#Sensor-type ninja

[leportraitducadavre]

okay, guys:

Sakura having sensor skills is bs? Yes. Sort of. Yes in the sense of that novel.

Is being a sensor a Kekkei Genkai? No.

A sensor is a type of shinobi that is more sensitive to chakra signatures than regular shinobi, but every ninja has it as a basic skill as every one of them can perceive chakra (which is why many can sense danger approaching, more so if the attacker has immense reserves) and train such skill. The main difference between Sensors and non-sensors is the extent to which they can extend their sensitivity to chakra signatures (naturally, they are more alert to energies) and the fact that they can mould chakra and turn it to "sensory mode" to precisely detect foreign signatures, recognize the chakra of an individual, get information of the clan (if they previously know the family) and the nature of such individuals (if they are aggressive or not, their mood, and so on).

Yamakana, all of them, are sensors (they do seem to hone that skill to be able to sense further) and they use this exact "sensory mode" to use the Kanchi Denden (sensing transmission). Ino seems to be the best sensor in Konoha alive in Boruto.

Karin (and Mito?) have the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, which is a supreme form of sensing only present in some Uzumaki members, they can sense all chakra signatures within many kilometers as well as discern how many signatures there are, what type of being it belongs to and whether a specific individual is present. Sasuke chose Karin as his teammate for this exact reason, she's the best sensor alive in Boruto.

Tobirama and Minato seem to be very powerful sensors. Naruto, Hashirama, and likely Kabuto can sense chakra when in Sage Mode.

Hyüga, Inuzuka, and Aburame are not "sensors" in the strict term of the word, as they do not sense chakra signatures, Hyüga can see chakra, Inuzuka can smell individuals (not chakra as far as I'm aware of), and Aburame have their Kikaichus to perceive others.

The Sharingan can see chakra in far more detail than the Byakugan.

[spinchip]

The Ninjas opinion on La Croix

Cole- HATES it. He thinks it's so nasty. He would rather drink literally anything else. It pisses him off to no end that Jay keeps trying to convince him that Jay likes it and drinks it all the time because he KNOWS Jay cannot like it. Coles drink of choice is root beer or ginger ale.

Jay- hated La Croix but drank it all the time to annoy cole. Committed to the bit so hard he acquired an actual taste for it and now genuinely enjoys it. Has a ranking for best flavors.

Nya- no strong opinion. She prefers water to basically any other drink but she'll have one every now and then, if she wants it. She prefers those little water flavoring packets if she wants a fruity taste.

Kai- GROSS. Kai is a classic Coca-Cola kind of guy. Any less won't do.

Zane- carbonation fucks up his taste bud sensors in a bad way so he does not drink la Croix. He's a juice guy, a chocolate milk enjoyer, a tea drinker. He will drink kai, cole, and lloyds flat sodas tho, but not Jay's flat La croixs because they still taste kinda bad to him

Pixal- doesn't like to drink anything.

Lloyd- NOT sweet enough. Lloyd strikes me as the type of Dr. Pepper fan that owns merch. He also drinks tea but only if it's overloaded w sugar

[lavful]

hcs for the Ninjas' Favorite Desserts!

*warning: don't read this post if you're hungry*

Cole - Cake. Let’s start with the obvious one. But specifically chocolate cake with ganache frosting. His dad made it for him every birthday growing up but stopped when Lilly passed away because it made him too sad. After Cole and Lou reconnect when Cole comes out tells him he’s a ninja, Lou starts making him the cake again and sending it to the monastery for his birthday. He also likes coconut-based desserts like Thai sweet rice with mangos and Vietnamese chè

Nya - Chewy butterscotch cookies. I’m not sorry. One of the Smith siblings’ neighbors made them for them occasionally when they were younger. Their neighbors overall looked out for the kids and made sure they were fed. Nya is also a milk tea boba girlie. 

Jay - Edna’s crumble cake of course. Also a fiend for sour candy and cupcakes, especially highly decorated ones. He was hyperfixated on the “is it cake?” trend and Nya once had to wake him up from a nightmare reassuring him that not everything is cake. 

Lloyd - Candy. Was a candy fiend when he was a kid, is still a candy fiend as a teen/adult. All kinds, sour, sweet, chocolatey, etc. Didn’t go to the dentist when he was at Darkley’s so Wu takes him shortly after adopting him and he has like a million cavities. Lloyd doesn’t like the dentist but tooth pain is worse. Lost his mind when he tried Turkish delights (lokum) for the first time. His favorite is the traditional rosewater-flavored jelly candy. Also a fan of mints and chocolate mints ofc. 

Zane - Who likes ice cream? He does! Seems like a mint chocolate or pistachio ice cream type of person to me. Bites ice cream. Does not get brain freezes. Zane had taste sensors and a digestive system in his first body and decided to include taste sensors in his second because he thinks it’s fun. (He has a hatch at the back of his neck where the food comes out, it’s easier than full digestion.) He really likes trying new and sensational foods like sili ice cream (spicy chili) and ruby chocolate. He would be such an Instagram foodie if they weren’t saving the world all the time. 

Kai - Chinese egg custard tarts. Also coffee-flavored desserts like tiramisu, Korean rice cakes (tteokbokki) with honey, and Spanish churros with chocolate. Random ass assortment, I don’t have an explanation here. 

P.I.X.A.L. - French patisserie. She doesn’t have taste buds but if she did or was a human, I think she’d like desserts with more delicate and subtle tastes. Tiny fancy desserts like mille-feuille and macarons make her indescribably happy. 

Bonus: All of them like boba/bubble tea and make regular trips to Ninjago City after missions to treat themselves. I might make a separate post with their specific preferences because I’m a boba fiend.

[thegoldenorb]

OC: Kakiko Nabeshima

I commissioned @vita-divata for this piece!

Kakiko is a character from the pottery fic. She’s Shisui, Itachi, Izumi, and Sasuke’s guardian in the Hidden Valley Village after they run away from the Hidden Leaf Village. Profile below the cut:

Name: Nabeshima Kakiko (鍋島柿子 / "Dish," "Domain," "Persimmon," "Child")

Also Known As:

Akuma no Deido (悪魔の泥土 / "Mud Demon")

Dodomeki (百々目鬼 / "Hundred Hundred Eye Demon")

Hiyo no Kakiko (秘窯の柿子 / "Kakiko of the Secret Kilns")

Personal Information:

Status: Alive

Birthday: ♎ October 14

Age:

Ch. 2-7: 27

Ch. 8-?: 28

Gender: ♀Female

Kekkei Genkai: 泥 Mud Release

Classification: Sensor Type

Occupation:

Proprietor of Yukie’s Ceramics

Jonin Captain

Affiliation: 谷 Hidden Valley Village

Team:

Team Shinobu (Former)

Jonin-1 Squad

Clan: ◙ Nabeshima Clan

Tools:

Sosei (創世 / "Creation of the World") (Katana)

Senpu (旋風 / "Whirlwind") (Bow)

Nature Type

泥 Mud Release (Affinity)

土 Earth Release (Affinity)

水 Water Release (Affinity)

陰 Yin Release

陽 Yang Release

Rank Information:

Ninja Rank: Jonin

Village Registration: VLY-2965

Academy Grad. Age: 10

Chunin Prom. Age: 13

Family:

Unnamed Parents†

Yukia Arita (Boyfriend)†

Yukie Nabeshima (Daughter)

Shisui Uchiha (Ward)

Itachi Uchiha (Ward)

Izumi Uchiha (Ward)

Sasuke Uchiha (Ward)

[razorblade180]

9 Days of Lancaster Day9: Hoodie

Another day another essay complete at Beacon. After thorough research and many pencils, Blake made her way back to her room exhausted. She typically loved the library, but even she needed a break from the place now. The fact that her teammates seemed to crank out papers so easily was a real wonder. Then again, all her love of literature in the world probably didn’t makeup for years of legitimate school. Maybe she could ask Ruby or Yang a thing or two about proper formats. She had a feeling asking Weiss would lead to a lecture that Blake didn’t want to bother with.

The young huntress opened her room door and was caught off guard by a burst of petals and Ruby sitting rigidly atop her bed, clearly pretending like she wasn’t doing anything. Blake walked in and slowly closed the door. Her keen eyes noticed something had been quickly put under the leader’s pillow.

Blake:H-Hey.

Ruby:Heeeeeey, Blake. You’re back earlier than I expected.

Blake:Ruby, saying things like that only makes you look more suspicious.

Ruby:Suspicious!? Me!?

Blake:…

Ruby:….

Blake:It seems Yang and Weiss are gone.

Ruby:They roughed up Cardin’s team in sparring a little too hard. Ms. Goodwitch gave them detention.

Blake:He probably he deserved it.

Ruby:Yeah but Glynda tries not to show blatant favoritism.

Blake:So here you are, left to your own devices. I don’t mean to overstep but umm, if you need some alone time then I completely understand. I’ll just grab my book and-

Ruby:*red* No no no, that’s not what’s going on. I’m not you.

Blake:Wooooow. Low blow, but you’re right. Now you gotta tell me.

Ruby:I was just listening to music, dancing and stuff.

Blake:I see. Well if that’s all then-

The ninja chucked her pillow at Ruby’s face before quickly reaching for the girl’s. Ruby was caught so off guard she could only cover her face in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Blake started in silence at Jaune’s hoodie. Her eyes grew wide.

Blake:Are you two…?

Ruby:We’re just…talking. *looks up* JNPR is on the away mission to a village and I…I don’t know. Maybe it’s because of what happened at Mt. Glenn that I’m a little more on edge but I’m worried about them; worried for him. Jaune left that behind so I wouldn’t miss him as much.

Blake:That’s so sweet! Ruby, why hide this?

Ruby:I didn’t feel like playing 20 questions when I don’t have a clue! Feelings are weird; I’m a little weird.

Poor girl was caught in her own developing feelings. Blake handed her the hoodie and Ruby put it back on. The sleeves were longer than her arms and it stopped a little further than mid thigh. Ruby went as far as to pull up the hood as she sighed, allowing herself to sink into it. Blake could tell how calming it was for Ruby to wear it. Jaune must’ve really grown on her. More importantly, Blake could see her friend was a bundle of nerves.

Blake:I won’t tell a soul.

Ruby:Thanks. Still, it’s only a matter of time before more people find out. I really don’t feel like explaining it to Yang. She’ll try doing something like giving me “the talk”

Blake:Have you had it?

Ruby:My uncle and dad have both taught students. Combat school doesn’t begin and end guns. Your body is a temple as well as a weapon.

Blake:(Guess I really should ask about their school later.) The more you know I suppose. Anyways, maybe I can help?

