How to Punch Things! [Tutor]

[Gotō Daiji]

"As hopeless as ever..."​

An elderly man spoke, standing before a gaping hole in the side of a building. He wore a simple blue shirt with a dull tan coat draped over his shoulders. On the inside of the structure was a young man of about seventeen years of age, lying atop a mound of broken desks and tables with a steaming knot beginning to form on the top of his head. "Nng..." he groaned, it was about all he could do now. His attire consisted of an unbuttoned red floral shirt and a pair of blue shorts. Both of the men had distinct rose-colored hair, the only difference being the older one's was beginning to gray. And just what exactly was happening here, you ask? Well just moments ago everything had been fine. The two were walking around the village, sharing stories with one another and catching up. They'd finally reunited after all these years and each of them had been through a LOT since they'd last seen eachother. But just when it seemed like all was going well, the older man pivoted, cocked his arm back, and sent the youth through the wall of a building with a single punch.

"Stop...hitting...me..." the boy's voice was all over the place tonally, probably a result of his sudden and painful loss of brain cells. His noggin took a lot of punishment on a regular basis due to his careless nature...so the fact that this old man just stunned him with a single strike spoke volumes about his strength! The elder gave a, "Hmph!" and crossed his arms, a frown forming on his weathered face. "Is that what you're going to say to your opponent?!" he shouted his question at the downed youth. "You have to be ready...you never know when you'll get punched through a wall!" The man's message had good intentions...but his method of teaching left a little to be desired. In all honesty, there were very few people who could punch this particular youth through a wall. And even fewer with such ease! An eccentric old man who lived in Wind Country just happened to be one of them...

Still dazed out of his mind, the boy would remain collapsed atop the debris while the older man simply shook his head in disappointment. These two were at Sunagakure's SFC for a good reason. The older man -- who had become known to a decent amount of Sunans as simply "Sofu" -- was fairly notorious despite his old age. As one might tell from the current scene, he wasn't your average geezer. He was a hermit more or less, living alone out in the desert in a house he'd built by hand. Every now and then he would venture into the village to get supplies...and sometimes to knock troublemakers into the dirt. Hoodlums in Grand Palais...bullies...he even managed to stop a robbery one time by complete accident. All this wasn't out of the goodness of his heart however. He was just an old timer who liked his privacy...but somehow or another he always seemed to end up in the wrong place at the right time. And through some slight towards him or by just his general grumpy nature, he'd end up knocking the perpetrators senseless. An old man KO'ing people around the village doesn't go unnoticed, and by some means he eventually found himself getting talked into teaching Taijutsu to younger up-and-coming shinobi. But only occasionally! And always on his schedule...

...so this is what he'd do! Show up to the Shinobi Foundation Complex, make some grand entrance, and wait for a hopeful young student to show up. He'd done all the rest, now they just had to wait! Hopefully his moron of a grandson would be able to pick up a thing or two by watching as well...

[mft]
[OOC: If you wish, you can RP as knowing my NPC by his nickname "Sofu". If not we can just do introductions in the thread. Let's have some fun!]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko was walking down the streets towards the Academy in hopes of finding someone to begin learning from. With her father's livelihood, she never did get to watch a ninja train or hear stories about them aside from those told by her few friends. She had yet to learn anything other than keeping the house like her mother taught her. Her short, white hair continued to fall over her cheeks after she would tuck it, though she soon forgot about the annoying strands when she laid eyes on a large hole in a wall. She surveyed the mess before hesitantly continuing on her way, not used to such conditions in her protected little home. Kiyo's gaze then came across two pink-haired individuals. She had heard stories of the older male from her childhood friends as well as complaints from her father when he had to take off work because of a hole in the wall of his facility.

Kiyo smiled slightly as she approached the larger male, though because of the rumours she had heard a few years back, she kept an appropriate distance. She then bowed respectfully to the male, keeping her gaze at her feet when she straightened up. "H-Hello," she spoke, not usually one to begin a conversation with a stranger. In her home, she was always addressed before speaking. "I have heard a lot about you, Sofu-san." Kiyo let her gaze fall to the younger looking male next to the larger man, and she noticed a knot on his head. Her eyes widened just slightly, and she feared for his health momentarily even though he still seemed to be standing.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Towering. That was the best way to describe the elderly man. At 6'5" he was certainly taller than average, but what made him seem even more intimidating was his width. His physique was top-heavy to say the least, with his extremely broad shoulders and years of accumulated muscle evident even underneath his shirt and coat. He wasn't as sculpted or "cut" as he was in his youth, but it was apparent that he underwent regular physical exercise, even in his old age. The large man let out only an, "Mm?" as a soft, youthful voice extended a greeting his way. "Sofu" turned to face the newcomer, his frown from earlier never having faded. What he found was...well...not what he expected. A short white-haired girl who appeared rather nervous upon meeting him. Most of the time his err..."lessons" were attended by older shinobi. Genin and upwards, though sometimes the occasional seasoned Academy Student would show up. But her? She seemed fresh. Green, even. While some might consider someone with no experience to be a burden to teach, the elderly man thought otherwise. She was the perfect candidate for a student!

"Ah!" he bellowed, his deep voice loud as ever. That frown from earlier began to morph into one of those trademark family grins as he spoke. "You must be here for the lesson!" He assumed (as he often did). The girl addressed him by his moniker, stating that she'd heard much about him. But he honestly didn't seem all that surprised! Instead he put a hand to his chin, his eyes rolling upwards as he thought aloud. "'Sofu', eh? So that's what they're calling me now..." Grandpa. It was kind of funny in a way...to others, at least. To him? "I'M NOT THAT OLD, DAMNIT!" ...well, he wasn't too amused. But he wouldn't take it out on this poor girl, apparently he'd already done so to her family by accident. It took a few moments but eventually "Sofu" regained his composure, shaking his head and mumbling something or other about "damn kids...". His face remained neutral as he turned his gaze once again towards the girl, quickly looking her over before replying. "Hm...you're a little thin..." unlike him, of course. Taijutsu came easier to those with natural strength...but those without could still find ways to make up for it. Where there's a will, there's a way. He knew that better than anyone. And in fact, that poor dazed lump lying atop a pile of wood was a testament to that notion.

