Dreaming Big Dreams [OPEN]

[Samsara Saito]

With the sun shining and the air warm, the smells of delicious food wafting through the air, and the sounds of a bustling, active village all around, Saito had ceased all movement after finally finding the place he sought: the Bibliotheca Conscientiae. Standing outside of the incredibly large building, the young and inexperienced boy still felt a deep sort of reverence for the establishment. As a child of his monastery, the monks drilled into his mind the importance of knowledge and a strong education, and he received those lessons quite well; his reading and comprehension skills constantly astounded the monks, and once his appetite for reading had been properly whetted, his passion for the pastime only continued to swell. He would spend weeks in the small library at the cloisters, absorbing all he could and dreaming of the ways to use the knowledge he had acquired. As soon as he understood what it was to be a ninja, he knew exactly what he was meant to do, and believed with all his heart that his studies and determination would take him high up the ranks.

Still new in the city, he looked up at the monstrous building, its enormity dwarfing his child-sized frame. He gulped, a trickle of sweat trailing its way down the side of his face as he pushed a hand through unruly white hair.

"I wonder if they'll allow me inside?"

He was still so new to the city, had just received his enrollment scroll. Satoshi-niisan had departed, and Saito knew he had to do things for himself if he ever wanted the attention of such a revered Sensei -- or any other Sensei with the med-nin, for that matter. He knew medical ninjutsu was his path -- just the beginning, but a daunting beginning nonetheless.

The young boy stood for a moment, thinking. Thinking about what he should do.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo usually wasn't one for libraries. Books, being quiet, and studying hard really wasn't his forte, but today he found himself a few blocks away from the Bibliotheca Conscientiae. He had just gotten lunch at a small BBQ place tucked away in one of the alleyways near the great library. Tatsuo had been in the Village Hidden in the Clouds for quite a while now, but when he wasn't on missions he usually parading around in the Ancient Forest in whatever mess Hoshi, Hira and he would get into that day. But both of them were busy doing something, it sounded boring anyways so he hadn't really asked.

He was obviously dressed to fight the weather, being a foreigner to the Land of Lightning, the climate was as harsh as some of the locals. A thick gray jacket over a long woolen shirt seemed to do the job. His Leaf headband proudly displayed for the world to see, despite the occasional odd look he might get because of it. He was planning on taking his time and enjoy the lack of snow they were having but he furrowed his brows and began to wonder if he forgot to turn off the stove before he left. Images of a burnt house, all his possessions turned to ash, and the justified beating he would get from Kaji sprung him into action. Zero to one hundred the boy broke out into a sprint, running straight back to his house in the Ancient Forest. Unfortunately for the both of them, Samsara Saito would be in his way. Bobbing and weaving through the people, carts, and other things you'd find in a busy street in Kumogakure it'd seem like the boy wasn't capable of a misstep, that every action was carefully decided as he hopped over carts and slid past the crowds. But they couldn't be more wrong, he was lucky and luck always runs out.

Crash!

Out of nowhere Tatsuo came barreling in, he had avoided running over this one pretty girl who he tried to take one last peek at her before he continued his sprint and crashed straight into the young Academy Student. While Tatsuo wasn't massive, he was still fifteen years old and nearing a hundred and forty pounds. Sixty three and a half kilograms for our friends not from Konoha. As the dust settled and Tatsuo rubbed his wounds he looked around to see the victim in his mad dash to get home. Rushing over to him he grabbed his face for a second and said "Oh are you alright!? C'mon kid, say something!"

Tatsuo has entered the thread

 

[Samsara Saito]

Silently staring up at a library and motionlessly contemplating life completely fit with young Saito's nature. The books he'd read in the monastery of adventures in distant lands with powerful ninja always sent his thoughts on any number of journeys, leaving his body far behind to explore the furthest reaches of possibility that his young mind could comprehend. Usually, this happened while alone, or possibly in a quiet room with the other monks. For it to happen on a busy street with action flowing around him everywhere would teach him his first lesson on the difference between dropping his guard while cloistered away from civilization and doing so within the chaos of activity: sooner or later he would find himself on the ground in an ultimately surprising fashion.

