A Shinobi's Mettle[Tutor]

[Nanjirou Soku]

The evening sky was gracing the Maple District with a bit of shadow and the crowds were not as numerous as they were per usual. Since her recent dilemma involving the attack on the Santaru compound, Soku had taken to more..relaxed activites though you couldn't keep her cooped up for long. The branch was always scouting for potential recruits and the Academy was a perfect arena from where to scour for candidates. Her eye had fallen on some key students and much to the Main Branch Sennin's chagrin, Soku preferred to conduct private instruction though it was entirely up to the student if they would heed the summons. Letters contained in a plain envelope had been instructed to be delieverd to the students prescribing the date and time they were to meet their supposed instructor. The Captain preferred doing things this way for a variety of reasons. One, it was fun. Two, it gave her a sense of what she needed to get ready as the children fumbled their way about trying to discern the location of the summons and lastly, it was in a essence a test. A personal test that Soku did to analyze any potential upcoming shinobi..it had worked well so far. Today would be a basic introductory course just like any other as she leaned against a unoccupied stall in the streets scanning the crowds for any sign of the new hopefuls.

"Different every time." She muttered to herself shifting her stance slightly. She donned the traditional green colored village uniform with the blade strapped to her back. One interesting fact anyone would note about the kunoichi was the loss of one arm. Where her right arm should have been, there instead was a empty sleeve, a symbol of some horrible incident that had occured over the years. It had taken some time to get used to but as with any situation, she had adapted and learned though it could be quite an incovenice at times as you often got the weird glance your way every now and then. It was almost as if these people hadn't see a amputee in their lifetime. The streets began to clear a bit as the sun dipped below the horizon though the female remained ever aware drumming her fingers on the surface of the vendor's stall, she had paid a hefty price to rent it for the evening, no gurantee's it would come back in one piece.

"Any day now would be marvelous." She should be able to pick out two panicked Academy students running amock among the streets. At least, that's what she imagined the scenario would play itself to be like in her head. It wasn't often you got a unidentifed letter telling you to be at a certain place at a certain time. That just raised a lot of red flags but it also rasied curosity. Soku was wiling to bet that like all other children, their curosity would get the better of them. EIther that or she was undestanding this generation very poorly from the one she had been raised up in. Still, the female was happy. Happy she could contribue something to the upcoming ninja. The Academy had been lacking in enrollment lately though perhaps that was due to the politics regarding Konoha and the Hidden Cloud so any soul they could get was like a blessing. She wasn't going to pass any chance up to see how they were progressing. Asuka already had her hands full running a village so she might as well help out in this regard.

PC: 1/5
WC: 596/1500

 

[Kyoshi Hyakkimaru]

It's been a couple days since Hyakkimaru received the letter sent to his home address. At first he thought it would be a basic letter sent to him from the academy, perhaps having to do with one of his courses. But this one stood out a bit differently for the ironic reason of it being so plain and basic. His aunt begrudgingly handed the letter off to him, before storming out of his room, the same look of disgust planted on her face. He ignored her lingering hate, like a bad smell you couldn't get rid of but just happened to grow accustomed to. He opened the letter with the tip of a pen that rested on his nightstand, and much to his surprise the content of the letter was as ordinary as what was on the outside. A time, a place, and a date.

His heart was racing that night, and he didn't know if it was due to the excitement of figuring out what this mysterious letter was for or nerves for it being something he shouldn't go to, yet he accepted the sudden adventure. Finally the day came, and Hyakkimaru made sure he wasn't going to be a minute late. He prepped himself with everything he thought he would need in case of it being something dangerous. He didn't don his usual baggy white t-shirt under his green jacket. Instead he wore a tight black shirt, green vest, dark blue trousers, and sandals to boot. He remembered from school, a true shinobi would never wear baggy clothing that could get in the way during combat, for that could be the deciding factor between life and death. He was given a pouch recently from the academy, that he placed around his waist, attached primarily to his side used for his shuriken and kunai.

He was running there, letter in hand and jumping rooftop to rooftop. It was great seeing a part of the village that wasn't so high up, so he could go from rooftop to rooftop with no problem. He had a big, toothy grin on his face, bandage slapped onto the center of his nose. His hair was a bright amber color under the afternoon sun. Sweat beaded from his forehead, it was uncomfortable wearing a tight shirt for once. He hopped down from the rooftops once he got close to the specified location, and kept his eyes glued on the streets.

He observed the wave of people that roamed the streets, "Am I even in the right spot...?"

The Maple District. Before moving into the inner parts of Konoha he's only seen this place about a handful of times with his grandfather for the maple festivals as a young child. Now that he lives here, the sighting of maple trees is so normal for him. But something strange was up today. Hyakkimaru couldn't help but feel someone staring, and despite looking around he couldn't figure out who it was. It truly gave him a sense of uneasiness.

"I definitely am," His smile faded, and his features became stern and focused. A nervous bead of sweat on his forehead as he stood in the center of people who walked past him.

