Writing's on the Wall
[ Fortress Balagan | Sevudia | Jirian Army ]
[ Nishi & Alsanna | A collab between @DeliciousFood and @Oetje ]
[ The time has come to give Alsanna the special attention she probably needs. Attitude, ideas and loads of back'n'forth incoming, with insidious concoctions born from these machinations. ]
[ Part 1 ]
A light drizzle made many adopt a cloak or coat some reprieve from the dreadful weather. Watching a patrol of soldiers marching past, Nishi sat on a wooden box - her darkgrey coat providing some protection. The aftermath of the siege allowed some peace and rest as the region slowly but surely became under the control of the Jirian army.
Slowly the drizzle became heavier and Nishi was certain that she could hear someone curse, on the wall up behind her. Happy that she and her team were yet to be subjected to the mundane duties of soldiering, Nishi did wonder how her day would transpire today.
There was the fact she was going to spend time with Alsanna. Already, the genin had proven herself in certain ways - even despite Nishi not entirely happy with some of those 'achievements'. As such, Nishi did decide to grant Alsanna a training fit to her interests. Hopefully, it wouldn't yield any horrors or give cause for other Jirians to come up in arms.
"
Zzzzz." the sound of very light snoring was muffled by the abundant rain that had blessed the new encampment. It hadn't always been this bad out, it was actually quite sunny before Alsanna had fallen into slumber. She was on a long chair, at the top of a building, with a large parasol protecting her from the sun, and consequently the rain too. Sunglasses on, and only a light top and small shorts as clothing. She looked as though she was on vacation, with a glass filled with a fruity drink and a straw to her left, although quite a bit of rain water had accumulated in it.
Frowning, Nishi waited until her patience had run dry. Getting up from her spot, she started to walk around - her senses fully sharp to pick up the anticipated sounds of conflict. For the first thing that came to Nishi's mind was that Alsanna had gotten herself in trouble. Or better phrased: she had caused troubles to others and her sarcasm wouldn't help either to alleviate tension.
But instead of finding an upset quartermaster, frustrated soldiers or even slighted officers, Nishi came to a halt when she sighted a large parasol. A mental sigh would be followed with Nishi making her way to the sleeping 'beauty'.
Before waking up Alsanna, Nishi threw a glance at the parasol. Turning her attention at her pupil, Nishi wondered how she would disturb the girl's peace. The first suggestion surfacing in the jounin's mind was simple and brutal. A few other satisfying ideas pop'd up in Nishi's mind but the jounin decided on something that was less rewarding.
"Sometimes, I am too good for this job," she mumbled to herself as she crouched next to sleeping genin. Gently, Nishi shoved the girl's shoulder a few times to wake her up.
The arrival of the adult did not prompt any startle or even movement beyond the heaving of Alsanna's chest. Otherwise perfectly still, there'd be nothing stopping Nishi from employing any approach she wanted. And when the shoulder was nudged, there wouldn't be any sort of sudden awakening or jump. No, instead the Genin's head turned as if it had fallen over, sunglasses pointed right toward Nishi. Then, as fluidly as a fully awake human, her hand rose to lower the sunglasses, revealing the azure eyes, wide and fully aware. "
Yo." she otherwise didn't move, "
Yes, I'm making you into grander than some piss-shit teacher, aren't I?" a little bit of groggy chewing followed those characteristically jabby words as she scooted herself a bit to sit more upright. "
Final day of no-sip. How are the sleepless nights?"
Nishi's eyes narrowed upon the girl's manner of greeting, let alone her first comment. Of course, Nishi didn't reply - not wanting to give more for Alsanna to poke at. The question was enough to frustrate Nishi, to the point that the woman debated to punch her pupil square in the face. Her right hand trembled slightly as Nishi straightened her back and looked down on the girl - her restraint only possible due to her discipline and desire to not prove the girl right.
"They have been pleasant, thanks for asking," Nishi blatantly lied without any effort, yet her voice had a clear annoyed undertone to it,
"Now, care to tell me why you are here and relaxing as if we are on some southern island? You are aware that I had left you instructions on where and how late to meet me? For training, remember?"
