Blades and then Some [Private/Tutor Jomei]

[Honma Kotone]

All Private Lessons/Tutoring must span at least 1 FULL page of Roleplaying to be considered a full lesson. Classes that forgo OOC rewards just need to be completed in full.

Engei had been a Chuunin for what felt like forever. He had sworn an oath to never seek out a promotion after his failure to keep Oda, his younger sister, safe. And while her life was now stable, her body and heart were all but reduced to tatters. There would be no way for her to come back to normality and that was the heart-wrenching truth that Engei had to face everyday through the eyes of a broken girl. However, life would go on and he would find the courage to face the new day with a smile on his face while harbouring both hate and depression deep down. It was a hard battle, depression, and something that almost everyone would have to face at one point or another.

The Chuunin had awoken from his peaceful sleep, arm cupped under his pillow, his head facing towards the window that partially overlooked some buildings of Iwa. He remained motionless for sometime just watching the sun rise, the birds sing and the people rise. It was around 8:00AM, Oda was always awake at around this time, so she got her sponge bath by Engei. It was a moment that brought back the emotions of that terrible night where she lost all ability to use her body, paralysed for life. Engei would talk for the both of them while he washed his sister, holding back on his emotions purely for her sake. After she was washed and dressed, he would wait for the carer/friend to come around to the tiny little apartment and watch over Oda for the remainder of the day while Engei was at work.

Today the Chuunin was tasked with taking on a student at a private lesson. He hadn't really taught in a long time but that was really the job of the Chuunin to do. Engei made his way to the Academy wearing the typical attire of an Iwa shinobi; he really made no distinction as to who he was against the great rockfall of every other shinobi. He was one rock that made up a very large mountain. Dilly-dallying aside, Engei reached the Academy where he received further instructions as to where his class would be assigned and so forth. The student would have also received these details with would lead him to a small rock pool that remained untouched by skinner dippers and first-time thrill seekers.

http://www.deviantart.com/art/04-rock-pool-73679521

Engei would find himself resting against one of the rock formations, staring at the still water which was both blue, yellow and green. He smiled at the simplicity of this moment before he would hear the clatter of tiny footsteps drawing closer.

[Crappy post, apologies Jomei!]

 

[Okada Kaji]

Jomei's portion of this story began high; elevated over the hidden stone with acres of terrain passing by him below. This wasn't an act of flight, but of web-slinging- an acrobatic mastery granted to Jomei alone. Jomei exposed himself to the power of Newton's laws. He fired webbing from pores on his wrists, using their tensile strength to swing across great distances and heights. No one knew of this experience; this kind of rush that sent blooding pumping through his hollow veins. His clothing rippled in the wind as a testament to his velocity, and his body spun like a dancer lost in a heat of madness. He let out an excited howl that echoed through the stone high-rises, waking the late-sleepers. His shadow swept across the village's landscape with such speed and grace that most villagers never saw Jomei pass. If someone did lay eyes on him, they had no chance of spotting more than a blur between countless granite super-structures.

Today, Jomei's task was to attend a special training session assigned to him by his overseers. His developing specialty was the art of hand-to-hand combat, so a special tutor came to test his proficiency. As he swung, that familiar ninjato strapped across his back waved in the wind. His powers had blossomed, so handling his sword's weight became a simple task.

With a defining thump, Jomei landed atop a rock formation safely tucked away from the training area. He was still young and spry, but ever so careful to keep his activities a secret amongst strangers. Hidden amongst the dust and stones, he undid his disguise while taking a moment to breath and gain composure. His current instructor was an experienced shinobi with little known rapport; a quiet soul named Engei.
Respectfully announcing his arrival, Jomei entered their training area with a welcoming call "Is that you, Engei-sensei?"

Jomei hopped down to an even plain with the elder gentleman, and made a note of his physique and posture. This man had dangerous potential written all over, but stood there with a harmless, at-peace look about him. "I'm Jomei" he said. "Nice setting selection."

This sort of peaceful pond setting seemed to fit Engei perfectly- character wise. But this was the kind of setting that precluded brutal training sessions. Jomei let out a soft huff once he realized it, but was nonetheless excited to see what Engei would offer.

 

[Honma Kotone]

All Private Lessons/Tutoring must span at least 1 FULL page of Roleplaying to be considered a full lesson. Classes that forgo OOC rewards just need to be completed in full.

