[Private to Fuma Tsukiko; Nara Nanami; Tsuna Shiroma; Uchiha Sarada: Hello all! I just wanted to apologize for having not been on lately. Since 4th of July, I've been out of town volunteering at an anime convention and got back Sunday night. I apologize for not having told you I would be out sooner. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things.]

Nori was honestly a little surprised when she heard Sarada tell Nanami that she had been testing her since the beginning of the mission to not rely on her sharingan to get through it. She knew that the gift of the sharingan was bestowed upon her friend and wasn't inherited.  Considering that Sarada was an Uchiha who inherited that gift from her father, to know someone outside of their clan had it and was, in a sense, using it to her advantage, most likely didn't sit well with their sensei. She only hoped that whatever training Sarada had would benefit them all in some way and would truly help them overcome their obstacles. When Nori heard their sensei talk about her, it wasn't something she was expecting. What exactly was she trying to say by those words? Was she saying commendable things about her to get her point across? Or did she really even mean them? It was hard to tell sometimes. But she seemed very serious about her intentions with this evaluation and Nori only hoped that she would be able to overcome those fears that Sarada spoke of. She had a feeling she knew what it may involve and knew that she had to prepare herself for whatever would happen. She didn't know how she was going to handle what situation she was going to be in, but she wanted to be as strong as Sarada knew they could be overcome it.

When Sarada had said those things to Nanami and that she wasn't going to participate in this training, Nori had looked over to her friend and saw the need upon her face to say something but didn't. She held herself back, but maybe that was a good thing. Although, she wanted to think that the training she did with Fuma would genuinely help Nanami in the way that Sarada wanted them to. She watched as their sensei went over to Shiroma and told her that her other half would not be able to participate in the training today, but she knew it was with good reason. Whatever she had planned, it obviously required her other half to not be apart of it. Both Sarada and Shiroma had locked eyes and for moments, there was silence. Nori could tell that their minds were connected and it made her wonder if their sensei was talking to Shiroma's other half. Maybe she felt the need to speak with her about what her intentions were. She didn't know. But within a few minutes, their eyes disconnected and Sarada stepped back.

Nori looked into her eyes when she looked at her and she pressed her lips together before she nodded. "I'm ready," she said with a solemn expression. She saw her eyes turn from their black hue to that of the Sharingan. The air suddenly changed around them. It felt heavier than it did before and became stronger than it had been moments ago. She found herself lost within her eyes, but that was what needed to be done to be lost in the Genjutsu. It consumed her and something shifted again. Suddenly she found herself lost in a familiar surrounding. She blinked and looked around. This was Konohagakure Academy. Suddenly her green eyes landed on the backing of a familiar figure not too far away. Her eyes squinted slightly. She couldn't make out who it was, so she started to walk towards him. "Hello? Who's there?" her voice echoed.

Shiroma didn't fight the genjutsu but she couldn't suppress the shudder as she felt the familiar feeling wash over her.  She had been under the influence of a Genjutsu for so long that she could feel it washing over her, it did help that she was expecting it of course. She opened her eyes on the fort that she and her team had first been assigned too and had to bite her lip.  This was early on in her training she really had no control over her Kekkei at this point.  Her eyes drifted down to the her hands still covered with the gloves that she used to wear to keep from giving people frostbite.

'God...this is unsettling.'
'...'
'Hello...'

Shiroma chided herself remember that her other self had been bond for a time at this point. She actually did feel rather alone at this point the memory of the feeling washing over her.  She looked around the team and bit her lip seeing them all alive and well. There was no time for remembering them all dead and buried in the snow...god she hoped they were buried still, she knew Ichigo was, again.  The others she just hoped.  She looked around catching the sight of the sun, it wasn't that long till the attack happened at least in the way Shiroma remembered it.

00:12, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 21 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu Defense.

Tsukiko gave Nanami ample time - It seemed the pace of this fight was something the Missing-Nin had no issue ceding to the genin. Crouching low, she settled into another Iai stance, more than ready to move by the time Nanami'd begun to rev up another one of her Clan's shuriken. An eye twitched, seeing it so meekly handled and maneuvered, though she kept her peace. For the moment, at least. Twice in a row gravitating towards a similar weapon was interesting, though ultimately irrelevant for now.

