[Tenka Yujukumono]

Yuju was watching the old man going down the street, an unusual intensity in the normally much more mischievous looking boy. He wanted to see what made this old, wrinkled man so special. What made his family speak in hushed whispers when they saw him come down the street, a man who had gained the respect of his entire clan for his deeds and skill with Genjutsu, something not even the Ame lord has managed to do due to his clans notoriously finicky outlook on things. The man that Yuju had heard his father refer to as "Baku" as if he might steal his soul if he heard the name. Because all Yuju could see was an old man who can't even walk, the wrinkled old geezer reduced to wheeling around in a wheelchair. This was the fate of the prestigious second lord of Amegakure. And Yuju was not impressed.

The young boy hopped out of the tree he was in, deciding to get a closer look. As if there was something here he was just missing. The boy knew somewhat of the stories, though nobody in his clan seemed willing into specifics, just that this man was the most powerful genjutsu user in Amegakure. And as Yuju watched this old, vacant eyed octogenarian, he frowned. It was a laughable idea. Just another thing that the old men in his own clan were getting wrong as well. The Tenka couldn't be outclassed by...by this. Let alone the current Ame lord. Yuju was born in the post baby boom of his clan which happened right after the Third War, which meant there weren't many kids his age in the clan. Instead there were adults, adults who grew up watching old men like this in their prime. And Yuju was convinced it had blinded them to what these old men had become. And he was going to prove it.

He walked up to the old man, Maboroshi Masao, a trickster grin once again growing on the cap wearing boy, wearing capri pants that didn't fully cover his ankles and a striped shirt. The picture of youth. And he offered a greeting to the venerable ex-Kage. Morning Ojii-san~ Then the boys smile widened. Or should I say...Baku-san~

[Maboroshi Masao]

It was one of those rare clear days within Amegakure. Either those who were supposed to be maintaining the Rain Tiger at Will technique were slacking or the Hanchou had decided not to make use of it for some reason. While the lack of one of their lines of defense annoyed him a great deal, he admittedly was relieved to an extent since it meant less arthritis flare ups in his joints. A minuscule amount of chakra flowed to the reactive segments in his mobility chair, allowing for the old man to effortless wheel himself where he pleased. Currently the former lord of Amegakure found himself heading to one of the training grounds to watch the younger shinobi at work. The hope of having Chotepu become the successor for his Fist of Tranquility had fizzled and so he was on a renewed search to find something worth bothering to train.

It was somewhere around being halfway to the training grounds when Masao noticed a presence following him. While he was not some master tracker, the difference in his stalker's skill to quietly move and his own ability to detect nearby threats seemed to have a vast gap in competency. Thankfully Masao did not have to play ignorant for too long, as a young child of maybe ten years hopped down from a tree and quickly moved to stand before Masao. The boy was unfamiliar to him and likely an academy student or genin judging by his age. He greeted Masao in a manner that was overly familiar and failed to introduce himself. These two things did serve to annoy Masao slightly, but his many decades of experience had taught him to remain his cool to such irritations.


"A good morning to you Botchan. You really need to be more careful jumping out of trees like that or you'll hurt yourself."


The words sounded sincere enough, but in reality Masao figured if the kid could not extend to him any respect, then he could treat him like the child he seemed content to act like. Reaching to his side, Masao's hand slipped into a small satchel and produce a handful of candies which were offered out towards the boy.


"You also don't need to be so shy as to follow me all this way, you only needed to ask."


Once again, the words were pleasant enough, but subtly told the boy his attempt to tail him had been immediately noticed without Masao needing to outright break his usual aloof performance.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

The candy the elderly ex-Kage handed out would be gone as quickly as he offered it, the young boy having no hesitation in taking candy from strangers as he immediately plopped one of them into his mouth. However, the scrunching of his face would show his immediate disappointment. Instead of the chewy, sugary delights the boy would spend his allowance getting in the markets, instead this candy was hard and as adults would say, "refined". Which is to say, not sweet at all. Still, candy was candy, and after a few audible attempts to bite it that almost cracked his teeth that even someone with hearing loss like the elderly man in front of him could hear, he would simply suck on it as he studied the old man more.

