Bridge Between Goals and Accomplishment[Tutor]

[Shinrya Kahako]

“two-fifty-one… two-fifty-two… two-fifty-three…” Susumu panted and groaned as he struggled to reach the goal set before him by the "demoness" overseeing his training. The warm and muggy morning air did him no favors as he struggled sweated heavily under the body used as a weight to increase the strength training. The body in question, flipped a page of her medical book idly as she used the heel of her foot to keep her balanced and her spine in alignment with his. “Keep it up, dear, you're nearly there. A few mile jogs around the building and you’ll be free until the matches for the day are over” she said almost nonchalantly. Flipping another page in her tomb that displayed a detailed diagram of the human heart.

More child-like grunts could be heard throughout the courtyard of the inn that housed most, if not all, the visitors from Kumogakure. The place was currently akin to that of a ghost town. Many children and adults alike were out enjoying the pre-match festivities the country prepared for their well-esteemed visitors. Well... most everyone, except the young Kogami-Shinrya Susumu and his mother.

“Two-sixty-one… come on mom,” he cried desperately. “I said I was sorry! Everyone else is out having fun right now. Wouldn’t you rather be doing the same?” he half asked half begged as he completed two more push-ups. The sweat dripped off his face, his shirt long since drenched for the rigorous morning training.

This had been his life from the moment he was on the boat with his mother and father on the way to Tea. In the morning, his mother forced him through grueling training, released him for the afternoon, and then he was required to be back to their family room by evening to go over his studies he failed to participate in when they were still at the academy.

“Everyone else didn’t jump from a fifth floor window just to avoid his mother.” Kahako said, remembering with brief irritation at how absolutely terrified she was at the time, seeing Susumu nearly fall to his almost certain death, headfirst. Not only had he been skipping school, but the entire stunt to avoid talking to the teacher…

Only her son… why was it only her son?

At the last pushup, Kahako quickly stood up and closed her book, as Susumu promptly collapsed on the pavement in a heaving mess. “Oh come now, you do thrice that back at home.”

“But it’s so hoooooooot and this is so boring…” the boy cried in reply into the stone beneath him. Kahako sighed, fanning herself with her book as she stared down at him, feeling a little guilty at how strict she had to be. “Fine… you only have to do six laps around the building instead of ten. And take a short break to stretch your muscles before running and get some water.” Susumu made a noise of half-relief, half-dismay before pulling himself up off the ground and walking over to the table they commandeered at breakfast. “Don’t drink too much!” Kahako cautioned, following him and retaking her earlier position under the shade.

Spoiler: OOC

529/1500 wc 1/5 posts
Topic entered with Susumu and Kahako

 

[Samsara Saito]

Saito simply couldn't stand not being able to leave the luxury hotel suite on his own, it agitated him to not go in and out as he pleased. Ever since he had joined Team 11 with Ryo, Yaboi, and Tatsuo as their leader, the 10-year old cloudie had spent every moment of his time with at least one of the three others. The team had been formed at about the same time as they'd decided to all go to Tea together, so the travel, the hotel, and all of their outings in Kurosawa had been with his teammates. Not that he didn't like them, they were great... Ryo and Yaboi liked to have fun and liked having the cloudie around as well, the three of them got along pretty easily actually. But the young Kumo genin needed to get out and be by himself sometimes, to decide things on his own without the consideration of others. To make friends and have experiences that he could cherish without the necessity of the condiment shaker "buddy system" Tatsuo insisted on from the beginning of their trip. He'd tip the condiment shaker -- even if Tatsuo-sensei gets mad at me for going off on my own, he won't be THAT mad -- to let the crew know that anybody looking like him in the suite from that moment on was a transformed enemy, and then jump from the balcony in the main living area to the street. Time to eat! And then maybe see more of what's out there!

Of the many positive experiences he would have during his time in Kurosawa, the most fulfilling at the moment had to be his discovery of a love for grilled squid on a stick. Or any kind of seafood, really, but especially grilled or fried. While spectating the fights happening in the arena competition, Saito stumbled upon the greatest food stand he'd ever laid eyes on, and had visited it everyday since, with Ryo, Yaboi, and/or Tatsuo before, and by himself now. If the shop owner -- now on the first name basis with the young Kumo with the amount of repeat business brought in by the boy -- thought it was odd that he came by himself this time, she thought nothing of it. He was a genin, a shinobi. Certainly he could handle himself if he got into any mischief. "Here's two extra skewers for free! Be a good boy, Saito-chan! Come back with your master and friends soon!"