[1/5]
[535/1500 Words]

 

[Sugihara Aki]

Hikaru floated nervously through the sparse crowds of the Maple District, the somewhat foreboding letter clutched stiffly in her right hand. As she crossed the streets familiar to her from many Maple Festivals past, her eyes slid back to the brief message printed on the page for what must have been the billionth time since she left home. The contents were agonizingly simple: a day, and specific time the intended recipient was to meet with an instructor. Indeed, she had wondered more than a few times if she had gotten the letter by some bizarre mistake; she was just accepted into the Academy very recently, after all, and doubted any of the instructors there knew her well. She was remarkably nervous- partially because of the nature of the summons, but also because this hopefully would be her first experience with formal shinobi education. Her father had been excited to see the letter for her and encouraged her to go as well, so here she was.

She wore her usual open kimono-jacket, though she had elected to tuck it into her cargo pants in anticipation of quick movement. Her pockets were empty except for a Shinobi Field Guide booklet she had been reading earnestly earlier that day, and she wore simple sandals on her feet. Her shirt was red with the Konoha Leaf symbol printed on it in white- an old favorite of her father’s when he was her age. He had been so eager for her to truly begin her training, and she had to admit that the fluttering in her chest was beginning to feel more like excitement than nerves- she just had to get there in time.

Hikaru had checked many times, but she couldn’t find an exact location or classroom to speak of on the letter, envelope, or anywhere else. She had left the house about an hour before the message commanded, hoping to be as early as possible in case she really wasn’t meant to have received the summons. Starting with the Academy building, she had planned to work her way around the streets of the village, keeping an eye out for any instructor-looking types or faces she recognized as teachers. She had no luck at the Academy, and spent the rest of her hour wandering around through the crowds of people and glancing back at the letter every other minute. It was a nerve-racking search, made worse by the feeling in the back of her mind that she was late for a very very important event.

Hikaru really had no idea what to expect from the meeting- would there even be one at all? Did she already walk down this way half an hour ago? Was she sure? She stood in the center of the street, gazing around at the buildings, trees, and vendor stalls.

[WC: 470]
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PC: 1/5
TWC: 470/1500

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

[They really make this too easy.] The Captain's eyes flitted over the crowd as if trying to pick out any would-be potentials that had actually taken it upon themselves to find out who would go to the trouble of sending a letter that waso basic in content it was almost unbelievable. Still, it would be quite easy to distinguish someone who didn't appear in place and someone who did. Given that though however, there were a lot of people that looked like they didn't belong here but despite that and the hordes of people, the ANBU knew how to pick out the odd one of the group. There was a discrepancy in the midst of the people walking as she noted some of them were choosing alternate routes as if avoiding something in the path or choosing to go around it. "Well now." She kept watching and eventually enough, her eyes landed on a young child, the green vest was evidence enough for her that this was one of the potential investiagtors of that peculiar letter. He happened to be standing there in the midst of all the passer-bys as if trying to comprehend where exactly it was he was supposed to meet up.

A bit down the street to him, the presence of another student soon graced the Maple District, maybe it was the Leaf logo on the back of her garb that allowed Soku to gain interest in her, maybe it was the clothing..who knew. Shrugging, Soku strechted a bit before allowing herself to introduce herself..in the proper manner. There was nothing ever proper about an ANBU, the fact of coming straight out and saying who you are was laughable at best. Merging with the crowd, she allowed herself to gain distance before placing her hand on the shoulder of Hikaru, an iron grip at best steering her towards the other Academy Student whom she gave a directive to nodding towards a cordoned off area of the district, a open plaza that was still undergoing construction. "I see you recieved my letter." As they entered the plaza area, it had a fountain in the centerpiece with a circular pathway around it with buildings undergoing renovations that decorated the horizion.

"Ah but of course, introductions are in order." She nodded gesturing to herself first. "My name is Nanjirou Soku, a captain of the ANBU here and also your instructor for the next hour or so." She examined the young children through the eye slits in her mask as if drawing conclusions in her head. The male seemed like the more abrasive one of the two, if appearances could say anthing about their character, that is. "Before we get started, how about you both of you introduce yourselves and tell me one goal you want to achieve and no, graduating the Academy isn't an acceptable answer. I've heard that one too many times." She needed something solid, something that shook the person at their core. Granted, for some, it was the Academy which was fine but others tended to hold back a little and she couldn't exactly help people who were holding out on her, could she?

PC: 2/5
WC: 1123/1500

 

[Kyoshi Hyakkimaru]

Standing in a flood of people, from seemingly all corners of the world, was a little overwhelming. Barely being 137 cm tall and weighing about half as much as an adult female, the average ten year old might be a little unnerved. Even more so when someone a foot taller than himself, weighing almost twice as much, and missing one arm was staring him down. In her arm was another student, someone Hyakkimaru recognized from the academy. They weren't in the same class, but he's seen her around. Her eyes were flecked with gold and brown in a pretty hazel mix, pale skin, and some really strange style of clothing. But the girl held his attention for less than a couple seconds, because it flicked back onto the ANBU that held a tight grip on the girl's shoulder. She was watching behind the dark coals where her eyes would be behind the mask, and directed him with a nod to an open plaza area undergoing construction.

The overwhelming feeling in his gut was replaced with excitement. Nervous beads of sweat dripped down his forehead still, but an anxious smile sat unsteady upon his lips. 'An actual ANBU member, we're going to train with an ANBU member!' He thought to himself.

