Good News and Cat-Catching

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The sunlight stretched over the horizons of Hoshigakure, illuminating its desert sands and fair terrain with its warm light. Inside his home, Yurei’s pale eyes fluttered open in a crescendo of movement until the eventually settled. His vision was blocked by the dimly lit scroll upon his face, light pouring into it and giving it a faint yellow glow, much like looking at one’s cheek with a flashlight pressed against it. The Uchiha raised his arms out of his blanketed cocoon, pulling the scroll off of his pale face. The light temporarily blinded him, but with a swift movement of his hand, he was able to block it. The young genin rose up, looking at the scroll he had read before falling asleep. Much of the information he had absorbed had been lost to him, but after the long day of completing his exams, Yurei couldn’t remember much of anything. However, he did know that by the time he had gotten home, his mother was asleep. She had not received the good news!
 
Yurei placed the scroll at the foot of his bed, noting it as the Bringer of Darkness genjutsu. The pale Uchiha always found himself busy in some way, shape, or form, and constantly in practice. He was satisfied with his victory in the second exam, but there was still a yearning to learn more that was ever-present. He was still young, albeit older than when he started his career as a shinobi, but he was not blinded by his sudden gain in power. In reality, Yurei was deeply unsatisfied with his progress and capabilities. He had worked to change so little, and he was growing impatient. At the same time, however, Yurei knew that this would have to be a long journey if he wanted to do it right, and that required many things: training, practice, a strong will, support from friends and family, and a desire for peace. He knew it was within his reach; he just had to work for it.
 
The albino Uchiha smiled, recalling his victory at the exams. “Only one more,” he would say to himself. “Then I’ll become a chuunin!” The rank was superficial, mostly, but it did carry with it a moniker of power, status, and determination. Yurei didn’t need it to save Hoshigakure, but he did want it to prove his dedication to the village, not just to himself, but to those around him. Standing, Yurei left his bed and took up his scroll, balancing it atop his clothes rack. The boy reach up, grabbing his kimono and draping it over his shoulders. He tied it at his waist, then the headband, and finally he stuff the coiled scroll within his belt. Yurei attached his weapon pouches to his side and slid open his door. The smell of freshly brewed tea ran throughout the air. It was intoxicating, bearing the powerful aroma of citrus.
 
As Yurei descended through the hallway, he thought about what the day would entail. He had been so caught up in his exams and training that he had been forgetting to help out the community around him, something he did almost daily up until recently. Perhaps he would observe the villagers and help out in any way he could while also obtaining this new jutsu. Yurei glanced down at the scroll and smiled before making his turn.
 
Inside the kitchen was his mother. Her skin had grown fairer, and she bore a soft, yet tired look on her face. Perhaps it was stress or restlessness, but there was still a mild concern. “Feeling well?” Yurei would ask as he came into view. The woman quickly turned to her son and smiled warmly, pouring the tea into a cup.
 
“Just fine, thank you for asking,” she’d say, handing over the small, porcelain container.
 
Yurei took up the glossy device and brought it to his lips, giving a small sip. It was perfect. Not too sweet or sour, and with the perfect tang of lemon. “Delicious,” he’d say, setting it down. The boy smiled brightly as his mother, holding his arms behind his waist. “Soooo…. Guess what!” he say, oozing with excitement.
 
“Hm?” Takia would hum, raising an eyebrow as she chuckled softly.
 
“I passed my second exam!”
 
Takia dropped her cup of tea onto the floor. “Ack!” she’d shout, stepping away from the hot liquid. She’d moved just in time. The woman began to chuckle, quietly at first, then the two burst into a bellowing laughter. She quickly fanned the issue away and hugged her son tightly.“Oh, Yurei! I’m so proud of you, Little Ghost,” she’d say, smiling at him. “My little chuunin,” she sang, pinching his cheek.
 
“Moooom,” Yurei said, pulling away from her with a smile. “I’m not one just yet. But I will be soon!”
 
