Working Out [Open]

[Shinrya Riko]

Working Out.

There was a part of the academy that had an outdoor track that students could train their speed and endurance on. It was on the back side of the school and was surrounded by a fence to prevent non-students from using it. The middle field was also set up like an obstacle course during the class hours. Right now was not class time. Ai was here late after the standard day was done. She was intent on focusing on her weakest area, which was definitely her speed. She was big, and that meant that she was strong for her age. Yet that bigness also came a type of slowness that was unique to only her.

Unlike other students, her knees and elbows often ached, and despite the fact that she yearned to be harder, better, faster, stronger - the aches in her limbs were holding her back. The doctors had said that it was growing pains and that it would pass with time. Her brother had joked that that day would never come. She was just going to keep getting bigger and bigger until she was a literal giant with head in the clouds. Ai didn’t think it was that funny, she was already really embarrassed about how sometimes people mistook her for an adult. Thus here she was on the track, trying to overcame the pains in her limbs in order to earn improvement.

She was wearing a white shirt tucked into a pair of blue bloomers with a racing stripe. She crouched at the line and after an imaginary countdown followed by an equally imaginary gun shot she began to run. She gritted her teeth as she pushed herself for as long as she could. She had started on the long stretch but as she rounded the corner she could already feel the fire in her limbs. She looked up and thought that if she could just make it to the next corner of the track that she would be satisfied.

She slowed to a walk, rubbing her knees as she looked at the corner still an entire stretch away. ”Shoot.” She huffed. She put her hands on her hips and lulled her head back as she walked along the path she had intended to run as she tried to recover.

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo yawned as he walked over to the academy, it was a bit after noon when classes should be letting out for lunch. He intended to see if Ikko wanted to skip class to go fishing. Because he probably shouldn't be helping students skip class, he came through a thicket of trees and hopped over the simple chain linked fence. Tatsuo never really saw the importance in schools, as he never felt like he learned anything important at all in the Academy himself. But just as he was plotting on how to get Ikko out of his class, he got distracted by the lady running on the track. He saw her quickly run out of stamina and furrowed his brows. First he wondered why a lady would be at the academy and why they would be running. Curiosity got the best of him and he called out to her.

"Whatcha up to?" He called from the other side of the track as he leisurely made his way over to the girl. He was wearing a simple black jacket with a white t-shirt under it. He wore black pants that went down to his ankles, there was a wrapping on the right leg and a kunai loader on the other. Proudly displayed for the whole world to see was his Leaf headband. Even with the Leaf-Cloud alliance growing healthily it was uncommon to see ninja from the other village walking around so freely. Tatsuo was proud about his home, being in another village meant little to him. Just as glaring as his foreign headband, were the bandages on his cheek and his right arm which was mummified in a mix of bandages and gauze. It was obvious he had been on the losing end of a fight recently.

As he grew closer to Ai he could tell she had been training hard, which instantly gained a bit more respect from the boy. As he had still been recovering from his last battle. "What you working on? Endurance or speed?" the older boy asked. Tatsuo himself wasn't short for his age, he stood proudly at a little under 5'10 but he was still shorter than the girl, naturally he assumed she was an adult, but his lack of manners made him treat her no different.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

Ai looked the man over. He certainly must be adventurous to be displaying his leaf headband when walking around another nation’s academy. She had stopped her pace when he called out to her. She unconsciously rubbed her elbows as she considered the arrogant way he seemed to be displaying his leaf headband in another country’s village. Still, there was little that could be said about it. He had probably been allowed entrance so his being here was justified by someone. Ai didn’t play the politics game or pay attention to that kind of stuff. ”I was working out.” She answered absently back to the Leaf ninja.

As he drew closer his face seemed to grow bright. He inquired about what kind of training she was doing. Ai rubbed her knees as she thought about having another go now that fire in them was burning out. ”Endurance. Ah thank.” she answered. ”It really smahts fowh may to ruhn laytelay - Mah doctoh said it was growhin’ pains. Ah reckon ‘cause ahm so tall.” Her voice was more childish than her frame would suggest and was lathered in the honied accent of Southern Cloud. Ai was a big girl. She six feet tall and had rather broad shoulders, and yet she was still prepubescent. The flowering of her womanly features had yet to happen, and thus she had no signs of curves to her waist or chest as an adult would have.

”Ah thank ahm ‘bout ready for a brake.” She mused, mostly to herself as she stretched the muscles in her limbs.

