Cowards, huh? Is that what the pissy old brute thought? Just cuz they weren't all charging in head first into a crater where the thing would have an obvious advantage? Tsubaki simply shook her head, standing up to her full height. The wrinkled facade she wore creased further as he lips remained pulled back into a grin, not at all bothered by the creature's words. It seemed confident, which was understandable. She was confident that this thing could take on any of the shinobi here one on one without issue. But so long as everyone was working toward the common goal and not bothering too much about squabbling between villages and all that bullshit? She was sure things would be fine.[break][break]
At least that was how she felt right up until the stampede formed and started charging up the wall toward the cluster of shinobi who gathered near the edge of the crater. Just to be safe, Tsubaki distanced herself further from the group, moving swiftly to ensure that she wasn't anywhere near that stampede. She would keep an eye both on it and the stampede's place of origin, keeping a close eye out for any signs of where the head of the herd may have been hiding.[break][break]
As she did, her hand would tuck into her kimono, hands working quickly behind the folds of fabric. A moment later her disguise would vanish in a puff of smoke, revealing her wild pink hair and feminine form. She didn't spot any hidden mist folks from the crowd, so she was confident she wouldn't be immediately recognized by a familiar face. At the same time as her true form appearing while everyone was distracted by the rhinos, the cork would pop off of her gourd, a stream of water flowing out from within. The fluid would quickly mold and shift beside her until a perfect duplicate of herself was standing directly beside her. Now all that was left was to see how many of these shinobi survived to decide if it was worth sticking around for the fight or if this was simply a lost cause.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] @all
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] Not much to do but prep for her time to strike
The moment that hound opened her mouth, Tsubaki knew exactly what was coming. That tone of voice was unmistakable, and the intentions behind it was just as distinct. Some may have thought that Makoto was being harsh, judging her for poor decisions simply because she was being something of an idiot. But if there was one thing to be gained from this conversation, it was that her old drinking buddy still gave a shit. It would’ve been kinda cute if not for the fact that this was likely about to turn into an argument.[break][break]
”Uh-huh.” She blandly nodded along, still smirking to herself as she carefully eyed the water. ”If that’s the stupidest thing you’ve heard, then I’m starting to think the only reason you’re talkin’ to me is cuz you haven’t been able to find a good drinkin’ buddy since I left.” Her smirk softened a bit as she teased the mist kunoichi, eye shifting for a moment to watch her expression. She knew the black haired broad had a point or two in there. It was just a shame that she didn’t care enough to give them much thought.[break][break]
A glimpse of moment under the water caught her attention, her eye quickly turning to focus on it. A moment later the a fish would burst out of the water, falling limp on the ground without its head. The thing was dead before it even hit the ground, maybe before it even left the water. It was all rather sudden, as there were no obvious hand seals performed beforehand. Then again, both of her hands were tucked into her kimono so it was hard to say what happened.[break][break]
She took a moment to eye the fish before shrugging, accepting the fact that she would need more than that to satisfy her hunger. But first, she had to address the growling dog. Her lone eye took a moment to examine the other woman, shoulders relaxing a bit as she quickly realized just how intense these emotions of hers were. As she should’ve expected, really. Some things never changed.[break][break]
”Now, now. Don’t be so dramatic. Relax. Have a bite. I salted them beforehand, so they shouldn’t be THAT bad.” The other’s burning hot energy was met with a cool wave, like an ocean’s waves crashing against the blistering hot sands on the shore. Tsubaki was oddly relaxed, almost at peace in this intense moment. ”I don’t plan on dying any time soon, alright? I promise, I’m not about to go charging into a samurai camp or trying to tackle the empire all on my own. I’m playing this smart. Believe it or not, I got plans. Plans that can only be pulled off by people like me. People who can act without havin’ to worry about drawing their ire to the homeland. I’m just gonna need you to trust me.”