The bigger, older boy sailed toward Saito like a projectile, coming at the new Academy student from the left. The whole event could have been easily avoided if either one had been paying proper attention, Saito could have taken a step back and been completely clear... but no such thing happened and the younger boy suddenly found himself flying through the air, landing hard on the paved walk and briefly losing consciousness after knocking his head. He came to after a few brief moments, blue-green eyes slitting open a touch with mind and vision still swimming, he struggled to understand exactly why he was suddenly looking up at the sky and not the library... why some older kid had a grip on his head and seemed to be shouting at him... and what was that weird, uncomfortable feeling all of a sudden?

Ah, right. Pain.

"Ouuuuchhhhhh....." the Academy student groaned, a free hand going to the new bump forming on the back of his head. Eyes open now, Saito looked up at the older boy, expression caught between wincing in pain and gaping in confusion.

"Oh are you alright!? C'mon kid, say something!"

Say something...

"Uhh... hi there, haha..." Saito says awkwardly but with a smile, still rubbing the bump on his head.

 

[Tatsuo]

Sorry i've been a little busy, i'll try and post more often.

Tatsuo let out a satisfied sigh after he realized the boy wasn't hurt. He extended his hand to help him up and grinned, "Sorry about that, pal. The name's Tatsuo, what's yours?" The boy would help him up and dust himself off as he looked over to the huge library the boy was starting at. "Were you going to the library?" He asked before crossing his arms, thinking about what might be in there. Scholarly acts weren't exactly his forte so he never actually entered the building and this was the first time he ever saw it up close. It truly was a intimidating building, tall and wide as it seemed to scrape the sky and fill the city itself. There were probably more books in there than there were people in the village, it was almost hard to wrap ones head around. "I've never been in the library before, I can't believe it's so massive." he said looking over to the boy, making sure his pain was light. "If you're still hurt I know a healing jutsu or two I can help." He offered with a smile, trying to make sure the kid was alright.

 

[Samsara Saito]

No problem, thank you for RPing with me!

"Saito," the younger boy said in reply, accepting Tatsuo's hand up and his assistance in knocking the dirt off of his person. "Samsara, Saito. Nice to meet you, Tatsuo! And no worries, I really should've been paying better attention. There are probably better places to see the library than from the middle of the busy road," he finishes, grin rueful as he offers the older boy a high five.

"I... want to go in, but... I'm not sure I'm allowed inside yet? I just enrolled in the academy so I should study but..." he trails off, voice unsure as his eyes once more trail up the massive building from bottom to top.

The knock to his head still pained him, doing its best to distract him from being polite to the second person he'd met in the village. He puts up a brave front, but his hand does drift back there a time or two without his thinking about it, resulting in a slight wince everytime it made careful contact. After I become a med-nin, I'll be able to heal bumps like this no problem, just wait and see!

"If you're still hurt I know a healing jutsu or two I can help," Tatsuo said then, a statement that made Saito's focus snap back to Tatsuo, eyes bright with interest. Healing jutsu! I want to see!

"It's really just a bump," Saito says again after a moment, sounding like it's no big deal -- before reaching back to touch it and wincing again with a light gasp of pain. Momentarily blushing for having just said one thing before proving the truth of the other, he laughs nervously. "Well, I mean, if it's not too much trouble, haha..."

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo grinned and offered the boy a high five! He placed his hands behind his head as he listened to Saito speak about being allowed in the library, his eyes squinted and he looked over it and shrugged. When he mentioned he was a ninja, Tatsuo's eyebrows shot up and he grinned from ear to ear. "Oh yea? Starting the academy? I'm a ninja myself." he said pointing to his foreign-Leaf headband. "I'm Ranna, Tatsuo of the Leaf Village." However his introducation was cut short as he noticed the boy stilled seemed to be in pain, "Man i'm sorry I really need to pay attention where I walk. I'll fix you right up, just stand still and it'll stop hurting in just a second."

"Wood style! Healing Barrier Jutsu!" And without even forming a hand seal tendrils of wood shot out from his arm, surrounding Saito from head to toe. Tatsuo hoped he wasn't afraid of tight spaces, but whatever fear the boy might have had would quickly be alleviated by the rejuvenation of nature. Natural energies would pump from the wood and coarse into his spirit, healing his injuries and relieving any tiredness he might have. After a few moments Tatsuo released the chakra flow to the wood and it slowly sunk back into the earth, as if it never existed.

"Feel better, buddy? That's my healing barrier, it fixes up most injuries especially small ones like that." he said before looking back to the library. "You know, i've never been into the library either. If you want we can go together, I doubt they can tell both of us no."