 

[Tatsuo]

As the girl stood up he finally noticed just how tall she was. She was a good few inches taller than Tatsuo, who was taller than most of his peers. But as she began to spoke he noticed that she must be young, also with the hints of her lacking any type of womanly figure. The last time Tatsuo had heard her accent was that mission. It brought his stomach forward but he knew they had no connection so he was able to keep his lunch down. ''You're a shinobi?'' He asked; the whole time he was eyeing the door just in case anyone in charge of the students noticed him. He wasn't trying to get in trouble for fraternizing with students when all he was trying to do is get Ikko out of class.

''You got growing pains? What's that like?'' Tatsuo had a growth spurt himself but instead of pain it just gave him a level of clumsiness. ''You know I've got a quite a bit of endurance, I'm not sure if I could help but I could try.'' Despite not being a shinobi of this village Tatsuo thought it was his duty to assist all those he could, even shinobi from Cloud.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

”Maybe one day.” She answered his question about her being a shinobi. She noticed that he was looking kind of antsy for some reason. She straightened her hair with a hand absently. While he got ahold of himself. He asked her about growing pains and explain his own experience. Ai chuckled a little at his ignorance of her own situation. ”Das why its called growhin’ pains. If ah move ahround too much, mah bones staht creakin’ like an’ old house.” To emphasize, she rubbed her knees and elbows. ”It can really hurt some days. It doesn’t hurt everyday though.”

”Ah don’ really get it, but are ya sayin’ that yer a medic ninja? I thank my knees could really use a lookin’ at I reckon” She blinked at the chuunin and help up her knee so that he could take a look at it. Waddaya doin’ here anway? Ya come to use the track too? She asked curiously, examining Tatsuo’s face? ”Waht’syer name stranger?”

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo grinned from ear to ear as she said that she may one day be a shinobi. "Well keep up the hard work and you for sure will be!" however when she questioned him about being a medical ninja he rubbed his chin and nodded. "Sort of? I learned a little bit, but I switched to Main Branch as soon as possible. Here I might have something that could help." he formed a hand seal and placed a hand on her knee. Instantly she would feel a relief in the pain in her aching joints. It was a basic jutsu he learned in his short time as a medic. While it didn't heal anything, it masks the pain that one might be feeling.

"I didn't fix anything, but it should ease the pain. If you want, we could head over to the hospital, I know someone there anyways they might be able to help you. They're a way better medical ninja than I could ever be." The boy nodded thinking back to Osu who taught him that very techinque. Out of all the adults he met in Cloud his first time, he/she, was the only one who treated him well and he remembered he/she fondly. Even if he couldn't tell for the life of him what his gender was.

When asked why he was at the academy, Tatsuo hesitated to say anything before nodding and beginning to speak. "I've got a friend who gets bullied sometimes, so I came to check on him and make sure everyone was treating him okay. Ya' know?"

 

[Shinrya Riko]

The leaf shinobi considered her inquiry about being a medical ninja. It was a simple yes or no, is what Ai thought, but when he nodded and answered that he was only in partial a medic it left her just a little confused. She didn’t bring voice to the confusion, letting him instead approach her and placing a hand on knee after forming a seal. She could feel...a soothing spreading from her joint. The academy student nearly buckled from the unexpected relief. ”Wow!” She turned away from the chuunin and performed a practice kata with a series of swift kicks into the air. A big grin crossed her lips at the relief. ”Thank ya!”

Of course then there was the catch. The full fledged shinobi explained that it didn’t fix anything but it was merely a method to mask the pain. He offered that he could take her over to the hospital. Ai held up her hand as if to say no. ”Ah already go check in with the doctah every day. They always tell me to use apply a warm cloth or to stretch out my legs.” She demonstrated by doing a couple of standing stretches.

It was his turn to answer what he was doing here. He seemed to pause by Ai was too busy enjoying her new found freedom from pain to notice the little intricate change in the leaf’s manner. She only turned to listen when he mentioned that he had a friend that got bullied sometimes. Ai felt an immediate resonance in her own heart. Due to her size she was often picked on as well, but then again she was able to just simple out muscle anyone that wanted to pick a fight with her. Still, it didn’t make the emotional pain any less. She had never realized that it was not just her being bullied.

She found some kind of resolution inside of herself. ”Ah thank that is a great idea!” she clapped her hands. ”Ah’ll keep an eye on ‘im too and I’m pound anybody that picks on ‘im.” She demonstrated by smashing her fist into the palm of her hand. ”Lets go visit him!” Then she paused. ”What’s yer name by the way? Ya never said.”

