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The Man, the Blades, and the Heat.

Mashimizu was raised by His Father, Okibi Senkyoku (who's name means "Song of the Blazing Flame") on a outlaying village build by his Clan far from Konoha. Know one realy knows what happend to his Mother, but His Father tolded him storys of her. His Mother was a Kunoichi, and like most of their clan, a Master of Genjutsu and Taijutsu. She had supposably disappeared during a mission to Ekishou, the Land of Crystal, far across the Western Sea. Mashimizu was raised by his Father, a Master Blacksmith and Musician, a Old Shinobi that had to retire do to the loss of his sight. On the Summer Mashimizu was to turn Ten, his father's Shop was visited by a Strange man that requested the Repair of a set of Blades, not normal Blades mind you, but two Stark white, Crystal Blades, Each Blade had been split down the middle by some great force. When Mashimizu's Father felt the Blades, His face went pale, and to Mashimizu's Surprise, tears begain to swell in his sightless eyes. Now Mashmizu had never seen his Father cry before, so this was a great shock to him, and when he went to comfort his father, Okibi's face suddenly took on a False smile, as he stood and walked towards his Workshop, Blades in hand. For the next seven days, his Father Stayed in the Workshop, eating nothing and Drinking only what little water he kept there. The Stange Man stayed at their house while Okibi worked, helping with what work needed to be done, and telling young Mashimizu storys of the land he had Traveld from, a Beautiful land called Ekishou, The Land of Crystals. When the Blades were Finished, Okibi left the Workshop, visibly several pounds lighter, but with a Fire in his eyes that lit Mashimizu's spirit. With a smile, Okibi Presented the Blades to the Strange Man, who took them and looked over them with a experts eye, then when he was Finished, he gave a approving nod, and handed the Blades back to Okibi, and leaned in close to him to wisper something to Okibi, who gave a solemn nod at what ever was said. With that, The Strange man gathered his things, and headed for the door, giving Mashimizu a tip of his hat and a nod before disappearing into the summer heat. Mashimizu Shinobi training by his Father's hand's would begin shortly after.


Two years after the Strange man had come to the shop, Mashimizu entered the Shinobi academy. The day before he was to leave for the village, his Father stopped him, and handed him a large bundle, telling him not to open it till he entered the gates of Konoha. The Jouney from the village to Konoha was tough, crossing some of the most rugged terrain in the Land of Fire, legend in the village was that the members of his clan build their village there for that sole purpose, that only the strongest of the village could reach Konoha and become Shinobi. After nearly a month of travel, Mashimizu finaly reached the Gates of the Village that to most in his village seemed like only a legend itself. When Mashimizu Finaly entered the Gates, he took one look around, and Collapsed from exhaustion. He spent the next month in the Hospitle, recovering from the injuries and exhaustion acquired from his Travels. When he was finaly released, He was heart broken to find out that he was to late to enter the academy, the classes had already started. Distort at first, Mashimizu wandered through the village in a Daze, sleeping were ever he fell, and eating what little was givin to him. This went on for awhile, till one day he remembered something that had been eating at him, somthing that was at the tip of him mind, but just could not grab, and then it came to him, The Package. He searched all of his belongings, desperate to find it, but his heart sank when he was not able to find it. At a Lost, he went back to the Gate, thinking maybe the Guards there knew what happend to it. As it was, the Jounin on guard was the same one that had carried him to the Hospital when he had collapsed the month before. When questioned, the Jounin did recall seeing such a Package, and had a very good idea were it might be. When he was brought to the Hospital, all of his valuables were confiscated and sent to the Hokage's Office for storage, but were supposed to be returned to him upon his release, if there was any place it'd be, the Jounin had to guess it'd still be in the Hokage's Office. With all the speed he could muster, Mashimizu ran towards the Hokage building, a new Light in His eyes. When He reached the building, he was turned away at the Door,he desperately tried to explain what he wanted, but the Guards would hear nothing of it, and continued to turn him away. Suddenly, there was a sharp rasp from a window above, as a Young Woman, wereing a large brimmed, red and white hat, embroidered with the emblem for Fire, looked down at the scene, then With a smile, the Woman waved at the Guards to allow Mashimizu to pass. It took a few moment to find the Hokage's Office in the large building, but Mashimizu smiled as he looked at the Large Wooden doors, and as he openned them, and walked in, the scene before his eyes shocked him. Standing near the far window, behind a large desk, stood the Hokage, who turning, waved him to sit in the open chair to the left of the Desk. Slowly, Mashimizu moved forward, eyes never leaving the person that sat to his right. In the Right Chair sat the Strange Man that had visited his Father's shop Two years before; and in his lap lay the bundle that his father had given him, still Wrapped in the travel worn cloth. The Hokage gave the Two a few minutes to catch up, untill she finaly spoke up, and properly Introduced the Strange Man, His name was Risshuu Kouseki; The Eksikage, and the Leader of Ekishou, The Land of Crystals. Mashimizu just stared, to stunned move, till finaly he bolted from his chair, bowing to both as he stuttered, trying to remember the proper formalities in such a situation. The Hokage and Eksikage Simple laughed, telling him it was not necessary, and to sit down. Mashimizu returned to his Seat in Silence, still to stunned to speak, as Risshuu turned his Chair to face the boy, the Bundle still safely in his lap. Slowly, as if unwrapping something fragile that could break with the simplest touch, Risshuu removed the cloth; revealing the Two Crystal Blades that he had left in Mashimizu's Father's care two years before. Smiling at Mashimizu's wonder, Risshuu spoke, telling him that the Blades were called Ishizue and Heisui, The Son of the Earth, and The Daughter of the Sea; and that they were once his Mother's most cherished Blades, and Now they were his.