She watched the windblade shoot towards her, unmoving. Observing the girl pick up a Tanto for actual defense this time - Good. Time to give her something to really be afraid of, this time. The woman became a blur once more, seemingly phasing through the thrown shuriken when all she'd done was brush right underneath its trajectory, flying like a speeding bullet towards the girl. Instead of a kick to avoid hurting the girl, her blade left its sheathe, drawing and striking in one almost fluid motion. Having to pause to flick the curved, blunt spine of the sword as the striking surface delayed her reaction by a hair, but the power behind her swing, and the woman's specialty, more than made up for it as she unloaded yet another explosive strike, aiming to create more distance, as before.

She followed through with the swipe, long enough for Nanami to recover and observe the woman fluidly sheathe her blade, crouching down low, bright green eyes never leaving the Genin's form.


00:16, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 28 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu Attack.

23:57, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 19 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu Defense.

Nanami braced herself for another hard hit that would likely send her tumbling. But when their blades met, or they were close she posed a quick question to Tsukiko "Sensei, you should ask yourself does she need to be broken, or is she so broken that she needs to be fixed." There wasn't enough time for her to convey her message fully. She wondered what Tsukiko would make of it as she was sent flying again. She rolled and slid back up to her feet. Blood dripped from her mouth. Nanami grinned "More!" Is all Nanami said as she drew her bow the moment she recovered. The wind gusted around her. As she loosed an arrow, it was shot with more speed and power then a normal bow. But it was obvious she was still working on mastering it.


00:07, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 26 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu attack.
This message had punctuation tweaked by a game editor at 07:10, Sun 22 July 2018.

01:33, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 30 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu Defense.

Tsukiko's brow arched as their blades met, though she wasted no thought on contemplating the meaning of what she'd said. Broken, not broken, that didn't matter in her arena. In her battlefield. All that mattered right now was survival, something she was pleased to see the genin was beginning to understand as she pulled her bow. Settled into her stance, there was no way for her to traditionally deal with ranged weaponry, though that wasn't to say she didn't have her methods. Falling back on familiarity, giving in to bloodlust - She didn't allow herself to look in the direction of the Uchiha woman, but she did mentally curse her for not catching something like this.

Sharpened steal glinted off the sun as Tsukiko drew her blade, maintaining that powerful momentum as she parried the arrow, redirecting it skyward. Sure that Nanami was watching her now, she proceeded with that methodical, lightning-quick sheathing of her blade, once more crouching as power belying the woman's lithe frame tensed and coiled, becoming that blur once more with all of two steps, closing the distance and drawing as she'd done so before, careful the only danger Nanami was ever in was perhaps a cracked bone or two at worst, heavy bruising at the least. Much like Tetsuya had shown care, though her brief reflection brought the ghost of a smile to her face.

She put enough power into that swing, like before, to force distance between herself and Nanami once more, flourishing her blade this time in a much more elegant display of swordsmanship, before settling into that stance once more, the only movement becoming the sliding of that blade into its home. "Ya've got th'power t'pass this test wit' flyin' colors, an' yer tryin' t'convince me o'somethin' irrelevant right now?" She scoffed. "Stop givin' up so easily, girly. Show some backbone." She maintained her position, letting the battlefield grow silent once more. Settled into that Iai stance, crouched, one hand gripping her sheathe and the other mere centimeters from the hilt of her blade, Tsukiko merely stared down the Genin, what was once an impassive concentration now directed annoyance.

01:33, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 32 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu Attack.

00:17, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 21 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu defense.

Nanami was thrown back once again. She frowned a bit, but then smiled "I guess you are used to mind games." She slid and stopped herself from rolling this time. She stayed on her feet. The bruising was showing across a lot of her exposed skin. She bled from her forehead, and mouth a little. She tilts her head and smiles at Tsukiko "So I guess I should have some fun with this. No point in complaining or talking much further." She took a firmer stance and drew the bow fully. She had to be careful not to grab one of the arrows with a paperbomb. The gush of wind wisps about her feet. As she fires the bow it seems to release a rush of air outwards from Nanami.


00:25, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 16 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu attack.

23:07, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 27 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu defense.

