the many lessons life will teach you.

Zaled consumed, a large steak. A smsll guilty pleasure of his as his traditional glass of wine was in front of him, and another unusual dish of delicious quality. A cobbler with the scents of sugar, and peaches drifting in the air. Even then the man cut into the thick steak and has almost all but forgot about the cobblerr. A thick smoked to perfection with the piece an ideal pink center, and the fine brown. It wasnt of the worldly kind, but deliciously provided by him pulling once more from his dimension, and enjoying the fine champainge and food there.


However as it was noon now the man kicked back and took a bite from his new cut of meat eyeing the cobbler. Much too large to consume alone of course, But like wise he had plates and another interesting pitcher of iced tea at this table. Beside him was the pathway that lead to the quiet grove of sunagakure which was nice. But as likewise it finally dawned on him.

mmm there were people here i met cruising through the dimensions yes. I wonder where they may be?

Uchiha, Kaito decided that it was the perfect day to take a stroll through The Grove: the closest thing that Sunagakure had to a park. It was peaceful and beautiful, something that Kaito would not take for granted. Since arriving back into the village per his summoning a few days before, and having been very busy as a result of it all, the 20 year-old lad relished the fact that he had some time to relax.

As the young man waltzed through the luscious park, however, a peculiar smell reached his nose. It wasn't peculiar in that it smelt bad, rather it smelt out of place. Perplexed, Kaito would follow the scent until he found an individual eating a grand looking meal. Steak, wine, champagne, and a huge cobbler were sitting upon a table that, of course, did not belong there in the center of The Grove.

Confused, yet intrigued, Kaito would approach the table.

"Top of the day to you, friend." He greeted, smiling all the while. "Quite a beautiful day for a meal out in the sun, eh?"

ooo

zaled exclaimed. His blue eyes shone with a glint of joy and hunger. A smokey bit of meat. A small guilty pleasure he enjoyed many things. Women, fine wines, cheese, the sweet taste of victory, the joy of a suscessful experiment, and yes sweets, but perhaps cheif of all was a nice smokey tip of meat. The taste of the char and the heavily cooked meat. A delicious part of his meal. Zaled cut a nice large bit and held up his finger as he took a bite speaking up.

"the best part of any day is your favorite part to eat,for me it is the bits slightly overcooked but not dead charred. You can still taste it a few minutes later. Like a day like this. A bite to remember and a day to not forget."

he replied and chuckled as he chewed and swallowed offering the boy to sit across and speaking up.

"take a seat young man, share this fine cobbler and let us talk. I go by the name zaled,i am a simple traveler of the lands and realms beyond. So what is it that you seek today? knowledge? wisdom? or teachings of techniques?"

zaled inquired as he offered the boy a fork and studied him quietlt.

Kaito would accept the man's invitation to join him in enjoying the fabulous meal that sat upon the table between them.

"Thank you, Zaled." Kaito replied as he took the fork in hand and sat down in the chair adjacent him. "I am Uchiha, Kaito,. As for what I seek, that I am not too sure." Kaito would ponder for a moment, spinning the fork around his his hand as he thought. He quickly settled on a specific topic; one that had been pestering him every since his true identity had been revealed to him by the Lord Third Kazekage sometime ago. "Would you happen to know anything about the Uchiha clan, Zaled? It turns out that I belong to the clan myself, but i was adopted and raised by the Inuzuka so I have little knowledge of my ture heritage."

kaito introduced himself and it was good to see another uchiha, although it surprised zaled he was adopted and raised in another clan, Good people come to the occasion, and rise up. He had seen more unusual stuff in life that it meant nothing. However his question was a simple one, Which zaled cut into another peice and washed down his bite with a sip of wine.

"of course i know about uchiha, i am one myself, and you only learn more as you grow and travel. What is it you are seeking? we are dialeted is the best way to put it. Our eyes may be diffrent, but thd blood the same, The sharingan feared but well rightfully so kaito, But responsibility you see is the diffrence between a old uchiha, and a dead one. Learning your history, the growth of the eyes beyobd normal means, are simply what one strives for at one point or another. I have met thoes who have recklessly with abandon used their abilities, and seen the multitudes of evolution."

zaled stated as he studied the boy and placed down his glass sighing wearily.

"The thing is kaito is not that you may have gotten strong, But what did you gain alongside that. How far have you gone with your sharingan? three tomo? perhaps reached the mangekyo? this is important because if so then i am simply going to ask you this. Why are you using your abilities, and for what have they truly accomplished for yourself and others? are you conservative with your sharingan, or are you reactive? have you truly felt youbunderstood your eyes growth, or have you gone and just used them like a toy?"

zaleds questions were deep questions requiring the boy to think about why and how much he values his abilities and sight. Because this was important in any case,jutsu learned, or infomation garnered. Were they truly being insightful.