All workers have gone home for the day and no one had a reason to be there except the three individuals that stood there now. He stood besides Hikaru, taking another second to look at her, trying to remember whether he ever got her name before or not, before turning back to their instructor who began speaking. There he acquired some answers as to who sent the letter out. Nanjirou Soku, the mystery woman under the mask and from what Hyakkimaru could tell, the coolest shinobi he's met so far. But it was then that his eyes set upon the empty sleeve. Now she was for sure the coolest shinobi he's met. Once directed to introduce themselves, he nodded, making sure to go first. In a show of confidence and respect he took a step forward, and bowed.

"My name is Kyoshi Hyakkimaru. My goal is to become become a powerful shinobi, join the ANBU, and eventually find my birth parents." He stood up straight, determination set in his eyes, "I need to find my birth parents."

He took a step back, respectively allowing Hikaru to go first.

[2/5 Posts]
[933/1500 WC]

 

[Sugihara Aki]

When she felt the hand clamp over her shoulder, Hikaru jumped and turned to her captor, certain she was about to be scolded for wandering aimlessly for so long. As the masked woman steered the girl towards the plaza with her arm- her only arm, she noticed with a mixture of fear and admiration- her agitation over her seemingly fruitless search broke. She was just about to apologize to the kunoichi when she saw her nod to a boy about her age, who she recognized vaguely from the Academy. He had striking red hair, and he wore a greenish vest that sort of reminded her of the one worn by the woman next to her. If he was here too, hopefully that meant she was in the right place after all; her fervent apology died on her lips as her apparent instructor confirmed this.

The three met up in the plaza, and Hikaru’s shoulder was mercifully free once more. She got her first good look at the kunoichi as she introduced herself to the students- Nanjirou Soku, a captain of the Leaf’s ANBU?!? She could barely help herself not to stare at the cryptic mask through which she regarded her pupils, the missing arm telling of a history of experience, and the deadly-looking weapon held on her back. That she, Miyazaki Hikaru, Academy Student for all of a few days, would be taught her first lesson by one of the ANBU captains… she could feel her excitement beginning to take over her fear once more.

She was caught off guard by the promptness of her instructor's introduction and the question she posed, and was grateful to her new companion for going first. She had dreamed of becoming a ninja for so long that a specific reason had proven difficult to conjure on the spot, but it didn’t take her long to decide on a unifying goal for her imminent shinobi career. The boy- Hyakkimaru- began his introduction, and Hikaru had to give him credit for his conviction and seeming dedication to becoming an ANBU operative like their instructor. She had thought about it, but hadn’t made plans to commit herself to a specific branch just yet- although if the woman standing in front of her was anything to go by, the ANBU was certainly a skilled, no-nonsense choice.

When Hyakkimaru had finished and stood back, Hikaru stepped forward, mimicking his earlier bow. She lifted her head and spoke, silently hoping her voice remained even under the weight of her mixed anticipation: “Hello, my name is Miyazaki Hikaru. My goal is to grow stronger, learn new things, and protect my village as my mother did. She’s my reason for becoming a shinobi-” she dipped her head slightly as the corners of her mouth turned upwards, “...and my father is my motivation.”

[WC: 470] (again?!?)
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PC: 2/5
TWC: 940/1500

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She listened with an attentive ear smiling behind the mask at Hyakkimaru's delcaration to join the ANBU. Many said that, few made it. Still the goal was a solid one and one worth pursuing. His affirmation of the fact surrounding his parents peaked Soku's curosity a bit as she tilted her head offering no reply looking over the boy in a sort of curious nature. She briefly wondered the context behind that whole statement before directing her attention to the girl who funnily enough rambled off the usual lines. Strong shinobi, grow, parents, it was a trend among the Academy Students the Captain was proud to see at the least. She couldn't remember the last time students had been so keen though that perhaps was stemming from the fact they were more than eager to do more than sit in a stuffy classroom listening to a teacher ramble on about shinobi philsophies and principles. "ANBU, you say? Well, I'll wish you the best of luck in that, you'll need it. As for becoming strong ninja of this village, I have no doubt you both will go far but there is no use in gaining strength if you don't know how to use it." Right, they were getting to the fun part of the lesson, the results were always interesting. Granted, no student had succesfully mananged to catch her off guard with their peformances yet but here was hoping, there was always a chance.

"Now, I'm sure in the Academy, they teach you all about the fine concepts of jutsus and whatnot, history of shinobi and all that boring stuff." A brief period of silence followed before she spoke again. "It's all useless. Utter garbage. You know why? It's not relevant because you don't know how to apply that stuff in the field yet. Once you learn how to use all those theories and tactics taught to you in a practical manner, all that 'useless' stuff will play a very vital role in shinobi life." Her hands began to weave a series of signs and a crackling sound could be heard as lightning chakra flew from her fingertips settling on the ground next to her forming into a cat-like creature, a panther made wholy of lightning chakra moving and very sentinent growling and pacing around the two students. "He will not harm you unless I give the word. Which is exactly the point of why I summoned you here today. Chakra and jutsu. You can learn all the jutsu in the world but you will never be regarded as a good shinobi if you don't know how to control those techniques." Another sign and the panther creation quickly vanished into thin air the jutsu releasing itself.

