[Egao Momura]

Helping Hand

@tag

Momura was new to this whole 'worldly experience' thing that his arbiter was trying to teach him. He was pretty sure he could punch good enough to actually kick someone's butt if they would let him, but it was deemed that he was just not ready for that sort of thing yet. He was not about to question that either, if the Arbiter of Justice said so then it was simply truth being spoken to him. Having been given a notebook of things to do so that he could join the Arbiter of Justice on missions Momura was planning to follow the words from his senior to the letter, especially since it was the best way he could give back to the community that had so far been incredibly welcoming.

That didn't mean he fully understood what was shinobi training meant for someone his age though. The instructors seemed to have mostly been unsure where to put him since most of the classes were useless for a baptized conciliator like Momura himself. Their words only being honest, and he appreciated that even if it meant he really hadn't done much at first. Instead, the young man would often be lead to the training grounds and told to practice as he usually did, basic physical conditioning in the like.

Today was different though, having read over the letters carefully on the third page of the notebook from his mentor he had noticed that art class was listed as a prerequisite for him to train his mental imaging and his ability to control Hotei's gift that had been granted to him. Having spoken to an instructor about an art class he had been lead to it almost immediately, so now he was just left confused and trying to put a wooden giraffe together alongside a younger generation of interested puppeteers.

- ❤ -

[Muramasa Uemon]

in the quaint classroom

---

For as long as he could remember, he had always felt awkward around children.

Perhaps it was because he never got much of a chance to be one himself, or perhaps it was just their tendencies to be hyperactive and unfocused. Whatever the case, he was now himself the guardian of a young child. Somehow.

If only Suppa could see him now... "He'd probably find this all hilarious." In any case, kids needed to be socialized and Kota in particular was very nearly feral. It was understandable given the boy's past but they had already begun the slow and often difficult task of civilizing him. Something easier said than done given his own asocial demeanor.

A perpetual loner trying his hand at being a parent... what could go wrong. To this end, he took up an invitation to appear as a guest instructor for an art class at the academy. In truth he could do with some more socialization himself and a chance to practice his teaching skills. No doubt the offer was a result of his chance meeting with the Raikage and his subsequent tattooing of her. "Such an odd life." He thought as he was guided to the classroom.

Then, without much pomp and ceremony he was led inside and stood in front of the class. "Alright, kids!" The teacher began, a middle-aged woman who looked and sounded rather kindly. "Today we'll be having a guest help us in class. A wandering-nin with some skill in artistry as I've been led to believe." Attention made him feel awkward too, and though he did not shirk, he could only really glance around the room with a flat expression on his face.

At least for now he stood silent, doing his best to ignore several "Ooh!'s and "Ah!'s cast his way. "'Skill in artistry'?" The words echoed in his head. "Kizumi's doing, maybe... I'm not really an artist." A crafstman, sure, but an artist? Gods...

Maybe he should have given this more thought. "And his name is..." The woman's words trailed and realizing his cue, he turned to the class. "Muramasa Uemon." Not much of an introduction, but one nonetheless. A pause ensued and after some time he realized he should probably expand a bit. "...I draw, sometimes." In the back someone coughed. He had a bit of skill in many things, but presentation? Not even a little. "A-anyway... he'll be assisting today! So if anyone has questions do feel free to ask." Several hands shot up almost immediately.

The wanderer's brow furrowing a touch at the sight. "...this is going to be a long class." Fortunately, he soon found that today's lesson involved construction. Something that he knew quite a bit about. Uemon made the rounds, assisting as was needed until he stopped near a group of young puppeteers who were in the process of building a giraffe.

Silently, he stood back and watched their efforts. Observing until his help was needed and taking note of the animal's make. It reminded him of the initial build of his first puppets. Small, delicate, but a good way to start.

---

[Egao Momura]

Helping Hand

@tag

Momura really didn't understand puppetry as a concept, he knew what it was mind you, but why would ninja's study puppetry? Like what was a well-make sock-puppet going to do to fight with a pair of well-trained fists? Or dirt in the eye? Pocket Sand was crazy strong as a tool, and no one could tell the little scrapper otherwise. This just seemed weird, like where were the strings anyways? Didn't puppets kind of need those for basic function? All the best puppets obviously had strings.

