[h3] [/h3][hr][h3][color=indianred]Natsuko Rinha[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Afternoon || Land of Fire: Konohagakure — Training Grounds[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent] With a shout, Natsuko landed another kick on the tree she was training against, which shook on impact, leaves rattling. She paused a short distance away, panting but maintaining her form with a kunai in one hand. ‘Train,’ Minoru had said. ‘You have to have good form to attempt further learning.’ So, as he’d bid, here she was, grinding away against the most challenging opponent she could find on a regular basis. Telling herself that Kazuhiko and Koharu probably did just this back in the day was only half-encouraging, petering off into ‘not’ each time the ache of muscle exhaustion tried to settle in. Was landing kicks and punches on this tree really going to help her become better? It wasn’t moving or fighting back, which apparently made it the ideal practice partner for both form and bruises. Slashing out with her kunai, she cleared another line or two of bark before jumping up and kicking off the tree, making sure to maintain her form as she landed, panting. Bruises and aches and pain be damned. If this was going to help her catch up to her teammates, Natsuko was going to do it. She could stand being called the weak link compared to the two heirs she had for teammates, but not weaker than her genin peers. No, compared to the other genin, Natsuko was average or above on the field, period. [indent] [/indent][hr][h3][color=lightsteelblue]Kazuhiko Taketori[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Morning || Land of Fire: Konohagakure — Taketori Compound[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent] [color=lightsteelblue]“Otou-sama, Oji-sama,”[/color] Kazuhiko said, bowing. “Kazuhiko, I heard you’re looking for a sensaigan tutor?” Kazuhiko’s uncle, Norima, asked as Kazuhiko straightened. Though Norima’s gaze held no malice, his tone and choice of words betrayed his faint resignation, which had stuck around ever since Kazuhiko proved himself a far better choice as heir than any of Norima own children. They’d proved to be weak competition, with Kazuhiko awakening his sensaigan far earlier his older cousins, and it’d been obvious who the true choice was once Kazuhiko enrolled as a genin. This was all according to Kazuma, who stood beside his brother with folded arms, his face solemn and his gaze communicating his pride in his son. “Yes, Kazuhiko’s sensei made the recommendation since Kazuhiko has already mastered most of the basics.” “Hm,” Norima said, rubbing his beard. Then, with a sigh, he nodded. “Good, good. One of the biggest criticisms I hear is that I’m not the strongest in the clan. Now, even though I would argue that strength isn’t related to leadership, I’m glad that you might not have that problem, Kazuhiko. Come, let’s talk to our clan’s strongest,” he said with a wry smile. “Hopefully he agrees to take you under his wing. He’s been getting more finicky in his old age, and, well, your father must have told you the rest.” It was a short trek from the main hall to the dojo, and even from meters away, the sound of shouts and thwacks inside could be heard. When the trio entered, the source of the sound revealed itself: A group of civilians were practicing rudimentary taijutsu on wood dummies, shouting as they executed their kicks and punches. “Hidemi!” Norima called. The dojo master’s name faded into the roomy training hall, the combination of space and the sound of training quickly smothering it. “Hidemi!” Norima repeated. “Huh?” Slowly, the man laying on the bench beside the door sat up, scratching his head with a yawn. His clothes were wrinkled and faded, and more than a few day’s worth of stubble shone on his chin as he looked between the trio at the dojo door impassively. “Oh, Norima. What’dya want?” “Hidemi, this is Kazuhiko. He’s looking for a sensaigan tutor,” Norima said, gesturing towards Kazuhiko. [color=lightsteelblue]“Please take care of me,”[/color] Kazuhiko said, bowing. “Kazuhiko, huh,” Hidemi said, fixing Kazuhiko with an intense gaze that instantly melted into disinterest. “Well, don’t see why you’re telling me. You know I don’t train sensaigan anymore.” “He’s the future clan heir, and he’s considered a genius in the village. Surely he’d pass live up to your standards?” Norima said. At his side, Kazuma’s blank face had just a trace of a frown, which fully encapsulated his displeasure in the situation. Kazuhiko lowered his eyes again, maintaining his bow. “Nah,” Hidemi said with a wave of a hand. “Ask Genzo or Atomu.” “Hidemi, I’m not asking,” Norima said with a frown. “Yeah, yeah,” Hidemi said, yawning as he stretched his arms above his head. [color=lightsteelblue]“Hidemi-san, please give me a chance to prove myself to you,”[/color] Kazuhiko said, straightening to meet the man’s eyes. Hidemi paused, retracting his arms with a wisp of a grin on his lips. “Oh? How ‘ya planning to do