Yakushi Honto

Identity
Yakushi Honto is a Medic-Nin raised near Hebigakure, who planned to become a roaming healer for hire. He has recently joined the Takokujin as a new member, under Rain.



Background and Personality
Yakushi Honto is the only survivor of a small village in the Land of Rivers that was supposedly razed to the ground by bandits. All of its inhabitants were slaughtered, including Honto's family. How he survived is unknown to him, as he has suppressed any memories of what really happened thanks to the trauma of the attack. However, one of the last of the Hebi-Nin, a dying race of humans who had altered their own genetics with Forbidden Jutsu, had come across Honto, and took the boy with no past along with her on her journey back to Hebigakure.

In Hebigakure he was trained as a shinobi, specializing in Medical Ninjutsu, in order to become a Medic-Nin. This was more due to the needs of the snake woman who was raising him, rather than his own decisions. She needed someone to act as an assistant in experiments of hers with various Jutsu, as she attempted to stop the mysterious slow death that was spreading throughout the Hebi-Nin -- even those who had had no contact with those who were dying. It seemed that the entire race of Hebi-Nin were simply dying from some unknown ailment. They were being rendered sterile as well, so they could not save themselves through reproduction. The last known child of the Hebi-Nin was one named Orochimaru, and he, at least, seemed to be healthy.

However, Honto was unaware of any of this, and had never heard the name Orochimaru. He only knew that even with the instruction of his substitute parent, he was not skilled enough to save the life of the only person who had ever bothered to take care of him. It was true that the snake woman had never shown an ounce of love towards him, or treated him as anything other than a tool, but she had kept him alive, and taught him the skills he needed to help others. That was worth something at least. So when the Hebi-Nin woman died, Honto was left in the care of the mostly human inhabitants of Hebigakure. For a little while, he thought that was enough.

But though he was helping to heal the minor ills and injuries of those in Hebigakure, with his limited knowledge of medicine there was much he could not accomplish on his own. Thus he packed what few belongings he had, and left the Hidden Snake Village to seek out his destiny elsewhere. He sought not only the skills and knowledge to help save lives, but also some hint of his past, from before the Hebi-Nin woman took him in. As well, he searched for anyone who would be close to him, and find him useful, even if that closeness was merely a side-effect of needing to use him as a tool.

After all, when the only person who has ever shown one respect is a terrible person... When that person only respects you as a tool, or a weapon... When one is so lonely and craving affection, that any attention at all is responded to with desperate attempts to please a terrible person... How could one know what real love truly is?

The Takokujin
Honto had set out to Fort Kyuusen, to see if he could help the injured left over from the conflict with Chikagakure. Along the way, he became lost, as he had no map, and only vague directions. He encountered the camp site of the Takokujin, and met Rain and Mikado. After an attack upon Rain, while Honto was negotiating the price for directions to Kyuusen, he decided to stay the night in the caves in Miati Forest.

The next day, in the morning, Honto was wandering the caves, and looking around for the man who had earlier been chased off after his attack on Rain. He encountered Mikado taking a bath in the hot springs, and spoke to her somewhat about his motivations in staying with the Takokujin.

One day later, he went out with Rain and Akihiko for two purposes: First, to patrol the "territory" of the Takokujin, and second, to hear what Rain expected of him if he were to join the group. While they were speaking, a wild boar charged out of the underbrush and died. After an inspection by Honto, it was revealed that the animal had been killed by a senbon to the heart. Following the trail, they discovered Gazamachi, a rude and hungry child, who wound up being tricked by Rain. Gazamachi decided to join the group, at least for now, because they seemed to have resources he didn't. On the way back, Mizuki appeared from the forest, and after being introduced to Honto, followed them back to base.

A few days later, Honto became involved in a battle at the caves, when Rain's failed assassin sent recruited mentally unstable individuals with explosives to try to kill Rain and the rest of the Takokujin. Honto assisted in stopping them, as did Akihiko, Mikado, and Rain. Watanabe Itami, lost in the darkness, arrived at the caves, and though she did not wish to be involved, she became such anyway. Honto managed to prevent one group of bombers from destroying a natural support structure of the caves, and thus stopped them from collapsing the caves on everyone's heads.

The next day, in the afternoon, he set out for Konohagakure, to get some supplies. He encountered Mert Madii, a recently graduated Medic-Nin, and ran into Itami a second time. They had a discussion of what it meant to be a ninja, and what's important for being a Medic-Nin, and then parted ways.