Ruby:I’m listening.

Blake:Ren and I read similar books from time to time, so we tend to share and swap.

Ruby:He into Ninjas of Love?

Blake:*inhales* I read more than that y’know? Anyways, follow me.

Blake walks across the hall to JNPR’s room. With the help of her scroll, she types in a code manually before scanning the sensor. Ruby can’t believe it when the door opens. They both walk in and Blake quickly closes the door.

Ruby:How did you do that!?

Blake:Ren gave the code so I wouldn’t have to ask each time I wanted to read something. I could leave a note. He has the code for ours.

Ruby:I didn’t even know ours had a code.

Blake:Well, here you go. A place to wear a hoodie freely and text him uninterrupted. But from personal experience, try not to obsess or worry about too much. Jaune is capable and his team is great. I’m sure he’s thinking about you right now.

Ruby:*red*…Thanks Blake. This means a lot. I’m not used to talking a lot about these kinds of things.

Blake:Whenever you need to, I’m happy to listen.

The two girls hug share a hug before Blake leaves the room. As she does, she quickly snatches her copy of Ninjas of Love off of Ren’s nightstand. Blake dares not look back at her leader, but she feels the judgment. Ruby shakes her head with a smile on her face before looking around. She didn’t want to touch anything, however…

Her feet carried her to Jaune’s bed where she promptly laid down on his pillow. Tension left her and her mind felt calmer. Ruby let out a sigh of defeat. She really was falling for him, wasn’t she? Finally relaxed, her eyelids shut for awhile. She really hoped he’d be back soon.

xxxxx

Over in a village, night fell after a long day of fixing fences and slaying grimm. As Nora ate her fill and Pyrrha entertained the small children, Ren had finished cooking and went back to his shared room. Inside he found dozens or finished plans and his weapons already tended to by Jaune. Ren turned his head to see his leader already knocked out for the day, his body draped in one of Ruby’s cloaks as a cover. Ren smiled, grabbing his guns for first watch and locking the door as he left.

[theheirofthesharingan]

Hi! Sorry if I disturb you, please feel totally free to ignore. I just found your blog and I love it. I am a fan of Sasuke and Itachi and since your blog seems so devoted to them, I just thought you were maybe the right person to ask. Do you think Itachi has some special intuition for things related to Sasuke? Like, he was able to correctly guess he would be a boy before he was born. And also that he was not dead after confronting Deidara. And we never knew how. Thank you so much and take care!

Hello! You did not disturb me at all. If anything, your message brought a smile to my face. I've been in a really low place mentally and emotionally for a while, and haven't had the energy to do much. So thank you so much for these lovely words. I'm glad you love your time here because the purpose of my blog was to create a space where I could talk about both Sasuke and Itachi without their haters invading the place. Internet is so much filled with people who tear down one to praise the other. Itachi fans hate on Sasuke and Sasuke fans hate on Itachi. It's just exhausting to be in the fandom when I love both. Thankfully I found many people here who feel the same about them.

You're right - Itachi did have a sixth sense when it was about his brother. When they met after the massacre at the inn, Itachi couldn't have known Sasuke was going to be there. Yet without looking at him, he could tell Sasuke had actually shown up.

Him being able to 'predict' his sibling was going to be a brother, although only an anime filler, is a beautiful and sweet addition.

I loved that part so much. He was always intuitive even in general, so it makes sense he'd had some gut-feeling about his brother. And it also tells how much he deeply loved and cared about him, but then life happened to him and his brother. And he became Sasuke's worst nightmare.

Him and Sasuke share some sort of spiritual connection that goes beyond life and death and transcends everything materialistic world. Itachi isn't the sensor type ninja and he couldn’t sense other's chakra, but he could Sasuke's.

The Narutopedia page doesn't give us any reason for one to be a sensory ninja, except that some ninja are better at sensing than the others. Itachi doesn't show any such development even when he returns in the fourth world war. He loved Sasuke too much which clearly affected him in more ways than he probably knew. Him sensing Sasuke was alive after his fight with Deidara is another example of that.

If you have Itachi and Sasuke in a crowded place and Sasuke gets lost, Itachi will work as a GPS system to locate his brother's location. :p

[inthecaseofgaaraofthesand]

The Naruto fandom is toxic anyway, so I shouldn't even bother, but I wandered on the Sakura tag and found people that were saying that it doesn't make sense for Sakura to be able to sense chakra in Sasuke Retsuden. While I have my problems with that series, that's simply not true.

Sensor type ninjas aren't limited to the major clans. It was never specified that only sensor clans were sensor types. Sakura was always good at chakra control and could sense chakra since the beginning of the series. Sensory abilities and chakra control go hand in hand.

In Sasuke Retsuden, she's presumed to be in her 30s. The war is over and they've had time to master their skills. Aside from Sakura having 100 healings and being able to summon Katsuyu, it's not a surprise that she developed her own sensory jutsu. Why is it a big shock that Sakura is a sensor, despite being shown throughout the series? Oh, I know why.

It's because a majority of Naruto fans want to find a reason to hate Sakura. Despite being presented with facts, they refuse to acknowledge her abilities because they're stuck in the 2000s where it was cool to hate on Sakura.

[primnroses]

― An insight about sensor-types: Karin, the best sensor in the world

The information presented in this post has been checked and revised. My aim is not to hate or to discredit any of the characters mentioned. Please read about me for further information.

This post will contain evidence in picture format directly from the manga Naruto (1999 - 2014) created by Masashi Kishimoto and published by Shueisha in 1999. I will also use information present in the novels and the databooks of Naruto.

This informative post will explain sensor-types in the world of Naruto and highlight Karin (Uzumaki)’s sensory abilities throughout the series providing evidence as to why she is considered the best among sensor-types. This meta will also mention Naruto Uzumaki and tracker-type sensors, and their abilities will be compared.

This meta will be crossposted in AO3.

I give my permission to use or share this thread with informative purposes as long as you credit me.

I do not support the anime or the work of Studio Pierrot in regards to Naruto because I consider it over exaggerated and beyond biased. Furthermore, these fillers include some actions that these characters are unable to do in the canon according to official sources and they also generate unnecessary debate.

Please, take this into consideration.

— WHAT IS A SENSOR-TYPE?

Although it has never been properly described in the manga or the databooks, a sensor-type or sensory-type (感知タイプ, Kanchi-taipu) is a classification used for shinobi that have the ability to feel and locate an enemy, or even notice fluctuations in their chakra using their senses.

The first time this classification is brought up is in chapter 355. Kakashi uses the word “sensor-type” (感知タイプ, Kanchi-taipu) to describe Hinata Hyūga.

In order to feel and locate an enemy, or even notice fluctuations in their chakra using their senses, sensor-type shinobi manipulate their chakra to feel and locate other chakra coming from other people, and they do this by kneading chakra internally. They also direct their chakra to a single part of their body to enhance their sensory abilities, like the nose or the eyes.

The most common kind of sensor-types are those that can sense the chakra given off by a ninja and it is a superior skill among them. These types of sensors are unofficially known as “chakra sensor-type” because they can feel chakra just by kneading their own internally, without putting much effort into it.

Many of these chakra sensor-type ninja also use the hand seal of the ram and close their eyes to concentrate. This is not always the case and it seems like a means of concentration when a sensor needs to sharpen their senses to accurately mark the location of their target.

Shinobi like Tobirama Senju, the second Tsuchikage, the Yamanaka Clan, Moegi Kazamatsuri or Karin are examples of this type. The majority of the known sensor-types come from a clan and the techniques they use are normally hijutsu (secret techniques) passed down from generation to generation among members of a clan.

Chakra sensor-types can also feel the nature of the chakra they are tracking, if it has changed or if it is good or evil.

There are exceptional sensors that have unique abilities surpassing those of average sensor-types. Some can tell the background of a ninja just by feeling characteristics in their chakra, like Tobirama Senju guessing Karin’s family; some others can also locate a individuals among large groups of Edo-tensei and White Zetsu, like Ao; or even tell from which village they are from, like the Second Tsuchikage.

There are also a sub-type of special sensors that use their own chakra externally or a medium to locate objects that do not emanate chakra. The official name for these kinds of sensors and their sensing techniques is “contact-type sensing technique” (接触タイプ, Sesshoku taipu). These techniques locate objects or targets rather than chakra signatures, and the object or target gives themselves away when they touch the jutsu cast by the shinobi, alerting them.

Examples include Gaara, Kidōmaru and Sakura Haruno.

In this meta I explain contact-type sensing techniques and its types.

According to the third databook, written by Masashi Kishimoto, sensor-types are useful to track or pursue targets, and they are divided into smaller groups based on the medium used for the sensing. According to Kiba, search missions usually include him or a member of the Inuzuka Clan.

Every shinobi classified as sensor-type uses special techniques to enhance their sensory radius, even those that only need to knead chakra to perceive people. These jutsus are called “sensing techniques” and they are different depending on the clan or the person.

For example, the Inuzuka Clan use ninken or their heightened nose to track the scent; the Hyūga Clan use their eyes (Byakugan) to directly see the chakra flow; the Yamanaka Clan use their Mind Body Switch Technique to share their senses with animals or other people to take advantage of their skills; and the Aburame Clan use beetles to locate chakra.

These are all examples of hijutsu passed down within a clan, except the Byakugan, which is hereditary (Kekkei Genkai).

As explained before, contact-type sensors use their own medium that is always connected to their unique skills. Gaara uses his Concealed Sand Picture Cat using sand; Kidōmaru uses his Spider Web Area with spiderwebs and Sakura Haruno uses her own chakra by manipulating it over a surface (her technique does not have a name but it is popularly known as Area Scanning Technique), as well as Katsuyu being a summon that can sense chakra and relay to the summoner.

Please read this meta to know more about their techniques.

So far, one of the most outstanding sensing techniques is the one given by Sage Mode. The ability of sensing using natural energy allows Naruto Uzumaki to sense people battling the War from Genbu Island, located in Kumogakure; although the War was happening not far from where he was standing due to being in the same area. 

After gaining control of Kurama, he is able to detect negative emotions as well.

Being a sensor-type is a very beneficial and useful skill in battle. Depending on the level or the technique applied to sense, it allows the user to locate an incoming enemy, anticipate jutsu or identify genjutsu. Not every sensor-type is able to do all of those things, it requires skill or even the use of powerful sensing techniques to achieve them.

One of the best examples of sensory skills used in battle is when Neji Hyūga could anticipate an attack by viewing the concentration of chakra in Kidōmaru’s mouth.