"Two key concepts are necessary when it comes to controlling your chakra to give you the effect you desire. Focus and imagination." She held up a finger for each concept as she said it. "You must imagine the jutsu in your head in order to get a sense of what you're doing. Focus, focus, focus. Your chakra is yours alone and is your number one resource with which you can do great things. It is one of the basic building blocks of ninjutsu, learn to express it in a controlled fashion or there can be...deadly consequences." Soku had learned that lesson alll too well from her mentor though it had taken a while to beat it into her. One thought that simply saying the jutsu and bam, everything clicked into place. They were so terribly wrong if anyone thought that was how the world worked, every little technique, every jutsu, was worth effort and sweat. It was not like you could do it at a drop of a hat otherwise the shinobi way of life would be a very different one.

"Right." Digging into her flak jacket, the woman produced two kunai which she kept turning over and over in her hand. "Both of you want to be shinobi that excel, right? Well, in that regard, you must be able to defend yourselves while also retainining the two concepts I mentioned earlier. Focus and Imagnation. Unstrapping the sword from her back, she placed it near the fountain, a curious gesture that would probably leave some questioning the action. "I am sure you have learnt some basic jutsu in the Academy or at the very least, some elementary excerises on chakra. Here is what is going to happen. I am going to go into one of these buildings you see around you in this plaza. I will not tell you which one. I will then proceed to throw these kunai at you which you must deflect or divert in any direction using chakra only. Think of it as an surprise attack. Physical means to block the projectiles is prohibited." It sounded like quite the fast-paced lesson especially for someone of their age but in reality, the ANBU female was merely testing their grit, that and their ability to retain themselves in combat. She wasn't going to actually throw the blasted things directly at them but of course, they didn't know that. "Remember, focus and imagnation. Tell your chakra what you want it to do and everything will fall into place. Any last-minute questions?" Soku's eyes had already began scanning the various apartment buildings that towered over the open plaza taking note of any open window. Possible spots where she could get an angle on them. There were so many..she could have went a bit farther if she wanted but they were children, not fully grown shinobi. Not yet anyways.

PC: 3/5
WC: 2056/1500

 

[Kyoshi Hyakkimaru]

Miyazaki Hikaru. He would make sure to remember that name for the next time he saw her around the academy. The way she spoke about her parents really indicated a sense in pride on who they were. Her mother, a shinobi before her, and possibly her father as well? Either way, it piqued Hyakkimaru's interest all the while making him envious. He felt it deep in the pit of his gut, similar to the sadness he felt on cold lonely nights. He would have to shake the feeling off, that feeling of love and admiration for his parents that was non existent. He smiled through the jealousy. Once she took a step back his attention turned back to Soku Sensei.

She made a remark on his goal of joining the ANBU, and couldn't help but smirk. It was motivating to hear that what was coming wasn't going to be easy, as if her missing arm didn't make it obvious enough. He welcomed the challenge. He stood tall with hands behind his back watching her speak about academy. She sounds a lot like himself, someone who found the things taught in the academy to be boring and drawn out. Nice to hear that from someone who's an ANBU operative, because as much as Hyakkimaru wanted to become a Shinobi he couldn't help but find himself becoming drowsy during lectures.

When used her ninjutu, he was amazed at how she used her single hand and the speed in which the signs were formed. When Hyakkimaru first learned how to draw chakra through his body and into the form of jutsus, it was a major struggle to keep up with the other kids in forming the signs. But for her it seemed to be second nature. What she formed was just as remarkable and terrifying. A panther, made of lightning. He nervously took a step back, smiling skittishly when she told them it could only attack when she commanded it to.

Focus and Imagination. Sounds simple enough to the average person, but it was a lot harder than most expect. To imagine the chakra flowing through your body, to your fingertips and the soles of your feet. Then focus that energy to unleash it all; Using too much could have it all blow in your face and put your life at risk, and too little would make anything ineffective. He remembers hearing about it in the academy, but they never put much emphasis on teaching it in the form of combat like Soku Sensei was planning on doing today.

He gulped nervously when she reached into her olive green flak, revealing two kunais with both their names on it. He nodded, agreeing that he wanted to excel as a shinobi. But his excitement and anxiety was amped when she confirmed his thoughts. Their lessons involved deflecting the kunai with chakra and there was a twist! They couldn't physically deflect it. 'Great,' He thought to himself. Lesson one of becoming of a shinobi would be learning chakra control, through focus and imagination.

He looked at Hikaru, masking concern with confidence, and nodded. An indicator that they would get through it together. He turned back to Soku Sensei smirking, "No Ma'am, no last minute questions from me."

[543]
[1476/1500]
[3/5]

 

[Sugihara Aki]

‘No use gaining strength if you can’t use it...’ It sounded like the lesson was about to start, Hikaru thought to herself. Her instructor had a very good point, she mused: she had spent the past six or so years of her life yearning to join the world of the ninja, fed by her father’s dreams... she had read every book, manual, and diagram he gave her... she had even worked to improve her innate chakra attunement, which had brought her some success. But she had never been in a battle, never had to apply her skills in the scorching inferno of the moment. She didn’t exactly agree with the captain’s judgment of the Academy’s worth- but she understood it.