A toothy smirk pushed against the edge of Alsanna's lips, her eyes now scrutinizing Nishi's figure and taking a good look at the various little tells to be noticed. Left satisfied, she eventually oriented her blue gaze to the superior's visage. "
I'm sure the cold sweats make the heat slightly more bearable. Or not." her arms stretched out, prompting a loud and vulgar yawn with the sunglasses dropping to her thighs. "
It was nice out, and I wanted to nap. Busy-bee life 'n' all. But it seems my little companion has foregone his duties." lips were pushed out in a light pout as she peered from side to side, "
Must be the rain." at the mention of said rain, she'd turn her frame and reach for a couple of flip flops under her chair, though she'd frown upon finding them wet, "
Anyway, yeah. Training. That thing. We do lots of that. Very thrilling. What am I to be subjected to now?"
Closing her eyes for a moment, Nishi reminded herself of what her duties were. What was expected from her. That it would all pay off in the end. The short-lived satisfaction of choking the live out of Alsanna wasn't worth the grumbling and annoyance with the brass. Yet, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to not let her pent-up frustration loose on her pupil.
"Already forgot? Maybe that's why you're late and so carefree," Nishi replied, at first,
"I had the idea to indulge your request. Teaching you more about fūinjutsu. However, seeing you are late, I wonder if I should even bother."
Half turning away from Alsanna, Nishi threw a look at the distant forests and hills eastwards.
"Perhaps a more dull training in throwing shuriken can do you good? I am certain you can find some enjoyment in that kind of training regime."
"
But," a push from her hands against the long chair had Alsanna stand and pursue her stretching routine, although without a yawn this time, "
you will bother anyway, because otherwise I'll have no reason to fulfil my end of the deal if you can't properly operate as a teacher when undergoing this booze fast." she didn't give Nishi a look, instead she seemed actually a bit annoyed with droplets hitting her now that she was at the edge of her parasol's barrier, "
Shit."
Under the chair was also a duffel bag, the standard-issued kind. A quick switch to the expected attire was in order, though she didn't have a fancy coat. Hair was tied, and then sealed away into a tuque that came with the attire. "
Where do you want to do this? Shuriken throwing when it's raining is pretty fucking genius and super fun. Amazing suggestion."
"Brat," Nishi mumbled underneath her breath, raising a hand to her nose bridge. Briefly massaging it, she tried to keep her composure. Only likely the Divine could know the extent of her patience and how close it was to crash and burn.
"We can do the training anywhere. Some of it is theory. Not to mention, I want to gauge how much you actually know of it all. The basics or already some advanced stuff. Not that I need to know where you got it from," the last being added quite hastily as Nishi threw a sideways glance at Alsanna.
"But seeing the weather? Perhaps we can go to the gatehouse. It is relatively calm there and we won't be in anybody's way for a while."
Not waiting for Alsanna's response, Nishi already moved to the edge of the building and seemingly dropped herself without a second thought downwards. However, the jounin descended rapidly by using objects to break her fall and get to the street level.
"Well?" Nishi's voice resonated loudly,
"Are you coming or what?"
"
I can replicate people's bodies with my sealing abilities. Assume I grasp advanced notions." The parasol was folded, as well as the chair, which would then be made to warp away into a scroll in the duffel bag. Said bag was then carried by the student, although she didn't jump along with her teacher. Instead she'd employ the nearby stairs that led into the vacant building below. It'd take her a bit longer to reach the ground floor, but eventually she'd open the entrance door, and then move to the side, "
Or we can use this place."
A couple of feather-kunai were hurled at opposite directions, made to jam themselves into the stone walls before their markings would light up in bright, blue hue. The light itself felt 'cold', very soothing to the eye, though it made for a weaker overall reach. "
Sealing abilities tend to only be theory anyway. Now of course, when they become curse seals, it becomes a little less simple." the duffel bag was dropped into the corner of the main room. There were multiple empty shelves and a few tables along with a few unbroken chairs.
