Beautiful Morning in the Woods (Tutor)

[Enomoto Satoshi]

A gray-hooded figure emerged stealthily from behind a great tea of oak. A ticking silver timepiece in the mysterious specter’s hand emitted a brief, muffled *ring* indicating that it had hit the top-of-the-hour: 1:00 AM. An opaque mist blanketed the entire tenebrous forest such that gray was actually a more effective camouflage this early morning than even a pitch black. The time for lessons had finally arrived, and Satoshi let down his gray hood, revealing a youthful yet stern pale face. His dark hair was disorderly (but clean of course), and his eyes were completely obscured by a thin film of mist which clouded his glasses. The only thing conspicuous about his appearance was a glinting metal plate bearing the Cloud insignia wrapped around his forehead.

Satoshi wasn’t sure why he chose such a morose location or time for the instruction of Cloud’s future shinobi elite. He was aware that Cloud Village possessed some state-of-the-art facilities at the Aurora Erudito, and ample classroom space for the typical manner of instruction. But to be completely candid, Satoshi was merely a freshly-minted Chuunin of less than a month and was flying by the seat of his pants. When it came to pedagogy, he was a total novice, but what he lacked in experience Satoshi attempted to compensate for with creative and out-of-the-box thinking.

“The student’s name is…,” muttered Satoshi to himself, as he wiped the moisture from his glasses to better read a crumpled piece of paper in the dim moonlight. “Chichioya, Omoi. I sent him the time and directions so hopefully he’ll show up tonight. A shinobi won’t amount to anything if he can’t stay awake at 1 in the morning – with or without coffee.”

Satoshi hadn’t actually drafted a formal lesson plan yet. There was plenty of time to figure that mundane stuff out on the fly. Hopefully if things went smoothly Omoi would have the chance to kill some squirrels or something.

[WC: 323]

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

Omoi was not enthusiastic about the time of his training, but he made the best of it.

"This is training... can't miss it. Too important..."

His shirt had been stained from a night of recklessness as he struggled to keep himself awake by doing a countless number of petty tasks.

"Great...at this rate...I'll...."

He let out a lengthy yawn. He looked down at his waist, put the water bottle he was carrying up to his lips, and drank a good amoint of it. When he finished, he attached it to one of the belt loops on his shorts, and kept walking.

"No stores are open...So this water will have to do."

He had brought his trusty backpack with him. He rummaged through his belongings, and from it, he brought out a large, white binder. He opened the binder, and laid his eyes upon the sheet his tutor had given him.

"According to this, It should be right over..."

He looked up. He was already standing in front of his tutor. He had spent so much time looking down at the floor that he forgot to look forward. He barely managed to keep himself from recoiling, but the shock was still evident.

"Oh! I'm sorry...I didn't see you."

He put away his binder. He managed to rally himself, and put on smile, as he said,

"What are we doing tonight?-Or, er, morning."

 

[Enomoto Satoshi]

Satoshi flashed a warm smile as his pupil appeared out of the impenetrable mass of dark-gray fog. “Right on time!” shouted Satoshi, and he acknowledged his arrival with a polite nod. Satoshi observed that the youth’s shirt bore recent stains, though Satoshi’s tattered gray robes displayed blotches and blemishes from many years of training that just wouldn’t wash out. Beneath his cloak Satoshi wore pitch-black ninja attire: neatly pressed and recently cleaned, but his robes clearly favored pragmatism over fashion.

“My name is Satoshi Enomoto. Just call me Satoshi; formalities are not necessary out here. I understand that you are Omoi Chichioya so I will not dawdle further with genteel introductions.”

Satoshi paused briefly and scratched his chin. Perhaps he should have spent more time procrastinating to allow further opportunity to develop his lesson plan. Regardless, he continued speaking.

“I will be entirely honest with you, for there is little use for pride when there is nothing but trees and owls for miles around. I am far from the strongest ninja that you will meet and actually consider myself quite deficient when it comes to offensive jutsu. But one particular technique which I’ve engendered a fondness for, and perhaps a modest talent, is one known as “Barrier”.

