The hours were passing by. Day would soon be shifting to night after just a couple more hours turned over. The sky was already golden, but it wasn't like anyone would easily know that. Thick blankets of clouds were in the way of the open space above the land. It made the cemetery of Kirigakure appear dark, which was a fitting theme for the place due to the graves containing the dead. Rolling waves of mist reaching up the knees gave it a horror theme. But, what was there to even be afraid of? The eerie whispers of the wind, or maybe the lack of living bodies that weren't creepy, perhaps. It was definitely one of the locations that so few would like to visit. Those who don't have anyone to talk to, however, might find it perfect. Especially if they lost a loved one. For an Uchiha who had no family to turn to, it was someplace that needed to be visited at least once. It happened years ago, when that Uchiha was still just a child. Back when the father and mother were practically ecstatic about taking care of their first and only child. Their deaths were sudden, and that child couldn't totally grasp the situation. She was far to young, and children at that age had fragile minds. Now, that she was older and taking on the life of a ninja, it was about time she confronted that past that should have been haunting her ruthlessly. For that reason, she was visiting the Bloody Cemetery to greet her deceased parents' graves. A tip from a citizen in the village led her there. 


In that mist-covered cemetery, Teru Uchiha stepped lightly with her hands balled into small fists. She was a bit hesitant about going to see her father and mother's graves. They died years ago; it didn't give her a good feeling in the pit of her stomach since she was just now choosing to see them. If she truly was the type of person, she wouldn't have gone there. But, something just nagged at her mind and heart, telling her to take the time and remember how alone she was. Having to be raised at an orphanage where her soul was tested. And, after she left, it was to go out and be on her own through thick and thin. She had a few people to trust, though. It was because of them, the friends and teachers, that she was able to get as far as she did. Although, it saddened her. While she had all of them to count on, there was nothing for her parents. It didn't show on her face-- her sorrow. Teru kept her gaze forward and focused on finding the graves. Her eyes would shift from side to side at the names on each slab of stone sticking up from the ground. Well, only at the ones that were actually visible. Most were scratched off, or eroded by the weather. After a few more minutes of walking, her eyes finally fell upon a pair of tombstones sitting close together. Teru approached them quietly and crouched down a foot away to get a good look at the names.


"That's no good," she muttered to herself as her fingers traced over the name on the stone to her right. Over half of the letters squeezed together to form a name had been scratched off. Teru looked over the other one to see if the same thing had been done. That one, too, had a mostly illegible name on it. She was able to decipher the surnames, however. "This must be them. I don't think there are very many dead Uchiha resting in Kirigakure's cemetery, so this should be fine." Teru got to her knees and let out a hot-breathed sigh. This wasn't something that she found herself doing regularly, but there she was with her hat removed and eyes closed. Her hands were pressed together and, her head bowed. A prayer for the dead that she couldn't spend time with as much as she had liked. She prayed a brief prayer to say thank you to the people who made it possible for her to live. Included was a vow to be responsible for anything and everything that would involve her hand, and even to find out the true cause of their deaths. As soon as she closed, Teru kissed the tips of her index and middle fingers, then pressed them against the faces of the gravestones. "I know we hardly know each other, but I believe it's the right course of action. Finding all of this out might put us all at peace."


With her words ending at that, Teru stood up and placed her hat back on her head. She looked around her, wanting to know if there was anyone around. Not immediately did she find another person, but that was to be expected, really. It was unexplained, in a way, but she wanted to meet with others. Perhaps it was just a way to get over this matter with her parents. For Teru, it had been quite a while since she actually felt that way about anything. She had been serious about things quite a lot, of course. That was supposed to be apart of any ninja's life, but this was something different. It was a bit off for her and needed time to get used to it. Ah, but who was there to even speak with to get over it? Where there was a taller and thicker stone, Teru leaned her back legs against it and let out a short sigh. "I need to do something with myself," she mumbled quietly, and lowered her gaze to her feet. "If I don't, I think I might just lose my mind. And who would want another one of those people?" Those last words were in reference to a certain person she had met not very long ago during the week. She meant nothing rude towards him, but they seemed true. At least he wasn't around to hear her say that. But, she would have dismissed anything anyway should he have been. For now, she was just lingering at the cemetery by herself to let the cool air tickle her. It was a silent hour that she was enjoying.