Unfortunately for Hikaru, her train of sagely thought was interrupted by the expert weaving of hand signs and the great chakra-cat they produced. She noticed Hyakkimaru take a step back from the ninjutsu as she did, her mouth open and her eyes fixed on its caster. Their instructor had effortlessly used a justu that would take either of them months upon months of training to pull off at all, and had maintained it just as easily. From this to her missing arm, everything about the woman in before them radiated experience- she certainly knew what she was teaching them, that was for sure.

So that was their task- they had to stop an oncoming attack using their raw chakra alone. It was a tall order, but Hikaru considered chakra manifestation her specialty- amazingly, she had been aware of and able to apply her chakra before any formal training after all. All she had to do was focus, and imagine her chakra doing exactly what she wanted it to, which was to prevent her from being skewered on a kunai during her first lesson... Her heartbeat sped up as she thought of the gruesome ways she could fail. She doubted her instructor would go easy on her for any occasion, but then neither would the same enemy forces who had taken her mother’s life. She looked up, determination coloring her face, and returned Hyakkimaru’s confident smile as best she could. “No questions here. Ready to start, Ma’am!”

[WC: 365]
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PC: 3/5
TWC: 1305

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Soku tilited her head as the two affirmed they were ready. "I would suggest holding your breath." Exactly why the instructor would give such and odd command would become very quickly as a hand shot up into her flak jacket flinging a smoke pellet out at the two hititng the ground which in turn produced a cloud of smoke. Enough time to allow the kunoichi to seek out a proper hiding spot while the two dealed with the intial shock of the hidden surprise. An old motel to the west side of the plaza would have to do as the Captain covered ground rather quickly using the rooftops to get to her target. Eyeing the distance, she simply took off at a run leaping through an open window grunting as she landed against the hard wood floor inside. "Never gets old. Never." Settling herself in, the Captain settled herself prone on the ground so barely her head could be seen from the window if the Academy Students had managed to catch sight of the woman diving through the open motel window. Digging her satchel, she brought out one eyeing it and doing mental calcuclations in her head depended on what the students were doing. She would have to aim just a little in front of them to give them a little shock or maybe they would impress her and send the thing into smithereens. She was not expecting for much from a first lesson but one could hope.

A relative peace and eerie silence would fall over the plaza as the Captain waited. Waiting for what was unclear, perhaps she was waiting until the kids tired out. Perhaps until they got lured into a false sense of security. When it came to tactics and stragety, a surprise attack was always like hitting the gold mine, the best sort of move you could pull especially if the foe was not expecting it. A good thrity minutes would pass without any response from the woman and then..the danger presented itself. Her head popped up revealing herself in the motel window regardless of whether the students had seen her by now, the kunai left her fingertips at great speed hurtling towards the duo aiming for a spot barely inches from Hyakkimaru's feet. Quickly following this, another smoke pellet was dropped resulting in smoke that filled the room as the ANBU withdrew utilizing the rooftops once again but this time..she did not take residence in any of the buildings.

No, rather she opted for one of the many trees decorating the plaza. The young female quickly pulled herself using her legs mostly up onto a thick-sized pranch, the thick greenery of the leaves blending in well with her Konoha uniform. The tree in question happened to be located at the entrance to the plaza area as her eyes scanned the students. They were learning a very important lesson here and that was not everything was as it seemed. They would probably be expecting the secondary attack to come from one of the other buildings but truth of the matter was that change could happen at any time. A shinobi need not worry about how that change had come about but rather how to resolve it or adapt.

With her single arm, she flicked out another kunai leveling it near Hikaru."Got you." There was an almost triumphant sense of tone in her whisper as her hand pushed the projectile towards as it underwent flight hurtling towards the girl aimed for a spot very close to her cheek. The danger was not over yet however as the woman burst out of the tree a few moments later as she sticked a landing on the ground her one arm coming up again, her palm opening to reveal a barrage of kunai that were flung towards the two. A last- minute surprise. One should always expect the unexpected.

PC: 4/5
WC: 2706/1500

 

[Kyoshi Hyakkimaru]

"I would suggest holding your breaths."

"Huh?" Immense white clouds puffed before them faster than the ten year old could react. He could feel the dust from the smoke bombs filling his lungs as he coughed into one hand. He used the other to wave at the fumes before him until it finally cleared up, and with it he gathered his breathing. He used this time to quickly observe his surroundings in detail for the first time, unable to do so earlier due to the astonishment of the Kunoichi before him. There were a number of buildings, some finished, others not so much north of where they stood. Directly behind them at the entrance were a plethora of trees. Mature and long in length, their limbs shot out in multiple directions, and were covered by the most beautiful scarlet colors. Minutes felt like hours, the wind whistled through the empty construction sites, and the leaves danced in the afternoon sun landing on the earth with a gentle thud; It felt like the earth was mocking their failed efforts to find Soku Sensei.

Finally Hyakkimaru broke the silence, looking over at his companion, "I know this may be a dumb question, but you don't have a clue where she went by any chance?"

