Talent above Hardwork [Private Tutor]

[Kenroujima]

In the inner reaches of the forest, below the canopy with a few scant rays of sunshine piercing through, some reflecting off the creek next to a small rock outcropping. Bushes are sparse, yet grass and mushrooms are aplenty. Closer to the creek is an edge of sand and rocks of various sizes. It is upon the rock outcropping over the creek Yaboi would be resting, lying on his back while under the shade of the trees. The boy was sporting his shinobi sandals, black shorts with plenty of pockets and his usual white shirt. Though for the environment that he was in, and the objective being to train he changed up his attire. With a dark green cloak that hung over the shoulders and came in towards his chest. His equipment was on him, hidden in various compartments on his belt and pouch on his hip. By the shore across the creek would be six wooden logs, a knife having etched a target upon each of them. Likewise, similar logs hung from nearby trees, some further away from the creek hanging by vines, others even hanging above the creek by wire. Whenever the wind had picked up it would push the logs in different directions, like crude wooden wind chimes that produced no sound. All these wooden targets had been hung up by Yaboi prior to his nap.

~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~​

Time had passed by slowly, the young boy drifting in and out of sleep as if he had one eye open all the time. It was a relaxing time for Yaboi, being able to train on his terms and use his time as he wanted. He had just finished winning his first match against a fellow classmate named Yozara Akihito. It was his first real combat experience against a student, quite different from the spars he did with Ryo while growing up. Yaboi did not know how long it would be for his next match to begin, though he didn’t care. If he was late it was at least his choice, and if he chose to attend he would surely arrive on time. ‘A few more minutes, then I’ll perfect this course again and get some food..’ the boy thought to himself, his stomach growling lowly.

WC: 375

[Topic Entered]

 

[Tatsuo]

It had been so long since Tatsuo had actually been in the village. In his youth he would trek these forests and trails as if it was his backyard and for all intents in purposes it was. Many of days and nights were spent fishing in the creek and building tents in the hills. While it wasn't unheard of to stumble upon someone in the vast forests of the village, it was uncommon especially for how deep Tatsuo tended to go. But on this particular trek he stumbled upon a boy who happened to be napping. He had no intention of disturbing him until he saw him rise, afraid that he woken him up he went to apologize but he heard his stomach growl and Tatsuo smirked. His eyes finally laid on the course ahead of them and furrowed his brows. It was nice to see academy students training so hard, it wasn't until he met Hoshi that he learned the importance of pushing yourself to your limits. But this kid must've been training so hard he sent himself to sleep.

Finally appearing from the wood works, Tatsuo called out to him. Placing his hands in the air in a 'Don't shoot' position. "How's the training comin'?" The last thing he wanted to was to spook the kid and get a kunai the eye. Once Yaboi saw Tatsuo he would see a young male around the age sixteen, dark brown hair kept up with his leaf headband that was proudly displayed for all to see. Even if it was more common here, he forwent the Chuunin flak in favor of some lighter and better hiking clothes. A dark green shirt and a pair of black pants that went down to his feet. A bandage and a kunai loader were wrapped on the left leg. He walked with a certain amount of aloofness, but he seemed to be aware of everything going around him. Even if he didn't always care.

WC: 329/1500
Post Count: 1/5

 

[Kenroujima]

Yaboi never expected someone to arrive into such a deep part of the wooded area, but it was not something he had written off. In fact, Yaboi had placed a few ninja wire traps hidden beneath fallen leaves or off branches of the trees. His hand had immediately moved to his blowgun, if there was even a shred of a possibility of a fight going down he would be the one to take the initiative. It only took a moment or two for Yaboi to notice the headband and relax, sitting up on his rump upon the rock outcropping "More of a game than training, watch where you step though. There is a trap four feet in front of you under that pile of leaves, two to the left of you attached to the tree and one to your right behind the rock on your flank. I don't want to set those traps up again." the boy announced to Tatsuo, slowly rising to his feet and stretching his arms upwards with a yawn. "Haven't seen you around, what's your name? I'm Yaboi." said the younger one, now looking completely at Tatsuo with a tilt of his head. 'He must be confident in his skills to be walking in such a way. Should still be cautious.' the boy thought to himself in conclusion.

WC: 222
TWC: 597/1500

 

[Tatsuo]

"There's a what?" Tatsuo said as he walked four steps in front of him, straight into the pile of leaves. Within an instant, wires shot out and covered him in a web of wire. "W--.. well you told me." he would say before attempting to un-wire himself. "Quite...." he said as he pulled off the final wire from his arms. "Clever. You get many enemies out in this neck of the woods? What's with all the traps?" While the occasional bear might have roamed the forest, in Tatsuo's youth there was rarely anything more dangerous than that. Traps like these were for humans, as if Yaboi was expecting someone. "The village hasn't been compromised since I left, has it?" He had been gone for so long, the political dealings of the nation were obscure to him at best but he did worry about his home even if he had been gone for so long.