Now with more food than even he intended on eating at the moment, the child happily wandered aimlessly around the city, looking at this booth or that restaurant, checking out the smaller events going on around Kurosawa. The place seemed positively alive with ninja here for the event... which made Saito think that a bunch of other cloudies had to be in town too. The boy hadn't been in Kumogakure for very long before he transferred to Konoha and hadn't been back since, so he didn't know too many Kumo ninja despite being one himself. So, he decided as he munched on his third squid skewer, his mission today would be to make friends with cloudies! Making sure to polish up his wooden cloud headband so that it shone in the sunlight despite its non-metallic nature, the young exchange student began his hunt for shinobi from his own village.

The boy took some time to gather information, and thereby learned that most if not all Cloud shinobi had taken residence in a particular hotel. The matches for the day had yet to start and so most shinobi would be out like him exploring, preparing themselves for the upcoming fights, or otherwise enjoying the day's festivities. But maybe there'd be some stragglers with whom he could connect. Finding the correct hotel, he walked into the establishment like he belonged there, thinking that no hotel workers would think him odd or question his presence as yet another cloud ninja. Making his way through, he initially thought he might've executed his "mission" in a really poor way. No one is here, this place is as empty as a tomb... he thought to himself as he wandered. But with a touch more persistence, he would ultimately find himself in luck; echoing down the ground floor halls of the nearly-empty hotel, Saito could hear the sound of grunting... and counting. "Two-fifty-one... two-fifty-two... two-fifty-three..."

THOSE particular sounds, Saito recognized as surely as if it were he himself making them. "Someone's training..." the boy muttered to himself as he turned his direction toward the sound, starting to home in. Training could only mean ninja, which possibly meant he would succeed in this otherwise vacant hotel afterall. He continued to follow the sounds of working out -- and of a boy complaining to his mom about said workout, apparently it was some sort of punishment for skipping out on Academy classes, poor kid -- until he found the hotel's courtyard. There he found a young boy, perhaps around his age if not somewhat older, doing push-ups with what would have to be his mom sitting on top of him for added difficulty. Saito silently watched the two finish up with that segment of their training, a smile creeping on his face as the boy's complaints finally got results. He was permitted to get a drink of water before continuing to the next -- laps around the building, apparently. Yikes, Saito was sure glad Tatsuo wasn't as strict.

"I didn't know you could use parents that way," the exchange student said with a smile to Susumu as he strode into the courtyard to greet the two ninja. The direct approach always seemed to work when meeting new people, and Saito's bright and buoyant energy accompanied by an equally bright and buoyant smile seemed to help ease him into social situations. "Parents make great training tools, go figure! And with yours, you must be CRAZY strong, your mom seems kinda scary..." he continued, that last part whispered so that hopefully only the two of them would hear, the comment accompanied by a light, quiet giggle before he turns his attention to Shinrya Kahako. He bows, smile bright for the woman, and raises his hand in a salutation, wooden Kumo headband shining brightly in the sun, before offering either and/or both of them some of his extra squid. They still piped hot, sizzling a bit in their container.

"HI! I'm Samsara Saito! Would you like some squid? I got it from the marketplace, it's some of the best I've ever tasted."

[OOC: Topic Entered
WC: 1103
TWC: 1103/1500
PC: 1/5]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Susumu heeded his mother’s comment, taking a few large swigs of water, but not completely draining the glass set before him. It was warm (like the rest of the country, much to his chagrin), but his mother always cautioned that cooling one’s body down quickly was not really good for his health. Setting it down with a bit more force than intended, he stepped away from the table to begin a series of hip twists and dynamic stretches to keep his muscles loose.

"I didn't know you could use parents that way." Susumu turned his head to see the comment’s originator approach them carrying several skewers of squid. A boy, very tan, with a Kumogakure headband made of wood approached them. A wide grin appeared on the academy student. “Duuuuuude, your headband is awesome! Where did you get one made of wood?!”