He took another moment and then used his sleeve to wipe the beads of sweat from his eyebrows. He bit his tongue, questioned his next strategy. "North, South, East, or West," His eyes shifted, "Where are you..." He mumbled to himself.

"If she's going to throw a kunai, my guess is she'll be targeting one of our blind spots," His stone face shifted to that of a goofy yet reassuring smile, "So, I have a way to stop it as best we can. Let's go back to back, every time we move, we move together." Whether she agreed to it or not was up to her, but they began their search which went on for minutes. He started feeling a little safer as time went on, definitely not as anxious as he was when she first disappeared. "So, if you don't mind me asking, why is your dad your motivation?" He looked at her with curious eyes, "Sorry if the question is a little out there, you just mentioned it earlier and I was curious," he said with a chuckle.

"It's good to-" Everything happened so quickly, a kunai spiraled seemingly out of nowhere right by his feet and he fell backwards, shoving into Haku and falling onto the ground on his ass. He clenched his teeth and watch as smoke appeared from a motel on the west side. Just like that she was somewhere else. He beat himself up in his head for not being more aware. Lesson one resonated well with him, always be aware of your surroundings. He asked for Haku to help him up, and got back on his feet.

"She waited that long to throw one," He commented on the obvious, "That's the discipline of an ANBU for you. Watch the buildings!"

As he looked at the buildings, he heard a sudden whistle in the air and quickly snapped his head in the direction. But it was already too late, a kunai was coming directly for Haku and all he could think was 'Shit!'

[549]
[2,025/1500]
[4/5]
[MFT]

 

[Sugihara Aki]

Before Hikaru could question her instructor’s seemingly out-of-place recommendation, smoke burst forth from the ground around her and the kunoichi was gone. She spiraled back from the site of the smoke bomb’s detonation, giving the plaza and her mind a chance to clear. She looked around frantically at the countless buildings surrounding them, but no sign of their now-hunter could be found. The smog disappeared soon after it had came, and Hikaru rushed over to the plaza once more, trying in vain to be ready for the coming attack through the confusion and her pounding heart. She waited, tense as cold iron, but... it never came. Hyakkimaru spoke beside her, and she relaxed a little in spite of her mounting anticipation.

“No... I couldn’t get a good look after that smoke bomb.” She hadn’t expected something like that, but then again, they were dealing with a captain of the ANBU. The smoke certainly hadn’t killed them, though, and their grace period before the attack came stretched on longer and longer... Even though the suspense was very nearly torturing her, Hikaru saw this as as good an opportunity to prepare as any. That was the mark of a skilled shinobi, right? The ability to adapt.

Her companion suggested that they should stand back-to-back to cover each other’s blind spots, and she agreed. Shifting her position, she tried her best to simultaneously scan the structures around them and figure out how to apply the instruction they had been given. “Focus... and Imagination...” she recited softly to herself. Imagination seemed to her like the easy part, and would probably come naturally in the spur of the moment: imagining a shield or wall to block, a thin, slicing motion to deflect or intercept. It would be much more akin to her pre-existing use of chakra, which amounted mostly to small, simple tasks that didn’t require a particularly straining amount of Focus. Nothing compared to using chakra to deflect an expertly-thrown kunai without expecting exactly when the blow would come.

Focus. She clasped her hands together, imagining and feeling her chakra glide between them as was beginning to become natural for the chakra-attuned girl. She could summon up the chakra easily enough, but to use it, she needed to concentrate. She focused on her mental image of the chakra, felt it flow between her fingers and around her arms. Then, Hikaru directed it outwards, focusing on exactly what she wanted it to do and repeating it in her mind, “Shield. Shield. Shield strong enough to stop a physical attack…” She could feel herself beginning to do it, and focused as hard as she could, but she began to worry: It had been so long, when was the attack going to come? Would it come at all; was there some ulterior mission to their tutor’s ‘expect the unexpected’ approach to teaching? She could feel the weak chakra shield slacken; manifesting too much chakra outside of her body couldn’t be learned with this much pressure on her.

Hyakkimaru’s question admittedly startled her, and although she didn’t exactly consider now the time for extended introductions, she was grateful for the company of another person in their predicament. Hikaru answered him quickly but honestly, “My father was the one who encouraged me to become a ninja in the first place. He’s helped me with training a little and gets me a bunch of books about it every week. I actually have one here, look-”

She reached towards her pocket, moving to withdraw the Shinobi Field Guide she had been reading earlier when there was a sudden impact behind her and Hyakkimaru hit the ground. She spun around frantically, half expecting a trail of red to cover the ground, but he thankfully seemed unharmed. As she helped the boy to his feet, her gaze flicked from building to building, searching for their predator’s trail. Panicked as she was, she called her chakra to cover her hands once more, summoning from her imagination the inexplicable source of her talent. “Get back behind me again! If she throws another from somewhere else we have to be ready.” she anxiously reminded her companion.