Putting a few of the inside joints together the young boy summoned out a hand to help hold up the body of the puppet so he could work, not really thinking about it from under his whicker basket helm. They had a guest instructor, so Momura was willing to listen when he said anything, but he kinda didn't wanna ask for help that he couldn't return. Even then though, he had to ask for the help of the instructor if they were making a puppet, "Muramasa-San? Why do we not have string at the table if we are making a puppet? Do we need to go grab yarn? I can do it if necessary. Or do you use thicker twine for this?"

- ❤ -

[Muramasa Uemon]

children study, learn, and grow

---

From an outsider's perspective, watching the shinobi curriculum at work really was an interesting thing.

A whole classroom of youths learning the foundations of one very specific way to kill. Of course not explicitly, but when taken to its natural end that would be the result. Not unlike how the samurai of his homeland taught.

In this way, the two groups were similar in how they operated. Lately he was beginning to see just how analogous they were. "Good question—" He stopped short, glancing to the boy who spoke up and eyeing the strange hand that had manifested. It was unlike anything he had seen. "What's your name?" A fair question of his own, as it was not like they all had name tags stuck to their collars. In any case the child did seem genuinely curious and he was here to help clear up any confusion that might arise. So, still glancing at the hand, he approached the table.

Slowly he extended his own hand overtop of the wooden construct, palm facing down as he looked around to see if the kids were watching. "There isn't any string because if you work at it..." As his words trailed the tips of all five fingers began to subtly glow blue. Translucent wisps formed, slowly traveling downwards to the animal's limbs and attaching near points of articulation to cue the start of the Kugutsu no Jutsu. "A shinobi can make their own."

Uemon's movements were subtle, just barely wiggling his fingers as his hand remained there. With each twitch the giraffe moved in tandem. "This is the Kugutsu no Jutsu. Learning how to form chakra threads and use them is the basis for all puppetry." Still maintaining his orchestration of the small puppet, he spread the pinky and thumb of his right hand. One string snaking its way towards a nearby pencil to grab hold of it and wiggle around, the other forming a small loop in the air. "But they're useful for all sorts of things." Manipulating items from afar, yanking an opponent's limb out from under them... but for now it was best if they all to stuck to the fundamentals. Glancing around the table he looked to the students' faces, some wide-eyed in awe and some decidedly unimpressed. "Do any of you want to give it try?" He asked, not quite smiling but raising an eyebrow.

Based on what little experience he had teaching, the best way to learn seemed to be by doing. It was how he was taught and also he how instructed Kota in turn... albeit a bit less violent in the latter case. Some of the kids were already waving their hands over the giraffe's head, flexing their fingers and trying to conjure up threads. Uemon placed the pencil back down on the table, reset the wooden animal's pose, and detached his own strings as they did.

Watching and waiting, providing pointers where needed and even walking them through the steps of the Kugutsu no Jutsu slowly so that they could see how the threads were created. Eventually his gaze stopped on Momaru and the odd floating limb. "What... is that, if I might ask?" A nod towards the spectral hand made his inquiry clear.

Hijutsu of some sort was his initial guess, but he had no way to be certain. It seemed to be able to interact with the physical world but there were no visible strings. "Hm..." At this rate, he might end up learning something himself. 

---

[Egao Momura]

Helping Hand

@tag

Momura was not entirely sure how to answer the young man on somethings, but the questions he asked were pretty simple. Nodding as he was asked for a name, Momura responded with just the two relevant words, "Egao Momura."

It was the sort of thing that the kid was used to, considering he was waiting for his explanation. Though Momura was a bit confused by the explanation. Cocking his head he wondered why someone would want to develop a way to use a puppet in a fight. Would it not just break apart entirely? He had to guess there was validity to the statement if there was classes on it, but Momura preferred Hotei's helping hands. As he was asked if he wanted to try it Momura shook his head, "Generous, but Hotei requires my chakra go only to him so I don't need this jutsu you speak on. I do appreciate the offer greatly though, it is kind."

