DAMP FIREWOOD HAS
THE MOST SMOKE

TATARA IS NOT FOUR ANYMORE ━━ she realizes this the night before she decides that Uchiha Mikoto is the only one who can help her, and also probably the day when Fugaku confronted her and told her that she is a shinobi and that she has to act like it, not like some brat that she supposedly was. Or maybe when she gutted that rabbit when she was four years old and looked at her grandfather with expectant eyes, or maybe that time when she gutted a person, or gutted that pregnant woman that have her the Sharingan in exchange for the infant she took. Tatara is not sure. She seldomly is now, after her ... 'miscommunication 'with her grandfather. She just knows that Yuemi–san who lives in the house right beside hers gossiped in the district about their fight.

By the looks that Fugaku had sent her when she arrived late for training, Yuemi–san's gossip about the golden child of Uchiha Takobu and the favored little girl of the Elders raising her voice and disobeying orders most likely reached his ears. Tatara is kind of relieved Fugaku is who he is; silent, watchful, the type to see if you can survive hell and back before deciding to tend to the burns you have from crawling through it with your knees digging in the surface of coals and magma. Perhaps not exactly that but Tatara is glad Fugaku is Fugaku. Her four–year–old self would have hissed otherwise and thrown a tantrum (not exactly a tantrum but as far as an Uchiha can tantrum) once she got home, complaining about her beloved Cousin Mikado's place being taken by some Uchiha whose only trait that separates him from rest is his skill in, well, everything.

Tatara still does not know why Mikoto did not become the Clan Head in place of Mikado though. The Clan had female Heads before and it was no different from having male Heads though it is an unspoken commentary that the Elders prefer a male but that really is not the point. The point is that the Elders thought of Mikoto as insufficient and so, Mikoto sought help from Fugaku who has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Mikoto is strong though. Maybe not as strong to be known in all Bingo Books but strong enough for Kumo to flag her with heavy caution, strong enough for her to reach the Jounin Rank before she stops being a teenager. She is a Mistress of Genjutsu, an illusionist of the highest degree, even better than members of the Kurama Clan and Yūhi Shinkū ━━ Fugaku is known as the 'Wicked Eye Fugaku' and while Mikoto does not have a name as flashy as his, The Clan still submit to the words of this woman and by extension, Tatara's grandfather and herself.

It makes her wonder for a moment, as she drinks from the tea that Mikoto prepared for her, if Kuboshike still holds an ire towards the little girl that stole the seat of the Head from him. Tatara has no doubt Kuboshike can lead The Clan well because she honestly believes so, and so do the rest of her cousins and aunts and uncles and grand-somethings. But at the end, Mikoto has more hold and Fugaku has more strength.

"Do you know your chakra control percentile, Tatara?" Mikoto asks from the opposite of the low–risen table. This is probably one of the few instances Tatara sees Mikoto without Itachi. She will be locked in Konoha because of her so–called 'maternity leave' for the next few months but then, if the war still lives, she will be sent out, Clan Head's wife or not, new mother or nor, weakened or not.

Tatara's cheeks burn red at the question. Of course she knows! It is essential for shinobi who aim to master more than one skill and she really is not offended that Mikoto had to question her of her competency to check her percentile, but her cheeks are red exactly because she checked her percentile. "Yes," she replies.

"May I inquire what it is?" Mikoto asks politely. "If you wish to be a mistress of Genjutsu then I must know."

With bright and flaming cheeks, Tatara turns a way a little, out of Mikoto's prying eyes. "Fifty-seventh percentile," she admits, ashamed.

Mikoto remains calm though and whether she really is unaffected or not, Tatara is not sure. "The average for newly–minted Genin and Genin, in general, is much lower than that, Tatara. There is no shame in having a fifty-seventh percentile," she says.

"I have the lowest percentile in the team, Mikoto–san," Tatara insists and she tries to push down the bile rising in her throat for admitting that she is lesser than people her age ━━ long–time companions or not, fellow–Uchiha or not.

"Tekka has been a Genin longer than yourself and Koichi━━" A distinctive pause. "━━and his skill in chakra manipulation is not suprising. You know of his heritage, yes?"

"I do."

