Chapter Five: Necessary Evil (P, Ren)

Eren was an odd specimen. Born with proportions that hurt to look at, wearing a mask to hide it, and his propensity for both violence and music alike seemed to contradict themselves. But at the moment, it mattered not. A thief stood on dusty ground before him after an attempt to rob what little ryo he had, and was thus trapped in an Ephemeral genjutsu. Was it perfect? No, but it got the job done. He would have seen dark clouds and ants creeping up his very skin, biting and crawling. Sharp stinging pains would follow up. The sheer stupidity of people always baffled him, just like each person's capacity for both great good and evil. Why was it such a hard choice? He was doing the good thing, right? He was punishing a sinner. Right?

He twisted his hand, and the genjutsu worsened, the clouds darkening and the pain increasing a thousandfold. Tears trickled down the thief's eyes, and his mouth was held open as he collapsed to the ground. He couldn't scream for the pain he thought he was in. A crow cawed overhead in an overcast sky. Hmph.

He frowned and released the man, who scurried away frantically. This world was rotten, was it not? Massaging his temples, he sat down and contemplated the inner workings of the universe.


WC: 222
Total WC: 222

Ren was sitting in his office, maintaining his mind's eye as always and making sure that no one that could pose a threat to them was anywhere near Hitsuyō Aku's base of operations. Of course with the black market having sprung up around them this meant that there were many individuals with some skill in the shinobi arts around them, but none of them were actively using their chakra... except one, who seemed to have trapped a poor fellow in a genjutsu, with a sigh Ren stood up, drinking the rest of his scotch and striding out of his office, passing the bartender with a nod Ren strode outside, moving silently towards the individual he'd detected. Sliding into an alleyway Ren saw a boy standing with his back to Ren facing his victim. Ren moved quickly and silently until he was right behind the boy, having pulled out a kunai as he went Ren held it to the boy's neck in a flash of speed. "Now what do we have here, I hope your not thinking of causing trouble around here boy" He'd say attempting to mimic the harsh tone that many of the market's ramshackle guards used.

The cold kiss of a kunai rubbed against his pale neck. He closed his eyes for but a moment, listening to what the... Woman? Man? Had to say. He had to be very careful with his next words... He thought about them while the stranger was talking, though was careful to keep an ear open.

"Trouble? Good sir," he began smoothly, guessing the stranger's gender from the gruffer tone of their voice. Hopefully he was correct... "This man attempted to rob me. Is it not fair to punish him?" Whether it was or not wasn't really his concern. He needed to send a message. Rob me, and face the consequences. His facial expression remained stoic, void of emotion and weakness altogether. His chakra stirred beneath his skin in tune with his anxiety, but he quieted it down. It wouldn't do to have the stranger think he was preparing a genjutsu. Besides, it could also be interpreted as an emotion, such as worry.

That wouldn't do, either.

WC: 166
Total WC: 388

Ren placed his hand on the boy's neck, a seal appearing there as he did so, Ren pushed the boy against the wall with a harsh "Stay there" as he removed the kunai, striding over to the man Ren put his hand to the man's head and invaded his mind, a few seconds later Ren cut the man's neck, the things he'd done with his life we're far from forgivable. "My Apologies" Ren said, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping clean the blade "It seems I misjudged you, although I must admit you can certainly handle yourself rather well, who taught you genjutsu?" he would as curiously, gesturing that the boy was free to move as he pleased.

As the man(?) wiped clean the blade and apologised, he nodded firmly. "I am self taught," he said, thinking on the now deceased thief. The stranger had a strong sense of justice. He liked that. He rubbed his neck where the kunai once graced it, and his lips twitched. "In my childhood, I was not permitted much room to socialize. Instead, I learned. I trained. And I suceeded." he said. After a pause, Eren tilted his head and held out his hand. "My name is Eren Destler, student of illusions and the unknown. May I inquire as to the title of your personage?" If the man answered, he would nod. "A good name. It is a pleasure."

If no name was given, he would tilt his head. "I understand."