Following Alsanna into the vacant building, Nishi didn't answer immediately.
"That is true," she replied, regarding Alsanna's comment that it was theory for the most part.
"But curse seals are something we can delve in once I have grasped enough how much you know. And if you will not become too troublesome."
The jounin looked around as there was not an awful lot in the vacant building. A few boxes and stools were present, giving the idea that it used to be some sort of storage. Perhaps prior before the Rongese lost it to them.
Grabbing a stool, Nishi sat down and gestured to Alsanna to do the same.
"Of course, there are different kinds of 'schools' of both thought and application with sealing abilities or techniques. You already have shown that you're probably on chuunin level. An admirable feat for a brat like you," Nishi stated,
"But what do you know of sealing ninjutsu and how it connects to perhaps irrelevant looking matters? Such as us, animals or even how a building is designed?"
A chair was pulled and Alsanna sat upon it, one leg over a dusty table and the other pushing against the floor as to have her creaking chair rock. "
Chuunin? That's it? Please. I've yet to see any Jounin do what I do." a third kunai was held in her left hand, and with her digits she started to have the pointed tip spin over her index, "
What do you mean, exactly? Sealing ninjutsu is meant to convey intention and instructions by its formation and the chakra put into it. In theory," she let the kunai drop only to catch it in her hand, almost entirely concealing it. When she'd open her palm, the piece of metal would have its marking shine orange, much stronger than the blue lights, with little flames dancing around it, "
you can more or less do anything. But we're limited by many things that make this potential not as open-ended. It requires a lot of chakra, insight that may be beyond our fathom, and of course a brain like mine."
Leaning slightly forwards, Nishi's eyebrows perked up on her brow.
"Mhm, you are certainly a common sight within the jounin's circles. Anyhow," Nishi paused briefly,
"You have some points that are correct. A creative mind with enough chakra can achieve incredible things when it comes to sealing. Enough people can even achieve to seal the likes of Bijuu in another individual, to all kinds of effects."
Pulling out a kunai, Nishi carefully placed the steel tip on the wooden table. Rising up from her seat, she started to carve to explain what she meant to Alsanna.
"I am certain that your brain will get this but what I meant is a certain school of thought, regarding sealing ninjutsu. You see, sealing chakra or an object is relatively easy. Not even a feat for your level or understanding, I wager. But that is just the tip of the iceberg or understanding what you can do."
Carving a large circle, Nishi started to carve various other circles inside of it, some even overlapping each other - creating a space within those circles.
"Let us consider that a person is a complex form of sealing ninjutsu. We have chakra within us, that flows and is regenerated with rest. In a way, our bodies thus are nothing more than walking and breathing vessels that contain chakra. Same with animals or even stuff like trees. However, the difference between you and me, you and a tree, there is a pattern. Something that guides and keeps your chakra from rampaging or ebbing away."
Throwing a glance at Alsanna to see if she was following, Nishi continued onwards.
"This is, of course, not a school of thought I want to linger on for too long. It is intriguing for our work, for if we acknowledge that this is fact, it can mean that an expert sealing user can destabilise its victims. Breaking the pattern or flow of chakra within a victim can bring a large amount of results. From simply delivering pain to all forms of death. But what is perhaps interesting is how we can combine schools of thoughts."
Gesturing to the overlapping circles, Nishi elaborated further.
"For there are plenty of buildings or even areas designed to form a pattern. These patterns can have a subtle effect, drawing their strength from those that walk that pattern. Almost the same as how blood flows through your veins and allowing you to move a limb."