No worries, no worries, Baku-san~ I haven't fallen yet...Except for that time that dumb paperwad pushed me... He found himself whispering the last part out loud without even meaning too, still quite annoyed over that whole incident. But he bounced back fast, his face one of polite amusement, even if he wasn't being very polite at all deep down. He wasn't even too concerned over his accidental whisperings being overhead, the man in front of him was older than the boys grandfather after all.

But unfortunately for the cap wearing boy, his target of interest was sharper than most. He'd not only seen him get out of the tree, but in fact had been keeping tabs of him following him. Though it is impressive you saw that Oji-san~ No wonder my papa calls you Baku-san~ The boy was somewhat disappointed truth be told. He'd expected a whole huge reaction, shock, interrogations over how he knew that name, or perhaps a warning never to say it again. After all all the adults in his clan never called him Baku-San to his face. Simply Lord-Second. The mischievous boy had thought he'd stumbled into something interesting with the name, but instead Baku was acting like it was no big deal. How boring...Really the more he interacted with him the more it looked like he really was just some old man. Maybe a sharp one, but still.

I'm a Tenka~ Tenka Yujukumono~ He'd answer the question that had yet to be asked, acting polite while still keeping an eye on the old man's expression. It was dangerous to reveal his family, if the old man wanted too he could get Yuju in a lot of trouble for acting like this in front of such an honored elder. But the impish boy couldn't help it, he just wanted some reaction. Anything. And he was wondering if revealing that he was a member of Amegakure's genjutsu specialists might be the thi g that does it.

[Maboroshi Masao]

Watch and listening to the young child before him, Masao took note of the boy's comment about a 'dumb paperwad' pushing him which was not hard to connect to a particular clan as the likely culprit and his repeated usage of the name Baku as well as the pause each time as if he was expecting some sort of reaction. It was not something he was called often within the village, with his usual title of Lord Second being the more frequently used moniker for him, but it was hardly as if he was ashamed or displeased with the name of Baku. It was a name he had earned through countless fights and many opponents deaths.

When the boy mentioned that his father spoke of Masao and eventually even went so far as to give his name. Masao's reaction was visibly less than animated, with the rather basic friendly smile remaining in place and only a slight bobbing of his head from a nod being the only real change to be noticed. In reality the clan name had caught him somewhat off guard; Masao had expected more respect from a member of the Tenka clan as many of them had sought him out to help perfect their genjutsu in the past.

In all honesty, Masao had something of a mixed opinion on the Tenka overall. On one hand their hijutsu was one that helped employ genjutsu on the masses which had great effectiveness when employed on larger battlefields. On the other hand however, their clan members in his experience were blind to the true usefulness of genjutsu which was its subtlety. More than one time he had considered teaching a handful of the Tenka how to make use of his Fist of Tranquility style and every single time they had proved themselves as undeserving of it in his eyes.

Channeling a small amount of chakra into his chair, the wheels began to spin and pivoted the elderly man sitting on it before finally propelling him forward slowly. As he did so Masao spoke up, his words directed to the boy in an effort to hopefully make it clear that he intended to walk and talk as it were.


"I can't say I know your name Botchan. What brings a child of the Tenka to follow me today other than the candy?"


While the child lacked any sort of respect, he was at least proving more interesting than some of his other clan fellows. Masao was an oddity in this world and had always been different from the majority of his family growing up. Perhaps there would be something worth seeing or hearing from the child, at the very least it was worthwhile enough to have a conversation.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

While the old goat might be able to maintain discipline and keep his expression neutral at Yuju's big reveal, the boy himself would not be able to do so, the disappointment at once again failing to shock the old man plain on his face now. While Yuju was pretty good at staying in character and not revealing too much, even he had his limits, especially when his efforts were met with constant failure. Not much gets to you, does it oji-san... He'd have no way of knowing that his final gambit of revealing his lineage had indeed had the desired effect, and the young boy was left standing in disappointment over this entire encounter. Not even the candy he'd been given was making this encounter seem worth it in the end.

And as this old man in front of him turned and started to wheel away, the same mindless expression on his face, Yuju thought that was the end of it, and that he'd tired of the conversation. Or that the old man had managed to forget he was having a conversation in the first place. At least, until he yelled behind him, signaling to the boy he was simply looking for a change of scenery it seemed. And so, partly against his better judgment, the trickster child would jog towards the old man in the moving chair, trying to catch up.

