It all happened too sudden for either herself or the smith to react before a massive blade was inches away from the old man. The blonde’s words hung in the air for a brief moment as the bickering and headbutting duo went silent, until both of them create distance from one another, beads of sweat rolling down their faces. Oddly enough, the old man had a red spot on his head despite being the initiator of their headbutt contest.
“Young lass, what in the bloody hell yer doing wielding that thing?!” Whether it was due to the shock of having such a large weapon ready to take a bite out of his throat or something else, it seemed he had calmed down some — Hayabusa, as he was called, had a much calmer tone to his raspy and rough voice. Meanwhile, Mahiru glanced at both of them.
“Oh, that one’sss definitely not a katana.” She grimaced at the sight of the weapon; even someone as uncultured as herself when it came to swords could tell that that was not a katana. Probably. Maybe? …Still a sharp ssstick! On the other hand, Hayabusa seemed unfazed by the blonde’s sharp words. His age aid him well in knowing that spitting poison back at a costumer never ended well, and as such, he decided to let her shower criticism upon his behavior. The neutral yet tense stalemate they had reached came to an end, however, when Miyako mentioned the name of the smithy’s previous owner.
“Heh. Won’t you look at that? So old man Masanori’s rolling in his grave. So what of it?” Hayabusa slammed his fist on the counter while the other gripped at the blade had Miyako not pulled it back yet. Jutting his chin forward, he motioned towards the mess of items in a long and ever-growing list of blacksmith work. His old weary eyes — though still burning burning like embers of dedication to his craft — glared at her, “Masanori was a damn fool. Never knew when to give up, and the only thing he’s left is a huge pile of work for me.”
He pointed at the green haired kunoichi, who in turn huffed at him.
“And this fine young lady here is tryin’ to tell me I don’t know what’s a katana or a god damn tachi. This is a mission for ninja and I ain’t here to babysit some kid! I got no time to spare and you’re both getting on the way of my business! Go back to the outskirts and get me the katanas I need — no payment for you otherwise!”
Hayabusa would refuse to speak further, while Mahiru muttered to herself one final time,
"Isss there a proper way even?" She groaned out a reply without looking at the source of the new voice nearby. Mahiru rolled on the ground to try and alleviate some of the pain from her fall — unfortunately for Asahi, with a tail as thick as hers there was little to no chance of injury, though it did hurt. Normally she could always find somewhere to train without getting into anyone's nerves due to her antics, but it appeared she had failed this time. Slitted garnets looked up to notice a young man approaching, his hair a softer hue than her own. Yet another face she had never met before, but that was nothing new at this point. Considering her rather shady origin, it was hardly surprising the dedicated genin had very few connections.
“Did I get in the way of your training? Sssorry, I didn't mean to.” civilians rarely walked around these parts, so she assumed he was there to do the same, “Well, yeah… I’ve been trying to get the hang of sssomething knew, but it’s not going that well.” a sheepish laugh followed as she rubbed the pain away from her large bandaged tail. “But thisss is not the end!” Any lingering doom and gloom she had first presented was gone with a self-motivating hurrah, arms high up in the air to stretch herself.
“Name’sss Kobayashi, Kobayashi Mahiru!” she’d extend her hand forward for a handshake, completely unaware of the monstrous mindscape the other party carried within himself. Considering her looks, it would be hypocritical for the lizard-girl to judge someone by the looks, and there was no chance of her seeing through his practiced technique of keeping a jovial mask. Regardless of whether he shook her hand or not, the genin would spin dramatically on her right heel, focusing back on her goal.
“You see, today I’m learnin’ the sssuper secret wall-stick-trick!” red garnets sharpened at her target, the tree that had seen her fall on her butt several times over in that morning alone. Her head tilted forward, shading her scarlet eyes as she prepared herself once more. “I’m not leaving today till’ I can walk upssside down on that bough! Hoooooh! GO!” and before long, like a cranky but reliable machine the genin attempted to climb yet again. Of course, she fell like a bag of potatoes again, rolling down the small hill that led to the targeted tree and stopping a couple feet away from Asahi.
