The Fuck Arc, you know...you know >_>

[Kazimaru]

"It has been far too long Keiji," Kakashi says as he greets the man he sees as an old friend from back during the last War. "I'm glad you've returned to the village unharmed."

Earlier in the day Kakashi had learned that this man was going to be returning to the village after his long mission in the Land of Earth. It had been so long, in fact, that Kakashi couldn't remember why he'd been sent there in the first place, but since he was back he insisted they have lunch together.

-=-=-

"So, does anyone have any idea what's going on?" Rei asks, sitting on a bench outside of the Hokage's office. "Binshin-sensei asked me to report here for some sort of mission, any idea...oh, um, what is your name anyway?"

"Koji, Senju Koji." the boy says with a small laugh, standing a few feet away in the shade of a tree, "But no, no idea. All I know is that when I woke up there was a letter on my doorstep saying something similar..."

It seemed there was something odd going on, Koji could tell that much at least, but little else. The letter had only told him to meet at the Hokage's office for a mission, and it was signed by his father, Yamato, so there was no reason for him to doubt it. As for Rei, why would her sensei lie to her? Bishin liked to joke around from time to time, but he wouldn't let her go off and do anything dangerous, not on her own or with a new group of genin she didn't know anyway.

[Demon]

(K)eiji smiled to himself as he talked to Kakashi, forgetting quite often how fragile minds could be to those of mortal flesh. He had a genjutsu cast on not only a kage, but the mind of everyone who laid eyes on him, causing him to look like a man Kakashi's age, grizzled and hardened from battle, though really he looked to be in his thirties, blond hair reaching down to the middle of his back, his eyes revealing circles... like the rings of hell.

"Yes it has my friend" Eiji spoke, still smiling, though he looked serious to Kakashi.

"While I appreciate the lunch, I'm afraid I can not stay long. Business calls me away to the land of growth, but you can help me my friend" Eiji said, now looking in Kakashi's eye as he layered on more genjutsu.

"I have specific people in mind who could be of great help to me... you'll agree to have them accompany me, won't you?" He asked, his voice layered with hypnotic charm.

-=-

Yasushi walked up a worn path to find Koji, a genin with unusual jutsu talking to...Rei. Yasushi's heart skipped a beat as he saw his sister, knowing he couldn't talk to her... couldn't hug her... nothing. He was to go on a mission with her? This would be hard on the young Yamanaka, but he knew the odds were against him that they'd never be sent out on the same squad, though he'd been lucky so far. He sat near Koji and listened in on their conversation, writing a note that said he was part of their mission in case either asked what he was doing here.

Before long, Kakashi and an old man stood before them, at least, he seemed that way to Koji and Rei. Yasushi looked at him and his body froze in terror, his hands shaking as he held his brush, trying his best not to let his panic show in front of the others.

Why Yasushi, my son, whatever is the matter? I thought you were far stronger than this if you're able to see through my illusions

Yasushi's eyes widened, sweating now as he felt his father inside his mind, looking through his memories, laughing as he saw their vacation unfold.

Seems Eiga was right... my my, you are the ladies man aren't you? Just like your old man... She's mine though son, and I can't let you take her without a fight

Yasushi clenched a fist as he resisted the urge to cry, knowing now that not only was Rei at risk, but so was Chika.

Don't worry, Eiga only hit her the one time. He knows better than to conduct himself in such a fashion in my presence... not to say their failure wasn't punished. Her scars always heal the quickest... that's why I have to make them deeper for her to get the point

If Yasushi could have, he would be screaming, but knew he was trapped. If he attacked, he would die even if Eiji did nothing... Kakashi and the others would see him attack a friend of the hokage's, and it would not end well.

"I'm going to be leading you three on a scouting mission a ways off from here. I requested all of you to accompany me... I heard about your show of skills at the last exams... I heard your drawings were fantastic" Eiji said, looking at Yasushi, who was starting to lose his mind, beginning to silently hyperventilate.

[Kazimaru]

"The Land of Growth, eh? I haven't been there in years...ah, but yes, of course. Feel free to take along with you whomever you feel will be appropriate for the mission, I trust your judgement." Kakashi says, leaning back and thinking for a moment.

Had Kakashi, by change, had his sharingan revealed when Eiji showed up, this might have been avoided, as the partial kekkei genkei would help to fight the illusions playing havoc on is mind, and now, illusion was layered atop illusion, and he was totally convinced that Eiji was another person, a friend, and not the person who had already attempted to destroy the village once.

-=-=-

While she had been talking to Koji, Rei had noticed another boy walk up and sit in the shade of the tree near him. She smiles and waves, then notices him handing a note to Koji.

