A Day in the Yard

[Das Kirb]

Katsu paced around a baren circle once used for training. The wooden dummy in the center was severely marked up with metal pegs mounted upon rotating logs. Burn marks told the story of those who'd misunderstood the reason for such a contraption. However, the rot had begun to set in, showing how long this particular ground had been abandoned for more advanced and versatile facilities. It'd serve her purposes well though. With the steel reinforcement she could lay into the device and not be concerned.

Katsu stepped up to the training dummy barren of any augmentations. She tested it's spin by a push and was satisfied to see it move freely still. Ookami had recently greased this one specifically for her. With the blazing sun already threatening to leave burns all over her another element had been added as well. She gripped one of the rebar protrusions and found it excessively hot. The burn upon her hand was shallow but definitely painful for the brief moment it existed before being mended. With a nod of the head the titan began.

She spread her legs shoulder width and raised her hands. The stance was unfamiliar and her body wanted to protest. However, slowly she held it and began to strike at the target, keeping the pace manageable. Advice was being headed to focus on repetition and control until the movements became instinct. No open handed grabs or sweeping claws. Instead she forced herself to keep the tight stance and strike slowly. Focus on the movement of the dummy and strike it as it moved rather than before. For hours she kept this going, oblivious to her surroundings as she only cared about how her body moved, and keeping the instinct of the past forced down.

[hobnob]

Itoshii was taking a slow stroll when he came upon a girl who seemed to be practicing her strikes on a wooden dummy. She looked uncomfortable, like she was forcing herself to hold that stance. The youth thought that it must not be her thing, close-quarters-combat, it was not for everybody, and it definitely took some time to get used to. The boy stood and watched for a little while, and eventually decided he would make his way over and approach. Maybe there was a small chance he could join in, and then both of them would enjoy a spot of training a little more than striking a dummy.

With a spring in his step, he bounced over to the girl still going at it. ‘HI! ‘ the youth exclaimed as he got within a few feet of her. ‘I’m Itoshii, i saw you practicing on the dummy, can I join?’ He continued as he watched her, eagerly awaiting a response. It was about time he did some hand to hand training, it has been a long time since he had done so. In fact it has been a long time since he has done any sort of training. His refuge in Konoha has been more leisurely than he had wanted it to be.

[Das Kirb]

The titan could barely perceive another person nearby. Via sheer repetition she was developing the memory, but that repetition was broken by the small boy's voice, and annoyance followed. She spun on a heel and expected to see a bright faced child from the village. The instinct to lash out was already tempered, but she was caught completely off guard. It wasn't a little leaf boy who looked at her, but the ruddy skinned and sand colored appearance of one of Wind's kin. Disarmed, the woman dropped the annoyance and stood looking for a second.

A need came to the front of her mind. The white haired boy struck something and suddenly she was taken back to Kiri and that Kaguya boy who'd been one of the first to actually approach her. The shard reacted, taking her back in time. The transformation was painless for once. No longer was there a seven foot tall behemoth of muscle and scars. Instead the girl stood no taller than a bit over five feet. Her muscle trimmed, her features softened. Katsu didn't even notice, the former host of Katagenma stood there a child once more.

"Yeah, go ahead Sentou."

---

Jutsu usedShow

Aspect of the Beast: Mimicry
D - Parasite
The parasite augments the body in more limited ways to create a false identity. The host can change their physical features in any way they choose including stature (no taller than eight feet nor shorter than five), skin pigmentation, hair and eye color, body and facial structure, muscle mass and density, and even expressed sex. Once a form is selected the change happens at [Speed] and this must be used again to change form further.

[hobnob]

The youths jaw dropped as he watched girl titan transform into a girl that was a little taller than him. ‘Whoah! That was awesome!’ He screamed in excitement, not moving an inch. He was a little taken aback though, by her comment. ‘Whips Sentou?’ Itoshii though as his gaze remained on the girl. But it did not matter. He wanted to have a go on the dummy, he leaped at it with excitement. He would go ahead and deliver a knee to its face - and if Katsu watched him she would notice that his body never made contact with the dummy, but the damage was being dealt. Once his landed back in his feet, he would follow with a right hook to the dummys left rib region, and the same thing would happen. In this way Itoshii would proceed to deliver a combo of two punches, followed by a side kick, alternating the leg he used with each strike.