In every hidden village, there were many missions available for all sorts of ninjas to pitch their skills against. Braving the oceans to fight back the pirate threat looming on the horizon was a feat, a responsibility that only the elite were capable of taking upon their shoulders. Thankfully, Mahiru needn’t fret; there were missions for those in the lower ranks such as herself. They were nowhere near as promising or as legendary like conflict against pirates, but even these missions needed assistance. Sometimes, though… Sometimes, missions just felt like not procceeding smoothly.
“Lisssten, I brought you the weapons you asked for! These. Are. Katanasss!” the green-haired kunoichi slammed her hands on the counter, trying to reason with the other party.
“DUMBASS!” an old and raspy voice from the other side shouts back like the delicate slam of a door, “I’VE TOLD YOU MORE THAN SIX TIMES ALREADY! TACHI. TACHI! THESE ARE TACHI, NOT KATANAS!” either to reinforce his point or just out of sheer anger, the old blacksmith slams his right fist on the counter.
Obviously, their bickering would not just end there. Their voices carried through the air, past the dark and rather messy blacksmith shop. Though the central path that led from outside to the counter had no obstructions, both left and right were full of all sorts of metallic structures, broken armors, scrapped weapons such as defective kunai and even common tools. All in all, it was chaos on earth packed in a not-so-tidy little shop. A few nighboring vendors gathered outside, peeking at the heated discussion going on —
“Why are you being so ssstubborn because of some sharp sssticks!” she picks up a large crate with several swords within before slamming it on the counter, “How about thisss then! Gimme your arm and I’ll show you they’re katanasss! They’re sharp, right??”
“IS THIS A THREAT?! LISTEN HERE, YOU BRAT!” he slams back and headbutts the green-haired kunoichi, who was much too eager to do the same as sparks crackled between their eyes, “I'VE PAID MONEY TO HAVE THAT REQUEST POSTED. YOU WILL GO BACK, AND RETURN HERE WITH MY K-A-T-A-N-A-S!” like an endless cycle, their argument continued and a line of customers had been steadily growing outside.
Somewhere amidst the montainous and forested outskirts of the hidden village, a certain pair of garnet hues peered towards a curious little creature. Tiny legs allowed it to pull itself against the natural odds of the world, slowly pulling its weight up as it climbed a rather large tree. She registered mental notes with every minor and major movement, trying to deconstruct this creature’s marvelous technique. While Mahiru preferred more… Physical approaches to her training, if her recent meeting with the bear was anything to go by — she had to learn new training methods if she wanted to evolve as a kunoichi. This is why her intense gaze dedicated her undivided attention to the chameleon climbing up that one particular tree;
Her goal was pulling off the same. A secret technique, codenamed by her on the fly as wall-stick-trick.
She had seen shinobi do it several times before. Ignoring the almighty grasp of lady gravity, they were earth benders that walked on walls and even stood upside-down if they so wished. “Hmm… This isss not helping at all…” Alas, the lizard-girl was but a simple genin who favored taijutsu techniques. Not only did she spend far too much time honing her body, the number of acquaintances that could teach her the ropes was a grand total of zero. Given her reptilian features however, she guessed learning from distant relatives could help her awaken some hidden power within, but the numerous irregularities on the ground — a product of falling from the trees several times over — was an obvious sign that that idea had gotten her nowhere.
“Maybe I should jussst go back to weight lifting or something…” arms crossed, she dropped her weight back as she sat on her tail. A dramatic pause as a lone breeze travels across the forest,
“NEVEEEEEEER!” Reptilian hues burn like stars of determination. Not in a million years would Mahiru pass up on the chance of tackling new challenges on her path! Like the dedicated girl she was, she jumped back several times and was soon sprinting her way towards the trees one more time. Her momentum carried her forward and daring to step all over gravity’s almighty pull. Was it… working?? Another step! Again, again! A couple more and she’d reach the first branch - - - “Eh?? Eek!” And then her world spins, and before long her back hits the ground with an unceremonious —
THUD.
“Uuu…” Another outline of her large tail is left on the ground, a testament to how many times her back had hit the ground that morning. “This sssucks…” she rolled on her back and hugged her bandaged tail almost as though it was a pillow of consolation. Defeated and humiliated by her nemesis yet again, she laid there stuck on the first metaphorical wall on her path.
