Blue Skies [Private]

It had been a few days since Matatabi had been rescued by the pretty Kazekage and her forces. Jun kept the crystal safely tucked away in his clothes out-of-sight. He wasn't sure if it was possible to have it stolen. He wasn't quite ready to accept the power Matatabi had given him - wanting to understand a bit more about magic itself before he tried to control such a power. He didn't want to be a liability after all...

And so the boy had been hanging around Sunagakure for some time. Meeting with the people, talking to the locals to understand more and more about their culture. It was all quite fascinating to the boy. Never before had he seen so much sand in his life. He wasn't entirely fond of it, but he was able to deal with it for now. The Kazekage and the child from before were busy. Jun had noticed she had her own special powers to control, so it made sense that he hadn't someone available to bother with him for now.

Now he just stood sitting atop one of the many rooftops. He wondered what he was gonna do with himself now...

"Maker, dammit."

He swore the gods for his torment. He rose from his sleep only to be cast into a village that was in no way his own home. He was an Uldorian, and by his rank and power, the eyes of the Gods. It was his duty to watch the world in places where the guardian could not. It was the knowledge that he gathered, as well as few others that would feed their master's intellect. It was only by their doing that the guardian of the realm could know of all things around their realm. With it, they could not keep a secret from them. But with their power, they gained parts of their master's knowledge as well. Some even knew the guardian's darkest secrets. . . Was he one of them?

He rose from his rest, only to spring up on someone's sandy balcony. He grunted at the sight of sand for miles. He knew where he was, and to get back home would take a great while.

"A boy." he thought to himself. "He has blood like the son of Death himself. Why must I seek him?"

He would begin to climb the building he lay on to search. He could follow nothing but the only scent he could smell. He could see a trail, but with the sand, his guide was fuzzy, lost and confusing. He had a general idea of where he could be, but he could not pin point it.

"Jun." he would repeat in his own mind. Who summoned Xa'Yang to this world? Why was he tasked with this boy?

. .  .

Why was this boy still alive?[/color]

Jun continued to sit, dangling his feet off the edge of the balcony gently as he looked out across the desert region lost in thought. He couldn't help but be lost in a cloud of thoughts and ideas. He had seen much in the last couple of days. He had seen the darkness that could fill a person's heart. He had felt the despair one's decisions could hold in aftermaths. He had seen the love of a mother and her child. The world was full of such pain, yet also it held some beauty.

He wondered why this world was the way it was. He wondered what their purpose was in being here in Pandora, what his purpose was in this place. People sounded confused, concerned with him when they spoke with him. They were scared for him as he was a child. Apparently children were to be protected, raised and nurtured by other,older people. And yet he had only ever known himself when he first came here. He hadn't a family to comfort him, to raise him. Or friends to laugh with or fight with when he first found himself in this world... whenever that was. Everyone he met came... after. Why was that?

Who was his family? Had he ever had one? It was a question he often wondered. Why had he been alone then? It was a question he could not find an answer too. He knew only one thing. His name was Jun.

When he arrived in Pandora, and traveled across its lands he found one of the Namizoku Clan, one of the many serving the Manji. They took him in for a bit and trained him a little, before they too disappeared. "Lady Arya," he recalled to himself in a soft whisper. She had been headstrong, strict, but kind. He was fond of her. They granted him a staff which had been custom-made for him to fit in his role for the Namizoku. It had been forged resembling a mage from long ago of great power, as they hoped he too would one day be himself for them.

Now here he was just waiting. He didn't know what he wanted to do today. But he'd have to figure it out soon... can't let a whole day go by wasted.

He would see a stream of color, only that in reality, it was wind and sand. To him, it was a red fogged trail. He would leap from the top of the building to land onto a ledge below. He would begin to sprint, his energy fading as he jumped and rolled from building to building. He could see the end of his trail led to the heart of the village, but where the boy was, would be a mystery. He could get close, but still he would not find him. . .

But he would run and run, until the colors would fade. He would stand atop what seemed to be a tower, or a tall roof. He would look for any child or boy of the like. Surely he would know what he would look like when he saw the human. And surely he was human . . .

"Jun Namizoku." he would say to himself. "Jun Namizoku. Jun Namizoku. Jun Namizoku. .  ." he would repeat it to himself over and over, his voice like a whisper in the wind. The streets were filled with few people here, and few there. He looked into all of their faces and figures from where he stood, and none would catch his attention. Where was the child? Why was he summoned?

"Oh." he would think, "Perhaps this was the story they told me so many years ago  . .  ."

