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From the Past, With Love? is part of the Shards project and follows its guidelines accordingly. |
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From the Past, With Love? is part of Rebirth and follows its guidelines accordingly. |
Among the outskirts of Kumogakure, everything seems supremely calm in this quiet evening, until suddenly a noisy distortion breaks the peaceful ambience. Out of the distortion a raven-haired girl is projected onto the ground, almost landing squarely on her face.
After laying on the ground for a few moments, Kimi slowly raised herself until she was on her knees. She tried to open her eyes, but then a sharp pain stung her right eye, forcing her to take a hand to it. It was then she noticed the blood that had streamed down her right cheek from her eye. However, that was the least of her concerns right now, has she recalled having been under attack by Kumogakure's ANBU shinobi. With only one eye open, she took a look around her surroundings; she still seemed to be in the same area, but the ANBU were nowhere to be seen. She remembered having called upon her enhanced ocular powers to aid her in the destruction of those in her path. Had she actually accomplished this?
Nearby was none other than Sayuri Uchiha, formerly regarded Beauty of the Hidden Leaf (木ノ葉の小町, Konoha no Komachi). However, her presence was unknown to the others, her identity kept a secret through her wardrobe selection, composed almost entirely of a heavy, dark colored cloak and hood. An avid researcher of the Shinobi world, she had come to Kumogakure to gather intel, though to her surprise, found something a bit more useful. Her sharingan active in both eyes, she suddenly felt a jolt of Uchiha blood kindling down her spine. She narrowed her eyes, before a a distinctive rippling pattern engulfed her body, transporting her to the location of the Uchiha chakra signature. Reappearing behind the dark haired woman, she opened her mouth to offer a greeting. "Do tell me... how such a pathetic village could draw interest towards an Uchiha of your caliber?" Her tone displayed causality, as if she feared nothing. Positioned behind Kimi, she waited for a quick turn, and then a response.
Hearing Sayuri's muffled voice made Kimi jump back on her feet as she turned around. She got into a defensive stance and extended her left Steel Claws, something she rarely does as she prefers to keep them hidden for surprise attacks, meaning it might have been a reflex out of the confusion that's going through Kimi's head at the moment. Even so, Kimi kept a somewhat calm and composed nature, though there was a clear "anger" in her visage, which possibly told the whole story to someone like Sayuri, "W-Who are you? How do you know I'm an Uchiha?"
"Relax..." Sayuri replied, "we're of the same kin." A sudden breeze commenced, drifting Sayuri's hood enough to reveal the blood red glimmer of her Mangekyō Sharingan. In actuality, Sayuri was just as surprised and confused as Kimi was, though she refused to show it, emphasizing her power by showcasing her accursed blood line trait, and control, by remaining calm, despite being in enemy territory. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, the sudden arrival of this girl was enough to peek Sayuri's interest, though first, she would have to be tested, in the form of a perpetual risk. A trait only available to true masters of sixth sense, Sayuri was able to determine the girl's heritage through perception alone, not to mention the fact that her body seemed to be in critical condition from her earlier mishap. Sayuri took exceptional notice of the girl's sudden change of chakra, which occurred solely through her ocular veins. This allowed Sayuri to formulate a clear cut hypothesis, on the fact that this girl possessed not only the same eyes as her, but a to a certain extent, a similar degree of power, which she had utilized to arrive within the boundaries of Kumo in the first place. Brushing off the fact the girl was in a trance, Sayuri trotted forth her question. "What was that just now..?" She began, her tone mysterious. "The power that receded from your eyes.."
"What...", Kimi seemed even more perplexed at her answer. She was an Uchiha as well? Upon glimpsing the older woman's crimson and patterned eyes, a symbol of her heritage, Kimi had no choice but to ask, "...I... I thought Itachi had killed the entire clan but me! Does this mean others are still alive as well? Or are you another exception?". Sayuri's silence didn't give Kimi a clear answer, but she instead seemed more interested in knowing what kind of ocular prowess the newcomer Uchiha possessed, which Kimi apparently had no qualms with showing her. "Uh? You mean this?", Kimi replied, closing her left eye and redirecting the chakra to her eyes again, opening both to reveal her now active Sharingan changing the tomoe into an x-shaped pattern. Her right eye still stung a little, but not enough that she had to keep it closed anymore. Kimi also seemed calmer now, having returned to a neutral stance and retracting her left Steel Claws back, her high-collar purple travel cloak blowing gently in the evening breeze.