The disanvantage of chakra sensor-types is that their skills become nullified when the enemy they track masks and erases their chakra signature completely.

When Kawaki escaped Konohagakure, he erased his chakra to be undetected by the Barrier Team even with their automated system. If the enemy hides their chakra, the ability of a sensor is rendered useless.

The same way, when a sensor masks their chakra, they are unable to use their sensing techniques or any techniques at all due to these requiring chakra that they are hiding on purpose.

When Karin was looking for Danzō, she erased her chakra to not be found by other sensors, but as soon as she started looking again, she was immediately found by a skilled sensor in his group.

For ninja trackers that rely on other techniques such as eyesight or hounds, the only weaknesses are barrier techniques that block vision or rain. 

There is no known weakness for trackers from the Aburame Clan in that aspect.

Despite the series introducing a handful of ninjas able to detect chakra from the start and describing their unique abilities in manga and databooks, it also confirms that any shinobi has the ability to sense fluctuations in chakra without being a sensor-type, especially for foul or powerful signatures.

For most ninja, sensing is a basic ability with different levels of perception. As long as there is some kind of training or special conditions that facilitate the perception, like large chakra or dark signatures such as Tailed Beasts, sensing is within anybody’s reach. Of course, those that are considered sensor-types possess a high-skill among the rest of shinobi and therefore are considered as such.

For example, almost every ninja close to Naruto’s circle has been able to detect his aura when he summons Kurama’s chakra due to being very powerful and dark. Sakura Haruno and Kakashi were able to feel Kurama without being chakra sensor-types.

Orochimaru, Suigetsu and Jūgo were able to sense Naruto’s Nine Tail’s chakra from Konohagakure despite the battle happening in the north of the five nations.

Other examples include Sasuke’s dark chakra when he was consumed by hatred. Sakura could sense the chakra given off by Sasuke’s Susanoo.

The chakra given off by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was so great that Team 7 were immobile too. As long as the aura is powerful or great, it can be easily sensed.

Therefore, being a sensor grants the ability to locate or pursue people, notice fluctuations in chakra and its nature or anticipate an attack. Some sensors have more skills than others and some sensors can perform more than one special ability.

— KARIN AND HER SENSING ABILITIES, WHY IS SHE CONSIDERED THE BEST?

Karin is the only shinobi that can execute all of the cited abilities and more, all the while being classified as a sensor and also being able to use a secret technique to maximize her potential.

These outstanding skills made her an invaluable asset for Team Hebi/Taka, and Sasuke Uchiha deemed her as somebody that possessed a unique ability that nobody else had. The ability in question is her outstanding sensing, which he intended to use to look for Itachi Uchiha.

The first time Karin appeared in the manga, she displayed the ability to predict the arrival of Sasuke and Suigetsu, despite being several kilometers away, based on their chakra signatures. She did it by tracking their chakra from her hideout, located inside a small island far off the coast of the Land of Waves, from which Sasuke and Suigetsu were walking.

Karin is introduced as a sensor with abilities that surpass the average, noted by the manga and by Sasuke himself. We know about her skills even before even seeing her face. That debut sets the standards high for Karin, and makes the reader wonder what makes her so different from other sensors and what else she can do.

About her overall abilities, Karin is able to find a person among a large crowd like most sensors. For example, when she was asked to find Jūgo inside one of Orochimaru’s hideouts, she was able to tell that he was not among the individuals before her.

However, what makes this ability superior in comparison to other sensors is that all the inmates present in the scene had the Curse Seal of Orochimaru and that made them have a similar chakra signature as Jūgo. She was looking for his chakra among a crowd that shared the chakra of the Curse Seal, which required more concentration.

This also confirms that she memorizes the chakra signature of the people she has met throughout her life.

Karin’s sensing range covers several kilometers not only in locating an individual, but also in identifying the state of the person she is tracking. This is an ability that not every sensor displays, especially not naturally.

During Sasuke’s fight against Deidara, she was able to tell that Sasuke had vanished from the battlefield from a very far off distance.

In the events of the Fourth Shinobi World War, she was able to sense that Sasuke was in a critical condition despite being on opposite sides of the battlefield and separated by a long distance.

Karin, who was most likely tracking Sasuke’s chakra, alerted Orochimaru and the rest of the danger and, on their way, also recognized another mysterious chakra (modified Kabuto) that was next to Sasuke at the same time. Nobody else noted this except for Karin.

This feat is outstanding considering Ino and Kiba sensed that something was wrong with Naruto only when he was approaching them, not from a distance. Similarly, Hinata did not even activate her Byakugan to check on him until Kiba told her to check what was wrong.

Of course, just like non-sensors such as Sakura Haruno, Karin was able to feel the change of nature in Sasuke when he was consumed by hatred. She was the first person that detected this, which she did from her hiding place in the Land of Iron.

Moreover, she also can tell when a person has low chakra reserves, a perception unique to dōjutsu but that Karin can do as well.

The same way other sensors anticipate an attack by sensing the disturbances in the chakra, Karin can anticipate the approach of individuals and, in addition to that, she can tell how much chakra they possess.

She was familiar with the amount of chakra from a tailed beast and could easily tell that the Raikage could reach the same levels during his battle against Sasuke.

In battle, her role is to track the enemy’s chakra, this way she can guess when they are about to launch an attack. That is the general role of a sensor-type in battle, regardless of their levels, they must relay where an enemy is located if it is possible to sense them.

During an infiltration, Karin can tell when the enemy is on the move, which is perfect to change positions or elaborate a strategy.

The skill to sense movements or anticipate an attack allowed Karin to guess that Danzō was tricking Sasuke during their battle. She explained that, after waving certain hand seals for a jutsu, Danzō’s chakra shifted to perform some other technique (Izanagi).

That means that Karin can follow the concentration of chakra before a jutsu, the hand seal process and the launch of the jutsu; and if it does not match, she can easily tell.

Karin’s ability to sense chakra alone seems to be a feat that she does without actively kneading chakra, and, unlike other sensors, it seems to be innate and a totally natural process for her. This, however, is a skill that remains unknown but it is very likely to be the case.

When Team Hebi are resting after Sasuke’s battle against Deidara, Karin is buying perfume for seduction purposes, and, while she seems distracted by the excitement of the moment, she is perfectly able to sense Team 7 and Team 8 from a very far distance without seemingly kneading chakra. Besides, her sensing scope covers several kilometers in base to just get the first contact with their chakra.

In fact, it is after she senses the enemy that she takes her time to concentrate. This is something impossible for an average sensor-type, who would need to knead chakra to feel an approaching enemy, especially from that distance. For Karin, it is an innate skill to be able to sense an enemy while going on with her daily life unconcerned over any threat.

That sensory ability is one of her best ninja moments in the series.

Nonetheless, apart from being an innate sensor, Karin also has her own sensing technique that puts her above any average sensor-type known.

The Mind’s Eye of Kagura is a hidden technique that only Karin can use thanks to her superior sensing abilities. It grants her the ability to discern pecularities in a person’s chakra, its type and movements; it also allows her to expand her range to several dozen kilometers and beyond of her normal scope.

What this technique does is amplify Karin’s innate sensing skills to a greater level.

In Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise, by Shin Towada, it is further confirmed that Karin can also sense the nature of chakra and its changes. That was something completely superior to Sasuke, a descendant of the Sharingan lineage and one of the Three Great Dōjutsu. 

This passage confirms that Karin’s sensing skills surpass dōjutsu.

By using this technique and concentrating her senses, Karin can discern between animals and humans, as well as the number of shinobi approaching and the method they are using to track her.

This skill alone is the most outstanding sensing ability that any sensor has displayed in the manga. Especially when it comes from such a vast distance.

When Team 7 and Team 8 were looking for Itachi Uchiha, Karin was able to locate them and concentrate on their characteristics. She sensed a large group with a source of enormous chakra among them (Naruto), and she also identified the ninken.

The search team from Konohagakure was so far away that Karin gave her team time to prepare, escape and create a distraction for the pursuers. Being an adept sensor-type, Karin is familiar with each village’s sensing methods. She knew that Konohagakure uses dogs for tracking the scent, so she used Sasuke’s shirt as a diversion.

The ability to discern between different natures of chakra not only allows her to tell species apart, she can also tell when a person is a Shadow Clone or is using a Shadow Clone based on how many copies of the same chakra she is feeling. This is something only eye techniques have achieved, as well as Naruto Uzumaki.

One of her most unique skills is the ability to know when somebody is lying just by sensing the disruption of chakra. Karin mentions that the chakra of a person changes depending on the emotions they display. This way, she could monitor White Zetsu and tell if it was lying or not.

This also allows her to identify when a person is under genjutsu, or even identify if she is under genjutsu based on the fluctuations in the chakra of those around her. Thanks to her ability to follow chakra, she can detect an illusion if she feels that she is trapped in one, but it is unknown if she can get out of it due to that skill requiring chakra control and not tracking abilities.

One other thing she managed to achieve, which is something that no other sensor around Naruto’s circle has ever been able to pinpoint, is that Karin can feel “negative emotions” or rather, dark chakra, on a level similar to a jinchūriki. According to Kisame Hoshigaki, a jinchūriki in control of the Nine Tails is able to feel negative emotions, a feat that no known sensor-type is able to do.

However, Karin was able to accurately feel Naruto’s own chakra, bright and warm, as well as feeling Kurama’s dark and full of hatred chakra deep inside him.

She is the first person able to identify Naruto’s own chakra and Kurama’s separately. Before, people could only feel Kurama’s hatred when it manifested around Naruto, but Karin can feel both, a feat that nobody has ever displayed.

For being a ninja introduced as a sensor with promising skills in her field, Karin has demonstrated to be as good as was expected from her. Not only does she possess the general skills of any average sensor-type, but she can also perform on a higher level. She takes advantage of her potential with a technique and adds her own unique touch with abilities that nobody else has been able to reproduce.

Karin’s feats in sensory ninjutsu surpass the abilities of any average sensor displayed in the manga. This is to say that Karin has the most outstanding sensing abilities as an innate sensor, which she compliments with a sensing technique that maximizes her scope.

— NARUTO UZUMAKI AND KARIN

The only other sensor that can rival her is Naruto Uzumaki and his Sage Mode. It is remarkable that the only person that could rival Karin is somebody from her own clan but that barely shares similarities with her other than kinship.

The Uzumaki Clan is acclaimed for their fūinjutsu (sealing techniques), and shared one characteristic: their red hair. Other abilities typical of the Uzumaki Clan is their strong life force, allowing them to cling to life.

