Test Drive Post!

[sunshinemods]

Sunshineverse

Okay everyone, it's time to test some people out! The rules of the game are simple. You have a character you would like to try out as a native to the setting of this game. You want to see if this is the right setting to play said character in, right? Well, then all you have to do is drop them into this post as a top level comment with this as the header: Character name | Series (OC's just put Original here) | Planned Village Affiliation Then you comment around and play with everyone else! If you need some ideas on how to get started, you can drop your character in during the middle of a mission, have them at an eatery around their village, or maybe even just doing weapons practice. It's up to you how you want to set out, so feel free to put your characters in this version of the Naruto universe however it most seems appropriate. Just be sure to say where you put them somewhere in your post though, otherwise two people might not even be threading in the same country. One last thing! Remember that your character was born in this universe, so whatever else you decide, your character is a world native, even if they might be a tourist in the village you decided to test them out on. And that's it. Just be good to each other and have fun! Threads you do here can count toward future activity checks, so long as the person you're threading with gets in too. These threads can also be used for samples on your application. Communities♦ Main Community ♦ Missive Network ♦ OOC Community General Info♦ Premise ♦ Rules ♦ F.A.Q. World♦ Country Information ♦ Maps ♦ Sunshine Timeline ♦ Character Histories Applicants♦ Applications ♦ Character History FAQ ♦ Nationality Guide ♦ Taken

Comments

We'll say ths was a couple years ago if we decide to keep it.

[teachingpeace]

The day was dry, but that was on purpose. At least, at this edge of the country. He'd been testing out using less in the way of his paths, to try and conserve and bolster himself, but it simply hadn't been working as well as he hoped.

So he'd been easing off the rain as well, which meant he was taking this border at a leisurely amble, in his own body with a hat low over his brow, and trying not to waste energy getting a sunburn, and wasn't that a bizarre concept, that he'd have to find energy to heal from. He was, however, surprised to see the boy, who he'd seen before, twice now in fact, through the eyes of different Paths, had ventured near his borders again.

And this time, just over, which let him have an excuse to approach. He looked tired and worn still, true, but he'd been improving, and feared nothing from the youth who currently had his curiosity.

"Hello."

Roger!

[notbalanced]

As soon as Juugo realized the presence approaching was not an animal, he tried to change course, to find a different way to the stream. But the presence was heading right for him and he was usually better at avoiding people, so why... Oh. It must be another ninja like Orochimaru had been. He didn't know if he could outrun a ninja. When Orochimaru had wanted to know more about it, and made him... made him fight, Juugo had seen how fast and strong ninja could be. But he didn't want to fight, or hurt--

Before he could make a decision the man was close. Too close. He looked thin and small, and worn. It had broken ninja before.

Juugo went completely still, hardly even breathing. He didn't say anything in response. He wanted to run, but he couldn't be chased. That might make it come out. The only thing that moved about him was the small bird perched boldly on his shoulder.

[teachingpeace]

He examined him thoughtfully in his silence, and the swirl of chakra that indicated fear? Radiant to his senses. He stepped closer, noting how tall the youth was.

Then again, if he'd pulled chakra like that instead of being malnourished as a child he might have been a tree too. "You don't have to be afraid."

[notbalanced]

There was a flicker of something that might be irritation, quickly swallowed back up by the fear, at the statement. This ninja didn't know; there was everything to be afraid of. Blood smeared on the ground and trees and him. Smoke and flames and ash, houses full of bodies burning down around him.

Juugo flinched and shuddered as Nagato took a step closer, drawing in on himself and managing to appear much smaller than he actually was. He took a step back, then another. He had to go. He had to get away, before-- He couldn't run; he'd be chased. But he had to get away.

"No. I-- I need to go."

He took another step back, shaking his head.

[teachingpeace]

"You don't believe me..." He tilted his head. "Tell me why." He took another step, lifting his hand, giving a gentle tug of gravity to arrest his backward motion.

It was draining, but he didn't want to hurt the boy, and the boy desperately looked to need rest.

[notbalanced]

Something was keeping him from leaving and it was something this ninja was doing. Juugo's heart sped up and his eyes widened in obvious fear. He pushed against the hold, stiff and tense.

This couldn't be happening. He didn't-- Words turned bitter and painful even as he thought about saying what a monster he was. He'd killed and killed, and would kill again--

"It-- I can't!"