"my daughter acheived the form, and nearly lost her sight,her uncle altho gone did the same, uand much more, However i preached to each is the cost worth it to them, or were they just running towards something just because it felt useful? the thing is why kaito did you push for infomation, and how will you apply this to grow?

Kaito listened intently to what Zaled said regarding the Uchiha, or rather the Sharingan that they all possessed. He personally had never known that this Mangekyō Sharingan took different forms between members of the clan. What he did know, however, was that it was capable in causing blindness should it be used too much. At one time, right after his parents had been murdered, Lord Third Kazekage introduced to him his true Uchiha heritage. In doing such, when it was revealed that the life he had lived previously had been that of a lie, Kaito had awoken his Sharingan. Through all of the emotional trauma that he had experienced, via this evolution that Zaled mentioned, he had actually awoken his Sharingan directly into its Mangekyō state.

"When I awakened my Sharingan, I had skipped the tomoe states and awakened the Mangekyō off the bat." Kaito paused for a moment, trying to think of how to put it all. "There really is no rhyme nor reason for it, it just happened like that, I suppose. But when I did awaken it all I felt was anger and frustration. I wanted power and nothing more. My abilities through it grant me access to a certain realm of my own derivative, and in that state, I had only used the power I had achieved to further my own agenda of someday becoming the Kazekage." Kaito paused for a moment, picking at apiece of the cobbler before him with his fork and eating the morsel before continuing. "I've come to learn quite a bit about myself since then through growing up and with the help of my friends. To that end, I've personally come to the decision that I am only to use my powers to better Sunagakure... To protect it and its people... I feel that I can do a much better job at this with more understanding of our shared clan and our true abilities and purpose, Mr. Zaled, should you be willing to trust me with such information."

anger was an understandable reason, it has happend timr and time again. Zaled chewes through his food quietly as he listend, kaito had come to full circle but that was for himself which was important. He was right to reflect now and for this zaled approved pointing at the cobbler after the young man spoke.

"one of the best you might enjoy it, my own dimension produced it as such so please take a bite and listen "

zaled spoke with a smile but his eyes were saddend.

"yes you evolved quickly in eye states, i can understand the frustratiom. It must've hurt deeper then anything, but it is why you sit before me now. Another state lies beyond the mangekyo. Honestly the real thing to realize is that sitting here you have explained and set a goal.The blindness is both a horrid curse but grants perspective, my daughter relied heavily on hers and the ability a fire lover used known as amateratsu. powerful all consuming black flames, devistating to all but the crafty and well impressive. However kaito she was nearly blind. Desperation is the answer."

zsled stated as he leaned back and looked at theyoung man.

"you are at the wall of desperation.A reminder that power will and can be taken as easily despite tragedy can be taken.We rely on a strong tool our eyes, but the idea of losing sight, and therefore the ability to use effectively our very sword is devistating. It is why i have been cautious,but insightful in general.i know the way,and too know thecrisks even though i have not by the moment even acheived mangeyoku myself. knowledge you see requires sacrifice kaito."

zaled spoke aa he cut a peice of the cobbler out and took a bite.

"Activate your sharingan. 3rd tomo. Do you know that the fear of never seeing both in base sight, and your sharingan. No poweres to be used,nothing you can do, no medic even if they bring people back from the brink of death. It means nothing kaito. this is the cost of this. What will you do if you lost your sharingan kaito? what will you do ifvyou went blind? what will you do if an enemy just walked out not killing you and then just pulled out your eyes? Answer well kaito."

'Another state lies beyond the Mangekyō?' Kaito asked himself internally.

Kaito took in all of what Zaled said; how his daughter had gone blind from the overuse of the Mangekyō Sharingan and how she had been a practitioner of the "Amaterasu" technique, which was something that the younger Uchiha himself had never heard of himself. When the older and more knowledgable Uchiha told Kaito to activate his Sharingan to its 3-Tomoe state, he complied without question. His vision quickly shifted; allowing himself to see Chakra almost as though it was ripped right out of a color palette. Then Zaled told him to imagine life without this precious sight of his; how he would not be able to use the powers that he had come so accustomed to over the past year.

Kaito sighed as he stopped twirling the fork in his hand, trying to think with some clarity.