After a few rounds, Itoshii stepped back and looked at the girl, letting out a little sigh as he caught his breath. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he smiled. ‘That’s pretty good, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a go in a dummy.’ He then stepped to the side to give the girl room to do their thing. ‘I never got your name!’ He let out before she got started again.

[Das Kirb]

The girl watched and made note. The entire time her mind was reliving memories of a time long gone. Of training with the Kaguya in the middle of just such a circle. Naoko would stand nearby and watch, demanding them to get back up when they fell. It wasn't soft, the command was backed by wicked lash and smoke. But it was comfortable. Every strike would land hard and the reverberations sent through the kid's bodies. It didn't matter to Katsu, but Sentou would reel from them before they both got back up and squared off again.

But it wasn't those times. She noticed the differences as reality started to seep in and the past seeped through her fingers like sand. The feeling remained though, looking at this cloth garbed boy. Now her dad's voice was commanding her. Get back in there and tighten her guard. It was a modern memory. Katsu began to look at this kid through eyes of nostalgia but recognition. As each blow landed but didn't land she was more brought back to herself. The haze of memory faded more, and now the woman was only left with the feeling and for once was calm and smiling slightly.

"Katsu. Sorry about earlier. Was lost in the moment." Katsu approached and reflexively extended a hand in greeting. "You move good, kid. Seems you're also fairly far from home too. Take it you're one of the desert folk?"

[hobnob]

‘Nice to meet you Katsu!’ Itoshii said with a smile. But as she approached and extended her hand, he looked at her confused. He was not sure what he was suppose to do. In suna the villagers knew that it was impossible for him to shake someone’s hand due to his inability to control his ability. He had never shaken anybody hand, and did not know that custom. He looked at her hand blankly, ‘what am I suppose to do…?’ He let out confused. Before his gaze moving up to meet hers. ‘Thanks! Close quarters is my thing… that’s about all I can do though…’ he said and took a moment to let her respond. But a moment later he would continue, ‘yeah, I’ve been here for a little while, I like it. It’s a little different from Suna, it took a little to get adjusted to.’

[Das Kirb]

The hand dropped as Katsu rubbed her head in a bit of embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry about that. A custom from home. Anyway, thought I recognized it. Seems fire is absorbing everyone. With the war and all seems this place is expanding its borders not by land but by people. It's just doing it after the fact." Katsu said passively as she walked away up to the training dummy. "Good to see not all of them have to be in cages though."

Katsu once again took her stance and began working through the movements. The unfamiliar demanded slow response and she worked through them step by step. "In a cage close quarters is all you have. It's what you need to know. Too close for handseals and that magic takes too long to bring up otherwise." Katsu began speeding up now, a strike landing against a pole with a bit more force to bring the other side around and answer it with more force.""And its hard to sneak up on someone when there's so little space to work. Gotta know how to keep yourself tight and ready. You can't really drop a guard that's already raised." She was talking to herself a bit more than anything else. Her pace increased again as she blocked a bar with her knee and delivered a strike at a coming plate. "You gotta respond and think quick." As if by punishment Katsu's focus lapsed and she was putting too much energy into the strike. A rod came around and cracked her in the ribs before the unfamiliar movements could respond. She flared in rage for a moment, the seething violence briefly flashing, before forcing it back down and resetting to try again. "Or that happens."

[hobnob]

‘Oh! Sorry! I’d like to return the custom, it just won’t work… sadly.’ Itoshii said, rather sad at the fact. He nodded at Katsus comment about fire absorbing, or taking in, people from other countries. ‘I think it’s good of them to do that… if it wasn’t for the land of Fire and Konoha, I’d either be dead or in the hands of Iwa… I hate what they have done to my village and country… so while I’m here, I’m going to get as strong as I can, and go take my my country and village one day.’ The youth said, and his entire demeanour change from that of the child that he was, to that of the man he was becoming.