“Here, let me get this cleaned up,” she said, grabbing a wet towel. Her glance briefly shifted to Yurei’s scroll. “Headed out?”
 
“Yep! I was gonna go learn a cool new jutsu! The Bringer of Darkness technique,” Yurei said, twiddling his fingers in a comically evil fashion. “It’s actually really cool. It makes everything dark, so whoever I use it on can’t see.”
 
“Oh, that’s great, Yurei,” Takia said, quickly wiping up her mess. “I don’t want to hold you up, so you can go ahead and go, ok?”
 
Yurei’s lips shifted to the side of his mouth. “If you say so,” he said, putting on his sandals. “I’ll see you soon, Mom!” Yurei yelled, sliding the door behind him.
Inside, Takia frowned, staring at the door.
 
Walking down the sidewalks, Yurei yawned. The tea had given him a little energy, but walking always seemed to do the trick, even without it. Still, that lemony kick put a jolt in his steps. The sun was shining, bringing its warmth to the pale boy’s face. It was beautiful outside, and the optimism Yurei was generating was palpable. Something just seemed bright, and it wasn’t just Hoshi’s warm sun.

The hot desert sand brushed against Yurei’s pale feet as he descended through the sidewalks. He looked up at the yellow sun, if only briefly, and he took a deep breath. The boy hadn’t been as active in the community as he once was, instead opting to train for bigger things, for the overall issues of Hoshigakure. Yurei Uchiha, the pale Uchiha of the Hidden Stars, had shifted from helping a cat out of a tree for some old woman to aspiring to end all shinobi and villager conflict in the entire village. It was certainly a leap in goals. The lanky genin had often thought about his shift, and ‘neglecting’ the small problems of the community gave the boy a sense of unfulfillment and borderline disgust in himself. He felt lazy and apathetic, and that could not be further away from what he wanted.

The boy stopped walking, and he felt the air swell in his lungs. Chuunin. He was so close. The rank up had no real bearing on his ultimate goal, but a chuunin was more respected than a genin, and a jounin more than a chuunin, and the Hogokage even more so. That was his ultimate goal – to become the Hogokage and bring about peace in this village. To prove his father wrong, that Shinobi could be kind and peaceful, and that conflict could be stopped with understanding. Yurei exhaled deeply, allowing the warm sun to hit his skin, but he did not feel it. Instead, he remained in thought, thinking of his goals and of the future – what it entailed. The boy’s gaze shifted to each of the houses that lined the streets. Was he so caught up in the overall goal that he had forgotten about the small things? Yes and no. The boy was too critical of himself, shifting both blame and praise onto himself. He felt as if he were a walking contradiction, always failing in some way and never content. But should he be?

Dissatisfaction had controlled Yurei since the night his father passed. He was displeased with so many things, including himself, and that was abhorrent to him. It needed to be corrected, and Yurei believed he had the power to bring about the necessary change until the next problem arose.

The Albino Uchiha touched his face lightly. The sun had made it warm to the touch, his alabaster skin almost glowing with reflected light, much like the moon’s surface. Yurei narrowed his eyes, once more eyeing the many houses that lie ahead. He had to help these people. And his ultimate goal was one currently out of reach. But he could help them in other ways – ways that didn’t require a genjutsu that would change the very nature of people. Before he had become a genin, Yurei strived to help the little people, but now, he had a much bigger plate to fill.

The Uchiha closed his eyes for a moment, now focusing on the warmth provided by the sun. His bright eyes opened, and they shifted to the market that stood beyond, rife with busy life. The Uchiha smiled, and excitement boiled within his core. Soon. That’s all he needed to take the steps. That soon he would be a chuunin, and that he would help the village in ways he never thought possible.