Hmm...Oh... Yuju wasn't quite sure how to answer this question. He'd all but given up hope of getting a fun reaction from the retired Kage in front of him, so there wasn't much point in going for an answer that'd shock him. Honestly at this point he was considering making up an answer and excusing himself, while the man before him might not quite be going senile since he seemed to have noticed Yuju following him, it definitely seemed like age had taken it's toll. Just how interesting could a man so far past his prime really be? And yet, Yuju was still curious about this man that was so revered by his clan. Maybe it was the fact he was built up to near legend status by his papa, maybe it was the fact he'd given him candy. Either way, he was hesitant to leave, and also wanted more candy. Oh! Speaking of candy, you wouldn't happen to have any more would you Oji-san? He didn't know why he wanted more of it, it had tasted pretty gross at first. And yet, it also grew on him the more he thought on it, to the point he really did want more. He couldn't help but wonder if this was him getting a more adult-like pallete.

But regardless of whether he got more candy or not, his answer would be the same after giving it some thought. As for why...I guess it's cause...Welllll...You're the Baku-San. Every Tenka is obsessed with you, even my papa. I just wanted to see you for myself, see what makes you so...Special... It was surprisingly honest for the boy, no ulterior motive for revealing the truth this time. He simply wasn't sure how else to answer, and at this point why not tell the old man just why he'd come and visited him today.

[Maboroshi Masao]

As they traversed forward, the young Tenka boy asked if he happened to have more candy. Absentmindedly Masao reached into one of his two bags filled with the small treats and offered it over to the child while he answered the question Masao had asked. It seemed it had been simple curiosity that had made the boy seek him out. While some might have found it a bit of a dull reason, for Masao it actually managed to garner some favor. After all, one needed curiosity if they were to discover any critical truths in this world. It was a very small step on the path to knowledge, but a critical one that many often failed to take.


"Bah. People place others on pedestals, but then fail to learn any of the lessons which got that person placed there to begin with. No person is special, it is a person's actions that are special and worth remembering. Their sacrifices, the drive to improve their skills and their willingness to do what must be done. It's like saying a book or play is good because others said so or it looked pretty, while ignoring the content."

He might have been a bit harsh, but the boy's comment as to how his father and the Tenka obsessed over him made his earlier memories of Tenka he had tried to train an even more bitter memory to have recalled. They had mouthed words of respect, but when it came to actually learning what he could teach them they had all came up short for one reason or another. . . Now here he was, an old man who had forgotten a great deal of his secrets and would take the rest to his grave sooner than he would like.


"A great many of your clansmen began training with me, but most were blinded by their eyes and wished only to follow what was expected of their clan."


At this point the anger had faded and Masao had regained control of the minor emotional flare-up. Now he was back to his usual tricks of prodding the youngster who seemed content to stand outside what was normal for his clansmen with disparaging remarks about their complacency. Would the boy speak up to defend his family and their lifestyles? Would he join in disparaging them? Perhaps a more neutral answer or no response at all; whatever the response it would tell Masao something about the boy.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

Joy lit up on his face at the handful of candy that appeared, the young boy snatching them up and stuffing multiple ones in his mouth without even a thanks. Though this time he did keep some for the walk, preserving his precious stash. And just as before the taste wasn't sweet, wasn't particularly chewable, and all-in-all not what most would kids wanted in their candy. You know, kids don't really like this type of stuff oji-san. They've got this new candy that's really popular down at the market. His suggestion was said with a mouthful of candy unswallowed, a perfect picture of hypocrisy. And truth be told, these "refined" candies were growing on him, and he thought of how he might need to ask the old man just what brand he got.

But that might have to wait, as his honesty seemed to have managed to put the old man on a tangent, a very and a very lucid tangent at that. Yuju raised a lone eyebrow, surprise and curiosity mixed on his face as he now silently sucked on the candies given to him. He'd thought that bringing up his father, his clan would garner him favor, but instead it seemed to to enflame this passionate rant, though Yuju wasn't actually sure what it was about other than it seemed Baku didn't like being held in such high regard by his clan. Did that mean the old goat didn't like the Tenka? Yuju thought back on how his clansmen always whispered the old man's nickname "Baku", instead of outright calling him it. Maybe this was why. He didn't know the history between his clan and the Lord Second, the history of apprentices. But he quickly learned as the man in the self-moving wheelchair went on and explained, Yuju's eye lowering and his face going from intrigued to relaxed once more. It seemed that hearing members of his clan had stubbornly stuck to their ways didn't surprise him in the least.

