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. Locations General Info Characters World ♦ Main Community ♦ Message Community ♦ OOC Community ♦ Premise ♦ Rules ♦ F.A.Q. ♦ Character History FAQ ♦ Taken ♦ Applications ♦ Nationality Guide ♦ Country Navigation ♦ Sunshine Timeline ♦ Backstory List ♦ Maps

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[heavenly_earth]

The Third War had ended not even a year after his birth, allowing him to grow up in a time of peace. As it was the most recent war, the Academy had told them about it first. But even as he took a few moments to recall any information regarding Kirigakure in the aftermath, little came to mind. Whatever it was, Neji doubted it Kajiki had any good reason to be within their borders. The Jounin mentally added it into his note to Yamato.

"It has it's own charm, as they all do," he agreed instead. "To think that not all that long ago, visitors were met with open hostility if they strayed into foreign borders even with official clearance. I imagine it made negotiations like these particularly difficult."

The shadow of the Hokage tower loomed, and Neji lifted his hand in a mild wave for the guards stationed outside. He kept his eyes from wandering to the unseen guards, well aware of their positions without the aid of the Byakugan now that he'd occupied them himself a few times.

He turned to Kajiki with an apologetic look. "However, that doesn't mean security measures aren't still in place. Please wait here, Hoshigaki-san. I'll be back in a moment."

With that, Neji left him out with the entrance guards and trusted any further implicit warnings to them. He ducked in the building, and it was a simple matter to hand over the scroll and provide a brief explanation of it's origin and intent. He took another moment to scrawl down an informative note to be delivered to the Hokage whenever Obito had the time to read it, and returned outside within the span of a few minutes.

"It seems we'll be playing host for three days or so, Hoshigaki-san. I'll make sure all your arrangements are made, but as you mentioned an interest in eating, we may as well see to that first."

[noboatbigenough]

Kisame knew he shouldn't give more clues, and shouldn't push the boundaries of his current false identity further. But that statement had him thinking of his own often violent receptions in various countries. Killing more than his share of Konoha-nin during his worst missions was a just cause for them, but one in particular stood out and left a bitter ghost on his memories. Kisame would jump at a chance to go again with Morino Ibiki, this time without comrades or orders standing in the way.

So he said it anyway, and subtlety be damned. It was truth. "I wasn't involved in negotiations, but I remember that hostility well enough! I wonder how--well, that was a long time ago. I doubt he remembers me as well as I remember him. A shame that a rematch would be counterproductive to these negotiations."

Kisame went immediately quiet when they got close enough to the tower to be heard. Even though he masked it well, his eyes immediately searched for less obvious guards. There would be, he knew, and a part of him was ready for war, not peace. A fight or a killing; he was forged in blood for those purposes and there was no changing that. But this mission was to observe, so when Neji went inside Kisame stayed still, letting his senses feed him information and giving not even a nod to the guards in easy view.

So he hadn't done so much as shuffle his feet when the escort returned, and it was like a glimpsing spark catching to watch Kisame fall back into his role. Too obvious, but Kisame was almost itching to get caught. With the meetings with his comrade, and that Miliani girl on the way here, he was not ...in the best of moods. Kisame was chafing and frustrated and bitter about the state of the world.

"I would usually request fish, but this far from the sea... So I put myself in your capable hands. Introduce me to a local dish, Neji-san."

[heavenly_earth]

Too easy.

If he didn't know better, he'd say this man was trying to blow his cover- whatever it was. He was putting on an act and pretending to be an affable, if not infallible Jounin, the reasons of which he couldn't say. But lies beget lies, had good reason to believe there was something lurking under the surface, and confirmation came in the form of Kajiki's alleged participation in some of the violence that followed in the wake of the war. He had a run-in with one of their veteran shinobi apparently, and they both still seemed to be alive. It must have been an interesting encounter.

But he shelved the information for now. He couldn't press too hard too quickly, much as his senses longed to demand those answers with force rather than thinly veiled comments. There were reasons he didn't actually work undercover, and not all of it had to do with his obvious heritage. Three days..

"Well, Ichiraku has the best ramen in Konoha," he mentioned off-hand as they began to walk again. "But unless you feel strongly about it, Tea Avenue has the best assortment. With those sharp teeth, I imagined you might better enjoy our Yakiniku restaurant. A lack of seafood unfortunately, but meat as tough or tender as you'd like."

[noboatbigenough]

Kisame laughed, and it was more honest than the rest. Ramen? Well, maybe it was just that good, but, no, he didn't have a particular fondness for the dish and wasn't overly interested in something he could easily get back in Kiri.

"Water is close enough to Noodles that I have plenty of chances for Ramen at home! The Yakiniku sounds appetizing, though, so take me there. If something else catches my eye, I'm sure you'll know, Hyuuga-san."

Was that change in reference intentional? Definitely. Kisame would be back to Neji-san soon enough, but he couldn't help pushing a little more. With eyes like that, pretending to be blind was an insult, and Kisame wasn't that good at acting! Actually, he was pretty terrible at it, which made him even more sure this was a punishment mission. He got so many of those...