"My name is Tatsuo, i've been travelling for the past few years and finally returned to the village after an extended stay out." he said with a quick nod and a grin, "Yaboi? Cool name, parents must've liked you a lot." he said walking over to him "So what game are we playing? I'm a huge fan of games."

WC: 542
Post Count: 2/5

 

[Kenroujima]

The boy grinned in amusement as Tatsuo got caught up in the wire trap, stepping off the rock outcropping and approaching Tatsuo. "I guess, expect the unexpected. Doesn't hurt to be prepared." the boy admitted, fixing his cloak. As Tatsuo untangled himself from the wires Yaboi had finally gotten a real good look at him 'He is pretty tall.' the boy thought idly, bringing his arms up and resting his hands behind his head as he leaned back a bit on his right leg "I don't uh.. Really keep up with village ongoings." Yaboi said, looking to Tatsuo's kunai loader. He looked back up towards Tatsuo "Nice to meet you Tatsuo-senpai!" the boy said with a happy smile though not responding to the comment on his name, the subject was changed to what Yaboi had setup in the woods anyway. "Oh. Well its a game I made to help with awareness." he said, gesturing to the multiple wooden log targets that were either hung up everywhere or placed at the shore across the creek. He made his way over to the stone outcropping by the creek, kneeling down and pointing to the targets hung above the creek. "First thing to do is knock those targets down by severing the wire that holds them up, and before they reach the water below they have to be hit." he began to reveal the game he had prepared "Then you can either hop onto the logs in the creek and reach the other side to take out the targets there, or hit them from this side of the creek. Although, if you stay on this side of the creek you have to also hit the targets hung on the left or right. Hitting targets still falling are worth 5 points. Hitting a wire or vine is 3 points. Striking a target is worth 1 point.". The boy nodded to himself before shaking his head, looking over his shoulder "Also some targets are rigged with hidden launchers. Avoiding that is 4 points. Finally, in this area I've found that the wind tends to pickup and move the targets randomly so you have to be aware of the weather aswell." the boy finally concluded, revealing his convoluted game that he created partly out of boredom and from a dream. In truth, Yaboi had done this course a few times and had changed it every time. It wouldn't be fun if it was the same scenario each and every time and he would always rely on the weather to make each game different than the last.

WC: 430
TWC: 1027/1500

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo furrowed his brows trying to keep up with the game. It certainly was well thought out. The rules might be a lot to keep up with but Tatsuo managed. The boy was harder to entertain than himself, when he was a kid just exploring was fun enough but not all were as content as Tatsuo. "Alright.. mind if I watch once? I think I got it but I don't want to break any rules." He said with a smile as he placed two hands on his knees and waited for Yaboi to go.

WC: 636/1500
Post Count: 3/5

 

[Kenroujima]

Yaboi rolled his shoulders at that, he had to do the course one more time before his next round regardless. 'I have an interesting path in mind.' the boy said in his head as he stared out to the three targets hanging over the creek. His eyes glanced to the six targets across the shore, his hand creeping upon his blowgun. His focus was set on the hanging target to the far right and with a quick draw of his weapon he instantly loaded two darts. His stance changed as he bolted forward to the edge of the rock outcropping letting loose the first dart while the second lagged behind. The wire had been cut, a deathly quick dart had cut it with razor bladed wings while the second followed through with hitting the target as it began to fall. Yaboi leaped forward and with nimble feet he gently bounced off the log as landed into the waters of the creek. As Yaboi landed on the other side he threw his blowgun into his sleeve and brought his hands together and making a few handseals "Water Style: Water Whip Jutsu.". Two dark tendrils of water begin form from Yaboi's shadow, his hands reach back and grab the shadowy whips of water. The boy steps forward and brings his arms down to strike, the length of the whips are pulled out from Yaboi's shadow until they strike out at one target each, breaking the wooden targets. Keeping up with his own momentum and drawing a few short breathes of air the boy turns back to the two targets above the creek, drawing his blowgun. The boy darts to the side as he finds the angle he needs, loading his blowgun and letting out a curve shot taijutsu. The bladed dart whizzes by both target's wires and send them falling towards the creek. Though Yaboi was not done, having loaded two darts in the blink of an eye and releasing them and striking both falling targets. Water splashes out from the creek and the boy leaps once more, tip toeing across the creek thanks to the two logs. He finally shifts his body around, time resuming its normal course as he begins to once again commit to handseals. Different handseals, but still two small pillars of water shoot out from the boys shadow which is now infront of him. He reaches out into the two streams of water and grasps at an object, the streams of water form into the boy's grasp. Two shadowy liquid kunai in his grasp and without wasting more time he chucks them at the two targets across the creek, catching both targets as the wind finally picks up. The three targets hanging to the boys left sway violently, as do the three targets to the boys right. "End." the boy calls out, standing back up straight and stretching his arms upwards. Yaboi looks over his shoulder to Tatsuo "Get it now Senpai? You can have those six targets now." the boy announced 'This is my actual training. Keeping an opponent within my rules forces their hand, he has no choice but to hit all the targets before they hit the floor.' the boy thought to himself, releasing a cocky grin and sticking his tongue out. The boy made a V with his two fingers as he continued to look to Tatsuo 'Hehe.. And all of them are trapped too, odds are stacked in my favor.' the boy concluded in his mind.

