[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

Sango had been, perhaps, neglecting their genjutsu practice of late. They sat on the edge of the training ground, lips pressed tightly together, and stared down at their notes on Demonic Illusion: Drowning Descent; Yoshi's neat handwriting dotted the edges with tips and suggestions. It had been just over a year since they'd started looking into the jutsu - and just under a year since Yoshi had died - and they'd made no progress since then.

He'd been their partner in studying and tinkering with genjutsu for three years - and Katsuro their test dummy - it had... hurt, for lack of a better word, to sit down in their team's spot and hear old echoes of him. It was also harder, figuring out the illusions on their own when they couldn't be sure they were building it right without someone to practice on. But the same wave of ambition that had driven Sango through the rest of the Exam had risen again, now driving them through the pang in their heart and the lump in their throat. They were a chuunin - had been one for a year now - and sealing themself off from a skillset they knew they had a knack for was beyond shameful. Their weak heart couldn't be the reason that they failed their village or their Clan.

Or themself.

Sango let out a steadying breath and twisted their fingers into the handsign for Daze. There was a light tug on their chakra as the illusion took hold - a warm-up, of sorts, to shake off the dust and cobwebs they'd let gather in their mind. After a moment, they cut the flow and let the jutsu dissipate. "Drowning Descent," they said, thinking aloud. "Three handsigns, not too much chakra - easy enough." But when they attempted the jutsu - nothing happened. Sango's brow furrowed, and they tried again and again, their frown deepening with each failure until they were scowling down at their hands.

 Yuki Shuka
lmk if you need me to change anything~

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

T

he training grounds were the heart of the shinobi operations. There was never a place better to go to get a gauge of the military populace's current skill. Their goals, their trials, the measure of their collective consideration of their abilities. One could step foot there and get information about anything. What a shinobi was working on, what they were struggling with. It was why Shuka enjoyed travelling out there often. Taking a measure of her soldiers' current situations was important to maintaining efficient leadership. She liked to be directly involved with the professional and personal development of those working under her.

That was the reason she had come out today to survey the grounds and take stock. It was always interesting to see the mix of shinobi. Young genin with their team leaders engaging in various practices, jonin working on techniques that seemed shadowy and inscrutable to one outside the specialization, and -

There, at the edge of the grounds. A lone chuunin who seemed tremendously frustrated. Shuka's eyes keyed in on them instantly because the hand signs they were forming seemed very familiar. Sure enough, that was it. Drowning descent. They were forming the pattern repeatedly, but seemed dissatisfied with the results.

Shuka approached and addressed the young shinobi. "It is difficult to practice genjutsu alone. Do you need a partner?"

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

If Sango had been standing, they might have actually fallen over at the sight and sound of the Fifth Lady addressing them. As it was, the chuunin scrambled to their feet before dropping into an appropriately respectful bow. "Lady Shuka!" they said, a bit breathless despite having just been sitting there a moment ago. Then the woman's offer to train with them sunk in, and Sango was struck speechless with surprise for a heartbeat or two.

There was a short-lived battle in their chest - their insecurity at having just been failing at making Drowning Descent work for them balked at the thought of failing, again, in front of who was almost certainly the village's best genjutsu user, but everything else that made up Sango practically roared at the thought of the village's best genjutsu user partnering with them. There was really no other option than to eagerly accept the Lady's offer. "I would be honored, Lady Fifth," Sango assured her, eyes gleaming as their previous frustration all but melted away at the prospect of such individualized attention from arguably the most important person in Yukigakure.

Yoshi would be sick with envy once he -

Sango swallowed hard and glanced back down at their notes, left lying on top of their purple cloak to protect them from the wet. Don't think about it Sango, they told themself,  focus on the task at hand. "I'm, I want to learn one of the Demonic Illusions - the Drowning Descent. It would go well, I think, in the future with some of the other genjutsu I know. But it's not -" Sango's lips pressed together out of embarrassment, but they forced the admission out through their teeth - "I can't make the handsigns work, even though I'm sure they're the right ones."