During the theory class, Alsanna's attention seemed to mostly be on the blade she had been messing with. Her chair was brought to stand on only two legs as she pushed herself further back with her foot on the table keeping some degree of stability. She was, for all intents and purposes, being this ADHD child at the back of the classroom, looking as though she was daydreaming. "
Is that how they see it? Schools of thought? Is that how they categorize it for the slower-minded?" and then she threw the blade onto the ceiling, and the lights shining from it were of various colours. Like a disco-ball of sorts, with beams of different lights making for quite the unusual sight. "
I'm a surgeon, Nishi, I think the notion of bodies and structures are grasped already. The fact that I used curse seals, while the majority of you all can barely fathom it says a lot." condescending as ever, she gave a passing glass to her teacher, one arm over the seat she had been toying with, "
I'd like to see what you can do. What peak Fuinjutsu looks like these days. Something big that I cannot simply understand by seeing. Let's start from there, and then we'll work on smaller. Because I'm DYING to dazzled."
"Alsanna," Nishi said the name with some frustration as the genin's ego was showing,
"Easy now. I am not planning to rush this. Either we do this in a controlled pace or not at all." The stern voice revealing that Nishi wasn't going to take a no for an answer.
"Know what? If you behave and we can work our way from A to H, I will show you a trick. Will it dazzle you? Who knows? Oh, you will know if you are going to behave and stop acting as a brat. Okay?"
A sneer reigned on her expression, her eyelid twitching every so subtly, "
Student engagement has always been a challenge in the educational system." eyeroll to posture adjustment, she got her chair back to its normal stance before some unfortunate accident would occur. Arms now crossed, she exhaled from her nose, "
Don't forget that I can actually see how bodies work and how they physically differ from each other. Which is a key component to my clones. Besides, Juinjutsu requires me to grasp these notions. So … " her head tilted to the side, "
tell me how you see it and how you go about it. What is the perspective to adopt to be a fuinjutsu master?"
"You are a remarkable student," Nishi began, though an angry tone started to surface,
"but you are testing my limits, girl. Just sit, listen and try to observe if you ego allows it."
Requiring a pause, Nishi enlisted one as she looked back at her engravings upon the dusty wooden table.
"So, to continue where I left off, it isn't just all about sealing a tool, weapon or even a bijuu in a person. As you and others demonstrated, sealing techniques can achieve a multitude of things. Granted that the right mind is at work with them."
Gently shoving some nearby dust from her engravings, Nishi remembered her own training in the respective field.
"Let us stick with patterns. For now," adding the last two words as she shot a look, that said enough, towards Alsanna.
"You probably already noticed how many sealing techniques tend to form or have inscriptions or forms to them. Allowing or adjusting the flow of chakra, to produce a certain effect. A small mistake can bring about dire consequences for either the caster or victim. So that is just patterns. But I suppose it is true."
Straightening her back, Nishi left the kunai on the table as her gaze fixated on Alsanna.
"You know how chakra flows and moves. What do you know of even or odd-numbered sealings or patterns?"
"
It allows it." fingers drummed over her bicep, as her half-lidded eyes kept a focused gaze on the teacher. Alsanna's head shook from side to side, as if rattling the information that was entering her ear and nestled in her brain. "
Uh-huh." she added from time to time, looking as though she wasn't entirely focused despite her gaze. It was hard to tell what was going on in the teen's mind right now, although 'engagement' wasn't entirely achieved yet.
"
Even and odd-numbered sealings or patterns? What kind of bizarre lingo is that?"
"Hm, alright," Nishi said instead of throwing a sarcastic response to Alsanna. Gesturing the teen to stand next to her, to better see the large circle and those within, Nishi explained what she meant.
"There are even and odd-numbered sealings or patterns. Interestingly, if you apply an odd-numbered sealing to an even-numbered sealing, it will create an imbalance. There are various schools of thoughts but we don't need to delve into that." Nishi decided as she reckoned that was theory Alsanna wasn't interested in.
"This imbalance can create a chaotic response from the chakra being manipulated. See it as two flows that collide and in such a fashion they can't continue forward. Chakra will start to boil and gather, until its container can't take it anymore. Whereas compatible even numbered seals will have a flow that can coexist without creating an imbalance."
Gesturing to a few of the circles where an imbalance seemed to be lacking, Nishi threw a glance to see if Alsanna's curiosity was piqued.
