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YureiCitizenSurvived 2021You've completed the Christmas Event of 2021 and qualified for the last reward, by partisan you are awarded this fancy badge!- Stat Page : The Oni
Clan Specialty : Space/Time
Village : Missing Ninja
Ryo : 0
Fireflies
Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:06 am
Yurei sat on his porch, admiring the nature than surrounded him. It was warm outside with a light breeze. Your perfect Summer evening, even in Hoshigakure where the sun was miserable. There was a slight breeze that constantly refreshed Yurei. The few trees sprinkled around his house rusted softly, swaying in the wind. Yurei took a deep breath, admiring the sunset as it began to settle beneath the horizon.
Vibrant colors of orange, pink, and purple filled the sky, as brilliant as master painter’s strokes on a canvas. It was beautiful, calming, but most of all it was comforting. Tomorrow was the day. It was the day of the funeral, the day his father would finally be laid to rest, two days after he had.. his heart attack. Yurei closed his eyes, letting the warm wind hit his soft, light face.
He sat there, not thinking. It felt forever, eternal. He had forgotten this bliss, this ability to be carefree. The fiery slumber of the sun began, reflecting off of his glowing white sharingan as it fell behind the horizon. Yurei closed his eyes once more, deactivating his sharingan. It was a constant reminder of his mistake, and no sunset, no matter how beautiful, could help him to forget or to forgive himself.
Yurei’s heart ached with loss. Not only the loss of his father, but the loss of his father’s reputation. He thought so highly of his father, but.. His father could never accept him. Even had he lived, their relationship would never be what it once was. It would serve as an obstacle to peace and understanding, and he hoped this impossibility wouldn’t reflect on the progress of Hoshigakure. That was his purpose now, but his Roshi was all the more close and personal. It was his first failure.
The warm sunset transitioned into the night sky, which was perhaps an even greater spectacle. The stars were no rival to the sun in size or light, but in beauty. There were stars not just in the sky, but in the air around Yurei. They rose, shifted, faded, and once again burst into life. Fireflies. They were beautiful, and they filled the evening air. Their fleeting light called to others of their kind in a silent symphony.
Yurei’s spectacle was interrupted by the creak of the front door and a footstep. He met eyes with his mother who bore a small smile. He hadn’t spoken to her since that night, nor she him. It was as if they had a mutual understanding of mourning. Each needed to be alone.
“Why are you out here, Yurei?” she asked, handing him a smoking cup of tea.
Yurei took the porcelain cup, mouthed the words ‘Thank you,’ and drank. He swallowed the delicious mixture of honey and sweetened tea leaves then exhaled deeply. “I just wanted to watch the sunset. And the fireflies.”
The fireflies’ bioluminescence shined a brilliant green. Takia smiled and positioned herself in a chair next to Yurei’s made of wicker. “They are beautiful, aren’t they?” she said stirring some sugar into her tea as its fumes rose into her face.
“Mhm,” Yurei said, not wanting to offer much else to the conversation.
Takia frowned at her son, then sighed. “Your father and I used to come out here a night to watch them when you were just a baby…”
Yurei nodded, watching each insect drift by.
“You cried so much,” she said chuckling lightly, almost painfully. “By the time we finally got you to bed, we would just sit out here and watch them. It was so peaceful, like it is now.:
“Mhm,” Yurei said. His eyes watered as he tried not to focus on what his mother was saying. He rose his white kimono sleeve to wipe away the tears before they got the chance to fall.
“Aw, Yurei,” she said, setting down her cup of tea. Takia faced her said and hugged him, rubbing his back and trying not to sob with him.
“I miss him, Mom,” he said weakly.
“I know, Baby, I know. I miss him too,” she reassured Yurei. She rose and went back to her seat, leaving her hand on his shoulder.
The two sat in silence for a moment, watching the fireflies grow in number. The wind guided pushed them away, dispersing them every other moment, but their pale light always guided them back to one another, no matter how strong the wind was.
“I want to give you something, Yurei,” Takia said reaching into a large pouch. She looked into it, then placed it on her lap. “Before you were born, your father and I were shinobi. Do you remember?”
Yurei nodded, recalling what his father had told him before he died.