‘What do you mean when you say not all of them in cages?’ The youth asked, a little confused at the comment, he had never seen any refugee in konoha to be kept in a cage. But it did worry him a little, that was no way to treat someone who was seeking shelter from a war, or anyone for that matter. As Katau began working through her close quarter drills, he nodded along as she spoke about behaviour and actions expected in close proximity. At that distance, handsigns would be pointless, chakra channeling may be an option but it still takes time. And if the close quarters combatant is strong enough, there won’t be enough of it to fire a technique. But that’s not something Itoshii had to worry about, and he knew it. So far, he had never been in a conflict that actually hurt him. He wanted a challenge, but until one arose, dummy’s would be all he would get.

[Das Kirb]

"Some people need a cage to feel safe I guess." Katsu began running through the motions again but kept her arms in tighter. The stance was stiff and it didn't feel right as she moved. Strike, dodge, strike, punishing block, dodge. It was all rythmic and static. "Not all cages are metal or stone. Some are meat and creed." Block, strike, strike, block. "And when someone is in that cage it makes them comfortable. Or when someone else is in that cage it makes others feel safe." Evade, strike, block, tap, tap, block, strike, evade, punish. "And some build their own cage because they fear something." The words were no longer hers. Her voice had changed. It was as if the warrior poet Varu spoke through her.

Katsu underwent another transformation. Her hair became long smooth and black. Her skin ashen and her body molded. No longer the girl stood there but a man of the plains. Once again, the transformation didn't hurt and went unnoticed. "But a cage can be useful. The walls give a different view of the world. It makes you think much smaller, more immediate. You must develop a new skill in order to compensate." The movements became more fluid in this shape. Varu's hands moved as if liquid motion rather than blunted stone. "Even the great five forget this sometimes. They think caging a monster puts it away or makes it a tool of their use. Sometimes all it does is give them a reason to fight harder. Especially when you cage them from their home."

[hobnob]

Itoshii stood frozen in place as he listened to her speak, transform, and practice. ‘She’s a philosopher…’ the youth thought, as he watched her body change once more. Her voice deepened, her body changed. But she continued as if nothing happened. It’s was amazing, and inspiring. He began to wonder who exactly was this person that preached such depths. What has she been through that gave her such wisdom. Itoshii stood there, unsure what he should do. So he chose to listen. Although he had the feeling the more she spoke, the more questions he would have. ‘What do you mean cage the monster? What monster? Tell me more!’ The youth said excited.

[Das Kirb]

For a moment the woman in another man's skin merely remained silent as she got lost in thought. Varu's teachings were mixing with the memories of Naoko's own now and things were beginning to make some sense. It still felt off, unnatural and without the intent of her old ways, but as she went through the paces and began to think back she began to understand what they meant. At least to a minor degree. Varu, and her, hands began to lock in the concept further. It was still slow, but it wasn't sloppy.

Katsu began to strike with more precise action and duck the incoming rod. Strike, block, duck, strike, counter. It made sense. . . but the frustration of not using passion and intent was beginning to seep in once more. Only the words of Varu kept her calm as he spoke through her memories. "I'm a monster, little one. And so is the man who steals to feed his children. The woman who moves the beam thrice her size to save her partner is a monster to some. Monster is meaningless to most, but everything to others. And to those others monsters are to be feared." She emulated Varu's movements now, visualizing him in the glade's of River. Clean and crisp, but still dispassionate. The mind understood, but something else was missing.

"In truth, that fear is what the true monster is. Because fear is a tool that keeps one alive. The hairs on your neck standing when in the presence of the unknown. The excitement and terror when your life is threatened by an overwhelming force. It can be used just like a knife to push beyond your limits. Just like my anger. But it must be tempered, honed and sharpened with the stone of wisdom. Because of the lack of wisdom do we call what makes us afraid monsters. And that fear unbound by reason leads us to want to either cage or destroy them. Otherwise, we can't feel safe." And that was the tool Katsu lacked. The passion was missing because these movements weren't hers. She was emulating, but not understanding. Because it was always hers to be unbound by anything, even herself.

