Samiya

"Destiny is like a puppet master. It can tie you to its strings and make you dance...but in the end, we're not puppets. We're humans, and we can fight anything that binds us. As such, I cannot let the position of Kazekage bind me any longer...I hope you all know what that means."

- Samiya resigning from the position of Kazekage.

Samiya (サミヤ, Samiya) is a and Puppet Master hailing from. Currently, she acts as the commander of the, as well as a notorious Craftswoman under the alias of. Prior to this, she was known as the. She was reputed as a stern, but fair leader who did everything in her power to protect the village and allow it to prosper, and she did so splendidly prior to passing on the title to her successor, Zenjou.

However, the truth behind Samiya's existence is much darker. Samiya's existence actually comprises of three souls: herself, her older brother Kōrai and her sister-in-law Nadeshiko, both of whom died during a civil war in Sunagakure. The regrets that their souls had prevented them from moving on, instead being passed onto Samiya. Due to this, Samiya has never been truthfully been "herself" ever since she was promoted to a, instead adopting their personalities and abilities through the Puppets she embodies them through. It was later found out that Samiya's role as a Kazekage was orchestrated through the soul of her sister-in-law, Nadeshiko, whose prowess caused her to be labelled as the. In addition, Samiya also possessed another identity as an underground fighter regarded only as, a role orchestrated by the soul of her brother Kōrai.

Finally, following events regarding her former assistant's alternate self, Samiya's true self won the battle within her soul and thus enabled her to be free of the limitations she bound herself by. Now a confident woman with the power to back herself, Samiya instead limits her combat presence and spends her days crafting puppets for the benefit of herself and her village, often times making her income through selling the said puppets. That being said, Samiya will always stand to defend her village from any crisis, the woman's power truly being equivalent to an army, all things considered.

Childhood; Blissful Ignorance
Samiya wasn't born in the greatest of conditions given the nature of the events that occurred around the time of her conception. It was known that Sunagakure was undergoing heavy political tensions due to falling ill and the  struggling to find a potential replacement for the man. As a result, a temporary solution was found that the Jōnin Council would rule over Sunagakure until a proper candidate could be found. Of course, this would incite further tensions between the Jōnin Council and the other affluent members of the village, which wouldn't have much of an effect on Samiya in her early life. Given that Samiya was the child of a politician who also held sway in the matters concerning the entire, her life was thought to be quite settled. While an incomplete truth, it was definitely valid for the majority of her childhood.

Samiya was a happy child. She had a luxurious life and was amiable by the standards others perceived her from. However, what she lacked was her father's attention. The situation around who would rule Sunagakure caused her father to regularly be away on council meetings, secret projects and the like. Consequently, the only person who could take care of her was her older brother, Kōrai. Due to this, Samiya developed a deep attachment for him while disconnecting herself from her father, who she began to see as only an "official" relationship, given how selfish the man was. It was during this period of time that she began to admire the way that her brother ardently followed the path of the, eventually causing her to follow in his footsteps and, accordingly so, enter the after her brother had graduated.

Her time within the was one that opened several possibilities for her. Although her overall marks were rather average, what really stood out about Samiya was her passion for puppetry, something shared with fellow student Akagi that eventually caused a significant amount of rivalry between them. Nevertheless, Samiya's passion to become a to express herself through puppetry had become her primary motivation. That being said, Samiya had always lagged behind her brother — as commented on by society. As such, despite Kōrai's promotion into a Chūnin and obtainment of a romantic partner by way of Nadeshiko, Samiya had never lost the motivation to constantly better himself, believing this was the only way to grab the attention of those important to her.

Adolescence; Decision Making
Samiya, achieving the title of at the age of 10, had been assigned to a team like all others of her rank. The individuals Samiya was placed in a team with were Ginryū and Sayuki. Interestingly, their team was the only one comprising of two females and one male. Nevertheless, their team was a successful one, with the trio managing to compensate for one another's weaknesses quite well. While they went on missions like any normal Genin team, given the circumstances at the time, they were forced to undertake missions that involved the benefit of either side depending on who employed them. On several occasions, they weren't given the details regarding their missions. While they were undoubtedly successful due to each individual's passion for success, the obscurity in which the team was forced to operate caused Samiya to question the intent of her superiors.

