Sent to everyone who isn't also a daimyo

[problemdaimyo]

Fellow Shinobi,

I have a request of you, particularly those of you with long hair. What methods do you prefer to employ to tame it on difficult missions, where hair loss is both a significant possibility and a likely method of tracking or detection should stray hairs be lost?

Comments

[abileunaspada]

[ What the hell kind of message is this? And who's it from? She doesn't recognize the sender...

Well, whatever. She'll reply anyway. ]

Tall ponytail or a braid. The more tightly bound it is to your body, the less chance the enemy has to grab it or use it against you, and the less chance there is for stray hairs to fall and being detected.

[problemdaimyo]

[Ah, but a braid would damage it! Think about what you're doing to your hair, you poor ninja.]

If that's the case, wouldn't a bun be a better choice than a braid? The hair wouldn't trail behind you as you moved then.

[abileunaspada]

As long as you can put it up in a moment's notice. Whatever's quick, since you could be called out at any time for a mission.

[problemdaimyo]

But there is always time between the start of a mission and the conflict. With practice, a bun would be faster than the time it takes to make a compact braid.

[abileunaspada]

Again, whatever's fast. You might not have time at all if you're ambushed.

sent anonymously :V

[shunshinoshishi]

Either shave it off completely or sever your head.

What a rude ninja

[problemdaimyo]

I've never met a clan of bald ninja before, I wonder which one you are.

he thinks he's writing to a vain woman ok

[shunshinoshishi]

Shinobi.

Unlike you.

Not uncommon

[problemdaimyo]

A rather cruel person you are, aren't you? Perhaps it's best we're not the same.

[silverterror]

[He hesitated to answer but...]

Become a better shinobi.

[problemdaimyo]

An interesting strategy. Perhaps I should have asked after jutsu that prevented the shedding of loose hairs while on a mission.

[...Obviously he can't perform jutsu, but he's mostly just sassing.]

[silverterror]

Hardly. Try something more constructive before someone manages to kill you.

[problemdaimyo]

Your concern is refreshing, but unnecessary. Rounding out a skillset is always a good idea, if done properly!

[ghostpepper]

[Not a daimyo, but seriously an odd question. Still, she has some time to share her tips with...

Who is this person? At any rate, she manages to suppress it so whoever she's communicating to can only identify her as 'Uzumaki'.]

I just keep my hair up in a high ponytail if I'm on a mission or training. If someone really wants to follow any loose hairs I've left behind, then they probably aren't a very good shinobi to be led into such an obvious trap. When you have long hair, you learn to turn the supposed weaknesses into a strength.

[problemdaimyo]

[Ah, now that was an interesting solution!

And he's never considered a high pony tail. It would probably make him appear even more feminine than usual.]

An interesting strategy. Although, setting up trails as traps does require you to always be prepared for someone to fall into those traps, even when you're not intending to create it, wouldn't you say?

[ghostpepper]

It all depends on the type of mission you've taken on. If you can't tell someone's following you for any reason, you have no business taking anything above a C-rank. If you leave hairs behind intentionally, you need to be ready for someone anyone to find it.

But if you're worried about people following dropped hairs on accident, you could try focusing chakra on your scalp and keep everything in place.

[She's starting to wonder if this is some genin somewhere that doesn't want to ditch their long hair for whatever reason...]

[problemdaimyo]

[Ah, Chakra. He never has learned that part yet. Being a shinobi wasn't all about chakra control, though! That was just a short-cut. A true shinobi should be able to suffice completely without it. Until he felt he'd trained himself to his limit without chakra, he didn't want to distract himself with the extra.

...But maybe not put that on paper. Better to let enemies think he could.]

There is a difference between being unaware someone is following you, and being prepared for the possibility that someone might overcome your detection, however. There are many secret techniques that exist which would overcome conventional methods of tracking someone following you, to be off-guard in those times seems unwise.

That does seem like a wise move, though. But while it would prevent lost hair, how to prevent broken or cut hairs while moving quickly through tangled areas?

[morningpeacock]

[Gai is pretty sure this is not the intended use for these scrolls, but, well.]

I keep mine in a stylish bowlcut! If you are ever in Konoha, I can suggest a hairstylist!

[problemdaimyo]

A bowl-cut is far too mature a cut for one like me.

[morningpeacock]

It is YOUTHFUL!!!

[problemdaimyo]

Ah, but far to respectable for one such as I.

[incubi_abel]

[Abel looked at the missive and sighed, shaking his head. This was almost too ridiculous to respond to.]

Braid it back. If there is a possibility of the hair being cut due to a fight, let it get cut. Hair grows back. Heads don't.

[He normally would sign his messages, but this one could wonder about who the sender was.]

[problemdaimyo]

[IT'S IMPORTANT.]

Hair may be a better choice than one's head, but is it not a better option to prevent it happening in the first place?

[incubi_abel]

[Abel snorted and shook his head.]

No.

[problemdaimyo]

That sounds very inefficient.