WC: 129
Total WC: 517

Ren pursed his lips for a moment at the boy's words, "For the time being you may call me Kenji Kotomine, that's quite a talent to have for one self-taught" Ren said in response to the boy's explanation, chuckling internally at the irony of the situation. It was the same excuse Ren used on many an occasion to explain his own terrifying chakra reserves. All the same, Ren offered the boy his hand in greeting, "So what brings you to such a... shady place?" Ren said gesturing to the area they found themselves.

"The Black market?" he began. Eren looked around, eyeing various hastily put-up buildings and stalls. "Well, to be completely honest, Kenji... I ran away from home. My mother isn't the nicest. This is the first time I've been out of my room, in fact..." he chuckled darkly and lowered his head. "She was ashamed of me." gesturing towards her mask, she spoke softly. She stretched and shook the hand. "Tell me," she said out of the blue. "do you travel? If so, may I come with you? I have much to learn, and something tells me that traveling with you just might provide the answers I need." if Kenji said yes, she would nod and give the barest smile. If Kenji disagreed, she would shrug and say that it was worth a shot.

WC: 133
Total WC: 650

Ren nodded his head at the boy's words, it was common in these troubled times to see children without their parents for one reason or another, it was unfortunate that a child with such potential had been left without a home, but perhaps it could be of benefit to him. "Come here a second child," Ren said beckoning to the boy. Once the boy came to stand next to him Ren would gently place his hand upon the boy's head, checking his own memories the same way he'd done to the thief before. Assuming he found nothing to indicate the boy a threat, and that the boy's own beliefs aligned with Rens own, then Ren would remove his hand and nod again, turning and starting to walk away before muttering "Follow me then."

Ren would lead the boy through the streets until they reached the courtyard behind Ren's bar where Ren would take a seat, waiting for the boy to get impatient and ask what they were doing there. Once the boy opened his mouth Ren would hold up his hand, cutting the boy off by trapping him in a genjutsu. He'd sensed the boy's desire to learn when he'd filtered through his memories and decided that learning by experience would be the best way to teach the boy. "Learn by doing, my boy. If you wish to follow me you'll need to be stronger than anyone you've met before" he'd say, pulling out his book and beginning to read up on some new medical breakthroughs, he'd been keeping up to date on the matter for a while now, an idea beginning to bubble to the surface over the past few weeks. "Don't just break the genjutsu?" Ren said, as he continued reading, "Copy it, take it all in and reflect it back at me" he'd say leaving the boy to his own devices for the most part.

There were tendrils in her head. They matched the chakra of the stranger, so it was probably not too harmful, but it still felt like insects crawling beneath her skin... Well, brain. She shuddered violently and shook her head until they retreated. Did he just... View my memories? The invasion of privacy was haunting, but it wasn't like she could do anything to stop it. When requested to follow, she did obediently like some twisted dog. Eventually, after walking through the black market for a bit, they found themselves behind a bar of some sort. A moment passed. Suddenly, a strange mist began to filter through her vision. What strange technique...? No, there was no way it could be-

"Don't just break the genjutsu." It was a genjutsu! But when Kenji spoke again, she found herself shivering in excitement. She took in everything around her- the feel of the cold haze on her skin, the way the sunlight above filtered through it eerily, the feeling of cold wetness that pervaded her nostrils whenever she breathed in- and when she caught his eye, her fingers shifted into a handseal she didn't even know she was making and reflected. Everything she saw... Everything she felt... It was all being reflected back at him.

She only hoped it was a good illusion. God help her if it wasn't.

WC: 225
Total WC: 875

Ren would look up from his book at the girl, a subtle sound ringing in his ear for a moment as he spoke, "Good I've never seen anyone pick up a technique quite as quickly as yourself." This wasn't strictly true of course, Ren himself had mastered many a fuinjutsu technique in a matter of minutes, given the right motivation, "All the same it's far from perfect, I didn't even have to blink to break that genjutsu." Ren said, his voice not quite harsh, but certainly strict, he found himself falling back into the roll of a teacher, something he was surprised to find he missed despite the stress it caused him. "Try it again he said, flicking his wrist and trapping the boy in the same genjutsu again as he continued to read his book. There seemed to be some potential here if Ren could only find a way to submerge a person in medical chakra in the thick of combat...