"Hahaha!" "Sofu's" powerful laugh echoed throughout the area as he extended an enormous hand to pat the girl on the head. "That's okay though, we'll beef you up!" The sound of wood hitting concrete rang out along with some more groans as the boy inside the building was beginning to stir. Now while they were waiting for the down-and-out youth to rise would be a good time for introductions...except the concept of "manners" didn't come quite so easily to him. He had no problems introducing himself, it would just take him being asked point-blank. If the girl wanted to know she could ask. And if not? His nickname would have to suffice. Either way, the show must go on. And boy was she going to get a show today!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyo was a bit frightened to say the least. Even with her eyes cast away from the man, she could feel his intimidating aura from a mile away. She felt even more out of her comfort zone when His voice rang out once more, a slight flinch shaking her shoulders as she quickly regained her composure. It was stupid to be frightened by someone just because of a sound. Her eyes looked up at the larger man as he got a little upset over the nickname. She definitely didn't mean to offend the man in any way, which made her feel bad.

His remark on her body size didn't help her discomfort in any way, though she remained standing there. She wasn't about to allow one little remark change her mind. She had a resolve, and she didn't plan to give up on it. However, at the loud laugh, she felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips. Kiyo looked over at the boy in the rubble when she heard the sound, her face twisting into one of worry. "Shouldn't we help him?" she asked softly, glancing back at the larger male. Kiyo was definitely a caring spirit, one to always worry about others before herself, especially if the other were in pain. She was itching to go help the poor boy, though she had a feeling there was a reason he was lying in the remains of the preexisting wall.

It was then that she remembered she didn't exactly know either of their names. Once again moving out of her comfortable silence, she spoke up. "Oh, my name is Mizuki Kiyoko, but you can call me Kiyo if you want," she introduced. Once her introduction was out of the way, she went along with her aching desire to assist the boy in the rubble and slowly made her way into it, extending a hand along with a small smile. "Let's get you out of this mess, hm?"

 

[Gotō Daiji]

A smile. Kiyo's mouth curled into the beginnings of a smirk...and it made the old man grin even harder. This was good! She wouldn't be dissuaded by his earlier comment. Determination was a great asset for a shinobi, and especially helpful where Taijutsu was concerned. But that would be best saved for the lesson later...

...or had it already begun?

"Sofu" continued to grin, even as the white-haired girl asked worriedly about his dolt of a grandson. He simply shook his head and folded his arms, continuing to observe the girl as he spoke. "He'll be fine. He's tougher than he looks!" ...was he really though? I mean the guy did just punch him through a thick concrete wall. "...at least, I think." Despite his quick questioning of it, the elderly man seemed otherwise unconcerned as he waved a hand, brushing the question of the boy's welfare off. He would watch however as she continued to look towards the hole in the wall, a look of concern apparent on her face. She seemed like a kind girl. One with a gentle heart. He hoped that if this was truly the path she deigned to follow, that life of a shinobi would not rob her of her kindness, as it had so many others.

His grin never faltered as the girl quickly introduced herself, his only response being to nod as he forgot yet again to tell her his proper name. Believe it or not this type of behavior actually ran rampant in the family. Yama was probably the most normal one out of all of them...and he was a drunken lech! Yes they certainly had their quirks, one of "Sofu"'s being his refusal to help his poor dazed grandson. He saw his sudden attack as a form of training. He had to make sure he was capable of taking care of himself! There were some true monsters out in the big wide world...and if he couldn't handle a little tap on the head (albeit a ridiculously powerful one...) then he had no business being out there in the first place. But today was more about Kiyo than his kin. They'd have plenty of time to catch up later. He turned his back as she went to assist the boy, a sly, "Hmhm...~" escaping his mouth as he continued to walk towards one of the many nearby training grounds. "Alright, Kyo! Meet me over there when you're ready!" Did I mention he was bad with names? Because he was. Actually both of them had less-than-stellar memories. But the more they tried the closer they would eventually get...so it wasn't all bad!

Slowly the older man made his way over to a walled-in area with several training dummies on wooden posts, all lined up in an orderly fashion. It was clearly visible from where he previously stood, so the girl would have no trouble finding it. By the time she made her way over to Mr. Down-and-Out, he was already sitting up cross-legged atop his throne of rubble, rubbing the back of his sore neck. "Gramps still hits hard..." he thought aloud to himself, that knot on top of his head clearly not going anywhere for a while. When Kiyo offered her hand to assist him, he stared at it blankly for a few moments before taking it, rising to his feet soon after. All he offered in way of thanks was a...well, "Thanks!" before he marched off towards where "Sofu" was, seemingly right as rain. If being able to knock someone through a wall like it was nothing spoke volumes about the old man's strength...what did being able to get back up after a blow like that say about this kid's endurance? The girl could draw her own conclusions, hopefully as she followed the boy to the training arena. It was time to begin her training in earnest! And-...wait...was he walking in the wrong direction?

Just what was up with this family?!

[mft]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko smiled softly at the boy’s thanks, though her brows furrowed once again when she noticed him walking in the opposite direction of where Sofu had gone. She let out a soft sigh and walked after him, taking his wrist gently in her hand and beginning to lead him in the right direction. What a troublesome duo, she thought to herself, smiling once more when she reached the training ground Sofu was waiting on. She released the new boy’s wrist as she approached the older man and pushed her short fringe away from her face once more. “I didn’t mean to offend you by calling you ‘Sofu,’ but I would like to know how you want me to address you,” Kiyo said, not minding to bother with what the man would call her; she would answer to whatever he wished to address her as so long as she could recognize that she was being spoken to.