Ok, so she saw through the whole 'duty to fight' bullshit pretty quickly. So much for this being a simple conversation. This hound's ears were too sharp for one to simply get away with such shallow responses, it seemed. This stuff was way easier when they were both drunk, the alcohol blurring the lines between fact and fiction until it was just one big messy swirl of who even cares anymore? Tsubaki let out a sigh, shaking her head as the bandaged arm revealed itself once more. The sword was pulled from the flame before the free hand would reach out to carefully tug the fish off and place it on the cloth with the other. "Alright, alright. I get it, you're worried about me." There was a faint, genuine smile on her face as she said that. Even if her tone was one of dismissal, it felt nice to receive some genuine concern. Maybe she wasn't as on her own as she thought.[break][break]
The blade was placed on the ground beside her, the properly functioning hand working to wrap the fish in the cloth and tie it off a bit. The process was a bit clumsy with only a single hand with enough dexterity to be of much use, but she got it done well enough. Once it was secure she would toss it across the fire to her guest. "Stop talking and start eating while I scrounge up some more grub." She had only caught a couple fish when she thought it would be just her. But now that there was company she had little choice but to start looking for more. All she had to do was shift her position a bit, her lone eye carefully watching the gently flowing waters for signs of life. She may have only been down to one functioning eye, but it was still as sharp as ever.[break][break]
"If anyone finds me I just kill em' before they can kill me. What, you think that just because I'm a little banged up I can't swing a sword or mold chakra? Most shinobi aren't as sneaky as you are, mutt." She shook her head, smirk returning to her face as she tucked both of her hands in, her hands disappearing within the loose folds of her kimono. "I'd bet you that there's just as many cloud kids who would rather share a drink and try to get some mist secrets out of me than would try to take my head. If they actually know anything about me they'll realize that's way more effective than any interrogation. I'm more worried about the people I left behind than the people on the other side. Kenji had a lot of friends, you know." She shot a quick glance toward Makoto, a knowing look in her eye. Her husband was a popular man. Almost too popular for her own tastes. She always figured that if anyone had to choose between the two of them they would go with him every time. But at least that didn't seem to be the case with ol' Maki.[break][break]
"You wanna know the real reason I'm here? It's cuz I hate those damn samurai. And cuz I intend to learn every single thing about the bastards so I can gut them with their own techniques." Her eye refocused on the water as she spoke, though it wasn't quite the same as when she was hunting for fish. Instead it was as if she was staring through the water itself to something beneath. Something only she could see. "This is my best opportunity to do that. And I aint gonna let somethin' as stupid as the risk of death stop me from taking this shot.
Removed from the rest of the shinobi, there stood a lone man wearing a loose kimono. A pipe extended out from his lips as he stared out with his one functioning eye. The other was marked with three gaches, as if it had been horrifically mauled by a large beast. Meanwhile his left hand would run over his smooth, bald head to give it a gentle rub. It was an unfamiliar man to be sure, one that not a soul from among the other shinobi would recognize. And that was because the seasoned older man standing before them didn't really exist at all.[break][break]
Transformation techniques were certainly a useful tool in a nukenin's arsenal. The constant chakra drain meant that it wasn't efficient to keep it up all the time, but it wasn't severe enough that she couldn't keep it up for a bit before a hectic battle was about to begin. With any luck she would be able to drop it the moment the battle begun and rely on the chaos to keep any would-be bounty collectors from trying to snatch her. And if they did? Well it wouldn't be too hard to slip away in this environment.[break][break]
It was definitely something of a gamble to get mixed up in this, but how could she pass up such an opportunity? How often did hulking beasts like this show their faces here? As eager as she was to test her mettle against it, she had to remind herself that she wasn't who she once was. Trying to take that thing head on in her current state would be a death wish. She almost had half a mind to just sit the whole fight out and watch from the distance to see what happened. But that didn't seem like nearly as much fun.[break][break]
Or at least that was what she thought. But the moment that crazy Inuzuka threw herself at the monstrosity, the disguised shinobi burst into gravely, masculine laughter. The shinobi dropped to one knee, resting her good arm on her leg as she squinted to get a better look at the scene unraveling down in the pit. "Yeah! You gettem' you crazy mutt! Show em' what you've got, you bloody bear-dog freak!" She knew that technique anywhere, but seeing an Inuzuka with a bear? This whole thing was gonna be one hell of a show.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] @all
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] Can never have too much chaos
Take care of yourself Usagi. As much as I, and I'm sure all of us, have loved threading with you, self care is the top priority. Do what you have to do. Hopefully that week is enough for you to regroup. And if it takes longer, we'll still be here till you get back. Good luck out there.
