"They were gone two years," said Inoichi Yamanaka. "In that time, they all received specialized instruction in various jutsu and skills."
"They are then who they say they are?" asked the Hokage.
"Despite what some thought, they haven't been replaced with poorly researched duplicates," agreed Inoichi.
"There is no danger to the village directly from them," said Ibiki, looking bemused.
"So what about this otherworldly training?" asked the Hokage.
"Tenten is cleared to return to Team Guy," said Ibiki. "She has further honed her weapon skills for the most part. While still uncannily accurate with throwing weapons, she has added 'Weapons Improvisation Skills' to her portfolio. As well as good skill with the crossbow, a dual-sword style of combat, and she has improved on her skill with explosive tags."
The Hokage nodded to indicate Ibiki should continue.
"Tenten also has two weapons of exceptional quality that she apparently acquired as spoils-of-war during combat with enemy forces of a nihilist group in this other world," said Ibiki, checking his notes for the name. "The Cult Of Cyric. Sounds similar to the Jashin cult in many respects. Her weapons are two swords of a type called a dao - single edged backswords."
"I see," said the Hokage with a nod.
"Ino Yamanaka has been trained extensively in the mental jutsu style known as the Psion, specifically arts similar to the Yamanaka style." Ibiki paused and glanced towards Inoichi.
"She will be passing on several of the exercises and jutsu to the rest of the clan, however she states that she is only an apprentice in such things and lacks some of the tools that she herself was able to access in that other world," said Inoichi.
"Ah, good," said the Hokage sincerely. The Yamanaka had long been one of the more supportive clans.
"Hinata Hyuga has developed her skill in unarmed combat considerably," said Ibiki. "According to her father, she has never once beaten her younger sister in a practice match. Until now."
"Ah, she defeated her sister?" asked the Hokage.
"Her little sister was unable to touch her," said Ibiki. "Hinata demonstrated considerable speed in that match, such that she could have easily demolished her younger sister. Against wooden targets she also demonstrated a technique which allows her to cut through targets as if wielding a sharpened blade."
"She also has come out of this with a weapon acquired in battle," said Inoichi. "A dagger which returns to her hand after it has been thrown."
"Useful," admitted the Hokage.
"Sakura Haruno has arguably changed the most during her experience," said Ibiki.
"I'm not arguing," said Inoichi.
"She was fairly generic in her studies prior to this unplanned trip," said Ibiki. "Currently she is a priestess to a foreign goddess, one that is in many ways the opposite of the Jashin cult. Love and beauty are the main marks of this faith, and she does seem to get some useful jutsu out of it."
"Healing jutsu mostly," said Kakashi, not looking up from where he'd been lost in reading a little orange book. "Nothing that I can duplicate though."
"So she might make a decent medic-nin?" asked the Hokage. Three nods answered him. "Very well. What of Naruto?"
"He can still use his teleport jutsu," said Ibiki. "As long as he doesn't go too far - no time distortion apparently occurs. He also has several interesting jutsu."
"Oh?" asked the Hokage.
several hours ago, Torture & Interrogation room #3
Naruto began ticking them off on his fingers. "Mind you, everyone said that the number of spells I got was completely impossible. Made no sense. Usually followed by Sakura-chan saying something like 'It's Naruto so of course it makes no sense' or something. Anyway. Acid Splash, Detect Poison, Detect Magic, Flare, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Read Magic. Animate Rope, Featherfall, Magic Missile, Shield. Gust Of Wind, Locate Object, Magic Mouth. Vampiric Touch, Wind Wall. Dimension Door, Polymorph. Passwall."
"You forgot that jutsu," prompted Sakura.
"Not happening, never gonna use it again dattebayo!" insisted Naruto.
"I don't know, when you used it on Vejra..." said Sakura, letting the sentence trail off.
"You volunteering to let me demonstrate?" asked Naruto.
"Me?!" Sakura jumped back. "Forget I said anything."
"What is it?" asked Ibiki.
"The most horrible, most terrible, most forbidden jutsu," said Naruto. "It's too horrible for words."
"Did it kill this 'Vejra'?" asked Ibiki, intrigued now.
"Vejra is a drow cleric, a bit of an oddball in that she follows a human deity - Sune the goddess of love," said Sakura, eyeing Naruto nervously as if considering the distance between them and coming up with an answer of 'too close' somehow. "Vejra was helping us out when Naruto came up with an idea for a new jutsu."
"It was the talk about how to get someone to do something for you, and Vejra had mentioned something about the whole 'carrot and the stick' approach," explained Tenten. "Basically how sometimes you can threaten or get violent and get results. Other times, you have to use something they actually want to provoke the reaction."
"I'm familiar with the tactic," admitted Ibiki. "So it's like the 'Hell Viewing Technique'?"
"No, that was the stick. Naruto came up with a carrot," said Tenten.
"It was a mistake!" complained Naruto.
"So what did it do?" pressed Ibiki.
"Vejra in human terms would be around nineteen or so," said Tenten. "After that though, she REALLY took a liking to Naruto."
"Way too much," mumbled Hinata, turning red.
"Oh?" asked Ibiki, thinking this DID sound interesting. Especially as Hinata was the reddest but hardly the only one showing some red in the face. "Can you demonstrate on Haruno-san, Naruto?"
"Eek! NO! Naruto, you can't use that on me!" Sakura said, leaving her chair and backing up to the wall.
"I really don't want to use that again," said Naruto. "Once was enough."
Hinata apparently reached a decision, got up from her chair, and crossed over to where Naruto was.
"Are you SURE, Hinata?" asked Naruto.
Hinata nodded once but apparently had trouble saying anything.
Ibiki watched as Naruto closed his eyes, concentrated, and then reached out and touched the Hyuga heir with one finger to her outstretched hand.
Present, Hokage's office:
"It apparently works in a similar but opposite manner to the Hell Viewing Technique. If anything, it is even more powerful and hard to resist," said Ibiki, glancing towards Kakashi.
"No, I couldn't copy that one either," said Kakashi, sounding quite sad about this. "Maybe if I see it more often."
"I think repeated use of that technique could damage the recipient," mused Ibiki. "From her reaction, overwhelming physical pleasure is involved."
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(Posted Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:12)
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