The boy kept walking, sucking on the candy in his mouth, silence filling the empty void after the big reveal about his clan. There wasn't much of a reaction from Yuju besides him struggling to swallow the multiple candies he'd eaten at once, at least at first. But once he managed to swallow the handful he'd eaten before, he took a single piece of candy and plopped it in his mouth before speaking. Did you know the Tenka are as old as the foundling clans, oji-san? He'd turn with a huge grin on his face, mischief in his eyes. I bet you did! I wouldn't be surprised if you were there for it oji-san! The young boy giggled at his own joke, then a surprising thing happened. His smile died a little, no longer a happy-go-lucky grin, but instead small and contemplative. Yuju's mind was a mile away for once, lost in thought.

We lived on the border of Nohara no Kuni. That's why we set up our compound right next to Arashi Tien, it reminds us of the forest we left behind. That's what the elders say. And they say that we stayed in that forest for as long as we could, on our own, and they say it with pride. Yuju's smile was gone, the contemplation turning into a frustrated grimace. The adults always talk about how it's important to bring prestige to our clan, but by being stuck in the old ways we missed out on the biggest prestige possible. And all the adults still keep living in the past. They say to be pragmatic, yet still refuse to get rid of clan positions that existed before we integrated into the village. They say be diplomatic, yet get angry at the Kage anytime they aren't mentioned with the same respect as the founding clans. He turned to the old man, a smile once again on his face as he swallowed the candy that had been in his mouth. If you ask me, Baku-San, my clans run by a bunch of old adults who are stuck in the past.

Masao had wondered just how Yuju would react to having his clan criticized, and he'd found his answer. He had found a boy with the heart of a revolutionary, a surprising fire that burned. And it was quite possibly, a moldable flame.

[Maboroshi Masao]

At first Masao thought the boy had opted to give no answer, with him just stating that the Tenka were as old as the founding clans. To a Maboroshi who understood the truth of his clan it was almost amusing to hear another thing that something he had born witness to was truly of an age worth getting excited over; the Maboroshi in their earliest iteration predating even the teachings of chakra. What Masao had thought to be a non-answer however was soon expanded on. The young Tenka spoke of how their clan had held out and took pride in their accomplishment before finally pointing out the failure of the Tenka to actually take part of the achievement that was actually worthy of recognition, the achievement of founding Amegakure no Sato. Masao was genuinely impressed by the young boy's self-awareness when it came to him listing his clan's shortcomings.


"I was there at the founding, probably a year or two younger than you are now; was the first to sign my name up for the academy that was to be established even. . . Was a strange time, so many clans and small families coming together to create this place. Even then you had those who were stuck in the past, seeking only glory for themselves and their kin while not seeing the noose that was tightening around everyone's throats."


There was a brief pause, a moment where Masao's eyes seemed to focus far into the distance as certain memories came back to him. He did indeed remember the crowds he had seen that day, the ramshackle buildings the lay on the coast of a great lake where they were supposed to build a village which would act as a grand military hub for Arashi no Kuni. He recalled the Daimyo as he announced the name of the first person who would lead the village and the various clan heads swore their oaths to the Daimyo, the first Ame Lady and the village as a whole. What stood out the most in his memories were the pompous faces of those who had shown up only to look down on those who had 'submitted' and betrayed what made 'true shinobi' in their eyes.


They believed they were simply above it all, superior because they saw no need to combine their arms in the creation of this village. Most of the fools who did not join died within the first decade. . . some eventually pleaded they be allowed to join.

Oh, they all put their little spins to it. Had they not joined then we would have perished as well, they could have remained independent if they had really wanted to, they only joined because our nation was invaded and other such drivel. The truth is they did not want to wind up like the many other clans which disappeared with not a scribble on a single page to remember them. They ignored the obvious vision of what the future held in hopes that pretending it was not true would save them from it."