Yurei’s pale feet, shielded by the bamboo sandal underfoot, trudged through the sweeping sands until they came across the area teeming with life. The pale Uchiha smiled, watching the crowd of people and his hands found rest atop his scroll, neatly housed on his waist. The genin’s smile shifted to the side, his analytical eyes looking for someone in need, anyone. Then they caught the image of an older woman, likely in her sixties, with wrinkles carved into her welcoming face as if water through a winding canyon. The lanky boy’s eyes watched as her bag of goods spilled onto the ground. Crowds of people swept by her, all in a rush. That was a feeling Yurei had grown to accustomed to – being rushed – and it was not pleasing. In fact, it was just the opposite, and it often resulted in a sort of tunnel vision that blocked off all issues other than the main goal. That had been Yurei’s misgiving, and it had threatened him numerous times. Too often had he given up all caution in a rush of excitement or ignored someone in need because he was too busy learning a jutsu. He couldn’t be everywhere at once, of course, but that still ate at him like a fly on a piece of open fruit.

Yurei rushed into the crowd, bumping into people of all walks of life as he came upon the woman. “Here, let me help,” Yurei said, picking of the fruit into his long, pale arms.

“Hm?” murmured the woman, looking up as she reached for a vivid fruit, blazing-yellow in color. Yurei’s eyes squinted slightly as he smiled at the woman, offering her the apple he had taken up. The elderly woman gave a faint, yet warm, smile in return as she took it from his hand. The thin genin quickly gathered the remaining fruit, handing them to the woman as she placed them into her bag. The numerous people sweeping by encompassed the area around them, but the sun was able to pierce through the open sky, illuminating the sand-ridden food. “Thank you, so much,” the old woman said, clasping her bag and creasing it at the top. “I don’t know what I would have done if all of it got crushed,” she laughed.

Yurei laughed in return, rubbing the back of his head as he smiled. “Me neither,” he chuckled. “None of it got bruised?”

“Oh, just a little. Nothing much. If you ask me, that makes them easier to eat, and my husband already has to gum them down,” she cackled, standing up. With a pop, her back stretched, allowing her to stand tall. “Thank you, again,” she’d say.

“You’re welcome,” Yurei said with a nod and then a bow, almost forgetting. “Safe travels,” he said, breaking off from the woman as he waved.

That felt good. It had been a long time since he did anything like that. Maybe he had spent too much time training, or maybe he simply had been training the wrong way. Yurei’s lips pursed. Was that another reason the villagers hated shinobi? Maybe they didn’t actively help them enough. The pale Uchiha felt guilt rise in his belly like steam, then came embarrassment.

It was only temporary, however. Yurei sighed. No, that was insane. The villagers didn’t need shinobi constantly helping them, did they? They wouldn’t always be there, and these problems, though they made Yurei feel good, were minute in comparison to the bigger issues of the village. Training wasn’t some vain thing, it was bettering oneself. At least for Yurei. And he could use that to help those around him, and to improve his genjutsu manipulation. But what about other shinobi? Were they training simply for power’s sake, or were there good intentions behind them. The Uchiha thought of Damon, who had often proclaimed his desire to becoming a legend. Yurei hadn’t asked what he meant specifically. Was it simply fame, or something more? Yurei was after that too, in a way. Or, at least, as a side effect of. His plan to heal Hoshigakure would certainly have its rewards, but fame wasn’t what Yurei was after, not specifically. Perhaps he had gotten that from his father. Yurei was no doubt more open, but hearing people chant his name came in second to helping his seemingly dying home.

Yurei took another deep breath, opting to continue his walks through the market in search of someone or something that needed his help. Unfortunately, there were none, just busy people rushing to get what they needed before even more people came into the city square.

The pale Uchiha quickly wormed his way out of the heated crowds, making his way back to the housing district. The sun wasn’t too hot, so there was a chance that many people, or at least a few, would be outside. The lanky boy marched down the sidewalks with an enthusiastic bounce. He found himself overcome with a feeling of ecstasy. He maneuvered through the sand-brushed concrete, keeping an eye out for anyone in need of help. Yurei felt as if he were a grand hero going on a quest for good, and, while it did not appear so, he could picture himself as one.