Katsu underwent another transformation. The ashen skinned man fading into memory once more. She needed passion, anger and fear. Hatred and lust. It was the only thing she knew and it was what she embraced. But she'd been told to either cage it or release it. Never to know the difference of when on either. Once more the seven foot tall wild woman stood. What she needed in life was passion unbound, but to know when to unleash it. So her movements began to open up. She'd strike, dodge, strike, strike, strike, block and grapple to strike again. Aggression coming in. But now she relented and let the pole come around, letting it strike her. Only this time she'd roll with the strike and force her might into a counter, and thus the dummy splintered and cracked.

"I am a monster. . . And I think I understand the cage."

[hobnob]

This conversation was deep. A lot deeper than Itoshii had expected. A lot deeper than Itoshii wanted a conversation to be. This was all a little too much for him. He was a youth, he just wanted to hit the dummy, and she just broke it. Itoshii was not the happiest of people when he saw the dummy come crumbling down into a thousand pieces. ‘Ohhh… I wanted to hit it a few more times… but… are you talking about perception?’ The youth said. He might not have been all that into philosophy, but he did understand a thing or two of what she had said. Her transformation also didn’t affect him. If anything he found it awesome!

[Das Kirb]

The titan watched it crack and begin to lilt to one side before turning to the youth and gesturing. "You don't need this." Katsu rattled the dummy around to send the central piece lazily falling to the ground. "People have been telling me this shit since I was about your height. Took me nearly twenty years to finally think it through. . . But you're probably smarter than me anyway." She turned towards little Itoshi and scratched her opposite shoulder. "But I did just break it, and didn't give you another chance to train. . . huh."

Katsu dropped back into the unfamiliar stance but kept her hands open. "Come on them, let me make it up to you."

[hobnob]

‘Oh… I’m not that clever… I just have a lot of initiative…’ the youth said as he looked at all the broken pieces of the dummy scattered around on the floor. He did want to have another go on the dummy. But it was too late for that. It was not the end of the world though, dummy’s didn’t make the best opponents. If anything, she did him a favour. She now offered to spar with him instead of just hitting the dummy. This was becoming better by the minute. A philosophy lesson to start off, and a bout to finish. He did not expect this to be such a good day.

With a smile on his face, the youth entered his fighting stance. It was simple, feet shoulder width apart, and a simple guard applied with his arms. But, it’s not like he needed it. He was going to allow Katsu to make the first move. With a patient look in his eye, and a kind smile on his face, he said - ‘Let’s do this.’

[Das Kirb]

He took a stance, lowered stature would make guard difficult. Katsu modified her stance to cover her core more than her head. She'd also have to strike for the head area, but this was a kid and she needed to hold back. This was training, a sparring match only. This wasn't Kiri nor a Kiri rival. This was Konoha, a land of soft hands and different intent. Even if this wasn't a little leaf boy she'd still need to tailor her strikes. Control over brazen aggression. Submission over lethal intent. All thoughts that crossed her mind as she watched the boy, hindered by primordial instinct.

The boy didn't move, but her thoughts began to drift away from the tranquil lands of her once home, the soft comfort of her mate, and the musical voice of Varu'Kahn. This was combat now, and combat demanded intent. Even a spar there was contest, strife, effort to be expended. The instinct was strong, overwhelming, and the hunger came forward. The titan began salivating. Even as her forward mind cautioned and restrained, beneath the mask was the shard. It'd be controlled for now. Arsa's blue painted face smiling and giggling at a dumb joke would be her shield for now.