A chill ran down her spine as the safety provided by her bandages was no more, and soon she felt the frightening sensation of weightlessness take hold of her body before she plummeted. Limbs flailed about as she could hear her own wail, loaded with fear for her own safety. There were still so many things she wanted to try, new techniques to learn, and perhaps above all else, new people to meet. It was fine if they often side-eyed her; regardless of the nonhuman features she carried, she’d do her best to befriend them either way. Alas, along with the realization she had majorly fucked up, comes a second layer of surprise… He never said he’d catch her. “Heh…” A lack of memories to flash before her eyes and of awareness prompted the lizard-brained girl to chuckle at herself. So that was the end —
Fucking idiot.
Her scream is cut short and her eyes closed as she had resigned herself to fate. Thankfully, it appeared she had come to the wrong conclusion. This was no end; it was the end of her embarrassing session of Hanging Among the Clouds instead. Sheepish orbs open up, vision still blurry. Unlike her peers, Mahiru had a load of different senses and features which often got in the way of her training and daily life. Her cheeks puffed up, and soon a chameleon-like tongue shoots out in the air, returning shortly afterwards with plenty of information. Her vision sharpens and she can finally get a good view of the man that had saved her life.
With a single flick of her tongue, Mahiru sometimes registered sensitive, and perhaps even pointless details of everything nearby. It was a necessary evil that allowed her usually blurry vision to sharpen and focus like a normal human’s. Among those details were included the taste and smell of everything nearby. Craddled in his arms, most would be thankful towards their savior first thing — not when they had Mahiru’s inquisitive nature. Garnets glanced at him, and there wasn’t a single drop of hesitation on her visage as she delivered her question.
“Oji-san, when was the lassst time you took a -wooah!” Her feet landed on the ground, but her legs were far too weak to support her weight. She fell back, sitting on the hardwood. At least the combined cushioning of her tail and a rather well-endowed lower physique was more than enough to prevent any painful impact. “Thanksss anyway! I owe you -huh?” before she could voice her gratitude, the fortress of a man uttered a word — or more precisely, a number.
She wasn’t the brightest mind around, but Mahiru wasn’t dumb either.
“Eeeeh?? One-hundred crunchesss??” It was the type of exercise she had been practicing last night after all, “But I ssspent yesterday doing them…!” shoulders lowered, eyebrows angled against one another and a heavy sigh were clear indicators of a weary lizard-girl ready for a break instead. Regardless of her exhaustion, his silence was as clear as the azure above them and she felt compelled to follow him — he did save her life. "Fine..." There was no room for a break just yet. She lays down on the ground before preparing herself, and soon enough she starts a mental countdown.
Ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven…! While she worked out right before him, garnet hues observed his towering size, “Jussst… Who, are… You, Oji-sssan??” her voice, albeit strained and hissed, delivered a question that perhaps she should have asked herself a long time ago.
Regardless of her pleas for help, time flowed like a never-ending stream. Every second reminded her of just how long she had been stuck in this embarrassing situation, but the sharp headache was perhaps the worst of it all. While her intention and desire to improve was almost palpable, anyone with a modicum of experience could tell she lacked the awareness of her own limits. It was only through venturing into the streams of time — and later, within its oceans and storms — could one truly delve deep into their own ego to understand oneself; mind, body and soul.
After several hours asking for help, at long last a voice boomed back.
Mahiru teetered along the border between consciousness and the lack thereof, his words sending her back to days long gone. That person used to do the same, back when she was sleeping soundly within her glass shell. A loud voice capable of piercing the green ocean that delimited her first experience of life. Garnet hues looked for the source, but her blurry vision could only tell how massive whoever had issued the short, imperative suggestion. “But…” Even through the mental fog obscuring her mindscape, Mahiru could tell letting go of her only safety measure preventing her from becoming a red stain was a bad idea.