A soft chuckle slipped out from between pressed lips as those familiar eyes quickly flicked away from her broken body. There was a surprising lack of bitterness to it, her laughter sounding not too different from not too long ago when they would be having this talk over drinks. Her lone eye took another look around, this time travelling more lazily across her surroundings. It was a weird feeling, knowing that despite everything she had someone looking out for her. It had been a long while since she really felt that kind of security. "Yeah, well. Remind me to send you off with a couple extra fish for the pack." It was the least she could do for that rag tag bunch of hers.[break][break]
Her eye fell back to the flame and the fish within as it cooked, though her mind lingered on the Inuzuka sitting in her peripheral view. She could feel the questions waiting to come crashing down on their conversation. The things she had no doubt come to wonder of what came about for her old friend. It was a shame Tsubaki didn't have many satisfying answers to give. But in the end, at least she decided to ask one that was simple enough. "Trust me, I know it is. But do you really think I'm gonna spend my life being scared of my own people?" Her smile grew in both confidence and defiance as she leaned back a bit, almost instinctively trying to use her free hand to brace herself. But she knew better than to put her weight on that damn thing by now.[break][break]
"It's bad enough I gotta keep away from home. Besides, I'd like to think folks would rather save their energy for the upcoming skirmish instead of risk their necks chasing some washed up kunoichi down. Especially since there's a good chance a samurai will take my head soon anyway." She shrugged a bit, her bandaged hand slipping out of the kimono just enough to brush a stray lock of hair away from her good eye. "You know why I'm here. I'm gonna join the fight. Just cuz I don't belong to the Mist anymore doesn't mean I don't have a duty to fight." And yet anyone who knew her would know there was more to it than simple duty. Especially considering she was never one to be overzealous in the name of duty alone. But for the moment she left it at that, he eye lingering on her blade as she idly turned twisted her wrist a bit to turn the fish in the flame.
The wandering shinobi's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as the woman maintained a casual one, even chiding her for thinking she would be anything less. She let out a chuckle at that, shaking her head as she lowered her blade. The bandaged hand reached to take the fish from the skewer, quickly tossing it onto a clean cloth she had laid out to receive it. "Oh yeah. I figured it'd go well with the eye patch and fucked up arm. I happen to think I wear it pretty well, thank you very much." As she spoke she continued her meal prep, skewering another fish and holding it out over the flame. She was definitely gonna have to catch more fish if she was going to be having company.[break][break]
"Seriously though. I'm still trying to figure out who's an actual friendly face and who's here to rub it in before trying to rub me out. Should've known you wouldn't give a shit though." Lips curled into a more comfortable and familiar smirk as the Inuzuka settled across from her, posture shifting to lean forward a bit. As she did, her injured arm would slowly and cautiously slide back into her kimono, a soft breath of relief escaping her as it returned to its place of rest. "Don't worry about it too much. I'm not so useless these days that I can't catch a fish. I' could clear out this whole river if I felt like it. And considering I'll be feeding you and your fat ass dogs!" She rose her voice, smile growing a bit as she took a quick glance around. She knew those mutts were around here somewhere. Hard to imagine Makoto going too far without a few members of her pack.[break][break]
But as nice as it'd be to see some wagging tails, it was much more of a relief to see her old drinking buddy was still doing well. Not that she expected anything less from someone like her. Shit would've had to really hit the fan for her to be in any sort of trouble. Which was part of why it was hard to see those eyes of her looking on with concern. She could feel them looking her over, realizing that the stories were true. The Iron Flower of Mist had wilted, left a shadow of her former self. She rolled her shoulders a bit at that, letting out another soft chuckle as she let the thought roll off her shoulders. "What's the matter, Maki? Never seen a cripple before?"