Yuki Shuka
<3 <3

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[/quote]

[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

T

he young shinobi scrambled to their feet in a flustered display, clearly alarmed by having been addressed by the village's leader. Shuka felt a bit bad making the poor young one experience such heart palpitations, though she would only privately confess that seeing that kind of response was always mildly amusing. It made her fondly remember her own youth, when she similarly fumbled over herself when meeting with the second Lady of the village. Such patterns were always set to repeat, she supposed.

"There is a reason genjutsu is known to be difficult to practice alone," Shuka said. "Here is an important lesson to learn about jutsu. While hand signs obviously make up a great deal of the technique, equally as important is the application of intent. Jutsu and all other chakra manipulation are a manifestation of our will. It is difficult to employ any kind of illusory intent on open air," she admitted.

"The best way to begin is with visualization. I am sure you understand how the jutsu works. Start by closing your eyes and thinking of it. You say the word "sink." Chains emerge from below and wrap around you tightly, the cold metal gripping you and pulling you down. The water below swallows you. Think of all the sensory elements you would have to keep in mind while creating this technique. The feeling of the metal, the cool water on the skin, the darkness."

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

Sango soaked up Lady Shuka's words. The furrow between their brow was a thoughtful, focused frown now and they slowly nodded to show their understanding. "The intent," they repeated softly. Then their eyes slid shut, but only partially from her command.

They couldn't believe that they'd forgotten, wholly and completely, about the audial hook of Drowning Descent washed over them. If they'd been alone, they might have sworn at themself. But since they were surrounded by other Yuki shinobi and in front of their leader who was still talking to them, they resisted the urge. Appearances and impressions were important.

And Lady Shuka was still talking, besides.

Sango focused on her words and her descriptions, their breath evening out as their concentration increased. They thought back to when they'd learned Ringing Bells: Chain, and had experienced it themself. The sudden locking of all their muscles as they were trapped in chains made cold from Yuki's frigid climate. Then Sango tried to add their memories from learning the art of water walking, and their dozens of failed first attempts; how the water had swallowed them, just as Lady Shuka described.

They remembered each sensation fairly well - neither had been pleasant experiences, and negative memories tended to stick better than the positive ones - but putting them together presented Sango a... slight challenge. One eye peaked open, judging the expression on Lady Shuka's face before the other opened as well. The chuunin reached up to scratch lightly at the back of their neck, gathering enough courage and audacity to ask of their leader: "Could - so that I can get a better feel for what the jutsu should look like, properly - could you cast it on me?"

Yuki Shuka
lmk if you'd like more to work with <3

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

I

f Shuka noticed the anxiety and slight embarrassment overtaking Sango, she was polite enough not to let that be obvious. With training it was often good to bolster confidence by providing new advice instead of immediately focusing on any mistakes. Review was the next step after presentation of information. After a moment to absorb, Sango asked a question that would often be asked by genjutsu practitioners. One of the best ways to learn the technique was to experience it. This was why genjutsu required a strong mind to master it. Learning could be a straining experience.

"Of course," Shuka said, nodding. "I'll release you from it quickly. However, it becomes too intense early, remember that you may kai out of it. When you know you are under genjutsu, it is important to try to remain calm even when it feels impossible."

With that established, Shuka formed the three hand seals and said,

"Sink."

Water began to build and pool around Sango's feet, the solid earth draining from beneath them to be replaced by an unsteady pond of water. From the cold pool, chains sprung up, wrapping around them and binding them tightly enough that it was a struggle to move. The chains dragged them beneath the surface of the water, starting to pull them down, down, down, further and further from the light, from air. The water was frigid cold and the darkness of the water seemed to stretch in every direction.

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

Lady Shuka's calm reminder to keep their head - that she wouldn't be keeping Sango trapped in the jutsu for long, but even if she was they could still escape it on their own - was a familiar one. "Alright," they nodded, rolling their shoulders out in preparation and letting out a soft, settling breath.