Kahako shook her head with a sigh and small smile, setting her book down as she observed her son’s ‘horse with blinders’ mentality. She chuckled. “You can use anything for weights so long at it remains balanced. Bags of dirt or sand, iron weights, gallons of milk… we don’t have either here, so a partner works just as well in weight training.” She also took note of the headband, but decided to remain quiet for the moment as the boys chatted like they were long time friends.

Susumu scratched the back of his head sheepishly at Saito’s next statement. “Nah, man. I’m still just an academy student,” he leaned in a little closer lifting his hand and mouthing ‘You. Have. NO. idea.’ After Saito introduced himself to both of them with a bow and a salute to Kahako, Susumu spoke before Kahako could. “Kogami-Shinrya Susumu, nice to meet ya,” he responded with a two-fingered salute of his own. Kahako straightened in her chair. “Shinrya-Kogami Kahako. I recognize your name from somewhere…ah, you are the boy who went to Konoha to train, aren’t you?“

Before an answer could be established, Susumu about jumped the boy at the thought of food. “Boy, would I?!”

However, before the local delight could reach his hand, a larger one came swooping in, taking both skewers with it. “Now you know,” Kahako started with a look of contempt, “That eating in the middle or a workout is a terrible idea. Six laps around the building, cool down exercises, and then you can eat”

The protest that came from the boy was probably heard from the arena. “But it will be coooooooold.”

“Better hurry, then.” Kahako said with a tone of finality. Susumu started sprinting to the outer edge of the property. He knew any short cuts only would get him more laps. Kahako turned back to the transfer student, turned gennin. “I see you have had a promotion since my husband last told me of you. Congratulations. How has Konoha been?” she said with a gentle smile that betrayed her strict rules.

Spoiler

529 + 491 = 1020/1500 wc 2/5 posts

 

[Samsara Saito]

Saito listened to the scary mom talk about using anything for training, her words bringing him back to his days in the monastery where he rigged all sorts of crazy setups for training purposes. The monks were not happy when they saw how the boy had once swiped every bucket in the building and rigged them to trip wires. He'd paid dearly for that one. "You're telling me," he giggles awkwardly as he blushes even through his dark skin, rubbing the back of his head.

Hmmm, Kogami, Kogami... I know that name from somewhere... Saito thought to himself, thinking back to his time in Cloud. He hadn't met too many adults in Kumo before leaving for Konoha with Tatsuo, there was Satoshi nii-san and a few others and that was about it. But he hadn't been to any actual classes either, which is where most of the adults the boy would've encountered would've been. Maybe she was some sort of instructor, probably an important one for her name to ring a bell.

"I got it from a Cloud ANBU who watched over my Genin exam. It's supposed to be temporary while a new one comes in from Kumo, but I like it even better than a metal one so I'm gonna keep wearing it for a while! It's just as strong as metal too! Hajimemashite, Kahako-okāsan, Susumu!"* Saito chimed to both parent and academy student, his happiness at having succeeded in his mission shining transparently. Susumu seemed super cool, and his mom seemed... super fast, standing up from her seat somewhere behind her son and swiping the two squids on a stick before he could even blink. Saito looked between Kahako and Susumu with briefly displayed awe, though Susumu seemed used to it. "But it will be coooooooooold..." No more mercy given, however, and the boy took off to do his six laps instead of ten. DEFINITELY some sort of teacher... gotta be rough to have an instructor for a mom, the boy thought with a sympathetic smile for the boy. "I'll take you to the stand if you want later, Susumu!"

“I see you have had a promotion since my husband last told me of you. Congratulations. How has Konoha been?” Kahako asked him politely, which sent his mind back to digging for who she might be. None of the kids in the Academy I met were named Kogami... is her husband a teacher there too?</I><i></i> he reasoned, since by her speech she expected him to know who her husband is. <I>But why would any teacher tell Shinrya-san about me, I've never met either of them before today... Ick. Seemed like she had the knowledge advantage for now. "Konoha has been great! I made a bunch of friends, and now I'm on a team... Team 11! We haven't had any missions yet though, since we came to Tea right after our team formed. Yeah I became a Genin just before we left Konoha, I had to climb a waterfall! And then retreat from a castle!" the boy said excitedly, relating his experiences abroad with all the enjoyment he felt for them. He rocked on his heels and put his hands up behind his head, smile bright and eager spirit present for all to see. "Tatsuo-sensei is fun! But he's having a lazy day today, no training or nothing. Soooooo I figured I'd do a mission of my own and look for cloudies!"