It had been sometime since Engei had the pleasure of teaching for it was something that he neglected whenever he could. It's not that he didn't enoy it, he really did, but his mind would often fall flat on how old he must have seemed to the younger generation. He could only but imagine their faces and choices of words that would amplify his age. The inner-chibi inside was found sulking at the corner, a rain cloud over his face, dripping with water; the representation of his comical depression. The Chuunin would watch as the agile student arrived, his paws tapping against the rocks, ululating towards the sensei.

The student introduced himself and applauded the atmospheric setting that Engei had chosen. The Chuunin would use the hilt of his sword, which was always carried by hand in a sheath, as if to give him a little wave. The two golden ribbons that were loosely spun around the hilt of the sword were signature to its peaceful, calming demeanour. "Jomei-kun? It's nice to meet you!" Engei would say with a hearty smile as he stood up with a crack of the knee. "It's quite nice, isn't it! I've never really came here before!" He would say, with both hands, one clutching onto the sword, pressed against his hips; the body language he gave off was one that could relax any nervous mind. Well, hopefully.

"So I heard that you wanted to learn Kenjutsu? In my opinion," Engei would place one hand over his mouth and with an emphasised movement of his lips would sound out his chosen words, "It's so much cooler than the other classes!" Part of Engei must come off as a grown-up child but he didn't mind, it made him different from the rest of the grumpy and irritable teachers.

Engei would lower his hand and yet still be found with a brightly burning smile on his face. He would then notion for the boy to take off his shoes, as he would do this, and toss them to the side. The mineral enriched rocks would feel unpleasant and yet thickly at the same time against their soles. After a few moments, whenever Jomei complied, the man would step onto the surface of the water with his blade in hand. He would gesture Jomei to meet him at the center. "Come, come, Jomei-kun!" When Jomei would approach the sensei at the centre of the pond, the Chuunin would bow and offer his very own blade to the boy.

"This is Konesutoraiki, my most dearest friend and companion. I want you to train with her for this session. She'll take good care of you. And in return, I want that bad-boy you've got right there." Engei would gesture with a raise of his brow to Jomei's weapon. It was a strange thing for a Nanjirou to offer up his most fateful companion to a stranger but what the outsiders of their relationship wouldn't understand was that Konesutoraiki and Engei both were one of a kind, strange in nature but faithful to each other. "I guess there is no real reason for trading weapons but Konesutoraiki always likes to meet other people, so you know, gotta keep the little lady happy, Jomei-kun! Oow, my back is starting to hurt..." And here came the back cramp from being arched over waiting for this formal trade of weapons.

 

[Okada Kaji]

As Engei continued the introductory part of their training session, he made small talk and readied himself. He requested that Jomei remove his shoes and join him along the water's surface, and removed his own kicks to set the trend. Having never done it before, the task seemed like a challenge to Jomei. He wasn't as adept at learning new techniques as most academy students. Following orders, he untied his boots and tossed them into the sand. This was their first session, but Engei seemed like an agreeable man who wouldn't ask for more from Jomei than he was capable of doing. Without a word of doubt uttered, Jomei made a careful step onto the water's edge. He'd read enough on the procedure to go into the action with some odd of success, but this was quite the surprise.

Jomei managed to step onto the pond's surface with little trouble and went to join Engei. He marveled at how fantastic the sensation was. Allured by the excitement growing within, Jomei picked up the pace and nearly ran up to his new teacher.

Engei then made an effort to connect with his student and offered his own weapon for the duration of the training. Honored yet confused, Jomei obliged and took Konesutoraiki into his own care. Offering his own Ninjato to return the gesture, Jomei made the swap and sank like a brick as if he had ran out of chakra in the blink of an eye. The glassy surface became a sea of choppy water as Jomei resurface and struggled to stay afloat with Engei's heavy blade in one hand. It was not the weight, but the remnants of Engei's chakra in his weapon that disrupted Jomei's ability to levitate on the pool. "Gah!" He groaned while struggling to climb back onto the surface and resume their session. How embarrassing.