Onward, Never ceasing

For the Next few hours, Risshuu told the story of Mashimizu's Mother, who had been a Ambassador to Konoha from Ekishou, how on that trip she had fallen in love with a Konoha ANBU, and had given up her title as Shinobi to be with him, how she had been called back shortly after his Birth when War struck in the Land of Crystals, and how she had died a Hero protecting a village while it was being evacuated. When the Story was Finished, Mashimizu broke down in tears, he had heard parts of the story from his Father, but never the whole think. Risshuu gave him Several moments to gather himself, till finaly, he spoke, saying that Mashimizu's Mother's will lived on in her Blades, and it was Mashimizu's duty to carry on that will. Wrapping the Blades back in the cloth as gently as he had removed it, he Stood and passed the Blades to Mashimizu, then with the same tip of his hat and Nod that he gave two years earlier, he disappeared beyond the door. Mashimizu sat in the Hokage's Office for several moments, trying to soak in all that had happend, till finally he faced the Hokage and asked about the Academy. Saddly, there was nothing she could do about it, the Classes were full, He would have to wait for the next Year. Mashimizu left the Hokage's Office Disappointed, but Unwilling to give up. Carrying his Mother's Will in his hand, he marched on, there was still much to do. Using Money that Risshuu Kouseki had left him; what was left of his Mother's savings, and the Money from his Father, Mashimizu bought a apartment near the Academy, using his Exceptional eyesight and hearing to spy on the Classes, and then Sneak into the Training grounds late at night to hone his Skills, This went on for several months, and all that time, Mashimizu never realized that whilehe was spying on the Classes, he himself was being watched. Shakaku Yamayake had been a Jounin for nearly twenty years, Given the nickname "The Angel of Fire" by the Shinobi of the Mist, but in all her life, she had never seen anyone that sparked her Interest as the little twelve year old she had seen Trainning deep into the night one Summer Night. At frist she had though that the child was one of the Students, come for a little extra practice, but then she saw that the equipment he used was old and worn, were as Students were all issued new equipment every other week or so. Asking around, She heard the young man's Story, how he had Collapsed inside the village after a long trip, thus missing the entrances exam, and despite herself, Shakaku found herself cheering for this young man that never gave up from the Shadows, even going so far as to leave new equipment for him every now and again. Soon it was Exam Time, and the Students were abuzz as the Graduating Ceremony got underway, Mashimizu watching from the top of the School building. Mashimizu watched as The Hokage called off each name, he could match each name to a face, he had spent class each day with these people, even if they did not know it themsleves, but as the list of names got smaller and smaller, a lump begain to grow in his chest. When it first happend, Mashimizu thought that he was hearing thing, he thought that his saddness at not being able to pertispate had finally manifested itself, and that he was hallucinating. But when then It happend again, and he was sure; he had heard his own name, it was then that he realized that the Hokage was staring up at him, a smile on her face. A Third time, She spoke his name, and he broke from his daze, slidding off the roof, and as he walked towards the Hokage, he could not help but Blush at the whispers that were spreading through the crowd. When He reached the Hokage, She nelt down and wispered in his ear a Congratulations, before handing him his Headband and pointing him in the Direction of the other Graduates. When the Final name was read, the crowd burst into cheers, and Mashimizu could not stop Smiling. Squads were assigned the next day, Mashimizu met the with his Squad near the old forest were he used to train. His New squad comprised of two young girls, about a year younger than Himself Truce Urey, a Ice Ninjutsu user and the Kusabana Ai Kirika, a Water Weapon user, along with their Sensei, The Master of Fire Genjutsu, "The Angel of Fire", Shakaku Yamayake.


Mashimizu's Genin days past as many do, time split between Missions and Training, while Mashimizu was shown to have some skill in Swordsmanship, his true talent lay in Genjutsu and Taijutsu, like much of his Clan. As the years went by, Mashimizu and his squad became stronger and stronger, till after four years as Genin, they passed the Chunnin exam with flying colors. Like most Chunnin, their frist year was spent in the same squad. Two Years later, and Mashimizu had begain to make a name for himself, as his Mastery over his Clan's Song based Genjutsu gave rise to many new Genjutsu, both within his clan and out, soon he came to be known as "Mashimizu of the Fifth Symphony". Several days before the Start of the Jounin exams, Mashimizu was sitting atop the Academy, remembering days long past, when from behind him he heard a Voice he had not heard in over six years. Turing around to greet the old man, Mashimizu's smile was soon wiped away when he saw the look on Risshuu Kouseki's face, the man was not here for a chat. The Air around the Eksikage was heavy, as if he had to much to think of at once, and not enought time to think. Suddenly, Risshuu pulled out a large bundle, and unwrapping it, revealed the most beautiful Blade he had even saw, it's Blade a deep midnight Blue, but as Mashimizu reached forward to touch the blade, his fingers sizzeld and burned under the massive amounts of Chakra emanating from the Blade. Risshuu hastily rewrapped the Blade and Handed it off to Mashimizu, giving a simple command, Never unwrap the Blade, but never let it leave his Sight, then without another word, Risshuu a Shuriken pouch and headed for the Hokage's Office. Inside the pouch lay several Crystal Shuriken and Kunai, and a hand handwritten note with three simple words "They will come". Mashimizu pasted the Jounin Exam shortly after, and continued to rise in both power and reputation, till one day he was called to the Hokage's Office, He had been Chosen as a member of the ANBU Black Ops. At Frist Mashimizu refused, he had heard of the dealings of the ANBU, and wanted nothing to do with it, but He was eventually worn downs at the Chances to descover more of the Secrets behind his Mother, the Man called the Eksikage, and the mysterious Midnight Blue Blade.