Jun noticed up ahead was a man, or some kind of figure jumping from roof to roof looking for someone or something. It made him quite curious. What could be in such a rush today that they'd go jumping all over the place? What were they looking for? He couldn't help but be curious. The blue-haired child decided to stay out of it. Instead he continued what he was doing. Just dangling off the roof. It probably had nothing to do with him. He was but a simple wizard after all. Who would have business with him?

Still. He kept watching the creature from afar for now. He found himself curious as to its mission.

He could feel a set of eyes capture him. He would relax, as he could feel the curiosity rather than fear. "He is here." he would think to himself. Slowly, he would begin to rise tall and turn his head to scan the area.

He would soon find a blue haired boy in the distance. With a hair color so bright, how did he miss him? "He's colored like a comic book main character . .  ." he would think to himself. He would begin to slowly make his way to the boy, leaping only when needed, his head turning every few steps or so to see his surroundings. He needed want any surprises to catch him.

"Jun Namizoku." he would say within earshot. "You are-" he would sniff the air. Could it be? Did she-

No.

He knew what it meant. He knew why he was there. He knew what his task was. He didn't think she would ever-

"You have the fragment." he would tell him as he neared. "Fear naught, Matatabi has summoned me here to teach you."

Jun watched with a soft, innocent stare as the creature came closer and closer. It wasn't until the creature became more and more visible to him - his form and features recognized by the young boy - that he began to suspect that perhaps he was its target. Not knowing if this was a hunter or a messenger- Jun kept his guard up at all times. He stood up and stepped away from the ledge - lest the creature who approached be tempted to throw him off the rooftop. Jun was young, but not stupid. Especially after the kinds of things he had already seen in Pandora.

The creature then called out his name. Perhaps it was seeking him specifically rather than what he held in his possession. Jun's guard was still raised, but he found himself rather intrigued. His face softened, his eyes relaxed as they calmly stared at him min wonder. For what reason could someone be looking for him? He didn't consider himself so important. It was then that the creature sniffed the air - as if it detected something. Not sure what was going on...Jun tilted his head in confusion as he watched him. All was made clear when the thing spoke once more. The thing he assumed was some kind of... Lizard?

When the stranger mentioned the crystal - Jun's eyes widened. Tightly gripping his staff - the Requiem device charged and ready - Jun prepared himself for a possible attack. However the tension calmed as quickly as it came. It claimed to be sent by the Two-Tail Cat itself. Matatabi - the one who had gifted him the power. Jun smiled. "Ah is that right? That was kind of her," he said.

"What's your name, mister?" he asked.

If he was here to help the boy - it would be nice to know his name.

"Xa'Yang." he would tell the boy, "Ssservant of the gods." he would let his lisp get the best of him.  A forked tongue had its downfalls.

"But you have the same smell of the samurai." he would admit to the stench in the air, though only his snout would catch it. "A Namizoku is from the Manjo bloodline. And thus, you have royal blood in this land." He would cock his head, like a lost and curious puppy. "I will answer any question you have, both of the world, and of you, to the best of my ability."

He had a long life of serving the guardians of the world. His life lost to ruin. There was no record of his duties, and stories of his ventures were never told or shared. Perhaps the age of Kaseki would allow him to make a mark on the realm as he tried so many years ago. If he was not to teach the half dragon woman, he would teach the boy the same power.

Jun's eyes widened at the response. It sounded quite important. His guard lowered a little, but not entirely. A soft smile appeared on his innocent face. He listened as the Lizard spoke of him and his "scent". He smelled of the Samurai. He only knew one who fit that description. Yoshimitsu - the man he had been supposed to serve. The leader of the Manji Clan - who passed on his title to his son during the Iron Fist Tournament. Perhaps being around the Namizoku meant they shared similar scents? That seemed to be the only explanation he could conjure.

He offered answers to questions the boy may have. Not sure if the man could truly answer his questions - Jun was hesitant. But still he felt it was important to try.

"What is the purpose of Pandora? What is this world we live in? he started with. He wanted to understand his surroundings before he tried to make sense of himself.

He would smile, he never would have expected that question to be asked first. "This is the land between lands, the world between worlds." he would pause, trying to find better words.

"When you die, you come to this land. When yo teleport, you travel through this realm. And when you sleep, you live here for the time being. This is Pandora." he would laugh, "Our purpose? Under Anubis it was a resting place for lost souls before they were reborn or banished. Under Yama, we lived in ecstasy, but chaos. Under Hades, some lived peacefully for understanding, others lived for redemption. Under Kaseki, we live for peace, harmony, happiness, and redemption."

He would laugh, almost creepy. "Kaseki too, shares your scent."