Takia reached up to the cherry blossom tree that hung over their porch. She picked a leaf from the tree and handed it to Yurei. “Place that between your hands and focus your chakra on the leaf. I want to see what your chakra nature is.”
Yurei nodded and took the leaf. He placed it between his hands, and, much like with genjutsu, he focused his chakra outward. He strained, focusing deeply, before the leaf became hot. He dropped the leaf as it ignited into a small flame.
Takia smiled. “I thought so. Just like a real Uchiha! That’s your chakra nature or element.”
“Fire?” asked Yurei.
“Yes,” said Takia, smiling. “Uchiha almost always have the fire chakra nature.”
“We burned most of our belongings that tied us to that life, the shinobi life, but I.. uh, I kept something. A token of the Uchiha. Yurei turned to face his mother curiously. “We.. I kept a scroll. Two scrolls. The fire release and the Great Fireball jutsu. My father used to tell me stories about the Uchiha when I was a little girl, how these jutsu were a type of birthright or initiation or, uh, a right of passage for the Uchiha. Every little Uchiha Shinobi your age learned this jutsu, and I think it’s time you learned it too. It’ll look nice with that Sharingan of yours,” she said, smiling.
“You’re giving me a jutsu..?” Yurei asked.
“Your father did his best to protect us, but there were some things I couldn’t let go of. I didn’t want to let go off. I lost my family to shinobi, but I was one at heart. Sometimes… sometimes I feel like a still am. You remind me of myself when I was younger. Filled with aspirations and passion,” she said smiling. “And maybe a tad odd,” he laughed.
Yurei returned the laughter, smiling.
“I want you to have these. I don’t want you to be afraid of these villagers. I don’t want my son afraid of being himself – of living up to his family name. Your father would kill me if he were here, but… here.” Takia handed over the scrolls and Yurei grasped them in return. He leapt out of his chair and wrapped his arms around his mother.
“Thank you, Mom,” he said.
“You’re welcome Yurei Uchiha,” she said, pulling back and smiling as she looked at her son’s face. “You’re becoming a handsome young man. I know you’ll help this village become a better place for shinobi.”
Yurei’s face contorted into an ugly sob and he hugged his mother once more. “I love you so much, Mom,” he said.
Takia smiled. “I love you too, Sweetheart. Now go on and learn that jutsu!
Yurei wiped his eyes and nodded. “Ok,” he said, scampering off of the front porch and running to the sidewalk.
Takia watched as her son ran off, so rife with passion and life despite the passing of his father. Or perhaps he simply was good at hiding just how hurt he really was.
As Yurei ran off with the scrolls, he began to unravel what he understood was the fire release scroll. Despite his taste for Genjutsu, Yurei had come to the conclusion that he would need more offensive techniques to defend himself. Ninjutsu was perfect for that, and Yurei had no real offensive techniques. Even more perfect was his connection to the jutsu and his mother’s acceptance of it. That was the real prize, and now, along with that, he could further his pride for his clan.
Yurei strolled onward, following the light of the street lamps, but he stopped. Yurei turned to look back at his home. He felt awful leaving his mother alone, especially now. But she did say she wanted him to learn it, and all he could do there was sulk with her.
Yurei huffed, unsure of himself. He turned back and walked on with the fire release scroll in hand.
The Fire Release: Fire Stream was a fairly simple technique, though Yurei had no experience with this, only with the leaf exercise. Yurei would have to knead his chakra within his lungs and generate a blaze, exhaling it much like Damon had in the training grounds numerous times.
The Great Fireball jutsu was very similar. The two went hand in hand, same execution, more powerful result, and more chakra necessary to use the technique. The main difference between the two was the result. The Great Fireball justu, as the name implied, generated a massive sphere of fire rather than a spray.
Yurei continued walking, going through the busy night markets as he made his way to the training grounds. He weaved through the busy men and women trying to buy goods, clothing, food, and the like, until he finally broke through the mass of people shouting and complaining. Yurei sighed, entering the “Shinobi District” as he called it. It was lonely, and no one was insight. The only light came from a few street lamps, the stars, and fireflies. Away from the masses of people angrily buying what they needed, thousands of fireflies had gathered.
Yurei gasped, watching them all. It was beautiful. He had never seen so many fireflies in one place. They’re greenish yellow light flickered like a icicle lights on a house at Christmas. It was truly a spectacle.
