Sitting at the dinner table, I opened up the book on genjutsu, 'The basis of genjutsu is to alter the five senses of the recipient of the technique via altering the way their chakra flows through their cerebral nervous system. This, as is typically taught in academies, takes very precise chakra control to achieve, however the base concept is easy enough to understand, you use your own chakra as a medium to alter the flow of chakra in your opponent by weaving your chakra into the victim. This is where the precise chakra control comes into play, as you can't just throw your chakra at the recipient and hope it affects them, you must essentially sneak your chakra into their system without them noticing as they could then simply disrupt your attempt, nullifying all your efforts. This is why-."
"Ton'neru Iburi! What have I told you about reading at the dinner table?"
I looked up to a frustrated Jakun with a disinterested look, "We haven't had a dinner table before."
She puffed up her cheeks, "You little shit..."
I scoffed, "Language young lady."
The anticipated verbal lashing didn't come, and after looking closer, I noticed that Jak-Jak had a sad look on her face, looking behind me.
This hasn't happened before…was it something I said?
"Are you alright Jakun?"
She shook her head and looked back to me with a small smile, "Yeah, I'm fine, just some…memories."
I sighed, looking down, "Sorry if I brought something up."
She only smiled, "No, it's fine Ton'neru, really, just caught me by surprise is all."
I smiled back, closing the book and sliding it to the side, "So, what have you been doing while I've been at the academy?"
She shrugged, "Not much, cleaned a little bit, got some groceries, and tending to the tree."
I glanced back at the bonsai tree, "Sounds fun."
She scoffed at that, "Please, I'm bored out of my mind."
I smirked at her, but didn't say anything, then all the sudden, she looked like she had an idea, 'How about I show you the technique passed down in our clan?"
My eyes widened, "Our clan has a technique specific to it?"
Now it was her turn to smirk, "It sure does, it's really the only thing we were taught back there. It's called the Body Oxidation technique!"
She had my full attention now, "What does it do?"
I don't like the look on her face…
"Well, I could tell you, but would that really be fun?"
I didn't miss a beat, "Yes."
She laughed, "Well not for me it wouldn't, so how about this, bring a girl to the house in the three hours and I'll teach it to you,"
Don't know why she wanted that, but her grin, that shit eating grin. I couldn't wait to wipe it off, although I kept a stone face, "Done."
She kept the smirk on her face, "Of course, your timer starts now."
Walking through the streets I wondered where Anko could possibly be.
Now what did she say she liked? Training, dancing…she said a lot of stuff, maybe I'll check out the food areas, she said she liked dango right?
After a little bit of searching, sure enough, I caught sight of her purple locks among the crowd, and lo and behold, she was feasting on dango, rather ravenously might I add.
Should…should I interfere? It looks like she might take one of my fingers off if I get involved…eh, might as well.
"Hey Anko."
She jumped and started choking on one of her dango.
"Calm down Anko, you're not working now."
She hacked up half the dango onto the ground grabbing her throat, "You," She coughed again, "You bastard…"
I tried to hold it back, but my grin broke out into laughter soon after. I just couldn't resist, I mean, it was sitting their ripe for the taking! Holy-
My thought process was cut off by a swift kick to my family jewels. A manly squeak snuck out of my mouth before I collapsed, clutching my groin.
"Bitch…," I hissed.
After dragging myself off the ground, I looked to her while wincing, "Cruel and," I winced harder as another pang of pain shot through me, "unusual punishment."
Anko only smirked.
Shortly after our, altercation, we sat down, me with pain, and her with dango.
"So, what do you need Ton?"
I looked up to her, "I need you to come to my house."
She lit up with red, "WHAT! I know you thought I was a-."
Cutting her off, I said, "Cool it Anko, that's not why I want you there, my aunt wants a girl at the house for some reason, and I stand to profit from it."
She settled down and scoffed at me, "And what would make you think I would go with you anyhow? My time is very valuable after all."
I deadpanned, "Suuure, anyway, I'll get you dango for the next three days including after the academy during the week."
"Sold."
Well that was easy.
"Could it wait a bit though?"
Even my thoughts jinx me, wonderful.
I shrugged, "We have about two and a half hours, why?"
She smiled a big toothy smile, "I wanna introduce you to my other friend!"
I tilted my head, "Ohhh, who is it?"
Anko just turned and started running away, "Just follow me!"
I stumbled out of my seat, "Hey! Wait up!"
She was weaving through the crowd as if they weren't even there, "Come on! Anko! Slow down!"
As expected she completely ignored me.
Bitch…
I continued my sprint after her, just barely keeping up, I saw her cut around the corner.
Welp, I can keep chasing her like this…or I can risk going on the roofs again…
I sighed.
Might as well.
I transformed, making sure to keep my smoke form in my clothes as to not arouse any suspicion, and half climbed half flew up the side of a building, once I was on the roof, I flew across the top of it as fast as I could manage, and then I jumped over the side of the building, slowing my descent to the ground.