Waiting for a genjutsu to be cast on them was always so much worse than being caught by surprise by one, they thought; the hair along their arms prickled and their stomach swooped uncomfortably. Still, they watched Lady Shuka's fingers carefully, as the older shinobi weaved them through the three seals. Once the last seal was set, Sango - well, they knew she'd commanded them to 'Sink,' rather than actually heard her say it. 

An icy wetness - that they could feel even through their thick, water-proof boots - enveloped their feet. Sango had the short thought that it was a rather slow-building jutsu, glancing down at the gently pooling water, right up until they blinked. Chains exploded from the water, which was suddenly everywhere, wrapped tightly around them and began to drag their body down into the depths.

Instinct took over for a heartbeat - maybe two - and the chuunin struggled against the chains futilely, gasping for one last breath before the water closed over their head. "Remain calm," Lady Shuka's voice echoed in their mind, her soft "Even when it feels impossible," overlapping with Yoshi's scoffed, "Don't lose your head, you're on the training grounds, idiot." Sango bit their lip and stopped their struggling. Once their initial panic at being restrained and submerged in such cold water ebbed, they focused on the details: how their hair floated around them in the water, the press and shift of the chains against their clothes, the way the light dimmed and waned the further down they sank.

When Lady Shuka would release Sango from the genjutsu, they would be out of breath and shivering, but dry. "That - is not a fun experience," they huffed, hands clenching and unclenching reflexively as they shook off the lingering ghost of their restraints. "But very useful," they added, glancing up at the leader of Yukigakure with a small, almost mischievous smile.

 Yuki Shuka
apologies for the wait <3

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

W

atching someone under genjutsu was always a strange thing, eerie and dark. It really made one process what they were capable of as a shinobi when you watched the fear flow over them. The way chakra worked into the network of their mind, tricking all of their senses to experience the most horrifying things, stimulating primal survival responses. Techniques which could literally manipulate and change the perceptions of the brain. Many shinobi who had endured severe genjutsu suffered small paranoias because of it. Doubting your own perceptions was not an easy thing for those who did not deal in genjutsu as one of their primary specializations.

When it seemed that Sango had managed to calm themself, relax against the restraints and come to recognize that they weren't in true danger, Shuka let them go before the anxiety of the genjutsu could build again as they strained to breathe. Sango came out gasping and shivering from the fake icy water, their body starting to readjust to the real world and their real sensations.

That small smile was encouraging. It was the sign of a real genjutsu expert in the making. Someone who could see the horrors of these techniques and still appreciate them for what they were. Shuka smiled back.

"It is very good for leaving someone struggling and prone for a surprise attack. Especially if you can do it to them atop a real body of water. The distress may even be enough to cause them to lapse in their water walking technique and fall through genuinely in some cases. Now that you've experienced it for yourself, would you like to try it on me?"

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

Lady Shuka's smile could be a genjutsu trigger all on its own, Sango mused absently. There was just something heady about someone like her's approval - someone who knew what she was talking about and was an acknowledged expert in it. Under her smile, their spine straightening and shoulders squaring off was an instinctual, unavoidable response.

They could already see how Drowning Descent would fit in with their current style from the older shinobi's description. "That - could make the jutsu even harder to break out of, right? If the real-world sensory input is giving credence to the illusion?" Sango asked Lady Shuka. The other genjutsu they knew didn't have the potential to use the environment like this one - which was an absolutely fascinating concept now that they'd been introduced to it.

Sango rolled their shoulders and nodded. "Yes - I can do it." They settled their feet into an easy stance and let out a smooth, steady breath as they twisted their fingers through the proper patterns. One, two, three - and then "Sink." The draw on their chakra was negligible - but still there, and Sango allowed themself a satisfied little smirk as they concentrated on building the illusion around Lady Shuka.

It would be an alright first attempt, though only the feel and movement of the chains would be realistic. Everything else, from the temperature and consistency of the water to the dragging down sensation would be off - the latter far more noticeably so. It was less dragging and more floating down into the water that would barely cover the top of Lady Shuka's head if she allowed it. If she didn't break the illusion, Sango would only hold it for as long as they thought she had for them before releasing it.