Word Count: 1076
Target Word Count: 1350

Teru's eyes never left her parents' gravestones as she sat against a random other. There was a lot on her mind now that she had gotten through with the hard part of seeing them. What was she going to do next now that she had confirmed their resting place? She was vowing to do things differently for them, but she didn't exactly know how to start with it. 'Did they really just.... die?' Teru wondered quietly. It was hard to believe that they dropped dead, and no one was able to figure out why that happened. Somebody was surely responsible. She wanted to find that person, or the people who worked together. "What could have happened to you guys..." her voice began to trail off as a chilling breeze at her back passed through. At that moment, her ears were at attention when strange sounds followed. Teru lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. It sounded like someone was digging. Well, it was certainly possible that the grave diggers were at work that night. There was a death almost everyday, so it would be something that she could understand easily. Teru shook her head from side to side and stood up straight with her arms folded across her chest. It was late enough, and she wasn't planning on spending the night at a graveyard. "Farewell, Dad. See you again soon, Mom," she bowed to the graves in front of her, and turned to walk on the path leading out of the cemetery. She was walking at a fair pace-- not too slow, but not too fast, either. 

All was quiet, save for the humming coming from somewhere around the area. The melody of the humming was hard to forget, as it was more along the lines of creepy or haunting. Teru didn't stop walking, however. She wasn't scared by a little hum. "Hm?" It wasn't the tune that made her stop in the middle of the path. The Uchiha girl was about to dismiss it all, but a figure in the mist was a rather curious sight. As far as she could tell, it was a person with a very dark theme of clothing and a bandaged face. The spade in their hand was a bit suspicious, but she didn't forget about the possibility of grave diggers. "Who might you be?" she asked in a calm voice, but she wasn't about to play it friendly. After an experience she was faced with in the not very distant past, the kind of people with a mysterious air around them would not be so easily trusted. As a result, in the uncanny situation that she was in now, her right hand was lowered to her weapon holster. Not yet did she draw her kunai out. She was going to wait and see what this stranger had in mind with the spade in their possession. "Speak now, and you might not regret it later on."

It was supposed to be more of an ordinary visit to the cemetery, but this peculiar meeting had it becoming something entirely... different. The figure in the mist she was seeing was quiet an enigma. But, after having gone through the experiences she had faced before, with that person, this was not fazing her. Not even in the slightest did it frighten her. This stranger had a unique way of introducing. Teru's eyes could see the embers and ashes moving around the cloaked person. The feel of the moment was just about supernatural. "What...?" her eyes narrowed after witnessing the arrival of an animus atmosphere. The mist cleared enough for her to see what this stranger looked like; it mostly just circled the two of them. Cloaked, bandaged, and female. She could confirm that much. 

Teru's expression was a serious one as her fingers pulled her kunai knife out by the small loop. Her guard was not going to be lowered despite having the strength of heart to not be frightened. She gripped it in a backhanded style, but kept it at her side as this fairly tall young, or old, woman began to speak. “Is that a threat, little girl?” Teru heard her say, which caused for a brow to be raised curiously. It was spoken in a rather mocking manner, but Teru kept her emotions from bursting out so rudely. Well, perhaps what she said just moments ago had a bit of a threatening tone. It was to be expected, however, considering how this meeting was turning out. An attempt of intimidation, Teru thought as she watched the tool get spun by a fairly skilled hand. She didn't entirely pay attention to the tool getting partially stabbed into the ground. It was something that she could care less for. "I suggest you find your pretty little manners, little girl, before you find your pretty little self six feet under." After hearing that, Teru's frown were forced into a grin. "What will it be, little girl?"

Her amused grin was met with a toothy one from this mysterious fellow wielding a simple farm tool. "Little girl, you say," Teru began, almost pushed to a small fit of laughter. But, she remained cool and composed despite having been insulted. "Your suggestion has been dismissed. And, quite frankly, I'm not sorry about that." She tapped the tip of her foot against the solid walkway under her and had both hands on her hips. The kunai in her right hand was in clear view now, but it wasn't going to be used for anything other than a returned form of intimidation. "I'm doing just fine standing above ground. You, on the other hand, might be more comfortable down there. I have to say it... You fit the buried type."