The rogue shinobi relaxed, tilting her head back to watch the sky as the fish continued to cook. The sound of the gently flowing river, the wind rustling the leaves all around. Nature really was a beautiful thing. At least being on the run meant she got to travel at her own pace, see the world without having to be concerned about mission objectives and all that stuff. Really take the time to smell the flowers and taste nature's sweet splendor. Her shoulders dropped as the tension flowed from her body, lips curling into a faint smile as she felt the warmth of the sun against her tattooed face.[break][break]
A shame the peace was so short lived. Her muscles immediately turned tense once more, though her expression refused to change. Her chest heaved as she pushed out a heavy sigh of exhaustion. This was not what she wanted to deal with right about now. Sneaky little mutt must've taken advantage of her new blind spot. She was still adjusting to this whole 'one eye' situation. "One of many places, actually. I never was one to sit still for too long." She kept her back to her former peer, instead simply holding her blade and tilting it toward the woman. The tip would find itself angled toward Makoto's face, which could've easily been viewed as a threat. If not for the freshly cooked salted salmon hanging from the tip.[break][break]
"If you're here to kill me, the least you could do is join me for one last meal. For old time's sake." Her smile grew into an slight smirk as she stared into the fire, her mind quietly racing with possibilities. She never did get to reconnect with her former allies. There was no telling who would be willing to let things slide or who would be seeking to avenge her lost husband. "Got enough that I could split it for two here. But if you want something for your mutts I'll have to fish em' up for ya. Shouldn't take too long, though."
Traveling alone definitely had its perks. For one, you never had to worry about people struggling to keep up. It was always such a pain in the ass to deal with overweight merchants and the sort that had never set foot outside civilization or off the beaten path. Then there was the lack of stupid questions, stuff like 'how much farther' and 'when can we stop to eat?'. Which lead to what may have been the biggest advantage of all, only one mouth to feed.[break][break]
Though she did miss having someone else around to deal with making the fires. It was so much more frustrating to try and manage with only one properly functioning hand. But eventually she would get it going, even if she had to sprinkle a bit of alcohol on the sticks to get it going. Was that a great idea? Probably not. But fuck it. She was hungry and the damn thing was taking too long.[break][break]
She leaned back a bit as the fire started to burn, narrowing her lone eye at the smoke rising from the flame. Always a shame these things were such a potential beacon for trouble. Usually it was fine, but every now and then she’d have to deal with some overly curious folks that just have to know what was going on. But the sun was still in the sky, so at least the light wouldn’t be too obvious from the distance. It wasn't much but at times like this it was important to count what blessings she did have.[break][break]
Her right arm emerged from her loose kimono, the limb's entire length wrapped in bandages. Damn thing still ached with every move, but at least she could use it a little bit without it getting any worse. While her right hand grabbed one of the fish she already had prepared, the other would draw her blade from its sheath. She took a moment to examine the weapon, one of the few remaining things that tied her to her homeland. A shame she didn’t manage to grab one of the nice katanas before ditching. But this was still a fine work of art in her eyes.[break][break]
And boy was it perfect for cooking. The fish was skewered on the tip of her blade and held out over the fire with her good arm, the other coming to rest on her knee as she sat comfortably on the mist riverside soil. Now there was nothing to do but sit and wait for the thing to cook. And less than fifteen seconds in, she remembered the worst part about traveling alone. It was so damn quiet.
Whether the sound of approaching footsteps had gone unnoticed or were simply ignored was unclear. Either way, the woman's lone eye refused to leave the busy scene down below. Her expression was difficult to read, save for the clear layer of amusement that seemed to mask whatever else was stirring beneath the surface. Whatever the case, she at the very least seemed to be at peace. She wasn't plotting anyone's downfall or orchestrating any form of scheme. This was little more than a war torn woman taking in the scenery and a few strong drinks.[break][break]
When the visitor spoke up, a bandaged arm would slide out from the folds of her loose kimono to beckon her over without even looking in her direction. "You can help yourself as long as you don't go callin' me miss the whole time. I don't like the way that sounds." Even with her back turned to the visitor, the smile was audible in her voice. She tilted her head back to slam down the rest of her drink before setting the empty bottle aside and finally turning to face them.[break][break]
"Woah. Nice horns, kiddo." The unbandaged hand reached to grab a bottle of sake and toss it to the unfamiliar oni. "I'm gonna go ahead and guess from that giant hunk of wood you got there that you're here to bash some samurai skulls?" There were a lot of conclusions to jump to, especially considering the lack of a shinobi headband. Whatever the case, she could already tell that this was one of the more interesting people that could've stumbled across her in this odd location.
