Bamboo Tablet (random)

So. . . .I mentioned in my last two post that I recently came into the possession of a touch tablet, specifically of the Bamboo brand.  *turns into chibi form*  IT'S SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, now that I got that out of my system, we will turn back to the very factual and logical benefits of my new (awesome) tablet.  Here, I present a list to prove it's awesomeness:

1.  Pressure sensitive
2.  Easy to control transparency
3.  Accepts both pen and touch input
4.  Pen has a normal grip and no battery is needed
5.  Tablet directly corresponds to computer screen
6.  Simple, easy scrolling device
7.  Right-click button
8.  Can be used for writing, drawing, and just surfing the web
9.  Small and easy to fit on computer desk
10.  Straightforward and simple directions

. . . .I could go on. . . .have I mentioned how awesome it is?

Anyway, hopefully the quality and style of my digital art will improve with this new (awesome) tablet at my disposal.


Peace out peoples!

KobaltWolf

Gift of the Outcast: Kyo Quick Sketch (image)

This is a quick sketch of Kyo, one of the protagonists of my story the Gift of the Outcast.  And a very quick sketch at that I might add.  This was, like my previous image, done with my new touch tablet (I'll be posting more about that later.)  

Before we continue, the top she is wearing is a hoodie and the white blob-thingy is the hood.  

Anyway, I had a lot of fun doing this image.  The pose was an especially interesting, and difficult, part of the process.  Originally, she was supposed to be in the action of flipping onto her back, but it turned into this weird, slant thing instead.  

Another intriguing point was the background.  I wasn't exactly sure what to do for it, so it turned into something of a characterization of her personality.  Firstly, she, like the background, appears very plain and easily discerned as well as almost completely barren.  However, her true being is hidden beneath towers of defense, similar to the life that is hidden beneath the stark sand of the desert depicted. 

Secondly, the background is a classic conflict:  Earth vs. Air.  Kyo's personality is also a conflict, though hers is symbolically between fire and ice (will be expanded on.)

Hope you like it!

Peace out peoples,

KobaltWolf

Gift of the Outcast Banner (image)

So sorry for not having posted in a week!  I've just been super busy with Christmas and stuff and then I got sick on Christmas Eve as an added plus (not).

This is a first-try banner for the Gift of the Outcast.  Now, in my defense, this is an extremely quick sketch that I decided to draw as a way to test out my new touch tablet (it's awesome!)  This image is definitely NOT my best, but it was really fun to do.  I especially like the abstract style.

If you're wondering why Kyo has blue skin and Deidara's is slightly reddish, it's to represent the conflict between their personalities, Kyo being ice and Deidara being fire (this will be expanded upon later in the story.)  I'm not particularly pleased with Deidara's face, so I might go in and edit it later.

And, like all my images, this is copyrighted by ME.  If you want to use it, you have to ask me.  Anyway, Happy Almost New Year!  I'm about three-quarters way through Chapter Four of the Gift of the Outcast so I should get that out soon.

Peace!

KobaltWolf

past, present, Future (poem)

Just a little thing I whipped up.  I thought I needed to post something other than Gift of the Outcast because not everyone will understand said fanfiction.  I know the poem sounds kind of depressing in the beginning, but it gets hopeful towards the end!  I'm not exactly pleased with the rhyme scheme and rhythm, so I might go back in and edit. (and yes, the title is supposed to be punctuated like that)

past, present, Future by KobaltWolf

I looked towards the dusk,

As the day took mortal wound,

From the tendrils streaking brusque,

Across its tainted light.

Today was worse.

I watch upwards the stars,

As the freckles lost in tempest,

That creeps from unhealed scars,

Blocking those of bright.

Tonight is worst.

I will glance forwards moon,

Fading eventually in solar halberd,

Of Phoebus Apollo in platoon,

The sun will come sight.

Tomorrow will be better.

Gift of the Outcast: Chapter 3 (story)

Disclaimer:  I do not own Naruto or any of its subsidiaries.  This is just fanfiction!


'Ello folks.  I got chapter three out in under a week!  Yay me!  So, I spent most of Saturday just writing this, so I hope it meets your expectations.  Here's the basic, need-to-know lingo (I'm not including stuff that has been put in the last two chapters.  Read them peoples!):

-san -- a Japanese honorific equating to "Mr." "Mrs." or "Miss."