Sensing is not a famous skill shared by their members. It is known that the jinchūriki in control of Kurama can sense negative emotions, but the only one that has displayed this ability is Naruto Uzumaki. Nonetheless, Obito Uchiha confirmed that Mito, just like Naruto, could sense any approaching danger thanks to Kurama. However, this is thanks to Kurama and not an innate ability of the Uzumaki Clan. 

The only Uzumaki hailed as a sensor-type is still Karin. 

Sensing is a natural process for Karin, but not for Naruto. Karin was born with sensory abilities, while Naruto relies on sensing techniques to be able to sense.

Still, the outstanding sensing abilities granted by Sage Mode rival and surpass many skilled sensors. In fact, senjutsu sensing is more accurate than any other feat displayed by any sensor in the series. 

However, Karin’s skill to sense any chakra signature, without seemingly kneading chakra, and the skill to locate the approach of an enemy at any given situation put her above the abilities of the nature sensing abilities of a ninja with access to Sage Mode. Because Sage Mode requires time to complete, if it is not activated at the moment of danger, it is rendered useless. On the other hand, Karin does not need time or activate any technique to get her first glimpse of chakra. Within seconds, she can concentrate fast enough to discern the number of people she is tracking, as well as their characteristics and the amount of chakra they possess.

It is obvious that Naruto’s sensing skills with senjutsu cover a massive range of distance too and that makes him one of the best users of sensing techniques in the series. As soon as he learnt senjutsu, he could sense every single chakra in Konohagakure. After Kurama allowed him to use Sage Mode in tune with KCM, Naruto could automatically use senjutsu without wasting time to gather energy, thus overcoming its weakness.

Up until that moment, Naruto could only surpass Karin in range, but with the current events, Naruto needs to gather the energy to have access to this technique once again, this due to not possessing Kurama anymore, and it also has a limit. After his powers were reduced significantly in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto needs time to concentrate to activate Sage Mode, which is a waste of time compared to before.

There is never a specified number about Karin’s sensing range, but the manga and the databook confirm that her range covers “several dozens kilometers”. Her sharp sensory skills are also said to be superior to dōjutsu. That includes the Byakugan (with a confirmed range of at least 20km) and the Sharingan (able to see the amount of chakra in a person). It is also highlighted that her senses cover thousands of miles too.

Nonetheless, the databook is not necessary to confirm Karin’s outstanding sensing range; that vast margin was shown when she sensed the approaching Konohagakure ninja and its specific characteristics, and had time to prepare an escape and create a diversion.

That feat alone is impressive, to be able to have as much time to even prepare the next move at the gates of that small village and scatter around the area to spread Sasuke’s scent. Moreover, she could track Sasuke’s chakra after the fight against Deidara from a village separated from the battlefield by a mountain range. 

The databook offers the numbers that the manga reflects.

One thing similar between them is that Naruto has demonstrated to feel people’s chakra signatures across great distances by using senjutsu, but his abilities became unbeatable when he obtained Six Paths Senjutsu and he could even sense the invisible Limbo clones from Madara in Six Paths Mode. 

Without Kurama or Six Paths power, Naruto confirms that he can maintain his Sage transformation for more than 5 minutes, and his range covers at least 40 kilometers. 

He was the only person that could locate Boruto’s chakra after he had escaped Konohagakure to follow Kawaki, something that the Barrier Team with their trackers and their automated sensing system could not do.

Karin has demonstrated the same abilities as Naruto, considering that their range is similar, but her overall skills are superior to any other sensor. The ability to distinguish that many details about a signature is something that only she has demonstrated to do, and it fits the “unique abilities that nobody else has” that Sasuke Uchiha and the databook talk about.

Currently, Naruto does not possess Kurama any longer so he needs to activate Sage Mode himself, and he can no longer sense negative emotions either. Karin retains all her abilities, maybe even better after many years. 

Based on range and qualities, the one who has better sensory skills is Karin. 

Not only has she demonstrated to feel and memorize chakra signatures and track them from a very wide distance (dozen kilometers), but she also has feats at locating a single individual among others with a similar aura, identifying the species (whether it is an animal or a person) and their feelings (detecting lies), calculating the amount of chakra they have and if said chakra is low (unique to dōjutsu) and, lastly, being able to sense chakra hidden inside another chakra. 

It is fair to name Karin the best sensor-type, just based on her skills without activating any technique. Activating her technique, she still takes first place.

Furthermore, the only sensor that can rival her is somebody from the same clan as her, but that does not share the same skill as her. Karin is an Uzumaki with a special talent for sensing, while Naruto has a special chakra to be a tailed-beast host and he owes his sensory skills to Sage Mode. 

That does not mean that Naruto is not a good sensor. Naruto remains the best sensor-type in Konohagakure, achieving superior feats than sensors in charge of sensing and their modern machines. 

— TRACKERS AND THEIR SENSORY SKILLS

If we put sensor-types in the same category as trackers (which, in fact, is the correct way), there are other clans that surpass Karin and Naruto in terms of locating a target that do not involve chakra or the overall abilities of normal chakra sensor-types. 

However, these types of sensors are not able to perceive certain characteristics about a target the same way skilled individuals such as Karin or Naruto do. Therefore, their skills are brilliant for tracking but not for analyzing a situation or searching for more intrinsic details.

A sensor-type specialized in tracking is the most useful sensor when the target’s chakra has been erased.

The Inuzuka is one of the best tracker shinobi clans shown in Naruto. All the times Kiba has been assigned to a tracking mission, he has taken the lead when it came to find a person. 

Kiba’s sense of smell is confirmed to be better than a ninken. 

When Team 7 and Team 8 were in charge of searching for Itachi Uchiha, they arrived at the same place where Sasuke had fought with Deidara. Kiba, along with Kakashi, recognized Sasuke’s scent, which had become fainter due to using a teleportation jutsu to escape the clay. 

However, concentrating enough, Kiba could locate Sasuke’s scent in the small village where he was staying to heal from the wounds caused by the battle. He was able to find Sasuke before starting to move in his direction and before Karin could sense them approaching. 

It means that Kiba tracked Sasuke’s scent from several kilometers, more than Karin or Naruto’s sensing scope.

To make this feat even more outstanding, Kiba mentioned that he needed to concentrate because Sasuke’s scent was very faint.

To be able to track such a weak scent from such a vast distance makes Kiba the best tracker in Naruto, which is a sensor-type that only uses his senses to track targets but shows no signs of perceiving other details and are divided by range and medium.

However, Kiba is regarded as a background character with no relevance in the story as we know it today, especially in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. This position reduces his chances of shining in his field and he is not considered an asset for Konohagakure despite all his abilities and the new skills he has probably acquired by now. 

Kiba Inuzuka is probably the only person in Konohagakure (alongside members of his clan), that can anticipate the arrival of an enemy, increasing the village’s chances to prepare for an incoming attack rather than wait until the Barrier Team announces that somebody has already crossed the gates. His ability to perceive the scent of a foreigner from a far-off distance will grant the village minutes to execute a plan. However, because of his background character disposition, the village relies on a system that needs shaping and is lacking.

Another clan that shares similar qualities as the Inuzuka is the Aburame Clan, another family specialized in tracking from Konohagakure. Their ability to disperse beetles and communicate with each other through chakra makes them incredible assets for tracking missions. 

Moreover, they can leave an insect on any target they want to follow in order to track them from any distance. 

These ranges prove to be superior to Naruto’s in tracking, but in specificity, they fail to provide any details about a person’s status or feelings. 

Therefore, Naruto Uzumaki remains the best sensor-type in Konohagakure, with Kiba Inuzuka a close ally and equal to him in terms of locating a target, with the added ability that if the target erases their trace of chakra, he is the perfect sensor for the job.

— FINAL THOUGHTS

1. Based on raw skill, hiden technique, experience, range and ability to perceive details; Karin remains the best sensor-type in Naruto.

2. Based on Sage Mode, Naruto Uzumaki equaled and even surpassed Karin in his prime. He now holds the title of the best sensor-type of Konohagakure without Kurama.

3. Based on their special skills, Kiba Inuzuka is a hiden advantage for Konohagakure in terms of tracking. He comes second to Naruto and the most reliable sensor for monitoring without chakra. 

[olentia]

NARUTO FANFICTION RECC

FANDOM; NARUTO

Name: The song of the seagulls guide me to my countries pride

Fandom: Naruto

Author: Olentia

Ships: SasuNaru, SakuIno, KakaObi

Warnings: Themes of war, childhood trauma, neglect, mental illness (kept very mild)

Chapters uploaded: 5 (30,000 words)

Audience: Teen and up

Language: English (Original work is in Brazilian Portuguese)

Most important tags:

Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, Medic Haruno Sakura, Kenjutsu Master Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher,BAMF Dai-nana-han | Team 7 (Naruto), Uzumaki Naruto is a Good Friend, Uchiha Sasuke is a Little Shit, Strong Haruno Sakura, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, BAMF Uchiha Sasuke, BAMF Haruno Sakura, Jinchuuriki unit, Uzumaki Clan-centric, Herbology, Character Analysis, Worldbuilding, like a lot of worldbuilding, Potions and Poison, deep dive on cultural practices of things i made up, Old Gods ,Flower Symbolism , Sensor Type (Naruto), Chakra Deep Dive, Kakashi feels guilty, Minor Sarutobi Hiruzen Bashing , Spiritual Rituals, Recipes, Sentient Uzushio

Synopsis: In a world where Uzumaki Naruto learns much earlier about his family and the entire nation of fuuinjutsu masters that had been hidden from him, with their seals, whitish stone and the voice that whispered in his ears how precious he was, even when everyone insisted on calling him a demon. He immediately decides to make them proud, along the way acquiring a family of his own. For a family could be an ex-avenger, a bloodthirsty doctor, a perverted professor, and an ancient beast of pure hatred.

Or where Naruto learns about the Uzumaki clan and how to deal with his bodymate, and this shapes the future of Team 7.

If you are interested in seeing an analysis of the ninja world, its villages and the traumas that children of that world suffered, and especially how the decision of a single responsible adult managed to change the course of the entire history of this alternate universe.

If you want to see kids going crazy and showing their worth to everyone around them, living as a dysfunctional family and ending the problems of the ninja world as a mighty team.

And especially if you want to see how far the love and devotion of an Elder Goddess can go, and her desire to see the best in the world and that justice be served for her people who were slaughtered. Take a look at the link below, and find a functional Team 7 that sees itself as family, a Konoha 12 that have always been great friends, and how Naruto's speech no jutsu managed to save the ninja world before the villains even start their plans.

Sakura poison specialist.

Naruto seal master.

Sasuke blades expert.