 

[Samsara Saito]

Meaningful moments in a young shinobi's life, in 3... 2... 1...!!

Saito had seen healing jutsu before; a few of the monks at his monastery had such high knowledge, and would use their powers to heal sicknesses or wounds as the medicinal (or occasionally financial) need required. The boy would watch the monks work if he could sneak away, and he himself needed their healing touch once in his life, many years ago... and so the 9 year old Academy student both had precious little experience with the world of healing jutsu himself, yet thought he knew all about what it could possibly look and feel like nonetheless.

When Tatsuo extended his arm, Saito fully expected the older boy to reach over and touch the bump on his head, and for the pain to somehow vanish in a bright green light. He knew he didn't understand all of the middle part details -- but he also watched carefully for Tatsuo's handsigns, knowing it would be the key to perhaps getting some sort of clue about his path to becoming a med-nin from this experience.

Tatsuo's calm, confident expression as he kept his hand extended toward Saito, not yet having taken a step from his current place, drew the younger boy's curious wonder... and in the brief moment before the jutsu began, Saito glanced up at the ninja's forehead protector. His eyebrows lifted a touch as his eyes once more met Tatsuo's easy confidence; and in that brief, last moment, he realized he actually had no clue what to expect.

Ranna, Tatsuo... of Konoha... what exactly are you about to do?

"Wood style! Healing Barrier Jutsu!"

Saito saw no handseals -- in fact, Tatsuo's other hand still rested easily at his side, and his extended hand didn't make any... but then wood erupted from Tatsuo's arm in thick, snaking beams, surging toward the young Academy student with crazy speed! He immediately knew that from this distance, he'd likely not be able to dodge them, even if he weren't off his guard. Which he was, again.

"Nani--" he let slip, just as confusion -- and the thick wood tendrils -- wrapped their way tightly around him.

The darkness of the inside of the wood barrier had him feeling the very first pinpricks of fear, but then all fear and anxiety washed away as the rejuvenating energy of the jutsu swept through his body. THIS IS NOTHING LIKE THE MONKS! he thought wildly, his senses bright and alive with the unexpected pleasure of this healing jutsu. It felt just like he was in the forest! The thick scent of moss and fresh dew intoxicated him, and the soft, natural energy all around him energized him. What bliss! It was just like...

...Just like... that time with...

The jutsu ended before that thought completed and the wood barrier fell away, revealing the look of complete and utter amazement and happiness on the young student's face. Saito's jaw remained low as he watched the wood merge into the ground and disappear, momentarily speechless as his eyes finally returned to Tatsuo.

"Feel better, buddy? That's my healing barrier, it fixes up most injuries especially small ones like that. You know, I've never been into the library either. If you want we can go together, I doubt they can tell both of us no."

Library completely forgotten, Saito only had eyes for Tatsuo, standing there as calm and confident as ever.

"WHOAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

And for the next few moments, Tatsuo gets peppered with ALL of the questions.

"WHAAAAAT WAS THAAAAAAAT! THAT WAS SO COOL! HOW DID YOU DO THAT? HOW MUCH DID YOU TRAIN FOR THAT? ARE YOU MADE OF WOOD? ARE YOU A TREE IN PERSON FORM? DO YOU NOT LIKE FIRE? DO SQUIRRELS LIVE IN YOUR BRANCHES? WERE YOUR PARENTS TREES?" The questions go on, along a similar vein, for a bit.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo retracted his hands as he rubbed his shoulder before looking back to the library, he hadn't expected the boy to be that impressed by the ability. Most ninja tended to be hesitant of foreigners but whether it was the lack of training, or the youthful ignorance Saito seemed to be quite impressed with his barrier. Tatsuo rubbed the back of his head as he was assaulted by Saito's barrage of questions. His cheeks turned beet red as the boy seemed to be infatuated with it but when he was his age Tatsuo was pretty much the same so he struck a cord in the boy. "Uhh.. that was my healing barrier jutsu, it can also drain enemies chakra if I want it to but you seemed cool so none of that. Yeah it's pretty cool. I uhh just kinda did? Stick your arm out and bam wood tendrils! I mean it took some training to master it. No I don't think i'm made of wood but.." he said a small smirk appearing on his face. "If you liked that one.."