WC: 584
TWC: 1611
[Post Count: 4/5]

 

[Tatsuo]

"Oh we can use ninjutsu?" he said with a smirk. He was surprised to see Yaboi using shadow jutsu, but his own student was capable of the interesting element, it seemed however that Yaboi was capable of what Saito was not. Emerging the jutsu straight as shadows without the needed conversion. Perhaps a training session between the two could result in something great. He grinned as he realized it was his turn. Tatsuo may have been a Chuunin but his training abroad really had brought the best out of him, something like this really was child's play. Stepping up from the stone he was sitting on he rolled his shoulders and prepped himself in a stance, lifting a palm "Keep the blowpipe, I got this kid."

He knew he could hit all the targets before they would even to fall, while his accuracy wasn't the best simple targets like those would be no problem. But what would be the fun in that? The kid did good and he shouldn't dishearten him with such a skill gap. Without forming a handseal, three wooden tendrils extended from his arm striking at 3 of the targets wires snapping them before they could even think of falling. He deliberately took his time to draw his kunai as if to give the other two targets time to fall. With a playful wince he tossed it out, sticking it into the wire with a certain amount of finesse, but the last log plopped into the lake. He could've gotten it had he tried but once again he was here to encourage, not shut out. "Darn, looks like you got me." he said turning with his normal iconic grin. "You're real good with that blow-pipe and shadow Ninjutsu to boot? Bet if I was your age you'd have kicked my a-- er- butt." he said with a nod. Can't curse around kids, he reminded himself. "Where'd you learn all that, they teaching you good at the academy?" he said as he returned to his seat-stone. Leaning back, using his arms to support him he looked to Yaboi awaiting his answer.

Despite asking Yaboi a question for a brief moment as the boy gathered his thoughts he took a moment to let in all the things the forest had to offer. The sights, smells.. the last forest he had spent any considerable amount of time in was the Ancient Forest of Kumogakure, a cold and harsh climate with creatures that were no different than their home. It was nice to feel the warmth of Konoha kiss his skin, to see green everywhere he looked. He felt reinvigorated here. He could never imagine just how much he missed his home. There was only one more place he needed to visit, but between getting Saito and himself settled there was little time for mourning but it definitely would come.

WC: 1115/1500
Post Count: 4/5

 

[Kenroujima]

Yaboi simply observed Tatsuo. Carefully watching his movements, Yaboi sat with anticipation in hopes to see just what this shinobi could do. The boy frowned as the older boy had acted slow. "No way. You held back, but I suppose it doesn't particularly matter. I have to go back to the village now, later!".

Yaboi would remember that Tatsuo was holding back during the game, but in his books it was a win. After all, Tatsuo still played the game.

Ooc:
WC reached
Post count reached

 

[Tatsuo]

And he went just as fast as he came. As if Yaboi switched with a log in a poof of interdimensional smoke he managed to escape Tatsuo with no problem. But hey he couldn't blame him, when he was that age he would do the same thing. "Guess I should clean up a bit." he said furrowing his brows as he went to find the base of the ninja wire and wrap it all up. Also managing to disarm all of the left over traps. The forests were frequented by more than just humans, the occasional rabbit or doe might find their end wrapped in a silver metal wire. He was definitely happy to see young ones in the village so talented. At his age he could barely manage to throw a kunai straight and this kid was making games to make that more interesting, if eveyone of the new kids had that same type of ingenuity that the elusive Yaboi had then no matter what happened to the Chuunin the village would be in good hands.

It didn't take long to play clean up, within a few minutes he had gathered all the ninja wire in a bundle around his hand and disarming the traps with the quick poke of a stick he managed to de-trap the whole area with relative ease. Sure was a crafty kid, he thought. Paranoid too. But not everyone could be as head-on as Tatsuo is. He'd probably have a few less scars if he thought about things before running in, but for someone like him that was easier said than done.

He thought about where to go now, he had a little time. Looking up at the sun it was just a little past noon, he was due to meet up with Saito for an early evening training session soon but it might be enough time to swing by the graveyard. That was something he'd need to do by himself, mourning in public wasn't exactly something he enjoyed and he knew his mother deserved some flowers. It took him a while to collect a bundle that he thought was acceptable but after he found a few white ones he made his way back to the village to drop them off. White always was her favorite color and if she could see what was happening he knew she would appreciate it.

WC: Reached
Post Count: 5/5

[Tutor done, be sure to request this in the same place you request mission rewards]