Kakashi specializes in being a worrying father and teacher.

Kurama loves his children too much.

Summonings contracts and a deep dive of my growing list of Naruto headcanons.

Original Characters that are not shipped with the main characters and only serve to help the narrative.

And a lil bit of what I think Naruto could have had.

[flockofcrowsinatornadoofcreation]

Zane headcanons!

• Zane secretly remembers his time as the Ice Emperor. He fights to keep up his cheery, innocent front, but he worries that he might slip. He fears that he could hurt someone if the Ice Emperor returned.

After thinking long and hard, Zane gave Pixal and Lloyd a copy of his shutdown code. He told them it was "just in case", with no further explanation given.

• When Zane gets too emotional, he can short-circuit. One time Jay scared him and he freaked out then dropped like a stone.

• Zane is secretly a fashion icon, but he still dresses like an old man half the time. He doesn't want to overshadow the iconic RGB Siblings.

Example of Icon Zane: "You don't need a rebreather." "Yes, I know, but I like how it completes my outfit😁"

"Zane, you're a nindroid. You have infrared sensors. You have night vision. Why are you wearing glasses?" "I enjoy the aesthetic."

• Pixane stuff!

They absolutely adore each other

When Zane got back from the Never Realm, it was hard for Pixal to let Zane out of her sight for a while

They love to go on dates, especially to cafés during rain/snow storms. They enjoy the aesthetic.

Since Zane gave Pixal half of his heart, they sort of feel what the other is feeling. This is usually limited to extremes, and doesn't usually cross realms. This link persists even after the two get new bodies after defeating the Overlord and getting scrapped.

• Zane and Pixal's completely different attitudes towards the fact that humans are squishier and more delicate than nindroids.

Zane is very much the health-and-wellness type, who is very conscienscious about cultivating an optimal environment for his human friends. Drafts out full meal plans, changes all the lightbulbs in the house because he read online that certain lighting arrangements can elicit certain moods in humans, and he's studied human medicine intensely enough that he could probably get a medical license if he wanted. Kai gets a sore throat, Zane immediately begins researching homemade cough syrup recipes. Cole's got knee pain, instant ice pack and bedrest. Jay is lactose-intolerant and Zane has a conniption if he so much as looks at dairy.

Pixal's reaction, meanwhile, is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Constantly overestimates what humans can survive. "I could punch Nya through five inches of steel right? She can take it, she's tough." And "Jay, let's test out my new laser cannon by seeing how far across it'll blast you across the secret base." And "I'm sure no one will take issue if I get rid of all our oven mitts, surely humans aren't so weak they can't handle a hot sheet of metal." It doesn’t help that she usually poses most of her questions about human fragility to Lloyd of all people, who is a half-dragoni demigod chosen one of prophecy, so he doesn’t know either. "Lloyd, it is my turn to cook and I was wondering if four whole ghost peppers is spicy enough for humans." "Hm....maybe add a fifth pepper." "My thoughts exactly." The catch is, since they're all essentially superhuman, they're also more durable than the average human so all of Pixal's dangerous overestimations usually turn out just fine. Except that incident with the peppers. She is still banned from the kitchen after that.

• Zane gets Pixal to make him multiple different bodies for fun occasions (and also its good to have backups) like the ninja go to a fancy gala or something and Zanes like "oh let me get my luxury skin" and he looks exactly the same as normal except now he's rose gold

[punk-pandame]

My blog does that too, don't worry! I found the thread for it and your tags were underneath an ask hellcifrogs responded to in November 2022.

The ask box won't let me submit the link, but if it helps, you can find it in your Archive; labeled under Post Type: Ask and Tag: #naruto, titled: Why Would Anyone Hate Kabuto? :(

I hope all this doesn't sound too creepy; it was very easy to find when I clicked on your #kabuto tag! :<

re: this ask

POST LOCATED

this was actually so fucking helpful, thank yoU!!! tag contents: #<< i also just think his ninja info cards could have had better mechanics tbh #like yes being able to somehow gather all this info on people is creepy and frightening and intimidating #but imagine if he wasn't actually. he's just an incredibly versatile sensor typewho can like imprint others chakras onto his ownand the cards are a medium that display significant statistics about the opponent #or reveals that chakra carries emotional baggage so significant battles skills abilities etc will show up on the cards #i feel chakra as they ended up using it in shippuden didn't mesh well with how its use was first implemented in og naruto #kabuto could have made a great introduction into that shit yknow #but no just. ninja info cards. #which are probably just downsized bingo book pages?? that's not a ninjutsu that's a fucking scrapbooking hobby #but more neurotic and weird #sorry op i have big feelings about kabuto myself #the fact he could have been so much cooler and complicated and less annoying gets me mad. why introduce a character and waste all #his potential on becoming a vessel to resurrect that bitch again! #sorry again rant over for real #kabuto #textpost #naruto

[vote-gaara]

headcanons on technology in the naruto world?

Honestly, my headcanons on technology in the Naruto world are pretty accurately represented by the List of Technologies article on the wiki.

I can really only speak to the Naruto series itself, and not Boruto since that series looks like it turned into some sort of sci fi, fantasy thing lol.

So if we are talking about the normal run of Naruto, I think the technology is pretty on par with the 90s - early 2000s tech that you would see in reality.

Health Care

Perhaps the Narutoverse is more advanced in medicine, but not in the same ways as our modern medicine. I think because of their ability to use chakra, they're able to fix stuff that...really would be irreversibly broken in our universe.

I think they would have a waaay easier time fixing paralysis from a broken back, reattaching limbs, and fixing nerve damage. Weirdly enough, I think that because their medical advancement is less "science" based and more "jutsu" based, they're actually super behind in treating things via vaccines, and so illnesses is not the thing to have in the Narutoverse. They probably have some form of superstition around anti-biotics, where most inaccurately refer to them as "antidotes." For example, I head canon that there's a form of "desert lung" common in The Land of Wind, which is a fungal infection. They do have the cure for this, which are anti-fungals, but people always attribute the cure to an "antidote" likely because more research has gone into creating and curing poison rather that microscopic living organisms, so the common person just doesn't know the difference.

They also likely have a lot less cold medicine and over the counter pain meds, mostly because there isn't much research in that field, but also because ninja tend to not want to rely on medication that could dampen their physical state....Like they would rather be in agony than take pain meds with drowsiness as a side affect, and unless it's something to help them persevere like soldier pill they won't take it.

Also:

Maternity care? Hot garbage. Mental illness awareness and support? Non-existent. Having your lower half separated from your upper half? No problem, bro, we got you.

Their advancement in things like medicine, vaccines, maternity and mental health care does improve drastically by the end of the series as countries begin sharing their research with one another.

Entertainment & Other Tech

They have things like TVs, radios, movies, VHS, Tapes and (believe it or not) cellphones. The cellphones, however, are like...nearly just bricks. They work, but signal is only ever good on common roads between villages and the call quality is grainy at best. Landlines, however, are a much better experience and they make phone calls all the time lol. Gaara doesn't keep a phone in his office because he has someone (like a receptionist) doing that for him.

TVs, movies and radios are pretty much the same as us, CGI is rare but puppetry and other special effects are amazing.

It's common to have TV but not everyone had cable. Very rich people have satellite TV, which isn't that great...Mostly it's just a status symbol.

Speaking of satellites, they do have those but space advancement is really really slow. Probably they have like 3 satellites up there for each country and there are probably hundreds more that just failed getting launched successfully.

Now as for satellites, they don't have GPS. Why would they? They can just use sensor type ninjas, so they are like "paper maps and raw instinct will do."

Travel

They have combustion engines, but they run off coal and are strictly used for navel vessels and steam trains; albeit both of these are rare. Mostly, they prefer to use electric sourced methods of travel (like their bullet train or whatever they have in Boruto) but that is super expensive and only for the rich in the beginning of the series. It becomes way more useful to everyday people after the war arc.

Weapons

They are probably on par with us. Sure, they don't have nukes but a person can blow apart a village with sheer energy force so...Do they really need them? Plus, letter bombs....crazy.

Anyways, I think guns likely do exist in the early Naruto universe, but they're suuuper bootleg. Like it would be pretty sketchy to try using one because they're just...not very well designed. Canons are much more common.

Conclusion:

They're on par with us...Better in some ways, much worse than use in some.

[lesbiankoby]

17) do you mostly watch or read naruto and 35) what ninja occupation would you choose!

17) I’ve entirely read the manga— I’ve watched, uh. What’s under Kakashi’s mask episode, that one naruhina movie that canonized Hinata was being stalked by a moon Hyuuga prince the entirety of Naruto(tm) but it wasn’t relevant to Naruto’s journey, the ANBU kakashi arc for fun, and the episode where everyone in team seven wears cat ears. And that’s it.

35) Those sensor-type telepaths that maintain the long-distance communication system seem to have a pretty cushy gig as long as Madara isn’t throwing bombs at them or however they all died horribly during the fourth war arc. I’d do that if that was on the table. …they probably also have to take turns doing invasive mind torture, but, like, you know. No job is perfect.

[hellcifrogs]

2, 12, 13

2) favorite kage - Tsunade, but also #Itachi4Hokage

12) what would your ninjutsu be - (did I answer this one already?) Water or wind style, but also -something funny about me, people just. Don't. Hear. Me. Walking!- I'd like to have a jutsu based on that that makes me indetectable even for sensor types >:)

13) what ninjas would you want as your teammates - I already chose most balanced pair, my favorite pair, now the pair I'd have most fun with: Naruto and Ino.

[electrasev5nwrites]

Ninja Daily: Vapors 51

'Damn, Sasuke's gotten out of shape,' Aiko noted.

To be fair, in most aspects he'd shown significant improvement in his shinobi skill set. He hit terrifyingly hard, had encyclopedic medical knowledge (even if he couldn't treat more than the basics for any number of ailments outside his specialties), and all-around seemed to be a much more well-rounded, mentally stable individual than he had been the last time she'd worked with him. Working with Tsunade as he did, he was also remarkably skilled at evading hits, a frustrating fact that dragged out their occasional morning spars for far too long.

But the long confinement in the village hadn't done any favors for his stamina. It was pretty obvious that although he'd devoted a significant amount of time to speed conditioning, he hadn't been doing the really long endurance runs that would have prepared him for this type of mission.

Behind his back, Aiko exchanged an unsure look with Kakashi's mildly amused and indulgent one. Having Sasuke on point allowed them to easily keep an eye on his pace and state… and kept him from seeing them assessing his condition. It was largely to save his pride. Normally a sensor should take the front, but Kakashi was skilled enough that it didn't really matter where he stood in formation.

