What it is to be a Kunoichi (Solo)

{Legend: Blue = Flashback Italics = Thought}

I can remember... my mother, she kept me safe as a child. She was approached by a man one day, whom asked her something and when she politely refused, the man looked enraged.

Thinking of that day, I was reminded of why I chose to become this... An assassin, to protect my family, my mother. They would be proud that I had decided to join the Program, and that I would become the greatest shinobi the Nara had seen in years. Although I was talented, I couldn't do it alone... that's why I would practice and train with Adazakura, to unlock his potential as well. I'd found the tracks of some wild boar in the woods of fire country, and I had trapped them into a corner. As I approached the poor defenseless swine, I felt a little sorry for it.. but I'd already killed one before, it would be just the same.

I drew my blade, and watched the animal squeal in the trap I had laid for it. I wanted it to die swiftly, peacefully.. and Adazakura wished for blood. Torn between the two, I merely cut the creature with a swift rise of the blade, cutting barely into it enough to draw blood... however Adazakura wished for it to feel more pain. The wound festered; it created a mark not unlike a cherry blossom, and I heard a voice, telling me to finish it. So I did. Unknowing to my own conscious, I drew up a handseal with my free hand, forming a kai-seal, and the mark vanished... and with it, the life of the swine. It writhed in pain, spasming in front of me, even to the point of breaking its leg from the trap, before it finally died.

Petalchaser, the name of that technique popped into my head. Why or how is unknown to me... but I did learn one thing; Adazakura was more than a name, more than just a blade. He had thoughts and actions that were conveyed through me, as evidence showed right then and there... he taught me how to use his personal technique, and wanted me to kill the animal painfully, instead of swiftly.

Sitting beneath the stars, my mind wandered. Between what my next mission could be, and that I was hungry... but I was always hungry, it seemed. I decided to leave for the woods, in search of food again. When I arrived, I came across the tracks of a bear... A bear? Out here? Uncommon, I had thought. I also heard something nearby; water. The perfect place for a hungry bear to hunt for its favorite snack. I carefully and quietly stepped through shadows as I came upon the large black bear, and I waited. I watched. It was quickly and precisely diving for fish with its powerful claws, impaling them and then munching on it.

Any way to disable it..? Killing it outright would be difficult.. I should weaken it, then deliver the killing blow. As I thought and watched it, I planned for a way to eliminate it. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head, as if planted there by something or someone else: to envenom my sword. I frantically searched for any death blossom or other poisonous herbs, and didn't chance upon any. So instead I became creative; I knew my shadow chakra had the capability of targetting chakra, so I devised a technique on the fly. I quietly reached my blade from its scabbard, and dipped it into the water of the river. As I did, I sent black chakra into the liquid coating it, as it became covered in a slimy and viscous poison... At least, it should be. I hoped, and snuck up to the bear, cutting into his rib with the edge. As I did, I lept past it, and smirked to it, watching for the effect... The bear only reared on his hind legs and roared at me! My plan had failed, and I had a new problem.

So, engaged with this creature, I kept up a graceful, yet underhanded means of shadow-dancing, dashing in between its shadow and the trees, cutting it repeatedly. With each opening it gave, another taste of steel it caught, and eventually I noticed something. His movements were slowing, his eyes were rather clouded... The poison was working, just not as quickly as I had hoped. So with a few more cuts, the beast fell to his knees, and I mounted his back. With my blade at his throat, I whispered a prayer, to ease his passing and to thank him for the meal he was about to present, and my blade slit open his throat, bleeding him into the river and painting it red.