Just as I landed she ran past me, looking back with a smirk.
I began my sprint after her again after shaking my head. I turned another corner and almost ran past her, but caught myself just before I did, almost tripping.
I put my hands on my knees, breathing heavily, "What," I took a deep breath, "Was that?"
Anko only panted a little and pointed to the building in front of us.
I looked up at the building, and my eyes widened.
Holy shit.
This building had to be the most intimidating thing I'd see during my eight short years on this earth, it was dark and had spikes coming out of the rim of the roof, sceaming could be heard from inside. I stared at the building, "Anko."
She smiled, "Yes?"
I didn't move, "Are you dragging me in there?"
She nodded, "Yup."
I hummed, "Alright, cool," and then I succinctly turned and walked away, but she grabbed me by the shoulder and spun me around, "Stop being a big scaredy cat, there's nothing to be afraid of."
I looked her in the eyes, "Is that so?"
"Absolutely!"
Bullshit.
"Alright, take me away then, just keep the time limit in mind."
She ignored that and grabbed my wrist, "Let's go!"
The sight held before me would have broken lesser men, I however had the mental strength to hold my face in its neutral position.
Although just barely.
"Anko."
She turned to me with a smirk, "Yes Ton?"
"What am I looking at?"
She looked back to the scene, "That's my friend Ibiki practicing with his dad."
"He's driving senbon into that man's fingernails while carving his eyelids off."
She grinned even brighter, "Yup!"
I turned to her with a tired look, "Can we please leave?"
"Sure, he'll probably take a while anyway."
Thank fucking kami.
Finally, we stood before my front door, "This," I pushed the door open, "Is my home."
Anko rushed past me to look inside, very polite of her.
As she was inspecting our kitchen, I walked off to Jak-Jak's room, I knocked, "Jak-Jak!"
I heard shuffling from inside before she opened the door, a look of boredom on her face, "What is it Ton'neru?"
I moved to the side, an excited Anko in my stead, "I brought a girl."
She seemed to freeze, as if she wasn't sure how to respond, or if she didn't know if she was real, so she reached out to Anko, "Poke," and poked her on the cheek.
After doing this, she seemed to realize how mentally handicapped she seemed.
"Ohhh, sorry about that, what brings ya here?"
Anko beamed, "I was promised dango!"
Jak-Jak stared at her, and then turned to me with a smirk, I wasn't having any of that, "Stop."
She chortled and turned back to Anko, "To be honest, I didn't expect him to already have a girlfriend, so you can just leave if you'd like."
Anko lit up for the second time today, while I settled for raising my brow at Jak-Jak.
"NO! We are not a thing, hell, we're eight you weirdo!"
Jak-Jak burst out laughing, "Alright, alright, I've had my fun, but seriously, you gotta go, what I'm gonna teach him is kinda family sensitive."
Anko looked frustrated but turned to leave, but not before turning to me, "See you tomorrow Ton., maybe you'll actually meet Ibiki!"
Kami I hope not.
I heard the front door shut and lock as she walked out, Jak-Jak smirked, "Who's Ibiki?"
I shuddered, "You don't want to know."
Jak-Jak only smiled, "Ok then, any who, are you ready to learn the Body Oxidation Technique?"
My face grew serious as I nodded.
"Alright, the techniques idea is to use your smoke form to enter your opponents' body and attack them from the inside out."
I scrunched my face up a bit.
Not only does that sound extremely gruesome, it also sounds uncomfortable for me as well.
She turned away from me, "All you have to do is hold the bird seal, and then push chakra out of your pores, after this your transformation should activate as usual, but unlike your normal smoke…" She trailed off as she turned into smoke and floated towards me.
I don't like where this is going…
She blew past me as I took a breath in, causing me to inhale a part of the smoke, and almost immediately I noticed the smoke rapidly entering my nose and mouth, but, oddly enough, I didn't feel any different.
Huh, not as bad as I thought it'd be.
Jak-Jak shortly after expelled herself from my body, reforming in front of me with a smile, "Do ya think ya understand?"
I didn't respond, but I did bring up the bird sea, transforming myself into smoke, I smiled inwardly, much like Jak-Jak was now.
After I learned our clan technique, I went to my room to finish up reading the genjutsu book, '-the mode of transportation for your chakra is so important, be it via eye contact, sound, or really anything that can have chakra pumped into it.'
Not much left for chapter two huh?
Well it seemed simple enough, all I needed now was a test subject.
"TON'NERU! GET IN HERE AND HELP ME CLEAN!"
Perfect.
"Of course, Jak-Jak!"
I had a smile on my face not unlike one Meinu would sport.
I stalked my way out of the room toward Jak-Jak and molded my chakra into what felt to me like a miniscule needle.
Sneaking around to the side of her, I molded my chakra needle into her system, targeting her eyes. I walked up on her right, but the illusion should have her seeing me on her left.