Masao had begun to rant once again, but this time it was not out of a genuine anger he felt difficulty in controlling; while he did indeed feel some level of anger and disgust, it was under control this time. Now he was merely playing the part of an old man with a knowledge of the past and watched for the young Tenka boy's reactions to what he was saying. Given the boy's earlier statement, Masao was quickly becoming more intrigued by the boy and had begun to appraise him to be of potentially more value than he had originally estimated.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

Yuju's jest had been just that, a jest. He knew the man before him was older than dirt, stuck to a wheelchair as his body gave out before his mind. But the young boy couldn't appreciate just how old he was until the man before him confirmed that he'd been there, been there when the Tenka had joined the village just before the First War. Been alive before any of the elders had even been born, and to make to add to it all, he'd been almost the same age as the young boy. The tone had changed as the cap wearing boy had complained, complained about old men in his clan unable to look forward, unable to let go of the past. And before him sat a man older than any person he'd ever met, maybe older than any person alive in the entire world. And after his diatribe, after his complaints about being stuck in a system he hated, after all that seriousness. He just laughed. Laughed at just how ridiculously old the man before him was. No offense oji-san but...You definitely shouldn't be alive...So what's your secret? A cheeky smile, a impish charm. The mood had changed, until the very old man reminisced himself.

He gave a toothy grin though, enjoying the show he was getting. Enjoying watching the old man fight against a mindset he found so utterly frustrating. That's not quite how the clan elders tell it...Baku-san. He was having fun teasing him, switching the nicknames when he found it thematically fitting, dropping a title that the Tenka worshipped as he insulted the belief that the Tenka had remained hidden until the time was right, until they'd be most appreciated. Though they do mention how enemy forces kept getting larger, how we kept giving up more and more forest land before essentially all we had left was the compound, but...The way they tell it, you'd almost think this was simply
..Coincidental. Eh, Baku-San? Yuju couldn't help but wonder, did any Tenka actually understand this old man? Or did they worship him without talking to him.

Though, the clan did have respect from the village. Prestige, though not as much as any Tenka, even Yuju, wanted. And the elders were always happy to bring that up as well. I suppose the elders aren't all wrong though...Even the village recognized our efforts in the first two wars. The boy rested his head in his hands, looking up at the rarely clear sky. Though they do seem to get upset when you bring up how the clan leader died against the head of the Uchiha in the first war. He looked at the man with an impish smile again, making it clear he'd done just that. To most, she was a venerated leader, a strong one who oversaw our integration into the village, who led us to many victories, and we tell it like that's the end. Like the part where she died one-on-one and the Uchiha beat us is just some detail. And I guess that's why...To me it's just another story told by old men, a story that doesn't even have a good ending. He looked up at the sky again. I wonder if the Uchiha think about that battle as much as we do... He looked at Masao, at Baku, already pretty sure of the answer.

I guess the clan leader in second war was pretty good though, dying for the Ame Lords family isn't a bad way to go. Too bad he died from assassin's though, it's kinda ironic huh oji-san? Yuju didn't know of the connections, know what of the politics he was bringing up. He was being truely innocent here, a small child rambling about what he'd been in history, poking fun at it with someone old enough to experience it. Not knowing just how well the man before him experienced it.

[Maboroshi Masao]

Masao listened for a time as the young Tenka affirmed what Masao had stated in a somewhat roundabout and cheeky manner, pointing out the supposed coincidence. Shortly after the boy moved on to speaking of the Tenka clan head who had been in charge during the integration period over the course of the First Shinobi War, ultimately dying in an encounter with one of the Uchiha clan. This recounting received a disparaging grumble from Masao who obviously felt differently.

Next Yujukumono spoke of her successor and how he had died from the assassin's that Sunagakure had sent. This seemingly got no response from Masao, but in truth hit him a bit harder than the first recounting had. It brought up the bitter feelings surrounding the entire incident, the decision he had made to kill the Third Ame Lord Honshiu. Masao had loved the young man as if he had been his own son, but the boy had been careless and slowly proved his incompetence time and time again; so Masao did the only thing he could in the situation. . . he removed the weakness from his village. In an attempt to pull himself from the more painful memories, Masao spoke.


"The young lady of the Tenka during the First War was indeed a strong kunoichi with a great amount of skill in the usage of your clan disciplines. She was headstrong and prideful though, to the point of arrogance. She decided to chase down a powerful Uchiha and attempted to fight them one on one. . . a stupid decision. Even then we understood that genjutsu was difficult, near impossible to make effective against them particularly those that relied on visual triggers like your clan's techniques."


Masao shook his head from side to side, a genuine feeling of disappointment over losing someone who he had believed was capable of so much had she only been able to humble herself a little and operate more as part of the village rather than an individual trying to prove that they and their clan did not really need any help.


