cage is nothing but herself.
“Suguha-sama, we’ve arrived.” The carriage stopped abruptly and a familiar voice pulled the brunette from within her slumber. Her chest tightened. .⠀.⠀. “Suguha-sama? Is everything fine?” Her guard insisted, expecting a reply.
“Yes, you oaf.” her silvery syllabes clashed with the harshness behind the meaning of her uttered words, “You need not call my name twice.”
About
Born the bastard child between Kotonoha Uchiha and a member of a second-rate [clan], Suguha had a rather mixed start in life. On one side, she could enjoy the greatest luxuries life could provide, but on the other, she paid the steep cost of having her childhood neglected by her parents — a role the servants of her family had to take upon themselves instead. Though they tried their best to keep the brunette under their wings as daughter, it didn’t take a genius to figure out the difference in her obsidian locks and her father’s snow-white hair. To this day, it is only through a mix of beauty, genetics and her skills in diplomacy that she has the right to carry the name of the Utsunomiya, a clan of royal messengers and representatives that respond to daimyos across the land.
She wanders the world to deliver royal documents of utmost secrecy, yet her heart secretly loathes the activity. Suguha knows she is just a bargaining chip for her family, and that soon enough, she’ll be married to further their influence among the five nations. Known as Ink-black Fox 「 墨染の狐 — Sumizome no Kitsune 」in political circles for her cunning tactics, agressive negotiations and pitch black tresses, Suguha stands at five feet and eight inches tall. The woman often dons a dichromatic black and red kimono and two artificial ears rest atop her head, made by the greatest artisan money can buy. With the slightest expenditure of chakra, they move like the real thing — because she definitely doesn’t like the alias she was given.
Her visage carries an everlasting serenity, hiding away her persona beneath a mask expertly crafted. Suguha is often likened to the fragrance of the muhly grass (a saddening and ironic comparison, given the origin of her father’s lineage), which is known for its sweet and dusty scent akin to freshly mown hay.
Charismatic; Suguha’s skill at keeping it cool is near legendary. Living in a political world has forced her to develop her social skills to the point where she can assess and analyze individuals to create a positive and engaging persona to influence and excite them. Though rather blind to emotions of her own, Suguha is highly eloquent and attuned to the emotions of others and is capable of crafty manipulation to bring out their emotions. She feels at ease when engaging in social activities, has an impressive knack for communicating her vision and is a master at motivating, influencing, and inspiring others.
Poised; Though she still has many insecurities somewhere in her heart, Suguha still manages to present herself as an elegant individual. She speaks with confidence, her words and mannerisms are clear and she has no trouble dealing with situations that require nerves of steel such as speaking to large crowds.
Cooperative; Despite her dignified image and numerous skills under her belt, Suguha is aware she can’t do everything by herself. This is something she had to learn over the years along building her image through charismatic manipulation. That said, however, she is not submissive — cooperation requires mutual effort from two different parties and she is experienced enough to tell when someone is trying to sponge off of her effort.
Artistic; A natural trait of hers that proved itself rather useful while growing up in a royal landscape. The Ink-black fox is a creative woman capable of coming up with unusual solutions to her problems, and finds it easy to think outside of the box. Moreover, she’s highly skilled at visual, literate, musical, cookery and terpsichorean activities, though her favorite one is drawing.
Regretful; Time will never slow down, no matter how much she mulls over the past. Even so, she still finds herself sailing in a world where she had the audacity to speak up and change the course of her future, no matter the risks and consequences involved. Though she does not openly show this trait to most people, it tends to surface as a self-absorbed and inattentive disposition in her free time or when she has nothing to do.
Indolent; Despite the difficult relationship she maintains with her family, she is nonetheless of noble blood. Pampered to oblivion from a rather young age, Suguha often displays discontent when she finds herself having to undergo any physically straining activities. She has a bad habit of falling asleep on situations where she feels comfy or bored out of her mind.
Sharp-tongued; She may not be a kunoichi, but her tongue might as well be sharper than a kunai. Suguha’s words sting deep, and her serene and gentle smile as she delivers pain through words only makes it hurt more. She has no qualms with speaking her mind and won’t think twice about verbally tearing apart someone. A natural critic, her point of view does not bode well to anyone but those with plenty of patience to spare. The only exception to this, of course, are politics and dangerous situations.