Inuzuka Clan -- a clan in the Naruto-verse.  Famous for their veterinary skills and recognizable by the fang-like tattoos on their cheeks

Chikushou -- a curse

Baka -- idiot

Kunoichi -- a female shinobi

Mokuton -- wood release

Sharingan -- a bloodline limit (a technique passed down genetically, usually through a single clan line)

Shuriken -- a type of weapons, basically metal stars

                    Chapter 3

“No, pocky is way better.”

“Ramen beats all.”

“Yeah, right! Ramen isn't coated in chocolate.”

“Chocolate ramen is!”

“That even sounds gross.”

Teuchi glanced nervously between his number one customer and the green-haired newcomer as they continued to bicker, rather pointlessly, over snack foods. The pair were head to head, foreheads nearly touching, each with a scowl on their face and a glare that could pulverize steel.

“It is not!”

“Oh, yes it is. I mean come on. Chocolate ramen?”

“Yes, chocolate ramen.”

“Well, pocky comes in strawberry!”

“So does ramen.”

“Ramen takes time to make.”

“Not if it's instant.”

Naruto jumped onto the counter, blue eyes blazing. “Face it, ramen is superior!”

Kyo leaped up next to him. “Never!”

“Oi!”

The pair glanced down at Teuchi. The old man was glaring at them, irritation written in every line on his face. “Get. Off. The. Counter. Now.”

                          ______________________________________________________

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, guiltily glancing over at the pouting Kyo. “I never knew Teuchi-san could be so scary.” He closed his eyes, shuddering audibly.

“Pocky!” The greenette moaned in response, clutching her stomach.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “Okaaay. Um, so why don't you tell me about yourself?” he suggested, obviously trying to get away from the obsession with pocky.

She went silent. “What do you want to know?” Her voice was taut.

The blonde didn't seem to pick up on the undercurrent of tension. “I don't know. . .like, what village are you from?”

“None of your business.”

“Rank?”

“Why should you care?”

The blonde fidgeted in the following silence. “Okay, um, hobbies?” he tried weakly, not expecting much of an answer.

Kyo immediately seemed to perk up. “Let's see. . .ice-sculpting's cool. . .making my own weapons. . .explosions. . .pocky. . .” She nodded resolutely at her own list.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips at the sound of a response.

Enough about me. “You?”

Naruto glanced up, uncertainty flickering through his eyes, before he straightened up proudly. “Training to become the next Hokage!” He flashed a self-confident grin.

“Nice.” Like that's ever going to happen.

Well, at least he's got spirit.

It's just plain foolish if you ask me.

I didn't ask you.

Will you two SHUT UP!

“. . . .family?”

The greenette cast a blank glance in his direction. “What?”

“What's your family like?”

Her liquid golden eyes darkened. “Don't have any.” He left a long time ago.

Naruto opened his mouth, his eyes screaming sympathy, but Kyo beat him to it. “Enough with the questions,” she stated, her voice cold as ice. “We need to find pocky.”

He nodded quickly. She's scary. “Uh, I think there's a few stands on the edge of town. . . .”

The greenette nodded absently, tucking one of her braids behind her ear as the wind changed direction. Abruptly, her hand dropped limply to her side, eyes wide.

“. . . .might have it. I'm not sure, though. I've never actually looked for pocky.” Naruto babbled. He winced, practically hearing the biting response that was coming his way.

Silence.

“Oi, what's the matter with—“ he started, glancing to his side testily. . . .only to come face to face with thin air.

                                   _______________________________________________

It can't be.

A distorted breeze whipped through the market-place of Konoha. Though a gust or 

two was a common occurrence in the narrow streets, several geese squawked, nervously fluttering their clipped wings as they pecked at the locks of their cages.

He left.

A young girl, a member of the Inuzuka clan judging from the tattoos on her cheeks, carried an injured dog across the dirt street, carefully judging each step so as not to drop the canine, though her efforts were in vain as the dog suddenly barked ferociously at thin air. Startled at the sound, the animal slipped from her arms, colliding harshly with gravel, but its relentless howling continued.

