Starring:
Date: June 15, 2013
Summary:
Atsui and Fudo get a training regiment set up for them by Satomi.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Team Shadow-strike: Training #3"
Konohagakure
Today, Fudo was working on more fire jutsu. He wanted to get his timing right with his seals so that he could combine attacks fluidly one after the other without changing element or style. Fudo's training so far had left him capable of linking together entirely unrelated jutsu, but he was weak when it came to actually advancing in any particular area. "Katon: Suisei!", he would yell as he exhaled a churning ball of coelecing flames after making the hand seals. His seals would continue as he prepared for the next attack in his series. "Katon: Bakuhatsu!", he'd announce as the small, compact flaming sphere would explode outwards, showering the area before him in globs of nearly liquid fire. Once again his series of hand seals continued as he would leap in to the air, inhaling deeply before locking in the seals before roaring, "Katon: Kasumi Endo no Jutsu!" as a wave of fire seemed to emerge from the area that was already on fire, surging up in a wide area like a thing, moving wall of flame.
Satomi was never that far away. She was slumbering in a nearby tree as usual. Though she was always careful when her pupils were playing with fire. Seems like Fudo somewhat had things under control. She didn't mind him pressing himself. Though she had a few pointers. So she reluctantly gets up, slowly walking off towards the training area. "Fudo-kun.." She says loudly, to announce it's her. Making sure she doesn't turn into a nara stir fry before she can do something about it.
Exhaling slowly as he would catch his breath and look at the progress he's made, Fudo would glance back towards Satomi, "Yes?" was murmured before he looked back to the fires that were starting to die down. If he could get to that final result from the start… it probably wouldn't be so draining… but first he neded to extend the size of his stream he started to think and consider.
"Learn to speak with two words kid…" Satomi barks at him firmly. "Yes sensei?" She says, waiting for him to follow suit. She however does keep walking towards him. Two fingers pressing into his spine. "I might not have a fire affinity, but I know a thing or two…" She waits for him to straighten up and fix his posture. The demerit of teaching yourself techniques. They are imperfect.
"Back to basics. Back straight, breath through your hand, make a circle…" She grabs Fudo's wrist while standing behind him, body pressed against his in a way that would make most boys jealous. She presses her knee into his calve so he has to bend through his legs slightly. "Firm stance. Now do a fireball…" She takes a step back. "Remember, loose but firm. Do it properly first, the backflips can come later…!"
"Yes, Sensei." Fudo would state, thoguh he did not quite get why. He suppossed it had to do with the change in their team line up. Regardless, it was what he was asked to do. Then his body was moved as he was instructed on proper posture and the usage of the "cone". That Mario cone…. that Mario training cone everyone used to learn how to funnel their justu properly. It was only useful in some jutsu… and it certainly was not at all practical when in combat as it telegraphed the jutsu at times, but he would do as he was told even if he didn't like it. He body against his back was noticed, but he would try not to notice it more than was appropriate. Then, he was asked to use a fire ball, and so he did; "Katon: Suisei." he would say as the ball of flame coelesced from the cone of his hand outwards before being launched in to the air.
"See?" She muses. "notice the control?" She smacks Fudo on the back of his head. "Learn to control your jutsu first before practicing concealing them. Do you throw before you hold your knife properly?" She looks at Fudo for a moment, waiting for that to hit him.
"While your fire jutsu are impressive. You're fooling yourself in thinking you're the only one doing it right. In fact, you're wasting chakra. Your techniques are inefficient and if you keep doing it wrong you'll grind it into your normal routine. Making your whole fighting inefficient. I don't care if you do cone-less backflips while in combat. If that's what the situation warrents so be it. Now you're training." She lets go of him. "Again, proper posture. Notice howmuch more you can breath in like this?" She turns around him.
"Breath in deeply." She orders. "Now hold…" She waits for him to breath in a full lung and hold his breath. She begins counting, checking his lung capacity. "We might need to work on your lung capacity. I have a few ideas. Unorthodox, but certainly effective."
It seemed he was being scolded for his efforts, but Fudo wasn't one to make excuses. Still, he was not very appreciative of being told how ineffective he was. At the same time, he had come to much the same conclusion as she did. He was wasting chakra because he had to constantly string thigns together instead of being able to reach the scale of attack he wanted in a single jutsu or perhaps two. So now he was holding his breath to test his lung capacity, and for just under three minutes he would hold his breath before finally having to exhale heavily.