"Oh, that's right. Rei, this is Yasushi, he's a Yamanaka as well, but he was born unable to speak, so he communicates through notes." Koji explains, trying to be as delicate but informative as possible. Better to get this over with now than on the mission.

"Ah, I see, well that's sad to hear. But, it's always good to meet another Yamanaka! Our clan is alot bigger than people realize, so some of us have never even met before, funny huh?" Rei says, turning and standing when she sees the Hokage and another man walking up.

When the two jonin cam out of the building, Koji made his way out from under the shade tree and bowed in respect, once to Kakashi, the other to the new face. He had never seen him around the village before, but it appeared that the two of them were close, and that he must be a good person...at least, he felt that way up until he noticed something was off about Yasushi. The two had gotten to know a little about each other on the island, and he wasn't acting right.

"The Land of Growth?" Rei says excitedly as she stands up, "My father always brings me back beautiful flowers from that country! I've always wanted to go there!"

Koji simply nods and remains quiet for now, as he usually did around new people, although this was for a different reason. If Yasushi, whom he knew could keep calm in just about any situation, was freaking out, something was up. He would have to be on his guard, and knowing that the boy was a genjutsu types made him wonder if he should try and activate the Wood Release: Transformation technique so that no genjutsu could easily be cast on him.

[Demon]

Yasushi took deep breaths, realizing that this was actually happening. Being the only one unaffected, it would be up to him to make sure everyone was safe... well, as safe as he could make them from his father. He would probably die on this mission, he thought. He looked over, having calmed down enough to no longer be frozen in horror, to see Koji had noticed his panicking, and this gave him a bit of hope. He dared not try any mental jutsu at the moment, as Eiji could still be lurking in his mind, but Koji's suspicion was good news... now if only he could find a way to warn Rei...

-=-

Eiji smiled at Rei, she being a bonus in all of this. His daughter was the only thing that tied him to this village, and as she grew in rank, the closer his true plans could come to fruition. Today, however, Yasushi was his motivation behind his little visit, as well as the chance to study the kekkei genkai of the wood release user. If his son could survive this mission without his mind breaking, then perhaps he was close to being ready for the plans Eiji had... though he seemed to almost be breaking from the initial shock of seeing his father. He exited Yasushi's mind and smiled happily at the trio.

"Well then, we can't get the mission done standing around here talking. Let's get going" He said, and took off towards the village gates, Yasushi finding the mental strength to get up and follow, though it was still obvious that his mind was on shaky ground. He wouldn't be surprised if Rei thought he was this jittery all the time.

[Kazimaru]

Making sure to stay calm on the outside, Koji looks over to see that Yasushi is looking better, but still a bit weak. Making a couple of hand seals he places his hand out about three feet above the ground and from his palm grows a perfectly round oak staff, which breaks off from his flesh. He then grasps it and walks over to Yasushi, holding it out to him.

"Here, you look a little weak in the knees," he says with a small, concerned smile, "You can lean on this if you like.

"Come on guys!" Rei shouts, having hurried on ahead, stopping to turn back and yell at them, "If you guys make me late for the Land of Growth I'm going to be very angry."

"I didn't know we were on a schedule..." Koji says, then flinches as Rei yells again.

"Shut up!" she yells back at them, turning a little red in the face, "And hurry up!"

Koji laughs a little, and when Yasushi is ready he walks along at his side while they make their way out of the village and onto the road. Taking out a map he looks it over and finds that Growth is to the northwest, maybe a two or three day walk, which meant that unless they hurried along, they'd be camping for a night or two.

[Demon]

Yasushi smiles weakly as he takes the staff, his hands still shaking when he grabs the walking stick, though it does give him something to hold to hide his shaking hands. Yasushi hadn't felt Eiji speak in his mind or rummage through his thoughts for a while, so he decided to risk making a mental connection with Koji to give him a silent warning.

Don't trust hi He began to say, his voice getting cut off by the seal on his mind before he can finish, though he fought so that Koji could tell what he meant to say.

Eiji had them pick up the pace at Rei's request, so that when they camped out, they should reach the land of growth by the middle of the next day.

-=-

As they sat around in the tree house Koji had so graciously made, Eiji smiled at the genin before making his way to the door, stopping before he left to address the squad.

"I'm going to see if I can't rustle us up some food. I'll be back before long" He said, then body flickered out of the door, this marking the first time Yasushi's hands stopped shaking the entire trip. He got out a piece of paper, one made from the leaves Chika had given him, and began drawing simple figures to try to calm himself further.