Yurei’s pale eyes stretched across the many houses that lined the streets until he came across something dark and fast. It was small, but just out of view.

“H-Hey!” a voice called from Yurei’s left. It was another elderly woman. Something must have brought them all out today, or maybe the pale Uchiha simply hadn’t noticed how frequently elderly women needed assistance prior to becoming a shinobi. Or maybe this was just a spur of the moment type of thing. He couldn’t be sure.

“My cat!” the voice called out to the pale boy once more. “Asami! Get back here!”
Yurei squinted his eyes in search of the animal, finally watching it. It was a fully black cat, save for its paws that resembled socks of pure white. The pale boy grasped his scroll, thinking about using it. But for an animal such as this? It wasn’t really worth the chakra, was it?

Yurei darted to the cat as he rehearsed the jutsu in his mind, if only to keep it fresh in there. Yurei’s arms hanged behind him as he rushed forward, chasing the fuzzy creature as it darted through the sands. It was fast, but not as fast as Yurei Uchiha! The boy lunged forward, but the cat disappeared. Oh no. His worst fears had been realized. Yurei looked up to the top of a nearby house. The cat had appeared just above him. It was…

A Ninja Cat…

Yurei’s eyes gave off a sense of pity, but for only himself. Out of all the people in the village, this old lady decided to have a cat that could use ninjutsu. Perfect. The lanky boy channeled his chakra to his feet, treading the building as clasping his arms in a sweeping motion, but the cat was, again, too fast. How the tables had turned. Yurei’s lips curved to the side as he pondered. I gotta be fast. I can’t some little furry cat like this beat me! I’m about to be a Chuunin!


Yurei darted, accelerating at an extreme speed with his arm extended. That cat was his. But then, the cat, too, darted off, lunging for a dragonfly. Yurei stubbled, only barely gaining his balance. This kimono would not look good brown. The pale Uchiha slid a bit before coming to a stop, the traction in his sandals colliding with the dirt. The boy ran forward once more in a burst of speed, lunging for the cat. But now it saw him. This whole time, the chat was more fixated on bugs than it was Yurei. And that did not make him happy.

It didn’t help when Yurei had no results thus far, and that was like easy mode. Yurei lunged, but the cat’s eyes cut at him, responding with a pounce to the left. Yurei missed, quickly changing his direction to that of the cat. That cat was like lightning, no doubt amplifying his speed with chakra. But Yurei could do that, too.

The pale boy channeled his chakra to his eyes, forming his sharingan. With an extra burst of speed, he lunged forward, extending his fingers to the cat’s fluffy tail. The long, black fur brushed against his fingertips as he closed in. He was close. Almost…. There…

And then the cat darted forward.

Yurei stopped, visibly annoyed. He was just giving this furry beast a fun time. It was playing tricks on him. The boy’s eyes narrowed as he watched the cat with his Sharingan. It was fast, but Yurei would not allow some tiny cat get the better of him! This was personal now. Yurei darted forward, recalling his genjutsu. It was perfect for this moment, and it wouldn’t hurt the cat. However, the animal was keeping its distance, and Yurei had to move in closer.

The lanky boy chased the cat religiously, slowly catching up to the snide beast. Yurei kept his eyes on it as he inched closer. It was moving faster than it ever had before, but Yurei had it in his grasp. There would be no escape.

The two engaged in this sort of game for minutes on end, but it felt like brief seconds to Yurei. His complete focus was on catching this cat and returning it to its owner.
“Boy, he’s really serious about getting my cat,” murmured the old woman as she watched the spectacle. “Don’t hurt him, please! He’s actually very loving, but he likes to mess around a lot if you can’t tell.”

Yurei exhaled deeply, registering the woman’s words but throwing them off to the side. The two went in circles, Yurei very closely closing in. With each step, he came just a tad bit closer. He could not let this little creature get away, and he wouldn’t.
The two were deadlocked on a course to a large building in the housing district. It was a rather large house with very tall walls, and it was the perfect spot for this genjutsu. Yurei just had to wait for the right moment and no sooner.