"For the first thirteen years of my life I didn't have access to this power, let alone even knew that such a thing existed. In fact, I'm still becoming quite accustomed to it all myself. Before these eyes I relied solely upon my sense of smell. Being raised by the Inuzuka that had become my greatest asset." Kaito paused for a moment and looked at Zaled. "But what came before doesn't matter. The question is what I'll do without these eyes of mine should I loose them in anyway. My answer to that question is that I would adapt, as a shinobi should in situations such as that. Power comes in all shapes and forms, and these eyes are just one pillar of the strength that I possess." Kaito paused again, allowing his face to show his conviction. "If the cost of this power, however, is blindness, then I will accept as such. It matters not to me if it is temporary or permanent so long as I have access to my other strengths as to ensure that I can protect this village for as long as I shall live."

It was a good answer

zaled thought asche listend to kaito, he had the oppertunity few uchiha had obtained, nor really understood, It was the point to his unique case, but as good as it was zaled was honest. A good answer for the self was an honest means, but it wasnt for the thing that he was seeking. Where kaito would adapt,another lost a prize not worth losing.

not enough, his case only applies to himself.

Zaled glanced at the boys eyes noddimg a bit as he chewed and cut out a peice of cobbler, larger then he needed to eat as a point and he pointed at kaito with a twinge of dissappointment.

"your answer is half right, it is good you have the means to adapt, for what you desire to protect, It is the means that is honorable for the fact that you yourself desire it for others.However. It only is like the piece i cut out now. To you it fills your plate, but to others it is a piece, to the history of uchiha it is a nonexistant factor. Even if you changed a wmview it is nothing beyond a miniscule point. People take these eyes for the power. tbey unlock some common, others maybe for themselves.The sharingam is a selfish, at worst, and self centered means of use at best. Ypu do not share that vision another posesses, nor the loss one may provide for each level one may push beyond."

zaled stated cutting into his peice.

"to explain many tie it to pain, like the bloodshot eyes of the wounded in pride, or body. People squirm as it is a fearsom in both potential amd use. But a haphazard is dangerous because the cost not for you but others beyond your means of obtainment are far reaching kaito. Not to ypurself but all uchiha. some may slaughter others, children out of fear, others out of greed, and desperation. Some pure ambition and curiousity of power."

Zaled glanced over the young man and shook his head.

"the empathy you may posess is far less then the very hunger you are seeking kaito and desperation encloses as you lose sight, This is true for not just you but all. adaptability is one thing. A dime a doze , but when other sharingan cannot help, your timer runs up and ypur taxes for power is subtle but due, unless you truly understand and relate."

zaled spoke as activated his own eyes and gazed the young man down.

"unless you echange of equal value mangekyo sharingan of equal power. The fact remains that this here is where you are perhaps at the most vulnerable. My Daughters was taken for a year, untill fate had it her uncle blessed hers with it again. She rejoiced, but wept, Am uchiha who neber did anything had her eyes snatched from her skull for another to use. Yet to allow it to happen under her uncles watch as he taight her a lesson amid my tasks. Never just blindly trust. So whom will you just let hold your eyes, and pray they do not get crushed. A few uchiha i spared the dishonor of their eyes being pulled away post death due to the greedy, a good kunai through the eyeball to spare the world a user going for their own ambitonal, and often self indusing hunger of power."


he sighed and shook his head deactivating his eyes and took a bite.

"you are only half right kaito, But never be half correct. You will cost others the same price, or worse for your assumptions of this. It is why i told you to answer carefully, because this is no game, it isnt about heros,villians, and a happy day of training for muscles. It never has nor never will work that way. This is a matter of from this moment on honoring other uchiha too, others whom were blessed by the gift of a sharingan, or thoes who treat our eyes like nothing more then a pair of clothes. If you susceeded you only won for yourself, and the otjer, Not for the ones who were robbed on trusting to impart surgery. Or died but their very eyes used for the selfishness of others."

Kaito looked inward as Zaled spoke. He completely understood what the older Uchiha was saying, and it was wrong for the younger lad to have gotten lost in his own personal vendetta about obtaining ever more power only for himself.

But a further understanding of this would come with time.

Lifting himself up from the chair he had sat upon, Kaito bowed gracefully to Zaled.

"Thank you very much sir for your assistance. I understand that my answer was only half correct, but that also means that I was half wrong too. I will have to spend time looking inward for the answer to your question, and to also look inside myself to see my true drive for power. Clearly, I am not quite at the stage of wielding such awesome power, but that is something that I agree with." He would lift his head again, still looking at Zaled. "I will come back to you once I have the answer that you truly seek, sir. Thank you." With that Kaito would depart from the Grove and head off toward home.

[EXIT]
WC Total = 1,177
Will do WC claims at a later time.