Talking about his past used to be something he avoided whenever possible. Far too many bad memories, negative emotions, and wounds that refused to heal both because they were much too deep and he would not let them.
Yet here he was... sharing bits and pieces with someone he had only known for a day. It was strange but not entirely unwelcome. And of course those more raw experiences were kept under lock and key. To him, it was out of simple necessity. A need to hold onto that angst— that trauma. So that when he found those responsible for it all...
...he could uncage it in full. Uemon shook his head at Shosuke's question.
"No, my family isn't samurai... at least not any longer." They had not been for quite some time.
"We were once, a long time ago. But regimes change, priorities shift, people fall out of favor... I'm sure you understand how it goes." Politics in Tetsu no Kuni were the same in many places. Prone to change, often unpredictable, and very messy. Old grudges tended to die hard in the land of iron. Slow to melt away... much like the snow that blanketed the nation.
"These days we're just humble swordsmiths." No more, no less. A lot more modest now that they could not return home. Scattered.
Though some, like himself and Ryūzaburō managed to find other things to occupy themselves. Be they settling old scores or serving villages like Kumogakure.
"I can't imagine... It's good that you're adjusting, though." He said quietly to the doctor's explanation. Having sight taken from you sounded like quite an obstacle to overcome.
Despite their initial butting of heads, he was glad to hear that Shosuke had not given up. Turning hardship into strength was something that he could sympathize with.
"If it's too personal feel free to say so but... how did you lose your sight?" Another question, a hint of sincerity in his neutral tone. The Kumo-nin was a curiosity.
And curious— maybe even more than himself. As long as they were sharing he figured it was worth an ask. If he did not feel like telling him than no hard feelings.
"Nothing's ever fair." Uemon said, one corner of his mouth perking up slightly as he hopped down from the fence. Already he was scanning the training grounds. Plenty of nooks and crannies to hide in. Kumogakure no Sato certainly did not lack for verticality with its rocky spires and vantage points.
"But I think it'll be good practice for the both of us." A decent way to test both Shosuke's sense and his own burgeoning stealth capabilities. Flying was certainly out of the question... at least for now. Still, Uemon was a crafty sort. With a little bit of thought he was confident he could at least make things interesting for the two of them.
"Give me... twenty seconds?" He said, mind formulating a plan.
"And we'll start from there."But a moment later and he was gone, dashing off surprisingly quickly. For the moment he was not too concerned with the sound of his footsteps... but that was about to change. He jumped, not high but just enough to clear the ground as he formed a
Tora seal. Two identical clones appeared to the left of him with via the
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.
Moments later all three landed on the ground and scattered, each one suddenly minding their footsteps. Taking care to step as softly as they could... though with how sensitive Shosuke's blindsense was it may have been in vain. The real Uemon moved right towards one of the spires and circled around it slowly, while one clone headed straight forward to put as much distance as it could between itself and Shosuke. The final bunshin cut left and took cover behind some bulky training equipment, doing all it could to stay motionless as it crouched. Now it was time to wait.
Glancing skyward, the real Uemon spotted some footholds high above, a plan already forming in his mind. He had a few tricks up his sleeve... but for the meantime he wanted to see what the doctor did. Keeping his Sense honed in on his chakra signature all the while. A quick get-away might be in order, so he kept quiet, stayed still, and prepared.
SUPPORTIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Shadow Clone Technique]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
HANDSEALS: 1
DESCRIPTION:
The Kage Bunshin technique evenly distributes your chakra between one or more clones with form and substance.
The clones created by this technique are able to utilize any jutsu the original ninja knows, has all of their special abilities, as well as their kekkei genkai. Typically a clone's equipment doesn't retain any special abilities and the clone itself is dispersed when hit with a single attack or incapacitated, although the clone can also choose to disperse itself or be dispersed by the user.
When the clone finally disperses, any new knowledge it has gained along with it's remaining chakra are passed back to the original ninja and any additional clones.
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
KASHIRA-WARI・首割り - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL
Puppeteers must maintain expert control over their wide selection of puppets, and so too must a shinobi with their chakra. Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his jutsu. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.
TSUKURIMONO・作り物 - INTELLIGENCE
Stage and setting can make or break a performance. A director needs vigilance and flexibility to ensure all the moving parts of a play go off without a hitch. A learned strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. A knack for tactics cues him on which approach works best depending on his target.
ASHIZUKAI・足遣い - SPEED
Operating the legs of a puppet requires dexterity and agility. Much like moving one's own body. As a child in Tetsu no Kuni Uemon trained in Jujitsu and Kenjutsu, finding his aptitude for speed rather than strength. Honed after years on the road with his mentors, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in terms of speed.
SHOMEI・署名 - SENSOR TYPE
Lighting is a crucial part of any play. Identifying the actors and drawing focus to them in the dark. With much training Uemon has become a Sensor Type, able to detect and hone in on chakra signatures akin to a sixth sense of sorts. A useful tool when it comes to tracking or surveillance. As of now, he is capable of passively sensing chakra up to one hundred meters from his body, or one kilometer if actively searching. This also allows him to more efficiently utilize his puppets without needing a direct line of sight to his targets. Knowing the placement of actors on stage at all times is essential.