 

[Tatsuo]

Tatsuo looked to Ai and grinned as she began kicking and doing her other movements. He was happy to be able to help her, even if it wasn't a permanent fix. At least ridding her of some pain would make her day better, which at the least, is what he could do. When he heard of her going to a doctor a lot and getting the same results he shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose, but ninja medics tend to have a little bit more finesse ya' know? Even if not now, i'd recommend you going to the hospital, ask for Ms. Osu. She's real good at all that healing stuff." he said offering his best advice.

Luckily Ai was too busy enjoying herself to notice his lack of solid answers. It was true, he would help Ikko if he was getting bullied, but the kid was pretty crafty he doubted he'd get bullied even if he did, not for long. When she asked him his name he smiled from ear to ear and pointed a thumb at his headband and exclaimed for everyone to hear. "I'm Tatsuo of the Leaf!" However he quickly scanned the yard to make sure none of the teachers heard him, they'd probably question him on just why he was stalking around the playground and he doubted his excuse of bullying would work as well with them as it did Ai. "What about yours?" the boy asked crinkling his nose as he looked up to her.

 

[Morishige]

Mieko stood silently behind a tree, eyes trained on the big one. Ai reminded her of the boys she used to be pit against for the entertainment of the masters, but she had never seen a girl her size before. She was fascinated to say the least. She watched and listened without moving; this was as she was in the compound where she was rescued from. The less speaking and doing one did, the less one got hit, so she stayed away despite her will power straining against the urge to run forward and inspect her like some animal.

Much to her disappointment, they seemed like they were making plans to leave. Which meant she would need to make a choice. Follow them, or stay here in the training grounds and wait for the next student to happen along. Mieko's fingers clenched on the trunk of the tree she was hiding behind. With anxiety rising, so did the audible heavy inhalations she was making. This had happened a few times since being brought back to the village and interred in the academy. The choice of freedom was overwhelming to her. While some might have said that the life of a ninja was very regimented and controlled, it was nothing compared to where she came from. It soon became too much and she turned away from the tree and squatted down, hands over her head. She moaned in pain, low grunts of frustration every few moments.

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Hoshi trekked out into the training yard of the academy. He had walked by several classes and peeked inside, checking out all the new students. This was his favorite place to be when he first enlisted at the tender age of eight. He was happy to see more young Shinobi aspiring for greatness to come fruition through the seedlings. Heck, he was thinking like he was a veteran when he too was still just a sprouting seed. As he walked out into the training yard, with the track and obstacle courses his mind raced back to all his classes. He had learned so many lessons, the breeze swept passed his body, blowing his long ponytail in the wind.

Ou of the few people in the yard Hoshi noticed a giant. She was much like an old friend of his, Izanagi. His brow cringed at who was next to her, Tatsuo. Hoshi chuckled and started to make his way overt to the two. His pale eyes searched to and fro the yard for anyone else. It was a short time before Hoshi was in range to be heard.

"Tatsuo-Kun, what are you doing out here with the students? Looking to find an apprentice already huh? Heh, my man. Oh?"

The pale eyed Hyuuga would bow at the giant girl. He rubbed the back of his head looking at her, he was chuckling lightly. She was much bigger up close, towering over the slim fit Hoshi.

"Hoshi Shouyu, pleased to meet your acquaintance student. You're here alone? That must show you have a motivation to get the upper hand on other class mates huh? I like that resolve, retain that flame within your heart."

[topic entered]

 

[Shinrya Riko]

Tatsuo shrugged and gave his best advice, but Ai felt like he hadn’t been listening to her. ”That’s what I was sayin’, Ah already go there everyday.” She would mutter to herself when he offered advice about meeting a “Ms. Osu” at the hospital. She had been there several times already and had been told that the pains where coming from the speed at which she was growing. In fact, she was still getting taller! She sighed and shook the her head at Tatsuo’s helpful advice. Then it came time for him to introduce himself. He seemed quite proud of himself and his heritage to so boldly proclaim that he was from the leaf in the middle of the Cloud village.

Ai escaped her stunned silence after a brief moment, shaking it off. ”Ahm Watanabe Ai. Ahm from the farmlands in the south but Ah’ve come to train to be a kunoichi. Mah family was murdered by bandits, so ah’ve gotta get stronger so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

The starry eyed Hyuga made her own trek into the training yard. He seemed to be friends with Tatsuo as he approached with a sense of mirth. ”You two know each other?” She asked after Hoshi’s address directed at Tatsuo. The new comer then seemed to be somewhat bashful, as he rubbed his head like he made a mistake. ”Watanabe Ai.” She gave a polite bow. ”Ah was just doin’ a few laps roun’ the track is all.” It was her turn to be bashful for being praised as she was.