"The perhaps contradictory part is that in our line of work, imbalances aren't something you need to consider as imperfect.That is where we basically jump into the more advanced part. After all, if you can use a technique that prohibits your opponent from moving due to an imbalance, it is still then a technique that has its uses. Compared to a technique that lacks imbalance and yet does nothing to give you an edge within certain situations."
"
Really?" she sighed and rolled her eyes to maintain a degree of petulance, but she rose up to stand where she was asked to, arms still crossed and her gaze reluctantly directed to the pattern. Lips pursed, impatience evident, she had her foot frequently tap against the floor.
"
Alright, alright, hold up," she raised her hand to indicate a pause in this explanation, "
I get it, these are conflicting orders and intents, which often obstruct activations. Is this really how many see it? So binary? As if there are just two categories of seals when in truth there's more nuance?" she tilted her head to Nishi's direction, giving time for a response, "
It's like saying there's compatible blood types, and incompatible. But there are actually many more types, just that for one specific situation you either have the right one, or the wrong one."
Her hand rose, and she seized Nishi's blade. Onto the carving, she drew an arrow, piercing through the layers and ending up in the center, and then another going outward, but curving immediately at the second layer, which then harmonized with the more external part of the illustration. "
Certain orders and characteristics of a seal will downright prevent certain parts from functioning. Which is sometimes to your advantage, yes. This is how advanced seal-crackers bypass curses without causing too many issues or having to adhere to the conditions." peering over at Nishi's direction, she rose an eyebrow, "
What you've been telling me about, by the way, is the essence of Juinjutsu. Corrupting the flows of another's body and chakra via a seal that may be constructed in such a way to be inherently incompatible with most functions, but ultimately end up crippling the functions of those it is latched too like a sort of auto-immune disease."
For a moment, Nishi didn't realise it but she enjoyed it when Alsanna took the lead. Placing her hands behind her back, the jounin observed and listened to the genin's response. The fact that the binary school of thought was pissing Alsanna off was a source of enjoyment for Nishi. Not because she simply wanted to provoke the girl into thinking or participating but because she had been the same.
Then as she observed Alsanna, a chill ran down Nishi's back and the frustration overwhelmed the previous joy that Nishi had experienced.
"I have actually, in a sense, told you nothing too new," Nishi replied, in the usual way how they replied to each other. Gesturing to the engravings, Nishi continued.
"This is nothing more than the general school of thought for using chakra. It can be applied for more fields than just sealing, if we bend it a little here and there. Some guru's even preach about it as the perfect balanced lifestyle. But if you want to learn about that, you have to find someone else."
Looking at the engravings, Nishi became briefly silent.
"However, the idea that modifying the flow of chakra or using a technique to corrupt it is something I don't agree with. It is how we come to juinjutsu, in fact. Because it is different, it is labeled easily as that. So let us just not consider it as a form of corruption," the jounin said before she gently grabbed the kunai back and started to further carve something on the table.
"I can't really put this in medicinal jargon but I hope it will be clear to you. Let us say that you want to modify a flow. Most people would use the 'binary' approach. Seeing only the even and odd-numbered seals or flows. But what if there is a way to adjust a flow of chakra in a different manner? What if you could twist and warp your target's chakra to become something else?"
Letting the questions sink, Nishi had carved the kanji of the basic natures in the usual routine - within a circle.
"When someone uses an elemental technique, they twist and warp their chakra to resemble said element. To the point it will take such attributes to near the core. But what if you break that circle? What can you imagine then to happen?"
"
What is so wrong with cursing? No, really. Let's pause this shit for a moment, alright?" now she got accusatory, pointed her index toward Nishi while pacing away, her voice conveying the frustration Nishi had merely expressed through her facial features, "
Lots of feeble-minds act all virtuous when I bring up this shit, with little self-awareness of course, as they had just come out fresh from beating some enemy recruit to death with a rock. Oh no!" she waved her arms in the air, "
you dare rob an enemy's free will that leads to a variety of different opportunities instead of just sealing their fate in some other gruesome manner and only gain another strike in the enemy casualty chalkboard?! Heathen!" and then her arms dropped, followed by an aggressive gesture of dismissal, "
Absolute wastemen, every single one. And no, juinjutsu is not the beacon of anything good. But I've yet to see one person not see the irony of this critique when they're in the most exploitative and cruel industry in this world, willingly."