Satomi nods at Fudo. "Very well…" She muses. "No wonder your fire jutsu don't really pack a punch. Hinotori has been slacking I see." She shrugs. "Guess it's my time to chip in. About time." She chuckles. "Forget about your other instructors. We're going to be doing intense training. I want you to have the potential to burn this forest down if you Luigi well pleased to, by the time chuunin exams starts." Satomi smiles. "Now where is Atsui…" She looks around a bit. "As for you Fudo. Buy some new swimming trunks. We're going to be training by the lake soon. You can ask questions later."
"I bought some recently…" Fudo would state, of course it came with another matching pair for a certain someone… "Unless it is required that they are as new as possible." Fudo assumed this would not be the case however. Though… to the idea of training for the chuunin exams, Fudo would not towards Satomi. "Yes, sensei." he would say with a bit more enthusiasm than he did before. To be honest, he'd not gotten used to haveing people instruct him. He did meet with Naru once… she took him to a particular place to train him in the use of his Sharingan and to show him techniques he could use, but it has been some time and certainly intermitant.
Atsui had an interesting time at home. His mom was no where around. His father was.. well.. upset wasn't quite it, but he wasn't talking to Atsui when he showed up, 4 minutes past midnight. Atsui didn't say anything either, head down and he had gone to bed. He was up early too, earlier than normal, early enough he heard his parents just starting to stir. Gathering together his gear, he'd skip out of breakfast at home, scooting out of the Hyuuga compound to go to the marketplace area. He used what little money he had to get some food and from there, started wandering. He eventually came to that training area, he was out here to get stronger, was going to show he could do it.. what he needed to do.
Atsui didn't really stand out still, he sorta faded into the background. There was a certain weariness to him, but.. there was a trace of determination. Strength, it was indeed there, although he was a bit ignorant of it. Glancing over, he'd watch Satomi and Fudo for a moment, they were training. It was interesting to watch, but ultimately, he didn't want to intrude. Instead, he'd set up a new spinning dummy, the last one still needing repairs and he'd start that striking of the dummy, just to block on it's coming back around. While not really a complex sequence, each strike was precise, his chakra flowing and cycled into that Byakugan as he'd concentrate himself. If.. if others were going to have him on a team.. then he was going to work hard, to not let them down.
Satomi nods at Fudo. "Good, then you're ready. I have another training excersize.." She looks over her shoulder. "No need to set that up, you're right on time…" She says to Atsui. "Come along now, both of yous." She points to another area in the training area. It's marked off as reserved for .. 'team shadowstrike' with a simple sign. There's a row of dummies, every fifty feet there's another bigger dummy mirrored to eachother (So there's 2 dummies every 50 feet both ways. This continues for 500 feet. So ten dummies on both sides. Total distance of 1000 feet, in the middle is an open area.
The dummies on the right area blue, on the left are red. "So here's the deal you two." She muses. "Ever done a Kana?" She parks Fudo on one side, by the blue dummies, and makes Atsui face him, his back towards the red dummies. "You'll take one step foreward each, per step you perform one strike. Right hand, left hand, right knee, right roundhouse jumping kick, left high kick. By this time you'll both be facing eachother. You are NOT allowed to touch eachother. After the kana you will both set two steps past eachother. In round one, you'll go all out on the first dummie for five seconds after the Kana ends. The first one is made of plywood. Both are filled with balloons, filled with red paint. So you can do internal or external damage. After that you return to your original positions. And the dance starts over, only this time, I'm moving the second target closer to you, replacing the first. Which will be sturdier. Some will attack you even." Satomi smiles. "Get in positions."
Fudo of course listened, but then was trying to figure out… why? Why all the fighting with air first? Was it to make them more tired? Was it to work their muscles? To work on their technique? All of the above? In the end, it didn't matter much… once again it was what he was told to do, thus what he would do. Standing in front of the first blue dummy, he would wait for the time being for this whole thing to start. "When you say all out… what exactly do you mean?"
Interrupted before setting up the dummy, he'd look over as he was adressed. Blinking, he looked confused at Satomi. "On time? I.. err.. ok..?" He'd look between Fudo then Satomi curiously for a moment, before following after them as instructed. Walking over to where Satomi said, Atsui would focus some of his power, gather the energy further to power that Byakugan. They were set up to do internal damage? That was nifty. He'd study the dummies for a moment. Attention would turn to Satomi after he was done, prepared, although honestly curious as to the answer to that question. It did sort of matter, afterall.