A Yamanaka bastard like handfuls in the red light district children and the whores are.

"Then you shouldn't compare yourself to them," Mikoto says in a more informal tone and Tatara relaxes, "the minimum percentile for genjutsu is exactly in the fourty–three percentile, but, Tatara, that doesn't mean genjutsu will be easy for your fifty–seven."

Mikoto's eyes glow a fierce red with the Sharingan spinning in an almost lazy motion. "Uchiha do not necessarily need the standard genjutsu techniques because of the Sharingan but it isn't good to rely on it," the Sharingan fades, "and before someone is taught the genjutsu of the Sharingan, they are usually taught the basics of it first. Though, many tend to skip that. But we wouldn't."

The 'we' in her words becomes a coal to Tatara's fire. If she can, she would have had straightened her back more, eyes becoming more fierce. But instead, she nods submissively. "Of course, Mikoto-shishō," she calls the Genjutsu Mistress.

Mikoto's lips curl upwards. "Shall we begin?"

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TEKKA WONDERS WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THIS AND HE IS LOST IN THOUGHT. His body is crumpled on the ground. The edges of his clothes are singed with fire and he knows he must have hundreds of bruises at the moment. He is also missing a sleeve, he notices. And while the pain is still there, still throbbing and achininf, all he can do is stare at the figure before him with his Sharingan doing all the work.

This is Uchiha Takobu, he realizes in an almost hero–worship demeanor for this is the man that his father speaks so highly of to this day, who summons hellfire in the battlefield and burns his enemies until there is nothing but ash.

Tekka lives with simple facts since he was a child; the sky is blue, The Clan is family, Tekka is an Uchiha, and Uchiha Takobu is the greatest fire user The Clan has to offer ━━ and now, Tekka is being taught by that same fire ninjutsu specialist. Maybe he only got in their home because he is Tatara's teammate, or maybe he got in because he is known for being that Genin who should have been Chuunin long ago but he really doesn't care. He will use all of his resources to bask in the teachings of Takobu.

Gouka no Takobu.

Takobu of the Hellfire.

"Did you see that?" Takobu all but demands.

"Ye ━━ yes, shishō," Tekka stammers and he wants to hit himself for appearing so pathetic in front of an Elder of The Clan.

Takobu scowls. "I am not your shishō, boy."

"Yes, shishō!"

Looking at Tekka's wide–eyed, hero–worshipping gaze like that almost reminds Takobu of Tatara before that Koichi boy appeared in her life. Tatara used to be so quiet and obedient, following all his words without question and yet (he resists an urge to sigh because he never sighs) here they were, Tatara did not approach him for further training and if Tekka was to be believed, she had approached Mikoto of all people. Instead, the said boy walked up to him while he was in the middle of talking to that pestering and nosy Hotaru ━━ Tekka, of course, excused himself beforehand and politely asked for Takobu's time ━━ and straight–up asked him to help him train afterhours. Hotaru laughed and laughed and laughed and Takobu almost hit her.

Takobu is above hitting people out of annoyance. (His younger self would have done the contrary but he is old now, wise and more in control of his emotions. Oumaru–san, one of his fellow Elders, likes to remind him of his youth though.)

"You said there is a possibility that you will be sent in the frontlines," Takobu inquires and Tekka nods gravely, "in which border?"

Tekka hesitates. "Most likely in the Land of Wind."

"The Land of Wind," Takobu hisses but recollects himself with a huff, "no, no, it is to be expected. Konoha has been hiding us, doujutsu users, from Kumo since the kidnapping. We were being treated as cowards. It is only right that we show Kumo we have nothing to fear for those disgusting kekkei genkai thieves."

The look on Tekka's face turns sour. Your granddaughter will be in the frontlines against Kumo, he wants to say but he does not find his voice ━━ Team Fugaku's first experience in the frontlines will be against Kumogakure of all places, the village known for tearing their eyes out and scavenging bodies like street rats, and they are Uchiha along with a son of the Yamanaka Clan, illegitimate or not, and all Takobu can say is that it is only right for them to fight against Kumo? That they should have done that ages ago because 'they look like cowards'?