He climbed back to the standing position in a rush, coughing as he did so. With a huffing breath he said "my apologies, sensei." His instructor's weapon was certainly something to behold. It was crafted with such an excellent craftsmanship that Jomei didn't deserve to wield it, let alone hold it. Jomei couldn't help but notice the difference in size from his Ninjato, as well. The ninjato was a medium-length sword developed for a myriad of uses. Engei's sword had a standard katana design: much longer and heavier than Jomei's puny weapon, but the ninjato fit his body.

"This sword is so heavy-" Jomei said. "I bet you're one tough cookie in a fight, huh?"

And he knew it. The swordsman class was often understated among and considered out-dated. Most comrades considered kenjutsu to be a simplistic art, but it was highly effective in most cases. It was enough to convince Jomei.

 

[Honma Kotone]

All Private Lessons/Tutoring must span at least 1 FULL page of Roleplaying to be considered a full lesson. Classes that forgo OOC rewards just need to be completed in full.

Engei watched as his student had grasped Konesutoraiki, the young boy became heavier and lost his footing. The man didn't really think about the repercussions of handling over his sacred blade to an inexperienced body, it was at that point when the boy resurfaced, that the Chuunin grappled onto his underarm and assisted him in escaping from the disturbed water. The confused and terrified fish below retreated to the depths of the pool, where the blackness of its body was only visible. "You shouldn't apologise to me, Jomei-kun." Engei bowed his head and smile as he patted the boy on the shoulder while holding the Ninjato of the student.

"I just want you to get used to the sensation of having a blade that has been adapted through years of training, throughout countless moments of bonding... I want you to remember the weight that you and your blade will carry, the hopes, the aspirations and the strength you both have together."

Engei would inspect the might Ninjato will a pure smile, "After sometime, your blade becomes your closest companion, much more important than what chakra means to every shinobi out there who solely relies on Ninjutsu." He would slice the air with it, impressed by its weight and how nice it felt in his hands. The Chuunin would look at Jomei, holding Konesutoraiki, and it would remind him of how he was taught Kenjutsu. Engei was educated by his sensei, a master swordsman, who taught Engei this very same lesson.

"Jomei-kun, I was always lead to believe that swordsmen could only every understand each other when they clash blades... But my master doubted this to some extent. He believed that we didn't just learn about the other swordsman but also our blades. So, let's see what your Ninjato has to say, shall we?" Without much warning, Engei would push forward and take a swipe at Jomei, a vertical slash that had intent to harm. He used as little force as possible but enough to match the ability of the student. If Jomei were to either intercept this attack, Engei would immediately follow this up with a round-house kick to the side in order to through the boy off balance. If he was able to dodge this and create distance then Engei would be out of range for a round-house kick.

Either way, if connection was made or a dodge was performed, Engei would smile sharply, "So why do you want to become a shinobi, Jomei-kun" The Chuunin would add waiting for the boy to counter-attack.

[OOC: Absolutely spot on Jomei. You predicted exactly what the sword was going to do to Jomei and wrote about it perfectly. You sped up the lesson! Fantastic!]

 

[Okada Kaji]

Jomei clenched the advanced sword in his hands with a tight grip, and took a moment to adjust to it's increased weight. His morning made this sudden transition from playing trapeze artist to examining the warrior's way over stale pond water. This moment was a tad overwhelming, and he tried his best to follow Engei's way of thinking. He was inspiring, but Jomei hadn't developed Engei's kind of resolve as of yet. He waxed poetic about the bond between a man and the steel he wielded; that it's value transcended its purpose and design. Jomei observed Engei with admiration, but something about his instructor's ethics didn't resonate yet. He kept his disagreeances bottled up for the time being.

But then Jomei felt a twinge. It was quite a sensation,or even a premonition of some kind. Engei was faster than Jomei could follow, yet instinct allowed him to lean back as if marionette strings pulled him away. Precognitive reflexes saved Jomei when training often failed. It was a stroke of luck considering the ease behind Engei's stroke. The reach he lacked when swinging the ninjato wouldn't be a factor once he finished adjusting to the difference. If Engei used Konesutoraiki for the first strike, their training session would've ended early.