Kiyoko fiddled lightly with the hems of her sleeves, a small habit that she rarely took notice of. She would simply do it when she felt anxious or excited. And she was currently feeling both. She was excited to see what all this man had in store for her in his training, though she was anxious about just how much she would have to endure, given that this man didn’t seem to be the kind of teacher to go easy on his student. Kiyo would hate to return home to her mother later that day and be scolded or fussed over for her injuries. Kiyo knew this would be a difficult pursuit for her, but she was the one to decide her fate, and she definitely didn’t plan to quit this early.

Kiyo looked around at the surrounding dummies and wondered just what the lesson would be today. It was certainly going to be an interesting one - at least, to the girl who has yet to learn a single thing about the life of a ninja. Her bright blue eyes clearly expressed her excitement even though her gaze was calculating and inquisitive. She then returned her attention to the man before her. “I know I may not look like much, but I can guarantee you I will not hesitate to train and improve.”

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Nothing. Not even a confused sound as Kiyo took the youth by the hand and led him in the right direction. It seemed that he was completely unaware of his complete lack of navigational abilities. He'd always been bad with directions...and being hit by that freight train-like punch probably didn't help his internal compass too much. Eventually the two made their way to over where "Sofu" was standing, next to the straw training dummies with his arms folded. The boy continued to massage his aching neck, even as one of the mannequins caught his eye. Once his helpful little guide let go of his wrist, he sauntered over to dummy, inspecting it with a confused look on his face. A Dummy and a dummy. Fitting, isn't it?

"Hm..." the elderly man vocalized, thinking as the girl inquired as to what she should call him. As you can probably guess by now, "Sofu" wasn't too big on formality. He rarely used honorifics when speaking to others...and his grandson never did. So it's not like he was going to require her to call him by some fancy title. "Call me by my name. Gō." His grin never faded (it almost never did), as he continued to observe the young girl. Her actions would indicate nervousness...which was to be expected. She was braver than most, coming to him for her first lesson. Not that she did it by choice...but still! Old Gō was known for his hellish training regimen. He put Yama through it growing up, and then he in turn subjected the boy to it. It was like a family tradition! A grueling, horrible, terrifying family tradition...

Luckily, Kiyo wouldn't have to go through all that. It's true he wasn't very good at holding back, but she wasn't going to have fight him. Not today at least. First, he had to see where she stood. Gō raised an eyebrow as he listened to the girl speak, her resolve obvious in both her body language and voice. It was amusing, such spunk coming from the small girl. And of course it brought forth another hearty laugh! "Hahahaha!" his voice boomed, tears nearly coming from his eyes as he carried on. It wasn't a mocking sort of laugh. If anything, he was impressed! "You've got guts...good!" he complimented her before unfolding his arms. After taking moment to wipe some liquid from the corners of his eyes, he extended the index finger on his right hand as he continued to speak. "Determination is even more important than strength." The elderly man took a few steps towards the girl, his back to one of the training dummies. Still grinning, he brought one of his large hands out in front of him and clenched it tightly into a fist. "A punch is only as strong as the will behind it!" And without wasting another second, the man shifted his weight, pivoted, and sent a crushing uppercut into the mannequin's chin. The impact was, in a word, devastating. Wind pressure was created from the sheer pressure of the attack, sending waves of wind outward from its source. And before anyone knew it...the dummy was gone, with only a few strands of straw remaining in its wake. The strike sent the target soaring. It even managed to upturn the cement in which the dummy was rooted to by a wooden post, which launched chunks of rubble into the air. The dummy continued on its skyward journey, first high into the clouds, and then out of sight completely. A satisfied, "Hmph." was his only response afterwards.. The rose-haired boy took a moment from staring at the training dummies to watch his grandfather's display, simply nodding while his clothes billowed in the breeze the punch created. He seemed...unfazed. Did this kind of thing happen regularly?!

Afterwards Gō turned back around to face Kiyo, folding his arms once more. "I forget what you Ninja call it...Tai-something-or-other..." the old man began, once again showcasing his subpar memory. "I call it fighting! I've been doing it for a long time." It was true. If he was this much of a character in his golden years, just imagine the kind of stuff he got into when he was younger. This is why when it came to unarmed fighting, he knew his stuff. And even if Kiyo planned on specializing in using a weapon, or even Ninjutsu or Genjutsu if she had the aptitude, it was always good to know some fundamentals. One of course being how to throw a proper punch. "Sofu" took a position behind his newfound student, where he could observe her technique. He would nod towards one of the other less...dead training dummies. "Go on, give it your strongest attack!" In the meantime, he would do his job and observe. Obviously he wasn't expecting her to knock it into orbit like he might have...but he still had to get a sense of where she stood. After that, they could work on improving her form. It was time for him to see what his student was made of. And if her determination was as resolute as she said it was!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko smiled a bit brighter when she was offered a real name, though she still felt a little unsure if she would fully drop the honorifics. After all, it was in her nature to show as much respect as she felt a person deserved. Kiyo then listened as Gō began to teach her with his words. She liked his approach in what he believed strength was, her smile disappearing as she took on her observant expression once more. Though when she watched him give his attack, her eyes widened. She was not sure if her “will” was as strong as his, but she knew what he was getting at nonetheless. When he continued to address Kiyo, her smile returned to her lips, albeit a softer one. She found it slightly comical that his terminology was so simple, but she did not mind it all that much. After all, she could learn the names of these things later on.

Her determined look returned when she was challenged to attack her own dummy. Kiyo knew there was no way her straw dummy was going to go flying like that, but she was not about to let her attempts be weak and unimpressive. She took a fighting stance at the dummy, ignoring the feeling of stupidity since she barely knew what she was doing and drawing in a breath to calm her nerves. She then focused her eyes on the inanimate target and narrowed them slightly, drawing a fist back and punching straight at the chest, the best target for her shorter build at the moment.