Besides, they were at least nominally his subordinates for this mission, in a way. A visiting ninja dignitary was meant to be formidable in their own right—generally more powerful than their bodyguards who accompanied them.

In practice, Sasuke was a bit more like a civilian client being escorted than a visiting Kage with bodyguards, but they were meant to at least give the impression that he had significant authority. If he didn't actually have any clout, sending him could be seen as an insult to the Kage he was meant to be dealing with… if they had a stick up their ass about that sort of thing, anyway. It wasn't like Gaara would care. He just wanted to get shit done. But other Kage might care in future, so even if this specific deception was unnecessary the practice might serve Sasuke well in later endeavors. Even being the Hokage's apprentice didn't give him any real authority over anyone above his ranking and experience. Seeing as how he was still technically a genin… Well.

'It's probably a little weird to be arranging the Chuunin exams he's going to be participating in.' She pressed her lips into a thin line, forcing down the smile. Would he even be allowed to? It might make more sense for Tsunade to give him a field promotion. But if she were to do that, he'd have to do some actual fieldwork. The Hokage seemed strangely reluctant to allow that.

Aiko wasn't certain why—it wouldn't be hard for Sasuke to demonstrate Chuunin competency. He was easily a rank above genin. He probably would have made Chuunin at the last exams as an absolute rookie if it hadn't been for Orochimaru. Roughly two years later it was a hilarious joke that he was a genin. She rather imagined that Naruto would be the same way when he finally made his way home.

(Aiko took a moment to wish he'd come home soon. She wasn't sure about the timeline, but she'd hoped he'd be back in Konoha before their rapidly approaching fifteenth birthday).

At least Sasuke didn't complain about the pace, despite his obvious fatigue. He did pretty much collapse the instant that they had set up camp and choked down rations, however. That left Kakashi to run the perimeter check while Aiko combined the first watch with setting up traps for the night. A soft snuffle from Sasuke's bedroll caught her attention. She had to smile when she looked over. 'Damn, he's adorable.' She didn't know how Shizune kept a straight face all the time—Sasuke was just such a cutie that she had to bite her lip every time he made a grumpy face. Right now, though, he appeared too worn out to be properly sassy. That was an unusual state of affairs, to say the least.

'The poor, tired boy.' She almost felt guilty that they'd pushed him too hard, but they did have a deadline to make. Gaara was a sweetheart, but it still wouldn't do to be late without a damn good reason.

"He'll be fine." Kakashi settled down next to his pack with what had to be an intentional rustle of his clothing. If he hadn't thought about it, the movement would probably have been silent. He was just that good.

"I know." Aiko unconsciously mimicked her mentor, changing her pose from 'crossed legs' so that one leg was bent, her left toes nestling under the knee of the straight leg. "How long are the watches tonight?"

He hmmed thoughtfully. "Wake me in three." She nodded, scanning the horizon and patting the strings attached to her alarm system while he lazily dragged his own blanket over his body and flopped over as if he was going to instantly fall asleep. Aiko suppressed a wince—if she had to choose between sleeping on the ground with a blanket above or sleeping on a blanket without a covering… Well, it was a hard choice, one that Kakashi seemed to make nonchalantly. He probably didn't want the loss of mobility from making the blanket into a roll. It was sensible, but it wasn't the only logical solution to the problem...

"Want mine for now?" she offered, patting her own (still folded) blanket sitting on top of her pack where she'd left it after she unsealed her night kit. "It's not like I'm going to use it until you get up, anyway."

He turned just enough to peer at her when he cracked open one eye, but didn't reply. Aiko rolled her own eyes and just tossed the damn thing to him. "It almost physically pains me to see you sleeping directly on the ground," she explained briefly with a shudder. "So gross."

Granted, he didn't seem to care about his hair at all, but she just got the heebie jeebies at the thought of insects getting in hers while she slept.

Kakashi sounded amused when he pointed out that, "It's not like a blanket will really do much to keep off bugs and germs." But he did catch the blanket and readjust his position, using his bedroll directly on the ground and pulling hers over his body. "You just want to steal my body heat when you get to go to bed," he teased in a tone of sudden discovery.

By now, she was mostly immune to his teasings. "You got me," Aiko said dryly. "That's exactly my wicked plan, and you're playing right into it."

He made to reply, but-

"Oh shut up," Sasuke muttered into his own bedroll, lifting his face just enough to glare sleepily at them with one red eye.

"Aye aye, captain," Kakashi snickered, closing his own eye and appearing to pass out instantly.

Aiko rolled her eyes at both of them and dismissed the conversation, but couldn't help but notice when her watch ended that Kakashi hadn't been wrong about her benefitting from his body heat. They weren't even into the desert properly, but she was ridiculously relieved to crawl inside and pass out.

A good night's sleep did wonders for Sasuke's temper—and by that Aiko meant that it was returned to normal. Granted, his attitude may have been influenced by the fact that they were set to spend another day running. Once again, he was flagging throughout the all-day run and gradually their breaks became slightly longer every time they stopped to stretch and have a drink. Aiko spotted Kakashi keeping a sharp eye on Sasuke for signs of dehydration or excess exhaustion. Their genin escort was clearly unused to the dry desert air and not particularly pleased by the environment.

To be fair, it was frighteningly foreign from the perspective of someone raised in Konoha's forests. Sasuke wasn't one to complain, never had been, but the face he allowed himself to make when he saw Suna (Aiko realized was the first time for him, wasn't it?) was hilarious. He expertly wiped it off his face before the gate guards waved them up to check their papers and let them in.

'Has she just been slated as their official liaison to Konoha already or what?' Aiko wondered when the Chuunin that left while their documents were verified returned with Temari. It made sense—there couldn't possibly be that many qualified shinobi who Gaara personally trusted enough for the role—but that girl must be ridiculously overworked.

"Welcome to Suna," the girl in question drawled, sounding less enthusiastic than her words implied. "The Kazekage thanks you for making the journey. Please, let me lead you to the diplomatic quarters where you will be staying."

Sasuke nodded stiffly and made to follow, but Aiko teasingly raised an eyebrow at the older girl when they began to walk.

"That's pretty cold. Hi to you too, Temari-san. You're looking well."

She was—the sand kunoichi had changed her work outfit since they'd worked together on the border only a few months back. She seemed to like purple and had retained elements of that hue, but she was actually in a dark blue skirt instead of the one-piece outfit she'd had before.

Temari nodded politely. "You are as well, Aiko-san." Somewhat uncomfortably, she noted the other girl making a similar up-and-down of her apparel. It seemed dull in comparison to Temari's—she'd found light grey pants and a long sleeved shirt for the trip to avoid soaking in too much sun. Both of her companions in dark blue could suffer if they liked (and Kakashi was in that god-awfully heavy Chuunin vest as well!) but she had dressed plainly and minimally.

Then Temari seemed to examine the other two for the first time. "Are you Uchiha Sasuke?" The question was politely disinterested (as well as a bit confusing, hadn't they already been introduced at the exam?) but the widened eyes and slight blush that Temari sported when she eyed Sasuke like he was 150 pounds of eye candy were definitely not disinterested.

Aiko resisted the urge to cackle. 'Temari, I didn't know you were a cougar,' she purred internally. The other girl had to be like, three years older than poor Sasuke.

She wasn't judging, of course. Given half a chance, Aiko would give into urges that were far more shocking. It was just that Sasuke did not seem prepared for displays of sexual interest from such a mature specimen of kunoichi. He deflected answering by way of a grunt and turning away in apparent disinterest. It was probably awkwardness, but it did the trick and Temari snapped back into professionalism. "And Hatake-san, of course."

'She seems much more careful to be respectful of him than us,' Aiko noted with some amusement. It made sense, but it was still funny to see Temari looking nervous around someone she knew to be so mild natured outside of combat.

'How would she know that, though? The last time we saw her, our whole team was on edge. We definitely did not make the best impression possible.'

"Indeed. Lead away, Temari-san."

Kakashi might have been thinking something similar, because that was almost unusually friendly for him.

They didn't have their first appointment with Gaara until two days later. It was frustrating and meant that they were cooped up, but they didn't exactly have the option of demanding an earlier audience. Waiting was just part of how these things seemed to go.

Aiko did her best to look impassive and alert when they were finally led to a conference room and placed on the opposite side of the long table as the head where the Kazekage would sit.

It was a bit pointed—it placed them furthest from the center of the room, and implied that all of the council were of higher importance. Later meetings might be less formal, but at least this first one included a panel of Sunagakure's elders in addition to Gaara and his siblings, who were apparently serving as his bodyguards/personal council. (It stank a bit of nepotism, but ehhhh).

She knew better than to speak up in front of a group like that and undermine Sasuke's authority where it was already respected little. But she would be paying close attention so that she could point out anything he missed later—either to him, or to Gaara himself.

'Getting this mission was a lucky break,' she mused, watching the room fill up. 'I mean, I suppose I could have asked Tsunade to send Gaara a seal as a mark of trust or something, but I'd really rather keep this simple.'

She didn't particularly like the idea of letting a seal out of her reach in unknown hands more than absolutely necessary. If someone intercepted it… well. It didn't bear thinking about just how much trouble she could be in if she attempted to flash cross-continent (which would almost certainly strain her ability to flash again until she'd acclimated) to Gaara's side and found herself surrounded by hostiles who had an idea how her technique worked. Kakashi had been right—for as long as possible, she should make sure that anyone who knew about her technique was either trustworthy beyond doubt or dead.

Aiko didn't mind Kakashi and Yamato having copies of her seal, as they were her team and both highly formidable shinobi. But she would prefer not to have anymore placed in the hands of people that might not be able to protect them. She vaguely hoped that no one would ask why she wouldn't give the seal to Temari or Kankuro who she knew better than Gaara after their long posting—it would be embarrassing for them if she had to admit that she didn't trust their strength.

Aiko felt comfortable that her logic was sound, and that Tsunade would have approved it if she'd thought to mention the idea in time. Their mission briefing had made it clear that Suna and Konoha's relationship wasn't in doubt, and Tsunade wanted to bind them together in every way possible. That was a large part of why they were here in the first place.

The stated reason for requesting Suna's aid with this upcoming exam and other things was a desire to strengthen and publically display their alliance, but it wasn't the only logic. Suna was considerably weaker and poorer than Konoha. Scratching out an existence in the desert was hard, brutal work, doubtlessly made more so because they lacked in both clients and active forces. It wasn't a coincidence that one of the requests Tsunade had for this mission was that they secure contracts for Konoha to pay Suna shinobi to serve as security and organizers for the upcoming exam.