 Yuki Shuka
<3 <3

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

G

ood question. Many new to genjutsu did not consider the implications of the real physical effects on the body. Most genjutsu made up sensory input entirely, but physical stimulus had a chance of making it even harder to escape. If you really were drowning in freezing water, what was there in the mind to convince you to break out of the genjutsu? Genjutsu was one of those things that was all the more dangerous alone. Against a single opponent, it was one of the deadliest forms of jutsu at all. It grew weaker in a group setting, where people could rationalize together, but when someone was alone with their own mind, it could be swiftly deadly.

"That is correct. If you are truly suffocating, then you do not even know to break out of the genjutsu. Of course, the panic and pain of drowning would eventually naturally snap them out of it, but it may be too late by that point," she explained.

With that discussed, it was time to move onto the practice. Sango formed the hand seals properly and spoke the activation word. They did a decent job, though Shuka could feel the issues with it near immediately. The water was not quite convincing enough, lacking a certain density and claustrophobic quality. It felt more like she had jumped into a lake and was floating in the water than that she had crashed through ice or been pulled beneath water by force.

When Sango released the technique, Shuka took a second to gather her thoughts and get over the slight chill.

"A very good first attempt. The illusion, especially the visible aspects, was very convincing. I think the element of feeling could use some work, however. The human mind is rather used to water - we are natural swimmers and we are buoyant. To some extent, you need to account for our natural instinct that we can float. It felt more like I was drifting in the water than being dragged down, truly sinking," she explained. "Water is more dense than you would expect. Have you ever carried a large bucket full of water? It is heavy. It should feel all-consuming, crushing."

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

Though they were still only learning the jutsu, Sango was pleased to note that it didn't seem to be any more of a drain on their chakra reserves than their other genjutsu techniques. It wasn't something they necessarily had to worry about - not with their Masahiro blood - but it was still something to pay attention to and know intimately which technique would take what amount of chakra and effort.

And it seemed, according to Lady Shuka's succinct analysis, that this one would take a bit more effort.

Sango listened intently to their leader's explanation with a thoughtful little frown, nodding every now and then. "Especially for us - and I suppose other nations near to so much water too," they added a touch grudgingly, "The sort of water that this illusion calls for is normal." And since it was normal, then Sango's creation had to be perfect enough to give even a Yuki nin pause; settling for something that would only trip up a Konoha shinobi was unacceptable.

They closed their eyes again and thought hard about what Lady Shuka's version of the jutsu had felt like - as well as going back to their early attempts at Water Walking. "Would it help to get the right sensation of being dragged down to put more weight into the chains?" they asked, looking back at the elite jounin. "Along with adding more force to the water?"

Yuki Shuka
<3 <3 <3

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

E

xactly right. Shuka nodded at that initial analysis. For the jutsu to be convincing, it had to be really carefully and masterfully done. Not everyone had experience with drowning, but it should be done such that someone who knew that experience intimately would still find themselves convinced by it. That was Shuka's belief with genjutsu. It should mimic the realest version of it as closely as possible.

Perhaps she was biased by her own childhood experience. She had fallen through into ice and had survived because of her kekkai genkai manifesting, but that didn't stop the experience of head beneath water from being frightful. She could recreate that moment with pinpoint precision.

They asked another question and Shuka considered it, then nodded.

"The chains you're creating the sensation of are presumably metal. They should feel heavy and strong, difficult to escape from. They should have enough weight to resist attempts to swim and should be thoroughly restrictive," she answered.

"Focus them especially on the places you imagine would make swimming difficult. Wrists, ankles, neck. Immobilize the imaginary body," she explained.

"Then surround them with heavy water. As you sink deeper, the water only gets heavier, every meter placing more and more weight over you and making the world darker. So focus on that idea. A progressive weight, an increasingly desperate situation. Imagine a moment of panic and turn that into a physical feeling."