Yurei moved on, past the ninja academy and into the training grounds. Luckily, the fireflies here were few. Vaporizing them was not on his to-do list. Yurei went out to the sandy fields and read the scroll for the Fire Release: Fire Stream jutsu once more, this time noting the handseals required. It was simple, a half tiger seal. Only one hand was needed to perform it.
Yurei smiled and placed on scrolls on the ground at his feet. The pale Uchiha boy took a deep breath, and he allowed the air to sit in his lungs, boiling with heat trying to escape. The tightness within his chest grew. Then, using his right hand, he formed to tiger seal.
The air and chakra within his scroll swelled, sweltering within him. Then, he released. Yurei exhaled, unleashing a torrent of blazing fire into the air. He stopped, watching as the blaze ignited, flew, and then dispersed into spark and then nothing.
“Yes!” Yurei said, proud of this technique. He executed it with perfection and on his first try. It was quite the spectacle. It was pure. It was passion and it was life, igniting, living, breathing, and then fading. Fleeting. Yurei took a deep breath and then kneeled down, grabbing the Great Fireball Jutsu scroll. This was going to more difficult he was sure.
Yurei unraveled the bit of parchment, reading it carefully this time and examining the requirements. Two handseals, horse, then tiger. There were two alternations for the jutsu, one, as the name implied, a massive fireball, and the other empowered version of the fire stream jutsu. Longer range, more powerful, but the fire stream provided a nice stepping stool.
Yurei placed the scroll on the ground. He looked up at the night sky, flared his nostils, and took a deep breath of warm air. He kept that air locked away within his chest as he performed the handseals. At first, he sighed horse, then tiger. He could feel the chakra building up within him, begging, pleading to escape. Yurei exhaled, launching a fireball from his mouth. It plowed into the sad a few yards away, thrusting dust and newly created glass into the air. The dust and glass was caught glistening in the moonlight, almost motionless as if time had stopped so Yurei could watch the spectacle.
Then, Yurei performed the jutsu again. He signed horse, then tiger, took a deep breath, and allowed the chakra to boil within him. It swirled violently until Yurei exhaled, pursing his lips, almost whistling, and generating a cone of fire that lit up the training grounds in its orange brilliance. It, too, was quite the spectacle. Yurei sighed as the cone of fire dissipated. He smiled, satisfied with his work. “Mom’s gonna be so proud of me,” he said, smiling.
Yurei took a deep breath, feeling the relief of not having fire in his lungs. He nodded, listening to the silence of the night. He felt the breeze coarse against his skin. It filled him with its warm embrace, much like a hug.
The pale Uchiha gathered his things, packing up his scrolls within his side pouch. Yurei stood and stared up at the stars. They flickered down on him, and the albino genin smiled back at them, turning to leave the training grounds.
Yurei strolled past the sands of the training grounds, the lonely shinobi academy, and then through the busy markets, still teeming with people of all shapes and sizes. He had to admit that he missed the peace and quiet of the training grounds. Perhaps that was one of the many reasons he loved it so.
Tonight had been an amazing night for Yurei. He had learned of his mother’s support for him, something his father never got the chance to show, he had learned of his chakra nature, and now he had learned two new jutsu. It was relieving, not having to think about loss. It reminded Yurei of the fire trapped within him when he had performed the jutsu. Trapped, unable to escape or be released from this prison. Yurei smiled as he walked past the houses the lined up his street until he eventually made it to his own home, where his mom was waiting on the porch,
“How did it go, Yurei?” she inquired, smiling. A jar filled with fireflies was next to her. She had been busy while he was gone. There had to be dozens inside.
“Well, I think I got the hang of both of them,” Yurei said modestly. He scratched his head and grinned.
“Good!” his mother replied, “Good..” Takia looked over to the jar of fireflies. Each flicked at a different time. It was like staring at the stars, all flickering. “Come here, Yurei, I want you to do the honors.”
Yurei nodded with a grin on his face and he stepped onto the porch. Yurei grasped the jar and stared at the insects within. But then he realized something. They were like him. Trapped. Not trapped by the death of his father, but the weight it carried, the very idea it represented. Yurei loved his father, but the circumstances surrounding his death were the epitome of what it meant to be a shinobi in Hoshigakure. Yurei frowned at the trapped fireflies and then unscrewed the lid. The fireflies poured out of the jar and swirled into the air, together, and adding new stars to the already brilliant skies of the City Blessed by the Stars.