It was veiled charity, but also a cold, logical decision to improve Suna's standing so that they could be more powerful allies and therefore more useful to Konoha. Constant income from safe postings would help Suna regain their feet. If at all possible, they were to get Gaara to agree to other forms of aid, like Konoha supplementing their border forces.

As much as that all sounded like solid policy that Gaara would snap up in an instant, affairs were unfortunately more complicated than they would seem. Konoha was already supplying a great deal of aid to Suna in the form of food relief that took stress off of Suna's coffers.

Despite their Kages' genial relationship, Suna as a whole did not have especially fond feelings to Konoha. Taking charity from a perceived enemy would sting the pride of any shinobi nation. One that prided itself on enduring against horrible odds (in a godforsaken desert with no natural resources except poisonous animals that cost them considerable numbers of their own genin and civilians, mind) was especially prone to posturing. It was an old-fashioned train of thought, but unfortunately it was still a powerful one. Many people in Konoha held similar sentiments about a village's self-sufficiency.

Regardless of their ideological differences, Tsunade and Gaara were both very committed to an alliance that was more than amiable—they were talking about permanent peace between the nations. That would require a lot of work and engendered positive feelings. It was not something that could be settled in a day.

So, they were intentionally avoiding topics that might be perceived as charity in these public sessions. Team Kakashi knew perfectly well that this meeting was a necessity to pacify Suna's stuffy important old people. The real politicking would hopefully be done with Gaara in a more private setting, once these people had been satisfied as to their own importance.

Sasuke had accordingly come armed with a ridiculous amount of very boring things to talk about very politely. Only an hour into discussion, Aiko had to fight to keep her eyes from glazing over. It would have been easier to stay focused by ignoring the babble altogether and just concentrate on keeping an eye out for threats, but she unfortunately had to pay attention to conversation. She learned far more than she really wanted to about trade schedules and setting criteria for promotions (apparently, the Elders didn't trust Gaara's impartiality after he went and informed them that he and his siblings had all been promoted after his own exams. It was a fair enough criticism, if a bit petty to be dragging out as dirty laundry in public).

'It's amazing that these people can make a five minute conversation last two hours,' she marveled silently.

It wasn't like Konoha was probably any better, of course. Tsunade's personal council was relatively efficient, but even she couldn't get around the startling ineptitude of the large council. Powerful family heads (both shinobi and civilian), the leaders of various merchant guilds, well-respected retired shinobi or politicians, and even a few nobles from the Daimyo's court all jockeyed for position and influence.

Luckily, they didn't meet very often. They were probably also treated much like this one—pacified with comparatively minor issues to soothe their egos. Anyone whose voice was really respected or relevant would be sought out on an individual basis.

As was tradition, the first to leave the meeting room was the Kazekage and his escort. At that point the room broke down into quiet conversation. Sasuke intentionally remained in his seat when the meeting was over, letting the locals give him curious glances as they quietly filed out. As if he'd gotten a message, Gaara and his siblings re-entered the room after everyone else had filed out of their seats, startling a couple lingering to chat in the door into hustling out.

For the first time, Sasuke slowly bowed his head… but not so much that he couldn't maintain eye contact.

"That's not necessary." Temari winced, but Gaara pulled out a seat across from Sasuke and casually sat, abandoning all decorum and procedure. Aiko had to force down a smile. "Please forgive us for the pretense. If you are not too tired, we would like to continue discussion."

"Not at all," Kakashi spoke up for the first time, taking a seat at Sasuke's right and nodding for Aiko to pull out a chair on his left. Temari and Kankuro similarly flanked Gaara, seated so that Kankuro was directly across from Aiko. That either meant that Aiko had misinterpreted the dynamics between the siblings, or that they didn't care for procedure at all.

'Or possibly that they thought it was more important for their canniest member to keep a close eye on Kakashi than it was to display that Temari is Gaara's right hand,' she allowed.

The smirk on Kankuro's face told her that she wasn't going to figure out their motivation without more clues, so she gave it up as a bad job and intentionally relaxed her posture. It wouldn't do to seem hostile or nervous around these three even if she had been—they were trying to portray themselves as true allies, not friends of convenience waiting for an opportunity to stab the other in the back.

It wasn't hard, because she really did trust these three to the extent she trusted anyone outside of her team. Kankuro and Temari were hard to get a read on, but she trusted that even if they were malicious, they were committed enough to Sand's interests that Gaara's genuine good feelings would keep them friendly.

She spared an open smile for Gaara, who didn't seem to know how to respond. Instead of giving a corresponding expression, he slowly nodded at her before turning back to Sasuke.

"Hey." Kankuro hissed, leaning across the table to whisper while Sasuke and Gaara began to talk. "How are you doing, red?"

Aiko stuck her tongue out playfully at the older boy. "I should ask you that," she murmured quietly, leaning her chin onto a palm. "Last time I saw you, you were bleeding out your gut."

He grimaced. "Yeah. That sucked. I was on light duty for weeks."

Her eyebrows shot straight up, but she managed to politely not share her first thought, being that it was, "Your medics must be really terrible".

The resigned amusement in his eyes implied he knew her thoughts anyways. Konoha was famous for their medical programs and the quality of the shinobi and civilian practitioners that they produced. It had only gotten better in the time since Tsunade had taken office and prioritized funding for her personal projects.

Gaara's rumble caught her attention. "I'm afraid that won't go over well."

"Is that a no?" Sasuke asked in an air of disinterest.

Aiko had to resist the urge to snort. 'Sasuke, there's no point in playing mind games here. He knows you're invested in this project, and he appreciates bluntness.'

She couldn't blame him, though. It was his first chance to apply what he'd been learning at Tsunade's knee.

"No," Gaara admitted easily. "I think that both propositions are sound. But my citizens will not look fondly on Konoha pitying us twice by paying our shinobi to perform safe work and sending medics to improve the hospital."

Aiko suppressed a twitch. Seriously? The answer to that problem was obvious.

Kakashi expressed her thoughts with flawless grace. "The problem is one of rhetoric, not the actual practice."

Both the boys had turned to look at him, but Temari had already picked up his train of thought with a nod. "He's right. We just need to frame this as an equal exchange rather than two gifts from Konoha. It might not even hurt to make it look like you somehow wrangled beneficial concessions out of Konoha," she added dryly. Kankuro suppressed a snicker at some private joke.

Gaara just nodded gravely. "The idea is sound. But if we were to do that, the exchange would have to seem equal or we would run into the same issue."

"We could easily work in the issue of our mutual border," Sasuke pointed out. "We cannot hope to send you as many medics as we would like in security forces, but we could send an equal number to replace numbers pulled from your side of the border. By having equal numbers of shinobi exchanged, it just looks like a mutual gesture of goodwill and shared strength."

Aiko looked directly at Gaara, opened her mouth to speak… and pressed her lips together to stop the thought that came up from spilling out. She'd bring it up later. For some reason, she wasn't keen on the idea of interfering publically (even in so small a dialogue.) She would really rather prefer an opportunity to speak to Gaara alone… Even if she eventually chose to tell Sasuke about her Hiraishin, that didn't mean that she would feel comfortable telling Temari and Kankuro as well.

Clever Temari caught the motion, raising an eyebrow skeptically in question. She kept an eye on Aiko while the conversation moved on.

"That is a valid possibility," Gaara allowed. "But I would feel more comfortable discussing the addition after we have decided on the exchange of medical personnel."

That was a topic Sasuke was well-prepared to discuss. It was going to be run two ways. First, Suna would be sending low-level medics to Konoha for training and to work on various skills in the hospital there (while serving as staff in whatever capacity they were qualified to do, providing Konoha with extra labor). A few specialists from Konoha would be simultaneously leant to Suna to improve the quality of the shinobi who would be training future iryo-nin, as well as a few talented civilian administrators to overhaul and make the actual facility more efficient. The exchange benefitted both hospitals (though Suna's disproportionately) and maintained enough staff at both locations to keep them running smoothly during the transition.

The program would also be a valuable tool for engendering positive relations. Exposing so many people to the other side of the alliance in a daily capacity would help tie the villages together. It was hard to think of people you actually knew as faceless foreigners, after all.

She actually let herself give a smile when Kankuro thought to specify that they get a poisons expert. Temari gave her a suspicious look, not seeing the humour, but Aiko didn't feel a need to clarify.

From what she understood, Konoha only had a handful of poison specialists, but the ones that they did have were excellent. Aiko knew that, because several of them had been Karin's mentors in some capacity. Tsunade and Shizune were probably the best – they were the best in Konoha's medical system at many procedures due to Tsunade's sheer genius and Shizune's decade of private instruction—but they were closely followed by a few older individuals… and in that one small field, Karin, who did a downright shocking amount of funded lab work with rare venoms and only spent her required hospital time on-call for any necessary poison extractions. As the only person on the list of specialists without real political clout or more important things to do, Karin was probably going to get stuck posted in Suna for half a year trying to pass on what she knew.

The girl would not be pleased.

By the time they had hashed all of that out, it was late. Gaara stood and strode out first, Sasuke on his heels and Kankuro next. Kakashi was aware enough that both kunoichi were lingering to give them a purposeful look, but dutifully kept close to Sasuke while the group trailed out the door.

Once they were seemingly far enough behind, Temari leaned into Aiko's side and muttered, "You looked like you had something to say back there."

'Clever girl.'

Aiko nodded. "Yes, but I was hoping to speak to Gaara about it." Kakashi twitched slightly, but Aiko had already known he could hear their conversation. Kakashi had sharp senses on the worst of days. Temari eyed her carefully, but gave a short nod.

Conversation clearly over, Aiko picked up the pace to stay with her group and led their momentum carry her back to their suite. Sasuke seemed completely oblivious that he had missed something, but Kakashi kept an eye on her until it was time to go to bed. "First watch again, Aiko?" he asked casually. She nodded, letting him take what he would from the motion.

He probably knew that she would be waiting out on the balcony to see if Gaara stopped by. The boy didn't sleep, after all. If Temari was going to arrange a remotely private conversation, it would have to be at night.

The Kazekage either had excellent timing or someone watching their building, because he appeared in a quiet rush of sand after she had only been outside for a few minutes. They regarded each other silently for a moment—and then Aiko grinned, channeling her inner Uzumaki. "Hi there." She didn't let his wordless reaction inconvenience her. Things seemed to work well with Gaara when she overwhelmed him with personality and words. "So, that was whole heaps of fun, right? Haven't seen you in forever." She adjusted, leaning up against the railing and intentionally averting her eyes. "You know, Naruto mentions your conversations a lot in his letters."

