Dreaming Big Dreams [OPEN]

[Samsara Saito]

"I guess i'm just not that hungry," Tatsuo said as he pushed his plate of fish toward Saito with a touch of laughter that the younger boy didn't quite understand but seemed warm enough. But that's not true, Tree Spirit-nii is hungry, his stomach growled just as loudly as mine earlier... the ever-observant boy thought to himself, his perceptive nature kicking in as blue-green eyes continued to rest on Tatsuo.

"You'll show me? Eh?" Tatsuo smiled, and in that moment Saito saw the leaf ninja's sun again, peeking out from behind the clouds. "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 continued, and his distance of his gaze in those silent few moments viewed realities far beyond the extant beauty of the Ancient Forest.

His fight with... Kaen? must have really changed him somehow. Tatsuo's whole attitude changed after that name and the Blazing Spirit came up. I doubt Shinrin-nii would be so careless as to literally run someone down in the street the way he's thinking now, Saito thought to himself as he observed the leaf ninja... and through his own process of careful consideration, it was this moment that the young cloudie first understood the vast gulf of difference between the inexperienced and the battle-hardened. Kaen had taught Tatsuo something in that battle, given him an experience that had somehow changed the leaf ninja deeply. That experience now motivated Tatsuo's life path, and not even the leaf ninja's appetite -- at LEAST as hearty as Saito's on a regular day, the young Academy student knew for certainty since he himself was the same way -- would interfere with his communication of that experience to Saito. Especially since he was leaving soon! But how can I show him my blazing spirit if he's about to leave the city? I won't have time to...

Tatsuo turned 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.

Ahh... I see, the younger boy thought to himself, looking up at Tatsuo with a slowly widening smile. You've got your own style, and you should stay true to it... but if you wanna be trained by THIS guy, there's only ONE thing to do.

"Well then," Saito responded casually, rising to his feet in an unhurried manner, brushing off whatever lingering invisible dust remained on his clothes from being knocked over earlier. "I guess we should get started, huh? Don't think I'm not ready, Shinrin-nii!" Having said that, he turns away from Tatsuo and back to the table, where he takes a few brief moments to absolutely devour that last piece of fish. When he's done, he turns back to the leaf ninja, a wide smile on his face, fists on his hips. "I just --" Saito burps! "-- ate, afterall!"

 

[Tatsuo]

"Food is important, training on an empty stomach will get you nowhere." he said laughing once again before stretching one of his arms across his chest. As he watched Saito finish off the last bit of the fish, like a vacuum pulling up dust. "Normally, we make you find a way to prove yourself but considering time constraints and all that, i'll give you a chance to prove it." Finishing his stretch, he swung his arms a bit before picking up the two plates and walking over to the sink. Placing them inside and splashing a bit of water on them, "Can't leave a bunch of dirty dishes now can we?" he said looking back to him before he walked back outside with a quick pace, expecting Saito to follow.

The sun had barely gone down since they enjoyed their late lunch, however the forest was starting to cool. With the leaves rustling in the wind, Tatsuo instinctively wrapped himself in his jacket trying to ward off the cold. "Alright, show me just how hard you can punch." he said giving a confident nod. "I want you to punch me, as hard as you can." Tatsuo said taking a stalwart stance, hovering over the small boy. "I don't care if Taijutsu isn't your specialty, it's something I've got to see."

While Tatsuo didn't seem angry by any means, it was obvious he was serious. His face was stern and his body ready to absorb any blow that Saito might offer him. Would he pass the test, Tatsuo thought? He hoped so, he really liked Saito and part of him believed that his spirit could indeed blaze bright enough to join the Guild. But he had to be fair, just because you like someone doesn't mean they're ready.

 

[Samsara Saito]

Hey, sorry for the delay! Also, is there any chance we can turn this into a Tutoring session?

Saito obviously followed Tatsuo wherever he went, from the table to the sink to the door back outside. His excitement threatened to brim over beyond his control, he had to concentrate to keep his spirit in check. I KNEW Shinrin-nii wanted to train somehow! This is what I've always wanted, why I came to Kumogakure! Just do your best, Saito! If you fail this time, just learn from it and succeed the next time! Just like Shinrin-nii said.

"Alright, show me just how hard you can punch." Tatsuo said, giving a confident nod. "I want you to punch me, as hard as you can." All of a sudden, Tatsuo-nii loomed large over the young boy. "I don't care if Taijutsu isn't your specialty, it's something I've got to see."

The young cloudie smiled brightly at the older leaf nin before he fell back into a basic fighting stance, fists up, weight evenly distributed, feet anchored shoulder's width apart. No frills, no hint of special technique waiting in the wings, no accompanying elemental reactions... but also, the stance was near-perfectly balanced, with no obvious openings or flaws. He looked comfortable with his body, confident in his abilities without being arrogant. He also knew he had nothing to lose doing his best with Tatsuo-nii, so he may as well give it his all.