Her pacing had brought her to one of the first blade she had planted into the stone, as she'd yank it out and merely hold it, "
You're talking about decomposing the chakra-moulding process? That's … Very advanced and dangerous. We're essentially creating things out of what is essentially 'nothing', chakra. To meddle with the very careful process of both Yin, the vision of the user, and Yang, that vision made solid, could lead to a myriad of things. All from a chakra source foreign to yours, and thus inherently incompatible with you." she paused her rant to give Nishi a suspicious glare, "
What are you trying to sell me here?"
Not too surprised about the girl's frustration, Nishi remembered vaguely that Hikari and Alsanna had some quarrel regarding cursed techniques. Turning fully towards the pacing genin that aired her frustration regarding the subject, Nishi allowed her without any interruption.
"Alright," Nishi began, almost with a certain caution as if she feared that the door could be kicked down and a force of ANBU would flood the room to arrest them,
"You did answer your question, dear. Cursed techniques are nothing more than what some people consider either too dangerous or risky. But what it truly is fear for progression or that someone becomes too powerful to control. Cause in essence, that is what this all is about. Control," she pointed at the genin,
"you are nothing right now than a cog in a big construction. One that acts upon you and uses you, until you are able to fit somewhere else. If you don't? Well, you are clever to figure out what happens then."
Crossing her arms out front of herself, Nishi waited a second.
"Lucky for you, the current brass is very different from the ones before. If you had aired such words during previous regimes, you would have faced worse than prison." Not that Nishi reckoned she needed to tell that to Alsanna.
"There is also quite some nuance to this control and why cursed techniques… exist, as they do. I think you remember Karuko's response to your technique. Your techniques conflict with the ideals of the Divine. To conjure something as what you had shocked and brought either fear or anger. Perhaps both. Who knows? But the point is, your frustration exists out of fear of others."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Nishi considered something.
"Know what? Let us put sealing techniques aside for now. What do you imagine you can do? Against prejudice? For I have heard what you achieved with that other brat. What was her name again? Yo something? Yu? Anyhow, I imagine you either convinced her to accept a curse mark or managed to apply it subtly without her knowing." Raising a hand to gesture to Alsanna to not already come with a defense, Nishi spoke further,
"Not that I care much for a random genin or chuunin's health. If they are willing to sacrifice themselves for a curse mark, then the consequences are on them. What I am trying to gauge is, how are you planning to continue? You want to remain as the Witch of Sevudia? "
"
Yeah, they should be afraid. I can one day make their jobs entirely worthless." she hissed in clear and unrefined frustration, seeking some reprieve by leaning against one of the wooden beams that kept this old building together. "
Wanna know something? If I made these things a little nicer and called my curses the will of whatever God they believe in, I'd be a priestess." again, her arms rose, though to imitate a rapturous state, "
O' Divine, confer to me your will, and guide these misguided men and women to the righteous path in their final moments in this world! Give me your children, envoys wearing the faces of our enemies, but taking the one, TRUE path! Pffttt." and then they dropped back down, returning to their usual fold. "
It's all bullshit."
"
Takeda." she informed, her tone more mundane and composed now, "
She wanted something. I obliged. It's hardly a curse. But it is a shortcut. And shortcuts come with a price. She knows it. If people have a problem with it, then maybe they should've taught her better." she stayed passive on the issue, almost even defensive. "
So long as my life isn't in danger, it hardly matters how I'm seen. Those that grasp what I can do and have the power to make use of it will do so before I'm gimped. And if I croak before that? Oh well, not like I'd be able to do much otherwise. And what would be the point of going on if I cannot exact what I'm good at, hmm?"
Nishi's curiosity was piqued when Alsanna asked if she wanted to know something. Listening, Nishi found the girl's frustration also endearing. But silently, Nishi agreed with her pupil. She had seen before, the damning hypocrisy that existed within their world. A nasty creature that refused to be stamped out and refused to go down silently, whenever tackled.