WC: 2606
Exit
Requesting:
Fire Release: Fire Stream
Great Fireball
13 Stat Points
Vibrant colors of orange, pink, and purple filled the sky, as brilliant as master painter’s strokes on a canvas. It was beautiful, calming, but most of all it was comforting. Tomorrow was the day. It was the day of the funeral, the day his father would finally be laid to rest, two days after he had.. his heart attack. Yurei closed his eyes, letting the warm wind hit his soft, light face.
He sat there, not thinking. It felt forever, eternal. He had forgotten this bliss, this ability to be carefree. The fiery slumber of the sun began, reflecting off of his glowing white sharingan as it fell behind the horizon. Yurei closed his eyes once more, deactivating his sharingan. It was a constant reminder of his mistake, and no sunset, no matter how beautiful, could help him to forget or to forgive himself.
Yurei’s heart ached with loss. Not only the loss of his father, but the loss of his father’s reputation. He thought so highly of his father, but.. His father could never accept him. Even had he lived, their relationship would never be what it once was. It would serve as an obstacle to peace and understanding, and he hoped this impossibility wouldn’t reflect on the progress of Hoshigakure. That was his purpose now, but his Roshi was all the more close and personal. It was his first failure.
The warm sunset transitioned into the night sky, which was perhaps an even greater spectacle. The stars were no rival to the sun in size or light, but in beauty. There were stars not just in the sky, but in the air around Yurei. They rose, shifted, faded, and once again burst into life. Fireflies. They were beautiful, and they filled the evening air. Their fleeting light called to others of their kind in a silent symphony.
Yurei’s spectacle was interrupted by the creak of the front door and a footstep. He met eyes with his mother who bore a small smile. He hadn’t spoken to her since that night, nor she him. It was as if they had a mutual understanding of mourning. Each needed to be alone.
“Why are you out here, Yurei?” she asked, handing him a smoking cup of tea.
Yurei took the porcelain cup, mouthed the words ‘Thank you,’ and drank. He swallowed the delicious mixture of honey and sweetened tea leaves then exhaled deeply. “I just wanted to watch the sunset. And the fireflies.”
The fireflies’ bioluminescence shined a brilliant green. Takia smiled and positioned herself in a chair next to Yurei’s made of wicker. “They are beautiful, aren’t they?” she said stirring some sugar into her tea as its fumes rose into her face.
“Mhm,” Yurei said, not wanting to offer much else to the conversation.
Takia frowned at her son, then sighed. “Your father and I used to come out here a night to watch them when you were just a baby…”
Yurei nodded, watching each insect drift by.
“You cried so much,” she said chuckling lightly, almost painfully. “By the time we finally got you to bed, we would just sit out here and watch them. It was so peaceful, like it is now.:
“Mhm,” Yurei said. His eyes watered as he tried not to focus on what his mother was saying. He rose his white kimono sleeve to wipe away the tears before they got the chance to fall.
“Aw, Yurei,” she said, setting down her cup of tea. Takia faced her said and hugged him, rubbing his back and trying not to sob with him.
“I miss him, Mom,” he said weakly.
“I know, Baby, I know. I miss him too,” she reassured Yurei. She rose and went back to her seat, leaving her hand on his shoulder.
The two sat in silence for a moment, watching the fireflies grow in number. The wind guided pushed them away, dispersing them every other moment, but their pale light always guided them back to one another, no matter how strong the wind was.
“I want to give you something, Yurei,” Takia said reaching into a large pouch. She looked into it, then placed it on her lap. “Before you were born, your father and I were shinobi. Do you remember?”
Yurei nodded, recalling what his father had told him before he died.
Takia reached up to the cherry blossom tree that hung over their porch. She picked a leaf from the tree and handed it to Yurei. “Place that between your hands and focus your chakra on the leaf. I want to see what your chakra nature is.”
Yurei nodded and took the leaf. He placed it between his hands, and, much like with genjutsu, he focused his chakra outward. He strained, focusing deeply, before the leaf became hot. He dropped the leaf as it ignited into a small flame.