Momura would take a pose of prayer and the hand would vanish as ten took its place to continue work on multiple parts of the giraffe to make sure it held together, "These are my lord's gift to the devout, I am a conciliator too! I think my master had me take this class 'cause your strings are like a weaker helping hand. What do you think Muramasa-San?" The young boy would ask as he clicked a few pieces into place on the design that were coming loose from the premature movement.

- ❤ -

[Muramasa Uemon]

onward and upward

---

Quietly the wanderer listened to the student's responses. First their name which he gave a small nod to, and then a word about giving chakra to someone or something. "Hotei?" He thought to himself. It sounded familiar...

And if it was, he had to have heard of it recently. "A deity of some kind, perhaps..." Forsaking jutsu for faith was an interesting concept and something that was rather foreign to him. Tetsu no Kuni had its fair share of the devout but the gods he knew were old and numerous. Beyond that they did not require sacrifice like what Momura spoke of.

In any case he was intrigued. "Interesting." Uemon said, shifting his gaze to rest on the floating hand. "So in place of jutsu you're able to summon and control these hands, then?" Momura went on to explain a bit more and his natural curiosity was thoroughly piqued. To someone who viewed the world through a material lens this was as strange as it was fascinating. "Hm..." Already he was wondering about this ability's mechanics and limitations...

...but he was here to help teach, not pester a child with questions. And the boy's explanation helped confirm his initial suspicion and even answer some of those inquiries preemptively. "I think it certainly beats lugging around puppets or scrolls." He told Momura with a nod, watching as the spectral fingers nimbly adjusted some of the pieces back in place. The child was not wrong in their estimation— it did seem stronger than the average puppet strings. He could only imagine the possibilities of such a technique. "Alright, new plan." He said.

Reaching towards his hip to produce a small scroll from a holster that hung there. It took only a moment for him to unfurl it atop the table and place his hand on a kanji that read '兎'. With just a bit of chakra Uemon made use of the Kugutsu Kuchiyose no Jutsu, causing a small puff a smoke to appear. As it cleared a small white rabbit sat atop the parchment, immobile for the meantime. "Egao-kun." He turned to address the student. "Let's see if you can finish piecing together the animal using just your gift." It should prove a decent challenge for the boy and also allow him to demonstrate some of the dexterity of his floating hand. After that he shifted his gaze to look at the rest of the kids seated around the table. "Everyone else try to get Tsuki here to move with chakra threads."

To him it seemed only fair considering that Momura was not able to utilize chakra. Differing assignments for differing skillsets. Uemon stood up from his hunched position and took a step back to watch, still available to offer help if needed but focusing on overseeing the tasks given out. Hopefully the teacher would not mind the slight change in curriculum. And if she did... well, it was a good thing that he was only a guest instructor for the day.

---

[Egao Momura]

Helping Hand

@tag

"Okay," Momura said somewhat impassively as the bucket-helmed child turned back to the giraffe with a look of concentration - that was completely lost under the wicker that covered it up. Working with some amount of trepidation the kid stared at the giraffe without moving a muscle from where he stood in his pose of prayer, pieces were rising and moving with slow motion. The lack of full vision of the project as Momura had not summoned all ten hands facing the puppet was a struggle all its own to work with.

Simple-minded action allowed for only thoughts about the shape of the giraffe to fill his head. Pieces were brought by his helping hands to be looked at for where they were supposed to go as the hands moved in a turtle-paced swirl to place parts. The act to move to the mental imagery slightly straining for Momura as he worked. Only the sound of clicking pieces beyond the sound of student's talking and trying to use strings on the rabbit could really make clear whether he was doing it right or not. Where did this piece go again? How did that one fit in? Momura's headed started to spin as he tried to figure it out entirely from mental effort. Even under the basket helm, it almost became clear the boy's mind was baking from trying to do all the mental math and you would have thought Uemon has asked him to cure the plague alone.

As he got a ninth piece in place Momura finally spoke, "Is it right Muramasa-San? I can't look."

- ❤ -

[Muramasa Uemon]

a test of finesse

---

Clicking sounds rang out as the floating hand manipulated the wooden parts of the animal, the temporary instructor continuing to watch with growing interest. Though his face might not have shown it much, he was quite fascinated.