Suddenly a great orb of condensed Chakra materialized around Satoshi and illuminated the dark morning gloom with a radiant bright white. Curiously, Satoshi managed to cast this jutsu without performing any hand seals. Satoshi was obscured behind the white sphere, but quickly thereafter let the Chakra dissipate and emerged into the open with a grin stretched across his face.

However, all was not tranquil in this ominous forest, as Satoshi’s Ninjutsu demonstration had awoken many of the wild animals slumbering nearby. Two snarling wolves appeared from behind a dense cluster of trees and advanced towards the two shinobi with a menacing visage.

“Goodness! These are no squirrels!” exclaimed Satoshi as he recognized the presence of two unwanted visitors.“Quick advice Omoi. The Barrier jutsu is useful because even when your enemy attacks you, he is merely damaging the Chakra shield while you are left unscathed. See if you can make one…but if you can’t, just do what you can to survive!”

One of the wolves pounced at Satoshi, but he quickly reformed his Barrier and the wolf’s blow bounced fruitlessly off his shield. In a brisk motion Satoshi burst through his Chakra sphere and kicked the wolf on the nose; sending it scurrying away with whimpers of pain.

However, the other wolf had prowled right up to Omoi and was prepared to strike. Will Satoshi be forced to deliver some tragic news to this young, promising student’s parents? Let’s see how Omoi handles the situation!

[WC: 451]

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

Omoi was quick to react. Fists raised, he kept his eyes on his opponent, as he circled him. As soon as the wolf pounced, Omoi executed his plan. Omoi knew he had one advantage over his tutor; he was much smaller. He fell onto his back. The wolf flew over him, and as soon he was directly over Omoi, he thrust his legs out. His blow landed squarely on the wolf's ribcage, immediately knocking the wind out of him. He quickly got back up, and held out his mailed fist. The wolf took the bait, and clamped onto his left arm, trying to rend his armor, but to no avail. He landed several blows while it held onto his limb with his other arm, and then before it could escape, he pinned it to the ground, and laid his knee on it's neck. It was rendered immobile, and the andrenaline had worn off of Omoi. He breathed in heavily.

"I...got...this one. Now take care of THAT one!..."

 

[Enomoto Satoshi]

**OOC: Hey, you're RPing great and thanks for doing this topic with me. Just as a small heads up, we both have to post 1,500 words to be eligible for the bonus training rewards. Personally I'm trying to average >300 words per post (give or take) because I don't think we have a ton left to do**

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Satoshi was thoroughly impressed as he watched the student handily subdue the wild beast. Perhaps it had been a tad reckless to expect a pupil no older than 10 to seriously combat a vicious animal incapable of human mercy. Satoshi’s trepidation was rendered moot, however, as he observed Omoi employ both strategy and an intangible fighting prowess in a remarkable effort to overpower and entirely subjugate his foe.

“Splendid fighting, Omoi. Your performance has awed me and filled me with optimism for Cloud Village’s future shinobi.” Satoshi cleared his throat and ensured that the beast he had clobbered on the nose was long out of sight before continuing. “The wolf that dared to strike me has been sent scurrying away with his tail between his legs. I’d contend that your opponent has fared even worse, and hopefully you succeeded in instilling some much-needed humility in its canine brain. Nonetheless, these animals do not possess wicked hearts, they simply know no better. Release him and let the hound run away in shame. He can spread the word among his pack to never attack the people of Cloud Village ever again.”

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shot across the jet black sky and the roar of thunder rocked all of the forest below. The dark clouds far overhead finally decided to unleash their burden, and a deluge of rainfall descended upon all the denizens of the woods. Frowning, Satoshi lifted his hood back over his face in a futile effort to mitigate the downpour.

“I previously pledged that ‘I will be entirely honest with you’ and I maintain my commitment to those words…for this inclement weather, while unfortunate, was not altogether unforeseen. In fact, the strong likelihood of rainfall partly influenced my decision to teach at this blasphemous hour, because where I fail to challenge you, the elements will surely offer no clemency."

Satoshi pulled out a mysterious gadget from beneath his gray robes, and holding it up to the sky, another flash of lightning cut through the darkness and revealed it to be an umbrella! “This little amenity here would be an awfully nice thing to have for weathering a storm. But I did not bring it for my own benefit. Take this umbrella for yourself and prove your own worth as a shinobi, though I do implore you to waste no time since I don’t exactly want to get soaked over here.”