Taking a defensive stance, the boy slapped his hands together and from everyone of his limbs shot out vines, wrapping around his whole body. However the jutsu didn't stop there, thick plates shot out from every inch. Other than his face he seemed to be a walking tank covered in wooden plate armor. "This is my forest armor, it's dam-- I mean darn near impenetrable. Once I took a fireball straight from an S rank criminal and it didn't take me down." he said nodding a few times. "But yeah, i'm not a huge fan of fire. And yeah I can create trees and occasionally squirrels will live in them. And uhh no my parents aren't trees." he said thinking back to his parents and shaking his head. "I guess my dad was pretty tall though."

Tatsuo really enjoyed the boys questions, most people always attempted to be cool all the time. But Tatsuo and this boy were two in the same. "You got any questions, buddy?" he said furrowing his brows after taking a few deep breaths. Trying to catch his breath after the long monologue and the creation of his wood armor.

 

[Samsara Saito]

Saito listened closely to Tatsuo's brief explanation of his healing barrier jutsu, his encounter with Satoshi-nii earlier causing him to catch his tendency toward gushing quickly enough to quiet himself when it was time to listen. That jutsu was beyond anything he could have expected. Wood style! he thought excitedly.

"It drains chakra too?!? While it heals? So your enemy feels healthy but has no chakra? Do you take your opponent's chakra you drain? Is THAT how you end fights? Are you a pacifist?" Saito asked, remembering stories he'd read about peaceful wood spirits whose only job was to preserve their forests. "Are you a wood spirit?" he asked Tatsuo. "A wood spirit ninja? How does that work? Are you a med-nin too? Did a tree spirit med-nin train you?"

So many more questions -- perhaps he wasn't quite as cured of his bad habit as either he or Satoshi-nii may have desired -- but Saito once more found himself in silent, stunned awe when Tatsuo invoked his wood armor.

"YOU ARE A TREE SPIRIT!" Saito practically shouted at Tatsuo, his hands thrown into the air as he dashes around the leaf ninja, checking out the armor from all sides. His first days in Kumogakure and he'd already met a nature spirit! All of his books were right! The outside world is a bright, amazing place!

"...or are you a Wood Spirit? Is there a difference between the two? Were you born that way or did you achieve it somehow? Do you make your home inside of trees? Can I visit your home someday, Tree Spirit-niisan?"

And still more questions! "Can *I* be a tree spirit someday? I want to heal people like you do! Do you think the library has information on how to become one of your kind, Tree Spirit-nii? Oh! Is THAT why you've never been to the library? Do you not like libraries because some of the books might be made of your friends? We don't have to go inside if you don't want to!" For a moment Saito looks worried.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo thought if he was a tree spirit, he didn't feel like a tree spirit. He did have a certain affinity to nature but for all he knew he just had the ability to manipulate nature to his will, he then once again started answering Saito's questions as quick as he could ask them. "Well it only drains chakra of people who I decide are enemies. So like if I didn't like you it would drain your charka instead of making you feel less pain. But no, I don't think i'm a wood spirit. And I was sort of a Med-Nin, I didn't want to be the Hokage kinda forced me to but I managed to weasel out of it. I'm just a regular ole Chuunin now."

Being the subject to so many questions was unusual for the boy but this was the moment he realized he had gotten a lot stronger since he was just Saito's age. In just a few months he had nearly doubled in strength, growing more powerful by the day. Being spurred on by Kaji, Hoshi, Hira and the likes really was making him a stronger shinobi by the day. One that who knows, maybe more than Saito would be impressed by some day. "Well, the moment I realized I had access to the wood element was when some roof began to fall on me and this old man. Instead of letting us get crushed, it kind of just shot out of me creating a makeshift barrier. Possibly saving both of our lives. I guess it was something I had inside me my whole life? After a lot of training I was able to manifest it to the point that I am now." he said bringing his hands together and the wood armor retracted back into his body as if it was just waiting to come out again. "And I uhh used to sleep a lot in trees when I was younger, too cold for that here. But back in Konoha I would make tree forts all the time. And sure I live near the ancient forest if you wanna come visit sometime. It's just a regular house though, nothing special."

Tatsuo looked over to the library and rubbed his neck as he thought over the boy's questions, being a tree spirit.. "I mean.. I think I was born with it? I don't know. I guess I could try dropping a roof on you and if it works it works?" he said shaking his head. "I don't think that'd be a great idea, honestly." However the boy gave him a saving grace when he said he wouldn't want to go into the library. With a firm nod, "Yeah I mean.. you know I feel a connection with every tree to see them in paper form kinda hurts." Hopefully the kid would fall for it, so he wasn't stuck in a stuffy library all day.