"Ton'neru, there you are-."
She froze.
Did I drop the ball? Where's she looking?
I went all the way around to her face and realized.
She's looking at the ceiling.
I sighed, "Release!"
She blinked a few times and looked around until she saw me, "You were on the ceiling."
I decided to play along, mainly because I didn't feel like explaining that I was experimenting with a possibly dangerous thing I learned at the academy.
"That I was."
She stared with wide eyes, "Is that…normal?"
I nodded, "Ninja stuff."
She nodded as well, although slower, "Mmhmm."
Sighing once more I got down there with her and got to scrubbing.
I floated up to the roof of a building nearby my destination. I surveyed the yard near the forest where my target was, practicing by himself, chopping trees almost in half.
I jumped off the roof, slowing my descent until my feet touched the ground, which immediately after, I transformed my feet into smoke as to not alert my query, all the way until I was behind the boy.
"Hey Hayate."
Hayate jumped higher than than the trees he was cutting and turned to me, "Really Ton?"
I shrugged, "Anko said it was fun so I thought I'd try it out, not my cup of tea to be honest."
Hayate sighed, "You guys'll be the death of me."
I smirked, "Then you better improve."
He rolled his eyes.
"So," I looked around at the trees, "How much ryo did the trees owe you?"
Hayate practically growled, turning to me with a cold look, "Shut it, Ton."
I was taken aback, Hayate had never gotten mad at either of us before, maybe frustrated, but not genuinely mad.
"Are you alright Hayate?"
He wilted, "Yeah, yeah, I'm just…really stressed out."
I walked over to a stump he'd made and sat down, "Alright. What's on your mind Hayate?"
He looked down and walked over to me with his sword still in hand, plopping down next to me, "Just family stuff Ton."
My brow rose, "Familial stuff huh? Like what?"
He threw his sword to the ground and put his face in his hands, "Just, my mom left for some mission a while ago, and my dad's…he's worried, he's stressed, and he's down right paranoid at this point."
I leaned back on my palms, "Well, can you do anything about it?"
He looked back to me, "What?"
I closed my eyes and looked up, "Can you do anything to fix that?"
He took his head out of his hands, settling with looking at the ground, "Not really, but that doesn-."
"Then stop worrying about it."
Hayate didn't move, "It's not that simple. Since he's stressed. He never wants to practice, and since I can't improve without someone else, then no one wins. My dad gets more stressed, I stagnate and then I worry about my mom-," He shook his head and took a deep breath, "Just, it's hard alright."
I looked at him, a blank look on my face, "So you're just going to let it get to you?"
He turned back to me and glared, "What's that supposed to mean!?"
I leaned forward, so we would be face to face, "All I'm saying is that your letting it change you. You have to adapt and overcome Hayate."
His glare softened, "Yeah, yeah, sure."
I stood up, "Well if my advice isn't going to help you, how about I fix one of your problems."
He looked up confused, "And how're you gonna do that?"
Crossing my arms, I turned to the devastated trees behind me, "I'll be your sparring partner, so you can practice your kenjutsu."
Hayate's eyes widened, "You have experience?"
I turned back to him, rubbing the back of my head, "Nope."
He stared, "Alright," He stood up, "I'll go get the wooden swords."
My eyes widened, "Oh, we're really doing this?"
He got an innocent smile on his face.
I don't like that, then again, I never like it when someone smiles like that.
"Don't back out now Ton, it's just a spar."
I stand correct. Damn.
The welts dotted across my body stung as I sat down on my bed. Hayate had gotten his practice in, I got some practice, and some mementos, but that's not important. Forgiveness is vital after all.
Leaning back, I looked out the window at the moon.
I'm definitely going to practice my genjutsu on him.
I smirked.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the book on nature transformations on top of the book on genjutsu.
Might as well.
I snatched the book up, opening to the first page, 'Nature transformation is as the name implies, the transformation of chakra to take on certain the properties of a certain nature, more specifically the properties of one of the five elements, Fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning.
Each nature transformation is strong against one of the other transformations, Fire-.'
And we're just going to skip ahead before I die from boredom, '-,another factor to nature transformation, as a part of their properties each has some secondary affects, being that fire if used correctly can alter the weather, wind and can deflect and reflect attacks, water can alter its state ever so slightly with density and viscosity, earth can manipulate the density of the user, and lightning can increase the speed of the users movements if used effectively.'
I froze. My sporadic problem with my kekkei genkai, the one that caused my clan to essentially self exile themselves underground, having to survive on rats and cheap food from gatherers, the one that killed almost every single Iburi clan member.
I could fix it.
I thumbed my way through the book tirelessly for the rest of the night, a manic grin plastered on my face.
A/N: The ending felt rushed to me so I might go back to alter it, also, a heads up, I'm going to be updating this story's progress each chapter as I write it on my profile.
Hopefully I'll see you next chapter, and I hope you enjoyed.