"Fun?!" The Fuma shinobi growled, "Look at yourself, girl." She punctuated her statement by outright sidestepping the arrow, her blade sweeping upward as she sliced it in two, a shockwave rippling outward, cancelling out the poorly controlled draw power Nanami had called on. She flicked her blade so the tip was aimed at the Genin, the Redhead's annoyance now fiery scorn. In one subtle movement, that tip inverted, so her striking surface was once again the blunted curve of her katana. "Wotever baggage yer carryin' with ya, do me a favor an' throw it aside an' use that head o'yers. Either that, or do yer team a solid and die. I ain't been wackin' ya around fer no reason."

As she spoke, Tsukiko coolly retrieved three kunai from her leg pouch, letting them dangle off her fingers. With one solid flick of the wrist, she sent them flying towards Nanami, in a loose enough formation that it was highly unlikely they'd hit any vitals, and hopped back, watching the woman's reaction.

When she was sure Nanami was looking at her, Tsukiko deliberately flipped her blade, a singular movement announcing that if Nanami wasn't careful, she might lose something critical to living. Those green, scornful eyes once more cooled into that impassive expression of concentration. With yet another flourish, she slid into that Iai stance. "I'll be honest, girl. Ya got no hope o'beatin' me. Speed, Strength, Tactics. I've been at this far longer, against far deadlier opponents. How's about instead of resignin' yerself to your fate or wishin' ya could use that Sharingan o'yers, ya stop mopin' and figure out what ya can do." Her blade slowly slid into its scabbard as she spoke, the very unsubtle click as it sealed completing her maneuver.

The Ronin stared at Nanami, now, stance wide, her hand that now-familiar hair's breadth away from grasping the hilt of her katana. Ready to move. Like a locked spring, ready to burst into motion at the flip of a switch.

23:07, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 21 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu Attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:28, Thu 26 July 2018.

22:31, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 25 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu defense.

Nanami looks at Tsukiko. The gaze became serious as the attack came in from Tsukiko. She brought up the shortblade she had picked up and deflected Tsukiko's attack, sliding back and around to the side. Nanami new she had been looking at this all wrong. It wasn't the fact she wasn't trying.. Tsukiko said it was like she resigned herself to losing. But everything that Tsukiko said makes her wonder if the point was just to push herself.

As Nanami slid around from the blocked attack. She had to remain focused, not get cocky about the dodge. It was Nanami's demeanor that was causing Tsukiko's annoyance to flare.. Nanami was told to treat it as a real fight... Which she had yet to do. But now she understood, or hoped she did.

Her blade aims for Tsukiko's leg, aiming to disable her movement by taking out the achilles tendon.


22:50, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 23 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu attack.
This message was last edited by a game editor at 05:55, Thu 26 July 2018.

17:19, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 20 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu Defense.

Tsukiko stood there, unmoving, watching Nanami as her Kunai were knocked wide. The return fire she'd expected, but not with so odd a weapon, even if it did work out in the end. Tsukiko shifted in that grounded stance, though not nearly enough, the blade slicing cleanly through a portion of her calf. Pain like this, she could afford to ignore, even if the woman gritted her her teeth, her expression turning dour. Leaning forward, she became that blur once more, dancing across those weapons to gain a height advantage, leaping up into the air. Flipping, the redhead came down with an overhead kick.

"Yer a medic in a battlefield tryin' t'fight th'Hokage on 'er own." She growled as her blow was seemingly about to connect.

17:20, Today: Fuma Tsukiko rolled 20 using 1d20+17.  Taijutsu attack.

18:45, Today: Nara Nanami rolled 10 using 1d20+8.  Taijutsu defense.

Nanami feels the weight of the kick as she barely musters enoughy guard to not have her head smashed into the ground. She managed to maneuver barely to be sent rolling. Nanami slid to a stop, and looked at Tsukiko. Nanami shakes her head and sighs "Break my ego, and my reliance on the Sharingan." She recalled from what Sarada had said, and looked at Tsukiko and began to laugh at herself "I truly missed the point or what I hope is the point of this." She dropped the short blade and took out a smoke-bomb and a kunai with a paperbomb.

The goal of this was the smokebomb to cover her escape, and the kunai with the paper-bomb to prevent an immediate reaction.

Nanami throws the smoke-bomb in between them, and the kunai with the paper-bomb near Tsukiko's  feet. They both explode. Then she would retreat to the edge of the training zone.. Hoping the point was to escape and not fight. She held a defensive stance incase that this wasn't the point.