 

[Samsara Saito]

"That's okay, Tree Spirit-nii! I can do that later. That big building isn't going anywhere!" he replies with a wide smile. WOW! A real Tree Spirit!

"I read about the ancient forest in a book! I'm not surprised you live there, there must be so many tree spirits there! I can't wait to visit! And you live in a house? Did you build it with your jutsu? Would you show me more of your tree spirit jutsu? Do you live with other tree spirits? Can I meet them when I visit you? I'm gonna be a tree spirit one day!"

Tatsuo showed far more tolerance of Saito's endlessly inquisitive nature than most, and as a consequence the sun passed across the sky. Saito asked Tatsuo everything he could about everything he knew, with topics ranging from jutsu to missions to various forests he'd read about.

"I bet you know all about forests since you're from Konoha! I can't believe you can make trees! I wish I could make trees! Maybe one day! But until then, I've got my own thing! I LOVE forests, did I tell you? Especially at night!"

Saito's stomach took that moment to make its needs known with a loud, insistent grumble.

"Do you want to eat? Where could we go?"

 

[Tatsuo]

"You're right, the building isn't going anywhere. And yeah if you love forests you'd love it in Konoha. The air is always warm, the sun is shining bright all the time and there is forests as far as you can see! And as I said i'm not a tree spirit, but i'll show you some more wood jutsu if you want. I don't want to do too much here in the streets though, if that's alright with you." he said chuckling as he motioned the boy to follow. He listened to him speak trying to keep up with all of his questions the best he could, but he was almost shocked by his stomach's growling. "Hrm, what you do you want to eat? I can always eat." he said stopping in his tracks rubbing his chin. "We could go to my house, I caught some fish but if you want there's a restaurant pretty close by that serves a mean bowl of ramen. Pretty good when it's a bit chilly out too, warms you right up. Your choice, either is fine with me."

 

[Samsara Saito]

"You said you weren't a WOOD spirit! You didn't say you weren't a TREE spirit! I know how to see through your word tricks, Shinrin-niisan!" Saito replies with a happy smile, looking up to Tatsuo while putting his hands behind his head. Maybe he's a tree spirit, maybe he's not, the younger boy thought to himself. But he's definitely a creature of the forests, just like me. He... kinda reminds me of someone I know... his thoughts continued vaguely, though nowhere near able to grasp in that moment that the person Tatsuo reminded him so strongly of, was his own self. Plus, LOOK at his jutsu! AND he lives in the forest... I can't wait to see his house! That's definitely where I want to be.

"YOUR HOUSE!" he called out immediately after having been given the choice. "Not even a choice! Though I do love ramen, I just had some at this great shop downtown! It was my first bowl ever! I ate like 20 bowls!

"I love fish too! Especially river-caught fish. One day I will have to show you a great recipe my mom taught me once! I won't eat all of your fish tonight though, I promise! Even though it'll be really delicious. I can't wait to see more jutsu!"

Saito knew he needed to stop talking eventually. Even he knew that, by this point, most people would have told him to shut up... But Tatsuo kept up the pace and energy just as well as Saito, and he really seemed like he was cool with hanging out, so...

He'll tell me when it's time to shut up, everyone else does!

Satisfied with that logic for now, the boy relaxed a bit more and kept up with Tatsuo step for step. "Tell me about the S-rank criminal, Niisan! What other jutsu did he use? How did you beat him? Is the ancient forest this way?" he asked, questioning in layers as he pointed in the direction where he thought Tatsuo's house might be.

 

[Tatsuo]

"You're right, but i'm neither." he said shrugging and flashing another smile at him as they walked towards his home. The boy's motivation and energy was not an issue at all for Tatsuo. While it was true many would try and stomp out that energy, to make him conform to the rest of the world, Tatsuo was still like Saito. Loud and proud, if he had a question he usually just asked it. With age he grew quieter but there would always be that piece of him that connected with Saito. And because of this, Tatsuo would never interrupt his questions. Just answer them to the best of his abilities, no matter how many he'd fire off at him.

