Catching Fish For The Family [Open]

[Akamaro]

[OOC: Just wanted to do some RPing of my character but anyone is more than welcome to join!]

Akamaro had woken up late this morning. Stretching and yawning he peered out his window to see his mother tending to the outside of the home. As he lay in bed the boy thought about all the work she does for the family and thought of ways he could help her out. An idea popped into his head as he relaxed. I'll get dinner for the family tonight!<i></i> It was a good idea and the least he could do. Plus he had the perfect place to visit to get dinner.

Making his way downstairs Akamaro greeted his father. The man was sorting through some papers in the living room. Akamaro glanced to his fathers missing hand on his right arm. Normally his father would've been out training at this time but his injury was really having an effect on him. He no longer seemed to even want to train. "Morning Dad!" Akamaro said as he approached him. He hugged his father and went to the kitchen to get a drink. "Good morning son." The man responded, still focused on the organizing of his papers. Akamaro grabbed some juice from the fridge and took a gulp ignoring the need for a glass. "So Dad--" Akamaro paused to take another gulp of the juice. "I had an idea to help you and Mom today." The boy wiped his mouth. His father turned and looked to the child. "Oh yeah? What was your idea?" Akamaro gave a smile. "I'm going to get us dinner tonight so you two don't have to worry!" Akamaro's father chuckled. He appreciated the boys help and could see the boy was finally starting to grow not just physically, but mentally. "Really? Well that sounds like a good idea and im sure your Mother would love the help." The man turned his whole body to face the boy. "So what were you thinking of getting?" Akamaro shook his head. "I can't tell you that! It'll ruin the surprise!" His father chuckled once more. "Well I guess I'll just have to wait and see!" He turned back to the papers in front of him in order to hide the slight look of worry that just came across his face. Please be something good, please be something good...</I><i></i>

Akamaro grabbed a large container that was kept in his house and tore through a closet to find a fishing pole and fishing gear. Akamaro placed the fishing gear into the container and attached straps to it so he could carry it easily on his back. The boy double checked to make sure he had all the appropriate things he needed and then rushed out of his home. As he ran out of the house he quickly made a pit stop to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. "See you later Mom I'll be back!" The woman quickly turned to her son. "Where are you going mister!?" Akamaro turned his head and smiled, all while still moving away from the house. "It's a surprise! Ask Dad! I promise I won't be gone long!" He waved his arm and proceeded to his destination as his Mother waved back. <I>That boy is getting more active everyday. The academy will be good for him.

Soon the boy was getting closer to his destination. He had to go all the way to the Toraono Dojo to reach the place. Akamaro knew how to get to the fishing spot because he had been quite a few times with his father but it had probably been 2 years or more since his last visit. As he approached the Undersea it all came back to Akamaro. It was quite a beautiful place. Sun crystals gently lit the area giving it an out of this world appearance. The water sparkled and was a beauty to look at. Who would have thought that the water could be this beautiful below ground? Akamaro had never seen the surface so he couldn't compare this water to that above ground but he imagined it either looked like this or maybe even better. It was mesmerizing to see the water move and flow. Approaching the water Akamaro placed his hands in and splashed some on his face. It was amazing, the perfect temperature and so very refreshing. He could see how lucky Sunagakure was to have something like this at their disposal. Most everyone's life relied on this area. Akamaro made his way to a spot he believed would be good and placed down the container on his back. He reached in to grab and assemble his fishing pole. Once assembled he looked out into the water trying to decide just where he wanted to cast his line. When he found a spot he believed would have the best fish he postioned the pole with the line behind him and flung the lure out into the water. It landed with a Plop! and sank just beneath the surface.

The boy sat on the ground and waited patiently to see if he might catch a fish. Staring at the pole for movement, Akamaro was in a slight state of meditation.