-=-

When Eiji left, he placed detection barriers behind him so the genin couldn't follow without his knowledge, and sat down in meditation, focusing on channeling himself through one of his paths, who was near Chika. He had instructed her to go to the land of Growth and wait for further orders...

The Human path approached her, smirking as Eiji's paths often did before issuing orders.

"I see you're still loyal enough to follow orders given by me at least. This mission I have for you is to make sure you still have your head on straight. Can't have my subordinates unwilling to follow orders, now can we? There are three genin coming to the land of Growth, and I want you to attack them. One is a wood release user, you should be able to identify him easily enough. The girl who is with them, do not touch. If she is harmed, I will make sure you feel her pain ten fold. The third I want you to make suffer. How you do this I leave up to you. Try not to disappoint me, as I'll be watching your performance my dear" the path said, and body flickered away, leaving her to prepare for her mission.

-=-

With his orders relayed, Eiji had his Asura path approach and bring him the carcass of a deer it had killed, as well as a sack of nuts and berries. They nodded to each other before Eiji left to head back to the tree house, making a small camp fire on the ground beneath the tree to begin cooking the deer meat, and returned into the humble abode with the sack of nuts and berries.

"Not sure if any of you were vegetarians or not, so I brought back some nuts and berries, but luck smiled on me and I managed to fell a deer, which is cooking below" He said with a smile.

[Kazimaru]

Once they had found a good spot in the middle of the woods, Koji used one of his more powerful technique, Wood Release: Tree House, to grow them a home for the night. It had taken a good deal of his chakra because of how large he had needed to make it, but the four of them now had a room high above the ground, accessible only through small hidden opening in the roots, leading to an upwards spiraling staircase, and finally the room.

When the genin were alone Koji relaxed a little. So far he had seen no sign that the man leading their group was going to make trouble for them, but, just to be on the safe side he stands up once the man is gone, makes a hand seal as though he would transform, but when the puff of smoke he creates clears, he looks the same.

"Damn, guess it didn't work," he says, trying to sound disappointed as he sits back down and begins to rummage through his pack.

"Nope, doesn't look like you did anything...what was supposed to happen?" Rei asks, leaning against one of the walls, eating an apple she had brought along for a snack.

"Oh, I've been working on a new wood release technique, but they're hard to get right I guess." Koji says, rubbing the back of his head.

The truth was that his technique had worked, perfectly. There was now a thin layer of wood covering his entire body, but unless someone made physical contact, or he was injured, no one would be able to tell. He wasn't sure if Yasushi's warning needed to be taken this seriously, but better safe than sorry. The shell should prevent any ocular genjutsu from working on him, and would provide a thin armor.

-=-=-

Chika had been in the Land of Growth for two days now, having traveled there faster than she would have liked, her memory of the land serving her too well in this case. All she knew was that she had a mission to accomplish, and that she would most likely not like it.

As the Path shows up she flinches slightly, the last wounds Eiji had inflicted had healed, but she still felt pain in each scar whenever one of the Paths was near due to the mass of his chakra.

After the Path has told her the mission she says nothing, not because she cannot, but because she doesn't want to this time. When she is alone she takes a breath and heads closer to the border of Growth and Fire.

-=-=-

"That sounds great!" Rei says, going over to take a handful of the nuts and berries, "I don't really eat much meat, my dad usually scolds me because of it..."

"I'll have some, if there's enough that is." Koji says as he stands back up to stretch a bit, looking over at Yasushi, "If you're still not feeling well, I can bring some up for you."

[Demon]

Yasushi weakly shook his head to deny the offer for food, opting instead to continue working on the drawing he was making, which was actually him attempting to create a new jutsu so he could properly warn Koji. He had been casting a genjutsu on himself as he made the painting, willing the drawing to move, telling the viewer a story through the pictures, which only required a simple drawing to activate. He believed he had mostly figured it out, and forced himself to relive that horrible day as he made sure the jutsu worked all the way through, his eyes moving back and forth rapidly as though he were dreaming with them open, so he turned himself so they wouldn't be easily visible.

Eiji knew what his son was doing, unable to keep from feeling pride that Yasushi was responding this way, inventing genjutsu just to warn his squad, even amongst all of that terror he felt. He smirked, though his disguise did not reflect it.

"Well, I'm going to go ahead and turn in for the night. These old bones of mine ache if I don't get a good night's sleep" He said after he finished eating, slipping into his bed and rolling over so that his back was to the group, leaving them to socialize without feeling like they were being watched.

[Kazimaru]

Koji shrugs when Yasushi declines the offer of food and goes down to get some himself and bring it back up. He sits and eats, his technique allowing that much freedom at the very least. So far it seemed as though it hadn't been noticed, but the drawback he hadn't expected was the amount of chakra it was taking out of him. Normally it wouldn't be that big of a deal, just a tiny constant pull, but after having created the tree house, he was tired.