Captivated by their sudden action, Jomei exhaled a deep grunt and took a second strike that came too quickly for him to avoid. He managed to prepare a block with his right forearm, but the force of Engei's blow was much harsher than Jomei's academy peers. That forearm buckled and the kick bludgeoned him with blunt force across his bicep, nearly snapping his arm twice like a dry twig. Jomei processed the pain, and Engei broke his concentration with a question of motives. Why take this path, young lad? Why volunteer for a life of sacrifice and tireless devotion? These were the true questions behind: why do you want to become a shinobi? Jomei spared his reaction for another moment of silence and chose the path of action first. He revealed Engei's prized katana in all its excellence, and held it as his temporary partner.

"I'm still sorting it out" he admitted with a heavy tone.

Jomei tested the weight of his master's weapon and raised the silver-edged katana to a ready position. He felt lumberous with it, and destined for failure. "Maybe my sword can help me figure it out why I want to become a shinobi."

Jomei hesitated. He didn't have many tricks up his sleeve worth trying against Engei. He needed to buy some time to work up a plan. "Or... Why did you want to become a shinobi when you were in the academy?"

 

[Honma Kotone]

All Private Lessons/Tutoring must span at least 1 FULL page of Roleplaying to be considered a full lesson. Classes that forgo OOC rewards just need to be completed in full.

Jomei was able to evade the slash attack performed by his master but was unable to block the forceful shunt to his body. The two now stood beside, captive in motion, Engei's leg still pressed against the boy whom had blocked the attack effectively. They remained motionless, caught in the stillness of such a tranquil scene. The student hadn't came up with a solid reason as to why he wanted to become a shinobi. He reminded the Chuunin of himself at that age, with eyes burdened, but ambitious like the will of Stone that resonated with every shinobi. ["I hope that you never have to use your best friend to cut someone down..." The Chuunin would say, his leg still pressed up against the boy's arm, with sad eyes. "It truly destroys a piece of you. For me, and for my friend, it's a horrible experience that we both share together."Engei lowered his leg and took a few steps away from his student, eyes still dulled with a heavy pain, but that would soon wash away as those blue hues settled onto the student that would inherit Engei's way of the sword.

"I became a shinobi to protect my sister but that wasn't enough and now she's in a place worse off than being dead." Engei was blunt and honest about his back story, after all, he wanted his student to see that being a shinobi didn't mean he could protect those nearest and dearest to him. It meant that he would endure a hard life, full of trials and little rewards or recognition. It was a world that had tainted a great many, "I am a single droplet in the vastness of this world, a fairly insignificant pawn in the grand scheme of things but that doesn't mean that I can't cause a little ripple." The Chuunin would snigger and tap the face of the blade against his head, indicating in a really vague way that his ripple would be Jomei - someone to carry on the way of a swordsman. Engei would immediately press off, using chakra gathered in his feet, to propel him forward and rocketing towards Jomei with a great force. It almost looked like a body flicker.

"We are the swordsmen that honor the ways of our ancestors," He would say appearing behind Jomei some feet off the surface of from the water, bringing down his Ninjato towards the boy, it would be intercepted by the boy or dodged depending on his reaction, "Our blood boils fiercely, we are the children of metal and you are my student!"

Engei's teacher was a great swordsman who died protecting the young boy during a mission that went horribly wrong. It was the first time where Engei was forced to use his abilities to mow down a foe, to sully his sword in liquid iron, and forever stain his emotions. The bond between teacher and student was something to marvel at. The Chuunin would not want a weak student, and by that, he meant someone who was weak in the mind and not in the body. Jomei was the perfect candidate to become Engei's student, why? It was down to the simple fact that Konesutoraiki had not rejected Jomei's grasp on her. She had accepted him and allowed the boy to hold her. Engei would smile as he brought down the sword with both hands. There would be a presence which ululated between Jomei and the sword, the boy would be able to feel a presence that swelled with the sword because Konesutoraiki allowed it.

After Jomei had performed his actions, whatever they may be, he would be gifted with a vision of something that happened a long time ago. Konesutoraiki would place flashes of scenes, images of a younger Engei holding his dead master with Konesutoraiki covered in blood. These fragments came quickly but were understandable. It would seem that even the blade had accepted the boy as her student too.

[OOC: MFT = 664]

 

[Honma Kotone]

[¡][OOC: I'm more than likely going to have to leave this topic of there isn't a reply soon. I'm only in two topics and both of which are dying, almost dead in the water. Sorry but I just don't want to be waiting around for almost a week at a time for a reply.][/¡]

 

[Honma Kotone]

[Left.]