Tekka knows the Elders run deep with tradition and have pride to fill The Clan but Tekka does not want his team to die, not after his original one did. Not after Mikazuchi You and Kurama Miwa, not after their deaths that plague him to this day.

But he has no right to speak against an Elder. He has no power against them despite being a close cousin to Mikoto. He can only nod in agreement and keep his mouth shut because he is nothing against The Elders who know what's best for them and what will lead The Clan to greatness.

"Stand up, boy. We are not done yet."

"Yes, shishō."

"I am not your shishō."

Tekka can do nothing to protect his team from becoming part of the shinobi forces that will fight against Kumo in the frontlines, and he can do nothing to express his disagreement with it. The Elders' decisions are law. The Hokage is above law. And Tekka is stuck in an endless loop of his teammates dying and dying because of old men and women making them dance in the palms of their hands and this is treasonous, yes, but━━

He breathes shakily.

I cannot complain, he tells himself because complaining means disagreeing and disagreeing means disobeying and disobeying means treason and treason is the worst sin against The Clan and the village. He cannot complain so he just has to comply, train a bit more, and make sure he does not end up hating the village (never The Clan even thought the Elders did nothing to even try to get them about of the Land of Wind) for seeing his teammates die for the second time.

He just has to get stronger. Yes.

Because the village and The Clan are never the reasons why his teammates will die (THE LAND OF WIND WILL BE THEIR DEATHS AND IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE FOR CLAN CHILDREN LIKE HIM, LIKE HIS TEAM, LIKE THE SHARINGAN AND THE SHINTENSHIN) but it will be because of him. Because he is not strong enough. Because he is not strong enough to tear his opponents down and make sure his team is still alive and kicking and breathing and talking and moving and it will
be his fault if they die. Not the village. Not The Clan.

Just him.

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IT ANNOYS TATARA THAT SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT KOICHI DOES AFTER THEIR TRAINING. She knows what Tekka does. She knows what Fugaku does. But not Koichi. She also has no idea where Koichi learned the Shintenshin Technique when the Yamanaka Clan avoids him like the plague. She has no idea where Koichi learns that above–average chakra control when nobody will bat an eyelash to an illegitimate child of a clan known for spawning bastards and shunning them. She knowns nothing about Koichi aside from his favorite food, favorite color, where he grew up, where his apartment is ━━ all she knows is all the superficial things and it annoys her.

Tatara has no time to be annoyed though. Not after Fugaku just confirmed to them that they are going to fight in the Land of Wind with their doujutsu and clan techniques just up for grabs. She has no time worrying about why Koichi goes to the red light district and comes back with more determination than he did before he left. She has no time wondering and being bitter about how Koichi tells them nothing when they tell Koichi everything.

She has no time for that.

And because she does not spend her time thinking and thinking about Koichi, she manages to hold the Genjutsu for ten seconds without her control snapping like a thread. Controlling her chakra and making it thin enough to nudge against the brain of the person is hard, definitely, and Tatara is too used to the explosive and uncontrolled fire of her techniques to control her chakra to such fine lines.

She grumbles something under her breath before she turns to look at Mikoto who is holding Itachi in her arms. The rabbit she is trying to trap a Genjutsu in looks at her, tilting its head like a fool and she almost burns it right then there. "Is this why there are no healers in The Clan?" She asks, bitter and infuriated.

Mikoto meets her eyes. "What do you mean?" A gentle prod to test the working of her brain.

"Our chakra are naturally attuned to fire ━━ well, most of us are," she takes it back when she realizes that Mikoto is a water ninjutsu specialist unlike most she knows, "and fire is fickle and explosive, uncontrollable. You can't catch fire, and you can't control it. That's why ... that's why so much Uchiha rely on the Sharingan because it makes chakra easier to control when you can see it. The Uchiha aren't as skilled in Genjutsu as they say we are and it's because of our fire nature."

"That's right," Mikoto confirms, "even during the Sengoku Jidai, we were known for our Genjutsu but those Genjutsu are only because of the Sharingan. There were little Water Ninjutsu users and there weren't enough scrolls about it. It was either you steal them from the other clans which is too damgerous, or make a technique of your own. Fire Ninjutsu Specialists are highly incompatible with Medical Ninjutsu. Tsunade-sama has Earth Ninjutsu, her apprentince, Shizune has Water Ninjutsu, and most Yamanaka are the same. Nara have Earth Ninjutsu, and there are no known Fire Ninjutsu Specialists in Konoha that can heal."