Dropping her stance, she watched the Genin either devolve into hysterics or stumble upon the solution to the little riddle she'd posed her. Either way, progress was progress, and she wasn't about to question it. The smokebomb was placed well enough, and Tsukiko had no problem letting her create some distance. The paper bomb at her feet required her immediate attention, though. With a quick flick of her wrist, she severed the paper, cutting both the fuse and creating just enough of a whirlwind to clear the air around her in a small area. Judging from how her little arena was arrayed, she was near the middle of it. .ish.

The slick wetness of blood began to run down her leg, though thankfully the cold was doing wonders to keep it from flowing too freely. She kept her stance low, that iai position the same one she'd been using with each and every counterattack, her blade undrawn. At the ready, but as yet untouched, as she patiently waited for the smoke to clear in its entirety. When Nanami came into view, she'd see the Missing-nin had adopted that same, impassive look as before, patiently waiting, patiently assessing the young genin.

After a moment or two's silence, Tsukiko's voice broke the stillness. "Gonna come at me?" Her tone was less a challenge, more curiosity. With her body locked in that position, she seemed ready to spring at Nanami in an instant, ready to close the distance effortlessly, ready to restart the cycle.

Nanami looks back at Fuma "Fuma-Sensei. It kind of dawns on me that there were two things you wanted to teach me. To survive until an opening presents itself, then to fall back." She lets out a breath "See at first I didn't get it. You said come at you. As we fought I was also paying attention to my chakra levels." She blinks as she continued "By this point, or rather the point I threw the smoke-bomb. My chakra would have regenerated enough for me to use the smoke-bomb as a deterrent, then flicker away, and out of sight."

She pops her neck relaxing a little "If I continue fighting after the smoke-bomb. Then the likelihood of another such opening becomes non-existent. Thats the reason you said, remember you are a medical ninja earlier. So I figured I needed to form a plan to escape. If I am wrong you can fail me. But I think the point of this was for me to understand the severity of my choices, and putting aside my ego as Sarada-Sensei put it. To suck it up and retreat the moment I was able." She takes a deep breath and relaxes a little more "That's why you set the perimeter." She steps outside the perimeter that Fuma had set "And I chose to live and escape. If I don't take the opportunity I made for myself. Then I will likely die at the hands of my enemy."

Nanami looks at Fuma. Regardless if the teen was right or not. She stood by her words as she waited for Fuma's response.

Tsukiko listened, quietly, to the genin's explanation. She watched as Nanami stepped outside their little arena, and the woman's stance relaxed. "By all intents, ya've failed." She said simply, reaching into a pocket at her thigh and retrieving a scroll. Unfurling it, she slipped a finger down, along the blood that wetted her calf, and slid an intricat design along unfurled paper. Black ink appeared wherever the blood touched, kanji, and chakra flared as she tossed the scroll into the air. "Sealing jutsu: Weapon Retrieval," She intoned, the arena she'd conjured disappearing in a puff of displaced smoke. Catching the scroll, she rolled it back up and replaced it in the pouch at her thigh, before kneeling down to begin wrapping the only wound she'd sustained.

She beckoned Nanami over.

"Yer a bit caught up on the details, but for the most part you've got the right of it. Think back. How did I attack ya? I coulda killed you at any point, had I just been relentless enough, or vicious enough." She paused, giving an annoyed, pained grunt as she tightened the bandage, giving the genin time to reflect, to think. "That Sharingan o'yours is a tool, just like any other, and I can see why yer sensei don't want you usin' it yet, especially when ya don't quite have the understandin' for it. I've only seen it once or twice, but the basic concept ain't so hard to get. It helps ya survey your surroundings, study your opponents. That's all well and good, but without knowin' how to comprehend and use it, it's as useless to you as a ninjutsu specialist with no chakra." She gave Nanami a pointed look.

"Every warrior, be it shinobi, samurai, the savages to the west or your typical mercenary, seeks to control the fight. You control when and how to engage, you control your opponents intensity, you control your ability to survive. If ya can't overpower your opponent, you outthink them. If ya can't outthink them, ya overpower them. If ya can't do either, you retreat, and force 'em to either follow you, or stay put. You had exactly 3 ways to control me." She stood up, testing her weight on her foot, and folding her arms as she looked at Nanami.