“…I’ll just end up going sssplat!” What little of her exhausted consciousness she had active pondered about the repercussions of letting go. Was there any other way out? Under normal circumstances, the forest-haired genin could easily pull herself up. Perhaps she didn’t try hard enough?! To put that possibility to the test, her muscles flexed as she tried to pull herself up — only to be met with failure once more shortly thereafter. A long, soul-drained sigh rang through the air, carrying frustration, exhaustion and embarrassment along with it.
But then it all happened in an instant.
The combined strain of dwindling chakra reserves strained throughout an entire night, and a five-second-long trip to dreamland was more than enough to break the concentration to keep her jutsu. The bandages let go, and lady gravity ultimately had clutched the genin on her hands, pulling her down to impending doom. “Hyaaaaa!” the girl’s voice pierced the air, startling the birds and prompting them to leave their nest. She’s falling and there’s no way back; no chakra and no stamina to save the day. Or perhaps, more accurately,
One of the things that many individuals often found fascinating about the hidden cloud was its sky-high scenery. True to its name, buildings were scattered across tall mountain peaks, built on platforms that fought back the forces of gravity. Needless to say, anyone who wasn’t used to the narrow walkways could almost feel the natural pull of the world towards the montainous bottom. Thankfully, most shinobi from the cloud were used to these conditions already. Regular training provided their bodies with the natural finesse to fight back the dangers of the land they called home, ultimately giving them an edge over outsiders. For someone in particular, however, this wasn’t the case.
Enter Mahiru, a dedicated genin of platoon two from the hidden cloud. Despite the internal screaming from every inch of her body each morning, she fought back the natural cold of her homeland and trained harder and harder every single day. Physical training, mental training, ninjutsu techniques, stealth…! There was no shortage of guts and effort on her approaches, but perhaps… She might have overdone it this time. Her newest method? Upside down crunches on the walkways. It sounded like a great idea at first, really; use her bandage ninjutsu to keep herself hanging from the handrails, and focusing all her physical prowess on pulling herself up. The perceived risk added from training at such a dangerous spot would bring her concentration and effort to the maximum output, forcing her to train two distinct arts at the same time. It just so happened she was a little too eager — the clock ticked and nightime crept in, and so did the cold. The result?
A lizard-brained girl hanging from the walkways first thing in the morning.
“H-help…Sssomebody…” a breathy call for assistance escaped her lips, barely audible to anyone passing by above. Hanging by her leg bandages alone, it was only a matter of time until this situation unfolded into a pointless disaster. After spending a night pondering about the ramifications of her marvelously stupid idea, her stomach grumbled and she could pretty much taste her breakfast already. All she needed to do was go back home, prepare something to eat, and she’d be back on her feet again —
In every hidden village, there were many missions available for all sorts of ninjas to pitch their skills against. Braving the oceans to fight back the pirate threat looming on the horizon was a feat, a responsibility that only the elite were capable of taking upon their shoulders. Thankfully, Mahiru needn’t fret; there were missions for those in the lower ranks such as herself. They were nowhere near as promising or as legendary like conflict against pirates, but even these missions needed assistance. Sometimes, though… Sometimes, missions just felt like not procceeding smoothly.
“Lisssten, I brought you the weapons you asked for! These. Are. Katanasss!” the green-haired kunoichi slammed her hands on the counter, trying to reason with the other party.
“DUMBASS!” an old and raspy voice from the other side shouts back like the delicate slam of a door, “I’VE TOLD YOU MORE THAN SIX TIMES ALREADY! TACHI. TACHI! THESE ARE TACHI, NOT KATANAS!” either to reinforce his point or just out of sheer anger, the old blacksmith slams his right fist on the counter.
Obviously, their bickering would not just end there. Their voices carried through the air, past the dark and rather messy blacksmith shop. Though the central path that led from outside to the counter had no obstructions, both left and right were full of all sorts of metallic structures, broken armors, scrapped weapons such as defective kunai and even common tools. All in all, it was chaos on earth packed in a not-so-tidy little shop. A few nighboring vendors gathered outside, peeking at the heated discussion going on —
“Why are you being so ssstubborn because of some sharp sssticks!” she picks up a large crate with several swords within before slamming it on the counter, “How about thisss then! Gimme your arm and I’ll show you they’re katanasss! They’re sharp, right??”