Takia smiled. “I thought so. Just like a real Uchiha! That’s your chakra nature or element.”
“Fire?” asked Yurei.
“Yes,” said Takia, smiling. “Uchiha almost always have the fire chakra nature.”
“We burned most of our belongings that tied us to that life, the shinobi life, but I.. uh, I kept something. A token of the Uchiha. Yurei turned to face his mother curiously. “We.. I kept a scroll. Two scrolls. The fire release and the Great Fireball jutsu. My father used to tell me stories about the Uchiha when I was a little girl, how these jutsu were a type of birthright or initiation or, uh, a right of passage for the Uchiha. Every little Uchiha Shinobi your age learned this jutsu, and I think it’s time you learned it too. It’ll look nice with that Sharingan of yours,” she said, smiling.
“You’re giving me a jutsu..?” Yurei asked.
“Your father did his best to protect us, but there were some things I couldn’t let go of. I didn’t want to let go off. I lost my family to shinobi, but I was one at heart. Sometimes… sometimes I feel like a still am. You remind me of myself when I was younger. Filled with aspirations and passion,” she said smiling. “And maybe a tad odd,” he laughed.
Yurei returned the laughter, smiling.
“I want you to have these. I don’t want you to be afraid of these villagers. I don’t want my son afraid of being himself – of living up to his family name. Your father would kill me if he were here, but… here.” Takia handed over the scrolls and Yurei grasped them in return. He leapt out of his chair and wrapped his arms around his mother.
“Thank you, Mom,” he said.
“You’re welcome Yurei Uchiha,” she said, pulling back and smiling as she looked at her son’s face. “You’re becoming a handsome young man. I know you’ll help this village become a better place for shinobi.”
Yurei’s face contorted into an ugly sob and he hugged his mother once more. “I love you so much, Mom,” he said.
Takia smiled. “I love you too, Sweetheart. Now go on and learn that jutsu!
Yurei wiped his eyes and nodded. “Ok,” he said, scampering off of the front porch and running to the sidewalk.
Takia watched as her son ran off, so rife with passion and life despite the passing of his father. Or perhaps he simply was good at hiding just how hurt he really was.
As Yurei ran off with the scrolls, he began to unravel what he understood was the fire release scroll. Despite his taste for Genjutsu, Yurei had come to the conclusion that he would need more offensive techniques to defend himself. Ninjutsu was perfect for that, and Yurei had no real offensive techniques. Even more perfect was his connection to the jutsu and his mother’s acceptance of it. That was the real prize, and now, along with that, he could further his pride for his clan.
Yurei strolled onward, following the light of the street lamps, but he stopped. Yurei turned to look back at his home. He felt awful leaving his mother alone, especially now. But she did say she wanted him to learn it, and all he could do there was sulk with her.
Yurei huffed, unsure of himself. He turned back and walked on with the fire release scroll in hand.
The Fire Release: Fire Stream was a fairly simple technique, though Yurei had no experience with this, only with the leaf exercise. Yurei would have to knead his chakra within his lungs and generate a blaze, exhaling it much like Damon had in the training grounds numerous times.
The Great Fireball jutsu was very similar. The two went hand in hand, same execution, more powerful result, and more chakra necessary to use the technique. The main difference between the two was the result. The Great Fireball justu, as the name implied, generated a massive sphere of fire rather than a spray.
Yurei continued walking, going through the busy night markets as he made his way to the training grounds. He weaved through the busy men and women trying to buy goods, clothing, food, and the like, until he finally broke through the mass of people shouting and complaining. Yurei sighed, entering the “Shinobi District” as he called it. It was lonely, and no one was insight. The only light came from a few street lamps, the stars, and fireflies. Away from the masses of people angrily buying what they needed, thousands of fireflies had gathered.
Yurei gasped, watching them all. It was beautiful. He had never seen so many fireflies in one place. They’re greenish yellow light flickered like a icicle lights on a house at Christmas. It was truly a spectacle.
Yurei moved on, past the ninja academy and into the training grounds. Luckily, the fireflies here were few. Vaporizing them was not on his to-do list. Yurei went out to the sandy fields and read the scroll for the Fire Release: Fire Stream jutsu once more, this time noting the handseals required. It was simple, a half tiger seal. Only one hand was needed to perform it.