Jun's eyes widened, gasped at the answer. It was not what he had expected in the least. The immenseness, the gravity of the answer was heavy. Not because the world itself was wrong by any capacity. But because according to the Lizard's understanding he had died in the world he lived in before. Such knowledge was scary. How did he die? Was that why he was alone, why he hadn't family? Did he die before them? Or long after them? It was these questions that troubled him.

He hadn't processed the info of Kaseki's scent. That seemed strange to him. Wasn't Kaseki a god? At least by the way other spoke of him - that was what he had assumed. "So I died then? In the world before this one? Does that mean you don't know who my parents were?"

"You are not dead." he would tell the boy, "In short, places of other worlds would dragged here. And now, in this era under Kaseki, the living coexist with the dead." The answer itself seemed odd to hear, even though he knew the truth his whole life. For once, something seemed off.

"I know you are a Manji." he would tell him, "Well, less pure of such, as your aroma is mixed. young Yoshimitsu and Kaseki both have the scent of the pure. Perhaps you were raised by them?" he would lift his hand to point at the staff, "But their tradition kept sacred, you perhaps were chosen by the family?"

He would tilt his head in question, lost in his own thought. "In any case, you, here, are of the royal bloodline, however distant, and it is my duty to protect those of the kin."

Jun at least found some comfort in the fact that he had not died it appeared. Though it was indeed strange to comprehend a world of living and dead. One would usually think the two would be separate. Not that he minded the intertwining. "Oh..," the boy said. The Lizard reminded him of his Manji roots, and it was indeed true that he was a Manji. They had taken in him since he arrived in Pandora. They had chosen him to be one of them. But how was he not to wonder about what had come before? Who had birthed him? How had he come to be? "Yes I am a Manji, they adopted me when Lady Arya brought me to them when I arrived to Pandora... but is that all you know about who I am? Where I came from? he asked, as if he was reaching for a branch high up in a tree beyond his grasp.

He was sure that was probably all the Lizard had to offer, but he wanted more...

"You cannot be born into the Manji, you are raised into it." he would add to his words. "You come from the land of the wizards. I do not know whom your ancestors are, only of the magic that lays in your veins."

He would pause, wondering what else he could tell the boy. There wasn't much he knew for sure and he didn't want to give the boy a dream that wasn't true. Everything he said had to be 100% true or it could not be said. That was his burden.

"I know you have met both the former king and young king of this world. I know you have seen darkness. And I know you hold a light." he would sniff the air again, only to catch something eerily familiar.

"Though," The lizard would start, "You smell of their sands, Desertio. Perhaps you are like the red clocked human, Samedi?" he questioned his thought soon after, "Though, I doubt you have a drop of Lannister blood in you. but perhaps your ancestors were once the same eons ago?"

"This is kind of confusing...," Jun said while scratching his head. He didn't really understand. He just nodded. Did this guy know Jun's origin or not? He was getting a little annoyed. Noticing this the blue haired boy took a deep breath, exhaling out the oxygen as he tried to calm his growing nerves. He stayed to listen though. He had learned patience was a virtue. He wouldn't let himself ruin this chance for himself.

The former king and the young king? Did he mean Yoshimitsu? The Manji Clan leaders? The ones he had sworn to help defend and advise in the coming days? "I was told I was to one day help and advise the young warrior of the Manji... is that who you refer to?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and curious, staring eyes. He frowned at the mention of the darkness and the light. He had seen his fair share of both. "That is correct. I have seen Hatred as well as Love... but I cannot tell which was stronger I suppose. The little girl died with her hatred, but she was only toppled by the love of the many who opposed her. Her strength on its own bested any of us on our own... Were it naught for the numbers being on our side... does that mean Hatred is stronger than love? I wonder..," he said aloud, but really he usually kept such thoughts to himself.

"I don't know who Samedi is or this "Lannister"...," he said frowning again. There was a lot he didn't know.

"Samedi was a plague on this realm." he would answer, "She was inconsistent, ever changing shape and form. One day a man, the next a woman. He would commit crimes, and her guise was never to be found, for he never returned to his old shape. He was a Lannister, a long line of mages from Desertio. "

"Love is the ever powerful. Lust is the dangerous side of the coin." he spoke, wondering if his words even held merit anymore. "Her lust for power, greatly outweighed her hatred for the world. She loved the rush of battle, and thus, spent her last moments there. "

He would pause, reaching up to rub his jawline, "The young Manji, he is young no longer. Yoshimitsu has grown, in a way I cannot understand." Sighing, he would continue, "If you wish to discover your true origins, I suggest you seek a mage of Fiore. Their magic in in your body, but the heart of the Manji Warrior beats in your chest."

"..Well... that's... something..," Jun said with widened eyes. "They sounds awful. I hope I'm not related to them..."