*Nice to meet you, Mama Kahako, Susumu!

[OOC:
WC: 578
TWC: 1681
PC: 2/5]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

“I’ll hold you to to that promise!” Susumu shouted as he started to round the first corner. From the corner, Saito could hear, “I’m gonna make myself sick off seafood! This country is amazing!!”

Susumu was halfway around the building by the time Saito recounted his adventures into becoming a genin to Kahako. She chuckled, “Well then, consider it a mission well accomplished.” The name ‘Tatsuo’ struck a chord deep within Kahako, but she couldn’t quite place a face to the name. Like a dream, a stream in the Ancient Forest back home, and the subtle feeling of frustration, then relief, and finally elation crossed over her mind. However, the image and all feelings that rushed her left just as quickly. “That is good! It’s good to hear you are close to both your teacher and fellow colleagues. You have a very rare opportunity, and it means a great deal to both our country and theirs.” At this, Kahako sighed wistfully. Originally, she planned to visit the country of Fire, but fate seemed to have more important plans that would lead her elsewhere. “I must say, I am little envious. I would have loved to learn medical techniques from other countries when I was still an MiT.”

As Kahako said this, Susumu was rounding the corner, trying to finish his first lap. Already sweat dripped down his neck, disappearing into his thin shirt. As he passed them, he eyed the squid still in her hands, slowing down as a result. “Keep your speed and your posture straight.” Kahako admonished, seeing him hesitate. Quickly he straightened up and picked up the pace.

As he rounded the corner and disappeared from their view, a mischievous idea slipped into Kahako’s mind. “Ne… Saito-kun. Would you be willing to help me with something? Susumu’s intense training is a result of him getting into a good bit of trouble. I wish to teach him a lesson from this, but he doesn’t seem to be… understanding.” Turning fully to the teen, Kahako grinned and lifted a finger from her free hand in the air. “I’m going to sit back down and pretend to read my book. While I do so, will you try your best to slow him down from finishing his training? I promise I’ll make it worth your while, and it could be a good bit of training on your end as well.” On the outside, the idea sounded almost downright mean. But Kahako never did anything to her child that didn’t cause himself to improve in one way or another. Even if he didn’t see it that way.

Spoiler

1020 + 434 =1,454 /1500 wc 3/5 posts

 

[Samsara Saito]

She's a med-nin?<i></i> Saito's thoughts raced for a moment at that revelation. He had originally come to Kumo to be a med-nin, but got... a bit distracted by Tatsuo, as the genin found to happen quite often with people where Tatsuo was concerned. No one on his Team 11 seemed to be med-nin either, which the boy recognized to be a massive threat to his squad's survival rate. Tatsuo knew a bit of healing jutsu, but if he wasn't around and bad things happened, someone could well die a preventable death.

When Kahako asked Saito to slow Susumu down, the young cloudie immediately returned a sly grin. She's downright frightening, Susumu probably didn't even realize the full extent. "So you can use friends as training tools too? That's hilarious, I'm in. I can use jutsu, right?" The genin did actually want Susumu as a friend after all this so he couldn't do anything too terrible, and he doubted the academy student's mother wanted any actual damage inflicted upon her son, but even within those boundaries there existed any number of ways to hinder his new buddy's progress. "I can try out this new jutsu I just mastered! He won't even see it coming." And with that, he ran to the wall and ran up it, going through a window to the outside whose view overlooked Susumu's path around the building. Waiting until the academy student got to the back where shenanigans wouldn't disturb the hotel's normal business activity, Saito flowed through some handsigns and grinned. "Shadow style, Absolute Void," he murmurs quietly. And once the darkness removes Susumu's ability to see, a few earth jutsu to put up walls in places the boy wouldn't expect to find them, as well as a few mud pits to sink him to his waist should he happen to walk into their conspicuous placement within the darkness...