Satoshi turned his hooded head towards the great oak tree where he had patiently waited for Omoi’s arrival. It had to stand approximately 130 feet in the air and towered majestically above its many imposing neighbors. Satoshi leapt gracefully to the lowest branch of the oak, then zipped from limb to limb until at last he stood atop the canopy and draped the umbrella’s handle around the tallest branch of the tree. Omoi had a rigorous climb ahead of him to obtain his prize, and it didn’t help that the thunderstorm had drenched the tree branches and left many of them slippery and unstable.

The incessant *plop, plop* of the falling raindrops was interrupted by an abrupt roaring sound, as five bears lumbered out from behind the trees and began charging at Omoi. They too had been stirred by all the commotion, and while prowling for an early morning snack, Omoi must have looked especially appetizing for they rushed at him with a frenzied celerity.

“Omoi! Climb up here as fast as you can,” yelled Satoshi with a startled yelp, though he was too far above in the treetops to offer immediate help. “Do not attempt to fight those beasts – and that’s an order. They are far too numerous and gargantuan in size. Retrieve this umbrella and we can deal with them later.”

[WC: 625]

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

"Damn.."

Once more, Omoi had been thrown into the fray. Except this time, there was little to no way to fight his opponent off. Five bears. One boy. Things looked like they could not get worse.
Omoi wasted no time in getting to the stout oaken tree. He rushed, deftly avoiding numerable attempts to end his life then and there. He dodged most of the attacks, but a claw managed to dig into the flesh of his leg. The bear didn't manage to keep a hold on him, but he'd be damned if it didn't feel as if a fire had been started on his leg. A stream of blood flowed downwards from the wound. It was bad, but he didn't have the time to care.

"Just got to make it up this tree..."
*grunt*

He reached the base of the tree. From there, he got a foothold onto it, and began to climb. As soon as Omoi had made it 15 feet up, he saw the bears had followed suit. Omoi knew that if they got up there, surely he would perish. Strangely, a thought came to Omoi's head.

What if I use a rotten branch to stop them?

Omoi surveyed the tree as he kept climbing. He eventually found an old looking branch, and began to wear away at it. Using his strength, Omoi managed to break it off, albeit with much difficulty. He let it loose, and it met its mark. The 28 pound log crashed onto the first pursuer, causing it to fall. This started a chain reaction, causing the rest to fall as well.

Omoi found a nice spot near a bough, and practically collapsed onto it.

"Damn it all, does all the training have to be this painful?"

 

[Enomoto Satoshi]

Omoi’s precocious ingenuity continued to amaze Satoshi. It was truly a brilliant trick to allow the five bears to chase him up the tree single-file…only to unleash a rotten branch upon their heads and knock them down like dominos. Omoi’s instinct for strategy surpassed all expectations for a youth of his age, and likely was superior to Satoshi’s own abilities back in his student days.

One of the bears did manage to land a blow on Omoi, and left a laceration which was dripping with blood. After a brief delay, Satoshi successfully descended the tree to where Omoi sat, and examined the gash on the student’s leg.

“You fought valiantly, and this wound attests to your bravery in confronting five hungry, wild bears. Nonetheless, the umbrella is still up there and we’re way down here, and the rain doesn’t look to subside anytime soon.”

Satoshi sped back to the top of the tree and shifted the umbrella from the highest branch to merely the second highest branch. Satisfied that he had eased the task for the boy, this time he scaled to the very bottom of the tree and turned his head to the limb where Omoi rested.

“I’ll take care of these bears. We’ve have enough inconveniences,” shouted Satoshi, panting moderately as he had just traversed the entire height of a great oak twice now. “Focus on getting that umbrella. Wounds will heal with time, but determination shall burn in our hearts forever.” Satoshi had no clue what the hell that meant, but it sure sounded motivational in his head.

The rainfall had inundated the ground below and rendered the entire forest floor a slick, muddy mess. Satoshi’s boots sank into the earth, and trudging through the muck was a tiresome chore as the constant rainfall prevented Satoshi from seeing hardly 5 feet in front of him. The bears, bruised and furious, stalked towards him and soon had him entirely circled.