He said he'd never come back.

“Oi, what's the matter!” The girl stooped down to the canine's level, stroking its downy ears in attempt to calm its abrupt mood. A trace of wind drifted in front of the pair.

Never again.

Her nostrils flared suspiciously. The barking increased.

Chikushou, baka!

The Inuzuka kunoichi's eyes narrowed as a green-haired figure appeared at the end of the alley before again disappearing. She took a step to follow.

“Oi, Hana, hurry up!”

Hana's head whipped around at the unmistakable call of her mother. She swallowing anxiously. It doesn't have anything to do with me. She silently reassured herself as she hefted the still growling dog into her arms.

“Coming!”

Deidara.

                                         _________________________________________

Two Konoha ANBU stood erect outside a pair of glinting iron doors. Silence reigned throughout the deserted alley, not even the rustle of the shinobi's breathing disturbed the placid scene.

Then, without any noticeable provocation, a kunai shot from one of the ANBU's cloaks, colliding with what seemed to be thin air. The tell-tale ping of metal-against-metal resounded through the street.

Both shinobi reached for more kunai, but their hands never reached their desired weapons.

Kyo materialized between them, tapping the shoulder of one of the white-masked figures.

No response.

“Keh.” The greenette made a quick hand sign and then disappeared again, the previously seemingly impervious metal doors brutally ripped apart at the hinges, the edges still glowing with heat.

Silence descended once more as sun glinted off the figures that had once been shinobi of Konoha, revealing a thin layer of snowy ice.

                              ________________________________________________

Kyo scanned the hall for possible threats. Several frozen shinobi decorated the halls like marble statues, their faces still snarling or cowering, whichever they may be. Rotating her jaw, she closed her eyes in concentration.

Click.

Her eyes shot open at the tell-tale sound of a radio.

“Urgent—“ Silence. The offending shinobi was dead before he could even finish his plea for help, his throat slit with a sliver of ice.

But some did get through. “Kuso!” she hissed, punching the wall beside her. Several spidery cracks wound their way around her balled fist.

Calm down.

Inhaling deeply, her eyes slowly closed once again, eyebrows drawn and tense as she let her senses spread out around her. Several chakra signatures met her scrutiny.

No, no, no. . . .

There! Her eyes snapped open.

To any ordinary shinobi's eye, it would have looked like she had simply disappeared. She flashed into the human spectrum a few feet away only to disappear once more.

Kyo ran. 

Her legs dissolving into numbness as she continued her furious pace. Guards fell left and right, their faces frozen in horror, skin glinting with ice.

No shinobi, not even the ANBU elite shinobi, could stand before her in her blind desperation. She didn't even spare a pair of security a glance as their chakra flickered out.

Weak.

Suddenly, she flattened herself to the ground. Any watching would have wondered if her legs had collapsed beneath her, but a millisecond later, several kunai whizzed through the air that her head had just occupied.

In a flash, she raised her hands to block a well-aimed kick, and, though the blunt damage was avoided, the sheer force of the strike sent her flying into the opposite wall, leaving a small crater from the collision. However, before the greenette could fall to the ground and escape with a quick shun-shin, tree roots burst forth from the cement, wrapping around her limbs and roughly pinning her to the wall.

Kyo's golden eyes widened in surprise as a silver-haired man appeared in front of her, his one visible eye scanning her lazily, the other covered by both his headband and a linen mask. “I suppose your the one who killed the guards?”

She smirked. “So what if I did?”

Another man, this one with a mask style fore-head protector that framed his face, appeared behind his partner. “You seem awfully cocky for someone at an obvious disadvantage,” he stated, calmly blinking.

She cocked her head, visage playing puzzled. “Who ever said that I was at a disadvantage?” Then she was gone, the previously firm wood having been reduced to mere, still sparking, ash.

Both shinobi's eyes widened as she appeared behind them, leaning between them. A maniac grin adorned her youthful face. “Because I do believe that fire trumps wood.”

The pair was barely able to dodge the following fireball, flames licking at their clothes and skin searing from the pure heat wave. They skidded to opposite sides of the hall gasping for breath as the oxygen was sucked from the atmosphere by the ravaging fire.