“IS THIS A THREAT?! LISTEN HERE, YOU BRAT!” he slams back and headbutts the green-haired kunoichi, who was much too eager to do the same as sparks crackled between their eyes, “I'VE PAID MONEY TO HAVE THAT REQUEST POSTED. YOU WILL GO BACK, AND RETURN HERE WITH MY K-A-T-A-N-A-S!” like an endless cycle, their argument continued and a line of customers had been steadily growing outside. "THESE ARE KATANASSSS!"
In an endless pool of emerald sea, she sleeps. Until the day light had graced her for the first time, there was no freedom in her life. Born out of a madman’s wretched dreams, the world outside is a mystery to empty scarlet hues. In the end, her endless sleep was soon cut short by the clouds. They put an end to her creator’s efforts in researching something only the deities above could tell, granting her freedom in the proccess. She arrives in this world with nix worth noting; no name, family or home. In the face of the many who had gone through the saddening fate of losing their parents, it was tragicomic how she never had them to begin with.
The joys of life and its responsibilities are sudden, and she hates them at first, just like the biting cold trundas of the lightning country. With nowhere to go nor to return to, she wanders aimlessly in a hostile world, destined to perish — until a merciful hand saves her. Rather than bring her fish, they taught her how to fish instead. Rather than tend to her wounds, they taught her how to avoid them to begin with. Thanks to their teachings, Mahiru survived her childhood years. Back then, her senses were still developing, so while she is thankful for her savior’s help, they are but a faint and blurry memory now.
She’s a curious humanoid-lizard-thing. The hurdles of life were rather unconventional at first, but she soon realizes the love and obsession she has for everything. Everyday is a new chance at discovering the wonders of this world and the people that inhabit it. Years go by and she has learned how to stand on her own two feet now. After going through some troublesome background checking, she becomes a kunoichi, and the world becomes larger and greater as she breaks through yet another shell in the chapters of her life.
About
An artificially created member of the Orochi clan. Made to serve as testing subject of a rather twisted individual, she was saved from becoming a nameless nobody when Kumogakure ninja raided the facility and ruined her creator’s research. Left to her own devices soon after, she was lucky enough to have come across someone willing to teach her self-sufficiency. She has since integrated herself within lightning country regardless of the gosip regarding her origins. Despite her rough start, she has a rather positive outlook on life.
Standing at an unimpressive four feet and ten inches tall, Mahiru is of sickly pale complexion and has a rather petite upper body that heavily contrasts her lower physique. She has long, voluminous and unkempt dark-green hair that is almost fluffy to the touch, and garnet hues with pitch-black slit pupils adorn her visage. It’s easy to spot shadows under her eyes and, much to her chagrin, her smile’s just an awful sight to behold. She usually wears dark form-fitting jumpsuits with dark green highlights, black ninja sandals, a pair of goggles atop her head and a steel mask/jaw protector. Her legs and arms are bandaged.
A visibly laid-back girl, she carries herself with a nonchalant pep to her step that often involves her arms behind either her back or her head. Perhaps most notably, however, is the ungodly thick reptilian tail she has. She can easily sit on it and leave plenty of space for someone else to sit next to her (for visualization purposes, it is similar to Tomimi’s tail, from Arknights). Like her limbs, Mahiru’s tail is also bandaged.
Adventurous; the possibilities are endless and risk is aplenty on the road to success. Mahiru is almost obsessed with trying new things out, be it a new martial move, a new food, exploring the world at large or meeting new people. If it has new in it, she’s probably in the boat for a good ride.
Independent; she does things her way whenever she can get away with it. She’s capable of weighing her options with ease and take the initiative steps towards her goals whether they are long term or short-term. A self-sufficient kunoichi by nature, she has learned how to live on her own to some degree and its unlikely she’d perish if left some time alone.
Affectionate; this reptilian girl feels no unease in displaying how much she appreciates the world and the people in it. It can be a hug, a pat in the back, a high-five or even small gifts, Mahiru tries her damned best to show just how much she likes you. She treats just about everybody like they are family until they give her a reason not to.