Kiyo felt proud that the dummy shook, though it was a temporary feeling that was soon overcome by the painful throb in her wrist. She had put everything into the punch, but apparently she had punched incorrectly, a sign of her lack of training and physical weakness. She frowned as she opened and closed her fist, having a feeling she probably shouldn’t punch like that unless she was doing it right. She then repositioned herself, not even looking at her teacher as she spoke. “I can do better than that. Give me another shot.”

She then narrowed her eyes once more, striking twice this time, using the palms of her hand instead of the knuckles to prevent any further injury. She knew it probably wasn’t what Gō wanted from her, but she knew she would have a more effective attack this way. However, she stopped herself this time and turned her body towards her teacher for his opinion and teaching. She was willing to learn his ways, so long as she would be given the chance to better herself.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"Keyo..."​

Good news? He was getting closer to her actual name! Bad news? He was looming over the poor girl with what seemed like an enraged scowl on his face. "Uh-oh..." the younger of the pink-haired duo spoke, a sense of sympathetic nervousness suddenly overcoming him. He'd been the position she was in more times than he could count. Then again he couldn't count very high...but still! This was not good. Sofu's grandson had an extraordinarily hard head, and thus was (barely) capable of withstanding his "learning sessions"...but Kiyo? If he decided to go all-out, there was no way she'd be able to defend herself! A a large hand reached out for the girl, his face still shadowed with what was undoubtedly anger. Maybe he'd go easy on her and hold back, even if it was just a little bit? Right now that seemed like it was her one and only hop-

"Here, like this." ...his voice was loud (like usual), but it didn't sound the least bit furious. Or even irritated! Instead it was spoken in his usual candid tone, his words sounding out as his enormous hand gently shifted the girl's arm so that it was bent slightly, and closer to her own body. Gō crouched down beside her, inspecting her stance as he made slight adjustments here and there. "Spread your feet apart more." he coached. Once she had complied, he would point a thumb at his own midsection, locking gazes with her as he continued to talk. "Punch or a palm strike, the power comes from your center." After this he would stand once again to his full height, distancing his feet apart himself as he dropped into a mock fighting stance. With gusto the elderly man threw another punch, this time at the air and at only about 50% actual speed. He shifted his weight and pivoted, rotating his hips along with the arm movement as he demonstrated to Kiyo how she should attack. "Don't just use your arm strength...put your whole body into it!" Gō ran through the motions a few more times to make sure she got it before stepping off to the sidelines once more.

His arms would fold across his chest as that familiar grin surfaced once more. "Don't get down." he would offer some blunt words of encouragement, nodding as he did so. "I've seen little men knock the blocks off of giants..." It was true. Figurative giants of course. Or were they? Either way, the old man had seen a LOT of action in his day. Too much, really. Which was further showcased by his next choice of words. "...and I've seen littler women do even more." Honestly. You should see his wife! His grin beamed strongly as he watched his student, gesturing again towards the same training dummy. He wanted to see some damage this time. "Once more!" He had faith in Kiyo. She didn't have the natural strength for Taijutsu, but technique could trump pure power nine times out of ten. Gō was eager to see her next attack. And his grandson? Well...he'd gone back to staring at dummy. At least somebody was learning something today!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyo couldn’t help the intimidation she felt when she heard the man’s voice state her name in such a threatening way. She was almost ready to defend herself if the man decided to try and disorient her like he had the other boy, but when she felt a gentle touch on her arm, her stiff posture relaxed. She allowed herself to be moved and adjusted as he would see fit, smiling just slightly when she met his gaze. She listened to each and every word as if it would be the last she would ever hear. Her calculating gaze drank in every movement he made as she attempted to learn at least something. She let out a breath when he moved away, closing her eyes for a moment to calm her nerves before taking her stance once more.

Her smirk disappeared immediately, and she recalled all that she had been explained a few seconds ago. She kept her arm closer and bent more, her legs further apart for balance, but the part she knew would end up being the most important was to actually punch the dummy. Her eyes opened swiftly, and she brought her entire body into the swing focusing all of the power she believed she had into the one strike. She decided to use her palm again since it hurt less, and she didn’t want to injure herself in her first training session. Her palm struck the dummy in the center of the chest, causing the wooden structure supporting the dummy to emit a loud cracking sound.

Kiyo was hoping for a little more damage than a crack, but she still felt better about the attack this time, a small smile reaching her lips as she pulled her fist back. This was definitely going to be something she continued to practice at home, probably on a door or a homemade dummy. It would build up her strength and her pain tolerance as well, both of which could definitely use some work.

Kiyo turned to face Gō, her smile still in place as she looked for either a correction or another teaching of a move. She knew that a punch was one of the simplest moves. “Gō-sensei,” she began, feeling the honorific was necessary, “I know I am only beginning, but when could I spar with another person?” She wanted a true reaction rather than a shaking dummy.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"Hahahahahaha!!!"​

Gō's powerful laugh echoed throughout the SFC, likely waking any sleeping students in their classes. It continued for some time, eventually dying down. And when it did? "Much better!" His new student was really coming along nicely! The small white-haired girl had some talent, her adaptability making up for her lack of strength. She demonstrated near perfect technique with minimal coaching. If anything, it definitely seemed like she was a fast learner! So fast in fact that she was ready to take her training to the next level. She managed to give the dummy a good thwap and now she wanted more. The elderly man's eyes widened slightly as Kiyo asked when she would be able to spar with someone else. Gō (being Gō...) had never been one to take things slow...so he figured why not now?!