[Marked For Training (Word Count: 855)]

 

[Akamaro]

It had been about 45 minutes since Akamaro had first cast the lure. He had brought it in and recast it a few times but still he got no bites. The waiting was starting to get to Akamaro as he sat staring at his fishing pole. An idea came over him to pass the time. Well, a bit of training couldn't hurt. Besides there are a few new tricks I should start perfecting.</I><i></i> The boy rose to his feet and cracked his fingers. He dug a spot for his fishing rod and made sure it was being held tightly in the ground. Akamaro didn't need to be staring at the pole every second. If a fish were to bite he would be able to see the pole bend. Looking out into the water Akamaro took a deep breath. This was a perfect area to be practicing the jutsu he had recently learned.

Lately Akamaro had been studying a basic water scroll he had come across. It taught two low level ninjutsu that even he could perform. It was a great way for him to practice and it sure would look good if he went into the academy with some ninjutsu experience. He prepared himself for the first jutsu, Pressurized Mist. Akamaro focused and remembered the hand signs he had seen in the scroll. He swiftly tried to perform them but jumbled his fingers. No need to rush, this is practice.<i></i> Once more Akamaro pictured the signs in his head. He performed them much slower this time making sure that each sign was correct. Once the signs were complete Akamaro inhaled a deep breath. He could feel himself focusing his chakra to the breath is his lungs and throat. After a few seconds of concentrating Akamaro released his breath. As he exhaled, mist covered the area surrounding Akamaro making it hard to see. A smile spread across his face. It was quite the sight for an academy student to behold. He really was learning and getting better. As the mist slowly disappeared Akamaro brought his hands together to perform the jutsu once more. As he started to perform the hand signs he noticed something out of the corner of his eye that caught his attention.

THE FISHING POLE WAS BENDING! HE HAD CAUGHT A FISH!

Shoot! How long has there been a bite!? He thought as he rushed to the pole. Grabbing it firmly with both hands Akamaro planted his feet into the ground. Quickly Akamaro reeled in the line. Every few seconds Akamaro would lean back and pull on the fishing pole in an attempt to tire the fish. The tug of war went on for a few minutes which to Akamaro seemed like an eternity. Then, finally, Akamaro could feel he was winning the battle. With a few good tugs and quick reeling in Akamaro watched as the lure came out of the water with a pretty large fish attached. Giddy laughter could be heard coming from the academy student as he admired his catch. Mom and Dad will be so proud! Let's see if I can catch another!<i></i> Akamaro swung the fish to himself so he could detach it from the lure. He fumbled around with the lure until finally it came free from the fishes mouth. Unfortuneately the boy wasn't ready and the fish fell to the ground. "Ah! Fishy! I'm sorry about that!" He attempted to pick up the fish as it flopped around on the ground. Finally after getting a hold of the creature Akamaro placed it gently in the container he had brought with him. "Alright! Let's get some water into that container for you. Plus you're dirty from flopping around on the floor." Akamaro was going to get water from the Undersea but thought of an idea. This was the perfect time to try the other jutsu he was learning.

Taking a deep breath Akamaro focused himself. He once again slowly performed hand signs making sure each one was correct. Then Akamaro focused his chakra into his left palm. A feeling of moisture spread across the hand and he smiled knowing he was performing the jutsu. With confidence Akamaro pointed his hand at the container and released his chakra. A powerful stream of water shot at the container. Akamaro smiled and laughed until he saw what was happening. He hadn't anticipated the jutsu having as much strength as it did. Akamaro could do nothing as he watched the stream of water knock over the container and sweep away the fish. Slowly the fish slid and flopped across the ground until it reached the edge of the Undersea where it made one final flop and landed back in the water. A sinking feeling came over Akamaro as he watched his dinner swim away in the Undersea.

<I>I... Had it... So close... Why... The fish had defeated Akamaro... No, Akamaro had defeated himself! He sat on the ground pouting for a few minutes before letting out a deep sigh. I have nothing better to do... Guess I'll just try again.... And so the boy set up his lure and fishing pole once more. With a flick of the wrist Akamaro flung the lure back into the Undersea. He sat with the pole between his legs and decided to just focus on fishing. Perhaps this wasn't the right time to train afterall...