The silver-haired one sighed. “I guess we shouldn't draw this out, then.” He raised a hand to his covered eye, hesitating ever so slightly, so slightly that an untrained eye would have completely skipped over it, before pulling his headband up.

Kyo grinned at the Sharingan revealed. “So you must be the Copy Ninja Kakashi, right? It's an honor to meet you, really! I've heard so much about you, mostly bad of course, but Iwa is biased against you. I mean, you blew up that bridge-that-I-can't-remember-the-name-of and turned the tide of the Third Great Shinobi World War against them, so I can kind of sympathize with. . . .” She continued to babble, apparently oblivious to the silent exchange between the two Konoha shinobi.

Kakashi subtly dipped is head, never lowering his gaze from the questionably insane greenette.

Silence reigned, broken only by the inconsistent ramblings of Kyo herself.

“NOW!”

Wood erupted from the floor, viciously diving at the still-babbling girl. . .only to strike thin air.

However, none could escape the Sharingan, no matter how fast. Kakashi watched in awe as the greenette flipped herself upwards to land on the ceiling. He watched as chakra charged to her tensed feet. He watched as she tugged a glinting kunai from her sleeve. He watched as she dove towards his partner. He watched as a sneer twisted its way across her face. He watched as her weapon neared the mokuton-wielder's throat. Never once did she dissolve back into the range of normal human sight.

Neither did Kakashi.

Ping!

The girl's eyes widened as her kunai met with another. Her shocked gaze raised to the level of her assailant, gold locking with red and black tomoe as Kakashi and Kyo flickered into human vision.

“You can see my movements,” she stated. The sneer retreated. . . .

Silence.

. . . .only to be replaced by a smirk. “But can you match them?”

A hiss escaped his lips as he registered the kick that was headed towards his head. His arms raised reflexively, but gasped, shock clear on his face, as her other leg collided with his gut. The silver-haired-nin skidded back several feet, managing to dodge the brunt of a barrage shuriken, though a few managed to draw small slivers of blood, one coming within centimeters of his jugular.

“Yamato!” he barked.

The shinobi, now proclaimed as Yamato, nodded sharply, pulling out a wireless transmitter.

Kyo growled and dove towards the mokuton-user only to be countered by Kakashi. She grinned. “You know, if you're not going to be a good sport, where's the fun in playing?”

“Urgent back-up needed in the ANBU Torture and Interrogation center. Hostile is skilled and danger—”

Static filled the room.

_______________________________________________________________________

Wha'cha think?  Was it as good as the other chapters?  Post please, so I can know what you're thinking!


Here's chapter 1 for those of you who haven't read the whole story: http://kobalt-board.blogspot.com/2010/11/working-title-chapter-1-story.html

Here's chapter 4 for those of you who have:  http://kobalt-board.blogspot.com/2011/01/gift-of-outcast-chapter-4-story.html

Peace out peoples,

KobaltWolf

Gift of the Outcast: Chapter 2 (story)

Disclaimer:   I do not own Naruto or any of its subsidiaries.  This is just fanfiction!


Ok, after lots and lots of reformatting, I finally got chapter two posted.  Here's some more lingo that you might need to know:


Konohagakure or Konoha-- a shinobi village in Naruto-verse
Baka -- idiot
Jonin -- highest level of shinobi other than Kage (leader of a shinobi village)
Hokage -- leader of Konohagakure
Shodai Hokage -- first Hokage
Godaime Hokage -- fifth Hokage
Mokuton -- wood release
Teme -- derogatory term, insult
Kami -- god or deity
Hi no Kuni -- Land of Fire.  Where Konoha is located
Pocky -- a popular snack food
Ramen -- a popular Japanese food

                     Chapter 2

“I will ask this again. What is your mission in Konohagakure?” The scarred figure stared unflinchingly down at the blonde Akatsuki member, who glared right back with his own turquoise gaze.

Silence.

The scarred man just kept staring.

Baka. Deidara cursed at his own stupidity. How could he have gotten captured? Him. The passionate, explosive artist of the Akatsuki organization. It was unthinkable, unbelievable.