"I'm going to make sure the fire is out, I'll be back up in a few minutes." Koji says after Eiji went to bed.

Moving at a lazy speed he moves down to the fire and, seeing it's down to only hot coals, sighs before removing the technique, causing the wooden layer to fall away. he tosses this in the fire, lets it burn up, then uses Earth Release: Splitting Earth twice, once to open a hole, into which the fire falls, and again to close it back up, hiding any trace of it.

-=-

While Koji is down below, Rei moves over to Yasushi and gives him a smile.

"So, you're my cousin Yasushi. It's hard to believe that even though we're in the same clan we've never met, huh?" she says, still smiling, though she then frowns. "Oh, that's right, you can't talk. Sorry, I'm a little ditzy sometimes. Koji said you were born that way? Must be tough, but at least you're parents know how to communicate with you, right?"

[Demon]

Yasushi snaps out of his genjutsu when he hears Rei speaking, looking up at her and trying to hide the sadness in his eyes. Eiji grinned, this being better than any test he could come up with for the silent genin. When Rei asks about his parents, Yasushi's eyes widen as he looks down, making a note as he tried to keep his hands steady, having to stop writing a few times to keep the writing legible.

Actually, my parents are dead he lies, knowing that now was not the best time to try to undo all the genjutsu his sister was under.

I communicate by writing notes, though I can also speak telepathically but it eats up chakra.

Yasushi handed her the small note, trying not to look up at her when the note inevitably would make her feel sorry for him. Their father was cruel indeed...

[Kazimaru]

"Oh! I am so sorry, I had no idea!" Rei says, dropping the note to the floor as she leans in and hugs Yasushi tightly. When she hears something she looks over to see Koji come back in, and after a moment of scrambling around, looking for the note, he takes it and rushes over to him shoving it in his face. "Did you know about this?!"

She asks not because she is angry that he didn't tell her before this when they met, but because she is sad about it and doesn't want him to make the same mistake.

Koji stands there for a moment, confused, then takes the note and reads it, slipping it in his pocket. "I had heard rumors...I thought it impolite to ask though." As Rei and Yasushi go back and forth for a bit, Koji sits down and looks at the note again, noticing several jags in the lines, meaning he was having a hard time when he wrote it, but for not he didn't know why exactly that was.

-=-

Later, then Rei has laid down for the night, Koji goes over to Yasushi and hands him the note to put away, lest their leader find it. he doesn't respond, however, seeming to be absorbed in his drawing, and so Koji looks on as well, soon becoming trapped in a genjutsu.

The whole thing lasts only a few moments, but by the end Koji is left with chills. The two genin look at one another for a moment or two, then he nods and goes over to his own bedroll.

-=-=-

The next day was warm, with full sun and clear skies, the perfect weather for a Grass-nin, and Chika was taking full advantage of it. Already in the predawn light she had set seed traps, placing the seeds of vine plants all along the sides of the road so that when her targets came across they would sprout and entangle their feet.

In addition to this she had plant clones hiding in the tall grass on either side of the road, just down a small embankment. When the traps sprung, the clones would leap out and rain down rakkaha on the genin.

[Demon]

Yasushi had actually enjoyed talking with his sister given the circumstances they were in, that hug being the first act of physicality between them since their mother died. When she left to ask Koji if he had known, Yasushi allowed himself to shed a tear, wiping it away before anyone could see, returning to his genjutsu drawing to make sure it was ready to be shown.

When Koji looked at it he saw, at first, shaded figures, a family it seemed, happily walking as they held hands. The images lightened, revealing that the figures had no faces, but there was a woman with beautiful brown hair walking next to a man with blonde hair down to his back, walking with two kids, one holding a book and a pen, obviously Yasushi, and a girl who resembled Rei holding flowers. The image then flowed into a transition, the previous portion simply to show Yasushi's family, revealing he and Rei were more closely related than she knew. Now it showed the man walking into their home, his face darkened, but this time his eyes showed. They had grey rings, like the Rinnegan, and the brunette looked up in surprise and was thrown to the ground, now colored red as she slowly faded away. The man looked over, revealing Yasushi watching the events unfold, tears streaming down his cheeks, as an X formed over his mouth and the man faded away, now wearing an Akatsuki robe, and as the genjutsu ended, the man changed to resemble Keiji...

-=-

Eiji whistled as he lead the genin along their path, a merry little tune which haunted Yasushi. If the genjutsu worked, which Yasushi believed it had, Koji should be able to figure out Yasushi's past, making it the first time he'd been able to show anyone the truth about his father.

