Crescent Mirror [Tutor]

[Uchiha Izura]

It was late afternoon when Izura arrived at the Uchiha complex, standing atop one of the perimeter walls of this particular subsection of the village. Some of the buildings were new- built in the aftermath of Leaf’s civil war with the samurai. But others remained standing- buildings that had withstood the maelstrom of war. Old cracks in the walls, damaged beams, weakened structural supports; all replaced with new materials, as if grafting onto old wounds would hide the history held therein. And to the untrained eye, it did just that. No one would’ve imagined that the house here, or the shop there had had part of it torched to cinders, or that a heavy object had smashed a hole open in the door over there.

All invisible to most, but Izura remembered. He was a man out of his time, put into stasis just before he could die of his wounds. He would have died during the civil war, had it not been for the final actions of his friends. But now they were all gone, and he was alone in remembering their legacies.

This was no illusion. This was reality. He was a generation removed from his peers. His old team had died in the war. Leaf was now under the control of an entirely different group of people than those he remembered.

This…Uchiha clan was not the same either. New faces, remnants of a war long gone. The Uchiha were nearly wiped out in the past, and Izura was likely one of the few people left alive from the original main branch that had held on so closely to the legacy of their bloodline. He was an avatar of their dojutsu. A wielder of the eternal mangekyou sharingan, and the sole inheritor of the Kotoamatsukami.

Izura moved from the roof top of the complex’s perimeter to the bank of a nearby river. There, he sat down, meditating. Collecting his thoughts. Was this the place he remembered fighting for? He would learn, one way or another.

And then he heard a rustle of movement. Without appearing to be alerted to the presence nearby, he flickered out of sight entirely, hiding in the treetops as he observed whoever had arrived near his location.

A girl?…What was she doing here? Perhaps training? In any case, she seemed to be a young kunoichi from the clan.

She probably wasn’t even alive during the war , he surmised.

WC 406

 

[Tomomi Chijimatsu]

After a lot of thought and sulking after the Student Tournament, Miyako has decided to better herself in all aspects of her jutsu and fighting style. Her opponent had completely embarrassed her with his use of taijutsu, though her hands were not her way of fighting. Her eyes are what do her fighting for her, the dojutsu of the Uchiha, what has done the fighting for her ancestors and all of the Uchiha that have preceded her and even Izura. The Uchiha are the most feared shinobi in existence for a reason, and Miyako hopes to find and harness that reason, wanting to show not only the village, but the world what she and her dojutsu have to offer.

For some reason, she decided today that she would go down to the river to expand herself and test her personal jutsu. It may be obvious that since the tournament she has been a very angsty being. As Izura would see her, she would show no emotion, completely alone. Her posture represents that of someone who’s sulking, her shoulders slouched and her eyes cast down. As she reaches the bank of the river, however, she lifts her chin and inhales, her body inflating her posture to a more sturdy stance, her bony shoulders protruding proudly and her small hands coming together with the plan of forming jutsu that will only get more powerful as she progresses through her life as a shinobi and an Uchiha. Before the small girl exhales, she quickly pieces together a formula of hand seals, her exhale not one of only carbon dioxide, but an intense flame that begins to sear the surface of the water. She holds this Jutsu as long as she can, a pillar of water vapor flowing into the air around her flames and mingling into the smoke that they create.

Unable to hold her jutsu any longer Miyako ends it, her fingers falling away from one another and her rear settling into the grass behind her. She pants quietly and instead looks down to the water that continues to gurgle in a few places from the heat. Her elbows find a place to rest on her knees and she sighs, still not quite proud of herself.

WC:374

 

[Uchiha Izura]

Seeing her frustration at first sparked curiosity, then empathy. Against his better judgement, Izura left his concealed position, reappearing next to Miyako via body flicker, with barely a sound made. He was about ten feet away from where she sat on the grass. He smiled, a look of empathy clearly on his face. He reminisced about his childhood, a time when he struggled too with the complexities of jutsu. But the difference in his upbringing was vast- while she had continued to train here out of desire to live up to her bloodline, he had grown up as a wanted ninja almost his entire life, having deserted Konoha at a young age. He was only twelve years old when he defected- a choice that affected him for most of his life. It wasn’t until he aided in the Leaf civil war against the samurai that his crime of going missing was pardoned entirely.

Part of him still held onto a modicum of allegiance to his former home.

Izura’s eyes were a pale, mirror-like red, even with his sharingan deactivated. To others, this sometimes had the effect of mistaking his sharingan for being active in the first place. But apart from that feature, his clothes bore no clan markings. It was clearly shinobi attire, but not even a village identifier was visible. For all Miyako knew, he could’ve been a shinobi from anywhere, from a multitude of origins.

The heat from Miyako’s technique had raised the water’s temperature to a boiling point, causing several dead fish to surface, having been cooked through by the sheer heat. He smiled kindly.

“Is that your way of fishing? If it is, it’s quite effective!” he joked.

He clasped his hands together rather nonchalantly, focusing for a brief moment. The water in the river responded, gently carrying the dead fish to the shore into a neat pile in front of the distraught young kunoichi. They weren’t entirely cooked through, but at least they were seared.