It seemed that every time he thought himself knowledgeable of the world's ways something new popped up to surprise him. That being said, he was still here to do a job so he made sure not to neglect the other students in class either. Doing his rounds in the classroom to offer advice and help anyone else struggling with the current task.

Once he had though, he ended up back at Momura's table to observe. "Let's see." Uemon replied to the boy's question, pulling up a chair that was a bit too small for him to join the children at the table. He leaned forward a bit to examine the wooden giraffe and was pleased to see that the contraption was mostly put together correctly. Only a few parts were jutting out or not snapped into place properly. "Close, Egao-kun." The wanderer murmured in tacit approval as an idea entered his head. From what he could tell the basket on the boy's head was hindering him...

Hindrances, however, could be used to one's advantage in training. "I have an idea." He said plainly, crossing his legs in the small chair in an attempt to get comfortable. A few of the other students giggled at the sight. "An exercise of sorts... using only my threads and your lord's gift." Uemon glanced to Momura for a moment before turning his gaze to the giraffe and upturning his right palm. Once more those thin, translucent strings emerged from the tips of his fingers via the Kugutsu no Jutsu. "Sometimes, you may only be able to rely on tactile feedback to get something done." He began, thinking back to his younger days. Picking locks with his threads, learning to swipe items from afar, even tripping people with them— if these were useful skills for a vagabond teenager then they would no doubt be of interest to aspiring shinobi. "So we're going to practice just that."

Uemon glanced to other students still busy trying to move Tsuki and gave them a small nod of encouragement. He turned his gaze back to the wooden animal, closed his eyes, and flicked a finger. The thread attached to his right index finger snaking its way towards the giraffe's torso, latching onto a side, and shifting it just slightly out of place.

Not enough to wreck the thing but it did start to wobble. "Try to keep the giraffe from falling apart as I meddle with the pieces. It'll be good dexterity training." He said, cracking one eyelid open for just a moment to stare at Momura. "And no peeking..." With that, he shut his eye began. Carefully selecting parts from the legs, neck, and tail to have his threads fumble with. Though it may have seemed like a race, this was nothing to rush.

Too sudden or forceful a move and the whole thing would come toppling down. Momura seemed more adept at using these spectral hands than Uemon had been in using threads when he first learned, but like in all aspects of life there was always room for improvement. It was his hope that this little game of skill would serve just that purpose. 

---

[Egao Momura]

Helping Hand

Muramasa Uemon

It seemed that there was a miscommunication going on between the two. Momura had no such thing as tactile information on the matter, but the inabilty to move and the concentration required to work ten hands at once was more then enough to distract the young man. There were no thoughts of correcting the instructor before the test came, and Momura generally found that he wasn't exactly sure what this was supposed to do for him in specific.

Unmoving all the same the hands did try their best, but one by one the pieces of the giraffe the group had taken time to put together was being dismantled. The child having no way to correct the wandering puppeteer on how his god's gift worked. Sukuinote were not his hands, they were the assistance granted by the community to perform the tasks. The unified strength of all the followers granted out in good faith by Hotei himself. As all the pieces Uemon targeted were pulled and the giraffe, likely, fell apart entirely Momura would heave out a long breathy sigh and flop to the ground mentally exhausted from attempting to stop that even. Without a word the results likely told Uemon the information that he had been lacking on the hands.

Momura's brain literally stressed from over working it for a decent amount of time on a task he hadn't even actually left himself capable of seeing. He really wanted to take a nap at this point.

- ❤ -

[Muramasa Uemon]

succeed or fail; they still learn

---

Indeed, there was some sort of miscommunication, furthered by his own curiosity about the boy's strange ability.

The wanderer could not instinctively feel what his strings were connected to except with the use of one particular jutsu, but he could still tell how they tensed and slacked when he attached them to things. However, Momura's hands seemed wholly incapable of providing any sort of information through touch alone. "I suppose it makes sense."

A thought as the animal clattered to the table, Uemon opening his eyes and furrowing his brow ever so slightly at the sight. "Since they are... immaterial, it seems." He was thinking of them too much like his own chakra threads, and not enough like a long-ranged jutsu. "A Doton hand would not necessarily provide its user information, either." Which meant that some form of sight was required to use them properly. Truthfully, he was a bit disappointed at his own instruction.