Then there was the sound of… heavy...breathing… Ai turned her head to glance and the socially awkward face peering behind a tree. Was she trying to get their attention with the sound of her deep inhalation alone? Ai blinked not sure what to say to the girl she had noticed. She tapped Tatsuo on the shoulder and the discreetly pointed to the girl hiding behind the tree as if she were a shy Hyuuga Heiress. ”Psst. Do ya know her?” She asked in a hushed tone of Tatsuo, inclining her head over to the girl hiding behind the tree. ”Why is she doin’ that?” Ai could feel her heart stir. She did have a love of small cute little things, and this girl hiding behind a tree certainly had the moe factor going on. She waved at the girl, inviting her to approach the group

”We were about to go look for Tatsuo’s friend, Ikko and make sure there ain’t nobody bullying him.” She explained to Hoshi and the mysterious hide behind a tree like a Hyuga princess girl.

 

[Tatsuo]

When he offered his advice, he meant no disrespect but he thought someone with a bit more expertise could help her and the best medical ninja he knew other than Umashi was Osu. However the topic quickly turned sour as she shared the grim story of her family. It made his stomach drop and he would've embraced her had he thought it was appropriate. The boy felt an unreasonable amount of responsibility for anything evil that occurred, had he been there, had he been stronger, he could've stopped it. Even if it made no sense for him to be there. It was his dream to prevent things like that from ever happening again. He took in a deep breath and shook his head, looking down to his feet, "I'm sorry you had to go through that." he clenched his teeth and shook his head once more before forcing a smile. Just like him, she used her pain as a motivator, to get stronger, to improve the world, the two shared a similar ideology and that gained her the utmost respect from Tatsuo. "You really feel that way huh? About preventing anything like that from happen--"

He was cut off by the call of Hoshi. Tatsuo turned to him, offering his fist for a quick bump before saying, "Nah, not looking for an apprentice just yet. I was actually seeing what Ikko was up to, but I think he must've skipped today." he offered a shrug before turning his attention back to Ai, "Hoshi, this is Ai, Ai, this is Hoshi." he introduced the two. "Hoshi is my best friend." Both Tatsuo and Hoshi seemed to be impressed by Ai's training, Tatsuo especially found it valiant that she was working through the now-numbed pain.

Tastuo had begun to notice Mori before Ai had pointed her out, while he did truly come here to see if Ikko wanted to skip class he also intended on checking on her. She had just recently enlisted in the academy, Tatsuo thought it'd be best for her to join the academy and hopefully they could help her with a bit of that trauma she had grown up with. With his connection the natural energies surrounding most things living, it wasn't hard to feel her, especially as she hid behind a tree. He wanted to call to her, but he wasn't trying to scare her with all of the people around. When Ai asked if he knew her he nodded and looked to the two. "She's a bit afraid of other people, mind if I just go talk to her real quick? I'm sure I can get her to come say hello, but I don't want to overwhelm her." He felt bad about excluding them, but the girl was terribly defensive and hadn't yet experienced the kindness people could produce.

Tatsuo understood but like most things he felt needed to be fixed, it was his personal duty to help this girl break her shell. He saw the good in her, just like he did everyone else, whether it was there or not. He made his way over to her, a smile from ear to ear on his face. As he got closer and out of earshot from Ai and Hoshi, had they not followed, he lowered his voice and said "What'cha doin' over here, Mori?" He crouched down to her level, as Tatsuo was still tall for his age. He would extend his hand and try and ruffle her hair, "Your head hurt?"

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

"Ikko... being bullied?"

Hoshi rubbed his chin, looking up. He never recalled in his days being bullied. But, he was gifted as a child, and Ikko did struggle to find his calling. It made sense, but Hoshi still wondered where the giant girl came from. If her tenacity continued, she could be top of the class. Everyone had pointed out a student hidden behind a tree. Shouyu would give a look and nod to Tatsuo who advised he should talk to her.

He went off to talk with her and left Hoshi alone with the giant. Her name was Ai, and she was doing laps. Probably to increase her stamina, Hoshi nodded. He was pleased to see a student working while others did not.

"It's admirable for a student to train when it is deemed unnecessary. That shows a flame within your heart Ai. So, if I may ask, what is the fuel that ignites your resolve to do such training?"

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

"Ikko... being bullied?"

Hoshi rubbed his chin, looking up. He never recalled in his days being bullied. But, he was gifted as a child, and Ikko did struggle to find his calling. It made sense, but Hoshi still wondered where the giant girl came from. If her tenacity continued, she could be top of the class. Everyone had pointed out a student hidden behind a tree. Shouyu would give a look and nod to Tatsuo who advised he should talk to her.