The blonde rotated his jaw slightly in thought as he recalled the unfortunate mission that lead him into this unfortunate situation.

Leader-sama had sent him and his infernal, idiotic, complete moron of a partner, Tobi, on a surveillance mission of Konoha. Deidara's eye twitched as he remembered the contact they were supposed to meet with. The blonde had sent Tobi to wait in the forest. The orange lollipop incarnate would only have gotten in the way.

So, the artist had continued with the meeting. Then his stupid contact turned out to be a freakin' loyal Jonin and he had invited all of his little Konoha friends to the party, including Kakashi-teme and some guy who could use mokuton similar to that of the Shodai Hokage.

And then, wait for it, the Godaime Hokage herself had shown up for the occasion. Oh, kami, could that woman pack a punch. Deidara winced as he remembered her fist connecting with his gut. He definitely wouldn't be doing sit-ups any time soon.

The blonde had then been knocked out, courtesy of the Godaime, and he had woken up tied to a chair in the middle of some kami-forsaken torture-chamber with this scar guy attempting to weasel answers out of him. Deidara had to admit that he was pretty good, but Deidara was a member of the Akatsuki, the most feared organization in all of the five shinobi nations. He wasn't going to be cracked by some half-wit Konoha weakling.

Never the less, the blonde had been emitting small amounts of chakra for some time now, hoping for his partner to notice and come to his aid. An ordinary ninja would have no hope of sensing it, but Tobi was an Akatsuki. He was not ordinary.

Then again, Tobi was an idiot. The lollipop was probably chasing butterflies 

somewhere in the hills of the Hi no Kuni.

Deidara growled at the thought. Oh, Tobi was so dead when he got out of here.

                                    ___________________________________________________

“Do you have pocky?”

The store owner glanced down at the forest-green haired girl that was currently staring earnestly at him with huge golden eyes. Uncertainty crossed his face as he slowly shook his head no.

Then she was gone.

He blinked his eyes in utter surprise as he stumbled backwards, tipping over his newest platter of ribs. “Ah!”

Kyo appeared at the next restaurant, a rice shop, in under a second. “Do you sell pocky?”

Her question was answered with a shaking head.

She had disappeared before he even stopped his head from moving.

“Do you sell pocky?”

“How 'bout you?”

“Pocky?”

“Any pocky at all. . . .”

The greenette was just a blur among the shops of Konoha, her voice becoming more and more desperate.

Last shop. She stared up at the sign. Ichiraku's Ramen. Inhaling deeply, she reverently stepped into the street-side stand. “Do. You. Sell. Pocky.” She slammed her hands down on the counter, staring the owner of the shop unblinkingly, her voice nearly breaking with expectation.

“Um, no.”

She deflated.

“But we do have pocky-flavored ramen.”

Another one of Ichiraku's chairs was suddenly occupied. “That'll work. Ten bowls please!”

Teuchi, the owner of the stand, raised an eyebrow and a small smile blessed his withered face. “Coming right up.”

Kyo waited impatiently, twiddling her fingers together as she swung her feet tentatively. Her eye twitched as the smell of freshly baked ramen teased her nose like an angel from. . . .

“Hey!”

The greenette was startled from her thoughts by a rather loud, overly-friendly voice. She turned her head abruptly towards the source of the sound, her two side braids whipping violently across her face before falling back into their normal positions.

Her golden eyes met with a pair of bright blue ones framed with a mess of blonde hair. A look of surprised recognition flickered across her face before being replaced by an irritated glare. “What do you want?” Kyo asked, her voice unnecessarily harsh, contrasting greatly with her previous cheer.

The boy looked taken back. “I just wanted to ask who you were! I haven't seen you around here before and I was just wondering. . . .” his voice trailed off.

Her eyes softened slightly.

“No need to get so annoyed!”

She winced, rubbing her ear with the back of her hand. There was that loudness again, just without the over-friendliness. Definitely not him. . . .

“None of your business, blondie.”

“Well, excuse. . . .wait, what did you just call me?!” He stood up roughly, attempting to 

intimidate her with his more than ample height.

Kyo shot up as well, and though she barely came up to his shoulder, she still gave him an impressive death glare. It was enough to freeze most Jonin in their tracks. Like I care. “You heard me, blondie.”