"Then━━"

"But that doesn't mean you can skip to the Sharingan, Tatara. You must learn how to control normal Genjutsu without the aid of it," Mikoto scolds, "many Uchiha fall because of their reliance in the Sharingan. The Sharingan is not omnipotent, Tatara. Remember that."

Tatara turns away. "Yes."

"Tatara. Do you understand?"

"Yes, shishō, I do."

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IT TAKES TATARA ANOTHER THREE HOURS TO GET THE GENJUTSU TO THOROUGHLY AFFECT THE TINY THING WITHOUT THE SHARINGAN. The rabbit twists and turns and makes small sounds that Tatara has never heard before. She killed rabbits before but she usually gives them painless deaths because the painless ones are the fastes and she cannot afford to let the enemy have a second more against her so Takobu teaches her the fastest way to kill and incapacitate. Genjutsu cannot kill though. No, that's wrong ━━ Genjutsu can kill but only the strong ones. The Kurama Clan are the only known clan in the village that can use Genjutsu itself to kill. Persuading someone to kill themselves using Genjutsu is a different thing but a killing Genjutsu ━━ one that convinces the body that it is dead, Tatara wants to achieve that, with or without the Sharingan.

She knows that is hard though. Not even the Genjutsu Masters of The Clan can do it, not even Yūhi Shinkū can do it but the Kurama Clan can ━━ the Kurama Clan, however, have some sort of bloodline limit for that and in exchange, Tatata hears, is the mental health of the user.

She returns to sitting by the engawa, watching the rabbit squeak in pain. Tatara mumbles a silent 'kai' before weaving through a batch of handsigns. The rabbit finally calms down and turns its head to its right where Tatara planted a Genjutsu of a butterfly. The image flickers before she finally grasps it with her chakra. Better, she thinks. Subtle Genjutsu are not as flashy as the ones Mikoto can do but it is more than enough. Koichi can do better Genjutsu than her but she cannot really make him handle all the illusionary techniques. They are supposed to be a team meant to infiltrate and to father information. Everyone in the team is supposed to know how to use Genjutsu.

Before she can try another one, the sliding door behind her resounds with its opening. She turns. "Oh?"

The boy, obviously younger than her by a year or two, blinks at her and tilts his head. "You're ... Takobu–dono's granddaughter," he says rather rudey and Tatara almost scowls, wondering who raised this Uchiha to have no filter.

She sees the curly hair and the large eyes, sharp lashes and round cheeks. "Good afternoon to you as well," she greets and the boy smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, good afternoon," he mumbles.

"Speak clearly," Tatara scolds lightly before turning back to the rabbit that she finds near the bushes, "it is unbecoming of someone who graduated much earlier than the rest━━" She saw the headband dangling from his hand, after all. "━━you are Hiraki-san's son, right? Congratulations on your graduation."

Even without looking at him, she can tell that the boy seems a little surprised. "This is the first time someone's called me my father's son! It's always━━" The boy suddenly jumps in front of her vision, dimples deepening with his sudden furrowed eyebrows and crossed arms. "━━'you're Kagami-dono's grandson', or something like that."

Well, Tatara thinks. She really is not surprised. She heard from her grandfather that many people were disappointed to hear that Kagami's son, Hiraki, became such a mediocre shinobi but the arrival of Hiraki's son, however, changed the tides.

"You're Tatara-san, right? Takobu-dono's granddaughter?"

"Yes, I am," Tatara answers good naturedly.

"Is it true that you sent a Hyuuga to the hospital during sparring when you were still in the Academy?"

Tatara's eyebrow twitches. "Yes."

The boy laughs, the ringing of his happiness unfamiliar to Tatara. Not many Uchiha laughs so freely like that. Perhaps this a sign that Tatara should go catch up with one of her favorite cousins, Tsujirou. Maybe he knows some tips for improving his Genjutsu. He is a Chuunin now.