"If this gives you too much trouble, Susumu, I'll be sure to make it up to you," Saito quietly chuckles beneath his breath. Having a presumably highly placed Cloud med-nin instructor owe him one would definitely come in handy!

[OOC:
WC: 356
TWC: 2037
PC: 3/5]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Kahako chuckled “Absolutely.” Saito was totally up for her little prank, and in a way it excited Kahako. She watched the genin run up the wall and into an inn window with fluid ease. “Oh-hoooo, that was an excellent display of chakra control for his age.” she commented idly to herself, noticing a complete lack of foot impressions in the brick that would be common for one his age. No wonder he was already a genin. Opening her book again with one hand, she scanned the lines without really gaining any knowledge. It would be minute or two before she would be in a position to see the little trap she laid.

Susumu kept his pace strong as he rounded the corner going back toward the courtyard. His mind was all about his new friend and the delicious food waiting in his mother’s hand. A little tune he made on the spot came out of his mouth at each pounding step of his run. “Lob-ster, shri-imp, and squi-id. grilled and fried. Fresh-fish, fresh-clams. all day, all night. Tea is full of food de-lights~~~”

So engrossed in his world, he was completely taken aback by the sudden lack of sight. “What the-!?” Susumu shouted in alarm trying to slow down. Unfortunately, the laws of momentum ruled against him. Though the initial impact against the wall wasn’t painful, the sudden object in his way was stunning, and threw him off balance...

...And into a spot on the ground where he quickly started to sink. Panicked, he began to struggle. This only made matters worse, as he slowly began to sink deeper into the abyss he couldn’t see. Was this it? What he going to die here!? Like his sight, he slowly saw all the delicious grilled food he could eat with his new friend slow float further and further away from him in his mind’s eye. “NOOOOO! MY SQUID!!!” He shouted, pulsing chakra through his body.

Struggling to climb out of the pit was like swimming in cement. By some miracle, he found an edge of solid ground, dragging himself from the mud with a loud roar. But there was still a problem with his sight, and after a few quick seconds of heavy breathing and relief, Susumu performed a few hand seals. “Neutral Style, Crystal Eye jutsu!” he mumbled.

Immediately, he felt his senses begin to clear, but the sudden chime of laughter startled him so much, the darkness around him remained. Kahako had seen the entire thing happen, and when Susumu crawled out of the mud pit, she couldn’t help but look at his besotted state with sympathetic humor.

“Mom? Is that you? This isn’t funny!” Susumu bit out angrily as he lay exhausted on the ground heaving and finally giving up. Standing and moving over to the boy, Kahako waved for Saito to come back down. “Sorry, dear,” Kahako said, the laughter still hung in her voice. “I wanted to see how you would react to the unexpected.” When Saito returned to the pair, Kahako turned to him for a moment. “Here, can you hold these for me for a moment?” she said handing the skewers back to the boy.

Slipping into an unfamiliar martial arts style, Kahako began twisting her wrists in circular motions over the mud pit behind Susumu. Water slowly began to rise, as she leeched the liquid from the ground around them. Mud turned to bone-dry dirt, and a large dome of water was floating in the air by the time Susumu was back on his feet.

“Hold still, you look like a swamp rat.” Moving her hands gently back and forth, Susumu felt the tell-tale sign of his mother’s water manipulation course over his skin. The sticky feeling of sweat, dirt, and mud disappeared as she used her jutsu to pull everything away. Saito could see scratches made from the struggle begin to close and disappear. By the time she was done, Susumu looked a little better, albeit very damp. The warm morning air would address that problem in time, so Kahako wasn’t too terribly worried.

“There you go, much better.” she said, dusting her hands. “That was truly a marvelous display from the both of you, I must say.” Now with his sight back, Susumu was able to put together that it was Saito who casted the series of jutsu that lead to his literal downfall. He frowned.

“Don’t be too mad at Saito-kun. I was the one who put him up to it.” The wide grin plastered on his mother’s face as she re-took the skewers from Saito’s hand calmed the pre-teen to a point of simply fake pouting.