“I respect that we’ve intruded upon your habitat, and it is not my desire to slay wild animals merely for sport. However, you’ve attempted to make a 10-year-old child into breakfast. It’s my duty to defend the people of Cloud Village, and if I dispense with one of you it will hopefully set an example for the rest."

Satoshi extended his right arm and a radiant orb of light materialized in his hand. Superficially this looked similar to his Barrier jutsu and was absent of any handseals, however this time the sphere was much smaller and more concentrated. Satoshi leapt into the air and soared, fist-first, towards a snarling bear and delivered a crushing blow directly on his snout. The Chakra orb burst in a fluorescent explosion and erupted with the sound of cannon-fire. The bear was sent sailing into the night sky and twinkled far into the distance like Team Rocket. However, the skirmish had cast the entire terrain into upheaval and Omoi couldn’t perceive either Satoshi or the four other bears in the blinding cloud of mud that was unearthed. Is Satoshi still alive? Will the entire forest topple down one tree at a time? Who cares, the umbrella was still hanging from the top of the oak.

[WC: 532]

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

Omoi was yet again astounded by the ninjutsu his tutor possessed, but once again noticed there was no handseals. Omoi wondered how such a technique was even possible, let alone how it even came to exist. But then again, he WAS in the academy, and still had much to learn. He looked down at the calmity below as he kept climbing. A flurry of action, creating so much debris that it was impossible to see. He could still hear it though, but what he heard sounded...Painful.

"That's one fine ass madness. Best keep going. Wouldn't want to let my tutor's efforts be in vain. Strange jutsu, that one."
"I need to stop talking to myself."

As he ascended, he was berrated by rain. It went down his face, granting him a strange sense of serenity. But now was no time to lounge about, he kept climbing. The rain washed the blood from his wound as soom as it would come, bringing relief to the troubled child. His hands clutched on to the damp wood, and heaved him upwards, torwards the umbrella. The wet wood was less than ideal for Omoi, but it was either this or fall off and die. He preferred the latter. And so, he kept a steady pace, eventually reaching the umbrella. He gripped the handle, and found the base of the branch it had been caught on. He sat on top, and loooked down. This was a terrible idea. Only then did he realize how high up he was. He clung to the branch as tight as he could, like a cat stuck in a tree.

"Oh my god....How will I get down from here?"

And so he sat, quivering in fear. It would have been funny had he not been the one experiencing it.

 

[Enomoto Satoshi]

A couple of long, agonizing minutes finally elapsed, and the dust settled to reveal Satoshi standing fearlessly before four hungry bears. Smoke was still emanating from his right fist, which evinced the last remaining evidence that a fifth opponent had once been a member of the fray. As the mud cloud vanished, the surviving bears soon perceived an unforeseen reversal in fortune where their 10-year-old student breakfast had been capriciously replaced with something far less savory. Overcome with a sudden dismay, the bears galloped away into the darkness as fast as their lumbering bodies would carry them.

With the forest cleared of enemies, though the tempest still raged on, Satoshi shifted his gaze to the treetops and was stupefied to discover that Omoi had already fulfilled his task and scaled the redoubtable oak.

“Wow! That was 130 feet you know! I can’t believe you actually accomplished this!” bellowed Satoshi at the top of his lungs, as he raced to greet him at the top of the tree. The incessant drone of downpouring rain drowned out most of the nighttime sounds, but Satoshi’s thundering voice echoed throughout the forest. “I honestly didn’t think you’d seriously make it. I was completely prepared to deliver a lecture on the merits of a solid effort and the sagacity in not pushing oneself too hard.” Satoshi finally arrived in the great oak’s canopy, and was speaking directly to Omoi as he pointed towards the umbrella in his grasp. “You continue to shatter my expectations, no matter what obstacles I place in your way. And in your hand is the reward for defying the odds of this arduous endeavor.”

Omoi had been sorely wounded from his encounter with the bear, and appeared utterly exhausted as he lay upon a branch. Now that his objective was complete, it was time to address his injury seriously, and Satoshi bounded back down to the forest floor with Omoi hanging by his shoulders.