"As far as how I have lived this long, there is a simple answer you would do well to remember. I have purpose. Purpose is what gives a man the strength to surpass their limitations whether that be their physical infirmities, the degradation of one's mind and the ability to mend their shortcomings. The moment you become complacent, that you believe you do not need to change, learn or otherwise evolve with the times is exactly when you become little more than a walking memory."

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

In a contrast of emotions, while the recounting of one of the harder choices the old man had ever made, Yuju was grinning ear to ear, having caught the old man's grumblings when Yuju went over his thoughts on the woman who had integrated the Tenka into Amegakure, the clan head during the First War. And he looked with genuine interest as the old goat reminisced on her, this once in a lifetime chance to get a first hand account of the things that'd happened back then. Even the clan didn't know these things about her he was pretty sure, to them she was a symbol, a figure. A figure of strength, the strength to join Amegakure in their war, to make the idea of integration easier by showing what they as a clan could offer. She was a symbol with a name, Marumi, but no face. Marumi... The boy whispered the name of a woman who to him had always seemed more like a cautionary tale than the hero of the clan. Smiling while thinking of her early and unnecessary death according to the old man, smiling with excitement at what had probably been one of the biggest losses the clan had ever suffered. Because now he knew, he had been right, and the rest of the Tenka had been wrong.

He excitedly got closer to the old man in the wheelchair, the joy on his face and that he was feeling quite the contrast to both topics that'd been going on. You definitely have to tell our Master of Education that!! Can you imagine what his face would be like?! It'd be amazing! In truth this was a little out of character for the boy, not his excitement, not his happiness at a topic some might consider macabre though the young boy truely couldn't know just how hard hitting one of those deaths was to the old man, but the thing out of character was him mentioning something even he recognized it was better the less it was spoken about. The clan council. A Democratic council of electorates, with positions of power and duties within his clan. Some ceremonial, some practical, one of the actually useful ones being the Master of Education. Indoctrinating the young into clan values, though Yuju had joined the academy so early it didn't quite have the same effect. But revealing these things, the inner workings of his clan, was tantamount to treason. It betrayed all their values, values even Yuju held. And yet this old man had just given him the confirmation the boy had always wanted, and he wasn't going to stop now.

Everuone in my clan thinks I'm a bad Tenka. That I don't value our core values at all. That my lies are too grand, too obvious. That if I just knew how to shut up, to never say anything or show emotion like the rest of them that no one will know if you're lying. And that that's the pragmatic thing to do, and being pragmatic is being a Tenka... The young boy knew this cause even his own parents told him as much, though they loved him as their son not even they thought he was an exemplary member of their clan. But Yuju knew that he was! And this old man proved it! But you said it yourself, they're complacent!! I was the one who ended up being right about Marumi! Everyone else was wrong! And being aloof doesn't make you better at hiding things, it makes you the suspect for everything! But when you lie about big things people don't realize when you lie about little things! But no one can see that! These old adults stuck in their ways.

He'd calmed down a bit now, his excitement turning back to his more relaxed happiness from before. It's too bad oji-san. Imagine if you were like, I dunno 100 years younger. The young boy smiled jest fully at his teasing, before his grin turned mischievous and eyes that almost made the boy seem malicious. I think we could've had a lot of fun together making changes, don't you...Ba-Ku-San? He stretched out the old man's title showing what he thought. That while this man in a wheelchair was useful for confirming his world views, that he was too old to truely do anything else. Unaware just how the man before him became Baku.

[Maboroshi Masao]

Masao was dragged out of the sadness he felt for Marumi's death by the excited gloating of the young Tenka boy. He mentioned how Masao needed to tell the Master of Education the story of Marumi's death which got a short grumble from Masao. While he certainly did not know of all the Tenka's inner workings, he was at least aware of their pompous little council within the clan, Masao had lead the JITE for many years and for even longer afterwards as Ame Lord had both JITE and The Illusive Hand reporting to him. It almost would have been more impressive if he had somehow managed to not hear of their existence.

Next the boy was self-affirming his own cunning and intelligence by expressing how much better it was to tell big lies than remain emotionless so as to allow little lies to go unnoticed. While there was an argument to be made that lying all the time was better than trying to remain stoic the entirety of one's life, it still reeked of inexperience and child-like rationale to Masao. As far as Masao was concerned, the most effective method of deceiving anyone was by simply telling the truth in the correct manner and letting fools draw the wrong conclusions you wanted them to take from the exchange.