“No harm, no foul.” he said to Saito with a red tint layered on his cheeks and a glance back at his mother's smile. It would have been cooler to see past whatever jutsu Saito casted on him, but he could have done a lot worse. With order somewhat restored, Susumu simply let what just happened drop. His smile returned. "When I'm done running, will you teach me that jutsu? I was completely taken off guard!" Susumu asked.

He didn’t know his mother’s grin could get any wider until that moment. “No need to continue running,” she said. “I find that you have finally realized the lesson I was trying to teach you today.” Susumu (and probably Saito) looked at her as if she had grown a second head. This made Kahako chuckle once more. “‘Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.’ The fact that you didn’t continue to complain, and instead wanted to finish your laps proved to me that you still have your mind on your end goal and that even with this distraction, you knew I would not have let you go otherwise.”

At some point during her mom-o-loge, her hands had slipped behind her back with the skewers. With her right, she reproduced the two, somehow now warm and steaming. “They might not be as fresh, but I assure you they are quite hot. Go ahead and have mine Saito-kun. The level of chakra control and situational awareness you posses is leagues higher than many your age, and you deserve it. I would say you could make a decent medical shinobi one day if you so desired.”

Spoiler: OOC

1,454 + 1000+ = 1500+ /1500 wc 4/5 posts

--Susumu fails ‘breaking’ absolute void as soon as it is casted and is blinded
--Roll to break “bind” (15% chance): 1d100 = 86 (phew!)
--Susumu casts ‘Crystal Eye’ mastered, but again fails ‘breaking’ absolute void.

Spoiler

Numbers so you know what wonky math I did for this result:
Assuming Susumu is the highest OOC rank allowed for an Academy Student… (B-rank 300 capped stats b/c I started in cloud)
Susumu Awareness:
Awareness Value = (.5 Stat Average) + (.3 Genjutsu) + (.2 Chakra Control)
Stat avg: 0.5((300*6)/6) = 150
Gen: 300 * 0.3 = 90
CC: 300 * 0.2 = 60
Sum: 150 + 90 + 60 = 300 ⇒ 10 - 3 (Absolute void Penalty) =
1st awareness check: 7 + 4(roll) = 12
2nd awareness check: 7 + 1 + 1(roll) = 9

Against Saito’s stealth (for the absolute void)
Stealth Value = (.6 Stat Average) + (.4 Agility)
Stat Avg: 0.6*(2378/6) = 237.8
Agility: 0.4*428 = 171.20
Sum: 409 ⇒ 12 - 5 (for open courtyard in early morning light/terrain) =
1st stealth check: 7 + 18(roll) = 25
2nd stealth check: 7 + 5(roll) = 12

 

[Samsara Saito]

From his perch atop the inn building, Saito possessed an unobstructed view of Susumu's interactions with his shadow and earth jutsu. Kahako-okasan's poor child ran smack into all of it, the evoked darkness blinding the boy and the sudden loss of visibility leading him to run straight into an earthen wall and falling back into a mud pit. The academy student's cries of "NOOOOOOO! MY SQUID!" tempted Saito to enjoy his new friend's plight for a moment, but he just couldn't, it wasn't nice to tease or be teased. Besides, Susumu's ability was nothing to laugh about, the sheer physical strength he exhibited as he roared his way out of the mud pit an impressive sight for Saito to watch. He thought back to the time he pulled himself over the waterfall at the last minute, that feeling of determination overriding whatever pain or frustration he had in his body...

After he pulled himself out of Saito's earth style, Susumu calmed himself down and enacted a jutsu to attempt to see through the genin's shadow style. He took a moment to relax and think... he's well-trained,<i></i> the exchange student freely admitted to himself, with a thought to his scary mom and the payoff such scary training gave her son. While the academy student could not ultimately break through the shadow technique, neither his mother nor Saito thought it particularly necessary. The strength and skill Susumu showed had clearly been enough. Saito dismissed the jutsu when Kahako called the exercise off -- her laughter causing Saito to grin and shake his head, she really is kind of mean, I think she enjoyed every second of that!<i></i> -- and jumped down from his perch to stand by her side when she waved for him.