It seems shes entirely oblivious of her mangekyō abilities... Sayuri thought to herself. Or perhaps, she's playing possum. Whatever the case may be, that power won't be returning anytime soon... Sayuri raised her hands, pulling down her hood completely, revealing her facial structure to the girl in full detail. "Mmm... there are many more out there then you may be aware of, child." Sayuri preached, speaking of the uncharacteristic amount of Uchiha settled throughout the world, despite the fact no one, ever, had heard of any living Uchiha outside of Konohagakure. Sayuri looked around, surveying the varying chakra signatures. With her arms resting at her sides, and her entire body, minus her recently revealed face, covered in a dark cloak, Sayuri contemplated adding a new set of eyes to her collection. Though she sided against it, seeing a bit more potential in this one when compared to the rest of their kin. "Do tell me, what your doing here of all places..." The idea of the Uchiha being spread out throughout the world greatly bothered Sayuri. How far had the powers of the Uchiha clan spread out?
"...I... used... to live here, ever since Itachi slaughtered our clan in Konoha. I managed to escape with my life, even if barely. I used to think it was a blessing, to be the only one to survive the ordeal, but now, it feels more like a curse...", Kimi replied, her tone and expression becoming darker as she finished her sentence. "But I'm no longer affiliated with this place, there's nothing to keep me here anymore. All I want now, is to destroy Akatsuki!", Kimi raised her hands and clenched her fists as she pronounced the now long gone organization's name, in the meantime keeping her dark expression on.
The Akatsuki..? Sayuri thought to herself. Surely this girl couldn't have been talking about the terrorist organization that ceased to exist at the climax of the Fourth Shinboi War. The very thought of the word brought anger to Sayuri as well, reminding her of a certain someone. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Sayuri's head. A rare ambiguity recited through myths, a tale expressed on the Uchiha stone monument of a Mangekyō ability pertaining to time travel, only welcomed to those in time of great need. Could such a power truly exist..? If so.. why her? Why would she be granted with such a power over the rest of us? Hmm.. there seems to be no other explanations... Sayuri decided to keep the information to herself for the time being, whatever it took to get Kimi to join her forces. "Ah, the Akatsuki." Sayuri closed her eyes, displaying her obvious anger. "Good.. we share similar views. I too, have devoted myself to stopping such evil... though I'm afraid they have expanded far greater than you could have ever imagined..." Sayuri went on, her voice convincing. Years of training among the finest of ANBU, Sayuri was an extremely manipulative individual, whether she had to make use of her exquisite physique or not. "You'll find that the Akatsuki has claimed direct control over the majority of the five great shinobi nations. Only a few of us remain now, those of us who do not affiliate ourselves with such... evil. In fact, they no longer wear those damned robes of theirs, as they have simply multiplied in numbers aesthetically, neglecting such a necessity." Sayuri smiled warmly. "I'm glad to meet another one of us, one who favors the better side of this world. I'm honored, really, especially to have one of my own kin members share such views as I. If you are interested in ridding the world of such evil... I can offer you my assistance."
Despite not completely distrusting the woman before her eyes, Kimi was wary of manipulative people who would just say about anything to further their plans, whatever they might be, especially taking into account the missions she performed for Kumogakure and the Land of Lightning. "Are they really that influential? Last time I checked, they're a mercenary group composed of rogue shinobi. They... they just captured my master yesterday, a jinchūriki to Kumo! How can they be controlling the five nations with such bad reputation? I don't think you're telling me the whole of it...", Kimi asked with a hint of distrust in her voice, and some regret evidenced when she hesitated in mid sentence.