Where was the captain now? When was her next strike going to come? Why did she still feel so nervous? She had learned the principles of manifesting chakra from her instructor and could apply them, more or less. All she had to do was be ready for her next move. She had waited a long time before sending the first kunai at them; perhaps she would try to fool them again... That was plausible, which meant... she would still be in the original building! That had to be the answer. Or else-

The kunai sped towards her face. All Hikaru could register was the direction it came from: directly in front of her. That was her side- and Hyakkimaru’s blind spot, that meant she had to protect both of them. She didn’t have enough time to dodge and warn him, too. Her eyes shut and wouldn’t open. All she could do was thrust her arms forward and focus her chakra… she just had to focus…

“Shield. Shield. Shield-”

The blade refracted away with a sharp ringing sound. In case the noise hadn’t been enough, Hikaru shouted a warning to Hyakkimaru, still trying to process her success. She had done it! A smile had just begun to form on her lips when Soku revealed herself in front of her, scattering a volley of kunai in the students’ direction. Hikaru was already starting to weaken from exhaustion, but she screwed her eyes shut and focused on a bigger, stronger shield to take that many hits with all her might. She was finally starting to be able to do what her mother had done- protect others.

[WC: 960] [MFT]
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PC: 4/5
TWC: 2265

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Well, the reactions had been quite the sight to watch. The misson of luring the two into a false sense of security had proved simple enough and she had watched as they had partook in converstation. Mistake. Big mistake. It was fine to have idle chatter while you waited for whatever impending doom to befall you but if that sort of converstation disrupted your focus away from whatever your present course of action was, you were very likely to end up a dead shinobi. Soku knew that and had attempted to exploit that flaw to her fullest displaying very realistically how even a few seconds worth of losing awareness could turn into a very hairy situation rather quickly. She had watched as the first kunai had interuppted the sense of harmony, the boy barely scraping by whether it was by sheer luck or reflexes, at least he had registered the oncoming threat even if it had been a bit delayed.

Hikaru had mananged to at least grasp some of what the Captain trying to say, her chakra working to emit a sort of protective aura the kunais clattering to the ground almost as if they had hit an invisible wall. She allowed them a few momen'ts rest from the excitement as she walked about picking up the fallen projectilies wincing at a new dent that had appeared on one of them. The things were getting filed down though maybe in a sense, it was a good thing evident of all the things it had been used for. Having collected what she hoped was all the thrown kunai around the plaza, she turned one over and over in her palm as her eyes shifted from student to student, back and forth as if comprehending how to formulate her words.

"You got distracted." It was said as a statement rather than a suggestion. Three words to indicate that probably with most instructors, it would mean they were about to get a lecture or a condoning but Soku had no plans to do any of that. "It's fine. It happens. No one is expecting you to be picture perfect as there are a lot of things going on in combat and it is hard to focus on one sole thing at once." Such was the truth of the matter, The yells, the clangs, jutsus, it was next to impossible to retain focus in these types of circumstances. "But distractions can also be deadly as you've witnessed. Don't let it become a habit..because I did and paid a terrible price." She nodded towards where very clearly her other arm should have been but instead..nothing. Whatever hidden story lay there..Soku was not too keen on revealing it at this present moment in time.

"Hikaru, you actually managed to formulate your chakra to repel the projectiles, I hope you understood what I meant by my concepts earlier. Hyakkimaru, you peformed quite well too actually despite the objective, you picked up on a trait that I don't see in most people, even full-grown ninja these days and that is the concept of teamwork." She had seen how he had communcaited with the girl, the tone had taken on a logical, stragetic approach, Perhaps he had potential yet. She walked over to wherever she had discarded her blade again shrugging it on tightening the strap.

"Chakra is essential your life source. You simply can not do anything without it. Imagine what you want to and it will happen. No obstacle is too great. But of course, wtih every obstacle, effort is required. The more time you invest in your training, the easier you will find it to understand what I mean by that and eventually, these two points will be set in stone. Think of this as a small victory of many to come, I hope." She glanced up at the sky which was darkening as the sun began to slip behind the buildings. She frowned at that. She had a knack for extending lessons though and today seemed to be no different."It seems we are running out of spare time and as much as I would love to stay here and teach you all sorts of wonderful jutsus, I also have my other duties to attend to."

Duties such as perhaps seeing where the heck Nibachi had gone off to or making sure the gate guards hadn't dozed off by now. "Any questions for me? It doesn't have to be about the lesson? Favorite food? Dislikes? Random fact? Anything." After waiting a brief moment for any questions, she would began to walk ushering them out of the empty plaza back into the now crowdless streets. "You did well today. If you have any questions, just leave a note with the guards at the Santaru clan estate. Don't attempt to find me. You'lll be out here for months." She let loose a small chuckle at that. "Or on second thought, you could always try. I welcome a good challenge of hide and seek. Oh and if you happen to run into the Main Branch Sennin, Uchiha Asuka, tell her she owes me a dango." It was quite a change from the standard, professional tone Soku had adapted earlier when teaaching undertaking a more lighthearted approach. "Until next time, kiddos and stay out of trouble!" On that note, the nimble figure of the woman turned and began to walk a rapid pace until her figure almost seemed to melt fading into the every-growing darkening sky.