Of course he knew the truth- that she was frustrated at her own inability to do something battle related. Whether it was a loss during a spar, or an inability to perfect a technique didn’t matter to Izura.

“You’re a kunoichi from the Uchiha clan, right? I hear they have some pretty awesome genjutsu!”

WC 385

 

[Tomomi Chijimatsu]

Empathy was probably the last thing that she wanted, there was no reason for anyone to feel bad for an kunoichi of the Uchiha clan who can’t even hold her own in battle. Before Izura would appear, Miyako would release a heavy sigh. She didn’t know he was there, but it sure did feel like she was being watched. Her assumption was that it was Takeshi, after her standing up to him in the Uchiha clan meeting, she didn’t think she had ended up on his good side. As the revenant stranger reveals himself, she doesn’t even realize, too focused on her own shortcomings to even be prepared to defend herself against an unseen attacker. As this new man spoke, her head slowly twisted in his direction, the wind coming off of the water partially blowing her hair into her face.

Honestly, Miyako wasn’t really in the mood for jokes, though was she ever? One of her eyebrows loft and her eyes fall directly on his, her own hardly showing any color at all. Looking back into her eyes, he wouldn’t really see much, just darkness and the ever-so present disinterest that seems to follow her wherever she goes. “My way of fishing?” Her response is heavily laced with scrutiny, everyone wants to treat her like a child, had this man seen her performance at the tournament?

Her eyes cast off of his as he clasps his hands, they instead focus on the fish that float and bob their way to shore, then to the ground before her feet. She rolls her eyes before turning them back in Izura’s direction, she felt him analyzing her emotions and trying to figure out what exactly her problem was, but who even was he? She looked about his entirety for any sort of sigil, whether it be for a clan or a village. Not seeing any of these concerned her quite a bit, both of her eyebrows raising as he questions who she is.

Miyako nods in response to the second question he asks, though as he compliments the Uchiha, she sighs. “I’d rather earn some ‘pretty awesome genjutsu’ than attribute it to my clan.”

Pre-cautiously, she looks him over again, not allowing him to speak again before she asks, “Who are you?”

WC:380

 

[Uchiha Izura]

Izura replied matter of factly. Not that it was the truth, but Izura was a master of deception. He had lied his way through four villages, and he wasn’t about to just easily reveal his identity now. Not to a stranger, even if it was just a kid that was asking. Knowledge was power, and knowledge in hands he couldn’t quite trust not to report him to officials was dangerous to his presence in the Leaf village.

“My name’s Katsura. I used to be a shinobi mercenary a long time ago, but now I just travel the world. Visit old friends. See whatever’s new. I originated from Iwagakure, but nowadays I consider myself a…citizen of the world.”

He smiled again.

“Here…I’ll show you a thing or two about genjutsu, if you’d like. It’s not my forte, per se, but perhaps what I know could help you in your future endeavors.”

Another lie, of course. But unless she had an innate knack for detecting masterful liars, nothing would seem amiss. Izura was a master of will genjutsu- the sub type of genjutsu that directly affected the enemy’s resolve and morale to fight and win. Without morale, any combatant, skilled or unskilled, would suddenly find themselves much more helpless and more likely to make mistakes. And in the shinobi world, one mistake could turn the tide of an entire battle. Shinboi were detail oriented, after all.

“Watch this carefully. Your sharingan might help you copy these moves.”

He did a couple of hand seals very slowly and deliberately, as if to emphasize every detail and allow her time to soak in the intricacies of the technique. But he did not activate the technique, choosing not to channel his chakra. A lack of a target would defeat any attempt at showing her the results.

“These are the hand seals for a genjutsu technique that causes the target’s body to momentarily forget how to perform a technique they had performed only moments before. It is a manipulation of the will that induces amnesia.”

WC 341

 

[Tomomi Chijimatsu]

A citizen of the world, she thinks to herself. That could be a dream of here’s, but would she really want that many people to know who she is. Traveling the world could be interesting, but that’s a whole lot of walking. She sighs as he tells her his name and replies with her own, “Uchiha Miyako.” Is all she responds with, not deciding to comment on his worldly interests and travels. She sticks a small hand out in his direction, offering a peaceful shake. Miyako never smiles in return, she’s still curious of how he simply appeared near her and honestly skeptical.

“You’ll show me a thing or two about genjutsu? Are you apart of a clan, then, Katsura?” She questions with her eyebrow raised, though she doesn’t hesitate as he shows her the hand seals, her single-tomoed sharingan activates and she follows them the first time without infusing chakra, not sure if he’d want her to activate the genjutsu on him.

Unable to detect professional liars, Miyako is less likely to find out his true identity and most likely never will unless he would tell her himself. She truly thinks that he may try to help her out with her genjutsu. Her specialization lies in ninjutsu and she’s slowly blossoming into a genjutsu using Uchiha, though she’s not chosen her area of focus yet. Her sharingan irises align with his and she looks at him with curiosity, as if asking him if he wants her to activate the jutsu. “What if that technique was a powerful one and it just ends up hitting again?”