"Ya used one of 'em. Care to take a stab at what the other two were?"

Nanami approached and kneeled down "Let me see your leg." If allowed she would begin to heal it, as it was instinct to tend to others, as the mission and Nanami's training had ingrained into her "The other two ways?" She thinks for a moment "Well the terrain of weapons could also be used, and traps could be set.. I could have used them to my advantage to slow you down, as well as using the terrain in general." She looked around at how rocky the area was "Also, you were controlling me by forcing me back, and then if I wanted to attack I would have to come at you. Which means you controlled the conditions. The one time I was able to strike you Sensei, was when you attacked me. Which gave me time to prepare for your attack and counter it."

She listened "I should have also gauged your attack form, and where your attacks came from, as well as the force of the attacks. I could have used your own momentum when you attacked me to guide you into the aforementioned traps."

Nanami would at least properly bandage Fuma's wound "Your right I was a little to caught up in the moment, also I came into the training already a little frustrated. Which didn't help me." She would stand back up after the healing if allowed was done, and the wound was bandaged "I think part of it was to show, that most of the base abilities of the Sharingan can also be done without using it. That using it should be saved for the opponents or situations that the Sharingan is really needed for." She thinks back to the island and at what point Kotatsu showed his Mangekyou Sharingan wasn't until he was faced with a real threat "I think I understand the point both you and Sarada-Sensei are trying to make." She smiles and looks at Tsukiko "I may be wrong with all of what I said. The training did teach me things even if they weren't the intended things." 

Tsukiko shifted, allowing the medical specialist to work, frowning just a touch as she listened. "Those weapons were for your use in the first place, but I've trained with those m'whole life." She smirked. "Even those Fuma shuriken. In the context of controllin' the fight, there's really only a couple'a things ya coulda done. Dunno if ya noticed, but all I was doin' was counter-attacking. Ya ever pause to consider why that was? Or if I'd go after ya unprovoked?" She tested her leg once Nanami was finished healing and bandaging. It as a clean cut, easily mended.

"Ya coulda set traps, yes, but the second way you're almost right on the money. If I was only counter-attackin', and the exercise ended on your escape. . .what happens when if ya tried to talk with me? To taunt me? Its possible I coulda been lured into a trap, or that you coulda used my own momentum to remove me from the arena entirely. I had plenty o'methods of controllin' the fight, even with my self-inflicted handicap. And you had just as many, too."

"Instead of focusin' on the task at hand, though, ya held some resentment against your sensei over a lesson of m'own making." Crouching down, now that her leg was healed, she brought herself down to Nanami's eye level, staring at her. "Footin' that sorta stuff around the battlefield'll getcha killed." She reached forward in an attempt to flick the genin in the forehead, leaning back as she crossed her hands, glancing back at the other three, briefly.

"Ah, well." Her eyes flicked back to Nanami. "Ya at least understand it a bit more, eh?" A slow smile began to form.

Nanami let the flick hit her, as she understood the intent of it "If I fully understood all of it from the beginning, then it wouldn't have taught me anything. It's not resentment towards you. I guess I need to stop comparing my Sensei's to my first teacher. As all of you teach differently." She glances over at Sarada "I understood him, I guess I don't know Sarada enough to understand her, yet."


She glances at her other two teammates "I guess the reason that I didn't fully understand the training is because I have been going from one horrible situation to the next. Most of the time, I didn't have anyone to correct my form and behavior. I think that is what you and Sarada-sensei are trying to help me with."

She smiles at Tsukiko "I learned a lot. I will use what you have taught me."


The teen sits down next to Tsukiko "Sensei?" She looks up "If we get some time in between missions. Would you mind helping me with my Taijutsu or help me with jutsu ideas for defensive jutsu? I know I won't always be able to keep my enemies from engaging me in melee combat. I would like to have more options then I do currently."

Nanami had respect for Tsukiko "Since it looks like we still have time. Would you mind showing me how to use a sword?" She decided that would become her close combat weapon "Or a pair of the short blades might suit my style of combat more. Since I am more of an agile fighter, then a brute force fighter."
This message was last edited by a game editor at 02:27, Tue 04 Sept 2018.