"You are right," Nishi stated, calm but mostly as if Alsanna had stated a fact and not a deemed dangerous school of thought.
"If you poured some effort to make it more appealing, you wouldn't be targeted by others' fear or anger. Karuko would never attack you. I wouldn't need to put myself in danger for your sake. Hikari would never spat in your face."
Frowning, Nishi's tone became more serious.
"But you are right, it would be a facade. An ugly truth masked by the desires of others. What is truly so repulsive about the ugly truth when it is as efficient or productive as when you mask it?"
Scoffing in an amused way, Nishi continued on.
"Know you perhaps can understand why I turned to booze perhaps a bit better. Anyhow," Nishi lightly shrugged.
"I suppose I also could say that I don't see you as a 'witch'. You are just a misunderstood little puppy that has clearly too much bark than it is good for her."
"
I'm not going to change for them. They're too low of creatures, the chaff, for me to bend over. Facade or not, they are not deserving of any more glamour than I already put on. Which I do a lot, and will do when it is convenient FOR ME." the blade in her hand fell, veiled by her wrist and forearm, but it would not fall beyond that, as if it had either gotten stuck or had vanished. When she folded her arms again, one could see the kunai had completely disappeared.
"
I don't understand why you've turned to substances to cope with your predictably bad feelings," she just deadpan stared right at Nishi, "
is emotional hardening and self-control part of your training? What happened to that resilience? The dependency is now a weakness. No matter the horrors faced, would it not make you and your 'colleagues' dysfunctional products?" there was a certain anger in her tone along with how accusatory it was, "
And I'm no puppy. I may not be nearly as mystical as the ignorant say, but the extent of my abilities may as well be as wicked as they think. Witch isn't as unfitting as I initially thought."
"One day, I may reveal what has made me what I am," Nishi said, surprising herself initially with how smooth and calm that left her lips.
"Nothing for you to worry or fret over. Or to question, for now." The jounin threw a look at the engravings that they had made on the table. The conversation wasn't as amusing or endearing as before. In fact, Nishi felt far from continuing the topic now.
"Come, let us focus back on where we were. I believe that I was trying to make you think about something advanced and dangerous? Ah yeah," she feigned as if the whole topic of before had been forgotten,
"What do you think I am trying to sell you with such questions? Other than to coerce you to partake, for the usual teaching is quite a frustration for both you and me, it seems."
"
Dodging it again. You said the exact same thing the last time." she aimed to make her tone as venomous as possible, her glare clearly judgemental, "
I have a feeling it will not justify your descent, and you're preparing yourself for my inevitable negative response. Heh." pushing herself off the beam, she made a few steps to start pacing around the table.
"
You're trying to tell me that one of your better abilities involves disrupting moulded chakra in some way. Which can be anything from cancelling it, to changing it, to downright taking the chakra for yourself. But I don't know how you can do any of these reliably nor if that's what you're hinting toward."
Nishi didn't respond to the initial response. Her expression remained the same but her eyes seemed to shift, almost like they radiated a certain regret or sorrow. Staring at the engravings, however, Nishi subtly nodded upon Alsanna's second response.
"Correct. You are now thinking as an advanced sealing user. The majority of people see sealing as what it is commonly used for. To store chakra, to block use of it or something 'binary' like that," the emphasis on binary spoken with a modicum of mockery and amusement.
"But you want to know the pinnacle of sealing ninjutsu? Then we are treading on the edge of what is really fucked up and dazzling."
Placing her finger at the circle of elements, she threw a sideways glance at Alsanna.
"But where does this all fit in? Many warp their chakra in an element. But to look further and apply it to do something terrifying, you need to break that mould. At its core, chakra is composed of yin and yang. You know the basics but twist them slightly. What would happen if you could control a flow of chakra, regardless of who it originated from? Using the knowledge that chakra responds to patterns and flows, technically, something like that would be possible, right?"
