[CLOSED-ish] The great inflation of Shukaku's ego.

[highly_strung]

WHO: Kankuro, Gaara, Kazue, Yamato, Temari, Tenten. This will be updated with more people as/if they appear.
WHEN: Approximately mid March to April.
WHERE: In and around Sunagakure - most taking place in the Demon Desert.
NOTES: A catch all for events during and after the construction of Suna's secret weapon.

[ See top level comments for threads! >8^D ]

Comments

shukaku and kankuro have a Talk

[ninjasloveme]

[ The situation unfolds thusly: in a fit of pique, Kankuro complains that it would be easier if they could ask the damn tanuki how his body works. In a fit of trying to be helpful, Gaara agrees, straightens, and from one second to the next his eyes are gold and black and there's a savage grin twisting his suddenly fanged mouth as sand fills out his silhouette. ]

[highly_strung]

[ As he makes a move to spin round and fix Gaara with an irritated expression as a way of venting his frustrations with his art, he's met with the fuming glare of a pair of burnt gold retinas eclipsed in black shrouds, and he trips over his own feet. Him and his big mouth. In moments Kankuro goes from a broad stretch of overconfident puppeteer to a stumbling and crouching (rather pathetic looking, in all honesty) hunched child.

He soon straightens up, though. After he's backed away a couple of steps. ]

What the-?!

[ninjasloveme]

Who were you calling a dumbass raccoon, brat? You wanna say that again? [ Even as his shape becomes more hunched and beastlike, he's still limited by Gaara's height and his leer is from below Kankuro's eye level. What a drag. Then he pauses, head tilting in a distinctly un-Gaara-like manner, as he consults with the medium. ] Eh, never mind that, the runt says you wanna talk to me. I don't mind givin' advice if you ask nicely.

[ Grovel, human. ]

[highly_strung]

[ He feels pretty stupid for stumbling in the fashion he had.. The face he's looking at might still be vaguely reminiscent of his brother, but the grotesque additions mean the entity he's speaking with can't be mistaken for any other than Shukaku himself. Showing himself up in front of a presence like this is a kick to Kankuro's ego that he didn't need, and it's that flash of weakness that fuels his ire when the gravelly voice addresses and insults him.

He might have been a little more frightened if Gaara wasn't shorter than him (as if he hadn't just flailed away in shock at the unveiling of the biju), and it's that lack of fear that lets irritation take over from his common sense. ]

Oiy, who do you think you're calling brat?! [ He ignores the purpose of this correspondence to stand up for his honor.. or to regain what little is left of it, at least. ]

(late march) kankuro, yamato & anyone who's present: getting the leaf on our side!

[highly_strung]

[ It is with great care that Kankuro leads Yamato away to the secluded area of land they've been working in. The construction is merely ligaments and shell at this point, but the scaffolding is present and he and Kazue have most of the face constructed from the dry, taut wood that Suna has to offer.

They need something with more substance, more ability to channel and harness the chakra that will be pulsed through it, something with more life, and Kankuro has accidentally stumbled on a goldmine by finding friendship in Yamato. All that's left is to convince him of their plight. Kankuro's feet touch down on the sandy expanse of shrouded land, the jaw-less imitation of Shukaku's face glaring at them with a surprisingly lifelike expression; the beginnings of seal work scrawled up one side of it's head. ]

So? [ He gives Yamato a side on look, his expression pliant and expectant, but firm. ]

Hooo boy

[mokutonno]

[This...Is nowhere what he'd expected when he'd been invited out into the desert. Kankuro had mumbled something about a project and that he really had to see it to believe it but...this was truly incredible.

The construction itself is well formed already and there's ingenuity to the seals, necessary for containing a bijuu of course, but the scale alone has his jaw dropped. That they want to include a Konoha-nin as insurance makes a swathe of sense and Yamato has to squash his knee jerk reaction to refuse; not only was this a lot of responsibility, but also potentially a political nightmare and he should be saying no...

He definitely shouldn't be considering what he'll need to learn to be of use or remembering where he hid the First Hokage's scroll to brush up on his sealing technique..

He crosses his arms in thought, one hand pressing to his mouth as he shifts his weight, before turning dark eyes on Kankuro and voicing his concerns first.]

It's..definitely incredible what you're trying to accomplish here but.. Do you honestly think that my involvement will be enough to dissuade both councils from throwing a fit over something so potentially dangerous? I'm honoured of course but, I'm not in the habit of subverting alliances or going under the nose of two Kages..