After a moment or two, Tsukiko sat down next to Nanami, chuckling. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, eh? I still don't know if I'm headed for a cell or placed under house arrest, or worse," Despite the light, outright jovial tone, the woman shuddered, "Being sent back home to Okaa-chan. . ." Though her smile remained, there was an air of melancholy about her as she spoke the name. It lasted long enough to be noticeable, but short enough that by the time she continued speaking, she was back to her upbeat self.

"That said, assumin' your sensei-chan doesn't mind, I'd be more than willin' to help." She regarded Nanami for a moment, smiling. "Though I'm afraid you'll have to clear it with her. Not to mention, she's an Uchiha. Has the Sharingan. She's got more insight inta how to use it than I ever will. Just a thought, is all." With a sigh, she began digging around in the pouch at her thigh. Closer inspection revealed more than a few scrolls inside, in addition to the regular shuriken and kunai.

"I'm guessin' you and your team haven't had Sarada as a sensei for long, eh? Or. . .maybe you're a new addition to the team?" She pulled out a scroll that was much less weighty than the others. Placing it on the snow, she began to unfurl it. "Understandin' comes with time, but if our little tete-a-tete was anything to go by, sounds like ya got a commander more'n. . ." She paused, considering. Inside the scroll were various, immaculate ink drawings of various weapons. Long nodachi, short tantos, pronounced naginatas, and anything in between. Unlike the weapon summoning scrolls that relied on bulk, readily deployable weaponry, this looked more. . .intimate. Almost like one were staring at Tsukiko's personal armory. "A parent. Your leader's out there to keep ya alive first, teach second. That's gonna step on some toes and spill some sake. Granted, she acts like she's just shoved a pole up 'er. . ." She blinked, rolling her eyes. "...Let's just say she's got that somethin' to prove vibe. Either way, don't mean she hasn't got your best interests at heart."

Nipping at her thumb, she let a droplet of blood build, slowly drawing the kanji for Tsukiko next to a scabbarded, shorter blade. "So, first thing to understand about a 'sword' is there're all sorts. What I use is a katana, but you're no mercenary and anyone who can wield chakra with it uses Samurai techniques, which is a can of worms on its own." She quickly began to form several hand seals in quick succession. "Shortblades like a dagger you might as well use kunai, and somethin' larger like a nodachi's. . .unwieldy for a beginner."

Letting the pooled chakra release, she slammed her palm down onto the scroll, a puff of smoke obscuring her hand and the ground for a moment, before that shortblade, sheathed, hilt wrapped in blue and silver interlocking threads, appeared in her hand. "All that in mind, a Ninja-to's probably best for ya." She offered the weapon to Nanami.

Nori:

As Nori continued to walk forward, the centenary around the academy became more clear, more in depth. She couldn't distinguish whether if this was just the genjutsu working or if she somehow managed to get sent back into time. As she got closer to the figure, the male came into view from the shadows within her memory. The familiar face she craved, she loved, that she adored for almost her entire life: Sigmund.

His eye blue eyes pierced her soul, her very heart, the core of her entire existence. He just stared at her, emotionless with almost a dead look into his deep, blue eyes.

---

Shiroma:

"Hello? Shiroma!" Ichigo waved his hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention. "Did your brain freeze finally?" he teased and punched her lightly in the arm. A wind chill blew through the air, a familiar memory. Everything felt real; this particular day was the start of her land's involvement in the war. Their group had been one of the youngest to be the first to defend the border.

Their victory that day had changed the course of her training and their team boundaries.

---

Sarada kept it calm as she controlled both of their situations. She began thinking over whether or not she was becoming too harsh, however reliving events made them detach, become immune to the heartbreak. Unfortunately for Nori, Sarada knew very well that she would be struggling the most with the emotional stress of things. Sarada's plan for Shiroma on the other hand, was more for a truth to be revealed.

The closer Nori walked towards the figure in the distance, the more she began to see familiar features that person had. He was average height, black hair... Her eyes squinted slightly. Who was this? Why did she feel like she knew who this person was? And her surroundings...was she back in Konohagakure? No. That wasn't possible. This had to be the Genjutsu, right? It had to be. As she approached closer to the figure, the color of that person's eyes pierced her and made her heart pound. These feelings of excitement and longing...she felt them course through her veins and to the very depths of her soul. These feelings paralyzed her and made her stop in her track. When the light outline this person's body, the familiar sight of Sigmund's face appeared before her. Her eyes widened slightly. This...it couldn't be happening.