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

It was in that moment, looking up at Lady Shuka and listening to her explain the mechanics of the genjutsu, that Sango suddenly understood what it meant to be a master of one's art. She made it seem effortless to put so many moving pieces together into one, cohesive illusion that was - in the Lady Fifth's hands at least - real enough to confuse their brain even after preparing for what was to come. Her words were descriptive and yet technical, with a level of specificity that was delivered so - simply. Effortlessly. The chuunin stared at their leader for a moment, struck by her expertise which was so coveted by their Clan.

"That - makes sense," they said, half a heartbeat too late. "All parts of the illusion should feel real on their own, but if they don't blend in together - like being wrapped in chains but floating in the water -" at least their first attempt had given them such a solid example of what the technique wasn't - "then it breaks the suspension of disbelief that genjutsu is meant to force." Sango thought back to Lady Shuka's version of Drowning Descent. They had experienced the basic order of the jutsu as described - water, chains, drowning - but at the same time, they'd never stopped feeling any of them even when one sensation had been more prominent than others.

Sango nodded decisively to themself; they didn't know if they could pull of a seamless, perfect, expert illusion like the Lady Fifth, but - they could definitely do better a second time. "May I try again, Lady Shuka?" they asked politely, hands already drawing up at the ready.

 Yuki Shuka
lmk if you need more to work with!

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[Yuki Shuka]

Yuki Shuka --- TAG masahiro sango NPC - WORDS - - -

T

hey looked a little starstruck for a moment there. It would be flattering if Shuka were not a little used to it at this stage. She had been around for over three times their lifespan and had been tutor to a decent number of aspiring genjutsu experts.

It was always endearing, though, to see those bright and impressed eyes. It inspired a hope in her. Sango was listening and would, inevitably, absorb the information and use it to become a powerful shinobi and expert manipulator of genjutsu in their own right. She knew that certainly because of their commitment to listen. Those who cared to dedicate that focus usually ended up the better practitioners of their craft.

"You're exactly right. You have a very good understanding of the theory," she praised Sango. Hopefully that compliment wouldn't throw off their concentration.

"Go ahead and try it again. I'm ready. Take a moment to imagine the sensation in your own mind again before beginning. For some it is best to go through a checklist of components, but for others it is better to just imagine the scenario happening to yourself. Find what works best for you," she recommended. "Once you have the details firmly in your mind, project it outwards with your chakra. Lace your intent into it." Part of the magic of genjutsu was that it was supposed to look, feel, like a real technique and not an imagined one.

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY

[masahiro sango]

i am flesh and i am bone

"Thank you, Lady Fifth." 

Sango tried not to let too much of the giddy smugness that filled them at the compliment show, but there was no denying that the curl of their smile was more self-satisfied than that of their 'shopkeeper' smile they'd worn just a moment before. 

But before they could carry that glow into their second attempt, Lady Shuka's instruction to visualize the illusion first refocused the chuunin. Her description of the different ways to build it made sense, and Sango knew themself well enough to recognize that they usually followed a checklist when it came to casting their genjutsu. Or, well, when it came to doing anything.

They hesitated, torn between doing what they knew worked - mostly well - and trying something new, before Sango's eyes slid shut again. What did water feel like? What about the chains, and that split second of horrified realization before they immobilized a person? When they started sinking, how did the chains shift as they pulled them down; what did they feel, emotionally, when they did?

Finally - and without opening their eyes lest they lose, heh, sight of the sensations - the chuunin formed the handsigns and commanded Lady Shuka to "Sink."

This time the illusion would be - not perfect, not even close to perfection - but it would be solid. The water would look and feel like water as it puddled around Lady Shuka's feet, thin and barely there one moment before, abruptly, she would be standing atop an endless lake. The chains that emerged would be cold and wet as they wrapped around the elite jounin - perhaps a bit too loose to truly immobilize her - and they would press heavily against the tops of her shoulders as they began to pull her down into the water's depths. 

Using this new technique to craft their illusion, Sango would struggle to keep it woven together around Lady Shuka for much longer. If the leader didn't release the genjutsu herself, it would break suddenly on its own after dragging her down to hip level.

 Yuki Shuka
... third time's the charm? xD

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