PC: 5/5
WC: 3622/1500
[Topic left unless stopped]

[OOC: Congratulations! Both of you passed this tutor successfully! Remember to post your final post in this thread! I will now be posting this thread in the appropiate request form in order to have the thread reviewed and approved by a Leaf Council member and once approved, you are able to gain additional stat points and yen which you can use in your training threads! I will send you both a PM once the thread has been approved! Usually, after 5 posts, the thread is concluded but if you wish to prolong the thread, feel free to stop my character leaving! Otherwise, this has been a fun experience and hope we can do this again some time. You can always reach out to me on Discord, Shipmaster334#1201 or shoot me a PM!]

 

[Sugihara Aki]

Hikaru lowered her hands and exhaled, slowly extinguishing the chakra left running through them. She very much hoped the onslaught was over, and this was mercifully confirmed as their instructor began picking up her scattered kunai. She doubted she would be able to maneuver her chakra quickly enough to defend against another surprise attack at this point- while she had learned a lot and successfully deflected the blades, her arms suddenly felt heavy as though she had been holding them up for hours on end.

Soku’s first words to the pair of them afterward were sharp- ‘You got distracted.’ Hikaru had been just about ready to celebrate, but she understood that would have to wait for now. Their instructor’s reassuring words of advice were very welcome after the rigors of that day, and the awe on the girl’s face turned serious as the woman indicated her arm. Though she had managed to block the attacks, Soku was right- the two students worked as a team. Hyakkimaru had certainly kept her from getting lost in her own anxious head during the stressful exercise, and she was very grateful not to have gone through it alone. It was also nice meeting someone new from the Academy; perhaps they’d see each other again.

As their instructor wrapped up the lesson, the exhaustion in Hikaru’s arms began to spread to the rest of her body. She needed to go back home, quickly tell her father how it went, and then collapse for a few hours. “Uh- no, I don’t think I have any more questions. Thanks for the lesson, ma’am!” Soku’s question, like many before it, had caught her lost in thought, and she watched her exit the plaza still in a tired sort of daze. She turned to Hyakkimaru, smiling: “Hey, that was fun! A little bit much for a first class for me, but I was somehow able to do it... I’m exhausted right now, actually. Hope we run into each other at the Academy some time!” She turned towards the way she came, but stopped, “Oh, I was going to show you that book I had! Kind of a bad time to get distracted like that, sorry.” She pulled the Shinobi Field Guide from her pocket and handed it to the boy. “You can hold onto it for a while; my father owns that one, so we don’t have to bring it back to the library or anything. See you!” she grinned over her shoulder, and started back in the direction of her house.

[WC: 423]
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PC: 5/5
TWC: 2688

[Topic left unless stopped.]
[OOC: Thanks so much for tutoring us! I'll wait until the thread is approved to post Training for this week.]

 

[Kyoshi Hyakkimaru]

He smiled as Hikaru deflected the kunai, saving the both of them from failure. He cheered happily, patting her on her back, "Good job," He mumbled only so she could hear as Soku sensei picked the kunai off the ground. It seemed like the mission at hand was over, and even though they got through it without shedding much blood Hyakkimaru couldn't help but feel like a failure. He failed, plain and simple. Hikaru was able to deflect the kunai using her focus and imagination, and he wasn't aware enough of his surroundings or able to control his chakra enough to aid in the deflection of the blades.

"You got distracted," He shuttered at the statement, feeling like he let the ANBU captain down, but was brought back up by her reassurance that it was okay for the time being, but as a shinobi he must stay focused at the task at hand. Something he would never forget for as long as his journey to become a shinobi continued. He would then smile vaguely at the comment she made about his tactic performed during the tutoring session. He was tactical, despite not being as gifted in chakra as his counterpart, something she claimed she doesn't see much from many. It was a true confident booster, to hear that from such a greatly gifted kunoichi.

Yet finally, the sun was dawning and the sky darkened, and Soku Sensei decided it was time to bring the tutor session to an end. Despite the assignment being difficult, Hyakkimaru was grateful for being invited out here to learn a thing or two. He was walking away with some great lessons that he learned. Expect the unexpected, imagination and focus when it comes to the use of chakra, and zero distractions. Lessons he would carry with himself for as long as he lived.

"No questions, Soku Sensei," He nodded, and just like that she was gone.

Turning to Hikaru, he chuckled at her statement of being exhausted yet being able to do it, "Yeah, you were seriously amazing! I hope I get to see you around more often Hikaru-san."

His smile faded once she turned around, he was once again alone. His home wasn't an empty one. His aunt was there, as was her husband and baby child. Yet it felt like an empty home every time he was there. No love, no smiles, nobody expect for himself and his memories. He could feel an overwhelming chill running down his spine, sadness was coming over him again. He snapped out of it when a book was held out in front of it, that he took with both hands.

“You can hold onto it for a while; my father owns that one, so we don’t have to bring it back to the library or anything. See you!” Hikaru grinned over her shoulder as she walked away.

Hyakkimaru stood there, staring at the book with reddened cheeks. Suddenly he didn't feel as alone, he finally had a friend...maybe? "Thank you!" He shouted while waving with one hand, and turned towards the direction of his home, book tightly against his chest.

[Topic left and closed]
[523]
[2,548/1500]
[5/5]

[It was a bunch of fun guys! Hope to roleplay with both of you again eventually!]