"I mean the person who does the least damage might be punished. Or the most, might be rewarded." She leaves a lot in the gray area. They're shinobi after all. Let them figure out what she means. They have an objective. "Begin.." She muses.
Rolling his shoulder, Fudo would nod slightly. "Hm, alright." he'd say as he looked towards the dummy and considered that Satomi was trying to push them both. In that case, he should activate his sharingan; completely. The Tomoe would spin up in his eyes in a triplet formation as his chakra surged within his form. It began to eminate from him just a bit, tinting his form with a slight purplish sheen if Atsui truly took time to look with his Byakugan. Then, he would begin the movements: Right hand, left hand, right knee, right roundhouse jumping kick, left high kick. He then shifted positions as he passed by Atsui, drawing two kunai though one had an explosive tag attached, and he tossed that one at an angle to the right of the dummy before loosing the other behind it faster with a course to intercept. As the second kunai hit the tail end of the first, dragging it by the small circle at the pommel, the blade twirls in the air, curving a bit to cause the kunai to hammer in to the side of the dummy while Fudo made hand seals, and used the "cone of fire" to enhance the same jutsu he used earlier, sending the near solid ball of fire towards the dummy to strike it and ignite the tag to explode.
Atsui noted it. Indeed, he just stared at Fudo for a long moment.. that.. that was odd.. purple? That.. wasn't right.. Frowning, he'd finally shake his head slightly, focusing himself. As Fudo started, so too did Atsui, right hand, left hand, right knee, right roundhouse into a jumping kick, finishing with that left high kick. Stepping past Fudo as he'd launch his fire at the dummy, Atsui would launch his own combo, a sudden blur, leaves coming from nowhere, as he'd strike with that stunning palm, before blurring into the trigrams, 2 hits, to 4, to 8 to 16, to 32 hits, all in rapid succession, aiming of course for balloons within the center of that dummy.
Satomi watches them both keenly. She would need to ask what made Atsui hesitate in a moment. Both of them completely obliterated the first dummy. "Very well." She muses. Turning around and grabbing something from a bag. She walks up to Fudo, and hangs it over his neck. It's a metallic ball. A training weight? She then walks over to Atsui and does the same.
"Training weight, you both didn't perfectly synch your Kana. If you don't, you get more weight." She chuckles. "Oops did I forget to mention that!" … Sometimes she can be quite a Peach. "So next time, focus on getting your Kana under control. I want to see a perfect synch!" She then walks up to their dummy and replaces them with the next one. "This one is made of the same plywood. But two layers. Begin!" She then takes a few steps back.
SO now there were other stipuatlions. Fudo should have expected that from Satomi. Now he was wearing a weight, as was Atsui as they were on opposite sides of the field. This however, would be an easy task for Fudo. Seeing peoples movements and mimicing them was what his eyes were made to do after all. Thus, he would wait for Atsui to start against before performing the movements exactly as he was, knowing what they were prior and simply following Atsui's pace to keep it in sync.
Passing Atsui again, Fudo would draw a Fuuma shuriken and let it sail over towards the target dummy as he would form hand seals and prepare, as it was about to hit, he would breathe fire once more, guiding it with the razor wire to the target as the impact of the shuriken and the blaze would connect almost simultaneously.
Atsui narrowed his eyes slightly at Satomi with adding the weight. Not something she mentioned. He didn't say anything.. last thing he needed was more flicking. Instead, he'd center himself again and once more go through that kana, matching in sync with Fudo as they did. Reaching that point to pass each other, he'd already know that the dummy was within that trigrams range. A small shift of feet and Atsui would indeed go full out. The rush forward had him doing those strikes again, two to four to eight to sixteen. He'd get faster, pressing that attack more as it went to thirty two hits and pushing for that over the top, Atsui's personal max, he'd finish with sixty four strikes, watching the balloons all pop.
Satomi nods while the second dummies are being attacked. This time, they're both in synch.
"Good.." She muses. Smirking while reaching into the bag again, walking up to both of them. She puts a plain blindfold around Fudo's eyes. Before turning him towards his targets. "Both of you are tied right now." She muses. Walking up to Atsui. She knew he could see through thing, blindfolding him wouldn't do much. So she came up with another idea. She also puts a blindfold around Atsui's eyes. One she borrowed from Berii. It has all sorts of seals on them, all of them rigged with chakra. Which means she at least made seeing significantly more difficult for him.