"Me too, fish is my favorite food. And sure I love hearing new recipes to cook fish. I usually just fry 'em up and eat them like that, but if you have something that tastes better maybe we need to go with that." However when Kaen, the S Rank criminal in question became the topic of discussion Tatsuo's grew more serious. "Well, he fought my sensei once, my sensei barely managed to defeat him but took horrible burns. However he won, the man went to prison and one day when I was on guard duty with my pal Hoshi.. well he decided to break from prison. He used clones of fire and summoned something that still haunts my nightmares." he said shuddering before continuing to answer the rest of his questions. "We didn't win, we were lucky to survive. Hoshi, Hira and I reduced to rubble against such a threat. I managed to take quite a few hits from him, but there was just too much of a difference between us." With his tone getting lighter and that familiar smile reappearing. "On the bright side though, the Blazing Spirit would've never been formed had we never fought him. So at least some good came of such an evil. Because next time I fight someone like him, I won't be the one going down." During all this they grew closer to the edge of the village, nearing the small house in the Ancient Forest. "We're nearly there."

 

[Samsara Saito]

"You say you're not a Tree Spirit, but now I wonder if you'd actually admit to it if you were," he counters back, eyes narrowing playfully as he wraps his words in a deep mock-suspicion. "I'll catch you yet, Shinrin-nii!" He then laughs brightly, his happiness shining like the sun.

Saito listened to Tatsuo's story about how he and his friends took on the escaped S rank criminal, and the tale rang genuine, deep to the young boy's core. His imagination fueled by hundreds of books about such ninja battles, Tatsuo's descriptions took on a life of their own in Saito's mind. He could see the fire clones, could almost feel their heat; not knowing what the S rank criminal looked like, the clones' faces took on the appearance of twisted demons, and the terrifying summoning a massive black dragon. He saw Tatsuo's wood armor being steadily burned away and the enemy looming large and laughing wildly, but Tatsuo and his friends never giving up, even as they dropped one by one to the overwhelming flames...

"We're nearly there."

Saito's weeping at that point, several steps behind Tatsuo now since Saito had stopped walking, became more pronounced.

"THAT WAS SUCH A GOOD STORY!" he sobs loudly, tears streaming down his face. Not even bothering trying to hide it, Saito sniffs several times, wiping his nose inside the elbow of his medium gray longcoat. "I can't wait to meet your nakama! You'll beat that criminal one day, I can't wait to hear about it!" Dropping his sleeve from his nose, Saito's eyes reconnect with Tatsuo's. They're still full of tears, but now also full of... something more.

"It's not over yet, is it? You'll beat that criminal someday, right? You're so strong now, just wait! You'll be so strong, you'll capture ALL the criminals and keep everyone safe! You're gonna be a Jounin and get them all! Right, Shinrin-nii?" Saito, his thin stance now squared, held up a small clenched fist in determination, twin flames burning in his eyes despite his freely flowing tears.

 

[Tatsuo]

The whole Kaen situation was still a soft spot for Tatsuo but he knew there was no way Saito could know that, but his enthusiasm about the ordeal was appreciated by Tatsuo. As the two spoke he had begun to realize just how similar the two were. He was taken aback from his crying and grew worried as if he did something wrong. But after hearing his reasoning a smirk appeared on his face. He walked over to Saito and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're right, kid. One of these days i'm going to take him down. With people like you believing in me? How could I fail." he said before patting him on the shoulder and motioning him to follow.

"That's the end of that story, but I can thank that criminal for one thing. By making me face that defeat I made an organization with my closest friends. One of these days we're going to stop everyone like him." as they spoke they grew closer and closer to the small yellow house on the edge of the forest. Tatsuo produced a key from his pocket and with a click the door flung open. He shouted into the house, "Kaji-sensei?" He was met with silence and shrugged turning to Saito. "Guess he's not here. But yeah you're right. Me and the rest of the Blazing Spirit will never fail to face a challenge, we'll protect those who cannot protect themselves and find the good in all things. That's my plan, even for villains like Kaen."

While some may have stopped to give his speech, Tatsuo had been pulling the fish from the fridge and placing it in the microwave as they spoke, as if they were talking about the weather.

 

[Samsara Saito]

Saito accompanied the leaf ninja to his home outside the Ancient Forest, tears dried up by Tatsuo's reassurances that he would never give up and asking questions about the Blazing Spirit -- an organization which, perhaps unsurprisingly, the young academy student found to be incredibly cool. "That one bad guy escaped, but because of that so many more bad guys will never escape! How many members does Blazing Spirit have? How do you join? I bet you have to be really, really strong to be in it, right? Facing down crazy powerful criminals? What are the other members like? Are you the only tree spirit?"