This inquiry, however, would have to be saved for later. For after a relatively quick three years, in which her questions were constantly avoided by her superiors, her team was considered prepared for the annual. Samiya's team, underneath her leadership and the skill of all three individual members, managed to pass the exams without too much difficulty. The most distinct part about these particular exams were Samiya's meeting with Kyōshi Takamori and her development of her puppetry skills. Following the team's promotion, they returned to Sunagakure and were finally exposed to the complete situation within Sunagakure and its political state. Ever since their promotion into Genin, the tensions had escalated between both sides exponentially, especially given that had finally succumbed to whatever caused his death. Due to how sudden it was, both parties accused one another of getting rid of the man in order to monopolize the village to their own whim which, in turn, prompted the village to be split into two separate sides: the Council of Shinobi (忍びの会議, Shinobi no Kaigi) and the Assemblage of Civilian Representatives (民総代の集まり, Minsōdai no Atsumari).

Of course, given Samiya's position as the daughter of one of these so-called "Civilian Representatives" she was given the option to choose which side she fought for. However, she knew that the choice truly wasn't given to her. It was an obligation that forced her to fight on behalf of the Shinobi, for they were her comrades. But before she could make the final decision...it had already been imposed onto her. After all, her brother and her sister-in-law were the individuals that were assigned on the mission to "dispatch" of Samiya's father. Overcome with conflict, Samiya resolved that the only way to truly make her decision was to follow her brother and, upon seeing the decisive moment, make her decision. To do this without being caught, Samiya had disguised herself in the guise of one of her recent puppets. It was due to this event that she'd end up calling the puppet Furi.

Kōrai and Nadeshiko had reached Samiya's, or rather, her father's residence. While she hadn't been suspected of following them yet, Samiya couldn't help but feel terribly anxious throughout the whole ordeal. Nevertheless, she braced herself, for the upcoming moments required all of her focus and resolve to successfully get through. Much to Samiya's surprise, the residence had been littered with numerous traps and bodyguards — employed from other countries — in order to deal with the intruders. This did not prevent the advance of the two in the slightest, however, as Nadeshiko's Wind Release and Kōrai's Kenjutsu battered the entire residence until only a single confrontation had remained to occur: the battle of Samiya's brother and father.

The two had finally met in the only undamaged room of the house: Samiya's room. It was a shock to Samiya as well, whose presence had been finally revealed by Nadeshiko's expert sensory skills, despite Samiya's attempts at suppressing her chakra. Letting go of her disguise, the situation's tension escalated rapidly. Samiya was at her breaking point. To choose between her father and her brother? How could she? Or at least...that's what the thoughts in her mind should have been. For some reason, Samiya's mind was calm at this very moment. For, after she witnessed her father's cowardly self, she lost all ties with him at that moment. At this point, it did not matter whether Kōrai or herself killed the man before them...for she could never accept that person as her father.

Yet even so, at the bottom of her heart, she understood that he was...human. Even with all the apathy in the world, Samiya could not bring herself to condone this sort of action. As such, in a pathetic act of — what would be considered — cowardice, she once again placed herself in the guise of Furi. Now, with the container that bound her real self, her real emotions, Samiya witnessed...murder. For the first time, she had seen someone attack with the true intent to kill. The fact that this was what Shinobi were supposed to engage in...horrified her. But, she took solace in the fact that it was not Samiya that underwent this cruelty...but it was Furi. For this reason, Samiya had steeled herself and, at that point, began the most horrifying phase of her life.

Nindō
Despite Samiya's former proclamations of her Nindō being to protect Sunagakure from all harm, this is far from the truth. Samiya's Shinobi code follows the principle: "Sacrifice is the only step forward." (犠牲わ前進唯一の一足, Gisei wa Zenshin Yūitsu no Hitoashi). Given Samiya's reality being a mystery to most individuals, however, they do not recognize this aspect of her being. Although the statement sounds cold and pessimistic, the actual nature of this statement is not as harsh as it might sound. It revolves around the concept of self-sacrifice and, in particular, the separation one's emotions from the negative aspects of a Shinobi's life, such as taking a life, in order to move onward in life without looking back. In saying that, Samiya's nindō has not entirely worked for her benefit. By suppressing all the negative emotions she has experienced over the course of her lifetime, Samiya has inched closer towards losing the concept of morality multiple times. Of course, in recent times, with the revelation of her true self, Samiya has become much more mentally stable. That being said, Samiya still moves onward in life without any regrets, for she understands that the nature of a Shinobi is to endure, and endure she does.