Missing the simplest explanation from trying to overthink the ability's application. The minute frown on his face did not last long, instead becoming an expression of slight surprise as Momura flopped to the ground. It seemed the boy was exhausted— his misguided, impromptu twist on their lesson having no doubt played a part in it.

Uemon wrinkled his nose. "Truly?" he thought, awkwardly rising from his small seat. "My first time as a 'real' teacher and a child nearly falls unconscious under my tutelage..." The wanderer offered the boy a hand. "Apologies, Egao-kun," he began. "I was too hasty in my instruction. Still..." his words trailed as he glanced to the wooden animal, his expression growing more deadpan as he looked over the scattered pieces. "...you did well, despite that." He hoped the boy did not feel as if it were his fault, as the blame lied with Uemon alone. "Let's get you into a seat."

If the boy accepted, he would assist him up, catching sight of the other students successfully making Tsuki wriggle on the tabletop out of the corner of his eye. "Hm," he thought. "One success out of two is... something, at least." After the student was situated, he would make use of his threads once more, snagging the pieces to put back together. Soon enough, the giraffe was whole again. "Next time, we'll try with sight." Uemon said to the boy with a nod.

If nothing else, Momura still got some kind of practice. And he had a valuable lesson reinforced himself in regards to abilities he did not understand. Something his own sensei taught him long ago. To never, ever assume anything.

---

[Egao Momura]

Helping Hand

@muramassa

Momura was definitely completely spent. Sitting up he wandered if it would be too close to greed to ask for water, would that be a demand? Asking for help was never a sin, but not having a strong sense of left and right wasn't helping the moral dilemma either. A powerful wave of nausea hit the young boy as he was assisted up off the ground, but if Uemon had said anything it seemed like it was going in one ear and out the other. Wobbling while barely standing up, Momura would rub their hand against the wicker basket helmet like a child rubbing the sleepiness out of their eyes.

Taking a seat back at the table Momura would almost immediately go directly back into a state of just blank staring. Wanting not much more then to go to bed, but for now he could just rest. He had to go help one of his many uncles with work later anyways and he knew that he would need to recover at least a little bit before that could happen. Catching the back of the helmet on the seat and getting it held still Momura would close his eyes and begin to simply breathe. He definitely was not asleep, his head hurt too much to sleep, but it was a start to feeling better.

- ❤ -

[Muramasa Uemon]

improving each day

---

The guest instructor spent the remainder of class splitting his time between aiding the other students and checking in on Momura. It was hard to tell under the tengai-gasa, but the boy appeared to be rather out of sorts.

Normally he might chalk that up to chakra exhaustion... but if the student was restricted from using chakra like his peers, it had to be something else. Mental strain or simple stamina, perhaps. "This all seems...." a trailed thought as he considered the boy's abilities. "...exceedingly abstract." Chakra itself was not the most clear-cut concept, either.

If he spent too much time thinking on it, he was bound to end up with a headache the same as the aspiring young Kumo-nin. However the exact mechanics of the ability functioned, he knew that any sort of technique had a cost.

Physical, mental, spiritual, or otherwise. Somewhere between his own silent musings and helping out the other students, the actual instructor pulled him aside. After explaining what happened with Momura and expressing his concerns over the boy's fatigue, he found himself on the receiving end of a stern talking-to. Uemon only stared...

...as blankly as his temporary student as he took the criticism as best he could. "I am never doing this again..." he thought to himself afterwards, attending to his duties until the class drew to a close then re-sealing Tsuki back in her scroll. "..." Silence as returned the scroll to its holster, then turned to see Momura sitting in his chair, still out of sorts from the look of it. "...keep up the hard work, Egao-kun." Uemon told the boy with a reassuring nod.

He gathered his things, did his obligatory waving of the children off as they left, then departed himself. Though not before giving one final piece of advice to the Hotei worshipper. "Make sure to rest after classes are out, today."

Once that was done, he bid farewell to the wary-eyed actual instructor and took his leave. Back to the inn he was lodging at during his stay... and probably to find a drink after that affair. "Spying or stealing— fine. But teaching..."

---