When they entered the house, Saito's eyes got big as he looked around, following Tatsuo to the kitchen. Though surely nothing special anymore to those used to living here, to Saito the house felt warm and happy -- and a storehouse of strange technological treasures. The monastery where Saito spent the last five of his nine total years had few modern comforts, and the young boy remembered little before he arrived there, so Tatsuo's house looked filled with unfamiliar devices of questionable origin and purpose. Every technological advancement he did not recognize, he spun some sort of tall tale in his head concerning what it could possibly be. Saito thought for sure that Tatsuo's opening of the refrigerator door would lead him to some other room beyond. When he pulled FISH from that place instead, Saito's jaw momentarily dropped. And then when he put that fish in some sort of box that, after a moment, seemed to be COOKING it... well. The young student took a deep inhalation of breath, about to ask a thousand questions about exactly what kind of jutsu was going on here.

Tatsuo's complete ease of use with all of the devices around him gave Saito pause. None of this appeared new to the older boy, and Saito had read books about various technologies that he himself had not seen before today in many cases. He would have to go to the library someday soon to look up exactly what all of these things were. Plus Tatsuo-nii still talked about the Blazing Spirit, which was at least just as interesting as everything in this house. Saito did his best to create mental images of things he didn't recognize or otherwise had questions about, and quietly promised himself to research them later. No way would Tatsuo and his nakama would think Saito didn't know how to cook fish in... whatever that glowing box is.

The boy watched Tatsuo, his amazement at how casually the young ninja -- not even an adult yet! -- acted so self-sufficiently in the warm, friendly household actually keeping him silent for a change. What he could not silence were his facial expressions, which revealed everything from awe to confusion to wonder to his brief moment of self-consciousness. But as he watched and listened to Tatsuo, Saito made practically no noise or movement at all, his unconscious stillness actually approaching a trained ninja's patient stealth.

Is this what the life of a ninja is? Training hard to be prepared, putting everything on the line when it matters, and relaxing with old and new friends and eating yummy fish? He looked around at the inside of the house again, its brightness somehow resonating with his inner spirit. He imagined what he might look like at Tatsuo's age, living in a comfortable home with his future nakama.

I KNEW I made the right choice to become a ninja, he confirmed to himself silently, accompanying that thought with his first substantial movement in a while -- a determined, satisfied nod of his head.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo pulled the fish out of the microwave and split it onto two plates, giving Saito the bigger piece. He placed them on the small wooden table against the wall in the dining room connected to the kitchen. "It's not that great, but fresh. I didn't really have a chance to season it, ya' know? It's fresh though caught it just last night." When the conversation steered toward the Blazing Spirit Tatsuo couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. He listened to his questions and tried to answer them to the best of his ability, the boy could talk fast but Tatsuo was able to keep up for the most part. "There are three members, you've got Hoshi, Hira and me. Each of them has a will as strong as mine, if not stronger." When it came to will each of them stared death in the face and didn't falter, until even after they couldn't move. During the days of their time in recovery they spoke of the guild and it's purpose, despite facing such a defeat none of them lost hope. While Kaen's flames could burn their skin, it could never burn brighter their Blazing Spirits.

"Yeah, i'm the only not-tree-spirit, in the guild. Hoshi is a Hyuuga and Hira is one of the best water users i've ever seen. He's got a real knack for it." he continued to listen to the rest of his questions before finally deciding to answer them, "Nah you don't have to face any evil criminals to join. It's pretty easy to join, you've just gotta prove that your spirit blazes bright. You've gotta prove that not only you can face the evil in this world without hesitation but you can help grow it's good. Too many people get lost in the idea of defeating their enemies, because they're worse. That's never been my goal and after losing to Kaen it just strengthened my resolve in that belief. Everyone has some good in them, no matter how deep down it's buried something inside them wants to help everyone. It can be bent and damaged by years of war, abuse, or whatever other pains people go through but it's never totally broken. Just needs the right person to repair it." he said taking a deep breath as he leaned back in his chair, taking a bite of the fresh but relatively bland fish. His lips curled to the side as he put down his fork leaving it on the table. He looked over to the now silent Saito and hoped he hadn't overwhelmed him.