The boy bolted forward, his keen eyes staying on the feline. The pale boy rose his fingers, forming the tiger handseal. His sharingan allowed the boy to witness the cat’s, and that further assisted his control over it with genjutsu. It was much easier to visualize it with this, and his chakra sensory was simply an added bonus.

Darkness swelled around the cat, and the creature, confused by the rapid and sudden loss of light, plowed into the building ahead, knocking it onto the ground. It was not injured, of course, but dizzy to be sure. And that gave Yurei the perfect opportunity to catch it.

The pale Uchiha snatched the cat up, draping it over his shoulder. The lanky genin cushioned its bottom with his hand as he walked over to the older woman, handing it over. “Here’s your cat, Ma’am.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” I would have never caught him, but I’ve never seen him run so fast before! That was amazing! And so were you! Both of you were like lightning running through the streets!”

Yurei smiled briefly, remembering what this had all been about. He had briefly gotten lost in a competitive game of tag, but this was more. Helping people was more, and nothing brought a greater feeling to Yurei. The boy prided himself on helping others, though he tried to stay as humble and as realistic as possible. He couldn’t let any of it go to his head. Simply doing the deed, no matter how small, was well worth it.

The pale Uchiha took a deep breath, smiling at the old woman. “He’s fast, but I think I was able to catch up in the end,” Yurei laughed. “You’re welcome, though, Ma’am. Always happy to help!” Yurei said, bowing respectfully. The woman soon did the same, cushioning her cat as she did so.

With that, Yurei departed from the woman, and, once he had gone a greater distance, took the time to catch his breath. That cat was fast, but not as fast as any shinobi he’d faced. It must have been those reflexes and the chakra on top of that. Ninja Cats were definitely forces to be reckoned with, and that was information Yurei would have to definitely remember.

Yurei’s eyes scanned the streets as he began to make his way back to his house. A little time spent with his mom wouldn’t hurt. Maybe he hadn’t been spending enough time with her. The pale boy walked forward, stretching his long arms as he did. As he trudged through the thin layer of sand covering the sidewalks, Yurei spotted a man sweeping off his porch. In another yard, Yurei watched a woman water her desert flowers, the first time he had ever seen her do so. It was certainly a beautiful day, and it had been a productive one. Yurei not only got the chance to help out the community, albeit small problems with little quantity, but he had also furthered his genjutsu, having now learned the Bringer of Darkness technique. He was advancing, and he’d be Hogokage in no time at all! A few more years of this and Hoshigakure would be saved!

The thin and lanky albino took a deep breath as he reached his front porch. He grasped a broom and quickly swept off the patches of sand that had accumulated on the tan-colored rock. With that, the boy opened his front door and found his mother where he had left her, still in the kitchen.

“Hm? Oh, Yurei! You’re home early.”

“Not much going on in the village today, Mom.”

“Oh,” Takia said, nodding. “Well, I suppose that’s a good thing.”

Yurei nodded in agreement, coming to the kitchen where Takia stood. She quickly turned to face him with a thin smile.

“I figured I’d spend a little time with you seeing as how I’m always out.”

“Ah, well, that’s nice of you, Yurei, but I’m really busy right now. I’m not feeling too well and I have to make some dinner with what we have.”

“Oh, well, alright,” Yurei said, shrugging. “I won’t disturb you, then,” Yurei said, stepping away from the kitchen space.

“Thank you, Little Ghost,” Takia said, beginning to run water.

Yurei smiled briefly and exhaled, heading for his room. Before he entered, the boy stopped to look back at the kitchen. He stood there for just a moment, but for what felt like a century. There was no call to him. Only the sound of running water and clattering plates. The boy sighed, shifting his lips to the side of his mouth, and then he went into his room.

WC: 4049


[Exit]


Requesting: +19 Stat points, Bringer of Darkness

Approved