He still hadn't moved and his intent was clear. She'd have to make the first move, and the distance closed as quickly as possible. An agile opponent with a small frame would need precision. She loaded her weight on her rear leg and sprang forward with power, pushing to the top of her speed (16) instantly to close the distance. Closing until she could launch a strike, a simple and controlled punch, to the boy's jaw. The forward mine was winning and she restrained her power (5 str).

---

JutsuShow

Aspect of Control: Simplicity Itself
E - Tai (Maneuver)
Katsu aims a simple punch or kick to strike with rapid movement at a precise location without faltering stance or defense. The strikes comes out and odes it's damage or misses before being instantly reset back into a neutral stance.

Aspect of Control: Neutrality
E - Tai (Stance)
Katsu raises her fists to rest before her face, arms covering the chest. Her stance is wide with one foot behind the other, shoulder length apart. This stance affords rapid strikes and reset at the sacrifice of flexibility.

[hobnob]

They stood there looking at each other for a brief moment. It felt as if they were playing a game of chicken, but Itoshii knew they were not. It was the challenger that was suppose to make the first move, and so she did. She moved swiftly, the youth could keep up with her without issue, be he highly doubted being able to keep up with her in terms of endurance. He was able to exert speeds that surpassed hers by almost a half, but he could not keep that speed up for an extended period of time. This fight was going to be akin more to a battle of wits, than hand to hand combat. Although in reality, every fight was like that, but it could be clearly seen in this one.

It was clear that this girl had formal close quarters training, she moved skilfully, gracefully, and quickly. For someone with that body type it was really an amazing feat. If it were not for his ability, Itoshii would be bound to fail, and lose miserably. But that was yet to happen.

As she approached, Itoshii did not budge an inch. He stood his ground, and when she threw a punch towards his jaw, he continued in place without moving. A smirk spread across his face, hopefully she was expecting that to happen, considering his earlier display on the dummy. Now, it was time to counter attack. Itoshii matched her in speed, he knew he had no change in over powering her with strength, so he would maximise the effects of his ability. The arm opposite to the one she used, moved up and across his body in an attempt to smack her hand out of the way. Once again, his arm and her arm would not connect, his ability would impact her arm, causing damage equal to the speed his arm was moving at (16).

AbilityShow

The Devils Cloak
The ability named Devils Cloak grants the user a layer of gravity around them. Like an armour that covers every inch of their body with a reach of 10cm. When something comes into contact with it, it will be stopped with the cloak absorbing the damage. The cloak is permanently active and costs the user -5 of [Chakra Pool], this cloak has a strength equal to the users [Control] and requires a strength higher to break through.

In hand-to-hand combat, the damage dealt by the barrier cloak is based on the users [Speed], but it can not exceed the users [Control].

Although this is a gravitational cloak completely covering the user, it would not prohibit him from reaching through it, allowing him to touch his body without the need to deactivate it. The cloak can be deactivated, but for this to happen the user has to use a jutsu designed specifically for this.

[Das Kirb]

He matched her, expected. He'd proven to have some skills before and now the response was clear. No contact, yet force, and speed. She allowed the blow to be deflected, throwing her guard out and attack wide. The intent of the stance, quick response as opposed to overwhelming force. Unfortunately, it was still untrained and the woman had to make effort for the next motion, it was sloppy. Especially with the needed modification.

She had watched what was happening now, logging information. There was something around him that she couldn't penetrate. The woman made a gambit in calling it a chakra shield, and shields could be broken. This was seemed tied to his body to, she'd play with the limits of it.

When her arm was deflected she moved to instead wrap it around the shield, hoping for an opening. Testing it's range and limits. She hadn't been pushed back from his body but instead arm, meaning there was something there. It was time for a burst of power and she'd aim to lock around it with her entire power (20). It probably wouldn't work but with luck it'd be a distraction as she went for several strikes at his torso, coming from the other arm at her hip. Instinct told her to open her hand, thankfully Arsa's voice was calming her. The strikes were blunt, not taloned and restrained in power (10 str).

---

JutsuShow

Aspect of Control: Three piece
D - Tai
Katsu aims three consecutive strikes with the same limb at the same target it rapid course. This is designed to weaken the area or the guard of the area and rapidly reset back into a neutral stance.