While Masao had definitely had his opinion ever so slightly lowered for the young Tenka boy, the next line that came from him genuinely managed to irritate the old man. The implication that he was too old and that he could not keep up with the boy, the utter lack of awareness of the difference between them. He was not irritated that the boy thought such thing, in fact this was exactly what he worked towards ensuring most of the world saw. What irritated him the most was that the boy had failed to pick up on any of the clues Masao had given through this whole exchange that showed such appearances were a deception. The boy had managed to get Masao's hopes up that at least one child in the village was not an idiot and then had gone on to smash that hope. Perhaps though the boy could be salvaged with a learning moment. . .

Faking a cough that wracked his whole body, Masao leaned forward and in doing so positioned himself closer to the boy. Waving the boy to come closer Masao spoke in a hoarse voice that barely raised above a whisper mixed with a low growl:


"If you were a hundred years older, you still wouldn't be able to realize the truth in front of you."


The words were ended with an immediate blur of motion from Masao as he deftly lunged forward to deliver a single finger flick to Yuju's sternum with the *Painful Strike technique. Given the differences in their skill level it was unlikely the Tenka would have any means of defending or dodging the strike. Were it to hit the boy would suddenly feel as if the center of his rib cage had been caved in by some monumental strike from a great giant. Masao's plan after the strike was simple, just sit back and watch the Tenka boy suffer the consequences of arrogance and ignorance.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

Yuju didn't notice the shifts in the old man's mood as he rambled on and on on how he, and he alone was right. How even at 10 years old he'd figured out the way the world works. As he sung his own praises, and complained about his clan. Not realizing nor really caring about the growing disapproval building in the man in the wheelchair. Never seeing the clues left for him ranging from breadcrumbs to giant flags that something was amiss with this seemingly senile man, waving off his moments of clarity as just that. Momentary. For the young boy didn't know much, nor did he truely really care about the man behind Baku. He was only concerned with the legend his clan worshipped, the details in between the legend, how he'd ruled and the webs he'd woven, these things didn't matter. And it was why it was so easy for the young boy to ignore the hints left for him, the boy didn't see a mastermind that those who truely understood the story of Baku might, instead he just saw an old legend past his glory days.

It was why he thought nothing of approaching the man after having just insulted him when waved over, still grinning widely at his taunting words. Whats wrong oji-san? Feeling tired? Can't speak up all the way anymore? Want me to get you some water for your cough maybe? Even when he reached out to him, Yuju wouldn't have stopped him, the boy would've happily let him touch him, figuring it for a harmless gesture. After all, what could this old man really do. Except. The mischievous boy didn't even see the old man move. One second, the wheelchair bound man was huddled in his chair, looking even older than he had this entire conversation, coughing and wheezing. And the next, the octogenarians finger had somehow reached his chest in a single instant, the man spryly leaning in his chair like he was 10 years younger, as he gave out a taunt of his own.

"If you were a hundred years older, you still wouldn't be able to realize the truth in front of you."

What? It was all the boy had time to mutter, a surprised exclamation at what'd just happened. No more breadcrumbs, no more hints. The old man was making a red flag the boy couldn't ignore. As he suddenly felt every bone in his chest shatter. AHHHHHHHHH!!! He collapsed immediately, clutching his chest, gasping for breath. Coughing just as the old man had pretended to just before, but this time for real. As an academy student his fights, his trials were all controlled. They'd never reached this level of pain before, where his chest had caved in. And this old man had done it with just a touch. The boy had now had a first hand experience of the power behind the name Baku. And his screams showed just how educational this experience was.

[Maboroshi Masao]

Sitting back into his wheelchair, Masao simply watched the young child screech on the ground writhing in pain. There was no smile on Masao's face, there was only a vacant expression with maybe the slightest tinge of disappointment; the sort of face a grandfather might make when his grandson brought home news that he had failed a test at school. He sat there staring for awhile before finally beginning to tap his fingers on the arm of his current seat. Finally he would stand, stepping away from the chair and squatting down on the ground in front of the young Tenka boy. Masao's hand reached forward and attempted to grab the boy's ear to make use of the *Kai technique. This would remove the pain in the young Tenka's chest, but the sharp wrenching of the ear to force his head up was likely to be painful in its own way although to a far greater degree.