Kisame let himself fall into step with Neji, idly commenting on what he was seeing. And the first thing that struck him, even right through the gates was the people. "There are so many civilians here."

Not that there weren't plenty in Kiri, but these actually looked... softer. And much fewer of them were openly armed. Well! A product of the wars, most likely.

[heavenly_earth]

"Fair enough," he agreed. Ramen was good on occasion, but he tended to prefer soba over it anytime. But the change in address made him glance side-long to his companion with those same trademark eyes. More formality, or an emphasis on them? He wondered just how much his 'charge' knew about Hyuuga.

But he followed Kajiki's gaze out to the civilians going about their daily business without concern, and nodded. He could make a few decent stabs at the small bit of wonder coloring the man's voice.

"Konoha has enjoyed an enduring peace since the end of the Third War. We have moderate seasons, fruitful trade, and suffer no shortage of assignments." Which kept the shinobi population occupied and well-outfitted to boot.

He turned onto Tea Avenue and hummed appreciation as he too glanced over the various stands and tea shops along the busy road. "It's a pleasant place to live."

[noboatbigenough]

"The surface is pleasant enough," Kisame said back agreeably, "but calm waters can be more dangerous than the turbulent ones."

Kisame paid more attention to the civilians and the shinobi as they walked past than the shops, but his gaze did linger at a nice looking tea house. There was a range of reactions, but what he noticed most was the general lack of the outright suspicion and fear, and even downright hatred on their faces. He wasn't sure if it was refreshing or unnerving. It made him stand a little straighter, walk with a little more purpose, and the careless shell start to chip away.

"Even with this," Kisame swiped his thumb across the Kiri symbol, "there's less negative reactions than I expected. Some of them look almost glad to see me!"

It made him snort to even think that. He was from a well-known clan; why would they want to meet a Hoshigaki, even in peace?

[heavenly_earth]

Neji supposed it was an accurate metaphor, knowing well the darker waters of his own clan despite the frigid calm over the compound itself. He took in the Mist-nin's reactions with a fair bit of amusement, but that amusement was bellied by the reminder that bloodlines were far from well-respected in Kirigakure. Not an atmosphere he'd like to experience if he could help it- such hostility made the frosty looks of his clan seem tame.

"Kirigakure certainly still has a reputation, but it doesn't mean too much to the civilians. They trust the village's shinobi to keep track of threats and neutralize them before anything unfortunate occurs."

Neji hardly bothered to cover his amusement, words reflecting the current situation all too well. There was a reason he'd chosen to 'escort' Kisame around the village, after all.

"That tea house is rather good," he said more seriously. "We'll be sure to visit before you have to leave."

For now, the restaurant was coming into proper view and the scents drifting through the air awoke an appetite he hadn't been aware of. Perhaps he'd order a meal for himself as well.

[noboatbigenough]

"You are serving your village well, Neji-san."

Kisame didn't say anything more than that until they'd gotten within easy reach of the suggested restaurant. It did smell delicious. If nothing else, he was going to enjoy the meal. He made a careful note of the tea house too; he would be sure to visit.

But he couldn't leave it unsaid. Perhaps it might prompt something interesting. "I saw no poor reactions to you either. It must be true then, what they whisper about Konoha's clans."

It was no secret how close Kiri had come, more than once, to warring on its own clans. With all the clan members that had defected over the years, Kisame wouldn't be surprised if the stories were at least accurate about the intensity, if not smaller details. Even now, the lies and manipulations that kept the peace were strained, and Kisame didn't bother trying to disguise the want in his voice. It was almost jealousy.

ahh I finally fucked up on that last tag lmao

[heavenly_earth]

Neji glanced at Kajiki with a frown, experiencing the briefest pang of sympathy for the shark-nin.

"Bloodlines are celebrated for their unique strengths they offer the village," he agreed. "We might be somewhat more removed from the civilian population than normal shinobi, but there's more mutual regard than hostility."

There were some as there ever would be that objected to shinobi presence, and took particular exception to bloodlines as easily-identified targets, but it was quite the minority and hardly a threat when left in peace.

Feeling no need to elaborate on that, Neji led Kajiki into the restaurant where they were settled into the first available booth, and he took up a menu of available selections with a hum.

"I'm not certain why I still believe I can walk through Tea Avenue without developing an appetite."

[noboatbigenough]

"So I'm seeing." Kisame didn't say more than that, but his thoughts strayed to the Milani girl. So this was why her family had chosen to kidnap her to Konoha. He thought he could see why she liked it here, but her comment about lies made him wonder what was festering and hidden from the rest.

He too was quiet until they sat down, and looked through the menu. There were plenty of choices that sounded appetizing. Hmm, what to choose...

But the comment made him look up and laugh. "Best to eat when you can, Neji-san. You never know when a sudden mission will disrupt things. Your stomach knows that, even if the rest of you hasn't figured it out yet, eh?"