But with his luck it was entirely possible. A shapeshifter that committed crimes and outran the law with a different face constantly. It sounded like they just... didn't even know who they were anymore. An inconsistent form for an inconsistent creature driven to madness. Jun admitted he had never heard of the Lannisters - though perhaps now he should have. Jun listened to Xayang's words as he spoke so wise. He was glad that Matatabi had sent him. "interesting...," was his only response to his summary of the girl. He supposed it made some level of sense.

Then Xayang informed him about the young lord. Yoshimitsu had grown? How was such a thing possible? It hadn't been that long had it? "But how?! He wasn't that much older than me before!" the mage said flabbergasted. "Does that mean his power has grown exponentially as well? I have to get stronger! It's supposed to be my duty to protect and advise him...," he said drifting off by the end.

"How will I learn to understand my magic? Or the magic that the Two-Tailed Kitty gave to me?" he asked, his head tilting to the side in wonder.

"Those of the true Manji bloodline are much stronger here." he would admit, "There is much magic here that no one has fully understood, and new forms appear every day. Everything is possible in this world, including time acceleration." he would ponder that as the one true answer to the boy growing so old.

"I have seen all existing forms in their purest state. I can teach you the Slayer Magic that resides in that crystal." But he explored the dangers of magica based spells, he was a master of energy and chi. But even so, it was something he had the greatest understanding of.

"As for your family's skills, I can show you the arts and forms of the other Manji houses, something I have taken time to educate myself on recently." but still, with questions, he had answers. "You don't have to be stronger to advise and protect, you have to be wise and keen and think on your feet. Perhaps he needs you now more than ever. But for now, he is protected under watch. you must train, and perhaps you too with face exponential growth like he."

So... the new Yoshimitsu and his line were much stronger in this realm than most. It made sense. That was what made them the head of the Manji Clan. Jun nodded, showcasing once more that he understood. He had a lot to learn about this strange world if he hoped to serve the young Lord. So by some magical means - the young Lord had now aged. That was a bit dangerous. With age came so many things. Adults were more stubborn in his experience than children. Yoshimitsu would likely not wanna listen to Jun now if he tried to offer him advice - as Jun was still a child.

So Xayang could teach him this "Slayer Magic". Jun then showcased the staff before him - extending his arm out as he lightly touched the ground. "My Staff is the conduit for my magic. It gives me the ability to perceive the energy of Mana around me... to locate sources of it and to gauge their potential.

Through it I can also access several elements that I can manipulate. Fire the easiest... But also that of Storms and Winds...," he tried to explain. He hoped that by explaining what he could currently do - it would help Xayang help him learn what it is he still had to understand about his magic.

This Staff was Requiem. It had been passed down through the Manji Line for Generations. The Namizoku Family specifically. "How should we proceed, Xayang?" he asked with a cocked head to the side in wonder.

He was well versed in all varieties of magic. He already knew the staff's importance just by the boy's surname. What magic he was able to preform was already displayed before Matatabi's eyes. Nothing he told Xa'Yang in that moment was new to him, but even the lizard had a soul. He was no creature to break a child's spirit.

"That is of your will." he would answer, "if you wish to master your guided bloodline, I can help you harness the power of this staff, or if you would like to learn a different skill, such as this Titan Slayer, I can help you master that as well." But still, it was odd for him to serve someone he never met. Again, he was still of the royal family. He was obligated to help him, even when the feline requested of him. He was nothing more than Pandora's Teacher. The more work he preformed, the more tasks the guardians could preform. He was nothing more than a delegation of knowledge and power. A second spent helping this boy, was an hour spent with real pressing matters for Kaseki.

". . . I am glad you find ease in flames. After all, that is the power of the crystal."

The small blue-haired boy didn't notice the Lizard's response being so matter of fact. He was just happy to have someone to explain to him how the staff seemed to function. He had spent so long just... doing what felt natural while wielding it, that starting to understand its function would probably make things easier. Could he summon more power from within himself? Yes! That's exactly what I need!" he said excitedly as his blue eyes sparkled with a shimmering intensity. "I can only summon such little magic, if you can teach me how to summon more that'd be amazing, Xayang!" he said, beaming as he did so.

"I have to become wise and powerful for the Manji after all, but... also to protect this strange world..." he trailed off.

"While I know of almost all magic in this realm, I can bring out any power that lies within you, or power you wish to draw to yourself." Xa'yang spoke, and was referring to the crystal. He knew the boy had powers that could only be explained with time and practice. He would be the mentor of this boy for as long as he was needed. He would be the near head of his house, beside the boy that would later rule this world.

Xa'Yang had much to say, but today was not the time. They would meet again when the boy was ready to harness his power and train.