"You want live practice, eh?" he questioned the girl, a hand coming up to stroke his graying beard. There were plenty of students around the Shinobi Foundation Complex on any given day. Honestly there wasn't much stopping him from barging into a classroom and uh..."borrowing" one of Kiyo's classmates. But finding one suitable enough would be a pain in the ass! A, "Hm..." sounded out as the makeshift teacher expended what seemed like a few too many brain cells. He could always stand in as her opponent himself...but that would more than likely end up being one short training session. Maybe she'd get to go toe-to-toe with him next time. But this time? Well...the solution was simple, really. "Keiatsu!" ...did I say simple? Simpleminded was more like it...

Rose Hair #2 had since lost interest in the training dummies and was...well... "Zzzzzzzz..." taking a nap. In the middle of the training grounds. Within moments his grandpa was looming over him...and after that? "WAKE UP, DAMNIT!" A shout combined with a few swift cracks to the noggin was the only alarm clock the boy needed! He awoke immediately, his face comically swollen and bruised. "Ow..." he mumbled the only thing he was capable of getting out. I'd say he'd be in danger of getting brain damage if his grandfather kept this up...but honestly he probably couldn't get any dumber. Gō folded his arms once more, his familial rage subsiding just a bit as he spoke. "Now then...you're gonna be Kuyo's sparring partner." This wasn't a request, it was a command. Nonetheless, there was no way in hell he was going to comply. After all that abuse?! As far as he was concerned, his grandpa could go- "Ok." ...or not? After taking a few moments to let his face readjust (through the power of anime magic!), the boy grinned, in strikingly similar fashion to Gō. There was only one thing Keiatsu loved more than a good fight...and that was food!

"Alright, Kuyao..." Now it seemed like he was getting further from her actual name. Regardless, he turned to face his new student, that trademark smile returning once again. The time had come to see what she could do against a live target. And to say Keiatsu was great at getting hit was an understatement. Gō nodded confidently towards the girl before offering some words of encouragement. "Remember your form...and go at him with everything you got!" This was it! The boy just halfheartedly raised his hands and let a sly, "Hehe...~" escape his mouth. How would Kiyo fare against the brawler from Water Country? Was he going to hold back? Would those beatings he suffered earlier affect his fighting ability at all?! There was only one way to find out!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko simply nodded in response to the question she had heard, watching as Gō began to look around for someone she could spar with. She knew she was taking on a very difficult and risky task, given that her only experience in fighting was punching a dummy three times. But she also wanted to show just how determined she was to continue to learn. She laughed slightly when she saw that she would be sparring with the second male…Keiatsu, according to what the older man had called him. She then nodded, taking in the build of the other boy. It was clear from his ability to withstand Gō’s attacks that the boy had a lot of strength. Or, at least, durability. She also took notice of the boy’s loose form. She had guessed that Gō always surprised Keiatsu with his attacks, though now that he knew what would be coming, she had a feeling he knew a good bit about sparring himself.

Hoping to work with the little information she had about the boy, she brought her arms up before her once more, narrowing her eyes in a determined manner as she looked for the first opening she could spot. When she believed she saw one, she moved in for a right-handed punch to the abdomen. She found that she was shorter than the male before her, which lowered her ability to hit a more useful target on the boy’s body; she wasn’t about to ruin the boy’s future just because of some spar. Kiyo grinned slightly and went in for a left punch, this time moving her foot around his in hopes to catch his foot while he was distracted by a punch.

Her mind was racing with all different sorts of thoughts, but ”Get him to the same level, if not lower” was screaming at her. If she could bring Keiatsu to his knees or more, it would give her a more accessible target, hence the reason she would continue different tactics to get him to the ground. This is so much better than some dummy, she thought as her expression returned to its calculating gaze once more.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Well...that was easy. She didn't even need any convincing! It would seem that she was beginning to grow accustomed to Gō's er..."unique" manner of training. What was only minutes ago nervousness had transformed into relaxedness. Instead of aphrehension she was starting to exhibit some confidence. This was good! Attitude played a big part in combat. Doubt was self-destructive when it came to battle. If she didn't believe in herself, it would ultimately lead to her downfall. And one day it could very well cost her life...so it was definitely a good habit to break! Without warning the girl took off from her position in a beeline towards her new sparring partner. The fight was on!

Five seconds. Kiyo was closing fast. That was the good thing about being her size...it meant she was more agile than a lot of the other kids! Everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses. Learning how to best play to those strengths and cover those weaknesses was part of becoming a great shinobi. In time, the girl would undoubtedly come up with a style of combat that suited her best. But for now? Fundamentals! She continued her sprint towards him, determination on her face and fight in her eyes. But upon nearing her intended target she would start to notice something strange. Sweatdrops had formed on the boy's forehead. His eyes were wide like he was in shock. There was something wrong here. Something very wrong...

"I'm hungry..." the boy spoke, thinking aloud to himself as usual. Was it strange that he was thinking of food during a fight? Well for normal people it would be...but Keiatsu was always thinking about food. This time was different however. It had been awhile since he'd last eaten...and his ultra-fast metabolism had been even faster as of late due to all the strenuous "activities" he'd been participating in around Suna. When Keiatsu was hungry he was prone to being cranky and a little woozy. But when he was famished? He might as well be an Academy Student himself! Whatever focus he could usually manage to muster during a fight was done away with, and his strength was quite literally sapped out of him. Until he got a good meal in him, he would be severely weakened. It was bad news for him...but for Kiyo? It meant she had a fighting chance against him! Her attacks caught him competely unawares, the boy letting out a pained, "Hnng!" as her first punch caught him in the midsection. Instinctively he threw his hand up just in time to swat her second strike away. Unfortunately this wasn't enough and the girl's clever attack strategy was executed perfectly when he tripped over her foot and was brought down to one knee. This is exactly why he ate as much as he could whenever he could...because getting caught hungry like this was dangerous!