Alcoholic; if she’s not working or travelling her life away, there is a high chance she is drowning herself in it. It is one of the few coping methods she has against the repressed feelings she keeps bubbling within, and she’s extremely ashamed of it — resorting to hiding away from the world to indulge in a variety of drinks.
Proficiencies
⠀⠀Uchiha Heritage [Dormant]
As the child of a pure-blooded mother hailing from the Uchiha clan, Suguha was born with the genetic predisposition to awaken the clan’s infamous copy wheel eyes.
「秘伝・竹取飛翔」Hijutsu — Taketori Hishou [Rookie] ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⮡⠀⠀⠀Secret Art — Flight of the Bamboo Cutter
The secret art of the Taketori passed down to Kotonoha Uchiha by her childhood friend (and later, Suguha's father) who in turn shared its secrets to Suguha. The woman carries a few pouches of grass seeds, and using secret clan handseals she can weaponize them by increasing the growth rate of existing grass-type plants or forcing abnormal growth of the seeds that she carry with herself. The main type of grass she uses for her techniques is the ornamental muhly (though she can't use it as medium for genjutsu yet). At her current skill tier, Suguha can at best use grass on the ground as caltrops. She can also pop seeds in her mouth to mould chakra and spit them in a cone-shaped medium range attack of sharp pink grass capable of shallow cuts.
⮡⠀⠀Kusanagi no Mai — This technique is the reason why Suguha is likened to the scent of the muhly grass. On top of the seeds she has in small pouches, Suguha also has several seeds hidden on herself, be it on her body, clothes, or hair. By performing the required handseals, these seeds grow into pink grass leaves that are as sharp as senbon, piercing anything and anyone in one and a half meter radius around her. Once the technique is finished, the grass returns to its seed state, diappearing within her clothes.
A technique Suguha developed out of necessity more than anything. Similar in concept to the [Super Beast Imitating Drawing] technique, Suguha carries two small gourds fastened to her hips filled with chakra-infused ink. Using a brush or her fingers, she can then splatter ink in the environment or in the air after or before performing handseals. The ink then coalesces and expands, turning into a myriad of pitch-black beasts that follow her every command. They are physically capable creatures (currently, far more than she is) that fight to keep her safe and can wordlessly follow simple orders. Similar to shape manipulation, they arent' weak to any particular element, dealing mostly with physical force — the only exception is suiton, as Suguha hasn't found a way to stop them from melting when in contact with water.
Karasu — The multipurpose beast within her kit. Karasu is a flock of pitch black and red-eyed crows that can disorient foes. Their wings and beaks are sharp, and they tend to fly towards enemies like projectiles or gather nearby Suguha to protect her. They are by far the most flexible and combat-ready ink beast at her disposal. They aren't very tough, though attacking them one by one isn't a smart idea. They last for a few minutes under favorable conditions, and a few seconds under heavy pressure.
Nezumi — Small rat-like beasts that can scatter to find something or someone and fetch objects or materials for Suguha. They are sheepish and tend to run when faced with danger — they are fast on their feet, but one well-placed blow and they will become an ink splotch. They generally remain on the field for a couple hours fetching whatever she needs or tracking someone.
Hebi — Pitch black snakes that are also capable of scattering for tracking purposes, but can't fetch items like their rat counterparts can. They are usually agressive unless ordered not to and can restrain / capture targets to bring them back to Suguha. These snakes have the widest time-span utility depending on the occasion they are used for — from a few seconds at best when fighting, to minutes when trying to capture a target, and up to an hour if just tracking. It takes a few hits to destroy them, though a good hit to the head definitely does the trick.
Kokujuu — Currently the largest out of all her ink beasts, Kokujuu is a fox slightly smaller than a horse. Despite its intimidating size for a fox-like creature, it only has endurance and speed on its list of abilities. Currently, it's main purpose is being a mount for Suguha in long travels or to run away from danger. It can take hits for her in a pinch, often lasting longer than her crows — and upwards of several hours if used outside of combat.
⠀⠀Uchiha Heritage [Dormant]