It was swirling under his skin, so close. He needed to get away. "No!"

[teachingpeace]

He could feel that, the movement of chakra, and he did what reflex had him do when he was trying for a peaceable diffusion. He stepped forward and touched the boy's arm, giving a stern yank on the chakra to knock the level of it back down before it could get to whatever usable levels he'd just been aiming for. He tried not to do enough to knock him flat though. It was a bit harder with the way the boy was gathering chakra to modulate the amount though.

He didn't know what jutsu had been in the forming, but he really didn't care at the moment. Still, he hoped that he wasn't giving the boy more reason to be frightened. He just didn't much desire to be reflexively attacked since the youth was... skittish.

"Then you can't. Try to calm yourself. It's unpleasant."

[notbalanced]

Juugo flinched at the touch, and when immediate escape wasn't available, he curled in on himself as small, and as far away, as Nagato's hold allowed.

He hardly noticed that it wasn't so close to the surface anymore, only a little relief bleeding into the wordless panic gripping him. Juugo wanted away and the little birds were in a tizzy, upset on his behalf. One braver one even tried to dive at Nagato's head to peck at his hair.

[teachingpeace]

He tilted his head so the bird missed and then mad a soothing sound, kneeling in the dirt and keeping his hand resting on the boy, pulling his chakra with slow care, not wanting to damage him, but he said nothing, nor did he lift a hand to try to batt the birds away. The animals were understandably distressed given the boy's state.

Still, given more energy from the steady influx of chakra, it made him able to better focus and widen his senses to what he was seeing without driving himself to collapse.

Then, he waited. He had nowhere to be, and he fed the chakra off to control of his other Paths so they could watch over things while he was busy.

If it took a while, then it took a while, and he knew words wouldn't help at this point, so he wouldn't use them until they did.

[notbalanced]

It took a while, but eventually when it still hadn't come out, and Juugo felt more settled than he did any other time except after,, the panic started to ease. He was still incredibly uncomfortable. The touching only reminded him of Orochimaru and the experiments and fights and--

But it was so quiet, and that made Juugo feel safe. Safer, at least. And the birds had long given up on dissuading Nagato from doing what he was doing, and they could sense that Juugo was calmer, and that made them relax too, a little bit.

What was happening, though? Juugo didn't understand. Usually when he got especially afraid, it came out. But not this time. There was something. He could feel something different, but Juugo wasn't sure exactly what it was. Just... different. The opposite of usual, somehow.

So he finally lifted his head. "What are you?"

[teachingpeace]

"I'm the God of my country." He tilted his head back toward the rain behind him. "I watch over my land, and I've noticed you before through my other eyes."

He paused a moment, tone particularly gentle, though he didn't take his hand off of him. "Do you feel better now? Your chakra was... unsettled, so I took the extra from you."

He probably didn't look that impressive, still looking so old and tired, but he didn't lie, and that was clear enough in his posture, voice, and resolve.

[notbalanced]

Hope burned up. Had this...god taken it away? Was that really all that was necessary. Juugo's expression filled with the hope, so naked and vulnerable, and then the expression shattered.

No, it was dim, much more than usual, but he could still feel it like a sleeping snake curled inside his chest. So it wasn't gone, just asleep for a little while, which was better than anything Orochimaru had managed. But it wouldn't last, would it, and then it would come out again, and he would kill, and kill, and kill again.

Juugo sighed. "No."

But he'd heard Orochimaru talking about chakra. No one had ever explained to him exactly what it was. It could be taken and shared, it seemed, and Juugo could put enough together to know it was very important to ninja. But what was it exactly?

"Chakra?"

Now with accurately portraying icon!

[teachingpeace]

With how focused he was, it was effortless work to pick up the mood changes. It gentled his demeanor even more. "Chakra is energy of the body and mind combined. In your case, you seem to pull it directly from nature itself. You were unaware that you did so?"

He leaned in, just a little, ringed eyes careful int he way they examined him. "It is the basis of life, and all things that live have some form of it. It changes with moods and skills, and yours is very unbalanced. Focus on me for a moment."

He lifted his other hand, putting it on Juugo's and pulling a little harder on his chakra. "Do you feel that sensation? That is me taking chakra from you. It is a very uncommon skill." Then he stopped, having no desire to hurt the boy.