Holding the skewers of squid for Kahako as requested, Saito watched the woman manipulate the water from the mud pit using a method of weaving handsigns he had never seen before. Then, she used that water to both clean and cleanse her son, and to heal him too... Saito again looked at Kahako's skill with the touch of an awe that Susumu seemed completely immune to.

"That was truly a marvelous display from the both of you, I must say... Don’t be too mad at Saito-kun. I was the one who put him up to it,”<i></i> she said after she'd finished her jutsu, and both of them watched her son put the pieces together. When the boy shrugged it all off and saw the positive -- a new jutsu to possibly learn! -- Saito's own relieved smile lit up with its own inner light. "I'd be happy to show you my jutsu, Susumu! And I don't think I expected you to pull yourself out of that pit once you fell in, that was pretty impressive!"

When Kahako determined the lesson well-learned -- for both of us,<i></i> the 10 year old genin thought to himself suspiciously, I think these are the kinds of lessons Tatsuo tries to teach me -- Susumu was released from the remainder of his training and was allowed to eat the squid, the long-suffering boy's much-deserved reward. Saito certainly didn't mind eating the other one, replenishing the chakra he used for Kahako-okasan's lessons with the first of what would be a smorgasbord of seafood later seemed exactly the right thing to do. Tatsuo would pay, afterall.

"I would say you could make a decent medical shinobi one day if you so desired,”<i></i> Kahako continued to say to Saito, who had just swallowed his last bite of squid. Eyes lighting up, his full attention goes to the academy student's mother. "Do you really think so? Because that's part of my plan! To train as a med nin for my team!"

WC: 627
TWC: 2664
PC: 4/5

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Susumu was now grinning from ear to ear as he was both complimented by both his mother and a genin and given the one thing he wanted most in his life currently. What could he say, he was a boy of simple pleasures. Silently he watched Saito and Kahako’s exchange over the not-so-silent munching of his food. Just as he imagined, the thing was flavorful, juicy… and a little bit rubbery from being overcooked. But still totally worth it in the end. He could only imagine how it tasted fresh off the coals.

Still with her right hand tucked behind her back, Kahako tapped her cheek and thought deeply at Saito’s commentary. “Oh-ho, you actually want to become a medical shinobi?” She was quite surprised at this turn of events. “It’s a shame you are still under the care of Konoha. I have been thinking of acquiring a student for a good few months now...”

Then, the wheels in her mind began spinning she lifted her hand to ponder. “...Actually, I think this could be a very beneficial situation for the both of us and our country…” With a smirk, Kahako lifted her ‘pondering’ finger off her cheek, and pointed in the air as if a light bulb went off. “Will you be staying for the entire duration of the the tournament, Saito-kun?” she asked curiously. “Junko-san is also in town for the event. I can certainly send him a missive requesting an official transfer to the medical branch.”

Sinking into a hip, Kahako thought more and more of her idea. “You wouldn’t even be close to completing your training in the few months we have here... but maybe I can obtain an audience with Konoha’s medical sennin if they are also here... What you learn from their country could be extremely beneficial to ours…”

At this, Kahako began to pace. “Ah… but I’m sure your sensei will need to approve this as well, Ah! Maybe we can invite your team to dinner after the events of today?” A light sparked in her mind that the idea of meeting this ‘Tatsuo.’ She did not know why the name seemed so familiar, but it felt like she should meet with this man, if only to thank him for his hospitality to one of her kinsmen.

Meanwhile, Susumu was slowly growing bored of the topic at hand. At some point, he sat on the ground, noisily munching on the last of his mid-morning snack. Personally, he thought being a medical shinobi was boring. All his mom did was read, read, read, and she spent most of her time inside a building. Then she spent more time at home reading, and occasionally she’d tell him about her day. She couldn’t say much though, which he never understood. Nope. He would rather be out in the midst of battle, swinging his katana and defeating his enemies. “By the way mom, how did you keep the squid warm? Fire jutsu? I didn’t know you could cast that…”

Ever a parent, Kahako soon grew weary of Susumu’s loud chomping yet humored his question. “Yes, but by Raiden’s mercy, please chew with your mouth closed,” she said. A bit of juice found its way on his cheek. Seeing it, she pulled her right hand around to wipe it away with the sleeve of her yukata. “The Raikage’s son, and a member of a noble clan of Lightning, and one would thing you were raised in a barn.” she tutted.