“Why you little. . . .”

Of course, this guy was to much of an idiot to realize the danger he was in.

The greenette hissed menacingly under her breath, but it went unnoticed.

“Of course, I would never hit a girl, especially if she's not a shinobi.” The blonde puffed up his chest proudly, flashing his Konohagakure headband in the sun like he was the king of the world.

Her eyebrow twitched. Baka. “And what makes you think I'm not a shinobi?”

He snorted. “Isn't it obvious? All shinobi have a forehead-protector, even missing-nin. And, last time I checked, you didn't.” He thrust his face into her own seething one.

In a flash, the blonde was groaning on the floor with a rather large, still-growing bump on his forehead. Kyo sat on top of his chest, eyes sparking indignantly as a vein pulsed relentlessly on her temple. “How dare you! Of course I'm a shinobi, you idiot. I'm in a freakin' shinobi village!” She pulled her fist back, charging it with a rather menacing ball of fire. . . .

“Order up!”

The boy blinked as her eyes switched from murderous to sparkling without warning, and then, she was gone. However the scream of “POCKY!” did accompany her disappearance.

He glanced around frantically until his eyes fell on the green-haired figure currently employed in shoving ramen into its mouth. Flipping cautiously to his feet, he tip-toed behind her, peering over her shoulder.

He grimaced.

Heck, this girl made him look like a proper gentlemen. How did she swallow all that food?

“What'cha doing?”

The blonde jumped backwards, blue eyes wide.

The girl was glaring pointedly at him, hands on her hips.

She isn't even wiping her mouth.

“Well? Are you going to answer or what, blondie?”

He scowled. “Don't call me that!”

“I'd rather not. . . .blondie.”

Still scowling, he raised his chin and stalked to a seat at the other end of the bar, not making eye contact with the smirking Kyo.

Teuchi glanced warily between the two, narrowing his eyes suspiciously in Kyo's direction. She growled under her breath.

Why do people always automatically blame me? Not everything is my fault!

Uh, yeah, most of it is.

But they shouldn't just assume that. . . .

Kyo quickly bit off the end of the thought. SHUT UP!

The greenette's fingers twitched slightly as the corners of her lips turned downward in a tense frown. Distraction. “My supplies blew up.”

“Huh?” Teuchi angled his body halfway towards her, surprise written clearly in the wrinkles.

She rolled her eyes. Good. “I'm talking to blondie.”

Said blonde glanced up at his nickname before quickly scowling down at his ramen. 

“So what?”

“You asked me what I was doing here. My supplies blew up in a. . . .jutsu gone wrong. I'm restocking. . . .” The line of speech dissolved into indignant mutterings. Something about pocky.

Shock fluttered across his face, but it was quickly replaced by an indifferent stare. 

“Hm.”

Kyo leaned back slightly. “I volunteered info, now it's your turn.”

“What'cha want to know?” His sapphire eyes blinked almost expectantly.

She twiddled her thumbs. “Let's start with something easy. Name?”

“Yours first.”

Her lips stretched into a grin. So he's not as dumb as he looks. “Kyo.”

“Naruto.”

She cocked her head, her visage openly bemused. “Fishcake?”

“Wha'? No!” Hurt flickered across his face as Naruto glared at her, muscles 

contracting as he prepared to leap from his seat.

She raised her hands defensively. “Hey, hey, don't take it so personally, blondie. I didn't mean anything by it.”

“STOP CALLING ME THAT!”

“Would you rather I called you 'fishcake?'”

After a moment more of defiance, the blonde slumped backwards in his seat. “Whatever.”

“Okay, then, it's settled. Nice to meet you, fishcake!”

“IT'S NARUTO!”

“So you prefer blondie?”

“. . . .fine.”

__________________________________________________________

How'd you like it?  I'm a page or two into chapter three, so I plan to update in about two weeks, possibly earlier.  


Here's chapter 3 (yes, I know its a weird address, but that's what it is!):  http://kobalt-board.blogspot.com/2010/12/ello-folks.html

And chapter 1: http://kobalt-board.blogspot.com/2010/11/working-title-chapter-1-story.html

Peace out peoples!

KobaltWolf