The move seems somewhat redundant, though she’s willing to learn. Miyako sighs at him, though looks at him with trust, it truly seems like he’s trying to help, but she still can’t help but to be wary about this mysterious world-traveling man. Why does he even want to teach her and why should she trust him at all?

WC:324

 

[Uchiha Izura]

Izura smiled.

“Clan? Let’s just say it’s complicated. Not that there’s necessarily any animosity between myself and my extended family.”

The irony- for all Miyako knew, Izura could’ve been a distant relative if she was a part of the few remaining main branchers. Izura could’ve been an uncle, or, given the nature of his long time in stasis, perhaps even a grandfather. But from appearances, Izura seemed to be in his mid to late twenties. Long term cellular stasis had a knack for preserving the youth of a person, no matter how long one remained locked away.

“Your….question is worded oddly. So let me give you a hypothetical situation. Let’s say you’re fighting a ninja, and they perform the fireball technique. If you manage to use that amnesia genjutsu on them, they may forget how to perform the fireball technique entirely for a few moments. Those few moments are enough to potentially overcome your opponent with a counterattack, because they might hesitate, and not attack back at all as they try to process the fact that they instantly forgot their technique. Time is measured in fractions of a second in a ninja’s fight, as I’m sure you’re already aware.”

As he spoke to her, he procured some basic cooking utensils and objects from a scroll on his belt. He then grabbed a fish from the pile, laying it down in what appeared to be a pot atop a small stove, before lighting the stove with his right index finger. A small blue flame emitted from his finger tip for just a brief moment, before disappearing entirely and lighting the small propane emitter at the mouth of the stove. From a flask, he poured in some water, and from a small pouch, what appeared to be broth bullion cubes.

“You can go ahead and keep trying out the hand seals while I cook dinner.”

WC 314

 

[Tomomi Chijimatsu]

Complicated? She questions to herself, everything is complicated in its own way, how could that be a valid explanation? She furrows her brow and just decides to shrug it off. She has to admit though, there’s a good amount of animosity between her and her family as well. Not having anyone left that truly cares about her is truly haunting. Maybe this man can help her to cope with this, but then again maybe not. The closest relative that she can remember is her grandmother, who was the one that encouraged her to become a kunoichi.

The entire time she thinks, she practices the hand seals. Her question to Izura was one that wasn’t thought through, she heard differently due to the flow of words that is constantly filling her head. She listens to the explanation again, continuing to run through the hand seals. She pauses as he pulls out the cooking materials, watching his process and grinning slightly, is that what it’s like to not have a home? Having to carry a stove around with you at all times?

Watching him light the stove sparks an idea in her mind and she begins to infuse her chakra, signing the hand seals quickly and leaning forward to blow the stove out just as the fish begins to cook. Her intention is to activate the genjutsu on him so that he can’t relight the stove, only then being able to let herself and Izura know if she can indeed activate it. After doing so, she would look him in the eyes, wondering if she was accurate and effective and also wondering if he can remember how to light the stove.

She can’t help but to wonder why he would want to teach her this jutsu, what does she mean to him anyway? Miyako is just another young kunoichi of the Uchiha clan with repressed violent thoughts, but did he know that? With her sharingan active, she can’t help but feel even more vulnerable. Is he after her eyes and her powerful dojutsu? She’d never know that he was apart of the clan, even though his red eyes look like they could very well contain the sharingan, though no tomoe in sight.

WC:370

 

[Uchiha Izura]

For a few moments Izura pretended as if nothing had happened, a small smirk on the corner of his lips as he continued to tend to the contents of the pot as it cooked on the stove. He let her genjutsu take hold- momentarily forgetting the simple act of how to ignite a flame on the tip of his finger. He was aware of the technique, but he let her understand the genjutsu by allowing it to take over his perceptions to a minute degree.

“Very good. Maybe this was where your natural talent was all along.”

He then cancelled her genjutsu without a movement or sound, and then proceeded to re-light the flame, a blue fire once again escaping his fingertips.

After finishing cooking the stew, he’d offer her a portion.

“A commemoration for getting the hang of genjutsu.”

As time moved on, with a wave of the hand, he’d cast a genjutsu on her, causing her to begin to fall asleep without her even realizing it was him that had induced the drowsiness in the first place. She wasn’t like him when he was her age, but what they did have in common was ninja determination. Perhaps that simple skill of knowing genjutsu would allow her to win her next fight.

As soon as she was either distracted or asleep, as night time proper hit, Izura would simply pack up and head off, fading into the distance as if a foggy memory.

WC 245

Total 1500 WC Met

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[Tomomi Chijimatsu]

Miyako grins for just a moment, content that she succeeded and has learned another genjutsu. She sits back and waits while he cooks the stew, taking a portion when it’s offered to her and eating it hastily, “Pretty good.” She mutters with a mouthful.

Unable to control the encroaching sleep that seems to be overwhelming her body, she simply closes her eyes, laying back on the bank of the river and practically passing out. She never saw Izura come or go, his presence almost phantom-like.

WC:85

Tutor WC Reached!: 1533

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