The girl's initial response was met with a restrained chuckle. Looked like he struck a nerve with this little firecracker. Adorable. Though he couldn't blame her much for getting defensive in a situation like this. She now had a witness to her failures, one that wasn't afraid to pipe up and tease her for them at that. "Well, as long as you understand that much." For a moment she was worried this was some poor girl that was trying to get in too deep. Sure, she was able to pull off those hand seals like she knew what she was doing. But even a common fisherman could memorize and rehearse patterns like that.[break][break]
While the girl rolled her eyes, Tsubaki would just flash her a grin and take a deep swig from her gourd. She held it to her lips as she tilted her head back, gulping it down without hesitation and holding it there until the container was completely empty. When she finally pulled it away she let out a breath of refreshment, as if chugging all that water had completely revitalized her. Her toothy grin remained constant as she brought her sleeve up to wipe her lips, brows raising as the stranger insisted that she had no choice but to master these techniques.[break][break]
With a heavy sigh, the rogue ninja lowered her gourd back into the water to fill it back up. "Hate to break it to ya kid, but it's gonna be a long while before you master anything." Once her jug was filled she would fasten it back to her hip and push herself up off the ground with a soft grunt. She had to admit, this kid was kinda endearing. "You want help? Here's my first word of advice." Her eyes turned to Miyuki's hand that was tightly gripping the hilt of her blade. She couldn't sense any killing intent from the girl, so she wasn't too concerned for her own safety. But still..."Careful with your hands there. Keep squeezing your blade like that and people are gonna think you intend to use it."[break][break]
As she spoke she would step forward as if to start wading through the river. Yet when she did, her foot didn't break the surface. Instead they met it as if a solid surface, a faint glow radiating from underneath as the chakra gently flowed into the water. "Second of all, training in peace is overrated. You plan on using these techniques on the battlefield, right? If you can't manage them with someone heckling you then good luck doing it surrounded by a cacophony of death." The one eyed kunoichi continued to step closer to the chunin, her steps just as relaxed and effortless as if she were striding across the land. Sure, it was a bit more exhausting than when she was in her prime. But so long as she could make it look easy it'd be fine.
There were busy days ahead, of that she was certain. There was much blood to be shed, many new opponents to face, and many meals she currently couldn't afford. It was a difficult thing to be a merc charging into battle without payment. Normally she had a strict rule against that sort of thing, but when the samurai got involved all bets were off. That was why she had to work on her techniques and continue to adjust to her injuries. It was important that she be in top shape before the battle began, as one false step would be enough to cut her journey short.[break][break]
It had been a long morning of work, and now was as good a time as any to take a break for some hydration. She casually made her way through the forest, sipping at the water she kept her her gourd that was usually reserved for jutsu. But fuck it. She was thirsty, and the brook was just a short ways away. Why wait to satisfy that dry throat of hers? She let out a breath of satisfaction as she neared the river, only to stop short as she heard a cry of frustration travel across the water and into the trees. Brows rose in curiosity as she slowed her pace, her movement shifting a bit to stick closer to the shadows in her approach.[break][break]
She would arrive at the edge of the brook just in time to watch the girl form a series of hand seals and stare intently at the water, as if expecting it to bend to her will. This poor thing was clearly struggling. She could see the irritation on her face, that building anger that comes from repeatedly bashing ones head against a wall and not even seeing a single crack start to form. And not just because she heard the girl's previous groaning, even if that was a pretty good tip to her present state of mind.[break][break]
With a soft sigh, the older shinobi would quietly step forward, keeping her right arm tucked away in her loosely fitting kimono as she kneeled down by the water to refill her gourd. "That was a pretty sorry show. You know that using a jutsu is about more than just memorizing hand seals, right?" Her single eye only spared a glance at the white haired Uchiha before turning her attention back to the water. "Trust me, if it's not working just stick to the elements you're familiar with. Don't waste your time trying to learn new tricks right before an important battle."