Gō observed from the sidelines, impressed with Kiyo's bravado and utterly disappointed in his grandson. He got the same exact way when HE was hungry...which is why he taught Keiatsu from a young age to always eat his fill whenever he could! Being as hungry and therefore useless as he currently was meant he was neglecting his eating...and if was neglecting his eating, he was neglecting his training! The elderly man tilted his chin upwards, an annoyed expression on his face as he yelled, "Give him one for me!" at the girl. She was now poised for a perfect punch...would she be able to deliver?!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko had been unsure if her strikes would even land against what she assumed to be an experienced fighter, but when she had the boy on the ground in a few mere seconds, her eyes widened just slightly. She tried to keep her shock at bay, though she couldn’t help the small smirk that formed on her lips. However, she soon noticed that something seemed off about Keiatsu. She had believed his mentioning of being hungry was just a whiny comment and that he would take her more seriously when she began to fight him, but now she believed the boy must actually be famished.

She knew she had the opportunity to take another set of hits with his position on the ground, but instead she simply offered her hand to him once more, a small smile forming on her lips. “You shouldn’t ignore your body so much. Not eating enough isn’t healthy.” What a hypocritical comment coming from her small frame; her mother always told her to eat more so that she could grow, but since her father’s death two years before, she hadn’t had much of an appetite for anything. She had to eat, of course, but it just wasn’t a whole lot since she used to only sit around with her mother all day.

In all honesty, the sparring and training was taking a bit of a toll on her as well, even with just the little it was. But she wasn’t one to give up easily either. She had a strong competitive nature, even beneath her trained respect. She simply wanted to prove herself to her new tutor, no matter if he was the man all of the children talked about or not.

Her attention was turned to Gō after a moment to explain her actions. “I know I had the chance to hit him, but I don’t want to fight him like this. I want a real challenge,” she stated, then she allowed her not-so-outspoken nature to return as she realized that wasn’t exactly a good excuse to disobey her tutor and do as she wished instead. “T-That is, if you would allow him to get something to eat before we spar,” she added a bit more timidly.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"HAUNGH!" One moment, crouched down on one knee at the mercy of Kiyo. The next? Slurping a gigantic plate of noodles while gripping even more food with both of his hands. A mobile food vendor had wheeled his cart of goods through the area, making his usual rounds. He was recognizable by many of the students at the Academy as he often brought food for them to snack on during their training. But never did he expect a certain rose-haired buffoon to make a mad dash towards him and proceed to inhale almost everything in his cart. Still, this was damn convenient. If not for this guy he'd have to run all the way to Sietch Zensunna to get something to eat...and with his legendary lack of direction, that would probably take a full week...

...so it was good that this guy showed up! Bad for him because the brash youth ate his entire inventory...but good for Kiyo's training! The boy's hand came up to pound on his chest, helping a chunk of food that got stuck in his throat complete its journey. Afterwards he gave a large satisfied, "Ahh...~" and grinned widely. That was good! He turned to leave, the cart-owner still in shock as to what just happened, but before he got too far he seemed to remember something and turned back around. "Oh!" he vocalized, his face turning serious for a second as he spaced his feet apart. A CLAP! sounded out as the lad brought his palms together above his head, bowing it afterwards in what was his own "special" way of trying to be respectful. "Itadakimasu!" And with that? He turned back and ran, heading back towards the walled-in training area. Now that he had eaten it was time for Round 2!

Meanwhile, Gō's light scowl had returned. His grandson's antics were as harebrained as ever. "Hasn't changed a bit." the elderly man thought aloud, shaking his head. But just as it seemed his disappointment could go no further...the corners of his mouth began to curl into the beginnings of a smile. It was hard to stay mad for too long around Keiatsu. At least THAT hadn't changed either! "Idiot..." he muttered, his smirk now full blown. Still, there was something strange here. Keiatsu didn't seem to be all that much stronger than when he last saw him...which was when he was seven years old! "Sofu" knew of his grandson's insane appetite because he got it from him! But even so, when Gō's stomach started to rumble he didn't turn into a useless fool. What had Yama been doing all this time when he was supposed to be training him? Slacking off?! Next time he saw that good for nothing son of his, he'd be sure to give him a good wallop on the head too!

Kiyo turned to him, drawing his attention away from thoughts of his family. She felt the need to explain herself to her new mentor, reasoning that she wouldn't have had a real challenge with Keiatsu in such a sorry state. The old man's grin returned as he looked down at the girl and reached out a giant hand to pat her atop her head. "You're starting to sound like a real fighter." She definitely had the spirit, alright. Just goes to show that you can accomplish anything with enough drive. What she lacked in raw power she would make up for with technique and a willingness to adapt. Just from watching those last few punches he could tell her form was really starting to come together! He was proud of his new student. And with his grandson returning to his original position, it was time to see fully just what she could do! Gō simply nodded at the girl, wordlessly offering encouragement to his student. Keiatsu resumed his stance, a smirk forming on his face as he prepared for another assault. This time was going to be different! Hopefully. That snack hadn't quite filled him up all the way, so he was still probably operating at around 50%. Would the girl make a fool out of him again? Or would half of his usual strength be enough? It was time to find out!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyo smiled brightly as she watched the hungry boy run off to get himself something to eat. It gave her plenty of time to rest as well, given her weak and untrained form was a bit winded from the unusual amount of exercise she was doing. She knew for a fact her mother would scold her about not eating enough and pushing herself too hard if she came home in an exhausted and weakened state, but there wasn’t much she could do when her mother was doing the same exact thing to herself.

When she felt the pat on her head along with hearing the comment Gō made, she couldn’t help the smile that lit her lips at the encouraging words. She felt as though her entire being was filled with energy once more, knowing that she was showing enough improvement to make her tutor at least a little proud of her. She watched as Keiatsu returned to his spot, knowing what was about to happen would likely drain her of all her remaining energy.