 

[Takahashi Hiruma]

With one of the few times he had more than a day off at a time, Hiruma strolled nonchalantly through the underground. Already he could feel the humidity rising slightly, letting him know he was near the waters. On his shoulder was a simple back pack with a telescopic pole sticking out the top. Fresh dinner would be a good change for once, he thought to himself. He hummed a wordless tune to himself for a time, before taking notice of faint echoes. The echoes strengthened slightly as he made his way closer to the water. Guess I'll be sharing the pond today.

As he approached the final bend of the cavern, the echoes increased not only in pitch, but in activity. Then, as brief as it was, trickled off again. He wasn't entirely sure what the noises came from, but it definitely had something to do with water. The cavern opened up in a grand fashion as he turned the corner, revealing some of the underground's rare true beauties to Hiruma. As many times as he'd seen it before, every time still brought a sense of wonder to him. Out by the water was a person - a boy it seemed, sitting by the water's edge with a fishing poll. Is he the one making all the noise? Hiruma strolled closer, giving slight noise to his footsteps. He did not wish to startle the boy, should it be that critical moment when a fish was about to take the hook.

"Hello there." His voice softly echoed off the cavern's walls. Stopping several feet from the boy, he peered out over the clear water. "Anything biting today?"

MFT, WC 277

 

[Akamaro]

Akamaro sat patiently staring at his fishing pole. So far he was not getting lucky. A depressed look came over the boys face. He had caught a fish... but now he was stuck with nothing because of his stupid decisions to practice jutsus he wasn't even fully familiar with. The idea of giving up was crossing through his mind when he could hear footsteps coming up to him. Akamaro turned his body and looked to the tall man that was approaching. He politely greeted the boy to which Akamaro responded, "Hello!" Then he asked about the fish. The boys face became slightly red as he thought about whether to tell the man about his mistake with his previous catch. "Yeah they're biting... just..." Akamaro thought about what to say next. "Just make sure you hang on to the ones you catch." Akamaro scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. By the lack of any fish next to Akamaro added with what he had just said the man would probably be able to tell that Akamaro had messed up his last catch.

Suddenly Akamaro felt a tug on his pole. The boys eyes lit up as he tightened his grip around the rod. Tugging and reeling in Akamaro directed his attention to the lake. "Sorry, one second!" Akamaro battled with the fish for a few seconds before finally getting the creature out of the water. Smiling from ear to ear Akamaro filled the container he had brought with water and placed the fish in it. This fish was smaller than the first one he caught, the body being about two and a half feet, but the boy didn't care. As long as he came home with something.

"I think you were my good luck charm!" Akamaro said as he turned to face the man who had just arrived. Bowing Akamaro greeted himself. "My name is Akamaro. Academy Student of Sunagakure! It's nice to meet you." Akamaro may not be a full fledged shinobi but he is proud that he is working towards it. Plus the excitement of catching a fish made him a bit more talkative than he normally would have been. Akamaro would surely cast his line out another time and see if maybe he could catch more fish. The boy worked on his line and prepared it for another cast as he awaited a response from the man.

[Marked For Training (Word Count: 400)]

 

[Takahashi Hiruma]

Hiruma smiled amicably as the boy answered his question. It was obvious the boy had done something to foil a previous attempt, judging by the color his cheeks turned. He would not push it however. Perhaps in time the boy would learn the timeless wisdom of hiding mistakes by not alluring to them altogether. But that was neither here nor there. As the boy suddenly turned his attention and excitement to his fishing pole, Hiruma stepped back a bit. "By all means, do what you need." He crossed his arms and observed the site of him pulling the fish out of the water to flop on the water's edge. "That's a nice sized fish there. Hope I can catch one that size."