"Now you both have a feel for eachothers movements. We repeat the excersize. Blindfolded." She smirks. She knows Fudo can still see Atsui's chakra and the other way around. So they would not hit eachother. But hitting the dummies would be more difficult. More importantly, they can't cheat using dojutsu to synch up! Now it's truely learning to feel eachothers movement.
And so it escalated. The blind fold was also something Fudo had come to expect, and as soon as it was set up, Fudo would say, "Same pace as before on three, Atsui. One, two, three." he would announced before they would hopefuly go through the motions at the same time. He would try to go no faster or slower than before and thus mimic his own movements from what they just finished doing. After passing by Atsui again, he would form hand seals yet again, this time letting loose a trio of his comet style attacks. Fudo used the vector of their walknig down the lane to judge about where his target was with the assumption that it was in the same place as the other targets were relative to his position.
Atsui would look at Satomi curiously as she put the blindfold on.. she should know- "Gaahh!!!" Wincing, the blindfold was like having a flashlight in your face, He'd shake his head, brows furrowing, trying to focus as he dealt with this new obsticle. Taking a few slow breaths, he'd catch Fudo's comment, a muted comment and at one, he'd go through with that kana as mentioned. Focus.. focus.. He was starting to be able to push the light around, to see, see anyways, even with the glare. Still, while slightly shaking on his form, he was in sync with Fudo. Passing each other, He did.. what? Right, target, before him. Gritting his teeth at the pain, he'd move forward, a rapid triple set of blows to hit chakra points, popping balloons that it was hard to see this time. Pulling back at that time, he'd shift slightly. "Fudo-san.. is.. is the blindfold.. painful to you..?"
Satomi watches the movement. Following Atsui and Fudo closely. She nodded while obviously they weren't completely in synch. As expected. She then watches them go at the dummies, smirking. "Very well…"
Atsui suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder, before the blindfold is slipped off. "Calm down, breath…" Satomi orders. Waiting for Atsui to do so. "Look at me. Look at me.." She waits for Atsui to calm down and look at her. "First of all, are you okay, and is your eyesight okay?" She was sure this could be done, she even checked with a Hyuga trainer who said this was a perfectly fine method of blindfolding. "Stop trying to see everything. You're intensifying everything, instead, stop relying on your eyes so much and let your other senses kick in. You should be able to synchronise with your team mates without having - any - senses on the long run. So takes a deep breath." She then puts the blindfold back on with Atsui. Followed by another training weight. Turning him towards his target again. She then walks up to Fudo and does the same, adding training weight and turning him to the target.
"Remember, I didn't give instructions on how long you can take. Synchronise, and do a lot of damage. That's your mission." She grabs a set of dummies and moves them closer. The same simple double plywood types. "Go.."
It seemed that Atsui was having a bit of issues regarding his blind folding. That was a surprise. He assumed that he wasn't blind folded to begin with given he was a Hyuuga, but apparently a special blind fold was used. That… was very interesting to know. "No. Unlike you, I can only see chakra like this, so the blind fold is effect for everything but you and Satomi, and to a lesser degree, some of the animals and trees and plants." Fudo would explain. If the dummies were made of any living components, this wouldn't be difficult at all. Any how… "On three again! One, two, three, GO!" Fudo would all but command his comrade. It was not due to wanting to be in charge so much as him being his senior and not at all afraid to tell Atsui what to do. In this case, it was to cooperate, not to charge forth like an alpha male.
The weights were getting a little heavy, but not too much as he moved through the form, keeping the established pace up even as it became more difficult to move as smoothly as it was at first. On the last strike out, shoulder to shoulder with Atsui, his sweat would be flung forward with his focused strike before Fudo would attempt to use the cone method on a jutsu he normally had to guide in through other means. If there was any test for this method, this was it. Two loarge gouts of flame would leave him after his seals were made, heading towards the target before him.
Atsui would calm down as she took that blindfold off. Panting softly. A slow breath taken, then blown out. Slowly, a small nod was given in answer to her questions. "I.. well.. that's.. sort of.. how I am focused. That's how I can focus.. or do focus.. make.. well.. everything.. more.. so I get more data.. so I can see more.." He'd close his eyes, concentrating as the blindfold was returned. "Actually, you gave a time limit.. 5 seconds.." Calmer now with dealing with the blindfold, he'd wait for that trigger from Fudo. Much closer, mirrored in step as they were in sync now, Atsui was learning how to deal with that blindfold and see anyways. One step past Fudo, after the kana was complete, he'd rush the target again, striking outward at it with a solid blow to that shoulder, following it immediately into those thirty two strikes from that culmination of two to thirty two. It seemed he was a bit more in control now, of that need to focus past the blindfold.