Laid-back; Mahiru appears has a relaxed mindset. It’s almost as if whenever any negative emotions and thoughts threaten to run wild, her blood runs cold instead, allowing her a level-headed disposition towards adversity and the world even in difficult times. She also loves to laze around when she’s too tired to train, oftentimes taking naps on the most awkward places. Mahiru wastes a good bit of her time sunbathing due to her reptile physiology, but is still stuck with her porcelain-white skin despite her efforts.
Inquisitive; She’s curious to a fault. Somewhat unaware of many social barriers one’s not supposed to break, Mahiru often questions the things most people would feel embarrassed to ask. A rather hyper-active (as much as her cold blood allows her, that is) and curious kunoichi, she has no issues with investigating and looking for answers on things she should not involve herself with.
Blunt; this kunoichi talks what she thinks and most of the time does not think twice about it. Authority or arrogance holds very little worth in her eyes, and her respect’s only given to the people who prove themselves worth it in her eyes. She rarely hesitates to spit any truth she believes in right on somebody’s face.
Creepy; while she means no harm most of the time, Mahiru can be a rather unsettling individual. She finds dark humor amusing, has a charismatic smile that is drawn straight from a horror movie and often denotes what people taste like just to give them the heebie jeebies.
Brutal; although her heart does not lean towards the evil spectrum, she has no qualms with violence. If needed be, she’ll punch something until it breaks, be it object or human. She’s no stranger to violence ditched on herself as well, seemingly used to pain, a lasting reminder of her rough upbringing.
Despite being created in a lab, the genetics of her kin runs the same. For the sake of roleplay flavor, she has poor vision and uses her sense of taste to perceive things rather than her eyes, but there won't be any mechanical benefits until she unlocks her clan heritage.
「無音の拳」Muon no Ken [Rookie] ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⮡⠀⠀⠀Silent Fist
A fighting style where the user’s taijutsu techniques and overall physical activity are remarkably silent. It is similar to Strong Fist, but trades some of its sheer brute power for concealment and control; there are no strong winds, loud cracks and terrain destruction involved, making it rather difficult for an enemy to gauge just how hard an attack will hit until it lands. If the user is skilled at stealth, it’s a great tool for infiltration. At her current rank, however, Mahiru still has a lot to learn. Someone not that well-versed in taijutsu might find her offensive moves strange as the visual momentum of her attacks don’t quite match the weight of her hits, but an experienced individual can see through the trick.
She’s naturally good at this due to genetics, but that’s about the extent of it. She hasn’t really put her mind into developing it yet, but it works as a basic skill where she can hide from your average joe successfully. Her taijutsu specially benefits from this skill.
Bukijutsu. Inspired by shinobi who store valuable intel in the form of scrolls within their stomach, Mahiru has developed a bukijutsu technique of her own. By storing throwing weapons within her stomach, she can later kickstart a launching technique that uses her stomach, esophagus and oral muscles in unison to spit them at her enemies much like your average shinobi throws a kunai. Currently, she’s limited to small projectiles and nothing fancy like explosives.
⮡⠀⠀⠀Senkoudama — Tiny steel spheres that have a diameter similar to a senbon. They can pierce and travel at similar speeds to them, but they can’t be easily pulled out. She can spit them one by one, for high accuracy, range, and projectile speed: in bursts, for medium parameters; or spray them for low parameters. Spraying too often requires reloading afterward — that is, ingesting more spheres, which she keeps on herself much like other ninja would with kunai and shuriken.
Ninjutsu. The ninja art of actively using and controlling bandages worn by the user. By weaving handseals, Mahiru can control the bandages around her arms, legs and tail (for better visualization, refer to Eraser Head from My Hero Academia) for a variety of purposes such as restraining, mobility, support and so on. She can’t control a lot of bandages yet, being capable of only controlling up to two of them at a time, and up to five meters away; any farther, and they will fall soft, a victim to the forces of gravity. They travel at generic projectile speed.
⮡⠀⠀⠀Nijuu Ryuu — Literally meaning Double Dragon, after a short string of handseals, the user loads their bandages with chakra, forcing them to spiral on their limb. Once that limb successfully hits a target, the spiralling bandage coalesces into the point of impact, essentially dealing a second hit similar in power to the first.