He went off to talk with her and left Hoshi alone with the giant. Her name was Ai, and she was doing laps. Probably to increase her stamina, Hoshi nodded. He was pleased to see a student working while others did not.

"It's admirable for a student to train when it is deemed unnecessary. That shows a flame within your heart Ai. So, if I may ask, what is the fuel that ignites your resolve to do such training?"

 

[Shinrya Riko]

"Ikko... being bullied?"

Hoshi rubbed his chin, looking up. He never recalled in his days being bullied. But, he was gifted as a child, and Ikko did struggle to find his calling. It made sense, but Hoshi still wondered where the giant girl came from. If her tenacity continued, she could be top of the class. Everyone had pointed out a student hidden behind a tree. Shouyu would give a look and nod to Tatsuo who advised he should talk to her.

He went off to talk with her and left Hoshi alone with the giant. Her name was Ai, and she was doing laps. Probably to increase her stamina, Hoshi nodded. He was pleased to see a student working while others did not.

"It's admirable for a student to train when it is deemed unnecessary. That shows a flame within your heart Ai. So, if I may ask, what is the fuel that ignites your resolve to do such training?"

Ai glanced over at Tatsuo as if asking for him to verify his claims about Ikko. "Yeah, thats what he said anyway." The giantess wiped at the sweat that had accrued upon her forehead in part due to her work out. Hoshi seemed to be wearing an approving expression as he looked her over. She tried to give him a polite smile as she couldn't help that he was drinking in the entirity of her and it was making her somewhat uncomfortable around him. The awkward moment passed and Hoshi opened with a comment about how admirable it was to be training like how she was. He asked about the origin's of the fire. She had to pause for a moment. She wasn't sure if it was because of any kind of fire that she was out here. Her primary objective was to build stamina, true, but she didn't feel like she had whatever it was that Hoshi seemed to see in her. She tapped her temple twice before offering, "Well. Bandits killed mah family in the south. Just me and my brother survived."

She looked down at her hands and squeezed them into fists. "Ah'd like to tear them a new one I'll tell you what." She let the anger show on her face for a brief moment. "But ahm just a kid. I'll be a real kunoichi some day." She answered. Of course she didn't know what that would entail for her. It seemed to be a dangerous job, but then so too was the objective that she was aiming for. She shook the thoughts from her head as she met the starry eyed Hyuga again. "Ah don't feel like I have anything like fire in mah heart. More like cold ice water."

 

[Tatsuo]

After Morishige ran off, probably being too afraid to speak with so many people at once, Tatsuo let off a sigh before heading back to Ai and Hoshi. As he returned he overheard the last statement about her heart being cold, Tatsuo understood the pain of losing a loved one, but he had always used the pain as a reason to be good. As to not inflict that type of pain unto others. He crossed his arms and sighed, he knew it wasn't right to lecture the girl, he had barely enough life experience to know what to do. How could he ever lecture another? "I'm sorry you feel that way, Ai. Hopefully some day you'll find something that sets your heart ablaze. Hopefully something good." he added in quickly, as to prevent his words from being misunderstood. "We've all got our problems and motivations, but I hope you can some day find a way to fill that void. Whether it be through training or compassion."

Tatsuo rubbed the back of his neck, looking to the ground a bit. Man he sure did sound lame, he was speaking like something you'd hear out of a bad movie. The boy shook his head and looked back to her, "So what are you best at? Ninjutsu? Genjutsu? Tai? Hoshi has better Taijutsu than I do, but I think in a Nin fight he'd stand no chance." he said nudging Hoshi in the side to add a physical jab to his spoken one.

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Hoshi nodded at her last statement, he was soaking in the depth of her words. His gaze swayed away from her, wandering to the cloudy Kumo skies. He had a similar past to the girl, in which, these feelings she expressed was relatable. The young boy would advert his attention to Tatsuo who had returned now. He looked over to where the girl was spotted, and she was no longer there, gone. Tatsuo’s advice was nothing short than thoughts Hoshi was already contemplating. He responded to Tatsuo’s playful jab.

“I don’t pride myself as being ninjutsu adept, true. It takes up way too much energy.”

He turned to look to Ai. With a blank expression. Another nod came from the boy before he spoke.

“My parents, and village was also taken from me. I live as a Shinobi in living memory of my fallen bloodline. I hope you find some solace to rectify the wrongs the evils of the world has committed against you.”

Hoshi then turned around and clasped each wrist in his hands behind his back. He walked slowly and gave a wave to his friend Tatsuo.

“Stay out of trouble yeah? I was looking for Kiri. I know he’s in town so, just gotta talk to him... see ya around.”

[exit]