"That aside," Teru pulled the kunai upward so that it was being gripped in front of her. By doing this, she was giving the cloaked individual a small warning. "I haven't heard anything regarding your identification, yet. And, as I implied before, you'll regret it if I don't hear about who you are. Speak now." The last word out of her mouth had a slight emphasis on it to better relay her seriousness. She wasn't backing down, not now. Should something, other than words, erupt between the two, Teru would put all of the training she had to good use. She was confident in her abilities, and she knew they wouldn't let her down if they were needed.

Word Count: 597

Total Word Count: 2173

Target Word Count: 2000 {Achieved}

It was turning out to be a good thing that the Bloody Cemetery was empty, with the exception of the two kunoichi. The atmosphere was becoming tense between the two. Heavy mist was circling them, trying to encourage them to follow through with what their words and thoughts may have been implying. The dim lighting from the few surrounding lanterns were just enough to provide a decent amount for seeing. Teru was quiet for a few moments to study this person, noticing her draw a kunai knife from the bandages while releasing the shovel. The way things were unfolding; it was all turning out the way Teru had thought. It made that smile of hers lock into a confident smirk. Not necessarily a cocky kind, but one that truly showed how excited she was on the inside. It was like her apparent opponent wrapped in bandages; she looked so cold and emotionless. Teru could give her some credit for that because of how decently those emotions were hidden. Ah, but what was that going to do? Just because someone could hide under a mask, she wasn't going to be pushed away like that. She was so certain that she had the skill to defeat this person and be rewarded with that mysterious identity. More importantly, she needed to know if this woman was a friend or foe of Kirigakure. 

Teru then watched as the aura surrounding the haunting stranger intensified just a bit more. As impressive of a sight it was, Teru let it slip her mind and allowed her the time to get into her fighting stance. She took a moment to get into her own stance. One foot pulled back behind the other, positioned for balance. Her knees were only slightly bent, but would give her enough support for any quick movements. Both arms were up, just below her nose, where they would be able to pull of swift jabs and punches or defensive blocks. The kunai in her hand was itching to clash with the other blade, but that urge was being held back. Even if a taunt from the opposing side was trying to tempt her to rush in with reckless means. 

"Gladly," the Uchiha spoke in response to the stubborn words thrown her way. She was going to show just how mistaken this person was when she refused to identify herself before one of Kirigakure's ninja. The rudeness of it... Teru was going to mince that, along with the dark nature of this individual who knew nothing about what Teru was capable of. It was true that she had killed once... twice... but those two incidents were for certain reasons. She wasn't going to kill again when all she wanted to do was teach a lesson. That was enough with the plotting and thoughts, however. It was about time for the match of strengths and wits to begin. 

With a slow release of a soft breath, Teru made a gesture with her left hand. It was from a thought that shot into her plans of action just moments ago. Instead of a full frontal assault without consulting any other ideas very much, why not use a little brain power? "It's your move," she spoke calmly, motioning for her opponent to come at her. "I'm waiting." Sacrificing the first move may have been a bit questionable. There were quite a few things she could do to quickly get herself in the lead. A jutsu, for instance. But, she wanted to test this one and see just how different she was. 

Word Count: 599

Total Word Count: 2736

After Teru had spoken, she was given the chance to hear what her opponent had to say. And when she did speak out, the Uchiha almost wanted to giggle at the given response. “A minute ago, you were boasting about how you were going to make me tell you my name. And now? You play passive?” She wouldn't call it 'boasting'. It was a simple display of how certain she was of her level of power; it wasn't quite on the level of boasting. “If all you are going to do is stand there, and bluff, talk big, and then play passive, then you are a joke, and a waste of my time.” Teru's expression remained unchanged. She wasn't going to let herself get talked down to, nor would she let her words go unproven. “It would seem like you Kirigakure people are a weak breed. You're all bark and no bite, hm?” Such words could even burn the ears of one of the higher ups. Possibly. “If you are not going to back up your words, then you are nothing more than what they are; a gust of hot air.” An insult directed toward the Kirigakure village? There were many things that Teru didn't mind, but insulting the village and its people was another story. "You corpses sure have mouths on you," Teru calmly spat back, keeping her expression straight. She wasn't going to put on an angered exterior, and she wasn't going to let her interior share the same reflection. This conversation, she was beginning to see it as nothing more than a balloon of nonsense. Or rather, she was wondering why she had even bothered to waste her time with this person, other than wanting to know of who they were. Perhaps, this was just another reason to prove that she was the superior one in the matter. 