Synopsis

 * Note: The majority of these roleplays and events are irrelevant to the current Samiya given the changes that the author is making to her current life. However, given that these are still events Samiya has been part of in alternate timelines, they are listed regardless.

Main Storyline = Side Storyline = Roleplays =
 * Desert Shadows: On a perfectly normal day of Samiya's new life, she is encountered by a man who wishes to steal her life. He is an agent of the devious Black Crown, and his actions force Samiya to question - who really are the Black Crown? (Fanon Canon Rebirth)
 * White Crown: It was the day where the organization dedicated to eradicating the new threat to the world was mobilized. Samiya, the only female within the group, encounters the others and gains an insight into the motives all of them have joined with... (Fanon Canon Rebirth)
 * Revisited: Battle Against a God!: In an alternate timeline, a timeline Samiya sees as a fleeting dream, she, along with the Five Kage of that universe, are fighting against the tyrant regarded as Madara Uchiha. A man with godlike power, the Five Kage fight for their own, and their comrade's lives.
 * Training: Delinquent Put To The Test!: During the cementing of an alliance, Samiya proposes to train the Amekage, Izaya in controlling of his powerful abilities to be suited for a much more narrow combat situation. Yet, within her own mind, Samiya poses to challenge her own role as a Kazekage, and truly test whether she is capable of the position that she has inherited from her predecessor. (Fanon Canon Rebirth)
 * White Awakening: The Death of Peace:
 * The Wind Shadow Contested!: A year prior to her prootion to Kazekage: Haru Hyūga, otherwise regarded as Karasu, challenges Samiya to a contest of strength to test the mettle of the Kazekage candidate.

Abilities
Samiya, among the plethora of that have existed and that will existed, stands in a league of her own when it concerns her abilities as a Shinobi. While her talents at a young age weren't exactly the greatest, Samiya could be considered a late-bloomer in this regard. With her mastery of puppetry in addition to the integration of two Kage-level souls — which constitute their chakra — into her being, Samiya can easily be considered one of the most skillful, if not powerful, Kunoichi on the planet. The might of Samiya goes beyond simple words, however, for it is also demonstrated with her feats. Ever since the age of 18, the day she was promoted into a, Samiya has engaged in incredible feats that would eventually end up causing the woman to gain the title, "One Woman Army" (個展軍力, Koten Gunryoku; Literally meaning "One Woman Exhibits an Army's Power").

Among these include leading an entire revolutionary army comprised of only a small Shinobi force against a mighty military expedition lead by the Daimyō and his associates, a feat that later promoted her into the Sixth. In her time as Kazekage, she also managed to subdue several, among them being Zanma Kurujini, a powerful  user. However, perhaps the greatest feat accomplished by Samiya was her ability to successfully defend the entire village against the likes of Zennoshi through pushing her puppetry and chakra prowess to its limits. The fact that she was able to stand up and overcome even the power comparable to a clearly exhibits the true nature of Samiya's power.

Genjutsu Resistance
Samiya's innate talent to manipulate her own chakra has allowed her to become an optimum candidate for learning how to resist all manners of Genjutsu. As most well-developed Shinobi are aware, resisting Genjutsu takes an exceptional amount of concentration and considerable control over one's own chakra if one is by themselves. One must initially recognize that they are in a Genjutsu through noticing subtle inconsistencies within the elaborate environment that is constructed. From herein, the victim should be able to maintain enough focus to stabilize their own chakra flow and subsequently send out a surge of chakra strong enough to disable the opposing party's Genjutsu. While this method is crude in comparison to some procedures, Samiya has developed an exceptional level of control over this method of Genjutsu breaking. While it uses the fundamentally same concepts, she does so with only the minimum amount of chakra needed to disable the wrested chakra flow within her brain. Consequently, she may appear comparatively less exhausted to an individual with a less intellectual method of breaking through the Genjutsu, made evident by her confrontation with Haru Hyūga, in which she broke two succeeding illusions almost instantly and without much effort.