The sliding door makes another sound and Tatara, this time, properly turns to greet the kunoichi. "Mikoto-san," she nods.

"Tatara," Mikoto greets back and turns to the boy beside her, "oh, you're a little early, Shisui-kun."

Shisui. Tatara wonders if it sounds exactly as how it is written because if so, Uchiha Hiraki surprisingly has odd naming sense. A little foreboding, if someone asks her but all shinobi know how to swim.

"Did you properly greet Tatara, Shisui-kun?" Mikoto raises an eyebrow and Tatara watches Shisui rub the back of his head. Again. A habit, then. "You have to excuse Shisui-kun, Tatara. He doesn't pick up the things that I teach him."

"It's because Mikoto-san and Fugaku-san are both so stiff," Shisui jokes with a grin, "oh! Can I see Itachi-chan now, Mikoto-san? I need to show him my forehead protector."

Mikoto looks genuinely glad for him. "Congratulations then! You graduated so early," the dimming of her eyes makes Tatara frown, knowing exactly what the woman is thinking, "Itachi is inside. I'm sure he would be glad to see you."

Shisui's grin, it possible, widens. Just as he is about to enter the room, he turns around and looks at Mikoto. "Is Tatara-senpai going to be joining us for dinner, Mikoto-san?" He asks.

Tatara thinks for a moment when Mikoto repeats the question to her. "Tekka will be with my grandfather so━━" She avoids the peering gaze of Shisui, highly uncomfortable with his stare. "━━if you would have me."

Mikoto mimics Shisui's pleased look. "Of course, Tatara," she replies.

Shisui calls a short 'see you later' to the both of them and silence eats up Mikoto and Tatara, their thoughts a mirror to one another but it is Mikoto who speaks first. "Shisui-kun is very talented, as you can see, Tatara," an understatement for a child who entered the Academy at four and graduated after a year, a Hatake Kakashi in the making, "he is lacking in many departments but I hope you take care of him."

Tatara frowns. "He won't be sent in the frontlines against Kumo," she states.

"No, I doubt," Mikoto hesitantly confirms, "but I wish for him to not turn out like Hatake Kakashi."

Fathers both mocked. Ridiculously prodigious. Both slowly getting sucked by the roots of the village.

Tatara huffs but nods anyway. "He will not be like Kakashi-san," she says with conviction, "Shisui-kun is an Uchiha."

Mikoto looks at her sadly. "Oh, I hope so, Tatara. I really do."

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━━ shisui's appearance is long overdue and i decided to portray him like this, considering he's pre–'i basically killed my best friend when i was seven and i ended up getting the mangekyou sharingan' and tatara has neutral opinions about him. he could work on his manners. she has many questions about his situation though but her questions won't be addressed any time soon. tekka is still fanboying over takobu but he finds himself very conflicted. what the hell is koichi doing? tatara is worried-not-worried but she has genjutsu to focus on so she ends up getting really distracted but what is koichi fucking doing? anyway, next chapter is in the frontlines with kind-of lots canon characters. i'm still not sure if kakashi is going to show up. i wanna bring out team minato tbh or gai's team ... team chouza, right? the thought of ebisu, gai, and genma being in the same team is so chaotic. or is it just me?

━━ the elders of the clan are still as prideful as ever and tekka kind of doesn't like that. i enjoyed writing his thought process about his emotions because tekka really, really loves the clan and the village and he knows the shit he's thinking is borderline treasonous. conclusion: koichi is a bad influence on team fugaku but i really like him. i can't wait to write the things i've planned for the kyuubi attack and post-kyuubi attack. but that's still, like, four years from the present time. lots of koichi and uchiha drama on post-kyuubi attack. i cannot wait to go full-on politics and clan bullshit. i also can't wait for the kannabi bridge incident. hehehe. to be fucking honest, i only have a little vision on what will really happen in the future; will the war still happen? what will tatara do about obito? will she find out about obito? about madara? i am still, very much, hesitant. what about the massacre? this is surprisingly much harder than i thought despite the fact that i know how tatara will end. this is; after all, 'the ascension and downfall of uchiha tatara' :) i like ruining my characters istg.