Yurei smiled and placed on scrolls on the ground at his feet. The pale Uchiha boy took a deep breath, and he allowed the air to sit in his lungs, boiling with heat trying to escape. The tightness within his chest grew. Then, using his right hand, he formed to tiger seal.
The air and chakra within his scroll swelled, sweltering within him. Then, he released. Yurei exhaled, unleashing a torrent of blazing fire into the air. He stopped, watching as the blaze ignited, flew, and then dispersed into spark and then nothing.
“Yes!” Yurei said, proud of this technique. He executed it with perfection and on his first try. It was quite the spectacle. It was pure. It was passion and it was life, igniting, living, breathing, and then fading. Fleeting. Yurei took a deep breath and then kneeled down, grabbing the Great Fireball Jutsu scroll. This was going to more difficult he was sure.
Yurei unraveled the bit of parchment, reading it carefully this time and examining the requirements. Two handseals, horse, then tiger. There were two alternations for the jutsu, one, as the name implied, a massive fireball, and the other empowered version of the fire stream jutsu. Longer range, more powerful, but the fire stream provided a nice stepping stool.
Yurei placed the scroll on the ground. He looked up at the night sky, flared his nostils, and took a deep breath of warm air. He kept that air locked away within his chest as he performed the handseals. At first, he sighed horse, then tiger. He could feel the chakra building up within him, begging, pleading to escape. Yurei exhaled, launching a fireball from his mouth. It plowed into the sad a few yards away, thrusting dust and newly created glass into the air. The dust and glass was caught glistening in the moonlight, almost motionless as if time had stopped so Yurei could watch the spectacle.
Then, Yurei performed the jutsu again. He signed horse, then tiger, took a deep breath, and allowed the chakra to boil within him. It swirled violently until Yurei exhaled, pursing his lips, almost whistling, and generating a cone of fire that lit up the training grounds in its orange brilliance. It, too, was quite the spectacle. Yurei sighed as the cone of fire dissipated. He smiled, satisfied with his work. “Mom’s gonna be so proud of me,” he said, smiling.
Yurei took a deep breath, feeling the relief of not having fire in his lungs. He nodded, listening to the silence of the night. He felt the breeze coarse against his skin. It filled him with its warm embrace, much like a hug.
The pale Uchiha gathered his things, packing up his scrolls within his side pouch. Yurei stood and stared up at the stars. They flickered down on him, and the albino genin smiled back at them, turning to leave the training grounds.
Yurei strolled past the sands of the training grounds, the lonely shinobi academy, and then through the busy markets, still teeming with people of all shapes and sizes. He had to admit that he missed the peace and quiet of the training grounds. Perhaps that was one of the many reasons he loved it so.
Tonight had been an amazing night for Yurei. He had learned of his mother’s support for him, something his father never got the chance to show, he had learned of his chakra nature, and now he had learned two new jutsu. It was relieving, not having to think about loss. It reminded Yurei of the fire trapped within him when he had performed the jutsu. Trapped, unable to escape or be released from this prison. Yurei smiled as he walked past the houses the lined up his street until he eventually made it to his own home, where his mom was waiting on the porch,
“How did it go, Yurei?” she inquired, smiling. A jar filled with fireflies was next to her. She had been busy while he was gone. There had to be dozens inside.
“Well, I think I got the hang of both of them,” Yurei said modestly. He scratched his head and grinned.
“Good!” his mother replied, “Good..” Takia looked over to the jar of fireflies. Each flicked at a different time. It was like staring at the stars, all flickering. “Come here, Yurei, I want you to do the honors.”
Yurei nodded with a grin on his face and he stepped onto the porch. Yurei grasped the jar and stared at the insects within. But then he realized something. They were like him. Trapped. Not trapped by the death of his father, but the weight it carried, the very idea it represented. Yurei loved his father, but the circumstances surrounding his death were the epitome of what it meant to be a shinobi in Hoshigakure. Yurei frowned at the trapped fireflies and then unscrewed the lid. The fireflies poured out of the jar and swirled into the air, together, and adding new stars to the already brilliant skies of the City Blessed by the Stars.
WC: 2606
Exit
Requesting:
Fire Release: Fire Stream
Great Fireball
13 Stat Points
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