As they both sat upon the earth, Satoshi pondered what he could possibly do to ameliorate the boy’s condition. “There is a Satoshi of our Village renowned for his talent in the healing arts. Alas, the one before you is a far less distinguished man.” Satoshi was ignorant of even the most basic jutsu which were considered staples amongst all competent Med-Nins. He didn’t even carry band-ads. Omoi had sustained an injury with the very worst chaperone to request assistance from, but there did remain one outlandish solution which could just be crazy enough to work.

“There is a technique that I know, which all my scholarly textbooks refer to as the “Cursed Seal”. Do not be frightened by the ominous name, for the benefits far outweigh the negligible drawbacks. You will obtain a nearly superhuman strength and stamina whenever you choose to activate the ancient magic of your Seal. The enhanced vitality that only a Cursed Seal can provide should expedite the recovery of this fearsome gash upon your leg.”
Satoshi performed a rapid series of handseals with his right hand, and placing his palm upon Omoi’s chest, his hand glowed with a blazing white light. The flash quickly faded and shadow reigned once more in the nighttime, but Satoshi still sat there smiling warmly at this handiwork.

“A pattern of runes is now inscribed somewhere upon your body, though the effect is not immediate. You will have to activate it through training just like any other ability.” Satoshi spoke gently and strove to instill optimism in his wounded comrade, though his experience with the Cursed Seal was very minimal and he couldn’t confidently predict what the long-term effects of a Seal could yield. Would it rob Omoi of his sanity, or make him grow wings and fly away? Satoshi was earnestly hoping for a best-case scenario outcome from this.

“Omoi, I’m exhausted from all this back-and-forth tree climbing so I’m going to seek shelter for a quick nap.” Satoshi strolled over to a dense cluster of trees where the thick limbs formed a makeshift roof. He laid down on the small patch of dry grass and pulled his gray hood all the way over his face before finishing his thought. “Go entertain yourself productively for an hour or so, and then come wake me up. I’ve got one final task for you and then we can both call it a night.”

[WC: 726]

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

Omoi climbed down from the tree, jumping down from branch to branch. Eventually, he reached ground level. He dropped down whilst holding the holding the umbrella to slow his descent. Omoi was lucky it didn't flip inside out, but it worked.

"What to do..."

Omoi's gash was nasty. He knew he could not leave it alone. He set the umbrella down next to the tree, and took cover underneath it. He set his backpack in front of him, and yet again pulled out his binder. HE dug through the files, and from it, found his class notes.

First Aid
If you are ever wounded in battle, the proper care must be given to your injuries.
Step 1: Clean the wound.
Step 2: Apply an antiseptic to the affected area.
Step 3: Bandage the wound.

Omoi was pretty sure the rain has taken care of the cleaning, and so he moved to step 2.

"Hmm...Antiseptic..."

Omoi had a loose grasp on the word, but from what he pulled together, it was objects like soap or alcohol. Unfortunately, he had not brought any rubbing alcohol with him. He had remembered to bring bandages though. The kids at school like to do wacky things with them, like wrap them around their arms, but Omoi would have none of that. He carefully wrapped it around his leg, creating even more intensive pain. But it was for the better.

Omoi finished up bandaging his wounds, and remained under the umbrella. He put away his notes and his binder. He held out his hand.

"A barrier jutsu? How would I do that...?"

For the next half hour or so, he would try to make a barrier, but fail. After he was done, he went to the trees that his tutor had been sprawled out underneath. He went up to his tutor and said,

"Hey Satoshi, wake up. It's 2 in the morning."

 

[Enomoto Satoshi]

Satoshi groggily awoke and rubbed the rainwater from his eyes. He had somehow managed to sleep like a log, but the primitive canopy above him did not prove impenetrable and he arose to discover that he had been thoroughly drenched.

“Omoi, you have proved your worth as a shinobi and I have no doubt you shall one day earn a place of reverence among Cloud Village’s most legendary defenders. Until that day, I have one final objective to entrust you with.”

Satoshi strode, dripping wet, to an exposed outcropping in the center of the woods and bade Omoi to follow. “I know you probably have not mastered any jutsu yet, but you have demonstrated exceptional skill and strategy in defeating those wolves and bears. Gather whatever energy is left in your body and try to land a blow on me. You have 10 chances.”