Immediately, Susumu turned a bright shade of red, immediately pulling away as the ‘mothering’ he was receiving in front of Saito. “Stop! I’m not eight anymore.” he muttered heatedly with a look of annoyance. Realizing the ‘cool’ points she probably deducted from his ‘teen card,’ Kahako simply smiled gently. “Hai, hai,” she relented as she pulled her hand away.

Saito would notice then, how Kahako jumped, as if meantally realizing something. As Susumu distracted himself by taking the bottom of his shirt to remove the food from his face, Kahako tried to subtly pull the sleeve of her right arm down. Saito would see her wrist and fingers as she covered them. The once tannish, pink, and healthy digits now held a grey, unhealthy appearance to them. Blackish veins twisted around her wrist, lining the back of her hand and fingers, but that was all Saito would see before everything disappeared in fabric.

Kahako turned back to him, none the wiser on what the gennin just saw. “So what do you say, Saito-kun? If I am able to manage it, would you like to spend a bit of your time in Tea as my medical student?”

Spoiler: OOC

1500+ /1500 wc 5/5 posts once Saito posts I will open this topic for anyone to join via a PM request

 

[Samsara Saito]

For the young Saito, the day just kept getting better and better. Eating fresh grilled squid from his new favorite food stand. Getting to see the sights and the events in Tea. Succeeding in his mission to find and meet other cloudies. Making a new friend in Susumu. And now, maybe, just maybe, even fulfilling his original desire of being trained as a med nin. He never thought Tea would offer so much when Tatsuo suggested going there for the tournament, he basically thought he'd get to see fights and that's it. But to actually find a med nin trainer... from Cloud no less. As Kahako talked through the plan, Saito continued to listen and eat, his excitement rising as surely as Susumu's diminished. And the idea of learning medical jutsu from both Konoha and Kumo, strengthening the connection between both countries in the bargain, fascinated him deeply. He'd read many books about the sorts of struggles nations and their leaders went through, how important good relations were, and how much adventure and challenge could come from making sure everything stayed nice and friendly... No one better than a medical ninja to keep bonds alive and healthy!

"I'm definitely staying for the whole tournament, we're all having too much fun. If you need anyone to deliver any missives around town, I'd be happy to accept the mission!" the boy chimed happily, hands behind his head as he smiled, rocking on his heels. Saito likewise loved the idea of dinner with his Konoha team and his Kumo countrymen, and knew that Tatsuo would agree. After he finished lecturing the boy for breaking the buddy system rules, of course. NOT looking forward to THAT conversation... though he still likely won't be as tough as Kahako-okasa -- oops! Kahako-SENSEI...

Listening to the back-and-forth between Kahako and Susumu, he nearly choked on the last bite of his squid. The RAIKAGE'S son? Which would... make Kahako...</B><i></i> And in a flash, he finally remembered where he saw the name Kogami before. On the bottom of his Kumogakure acceptance letter. Kogami Ayumu, Raikage.

Aside from that little cough to clear his throat of squid, Saito recovered from his surprise well enough, wondering what kind of amazing jutsu a ninja strong enough to stand at the side of the Raikage must possess. Surely that water manipulation jutsu was beyond anything the genin had seen before, and he bore an affinity for the element. Plus she also used fire... Observing her closely in that moment, he did not fail to catch a glimpse of her right hand. She covered it quickly, and now that Saito thought about it, she'd been obscuring it in one way or another throughout their entire interaction that morning. She didn't want anyone knowing about it. <B>I wonder if Susumu does? The genin did not look for long and of course didn't mention it. Ultimately it was none of his business.

"I'm your student, Kahako-sensei! Can't wait to get started!" She'd make him work really hard, of course, and he'd have less time to enjoy Tea... but he'd appreciate this beginningplace of his medical studies to no end when he ended up saving the lives of his team one day because of it.

[WC: 554, TWC: 3218/1500, Post Count 5/5. Tutor Complete!]