that?” [color=lightsteelblue]“I’ll fight—”[/color] “Hah!” Hidemi slapped a knee, laughing. “That’s funny, boy, but save it.” With that, he laid back down on the bench, his arms crossed behind his head and one leg propped on the other. Norima sighed, shaking his head. “Let’s go find Atomu,” he said. [h3] [/h3][hr][h3][color=indianred]Natsuko Rinha[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Noon || Land of Fire: Konohagakure — Main Streets[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent] Natsuko pressed her forehead against the glass, looking at the mochi displays behind the glass longingly. Since her family had a cook who stopped by three times a day, Natsuko barely got any pocket money. According to her parents, this was fair; according to her, this was definitely not. Her monthly allowance was barely enough to cover three mochi days, and that was being generous. So she tended to go a bit overboard when ordering, but that was no excuse. That Kazuhiko had been willing to purchase her mochi not once but twice this month as a means to get her off his case meant that his pocket money was easily more than Natsuko’s. Now, the Taketori were a larger clan than the Rinha, but the Rinha pulled their weight and more economically. Something about having a widely-applicable kekkai genkai and being heavy on investments. Natsuko knew this much from basic clan heritage training, or whatever being forced to attend a few clan discussions was called. In her opinion, she deserved a little grease on her palm for patiently sitting through them, but apparently her parents disagreed. [color=#74677B]“Natsuko?”[/color] Turning around, Natsuko broke a grin as she recognized Mariko. [color=indianred]“Mariko-chan! Hey! What are you doing here?”[/color] [color=#74677B]“I’m here to pick up some mochi for my younger brother. You?”[/color] Mariko asked, walking towards the shop entrance. [color=#74677B]“Did you run out of money again?”[/color] [color=indianred]“Hehe, what gave it away?”[/color] Natsuko asked, following after Mariko. [color=indianred]“Say, Mari-chan, you wouldn’t happen to be in a generous mood, would you?”[/color] Mariko turned around to give Natsuko the full view of her smile, which said nothing of the exasperation Natsuko was expecting and was therefore almost scarier. [color=#74677B]“Always, Natsuko. Come on, I’ll treat.”[/color] [color=indianred]“O-okay,”[/color]Natsuko said, a little surprised. Still, she quickly followed the Hyuga heiress into the shop, where her attention was quickly absorbed by the large menu with stylized font at one side of the main counter. Sakura, matcha, redbean—the choices varied by season, and Natsuko had yet to find a flavor she disliked. [color=#74677B]“A box of strawberry red bean mochi, please, and—Natsuko, did you decide what you wanted?”[/color] Mariko asked. [color=indianred]“Y-yeah, can I get, um, a plate of sakura mochi and,”[/color] she said, glancing at Mariko, whose smile grew a teensy bit thinner but otherwise remained, [color=#74677B]“a plate of green bean ones?”[/color] [color=#74677B]“One plate of sakura mochi and one of green bean mochi, please,”[/color] Mariko said, turning back to the clerk at the counter, who nodded, thanking her for her order before retreating into the back. [color=indianred]“Thank you, Mariko-chan!”[/color] Natsuko said, tackling Mariko with a hug that seemed to surprise the heiress for a second before she relaxed in Natsuko’s arms. [color=#74677B]“No need to thank me, Natsuko-chan. Someone has to look after you while your teammates are busy,”[/color] she said, smile softening. Directing Natsuko to a seat at a table, she gestured for Natsuko to take a seat, only sitting after Natsuko did. [color=#74677B]“How have you been? I heard you’ve been spending some time at the training grounds.”[/color] [color=indianred]“Some? More like a ton. I’ve practically been living there, thanks to Minoru-sensei. He says it’s helping, but I can’t tell,”[/color] Natsuko said, huffing. [color=#74677B]“I’m sure it is,”[/color] Mariko said, her smile saying nothing. The clerk returned with two plates of mochi and a bag for Mariko, thanking the pair again before disappearing into the back. As soon as the clerk left, Natsuko zeroed in on the two plates of mochi before her, mouth watering. When was the last time she’d had mochi? She tended to want mochi right after a hard training session, and with Minoru pushing her to continue training, she’d had many such sessions, so her three mochi drops tended to happen right after she got her allowance. In such cases, Mariko and her teammates were like angels, offering to treat her or being forcefully roped into it. She should stop, she supposed, but she’d do so after she finished training. For now, she thought as she stuffed her first piece of soft, decadent sakura-flavored mochi into her mouth, she’d make the most of every chance she got. [color=#74677B]“How are your teammates, Natsuko-chan?”[/color] Mariko asked, smile hooked slightly with amusement. [color=indianred]“Gooth.”