"Come along, kids." A masculine voice rings through the craggy stone pathways outside of the village borders. A man with dark skin and full ninja attire was leading a group of children through these areas with a look of boredom on their face. And among those kids was Sukishi.
These were members of the Endo clan...some of the youth, and a chuunin. And they were here to train their earth manipulation, in an attempt to prepare them for the world outside of the clan.
The older ninja eventually stopped and had the kids line themselves up, droopily raising a hand as he begins speaking. "This will be simple. Just hit the targets I make with a stone bullet, like you've been practicing. Then we can go home and eat!" He says, perking up at the mention of a hot meal as he taps his foot against the ground. Emerging from the surrounding rocks, and earth below, were a series of stone circles- obviously meant to be targets.
So, the kids all began firing. Terribly, but they were all at least trying...except for Sukishi. She looks down to her hands and frowns...she didn't feel anything flowing. No connection to the earth, no connection to the goddesses of the clan....Nothing. Was this what she was destined for? mediocrity? Always sticking to the sidelines and being nothing but a failure?!
"Sukishi!" The elder Endo calls, but Sukishi did not answer. She was stuck in a swarm of her own thoughts.
She was a failure. Literal children younger than her could shift rocks, or lift gravel but she had....NOTHING!
She clenches her fist, and the older Endo calls again. "SUKISHI!"
"huh?" Sukishi says, looking up to look at her teacher. and around her was....sand? All the targets were gone, with nothing but piles of sand on the ground where they stood. All the other kids were staring at her, and small wisps of sand whip around her before settling. "Did I...do that?" She asks, frowning. "I meant to hit them! I did! I...I promise..." She mutters.
The elder says nothing. They simply pat Sukishi on the back before rounding up the children and going home...
~~~~~~~~~
At the clan's home, Sukishi sat outside of the elders' chambers patiently, hands over her lap with a look of guilt. She was told to wait, and so she did....
"Sukishi. Come in please." She eventually hears from inside. She obeys, standing up properly and entering with a bow.
"Sukishi. Young one. You are not of Endo blood. At least....not pure endo blood. And we can see now that your missing father has left within you something that we have no knowledge of. Not the ability to control the stone, but to destroy it. You are to stay within your room until I can speak with the young master. Go."
Sukishi can only nod, emotions flying wild as the elder spoke. She....didn't understand it. And could only go into her room, lay down face-first into a pillow, and scream.
[WC: 500]
These were members of the Endo clan...some of the youth, and a chuunin. And they were here to train their earth manipulation, in an attempt to prepare them for the world outside of the clan.
The older ninja eventually stopped and had the kids line themselves up, droopily raising a hand as he begins speaking. "This will be simple. Just hit the targets I make with a stone bullet, like you've been practicing. Then we can go home and eat!" He says, perking up at the mention of a hot meal as he taps his foot against the ground. Emerging from the surrounding rocks, and earth below, were a series of stone circles- obviously meant to be targets.
So, the kids all began firing. Terribly, but they were all at least trying...except for Sukishi. She looks down to her hands and frowns...she didn't feel anything flowing. No connection to the earth, no connection to the goddesses of the clan....Nothing. Was this what she was destined for? mediocrity? Always sticking to the sidelines and being nothing but a failure?!
"Sukishi!" The elder Endo calls, but Sukishi did not answer. She was stuck in a swarm of her own thoughts.
She was a failure. Literal children younger than her could shift rocks, or lift gravel but she had....NOTHING!
She clenches her fist, and the older Endo calls again. "SUKISHI!"
"huh?" Sukishi says, looking up to look at her teacher. and around her was....sand? All the targets were gone, with nothing but piles of sand on the ground where they stood. All the other kids were staring at her, and small wisps of sand whip around her before settling. "Did I...do that?" She asks, frowning. "I meant to hit them! I did! I...I promise..." She mutters.
The elder says nothing. They simply pat Sukishi on the back before rounding up the children and going home...
~~~~~~~~~
At the clan's home, Sukishi sat outside of the elders' chambers patiently, hands over her lap with a look of guilt. She was told to wait, and so she did....
"Sukishi. Come in please." She eventually hears from inside. She obeys, standing up properly and entering with a bow.
"Sukishi. Young one. You are not of Endo blood. At least....not pure endo blood. And we can see now that your missing father has left within you something that we have no knowledge of. Not the ability to control the stone, but to destroy it. You are to stay within your room until I can speak with the young master. Go."
Sukishi can only nod, emotions flying wild as the elder spoke. She....didn't understand it. And could only go into her room, lay down face-first into a pillow, and scream.
[WC: 500]