Satomi whistles while the two dummies again get absolutely obliterated. "Still a tie. Very nice." She nods. "Again, only this time. By the end of the dance. You are eachothers dummy." She crosses her arms. "Blindfolded obviously." She grins. She knew both of them could see eachother while blindfolded. "The winner…" She puts down some paper on the grass. "Wins this…"
"However, you can decide now that no matter the winner, you will share this 'reward' …. Satomi smiles, she is the Queen of unconventional measures. "You have one minute to decide, after one minute, at the same time, you'll give your consensus or denial of that offer."
So, now it was down to a contest between them. Fudo vs Atsui again.. blind folded for… something. Who knew with Satomi. He would turn to face Atsui, looking his way as the minute would elapse and fudo relaxed his body again, rolling his shoulders as he felt the weights still upon him. When time was up, he's simply say, "Take it as a gift. Welcome to the team, Atsui." Of course, non chalantly and "cool" as always. It was Fudo after all… he only really got worked up when he had to push himself, for his search for answers about family… or in the middle of a battle spar or other wise.
Atsui would regain his breath, calming down and focusing himself. He was tired. He felt it, in his bones, but that wasn't going to stop him. That time up, he'd give a small shake of his head. "I will be happy to share it.." He'd trail off, hearing Fudo's answer, Atsui smiled slightly. "Thank you.. Fudo-san.." shifting on his feet slightly, he'd finally go through that routine. "In three, Fudo-san.. three.. two.. one." Atsui would do that kana, as required, getting them both right across from each other if Fudo did it in sync like they had been. From there, Atsui would try to strike, before Fudo had a chance to respond, that sudden rush forward, the leaves potentially useless, although it'd be a blur of chakra in front of Fudo to try and avoid him seeing it coming as Atsui would do that stunning strike, before immediately following up with the attack, those thirty two strikes looking to shut down a portion of his chakra network.
Nodding, Fudo would follow through with the arrangement, moving up towards Atsui with the same movements they had used before, but as Atsui would strike out at him, suddenly shifting towards him and focusing his chakra towards his hands and fingers, Fudo would very swiftly use the information he had to get as far away as he could while ensureing he defended properly, which was only a few feet. As he did that however, his hand seals formed quickly, as mist would fill the air and head rapidly towards Atsui. His gauntlets clashed together as he continued to steadily feed the jutsu, attempting to fuel the roaring flames with the knowledge of his lung capacity in mind.
"HALT!" Satomi says firmly. Noticing the destruction Fudo's causing with that mist attack. Seems like they need to do some training before being on the same level. But she predicted Fudo being stronger. "Very well, sorry for cutting this short. But I don't want to see Atsui in the hospital after his first training. Not for longer than a checkup that is." Satomi smiles.
"As you decided to share the reward, since giving away wasn't an option. Feel free to take a look. I'm in my quarters should you guys need me."
When Fudo or Atsui turns around the paper it's a mission. A d-rank. A… oh Toad. Satomi is making them both clean up Ms. Tang (village elder) her new house, and making them help her move! So that was her move, the 'winner' would have to do that on his own if he was selfish. But now they decided to share they share the burden. Like a team! Satomi waits at a distance, smiling once one of them picks up the mission. Very well indeed!
The sudden smell of gas, with that feed of chakra.. Atsui knew what was coming. He'd dealt with it before from Fudo.. and hadn't been able to stop it then either. Gritting his teeth, Atsui would feed chakra into his arms, coating them with that defense as he'd tuck his head and burn. Hissing in pain, he didn't yelp, didn't cry out this time. Simply curled up until the fire went away. Slowly, he'd unfurl, going to start.. only Satomi stopped it. Blinking, looking at her, then Fudo, a small nod was given. He'd reach up and take the blindfold off, patting his arms and such to make sure that no more fire was there. A slow breath taken and released, the bakugan let go as well, he'd bow to Fudo. "Good spar, Fudo-san." Looking over to the 'reward' Atsui frowned, staring at it. What…?