She dropped into her serious gaze once more, blocking out everything that would be of no use to her spar against her opponent. She brought her fists up once more, keeping them loose since she would be using her palms to strike so she wouldn’t hurt herself as much. She eyed him once more, deciding to go with the same series of moves to test how observant her opponent was. If he were to catch on and block her moves correctly, she would know she would have to change it up a bit. If he were to fall for it once more, she would simply need to be prepared for a strike back. She knew it would be different now that Keiatsu seemed more energized than before.

Kiyoko charged at him, her movements swift and calculated as much as she could be with the little experience she had. She took her first strike with her non-dominant hand to see if he had noticed her dominant side just yet. She then used her dominant hand to strike at his side while moving to swipe his leg out from under him with her left foot, just like she had previously. Her eyes narrowed a bit as she decided to add an extra move onto the combination, her left foot returning to balance herself as she brought her right knee up in a kick towards the closest target she had.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Experience.

That always played a big part in combat. Not always, but usually the person with the most fights under their belt had the advantage in a battle. They'd simply seen more. Threw more punches. Taken more hits. And despite his childlike demeanor that often led to people underestimating him, Keiatsu was no greenhorn when it came to fighting. He'd been trained by Yama, Kirigakure's own "Immovable Mountain", who had in turn been trained by the very same Gō that stood before these two today. And when I say "trained", I really mean, "put into life-endangering situations on a daily basis until they got stronger"...

...y'know, just your average workout regimen!

A determined look gleamed in the boy's eye as Kiyo rushed at him in a similar fashion as she'd done before. Actually...it was in exactly the same fashion. She even threw the same attacks! Now the rose-haired boy was a bit different for sure, but as much as he acted like it, he was no fool (completely, anyway...). A basic string of strikes might've gotten him in his weakened state, but not twice and not after he'd gotten some of his usual vigor back! His instincts kicked in as he pivoted slightly, easily avoiding her mirrored punch. This time it had been with her left hand instead of her right, a nice confusion tactic but nothing that threw him off too severely. Next came her right-handed punch which the boy weaved around by shifting his form to the side. A more narrow target meant less accuracy, and boy did it work. The white-haired girl would begin to notice something strange with her sparring partner's movements. His dodging was almost too fluid...almost like he knew what was coming before it happened. Of course this was a recycled combination, but he still seemed to be sidestepping her attacks too easily. And that...was because of his Sense.

Normally --whenever it decided to work-- it allowed him to detect the presence of others and slightly aid the boy in his navigational woes. It picked up all sorts of things. Chakra, killing intent, general danger, etc. It also served a very special purpose in combat in revealing to him where attacks were going to come from (Sixth Sense). Now it didn't work all the time, and if the attacks were fast enough or just plain unpredictable, his ability wouldn't make a difference. But for this combo? It did the trick just fine. After nonchalantly hopping over her sweeping foot, the boy's eyes would widen slightly as the girl's foot rushed upwards at him. But Kiyo would likely be the one with a surprised expression soon as the rose-haired youth caught her foot with his left hand, stopping the kick cold. Gō watched from the sidelines with an uncharacteristic serious expression on his face. He always seemed to be grinning or angry at his grandson, never sober. The elderly man had taken note of Kiyo's switch-up attacks and expected them to work against Keiatsu...but he'd also observed him effortlessly evading them in manner that seemed all-too-familiar. "So he does have it..." he muttered to himself, bringing a hand up to stroke his graying beard. From what it sounded like "Sofu" had seen this ability before...but there'd be time enough for that later. For now there was a fight on!

In a flash Keiatsu sent his right fist barreling towards Kiyo's cheek, his hand still gripping her foot. It was a simple punch, no winding back or added flair...but if it hit, it would still hurt like hell. He may have only been running at about 50%, but the rose-haired oaf was still an S-level combatant (despite how he seemed). Much like his grandfather, he wasn't one to pull punches. And he had absolutely no qualms about hitting a girl. Keiatsu treated everyone the same and never judged anyone. In all honesty it was a bit stupid...but then again, it meant he treated everyone equally. At least at first. A fight was a fight...no matter who it was with! So hopefully Gō's new student wouldn't hold his lack of restraint against him. Regardless of whether or not she managed to avoid his strike he would release his grip on her foot and remain standing in the same spot, ready for her next move. All the while a light smirk remained on his face, his big round naive eyes watching her intently. This was fun...and now it was safe to say that this spar was in full effect!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko was both surprised and excited that her first punch was dodged. It meant that she would truly have a more challenging battle. She was nervous, however, when she began to notice each of her attacks being dodged so easily. Yes, she knew the differences in their levels of experience, but she had hoped her own stamina would last her longer than it was. When her foot was caught, she was thrown off. She had hoped that her attack would be unsuspected. The fist that followed was unavoidable due to her moment of hesitation. Tears burned the back of her eyes, but it didn't compare to the pain she felt on her cheek. She stumbled back when she was released, barely managing to stay upright. Kiyo balanced herself once more as she took in the new fighting style she was exposed to.

The white-haired child narrowed her eyes as she prevented the small smirk playing at her lips. Despite the pain in her already swelling cheek, she was glad she had allowed the boy to refuel. This was definitely not a fair fight, but being at the lesser end of the advantages made Kiyoko think and work harder and faster. She placed her hands in front of her once more, allowing her honest exhaustion to show as well as a bit of faked heavy breathing. She wanted to look weakened even more than she was so that she could try to make Keiatsu assume she was an easy target.

It was a tactic she had used when she was younger to avoid certain punishments in her home. Her father would grow upset with her, and she would tear up and flinch when he would scold her too loudly for her liking. Hd would almost instantly settle down and lessen the volume of his voice. She never did think it would be used outside of the house hold, but it was a good skill to have.