Tatsuo had never been all that smart and never saw himself as someone to be actually giving any type of worldly advice, but time is the best proponent of change. As time has went on, his life had been changed and his outlook on things has grown. He began to feel an uncertainty in the way some functions of the village were ran, but with time he had begun to believe he was not only here to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, but to ignite the spirits of people just like Saito. To set them on a path of good where they could change the world for the better. He had started to sound like an adult, he shook his head and realized just how lame he had begun to sound. "Sorry for the speech, kid. Just.. thought it was important to say. Anyways, how's the fish?"

 

[Samsara Saito]

At certain points in time during Tatsuo's speech, the leaf ninja happened to look away from Saito momentarily or otherwise got so lost in his words that he had completely missed the cloud student's near-immediate complete devouring of the fish. By the time the older boy asked if Saito liked it, nothing but clean, dry bones remained on the plate. The younger boy had also quite moved on from the meal mentally, fully absorbed in what Tatsuo said concerning the Blazing Spirit.

"Nah you don't have to face any evil criminals to join. It's pretty easy to join, you've just gotta prove that your spirit blazes bright. You've gotta prove that not only you can face the evil in this world without hesitation but you can help grow it's good. Too many people get lost in the idea of defeating their enemies, because they're worse. That's never been my goal and after losing to Kaen it just strengthened my resolve in that belief. Everyone has some good in them, no matter how deep down it's buried something inside them wants to help everyone. It can be bent and damaged by years of war, abuse, or whatever other pains people go through but it's never totally broken. Just needs the right person to repair it."

I'll bet my spirit blazes bright, the younger boy thought without hesitation or doubt. He understood himself well, or so he thought -- and though he knew himself to be careful and cautious by nature, he also knew he had something good and wonderful to offer the world through the development of his talents. Nothing would stop him from making that reality come to pass.

He also knew, however, that such internal certainty could never be enough. Saito would need to translate faith into action if he wanted to show Tatsuo and his nakama that his spirit blazed bright. That would take time... and a bit of planning, if he really wanted to impress Tatsuo. Saito had already begun to plan his steps forward to his own self-development. The younger boy's eyes shone with admiration for the older boy after the end of his speech, furthering his certainty that he should learn as much as he possibly could from Tatsuo in order to develop his own jutsu. Not only was he a worthy person to pursue, but Saito intuitively recognized the valuable chance to learn from their differences in style as well as from their many undeniable similarities.

His fighting style must have soooo much wasted movement, the younger boy grinned as the awe for the older boy began to wear off some. Though there's a lot to be said for having that kind of defense and energy... Saito conceded with more down-to-earth assessment-based admiration, privately wondering if he had that kind of energy within himself. But whatever Saito lacked in Tatsuo's training and heritage-granted wood style jutsu and the incredible energy he got from being born a tree spirit, the younger boy also recognized his own massive advantage over the older boy that, with time and much hard work, would one day make Tatsuo acknowledge his blazing spirit.

"I'll show you, Shinrin-nii!" Saito suddenly says brightly after a long moment of thoughtful silence. He gives a determined nod of his head, sizing Tatsuo up with a confident smile.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo smirked when he saw Saito's plate, he shook his head and laughed a bit. He pushed his own plate towards Saito, bringing his hand back he shrugged his shoulders and said "I guess i'm just not that hungry." It wasn't true but moments of such self reflection usually made one think and when Tatsuo was deep in thought he rarely ate. Plus honestly he hadn't enjoyed the fish all that much, he didn't have to time to cook it up real well.

Leaning over the table as he went to gauge Saito's reaction to all this, he could almost see the gears turning in the boys head as he was deep in thought. Using his elbow as support he rested his chin in his hand, covering his mouth as he looked him up and down waiting for him to say anything. But when Saito finally decided to speak, he was impressed by what he had to say.

"You'll show me? Eh?" A grin pulled at his face showing a pair of huge dimples. "Well kid, I believe you can. Don't think you've got a lot of time, though." he said turning to the window. "I haven't told anyone yet, but.. I think i'm leaving Kumogakure soon. I miss Konoha." he said as he pursed his lips looking out towards the window. He grew silent for a few moments before turning back to him, "But if you think you're up to it, I'd be happy to witness your Blazing Spirit. You just gotta be quick." He said standing up from the table, looking down to Saito.