Word had traveled near and far that Otogakure was going to be the next target of the Imperial forces. Without a doubt, there was about to be a serious skirmish on the border, something that the Village of Sound couldn't handle on their own without serious losses. They had done a good job staying neutral with regards to the conflicts between the various factions, instead focusing on gathering what territory they could after the fall of Konoha and taking what stragglers they could in. At least that was how things always looked from back in the Mist. Even seventy years later, it felt like they were striving to fill the gap left by the great village of leaves. They could call themselves the Hokage all they wanted, but that girl was little more than an imposter.[break][break]
Not that Tsubaki really gave a shit about that whole mess. They could be taking orders from a talking monkey for all she cared. So long as there was going to be a battle she could partake in, she was satisfied. It was the thought that kept the please grin on her face as she sat atop the cliff overlooking one of the barracks, quietly watching the little specks of shinobi in the distance as they gathered in preparation for war. She could only hope that they were all having a good time down there, as she already knew that a number of them wouldn't be returning home. As was the nature of war.[break][break]
The rogue ninja let out a heavy sigh as her eyes turned to the clear skies above, the sun beating down as if even the heavens were eager to see what might take place. She shook her head at herself, softly chuckling as she scolded herself for letting her mind drift to such silly poetics. That was always more his style, not hers. So instead she busied herself with her drink, taking a swig from one of the many bottles in the bag beside her. It was amazing how much product one could score when they were open to accepting alternative means of payment. Sure, money was good. But at times like this alcohol was worth its weight in gold. It was just a shame she didn't have anyone to share it with these days.
The woman's lone eye stared up at the quickly dimming sky through the canopy, arms resting comfortably within the folds of her loose fitting kimono. There's a moment of silence as she watched the stars to ensure they were still on the right course, the smoke gently rolling from the pipe gently pinched between her teeth. A cloud of smoke is released from her lungs as she heaves out a sigh, a hand emerging to delicately take the long pipe from her lips. "How's the fire coming back there?" She turned to look over her shoulder at the frantic traveler behind her as the man quickly fanned at the small flame he managed to start in the kindling.
"Why am I the one who has to deal with this? Aren't I the one paying you?" The woman just laughed as she turned toward the man, lips peeling back into a grin as she stepped closer. "You paid me for safe passage, but not comfortable. You're the one who needs the fire, not me." A half truth, of course. She was a sturdy woman, but she wasn't too fond of the idea of having to sleep out in the cold. Not that this poor soul knew that. He was one of those poor commoners that thought shinobi were something beyond human that held no fear for the things that commonly threatened the ordinary person. Maybe that was why she liked him as much as she did.
Hours passed as they sat by the fire, the traveler holding his precious cargo closely to his chest as he quietly partook of his meal. Meanwhile his protector would keep on the watch, surveying the surrounding forest for signs of danger. After a long stretch of quiet the man spoke up in a cautious yet curious tone. "So...How did you end up like this? Don't you people usually work with villages or something?" She snorted a bit at his question, remaining quiet as she sat comfortably in a tree above. Another moment of quiet took hold of the air, lasting just long enough for one to assume that he wouldn't get an answer. But as he went to take another bite, she spoke up.
"Killed my husband." She spoke in a rather matter of fact manner, shrugging her shoulders as she brushed any emotions the notion may have brought up aside. Another laugh escaped her as she heard her employer coughing violently below, the sudden reveal causing him to nearly choke on his food. "Oh relax. He had it coming. I mean, sure we were both drunk. And I had plenty of personal reasons to do it. Hell, I probably should've done it years before. But...Just trust me. He deserved it. But the Kage didn't believe my story, so I just said 'fuck it' and went on my way." It was a lot more complicated than that, but there was no reason to go into the harrowing escape that cost her an eye and permanently damaged her right arm.