"For someone so smart, so insightful you fail to notice anything around you that does not involve your desire to be acknowledged. You failed to notice how well I, someone reported to be half senile held such a long conversation with little distraction. You failed to notice me taking you to a remote area devoid of witnesses. You failed to notice the hostility I allowed you the chance to see even after I told you what such arrogance wrought for Marumi."

As Masao said the name of the former Tenka clan leader he released his grip on the boy's ear with a slight shove, pushing him back towards the ground a bit. Turning the former Ame Lord moved back to his chair and took a seat once more with his right leg placed atop his left knee and his hands steepled over his abdomen. It was a pose that showed just how little of a threat Masao believed the boy to be, Masao lounging in comfort while staring down at the Tenka child.

"So child, tell me how insightful you are. Tell me how outstanding of an intellect you have. After all you said the bigger the lie, the better it is no...? Show me just how much like the rest of your clan you are, so focused on falsehoods so grand and large that even they believe them true power."

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Tenka Yujukumono]

The screaming boy was too preoccupied with the pain in his chest to notice how the old man's demeanor continued to change, how he was being treated like the little kid he was, and this was just punishment same as being sent to his room. He didn't see the man get up from his chair either, too busy writhing in the agony of his sternum collapsing, no reality wouldn't return until the single word was uttered from the old man's lips. Kai. Then just as suddenly as it'd appeared the pain stopped, the boy still screaming for a few moments before he realized he could breath, gasping for fresh air. A gasp that was interrupted by another yelp of pain when he found his ear being pulled like he was an unruly child. Which wasn't too far from the truth. OW! He didn't know why he was being treated like a kid in trouble though, not realizing what he'd even done. Not until the old man spelled it our for him.

He'd land to the ground with a grunt when he was tossed aside after the lecture. The lecture on how he was cocky, on how he hadn't noticed any of the many hints dropped by the man who was now back in his wheelchair. A man who had hid the fact he can walk far better than he had that he wasn't senile like the sore-eared boy had thought, rubbing the side of his head as he looked at the man comparing him to the woman who had gotten herself killed thanks to the traits he was showing now. It was a time most would start reflecting, but as the boy looked up at this decrepit old man, his legs over one another and hands in front of him, Yuju saw it for the first time today. This man still had the presence of a Lord of Amegakure, even after all his time as the Second. Baku... There wasn't any playfulness to it this time, no curiosity. Instead it was said like he was comprehending the title for the first time.

And the lecture wouldn't end there, as soon the old man was challenging him. Not to a battle of strength or wits, but to simply prove himself. Prove himself to be different from the other Tenkas. And Yuju would comply without even trying, as he'd been only half listening after he saw this old man for what felt like the first time. He was in his own world again, and he didn't hesitate to bring it into reality. Baku....Baku,Baku,Baku!! The boy would rush the old man as he sat confident that the boy couldn't touch him, and he'd be right as Yuju wasn't rushing him to attack but instead jump excitedly next to him like a little kid jumping with anticipation. THAT WAS SO COOL, HOW DID YOU DO THAT, WHAT WAS THAT, WHAT DID YOU DO OJI-SAN??? All the tension the old man had tried to create with his questioning hadn't seemed to break through, not like his other impression. A mere touch bringing him to his knees, and he was far too excited to learn more to be upset over it being done to him. You're definitely gonna teach me that when I'm a genin, Oji-San~ He didn't say it as a question, nor was he really asking, instead he stated it as if he were stating what he was going to have for dinner later. A simple fact that just hasn't happened yet, showing the same cockiness that had gotten him in trouble and lectured in the first place.

And yet, he didn't leave or continue rambling on, but simply stepped back, his sly grin now a jovial one. And all I know oji-san... He then sat attentively afterwards. The boy who hadn't been able to stand still their entire conversation except when he thought his chest had been broken was now sitting with rapt attention. Is that I'm tired of being told that the past is more important than the future by uncool, old adults who make all the rules. And while you might be old oji-san... His grin turned wider as he finished, his teeth showing now. You're really cool~ What was that saying? The greatest trick ever pulled was someone convincing everyone he'd never existed? Sounds kinda like you...Baku~ He continued smiling as he used his title with nothing but respect once more, as he acknowledged the impressiveness of the old man's greatest trick.