Aspect of Control: Lock up
D - Tai
Katsu dodges and incoming attack that she can perceive by slightly moving her body just out of the way to the side. Doing so she brings her closest arm down and wraps it over the limb that made the attack if able, locking her elbow around it and at her chest.

[hobnob]

Itoshii managed to deflect her arm with his ability, but did not seemed to faze her even a little. It was clear that she was an experienced hand to hand combatant. Itoshii was moving at above half his full speed, and she dealt with the force of the impact as if nothing happened. Itoshii was becoming more and more excited with every action, and reaction, she performed. It was like they were perfectly matched. Their skills were different, their skills were at different levels, but they all boiled down to the roughly the same level. And only time would tell who the winner was. And Itoshii could not wait to see how this played out.

Her arms wrapped around him. He could not feel the amount of pressure she was exerting upon his gravitational cloak, be he knew it was more than before. He could see from the corner of his eye her body lock up as she tightened her grip around him. Luckily for him, his feet were still free to move. And once she let go of him, and began delivering a barrage of strikes to his torso, he moved to the side and away from her. And the moment he regained his footing, he leaped into the air, rotated himself around to the point where his head was closer to the floor, and his legs closer to the sky. In one quick motion, his right leg came blitzing down - aiming to strike her right trap area at a speed a quarter faster than before (20). All this moving around and jumping had no specific purpose other than trying to distract her, make her lose the thread, and open herself up for the blow. But Itoshii also understood, that because of his untrained, unskilled, movements, his attacks were extremely easy to predict.

[Das Kirb]

Dodge and strike, expected even if irritating. However, this one came faster than she could reasonably react. She tried, skill and experience seeing the distraction for what it was, but her body simply couldn't respond quick enough yet. The attack came down and struck clean on her back to buckle down to the earth. Once again, no official contact but she was able to watch where the force came from, gaining the precise area of the field's effect.

Control over instinct, she kept herself down on the ground and charging her legs to surge forward once more. This time her arms went wide as if to tackle the boy to the ground. In fact, that was the intent, using weight and momentum to topple him and place herself on top. Straddle his chest and begin laying into his head and shoulders with repeated strikes. The shield could be broken and needed to be.

---

JutsuShow

Aspect of Control: Dash In
D - Tai (Maneuver)
Facing a range opponent Katsu aims to close the distance. By putting her weight on her back leg she aims to push off with power to bridge the gap followed up by a solid punch to the jaw. This movement can only happen at up to her strength with a cap of her speed in a straight line in meters.

Aspect of Control: Mount
C - Tai (Maneuver)
If a target is downed Katsu throws her legs over their torso, dropping to her knees, and "mounts" them. She will use her weight to pin them as she unleashes a flurry of attacks at their head and shoulders.

[hobnob]

She came charging at him with force. Itoshii, being the little, light, youth that he was, was taken off his feet with ease. Smashing against the ground, she mounted his chest, pinning him to the ground with ease. Itoshii wiggled, trying to get free of his binding, with no luck. A moment later, a barrage of punched came hurling at his head and shoulders. He couldn't waste anytime. He might have been pretty good at taking damage thanks to his ability, but his endurance still paid the price. In response to the oncoming barrage, he decided to deliver a barrage of his own, with his legs. Rapidly, he starter to flutter his legs, driving his knees into her back as quickly as he could [22] In order to deliver as much striking force as he could. Hopefully throwing her off of him, so that he could regain his composure and be back in the fight, on both feet. She was a formidable opponent, tougher than anyone he has faced so far. He was enjoying this, he felt that he had learnt a lot from her, about hand-to-hand combat, and his own ability. This is the most it has ever been tested. A smile appeared on his face as they both did whatever they could to gain the upper hand. A barrage of fists, versus a barrage of knees. Only time would tell who would emerge victorious from this brawl. Whatever happened, Itoshii was looking forward to round two.

[250]