Maybe she would just give herself the pleasure of ending it quickly. It didn't necessarily matter now, as this fool let their opportunity to strike first pass. "Well," Teru began, switching the position of her kunai so that it was no longer in a back-handed style, "if this is going to be how things go. Then, I suppose I could do something about it." With one simple motion, Teru had thrown the kunai. With the amount of strength put into it, it had stuck itself purposely into the ground, five meters ahead of her. Following that action, Teru dashed forward to where that kunai was with a hand sign held up. She wanted to finish quickly in the first place. It was going to happen later on, but it was soon enough that she needed to go and better ready herself. 

Teru inhaled a deep breath as she slowed her pace, flooding her mouth with a decent amount of chakra. In just a moment, as Teru was only fifteen meters away, she released this chakra in the form of ten balls of fire. The flames were bright orange and crimson as they flew through the air to strike and burn their target. "I hope you like fire, Corpse," she said in a quiet, polite voice as her eyes reflected the light from the flames. The flames were also giving a deep shade of red to the mist as they went through. Half of the flames were descending to the ground to temporarily set it ablaze near the feet of Teru's target. As for the rest, they were heading straight for her bandaged form in an effort to burn her. The speed at which they traveled was 10 m/s. Should they do as they were intended to do, the girl opposing Teru would surely feel the burn. With the jutsu being done, Teru awaited to see the results after having picked the kunai she tossed back up. She was hoping that this fellow would back off soon. There was a certain place she had to be, and tardiness was not a friend for a ninja.

Word Count: 677

Total Word Count: 3413

Jutsu Used:

For the most part, the fire jutsu was a partial success. While the most threatening part of the technique was extinguished by some type of scythe, the fireballs that were able to hit the ground did their job just fine. A curious result was observed as the flames subsided. Teru had expected them to force the shady woman back, but she had withdrawn further than what was first thought. To make such an effort to avoid the flames could mean a couple things. Either this woman was being safe in case of a second assault and decided to widen the gap between her and Teru, or she had the worst feelings toward fire. Teru remained with a collected composure, watching with a straight face.

Perhaps the most interesting sight to see was that odd scythe that appeared in  the bandaged woman's hands. It could not have been an ordinary weapon, especially after it disbanded part of the jutsu. To be able to do that, this person had to have some kind of handy techniques. Nothing more than a gap being set in the middle happened, allowing Teru a moment to observe from afar. And, with a better look at the scythe, there was something quite different about it. Not just one part, but the entirety of it. As it was twirled, Teru spotted the kunai that had been drawn moments ago. So, the scythe itself wasn't a true, physical one. Some sort of chakra extension, perhaps. 'That looks dangerous...' Teru said to herself in her own thoughts. The effects that could follow after being struck with that would possibly end with Teru being left in serious jam should she not be careful. She didn't doubt that it was capable of other things apart from parring with her jutsu. Losing was simply not an option. "Hm," Teru sighed lowly, tightening her grip on the kunai in her hand. 

But, could her eyes properly keep track of the movements? As ordinary as they were, they were still trained to keep tabs on the opposing side. Yet, Teru was getting the feeling that that wouldn't be enough in this particular situation. As the red eyes belonging to this corpse-like foe stared right at her, Teru's eyes closed for a moment. The red orbs were still appearing before her, even when she attempted to not look at them. "Those eyes..." she had mumbled under her breath. The moment she reopened her eyes, she was staring back in a rather cold manner. It was a moment of remembrance, really. Triggered by locking eyes with this person who tested Teru. The eyes she had looked into reminded her of a moment that occurred days ago, at the shore. That was the day when she became more interested in who she truly was, and what her name meant. In fact, it was because of who she met. It was because of the words he spoke and the look in his eyes. Those eyes... The two words were repetitive for a moment. She had yet to hear the full story concerning them-- the red eyes with the tomoe. But, now that she got a memorable reminder, she wouldn't forget to bring them up to that guy from back then. When her eyes became like his-- No, if she went on to think that, it wouldn't be very accurate in the end. Sometime after her eyes became like his, she would show him and she'd have to get the rest of that information about it from him. That time would be very soon. Very soon, indeed. Not just the day she would see him, but the moment her eyes would change. 