Sayuri remained calm, to further emphasize her telling of the "truth". She had known it all too well, the history behind the stages of the Fourth War. However, this was a tricky one, as Kumogakure had been known to garner two jinchuuriki, so claiming to have known he or she was not a good idea at this point. "I'm disappointed." Sayuri admitted. "For someone who was boasting of taking down an entire organization by herself moments earlier, you lack any real knowledge of them. Allow me to educate you." Sayuri paused, allowing a breeze to catch her hair. "The Akatsuki has since commenced their ultimate technique... known as the infinite Tsukuyomi. A powerful genjutsu only whose only counter measures are the eyes of the Uchiha. You may not remember much now, as a result of how much chakra such a task would have required. It's not uncommon for you to have lost so much knowledge." Another breeze commenced, allowing Sayuri to close her eyes. "You see, everyone is now caught under this genjutsu, only our clan has mustered enough strength to counter it. I'm amazed that someone your age was able to do so as well, though this must be a testament of your strength." Sayuri praised the girl, hoping it would help influence her more properly. "It's ironic, isn't it? Those who have put us down throughout history suddenly require our help. However, it is not beyond my philosophy to help them now, in any matter." Sayuri held out her hand. "Come, my child. Together we shall defeat the Akatsuki and cancel this genjutsu. More over, we shall replenish humanity once more, so that the world can forever be at peace. This is our destiny, and we must not decline it. It was for this very purpose that we were granted such marvelous eyes in the first place."
"The Infinite Tsukuyomi?", Kimi had experienced first-hand the effects of such a genjutsu, when she fought Itachi years ago, and knew what it was capable of. Now it seems Sayuri might be telling the truth after all. Still, she would keep an eye on her. She wasn't about to trust a complete stranger, even if she was an Uchiha as well. "...Fine." Kimi threw her head to the side while closing her eyes, then returning her head towards Sayuri and opening them, having deactivated her Mangekyō Sharingan, "I'll join forces with you, if what you're saying is true. But you better not be pulling me a fast one.", Kimi took a slight stern tone towards the end of her sentence, then crossed her arms, "And for future reference, I don't like being used as a simple weapon for someone else's whims. If we're together in this, we work as a team, understand?". Kimi hoped she wouldn't have to do dirty work for someone else again. She had learned her lesson with Kumo.
"Ah, of course. Before we go anything further, all me to share some of my power with you.... so we can keep in touch of course." Sayuri offered her fist to Kimi, a sign of trust and equality among shinobi alike. "Perhaps we shall get you situated first... somewhere you can settle far away from the rest of these....conspirators."
Kimi approached Sayuri, then lifting her hand a bit hesitantly, but finally clenching her fist and lightly bumping fists with Sayuri, "This is how shinobi trade chakra with each other? Interesting.", Kimi thought on the action.
Sayuri's chakra was unlike others, in the unique matter that is possessed her special metals in microscopic form in each ounce. Arriving within Kimi's body, the metals would slowly break free, spreading throughout her chakra system, before escaping into her bloodstream. From there, they would carefully pick and choose blood cells worthy of their mentor-ship; clinging to them once located, multiplying in the numbers gradually through the process of mitosis. A microscopic technique encompassed by Sayuri naked to even their eyes, it was her way of keeping an eye on Kimi at all times. Virtually untraceable through ordinary means of sensing, what began as the process of chakra transfer slowly mutated to something more. Sayuri smiled warmly. "Until we meet again, my child. Stay safe, stay hidden. Avoid contact with outsiders, it will only lead to corruption. Be careful with who you decide to trust... ensure they share the same bloodline as us before doing so." Sayuri paid her farewell, before turning around. "I have a favor I'd like you to take care of, if you don't mind. Meet with the others, and spread my message. A single fist bump is all it should take." She then departed, leaving behind a cloud of smoke.
"Hey, wait!", Kimi shouted as Sayuri puffed into white smoke, holding out her hand. "...She didn't even tell me her name...", Kimi spoke to herself, a bit disappointed. The gray-green eyed Uchiha turned around and took another look at her surroundings, "Now what? Where am I supposed to meet with these 'others'...?".