The boy's good luck comment sparked a chuckle from Hiruma. "Believe me, you don't want the luck I have. There was this one..." He was about to ramble about something pointless to a stranger, one of his more awkward social habits, but caught himself falling into it. He often imagined how bad he'd be with it when he was older. He brought his focus back to the moment when the boy bowed and introduced himself. "Akamaro, eh? Look, no need for the formalities here. I'm Hiruma." He held out a hand to Akamaro. Unbeknownst to him, this entire time he'd been looking directly into the eyes of the boy, another one of his awkward habits that he'd been trying to break. Finally catching himself, he cast his gaze over the water a little quicker than what would be natural. "They're biting, you say? Wonder if I can pull in a fish at least half as big as yours."

Hiruma put his bag down and cracked the knuckles of his fingers. Weaving a few handseals caused particles from the ground at his feet to rise up and condense into a sphere that quickly took on the color of an eyeball. They crystal eye rose a few feet above him and moved out over the water. He'd closed one eye to help him focus with his impromptu one. "There do seem to be quite a few out here. Perhaps one or two can go over a camp fire shortly. Know any fire techniques?"

MFT: 373

 

[Akamaro]

[Sorry I've been busy lately!]

Akamaro listened as the man told the boy to not be so formal. This made him feel a bit more relaxed, he never really liked being stiff and formal. Hiruma introduced himself and offered his hand for a handshake. Akamaro shook his hand and smiled, "It's nice to meet you Hiruma." Akamaro had also noticed that the man was keeping direct eye contact with him the whole time. At first Akamaro felt maybe he had something on his face but he knew that some people just kept eye contact out of respect. Either way he didn't feel too uneasy. Hiruma then cracked his knuckles and started to perform some handsigns. Akamaro's eyes lit up. He's a shinobi! Watching very closely the boy watched as particles rose up from the ground. He was mesmerized as he watched them collect and condense. How cool... Soon a crystal eye had formed. Akamaro loved seeing new techniques so this was pretty amazing to him. Hiruma covered one of his eyes and Akamaro was starting to piece together that he could now see through the crystal eye. As it soared out to the water Akamaro could only imagine what that must feel and look like. Plus that is a really useful technique for fishing! He could see where all the good fishing spots would be to cast your line. Hiruma suggested they cook some of the fish and wanted to know if Akamaro could use any fire techniques. "Well..." Akamaro started. "I have been practicing some fire jutsu. I may not be an expert but im sure i could start a fire." He smiled and looked around the area. "Any idea what we can use to keep the campfire going?"

[Marked For Training (Word Count: 285)]

 

[Takahashi Hiruma]

"Hmm... That's a fat one. Trout I think. Lets cast in that direction over there."

Hiruma pointed in the direction where his improvised eye had spotted a rather juicy looking fish. He reached for the pole in his pack as Akamaro brought up an excellent point. He took a second look around and saw that flammable material was scarce nearby. He willed his crystal eye to rise further up and scan around them. "Over there appears to be some boards from something abandoned, hopefully they aren't too wet. Now about that fish...."

With a flick of the wrist, he casted the lure well beyond where the fish in question was, and slowly reeled it in to its area. "And now we wait." He took a seat on the ground and placed the pole's handle in the nook of his knee before reaching in his pack once more. Out of it he drew a ceramic bottle of modest size that he skillfully popped the string-attached cord from. "So you're an academy student? How far along are you? Have a specialty yet?" He took a swig of the saki as he quietly waited for Akamaro to answer. By this time, the fish appeared to notice the lure, but did not immediately go for it. If we catch this thing, I hope this kid is better with fire jutsu than I am. I can't remember if I packed any matches. He placed the bottle on the ground and released a sigh of satisfaction. Hiruma reached for his pole and gave it a couple twitches to see if he could stimulate a strike from the fish. About this time he let his focus wander away from the crystal eye, which promptly dissolved into the minerals it had come from once more.

MFT: 297