As she eyed her opponent with slightly tired-looking eyes, she waited in hopes that he would begin the attacks this time. Her entire form was loose and ready to move, and she hoped she could dodge a few herself to conserve a little energy. She lowered herself by bending her knees a little more, believing it would be a little more difficult to punch an object below your normal striking range. It was one of the perks of being as short as she was.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Gō continued to watch the mock battle unfold, not even flinching when his grandson decked his new student in the face. He was never one to hold back either, and he had just about the same views as Keiatsu when it came to fighting. A fight was a fight. If you threw a punch you had better plan on taking a few in return. This would be a good lesson for the young Kiyoko. The life of a shinobi was not an easy one...and was more often than not filled with pain and loss. Oftentimes Academy Students and even Genin were somewhat protected from some of the bigger hardships of the Shinobi World. They generally weren't allowed to go on dangerous missions and the village as a whole would look out for their up-and-coming generation of ninja. But as they got older and advanced in rank? It's inevitable that they become exposed to more. Forbidden Jutsu...enemy shinobi...death. Subjecting children to such a life was something that Gō wholeheartedly disagreed on, and its why he never became a ninja himself. And despite his best (painful) objections, he couldn't stop one of his sons from walking that path. He in turn went on to raise Keiatsu, and if it wasn't for Water Country's sudden freezing the boy would undoubtedly by now have become another military dog, loyal to his country to a fault. It was a sad and broken system that raised kids to be killers...but alas, it was the world they lived in today. The old man just hoped Kiyoko would retain some of her kindness if she did indeed choose to follow this path...

"Sofu" took note of the white-haired girl's feigned fatigue, his usual grin returning once he realized what she was doing. "Smart." he thought aloud, his pride in his new student showing on his face. Kiyoko was fresh. She didn't have any techniques or learned abilities to work with yet, so she had to rely on the one thing she did have. Her brain. And fortunately for her, she easilyi outclassed her sparring partner in that department. It wasn't that he was outright dumb --despite what others and his own writer may think of him at times-- it's just that he was uninterested in anything that wasn't fun. That just so happened to include reading, math, general knowledge, geography, etiquette, and thinking. Why spend all your time mulling things over in your head when you could just do them? Well he was about to find out why. After cocking his right arm back, he smirked and began his charge at his apparently exhausted sparring partner.Talk about telegraphing your moves! This upcoming punch was so obvious that the girl would likely have no trouble dodging it. He wasn't doing it on purpose or anything...he just didn't bother to think about the consequences!

Once he was within range he would loose his right arm, aiming downwards to compensate for the height difference. But he wasn't about to give up the advantage his seemingly tired opponent had given him! So without wasting too much time he swept his left foot backwards, hoping to gain some momentum before he brought it off the ground in an arcing kick towards the girl's abdomen. If she managed to avoid this one he would be left wide open and in prime condition for a counterattack. Gō continued his meaningful observation from the side, eager to see how Kiyo would react to this reckless combination of attacks. Would she capitalize on the opening he would create? Or perhaps retreat and think of a way to make an opening herself? Whatever her decision, he would continue to watch with a grin on his face. Sure this was technically an educational session, but between the smiles on his and Keiatsu's face, it was a bit hard too tell! And something told him that if not for this charade, Kiyoko would be smirking right along with them. The elderly man's eyes narrowed, focusing for what would come in the next few seconds. Her opponent had made his move...now the ball was in her court!

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko was glad her tactic was working; it meant that she still had a fighting chance if she could outsmart her opponent. She saw that he was aiming a punch at her once more, and she found it odd that he was being so obvious about it. When he came close enough, she dodged the first attack, thinking fast and spinning her body as she ducked beneath his foot. She saw the opening and took it as quickly as she could, hoping to surpass his previous perfect dodging. She swept her foot at the ankle that was still on the ground while his attacking foot was still in the air, hoping to knock him closer to her level once more. If she were to manage to succeed in knocking him down, she would wait for him to get back up so that they could continue to spar a little longer rather than pinning him in a fight-ending position to strike, even though she had a feeling this spar actually wouldn’t stop until one of them were to give up or be rendered unable to fight any longer.

But if he were to recover too quickly or dodge the attack once more, she would move away, this time truly having lost more stamina than what she had previously hidden. She clenched her jaw, hoping that what she had done so far would be enough to impress her teacher enough, whether or not she were to lose. She knew, after all, that the odds of her winning against someone much more physically prepared for fighting were little to none. The fact that she had made it this far would be enough to please her mother, she knew, but she wouldn’t quit until she was unconscious or victorious.

Kiyo began another series of attacks, her smirk lighting her lips. She was truly having fun with this little fight, even if her cheek was stinging and her lungs aching from her heavy breathing. However, her smirk began to fade as she was aiming a punch at Keiatsu’s side, completely missing him whether or not he were to attempt to dodge. Her vision wasn’t naturally impaired, and she usually came pretty close to her moving target, but they would soon be able to notice how she was slightly less balanced than she had started. Her brows furrowed, and she attempted to focus herself once more as she moved away from Keiatsu in attempts to have a few seconds to regain her stability.

Her plan backfired, however, her knees buckling before she could even predict it. Her weak and exhausted little form fell limply to the ground as everything around her became less understandable. She could feel the sweat she had built up during the spar dripping coldly down her extremely hot neck, and her entire torso felt like it was burning. She scoffed at herself internally, beginning to think since she was unable to move in her half-conscious state. How pitiful, Kiyo, she would say to herself. You can’t even last through one little spar. Maybe Mom was right when she said I should drop out. I’m too weak to do this. And yet, she was fighting against losing consciousness as much as she possibly could. She did not want to give up yet, and she wished her body would comply with her will. All this time, she thought she could be strong and grow even stronger while training to protect her mother, but not even being able to make it through her first lesson wasn't the start she was hoping for. Her parents always told her she was strong and capable of doing anything she put her mind to. So why were their words failing her now?

[MFT: 623 words]
[OOC: I want Kiyo to lose this battle, but the thread itself doesn't have to be over if you see something else we could add!]