[notbalanced]

Unaware? Juugo supposed so. Was it just chakra? If it was, and chakra could be taken, could this man take all of it away? He wanted that, no matter the risk. He'd gone to Orochimaru to have it cured, even not knowing if he would live through it, or what 'experiments' the man would require in return would be.

He could feel the sensation, almost like a little bit of himself had flowed like water into the other man. It was almost like a taste on the back of his tongue, and one Juugo wasn't sure he liked, because the taste was a little bit like it. And yet, the man had taken some of it and it wasn't coming out and taking him over. He seemed as quiet and calm as he'd been this whole time.

So Juugo nodded. It was still sleeping inside him. The man had called him unbalanced--but so did many--so could the balance be fixed?

Juugo would rather it just be taken away entirely. "Can you take all of it?"

[teachingpeace]

He was quiet for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "You would die."

It was a simple statement. "Chakra is not something that can be separated from you that way."

[notbalanced]

"If that is what's needed."

But Juugo was scared. Scared of dying, and what was beyond. How could he face all he'd killed? Guilt bit at him and wound around him like snakes, and it hurt to breathe, just thinking of it.

He was afraid of it more. And afraid of all the more people that would be hurt if it continued to survive and take control of him. So if that was the choice he had to make, he was so afraid, but he would.

The birds, sensing his distress, chirped and fluttered, and one did its best to provide comfort.

[teachingpeace]

"I won't do it." It was a simple, low declaration. He wouldn't help someone commit suicide again. He'd killed people, many, many people, but it was... very different to help someone die when they wished to. And even if the resemblance was passing... it made something tighten in his chest to hear that kind of sentiment from this boy.

"I can help you, but I will not be the death of you."

[notbalanced]

Help. Orochimaru had said something about helping, curing, and nothing had happened. Only--

Blood, and fighting, and nothing helped. He'd only watched Orochimaru make copies of him, and so many copies died, and others went mad as it took control, and the ones that didn't... Juugo didn't know what happened to them.

Now this man was offering help. He'd helped a little, but how long would that last? How long before it took this man over, since he was taking the chakra that made it?

"He said he would help, and cure me. He only made me fight-- Nothing helped."

[teachingpeace]

"I have no cure for you." It was a simple, clear statement of fact. "I can help, nothing more. If you fight, it will not because I force you to, save to get you to learn control."

He studied him thoughtfully. "I would probably handle that personally since you cannot do me permanent harm. In any case, who is this he who made promises he clearly didn't keep?"

[notbalanced]

How did fighting teach control? It only hurt others, and part of Juugo balked at it. But he was helping, could help, and if he was right about not being able to do him harm...maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Juugo wanted so badly not to live like this, always afraid of it coming out.

"Orochimaru."

And the experiments had been almost as bad, painful and scary, but he could have endured those, if only they had helped. This was helping, though, so maybe...

[teachingpeace]

There was immediately a look of distaste on his face when that name emerged, and he gave a light squeeze to the arm he'd been touching.

"That explains quite a bit. If that man had his way I wouldn't even be alive."

[notbalanced]

"He smiled, when they died."

Just the thought of the people Juugo had been made to fight, that Orochimaru had made sure it would be unleashed on, made tears gather in his eyes. "Good data" Orochimaru had said. People had died.

So Juugo had left. And now he was here, and didn't know what to do. He looked at the man, wondering what was next.

[teachingpeace]

He reached out, hand moving very slowly so the boy hard warning, and his touch gentle as he brushed his fingertips over his cheek.

"That doesn't surprise me at all. When I was very young he suggested killing me and my friends because we were starving. A mercy he said. You never have to worry about him taking you back to that with me, I wouldn't let him."

He shook his head, giving the boy a faint, amused smile. "Even at my weakest I was stronger than his strongest. Come. There will be no senseless killing done to you here."

[notbalanced]

The touch was unfamiliar, and touch had almost always meant pain was coming before. Pain wasn't a bad thing. Pain meant he was still here and it was not. But Juugo wasn't sure he liked pain very much, otherwise.

He went stiff and tense, but when it didn't hurt he relaxed.

"Do you promise?"

[teachingpeace]

"I do. You will make your own choices here. I may merely suggest alternative options." He pulled back, looking at him thoughtfully. He decided not to speak whatever it was that crossed his mind, instead pushing to his feet.

"You will need a hat."