Teru exhaled a held in breath and closed her eyes again for concentration. For a second, her mind had gone fuzzy as if she was stuck in a daydream. It felt like she went blank for a couple seconds, thinking about that blasted eye technique. She dismissed it for a moment and opened her eyes once again. But, the moment she did, there was something funky about the way she was seeing things. To her, everything appeared more... clear. From an exterior view, there was indeed a change. It wasn't to her attire, or composure, but to the gaze in her eyes. No more did they look hazel, or dark gold. As soon as she had them wide open, the change became a prominent feature. The crimson glow and single tomoe had made their appearance. 

"This must be it," she said in a quiet voice, hushed almost. These had to have been the eyes that he was referring to. The 'interesting' eyes that were undoubtedly the trademark of her clan. They really were interesting, and they felt that way, too. Now, she just needed to be filled on the name of it. But the more pressing matters were waiting. That girl who was bandaged up would probably not appreciate the wait. "Sorry about that. There was something on my mind." Teru's voice was back to its original tone-- mostly casual and serious. Her hands were quick during the performance of a couple hand signs, eventually being placed upon the surface of the ground as she crouched down. Where the moist earth was, three forms began to rise and shape into muddy creatures known as wolves. 

With the three wolves being summoned, Teru stood back up with her now crimson eyes burning. She was just as calm as she had been before. "To be honest, I don't really want to kill you," Teru said calmly, twirling her kunai once in her right hand. "You still have the option to flee now and live another day. Personally, I'd like to confront you again. Just under better circumstances where we wouldn't be disturbing these resting people." The last words were in reference to the deceased buried across the cemetery. "But, if my Phoenix Flower jutsu wasn't enough... I can always turn thins up a notch."

Word Count: 1009

Total Word Count: 4422

Chakra Reserves: 115

Jutsu Used:

As soon as Teru’s eyes reopened, they had changed from their hazel, golden color to a glowing crimson. Spinning around the dark pupils of her eyes was a single tomoe until coming to a stop as several weapons came flying towards her. Seeing this, Teru immediately leapt backwards in a zigzag pattern to avoid the flying weapons and kunai heading her way. There was quite a gap in between her and the bandaged girl in the first place, so it couldn’t have gone too far anyway. She may have been a low-level ninja, but she was still capable. And, considering how far she was, with her newly developed eyes, too, moving out of the way of a technique such as that was no problem. After having gone back a total of five meters, there was a gap as wide as 25 meters between Teru and her current opponent. It was a safer distance, but there would undoubtedly be more plotting from the opposing side. These techniques used couldn't have been very high in ranking, but they certainly seemed quite formidable. 

Teru narrowed her burning, crimson eyes and studied that person for a moment. A shuriken had been pulled out from the worn bandages, and something, like a strong of some sort, was wound around the tool. It wasn't everyday when someone used their tools in such a way. Well, it was tactical, but still simplistic. Such a move was nothing to worry about, though. If it was supposed to be used for defense or offense, Teru would find her way around it. Putting that thought aside, a retaliation was in order. The Uchiha quietly reached into her holster, taking out two of her shuriken, and dashed forward. With the burst of speed, the 25 meter gap was shortly reduced to 16 meters. From there, Teru threw the two shuriken-- one aimed at the stomach of her opponent, and the other at the right foot. 

This basic move did not fully intend to deal damage, but to cause a small distraction. One of the shuriken being blocked didn't matter, nor did it matter if both were to be deflected or dodged. Right after they had been thrown, Teru formed a couple of hand signs and quickly placed her hands upon the surface of the ground. A few feet in front of her, three muddy figures rose from the ground and shaped into wolves. "Go," Teru said in a low voice, sending all three mud wolves to attack. At three different points, they would attack. One would position itself to the right of the bandaged girl, another would be at the left, and the final one would dash in a straight path to confront Teru's opponent directly. Should the shuriken have been deflected, the middle mud wolf would followup with a bruising tackle to knock her off balance. The other two would follow in suit, throwing their own bodies to ram into the foe's sides for additional damage. It wasn't going to be the easiest to dodge. Surely, something was bound to hit. Teru, still with her eye technique active, observed from a distance away to see what the result would be. She was interested in seeing how this all would play out. It did seem like it was getting to be a battle of an intriguing caliber. 

Word Count: 565

Total Word Count: 4987

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