"HUP!" Saito shouts as he throws his first punch, a basic strike to Tatsuo's mid-section. He executed the strike smoothly and expertly, with no wasted energy; even so, the young Academy student mentally winced. Sorry, Shinrin-nii... I don't think this is my strongest punch quite yet. I'm still testing something. But you'll see my blazing spirit before you leave Kumogakure! I swear it!

 

[Tatsuo]

Sure, do you happen to use the Discord? If not you should pop in and say hi, i'm Ark on there. I'm in a tutoring thread that should end sometime tonight, so if you want to just switch over to a new thread as a tutor i'd be willing. I'll make a new thread after my tutor is finished and PM you it so we can get some extra points, Also i'm not sure if anyone told you but be sure to claim the voting rewards for this week! We got #1 on the RP voting site so everyone gets 550 ASP and 275,000 Yen. Just make sure to say you're getting it in your training to ensure you don't miss the opportunity.

He was impressed by the boy's form, whoever had trained him definitely drilled in the need to be efficient. The lack of arrogance in his stance proved that he wasn't a hot head and when the blow connected with his abdomen, Tatsuo didn't mean to insult the boy by not flinching, but it did absolutely nothing to him. He had a very resilient body capable of withstanding lots of abuse. However after the punch his lips curled into a small frown. "Your punch was fine, in a few years I don't think i'm going to want to take another." he said sternly, "But, I do have one issue with it." Tatsuo relaxed his limbs but stood up straight, looking down to Saito. "You punched me just because I told you to, which in this situation I can't really blame you for hitting me. I told you too and i'm sure you want to impress me, but there was another lesson I wanted to teach here. Sometimes people will tell you to do things, such as hurt others and just expect you to do them."

He sighed and scratched his cheek as he thought of the best way to word it, "I'm not mad at you, i'm really not, it's just a lesson I think that's important to learn. Despite living in an era of peace, the shinobi world is still a violent one. People will do more than punch someone for less, without any sense of morality it is hard to differentiate yourself between the ones who fight to protect and the ones who fight for personal gain. You're just a kid so I don't think by punching me you're doomed to some life of villainy, it's just something I want you to keep in mind for the future. At some point in your career someone might tell you to do something that you don't agree with, for the sake of the village, for the sake of your honor, or whatever message the try to abuse you with. To have a true blazing spirit you need to ignore that, you must stand to evil no matter the form it takes. A leader with no apathy to life is just as dangerous as a mindless killer like Kaen." Tatsuo thought to himself for a moment, earlier this year he couldn't imagine himself saying something like this. His time in Cloud changed him dramatically, even he was beginning to notice. Not only had he grown physically but he grew wiser, especially in a situation like this where a fledgling was looking for guidance in the world.

With a quick smirk he sighed and went to pat Saito's head and ruffle his hair. "Sorry to lecture you, kid. It's just too many people get too caught up in the heat of the moment to remember exactly why they're fighting. It happens to the best of us, even me." He thought back to his fight with Hira where neither of them were doing anything but tearing their bodies apart trying to get a playful win over their friend. "If you want to prove to me that your spirit blazes bright, you've got to prove to yourself that when facing such a scenario you will make the right decision, no matter how tough that may seem."

 

[Samsara Saito]

"Your punch was fine, in a few years I don't think i'm going to want to take another." he said sternly, "But, I do have one issue with it." Tatsuo relaxed his limbs but stood up straight, looking down to Saito. "You punched me just because I told you to, which in this situation I can't really blame you for hitting me. I told you too and i'm sure you want to impress me, but there was another lesson I wanted to teach here. Sometimes people will tell you to do things, such as hurt others and just expect you to do them."

A pause in contemplative silence, Saito's inevitable reply -- or, more like, his fore-reply? -- created the stillness of space for the young student to think that through as Tatsuo continued his explanation.

At first... it seemed like a setup somehow, or maybe a test not quite thought through. Since Tatsuo-nii DID say they were going to train together, and then told Saito to punch him as hard as he could. Then said throwing that punch was wrong? Maybe he had assumed Tatsuo would train him, was that the point? Because if it was, then Saito had a lot of questions. Though assumptions are also bad, he acknowledged to himself, making a mental note to consider that more later.

But... then again... what would the point of the exercise have been? To not do what Tatsuo asked him to do in that moment because Tatsuo told him to do it, ? Hmm... what did Tatsuo say to do?

"Alright, show me just how hard you can punch. I want you to punch me, as hard as you can. I don't care if Taijutsu isn't your specialty, it's something I've got to see."

*SNAP!* The boy's mind came together, realizing something.

Tatsuo couldn't see Saito's eyes from his view above the boy, not from beneath that tousled mop of white hair... but his voice sounds as positive as ever.

"So heyyyyy, does that mean that my spirit blazes bright because I held back? Because I can punch stronger than that, Shinrin-nii!"

 

[Tatsuo]

Continued here: https://www.ninpocho.com/viewtopic.php?f=240&t=54361&p=275164#p275164