Eiji stopped when they arrived at the edge of Chika's traps, holding up a hand to signify they were stopping for now.

"We're close to the border now, so let's take a short break. I'll go and refill our canteens, try to stay in this spot until I get back" He said, looking at Rei.

"I know the flowers are pretty, but you know the kind of jutsu they could be hiding around here. Try not to pick anything and just enjoy with your eyes for now" He added, and then body flickered away. Yasushi looked over at Koji, his nerved having calmed down considerably since yesterday, and decided to take a few steps ahead of the group to see if he could see anything, and when he did, roots reached up and grabbed the feet of the genin, holding them all in place, and Yasushi looked on in horror to see a familiar white suit come rushing out at them.

Eiji looked on through the eyes of his paths, one dedicated to watching each genin, and several watching Chika as she sprung her trap. Eiji would return to save the genin before any major damage could be done, this only being a test of resolve, not of skills... well, except for Koji's at least.

[Kazimaru]

Koji had had nightmares about what he had seen, but then again, he always had nightmares, so the next day he was fine. He was still under the genjutsu which made Eiji Keiji, but now that he was aware of things, he could resist it a little. Eiji had been around earlier, so he didn't have the time to activate his wood release transformation, but he believed now it would be hard for him to be caught off guard.

When Keiji decides to go refill their canteens as they wait along the road, he gets a bad feeling, but Rei only sighs in annoyance.

In the tall grass there are also bright yellow flowers, on stems long enough so they can be seen above the grass, and she wants to go and pick some, but knows better. However, when the vines wrap around her ankles she wishes she had gone off the path, until the twin ninja wearing white with long green hair pop out and something shiny falls from their hands.

When the rakkaha spin down through the air they seem harmless enough, but as soon as they touch the skin they leave slices from the razor sharp blades. Now bleeding, Rei cries out and makes a series of hand seals.

"Ice Release: Sleet Technique!" she yells, causing clouds to appear overhead, then tiny ice stones begin to fall, knocking the blades out of the air so that scatter on the ground, cutting some of the vines.

"Wood Release: Rising Pillar!" Koji says, cuts all over his arms, as he places his hands together, causing a trunk to grow from the soles of his feet, forward underground, then up so that it smashes one of the clones, turning it back into vines.

The second clone lands on the pillar, however, and as it makes hand seals it begins to fall apart, the leaves and vines making it up turning into senbon and shuriken which rain down on the begin.

[Demon]

The fact that Chika was attacking them both horrified him, and yet did not surprise him. As soon as Eiji mentioned her, he knew bad things were in store for either her or himself, but this was worse than he could have imagined. He used his pen to block the lead senbon, which destroyed it, and looked around for signs of the real Chika.

-=-

One of the paths made eye contact with Chika, allowing Eiji to speak to her directly.

I told you not to harm the girl! No matter, you can make it up to me by focusing on the blonde boy over there. That's not going to be a problem... is it?

-=-

Yasushi folded some paper shuriken and tossed them down at the vines on his feet, freeing him from their grip and allowed him to move about. He grit his teeth as he tried to find Chika, wanting to make a mental connection to find out what was going on.

[Kazimaru]

"Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!" Koji yells, raising his left arm up and aiming it at the incoming shuriken and senbon. His arm suddenly changes into a tree with a jagged tip that shoots forward, branching, creating more points, which block all the projectiles from hitting them. "I'm getting tired of being ambushed..."

Breaking his arm out of the wood he leaves what is basically a fallen tree lying on the side of the path before taking out a kunai and cutting his legs free. When he looks up he sees Rei holding a hand seal and concentrating.

"Barrier: Dome Method Formation!" Rei says as a sphere of awareness forms around her, then moves out. First she can sense Koji and Yasushi, then further out, then further, until she finds the real Chika. "Yasushi, Koji, over there in that tree!"

Nodding, Koji forms a long oak staff and uses it to poll vault towards the tree. As he gets close, he uses he technique he learned from the Okemuta, and uses chakra to extend the staff, propelling himself at high speed where Rei had pointed. When he reaches the spot, however, he finds himself tangled in a wall of thorny vines, with the woman he had been aiming for standing by and looking at him curiously.

Chika shakes her head at the boy, then body flickers away to land before Yasushi. Making a few hand seals she places her hand on his chest and a sphere of water forms around him, the Water Release: Water Prison Technique. Before the sphere can fully form, however, Rei steps up.

"Ninja Art: Manipulating Attack Blades!" she calls out, causing twenty kunai to rise up around her then fire off a few at a time at Chika, causing her to move back and dodge, releasing Yasushi.