A noticeable aspect about the development of this skill is that it was a necessity in order to maintain a strong rivalry with Kyōshi Takamori. Due to the nature of the man's Genjutsu being highly precise, Samiya had to experiment with different mechanisms in order to counter the techniques he practices. One of these, while only developed during her tenure as a Jōnin, is a highly effective mechanism of disrupting Genjutsu on her person. Samiya refers to it as the Mind Threading Art (心糸の技, Shinshi no Waza). While it is not an official technique by any means, the sheer effectiveness of the method could made it be dubbed as such. The technicalities of this method revolve around the basic principle of Genjutsu's usage: the projection of chakra within another individual's brain and controlling the said chakra to cause the victim to perceive false images. This simple definition actually has a rather simple counter for a puppeteer of sufficient prowess, such as Samiya. By having chakra threads exerted constantly, Samiya can determine, from their "wavelength", whether there is a foreign source of chakra running within her. Such a fact cannot be refuted because, like all chakra-based techniques, the technique is formed from taking the chakra from all sources available - including the brain. This, combined with the notion that most Genjutsu users will not focus on altering the perception of chakra attached to the victim, allows this method to surprise Genjutsu combatants whose techniques have been entirely nullified by Samiya's expertise.

While these methods do exist, it is also very unlikely for Samiya to truthfully fall for any ordinary Genjutsu. After all, beyond her perceptive abilities lies the fact that Samiya is in possession of three souls within her body. Since Genjutsu targets the individual's chakra network and attempts to assert its dominance over it, the possession — and mastery — over three different chakra networks within a single body enables Samiya to be rid of Genjutsu that targets her almost instantaneously. Of course, simultaneously sending chakra and monopolizing the flow of all three chakra networks within Samiya's body is another method of actually inflicting her with Genjutsu. In saying that, an individual who is physically capable of such a feat is very likely to be non-existent in the present day and age.

Nature Transformation
Samiya's most defining aspect, in terms of Nature Transformation, lies in her Wind Release prowess. Given that both her brother and sister-in-law possessed exceptional prowess within the art, their integration within Samiya's body obviously enables Samiya access to these very skills whenever she wishes. Consequently, Samiya's skills within Wind Release are far beyond any average practitioner, especially since she combines the prowess and knowledge of two high-ranked users of the Nature Transformation. Her skills are widespread, given that she possesses no specific niche when it comes to certain techniques. However, a true measure of her skill within the element lies in the fact that, when her Wind Release was combined with her Fūinjutsu as her primary skills, she was a capable candidate for Kazekage and the strongest Shinobi in the village, despite the fact that she hid the vast majority of her Puppet Technique prowess from the public.

Much like, Samiya's prowess within Wind Release stems from using her Folding Fans as mediums to do so. Through channeling chakra into her folding fan and simultaneously releasing it into the air as she moves the fan around, Samiya is capable of exponentially enhancing local wind currents to damage her enemy. This is primarily seen through the cutting potential of Samiya's wind techniques, which are easily able to bypass regular defensive mechanisms, shearing through rocks and steel with little effort, the latter being one of Samiya's most fearsome traits for any average weapon user. Moreover, unlike regular users of the technique, the cutting potential of her wind has become an innate property, enabling her to manifest it regardless of the shape of the wind she creates with her fan, thereby not only repelling assaults from a distance, but also bifurcating any individual foolish enough to come close to the perimeter of her Wind Release range. She can also make use of this cutting property without the fan as well, as apparent by her use of wind through a simple palm stroke, or a large dragon to achieve a blunt force or cutting edge impact.

Besides this overwhelmingly singular application of her Wind Release prowess, Samiya is also noted to dabble within slightly more supplementary uses of the element. One of these is the use of high-speed wind currents to redirect attacks that come towards her being. Given that she can execute this maneuver with no hand seals, or even motions, it is a notoriously effective way of dealing with several opponents. In addition, Samiya has mastered the use of channeling air through various mediums, such as the ground in order to cause disruptive quakes and destroy her opponents' momentum with ease. In addition, should the necessity arise, Samiya can quickly replace herself with wind, rather than a physical object, fulfilling the same function as a wind clone but with much less chakra expenditure and a much narrower usage.