[/color] She swallowed, clearing her throat sheepishly. [color=indianred]“Good. They’re training a lot too, and with tutors. They’re working on their kekkai genkai, I think.”[/color] [color=#74677B]“Hm,”[/color] Mariko hummed, eyes glinting. [color=#74677B]“Kazuhiko-kun’s working with a clan tutor then?”[/color] [color=indianred]“I think so. Some dude named A-something? Don’t remember,”[/color] Natsuko said, stuffing another piece of mochi into her mouth. Swallowing, she looked at Mariko inquisitively. [color=#74677B]“Mariko-chan, are you working on your byakugan?”[/color] [color=#74677B]“That’s a secret,”[/color] Mariko said, giggling as Natsuko narrowed her eyes. [color=indianred]“Hmph. Well, at least you have good taste in mochi,”[/color] Natsuko said, then pushed a plate forwards. [color=indianred]“Have some. I’m not going to not share with the person who bought me mochi.”[/color] [color=#74677B]“Oh, no, I couldn’t,”[/color] Mariko said. [color=indianred]“I insist,”[/color] Natsuko said, mimicking Mariko’s airy tone. The Hyuga heiress shot her a sharp look, then sighed. [color=#74677B]“Truth be told, I don’t like mochi.”[/color] Natsuko’s mouth dropped open, half-chewed mochi and all. A flash of muted disgust from Mariko prompted her to quickly swallow, but there was a more pressing issue at hand. [color=indianred]“You don’t like mochi?”[/color] she demanded. [color=indianred]“Why?”[/color] [color=#74677B]“Well, I don’t love sweets, I suppose,”[/color] Mariko said, adjusting the bag on the table beside her. [color=indianred]“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of. Here,”[/color] Natsuko said, picking up a piece of mochi, [color=indianred]“open.”[/color] [color=#74677B]“Oh, I couldn’t possibly—”[/color] [color=indianred]“[i]Open.[/i]”[/color] [color=#74677B]“W-well, look at the time, I really must be going. It was nice talking to you, Natsuko. Hopefully we see each other again soon, and— [i]eep[/i]—”[/color] [color=indianred]“Mariko! Mariko, you get back here right— damn it. Well, at least I have mochi.”[/color] [indent] [/indent][hr][hider=Jutsu] [hider=Ninjutsu][indent] [/indent] [color=indianred][u] Wind Release: [/u][/color] [list][*][color=#df9797]Gale Palm[/color]: User increases the velocity or density of wind to form a powerful gale capable of knocking over a person.[/list] [color=indianred][u] Dark Release: [/u][/color] [list][*][color=#df9797]Kusunemasu [Weak][/color]: User absorbs chakra from others and uses it as their own. Possible through direct physical contact or from a distance with more concentration[/list] [indent] [/indent][/hider] [indent] [/indent][/hider] [indent] [/indent][hr][h3][color=lightsteelblue]Kazuhiko Taketori[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Afternoon || Land of Fire: Konohagakure — Taketori Compound[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent] While Kazuhiko had hoped that Hidemi would be his tutor, he couldn’t be disappointed by Atomu, who was one of the foremost sensaigan tutors of the clan. After retiring from the Anbu—something that you could only say after the fact—he’d led a few classes in the academy before settling down in the clan dojo as a tutor. His many years of experience were clear from the way he practiced with Kazuhiko, though Kazuhiko often had to wonder whether Atomu was this picky with others. Even if he wasn’t, Kazuhiko didn’t mind; as heir, it was his job to set the standard and be the example, and he appreciated that Atomu wasn’t cutting him any slack. “Focus! Picking out the main nerve branch is key, and you need to be able to do that in an instant. Layouts are different for different people, but they usually don’t differ that much,” Atomu said from where he couched, a kunai in one hand. “Try again. Be more precise.” Circling him, Kazuhiko activated his sensaigan, Atomu’s web of nerves blinking into existence, the minor currents and ebbs glowing against the rest of the world, which was dark and rather mundane compared to the brightness of the pathways his dojutsu highlighted. Atomu rushed at him, and Kazuhiko met him halfway, their kunais clashing as Kazuhiko stabbed his hand towards the thickest glow on Atomu’s free arm, which happened to be near Atomu’s shoulder. Though Atomu disengaged, hopping out of the way before Kazuhiko could reach him, he straightened as soon as he was out of range, nodding. “Good job. Let’s take a break.” Kazuhiko relaxed, his sensaigan blinking out of existence as he registered just how tired he was, how the thin film of sweat on his skin had started sticking his clothes to him. While training, he’d barely noticed how much chakra he’d used, focusing only on getting used to the landscape his sensaigan afforded to him. Calling the dojutsu forwards required active effort on his part, as did maintaining it, but all of this was part of the training exercise. Atomu always had him working on multiple things at once, and Kazuhiko frequently found himself impressed at the exercises the past Anbu devised. “You’re nearly there with navigating sensaigan sight, and you’ve started developing the instinct for nerve system layouts. Try checking out some medical nin materials for anatomy—it might help, it might not. Depends on how you learn, but I have a feeling it’d help you,” Atomu said, tossing a water bottle at Kazuhiko. “Genius for sure, Hidemi’s missing out.” Kazuhiko nodded, taking a swig of water. The cold of the water helped the last of his panting subside, and he exhaled, looking to Atomu. [color=lightsteelblue]“Why didn’t Hidemi want to teach me?”