Physical Appearance
Honto is an average height young man with shortish, smooth white hair, held back in a brief ponytail at the back of his head by a black cord. His white eyebrows accent his black eyes -- the irises are the same black as the pupil. Honto's frame is somewhat thin, but that is more due to his youth than anything else. His limbs and body possess a good deal of muscle for someone his age, but for a ninja, he may be less muscular than some others. He is almost always wearing eyeglasses, thin-framed.

In addition to his eye glasses, his throat and chest are concealed by a sleeveless, turtle-necked, black bodysuit. A white t-shirt is worn over the bodysuit, with a black vest over top of that. On the left breast of the vest is a symbol of a white snake inside a white circle. He wears a light-colored wrap about his abdomen, baggy black pants on his legs, and black combat boots on his feet. About his waist is a belt for storing various ninja gear and healing tools.

Abilities and Aptitudes

 * Medical Training - Honto is a knowledgeable -- though inexperienced -- doctor in his own right. He is capable of tending to wounds via basic first-aid, medicinal treatments, and surgery, and can create effective medicines from various herbs and ingredients. He has an in-depth knowledge of human and Hebi-Nin anatomy, as well as biology and medicine in general. Ordinarily one as young and inexperienced as he would not be quite so skilled, but the rigours of his training at a Hebi-Nin's hands has forced him to learn a great deal in a short amount of time.


 * Medical Ninjutsu - Honto is able to wield Ninjutsu designed for healing living beings. They can be used on himself or others. He has basic Chakra control and intelligence, but this will likely improve with more age and training.


 * Taijutsu - Honto is trained in hand to hand combat, like most other ninja. He is not exceptionally proficient at it yet, but he is just starting his career, so has time to grow.


 * Ninjutsu - Honto knows the basic Ninja techniques: Henge, Replacement, and Clone, as well as other basic academy techniques, such as the 'Rope Untying Jutsu'. He may learn other Ninjutsu techniques as time goes on.

Relationships and Affiliations

 * Konohagakure - Honto has no feelings about Konoha. It is one of the Hidden Villages, and thus is respected for its military power and reputation, but considering they were recently thrown out of their own home, that power is at an all-time low. Still, Rain has made it clear that it's not safe to be involved with Konoha. His only interest, really, is that they have supplies and texts for medicine, which he could make good use of in his role as a healer in Takokujin.


 * Hebigakure - Honto has minimal connection to Hebigakure. Other than being a place he used to live, he is not intimately connected to anyone who lives there.


 * Takokujin - Honto has no particular feelings about the group yet, except that they and those they associate with appear to be in need of all the help they can get. As long as he is useful, he is content to remain with the group. Besides, he will gain more practical experience as a healer by working constantly, than just studying under some other shinobi. He has studied for ten years. It's time to see the world, and the Takokujin can make that happen.
 * Rain - Honto may have trouble reading body language, but he has a very keen mind, and he can tell there is more to Rain than meets the eye. Though Rain claims to want to help people achieve their dreams, he has a past, and a dream of his own, and Honto is interested in learning what that dream is. Still, he does not plan to push to find out. Patience is key.
 * Akihiko - Honto has had minimal contact with Akihiko, beyond a walk, and fighting alongside him against the suicide bombers. He doesn't have a very good feel for what motivates the man, but he knows that Akihiko is seemingly loyal to Rain. At least for now.
 * Mikado - And odd and cheerful young woman, Honto has a feeling that despite her past, whatever it may entail, she has retained a degree of naivety that may prove to be a weakness or problem in the future. At least it may provide an avenue for manipulating her, if that ever proves necessary. Otherwise, her friendliness towards him is treated at face value, and he sees no reason not to be polite in return.
 * Mizuki - Honto knows little about Mizuki. They have spoken once, and that is it. He'll want to investigate her a bit more later on, but she doesn't appear to be a threat.
 * Gazamachi - From Honto's experiences with him, Gazamachi appears to be a crude, immature, and slow-witted brat. He does not particularly like Gazamachi, but he will work with him, if necessary. After all, liking each other isn't a rule of the Takokujin. Working as a cohesive group, on the other hand, is.


 * Others
 * Watanabe Itami - Honto knows she is a Watanabe, from the Land of Wind, but aside from the lessons he was given about their Clan, he knows little about Itami personally. She appears to be a traveller, like himself, and the rest of the Takokujin, but one who is more closesly associated with the Hidden Villages, and thus one to watch out for.
 * Mert Madii - A brand new Medic-Nin, Madii is less skilled than Honto himself, but may have more worldly experience, due to not living cooped up in a snake nest for most of her life. Seems to be a responsible individual who knows the value of hard work.