Satoshi turned around to face the student, and crossed his arms nonchalantly as he gazed out into the void of darkness. His mien was neither harsh nor inviting, but he simply stood rigid like a statue in curious anticipation as to what Omoi would throw at him.

[WC: 191]

OOC: First off, I know we discussed this over PM’s, but for a quick recap if you want to activate your Cursed Seal it has to be done in the Dojo just like an ability. Here’s a link to the shop description which explains it far better than I can  Cursed Seal

Lastly, we’re going to finish off with some quasi-modded combat. I can see your stats so you don’t need to send me anything, but RP yourself using whatever melee or ranged attacks you want against me. You can kick, punch, throw a stick etc – feel free to be creative and think outside-the-box, but do 10 different things and each time I will roll your Melee/Ranged Accuracy against my Melee/Ranged Dodge to determine if it hit or not, and then RP my response based on these numbers. For example, let’s say your first two moves were a punch and then a kick, and based on my numbers the punch missed but the kick landed, I would RP myself blocking your punch but then getting kicked in the face. Don’t worry, this will make more sense when we’re done.

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

OOC: "Show me what you've got, Snake!"

__________________________________

"...You want me to hit you? It wasn't me that beat a bear, it was you. But, if it is your will, so be it. I will grant you no mercy. However, using a sharp edge would be dishonorable. I will be content to use my hands."

Omoi raised his fists. He sat for about 7 seconds, planning his moves.

"First, I will go for a lunge with my right fist, then perform a backhand strike. After that, I will use a leg sweep and finish it with an uppercut. Then I will strike with my left fist, and make an attack with my elbow after that. And after that, I'll go for a flurry of blows with my other 4 chances."

Omoi rushed in, filled with determination, and attemped to strike his tutor.

 

[Enomoto Satoshi]

[OOC: First random roll was (16,1) which means  16+2 > 1+8. Nice one you lucky bastard, you hit me on the first try! PS: You forgot to update your stats on your Profile from your training, but don’t worry I used your best numbers]

Satoshi stood stiff and austere as he tried to decipher the machinations running rapidly through Omoi’s mind. After seven seconds the student appeared satisfied and charged at his teacher.

“I wonder how many attempts I should give him before I cave in and let me hit me,” pondered Satoshi as heavy rainfall continued to flow in streams down his soaked shoulders. His gray coat was soaked to the very fiber of its stitching, and it felt like a weight draped around his body. “I can’t let the kid go home empty handed. If I allow him to win it’ll boost his morale. I’ll permit him five tries or so and then…”

Satoshi’s musings were all for naught, as Omoi’s right fist shot out like a bolt of lightning and skewered Satoshi right in the stomach. The Chuunin gasped and fell down upon one knee. This kid hit like a freight train on steroids.

“G-goodness! I was fully prepared to let you land a hit but not on the first try!” exclaimed Satoshi’s in astonishment. His abdomen groaned, but he was more dazed from bewilderment than physical pain. “I’m very fortunate that you’re the student and I’m the Chuunin. If we were the same age you’d surely have surpassed me by now.”

Satoshi rose back on two feet, and after briskly turning his head to ensure no other human being witnessed their combat, flashed a warm smile and a “thumbs-up” sign at Omoi. “You’ve conquered wolves, bears and people now. I think I have little else to teach you. You have a bright, promising future ahead of you kid, but in the meanwhile I think we can both agree that we’ve had enough of this typhoon at 2:00 in the morning. Go catch some sleep and get an early start on your day.”

Satoshi bowed, pulled his hood back over his head, and darted out of the woods like a sprinting deer. “Until next time!” came a bellowing voice somewhere deep in the forest.

[WC: 333]
(Topic Left)

 

[Omoi Chichioya]

OOC: I know this is prretty damn late, but here it is. It was nice.]

Omoi stood in the rain, still holding that umbrella. He had rushed off without consideration, leaving him with his property.

" IT will make a nice souvenir.. at the least.. " *sigh* "..You know what? I'm tired. I think I'll follow in the footsteps of my teacher."

Omoi moved torwards the lumbering faun that towered overhead,, and fell onto the damp, wet grass. He closed his eyes, and drifted off into a dream.
"..A curse seal.."