It was true. She felt like she knew the guy a lot more than he knew her.

Aiko turned to catch his expression. He looked mildly stunned by the information that Naruto talked about him. "I worry about him," she confided quietly. "I'm sure you know about the suspicion that Akatsuki is after the tailed beasts, right?"

"Yes." Gaara shifted, sand swirling gently around their ankles. "I do know."

"Are you worried?" she asked quietly. It was clear that she wasn't just talking about Naruto. Gaara didn't seem to understand her train of thought, frowning slightly.

"I am concerned with Suna's welfare, not my own," he eventually deflected.

It was the reply she'd prepared for. "Aren't the two connected?" She gave a small smile to soften the statement, and let her fingers trail to her leg holster. He clearly caught the motion, back stiffening and eyes narrowing. It was understandable—it was generally considered rude to reach for weapons in the presence of a Kage.

"This is something I'm keeping quiet, but I'd feel a lot better if you had one."

With slow, deliberate motions, she drew out a single marked kunai and held it out to him hilt first.

At this point, he really did look confused and a bit off-kilter. "I have my own weapons."

She was surprised enough to laugh. "It's not for you to throw. It's tagged with my Hiraishin seal." His eyes went wide with comprehension, and he finally took the outstretched weapon to examine it more carefully. "I just have a bad feeling, you know?" She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "The next time I see him, I'm giving Naruto one too. If it's not too much trouble, could you keep it in your office or something? Even if nothing ever happens, you'll still have the speediest method possible of contacting Konoha. You can't use it, but if you spark chakra against it I'll feel it no matter where I am."

Aiko wasn't even lying. The seal was active and she could use it at any time, but Minato had written about using the seals this way and giving them to his team. Even unintentional chakra flares made in distress could draw attention, making it a good safety tool for his young team.

"Why me."

She glanced up to gauge his reaction, but his face was blank and body language guarded. This was a test.

"Well, I know that you're in danger," she answered honestly. "And I want you to be safe or at least reachable. I think you're a good person, and Naruto agrees. He's a lot better judge of character than I am," she admitted easily, "but I think that he'd approve." Awkwardly, she shrugged as if to say, 'that's it.'

"I thought you said you were keeping this technique secret," he pointed out, clearly pushing for something.

For once, she genuinely did not understand the logic behind this conversational direction. Aiko didn't like going into a conversation blind, but at least she thought on her feet well. "I am. Including you and I, five people know I can do Hiraishin. I really don't want it getting out that I have it. But I think I can trust that you and my team are strong enough to keep the seals away from anyone else and have enough discretion to keep it quiet." As she talked, she gathered her hair into a tail at her neck to keep it from whipping around in the cold desert air, wrestling an elastic off her wrist. She suddenly understood why Temari kept her hair so tightly bound—it hurt when it whipped into your face.

"You… trust me. As a person."

Aiko furrowed her brow. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

Granted, had she not known as much as she did about him, she wouldn't have trusted him. They had only briefly spoken before on a few occasions, most of which had been one-sided. The trust she extended him would not be afforded to many other people with whom she had stronger relationships.

But she trusted both in his decision to change himself for the better and Naruto's ability to spot what others couldn't in people. He'd always had a remarkable sense for understanding critical truths about people's inner lives. It was only possible for Naruto to fool himself—when he really wanted to believe in something, he was completely blind. That was why it was easy for him to be manipulated with a few kind words: He really wanted to believe that people were intrinsically good.

The thing was that in her experience, he was right. Most people were good at their core. Of course, lacking in charisma as she was, she wasn't always able to convince people the way Naruto did. She resorted to pre-planning and careful rhetoric, and used force when that failed.

The idea that a near-stranger trusted in his inherent goodness seemed to rock Gaara to his core. It was actually a little uncomfortable to see just how open his face was with his emotions at the moment, so she had to struggle not to avert her eyes. Looking away now would indicate insincerity. With difficulty, she faked the calm acceptance that would have been so natural to Naruto.

Someone like Tsunade or maybe even Yamato would have caught the bluff, but Gaara never stood a chance.

A muscle jumped in his neck, taut as if he was about to leap into motion. Slowly, he inclined his head into a shallow bow. "I will not betray that trust."

"Of course you wouldn't." Impulsively, Aiko crossed the distance and wrapped him up in a brief hug, ruffling his hair like she would do to Naruto. She only let it last for an instant, not wanting to deal with the awkwardness of him deciding whether or not to hug her back. Either way he chose would be weird, so she didn't let it be an issue, flashing him a grin and talking as she walked towards the door. "I'm going in, then, it's super cold out. Have a good night!" She gave him one last look before shutting the door.

Gaara swallowed, wrapping his hand tightly around a skin-warmed hilt that had been recently owned by a girl he barely knew. It was a kingly gift, despite its apparent plainness.

That had not gone as expected at all.

Why did she trust him so? He remembered hitting her so hard she lost consciousness in the attempted invasion of Konoha. Surely the girl held a grudge because of that? It was one thing for Naruto to forgive him—Naruto, who had experienced similar pain and loneliness growing up as a jinchuuriki, but his sister?

Ah. That was it. Naruto's sister, who had always stood by him. He had to push back a zing of jealousy—what would his life had been like if Temari had never feared or ostracized him? There was no way to know, and no point in questioning. They had reconciled and were actually quite close now. Temari was an excellent sister to have.

What kind of person must Naruto's sister be, to have never once doubted him even as a small child when others clearly feared and hated him? It… it defied explanation.

'Perhaps it is a commonality between Uzumaki,' he finally decided, blinking down some strange sensation. That conversation convinced him that two out of the two Uzumaki he had encountered were remarkably forgiving people, after all.

He couldn't help but keep an eye on the girl—Aiko, she was called, he reminded himself—the next time he met with Uchiha Sasuke for a meeting. The Uchiha still displayed an irritating habit to mimic his absent mentor's sideways manner of speech, but Gaara easily enough arranged for the concessions he desired. He managed to insure that Suna would be paying for thirty percent of the Chuunin exam's expenses to prove their investment and several other details while still devoting some of his attention to the other redhead in the room. She was slippery and hard to read, showing emotions at times that indicated she was keeping a running commentary… and uncomfortable with his staring.

Gaara took his eyes off of her just in time to catch a severely disapproving expression from the Copy Ninja, and suddenly decided it would be for the best to go back to focusing on the Uchiha. He didn't want to give the Konoha ninja the wrong impression about his interest.

Of course, it was entirely too late to throw Temari off the scent of a secret after she'd caught him glancing at Aiko. His sister was incorrigible.

Omake

This is super old by now, but… ehhhhh. :) Possibility one of how this scene could have gone.

"You skipped work to tell me that one of my shinobi is an aspiring writer," Tsunade deadpanned. "You are correct—attempting to better oneself is highly suspicious and I'll look into it immediately. In fact, why don't we just skip the middleman and send her directly to prison for seditious behavior. We'll flog her in the streets for literary ambitions. Where would you like your medal?"

Yamanaka Inoichi fidgeted with his ponytail, hooking two fingers under a sparkly purple hair band. He turned his face away a little sheepishly. "Well, it sounds negligible when you put it that way, but I'm really convinced that if you'd just take a look, you'd share my unease…"

She did her best not to let her expression waver into amusement. 'He does seem pretty serious… At worst, I'll get to laugh about this later, I suppose.'

Besides, if he was right, someone had neglected to inform her of the extent of one of her tools' usefulness. Tsunade had plenty of dumb brutes already—shinobi that could think were suited to many roles, some of which were in high demand. "Leave the books and get back to work, then."

Inoichi practically tripped in his eagerness to get out, though he shot one last, inscrutable look at the book he'd been reading when her secretary had been forced to shake his shoulder to let him know it was his appointment time.

'It's almost irritating that everyone seems so eager to get away from me now that I'm Hokage,' Tsunade mused, watching one of her top interrogators slip out the door. She carefully side-stepped the thought that people had been eager to get away from her for years (excepting Jiraiya and casino staff, of course) on account of her legendary temper.

Suspiciously, she lifted an innocuous green cover and opened one of the little books open with a single finger. To be fair to Inoichi, it was a pretty thick book to have been written by a teenager, and there was a small pile of them. Either Hatake wasn't much of a slave driver and gave her far too much free time, or the girl didn't go through a lot of drafts. If it were the second possibility, that implied a truly formidable talent for mental organization, perhaps suited to intelligence or code work.

"Fairy Tales: Golden Hair, Snow White, and Little Red Hood."

She scrunched up her nose, perplexed by the bizarre names. There seemed to be some sort of color theme, but she had no idea what that might mean other than that the girl possibly had an obsessive disorder.

The Hokage gave a glance around her office. There was no one else there. She was experiencing a lull in paperwork and appointments. If she didn't have office hours, she would probably have gone home. In other words…

"May as well give it a try now," she sighed, flipping open to the first short story.

It turned out not to be particularly short. That was good, because the girl with the golden hair had some serious problems that had to be worked out. It was just a mess. What was one little plant in the grand scheme of things, no matter its properties? Kidnapping the child was a bit of an extreme reaction to her parents stealing a shrubbery.

It was fascinating. The story was like nothing she'd ever read, but somehow it spoke to a well of human experience Tsunade could relate to.

At one point, she had to actually close the book to compose herself. Tsunade sniffled sadly, bending her head to let a curtain of blonde hair cover her face. 'I know how you feel, kiddo.' She fingered her own long, beautiful hair and raised her head slightly to send a longing glance out of the tower window. It was like the book was written for her, if the other princess had been trapped by bureaucracy instead of unethical psychological manipulation and physical inability to punch her way out of a stone tower. The magical properties of the hair had to be some sort of kekkai genkai (a powerful bloodline ability that was probably the source of her parents' rule over the nation, she was certain)—if only the princess knew how to use it to escape!

She was sure that she could have figured it out, and spent several minutes brainstorming possible applications of glowing hair, eventually making an elaborate chart on the back of a financial report that had been within arm's reach.

That was how Shizune found her. She took one look at the notes her mentor was working diligently on and turned right back around. Whatever it was looked important; she'd bother Tsunade later.

[sociieties]

things that are literally canon about kidōmaru

kidōmaru was the most intellectual member of the sound four which was witnessed in his fierce battle style and quick strategies.

excellent tactical analyzer, capable of figuring out his enemy's weak point quickly and efficiently. 

knows of  many konohagakure ninjas and techniques.

considerable taijutsu prowess.

is one of orochimaru's closest and most powerful warriors.

could summon the kyodaigumo, a giant spider that can spawn an immense number of smaller spiders.

is a sensor type.