"Oh...I'm...Sorry to hear that." A soft scoff was barely intelligible from the tree above, which was quickly followed by a twig flicked straight at the man's head. He flinched a bit, but responded with a nervous laugh. After all, it was all in good humor, right? The two of them had gotten along well enough during this little trip, so why assume otherwise? "That's enough out of you. One more word on this and I'll leave you for the samurai to find." The threat quickly wiped the smile from the man's face as he immediately complied, busying himself with his meal. This left her with some much needed peace and quiet to herself. A time to mediate and reflect.
And figure out what the hell she was going to do when she was done with this damn contract.
Proficiencies
Taijutsu [Apprentice] A ninja is nothing without a strong body. Speed, strength, durability and endurance are all key elements to survival no matter what your specialty is. And for someone who is a practitioner of the marital arts, it's doubly important. Tsubaki works hard to hone her body and her hand to hand skills, just in case she finds herself caught without a weapon or without water to draw from for her suiton techniques. Unfortunately her injuries have severely impaired her ability to fight effectively, as she is forced to rely on her legs and right arm. While her left arm still functions, it lacks the strength that it once held and can cause her great discomfort. Should she attempt to use it in battle, there's a chance that the injury could worsen and leave the limb completely useless. That being said, is still no slouch. She can do as much with her legs and lone arm as some shinobi can with their entire bodies. And once she adapts to these changes, the world had better watch out.
Kenjutsu [Journeyman] Back in Kirigakure, Tsubaki was renowned for the skill with which she wielded her katana. Her jigen-ryu style was swift and powerful, ensuring that only a single sudden blow would be enough to fell her opponent. But with her permanently injured limb she has had to abandon her old techniques and seek out a way to fight with only a single arm. Fortunately she has always been a studious one when it came to combat, giving her an expansive knowledge of various styles. Of course knowing is only half the battle, as she now must teach herself these new techniques using only what she can recall from her studies. The strong foundation of the basics that she has refined over many years of hard work has made it so that even without her right arm she is a more than capable swordswoman. Though it has been especially difficult to adapt, as her right hand has always been her dominant side. Still, t would be unwise to underestimate her abilities. Even when fighting with her off hand, she is still quite capable and potentially deadly.
Stealth [Apprentice] Sneaking around never was her forte. She was more of a 'rush in and strike before they know what hit them' sort of kunoichi. But now that she's a wanted woman and doesn't have the strength to back up such an approach she has little choice but to take to the shadows. While she's not one who can effortlessly blend into the shadows or vanish from before one's eyes, she's not exactly terrible. Tsubaki is nothing if not experienced, and is always careful not to fall into any amateur pitfalls. But the longer she sits in the shadows, the more she feels her fingers itch to reach for her blade. In the end she usually has enough patience to wait as long as needed, but that doesn't mean she's going to be happy about it.
Suiton [Apprentice] Typically, her suiton is mostly used to support her kenjutsu. While she used to be capable of quite a bit, her left hand has become much more clumsy than it used to be. This makes rapidly forming the hand seals needed to perform complicated techniques far more difficult than they used to be. It was never exactly her specialty, but her performance has dropped drastically from what it once was. The primary use of this style has always been to create water clones to aid her in direct combat and confuse her opposition. Though she is also capable of using it to strike targets at range as needed, just in case her blade can't reach. She has a number of other tricks up her sleeve, but at the end of the day she will always prefer solving problems with her blade. Though it certainly helps to have plenty of tools in the arsenal. Which is why she always carries a gourd of water with her to ensure she has enough fluids to generate at least one water clone while still having a bit left over for other techniques. Which is perfect, since she can only manage to sustain a single clone these days anyway.
[attr="class","APP3"]
Guilty Gear
Tsubaki Mizuno looks like Baiken.
Last Edit: Sept 5, 2021 18:50:52 GMT by Sharp: adding former village to title