[/color] Atomu paused mid-swig, lowering his water bottle to reveal a wry grin. “Hidemi’s a weird one. Believe it or not, it’s because he thinks teaching you will be boring,” he said, chuckling at Kazuhiko’s incredulous look. “Yeah, Hidemi’s probably bored out of his mind not teaching anyone, but that’s how he is. He’d rather stay lazy and bored than commit to boredom, or something like that.” [color=lightsteelblue]“He taught you, right? Back in the day?”[/color] Kazuhiko asked. Atomu laughed. “Yeah, yeah he did. He was [i]slightly[/i] more willing to take on students back then, but not really. He’s hard to convince because he won’t be straight with you unless he accepts you, and getting him to accept you is the hard part. For me back then, well, I was a terrible student when I was younger. Skipped class all the time, wanted to chase bugs and tease girls instead of going to class. Now, he took one look at me and said I’d never make it anywhere. That was disheartening, yeah, and I was so depressed I actually started going to class again. Didn’t have to motivation to go play. Now, he saw that and told me that was kinda surprising, but I’d need to do more. I didn’t understand at the time, but after some time mulling it over, it clicked: he wanted me to prove that I could be surprising. See, that’s the thing about Hidemi—he thinks predictable people are boring. It took me scoring first in my class multiple times to prove to him that maybe I had potential. So if you want to catch his attention, well, you need to do something surprising. Unpredictable. Something he’d never think you’d do. And you need to do it well—really well—and do it multiple times.” Kazuhiko stared at him blankly, which prompted another laugh from Atomu. “Now, I’ve no idea what Atomu wants from anyone, so that’s up to you to figure out. That’s how it works—you figure it out, and you prove to him that you’re not as predictable as you seem,” he said. [color=lightsteelblue]“Hidemi wants me to fail my missions?”[/color] Kazuhiko asked, bewildered. “Well, no. In my case, I was a bad student, and I became good. That was self-improvement. Hidemi values accomplishment, if you’ll believe it, and you’re pretty much as accomplished as you can be at your age, which is why everyone’s confused why he didn’t take you on as a student.” Atomu shrugged. “I’ve no idea what he wants from you. Something surprising, but what, become our youngest jonin? Pass the chunin exams alone? No idea.” Kazuhiko was silent as he processed this, staring down at the water bottle in his hands. Self-improvement? Chasing that was why he’d approached Hidemi in the first place. What more did the dojo master want from him, though? “Right, let’s go one more round before dinner,” Atomu said, standing and looking Kazuhiko over. “I reckon you got enough for another few tries.” [color=lightsteelblue]“Yeah,”[/color] Kazuhiko said, standing as well. Self-improvement—he’d figure it out. Later, but he’d figure it out. [indent] [/indent][hr][hider=Jutsu] [indent] [/indent][hider=Taijutsu] [indent] [/indent] [color=lightsteelblue][u] Keen Fist: [/u][/color] [indent]The Taketori style of Taijutsu that uses their Sensaigan’s nerve-cutting abilities to compound the damage done to struck areas. This style of fighting emulates the movements of staves and spears, aiding the Taketori in landing their Sensaigan techniques.[/indent] [indent] [/indent][/hider] [hider=Ninjutsu][indent] [/indent] [color=lightsteelblue][u] Lightning Release: [/u][/color] [list][*][color=#dbe4f0]Thunder[/color]: User creates small sparks of lightning that can hit multiple targets at once. [*][color=#dbe4f0]Thunderbolt [Needs Practice][/color]: User creates arcs of lightning that can hit multiple targets at once. [*][color=#dbe4f0]Lightning Strike [Needs Practice][/color]: User creates a strong arc of lightning that can hit multiple close targets or be extended to hit a faraway one. [*][color=#dbe4f0]Thundering Kunai[/color]: User channels their Lightning Release technique into a kunai, thus charging it. This technique can be used with different ninjutsus to create varying intensities of electricity inside the blade [*][color=#dbe4f0]Lightning Clone Technique[/color]: User creates a tangible clone that is dispelled with very little damage and cannot perform jutsu. The clone will also dispel if enough time passes.[/list][indent][/indent][/hider] [indent] [/indent][/hider] [hr][sup][@Sunflower][/sup]