"Sig...mund?" she said in a low voice to the person with this emotionless expression spread across his face. It looked like Sigmund. His face. His eyes. His hair. His body. It all looked like what she remembered of him and what she knew of him to be. "This...this can't be real, can it? You can't really be here..." But despite saying that out loud, she took a step closer to the figure. Then another...and another until she was standing in front of him. Those eyes... they looked just like his. She remembered his gaze and how he used to look at her. All sorts of emotions spread through her and they only made her heart pound faster. "You...can't be here..."

Shiroma was allowing herself to get lost in the memory of the events of what was about to happen of the fear and the terror of her first time in battle.  It was so early on in her time with the team had it not be for... "Ow!! Ichigo! That hurt!" She glared up at him the memories of her team flooding over her again for the second time since she had come to this land.  But she wasn't in the land anymore she was back at the fort.  She stuck out her tongue at the boy that had pinched her the attitude of the child she had been before he mental break coming back easily.

The innocence even though it seemed perfectly natural at that point wasn't lost on the silent observer that was bond to silence.

"Just how long do you think we are going to have to wait? Do you think I still have time to work on my ice shaping?" She looked out to the water not really seeing merely looking wide eyed scared but not wanting to show it.

Genjutsu:

Nori:
It was a familiar sighting. The figure she longed to hold and to love and to save was standing right in front of her. She would be able to smell him, touch him, and feel his presence. Nori would begin to question if this was really a genjutsu or if her sensei actually made her dreams come true. Sigmund smirked, a familiar trait of his. ”It’s what you want, right? Me here with you,” he replied back softly. However something seemed a bit off as darkness seemed to ever so slightly radiate off of his shoulders. ”Join me. Don’t save me. I don’t want to be saved. But join me. We can rule all the lands,” he offered, offering his hand out.

---

Shiroma:
Their team leader, Tsubaki, had swiftly joined the group of their mild discussion. Shiroma has fairly new with her skills however Tsubaki had been the one to train her as much as she could with her ice shaping, an ability that she would find useful. ”There seems to be no sign of an attack yet. It can’t help to train and work on skills. Shiroma, lets,” she offered as she patted her and Ichigo’s shoulder before walking past them. After walking away a couple of feet she turned around and faced them.

It was interesting enough that sarada had chosen to make Shiroma relive memories she chose to forget. However the lesson was still unclear. It wasn’t even a genjutsu anymore; it was an attempt to prove memories. It was as if Sarada was searching for answers of her own.

---

Sarada has continued on with her lesson, all the while using her ears to listen for Nanami’s training. The constant clashing and exchange of words was more than enough for her to know her training plans for her were working. While she hated the fact Nanami somewhat shares their blood, she would ensure it stopped at Nanami and didn’t spread. A resurfacing of their kekkei would only cause more harm as it did in the past. It was bad enough that the Land of Snow has possession of their kekkei with several individuals. Who else could be out there? She gritted her teeth as she conintued to work her genjutsu with the girls in front of her. Her focus steady as a rock as the kekkei pieced their their minds ever so strongly. It would be a miracle if either of the girls broke her jutsu.

There was little choice in the matter for Shiroma on what she remembered and what she forgot. At least so she had told herself but the ease with which the memories flowed seemed to show they were still there clearly.

Shiroma clapped happily as she was given the chance to continue her training in ice shaping wanting to do whatever she could. She followed her leader moving after her the short distance before she stopped to stand there bouncing on the balls of her feet eagerly. Shiroma had shown a clear talent for manipulating her ice chakra but there was something not connecting in her brain yet. She had never been able to mold it into something usable. Well one shouldn't say never, she had never done it with intention there had been a few accidents when she got too excited or angry with someone, but those were simple spikes of ice but she had never formed them with control...yet. She was convinced today would be the day.

The silent bound observer knew that was true if only it didn't have to come at such a price.