One of Samiya's signature techniques is the Petal Demon Treasury, an offshoot of the Wind Release: Flower Scattering Dance, but one that has a far greater range and impact. It was, in fact, a technique of her brother's creation that she adopted as one of the primary fighting styles of both her disguises: the Kazekage and the underground swordsman...
 * More Coming Soon...

Miscellanous Puppet Collection
Given the vast experience Samiya possesses in puppet creation and usage, as well as her relatively long life and incredible intelligence, Samiya has created several puppets outside of those most commonly used by her in combat. Depending on the situation, Samiya may employ one or more of these puppets at any given time simply because she does not see the necessity in expending unnecessary energy on synchronizing chakra with a Human Puppet.

Shinigami (死神, Death God):

Furi (振り, Pretence):

Quotes

 * (To the Five Kage regarding Madara Uchiha) "Kage, Especially the Mizukage, please listen to me. The battle we are about to fight...if we consider all the possibilities in the world of such large power, we can narrow it down to three people: the Sage of the Six Paths, Hashirama Senju...or Madara Uchiha. Looking at the environment surrounding you, what do you see, Kage? You see blood and corpses. But what do you fail to notice in the swell of your emotions? The environment holds the stench of powerful flames...that only one of an Uchiha could perform. The precision of these incisions...can only be performed by one of the Sharingan. You understand, don't you, Raikage? Your very ancestor has returned...by way of the snake that leads these zombies. I am not part of any notable clan. I understand that. Among us we have the Uzumaki, the Harema, the Uchiha and...the Kaguya. All of you have inherited powerful skills from your ancestors, and therefore, will not trust me, a mere..."Kachiku" in battle. I will not force anybody to abide in protecting me, for I can do that myself. However, if we are not allied as a single cohesive force...Madara Uchiha will recognize that. He will break off our fragile links, and our chance for him to return to the hell that he deserves? It will be nothing. Would you desire that? That...is a question you have to answer yourselves."
 * (To Kyōshi Takamori) "Oi, idiot. Did you forget that it's your month of taking care of Minori? Oh and you're taking her by foot...you know very well how dangerous it is to use Flying Thunder God Technique with a child, right?"

Creation and Conception
Samiya's initial creation was inspired by the author's desire to create a unique and interesting Kazekage who defied the typical stereotypes a Kage had created around their position. In doing so, the author had made several rivalries, apprentices, and an overall background that allowed Samiya to reach the precipice of Kazekage. However, across some roleplays, the author began to consider that Samiya hadn't received enough development as she should. While many would defy this considering the avenue of opportunities the author left for her, the author's personal belief is that he failed to give Samiya enough motivation in order to ascend beyond the position of Kazekage and into something that is greater and less constricting.

As a result, the Samiya most strictly involved in the Fanon Canon Rebirth Project was born. The author desired a completely renovated Samiya. While the same, core attributes, remained steadfast to her personality and abilities, she had drastically remodeled herself with a much more cynical viewpoint in order to accommodate for the loss of self-confidence she possessed over the course of her tenure as Kazekage, something which the author inadvertently hinted at in several roleplays and finally culminated into that concept.

That being said, Samiya, even within this timeline, did not appear complete to the user. It was unknown why he believed so, however, he strongly felt that something was lacking. Hence, he opened up an avenue for Samiya to be involved in the Dreamscape Project. That being said, this particular rendition of Samiya strayed away from what the author desired quite significantly, realistically only being made for the purposes of adjusting Samiya's story to fit the said timeline, especially given that another Kazekage was already present.

Finally, the author decided to take a break with Samiya. Given how many times Samiya had been rewritten, it was evident that the constant rewrites would do nothing more than leave the author at a dead end. To this end, the author began to pursue writing characters such as Senhime and Mukūrō, before realizing that playing around with the concept of soul interaction with the latter, via the conceptual armament Kōei, was something that could finally justify Samiya's extreme versatility and split personality disorder. As a result, the current concept for Samiya arrived. In particular, the author aims to focus on detaching Samiya from the constrictions of a certain timeline, instead following a much broader range in which she can enter roleplays and the like. Besides fixing up the stasis issue with the timelines, the author also managed to quickly have Samiya redevelop relationships (both old and new) in order to cement the nature of her being, something that is seen across the article.