In reply to Uchiha Sarada (msg # 241):

At hearing the sound of what she remembered Sigmund’s voice to be, Nori felt her heart begin to swell with happiness. And that smirk. She could remember ever instanced of when he showed that side of him to her. It was engraved in her memory. Even from when they were children, she still held his smiles and laughter close to her heart. “O-of course I want you with me. More than anything. I want us to go back to how we were before,” she said, taking a step forward towards him. Then another. Then another. Then another until liftle space was left between them. She could see those piercing blue eyes boring down into her’s. She was looking at him so closely now. He really did look like Sigmund. He couldn’t be real. There’s no way...he could be real. Nori reaches out a hand towards him, but something stopped her from touching his face like she wanted so desperately to. He was different. This vibe...something told her he wasn’t real. That something was wrong. Nori looked down at the hand that was offered to her for a few moments before she looked back up to him. She wanted to reach out her hand to him and never let it go, but... “Sigmund, I...can’t...” she said and looked back up into his eyes. “What about Nanami? What about Shiroma? I can’t just leave them behind. I want to be with you, but I...” She turned her head down and curled up her hand into a fist before she held it against her chest. “I can’t. Not like this...” she said in a low, monotone voice. “Please understand.”
This message was last edited by the player at 05:41, Thu 29 Nov 2018.

In reply to Fuma Tsukiko (msg # 237):

Nanami looks at the Ninja-to. Then takes it. She tests the weight and balance "You are Tsukiko. It has a better weight and feel then the other shortblades.." She flips the balde around testing it further. She wasn't quite sure how she wanted to train with it. She had heard of pure defensive styles and such, but she also had been training with the chakra scalpel developing her own style of Nin-taijutsu.

She stands and performs some basic strikes, parries and blocks "This will work I think. Can I have this?" She asks Tsukiko politely, making sure she was assuming it was being given to her. It did make her a little happier "As far as Sarada-Sensei. This is our first mission together. We haven't had the best of luck. Me, and Nori have been together since we became Genin, and Shiroma joined us a bit later. We are all pretty close. But we have all suffered a lot as well."

Nanami's eyes glance towards her teammates "I understand why Sarada-Sensei doesn't want me to focus on my Dojutsu. But when it should be used we will likely have differing opinions. I get the whole bloodline thing. I think a lot of my outbursts come from pure frustration. The frustration of constantly being pushed back. Constantly being told how we should act." She lets out a sigh "In order to become strong we need to be allowed to be ourselves." She sits back down next to Tsukiko "You are right though, and I know Sarada only has our best intentions in mind when training us. I just wish.." She pauses she still had the crystal from that day, she takes it out "I wish I could stop comparing her to our first Sensei. I know it's not fair of me. Back then things were clicking. Me and Sigmund actually had a nice talks, and Nori and him were getting through their issues. Then our Sensei disappeared, and things just cascaded into despair. I think I have been stuck in the realm of despair for a long time." She lets out a long breath "That ends now." Nanami says with a smile "Thank you Tsukiko, for listening."

She stands and picks up the Ninja-to "Now how about you teach me something?" She says with a bright smile. Nanami tilts her head. She hoped Tsukiko would be willing to train some more.

Moving things along:

Sarada had taken almost an entire day, using genjutsu to not only tap into her students’ weaknesses, but to learn more about they way they do things on a personal level. Secrets were revealed, weaknesses were exposed, and even Sarada’s own secret had been exposed within Shiroma’s memories. With exhaustion under her belt, she finally freed both of the girls from her genjutsu, all three of their sets of eyes slowly returning to normal.

A grip on reality would be weird at first, but after some rest the girls would be mentally replenished. After blinking a couple of times, her sharingan had finally faded. Overusage caused Sarada to begin to bleed from her eyes, a small stream making its way down her face from her sockets. Knowingly, everyone knew that a mangekyo sharingan had its limits and one of them could lead to blindness. Sarada knew she had to be careful, even with her current injuries still at bay.

”We’re done for today,” she told them, clearly exhausted from the tone of her voice.

All the while, Nanami learned her lessons with great strength and passion. Within the day, she learned to rely on solely her self, not the eyes of an Uchiha. While it still bothered Sarada and perhaps one day she’d figure it out for herself, but Nanami had to be taught. Sarada wanted to see her true potential and in the end, Sarada knew she accomplished something for herself for her own personal gain.

Sarada found a nearby stump, sitting down and began whipping away the blood stream that bled from her eyes, her shallow breathing making obvious she overworked herself today.